Fly Hard- Matchmaker Style
Rated PG-13
* * denotes emphasis
< > denotes thoughts
As always comments are welcome. (ken.janney@kjanney.com)
Previously
Clark was concentrating on listening to what was being said by their captors and didn't hear Jack coming up to him. Suddenly his concentration was broken by Jack when he asked, "Clark? Hey, Kent."
Startled, Clark replied, "What? Oh. Jack, is everything okay?"
Jack smirked and said, "That's what I was just about to ask you. You look kind of out of it."
Clark looked at Jack and then back at their captors as he said, "I'm trying to read their lips. It's a handy skill, one you should try to learn."
Jack was surprised, "Wow, you can really do that?"
Clark nodded and said, "Sometimes. If I'm not distracted."
Jack didn't take the hint. "Do you really believe that there's a nuclear bomb?"
"He never said it was a nuclear bomb, just a ‘dirty' bomb. It has radioactive material contained in it. It won't be a nuclear detonation, just a lot of contamination. No matter what it is, we can't take any chances. Look, things are going to work out. We'll be fine."
Still thinking about a nuclear detonation, Jack replied, "Yeah, they say you don't feel anything at ground zero."
George asked what could be a critical question, "Who are they? Are they terrorists or criminals. If they are terrorists, what were they doing with excavation machinery?"
Cat asked, "You don't think that they'd blow themselves up, do you?"
Lois said, "I've covered terrorists. Terrorists know that the value of one life, even if it's their own, doesn't equal the importance of their cause. These guys don't strike me as being terrorists."
Clark replied, "I don't think we need worst case scenarios right now."
George, trying to be a team player said, "The point is, it's up to us to stop them."
Clark tried to calm him down, "On the contrary, it's up to us to stay alive, any way we can."
George's concern for Cat's welfare was starting to override his good sense, "Then what do you suggest, Mister Kent? That we just sit here, let them do whatever they want, then wait for them to kill us? That's your wife and Red that they were threatening."
Clark almost let the cat out of the bag when he said, "No, I have no choice! If I try to get to the bomb, one of the others might kill any one of you and if that's a hair trigger under his finger, it could go off faster than I could stop it. I can't take that risk. As you so rightly pointed out, one of the women is my wife. I'll not risk her life."
Clark's vehemence surprised everyone, but Lois. She knew just how worried and frustrated he was. He was prevented from acting as Superman to save everyone and it was grating on him.
Cat said, "Clark, take it easy. You're not Superman."
In reply, Clark shook his head and said, "I know, but even if I was, I couldn't …"
Cat said, "Superman would find a way to save us, I know he would. I know he
will. He always comes through, especially for you guys."
And Now:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 3
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Some time later, Lois and Clark, Cat and George had gathered at one end of the conference room away from Jack and Perry, not for any reason other than as involved couples they had something in common.
The conversation had turned to how they had met. Lois turned to George and said, "Clark and I met here in the newsroom and we were teamed together. At first I resisted his charms, but then suddenly it hit me what a great guy he was and … well … I guess the rest is history." (See Green, Green Glow of Home - Matchmaker Style)
Rather than addressing Cat, Lois turned to George and asked, "How did you guys meet?"
George had already told them how they had met, but he now expanded on the story for their benefit. "We met in church." At Lois's surprised expression, he smiled and said, "Yeah, I know. Who would ‘a thought, a scientist like me in a church?"
Lois raised a single eyebrow and replied, "I was surprised that Cat would be in a church."
George looked at Cat with a warm expression, "Somehow it doesn't surprise me. Anyhow, we were both leaving at the same time and almost literally bumped into one another. That was when we started to talk. It seems that Red doesn't have any family nearby that she could spend the time with and all of my family is in Seattle, Washington. We found a park bench in Centennial Park, sat and talked until morning. I was surprised at how many things we have in common." (See All Shook Up - Matchmaker Style)
"What do you do, George?"
"As I said, I'm a scientist. I work for LexSolar designing solar power arrays for satellites and space stations."
Lois gave him a look and said, "I'm surprised. You look like a Jock!"
As George blushed at the comment, Cat snickered and explained, "George is a fitness fanatic! If he isn't in the lab, he's in the gym, that is unless he's with me."
Musingly, Lois said, "LexSolar, huh? Lex Luthor again."
George showed that he at least respected Luthor's business acumen, "He does employ a lot of people here in Metropolis and elsewhere. Anyhow, after that night I didn't hear from her and it took me half of forever to get up the nerve to call her. When I did, she was busy working on some charity affair. Something about magic."
Lois remembered just how busy Cat had been at that time trying to bamboozle Arthur Chow into marrying her. (See Illusions of Grandeur - Matchmaker Style)
"After that event I got a call from her. She seemed depressed or disappointed and needed someone to talk to and invited me to coffee. I finally worked up the nerve and asked her if she'd consider dinner instead. We've been seeing each other more and more ever since."
As she was listening to George, Cat reached for a carafe of water that was on the table and poured a glass for herself.
As she finished drinking, Jack turned in her direction, looked at her and mused, "I wonder if they'll let us go to the bathroom?"
Jack's question had a psychological effect on Cat and she looked at her empty glass, instantly regretting the fact that she had quenched her thirst. She felt the need to relieve herself, but pushed it down believing it to be purely suggestion. She turned to George in an effort to distract herself and engaged him in a conversation.
Since Cat and George were now talking, Clark and Lois were released from their scrutiny and Lois was watching Clark. She saw him slide his glasses down his nose as he looked out through the window. She leaned close and whispered, "What do you see?"
He whispered back, "I don't know. They're looking at plans of some sort, but I can't tell what they are because of the angle."
A short time later Cat was firmly convinced that it wasn't purely a result of suggestion or psychological. She could feel the pressure building in her bladder. She tried shifting her position in her chair to relieve the pressure, but that only helped for a very few minutes as the pressure continued to build. Finally she was so uncomfortable that she said, "I have to go."
Jack quipped, "Okay, see you tomorrow."
Cat gave him an accusing look, not amused because she blamed him, at least partially as the author of her predicament. "No, I mean, I have to *go*."
Jack was surprised and blurted out, "All of the sudden?"
Cat bit back, "No! Just since you mentioned it, thank you very much."
George, trying to comfort her said, "They have to provide us with the means to sustain basic human needs."
The pressure in her bladder was becoming more and more painful and nodding her head in the direction of Fuentes, Cat snipped, "I don't think anyone told
them that."
Perry took pity on Cat and offered, "I think you should tell Miss Congeniality out there that it's her responsibility to escort you to the facilities."
George, with an attempt at humor, pointed out, "The only other alternative is for you to hold it … indefinitely."
While this conversation had been going on around him Clark had hit on a possible plan. Lois saw the change in his features and said, very quietly, "You've thought of something."
Quietly, he said, "It's a long shot. See the sprinkler head? Remember the Apocalypse Consulting office?" (See Honeymoon in Metropolis - Matchmaker Style)
Lois nodded her head in understanding and turned in that direction to watch the fireworks. She could see Clark sliding his glasses down his nose again and had a look of anticipation on her face when suddenly they were interrupted by Cat tapping on the window.
Seeing Fuentes and Remy turn in their direction and realizing that the chance was past, Clark pushed his glasses back up and Lois said, "Rats," and slumped in her chair.
Seeing that it was Cat at the window, Fuentes said something to Remy and nodding she turned away from him and approached the conference room, weapon in hand.
When Remy opened the door, Cat said, without preamble, "I have to go to the bathroom."
Remy could see that she was sincere because there was a look of pain on her face and she was shifting her stance frequently.
Remy, feeling no pity for the other woman, quipped, "Too bad."
Cat was desperate. She really had to go. She said, "You can't treat us like this."
Seeing that the situation hadn't been easily resolved, Fuentes came over to investigate. Seeing his approach, everyone in the conference room stiffened, all except Cat who was practically dancing in her attempt to keep from peeing herself.
In a gruff tone, Fuentes addressed Cat, "I thought I told you not to make trouble.
Cat challenged, "Evidently my bladder didn't hear you."
Fuentes looked at her and could see the pain mirrored in her features. Finally, he turned to Remy and said, "Take her. I'll watch them."
Remy took Cat's elbow and forcefully propelled her in the direction of the ladies' room.
Fuentes took out his gun and held it, but he returned to whatever it was that they were looking at and quickly became absorbed in it.
As soon as Remy disappeared with Cat into the ladies' room, George said to Clark, "One of us should go for help. Right now they are short-handed and distracted. One of us might be able to slip away."
Seeing that Fuentes still had the trigger for the bomb in his hand, he whispered back, "I don't think so. It's too dangerous."
"You have a wife to look out for. You need to stay here to protect her. I'll ask you to take care of Red as well."
"I think it would be too dangerous."
Seeing that George appeared to back down, Clark went back to his previous plan.
Lois had seen the exchange between George and Clark though she hadn't heard it, but she saw Clark slip his glasses down again and started to become excited. She knew what was about to happen and was almost giddy with anticipation. This was going to be good.
Clark focused his heat vision on the sprinkler head over Fuentes's head and within seconds it started to spew water all over Fuentes, the computer they had brought with them and the papers he was looking at. He was so startled that he dropped the trigger device and jumped back.
George, contrary to Clark's estimate had not backed down. He had simply been biding his time and seeing the commotion caused by the sprinkler crouched and began to run for the stairwell.
Unfortunately for George, when Fuentes jumped back he jumped closer to the line that George was following and spotted his approach. He brought up his gun and fired wildly several times, finally catching George in the shoulder.
The impact of the slug staggered George and he finally collapsed just feet away from the door.
Hearing the shots brought everyone in the conference room to their feet and pouring out. In the lead were Lois and Clark. As Clark neared him he called, "George!"
Seconds later, Lois and Clark were kneeling next to him and then they helped him to get shakily to his feet. He was holding his right hand over the wound.
After hearing the gunfire, Cat and Remy came out of the ladies room. Cat saw the crowd and then saw George being assisted to a standing position by Lois and Clark. She saw how pale he was, shouted, "George!" and ran to him as fast as her heels would allow.
George tried, once again, to show humor despite being in excruciating pain and said, "Sorry, honey, I really wanted us to see Madam Butterfly!"
Fuentes was extremely angry and gesturing with his gun, threatened, "No second chances."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The sprinkler head release automatically notified the Metropolis Fire Department of an incident. Standard procedure dictated that a call to confirm the incident be made prior to dispatch, thus a call was made to the Daily Planet offices. On the weekends all calls were routed to security consequently when the call was placed it came in to the guard desk. Willie answered, "Daily Planet."
"Metropolis FD calling. We just received an alarm. A sprinkler was activated in your building. Are you experiencing a fire?"
Willie was surprised, but was careful with his reply, "Fire? No, there's no fire. No need to send a truck over. Must be a busted sprinkler head. I'll check it out when I make my rounds. Yup, pretty quiet night. Thanks for checking." Willie hung the phone up and gave it a curious look before he checked his pocket watch and picking up his paperback book settled in to read.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The water was still flowing from the broken sprinkler head and Fuentes was reaching the end of his rope. Producing a quantity of handcuffs and after herding his prisoners back into the conference room he handcuffed Lois to Clark, Cat to George and Perry to Jack. Meanwhile, Schumak looked for the valve to turn off the water to the sprinkler.
Fuentes announced, "We're now operating under the buddy system. If one of you is missing or tries anything heroic, your buddy dies."
After Fuentes turned away, Lois gave Clark a confident look and whispered, "It was a nice try, but now it could be easier. They won't be expecting us to get out now that we're handcuffed. You could take me out of here and then come back for the rest."
Clark looked over at George. For all of his bravado, Clark could see that he was more affected by that bullet than he was letting on. Handcuffed as he was George couldn't use his hand to staunch the flow of blood.
Looking out, Clark could see Fuentes and Remy scrambling to salvage what they could of the plans and computer they had brought with them. To free his hands, Fuentes had rigged what amounted to a shoulder holster for the bomb trigger and it was strapped across his chest.
Clark was keeping an eye on George and while he was distracted by that he heard a click and the tension on his handcuff was released. He looked at Lois and she said, "I picked the lock with a paperclip I found on the floor."
Clark looked at her in surprise.
She said, "Don't worry. It'll be okay."
In a low tone, Clark said, "Lois, listen to me. Don't you think I've gone over all the possibilities already? The timing, the position, the speed, I've calculated it all. But even if I made it out with you, they could kill the others. At the very least it could compromise The Secret. And anything might make him trigger that bomb. I wouldn't take that kind of chance right now."
Clark snapped the handcuffs back on.
Lois was contrite, "I guess you're right. George tried to go for help and look what it got him."
"I might have been able to prevent him from being shot, but not without revealing who I am. I'm just lucky they didn't suspect the sprinkler."
Taking a cue from Lois, Jack had also found a paperclip. He released his handcuff and was about to try to duck out when Perry stopped him, "Just where in the blazes do you think you're going?"
"Somebody has to go for help."
Perry said, "You sit yourself back down. Nobody's going anywhere. I won't let you do it. It's suicide. You saw what they did to George." Perry snapped the cuff shut again. "Just rest easy. Somebody'll come. That sprinkler head will have set off an alarm at the fire department."
Jack was shocked, "What are firemen going to do against armed terrorists?"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Once Jimmy had spotted the air conditioning duct high on the wall he had known that it was the only way for him to escape to get the cops. After climbing up on the shelves being careful not to dislodge anything and have it fall to the floor he confronted his next obstacle. Seeing the next obstacle to his escape he almost felt despair overwhelm him. The cover was held in place by four screws. He started casting about for a solution and not seeing any tools in the room, finally felt in his pocket. He knew that he didn't have a screwdriver. He wished that he had taken Lois's advice and purchased a Swiss Army knife. He was sure that they had a screw driver blade included. Lacking that he needed to see just what he *did* have and if anything could be used. He had his key ring and some change. He pulled out his keys and there wasn't even one that had a large enough flat surface that could be used as a screwdriver. Dropping his keys back in his pocket he pulled out his change. To his delight he had a cent coin and a *dime*. Keeping the dime he dropped the rest back into his pocket. The dime was just slim enough to fit the slot of the screw and using thumb and forefinger to turn it he proceeded to unscrew them.
It took several minutes to loosen the grate and when he did he almost dropped it to the floor. When he caught it he was sweating. That clatter of it hitting the floor would surely have attracted the crooks’ attention.
Once he had lowered the grate softly to the floor, Jimmy tried to climb inside the opening. But the slick sides of the duct almost defeated him. He couldn't get a grip on the metal to pull himself up and in. Finally he grabbed some books and piled them on the shelf he was standing on so that he was higher. This way he didn't have to pull himself up, all he had to do was slither in being careful not to kick the books off the shelf as he did.
Once he was inside he started crawling through the duct. After he had gone thirty feet he came to a branch and tried to imagine where each branch would take him. He surely didn't want to take one that led to the bullpen. The crooks might hear him and he wanted to avoid that at all costs. He picked a direction and headed in it. As he moved he started talking to himself. He started off by mocking Perry, "'Kid, you mind coming to the office on a Saturday night? Help me spring clean?'" Then he mocked himself, "Sure, boss, I'll do anything. I'm an all-purpose moron."
Continuing to mutter to himself he kept crawling.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Cat and George, still handcuffed together, were sitting on the floor at one side of the conference room. Looking at Lois, Cat was speaking to George, "You know, I really don't see how she does it. This is the kind of situation that Lois gets herself into all of the time and she appears so calm about the whole thing. For her this is simply going to make another incredible story. I mean, how many journalists have had this kind of opportunity? To be in the belly of the beast,
part of the event, not just a casual observer. Just like those guys in the Baghdad Hotel." With a shake of the head, she said, "She can have it. All the intrigue I need is an illicit affair or two."
Lois, for her part, was not immune to the implications of the situation. She and Clark were sitting together at a location where he could keep an eye on what was happening. She whispered, "How are we going to get out of this and still keep The Secret?"
Clark was also worried, "I don't know. Lois. We'll have to wait and see how things work out. I might not have to act, but I will not hesitate if your safety is threatened. I won't let
anything happen to you."
Lois looked around, "I love it that you consider my safety above anyone else, but … these are our friends. I wouldn't want to see anything happen to them."
"Neither would I, but your safety is my
chief concern." His tone held finality in it. He wasn't going to make it an argument, but he would act unilaterally if it came to it.
Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by a wail from Cat, "George?
George! George, wake up!
Somebody help! George has passed out!"
Unknown to anyone, hidden by the jacket of his tux, George had been losing blood from the wound in his shoulder. His athletic frame and good condition had sustained him until then. But the blood loss had gotten to the point that if continued it would become life threatening. As he slumped to the side, leaning on Cat, his jacket gaped open and the blood soaking his shirt became evident.
Seeing this, Cat gasped and wailed, "George! Help! He's bleeding to death!"
Quick as a flash, Lois used her paperclip again and released Clark's cuff.
As Clark stood to move to George's aid George suddenly woke up and tried to push himself erect and off of Cat's shoulder, but failed to do so because of his weakened condition.
As Clark knelt next to him he took George's weight so that Cat could move away. Lois applied her paperclip again and released Cat from its constraints as Clark laid George down on the floor.
Clark opened George's jacket and moved it aside. When he did they found that the left side of his crisp white dress shirt was now stained a bright crimson and that the stain was spreading, rapidly.
Cat gasped out, "He's really hurt."
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