Clark and Lois – The Lost Years - Matchmaker Chronicle Volume 3
By Ken Janney
This version is rated PG-13
* denotes emphasis *
< denotes thoughts >
[ playback of a recording or TV Commentary] / telepathic communications /
(#) footnotes
As always comments are welcome. (ken.janney@kjanney.com)
Reminder:
Universal Locator Designation
Alpha 023 x Gamma 004 x Tau -120 - Canon Lois and Clark universe also called – Prime
Alpha 023 x Gamma 025 x Tau 036 – Canon Alt Clark universe also called – Alt 1
Previously –
“Wow. Okay, maybe we *can* work together. Partners, and I really mean it this time.” Lois thought, <I need to play along with this until I can determine just what the real story is. I wonder if he is serious about the Luthor thing.>
Charlie said, “Okay partner, I think that the first order of business is to get some sleep. You can have one bed. I’ll take the other.” <Okay, she bought in. Now I need to just stay near her.>
<I need to make it look like I have fallen for his line. Since he knows so much, he probably knows who I am anyhow so I won’t really be telling him anything. Let’s see if he does.> Lois, somewhat contritely said, “OK, partner, but, there is something I need to tell you. My name isn’t really Linda King.”
<She might be testing me. Do I let her know that I know who she is? I think I need to.> Charlie replied with assurance, “I know. It’s Lois Lane.”
<Bingo! Make it look good.> “What!!! How did you know??” Lois acted flabbergasted.
<How do I explain it?> Charlie replied, “I told you, I work for the Planet. Do you think that there is anyone on staff that doesn’t know Lois Lane by sight?”
Lois couldn’t help but smile at that comment. <Yeah, like I’m really going to believe a line like that. I have to give it to him though, he’s creative. My picture hasn’t appeared anywhere so only the staff in Metropolis would know what I look like. I don’t know what his game is *yet*. I’ll figure it out, but first I need to find out if he’s a good guy. I hope he *is* on the side of the angels. From what I have seen so far, that would be my guess. I’m going to play this like he is. He certainly has been an angel to me. I’ve really enjoyed the time we’ve spent together and he *did* save me from a dunking. If I’m going to ‘play along’ with him, I might as well enjoy it. Let’s just relax and see what happens. He wants to be my partner. So okay, I’ll *let* him be my partner. I just might be able to get along with this guy as a partner after all.> Then another thought hit her, <Boy, can he kiss!>
And now –
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 12 - Undercover
March 1992
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Charlie was elated that Lois had agreed to let him be her partner on the investigation without too much aggravation. “I’ll go back to my car and get our bags,” he said. They were both back packs, but he had left them in the car when he assisted her up the steps to their room. Although only her hands were damaged from the rope burn on the hawser, he had insisted on helping her. He enjoyed the feel of his arms around her. He said, “You can use the bathroom first, if you want.”
“Yeah, a little cleaning up will help,” she responded. “I just brought overnight stuff and a change of clothes with me.”
“Me too,” he replied. As she disappeared into the bathroom he looked at the twin beds. For some reason, the two beds looked more suggestive to him than the queen bed in his suite in Brazzaville. A sudden flash of yearning seized him. <If only…> Shaking his head to clear it, he left the room to go to the car. <At least Lois and I are in the same room for the first time.>
When he returned from the car with the bags, she grabbed hers and headed back into the bathroom to change. She hadn’t anticipated sharing a room with anyone, let alone Charlie but fortunately she had packed one of her more substantial night shirts so she felt that she wouldn’t be too embarrassed by not having a robe when she returned to the bedroom.
When she opened the door his eyes automatically turned in that direction and he caught his breath. The night shirt was of medium length, coming down to mid thigh. He caught himself staring and so did she. “Haven’t you ever seen a pair of legs before?”
“Yes, but, none as beautiful as yours.”
She hadn’t expected this kind of response and when what he had said fully registered she blushed prettily.
“Thanks. It’s your turn in the bathroom.”
He took his bag into the bathroom and cleaned up. When he came out she was sitting up in the bed, already under the covers. When he came into the room he was wearing sleep shorts and a baggy shirt.
She was impressed with what she could see and was unable to keep the surprise off her face at what she saw and tried to cover by throwing his words back at him. She said, “Nice legs.” She thought, <No wonder he could pull me up so easily. Look at those arms, so strong and those legs! He must be a weight lifter. I wonder what the rest of his body looks like.> Determinedly, Linda rolled over in her bed to present her back to his bed. Show him, she would.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The six hour drive back to Brazzaville the next day proved uneventful except for the bounces on the road. Lois and Charlie laughed and talked about the newspaper business. They compared notes on the investigation.
Lois didn’t know all of the details of the shipping arrangements for the cargo so Charlie filled her in. “Because of Livingston Falls there really is no water access to Brazzaville from Pointe Noire. That is why the shipment will, of necessity, go by rail to Kinshasa. We should expect the cargo to be delivered to Kinshasa by rail in about two weeks after it’s shipped. After that it will be ferried across the Congo River to Brazzaville. We should be able to keep a watch on the ferry traffic starting in about three to four week’s time to see it when it crosses. That way we can follow it. If for some reason we miss it when they send it across I have identified the warehouses owned by L&M there in Brazzaville. That way if we miss the ferry all we needed to do is check the warehouse.”
Their relationship had changed with *the* kiss at the warehouse and the subsequent revelations. Now Lois was really conflicted. With the revelation that he wasn’t what she had thought him to be she wasn’t sure how to act. He was still the same guy even though he wasn’t exactly who she thought he was. He still treated her the same way, maybe even a little better. She had to admit that she missed the cute French accent. Realistically, even without the accent he was still the same guy and she still liked being with him.
Before they got back to Brazzaville Charlie asked, “You know, since we are working together now, maybe we should, you know, uh, move in together, uh, that is uh, if you wouldn’t mind. We’d be able to do our planning and discuss, uh, strategy more easily. If you really objected we could just leave things like they are, but, I’d really like it if you’d consider it. We seemed to get along all right last night.” The last was a plea and a bit of a puppy dog look on Clark’s part.
Lois pondered through the next five bumps. <I need to keep an eye on him to see if he contacts the gun runners. I can do that more easily if we are in the same suite.> “You may be right, it would be easier to plan. But, how would it look for us to be in the same rooms and would you be tempted to take advantage of the situation and me if I did?”
With a very shocked expression on his face he sputtered “Wha, no, I no, I’d never. I would never do anything like that. I would never force myself on you. I give you my solemn word.”
She could tell by his shocked expression and the cute way he stuttered his response that he was sincere so she said, “In that case, okay, I’ll move in with you, but into another bedroom, we aren’t going to share a room, let alone a bed, got it?”
“Got it. You don’t have to worry.”
It was such a pleasant ride Clark didn’t even mind paying the jus.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
On Saturday night Lois moved out of 503 and took one of the spare bedrooms in suite 501. On Monday, March 30, after breakfast, Charlie discussed with Lois the possibility of going in to the local Daily Planet office.
“I’d like to go into the office and try to find out when the arms are going to be moved. Are you up for it?”
“The local Planet office? You’ve got to be kidding. I wanted to stay away from there. I don’t want them horning in on this investigation.” <The audacity! How did he convince the staff at the local office that he was legit? That ID wouldn’t pass muster in Metropolis! Or, maybe they don’t know what the current ID looks like. It was changed recently. I’ll play along. If that’s where this is leading, then lead on. Patience Lane, patience.> “Well, I guess as long as we are there together it shouldn’t be too bad. I just don’t want them to know that Lois Lane is here.”
“How about this. The name they know me by is Charlie King. You’re going by Linda King. What does that suggest to you?”
“You want to pretend that we’re married?”
“Well, yeah, it would hide your true identity and give us the perfect excuse for being together, not only there but the hotel as well.”
“I guess it might work at that. I guess the first stop is a jeweler then.”
“I know just the one and it’s on the way.”
Charlie was pleased with this outcome since he knew that this needed to be the case. There was no record of Lois being in country once she left the airport. History had to be preserved. Accordingly the first stop was Artois’ Jewelry Shoppe where he had sold the gem stones. Here he intended to purchase matching wedding rings.
M. Artois came out from behind the counter and embraced Charlie “Charlot, mon ami, what can I do pour vous today?”
“M. Artois, we’d like to see a selection of wedding bands.”
M. Artois looked over at Lois and said to Charlie, sotto voce, “Charlot, I t’ink we know each ozair well enough pour vous to call moi Jean-Luc. Elle es tres belle! You’re a very lucky man!”
He answered, “Thank you Jean-Luc, I know I am.”
The jeweler pulled out a tray of his most expensive wedding bands and placed it on the counter. Charlie called Lois over and asked, “What do you think?” Pointing to an ornately scrolled ring set he said, “I kinda like these.”
Lois was surprised by this turn of events. She had expected them to just get a couple of plain gold or silver bands but Charlie was going all out. She thought about it for a few seconds. <I guess if he wants to spend the money on fancy bands, who am I to object? He wants it to look like we’re married I might as well find something I really like. Who knows if I’ll ever get this chance again.> She looked them over carefully as a typical woman would. She looked up at m. Artois and said, “May I try a few on?”
M. Artois replied, “Mais oui, but of course. Anysang for mon ami Charlot and ‘ees lovely fiancée.”
Linda accepted his praise graciously and examined the rings offered. She touched several of the rings with a delicate finger tip.
M. Artois smiled at Charlie who looked back at him and read the unspoken, “Ah, all women are alike” look in this eyes.
Charlie nodded back and shrugged slightly as if to say, “What can you do with women except love their little quirks?”
Linda actually saw several that she liked and was having a hard time deciding. She tried on one she really liked but it was too large for her fourth finger, but knowing that could be fixed she put it on a finger that it did fit. Then she picked another one and put it on her left index finger and then held her hand out under the light to compare the two.
Wiggling her fingers, she turned to Charlie. “What do you think of these, Charlot?”
Charlie couldn’t help but suck in a breath at this little byplay. “I’m sure I’ll like whatever you like, my dear.” Unintentionally he sounded like a nervous groom.
She said, “Put the one you like on your finger and we’ll compare,” Linda suggested.
Charlie complied. Putting on the one he liked, he was amazed to find it fit his fourth left finger perfectly. He suddenly had trouble controlling the shaking of his hand.
On impulse, Linda gave him some mercy. “Oh, that looks good on you. Give it to me.”
Puzzled, Charlie slid the ring off and gave it to her.
Linda slipped his ring on her third finger between the other two and made a show of comparing the three rings. “Yes, you’re right. This is perfect for me too.” She was surprised to find that that was a true statement. She really did think it was the perfect ring for her and found herself wishing that it wasn’t just for a cover story.
Charlie turned back to m. Artois, “We’ll take this set. Do you have it in her size?”
“I believe zo please to allow me to get zem out of zee back. ‘ow do you want zem inscrib-ed? No sharge, of course.”
Looking over at Lois with a questioning look she replied with a nod. “Mine will be LL to CK. Hers will be CK to LL. Merci bien!”
M. Artois then asked, “Is there a date you would like on it too?”
“No, we’re kind of in flux with that.”
The jeweler nodded and turned to the back room.
When they were alone, Linda whispered in surprise, “You gave him my actual initials!”
“Yeah, I didn’t think there would be much chance of anyone but us looking at them. Besides it is customary to use your maiden name initials.”
“You should have given your real initials then.”
“I did.”
“Oh, okay. It’s really CK then?”
“Yep.”
The rings were ready in record time Charlie paid for them and they were on their way.
Lois was so surprised at the beauty of the small box that held both rings that she had to remark on it to Clark. Back in the car, he flipped open the box and slipped her ring on her finger with trembling fingers. <I hope someday I’ll do this for real.> Then he swiftly put his own on his hand.
Lois had been amazed at the reception that Charlie received and from the owner of the shop. They were on a first name basis no less! It seemed that nothing was too good for him. The owner himself waited on them and when they made their selection gave them a very sharp discount on the tag price and engraved the rings for free. This was another mystery to add to the list. While Charlie was paying for the rings she did a little window shopping, looking at engagement rings. She didn’t realize that Charlie was watching every move she made.
comments go here To be continued in Chapter 13 – The Confrontation
