Chapter 2: Clark

The television was on and Clark had to admit, Cat had done something remarkable in getting this interview. The Senator she was interviewing rarely gave interviews, and when she did, it was usually to tell the press how to do their jobs. And yet here, she was, Athena Goodman, dressed in an Armani suit, her blonde hair neatly aligned, her eyes smiling.

It was just a shame that the words coming out of her mouth were so hateful.

"I think that we as a country must ask whether we want Superman to be around and living here. He came here in a ship that he refuses to locate. He refuses to submit himself for questioning and he refuses to talk about why Zod, a fellow alien started causing all kinds of chaos."

"So, what are you saying, Senator?" Cat asked.

Clark frowned. He'd spoken with the military after fighting Zod, and before the fight as well. He'd told them everything he knew, within reason. So, the Senator was either ignorant or lying. Clark couldn't tell.

"What I'm saying, Ms Grant, is that Superman should be considered a threat until he proves otherwise." Senator Goodman said.

Clark's frown deepened. It seemed Cat shared his concern.

"But would you not say that the fact that Superman has helped stopped a war in Africa, that he saved a girl from mutilation in Palestine and the fact that he continues to be there when people need help, is a sign that he isn't all that bad?" Cat asked.

The Senator laughed. "I think that whoever is advising him is probably telling him to get involved in these incidents. How did he know what was happening to that girl in Palestine, how does he know when people are in danger? That is what worries me."

"It worries you?" Cat asked.

"Yes, if he has this all seeing and hearing ability. What sort of things does he know?" The Senator asked. "People have a right to privacy."

And you have a right to do something illegal. Clark thought to himself, though he didn't say that out loud.

He was about to switch the television off, when he heard his girlfriend's voice. "Clark, what are you watching?"

Clark turned away from the T.V. and swallowed. Lois was stood by the sofa, wearing a white shirt, and a grey skirt, and she looked beautiful. Her hair was tied up, and oh, that was happening. He thought about something, anything other than what he wanted to do to Lois just then and slowly said. "Watching Cat's interview with Senator Goodman."

Lois frowned, she came and sat down next to him and said. "You know she's talking a load of nonsense, right? She's a politician, they're all worried about their own power."

Clark sighed. "She's got a point though."

"What do you mean?" Lois asked, her brow furrowed.

"I have all these abilities, and maybe I should explain how I have them and why?" Clark said.

Lois shook her head. "That would be a terrible idea."

"Why?" Clark asked. "Wouldn't it help people understand me better?" Surely that would be better than being considered an unknown threat.

"It might, or it might embolden people like the good Senator." Lois answered. "Who knows what sort of crazy things people like her might do."

Clark sighed. "So, what am I supposed to do?"

Lois grabbed the remote from him and switched of the T.V. She then got up and straddled him. Clark looked at her and felt his breathing quicken. "Well, for starters, don't watch that rubbish. It's not good for you."

"Okay." Clark replied, feeling his lower area beginning to stir. "And?"

Lois leaned down and kissed him, then whispered. "And we could keep kissing if you'd like?"

"Oh, I'd like that very much." Clark breathed. He kissed Lois and then, flipped them so that he was hovering over her, he kissed her mouth, her neck, her ears, and did that thing he knew she liked. He was about to go lower when he heard her phone buzz. He knew it was her phone because it had that distinctive Bruce Springsteen twang to it. He stopped and asked.

"Should I get that for you?"

Lois looked as though she wanted to say no, but he could tell from how her heart had stopped racing that she was switching into work mode. "Could you?" She eventually asked.

"Of course." Clark replied. He kissed her cheek and then got up, he moved to the table in the hallway and picked up the phone which had buzzed. It was her work phone. A rather snazzy looking Samsung. Lois claimed iPhones were far too intrusive, and she'd gotten someone in Central City to install some hardware that would prevent people from snooping. Something Allen, if Clark remembered correctly.

He walked back into the sitting room and handed her the phone. He then grabbed his cup of coffee and took a sip, whilst Lois read through the message that had come. He could tell something exciting had happened by how her heart rate started to increase.

"Shit." Lois exclaimed.

"What is it?" Clark asked.

Lois looked up from her phone and smiled. She looked like something out of a movie when she smiled like that. "My source just got back to me."

"Oh?" Clark replied, putting down his cup of coffee. Lois had been working on a story about some smuggling ring in Metropolis for a few weeks now, a source at the docks had gotten in touch with her a few days' ago, and had said he'd have more information for her soon.

"He claims that there were three ships that came into the harbour two nights' ago. They all bore the Romanov Eagle." Lois said.

"What?!" Clark exclaimed. Why would any ship from Russia carry the standard of the country's former dynasty? He didn't think their President would approve of that.

"The source claims that they were a distraction. They wanted people to look at the ships so that the actual vessel carrying the goods got by unnoticed." Lois said.

Clark frowned. "So, you're saying three ships entered in to cause chaos, and a smaller vessel snuck in whilst that was happening?"

"Yes." Lois said excitedly. "My source wants to meet; he says he can give me proof."

Clark nodded. He knew how big this was. "Where does he want to meet?"

"At Elroy's Café on fifth and Main." Lois said.

Clark nodded, he knew the place. It was secure and it would be busy. "When does he want to meet?"

"In about twenty minutes." Lois said.

"Do you want me to drop you?" Clark asked. He could drop her off and then make his rounds of the city.

He felt slightly disappointed when Lois shook her head. "No, it's fine, I'll get a cab. And besides you've got a story to write."

Clark groaned. He'd been trying to forget about that story. The one Perry insisted he write. "If I have to go through that interview with Marcus Rhodes one more time I'm going to scream." It wasn't that he didn't like football, he did, but Rhodes was an idiot and everything he'd said was bullshit. But Perry wanted his words printed in the article as if they were gospel.

Lois got up and walked toward him. She stopped in front of him and laughed. "We all have to start somewhere, Smallville. You've been a journalist for a year, at the Planet for six months. Be grateful he's not sent you off to the local council meetings, yet."

Clark laughed at that, his fellow new journo, Lucy had been sent off on that round and had always come back moaning about it. "I suppose you're right."

Lois nodded and then said. "Besides if you get this right, perhaps Perry will finally give you the go ahead for your Batman story."

Clark couldn't help but grin. It was a running joke of theirs. Clark wanted to run an article on the dangers of Batman's vigilante crusade in Gotham and how it risked coming to Metropolis, but Perry wasn't willing to run it. Something about not offending the higher ups, one of whom apparently knew the Bat quite well. Clark couldn't understand that. After all, Batman killed people, he'd put three people in the morgue four nights ago, and that had been in Gotham. A few weeks before that, he'd come to Metropolis and killed some low-level gangbanger for something or the other. He was dangerous and out of control.

Clark had tried to find him, but had never succeeded. It was as if the bat knew he was being trailed and was doing everything he could to avoid being found.

"I think there's a better chance of hell freezing over." Clark eventually responded.

Lois chuckled and then kissed his cheek as she made her way to where their shoes were kept. "Never say never, Smallville." Clark turned and watched as she put her shoes on.

"Don't forget we're having dinner with your sister at seven tonight." Clark said. It was the first time he'd be meeting the infamous Lucy Lane, and he was excited.

Lois groaned dramatically. "I won't don't worry."

"See you." Clark said as Lois opened the door.

"See you." She replied, blowing a kiss and then shutting the door as she walked out.

Clark looked at the door a moment and then sighed. He'd best get started on that article then.