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The Rival - Matchmaker Style


Rated PG-13



* * denotes emphasis
< > denotes thoughts
As always comments are welcome. (ken.janney@kjanney.com)

Previously:


Jimmy decided that he, being almost low man on the totem pole didn't have that much to lose so he offered, "Well Chief, the first diagram illustrates the amount of rainfall we're getting this year, and the pie chart …" His voice faded into inaudibility as Perry glared at him.

Perry turned to Lois and challenged, "Lois, you were there and got the story. Why did you let the Star get the pictures that we needed."

Chagrined, Lois had to admit, "My camera was out of film. At least we weren't completely scooped."

"We might just as well have been. Without pictures we got nothing. It's because of this kind of thing that people are reading the Star. To the public in general it looks like the Star knows everything."

Jimmy piped up, "Bet they don't know how much rain we got this year."

Once again, Perry glared at Jimmy. This time it wasn't just his voice that faded, he faded into the background.

Perry wasn't finished yet, "People, I can assure you, if we don't come up with some solid page one stories PDQ, the only writing you'll be doing is your resumes!"

Suddenly a phone started to ring in the background and Jimmy moved to answer it, "Conference room."

Perry asked, "Well? Anybody got anything to say?"

Lois and Clark as well as the rest of the staff simply looked at each other and felt uncomfortable as Perry continued, "Oh, this is just great. I can see the next edition already. Under 'Today's Top News' we'll just print 'We haven't got a clue!' Just what in Sam Hill am I supposed to tell the Publisher if he calls?"

There was silence as Perry finished which Jimmy broke. He had his hand over the mouthpiece as he said, "Whatever it is, he's waiting to hear it on line one."

Perry sighed heavily and looked heavenward for strength. He made one final comment before he turned toward his office, "Just a warning, folks. I've seen papers shut down. It's not a pretty picture. Not pretty at all." With a dispirited air, Perry turned toward his office. He looked like a man on the way to the gallows.

Lois and Clark exchanged a look and then Clark picked up the copy of the Star. He started looking at the pictures. Something caught his eye and he slid his glasses down his nose so that he could use his microscopic vision.

Lois saw the move and knew exactly what it meant. She sidled up next to him and whispered, "What do you see?"

He looked around to make sure they weren't being observed and then pointed at a particular individual in one of the pictures. "I recognized this man. It's Stark. Carpenter's body guard."

Lois grabbed the paper and looked closely, "How can you tell? He's turned away from the camera."

"He has an earring with a dangling Ankh in his left ear. You can just see it."

"I'm glad you can because I sure can't. What would he be doing there?"

"That's what I'd like to know. Wait here. There's something I need to check."

"Okay, don't be gone too long though. There's no telling when Perry will finish and what news he will deliver."

Clark reached up and started to loosen his tie as he said, "I'll be right back." He turned and headed for the stairwell.

A few seconds later, Lois saw a red and blue streak go past the window and knew that Superman was on the job.

And now:


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 04
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Lois didn't have to wait very long before Clark was exiting the stairwell, straightening his tie.

When he got close to Lois she asked, "Well, where did you go? What did you find?"

"Let's go into the conference room."

Hearing this, Lois became eager to hear what he had found out and jumping up headed for the conference room. Once inside, Clark closed the door and pulled the shades. This only served to heighten Lois's anticipation, she said, "Okay, give!"

"I thought that the number of times that Linda was on scene when something big occurred was pushing the bounds of coincidence."

"Right. I'll agree with that. What did you find?"

"Why would Carpenter's body guard be on scene? He should be with Carpenter."

"Right. There was no good reason for him to be there. What'd you find?" Her frustration was evident in the fact that each of her questions had been uttered in a slightly more elevated tone.

"Okay, you'll be happy to see this then." Clark pulled a piece of cable from his inside jacket pocket and held it out.

Lois took it and looked at it. Then she looked up at him and in a deflated tone, asked, "That's it? That's what you found? Okay, I see it. When do I get happy?"

Clark took it back and said, "This is a piece of elevator cable. I found it in the shaft. Check the end."

Lois took it back from him and scrutinized it. She said, with a doubtful air, "Well, I'm still not happy, but I'm closing in on bored."

Clark couldn't help rolling his eyes.

Lois saw the movement and glared at him.

He took the cable back and pointed at the end and explained, like to a five-year-old, "It's not frayed, Lois. It's smooth, like it's been cut."

The expression on Lois's face morphed into one of excitement. She blurted out, "Cut? Then the accident …"

Clark finished for her, "Wasn't. Somebody wanted that elevator to fall, just at that time."

With this revelation, Lois was becoming more and more excited. She shouted, "Clark, do you know what this means? I can scoop Linda!"

Clark was shocked at her attitude and blurted out, "You?"

Lois, realizing that she had been caught, amended her statement, "Us. Didn't I say us? I meant us."

Clark chuckled and took the cable back from Lois. He said, "Uh-huh. Before we write anything, I want the lab to verify my, I mean, our theory."

Lois had visions of holding up a page one headline saving the paper dancing through her head with her foot on Linda King's back, pushing her face into the mud. When she came back to Earth she realized that they would need to corroborate the story before they could move forward on it. She said, "Of course. Absolutely. That's the rational thing to do." She hurried to the conference room door, threw it open and shouted, to no one in particular, "Messenger I need … Somebody get me a messenger!

Staffers in the pit were startled by this outburst. It was so out of character for Lois Lane, at least out of character for the Lois that was married to Clark Kent. He had been such a calming influence on her that this outburst startled everyone and they simply froze in their tracks.

Clark caught up to her in the doorway, "Lois, let's grab a bite to eat, sit down and talk this through. You seem a little tense."

Lois was taken aback, "Tense? Me? I'm fine." She turned to the pit and shouted again, "Where's that messenger?!" Another staffer chose that second to pass by and Lois grabbed him by the lapels and shouted in his face, "Are you the messenger?"

There was a look of amusement on Clark's face as he looked at her and rolled his eyes. He placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "That's not the messenger, let's have Jack take this to S.T.A.R Labs."

Lois settled down somewhat, "What? Jack? S.T.A.R Labs? Yes. Yes! That's it. S.T.A.R Labs."

Looking around, Clark spotted Jack and called, "Jack, got a minute? I've got a job for you."

Jack was appreciative of the job that Clark had helped him get and was willing to go out of his way to help him out. Jack came over and said, "What can I do you for, Mr. K?"

Clark grabbed a small box and placed the cable section in it. He closed it and said, "I need you to take this over to S. T. A. R. Labs. I need them to take a look at the ends. The questions is - how did it get separated?"

"How do I get there?

"Huh?"

"They cut expense accounts."

Clark nodded his understanding and dug into his pocket. He pulled out a twenty dollar bill and handed it to him. He said, "Keep the change."

"Thanks, Mr. K. I'll go right away." He turned and hurried into the elevator.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

They decided to go to the Press Club for lunch and as they were seated and their waitress was about to take their order they were handed copies of the Star.

Lois looked at the waitress and asked, "What's this?"

Clark was actually the one to answer, "Looks like a new promotion by the Star. Every customer receives a free copy."

Lois griped, "It's bad enough Carpenter cut his news stand price. Now he's giving it away. What are you looking at?"

Lois had looked at it with disgust and tossed it aside while Clark had opened his.

Clark was obviously engrossed in the article that he was reading.

"Earth to Clark. Earth to Clark. All right, let's think it through. Assume the cable was cut. Who would benefit? You'd kill a random person."

Clark was still reading as he replied, ""There are a number of possibilities. The building owner? An insurance scam?"

Seeing that he was still intent on the article, Lois asked, "Clark! What's so interesting?"

"This is the same edition that has the elevator accident reported. Carpenter has an editorial demanding stronger building codes in light of the elevator accident, calling for a criminal investigation into the manufacturers."

"So?"

"So he's a mighty fast writer. It's in the same edition as Linda's article."

"Clark, the man's a walking opinion. It's not like he has to do a lot of thinking."

"Lois, don't you see? In order for him to have an editorial about that in the same edition he'd almost have had to have prior knowledge of the incident."

Lois looked at Clark with a mystified expression. She asked, "How do you figure?"

"Look, Linda was covering a fashion show and upstairs a fire starts, which the investigator now says was probably arson. Linda was at lunch at the Tri-Crown and there was an elevator ‘accident.’" He used finger quotes for the word - accident.

"Hey, you may be on to something."

"Remember, Carpenter called to make sure of where she was just before the incident occurred."

Lois put her napkin on the table and said, "'ll be right back. Order me angel hair with tomato and basil, no olive oil, extra parmesan cheese.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Press Club, Linda King and Preston Carpenter were having lunch together.

They had just placed their orders and as the waitress departed, Carpenter said, "Two page one stories in as many days. You should be proud of yourself."

Linda, somewhat in awe of Carpenter and his praise replied, "It's an unexpected start, I'll say that."

Carpenter, pouring on the charm said, "I don't find it unexpected at all."

Linda, trying her own flattery, replied, "You're a man of vision, isn't that what they say?

Somewhat amused, Carpenter replied, "I don't know about that. I am a man of action. Remember Charles Foster Kane?"

Smiling at the reference to a classic, Linda said, "Of course."

Carpenter smiled in return, happy that she knew his reference, "My idol, although he was only a movie character. I have, however, devoted my time to becoming the genuine article."

Linda smiled demurely and asked, "Aren't you already?"

Carpenter's attitude changed slightly as he replied, "Not quite. You see, Kane not only reported the news, he made it. He set out an agenda for the country, and then had his papers promote that agenda. And the country followed. Soon I'll have that kind of power. Soon." As he finished there was the light of fanaticism in his eyes.

Without breaking his eye contact with Linda, Carpenter reached under the table and placed his hand on Linda's knee. He asked, "Does that excite you as much as it does me?"

Linda was feeling distinctly uncomfortable and she said, "I don't think we should confuse our relationship."

Carpenter slid his hand up under the hem of her skirt as he said, "My dear, if there is anything I am not, it is confused."

Linda was feeling more and more uncomfortable the farther his hand traveled and not knowing any other way to escape the situation hastily stood and said, "I really think I should go ... freshen up."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Lois had finished in the stall and washed her hands. She had pulled out a paper towel from the dispenser and dried her hands. As she carelessly threw the towel away she felt her bracelet release and follow the towel into the wall mounted waste container. This was just one more thing to add to her recent trials and with a sigh of resignation she thrust her hand into the container in quest of the errant bracelet. Her frustration grew as she felt around in vain and looked into the bin in an attempt to see the object of her search.

Just then, as if to add to her trials, Linda entered and observing Lois's position at the waste bin, quipped, "Looking for your career?"

Lois had been mulling over Clark's words and the truth of what he had said had been making inroads, improving her attitude toward Linda, but this comment stung. She replied, keeping a tight rein on her voice, "I lost my bracelet."

Linda, didn't let up, "I've seen how you accessorize, Lois. Believe me, it's not worth the effort."

Lois was hurt by this comment, but didn't let on. With a sigh of satisfaction her hand closed over the errant bit of jewelry and she pulled her hand out of the bin, holding it up in triumph. She turned to Linda and said, "There is one accessory that I won't do without." She held up her left hand to display her wedding ring.

Linda sighed and asked, "How did you manage to land a hunk like Clark Kent?"

Smugly, Lois replied, "I guess I just have what it takes to land a man like him. You probably wish you had some of it." Lois slipped her bracelet back on and turned to the sink to rewash her hands. "Is there no getting away from you?"

Linda quipped, "Actually, I'm surprised to see you here."

Lois looked up from her hands to Linda's image in the mirror and said, "I'm a member."

Linda smiled smugly and replied, "Really? I thought members had to be working for a news organization that was still in business."

Clark's admonitions were slowly fading from Lois's conscious mind the longer this conversation lasted and her reply showed that some of her cattiness was returning, "I wouldn't start swaggering yet." Then she looked Linda up and down before finishing, "Though, on second thought, your hips could use the exercise." The glare that Linda gave her told Lois that her comment had hit the mark and she smiled, smugly.

Linda replied, "Speaking of bodies, your partner has a great one. Talk about buns of steel."

This was coming too close to the secret, but Lois didn't know how to change the subject, "How would you know?"

Linda had a wistful expression as she said, "You don't need Superman's x-ray vision to figure that out."

This comment sent Lois back to her college days in her memory, to a time that she'd rather not think about. She knew that her relationship with Clark couldn't be threatened, but Linda was a blond and she feared Clark's weakness for blonds might be a problem. She couldn't help herself as she blurted out, "I'm warning you, Linda. Stay away from him.”

Linda looked at Lois aghast and said, "That's what you said about Superman. What is it with you?"

Lois had to stop and think. Her defensiveness of her relationship with Clark was extending to Superman because that was who her husband was. She needed to be more careful in the future. She said, "I know you only want to use him to get back at me. This is different. This isn't Paul. Clark is my husband and he loves me."

Linda continued the conversation as she looked in the mirror, touching up her makeup. "If he does why do you feel so threatened? Lois, for me to want to 'get back' at you, you'd have to have done something that mattered to me." She reapplied her lipstick before she finished, "Which you haven't."

They exited the ladies room together. Linda looked in the direction of the table she had occupied with Carpenter and saw that he was gone. She breathed a sigh of relief. She had been gone long enough that he'd been called away. She felt that she needed to talk to somebody and decided that rather than Lois, she'd like to talk to Clark so she followed Lois back to her table. When they got there, Linda was at a loss as to what to say, so she approached Clark and said, "Clark, can I ask you a favor?"

Lois was still annoyed about the confrontation in the ladies room and Linda's comments about their relationship. She said the first thing that came to mind, "He's working. We're working."

Linda said, "You look like you're about to have dinner." She turned to Clark and said, "I'd like you to walk me to the subway. I'm still learning my way around Metropolis. It'd really help me out."

Lois quipped, "By all means, Clark. Help her out. Then lock the door behind her."

Linda gave Lois a scathing look and replied, "Such wit, Lois. I hope it'll help pass the hours at the unemployment office."

Trying to prevent World War III from happening there in the Press Club, Clark spoke up, "Do you mind if I butt in?"

Lois looked at him and said, "Tell her ‘no' and let's eat."

Clark looked at Lois and said, "Lois, you heard her. She's still learning her way around."

Unconvinced, Lois said, "She knows her way around enough to beat us twice since she got here."

Clark leaned down and whispered in Lois's ear, "Trust me. Keep in mind, we're doing an investigation." Straightening up he said to Linda, "There's a subway entrance a couple of blocks from here." He turned back to Lois and said, "I'll be right back."

Once they were outside, Linda started chatting Clark up. As they neared the subway entrance, Linda said, "Clark, the real reason I asked for you to come with me was to ask for some help. I think that Carpenter is coming on to me and I don't know how to handle it. He could fire me on the spot if I'm not careful. He has also said some things that make me suspicious of his motives … and methods. He said that his idol is Charles Foster Kane. I'm no dummy. I don't need a building to fall on me to see that there's something not right. Two page one stories in two days, how often does something like that happen?"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

When Clark returned to the Press Club he found Lois waiting for him. She was half way through her pasta and his order was sitting at his place, cooling.

A judicious blast of heat vision and his food was re-warmed and he started eating. After a couple of bites, Lois asked, "Okay. Investigation. What did you investigate? Her apartment?"

"Oh, come on, Lois. You know me better than that. She wanted to talk. I guess she didn't feel comfortable around you and no wonder the way you've been sniping at one another."

Lois looked reluctant and then relented. "All right. I'll try to do better. What did she want to talk about?"

"She said that Carpenter was coming on to her and she didn't know how to handle it."

"That's a laugh. She didn't have any problems like that when we were in college."

Clark gave her a stern look and said, "There you go again."

"Okay. Sorry."

"Anyhow, she is also a little suspicious. She thinks that two headlines in two days is a bit much the same as we do. She apparently doesn't know what's behind it, but it is making her uncomfortable. She could be an ally in this investigation. Our contact on the inside." Clark thought for a second and then said, "She gave me some food for thought. She said that Carpenter's idol is Charles Foster Kane."

Lois was blown away, "That guy would stop at nothing."

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