The Power of Suggestion
Part 3: Torture Chamber
"So, are we ready to move on to the next stage?" Oliver asked the room.
They were all at the League headquarters. It had been a week since their lunch dates with Lois and Clark, and Oliver had called this meeting to discuss the results.
"Well, Lois and Clark haven't said anything not work related all week. I've been watching," Jimmy said unabashed.
"And every time I try to talk to either of them about the other one, they blow me off. It's really getting frustrating," Chloe added.
"I expected some denial. We all knew Lois and Clark wouldn't go easy, that's why we have the plan in the first place," Oliver placated.
"Yeah but this is bordering ridiculous!" Dinah cried.
"At least we know they both heard our conversations, right?" Oliver asked.
"Well, from the way they both acted during lunch, I'd say yes," Chloe said.
"Oh yeah, they fell for it hook, line, and sinker, right Flipper?" Victor flashed an impish smile at AC.
"Stop it with the fish jokes, Inspector Gadget and how many times have I told you that fishing is not a nice pastime?" AC responded.
"I wasn't talking about fish, I was talking about Lois and Clark. You're paranoid, Squirt," Victor said innocently.
AC just glared, but catching Oliver's warning look, decided not to respond.
"It's time to implement stage two: torture chamber." Oliver rubbed his hands together. "Jimmy, there's still a freezer below the Daily Planet, correct?'
"Y--yeah," Jimmy answered, puzzled. "It's where we keep all of the older, unexposed film."
"Excellent. We can use that then. Is there any chance we can get Clark and Lois inside?"
Jimmy paused to consider. "Possibly. With the right incentive, it's definitely an option. Nobody goes down there that often."
"But if we lock them in there together, someone's bound to go belly up," Dinah said.
AC flashed her a look, but remembering what Victor had said about being paranoid, decided to let it slide.
"We'll just leave them in there long enough for them to work out their problems," Oliver said soothingly.
"If we wait that long, they'll be frozen harder than a couple of fish fillets," Chloe said.
AC clenched his fists. He wasn't being paranoid; he just knew it.
Catching AC's eye, Oliver quickly said, "Calm down, they're just baiting you!"
AC went purple. "If you guys don't stop with the fish cracks, I will not be responsible for my actions. That applies to you too, Robin Hood!"
"Look who woke up on the wrong side of the tank this morning!" Victor said teasingly. He just couldn't resist one last jive.
It took all the remaining members of the Justice League to keep AC from pouncing on the laughing half-robot.
Once they'd subdued the more aquatically inclined member of their team somewhat, Oliver continued.
"Victor, Jimmy, how long will it take to make the freezer Clark-proof?"
"What do you mean?" Victor asked, his laughter having subsided. "It's kind of hard to make something that a six foot, impervious Kryptonian can't break through."
"Can't you rig something up that will at least hold him for a little while? He won't want to use his abilities too much in case Lois catches him. How about something with a lot of lead? That'll take him a bit longer to get out of," Oliver suggested.
"But with luck he will tell Lois about his abilities and he won't need to think of a more subtle solution," Chloe pointed out.
"True, but once he tells her, they can leave. This is just a way to get them talking," Oliver responded. "So, is it possible?"
Victor looked at Jimmy. "Yes," he said.
Jimmy nodded emphatically. "We'll have them locked in tighter than—" Glancing at a glaring AC, Jimmy paused. "Than a couple of really tightly packed things."
"While you're at it, could you possible install a couple of surveillance cameras?" Oliver asked Victor.
"Sure, why?"
"Well, we'll want to check on their progress and we wouldn't want them to hurt each other, would we?" Oliver's smile implied that there was a little more to it than that. After all, why write the script if you didn't get to see the play?
--
Clark glanced surreptitiously across at Lois. The light fell perfectly on her hair and it shone like honey wheat on a bright summer's day. God, she was beautiful!
He had been thinking for the past week and had come to the conclusion that he had to tell Lois his secret soon. The question was when. It wasn't just something you could say casually over coffee.
He could just see it now: "Good morning, Lois! Isn't it a beautiful day? By the way, I'm an alien from Krypton with super-human abilities. Oh, and you know the Red-Blue Blur? Well, that's me." Yeah, that wasn't the way to go. There had to be a better solution.
He cast another look at Lois. He could have sworn he'd felt her eyes on him a moment ago, but surely he was just imagining things.
Just then, her cell phone rang. He watched as she reached into her bag and pulled it out. After a moment's pause while she read the text-message, she sprang up, grabbed her coat and said over her shoulder, "Coming Smallville?"
--
Lois looked over at Clark. He was brooding again. If it didn't irritate her so much, she would almost have to admit he looked sexy. The way his clear eyes looked off into the distance, like he could see into the stars. Sometimes when those eyes turned to her, she could swear they could see right into her soul. Boy was that a cliché, but still, it was true.
Seeing his head begin to turn her way, she quickly cast her eyes downward. No need for him to think she was imagining anything…inappropriate. Heaven forbid he knew she thought he looked kind of sexy when he brooded! As if his head wasn't big enough! Not everyone was in love with Clark Kent, contrary to what herself, Chloe, Lana, Maxima, and half the staff of the Daily Planet (males included) would suggest.
She really should stop thinking about this. She could already feel the start of an indignant blush.
Thankfully she was saved from this hazardous train of thought by the ringing of her cell phone that indicated she had a text message.
"Come to freezer. Story lead. Bring CK. –Jimmy".
Snapping her phone closed, she got up.
"Coming, Smallville?" she called to Clark as she walked purposely in the direction of the elevator.
"Where?" Clark asked.
"To the freezer," Lois answered, intently focused on pushing the elevator call button multiple times.
"You know, the elevator comes faster the more times you push it," Clark said with an impish grin. Lois deigned to give him a sarcastic grimace in response. "Why the freezer?" Clark asked, unperturbed by Lois' lack of verbal response.
"Because that's where Jimmy said to go." Lois was still focused on the immobile elevator doors.
"Do you always do what Jimmy asks you to do?" It was dangerous to bait Lois like this, Clark knew, but they hadn't had a good verbal joust in over a week and he didn't want his skills getting rusty. Not that she was being very responsive, but still.
"Do you ever shut your mouth, flannel king?" Lois responded without looking at him.
As the elevator doors opened and they walked in, Clark said, "As often as you do, pony-tail princess."
"Better a princess than a court jester." This time Lois returned Clark's evil smirk. She was getting into the swing of things.
"But the princess is always at the mercy of the king."
"But the court jester falls on his butt for a living."
"I thought I was the king." Clark had her. He gave a wide grin.
"You are. What would all the court jesters do without the master of their order to guide them?" Clark's grin faded.
Unable to think of a suitable reply, Clark merely said nothing.
The chime of the elevator doors brought him needed relief from Lois's smirk of victory. As they both made to exit the elevator, Lois said, "How's your butt?"
Not willing to be outdone again, Clark changed tactics. "Well rounded and firm, or so I've been told." The signature grin was back on his face.
"So that's what they talk about in the men's locker rooms," Lois said after a brief pause. No way was she going to admit she agreed.
"Only when they see my handsome butt."
"They'd have to. The other end's not worthy of the complement."
"So you agree it is gorgeous?" Clark asked, genuinely interested.
"No, just in comparison."
"In comparison to what, the seven dwarfs'?" Clark responded indignantly.
"Other parts of your anatomy. There's a reason I call you Smallville, Smallville." Her suggestive smile was larger than the Cheshire cat's and definitely wickeder.
Clark was saved the responsibility of a rejoinder by the appearance of the huge freezer doors. He didn't pause before leading the way inside.
Barely a second after Lois cleared the doorway, the sound of the heavy door snapping shut reverberated around the small freezer.
"Oh shit," Lois said softly.
--
"Did you bring the popcorn?" Chloe asked Jimmy.
"Check!" Jimmy cried, holding up the steaming bag.
"Well, hurry up then!" She gestured emphatically at an empty space between her and Oliver right in front of Jimmy's computer. If he didn't hurry, Dinah, or god forbid AC or Victor, would take it and she couldn't have that. "They just walked into the freezer."
"Shut the door, Victor," Oliver commanded. With a click of a button on his arm, Victor complied. They all laughed at Lois' cry of dismay and settled back to enjoy the show.
--
"What did you do?" Clark asked Lois warily.
"Nothing! It just shut on it's own!" Lois said. If she weren't the kind of girl she was, she would be panicking right now. Who wants to be trapped in a literally freezing room with the guy they're too proud to admit they're in love with? Certainly not she. She was happy just skirting the issue a little longer, say until Hell froze over? Who was she kidding, by the looks of her surroundings, it had. "Umm…" She said, unsure of what else to say.
"Do my ears deceive me or is Lady Chat-a-lot at a loss for words?" Clark said teasingly.
"Shut your pie hole, Mister. I could take you on any day." It was unoriginal and probably untrue considering what had happened the last time they'd faced off in a boxing ring, but it was the best she could do in their current situation. "Start looking for an exit."
"This isn't a mine shaft, there is no back tunnel out of here. It's not like they expect idiots to get stuck down here during their lunch break," Clark said condescendingly.
"Real helpful, Smallville. Maybe we can break down the door."
Clark considered for a moment. He could definitely do it, but how could he do it in a way that she wouldn't get suspicious? Of course now would be a perfect time to tell her anyway… Nah. Not yet. He'd just have to fake it. "Fine, stand back."
He walked over to the door and put his hands on either side of it. He leaned in and screwed up his face, pushing hard. When it didn't budge, he pushed harder. It still wouldn't move. He no longer had to act like he was making an effort. That damn door was strong! Finally he gave up. Either that door was laced with kryptonite or made of solid lead, either way there was little or no chance he'd be able to open it without using his heat vision and no way was he showing her that.
Unless he came clean.
He knew if Oliver or Chloe were here they'd tell him to go for it, hell, they already had! Besides, he couldn't have asked for a better place. There was no chance of anyone walking in on them and there was nothing to distract her from his story.
"Umm, Lois? There's something I need to tell you." His breath hitched for a moment when she turned to him, but he knew what he was doing was for the best.
Before he continued, he decided to check for security cameras. The freezer may only be used to hold unexposed film, but photographers can get pretty protective of their stuff and may have demanded extra protection.
Clark scanned the room with his x-ray vision, carefully avoiding Lois. There were just some things you didn't do. That and he didn't want to have to lie if she asked him if he'd ever used it on her as telling the truth could lead to some serious altercations.
He found three cameras hidden around the freezer in various locations. With his heat rays, he blew them out on by one. He didn't bother hiding it from Lois, she would learn soon enough.
"Holy flying mushrooms on a frozen pedestal, what on God's green earth was that!" Lois cried in shock.
"God's green earth has less of a role than you would think." Lois just looked at him blankly. "Lois, I'm not what you think I am."
--
The small cluster of people grouped around Jimmy's computer laughed uproariously at Clark's attempts to open the freezer.
"High five, cyber bro!" AC said to Victor, for once not insulting the half android. They had reached a written agreement not to make any more fish/computer cracks until after their current mission for the sake of Oliver's sanity.
"Yeah, what'd you do to it anyway?" Dinah asked Victor.
"It's all lead with a just a dash of kryptonite. He can still break it if he wants, but he's going to need a lot more strength than that," Victor responded, grinning widely.
"Shh! He just said something to Lois! I think he's about to tell her!" Chloe cried, flapping her arms wildly towards the chatting duo, narrowly missing Jimmy's nose.
They all waited with baited breath as Clark paused. Then he looked directly at the cameras. His eyes glowed red for a moment, then the screen went black.
"No! Get it back! Get it back!" Chloe cried, whacking Victor on the head repeatedly.
Victor dove under the desk, pulling up various chords. "There doesn't look to be anything I can do. He bloody destroyed my cameras!"
"Now what do we do?" Dinah asked.
"Now, we wait," Oliver said emotionlessly. He really had been looking forward to a few good laughs today.
--
"So you're telling me you're a little green man?" Lois asked, taking the news surprisingly well. It was almost as if she had been warned of the possibility beforehand.
"Why does everyone say that? Do I look like a little green man?" Clark asked with not entirely faked frustration.
"Well maybe not green." Lois' eyes flashed downwards as her signature wicked grin made an appearance.
"One more crude and entirely untrue comment about my…endowments and you'll regret it." Clark wasn't smiling. There are only so many insults a man can take. He was only human. Kind of.
Lois just grinned in response. "Want to get us out of here, space guy or should I call the fire department?"
Clark looked at her incredulously. "You had a cell phone the entire time?"
Lois shrugged. "I forgot. Now would you please just break down the door already?"
"Fine," he grumbled. As irritating as it was to know she could have gotten them out before, he didn't regret staying. It felt good to have finally opened up to her. He hadn't realized how much he had wanted to tell her his secret before now.
Focusing his heat vision, he melted the door hinges. With a hard kick to the center of the door, it fell open. He looked over at Lois, waiting for her approval. "Not bad, Smallville" was all she said before walking out. He hastily fixed the door before following sedately behind.
Half of him was glad she was taking it so well. The other, more arrogant side almost wished she would be just a bit more impressed. What did a guy have to do to get a girl's attention?
Coming up next: Oliver's new plan backfires when Jimmy runs for cover as Hurricane Lane makes an impromptu appearance. Read the details in part four of "The Power of Suggestion": "Blow-out".
A/N: I would like to say I am amazed at the response I've gotten from this story. I've only ever written one-shots before (unless you count my "Bipartisanship" disaster) so this is all new to me. But I do have just one request. As much as I enjoy people favoriting my stories, I also really like reviews. Nothing irritates me more than people favoriting my stories without a review. I know you liked it, but why? Please tell me. I won't hunt you down or anything, (maybe) but I would appreciate it. Thanks.