The Maysonry of Life
by Terry Leatherwood <t_leatherwood@peoplepc.com>
Rated PG-13 (for brief violence)
Submitted June 2004

The characters contained in this story are the property of
corporate entities other than myself.  No resemblance to any
actual persons, living or dead, is intended. 


Lois and Clark both began speaking at the same time.

"Clark - "

"Lois - "

They smiled at each other.  "Lois, you go first."

She shook her head.  "No, you go ahead.  Please, I insist."

"Okay."  He ducked his head.  "Remember when I told you I
loved you and didn't want you to marry Lex?"

She grinned.  "Of course!  In fact I - "

"Wait!  Lois, please listen."

She was puzzled now.  "All right, Clark, I'll listen."

"Lois, I - I only told you that because I was trying to keep
you from making a huge mistake.  I do love you, but - as a
friend.  Just a friend.  I'm sorry.  I mean I'm not sorry you
didn't marry Luthor, but I'm sorry - "

"What?"

"Lois, I said I'm sorry I - "

"Clark?  What are you saying?

"That I'm glad you didn't marry Luthor and that I still want
us to be friends.  That I'm sorry if I said - "

"Sorry?"  Her eyes brightened.  "You're sorry?"  She took a
step forward.  "Just friends?"  Her voice was tempered steel. 
"Now you want to be just friends?"  She clenched her fists in
front of her.  "You declared your undying love for me just so you
could do me a big favor?"

Clark stepped back.  "Lois, wait, I - "

She stepped forward again.  "I can't believe I'm hearing
this from the down-home Kansas farmboy."  Lois forced Clark
backwards until he bumped against the courthouse wall.  "You
played games with my emotions!  You treated me like a - like a -
"

"Lois, please, calm down!  People are watching!"

If Lois had possessed Superman's heat vision, Clark would
have been a pillar of fire.  "Let them!  Let them see the vile,
contemptuous vermin you really are!  I thought Lex was a louse
but you out-louse him by a factor of ten!  No, a factor of a
thousand!  You can't yank me around by the nose by telling me
what you think I want to hear!  I won't let Lex Luthor or Claude
Gauthier or Clark Kent rip me off like that!  You may think you
can turn on the country charm and say any blasted thing you want
to placate me but you can't! I hate you, Kent!  I hate you and I
never want to speak to you again!  If you were burning to death I
wouldn't spit on you!  I hope you live a long and miserable life
and then die an agonizing death all alone!"

She spun and stalked off, leaving Clark nailed to the wall
and hanging there for everyone to see.  She was so angry she
didn't even see Superman whoosh past her above the street a few
moments later.

She hadn't planned to go back to the Planet, but that's
where she ended up.  The building wasn't officially open yet, but
she climbed the stairs to the newsroom, sat down at her desk, and
threw her purse into the bottom drawer before she realized that
everything in and on her desk had been put in storage until the
building was fixed.  She folded her arms and put her head down on
her desk.

She didn't cry.  She wouldn't cry.  She refused to give him
that victory.

Clark had hurt her, just as Claude had hurt her.  Not in the
same way, of course, but they had both betrayed her.  Each of
them had declared his love to her.  Neither of them had been
faithful.  Neither one of them had told the truth. Claude had
stolen her story, but Clark had stolen her heart.  They were both
beneath contempt.

She couldn't believe how cruel he'd been!  She'd almost told
him she loved him!  That would have been a totally hysterical
scene.  "I'm sorry you feel that way, Lois, because I just want
to be your friend."  Some friend!

Her heart felt like a martini olive, punctured and skewered
and drowning in bitter fluids.  She'd lost again.  She wasn't
sure how, or why.  All she knew was that she'd let a man get
close to her again, and she'd gotten hurt again.  Clark and
Claude.  Claude and Clark.  Sounded like a stand-up comedy team. 
They'd probably exchange stupid-Lois stories if they ever met.

She'd show them.  She'd show both of them.

A scraping noise startled her.  She sat up quickly and
looked across the room.  Cat Grant had come into the newsroom and
was cleaning out her desk.  She didn't look happy.  Lois's first
thought was, Good, if I can't be happy then she can't be happy
either.  But as Cat paused, Lois thought she saw something in her
expression that had never been there before.

"Hey."

"Gaah!"  Cat spun around and almost dropped her box.  "Lois! 
For crying out loud, don't do that!"

Lois almost smiled.  "Sorry.  I didn't mean to startle you."

"Well, you did!  Sheesh!"  Cat took two deep breaths and
faced Lois again.  "What are you doing here?  Perry didn't fire
you, did he?"

"No, of course not.  Why, did someone get - "  Then it hit
her.  "Oh, Cat, they let you go!  But why?"

She shrugged.  "Perry said that Franklin Stern wants to go
in a slightly different direction.  More hard news, less gossip-
type stuff.  It's a good move for the paper."  She put her
nameplate in the box.  "Perry offered to let me stay in research
and archives, but at a lower salary and I'd get a lot fewer
bylines.  I told him thanks, but I've needed to move on for a
while."  She grinned.  "This will be good for you.  You'll have a
lot less competition now."

Lois waved her hands.  "I'm sorry.  I know we - didn't
exactly get along very well, but - "

Cat shook her head.  "It's okay.  Cats always land on their
feet."  She put the box on Lois's desk and folded the top shut. 
"I've already got another job.  I'm going to do news and
investigative reporting for a radio station in Cincinnati.  And I
plan to use what I've learned from you and Clark when I get
there."

Lois's face hardened and she leaned back in her chair.  Cat
saw it and zeroed in.  "Ooh, don't tell me there's a problem with
the Planet's star reporting team!"

"I don't want to talk about it."

Cat shrugged again.  "Okay.  I'm out of the gossip business,
anyway.  Well, I think I'd better get this stuff out of here. 
I'm about packed at home, and I leave for the Midwest in three
days.  Take it easy, Lois."

Lois watched Cat walk to the elevator.  She waited until Cat
had pushed the button before she said, "You wanna do lunch?"

Cat turned and smiled.  "Sure.  Have your people get in
touch with my people."

Lois stood.  "No, I mean right now.  Have you had lunch
yet?"

Cat's mouth fell open.  "You mean it, don't you?  Wow!  Lois
Lane and Cat Grant at Burger Whiz for lunch.  What will the
tabloids say?"

Lois smiled and Cat chuckled.  "We can do the Burger Whiz
thing if you want, or we can eat at Mike's."  Lois held up two
fingers intertwined.  "I'm like this with the owner."

Cat smiled back and nodded.  "Sure.  Help me with these
boxes?  My car's in the garage across the street."

"Good.  We can stow your stuff and grab a cab."


*****

Uncle Mike outdid himself.  Lois couldn't tell if he was
showing off for her or for Cat.  Even when she wasn't trying, Cat
attracted men like sugar water attracted flies.

Lois laughed as she speared the last bite of steak on her
plate.  Cat was just coming to the climax of her story.

"So the assistant DA looks at the bank statement and says,
`You mean it's really illegal to take bribes when you don't do
what they pay you to do?'"

Both women laughed.  Lois held her stomach in mock pain. 
"Stop, you're killing me!"

"You asked me first!"

"But you didn't have to make it so funny!"

They laughed some more.  "So, Cat, how many years will the
former assistant DA spend as a guest of the state?"

"He's serving ten to twenty, so he'll be there at least six
years.  He'll be a changed man when he gets out."

"I'll bet he will!  Say, do you know who's replacing him?"

"Yep.  The new assistant DA is Mayson Drake."

Lois frowned.  "Sounds like Perry Mason's poor nephew."

"Niece."

"Huh?"

Cat grinned evilly.  "Mayson Drake is a woman.  Her first
name is spelled with a `Y' and she's hard as nails and tougher
than a Burger Whiz special.  She's supposed to be absolutely
incorruptible and coldly relentless.  You'd better be careful
around her, especially since I won't be here to watch your back."

"I will, thanks.  So, you know where you'll be staying yet?"

"In a motel, at first, at the station's expense.  They told
me it's a good deal cheaper to live in Ohio than in Metropolis. 
I hope they're right.  My clothing costs are killing me."

Lois lifted her tea glass.  "Cat, you're going to knock them
dead in Ohio.  Those Midwestern sodbusters won't know what hit
them!"

"Thank you, my lady."  Cat clinked her glass against Lois's
and spilled a little.

"Oops!  Careful.  Uncle Mike doesn't like it when the
customers break the glassware."

"I'll try to do better, Lois."  She drained her glass. 
"Mmm, that was good.  I'm glad we could get together like this." 
Cat sat back and seemed to draw inward.  "Lois, I'm sorry."

"What?  Sorry for what?  Who did you proposition this time?"

"I'm really serious."  Cat shook her head.  "I'm sorry for
waiting so long to find out you're not such a bad dame after
all."  She took a deep breath.  "I don't have many women friends. 
I never have.  My therapist told me it was because I intimidated
the girls I grew up with, because I grew up - and out - before
they did.  I've always had men around me, hitting on me and
treating me like I was a slut, so women always treated me like I
was competition.  Did you know that in high school I was voted
most likely to cause multiple divorces?"

Lois stared at her.  "What?  That's terrible!  Why - oh,
never mind, I know why."

"Yep.  But I have to tell you, despite what you may have
heard, I was twenty, in college, and engaged when I did it the
first time.  We broke up the next day when I walked around the
corner of the library and heard him bragging about what a great
body I had and what we'd done the night before."

Lois nodded.  "I know the type."

"We both do.  But that's why I act and dress like a Vegas
stripper.  It's a defense mechanism.  You know, they want me to
be like that, so I am.  It's easier than trying to change their
minds."

"Uh-huh."  Lois popped the last of her pie into her mouth
and swallowed.  "So, if you don't mind my asking, why are you
telling me this now?"

"Like I said, I'm sorry.  We could have been friends instead
of almost enemies, and it's mostly my fault.  Now that I see what
I've been missing, I regret losing all that time."  She looked
away.  "I'll never get that time back, not with you, or Clark, or
Perry, or Robert, or anyone.  My time at the Planet could have
been spent building my career and my life instead of being a
selfish, self-centered narcissist.  I can't live like that
anymore."  She pushed back her hair and preened.  "Take a good
look at the old Cat Grant, because you won't see her any more
after today."

Lois smiled.  "Okay!  Long live the new Cat Grant!"

"No, no, no!  From now on, I'm Catharine.  It has a more
sedate sound, don't you think?"

Lois laughed.  "I never thought I'd live to see you sedate! 
But I think it'll be good for you."  She looked at the clock on
the wall.  "Oh, Cat, I mean Catharine, I'm sorry!  I have to run. 
I've got a meeting with Perry and Mr. Stern in twenty minutes. 
Look, here's my home address and my e-mail address.  I really,
really mean this!  Let's stay in touch, okay?"  Lois smiled
warmly and handed her the card.  "I could use a good friend right
about now."

Cat fixed her with a glare.  "Then maybe I should bring
Chinese takeout to your place tonight.  We can talk then."



*****

Lois was still amazed at herself as she unlocked her front
door.  Cat had called her desk at six-thirty to confirm dinner,
just before Lois had left Perry's office, and now she was waiting
eagerly at her apartment for her newest friend.

She had already flipped the first lock home when Cat knocked
on the door and called out, "Beware of beautiful women bringing
food!"  Lois laughed and let her in.

"Thanks, Lois!  Take the egg rolls.  You just get here?"

"Yes.  Wow, they're still warm.  Let me get some plates."

"Don't worry, I brought paper stuff."  At Lois's look, she
said, "Hey, Catharine thinks of almost everything!  I hope you
have something to drink."

They chatted all through dinner.  Lois filled Cat in on the
new direction for the Planet, and how much Mr. Stern seemed to
trust Perry.  Cat talked about meeting the short, Walter Mitty-
like news director of the radio station, and how impressed he was
with her voice check tape, even before he'd seen her.  They each
talked about their families and the men in their lives.  The
subject turned to Lex Luthor, and Lois confessed that she'd
stopped the wedding before Perry had burst in.

"No!  You did?  Why?"

Lois looked into her wineglass.  "I realized that I didn't
love him.  I'm not even sure why I agreed to marry Lex in the
first place, except that he was such a difficult guy to resist."

"I know.  There was a time I wouldn't have resisted him,
either."

Lois giggled.  "I think a lot of women felt that way."

"Maybe.  I'm glad now that he stayed away from me."  Cat
played with her chopsticks for a few seconds, then said, "Lois,
can I ask you a personal question?"

She thought Cat was still curious about Lex.  "Hmm. Yes, but
I don't promise to answer it."

"Fair enough."  Cat turned and faced Lois directly.  "You've
talked about your dad, about Lex, about Claude, about your old
Irish boyfriend, but you haven't said a word about Clark.  How
come?"

The question threw Lois for a loop and she blurted out the
first thing that popped into her mind.  "Clark?  You want the
slimy little weasel you can have him!"  She swallowed the last of
the wine in her glass and reached for the bottle, but stopped
short.

Cat looked shocked.  "That's not the description of Clark
Kent that I would have expected from you."  Lois stared at her
empty plate and didn't respond.  "What happened, Lois?  I'm kinda
surprised Clark didn't ask you to marry him."

"He did."

Cat's eyebrows danced near her hairline.  "Oh.  Uh, Lois,
you said that like it was a bad thing."

"He took it back."

Cat's eyebrows almost jumped over her head.  "What?  He
proposed and then backed off?  You're kidding!"

"No."  Lois stood and began pacing.  "Before the wedding,
the wedding that didn't happen, he told me he loved me and didn't
want me to marry Lex and this afternoon he said he just wanted to
stop me from throwing my life away and he loved me like a friend
and I told him where to go and how to get there and I don't ever
want to see him again!"

Lois stopped beside her window, the one Superman had tapped
on and flown through so many times.  She stood there, almost
panting, until Cat gently relieved her of the wineglass whose
stem she was threatening to snap.  Then Cat guided her back to
the couch and sat her down.  Lois grabbed a napkin and started
shredding it.

Cat sat down beside her and put her arm around Lois's
shoulders.  "Oh, Lois, honey, I'm so sorry.  I know how much that
hurts."

Lois sniffled.  "Yeah, I guess you do."  She leaned back and
then put her head on Cat's shoulder.  "I'm sorry.  I didn't mean
that the way it sounded."

Cat smiled.  "It didn't sound any way at all, Lois.  Don't
worry.  You want to tell me how you feel now?"

Lois peered up at her.  "I thought you were out of the
lonely hearts business."

"I'm not out of the friend business."

"Right."  Lois sat up.  "I feel like an idiot.  I feel like
a complete jerk.  He was as gentle as he could be, I guess, but
what he said just about killed me.  I'd turned down one of the
richest men in the world at the altar, and here was this Kansas
plowboy, the guy I really wanted, telling me he didn't want me." 
She sniffled.  "I - I should have gone first."

"Huh?"

"Well, we both started talking at the same time, and I was
going to tell him that I cared about him, too, and that the
reason I'd stopped the wedding was because I didn't love Lex and
would far rather marry Clark and - "

"Whoa!  Did you tell him that?"

"No!  He went first and told me he loved me like a friend
and that was all and I blew up at him!  He probably hates me
now."  She wiped her eyes.  "That's me.  One guy falls off a
building and I destroy the other one, all in one week.  I'm
batting a thousand."

Cat tugged Lois's chin up with her index finger.  "Lois, I
just have one thing to say to you."

"What's that?"

"I don't know what `batting a thousand' means."

Lois's eyes went wide.  Cat smiled.  Lois smiled back.  They
raced each other to hilarity and eventually collapsed in a mound
of laughter.


*****

Lois walked into the newsroom the following Monday and was
struck by how quiet it was.  She glanced around the room and saw
that almost everyone was looking at Perry's new office.  There
were sharp, abrupt men's voices coming from behind the closed
door.  Lois couldn't distinguish what was being said, but she
knew somebody was mad about something.

She stopped at the top of the steps and called out, "You
know, if Perry were out here, he'd say something about Elvis that
would get everybody back to work."

Every eye snapped to her, then just as quickly everyone
scurried to do something, most of it probably work-related. She
was surprised by the reaction she'd gotten.  She'd expected them
to nod and grin before going back to work, but they acted like
they were scared of her.

It bothered her as she walked to her desk.  No one looked at
her, not even Jimmy.  She turned to ask Ralph what was going on,
but for the first time since she'd known him, he ignored her. 
She put her purse in the bottom drawer and pulled out her chair.

Before she could sit, Perry yanked open his door and
bellowed, "Where in the name of Graceland is Lois Lane?"

"Right here, Perry.  What's - "

"Inside!  Now!"

She walked in, wondering what was going on.  Perry shut the
door and turned to her, breathing hard.  "Okay, Lois, what's
going on?"

"What's going on with what?  Perry, what are you talking
about?"

He pointed at the corner of the room.  "He wants out."

She followed his finger and saw Clark leaning against the
wall.  His arms were crossed and he was staring out the window,
apparently intent on studying the pigeons on the ledge.

He was also so angry he was almost vibrating.

Lois put her hands on her hips and walked over to him. 
"What is it that you want out of, farmboy?"

Clark's lips worked but he neither looked at her nor spoke. 
Perry sighed deeply.  "He says he can't work with you as a
partner any more.  He says it's a personal matter between the two
of you, and he says it can't be fixed."

"Oh."  Her voice got small and she dropped her hands.  "Is
Perry right, Clark?  You don't want to partner with me any more?"

His voice was tight enough to walk on.  "That's right."

"And it can't be fixed?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

He almost turned his head to look at her but held back. 
"Yes."

Lois stepped closer.  "Will you let me apologize?  Can we
sit down together and talk this out?"

His mouth barely moved.  "No.  I won't work with someone who
hates me."

"Oh.  If I told you that I didn't really mean it, would it
make a difference?"

He re-crossed his arms and turned away from her.  "No.  Not
this time."

"There aren't any shades of gray here, are there, Clark?"

He shuddered visibly as he controlled himself.  "No, there
aren't."

"I see."  Lois shrugged.  "I'm sorry, Perry.  I think he's
right.  This isn't fixable, not right now."

"Great shades of Elvis!  Suppose I lock the two of you in
the conference room until you work this out?"

"Well, I won't presume to speak for Clark, but I think you
might have to call the police."  She glanced back at Clark.  "Or
maybe the coroner."

Perry sank down in his chair and stared at them.  "Do you
know that one of the main reasons Franklin Stern bought the Daily
Planet was to keep the two of you here, together?  What am I
going to tell him now?  `I'm sorry, Mr. Stern, but the best
reporting team in the eastern US has split up and won't tell me
why.'  He'll hang me up by my heels!  And that's if I'm lucky!"

The room was silent for a long moment, then Clark spoke up. 
"Tell him you're using us to train the junior members of the
staff.  Tell him we're no longer conjoined twins. Tell him we're
both aliens and we can't stand our own kind.  I don't care.  I
will no longer partner with Lois Lane."

Perry raised his hands in supplication to Lois, but she
shook her head.  "He's right, Perry.  We can't talk about it, we
can't get past it, and we can't work together.  But look on the
bright side."

"There's a bright side to all this?"

"At least we're both still on staff."

Perry nodded finally and exhaled loudly.  "Yeah, there's
that.  I'm glad you came back from LNN.  And I'm glad Clark
decided not to go back to Kansas."

Perry sighed again.  "Okay.  I'm ordering the two of you to
divvy up whatever you're working on together and start moving
forward separately.  Now, I still don't understand the problem
you two have gotten yourselves into, but I insist that you behave
in a professional manner at the Planet.  Do you both understand
that?  Because that's absolutely not negotiable.  Your personal
problems can't be allowed to disrupt the operation of this
newspaper."

Lois said, "I can manage that."

Clark nodded.  "So can I, chief.  Just one request."

Perry sighed dramatically.  "Of course, of course.  You have
but to ask, sahib."

Clark didn't look at Lois.  "I'd like you to move our desks
away from each other.  As far as you can."

Perry stared at him.  "Son, are you sure about that?  It
will cause a lot of talk."

"I don't care, Perry."

"Lois, honey?  What do you think?"

She looked at Clark's profile.  She knew he could see her. 
She knew that he knew how much his request had hurt her.  He
didn't seem to care.  It was as if she'd hurt him deeply and now
he was hitting back.  It was uncharacteristic of him, but quite
human.  She almost reached out to touch him, but he suddenly
turned to face her.  He didn't move in her direction, but his
eyes blazed with fury and his fists were clenched.

That hardened her.  "I think it's a good idea, Perry."


*****

Clark's desk ended up near the stairwell, out of Lois's
field of vision.  Her desk was on the other side of the newsroom,
beyond Cat's old desk.  She had finished moving her stuff and was
booting up her computer to make sure it worked when a technician
stopped by to hook up her phone.  The voicemail light came on
immediately and she checked it as soon as the boy left.

The first call was from Catharine.  "Hey, new girlfriend,
I'm here in Cincinnati!  I'm calling from the motel, and I don't
know how long I'll be here, but send me an e-mail!  I sent you
one already so you'll have my address.  I'll keep you up to date
as much as I can, but these people are absolutely crazy!  The
station manager looks a little like Perry but acts like Ralph
without the leer, if you can imagine that.  And Les, the news
director, is just a little doll!  This is going to be great! 
You'll have to come and visit me when you can.  I'll scope out
all the good Chinese places, assuming there are any.  Bye for
now!"

Lois smiled as she erased the message and made a mental note
to check her e-mail as soon as she could.  The second message
chased the smile away.

"Hi, Lois?  This is Martha Kent.  I hope you won't think ill
of me, dear, but we spoke with Clark over the weekend and he
seemed very upset with you.  He wouldn't tell us why, or even
what happened.  I'm really worried about him, and about you, too. 
If you don't mind, I'd like to talk to you about it.  I'll try to
call you again tomorrow morning, or you can call us."


Martha recited both her phone number and her fax number, in
case Lois wanted to send a note instead.  "I know I'm being a
meddlesome mother, but I've never heard Clark this agitated
before.  I need to know how to help him, and I can't think of
anyone I'd rather talk to about him."

Lois fell back in her chair and dropped the phone into her
lap.  Once Martha found out what Lois had done, she'd never speak
to her again!  But there was no avoiding this.  She'd begun the
dance, and now she was going to start paying the piper.

She dialed the number, hoping that Martha would be out
milking goats or something, but Jonathan answered on the second
ring.  "Hello, Kent residence."

"Ah, hi, Mr. Kent, I mean Jonathan, is, uh, is your wife
there, I mean, is Martha there?"

She envisioned him looking at the phone and wondering who
the nut on the other end of the line was.  "Lois?  Is that you?"

"Yes.  Mrs. Kent called, I mean Martha called me and said
she, she wanted to talk to me about Clark."

"Oh.  Okay.  Hang on while I go get her.  She's out milking
the goats."

Lois laughed to herself, then sat back to wait.  It took too
long and not long enough before Martha answered.  "Hello?  This
is Martha."

"Yes, Martha, it's me."

"Lois!  Oh, thank you for calling me back so quickly!  I
don't want to pry into your private life, honey, or into Clark's,
but something's wrong and I want to fix it!  I'm a mom, after
all."

They shared a brief chuckle, then Lois sighed.  "I wish
there were something you could do.  I'm afraid it's my fault."

"What's your fault, Lois?"

"We had a terrible argument.  I - I said some things - some
things I wish I could take back."

"Have you apologized?"

"I've tried.  He won't listen."

Martha was astounded.  "He won't let you apologize?"

"I said some really bad things to him."

"Oh.  So, he's angry with you right now?"

"It's more than just angry, Martha.  He told Perry he
wouldn't partner with me any more."

"Oh, he'll get over it, I'm sure."

"He had Perry move our desks across the newsroom from each
other."

Martha went silent for a moment.  "Oh, dear.  That does
sound serious."

"I'm afraid it is.  I'll understand if you don't want to see
me again, Martha."

"What?  Who gave you such a ridiculous notion?"

"But - but I thought - if Clark - "

"If Clark's thick-headed enough to shun you, that's his
loss, not mine.  Jonathan and I are coming to Metropolis in about
three weeks.  If you're willing, we'll go shopping together while
Jonathan and Clark do whatever it is that they do, and you don't
have to see Clark if you don't want to.  I like you, Lois, and I
can't say that about many young people nowadays.  I'd like to
keep you as a friend."

"Martha - thank you.  Thank you so much!"

"It's nothing, dear.  Now you get to work and go bust some
bad guys!"

Lois laughed.  "Okay, okay!  I'm busting, I'm busting!"

Martha's smile reached across the miles.  "Keep your chin
up, dear.  We'll see you soon.  Bye for now."

"Bye, Martha.  And thanks again."

Her smile had returned.  She hung up the phone and looked at
her screen.  There was a message from Clark entitled `notes' and
one from Perry with no title.  She read Clark's message, noting
that he had been more than fair in dividing their workload.  She
opened her own notes directory and built a message to send back
to her ex-partner.


*****

"I can't believe he's out of chocolate fudge bars!  This is
early Saturday afternoon!  No Metropolis street vendor worth his
umbrella and mustard runs out of chocolate fudge bars this early
in the weekend!"

Martha patted Lois's elbow.  "Do I smell an exclusive?" 
Martha painted the headline on the air with her hand.  "Fudge -
the stuff of life!  By Lois Lane, recovering chocoholic!  What a
scoop that would be!  Or even a double scoop!"

Lois's laugh startled a passerby, and that set Martha off,
too.  They wound down as they found a seat at the outdoor coffee
palace.

"Martha, we can guard our stuff better if we're inside."

"Nonsense!  No one's going to steal from a kindly old lady
and her faithful companion in broad daylight."

Lois waved to a waiter.  "Companion!  Is that all I am to
you?"

"Oh, I suppose you can be my official food taster.  I
wouldn't want to be poisoned here in the big city."

Lois unsuccessfully tried to attract another waiter.  "If we
don't get some service soon, I may try out for the job of royal
assassin!"

That got a response, just not the one Lois had hoped for. 
The police officer at the next table leaned over and softly said,
"You probably shouldn't say that too loud, ma'am.  Superman might
overhear, and he takes a pretty dim view of people making lethal
threats.  For that matter, so do I."  Lois tried to stare him
down, but her best Mad Dog look had no effect on him.  "It kinda
goes with the job."

Martha waved at him.  "Oh, Officer, uh," he turned so she
could read his nameplate, "Mooney, she was just letting off a
little steam.  The vendor over there didn't have any chocolate."

Mooney nodded.  "I see.  In that case, I'll have to issue
him a citation.  Failure to provide chocolate to attractive
ladies has got to be a violation of any number of laws."

Lois changed tack.  "Oh, please, don't arrest him.  It
wouldn't be worth your time, or the resulting writer's cramp."

He looked puzzled.  "Writer's cramp?"

"From all the paperwork."  He still looked puzzled.  "In
triplicate."  No response.  "With no carbon paper."

He finally nodded.  "Ah.  Good point.  That would take a
long time.  Tell me, are either of you ladies packing heat?"

Martha was distracted and didn't respond, but Lois put her
hand in her chin and leaned over to him, then said in a sultry
voice, "Why?  Are you going to - frisk me?"

Mooney cocked his head to one side.  "Only if you refuse to
behave yourself."

Lois put on her best Marilyn Monroe voice.  "Oh, officer,
you're scaring me."

Martha reached over and tugged on Lois's hair.

"Ow!  That's my real hair, you know."

"Lois Lane, you leave that poor policeman alone!  He has a
job to do and you're not helping!"

Mooney's face lit up and he snapped upright.  "I thought I
recognized you!  Lois Lane of the Daily Planet!  Wow!  You're
very good at finding out stuff people don't want you to know. 
I'm impressed."

Oh, good, Lois thought, he's a fan.  "Thank you, and to
answer your previous question, no, neither of us is armed."

"I never thought you were."  He spread his hands.  "Ms.
Lane, I want to apologize.  I have to admit I was - well, I was
trying to flirt with you.  I figured as long as I behaved myself
you'd cut me a little slack, since you're with your mother."

Lois flashed a quick smile at Martha.  "She's not my mother,
but I wouldn't have minded if she had been.  Oh, I'm sorry! 
Officer Mooney, this is Martha Kent.  Her son is one of my co-
workers."

He stood and gently shook her hand.  "Clay Mooney, Mrs.
Kent.  You get any traffic tickets, just come see me.  I can tell
you where to pay them."

Martha laughed.  "Thank you, Clay.  May I call you Clay?"

"Of course.  Now I really have to go.  I've got lots of
paperwork to fill out, in triplicate, and we're out of carbon
paper."  He settled his hat on his head and saluted nonchalantly. 
"Take care of yourselves, ladies.  I'll see you around, Ms.
Lane."

He tucked some bills under the saucer and walked away.  Lois
turned just as a waiter put a cup of flavored coffee on the table
before her.  "Hey!  I didn't order this!"

Martha waved her down.  "I did, Lois.  While you were
flirting with that good-looking young police officer."

Lois took a sip.  "I wasn't flirting!"  Martha gave her the
`oh-really' eyebrow.  "Well, maybe just a little.  It's good for
a woman's ego!  You know that!"

Martha laughed.  "Yes, I do.  And I understand that
sometimes a woman just needs a little ego boost.  If he'd been a
little older, or if I'd been a little younger, well, who knows
what I'd have said to him myself?"

Instead of laughing, Lois sat back and sighed.  "I think I
need a shuttle booster strapped to my ego right now."

Martha hitched her chair closer.  "It's that bad?"

Lois nodded.  "Clark won't talk to me.  He won't even
listen.  I know I hurt him, but he won't let me tell him how
sorry I am!"  She wadded up a napkin and tossed it into a nearby
trash can.  "It's so frustrating!  Can you help me?"

Martha shook her head.  "I've tried.  Clark won't listen to
me, either.  I tried to get him to talk to us about what
happened, but he refuses, and he's starting to get angry with us
when we bring it up."

Lois wiped her eyes on another napkin.  "It's my fault. 
Ever since that day in the park, he won't get closer than ten
feet to me."

Martha sat back.  "I'm so sorry, Lois.  I wish I could
help."

"So do I.  Martha, we haven't had a civil conversation since
then.  Every time I try to apologize, he closes up and walks
away.  I'm afraid it's going to affect his work.  It's already
affected mine.  Perry hasn't said anything, but he may have to." 
Lois dabbed her eyes again.  "Are you sure you're willing to be
seen with me now?"

Martha put her hand on Lois's arm.  "Honey, I understand. 
Really.  If Jonathan had pulled something like that on me before
we were married, I don't know what I'd have done to him.  You
just have to focus on the long term and work through this. 
Okay?"  Martha patted Lois's arm.  "I promise, it'll get better. 
Maybe not soon, but it will."

Lois nodded.  "Thank you."

"Oh, you're more than welcome.  You want to finish your
cappuccino here or hit some more stores?"

Lois smiled.  "When the going gets tough, the tough go
shopping."

They stood and gathered their shopping bags.  Lois stopped
and smiled at Martha.

"Dear, what is it?"

"It's just - would it embarrass you if I told you that I
loved you and Jonathan deeply and that I wish my parents had been
more like you?"

Martha's face lit up.  Her smile warmed and softened the
morning briskness.  "No!  I'm thrilled and flattered!  Jonathan
and I love you, too, Lois.  We love you as if you were our own
daughter."


---* email *---

Hey, Catharine!  Hope you get this message soon.  You
changed servers again and I'm not sure this is your current
address, so it'll ask you to send a receipt.  I want to make sure
we're still in touch.

You would not believe Perry!  He's actually going home early
to Alice a couple of days every week.  He was afraid that keeping
his home together wasn't compatible with his job, but he's found
a way.  Me!  I'm acting editor when he's not there during the day
or early evening.  I don't get any extra pay, and it makes for
long Mondays and Thursdays, but it's great experience and I like
making Ralph go on noodle runs!  Plus Perry's just a phone call
away if there's something I can't handle.

Your last e-mail mentioned a great apartment, but you didn't
elaborate.  You said the last tenant was formerly a receptionist
at the station.  I'd imagine it'd be a tiny place, but it didn't
sound small.  You'll have to fill me in on it.  Maybe I can scoot
out there one weekend and you can show me scenic Ohio.

Whoops, I wasn't watching the time.  I have to get in to
work!  Check out our headlines next week!  There's a certain
Federal judge who's been getting too close to one of her
bailiffs.  A lot of non-public information has been getting out
from her court, and we've found out why.  The bailiff has been
selling copies of case files and affidavits and depositions for
quite a while now, and the judge has deliberately decided not to
know about it.  But everyone will know about it soon, courtesy of
you-know-who.  Yours newsworthily, Lois.


*****

Lois had just finished her Monday morning coffee when her
phone rang.  "Lois Lane, Daily Planet."

A deep male voice answered.  "Hello, Ms. Planet.  That's an
awfully long name for such a lovely lady, don't you think?"

Puzzled, she asked, "Who is this?"

"Clay Mooney, Metro PD."

Ah.  The cute cop from Saturday.  "Hello, Officer PD. 
You've an awfully long personal handle yourself.  What has
prompted your call to our faithful bastion of the fourth estate?"

"Hey, I'm just a dumb beat cop calling to ask an attractive
lady if she's free for lunch."

"I see.  Well, if I see an attractive lady who's also
hungry, I'll let her know you're looking for her."

"Thank you.  I'd like to meet her at the same coffee shop
where we saw each other on Saturday.  Think you could give her
directions?"

Lois smiled.  "Actually, I think I could pry myself free
about lunchtime and meet you there about twelve-thirty."

"You?  Are you sure the other attractive lady you were
talking about won't be jealous?"

Lois laughed.  "I won't tell her if you won't."

She heard his smile.  "It's a deal.  I hope you like the
deli next door."

"I'm sure I will.  See you at lunch, Clay."


*****

She showed at the appointed hour.  Clay was in uniform,
which reassured her.  He was wiping off a table and arranging the
chairs.  He reminded her momentarily of Clark and how meticulous
he'd always been.  Then she pushed the thought aside.  This was
just a lunch.

He looked up and smiled warmly.  "Hey.  I'm glad the
attractive lady could make it."

Flattery works a little, she thought.  "Naw.  I'm just the
stand-in."

"You won't hear any complaints from me."  He held out a
chair.  "This side okay for you?"

"Sure.  I'm glad you picked a table under the awning."

He seated her.  "The deli boasts a fabulous selection of
subs, Reubens, Philly cheesesteaks, and gyros.  Which would you
prefer?"

Lois surprised herself.  "You pick."

His eyebrows went up a little.  "Ooh.  That's dangerous."

"I thrive on risk."

"As milady wishes."  A few moments later, he brought back a
gyro for himself and a turkey on wheat for her, along with two
large cups of water.  A waiter from the coffee shop brought cups
as he sat down.

Lois tasted hers.  "Hey!  This is what Martha got for me on
Saturday."

He nodded.  "Hope you aren't bored with it."

She smiled.  "This is fine, Clay.  Thanks."

"You're welcome.  You know, this could be the beginning of a
beautiful friendship."

"Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca."

"At least I didn't call you `Louie'."


---* email *---

Hey Lois!  How's life in the fast Lane?

Ha-ha-ha!  I always wanted to use that joke but never found
the right time and place.  Sounds like you're still a busy little
bee.  Stepping in for Perry is going to put a crimp in your
social life.  Did you go on a second date with the cop yet?  Clay
Mooney!  He sounds stolid and dull.  But considering your past
and mine, maybe we should both go for stolid and dull.  Goodness
knows, I've tried almost everything else.  But then, as Mae West
once said, "Goodness had nothin' to do with it."  Maybe that's
been my problem.

I just found out there's an annual softball tournament here,
and everyone's expected to play.  The big rival is another
station, and the general managers hate each other for some
reason.  If I'd been at all athletic in college, I'd think they
hired me just to help the team.  The former receptionist couldn't
hit worth a flip, and she was too pretty (and too top-heavy) to
bend down and field a ground ball.  Oh, just so you'll know, they
told me what `batting a thousand' means.  It's a very useful
phrase.

My apartment isn't at all small!  It's immense!  It's a
little expensive compared to the other digs for rent here, but
it's secure and modern and clean, and I can come home and just
relax!  The former tenant made some really sexy modifications.  I
can't wait to watch you blush at them!

We've been working on a story you might want to look into. 
Seems there's a street gang that has way too many weapons and too
many drugs to be just local.  One of the leaders was arrested day
before yesterday, and the police said that the man arrested with
him is from Metropolis.  I know it's a long shot, but maybe
there's a connection.  You know, the drugs come to Hobb's Bay and
just dilly-dally along the highway until they get to Cincinnati
and points west.  If you think it's worth pursuing, I'll fax you
what I have so far.  But don't do it just because we know each
other, okay?

Ooh, gotta send this.  If I don't stop now I never will. 
Take care!  And make sure Ralph doesn't drop the noodles before
he puts them on your desk.  This is the Cornfed Kitten, ten-four
and ten-ten, good buddy!


---* email *---

Catharine, they don't really talk in CB lingo there, do
they? That's so Smoky and the Bandit!

Oh, yes, send me anything you have on the gangs and the
drugs.  Clay told me yesterday that they think there's some
organization based here that's trying to build up a distribution
network in the Midwest and Deep South.  The police don't have any
proof, but maybe with your info we can shake something loose and
benefit us both.

Clay and I aren't quite dating.  We like each other and we
have similar interests, but there's no romantic spark there. 
He's a nice, comfortable guy who's not threatening or demanding
or dangerous.  `Dating' isn't the right word, and I really don't
know what the right word is.  I'll let you know when I figure it
out.

There's a press conference early next week, and Superman
will be there.  It's odd that there's no pre-announcement going
out, but Perry thinks it just might be something really big. 
There have been rumblings from the mayor's office and the DA
about Superman's role in fighting crime.   Clark thinks it's
really something political.  (No, he didn't tell me.  I overheard
him talking to Jimmy.)  Knowing this administration, I'm forced
to agree with him, as much as I'd prefer not to.

I like this!  I'm glad we're friends.  I'd like for us to
get together some time soon.  Maybe we could meet halfway or
something.  Perry told me that I'll get extra vacation time for
covering for him if I want it.  I think I'll take him up on that
offer.

If you do get a CB radio, I think your handle ought to be
News Kitten.  You're way too pretty to be any kind of hound. 
Until next time, digitally yours, Lois.


*****

Lois was eager.  She hadn't spoken with Superman since
before the aborted wedding over six weeks before.  He rarely gave
press conferences, but the mayor's office had requested this one,
and Lois was determined to get a good story.  She arrived early,
but had to settle for a seat almost halfway back.  Still,
Superman could hear her and see her wherever she might be.

The short and boyish city public relations director began
right on time for a change.  "Ladies and gentlemen of the press,
thank you for coming.  I will read a brief statement from the
mayor's office, then Superman will read a statement, and then
we'll entertain questions.  Please don't interrupt our
statements.  The quicker we get through this, the quicker
Superman can go back to doing massively good things."

He flashed a plastic grin, pleased with his attempt at
humor.  Just then, Superman walked in the side door.  Flashbulbs
lit up the rostrum and several reporters tried to yell questions. 
The PR director waved his hands and kept his smile.

"Please, folks, please!  Just hold your questions until
we're done."

Everyone finally calmed down.  Lois had been watching
Superman since he'd entered, and he didn't look very happy.  She
didn't know what the problem was, but whatever this was about, he
wasn't pleased with it.

The PR director stepped to the podium and opened a folder. 
"Copies of this announcement will be available to each of you at
the end of the conference.  We have plenty for everyone."  He
rustled a sheet of paper and cleared his throat.  "Whereas
Superman - " he paused and smiled at the superhero " - has
faithfully executed the office of citizen of Metropolis since his
arrival, and whereas Superman has assisted law enforcement and
legal authorities in the capture and prosecution of criminals
both major and minor, and whereas Superman has proven himself
beyond a reasonable doubt that he will continue to behave in
these manners, the city of Metropolis hereby grants a full law-
enforcement commission to Superman, along with the powers and
privileges inherent to him as an officer of the law.  Signed this
day by His Honor, the Mayor."  He closed the folder with a self-
satisfied flourish and looked at Superman.  "The upshot of this
is that, from this day on, Superman can make arrests and behave
as any other police officer, because legally he now is just like
any other police officer."

Lois saw reluctance in the superhero's posture.  This wasn't
something Superman wanted to do, but why not?  It sounded like a
good thing on the surface, but there were undercurrents making
themselves evident.  She suspected they were political in origin.

Superman crossed his arms, displaying his upper body to good
advantage.  Lois heard two of the women around her sigh.  One
pudgy cameraman grumbled something about super-showoffs.  Then
Superman began his statement.

"I'd like to thank the mayor and the city council for this
kind gesture.  I understand a little of what it means to put your
life on the line for others, which is something the police and
fire department personnel do for all of us on a daily basis.  And
none of them have my particular advantages.  Frankly, I think
they are the ones who should be honored, not me.

"That being said, I'm afraid I must decline the honor
offered by the city of Metropolis.  I hope you understand that,
while I'm pretty much based here in this city, I can't be tied to
one particular locality.  There are times when I have to pass by
a mugging to stop a murder in progress, or let two cars hit each
other so I can stop a bank robbery, or try to stop a flood while
someone somewhere else falls and breaks a leg.  No one, no matter
how super, can do it all.  Please don't think I regularly assign
priorities to people or situations, because I don't.  I do what I
can, when I can, and sometimes that takes me away from
Metropolis, whether I want it to or not.

"That's why I turned down this commission once before.  I
informed the mayor's office last month that I would not accept
it, despite the pure motives of the mayor and most of his staff. 
I know that - "

He stopped and tilted his head.  Lois thought he heard an
emergency call, but instead of leaping away he scowled, then
continued.  "None of you can hear what is being said behind me,
but the mayor's PR director has just whispered to me that I can
expect to receive far less cooperation from the police department
and the DA's office if I don't suddenly reverse myself and take
this commission.  I think you'll find that I don't respond well
to threats, sir.  Besides, if Metropolis doesn't really want me,
there are a lot of other large cities who'd love to have super-
help with their crime problems."

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, do you have any questions for
me?"

No one spoke for a moment.  Superman's words had stunned
them all, especially Lois.  He'd behaved - well, she wasn't sure
what he'd done, besides disappoint her a little.  She'd have
expected him to ignore the implied threat and just go on.

She raised her hand to ask that very question.  "Superman? 
Lois Lane, Daily Planet.  Would you tell me why you told us what
the PR director was saying to you?  Was that really necessary?"

He fixed her with a glare.  "Ms. Lane, I refuse to allow
myself to be pushed into a situation where someone thinks he - or
she - has some kind of hold over me.  I do what I do because I
want to help.  I don't do it for personal glory or for pay.  And
I won't allow myself to be held accountable to one civil
authority over another.  I can't be limited in that fashion."

Lois nodded, and everyone around her began shouting their
questions.  Superman answered all that he could for almost ten
minutes, then excused himself, saying that there was an emergency
he had to respond to.

Lois pulled out her cell phone and called in the outline of
the article, saying that she'd flesh it out when she got back to
the office.  As she drove, she considered how abrupt Superman had
seemed, and how almost petty his behavior had been.  She wondered
if he was having personal problems too, like she and Clark were.


*****

"Lois!"

She flinched as Clark called out her name.  There had been a
time when she'd looked forward to hearing her name come out of
his mouth, but he hadn't spoken ten words to her in the two weeks
since their argument.  She figured he was going to complain to
her about her story on the Superman news conference.

She was right.

"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded.  "You made
Superman look like a spoiled brat at the news conference
yesterday.  Who gave you the right to judge him like that?"

She didn't back up an inch.  "Perry White did."

He gritted his teeth.  "I sincerely doubt that Perry
assigned you to do a hit piece on Superman!"

"Perry expects me to report the news!  I wrote what I saw
and heard!"

He threw the newspaper onto her desk.  "You saw Superman
threaten the mayor's public relations director?  You heard
Superman kiss off the city of Metropolis?  You must have been at
some other news conference, Lois!  I didn't see or hear any of
that!"

She stepped closer to him.  "Then you weren't listening or
watching!  Superman was upset when he first walked in and he took
it out on that little weasel!  Sure, the guy was out of line,
talking to Superman like that, but Big Blue didn't have to
embarrass the man in front of the entire press corps!  He may
lose his job over that little fiasco!  Did you think of that? 
Did Superman?"

Clark froze.  He stared at Lois for several seconds,
apparently processing what she'd just said, then spun around and
stalked away.

Lois let out a deep breath.  Just great, she thought.  The
first time she and Clark had spoken since he'd had Perry separate
them, and they did nothing but argue.  This was going to be
harder than she'd thought.


---* email *---

News Kitten to Fast Lane.

Hey howdy there, girly!  We're wall-to-wall and catch you on
the flip-flop!  No, they don't really say stuff like that out
here.  They don't talk CB lingo, either, except to gullible East
Coast newcomers.  I can't tell you how embarrassed I was when I
tried to thank the newspaper vendor in my building with a CB
code.  He looked at me, tried hard not to laugh, and said, "You
ain't from around here, huh, lady?"

I promise, I'll get back at Les.  One day when he least
expects it.  And he'll remember it for the rest of his life.

Hey!  I saw yours and Clark's stories about Superman's news
conference.  Were you two at the same event?  And did Supes
really diss the mayor's personal munchkin like that? I wish I'd
seen that!

Check your home fax machine.  We have some more info on the
street gangs and drugs I told you about.  There's a guy here in
the Ohio State Attorney General's office who's very eager to
learn whatever he can about interstate drug smuggling.  Seems
whoever is doing this is targeting mid-sized cities in Ohio,
Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and Tennessee, and maybe more places
we haven't identified yet.  A little birdie actually mentioned
the word Intergang, but it was just a mention, and Les thinks it
might be meant to send us off on a wild turkey chase, and he
might be right.  He's Woody Allen without the New York baggage,
but he's also pretty sharp.  Yeah, he said `wild turkey' instead
of `wild goose.'  I don't know why.

You didn't mention Clark the last time you wrote.  I take
that to mean that there's been no progress on that front.  I'm
sorry about that.  I hope he calms down a little bit soon. 
Anyway, I hope the stuff on the gangs helps.  Factually yours,
Catharine.


---* email *---

Fast Lane to News Kitten.

Cath, this is great stuff!  With what you sent and what we
have, we can really pull Intergang into the spotlight.  I've
already got Jimmy collating all the info and tracking down the
loose ends.  They're like roaches; they don't like being in the
bright lights.  But we're going to show them off big-time.

Clay tells me that the police in the field appreciate what
Superman has done and continues to do for them, but the political
mucky-mucks aren't as happy with him as they were a few weeks
ago.  I don't think Superman cares too much about them, either. 
He's still taking the bad guys to jail just like he did before,
except he doesn't joke about it now.  Some of the cops were
collecting his wisecracks and passing them around, but for some
reason he's not trying to be cute anymore.  I think there's
something going on in Superman's personal life, but I haven't
been able to get close enough to him to ask him about it.  I'm
not even sure he'd tell me if I did ask.  You should have seen
the way he looked at me at the news conference.  I was very, very
glad I wasn't a criminal.

Clark and I yelled at each other over that story, but there
was no real conversation.  He was wrong, and I think he knows it,
but he's still too angry with me to apologize or even admit I
might be a little bit right.  Surprisingly, his mother and I have
gotten closer.  She thinks he's being a jerk, too, but she has to
love him anyway.  I don't have to, but I still do.  Any thoughts
on what to do about that?  About not loving him so much, I mean. 
It still hurts that we work so close together but we're so far
apart.

Just so you don't chide me about it, yes, I went out with
Clay again.  We're just friends, and we both know that, but he's
a nice guy and he, at least, doesn't run away with stupid excuses
at the drop of a hat.  He told me he was thinking of transferring
to Narcotics, but he's changed his mind because he doesn't want
to go undercover and be cut off from his friends and loved ones. 
I'm not sure what he meant by that.  He told me he isn't seeing
anyone special and hasn't been for almost a year.  He broke up
with his last girlfriend when she moved away to go to school.

Gotta go.  Deadline in three hours, and your stuff is
dynamite when we put it with our stuff.  If you get anything
else, just send it along.  We're planning on printing it in a few
weeks, if we can confirm everything we have now.  You've really
got a nose for this investigating-type stuff, girlfriend.  Keep
at it!  Your name will look great on the Planet's front page
right next to mine.  Tap keys at you later.  Love, Lois.


---* email *---

Lois, hold on!  I know why you said that about sharing the
byline, but you can't!  Two reasons.  First one is professional. 
The station doesn't mind if I do this kind of stuff in
cooperation with the Attorney General's office, or something like
that, but they really frown on having my name on anything
attached to another news organization.  It'd be like you working
for the Planet and writing for the Metropolis Star or something. 
Second, we have absolutely zero budget for security.  If
Intergang saw my name and where I work on that article, we'd have
no way to deflect them if they came after us.  Superheroes don't
live out here in the Midwest.

But thanks a lot for the offer!  I know how important a
byline is, and you've made my day by telling me you'd share it. 
Love you for it.

If I get anything else, I'll have to run it through the AG's
office, but you'll get whatever they don't absolutely forbid me
to pass on.  In fact, there are a couple of names and dates and
places on your fax machine now.  I think you'll find them very
interesting.

Sorry to hear about Clark.  But I think your female
instincts are a little dull.  Clay doesn't want to lose contact
with his loved ones, and he isn't dating anyone special right
now?  Lois, do I have to draw you a diagram?  I could do one of
those cable sex therapist things with the little dolls, I guess,
but I didn't think you needed that kind of help.

I'm planning to be in Metropolis to cover a farming
convention in about three weeks.  It'd be nice if we could get
together.  I've missed you, lady!  We need to connect again.  How
does Thai takeout sound?  There aren't many authentic Oriental
places here, except in the Vietnamese district.  And I don't like
to go down there.  I stand out like a stripper at a convent, and
all I can see is the tops of their heads.

The News Kitten thanks you, Lois.  We'll talk again soon.


---* email *---

To the News Kitten from Fast Lane.

By no means should you put yourself in danger!  I'm sorry. 
I guess I let my enthusiasm run ahead of my common sense.  First
time that's happened in, oh, about forty minutes.  I think that's
a new record for me.

No, you don't need to tell me about the birds and the bees. 
But Clay is neither avian nor winged insectoid.  He is, however,
an amateur biologist.  He's managed to make interesting the study
of things I used to consider as pests.  Like Ralph.

Cath, you won't believe this, but Martha Kent is attending
the conference you were talking about!  She and I had already
planned for her to stay with me to save on the hotel, and she
wants to meet you!  You two can talk farming if you want, or we
can all go shopping together.  For a Kansas farmer, she shops
like a big city vet!  The only difference is that she has money
left over at the end of the day.

And Martha loves Oriental food.  She says that's one of the
reasons she comes to Metropolis.

You might ask why she isn't staying with Clark.  I did.  She
made a lame excuse about him being out of town on an assignment
that week.  I checked with Perry.  Clark isn't going out of town
on Planet business, but he'd already scheduled a week of
vacation.  I hope this `thing' between us isn't driving him away
from his family.  I'd hate to have that on my conscience, too. 
Oh, well, if Superman can't fix the whole world, neither can I. 
Later, Kitten!


---* snail mail *---

Dear Lois,

Thank you so much for letting me stay with you during the
convention!  You are so much fun.  I like hotel service, but it's
just so expensive.  You helped me save two or three hundred
dollars on lodging.  Of course, I think we spent that much while
shopping.

I'm going to send a thank-you letter to Catharine.  I really
enjoyed meeting her, and I'm so glad you two are getting along so
well.  I thought you and I could shop, but Catharine outdid both
of us and never had a hair out of place.  How does she do that? 
She's much nicer than Clark had told us.  Perhaps it's her new
job, but she seems very responsible and level-headed, not at all
as she was described to us.  I hope to see her again.  I'm going
to invite her to spend some time at the farm, and maybe the two
of you can come out together.  That would be more fun than Kansas
law allows!

I wish I could help you with Clark, but I'm afraid he's a
little irritated with me for spending the week with you instead
of with him, even though he was `on vacation' and `on assignment'
and `unavailable.'  I'm afraid I haven't made things any easier
for you.  I'm so sorry.

Jonathan got irritated with me when I insisted we try out
that new grain threshing technique this fall that's supposed to
increase the wheat yield by eight percent or more.  But last
night I overheard him talking with Wayne Irig on the phone.  He
told Wayne that he was going to have a better wheat harvest this
year than Wayne would.  They even bet a barbeque dinner on it! 
Goodness, I hope that young woman from Illinois State knew what
she was talking about, because I'll have to make all the side
dishes if Jonathan loses.  I'll have to let Catharine know how it
goes.  I'm sure she could make a good human interest story out of
it.

Time to get this in the mail.  We'll talk again soon.

All our love, Martha Kent.


*****

"Help, Superman!"

Lois's cry echoed despite the noisy city street. Almost
before she'd finished shouting, Superman whooshed down and began
unpiling the mangled autos.

"Lois!  What happened here?"

Lois tugged on the rear passenger door of a smashed cab. 
"The guy over there in the Corvette tried to pass in the
intersection.  He bounced off a delivery truck and hit the bus. 
Everything else went to pieces after that.  It looked like the
inside of a berserk pinball machine."

"Okay.  Have you called 911 yet?"

"Before I called for you."

"Good.  Watch for them and let them know I'm here.  I don't
want to surprise them."

"Will do."  She turned back to the cab and yanked on the
door again.  It finally yielded to her persistence.  She bent
down and spoke to the passengers in the back.

"Is anybody hurt here?  Anybody bleeding?"  The older couple
sat back against the seat, panting with adrenaline overload. 
"Hey!  Is anybody hurt?"

The woman turned to her husband and examined his chest.
"Michael, are you hurt?"

He shook his head.  "No.  I don't think so."

Lois gestured to them.  "You need to get out of the cab if
you can."

The man nodded.  "Okay.  Wow!  That was some ride, wasn't
it, Elizabeth?"

"Yes, it was most enjoyable, dear.  Next time, might we go
over Niagara Falls in a barrel instead?"

Lois and Michael both laughed.  "Okay, folks, this way to
the egress.  Come on, just take my hand and we'll get you
somewhere a little safer."

Michael stepped out first, then turned and helped his wife
exit the cab.  The driver was already arguing with another
motorist.  Typical Metropolis cabbie, thought Lois.

Then she turned to the couple.  They were neatly but not
richly dressed, and they obviously cared for each other.  Lois
guided them to a park bench and had them sit.

"Wait here, please.  The police will probably want a
statement from you."

"Why?  My husband and I didn't do anything."

"No, but you were involved in the accident, and they'll want
to be sure you aren't hurt.  The insurance companies will need to
know about you, too.  Will you wait here?"

"Of course.  Just a moment!"

Lois had turned away, but stopped at the woman's cry. 
"What?"

"What's your name, young lady?"

She smiled.  "Lois Lane.  I'm a reporter for the Daily
Planet."

"Oh.  A reporter.  I see."

The breeze from Superman's arrival fluttered Lois's hair. 
"Lois, the paramedics aren't here yet.  I could use some help."

"Of course, Superman."  She turned and followed him to an
overturned SUV.  She looked in and saw two children in car seats,
hanging upside down and crying hysterically.  Superman pointed at
the intact passenger window and used his heat vision to cut an
opening for Lois.

"Wait a few seconds, the glass will still be hot.  I can't
cool it without freezing the kids."

She nodded as he zipped off to help someone else.  In the
four months since she and Clark had fallen out, she'd only seen
Superman a few times, and on the one occasion when she had tried
to interview him, he'd been terse, almost rude.  She guessed that
Clark had told him what had happened between them.  He wasn't
being rude now, but he did seem distant, even standoffish.  Maybe
he and Clark were closer than she'd thought.

Oh, well, she thought, it could have been worse.  That one
interview she'd gotten with him since the news conference was
right after he'd captured a pair of kidnappers trying to snatch a
child from a playground.  Somehow, both of the suspects had
suffered torn knee ligaments.  They'd tried to run and been
Super-tackled, then arrested when the uniformed officers had
arrived.  At least he hadn't tried to tackle Lois.

She spoke calmly to the kids and gently removed them from
the SUV one at a time.  The paramedics arrived to pull their
mother out and got her into an ambulance as Lois sat down on the
curb with the two girls.  They were too scared to tell her their
names, and she guessed they were about three and five years old. 
She comforted them as best she could for several minutes, then
handed them over to another paramedic and walked back to the
couple from the cab.

A police officer was just leaving as she approached them. 
"Hello again.  How are you feeling now?"

The woman put her head on her husband's shoulder.  "Very
tired, but grateful to be alive.  What about you?"

"Me?  I'm fine.  I wasn't the one who was just in a multi-
car pileup."

Michael nodded.  "But you helped those little girls.  That
was quite wonderful of you, Ms. Lane."

Lois smoothed her skirt.  "Thank you, but it wasn't such a
big thing."

Elizabeth pointed a finger at her.  "Yes, it was a big
thing.  And we're proud to have been rescued by you."

Lois smiled.  "All I did was open the door to your cab. 
Superman's been a lot busier than I have."

"But he wasn't there for us.  You were.  And that makes a
world of difference."  Elizabeth patted the end of the bench. 
"Please, sit down.  It'll make it easier for you to interview
us."

Lois sat.  "But I didn't come here to interview you.  I came
to check on you."

Michael patted her arm.  "We know.  But we also know how you
make your living, and any story would be good for you."

Elizabeth leaned forward.  "Michael is the senior professor
of journalism at Middle Illinois University."

"Oh.  Oh!"  Lois's eyes saucered.  "Wait a minute!  Are you
Michael Preston?  The Michael Preston?"

He smiled.  "I don't know how many others there might be,
but I am one of them."

"Oh!  I loved your book on journalistic ethics!  You took
some dangerous positions, but I think you were right most of the
time."

Michael and Elizabeth laughed together.  "That's a better
response than we got from the reviewer for the New York
Standard."

Lois waved idly.  "That degenerate?  He wouldn't know an
ethic from an epic if it bit him on the - on the nose."

They all laughed this time.  Lois looked around to find
Superman, but instead saw Clark striding in her direction. 
"Clark!  Is Superman still here?"

"No, he had another appointment.  What are you doing here? 
Are you bottom feeding on accident victims now?"

Preston's eyebrows lifted.  Lois cut in before Clark could
embarrass himself further.  "Clark, this is Professor Michael
Preston and his wife Elizabeth.  They're here - say, you never
did tell me why you're here."

Elizabeth touched her shoulder and worked it. "Vacation,
actually.  First time in the really big city.  Oh, this is
getting stiff."

Lois stood.  "Come on.  You two need to see a doctor and get
checked out.  Clark, I'll see you back at the Planet."

Lois led the Prestons to her Jeep and drove them to the
emergency room.  She stayed with them until the doctor saw them,
then completed their cab ride back to their hotel.  They insisted
that she interview them, so she did, and they all had a fine
time.

She refused to remember that Clark hadn't said anything to
her after he'd insulted her.  He obviously hadn't gotten past his
anger yet.


*****

When Lois came in that afternoon to finish her story on the
pileup, she saw a pretty but hard-faced blonde coming out of
Perry's office.  Perry called her over.  "Lois, this is Mayson
Drake, assistant DA.  She wanted to talk to you about something."

"Sure.  Perry, I'll send you my interview with Michael and
Elizabeth Preston when I finish my re-write."  She turned to the
blonde.  "Call me Lois.  We can chat at my desk."

Lois strode across the newsroom and dropped her purse in the
desk drawer, then suddenly realized that Mayson wasn't following
her.  She'd moved in the opposite direction, towards the
stairwell.  But there was no one over there but Clark.  Why was
she over there?

Then she saw Mayson smiling at Clark.  Ah, now she
understood.  Mayson smiling at Clark didn't bother her.  Lots of
women smiled at Clark.  Regardless of the way he treated Lois,
Clark was very nice to look at.  She still looked, on rare
occasions.

Then she saw something that chilled her liver.  Clark was
smiling at Mayson, and it wasn't a polite stranger-to-stranger
smile.  It was his more-than-a-friend smile.

Lois had seen that smile pointed at her before.  No longer. 
As Mayson Drake made her way across the newsroom, Lois pointedly
reminded herself that she'd shoved Clark away with both hands and
told him to stay as far as he could from her.  She'd regretted
doing so every day since then, but never so much as at that
moment.

Mayson sat down across from Lois and pulled a notebook out
of her purse.  "Lois, I need any information you might have on
Intergang."

Lois leaned back in her chair.  "You're not much for social
niceties, are you?"

Mayson gave her a blank look and spoke in a dry monotone. 
"Hi, Lois.  Nice to meet you.  Your hair looks great.  Have a
nice day.  What do you have on Intergang?"

Lois frowned.  "What makes you think I have any usable info
on Intergang?"

"The Planet published a story five days ago about Intergang
using students on spring break to smuggle drugs from large East
coast cities to the Midwest.  It was written by Lois Lane with
additional research by Jimmy Olsen.  You hinted at a lot more
than you wrote.  I need it."

"Why?"

Mayson frowned in return.  "Because I'm with the DA's office
and we prosecute criminals, that's why.  Is the concept unclear
to you?"

Lois sat back.  "I don't have much more than I already
wrote.  What little I have is just speculation and rumors. I
haven't been able to verify any of them yet.  I don't even know
how valid it is.  A bunch of it is probably less than useless."

"Less than useless?  How can that be?"

"Finding out what's useless would take time away from
researching valid leads.  I can't spend all my time chasing will-
o-the-wisps any more than you can."

"Maybe I've got better contacts."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

Mayson's face went cold, and Lois remembered Catharine's
description of her:  hard as nails and tougher than a Burger Whiz
special.  Lois thought about adding `sharp as a barracuda's
tooth' to the litany.

Mayson's mouth barely moved.  "If you're accusing me of
being on Intergang's payroll, you can think again!  I want those
slimeballs and I won't let anyone stand in my way, not you or
Superman or anyone else!"

"Superman?"  Lois was confused by the change of subject. 
"What's he got to do with this case?"

"I want these guys arrested and convicted by a court of law,
not hauled into the limelight by an overgrown Boy Scout with an
enlarged sense of justice!  I want them behind bars and I don't
care how they get there as long as it's legal!"

Lois raised her hands in surrender.  "Okay, calm down! 
Don't shoot your bra across the room."  She leaned forward. 
"Look, if I find out that any of my info is legit, I'll send it
your way.  Should I call you or e-mail you?"

Mayson stood.  "Just give it to Clark."

Lois's eyebrows levitated.  "Give it to Clark?  Why?"

Mayson's eyes bored through Lois's skull.  "We're dating. 
He can get in touch with me any time, night or day."

"I see.  Okay, if I find out anything, I'll give it to
Clark."

"Good."  Mayson whirled around to leave.

"Nice meeting you, Mayson."

"Shove it up your word processor, Lois."

Lois sat back and smiled ruefully.  She had to hand it to
herself.  She could irritate almost anyone, any time, anywhere,
all without half trying.

She touched her mouse to erase her screen saver, but before
she clicked on the inter-office mail icon she realized that
someone was standing beside her desk.  She looked up and received
a mild shock.

It was Clark.  In all the time since he'd had Perry move
them apart, he hadn't even let on that he knew where her desk
was.  Lois knew his being there at this time wasn't a good thing,
but she'd let Mayson aggravate her too much to be polite to him.

He was frowning at her, of course.  "Lois, what did you say
to Mayson to upset her so?"

She leaned back in her chair.  "That didn't involve you,
just Mayson and me.  You don't keep me informed on your life,
hayseed, I don't keep you up to date on mine.  That's the deal
you decided you wanted, remember?"

"But - but Mayson and I have - have a personal relationship. 
One that goes beyond just business."

"Oh, really?  I remember something like that.  With you, in
fact.  I can't wait to see what happens when she does something
you think you can't forgive.  Don't forget, Clark, she's probably
armed, and I'll bet she's a dead shot."

Clark slammed his hand down on her desk.  The concussion
echoed around the newsroom and attracted everyone's attention,
but neither Clark nor Lois noticed.

"Lois, you leave her alone!  Don't mess with her.  She'll
crush you like a grape."

Lois stood slowly.  "This reporter doesn't crush so easily. 
And I don't respond well to threats from anybody, you included!"

He moved closer.  "This isn't a threat, it's a warning."

Lois shouted up into his face.  "Don't do me any favors!"

"This isn't for your benefit, I promise!"

"Oh, goody, a promise!  How long is this one good for?  Does
it have a money-back guarantee?"

Clark shouted incoherently.  "Arrgh!"  Then he grabbed her
desk by the edge and flipped it completely over.  It crashed to
the floor, top down, and everything on Lois's desk was scattered
around the area, including her monitor and keyboard.  Everyone
not dodging debris from the desk stopped dead in their tracks and
stared.  Clark stood staring at Lois, panting with rage.  Lois
stood to one side, frightened to silence by his uncharacteristic
display of temper.

Perry popped out of his office and looked at the mess. 
"Judas Priest!  Clark, get your butt in here right now!  Jimmy! 
Call housekeeping and have them set this to rights!  Lois!  Get
your coat and take a walk!  Be back here in forty minutes!  The
rest of you get back to work!  This isn't a circus!"

Lois shook her head to clear it.  Clark's outburst had
shocked her.  She'd known he was still angry with her, but she'd
had no idea that he'd been that close to losing control.  She
knelt down to get her coat, but it was caught under the edge of
the desk.  She couldn't lift it alone.

"Ralph?  Hey, Ralph!  You and Jimmy come here for a minute
and help me."

"Sure, babe.  What can I do - "

Lois stopped him with a laser-intensity glare.  "Don't. 
Call.  Me.  Babe."

He stopped and shielded himself from her with his hands. 
"Okay, okay."  As he bent to pick up the desk, he muttered,
"Sheesh, Kent's pretty strong.  This thing is heavier than I
thought.  Didn't know he had it in him.  Say when, Olsen."

Jimmy didn't respond.  He just helped Ralph lift up the edge
of the desk and then went back to his own work.  Lois decided to
have a talk with him, later, after Perry finished ripping her up
one side and down the other.  She put on her coat and knelt
beside the overturned desk to retrieve her purse.

She noticed four parallel indentations under the edge of the
desk.  She frowned, wondering what they might be, then on impulse
put her fingers in them.  They almost fit.  In fact, they felt
like -

They felt like the impression of human fingers.

But that wasn't possible.  No one was that strong except -

Clark wasn't strong enough to -

Unless Clark wasn't just Clark.  Unless he was also -

The conclusion that she drew was impossible, but how else
did the desk get dented like that?  It was the same one she'd had
for years.  She knew every nick, scratch, cut, and dent in it. 
These were so new, they almost felt warm.

No normal human, no matter how strong, could impress his
fingers into a steel desk.  Only Superman could do that.

Clark had grabbed the desk by the edge, the same edge that
Lois was now examining.

The logical, inescapable conclusion was that Clark Kent and
Superman were the same person.

She stood quickly and walked out.  She had to think about
this, try to poke holes in her deduction, try to disprove it.  It
couldn't be!  Clark couldn't be Superman!  Superman couldn't be
Clark!  She'd have known it!

Or maybe not.  If Superman and Clark really were the same
person, he wouldn't have wanted anyone to know, not unless he
trusted that person with his life.  Maybe that was part of what
had made Clark so mad in the first place.  After she'd turned
Clark down, Superman had told her that he didn't believe her
declaration that she'd love him even without his powers.  She'd
left him to marry Lex, even though she hadn't gone through with
it.  And then she'd exploded at Clark when he'd tried to back off
but still maintain a relationship with her.  He'd wanted to share
the secret with her, but she'd simply blown him off.

No wonder the guy was so uptight.  It was a wonder that he
wasn't a certified manic-depressive schizophrenic.

And all the stupid, moronic excuses for all his sudden
departures now made sense.  Clark would leave to return a video
or check his mail or go see his dentist, and then Superman would
show up.  And Superman's attitude towards had her mirrored
Clark's attitude so often.  It all fit together.  Both of them
had arrived in Metropolis at about the same time, too.  The more
she went over the evidence, the more she believed it.  It might
have been circumstantial, but she'd bulled ahead on stories with
much less.

She hoped she was wrong, but she feared she wasn't.  And she
had to be sure, one way or the other.


*****

She sat on the bench across from the Planet's main entrance
until she saw Clark turn for home.  He leaned into the wind and
strode purposefully onward, never looking across the street.  He
would have seen Lois studying him like a herpetologist might
warily observe a particularly deadly poisonous snake.  After he
passed out of sight, she crossed the street and took the elevator
up to the news floor.

When she got to Perry's office, he was sitting on the front
of his desk with his arms crossed.  He waved her to a chair and
closed the door behind her.

"Lois, honey, I can't let this go on.  This problem between
you and Clark is affecting the whole staff.  I've had comments
from every reporter on the floor.  I've had calls from all the
bosses.  Mr. Stern himself called me while Clark was in here. 
This has to stop and it has to stop now.  No matter what it
takes."

Lois nodded.  "I know, Perry.  I know it's a big problem,
and it's not just Clark's fault.  I just don't understand why he
and I can't discuss it without going completely insane."

"Because it's personal.  Because he thinks you betrayed
him."

"You mean - you mean he told you about it?  Clark told you
that?"

"Not in so many words, Lois, but I didn't get to be editor
because I can whistle Dixie.  Something happened that drove a
wedge between the two of you, and neither of you can back away
far enough and long enough to see how to pull the wedge out and
fix the split.  Doesn't mean it's your fault, or Clark's fault,
it just is."  He patted her on the shoulder.  "Clark volunteered
for overseas duty to keep the two of you from each other's
throats.  He knows he's partly to blame for this situation."

Lois stood up and paced.  "He would volunteer to do the
`noble' thing.  It might even be good for him.  But I don't think
so, Perry.  I'll leave."

"Whoa!  Nobody's being asked to leave, Lois!  The Planet
doesn't want to lose either of you.  Heck, I don't want to lose
either of you!  We can work something out!"  He brightened for a
moment.  "Hey!  Lois?  Do you want the overseas assignment?"

She shook her head sadly.  "I'm sorry, Perry, thank you, but
no.  This has been building for a long time.  One of us has to
go.  I got an offer from the New York Standard last week.  They
want me to run their Metropolis bureau.  I told them I'd think
about it and get back to them.  I was going to turn it down, but
I've decided to take it.  If you want written notice, I can turn
it in tomorrow."

Perry crossed his arms and looked directly into her eyes. 
"Honey, are you sure that's the way you want it?"

Tears glistened at the corners of her eyes.  "No, it's not
the way I want it, but it's the way it has to be."


*****

Lois almost knocked on Clark's door, then almost moved away,
then raised her hand again.  Then she hesitated again.  She
paced, started to leave, then came back yet again.  Finally she
told herself that she had to be sure.  She had to know beyond any
reasonable doubt.  Before she finally could knock, however, Clark
yanked the door open.  "Have you come to gloat?"

"How did you know I was out here?"

"You've been marching up and down the steps for almost ten
minutes.  Those heels hitting concrete sound like pistol shots. 
I was hoping you'd just go away."

She forced herself to be calm.  That was actually a
reasonable answer, and not more super-evidence.  "May I come in?"

He hesitated, and she thought he would refuse, but then he
stepped back.  She walked in and looked around.  He'd been busy. 
In fact, he was almost completely packed.  Two hours wasn't
enough time to accomplish all this unless he really was -

She refused to think it.  Instead, she looked back at Clark,
still standing beside the door.  She turned and faced him.  "I'm
leaving the Planet, Clark."

"Uh-huh.  Taking the next Mars shuttle?"

Calm, she told herself, be calm.  If he really is Superman,
and you push him into losing control again, he might accidentally
kill you.

"No.  I've accepted another offer."

He looked like he wanted to snap at her again, but he
refrained.  "Okay.  Where?"

"New York Standard, Metropolis bureau."

He nodded.  "Still in the city, but away from me."  He
shrugged.  "I suppose that's far enough."

She closed her eyes and counted to ten, then opened them
slowly.  "Clark, you need to check my desk very carefully."

"More story notes?  An Intergang investigation? Bribery in
the dog pound?"

"No.  Finger marks in the edge of the desk."

"What?  What do you - " and she saw the light go on over his
head.

"Yep.  You squeezed too hard when you flipped my desk over. 
I didn't see one, but there may be a thumb dent on the desk top,
too."

He waved his hands.  "Lois, there are lots of explanations
for what you think you saw."

"There's only one explanation that fits the facts, Clark. 
And it's a super one."

She expected him to deny it again, but he didn't.  That
locked it down.

Superman's secret identity was Clark Kent.

And he hated her so much he couldn't be in the same room
with her.

He crossed his arms and stood there with his shoulders back,
staring at her.  She shook her head.  "Don't stand like that, not
when you're wearing civilian clothes.  Someone else might make
the connection."

"Right.  Like that's going to matter after you print the
story."

"You idiot!  I'm not running this story!  Not at the Planet
or at the Standard!  Don't you understand?  Metropolis needs
Superman!  The world needs Superman!  So you need to stay here
and you need to keep your secret!  I'm leaving so you don't have
to go!"

"Oh."  She watched him process the data and come up with the
wrong answer.  "I see.  So, you're here to let me know how noble
you are, right?  Or are you going to pressure me to give more
Super-stories to the Standard than to the Planet?"

Lois sighed.  "I was wrong, Clark.  You're not an idiot,
you're a brain-dead super-moron."  She walked towards the door. 
"I'm sorry I wasted your time and mine.  Try not to generate a
tornado when you unpack.  I hope you and Mayson have a good life
together."

She slammed the door on her way out, but not before she
heard him say, "Lois, wait!"  She ignored him, even when he
opened the door and stepped onto the landing.  If he had called
out to her again, she'd have stopped.  At least, that's what she
told herself as she cried herself to sleep that night.


*****

Lois arrived at eight o'clock the next morning, as usual,
and went to her desk, which was now upright and covered with
loose papers.  As unobtrusively as she could, she checked the
edge that Clark had gripped.  It was smooth, both above and
below.  No more proof, at least to anyone else.  The fact that
the finger impressions were gone was yet more proof to Lois that
she was right.

She started the inventory of her notes so she could turn
them over to another reporter, probably Clark.  She grudgingly
admitted that he could write well, and could assemble a story as
well as she could.  She hoped Perry would cut him some slack in
his personal life, at least during Superman-type emergencies.

Just before lunch, Clark slowly walked to her desk.  She
glanced at him, then resumed working.

He stopped beside the desk.  "Hello, Lois."

She didn't look at him.  "Morning, Clark.  Sleep well?"

"Not really."

"Oh?  I'm not surprised."

She kept on working for another minute, but he didn't go
away.  Finally she looked up at him.  "What?"

He looked agitated, as usual, but for a change his anxiety
wasn't directed at her.  "We need to talk."

"It's a little late for that, Clark."

"No, I - I need to apologize for yesterday."

"Oh, I think you need to apologize for a whole lot more than
that."

"I won't deny that."  He glanced around and lowered his
voice.  "Lois, I need to know that you won't - you won't use what
you learned last night."

She fought her temper down.  "If I haven't used it yet,
Clark, I'm not likely to use it in the future."  She turned back
to her computer.  "I've got to finish this.  Perry will want to
assign these items to someone else."

"He already has."

She looked up again.  "Oh.  Is that why you're over here
now?"

"Yes.  That, and the - other thing."

"Okay, Clark, I'll send you all the story notes I have and
all the sources that I've used on them.  As for the `other
thing,' as you call it, you're just going to have to trust me."

He sat on the edge of the desk and gritted his teeth at her. 
"That's just it.  I don't trust you."

She barely reined in her temper.  "You know something,
farmboy?  You really don't have much of a choice."

She turned back to her computer.  He sat there for a few
seconds, then walked stiffly back across the room.  Lois almost
called out to him.  Then the elevator doors opened and Mayson
walked out.  Her face softened as she walked to Clark, and she
put her hand on his shoulder as she commiserated with him about
his horrible ex-partner.  Lois wondered what Mayson, given her
anti-Superman bias, would do if Lois pulled Clark's shirt off to
reveal Superman's costume underneath.

Lois snorted at herself.  With her luck, Clark would have
sent it out to be cleaned, and she'd look even stupider than she
felt.


*****

"Jimmy, I'm leaving for lunch.  You busy?"

He looked up at her, then glanced in Clark's direction. 
"Uh, actually, I am, Lois.  Sorry.  Maybe next time?"

She frowned at him.  "Jimmy, he won't eat you.  Just because
I'm leaving doesn't mean we can't still be friends."

He sat for a moment, then nodded.  "You're right.  Let me
tell the chief what I'm doing and I'll meet you in the lobby." 
He stood and grabbed his jacket.  "We're going Dutch, right?"

She grinned a little.  "You'd better not expect me to feed
you!  I've seen you eat!"

He smiled back.  "Three minutes, tops.  See ya!"

They met in the lobby, bantered about where to go, and
settled on a new pizza place around the corner that also served
spaghetti and garlic bread.  Between slurps, Jimmy kept up a
long-winded monologue on his latest girlfriend and whether or not
she was `the one' for him.  He wound down about the time Lois
polished off her last meatball.

"Lois, this was a great idea!  I wasn't too thrilled at
first, but it's been fun."

She wiped the tomato sauce from her lip with her napkin. 
"I'm glad we came, too.  I was beginning to think that Clark had
forbidden you to talk to me."

Jimmy scowled.  "Naw!  We work well together, kinda like you
and I do, but he doesn't run my life.  He's not real crazy about
you, but he hasn't said anything real bad about you lately.  At
least, not to me."

Lois frowned.  "You mean he was running me down before?"

He made a `T' with his hands.  "Time out!  The day you guys
got your desks moved, I asked him what was going on, and he said,
`Jimmy, don't trust a woman.  She'll stomp your heart into the
ground and laugh about it.'  That was the last time I can
remember that he referred to you at all.  He never told me what
happened, but I know he's still mad about it."

"Do you think it's my fault?"

He shrugged.  "Maybe the original problem was mostly your
fault, and that's just a maybe, `cause I really don't know.  Even
if it was, CK hasn't tried to mend any fences with you, and I
don't think he's let you try, either.  The way I see it, it's
mostly his fault the thing - whatever the `thing' is - hasn't
been fixed."

She nodded and leaned back.  "Knowing that, or at least
believing it, can you keep working with him?"

"Sure.  He's very good at what he does, just like you are,
and I learn something every time I team up with either of you. 
Of course," he continued as he played with his leftover pepperoni
slices, "since you're leaving, that kinda cuts my opportunities
to learn by half."

She grinned.  "I hope you're not angling for a job offer,
because I don't know how much hire-and-fire authority I'm going
to have.  Hey, did Perry announce where I was going?"

"No.  He only told me because I asked him nice, and I caught
him in the right mood.  He said he'd hoped you'd take over as
editor for him one day, but that this was a great chance for you
to be the headliner."  He pushed a stack of meat slices into his
mouth.  "That's not a newspaper term, at least as far as I know,
but it sounds good."

"Well, keep your nose clean, and try not to yell for
Superman too often."


*****

When they returned from lunch, Clark immediately pulled
Jimmy aside to do some background research on a story.  Lois
wandered to Perry's office and knocked on the door.

He looked up and smiled.  "Come on in, Lois.  Make yourself
at work."

She smiled back and closed the door.  "You don't seem to be
mourning the loss of your top reporter.  You sure you remember
what I said last night?"

He waved at her.  "Oh, sit down.  I'm glad you're here.  I
have something I want to tell you."

She sat.  "Okay, I'm all ears."

He clasped his hands and leaned forward.  "I want you to
keep this under your hat, `cause it might not happen.  Okay?" 
She nodded, intrigued.  "I didn't tell you this last night
because I wasn't sure I should, but now I am.  I had lunch with
Franklin Stern day before yesterday, and he told me that the
business leaders of the city have decided they need someone else
in Washington besides the chuckleheads they have now.  I thought
Stern was going to suggest a new editorial policy or ask me to
support a new slate of candidates, but instead he suggested that
I run for the U.S. Senate!"

Lois was dumbfounded.  "Perry!  They want you to be a
Senator?"

He nodded.  "Alice and I have talked about it, but neither
of us is sure yet.  Besides, the party primary isn't for almost
two more years.  We've got time.  And Alice thinks she'll have me
home more often than she does now!"

Lois laughed.  "You know, she might be right!  I don't know
of many Senators who work as many hours as you do.  Why, it'd be
like going to part-time status!"

This time Perry laughed with her.  "Might be at that. 
Anyway, the reason I'm telling you this now is that, if I do
this, the Planet will need a new managing editor.  Now,
understand me here, I'm not making any promises and I'm not
asking for any, but if things fall the right way you could walk
back in here in a little over a year and take over my desk.  What
do you think of that?"

Lois's mouth fell open.  "Me?  Editor of the Planet?  Perry,
there's never been a woman editor here!  How do you think the
powers-that-be would react to that?"

He leaned back and furrowed his brow.  "I'd make it a
condition that if I run, they'll offer you the job.  And I don't
want you to take it just because it's the Daily Planet, a
newspaper with a glorious history that's been in continuous
existence - "

Lois finished with him.  " - for over two hundred years!" 
They laughed together again.  "Perry, this is - well, it's a
little overwhelming!  Just two little speed bumps that I can
see."

"Well, Clark's one, I'd guess.  What's the other one?"

"What about all the folks out there who might like this
desk?  Maybe you have a budding editor out there who'll be ready
in a year or so."

He shook his head.  "No.  Clark could do it, but he wouldn't
be happy.  He'd get distracted with people issues and soft-soap
everything.  Besides him, do you know of anyone out there who's
tough enough and determined enough to do this job?"

Lois looked through the glass in the door.  Her gaze lit on
every person in her line of sight, and she eventually nodded. 
"You're right, Perry.  Either they won't ready to do it by that
time, or they'll never be ready."  She made a sour face.  "Eww. 
Can you imagine Ralph behind that desk?"

Perry sat up straight.  "Lois, please!  I just had lunch!"

She grinned.  "Serves you right for dangling that kind of
bait in front of me, you rat!"

"Speaking of rats, the Employee Relations Specialists want
to see you.  Something about your accumulated vacation and an
exit interview."  He sighed.  "I never thought I'd ever say `exit
interview' to you.  Shucks, I figured this place was in your
blood."

She stood and patted his arm.  "It is, Perry.  I love this
place so much that I'll leave rather than let be torn apart by a
personal matter.  I have to call my new boss and then I'll head
downstairs."  She chuckled ruefully.  "First time in a long time
anyone's interviewed me.  I probably won't know how to act."


*****

Lois went home early that day.  The exit interview had bored
her, and the interviewer was less than enthusiastic himself.  She
signed all the papers they had pushed in her direction and made
the appropriate noises at the appropriate times.  She wondered if
all exit interviews were that uneventful.

There was one more chore she had to take care of.  She
dialed the Kent's number in Smallville and waited.  She didn't
particularly want to talk to Martha or Jonathan, but she didn't
see that she had much choice.

Jonathan answered on the second ring.  "Hello!"

Lois started.  He was far more abrupt than she'd ever heard. 
His normally jolly voice was pierced with resentment.  Lois hoped
he wasn't angry with her.

"Um, Jonathan?  This is Lois Lane.  Is this a bad time?"

"Oh!  Lois, I'm sorry!  I thought it was Clark calling
back."

Her mouth hung open for a moment.  She never dreamed that
Clark might have unresolved difficulties with his parents.  That
was her gig, not his.

"No.  No, I called because - because I need to tell you
something very important."

"Hold on."  He called to his wife.  "Martha?  Lois is on the
phone.  She needs to talk to us.  Something important and that's
all I know so far."

They waited until Martha picked up the cordless extension. 
"Lois, hi!  Thanks for calling.  We really appreciated it.  We
want to apologize for Clark.  I'm so sorry you're leaving the
Planet because of him!  If I thought I could smack some sense
into that boy's head, I'd be on a plane to Metropolis tonight!"

Lois smiled.  "Thank you, both of you.  I really called to
reassure you."

Jonathan sounded puzzled.  "Reassure us, Lois?  About what?"

She paused.  She didn't want to say anything about Clark
being Superman over the phone.  Maybe it was paranoia, but she
just didn't quite trust a secret of this magnitude to an open
phone line.  So she tried to say it without saying it.

"You know.  That super-secret that I found out about."

Lois listened to two people breathing very carefully. 
Jonathan was the first to speak.  "Ah, Lois, I'm not sure I
understand what you're saying.  Could you be a little more
specific?"

"Well, I thought you knew that I knew.  I mean, you just
spoke with Clark, didn't you?"

Martha chimed in.  "Honey, all he really told us was that
you were leaving the Planet.  I'm afraid I got angry with him at
that point, and the discussion just went downhill from there."

"We were upset that he caused you to lose your job, Lois. 
That's all we know, honest."

"Oh.  Well, I kind of accidentally found out something about
Clark that explains a whole lot.  In fact, I really think this
secret - " she emphasized the next word " - suits him to an `S'
instead of a `T'."

Now they were even quieter.  Lois heard what sounded like
one of them walking from one room to the next.  Then Martha spoke
again.  "Lois, honey, I think I understand what you're telling
us, but we want to be absolutely certain that we're not missing
your point.  Would you, just this one time, say exactly what you
mean?"

They knew that she knew.  They were just hoping against
hope.  "Jonathan, Martha, I know that Clark was adopted.  I know
he had a loving home while growing up and that he has wonderful
parents who love him very much.  I also know that he's more than
just a reporter for the Daily Planet.  He has a night job that
takes him up, up, and away to fight crime and protect the
innocent.  I also know that you made his uniform, and that I was
the one who gave him the name of Superman."

She waited for a moment.  She heard a pair of deep sighs,
and before they could respond, she continued, "And I really
called tonight to make sure that you two know that no one will
ever learn this secret from me.  I don't understand all that's
involved in this, but I know if I let it out that Clark's private
life will be destroyed.  I might also put the two of you in
danger, and it would almost kill me to do that.  I love both of
you as if you were my own parents.  In fact, you've been better
parents to me since we met than mine were when I was growing up."

Jonathan cleared his throat.  "Lois, that's - that's one of
nicest things anyone has ever said to us.  Thank you for your
kindness.  And thank you for thinking well enough of us to call
us yourself.  I'm sure Clark would have told us eventually, but
this way we can tell him we already knew."

Martha chuckled.  "That'll be unusual, us knowing something
about Clark's life that he doesn't."

Lois smiled.  "That should make him think.  Uh, may I ask
you a personal question now?"

"Lois, you don't need permission for that!  Jonathan and I
have no more secrets from you."

"Thank you.  I was just curious what Clark has told you
about Mayson."

"Who?"

"Mayson.  Mayson Drake, assistant district attorney."

"Oh, her.  Clark told his mother that he's working with her
on some cases.  Why?"

"Um, I was just wondering if you knew how long he's been
dating her."

This time the silence was deafening.  Martha finally
squeaked, "Dating?  He's dating this woman?"

"Uh.  Yes.  I'm sorry if I've spilled the beans.  I guess
Clark wanted it to be a surprise."

"Well, it sure is a surprise," Jonathan said.  "How long
have you known, Lois?"

"Since yesterday.  She came to the Planet and that's where I
met her."

"I see.  Lois, this may be nothing, but was it Clark or
Mayson who first told you they were dating?"

"Hmm.  I think, yes, it was definitely Mayson.  In fact,
Clark acted almost embarrassed about admitting it in front of me. 
Why, Jonathan, is that important?"

"Might be, might not be.  Anyway, now we can surprise him
with two facts next time he visits."

"And don't worry, honey, we won't tell him you told us."

Lois grinned.  "Martha, there aren't many candidates for
that particular honor, so he should be able to figure it out
pretty quickly."  She glanced at her watch.  "I'd better let you
go.  I might say something else that will shock you."

Jonathan chuckled.  "That's right, feel sorry for us old
folks.  We can't take too many surprises at once.  We could end
up with brain overload or something."

"Good night, dear. And thanks for calling.  Come and see us
again soon, okay?"

Lois chuckled.  "I'll do my best, Martha.  You and Jonathan
sleep well.  And try not to give Clark too rough a time when he
comes home."


*****

Two mornings later, Lois stood in the work area of her new
job.  Her title was Managing Editor, Metropolis Bureau, and a
workman was repainting the door as she stood there, surveying the
scene.  She was glad to see that her office had lots of glass,
like Perry's did.  She didn't want to be cut off from the
reporters, either literally or symbolically.  Although she wasn't
altogether pleased by the low-walled cubicles she saw.  It made
her think of cyborgs in recharging slots, ready to perform on
command.

She nodded her thanks to the girl who'd guided her there,
and the girl ran off to do something else related to her intern
status.  Lois decided to let everyone know she was there.

She clapped her hands sharply three times.  When everyone in
the news area was looking at her, she motioned for them to come
towards her.

"Everybody take three minutes and come say `hi' to me.  I
promise I won't fire anyone today."

Almost a dozen people gathered around her.  Some of them
smiled nervously, while others just stared impassively.  She put
her hands in her coat pockets to keep them from waving around too
much.

"Most of you already know who I am, but just to be sure, my
name is Lois Lane.  I'm going to be taking over as managing
editor a week from Monday.  We'll have an official staff meeting
that morning, along with some individual meetings as needed, but
I thought I'd give you the chance to see me in the flesh before I
take over the helm."

She walked around the area slowly and looked at each of them
in turn.  "I don't plan any major changes right now.  I don't
believe in change for the sake of change.  If something works,
keep it.  If not, fix it.  And I don't care who gets the credit. 
You do a good job, your names will go up with what you write. 
You don't do a good job, nothing you write gets past me.  And
I've learned from the best, so don't try to snow me.  I guarantee
you that it won't work.

"Whatever you have going that's good, keep at it.  Maximize
your time and your contacts.  I know you already know this stuff,
but I'm told that this bureau has a couple of significant
problems and we're going to work together to fix them.  I'm not
here officially today, but if you have any questions, now is as
good a time as any."

An older woman reluctantly lifted her hand.  "Ms. Lane,
there are several of us who've been with the Standard for quite a
while.  Do you plan to bring in a lot of new faces?"

Lois smiled at her.  "Not unless I need to.  Do I need to?"

The woman shifted uncomfortably.  "Well, I can certainly
understand that you'd want to work with people with whom you are
most comfortable."

"Unless you're planning to make trouble for me, I don't see
any reason to change your status with the paper.  If you're
concerned about pay rates and promotions, that's reasonable, and
all I can tell is that I don't have enough data to make any
decisions yet.  Your raises, promotions, and periodic evaluations
will depend on how well you do your jobs, not how well you get
along with me."

One bored-looking man raised his hand.  "This all sounds
great, but we're heard this kind of hot air before. How do we
know you'll follow through with what you're saying?  How do we
know you're not just blowing it out of your pantyhose?"

Some of the others flinched, obviously expecting Lois to
explode, but she fooled them by staying calm.  "You don't, any
more than I know you're a good writer instead of a hack from
Nowheresville.  What's your name?"

"Ron Dombrowski.  And please don't call me Dumbo."

She grinned.  "Deal.  Ron, I don't expect you to kiss up to
me.  In fact, if you try, you'll regret it.  All I expect from
any of you is honest effort and a commitment to quality news. 
I'll find out for myself anyway, but one of the problems here is
supposed to be a lack of teamwork.  Either you're all a bunch of
selfish children, or you weren't taught teamwork.  I suspect the
problem is a little of both, and I'll probably get a memo on what
I just said from the head office.  I don't care because I'm not
here just to make a name for myself.  I plan to help you make
this office the envy of the entire organization, but I can't do
it alone.  You'll either help the rest of us achieve that goal or
you'll be gone.  And you can pass that on to the ones who aren't
here.  Any more questions?"

No one else dared to speak.  "Good.  I'll see all of you, I
hope, a week from Monday.  Including you, Ron Dombrowski."

He gave her a half-hearted salute and turned back to his
terminal.  Lois took a last look around and left to finish the
day at the Planet.  No one looked in her direction, but all of
them watched her go.


*****

Lois stopped at Mike's for dinner.  Her uncle wasn't there,
but his staff made her meal a treat.  She was almost ready to
order dessert when a shadow fell over the table.

She lurched around.  Mayson Drake was standing in the light,
staring at Lois.  Without moving her lips, she said, "Mind if I
sit down?"

Lois nodded.  Mayson pulled out a chair.

"I was just about to order dessert.  Would you like a piece
of pie?"

Lois expected Mayson to refuse, but she looked at Lois's
plate and asked, "Apple or peach?"

"Uh.  Both, I think, plus cherry cheesecake.  Get whichever
you want.  I'll have them put it on my tab."

Mayson nodded briefly.  "Thanks."

They both ordered peach pie.  As Lois scooped up the last of
the crust, she noticed that Mayson had already finished hers. 
"My uncle serves good pie."

"Yep."

Lois looked at Mayson, puzzled.  "Is there something I can
do for you?"

Mayson sighed.  "I want to ask you about Intergang again."

Lois shook her head.  "Now wait a minute!  I already told
you - "

Mayson stood.  "I need to visit the ladies' room.  I'll be
right back."

Her ploy was transparent.  Lois had done the same thing at
times.  You ask the person a question they don't want to answer,
then make an excuse to leave for a minute or two and let the
victim think about it.  When you come back, sometimes they'll be
ready to talk.

Lois glanced at Mayson's purse, then looked closer. Her
pager was blinking.  It looked like one of the expensive ones,
with internal memory and  a log of -

Internal memory.  And a log of calls received.

Lois knew she was in trouble even before she reached out and
lifted the pager out of Mayson's purse.  She slipped it into an
inside pocket and hoped it wouldn't buzz or beep or ring before
she could get out of there.  If Mayson was working with
Intergang, there might be a number on the pager she could track
back to them.  Then she could confront Clark with evidence that
his girlfriend was as crooked as a -

As crooked as a reporter who stole a DA's pager.

The whole internal argument took only a moment.  Oddly, the
mental image she had of the part of her saying this was a bad
idea looked like Michael Preston, and the part saying this was
okay looked like the woman she'd seen in the mirror that very
morning.  She insisted to herself that she'd return the pager,
just as soon as she proved to her satisfaction that Drake wasn't
working with Intergang.  Lois briefly considered taking the cell
phone, too, but that was too obvious.  She signaled for the
waiter and told him to put the meal on her tab, including
Mayson's pie.  He nodded and left.

Mayson finally came back.  "Do you have anything else on
Intergang, Lois?"

Lois shook her head.  "Not since we last spoke, no."

"You sure?  Would you even tell me if you did?"

Lois leaned back in her chair.  "I don't know.  I think
there's a leak somewhere in the DA's office, and I don't have any
specific reason to suspect you, but I also don't have any reason
to think you're not the leak."

"Clark can vouch for me."

"Clark can be a bit naive at times, and I don't know that
he'd be able to tell if you were lying to him."

She expected Mayson to react angrily, but she didn't.  "No. 
He'd know.  He's transparent, sure, and he doesn't always see the
grays between the black and white of his worldview, but he'd know
if I were lying to him."

Lois nodded slowly, impressed that Mayson knew Clark so
well.  "Maybe he would at that.  How did you meet him, anyway?"

"He was at a press conference about three months ago, when
the mayor announced that audit of the city refuse department.  He
and I had lunch over an interview, and, well, I kind of asked him
out.  He looked a little lonely."

"Uh-huh.  Just a sweet little lambsie-wambsie."

Mayson's eyes narrowed.  "Look, I don't know what happened
between you two, but I want you to back off.  You want to trash
him, at least be honest enough to do it to him, not to me,
because I won't stand for it."

Lois bit back a sharp retort and thought for a few moments. 
"You're right.  I'm sorry.  Whatever happened between Clark and
me is history and I shouldn't take it out on you.  I won't insult
him to you any more."

Mayson looked surprised, but sat back, apparently mollified. 
"Good.  I have to go.  I only came in because I happened to see
you here.  I won't bother you again on your personal time.  I'll
see you the next time I'm at the Planet."  Mayson's chair scraped
back.

"You'd better make it quick."

"What?  Why?"

"I won't be there after next week.  I'm taking over the
Metropolis bureau of the New York Standard.  You can call me
there if you want."

"I see.  What about your current assignments?"

Lois shrugged.  "See Perry White.  He'll make those calls. 
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to leave too."


*****

Lois came in the next morning and tapped Jimmy on the
shoulder.  "Jim, you have time to run down a list of phone
numbers for me?"

"How soon do you need them?"

"Today.  Before lunch if possible."

"Whoa!  I'm stacked up with stuff for CK and Valerie and
Perry.  I couldn't get to it before tomorrow afternoon at the
earliest."

She frowned.  "Who else can do this?"

"Is it Planet business?"

"Of course it is!  I'm investigating a possible link to
Intergang."

He screwed his face up in thought.  "I'll call Gina.  She's
a new intern and she's good.  Give me the list and she'll get it
back to you today for sure."

"Before lunch?"

He looked at the list.  "Uh-uh.  Can't promise that.  You've
got close to forty different numbers here.  Some of them might be
unlisted, and that takes time."

She sighed.  "Okay.  Have Gina do the best she can.  I'll be
in and out, so have her e-mail me as soon as she's finished.  I
need names and locations wherever possible.  Got it?"

Jimmy called to her as she strode away.  "Got it, Lois."

She got to her desk and checked her e-mail, all work-
related.  As she leafed through them, she began to feel the
effects of what Perry had called "short-timer's syndrome."  She
was still there, still working, still doing what was expected of
her, but the sense of accomplishment and the thrill of the chase
were lacking, plus she was no longer building towards her future. 
Whatever she did for the next few days would have to be wrapped
up quickly or passed on to other reporters.  She hated for anyone
to edit her work.

Perry popped out of his office and motioned for her to come
in.  She was too far away now for him to yell without disturbing
almost the entire place.

He motioned for her to close the door.  "What is it?"

He gestured with his hands.  "We have a tip about someone
inside the DA's office who's feeding info to Intergang."

Lois was suddenly energized.  "How solid is it?"

"You remember the former assistant district attorney who's
now doing ten to twenty in New Troy prison?"

"Sure."

"He wants to make a deal and he's ready to talk.  I want you
there as soon as you can gather your stuff.  I want names,
places, amounts, contacts, phone numbers, whatever you can get! 
This thing just might blow wide open sooner than we thought."

"Right."  She stopped abruptly.  "Perry, who else knows
about this?  Where did this tip come from?"

"Clark told me."

"Why isn't he covering it?"

Perry shrugged.  "He said something about being late for an
appointment."

"Oh."  Lois understood; it was a job for Superman.  "How did
he get it?"

"He said Mayson Drake told him.  She's headed up there now."

Lois's mouth dropped open.  "Oh, no!  Perry, there's a
chance that she's the leak!  I've got to get up there right now!"


*****

Lois sprinted through the hallway to the sign-in desk at the
prison visitor's room.  She skidded to a halt before she ran into
Mayson, who had just put down the pen.

"Slow down, Lois.  You missed the ladies' room.  It's back
that way."

"I'm here - whew! - to interview your predecessor.  I heard
he's ready to talk."

"Yeah.  Why isn't Clark here?"

"How should I know?  He told Perry about this and Perry
asked me to take it.  I don't know what Clark's doing."

Mayson nodded slowly.  "Okay.  Come on, we can see him
together.  It's barely possible that you'll think of something I
missed.  Wait, you have to sign in."

As Lois picked up the pen, the phone rang at the desk. The
officer answered, listened, then nodded and hung up.  "Ms. Drake? 
You might as well save yourself a trip.  The prisoner you wanted
to see is dead."

"What!"

"That was the prison doctor.  They guy got knifed in the
exercise yard about half an hour ago.  He just died.  Doc said he
couldn't do anything to help him."

Mayson stomped back to the desk.  "Gimme that phone!" She
dialed a number and began shouting.  "Bobby?  This is Mayson. 
Fletcher's dead.  As in hammer, mackerel, Methuselah, a rock, all
that.  Yeah, he was stabbed.  Bobby, I want an autopsy and I want
it started ten minutes ago.  Yes!  I know!  I don't care!  And I
want the guy who stabbed him put in solitary fifteen minutes ago! 
Because you calling from the office can get things done quicker
than I can from here!  No, I'll come on back."

She slammed the phone down and muttered some extremely rude
words.  Lois was impressed with her vocabulary; she'd never heard
some of those particular combinations before.

Mayson turned to Lois.  "Well, whatever he knew is gone now. 
Unless you know a good psychic?"

Lois shook her head.  "Sorry, no."

"Nuts.  I've got to go back and deal with the aftermath. 
You need a ride?"

"Got my Jeep."

"Okay.  I'll get them next time."

Mayson marched down the hallway, slicing the air with her
determined chin.  Lois, meanwhile, was having second thoughts. 
Unless Mayson was an Oscar-caliber actress, there was no way she
was the leak.  Lois felt guilty again.  The ethical Michael
Preston part of her was berating her once again for stealing the
pager.  This time, however, the other part of her, the part that
was so good at rationalization, was silent.

I've really gone and done it this time, she thought.  Jail
was a real possibility.  Her new job might be in jeopardy, too. 
She just couldn't seem to stay on top of her life.


*****

Jimmy grabbed Lois as soon as she came through the door to
the newsroom.  "Lois, we have a real problem."

"What?  What's wrong?"

He pulled her off to one side.  "You remember that - list
you asked me to check out?"

"Jim, I have a feeling I'm not gonna like the next thing you
say."

He blew air past his lips.  "Trust your feelings on this
one.  Those numbers belong to the DA's office, the police chief,
the mayor's office, a Dr. Smith's office and residence - he's a
podiatrist - and a pizza place downtown."

"Pizza place?"

"I called them.  They page you to let you know your meal's
ready."

Lois put her hands to her head.  "Oh, nuts!  I've really
screwed up this time."

"I'll say.  Mayson Drake is gonna have your head on her
wall."

"Yeah, she'll - Mayson!  How did you know?"

"Like you could hide it from me?"  He frowned at her.  "Gina
brought me the mayor's office number and told me she didn't want
to know any more.  I ran the rest myself, including the pager
number."  He pulled her closer.  "Are you completely crazy?  Do
you know what kind of trouble you could be in?"

"Yes!  Yes, I know."  She walked towards her desk.  "I'm
going to give it back to her and tell her what happened."

Jimmy nodded.  "Yeah, that sounds like a great plan to me. 
Good luck."

Lois dialed the phone as she opened her lower desk drawer. 
"Mayson Drake, please."  She dropped the pager in her purse. 
"Mayson?  Lois Lane.  I need to meet with you as soon as you're
free.  No, you pick the place and time.  I have something for
you.  Yeah.  Yeah.  Centennial Park.  Half an hour?"  She glanced
at the wall clock.  "I'll be there as soon as I can.  Bye."

She walked past Jimmy and patted him on the shoulder.  "See
you in front of the firing squad."

Jimmy shook his head.  "You should be so lucky."


*****

Traffic was lousy.  Lois was nervous and took a wrong turn. 
She was eight minutes late, but Mayson was still waiting.  Lois
pulled into the nearest parking space and dropped in two
quarters, thinking about what an optimist she was.

She walked to the bench where Mayson was sitting.  Lois
stood in front of her, took a deep breath, pulled out the pager
and gave it to Mayson.

"My pager.  Where did you find - wait.  Wait a minute! 
Lois, did you take my pager?"

Lois nodded.

"You stole my pager?"

Lois nodded again and sat down without looking at Mayson.

"Do you know how long you could go to jail for this?  You
stole city property from an assistant District Attorney.  Some of
this stuff is important to ongoing criminal investigations. 
There are message logs on - "

Lois looked up as Mayson paused and saw the elevator reach
the top floor.  "You were checking me out, weren't you?  You
thought I might be working with Intergang.  You didn't trust me."

Lois hesitated.  "No.  I didn't."

"I see."  Mayson took a deep breath.  "How about now?"

Lois shrugged.  "I'm pretty certain you're not working for
Intergang."

"That's a load off my mind."  Mayson weighed the pager in
her hand.  "Is this because of Clark?"

"No."  Lois hung her head.  "Maybe a little, yeah."  She
leaned back on the bench.  "Mostly it's because I just don't like
you very much."

"Oh.  Well, that's refreshing."

Lois looked at her.  "Refreshing?  That's not the reaction I
was expecting."

Mayson nodded enthusiastically.  "No, I understand!  I
really don't like you very much either."

"Oh.  Good.  I think."  Lois smiled slightly.  "Well, now
that we've gotten that out of the way, am I under arrest?"

Mayson cocked her head to one side.  "I don't think so. 
There's no real harm done, and now I have something to hold over
your head."

Lois's mouth dropped open.  "You're stooping to blackmail?"

"Why not?  You burgled my pager."

"Oh.  Yeah, there is that, I guess."

"There is.  Now, do you have anything else to give me on
Intergang?"

Lois almost shook her head, but then sighed.  "Okay.  There
is one thing I haven't told you.  The Ohio State Attorney General
is working on the back end of the Intergang drug delivery
pipeline with the news staff of a radio station in Cincinnati. 
The reporter's name is Catharine Grant.  She used to work at the
Planet.  I'll give you her phone number and e-mail address when I
get back to the office.  I don't have them with me."

Mayson stood.  "Sounds like a plan to me.  Why don't you
meet me for dinner tonight at the Burger Whiz on Main and Fourth,
say about eight?  Bring all that stuff with you then."

Lois's head whirled.  "What?  Dinner?  What for?"

Mayson winked at her.  "Just a little girl talk."


*****

Lois arrived early at the Burger Whiz.  She'd changed into
jeans, tennis shoes, pullover top, and denim jacket. She wondered
briefly what Mayson wore after work.

Then she glanced up and found out.  Mayson looked like a
working cowhand out on the town, lacking only a hat to complete
the ensemble.  Lois had to admit to herself that the look worked
for her.

Mayson nodded to her.  "You order yet?"

"No.  I just got here."

"Okay, let me get the check since I kind of forced you into
this."

"Sounds good to me."

They ordered and sat down.  Lois passed Mayson a slip of
paper with Cat's info on it.

"Thanks, Lois."

"Like I had a choice."

Mayson tilted her head.  "We could have done this at my
office."

Lois sighed.  "You're right.  You've been more than fair
about this."

"Well, I have to confess that I have an ulterior motive." 
She stuffed some fries in her mouth.  "A p's'n'l w'n."

Lois almost choked on her soft drink.  "Personal?  You want
to explain that?"

Mayson swallowed and nodded.  "It's about Clark."

"Oh."  Lois sat back.  "Maybe I'm not the best person to
talk to about Clark."

"No. You're the source I want."

"If you mean the source of his bad moods, then yes, that's
probably me."

Mayson shook her head and sipped her drink.  "That's part of
what I want to talk to you about.  Why is Clark so angry with
you?"

Lois took another big bite and chewed it slowly.  "Clark and
I had a - a disagreement of a personal nature.  I got scary mad
at him and accused him of some things that - well, they weren't
accurate."

"So?  Why didn't you just apologize to him?"

"I tried.  He refused to listen."

"Wow."  Mayson grabbed some more fries.  "Clark won't listen
to your apology?"  Lois shrugged.  "That must have been some
argument."

"Yeah.  It was."

They chewed in silence for a few moments, then Mayson
rattled the ice in her cup.  "You want a refill?"

"Sure.  Thanks."

She reached around and filled both cups.  "Here you go."

They ate in silence again.  Finally Mayson said, "There's
something else I've been wanting to ask you."

"Mm-kay.  What?"

Mayson finished the last of her burger.  "You've worked with
him and around him for over a year."  She wiped her fingers on a
napkin.  "How come Clark just jumps up and vanishes sometimes?  I
mean, we can be at dinner or at a movie or listening to music or
just out walking and suddenly he just ups and leaves.  He always
comes back, but his excuses are really lame.  Why does he do
that?"

Uh-oh, Lois thought.  Here it comes, a chance to get back at
him.  She could split them up with just a few words.  Mayson
didn't like Superman one little bit, but she obviously felt very
strongly about Clark.  Lois didn't think Mayson could handle the
shock of knowing the truth about Superman and Clark, especially
if Clark wasn't the one to share it.

She envisioned Michael Preston standing before her with his
arms crossed and an impatient expression on his face.  She
hesitated, opened her mouth, closed it, and finally shook her
head.  "I'm sorry, Mayson.  You'll have to ask Clark about this."

Mayson sat still and stared at Lois.  "I sort of figured you
knew him well enough to know what was going on."

Lois crossed her arms.  "I do know.  But I can't tell you. 
It's Clark's secret, not mine.  All I can say is that he's not
involved in anything illegal."

"That's not good enough!  I need to know what the man I love
is - "

Mayson's mouth snapped shut.  Lois stared at her.  "Oh.  So,
it's that serious."  Mayson didn't answer.  "Have you told Clark
that you love him?"

Mayson played with her napkin and didn't look at Lois.  "No. 
Not yet.  I mean, he has to know I feel strongly about him, but -
no I haven't said the L-word to him."  She looked up.  "Why?  Is
that what broke you two up?  Is he that afraid of commitment?"

Lois snorted.  "No, no, no!  Nothing like that.  Look, you
need to talk to Clark about this.  I really can't talk about it
any more."

Mayson looked as if she were about to cry.  "But - if you
two aren't even friends - why did he - why did he tell you about
it?"

"He didn't tell me.  I figured it out on my own."

"Ah."  Mayson recovered a bit.  "So.  Thanks for meeting
with me.  I'll get in touch with the Ohio authorities.  Maybe we
can scratch each other's backs."

"Okay.  I just hope I haven't gotten anyone in trouble."

"I doubt it.  Um, I think I need to say one more thing to
you."

Uh-oh.  "What's that?"

Mayson's gaze bore into Lois's eyes.  "My feelings for Clark
are vry intense and very real.  I love him, but if he doesn't
really love me, I'd want him to be happy with the woman he does
love."

Lois felt daring for a moment.  "Even if that woman was me?"

Mayson narrowed her eyes.  "Don't push your luck, Lane.  I
don't like you any more now than I did this afternoon."


---* email *---

Danger, News Kitten!  Danger, News Kitten!

I know you were trying to keep a low profile on this and I
hope I haven't done something else really stupid, but I gave your
name to Mayson Drake in connection with the Intergang
investigation.  I wouldn't have, but I did something kind of
illegal, and she sort of leveraged it out of me.  Please, please,
please be careful!  I also told her you were working with the
state AG's office on this.  Please forgive me!  I'm sorry if I've
disappointed you, but I really didn't have any choice, except
maybe a stretch in city lockup.  I still want to be your friend.

Assuming that you're still willing to be my friend, I have
some more things to tell you.  I'm changing jobs.  I'm going to
run the Metropolis bureau of the New York Standard.  How about
that?  Now young cub reporters will call me `Chief' and I can
yell at them and make them bring me donuts and pick up my dry
cleaning.  I'll even get the last word.

That's not the only thing that's going on.  I also found out
that Clark is dating Mayson, the same woman who strong-armed me
into squealing on you.  I'm pretty sure she's on the level, but
be extremely cautious if you talk to her.  You forgot to mention
that she's also mean as a barracuda.

On top of that, I also learned something juicy about
Superman that I can't publish.  I'll never be able to publish it! 
I can't even hint at it to you!  I can tell already, this is
going to drive me the rest of the way to crazy!  Oh, Cath, please
don't be too mad at me!  I really, really need a friend right
now!


---* email *---

Lois, calm down!  It's okay.  Really.  When I told you I
didn't want to be identified in relation to this investigation, I
meant `in print,' not `never.'  I guess I wasn't clear on that
part.  I'm not worried about Drake.  If she goes through the
state AG's office, I might never even meet up with her.  So don't
get your thong in a knot.  We're still cool, I promise.

Something `kind of illegal?'  What did you do, break into
Mayson's office and trash her files?  That must have been some
kind of leverage to work on you.

We've got some more info for you.  I'm just waiting for the
AG's office to clear it so I can send it over to you.  It's
pretty hot, too.  I can't hint about this, either, but when you
print it, blow on your fingers and duck!

That is just so cool about you being an editor!  I think
it's totally hot!  Yes, I know I'm mixing my slang.  Since this
is a Top-40 rock `n' roll station, we have a parade of interns
coming through trying to find out if radio is their ticket to the
big time, and I understand almost half of what they say.  They're
usually disappointed, of course, but a couple of them have stuck. 
I'll introduce them to you when you come out for a visit. 
They'll be very impressed with the old lady.  Me, I mean, not
you!

Notice I said `when,' not `if.'  You're coming to visit me
if I have to blackmail Superman into flying you out here!  Hey,
wouldn't that impress those kids?  You could do that, you know,
just threaten to publish the `thing' you found out.  Bet that's
totally rockin' too!

Gotta get this thing in the pipeline.  Stay sane, Fast Lane! 
See you over by the litter box.


*****

"Thanks for meeting me here, Lois.  I wasn't sure you'd
enjoy an evening at the Science Museum."

She smiled.  "I must say, I never imagined that you'd be a
budding geologist as well as a biologist."

"That's me, Clay Mooney, cop with many layers.  Kinda like
an onion."

She laughed.  "I'm glad you called.  Wednesdays at the
Planet are pretty dull for a short-timer like me."

He looked at her appraisingly.  "I'm still surprised you're
leaving.  I mean, being an editor is a great position, I guess,
but you leaving the Planet for any other news outlet?"  He shook
his head.  "I would have thought they'd have to pry your keyboard
and notepad out of your cold, dead hands."

"Wouldn't you move to another precinct if you could get a
promotion and stay in Metropolis?"

He shrugged.  "I might.  It'd depend on what I had to do
when I got there."

"Yeah, there's that."  She turned away and examined a
panorama depicting a cave bear advancing on a group of hunters. 
"Say you were one of those hunters."

He assumed a Tarzan pose.  "Okay.  Ugh.  Me great primitive
hunter.  Me fight huge sabre-toothed cat with bare hands.  Me get
killed and eaten, though."

"Stay with me on this, okay?  You and your hunting partner
have an argument.  Neither one of you is completely right or
totally wrong, but you can't work together because you don't
trust each other any more.  Wouldn't it make sense to move to
another hunting group?"

"Hey, some days you get the bear, some days the bear gets
you."

She turned and looked into his eyes.  "This is really
dangerous work, Clay.  Someone could get hurt, maybe even killed. 
And the band of people depending on the hunters might not get the
meat and animal skins they need to survive.  All because of a
stupid argument that isn't really all that important."

He returned her look for a long moment, then nodded.  "Yeah. 
If it meant that my buddies would have a better chance to get the
bear, then I'd move on."  He stepped closer.  "I think it would
be hard to do, though."

She nodded.  "You got that right."  She turned and meandered
along.  Clay came up beside her and touched her hand.  She
grasped it lightly.

"Thank you."

"Uh-oh.  When a woman thanks me out of the blue like that, I
know I'm in deep trouble."

She grinned and punched him gently on the shoulder.  "One of
your many layers is that you're a good friend, Officer Mooney."

He stopped and took both of her hands in his.  "I never,
ever thought I'd say this to a woman."

Lois began to get nervous.  "What's that?"

He smiled.  "I'm glad you're my friend, Lois.  And I'm glad
to be yours."

She relaxed and exhaled.  "Thanks, Clay.  I can use all the
friends I can get."

He stepped back a little and stuck out his right hand. 
"Shake, pally!"

She laughed as she complied.  "Friends to the end, right?"

He lifted one eyebrow.  "Don't you think that's taking it a
little too far?"


*****

The rest of Lois's time at the Planet passed uneventfully. 
The staff passed around a couple of good-luck cards, and her last
Thursday afternoon brought cake and ice cream.  Chocolate, of
course.  Perry contributed a box of European chocolates, and
Jimmy gave her a CD-ROM with several very powerful Internet hack-
and-search utilities and a text file containing complete
instructions.  He also whispered to her not to get caught using
them.

After the brief festivities subsided, Lois looked around and
felt a tug on her heart.  She was leaving a place where she'd
found a home, where she knew she was accepted and valued.  She
didn't know how she'd be received at the Standard, but she was
determined to give it her best shot.

She leaned on her old desk for possibly the last time and
read the messages on her cards.  She was pleased to see what her
co-workers had written.

But she suddenly realized that Clark hadn't written anything
on either card.  She decided to ask him about it, as calmly as
possible.  They hadn't spoken since the day after `the
revelation,' as she called it in her mind.  Lois decided it was
time for them to talk.

She walked to Clark's desk.  As usual, he was typing away,
his fingers almost blurring together and the clacking of the keys
blending into a buzz.  She waited beside his desk