Three RulesFolc4evernaday
Teaser________________________________________
Clark Kent was in trouble.
He knew it. Every time Lois Lane smiled at him he felt his heart lurch out of his chest, aching to be close to her. His throat clenched and he found himself—a writer—unable to articulate himself as confidently as he should. He’d traveled the world and met people from all walks of life. He’d dated off and on but no one had had this effect on him. Even during his off and on courtship with Lana Lang he hadn’t been affected like this.
This was different.
There it was again, that smile.
He was a goner.
He’d only known Lois Lane for a few days now. He’d watched her work tirelessly in their investigation of the possible Messenger bombing. She wasn’t like anyone he’d ever met before. Her attitude was confident and strong but there was something more that made her stand out to him. She cared—genuinely cared—about the story she was investigating. It wasn’t exclusively about the headline for her but about the people.
That was something he could relate to. He had harbored the need to help others with his gifts for so long. All he could hear when he had the urge to use his gifts to help someone was his father’s voice, warning him of what could happen. “They’ll put you in a laboratory and dissect you like a frog.”
He’d heard that phrase so many times over the years. It was why he’d kept moving from place to place. It was why he’d never had a relationship last more than a few months. It was hard to be in a relationship with anyone when you were constantly hiding who you are—even though he still didn’t have an answer on his true origins.
Still, he couldn’t deny the pull he felt toward Lois Lane. It had been there, calling to him since their first meeting and continued to grow the more he interacted with her.
“You can’t risk anyone finding out about you.” His father’s warning continued to play in the back of his mind but all he could focus on was the spark that shone from Lois Lane’s eyes as Jimmy Olsen gave them the news of STAR Labs’ report.
“They re-created the launch in a hologram, it was really smooth...” Jimmy’s face took on an awestruck expression for a moment before clearing his throat and continuing on with his update. “Anyway, they concluded that Platt's theory was right on. There was deliberate sabotage. The transport explosion was no accident. Congrats.”
Clark felt a wave of relief wash over him as the news hit him. There were still a lot of holes to fill but this was the first big step to proving Samuel Platt’s theory right. They were closer to stopping whomever was behind the Messenger bombing and ensuring safe travel to all those in desperate need of medical advancements that only could be achieved with Space Station Prometheus.
They were so close.
She was so close.
He could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand on end as her smile brightened, “He was right! Platt was right!”
“Now we can write the story,” Clark added confidently, feeling a rush run through his veins at the thought of exposing the truth behind the Messenger’s explosion.
“
I write the story,” Lois corrected. The tone in her voice was just slightly domineering as she made it clear who was in charge once again. There was still something softer hiding behind her eyes as her smile brightened across her face, reaching up to meet her eyes where that spark lit up her eyes.
He was a goner.
“With my help,” he reminded her, hoping to see at least a little crack in her abrasive attitude.
“With your help,” she conceded. Her eyes lit up happily as she added, “And if we can convince people there was sabotage and find out who was behind it…”
“…we can stop them.” Clark finished for her. He felt a surge of emotion pulse through her veins as her arms wrapped around him in a fierce victory hug. He knew it wouldn’t last. It couldn’t, but he couldn’t help but yearn for time to slow down just a little so he could savor that moment.
She loosened her arms around him, taking a step back and then he saw it. There in her eyes, the slight blush on her cheek and the hike in her heartrate as she stared back at him. Before he could stop himself the words came out of his mouth.
“Why don’t we have dinner…?”
‘Too fast. Stop.’ His mind screamed at him, warning him to put on the brakes.
She immediately began to backtrack, “I don’t know, I…”
“We should celebrate.” He finished lamely, hoping to save face and also holding out faith that she might actually say yes.
She seemed to mull it over for a moment before nodding, “Okay, dinner.”
He felt a surge of satisfaction run through his veins. He couldn’t believe his luck. Had he just put himself out there and not been turned down?
Just before he could revel in the idea of spending the evening with Lois outside of the office a look crossed her face. “Oh, what am I saying? I have plans tonight.”
Plans.
<<“Why don’t we make it dinner?”>>The memory of Lex Luthor’s invitation to her for dinner came back to him and he did his best to save face. He didn’t like the man. He couldn’t put his finger on it but something about his Luthor Space Station felt a little convenient given the current situation with the Messenger.
Instinct told him to stop her and not let her get near the man. The memory of Lex Luthor’s face as he held the sword of Alexander the Great to Clark’s throat flooded through his mind. He could tell from Luthor’s face and the way he spoke that he enjoyed having the upper hand. It most likely would be no different when Lois attempted to interview him.
He could warn her but doing so without sounding like it was coming from a place of jealousy was now impossible. He had no claim on Lois Lane. He barely knew her and she him. He did his best to squash down the urge to say something about her dinner with Luthor and offered a gentle smile instead.
“Well, maybe some other time then?” he hoped his voice didn’t sound too desperate as he spoke.
“Yeah,” she nodded, stepping away and grabbing her notepad from the table where they’d been working. “Maybe tomorrow?” She suggested, throwing him a playful grin. “Celebrate the break in the case and me getting the first exclusive on Lex Luthor.”
Her face was filled with confidence as she walked toward the door. He knew this interview wasn’t going to go the way she planned, but voicing his concern seemed a moot point. He flashed her a quick smile, “Sure.”
<<“Alexander's strategy was simple: always control the high ground.”>>There was an awkward silence that fell between them and she offered a friendly wave, “See you tomorrow.”
“Good luck,” he said, hoping his voice didn’t betray his inner thoughts at the moment.
“Please, I don’t need luck,” she shot back confidently. “Remember who you’re talking to. If anyone needs luck, it’s Lex Luthor.”
A smile cracked across his face as he watched her gather her things. “I look forward to reading your story.” She looked at him again, this time a little longer and he felt like he would melt right there under her piercing stare.
He was in trouble.
________________________________________
Lois stared at the dark leather seats of the limo she rode in, quietly mulling over how she was going to get the elusive Lex Luthor to open up so she could write the first one on one interview with him. This was every journalist’s dream. A smile crossed her face as she imagined having her by-line with the first in-depth take on the elusive billionaire grace the front page of the Daily Planet. It was sure to get her a nod from the Kerth committee and possibly even a Pulitzer.
‘Easy there, Lane. You haven’t got the story yet,’ she reminded herself, reeling her imagination back in. Still it was fun to imagine the look on Clark’s face when he… A frown crossed her face and she caught herself. Clark? Where did that come from?
She bristled, shaking her head, trying to calm her nerves, attempting to focus back on the task at hand. There was so much mystery around who Lex Luthor was. There was speculation of course and rumors that fueled the weekly tabloids but as far as the real story, that remained a mystery to her and the rest of Metropolis.
‘That changes now,’ she thought to herself gleefully, smoothing the imaginary wrinkles from her dress.
The car came to a stop and the driver stepped out of the car, ‘This is it.’ She thought to herself, preparing for the interview of a lifetime.
________________________________________
Clark let out a heavy sigh as he sifted through the chaos of mismatched notes in a shoebox and the clean file folder with a stamp depicting the S.T.A.R. Labs logo on the cover. One by one he ran through the notes of the report – to put it loosely – Platt had submitted. They still had to convince EPRAD and the officers investigating the explosion that had killed Captain Ladderman and his crew.
They had enough to draw attention to what was happening here and make the Metropolis P.D. take a second look at Platt’s supposed suicide but it wasn’t irrefutable. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but something about the timing of EPRAD’s sabotage and Lex Luthor’s Luthor Space Station didn’t sit right with him. The timing felt too convenient.
Or perhaps he just wanted to find something on Luthor. A wave of uncertainty ran through him as he pondered momentarily what his motivation was for looking at Lex Luthor harder than others. On the outside he seemed to be the answer to a city’s prayers. A billionaire philanthropist willing to give back to his community and employing nearly an entire city on his own.
<<“I must admit I love the fact that everyone has to look up to see me.”>>Conceited.
Self-absorbed.
His mind offered up the descriptors as he stared across the desk where an equally large stack of files were from the research he’d pulled on Luthor Space Station. He didn’t like the guy. He could admit that much, but it felt much more than a twinge of jealousy or distrust. A sinister sense of suspicion fell over him each time he looked at the timeline of the sabotage and Platt’s death.
The question was, would Lex Luthor commit murder in order to be the one to stake his claim on EPRAD’s medical advancements that would have gone to the United Nations of Congress?
A resounding ‘yes’ echoed inside him as he leaned back in his chair, pondering his next move.
________________________________________
Lois Lane was not happy.
Her fork rested across the plate full of food, suppressing the urge to get up and leave. Her promise of an interview appeared to be nothing more than a trick to lure her here and distract her with a big show. The lavish dinner and wining and dining Lex Luthor seemed to be focused on were the actions she’d expect on a date rather than an interview – which she suspected he seemed more focused on.
Each question she offered up continued to be deflected one by one as if he was flicking an annoying fly that got in the way. A smile spread across his face and he offered, “Why don’t I have my office send you a biography?”
She couldn’t just give in and leave. She couldn’t and wouldn’t be seen as a failure. She’d been promised an interview and she was going to get one. Annoyance crossed her face as she stared back at him daringly, “Because I don’t want the standard line. I want to know the real Lex Luthor. What makes you tick? What you want, what you strive for…”
“Pleasure.” There was an uncomfortable gaze between them as Lex reached out to push a strand of hair out of her face. She frowned, staring back at him with narrowed eyes, “The pursuit of pleasure….” He finished with a smile, catching her gaze once again. A look crossed his face and he smiled, “Does that surprise you?”
‘Finally a real conversation,’ she thought to herself, letting out a sigh of relief as he moved his hand back to his lap. She had expected to have him deflect her questions but turning the evening into a date hadn’t been where she’d imagined this evening going. Still, she didn’t want to give up just yet. She had to keep trying and hopefully have something to show for her efforts.
“I would have guessed you’d say ‘power’.” She responded, in hopes of drawing more conversation out of him.
“Power is a means, not an end.” He explained.
“But achieving power must give you pleasure.” Lois deducted, following his reasoning aloud.
“Very good.” He nodded, impressed.
Lois bit her lower-lip, noting the space between them appeared to disappear as he leaned in with a smile pasted across his face. She was not one to be deterred though. She had read the tabloids and heard the stories of his skirt-chasing tendencies but she wasn’t one to back down from a challenge. An exclusive was what she’d pursued in this dinner and even though it was clear Mr. Luthor had other intentions she refused to be swayed by a few quotes or fancy wine.
Her lips pursed into a round ‘o’ and she tapped the side of her plate with a shrug, “You took over your first company at the age of twenty-one, but there were rumors that the buy-out was coerced.”
Try as he might he couldn’t completely hide his reaction to her comment. She felt a silent victory and cheer as his body language stiffened. Across his face she could see a flicker of something …lurking just behind the shadows before disappearing behind a forced smile that sent a chill down her spine.
She stared at him a moment before continuing with her question, “Is it true the Board of Directors was paid substantial, unreported fees?”
“Do you ever let your hair down?” he reached across the table and took her hand in his. Lois watched him hesitantly. His focus was everywhere but on providing her with an interview. “All work and no play…your credo, Lois Lane?”
Lois took a breath, steadying herself before she firmly turned him down. “Lex, I think you have the wrong idea about this dinner.” She reclaimed her hand, jerking it out of his grasp.
“I hope you don’t think we’re here merely because you’re a beautiful woman. That wouldn’t speak well for either of us.”
Lois cut him off. “As I said before, I think you’ve got the wrong idea about this dinner.”
A cold look crossed his face and was quickly replaced with the warm, flirtatious expression he’d been donning all evening. “Well, then, shall I have Asabi bring in dessert?”
“I never have dessert.” She replied, standing to her feet and crossing her arms over her chest defiantly. “I think I need to leave.”
“So soon?” He countered, looking at her expectantly. She arched an eyebrow at him, and he conceded, nodding to the man that had driven her to his Penthouse from the Planet, “Asabi, bring the car around, won’t you?”
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TBC...
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