Chapter 23:

Daily Planet, 9 am:

Damn it, I'm late, that figures after two good days I'd be late. I impatiently tap my foot, willing the elevator to move faster. A couple of other reporters going up to the bull pen give me odd looks.

"Perry's going wring my neck." I offer harshly.

"You're Lois Lane; he's not going to do anything to you because you bring in the big stories." A woman from the back says snippily.

"Whatever." I reply, the doors ding and I shoot out, heading for my desk.

"And a good day to you too." I call out sarcastically. I turn around and collide with Clark.

"Watch where you're going Smallville." I snap.

"Morning to you too Lois, Perry wants to see us ASAP, well as soon as I get him a cup of coffee."

"Ooh, thanks for offering Clarkie, white tea no sugar."

"Yeah, ok." He says as he wanders towards the kitchen.

I smile as I head to my desk, shuffling through my mail and memos. A yellow envelope catching my attention, the only marking are the initials L.L. I instantly know who the envelope is from, I carefully tear it open. A small folded piece of paper dropping onto the desk. I unfold it:

'Miss Lane,

Lex has a hand in the kidnapping. Keep your head down,

trouble is brewing and you'll soon be in the midst if you don't

watch yourself.

L.L.'

The note from Lionel confirms my suspicions over the perpetrator of the kidnapping; it's just proving it and figuring out who the victim is. The nagging sensation that something is off hits me once again.

"Everything alright Lois?" Clark asks as places a mug in front of me.

I open my mouth to answer… "KENT! LANE! GET IN HERE NOW!"

"Another of those days huh?"

"Another of what days Lois?"

"Ah, the first 'one of these' days that you'll ever experience. You'll wish that you'd never had experienced one." I just confused myself, what the hell was I saying?

"Huh?" Clark obviously as confused as I am.

"Never mind Smallville… Perry's waiting." I stash the note in my pocket, snatch my mug of tea and make my way to Perry's office, wondering what has gotten his panties in a twist this time.

"Don't say anything Perry. I know I'm late."

"I knew it was too good to be true Lois. Anyway, believe it or not, the world doesn't revolve around you. It revolves around this guy in blue tights and a red cape." He looks pointedly at Clark. Clark closes the door and turns around to face Perry.

"It's alright Perry, Lois knows."

"Perry knew before I did?" I'm seriously annoyed, Perry White knew before me.

"I did NOT tell Perry, he figured it out when I made my first appearance as Superman."

"You're not lying? Wait, no don't answer that, you couldn't lie to save your life."

"Well gee thanks Lois."

"Excuse me, who's the boss here?" Perry cuts in. Both of us look at him apologetically.

"Exactly, now why does Lane know about your inclination towards tights?"

"Perry, I don't have an inclination towards tights, that's just the-"

"I don't care whether or not you like the tights; I want to know why Lane knows."

"And why shouldn't I know?" I pipe in, not happy that I'm being treated like spare luggage.

"I'm not saying you shouldn't know…I should quit while I'm ahead. Just tell me how she knows."

"Some things came up in the past that made it impossible for Lois not to know the truth about me."

"So you didn't figure it out yourself?" he asks slyly.

"I always knew there was something different about Clark but it was his place to tell me when he was ready, not that you know the whole story and you better not be questioning my investigative skills." I huff out. There, yeah that feels a lot better now. There's silence, none of us really knowing what else to say.

"You call us in here for a reason chief?"

"It's Perry. I want a few more articles on Superman's escapades, which should be easy considering we have inside information, and I want an exclusive interview with Superman."

"How am I supposed to interview myself?" he seriously didn't just ask that. Did he?

"You won't. Lane will do it." Well apparently he did.

"Sure thing chief."

Perry clenches his jaw, "Say it again Lois, I da-"

"Don't Perry. Please, please don't do that." Clark pleads. Am I really that bad?

"Damn, spoil my fun Smallville."

Perry clears his throat. "We'll call the interview, 'A Night with Superman'. I like that."

Clark and I look to each other conversing with our eyes, was Perry really that crazy?

"Oh and Lois."

"Yeah Perry?"

"Give us some warning next time you plan a public break-up. It doesn't look good when we're the last to know something like that, especially when it's one of our own reporters."

"It wasn't exactly planned." Well wasn't that just a big fat lie.

"Sure it wasn't, did you know that I'm the Queen of England?"

"Ooh… looking good for your age your Majesty."

"I don't think you should push too hard Lois." Clark butts in.

"I'll do wh-" Perry cuts me off.

"What are you two still doing here?"

"Right, we're on it." Clark answers as he holds the door open for me; I nod my thanks and proceed to exit.

"You can count on us… Chief." I practically run to my desk. Envisioning Perry having a conniption…

"So help me Lane!" he yells out.

"You should take it easy on the old guy Lois." Clark adds as he sits down at his desk.

"He knows I'm only playing." That is after all the kind of relationship that Perry and I have, he's told me on more than one occasion that he appreciates my attitude; it's a nice change from all the butt kissers.

"So, where do we start?"

"You should know more than I do."

"Well, which event from last night do you think would be more interesting for the paper?" Clark asks, already frustrated with me.

"Well, Jimmy's put photos on my desk from yesterday's traffic accident and there's a few photos laying around from the earthquake in wherever," Clark goes to cut in but I continue… "So I say we just highlight each of the catastrophes and talk about the Big Blue Boy Scout that's watching us from the skies."

"Big Blue Boy Scout? I don't really like that Lois."

"Well, it's not what you like now is it Smallville… it's what the public likes and what I write is what the public likes."

"Can anybody say overconfident?"

"Did Clarkie make a funny?" Clark makes a ha-ha face and goes about sorting through some papers on his desk.

"Perry wants me to check out an opening of a new hospital wing, that's in…" he pauses and looks at his watch, "a half an hour. You coming?"

"As much as I love those things, which I don't, and as much as I love your company, which I do, I've got a few leads to follow up here. And don't worry; I'm not going to get myself into any trouble."

"If you say so, I'll meet you back here afterwards then?"

"I'll be right here waiting for you." I smile warmly at him. He lets out his stunning Kent smile, my insides turn to mush.

"Ok, see you soon." He collects a few things and then basically runs out of the bull pen.

I smile once again at his eagerness, that's my little Clarkie all grown up. I place my hand in my pocket, fingers brushing over the now crumpled note. My thoughts turn serious. What does Lex Luthor get out of kidnapping an illegal immigrant? I pull a notepad out and start going through all my files on yesterday's kidnapping, trying to find some connection. The feeling of uneasiness resurfaces and I know that there's something that I'm missing or overlooking…


Unknown location:

"Sir, here's your daily papers and a couple of memos." A nameless thug waves some papers around. Lex snatches the items out of the thug's hands.

"You're still here why?"

"Ah…" the thug quickly turns and flees the small plain office. Lex grins, pleased with himself for so effortlessly scaring off such an annoying brainless henchman. He continues to smile to himself as he flicks through the Daily Planet; he's not at all bothered by 'Superman' as they call him. Everybody, no matter who they are, has a weakness; it's only a matter of time until he finds out this hero's. Lex almost laughs, but keeps his excitement within, an unnatural fear of his father walking in and accusing him of being weak haunting him still. Lex knows it's unfounded and that his father is clueless to anything these days, but it never hurts to be cautious. Not a minute later the smile falls from Lex's face, his eyes turning dark.

"Well this changes everything." He hisses as he storms out of the simple room, the paper falling to the floor, the headline 'Gotham's Prince King of Public Humiliation'…


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