A/N: I'm posting two chapters today. Chapters 37 and 38.
Chapter 38
The Daily Planet newsroom quieted as the clock approached noon. This was the lunchtime lull. Jason was perched at one of the large newsroom windows, looking down on the Metropolis City Park.
"Can we get some hot dogs, mommy? I'm hungry."
"Oh, I don't think." Lois removed her eyeglasses and rubbed her forehead. She was hesitant to take Jason outside. She felt safe here, in the newsroom, surrounded by people.
"I'm hungry, too, Miss Lane," Jimmy said approaching Lois' desk. "I can take Jason down and get some hot dogs."
"Me three," Ben offered. "Jimmy and I need to grab a bite before our interview this afternoon with the sailors. We could bring you back something."
Lois looked at the two men standing beside her desk and pushed to her feet. "Actually, I'm hungry, too. A little fresh air is probably good for all of us, especially Jason." She smiled at her son. Plus, going to the park with Ben and Jimmy in tow felt safer.
"Yay!" shouted Jason and he ran toward the door.
"Hey, not so fast, kiddo. You forgot your coat." Lois smiled as she held up Jason's coat.
# # # # # #
The bright sunshine had coaxed the temperature up a few degrees, but not enough to encourage many citizens to enjoy the Metropolis City Park and its vendors. The park's neatly trimmed grass was beginning to lose its green luster and some areas had already faded to brown in preparation for a long winter's sleep. Tall oak trees stood majestically throughout the park offering abundant shade during the hot summer months, but now their large loped leaves drooped. A few leaves had already made the transition to bright red, orange, and yellow.
"Mmm, mmm." Ben finished off his chili dog and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "I love the City Park's chili dogs." He patted his waist and chuckled. "Maybe too much." At the moment he certainly didn't need to worry.
"That goes double for me," Jimmy agreed. "Nobody makes a better chili dog than the Metropolis City Park vendors."
Jason had finished his vegetarian hot dog and was picking up colorful leaves off the ground.
Lois kept a watchful eye on her son while she gathered up the hot dog wrappers. "Jason and I need to be getting back to the office," she said and looked around for a trash bin.
"Mommy, look at that doggie!" Jason pointed at a dog scampering a short distance away.
Lois gave the dog a cursory glance. "Leave him alone. He probably belongs to someone." Lois was ready to get back to the safety of the Daily Planet.
"Mommy, he's all alone," Jason whined.
Lois was more worried about people. She scanned the area for suspicious characters as she threw away the trash.
"He's a cute doggie," Jimmy said as he tossed his hotdog wrapper and napkin in the trash bin.
"But where's his owner?" Ben asked glancing around.
Finally, Lois turned to properly view the dog. Wait, she'd seen this dog before. But where?
Jason squatted and held out a hand. "Here doggie. Here doggie."
The little dog did not come to Jason. Instead, it bounded here and there sniffing things.
Jason blinked, his little mind remembering. He'd seen this dog before, on the boat with the bad man. The lady had been holding the doggie.
Suddenly, the dog bolted and ran toward some parked cars.
"No doggie. No!" Jason sprinted after the dog, not wanting it to get away. The dog might lead him to the bad man.
"Jason! Stop!" Lois yelled. She had also remembered where she'd seen the dog. She ran after Jason.
Jimmy and Ben joined the pursuit, worried Jason might run out into traffic.
The dog darted to the left and headed toward a different set of parked cars. One had its engine running, as evidenced by the exhaust coming from the tailpipe, and an open door.
"Doggie, come back!" Jason put on a burst of speed when it appeared the little dog might get away.
"No! Jason! Stop!" Lois, Jimmy, and Ben shouted as they gave chase.
Lois stumbled over a thick tree root and went down on one knee. She saw the little dog jump into the car with the open door and, to her horror, Jason jumped in right behind the dog.
"NOOOO!" she screamed pushing off the ground. "Jaaason!"
Ben managed to catch the last three digits of the license plate as the car backed out of its parking spot.
"Jaaason!" Lois screamed again. The sound of screeching tires drowned out her scream as the car sped away.