Chapter 21 - A Simple Get Together
"Blasted - look at this heading. Superman Foils Postal Bomb: Walks Away Unharmed How are we going to compete with this Berny."
Berny came running in from the other room behind the office that his counterpart had set up. "Sir, I think I found something that you might be interested in."
"What? You know I'm very busy trying to think of what we can do next." Berny pushed through anyway by throwing a chemical chart in front of his associate. "Sir, this Kryptonite can hurt Superman, but it's not from here, right. But there is the Earthen element called Krypton that supposedly may be remnants from when the galaxy he came from originally formed. The element is extremely similar in composition except for a little difference. But while I was breaking down the nuclear agents, I found this." Berny threw another chart on his boss' lap. Berny and the associate began to laugh hysterically. Within a few minutes, the men were back in a beaten up lab sweating over several bottles that seemed to be producing something of a gel.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" The entire office at the Daily Planet jumped behind their desks as Clark and Brit walked in the office. All the people laughed when Brit practically jumped into Clark's arms, somewhat in shock.
"Isn't this great?" Clark kept her in his arms. She put her arms around his neck and laughed as he descended the stairs to see a mass of packages on and around his desk. He let her down and Brit ran straight for them. "Thank you." Clark pulled Lois close to him and pecked her on the cheek. He saw Lex look over, but he didn't make a move to worry about it. "Lois, you know Ally?" Ally and Michael popped out behind him. They hadn't been noticed at the first entrances.
"We've met, you could say." Clark looked down at Lois hearing the tone that she remarked with.
"Clark, how are you doing?" Lex walked over and shook Clark's hand, completely cool.
"I'm fine. This is..."
"Ally, I was here when she came by the same time she met Lois." Ally put her arm around Clark and smiled. Lex pleasantly smiled back in the direction of Clark.
"Daddy, come here." Brit ran over and started pulling on Clark's jacket until he turned and walked over to the mound of presents that Brit and Michael quickly unwrapped and started playing with them there in the newsroom floor. Clark had always taught her to share, so the rest of the children were invited to carry the new toys to the child care center for the rest of the day. Returning to the newsroom, Ally was still sitting at Clark's desk.
"Clark, could we talk?" Clark nodded and pointed in the conference room direction. Shutting the door behind him, Ally started. "I'm sorry about last night, but I stepped over the bounds."
"You didn't step over any bounds. I confused you but I want to try to set things straight. I have been involved with someone before but it's looking bad for me."
"Clark, I don't want to be a rebound girl, but I will be there if things don't work out for you. I know that Lois has hurt you." Ally moved closer to Clark, leaning on the table.
"It's more complicated than that. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that I think we should make some plans." Clark moved his hand up to Ally's cheek and down her neck. With their faces not inches apart, Clark kissed her gently and felt her fall into him. Ally responded by kissing him back, but deeper.
"Clark, oh gee, ummm." Lois was in shock after shooting through the conference door. "Clark, the police came back with a report on the bomb yesterday. When you're ready, we could go check it out. When you're ready though." Lois made faces at the two of them and, upon not being noticed, slammed the door behind her.
"Huh?" Clark loosened his grip on Ally. "I gotta go. That story..."
"I understand. I'll give you a call or something." Clark nodded but was already out of the door. Clark walked down the hall and found Lois waiting for the elevator.
"Glad, you decided to come."
"Don't start Lois. What's up?"
"I talked to the post office and they didn't have any ideas on how it got there. The research department at the police lab said the residue had some nuclear components but nothing that would have set off any massive explosion."
"But Superman was thrown back to Earth and that would mean there had to be some component that was harmful. The bomb couldn't then have been a fake."
"Guys, wait..." Jimmy ran up the stairs to the two getting in the elevator and handed them a folder.
"Lois, these are the reports from the lab that we were waiting for. They also crossed it with another chemical that some say can hurt someone we all love." Lois looked at Clark and responded at the same time. "Superman." Lois grabbed the report.
"Clark, I think we might have a problem." She handed the report back to Clark and pointed out a part. "This says that one of the chemicals in the compound is a possible remnant from the galaxy Superman is from. This means that..."
"There's a common substance that someone has found a way to change in order to hurt or kill Superman." Clark, thinking of backing out of the story, started off the opposite direction on the street when she grabbed him by the arm.
"Where are you going? This is a huge story. Let's go."
Turning around, he followed her reluctantly, mumbling, "You win Lois." They both jumped in her Jeep and started off.