"Gosh, I don't see Bill Chitt anywhere." Jimmy Olsen gazed down the long hallway of the Gotham International Airport.
"I told him where to meet us," Lois said, scanning faces in the crowd.
"How long before Mister Kent's plane is due?"
"In about ten minutes. I'll stay here and wait for Chitt. Why don't you head over to Concourse L to meet Clark?"
Jimmy nodded and headed down the long causeway. Lois was contemplating having Chitt paged on the intercom, when a hand tapped her on the shoulder.
Behind her was a mustached man in a suit. "Excuse me, but I believe you're Ms. Lane of The Daily Planet? I was sent here to deliver a message."
"From Mr. Chitt?"
"No. Word has reached me that you've been looking for a man known as Raoul. I offer my services to help facilitate a meeting."
Lois sized the man up. "What's your relationship to Raoul?"
"I've been retained to look out for his interests."
"And you are?"
"We can get to those kinds of details in good time. Raoul might be prepared, with a little display of good will, to discuss who hired him. Do you have any message you wish me to deliver to him?"
Lois tried to keep her tone neutral. "You can tell him that if he's innocent, he should go public – The Daily Planet would certainly be interested in presenting his story. If he's connected to Governor Klintody's murder, things will go easier on him if he comes forward voluntarily."
"That may not be much of an incentive for him to talk to you."
"I can't offer him money, if that what you're looking for, however, I can promise to hear him out and keep an open mind."
"We will be in touch." The man gave a short bow and walked away.
Jimmy had almost reached Concourse L when a voice called out.
"Well, if it isn't James Olsen!"
Jimmy saw an old acquaintance of his sitting on a nearby bench.
"Mr. Allen! What are you doing here?" asked Jimmy.
Batman smiled broadly through the makeup. "I just flew in for work. I'm going to be in Gotham City for a few days."
"Mr. Kent's due to arrive on a flight any minute now! He'll sure be glad to see you again!"
"How are you these days, Jimmy?"
"Real good! One of my photos is up for an award."
"That's swell. How is Clark?" Batman asked. "I heard from friends that he's changed lately."
"Not really. Although, I guess he's not as happy around the office, now that you mention it."
"Why do you suppose that is?"
Jimmy looked at his feet as he searched for the right words. "Well... you know how sometimes someone can be so powerful and beloved by a city that his friends become well known by association? See, Mr. Kent's kind of in that situation . . . and he doesn't really care for it."
"Getting tired of being used as a go-between?"
"Not so much that, as he just doesn't like the attention. This cereal company hired a bunch of us to pose for ads for their product. Mr. Kent wasn't too enthusiastic, but the Chief gave him a speech about team spirit – The Daily Planet gets mentioned in every ad – so he agreed to do it."
"That's great, Jim, but I was wondering if there was something in Clark's private life that was bothering him."
"Gosh, I don't know if Mr. Kent even has a private life . . . but ever since the deal with Kellogg's, he's been getting assigned goofy, lighthearted stories: like lambs being raised by cows, or this boxing stunt with that elderly guy. Mr. Kent likes covering stories about important topics – threats to the city. Now that he's on cereal boxes, though, Mr. White won't assign him to anything controversial. Kellogg's is one of the biggest advertisers in The Planet, y'know."
Batman nodded sympathetically. He'd heard more than enough to conclude that the lad was clueless about whatever Kent was mixed up in. He kept an eye out for the first of the disembarking passengers off the jet from Metropolis.
The two were joined by Lois just as the first passengers were just starting to emerge.
"Why, Gary Allen, you're a sight for sore eyes," she said in greeting. Batman was so intent on scrutinizing each exiting passenger that his only response was a quick nod at Lois.
"No sign of Mr. Chitt, huh?" asked Jimmy.
"Not a trace. Do you suppose he actually has knowledge that would make him a target?"
Batman could feel his frustration building as one stranger after another passed by. Finding no trace of Clark Kent, he resisted an impulse to go charging through the security checkpoint after his quarry.
By now, the bulk of the Metroplis flight's passengers had dispersed.
"Oh, great! Now where's Clark?!" said Lois.
"Are you looking for Clark Kent?" asked a nearby passenger. She was slim and sultry, with curly, dark hair. "You won't find him on this flight."
"How do you know?" Lois inquired.
"Well, I should. After all, I'm his fiancée."
"Fiancée?!" blurted Jimmy.
"You're Lois Lane, and this handsome lad is Jimmy Olsen. Clark talks about you all the time."
Lois and Olsen just stared at the woman, who extended her hand.
"It's me, Laura Lime. Remember? The magician's assistant? Tried to have you thrown off a rooftop?"
"You?!" Lois exclaimed.
"Yes, Lime's my surname. I know, funny name. Go ahead, make jokes. Clark always tells me, 'Lovebug, you say the sourest things!'"
"Clark Kent says that?"
"Sure. When it's just the two of us together, he really lets his hair down."
Hey, what's the idea?" Jimmy said angrily. "Mister Kent wouldn't fall in love with a convict!"
"Oh, I've served my sentence."
"But you were a scam artist and a thief!"
"Yes. People do change, you know." She took a moment to study Jimmy's wardrobe. "Most people, at any rate," she sniffed.
"Wh-when did you two get engaged?" asked Lois.
"Just yesterday," she said, holding up her engagement ring. "Clark said the only thing going through his mind during his car crash was that we might never be together again. After his narrow escape from death, he decided he was going to get the most out of life; no drawn-out courtships. He actually proposed to me on the hospital grounds."
"Where's Mr. Kent now?" 'Gary Allen' asked, forgoing an introduction.
"Probably back at his hotel," said Laura. "He arrived this morning and told me to take his seat on this flight."
Batman was already headed for the exit. He doubted he would find Kent at the hotel, but he had a pretty good idea of where else to look.
He stalked past a pair of men who were relaxing casually against the wall.
"Who was that?" Frenchy muttered to the mustached man at his side.
"Nobody."
Something about the departing man bothered Frenchy – maybe the way he carried himself. "Think I should follow him?"
The mustached man grinned and shook his head. "Oh, no, you just lay low. We've got The Daily Planet chomping at the bit for an interview with you, 'Raoul.' You're our ace in the hole."
(Bat Spin)
It had started raining by the time Batman reached Lou Cranek's old club. It looked more run-down than on his last visit several decades before. Thanks to some missing street lights, the entire area was draped in shadows, save for brief flashes of lightning from the storm. Snugging down the brim of his hat to keep the rain off his makeup, Batman marched resolutely through puddles to the front steps. Expecting they would creak, he gingerly climbed the short flight of stairs.
Bypassing the main door, he padded thirty yards down the landing to a side door. He knelt and pulled a skeleton key from his pocket. The key's handle was shaped like a bat.
