Chp 26 – Flight



-- Somewhere Over Metropolis – October 2010 --

"Mrs. Lane, we were having such a good time while you were on sabbatical. I was actually starting to enjoy reading the news."

Lois glared at the man seated across from her in the helicopter. Bill Church, Sr. sat smiling at her pleasantly, while two men on either side of her pressed guns into her ribs.

"I knew it was you."

Church laughed conceitedly. "I'm glad. You know, I was getting a little tired of everyone else getting all the credit."

He crossed his legs at the ankle and flicked the ash from his cigar out the open sides of the vehicle.

"If I'd had any idea that you were the one who met my shipment in the Congo, I might have ended your trip a little earlier. I'm happy it turned out this way, though, because now you and I can work together."

"Work together?" she asked, dubiously.

"Yes. You see, even though I was quite thrilled to have you in on our little secret, it's not really something that everybody needs to know, don't you think? I could use your… influence… inside the Planet to keep information on a need to know basis. It is the World's Greatest Newspaper, after all. What you do, others will follow."

Lois lifted her head, jutting her chin out in an expression of defiance. "I'll never work for you, Church."

Church put on a face of disappointment. "You were quite clever to hide him in Smallville, but you didn't really think we wouldn't track him down, did you?"

Lois eyes widened as the lackey on her right placed a picture of Cole on her lap.

Church seemed to be pleased with her reaction. "As I always say, a mother's love is exploitable. You scratch my back… and we won't have to scratch his."

Lois looked up from the picture with a firm expression. "You've underestimated one thing about mothers in all of this, Church."

He smirked and looked on with interest. "Really? What is that?"

With a quick movement, Lois had twisted the gun out of one of the lackey's hands, and was standing at the side of the helicopter, with her back to the open door. "A mother's willingness to sacrifice her life for her child's safety."

Out of the corner of her eye, Lois saw the second lackey point his gun toward her and thumb off the weapon's safety. Her eyes bulged- she hadn't counted on them actually firing.

"Don't shoot, you'll get us all killed!" Church yelled.

But it was too late, the man had already started pulling the trigger.

With a scream, Lois tumbled backwards out of the helicopter, squeezing off a few rounds as she did so. One of her bullets hit the fuel tank, and the copter's tail swung sideways and dipped, while the pilot fought to keep control of the machine.

She was falling so fast that she struggled as she fought to flip the safety back on and tuck the gun into her waistband.

She mentally laughed at the irony. Here she was plummeting to certain death, and she was worried about a gun falling from the sky and injuring someone.

This is the one time I wish a bullet had actually hit me, she snarked to herself. Anything was better than this. At least they won't be getting too far, she comforted herself, as the helicopter faltered in the sky and dipped lower. The General would be proud of her marksmanship.

She closed her eyes and waited for the ground to arrive.

Her eyes snapped open when she felt her rapid descent halt. She was wrapped in a pair of strong arms.

"Going down?"

Lois blinked deliriously. The light from the sun blinded her and caused the face of her angel to be hidden in shadows.

He had to be an angel- he was taking her to heaven right? Her thoughts spun in her mind. Wait a minute- Didn't he say 'going down'? Wrong kind of angel!


"Lois?" Clark gazed at her in concern. A myriad of expressions were crossing her face, but she had yet to respond audibly. "Lois?"

They were nearing the ground, and Clark could see the gathering vehicles on the tarmac. It was a good thing the helicopter hadn't gotten too far from the airport. Thinking of the copter, Clark located it in the sky with his gaze. Even trailing fuel, the pilot was attempting to fly away from the area.

He had some bad guys to catch.

He landed, and gently set Lois on her feet in front of a dazed paramedic.

"I think she's suffering from shock," he told the man.

The paramedic continued to stare at him with his mouth gaping open. Clark wondered if the man was suffering from the same malaise.

"Hey!" he yelled, snapping his fingers in front of the man's face. "She needs help."

The man shook his head to clear his mind and accepted Lois's shoulders as Clark leaned her toward him. "Uh, yes. Okay, thanks."

A group of people, made up of police, bystanders, and newly arriving reporters began crowding around. The police, after overcoming their own shock, fought to keep the crowd a respectable distance away from the ambulance. They needed to analyze the potential threat of the situation before allowing civilian interaction.

Questions were being shouted, but only one was heard clearly above the rest. "Who are you?"

Clark turned to face them with a chiseled expression. "A friend."

He took one last look at the paramedic and Lois, and nodded. Raising one arm above his head, he bent his knees and launched into the air.


Lois shook off the blanket that had been draped over her shoulders and jumped from the back of the ambulance. Aside for a few minor scrapes, she had been given a clean bill of health.

Around her, everyone's eyes were trained to the sky, watching the blue-clad figure pull the flailing chopper to the ground.

Lois made her way to a familiar car. "Excuse me!" she called, getting the attention of the undercover agent that had been tailing them.

"I guess I have you to thank for the fireworks," she said. When his eyebrows creased in confusion, she laughed. "For calling for backup…Agent Scardino, right?"

A wide grin broke across his face. "You knew?"

She nodded.

"The whole time?" he asked in wonder.

She nodded again, and held out a hand. "I guess it's time we met face-to-face, Scardino. I'm Lois Lane."

The agent accepted her hand and squeezed it lightly as they shook. "Call me Dan. Please."

"It's the shirts isn't it?" he asked, lifting one side of his Hawaiian shirt. "I need blousy shirts to cover the gun, but these seemed to work better in Miami." He shot her another grin.

Lois smirked. "I'm more of a plaid type."

"Plaid? I wouldn't have guessed that."

She shrugged and fought the wind for control of her hair. "I'm really glad you were at the park today. If you hadn't seen those goons come after me…"

"Hey- you're welcome. But it's that guy over there who pulled you out of the sky." Dan pointed to the caped figure helping the police restrain the helicopter's passengers. "That was amazing. I've never seen anything like that in my life."

"Yeah," Lois agreed, a slight smile on her lips as she watched the scene as well. "He's… super."

Three agents in dark suits and trench coats exited a dark sedan and ran over to where they were standing. As they approached, Scardino straightened.

"Scardino!" Agent Grayson barked as he neared, flanked by Cortez and Richards.

"Sir," Dan acknowledged. "Our guys are apprehending the parties in question as we speak."

Grayson turned to face Lois. "Is there anything you need?"

Lois turned her head toward the grounded chopper. "Just my husband," she said softly.


Clark's head snapped up as he heard the quiet admission. He had been trying to stay attuned to Lois since he had handed her over to be treated. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that she was looking at him with a half-smile on her lips. Fighting to keep his expression blank, he turned back to the helicopter. Seeing that the authorities had everything under control, he gave a curt nod.

"Gentlemen, Ladies," he saluted, lifting into the air.

Once again, every eye followed as he rose. They watched as he shifted positions in mid-air and sped out of sight, leaving a sonic boom in his wake.


Clark adjusted his tie as he jogged onto the tarmac. "Lois!" he called.

Lois turned at the sound of her name, and smiled. Leaving the group of agents, she ran toward him.

When they collided, Clark wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her from the ground. With her arms wrapped around his neck, Lois caught his lips with hers.

"I got here as fast as I could," he mumbled into her neck, as the kiss moved into a tight hug.

"You're timing was perfect."

He lowered her to the ground.

"You can fly…" she muttered under her breath.

Clark glanced at the waiting agents, standing a few yards away. "It's a long story."

Lois snaked a finger between the buttons on his shirt. "Spandex?"

Clark caught her hand. "Hey, it takes a real man to wear tights!" Gazing in her eyes, he placed a hand on the side of her face, rubbing her cheek with his thumb. "God, Lois. I'm so glad that you're okay."

She reached up and covered his hand with her own. "Me too."

Clark leaned in for another kiss and they walked to the agents arm in arm.



tbc