Strange Visitor From Chicago
Before I became attached to Early Edition, I was an avid fan of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. Just like Early Edition, I would watch episodes over and over again and had the dialogue memorized for my favorite episodes. My very good friend, Claudine, introduced me to the magic of Early Edition. It seemed like a natural progression for me, given that I was looking for another good guy hero.
This fan fic story is an EE/Lois & Clark crossover. My premise is simple: What would happen if Gary got tomorrow's edition of The Daily Planet and that paper announced that Clark Kent is Superman? Would he be able to keep the world from discovering the Man of Steel's secret identity while at the same time prevent Clark from finding out that he got tomorrow's newspaper today?
Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. Early Edition characters belong to CBS, Tristar Television, and Fox Family. Lois & Clark and Superman are the property of DC Comics, ABC, Warner Brothers, and TNT. Some of the dialogue that appears in this story is not my own but belongs to the writers of Early Edition and Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
Author: Tracy Diane Miller E-Mail address: tdmiller82@hotmail.com
This story was first published in January, 2001.
Strange Visitor From Chicago
Chapter One
"Meow." Thump.
No answer from inside the loft.
"Meow."
"Hold your horses, will ya?" Gary finally yelled Cat clearly perturbed that it was already morning and his life saving ritual was about to begin anew. Gary pulled back the covers and carefully tried to negotiate himself out of bed. No luck. He groaned when he felt a sharp pain shoot up from his leg. Actually, every muscle in his body ached. Maybe last night hadn't been such a good idea after all. Gary had reluctantly agreed to go salsa dancing with Brigatti. He and Brigatti had been dating for four months. Usually, their dates consisted of dinner, a movie, or a concert. However, at this stage in their relationship, they had decided to expose each other to some of their favorite activities. Last week, Brigatti had agreed to attend a hockey game with Gary. She admitted that she was never a hockey fan, but since Gary enjoyed the sport, she agreed to give it a chance. Consequently, Gary had decided to forget about his bad back and lack of coordination and go salsa dancing with Brigatti because that was what she had wanted. He didn't tell her that the last time he had gone salsa dancing was when he was married. Marcia loved dancing and often dragged him onto the dance floor as she experimented with various dance styles ranging from the fox trot, rumba, jitterbug, and salsa. He was never a very good dancer. In fact, he had wrecked his knee the last time he tried salsa dancing.
Gary remembered how beautiful Brigatti had looked on the dance floor. He had gotten to see another side of her. She smiled. She laughed. She seemed happy and carefree. Despite his own embarrassment at having people stare at him while he danced, Gary enjoyed seeing how happy Brigatti looked.
But now his whole body was paying the price. Gary had forgotten how much hard work, and in this case, how painful, dating could be. Unfortunately, there was no such thing as a sick day for a guy who gets tomorrow's newspaper today.
He limped to the door and opened it. Cat immediately ran into the loft.
"I guess I shouldn't expect any sympathy from you." Gary said Cat. He winced as he bent over to pick up the paper. He closed the door.
Gary opened the paper. "What's this? Where's the Sun-Times? He asked Cat upon noticing the banner on the newspaper. The Daily Planet logo blazed across the page. Underneath the banner, in big bold letters, the lead story read: CLARK KENT IS SUPERMAN.
Gary read the first paragraph of the story: "Metropolis was shocked to discover yesterday that celebrated Daily Planet reporter, Clark Kent, is actually Superman. An amateur videotape captured Mr. Kent changing into the Superman suit in an apparent attempt to rescue a child who had fallen down a well in Centennial Park. Calls to Mr. Kent have not been returned."
Gary was shocked. True he only knew Clark Kent and his wife and reporting partner, Lois Lane, through their stellar reputations. The two investigative reporters were the envy of a lot of Sun-Times reporters. In fact, Gary recalled that Miguel Diaz had once remarked that he wanted to have a journalistic career like his idols, Lois and Clark.
Of course, everyone knew Superman. The Man of Steel's rescue efforts were not limited to Metropolis.
But Gary never imagined that there was a man behind the suit. To Gary, Superman was an icon that saved people. He wasn't a real person.
Finding out the truth about Superman's identity triggered strong emotions in Gary. He felt a connection to Clark. Despite Superman's powers, Gary could only think of Clark. Here was this guy who on the surface had a normal life with a wife and a job. Except that this guy also secretly saved lives on a daily basis. In creating dual personas, this secret was something that Clark apparently had taken great care in guarding. "Not unlike me", Gary said to himself remembering his own secret. Gary felt a twinge of sadness for Lois and Clark whose lives were about to come under a fishbowl.
But why had he received tomorrow's Daily Planet? And where was the Sun- Times? What was he expected to do? Gary wondered.
After he showered and dressed, he went downstairs to talk to Marissa. She always seemed to have answers.
Marissa was seated at one of the tables drinking a glass of orange juice.
"Good morning, Marissa."
"Good morning, Gary. How was the salsa dancing?"
"Fine. I made it back in one piece." Gary said limping to the table and gingerly sitting down on a chair.
"You really should put some ointment on that leg." Marissa said.
"But.how did you...? Never mind." Gary replied.
"So, what's in the Paper today?" Marissa asked.
"I don't know. I didn't get the Sun-Times today." Gary answered.
"You didn't get the Paper? Well..good. You deserve a day off." Marissa said.
"I'm not sure if I'm supposed to have a day off. I didn't get the Sun- Times, but it looks like I have a subscription to the Daily Planet."
"What?"
"I got tomorrow's edition of the Daily Planet instead." Gary responded. He paused before continuing. "The front page story says that Clark Kent is Superman."
"My God. What does the story say?" Marissa inquired. Marissa also knew the Kents through their journalistic reputations.
"It says that an amateur videotape captured Clark Kent changing into the Superman suit to save a child who had fallen down a well." Gary replied.
"What are you going to do, Gary?" Marissa said.
"What do you mean what am I going to do? What am I supposed to do?" Gary asked.
"There must be a reason why you got tomorrow's Daily Planet. Maybe the world isn't ready to know the truth about Superman. Maybe you're supposed to stop this from happening." Marissa reasoned.
"And how am I supposed to do that Marissa?" Am I supposed to tell Clark my secret?"
"I don't know Gary, but you have to do something." Marissa replied. She thought for a moment. "Maybe you can go to Metropolis and save the child from falling into the well. That way there won't be a videotape revealing Superman's identity. Further, you won't have to tell Clark your secret."
A long silence.
"Gary?"
Finally, Gary spoke up. "It looks like I'm going to Metropolis." Gary said, sighing.
Chapter Two
Chaos. That one word accurately described the Daily Planet news room. Phones rang off the hook as reporters scurried to answer them to verify information from their sources. Photos and notes were thrown haphazardly across desks. One could smell the fear that blanketed the news room like an invisible demon. It was 9:00 a.m. While the deadline for the afternoon edition was still a few hours away, the hardworking Daily Planet news staff under the helm of Editor-in-Chief Perry White could not rest until the issue went to press.
Lois Lane stared at the blank page and blinking cursor on her computer screen. The cursor seemed to have a language of its own almost like some cryptic Morse code. No words. "Angles don't just fall from the sky, we have to create them" were Perry's encouraging words once when Lois was plagued by a lack of creative inspiration. But today, for the three-time winner of the Kerth Prize for Investigative Journalism, the words eluded her as she struggled to write her story on corruption at the ballot box. Lois looked over at her husband and reporting partner, Clark Kent. Clark appeared to be unaffected by the contagious frenzy that had engulfed the news room. Instead, he calmly sat at his computer reviewing his notes and typing his story on homeless veterans. Clark's pieces always possessed an emotional depth which Lois, even after numerous years as a journalist, had lacked. In contrast, Lois' writing style catered on the hard nosed news stories like political corruption. How ironic, Lois remembered, that she was livid when Perry assigned Clark as her partner seven years ago. No way was she willing to share the spotlight with a "hack from Smallville." Perry was adamant. He saw an undeniable chemistry between Lois' battle scarred approach and Clark's fresh and excited talent. And Perry was right. The Daily Planet had struck gold with the writing team of Lane and Kent. Along the way, Lois and Clark had also struck gold finding soul mates in each other.
Perry was also careful to assign his top reporters individual stories that played on their strengths. Lois realized that she most enjoyed the stories where she and Clark worked as a team. They were partners in every sense of the word. Lois would sift through the extraneous information and uncover the crux of the story. Clark, on the other hand, added the personal touch.
Clark felt his wife's gaze. He looked up from his computer at her and smiled. He was a lucky man. Clark remembered all those years ago when he wondered whether he could have a normal life. His father, Jonathan Kent, wanted the same thing for his son. Yet, Jonathan was worried that Clark would never have the normalcy he craved if anyone discovered his alien origins. Clark had the solution. "I need some kind of outfit. That way I could help people without them ever finding out about me" Clark had told his initially skeptical parents. Thus, Superman was born. It had taken Lois awhile to get over her infatuation with Superman and to surrender her heart to Clark. And she had not been happy to find out that Clark was Superman and that he had kept this information from her. Clark's marriage proposal in Centennial Park surprised them both particularly when Lois removed his glasses and said, "Whose asking? Clark or Superman?" Clark had planned to tell Lois the truth about himself but first he wanted to make sure that she would marry him not Superman or his powers. Fortunately, Lois quickly forgave his duplicity. Still, the road to the altar and settled married life was not without its bumps. Lois and Clark had to survive Lex Luthor's schemes, frog eating clones, amnesia, psycho psychiatrists, women who shrink people into little people, invading aliens, time travel, and machines which sucked the youth out of people. Now they were a normal married couple. Well, as normal a married couple as one could expect when the husband moonlights as Superman!
Clark got up from his seat and went over to Lois' desk. He stood over his wife placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Story not working, honey?" He asked concern evident in his voice.
"How did you guess?" Lois answered. "You'd think that after all the corruption stories that I've written over the years that this story would be a piece of cake." Lois added.
"Let me see your notes." Clark requested. She handed him her notes. Before Clark Kent, Lois would have fiercely guarded her notes from a colleague with all the vigor of a mother lion protecting her cub. But Clark wasn't just a fellow colleague. She loved and trusted him unconditionally.
Clark read Lois' notes at super speed. "Why don't you begin your story with this. That way you can end your story with the quote from the Governor." Clark suggested gesturing to Lois' notes as he spoke. Lois listened attentively to Clark's suggestions and began typing. A mere half- hour later, she had a completed story which she e-mailed to Perry for revisions.
"I need to think of some inventive way to say thank you." Lois seductively purred to Clark.
Clark felt weak in the knees. Only Kryptonite and his wife could render him powerless.
"I'm sure you'll think of something." Clark challenged. He bent over and passionately kissed Lois on the lips. For the Kents, it felt like the entire news room had disappeared whenever they shared a romantic moment.
"Hey, Hey you two. This is a news room not a drive in movie." Perry bellowed upon coming out of his office with Lois' story. Perry's gruff exterior did not hide the genuine affection he felt for Lois and Clark. Not only were they his favorite reporters, but he also loved them as if they were his own children.
Lois and Clark blushed slightly. "Sorry, Chief." Clark said.
"This is great work, Lois." Perry remarked holding up Lois' story. "I can easily see another Kerth Award in your future."
"Thanks Chief. But any Kerth Award for this story would have the byline Lane and Kent." Lois replied.
Clark smiled. The Lois of yesteryear would not have been as generous as to share the credit with him.
"I need you two in Centennial Park at 5:00 p.m. today to cover the Mayor's speech on the budget." Perry said.
"No problem, Chief." Lois and Clark answered in unison.
Perry went back to his office.
Lois and Clark still had most of the day to work on the rest of their stories. They also had time to grab some lunch. Except for a bridge almost collapsing and a quick flight to South America to stop a mud slide, even Superman's day looked uneventful. Lois promised Clark a candle light dinner back at their brownstone once they were finished with the Mayor's speech. Yep..it was going to be an uneventful day for Lois and Clark.
Little did they know that a strange visitor from Chicago was on his way to Metropolis. And after his appearance, the day would be far from uneventful.
Chapter Three
After taking a plane from Chicago to New York, Gary rented a car for his drive to Metropolis. Thank God the Daily Planet story said that Superman wasn't supposed to rescue the child from falling into the well until 5:00 p.m. And thank God the suspension of his driver's license had been lifted. A month of balancing the Paper's demands with attending safe driving classes had proved hectic. Gary wasn't complaining, though. If it hadn't been for Brigatti persuading Armstrong to go easy on him after he was arrested for speeding, he could have spent a month or longer in jail.
Gary felt guilty when he thought about Brigatti. Before leaving for Metropolis, he called Brigatti and told her that he had to go out of town for the day. He lied about his designation telling her that he had to go to Hickory to help his parents with a small problem. He hated lying to her particularly since they had come such a long way in their relationship. Brigatti had been tremendous help to him in dealing with the Paper these last few months. Gary had hoped to have no more secrets from her. But he had no choice. While he had told Marissa about the Daily Planet story revealing Superman's identity, Gary convinced himself that it wasn't a good idea to tell Brigatti.
As he drove the rental car towards Metropolis, Gary found himself annoyed and resentful that he had allowed Marissa to talk him into making this trip. So what if the world discovered Superman's identity? No one was going to be seriously injured or die. Why was this his problem? He had enough problems handling the demands imposed by the Sun-Times every day. Why couldn't he have just taken the day off when the Sun-Times failed to appear at his doorstep? He certainly deserved the day off. While the ointment had helped a little in soothing the aching muscles in his body and his left leg, his right leg was still sore. A day in bed could have done wonders in healing his pain.
"Because Clark deserves to have his secret protected. How would you feel if there was someone out there who could protect your secret but refused to do so because of his own selfish motives?" Gary's inner voice chastised him. He had to do this. He had to help Clark.
Gary was careful to drive within the speed limit. After that unpleasant episode with Armstrong, he did not want to get stopped for speeding by the Metropolis PD.
Finally, he drove up to the curb across the street from the Daily Planet Building. He stopped the car, removed the paper from the back pocket of his jeans, and began reading the next paragraph of the story: "The child, Sydney Thomson, 4, apparently left her mother unnoticed. The park was crowded with citizens there to hear the Mayor's speech on the budget."
Great the park would be crowded, Gary thought to himself. He could save the child, point her in the direction of her mother, and slip away undetected. Gary looked at his watch- 1:00 p.m. He had plenty of time to grab some lunch and locate Centennial Park. Just as he was about to start the car, Gary's eyes caught a glimpse of the spectacular globe that adorned the Daily Planet Building. It was not the Taj Mahal or an Egyptian pyramid, but the impressive and alluring globe was definitely a wonder. The globe shone brightly in the afternoon sun like a jewel. Gary was enticed by the globe's splendor. Soon, he opened the car door, crossed the street, and found himself directly outside the Daily Planet Building.
A huge poster of Lois and Clark heralding Lane and Kent as the hottest team in town was affixed on the wall near the revolving door. Gary's eyes studied the picture. It was something about seeing Lois and Clark in the photo that piqued Gary's interest in seeing the couple in person. He was curious. Perhaps he could go up to the news room and just see what this couple was about. Gary reasoned that he wouldn't actually have to meet them (it was probably a better idea if he didn't), but he could just inconspicuously observe them. After finding out which floor housed the news room from the lobby security guard, Gary got on an elevator.
Immediately upon getting off the elevator, Gary felt the intensity of the news room permeate the air. What was it about news rooms? He wondered. The Sun-Times news room had the same kind of energy. Gary's eyes scanned the news room, settling on the famous reporting couple. Lois was seated at her computer. Clark came up from behind her. He kissed her on the neck before placing a coffee cup on her desk. Both Lois and Clark were smiling. Gary could feel their love fill the room.
Gary walked further down the ramp to get a closer look.
"Need some help, handsome?"
Gary turned around. Facing him was a voluptuous brunette in a tight dress that accentuated her curvaceous figure.
"Huh?" Gary said swallowing hard.
"You look lost." The woman said. "I'd be more than happy to help you find your way. Catherine Grant, Cat's Corner. Every one calls me Cat. Perhaps you've read my column?" She purred.
Even this far from home, there was still a "Cat" demanding his attention. Gary wryly thought.
Cat offered her hand for Gary to kiss. Instead, he gave her a polite handshake.
"Yes." Gary lied. "Nice to meet you." Gary tried to make his way back to the elevator, but Cat obstructed his path. She continued advancing towards him forcing him further down the ramp.
Cat noticed Gary's limp.
"You got a name?" She asked seductively.
"Gary Hobson."
"Well, Gary Hobson. I can work wonders on you if you give yourself to me."
"Howzat?"
"That leg of yours. Being a columnist isn't my only talent. I am also an expert at giving massages. My magic fingers come highly recommended." Cat said, winking at Gary.
Oh Boy, Gary thought to himself. He needed to get out of there. Gary noticed the stares from the other staff members. He needed to escape the claws of Cat.
Suddenly, Gary missed his cat. If he could get out of this, Gary prayed, he would give his cat a hug when he got home. He would even allow the cat to jump on the furniture.
Clark looked up towards the direction of the elevators. He saw Cat with the stranger.
"Looks like that guy could use some help." Clark said to Lois. Clark gestured to the scene unfolding between Cat and Gary.
"Some things never change." Lois replied. She remembered how Cat had "welcomed" Clark his first day at the Daily Planet.
Clark made his way to the ramp. Lois followed.
"Can I help you?" Clark asked Gary.
Cat took Clark's presence as her cue to leave. She flashed Gary a smile before returning to her desk.
"No.I..ah....I was looking for the.the Advertising Department." Gary said stuttering. A look of sheer panic crossed his face.
"The Advertising Department is one floor up." Clark offered. He didn't know why this man looked so scared.
"Clark Kent." Clark said, extending his hand to Gary. "And you are?"
"Thanks for the directions." Gary responded, returning Clark's handshake but intentionally failing to introduce himself.
Fortunately, the elevator doors opened. Despite his limp, Gary quickly made his way up the ramp, got into the elevator, and disappeared from the news room.
"That was odd." Clark said.
Lois did not answer. But she had an uneasy feeling about the stranger who had just left.
Chapter Four
"Stupid, Stupid. All you had to do was to go to the park, rescue the child from falling into the well, back at McGinty's tonight. What possessed you to go to the Daily Planet news room? Stupid. Now Lois and Clark know what you look like. Stupid."
Gary had spent the last four blocks walking from the Daily Planet Building verbally berating himself. Now what? He never expected to come face to face with Clark. And what had he done? He panicked. Gary knew that Clark must have seen the fear registered on his face.
Deep breath. Calm down. Okay, everything is fine, Gary told himself. He could still go to the park and save the child. He would just have to be careful and make sure that he stayed out of Lois and Clark's sight. After all, he never had to see them again once this was over and he returned to Chicago.
The loud growling of his stomach interrupted Gary's thoughts. He remembered that he had not eaten since he left McGinty's this morning. Luckily, Gary found himself outside Gabby's Deli. He could get a bite to eat there.
"I tell you Clark, there is something about that guy that isn't right." Lois said as she and Clark walked from the Daily Planet Building.
"May be he was just shy." Clark replied. "Or, may be he was in a hurry to get out of the news room in case Cat came back and cornered him." Clark joked.
"Come on, Clark. You saw his face. He was terrified when you approached him. He looked as if he had seen a ghost." Lois added.
Clark had witnessed Lois' reporting instincts many times, but today those instincts were in overdrive. Ever since the stranger left the news room, Lois sensed that there was more going on with him. Clark knew Lois well enough to realize that a story was brewing in her head.
"Did Cat tell you the guy's name?" Lois asked.
"Gary Hobson." Clark answered.
"Did she tell you anything else about him?" Lois probed.
"She probably didn't find out anything else about him, Honey. We should be grateful that she at least got his name. Knowing Cat, finding out a guy's name is usually not a high priority for her." Clark replied.
"I wonder why he was in the news room." Lois said.
"Can we stop talking about Gary Hobson long enough to get some lunch?" Clark asked.
"Okay. I'm starved. How about we go to Gabby's Deli? I could really go for pastrami on rye, side of slaw, and a cream soda." Lois said.
Clark smiled.
Gabby's Deli was a small café style restaurant located in downtown Metropolis. Tables lined the sidewalk. Inside, there were more tables and booths. News staffers frequently ate lunch there because it was within walking distance of the Daily Planet Building. In addition, the prices were reasonable and the food was good. The Deli's specialty was pastrami on rye.
Gary sat in a small booth at the back of the Deli. A waitress had already come and taken his order. At her suggestion, Gary ordered the pastrami on rye. He also decided on a large order of French fries and a large root beer soda. It wasn't long before the waitress returned with his meal. Gary devoured the food.
Lois and Clark entered Gabby's Deli and took a seat at a front table.
Gary didn't see Lois and Clark..yet.
As Clark expected, Lois ordered the pastrami on rye, side of slaw, and cream soda. Clark ordered a hamburger, French fries, and a chocolate milkshake.
A short while later, the waitress returned with their lunch.
Clark marveled at his wife's appetite as he watched Lois inhale her food. No one could judge from her svelte figure that she was a bottomless pit when it came to food. True, as Superman, he didn't have to worry about calories. But there were some things about Earth women that still puzzled him. Lois' ability to burn off calories was one of them.
"You want anything else?" Lois asked her shocked husband.
"Just watching you made me full." Clark replied.
"Funny, I'm not full at all. It's weird." Lois said.
"You know, Honey. We should retrieve any updated research about the Mayor before his speech on the budget." Clark suggested.
"I can't believe that everyone is so excited about this speech. You hear one politician, you hear them all. The only thing that changes is the bad opening joke they always use before beginning their speeches." Lois said, a trace of cynicism in her voice.
"I guess with the recent debate we had with the Presidential election, people are glad to hear something besides for the word recount."" Clark offered.
Just as Gary finished paying for his meal and was about to leave the Deli, he spotted Lois and Clark. "Oh Boy." Gary gulped. The expression on his face was like that of a little boy in trouble who had played hooky from school to go to the movies only to be caught by his mother exiting the same theater. What now? He had to get out of there before Lois and Clark spotted him.
His heart pounding, Gary searched for an avenue of retreat. He saw the men's room a short distance from where he was siting. Please God, let there be a window in the men's room, Gary prayed. Checking one last time to make sure that Lois and Clark were busy and not looking in his direction (good, they seemed to be engaged in conversation), Gary hastily got up from his seat and made his way to the men's room.
What happened next could have come straight from a Marx Brothers movie. In his hurry to escape the Deli undetected, Gary bumped into a waiter carrying a tray of pasta. The waiter fell sending pasta flying all over the place. A waitress tripped on the pasta on the floor falling on a customer. This hilarious domino effect continued with a few more slips and falls.
Of course, the commotion made Lois and Clark look up just in time to see Gary making his way towards the men's room.
Unfortunately, Lois incorrectly assumed that Gary had been following them.
"That's it, Clark. As soon as we get back to the Planet, I'm going to have Jimmy pull up everything we can find on Gary Hobson." Lois vowed.
Chapter Five
"Jimmy!" Lois yelled.
"You called, my Queen?" Jimmy cheerfully asked, approaching Lois' desk.
"Yes, be a Prince. I need you to dig up everything you can find on Gary Hobson." Lois requested.
"You got it." Jimmy replied, returning to his own desk and immediately working at his computer.
Jimmy Olsen had come a long way from the novice photographer/aspiring reporter who used to follow Lois and Clark around the news room with puppy dog devotion. Over the years, the young man had matured and developed confidence in his own abilities.
Perry, Lois, and Clark had witnessed Jimmy's transformation with great pride. In addition to assigning Jimmy small stories to work on, Perry, Lois, and Clark relied heavily on his amazing computer skills. It was a good thing that Jimmy Olsen was an honest person because he could hack into even the most sensitive government data with relative ease.
An hour later, Jimmy returned to Lois' desk with numerous folders full of computer printouts. He saw the impatient look on her face that seemed to say "It's about time."
"Do you know how many Gary Hobsons my computer search found?" Jimmy asked feigning annoyance. "From your description of the guy, I was able to find these articles from the Chicago Sun-Times and this picture." Jimmy said showing Lois the photo of Gary. "It seems that the Chicago PD thinks that this guy is some kind of nut who creates dangerous situations so he can fly in and save the day like Superman." Jimmy laughed.
Lois and Clark looked at each other upon hearing Jimmy's reference to Superman.
"That's him." Lois confirmed after seeing the photo. "Good work, Jimmy."
Jimmy smiled before going back to his desk.
Clark sat on the side of Lois' desk. He said nothing. Clark knew that whenever "Mad Dog" Lane grabbed hold of a bone, she refused to relinquish it. Lois had a bone. A bone named Gary Hobson.
"Okay, let's see what we have here." Lois said opening a folder.
"Gary Hobson. Former stockbroker. Divorced, no children. Currently owns a bar, McGinty's." Lois read.
Nothing unusual there.
"Look at this, Clark." Lois said gesturing for Clark to read what she found. "Jimmy was right. This Gary Hobson has quite a busy life and I don't mean mixing drinks and serving pretzels. This article says that he was arrested in 1996 on suspicion of bank robbery." Lois said.
"Bank robbery?" Clark asked, his eyes widening.
"Yes." Lois answered. "Oh, wait. He was released for lack of evidence." Lois continued. "But these articles have him involved in everything from hostage takings to bombings." Lois said holding up reams of paper.
"Involved? As in he initiated these things?" Clark asked.
"The police aren't sure and they never have enough evidence to prove his culpability. But I think that it is more than just an accident that every time some serious calamity happens in Chicago, Gary Hobson is right in the middle of it." Lois answered.
A brief silence.
"Blah, Blah, Blah." Lois continued reading. "Oh my God, Clark!" Lois showed Clark the issue of the Chicago Sun-Times dated November 3, 1999 with the headline "FRANK SCANLON MURDERED." Lois read the story: "Sun-Times columnist Frank Scanlon has been murdered. His body was found last night at the Cicero train yard. Scanlon, two time Pulitzer Prize winner for his Dog With A Bone column, apparently died from a gun shot wound to the chest. Local bar owner Gary Hobson was arrested and is being held for questioning."
Up to this point, Clark had been willing to give Gary Hobson the benefit of the doubt. But with all the information they had before them, Clark was beginning to wonder if they were dealing with a mad man stalking them. He would do anything to keep Lois safe.
"Clark?" Lois said after seeing Clark's far away look.
"What happened at his trial?" Clark asked.
"There wasn't a trial. Hobson escaped via a courthouse window before his arraignment." Lois replied after reading another newspaper article.
This just keeps getting better and better, Clark thought to himself.
"There was a police manhunt for him a few days." Lois said.
Lois pulled out another article from a folder. "Now this is interesting." Lois remarked.
"What?" Clark asked.
"Apparently, Hobson wasn't guilty of Scanlon's murder after all. It seems that he uncovered a murder for hire operation in which one of the police officers was implicated." Lois noted. "Wow.a murder for hire operation. Imagine what kind of story that would be. If we had been covering that story, we could have won.." Lois stopped mid-sentence when she saw Clark looking at her with his "honey-that's-not-the issue look."
"We really should call this Detective Paul Armstrong mentioned in these articles. I'm sure he could tell us a lot more about Gary Hobson." Lois suggested.
Clark nodded.
"Hey, you two. It is almost 4:00 p.m. Don't you think that you should be getting over to Centennial Park to cover the Mayor's speech?" Perry asked coming from his office.
"On it, Chief." Lois replied.
Clark and Lois proceeded to the elevator. But the Mayor's speech was not on Clark's mind. He was thinking about Gary Hobson. What was this guy about? And was Gary Hobson really after him and Lois? Clark wondered as the elevator doors closed.
Chapter Six
Gary parked the car along the outskirts of Centennial Park and waited inside. It was 4:30 p.m. Centennial Park was already crowded with people assembled to hear the Mayor's speech.
Earlier, Gary had arrived at the park and had explored the area. He saw workers setting up the dais for the Mayor. He had also located the well. Shrubbery partly concealed this attractive nuisance.
Gary's plan was to wait in the car until it was close to the time to save the child. From where he was parked, he would have plenty of time to get to the well and complete his rescue.
How ironic, Gary thought, that he had reached the park so early that he had time to plan his strategy. Even in Chicago, he was never this organized. But then again, he never had the added incentive of executing a save and avoiding Superman!
What a close call he had had at Gabby's Deli. "Of all the Delis, in all of Metropolis, they had to walk into mine." Gary said to himself remembering the unexpected appearance of Lois and Clark. He barely made it to the men's room and still wasn't sure whether or not Lois and Clark had noticed him. His getaway hadn't been exactly smooth with him bumping into that waiter. Gary felt badly about causing the waiter to drop the tray of pasta and not staying around long enough to apologize or to assist with the cleanup. But he had no choice. He had to get out of there quickly.
Predictably, the window in the men's room at the Deli had been too small. It was a miracle that he had been able to squeeze himself through the crevice.
It wouldn't be much longer now, Gary thought to himself. Soon this would be over and he could go home. Until today, Gary never imagined that he would miss Chicago this much and the kinds of rescues the Sun-Times gave him.
Gary looked at his watch- 4:40 p.m. Twenty more minutes.
Lois and Clark arrived at Centennial Park. They parked Lois' jeep in a makeshift area designated for the press. Other press personnel from rival newspapers were already there.
"Well, I guess we should go and get this over with." Lois said to Clark. Lois hated whenever Perry sent them to cover these dry events. Intrigue whetted her reporter's appetite not speeches on the budget.
Lois and Clark found a spot close to the dais.
Clark wasn't really listening to what Lois was saying. His preoccupation with Gary Hobson consumed his thoughts. Clark lowered his glasses and scanned the park. No sign of him. Clark would be ready if Gary Hobson showed up and tried anything. There was no way he was going to allow this man to harm Lois.
Mrs. Tammy Thomson eagerly anticipated the Mayor's speech. As a city worker, she worried whether the Mayor planned to trim the employee payroll in the new fiscal year. With her was her four-year- old daughter, Sydney. Sydney was a beautiful and happy child with long blond hair neatly held back with a blue ribbon. She wore a pretty blue dress that complimented her blue eyes. In her hands she held a small, stuffed white rabbit.
"Tell me again Mommy about Alice and the bunny?" Sydney begged. Sydney loved the story of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."
Mrs. Thomson was tired of repeating Alice's tale, but if telling this story made Sydney happy and kept her quiet, she would tell the story as many times as was necessary.
"Little Alice followed the White Rabbit down his magical hole and had exciting adventures. She met the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, and the Chesire Cat." Mrs. Thomson said.
"The cat was happy, Mommy. He was always smiling." Sydney said. "And White Rabbit is like my bunny, right Mommy?" Sydney asked holding up her stuffed rabbit for her mother to see.
"Yes, Honey." Mrs. Thomson replied.
It was 4:50 p.m. and surprisingly, it looked like the Mayor's speech was going to begin ahead of schedule. His Honor approached the dais, removed his notes from this suit jacket, cleared his throat, and began speaking: "Welcome, good citizens of Metropolis. I'm here to talk to you today about something that concerns us all- the budget. Despite my opponents allegations, my budget will put more money in your pockets."
Thunderous applause. Photographers flashed pictures of the Mayor. Reporters opened their note pads, jotting down information for their stories. Lay people in the audience hung on the Mayor's every word.
"Good, he skipped the joke and went right into his speech." Lois whispered to Clark.
"City services are the backbone of Metropolis," the Mayor continued, "that's why I promise you that there will be no interruption in these services and no layoffs of workers."
Mrs. Thomson focused on the Mayor's words. Unfortunately, she wasn't paying attention to Sydney who had left her mother's sight.
Sydney believed that she was Alice. She was going to find the White Rabbit.
Sydney saw the well. "White Rabbit down there." She said.
Gary got out of the car and ran towards the well. He saw Sydney just as she was about to go over the rim of the well.
"Hey, get away from there." Gary said to the child. He tried not to yell. He didn't want to scare her.
Meanwhile, Clark did another scan of the park. This time he saw Gary Hobson by a well with a child. Clark mouthed "gotta go" to Lois before proceeding to the well.
Gary grabbed Sydney before she was able to topple head first into the well. He didn't notice that the Paper fell out of his back pocket with the headline about Superman face up on the ground.
"Are you the Mad Hatter? Where's the happy cat?" Sydney asked Gary excitedly.
Gary didn't know what the child was talking about, but he had picked up on her question about a cat. Another reference to a cat. What was this, a conspiracy? Gary wondered.
After making sure that Sydney was okay, Gary reached for the Paper in the back pocket of his pants. Gone.
When he turned around, Gary saw the Paper on the ground. He also saw Clark, his eyes full of shock and confusion, fixed on the Paper. The headline and the date, tomorrow's date, shocked him. Clark felt as if he had been punched with Kryptonite.
Both men were silent. Time stopped.
Clark's mind was in turmoil. His father's words reverberated in his mind: "If people find out about you, they'll put you in a laboratory and dissect you like a frog."
All Clark could think about was that the normal life he had protected and cherished all these years was about to end. Clark thought about Lois and his parents whose lives were also going to change.
But another shock came for Clark as he watched in amazement when the headline about Superman vanished. In its place, a new headline emerged: "MAYOR'S SPEECH BIG SUCCESS."
"There you are, Sydney. Mommy was so worried about you." Mrs. Thomson said, hugging her daughter.
"Mommy, the Mad Hatter came up from the hole." Sydney said excitedly, pointing at Gary.
"Thank you so much." Mrs. Thomson said to Gary.
"Your welcome." Gary answered, a weak smile on his face.
Mrs. Thomson and Sydney left Gary alone with Clark.
Oh Boy. What now, Hobson? Gary thought to himself. Perhaps he could run. Yeah, right, like he could out run Superman. Like that was even possible.
What now, Kent? Clark thought to himself. What was that Paper? Some kind of trick? Or, did Gary Hobson really know Superman's true identity? Should he confront this man? Clark wondered.
Lois found Clark with Gary by the well. From the look on her husband's face, she could tell that something wasn't right.
Clark composed himself. "Honey, Mr. Hobson is a hero. He saved a child from falling into a well." Clark said.
How did Clark know his name? Gary wondered.
"I just happened to be at the right place at the right time." Gary replied, rubbing his hand across the back of his neck.
"Don't be so modest, Mr. Hobson. What you did was save a mother from heartache. " Clark said.
Gary knew that Clark saw the Paper. Why wasn't Clark asking questions about it? What kind of game was he playing? Gary wondered.
"This is my wife and partner, Lois Lane." Clark said introducing Lois to Gary.
"We would like to interview you for a series of stories we are writing about Metropolis' unsung heroes. Perhaps, you could come back to the Daily Planet with us for the interview?" Clark inquired.
Lois realized that Clark must have a reason for wanting Gary to return with them to the Planet. She didn't know what Clark was planning, but she would follow his lead.
"Yes, Mr. Hobson. We think that people should read about some of the good things that happen in Metropolis." Lois added.
Gary shrugged. "I really can't."
"I insist." Clark said, his arms crossed and with his authoritative Superman tone.
"Okay. " Gary conceded. "But, can I meet you there in about an hour? I have something to do first." Gary asked.
"That's fine. But we will be expecting you." Clark answered again in a tone that Gary interpreted to mean "And don't leave town."
Lois and Clark left Gary and walked back to where her jeep was parked.
"Oh Boy. Now what?" Gary asked himself.
Chapter Seven
"And the headline just vanished? But how could that have happened?" Lois asked, her voice laced with shock and disbelief.
"I don't know, Honey. All I know is that one minute I was seeing words which exposed my secret and the next minute, I was reading about the success of the Mayor's speech." Clark answered.
"And the date on the paper was tomorrow's?" Lois queried.
"Yes, tomorrow's Daily Planet." Clark confirmed.
Lois and Clark had returned to the Daily Planet and were sitting in the conference room. They were trying to piece together the mystery of Clark's encounter with Gary Hobson at the Centennial Park well. It was almost 6:00 p.m. Most of the day staff had already gone home. The majority of the night staff had not yet arrived. In the privacy of the conference room, Lois and Clark were able to discuss the situation and hopefully formulate a plan.
"And Hobson saved the little girl from falling into the well." Lois continued. "Maybe he set the whole thing up so he could meet you and drop this bombshell on you. That would fit the Chicago PD's theory about Hobson causing disasters because of some sick desire for notoriety." Lois offered.
"I don't think so, Honey." Clark replied. "I could tell from his reaction that Hobson definitely didn't want to run into me." Clark added.
"Maybe he is connected to Intergang somehow. Remember Diana Stride tried a similar ploy years ago. Except that there was no disappearing headline." Lois remarked.
Clark would never forget Diana Stride. Most people had believed that Diana was a successful reporter for Top Copy, a tabloid style news program. But Lois and Clark discovered that Top Copy had been a convenient cover and that Diana actually worked for Intergang, a notorious and far-reaching criminal organization. Diana had given Superman a deadly gift, a lethal kiss with her Kryptonite sealed lips. The Kryptonite evaded Superman's body like a cancer. Fortunately, Superman made a quick trip to the Metropolis Nuclear Power Plant. The plant's radiation effectively removed all traces of Kryptonite from the Man of Steel's body.
Later, Diana Stride had learned Clark's secret and announced it on national television. Clark gave a news conference to refute Diana's allegations. With the help of his parents who used a laser Martha Kent had made for an art class, a hologram of Superman appeared. Having Clark and Superman appear together undermined Diana's credibility.
Further, Intergang had been silent the last few years. With its chieftain, Bill Church and his son, Bill Church, Jr., languishing in jail, it seemed as if Intergang had been dismantled. Clark knew that Lois had suspicions that Mindy Church, the elder Church's much younger wife, had taken over Intergang. Small time criminal Joey Bermuda ("The Handy Man") had even accused Mindy of orchestrating the crime spree that befallen the city as well as creating the deadly Kryptonian virus which nearly killed Superman. But Clark wasn't convinced that an air-head like Mindy could be so clever or exercise this kind of control over a crime syndicate.
"I don't think that Hobson is involved with Intergang." Clark said.
"So we are back to square one- Who is Gary Hobson and what does he want with us." Lois realized.
"I'll call Dr. Klein and see if Star Labs can make anything out of this disappearing ink." Clark said.
"Then I'll call this Detective Armstrong of the Chicago PD and see what he can tell us about Gary Hobson." Lois suggested.
A short while later, Lois and Clark hung up their respective telephones.
"What did Dr. Klein say?" Lois asked first.
Dr. Klein was Star Labs top research scientist. In addition, Dr. Klein knew more about the workings of Superman's body than anyone else. Further, Superman considered Dr. Klein a loyal friend. However, the scientist did not know that Clark was Superman. Dr. Klein often provided technical assistance on Lois and Clark's stories.
"I told him that we needed information for a story. Dr. Klein has never heard anything like this. Star Labs has worked on fiber optics before, but Dr. Klein doesn't believe that this is the same principle." Clark said.
"This kind of reminds me of our Invisible Man." Lois recalled.
Clark smiled. He remembered Alan Morris. Alan was a good-hearted scientist who had created suits which apparently rendered him invisible. Alan had explained to Lois and Clark that he wanted to "become invisible so he could be visible again." Alan believed that his wife, Helene, had lost interest in him and that everyone failed to see the real him. Unfortunately, Alan's innocent invention fell into the hands of escaped criminal Henry Barnes and his gang who had stolen the suits in order to rob the Metropolis Gold Repository. Once again, Superman saved the day by sprinkling the invisible criminals with phosphorus that restored them so that the police were able to see them and arrest them.
"Okay, so we don't know how the headline disappeared." Clark acknowledged. "What did you find out from the Chicago PD?" Clark asked.
"I spoke with an Officer.," Lois paused, looking at her notes, "Winslow. Detective Armstrong wasn't available, but Officer Winslow connected me with the detective's partner, a Detective Brigatti who he said could tell me about Hobson. I told Detective Brigatti that Hobson saved a child from falling into a well and that we were doing a story on heroes. And when we were doing a background check on Hobson, we uncovered his criminal record so we were concerned. Detective Brigatti assured me that Hobson wasn't a threat. It was very strange, though, because she seemed really upset to hear that he was in Metropolis." Lois said.
"So, what do we have? A mysterious man shows up in Metropolis. Comes to the news room and is scared out of his wits when I approach him. Shows up at Gabby's Deli. Practically causes a tornado fleeing so we won't see him. We investigate him and discover that he is connected to numerous weird occurrences in Chicago. Shows up at Centennial Park in time to save a child from falling into a well. Has tomorrow's Daily Planet that reveals Superman's true identity. The headline disappears. Star Labs can't figure out why. And a detective with the Chicago PD doesn't think that he is dangerous." Clark summed up.
Lois nodded.
Clark looked at his watch. Gary Hobson would be there shortly.
"How do you want to play this, Honey?" Clark asked.
"I say we shake the tree a little and see what falls out. I bet we can get Hobson to crack. Then we'll learn his true motives and be able to figure out a way to deal with him." Lois said.
Chapter Eight
"Calm down, Gary." Marissa said.
Marissa had spent the last few minutes trying to decipher what Gary had just told her. Whenever Gary was very upset, the floodgates to his stream of consciousness opened up and a sea of incoherent sentences poured out. So far, all Marissa could piece together from what Gary had said was something about the Paper, a globe, a cat, massages, a restaurant, and a window.
"He saw the Paper, Marissa. I saved the little girl from falling into the well. Just as I was about to check the Paper, I discovered that it had fallen out of my back pocket. When I turned around to look for it, Clark was standing nearby. The Paper had fallen face up on the ground and Clark saw the headline about Superman. He also saw the headline disappear. But he didn't say anything about the Paper. Instead, Lois and Clark want me to come back to the Daily Planet supposedly to interview me about a story they say they are doing on heroes. I know that's not what they really want. I wonder what Superman is going to do to me." Gary said, the fear evident in his voice.
Gary had taken a room at the Metropolis Regent Hotel when he realized that he wouldn't be able to make his flight back home tonight. The hotel accommodations were very nice, but Gary couldn't enjoy them. He was too worried about his upcoming meeting with Lois and Clark.
"Gary, you haven't done anything wrong." Marissa said trying to comfort her friend. "Maybe you should tell Clark the truth about the Paper. I'm sure that he'll be really grateful for all you did to protect his secret and will want to protect yours." Marissa suggested.
"Four years of a Psych Degree and that's the best you got, tell the truth? I could have called my mother for that kind of advice." Gary said frustrated.
Gary wished that he had never listened to Marissa and come to Metropolis. He could have stayed in Chicago and dealt with Armstrong if he wanted this kind of grief. At least he knew that Armstrong could be lenient.
"The truth is always the best policy, Gary. Besides, you should have learned by now that every time you lie, you end up in more trouble." Marissa reminded.
A long silence.
"Gary?"
"Maybe I'll think of something to tell Lois and Clark that they will believe and I won't have to tell them about the Paper." Gary said clearly ignoring Marissa's sage advice.
Gary looked at his watch. ""Marissa, I have to go. I'll call you later."
"Good Luck, Gary."
"Thanks." Gary hung up the phone, grabbed his jacket, and left for the Daily Planet.
Chapter Nine
The sun had set on the streets of Metropolis. The night sky was clear.
Gary parked the car directly across the street from the Daily Planet Building. A feeling of deja-vu struck him- he was in the same parking spot that the car had occupied over five hours ago.
Gary got out of the car, closed the door, and crossed the street. He looked up at the Daily Planet globe. No longer did the globe appear to be a magnificent ornament inviting people into the building. Tonight it looked like a terrifying gargoyle foreshadowing catastrophe. Maybe it just looked that way to him because of what was about to happen to him inside, Gary thought.
He took a deep breath before going inside.
Gary got off the elevator. He noticed that the news room was much calmer than it had been earlier today. Only a small skeletal staff was at work.
Gary proceeded down the ramp when a young man approached him.
"May I help you?" Jimmy asked. Jimmy was about to go home when he saw Gary enter the news room. He recognized Gary from the photo he had found for Lois.
"Gary Hobson to see Lois and Clark." Gary answered.
"Of course, Gary Hobson." Jimmy said emphasizing Gary's name. "I'll tell Lois and Clark that you are here. You can take a seat there." Jimmy said pointing to Lois' desk."
"Thanks." Gary said. He had not missed the deliberate inflection that Jimmy had used in saying his name. This couldn't be good, Gary thought to himself.
Jimmy knocked on the conference room door. "Gary Hobson is here. " Jimmy informed Lois and Clark.
"Thanks Jimmy." Clark said. "Have him come to the conference room." Clark requested.
Jimmy directed Gary to the conference room. Gary sheepishly entered.
"Come in, Mr. Hobson." Clark said. "Would you like some coffee or anything?" Clark offered.
"No, thanks." Gary replied.
"Take a seat." Clark said.
Gary sat in the chair directly across from Lois. Clark continued to stand up.
"So, what brings you to Metropolis?" Lois asked.
Gary swallowed. "Well, a little bit of business and a little bit of pleasure. I was on vacation. But, I'm also thinking about expanding my business. I heard that Metropolis is a good place for commercial establishments." Gary said. He hoped that his lie sounded convincing.
"I guess McGinty's is doing very well if you are seeking to expand." Lois said baiting the hook.
A brief silence.
A surprised look crossed Gary's face. How did she know about McGinty's? Gary wondered.
Lois could see Gary's surprised expression and was quite pleased with herself. So far her plan was working perfectly.
"We always do thorough background checks on the people we interview for our stories. It makes the information we provide to our readers more accurate." Lois said.
"And my wife is extremely thorough." Clark added walking over to where Lois was sitting and putting both hands on her shoulders. "You wouldn't believe some of the information she has been able to uncover for a story."
Oh boy, Gary thought. Lois and Clark have been checking him out. What had they found? Gary wondered.
"What made you stop by the news room this morning?" Lois probed.
"I was looking for the Advertising Department and I got off on the wrong floor. I wanted to find out advertising rates so that I would know when I was ready to put in an ad announcing a McGinty's in Metropolis." Gary said. He wasn't sure how much they knew and he wasn't going to give them too much information.
Clark slightly lowered his glasses to determine Gary's pulse rate. Just as he had discovered from Miranda during the pheromone incident, Clark could tell that Gary was lying.
"I was surprised that you didn't introduce yourself when we first met." Clark said.
"I'm sorry. I was just in a hurry." Gary replied.
"And we were surprised to see you at Gabby's Deli. It's a shame that you didn't stop by our table to say hello, but I guess you were in a hurry again." Lois added.
Darn, they had seen him at Gabby's Deli, Gary thought to himself.
"Yeah.I was." Gary replied. He wasn't really sure what to say.
Gary realized that Lois was asking most of the questions while Clark appeared to be carefully listening to his responses.
"And for you to show up in Centennial Park in time to save that child. Your timing was incredible, Mr. Hobson." Lois said.
"I just happened to be at the right place at the right time." Gary responded rubbing his hand across the back of his neck and shifting uncomfortably in his chair. He made a mental note: Think of a better excuse than "at the right place at the right time." This excuse was so overused that he knew that no one believed it.
"And to see you in three places on the same day. Do you know the odds of that happening in a city as big as Metropolis?" Lois asked.
Gary shook his head. He didn't know what to say.
Clark decided to put it all on the line and ask Gary the question that most concerned him. "That newspaper was a real surprise, Mr. Hobson. Where did you get it?"
Gary swallowed hard. "Well, my friend Chuck is such a prankster. He always comes up with these gag newspapers whenever I go away on business."
Clark checked Gary's pulse again. Still lying.
"He must be a magician too with the disappearing headline." Clark added.
Gary did not answer.
Lois' frustration was building. She was tired of this game.
"Enough Mr. Hobson. We know that you aren't in Metropolis on business. We checked you out. We know all about your unconventional life in Chicago. Despite what Detective Brigatti said, we know that you must have some ulterior motive to be in Metropolis. And if that includes blackmailing Superman, you don't know who you are up against." Lois angrily said.
"You called Toni?" Gary asked. Oh Boy, he was going to be in a lot of trouble with Brigatti for lying when he returned home.
"Look, I'm not in Metropolis to blackmail Superman." Gary said.
"Then why are you here?" Lois demanded.
The truth is always the best policy, Gary. Besides, you should have learned by now that every time you lie, you end up in more trouble. Marissa's words echoed in Gary's head. Maybe Marissa was right. Maybe he should tell the truth.
A brief, yet uncomfortable silence.
"I came here to save the child from falling into the well and to prevent the world from discovering Mr. Kent's secret." Gary said.
"And just for the sake of argument, what made you think that a child was going to fall into a well in Centennial Park or that Clark had this secret as you put it?" Lois asked.
"I knew because.because.I get tomorrow's newspaper today." Gary finally admitted.
Another brief silence.
Gary wasn't sure whether or not Lois and Clark believed him, but he continued telling his story. "Four years ago, I began receiving tomorrow's edition of the Chicago Sun-Times a day early. Every morning, tomorrow's newspaper appears on my doorstep along with a cat. I read the stories and try to save as many lives as I can. Whenever I am able to save a life, the headline disappears. Only this morning, instead of the Sun-Times, I got tomorrow's Daily Planet. The Paper announced that Clark Kent was Superman."
Lois and Clark looked at each other. What had Hobson just said? That he got tomorrow's newspaper today? That he could predict the future?
Somehow Lois believed his story. After all, she was married to a man who, among other things, could fly and swallow bombs. Tomorrow's newspaper delivered by a cat wasn't that incredible.
Clark checked Gary's pulse rate. Normal. He was telling the truth.
Gary misinterpreted Lois and Clark's silence. Great, even Superman thought he was crazy! He was telling the truth and they still didn't believe him. What now? Gary wondered.
Finally, Lois spoke. "And how was saving the child from falling into the well connected to the announcement about Superman?"
"The Paper said that an amateur videotape had captured Clark Kent changing into the Superman suit trying to save the child. I figured that if I saved the child first, there would be no videotape, and no announcement about Superman. I thought I was helping. I'm sorry if I caused you any heartache." Gary said.
Both Lois and Clark felt ashamed after hearing Gary's story. They had violated his privacy, suspected him of criminal intentions, and interrogated him when his only "crime" was that he had traveled to Metropolis to help out a stranger. He had gone out of his way to protect Clark's secret. He hadn't deserved to be treated so badly.
"No, Mr. Hobson. We owe you an apology. I'm sorry." Clark said.
"Yes, Mr. Hobson. We are so sorry for assuming that you had sinister motives." Lois added.
"That's okay, Mr. Kent, Ms. Lane. I guess if I were in your position, I would have suspected me too." Gary laughed.
Lois and Clark smiled.
Another silence.
"So, what's it like, I mean, knowing the future?" Clark asked.
"I guess I'm used to it now." Gary said. "When I first got the Paper, I tried to walk away from the responsibility. I didn't know and I still don't know why it comes to me. I didn't think that I could do much good. But I only help out in Chicago. You help the entire world, Mr. Kent."
"Call me Clark."
"And I'm Lois."
"Then call me Gary."
"Don't underestimate the value of what you do, Gary. Because of you, Superman doesn't need to go to Chicago. You save people without the advantage of superpowers." Clark said. "And from what I gather, you save people without receiving much gratitude. Superman receives keys to the city, Man of the Year honors, and peace prizes. He is not ridiculed."
Gary appreciated Clark's praise. He listened attentively. He wanted to hear more about Clark's life.
"How do you balance having a normal life with your life-saving efforts?" Gary asked.
"It was harder before Lois knew the truth about me. Only my parents knew for a long time. I hated lying to Lois every time I had to rush off to save someone. I wanted us to be close. But instead, my lying was pushing her away." Clark remembered.
Lois looked at Clark, a small tear forming in her eye recalling the memories.
"I wanted a normal life for so long, but I thought that my powers would keep me from having one." Clark continued. "That's why I created Superman so that I could use the powers that I was given and still have a normal life. You see, Superman is what I can do, Clark is who I am."
Gary understood. He was happy that he had come to Metropolis to help Clark.
"If the world had discovered my secret, the normal life that I had enjoyed all these years would have been over. Lois' life as well as my parents' lives would have changed. Because of you, that didn't happen. Thank you." Clark said sincerely.
"We are very grateful to you." Lois echoed.
"You're welcome." Gary replied.
"Saving the world can be very lonely if you don't have anyone special to share your life." Clark said. "I hope that you have someone special to help you with your burden, Gary."
"Yes, I do." Gary answered. Gary thought about Brigatti. From Clark's words, Gary could see how lost he would be without Lois. Gary hoped that he and Brigatti would have the kind of relationship that Lois and Clark had achieved.
"I was scared at first telling Toni about the Paper. I thought that she wouldn't believe me, or that she would walk away, but she hasn't. She has helped me a great deal in handling the Paper's demands. I just hope that she can forgive me for lying to her. You see, I didn't tell her that I was coming to Metropolis. I didn't think that it would be a good idea to tell her your secret." Gary said.
Lois remembered that Gary had asked if they had called Toni. "Is Toni, Detective Brigatti?" Lois inquired.
Gary nodded.
"Oh Gary, we are so sorry." Lois apologized.
"We'll help you explain things to her." Clark offered.
"Thanks." Gary said.
"And Gary, you don't have to worry about anyone else learning your secret. We will protect it just as you protected mine." Clark promised.
Gary smiled.
Clark looked at his watch. "It's getting late. We have kept you here long enough."
Gary started to get up and walk towards the door. His limp was still evident.
"Did you get that trying to save the child from falling into the well?" Clark asked pointing to Gary's leg.
"No, actually I got it last night salsa dancing with Toni." Gary answered, blushing slightly.
"Here, I can help with that." Clark said. Clark lowered his glasses. A ray of his heat vision touched Gary's sore leg. The heat felt like much needed massage therapy.
Gary was speechless. He never expected Clark to do that.
Clark could see Gary's surprise. "Sometimes my powers come in handy for things other than saving lives."
Gary smiled. "Thanks a lot."
"We hope that your experience here hasn't turned you off to Metropolis. We hope that you will come back. We would love to show you the city." Lois said. "Maybe you could bring Toni." Lois added.
"Maybe. I would like that." Gary said.
Gary was about to walk out of the conference room when Clark called him.
"Gary, you know, being Superman is not about the powers. It's about the heart. Caring about other people and putting them before yourself. From what I see, you are a real superman."
"Thank you." Gary said.
Gary got on the elevator and disappeared from the news room.
Before crossing the street and getting into the car, Gary looked up again at the globe on the Daily Planet Building. The moon's reflection magnified the globe's brilliance.
Gary smiled. The globe was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen.
The End
Before I became attached to Early Edition, I was an avid fan of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. Just like Early Edition, I would watch episodes over and over again and had the dialogue memorized for my favorite episodes. My very good friend, Claudine, introduced me to the magic of Early Edition. It seemed like a natural progression for me, given that I was looking for another good guy hero.
This fan fic story is an EE/Lois & Clark crossover. My premise is simple: What would happen if Gary got tomorrow's edition of The Daily Planet and that paper announced that Clark Kent is Superman? Would he be able to keep the world from discovering the Man of Steel's secret identity while at the same time prevent Clark from finding out that he got tomorrow's newspaper today?
Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. Early Edition characters belong to CBS, Tristar Television, and Fox Family. Lois & Clark and Superman are the property of DC Comics, ABC, Warner Brothers, and TNT. Some of the dialogue that appears in this story is not my own but belongs to the writers of Early Edition and Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
Author: Tracy Diane Miller E-Mail address: tdmiller82@hotmail.com
This story was first published in January, 2001.
Strange Visitor From Chicago
Chapter One
"Meow." Thump.
No answer from inside the loft.
"Meow."
"Hold your horses, will ya?" Gary finally yelled Cat clearly perturbed that it was already morning and his life saving ritual was about to begin anew. Gary pulled back the covers and carefully tried to negotiate himself out of bed. No luck. He groaned when he felt a sharp pain shoot up from his leg. Actually, every muscle in his body ached. Maybe last night hadn't been such a good idea after all. Gary had reluctantly agreed to go salsa dancing with Brigatti. He and Brigatti had been dating for four months. Usually, their dates consisted of dinner, a movie, or a concert. However, at this stage in their relationship, they had decided to expose each other to some of their favorite activities. Last week, Brigatti had agreed to attend a hockey game with Gary. She admitted that she was never a hockey fan, but since Gary enjoyed the sport, she agreed to give it a chance. Consequently, Gary had decided to forget about his bad back and lack of coordination and go salsa dancing with Brigatti because that was what she had wanted. He didn't tell her that the last time he had gone salsa dancing was when he was married. Marcia loved dancing and often dragged him onto the dance floor as she experimented with various dance styles ranging from the fox trot, rumba, jitterbug, and salsa. He was never a very good dancer. In fact, he had wrecked his knee the last time he tried salsa dancing.
Gary remembered how beautiful Brigatti had looked on the dance floor. He had gotten to see another side of her. She smiled. She laughed. She seemed happy and carefree. Despite his own embarrassment at having people stare at him while he danced, Gary enjoyed seeing how happy Brigatti looked.
But now his whole body was paying the price. Gary had forgotten how much hard work, and in this case, how painful, dating could be. Unfortunately, there was no such thing as a sick day for a guy who gets tomorrow's newspaper today.
He limped to the door and opened it. Cat immediately ran into the loft.
"I guess I shouldn't expect any sympathy from you." Gary said Cat. He winced as he bent over to pick up the paper. He closed the door.
Gary opened the paper. "What's this? Where's the Sun-Times? He asked Cat upon noticing the banner on the newspaper. The Daily Planet logo blazed across the page. Underneath the banner, in big bold letters, the lead story read: CLARK KENT IS SUPERMAN.
Gary read the first paragraph of the story: "Metropolis was shocked to discover yesterday that celebrated Daily Planet reporter, Clark Kent, is actually Superman. An amateur videotape captured Mr. Kent changing into the Superman suit in an apparent attempt to rescue a child who had fallen down a well in Centennial Park. Calls to Mr. Kent have not been returned."
Gary was shocked. True he only knew Clark Kent and his wife and reporting partner, Lois Lane, through their stellar reputations. The two investigative reporters were the envy of a lot of Sun-Times reporters. In fact, Gary recalled that Miguel Diaz had once remarked that he wanted to have a journalistic career like his idols, Lois and Clark.
Of course, everyone knew Superman. The Man of Steel's rescue efforts were not limited to Metropolis.
But Gary never imagined that there was a man behind the suit. To Gary, Superman was an icon that saved people. He wasn't a real person.
Finding out the truth about Superman's identity triggered strong emotions in Gary. He felt a connection to Clark. Despite Superman's powers, Gary could only think of Clark. Here was this guy who on the surface had a normal life with a wife and a job. Except that this guy also secretly saved lives on a daily basis. In creating dual personas, this secret was something that Clark apparently had taken great care in guarding. "Not unlike me", Gary said to himself remembering his own secret. Gary felt a twinge of sadness for Lois and Clark whose lives were about to come under a fishbowl.
But why had he received tomorrow's Daily Planet? And where was the Sun- Times? What was he expected to do? Gary wondered.
After he showered and dressed, he went downstairs to talk to Marissa. She always seemed to have answers.
Marissa was seated at one of the tables drinking a glass of orange juice.
"Good morning, Marissa."
"Good morning, Gary. How was the salsa dancing?"
"Fine. I made it back in one piece." Gary said limping to the table and gingerly sitting down on a chair.
"You really should put some ointment on that leg." Marissa said.
"But.how did you...? Never mind." Gary replied.
"So, what's in the Paper today?" Marissa asked.
"I don't know. I didn't get the Sun-Times today." Gary answered.
"You didn't get the Paper? Well..good. You deserve a day off." Marissa said.
"I'm not sure if I'm supposed to have a day off. I didn't get the Sun- Times, but it looks like I have a subscription to the Daily Planet."
"What?"
"I got tomorrow's edition of the Daily Planet instead." Gary responded. He paused before continuing. "The front page story says that Clark Kent is Superman."
"My God. What does the story say?" Marissa inquired. Marissa also knew the Kents through their journalistic reputations.
"It says that an amateur videotape captured Clark Kent changing into the Superman suit to save a child who had fallen down a well." Gary replied.
"What are you going to do, Gary?" Marissa said.
"What do you mean what am I going to do? What am I supposed to do?" Gary asked.
"There must be a reason why you got tomorrow's Daily Planet. Maybe the world isn't ready to know the truth about Superman. Maybe you're supposed to stop this from happening." Marissa reasoned.
"And how am I supposed to do that Marissa?" Am I supposed to tell Clark my secret?"
"I don't know Gary, but you have to do something." Marissa replied. She thought for a moment. "Maybe you can go to Metropolis and save the child from falling into the well. That way there won't be a videotape revealing Superman's identity. Further, you won't have to tell Clark your secret."
A long silence.
"Gary?"
Finally, Gary spoke up. "It looks like I'm going to Metropolis." Gary said, sighing.
Chapter Two
Chaos. That one word accurately described the Daily Planet news room. Phones rang off the hook as reporters scurried to answer them to verify information from their sources. Photos and notes were thrown haphazardly across desks. One could smell the fear that blanketed the news room like an invisible demon. It was 9:00 a.m. While the deadline for the afternoon edition was still a few hours away, the hardworking Daily Planet news staff under the helm of Editor-in-Chief Perry White could not rest until the issue went to press.
Lois Lane stared at the blank page and blinking cursor on her computer screen. The cursor seemed to have a language of its own almost like some cryptic Morse code. No words. "Angles don't just fall from the sky, we have to create them" were Perry's encouraging words once when Lois was plagued by a lack of creative inspiration. But today, for the three-time winner of the Kerth Prize for Investigative Journalism, the words eluded her as she struggled to write her story on corruption at the ballot box. Lois looked over at her husband and reporting partner, Clark Kent. Clark appeared to be unaffected by the contagious frenzy that had engulfed the news room. Instead, he calmly sat at his computer reviewing his notes and typing his story on homeless veterans. Clark's pieces always possessed an emotional depth which Lois, even after numerous years as a journalist, had lacked. In contrast, Lois' writing style catered on the hard nosed news stories like political corruption. How ironic, Lois remembered, that she was livid when Perry assigned Clark as her partner seven years ago. No way was she willing to share the spotlight with a "hack from Smallville." Perry was adamant. He saw an undeniable chemistry between Lois' battle scarred approach and Clark's fresh and excited talent. And Perry was right. The Daily Planet had struck gold with the writing team of Lane and Kent. Along the way, Lois and Clark had also struck gold finding soul mates in each other.
Perry was also careful to assign his top reporters individual stories that played on their strengths. Lois realized that she most enjoyed the stories where she and Clark worked as a team. They were partners in every sense of the word. Lois would sift through the extraneous information and uncover the crux of the story. Clark, on the other hand, added the personal touch.
Clark felt his wife's gaze. He looked up from his computer at her and smiled. He was a lucky man. Clark remembered all those years ago when he wondered whether he could have a normal life. His father, Jonathan Kent, wanted the same thing for his son. Yet, Jonathan was worried that Clark would never have the normalcy he craved if anyone discovered his alien origins. Clark had the solution. "I need some kind of outfit. That way I could help people without them ever finding out about me" Clark had told his initially skeptical parents. Thus, Superman was born. It had taken Lois awhile to get over her infatuation with Superman and to surrender her heart to Clark. And she had not been happy to find out that Clark was Superman and that he had kept this information from her. Clark's marriage proposal in Centennial Park surprised them both particularly when Lois removed his glasses and said, "Whose asking? Clark or Superman?" Clark had planned to tell Lois the truth about himself but first he wanted to make sure that she would marry him not Superman or his powers. Fortunately, Lois quickly forgave his duplicity. Still, the road to the altar and settled married life was not without its bumps. Lois and Clark had to survive Lex Luthor's schemes, frog eating clones, amnesia, psycho psychiatrists, women who shrink people into little people, invading aliens, time travel, and machines which sucked the youth out of people. Now they were a normal married couple. Well, as normal a married couple as one could expect when the husband moonlights as Superman!
Clark got up from his seat and went over to Lois' desk. He stood over his wife placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Story not working, honey?" He asked concern evident in his voice.
"How did you guess?" Lois answered. "You'd think that after all the corruption stories that I've written over the years that this story would be a piece of cake." Lois added.
"Let me see your notes." Clark requested. She handed him her notes. Before Clark Kent, Lois would have fiercely guarded her notes from a colleague with all the vigor of a mother lion protecting her cub. But Clark wasn't just a fellow colleague. She loved and trusted him unconditionally.
Clark read Lois' notes at super speed. "Why don't you begin your story with this. That way you can end your story with the quote from the Governor." Clark suggested gesturing to Lois' notes as he spoke. Lois listened attentively to Clark's suggestions and began typing. A mere half- hour later, she had a completed story which she e-mailed to Perry for revisions.
"I need to think of some inventive way to say thank you." Lois seductively purred to Clark.
Clark felt weak in the knees. Only Kryptonite and his wife could render him powerless.
"I'm sure you'll think of something." Clark challenged. He bent over and passionately kissed Lois on the lips. For the Kents, it felt like the entire news room had disappeared whenever they shared a romantic moment.
"Hey, Hey you two. This is a news room not a drive in movie." Perry bellowed upon coming out of his office with Lois' story. Perry's gruff exterior did not hide the genuine affection he felt for Lois and Clark. Not only were they his favorite reporters, but he also loved them as if they were his own children.
Lois and Clark blushed slightly. "Sorry, Chief." Clark said.
"This is great work, Lois." Perry remarked holding up Lois' story. "I can easily see another Kerth Award in your future."
"Thanks Chief. But any Kerth Award for this story would have the byline Lane and Kent." Lois replied.
Clark smiled. The Lois of yesteryear would not have been as generous as to share the credit with him.
"I need you two in Centennial Park at 5:00 p.m. today to cover the Mayor's speech on the budget." Perry said.
"No problem, Chief." Lois and Clark answered in unison.
Perry went back to his office.
Lois and Clark still had most of the day to work on the rest of their stories. They also had time to grab some lunch. Except for a bridge almost collapsing and a quick flight to South America to stop a mud slide, even Superman's day looked uneventful. Lois promised Clark a candle light dinner back at their brownstone once they were finished with the Mayor's speech. Yep..it was going to be an uneventful day for Lois and Clark.
Little did they know that a strange visitor from Chicago was on his way to Metropolis. And after his appearance, the day would be far from uneventful.
Chapter Three
After taking a plane from Chicago to New York, Gary rented a car for his drive to Metropolis. Thank God the Daily Planet story said that Superman wasn't supposed to rescue the child from falling into the well until 5:00 p.m. And thank God the suspension of his driver's license had been lifted. A month of balancing the Paper's demands with attending safe driving classes had proved hectic. Gary wasn't complaining, though. If it hadn't been for Brigatti persuading Armstrong to go easy on him after he was arrested for speeding, he could have spent a month or longer in jail.
Gary felt guilty when he thought about Brigatti. Before leaving for Metropolis, he called Brigatti and told her that he had to go out of town for the day. He lied about his designation telling her that he had to go to Hickory to help his parents with a small problem. He hated lying to her particularly since they had come such a long way in their relationship. Brigatti had been tremendous help to him in dealing with the Paper these last few months. Gary had hoped to have no more secrets from her. But he had no choice. While he had told Marissa about the Daily Planet story revealing Superman's identity, Gary convinced himself that it wasn't a good idea to tell Brigatti.
As he drove the rental car towards Metropolis, Gary found himself annoyed and resentful that he had allowed Marissa to talk him into making this trip. So what if the world discovered Superman's identity? No one was going to be seriously injured or die. Why was this his problem? He had enough problems handling the demands imposed by the Sun-Times every day. Why couldn't he have just taken the day off when the Sun-Times failed to appear at his doorstep? He certainly deserved the day off. While the ointment had helped a little in soothing the aching muscles in his body and his left leg, his right leg was still sore. A day in bed could have done wonders in healing his pain.
"Because Clark deserves to have his secret protected. How would you feel if there was someone out there who could protect your secret but refused to do so because of his own selfish motives?" Gary's inner voice chastised him. He had to do this. He had to help Clark.
Gary was careful to drive within the speed limit. After that unpleasant episode with Armstrong, he did not want to get stopped for speeding by the Metropolis PD.
Finally, he drove up to the curb across the street from the Daily Planet Building. He stopped the car, removed the paper from the back pocket of his jeans, and began reading the next paragraph of the story: "The child, Sydney Thomson, 4, apparently left her mother unnoticed. The park was crowded with citizens there to hear the Mayor's speech on the budget."
Great the park would be crowded, Gary thought to himself. He could save the child, point her in the direction of her mother, and slip away undetected. Gary looked at his watch- 1:00 p.m. He had plenty of time to grab some lunch and locate Centennial Park. Just as he was about to start the car, Gary's eyes caught a glimpse of the spectacular globe that adorned the Daily Planet Building. It was not the Taj Mahal or an Egyptian pyramid, but the impressive and alluring globe was definitely a wonder. The globe shone brightly in the afternoon sun like a jewel. Gary was enticed by the globe's splendor. Soon, he opened the car door, crossed the street, and found himself directly outside the Daily Planet Building.
A huge poster of Lois and Clark heralding Lane and Kent as the hottest team in town was affixed on the wall near the revolving door. Gary's eyes studied the picture. It was something about seeing Lois and Clark in the photo that piqued Gary's interest in seeing the couple in person. He was curious. Perhaps he could go up to the news room and just see what this couple was about. Gary reasoned that he wouldn't actually have to meet them (it was probably a better idea if he didn't), but he could just inconspicuously observe them. After finding out which floor housed the news room from the lobby security guard, Gary got on an elevator.
Immediately upon getting off the elevator, Gary felt the intensity of the news room permeate the air. What was it about news rooms? He wondered. The Sun-Times news room had the same kind of energy. Gary's eyes scanned the news room, settling on the famous reporting couple. Lois was seated at her computer. Clark came up from behind her. He kissed her on the neck before placing a coffee cup on her desk. Both Lois and Clark were smiling. Gary could feel their love fill the room.
Gary walked further down the ramp to get a closer look.
"Need some help, handsome?"
Gary turned around. Facing him was a voluptuous brunette in a tight dress that accentuated her curvaceous figure.
"Huh?" Gary said swallowing hard.
"You look lost." The woman said. "I'd be more than happy to help you find your way. Catherine Grant, Cat's Corner. Every one calls me Cat. Perhaps you've read my column?" She purred.
Even this far from home, there was still a "Cat" demanding his attention. Gary wryly thought.
Cat offered her hand for Gary to kiss. Instead, he gave her a polite handshake.
"Yes." Gary lied. "Nice to meet you." Gary tried to make his way back to the elevator, but Cat obstructed his path. She continued advancing towards him forcing him further down the ramp.
Cat noticed Gary's limp.
"You got a name?" She asked seductively.
"Gary Hobson."
"Well, Gary Hobson. I can work wonders on you if you give yourself to me."
"Howzat?"
"That leg of yours. Being a columnist isn't my only talent. I am also an expert at giving massages. My magic fingers come highly recommended." Cat said, winking at Gary.
Oh Boy, Gary thought to himself. He needed to get out of there. Gary noticed the stares from the other staff members. He needed to escape the claws of Cat.
Suddenly, Gary missed his cat. If he could get out of this, Gary prayed, he would give his cat a hug when he got home. He would even allow the cat to jump on the furniture.
Clark looked up towards the direction of the elevators. He saw Cat with the stranger.
"Looks like that guy could use some help." Clark said to Lois. Clark gestured to the scene unfolding between Cat and Gary.
"Some things never change." Lois replied. She remembered how Cat had "welcomed" Clark his first day at the Daily Planet.
Clark made his way to the ramp. Lois followed.
"Can I help you?" Clark asked Gary.
Cat took Clark's presence as her cue to leave. She flashed Gary a smile before returning to her desk.
"No.I..ah....I was looking for the.the Advertising Department." Gary said stuttering. A look of sheer panic crossed his face.
"The Advertising Department is one floor up." Clark offered. He didn't know why this man looked so scared.
"Clark Kent." Clark said, extending his hand to Gary. "And you are?"
"Thanks for the directions." Gary responded, returning Clark's handshake but intentionally failing to introduce himself.
Fortunately, the elevator doors opened. Despite his limp, Gary quickly made his way up the ramp, got into the elevator, and disappeared from the news room.
"That was odd." Clark said.
Lois did not answer. But she had an uneasy feeling about the stranger who had just left.
Chapter Four
"Stupid, Stupid. All you had to do was to go to the park, rescue the child from falling into the well, back at McGinty's tonight. What possessed you to go to the Daily Planet news room? Stupid. Now Lois and Clark know what you look like. Stupid."
Gary had spent the last four blocks walking from the Daily Planet Building verbally berating himself. Now what? He never expected to come face to face with Clark. And what had he done? He panicked. Gary knew that Clark must have seen the fear registered on his face.
Deep breath. Calm down. Okay, everything is fine, Gary told himself. He could still go to the park and save the child. He would just have to be careful and make sure that he stayed out of Lois and Clark's sight. After all, he never had to see them again once this was over and he returned to Chicago.
The loud growling of his stomach interrupted Gary's thoughts. He remembered that he had not eaten since he left McGinty's this morning. Luckily, Gary found himself outside Gabby's Deli. He could get a bite to eat there.
"I tell you Clark, there is something about that guy that isn't right." Lois said as she and Clark walked from the Daily Planet Building.
"May be he was just shy." Clark replied. "Or, may be he was in a hurry to get out of the news room in case Cat came back and cornered him." Clark joked.
"Come on, Clark. You saw his face. He was terrified when you approached him. He looked as if he had seen a ghost." Lois added.
Clark had witnessed Lois' reporting instincts many times, but today those instincts were in overdrive. Ever since the stranger left the news room, Lois sensed that there was more going on with him. Clark knew Lois well enough to realize that a story was brewing in her head.
"Did Cat tell you the guy's name?" Lois asked.
"Gary Hobson." Clark answered.
"Did she tell you anything else about him?" Lois probed.
"She probably didn't find out anything else about him, Honey. We should be grateful that she at least got his name. Knowing Cat, finding out a guy's name is usually not a high priority for her." Clark replied.
"I wonder why he was in the news room." Lois said.
"Can we stop talking about Gary Hobson long enough to get some lunch?" Clark asked.
"Okay. I'm starved. How about we go to Gabby's Deli? I could really go for pastrami on rye, side of slaw, and a cream soda." Lois said.
Clark smiled.
Gabby's Deli was a small café style restaurant located in downtown Metropolis. Tables lined the sidewalk. Inside, there were more tables and booths. News staffers frequently ate lunch there because it was within walking distance of the Daily Planet Building. In addition, the prices were reasonable and the food was good. The Deli's specialty was pastrami on rye.
Gary sat in a small booth at the back of the Deli. A waitress had already come and taken his order. At her suggestion, Gary ordered the pastrami on rye. He also decided on a large order of French fries and a large root beer soda. It wasn't long before the waitress returned with his meal. Gary devoured the food.
Lois and Clark entered Gabby's Deli and took a seat at a front table.
Gary didn't see Lois and Clark..yet.
As Clark expected, Lois ordered the pastrami on rye, side of slaw, and cream soda. Clark ordered a hamburger, French fries, and a chocolate milkshake.
A short while later, the waitress returned with their lunch.
Clark marveled at his wife's appetite as he watched Lois inhale her food. No one could judge from her svelte figure that she was a bottomless pit when it came to food. True, as Superman, he didn't have to worry about calories. But there were some things about Earth women that still puzzled him. Lois' ability to burn off calories was one of them.
"You want anything else?" Lois asked her shocked husband.
"Just watching you made me full." Clark replied.
"Funny, I'm not full at all. It's weird." Lois said.
"You know, Honey. We should retrieve any updated research about the Mayor before his speech on the budget." Clark suggested.
"I can't believe that everyone is so excited about this speech. You hear one politician, you hear them all. The only thing that changes is the bad opening joke they always use before beginning their speeches." Lois said, a trace of cynicism in her voice.
"I guess with the recent debate we had with the Presidential election, people are glad to hear something besides for the word recount."" Clark offered.
Just as Gary finished paying for his meal and was about to leave the Deli, he spotted Lois and Clark. "Oh Boy." Gary gulped. The expression on his face was like that of a little boy in trouble who had played hooky from school to go to the movies only to be caught by his mother exiting the same theater. What now? He had to get out of there before Lois and Clark spotted him.
His heart pounding, Gary searched for an avenue of retreat. He saw the men's room a short distance from where he was siting. Please God, let there be a window in the men's room, Gary prayed. Checking one last time to make sure that Lois and Clark were busy and not looking in his direction (good, they seemed to be engaged in conversation), Gary hastily got up from his seat and made his way to the men's room.
What happened next could have come straight from a Marx Brothers movie. In his hurry to escape the Deli undetected, Gary bumped into a waiter carrying a tray of pasta. The waiter fell sending pasta flying all over the place. A waitress tripped on the pasta on the floor falling on a customer. This hilarious domino effect continued with a few more slips and falls.
Of course, the commotion made Lois and Clark look up just in time to see Gary making his way towards the men's room.
Unfortunately, Lois incorrectly assumed that Gary had been following them.
"That's it, Clark. As soon as we get back to the Planet, I'm going to have Jimmy pull up everything we can find on Gary Hobson." Lois vowed.
Chapter Five
"Jimmy!" Lois yelled.
"You called, my Queen?" Jimmy cheerfully asked, approaching Lois' desk.
"Yes, be a Prince. I need you to dig up everything you can find on Gary Hobson." Lois requested.
"You got it." Jimmy replied, returning to his own desk and immediately working at his computer.
Jimmy Olsen had come a long way from the novice photographer/aspiring reporter who used to follow Lois and Clark around the news room with puppy dog devotion. Over the years, the young man had matured and developed confidence in his own abilities.
Perry, Lois, and Clark had witnessed Jimmy's transformation with great pride. In addition to assigning Jimmy small stories to work on, Perry, Lois, and Clark relied heavily on his amazing computer skills. It was a good thing that Jimmy Olsen was an honest person because he could hack into even the most sensitive government data with relative ease.
An hour later, Jimmy returned to Lois' desk with numerous folders full of computer printouts. He saw the impatient look on her face that seemed to say "It's about time."
"Do you know how many Gary Hobsons my computer search found?" Jimmy asked feigning annoyance. "From your description of the guy, I was able to find these articles from the Chicago Sun-Times and this picture." Jimmy said showing Lois the photo of Gary. "It seems that the Chicago PD thinks that this guy is some kind of nut who creates dangerous situations so he can fly in and save the day like Superman." Jimmy laughed.
Lois and Clark looked at each other upon hearing Jimmy's reference to Superman.
"That's him." Lois confirmed after seeing the photo. "Good work, Jimmy."
Jimmy smiled before going back to his desk.
Clark sat on the side of Lois' desk. He said nothing. Clark knew that whenever "Mad Dog" Lane grabbed hold of a bone, she refused to relinquish it. Lois had a bone. A bone named Gary Hobson.
"Okay, let's see what we have here." Lois said opening a folder.
"Gary Hobson. Former stockbroker. Divorced, no children. Currently owns a bar, McGinty's." Lois read.
Nothing unusual there.
"Look at this, Clark." Lois said gesturing for Clark to read what she found. "Jimmy was right. This Gary Hobson has quite a busy life and I don't mean mixing drinks and serving pretzels. This article says that he was arrested in 1996 on suspicion of bank robbery." Lois said.
"Bank robbery?" Clark asked, his eyes widening.
"Yes." Lois answered. "Oh, wait. He was released for lack of evidence." Lois continued. "But these articles have him involved in everything from hostage takings to bombings." Lois said holding up reams of paper.
"Involved? As in he initiated these things?" Clark asked.
"The police aren't sure and they never have enough evidence to prove his culpability. But I think that it is more than just an accident that every time some serious calamity happens in Chicago, Gary Hobson is right in the middle of it." Lois answered.
A brief silence.
"Blah, Blah, Blah." Lois continued reading. "Oh my God, Clark!" Lois showed Clark the issue of the Chicago Sun-Times dated November 3, 1999 with the headline "FRANK SCANLON MURDERED." Lois read the story: "Sun-Times columnist Frank Scanlon has been murdered. His body was found last night at the Cicero train yard. Scanlon, two time Pulitzer Prize winner for his Dog With A Bone column, apparently died from a gun shot wound to the chest. Local bar owner Gary Hobson was arrested and is being held for questioning."
Up to this point, Clark had been willing to give Gary Hobson the benefit of the doubt. But with all the information they had before them, Clark was beginning to wonder if they were dealing with a mad man stalking them. He would do anything to keep Lois safe.
"Clark?" Lois said after seeing Clark's far away look.
"What happened at his trial?" Clark asked.
"There wasn't a trial. Hobson escaped via a courthouse window before his arraignment." Lois replied after reading another newspaper article.
This just keeps getting better and better, Clark thought to himself.
"There was a police manhunt for him a few days." Lois said.
Lois pulled out another article from a folder. "Now this is interesting." Lois remarked.
"What?" Clark asked.
"Apparently, Hobson wasn't guilty of Scanlon's murder after all. It seems that he uncovered a murder for hire operation in which one of the police officers was implicated." Lois noted. "Wow.a murder for hire operation. Imagine what kind of story that would be. If we had been covering that story, we could have won.." Lois stopped mid-sentence when she saw Clark looking at her with his "honey-that's-not-the issue look."
"We really should call this Detective Paul Armstrong mentioned in these articles. I'm sure he could tell us a lot more about Gary Hobson." Lois suggested.
Clark nodded.
"Hey, you two. It is almost 4:00 p.m. Don't you think that you should be getting over to Centennial Park to cover the Mayor's speech?" Perry asked coming from his office.
"On it, Chief." Lois replied.
Clark and Lois proceeded to the elevator. But the Mayor's speech was not on Clark's mind. He was thinking about Gary Hobson. What was this guy about? And was Gary Hobson really after him and Lois? Clark wondered as the elevator doors closed.
Chapter Six
Gary parked the car along the outskirts of Centennial Park and waited inside. It was 4:30 p.m. Centennial Park was already crowded with people assembled to hear the Mayor's speech.
Earlier, Gary had arrived at the park and had explored the area. He saw workers setting up the dais for the Mayor. He had also located the well. Shrubbery partly concealed this attractive nuisance.
Gary's plan was to wait in the car until it was close to the time to save the child. From where he was parked, he would have plenty of time to get to the well and complete his rescue.
How ironic, Gary thought, that he had reached the park so early that he had time to plan his strategy. Even in Chicago, he was never this organized. But then again, he never had the added incentive of executing a save and avoiding Superman!
What a close call he had had at Gabby's Deli. "Of all the Delis, in all of Metropolis, they had to walk into mine." Gary said to himself remembering the unexpected appearance of Lois and Clark. He barely made it to the men's room and still wasn't sure whether or not Lois and Clark had noticed him. His getaway hadn't been exactly smooth with him bumping into that waiter. Gary felt badly about causing the waiter to drop the tray of pasta and not staying around long enough to apologize or to assist with the cleanup. But he had no choice. He had to get out of there quickly.
Predictably, the window in the men's room at the Deli had been too small. It was a miracle that he had been able to squeeze himself through the crevice.
It wouldn't be much longer now, Gary thought to himself. Soon this would be over and he could go home. Until today, Gary never imagined that he would miss Chicago this much and the kinds of rescues the Sun-Times gave him.
Gary looked at his watch- 4:40 p.m. Twenty more minutes.
Lois and Clark arrived at Centennial Park. They parked Lois' jeep in a makeshift area designated for the press. Other press personnel from rival newspapers were already there.
"Well, I guess we should go and get this over with." Lois said to Clark. Lois hated whenever Perry sent them to cover these dry events. Intrigue whetted her reporter's appetite not speeches on the budget.
Lois and Clark found a spot close to the dais.
Clark wasn't really listening to what Lois was saying. His preoccupation with Gary Hobson consumed his thoughts. Clark lowered his glasses and scanned the park. No sign of him. Clark would be ready if Gary Hobson showed up and tried anything. There was no way he was going to allow this man to harm Lois.
Mrs. Tammy Thomson eagerly anticipated the Mayor's speech. As a city worker, she worried whether the Mayor planned to trim the employee payroll in the new fiscal year. With her was her four-year- old daughter, Sydney. Sydney was a beautiful and happy child with long blond hair neatly held back with a blue ribbon. She wore a pretty blue dress that complimented her blue eyes. In her hands she held a small, stuffed white rabbit.
"Tell me again Mommy about Alice and the bunny?" Sydney begged. Sydney loved the story of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."
Mrs. Thomson was tired of repeating Alice's tale, but if telling this story made Sydney happy and kept her quiet, she would tell the story as many times as was necessary.
"Little Alice followed the White Rabbit down his magical hole and had exciting adventures. She met the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, and the Chesire Cat." Mrs. Thomson said.
"The cat was happy, Mommy. He was always smiling." Sydney said. "And White Rabbit is like my bunny, right Mommy?" Sydney asked holding up her stuffed rabbit for her mother to see.
"Yes, Honey." Mrs. Thomson replied.
It was 4:50 p.m. and surprisingly, it looked like the Mayor's speech was going to begin ahead of schedule. His Honor approached the dais, removed his notes from this suit jacket, cleared his throat, and began speaking: "Welcome, good citizens of Metropolis. I'm here to talk to you today about something that concerns us all- the budget. Despite my opponents allegations, my budget will put more money in your pockets."
Thunderous applause. Photographers flashed pictures of the Mayor. Reporters opened their note pads, jotting down information for their stories. Lay people in the audience hung on the Mayor's every word.
"Good, he skipped the joke and went right into his speech." Lois whispered to Clark.
"City services are the backbone of Metropolis," the Mayor continued, "that's why I promise you that there will be no interruption in these services and no layoffs of workers."
Mrs. Thomson focused on the Mayor's words. Unfortunately, she wasn't paying attention to Sydney who had left her mother's sight.
Sydney believed that she was Alice. She was going to find the White Rabbit.
Sydney saw the well. "White Rabbit down there." She said.
Gary got out of the car and ran towards the well. He saw Sydney just as she was about to go over the rim of the well.
"Hey, get away from there." Gary said to the child. He tried not to yell. He didn't want to scare her.
Meanwhile, Clark did another scan of the park. This time he saw Gary Hobson by a well with a child. Clark mouthed "gotta go" to Lois before proceeding to the well.
Gary grabbed Sydney before she was able to topple head first into the well. He didn't notice that the Paper fell out of his back pocket with the headline about Superman face up on the ground.
"Are you the Mad Hatter? Where's the happy cat?" Sydney asked Gary excitedly.
Gary didn't know what the child was talking about, but he had picked up on her question about a cat. Another reference to a cat. What was this, a conspiracy? Gary wondered.
After making sure that Sydney was okay, Gary reached for the Paper in the back pocket of his pants. Gone.
When he turned around, Gary saw the Paper on the ground. He also saw Clark, his eyes full of shock and confusion, fixed on the Paper. The headline and the date, tomorrow's date, shocked him. Clark felt as if he had been punched with Kryptonite.
Both men were silent. Time stopped.
Clark's mind was in turmoil. His father's words reverberated in his mind: "If people find out about you, they'll put you in a laboratory and dissect you like a frog."
All Clark could think about was that the normal life he had protected and cherished all these years was about to end. Clark thought about Lois and his parents whose lives were also going to change.
But another shock came for Clark as he watched in amazement when the headline about Superman vanished. In its place, a new headline emerged: "MAYOR'S SPEECH BIG SUCCESS."
"There you are, Sydney. Mommy was so worried about you." Mrs. Thomson said, hugging her daughter.
"Mommy, the Mad Hatter came up from the hole." Sydney said excitedly, pointing at Gary.
"Thank you so much." Mrs. Thomson said to Gary.
"Your welcome." Gary answered, a weak smile on his face.
Mrs. Thomson and Sydney left Gary alone with Clark.
Oh Boy. What now, Hobson? Gary thought to himself. Perhaps he could run. Yeah, right, like he could out run Superman. Like that was even possible.
What now, Kent? Clark thought to himself. What was that Paper? Some kind of trick? Or, did Gary Hobson really know Superman's true identity? Should he confront this man? Clark wondered.
Lois found Clark with Gary by the well. From the look on her husband's face, she could tell that something wasn't right.
Clark composed himself. "Honey, Mr. Hobson is a hero. He saved a child from falling into a well." Clark said.
How did Clark know his name? Gary wondered.
"I just happened to be at the right place at the right time." Gary replied, rubbing his hand across the back of his neck.
"Don't be so modest, Mr. Hobson. What you did was save a mother from heartache. " Clark said.
Gary knew that Clark saw the Paper. Why wasn't Clark asking questions about it? What kind of game was he playing? Gary wondered.
"This is my wife and partner, Lois Lane." Clark said introducing Lois to Gary.
"We would like to interview you for a series of stories we are writing about Metropolis' unsung heroes. Perhaps, you could come back to the Daily Planet with us for the interview?" Clark inquired.
Lois realized that Clark must have a reason for wanting Gary to return with them to the Planet. She didn't know what Clark was planning, but she would follow his lead.
"Yes, Mr. Hobson. We think that people should read about some of the good things that happen in Metropolis." Lois added.
Gary shrugged. "I really can't."
"I insist." Clark said, his arms crossed and with his authoritative Superman tone.
"Okay. " Gary conceded. "But, can I meet you there in about an hour? I have something to do first." Gary asked.
"That's fine. But we will be expecting you." Clark answered again in a tone that Gary interpreted to mean "And don't leave town."
Lois and Clark left Gary and walked back to where her jeep was parked.
"Oh Boy. Now what?" Gary asked himself.
Chapter Seven
"And the headline just vanished? But how could that have happened?" Lois asked, her voice laced with shock and disbelief.
"I don't know, Honey. All I know is that one minute I was seeing words which exposed my secret and the next minute, I was reading about the success of the Mayor's speech." Clark answered.
"And the date on the paper was tomorrow's?" Lois queried.
"Yes, tomorrow's Daily Planet." Clark confirmed.
Lois and Clark had returned to the Daily Planet and were sitting in the conference room. They were trying to piece together the mystery of Clark's encounter with Gary Hobson at the Centennial Park well. It was almost 6:00 p.m. Most of the day staff had already gone home. The majority of the night staff had not yet arrived. In the privacy of the conference room, Lois and Clark were able to discuss the situation and hopefully formulate a plan.
"And Hobson saved the little girl from falling into the well." Lois continued. "Maybe he set the whole thing up so he could meet you and drop this bombshell on you. That would fit the Chicago PD's theory about Hobson causing disasters because of some sick desire for notoriety." Lois offered.
"I don't think so, Honey." Clark replied. "I could tell from his reaction that Hobson definitely didn't want to run into me." Clark added.
"Maybe he is connected to Intergang somehow. Remember Diana Stride tried a similar ploy years ago. Except that there was no disappearing headline." Lois remarked.
Clark would never forget Diana Stride. Most people had believed that Diana was a successful reporter for Top Copy, a tabloid style news program. But Lois and Clark discovered that Top Copy had been a convenient cover and that Diana actually worked for Intergang, a notorious and far-reaching criminal organization. Diana had given Superman a deadly gift, a lethal kiss with her Kryptonite sealed lips. The Kryptonite evaded Superman's body like a cancer. Fortunately, Superman made a quick trip to the Metropolis Nuclear Power Plant. The plant's radiation effectively removed all traces of Kryptonite from the Man of Steel's body.
Later, Diana Stride had learned Clark's secret and announced it on national television. Clark gave a news conference to refute Diana's allegations. With the help of his parents who used a laser Martha Kent had made for an art class, a hologram of Superman appeared. Having Clark and Superman appear together undermined Diana's credibility.
Further, Intergang had been silent the last few years. With its chieftain, Bill Church and his son, Bill Church, Jr., languishing in jail, it seemed as if Intergang had been dismantled. Clark knew that Lois had suspicions that Mindy Church, the elder Church's much younger wife, had taken over Intergang. Small time criminal Joey Bermuda ("The Handy Man") had even accused Mindy of orchestrating the crime spree that befallen the city as well as creating the deadly Kryptonian virus which nearly killed Superman. But Clark wasn't convinced that an air-head like Mindy could be so clever or exercise this kind of control over a crime syndicate.
"I don't think that Hobson is involved with Intergang." Clark said.
"So we are back to square one- Who is Gary Hobson and what does he want with us." Lois realized.
"I'll call Dr. Klein and see if Star Labs can make anything out of this disappearing ink." Clark said.
"Then I'll call this Detective Armstrong of the Chicago PD and see what he can tell us about Gary Hobson." Lois suggested.
A short while later, Lois and Clark hung up their respective telephones.
"What did Dr. Klein say?" Lois asked first.
Dr. Klein was Star Labs top research scientist. In addition, Dr. Klein knew more about the workings of Superman's body than anyone else. Further, Superman considered Dr. Klein a loyal friend. However, the scientist did not know that Clark was Superman. Dr. Klein often provided technical assistance on Lois and Clark's stories.
"I told him that we needed information for a story. Dr. Klein has never heard anything like this. Star Labs has worked on fiber optics before, but Dr. Klein doesn't believe that this is the same principle." Clark said.
"This kind of reminds me of our Invisible Man." Lois recalled.
Clark smiled. He remembered Alan Morris. Alan was a good-hearted scientist who had created suits which apparently rendered him invisible. Alan had explained to Lois and Clark that he wanted to "become invisible so he could be visible again." Alan believed that his wife, Helene, had lost interest in him and that everyone failed to see the real him. Unfortunately, Alan's innocent invention fell into the hands of escaped criminal Henry Barnes and his gang who had stolen the suits in order to rob the Metropolis Gold Repository. Once again, Superman saved the day by sprinkling the invisible criminals with phosphorus that restored them so that the police were able to see them and arrest them.
"Okay, so we don't know how the headline disappeared." Clark acknowledged. "What did you find out from the Chicago PD?" Clark asked.
"I spoke with an Officer.," Lois paused, looking at her notes, "Winslow. Detective Armstrong wasn't available, but Officer Winslow connected me with the detective's partner, a Detective Brigatti who he said could tell me about Hobson. I told Detective Brigatti that Hobson saved a child from falling into a well and that we were doing a story on heroes. And when we were doing a background check on Hobson, we uncovered his criminal record so we were concerned. Detective Brigatti assured me that Hobson wasn't a threat. It was very strange, though, because she seemed really upset to hear that he was in Metropolis." Lois said.
"So, what do we have? A mysterious man shows up in Metropolis. Comes to the news room and is scared out of his wits when I approach him. Shows up at Gabby's Deli. Practically causes a tornado fleeing so we won't see him. We investigate him and discover that he is connected to numerous weird occurrences in Chicago. Shows up at Centennial Park in time to save a child from falling into a well. Has tomorrow's Daily Planet that reveals Superman's true identity. The headline disappears. Star Labs can't figure out why. And a detective with the Chicago PD doesn't think that he is dangerous." Clark summed up.
Lois nodded.
Clark looked at his watch. Gary Hobson would be there shortly.
"How do you want to play this, Honey?" Clark asked.
"I say we shake the tree a little and see what falls out. I bet we can get Hobson to crack. Then we'll learn his true motives and be able to figure out a way to deal with him." Lois said.
Chapter Eight
"Calm down, Gary." Marissa said.
Marissa had spent the last few minutes trying to decipher what Gary had just told her. Whenever Gary was very upset, the floodgates to his stream of consciousness opened up and a sea of incoherent sentences poured out. So far, all Marissa could piece together from what Gary had said was something about the Paper, a globe, a cat, massages, a restaurant, and a window.
"He saw the Paper, Marissa. I saved the little girl from falling into the well. Just as I was about to check the Paper, I discovered that it had fallen out of my back pocket. When I turned around to look for it, Clark was standing nearby. The Paper had fallen face up on the ground and Clark saw the headline about Superman. He also saw the headline disappear. But he didn't say anything about the Paper. Instead, Lois and Clark want me to come back to the Daily Planet supposedly to interview me about a story they say they are doing on heroes. I know that's not what they really want. I wonder what Superman is going to do to me." Gary said, the fear evident in his voice.
Gary had taken a room at the Metropolis Regent Hotel when he realized that he wouldn't be able to make his flight back home tonight. The hotel accommodations were very nice, but Gary couldn't enjoy them. He was too worried about his upcoming meeting with Lois and Clark.
"Gary, you haven't done anything wrong." Marissa said trying to comfort her friend. "Maybe you should tell Clark the truth about the Paper. I'm sure that he'll be really grateful for all you did to protect his secret and will want to protect yours." Marissa suggested.
"Four years of a Psych Degree and that's the best you got, tell the truth? I could have called my mother for that kind of advice." Gary said frustrated.
Gary wished that he had never listened to Marissa and come to Metropolis. He could have stayed in Chicago and dealt with Armstrong if he wanted this kind of grief. At least he knew that Armstrong could be lenient.
"The truth is always the best policy, Gary. Besides, you should have learned by now that every time you lie, you end up in more trouble." Marissa reminded.
A long silence.
"Gary?"
"Maybe I'll think of something to tell Lois and Clark that they will believe and I won't have to tell them about the Paper." Gary said clearly ignoring Marissa's sage advice.
Gary looked at his watch. ""Marissa, I have to go. I'll call you later."
"Good Luck, Gary."
"Thanks." Gary hung up the phone, grabbed his jacket, and left for the Daily Planet.
Chapter Nine
The sun had set on the streets of Metropolis. The night sky was clear.
Gary parked the car directly across the street from the Daily Planet Building. A feeling of deja-vu struck him- he was in the same parking spot that the car had occupied over five hours ago.
Gary got out of the car, closed the door, and crossed the street. He looked up at the Daily Planet globe. No longer did the globe appear to be a magnificent ornament inviting people into the building. Tonight it looked like a terrifying gargoyle foreshadowing catastrophe. Maybe it just looked that way to him because of what was about to happen to him inside, Gary thought.
He took a deep breath before going inside.
Gary got off the elevator. He noticed that the news room was much calmer than it had been earlier today. Only a small skeletal staff was at work.
Gary proceeded down the ramp when a young man approached him.
"May I help you?" Jimmy asked. Jimmy was about to go home when he saw Gary enter the news room. He recognized Gary from the photo he had found for Lois.
"Gary Hobson to see Lois and Clark." Gary answered.
"Of course, Gary Hobson." Jimmy said emphasizing Gary's name. "I'll tell Lois and Clark that you are here. You can take a seat there." Jimmy said pointing to Lois' desk."
"Thanks." Gary said. He had not missed the deliberate inflection that Jimmy had used in saying his name. This couldn't be good, Gary thought to himself.
Jimmy knocked on the conference room door. "Gary Hobson is here. " Jimmy informed Lois and Clark.
"Thanks Jimmy." Clark said. "Have him come to the conference room." Clark requested.
Jimmy directed Gary to the conference room. Gary sheepishly entered.
"Come in, Mr. Hobson." Clark said. "Would you like some coffee or anything?" Clark offered.
"No, thanks." Gary replied.
"Take a seat." Clark said.
Gary sat in the chair directly across from Lois. Clark continued to stand up.
"So, what brings you to Metropolis?" Lois asked.
Gary swallowed. "Well, a little bit of business and a little bit of pleasure. I was on vacation. But, I'm also thinking about expanding my business. I heard that Metropolis is a good place for commercial establishments." Gary said. He hoped that his lie sounded convincing.
"I guess McGinty's is doing very well if you are seeking to expand." Lois said baiting the hook.
A brief silence.
A surprised look crossed Gary's face. How did she know about McGinty's? Gary wondered.
Lois could see Gary's surprised expression and was quite pleased with herself. So far her plan was working perfectly.
"We always do thorough background checks on the people we interview for our stories. It makes the information we provide to our readers more accurate." Lois said.
"And my wife is extremely thorough." Clark added walking over to where Lois was sitting and putting both hands on her shoulders. "You wouldn't believe some of the information she has been able to uncover for a story."
Oh boy, Gary thought. Lois and Clark have been checking him out. What had they found? Gary wondered.
"What made you stop by the news room this morning?" Lois probed.
"I was looking for the Advertising Department and I got off on the wrong floor. I wanted to find out advertising rates so that I would know when I was ready to put in an ad announcing a McGinty's in Metropolis." Gary said. He wasn't sure how much they knew and he wasn't going to give them too much information.
Clark slightly lowered his glasses to determine Gary's pulse rate. Just as he had discovered from Miranda during the pheromone incident, Clark could tell that Gary was lying.
"I was surprised that you didn't introduce yourself when we first met." Clark said.
"I'm sorry. I was just in a hurry." Gary replied.
"And we were surprised to see you at Gabby's Deli. It's a shame that you didn't stop by our table to say hello, but I guess you were in a hurry again." Lois added.
Darn, they had seen him at Gabby's Deli, Gary thought to himself.
"Yeah.I was." Gary replied. He wasn't really sure what to say.
Gary realized that Lois was asking most of the questions while Clark appeared to be carefully listening to his responses.
"And for you to show up in Centennial Park in time to save that child. Your timing was incredible, Mr. Hobson." Lois said.
"I just happened to be at the right place at the right time." Gary responded rubbing his hand across the back of his neck and shifting uncomfortably in his chair. He made a mental note: Think of a better excuse than "at the right place at the right time." This excuse was so overused that he knew that no one believed it.
"And to see you in three places on the same day. Do you know the odds of that happening in a city as big as Metropolis?" Lois asked.
Gary shook his head. He didn't know what to say.
Clark decided to put it all on the line and ask Gary the question that most concerned him. "That newspaper was a real surprise, Mr. Hobson. Where did you get it?"
Gary swallowed hard. "Well, my friend Chuck is such a prankster. He always comes up with these gag newspapers whenever I go away on business."
Clark checked Gary's pulse again. Still lying.
"He must be a magician too with the disappearing headline." Clark added.
Gary did not answer.
Lois' frustration was building. She was tired of this game.
"Enough Mr. Hobson. We know that you aren't in Metropolis on business. We checked you out. We know all about your unconventional life in Chicago. Despite what Detective Brigatti said, we know that you must have some ulterior motive to be in Metropolis. And if that includes blackmailing Superman, you don't know who you are up against." Lois angrily said.
"You called Toni?" Gary asked. Oh Boy, he was going to be in a lot of trouble with Brigatti for lying when he returned home.
"Look, I'm not in Metropolis to blackmail Superman." Gary said.
"Then why are you here?" Lois demanded.
The truth is always the best policy, Gary. Besides, you should have learned by now that every time you lie, you end up in more trouble. Marissa's words echoed in Gary's head. Maybe Marissa was right. Maybe he should tell the truth.
A brief, yet uncomfortable silence.
"I came here to save the child from falling into the well and to prevent the world from discovering Mr. Kent's secret." Gary said.
"And just for the sake of argument, what made you think that a child was going to fall into a well in Centennial Park or that Clark had this secret as you put it?" Lois asked.
"I knew because.because.I get tomorrow's newspaper today." Gary finally admitted.
Another brief silence.
Gary wasn't sure whether or not Lois and Clark believed him, but he continued telling his story. "Four years ago, I began receiving tomorrow's edition of the Chicago Sun-Times a day early. Every morning, tomorrow's newspaper appears on my doorstep along with a cat. I read the stories and try to save as many lives as I can. Whenever I am able to save a life, the headline disappears. Only this morning, instead of the Sun-Times, I got tomorrow's Daily Planet. The Paper announced that Clark Kent was Superman."
Lois and Clark looked at each other. What had Hobson just said? That he got tomorrow's newspaper today? That he could predict the future?
Somehow Lois believed his story. After all, she was married to a man who, among other things, could fly and swallow bombs. Tomorrow's newspaper delivered by a cat wasn't that incredible.
Clark checked Gary's pulse rate. Normal. He was telling the truth.
Gary misinterpreted Lois and Clark's silence. Great, even Superman thought he was crazy! He was telling the truth and they still didn't believe him. What now? Gary wondered.
Finally, Lois spoke. "And how was saving the child from falling into the well connected to the announcement about Superman?"
"The Paper said that an amateur videotape had captured Clark Kent changing into the Superman suit trying to save the child. I figured that if I saved the child first, there would be no videotape, and no announcement about Superman. I thought I was helping. I'm sorry if I caused you any heartache." Gary said.
Both Lois and Clark felt ashamed after hearing Gary's story. They had violated his privacy, suspected him of criminal intentions, and interrogated him when his only "crime" was that he had traveled to Metropolis to help out a stranger. He had gone out of his way to protect Clark's secret. He hadn't deserved to be treated so badly.
"No, Mr. Hobson. We owe you an apology. I'm sorry." Clark said.
"Yes, Mr. Hobson. We are so sorry for assuming that you had sinister motives." Lois added.
"That's okay, Mr. Kent, Ms. Lane. I guess if I were in your position, I would have suspected me too." Gary laughed.
Lois and Clark smiled.
Another silence.
"So, what's it like, I mean, knowing the future?" Clark asked.
"I guess I'm used to it now." Gary said. "When I first got the Paper, I tried to walk away from the responsibility. I didn't know and I still don't know why it comes to me. I didn't think that I could do much good. But I only help out in Chicago. You help the entire world, Mr. Kent."
"Call me Clark."
"And I'm Lois."
"Then call me Gary."
"Don't underestimate the value of what you do, Gary. Because of you, Superman doesn't need to go to Chicago. You save people without the advantage of superpowers." Clark said. "And from what I gather, you save people without receiving much gratitude. Superman receives keys to the city, Man of the Year honors, and peace prizes. He is not ridiculed."
Gary appreciated Clark's praise. He listened attentively. He wanted to hear more about Clark's life.
"How do you balance having a normal life with your life-saving efforts?" Gary asked.
"It was harder before Lois knew the truth about me. Only my parents knew for a long time. I hated lying to Lois every time I had to rush off to save someone. I wanted us to be close. But instead, my lying was pushing her away." Clark remembered.
Lois looked at Clark, a small tear forming in her eye recalling the memories.
"I wanted a normal life for so long, but I thought that my powers would keep me from having one." Clark continued. "That's why I created Superman so that I could use the powers that I was given and still have a normal life. You see, Superman is what I can do, Clark is who I am."
Gary understood. He was happy that he had come to Metropolis to help Clark.
"If the world had discovered my secret, the normal life that I had enjoyed all these years would have been over. Lois' life as well as my parents' lives would have changed. Because of you, that didn't happen. Thank you." Clark said sincerely.
"We are very grateful to you." Lois echoed.
"You're welcome." Gary replied.
"Saving the world can be very lonely if you don't have anyone special to share your life." Clark said. "I hope that you have someone special to help you with your burden, Gary."
"Yes, I do." Gary answered. Gary thought about Brigatti. From Clark's words, Gary could see how lost he would be without Lois. Gary hoped that he and Brigatti would have the kind of relationship that Lois and Clark had achieved.
"I was scared at first telling Toni about the Paper. I thought that she wouldn't believe me, or that she would walk away, but she hasn't. She has helped me a great deal in handling the Paper's demands. I just hope that she can forgive me for lying to her. You see, I didn't tell her that I was coming to Metropolis. I didn't think that it would be a good idea to tell her your secret." Gary said.
Lois remembered that Gary had asked if they had called Toni. "Is Toni, Detective Brigatti?" Lois inquired.
Gary nodded.
"Oh Gary, we are so sorry." Lois apologized.
"We'll help you explain things to her." Clark offered.
"Thanks." Gary said.
"And Gary, you don't have to worry about anyone else learning your secret. We will protect it just as you protected mine." Clark promised.
Gary smiled.
Clark looked at his watch. "It's getting late. We have kept you here long enough."
Gary started to get up and walk towards the door. His limp was still evident.
"Did you get that trying to save the child from falling into the well?" Clark asked pointing to Gary's leg.
"No, actually I got it last night salsa dancing with Toni." Gary answered, blushing slightly.
"Here, I can help with that." Clark said. Clark lowered his glasses. A ray of his heat vision touched Gary's sore leg. The heat felt like much needed massage therapy.
Gary was speechless. He never expected Clark to do that.
Clark could see Gary's surprise. "Sometimes my powers come in handy for things other than saving lives."
Gary smiled. "Thanks a lot."
"We hope that your experience here hasn't turned you off to Metropolis. We hope that you will come back. We would love to show you the city." Lois said. "Maybe you could bring Toni." Lois added.
"Maybe. I would like that." Gary said.
Gary was about to walk out of the conference room when Clark called him.
"Gary, you know, being Superman is not about the powers. It's about the heart. Caring about other people and putting them before yourself. From what I see, you are a real superman."
"Thank you." Gary said.
Gary got on the elevator and disappeared from the news room.
Before crossing the street and getting into the car, Gary looked up again at the globe on the Daily Planet Building. The moon's reflection magnified the globe's brilliance.
Gary smiled. The globe was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen.
The End