Clark and Lois - Hope Realized - Matchmaker Chronicle Volume 5 20/25
By Ken Janney
Rating PG-13
Disclaimers: The characters in this story are property of DC, December 3rd productions and Warner Bros. No Copyright infringement is intended. I have just borrowed the characters for a short time.
* * denotes emphasis
< > denotes thoughts
(#) footnotes
/ denotes telepathic communication/
[ playback of a recording or TV Commentary]For reference purposes the following will hold true throughout.
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
Alpha -120 x Gamma 255 x Tau -190 New universe called Alt 2
As always comments are welcome. (ken.janney@kjanney.com)
Clark and Lois – Hope Realized - The Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 5
Previously:
In another room a technician was sitting in front of a bank of monitors. He was watching the high-profile subject with one of the girls as they went into a clinch and he was watching the hottest kissing session he had ever seen when all of a sudden the monitor he was watching went blank. He had a brief impression of a red flare just before it went dark. “Now how the hell did that happen?” <I checked those cameras earlier this evening to make sure they were ready for tonight. That shouldn’t have happened! Oh well. At least we have the other camera. We should still get some usable footage from it. We’ll need it if we want to have any leverage with him.> Just then the second screen went dark. “What the … That can’t happen! They can’t both go out like that! Something’s going on and I don’t like it.” He picked up a phone and dialed an extension. “Mitzie, Greg. We’ve got a problem.”
Within a minute of getting the call Mitzie was in Greg’s room and he was showing her what he had been able to record from the presidential suite. On both tapes she could see Lolo and the congressman go into a clinch and start kissing. She muttered to herself, “She really goes all out for the customer. If I didn’t know better, I’d say that they’ve been lovers for a while. Very convincing and good technique.” Just before the tape went blank there was a red flare which Greg could not account for. Mitzie looked at Greg and asked “What can we do? This is a high profile target. We have to get something.”
”We still have the audio feeds. You might be able to use that?”
“It’s not as effective as having a video tape of the target in a ‘compromising’ position, naked in bed with a prostitute. Leslie isn’t going to be happy, but, I guess it’ll have to do.”
Unknown to Mitzie and Greg, Lois and Clark had followed the wires from the video cameras back to the room where Greg was monitoring the feeds. They saw him call Mitzie and tuned in with their superhearing when Mitzie joined Greg. They were startled when Mitzie said what she did, Lois sent a thought, /Leslie? Who’s Leslie? I thought you said that it was the old Luthor network and that Inter-Gang under Bill Church Jr. that was actually pulling the strings./
He replied, /No, I said that we thought that was the way things stood. We are going to have to re-evaluate the situation./
/We need to find out who Leslie is. Is it a first name or a last name?/
Just then over the speakers Mitzie and Greg heard the clinking of glasses and a rustling as the food was being consumed. After a while they could hear the sounds of kissing and moans and groans. Then a female voice said “You look awfully uncomfortable in that suit. Wouldn’t you be more comfortable removing your jacket and loosening your tie? … There now, isn’t that better? … Now let’s undo your shirt a little. … My, what a strong neck. ” Sounds of more kissing. “I like kissing your neck.” There was female giggling and then they heard, “Your beard tickles. Do you like it when I kiss your neck?”
“How could I help it with someone like you?”
Things seemed to be progressing satisfactorily so they muted the speakers and allowed the tape to run. Mitzie said, “I’m expecting more customers. Make sure that we don’t have any more equipment failures.” With that comment, she left.
And now:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 19 – Mr. Olsen
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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Universal Locator Designation
Local designation – Alt 1
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Their evening in the brothel had netted them all the information that they had needed. Based upon their eye witness testimony Mayson would be able to get a search warrant and the police could raid the brothel. Since Clark had told Mayson about the secret room and the recording equipment they would be able to gather the evidence needed to prove that they were blackmailing officials. Some important heads would probably roll as a result of the disclosure, but that was a small price to pay since it would remove the influence peddling.
The Monday after visiting the brothel Lois received Lucy’s résumé in her inbox and printed it out. She and Clark took it to personnel and submitted it for the open IT position. The recruiter said that she would be contacting Lucy to follow-up on the application. They were told that since they were the ones recommending her that she would receive preferential consideration for hire. They thanked her and left.
On Thursday Lois had a call from Lucy, “Daily Planet, Lois Lane.”
“Lois, Lucy.”
“Hi Sis, how is it going?”
“Well, I guess you could say that it’s going well! I just got off the phone with the recruiter for the Planet. I was offered the job. I start in two weeks.”
“That’s wonderful, Sis. Weekend after next have your things packed and we’ll move you. Welcome to the Planet!”
Clark had overheard the conversation and moved over to Lois’ desk so that his voice would be picked up by the phone as he said, “That’s good news Lucy. Welcome aboard.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
When the time came for the actual move, Lucy was surprised to find that they were staying in Smallville but was very happy with the room they had prepared for her. When she asked about getting to work Lois told her that Clark would be flying them back and forth unless and until she found a place with adequate security in Metropolis.
The Monday that she was scheduled to start work, Clark flew Lucy in and disappeared for a few seconds, just long enough to go to the roof and back since Lois had flown under her own power.
Lois escorted Lucy downstairs to personnel to get her processed in. Lois made her promise to come up to the newsroom at lunchtime so that they could all go out together.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
As it was approaching lunchtime, Mr. Olsen was at Lois’ desk discussing a story idea when Lois heard the elevator ding and looking up saw Lucy exit. She saw Lucy look around and finally spot Lois.
What happened next took Lois completely by surprise. Lucy, when she spotted Lois stopped dead in her tracks and a look of total surprise and shock overtook her features and she groped behind herself to find a firm surface to grab hold of to keep from falling. Lois was about to rush to her side when she heard Mr. Olsen shout, “Lucy!” as he hurried up the ramp to her side. Lois was frozen to her seat by the scene that unfolded.
Lois, the stunned observer, watched as Mr. Olsen reached her sister’s side and reached out to support her. The look of total surprise was still on Lucy’s face as she asked, “James? What are you doing here?”
Clark had reached Lois’ side as they heard this. He was equally surprised as he said to Lois, “James? She knows him?”
They watched together as the scene unfolded.
Mr. Olsen laughed as he answered, “What am I doing here? I own the place.”
Lucy gasped out, “*You* *own* the *Planet*?”
Mr. Olsen said, “Yeah, I bought it a couple years ago.”
He asked, “What are you doing here?”
“I just started working here, today.”
“You’re *working* here?”
“Yeah, my sister got me a job here in IT.”
“Your sister? Who’s that?”
“Lois Lane.”
Mr. Olsen almost literally smacked his head as he said, “Why didn’t I realize? The name similarity!” He turned to look at Lois as he asked, “Your sister?”
Lois nodded.
Mr. Olsen took Lucy’s hand and led her down the ramp and over beside Lois’ desk before he started to explain. “Lucy and I dated, well, it was more than that. I wanted to get serious but …” His expression became very thoughtful as he continued, “but her sister was missing and she just stopped wanting any kind of relationship. She drew back from me and into herself.”
He turned to Lucy and asked, “Lois Lane is your sister, the one that was missing?”
Lucy nodded.
He said, “She’s back now.”
Lucy nodded again.
He asked, “Are you happy to see her?”
Lucy nodded again.
He asked, “Are you happy to see me?”
This time Lucy didn’t nod. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.
When she pulled back he looked around and said, “If you keep that up, I’m going to have to fire you.”
She became scared and it showed on her face. With a chuckle, he continued, “I don’t want to be charged with sexual harassment which I could be since I’m the boss and you’re an employee!”
Lucy started to laugh and then she kissed him again.
Lois spoke up, “Lucy came up so that we could go to lunch. Would you care to join us?”
Mr. Olsen replied, “Would you mind terribly if I stole her from your party?” He looked at Lucy and said, “We’ve got a lot to catch up on.”
Lucy looked at Lois, “Is that okay with you Sis?”
Lois said, “You two go ahead. We’ll catch up with you later.”
Mr. Olsen and Lucy left, hand-in-hand. The last thing Lois saw was the smile on Lucy’s face as the elevator doors closed.
Lois turned to Clark and said, “Wow, I never expected that.”
Clark was thoughtful as he said, “It sort of makes sense. They are both into computers. He came here from California. They must have met out there.”
Lois said, “I wonder if anything will come of it.”
Clark laughed and said, “To quote a friend of ours, ‘Only time will tell.’” Lois joined him in his laughter.
After lunch they noticed that Lucy spent the afternoon in Mr. Olsen’s office. When it came to quitting time Lois went over to his office and knocked on the door. He signed her to come in so she entered his office. She looked at Lucy and asked, “Ready to go Sis?”
Lucy looked at Mr. Olsen and said, “Until I get a place of my own, I’m living with Sis and Clark. They’re worried about my safety.”
Mr. Olsen said, “I can understand and I agree completely. I guess, if I need to get hold of you I can call Clark. Lois, could you call Clark in, please?”
Lois went over to the door and called Clark. When he joined them Mr. Olsen said, “When you come to work tomorrow, please bring a change of clothes with you. I want to take you all out to dinner and dancing.” He looked at Lucy as he continued, “I want to renew an old acquaintance.”
Lois said, “I’m sure that can be arranged. Do you want to do that Luce?”
Lucy looked at Lois with a plea in her eyes as she said, “As long as it won’t be too much trouble for you and Clark, then yes, very much.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
One day, after several weeks of Lucy and Mr. Olsen dating, he called Lois and Clark into his office again. As they entered he asked Clark to close the door. Lois and Clark sat on the sofa.
Mr. Olsen said, “I told you that Lucy and I had been serious before you went missing. She’s a big part of the reason I came east. It was to get away from all the places that reminded me of her and what we had had. Now that she’s here and we are back together, it’s, well, it’s great. I wanted to ask you since you’re closest to her aside from your dad. Do you think I’d have a prayer if I asked her to marry me?”
With a smile on her face Lois said, “I’m not the one to ask, Lucy is, but, I don’t think you’ll have too much trouble convincing her to say yes.”
“If she does say yes, then you’ll be my sister-in-law”
“Yeah, kinda weird, working for your brother-in-law.”
“Well, that’s another issue I wanted to talk to you about. In view of this I’ve been approached with an offer to buy out the paper.”
Clark asked, ”Oh, who wants to buy the paper?”
James replied, “A guy by the name of Leslie Luckabee. He came out of nowhere with the offer. He’s from Australia.”
As soon as they heard the name, both Lois and Clark blurted out, “LESLIE!”
James was startled, hesitantly he said, “Yeah, Leslie Luckabee. Is there a problem?”
Clark said, “This investigation we’re working on, we got a break. A few weeks ago we went undercover into the local brothel. While we were in there we heard that the person that was over the Madam was named Leslie. It’s possible that we finally got a name for the person behind all of the rackets here in Metropolis. That name is Leslie. Possibly, Leslie Luckabee. We only have the one name right now.”
James said, “It might not be the same one.”
Lois said, “You’re right, it might not be, but, can we take the chance that it isn’t?”
Clark said, “I think that until we determine just who Leslie is we can’t take the chance. Just who is Leslie Luckabee anyhow? Has anyone done a background check on him? If there hasn’t been, we need to do one. The name similarity can hardly be a coincidence.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Back at the farm house that night after Lucy went to bed Lois and Clark were in the living room. Clark said, “I don’t know about you, but I feel like I need a break from this and to see my folks. Shall we go back for a while?”
Lois moved into his arms and replied, “I’m kinda missing the Kents too. We’ll be back here five minutes after we leave. Let’s go.”
Clark pulled out the TaDT and it turned on as he handled it. He punched the appropriate keys, a portal opened in front of them and they stepped through.
comments go here To be continued in Chapter 20 – Back Home
