I started to post a longer part, but this cut off is good. The next part is a doozy and I didn't want to throw too much at you at one time.
Enjoy!
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"Are we doing the right thing?"
Her wide, blue eyes begged for him to tell her this was the only choice they had. "It's the right thing," he assured her and leaned to kiss her lips softly. "You'd never be happy unless you did this."
"I know," she said and glanced down to where her hands gripped his sides. "No regrets?"
"Lana, we've had a good life together. But the fates have other plans for us now."
"I know," she repeated the same words. It was all she knew to say. "One day the world will know how great you are."
"And you," he said as he smiled at her. "Go save the world."
For the first time since they'd met to say good-bye, she smiled back at him. "I'll always love you, Clark."
"I love you, too," he replied, kissing her one last time. He stuffed his hands into his pockets as she pulled away and climbed aboard the train. She was bound for Asia and for greatness herself. Lana Lang was a brilliant researcher and she'd isolated a strain of bacteria believed to be responsible for a raging virus threatening to kill half the population in southern China. With the isolation of the deadly substance, Lana was needed to help put together an inoculation to fight the disease. She'd already helped mix a vaccine to protect those not yet infected.
She had been Clark Kent's high school sweetheart. They'd continued a long distance relationship during college. When he'd graduated from Mid-West, he'd gone to be with her while she finished medical school in California, taking odd jobs where he could. Being in a large city had helped him with his... uniqueness. But in the end, it still hadn't been enough. His own ambitions and aspirations were calling to him so loudly he couldn't ignore them. Once again, they'd maintained a relationship across the miles as he traveled a bit to hopefully appease his desires. Then it was Lana who was needed. In the end, they'd decided that it was better for them both to move on. They'd known for sometime that the fire that had once danced between them had faded into the pleasant glow of friendship.
And they were okay with that.
Lana waved at Clark as the train pulled away from the station. He smiled and waved back. Sure, he loved her and always would, but as a close friend. When she was gone, he turned and headed back toward town. He was off to South America tomorrow to cover a story about arms smuggling. With any luck, and this story, he'd have a desk at the Daily Planet before the end of the year.
****
Lex Luthor stood on his balcony looking out over his city.
And it *was* his city.
"Sir, the doctor says things are going better than planned."
"Excellent." Lex turned and smiled at Nigel. "And dinner? Does Andre have it in hand?"
"It might be his best yet," the older man told him with an emotionless English accent.
"Is my lovely date on the way?"
"Coming up as we speak."
"Even better." Lex loosened the belt on his smoking jacket with an evil leer. Tonight was going to be a very good night.
****
The first thing Lois was aware of when she woke up the following morning was that she had the worst headache of her life. She rolled over onto her back, threw an arm over her eyes, and groaned. How much champagne had she drank? Beside her the bed moved and she froze. She wasn't alone!
Refusing to open her eyes for fear of what, or who, she might see, she became aware of another very, disturbing situation. She was naked!
"Good morning, dear," came a masculine voice as it drew closer to her. A bit of relief washed over her when she recognized the voice. It belonged to Lex.
She shifted her arm enough to confirm the voice was indeed Lex's. He was grinning widely at her and kissed her shoulder, her bare shoulder.
"Did you sleep well?" Another kiss on her shoulder.
Panic like she'd never known washed through her as her mind searched to recall the events of the night before.
She was blank. Totally blank.
Lex kissed her neck. "You were incredible last night." His voice was husky and even through her haze she couldn't mistake the reactions of his body now.
Suddenly it was all too much. She sat bolt upright, her eyes searching the room frantically. They were definitely in his room. She'd seen it once, when he'd given her a complete tour of his home.
"Lois, what's wrong?" Lex asked as he sat up next to her.
"Lex," she managed as her eyes met his. He stared at her with concern and... was that annoyance? Or...?
She looked away, again trying to figure out what was wrong with this picture. "I, I..." she stammered as she threw her legs over the edge of the bed, careful to hold the covers tightly around her naked body. "I don't remember what happened last night," she managed quietly after a moment.
When she turned, Lex was standing beside the bed. She jerked her head away quickly because he was obviously not very ashamed of his state of undress. "Well, you were a bit... How do I say?" He'd pulled on his pants and he looked over at her and smiled. "You had a few drinks."
"And you took advantage of that?" Anger replaced the confusion and she shot to her feet.
Lex had the grace to look scandalized. "I assure you, I did not take advantage of you. You were very willing."
"How could you tell if I was drunk?" Her voice had risen to just below a shout.
"You were far from drunk," he insisted. Now he was the one who seemed to be getting upset. She was accusing him of unspeakable things and he didn't appreciate it. "Surely after all this time you know me better than that?"
Was he right? They'd been seeing each other for nearly four months now. He wouldn't have taken advantage of her.
Would he?
"I'll let you get dressed and call for breakfast." He threw on his robe and left her alone.
"What's wrong with you, Lane?" she asked herself as she slipped into her... clean clothes. Cleaned, pressed clothes.
What did Lex do? Call for Nigel or Mrs. Cox to take her things out once they were in bed? Her eyes widened at that thought.
Surely not.
As she dressed she searched her mind again for what happened the night before. Dinner- she remembered dinner. They'd danced, they'd laughed, she'd sung for Lex. She remembered a kiss- a kiss she had initiated. There had been more kisses.
And he'd opened a bottle of champagne. They'd toasted to the future. She'd had a glass and a second one. After that...
Nothing!
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then another. And as she did, she began to calm. By the time she made it out to the dining room, Lex had breakfast set out.
"Lex, I'm really sorry I accused you of anything."
"It's okay, my dear." He held her chair as she sat down. "Let's have breakfast and make plans to visit the country soon. You told me last night you'd like to go horseback riding."
As he sat down, she recalled telling him that. Maybe the night was coming back after all. She took a drink of her juice, deciding that there were probably worse things than being Lex Luthor's lover.
Over the rim of his own glass, Lex smiled- just enough to be noticeable- as he watched Lois drink her orange juice. Soon. Very soon, he thought as he watched her swallow.
****
Perry had watched his best reporter for over a month now. There was no doubt about it- there was definitely something wrong with Lois. He'd first noticed when she had come in the newsroom one morning with glassy eyes and the calmest demeanor he could ever remember from the feisty little woman. Since then, her fire had almost completely burnt out. She'd lost her edge, unable to produce a front-page article in five long weeks. And within the past week, she'd been unable to produce anything. The clincher was when she came to work this morning and handed in her resignation.
"Dr. Lane's on line two, Chief," Jimmy said as he stuck his head in the door.
Snatching up the receiver, Perry didn't waste time. "There's something wrong with Lois, Dr. Lane." He'd tried to talk to her, but she'd kept telling him she was fine; things were fine. Then he'd moved on to bullying her as her boss, but that had caused her to back away more. Now this! Somebody had to tell him something pretty darn quick.
"Mr. White, I assure you Lois is fine. She's getting married next week."
"What?!" That's the first Perry had heard of that.
"She and Lex will wed next week in a private ceremony in New York. This is what she wants, Perry."
A glance at the young woman packing her things told him that there was no way this could be what she wanted. Perry knew Lois better than anyone, especially her father. Hell, the man on the phone hadn't seen her in three years until last week. Lois loved her job, or she had. The fire, the spunk- there was no way Lois was in her right state of mind. She was too docile!
She certainly wasn't acting like a woman in love either. And why had the infamous doctor surfaced after so long? Not to mention his new and sudden interest in his daughter. He'd been in the newsroom three times since making his reappearance.
"Mr. White, are you still there?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm here. Listen, I'll get back to you." He hung up the phone without waiting for a reply. Perry walked over to the glass and tapped to get Jimmy's attention. The young man hurried into the room.
"Watcha' need, Chief?"
"I need you go get that hotshot new kid from research and you two get back here. I have a huge assignment for you." He never took his eyes off Lois as she finished her packing. Without a second glance, she picked up her box of things and turned to leave. If no one else thought her behavior odd, Perry certainly did. And he would prove it. There was something going on with Lois and Luthor and when he was finished digging for the truth, everyone would know it, too.
"So help me, Luthor, if you've done something to her," the editor mumbled as he watched the elevator doors close on the young woman he'd come to see as the daughter he'd never had.
****
Clark couldn't help but whistle as he walked down the sidewalk toward the Daily Planet. All of that traveling, all of that chasing story after story, lead after lead, had finally paid off. He'd hopped the globe in search of the largest stories so that he'd be able to prove he deserved a desk on the newsroom floor of the greatest newspaper in the world.
Of course, he'd also hopped the globe for other reasons, too. Reasons that had kept him from being able to settle for very long in any one place. But he'd figured out just a few short weeks ago how to handle those reasons as well.
He stopped in front of a news rack and grinned widely at the man on the front page of the Planet. Dressed in blue with a red flowing cape, Superman had become a fixture in the skies above the city, and even a few places around the world. The creation of an alter ego gave him an opportunity to use the abilities he'd developed to help those in need without losing himself in the process.
Another grin appeared as he completed his journey into the lobby and took the stairs up to the newsroom floor. Most papers he'd worked in around the country and the world stuck the newsroom on the bottom floor, sometimes as high as the fifth. Not the Daily Planet, though. As far as he knew, no other paper in the world placed their newsroom on the top floor. And as he stepped out into the hustle and flow he'd come to crave, he couldn't help but take a deep breath. There was nothing quite like the smell of ink in the morning.
Clark quickly found the editor's office and knocked softly. A gruff voice called for him to enter. Inside was the man he'd looked up to since college. "Mr. White?"
"Yeah. You Kent?" the man asked without lifting his head from the print he was editing.
"Yes, sir," he replied, causing the other man to raise his head. "It's an honor to meet you." Clark crossed the room and held out his hand.
Perry rose and shook the offered limb. "An honor, huh? You kissin' up already?"
It took a moment before Clark realized the man was toying with him. He had the grace to blush, but still said, "Would it help?"
"Well, it might," Perry replied as he sat down again. He leaned back and studied the young man carefully.
"I brought samples," Clark told him as he lifted his briefcase.
The editor waved him off. "Now what kind of editor would I be if I hadn't seen your work by now?" Again Clark blushed. "Come on, Kent. You're an international sensation in the reporting world. I wish I'd taken a chance on you the first time you applied."
"I have to admit, that rejection is why I've worked so hard the last few years," Clark said as he shifted in his seat.
"Does that mean you'll slack off if I give you the job?"
"Not a chance," Clark assured him. "I intend to set the city on fire."
"That's what I like to hear." Perry leaned forward and picked up a file. "This is the offer I'm making."
Clark reached out to take the file and opened it slowly to read the contents. "Wow! This is very generous."
"Yeah, well, I expect you to produce front-page material within the first week."
"Does that mean I have the job?"
Perry rose and walked around in front of his desk, glancing out at the empty chair on the floor. The suits downstairs had forced him to fill it. He'd held it, as long as he could. But even he had to admit that it was time. Focusing on the young man in front of him, he smiled, the first one since Kent had entered his office. "Welcome to the Daily Planet." He thrust his hand out again and received a strong, enthusiastic shake.
"Thank you, sir. You won't be disappointed," Clark said as he stood so that his eyes were level with Perry's.
"No, I'm sure I won't."
And he wouldn't. Perry had wanted to hire Kent for a while now- had almost hired him before Lois quit.
That thought made him sigh heavily. He didn't like to think about her. It was just too damn disheartening.
He gave Kent another once over with his usual, critical eye. He'd do, Perry decided. The man was young, hungry and the best journalist since...
Well, no doubt there would be another reporting sensation at the Planet before long.
****
Clark looked up for the third time in five minutes. The young man three desks down kept staring at him and it was beginning to unsettle him. When he'd felt he'd had enough, he pushed to his feet and closed the distance between them.
"Excuse me?" Clark said softly. When he'd first stood, the other man had lowered his head like he was busy on his computer. Clark knew better though. The poor guy's heart was thundering against his chest
"Yeah?" he asked without stopping his typing.
"Did I do something wrong?" The man's fingers stopped and he slowly turned to look at Clark. "You keep staring at me. I've looked several times, but I couldn't find a single crumb."
The man stared at him for a moment before he laughed softly. "No crumbs. " He glanced back at Clarks' desk. "The woman that used to sit at your desk was a good friend. It's just strange seeing another person sitting there."
His expression softened and he smiled sadly. "I understand. Should I move?"
The other guy stared at the now occupied desk for a long while before he smiled. "No. I just needed to say good-bye." He stood and stuck out his hand. "Jimmy Olsen."
Clark shook the proffered hand, a bit more at ease with the scrutiny he'd been getting all morning. "Clark Kent."
"Anybody who's anybody knows of your work."
A blush tainted Clark's cheeks from the praise. He'd had to get used to that lately. Being good at what you do seemed to earn quite a bit of recognition. "Thank you." He looked back at his workstation. "I just hope I can live up the legacy of the woman that once sat at that desk." Clark, too, had heard of Lois Lane. She had been an inspiration and another reason he had wanted to work at the Daily Planet.
"Yeah, well, she was one of a kind." Jimmy missed Lois so much that it hurt. She'd been gone for nearly six months and it still didn't get any better. "But enough of that," he managed after a second. "How 'bout we grab a beer after work?"
"Not tonight, Jimmy. We have a meeting," Perry told the young man as he walked up behind Clark.
"Oh, damn! And I have some research I need to get together for you." He clapped Clark's shoulder. "Let's pick a day next week, Clark." And he was gone.
Clark watched as Jimmy hurried toward the back of the newsroom before focusing on Perry. The man was standing there looking a bit anxious about something. "Is there anything wrong, Mr. White?"
Perry scratched his head a second, then motioned for Clark to follow him into his office. Once inside he grabbed a file off of his desk. "This is a bit of research on an organization that is allusive in most circles. I just got these notes from a friend of mine down in Interpol. I was asking about something else entirely and he sent me this. See what you can find out for me?"
"You got it." Clark reached to grasp the file, but Perry didn't let go. His eyes met the older man's and he waited for him to continue.
"This is hush, hush, you hear? Come only to me with this and don't mention you're working on it to anyone."
"Not a problem."
"Good." Perry finally released the file and waved the young man from the room.
Clark looked back in time to see Perry rub the back of his neck. Was it his imagination or was the man looking a bit ragged today? Of course, the shadows he'd seen in the man's eyes the day before when he was hired kind of spooked him. He'd never seen a person look quite so haggard.
He sat down at his desk and opened the file in front of him. "Wow!" he said to himself as he read the contents. Perry sure thrust the big guns at him. Glancing at the editor again, he couldn't help but wonder what the man wanted with research on the Delconto Organization. Being able to travel the way he'd done over the last few years, and his ability to blend in, had allowed him to see and hear things most people couldn't. Of course, his hearing and eyesight was a bit better than most, too.
The Delconto Organization was projected as the largest international trade business in the world. It was also rumored to be the largest crime syndicate. According to the file, Interpol, FBI, CIA, ATF, and DEA all believed the group to be trading much more than commercial and consumer goods. No one knew for sure exactly who ran the group, but every law agency in the world would love to have absolute confirmation and proof to bring down that empire. Juan Delconto had started the business back in the fifties, but since then it had changed hands. Of course, law enforcement believed the exchange was for purposes of detection. And Juan Delconto had passed away in the eighties. So...
Where did he start with such a large undertaking? The CEO of the company, the legal arm, was listed as Leslie Luckaby. Luckaby was a young, Australian businessman who had inherited the company from his grandfather, Frank Luckaby.
That was as good a place as any to get started, Clark mused as he called up the research engine on his computer. It should be easy enough to document the legal aspects of the organization. Once that was done, he'd branch out from there to see where the not so legal aspects seemed to lead. It was his experience that crime syndicates often set up legal businesses to cover for the illegal activities going on behind the scenes. A man, or several, is often chosen to be the front man, and most of the time, the fall guy when things began to unravel. Whoever controlled the Delconto Organization was very meticulous because apparently it had been operating since the fifties without coming apart. That meant they were extremely careful or that a lot of money exchanged hands to make sure they were always a step ahead of the law. The latter was probably more correct and if so, an investigation of any kind could throw up flags, giving the group time to cover their tracks again.
A few minutes later he took his jacket off and rolled up his sleeves. The heaps of information he'd found already told him it was going to be a long day.
