Chapter 9: The Pawn

Lois's apartment, downtown Metropolis

Still in fuming from her talk with Perry Lois stormed her way out of the Daily Planet. With her hand lifted she tried to hail a cab. She muttered under her breath as one by one the cabs just kept driving passed her. Most of the cabbie knew her face.

"Shit!" she hissed as she finally had enough.

Lois watched a few more cabs drive passed until she was her usually ride. She counted to twenty before she took a step into the street. Stepping into moving traffic Lois stood in front of her usually cab. The driver slammed on the brakes and came to a screeching halt.

"What's the matter with you LOIS," the cabbie shouted.

"Just fucking drive," she hissed right back as she flashed a wad of cash at the driver.

"To the usually?" he asked as Lois got into the back of the cab.

"Just take me home," she replied.

The cabbie didn't say anything else to her. He knew that scrunched up face all too well. He kept his mouth shut as they drove in silence across town and back to her apartment. Lost in thought she barely noticed the faint cracking of the radio in the back ground.

"A story I loved…" she muttered to herself. "Ha! He wasn't even that fucking 'super' at it."

Lost in her own world she barely noticed her cabbie trying to talk to her.

"I'm sorry Lois," he said as he pointed to the radio.

Lois looked puzzledly at the cabbie.

"Come again…" she asked.

"Can you believe it, he's been hiding this from you of all people…" he continued as the cab came to a complete stop.

Lois opened the door and handed the cabbie his money. With a slam she closed the cab door and headed towards her apartment. She wasn't sure that the hell he was talking about. She did smell a bit of liquor on his breath, so he might have been hitting the sauce a bit earlier than normal.

Entering her apartment building Lois noticed everyone in the lobby was staring at her. She scoffed at their gazes and heading up to her apartment. As she approached her door the WiFi on her phone kicked on.

Ping….

Lois reached into her back pocket and pulled out her phone as she turned unlocked her door. Slowly she pushed open her apartment door as she looked at her phone screen.

Clark Kent is Superman!

Her apartment was dark save for the light peering from the open window. Her heart sank.

"Hello Lois…" a deep gravelly voice said. "We've got to talk…"

From the shadow Bruce stepped into light. He was in a black suit with a glass of scotch in his hand.

"Bruce…" Lois replied as she closed her apartment door behind her. "What do I owe the pleasure of you breaking into my house and drinking my scotch?"

Bruce laughed as Lois placed her phone on the table beside her.

"The great Lois Lane, the Daily Planet's number one investigative reporter," Bruce replied as he took a sip of scotch.

"Stop the flattery Bruce," she interjected rolling her eyes. "I think I might get sick…"

"Oh, you thought I was giving you a compliment," Bruce replied with a smile. "My dear Lois…"

As her spoke Bruce moved towards her.

"You just outed Superman to the whole world…." He continued.

"I didn't!" she hissed back. "Perry wouldn't run the damn story!"

Bruce shook his head and turned on the TV to CNN.

…We have confirmation the Lois Lane was the leaker of this new shocking information about Superman. We believe she reached out to right-wing anti-Superman/ anti- metahuman news outlets to get this story to the public. We have had no confirmation from the Justice League or Superman on this, but since Ms. Lane is the number one reporter on Superman… These allegations are believed to be true….

Bruce turned off the TV.

"Perry wouldn't run the story!" Lois hissed. "I didn't do this!"

"But you were mad enough to write up a story," Bruce replied coldly. "Were you mad enough at Clark to contact one of those anti-Superman groups?"

"You know me, Bruce!" Lois said.

"I thought I did Lois," Bruce replied as he threw her own article down at her feet. "It was hard for me to hack into your computer as read this…"

Bruce paused for a moment. There was a flare of anger in his eyes.

"… piece of yours," he continued. "Clark trusted you and this is how you treat him? Like he isn't even…"

"Trust Bruce don't come at me with Clark trusted me!" Lois hissed back. "He went to her!"

Bruce looked at her and let out a sigh, "And he knew you'd react this way…"

Bruce rubbed the sides of his head.

"J'onzz," Bruce said as the turned on his commlink. "It wasn't Lois, someone stole her article from her and leaked it out…"

"WHAT!?" she hissed as Bruce looked slightly panicked. "Luthor stole my story!"

"… What do you Diana did something," Bruce continued to speak with J'onzz. "I'll be right there…"

Bruce walked towards the window.

"Where the hell do you think you are going Bruce?" she asked. "Someone stole something from me and possible ruined my career, you can't just tell me that and leave!"

"I told Clark not to trust you," Bruce replied as she stood in the window seal. "And to think it was Diana who stood up for you when none of us did. You who her more than you'll ever know. I would advise you to lie low for the time being until we can figure out how Luthor got your article from you."

In a flash Bruce leapt from the window and flew off into the distance. Left alone with Bruce's words she saw her phone blinking. She opened her open to a text.

I'm sure you are going to get another Pulitzer for this one Ms. Lane…

From the LoD