I barely made it back to my office when Jimmy came bursting through the door, "Miss Lane, the Chief wants to see us in his office right away."
"Alright, Jimmy, I am right behind you."
We entered just as he was ending his phone conversation, "Well, thank you very much. Thanks for calling. Goodbye."
"You sent for us, Chief," I sang.
"Yes, uh, what do you know about Pier 96 down at the harbor?"
Jimmy decided to take a stab at being a know-it-all, "Pier 96? Well, it's one pier beyond Pier 95."
Surprisingly the Chief kept a level head. "Well, that's a big help."
"Pier 96. Isn't that the one they haven't used in the past two or three years," I asked.
"Right," Mr. White confirmed. "Have you heard of anyone parking a bathysphere down there recently?"
I looked at Jimmy with a question in my eyes, a bathysphere? Why is this –
"Don't look at me," Jimmy defended, "I didn't park it there. What is a bathysphere? Something you take a bath in?"
That got Mr. White's ire, "It's a diving bell, you blockhead."
"You go under the water in it," I explained a bit better, "It is so you can study the floor of the ocean."
"I do?" Jimmy repeated. "Oh no, I don't. Not me."
"No one is asking you to," Perry snapped. "I just want you and Miss Lane to go there and look it over. I've had an anonymous phone call saying we might find an interesting story."
Interesting story from an anonymous caller? Well, Mr. X, you certainly work fast. That had to be less than a ten-minute wait. I turned to Jimmy and motioned him to move to the door. Before we moved an inch, Mr. White was on his feet and grabbing his hat.
"Wait a minute, I think I'll go with you."
Mr. White made me drive us to the pier and sure enough there sat a bathysphere. It looked like it has seen better days and if it were October, I think I would've been a little more afraid of what could happen in a haunted bathysphere. But I could hear Clark in the back of my head telling me to follow through. Mr. White got it open and started ordering Jimmy to get it. The Cub Reporter looked terrified; his face paler than my dress.
"We've got to go inside," Mr. White tried to explain. "The man on the phone said that's where we'd find the story."
"Suppose it starts going do while we are inside," Jimmy rationally questioned. You are a smart boy, Jimmy. I am surprised that Mr. White is not questioning the words that are coming out of his own mouth.
But because I promised Clark that I would follow the whims of this Mad Man, Mr. X, I had to convince Jimmy to get in. "How can it go down when there's no one working the controls?"
"Besides, lots of people have taken rides in bathyspheres. All you need is to close the hatch and watch can't get in."
"What if it leaks?"
"Great Caesar's Ghost! If you're scared, say so, but I'm not." One last huffed of disappointment came before Perry what disappeared into the metal cage.
One down, three more to go. "Come on, Jimmy," I motioned, "come on."
"Oh alright," he relented. "Don't rush me."
The inside was a little bit bigger than it looked but not by much, and Perry was trying to figure out where the story was so he was ready every button he could find and open every door he could giggle. Just waiting on the last piece of the puzzle.
Suddenly a voice called out to me, "Miss Lane, come out of there."
But instead of waiting for me to come out, Superman stepped in. Now that we are all here, time for the real show to begin. As if on cue the door closed behind us and a loud clank announced the lock. I looked at Jimmy and watched as he realized that all of his worst ideas were coming to life, and Perry White looked shocked and disappointed that he didn't use that report-sharp instinct he is always boasting about.
"Superman, do something," I demanded.
"Not while we're still dropping Miss. Lane," he replied. He shot me a quick wink that told me that I was doing great.
A voice came over an intercom, "Superman, this is Mr. X." His voice oozed with smug pride. The twitter of arrogance as enough to make me want to hurl. He continued with his villainous monologue. "You're now 250 feet below the surface, and you'll stay there until I decide to bring you up again."
Perry was getting angry, "He not only has your wife in captivity but us too."
"I warn you," Mr. X continued, "don't try anything rash if value the lives of your companions and the safety of Mrs. Superman."
I hated that those words were being said about another woman instead of me, but I had him here with me, but I knew it was just a part that needed to be played. Referencing my old ways, I looked to Superman with sadness and a twinge of hope. "Isn't there anything you can do?"
"Miss Lane, I could break out and swim to the surface but –"
"Then why don't you," Jimmy questioned excitedly. "We'll swim with you?"
"Not at this depth, Jimmy," Superman calmly retorted. "The water pressure would crush you in an instant."
"You mean we're stuck here," I grumbled.
"I'm afraid so, Miss Lane, for the present."
All four of us stay quiet for a minute, there was nothing to really say and there was certainly nothing to do. Jimmy felt around for something to grab onto to calm his nerves. Mr. White let out a large sigh. I did everything in my power to reach for Superman's hand, and Superman seemed to be waiting for something.
Perry White finally turned to Jimmy, "Olsen, I owe you an ap—"
"Superman, can you hear me?" A woman's voice came on the intercom system this time. "I may not have much time."
"Is that your wife," I asked. Superman just nodded.
"Mr. X and his crime syndicate are planning the biggest robbery they ever pulled," Helen explained. "There's an armored truck taking $2 million in currency to the Federal Reserve Bank. It's coming by a back road, but Mr. X knows the route and the schedule. When it crosses the old wooden bridge over Southport Ravine at 3:00 they're going to blow up the bridge. The truck with fall in the ravine and burst open. The gang will grab the cash and make a getaway."
She paused for a brief second. This time her voice came over the airwaves with much more confidence. "Superman, this is Sargent O'Hara. Mr. X and his crime syndicate are planning the biggest—"
"She was cut off," Mr. White stated the obvious.
"Yes, they must have caught her giving the message," Superman said.
"But she'd already given it. Why do you suppose she started over again," I asked?
"Because she wanted them to think she didn't have time to give me the message. That she was just beginning to talk," he reasoned.
"She is a very smart woman," I replied dejectedly.
"Yes, and a great policewoman," Superman added.
"Superman," Mr. X practically yelled. "too bad your wife turned out to be a policewoman. I'm afraid she's about to retire from the force… permanently. As for you and your companions, I regret to inform you that I have decided to let you stay at the bottom of the harbor from now on."
"That means we're doomed," Mr. White instantly sighed.
"Jeepers," Jimmy spoke up, "It's the biggest story we've ever had and we'll never get into the paper."
The three humans took a seat, I looked at the Kryptonian and suggested, "At least you can get out of here by smashing out of the bathysphere and swimming to the surface."
"Oh no, Miss Lane, I've already told you what would happen to all of you if I did that."
"I know, but the water pressure can't crush you. At least that's the only way you can stop the robbery and… save your wife." Ugh, I hated saying that… she isn't his wife! The words were so bitter and so hard to say, but that played into the heartbroken school girl character I was trying to portray. Superman looked amused by how hard it was to get those words off my tongue. He looked up and thought for a second.
"She is a capable woman, just like you, Miss Lane. But I have one other person to answer to if I let you three die, and I don't think that Clark Kent would ever forgive me. So please don't ask me too." Those last lines were directed right at me and said in a tone that I knew all too well.
We stayed silent for a few minutes, all of us were contemplating ways to get out of here. Perry White spoke up first.
"Miss Lane is right, Superman. No matter what happens to us, you've got to get out of here. Clark Kent, be damned," Perry blurted. Superman looked a little surprised at that one. "It's a quarter of 3 now. They're gonna blow up that bridge in 15 minutes."
"I know, I know," Superman retorted. "There must be a way to stop them without sacrificing your lives."
"If you were outside, you could just lift the Bathysphere up to the surface," Jimmy pointed out.
"Lift it?" Suddenly Clark's—I mean Superman's—eyes lit up with an idea. "That's it. Jimmy, you've just given me an idea."
Pointing to the roof Jimmy continued, "Now that plate holds the cable to the top of the sphere. If I can pull the plate, catch the cable, I can pull us up." He looked so proud, "A little water may come in, but I don't think it'll be dangerous. Let's try."
He grabbed at the knob on the ceiling and pulled. Immediately we were drenched, but we were moving and that is all we cared about. It didn't take too long for us to breach the surface. He kicked open the door and let us out. He still held onto the cable and I was the last one out.
"Superman, come on," I demanded.
"If I release this cable, the sphere will go to the bottom."
"But you can't stay there," I said excitedly.
"I realize that. Please go!" He had that look of irritation in his eyes when I asked what his plan was. "Eventually, once you get out of here, I will let go of this cable and the sphere will sink, then I'll swim to the surface. Now, will you kindly get out of here?"
I looked over my shoulder and to see if there other two gentlemen were watching but they were gone. I quickly stepped back inside and pulled the smug alien to my level for a searing kiss. "You better hurry, and don't you dare be late to the office."
"I promise, Lois. I will see you in thirty minutes. Now GO!"
Just as he promised Clark entered Perry White's office with Sargent Helen O'Hara in tow. She looked a little shaken but that when she explained the whole situation it was understandable. After being forcefully snatched from my apartment, monologued to about a nefarious plan to disable my husband, and almost being blown into oblivion… I would probably be a little shook up as well.
Helen came to the part of the story that I cared about, "See, Superman and I weren't really married at all. He figured that if Mr. X thought we were married he tried to get at Superman through me!"
"You figured right," Mr. White retorted, "and it almost cost you your life."
"That's my job, Mr. White, and I had to get inside the gang," she insisted. I was proud of her for doing what she had to do. I can also use this story as leverage in the future if Clark—or Superman—try to stop me from doing my job.
"You're a brave man, O'Hara." Jimmy admired. His dopey boyish eyes drank all of her beauty in. "Golly," he swallowed, "now that you're not married to Superman, uh, I might ask you to marry me. If I were the marrying kind."
Helen and I both smiled brightly. She addressed him with a soft sigh, "Oh thank you. Thanks a lot, Jimmy. But I am going to wait around for Superman to ask me again, for real."
"Well, I feel I must warn you, you've got competition," I smirked.
"Miss Lane," Jimmy spoke up, "what about your engagement to Mr. Kent?"
"Jimmy, it looks like ordinary fellas like you and I don't have a chance anymore," Clark smirked. "These ladies don't seem to think there's anyone in the world but Superman.
"Well is there?" Helen and I questioned simultaneously, before quickly bursting into laughter.
"Mr. White," Helen said. "If you don't mind, I need to report to Inspector Henderson, so I will be on my way."
"Thank you for all the work you do to keep this city safe," Mr. White shook her hand.
"Thank you, Sir." She began to walk to the door and I crossed Mr. White's desk to meet Clark's open arm. She stopped just short of the handle as I made myself comfortable in Clark's embrace.
"Lois," she called to me, "all joking aside, you've got a great man. He may not be Superman but I think you are going to be really happy."
"Thank you, Helen," I smiled up at Clark. "I know that I am going to very happy."
Clark took that as his cue to prove just how happy we were going to be. His lips melded to mine and we were suspended in the moment. We broke contact at the gruff cough of Mr. White and once again we all began to chuckle.
Clark leaned in to whisper, "That was for kissing me in the bathysphere."
"Oh," I teased, "that was my punishment? Maybe, I should get myself into trouble more often."
"More often…" he thought about it. "I don't know if that is even possible."
Author's Note: I really wanted to have this up before Valentine's Day, but I had to take care of some other things first. I chose the "Superman's Wife" episode for two reasons: 1) It didn't seem like it would fit the canon I was creating. 2) I wanted a reason for Lois to be jealous. I think it was the final nail that Clark needed to know that his girl is just as much in love with him as he is with her.
I really hope that you like this. I had so much fun writing it. I love the idea that Clark and Lois were both in on the intrigue and just put on a show for everyone else. Please tell me what you thought, and I would love to hear if you have any idea you want to see before I start wrapping this story up.
THANKS!
