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To Protect and Serve II
by Tank Wilson

CHAPTER ONE

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 amour 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."

Henderson raised his brow. "My, aren't we shallow. You're just after this poor schlub for his body."

Lois allowed a dreamy look to come over her face. "Yeah, but what a body."

Bill clucked his tongue as he shook his head disparagingly. "You always go after the pretty boys. Didn't Luthor teach you anything?"

Lois snapped to attention at the mention of Lex Luthor. "Don't mention that animal's name in the same breath with Clark."

Henderson held up his hands in surrender. "Hey, take it easy, partner. I was just kidding."

Lois leaned her head back against the seat and sighed. "I know, and I'm sorry I reacted badly. It's just that Clark is really a sweet guy, and I don't like it when people compare him to Lex." She rolled her head so she could look at Bill. "You were right about Lex, and I'm sorry I didn't listen to you. I should have. You're my best friend and I should have known that you really did have my best interests at heart." She paused to take a breath. "But believe me when I say; Clark is nothing at all like Luthor. I'd swear he's the most caring man I've ever met."

"Hey, you've really got it bad for this Kent guy, don't you?" Lois spread her hands and shrugged. "Please don't tell me that Mad Dog Lane is in love? The shock to my system would probably kill me."

Lois shook her head but smiled at her partner's wisecrack. "Come on, Bill, you know me better than that. I doubt if I'd know what love was if it bit me on the butt. We've only had a few dates, so I can't really say what I feel. Clark's a good guy, and I think we're on our way to becoming good friends, but love? Lois leaned back into the cushion of the seat. "I'm just happy to take things as they come. Maybe someday... who knows?"

"So, if this guy's so great." Lois noticed the mischievous gleam in her partner's eye. "What's he doing hanging with you?"

"I have no idea." They both broke out laughing.

Once the two detectives finally stopped laughing, Lois gave her partner a warm smile. "So, I've never known you to take a vacation before. Where were you for the last few weeks?"

"Did you miss me?" He grinned and winked at her.

Lois snorted. She was about to make another wisecrack when suddenly she decided not to. Instead she chose to speak her mind. "Yeah, actually I did. You're the best partner I've ever had, Bill, and I felt a little lost without you around." She let a slight grin sneak back onto her face. "Besides, guys like Jenkins and Palmer are no challenge for me. When it comes to verbal sparring those two are totally inept."

Henderson nodded, as if commiserating with her. "Yeah, the Academy is really falling down in that regard." Just then a soft ring came from Bill's pocket. "Hold on." He reached in and pulled out a cell phone.

Lois watched her partner as he listened to whatever was said on the other end of the call. He didn't say much. A couple of grunts and an 'okay, bye' was all she heard. "So what was that all about?" She asked, when he put the small phone away.

Henderson waved off her interest. "It was nothing. It's personal."

"Ooh, getting mystery personal calls at work now, eh?" Lois reached out and slapped him on the arm. "Anyone I know?"

Henderson suddenly, looked away and stared out the front windshield. "You know, you're right. There's nothing going to happen here tonight. Let's pack it in for the night." He reached down and turned the key. The engine sprang to life and, with a squeal of the tires and a spray of loose gravel, the car leapt forward and sped off toward the main highway.

Lois was stunned by her partner's sudden shift in attitude. Obviously something about that call upset him. Being who she was, every curious bone in her body screamed at her to find out what it was. Ask him. Badger him. Do what ever it took to get him to tell her. That's what she wanted to do, but she didn't. They were friends, and she respected his privacy. If it was something that he felt she should know, then he'd tell her. Until then, she'd just have to abide by his decision.

Of course, she was going to be up all night wondering about it.

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

Clark stared at the screen of his home computer. He'd been to Arianna Carlin's latest press conference earlier in the day and had come home to write his article rather than gone back to the Planet. He was looking for the hook for the story, but it was eluding him.

It had been the third press conference she'd held since Luthor's death. The first one had been to address the revelations that had come out during the whole sordid Boynton affair that had lead to Lex's eventual downfall. She had denied any knowledge of Lex's dealings, citing the fact that she hadn't had any contact with Lex for at least five years. Not since their less than amicable divorce. Of course, then came the second news conference. The one where she had dropped the bombshell. Apparently, her and Luthor's divorce was never properly filed. Legally, she was still Lex Luthor's wife. Which made her, suddenly, the third richest person in the world.

Today's press junket had been to announce her taking over as CEO of LexCorp, and to outline some of the changes she planned for the direction of Luthor's holdings. She had introduced several people who would now be running many of the operations of the various companies under the LexCorp banner. The police's investigation into Luthor's dealings had led them to many of his subordinates. The arrests had decimated the upper levels of LexCorp management. Clark had to admit that all of Arianna's chosen came to the dance with impressive credentials.

It should be an easy story to write. A lot of information was given out and Ms. Carlin had outlined many potentially exciting, and far-reaching changes that her new management team was going to be implementing. Clark could fall back on enumerating those items and let the article be a laundry list of Arianna's plans. But that didn't say what he wanted to say.

Luthor had long used a heavy involvement in charities and humanitarian foundations as a public shield for his true activities. Now that they were no longer needed to provide him the thin veneer of respectability, Clark had wondered what would become of many of those charities. Even though they had been funded by an amoral criminal, they had done a lot of good. He was glad to hear that Arianna intended to expand LexCorp's participation in humanitarian endeavors. He supposed he could focus on that aspect of the conference. But he rejected that also.

He couldn't put his finger on it, but the whole thing seemed too... too pat. Arianna as the cast off ex-wife, who was the unwitting dupe, Clark could believe... if it had ended there. But with the paperwork mix-up that led to Carlin being revealed as still the legal Mrs. Luthor; it just was too convenient. And now, in such a short time, she had new players and new plans already lined up and ready to go. She was either incredibly gifted when it came to business, or she had more time to prepare for this than was apparent from the events as they happened.

Clark had no reason to suspect Arianna Carlin of anything but being the unexpected recipient of some good fortune and wanting to do her best. On the surface her motives seemed pure and well intended. But he couldn't help but wonder about her. After all, she had readily admitted that she did love Lex Luthor at one time. Was she really that innocent back then? Was she really that ignorant of his true nature? Or had she learned more than she let on?

There was no denying the woman's individual success. She had risen to her own fame and fortune as a best-selling author and syndicated pop-psychologist whose columns ran in most of the major papers in the country. All this success had come after being discarded by Luthor.

Had the experience spurred her to achieve on her own? Or had she learned some of her husband's less ethical means of manipulation and motivation, and applied those teachings to further her own career?

Clark was driving himself crazy. He had no proof. He didn't even have any real reason, beyond a 'feeling', to suspect that Arianna Carlin was anything but what she seemed. He needed to take a break.

As if in answer to his thought, there was a knock on the door. Glancing at the clock as he rose, he wondered who would be knocking on his door this late, and what it was they were selling.

He opened the door and was surprised to see who was standing there. "Lois? I didn't expect to see you. I thought you said you would be working late?"

He could see the hesitation in her face. "Ah, well, we knocked off a little earlier than expected, and well, I just thought... but if you're busy, I can go. It's no big deal."

Clark chuckled. "No, come in, please. I'm glad you stopped by." He closed the door as she stepped in. "And I'm especially glad that you feel you can stop by without a prior invitation."

She stared at him, as if measuring his words. "Well, you did say I could stop by anytime."

He smiled as he guided her toward the living room. "And I meant it. So, what happened that allowed you to cut out early tonight?"

"I'm not really sure." She frowned after saying it. "It was a stake-out that was going nowhere, and I know I mentioned the idea first, but Bill is usually a stickler for 'following through' with things." She'd used her fingers to make quotes signs. "Yet he was the one to call it a night."

Clark sat down on the couch next to her. "Bill's your partner, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah, Bill Henderson. You've met him a few times, but he's been on vacation for a while and has only been back for about a week."

"So, where did he go?"

Lois raised a brow at Clark. "You're drifting off track here, Kent. But the weird thing is... I don't know. He hasn't mentioned anything about his vacation to anyone at the station, not even me. I don't know where he went and what he did." She shrugged her shoulders. "He's always been a private sort of guy, but we've been partners for a while now and he usually tells me stuff."

Clark's shrug mirrored Lois'. "Maybe it was something really personal that he doesn't want to share?"

"It was a vacation, not a secret mission for the C.I.A. And there was something else that was odd. He got a phone call while we were on the stake-out. I couldn't make out anything as he mainly just listened, but it was right after that he decided we should call it a night."

Clark leaned back into the plush cushions of the couch. He almost smiled. He could see the curiosity burning in Lois. She wasn't used to being out of the loop, and didn't like it when secrets were kept from her. The two of them hadn't really gotten into their own 'discussions' yet. The one about his behavior with her concerning Superman, and his reluctance to share everything with her about it. For that he was glad because he really didn't want to get into an argument with her, but he knew the time was coming. Probably soon.

"So, he got a personal call," Clark said. "Does it really have to be something sinister because he doesn't choose to share it with you?"

Lois glowered at Clark. "Are all you men alike? Why is it you have such a problem with something as simple as the truth?"

Oh oh, Clark thought. He'd stepped in it now. After just thinking how nice it was that he hasn't had to deal with their own trust issues, now it looked like his comments were going to bring them back to the surface. "Not all men are alike, Lois. No more than all women are alike. I'm sure you've had secrets you've kept from people before. Things you didn't want to tell your parents, your sister, even your partner."

"This isn't about me." She stared at her hands. "But to answer your question, no, I've never lied about anything that I thought was important."
She sighed. "Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm not the kind of person that people want to trust."

Clark reached over and used a finger to turn her face toward his. "Don't be ridiculous. People may be a bit wary at first just because you're a police officer. But I have to believe that once someone gets to know you they'd see they could trust you." Clark hesitated for only a moment, even though he knew what his admission would bring. "I know I do."

She bit down on her lower lip. "Do you really?"

Clark shifted his position on the couch so he could face Lois directly. He'd been dreading this conversation, only because he didn't want to upset her. He hadn't felt that he'd done anything wrong under the circumstances, and he wasn't about to back down on that. But he knew that Lois wouldn't necessarily see it that way.

"Look, Lois, I know you feel some level of hurt that I kept my full identity from you. For that I'm sorry, but I won't apologize for my actions. At the time, I felt it was the best course of action."

Lois' mouth firmed into a hard line before she spoke. "Setting aside for the moment that you were withholding crucial information on an ongoing criminal investigation, you expected me to take your word about certain things, but weren't willing to give me all the facts to base my decision on. I was supposed to trust you, but you obviously didn't feel the same way toward me."

Clark clenched his fists. "Come on, Lois. What was I supposed to think? I didn't know you as anyone except Lucy's sister, and the woman who was dating Lex Luthor. True, you were, and are, a member of the Metropolis Police force, but then Luthor, to all intents and purposes, was the city's greatest benefactor. I couldn't take the chance that you and he weren't..."

"Weren't what? In cahoots? The king and queen of crime in Metropolis?"

Clark spread his hands wide. "Truthfully - yes, that's exactly what I couldn't take the chance on."

Lois glared at Clark for several moments, then her expression began to soften. Finally she sighed and allowed herself to flop against the back cushion of the couch. "You're right, you didn't know me. But after you did tell me about your encounter with Lex on the pier, and I was convinced that Luthor was the bad man you said he was, why couldn't you have told me then? We were working together on exposing him. Why did you continue to insist that you'd merely been a witness to the attack rather than the victim? Why did I have to find out up in Luthor's penthouse?"

Clark stared hard at Lois. Conflicting thoughts were running through his mind. Exactly why had he hesitated, even after he knew that he and Lois were on the same side? Had he been afraid that she still might be in Luthor's pocket? No, that was ridiculous? Her concern for her sister was genuine, and once she believed the links to Luthor that he showed her, Lois held back nothing in her subsequent investigation of the mine, and its connection to Lex.

And what about her admission that Luthor had abused her? She certainly wouldn't have had to tell him about that, yet she did. She'd trusted him enough to bare her shame to him. But he still hadn't come clean with her. Something had continued to hold him back, and suddenly, like a shot to the head, he realized what it had been. At the time he would have said it was just caution, but the truth was more personal than that.

"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."

"What?" She shook her head in confusion. "I don't understand."

"Being Superman was an incredible rush. Having those unbelievable powers and being able to help so many people was a gift. A gift that I was thankful for. But, still, Clark Kent was who I had always been. Superman was what I could do. But Superman was gone. The powers were gone. Only Clark Kent was left. I didn't see any point in telling you because I didn't want you feeling sorry for me because I wasn't Superman anymore."

She reached over and took one of his hands in hers. "But I do feel sorry for you. I'm sure it's very hard to adjust to being normal after all those years of having incredible powers. That's not something you can just forget after a few days. But mostly, I feel sorry for this city, and the rest of the world, because they've lost a hero and a selfless benefactor. I mourn the good that you would have been able to do that might not get done now. And I feel for how that must make you feel. But I don't pity you." She gave his hand a squeeze. "Never mistake my sympathy for your situation with pity. From what I've seen, Clark Kent is a pretty formidable person in his own right. He has all the compassion and caring for others that Superman ever did, and he still uses all his resources as a crusading reporter to fight the good fight, even though he has been dealt a blow that would have destroyed most lesser men."

Clark felt a slight lurch in his heart at Lois' words. The more he got to know her, the more incredible he found her to be. He'd been instantly drawn to her from the first moment he laid eyes on her, but he hadn't known why. But now he was beginning to understand. Her every action, and deed, just confirmed and reinforced those initial feelings. It was obvious to him that she was the woman he was meant to be with. He just hoped that over time he could convince her of that. And in order to do that, he'd have to stop wrapping himself up in his own obsessions, and be willing to share everything with her, no matter what. She demanded, and deserved no less.

"Thank you, Lois, " he said. "I really appreciate your being so understanding about this."

She shrugged and gave him a slight grin. "Well, what can I say? I'm just a darned nice gal."

Clark grinned back at her. "Yes you are. And, hopefully I won't make the mistake of ever forgetting that in the future."

"Just see that you don't." Lois stood and began to move toward the front door. "It's late, and I imagine we both have busy days tomorrow. I'd best be going."

Clark walked her to the door. She seemed to hesitate. "Lois, are you doing anything this Friday night?" he asked.

"I don't think so? What do you have in mind?"

"Nothing yet, but I'd just like to see you. I'm sure we'll be able to figure something out before then."

She shrugged. "Sounds like a plan?" She grinned. "A feeble one, but a plan none the less. Pick me up at eight?"

Clark smiled as he reached down to open the door for her. "Eight it is."

They stared at each other for several moments, neither quite sure how to end the evening. Finally Clark used his finger to tip Lois' chin upward as he leaned down and gave her quick, gentle kiss.

"Good night, Lois."

"Good night, Clark," she replied. Once the door was closed she couldn't help using her finger to trace where his lips had met hers. A shy smile spread across her face as she moved down the street.

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

Henderson leaned against the crumbling brick and stone of the abandoned building. The alleyway was drenched in darkness. The nearest street light that still worked was two blocks away. The stars twinkling brightly in the clear night sky, and a half full moon, offered the only light. There were no colors, only varied dark shades of gray. He hated meetings like this.

He'd been hanging around the alley for nearly an hour, and was getting ready to leave, when a large shape detached itself from a recessed alcove in the building on the other side of the alley. The figure was cloaked in its own shadow, and even though Henderson couldn't make out any features he knew who it was he was meeting.

"You know all the best places, St. John." Bill didn't even try to temper his sarcasm.

"Ah yes, ever the laconic policeman." The figure may have been unrecognizable, but the voice was a dead giveaway.

"So, what's the deal? Why this meeting?"

The large shadow shifted slightly. "Well, let's just say we were concerned. We haven't heard from you in quite a while."

Henderson shook his head, not knowing if St. John would even see it in the darkness, and not caring. "I've been on vacation. Besides, I've got nothing more to say to you. I've done what I said I would. I helped you take down Luthor. That's all I ever signed on to do. What you and the suddenly restored Mrs. Luthor do now, I couldn't care less. Keep your noses clean while in Metropolis, and you can try to rule the rest of the world for all I care."

He couldn't be sure, but it almost sounded like a chuckle coming from the dark bulk in front of him. "My good inspector, you aren't really that naive are you? You don't really believe that we would allow you to walk away, now, do you? That wouldn't be good business now, would it?"

Henderson wasn't naive, he knew that once you made a deal with the devil, no matter what your motives might be, you didn't just walk away at your own convenience. That didn't mean that he couldn't try. After all, if he could convince St. John that he would be of no further use to them, they might not feel it worth their time or effort to keep him 'in the fold' so to speak.

Henderson reached out toward the figure, but St. John stepped back out of his reach. "I know you're paranoid, it's in your nature. But, you have to know that I can't really say anything. It would ruin my career if my involvement got out. You can trust me not to say anything. Just take your spoils and leave me alone."

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.