Army brat, Farm guy
Chapter 3c Tread softly
Daily Planet roof
"Jimmy, thanks for coming up. I am really concerned about Lois. A few weeks ago, the morning I gave you 3 your Christmas presents actually. I saw some bruises on her arm; like a hand print. What do you know about Lois' social life?"
Jimmy looks down, scraping his shoe in the gravel on the roof. "CK, please don't ask me that," he pleads with his eyes.
Clark shrugs, not wanting to put too much pressure on the young man. But he needs to know.
"Jimmy?"
"Clark, Lois has had bad luck with boyfriends."
"She has a boyfriend? I've not heard of him."
"Well, there has been trouble, for a while."
"Trouble? Jimmy, come on!"
Silence, then "Richard White, that's all I know. Scouts honor."
Clark glares, Jimmy shrugs.
8888888888
MPD CHIEF ASHTON
"Clark Kent, great to see you. That story about a country Christmas? I loved it. I grew up there, until I finished SHS. I really want to take the grandkids back, someday."
"Christmas would be a great time, sir. If you are serious, I will make a note to remind me to inform you of events next Christmas."
"That would be wonderful. Thank you! Now what may I do for you today?"
"Well, my partner at the Daily Planet, Lois Lane-
"You are Ms. Lane's partner? Wow, my wife loves her writing!"
"Me too; actually, I am still an intern. I am learning a ton from her."
"Learn from the best – as they say!"
"Yup! Anyway, this needs to be strictly confidential, chief."
"You got it, go on." The chief gets solemn.
Clark relates about the bruises, and what Jimmy said about relationships.
"All I know otherwise is a name; Richard White."
The chief's face darkens. "Clark, can you step out to my waiting area? I need to make a call."
Clark does. He turns on his super hearing just long enough to hear that chief Ashton didn't call Richard White. He called his wife.
Back in the office; "I called my wife; she keeps track of well-known people that she likes. Lois has dated Richard White; he's a stock broker with quite a rap sheet. I'm surprised she would have anything to do with him. You could have found this out at the Daily Planet."
"I don't have that security clearance yet, sir."
Ashton picks up the phone. "Julie, print the rap sheet on Richard White."
"Yes, that's him."
In a moment, Julie enters. She hands papers to the chief and exits.
He peruses them; then hands them to Clark, who looks them over. Clark hands them back, then excuses himself for a moment.
WAITING ROOM
Clark sends a TXT to Lois and Perry:
CK: Trust Chief Ashton? Implicitly? Reply ASAP!
Both replies were YES!
Clark reenters the office and stands just inside the door. "Chief?"
"Yes," but the doorway is empty. He looks confused.
"Over here, sir." Clark is in the corner of the room to the right.
The chief turns, confusion rising. Clark disappears. He reappears in the doorway. Chief Ashton's mouth drops open; as he turns, he whispers "You are the red/blue blur."
In his super hero voice and posture, "Correct, sir. Let me tell you a little about that. I am here to help you, your officers and the people of Metropolis."
The chief nods slowly.
88888888888
PATROLLING METROPOLIS
Clark Kent was worried after he saw those bruises on Lois' arm. Now that he has seen Richard White's rap sheet, his concern is off the charts. But what to do?
He cruises to her apartment building, settling down on the roof. He listens for a moment, just long enough to tell that a man is there. Rihard? Then he filters it out.
(Over the years he has learned how to filter out certain frequencies and sound from a specific direction; thus, creating dead zones. In this case he wants to give Lois a semblance of privacy. To a point.)
He goes back to patrolling, returning in half an hour. The voices have raised considerably.
"Richard, I don't want to go there and do that!"
"I said you would be there, Lois!"
"Well, you should have checked with me first, jerk!"
"You are my girlfriend! I said we'd-
SLAP!
"You BITCH! I don't know what I ever saw in you!"
SLAP!
"That's it . . . I'll show you!"
Sounds of a struggle, something breaking, muffled protestations. Two thumps, like human flesh being struck. "NO!"
Then silence.
A door opens, then slams shut. A man rushes out the front door, muttering "BITCH!"
Clark is torn between following Richard, presumably, and checking on Lois. He opts for the latter.
When he reaches Lois' front door he pauses. A man comes around the hallway corner, pauses as if afraid. He pulls out a large flashlight, as if to use it as a weapon.
"Who are you, sonny? That's Miss Lane's apartment. I heard commotion and a scream."
"Clark Kent, her partner at the Daily Planet. I was stopping by to . . . ah, see how she's doing."
"Doing what?" Frank is suspicious.
"Well, she had some bruising the other day. I was worried."
"Well, let's see. I'm Frank, the super by the way."
They shake hands. Frank tries the door – it is unlocked. That is unusual. Frank frowns. He slowly opens the door. He and Clark gasp, the room is a mess. Lois lays on her back, arms clutched to her chest. She is still, her chest moving very slightly. Clark rushes to her side, checking for a pulse.
He turns to Frank, "she has a pulse. I will take her to Metropolis General." He scoops her up, but before he leaves, he asks "Do you have security cameras, Frank?"
"Yes."
"Good; call the police, have the tape ready for them."
"I will. Thank you for caring for her. She's a great lady."
Clark nods and is off at human speed. When he is out of sight, he super speeds to the hospital. At the ER entrance he gently places her on a stretcher. He speaks to the nurse who quickly comes go his side. "This is Lois Lane, I'm Clark Kent; her partner at the Daily Planet. I think she has suffered an assault."
888888888888888
TBC