Rules of the Game
Folc4evernaday
Chapter 6
***
“Hey,” Lois smiled up at Clark who was watching her. His arms tightened around her, rolling them over from where they’d fallen asleep on the couch last night. She ran a hand through her hair with her fingers, trying to smooth out the mess she knew her hair was probably in.
“Hey,” He grinned back at her, his eyes wandered down to the old t-shirt and shorts she’d borrowed to sleep in. Despite their best attempts to stay up after the Kents had retired to the bedroom at around five am they both had given into exhaustion with ease.
“What time is it?” She asked through a yawn.
“Do you really want to know?” He asked, looking at her with a smirk.
“That late?” She grimaced.
“Welllll,” he made a face. “Let’s just say it’s a good thing we called that story into Perry about our suspicions on the Diana Stride story.”
“How mad is he?” Lois cringed, expecting to hear grumblings of dog show duty.
He shook his head, “Like I said, it’s a good thing we called that in because the unnamed assassin was picked up last night.” He pointed to the television that was on with the news station turned on and the volume muted. A ticker ran across the screen implicating the ‘Intergang Assassin’ in at least three-hundred murders over the last five years.
“Looks like we have some calls to make,” Lois said, peering at the clock on the television and groaning. “Eleven-thirty?”
“I already called Perry. Told him we’d be in this afternoon. I think mom and dad already left for her art exhibit.” He explained before she could panic.
“Oh, that’s right.” Lois groaned, recalling the reason for the Kents’ extended visit. “That’s tonight.”
“‘Art Through Light’.” He grinned. “Only in Metropolis.”
She smiled, looking over at him. “So, Dr. Klein said he would keep Superman’s visit to STAR Lab's quiet. Do you think it’ll be possible?” She asked gently, uncertain how to bring up the scare from last night without jumping in head first.
His expression sobered and he sighed, “Honestly, I don’t know, but given that it was you that took me to STAR Labs and not an ambulance I don’t see why not. There’s nothing to indicate her attempt was even successful.”
“I still don’t understand how she connected the two. I mean, we’ve been so careful.” She sighed, running her hand against his chest.
“There’s no telling.” He mused, shaking his head. “The important thing is she’s been caught.”
“Yeah,” She said, meeting his gaze.
Last night and most of yesterday she’d gone over and over every conversation, trying to understand why someone would want to hurt Clark. It was something that continued to haunt her over the last few months—ever since she’d been let in on the secret. Superman did so much good for Metropolis and the world yet someone somewhere was looking for a way to hurt and sometimes kill him.
This time had been different though. She wasn’t just holding his hand while he fought through it. She was forced to stay on the sidelines while Dr. Klein did what he could to save him. She couldn’t call anyone. She couldn’t turn to anyone. She’d never felt so much anguish and relief all at the same time.
She had been used to deliver the poisonous rock to him.
She had been quarantined and unable to stay updated on how he was.
The level with which Diana Stride had gone to to ensure Clark would be exposed to Kryptonite was unnerving. He would always be a target. That was a truth that she’d come to accept over the past few months, but so would she. Despite their attempts to keep Superman at a distance, there would always be a connection. For the first year of Superman’s arrival in Metropolis, she’d staked her claim on the Man of Steel and practically marked her territory around him, daring any reporter to challenge her. That wasn’t something that would disappear anytime soon. The closer they became the harder it was to deny that connection.
She frowned, recalling the anguish she’d been through over the last twelve hours, unable to turn to anyone. Every conversation she’d had with him over the last few months had raced through her mind at lightning speed. He could have died. The reality of how close she’d come to losing him hit home in a painful way. Despite every fear and qualm, she had about relationships and marriage, in general, the one thing she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt was how empty her life was without Clark in it. Waiting another second to say what had been weighing on her mind for the last twenty-four hours seemed impossible.
“Lois?” He nudged her arm, trying to get her attention and she looked up at him, feeling a sense of determination wash over her. “You okay?”
“Perfect.” She smiled up at him, sitting up and positioning herself in his arms. She sighed happily when she felt his arms wrap around her, pulling her into a tight cocoon. “You know, yesterday really scared me.” She began cautiously. “I kept thinking what would happen if I lost you...really lost you. You’ve had close calls before but nothing like this.”
“I know.” He whispered a kiss against her temple.
“I couldn’t bear the thought of not having you in my life. The idea of losing you…” Her voice began to quiver. “I don’t want to know what that’s like. Every fear and insecurity seems pointless and meaningless when you look at the big picture because I do love you.”
“I love you too.” He whispered, cupping her face with his palm.
“Enough to spend the rest of your life with me?” She asked, hearing the intake of breath as he turned to look at her.
“Enough to spend every last second with you until the end of time.” He said, leaning in to kiss her.
“I don’t want a big wedding...or a long engagement I think that’s just asking for trouble considering how the last few months have been. I don’t want to change my last name on our by-line.” She began to ramble and he proceeded to scoop her into his arms and carry her across the room. “Clark!” She shrieked in surprise when he set her down in front of the shelf, pulling out a familiar velvet box.
He opened the box, revealing the diamond ring he’d proposed to her with back in Hawaii. A grin crossed his face and he teased, “Does this mean I have to propose again?”
“I don’t think you can top your last speech,” She beamed back at him, running a hand across his cheek.
His lip curled and his grin broadened, staring back at her with the ring in hand, “Is that a challenge?”
Lois giggled, watching him pull the ring out of the box, “If you remember we had to actually leave Metropolis for that to happen. Knowing our luck Perry or Jimmy will show up. Or a disaster will happen or…” She stopped, feeling his hand cup her cheek and turned her head to look up at him.
A smirk crossed his face and he took her hand in his, meeting her gaze, “Lois Lane, will you marry me?”
“Yes,” She grabbed him by the collar of his t-shirt, pulling him to her in a soul-shattering kiss.
He moaned against her lips, slowly breaking off the kiss. A smile crossed his face and he took her hand, slipping the ring on her finger then whispered, “Now it’s official.” He leaned in and recaptured her lips.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, wedging her fingers through the dark silky locks on the back of his head. It was too good to last. Like always something got in the way. This time it was the simultaneous ringing of the phone and knocking at the door. They separated and Lois sighed, “Always something.”
Clark went to answer the phone and Lois headed toward the door to answer it. On the doorstep was a white box with a red ribbon. She picked it up and headed back inside where Clark was finishing up his phone call, “Yeah, I’ll let her know. Thanks, Chief.”
“You got a package.” She said, setting it on the dining table.
“I’m not expecting anything.” He said with a frown.
He opened the box and Lois gasped in surprise, “Clark,” Inside the box was a torn cape and a note that read,
‘You’re Next’ in black ink.
The front door opened and they both jumped, slightly spooked after finding the note. They looked up and saw Martha and Jonathan standing by the door, “Looks like you two are finally up.” Jonathan said with a smile. “How are you feeling, son?”
Clark quickly placed the cover pack on the package, “Fine.”
His mom closed the door behind them. “Tickets for tonight’s show.” She waved them in the air. “Looks like it’ll be quite the party.” His mom seemed to pick up on the uneasiness on Clark’s face, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Clark ran a hand through his hair. “It’s just been a long night is all. What time is the show?”
Martha didn’t look like she believed him but didn’t say anything. “Uh, seven.” She handed them the tickets. “You sure everything’s okay?”
“Perfect.” He said with a grin, wrapping an arm around Lois from behind.
“Actually, more than perfect.” Lois grinned, holding her hand up for them to see the newly placed engagement ring. The room erupted in congratulations and hugs. She did her best to focus on her excitement about the new engagement but found her mind drifting to the mysterious package that had arrived on Clark’s doorstep.
***
“I...I….I…” Gretchen slammed her fist against the metal chest in front of her and the tone dropped an octave.
“Any luck?” Nigel asked, peering over her shoulder.
“Still nothing as of yet.” Gretchen frowned. “Don’t worry. I’ll get him up and running.”
“I have no doubt.” Nigel responded, “Mr. Luthor has big plans for Mr. Corbin. You never were one to disappoint.”
***
“That's not...helping.” Lois laughed, trying to focus on turning the key to the last deadbolt on her apartment. It was hard to stay focused on anything at the moment other than the hazy feeling that was washing over her as her fiancé’s lips moved up and down the nape of her neck and his palms continued trailing up and down her ribcage.
“Who said anything about
helping?” He teased, grazing his teeth against the flesh of her throat.
“We were supposed to be at the office half an hour ago.” She reminded him breathlessly, turning in his arms to face him.
“We can’t do anything until Mayson shows up anyway.” He pointed out, leaning against her and pressing her against the door frame. His left hand moved to cup her cheek and he brushed his lips against hers.
The door jerked open and they pulled back, meeting the gaze of a very annoyed Ellen Lane. Lois cleared her throat, trying to find her voice. “Hi,” She hung in the doorway with Clark, uncertain what to say. Given how she’d left the apartment last night and the evasive voicemail she’d left on the answering machine she could only imagine her mother’s reaction.
“Hi?” Ellen echoed looking at her in disbelief. “You disappear and don’t show up until…” She glanced back at the clock “Almost noon! All you can say is
hi? Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick!”
Lucy was sitting on the couch, shaking her head as she read through her notes, “I told you she was
fine.”
“Well,
I didn’t know that.” Her mother responded with a harrumph.
Lois sighed, closing the door behind them as she and Clark entered the apartment. “You didn’t call?” He looked at her in surprise.
“I left a message on the answering machine,” Lois replied, pointing toward the kitchen where the phone was still blinking red.
“I don’t know how to work that contraption.” Her mother shrugged dismissively. “Too many options. I don’t know why you can’t just have a voicemail with one button and a tape to rewind like everyone else...I swear you do things like this just to make it more difficult. If you wanted me to know where you were you would have left a note not a voicemail that you know good and well I can’t check. I’m over here worrying that you’re dead in the street and….” Her mother’s ramblings came to a halt when her keen eye picked up on a certain piece of jewelry on a very important finger. “Is that what I think it is?”
Lucy bolted up from the couch and crossing the living room at record-breaking speed. “You finally said yes?”
Lois grinned ear-to-ear, waving her left hand in the air and sharing a look with Clark, “Yes, we’re getting married.”
“Oh, this is so wonderful! We’ll have to get a wedding planner...and see about getting a venue booked right away. Oh, I cannot wait!” Her mother’s eyes lit up with delight and Lois could sense the thunderstorm that was about to come raining down. If there was one thing her mother could do, it was to turn any small occasion into an extravaganza of an event. That was not what she nor Clark wanted. She was still trying to catch up to the one-eighty her mother had done on her, going from chastising her to wedding planning. Only her mother.
Before she could burst her mother’s bubble, however, Clark interjected, wrapping an arm around her as he spoke, “Yes, but we both agreed something small and simple is the way to go.”
“Small?” Her mom croaked out the words like venom.
“Congratulations, you guys!” Lucy squealed happily, reaching over to hug them both.
“Thanks,” Lois smiled, hugging her sister back and turning to her dumbfounded mother who looked like she just had the wind knocked out of her sails.“We also don’t want a long engagement either. That’s why we wanted to keep things simple. We were thinking maybe two or three months tops…”
“Two months?” Her mother echoed in surprise.
“Well, if anyone can do it you can.” Lucy chimed in with a grin.
***
Diana stared back at the man in front of her, waiting for him to speak. He adjusted his glasses, folding his hands on the table in front of her. “You’re probably wondering how you got caught, right?”
“The question has come to mind,” Diana admitted, crossing her arms over her chest.
“You’re probably wondering how you ended up in front of the wrong safe house.” He grinned back at her giddily, celebrating her downfall.
“Maybe.” She admitted.
“Yeah, you want to know where it all went wrong, but see we’ll have a lot of time to catch up. We’ll be talking a lot about your murder for hire occupation and your more recent assignment to kill a state’s witness.” HIs eyes narrowed, “You do know that’s punishable by the death penalty, right?”
“Not if I have something you want.” She replied coolly.
“And what is that?” He asked.
“The head of the snake.” She said with a satisfied smile.
***
“Perry is going to kill us,” Lois whispered as she watched the numbers to the floors change inside the Daily Planet elevator. She let out a soft moan, drawing her hands through the hair on the back of her fiancé’s head. Her back pressed against the corners of the elevator wall, running her hands through his dark, silky hair.
“Uh-huh,” Clark gave an innocuous grunt, nibbling at the lobe of her ear with his teeth.
Two hours. It had taken them two hours to get to the Planet from the time Perry had called, ordering them in his office for an update on Diana Stride. The call that came in at exactly three minutes after her fiancé had placed the ring on her hand. She couldn’t help but grin at that word.
“We’re late.” She murmured against his lips.
“We’re allowed.” He responded with a shrug, tightening his arms around her waist. “Mayson is supposed to come by with the update at three.” He reminded her. “That gives us plenty of time to get the story in for the evening edition. Perry will be fine.”
“I suppose we can always distract him with announcing our engagement.” She grinned mischievously as the elevator doors opened, fingering the diamond on her left hand.
“Mmm hmm,” He leaned in to recapture her lips as the elevator chimed, announcing their arrival on the newsroom floor.
The gentle ribbing from their co-workers and hollering from their editor quickly brought them back to the present. “Lane, Kent, what'd ya think that is, your own personal kissing booth?!”
Lois fought the urge to throw a smart remark back, but seeing from the look on her editor’s face not to push it. She glanced back at Clark, sharing a smile before following Perry into his office.
***
Diana Stride Assassin Exposed!
By Lois Lane and Clark KentMr. Darryl read through the article in front of him, trying to calm his temper. Two assassins down and still Disanto lived and Diana was in the wind. No one had heard anything from her. He frowned, pondering what his next move needed to be. Diana was too smart to allow herself to be caught without a way to leverage her freedom. Who would be the sacrificial lamb? A lowly lieutenant that had crossed her over the years? An undercover cop? A judge or senator?
He took a drink from his glass, looking to the building in front of him. He’d put a lot of work into this evening. He wouldn’t let himself lose focus. Diana would be taken care of as would Disanto. Tonight was about the arts.
“Right this way, Mr. Darryl,” the coordinator pointed to the hallway in front of them with a sign that read, ‘Metropolis In Lights!’ Some of the most influential people in Metropolis would be here tonight and he wasn’t going to let a little wrinkle in his plans get in the way. Afterall, finding a good senator to turn wasn’t an easy task.
***
The Metropolis Museum of Art was dimly lit with light sculptures providing most of the light in the gallery. Glow sticks were being used as accessories for the guests and artists. Lois scanned the room, trying to find Martha’s exhibit. “This is very strange.” She said, looking up at the sculpture in front of her with different textures and colors displayed through the light. It didn’t look like anything.
“I think that’s supposed to be abstract,” Clark whispered in her ear as he wrapped his arm around her.
“If you say so.” She said, looking around the room. Every display had a different style.
After calming Perry down with the latest update on Diana Stride’s capture and landing the one on one interview with the DA on Michael Disanto’s testimony the story that every reporter wanted to know was printed in the Daily Planet. It was a great way to give a strong finish before the Meriwether Awards dinner.
Perry and Jimmy had been ecstatic when she and Clark announced their engagement this afternoon. She could tell Perry was trying to hide how much the news meant to him. Perry had become like a surrogate father to her over the years. He’d listened to her rant about her troubled personal life more times than she could count before she’d been let in on the secret.
So much had changed over the last few months. Now here they were happily engaged
Clark was starting to get little bursts of his super abilities back but so far the powers still hadn’t returned. Given how long it took after his first exposure to Kryptonite they anticipated he’d be back to his super self by the end of the week. For now, she was enjoying being able to celebrate their engagement without a disaster getting in the way.
Thankfully the Metro had announced rooms would be available Saturday morning. Her mother had already booked her room with all the required amenities. The building owner announced a six-week wait until tenants could move back in. Given how booked city officials normally were on things like this, that was a pretty good turnaround. She loved her mother. She was grateful for her strength and perseverance over the years but living under the same roof was driving everyone crazy.
“There’s mom’s.” Clark pointed to a greek looking sculpture of a man with three faces. Lois nodded, following him to the exhibit.
Next to the exhibit was a man in an expensive suit and gray hair, pointing to the light sculpture, talking to the crowd of bigwigs. “You see how the light reflects off the shoulders here? Pristine…”
Clark turned to his mom who was standing to the side, listening, “Who is that?”
“That’s Mr. Darryl. He organized this event.” Martha explained.
Lois noticed several familiar faces within the crowd. Many of them were officers or attorneys she’d come across from time to time over the past few years. She frowned, looking around the room suspiciously. “Since when does the DA and the ADA show up to an event like this with the leader of the SWAT team?” She asked, gesturing across the room to where Mayson and Michael Clemmons were standing by the entryway.
Clark turned to where she had gestured and his forehead crinkled in concern, “Oh, I got a bad feeling.” He tapped his mom on the shoulder and pointed to the corner where it looked like an undercover team was working to close off all the exits. She looked over in surprise then nodded, allowing Clark to guide her and Lois away from what appeared to be their intended target.
“What do you think’s going on?” Lois asked.
“I don’t know.” Clark said, “But they seem awfully interested in that Mr. Darryl.”
“I guess it’s a good thing your father went to grab my sweater from the car.” Martha frowned, looking toward the entryway where the police chief stood, hanging a pair of handcuffs by his index finger as he approached Darryl from behind.
“There’s still a lot of people in here,” Clark observed in concern, looking to the crowded room.
Lois pulled the camera she’d brought to take pictures of the exhibit from her purse. She waited until the Police Chief was standing in front of Darryl before she snapped the first photo. Chaos erupted as Darryl tried to run. She glanced at Clark, hoping he might have some inkling as to what had just been said. He shrugged back, placing a protective arm around her shoulders as they watched the scene unfold. She could tell from his pained expression it was killing him not being able to help. He was used to being there to help when things went south. All they could do now was pray everyone remained safe during this scuffle. His arm tightened around her shoulders and she sighed, looking back at him with a knowing expression before turning back to the camera in her hand. She snapped picture after picture, hoping at least one of them could be used by Perry.
Finally, she heard a loud shout as the Police Chief barked, “You’re under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder and crimes too numerous to count. Your days of running Intergang through this city are over!”
“Intergang?” Lois echoed, looking back at Clark.
***
TBC...
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