Lois pulled up in front of The Inquisitor office building and got out. The sooner she started on this story Lex wanted her to work on, the sooner she could shake off what had just happened with Clark back at the Talon.
She walked past two dogs and their owner, coming out of the adjoining pet grooming business, next to the newspaper office. Lois sneezed, thought of good old Shelby, then hurried down the hallway to the door of The Inquisitor.
When she opened it, Lex was berating a photographer for his lousy pictures. It was a young, overweight guy with bad skin named, Otis. He just looked down. Lois slammed the door. A few reporters looked up. Lex looked over and smiled. Lois walked up to him.
"Lois Lane...tell me your presence means you'll take me up on my offer?"
Lois looked around Lex at Otis.
"Hello, Otis."
"Uh...hey, Ms. Lane."
Lex turned and gave him a withering look.
"You have one more time, Otis, and then you're fired. Are we clear?"
"Yes, Mr. Luthor. I'll do better Mr. Luthor."
"See that you do. Now go and get my coffee from that shop down the road. And pick up my dry cleaning."
"Yes, Mr. Luthor. Goodbye, Ms. Lane."
"Uh...goodbye, Otis." Lois said, watching as poor Otis scampered off. Lois faced Lex.
"So...do you have to treat him like crap?"
"He loves it. By the way, I have a gift for you." Lex said, physically turning her around. He glanced at his watch while doing so. He had faxed the takeover papers to Bruce Wayne's hotel room an hour ago. Lex was expecting a visit soon...
Lois raised a brow. There was a chia pet sitting on her former desk. Lois turned back to face Lex.
"I like the plant."
"Yes...imagine my surprise to discover that it wasn't as 'exotic' or rare as you had claimed. I believe Otis found it at a Walgreen's for $9.99."
Lois scowled briefly, before speaking up.
"Okay, Lex. You win."
"I always do."
"I'll come back here to work. I'll even talk to this Bruce Wayne. I just have to scrape up a costume for this party."
"And a date, of course. I take it that will be Clark?"
Lois averted her eyes. She wasn't going to discuss Clark with Lex. As she was busy looking around, the door to the office opened and low and behold...Diana Prince walked in, carrying a large duffle bag! Lex's eyes almost popped out of his head!
Diana walked right up to them.
"Lois, I'm sorry if I seem as if I'm following you, but I can't find some papers that the Senator needs. I was wondering if you had some of them here?"
Lois blinked.
"Why in the hell would I have any of the Senator's things...HERE?"
"Lois, don't be offended..."
"But I am, Big Tit, okay?"
Lex put up a hand and looked at Lois.
"Whh...what did you call her?"
"Bit tit! Lex, your eyes just about popped out of your head too when you saw them! Now, I'm going to borrow a computer and get settled in. I don't know what you're talking about Big..."
Diana stepped up to Lois, almost towering over her.
"I don't like that name. Refer to me in that manner again and I'll be forced to make you eat your words."
"Oh I'm shaking, Tit! Is it the 'Big' you don't like or..."
Lex stepped in between them! Mother of God! Oddly enough, he was attracted to both women right now! This Diana Prince was goddess! What he would love to do to her in bed! And Lois...Lex realized that at that moment, he wanted to know what Lois Lane would do to HIM in bed!
"Ms. Prince, why don't we step into my office? Maybe Lois left something behind in there."
"I didn't!" Lois protested.
"Lois, why don't you work on that 'you-know-what', okay?" Lex said between clenched teeth. He steered Diana into his office, closing the door behind them. Lois threw up her hands! It was nice to see Lex getting over Lana, finally! She turned and walked over to a computer, sitting down. She would just Google 'Bruce Wayne' so she could at least see what the billionaire looked like.
Diana sat down in a chair in front of Lex's desk. Lex stood.
"So, Ms. Prince, how do you like working for Senator Kent?"
"She's very charming. So is your father."
Lex didn't answer, but his eyes swept over her. He could eat her alive...
"I'll tell you what? Have dinner with me tonight and..."
"Mr. Luthor, I'm just here to find those papers of the Senator's."
"Really? Come now, Ms. Prince. We both know that no papers of the Senator's are on these premises. We also both know that my father got you your job. One that I wouldn't say you're especially qualified for. Who are you really? A bimbo of my father's? Someone to keep tabs on me?"
Diana decided to stop playing around! She detested Lex Luthor and she was tired of his eyes looking at her as if she were prey! She would show him who the real prey was...
Diana stood up clinging to her duffle bag. She would change into her costume, secure Luthor with her magic lasso and get the truth out of him where Nubia was.
"I need to use your Ladies Room."
"Now? Answer my question, Ms. Prince."
"After I come back from the Ladies Room."
Lex sighed.
"Fine. Out the door, down the first hallway to your left."
"Thank you." Diana said, turning towards the door. The she stopped. There had not been a file cabinet there before...
The 'file cabinet' turned into the shape of SOMETHING and threw Diana with such force, that she crashed through the wall of Lex's office and fell to the ground outside!
Lex was horrified! He backed up and put a hand out!
"Whhooo...who are you?!"
"You know Kal-El! Take me to him!" the black cloud thundered.
"WHO?!" Lex squeaked. He had heard that name before...he was sure of it!
Meanwhile Lois and two other reporters hurried into Lex's office! Lois was thrown back down the hallway and knocked out for her trouble! Another reporter was thrown out of the same hole Diana went through and the third turned and ran screaming back down the hallway!
The Black Cloud walked up to Lex and lifted him by the throat!
"YOU WILL TAKE ME TO HIM...NOW!!!!" it screamed.
Lex was suffocating! He tried to wheeze some words out, but passed out. Things like this, were the reason why his Sasquatch army was so imperative! The creature threw him against a wall, then whirled out of the hole that he had thrown Diana through.
Just as it spun threw the sky, a limo pulled up...
Clark and Chloe hurried into the Emergency Room! Clark asked a nurse about Lois and she pointed towards a room. They ran down towards it and opened the door.
A doctor was looking her over. He peered over at them.
"You're relatives?"
Chloe nodded.
"I am...I'm her cousin."
The doctor nodded.
"She's been in and out of consciousness for a short while now. But all in all, she should be okay."
Clark sat down in a chair next to Lois's bed. Chloe stared at him, seeing his unvarnished worry for her cousin. She bit her lip, just as an elderly, but gentile looking man eased into the room. He was carrying a purse and some other things...including a chia pet plant!
"Oh? Pardon me. I thought I would bring Ms. Lane's things to her."
Clark and Chloe looked at one another. Clark stood up.
"Uh...thank you. Did you bring Lois here?"
"Yes and no. My employer carried her in here." the man said softly, walking over to touch Lois's hand. Her eyes fluttered, then opened.
"Grandfather Alfred..." Lois muttered, "why did Bryan lie? Why did he lie? Grandfather Alfred..."
The elderly man coughed, then patted her hand again.
"The poor dear seems out of sorts, doesn't she?"
Clark looked the old man over from head to toe. Chloe peered at him as well. He looked vaguely familiar.
"Where is your employer? Lois is my cousin and I'd love to thank the man that saved her life."
"I'm afraid my employer is a busy man. He just wanted me to ascertain that Ms. Lane would indeed be alright. I must get back now."
Neither Clark, nor Chloe said anything as the man left. Clark then looked at Lois, who's eyes were closed again. He then looked at Chloe.
"Chloe...I think I now know how frustrated Lana must have been."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean Lois is keeping something from me! That's why our relationship can't progress! Something is holding her back...I don't know what...but I am starting to think it's a 'who'! Who was that man? You didn't know him so he can't be Lois's 'grandfather'!"
"No...Lois doesn't have any grandparents that are alive. But you know..."
"What?"
"Clark...he looks kind of like a butler or a driver. Maybe he's Oliver's?"
"No...I mean he could be but I have never seen any servants around Oliver's apartment."
"Hmmm, that's true. Maybe he belongs to Lex?"
"If he belongs to Lex then he's new." Clark noted. He then looked at Chloe.
"That attack was by a Zoner. I have to look for it and stop it."
"Well I'll help you track it."
Clark nodded then looked back at Lois. He didn't want to leave her now...
The door opened and a slightly overweight, pimpled guy walked in. He was carrying a gift wrapped present. He smiled shyly.
"Uh hi. My name is Otis...I work with Ms. Lane. I came to see if she's alright?"
Lois awoke then and blinked. She turned her head and saw Clark, Chloe and...Otis?
"Otis?" Lois whispered. The three of them turned towards her at the sound of her voice. Clark reached her first and clasped her hand. He brought it up to his lips and kissed it. Chloe flinched at the sight...something Lois noticed.
"I'm going to find your doctor, Lois." Chloe said uncomfortably, before fleeing the room. Lois pulled her hand from Clark's.
"Did you see that? We bother her, Smallville. This can't..."
"Lois, I don't want you to think about that right now. We'll get past this, okay? Now I'm going to find your doctor myself. Otis, watch over her?"
Otis nodded then watched as Clark left the room. He didn't quite understand all that he had just seen, but now Ms. Lane seemed sad. He would fix that. He sat down in a chair and Lois looked at him.
"How is everyone? Lex? And Diana Prince?"
"Uh...well Mr. Luthor is here too...Diana Prince?"
"Yes...she was in Lex's office with him when that thing attacked."
"No one by that name has been found. Dale is in critical condition though."
"Oh God!"
"Ms. Lane?"
Lois concentrated on him.
"Yes, Otis?"
"I found something. Something I think you'll like."
Lois smiled wanly.
"Really? What is it?"
Otis handed her the present. Lois sat up slightly. She smiled at Otis.
"Oh...you didn't have to..."
"Oh I did, Ms. Lane. I found out in the Lost and Found at work. I guess someone must have put it in there. But I knew you were looking for a costume to wear to Oliver Queen's..."
Lois opened the box. Holy Moly! Lois slowly lifted out Diana Prince's costume. She then picked up a tiara and a lasso of sorts. It was gold!
"You FOUND this in the lost and found?"
"Yeah. I'm not quite sure what it is or who is belongs to, but don't you think it would make a great costume, Ms. Lane?"
Lois nodded, then set the item back in the box. She leaned forward and gave Otis a brief hug.
"Thank you, Otis. This is so sweet."
Clark was looking around for Chloe. He had decided that he was going to look for the Zoner himself, without her help.
He had also decided that he would not be asking for anymore help again from her. He could tell Jimmy was threatened by his presence again. And Chloe needed to be honest with Jimmy as well. Clark did not want Lois to feel as if she should step aside so that he could finally begin dating Chloe.
It was not going to happen.
Clark's view was blocked by A.C. and Diana.
"Hey...Diana, how are you?"
Diana shrugged.
"No worse for wear. I don't know how I'm going to explain myself to Lex...but that's the least of my problems."
"What's wrong?" Clark asked.
"Bro, someone stole Diana's costume!" A.C. whispered, looking around.
"Are you kidding me?!"
Diana shook her head.
"Instead of playing all of these games, I should have just made Lex answer my questions using my magic lasso. But I hate to use that unless the situation is dire."
"Honey," A.C. said, "your sister being missing is dire."
"I know. But I meant more as of a last resort. I still think I could have made Lex tell me. I just couldn't stand his smarminess. That was when I decided to just change into my costume and confront him. I noticed a file cabinet that had not been in the room before."
"So this thing disguises itself as a solid object?" Clark asked. A.C. and Diana peered at him.
"You know what this is, don't you?" A.C. asked.
"Yes and only I can take care of it." Clark said grimly.
Chloe just needed air! She didn't understand what was the matter with her! She wanted to be happy for Clark and Lois.
But something wouldn't let her.
She looked down the hallway. The elderly man was standing there next to a man...a man...
Bruce Wayne. Holy Crap! That was Bruce Wayne! The young...gorgeous billionaire from Gotham City. Bruce Wayne was the man's employer? Bruce Wayne had brought Lois here...
How did Lois know him? And...why had Bruce Wayne been at The Inquisitor anyway? To see Lois? Maybe to see Lex? And why had she called his butler, 'Grandfather Alfred'?
The elevator doors opened and Chloe saw Oliver and Lana step out. Bruce Wayne shook Oliver's hand and hugged Lana. Chloe looked away. Something was going on here. And right now, helping Clark find this Zoner, seemed very uninteresting compared to finding out why Bruce Wayne had went out of his way to only bring Lois to the hospital?
Chloe thought of something else. When the elderly man brought Lois's things...
How had he known about Lois's love for chia pet plants?
Lana suddenly stood before her.
"Chloe? What is it? Is it Lois?"
Chloe blinked.
"Lois is fine, thank God." she answered.