Chp 23 - Dealt
-- Metropolis, October 2010 --
"So who is this Intergang boss Bobby was talking about?" Clark asked.
Lois was in her usual position, perched on the corner of his desk holding a notepad, as they discussed their next moves.
She removed the pencil from her mouth to respond. "No one knows. Intergang is a highly organized outfit that has been tied to a number of major crimes over the past 3 years. The profilers think that there is one guy at the top calling the shots, but no one has been able to figure out who it is. It's my theory that it's someone in big business who has unlimited contacts, in both underground and legit circles."
"Any ideas on who it could be?" Clark asked.
"No- Before my surprise all-expense paid vacation to the equator, I was working on breaking Intergang's cover. At first I thought it could be Luthor."
"Lex?" Clark asked. "And you don't think its him, now?"
"No. He's been doing a whole lot of publicity spin lately, so I think that the rumors about his potential presidential run are true. Any connection to Intergang would kill that aspiration instantly. The stuff Intergang gets into wouldn't fit any purpose for Lex… and he doesn't do anything that doesn't give a payout." Lois arched an eyebrow. "Did you know that he claims not to have ever heard of Smallville?"
"He doesn't?"
"No. I brought it up at an interview once, and he acted as if he had no clue what I was talking about. The thing is, I'm almost convinced that he believes it. When I checked the records, there is nothing that supports his ever having been there. Nothing, that is, but the memories of the people who live there."
"That doesn't make any sense," Clark said, puzzled. "If a whole town can vouch for the story, why would anyone believe otherwise?"
Lois gave him a patronizing pat on the cheek. "The town in question is Smallville. You know the place where green rocks turn people into run-of-the-mill freaks." She leaned closer, mockingly glancing around as if she had a secret to tell.
"And aliens live among humans with no one the wiser," she whispered. Her lips curled as she sat back. "To anyone not from there, it's kinda hard to believe."
Clark smiled. "You're not from there… what do you think about all that alien and freak talk?"
"What do I think?" Lois asked playfully. "I think it takes a personal encounter."
Clark leaned back in his chair. "A personal encounter?"
"Yeah." Lois shifted her expression to mock seriousness. "Like being dropped on your head by said alien."
"You're never going to let that go, are you?"
"I don't know. Ask me tomorrow," she sighed as she raised her arms to stretch.
Clark pulled his attention away from her arching figure. "Uh, so, do you think Lex has a chance?"
"I think he has a really good chance. And that scares me. Hopefully, we'll figure out what he's hiding before it gets close."
Clark smiled. He hadn't missed the fact that Lois was talking about future investigations… by the both of them.
"Hey, Lois, CK," Jimmy called as he approached Clark's desk. "A courier just dropped this package off for you guys."
Lois took it and ripped open the large envelope. She pulled out a folder and began flipping through the pages inside of it. "Thanks, Jim."
She pulled out a sheet and handed the rest to Clark. "Before you disappear, see what you can find on these specs," she told Jimmy, while pointing to something on the sheet.
"Sure!" Jimmy grinned, and reached for the paper, eager to please her. When he caught Clark's amused expression, he blushed. "I mean, I'm on it. Right away."
As Jimmy left, Lois turned to Clark with an arched eyebrow. "What was that little man-thing you two just did?"
Clark laughed. "He has a crush on you."
"Jimmy? No he doesn't. He's like my kid brother."
Clark returned his attention to the folder in his hands. "I bet you used to say the same thing about me…"
She fixed the top of his head with a glare. "Careful, Kent. You can be replaced." She pulled the folder out of his hands. "Finished with that?"
"Yep," he answered, unfazed.
"Show-off," Lois muttered, realizing that he'd sped read it.
"Just doing my job, ma'am." Clark grinned. "So we've got Jimmy running the specs that S.T.A.R. Labs got off the gun… what do we do while we wait?"
Lois smiled. "We go see a man about a gun."
"Thanks Jimmy," Lois said into her cell phone as Clark pulled the car into a parking spot outside of Snake's Pawn and Shop. "How soon do you think you can run a cross-reference on the stuff you found against Intergang and any big business guy you can think of."
She paused as she listened for a moment. "Tomorrow? No sooner? Okay, fax whatever you get done tonight to the house. Thanks again. Bye."
Flipping the phone closed, she turned to Clark. "Jimmy says that the ballistics on that piece we found matched some cold cases in the MPD database. We'll see if anything turns up… in the meantime, this guy, Snake, usually has seen a little bit of everything. Hopefully, he'll help point us in the right direction."
Snake represented exactly the image that would come to mind for a pawnshop owner. Stocky with a beer belly, a patch covered his left eye, and his too-tight collared shirt was accessorized by five thick gold chains. When the bell on the door alerted him to his visitors, Snake looked up and greeted them with a wry smile.
"Lane, I thought our business was squared away. What brings you to my humble establishment? I can give you top dollar on that ring you've got there."
Lois smirked as she shot a glance at Clark. "I'll keep that in mind. Listen, I was hoping that you would be able to answer some questions for us."
She placed one of the printouts given to them from STAR labs on the counter in front of him. The sheet held a description of the weapon as well as a photo, highlighting its definitive characteristics.
Snake looked at paper. "Can't help you."
"Oh, I think you can," Lois insisted. "See, MPD is at a standstill as far as these things are concerned, so I'm sure they'll be ecstatic when they find out that my sources say that a few of these guns have come through here. MPD would run with that- pull your record, investigate your clients, search your shop… what do you think?"
Snake thought about that for a moment, before taking another look at the paper. "Yeah," he admitted, grudgingly. "I've seen some like that before."
Lois smiled. "Where do they come from?"
"How do I know where they're from? I work in a barter business. Things come in, things go out." Snake gestured at the items in the store. "Could be some guys off the street for all I know."
"Uncle Sam requires that you keep records of all transactions for weaponry. You know that as well as I do, Snake. "She tapped the counter. "I don't suppose you could pull out your records box and get a name for me…" Lois knew from previous experience that Snake kept gun records separate from his other business filings.
Snake's gaze flicked from Lois to Clark. Spitting a sunflower seed shell into a paper up, he snorted, and bent down to retrieve a black lock box from under the counter. Flipping through the contents, he pulled out a card and began copying the information onto a blank sheet of paper.
"I could show you a nice Beretta, if you're looking. Why are you so interested in this type of machinery anyway?" Snake asked, handing the paper to her.
Lois glanced at it and arched an eyebrow. "Because someone is smuggling guns like this one into Africa, and I plan on putting a stop to it."
Clark stiffened at the announcement. Even knowing before hand that she was planning on using that revelation didn't lessen his anxiety about it. He noticed Snake's subtle reaction to her declaration as well.
"I see," Snake said. "Well, good luck with that."
Lois pulled Clark toward the door. "Thanks for the help."
They exited the store and walked toward the car. When they were inside, she turned to Clark. "What's he doing?"
Clark's eyes were unfocused as he concentrated on listening to what was happening inside the shop. "He's… on the phone. It must be a direct line because I only head him press one button."
"What is he saying?"
"He just said, 'Lane just left,' and hung up."
Lois sighed as she turned the key to start the ignition. "Okay. Now it's their move."
tbc
