Author's Notes: Thanks again to MadDogLane for helping me with the changes I made until now. She's a great beta-reader! Her advice and suggestions have been invaluable. And thanks for all the feedback.

CHAPTER 7

Lois and Clark walked next to Vincent, who took a file which was on the table. The other guys in the room were just watching them.

"Here" he said to Lois, giving her the file.

"What is this?" she asked, confused.

"Your mission" he answered.

When Lois opened it, she saw some pictures. Clark approached to see what it was, and he saw pictures of a man not much older than himself in front of various restaurants and hotels. The man probably didn't know he was being photographed and he was a man Clark had never seen before. But Lois knew who he was.

"Bruce Wayne?" she asked, trying not to show surprise.

Vincent smiled.

"When Uncle Vitto said you were the best for the job, we decided to call you" he explained.

Lois and Clark faced each other. They finally knew what it was about.

"The good news is that there's no need for it to look like an accident" he continued. "He doesn't have any idea who wants his head"

"So, my mission is--" Lois stuttered.

"And who else we would have called for the job?" Vincent said, laughing.

Suddenly, he stopped laughing and examined her.

"Why aren't you armed?" he asked.

Lois smiled, nervously.

"Why should I be armed?" she asked.

Clark faced her, nervous. Perhaps it hadn't been a good answer, he thought.

But Vincent laughed. And with him, all the other gangsters.

Confused, Lois looked at Clark. Are those guys really so stupid? They were just two kids, and those criminals were thinking they were professional killers? Was this a joke, or what?

"You know what?" Vincent asked, still laughing. "When I heard you were the only one to do the job, I almost didn't believe it. 'Oh my God', I thought, 'I'll finally meet the famous Duchess!' But I didn't imagine you were so young--"

Lois smiled.

"Life is full of surprises!" she said.

"Your're right" he agreed. He stopped smiling, while he followed them to the door. "And maybe later, when you finish your job in Gotham and come back for your payment, we could go out for a dinner or something like that. What do you think?"

Lois smiled, facing Clark, who just shook his head. He couldn't believe this was happening. The entire situation was like a joke.

"Who knows?" she answered.

Clark watched them, carefully. He only hoped Vincent didn't touch Lois, or she would react and the situation could be really complicated. Especially for Vincent.

Suddenly, the gangster looked at Clark.

"Are you--?" he asked.

And before he finished the sentence, Lois answered, with an embarrassed smile:

"No way!"

And Vincent smiled back, satisfied.

"Good" he said. "So, don't forget, when you come back, we're going to dinner in the best Italian restaurant in Metropolis! My uncle's!" he smiled.

Then, Vincent gestured to his accomplices to take the heavy box away from the door.

"Just one more thing" he said, before Lois and Clark went out.

He took back the Bruce Wayne file from Lois' hands.

"No proof" he said, smiling.

She also smiled, and while Clark give her a look to get out of there, she asked:

"May I ask you something?"

"Sure" Vincent answered.

"Who wants Bruce Wayne's head?"

Vincent wasn't smiling anymore, and just when Clark thought he had finally discovered they weren't who he thought they were, the disgusting guy smiled again:

"You're very funny!" he said.

Lois and Clark smiled, nervous.

"In this job, only the victims have names" he explained. "But you know that. And here in Metropolis, your contacts are me and my Uncle Vitto. That's all you need to know"

"Sure" she said. "You're right. I was only wondering who is the person--"

"Don't worry, babe. Besides, you're not paid to think" he interrupted abruptly.

Lois wrinkled her forehead. She didn't like that comment, even though she wasn't the person he thought she was. But before she could say anything else, Clark touched her arm, and pulled her gently out the door. She shook her head, and accepted his suggestion.

"And remember--" Vincent said from the door when Lois and Clark were almost out of the alley.

They stopped walking and turned over to see him.

"You have a month" he said sternly.

Lois didn't say anything, and she and Clark walked away.

TBC