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Synopsis of Chapters 1 - 8 Missing Lois - TOC ***
Where we left off in Chapter 9, Part 1...“I’m so sorry, I got totally turned around. Which way to the ladies’?” Lois smiled politely.
“Let me file this and then I will show you the way,” the woman answered. She had a slight lilting Spanish accent, the other side of the Atlantic’s Spanish, not this side. The woman walked over to the filing cabinet.
“Thank you.” Lois glanced down at the invoices on the woman’s desk. Zippers? Kevlar fabric? What would Wayne Enterprises need with zippers and Kevlar? “Does Wayne Enterprises have a fashion division?”
The woman looked at her and then closed the folder on her desk. “This way.”
“Thank you.”
The woman went inside the ladies’, so Lois went in as well.
“Mr. Wayne makes Kevlar vests for some of his employees that work in danger zones.”
“Oh.” Admirable and therefore no longer suspicious. “Why doesn’t he just buy them already made?”
“He’s particular,” the woman said, leaning against the counter. “You don’t work here. No ID badge.” She flipped her badge snapped on the hem of her shirt.
Lois smiled. Caught. “Lois Lane,
Daily Planet.” She held out her hand.
“Ah, the reporter. Margarite Javez. What do you want to know?” She shook her hand.
“You don’t mind talking with me?” This surprised Lois. Usually there was a memo sent around warning employees of her visit to an office whenever she and Clark had an interview with a CEO.
“I have nothing to hide and neither does Mr. Wayne.”
Part 2“Have you known Mr. Wayne long?” Lois asked Margarite, wetting her hands and splashing some water on her face. She felt dirty after Bruce Wayne’s pinball lesson.
Margarite pulled out her lipstick and started to fix her make-up. “I have worked for Wayne Enterprises since graduating from business school ten years ago.”
“And yet he is still Mr. Wayne, not Bruce.”
“Do you call the owner of the
Daily Planet by his first name?” she replied with a raised brow, putting Lois in her place.
Normally not, thought Lois.
Lex, Leslie Luckaby, and James Olsen being the exceptions to the rule.Lois decided to try another approach. “Mr. Wayne seems a little overly flirtatious. Does Wayne Enterprises have problems with sexual harassment?”
“Most women like his attentions.” Margarite shrugged. “They all want to be the first Mrs. Bruce Wayne. But, no, he has never taken any liberties with me nor tried. I have never heard of anyone else disliking his attentions.”
Lois felt anything but honored by his interest. Margarite was definitely someone that would attract a man’s attention, even Clark’s. With her hourglass curves, red lips, long dark curls, exotic voice, and intelligence, if Bruce hadn’t hit on her, he must be somewhat of a gentleman. Maybe he only liked married women. If he liked women at all.
“He
has met you, hasn’t he?” Lois asked to make sure.
Margarite laughed. “Of course. I’m Mr. Wayne’s Senior Personal Assistant.”
“He has more than one?”
She shrugged. “A few.”
“When you interviewed with Mr. Wayne for the position, what were your first impressions?” Lois leaned against the counter.
“I wish I could say he was the silly little frat boy he pretends to be, but he has a serious side. I would guess it was because his parents were killed at such a young age. He had to grow up quickly. He conducted our interview in Spanish, French, Japanese and English, so I knew he was well traveled. I’ve heard rumors that he traveled extensively after breaking out of boarding school.”
“He broke out?” Lois sputtered.
“I mean graduated.” Margarite smiled. “He never speaks well of those years.”
“Oh.” Interesting.
“My mentor, the former Senior Personal Assistant, said that Mr. Wayne disappeared for so many years, everyone at Wayne Enterprises wondered if he would ever come back. But he returned and took over from the board of directors that had been put in charge at his parents’ death. He hired me about a year later.”
Lois pulled a business card out of her pocket and passed it to Margarite. “I’d love to talk to you more, but Mr. Wayne is probably wondering if I’ve fallen in.”
Margarite laughed. “Come with me.” She walked Lois back to her office and handed Lois her own business card. “Feel free to call me with any questions. As I said, Mr. Wayne has nothing to hide.”
Lois thanked her and headed back to Margarite’s boss’s office. It was Lois’s experience that men with ‘nothing to hide’, usually had more hide than everyone else.
***
“Did you find anything interesting on your self-guided tour?” Bruce Wayne asked her in the limo.
Jimmy looked out the window a little too innocently. Had he told Bruce that she was snooping? Probably. Had Jimmy really thought that she liked that Bruce had had his hands all over her? She was sure that would be the story Clark was going to hear. She shook her head.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I met one of your employees, Margarite, in the restroom and we got to talking. I liked her.”
He grinned. “Margarite. Now, there’s a beautiful woman. I should have introduced you, Jimmy. I’m sure you two would have hit it off. My lawyers have asked that I make it a rule never to date at the office. It saves me the expense of replacing employees and sexual harassment lawsuits.”
Lois watched him. Was Bruce acting like a scuzzbucket on purpose? Everything that Margarite had said about him made her think today’s interview was some giant act. But for what purpose? “Jimmy does well enough on his own.”
Jimmy grinned. “Hey, no harm in friendly introductions, Lois. I’m still single, officially. My girlfriend is going to be Lois and CK’s new nanny while she goes to graduate school.”
Lois’s jaw dropped. What in the world had gotten into Jimmy? He might be mad at her, but that was no reason to go dropping information to an interviewee about her and Clark’s personal life. And since when did having a girlfriend make a guy ‘single’?
“We haven’t made any decisions yet, Jimmy.” She glared at him.
This seemed to interest Bruce. He leaned towards her. “So, you do have children, Lois. I would have thought with your busy and dangerous careers…”
“You had an interesting childhood yourself, Bruce. Lost your parents at an early age, sent to boarding school, college, and then headed off on a grand tour. Where did you go?”
“Shall I send you one of my biographies?” he asked, repressing a yawn.
“The last man who said that to me was Lex Luthor. How would you say your life compares to his?” Two could tango.
Bruce grinned. “We both were orphaned young, came from old money, and appreciate everything that it entitles one. Good food, private planes, nice clothes, fast cars, and a fine set of chestnut eyes.” He stared into her eyes. “But I think that’s where the comparison will have to end. I’m still alive. I have no children of whom I’m aware. He was a paranoid evil genius and I’m the opposite.”
“You’re a gullible, but goodhearted, idiot?” Lois asked.
“Lois!” Jimmy gasped, embarrassed by her brazenness.
Bruce chuckled. “Obviously, to be caught with my foot in my mouth by the lovely Lois Lane.”
“How does coming from old money entitle one to a ‘fine set of chestnut eyes’?” she inquired, her eyebrow raised.
He cleared his throat. “Or caught twice.”
“Do you speak any languages other than English?”
Bruce pressed his lips together and tilted his ear upon his hand. “A few, passably. It’s easier to pick up women in their native language.”
“Go, BW.”
Lois looked at Jimmy as if he had lost his mind.
“Sorry.” Jimmy swallowed, realizing he might have stepped over the line.
“Wouldn’t it be funny, if my middle initial was M? Then at least five of my cars would have my initials on them.” Bruce chuckled.
Lois sensed his dense act was exactly that, an act. No one in his position could be that brainless.
“How many cars do you own?” Jimmy, the intrepid reporter, asked. Who was supposed to be doing this interview anyway?
“A few,” Bruce replied. Vague. Indistinct. Subtle. He didn’t like to give direct answers. Why had he asked for this interview again?
“You told me about the charitable side of Wayne Enterprises, how about the industrial side? What kind of stuff does Wayne Industries produce?” Did he sneer at her question? Did he not appreciate her labeling Wayne Industries products as ‘stuff’?
“Planes, boats, technology, computers, software, biochemical marvels, genetically modified foods…” He looked up at the ceiling of the limo as if he were thinking. “Electronics, medicine, and other
stuff like that.”
“Weapons?” she asked.
He grinned. “Classified. If I told you about that, I’d have to kill you.”
Lois returned his smile. “My husband wouldn’t like that.”
“Lois!”
She turned to her colleague. “Well, he wouldn’t.”
“Among other people,” her so-called friend murmured. Oh, so now Jimmy was mad at Superman, too. Great.
Lois shook her head. “Jimmy, if you have something to say to me about last night, I would appreciate it if you could hold it until we were back at the office.”
“Fine,” he growled, crossing his arms.
Bruce raised an eyebrow at this exchange and then smiled. Terrific. “Something interesting happen last night?”
Jimmy opened his mouth, but then caught her glare. “No.”
“Something to do with another story, not important,” clarified Lois, then she turned to look at her supposed friend. “Perhaps we need to drop Jimmy off at the
Daily Planet before lunch.”
“Lois, CK wanted me to stick like glue to you,” he murmured under his breath.
She rolled her eyes. “Clark trusts me.”
“Ha!” Jimmy scoffed.
“Perhaps it’s me your husband doesn’t trust.” Bruce chuckled for a moment, then his smile slid off his face as he turned and faced her, studying her.
“You do have a reputation as a ladies’ man,” Lois replied. “I know how to defend myself.”
Bruce rubbed his chest where she had elbowed him earlier as if to agree as he continued to stare at her, then asked out of the blue. “You have a child? How is that possible?”
Lois stared at him, amazed at his gall. Even Jimmy stared at him. What in the hell was he asking? Did he know about Clark? He couldn’t possibly know about him. She decided to go with Clark’s answer. “The old fashioned way.”
“Excuse me?” Bruce stammered.
“The stork brought her.”
“Oh, Lois, that’s rich.” Jimmy laughed.
Bruce smiled. “Touché.”
“I think this interview is over now,” Lois said, tapping on the glass to the chauffeur. “You can drop both of us back at the
Daily Planet.”
“What about lunch?” Bruce asked, stunned.
“I’m wasting my time.” Lois closed her notepad and stuck it into her briefcase. “There isn’t anything of interest about you worth writing. If that changes, feel free to contact the
Daily Planet and my writing partner and I will be more than willing to come and do another interview at that time.”
“I’m sorry, I crossed the line. I just meant that I thought you had been married less than a year,” Wayne stammered. “But you are absolutely correct, that’s none of my business.”
“Tell your driver to stop the car,” she demanded.
The limousine pulled over to the side of the road. Lois opened the door.
“We can drop you off at the
Daily Planet, Lois. Please, forgive me. I should never have said what I said.”
“Well, now, we learned the two things money can’t buy you, Mr. Wayne. Manners or tact. Come on, Jimmy.”
Jimmy climbed out of the car with an apologetic shrug. Bruce Wayne leaned out to say one last thing, but Lois slammed the door in his face.
“Ouch!” Jimmy winced. “Lois, that was rude.”
“Rude?
I was rude? That man asked how my daughter was created. That’s rude.” She stormed off down the sidewalk with Jimmy following after her.
“Okay. Yeah. That was a bit of a shocker,” Jimmy agreed with her on that at least.
“Plus.” Lois shivered. “The man was all hands. Did you see the way he pressed himself up against me at the pinball game? Ugh.” She shivered again. “I need a shower, he was so disgusting. A total pig.”
“I thought he was cool until that last thing.”
Lois rolled her eyes.
“Shouldn’t we hail a taxi?”
“I think the walk will do me good. It’s only ten blocks or so.”
Jimmy groaned. “More like fifteen.”
She was already a half block ahead of him when he sighed and went to flag down a cab.
***
“Why are you back so early?” Clark asked Jimmy when he walked into the newsroom before noon. “And where’s Lois?”
“She decided to walk,” Jimmy replied.
“Jimmy?”
“Mr. Wayne said something she didn’t like and so she had him pull the limo over on the way to the restaurant and ended the interview.”
Clark smiled. Good for Lois. Not one of the bad guys, huh, Wayne? Then his brows came together. “What did he say?”
Jimmy swallowed and looked away. “It would be better if Lois told you.”
Clark felt like his blood was beginning to boil as his hands became fists. “What did he say?”
A florist’s deliveryman arrived with a huge bouquet of yellow roses. There must have been around two dozen of them. He set it on Lois’s desk. Clark signed for it and then grabbed the note.
Please forgive me, Bruce.
The elevator chimed and Lois stormed out. “Jimmy Olsen! How dare you flag down a cab and leave me on the street!”
“You said you wanted to walk,” he replied, nonchalantly.
“Another thing. You were completely unprofessional back there.”
“I was completely unprofessional?” Jimmy snapped back. “He was so totally cool. And you slammed the car door in his face.”
“Lois,” Clark interrupted, stepping between them. “What did he say to you?”
Lois closed her eyes and took a deep breath, setting her hand on his chest. “I’ll tell you later, Clark. Trust me, you’re not going to like it.” Then she turned back to Jimmy. “What was with all those wisecracks about me? I was trying to interview the guy and you kept mumbling under your breath.”
“Well, excuse me, if I had something to say.”
“You had no right to tell him about my life, my child,” Lois said, glaring at Jimmy.
Clark wrapped an arm around his wife’s shoulders and faced Jimmy, looking at him as if he had never seen him before. “You told Bruce Wayne about Lara?”
Jimmy grinned, weakly, possibly a little chagrined. “We were talking about Penny. And it slipped out that she was your new nanny.”
“Are you nuts? That guy could be a psychopath!” Clark glared at him. “When you think of Bruce Wayne think Lex Luthor.”
“Come on, CK. The guy was totally unreal. The women he’s dated, the things he does, the people he’s met. He had a vintage pinball machine in his office. He wasn’t old, like Lex.
He acknowledged my existence.”
Lois shivered with disgust.
“Lois?”
“You will never hear me say this again, Clark, so listen closely.” She took a deep breath. “You were right and I was wrong.”
Clark’s brows came together as he growled, “What did he do?”
“I’ll tell you the details later, but let’s just say the man is scum, lower than pond scum.” Lois shivered again. “He did everything possible to make me utterly despise him. He was handsy, overly flirtatious, probing with his questions on my life, and just plain rude.” She turned to Jimmy. “And what’s up with you telling him that I was probably snooping around, when I went out to the ladies’?”
Jimmy shrugged. “You were gone for over ten minutes, Lois. What was I supposed to tell him?”
“Jimmy?” Clark was dismayed. That didn’t sound like his friend. “I asked you to shield her from that rodent and you bonded with him.”
“You weren’t there, CK. You didn’t see…” He pressed his lips together, looking at Lois with disgust. Then he walked off.
Clark sighed. Jimmy was still angry about the previous night. “Are you okay?” he asked Lois with a hug.
Lois shook her head. “I don’t know what I’m going to do, Clark. Jimmy has never treated me like that before. He sided with that guy on everything, except…” She closed her eyes and took another deep breath.
“What did he say, Lois? Or do I have to go over there and pound it out of him?” Clark asked, completely serious.
Lois smiled for the first time since entering the newsroom. “Tempting, but no. He isn’t worth the effort.”
“Lane. Olsen. My office, pronto,” Perry yelled, pointing over his shoulder with his thumb.
Jimmy rolled his eyes and didn’t come within five feet of her as she set down her briefcase under her desk. She sighed and then kissed her husband. “Thank you, Clark. I’ll tell you everything when we’re alone. If Jimmy explodes we’ll have enough gossip floating around here today. You need to talk to him, please.”
Clark nodded, but he had no idea what to say. He watched his wife enter Perry’s office and sat back down at his desk, staring at up at the ceiling. Lois was his wife and Jimmy should let them deal with it on their own. The kiss didn’t mean anything. He shook his head. It did mean something. It meant Jimmy was never going to trust Lois again. If this kept up, he might have to tell Jimmy the truth. He sighed.
Help! Superman, help! Well, he had other things to do than think about his own problems. Clark stood up and jogged towards the storage room.
***
Lois dragged her feet into Perry’s office and sat down in the chair next to Jimmy, who scooted his chair farther away.
Perry shut the door and sat down on the corner his desk, crossing his arms. “OK. Spill it.”
“Spill what, Chief?” Jimmy said, obviously lying. Clark was lucky to have him as a friend.
“What’s going on between you two? Why were you sabotaging Lois’s interview? Did you not like him?”
“No. Of course not. Bruce Wayne is super,” Jimmy gushed. He looked at Lois with a sneer. “Lois was completely unprofessional.”
She ran her tongue over her teeth but said nothing.
“Uh-huh.” Perry turned to her. “Lois?”
“I have no problem working with Jimmy.” She placed a smile to her lips. “As long as he remembers we are supposed to work together as a team, support one another, and cover for one another.”
“Jimmy?”
“She crossed a line and I’d feel more comfortable not working with her anymore.”
“Uh-huh.” Perry nodded. “What line?”
“It’s personal, Chief.”
“It’s not personal when it affects your work relationship.” Their editor stared at Jimmy. Great, he was going to cave. Nobody would outwait Perry when he looked at them like that.
Jimmy swallowed. “Off the record?” His voice was barely a whisper.
Lois leaned back and glanced towards Clark, who looked as if he was listening to their conversation from his desk, while he stared at the ceiling. She stood up. “I really don’t need to be here…”
Perry pointed at her chair and she sat back down.
“Lois kissed someone other than CK last night.”
Lois scrunched down in her seat covering her face. There would be no escape.
“Who?” Perry asked, raising an eyebrow.
“The who isn’t important,” stammered Lois with a glance at Jimmy. “It meant nothing. It was a mistake. Clark and I have already discussed it and moved on. So should you.”
Jimmy’s lips were pressed together. “It meant
nothing? Lois, both you and I know that wasn’t a nothing kiss. I can’t look at you without being disgusted. You climbed on top of the man!”
Lois’s eyes squeezed shut and covered her face with her hands. Please, don’t remind her. Please, let this be a horrible dream.
“Lois. Does this have anything to do with what we discussed last week?” Perry asked, calmly.
Eeep! She covered her mouth and looked away with a nod.
Clark, rescue me now! Have some hot story you need me on right this moment, please. She looked around Jimmy and Perry, but Clark’s desk was empty. Great. No back-up.
“Lois?”
“Yes, Perry?”
“Who broke my stereo, darling?”
Lois gulped. “Me.”
He nodded. “Which song was playing?”
“
Burning Love,” Lois murmured. Their song. The song she and the other Clark had danced to and made out to at Mayor White’s Superhero Costume ball. The song that made her want to make love to him. The song that made her cheat on her husband with Superman.
Perry slammed his palm down on his desk. “Damn it, girl, I told you to fix this. I told you to make the music your own and you didn’t listen to me.”
“You knew about this, Chief?” Jimmy was stunned.
“I didn’t have time. My life hasn’t been exactly my own recently. I never see him alone any more. I thought I’d have time… before I saw him again… But then there he was and there I was and the music started. He just wanted to dance and I… I …” Lois’s voice shook as the tears crept down her cheeks.
“Shoved him onto a desk and climbed on top of him,” finished Jimmy.
“Jimmy stopped you, then?” Perry asked.
Lois shook her head. “
He stopped me. I couldn’t control myself.”
“I’ll give him this much. He, at least, knew what they were doing was wrong. Then he just took off, faster than a speeding bullet.” Jimmy motioned with his hand.
Lois winced, cowering lower into her seat.
Please don’t catch the hint. Please, for once, don’t know.
“Superman?” Perry stood up and pointed out to the newsroom. “Lois, are you telling me that the man… the man that you are brainwashed to kiss is….?”
“Brainwashed?” stammered Jimmy. “Lois has been brainwashed? Oh, thank God. I knew there had to be a reason.” He sighed in relief.
Lois glanced at Jimmy. He was her friend again. Her being brainwashed, he could understand. Her cheating on Clark, not so much.
“I’m so sorry, Lois. If I had known you had been brainwashed, I never would have… no wonder CK forgave you so quickly. It made no sense. How could he forgive you for that?” Jimmy shook his head. “I’ll never get that image out of my head.”
Lois covered her face. Nor would she.
“Off the record, huh?” Perry was thinking this one over.
“It isn’t news, Perry. It would ruin her. It would ruin him. It would crush CK, if this got out,” Jimmy defended her.
Lois wanted to hug him as the tears that fell from her eyes were of joy at having her friend back. Brainwashing. So simple. Why hadn’t they thought of it?
Perry held up his hand. “This isn’t news, it’s gossip. The
Daily Planet isn’t a gossip rag.” He turned to Lois. “If it happens again, it will no longer be gossip. It will be news. Do I make myself clear, young lady?”
Lois nodded.
“Are you sufficiently motivated to deprogram yourself?”
Lois nodded again, still unable to speak.
“Okay.” Perry thought about that, shaking his head. “Superman. Hmmm.”
“Do you know who’s behind it?” Jimmy asked.
Perry and Lois exchanged a look, before their editor answered, “Well, yes, Jimmy. It’s complicated.”
“I get it, Chief. No hard facts.” Jimmy sighed. “I hate that.”
“You and me both, Jimmy. Why don’t you go develop those photos from the Wayne interview?” Perry suggested.
“Okay, Chief. Lois, if you or CK need anything. Anything at all. Call me, night or day.”
She smiled at him. “Thank you, Jimmy.”
The photographer left the office, closing the door behind him and Perry sat down in the chair he vacated. “So, Superman, Lois?”
She gulped. “I told you, you wouldn’t want to know.”
“You used to be obsessed with the fellow.”
“I know.”
“We need to nip this in the bud, yesterday. Understand me?”
“Yes, Perry.”
“We’re going to have to tackle this head on. I’m sending you and Clark to Memphis. No questions asked, no excuses. You are going.”
Lois swallowed. She had to expunge this compulsion from her life. She had to move on.
“I know this little hotel where Alice and I used to go. They have a package that plays Elvis music twenty-four, seven in your hotel room. You cannot escape it. You cannot turn it off. Do you understand me?”
Lois nodded.
Perry shook his head. “Superman. Who knew?” He sighed. “What did you tell Clark?”
She smiled, weakly. “I told him I wished it hadn’t happened. That I’m sorry. That I love him and only him.”
He patted her hand. “Clark’s a good man, Lois. Once he might forgive. Twice…” Her boss shrugged. “You need to ask for his help. Tell him what happened. Tell him the truth.”
Lois nodded. She would never be able to tell Clark the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the honest truth.
*** End of Part 2 *** Comments
