Chapter 1

Metropolis - June 2014

The Daily Planet, Conference Room

Standing there was Lois Lane, Chloe Sullivan, Jimmy Olsen, Cat Grant, Dirk Armstrong and Ron Troupe. Everyone was in very good mood after the great scoop that the daily planet had just published…

Perry White: Well, will all you take a good look at this masterpiece? The fall of Intergang: Mannheim

Lois Lane: Yep, chief, another top-story by the Lane-Sullivan team, ha?

Everyone else: SULLIVAN-LANE!

Lois Lane (raising her hands): ok, ok….

Both Chloe and Lois were hired to the Planet by Perry three years earlier and after one year, they had become the top-reporters team.

Perry: Well now, that everyone here is feels that they on the top of the world (looking at Chloe and Lois), I'm now going to give you guys, an exclusive….

Perry stops talking in an attempt to create an expectation mood.

Lois: What? Let me guess…. You have found "little green men" on Area 51 and they want to be interviewed by Cat, here? – in her very own characteristic sarcastic tone.

Cat Grant: oh please…..

Perry: No…..there's going to be a few changes around here, doe to the new reinforcement…

Chloe: A few newbie's?

Perry: Not exactly, it has been rolling around in the past few weeks but finally I managed to pull him to our team. Them! That was as hard as a cowboy riding a wild bull….Anyway, Chloe you are going to do a solo story for me, I'll explain to you later and as for you Lois, you'll working with the new guy…..

Chloe, Lois: what? (Looking very surprised)

Perry: …and Jimmy?

Jimmy: Yeah?

Perry: I'm giving you a shot at the photography area…

Jimmy: Woohoo! Thanks Boss.

Perry: First, DON'T CALL ME, BOSS!...and second, you will be shooting the new baby elephant at the metropolis Zoo….you go with Cat.

Jimmy (with a disappointing face): what?

Lois: whoa, Perry, what is up with the story of breaking up the Lane-Sullivan Team?

Chloe: Sullivan-Lane!

Lois: Whatever!

Perry: like I said earlier, Chloe is going to do something for me… on solo! And you Lois, I'm adding you a new partner….the new star of the Daily Planet!

Lois: Come on, Perry! I'm not going to put a nanny dress for a baby-sitting the new guy….And who he is anyway?

Perry: Don't worry about the baby-sitting, nanny…Actually he's been here before, even before you and Chloe entered the planet….Lois, you will be working with Kent! Clark Kent!

Chloe: Oh, God! - In shock, she never felt that this could happen, especially from what happened a few years back, in Smallville.

Looking now at Lois, she realized that Lois was thinking the same thing. There weren't many times that something would leave Lois speechless, but this was one of them. And Perry was surprised at the looks of both Lois and Chloe, but his attention was drained now, by Jimmy.

Jimmy: The legendary Clark Kent?

Perry: Oh yes! Know him, Jimmy?

Jimmy: Know him? Man, he's stuff of a legend….the story on "human traffic" in the U.S-Mexican borders, "drugs hell" in Bogotá, Colombia, "fanatic war" in the Middle East, Sudan's poverty, "Beyond's Kasnia Walls", and the work of genius on the Artic wild life, you named it! – Although, he never met him, jimmy said this with a truly admiration feelings towards Clark.

Clark had spent the last three years of his life traveling around the world, working as freelancer, helping people, exposing the truth. With that, Clark began to write several articles and a reputation had begun: from the small local town newspaper to the metropolitan ones - New York Times, Washington Post, National Geographic, Time Magazine, The Daily Sun (U.K), Le Monde (France).With the all traveling around the world, Clark began to realize that exposing the truth was sometimes, not good enough. It required action.

Perry: well, you're going to meet today. He's late. He's already supposed to be here.

Turning his face towards the main room, Perry saw Clark looking at one wall with some historical front pages of the daily planet. Opening the door, Perry exclaimed:

Perry: HEY KENT! Over Here! ... Glad that you can make it.

Clark Kent: I'm sorry for being late, but the traffic in this city….

Perry: Tell me about it!...Well, ladies and gentlemen, here he is….Clark Kent. Clark, let me introduce to the team. Dirk Armstrong, Ron Troupe, Cat Grant, Jimmy Olsen, Chloe Sullivan and Lois Lane….

Clark greeted at everyone with the exception of Chloe and Lois. Perry noted this, and the look on Chloe and Lois faces. Both of them, look surprised that the new look of Clark, The glasses and the suit. The farm boy style vanished. But aside that, now they couldn't even look at him. The awkward silence that Lois hated so much, installed.

Perry: You guys ….have you met before?

At the beginning, no one answered…but when Lois was about to answer, she was cut off by Clark.

Clark (looking at Chloe and Lois): We never met before Perry…all I know is the great achievements that miss Sullivan and miss Lane achieved for this paper.

Perry knew that Clark was lying, since he knew that Chloe and Clark worked together at the Torch in Smallville High. In fact everyone in that room understood that Clark was lying. It was something that Clark couldn't do properly: the lying department. Perry didn't insist, believing that Clark would have a good reason for it.

Perry: Since the presentation has already become a reality, I have a paper to manage. Jimmy and Cat, you know your assignment, you're dismissed. Troupe, I want that story on the metropolis daycare center, ready at the end of the day.

Troupe: It'll be ready on time.

Perry: Troupe you can go. Armstrong, how is your column?

Armstrong: You'll have tomorrow.

Perry: Good, Good….dismissed. Chloe, go to my office wait there, I'll talk you there about the new assignment.

Chloe: Sure.

Perry (turning to Clark and Lois): Now you two. Clark since you are the new guy here, Lois is going to show you "the house", and then you'll be going to the Metropolis Fashion Event covering up the new "protégée" of the Armani House: the fashion designer Lana Lang. Nothing much, but it is the event of the week here in Metropolis. Now, if you excuse me….

Perry leaves Lois and Clark together in the conference room. After a few moments of silence, Lois begins to talk.

Lois: I'll guess you want to know a tour guide for this city jungle paper - she tried a snarky comment in an attempt to ease the mood but all she got was an unreadable face of Clark.

So she began to give a tour to Clark let him knowing the planet facilities, then and ended on the same place that began – the Conference Room. Clark never said a word during the tour. Once there, she closed the door.

Lois: You know what I think about awkward silences. Throw me whatever you to say. Cut and dry.

Although Lois was playing the strong type, she was terrified of what Clark was about to say.

Clark remained silent and motionless, just staring at Lois.

Lois: What? Did the cat eat your tongue?

Clark approaches Lois, leaving Lois intimated. And then Clark talks.

Clark: See that man over there? (Appointing to Perry) He's the reason why I'm here. I respect that man as much as my father. I know that you and Chloe have been working for the last 3 years. Believe me when I tell you, he is the ONLY reason why I'm working here. Because he has a vision, I understand it and I'll working on it until it becomes a reality. Even if it means working with you or Chloe. I'm professional, I can put my own personal feelings aside and that's the only kind of relationship that I'm having with you: a professional one and that's too much already. I'm expecting that you'll do the same.

Clark turned away but went back to finish his conversation

Ah…Remember this: What happened in Smallville, eight years ago? It never happened – stated this as cold as ice with a tone of resentment.

Lois: I can never forget it. - Looking sadly at Clark.

Clark: well, I have and that's how I move on. Get ready and meet me in five minutes to go to the metropolis fashion event. – Clark stated once again, cut and dry, leaving the conference room.

To be continued…