By Kat Picson and Craig Byrne
Summary: There's something suspicious happening on the set of
Jimmy Olsen's favorite TV show, and entertainment reporter Cat
Grant recruits the Daily Planet's help. Jimmy talks Perry into
sending him to California and, with the help of his old friend
Sarah Goodwin, proves his merit as an investigative reporter.
(Episode # 23 of The Unaired Fifth Season)
***
The double doors to 438 Hyperion Avenue swung open, and Clark
Kent led his pregnant wife into the living room. Lois Lane was
hobbling into the room on crutches, her left leg raised slightly
off the ground.
"Easy, Lois," Clark warned. He placed his hand on her back.
Lois grimaced at the pain that shot through her ankle.. "Thanks,
Clark." She sat down on the couch, and Clark took a throw pillow
from the couch, placed it on the coffee table, and then gently
placed her injured foot on it.
Clark watched as Lois rested her head on the back of the couch
and closed her eyes. He had been quiet on the "flight" to the
hospital since Lois was in so much pain, but she was fine now.
Since the doctor had said it was a mild sprain, she would only
need the crutches for the next week or so.
"I can't believe it!" Lois exclaimed, lifting her head and
staring at her foot in disbelief. "I've been so careful these
past eight months, and I trip in the kitchen."
Clark sat down next to her, put his arm around her shoulders and
kissed her cheek. "You were also in the kitchen in the dark, at
three in the morning, getting your nightly snack of anchovy and
crackers." Lois glared at him, partly because she was
embarrassed he knew her secret and partly because she resented
him for never having the problem of being injured. Clark smiled.
"It's OK. The baby's not due for another month, and you won't
have the crutches for more than a week."
Now Lois couldn't help smiling either. Her baby -- *their* baby
-- was coming soon! She felt butterflies and trepidation all at
once. But she looked at her husband and her worries disappeared
-- for now. His smile always seemed to have that effect on her.
Lois leaned over and kissed Clark's lips. "I love you," she
whispered, "for always knowing the right thing to say."
Clark pretended to look embarrassed, but he kissed her back.
"Well, I'm kind of speechless now ..."
***
"Captain's Log, Stardate 43215.5 ..." spoke Bill Church Jr.
into a microphone. He sat alone in a boardroom in the basement of
one of his Cost- mart discount stores.
"It's been a few months since I was released on lack of
evidence," Bill said to the recorder. "Idiots," he snickered.
"I got out with the help of a woman named Dominique Cox. She was
*supposedly* running Intergang from inside the big house, and
orchestrated Mindy's takeover of Intergang in the first place.
When she saw things looking a little too hot, and Mindy was sure
to get caught, I was brought in. What a woman." He shook his
head as if overwhelmed but continued.
"Now it's my turn to return the favor. Mrs. Cox tells me
there's something amiss in one of her legit holdings, and if we
can take care of that problem, we'll be able to fund our other
... 'projects.'"
There was a knock on the door. "There she is," he said before
pressing "stop" and putting the recorder in his top desk
drawer.
The door opened, with a square of light casting shadows into the
dark room. At the center of the light stood a dark, beautiful
woman. Her wavy black hair had been straightened and pulled into
a stylish, sophisticated chignon, and she wore a tan linen suit.
Dominique Cox looked stunning despite the four years she had
spent in prison.
"Ready to go with the plan?" Mrs. Cox asked slyly.
"I thought you'd never ask."
***
The young woman waited outside the airport terminal. He said he
would meet her here. She brushed her right hand through her curly
brown hair and watched the cars come and go. She figured Jimmy
Olsen would have a great vehicle, something quirky but
professional. After all, he was a full-fledged reporter for one
of the world's largest newspapers now, a far cry from his
"gopher job" of a couple of years ago.
The Lexus stopped a few feet ahead of her. "Nah, too rich," she
thought. "He just got the job a few months ago." A yellow 1998
Volkswagen Beetle passed. Her friend wasn't there.
"Jimmy, where are you?" she said to herself, tapping her foot.
A somewhat beaten-up 1969 Dodge Charger sputtered forward. The
woman recognized the young man inside.
"Sarah! Psych101!" He jokingly called her by her IRC nickname.
"Would you like a lift?" Jimmy asked with an inviting smile.
Sarah Goodwin grinned. "Jimmy! MetroBoy!" Sarah retorted. Jimmy
switched the hazard lights on and got out of the car. He took
Sarah's suitcase from her hand and put the bag in the backseat.
He pushed the seat back into place so Sarah could sit.
She surveyed the car before getting in. "This is a ... nice car
you have here. She opened the door and got in. "The doors
actually open; that's a good sign," she said to herself.
"Huh?" Jimmy asked.
"Nothing," she said, shrugging.
"So ... how have you been?" Jimmy said.
"Not bad," Sarah replied, smiling as Jimmy manuevered the car
in the heavy airport traffic. "I brought the blooper reel."
"You rule!" Jimmy exclaimed with a little too much enthusiasm.
He calmed down before saying, "I mean, that's really, really
great."
Sarah looked out the window at the smoggy Metropolis skyline that
used to be so familiar. "So what's going on? I saw something on
the news about some major crime syndicate leader getting
caught."
"Mindy Church," Jimmy answered. "Everyone thought she was a
bimbo, but it turned out she was really smart. She was Bill
Church Sr.'s wife, and she allegedly ran Intergang for the past
two years -- she may have been behind it all along. Church was
never sentenced, because there was no evidence. There were signs
that *someone* was going to destroy a Cost-mart, but nothing
saying it was him. He was released from prison about a year ago
for lack of evidence. He had a son who was also sentenced, but I
think I heard he was released recently too. No apparent
connections though between the other Churches and Mindy
anymore."
"Interesting. Classic criminal case," Sarah commented.
The two of them drove down Interstate 354 into Metropolis until
they came to Jimmy's exit. "Roll up your windows," Jimmy told
Sarah. "We've got to drive past Suicide Slum -- *I* don't live
there, but we've gotta pass it on the way."
Rather than looking at the uncomfortable sights in the dirty area
of Metropolis, Sarah played with her fingers as she changed the
subject. "So how far are you from the Planet?"
"About fifteen minutes," Jimmy told her. "Thirty in rush hour.
The Metropolis Television Museum is a few blocks from there; I
know you've got to check that out for your project."
"Great," Sarah said. The conversation continued until Jimmy
pulled his car to a stop by the curb. "We're here," he
announced.
They locked the car and walked through the small parking lot to
the back door. Jimmy punched a few numbers into a keypad and they
were in. Jimmy motioned toward the stairs.
"No elevator?" Sarah asked.
"Nope," Jimmy said. "Don't worry; I'm only on the third
floor."
When they got to the top floor, Jimmy stuck his key into the door
and opened it. "Welcome to Casa del Jimmy," he said grandly.
Sarah looked around. The apartment was totally different from
what she expected. Jimmy would make a very interesting psych
paper. There was a battered seven-foot couch, a coffee table, a
brown vinyl recliner patched with silver duct tape, and some old
lamps, but the carpet was vacuumed, and there were no beer
bottles lined up on the fireplace mantel like some of Sarah's
male friends from the university. Even the throw pillows on the
couch were arranged neatly.
"Surprised, huh?" Jimmy said with a grin. "I've been cleaning
for a few days. You would not *believe* the mess." Jimmy gave
Sarah a tour of his small apartment. The kitchen was just an
alcove in the corner of the living room, and a card table served
as a dining table. Jimmy's bedroom was filled with black and
white photos he took in his spare time as well as a large poster
of Melissa Lockhart.
"Let's watch some 'Sally,' and then we'll hit the town,"
Jimmy said eagerly.
Sarah stood in the living room, surveying the place once more.
"So where am I going to sleep?"
"Uh, er, ah ..." Jimmy fumbled.
"I'll take the couch," Sarah said before Jimmy could answer.
She pulled out two videotapes from her backpack and held them out
to Jimmy with a smile. "Blooper reel, or director's cut of the
pilot?"
***
The waiting room was virtually empty as Perry White opened the
door carefully. He started toward the receptionist's desk, but a
voice called to him.
"Perry!"
Perry sighed in relief that she had showed up. "Alice," he said
with a nervous smile.
"You came," she said. Her smile was just as nervous as his.
"I was thinking the same thing about you," Perry said.
He sat down next to his ex-wife in the comfortable plush chairs
that lined the wall of Dr. Friskin's office. He had called the
therapist on Lois' advice. Lois had said that if it hadn't been
for Dr. Friskin, it would have taken Lois another three more
years to realize that she was meant to be with Clark. Then Lois
confided to Perry that Dr. Friskin had even helped Superman.
"Alice, I'm a bit anxious about this," Perry whispered.
"Maybe it was a bad idea --"
"Perry and Alice White?" The door to the doctor's office had
opened, and a woman in her fifties with a warm smile and a calm
voice stood in the doorway. Perry thought she looked like a woman
Alice would have been friends with. He became less nervous.
Perry and Alice stood up and shuffled into the doctor's office.
It was decorated with wood paneling and leather furniture with a
few plants and a large picture window. Dr. Friskin sat in an
armchair and motioned for Perry and Alice to sit on the couch.
"So," Dr. Friskin began, "let me begin by introducing myself.
It might help to open up to me if you knew a bit about me." She
smiled. "My name is Dr. Barbara Friskin, and I've been married
for twenty-five years. I received my degree in psychology from
Metropolis University and my psychiatric degree from Johns
Hopkins University. I've been practicing in Metropolis for the
past fifteen years, since my husband and I moved back here from
San Diego." She picked up a notepad from the table next to her
and poised her pencil. She looked expectantly at Perry then
Alice, back and forth. "Did one of you want to continue by
introducing yourself?"
Alice cleared her throat. "My name is Alice White. I went to
Brown University for a couple of years, but quit when I married
my husband and moved to Metropolis with him. I have two sons, TJ
and Jerry. Before I was divorced, I spent my days doing charity
work and volunteering. Since then, I've taken a job as an
executive assistant at a law firm." She looked at Perry and
swallowed hard. "Perry and I divorced two years ago because he
was spending more and more time at work. I never saw him. He came
home, went to bed, woke up, and went back to work." Tears rimmed
Alice White's blue eyes. "I missed my husband, and he was
married to his newspaper." She looked up at Dr. Friskin. "A man
can't have two wives."
Perry looked down as if in shame. It was going to take a lot to
win back Alice.
***
"Mrs. Cox, a pleasure to finally meet you," Bill Church Jr.
said, extending his hand.
"Charmed," she said. "Is Kanisky in place?"
"Got him," he replied.
"Good," she said.
"You know, I was wondering," Bill said. "OK, we're going to
this meeting, and you're claiming to be a 'Max Wagner.' Now
what I want to know is, *how* did 'Max' get sixty percent
ownership of the LBS television network, and who is 'Max,'
really?"
Mrs. Cox looked away, but not before Bill caught a cryptic smile
on her face. "Oh, just an alias so I can't be traced," she
said. "Besides, I didn't want them to think an alleged former
criminal was running a TV network. I transferred the stock from
Lex Luthor's personal account about an hour before he and I were
caught with that Daily Planet insurance scheme. You know, on the
day he jumped."
"Interesting ... and he had no idea?" Church asked.
"No clue. Lex may have thought he was at the top of the world
but when it got down to it, he was about as clueless as your
mother-in-law," Cox announced.
The telephone rang, and Bill picked it up. "The limo's here,"
Bill said, leading Mrs. Cox outside.
***
Jimmy and Sarah walked out of the copy room at the Daily Planet
giggling as the repairman tried in vain to fix the eternally
jammed copier. Jimmy continued to introduce Sarah to Planet
employees as they walked past.
The elevator opened and the Planet's editor stalked out, looking
perplexed. Jimmy had heard him mumbling something about
"relationship counseling" earlier, and it looked like Perry had
not enjoyed it.
"I'd stay clear of Perry," Clark advised as he walked by Jimmy
and Sarah, jabbing a thumb in Perry's direction. He stopped at
Lois's desk, where his wife was sitting and typing a story.
"Lois!" Perry's forehead was wrinkled with worry and anger as
his eyes fell upon the woman, who still had one foot bandaged.
"Judas Priest, didn't I tell you to stay off your feet for the
rest of the week?"
Lois looked up at her boss from her chair then looked down
pointedly at her feet. "I *am* off my feet," she said.
"I meant at home!" Perry stormed. He looked at Lois sternly,
who shrugged with a smile. Perry knew he'd been had. He slinked
into his office muttering, "At least they're working."
Jimmy turned to Sarah mischievously and said, "The first lesson
in Journalism 101 -- accuracy, accuracy, accuracy. Never assume
that everyone understands exactly what you mean."
Lois, Clark and Sarah laughed.
When the novelty of Jimmy's joke wore off, Sarah looked around
and asked, "Where's your desk?"
"Oh, we were just getting to that." He continued through the
maze of desks and finally stopped in front of a slightly
cluttered cubicle. "This," Jimmy said, "is my desk." He
pulled his chair out for Sarah, who sat down and slid closer to
the desk. She examined the message notes, photos and other knick-
knacks on Jimmy's desk. Superman figurines, a G.I. Joe, a cup of
pens and pencils, a pager and a small cactus. But the main pieces
were an autographed postcard of Melissa Lockhart, the star of
"Sally McNeill," and a photo of Jimmy with Perry on a fishing
trip.
She looked up. "No pictures of any women?" She seemed almost
disappointed.
Jimmy was surprised, but he tried to hide it. "Uh, well ..." He
looked into Sarah's hazel eyes and couldn't bear to lie to her.
"There hasn't ... really ... been anyone, um, special lately."
Jimmy breathed a sigh of relief.
Sarah shrugged and smiled. "I've been waiting three days to ask
you that question."
Jimmy grinned. "Really? Huh." He kept his eyes on Sarah, but
his ringing telephone interrupted the moment.
"James Olsen," he said on the phone. "Cat! Cat Grant?"
Jimmy's grin grew wider as he realized the former socialite of
Metropolis was actually calling his line.
"What's up?" he asked.
"Jimmy," Cat purred. "Remember when I was there last week, and
you were talking about some IOC thing --"
"IRC," Jimmy corrected.
"Yeah, whatever. Anyway, it was about that show on TLN --
'Sally McNeill,' right? "
"Yeah," Jimmy said. "Why do you ask?"
Cat lowered her voice as if she didn't want anyone but Jimmy to
hear her. "You heard about the 'accident' on the set the other
day?"
Jimmy's curiosity piqued. "Yeah ..."
Cat let out a breath. "What did you hear?" she asked
carefully.
"Breezeway said that someone had told her that a prop gun had
been mistakenly loaded with real bullets, and that a stunt guy
was accidentally shot in the knee," Jimmy said, his face taking
on a concerned expression. "What's going on, Cat?"
"My show got a call from their public relations agent. I'm
guessing they want to gloss this incident over with some exciting
hype. I'm about to call Perry and suggest that you come out and
join me. I have a funny feeling about it. Besides, they're about
to shoot the season finale -- it's a movie of the week airing in
June."
Jimmy broke out in a wide grin. "Are you serious? I would love
to! I'll transfer you to him right now." Jimmy hit a button on
the phone.
Sarah looked at him expectantly. "Well? What was that? Who's
Cat Grant?"
"Oh, she used to work for the Planet, a long time ago," Jimmy
explained. "She just started working for 'Access
Entertainment,' that magazine show that comes on TLN every
night. Anyway, she said there's something going on at the
'Sally' set, and she wants me to see them shoot the finale!"
"You are so lucky!" Sarah exclaimed. "I would love to get on
that set! For my thesis project, I mean," she added.
Jimmy's eyes lit up. "Hey, if Perry green-lights this
assignment, maybe you can come too! I'm sure Cat wouldn't mind,
if I asked her first. I mean, you *will* be going back to
California soon."
"Does this mean you'll be booking a flight back with me?"
Sarah asked with a wide grin.
Jimmy's response was an equally wide grin.
***
Stuck at her desk, Lois watched as Jimmy and Sarah excitedly
dashed into Perry's office and then noticed Clark making his way
toward her from the restroom. He sometimes flew out in and out of
the window in there, and today he had used it to rush to a
mugging nearby. Lois went over her follow-up story on Mindy
Church, adding some quotes from her recent phone call with
Inspector Henderson.
"How are you, Lois?" Clark asked.
Lois shrugged. "I hate sitting here," she said. "I mean, I'm
excited about the baby and everything, but look at that." She
gestured toward Jimmy and Sarah, who were talking to Perry
animatedly. She wondered why they were so worked up. "Three
months ago, I would have rushed into Perry's office just like
that, ranting and raving, probably about a similar story. I'm
just so *restless,* Clark. I'm having a baby -- way excited
about that -- but I miss doing my job the way I used to -- way
excited to get *back* to that." She paused. "Is there something
wrong with me?" She looked up at her husband with an expectant
look on her face.
And Clark smiled. "Lois," he said.
Lois' expression didn't change. "Yes, Clark?"
He kneeled so they were face to face. "Breathe, sweetheart."
Lois took a deep breath, but before she could say anything more
her telephone rang. She stared at it for a moment before picking
it up. Clark went back to his desk and checked his messages.
"Lois Lane," Lois said into the phone.
"Lois," a male voice mumbled. There was some chewing and a
gulping sound. "It's Bobby here. Got a minute?"
Lois was intrigued. It was a rare day when Bobby Bigmouth called.
Usually she had to pry him out from the woodwork with bribes of
something edible.
"Sure," Lois said, picking up a pad. Her pencil was poised.
"Nah, I mean, are you gonna be at the office for awhile?" he
asked. Lois heard him take another bite of whatever he was
eating. "Word on the street is you sprained your ankle a couple
days ago, and I thought I'd drop by."
Lois was shocked at the way Bobby could get information so
quickly -- and so accurately. "Sure," she repeated, placing her
pencil back on the desk. "I'll be here all day."
"Great," Bobby said. "I'm downstairs on the street. The
sandwiches at this deli are getting much better. You should try
it."
"OK, Bobby," Lois said. "I'll see you."
"Bobby Bigmouth is calling you?" Clark said in disbelief from
across the room.
Lois shrugged. "I know -- it's amazing," she said.
The elevator bell and the scent of pastrami signaled Bobby's
arrival.
"Lois!" he said, smiling and bending down to peck Lois on the
cheek. "You look radiant. I brought you a pastrami sandwich. I
just had three of 'em -- they're delicious." He saw Clark.
"Clarkie-boy! You guys both look great -- the expectant little
parents."
"Bobby --" Lois began.
"I know," Bobby said, lowering his voice. His tone turned
serious. "This is highly unusual, my coming out here to see you
instead of having you come to me with all the food and stuff. But
I've heard a couple of things that you might want to know. You
two are the only people that can figure this out."
Lois leaned closer toward Bobby, intrigued. Clark propitiously
brought two chairs for Bobby and himself.
"What's up?" Clark asked eagerly.
Bobby's gaze wandered from Clark to Lois, and back to Clark. "I
have reason to believe that a supposed 'big-wig company' is
sabotaging TLN."
"The television station?" Clark said. "Why would anyone want
to mess with a TV station?"
Bobby shrugged. "If you've got viewers, you control what people
think and believe," he said. "TV's easy. Almost everyone's
got one, and if they're watching you, you've got it made. They
buy the margarine advertised on your station, and they all go to
coffee shops just like the one the main characters go to. It's
all about money."
"Bobby's right," Lois said. "What else do you know?"
"Well," he said. Lois could see he was starting to get nervous.
He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out what looked like
another pastrami sandwich. "The supposed company has some
criminal ties, *and* they're bringing back some 'ghosts from
the past.' Lois, I don't know what that 'ghost from the past'
comment is supposed to mean, but that's exactly how I heard
it."
"Heard it from where?" Lois prompted.
"You know I can't tell you that," Bobby insisted. "Just ...
I'm just telling you to look into things. Things may not be what
they seem."
"Intergang," Clark said out of the blue. He had been staring
off into nowhere, lost in thought. "Do you think it's
Intergang?"
Lois looked at Clark. "But Intergang is dismantled. We caught
Mindy Church."
"Things might not be what they seem," Bobby reminded her.
Lois thought hard. "OK," she said. "Suppose it is *still*
Intergang. What would they do to sabotage TLN?"
"Lois, Clark!" Perry called as he walked out of his office.
Jimmy and Sarah were at his heels.
"Lois, I gotta go," Bobby said. "I'll be at the Tenth Street
Taco Bell if you need me." Lois looked at his quizzically. Bobby
shrugged. "They have good Gorditas, OK? I'll see ya both
later." He waved to Clark as he walked away, still munching on
his pastrami sandwich.
"I'm sending Olsen here to California for a little while,"
Perry announced to Lois and Clark. "He's going with Sarah and
Cat Grant to check out that show. What's it called? 'Ally
McBeal'?"
"'Sally McNeill,'" Jimmy corrected. "We get to go to the TLN
studios and everything!" he explained to Lois and Clark.
"Wait, TLN?" Clark said. "What's going on at that set?"
"My guess is they're trying to put a spin on the accident that
happened last week," Sarah said. Perry looked at her
questioningly. "I'm doing my master thesis on television and
its effects on the viewers," she explained.
"What accident last week?" Lois asked, frowning.
"Stunt person got capped in the knee," Jimmy explained. "A
stunt gun was loaded with real bullets. And Cat did say she had a
funny feeling about the PR person calling her."
"Ooh, I want to go, Chief," Lois pleaded. "I just got some
information that there's some shady dealings going on at TLN
--"
"Lois!" Clark and Perry exclaimed in unison.
Lois looked innocent. "What?"
"There's a baby coming," Clark reminded her. "Stay close to
Metropolis so you can have the baby with the doctors you trust,
not some strangers." He turned to Perry. "I'll go by
myself."
"No!" It was Lois' turn to protest. "I want you to be here."
She quieted down. "If I have to stay, my husband stays with
me."
"*Jimmy* will go," Perry said definitively.
"And Sarah will be with me," Jimmy added. "She lives in Los
Angeles, and she's leaving in two days anyway. We'll go check
out what's going on at the set, and Lois, we can touch bases
about that shady-dealings thing you were talking about."
Lois rolled her eyes. She hoped this would be the last time she
would be out of the loop.
***
The limousine stopped outside of the towering LBS building. LBS
was a television network founded by Lex Luthor in 1979; series
like "Murphy Green" and "Houston" were quick to become hits
and raise LBS to number one in the Neilsen television ratings.
However, in recent years LBS's audience had begun to fade.
Bill and Mrs. Cox exited the car and went into the building,
where they headed for the "special elevator" that was the only
way to reach the 27th floor.
"Nice place here," Bill noted, while surveying the
brass-trimmed elevator. "I've gotta know though, why a TV
station? Aren't there faster ways to make money?"
"I wouldn't comment on that if I were you," Mrs. Cox said
curtly. "Intergang needs a front. Need I remind you that *your*
brilliant idea for a front was a *thrift store*? How good is
that?"
Bill was silenced by that comment. They finally exited, and went
to the boardroom where they met their co-conspirator.
"Mrs. Wagner!" a woman said, leading them into a empty
boardroom. "Come in!"
"Thank you, Ms. Sesrat," Mrs. Cox said, giving Bill "the
look" to remember that here, Dominique Cox was "Max Wagner."
"Bill Church Jr., Amy Sesrat ... Amy is the CEO of LBS ..."
"Pleasure to meet you," Bill said, extending his hand and
admiring Amy's good looks. She was a stunning brunette, with
natural red highlights glimmering in the late afternoon sun that
streamed through the plate-glass windows. She was dressed for
business in a silk pantsuit, but she still exuded sex appeal.
The three sat down and began discussing the problems with LBS's
Monday night lineup. The lineup had defeated every other show in
the ratings until rival TLN, a newer network, premiered a new
show called "Sally McNeill." In the five months since "Sally"
hit the air, LBS's ratings had plummeted ... and the "crown
jewel" of the LBS lineup, Monday evenings, was destroyed.
In the middle of the conversation, Mrs. Cox heard the sound of
her cellular phone ringing, almost as if she was expecting it.
"Please excuse me," she said, before exiting the room. "Mr.
Church can finish this meeting in my stead." She then left the
room.
"So what do you propose we do about this disaster?" Amy said
after Mrs. Cox left the room.
"Actually, now that you asked, I have a plan," Bill spoke up.
Amy's luminous hazel eyes focused on his brown ones. "Sure,
'Sally' is a problem. But we have made plans to take care of
that little problem. And I think you know what I'm talking
about," Bill said vaguely.
Amy searched Bill's face for an indication of what he meant. As
she realized what he was thinking, her eyes grew wide.
"Murder?" she asked, horrified.
Bill shook his head. "No, no, no," he said. "You're jumping
to conclusions, Ms. Sesrat. We're not killing them; we're just
... scaring them a little. A gunshot here, a little death threat
there ... and I have just the way to do it." Bill went to the
corner of the room to an intercom. "Beverly Ann, please let Mr.
Kanisky in."
Kanisky entered from a different door than the one from which
Mrs. Cox had exited. "Amy Sesrat, meet Stanley Kanisky."
"Call me Stan," the man said. He was a sturdy man in his
forties, with premature gray hair and horn-rimmed glasses.
"Stan is the head props guy at 'Sally.' I am paying him, out
of my own pocket, to carry out this plan. Clever, huh?" Bill
grinned.
"Does Mrs. Wagner know about this?" Amy asked.
"What she doesn't know, won't hurt her," Bill said.
"Besides, if this 'Sally' thing continues, *all* of us could
be looking for new jobs ... or we could be out of a serious
boatload of money. So does anyone object?"
Neither Amy nor Stan spoke up. Bill laughed evilly.
***
The cab driver dropped Jimmy and Sarah off at a posh condonimuim
in the hills. A courtyard surrounded by apartments was
accentuated by shrubbery, and Jimmy consulted the directions Cat
had faxed to the Daily Planet the day before.
"She's in unit 1203," Jimmy said, looking up at the group of
mailboxes in front of the courtyard. "This is the right
courtyard."
They found Cat's front door easily. Jimmy rang the doorbell as
Sarah admired a potted plant on the Spanish-tiled porch.
"This is a nice set-up," Sarah commented.
Jimmy nodded in agreement.
The door was opened by a blond-haired man with boyish features.
He was wearing a T-shirt and boxer shorts.
Jimmy looked up in surprise. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm looking for
Catherine Grant's apartment --"
"Oh, Andy, are they here?" Cat Grant's voice called out. She
appeared behind the man.
"Oh, Cat," Jimmy said in relief. Jimmy was surprised to see
Catherine Grant wearing baggy cotton pants and a loose blouse
with beach slippers. Her auburn hair was pulled up in a high
ponytail with a satin ribbon, and her face was scrubbed clean
except for some shiny lip gloss. Jimmy had been expecting to see
the Cat Grant he had seen at the Daily Planet -- revealing, tight
clothing, high heels, and polished makeup. He brushed the thought
away and continued to speak. "I -- I thought we got the wrong
apartment. This is Sarah Goodwin."
"Hello," Cat said, shaking Sarah's hand with a smile. "Nice
to meet you."
"Likewise," Sarah said, smiling back.
"Jimmy and Sarah, this is my ... house guest," Cat said.
"Andrew Moffett."
Andrew shook their hands and retreated up the stairs. "I'll be
in the bedroom," he said.
"We can go into the den," Cat said, gesturing for Sarah and
Jimmy to follow her.
The house was decorated with white wicker furniture and pastel
prints. Even the mirror hanging above the couch had a wicker
frame. The house was bright with skylights everywhere, and the
floors were hard wood and polished to a shine. Jimmy and Sarah
followed Cat through the airy, high-ceilinged living room into a
large alcove.
"This is a great house, Miss Grant," Sarah said
appreciatively.
"Oh, thanks," Cat said. "And call me Cat. Actually, I'm
borrowing it from an actress friend until I get my own place.
She's on location in Chicago."
Cat sat down at the large desk and motioned for Sarah and Jimmy
to sit in the chairs facing her. She pulled out a file from the
bottom desk drawer.
"Here's the research I got on 'Sally McNeill,'" Cat said,
pushing it toward Jimmy. "I'm thinking I might be a little
presumptuous, but after watching Lois and Clark with the
investigative work at the Planet, this set some bells ringing in
my head."
Jimmy and Sarah's heads were bowed together as they skimmed the
reports. The show's public relations thought it would be a good
idea to have an entertainment magazine cover some exclusive
scenes from the show's movie.
"'Access Entertainment' is there to quell the rumors," Sarah
said as she sat back in her chair.
"Exactly what kind of rumors have been circulating?" Cat asked
with an eyebrow raised.
Jimmy and Sarah exchanged a look. "Well, it's all *rumor*,"
Jimmy said. "And it's from the Internet, which means people are
hesitant to believe it. Fans have been saying there's something
fishy going on at the set."
"Fishy like?" Cat prompted.
"Well, first it was scripts disappearing," Sarah broke in.
"Not just copies of scripts, but like *master copies.* Then last
week, someone told the press and the Internet newsgroup that
someone had been shot in the knee with a prop gun." Sarah
shrugged. "We just thought it was bad luck, or you know, a
little bad press leaked to generate some heat about the show."
"It looks like the PR people don't like it," Cat said. "They
didn't generate any of these leaks, because I'm going there to
squelch them." She opened a pocket organizer and flipped through
it. "You two are coming with me tomorrow." She looked at Sarah
and then at Jimmy and her eyes narrowed. "Jimmy, do you know how
to work a television camera?"
"Sure," he said. "I may need to brush up a little bit, but I
can handle it."
Cat turned to Sarah. "You can be my production intern," Cat
told her. "You'll be helping Jimmy and me."
Cat stood up. "I'll meet you two here tomorrow morning at six
sharp. 'Sally' production starts at eight."
***
Jimmy drove the "Access Entertainment" van past the security
guard at the TLN, hardly able to contain his excitement.
"Oh my gosh, there's the set for 'Six of One'!" he said,
pointing it out to Sarah, who sat in the shotgun seat. "You
know, the show where all the friends hang out in a coffee shop!"
Sarah leaned over eagerly to peek at the entrance, where actors
and actresses were outside, standing around. Cat, sitting in the
back and applying lipstick, rolled her eyes.
"Ooh, there's Paolo Montalban!" Sarah said excitedly. "He is
so cute."
"He's got a girlfriend," Cat said, apparently bored. "Some
college student in San Diego. And you guys better calm down by
the time we get to the set. You guys have to be act like you're
used to all this."
Jimmy and Sarah settled down a little bit, and Jimmy followed the
signs to the soundstage.
Cat looked at her watch: It was 7:45. "Good, we're a little
early. We're supposed to check in with --" she consulted her
notes "-- Edna Garrett. That's the public relations person who
set this all up."
A red-haired woman in her fifties approached Sarah's side of the
van. "Are you the folks from 'Access Entertainment'?"
Sarah smiled. "Yes, I'm Sarah Goodwin, Miss Grant's production
assistant. This is James Olsen, the camera operator."
"Wonderful," the woman said. She had a friendly smile and an
easy manner. "I'm Edna Garrett. Everyone around here calls me
Mrs. Garrett; I got that nickname because long ago I was Joe
Polnaczek's nanny, and he's called me that for years. But
anyway, I'll be showing you around the set today."
"Nice to meet you," Sarah said, smiling back.
"Where should we park?" Jimmy asked.
Mrs. Garrett pointed. "Right over there is fine."
As soon as Jimmy had parked and Sarah had helped him with the
hand-held camera, the four ventured into the soundstage.
Mrs. Garrett led the way, introducing Cat to crew members and
extras as they walked through the soundstage.
"That's Alex and Jennifer," Mrs. Garrett said, pointing to two
people standing on scaffolding. "They do lighting ... and over
there is Penelope Brewster -- she's in charge of lighting." A
dark-haired woman standing nearby waved. Mrs. Garrett continued.
"There's Ricky and Alfonso -- Ricky is the assistant director
for this particular episode, and Alfonso is the choreographer."
Mrs. Garrett lowered her voice. "Apparently Melissa and Bellaire
-- that's Sally McNeill and her roommate -- are going to be
doing some dancing in this episode," she confided. Sarah's and
Jimmy's eyes grew wide as they stared at each other, in awe at
being let in on the show's secret season finale.
They reached the back of the soundstage, where mirrors were set
up and people milled around. Some seemed to be actors and extras,
who were flocked by wardrobe and makeup people, and others seemed
to be in charge, holding scripts and barking orders.
"Now at most shows, the actors get made up in their trailers,"
Mrs. Garrett explained. "But we have a co-op style makeup table
here." She stopped to let Cat, Jimmy and Sarah observe.
"Oh my gosh, there's Melissa Lockhart!" Sarah said in an
excited whisper, poking Jimmy in the side. She pointed to a
petite woman sitting in a chair, having her makeup done by a
young black woman. "And Joe Polnaczek!" She was referring to
the slightly wacky man who played Sally's boss, Richard Trout,
who was standing near Melissa. He was being fitted for his sport
coat.
"Hey!" Jimmy yelped. "I'm holding a camera here!" But it was
obvious that he, too, was overwhelmed at seeing the stars he
watched every Monday evening, no matter what.
"Sorry," Sarah said, calming down.
"That woman doing Melissa's makeup," Mrs. Garrett said. "Her
name is Dorothy Ramsey. She and Melissa are very good friends.
You should probably interview her." Cat scribbled a note in on
the pad she was carrying, making sure she caught everything.
As the four of them passed, the actors and the makeup artist were
laughing and talking animatedly.
"I hear the episode we're filming is going to be big," Dorothy
Ramsey said to Joe and Melissa as she carefully applied blush to
Melissa's cheek. "Lots of guests: Nell Carter, Michael Landes
-- you might remember him from 'Union Square' --and that kid
from 'Dawson's Creek' with the goofy eyes, so we can get the
teeny-bopper viewers."
"Oh, great," Melissa said, rolling her eyes. She flipped
through the script in her lap. "Well, look at it on the bright
side -- at least Eugenie didn't write this one."
Joe, Dorothy and Melissa giggled at the private joke. Despite
having to work long days, the three of them shared a bond.
"Dorothy, have you heard how Natalie is doing?" Melissa asked,
referring to the crewmember who was accidentally shot in the
knee.
"Nat's going to be all right, and returning to work in about
two weeks," Joe said. "They got a temporary stunt person to
take over while she recuperates. Don't you read your memos?"
Melissa shrugged. "Well, I just got this script last night. And
I'd rather worry about my *lines*. Are Sue Ann and Nancy in this
one?"
"No," Joe answered, "but Cindy and Molly are."
"OK, good," Melissa said. As the three of them continued
talking, Jimmy, Sarah, and Cat followed Mrs. Garrett. Jimmy
looked as if he was going to burst with excitement.
Sarah gave Jimmy a dirty look, and Jimmy pretended a serious
expression as the three of them passed Melissa. After passing a
corner, Jimmy got excited and burst into laughter! "That was
Sally! I mean, Melissa! We were four feet away! Wow wow wow.
Breezeway is *not* gonna believe this!"
Cat and Sarah looked at Jimmy, and then looked at each other and
shook their heads.
***
Lois banged her crutch on the floor as she sat down at the dining
room table for dinner. "I *love* going undercover!" she
announced, her lower lip sticking out.
She watched Clark as he pulled a pan out of the oven. "I think
that was one of the first things I learned about you," her
husband said. "Let's see: the Lexor Hotel, the Metro Club and
your debut as a lounge singer, the Metropolis Men's Club ..."
Clark trailed off, as if to prove a point.
Lois sniffed the air and smiled, leaning over slightly to peek at
the pan Clark had pulled out of the oven. "What are we having?"
she asked excitedly, switching from pouty to eager.
"Lasagna," Clark announced. "And garlic bread."
"Ooh, yum," Lois said, practically drooling. As Clark placed a
generous slice of the pasta on her plate, Lois reverted to the
original topic. "Anyway, I was in the middle of saying I wished
we were in California."
Clark sighed. "Lois, I wasn't the one who sprained my foot.
And, might I add, you're eight months pregnant."
"Well, you *can't* sprain your foot," Lois reminded him,
slightly envious. "And I still wish I could have gone to
California again. What a great opportunity. The corruption behind
a television show -- the effects of Hollywood on ordinary people.
That would make for a great feature." She stared disdainfully at
her foot, which was resting on a chair. "And 'Sally McNeill.'
Great show." Lois took her first heavenly bite and indulged.
Clark was a great cook.
But Clark frowned as he took a bite of lasagna. "I never
understood the appeal of that show," he said. "Too ... I don't
know. I don't like it."
"It's not like anyone's watching ABC," Lois pointed out. "I
can't believe that movie you made me watch the other week -- the
one with David Schwimmer and all the nobodies. Oh, and that woman
from the breast episode of 'Seinfeld.'"
"I love that actress," Clark said with an injured smile.
Lois loved to tease him. "I know you do," she said, smiling
back apologetically. "But I wanted to go undercover."
Lois never ceased to amaze Clark with her roundabout discussions
and her babbling, her strange but usually logical thinking. Clark
grinned and realized how much he enjoyed these "normal" dinners
with his wife.
***
Cat, Sarah, and Jimmy sat next to the director's chair, watching
as Melissa Lockhart and Joe Polnaczek flubbed a scene.
"So what we need to find is Ex Johnson's rex-wife ... uh, Rex
Johnson's ex wife," Joe said, stumbling over his lines. Both
started to laugh.
"Let's try that again." Melissa grinned at the cameraman.
The feeling on the set was one of humor; in every direction that
Sarah looked, people were smiling ... except for one. A man
standing by the fake door to the "co-ed bathroom" seemed to
have no reaction, as if something else was in his mind. He was
wearing horn-rimmed glasses and had premature gray hair. Sarah
noticed he kept reaching into a jacket pocket as if he was
preparing something inside.
She turned around to tell Jimmy what she was seeing. "Jimmy,"
she whispered, tugging on his shirt.
"Sarah!" he admonished in a low voice, brushing her hand away.
He was engrossed in the filming.
Sarah looked back toward the facade again, but the man was gone.
"What?" Jimmy said, finally turning to Sarah as the actors took
a break. Crew members hurried around and past them, changing the
set.
"I saw a guy. He looked kind of strange," Sarah said. She
looked toward the unisex restroom facade. "He was just there
..." she said, disappointed.
"Wait ..." Cat whispered, pointing. "Is that him?" Her hand
was in the general direction of Kanisky, who was heading off the
set toward the refreshments table.
"Hmm ..." Sarah started walking after Kanisky, trying to get a
better look.
"Sarah -- wait!" Cat said. She rushed after Sarah, with Jimmy
hot on her heels.
"I'm going, too!" Jimmy called.
The three walked slowly out of the set. They saw the man pouring
what looked like a vile liquid in a pitcher of iced tea.
"OK, we've got to tell someone," Cat whispered. She felt
something poking her in the back.
"You're not telling anyone," whispered another man. He nudged
a gun in Cat's back. "Come with me; we're going for a ride."
He called to the bespectacled man. "Hey Kanisky! Look what
we've got here."
Kanisky looked up and realized what was happening. He walked over
quickly, took Sarah roughly by the arm and said, "Let's go ...
say anything, and die."
***
Lois lazily pushed the keys on her computer, running her hands
over her hair. It was warm in the newsroom,the overhead fans
turned idly, and the windows were just being opened. Clark had
rushed out a few moments earlier to stop a brush fire just
outside city limits, and everyone else was busy on their own
assignments, so Lois was left to herself and her computer. She
lifted her hair off her neck, letting the slight breeze of the
fan brush over her slighly damp neck. Lois let her hair fall to
her shoulders again, letting her hand fall automatically to the
keyboard.
The database she had been scrutinizing didn't seem to have any
information Lois could use. She decided to give up and switched
to another database when something caught her eye. She got an
idea, but she would need help getting downstairs to the
"morgue," also known as the Daily Planet's library and
archives.
Lois punched Perry's extension on her phone, cradling the
receiver in her ear.
"Perry White," the editor said roughly.
"Perry, it's Lois," she said. "Can I get someone's help to
go down to the morgue?"
Lois looked toward Perry's office. The editor was looking back
at her. "Sure," he said. "Where's that husband of yours?"
"We got a call from the fire department," Lois said. "He heard
about some fire right outside town, and he went to report on
it."
"That's my boy," Perry said. "I'll take you down there
myself. I need to get up for a little while anyway."
Perry hung up the phone and walked to Lois, picking up her
notepad and notes. She picked up her crutches and they headed for
the elevator.
The morgue was a misnomer for the newspaper's library. It was
not dank, musty or tomb-like, as its nickname suggested. The
morgue was brightly lighted, and there were research assistants
and interns there during office hours, as well as three or four
in-house librarians who kept tabs on all the archived editions of
the Daily Planet and the other periodicals stored there expressly
for the reporters' use.
Lois headed straight for the Periodicals section. The assistant
librarian was at the desk.
"Hi, Genevieve," Lois said.
The young woman looked up from her computer. "Ms. Lane! How are
you?"
"Fine, thank you," Lois said politely. "I'm looking for back
issues of the Church Industries company newsletter. I remembered
we had them archived here for some reason."
Genevieve's forehead wrinkled slightly as she tried to remember.
She called up a file on her computer. "You know, it says here
that we started getting a subscription in the 1970s. I can't
imagine why." Genevieve shrugged. She stood up. "I know where
they are though. You want me to show you?"
"Yes, please," Lois said gratefully.
Genevieve walked slowly toward the back of the room, making sure
Lois could keep up. "Looks like you're going to have your baby
soon," she said, making conversation.
"I'm at about eight months right now," Lois said.
"The whole Planet was really happy for you and Clark when the
news started to get out," Genevieve said. She led Lois down an
aisle lined on both sides with books. Suddenly she stopped and
knelt on the floor. "Here they are. Bottom shelf, of course.
What years do you want?"
Lois frowned, trying to gauge how far back she wanted to go.
"Let's say -- the past five years."
Genevieve smiled as she pulled out two bound volumes of
newsletters and set them on a nearby table. Lois sat. "You're
lucky. Church Industries only puts out newsletters quarterly.
Will you be OK?"
Lois nodded and said, "Thanks."
Lois started with Winter 1993, paying special attention to the
buy-outs and mergers in which Church Industries was involved.
An hour and a volume and a half later, Lois finally found what
she was looking for.
"Yes," Lois whispered to herself in triumph as she placed a
marker in the book. She stood shakily, trying to figure out how
to carry the large volume to the copier.
"Yes what?" Clark asked. He was tightening his necktie. "Perry
told me you were down here."
Lois sat back down. "Perfect timing," she said. She opened the
book to show Clark the Fall 1995 newsletter. "I got an idea to
check the mergers and buy- outs Church was involved in." She
pointed to a small blurb. "They have twenty-five percent
holdings in LBS, and someone named Max Wagner has sixty
percent." Lois shrugged.
Clark's eyes widened. "Do you think they would sink this
low?"
Lois shrugged. "What do you think?"
Clark didn't say anything for a moment. Frowning, suddenly he
glanced at his watch. "Has Jimmy called or paged you in the last
hour or so?"
"No," Lois said, glancing at her own watch. "It's almost
five. He was supposed to call at one o'clock, his time." She
shrugged it off. "He's probably having too much fun with Sarah.
You think there's anything going on between those two?" she
asked Clark with a teasing smile.
"Lois, that's none of our business," he said, admonishing
her.
Lois gave him a cynical look. "You're joking," she said. "I
was just speculating. People talked about *us* all the time,
right before ... well, you know, right before we started going
out."
"They did?"
Lois rolled her eyes and whispered, "This, coming from Mr.
Super-Vision and Mr. Super-Hearing."
Clark changeed the subject. "So what did you hear from Jimmy the
last time you talked to him?"
Lois sighed and leaned back. "Oh, the usual. He called this
morning after Cat interviewed the stars on the show. He and Sarah
are completely star- struck. It's kind of cute actually."
"Well, we should check up on them in a little while," Clark
said, slightly worried. "In the meantime, will you be needing
help getting back upstairs?"
Lois smiled. "That would be nice," she said. "And can you
photocopy these for me? Please?" she added.
"I like it when you admit you can't do everything yourself,"
Clark said as he picked up the book and helped Lois to her feet.
"Sometimes I actually feel needed."
***
Kanisky pulled the limousine into a gated property somewhere in
the hills of Los Angeles. The other man, whom Kanisky called
Simpson, pointed a gun at Jimmy, Sarah and Cat. Jimmy estimated
the drive to have lasted about a half- hour, but he couldn't be
sure. He couldn't even look at his watch, as the man looked at
them menacingly every time one of them tried to move.
"Where are we?" Cat whispered to Sarah.
Before Sarah could reply, Simpson thrust his gun into Cat's
face. "No talking," he threatened.
Cat clamped her mouth closed.
Kanisky and Simpson led them into a beautiful, spacious
Spanish-style house. The property was surrounded by high stone
walls. The lawns were freshly cut, and there was an ornate
fountain in the middle of the circular driveway.
"Whoever owns this place," Sarah whispered to Jimmy as they
walked into the house, "has a lot of money. It's massive!"
Jimmy nodded, too scared to speak. He looked around. The house
was airy and wide -- larger than it looked from the outside --
but it was empty. There was no furniture, and the walls were
bare. The floors were clean, and there was a ladder in the middle
of the foyer. The sounds of their shoes echoed in the emptiness
of the room.
The threesome was led into a bedroom. The floors were carpeted,
and painting materials had been carelessly left in the corner.
"There's rope over there," Kanisky instructed Simpson,
pointing to a corner. "Tie them up." Simpson busily began to
tie Cat, Jimmy and Sarah with the ropes as Kanisky kept his gun
trained on them. The three captives sat in the middle of the
room, helpless. Simpson left without saying a word.
"Excuse me," Kanisky told them, "but I have a phone call to
make." He pulled his cellular phone out, went into the next
room, and began talking.
"Mr. Church? Kanisky. I found a reporter from the Daily Planet
and someone from some Hollywood entertainment show snooping
around on the 'Sally' set, and I almost got caught ... I
thought you said I wasn't going to get caught, Bill; this was
supposed to be fool-proof. What do I did with them? I've got
them here with me ... Three of 'em; Ralphie was helping me ...
yeah, Ralph Simpson ... Like I said, three of 'em; the Planet
guy brought his girlfriend ..."
Sarah listened carefully, her eyes widening at Kanisky's words.
"You heard me right," Kanisky continued. "One more person
comes close to figuring me out, I'm gone. Tell Sesrat to find
someone else -- I'm history. I don't *care* if you guys will
pay me more money; what good is it if I can't spend it? Yes, I
*will* get more ... Polnaczek won't stand a chance. OK, anyhow,
I'd better get back to these three ... What do you suggest I do
with 'em? ... Heh, that's *good*, Billy-boy! Can't believe I
hadn't thought of that." He switched the phone off.
While Kanisky was talking on the phone, Jimmy looked down and
backward toward his rear end, to get Sarah's reaction. "Reach
into it," Jimmy whispered to Sarah, whose hands, while tied,
were still close enough to reach Jimmy's back pocket.
"Eww!" Sarah whispered back vehemently. "Jimmy, this is *not*
the time to --"
"Sarah, there's a pager in there," he interrupted urgently.
"Only it's not really a pager. Hit the button at the top,"
Jimmy whispered.
Sarah squirmed and got into the pocket and hit the button. No
sounds, no bells, whistles or lights.
"What now?" Sarah asked.
"You'll see," Jimmy promised.
***
"Bill Church Jr. is out! I should have known!" Lois said.
"We've got to find him, Clark, and bring him in."
"Okay, I'll go look --" Clark said, before getting a strained
look. "Arghhh," he complained, as if he had a headache. He
grasped his head with both hands.
"What is it?" Lois asked, concerned.
"A strange ... sound ..." Clark said, squinting his eyes in
pain. "I need to find out where it's coming from. I'll be
back. I'll find Church when I come back."
Clark went out the door quickly, changed, and flew into the sky.
Once up above, Superman looked east then west. The sound seemed
to come from everywhere. Superman flew a little to the west; the
sound got louder. Farther west, it got clearer. Superman found
himself flying in the general direction of California.
The frequency became its loudest and seemed to be emanating from
an adobe- style home, which fortunately had an open window.
Superman X-rayed the house, flew in, and found Cat, Jimmy, and
Sarah tied up. The sound was almost unbearable.
"Let me get you out of that," he said. He then untied Jimmy
first, so Jimmy could help him with the others. Clark also
noticed the sound was coming from Jimmy's *pocket*! "Turn that
thing off," Superman said. "It's ... distracting."
"Hey --" Kanisky walked into the room, his gun poised. But when
he saw Superman, he turned pale and turned. Before he was halfway
out the door, he found himself in the midst of a blue blur.
Superman had tied him up.
Superman turned to his friends, who were by then untied by
Jimmy.
"I guess this is over, huh, Superman?" Jimmy asked.
Superman thought for a moment. "Not until we find Church. Did
Kanisky mention any other names?"
"Not that we heard," Sarah answered. "There was Ralph Simpson,
the guy who helped that Kanisky guy ... but he's probably long
--"
Sarah saw another blur, and the next thing she knew, Simpson was
sitting next to Kanisky, also tied up. "... Gone," she
finished. "Or not," she added with a quick shrug.
"I know how you can find Church!" Jimmy said excitedly.
"Kanisky probably called him, what 10 minutes ago? We can get
the call traced --"
"-- and I can throw in this evidence." Cat interrupted. She
held a small black box in her hand. Superman, Jimmy, and Sarah
all looked at Cat, dumbfounded.
Cat shrugged. "What kind of gossip journalist would I be without
a tape recorder in my pocket? I got the whole thing recorded. No
one's getting off this time."
"Well ..." Superman grinned, rubbing his chin. "I guess it
*is* over. But one question remains: Jimmy, what was making that
god-awful noise?"
"Oh," Jimmy said, smiling. He held up what looked like paging
device. Sarah remembered seeing it on his desk. "It's a pager
Dr. Klein help me modify. It's a variation of the Superman
signal watch I created a few years ago; you know, the one that
didn't work. I guess this one did!"
"Oh," Superman said, nodding slowly. "Just be careful with it.
Now, I guess I'll be taking you back to your homes?" Superman
turned to place each arm around Sarah and Cat, to lift them by
the waist.
Cat and Sarah seemed excited to be leaving with Superman, but
Jimmy had a different reaction. "Uh, Superman?" he said.
Superman turned around. "I was kind of wondering, I know you
have some pull with Perry. You think you could manage to swing me
a few more days out here so I can hang out with Sarah?"
Superman smiled. "I think I can work that out. You and Sarah
stay here while I bring Miss Grant home. Oh, and Jimmy ..."
"Yes?" Jimmy asked.
"Say hi to Melissa for me." Superman smiled before lifting Cat
into the air. He hid a bigger smile as he saw Jimmy put his arm
around Sarah's waist.
***
Lois, Clark and Perry walked slowly through the empty corridors
of the Hall of Justice, their heels clicking on the hard marble.
Mayor Susan Steel had called them for a private appointment.
"So," Lois said, trying to make conversation, "how are things
with Alice?"
Perry sighed. "We're OK. She's got a lot of pent-up anger,"
he said. "I didn't know how angry she was until we started
going to these sessions. Dr. Friskin is really helping us. I
mean, she's helping us so we can help ourselves."
Clark grinned. "She is a great lady," he said. "I mean,
Superman told me she was."
Lois grabbed her husband's hand as she remembered her sessions
with Dr. Friskin. Lois smiled as she realized in hindsight what
Clark -- as Superman -- must have told the doctor about her.
"Anyway," Perry continued, "I didn't realize how screwed up
my priorities were." He looked squarely at Lois. "My family
should have come first during so many times that the Daily Planet
had taken priority. Alice has been hurt for so many years. Not to
mention the boys. But Alice -- she was hurt the most."
Lois nodded slightly, considering what Perry had just said. As
always, Perry made sense. She looked down at her hand, grasping
Clark's, and placed her other hand on top of her protruding
belly. Was she scared of the child she was carrying within her?
Was that why she was so anxious to return to work? And finally,
was she being realistic in thinking everything would be exactly
the same after this child was born?
As they boarded the elevator to go the mayor's top-floor office,
Lois looked up at Clark. He knew what she was thinking. He let go
of her hand and placed his arms protectively around her
shoulders, squeezing her closer and kissing the top of her head.
Perry looked at them and smiled.
"Perry! Lois! Clark!" The mayor looked up from her desk as the
three entered her open door. Her secretary had already gone home
for the day, and she was alone in the office.
"Mayor Steel," Lois said. She shook the mayor's hand. The
mayor shook Clark's and Perry's hands as well.
"I just wanted to thank you for what you have done," the mayor
said, motioning for them to sit down. "I had to do it
personally. Especially with what you've done for the past few
weeks. We couldn't have done it without you."
"You're welcome, Mayor Steel," Clark said.
"Bill Church Jr. and Amy Sesrat have been captured," Mayor
Steel said, consulting a fax. "As well as a few other LBS
associates. But no one has any idea who this Max Wagner is."
"I tried contacting him," Lois said. "I didn't get any calls
back." She shrugged. "But it looks like Intergang really is
gone. For good." She reached over and tapped the mayor's
mahogany desk with her knuckles. "Knock on wood."
Clark chuckled. "You are so pessimistic," he commented.
"Yeah," Lois said. "But with our luck, next week we'll have
to go through it all again, and we'll find out Lex Luthor was
behind Intergang all this time."
The four shared a laugh at her joke in supposed privacy. But none
of them knew of the hidden camera that had been installed inside
the mayor's office, in the crevice of her office ceiling.
***
The receiving end of the camera's frequency was on a television
screen in a penthouse of a building in downtown Metropolis. The
tape rewound so the viewers could rewatch Lois Lane saying: "But
with our luck, next week we'll have to go through it all over
again, and we'll find out Lex Luthor was behind Intergang all
this time!"
The two viewers laughed. One, Mrs. Cox, who had escaped getting
caught, and the other, a man smoking a cigar and wearing a navy
Armani suit.
"Well said, Lois," the man intoned with a hint of sarcasm.
"But who said you need a crystal ball to predict the obvious?"
The charismatic, evil smile and the deep, articulate voice could
only belong to one person: Lex Luthor.
"I can't believe you've been behind all this for two and a
half years, and no one knew," Mrs. Cox said.
"Mindy Church did know," Lex corrected her, "but she got
sloppy. Her son-in- law, however, thought it was you. But as we
know, Lex Luthor is not one to avoid having a backup plan."
Lex picked up two champagne flutes and filled them halfway with
bubbling liquid. "Although I must admit, in some ways it has
sickened me to stay in hiding for so long. What with those
imposters claiming to be my children. And those clones -- an
interesting idea, but in the end, they each lacked my -- creative
spark."
Lex handed Mrs. Cox a glass. "A toast, Mrs. Cox. To the
reclamation of Metropolis by Lex Luthor!"
The two laughed, knowing it was only the beginning.
THE END
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