"And then Bart said the Doctor had a gun. And I was so..." Linda's voice devolved into sobs.
"Linda... I'm fine now." Lois wasn't sure she heard, with it being mumbled into her jacket. "Just let go for one..."
"And then Bart came with the others and you weren't..."
Lois pushed away, holding her by the shoulders. "I'm fine now. And someone needs to fly this thing."
"You're right." Linda sniffled and nodded. "Besides, we have to get the police to come in and take those bastards away," she growled, her eyes narrowing. "Yeah." She stomped back to the Bell and got in. "Are we going or what?"
"In a sec," Lois said, trying to keep up with the mood swings. "Where's..."
"Clark?"
She glanced up as Martha rushed past her. She hadn't even had time to say hello, what with being smothered by Linda so quickly.
She turned and watched Martha embrace her son, then pull away and swat him on the head, then embrace him again.
"Aw!" Bart sighed. "Oh, the tender reunions. Meanwhile, I get back and Linda started hitting me right away. My own fault, really. I didn't have the heart to tell her you weren't there until we got back. Wasn't sure Martha could restrain her."
"Well, here." She turned and hugged him. "Thanks, Bart. For everything." She kissed his cheek.
He pulled away, blushing slightly. "You did good yourself, Lolita."
"Are we going now?"
She turned to the Bell. Sue Terry was leaning out the door.
"Yes, we are." She turned to Clark and Martha as they walked up.
"We should get everybody to the hospital, just to be safe," Clark said, "before contacting the police."
"Yes. I'm all for putting that off." She moved to the chopper and squeezed in with the rest. Bart closed the door on her and moved to the back, getting into the hold behind the seats.
Clark helped his mother into the front, then followed him. She looked back, saw that David and Bob were back there as well. Not all the men were as chivalrous. George had a seat. Allen did, too, but that was understandable.
"Who's the guy?" Sue said as they lifted off.
"That's my... partner. Clark Kent."
"So... you both work for The Daily Planet."
Lois nodded.
"I don't get it. Why would two reporters come all the way out here for us. Not really..."
"Sue," David sighed. "They saved us and that's the point."
"Well, I realize that. But what's the angle? I mean, everyone has something to gain."
"Do you always have to be so..."
"No. She's right," Lois cut in. "There's something I want."
"Thought so," Sue snorted. "Well, I guess between us we can get together some money or..."
"Nothing like that," Lois said. "Maybe just first dibs."
"Huh?"
"On your story," Lois clarified. "For The Daily Planet."
Sue shrugged. "Well, if that's all... Sure."
Lois turned back and caught Clark's eye. He smiled. She smiled back. "That's all we need."
****************************
"Like I said, I just got the people here and then called the police," Lois repeated for what felt like the hundredth time. She was at a table in the hospital's basement cafeteria, along with Clark, Linda, and Bart. The rest were still under observation.
"You sure took your time," Inspector Henderson said. "From all accounts, the events happened at dawn."
"It was an out of the way place. I had to find a phone."
"So you just brought them here." He sat back in his orange chair. "It's lucky you just happened to have a friend with a helicopter."
Linda looked up from her bag of chips for a moment. "I'm her cousin. And my husband, Oliver Queen, does have a helicopter. I'm fully licensed to operate it. Do you need to see my..."
"No." He sighed and ran a hand over his face. "Listen, this is all just a little crazy. Am I really to believe that two reporters not only found this project, but took it all down in one..."
"Bill, calm down." Lois glanced up at the woman standing to the side. "I mean, if you think they're criminals, why are you interviewing them her instead of downtown?"
"I'm not saying that, Sawyer. I'm just..." He squeezed a pink ball in his hand. Lois stared at it, wondering if it was one of those stress balls. She should get Perry one. He'd sounded like he was having a coronary when she said they had to deal with the police first. "Why couldn't you have gotten out first, called us. I'm not exactly into vigilanteism and..."
"There wasn't time," Lois said. "The doctor would have got away. I locked her in the same room she tried to put us in. I had to."
He dropped his head into his hands. "Fat lot of good having her does us. Only three people in the place and they're in the mental ward. I can't even get a word out of them."
"Three..." Lois glanced at the inspector. "But..."
"The doctor was using nerve gas," Clark cut in suddenly. "When Lois locked her in that room, she got a heavy dose herself. It must have affected her."
Lois turned to Clark, staring hard at him. He knew as well as she did that there were two other men in that complex. Where were they?
"Okay." Henderson sighed. "What about the fire?"
"Fire?" Lois shook her head. "There wasn't a..."
"Apparently, a fire destroyed a part of the medical building. It was out by the time we got there, but..."
"With the chemicals they were messing with," Clark cut in. "I'm not surprised. I'm just glad none of us were hurt."
Henderson stared at Clark. "So... let me get this straight from the beginning. This Bryce woman brought you there. Then she just dropped dead? From what?"
"I... don't..."
"My men still can't pinpoint a cause of death. Her hair was white, her skin seemed..."
Lois jumped in, seeing Clark's anguish. "Like Clark said, they were messing with some dangerous substances there. Who knows what caused her death?" And she didn't know. But she suspected Clark did.
"Then Lane and Queen here came in and... How about you, Mr. Allen?"
"Who me?" Bart shrugged from next to her. "I was just along for the ride."
"From what I gathered from the others, you herded them out to the helicopter."
"Oh, yeah. Did that. Is that a crime?"
"No, I just..." Henderson stood, toppling his chair. "I just don't understand any of this. You're not supposed to get involved in these things. You're supposed to go through proper channels and alert the authorities or... Well, Superman."
Clark sank down in his chair.
"Oh, leave them alone, Bill." Sawyer stepped forward. "The good guys are safe and the bad guys are comatose. Seems like a win to me."
Henderson sighed. "I don't mean to give you a hard time, but... Listen, I'm glad you're all safe. But you took some big risks, here."
A uniformed man came in. "Inspector, the rest seem to be ready for interview."
"Do you mean they remember everything?"
"Not so much from before," the man said. "But they've, apparently flown a specialist in." He flipped through some papers. "A Doctor Takamoto from Star Labs."
Lois, Clark, and Linda glanced at eachother. She guessed Oliver had a hand in that assignment. It was good to know they were still on the same page. Though she wondered if they were. With the other men missing and, she guessed, a lot of the evidence destroyed... Clark had been speaking to Ollie just before they left. What had he said?
********************
Clark got up as Henderson left. "Can we go now?" he asked Sawyer, trying not to seem too familiar. She knew Superman, after all. Not Clark Kent.
"Sure. You can go."
Bart and Linda got up hurriedly. "This cafeteria food totally sucks," Bart said.
"There's a diner across the street," Linda said, crumpling her bag and tossing it in the trash can. "We should get pancakes... maybe waffles, too."
"Linda..." Bart put his arm around her shoulders. "Is it just me or are we finally connecting?"
Clark and Lois started to follow, but Sawyer stopped them with a hand. "I appreciate your dedication to your stories. But Henderson's right. You two are taking some big risks. Try to toe the line a little. Not like Superman's always around."
"Definitely not," Lois said grabbing Clark's arm. "Won't happen again. Really."
Clark moved away with her, wondering if Superman would ever be around again. He still felt weak, drained. What was his purpose if he wasn't... He yelped as Lois pushed him into the elevator.
"What did you do?"
"What?"
"There were other men, Clark. And that lab didn't seem in any danger of exploding from what I saw." She shook her head and pushed the one button. "I wish I hadn't seen what I saw."
"I don't think anyone else should, at least not up close."
She turned to him, her expression hurt as the doors closed. "I knew it. You had Ollie destroy it."
"I had to. They couldn't... The substances... Lois, it was my blood that was used. If it fell into the wrong hands..."
"Yes," she cut in as the doors opened again. It was only one floor, after all. Bue he wanted more time to explain. "I've seen what could happen when it falls into the wrong hands." She strode out and he followed.
"Lois, I..."
"I'm not mad at you, Clark." She stopped in the lobby. "At least, I'm trying not to be. It's just... I almost hate being in the know sometimes. I hate knowing what's at stake. I wish I could just report the facts and not have to think of all this greater good and..."
"But it's not..."
"Just save it, Clark." She sighed and moved to the doors, pulling her wallet from her pocket and moving to a pay phone. "I don't want to hear it. I need to think. I can't think... too much..."
He stopped as she leaned against the wall between the phones. "Are you..."
"I'm fine, okay?" She took a breath. "I have to be. We have the hardest part ahead of us now."
He sighed. "I thought we just got through the hardest part."
"What? Henderson?" She snorted and dialed. "Yellow Cab, please," she said into the reciever, then turned back to him. "He's nothing. We're about to face Perry White."
*******************************
"How the hell can a chemical explosion destroy only one part of a giant building?"
Lois glanced at Clark as he shifted in his seat. She saw him and Ollie again, leaning in at the end, whispering. It still angered her. They had destroyed everything of substance. Still... the silent cab ride had given her some perspective. If Clark's blood was out there... Well, that couldn't be good. "I'm no chemist, Perry. But don't volatile chemicals burn bright, but quick? I mean, it sucks, but we still have the stories of the victims and..."
"But we don't have the hard evidence. How far did this get? This doctor is, apparently, babbling in some mental ward. The other one is gone and we don't even have one shred of..."
"We have a shred." Lois looked over as Clark stood up, digging in his pocket. "We have more than that." He pulled a cell phone out and placed it on the desk. "Before I got out, I took a few pictures." He slid the phone to Perry. "I think these are enough to see how far things got." He glanced once at Lois and sat back down. Perry opened the phone and pressed a few buttons, his eyes widening. "Okay. We've got a serial here." He pressed a button on his desk phone. "Doris? Tell Olsen to get in here." He sat behind his desk and pushed the phone to Lois.
She took it and glanced at the pictures on the screen. She turned horrified eyes to Clark. What she'd seen had been bad enough, but that he had seen this... That he had looked long enough to capture it. She reached over, grasped his hand.
He glanced at her and turned his hand over, squeezing hers.
The door opened and Jimmy sailed in. "You wanted to see me, Chief?"
"You bet I do." Perry got up and strode around his desk, taking the phone from Lois. "I want these cleared up, but you keep it under wraps. I don't want anyone finding out we have this. But I see it now." He moved in front of Lois and Clark, perching on his desk. "Day one. Just a front page overview. Names, dates, five couples caught in a web of deceit and illegal experiments. Day two, a profile on the victims, complete with interviews. You did secure an exclusive?"
"Verbally," she said as Clark loosened his grip. She pulled her hand away, still not ready to be so close to him, not with all that still ran through her mind. "But I'm pretty sure they won't talk to anyone else until we're done. Even then, it will be old news, us being there first."
"Good." He nodded. "Then day three will outline the operation and... what about this backer? Because it still could be Luthor..."
"No dice there, Perry," Lois said quickly. "There's nothing to tie him except the anagram and... Well, that seems planted at best."
"Damn," he groaned. "I wanted to get him this time."
"Well, cheer up, Chief." Jimmy was still staring at the phone. "These are some clean images. I think I can blow them up very nicely."
"Yeah?" He straightened and patted Clark's head. "Good work, Kent. Now you two get writing on an overview. Details to follow, yadda, yadda... But I need it for tomorrow." He took Jimmy by the arm. "I also want a photo shoot with the couples. Olsen, you can help with that. Just casual, but something nice. Highlight that these were just average people, but bearing extraordinary..."
Their voices trailed off as they moved into the bullpen. Lois stood. "So... Clark Kent gets the story and Lois Lane saves the day. Kind of ironic, if our readers knew."
"I meant to show you the phone, but we came here and then..."
"It's no big deal. Just different, really." She sighed and moved to the door.
When they moved into the bullpen, it was full. She glanced at the clock. It was past nine now. Rachel Rogers stopped in her tracks, staring at them.
"Let me guess," she said, pointing. "You went undercover as Ninjas, then fell into a dumpster and..."
"Hardy-har." Lois rolled her eyes.
"Well, you look terrible." Rachel sat at her desk and began filing her nails.
Lois took her own desk and turned on the computer. "We've actually been working."
She shrugged. "And you look it."
She glanced at Clark as he took a chair and pulled it up to her desk. "Let's just get to work. I don't think we can get interviews until Murray's assessed them."
Right. Actual work. "What's he going to do?"
"Ever since I brought him the samples, he was wondering if he could try some kind of counter hypnosis, using the same gas, but with new suggestions, get at the things they have locked away. Give them permission."
"Right." It's not like Grady. "It's not like they're gone, just buried..." Lois shook her head. "In the meantime, we can release profiles of them. Where they were when this started."
"Exactly. Maybe we can get their wedding pictures. If the police have the stuff from the warehouse, then we could get a release to use the...
It suddenly felt like any other day... except it wasn't. She and Clark had never worked this close on a story. Yet it all felt so familiar. There was a life she lived now. But there was another... One where Clark was also...
"Lane! Kent!" She looked up as Perry strode from the elevators. "What the hell are you doing?"
Lois and Clark glanced at each other. "Getting to work," Clark said, though it sounded more like a question.
"Not like that. You look awful."
Rachel snickered and started pretending to be busy.
"I told you, the overview story's for tomorrow's edition. Email me copy by midnight. The both of you get some sleep and, for God's sake, a shower before I see you again."
Lois shut her computer down. As much as she'd been craving sleep, the idea of actually laying in a quiet room seemed like torture. There would be nothing to stop it all from crashing down on her.
She started for the stairs like a woman condemned. Clark had about the same look on his face.
They stopped, seeing Jimmy, camera in hand. "Great work, you guys. Perry's got me going to the houses now, get some shots." He patted Lois' arm. "He liked your original idea of the full spread with the exteriors. Just whet their appetite and keep them coming back for more. But we're going to have to get a release from the victims, photos, bios..."
"They might not be up to it today," Clark said.
"Oh, yeah. I know. In the meantime, I'll get cracking on this and those images. I think I can get some good pics from your phone, Kent." He started off, then turned back. "This is so cool. Exclusive by Lane and Kent with images by James Olsen." He suddenly moved back and grabbed them both in a hug. "I can't wait to see it all in print." He pulled back, brushing his shirt off. "Uh... You guys should maybe get a shower, though."
"Yeah, thanks," Lois said blankly. If one more person said...
"I think we should get..." Lois turned to him, a warning in her eyes. "A cab," he finished.
Lois nodded and started down the steps. "My car's at home. I can freshen up, then come back and get you, then we can get started."
"You sure you don't want a nap?"
"You sure you don't? You're operating on about as much sleep as I am and, with whatever you did..." She shook her head. "In other words, I don't want a nap. And I don't want coddling." Not from you. Not now. She turned to him at the revolving doors, trying to keep her mind on the work. "You sure you want to let that phone go? There could be some history or numbers or..."
"Not in service," he said. "I tried them at the hospital. I hoped they would lead me to whoever was paying Albright and Bryce."
"Well the other guys might lead you, but they seem to be... missing."
"We both know they aren't missing," he said, glancing at her as they hailed a cab. "I think Ollie might have improvised there."
"Improvised? What's he going to do to them?"
**************************
"I might give you a bite of this delicious ham sandwich..." The man leaned forward and Bart moved back. "But I just don't know."
"Okay, Scumbag." Linda grabbed the man by the collar. "I'm through screwing around. Who do you work for?" She shook the man. "And you tell me quick."
Lois stared at the monitor. "Well..."
Clark nodded beside her. "Linda seems... invested."
"Yeah. She gets that way."
"I'm telling you. We get our money through Thorul Industries."
"And who's in charge?"
"I don't know this Thorul. I'm telling you all I know," the man was saying. Lois recognized him, the mottled face and all. "We got the business through an associate. I thought it was good news. I mean, you can't run drugs forever and..."
"I don't care about your sordid history," Linda sneered. "What can you tell me about your employer?"
"Nothin. I swear. We'd get these text messages telling us where to go and..."
"And where did you go?"
"Just to that fancy place a few times. Loaded furniture and took it to some old warehouse."
"But your helicopter..."
"Well, we got another message. And Manny's licensed to fly. You can check his papers if you..."
"Your friend's already told me everything," Linda growled. "You sing along and you might just go free."
"But... I told you everything I..."
"You make me sick." Linda let him go and stood up straight. "I'm going to give you some time to think. When I come back..."
"When we come back," Bart cut in.
"Oh, fine. When we come back, you're going to make with the chin music. See?"
She strode to the door and Bart followed. Clark turned away from the monitor as they came out.
"Not fair, Linda. I was supposed to be bad cop."
Linda rolled her eyes. "With your sandwich threat. Excuse me while I cower."
"Dude, it would have worked if you..."
They moved off and Martha giggled. "They're like kids, aren't they? Well... all of you are to me."
Clark sat next to his mother. "Mom, you can go home and get some rest now."
"And miss everything? No, thanks." She patted his hand. "I'm not tired. But you look it."
"I'm... I'm okay."
"Fine!" They turned as Linda spoke from the doorway. "We go back to the other and I'll be good cop. Happy?"
Victor groaned from behind Clark. "Ollie, come on... I can't watch this anymore. Can't you just let me go in and..."
"Oh, let them have their big interrogation. They've earned it."
Clark turned to Ollie. "They don't seem to be giving much up."
"I don't think they have much to give. At this point, it's too late to turn them in. I'll have to let them go." He sighed. "What are the odds they'll become upstanding citizens with nine to five jobs?"
"Pretty slim, I think," Lois said. "But maybe... Just go easy on them. That guy in there..." She pointed to the monitor. "He could have killed me and he didn't."
Clark turned to her. "You never told me that."
"I never told you a lot. Vice, versa, I guess."
Did she mean about his weakness? He leaned to her. "Lois, I know we need to have a talk and..."
"Just never mind. Okay?" She turned to Ollie. "What kind of progress is Murray making?"
Ollie turned away from the monitors. "Oh, Murray? He's been starting with Kern. He left the Kolokol out of the concoction as the use of that isn't even near legal. But he thinks a mix of rohypnol with a relaxant might work if..."
Lois nodded and listened. It had only been an hour before she called him to go to the Tower. She looked clean and sort of refreshed, but her eyes still looked tired. He'd suggest she lay down again, but she was probably as sick as he was of everyone telling her how tired she looked. He didn't want to sleep either. He just wanted to work. It was about all he was good for right now. It had been six hours and he still had no control. He'd tried. He'd tried only to reheat his coffee and it didn't work. It was funny the things you took for granted. His powers weren't just for saving the day. They were a part of his everyday life. The idea of going on without them...
"I have an interrogation of my own to conduct," someone whispered above him. He looked up. It was Victor. He grasped him by the shirt and Clark rose, reflecting that he couldn't have been moved this time last week. Victor pushed him into the living area, past AC and Diana playing gin and into the washroom. There was nowhere else, everywhere else being taken up with the hostage situation. Ollie might have to extend this place if he planned on using it more...
"Let's see it."
Clark blinked at Victor. "See what?"
"You know what."
Clark sighed and pulled the darkened crystal from his back pocket.
Victor grabbed it and stared at it hard, one eye turning red. "It's crazy."
"What is?"
"Your set had these crystals the way we have electricity, but neither last forever." He turned it over in his hand. "What exactly happened with this?"
"I hardly know myself." His training with Jor-El was like a crash course. So much information about a place that seemed so far from him now. "It started glowing, as if it was... drawn to the kryptonite in Morgan's system."
"That's that lady with you, then. I take it Bryce used her concoction on her? She didn't look too bad."
"It healed her, but it took something from me and from... Helen."
"The Bryce woman." Victor nodded. "I hacked into the coroner's reports. They can't pinpoint the cause of death." He suddenly moved to Clark, pulling his eyelids wide.
"Hey, stop it."
Victor drew back. "Just trying to see what happened to you."
"Isn't it obvious? The crystal drained me of my power... almost all of it. I can't sustain. Sometimes, I can't even start."
"See, I don't think so." Victor turned his eyes back to the crystal. "I didn't get much of a look at this thing before. But I have a theory. If this crystal drained your power, then it should have more of a charge than it does. It took from you, but I think it then acted as a conduit, transferring energy through Bryce. But her being human, it couldn't retain it."
"What are you saying?"
"I think your loss of power is tied to this crystal and to this fortress of yours." Victor stared at it, his eyes glowing faintly. "You said the fortress was weakened without this."
"It was a power source," Clark intoned dully. "One of three crystals."
"There's some power left in here, but not enough. If you can get this back where it belongs, then maybe it can draw some strength. And give you back a little of yours so you'll find yourself making toast without a toaster again."
There was a rapping on the door and Clark turned, opening it. It was Lois. She glanced past him at Victor. "Hate to interrupt, but we have a story to write." She stared at Clark. "Perry wants copy by midnight. You coming?"
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