Chapter 2 [Five Years Earlier—Metropolis, Daily Planet]
Towering high above Kansas' largest city, the Daily Planet tower bustled with activity. The Internet brought leads into its concrete walls. Editors met with reporters. The latter typed over their keyboards on various projects. Interns rushed about the area doing whatever errands required of them.
Never was there a dead day in this place…..
Clark stepped out of the fairly nondescript broom closet on the edge of the busy hive. He adjusted his glasses to be sure they added the right detail to his disguise before joining his colleagues. While most of them knew him at least on a first name basis, only a couple knew his real identity….
,,,,and why Superman could often be seen dealing with issues when Clark Kent wasn't around….
He sighed deeply and headed across the bullpen toward his desk. He knew he should've been hard at work on the Riverside feature story. He checked his desk calendar and recalled that there was an interview with a city official in less than an hour. Things he should've been working on frankly….
…if Superman hadn't been stopping a major jewelry heist across the state…
…or perhaps other distractions hadn't loomed close by….
…distractions like the empty desk across from his….
…empty save for the forlorn nameplate in its center labelled "LOIS LANE"
Where are you today, Lois? Istanbul? Cairo? Tokyo? Do you even know with all of the jet setting that you do? He shook his head thinking of the one time he flew to London to surprise her with dinner and romance during a week-long separation. He'd spent so much time and effort making reservations at a five star restaurant and hotel for them. He'd bought the most exquisite tulips from Holland that he could manage…
…and she still managed to stand him up in the midst of the fanciest restaurant….
When she heard what he'd done, she chewed him out for risking his cover. She told him to respect her career and that they'd talk when she returned to Metropolis….
…that had been four months earlier….
He appreciated the biweekly calls and the occasional email from her. At least he knew she was alive and all right. Still he needed and wanted more from their relationship. Despite his Kryptonian abilities, his heart still required love, didn't it?
"Hey, CK. Sorry," Jimmy Olsen cut in. "Hastings loved your piece on the mayor's campaign. How's the Riverside piece coming?" Despite the ten year difference in their ages, Jimmy felt comfortable around Clark for some reason. He straightened his bow tie. "Clark, you okay?"
"Hmm?" Clark stirred from his reverie. "I'm sorry, Jimmy. You say something?"
Jimmy frowned. Up until Lois had vanished from American soil, she had kept Clark somewhat upbeat. Even if the relationship rarely provided smooth composure, it still eased Clark's moods. "Maybe I can get us lunch?"
"That's okay. Rain check?" Clark really didn't feel like company at the moment. "That interview's in 45 minutes. Thanks though, Jimmy. I really appreciate the thought."
"No problem, CK. Hope you're feeling better. You'll really knock 'em dead at the interview!" Jimmy assured him while heading toward his own corner. Miss Lane, I hope you come back soon. You're eating Clark alive!
Clark opened a top desk drawer and produced a small black colored tablet. Up until Chloe had finally nagged him to death a year earlier, he still wrote his notes and questions out on a notepad. Now he was fully converted to the digital substitute. He understood how secure it could be (and how much easier it was to carry in his cape's pouch while in flight). He powered it up and skimmed his entries at super speed wishing he cared more…..
…even if his eyes drifted toward the desk and Lois' nameplate every so often….
His cell phone buzzed at him. "Kent here."
"I hope so, Kent! My office now!" Perry White summoned. His gruff voice sanding its way down Clark's ear canal and into his head.
"Yes, Mr. White. I'll be right there," Clark concurred before clicking the disconnect button and stowing both phone and tablet in his satchel. He grabbed his raincoat and walked briskly for the Editor in Chief's office. Within a minute's time, his knuckles rapped on the door in question.
"Come in already, Kent!"
Clark winced. Despite his own abilities, he'd come to understand how irascible Perry White could be. In general they got along fairly well. He got a lot of latitude from White that most reporters could only dream of. Still the older man held Clark to a high standard and would rip the latter from time to time. "Yes, Sir." He opened the door and slipped inside before shutting it again.
White stood at his plate glass window while surveying the city. Despite the PC police hounding him about it, he still smoked his usual Cuban stogie while at work. He wore a brown vest and pants. His beige shirt bulged and barely covered his waistline. His mind sought out any and all angles to give the paper the edge over its rivals. "Noticed you busted those jewel thieves. I sent Richards out to Dodge to interview everyone. Nice job." He puffed on his cigar guardedly. Since his initial visit to Smallville, he'd suspected Clark was more than he seemed. He'd discovered the latter's abilities as Clark and Lana had saved the Daily Planet from Lex Luthor's Kryptonite bomb years earlier. However he kept the secret locked up tighter than Fort Knox.
"Thank you, Mr. White. I try...Is there something? I need to interview the mayor. Promise it'll be great copy," Clark accepted hesitantly.
"Forget the interview, Clark. I've got Sanders on it. Something's off with you," White deduced. "Your work's not up to its usual par. What the Hell? I need you at your best!"
"I'm doing that." Clark fought off some annoyance at having his interview taken by another reporter.
"Not when your mind's distracted by Lane being overseas. What the Hell, Kent? Why don't you fly over and see her?" White pressed him. "Have dinner and maybe get you both a room. Hell it might do you good."
"Already tried that." Clark took off his glasses and set them on the desk firmly. "She couldn't even stop to have dinner with me. Then she lectured me about risking my cover to see her. I mean how am I supposed to see her if she isn't here? She's postponed our wedding three times already. She won't come home. What else am I supposed to think?" He weighed the next question carefully. "Mr. White, can you please give the foreign desk to someone else? I know Lois' career's important to her. I just want her around."
"I told her you'd be upset," White admitted. He almost tore the half-smoked stogie out of his mouth and jammed it into the glass ash tray. "Clark, I'm sorry. She told me she'd told you." He rubbed his forehead in consternation.
"Told me what?" Clark wondered aghast.
"That she's accepting a permanent overseas assignment. I'm reassigning her desk tomorrow morning. I'm also putting you on a week's leave paid. Take off and get your head back on straight. Maybe your mother could use some help on the farm?" White supposed.
"A week's leave? Mr. White, this job is all I have with Lois overseas," Clark protested.
"I know. Maybe some time in Smallville or wherever you zip off to will do you good. I spoke with your mother and explained that it wasn't your work. I just wanted to give you some time, Son. Maybe you need to think some things through? Anyhow she's expecting you. You're a great reporter, Clark. I need you to get yourself in order so you can be at your best for me. Understand?"
"Yes, Sir," he replied even if he didn't exactly feel that way. "If that's all, I'm going to have a talk with Lois. Where is she tonight?"
White pressed a couple of keys on his computer's keyboard and looked at his screen. "Amsterdam." He took the phone from his pocket. "Just make sure she gets off the air first. If you interrupt the feed, I'll skin you alive. Got it?"
"Got it. Thanks for that, Mr. White. See you in a week," Clark concluded before departing from the office and heading over toward the familiar broom closet.
Seemed that there was a cross-Pond trip forthcoming…..
As Clark headed for his usual launching pad, White dialed his cell phone anxiously. He didn't want to get Lois stirred up before her broadcast. Still he knew she wasn't exactly being fair to her partner either. He'd told her several times to bring Clark into the loop.
She'd simply brushed him off assuming that Clark would wait until the end of time for her to come back.
You're blowing it, Lane! With that he dialed the phone and waited….
[Station Z, Amsterdam, Netherlands—an hour later]
Lois leaned back in her chair and blew out a satisfied breath. Granted the hours were long. The constant travel stunk. However Europe remained at her beck and call. She loved the sight-seeing in between her reports. She knew the street credibility it lent to her career. She was heading for the professional apex maybe with the BBC or some other outfit….
….so why did still care about things stateside?
…Why did she get mad when Clark made an effort such as he did in London?
Smallville needs to understand! He has his life. I have mine. She frowned knowing how important being Superman was to him. She let him have his crime fighting. Was it her fault she did her reporting rather than be the damsel waiting for her man to come home? That's why I can't go back there. She saw Clark waiting by the side of the set. She managed a smile for him while heading over to his side. "Hi, Clark. Everything okay?" She hugged him perfunctorily.
"They could be better. I've arranged for us to have dinner at this place Mr. White recommended downtown…" Clark started.
"Clark, I have an interview in an hour. I can't," she declined while grimacing.
"Lois, I just flew across the Atlantic to see you! Doesn't that merit dinner?" he demanded while letting his voice rise angrily a couple of octaves.
"But it's the Prime Minister! Clark, come on! You and Perry just drop in and think you can make demands of me like that?" she countered brusquely.
"We are engaged, Lois. Comes with the territory," he retorted sharply.
She shook her head. "You know, Smallville, maybe we shouldn't be." She pulled the diamond off of her hand and set it hard in his palm. "You don't get to tell me what to do."
"Maybe someone should," he insisted angrily. "You're doing such a great job!"
"Yeah I am, Kent! You might try it!" She rolled her eyes. "God, you are such a pain in the ass! Just go!" She pointed at the door with anger.
Around them, the Dutch staffers stared incredulously.
"Now you should be proud, Clark. Way to go. Excuse me!" She stalked away from him and disappeared through the doors.
He exhaled deeply and looked down at the ring in his hand. Despite his capabilities, his heart stopped cold. His eyes watered. He wanted to rip that studio down around her ears….
…still exposing himself wouldn't change anything by a long shot….
…Lois had made her choice….
He shook his head while departing the area. It wouldn't do to cause any further scene. Life had just told him to move on….
Question was to what?
The answer was back across the Pond—whatever it was.
"Good bye, Lois. Hope you get what you want," Clark wished to the now-closed door. He turned and headed for the alley across the street. He just needed to get out of there.
And he needed to leave right away….