AN: Here it is. Chapter 2. I needed to get everybody to Gotham as quickly as I could so here goes.
Lex sat quietly in first class sipping a glass of bourbon. His private jet had been damaged the week before flying through a thunderstorm. 'Another adventure' he smiled to himself. Lex noticed a blonde stewardess. He quickly wrote her a note and slipped it into her hand as she walked by. She looked at him with surprise and then read the note. She gave Lex a seductive smile and then headed for the bathroom. 'Its not like my wife will find out.' Lex stood and casually headed to the bathroom.
Lois had a headache, no make that a migraine. She sighed as she stared at her computer screen. Every time, every trial, the Planet put out a special edition covering the entire proceedings of the Luthor case, whichever one that would be. Though she knew that the Planet was one of the only things in Metropolis that Lex Luthor had been unable to buy, she still found it very annoying that she had to type BORING recaps of the same story with some minor plot changes. Lex is implicated in something bad, witnesses change their statements, evidence vanishes, Lex is acquitted of all charges. Her phone rang. "Lois Lane, who is this?" She sighed... 'Not now I'm busy' "Oh hi Greg. Yeah how are you. Yeah I'm sorry I haven't called you back." Whatever Greg had said on the other end pissed Lois off. "You know what I HAVE been avoiding you. Whatever Greg. No I don't wanna discuss it in person. Thats not a nice thing to say Greg. Ok yeah well it was nice not dating you and I think I'll keep doing that." She slammed the phone down.
"You did NOT just do it again Lois." Chloe walked up carrying her revised article and a big smile. Lois wanted to punch her.
"Chloe he was a balding thirty year old para-legal with bad breath and an 'I dream of Jeanie' obsession. In fact how do you keep setting me up with guys like this?"
"Hey but he was a nice guy and would have treated you right Lois. Why do you keep sabotaging every relationship you've been in since... pretty much since six years ago today!"
"Today?" Lois looked at her calender and her headache got worse. It was six years since the farmboy had walked out of their lives. "I can't believe he's been gone six years. Not one call, not one letter, not one visit. His mother hears from him maybe twice a year did you know that?" Chloe nodded.
"Well the good news is he's back in this part of the world." She tossed Lois the article.
"Columbia? When did he leave the Balkans? Three Kings of Coke huh? He must have pissed some powerful people off to get this news. I hope he knows what he's doing." Just then Perry White ran across the news room shouting.
"Breaking news! Raul Salvatore, the last of the Three Kings of Coke has just been captured by the CIA in Columbia! Sullivan I need that article now!" Lois just looked at Chloe.
"Weird huh?" Chloe shrugged and grabbed the article. "I'll be right back cuz. Have that done when I get back so we can go get lunch." Lois smiled and nodded at Chloe. How many times had stuff like that happened in places Clark had been to recently. She had lost count. 'Ok Lane finish this up!'
Clark sat quietly in a café with internet access in Paraguay. He was browsing various news sites. From the look of things he had done a good job quieting down the rest of the world but he had been neglecting the United States. The mob was having a renaissance of sorts. An organization known as intergang was reported to have presence in all the major cities of the US. Clark shook his head. This just won't do. 'Maybe its time to go home after all.' Clark had left his farm that day and he just started running. He ran straight to Canada before he stopped. That day was the last time he was in his home country. A headline snapped him to attention. It was three months old but he hadn't had time to check the news for about six months so it was news to him. Gotham attacked by fear inducing chemical weapon. From the look of things it was a narrow escape for the city. The bomb almost reached the central point in the city to trigger a city wide reaction causing massive rioting. Clark didn't understand the next part. It said the bomb was stopped by Police officer James Gordon and a vigilante known only as the Batman. 'Maybe its time I saw Gotham.' Clark packed up his stuff and walked into an alleyway outside. A few scraps of newspaper blew away as he took off.
The noise of the city street surrounded Lois and Chloe. They were sitting at an outdoor café drinking coffee. "Lois thats boyfriend number five on the year and its only been six months since New Year's."
"I know Chloe. You don't have to remind me. Tell me again why you are keeping track?"
"Because for some reason you can't get over a guy you didn't even like from six years ago and you keep sabotaging your relationships in the present."
"Ok Chloe. Well there is something I didn't tell you. When Clark left he kissed me and I realized maybe I did care about him a little bit."
"He kissed you? My cousin!"
"See this is why I didn't tell you about it."
"Okay Lois I can see that bugging me in the past but I've had six years to get over the crush I had on the guy."
"Well his kiss told me something that I've never felt from another guy Chloe. I'm just waiting until I feel that again."
"Lois Clark might never come back!"
"Well I'm not giving up hope yet okay." Chloe's phone rang.
"Hi Perry... Perry you promised! Uh huh... Okay deal. But we get a whole month off when we get back and we can go somewhere." Lois sighed.
"What's our assignment Chloe."
"Perry wants us to go cover the business deal going down in Gotham this week. Lex Luthor vs. Bruce Wayne. The two most powerful CEOs in the nation going head to head. Should be fun."
"Lets go pack then." The two women got up and headed home.
Lex stepped off the jet way and scanned the crowd for who he was looking for. Then he saw his quarry, tall, wearing a nice suit, dark hair combed nicely. Bruce Wayne.
"Lex, glad you could make it. Follow me and I'll show you to your limo, which will take you to your hotel."
"You know Bruce you didn't have to meet me here."
"Aww c'mon Lex. What kind of host would I be if I just let you fend for yourself." He smiled and motioned for Lex to follow him.
Clark landed amongst some tall dark buildings. He looked around. 'So this is Gotham City.' All around him the architecture spoke of its unique style found only in Gotham. Arches and spires were a common theme. Most of the buildings had been constructed of a dark black stone that was mined not far from the city. Clark stepped out of the alley he landed in and began to walk down the street. It was night in Gotham and Clark could tell he was not in a nice area of the city. From across the street a woman shouted "Hey honey, lookin' for a good time." Clark kept walking. "Hey kid what you looking for down here." somebody shouted. "Yeah keep walkin' white boy." Came another. Clark just smirked. So many people down on their luck trying to act like a tough guy. Clark passed another narrow alley way when somebody grabbed him and yanked him into the darkness.
"Its your bad day kid. I been workin' this neighborhood for years and I can spot a small-towner from anywhere." Clark looked up and saw a knife being pointed right at his face. "Give me your money kid and I'll only cut you a little." A dirty thug was holding the knife and Clark could tell he wasn't joking. Clark ignored him and stood up. "Whoah man no fast moves!" His assailant was getting agitated.
"Look man, get out of my way. I don't wanna hurt you, I'm just trying to find a place to spend the night." Clark said.
"Thats it wise guy I warned you!" The thug stabbed Clark right in the chest. His eyes went wide as he watched his knife shatter.
"You ass that was a new shirt!" Clark said. In one swift motion Clark punched the guy right between the eyes and knocked him out cold. "Lucky I don't know where the cops are in this city yet pal." Clark said as he exited the alleyway and crossed a bridge that seemed to divide the seedy area from a much nicer looking one.
