Title: A
Darker Shade of Red…
Chapter 4 – The Aftermath
Lois let out a cry and Clark just watched as both men's bodies fell to the ground dead. Lois stared at Miles dead body on the ground before her and just couldn't bring herself to move. She heard Clark trying to free himself behind her and she turned to him.
"Clark!" She said as she rushed to him and helped pull the goon off of Clark's trapped legs. She held onto his bound hands and helped him stand up. She fumbled to untie his hands and soon found herself crying and not being able to stop.
"It's okay Lois," Clark said softly as she frantically pulled at the ropes around Clark's wrists. "Lois it's okay," Clark said again.
"I have to free you Clark," Lois said firmly as she pulled at the notes and finally started to feel them loosen. "I want you free of this," she said as she pulled on the knots and finally they came loose. "I can't let you go back in that thing," Lois said as she frantically pulled them away from his wrists and threw the rope to the ground before she wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him close. "I can't let Miles do that do you Clark," She cried.
"It's okay Lois I'm fine and he's dead," Clark said softly as he held her close. Clark winced a bit in pain from the bruises on his chest, but he wasn't about to tell her to stop. It felt so good to hold her again he didn't want the moment to end. But as he looked back down at the two dead men he knew they still had a few things to take care of.
"Are you okay?" He asked softly.
"I am now that you're really safe," She smiled up at him.
"We should call the police Lois," Clark said looking down at her.
"Yeah I guess so," Lois said as she regrettably pulled away from Clark's embrace. She reached into her purse, which was still strung around her shoulder and pulled out her cell phone. Clark went to check each of the dead men's pulse to make sure they really were dead, while Lois called the cops. Clark sighed as he looked at the two dead men before him. "I guess they lived up to their name of assassin," Clark mused as he noted the perfect shot each had taken at the other man and hit them dead in the heart, killing their man instantly.
"What about the stuff in the lab?" Lois asked. "Do you feel like walking back there?"
"You actually want to go back there?" Clark asked in surprise.
"Only if you do, She said.
"Well I would like to get my shoes and jacket," Clark said slowly. "By the way nice wig," he smiled as they started to walk back.
"Oh yeah," Lois said as she tore off the wig and dropped it onto Miles' body. "Donna died today also, thankfully," she smiled as she wrapped her arm around Clark's waist and they walked slowly back to the main area. "What about the other guys?" Lois asked.
"Well when Superman is better," he smiled, "he'll go back and make sure they are all taken care of." Clark stopped in his tracks as another realization struck him.
"What is it Clark?" Lois asked.
"Well I saw other men in other rooms. I wonder if they were the goons who chased or if they were other hitmen. Can we really go back and take the chance and find them if we are unarmed?" Clark asked.
"What else can we do?" Lois asked. "Wait down here?"
"We could head outside and wait for the cops."
"You have no shoes or jacket Clark. In your weakened condition you could freeze," Lois said softly.
"Well the cops should be here soon right?" Clark asked. "So hopefully by the time we get back up they'll be here," Clark said.
"Yeah hopefully," Lois sighed. "I just can't believe you had to endure all this Clark. And it was all my fault," Lois said sadly.
"What?" Clark asked in shock. "How in the world could it be your fault Lois?" Clark asked as they finally reached the main area.
Lois stared sadly at the cell Clark had spend the previous night in and then her eyes travelled to the means that kept him so helpless, the small box of Kryptonite. "If I hadn't started the stupid argument in the first place you would have been with me instead of in there," she said sadly.
Clark pulled her close and sighed. "I would have gone to see him anyways Lois. Always follow the lead right? You taught me that."
"Yeah too well," she interrupted.
"Anyway," he smiled, "it's because of you I'm even still alive. Alive and thankfully not having to live with the shame that Miles had planned for me. You save me Lois, you and you alone." Clark smiled as he gently kissed the top of her head.
"Yeah but the Kryptonite," she moaned, "it allowed them to hurt you so much." She said as she looked up at him and gently caressed his slowly healing face.
"Yeah but Lois you couldn't have stopped them even if you had been here," he said firmly, "and if you had revealed yourself earlier you would have only made things worse by probably getting hurt yourself. Then that would have been worse for me. The only thing had made me endure and helped me hang on was the fact that I knew you'd figure out a way to save me. Once you told me about their plans for Superman I knew you'd never let that die. I knew you'd help me. I knew it." Clark smiled.
"Then why did you have such a problem with the ring? I had to hide it for the cover," Lois said.
"Yeah I was just being stupid," Clark sighed. "Forgive me?"
"Yeah. Forgive me?"
"Nothing to forgive Lois," Clark said as he gently kissed her. "But as much as I'd like to stand here kissing you I'd really like you to dispose of that Kryptonite and then let us get out of here and continue this back at my place."
"Sounds good to me," Lois smiled as she went to retrieve the box with the Kryptonite in it. She picked it up and stared sadly at the cell that Clark was tied up in when she found him. Clark saw Lois standing by the cell and walked up behind her. "Lois?" He asked.
"I'm fine Clark. I just keep seeing the look on your face as Miles tied you up and then laughed at you. You should not have had to experience that Clark. Not you, not Superman," she said softly as she turned to him.
"Come on Lois stop beating yourself up over that. I endured what I did and now thanks to you I'm okay," he said firmly. "But we really should get upstairs."
Lois let Clark take her by the hand and lead her to the elevator. They both got in and waited in apprehension as it ascended slowly to the top floor. When the doors opened both reporters stood and waited for anyone to come and join them, but no one came.
"I guess those guys chasing us were the ones I saw in the rooms earlier," Clark said as they both got off and walked towards the lab. Lois walked up to the computer terminal that Miles showed her and pushed the button to turn it on. It came to life still showing the plans for the supposed down fall of Superman.
"Thank goodness this never came to fruition," Lois sighed as Clark came up to join her. "I mean even it you stopped the first one the second one or which ever one had the Kryptonite in it would have killed you for sure," she said.
"Yeah good thing," Clark said as he looked for a way to disarm it. "How do you turn this thing off?" Clark asked.
"Is there an abort code?" Lois asked.
"Not that I can see. What if this thing is set to go off anyways?" Clark asked in haste.
"I'm calling Jimmy. Maybe he can hack in and try to…"
"Lois look," Clark said loudly. Both looked in horror as the timer on the screen before them started to count down.
"Who started this?" Lois asked.
"I did," Rico smiled from behind. "Miss me Kent?" Rico laughed as he walked into the room with his gun drawn. "Why don't we watch the downfall of Superman together."
"Why Rico?" Clark asked. "What do you have to gain from this?"
"Oh nothing much but Miles legacy. And of course the half billion dollars he has hidden away," Rico smiled as he neared Clark. "You know I liked you better tied up," Rico laughed at Clark.
"Yeah well get used to disappointment," Clark said as he lunged at Rico. Clark slammed into Rico and both men fell to the floor, the gun still in Rico's hand. Rico hit Clark in the side of the head with the gun. Clark cried out a bit but managed to punch Rico in the side.
Lois meanwhile quickly called Jimmy and told him what was going on. "Can you hack in and stop this thing?" She asked in a panic.
"I'll try," Jimmy said as he started to type away on his computer in front of him.
Lois turned back to Clark who was still trying to wrestle the gun away from Rico. Rico hit Clark in the back with the butt end of the gun and Clark countered with a hit to his jaw. Rico brought the gun up under Clark's chest and was about to fire when Clark managed to bring his hand up between them and push the gun down.
BANG!
Lois screamed in horror as both Clark and Rico slumped to the ground.
"Clark!" Lois said as she rushed to him.
"Oh man," Clark groaned as he rolled of Rico's dead body.
"Oh man is right Clark," Lois said as she helped him stand up, "I thought he shot you."
"Yeah," Clark paused, "me too."
The both hurried back to the terminal to see it still counting down. "Jimmy?" Lois asked in haste.
"This ones a tricky one Lois. I'll take me a few more minutes," he said excitedly.
"You only have a few more minutes," Lois said.
"Can't Superman stop at least one of them?" Jimmy asked.
"No Superman is detained," Lois said looking at Clark.
"How in the world do you know that?" Jimmy smiled.
"Jimmy!" Lois spat.
"You're right I don't want to know," he said as he typed in a code sequence.
"Um Lois?" Clark said as the timer neared 60 seconds.
"60 seconds Jimmy. Hurry," Lois said.
"I'm trying," Jimmy said.
"30 seconds Jimmy."
"Yeah I can see that."
Both Lois and Clark watched in horror as the clock counted down in slow motion to zero. But Jimmy succeeded in stopping the clock with only 1 second to go.
"Whew," all three of them breathed in unison.
"Thanks Jimmy," Lois smiled. "Can you download that data and save it?"
"Yeah sure no problem," Jimmy said happily as he hung up.
"Well that was close," Clark said.
"Yeah too close," Lois sighed as she walked over to the camera set up. "I guess we should take these for evidence right?" She asked.
"Yeah," Clark said as he walked up to her, "burn the ones with me in them."
"Why Clark?"
"Like I'd want to re-live that again."
"I see," Lois said as she grabbed the tapes and stuffed them into a nearby duffel bag.
"Man we hit the mother load here," Clark mused as he put some files into the bag along with the tapes. "We'll sort through it all tomorrow," Clark said.
"Sounds like a plan partner," Lois smiled.
"I wonder where he got the Kryptonite anyways?" Clark asked.
"He told me he found it," Lois said.
"Found it?" Clark asked in surprise. "Where?"
"That he didn't tell me," She said.
"By the way how did you get him to forgo my execution when I was told to call for Superman?" Clark asked in surprise.
"It's a secret," Lois smiled.
"You're kidding right?" Clark asked in disbelief.
"Nope," Lois smiled.
"Are you seriously not going to tell me?"
She as about to answer then they heard the unmistakable sound of police sirens pull in front of the house. "Saved by the bell," Lois smiled. "Come on lets get your shoes and leave."
"Don't have to tell me twice," Clark said as he headed for the room he was in earlier. He entered the door and walked slowly up to the contraption that held him earlier. He stood and stared at it for what seemed like an eternity. Lois came into the doorway and stood in silence and watched Clark. Oh Clark I can't imagine what you're thinking about that thing right now. I can't even believe I had to see you in that she said sadly.
Clark sighed heavily as he went and got his shoes and jacket and turned to see Lois standing in the doorway. "I called Dr. Klein and told him to come and get the Kryptonite. He'll know how to take care of it," Lois smiled as Clark put on his shoes.
"Thanks Lois," Clark said.
"Are you okay?" She asked softly.
"I keep wondering what would have happened if the suit hadn't been tucked away, what he would have done then? I mean it was bad enough he hated Clark Kent, but what if he had known he also had Superman trapped here. And then all that talk about the servant," Clark sighed heavily as he paused, "I just don't know Superman would have lived with himself if Miles had actually been allowed to follow through?"
"I don't even want to picture you as Superman in that thing," Lois sighed as she heard footsteps rushing towards the door and trying to open it. "I guess we should let them in," she said as she walked to the door and opened it.
Henderson rushed in and looked from Lois and then to Clark. "Lane, Kent, care to explain your call?" He asked.
"Um yeah," Lois said.
"Wait for you outside," Clark said moving past her and stepping into the night air.
Clark put the bag down on the ground and leaned against a cement post while Lois told Henderson what happened. Clark studied the large fortress before him and was thankful he was now on the outside looking in, and not tied up at the same time, like when he arrived.
It still amazed him the hatred and anger Miles had for both him and Superman to be willing to make him suffer like that. But yet the man thought nothing of taking another life simply for money and training his brother to do the same. And when the system finally caught up with James Green and he was rightfully put in jail and sadly took his own life, he turned his blame not to himself but to a person just trying to uncover the truth.
Clark smiled as he watched Lois walk up to him and was thankful to be leaving. "Um how are we going to get home?" Clark asked.
"We could borrow Miles car?" Lois asked.
"Um borrow usually implies that we return the thing borrowed," Clark smiled.
"Okay so we'll take it and then tell Henderson where to find it," Lois said firmly as she turned and headed for Miles car.
"Do you even have the keys?" Clark asked.
"Has that ever stopped me before?" She asked.
"That's not the point Lois," Clark laughed as he watched her get in and hot-wire the car and it started.
"Are you coming or do you want to walk?"
"If I hitch-hiked do you think I'd get picked up?" Clark teased.
"Like that?" Lois asked. "Oh yeah."
"Funny," Clark said dryly as he got in the car and they headed back to his place.
They rode most of the way in silence each contemplating the events of the past few days and why they actually happened. They finally reached Clark's place and neither were so happy to be there in all their life. Clark grabbed the bag and headed up the stairs with Lois in tow.
"You want to come in for a bit?" Clark asked softly.
"Now that I have you back safe and sound I'm not letting you out of my sight mister," Lois said firmly with a smile.
"Even when I take a shower?" Clark teased.
Lois just blushed at his comment and felt herself go warm all over at the though of seeing Clark's wonderful body with nothing on but water and soap.
"Oh um…" Lois stammered as Clark let them in. He spied the messed up couch with the blanket and the movies on the floor beside them and tried to remember not picking them up before he left.
"I guess I forgot to clean up before I left," Clark sighed as he walked into the living room and headed for the couch.
"Oh I did that," Lois said with a smile.
"What? When?" Clark asked in surprise as he turned back to her.
"Last night when I slept here waiting for you to return," Lois said.
"You actually came here? How did you get in?" Clark asked.
"I um picked the lock," Lois said sheepishly.
"Lo-is," Clark sighed. "I thought I gave you a spare key."
"Yeah well I was in such a panic I left it at home," she sighed, "sorry."
"Don't be sorry. We can use that blanket and those movies tonight," He smiled as he hugged her close.
"I'd really like that," she smiled back. "But first you need a shower. You smell like rats."
"Gee thanks," Clark said dryly.
"You better call your mom," Lois said.
"Why?"
"Well I kinda called her and probably worried her about you being missing and all."
"You called my mom?" Clark asked in surprise.
"Um yeah," Lois said walking into Clark's kitchen. "I'll call for takeout."
Clark went to the phone and called his mom, after which Lois ordered some supper for them.
"Okay shower time," Clark said. "You'll have to wait, I'll have to do this the old fashioned way," Clark said with a grin.
"Oh man tough luck," Lois teased.
"Thanks Lois," Clark said dryly as he walked up the stairs to his bedroom and eventually his bathroom. Lois heard the shower turn on as she fished through the duffel bag and spied the tapes from Clark's capture. She put it into the VCR and not knowing what exactly to expect was shocked to see him enduring his torturous beatings. She felt tears coming to her eyes as she watched him standing before Miles and his men listening to their taunts and enduring their hits when he was first brought in by Miles. She heard Miles laughing as he pulled Clark up his hair and she felt her heart break all over again as he endured another beating in Miles private office. Lois was so caught up in watching she didn't hear Clark finish his shower and slowly make his way down the stairs. Lois looked up at Clark with a tear stained face and he rushed to the VCR and turned it off.
"Why Lois? Why torment yourself like that?" Clark asked sadly as he sat down on the couch beside her.
"Sorry. I really didn't know what you had to endure Clark," she said as she rested her head on his chest. They sat in silence until the delivery man came with their supper. They put on the movie and ate in silence. After supper Clark eased his sore body onto the couch and Lois spooned up beside him as they started to watch their second movie.
"I love you Lois," Clark whispered in her ear as he tenderly kissed her cheek.
"I love you Clark," Lois said as she hugged him close.
********
In no time they were both fast asleep in each other's arms until the sun of the early morning woke them up. Lois was the first to awaken and she slowly turned around to face Clark. He was still asleep with a peaceful look on his face as he breathed slow deep breaths that almost hypnotized her. Lois gently leaned in and kissed his now healed mouth. In fact as she looked at his face she noticed the bruises were now a distant memory. She carefully peeled herself away from her sleeping fiancé and covered him with the blanket. She grabbed the bag of stuff and headed for the door. She took one last look at Clark, sighed happily and left for her own place, where she could shower and start the day right.
********
Clark awoke with a strange feeling; he was not in bed. He looked down to find himself on the couch in his apartment, with no Lois beside him. He felt his face and chest and there were no bruises or sore marks left from the beating he had to endure. "Did I imagine it all?" He wondered as he slowly got up. "Am I really back to me?" He asked. "One way to find out." He said with a smile. And in about five seconds his place was cleaned. "I'm back." He smiled as he quickly changed and went to the patrol he missed the night before.
********
"I see Superman has been busy this morning," Perry said walking up to Lois's desk. "Did he take the night off or something?" Perry laughed.
"Even a super hero needs a night off Chief," Lois smiled.
"Yeah well were's Kent? He take the day off?" Perry asked.
"Oh Clark?" Lois asked. "He'll be here shortly. Just had to take care of a few things," she smiled.
"Okay." Perry said as he turned and walked away, just as Lois heard the familiar swoosh and turned around to see Clark coming out of the exit stairs with a smile on his handsome face.
"Good morning Lois," he smiled as he walked up to her desk and bent down to give her a kiss.
"Good morning sweetheart," she smiled as she kissed him back.
"Ah now that's how I like to start the day off," Clark said.
"Really? Because I thought you'd like to wake up in my arms," Lois said with a fake frown.
"Funny," Clark said sitting down beside her. "So what did you find in the files from last night?" Clark asked.
"All the evidence that not only confirms the exposé's you did on some of Miles men, but it gives detailed information about the ones you didn't have anything on. It'll all be covered in the story I have already started for us." Lois smiled.
"You already started it?" Clark asked in surprise as she handed him a mock copy.
"Yeah," Lois said. "Here tell me what you think."
Clark looked at the title of what would be tomorrow's cover story:
'A Darker Shade of Red' by Lois Lane and Clark Kent.
"Miles Rinaldi was a man driven on by one thing and one thing alone, vengeance. He was the mastermind behind a group of skilled assassins that included his younger half-brother, James Green. Among some of the assassins already exposed by Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent, Green was sentenced to life in prison. Sadly he took his own life in prison leaving a bitter taste of hatred in Rinaldi's mouth towards not only Clark Kent but Metropolis's resident hero Superman. Rinaldi blamed Clark Kent for the death of his brother while he blamed Superman for stopping his plan at world domination.
Red has often been called the color of hatred and anger. But Rinaldi's hatred for both Superman and Clark Kent was a 'darker shade of red', a shade so deep it eventually cost him his life in the end, as he was betrayed and murdered by his partner, Stuart Ryer."
Clark looked up at Lois and smiled. "Wow Lois that was one terrific start," He smiled.
"You think so?"
"Yeah it'll even make Superman want to read it," Clark teased.
"Very funny, She smiled. "And speaking of Superman, it was nice to see him back in action," She said as she leaned in close to him.
"Yeah tell me about it," Clark sighed, "because for a brief moment there I honestly never thought I'd fly again." Clark said softly as he leaned in close and took both her hands and held them in his. He looked down at the ring on her finger and brought it to his mouth and kissed it.
"You saved my life Lois," Clark said looking up at her, "how can I ever repay you?"
Lois looked into his kind eyes and smiled. "You can marry me."
With that she leaned in and kissed him tenderly on the mouth. Clark held her hands in his as he leaned in and kissed her back.
"I love you Lois, now and forever," Clark breathed.
"Now and forever Clark," Lois whispered back as they continued their kiss.
THE END
**Hope you all liked my first attempt.**
