Barbarians at the Planet – Matchmaker Style
Rated – PG - 13
Previously:
The next morning, Lois arrived at the Planet and was appalled to see the state the newsroom was in. So many familiar faces were missing that it didn't seem like the same place anymore. The relationship that she had with Cat had been changing over the last several months, ever since she and George had started dating. She had become less competitive with Lois. As she approached Cat's desk, Cat had her feet up on the corner, a catalogue open in her lap and the phone to her ear.
Lois had come in planning to speak to Cat about George and see if he had heard anything through the LexCorp grapevine about the Planet. When she was by Cat's desk she said, "Cat, I need to talk to you."
Without removing the phone from her ear, she said, "Give me a minute. This is important." Apparently the service operator came on the line just then because Cat said into the phone, "Grant. G ... R … A ... N ... T..." She read from the mailing label, "Catalogue number B2C9141. I.D. number 77466L." Then she rattled off from memory, "Work number 217-555-9241. Home number 217-555-2364." In answer to a question she said, "Yes." Picking up her credit card, she started reading, "Card number 9236-7249-3820-6423. Expiration 1-1-95." She picked up the catalog and looking at it read off the pertinent information, "Item number L as in 'lame,' C as in 'comatose,' 2, 4, D, as in 'dim-witted.' Color code: wheat. Size: 6B." She waited a second for a reply and after getting one was very unhappy, "What do you mean 'discontinued?' No I *don't* have another selection. You mean I just told you every intimate detail of my life for nothing?! Yes, I *would* like to speak to your supervisor."
Seeing that Cat was going to be tied up, Lois said, "I'll catch you later, okay?"
Cat nodded in reply.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
That morning, Jimmy had reported to work in the printing plant. Instead of his normal business casual attire he was wearing a workman's coverall. After punching in on the time clock he went to the shop steward for his work assignment.
"Ah, the new ugly person."
"Huh?"
He laughed and said, "That's just a nickname we give to a utility worker. It's an ugly job because you don't know from one hour to the next what you will be doing. You'll come to me for your assignments."
Just then the presses started up and they had to start yelling to be heard over the noise. The steward pointed off to the side and said, "In a closet over there you'll find a broom. Start off by sweeping up."
Jimmy nodded and started his assignment. He found a broom with a wide head and started pushing it around the floor collecting debris in piles that he collected and deposited in receptacles. While he was working he started to wonder about Jack. He had disappeared just as they found out that they still had jobs. When he finished that job the steward had him assist in delivering ink to the printers. It was hot and sweaty work and Jimmy wiped his forehead. When he did he left a streak of ink across it making him look like an Indian in war paint.
It was almost time for lunch when Mrs. Cox, dressed in a workman's coverall and a ball cap walked through the plant and set a lunchbox on a table among others. Without stopping she walked out through the other side of the plant.
Jimmy was on the far side of the plant, dragging some heavily laden bags of trash out to the dumpster when the bomb went off.
And now:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 7
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Perry had shown up that morning to ‘clear the air' with Luthor.
Lois had seen Perry in the office when she arrived and was anxious as to the outcome.
When he came out, Lois approached him. She put her arms around him in a hug which he returned. She asked, "How did it go?"
As he started to speak, he gave her a slow wink, "I just can't work under that young whipper-snapper so I decided to retire. Maybe I'll do some fishin'."
Lois picked up on his message and smiled in return. She said, "I'm sure it'll all work out."
He nodded and moved to the elevator to leave as she walked to Luthor's office.
When she opened the door, Luthor saw her and said, "I tried! I honestly tried to get him to see reason, but no matter what I said, he was adamant. He decided to retire, can you believe that?"
Lois replied, "Perhaps it's all for the best." She turned and left.
Luthor followed Lois when she left the office, muttering something about a meeting. Ten minutes after he left the office was when the bomb went off. The entire building was shaken causing the floor beneath her feet to lurch almost throwing her off her feet and the noise was deafening.
She didn't know what it was, but she started to shout, "Out! Everyone, get out!"
Her urging was almost unnecessary because everyone was headed for the elevator anyhow. She shouted, "Not the elevator! It isn't safe! Use the stairs!" The flood of humanity changed direction and poured down the stairs.
As they did, there were secondary explosions, as if someone had mined the building and these were being set off by sympathetic detonation.
Alarms were sounding and there was smoke and dust everywhere.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Clark, as Superman, was keeping close tabs on Lois so he was near the Planet when the bomb went off. At super-speed he dove and crashed through a window into the printing plant. He saw the damage and the fire that had been started. The fire had set off the sprinkler system and he helped it out by using his super-breath. Once the fire was out he started to evacuate the injured. He was happy to see as he passed by that Jimmy was shaken up, but not injured and was making his way out of the building with other members of the printing plant staff.
He had just gotten the last person out when he saw the stairs in the emergency exit start to give way under the weight of humanity on it with his x-ray vision. He zipped up there and supported the stairs until all had safely passed.
As staff gathered in the street there were more and more violent explosions. Suddenly the windows in the entire first floor exploded outward! At super-speed, Superman flew back and forth between the crowd and the building. He was moving so fast that he was just a solid blur forming a red and blue wall between the spectators and the glass from the windows.
When the force of the explosions had spent themselves, Superman stopped and tried to assess the damage and moved from person to person to see if he needed to fly anyone to the hospital.
Jimmy was among the last to stagger out. Superman spotted Lois and Perry standing off to one side. Perry hadn't gotten very far before the explosions brought him back. Superman assisted Jimmy to a position near Lois and Perry. He asked, "You'll watch him?"
The love obvious in her eyes, Lois smiled at her husband and said, "Of course."
Superman had doused the fires in the printing plant, but there were secondary fires scattered throughout the building.
As the fire department rolled up, he approached the fire chief and asked, "How's your water pressure?"
The chief replied, "It's good, but we'll never get our lines up there."
With a determined look, Superman said, "Yes, you will." Grabbing a hose from the ground, Superman levitated up until he was at an open window. He signaled and the water was turned on. Moving from window to window he succeeded in snuffing out most of the fire, leaving only small areas for the firemen to extinguish.
As Superman was fighting the blaze he had an audience consisting of the firemen and the staffers from the Planet, including Lois and Jimmy. As they saw the flames snuffed they all started to applaud.
Jimmy was relieved, and said, "Incredible. How many times has he just stepped in and saved our lives? What a guy." Jimmy started to cough and say, "Oh Lois, we ..." That was when he collapsed from smoke inhalation.
There was a flurry of activity for several hours as police and fire inspectors went through the building. There was still water running out through the front doors and dripping from windowsills. Blackened, charred pieces of paper and construction debris still floated in the air.
Perry, in a desultory tone said, "Gone. All … gone."
Lois, her voice firm and no-nonsense said, "We'll rebuild."
Having recovered, somewhat, Jimmy echoed her sentiment, "Sure we will."
Shaking his head, Perry said, "This is about the worst thing I could imagine."
Suddenly, from behind them they heard Luthor's voice and they all turned around as he said, "
Not the worst."
As they turned they saw Luthor approaching with some police and the Fire Chief in tow.
Luthor continued, "The worst would be that one of our own employees set this fire deliberately." He pointed at Jimmy and accused, "That's him."
Jimmy and Lois shouted, simultaneously, "No!"
Jimmy took a step back in shock, unfortunately to the police it looked like he was going to flee so they quickly grabbed him.
Jimmy shouted, "No! Let me go. I didn't do
anything."
Perry shouted, "Luthor, this is a mistake."
Lois pleaded, "Lex …"
Luthor replied, "No mistake. The incendiary device that did this was in
his lunch pail, and the police found the explosives he used to make it hidden in his room. We all know about his criminal background. Reform school graduate."
Luthor made a motion with his hands and the police hauled Jimmy off, still protesting his innocence.
Luthor said, in a sad tone, "A sad day for all of us."
Perry was devastated and said, "A historic day. Tomorrow, for the first time in two hundred nineteen years, there will be no edition of the Daily Planet."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Superman was still staying close to Lois although he was trying to be inconspicuous, a hard thing to do when wearing bright primary colors.
Spotting him, Lois looked at him and whispered, "Get Henderson to help." She saw him nod that he understood and then she saw him take off.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A couple of days later, Perry, Lois and Cat were gathered in the street watching as the Daily Planet globe was lowered onto a flatbed trailer. While the shipping crew were shoring up the globe so that it wouldn't roll off, the building inspectors were posting signs declaring that the building was condemned.
It was an emotional time for all three of them. Lois could see the tears welling up in Perry's eyes as he saw what was happening and stepping up to him, wrapped her arms around him in a hug. She tried to help by saying, "It's okay, Chief. We'll bounce back."
Perry shook his head and swiped at a tear as he said, "I'm afraid the Planet and I are all bounced out. 'Will not-reopen in the foreseeable future' was the phrase Luthor used at the press conference."
Cat tried to help, "Come on. I'll buy you guys a cup of coffee." As they started to move away, Cat looked back over her shoulder and said, a tone of sadness in her voice, "I always wanted to be a reporter for the Daily Planet. It begins to look like those days are over."
Once they were at a coffee shop they sat in a booth together. After placing their orders, Lois asked, "What are you guys going to do?"
Perry huffed and said, "I had just told Luthor that I wanted to retire. He approved my retirement, just before the bomb went off."
Lois sighed in relief, "Well, then you're taken care of." She turned to Cat and asked, "What about you?"
Cat looked down, embarrassed by what she was going to say, "I think I'm going to be moving."
Lois queried, "Cheaper apartment?"
She started to color. "Actually. No. George asked me to move in with him and he asked me to marry him."
Lois was startled and sputtered, "Cat! Married?"
"Yeah, kinda came as a surprise to me too."
"Surprise that he asked?"
"No, a surprise that I accepted. George is really a super sweet guy. He makes me happy and apparently I make him happy too. He got an offer from Antioch University to teach Physics. All of his family is in Seattle so he will be going home and I'll be going with him. I'm going to be a professor's wife. I may do some free-lance work, just to keep my hand in, you understand."
Lois threw her arms around Cat gave her a hug and said, "Cat, I don't know what to say. That's simply wonderful and not totally unexpected. When we were prisoners together, Clark and I could see the way the wind was blowing."
Cat returned the hug and said, "Yeah, I'll be fine, but what about you. You lost Clark, now the Planet is gone. Perry is retiring and we don't even know where Jimmy is now. He disappeared from the lock-up he was in."
Over cat's shoulder, Perry gave Lois a wink of understanding and then put on a sad face in case Cat turned around and saw him.
Perry stepped over and grabbed the pot of coffee and refilled their mugs. He decided that it was time to distract Cat so he started to reminisce, but seeing the waitress headed his way he said, "I got it, Candy," as he poured showing that he knew the staff. Then thoughtfully he started to speak, "You know, I was only seventeen years old when I came here the first time. I had an interview with old man Krebbs -- assistant copy boy -- and I was already late. But I stood under that globe and just stared at it. I knew that my future was in that building."
Cat said, "I didn't always want to be the gossip queen. There was a period when I wanted to do hard news. It just didn't work out." She used her hands to indicate her body as she said, "Look at me. Nobody would take me seriously. All they could see was a beautiful, no, a
very beautiful woman. They didn't care that I have a degree in Art History and can tell a Picasso from a Rodin."
Cat turned to Lois and asked, "What are you going to do? Clark is gone. The Planet is gone."
Lois replied, "Oh, something'll turn up. I'll land on my feet."
Looking at her watch, Cat said, "I've got to go. I'm supposed to meet George. He's helping me move my stuff to his apartment. Most of it will probably stay packed until we get to Seattle."
As she started to get up, Perry said, "I have to go too. I'm supposed to be meeting Alice." He looked back and forth between them and said, "No matter what happens, I want you to know … you're the best I've ever worked with."
Lois was all alone in the booth, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw her shadow.
Making up her mind, Lois exited. Cat had already paid the bill so she didn't have to worry about that. Walking to her Jeep, she climbed in and drove to LexTower. It was time to see just how far Lex was going to take things. She stepped into the express elevator. She was identified by security and the lock was taken off so that when she pushed the button the elevator ascended.
When she stepped out of the elevator, she was in an alcove. Stepping through she entered his study. Luthor was breakfasting in a high-back chair with a tray. Mrs. Cox was at his side. Lex stood as Lois came in and tried to give her a kiss, but she turned so that the kiss was on the cheek.
Lex was obviously disappointed by this and tried to cover it, "Lois! What a surprise." He was a little embarrassed that Mrs. Cox was there since it was Lois that he wanted. "I don't believe you two are acquainted. Lois Lane, Mrs. Cox."
Mrs. Cox was frosty as she said, "So pleased to meet you." As Luthor resumed his eat, Mrs. Cox placed a hand on Lex's shoulder in a very possessive gesture.
Lois noted this and filed it away for future reference. She should be able to use that against her or him in the future.
Luthor explained their relationship, "Mrs. Cox is my personal assistant."
Lois was curious as to just what the relationship was so she asked, "And what, exactly, does a personal assistant do?"
Mrs. Cox almost smirked as she replied, "Whatever's necessary."
At a signal from Lex, Mrs. Cox left. Lois noted the exaggerated sway of her hips as she did so and the attention that Lex paid to it. Inwardly, Lois was pleased. She said, "Lex … I need your help."
Lex put down his fork, patted his lips with a napkin of fine linen and asked, "What with?"
"With rebuilding the Daily Planet."
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