LoisNClark4Ever and imhooked: Thanks for your kind reviews.
Chapter 3:
Her relationship with her father was anything but peaceful: the death of her mother managed to distance them, and their relationship father and daughter transformed into a military chain of command where one soldier had to report to his superior but soon she developed a problem with authority.
A teenage rebellion was transformed into a clash of titans between the two Lanes which pull them even further: runaways, smoking, yellings among others and in spite of everything, there was still, at least, one thing they had for each other: respect.
And because of that, she remembered his last words form their last encounter:
"…Stay away from him. This is my final warning."
The teenage rebellion phase was long gone and they managed to surpass some difficulties but her father's words left her unease but also curious.
They barely spoke each other but when they did, it was anything but small talk: this time, it was like others, it had a purpose and he made it clear.
If there is a common aspect in journalism's world, it's curiosity. Being a reporter, Lois soon tried an entrance at the Pentagon using her contacts but she had to be creative: followed, almost by the minute, a sort of "Big Brother" followed her everywhere and so she had to somehow, lost those who followed her.
Using a device to scramble the sign of her cell phone, she managed to get a clear pass to the Pentagon from one of her trustful contacts who owned her a favour: all of she had to do was to get rid of the "Big Brother", even for a few hours.
Her first step was to get an excuse to get out of Metropolis without raising any sort of suspicions. Currently working on an illegal immigration story with fake ID and others, gave her not only the perfect excuse to get out of Metropolis but also the means to get a ticket plane with other identity.
Still she had to somehow, disappear from the "Big Brother". Nevertheless, she had to get some help and there was only one person she could trust.
Just when he was passing by her, she called him.
"Hey Jimmy…" – he stopped and looked at her.
"Yeah, Lois?"
"Could you do me a favour?" – She asked with eyes wide open, eager to his favourable reply.
"Another one?" – Her expression shifted from expectation to annoyance.
" Fine! I'll do it." - Seeing her annoyance, Jimmy submitted to her request. – "What is it?"
Her expression again changed, now showing a discreet smile. – "I need you to go to this address and pick up my package."
"Ok, I'll pick up in a couple of hours…"
"Jimmy…"- she interrupted and he stared at her. – "A.S.A.P" – she replied.
"You mean, like now?" – He inquired, surprised by her sudden demand.
"Yeah…"
"What about Karen Castle?" – He asked while looking at the editor's office.
"Don't worry. I'll think of something."- She quickly answered. – "Go!" – She told Jimmy while watching him so undecided.
Resigned, Jimmy let the floor, looking at the address where he would pick up Lois's package.
Anxiously she waited for Jimmy's return and managed to make an excuse to the chief editor, Karen Castle, about Jimmy's sudden absence. Minutes became hours and while she waited for Jimmy, she thought of a strategy to lose those who were watching her. From a window, she knew the cars standing there on the street all day, only to leave when she left her work.
She went to the Daily Planet's garage where she used to park her car to see if she could find any sort of a location device on her car: She had to outsmart them if she wanted to escape them. After a few minutes of careful examination, she finally found the tracking device. She decided to wait for the perfect opportunity to dismiss it.
When she arrived to her working floor, Jimmy was standing there, next to her working desk, looking around, probably searching for her.
She ran to him as soon as she saw Jimmy holding an envelope.
"Is that for me?" – She asked, hopeful.
"Yeah…what is this all about?" – Jimmy asked, curious.
She opened the envelope and saw a fake I.D with her photo. – "Following a lead for a big story, Jimmy." - She raised an eyebrow, smiling to Jimmy.
Immediately, she began using the same phone she used to call to her contact at the Pentagon; fortunately, she was successful in getting a plane ticket in the same day to Washington D.C, thanks to a drop out, under the fake I.D she arranged, making a reservation in a three star hotel under the same name of the fake I.D.
After all arranged, she still needed help and again she had only one person she could trust.
She approached Jimmy, who was selecting a photo to the next edition's front page.
"I need you to take me to the airport."
"What? Other favour? Castle is going to chop my head off!"
"Don't worry about it. Besides, I'll let you drive." – She began waving the keys of her car in front of him.
They exited the parking lot and headed for the airport. While Jimmy was driving the car, from time to time, Lois looked through the mirror from time to time and clearly she was being followed: they kept their distance, having a few cars between them.
At the beginning of the Avenue of Tomorrow, the biggest avenue of Metropolis, they stopped at red sign. On the first row of the traffic, she looked at her side and saw a sport/convertible car and the man who was driving it.
"Like the view?" – The confident man asked, amused.
"Hardly…I was looking at the car." – She raised an eyebrow, completed unimpressed but looking at the car, it gave her an idea.
"There's more power than just the car, baby."- The man persisted.
"Ok, let's race it until the end of the avenue: if I win, I'll take the car but if I lose, we'll go on a date."
"You can already tell me where and when I'll pick you up."
"On green light…" – Lois replied.
Jimmy grabbed Lois's arm. – "Are you crazy? For him, it's going to be an easy win…"
"Don't worry Jimmy because I won't…Just focus on the wheel and step on the accelerator… on green light…"
When the green light was on, both cars were on maximum acceleration, easily leaving the traffic behind: Lois look behind and saw the cars which were chasing her, stuck in traffic and then she looked at her side and saw the sport/convertible car taking the advantage.
She looked at her right hand, holding the tracking device and with a successful throw, the tracking device was now in the seat of the sport/convertible car which now was taking a good advantage.
"Turn right , turn right!"- Lois shouted.
"WHAT?" – Jimmy asked confused.
"RIGHT! NOW!" – Lois grabbed the wheel and forced Jimmy turned left on the intersection.
"STEP ON IT!" – Lois demanded, realizing Jimmy was slowing down. She looked behind, hoping the cars which were chasing her, would follow the sport/convertible car: finally after a few moments, her objective was successful as she saw those cars not turning in her direction, following the sport/convertible car.
Sensing the relief of Lois, Jimmy suddenly stopped the car. – "What's happening Lois?"
Looking at his face, Lois knew that she was asking too much to Jimmy without any sort of explanation but she also knew, the less he knew, the better.
She paused for a few moments before she gave a plausible explanation. – "Listen Jimmy, I'm following a big story: I mean, this could be the next Watergate. That's my gut feeling and there are people following me whenever I go. I can't tell you anymore of this. All I'm saying, I need you to trust me and take me to the airport."
Jimmy look at her serious and resolute expression: he knew her well to tell when she was into something big and clearly this was one of those situations.
"Fair enough…" – and he resumed their course to the airport: a silent journey and occasionally, Lois looked behind to see if there were any sort of suspicious cars but she never noticed anything unusual.
Finally, they arrived at the airport: Jimmy helped Lois with her luggage. Lois always carried a sort of reserve luggage in case of sudden long trip.
"Thank you. You're a good partner, Olsen." – She smiled.
"You're not too bad yourself: I can picture it…Olsen and Lane…" – He joked and she raised an eyebrow, slightly amused and annoyed at the same time.
"Kidding!" – He replied. They shared a hug.
"Here, take my keys and my car and parked in front of my apartment and leave it there so that there aren't any suspicions about me. With my car still in Metropolis, they'll keep their search here in Metropolis, at least I think."
"Bye." – And Lois turned around and entered in the airport.
The flight to Washington went perfectly well and within a few hours, she arrived at the Ronald Reagan International Airport, in Washington D.C. She took a cab to the hotel where she spent the night.
On the following day, Lois got in touch with her contact in the Pentagon and headed there.
She waited right in front of the Pentagon for her contact to show up: Lois wasn't known for her patience and soon she began looking at her watch, anxiously, walking around for several minutes.
Then she heard a voice behind her.
"No time no see, Lois…" - She turned around and saw him: Wes Keenan. He was her first boyfriend when she was 16: he was in Army for just a few weeks and she was spending her vacations in the base. Her father found out and he forbidden her to see Wes but that only proved to be one more reason for Lois to see Wes. At the end of the summer, Lois returned to Metropolis along her father and the relationship between Wes and Lois ended shortly after but they remained good friends and occasionally, they met.
"It's been some time… not that I …but these past few years have been… difficult. How's Kate?"
"She's fine…"
A strange silence set upon them and Lois being very anxious "Not that I don't hear about your family and you, but that'll have to wait until next time: let's cut the small talk Wes…Did you get the security clearance for me?"
"Yeah…here you have: this is a level 3 security card and so, it doesn't give you much to work on but this is best I could arrange in such short notice. Is this so damn serious? – He asked almost incredulous about Lois' suspicions.
"I'm afraid that I'm only at top of the iceberg."
They both entered in the Pentagon building and Wes guided Lois into a small office where she could access the database.
"I'm going now: I have to get to my post again but if there is anything you need, calling me."
"Fine, thanks." – Wes exited the office, leaving Lois alone. She spent minutes searching for something Superman related and all she could find the rescues that Superman participated on: photos, videos, speculations about his strength, powers, his power source, his allies. She could see her name listed in the allies gallery among others like Jimmy and Clark Kent whose status was "slain".
All of the sudden, the door of the office opened and a figure appeared: Lois couldn't distinguish who ever he/she was.
"It's hopeless: you can't dig anything beyond that." – The woman declared, flatly.
Lois got up slowly, knowing she was busted. - "Why? Either there isn't any more information which I doubt or are you trying to get me, "gone with the fishes"?".
"Neither." - The woman closed the door and stepped forward, revealing herself.
"Chloe?" – asked a stunned Lois, barely believing from all the places in the world, they would meet there.
They ran into each other, hugging, crying from the sudden happiness, for almost two years, separated by a cruel destiny: they were like sisters. For Chloe, Lois was the sister she never had and for Lois, Chloe was the sister that Lois hoped Lucy could ever be.
"How are you? What are you doing here?" – Lois looked at Chloe with her hands on Chloe's face, still having a hard time believing Chloe in being in front of her: there were so many questions to be answered, so much time to recover.
"I'm fine." – She smiled at her dazzle cousin. – "What are you doing here?"
"How did you find me?" – asked a curious Lois who was now trying to decipher Chloe's roll.
"When is this roll of questions going to end?" – inquired an amused Chloe.
"We're reporters: we have this nasty habit." – Lois joked.
Chloe adopted a serious expression and asked again. – "What's going on?"
Lois remained silent for a few moments and then she decided to confess. - "The General paid me a visit. I always thought it was like the usual: chit chat talk and in the end, he tried to lecture me, either about my work or about my personal life and we end it up fighting, yelling with all the commotion." – Lois paused for a few seconds and then continued. - "But this time, it was different: he gave me a warning, more like a threat. Stay away from Superman. I knew then, it was something big: For the past year and half, my life has turned into a Big Brother reality show: I have been followed everywhere, watched by men and women. I have this gut feeling that all of this is connected. So I decided to investigate and I got in touch with my contact, here at the Pentagon."
Concerned, Chloe looked at the computer showing some files about Superman's reports. – "This means, you have been followed here too and that means…"
"NO…" – Lois interrupted Chloe. – "I've managed to lose them for a while. I have got to return to Metropolis but before I want to know what's going on."
"Then I have something for you." – Chloe removed from her pocket a pen drive. – "Here. Inside, there's information about the "Superman Protocols"."
"Superman Protocols?" – asked a concerned Lois: being a daughter of military, she got used to several of the technical terms of Army like codes and so the word "Protocol" was familiar and her worst fears became true by Chloe's explanation.
"Protocols delivered to the U.S Army, Navy and Air Force, N.S.A, D.O.D and C.I.A: instructions in case of Superman going rogue. I'm still looking for further information, details about possible weapons, strategies, etc…"
"How did you get this information?" – Lois interrupted Chloe, still processing this major scoop.
"Pete got me a clearance to work here but these Superman protocols are only fully known by the big fish." – Chloe replied. A moment of silence followed and in that room, both women were in a world of their own, worried about what the future could reveal.
"Pete as in Pete Ross, the Congressman?" – Suddenly the name Pete had across Lois's mind. Chloe hugged her and whispered in her ear. – "You're not alone in this fight against Luthor."
"Thank you." - No more, Lois didn't feel so lonely and even if they couldn't be together again, at least those moments with her cousin couldn't be taken away by anyone.
"I have to go." – Chloe said with grief, knowing that not so soon she would able to see her cousin again.
"Bye." – Lois spoke with sadness as she saw her cousin exited the room almost crying.
London, Nº10 West Minester
A comfortable room was holding a conversation between two men, each own with different purposes.
"I'm more than convinced Lex: whatever you decided, I and my government will support you."
Those words were what he was waiting for the last couple of hours. He smiled, knowing not only he was gathering support inside the U.S but know he also had the support outside the U.S.
"Then my task is done." – Lex got up and they shook hands. They headed for the exit where a crowd of journalists and cameras were already waiting for them. When they came out, a roll of questions began a cacophony which Lex clearly didn't want to know or care about.
He entered the limo where Mercy Graves was expecting him.
"So How was it?" – She asked, in suspense.
"Another one bites the dust. " – Lex deviously smiled. – "He's on our side and even if he was against it, his wife wouldn't enjoy the tape which I have about him caught in co-ed situations."
Mercy smiled. - "Now, what?" – She asked.
"First, a 29 year old Highland. I swear if I have another cup of an 18 year old scotch, I'm going to throw up. Secondly, make the proper arrangements so that we can arrive at D.C today. By the way, get the Secretary of Defence on the phone. I need to speak with her."
On the way to the airport, Lex drank his favourite scotch and while tasting, he mentally review his plan: everything part was carefully planned and then, the time had come to accomplish it.
"Miss Secretary of Defence is on the videophone." – Mercy declared.
"Open channel."
"Mr…."
Impatient, Lex interrupted the Secretary of Defence. - "Miss Waller, please let's cut the pleasantries. What's to report?"
"It's schedule a last meeting tomorrow to analyse the last details of the Superman Protocols…"
"Which details? It has been decided no more changes." – Immediately Lex interrupted sensing not everything with The Superman protocols were fully prepared and ready to apply.
"The Director of N.S.A has still a few doubts…"
Once again, Lex interrupted but with more vigour. - "Fire him! We can't have an A-Bomb with a red cape flying around, above our heads. Do I have myself clear?" Silence came from the other side and Lex continued. - "Has Dr. Alistair Creed completed his project?"
"Then setup a meeting between the director of the project, Dr. Alistair, you, me and General Lane, within two days, at 17.00, Eastern Time."
"Yes, Mr. President."
To be continued…