"Hey, Clark," Chloe said, while she continued to stare at her computer screen and type furiously.
Clark pulled up a chair next to her desk to wait. "I assume this means you're not ready for lunch?"
"Nope. I'm on a deadline."
"Is Lois coming too?"
"I haven't asked her you but probably not. She usually eats while she works. She's in the editor's office right now. She's been there a lot lately come to think of it."
Clark's face flushed angrily. "I thought Grant left."
"He did," Chloe said with a smile. "This is another editor."
Clark had been so into dealing with Kara and Lana, he had neglected Lois, and Lois had gotten involved with a dangerous man without his knowledge. Grant was gone now, but Clark didn't intend to ever let it happen again. "Is it a man?"
"Yes, but before you freak out, he's old enough to be her father. Actually, you probably remember him. It's Perry White."
"Perry White's the editor?"
"Yep. I'm not his biggest fan. I mean I respect him and he's much better than Grant was, but our personalities don't mesh well. He's too gruff for my taste. Lois likes him though. She says his bark is worse than his bite and that he's really a teddy bear underneath. You can tell he likes her and she likes him in a father and daughter way I mean. I think Perry sees a younger version of himself in her, so he's taken her under his wing. I have a feeling she's the reason we both got moved upstairs. Rumor around the office is that he wanted to move her up here, and she wouldn't do it unless he moved me up too."
"That's Lois for you," Clark said. "She's as loyal as they come."
"Yeah, it's not that I don't appreciate it, but I would have liked to move up on my own accord. Anyway, I'm not worried about the personality clash. The editors come and go. I've been through 3 in the short amount of time I've been here."
"I don't know. I have a feeling Perry will stick around for awhile."
"Are you trying to cheer me up because if you are-"
There was suddenly yelling coming from the editor's office.
"That sounds like Lois," Clark said. "I thought you said they got along."
"They do. Perry yells but then Perry is always loud. I've never heard Lois yell at him before, argue but not yell."
They heard her screaming again.
Chloe stopped typing. "Gosh, that sounds serious. She's really angry. If she doesn't stop, she's going to get herself fired."
There was a crash. By now, everyone in the office was looking toward the editor's office.
"I better go see what's the matter with her," Clark said, standing up, but before he could start heading there, the door flung open and Lois came tearing out.
"I hate you! I hate this place and everybody in it!" Lois screamed hysterically. Tears were rolling down her face, making it especially scary. Lois never cried in front of anybody if she could help it. She went to the nearest desk and the woman at it quickly got out of the way. Lois wiped everything off of it with a violent sweep. The picture frames that were on it and a glass figurine shattered with the impact.
"Lois," Perry said, trying to speak calmingly. "It's all going to be okay. You just need to relax."
"Relax? Relax? This job is too hard! I put my life on the line and spend hours writing a story up just to have you reject it! And for what? The money hardly covers my electric bill! I hate this stupid place! I want to scream! I want to hurt somebody!"
2 security guards got off the elevator and quickly apprehended her each taking an arm.
She jumped and kicked, trying to break away. "Leave me alone! I haven't done anything!"
"Lois, I think you may be experiencing a burnout," Perry said.
"No! I'm not! I'm not!"
Clark came up to them, "I don't know if you remember me, sir, but I'm Clark Kent. Lois is a friend of mine. Let me take her home. I promise she'll be fine."
"I remember you. She won't be fine. Look at her. She's still shaking and crying. Son, she needs professional help. I'm thinking she might have to go to Belle Reve."
"No," Clark said, shaking his head vehemently. "That place has a reputation, and she doesn't need it."
"Let's let a psychologist decide what's best for her," Perry said.
"Quit talking about me like I'm not here!" Lois screamed. "I'm not a child!"
"We'll take her away," one of the security guards said.
"No! No!" Lois cried over and over again as they led her out.
Clark looked back at Chloe and saw she was looking pale and shaken up. An unnatural quiet had settled now that Lois was gone.
"Lois Lane is a psychopath," one of the men in there said, breaking the silence and causing his word to echo forebodingly.