Hattie and Mr. X - Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 1 – P 5/11
By KenJ <ken.janney@kjanney.com>
This version is rated PG-13
Submitted
Disclaimers: Some of 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.
Note::
This story takes place in the Matchmaker Chronicles universe. Hattie Kaplin has had a long standing relationship with Jon Kent and the entire Kent family; in fact she is almost part of the family. Recently she had been brought in on the family secret that the Kents are in fact the super family.
This story is a sequel to Hattie Kaplin and the Main Street Bomber – Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 1 - O
*denotes emphasis*
<denotes thoughts>
/” denotes telepathic communications.”/
/* denotes recording playback. */ Previously
Hanging up Hattie said to JJ, “We’ve got another one. Let’s head over to STAR Labs. They could have the analysis complete by now.”
After grabbing his jacket and putting it on, he grabbed her coat and held it for her. She smiled her thanks and picked up what she called her ‘bag of tricks’. It was very reminiscent of Lois’ bag, but in Hattie’s case held various items such as lock picks, opera glasses, a strong little telescope, a telescoping wand or escrima and sundry other items. A few seconds later they were in the elevator headed down.
Upon arrival at STAR Labs they immediately went back to Dr. Klein’s lab. After they entered and the occupants knew who it was, Jon resumed his tasks at superspeed.
Half an hour later Dr. Klein was correlating the findings. “The samples we got this time were a lot fresher. We were able to identify a number of familiar chemical structures. I checked the structure of the class of drugs called Benzodiazepines and the individual structures we detect are all components of that class, however, there are some novel components such as lithium and an overabundance of oxygens. The oxygens could indicate and alcohol form, but the lithium has me stumped.”
Hattie asked, “Wasn’t lithium used in treating schizophrenia?”
“Oh? Let me check.” He pulled up a search and checked, “By Jove, you are correct. They have new treatments now, but lithium salts were used to treat bi-polar disorder, or schizophrenia.”
“What if this time the lithium is being used to create a schizophrenic episode?”
“I hadn’t considered that, but I suppose it could be possible. Someone in a schizophrenic episode would not necessarily remember what they did after coming out of it. If it were combined with a drug in the Benzodiazepines group it is conceivable that they could have a psychotic episode and be in a suggestible state as a result of the drugs administration. They could be told to do something and they would simply follow orders and then remember nothing after the fact when they come out of the psychosis.”
Hattie was exuberant, “All right, we know how it is being done!”
JJ pointed out, “We still need to find the source.”
“Right! Let’s go interview this new victim. Thanks, Dr. Klein. Thanks, Jon. You guys are the best!”
A short time later JJ and Hattie arrived at the Twelfth Precinct. As soon as they walked in Boyce spotted them and called them over. “Same drill as yesterday. You can wait in the room and I’ll bring him to you. If you don’t mind, I’ll be watching through the glass.”
“We don’t mind. We just need to get some background information from him. What’s his name?”
“Andrews, Archibald Andrews. Here we are. I’ll be back in a minute.” He closed the door and left, only to return a minute later with the latest victim.
JJ started it, “Mr. Andrews, My name is James Olsen and this is my partner, Henrietta Kaplin. We’d like to ask you a few questions.”
“Sure, go ahead, but please, call me Archie. Mr. Andrews is my father. I already told the police everything I know, which is nothing. Last night is a complete blank. It’s really strange, this morning I woke up in my own bed and I was still dressed in the clothes I had on yesterday.”
Hattie had pulled out her pad and recorder and started recording before he started to speak. She asked, “Did anything unusual or a special occasion occur yesterday?”
“Yeah, well, I got a promotion. I was assistant manager for a chain store. They just made me manager of another store that will be opening next week.”
Hattie smiled; it was all starting to fit together, “Did you go out to celebrate, Archie?”
“Sure, you have any idea how often promotions like this occur? Not very often, I can assure you.”
Hattie was closing in for the kill so she asked, “Where did you go?”
“Well, Jug, Betty, Veronica, and I went to ‘Stokes’. We all like the music and the drinks are reasonable.” When he said the name Veronica, he let out a sigh and got a wistful expression on his face. He obviously had a crush on her.
Hattie nodded her head. The last piece had fallen into place.
And now:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 5 – Undercover
March 02, 2029
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
After interviewing Archie Andrews they headed back to Planet. When they arrived a little later, Hattie and JJ gave Lois and Clark an update.
“So far we have two robberies, both carried out under unusual circumstances. In both cases the robber can’t remember anything from the night before. Both victims were drugged and now we have a good idea what with. We would need to get a sample to confirm it though.”
“How are you going to do that?”
“In both cases the victims were upwardly mobile young guys. They had just been promoted and were celebrating with friends.”
“Okay, now you have a profile. How do you plan to capitalize on that?” Lois asked.
Hattie looked at JJ and said, “We might go undercover and see if they will try to drug JJ.”
“Whoa, that could be risky. Besides, how would you know where to go?” Clark asked.
“Oh, I forgot to mention, both victims went to ‘Stokes’ to celebrate,” Hattie replied.
Lois looked at Clark and a knowing look passed between them. “I haven’t even thought about that place since we put Lenny away. I wonder if it’s still being used for a hideout.”
“I could fly over and check it out.”
“Why don’t you do that and I’ll fill these two in on the history of ‘Stokes’ and Lenny Stokes.”
Clark headed for the stairwell, loosening his tie as he went.
Lois had Hattie’s and JJ’s attention as she summarized, “Lenny Stokes used ‘Stokes’ as a front while he built a device that used sonic waves to destroy buildings. He stole the technology from his old band partner who was a genius in the effects that sound waves could have. Anyhow, Lenny Stokes was blackmailing Metropolis, threatening to knock down the town hall if they didn’t pay a ransom. We went to confront him and he captured me. He had this glove … it was full of electronics. It created a wall of sound around him that even Superman couldn’t penetrate, at least at first,” she started to smile at the memory, “that is until he had the idea to fly so fast that he broke the sound barrier and he was able to crash right through and rescue me. Keep in mind; this was back before we were married, or even dating for that matter, let alone know who he was. All that to say, ‘Stokes’ has a history and that history may be continuing into this day.”
When Lois finished telling her story, Clark exited the stairwell, straightening his tie as he headed for the office.
“No, nothing. If they are using the club for this, they aren’t using that basement for anything other than storage.”
Hattie said, “That just means that the drug is being made somewhere else.” Turning to JJ she said, “Looks like we are going undercover, partner.”
Lois said, “Hold on there. How do you plan to handle it? It is doubtful if the other victims knew they were being drugged. Maybe you should call in the reserves. I wonder what Jon and Jen are doing. If they try to drug Jon it won’t have any effect and Jen has never been a drinker, but of course, neither of you are either. How are you going to do this?”
“I don’t know. Archie said that they went there because of the music. I wonder … Maybe the band could use a new female backup singer.”
Lois smiled and thought to herself, <Just like me, again!> before she said, “If you even knew which band was playing and you knew someone in the band, perhaps, as it is, I don’t see that happening.”
Hattie looked at JJ and said, “Maybe they could use a new bartender.”
Lois thought again, <Just like Clark at the Metro Club.> before she said, “Again, there would have to be an opening.”
Hattie was getting frustrated. She was being thwarted at every turn. But frustration brought inspiration, so she suggested, “I think we will have to go with my original plan. JJ and I will go out to celebrate and hope they try to drug him and I can keep an eye on him.”
JJ looked at Hattie and said, “Gee, thanks! I’m gonna be the guinea pig, huh?”
Hattie looked at him and asked, “Do you have a better idea?”
“Yes, let’s just go there and observe. If we see someone acting oddly, we follow them.”
The wind was taken out of Hattie’s sails with that one. Finally she said, “Yeah, I guess there’s that too. We could just go and see if anything happens.”
Lois smiled and said, “Sounds like a plan to me.”
After JJ and Hattie left, Lois said to Clark, “They balance each other out, same as us.”
Clark smiled at his still lovely wife and reflected on his good fortune. “Yeah, they do don’t they?”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
5:00 PM, Friday, March 02, 2029
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
To prepare for this assignment they discussed how they should dress and then they discussed the arrangements with Lois and Clark since they were more experienced at undercover work.
After Hattie and JJ left the office, Lois and Clark discussed how they would handle what was sure to happen and how to do it in such a way that they didn’t cramp Hattie and JJ’s play.
After shutting down for the day, they headed out to prepare. The decision they had reached was that JJ should look like someone in the business world and moving up while Hattie should look like arm candy. Accordingly JJ changed into a conservative suit while Hattie put on a scoop neck top, a royal blue skirt with a hem that reached just below mid-thigh and was slit up the left side to a point just below where her royal blue spandex shorts stopped and a pair of knee high boots. She didn’t know what would happen, but she wanted to be prepared. The short skirt with the slit would allow her freedom of movement and the spandex shorts would maintain her modesty.
Once they were attired they went out for dinner, after which they headed for 'Stokes'.
Their timing was good and there was already quite a crowd when they arrived. People from all kinds of businesses crowded around in little groups and around the bandstand. The group that was playing was not one that Hattie was familiar with. It was probably a house band, so her idea of hiring on as a backup singer had been doomed from the start. Behind the bar were three bartenders, so there went the idea of JJ being hired in that capacity.
Keeping their eyes open for any strange behavior on the part of the patrons they cruised the floor.
Unknown to them, as soon as they had entered they had been spotted on a security monitor and a call had been made to several men wearing communication devices similar to those used by the secret service who began to converge on Hattie and JJ.
Another command was sent and the band started their next number. A majority of the customers were drifting in that direction when JJ suddenly realized that they were surrounded. He grabbed Hattie's arm and squeezed it to get her attention.
Addressing the nearest tough he said, in a nervous voice, "Hi, nice night isn't it? Good song! Can I help you?"
The thug was reaching into his jacket as he replied, "Yeah, you and your girlfriend can come along with us, nice and quiet like. We're gonna take a little ride."
Hattie pouted, "But, we just got here! I haven't even had my Shirley Temple yet."
With that last word Hattie launched her attack. She started with a side snap kick to the crotch of the guy on her right. He immediately doubled over in pain. As she was recovering position from that move she continued her movement to the opposite side, spinning her body a quarter turn and using the same foot to front snap kick her assailant on her left in the chest. The air whooshed out of his lungs. That move flowed into a drop sweep which knocked the legs out from under the guy in front of her. When he fell he hit his head, knocking himself out.
While Hattie was performing her mayhem, JJ was dealing with three of his own. He also started on his right, delivering an elbow jab to the solar plexus. The thug’s air was forced from his lungs and he was left gasping. The recovery from that move he turned into a palm strike to the chest of the guy on his left. He was left in similar condition as the other guy. He was about to deal with the attacker in front when that worthy swung a blackjack and caught him just over the right ear with a glancing blow which stunned him briefly, but long enough for him to be grabbed. JJ reacted instinctively as the thug did by stepping back. JJ pulled the thug along using the thug’s own momentum against him. As the thug followed, JJ grabbed the thug’s shirt and spinning his body pulled the thug across his right hip throwing the thug to the floor. The thug skidded across the floor and his head hit the base of the bar with enough force to knock him out.
Hattie jumped up from her squat and did a split kick, sending a foot into the face of each of her two assailants that were still standing, knocking them both over. With all three of her assailants down she kept a wary eye on them as she called out, “JJ, you okay?”
She heard some grunts and the sound of blows and then puffing from the exertion, JJ said, “I’m fine, how about you?”
Hattie released a relieved sigh when she heard his voice and said, “I think we’ve worn out our welcome. We need to get out of here.” She now looked around only to find that with all that had been happening, it had all been so quick and the band was playing so loud that most of the patrons didn’t even know that anything was happening.
JJ shouted over the din, “What about your Shirley Temple?”
Hattie laughed, “Maybe another time.”
“Whatever you say, Sweetheart.”
Stepping over their fallen foes they headed for the door. Before they got there however, they were intercepted by a man with a gun. “Going somewhere?”
Hattie and JJ both stopped. The way he was holding the gun demonstrated intimacy with the weapon and they were not close enough to deal with it. Waving the gun in a casual manner he inclined his head and said, “Over that way. We’ll use the side exit.”
Hattie tried to inch closer as she said, “But, our car is out front.”
He backed a pace and said, “Keep your distance. I said you’re leaving by the side door. Now move!”
The thugs that they had dealt with had been recovering and a couple of them each grabbed JJ and Hattie, one on each arm, none too gently as a result of the rough handling they had just gotten from the couple and led them out.
Outside they found themselves in an alley with a delivery van standing in it. One of the thugs moved over and opened the side door. A second thug, the one that had slugged JJ reached into his jacket and pulled out an automatic. The first thug kept his gun on them as the second pulled out a black metal tube and screwed it onto the end of the barrel of his 9mm. While he was screwing it on he said, “This will net us a nice bonus. The bounty the boss has on you two will set us up in another town.” Once the silencer was I place he negligently waved the gun around. “We load you into the van, take you out into the woods and dump you. They won’t find the bodies for years, if ever.”
JJ started to make a dive for the first thug, but the one with the silencer used it to club him over the head. He went down like a felled tree.
Hattie shouted, “JJ!” and dove onto him.
The one with the silencer laughed and asked, “Want to bet I can get both of them with one bullet?”
The other’s shouted their bets.
Silencer guy said, “Let’s see.” He leveled the gun and pulled the trigger. There was a soft plop, almost like a stifled cough.
The bullet never reached its intended target. A hand snatched it out of the air.
Seeing this, silencer guy shouted, “It’s Ultra Woman! Get her!” He and his associate both opened up on Ultra Woman. Her hands became a blur as she snatched bullet after bullet from the air.
As suddenly as the fusillade had started, it stopped when both of the gun wielders dropped their weapons because they were hanging in the air, suspended by their jacket collars which were in the hands of Superman.
As the rest of the thugs tried to run, Kam-El knocked each one out. As soon as they were all unconscious he removed their belts and used them to secure their legs and used their shoe laces to secure their wrists.
Ultra Woman knelt and assisted Hattie to stand. She said, “Ms. Kaplin, how are you?”
“I’m fine, thanks, Ultra Woman. They were going to kill us.”
“I know. We overheard.”
“You overheard? Why didn’t you come in sooner?”
“Terroristic threats and kidnapping don’t carry the sentence that kidnapping and attempted murder does. We had to wait for the first shot to be fired.”
Hattie was irritated, “And in the meantime, poor JJ got hit on the head!”
JJ was just starting to sit up at this point. He said, “It’s all right, Hattie. I’ll live.”
“I need to take him home.” She said in an irritated tone.
Superman said, “That’s okay. We can handle it from here. You will need to make a statement, but you can probably do that tomorrow. I’m sure the MPD will understand.”
Hattie assisted JJ to stand and then with him leaning on her somewhat they headed for his car.
Once in the car, she challenged, “What did you think you were doing, going for that gunman that way?”
“I was hoping to distract them so that you could, I don’t know, get away or something.”
“James Olsen, Junior, don’t you
ever do anything like that again. They almost
killed you.”
Looking at her JJ could see the tears running down her face. He realized that she had really feared for his life and the thought that she could have lost him had really upset her. He said, in a subdued tone, “I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”
Her reply was succinct, “You’d better not or I’ll kill you myself.”
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