Chapter 23
Lex Luthor was a handsome man – curly reddish-brown hair, chiseled features, about six feet tall. He had been married several times, but after losing a sizeable percentage of his fortune to his first, now ex-wife, he had been sensible thereafter and always obtained an iron-clad prenuptial agreement from his subsequent spouses. He was currently in-between relationships and was focused on his latest project. If it was successful, not only would he restore the balance of power in Metropolis from Superman back to Luthor Corp, he would be able to build a team of super-canines with military applications. That would be worth several billion dollars to his company’s bottom line. There was only one little wrinkle – and her name was Lois Lane. She had been described by her journalistic peers to be “like a pit bull on a pant leg” when she wanted to get to the bottom of a story. And Lex had been warned recently that her latest fixation was getting the dirt on Luthor Corp!
“Here’s the satellite photos – they were just downloaded, Mr. Luthor. It’s Lois Lane, all right. And that Batman character from Gotham City that’s been such a pain in the *** to our operations there saved her butt. And here’s another shot that explains a lot,” Nigel informed him.
“Superjerk, Lois Lane, and ….is that Dog24, the one that’s been missing? He gave him a cape? What an ego he has.”
“Quite so. Looks like they’ve moved him to Metropolis. The GPS chip embedded in his back led us to James Olsen’s house. Unfortunately, he’s got such great security that there’s been no way to retrieve him. We will have to get a court order to get him back.”
“Good work, Nigel. How long until we land?” Luthor asked.
“About twenty minutes, Mr. Luthor. Do you expect to keep your interview appointment with the Lane woman?”
“Not only am I keeping the appointment, Nigel... I am absolutely thrilled to meet her. Ms. Lane and I may be quite… inseparable… if you know what I mean.”
“Very good, sir.”
~~~~~
Clark was on his way back from the Hubbard farm, lead box, ace bandages, and cell phone in hand, when his enhanced hearing caught a radio broadcast, informing him of a developing hostage situation at a school in a county in upstate New Troy. Several students, armed, were holding a classroom at bay, threatening to blow the entire school up if the administration didn’t meet their demands. Swooping down towards Bruce’s plane, he quickly landed, wrapped Lois’ ankle at super-speed, and he then handed her the cell phone and the lead box. Leaving her with a passionate kiss, he whispered, “Love you honey, gotta go – there are kids in trouble upstate.”
He was gone in a blink of an eye. “Wow! That’s Clark – he spreads himself so thin to try to help everyone. He’s a good person, Bruce,” Lois asserted. “I do love him.”
“And it’s real obvious that it’s mutual, Lois. Good for both of you.”
Bruce grabbed the lead box and made the exchange, emptying the contents of the lead-lined cowl into the square case. He folded the cowl and placed it underneath the pilot’s seat.
“Lois, if you don’t mind, I’m going to go in the bathroom and change into my civilian clothes so I can escort you into the airport’s bar for your interview. Be right back.”
“Thanks, Bruce. I’m not sure if I can even walk at this point. I’m definitely going to need your help.”
Lois couldn’t help but admire Bruce’s physique as she watched him get up, clad in his form fitting Batman attire sans cowl.
Bruce, feeling Lois’ eyes on him, swung his head back towards her and flashed his famous playboy smile. “See something you like, Ms. Lane?”
Lois blushed. “You’re just eye candy until my man comes back, Mr. Wayne,” she sassed. “Go get ready, I don’t have all day.”
Bruce grinned. Lois Lane was definitely one of a kind. He suddenly realized that it was the first time he had found himself attracted to a plus-size woman. Her personality was irresistible, as was the fire that burned inside those big brown eyes!
~~~~~
Clark arrived at the school, and was immediately brought up to speed by the police officers gathered outside. Even with his great speed, there was a concern that the rogue students might get a shot off, hurting/killing one of the students inside the classroom. Clark realized that this might not be the quick resolution that he’d hoped for. It looked like he would be forced to leave Lois with the Batman longer than he had anticipated. He reflected on the fact that he had never felt this strange emotion called jealousy when he’d been with Lana. Now, the very thought of someone else showing interest in Lois sent him over the edge!
~~~~~
Bruce emerged from the airplane’s rest room wearing black pants with a gray wool v-neck sweater. He looked every bit the millionaire playboy. Lois thought to herself that if she wasn’t already in love with Clark, Bruce would be next on the list. Did she have a hero fetish? Could she only love men out to save the world?
Offering Lois his hand, Bruce steadied her as she attempted to put weight on her ankle. Clark had done an excellent job wrapping it, affording her the ability to at least stand on her own again.
“Bruce, I’m going to need either a cane or a steady arm to make it all the way into the restaurant’s bar. And if Luthor knows it was me in the field, I’m probably in danger, too,” Lois said.
“Call and reschedule the interview, Lois. You’re probably walking into a trap,” Bruce warned.
“You’re going to be in the next room, right?” Lois asked. “I’m not backing down now. He can’t prove it was me.”
Looking Lois over, Bruce smiled. “Well, no offense Lois, but you really need a change of clothes. Look at you.”
Lois realized that she had dirt on her pants where she had been crawling though the wheat fields; her jacket had ripped when she landed and there was green stains on her blouse from when she had passed out. “Oops. You’re right. And here I am in Smallville, Kansas – not exactly the fashion mecca of America,” she snarked.
“How much time do you have?” Bruce inquired.
Looking down at her watch, Lois shook her head. “About 30 minutes.”
Bruce picked up his cell phone. “Yeah - Alfred, where’s the nearest women’s clothing store in Smallville? Yes, Kansas. It’s a long story. Good. Call them and tell them I need a business pantsuit in size ---” Bruce looked over at Lois to determine what size to order.
“Size 18W, to be on the safe side,” Lois responded. <That might sound big to a woman who’s always been a size 6, but to come down from a 26W to an 18W feels great>, she mused.
“18W. Tell them to bring it to the Smallville Airport restaurant lounge and if they can get here in 15 minutes, they’ll get a huge tip. Shoes? Let me ask.”
“Size 8 wide,” Lois replied. “Pumps, 3.5 inch heel, whatever color will match the outfit.”
Bruce repeated the information to Alfred verbatim. “That’s it. Thanks Alfred. Yes, I’ll tell her.”
Lois was amazed. “Tell me what and who’s Alfred?”
“Tell you that he is looking forward to meeting you some day. And ‘who’s Alfred?’ Well, in the old days, you’d call him a butler. Now, the fashionable term is “gentlemen’s gentleman”. He has served my family for decades. Before my parents were killed, he came over from England to work for my parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne. After they died, Alfred was appointed my custodian. He’s more like a father figure to me, even though I’m technically his boss. And he’s my oracle. He can run my computer equipment as proficiently as me. I’ll introduce you two, if you come to Gotham. And I really think you should – take some pictures of Metropolis’ sister city for your article. You’ll see that Gotham is much darker and more foreboding than your Metropolis.”
“I think we can thank Clark for that, Bruce. Before I disappeared, Metropolis was a pretty scary place too. You know, it sounds like I should be interviewing Bruce Wayne, not Batman. I think Bruce Wayne is far more interesting,” Lois observed.
“But a Batman interview will sell more newspapers,” Bruce argued. “And I don’t want to ruin my lighthearted playboy image. I know any in-depth interview you would do on billionaire industrial philanthropist Bruce Wayne would delve into my background, what makes me tick. It would insinuate that I suffered psychological damage because as an innocent 10- year old, I witnessed my parents’ murders. It wouldn’t take a genius to figure out that Bruce Wayne is driven to rid Gotham of criminals; therefore, is Batman.”
“Wow – that *would* be an awesome article, you’re right. But the Batman stuff you gave me is hardly enough material to get the front page,” Lois informed him. “I’ll have to use all of my journalistic talents to juice it up a bit.”
“Stick to the five questions, Ms. Lane,” Bruce reminded her. “Remember, this interview is a favor to get your first big by-line after your five year hiatus. That should quiet any of your critics that believe your legendary reporting status is a lot of B.S.”
“Not to mention that you saved our lives back there. No, Mr. Wayne, I’m very grateful to you. And this huge favor you’re doing, having a suit and shoes delivered – that’s amazing. Thank you so much.”
Bruce dazzled Lois with his smile. “Pleasure’s all mine. Let’s get you into the airport. Perhaps if you walk around a bit, your ankle will start to loosen up.”
He picked Lois up and carried her down the stairs to the field and headed towards the gate. Lowering her to the ground, he held her arm until Lois felt comfortable putting pressure on her foot again. She spotted the ladies room and told Bruce she’d be right back. Walking with a noticeable gimp, she felt Bruce’s eyes on her as she held onto the entrance door to steady herself before disappearing within.
Lois stared at herself in the mirror in the bathroom. She looked like hell, she had to admit. What was she thinking, having this interview with Luthor when she could barely walk and there was a very good possibility that he knew she had trespassed on his property? And Clark was 1000 miles away. But she did have the Batman on her side… sort of.
Combing her hair and refreshing her makeup, she left the ladies’ room and walked toward Bruce, who was waiting for her by the water fountain in the airport’s hallway.
“Much better,” he said admiringly. “The rep from Nordstrom is going to meet us by the lounge entrance in another five minutes. Why don’t we have a coffee and I’ll keep an eye out?”
“How in the world do you even know what this person looks like?” Lois asked, astonished that Bruce Wayne had that much clout, even in Smallville.
“They’re going to have a sign that says ‘Alfred’,” Bruce explained. “I don’t want anyone to know that I’m in Smallville, you know,” he added with a mischievous grin.
“Of course, how silly of me,” Lois replied.
As they sipped their coffee, the TV monitor in the restaurant displayed the hostage situation in progress. The camera focused on the police officers and Clark as they were attempting to negotiate with the culprits inside. “Superman arrived on the scene a few minutes ago and offered to assist with this very delicate situation,” the announcer informed them. “We’re certain that with his intervention, this difficult ordeal will have a safe resolution.”
Lois was beaming as she looked at the TV. “We’re partners, you know. Any Superman stories that he writes up will have both of our by-lines,” she informed Bruce. “He’s the muscle, but I’m the brains,” she bragged on.
Bruce looked up and saw an attractive young woman standing outside with a plastic garment bag on a hanger and a sign that said ‘for Alfred’. “I’ll be right back with your clothes, Lois.”
Lois watched amazed, as Bruce smoothly signed some type of sales slip. Deftly, he handed the female courier what looked to be a wad of money. Whatever amount the tip actually was, the salesperson was beaming as she walked away. Lois was sure it wasn’t every day that Bruce Wayne came to Smallville and requested a special delivery like that!
Bruce came back in and handed Lois the hanger holding her new suit and shoes. “Here. I hope it fits. I”ll pay the bill for the coffee and disappear. When you come out of the rest room, go into the lounge and wait for Luthor. I’ll be watching, don’t worry. Take this,” he said, placing a ring in the palm of her hand. “If you start to feel that things are falling apart, rub the gem and it will send me a signal.”
“Cool gadgets, Batman,” she whispered to him, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek. “You’re really a wonderful guy, Bruce. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. I wouldn’t want to ruin your reputation,” Lois winked.
When she arrived back in the ladies’ room, she stepped into one of the stalls and removed the plastic garment cover, revealing a stunning navy blue pantsuit with perfectly matching size 8W pumps, with 3.5 inch heels. <Wow,> she thought. <If this fits, I’m gonna look *hot*!>
The outfit flattered her figure to the tee, and as she stepped out of the stall she stood in front of the mirror, hardly believing her good fortune that Bruce Wayne had decided to reveal himself to her and Clark today. The clothes she had been wearing were effectively ruined, so she threw them in the trash on her way out of the rest room. Her stomach started churning butterflies as she walked slowly towards the lounge. Luckily, her ace bandage wasn’t visible, and even though she was limping, if she was sitting down when Luthor arrived, hopefully he wouldn’t notice her sprained ankle.
She had no idea where Bruce had taken off to, but felt comfortable that he was around, keeping his eye on her. She entered the lounge and took a seat on one of the bar stools by the entrance. The bartender came over to her immediately.
“Good afternoon, ma’am. What can I get for you today?”
“Oh, a … diet coke,” Lois stammered. “I’m meeting Lex Luthor here,” she nervously babbled to the young man waiting on her. “Have you ever met him?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied, a model of Midwestern politeness. “Mr. Luthor comes in here all the time to meet with people. He actually built this wing of the airport, you know. Before he opened his fertilizer plant here in town, this airport had about 5 gates and only about 2 major airlines flew here. Now, it’s got 20 gates and most of the big airlines have stops here. He’s brought Smallville into the 20th century.”
“Well, if you see Mr. Luthor before I do, would you let me know? I’ve never met him before,” she explained.
“I sure will, ma’am,” the young man replied, setting her diet coke down on the counter. “Let me know if you’d like anything else.”
“Thanks.” <What a cute young man,> Lois thought. <So polite.>
Lex Luthor arrived with an entourage of assistants hanging on his every word. Lois looked up and saw a wall of business suits heading towards her. Anxiety welled up in her – this was the interview that was going to make or break her. <Clark, please come back soon,> she willed. <This is a first – the so-called great Lois Lane was actually nervous about an interview,> Lois realized. <It’s like riding a bike,” she told herself. <Once you’ve done it, it comes right back to you.>
Sliding off the barstool, Lois stood up straight, even though her ankle was screaming in pain at her. Lex Luthor was a good-looking man, she observed. About ten years older than her, with an air of confidence and sophistication not unlike Bruce Wayne. The difference between the two billionaire businessmen was immediately obvious to Lois. Lex Luthor was ruthless – Bruce Wayne was a driven man, but not callous and ruthless.
Lex Luthor was somewhat surprised at his first glimpse of the infamous Lois Lane. She was more attractive than he had thought she would be. He had read all the articles about her when she had gone missing. Extremely unflattering photos of a *very* overweight Lois Lane had been plastered all over the tabloids, as well as pictures of a slimmer doppelganger of her that had mysteriously appeared and disappeared a few years later.
The Lois Lane that appeared before Lex Luthor now was still a bit on the heavy side, but classy, wearing an expensive business suit with a “Metro” hair style. Her big brown eyes shone with intelligence and spirit. It seemed almost impossible that this woman was the one in the satellite pictures from an hour or two ago. How did she clean up so fast? Yes, this woman offered him intrigue. He changed his strategy and decided he would go along for the ride and see where it would take him.
“Lois Lane?”
“Yes. And I assume that you’re Lex Luthor? You’re right on time. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“The pleasure is going to be all mine, I can assure you, Ms. Lane. I’m afraid our interview will have to be brief. We had an … incident… at our Smallville plant today. Have you heard about it yet?” Luthor asked, looking for any type of recognition in Lois’ face. “I’m sure with your association with …Superman… news travels very quickly.”
“Why no, I haven’t,” lied Lois convincingly. “Clark is actually involved in a hostage situation back east. Why don’t we sit at a booth, and we can get started with the interview.”
“Of course, Ms. Lane. Right this way.”
TBC...
