Sorry about the lack of updates, but it's getting to be that time of the semester in college, and then two weeks ago I was kicked in the leg by a horse - I'm fine, but I'm still very sore.
Anyway, I did manage to crank out two more chapters of my story, so here it is. Hope you enjoy this next installment! Disclaimers in the first chapter! Enjoy!
- - - -
Lex stood on the terrace, feet shoulder width apart, his knuckles resting on the wrought iron rail, watching the sun rise above the buildings of Metropolis. He was dressed only in a pair of tan, cotton drawstring pants. Sydney walked onto the terrace, exhausted, yawning as he carried a mug of steaming hot coffee.
“You wanted to see me, sir?” he asked.
“Good morning, Sydney,” Lex said. “Did you sleep well?”
“Actually -”
“Good,” Lex interrupted. “Because I want you to do me a big favor.”
“What?” Sydney asked warily as he carefully took a sip of his coffee.
Lex replied, “I want you to personally tail Miss Lee.” Sydney spit his coffee out and coughed. Lex smirked. “Is there a problem?”
“Uh, n-n-n-no, sir,” Sydney stammered.
“Good. Then get moving.” He turned around. “And when you find her, let me know.” Syndey nodded and turned to leave. Lex turned back and smiled to himself as the sun rose higher over the buildings.
- - - -
Inspector Henderson leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He had just returned from the evidence room, where he had spent the entire night watching the processing of the evidence collected from the Red Horse Garage, and he was exhausted. A loud knock on the door jarred him. He quickly composed himself and yawned.
“Come in,” he mumbled, reaching for the coffee cup on his desk. The coffee was tepid and bitter, but he needed instant artificial stimulation. The door opened and Linda stepped in.
“You wanted to see me,” she said.
“Sit.” Linda sat in one of the chairs. “We made some interesting discoveries last night, Miss Lee; my men and I searched every nook and cranny in that place - took us all night.”
“And?” Linda asked.
Henderson held up a high-tech sensing device, complete with a mini camera. “There were twenty of these in the garage - that we could find.” He put the device down. “Now, we have a deal; so talk. Tell me why the hell there are sensory devices in an auto mechanic's garage in Suicide Slum, a garage that's been abandoned for over thirty years!”
“I have no idea, Inspector.”
“Miss Lee, you said going to that garage would help in my investigation with the Guardian.”
“It did,” Linda replied. “Now I know how the Guardian knew my partner and I were there that night.” Though how they got there so quickly, I’ll never know, she thought.
“Miss Lee,” Henderson said, “what do you know about this Guardian character; if you’re withholding information, I will arrest you for obstruction of justice.”
“I don’t know a lot,” Linda replied.
Henderson sighed. “What can you tell me?”
Linda sighed. “I don't think the Guardian is quite as bad as you first thought.”
“Oh really?” Henderson raised an eyebrow.
“Yes. I think he - and those kids - just might be mixed up in something that . . . that we don’t fully understand yet.”
“And how would you know that?”
“Because the Guardian had me and my partner kidnapped. We had been snooping around the Red Horse Garage a few nights ago, and he and some soldiers caught us. They took us to a secret location, and the Guardian interrogated us.”
“Oh, yeah,” Henderson rolled his eyes, “I see you exchanging Christmas cards.”
Linda ignored Henderson’s remark. “He got upset when his soldiers went and injured my partner - they disobeyed his orders and were going to do much worse than just an interrogation, the Guardian stopped them.”
“So, why didn't he let you go?”
“I don't think he's in charge,” Linda answered.
“So, who finally released you?”
“The kids helped us escape,” Linda replied. “They didn't come with us, and I don't think it's because they were scared of being caught. I think - and I discussed this with Supergirl this morning - that the Guardian was just trying to protect them; that's why he fought Supergirl. He cares about those kids, Inspector, and he'll do anything to protect them.”
Henderson had been with the Metropolis PD for a long time; he had developed a knack of knowing when people were giving him the runaround, but his gut was telling him that she wasn’t one of those people. He stared at the young woman across his desk; he sipped his tepid coffee, and then put the mug back. He leaned back and folded his hands together.
“So,” he sighed, his voice carrying resignation but his eyes holding a hint of a challenge, “where do you suggest we go from here?”
Linda was a little surprised. From everything she had heard about Henderson from Lois, the young woman had been expecting Henderson to go postal on her and demand to know everything, but he hadn’t. He hadn’t given her control of the situation, but he was giving her a chance; she respected that.
“Well, I believe that I’ve lived up to my end of the deal,” Linda replied. “My suggestion is that you grant Clark and Lois’ wish to exhume the bodies.”
Henderson stared at her, narrowing his eyes a bit. He tapped a finger on the desk, then he nodded. “Okay,” he said. “I’ll get the ME working on the paperwork. I’ll call them as soon as it’s ready.”
“Thank you, Inspector,” Linda smiled. She stood up and held her hand out. Henderson shook it.
“My pleasure,” he replied. He watched the young woman leave, then he sat back in his chair and did something he rarely did: he smiled.
- - - -
Linda pulled out her phone as she walked down the sidewalk, and she dialed Jimmy’s apartment. It rang three times before Jimmy picked up.
“Talk to me,” he answered.
Linda smiled. “Hey,” she said. “How are you feeling?”
“Better,” Jimmy replied. “My head doesn’t hurt so much anymore; just a dull ache now.”
“Great.”
“How did you fare with Henderson?”
“I fared pretty good. He said he’s going to get the ME to grant the exhumation order for Lois and Clark.”
“Hey, that’s great,” Jimmy smiled. “So, you heading back here?”
“Well, since you’ve been a good patient,” Linda replied, “would you like me to pick up something from the Perk o’Latté? I was thinking about some pastries and some gourmet coffee. My treat?”
Jimmy chuckled. “Sure.”
“Great.” Linda smiled. “Oh, um, if my friends are there, would you mind if I talked with them for a while?”
“Linda, that’s fine,” Jimmy replied. “I can handle myself for a while if you want to mingle.”
Linda smiled. “You’re sweet, you know that?”
“Yeah, but frequent reminders are appreciated.”
Linda laughed. “Talk to you later?”
“Okay,” Jimmy answered. “Hey, don’t total any clouds, okay?”
“Why not?” Linda asked.
“Well, the insurance is sky high,” Jimmy replied.
Linda smiled and said, “Get some more rest, Jimmy.” She hung up, put her phone away, and headed down the sidewalk. She didn’t notice the black sedan parked on the other side. Sydney was sitting in the driver’s seat, watching the young woman. He started the engine and slowly followed Linda down the street.
- - - -
Lois sat at her desk while Clark was getting coffee. She was busy looking up some stuff on her computer when her phone rang. She picked it up after the first ring. “Lois Lane,” she said.
“Lois, it’s Linda.”
Lois smiled. “Hey, Linda. What’s up?”
“Just got out of my meeting with Henderson a few minutes ago.”
“And?”
“And he’ll call you when he has the exhumation orders from the ME.”
Lois’ smile grew. “Wow,” she said. “So, what convinced him?”
“Well, I didn’t tell him everything,” Linda replied. “But I was honest with what I *did* tell him. I respected him, he respected me.”
“Seriously, Linda.”
Linda laughed. “I am serious, Lois. He’s not as bad as you think he is.”
“Sure,” Lois replied.
“Anyway,” Linda continued, “I just thought you’d like to know.”
“Thanks, Linda,” Lois said sincerely.
“No problem,” Linda replied. There as a pause. “Um, if it’s not much trouble, can I stop by and get my notes?”
“What for?”
“I figured I could clean them up and make them more readable for you and Clark.”
Lois smiled. “Sure, that’s fine.”
“Thanks. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Lois hung up as Clark came over with two cups of coffee. He handed one to her. “Thanks.”
“Who was on the phone?” Clark asked.
“Linda.” She smiled up at her husband. “She got Henderson to get the exhumation orders.”
“Wow,” Clark smiled, impressed. “What convinced him?”
“She respected him,” Lois replied. “Apparently, he digs that.”
“Maybe you should take a lesson from Linda,” Clark teased.
“You hush,” Lois smiled. She looked up as Linda walked over. She was visibly surprised. “Wow, that was fast.”
“I was in the lobby when I called,” Linda replied a bit sheepishly.
“Heard about your meeting with Henderson,” Clark said. He patted her back. “We’re both proud of you, Linda.”
Linda beamed. “Thanks.” She looked apologetic. “I’m sorry to be short, but I really don’t want to leave Jimmy alone for too long.” She looked at Lois.
Lois smiled and opened one of her drawers. She pulled out a large, manila envelope and handed it to the young woman. “Everything’s in there,” she said.
Linda smiled. “Thanks, Lois.” She turned and left, but then she stopped and turned around. “Oh, did you find the jacket okay?”
“We have it at our place,” Clark replied. “Bagged a lot of red hairs, more than enough to collect a DNA sample.”
“Great,” Linda said. “Well, I’ll see you two later.” She turned and headed for the elevators. The young woman has a big smile as she got on one of the elevators. As the doors closed, Linda felt that all was right in the world and nothing was going bring her down.
- - - -
Jimmy sat on the couch, fidgeting as he watched a PBS special on orangutans. He was feeling a lot better than yesterday; his head wasn’t hurting anymore - just the dull ache. He sighed as he flipped off the television and got up. He knew Linda was probably enjoying herself with her friends, something he didn’t mind her doing, but he was going stir crazy inside his apartment with nothing to do. Besides, he was very curious to see what her friends looked like, if they were anything like how he pictured them. He flipped off his television and got up, heading to his bedroom. He thought about changing into something warm - the temperature had dropped to just below freezing, and he knew Linda would yell at him if he didn’t dress warmly, but he was a sucker for Linda’s protective side; he dressed in jeans, a light t-shirt, a thin, blue cotton windbreaker, and tennis shoes; he could hear her getting protective with him, and the thought made him grin. He headed for his desk and took his camera out of the camera bag. He checked it for film, saw he had a complete roll in, then put it over his neck, grabbed his keys and wallet, and then he headed out the door, locking his apartment securely and heading off to be with his girlfriend.
- - - -
Linda entered the Perk o’Latté and looked around. She saw her friends in their usual spot, and she smiled as she headed over. “Hey, guys,” she said. They looked up, smiling.
“Hey, long time no see,” Mattie said. She smiled slyly. “So, how was the date with Lex?”
Linda grimaced. “Uh, can we pick another topic of discussion, please?” she asked.
“Ouch,” Andy said. “That bad, huh?”
“No comment,” Linda replied. She plopped in one of the upholstered chairs. “Look, I know I’ve been busy, and I don’t have too much time to stay here, but I did want to stop by and see how things were going with all of you guys.”
“We’re out for three weeks,” Dick said, grinning. He leaned back. “Man, I don’t know what to do with all this free time.” He glanced up at Linda. “Hey, you want to have dinner some time?” He got smacked with pillows from the others. “Hey, ow!”
“Dick, leave the poor woman alone,” Cutter replied. He glanced at Linda. “You want something to drink, Linda? My treat.” Linda looked at Mattie. Mattie grinned.
“It’s cool, Linda,” Mattie replied.
“In that case, I’ll take a large Buzz Off,” Linda smiled. Cutter got up and left to get the drinks, and Linda leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. She sighed. “Man, this is the life.”
“Oh, really, Miss Lee?”
Linda opened her eyes and looked up. Standing next to the chair, looking down at her with a smile, was Lex. “Lex?” she asked.
Lex nodded politely, a slight wry smile playing on the corner of his lips. “Glad to see you remember me.”
Linda got to her feet. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to discuss a few things with you, if you’ll permit me a few minutes.”
Linda sighed. “You’re not supposed to see me.”
“We’re not at the Planet,” Lex replied. “And what I have to say won’t take long; I promise.”
“How did you find me?” Linda asked.
“Well, you seemed drawn to this place, so I knew it was a matter of time before you came back,” Lex replied. Linda gave him an ‘I don’t really believe you’ _expression.
“Actually, I was scouting the area to see if there were any businesses that would be interested in expanding their operations under LexCorp. This place has been highly recommended, and it shows a great deal of promise.”
“And not because I happen to go here?” Linda asked.
Lex smiled. “No, this is simply a business proposition.” He glanced down at the group of friends watching him. “G’day.” He looked back at Linda. “Still, there are a few things that we left up in the air the last time we met. Would you permit me a few moments to discuss them?”
“I really don’t think that would be a good thing, Lex,” Linda replied.
“All I’m asking for is a few moments of your time,” Lex said. He held his hands out in a gesture of submission. “Afterwards, I’ll leave.”
Linda glanced at her friends; they were watching with intense curiosity, ready to jump up and help their friend if she needed it. She looked back at Lex; he was giving her another charming smile, and she might have smiled back if it had been a few days ago, but things had changed since their dinner date. She was tempted to tell him no; she didn’t think Clark, Lois, Jimmy, Perry, or Jonathan and Martha would be too keen on her talking with Lex again, but if it would get him to back off and leave her alone, she’d do it.
“Fine,” she replied. She indicated an empty chair next to hers. “Just for a few minutes.”
Lex hid his disgust at the tacky upholstery, among other things in the coffeehouse that made him want to vomit; if he was actually interested in the coffeehouse, he’d make sure it was completely destroyed. “Actually, I was hoping we could discuss thins in a less crowded setting. My car is in the back alley.”
“Why were you in the back alley of a coffeehouse?” Linda asked.
“Because you can get insight into a business by seeing not only what they throw out but by how they keep their surrounding environment, even the part that the public rarely sees.” He gestured toward the door. “Miss Lee?”
Linda hesitated for a moment, but she nodded. She turned to her friends. “I’ll be back shortly,” she said.
“You want any company?” Mattie asked.
“I’ll be fine,” Linda replied. She saw Cutter heading towards them with her drink. “Cutter, could you hold onto my drink for a little longer? I’ll be right back.” She headed out of the coffeehouse with Lex behind her.
“What was that about?” Cutter asked as he sat down next to Mattie, putting Linda’s drink on the coffee table.
“I’m not sure myself,” Mattie replied.
Linda walked with Lex as they made their way down the sidewalk. He indicated an alley, and Linda followed him in. They walked through to behind the building, where Lex’s limo was waiting, just as he said it would be. The young woman glanced around, and she could see the alley was a bit cleaner than most in the city; she was impressed, but she had business to take care of.
“Okay,” Linda said as she turned around to face Lex, “what did you want -” Linda stopped short when she saw Lex glaring at her, but what really drew her attention was the gun in his hands; it was pointed straight at her.
- - - -
Lois groaned as her warrior character fell off the slide of the cliff. ‘Game Over’ flashed repeatedly on the computer screen. “So close,” she muttered. She glanced up at Clark, who was grinning. “Wipe that smile off your face, Clark.”
“I’m not saying a word,” Clark replied. “However . . . .”
“Here it comes,” Lois smiled.
“Well, Jimmy did say that it was a hard game,” Clark said.
“Remind me to thank him when he gets back,” Lois replied. Her phone rang suddenly, and she answered. “Lois Lane.” She listened, and her face lit up. “Uh, yeah, we’ll meet you there.” She hung up, beaming.
“Who was that?” Clark asked as Lois gathered her things.
“Henderson,” Lois answered as she got to her feet. “He’s going to meet us at Perpetual Pine Cemetery now.”
“I’ll tell Perry we’re going,” Clark replied.
“Going where?” Perry asked as he walked over.
“We’re going to go dig up some bodies at Perpetual Pine,” Lois said. “We’ll explain when we get back.” She pulled Clark with her, and the two headed for the elevators.
“I’m really going to regret hearing about that,” Perry muttered as he headed for his office.
- - - -
Linda was scared, not because she was afraid of getting hurt but afraid of Lex shooting her and seeing that bullets had a slightly different effect on her. She had no idea what to do; it was one thing having a gun pointed at her when she was Supergirl, but it was something completely different as Linda.
“Lex,” she said slowly, “please put the gun down.”
“I told you that I don’t take no for an answer, Miss Lee,” Lex growled. “And I don’t take too kindly at being publicly humiliated.”
“So, you pull a gun on me?” Linda asked.
“I just wanted to make sure I have your undivided attention,” Lex smirked. “Now, about that unfinished business.”
“What are you talking about?” Linda asked.
“You and me, my dear,” Lex smiled, aiming the gun higher. “I have big plans for the two of us.”
(End of Chapter 22)
