CHAPTER 2
Metrópolis, Suicide Slum
Minutes later...
Lois parked her car next to an alley not too far from Hob's Bay. Because she had never been there before, she looked worried. She knew the fame of Suicide Slum. Everybody knew. It was the most dangerous neighborhood of the City of Tomorrow.
"I can't believe this. You must be crazy, Lois!" she said to herself.
Suddenly, she heard two people talking in front of a bar next of the alley.
"What about my money?" one of them asked to another.
"I don't have it!" the other guy answered.
"Definitely, this is not for me!" she said, going back to her car, when she finally saw the abandoned building two blocks away.
Lois smiled. She was in the right place. The Ace O' Clubs could be not so far from where she was. An anxiety possessed her. Something stronger than her was pushing her to advance. Thoughtfully, she looked at her car, then at her watch and finally at the abandoned building. Lois took out her cell phone and tried again to call to her cousin. It was still without a signal. But she believed Chloe may have already read the note she left on her desk. So, she took a deep breath and decided to go inside.
First of all, she checked to see if the two men were still there. They weren't. Then, Lois walked down the street, as fast as she could, crossing with bad looking guys and some hookers. And when she finally saw The Ace O' Clubs, she smiled triumphantly.
"Not too bad" she whispered to herself.
Lois looked around and then she saw the abandoned building. There it was. The same one she had seen two blocks behind. It was as tall as she imagined with its five floors and no windows. It was in pieces and in danger of collapsing.
It must be that one, she thought, running in its direction. With a small push, Lois broke the lateral's humidified wooden door. It was not completely dark inside, because it was still daylight.
The place was in ruins, and as Lois looked around, and she didn't see anything, except the gratings of an old elevator and a declining stairwell. She crossed her arms, as if it was cold, but it wasn't. The place was scary. Even for Lois.
Suddenly, she heard a big racket. It was the elevator. Lois approached and saw that the elevator was coming down noisily. She imagined that the person who made the call was already in the terrace and sent the elevator for her. When the elevator stopped, Lois opened its grating and looked up to the top. But there wasn't anything to be seen from where she was. And there wasn't any other way, except to go up. Lois entered in the elevator, and breathed deeply as she pressed the button to the last floor.
Smallville, Kent Farm
Meanwhile...
"Chloe!" Martha said after picking up the phone.
Clark was sitting next her, at the kitchen table.
"Oh, yes. He's right here" she said looking at her son. "It's for you, Clark"
"Chloe?" he asked, surprised. "How're you doing?"
"I need your help, Clark" she said, holding Lois' note. "I think Lois is in danger"
Clark looked at to his mother eyes and Martha immediately perceived that there was something wrong.
Metropolis, Daily Planet
Seconds later...
"She left this note" Chloe said, showing it to Clark.
"I went to meet your contact to find out something about Lex. Call you later, Lois" he read.
Chloe watched him.
"Do you have a contact with information about Lex?" he asked.
"No way" she answered. "And that's the problem"
"Is Lois nuts or what?" he asked, examining both sides of the note. "She didn't even leave any address!"
"And her cell phone is out of area" Chloe completed.
"How long has it been since she left?" he asked.
"I don't know. But the security guard said she tried to use the elevators thirty minutes ago" she said.
Chloe was very worried when she finally smiled.
"How could I forget?"
"What?" he asked confused, while Chloe went to the computer.
"Lois' vehicle has GPS Tracker" she answered, checking it in the computer.
"Suicide Slum?" he asked when appeared in the monitor the tracking result. "Isn't that the violent neighborhood next to Hob's Bay?"
"I have a bad feeling about this" Chloe said.
And Clark had a bad feeling too. Because he knew more than anyone else that anything related to Lex could mean danger.
TBC