Okay... Nan's little teaser instalment gave me an idea. I thought that I might try something like it to promote my own upcoming sequel to 'To Protect and Serve'. But rather than post the entire first instalment I thought I'd do it more like the movies do. I've created a trailer, of sorts, by using small snippets from the story that has been written so far. It's meant to show a little of the 'action' of the coming fic. So without further ado....

"COMING TO A MESSAGE BOARD NEAR YOU THIS AUGUST! (hopefully)"
Because you demanded it (well someone must have demanded it?).
The sequel that didn't have to be written, but is being written for no other reason than to inflict in on the gentle readers. Sometime in August...
'To Protect & Serve 2" (I'm still looking for a subtitle)


*********SNIP**********

Detective Sergeant Lois Lane stared out the window of the unmarked squad car. She and her partner Bill Henderson were on a classic stake-out. A typical, boring, waste-of-time, stake-out. Lois was not only bored, but she was fidgety. She wanted to leave.

Lois turned to her partner. "So, what do you say? If Baker doesn't show in the next fifteen minutes I say we call it a night."

Henderson glanced at his watch. "It's only eight-thirty, Lane. You got a hot date or something?" He smiled when he noticed a slight blush creep across Lois' cheeks. "So that's it is it? I've only been back from my vacation for a week, yet you can't wait to dump me for some muscle- bound amor du jour."

Lois rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, Bill. I see you more hours of the day than any other human being on the planet. As thrilling as that is for me, I do need time away. If only to reconfirm that there are other people in the world besides you, and the scum of the earth we have to deal with."

Henderson shook his head and let go a hefty sigh. "Now I'm really hurt." He turned toward her, his face schooled in a look of mock seriousness. "Okay, come clean. Who is he? It's that Kent guy, isn't it." Lois' brow went up. "Oh come on. It's all over the department. He's been seen picking you up several times over the past few weeks."

"You people need to get lives of your own."

"Ah hah! I've struck a nerve, haven't I?"

Lois shook her head at her partner's antics. "You never like the guys I date."

Henderson shrugged. "So what's not to like about Kent?"

She grinned. "Well, he's handsome, cultured, charming, and he dresses better than you."

"You forgot wealthy."

Lois shook her head again. "He's not wealthy, but he does have abs to die for."

*******SNIP**************

"Clark?" Lois looked at him expectantly.

"Lois," he began. "We've only known each other a short time. Even so, in that time I think I've come to understand some things about you. I respect and admire you as a professional, and as a person. You are dedicated and loyal to your job and your friends. You have an incredibly strong sense of right and wrong, and are committed to redressing those wrongs whenever you come across them." Clark allowed himself a small, shy smile. "You don't give your trust easily, but when you do, it's total. And you expect the same back. I didn't give that to you, and I'm sorry."

Their eyes met. "Do you know why you didn't?" she asked.

Clark dropped his head and sighed. When he managed to meet her eyes again, it was with a look of embarrassment. "I think so." She gave him a quizzical look. "I didn't want your pity."

********SNIP***************

The hat topping the shadow that was St. John moved back and forth. "I don't think you understand the situation? We still have need of your services. You've been paid handsomely for your past service, and you will continue to be paid well. There are bound to be situations where a man in your position could be of use to us."

Here it came. Knowing that he'd probably have to deal with this situation eventually didn't make it any easier to face. It was like trying to swim in quicksand. The more you struggled to get out the more it pulled you in deeper. He wasn't quite sure what he was going to do, but he had to make Nigel realize that, even after what he'd done, he had his limits.

"Look," he began. "My reasons for agreeing to help you and Ms. Carlin take down Luthor are my own, and none of your business." Henderson ran a hand through his hair. "I can't undo what I did. I've compromised my ethics for a goal. A goal that I thought more important than my own personal values. But make no mistake, St. John, I'm not going to become your personal stooge in the police department. Don't try to blackmail me, Nigel. I'll call your bluff and take my chances. If you're smart, you'll walk away from this partnership. Let it end now."

St. John, still unreadable in the dark allowed several moments of silence to pass between them. Finally, the cultured accent broke the stillness. "I see. While I'm disappointed in your attitude, I think we might be able to come to an accommodation. I can put to rest your concerns about our intentions in Metropolis. We don't plan to 'crap in our own yard' as they say. Our ultimate goals are much more far-reaching than that." The big man circled to the other side of Henderson. "But I still see one potential problem. There is still one person, who was close to Lex, who could be a possible thorn in our side. Take care of this and you can consider our relationship equitably terminated."

Bill suddenly felt a chill and had to suppress a need to shiver. "What are you talking about?"

"It's simple really, Detective Lois Lane is too nosy for her own good. She had a relationship with Luthor, and that makes her an unacceptable risk. We don't want her asking any of the wrong questions."

Henderson nodded. He'd expected something like this. "Okay, she's my partner. I can keep a close eye on her and make sure to steer her away from anything that might lead her back to you... and me."

He heard that chuckle again. "Once again, you misunderstand us. We don't want your partner watched... we want her eliminated.

*********SNIP*************

Clark felt a little foolish leaving the Daily Planet building when he was just going to have to return within a few hours. The first rays of the dawn hadn't yet been able to broach the barrier of the taller buildings, but the sky had turned from the black of night to the gray of impending day. He'd only gotten a few blocks from the Planet when he heard a commotion coming from the alley he'd just passed. Stopping and retracing the few steps necessary, he peered into the still heavy shadows of the urban canyon between the two tall monoliths of commerce.

What he saw brought him instantly to anger. A group of young toughs were pushing an elderly lady around. They were laughing as they pawed through her purse, and taunted her, as she begged for them not to hurt her.

Clark quickly rushed into the alley. "Hey, leave that lady alone. Give her back her bag. What's wrong with you kids, anyway?"

The largest of the group of four turned to face Clark, a sneer on his face. "Hey look guys, grannie has a hero." He stepped closer to Clark. "Is that what you are... a hero?" His friends laughed.

Clark ignored the fellow and went over to help the elderly lady back to her feet. "Are you all right, ma'am?"

She gave Clark a weak smile, then he saw fear reflected in her eyes. He turned in time to see the same bigger youth launching a fist toward him. Clark sidestepped the main force of the blow, but it caused him to stumble a bit. The young tough followed it up with another punch which landed solidly in Clark's side. This drove him to one knee.

"Hey, hero. You don't look so heroic now, do you. Maybe you need a lesson in minding your own business." The fellow tried to lash out with his booted foot. Clark managed to catch the foot and with a grunt shoved back causing the young hoodlum to fall flat on his butt. That didn't set too well with the fellow.

Clark stood. Even without his powers he was still a large, well-built man, but he had no real experience at fighting. Especially street fighting. Also, it was one against four. As it turned out there were only two good things that came out of the situation. The woman was able to get away while the street punks were focused on Clark. And they didn't feel any need to use more than their fists and their feet to deal with 'grannie's hero'.

After a few minutes of 'fun', the young thugs got bored and left Clark lying battered and beaten in the alley. It wasn't starting out to be a good day.

**********SNIP**************

It was raining hard now as Lois lurched and stumbled along the sidewalks of Metropolis. She was barely conscious of her movement as her mind continued to torture her with the images of the horror she'd witnessed.

She hadn't been able to move, so stunned was she by what she'd seen. It was a shock to find out that the two people she'd heard at the other end of the alley were her partner Bill, and... Superman. But there wasn't any Superman.

When she'd finally peeked around the corner, the argument between the two men was just about over. She had been able to see the fear in her friend's eyes and the sneer on the face of Metropolis' resident hero. She'd just been able to hear Superman threaten to kill Bill by dropping him into a volcano. Then, in a blur, they had vanished into the air, vile laughter ringing in her ears.

Lois' legs were like silly putty as she forced herself over to the spot where moments ago her partner had stood facing the Man of Steel. There was nothing. No indication that a man had been standing there just seconds ago. No evidence that a kidnapping had just happened and a murder was about to take place. Bill Henderson was just... gone.

A chill had run through her body and she began to shake. A single inarticulate cry erupted from her mouth as she fled from the alley and into the streets.

Somewhere deep in the back of her mind she knew she was in shock. She couldn't stop her body from shaking but she couldn't force her thoughts away from the continuing replay of the terrible scene she'd witnessed. It was all she could do to keep putting one foot in front of the other without falling over.

Zombie-like, she continued on.

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

Okay there you have it. A taste of what could possibly be the sequel that no one wants. It's in your hands, gentle readers. Does this seem like something that should be continued and eventually posted?

I leave it up to you.

Tank (who is curious to see whether or not he can slip back into his much deserved retirement or if he has to actually finish this fic)