CHAPTER FOUR.
Daily Planet Bullpen – Tuesday Afternoon:
Lois was on the phone. "Well I don't care what the radar is normally used for, all I'm asking for is a simple -" There was a click. "Hello? Hello? Dammit!"
With a huff of irritation she hung up, what did a girl have to do to get some basic information in this city? She'd been on the phone half the day calling in favors, flirting, offering bribes, pleading as an absolute last resort; because Lois Lane didn't beg - ever. And the fact she'd lowered herself to that level should have told the people listening just how much she wanted a hard lead this time out. But oh no. She was getting nothing, nada, zilch – and it was starting to really bug her.
Someone had to know where this guy could be found! How difficult could it be? Not like there were guys running around flying all over the place. Now if she'd been hanging off a building somewhere…
She was contemplating the possibilities of that one when a coffee mug was set down in front of her.
"Still no luck?"
Pursing her lips while she automatically reached for the mug, she aimed a quick glare up at Clark. He could be less pleased anytime soon she felt. And he kept disappearing off for ten or twenty minutes here and there – 'following a few hunches' he'd said when she asked after the fourth disappearance. If he discovered something before she did she might have to kill him and hide his body somewhere…
His shoulders shook beneath his pale blue shirt as he sat down, the chuckle of laughter so low that someone who didn't know him might have missed it. But not Lois; "Lesson for you newbie; the front page stories are the ones you have to work the hardest for. The scoop on this guy isn't just gonna land in someone's lap without a hell of a lot of groundwork."
"Thanks for the tip," He sat down and swiveled his chair forwards, looking at her with an expression that said all too clearly he still found her lack of success amusing.
Well when he was sat there with the story everyone wanted he could look as pleased as he wanted and she'd be forced to grin and bear it; literally. Until then he could just take his silent humor and his sparkling eyes and his boyish, messy haired butter-wouldn't melt good looks and go take a flying leap!
Though if he did that, got rescued by the flying man and ended up with the scoop of the century out of it then she'd probably have to move to another country so she wouldn't have to deal with the smugness that would follow. With a deep breath, she leaned her head towards one shoulder and then the other to loosen up the tight muscles in her neck from sitting at her desk too long; silently substituting Clark hanging off a building as bait instead of herself…
Actually that one had possibilities. She just needed to figure out the logistics...
The phone on Clark's desk rang.
"Clark Kent," Thick lashes flickered as he glanced over at her and then swiveled his chair round, lowering his voice so she had to strain to hear his words, "He's there now? That's great! Tell him I appreciate this."
Lois sat up straighter. Oh no way! Was he onto something? He certainly sounded pleased by the news he was getting. He then added to her suspicion by swiveling round to glance at her again, her eyes narrowing when his eyes sparkled with bright shards of light before he turned his back to her again.
Purposefully pushing a pen off the edge of her desk with her elbow so she had reason to wheel her chair round the edge to bend down and get it; she brought herself into a better eavesdropping position…
"344 Clinton, okay. Tell him I'll be right over – whatever you do don't let him leave." He hung up as she wheeled her chair back into place, spinning her pen between her fingers as she leaned back and watched him tear off the page he'd written the address on, "I have to go out for a while. You can get me on my cell."
When he scrawled the number down and handed it to her, she lifted a hand and took it, feigning nonchalance as she asked; "Following a big lead are we?"
Clark's mouth quirked annoyingly, "There is no we is there? I thought that's what I was told?"
Wise ass.
"I'll be back in an hour."
Lois watched as he left, long confident strides carrying him across the room in remarkably quick time, which didn't give her long to ponder what to do; the pen still twirling baton-like between her fingers and thumb. The idea that he really did have an inside track on the flying guy was absurd -- what could he know that she didn't? Still, he was definitely on to something. And by the time he'd stepped into the elevator she'd made up her mind, tossing down the pen, grabbing her purse and following him.
Metropolis – An old apartment block:
Clark followed Floyd, the landlord of the building, into the ground floor apartment he'd wanted to take a look at. Living at a hotel would be too depressing and commuting back and forth from the home farm in Smallville might take all of five seconds by air but it was time he had a base in Metropolis - if nothing else to make it easier to be closer at hand for emergencies. He'd really had no idea he'd be as busy in the suit as he had. And now that he had a job with a regular wage he needed a place to live; some place he could call home again.
He looked around with a doubtful expression. The place looked as though it had been abandoned for quite some time. Books and old pieces of furniture abandoned by previous tenants littered the rooms; newspapers and refuse lay scattered on the floor. It didn't look very homey. And he felt a sudden pang of loneliness as he thought of the farmhouse he'd grown up in as a boy; always sparkling clean, the scent of baking pie filling the air, every room filled with warmth and love. He missed that.
"The quietest building in Metropolis," Floyd said enthusiastically, ignoring the screaming car alarm nearby. "You married?"
"No."
"Girlfriend?"
"No."
"Boyfriend?"
Clark gave him a stare that said it all.
"Me, I mind my own business – it's a free country. Where you from?"
"Smallville." Clark looked around the grungy apartment. He tentatively opened one of the kitchen cupboards, half expecting a rat to leap out. Instead the cupboard door came off its hinges in his hand. And he hadn't done it on purpose either.
"A few screws is all," Floyd said behind him.
Clark calmly set the door down and moved over to try the faucet, grimacing in distaste at the cloudy liquid that came out instead of clear water.
"Minerals - good for the liver," Floyd quickly diverted Clark's attention to the enormous windows lining the apartment. "Nice view. You can see out, no one can see in. Walk around in the buff. I do."
Clark looked at the man's bulging belly and repressed the mental image that began to form. "How much?"
"Fifteen," the landlord said cheerfully.
"Hundred?" Clark asked incredulously, lifting his brows in question. The older man had to be joking – for this place?
"You want cheap, go back to Smallville. This is Metropolis." Floyd scrutinized Clark's face and made a snap decision. "Eleven, take it or leave it."
Clark moved over and rested a hand on the decorative end of the stairs that led down from the apartment's front door. The knob came off in his hand, "You mind if I make a few repairs?"
"For eleven hundred I ain't doin' 'em…"
Clark surveyed the apartment one more time. It was a wreck - there was no other way of putting it. Layers of filth and grime had built up over time - the plaster was crumbling in places - bricks needed mortar here and there - the paint was peeling and faded… but the windows gave a spectacular view and a sense of openness and light despite their sheen of gray. Undoubtedly the plumbing and electrical wiring needed work too. And yet it had a private entrance from a side alley off the street and a spacious balcony out the back where he could take off and land in the suit without being seen. A little work and the place just might be a real gem. It could be a home. His first home in his new life.
"I don't know..."
"Nine fifty then. Last offer."
"When can I move in?"
"As soon as the check clears," His new landlord grinned, displaying yellowing teeth, "I'll get some extra keys made up in the morning."
Clark turned away and blew some dust off his hand a little too hard just as someone tried to open the doors. The doors slammed shut and then opened again with enough force to bang off the wall - and a woman stumbled in…
"Hello Lois," Clark smiled as she stood tall and yanked the bottom of her fitted jacket to straighten it.
"Okay Smallville, where is he?"
"Who?" Floyd asked.
"Yeah, "Clark cocked his head to the side, "Who Lois?"
Finally bothering to look around, Lois frowned in confusion, her hands lifting to her narrow hips, "What is this place?"
"My new apartment. Did you bring me a housewarming gift?"
He saw the moment the penny dropped with her and had to drop his chin and silently clear his throat to stop himself from laughing and giving himself away. That's what she got for eavesdropping, wasn't it?
Large brown eyes avoided his gaze, her tongue running over her lips before she lifted her chin and he heard the sarcasm in her voice, "Nice place."
And then she turned on her heel and stormed off, obviously angry that she'd for one moment thought that he might have any information that she didn't. Waiting until she'd left Clark chuckled softly, shaking his head at how good it felt playing cat and mouse with her. He'd missed it hadn't he? When he could remember a time when he couldn't wait to see the back of her. But there was no doubting there was never a dull moment with Lois around…
The landlord stepped closer, obviously curious, but Clark gave him a look that denied any responsibility for her actions, "Interesting folks you got here in Metropolis…"
The Rooftop Garden of Lois Lane's Apartment – Late evening:
It was a beautiful night, warm and still, and perfect for sitting out in her favorite place with her laptop. Even if she didn't have anything to write…not that it wasn't for the want of trying. And not that he hadn't been spotted in places all over the city at varying times of the day; stopping bad guys mid-crime and probably rescuing goddamn kittens out of trees. There'd certainly been enough reports on the TV, Radio and the Internet. But could she find any leads to follow? Hell no.
Having had a long shower to lift her spirits some, she'd changed into sweats and a vest top, pulled down the folding ladder to the roof top garden that had taken her almost two years of hard work to create in her rare moments of spare time - and taken a glass of wine with her to check the Warrior Angel message boards for an answer to her text from the day before. There was one. So with a smile, she closed the laptop and sighed, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. Apart from the lack of a front page byline in the morning edition of the Planet all was well with the world…
There was a sudden gust of air across her face, the end of her pony tail swinging as she lifted her head. And when she opened her eyes he was there – calmly standing on the top corner of her ledge, arms folded across his wide chest, looking down at her with the same warming smile she remembered.
"Good evening. Miss Lane."
The deep voice sent a shiver of awareness up her spine, her eyes still staring at his chiseled features, his eyes warm and radiant and from what she could tell in the fading light; the darkest shade of sapphire blue she had ever seen. For the second time in her life she was struck speechless, unable to ask him any of the gazillion questions that had been in her head all day long. What was it with her and this guy?
"Sorry to just...drop in on you like this Miss Lane, but I get the impression there are many questions about me the world would like answers to. I thought you might be able to assist me in setting the record straight…"
Say something Lois!
She cleared her throat, her voice unnaturally husky, "I've spent all day trying to find ways to talk to you. I don't suppose you have an answering service for future reference?"
"Unlisted number I'm afraid, shall we proceed?"
Straight down to business then – of course – he was a busy man after all, wasn't he?
"I'll just need my notebook. And better light. Maybe we should go downstairs…" Her words trailed off into the silence as the thought of him in her apartment surrounded by her personal things did a kind of weird, churning thing to her stomach.
"I think you'll be able to remember everything. I doubt you'll misquote me."
Lois nodded dumbly, leaning forwards in her garden chair and accidentally rocking the patio table when she leaned her forearms on it. Her gaze dropped to the table. Laptop. She had a laptop. She didn't need a pen and paper when she had a laptop…
Lifting her chin she stared at him again as her hands fumbled to open the cover so it could switch itself on, "I can take notes on this if I have to."
When he simply inclined his head, she swallowed hard and fought to make her brain work; "Let's...ah...start with the basics, okay? Age?"
"Thirty one."
"Height?"
"Six-three."
"Weight?"
"Two twenty-five."
Nodding, she waved a hand up and down in the general direction of his large body, "And I take it the rest or your bodily functions are what we'd consider...normal?"
His stunning eyes shone with amusement, his deep voice still calm, even as his mouth twitched at the edges, "I beg your pardon?"
Lois could feel heat building on her neck, "Well - do you eat?"
He made a small nod, "When I'm hungry."
"Are you hungry now? Can I get you something?" Oh great, and now she was asking him on a date? Dinner, then dancing no doubt and then…
"No - but thank you…"
And he said it with another full, warm smile that immediately made her feel like less of a fool, so she smiled back, nodding at her glass, "Wine?"
"I never drink and fly."
And a sense of humor as well? If he turned out to be the real deal then he was an all round pretty super kind of a guy. Women had gone weak at the knees for much, much less. Lois knew.
She rolled her eyes and asked about one of the details speculated over on news reports, "Is it true you're impervious to pain?"
"Yes - though I can get a headache just like anyone else." He unfolded his arms and began walking around her garden, his gaze briefly sliding from hers to take in his surroundings.
Giving Lois an equally brief moment to let her gaze slide over him - from his jet black, sleek hair all the way down to the dark red of his boots - the gentle swaying motion of his cloak hiding everything in between. Which was just as well really, because by the time she looked back up he was looking at her face again…
And now she could feel heat rising to her cheeks, "Do bullets really bounce off you?"
"Only when somebody shoots at me."
"Is it true you can see through anything?" There'd been another report that had claimed he'd seen a robbery taking place by looking through a brick wall. A wall he then punched a large enough hole through to get to the perpetrators.
"Pretty much."
"And you're totally impervious to pain as well I suppose?"
"So far."
Lois nodded, of course he was. She turned in her chair and made a big deal out of opening a new word file to jot her notes into, "Any weaknesses?"
"None I'm prepared to make public knowledge."
Her gaze tangled with his again, finely arched brows lifting, "Meaning there are some?"
"No comment."
A thought occurred to her, "By making it public you'd be giving the bad guys an edge, wouldn't you?"
He smiled.
When he turned to face her again and refolded his arms while continuing to warm her from head to toe with just a look, she was distracted all over again, "Are you for real?"
The question had slipped from her lips of it's own accord and when she realized she'd said them out loud she moaned inwardly, covering up her embarrassment by dropping her chin and randomly typing a few words on the screen as she cleared her throat again, "You know – with the fighting crime, do-gooder thing?"
"I'll let you decide the answer to that."
She tried to find a way of testing him, her disobedient mouth dropping her right in it again before her brain found something more appropriate, "What color underwear am I wearing?"
There was a brief, toe-curling-ly embarrassing moment of silence.
"Pink."
Yup and now her cheeks were on fire, "Why are you here - I mean, why are you really here? And why now? There must be a reason."
"I'm here to help. And to fight for truth and justice."
Lois made a small sound of disbelief as her chin rose, "You'll wind up fighting almost every elected official in this city if you're gonna try that one."
"I'm sure that's not true. There are still good people in Metropolis Lois."
"Where are you from?" She blinked incredulously at him.
But he took it literally, "I was born on a planet in the Xeno Galaxy. A place called Krypton."
Lois' eyes widened, "You're an alien?"
"I prefer the term 'celestial visitor'."
"Uh-huh," She nodded, "And how exactly do I spell Krypton?"
"With a 'K'."
It was the most surreal conversation she'd ever had, not to mention the strangest interview. And he was just so damn calm and confident. It was disconcerting as hell! So she tried a rapid fire round;
"On earth for how long?"
"A long time."
"Married?"
"No."
"Favorite earth TV Show," She cocked her head sarcastically.
"Can't say I've had much time to watch any recently…"
"Favorite color?"
He smiled again, "Blue...But pink is nice too."
Lois' jaw dropped. But before she could say a word he'd unfolded his arms and stepped closer, his eyes darker as the light faded, "Is there anything else you'd like to know?"
She pressed further back in her chair, her chin raising by increments with each silent measured step; heart rate increasing and her breathing shallow, "Erm – what's the 'S' on your chest mean?"
He took a breath that made the letter expand, almost as if he was silently conveying his pride at wearing it, "It was a family crest. On Krypton wars were fought over it, entire cities were built on it and over the course of time it became a...promise to many; a sign of people fighting to make a better world - a symbol of hope."
Everything he felt he stood for?
And she was mesmerized all over again. Because his voice was so deeply sincere, the words spoken with such a steady conviction that Lois believed him. She believed everything he'd told her was the truth, the whole truth and nothing but. It should really have made her wary of him, but it didn't. Because the last person she'd believed held that much faith in what one person could achieve had been Clark, hadn't it? And if she was as wrong this time as she'd been about his belief in the good in people…
"And all these strange powers of yours-"
"You find them…strange?"
"Well let's just say your average Joe doesn't defy gravity without assistance." Her gaze slid upwards to the stars beginning to appear in the sky above them, her voice softening as she asked the question, "How do you do that anyway?"
"My molecular structure is constituted in a way that means I have a lighter density under Earth's gravitational force."
Skipping all the technical points she dropped her chin to look into his gorgeous eyes as she almost whispered in reply, "It must feel amazing."
"It's not bad."
When he smiled Lois smiled right on back. Who could blame her?
And then he took a step forward and held out one large hand, "Come with me."
"Where to?" The voice that asked the question didn't even sound like her own; it was soft and breathless and –
"Let me show you how it feels…"