Hattie Kaplin, Reporter - Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 1C – N 1/3
This version is rated PG-13
Description:
This story takes place in the Matchmaker Chronicles universe.
This story is a sequel to After Summer Camp – Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 1C - A
Hattie Kaplin, Reporter - Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 1C - N
By KenJ <ken.janney@kjanney.com>
This version is rated PG-13
Submitted October 15, 2012
Disclaimers: The characters in this story are property of DC, December 3rd productions and Warner Bros., except those I created. No copyright infringement is intended. I have just borrowed the characters for a short time.
* * denotes emphasis
< > denotes thoughts
/ denotes telepathic communications./
A/N – Hattie Kaplin has had a long standing relationship with Jon Kent and the entire Kent family, but, she doesn’t know that he is Kam-El or the fact that the Kent clan is the super family.
Hattie is now in her twenties and if this part were to be cast for TV, I would picture a red headed Scarlet Johansen in the part.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 1 – Hattie
June 2028
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Universal Locator designation
Alpha 023 x Gamma 004 x Tau -120 Canon universe also called – Prime
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Henrietta (Hattie) Kaplin shot out of the elevator just as soon as the doors were open far enough for her to squeeze through. She hurried down the ramp and almost pounced on her desk. She dropped her bag on the floor next to her chair and was simultaneously turning on her computer with her other hand. She dropped into her chair and almost pounded her desk in frustration with how long it was taking her computer to boot up. Once it came up she logged in and brought up her word processor and started typing furiously.
Five minutes later she finished typing and started proofing her story. Satisfied that it was worthy she LANed it to Lois Lane and Clark Kent, co-Editors-In-Chief of the Daily Planet. Once she hit the send button she sat back and relaxed for a few seconds, knowing that the relaxation would be short lived.
While she waited she thought back on her history. She had started at the planet a few years ago as a gofer and then worked her way up to research assistant. She had actually helped Lois Lane on some of her assignments. She had learned a lot from Lois, how to pick locks, how best to disguise herself, she even gave her singing lessons in case she had to work as a chanteuse as part of a cover story. Once she had moved from research she had done the obits and the dog shows just like everyone else, paying her dues, as it were. Her big break had come two years earlier when Perry White had retired. Lois and Clark had been promoted to co-Editors-in-Chief leaving the city desk open. Lois had offered her the job and she had jumped at the chance. Since then she had been working on bigger and better stories all the time. She had slowly built a stable of informants so that she could keep her finger on the pulse of the city.
Her reverie was short lived because a little over a minute after she sent the article she heard Lois call her from the doorway of the editor’s office.
Hattie closed the door and moved over in front of Lois’ desk.
Lois was looking at a printout, presumably of Hattie’s article, and she took her time with it. Finally she put it down and picked up her blue pencil and started making some notations. While she was writing she said, “You did good on this one Hattie, almost as good as me at the same point in my career. There are just a couple of word changes. You tend to reuse the same word over and over. You ought to start using the Thesaurus function in your word processor to come up with synonyms to mix it up a little.” Lois picked up the sheet of paper and handed it back to Hattie and said, “Make these changes and send it back to me. Good job!”
Hattie was flushed with pride at this praise coming from her hero and mentor. She said, “Thanks! I’ll get it right back to you.”
As Hattie turned to leave, Lois couldn’t help a small smile of pride at the job her protégé was doing. She was serious in her statement that Hattie was doing every bit as good a job as she had done at the same point in her career. Mulling on it some more she thought, <She’s good and so was I, but, it wasn’t until I was teamed up with Clark that I, we, became great. Like me she has the hard hitting news down. I wasn’t much on the touchy feely stuff, but, Clark brought that into the partnership and we both profited. Maybe I should team her up with someone. I think I’ll talk it over with Clark when he gets back from his rescue.>
Hattie made the changes and sent it back to Lois and in the evening edition was a story:
“Kam-El Rescues Window Washer, Metro-Serv Culpable.”
By: Hattie Kaplin
“A window washer suspended from the roof of the Foundation building on a hanging scaffold was rescued by Kam-El when the cable attached to one side of the scaffold broke as a result of chafing of one of the cables against a decorative ledge on the side of the building. Sudden increasing wind conditions caused the platform to sway from side to side and one cable rubbed against a decorative ledge, causing that cable to part, nearly dropping the worker to the ground. He was able to grab onto the framework and keep from falling. Then the remaining cable parted due to the lack of support from the first cable. But the worker held on tenaciously until local superhero Kam-El caught the platform and leveled it out. He then flew it and the worker safely to the ground.
This reporter has been investigating Metro-Serv, a company which contracts services such as carpet cleaning and window washing to businesses in Metropolis. There have been numerous violations of federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations which have now been documented and turned over to the authorities.
This latest is a breach of a safety regulation and it nearly cost the worker his life. Each cable on this type of equipment should be capable of sustaining the weight of the entire unit independently. The company chose to use a cheaper lighter cable which could not sustain the weight as a cost cutting measure.
It is this kind of lack of consideration for the safety of workers of Metro-Serv that causes untold numbers of injuries and deaths in this city each year.
If it hadn’t been for Kam-El another would have been added to that list today.”
Story continues on 2A
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Later
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
When Hattie walked in the door of her apartment she was wearing a loose cover-up. She dropped her gym bag containing her gi on the floor next to her washer and her bag next to the sofa. She pulled off the cover-up to reveal a slim, trim athlete’s body in the royal blue spandex work out gear of a halter top and short shorts that she routinely wore under her gi when at the Dojo. After changing into a set of sweats she put the gi and her workout gear into the wash and started it. Then she called and ordered take-out Chinese for dinner. While she waited for it to be delivered, she opened her laptop and started reviewing the results of some research she had done into the operations of Metro-Serv’s sister company, Metro-Staff.
There had been a rash of industrial espionage incidents and the most likely suspects were temp workers, both technical and non-technical that had been placed by Metro-Staff.
She had been reviewing the files for a while when there was a knock on the door. She moved over, plucked her wallet out of her purse and pulled out a few dollars to pay for her meal and then answered the door. When she did, she gasped and stepped back in surprise.
The individual at the door chuckled and asked, “Well, aren’t you going to invite me in?”
“Jon! What are you doing here? I haven’t seen much of you since you and Jen got back together. How is she doing, by the way?”
“I think she’s over the worst of it. The death of her parents really hit her hard. I was just on my way home from work and was passing by. I thought I’d stop in and see how you were doing. Jen asked me to invite you to dinner at our place. Jen would like to ask you a favor, that is, as long as you’re available.”
Just then the delivery boy showed up with her dinner. She said to Jon, “Hold that thought.” She turned to the delivery boy and said, “Here you go. Keep the change.” She accepted the bags and turned back to Jon and holding them up said, “Dinner. Let me put this in the fridge and grab my things. I’m not about to turn down Jon Kent’s cooking.”
A couple of minutes later they were in Jon’s car headed for the apartment.
When Jon opened the apartment door, Jen was there waiting for them. Hattie said, “Hi Jen,” and walked over and gave her a hug.
Jen said, “Hi Hattie. I’m glad you could make it. How have you been?”
“Oh, I can’t complain.” Looking around Hattie spotted a copy of the evening edition of the Daily Planet on a side table and started to grin. She stepped over to it and picked it up. Opening it she turned around and held it up for them to see. Her article was the headline of the evening edition. She said, “Ta da!”
Jon and Jen were both duly impressed and listened as she read her story aloud to them.
Jon said, “Wow, that’s some story! Do you think this series of articles exposing them will be a Kerth worthy series?”
Hattie replied hopefully, “I don’t know, we’ll have to wait and see. I’ll be doing follow-ups for a week or more.” Getting a faraway expression she said, as if reciting memorized facts, “At this point in her career, Lois Lane had won a Kerth, let alone been nominated for one. I can’t top that record but, if I can win one for this I will come close to tying her record.”
Jon started laughing. He said, “When are you going to stop competing with my mom?”
Hattie replied, “I’m not competing with her, well, maybe, but not really. I mean, it’s just that, well, she’s my hero and I want to be as good as her so bad I can taste it.”
Putting on a serious expression, Jon said, “Okay, that I can understand. Speaking of taste, I have a suggestion to make in that case.”
Jon had her full attention. She asked, “What is it?”
He couldn’t hold the serious expression and he started to chuckle as he said, “If you want to be just like my mom, go out and buy a case of Double Fudge Crunch bars. If you weren’t already like another daughter to her, if you shared them with her she’d adopt you.”
Hattie slapped him on the arm and with a sheepish expression said, “I already have a case in my desk. I can see why she likes them so much. *They’re really good*!”
They all started laughing even harder.
When they all settled down some, Jen asked Jon, “What are you cooking for dinner?”
“I hadn’t decided. What do you guys want?”
Hattie said, “I had ordered Chinese and it’s sitting in my fridge, so, anything else.”
Jon looked at Jen and asked, “Italian?”
Jen nodded.
Jon said, “Italian it is. You ladies can make yourselves comfortable. It’ll take at least half an hour.”
Jen hooked Hattie’s arm and said, “Take your time. Hattie and I have to talk.”
Jon nodded and headed for the kitchen.
Jen pulled Hattie over to the sofa and they sat down together. Jen said, “I hope you don’t mind Jon bringing you here tonight. I needed to talk to you.”
Hattie waved off any apology by saying, “That’s never a problem. I jump at any chance at a home cooked meal, especially, Jon’s cooking.” She paused in thought for a few seconds and then resumed, “You know for a long time I wished that the relationship that Jon and I have was different than what it turned out to be. It’s like we were just destined to be friends and nothing more.” She hastened to add, “He never led me on or anything, but, you know how it is. He’s just a great guy and any girl would want to have a relationship with him. If I can’t be married to him, I’m just glad to have him as one of my best friends. I’m also glad that he found someone that he did feel he could marry. I’m also glad that I like you. If I didn’t it would be easy to hate you.”
“I know how you feel Hattie. I can’t tell you how happy I am that we’re getting married. Actually, that’s why I asked Jon to invite you over tonight. The ceremony is in a couple of months and I am planning my bridal party. I would like you to be in it. Would you consider being one of my bridesmaids?”
Hattie started to tear up and said, “Oh, Jen, I don’t know what to say. Thank you, yes, I’d love to be one of your bridesmaids. At least that way at the reception I’ll have someone to be with. Otherwise I was going to be coming to the wedding solo.”
“Oh, Hattie, don’t you have anyone you’re dating?”
“Who has time for dating? I’m working on winning my Pulitzer.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
For the next couple of weeks along with doing the follow-ups on the Metro-Serv expose, Hattie was working on the investigation into Metro-Staff. Their offices were on the forty-fifth floor of a building in downtown Metropolis. Hattie had managed to get on the good side of one of the employees. This person didn’t like what she could see was going on around her and after seeing Hattie’s expose of Metro-Serv had contacted her at the Planet.
Her informant had told her that within the next couple of days there would be a meeting attended by the head of Miralabs which had originally been named Lexlabs as part of Lex Luthor’s old empire. This really got Hattie’s attention. She knew all about Lex Luthor and the problems he had presented to Lois and Clark. She found herself hoping that history was repeating itself, at least in some aspects. If some of the advances that Miralabs was making were the result of industrial espionage it would make some story especially if Metro-Staff was providing the spies.
Hattie found a rooftop across from and a little above the offices of Metro-Staff and started a surveillance. Using binoculars she was able to see almost everything that went on in the director’s office. Mostly it was dreary routine but the supposed meeting wasn’t going to occur until the next day. Now that she was sure that she had a ring side seat she could follow through and get the goods on them.
When she got back to the Planet there was a phone message for her from Jon. She called him at his office at STAR Labs.
“Hi, Jon, Hattie, you called?”
“Hi Hattie! Listen, Jen wants to go over dress patterns with you. Are you available tonight?”
“Is a Jon Kent cooked meal included?”
She could hear him laughing as he replied, “If that’s what I have to offer to get you to come over then so be it. What do you want?”
“Well, we had Italian the last time. How about Chinese this time?”
“Shrimp Stir Fry sound good?”
“Excellent! My mouth is watering already. What time?”
“How’s 6:30 sound?”
“I’ll see you then.”
“Want me to pick you up?”
“Nah, I’ll drive the Jeep. See you at 6:30.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
That evening over dinner Hattie was telling Jon and Jen about her latest investigation. “So I have this crow’s nest that looks right down into the office. I’m going to be up there to document the collusion of Miralabs with Metro-Staff. If I can prove that Metro-Staff’s personnel are stealing secrets for Miralabs I’ll have them cold.”
Jen asked, “Won’t that be dangerous?”
Hattie replied, “Nah, I’ll be far enough away, they won’t even know I’m there.”
Jen said, “All the same, please be careful. Remember, I need you in my wedding party.”
“I’m not about to forget that. I’ll be careful.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Later, in bed, Jen turned to Jon and said, “I think you need to keep an eye on Hattie. She’s so much like your mother it’s scary. She could be getting in over her head.”
“You’re right. She has always been driven to be just like mom. I’ll have to adjust my schedule to give me some free time when she’s in her crow’s nest.”
Jen asked, “Jon, why didn’t you wind up with Hattie? You’ve known her a long time and you’ve been friends since middle school.”
“The way Mom and Dad explain it, it’s a Kryptonian thing. When we meet the one we are to be with we just know. I knew the minute I saw you on that raft that you were the one. It just wasn’t the same thing with Hattie. Yeah, we hit it off as friends, but, that’s all it could ever be with her. She just didn’t have what you have.”
Jen giggled and said, “Yeah, for one thing I’ve got you, but, I know what you mean. I felt it when you pulled me out of the lake. I just knew you were the one and I’m not Kryptonian.” She scooted over and started kissing him.
This started a period of intimacy.
Afterward, Jon lay next to her caressing her and kissing her. She said, “Wow! It just seems to get better every time. How do you do it, please me so much, I mean?”
“It has to be because we are soul mates. Now I know how Mom and Dad feel. It’s a special relationship, a very special relationship. I feel sorry for those that don’t find their soul mates.”
“All I know is, I’m glad you found me. I’m glad you were patient with me too. I was wrong to blame you for my parent’s death. Your family can’t be everywhere at once. You can only do so much.”
“In a few years you’ll be getting powers yourself. Are you going to be okay with that? You don’t have to take a pendant, if you don’t want to you know. I’ll love you just the same.”
She looked deep into his eyes and said, “Having the powers from the pendant will make it so that I live as long as you do. I want that. I want to be with you as long as I can be. Who know, maybe I’ll like having the powers.”
“I hope so because, I want you around for as long as I can have you, and with the pendant that means a long time.”
“I have a class of fourth graders to teach tomorrow, so, I’d better get some sleep.” She kissed him goodnight and still naked nestled against his chest. Within a few minutes she was fast asleep and he lay there cuddling and stroking her, the love of his life and soon to be wife.
comments go here To be continued in Chapter 2 – Hattie and Kam-El
