CHAPTER ONE
For what seemed like an hour, Lois continued to talk to the Boss, while Clark watched him hesitantly. His own hands holding Lois securely in his lap. The Boss nodding his head and acting to listen intently.
"Boys, get the cars ready," the Boss says, taking another bite of his cigar. "You two are coming with me."
"I've got business elsewhere...." Clark says, attempting to stop the Boss from dragging them out further.
"Shoulda thought about that before you stepped my business," the Boss says, standing up, sliding on his jacket. His bodyguard's surrounding the group entirely.
"No busines, no money," Clark states stepping in front of the Boss' path.
"Prove yourself then get paid," the Boss says, walking around him. "For now, you come with me and earn your way into the circle. If you can't prove yourself then I'll make sure you and your girl never walk the streets of Metropolis again."
Clark doesn't budge. "You may wanna reconsider the situation, Boss," Clark states, his left arm holding Lois securely.
"What makes you say that, Kal?" the Boss says, pulling his cigar out of his mouth. His eyes scanning Clark. "You got some sort of secret that you're not telling me?"
Clark reaches into his pocket and pulls out a photo of one of the boss' hired hands, hanging from a chair upside down. "A little insurance....and seeing as I've got the information on his target. Someone that's been topping your list for....three months now. I thought I could provide my services there as well."
"That's not much insurance, Kal," the Boss says as the bodyguard's open up his door for him. Clark and Lois follow behind him taking their seats. Clark instinctively wraps his arm Lois once again holding her securely. "But it does intrigue me as to how you've gone from mere bouncer to bank robber to hitman."
Clark relaxes in the seat and keeps his attention on the Boss. "You see Boss. I didn't exactly have much going on growing up. Started out as a pick pocket. Wasn't the greatest job in the world, but it got me by. Kept me out of an orphanage. Had my own apartment in the Slums at 13. When I wasn't pocketing I sold the Daily Planet to look like a servicable ciziten. It got me by to say the least."
"You kept up a public image?" the Boss asks laughing a bit.
"Thought I would keep the cops off my tail if I did something servicable," Clark says, relaxing a bit more. "It did what I needed and I got away with a clean slate. When I hit 18, I took on the job of being a bouncer at the Windgate. Met Amber there...and haven't let go of her since. Robbed a few banks before that. Just to get by."
The Boss laughs, exhaling a puff of smoke. "Robbed a few? Edge would have begged to differ."
"Maybe I'm downplaying things a bit," Clark says, sliding his hand down Lois' back and meeting her eyes. "Maybe I have my reasons for doing as such."
"And maybe you're just a liar," the Boss says, putting the remains of his cigar into an ash tray.
"I don't lie, Boss," Clark says unflinching. "Just like I don't cheat on Amber and she doesn't on me."
"Who are you trying to prove that to? Yourself or me?" the Boss says, putting both of his hands against the seat. "Because until I see physical proof. Words mean little to nothing to me."
"What exactly is it that you want me to prove?" Clark asks, not shifting from his spot.
"That's for me to decide and you to find out," the Boss states as the limo comes to a stop. "For now, you and Amber will be staying under our supervision."
As always the Boss is the first one to step out of the limo, the guards surrounding him once more. Slowly, Clark allows Lois to climb out of the limo behind him. Clark watches her face for a few seconds to make sure she's handling things well and she simply nods back to him.
"Welcome to our place," the Boss says proudly, guiding them into the lobby of the 40 story Atlas Complex.
"I'm surprised, Boss," Clark says it with a slight smile. "I was expecting something more....back alley."
"You didn't learn much from Edge did you, kid?" the Boss says guiding them all to the elevator, sticking to a straight path. "We live in style. Not loathe it."
Clark slides his arm around Lois, pulling her in tighter. His hand rubbing her ass ever so carefully. Clark's own visual attempt to cover his own tracks for protecting Lois.
The Boss pauses for a second before turning to face the both of them. The group as a whole stopping in front of two elevators. The guards circling Lois and Clark, without hesitance. "I'm afraid this is the end of journey for the night," the Boss says, pressing the up button the elevator. "You two will be escorted to your private room and when I'm ready to talk to you again. We'll talk."
"What if we refuse to talk?" Lois interrupts, letting her own daily voice come through a bit.
"You'll rot in your room until you do," the Boss says it, shaking his head. "For now, just enjoy the time together."
As soon as the elevator doors open, Clark and Lois are pushed in without issue and as much as Clark's instincts tell him to fight back, he doesn't. He has no intention of losing their mark. Not now. The guards enter behind them and take to the front before pressing a button on an undetermined floor. The seconds seem to drag on as the floors pass them by with a single click. He watches Lois mentally take note of the floors.
When the doors open again, their guided out into the hotel and straight down to a private room. The guards open the door and then force them in before closing the door behind them. Clark takes a moment, listening to the silence of the room. There's one single bed, a window looking out at the city and a bathroom. He watches Lois as she moves towards the bed, his eyes instinctively watching her ass for the first time out of character since she first appeared in Smallville. He leans his head against the door and just hesitates for a second.
"We're being guarded..." he says it turning the handle. "And locked in."
Lois takes a moment, watching Clark removing her heels before resting on the bed. "I'd suppose that's the best way to keep us in check," she says matter-of-factly.
Clark removes his tie and tosses it on the floor, having nowhere else to put it before sitting down beside Lois. "Great work back there," Clark says softly, a smile forming on his lips.
"Same could be said of yourself Smallville," Lois says it at a whisper. "Seems like you knew this Kal guy really well."
"Same could be said of your idenity, sailor," Clark says it with a smirk, trying not to laugh. Lois punches him on the shoulder softly. "But I do wanna apologize for the hand to butt contact. I didn't plan on catching you of guard with that...I needed something more to sale the deal."
"If you'd spent anymore time on my ass, I'd be marked for life," Lois says it teasingly, relaxing a bit more.
"Can't help that its a great ass," Clark says it sofly, unbuttoning his shirt a bit.
"My, my, Smallville," Lois continues to whisper. "Kal must be really rubbing off on your or something." Lois pauses for a second. "Since I'm still speaking with Kal. What was with that kiss in the alley this morning?"
Clark takes a small breath, meeting her eyes. "Needed to show that my girl was off limits," Clark says it still retaining Kal's swagger.
"That was helluava of a way to do it," Lois says standing back up before walking to the window, looking out at Metropolis. Clark's eyes watching her every footstep. "I can't help but thinking you've kissed me like that before....but I can't recall us ever doing anything of the sort."
Clark takes a moment and climbs to his feet before wrapping his arms around her. "You want the truth?" Clark asks, looking into her eyes once more.
"Was I drunk or something?" Lois asks, turning to meet Clark's eyes. "Because if I was it was..." Lois freezes, looking into hsi eyes back.
"Something like that," Clark says, looking deeply into her eyes. "We've kissed twice officially."
"Twice?" Lois asks looking back at Clark, a bit befuddled.
Clark runs his hand gently along her face before stopping at the top of her v-neck dress, pointing to where her tattoo once was. "We made out when you were under the influence," Clark says it softly, his hands connecting to hers. "The first was when Oliver needed someone to cover for him."
"So you've got plenty of undercover work under your belt besides viewing my little striptease," Lois states smiling a bit more.
"Last I checked that was pretty much all me there," Clark says it, pulling her in closer.
"Last I checked you were freaking out on that lap dance..." Lois says it, trying her best not to laugh.
"Last I checked what you did doesn't legally count as a lap dance unless there's some action to it," Clark says it, clearly flirting with her. "Which meant you shoulda be bumping and grinding a lot more than were."
"Maybe I owe you for a bump and grind session," Lois says it, retorting back a bit. Her smile still prominent. Lois moves in a bit closer. Clark follows suit lowering his head slowly, kissing her lips tenderly for the first time. Lois follows suit as Clark wraps his arms around her, pulling in her close. The kiss deepening by the moment.
Before they can even go further the door opens. "Kal, the boss needs to speak with you," one of the guards states, interrupting the conversation.
"That was....sudden," Lois says, not making the reference clear. Clark turns his head to the guard's and removes his hold from Lois, meeting her eyes again.
"I'll be back, Amber," Clark states. "I promise."
At that Clark is pulled out into the hallway by the two guards before the door slams shut behind him, leaving Lois to the room.
