Barbara looked through the kitchen window; the weather was lousy, as usual. Pushing her way back to the table, she took the kettle and poured the hot water in the mug.
While the tea cooled a bit, she opened the laptop and checked the new security system because it still had a few minor glitches due to the crazy mission schedules of late. Making a mental note to fix that ASAP, she started working on Metropolis, which would go active in a few hours.
Firstly, she checked the team status; Donna was already on her way to Kansas, Oliver had confirmed Superman's availability in case they needed him, Impulse should be working right now and Dinah's plane was to arrive without delays. Everything was working like clockwork.
Doing her magic finger thing, as Dinah profanely called her typing on two keyboards at once, she logged in on the satellite she would need for surveillance.
Unluckily, there was no governmental nor Queen industries satellite in range, so she had to hack into LexCorp material. That meant she could only use it for a very specific amount of time.
A few weeks ago, the monitoring system she had developed as a personal request from Superman to keep constant surveillance over LexCorp activities had found an anomaly in a facility near Metropolis. She had not been able to hack in enough time to prepare the mission until two days ago, so, knowing Luthor's cautiousness, she had built up the mission as fast as she could without compromising the Birds of Prey's current assignments. It being a Luthor matter, she had contacted Oliver directly and had built up a solid team. Yes, nothing could go wrong this evening.
So far so good for a lonely evening in London.
The hot cocoa and the shower really helped, and my artificial leg is already dried and resting in the bathroom. Wincing, I rub my sore stump. When I'm at home I prefer using the crutches or the wheelchair so I also exercise my upper body half.
Once dried, warm and rested, I remember the stone in the pocket of my coat and I take it out.
'About damn time,' it protests.
"I wonder why I made up such an irritable thing."
'I guess someone from your life inspired you, you're original that way. So, start analyzing me/you: I, Feisty.'
"Tim Burton could make an animation movie with that title," I reflect.
'...You're weird.'
"Ok, so here you are: new whereabouts, far from your place of origin, wherever that is. But as a stone, even as insanely old as you probably are, you always need to be moved. If not, you're stuck with seeing and listening whatever goes on around that spot. You're quite a witness," I say nodding to myself.
'Witness of what?'
"Of everything, of anything. I could say of Nature and I would be right. I could say of human History and I would be right. But as for the rest, to take an active role, you need somebody else."
'So I'm dependant' I nod. 'And you? Ever needed someone?'
"We are social animals, human beings. We need company, friendship, love. But dependence might not be such a good thing," I assert.
'It makes you weak.'
"Sort of."
'So there was a time when you depended on someone and now you are running from that because you feel weak.'
"No, I'm not running from anything, and that jumping into conclusions thing of yours? It's really annoying," I say. "You know?, now that I think of it, I could just flush you down the toilet."
'I bet your plumber would be static about that. C'mon, girl. So you need people but you are not dependant. What about the other way around? You like people to depend on you?'
"That's a tricky question."
'So you don't. Or you fear you might hurt or deceive those people. Or are you such a saint that you are willing to hurt those people so they cannot depend on you?'
"I'm starting not to mind about the plumber's bill. Rapidly." The stone doesn't look too taken aback by my threat.
'Did you run because you didn't want a certain someone to depend on you? Because if they did they could get hurt?'
"I'm telling you," I insist, "I didn't run from anything."
'But you're still alone. You're telling me you chose this?'
"Yes."
'There will be a time when you will need someone. Everybody needs a parachute to stop their falls.'
London, July 2009.
Ella Hunt.
Lois was feeling really cold.
Weather forecasts had said it would be sunny when she turned on the news while having breakfast with Clark, so she had dressed up accordingly and then, mid-morning, temperatures had dropped.
She had been sent to cover a worker's riot in the outskirts of Metropolis and had gotten caught up under a sudden spring storm on her way there. With no time to go back home to change, all her hopes of changing into dry clothes were shuttered when she remembered she had just taken her extra suit to the dry cleaner during her lunch break.
She had managed to survive without the flu shot the whole winter and she was going to catch a cold amid spring because Clark didn't have time to get her dry clothes. This was just perfect. And the cherry on top? He was not making it with her to Luthor's campaign act. She was seething right now.
"You are a coward."
And cold. She was damn cold.
Clark was trying to pacify Lois' anger while they walked down Drake street. Fighting Metallo was easier. "Lois, I..." Ignoring him, Lois continued walking to her destination. "He just called, I-- come on, you talked to him even before me, you know I can't say no."
"Oh, yes you can, mister. Just as you told me you couldn't bring me my clothes," said Lois, "I'm freezing, Clark!"
The chill that would not leave her body and the anger made her walk fast. Seeing Clark being Clark, as if he tried to keep up, she knew it was meant to relieve her, but she was too mad at him to let that trick work.
Even though she was not looking at him, his face was all apologies and regret. "I'm sorry, Lois. I...I didn't have time."
Clark realized a second too late how unwise his choice of words had just been.
Lois stopped dead on her tracks and looked at him.
"Clark, the mere fact that you say that you did not have time...it's kind of insulting."
"I'm sorry, Lo, that didn't come out right, I know."
Clark turned serious. He knew how much Lois hated that particular assignment. Almost as much as he did. Who would want to see Lex Luthor running for President? And worse: the Justice League had agreed to cover security in high-risk places for campaign acts, and Metropolis was up in the 'special security needed' list.
"I'm sorry, I-" Suddenly he noticed that Lois had slowed down her pace, looking almost defeated. There was something else turning her mood down, it wasn't just the weather and it wasn't just Lex. Then, realization struck him: it was the date. How could've he forgotten? Stupid, stupid!
Clark placed his hand on her shoulder. "Honey..."
Lois refused the hand kindly yet firmly, and almost whispering she talked. "Not now, Clark."
Her tone was low an pleading.
Lois' threshold of tolerance towards public displays of affection had grown thanks to the years of exposure to him, his parents and Chloe ever since she got to Smallville. But allowing herself to show her weaknesses in public was a whole different thing. She would open to him, but not in the middle of the street, not in the middle of an assignment and never when that assignment was linked to the name Luthor.
"Just be careful," said Lois. "And don't worry, I'll cover for you."
Clark inclined his head towards her and gave her a kiss, short enough to be welcome with no side-effects on her lachrymal, and long enough to show her how much he loved her. "I'll make it before it starts. I love you."
"I love you too, Clark."
For the second time that day, Clark left her alone in the streets of Metropolis. The chill of a May night would be Lois' only company on her walk downtown to attend the very event she wanted to avoid at all costs. Some days just sucked.
Author's notes:
Just a transitional chapter towards the main two upcoming events: the JLA+Oracle mission in Metropolis and Lex's first political rally. Note these are not simultaneous events, mission goes before the campaign act, hence next chapter is just about the mission (hope you enjoy it, I had fun writing it).
No music used for this one.
As usual, feedback is welcome, but review it or not, I'm glad you are enjoying reading it.
As this was short and transitional, I'm posting two chapters today.
