A/N: Okay, so this isn't really that early, but it's earlier than usual.
Enjoy, and as usual, let me remind you that this is unbetaed and I own nothing. Just to cover all bases.
"It is sometimes an appropriate response to reality to go insane." -- Phillip J. Dick, VALIS *****Madness: Chapter Five*****
Clark decided to walk. Maybe he could track whomever was following him that way, and hopefully no one would discover he was Superman. If they didn't already know, that is.
There was absolutely nothing out of the ordinary, though. Clark entered their brownstone with a sigh. Whatever was going on, whoever was after him, obviously wasn't after him today.
Immediately, Clark conducted a full sweep of their home, searching for bugs or cameras implanted anywhere. Nothing.
He frowned. Maybe tomorrow he would catch whoever it was that was following him.
But the next day held the same results. No one watching him as he and Lois drove to work. No signs of anyone getting into their home, or raiding their desks. And nowhere could he find any method of spying on him.
Perhaps Lois was right. Maybe it was just a joke.
That didn't keep him from scanning every room he walked into or jumping every time someone brushed past him randomly.
By the third day, Clark had just about dismissed it. Surely if someone was after him, they wouldn't wait so long. And there was no way Superman couldn't catch whoever it was if they were following him.
So he sat at his desk once more, staring blankly at his computer monitor, avoiding eye contact with his colleagues and doing his best to make himself scarce all day long. Or at least until he had to go to his next appointment with Dr. Klein this afternoon and could slip out of sight.
"Look alive, Clark," his wife sat on his desk and leaned in to pat his cheek.
He focused his gaze on her form confusedly. "What's going on?"
"We got a hot one. A girl that went missing last week turned up at the police station with complete amnesia and some curious bruises. And since we've both had our own bouts with amnesia..."
"Perry wants us on it."
"Yep. Let's go."
Clark sighed and raised himself to his feet with some dread. Amnesia patients were so difficult to deal with-- he should know, of course. He didn't know what Perry expected to get out of this.
"You coming?"
"Yeah," he replied quickly and caught up to his wife in the elevator. "Maybe we stop by Dr. Klein's on the way over, just to get it out of the way."
Lois nodded her consent. "All right. But only if we also stop for lunch. I'm starving!"
Clark chuckled as the elevator doors closed on them.
*****LnC*****
"Henderson," Lois greeted cooly.
The inspector couldn't repress his groan. "What do you want, Lane?"
"Oh, not much. Anything new for us on the victim?"
"Lois, I told you once and I'll tell you again. When we're ready to talk to the press, we will. But this is still an ongoing investigation."
"Maybe we can help?" She asked sweetly.
Henderson rolled his eyes and turned to Clark, speaking only half-sarcastically. "You need to get some control of your wife, Kent."
Clark snapped his head back to the Inspector. "Hmm? Sorry. Did you say something?"
Both Lois and Henderson gave him a curious glance. "Um, honey, you feeling okay? Maybe you should head back outside, get some fresh air. You're not looking so hot."
"I-I'm fine."
"Are you sure? Because you know I can handle Henderson, right?"
The inspector rolled his eyes silently and Clark nodded. "I'm fine. Really."
"Right. So, you were saying about this girl--"
"Lane," Bill gritted out on a groan.
Clark tuned out. It was back again. The watched feeling. It had been coming back to him off and on the last three days, but he hadn't found anything to justify it.
A body brushed past him and he felt a chill run down his spine. He couldn't keep taking this. It was ridiculous. He couldn't keep putting up with all of his ill-timed paranoia.
"Hey, Kent."
He froze briefly. It was the voice from the phone call. Was it someone from the precinct? He spun around quickly to see his taunter, only to realize that he must have just turned the corner and was heading outside.
Clark pushed his way around pedestrians to try and find him.
Nothing.
Not even a scan of the area with his x-ray vision did any good. Not that he could make the guy by his looks. He hadn't even glimpsed the face to whom the voice belonged. He sighed.
"Clark? What's wrong? What's going on?" His wife caught up with him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He fairly jumped out of his skin as he spun to face her. He could see the surprise and concern in her features and convinced himself to relax.
"Sorry. I just... I thought I spotted someone."
Lois furrowed her brow. "Who?"
"I just... I thought I heard that guy call my name and then someone ran outside."
"What guy?"
"The one who called and told me someone was after me. It was his voice, Lois, I swear."
"You've been getting threats, Kent?"
Clark seemed to have noticed Henderson's presence for the first time. "Yes. No. Not really. We all done here, Lois?"
"You know, if you ever feel endangered or threatened, you should always take it to the police, right? Is there something or someone you need help with?"
Clark looked askance at the inspector, judging him through slitted eyes.
The voice had been at the police station. Either by design or by accident, it was there.
Henderson might know the voice.
"No," he spoke tersely, plastering on a fake, taut smile almost as an after thought.
"Clark..."
"It's fine, Lois. Come on. Let's go write up our story for Perry."
"We don't even have enough information--"
"It's fine."
"Kent," Henderson's voice cut through, harsh and unyeilding. "What's going on? Why won't you talk to me?"
"Nothing, Bill. I'm fine. I just need a little bit of a break, that's all. Come on, Lois."
Lois frowned but followed her husband. "We'll check back with you later, Bill."
Bill Henderson wore a matching look of concern and confusion as they walked briskly off together. "You do that."
