pt 18
"Yes Chief?" Clark shoved his hands in his pockets and met his boss' eyes.
"Have a seat, Clark." He moved over to the couch, wondering what necessitated the extra comfort. "How's Lois?"
"She seems fine, but she can't remember the last while, ever since she was dating Lex Luther."
Perry raised his eyebrows. "Did you take her to the hospital?"
"No, I didn't think she was really sick, just more overwhelmed than anything."
“Where are your brains, boy? Have you taken leave of your senses?”
Clark looked at his boss. “I thought I was doing the right thing at the time.” He suddenly felt like a little boy getting scolded by the principal.
"Do you still feel that way, Clark?"
"I think so. She slept for awhile and then woke up, back to her usual self, only without the memories that were bothering her. Ithink she’s fine.” He paused, then continued, “I don't know, Perry. I don't think I'm too objective."
“That’s the understatement of the week, Son.” He stood up from his chair and walked over to where Clark was sitting. Glancing out the window before lowering his voice he asked, "Do you think it was wise proposing to her in the midst of all this?"
Clark's head shot up, "Oh no, Perry, it wasn't like that. I’d asked her the other day, before any of this happened.
He nodded. "Did she forget that, too? You said she forgot everything back until she’d been dating Luther.”
A troubled look crossed Clark’s face. “Yeah, she’d forgotten. But when she figured out that the ring was from me, she was all for marrying me. I’m not sure why, but it seems like she’s only forgotten the details, not the feelings she had toward things.” He looked away then added, “Or people.”
Perry looked at his hands. "I'm going to ask the staff psychologist have a talk with Lois. I want to make sure she's okay. She's my top reporter.” Smiling he added, “I need to know just how far I can push her without her falling off the cliff again.”
Clark nodded. “I certainly don’t know what has gone on with Lois’ mind. She’d been under a lot of stress, though, that’s for sure.”
Perry leaned back in his chair and folded his hands in his lap. “I don’t know if she’ll have anything to do with a councilor, but I’ve got to try my darndest to help her out. She’s a good kid. I could ring that Ralph’s neck. I bet he’s at the bottom of this. She’s never been too big on having her relationships flouted around the newsroom. It must have been devastating to be the focus of so many rag stories.”
Clark nodded. It was his fault that she’d been in this position in the first place. He’d been so intent on saving her from Luther he’d not really thought out the consequences of proposing to her as Superman. He had known however that he would want the situation to shift to Clark before they got married. Luckily, that much had worked out. But that was part of what had gotten this problem so much attention, Lex, then Superman and now Clark. He dropped his head to his hands.
“What is it Clark?”
“I just wish I…” he stopped, knowing he couldn’t tell Perry any of what he was thinking.
"What's up with Superman?"
"Excuse me?"
"Superman? Do you know where he's been, and what he's been doing lately?”
Clark shifted uncomfortably. "I haven't run into him, Perry."
"He wasn't at any of those emergencies yesterday, I just wondered where he was." He leaned forward. "Do you think he's working somewhere else in the world right now?
Clark sought to ease Perry's worries. "I'm sure he's doing whatever it is he does."
Perry nodded. "Okay, son, I just hope Superman isn't stressed out in his life as well."
Clark gave him a puzzled look and responded, "I'm sure he's fine, Perry."
“Clark, is there something you think you should tell your old editor?”
“I don’t think so.” Then he remembered what Henderson had told him. "Luthor is being charged with first degree murder today. He's sending over the details by fax. Would you like an interview with Luther to go with this story?
Perry leaned back again. "Now that's an interesting thought. But no, I don't think so, I don't want it to look like the Daily Planet gives crooks free publicity.” Clark nodded.
Perry wanted to find out more about Clark being Superman. He was pretty sure he was. He’d know soon enough when LNN broadcast something and Clark took off. That would be a surefire way to tell what was going on.
Several hours later, Perry had just the opportunity he was waiting for. LNN was running footage of something major. While the volume was being turned up and reporters were beginning to stand around watching, Perry entered the stairwell. He stood just out of sight of the doorway, with a good view of where he supposed Clark would go when he was spinning into his suit.
He waited breathlessly for a few moments. Suddenly, Clark burst through the door. Almost instantly he saw the blue and red spin that Lois found fascinating, followed by a whoosh of wind and a streak heading straight up the empty stairwell. Satisfied, Perry called upstairs, “Good luck!”
With that, he pulled open the door and headed back down the ramp. Focusing on the TV monitor, where Superman still wasn’t on the scene, Perry was quite amazed to see how quickly Superman appeared at the fire. He shook his head and stood alongside Lois watching what was going on.
He wondered if Lois knew about Clark’s double identity. He’d have to look for any telltale signs. He glanced over at Clark’s desk, which of course was empty. “Lois, where’s Clark?”
She didn’t seem in a hurry to look around the newsroom to see. Her eyes were on her fiancé at the fire. “Uh, I don’t know, Perry. He was here a moment ago.”
He nodded. She knew. He’d confirm that later when Clark got back. While the rest of the reporters returned to their desks, Perry continued to watch his employee dart back and forth at the fire. Blowing out the fire, sucking smoke up and blowing it into space, zipping in and out of windows, carrying victims to emergency personnel…things he’d seen a million times before, but now, knowing it was his own mild mannered reporter, it was different. Very different.
When the footage finally showed Superman leaving the scene, Perry headed toward his office to watch for Clark’s return. Five minutes later, Clark stepped out of the elevator, straightening his tie . The casual gesture now looked different to the old crusty editor. Obviously he wasn’t just stratghtening it, he was perfecting the last shred of his return to street clothes.
Fascinated, Perry headed over to meet Clark as he was heading down the ramp. Did he smell like smoke? He clapped Clark on the back. “Where have you been?”
He didn’t smell any smoke. Clark’s face looked clean and fresh, more like he’s just stepped out of the shower than out of a fire. Had he gone home to wash up? He was certainly fast, that was for sure.
Clark didn’t look as cheerful as he had before. Had there been problems at the fire? Oh yes, one fatality, a child. Perry recalled the image of Superman carrying the limp body to an ambulance. His face hadn’t looked as emotionless as it usually did.
The thought struck Perry that Clark wouldn’t have anyone to talk to about what he’d just experienced, except at the scene, unless he could tell Lois. Of course. But he wasn’t sure how Lois was doing right now. He wondered just what Clark’s life really was like. This was quite the revelation, to find out that one of his star reporting team was none other than the man in tights.
“Where have you been, Clark? One minute you were here and the next minute you were gone?”
“I went to the fire as soon as they started running the footage. I got a chance to talk to Superman before he left.” Clark seemed as relaxed as a summer afternoon as he explained his absence to his boss.
“So you’re going to write that up for me?”
“Right away, Chief.”
“Good. I’ll be looking forward to reading it.”
With that, Perry returned to his office and sat poking a stack of paperwork idly with the back of his pencil. He leaned back and wondered how Elvis would have reacted to something like this. It was certainly quite the story. It would sell a lot of papers. It would ruin Clark’s life too. How hard had it been for Clark to keep this secret?
He ran though his memories of Superman and his memories of Clark, trying to merge them into some sort of single life. When Superman had been missing had Clark had called in sick? Humm.
He lifted his phone, “Personnel? Could you please send up a list of the dates of Clark Kent’s absences? Thanks.”
Perry pulled up the paper’s website on his computer, and did a search for ‘Superman’. Soon he was comparing the dates when Clark hadn’t come in to work, with Superman appearances. Sure enough, somewhere in the world, Superman had been very busy on those dates. A few absences had been prolonged. Those correlated with earthquakes, floods, volcanoes and other major catastrophes around the world.
Perry leaned back, amazed at what he’d found out, amazed at this man he thought he knew like a son. He was a good liar, that was for sure. Some of his excuses had been pretty flimsy, though.
He broke into a fit of laughter as he recalled the day he’d followed Clark into the supply room and found him sitting with the window open, supposedly about to make a phone call to find Lois. What a strange experience that had been. He’d thought Clark was certainly not as normal as most! He’d even resisted Perry’s encouragement to come back to the conference or at least out of the storage closet. Of course, he was about to change into superman and fly out the window.
He recalled other things and found as many questions in his mind as answers. His computer beeped and Perry turned back to see the new article that had just entered his system. He opened it and began to read:
Hobbs Bay Apartment Fire Claims Child
By Clark Kent
The article was written in Clark’s usual ‘touchy feely’ style as Lois called it, quite differently than Lois’ hard line news stories. As Perry read, he could see Superman’s work and feel his reactions to what had gone on at the fire. No wonder Clark could write it so well, as if he’d experienced it all first hand.
Perry neglected most of his work for the next hour as he scrolled back through Clark’s stories, reading them through a new light. Clark had always given the Planet the best stories. He could remember what he’d read in other papers and with only a few exceptions, he’d always been loyal to his employer. Clark was a good guy. Superman. He shook his head, glad he was finally on to this. It didn’t do much to his ego to have Superman right under his nose and not have a clue about it. Yodeling. Humph.
“Kent. My office. Now.” Perry bellowed from his doorway.
Clark swiveled his chair around and stood up. Lois looked up from her desk and caught his eye. He made a detour over to her side and leaned down to give her a kiss and to squeeze her shoulders. “Gotta go.”
She nodded, “Good luck, sounds important.”
The feelings of being addressed by the principal returned to him. He’d never been in trouble in school before, though.
“Yes, Perry? Everything alright with the story?”
“Fine, Clark.” He closed the door behind him then waited until Clark had taken a seat before he went on. “You always seem to be able to get complete stories from Superman. I believe you’re the only one that does.”
Clark nodded, “We’re friends. But I think I have been scooped a few times by the Star. Lois gets the stories sometimes, too.”
Perry nodded. He wanted to give Clark the opportunity to admit that he’d been masquerading as two people. He was quite the man, that Superman. What a level-headed guy. What a power for good he was in Metropolis, no in the whole world.
“I noticed something interesting.” He pushed the list of Clark’s absences that he’d cross referenced with Superman’s major rescues across the desk toward Clark.
Clark leaned forward and picked up the paper. He scanned it over and felt his chest tighten. Perry’s been checking up on me? He wants to know if…stay calm Clark…you don’t know what he wants to know.
“I guess I’ve missed quite a bit of work.” He looked up from the paper at his boss.
“Well actually, Son, I was thinking more that your absences have always coincided with Superman’s work.”
Clark nodded, looking back at the paper again, wondering what reaction he should have to this. “Superman has taken me along with him a few times. Quite a few times actually. That’s how I get the stories.” He felt satisfied with the excuse he’d come up with.
“How long have you been doing this, Clark?”
“What?”
“You know. Superman.”
“Well, since he came to Metropolis. We met and he’s been quite happy to take me along with him to cover the various stories…when I’ve been able to go, anyway.”
Perry nodded at the paper in Clark’s hands. “From the looks of this, you’ve been away every single time he’s had an extended rescue.”
Clark nodded, wanting to ask his boss what he was thinking. He wasn’t worried though, he’d been making excuses for his absences all his life. He did recall though that he’d been discovered everywhere else he’d lived except for Smallville.
Perry continued. “Of course, there have been a few times that you’ve been absent when there weren’t any rescues.”
Clark looked at the paper and nodded. He remembered a few times when Superman had been out of commission, because of kryptonite or whatever.
“Perry, could you clarify for me, am I taking too much time off?”
“Oh no, Son. You always have your work done. I always have great scoops when you get back.” Clark relaxed a bit. “I just wonder if some of your excuses haven’t been true.”
Clark was mortified. He’d been found out. He’d lied once too many times. Perry thought he was lying to him. “Not true?” Of course they’d not been true. ‘Uh Perry, I’ve got to go stop this volcano, I’ll be back when I can.’
“Clark, let me level with you. I didn’t get to be the editor of the greatest newspaper on earth by yodeling.”
“No, sir.” Clark’s heart was beating at 154. Perry’s was at 60. He took a calming breath and tried to relax. He wished he’d hear a cry for help. Anything.
“I don’t think you’ve been telling me everything. I mean the real reasons you’re always dashing off.” He looked steadily into Clark’s scared eyes. He’d never seen Clark look scared before. “Don’t you think you can tell me the truth, Clark?”
His mind was racing. ‘Sure, that I’m Superman? That I am an alien from another planet? That I only have this job because I like trying to pretend I’m a normal person?’
Clark didn’t know what to say, agree that he’d lied about some of his excuses to cover up his illnesses as Superman? What was the problem here?
Perry didn’t realize how Clark would protect his secret. “Do you think I’m going to publish an article about you if I find out what you’re hiding?”
Clark’s eyes shot up, riveting on Perry’s. Wasn’t that his exact fear?
“I’m sorry?” Clark responded lamely. “You don’t believe I’ve been sick or away?”
“Oh, I believe you’ve been away alright, Son. I just don’t believe you’ve been sick!” Superman doesn’t get sick, Perry added mentally.
Clark grinned, “Well, I have certainly been sick a few times.”
“Okay, Clark, let’s stop beating around the bush. The other day when you dashed off into the stairwell, I saw a strange sight before the door closed.”
“You did?”
“Yes. I saw you become a blur of red and blue, which then shot up the stairwell. Do you want to tell me about that?”
“No.”
“I didn’t think you would. So earlier when the news came on, I thought, if my suspicions were right, that you’d head to the stairs as soon as you’d seen enough to know that Superman would be needed at that rescue.”
Clark’s fists were clenched around the arms of the chair. He relaxed them, hoping he hadn’t cracked the wood. He noticed he wasn’t sitting with all his weight in the chair. He sank back down, trying to get a grip on his emotions.
Clark had no idea what was comign but it wasn’t going to be good. How could he have gotten so lax with his most important secret in the world? Perhaps because he’d been with the most important woman in the world?
Had his love for Lois been making him sloppy with his secret. He moaned inwardly, reflecting back to the last time he’d entered the stairwell. He hadn’t looked around to see that the door was shut before he’d begun to spin. Didn’t he usually head up a few stairs before spinning? He’d never seen a soul in the stairwell before, maybe he’d become complacent with watching out for things.
He thought back. There had been a lot of times he’d not been watching what he’d been doing lately. He’d never had Lois’ love before. It was such a wonderful change for him, such a wonderful feeling, it had taken away all the worries in his mind. Obviously it had taken away too many worries. He had to be far more careful than he’d been. No telling who was on to him now. Perry was suspicious. That Willoughby character had been looking for Superman who he’d bugged. Well, that woman had bugged Superman.
Perry was continuing. “So before you left, I went into the stairwell and hid behind the door. You came in and spun into Superman in front of me, then shot up the stairs.”
Clark listened. He had really blown it, hadn’t he. If it had been anyone else, he would have wondered what they wanted from him, what sort of blackmail he would be up against. But Perry was like a father to him. He wouldn’t publish this, would he? Was his loyalty to Clark stronger than his 30 year loyalty to the Daily Planet?
“You gona say something or just sit there?”
Clark didn’t know what to say. He stood up and pushed his hands into his pockets and began pacing slowly back and forth in front of Perry’s desk. He was more worried that he’d let the secret slip elsewhere. Perry knowing wasn’t such a huge problem. Well, it was a problem. Perry could be a target. Everyone was a target for Pete’s sake, kidnapping anyone got Superman’s attention. It didn’t change anything for Perry. Maybe it would even make life easier at work. He did hate the excuses.
How had he done that? He sighed and dropped back into the chair.
“May I go back to my desk now?”
Perry smiled, “I’m the principal, right?”
Clark smiled at him. “I guess so, and I’m in trouble. Just don’t make me go stand in the hall, okay?”
Perry came around his desk and put a hand on Clark’s shoulder. “I’m really proud of you, Son. You’ve made me and the whole world proud of you.”
“Thanks, Chief.”
Perry leaned back against his desk. “I never would have guessed it! Elvis is probably rolling over in his grave just hearing us talk.”
“I hope he’s the only one hearing us.” Clark pulled his glasses down his nose and looked around the room to make sure the office wasn’t bugged.
Perry watched him, “So you’re checking for surveillance bugs?”
Clark nodded. “Perry, I can’t believe I got so lax. I sure hope you’re the only person who found out.”
“Can’t say for sure, Son, but nobody will hear it from me. I’ve been keeping confidences since before you were born.” Then he paused. “You were born, we’re you?” Clark rolled his eyes at his boss. “Uh, of course you were.”
Clark nodded and looked toward the door. “So is that all you wanted, Perry?”
“Is that ALL? Isn’t that enough?”
“I think it’s more than enough.” Clark stood and put his hand on the doorknob. “If that’s all, I’d better get back to work.”
“Now just a minute, you just sit back down. I want to hear about that rescue you just made. You looked pretty depressed when you came back from that fire. You need to talk about it?”
Clark wasn’t used to talking about it. “No, Chief, I’ll be fine.” With that he opened the door and left his editor’s office.
“Darn that boy!”
