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Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 01:48:53 EST
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
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From:         "Lynda D. Love" <Rxiris@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: question for a fic about the 80's
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Alicia writes:
<<<I am writing a fic dealing with Lois and Clark in college, and I am
assuming
since clark was born in 1966 and lois was born in 1967, they must have been
in college in the early to mid eighties.  Since I was born in 1980, I don't
remember that decade very well.

I would really appreciate it if anyone could help me by telling me what was
popular back then, like music (was disco still in?), clothing styles, or
anything else anyone remembers.  It would really help me a lot :)>>>

As one who somehow made it through college and graduated in 1988, I might be
able to help. I figure Clark graduated from high school in 1984 and from
college in 1988. I hope these are the years you are considering.

Music: disco was *out*, but there was definitely lots of dance music. 'New
wave' music was cresting in the early 80's . In 1984, groups like The Cars,
U2, REM, Wang Chung, and Howard Jones all released popular albums. Prince's
'Purple Rain' (the movie and the soundtrack) were also very popular. Also
Bruce Springsteen's 'Born in the USA'. Somewhere in there as well were the
very popular movies/soundtracks for 'Footloose' and 'Flashdance'.
I suspect that Clark probably listened to a lot of college radio when he was
at university. I don't know about Lois.
1985: Naked Eyes, Pet Shop Boys, Katrina and the Waves, Huey Lewis and the
News
1987: U2's 'The Joshua Tree' was huge.

Clothing styles: I think preppy was on the way out, though someone else can
correct me here. Check 'Back to the Future' for clothing styles (released in
1985). Big hair was big--teased out to 'there' for both men and women,
especially women. Makeup was wild too-- bright, garish colors, both on the
face and in the hair. Michael Jackson's music was popular and he also
influenced clothing styles. And one mustn't forget *Madonna*. <g>

TV: I'm not much help here as I never had time to watch TV back then. I know
the Cosby show was huge in the early 80's. Later there was Beauty and the
Beast and Quantum Leap. Our own Zoomway is the best source for television
info.

Presidential politics: the Wendy's 'where's the beef' commercial being
turned
into a political query, the Reagan years, up to 1988 when Bush took over,
etc.

Hmm, that's all I can think of at the moment (especially without consulting
my CD collection). Hopefully this helps! I hope others remember what I can't
recall right now <g>.

Lynda

Lynda D. Love
Rxiris@aol.com
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Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 18:42:22 +0100
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
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From:         Petra Steudle <petrast@GMX.NET>
Subject:      NEW: Heartache Tonight / Intro
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Before the year 1999 comes to its end we're finally posting our second
e-mail Round Robin. Well, who knows what will happen to the list and to
our computers on the 1st January 2000 ;)
This way you'll all have it on your hard drive before the big bang <g>.

Hope you enjoy the (maybe) last story of the list for this year!

Petra
aka KiwiPit on IRC
(for the German L&C Fanfic team)
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Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 20:37:19 +0100
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
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Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
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From:         Petra Steudle <petrast@GMX.NET>
Subject:      NEW: Heartache (01/12) PG13
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TITLE: Heartache Tonight
PART: (1/12)
AUTHOR: The German L&C Fanfiction Team
CKgroupie (NKWolke@eifel-net.net), KiwiPit (petrast@gmx.net) and LittleS
(Martina.Koerber@t-online.de)
RATING: (PG13)
FEEDBACK: welcome public or private. No editing, please
SUMMARY: This is an alternate beginning of Lois & Clark. We took a
different angel and a different city. Imagine Lois & Clark would have
met at a time when both of them were already established as well-known
investigative reporters at different newspapers. Lois at the Planet in
Metropolis, Clark at the Globe in London.

On an undercover assignment they meet in London without knowing the true
identity of the other.
Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm hand to Lisa Lance and Cary
Keats!
NOTES: A big thank you to our editor and thanks to The Eagles for
writing the wonderful song "Heartache Tonight" which inspired us to
write this story.

HEARTACHE TONIGHT

Somebody's gonna hurt someone
Before the night is through
Somebody's gonna come undone
There's nothin' we can do

Everybody wants to touch somebody
If it takes all night
Everybody wants to take a little chance
And make it come out right

There's gonna be a heartache tonight

Heartache Tonight - The Eagles

<Ckgroupie>

It had been raining for hours now. Lois absently watched big raindrops
forming into long, unsymmetrical lines that searched their way on the
cool glass, meeting and crossing other lines, then finally being stopped
in their tracks by the white frame of the huge windows and dropping down
on the window-sill outside. There the rain had already built a little
puddle and it was no wonder, because it had been raining constantly
since Lois had landed in London this morning. She grimaced. The weather
here really was just as bad as its reputation.

She sighed and looked around in her room. Perry had been generous with
her budget this time. The hotel was one of the best she had ever stayed
in. She had a big, well lit room with tasteful furniture and a huge
white bathroom with a whirlpool inside. She sent a longing glance to the
kingsized bed in the middle of her room. The long flight had been tiring
and the thought of taking a nap after soaking in a hot bubble bath was
all too tempting.

But she knew from experience that the time difference was much easier to
bear if you tried to accept the other country's hours as soon as
possible. The bed and the whirlpool would just have to wait a little
while longer.

What was she going to do instead? Okay, she could take another look at
her notes about Simon her contact here in London, but to be honest, she
didn't really feel like it right now. She already could recite her notes
in her dreams, so well did she know them, after all the preparations she
had done these last weeks.

Suddenly she felt her stomach contract slightly in excitement, as she
thought about the reason why she was here. Nothing could go wrong and
Lois was determined to make this investigation a success. Anyway, she
wasn't going to meet Simon before tomorrow evening and she didn't need
to get nervous in advance. The weather was of course horrible, but
suddenly she felt the urge to go outside. Otherwise she knew she would
give into temptation and go to sleep after all. Maybe there was a nice,
warm and dry place somewhere in the neighborhood, in a café or in a
tearoom, where she would be able to get something hot to drink and where
she could take in the atmosphere of the city a little bit. Without any
more hesitation she took her purse and slid into her coat.

*****

"Clark, I need your story about the Prime Minister's speech in an hour
at the latest. Do you think that's possible?"

Clark Kent looked up from his computer when he heard the voice of his
editor next to him. "Sure, Chief," he nodded briefly and started to type
again.

The story was halfway ready anyway, it only needed a little finishing
touch. He didn't like a few phrases he had used and he wasn't satisfied
with the final sentence either. Clark loved final sentences that made
the reader think, that were suggestive and yet definite and that were
supposed to whet the reader's appetite for more. He knew it was a soft
spot with him and one his editor thought quite unnecessary and
misplaced, but he couldn't help it. He just had fun writing and even
when he wrote news he never could completely deny his poetic vein.

Bringing some good style to this story though was much more difficult
than he had expected. About half an hour later Clark finally gave up. A
Prime Minister's speech was too much of a challenge even for him, he
thought with a crooked smile. He sighed when he pressed the "send"
button on his computer to transfer the story to the chief. For months
there had been no scoop on the London Globe's front pages. He really
could use another story that had award potential and his newspaper could
as well.

<KiwiPit>

And here I was thinking that there's always something happening in
London. Clark sighed silently. Perhaps I'm working for the wrong paper,
he thought.

Those dirt diggers from the gutter press even make a story and big
scandal out of a politician doing something normal like tipping in a
restaurant or one of the Royals missing a button on his shirt.

Disgusted, he shook his head. He was more than happy to be able to work
as an investigative reporter for the London Globe, one of the world's
most respected newspapers. Nothing ever would make him succumb to write
for the yellow press. Not even these slow news weeks they'd had lately.

"Speaking of investigative reporter..." Clark murmured to himself and
entered the office of David Finch, editor-in-chief for the London Globe.

"Mr. Finch, remember I told you about this story I'm currently working
on? The new drug ring?"

A few months ago a new designer drug had come up in some clubs
throughout the city and ever since had made its way around London and
Europe's other big cities.

Like any other drug, Eagle - as it had been named - soon had its first
casualties. One of the victims had been the daughter of a good friend of
Clark. In his anger and despair Paul had asked Clark to help him.

"If there's someone who can nail those bastards who did this to my
little girl, it's you, Clark," he had said.

Even though Clark had told Paul not to expect too much of him - he
simply wasn't James Bond and couldn't do miracles either -, as a
reporter he was very interested in the story and would do anything to
bust the drug bosses.

Under the cover of a false identity Clark had slipped in the chemical
laboratory where Eagle was produced, and worked his way up to the people
who were leading the organization.

David Finch looked up from his computer screen. "Your undercover story?
Yes, you mentioned it. Though I'm still wondering how you managed to
pass off as an expert on drugs or something like that."

Clark grinned, satisfied. It always pleased him to be able to surprise
his editor. "I check the quality of the produced drugs and give my okay
to it. You only need to know some chemistry and people who ..."

"... who know people," Finch added, laughing. "I know how our business
works, Clark."

Clark nodded and continued. "Anyway, I wanted to ask if I can cut back
on my time here in the newsroom over the next three or four days. Word
is that a new and very interested customer from the States with a lot of
money in his pockets will arrive in London by tomorrow. I thought that
perhaps I can make him my ticket to the head of the organization."

"Sounds promising," Finch agreed. "So, you're going to play - what did
you call yourself? - Cary Keats once again?"

"Yes, my contact at the lab said I'll be needed during the next days to
check the latest production. I suspect that some extra pounds of Eagle
have been produced especially for the American customer and now I'm in
charge of confirming the genuine quality of the stuff."

"All right, Kent. I give you three days. After that I'll decide whether
you'll go on with the story or whether you'll drop it."

David Finch actually had little doubt that Clark would get another front
page once again. He knew, he could rely on Clark's instincts as a
reporter.

Nevertheless he would have to kill his best reporter's story if it
looked like Clark was at a dead end and very unlikely to get the story.
"And remember to report to me and to keep me updated," Finch demanded.

"Okay, chief. Well, then, I'm off for today."

*****

"Good day, my dear! I wasn't expecting you to arrive in London before
tomorrow."

Lois looked up from her coffee and gave the man who had addressed her a
slightly annoyed glance. He was in his forties, well- almost elegantly,
dressed and spoke with cultivated British accent.

"Stanley, I told you I'd call you," she hissed to the man who sat down
at her table, oblivious to her displeasure. "How'd you know I'm here
anyway? I'm not being tailed, am I?"

The last thing she needed was all of her moves in London being watched.
But how else could Stanley have found her?

"You think I'm following you? Why should I? I'm your informant, not one
of them. Believe me, it's pure coincidence that I met you," Stanley
reassured her and called for the waitress to order a cup of tea. "I had
some errands to do and saw you in here sipping your coffee."

Despite his explanation Lois wasn't quite convinced that her informant
had run into her by accident. However, Stanley Kittridge, whom Lois had
known for quite a while, had never given her any reason to mistrust him.
He was working as a driver for London's underworld and from time to time
he sold information or names to people like Lois to help them to find
the right persons to talk to and the right places to look for stories.

"Besides, Lois, here at Covent Garden nobody knows me. Your cover is not
in danger. You have to admit that it was a brilliant idea to come in and
talk to you right now. That way you can save on your phone bill."

Seeing that Lois finally accepted his explanation and relaxed, Stanley
asked her about the schedule for the first meeting with the dealer.

<LittleS>

"Have you ever heard of a club called 'Just Say So'?" she wanted to
know.

"'Just'? Oh yeah. It was famous for its variety of drinks. Well, it
still is, the drinks are fabulous, but you know how it is-- where there
are young, wealthy people, all these designer drugs follow. Of course
there is the normal crowd but by now a lot of the people you find at the
club either come to buy this shit, they consume it, or in one way or the
other have something to do with it. So be careful when you show up
there," he concluded seriously.

"I've known from the start what I'm getting into, Stanley," Lois assured
him.

He only shook his head. He wasn't too sure about it but watching her he
realized it would be pointless to say more about this issue. Well, she
was a grown-up woman and one would assume she knew what she was doing.
If she thought she was capable of handling everything it was her
problem.

As long as she leaves me out of it, he silently qualified.

Since neither of them had anything to add, Stanley rose. "I'll notify
you if anything comes up. Are you staying at the Earl's Inn as you
planned?"

Lois confirmed that but cautioned him to use her alias Lisa Lance should
he ask for her.

Stanley only rolled his eyes. Did she think he was a novice? Without
acknowledging her demand, he left the cafe.

Following his example Lois looked around for the waitress to pay the
bill. The headlines of one of the many trashy newspapers caught her
eyes.

I wanna fly like an eagle
The flight that was her last one
Latest victim of new designer drug Eagle a genius
See her grades on page 3!

How irresponsible, Lois angrily thought. How can they play it down like
that! They only make everybody curious about it!'

She was doubly glad that a friend of hers, Louie, had come to her after
he'd surprised a customer in his club in Metropolis who was about to
consume the pills. The stuff wasn't that well-known in Metropolis yet,
let alone established, probably due to the price the dealer she was
finally able to track down demanded. He had explained it was because of
the difficulties he had had bringing it out of England and to
Metropolis.

She remembered how difficult it had been to convince her boss that it
would be a good idea to get to the bottom of the drug ring, infiltrate
and expose them. Perry adamantly had denied her request, he had thought
it to be too dangerous but at last she had been successful and he had
agreed to her plan.

Without reading the article that was still lying in front of her, she
paid her bill. She detested that kind of journalism, if you could even
call it that.

Through the rain she finally made her way back to the hotel where she
wanted to give in to her tiredness and lie down. Tomorrow was going to
be an exiting day, the adventure was about to begin!

*****

Lost in thought Clark made his way to the rest rooms. It seemed as if
the new customer hadn't arrived yet, at least nobody in the organization
had asked for his assistance so far. He hoped to find out more about the
mysterious man from Metropolis tonight. That was why he was in the club.

The 'Just Say So' was exactly the right place for information like this.

The gentle breeze he made when walking by one of the more secluded
tables in the back of the bar caused a napkin lying there to flutter and
then softly float down. Out of the corner of his eye he realized it,
turned around, and stooped down to get it. Unfortunately the owner of
the napkin had the same idea and bent down at the same moment, causing
their heads to connect with a solid whack.

"Ouch," the woman exclaimed and started to rub the sore spot.

Clark rose quickly, the napkin on the floor forgotten. "Oh my God, I'm
so sorry. Did I hurt you?" he inquired, concerned.

"I'll live. And how are you?" she wanted to know. She was still holding
her hand against her forehead and so succeeded in hiding nearly every
inch of her face behind it.

"I've got a thick skull, I'm okay. But let me take a look at you," Clark

softly said. He was extremely embarrassed by his mishap and carefully
and gently tried to pry her fingers away from her forehead. He
immediately noticed the bright red spot that was showing above her brow.
"You'll get a bump! My mom used to tell me the only thing to prevent it
would be a cold kni..."
His gaze shifted from her eyebrow to her eyes and he lost
all coherent speech.

to be continued in part 2
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 20:59:30 +0100
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
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Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
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From:         Petra Steudle <petrast@GMX.NET>
Subject:      NEW: Heartache (02/12) PG13
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TITLE: Heartache Tonight
PART: (2/12)
AUTHOR: The German L&C Fanfiction Team
RATING: (PG13)

<Ckgroupie>

In front of him was the most lovely person he had ever seen. Dark, shiny
hair framed a beautiful face that was dominated by incredible big, dark
brown eyes. She looked him fully into the eyes, her own half shadowed
under fascinating long lashes and Clark saw a mixture of amusement,
anger and curiosity sparkling in them.

"God, you really have a hard head," he heard her say and he watched her
beautiful lips starting to smile hesitantly. "If I'm going to have a
bumpand start looking like Frankenstein's monster, you'll have to pay,
mister."

Clark wanted to tell her that she could never look like a monster. He
wanted to tell her that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever
seen. He wanted to ask her out, to marry him and have his children, but
no sound still staring at her. Obviously she noticed it too, because she
sent him a speculative glance.

"Are you okay?" she asked alarmed. "Maybe my head was harder than
expected?"

Clark awoke from his reverie. "No... I mean, yes, thank you," he
answered with an effort and was surprised how strangled his voice
sounded to his own ears. "I'm fine."

"Lisa Lance," the woman suddenly said and stretched out her hand. He
took it and sensed a tingle start all over his body when he felt her
warm skin under his fingers.

"Cl... uh... Cary Keats," he introduced himself. Inwardly he cursed his
cover that made it necessary to tell her a wrong name. For some reason
the story didn't seem as interesting and important to him as it had only
minutes before. Instead he knew that he just had to learn more about
this Lisa and it suddenly dawned on him that he had to do something
about it. It was now or never.

"Uh, Ms Lance," he therefore hastily asked, "may I get you something to
drink maybe? You know, as a reparation for the bump?" Oh man, Kent! he
inwardly cursed, did you ever hear a worse pick-up-line in your life?
Couldn't you you think of something more original?

To his amazement Lisa nodded, though. "Thank you, you may," she answered
with a smile.

He let her go first when they went to the bar, trying to use the short
time to bring his brain functions back under at least a little control.
It wasn't particularly helpful though that his glance caught the
breathtaking back-cleavage of that burgundy dress she was wearing. Oh
yes, she was gorgeous. All around.

Lois chose a place at the end of the counter, where you had a good view
over the whole bar and where you still were able to talk uninterrupted.

If she was honest with herself she really didn't know what she was doing
here. Why did you say yes, Lois? she asked herself, astonished. She had
no reason at all to have a drink with this stranger. What had happened?
She wanted to talk? With this Mr Keats? God, she seldom had heard a
cheaper pick-up-line than his 'may I get you something to drink?'
before! And she fell for it? That guy most certainly only wanted
something for dessert, nothing else!

She sighed and had to admit that her mind probably was right. And yet...

When she had heard her own voice almost on its own volition saying yes
to his suggestion, he had smiled and... Wow, was that smile great! It
took a great deal of control to fight down the butterflies that started
to fly in her stomach again, even when she only thought about that smile
now and she felt her knees go weak as they had done then, too. Why was
she so attracted to that man?

I only want to talk with him. Why not get some entertainment while I'm
waiting for Simon? she told herself.

Until now the evening had been boring anyway. Nobody had tried to get in
contact with her so far and more and more she was starting to get a
little uncomfortable. What if Simon's contacts to this place weren't as
good as he had wanted to make her believe? The dealer Simon O'Grady was
her only shot at getting into the Eagle scene and she had really counted
on it.

The thought of having to explain to Perry that this whole expensive trip
to London and her stay in that first-class hotel were for nothing was
not something she looked forward to and she really didn't plan on
playing out the scene that was forming out in her mind.

Well, it was still early and maybe Simon wasn't even here yet. It didn't
do any good to get nervous and the prospect of a talk with Cary Keats
got even more promising as a welcomed distraction.

He seemed to be nice and as Lois turned to him now, she also had to
admit again that he was really handsome. He was more than a few inches
taller than she and as far as she could see in his well-cut suit, his
physique was impressive. Lois let her glance trace over his profile
while he ordered their drinks. No, definitely not bad, this man. A
stubborn lock of black hair fell over his eyes and gave his face a
boyish look that got even more pronounced through when the dimples in
his cheeks appeared when he was smiling. Speaking of that smile... There
it was again and it was really astonishing. Lois felt herself smiling
back in return, when
he turned around now and handed her a glass.

"Okay, Lisa... May I call you Lisa?" he asked and continued when she
nodded, "Good. Then I drink to my head not giving you a bump on your
forehead." He winked at her and took a sip.

Lois laughed. "I really hope so. But to be honest, I don't feel anything
anymore, so I guess it's not that bad."

She placed her drink on the counter again and didn't know what to say
next. Small talk wasn't really her thing and the last time she had
talked to a stranger in a bar seemed like an eternity ago. What were you
supposed to say in such situations? Oh, yes. Location, job, hobbies.

"So, where do you come from, Cary?" she therefore asked.

<KiwiPit>

She would like nothing more than to ask him how old he was, if he was
seeing someone permanently and if he'd like to spent the next few days
and the rest of his life with her. She was completely mesmerized and
swept off her feet by this man. Never before in her life had Lois met
anyone quite like him. She instantly trusted him unconditionally and was
even willing to lay her life in his hands. If he'd ask me right now to
marry him, I'd say yes. What in the world was happening to her? Lois
didn't recognize herself anymore.

"I live here in London," she heard Cary answer her question. "And you?
You're American, aren't you?"

"How did you...? Oh, right, it's my accent, isn't it? Well, being
British you probably noticed right away."

"British? No. Actually I've been living in London for some years now but
I was brought up in the States. In Kansas. My parents have a farm."

Stunned by his own open reply Clark asked himself why he would like
nothing more than to tell this woman, who he'd only known for a few
minutes, every tiny detail of his life.

"A farm boy from Kansas? You don't look like one," Lois commented with a
slight smile. For a mere second she feared that she had insulted Cary
with her remark. But seeing the amusement in his eyes she knew that he
understood her teasing.

"You should see me wearing my favorite well-worn, plaid cotton wool
shirt, washed-out and torn blue jeans and my straw hat. Not someone a
big city girl like you would spend her time with."

Lisa answered with a delighted laugh that was music to Clark's ears and
made his knees go weak. This woman was just incredible. He would make
sure to ask her out for lunch the next day. If she would agree to it, he
would tell her the truth about himself and would explain why he had to
lie in the first place.

What am I thinking? Clark asked himself. I don't know a thing about her.
Perhaps she's married with three kids or isn't interested in men at all.
Shaking his head he dismissed that thought and returned his attention to
Lisa who was still laughing softly and looking straight in his eyes.

"And why not? We big city girls have always been attracted to the
extraordinary."

The words had hardly been spoken when Lois realized that they sounded
more or less like she was declaring her love to Cary. Looking away she
reached for her drink and took a sip to cover her embarrassment. What
must he think of me? Probably that I'm some kind of a men-hunting vamp!
But as she set her drink back on the table she felt Cary's hand brush
against hers almost accidentally.

"And I'm discovering all of a sudden that I'm very attracted to big city
girls," he murmured huskily.

Heat rushed through Lois' body, her heart was beating fast and she felt
how every fiber of her body was aching for him. She could barely refrain
from throwing herself at him and kissing him passionately. Instead she
returned his heated look and swallowed hard.

Lois, this is insane! Are you sure this is only flirting? She should
direct their conversation to a more neutral and noncommittal subject.
"Actually I... I really live in a big city. I'm from Metropolis. Have
you ever been there? Maybe on a school trip? I mean in Metropolis. I'd
really like to show you around the next time you're there. That is if
... you're coming ... and if you'd like. Maybe your girl friend ... or
boy friend? ... doesn't like me to ... what? What is it?"

Oblivious to the fact that Cary was amused by her babbling Lois only
noticed how he was grinning affectionately at her. "Do you always talk
this much?" he finally asked.

A little embarrassed she avoided his eyes and admitted, "Only when I'm
nervous."

<LittleS>

"Is that a good or a bad kind of nervous?" he wanted to know.

Lois looked at him blankly. "Excuse me?"

Now it was Clark's turn to avoid her stare. "Oh, that was... Forget what
I've asked." But Lois wouldn't leave it alone so he had to explain what
he had meant. "A good kind of nervous like 'pleasantly surprised' or a
bad kind of nervous as in 'anxiously flustered'," he explained without
looking at her.

Only now did she understand what he was getting at. The question was,
though, should she really skip it like he had suggested she should, or
should she answer honestly? A look at him absentmindedly picking apart
his napkin - Hm, he isn't wearing a wedding ring! - and the butterflies
in her stomach made the decision for her.

"Good," she softly confessed.

Instantly he lifted his head and looked at her hopefully. "Really?"

Yes, there it was again, that smile of his! She nodded and in return
gifted him with an equal smile that made him happy he was sitting,
otherwise he would have gotten weak in the knees.

For quite some time they didn't speak a word but were absorbed in each
other's gaze, until Lois broke their silence. After all, they couldn't
sit around the whole evening, looking longingly at each other like
teenagers in love. In love? She cleared her throat and hoped Cary
couldn't tell what she had just thought.

"So, since you're not working on your parents' farm, what are you doing
in London?" she asked brightly.

Clark wasn't even aware of her asking something, lost as he was in her
eyes. It was only when she lightly touched his arm and he had the
feeling as if sparks flew from the spot where she had brushed against
him that he came to. She was looking at him expectantly as if waiting
for an answer and he had to admit that he had no idea what she had asked
him.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" he asked, embarrassed. Kent, get a grip
immediately or she'll be gone faster than you can say 'wow'. She has to
think you're a complete idiot if you can't even follow a simple
conversation.

Glad that she seemed to have an equally confusing effect on him as he
did on her, she repeated her question. "I wanted to know what you're
doing here in London, far away from Kansas and farm life in general."

To be honest, that was not a subject he wanted to talk about to her. He
couldn't tell her the truth without compromising his incognito here but
the thought of lying to her didn't sit too well with him either.

"At the moment I'm working in research," he answered evasively without
elaborating. That was even true to a degree. As a journalist he was
doing research on the drug ring and chemists did research too, didn't
they?
"And you, what are you doing in Metropolis?" he asked, to turn the
conversation away from him. And without knowing he had asked exactly the
one thing that Lois equally was loath to answer.

"Oh, I'm in the entertainment business." She had to smile at the thought
of what Perry would say if he ever heard her referring to the Daily
Planet as entertainment.

"Aha, so you're here on business? Are you looking for talented
up-and-coming actors for your next blockbuster?" he joked and wriggled
his eyebrows. "Take me!" As soon as it was out of his mouth, he realized
how suggestive it sounded. He really ought to think about what he wanted
to say before he opened his mouth and let more remarks like that escape.
Lisa thankfully didn't seem to have noticed the double entendre. She
just smiled non-committally. Hurriedly he asked, "When did you arrive in
London?"

"Yesterday, and I really hope that the weather won't be as bad as now
for the rest of the week. If I should manage to have some free time to
do a little bit of sightseeing I'd love to do it dry. I don't want to
walk around in this drizzle," she lamented, gratified they had found a
different subject to talk about.

Clark had to laugh at the miserable face she was making. "Don't worry!
The reputation of London's weather is worse than the reality. In autumn
it's really as bad as they say but at this time of year it keeps
changing in a heartbeat. And believe me, some things are only worth
discovering in the mist!"

During the next hour they chatted about sights you won't find in travel
guides, life on the island opposed to the States, films they both had
seen, travels. In silent agreement they talked about everything except
work and so they felt at ease as though they had known each other
forever. Lois hadn't felt that good and laughed so much in a long time.
And Clark was simply mesmerized by Lisa. They began to flag occasionally
when they accidentally touched or their gazes locked but they never felt
uncomfortable.

They had long since forgotten why they were at the bar. They weren't
aware of their surroundings, only of themselves. Because of this they
didn't respond at first when a man appeared next to them, loudly
clearing his throat. It was only when he spoke directly to Lisa that
they became conscious of him. "Miss Lance?"

Still laughing about the story Cary had been telling her, she turned
around. The motion caused her and Cary's hands that had somehow found
each other in the last half hour to unclasp, the touch lingering. "Yes?"

"I'm Simon O'Grady. I can see that you've already made each other's
acquaintance. You don't lose time, do you?" Seeing Lisa's
uncomprehending stare he nodded in Cary's direction. "Cary Keats is the
chemist who is responsible for the purity control of the drugs. So if
we're doing business and you have complaints about the quality you'll
have to work them out with Cary. But I'm sure you'll find ways that," he
paused, grinning lewdly, "satisfy you both."

Thunderstruck, Lois sat on her stool. Everything that Simon had
mentioned after 'the chemist who is responsible for the purity control
of the drugs' was drowned by the roaring in her ears. Cary was one of
them? It felt like her world had shattered. Aghast, she looked at him
and for a moment his face appeared to show the same expression of
desperation, disappointment and pain she knew she must be wearing before
Cary once again displayed the same inscrutable mask he had put on since
Simon had approached them. She was barely able to regain her composure.

<Ckgroupie>

This wonderful man, about whom she had just thought that she had never
met anyone as nice before, was a gangster?! How could she have been so
wrong about him? Where was her instinct for people?! One second ago she
had had feelings for the man that she had never felt before, had thought
about how he... how they...

Suddenly she felt sick. "Sorry," she apologized shortly. "I'll be right
back."

She stood up and went through the bar towards the restroom. Almost as if
in a trance she found the door at the other end of the club and stood in
front of the mirror and the sink. Shaking her head she watched her pale
face in the mirror and breathed deeply. She needed a moment to regain
her composure. Only a few seconds. Then she would be able to look into
the eyes of Cary Keats again. Then she would do what she was supposed to
do here and that was bringing the drug dealers to jail. God, how she
hated that slimy liar! He had wowed her and he was nothing but a common
criminal! He wasn't worth her fighting for control of her emotions now
and he wasn't worth the heartbroken feeling she got when she thought
about sending him to jail.

Lois gritted her teeth and sent a last searching look into the mirror.
She was a pro. She was going to investigate this guy and this gang and
nobody, absolutely nobody, would know how terribly she was hurting
inside.

to be continued in part 3
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 21:19:07 +0100
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Petra Steudle <petrast@GMX.NET>
Subject:      NEW: Heartache (03/12) PG13
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

TITLE: Heartache Tonight
PART: (3/12)
AUTHOR: The German L&C Fanfiction Team
RATING: (PG13)

*****

"Miss Lance is a club-manager from Metropolis," Simon rattled on. "She
runs the business in the most exclusive clubs in the city and Eagle will
make her clubs even more popular all over the US. We, on the other hand,
hope to get an entrance in the American market in return. You know,
there's not much going on so far overseas and this Lisa obviously has a
lot of great connections."

Clark only heard half of what the dealer was telling him. His face had
been stony since Simon had approached them and he was still trying to
get over the shock he had felt when he had realized that Lisa was the
announced "client from overseas."

The woman of his dreams was a criminal! All his life he had been
dreaming of meeting a woman that would 'bowl him over.' That he would
see and know that she was 'the right one' and tonight it had happened.
He had looked into Lisa's eyes and from that second he had known: this
one or none. And now he had to find out that she was a drug pusher! He
despised drugs, he despised people that had the lives of countless
others on their conscience because of greed and profit. And Lisa was one
of them?!
How could he have been so wrong!? And why did he feel an almost
unbearable pain over the fact that he had to brush her out of his mind
*now*! He would have to despise her, too and even worse, he had to bring
her to justice.

His smile when she came back to the bar and stood next to him was
strained. He could smell her perfume and he imagined he could feel the
warmth of her skin where her arm was only an inch from his own. Her
physical nearness was as confusing as it had been a few minutes earlier,
but now it caused him pain. Interrogate her, Kent, he ordered himself.
Don't think about her. Think of the story!

He took a deep breath. "Simon says you're a club-manager in Metropolis?"
he asked absently while he looked into his glass with great interest.

"Yes," she answered. "Actually we're trying to build a few more clubs
spread over the whole country and I need some kind of attraction."

Clark nodded. "And Eagle certainly is that," he said in a flat voice.

<KiwiPit>

For a moment she looked at him silently. If it hadn't been so absurd,
she would have sworn that there was a touch of bitterness in Cary's eyes
and in his voice.

"I'm sure I can make it one," she finally replied self-confidently. What
did Cary really want from her? Had he known who she was right from the
beginning? Had he been instructed to test her genuine intentions?

But now she had other things besides Cary Keats on her mind. The next
minutes would show whether she could get a foot into the organization or
whether all her work of the last weeks - setting up her cover and
contacts - had just been a waste of time. She had to convince Simon that
she was a very interested customer who wanted to invest a lot of money
in Eagle.
If Simon had even the slightest doubt of her intentions, her story would
blow up. Not to mention what would happen to her when he realized that
she was a nosy reporter snooping around.

That was exactly why she couldn't let the emotional roller-coaster ride
her feelings for Cary were giving her distract her from doing her job.

Get your act together, Lane! Later you can philosophize on the injustice
of life but now go on and play your role. And play it well, Lois told
herself.

Simon O'Grady had led them to a table in the back of the club where they
were safe from being watched or overheard by the other guests.

"I hope you've already got acclimatized since yesterday, Miss Lance," he
began with a smug grin. "But the Earl's Inn is a very good place to feel
comfortable, isn't it?"

Giving him a cold glance Lois ignored his implications that he knew when
she had arrived in London and where she was staying. She had expected to
be checked on.

"I'm not in the mood for games, O'Grady," she replied impatiently.
"You've made me wait for you too long already. What do you have for me?"

Simon shrugged his shoulders indifferently and looked at Lois
suspiciously for a moment. "You want to show your guests how to fly with
Eagle, Miss Lance? Well, I offer you 6,000 of our little birds by the
end of the week. In return I get from you cash - 60,000 pounds sterling
or, if you like, 90,000 US dollars on delivery. Small notes, directly
from the laundry."

Hearing his proposition Lois could have shouted out for joy. O'Grady had
bought her story! But all the two men saw was how she raised her
eyebrows in mild surprise and shook her head.

"That's not what I expected," she finally said, obviously dissatisfied.
Lois didn't plan to be content with this first small success and to make
a deal now. She couldn't get a title story - let alone a Pulitzer Prize
- with an article exposing a small time drug dealer. Her goal was to get
close enough to the top of the organization to bring down the drug ring,
or at least cause some heavy damage to the distribution of Eagle.

"Okay, Lisa. Since my mate Keats here and I think that you're an
extremely attractive little woman, I offer you a fair deal - 54,000
pounds." Simon O'Grady seemed to be convinced that Lisa Lance would fall
for his generosity act and would accept his deal.

However she only looked at him unimpressed and replied with a touch of
arrogance to her voice. "O'Grady, I don't think you understand. I am not
interested in a single deal of maybe 60 to 80,000 pounds." Lois ignored
the disdainful look he gave her. "I'm not going to buy 6,000 Eagles but
3,000. That seems reasonable to me for the first month with about 10,000
guests at my club. Should Eagle become as popular as I expect it, my
second club in Metropolis will also be provided with Eagle and I will
need 7,000 pills at least. You can figure what the annual consumption
will be with three clubs in Metropolis and one in New York. And don't
forget my excellent connections to other clubs all over the country."

Lois leanded back with self-assurance. If she didn't underestimate
O'Grady's position within the organization, the deal she was proposing
was too big for him. And that would hopefully be her chance to negotiate
with the really important people.

But after O'Grady had mulled over her demand for a moment, he only
grinned with satisfaction and didn't even suggest transferring Lisa to a
more highly placed negotiator.

"That makes approximately 65,000 pounds per month. Sounds very good to
me!"

"Not to me," Lois contradicted firmly, though inside her head was
spinning.

What else could she demand to get Simon to make her talk to his boss?
She needed to kick him out of the deal. "That's another
misunderstanding, O'Grady. Under no condition will I accept your oh so
generous offer of 9 pounds per piece. Your junkies out on the streets
may pay that price but not me. Five pounds and we have a deal."

Lois knew she was risking a lot by asking for such a low price. O'Grady
could accuse her of not being serious about the deal.

"Wow, lady! Get real," he promptly replied. "We're no discount shop
that..."

"Simon," she interrupted impatiently. "If you're not qualified to make
the deal, bring me to someone who is. If not, I'm leaving town by
tomorrow morning for Miami. I'm invited to the annual Beach Party at the
"Sounds" and some of my friends from Bogota will be there as well. And
believe me, they'll be more than willing to make the deal with me. My
guests don't necessarily need Eagle to be happy."

She was hoping that this comment would cause Simon to give in as she was
running out of ideas to push him. If the organization had checked her
background, Simon was familiar with Lisa's - forged, of course - resume
and had to believe that she had been working at a club called "Sounds"
in Miami. The connection to the Colombian drug mafia she had mentioned
wasn't far fetched.

O'Grady didn't comment on her demand immediately, so Lois grabbed her
purse and prepared to leave. "Well, that's it. I'm out."

"Now wait! Sit down please." Simon sighed. "I'll see what I can do.
You'll hear from me tomorrow. But to prove that you're serious about
that deal, we want to see money. At least the amount covering the first
delivery."

Yes!! Lois congratulated herself. He took the bait! "No problem, but
before I pay anything, I want to see a sample."

O'Grady nodded and pointed at Cary Keats who had been persistently
silent during their discussion. "That's why Keats is here. Talk to him,
it's his department." He gave Lisa an invitation for the opening of a
new club the following night. "Come to the party. I'll know more by
then."

As soon as O'Grady had left their table an uncomfortable silence settled
between Cary and Lisa.

<LittleS>

Now that Simon had left her after their half hour conversation Lois
became aware of Cary's presence that much more. In view of the strain
she would have liked nothing more than to put her head on his shoulder
and lose herself in the safety of his arms but she knew that was not an
option.

How could a man who was dealing with drugs, whether he was selling or
producing them, ever give her security? Still, looking at him he
appeared to be able to. She had somehow expected that now she knew about
him she'd view him differently but even the knowledge of his criminal
activities couldn't change her perception of him. She still saw the
friendly, concerned, attentive man she had spent the evening with. Was
it possible that she could be so wrong about him?

Meanwhile Clark was going through a similar hell. He couldn't seem to
bring the woman he had laughed so lightheartedly with only minutes
before in line with the tough drug pusher he had just witnessed. He
barely was able to hide his conflicting feelings and keep an indifferent
expression. On one side he wanted to grab her shoulders, shake her and
yell at her, "How can you do something like that? Don't you know what
you're bringing on?
The lives of how many families you're destroying only to make a profit?"
On the other side he wanted to ignore everything, simply take her in his
arms, kiss her senseless and never let go of her again. Why, oh why? Why
did he have to fall in love with a criminal of the worst kind? A sigh
escaped his lips and resignedly he ran his fingers through his hair.

Lois noticed his gesture and would have liked nothing more than to match
it. Instead, she grabbed her glass and squeezed it so hard her knuckles
went white. Slowly she felt the adrenaline high she had been on while
she was talking to Simon recede.

Surprised, Clark noticed her behavior. Strange. She has absolutely no
reason to be so anxious. She has nothing to lose after all. If the deal
won't work out here she'll just turn somewhere else. She would make her
profit one way or the other. His instinct and experience told him this
was his golden opportunity to dig deeper, to find out something about
her and her business but he was so overwhelmed by the evening's events
that he decided to ignore his inner voice. He only wanted to get the
evening over and done with, go home as fast as possible, and wallow in
his misery.

"So," he said curtly, "have you figured out how you want to get the
sample, Miss Lance? I don't carry any Eagle with me, neither do I sell
it or consume it."

"A wise move, only to produce and not to take it," Lois sarcastically
remarked before she was able to hold it back. She quickly closed her
eyes and inconspicuously tried to inhale deeply, angry at herself for
her slip in character. Come on, get yourself under control, she chided.
You can't quit now, no matter how lousy you're feeling. You mustn't let
him see how much it disgusts you to talk about drugs with him. You
mustn't let him know how much you long to touch him and be touched by
him...

Desperate with the conflicting emotions he evoked in her she tried to go
on with their conversation. "So it's 'Miss Lance' again?" Questioningly
she lifted an eyebrow.

Clark didn't want to admit that he wanted to distance himself from this
side of her. Lisa was the woman he had spent the evening with. Miss
Lance was the woman who sold drugs. He would have given everything if he
hadn't had to live through the last half hour. "Lisa. You have been so
... demanding of respect that 'Miss' was an automatic response."

Not even knowing why, he grinned at her. Actually he wanted to show her
the uncaring coldness she deserved but every time he looked at her he
got this warm feeling that made him say and do the exact opposite of
what he had intended to.

Seeing his smile, against her better judgment Lois had to laugh. There
he was again, Cary, the guy she got on with so well. For a moment there
was their earlier connection but much too soon she remembered what he
had asked. She straightened up and tried to look as uncompromising as
possible to ward off any objections.

"I want to chose a random sample to make sure you're really selling what
I'm paying for. And that means I don't want to choose from a mere
handful of pills. It would be best if I could choose directly from the
source, your production center." She looked at him challengingly.

He hesitated. "Well, that's not the normal course. I'm not too sure
about..."

"What do you mean?" Lois interrupted him heatedly. He surely wouldn't
cause problems now, would he? "Simon said it would be all right." In
fact he had said nothing of the kind but she hoped Cary wouldn't realize
if she was convincing enough. "Doesn't the left hand know what the right
one is doing in your organization? You were sitting right beside him
when we talked about it. You know, if you're having these kinds of
coordination problems with all your customers I'm surprised you manage
to make money at all."

"I don't have much contact with the buyers. Usually I just supervise the
final control or join a meeting if required. The buyers normally test
the quality themselves when they hand over the money in exchange for the
pills. Anyone who would be satisfied with my say-so would be pretty
naive," he replied tersely. "I have no idea why Simon would suggest that
you should work out the details of the quality control with me."

Silently he added, Slowly but surely, though, I'm beginning to see why.
He must have been relieved to dump her on me. I'm already fed up with
her attitude. What had he been thinking, believing with her naturalness
and her humor Lisa could be the perfect woman for him? She had to be a
gifted actress considering the way she had played her part when they
first had met. In every day life she probably ate nails for breakfast.
It was time to bring their conversation to an end before he did
something stupid. He had to get out of here and fast.

"Okay, let's do it this way. I'm picking you up at the hotel and take
you to the lab." She was already starting to protest but he dismissed
her objections uncompromisingly. "I don't think it would be a smart move
career wise to tell you the lab's location and wait for you to show up
in a cab. If you don't agree, complain to Simon tomorrow evening and
work out something else with him. As long as I don't hear differently
from him it's the only thing I'm willing to do. So, what will it be?
Pick you up or discuss it with Simon?"

Lois looked at him pensively, weighing up the possibilities. Cary gave
the impression of a resolute man and she didn't think she could change
his mind. Additionally, the prospect of seeing the laboratory and
finding out its location could prove invaluable and was more than she
could ever have hoped for. So she didn't put up too much resistance but
acceded to his proposal. They agreed to meet in the lobby of her hotel
at noon the following day.

With this out of the way, now seemed to be the right time to say good
bye. Searching for her purse, she looked around. Clark was the one to
find it under their table where it had fallen down after her encounter
with Simon. Giving it to her, their hands brushed up against each other
and once again sparks were flying between them and time seemed to stand
still. Neither could suppress the shudders that ran through them and
only with great effort could Lois break away her gaze from Clark.

"I should be going now," she murmured. She desperately wanted to get to
the hotel as fast as possible.

Although he had wanted nothing more than to get away from her just
minutes ago, he now couldn't bear to part, so Clark offered without
thinking, "Do you want me to accompany you, Lisa?"

She shook her head and rose. "No, thank you. I'll catch a cab. See you
tomorrow!"

He stood up as well and couldn't resist laying a hand on her arm again,
as if he had to touch her one more time so he could get through the
following day. "Tomorrow," he whispered softly.

Though she didn't find it easy, without looking at him or turning
around, Lois left the bar.

to be continued in part 4
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 21:38:51 +0100
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Petra Steudle <petrast@GMX.NET>
Subject:      NEW: Heartache (04/12) PG13
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

TITLE: Heartache Tonight
PART: (4/12)
AUTHOR: The German L&C Fanfiction Team
RATING: (PG13)

<Ckgroupie>

*****

Clark threw his jacket negligently on his sofa when he entered his dark
apartment. Normally he was a neat person, but now he felt exhausted and
worn out. The evening which had begun so wonderful and promising had
turned out as one of the worst nightmares he had ever had.

Wearily he let himself fall on the sofa, opened the first button of his
shirt, and dragged at his tie that had made him feel uncomfortable for
hours now. Damn. Where was the delight about finding a hot lead in the
story tonight? Where was the excitement, the tingle that he loved so
much when he sensed that a story was about to get solved? Nothing. Only
resignation and tiredness.

He was aware that he should call Finch and inform him about his new
information. After all, his boss expected constant reports about the
story.
What could he tell him though? Great story, Chief! A genuine scoop!
Award material! All that and also the story that will break my heart!

He closed his eyes and caught himself picturing her in his mind again.
Oh God, Lisa! How was he supposed to sleep without thinking of her? And
that was exactly what he had to do - banish her from his thoughts. A
drug dealer from Metropolis simply couldn't be his dream woman. She just
couldn't, even if her eyes were so beautiful. Her skin had glowed so
softly in the light of the bar tonight, her body had been so exciting,
and her perfume that still lingered in his imagination had been so
infatuating. That was sexual obsession, hormones or whatever! It
certainly was not love. He probably simply was too lonely, or hadn't
dated for way too long. Yes, that had to be it. After all he was only
human.

The thought evoked a sudden, bitter laugh from him. Human? And where
exactly did that conclusion come from? Because from all he knew about
himself, he could be anything from mutant, Russian experiment, or alien,
to Frankenstein's monster. Humans weren't able to fly and to his
knowledge they couldn't see through things either - or start fires with
their eyes. Humans also got sick and they couldn't lift cars. For
whatever reason, he didn't know, but fact was, he was able to do all
that, and had always been. So how did he know if he really was human?

For a short moment tonight, he had thought that he had found the one
person he finally would be able to confide in and whom he would be able
to tell the truth about himself. When he had looked into Lisa's brown
eyes, he had been so sure. Her eyes...

Weird, now that he thought about it, he had felt as if he could read her
eyes like a book. But what had he seen? Humor, intelligence and passion
next to hurt and uncertainty which he had immediately longed to take
away from her... But nowhere a sign of the cynicism that without a doubt
she had to possess if she was able to sell drugs. Where in those soft
eyes had been the greed, coldness and the evil?

You just aren't as good at second guessing people as you thought, Kent,
he scolded himself inwardly. You only see what you want to see and you
wanted this woman. Therefore you idealized her and endowed her with
everything you ever longed for. You are a dreamer! And an idiot! Grow
up!

He shook his head and got up. Sleep was out of question. He knew exactly
what kind of dreams he would have. They would be all about one person
and he simply refused to let that happen. Instead he decided that he
would look for some diversion. Somewhere in the world somebody with his
powers was always needed, so he would probably find something to do that
would take his mind off Lisa. Sighing he went to the closet in his
bedroom to change to a dark sweater and black jeans. A few minutes later
he flew through the starry night towards the sea.

*****

Lois roused with a headache, as the alarm clock next to her bed rang.
With a moan she sat up and remained unmoving for a second until the
stingingpain in her head lessened a little bit. God, she felt terrible.
But was that really surprising after last night? She felt as if she had
not slept at all, but apparently she had fallen asleep after all some
time in the early morning hours. Her last memory was of her alarm clock
showing 5:17 am and now it was after 8. Barely three hours! That really
was promising for the upcoming day, wasn't it?

She flung back the coverlet and swung her legs out of the bed. What she
really needed now was a hot shower and a big cup of coffee. She had to
be fit today and she by all means couldn't allow herself a mistake.

This guy Cary had to be a real pro. With a bitter grimace she remembered
how easily he had taken her in and wrapped her around his finger. He
certainly had to be aware of his effect on women. But not with her. Now
that she knew what was behind the facade, she would be more careful and
be better able to handle her emotions. Such things as the goosebumps she
had sensed on her skin when he had laid his hand on her arm as he told
her goodbye yesterday were out of question now. If he was going to touch
her again, she had to remind herself that those were the same hands that
examined drugs every day to get their owner an immense profit!

She shivered as she felt an involuntary tingle run down her arm,
thinking of his hands on her. So much for theory, she frowned. What am I
really going to do?

<KiwiPit>

She would try to find out where exactly the laboratory was located. The
police surely would be thankful for such information and it would be a
nice bonus to her story when she not only scattered the drug ring and
stopped the distribution of the drugs for the time being but also made
sure that the lab was closed down and the production of Eagle stopped as
well.
However, Lois was convinced that Cary wouldn't take the direct route to
the lab in order to prevent her from remembering the way and returning
later on her own.

On the other hand Cary wasn't aware of her very good sense of direction
and her ability to find her way around London. She'd spent enough time
in the city not to need a map anymore. Definitely an advantage for her.

But first of all she had to concentrate on her role as Lisa Lance and
check the quality of the pills. A scientist at STAR Labs in Metropolis
had shown her an easy and efficient method to determine the degree of
purity of Eagle. Shortly after Eagle had been introduced to the London
club scene, the police had analyzed the new drug and had developed a
solution that made it possible to determine the content of those pills.
They were able to ascertain within seconds whether it was Eagle or just
some
ordinary painkiller. Right after Lois had started her investigations for
the
story, she had asked STAR Labs to develop a similar test for her use.

I just hope this test does really work, Lois thought. She was sitting in
a limousine with Cary Keats and was heading for the lab. Instinctively
she touched her purse where she had put the little bottle with the
liquid earlier that morning. There was no doubt that Keats would get
suspicious if she lacked self-confidence performing the quality control
and would act like an amateur.

"You're so quiet, Lisa," Cary's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Aren't
you enjoying our little sight-seeing tour?"

Lois snorted annoyed. "Very funny, Keats. You think I find it amusing to
drive around town in a limousine with blinded windows?"

Her hopes of finding out where the lab was located had been destroyed
when Cary had led her to a limo which had dark windows. She couldn't see
a thing outside the car. The driver had even closed the barrier glass.

"No, I thought you would understand the necessity of discretion ...
*Miss Lance*." Clark emphasized the formal address Lisa had chosen
first. "And that you wouldn't mind actually seeing me instead of any of
Simon's companions."

Defensively he crossed his arms and pointedly looked away If Lisa wanted
to give him her arrogant business-woman act, he'd limit their
conversation to the bare essentials as well.

How much had he been looking forward to seeing her again only minutes
ago. Against his better judgment he had even gone so far as to think
about asking her out for lunch just to spend a little more time with
her. Maybe yesterday evening it had just been the club's atmosphere and
her incredible dress that had literally drawn him to Lisa. Maybe there
was nothing more to it. No sparks, no chemistry. Clark now was almost
wishing that his feelings for her would dissolve into nothing by the
light of day. But the only thing dissolving were his coherent thoughts.

Earlier, in the lobby of the hotel where he had been waiting for Lisa,
he had smelled her scent even before she had stepped out of the
elevator, and a delighted smile had crept to his lips. His mind had
instantly gone into overdrive. The moment he had finally seen her, he
had been completely mesmerized by her once again. He was falling for her
all over again.

As she walked over to him, Clark noticed how breathtaking she looked
this morning. More than he remembered from the previous night. Not even
the dark shadows under her eyes and the different make-up she had put on
today could change his impression. To him she still was the most
beautiful woman in the world. Yeah, the most beautiful woman who is a
criminal and determined to treat you like a delivery boy, Clark couldn't
suppress a frustrated sigh.

Lois didn't fail to notice Cary's sudden distant behaviour. Already
sorry to have been harsh and cold to him she tried to mend the
situation. Despite the previous evening's disappointment she had no
intention of offendinghim. At least it could be helpful for her as Lisa
Lance to get along well with Cary . Yeah right, Lane, her mind
interrupted her musings. Only for the story. That's ridiculous.

"I'm sorry, Cary," she finally apologized to him, ignoring her inner
hectoring voice. "I didn't mean it. The jet lag is just worse than I
thought. I hardly slept last night and am not quite myself yet."

Surprised and happy about Lisa's words, Clark smiled at her. That
sounded more like the woman he had fallen head over heels in love with.

"It's okay, I really understand. But you should rest for a while later
on. You wouldn't want to fall asleep at the party tonight, would you?"

*****

All tiredness was forgotten when Lois was looking at thousands of Eagle
capsules. The drug squad would have a field day, having the opportunity
to take such a load of narcotics off the market. How many people would
become drug addicts because of Eagle? How many lives would be destroyed
because of Eagle? At this very moment Lois knew once again why she loved
her job as a reporter so much. She had it in her hands to expose
criminals like these drug dealers and to make the world a better place.
Enough motivation to invest all of her energy in this story!

"It's all yours, Lisa!" With an inviting gesture Cary pointed at
numerous bags full of Eagle lying on a table in front of them. "Pick
some pills and learn to fly. It's on the house. That's why you came
here, isn't it?"
Clark cursed silently. Why couldn't he hide the biting sarcasm which
crept into his voice each time he was talking business with Lisa?

"You don't seriously think I'm stupid enough to take this stuff, do
you?"
Not waiting for an answer, Lois took the little bottle with the test
solution out of her purse and dripped some of it into a small glass
tube. Confidently she ripped one of the bags open, picked one pill and
threw it into the solution. She finally stoppered the tube with a cork.

While shaking it carefully and waiting for the Eagle to dissolve she
shot a quick, searching look at Cary. Why was he looking at her so
skeptically? Had he noticed that she had never done this test before?
Maybe she should distract him with some technical knowledge.

"Eagle makes the consumer euphoric, enhances the senses, and finally
gives the impression of flying, right?"

Clark nodded absentmindedly. Her professional handling of the procedure
had hit him like a cold shower and brought him back to reality. "It
causes a strong feeling of relaxation," he added, "is pleasure
enhancing, and sexually stimulating. Everything your guests desire,
isn't it?"

"So Eagle is based on GHB," Lois continued, unmoved.

"Exactly. Gammahydroxybutyrate. It's the stuff that causes such nice
depressions if you can't handle the dosage. If you're very lucky, you
slip into a coma-like state and you can literally see your brain cells
dying."

As soon as Clark saw the mild astonishment on Lisa's face, he grimaced
and bit his tongue. What was he doing? He was supposed to sell this
stuff, not to knock it.

"You're a strange one, Cary," Lisa promptly replied. "I don't get it.
With every word you say I get the impression that you're not very
interested in me making the deal with your boss."

She simply didn't understand him. It was his job for heaven's sake! Why
was he always talking so sarcastically about it?

Cary shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not going to spoil your deal. But
don't you think it's kind of surreal how we both are talking about this
drug as if it was some new sport or something like that? We both know
what this is all about. I don't need to rave about Eagle as the ultimate
kick."

For a second Lois held his suddenly cold look and wondered about his
mood swings before she once again concentrated on the test tube she
still held in her hands. The pill had completely been dissolved and the
former colorless solution now glistened a deep blue.

"Very good," she stated, satisfied with the result of the test. "Your
Eagle really is of high quality. It hardly seemes to be diluted." The
scientists at STAR Labs had told her that the intensity of the color was
related to the purity of the drug. The purer the Eagle, the darker the
blue.

"Do you want to take another sample or do you trust me when I tell you
that all of the pills are of the same quality?" Clark was hoping that
Lisa would be convinced and would end this meeting. All he could think
about was leaving the lab as soon as possible and turning his back on
all those drugs and on this woman. With every minute he had to spend
with the criminal side of her, his despair was growing. Could destiny be
to so cruel to send him the woman of his dreams in the shape of a
criminal?

To his relief Lisa obviously was content with what she had seen and
asked to go back to the hotel.

<LittleS>

As she leaned back into the seat, Clark noticed how tired Lisa looked.
He didn't want to mention it again so she wouldn't be offended by his
hovering but he really hoped she would take a nap in the afternoon.

For a moment Lois closed her eyes before straightening up again. She
didn't want to show signs of weakness in front of Cary and let her guard
down around him too much. She had to admit though that their meetings
wore her out. In his presence she constantly vacillated between
enchanted and depressed and that drained her more than she liked to
admit.

Surreptitiously she sneaked a glance at him. In a way he was really
strange. Considering he was supposedly making a lot of money out of
drugs he had a surprisingly negative attitude towards them. He'd almost
sounded like he disapproved of somebody taking, or worse, selling them.
She wasn't sure what to make of it.

Clark in turn couldn't get his mind off how experienced and professional
Lisa had handled the purity control test of the Eagle. He had been able
to observe firsthand how much she knew about the drug and that was
something that really bothered him. Covertly he risked a look at her
face. As much as he intended not to he couldn't help himself. He had to
smile a little; he felt like Odysseus trying to resist the sirens' call.

At that moment his eyes met Lisa's. Both were embarrassed at being
caught staring at the other but still they weren't able to look away
immediately.
They were brought out of their preoccupation when the car abruptly
stopped at a traffic light.

Something she hadn't thought of in years popped into Lois' mind at the
car's stop. To Cary's confusion, she suddenly laughed out loud. If she
didn't want him to think she'd gone around the bend, she'd have to
explain what had been going through her mind. "Sorry, I was just
remembering what I'd wished for as a child when I was in London with my
parents."

Seeing her so vibrant, Clark couldn't help but join in her laughter.
Every time Lisa was unguarded like now his heart stopped and he forgot
the reason for her stay in London. "Out with it! Don't tease me like
that. What was it you remembered?"

For the first time since they'd met today she seemed to relax in his
presence. "It's nothing special," she told him, without hiding her
amusement. "I kept pestering my father to re-cross Tower Bridge - we did
it five times. I desperately wanted to be on the bridge when it was
raised because I thought it would be fun to slide down with our car. You
can't imagine how disappointed I was when that didn't happen!"

There it was again, the animation that drew Clark to Lisa. Not that
cultivated, formal expression she put on when she was talking about
business, but the happiness that showed him what a sensitive woman she
could be. And this transformation made Clark blurt out the question he
had wanted to ask the whole time since he had met her at the hotel.
"Lisa, would you like to have lunch with me?" He looked at her with
those pleading eyes she could barely resist.

Lisa visibly hesitated before she answered, "I would love to, I really
would, Cary, but I should lie down a bit. I'm still not used to London
time and since tonight is the party..." She trailed off, regretfully.

Clark could tell by the look on her face that she truly felt sorry to
not be able to spend more time with him, so he took the rejection in
stride.

"All right," he said lightly, "but you have to promise me a dance
tonight then!"

Slowly the car rolled to a halt in front of the Earl's Inn. On parting
she touched Cary's hand. "I will," she promised softly. Their hands
stayed entwined a few seconds longer than usual before they softly
parted. "I will," she repeated.

to be continued in part 5
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 22:09:44 +0100
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Petra Steudle <petrast@GMX.NET>
Subject:      NEW: Heartache (05/12) PG13
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

TITLE: Heartache Tonight
PART: (5/12)
AUTHOR: The German L&C Fanfiction Team
RATING: (PG13)

*****

Lois bit her bottom lip thoughtfully while loading her e-mail program.
She knew she ought to find out as much as possible about Cary Keats, his
importance in the organization, his background, contacts. Still, while
typing a message for Jimmy to do research on him, she hesitated. He's
only one of the small-fry. Jimmy probably won't find anything, anyway.
She didn't want to admit to herself that she didn't want him to find
something on Cary. Still fighting with herself she reread the e-mail
once again before encoding it with the program Jimmy had provided her
with.

        From: WizardOfOz@metro.net
        To: Toto@metro.net
        Subject: Background

        Cary Keats: who is he, what does he do, what has he ever done, who
        does he know? Approximately 30 years old, raised in Kansas.
        Everything else is for you to find out.
        And yes, the girls really are like you've imagined. I still won't
        bring you one. :-P
        LL

She pointed her mouse at the send-button but her finger hovered over the
key without pressing it. She was sure she would be able to bring down
the gang. But did she really want the police to get Cary? How would it
look like if Jimmy did some research now on him and later there wasn't
any further mention of him?

Lois knew she should be appalled at herself for seriously considering
letting a criminal escape the punishment he deserved, but she didn't
care. The only she could think of was Cary's smiling face. Her mind
screamed he didn't deserve to be spared, that he wasn't good for her,
that he would hurt her. Her heart told her differently, though. Her
heart knew that he had touched her like no one else before. And that was
the decisive factor. Determinedly she deleted the message without
sending it, closed her laptop, and lay down so she didn't have to
explain to herself why she had done that.

*****

"Isn't that funny?" The blonde who had attached herself persistently to
Clark's arm a few minutes before giggled.

He absently smiled and tried to loosen her grip on him. Until she had
madE it her task to get his attention he'd successfully listened in on
group after group, always hoping for information that might help him
with his story.

"I've got to powder my nose now," the girl, Melly, Molly, whatever her
name was, declared coyly, batting her eyelashes in a what she considered
a seductive manner. Her demand not to move went by him as unnoticed as
the rest of her monologue -- he was just too glad that she was finally
gone.

Over the noise level that had dominated the place for quite some time
now, he suddenly picked up soft laughter that made his heart instantly
beat faster. Lisa had arrived!

He turned around to watch her. She looked even more breathtaking than
the evening before,if that was possible. This time she obviously had
dressed to kill. He saw her back first before she turned around and he
was able to examine her full on. The dress was cut as high in the front
as it was cut low in the back.

She slowly mingled, and as she was walking around, Clark realized that
with every step she took nearly the whole length of her leg was showing.
Did he imagine it or had it just gotten hotter in here? Lisa seemed to
have sensed his eyes on her because she was looking up, meeting his gaze
and smiling in greeting at him.

She would have liked nothing better than to walk across the room and
talk to him but she had noticed Simon and a rather cheap looking floozy
on his arm - She suits him, Lois contemptuously thought - talking to
another couple.

He had recognized her as well and obviously wanted to get the
conversation with her over and done with as fast as possible because he
quickly moved in her direction.

This could prove interesting, Clark thought, and tried to tune out the
room's noise in order to listen in on their conversation. It could only
be about Lisa getting someone higher up the chain of command for talking
business as she had requested.

"Today's not possible. there's too much to look after in the club
tonight, as you might understand," Simon explained. "But if you prove
your willingness to negotiate by transferring 30,000 US dollars for the
first delivery to this account on the Cayman Islands," he slapped a
piece of paper into her hand, "you'll get who you want, Miss Lance,"
Simon promised. "As soon as we have the confirmation of the credit entry
to the account, the boss will meet you."

"Why a transfer? Didn't you say you wanted cash?" Lisa wanted to know.

"Well, it was you who wanted a permanent agreement, wasn't it, Miss
Lance? Or do you want to come to London every month to pay us?" He
couldn't help but smirk smugly when he saw Lisa's dark stare. She
obviously couldn't take sarcasm as well as she gave it. "You see," he
continued to lecture her, "this way we can check whether the conditions
for regular payment do work out. And if we have the proof we need, we
can look forward to a long and profitable working relationship."

"When do I get the goods?"

"It'll be arranged that you'll get them the same way as the future
monthly orders, so you can confirm that it's a practical method of
delivery for you. You'll get them, you can count on that," he assured
her. "And you might have noticed we're showing our concession in only
charging a grand total of 30,000 dollars for 3,000 pills. That's a
better offer than you'll ever get someplace else for something equal."

Lois couldn't put up much of an argument because that was more or less
what she had expected. So she agreed wordlessly and watched Simon walk
back to his company.

There was something about that couple that nagged at her. She wasn't
able to pinpoint exactly what it was but she was convinced that she was
looking at 'the boss' even if Simon hadn't said so. It was quite obvious
that the couple was guarded. She definitely wouldn't be able to pass the
men who were surrounding them.

Thinking about this she became aware that the woman was studying her
with an intense look. Did she assume Lois wanted to compete with her or
what? Believe me, sister, he holds nothing of interest for me, as far as
it doesn't concern the story. Nothing at all, especially when Cary is
around.

She watched the mysterious woman more closely now. She had style, that
much was obvious. She was dressed strikingly but not tastelessly, and
she had a certain air of authority. Compared to her, the 'boss', if he
really was -- anyway, the man whose arm was around her waist, was dull.
Power really seems to be an aphrodisiac, or he would never be able to
get a woman like her, was Lois' last thought before a man built like a
tower blocked her line of vision.

>From the distance Clark had seen how Simon had left Lisa. It took all of
his willpower to not immediately hurry to her. I'll stay away from her,
she's not good for me. I'll stay away from her. I'll stay away from her.
Oh God, if I can't take her in my arms right now I'll explode! He closed
his eyes for a moment to regain his composure only to open them to a
completely different picture.

"Hey, honey. A hot babe like you deserves to be with the coolest guy in
this joint. Whadda ya say?" Neanderthal muscle boy nudged Lisa
suggestively.

<Ckgroupie>

Gone were all the good intentions that Clark had repeated in his head
for several minutes. With a few quick steps he was at Lisa's side and
took her hand into his.

"Lisa, you promised me the first dance, remember?" he said before she
had a chance to open her mouth and give the man who had hit on her a
blistering brush-off.

She sent Cary an astonished glance and realized with perpexity that she
was letting herself be pulled towards the dance floor by him. Usually
she didn't like to get taken by surprise, and furthermore she was very
able to handle guys like that slime ball all by herself, but all anger
at Cary's domineering behavior faded to nothing when he laid his arm
around her waist and pulled her close.

It was a slow song that was playing, the kind of song that Lois usually
avoided at parties like this. However this time she didn't mind her
dancing partner being so close to her. It wasn't unpleasant at all, on
the contrary. God, he smelled so good! She inwardly fought the urge to
snuggle closer to him and she felt the subtle smell of his aftershave
beginning to make her head spin like too much good champagne. It was a
losing battle.

Involuntarily, without giving her mind a chance to interfere, she closed
her eyes and laid her head against his chest. She felt his cheek touch
her hair and his lips just over her ear, felt his right thumb stroking
slightly over her back where he had placed his hand, and decided to
simply enjoy it. It was wrong and stupid and maybe even dangerous, but
right now she didn't care. It was wonderful.

Much too soon for Clark's taste the dance was over. When a hard
percussion beat announced the next song he reluctantly pulled away from
Lisa.

"Thank you," he said softly and looked down on her.

Lisa smiled and nodded. She seemed to be a little bit embarrassed and
obviously didn't know what to do next. He had to admit he felt the same.
He knew that Lisa wouldn't be able to talk to the boss tonight, because
he had listened in on her conversation with Simon earlier and to his
knowledge there was nobody at this party who could be of interest to
her.

What he really wanted to do was get to know her better, but in this
crowded and loud place a real talk seemed pretty impossible. Would she
agree to go someplace else with him? Hesitating briefly he finally got
up the courage to ask.

"Lisa It's been a horrible day and I'd like to get away from this place
as fast as possible. What would say to going for a drink with me some
place not so noisy?"

She glanced around, immensely tempted. She knew she wouldn't be able to
get any further along with her investigation tonight anyway and the
prospect of spending the evening somewhere alone with him was all too
enticing. Furthermore, at the moment Cary was her best source for the
story, too. Maybe she could find out a little bit more?

Yeah, the idea wasn't bad. She nodded decidedly and firmly suppressed
the remaining bits of resistance that her mind wanted to bring up. "I'd
love to," she smiled.

*****

About half an hour later they sat at the bar in the lobby of Lisa's
hotel. She had agreed when Cary had suggested going there. He had told
her that it was one of the best addresses in London and it would be
pretty convenient for her, too, because this way she wouldn't have to
drive home alone in a cab late at night.

While they watched the barkeeper mixing their drinks, they didn't talk.
Due to the early hour they were almost alone in the bar. Only one other
couple was standing at the other end of the counter, and from a dark
corner of the room, soft laughter followed by some happy sighing, was
heard from time to time, where a young couple was sitting at one of the
tables. Obviously somebody was very much in love there. A pianist was
playing discreet background music, but otherwise it was very quiet in
the bar.

Lois let out a contented sigh and relaxed in her chair. "This is much
better," she murmured. "The air in that club was terrible."

"You're right," Cary smiled. "And the music was pretty bad, too. I bet
the clubs you're running in Metropolis are much better."

She nodded. "They are indeed. Actually they're first class." She
absently stirred her cocktail "Like everything else about me," she
suddenly added, and sent him a provocative glance from under her
eyelashes that made his collar suddenly seem very tight around his neck.

She was flirting with him, that much was sure. He had to be reading the
signs she was sending very wrong, if she wasn't. The question was, how
far did she want the game to go? Or maybe more important, how far did
*he* want it to go?  He wasn't sure. The only thing he knew with all his
heart was that he had never in his life been more tempted to play with
fire.

"I bet it is," he said slowly. "You're intelligent, successful and..."
he paused and waited until she lifted her eyes and looked directly into
his own, "very beautiful," he added without looking away.

Lois felt a blush creeping up her neck. He really was good at that.
Maybe he had some expertise as a heartbreaker? The way he looked at
her... It made her get warm all over. Obviously he was attracted to her.
"Very beautiful" he had said, and going by the heat she saw in his eyes,
he really meant it. Suddenly she asked herself nervously where they were
heading with this.

She couldn't answer that question because she was distracted by a sight
she wasn't at all prepared for. At the door of the bar three familiar
faces appeared. Simon, obviously very tipsy, had his arm around two of
those blonde dolls that had been crowding the party at the club earlier.

Lois quickly looked around for an escape. She really didn't want to be
seen by Simon now. The evening had just begun to be so nice! No, she
definitely wasn't in the mood to face a drunken Simon!

Without thinking she whispered a hasty "room 604" to an astonished Cary,
who still hadn't seen Simon, and left the bar through the side entrance.
It was when she was standing at the elevator that she realized how that
must have looked to Cary. Oh my god, did she just invite the man rather
explicitly to her room? What was he going to think of her now?

*****

She didn't have to wait for an answer very long, because he was standing
next to her before the elevator had even arrived. He said nothing, but
sent her a short, speculative glance. As the door opened, he let her
enter first.

"Simon..." Lois started to explain as she turned around to him. "I saw
Simon. He..." She stopped suddenly when she noticed him staring at her.
His eyes were black and there was something deep in his expression that
she couldn't immediately describe but that sent a heat wave through her
body. For a second their eyes locked then suddenly he was beside her,
even before she was able to register that he had moved, and she felt him
press his lips hungrily to her own.

The story was forgotten. The drug ring was forgotten. Everything was
forgotten. Moaning softly, Lois flung her arms around his neck as he
pulled her close to him with one arm, while he burrowed the other in her
hair to deepen the kiss.

<KiwiPit>

Her heart was beating staccato in her chest; she was hot and unable to
form a single coherent thought. All she felt was her desire for this
man, her need to touch him and to be touched by him. His hands were
tenderly stroking her bare back and shoulders and made her skin tingle
so wonderfully that she wanted him to caress all of her body like that.
Impatient not only to feel him but to taste him as well, Lois willingly
opened her mouth as his questing tongue gently pressed against her lips.

As their tongues met for the first time, she heard him moan deeply in
the back of his throat. At that moment Lois knew that she wanted him
with every fiber of her being, even if it was only for one night.
Convinced that she would regret it more to stop now than to give herself
to this man, to whom she felt inexplicably drawn to, and let him love
her for at
least this night as she would love him.

Instinctively she pressed her body close to his until their hips met.
Cary didn't even try to hide his obvious desire for her.

"You've been affecting me like this from the first moment I saw you,
Lisa," he murmured huskily in her ear. The soft and sexy laugh she gave
him only fueled his desire.

"Well, we need to do something about that, don't you think?" To
emphasize her words she kissed him hard and passionately. There was not
the slightest doubt about their mutual intentions.

to be continued in part 6
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 22:15:09 +0100
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Petra Steudle <petrast@GMX.NET>
Subject:      NEW: Heartache (06/12) PG13
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

TITLE: Heartache Tonight
PART: (6/12)
AUTHOR: The German L&C Fanfiction Team
RATING: (PG13)

*****

Later neither of them remembered how they made it out of their clothes
and to the bedroom in Lisa's suite. The longing for each other had been
too strong to be denied for another minute. Slowly they returned to the
reality of the dark hotel room.

Lois couldn't quite believe what just had happened. Their lovemaking had
been so burning and passionate that she had lost her control. It was
something wonderful she had never experienced before. That was
incredible. He was incredible. A sigh escaped her.

"You're okay?" she heard Cary ask softly. With effort she raised her
head from his chest and looked at him, smiling contentedly.

"Mmmh ... yeah, very okay. That was ... incredible," she voiced her
thoughts, though she had some doubts whether it was the right thing to
say. Could she tell whether he had enjoyed it as much as she had? Would
his reply be polite and evasive and hurt her nevertheless?

All her doubts vanished immediately when Cary pulled her into his strong
arms and kissed her lovingly. "Yeah, it was, wasn't it?" he answered,
grinning.

A sweet shiver ran through her as his hands gently wandered over her
body while he showered her face and neck with soft kisses. If only this
night would last forever.

She was about to return his kisses when suddenly he was gone and bright
lights were blinding her eyes.

"What...?" Lois' eyes widened in panic when she saw how Cary stood up
and obviously prepared to leave. He's leaving! That bastard is leaving
you alone, her mind was screaming.

Still trying to compose herself she felt herself being lifted from the
bed into his arms.

"I don't want you to get cold," was his murmured explanation, as he held
her with one arm and pulled back the covers with the other. Carefully
Cary lowered her back on the bed and slipped in beside her before
accepting her kisses willingly.

Lois was sure that he felt her relief but she wanted him to know how
much this night meant to her. It had to end, but not now and definitely
not that abruptly. The world outside of her hotel room didn't exist and
she wouldn't mind if it could stay that way for another couple of hours.
Sighing contentedly she closed her eyes and snuggled closer to him.

"Hey, you're not falling asleep on me, are you?" Cary asked teasingly.
"Or do you already have enough of me?" Without waiting for an answer he
once again lowered his lips to hers and kissed her lovingly.

"If you're not already fed up with me," Lois challenged with a teasing
gleam in her eyes.

"No way! I can hardly get enough of you. You are so beautiful. I could
spend my time just looking at you and touching you." His words were
softly spoken and made Lois shiver in response.

<Ckgroupie>

Clark felt dizzy, too, almost as if he was in trance. If he was honest,
he'd felt like that since the moment they had entered the elevator and
passion had hit him so suddenly. From where he had taken the courage to
act so spontaneously and passionate still was a mystery to him, but he
didn't intend to solve it tonight. Neither did he want to think about
the question of what would be tomorrow. No, he didn't want to think. He
only wanted one thing-- to feel Lisa in his arms, to see her happy face
and hear her ecstatic sighs when they made love. He wanted to soothe his
longing for her, to feel her, to love her, to claim her. Yes, to claim
her, too. He wanted to become physically and emotionally one with her,
to get as close to her as possible. And he knew he wanted that again and
again.

Smiling, he looked down on her. "We are not finished yet," he said.
"Don't tell me you are tired already, because *I* intend to stay awake a
*very* long time."

*****

How often they had made love that night, Lois didn't know anymore. It
seemed as if they had both been insatiable. Again and again one or the
other had started another "round", most of the time starting out
innocently, with tender caresses, but it had never taken long before
this amazing, burning passion had flared again between them. A passion
Lois had never experienced before. What had happened?

Lying awake, hearing Cary's peaceful deep breathing next to her, she
still couldn't really figure it out. How was it possible that here, at
the other end of the world, a man had stepped into her life? A person
she had to condemn with all her heart, who, after everything she knew
about him, acted against all her ideals, yet he somehow was able to make
her happier than any man before him?

Hormones, she would have explained it away only yesterday, and then she
would have shrugged it off. But here, in the cold hours of this London
morning, she knew that it would have been a lie and that she would not
be able to hide behind simple solutions. Not this time. It was no
hormonal confusion, it was love. For the first time in her life she had
fallen in love. In love with a wonderful and incredible man.

She rolled on her back and stared at the ceiling. Cary was not the usual
criminal, that much was sure. She knew that his tenderness and unselfish
love-making could not have been faked. It was part of his nature and so
was the warmth and understanding in his eyes.

There had to be more to his drifting into criminal life and for a short
moment she lost herself in a beautiful vision of redeeming the gangster
with true love. But as soon as she thought it, she knew that it was only
an illusion. If Cary was capable of selling drugs there had to be at
least one side to his character that wasn't acceptable to her and
however fantastic the rest of the person was, a relationship with him
was impossible.

Somehow this made the night they had shared appear like a cheap and
shabby casual one-night-stand. Lois shook her head. Never had she done
anything like that. She hadn't even thought it possible that she could
ever be tempted! And yet here she was, and even through all the reality
checks she did in her mind, she couldn't bring her heart to regret it.
It had been wonderful. Not cheap and not shabby. Simply wonderful, and
even if her memory of the night probably would be connected with some
bitterness in the future, she still was sure that she would never forget
him, and that any men who might step into her life someday would still
be compared with Cary.

<LittleS>

It just wasn't fair to love someone like that, without prospect of
fulfillment. She felt her eyes tearing up. Quickly she turned to her
side and pressed her face into the pillow to muffle the sobs she
couldn't hold back. Behind her she sensed movement and she instinctivly
held her breath. She didn't want to have to explain to Cary why she was
reduced to a crying mess after such a spectacular night with him.
Fortunately though, he seemed to sleep the sleep of the dead. He
snuggled closer, put his arms around her, and buried his face in her
hair. With a last shuddering sob Lois wiped the tears from her cheeks
and leaned into the security of Cary's embrace, determined to make the
most of tonight. This one night. Tomorrow would be here soon enough.

*****

Why do I have hair in my face? Clark mused dazedly. It was nearly too
much of an effort to open his eyes. He was amazed at that because he
normally didn't tire so easily. The only thing that eventually woke him
was the fact that next to him he felt something warm and soft that
didn't seem to be his pillow but a human body. His eyes focused and fell
on black hair that shielded the face he had kissed so thoroughly the
night before. He couldn't suppress a grin.

Wow, what a night that had been! He couldn't remember ever having felt
so intensely. Lovingly he smoothed Lisa's hair back before he carefully
traced her cheeks, nose, and mouth. She didn't even stir, but kept on
sleeping with her cheek resting on his chest. That was just as well. If
even he was worn out she had every right to be. Still, he'd have loved
nothing more than to kiss her and explore every inch of her spectacular
body that he'd already come to know so well the night before. The mere
thought of it was enough to arouse him but sighing he contented himself
with gently kissing her on the forehead. Later, he told her sleeping
form hopefully.

He checked his watch and realized it was still early. A few more hours
of sleep couldn't hurt him either and Lisa might be more susceptible to
his attempts at seduction when she was awake. After another whisper of a
kiss he closed his eyes and within seconds was in that dozing state
between sleep and wakefulness, where he could cherish the hopes he could
take Lisa in his arms, fly away with her as far as possible, and start a
new life all over with her.

The next time he awoke was when Lisa tried to carefully disentangle
herself from his arms.

"Morning," he murmured sleepily, but she only looked at him wordlessly
and turned around to walk into the bathroom. "Lisa?" he called after
her, irritated, and lifted his hand as if to hold her back, but she
didn't react.

As soon as Lois had closed the door she had to lean against it because
her legs wouldn't support her any longer. She had lain awake for quite
some time already, not being able to bear leaving Cary's arms and losing
his touch. She could only just control the overpowering desire to touch
him, caress him, arouse their passion again and let him know how much
she loved him.

Instead she had watched him and tried to memorize his face the way it
was then: open, vulnerable, relaxed, innocent. She had known that she
had to think about what she should tell him when he awoke. She didn't
have the faintest idea, never having done anything similar before, never
having had awkward conversations 'the morning after'.

And that was when she had realized that she had to get up, that she
needed the physical distance. In his arms she would never be able to
think about letting him go. His waking up when she was about to leave
the bed nearly had wreaked havoc with her plans. She was aware that her
exit must have looked like an escape, but if there was something she
couldn't do right now, it was face him.

Dumbfounded, Clark puzzled over Lisa's reaction. He couldn't imagine
what had happened. Had he done something? He sat up, bewildered. Could
it be she was having doubts? Did she feel overpowered? He *had* to talk
to her, if she ever came back out of the bathroom.

Lois eventually stepped to the washbasin to brush her teeth, and she
caught sight of her reflection. Who is this woman? It couldn't possibly
be her-- the hair tousled, the mascara slightly smudged, the lips red
and swollen from Cary's kisses, a small wound where she had bitten
herself so she would not cry out in ecstasy. Her gaze wandered lower.
Trance-like she touched the mirror on the spot where Cary had put a
hickey on her breast, directly over her heart. For a moment she allowed
herself to get lost in her memories, the most beautiful of them hearing
him say, "Fly with me, Lisa," in a moment of passion.

Thinking of the completeness she had felt then, her tears started to
flow again. Stop crying, she resolutely admonished herself, if
unsuccessfully. Tears won't help you!

She had to make herself presentable again, prepare and make sure she
could enter the bedroom without falling into bed with Cary once more. If
she didn't succeed now in telling him that this night was all there
could ever be between them, she would never be able to free herself from
the bond she had instantly felt with him.

In the still of the night she had given them this one time, but now it
was morning, time to face the facts. He was a criminal, there was no
denying it. No one she could ever have an 'and they lived happily ever
after' with, no matter how much she believed she loved him.

She splashed cold water on her face to erase the trace of tears and to
convince herself the burning in her eyes was due to the soap and not to
tears. Thinking of him again, her heart beat loudly, rapidly.

"It's wrong." She tried to reason as if she could silence it by saying
the words out loud, desperately trying to convince herself. "How could I
do that? How could I be so irresponsible and sleep with him? With a man
dealing with drugs? With a man I barely know?" she whispered. If she
repeated it often enough, she might even believe it some day. "Stupid!
Irresponsible," were the words her common sense screamed.

But why didn't it work like it was supposed to? Why did her heart still
hurt so much and only remembered the feeling of being loved, desired,
and cherished? And why couldn't she stop crying?

Clark's eyes widened in horror when he heard Lisa. He had listened for
sounds from the bathroom indicating she would be out soon, but what he
had learned now was more than he could bear. Once again his abilities
proved to be more curse than blessing. The message Lisa was sending
unknowingly to him was loud and clear. She reproached herself for making
love with him, well, who was he kidding, for sleeping with him. It had
been a mistake?

Bitter, he flinched. Okay, that explains why she didn't want me to touch
her earlier. And with that the talk he had wanted to have with her was
superfluous, too.

Resigned, he rose from the bed and looked for his clothes that were
scattered all over the room. There was no reason to complicate the whole
situation by awaiting Lisa's return sitting in bed naked. 'Why, Clark,
you obviously weren't at your best tonight, despite what you've been
thinking, he told himself sardonically, while a different voice
contradicted, 'But she looked at you so full of love.' 'She's a good
actress, that's all!' 'Stupid! Irresponsible!' The voices resounded in
his head. He was so depressed by what he had heard that he couldn't even
bring himself to look in on Lisa. And then, just as he was about to put
on his jacket, the door finally opened.

Thunderstruck, Lois stopped in her tracks. He wants to leave? Just like
that? Even though she had wanted to tell him it would be best if they
didn't continue to see each other like this, that was something she
hadn't expected. She stared at him aghast and noticed how his face
hardened. The cold, detached way he looked at her nearly broke her
heart.

"Cary..."

Clark had studied her expression as well but came to a totally different
conclusion. Dear God, Clark, she was expecting you to be gone when she
stepped out, that's why she took so long! Okay, pull yourself together,
order your heart not to go wild when you look at her, and try to get
everything over and done with as decently and fast as possible. Don't
let her see how much it hurts you to go and that you'd gladly fall down
on your knees in front of her if she'd only love you. She mustn't know
how much she means to you. And please, please, please, save yourself the
speech she must have prepared to boot you out now. You'll lose it if she
tells you that it's been quite nice...

"I'd better go then," he said with an emotionless expression, that
didn't reveal the turmoil on the inside, without giving her a chance to
say anything more. "I have a lot of errands to run. I'll see you
around."

Lois could only stare at him. She made a fist in the pocket of her
bathrobe, her fingernails cutting deep into her hand to distract her
from the pain that was spreading from her heart. Had she really been
such an easy conquest that now after the thrill of the hunt was gone he
could shove her aside like that, be so cold? But perhaps that was for
the best. With these words she now knew that he didn't feel for her the
way she did for him. Maybe now not seeing him anymore wouldn't hurt so
much.

It was the hardest thing she had ever had to do to show no emotions now.
But she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of breaking down in front of
him, letting him see how devastated she was by his words. She cleared
her throat and hoped he wouldn't be able to detect the trace of tears in
her voice. She had to swallow around the lump they were making and tried
again. "I'll see you around," she said hoarsely, repeating his words.

Without saying another word Clark went to the door. Don't turn around,
don't turn around, don't turn around, he chanted like a mantra. Convince
her you don't love her like you do, that it doesn't tear you apart
inside. Go out of her life and whatever you do, don't turn around or
you'll make a fool out of yourself!

He could sense her stare on his back and he was relieved that she
couldn't see his eyes begin to water suspiciously.

Softly the door closed behind him. On the outside he had to lean against
the frame, breathing deeply before he left the hotel as fast as
possible, hoping in vain he could leave the pain inside as well.

In her room Lois stood rooted to the spot for quite some time before the
numbness gave way to a flood of tears. Sobbing, she collapsed on the bed
and cried more desperately than ever in her life. He was a bastard to
treat her like that. Obviously he didn't love her. He had made her feel
like a slut except he hadn't offered to pay her. With those few words he
had managed to turn this night that had seemed like the single most
beautiful time of her life, something she had wanted to keep in her
heart forever, into a meaningless, hurtful episode. He didn't deserve
her tears.

Sure, she had intended to tell him it would be better not to see each
other any more but she wouldn't have wanted to hurt him purposely. She
wouldn't have been able to stand it, she loved him too much for that. It
looked like he didn't have the same reservations. She knew that this
kind of separation was better for her. This way she would eventually
stop crying over him, thinking about 'what ifs'. But how could something
so right hurt so badly?

<Ckgroupie>

It took her a long time before she was able to go into the bathroom
again and wash the tears from her face. This time she didn't look into
the mirror. She knew she looked horrible anyway and she really didn't
want to be confronted with the tears and the obvious sadness in her
face. Instead she let cold water wash over her face and hands and felt
herself calming down a little bit. The pain was still there, but at
least it was manageable now.

She would do what she had always done before when she had to face a
setback in her personal life. She would plunge into her work. And you
have a lot of practice with that, she thought with an ironic smile.
After all you really know how to pick them, don't you?

She went back in her room and sat down on the bed. What should she do
next? It was really important to find a way to talk to the boss of the
drug-ring personally, but she needed 30,000 dollars for that.

Speculatively she glanced at the alarm clock next to her bed. Nine o'
clock here-- that meant four o'clock in the morning in Metropolis.
Usually not the best time to call, but Louie was an exception. Most
certainly he would be just about to close his bar, and if she hurried,
she could still talk to him before he set home. Perry, on the other
hand, would very probably be not too enthusiastic about being called in
the middle of the night but his anger was something she decided to risk.
She needed his okay for her plan. Sighing, she grabbed her phone and
dialed the area code of Metropolis.

to be continued in part 7
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 22:19:21 +0100
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Petra Steudle <petrast@GMX.NET>
Subject:      NEW: Heartache (07/12) PG13
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

TITLE: Heartache Tonight
PART: (7/12)
AUTHOR: The German L&C Fanfiction Team
RATING: (PG13)

*****

Clark had left his apartment again as soon as he could. At the same time
as Lois was trying to explain to a very skeptical editor-in-chief that
not only was it an absolute necessity to transfer the Daily Planet's
30,000 dollars from Metropolis to an account on the Cayman Islands, but
also that the transfer had to be made by some dubious bar owner Perry
didn't knew himself, he found himself on the way to the Globe. He wasn't
so sure what he actually wanted to do there, but he told himself that it
was sensible to show his face there from time to time and to give some
report on the Eagle investigation.

Only when he sat in front of his computer he admitted to himself that he
had come here for a completely different reason. He typed "Lance,Lisa
/Metropolis/USA" in the search machine of his computer and caught
himself feeling his heart beat a little bit faster while he waited for
the result.

He had to learn more about her. Even if she had brought him back to
earth so cruelly this morning, he just wasn't able to banish last night
from his head. Somehow everything he knew about her didn't match. Deep
in his heart he was afraid that it was only male vanity but the bigger
part of him was sure that her feelings hadn't been faked last night.

It had been so wonderful, so incredible and indescribably good, it just
couldn't be true that she had only pretended all this! No, the woman he
had held in his arms last night and the woman who had pushed him out of
her room and life this morning hadn't been the same person. Last night,
Lisa's eyes had been full of love, warmth and trust. No sign of that
coolness and that cynicism she had tried to convince him of today. She
was no icy criminal. Nobody would ever be able to convince him of that!
There had to be more behind it!

"Zero matches found for Lance, Lisa / Metropolis, USA" appeared on his
screen. What? How was that possible? If she was the manager of the most
exclusive string of clubs in Metropolis she had to be a public person.
It wasn't possible that there was no mention of her in any American
newspaper at all, was it? Not even in one of the tabloids? No picture,
no report, no gossip bits, no nothing? But obviously it was. Bewildered
Clark stared at his screen.

*****

When Lois put down her phone after half an hour of intense debating, she
sighed with relief. As expected Perry had been a difficult negotiator,
but in the end he had consented to transfer the 30,000 dollars and now
she had the chance to prove the respectability of her offer to the drug
gang's boss. Therefore she hopefully would be able to find out soon who
was the head of the organization. The remaining question was now what
should she do until the money arrived here?

After a few seconds of consideration she grabbed the phone again.
"Lucy?" she asked when a sleepy voice answered at the other end of the
line. "It's me. Oh, Luce, I really must talk to you!"

<KiwiPit>

"Lois?!? Do you have any idea how late it is? It's nearly 5 a.m. over
here and I do the night shift at the restaurant this week and..." Lucy
clearly wasn't too thrilled about her sister's call.

"I'm sorry, Lucy," Lois interrupted. "I just... look, I'll call again
later."

Hearing Lois' down-hearted voice Lucy was wide-awake at once. That
didn't sound like her sister at all. She knew her well enough to sense
that something wasn't quite right. Trying to keep a light tone she said
innocently, "No, it's okay. What's up? How's the weather in London?"

A deep sigh was Lois' immediate reply. Her words were barely audible
when she said, "As bad as I feel."

Lucy frowned. When was the last time she had seen her sister in such a
depressed state of mind? Hardly ever. Frustration was no stranger to
Lois. More than once - whenever a story came to a dead end - she got
frustrated. But depression was very unlike her. "Having problems with
your story?"

"No, not really."

Shaking her head Lucy leaned back against her pillow. Being untalkative
was even more uncharacteristic for her sister. "What's the matter with
you? You're not calling me in the middle of the night to ask whether I
remembered to feed your fish. Come on, Lois, talk to me. What happened?"

For a minute Lois was hesitant to tell Lucy what was bothering her.
Should she really tell her the reason for her desperation? Tell her
about Cary and last night? Could she bear it if Lucy confirmed how
stupid she had been by giving in to her feelings? However if she didn't
want to go nuts she had to talk to someone about it. Maybe then she
wouldn't have to think about him all the time.

"It's because of him," she finally confessed. "Lucy, why in the world
did I do that? How could I be so stupid to fall for him? I dropped every
guard and hung on every word he said. He buttered me up and I loved it!
Tell me, why did I do that? Normally I'm not so impulsive when it comes
to men, am I?"

Now that she had decided to confide in Lucy the words poured out of her
mouth. Hardly able to understand what her sister was talking about, Lucy
interrupted Lois and grinned with amusement.

"Hey sis, slow down! You're babbling. How about you start from the very
beginning? Who is 'he'? You've met someone? Great! What's his name? What
does he look like? Knowing you, he must be a hunk. You always get the
good-looking guys."

Despite her desperation Lois had to grin. How long had it been since she
and her sister had talked about men? "Cary. His name is Cary."

Hesitantly at first, then with more assurance she told everything about
Cary and the few times they had met. Everything except last night. "And
then we left the party and had a drink somewhere else," Lois ended her
explanation.

"Well, that sounds very romantic - love at first sight and inexplicable
attraction," Lucy finally commented. "But better get away from that guy.
Lois, he's a criminal. Who knows what he wants from you? Maybe next time
he'll slip some drugs in your drink."

"No, he wouldn't do that. I know, he..."

"He wouldn't? How can you be so sure? What do you know about him? Maybe
he's hot for you and only wants to get you in his bed."

Lois swallowed hard at that remark. That was exactly what she had been
telling herself for hours, wasn't it? But why did she still have such
strong feelings for him despite everything that had happened that
morning?

"Lois?" she heard Lucy ask and realized that she hadn't answered yet.
However her silence said more than a thousand words. "Don't tell me you
slept with him?"

Involuntarily Lois blushed. Her mind was still full of memories of that
incredibly sensual and fulfilling night, no wonder she was physically
reacting to it. "I ... well... Lucy, I... I can't explain. It just
happened."

<LittleS>

"What?" Lucy squealed. "You slept with him after knowing him for one
day? Dear God, Lois, that doesn't sound like you at all. It really must
have hit you hard. You've fallen for him big time or you wouldn't have
done it, haven't you?"

"I have, Lucy. I have. I've never felt like this before. You know, when
I'm not with him, everything is clear. I can tell myself that he's not
good for me, that I shouldn't be attracted to someone dealing with
drugs. But as soon as my eyes fall on him, reason seems to make an exit
and everything that's left is my beating heart, weak knees, and
butterflies in my stomach," she confessed, laughing with embarrassment.
"Sounds adolescent, doesn't it?"

She could hear the smile in her sister's voice when she answered. "A
little, but that's okay. So, shoot, how was he?"

"Lucy!" Lois exclaimed, flabbergasted. "I won't tell you *that*!"

"It wasn't worth it, then, was it?" Lucy knew that with a little bit of
digging, prodding and pleading she would make her talk. That was why she
had been calling, to pour out her heart to her after all.

"Oh yes, it was," Lois said reverently. "It was simply incredible," she
echoed her words to Cary the night before.

Now Lucy was really curious. "Yeah? How so? Does he have a unique
technique or what? Is he extremely well ... built? Lois, come on, don't
tease! I want to know right now. You can't make hints like that and then
not tell me more about it!"

Lois was squirming. On the one hand she was dying to tell Lucy how
fantastic the night had been, how he had made her feel so special, how
his touch had affected her, but on the other hand she had scruples about
talking about it. It was her little sister, for Christ's sake! "Oh
well," she finally blurted out, "if you really want to know, it lasted
all night!"

Lucy didn't understand at first but then realization dawned. "He's a
real stud, your Cary, huh?" Her giggles were contagious and unwillingly
Lois had to join in the laughter.

"Hmmmm!" she confirmed dreamily when they had finally calmed down a bit.
Talking with Lucy really had helped, Lois was already feeling better.
That was why her sister's next question hit her that much harder.

"And what's going to happen now with you two?"

For a moment Lois was silent before answering with forced indifference.
"Nothing. He ... It's no longer an issue."

Lucy wasn't convinced by her apparent casualness though. "How so? Have
you really managed to let him go the next morning despite his being so
fabulous in bed?"

"Almost, but..." Lois was pausing again, "Oh well, I've told you so much
already, I might as well tell you the rest. Anyway, before I could tell
him it would be best not to meet in private again, he was out the door
telling me 'I'll see you around'. I'm just surprised he hadn't already
left while I was still sleeping," she added bitterly. "Probably even he
was worn out after the night we shared. I really know how to pick them,
don't I?"

"Oh Lois, I'm so sorry," Lucy said compassionately. She could hear in
Lois' voice how much she was disheartened by this whole incident.
"That's typical male! A wolf in sheep's clothing! I tell you something
-- he's not worth crying a single tear over him even if he seemed to be
so nice in the beginning."

"Well, I have to give him this, he really had me convinced with his
Mister-Nice-and-Harmless act. I just want to know how successful he was
with other women with it. I really thought he lo... that he cared for
me. But you're right," she said determinedly, "he isn't worth a single
tear. The best thing I can do is count him as another experience to
learn from."

"Exactly!" Lucy agreed. "That's the way to think! And now go, knock them
out, and show them not to fool around with you. Let them know what tough
stuff Lanes are made of!"

Lois had to laugh at Lucy's encouraging words. "I will, Luce," she
promised. "And when I'm back in Metropolis we'll have a nice relaxing
weekend bitching about men, okay?"

"All right. Do you want me to ask Mom whether or not she would like to
join us?" Lucy couldn't help but ask.

"Not if you value your life!" Without another word both of them ended
their conversation laughing.

*****

Something was nagging at Clark while he went over to the laboratory.
There would surely be work for him due to Lisa's order. No matter where
he had checked, he hadn't been able to come up with a single bit of
information about Lisa Lance, neither in Metropolis' newspapers nor on
different rave or party sites on the internet. And all that after a
whole morning and half an afternoon of searching. True, it was possible
she didn't like the limelight and as a manager was only responsible for
organization and finances, though with her looks she surely would be
successful in public relations. Still, it bothered him that he hadn't
found even the slightest mention of her. Something didn't ring right,
his instinct told him that. He really should investigate it.

To his surprise, a very hung over, bad-tempered Simon awaited him.
"There you are, Keats! It's about time! Where the hell have you been all
this time? Do you or don't you work for us?" Clark just lifted an
eyebrow and looked at Simon quizzically. He went on mumbling, "All these
special favors, no doubt. Those Americans think the world centers around
them. Spoiled, arrogant bitch. If it were up to me I wouldn't do
business with her."

"Something happened?" Clark was curious. He wasn't able to make sense
out of what Simon mumbled. It would have been better, though, if he had
just kept quiet for Simon went straight into another tirade.

"I'd tell this *lady*," he spat, "she should keep her money, or better
yet stuff it where the sun doesn't shine, and see where she gets her
pills from. Does she think she's the queen of China or what? I don't
know where she gets the nerve to treat me like a henchman. Am I her
errand boy? Miss Lisa Lance, Miss High-and-Mighty, Miss Arrogance
herself, comes into town and she really thinks that automatically gives
her the right to order me around!"

At the mention of Lisa's name, Clark sat up expectantly. Did this mean
the deal was about to happen? Did something finally break? He tried to
look as nonchalant as possible. "Have you been in contact with her
then?"

Simon snorted, infuriated. "I've called her because we've received the
money and I had to arrange for a meeting with her so I can hand over the
delivery note. And that's when she started to make demands again. 'I
expect the pills to be from the same batch I've tested. I've satisfied
myself to their quality and don't even try to foist other pills on me.
And I won't tell you again, but I insist on a different negotiator next
time. Nobody other than your boss will do. I talk about the main deal,
the monthly deliveries, with him or I won't talk at all. Am I making
myself clear? Don't think I'll discuss a deal of this magnitude with a
puppet like you!'" he mimicked her voice.

"She's so snobby, man! And doesn't even know the boss is a woman and not
a man!" Upset, he looked at Clark. "I need a drink. Two. Three. I won't
be able to bear this, this, this ..." Slowly but surely he was at a loss
for swear-words for Lisa. "I just can't stand her sober." Suddenly
though, his eyes lit up and he scrutinized Clark from head to toe. "Hey,
Keats, you know, you've been getting along with her quite well, haven't
you?"

"Why?" Clark asked carefully. He had no idea to what extent Simon had
noticed their behavior at the party or in the bar and he wanted to avoid
revealing too much of his relationship, or now his non-relationship with
Lisa.

"I have got a brilliant idea! How about you go to the meeting with Lance
in my stead and explain the whole thing about package and delivery to
her?" he asked, clearly enthusiastic about his idea.

Clark instantly was on the defensive. To see Lisa again probably
wouldn't be such a great idea, considering the messed-up morning they
had had. "I don't think that's a good suggestion. I have absolutely no
clue about delivery, so I wouldn't know what to tell her!"

Simon dismissed his objection with a shrug. "Nonsense, that's simple! I
can explain it to you right away." He patted Clark's shoulders
familiarly and led him in the direction of the office. "You are a bright
guy, you'll remember it, don't worry. The whole thing is so foolproof
that even my five-year-old nephew would understand it!"

Of course Clark had realized that this could give his investigation a
real boost. The most he had found out up to now was how the pills were
packaged but he hadn't been able to come up with how they were
delivered. Nonetheless he wasn't keen about the prospect of facing Lisa.

"Come on, don't make a fuss. You would really be doing me a big favor.
I'd owe you! Perhaps a season ticket for the Arsenals' games or maybe
you have noticed one of my girls? I could arrange something for you!"
Disgusted, Clark grimaced. Simon noticed his expression and went on,
"Okay, no matter what, you name it and it's yours!"

Solely because of the possibility of learning more about the way the
pills were distributed Clark no longer closed his mind to Simon's
proposal, even if there was no chance he would tell Simon that. "All
right," he finally said with deliberate casualness. "If I can do you a
favor. But you really owe me!"

"Sure, sure! Okay, listen. It works like this. Lance has ordered 3,000
pills, simply as a test run to see how well it sells at her clubs. Those
pills are wrapped in a nice package with six bottles of 500 pills each.
Since we want her to be a permanent customer we have consented not to
stick to the agreed on 7 pounds per pill but to make a nice round total
of 30,000 dollars which she's happy with. But that's beside the point.
I've told her as much yesterday evening already and that's what she has
transferred after all. Anyway, we will pack these bottles, supply them
with forged papers that will declare them legal narcotics from a
pharmaceutical corporation. And that's the delivery note you are to hand
over tonight. She'll need them to claim the goods as her own. And that's
all you have to tell her. If she's pissing you off as much as she does
me, you have your say, slap the paper into her hand, and run for your
money. Simple, isn't it?" He looked at Clark expectantly.

Clark was lost in thought, considering everything he had just learned,
so he barely noticed that Simon was waiting for a reaction from him.
"Yeah, foolproof, you're right. And it's working?"

"Of course! Every single time!" Simon declared proudly. He looked at his
watch. "Hey, it's time for you to go! Considering the traffic you'll
need a while. It would be best if you'd just leave. Your meeting is in a
quarter of an hour at the King's Arms, a pub in the West End. You know
it, right?" Clark confirmed it and Simon went on, "Oh, and in case she
asks again, we'll contact her about meeting the boss tomorrow. Now go!"
he urged Clark to finally leave.

*****

A little after the arranged time, Clark stood outside the pub. He
prepared himself for the meeting with Lisa, took a deep breath and
decisively stepped into the pub. As soon as his eyes adjusted to the
darkness he looked around till he met Lisa's gaze.

to be continued in part 8
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 22:24:07 +0100
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Petra Steudle <petrast@GMX.NET>
Subject:      NEW: Heartache (08/12) PG13
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

TITLE: Heartache Tonight
PART: (8/12)
AUTHOR: The German L&C Fanfiction Team
RATING: (PG13)

<Ckgroupie>

For a short moment their eyes locked and Clark couldn't help the
involuntary smile emerging on his face. He was happy to see her again.
It was certainly dumb and stupid, but, as he approached her now, he
realized how much he had missed her the whole day.

Clearly she had expected Simon instead of him; the surprise was evident
in her eyes. And for a second there was something else that let Clark's
heart thunder rapidly in his chest all of a sudden. Happiness? She was
happy to see him, too?

The impression vanished as quickly as it had appeared and her expression
became as cool and businesslike again as it had been while she had
talked to Simon yesterday. "Oh, it's you," she said shortly when he came
closer.

He sat down in the seat across the table. "Simon couldn't come," he
explained and waved the waiter to order something to drink for himself.

"I didn't want to talk to Simon anyway," Lisa announced somewhat
nappishly. "I think I made that clear enough yesterday. And no offense,
but neither do I want to negotiate with you."

"Well, you don't have to," Clark said wearily. "Simon told me he would
call you tomorrow about a meeting with headquarters."

Lois nodded briefly. After a pause she sent him a questioning glance.
"So why are you here?" The moment the words were out of her mouth, she
already regretted them. What did she want to hear? That he had come
because he wanted to be with her? That his disappearance this morning
hadn't been what it looked like? That he had a genuine interest in her?
This is absurd, she scolded herself inwardly. Even if he did say
something like that, it wouldn't really change anything! You can not
have a relationship with hi. No, all right, she couldn't. But somehow
maybe it wouldn't hurt as much anymore if she knew that last night had
really meant something to him.

Clark was getting more depressed by the minute. How could she be so
cold? How could she sit there and talk about that damned business, when
here he was, feeling as if his heart had been torn out of his chest? You
couldn't just shrug off and forget an experience like they had shared
the night before, could you? Even now, as he was sitting across from
her, he could smell her perfume, could sense the warmth of her skin. And
when she looked at him under those incredible long eyelashes, as she was
doing now... He felt a tingle spreading over his whole body. Why was it
suddenly so warm in here? He needed some air.

"Here," he said in a tight voice and gave her the folder with the
delivery note. "Simon told me you would need that. Will you please
excuse me for a moment?" He got up hastily and went in the direction of
the rest rooms.

Somewhat perplexed, Lois watched him disappear, but called herself
inwardly back to order. For a moment she had actually completely
forgotten about the delivery note. Sighing she took the inconspicuous
piece of paper in her hand and looked at it curiously. So simple and yet
so effective. A small delivery note, a couple of false bottles was all
it took and Eagle was cleared through customs.

"Well isn't that...? But yes, sure! Lois Lane!" a voice suddenly
exclaimed next to her. Bewildered she looked up.

Derek Finch, the editor-in-chief of the London Globe, whom she had met
at some journalism meetings a few times, was standing in front of her.
He grinned broadly and stretched out his hand. "Lois, how nice to see
you again. But what are you doing in London?!"

*****

Two tables away a man in a black leather jacket raised his eyebrows in
surprise. Lois Lane? he thought in amazement. Didn't they tell him the
name of the lady from America was 'Lisa Lance'? Also she didn't seem too
happy about this meeting, at least not if he interpreted that frightened
look she sent in  direction of the restrooms correctly.

"Oh, Mr. Finch," she was stammering now. "This is really a surprise."
She took the offered hand and shook it briefly. "I didn't expect to meet
anyone I knew."

I bet you didn't, her observer thought. And pretty uncomfortable you
seem to be. I would like to know why?

Mr Finch, however, didn't seem to notice her discomfort. Without asking
for permission he sat down in the chair which had been occupied by Clark
a few minutes before and smiled kindly. "So how are you doing, Lois?
Still working for the Daily Planet? You know, if you ever consider
working in London, the Globe would offer you a job any time!"

"Whoa," the man in the leather jacket blurted out, then caught himself
immediately covering his astonished exclamation with a cough. Well this
was news indeed! This American obviously was a reporter!

Hastily he got up and threw a couple of pounds on the table. His order
had been to observe her closely, but he knew when it was time to act
against orders and this definitely was such a moment. He had to report
his discovery immediately!

*****

It took some time until Clark had himself back under control enough to
face Lisa again. It couldn't be helped, he told his desperate reflection
again and again. He had to get the story and had to push back his
feelings. When the drug gang was behind bars, there would be time enough
to lick his own wounds. Today definitely wasn't the right time and he
would go out again now and he would act as professional and cool as Lisa
did. What she could he could, too.

Once more he inhaled deeply, then he turned around and left the rest
room. As he approached their table though, he noticed that she obviously
had found company. She was talking with a man who sat with his back to
Clark. Simon? Had he come here after all?

Clark frowned. "Excuse me ...?" he said politely when he was standing
next to the table, "... but this was actually my seat."

At the sound of his voice the man turned around in surprise. "Clark?
What a surprise to see you! Oh, and you know Lois Lane? Why didn't you
tell me she was in town?"

Speechless, Clark stared into the face of his editor-in-chief.

<KiwiPit>

His head was spinning. Why was Derek Finch sitting at Lisa's table? Had
she heard Finch calling him "Clark"? He should be able to get out of
that with some lame excuse. How could he telegraph his boss that Lisa
only knew him as Cary Keats? Clark had to get rid of him before Finch
would blow his cover.

"Oh, it's you," he managed to say politely. "What a plea... " Hold it.
What had Finch just said? Lois Lane?!?

"Clark? As in Clark Kent?"

As if in slow motion he turned his head towards the strangled voice that
had spoken his name. Those eyes that stared at him so incredulously
belonged to...

"Lois Lane?? Oh my god!" Clark felt as if someone had cut the ground
from under his feet. As in a trance he flopped down on the seat his boss
had vacated in the meantime and stared at Lisa - no, Lois! - in the same
stunned and speechless way she was staring at him.

Finch, who was mildly confused by the strange reaction of the two young
people, cleared his throat and asked somewhat awkwardly, "Did I say
something wrong? I blew something, didn't I? I'm really sorry, I didn't
mean to... Oh, there's my wife. Margaret, I'll be with you in a second.
Unfortunately, I have to leave you. It was a pleasure to see you again,
Lois. Make sure you come by my office if your schedule allows. I'd be
delighted." Derek Finch said good-bye and left Lois and Clark to
themselves.

Embarrassed silence settled between them. No one knew what to say or
ask. Both were deliberately avoiding the other's eyes, fearing that they
would give away how shocked and dumbfounded this absurd situation had
left them. Even without the very personal relationship they had started
last night the situation was ridiculous. Two world famous reporters with
excellent reputations had failed to recognize each other. What a
demonstration of stupidity.

At least it proves how good I was as Lisa Lance. Lois began sorting all
the confusing thoughts racing through her mind. No, how good we both
were.

To her own surprise the fact that they had only been playing roles
caused an inexplicable relief in her. After all - considering the story
- there was no reason to be proud of herself so far. She had wasted time
by chasing a bad lead. Cary Keats didn't exist and couldn't provide her
with information about the drug ring.

That wasn't your intention anyway, Lane. Admit it! You were never
interested in him professionally. If she was honest with herself she had
to admit that her conscience was right. Even if she had wanted to grill
him last night at the hotel bar, it had never been more than a weak
excuse to ... Well, to what exactly? Only to spend more time with him
against her better judgment. Cary was a criminal and thus no good for
her.
But wasn't that the point and reason for her relief? Cary was Clark and
Clark was no criminal she had to avoid. There was nothing that would
keep her from moving on with their relationship.

Instinctively she ran her tongue over the small bite mark inside of her
lip. Memories from the previous night flashed through her mind. Pictures
of her hand gliding over his incredible body and his lips kissing...

Remember how he left you, her brain interrupted her delicious thoughts.
Unshed tears clouded her eyes as she recalled his 'I'll see you around'.
After a night of pure passion and total devotion he had been as cold as
a stone to her. The chemist Cary Keats had only been a role for him. Was
it the same for the lover Cary Keats? Had everything been a fake? Had
every tender and loving word that he had whispered to her over and over
again only been part of this role? Lois froze at that thought.

After his sudden departure in the morning, the romantic and powerful
feelings of the night had become shallow and meaningless. But now
knowing that he had seemed to use her for his story made her feel cheap
and dirty. Obviously Clark Kent had no problems using her to serve his
purpose. You're stupid if you think he felt something for you.

"The famous Lois Lane," Clark's voice interrupted her musings. "The star
reporter of the Daily Planet. I always wanted to meet you."

"Well, now you have. And how do I rate in bed? That's all you were
interested in, isn't it? To get me in your bed," Lois shot back, more
sharply than she'd intended to.

<LittleS>

"Wasn't it rather *you* dragging me into *your* bed?" Clark bitterly
replied, hurt by her unjustified attack. As he recalled it had been Lisa
who had made the first move. To pretend it had been he who had seduced
her was simply self-deception. But if she needed that to justify their
night together, it was fine with him. She could think what she damn well
pleased.

For some time they looked at each other grimly. It was clear that they'd
rather be alone anywhere else than together in this pub. The relief that
neither of them was a criminal didn't matter as much as they would have
expected. It had quickly given way to the disillusionment that it didn't
really make a difference; the outcome was the same. Clark was convinced
that Lois had intended to dump him after a fleeting night she definitely
considered a mistake, especially in light of her earlier accusation, and
for Lois it was a given, because that was exactly what Clark had done to
her.

It was moot to dwell on it, though. Clark had intended to banish that
night from his memory - hey, at least he could try - even if he knew
that now he was deceiving himself. But that was easier said than done
with Lois sitting so close by. He couldn't help but ask himself what she
was really like. Was she as he had met her that first evening, or was
she like the businesswoman, or the lover, or a little bit of all of
them?

The overpowering silence between them was unbearable. Trying hard to
find a different topic, Clark became all business. "That's a really
clever idea to declare the pills for export as medical supplies, isn't
it?"

Lois was more grateful for the change of subject than she cared to
admit. It wouldn't do any good to fight about their night and talking
about work might be a way to get their emotions under control again. So
she agreed, "That makes one assume they're expecting big bucks doing
business in the States, doesn't it?"

"Seems like it, but I wouldn't know for sure. Simon only told me about
the way the deliveries are made today to prepare me for the talk with
you. Until now I was only responsible for the quality control of the
pills."

Well, great, not only am I willing to fall into bed with him, I'm even
helping him to get his story, Lois thought bitterly.

Surprised, Clark saw the shadow passing over her face. Damn, what did I
say now? Without being able to make sense of it, he continued, "How did
you find out about this story?"

"The stuff turned up at a friend's club in Metropolis and I thought it'd
be worth further investigation. You know how it works," she explained
off-handedly.

Okay, this topic might not be the right one as well. There was no chance
of her talking about the story with him. Not that there was that much to
talk about, at least not so much that she was worried he could perhaps
lure information out of her. Even in her current mood she had to
acknowledge that he probably knew a lot more than she did.

She had to admit that it was rare she was so lacking in concentration at
her job and, yes, even if she didn't like it at all, unsuccessful. If
she'd been in Metropolis Perry would long since have had her hide
because of her inability to make progress. She'd thought once she was in
London it would be easier to expose those who were pulling the strings,
but instead she'd let herself get distracted by Cary - no, by Clark -
and her feelings for him. If it hadn't been for the fact that she would
have to confess her failure to Perry she would long since have declared
herself defeated and packed up her things here, despite it looking quite
promising at the moment. After all, she had good prospects of meeting
the boss. That was, if Clark kept his mouth shut and didn't give her
away to strengthen his position in the gang.

"You won't tell them who I really am, will you?" she asked suspiciously.

Clark eyed her with dismay. How could she think something like that?
"What do you think of me? That's not my style. Apart from that, you'd
probably do the same to get even with me. And to be honest, I really
don't want to find out what they'd do if they realized one of us is a
reporter."

He'd really like to know how she had gotten such a bad opinion of him.
That couldn't possibly be because of this morning, could it? She would
have dumped him anyway and he had just been saving her the trouble by
walking away without her having to say the words. So actually she should
be grateful that he had avoided an uncomfortable scene.

He looked at her sharply for a moment and realized that she seemed to be
exhausted, quite in contrast to the previous evening when she had been
sparkling. "Lisa," he stopped and instantly thought back to the time he
had cried out that name in passion. It just couldn't go on like that.
"Lois. We should talk," he said resolutely.

But Lois just looked at him resignedly. "I don't know what we should
talk about, Clark. You gave me the papers. There's nothing more to say.
It's time I got to work." She rose and noticed his hurt expression. What
was it he wanted from her? To push the knife in a little more, twist it
a little? Hurt her even more? "I'll see you around," she called over her
shoulder, not realizing that her exit mirrored both his and her emotions
from their parting this morning.

<Ckgroupie>

*****

"Lois Lane?!!!" Sheryl Parker jumped up from her chair and rested her
hands on the huge desk in front of her. "Are you telling me that it was
possible for a reporter from Metropolis to sneak into our
organization?!"

The man across the table nodded. "Cole told us that he was able to hear
the name very clearly. Furthermore I showed him a picture of Derek
Finch, because the man she talked with mentioned the 'Globe' and Cole is
pretty sure it was him."

"Incompetence," Sheryl murmured, sat down again and shook her head. "I
am surrounded by nothing but incompetence." The man was silent;
obviously he didn't know what she expected from him now. He didn't need
to wait long. When his boss raised her eyes again her glance was icy.
"Get rid of her," she commanded tersely.

to be continued in part 9
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 22:29:42 +0100
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Petra Steudle <petrast@GMX.NET>
Subject:      NEW: Heartache (09/12) PG13
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

TITLE: Heartache Tonight
PART: (9/12)
AUTHOR: The German L&C Fanfiction Team
RATING: (PG13)

*****

"Damn," Clark cursed, hearing the crunching sound under his fingers.
Frowning he stared down at the cup in his hand, or rather, what was left
of it. He had really liked that cup, but now it was completely crushed
and the rest of his tea had spilled over his fingers now and was
dripping down on the newspaper he had been reading. Maybe it hadn't been
such a good idea to choose the international edition of the Daily Planet
as a distraction from Lois Lane, because even though she didn't have a
story in this issue, since she was here in London, he still had to think
of her the whole time he was reading the paper she worked for.

Right now he was remembering how much he had admired the story that
earned her the last Kerth Award. She was a brilliant reporter and, a
bitter smile twitched at the corners of his lips, he had always wanted
to meet her. Well he had, hadn't he? At the thought of how well he
actually had got to know her, it had happened. Involuntarily he had
closed his fingers around the cup more firmly than intended and had
destroyed the poor thing.

He sighed. Something like that seldom happened to him. In fact he
couldn't even remember the last time he had lost control over his
physical strength to this extent. Keeping his powers hidden and under
control had been essential to his life since puberty and passing as a
normal person was second nature to him. Usually he didn't have to think
about it -- he did it instinctively. But his meeting with Lois Lane and
their short passionate love affair was affecting him emotionally and
physically more than anything else before. He was pretty angry that he
knew exactly who had managed to throw him so much off balance, but he
couldn't help it.

Time is a great healer, he thought bitterly. Who had coined that stupid
proverb? Whoever it was, he didn't believe it would be true this time.
He would continue to work for the Globe, sure. He would continue to be a
reporter and maybe, someday, he would even meet someone he could tell
the secret about his special powers, but he knew he would never be able
to forget Lois Lane or the pain he had felt when she had turned around
today and left the coffee bar. And, he admitted to himself, he didn't
want to forget, because even though he was hurting terribly right now,
the memory of the happiness he had felt holding her in his arms was
worth knowing the wound would never heal.

Still, it was painful. And he still had to work on the story. Tomorrow
he would go to the laboratory once again. Maybe he would be able to get
some kind of evidence of the packaging and shipment of the drugs as
medicine. He really needed some clues, especially now that he knew that
Lois was so much further along in the investigation than he was. At
least she was going to meet the boss tomorrow. He still wanted the story
and wouldn't give up that easily. She was brilliant, sure, but he wasn't
a bad reporter himself, and the least he could do was try to get the
scoop.

*****

"Where is that damned woman?" Cole asked sullenly. "We've been waiting
for hours now!"

His partner Nick shrugged his shoulders and tried to find a more
comfortable sitting position on the car seat. "Mr. Lithgow ordered us to
shadow her, so we shadow her. It's as simple as that."

"Yeah, but so far we don't even have her in sight," Cole growled. He was
silent for a while and stared through the dark window of the car to the
entrance of the hotel on the other side of the street. "And what are we
supposed to do if she comes?" he finally asked.

"I don't know yet. Mr. Lithgow told me to call him immediately." Nick
yawned and tentatively tried to stretch his stiff back a little bit.
"Whoa, I'm really getting tired. I think I'll grab a cup of coffee, what
about you?"

Cole's face lit up. "That's the best thing I've heard from you tonight.
Look over there, that little coffee bar? Let's go in there and get us
something to eat, too."

"Don't you think it's too risky?" Nick hesitated. "What if she returns
while we're in there?"

Cole shook his head. "Ah, come on! What could she possibly do in fifteen
minutes? We won't stay long and as soon as we're back, I'm going into
the hotel and try to find out if she's there or not. If she is, we call
Lithgow and if not, we're going to wait a little bit longer. At least we
won't be starving anymore."

It actually took them more than twenty minutes until they were back in
their car, so Cole did as promised and went inside the hotel to check on
Lois. When he came back five minutes later, he collapsed into the seat
next to Nick.

"She's in her room," he said. "She must have returned while we were
eating. I went up to her floor and listened at her door. The room was
totally quiet and there wasn't any light in it, either."

Nick nodded and grabbed his cell phone. "Mr. Lithgow?" Cole heard him
ask when Sheryl Parker's assistant answered the phone. "She's back now.
Obviously she  went directly to bed though. There isn't any sound coming
out of her room." He listened for a while, then he nodded. "Yes, Sir,"
Nick said, then switched off the phone.

"And?" Cole asked impatiently.

"We'll wait until tomorrow," Nick answered shortly and started the car.
"He said she won't be able to do anything tonight anyway and we want to
keep a low profile. Contacting her now would be too obvious."

Cole sighed when the car began moving. "And for this I wasted my whole
evening!"

*****

Lois wearily threw her coat over a chair next to her bed. What a
dreadful evening. What a dreadful day!

<KiwiPit>

Sighing, Lois slipped out of her clothes and began to think of how she
had been trying for hours now to get Cary Keats out of her mind and
heart.
Cary, who in fact is Clark and is not really a small time criminal but a
cold-hearted, devious and shameless reporter. He was smooth-talking me
because of the story and to get in my bed.

And in her heart as well. Nothing would ever change that, no matter what
his name was, who he was, and how badly he had hurt her with his
disappearing act. That was the conclusion Lois had come to, and as
painful as it might be, she felt somehow relieved.

*****

After Lois had angrily left the pub and Clark, she had wandered
aimlessly through the streets. Deeply caught up in her thoughts she
didn't notice the tears of disappointment that ran down her cheeks. Why
had he done that to her? Wouldn't it have been enough to pump her for
information?
But no, he had to play with her heart, feign passion and feelings only
to have her for one night. How could she have been so naive to fall for
him and give herself to him so recklessly?

Now that he knew who she was he would probably laugh about her and how
gullible she had been to hang on every sweet word he had said. Some
reporter she was. To think that she nearly had confessed her love for
him. He would have had a field day telling each and every male reporter
in London that not only had he lured Lois Lane into his bed but on top
of that he had gotten a premature declaration of love from me.

Lois had felt like giving in to her anger and shouting out all of the
hurt but people were already looking at her tearstained face in
bewilderment. Another emotional outburst would attract more unwanted
attention.

Unable to return to her hotel room and the memories of the previous
night, Lois decided to go to see a movie. She wasn't looking for
entertainment and definitely wasn't able to follow the plot for even a
minute, but maybe under the cover of darkness she would manage to calm
down and analyze her conflicting feelings.

It was hard to admit for Lois but, as much as she detested Clark for
discarding her in the morning like an old shirt, at the same time she
was filled with joy to have met a man like him. From the first moment on
there had been a strong connection between them, as if they were soul
mates.

She couldn't believe that intelligent, charming and sympathetic man was
nothing but a facade. Could she have been so wrong about him? Her
instinct had never been wrong about anyone for a very long time. Why
hadn't it kicked in and warned her about his deceit?

Lois sighed. Every little touch had felt so right. With every look in
his eyes she had been convinced to find nothing but trust and honesty
there. Face it. He fooled you, Lane, her mind objected. He pretended to
be the nice guy next door to get to you. He'd do anything for a story!

The story. When they had met in the bar that night, had he known that
she was waiting for Simon? Had their 'collision' been orchestrated to
start a conversation? No, that was impossible. He had been equally
surprised when Simon had introduced her as the American customer.
Consequently that would mean that Clark had been himself at least for
the first hours, wouldn't it?

But who had asked her out for lunch the following day? Who had danced
with her at the party? Cary or Clark? Impatiently Lois shook her head.
The whole situation wasn't improved by separating him into two different
personalities. It had been he who had taken her to the hotel, who had
kissed her in the elevator, and had shared her bed. No matter what name
he had been using or role he had been playing, it still had been the
same man. The man she had fallen in love with and couldn't forget.

Around midnight she had returned to the Earl's Inn. At least her musings
had helped her to accept the hurt and the disappointment. Somehow she
would manage to live with the memories of him without constantly asking
how much of his true self he had been showing. She would never forget
Clark Kent or the feeling of completion she had experienced while lying
in his arms.

*****

Right now, nothing is important except the story, Lois admonished
herself when she crawled into her bed. All the advantage is on your
side. You're the one who has an appointment with the boss, not Clark.
And I'll make sure to get enough evidence to get the story for the Daily
Planet.

For a moment she wondered how much Clark had for his story. Judging from
the comments he had made in the pub, he was doing nicely because of her
involuntary help. Maybe her hurried dash away from him had been a
mistake. Maybe he had been about to share his information with her?
Sharing was nothing an ambitious reporter like her would ever do but
what had he said? 'Lois, we should talk.'

Had he wanted to talk about the story? No, something else had been on
his mind. Suddenly she remembered the look he had given her. There had
been a plea in his eyes, hadn't there? Maybe a touch of desperation,
too? How could she not have noticed it earlier? He had not been acting
like he wanted to get rid of her. What had he wanted to say to her?

You'll have to ask him that yourself, Lois, she realized, sighing. As
soon as the story was done she would have a long talk with Clark Kent.

<LittleS>

The next morning Lois awoke from a fitful, short sleep to the incessant
ringing of the phone. Still half dozing she automatically grabbed the
receiver.

"'lo? ... Mmh. Huh? Who? ... Oh Simon, it's you. ... Does that surprise
you at this hour of the day? ... Yeah, I can hear you're sorry. ... Oh,
the boss has agreed? It's about time. When? ... All right, see you
tonight. You could have told me that an hour later by the way."

Sleepily she was just about to put the receiver back on the cradle when
she became aware of Simon still speaking, and what he was saying made
her sit up in bed, instantly wide-awake. "What? Today in the *morning*?
At half past seven? ... For *breakfast*? If that's an example of the
famous English sense of humor, I have to tell you, it isn't funny to me!
... I can imagine! That's only about half an hour! How do you expect me
to be ready by then? ... What do you mean, that's my problem and I have
to hurry a bit then? You know, Simon, I think I'll have to have a
serious talk with your boss about your attitude toward business
associates. ... Geez, that sounds like it came right out of a cheap
crime novel! I'll be on time, you can count on it, and yes, I believe
you're capable of not waiting longer than five minutes for me!"

Angrily she slammed the phone down. "That stuck-up twit! Who does he
think he is!"

At exactly half past eight Lois stood in front of the limo she already
knew from her drive to the lab and looked at Simon with eyes blazing
with fury. "The deal I'm about to make with your boss better be really
good to make up for all this, you know!"

Without acknowledging her words Simon bowed his head and motioned for
her to sit down in the back of the car. During the whole drive he
persistently kept silent and since Lois didn't feel like chatting she
only tried once to start a conversation. When he didn't react she left
him alone. That way she had peace and quiet to prepare herself for the
talk with the mysterious boss.

In her head she ticked off the things she wanted to find out. What she
hoped for most of course was the name of the boss. That would give her a
real jump on her investigation. How they managed to export the Eagle to
the States was no longer a secret since she had learned about the forged
delivery papers but what about the size of the organization? Where else
did they deliver their drugs? Was this their only source of income? And
what was the most important thing of all: would she be able to find
foolproof evidence that would not only convict the henchmen but the
people pulling the strings? All this naturally depended on where they
were meeting for breakfast. Would it be in a restaurant, which wasn't
too likely considering the subject of their conversation, or a building
belonging to the organization, where she could possibly snoop around a
little bit?

Lois could feel the strain rising the longer the drive took. She was
used to working alone and not always under the best or safest of
circumstances but she felt a little bit queasy today. This just wasn't
her usual neighborhood. She knew Metropolis like the back of her hand
but this was a different area, a different country and that was what was
worrying her.

Would it have been better to contact Clark? Uninvited, that thought had
popped up in her mind. She shook her head. What could Clark possibly do
for her? She couldn't have brought him with her without raising
suspicion or at least questions, and she didn't know where she was
going, so that was something else she wouldn't have been able to tell
him. And he already knew that she was meeting the boss today - she, not
he! She'd like to see *him* do that! So what was he doing, invading her
thoughts like this? He mustn't take up space there at this moment! She
had to get him out of her mind right now. He would only distract her in
her concentration. If there was something she didn't need in the next
hours, it was being distracted.

And yet... 'We should talk' - the thought lingered. Once again she
pondered what he could have been referring to. She didn't want to get
her hopes up before they talked but could it possibly be that she had
misinterpreted him, that his exit yesterday morning wasn't what it had
seemed? Perhaps something had happened while she was in the bathroom?

Oh, how she longed to finish this story so they could finally discuss
what had happened. That was what she owed herself and what she owed him.
Laying all the cards on the table. And if their confrontation didn't
turn out as well as she was secretly hoping, she could content herself
with the fact that they were living on different continents and probably
would never again run into each other.

But first she had to use this pending conversation with the drug ring's
boss to reach a conclusion. So she focused once again on what was lying
before her the next hour and not a moment too soon because she felt the
car roll softly to a stop.

"All right, here we are," Simon said and got out of the car on his side.

Lois followed his example and then looked around curiously.
Unfortunately she couldn't make out much. They seemed to be in front of
a small factory building and from the looks of it one that hadn't been
in use for quite some time. The yard was cluttered with rubble and
garbage, the windows had been broken. And this was what they deemed to
be a suitable meeting place for a business breakfast? She wasn't picky
but it didn't have to be as dilapidated as here.

She looked at Simon questioningly when from the corner of her eye she
saw another car come to a stop. Aha. They were getting an addition to
their group. Perhaps this was the boss? Lois hadn't seen other cars yet;
the boss didn't seem to have arrived so far. To her disappointment only
two more men emerged that she vaguely recognized. Oh, right. They were
two of the bullies who had guarded the unknown couple at the club
opening the other night.

Before she could ask O'Grady when the meeting was about to start
however, he had already roughly grabbed her arm and pulled her in the
direction of the building.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Lois asked, outraged and trying
to escape his grip. She jerked her arm down but Simon just snorted and
held on that much tighter. "I insist you stop this nonsense immediately
and let me go at once! You're carrying this too far! Do you think I'm
interested in dealing with people who consider these common business
practices?" she hissed.

She was getting really frightened now. This was unusual behavior and she
glanced around again, this time to look for a chance to get away from
Simon. Unfortunately it didn't look good for her at all. The whole area
seemed deserted. From the distance she heard noises carried by the wind.
It didn't help her at all-- she couldn't make out what they were. No
help for her from that direction. Except for Simon, the two goons and
herself, nobody was around. Her mind was spinning and she was
desperately trying to come up with a way to escape this situation.
Something had gone terribly wrong, she knew with sudden clarity.

to be continued in part 10
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 22:36:24 +0100
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Petra Steudle <petrast@GMX.NET>
Subject:      NEW: Heartache (10/12) PG13
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

TITLE: Heartache Tonight
PART: (10/12)
AUTHOR: The German L&C Fanfiction Team
RATING: (PG13)

And Simon confirmed that with his next words. "Sit down, Miss Lane." He
threw her roughly on a chair at the back of the building.

Shocked, her eyes grew wide. Then she tried to hide her dismay as well
as possible. "Miss Lane? I have no idea what you're saying! And I demand
to know again what this is all about! I came here to talk about the cost
and conditions for delivery of Eagle. If you don't want to do that tell
me right away, and I'll no longer be interested in a deal with you. But
this whole charade..." She rubbed the arm Simon had grabbed so brutally.
The imprint of his fingers was still visible and surely would bruise
later.

Simon didn't give her the chance to say more. On his nod both bodyguards
stepped forward and painfully yanked at Lois' arms to handcuff her
behind her back. She couldn't suppress a cry at their rough handling.

"Charade. Very good of you to mention that, Miss Lane. I'd say it's
*you* who's quitting this charade. I'm going to ask you a few questions
and I want answers from you."

"Oh, this is a game show, then?" Lois couldn't hold back the biting
question.

Almost before she had finished her sentence, Simon backhanded her
cruelly. The force of the punch threw Lois against the back of the chair
and for a moment she literally saw stars. Horrified she held her breath,
waiting for more blows to come.

"Wrong attitude, Miss Lane," Simon informed her coldly. "*I'm* asking
and you're answering. And believe me, you don't really want to find out
what happens when I'm not satisfied with what you're telling me." Both
men drew closer again.

Now Lois really was frightened. She had no idea how far Simon would go
to find out what he wanted. And what would happen if she perhaps did
tell them something? She hardly believed they were willing to simply let
her walk away.

"All right, Miss Lane. Now that you know what is expected of you, I'd
say we start with a few simple questions. We know who you are and that
you're working for the Daily Planet in Metropolis. What are you doing
here in London?"

In spite of her fear Lois had to hold her tongue not to ask whether that
wasn't obvious but there was no way she wanted to aggravate Simon as she
had before. Who knew what he was capable of doing to her then?

She shot him a look full of contempt and was just about to answer
something he wouldn't find offensive, but Simon seemed to feel provoked
by that look alone. He gave the man standing beside Lois a sign and now
it was his turn to raise his hand and smack her hard. Her head jerked to
the side and this time it connected solidly with the back of the chair.
Dazed, she tried to stay focused but that proved to be very difficult.
Everything was dancing in front of her eyes. Through a haze she
recognized Simon's face before her.

"Now, wouldn't you rather talk to me than to my friends? I can't stress
enough how much your arrogance pissed me off. There's not too much left
of it now, is there, Miss High-and-mighty? You better not tempt me to
get back at you for all the times you treated my like an errand boy!" He
grabbed her hair and roughly pulled her head up so she had to look at
him directly.

The sudden movement, painful as it had been, brought her back to full
consciousness. She knew she had nothing left to lose now. Simon would
want to know what she knew, whom she had told and what evidence she had
to prove any claims that might be made. And he would beat it out of her,
she had no doubts about that. She didn't believe that this was a
situation she could bluff her way out of. But if Simon thought she would
helplessly cower in front of him and beg for mercy, which he would
probably love, then he was mistaken.

She stared at him full of hate. Then she leaned back a little and with
all the strength she could muster spit into his face. Only then did she
realize that the metallic taste she'd had in her mouth since the last
blow must be blood. She seemed to have bitten her tongue or the inside
of her cheeks. It gave her great satisfaction to see Simon wipe his face
disgustedly and step back a little.

"So, you want it the hard way, Miss Lane? Okay, since we're always at
pains to satisfy our customers' wishes you'll get what you've asked
for." He reached into his pocket and brought out a small vial with pills
in it. "Let me demonstrate the advantages of Eagle so you'll know first
hand what kind of experiences your customers will have, Miss Lane!" With
a sly grin he took two pills out of the vial.

Terrified, Lois realized what Simon was up to. She began to struggle in
her handcuffs and tried to turn away her head when Simon came closer
again, but one of the men came up behind her and forcefully grabbed her
jaw to make her open her mouth. She desperately tried to escape from the
bruising grip but it was futile. Before she could help it both pills
were on her tongue. And just as seconds ago they had forced her mouth
open, now they forced it shut to make sure that she really swallowed the
Eagle. As much as she tried to avoid it, despite her resistance, the
pills slowly dissolved and made their way into her stomach and her
bloodstream.

"Okay, let's wait a little while for them to have an effect, Miss Lane.
You'll feel great soon! Then we'll try to see again whether you're
willing to cooperate or not. And if you're not we'll have another nice
delicacy for you!" From the pocket of his jacket he produced another
vial, this time with a clear fluid. "This is liquid Eagle!" he explained
proudly. "If we inject it into you, you can rename it from 'Eagle' to
'Icarus'. You'll be flying so high that you'll be burning your wings on
the sun and crash and crash hard, if you know what I mean." He had to
laugh at his own joke. "All right, let's leave you in peace for a few
minutes till the pills take effect. You can think about what is best for
you in the meantime." Smirking, he turned around and began to pace.

Lois' head hurt like hell now. She couldn't tell whether it was from all
the blows to it or from the Eagle she had ingested. But that was her
least worry. She would soon enough feel a whole lot worse than having a
headache, she knew. She was now convinced that this was it. This story
would be her last, there was no way around it. She would die in this
factory, wouldn't she?

She had never thought much about death-- who did, after all? But to die
like this, overdosed on drugs and discarded like rubbish, or just left
here to be found in a few days, weeks or even months? Would she just be
another drug death statistic? Oh no, not that, never that. Too many
people knew about her story. Perry, Clark.

Clark ... Oh God, Clark. She would die and never know if he really had
cared for her, had loved her. But even if he hadn't she could still
pretend he had. She could remember what she had felt that night,
regardless what happened the next morning. She had found complete love,
and for that feeling alone it had been worth coming to London even if
she didn't survive today.

A shrill ringing interrupted her thoughts; it was Simon's mobile phone.
Impatiently he answered it, "Yes?" He gave one of his henchman a sign.
It wouldn't do them any good if Miss Lane started to scream for help
now. The bodyguard stepped up behind Lois' chair, and not a second too
soon. Just as she was about to open her mouth to alert whoever was
calling, a hand clamped down hard on her mouth, muffling the scream that
had formed in her throat to a barely audible strangled groan.

<Ckgroupie>

Simon listened to the phone for a second then turned his eyes
heavenwards. "Keats? What do you want? I don't have much time."

*****

After another sleepless night Clark had decided to go to the laboratory
first thing in the morning. Maybe he would be lucky and nobody would be
there so that he could snoop around a little bit. Although he was
determined to make the story a success, he was very well aware that he
had run into a dead end with it. He had no real facts at hand. Simon was
the only one whom he could possibly accuse of anything, but it was
nothing that went beyond mere dealing. And that was not exactly award
material.

As he went up the stairs to the lab he still had no real plan for what
he was going to search for, but he hoped that he would find the
laboratory empty. Somewhere there had to be some evidence that would
finally tell him about the head of the organization.

To his great disappointment, however, he wasn't alone when he opened the
door. Stuart and Dan, two other chemists already stood at the table in
the middle of the room and greeted him with a nod of their heads.

"Hi Cary," Stuart called. "What brings you here so early today?"

"I could ask you the same," Clark retorted. He approached the desk and
noticed with surprise that the two of them weren't working with the
usual GHB powder, but with a transparent liquid. He  pointed to the
bottle Stuart held in his hand. "May I ask what that is?"

"Liquid Eagle," Stuart grinned. "Simon ordered a portion of that this
morning."

Clark threw him an astonished glance. "*Liquid* Eagle? What does he need
it for?"

Dan shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea." He closed the bottle. "I
warned him though," he added. "This stuff is really dangerous. One
syringe of it and wham... you'll meet your maker."

Clark nodded. He knew that, too. Simon wouldn't be able to sell liquid
Eagle as a drug and he was sure that Simon knew about the stuff's
danger. Furthermore Simon was the typical dealer, which meant he wanted
to gain as much profit as he could selling drugs, but also that he
didn't want to be connected with the death of someone dumb enough to
send himself over the Jordan by overdosing himself into oblivion. He
would never take the risk and sell liquid Eagle. So what did he want
with it, then?

Apparently Stuart and Dan were finished with their order, because they
chatted briefly with Clark about the big deal that they expected from
Lisa Lance and then they disappeared. That was just the chance Clark had
been waiting for. He started immediately to search the laboratory, but
only half an hour later he had to admit that he hadn't been able to find
anything at all. If there were any papers existing or anything similar
that would be able to help him, he knew now that he wouldn't find it
here.

Another hour later he sat rather helplessly in front of his computer at
the Globe and absently stared at the blank screen. He was stuck. Not one
lead in this story had panned out and the only persons he was able to
connect with the drug ring so far were an unimportant dealer and a
reporter. That was as good as nothing.

He wondered how the meeting between Lois and the boss had gone. Was she
closer to the solution than he was? Probably. He tapped restlessly with
his pencil on his desk. Somehow the question of why Simon had ordered
that liquid Eagle appeared in his head again. It just didn't make sense
and he couldn't fight a slightly uneasy feeling that overtook him
whenever he thought about it.

His eyes went to his phone. Why not? He could ask Simon in all innocence
after all, couldn't he? With decision he picked up the phone and dialed
the dealer's number. He could tell immediately that Simon wasn't happy
about his call when he answered his greeting with a short "Keats? What
do you want? I don't have time."

Unmoved Clark told him about his meeting with Lisa Lance and that he had
handed her the delivery note as requested. "Is her meeting with the boss
over yet?" he then asked casually.

He heard the dealer chuckle. "Don't ask," Simon grinned. "I guess I
should tell you that your little darling Lisa is not what you think she
is. You should forget about her."

That sentence aroused Clark's suspicion. "What do you mean? Is it just
because you don't like her or is there something I don't know yet?"

At that moment a loud noise disturbed the connection. It sounded like an
electronic feedback and Clark didn't get everything the dealer answered.
"What did you just say?" he asked, but Simon obviously wasn't in the
mood to talk anymore.

"Nothing," he answered, "just that you should search for a new chick,
Keats."

Clark swallowed the caustic remark that was on the tip on his tongue.
What good would it do him to argue with Simon? "Look, Simon, what did
you mean with 'don't ask' then? Does it mean there was no meeting? But
you told me she should expect a call today, didn't you?" He came back to
Simon's first sentence.

"One-two-one-two-one-two..." A metallic voice disturbed the connection
again, followed by another loud feedback noise, and Clark had to cover
his sensitive ears for a moment. Where in hell was Simon? "And here
issssss!!!!! One-two-one-two-one-two... icccccecream...
one-two-one-two..."

"Look, Keats. It's pretty loud here and I gotta go," Clark heard the
dealer's voice say at that moment.

"Wait, Simon," Clark began hastily but suddenly he couldn't continue.
Just as he opened his mouth to add something, he had heard a soft sound
on the other end of the line. It was almost inaudible, but it clearly
came from a direction very near to where Simon was standing, and Clark's
heart chilled with a sudden fright at the sound. It was a groan and it
was a voice he would have recognized anywhere in the world. Lois!

<KiwiPit>

A cold shiver ran down his spine and in his head alarm bells were
ringing. Lois was in trouble. Why else would she moan so painfully?
Clark's mind was racing. What if it hadn't been Lois he had heard but
someone else who had stepped on the toes of the organization? No, there
was no doubt.

"Simon, how did the meeting... " he tried to keep the conversation
going. If he could really concentrate perhaps he could hear Lois talking
in the background. It would be a sign of what was happening to her and
how she was doing.

"I'll see you around, Keats," Simon said at that moment. The next thing
Clark heard was the tone of a disconnected phone line.

"Damn, he hung up!" he cursed. What should he do? The anger and
disappointment about Lois he had felt only minutes before were suddenly
gone. All that remained was his love for that wonderful woman who had
taken his heart by storm and with a look from her beautiful eyes had
turned his life upside down. No matter what had happened he had to help
her as fast as he could.

Simon's biting remarks about Lisa Lance could only mean that Lois' cover
had been blown and she was in great danger right now. "They'll make
mincemeat of her, Kent," he said aloud. "Do something!" How fast could
he be there? In a few seconds by flying? What am I thinking? I have no
idea where they hold her captive. And flying? By daylight? I must be
crazy. Under no circumstances would he risk exposure by being seen
flying. Calm down, Kent. Use your brain. Clark took a deep breath and
left the Globe, determined to rescue her.

Since flying was out of the question - no matter how fast he was,
someone would see him - he decided to take a taxi to the ... Well, where
to, exactly? While hailing a cab he tried to remember whether Simon had
given any hint of his whereabouts. No, he'd only railed about Lisa
Lance.

Quickly he got into the taxi and told the driver to go to the regular
club the members of the organization patronized. Chances were good that
Lois' meeting with the boss had been scheduled to take place there. On
second thought ... hadn't there been a noise interrupting the
conversation with Simon a few times? What was it? A new DJ presenting
his repertoire to the club? No, something else. It was a metallic sound.
There had been feedbacks and a voice with a lot of echo to it. That's
not very likely in a small club.

His eyes caught sight of a poster on a pillar announcing a pop concert
for that very evening. "Of course! A sound check. I heard a sound
check," he exclaimed. Ignoring the taxi driver's bewildered look he told
him to change direction. "Take me to the Wembley Stadium, please. And
step on it."

He was aware that a sound check could be held at practically any hall or
stadium in the city and not necessarily at the Wembley. However he knew
that a little warehouse used by the drug ring for storage was near the
stadium. There was at least a possibility that Lois was kept there.

I only hope I'm not too late, he prayed silently.

*****

"Don't tell me that Keats had something going with her?" Nick asked with
a smug grin after Simon had slipped his cell phone back into his pocket.

O'Grady only shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know. Perhaps. In any case
he has to get himself another chick. This one won't return from the trip
we're sending her on." Annoyed he looked over to Lois who was crumpled
on her chair and then checked his watch. "It's been nearly an hour since
she swallowed the pills. She'll be flying by now. Go ahead."

A blow to her shoulder and another slap in the face jerked her out of
the drug-induced delirium. She could hardly raise her head or focus her
eyes. Everything was spinning and seemed to disappear in a thick fog.
The dosage of Eagle they had forced into her mouth was enough to make
her lose the control over her body and fall into a coma sooner or later.
Her mind had already given up the fight against the effects of the drug
and wouldn't start again because of the pains she was experiencing.

A distorted, loud noise reached her ears and threatened to explode her
head. Where was she? Were they holding her in an underground train? At
least it sounded and felt like that. Her body was vibrating as if she
was on a high-speed train ride.

Lois was too dead to the world to notice that the noises were the voices
of the men who were trying to interrogate her and the vibrating was her
own body shaking convulsively. When she felt a hand on her shoulder - or
was it her head? - the shaking suddenly subsided long enough for her to
give in to the need to vomit.

"Damn!" Cursing, Simon jumped back. "Now I have her dinner on my
trousers. How many more pills did you give her?" Accusingly he looked at
Nick who only shrugged and replied, "Three more. You wanted to make her
talk. I thought that a few more would help."

"You idiot! That is no truth serum." O'Grady was clearly annoyed. "Now
she's so spaced out that we won't get a word from her." Without further
ado he reached for the liquid Eagle and filled a syringe with it. "Take
that and finish her off." The cold stare he gave Nick left no doubt
about what he wanted him to do. "Cole and I are leaving. You don't need
us for this job. Wait for half an hour. I should be out of reach be then
and nobody will connect this mess to me. And think of being more
thorough this time when you dispose the body."

Simon shot a last disgusted look first at Lois, then at his trousers,
and left the building.

to be continued in part 11
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 22:39:17 +0100
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Petra Steudle <petrast@GMX.NET>
Subject:      NEW: Heartache (11/12) PG13
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

TITLE: Heartache Tonight
PART: (11/12)
AUTHOR: The German L&C Fanfiction Team
RATING: (PG13)

*****

A few blocks away from Wembley Stadium Clark had gotten out of the taxi
and with the help of a little superspeed had closed the remaining
distance. He was about to scan the warehouse when the door opened and
Simon came out. Clark barely managed to hide behind a wall. His guess
had been correct. But what about Lois? Was she already ...? No, he
wouldn't think about it. Lois was alive.

As soon as Simon was out of sight Clark went over to the entrance. He
stopped for a second to listen for any noise coming from the inside of
the building and to scan for more of Simon's friends. His heart skipped
a beat when he saw Lois tied to a chair, clearly unconscious. Next to
her was a man fumbling with a syringe.

Oh my god, that must be the liquid Eagle, Clark realized in panic. He's
going to kill her.

Without hesitating he ripped the door open, ran to the unsuspecting man
in superspeed and threw him to the floor before he even noticed Clark at
all. A well-aimed blow to the chin knocked the man out and within
seconds Clark had untied Lois and cradled her in his arms.

His mind was racing while he checked for life signs. "Lois? Lois, can
you hear me?"

Her breathing was shallow, her pulse barely there, and her eyes started
to roll back in her head when he opened her lids. "Lois! Wake up! Come
on, don't do this to me," he demanded with a shaky voice. She couldn't
just die now. There were so many things he had to tell her. "Did they
give you Eagle? How many pills? Come on, talk to me."

Clark recognized the signs of drug poisoning and knew that he had to
take her to a hospital as fast as possible. Determined, he lifted her in
his arms and flew to the nearest hospital. He didn't care anymore if
anyone saw him.

<LittleS>

The next hour passed for Clark in a flurry of activity. On the one hand
he felt as though he was surrounded by cotton and everything was covered
by a mist. On the other hand he saw things as clearly as never before.
He was totally focused on Lois to the exclusion of everything else.

He had brought her into the emergency room -- his calls for a doctor had
probably startled half of the hospital. Then he had stayed by her side
throughout the examination despite repeated requests to leave the room.
Finally the doctors had acquiesced to his stubbornness and just had
directed him to stay out of their way. Only when they were ready to pump
her stomach did somebody lead him out of the examination room under his
loud protest. He had to stay by her side to make sure she was safe! He
was glad that his special sight made it possible to see what the doctors
were doing even if he couldn't be in there.

He was so concentrated on Lois that he wasn't even aware of a nurse
showing him to a chair and putting a cup of hot tea into his hands to
calm him down some. It was when she put her hand on his shoulder and
consoled him, "Don't worry, your wife will be fine! We're doing
everything we can for her!" That he took in his surroundings again. For
a moment he looked at her uncomprehendingly as if he hadn't noticed her,
which was true.

"We need the particulars of your wife and we have to know what happened
to her. It look like something we have to inform the police about," she
said gently.

He nodded absently as he was just listening to the doctor in Lois'
examination room say, "What happened to her face? Somebody must have
used her as a punching bag. Okay, people, let's move before she slips
into a coma. If that happens I don't think she'll make it."

Clark paled and he felt sick at the possibility that Lois might die. It
would be his fault because he hadn't been fast enough to come to her!
Helplessly he made a fist without thinking about the cup he was still
holding in his hand. Only the cry of the nurse and her jump backwards to
avoid getting the hot tea on her brought him out of his misery.

He looked at her and while he was trying to dry his hand on his trousers
he repeatedly murmured in a distressed voice, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry,
please forgive me, Lois."

The nurse grabbed a few napkins that were lying on a table nearby and
mopped up the spilled tea on the floor. "That's okay, Sir. Nothing has
happened that can't be fixed. Could we take your particulars now? Let's
go." She wondered if perhaps a doctor should take a look at the young
man. He obviously was in shock and she didn't want him to collapse in
front of her.

"Can't we stay here?" he pleaded, but the nurse just led him away.

"No, I'm sorry, that's not possible, but here now, the reception is
right there so you can see at once when your wife is admitted to her
room, Mister..."

"Kent," he replied automatically, still turning around to look at the
room so he  not only could hear what the doctors were doing to Lois but
see for himself how she was. He hardly could bear to see her like this
though, one tube in her mouth, and an IV in her hand.

One of the doctors had just decided to take an x-ray of her skull to
check for injuries due to the blows she had received. If there was a
severe concussion or swelling of the brain it might prove dangerous for
her.

"If she really has a brain injury I don't think we can avoid coma," the
doctor said seriously. "Let's hope she's lucky."

Clark could only gasp.

"Mister Kent, Mister Kent, come on, your wife will be all right soon!" a
voice penetrated his thoughts and he realized that the nurse was talking
to him again.

He tried to turn around and at least listen to her. Pitying him, she
gave him a handkerchief and he looked at it, unsure why he should need
it. What did she want him to do? Only then did he feel the wetness on
his cheek from the tears that had spilled over. Embarrassed, he took the
handkerchief and at last tried to answer the questions of the nurse.
When he had finally explained that Lois wasn't his wife, and what he
thought must have happened he was calmed down enough to think somewhat
clearly and logically. That was when he remembered that he hadn't called
the police. Even if this endangered his investigation to expose the
bosses of the drug ring, Simon would pay for what he had done to Lois!

*****

The first thing Lois was aware of was a hand that was holding hers
tightly as if it was frightened Lois would slip away if the connection
loosened. The next thing was a voice that was repeating the same thing
over and over. What was it? "Lowap?" No, that couldn't be it, that
didn't make sense, did it? She tried hard to make out the words more
clearly. Oh yeah, there it was, "Lois, please wake up, come back to me,
please! Please, please wake up!"

Lois, that was her! If she only knew now who was talking to her. Perhaps
she should just simply attempt to open her eyes. Yes, that was a
brilliant idea even if it wasn't as easy as it sounded. With great
difficulty she tried to shake off the daze and opened her eyes. There he
was, the man who belonged to the voice! Cary...

She didn't realize that she hadn't only thought it but had whispered it,
but she must have, because in response he just gripped her hand a little
tighter and leaned closer to her. Though... Something about that was
wrong. What was it? She knew it, somewhere in her mind it was floating
around, she only had to catch it and let it out. Oh yes, now she had
succeeded.

"Clark." She looked at him as if she expected to be praised for the
brilliant piece of work she had done and she got it in the form of a
relieved smile that was spreading over Clark's whole face.

"Lois! You're back with me again! How are you?" he asked tenderly. Even
before he had finished speaking Lois felt herself getting sick and she
began to heave. She vomited into the dish Clark had miraculously
produced from somewhere and leaned back into the pillow exhaustedly.

"Better," she murmured and as strange as it might sound considering what
she had done just now, it was the truth. Gently Clark smoothed back a
lock of hair that fell into her face. As intimate as the gesture was,
Lois knew that something was wrong about it. Slowly she began to
remember the events of the last few hours and as she began to feel
stronger, she started to grill Clark.

"What are you doing here in the hospital? Why am I here, anyway? What
happened to Simon? And what are you doing with my hand? I thought
you..." She trailed off.

Embarrassed, Clark let go of her hand but Lois grabbed it again. "No, I
didn't mean it like that!" she hastened to say. "I was just wondering."

Carefully Clark caressed the bandages that were covering her wrists. It
was true, he had assumed something he didn't have the right to. How was
he to know Lois would want him touching her like that. After all, their
last meetings hadn't been a bed of roses. But at least for now she
seemed to be fine with it, for now it was she who was holding him like
she never wanted to let go. It would probably be safer, though, to
concentrate on her other questions first.

He informed the nurse that Lois had woken up and turned to her once
more. Just as he was about to start, a doctor entered the room. He was
delighted to see her conscious and lucid.

"You were lucky Mister Kent was able to admit you so fast, Miss Lane.
You have to have a guardian angel!"

He went into detail about her injuries and assured her that she would be
her old healthy self in a few days. Everything had seemed worse than it
really was when they had first seen her. She hadn't gotten a concussion
from the blows and the effect of the Eagle should be remedied by the
pump-out of her stomach and the transfusion she was currently getting.

"What probably will bother you the most for the time being will be the
marks on your face and the abrasions on your wrists." He pointed at the
bandages. "All things considered, you are lucky, Miss Lane!" He said
goodbye and left the room as suddenly as he had come in.

Lois looked at Clark seriously. "You saved my life by being there when I
needed you most."

He just shrugged his shoulders. He couldn't have lived with the feeling
of guilt and loss if he had been too late. Before he could say anything
to that effect though, they once again were interrupted by the opening
of the door. Two men introducing themselves as detectives came in to
interrogate Lois.

She was able to explain why she had come to London and what little
information she had uncovered until now. "And then they must have found
out somehow that I'm a reporter. They obviously didn't like that." She
looked at Clark and was about to ask him if his cover was blown as well.

But he totally misinterpreted her look. As if burned he dropped her hand
and, horrified, asked, "Lois, you don't believe I told them, do you? I
never could have done something like that to you! You have to believe
me, I could never do anything to harm you!"

Immediately she calmed him down. "No, of course not! I have no idea how
they found out. They probably have their ways. I know you didn't do it.
You never would do something like that." She turned back to the
policemen and went on telling what had happened as far as she
remembered. "So what is happening with Simon now?" she finally wanted to
know.

One of the detectives looked at his watch. "We have an APB out on him as
we speak. And even if we can't link him with the drug dealing, with your
help we can still nail him with the murder attempt on you. We will put
him behind bars for a very long time, Miss Lane," he said with
satisfaction, and both policemen rose to say goodbye.

After they had left with her statement, Lois leaned back with a pensive
look. Apart from the constant headache that she was determined to shove
into the back of her mind and a light dizziness she felt surprisingly
well. At least well enough that her brain was working overtime.

Determinedly she straightened and carefully, as if not to aggravate her
dizziness any more, swung her legs out of the bed.

Clark watched her in irritated fascination and tried to hold her back.
"Lois, what are you doing?"

"I've got to get out of here," she explained casually, as if he should
have realized it on his own and shouldn't have had to ask. "If they are
looking for Simon it's only a matter of time till other reporters catch
on to it and I'll be damned if I let another reporter get *my* story
first!"

Clark only rolled his eyes. "Lois, I brought you here with a severe drug
poisoning, not to mention your other injuries! I don't think..."

Putting her hands on her hips, eyes blazing, she turned to face him.
"And what do you plan to do to prevent it? Do you want to stop me? I
have to get to my laptop and write it down so I can send it to Perry. I
didn't invest all my time, money and energy to let the story be snatched
away from me now." She looked around questioningly. "Where are my
clothes?"

Automatically he pointed at the closet. "But Lois..." Unerringly she
floated past him as if he wasn't there. Sighing, he rang for the nurse.
If Lois didn't listen to him, hopefully a doctor might convince her to
stay.

As predicted the doctor wasn't too keen when he heard her plan. "Miss
Lane, I don't think it's wise to leave on your own responsibility. You
should at least stay overnight so we can check your responses!"

"I don't have time for that. I have to go," Lois adamantly insisted.

The doctor looked at her as if she had lost her mind. "Do you at least
have somebody who can look after you? It would be highly irresponsible
to let you go on your own. You can't *be* alone. What would you do if
you felt dizzy and fell?"

But Lois didn't budge and just shook her head. "I'm going. You can't
force me to stay!"

Clark sighed. He felt uneasy that Lois wanted to check herself out of
the hospital but he knew her well enough by now to be convinced that she
wouldn't change her mind about it. He had seen her once too often with
Simon to kid himself into thinking she would and this situation wasn't
any different. She had the same stance and she just wouldn't back off.

And he wouldn't leave her, no matter what she said. No way.

He knew he would regret what he was about to say but if she planned to
leave the hospital he wanted to be at her side. "I'll take her with me,
doctor. I'll take her home. I can look after her there." He turned to
Lois. "Even if I don't agree with you about going now."

She looked at him darkly. "I don't need a babysitter."

"Miss Lane, it really would be for the best!" the doctor intervened. "We
don't know what effects the drug might still be causing in your body.
You shouldn't stay on your own."

Assessingly she looked at Clark. "Do you have a computer at home?"
Seeing him nod she told the doctor, "I'll go with him. Prepare my
discharge papers."

Offended by her ordering him around he left the room but obviously it
had worked like a charm because within the hour she had the papers in
her hand and was sitting in a cab ready to leave for Clark's apartment.

Looking at her watch she murmured under her breath, "If I hurry up a bit
I'll still make it the Planet's evening edition."

After he had watched for some time, Clark finally suggested tentatively,
"Lois, I have a proposal for you. What do you think about putting
together everything we have and writing a joint article for the Globe
and the Planet?"

Her first inclination was to reject it right away but then she stopped.
Clark's idea wasn't that bad. Together they really had more information.
He knew about the production and he definitely knew some of the players
in the organization. But she knew firsthand everything about the
transfer of money and the story of her kidnapping. Perhaps it could
really work and they managed to get an article out of it that was worthy
of at least a Kerth.

The rest of the way they argued about how to go about it.

*****

Curious, Lois looked around Clark's flat. The furniture suited him and
it was just like she had imagined: warm, comfortable and full of
pictures of his parents and knickknacks from home.

"All right, where is your pc?" she finally asked. She was dying to start
writing.

Clark smiled in amusement. "Perhaps you'd like something to drink first,
Lois?"

He gave her a glass full of juice and led her through the living room
into a small den he had set up as his office. She immediately zeroed in
on the computer and tried to claim it as her territory but Clark held
her back.

"Oh no, you don't! It's my pc, I'm writing."

Lois grimaced, pouting, but acquiesced when Clark brought another chair
for her. "Fair enough. All right, how about we start like this..."

Quite some time later, Clark propped his chin in his hand, and left it
up to Lois to send their story to Perry White and Derek Finch.

"We did it!" Lois exclaimed joyfully. "And we would have been even
faster if you didn't have this irritating habit of editing your article
to death! That's what bosses are for! You would still be writing if I
hadn't urged you to hurry up!"

Looking pleased she turned around only to face him only inches away, his
breath soft on her skin.

to be concluded in part 12
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 22:48:20 +0100
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
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Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
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From:         Petra Steudle <petrast@GMX.NET>
Subject:      NEW: Heartache (12/12) PG13
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TITLE: Heartache Tonight
PART: (12/12)
AUTHOR: The German L&C Fanfiction Team
RATING: (PG13)

<CKgroupie>

For a second the world seemed to hold its breath. "Lois," Clark
whispered and without thinking kissed her softly.

It was only a small kiss, barely perceptible, but it went right through
her whole body. Lois happily closed her eyes, feeling the tender touch,
but when Clark bent down to her again, she put her hand on his chest.

"No," she softly said. "Let's not make the same mistake twice."

He watched her. "Is that all it was for you?" he asked bitterly. "A
mistake?"
He leaped up and ran his fingers through his hair. "Can you really
forget what has happened between us so easily, Lois? Did it really mean
nothing at all to you?" He lifted his hand to stop her from answering
when she opened her mouth to respond. "No, listen to me, Lois. I don't
know how it happened. Really, I have never felt anything like that..."
He shook his head at his inability to put his feelings into words. "When
I saw you in that bar... I don't know... I just knew it! I mean, you
stood there in front of me and looked at me and in that same instance I
knew I had fallen in love with you!" He laughed, embarrassed, and stared
down on his hands. "There, I said it. For me it wasn't a mistake, Lois.
I have fallen in love with you."

Lois watched him speechlessly, her mind racing. He was in love with her?
He didn't just do it because of the story? But why...?

"Why did you leave then?" she finally asked. "You crept from my room as
if you couldn't wait to get away!"

"I wanted to save you from the unpleasant task of kicking me out!" Clark
replied dumbfounded. "It was what you wanted to do, wasn't it? The way
you looked at me when you got up made it pretty clear that you didn't
want me to be there when you returned."

Suddenly tears shot to Lois' eyes. "So you didn't really want to leave?"
she asked in a small voice.

"Heavens, no!" Clark exclaimed. "If it had been up to me, we would still
be in that bed now!"

That made Lois laugh, despite the tears, which were running slowly down
her cheeks. "Oh, Clark," she sighed, "if it were up to me we would, too.
If only you knew how unhappy I was, when you left so hastily."

He had put his arms around her before she could even finish her
sentence. "Then you did feel it, too?" he asked softly.

"Of course I did!" Lois answered and buried her head in his neck. "I had
the most awful two days of my life!"

He chuckled. "Tell me about it. I don't think I've ever been so unhappy
before." He looked down at her and tenderly stroked the tears from her
face. "Or so happy, either," he added softly.

For a moment their eyes locked, then their lips found each other eagerly
again and for a long while the world sank into nothingness around them.

*****

It was much later that Lois brought up the question that both of them
had avoided up to now. They had sent the story, got Lois' luggage from
the hotel and Clark had even cooked something for dinner for them - to
Lois' delight he had turned out to be an excellent cook - and now they
were snuggling on the sofa. Lois had her legs up and her head on Clark's
lap and he was playing with her hair, lost in thought.

"Where do we go from here?" Lois suddenly asked, and looked at him
seriously. Clark didn't answer immediately. "I mean, London and
Metropolis..." Lois stopped. She didn't need to finish the sentence --
it was evident what she meant. After all the two cities were not mere
stone's throw away from each other. Wasn't a relationship at that
distance just an illusion?

Clark looked down at her thoughtfully. "Maybe I could try to get a job
in Metropolis?" he finally asked a bit hesitantly. He was afraid that
she might feel pressured somehow, so he added, "The job at the Globe
isn't bad, but I would like to do something else for a change and to
move to another city."

"Are you serious?" Lois watched him with an astonished expression.
"You'd move to another continent, just to be with me?"

Clark nodded and shrugged his shoulders, a little embarrassed. "What do
you want me to say? I love you, Lois. Besides, it wouldn't be such a big
sacrifice, you know. I mean, I always wanted to work for the Daily
Planet. After all, who wouldn't want that?"

Lois nodded. "That's true indeed. And I'm sure Perry would be delighted
to have you on his team. Two British Press Awards in five years. Who
else has such a resume?"

"Well, I only know one other reporter," Clark laughed. "And if I
remember correctly she got *three* Kerth Awards in five years."

"Among other things," Lois grinned but she sobered immediately again. "I
love you, too, Clark," she admitted softly. "I don't want to lose you."

"You won't, Lois," Clark answered seriously, "because I won't let it
happen. I love you too much."

As their lips parted after long minutes of tenderness. Lois suddenly
remembered something she had wanted to ask the whole day. "Clark, when
you rescued me today... How did you manage to get into the factory? And
how where you able to sneak up on that Nick and knock him out so fast?"

Clark let out an odd sigh. "Don't fall in love with a world famous
investigative reporter," he grinned. "You'll find out soon enough that
you won't be able to keep any secrets from her." He sat up, facing her,
and took one of her hands in his own. "Okay, Lois," he started.
"Actually, there's a lot I should tell you about me."

EPILOGUE:

The crowd on the street in front of the Lex Tower raised their heads.
None of them who were standing there would have admitted it, but still
the excitement about the sensational situation which was taking place
right in front of their eyes was clearly noticeable. Lex Luthor, one of
the richest men in the world stood on top of the balustrade of his
penthouse's balcony, ready to plunge down. For the people here on the
pavement, he was only visible as a tiny dark spot, but still the news
about who that suicidal man on top of the Lex Tower was had spread among
them like a wildfire.

"How horrible, how horrible!" a woman lamented. Alternately she covered
her eyes, just to look up at the beautiful, horrifying situation yet
again a second later.

Suddenly the figure on the balcony tripped and a cry escaped the crowd
as Lex Luthor lost his stance and fell.

"Oh my god!" the woman who had covered her eyes screamed. Horrified the
people watched the richest man in Metropolis crash down, tumbling in the
air without a single cry, but on the contrary being strangely quiet and
somehow lifeless in his passivity.

Later nobody could tell who had seen him first, or when he had suddenly
appeared out of nowhere.

"Like a blur," an eyewitness reported. "Like a flash," another one said.
Anyway, the flying stranger caught the falling Lex Luthor in the air,
before the crowd could even register what was happening and brought him
safely down to the pavement.

For a second nothing happened. In disbelief the people stared at the man
in the red and blue suit in front of them. Had they really seen what
they thought they had? Did they see it or dream it?

The uneasy quiet was finally interrupted by a police officer, who
stepped forward courageously and grabbed Lex Luthor's arm. "Thank you,
sir," he said to the stranger. "As to you, Mr. Luthor, I hereby arrest
you for deceit and murder in three cases. You have the right to remain
silent, everything you say will be..."

"Shut up, idiot!" The billionaire interrupted him with flashing eyes. "I
know my rights! For that you will pay! I will..."

The rest of his raging was covered by the sudden murmur of the people
who were waking up from their astonished rigidity. "Who are you?" they
called. "How can you fly? What's your name? What kind of uniform are you
wearing?"

The man in the red cape smiled. "I'm a friend," he answered. "I'm here
to help." He looked around and his glance fell on Lois Lane who stood a
little apart and waved at him. "And now, will you please excuse me? I've
promised Miss Lane an exclusive interview. You'll be able to read
everything tomorrow in the Daily Planet."

He turned around and went to her.

"How do you feel?" Lois asked softly, as he stood in front of her.

Clark sighed happily. "Wonderful," he answered. "Liberated."

Lois nodded knowingly and secretly winked at him. In a businesslike
manner she brought her notepad out of her purse. "Welcome to Metropolis,
unknown hero," she said in a louder voice. "The world has a lot of
questions for you."

THE END
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 13:47:32 -0800
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
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Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
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From:         Nancy Smith <deimos1@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      NEW STORY:  Blind Man's Bluff  Part 1 of ?
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This story occurred to me while watching "The Eyes Have It", and it
seemed to me the whole situation had a lot of potential for a better
story than the one they presented.  I don't say mine is better, but it's
certainly different!

I'd like to thank Pam Jernigan for her help in working out a number of
details and for a great many suggestions, some of which I adopted, and
some of which sparked other ideas that wound up in the story.  Similar
thanks go to Joy Sowell for her suggestions as well, and a general thank
you goes to those who gave me some very useful constructive criticism on
the Message Boards.  (That's why I usually post there first!  FoLC's are
*very* inventive people!

The recognizable characters and settings in this story are the property
of D.C. Comics, Warner Bros., December Third Productions, et. al.  No
infringement on anyone's copyright is intended.  The story, however, is
copyrighted to me

.
Blind Man's Bluff

by Nan Smith
(deimos1@earthlink.net)

Lois Lane ducked into an alley and crouched as far down behind the
shadowy form of a dumpster as she could.  The footsteps of her pursuers
were muffled by the pounding rain, but she knew they were there.  If she
escaped, the career of the man who had imprisoned her was doomed; he
knew she would discover his identity, and never rest until she had
brought him down.

That was why she had risked everything to escape him.  He thought she
knew something she didn't, and he needed to find out what it was, and if
she had any evidence.  But he would never have let her go.  As soon as
he determined that she knew nothing, and had no files of information,
her life would have ended.  He simply could not afford for anyone to
suspect who he was--and Lois had far too many incriminating clues.  She
had to be silenced.

The two pursuers reached the mouth of the alley.  She could see their
silhouettes against the faint light of the street lamps.  Lightning
slashed across the sky, followed by a crash of thunder that literally
shook the ground.  That was a close one!

The rain drummed ceaselessly down in a torrent so heavy it was hard to
breathe.  Lois tried to keep still, unmoving, one more shadow among the
many. She was soaked to the skin, and shaking with hunger, fatigue and
cold.  She tried to control her panting breath; amid the downpour it
might not be heard, but of that she couldn't be sure.

  The footsteps of the two men sloshed closer.  The alley was under at
least an inch of water, which ran past her in a rush down the slight
incline.  Her hair straggled in her face in limp strings.

The pursuers were getting close.  Lois squinted her eyes against the
falling water.  Could they see her?  She didn't think so, but she
couldn't be sure.  The bulky shadow of one of them loomed up in front of
her, blocking out the faint light altogether.  Their eyes met with an
almost audible click.

Lois lunged at him.  Her shoulder took him in the pit of the stomach.
The breath tore out of him in a strangled grunt; he went down, curled
into an agonized ball on the flooded pavement and Lois sucked air into
her lungs.  If Clark didn't come, it was all over.

"Help, Superman!  Help!"

The second man was approaching, and the faint light reflected off of the
revolver in his hand.

A wet "swoosh" of air; a large body plummeted to earth almost on top of
the man, who stumbled back.  He raised the weapon and fired.  Lois
ducked behind her husband.

Superman didn't catch the bullets in his usual fashion.  They ricocheted
from his chest in every direction, bouncing off the brick walls of the
buildings on either side.  Lois flung herself flat in the water-filled
alley, covering her head as a projectile whined past, inches from her
face.  A shriek of panic was almost drowned in the echoes of the shot,
and Lois heard the splashing footsteps of a running man.

"Lois?"  Superman's voice sounded panicky.  "Lois, are you all right?"

"Yeah," she muttered.  She got to her feet, muddy rivulets running down
her face. She couldn't possibly get any wetter but, darn it, that water
was *cold*!  "Why didn't you catch the bullets, Superman?  They almost
hit me!"

He cocked his head.  "There's someone else here."

"One of the men who was chasing me.  I...oh, my God..."

He had turned toward her, and the answers to her questions were
immediately apparent.  His brown eyes stared past her, unfocussed.

Superman hadn't caught the bullets for one simple reason.  He couldn't
see them.

"Superman?" she began, but he put out a hand, feeling for her face, and
touched his fingers lightly to her lips.  She broke off at once.  The
man she had felled, who was now groaning and gasping as he tried to
struggle to his feet, must not find out about this no matter what.  She
took Clark's hand and gently guided it until he could grasp a
water-logged sleeve.

Clark took a firm grip on her erstwhile pursuer's upper arm, and held
out his other hand for Lois.  He wrapped his arm about her waist, and a
moment later they were in the air, moving with relative slowness.
Judging by the panicked screams, their prisoner wasn't going to notice
anything odd about Superman's behavior.

They had to get to the police station, Lois thought, as she pressed her
shivering body tightly against his equally wet, but very warm one.  She
needed to find out what had happened.

*******************
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 13:51:26 -0800
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
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Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Nancy Smith <deimos1@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      NEW STORY;  Blind Man's Bluff  Part 2 of ?
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56 Hours Ago...

Lois Lane put down the phone and turned to look at her husband and
partner, Clark Kent, who was typing furiously away at his keyboard,
putting the finishing touches on their follow-up to the Lex Luthor clone
story.

The expression on his face would have been hard to read by anyone who
didn't know him well.  Clark was a past master in the art of hiding his
real emotions and thoughts behind a pleasant mask.

Lois, of course, had a deeper insight into his feelings from the very
masks he put on to cover them.  Clark was unhappy with his subject
matter.  Lex Luthor, original or clone, free or in prison, wasn't a
pleasant concept for him.  The fact that he was presently in jail and
under indictment for murder, attempted murder, assault, abduction,
extortion, false imprisonment, arson and as many other crimes as the
district attorney could think of with which to charge him, didn't help.
Lex Luthor was alive, and that was bad enough.  The fact that this Lex
Luthor didn't know Clark's other identity was about the only bright spot
in the whole mess.  Clark was clearly not a happy camper.

Well, at least she had something with which to cheer him up.

Lois got to her feet and walked over to put her hands on his shoulders.
"Hi, honey."

"Hi."  He turned his head and the smile he reserved only for her lit his
face.  "Feeling any better?"

She nodded.  "That herbal tea you fixed for me helped a lot.  Maybe we
should market it."

Clark's smile became a grin of amusement.

"Anyway," Lois continued, "that was the clinic calling back."

His expression became more alert.  "And?"

"And it looks like you'd better arrange to see Dr. Klein in the not too
distant future.  Something certainly went wrong with his tests.  We're
the living proof."

His grin widened and he spun his chair around to wrap his arms around
her waist.  "I've never been so happy about failing a test in my life."

Lois slapped him lightly on the shoulder.  "I'd say you *passed* the
test...with *flying* colors!"

"Well," he said, with mock-gravity, "I practiced long and hard for
it..."  He broke off as Lois whacked the top of his head with one hand.
"Well, I *did*!"

"You don't have to brag about it!"

"Passed what test?"  Ralph paused by Clark's desk on his way to the
coffee machine.  "You trying to steal a march on the rest of us, Kent?"

Lois fixed her co-worker with a frosty stare.  "It's an inside joke,"
she told him.  Ralph had been in Lois's bad graces for the last three
months, ever since he'd had the poor judgement to rib them about their
adoption of CJ, with the insinuation that it was somehow her fault for
being unable to give Clark a child.

Ralph didn't take the hint.  "Come on, Kent, give.  What test?"

Clark glanced warily at Lois and turned back to Ralph.  "It's private,
Ralph," he said firmly, with just a touch of the authority he put into
his manner as Superman.  Lois could hear the unspoken warning in his
voice.

Apparently, so did Ralph.  Lois watched him retreat with as much haste
as the salvation of his dignity allowed and laughed to herself.  She was
going to enjoy rubbing those very unfunny jokes of his in his face a few
months from now when things became a bit more obvious.  She rested a
hand lightly on her abdomen.

Clark apparently caught the gesture and his expression relaxed into a
smile.  He put his hand over hers.  "Incredible thought, isn't it?'

She nodded.  "Incredible.  I'm ready for that vacation, though."

"Yeah, me, too.  Well, only a couple of hours, and we're out of here for
a week.  No pressures, no deadlines.  And Mom and Dad have volunteered
to babysit CJ if we want some time alone.  Which," he  added, "I will
insist on."   He turned back to his keyboard, typed a final sentence and
hit the "save" key.

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

"Unless there's anything else, we're on our way, Chief."  Clark handed
Lois her coat and she glanced one more time at her desk, assuring
herself that she hadn't missed anything.

"Nah, get on out of here, kids," Perry said.  "You've had a tough week.
Enjoy your vacation, and take good care of my godson."

"We will," Lois said.  Clark escorted her up the ramp to the elevator,
one arm lightly around her waist.

Lois rang the call button, glancing up at the tall, dark, attractive man
at her side, and marveled, not for the first time, at how the mysterious
workings of the universe had brought him to her when it would have
seemed that the odds were stacked astronomically against them, even to
the point of her pushing him away, as well, purely out of fear.

But he had persisted in the face of all the discouragement she could
dish out; he had somehow overcome all of her efforts to repel him and
worn down the protective walls she had thrown up between them.  The
contrast between the Lois Lane of today and the bitter, hostile woman of
four years ago was like night and day.

He was looking down at her, a little smile on his face, his expressive
brown eyes bright with happiness.  All of his dreams were coming true
with this latest piece of news, and hers, too.  Of course, she hadn't
visualized two babies as close together in age as CJ and this one would
be, but they would handle it.  Together, they could handle anything.

The elevator deposited them at the basement level and they strolled
toward their new Jeep Cherokee, parked in the center of the nearest
row.  Lois glanced back at the aisle where they had lost their other
Jeep only a few days before.  The burned spots had been painted over
already, the broken water fountain replaced, which, knowing the usual
speed of a bureaucracy, was a true miracle in Lois's opinion.

She pulled her coat more closely around her at the chill of the place.
It was only mid September, but a cold air mass originating in Canada had
moved in earlier in the week, bringing with it rain, wind and chill.
Tonight was supposed to be clear and cold, but tomorrow the weather
forecasters were predicting the approach of a heavy storm that was
supposed to drop at least three to four inches of rain before it cleared
out.  Lois was just as happy that by that time she, Clark and CJ would
be in Kansas, soaking in the early autumn sunshine.

The sound of footsteps echoing in the cavernous space drew her
attention.  Three men were walking toward them from a vehicle that was
parked near the end of the row.  Lois squinted at them.  She was
familiar with the faces of most of the Daily Planet's employees, at
least by sight, although there were always new ones, and she didn't know
these three.

The next moment things were happening so fast it took Lois's breath
away.  As they passed the men, Lois felt a pair of powerful arms clamp
themselves around her and lift her completely off her feet.  Clark spun
toward her and there was a scuffle; Lois felt herself dropped hard onto
the concrete.  Gasping, she rolled to her hands and knees as she saw
Clark, his glasses gone, throw one of the three men against a car.  A
second was trying feebly to get to his feet.

"Lois, look out!"  Clark lunged toward her as she felt someone grab her
again from behind.  Then a hand reached past her with what looked like a
canister of Mace in it, and a hissing sound told her the button had been
depressed.

Something was flung over her head, and two sets of powerful arms dragged
her, struggling frantically, to her feet.  Where was Clark?  Tear gas
wouldn't stop him...

There were shouts somewhere behind her; she thought she recognized
Jimmy's voice, then she was bundled forward through a car door, and onto
a seat.  Someone cursed luridly when her foot connected with something
soft, and then another something, this one very hard, struck her on the
side of her face.  It was the last thing she remembered.

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

Clark lunged desperately for the man who had seized his wife from
behind.  The assailant's eyes were wide with an expression of sheer
panic, even as he wrapped a burly arm about Lois's torso, and he
clumsily thrust a can of what appeared to be Mace, or possibly red
pepper spray at Clark.

Pale, green mist spurted at high pressure from the nozzle and caught him
full in the face, bringing with it a burst of searing pain.  He
instinctively clapped his hands to his eyes and inhaled air in a gasp of
sheer agony.

His throat closed as the burning stuff spread down his breathing
passages and into his lungs, and he tumbled to the ground, coughing and
choking helplessly, his eyes closed and streaming tears.  Everywhere the
mist had touched seemed to be on fire.

He heard the roar of a car engine and the screech of tires, and threw
himself blindly forward in a last, desperate attempt to stop the men who
had taken his wife.  The impact of the car flung him backwards to strike
one of the building's concrete supports.  The lights went out.

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

Jimmy Olsen heard the thump, and had to jump out of the way to avoid the
car that tore past him, then he saw the figure of Clark Kent crumpled on
the ground.  For a split second he was frozen in shock.

Ralph's voice jolted him out of it.  The other man was still staring
after the vanished automobile.   "Crazy driver!"

"CK!"  Jimmy started forward.  "Ralph, call the police!"

"Huh?"  The other man turned toward him, mouth agape. "What for?"

"Do it *now*!"  Jimmy was already dropping to one knee beside his
friend, half afraid of what he would find.  "He hit CK!"

Ralph stared at him for an instant, then ran back toward the elevator.
"I'll be right back!"

To Jimmy's relief, he found that Clark was breathing.  In fact, he was
beginning to cough.  The coughs became harder, until he was choking,
coughing and retching violently.  Jimmy turned him carefully sideways
and attempted to support his head, trying desperately to recall his one
first aid class, taken years ago in high school.  He hoped he wasn't
causing any damage, but he couldn't see how it could possibly be any
worse than CK choking to death.

In the subdued light of the parking garage his friend's face looked
greenish.  For a moment Jimmy was horrified, but then he saw that it was
caused by a layer of sparkling, greenish crystals as fine as powder,
coating his face, eyebrows, hair and part of his neck and suit.  Blood
from his nose ran down his face, staining the garish patterns of his
tie.  One side of his face was already swelling and discolored with a
dark bruise.  As Jimmy reached out a hand to touch the powdery
substance, Clark's eyes opened and Jimmy could see that they were
bloodshot and watering alarmingly.  He coughed wrackingly, then reached
up a hand, feeling about until he caught Jimmy's sleeve.

 "Who...?"

"CK, it's Jimmy!  Hold still!  That car hit you.  You might be hurt..."

 "It burns," Clark muttered.  He coughed.  "Can't..."

"Lemme get some water," Jimmy said.  "I'll wash it off.  Don't move!" He
scrambled to his feet and ran to the only immediate source of water
available--the water fountain.  Quickly, he soaked his handkerchief and
returned, only to find Clark pushing himself to a sitting position, one
hand over his eyes.

"CK, I told you not to move!  Here's something to wipe off your face
with."

He held out a hand and Jimmy put the handkerchief into it.  Clark
scrubbed frantically at his face, between coughs.  "Jimmy, they took
Lois!"  He leaned forward, coughing harshly again.  "Police..."

"Ralph's calling the police," Jimmy told him.  "Sit still ‘til the
paramedics get here.  You need to get to a hospital.  That car hit you!"

"Jimmy..."  Clark coughed raspingly. "I need for you to call Dr. Klein.
It's important."

"CK..."

"Please, Jimmy!"

The chime announcing the elevator sounded, and the doors opened.  Ralph
and Perry emerged.

Perry hurried over to Jimmy and Clark, Ralph trailing along behind.
Halfway to them, the editor stooped to pick up Clark's glasses from
where they lay on the pavement. He dropped onto one knee beside them and
pressed the glasses into Clark's hand.  "Are you okay, son?  Ralph told
me what happened."

"Perry?"  Clark coughed again and, to Jimmy's surprise, put the glasses
on immediately.

"Yeah."  Their boss glanced measuringly at Ralph.  "Did either of you
see the car that hit him?"

"I saw it," Ralph said, immediately.  "It was a black Dodge sedan, maybe
a couple of years old.  The first letter on the license plate was a Y or
maybe an X."

Clark broke into another string of violent coughs.  Jimmy looked
worriedly at his boss.  "He's been coughing like that since we found
him, Chief.  I don't know what's wrong."

"Jimmy," Clark half-choked over the name.  "I need Dr. Klein."  He
wheezed and coughed furiously until his face had turned a deep red.

"Jimmy, get on the phone to S.T.A.R. Labs, now," Perry said.  He held
Clark's shoulders as the coughing subsided once more, leaving him
gasping for breath.  "What's all this green stuff in your hair, Clark?
Looks to me like you got sprayed with some kind of chemical."

Clark nodded, eyes closed.  He took a deep, whistling breath.  "They
took Lois."  Jimmy winced at the bitter defeat he heard in his friend's
voice. "I couldn't stop them.  I couldn't..."

Perry leaned forward and looked hard at Clark's face.  "What's the
matter with your eyes, Clark?  Did you get some of it in them?":

Again Clark nodded.  Perry waved a hand in front of the other man's eyes
and Jimmy saw his editor's face go noticeably paler.  "You can't see,
can you?"

"No," Clark said.  His voice was trembling.  "I can't."

********************
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 13:54:01 -0800
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Nancy Smith <deimos1@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      NEW STORY;  Blind Man's Bluff  Part 3 of ?
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Clark leaned back against the concrete brace and tried unsuccessfully to
resist the urge to cough.  The impulse was overwhelming and he finally
gave in.  Perry's hands on his shoulders tightened.  "Don't try to stop
it, Clark.  Get that stuff out of your lungs if you can."  His voice
changed slightly.  "Ralph, go up to the newsroom and find some coats.  I
want him covered up until we can get some help here!"

Faintly, Clark heard the retreat of Ralph's footsteps.  The burning in
his lungs was less, but his face still hurt, and he knew the "green
stuff" in his hair was affecting him.  If Dr. Klein didn't arrive soon
he was going to be in more trouble.

And how was he going to explain all this to Perry and Jimmy?

But the overriding thought in his mind was Lois.  He had failed her when
she needed him most.  How was he ever going to find her now?  CJ was
without his mother, and their new baby, which they had just found out
about; all the bright future that they had seen ahead only a few hours
before...

Faintly, he heard Perry's voice through the haze that was beginning to
creep over his thoughts.

"Clark?  Clark, are you with me, son?  Try and stay awake--you mustn't
pass out, do you hear me?"

He shook his head.  "Yeah, Perry, I hear you."

"Don't fall asleep.  Hold on.  Dr. Klein's on his way.  I sent Jimmy to
pick up CJ.  Alice and I will take care of him for you.  Don't worry
about him."

"Thanks, Chief..."

"Dammit, Clark!  Stay awake!  I'm going to try to get some of this stuff
off you.  It can't be doin' you any good."  Perry began to brush at his
hair, one hand shielding his face from the powder that sifted down with
his motions.  "Listen to me, Clark.  You have to stay awake."

"Mm awake..."

Perry could see that Clark was visibly fading and pushed down the
feeling of near-panic.  He had never imagined himself in this sort of
position.  Clark was the last person on Earth he would ever have
expected to find needing help like this, but it was up to him to try to
keep the young man alive until more qualified persons could get here.
Where the dickens was Dr. Klein?  Since Clark had asked for him, he was
probably the one to take over.

 Perry dusted the green powder off Clark's hair and clothing as
thoroughly as he could manage.  If this stuff was what he suspected,
then the farther he could get it from Clark, the better.

The elevator chimed and Ralph emerged, a bundle of coats in his arms.
Perry glanced over at him, then back at Clark.  His head was sagging,
his body starting to slip sideways against the pillar.  Perry grabbed
him.

"Ralph, get over here!" he barked.  "I think he's goin' into shock.
Help me wrap him up!"

Together they bundled him in the coats.  "Here, get his head down.
Where in Elvis's name are those medics?"

"There's a big pileup on the parkway, Chief," Ralph informed him.  "They
can't get through.  Hope Kent doesn't die on us before they get here.
He doesn't look so good."

Perry felt the sudden, irrational urge to lay violent hands on his
subordinate and quelled it forcibly.  Ralph continued, "He said those
guys grabbed Lane.  What do you suppose they're after?"

"I don't know," Perry said, shortly.  "If I did, maybe I'd have a better
idea where to look for her."

"Maybe it's some kind of white slavery ring," Ralph theorized.  "That'd
be some story, y'know?  A sex slave ring, maybe.  I've read about that
kind of thing, and a dish like Lane--"

"Ralph," Perry said, "shut up.  Clark doesn't need to hear that right
now.  Clark, you hang on, you hear me?"  He turned his head as a
familiar van entered the parking lot and exhaled in a sigh of relief.
"Here's Dr. Klein, now.  And I hear a siren.  Sounds like the police..."

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

"Clark, wake up."  Bernard Klein's voice was coming from a great
distance.  Clark forced his eyelids up, and for a moment couldn't
remember why he couldn't see.  It seemed light enough, but it was as if
he were staring into a bright mist where nothing was visible.

A formless shadow seemed to move in the mist.  Dr. Klein's voice said,
"Clark, can you hear me?"

"I hear you," he tried to say, but only a faint croak emerged.  He
lifted a hand and felt around.  He encountered skin, and realized, after
a second, that he was touching a face.  He cleared his throat.  "Dr.
Klein?"

"Yes.  How do you feel?"

Clark considered that.  His face no longer hurt, and his breathing
passages and lungs retained only a residual soreness.  He was lying on
what felt like a firm mattress, and a thick blanket covered him.

He reached up to feel his own face and hair.  His hair was damp;
apparently someone had given him a bath while he had been unconscious.
"I feel all right, I guess."  He bit his lip as full memory returned.
"Lois..."

"The police are searching for her," Dr. Klein said, uncomfortably.
"They're doing everything they can, Clark.  Mr. White told me to tell
you that, and that he and Mrs. White have CJ.  He said they won't let
him out of their sight."  He cleared his throat.  "Speaking of sight..."

"Where am I?" Clark asked.  This bed didn't feel like anything he'd ever
seen at S.T.A.R. Labs.

"You're in my guest room," Dr. Klein said.  "I didn't think I'd better
take you to the hospital, considering the circumstances."

Clark froze for a long second, and then one of the knots in his stomach
seemed to relax.  "You know," he said, slowly.

"I've been pretty sure for awhile." Bernard Klein's voice had a distinct
smile in it.  "But I figured if you wanted me to know, you'd tell me."
His voice became businesslike.  "I washed the Kryptonite off of you as
well as I could, Superman, but..."

"Clark," he corrected.

"Clark," Dr. Klein repeated.  "But it wouldn't hurt for you to shower,
now that you're awake, just to get any I missed.  Then I'll want to
examine your eyes more thoroughly than I could, before.  Can you see
anything at all?"

"No."

"Hmmph."  Dr. Klein cleared his throat again.  "Well, let's not jump to
any conclusions.  Can you stand up?"

"I think so."  He pushed himself up slowly and slid his feet over the
edge of the bed.  Dr.  Klein gave him an arm to steady himself with as
he put his feet on the floor and carefully stood up.

"Good.  We'll take this slow."  Dr. Klein guided him across a carpeted
floor.  "Okay.  You're standing in front of the bathroom door.  I'll
show you where everything is.  Do you think you can manage by yourself?"

By the time he exited the bathroom, clad in a pair of overflowing pajama
bottoms, he was shaking.  He had no super powers yet, that much was
pretty obvious.  Inhaling a Kryptonite aerosol hadn't done him any good,
and it looked as if it would be awhile before he recovered from the
detrimental effects.  It was frustrating to have to wait, when he wanted
to be out flying around at least listening for Lois.  Anything could be
happening to her while he was literally grounded, and the thought made
his guts clench up with fear.  Who was behind this?  The Luthor clone?
Could they have been wrong in assuming that he didn't know Clark's
identity?  If so, then why had he set traps to kill Clark that couldn't
possibly have harmed Superman?  That didn't make sense, but he had to
take the possibility into account.  That meant CJ could possibly be in
danger, and Perry and Alice White as well.  He had to warn them of the
danger.

Dr. Klein was waiting for him when he emerged and led him to a chair.
"Here, Clark, sit down."  He didn't say what Clark was sure he was
thinking.  Superman probably looked as bad as he felt.  He could hear
the other man moving about.  Occasionally something clattered.

"Dr. Klein," Clark said.  "I need to call my boss.  If what happened is
related to the Luthor clone..."

"Mr. White already thought of that," Dr. Klein told him.  "He contacted
your friend, Inspector Henderson.  The Luthor clone is still in jail
where he's supposed to be, but your boss said to let you know he and
Mrs. White aren't taking any chances."

"I just feel like I should be there to protect him, myself," Clark
said.  "Not that my being there did Lois any good."

Dr. Klein didn't answer.  After a moment, he said, "I want to take a
look at your eyes.  Mr. White said you were sprayed in the face?"

He nodded.  "It was like a pepper spray."

"Hmm."  Dr. Klein was silent for a moment.  "Do you think they knew who
you were?"

"I don't know," Clark said.  "I'd never seen the guy before, but why
else would anyone use Kryptonite spray on me?"

"I can't imagine.  Does anyone know about you--besides Lois and myself,
that is?"

"My parents, of course.  There were one or two others, but they were
never able to prove anything.  Jason Mazik, and the original Luthor
knew.  So did Diana Stride.  Tempus..."  That thought brought him up
short.  Could Tempus be behind this?  The implications of that were
terrifying.

"Tempus?  You mean that nutcase who tried to take over the U.S.?"

"Yes.  Tempus is a time traveler.  He's a violent psychotic who's kind
of dedicated his life to destroying me.  Apparently Lois's and my
descendants are supposed to found a kind of Utopia, and he hates it.
It's possible that he's hit on this way to try to prevent it.  Dr.
Klein, I've got to find her!  If Tempus has hold of her, he'll probably
kill her!"

"Well..."  Dr. Klein sounded doubtful.  "Did he tell you that stuff?
It's sounds looney."

"Yeah.  But we kind of had proof.  Trust me, I know what I'm talking
about."

"Time travel?"  Dr. Klein still sounded doubtful.

"I know it seems crazy, but yes.  I've taken a couple of rides through
time, myself.  I'll tell you about them, sometime.  Right now..."

"You're right.  Look straight ahead, Sup--Clark.  Can you see anything?"

"It's brighter."

"Good."  Klein's voice sounded pleased.  "I'm shining a flashlight in
your eyes.  If you can see it, that means the nerves aren't damaged.
Tilt your head back, now.  I'm going to put a stain in your eyes, to
look for abrasions..."

It was sometime later that Dr. Klein finished and Clark sat tensely,
waiting for the verdict.  At last he couldn't stand the suspense any
longer.  "Dr. Klein--"

"Huh?  Oh, sorry, Superm--Clark.  I forgot."

"What do you see?  Am I blind permanently?"  He held his breath,
waiting.

Dr. Klein took his time in answering.  At last he said, "Well, in a
human, I'd say a corneal transplant would be the way to go.  Corneas
aren't like other transplanted tissue, you know.  There are no rejection
problems..."

"Dr. Klein!"

"Sorry.  In your case, I don't know.  Your corneas are
clouded...probably from the Kryptonite radiation.  But as we know, your
eyes...well, they're different from a human's.  You have phenomenal
healing and regenerative capabilities.  They may repair themselves.
Once the effects of the Kryptonite wear off, you may recover without any
help.  If not...well..."  Dr. Klein broke off.  "Well, if they don't, we
can talk about the other options then.  Give it some time."  Clark felt
the scientist's hand on his arm.  "I'm sorry I can't tell you more.  I
know you must be pretty upset.  Is there anybody you'd like to call?"

"Yeah, my parents."  He bit his lip.  "I need to start looking for
Lois!  How can I just sit here doing nothing--"

"Clark."  Bernard Klein didn't stumble over the name this time.  "Give
yourself a little time.  The police are looking for her.  There's not
much you can do until your powers come back.  You inhaled Kryptonite
dust, for Pete's sake!"

Clark clenched his fists.  "I know.  I'm just not used to being
helpless, Dr. Klein.  I should have protected her!  I should have
stopped them!"  He dropped his face into his hands.  "She's pregnant,
for God's sake!  What kind of a husband am I if I can't protect my wife
and child when they need me?"

"Clark, you did everything you could."  Dr. Klein's voice was emphatic.
"You're not infallible, super powers or not.  You're only human...or
close enough.  Take it easy on yourself!  You'll bounce back and then
you'll find her.  If this Tempus is behind it, you'll stop him."  Clark
heard his footsteps retreat and then return.  "Here's the phone.  Go
ahead and make your call.  If you'd like to call Mr. White, too, to
check on CJ, go ahead.  I'll be in the kitchen, making us some dinner.
Do you like hamburgers?"

******************
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 13:58:02 -0800
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Nancy Smith <deimos1@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      NEW STORY;  Blind Man's Bluff  Part 4 of ?
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Lois walked back and forth in the bare, little room, hugging her
shoulders with her arms.

She had awakened hours before in the dark, cold and miserable, slumped
in the room's only piece of furniture, a battered armchair, with a
broken spring protruding from the cushion.  The left side of her face
hurt, and careful exploration with her fingers told her that her cheek
and jaw on that side were very tender and a little swollen.  So much for
any hope of gentlemanly behavior on the part of her captors, she told
herself a little grimly, holding her pounding head in her hands.

After the throbbing in her skull began to subside somewhat, she had
explored her prison.

It was a small room, perhaps ten feet by twelve, with two boarded-up
windows and a single door.  The floor seemed to be linoleum, which was
peeling in places, and definitely cold to the touch.

She still had her coat; that was about the only good thing she could
think of about the situation.  One of her shoes was gone, not that the
heels were all that comfortable anyway, but her feet were cold.

She had debated for several minutes over the wisdom of yelling for help;
then common sense had taken over.  Not knowing who these people were, or
why they had kidnapped her--or how they had prevented Clark from
rescuing her--well, maybe yelling might not be such a good idea, at
least initially.  So she had waited, bundled in the chair with her feet
tucked under her for warmth, until the pink rays of dawn crept through
the gaps in the boarded-up windows.  Then the door had opened.  Two men
had escorted her out to a tiny restroom and when she re-emerged she was
blindfolded and led somewhere, seated ungently in a straight-backed
chair, and the questions started.

She was an investigative reporter, the questioner had begun.  She had
written a recent article about the City Council and the Mayor, and
exposed a scheme wherein the City had committed to buying any unsold
tickets to the Metro's games, the tickets to be donated to
underprivileged children.  Only the tickets, it turned out, were being
given away as political favors and gifts to influential persons instead;
less than half of them were actually going to the children in question.
Where had her information come from?  Who had tipped her off to the
scheme?  What had she found?  Was there any information she had found
that she had not printed?  Who else knew, and where did she keep the
evidence?

At first she hadn't understood what they wanted, although she had
refused to answer any questions just on principle.  Corruption in
Metropolis's city government was hardly new--certainly nothing to kidnap
someone over--but the fact that she had been blindfolded, and that the
voice of the person questioning her had been grotesquely distorted, told
her something else.

He was afraid she would recognize him.

Lois shivered now, staring around at the shadowy room.  Her stomach was
feeling queasy, but she was conversely hungry.  She had gotten a drink
of water from the faucet in the bathroom that morning, but they had
given her no food, and when she asked the two muscle boys who had
escorted her back to the room if she was to be given anything to eat,
neither had answered.

But one thing had been made perfectly clear.  If she yelled for help, it
wouldn't matter if Superman arrived because she would already be dead.

Whoever her mysterious captor was, he must think that she had discovered
something about his background--something that he was, apparently,
desperate to keep hidden.  Obviously, he wasn't sure, or none of this
elaborate concealment would be necessary.  He had promised she would be
released unharmed if she cooperated.  Could she trust that promise?

Lois thought it over.  Mr. X wanted to know if she had any more
information on the members of the City Council than she had already
printed, and, if so, where it was.  He was undoubtedly hiding his
identity from her because of the possibility of rescue by Superman--a
reasonable precaution, considering--on the chance that she did not
already know who he was.  But he had been unable to avoid giving her a
clue.

The people she had investigated had been five members of the City
Council and, of course, Her Honor, the Mayor, who had closed her eyes to
what was going on, even when informed of it by another member of the
Council.   Lois had investigated the backgrounds of all six for her
article, talking to former colleagues and business associates, checking
political histories, looking up political records, family history,
possible involvement with any other less than aboveboard conduct in the
past.  None of it seemed to be a reason for kidnapping her, but
apparently Mr. X, whoever he was, thought differently, so there must be
something she hadn't found yet.  And he had to be someone she had either
met personally, or had other reason to know what he looked or sounded
like.  And he knew she would figure all this out, eventually.

The concealed identity and his promises were just a smokescreen.  He had
no intention of letting her go.

She stared at the boarded-up windows.  How likely was it that she could
break either window--which she had already discovered were nailed firmly
shut from the outside--break through those heavy boards and get away
before they could rush through the door and stop her?

Precisely zero.

Lois rose from her chair.  The linoleum was cold under her feet and as
she moved, the nausea, which she had kept in some abeyance until now,
surfaced with a vengeance and she began to retch.

There was no container she could use.  She stumbled to the farthest
corner and proceeded to empty her stomach of what little it contained.

When the heaving subsided she made her shaky way back to the chair and
collapsed into its embrace.  As she did so, the door opened.  One of the
guards stuck his head inside.

"What's goin' on here?  Geez, what stinks?"

Lois lowered her face into her hands and didn't answer.  A voice outside
asked, "What's going on?"

"She barfed her breakfast."  The door swung shut with a bang.

Lois sat still for several moments, taking deep breaths and waiting for
the room to steady.  Surprisingly, after a short time, she realized she
felt somewhat better.  Slowly and cautiously she got to her feet, trying
to ignore the sour smell that now filled the cold, little room, and
crept to the door.  Sitting here was getting her nowhere.  Without much
hope, she pressed her eye to the keyhole.

Nothing.  Either the key was in the lock, or someone was standing
directly in front of it.

Just as she was about to give up, the view cleared.  Someone had been
blocking it.  She saw a pair of male buttocks in dirty jeans pass before
her peep hole and concluded it was one of the guards.  Kneeling on the
cold floor, wrapped in the coat, Lois kept her eye to the keyhole.  It
didn't seem like much, but any information she could overhear might be
useful.

 Perhaps half an hour passed; Lois was chilled and stiff, and the nausea
was beginning to roil her stomach again, when there was some commotion
beyond the door.  The keyhole was blocked again by the dirty jeans, then
they moved, only to be replaced by others.

"...Cops are all over the place," a voice was saying, in a deep, bass
rumble.  "I couldn't get near it."

"What about the townhouse?"

"Kent's there, and a couple of other people.  We'll have to wait.  What
about Lane?"

"The boss says to let her sit for awhile.  Maybe she'll feel more like
talking after she gets a little hungry.  Just remember, if anybody shows
up, use the regular stuff.  Keep the spray for Superman.  There isn't
much left and, if you pull a boner like last time and waste any more,
the boss is gonna take it out of your hide!"

"I don't like this, Mitch.  Everybody knows the guy's got it bad for
Lane.  He finds out we got her, and--"

"That's why you don't want to waste the stuff.  And if she even peeps,
you know what to do."

"I dunno.  Kidnapping's one thing.  Murder's something else.  I didn't
sign up for no murder charge!"

"You let her talk, you know what's going to happen to you--" The voice
became indistinguishable as the speaker moved away from the door.  The
other voice muttered something equally muffled, and there was the faint
sound of footsteps retreating.

Lois knelt on the cold floor, trying to make sense of what she had just
heard.  What spray?  What were they talking about?  Apparently it was
meant to be used on Superman, should he come to rescue her.

The sickness began to rise in her throat again, and she had to scramble
to her feet to make a bolt for the corner.  Her toe snagged on a ridge
in the linoleum and she nearly tripped, making it to her destination
barely in time.

Not that it mattered.  The dry heaves left her trembling and weak.  She
staggered back, one hand over her mouth.  This couldn't go on.  How
could she possibly last like this?

But if she talked, told them what they wanted to know, that she knew
nothing about what they were after, one of two things would happen.
They would either disbelieve her, or kill her.  No, the safest course
was to continue to refuse to answer any questions.  As miserable as she
was, it was the most likely to keep her alive the longest.

She made her way back to the door, one hand against the wall for
balance, and sank to the floor to resume her vigil, but after a few
moments she pulled her eye away from the keyhole.  Staring at the back
of a pair of blue jeans wasn't getting her anywhere and she was
freezing.  Catching pneumonia wasn't going to do anything for her
chances of escape.

Her legs were wobbly as she got to her feet.  At this rate, she wasn't
going to be in any shape to run if she did figure out how to get out of
this place.  She leaned against the wall to the left of the door,
careful not to touch the panel itself.  Something told her they might
object if they were to discover her spying on them.  Finally, though,
she pushed herself away from the wall.  At least, the armchair was
padded.  If she curled up in it with her coat over her, she could warm
up.

She turned toward the chair and almost exclaimed aloud as the heel of
her bare foot came down on an irregularity in the linoleum.  It hurt.

With a softly spoken swear word, she bent to see just what it was that
she had stepped on.

For an instant she saw nothing, and then she forgot about the cold, her
nauseous stomach and her probable fate at the hands of her kidnappers.
She dropped to her knees, examining what she had found.

There was a slight ridge in the peeling linoleum, outlining a
rectangular bulge perhaps two and a half feet across by three feet
long.  If she had been wearing shoes, she would never have noticed it,
she thought, feeling the surface of the linoleum with half numb
fingers.  And maybe, just maybe, this was her way out.

Lois bit her lip.  It could, of course, mean nothing, be simply an
irregularity in the floor.  On the other hand, this house was old; she
didn't have to be an expert to see that.  It was just barely possible
that this could be the vent of one of the old style floor heaters, now
closed and covered with the ancient, peeling vinyl.  If she only had a
way to pry the stuff up, to see!

Well, the linoleum was deteriorating.  She might be able to work it
free, if only she had some sort of tool...

She looked around the semi-dark room for inspiration.  Nothing.  She
could tear apart her armchair, she supposed,  use some of the wood of
the frame, or one of the cushion springs--only they would probably
notice the next time they came to get her.  Fortunately, the possible
vent was situated to the left of the door; the opening panel would
itself conceal any work she did on it from her captors' observation.
But what was she to use?

As usual, in a bad spot, her brain was working fast.  Lois's eyes fell
on the large, ornate metal buckle of the matching belt that had come
with her stylish, red wool skirt.  Without another thought, she
unfastened the article of clothing, and set to work.

*********************
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 14:00:21 -0800
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Nancy Smith <deimos1@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      NEW STORY;  Blind Man's Bluff  Part 5 of ?
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"Okay, honey, we're at the door.  Just let me get it for you..."  Martha
Kent reached past her son to unlock the panel and push it wide.  Walking
slowly, with Clark grasping her elbow, they entered the townhouse.
Jonathan Kent followed, CJ in his arms.

Martha watched, biting her lip as Clark released her arm, made his way
with great care into the living room and found the sofa.  He sank onto
it and she let out her breath in a sigh.

Clark turned his head toward her, and Martha could hardly bear the
unfocussed look in his brown eyes.  He might be a grown man and the most
powerful being on the face of the Earth, but to her he was still the
baby boy who had come to her like a miracle over thirty years before,
and it tore at her heart to see what had happened to him.

"Dad, could you bring me CJ, please?"  His voice interrupted the
thoughts going through her mind.  Jonathan moved quickly over to the
sofa and settled the baby securely into his son's lap.  The little boy
was uncharacteristically solemn as Clark began to rock him gently back
and forth.

"How do you feel, son?" Jonathan asked for the second time in ten
minutes.  "Is there anything we can get you?"

Clark smiled slightly.  It was a strained smile, but at least it was a
smile.  "How about a bottle for CJ?  It's just about lunchtime for him."

"Sure.  Are they in the refrigerator?"

"Should be."

Jonathan headed for the kitchen.  Martha seated herself beside Clark.

"So how *do* you feel?" she asked, quietly.  "I've noticed you didn't
answer your father, either time he asked."

Clark sighed.  "I feel...normal.  Except that I can't see."

"No sign of your powers, yet?"

"No.  I don't know.  Maybe.  I think my hearing might be starting to
come back, but I'm not sure because I'm trying so hard to listen for
everything around me."

"They'll come back, Clark."

He grimaced as if in pain.  "I know they will, Mom, but every moment
they're gone is one more moment that Lois is God-knows-where in the
hands of some--" He broke off as CJ whimpered, and lowered his
voice."She may already be--" He stopped again, unwilling to say the
word.

Martha put a hand over his.  "Don't even think that, Clark!  You can't
give up.  Lois is smart.  She'll figure out a way to escape."

Clark shook his head slowly, holding CJ a little tighter.  "You don't
understand.  It isn't just her.  CJ needs his mother, I need my wife,
and Lois is..."  He swallowed.  "Lois is pregnant, Mom.  We'd just found
out when she was kidnapped.  If she loses this baby because of what's
happened..."

He closed his eyes.  Martha could see him fighting tears as she stared
at him, appalled at the revelation and unsure of what to say.  She
hadn't seen Clark cry since he was eight years old.

"You're sure?" she said, finally.

He nodded, eyes still closed.  "The test came back yesterday."

"But I thought--" She bit off the words.

"Somehow Dr. Klein's tests were wrong, Mom.  He's going to go back over
his findings to try to figure out what happened, but it won't matter if
Lois--"

"Lois is tough," Jonathan said.  He was standing in the doorway, CJ's
bottle in one hand.  "And she's got a lot to live for.  Have some faith
in her, Clark."  He strode over to the couch.  "Here's CJ's lunch.  Do
you want to feed him?"

Clark nodded, extending a hand for the bottle.  Jonathan put it into his
hand and watched carefully as Clark expertly arranged CJ and put the
bottle's nipple into the baby's mouth.  The little boy began to suck
ravenously.

"He reminds me of you when you were that age," Martha said.  "Even then
you had an appetite that wouldn't quit."  She watched the baby for
several seconds, then rose suddenly to her feet.  "I'm going to make
lunch for the rest of us," she announced.  "Yell if you need any help,
Clark.  Come on, Jonathan."  And she dragged her surprised spouse from
the room.

Clark sat still on the sofa, feeding his son.  He could hear the noises
CJ made as he worked on the bottle; a couple of times he broke the
suction on the nipple to let air in before the bottle collapsed.  At
last he could tell by the feel that the container was empty.  He set it
aside and moved CJ gently upright.

"Okay, pal, let's get rid of the air."  He rubbed a hand up and down the
baby's back in the way that he had learned over the last three months
was the most effective, and was rewarded a moment later by a loud belch.

"There," he told CJ.  "Now, maybe we can do the nap thing."

He put CJ up to his shoulder and began to rock him.  CJ fussed a little,
then settled down against his father's shoulder and snuggled against
him.  Clark continued to rock the baby gently back and forth, lulling
him into sleep, but his mind went back again to Lois.  What was
happening to her?  Was she even still alive?  She had to be, because if
she wasn't...he couldn't think of the alternative.  Without Lois, how
could he live?  She simply could not be dead!

For a moment he closed his eyes as the frustration and despair
threatened to overwhelm him again.  CJ whimpered, seeming to sense his
mood.  He hugged the baby.

"You miss your mom," he said softly to the fussing child.  "I miss her
too, son.  I'll find her for you, somehow.  I promise."

CJ stilled against his shoulder.  Clark continued to rock him, more
slowly now.  The room was quiet, except for the baby's breathing, but it
was suddenly almost as if Lois sat there next to him, calming his fear.

She was alive.  He could still feel her presence, somehow.  The
realization came to him very slowly, but left certainty in its wake.
Lois was alive: cold, miserable and frightened, but alive.

He tried to contain the swell of hope that surged within him.  A feeling
was such a thin thing to base anything on, but he was unable to shake
it.  She was unquestionably alive; he knew it with a deep inner sense
that went beyond reason.   Now, if only his powers would come back, he
still had a chance to find her.

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

The clock on the mantle had just finished chiming six o'clock when
Clark, who had been listening to the radio, was jolted out of a
half-doze by the wail of a siren some distance away.  He clapped his
hands to his ears and sat up straight.  "Ow!"

Martha's voice said, sharply, "What is it, Clark?"

"Ow!  My hearing is back!"  Clark levitated out of his chair.  "My
*powers* are back!"

"Oh, thank heavens!"  He could hear his mother's footsteps coming across
the carpet toward him.  "How about your...can you see?"

He felt his smile fade slightly.  "No.  Not yet."

"Oh."  His mother's voice lost a little of its enthusiasm.  "Well, give
it time.  It's not likely to come back all at once."

"Yeah."  He turned toward where he knew the stairs were.  "I'm going
out.  If I cruise over the city, listening, I may be able to hear her if
she calls me."  He had thought this through hours before.  "I'll need
something to guide me home, though.  I want you to put on a cd of
Christmas carols.  Nobody else is likely to be playing them at this
season of the year.  Set it to repeat indefinitely.  If I listen for
that I'll be able to find my way back."

"All right."  His mother's voice sounded concerned, but she raised no
objections.

"Take care of CJ for me."

"You can be sure we will, honey.  Find her."  He felt her hand on his
upper arm, and she kissed his cheek.

He reached out and hugged her.  "I will.  One way or another."

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

Lois wiped her bleeding hand on the expensive wool skirt she wore.
Between the dirt, blood and multiple stains it had acquired in the two
days since she had been kidnapped the piece of clothing was
unsalvageable.  If she got out of this mess intact, she never wanted to
see it again, and, anyway, the skirt wouldn't have fit her for much
longer.

She regarded her bleeding finger, and her torn and broken nails with a
grimace.  One didn't think of linoleum as being something which could
cut anything at all, but its edges were worse than a razor blade for
inflicting painful slices on bare flesh.

She wiped blood on her skirt again and sucked the finger absently,
surveying her work.

She had begun this task yesterday afternoon and her progress had been
painfully slow.  The belt buckle, which was her only tool, was now bent
and distorted so badly that no one would have recognized its original
purpose just by looking at it.  The ancient linoleum was peeling in
spots, but in others it appeared to have been welded to the floor, and
was pried up only with the greatest difficulty.

It hadn't taken long, however, before she had found an added incentive
for her task.  It had become evident after she had pried up only a small
amount of the vinyl covering that what lay under it was indeed a floor
vent.  The grating had been removed and replaced with a piece of what
appeared to be plywood, held in place with a few, small nails.  It had
renewed her determination for the job, but it had not been easy.  All
the time she worked, she stayed alert for the sounds that would warn her
of someone beginning to open the door, whereupon she would scurry across
the floor to the chair and sit down, hoping no one would open the door
far enough to get a glimpse of what she was doing behind it.

She had been "interviewed" three more times.  The question sessions had
been quite short, as Lois flatly refused to talk.  She had been pushed
back into her prison each time with less gentleness than the time
before.  Her captor's patience was running out; there was no question of
that in her mind.  If she didn't escape soon, she was sure that it
wouldn't be long before the questions were accompanied by other, more
vigorous attempts to induce her to talk.

She was cold, alternately nauseated and hungry, and shaking with cold,
fatigue and weakness, but sheer determination drove her on, and now she
gazed in some triumph at the results.

The vent was cleared of the linoleum, and she had pried out the three
nails that held one end down, leaving her enough room to slide her
twisted belt buckle beneath that edge and force it upwards.  A gap
showed between the board and the floor.  Lois tried to slip her fingers
into the gap.

As soon as she released pressure on the buckle it turned sideways and
the gap closed.  Two more attempts left her near tears, but she refused
to be balked now, simply because of a stubborn piece of wood.  She
needed something to wedge into the gap which would hold it open long
enough for her to get a good grip on the thing with both hands.

Her eyes lit on her single shoe which lay discarded on the floor.  That
would do.

The next time she pried the wood upward she had the heel of the shoe
ready in the other hand and pushed it into the gap.  The wood tried to
spring back, but now the high heel of her once fashionable shoe was
blocking it.  Taking a deep breath, she slid the fingers of both hands
into the space between the floor and the plywood and pulled upward.

With a squeak that made her hair stand on end, the board came free in
her hands.

Lois froze, listening.  Had they heard?  Would they come to investigate?

Nothing.  With a sigh of relief, she peered down the dark hole that was
thus revealed.

With one arm, she reached as far downward as she could.  The shaft
appeared to be made of sheet metal, which flexed slightly beneath her
searching hand.  It was darker than the dim room around her, but as she
let her eyes adjust she could see the faintest of lighter rectangles,
more a lessening of the dark than actual light, at the bottom.

Lois swallowed.  Dropping down that dark hole was not appealing, but
staying here was even less so, and the longer she waited the more likely
it was that someone would come, and possibly discover what she had
done.  The drop was probably no more than ten feet and, if she hung by
her hands first, it would be that much less.  Nothing was worse than
what awaited her if she remained here.

Before her mind could think up more objections, Lois turned onto her
stomach and slithered feet first into the vent.

Very slowly, she lowered herself downward by her hands, thanking her
lucky stars for her petite figure and for the fact that her pregnancy
had not yet begun to show.  Dust puffed up around her as she moved
farther down into the vent.  Her motions were slow and careful.  The
metal almost certainly was not made to support the full weight of a
human, and she had no wish for it to collapse suddenly beneath her.

When she had reached the point where her arms were fully extended, and
she was hanging by her fingers, Lois gritted her teeth, closed her eyes,
and let go.

The shaft was not completely vertical.  She slid down a very steep
incline for several feet to emerge suddenly onto a concrete floor.

The bottom of the shaft opened into a basement, she realized after a
moment or two, while she regained her breath.  A dim light filtered in
through several glass-covered windows that were set at ground level--a
point that was now just above the top of her head.

Lois peered up through the dirty glass.  Straggling greenery obscured
her vision but even with the barrier of sickly plants, she could see the
sheets of rain coming down.  A single, lonely street light made a futile
attempt to lighten the gloom beyond the window.  The thought of going
out into that was not appealing, but the choice was the same as before.
Anything was preferable to staying here..

The latch on the window was unmoving, in spite of all her efforts.  Time
had applied a glue more effective than the best modern science could
provide.  Lois looked around for a solid object with which she could
break the glass and utterly failed to find one.

She set her jaw.  Nothing was going to prevent her escape now.
Certainly not such a minor obstacle as this!

She removed her coat.  Holding it against the dirty pane with one hand,
she balled the other into a fist and struck.

There was the gratifying sound of breaking glass.  With great care, she
struck several more times, knocking broken pieces from the frame.  When
she had gotten it as clean of glass as she could, she bunched her coat
up and thrust it through the opening she had made, then grasped the
frame with her hands and began to tug herself upward, heedless of minor
cuts from the remaining tiny shards of glass, pushing with bare feet
against the rough, concrete wall.

She had her shoulders through the opening when she heard the commotion
in the room above her.  Muffled shouts echoed down the heater vent, and
a door slammed.

Adrenalin jolted through her like a shock of electricity.  She made it
the rest of the way out the window in what amounted to levitation,
seized her coat and ran as hard as she could out into the dark and
rain.  Her pursuers would be only minutes behind her, if that.  She had
to make as much distance as she could in the little time she had left.
If she didn't escape, it was all over.

********************
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 14:04:32 -0800
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Nancy Smith <deimos1@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      NEW STORY:  Blind Man's Bluff  Part 6 of ?
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********************

Cruising above the City of Metropolis in endless circles, criss-crossing
it occasionally, Superman kept his ears tuned for one voice out of
millions.

It was a strange thing, but he had discovered years ago that he could
somehow discern that one voice, raised in a cry for help, from every
other voice in the city and with unerring accuracy.

Rain slapped him in the face.  The storm had rolled in just a little
after midnight the previous night, but he had kept to his vigil,
listening intently for any call from his wife, although so far there had
been nothing.  The night had passed, and the next day; he could discern
that much by judging the light and darkness which his damaged eyes could
still perceive.  Now it was night again and if anything the weather was
worsening, although he wasn't sure that was possible..

The storm was an electrical one, accompanied by more rain than he had
seen for several years in this part of the country.  He'd been struck by
lightning three times so far, and thunder boomed continuously, signaling
other strikes.  At times, the rain was like a solid wall of water, and
he found himself grateful for his ability to hold his breath for an
extended period of time.

Below him, the big clock on City Hall struck midnight.  Orienting
himself by the sound, Clark started another circle, guiding himself to
some extent by the other sounds from below him, muffled and distorted as
they might be by the rain.  He was over Suicide Slum now; the noises
issuing from Bibbo's Ace o' Clubs indicated to his experienced ears that
the traditional, nightly barroom brawl was in full swing.

Somewhere to his right was a tremendous crash of thunder, loud enough to
make him wince.  That one must have hit something!  He could even smell
the ozone from the nearness of the lightning strike.  Below and to his
left the sounds of the brawl reached a fever pitch.

And it was then that he heard it, almost directly below him.

"Help, Superman!  Help!"

It was the call for which he had waited through the seemingly endless
hours of forced patience, and he homed in on it like a hunting hound who
has sighted game.  It was as if something pulled him in with unerring
precision.  As he hit the ground he could hear three heartbeats, but the
important one, his wife's, was behind him, and her breathing was fast
and strained, that of a person who has been running.  He heard the click
of a trigger and then the explosions of gunshots.  Bullets bounced
wildly from his chest.

For a few confused seconds, the projectiles  ricocheted about in all
possible directions.  There was a scream of pure terror and the
splashing footfalls of a running man, but Clark paid them no attention.
Where was Lois?  Was she all right?  Panic welled inside him.

"Lois?" he half shouted.  "Lois, are you all right?"

>From right beside him he heard a muffled "Yeah".  He could hear motion,
little splashes, her breathing, her unmistakable heartbeat, and his own
heart climbed back down from his throat.  She was all right.

"Why didn't you catch the bullets, Superman?" she asked, sounding a
little irritated.  Clark had never thought an irritated Lois could cause
him to feel so much sheer joy.  "They almost hit me!"

He cocked his head, turning to face her.  The other heartbeat was still
there.  "There's someone else here."

"One of the men who was chasing me.  I...oh, my God..."

There was an instant's pause.  "Superman," she was beginning, but he put
out his hand and touched her lips gently.  She broke off at once, then
he felt her hand on his, guiding it until it touched cloth.  He took a
firm grip on the man's upper arm, wrapped his other arm about her waist,
holding her shivering body tightly against his own, and lifted into the
air.  The headquarters of the Metropolis Police Department had its own
distinct and unique sounds.  Slowly, he headed in the general direction
in which he knew it to be, until he was clearly able to distinguish
those noises from the rest of Metropolis's racket, even through the
panicked shrieks of his prisoner.

Lois clung to him and he could feel the saturated condition of her coat
and how cold her body was.  If he had been able to use his heat vision
to warm her he would have, but he couldn't.  It was one of the things he
had already attempted in the previous hours.

With a slightly harder thump than normal, due to his inability to judge
the distance with his usual pinpoint accuracy, he touched down on the
steps of the Metropolis Police Department Headquarters, and released his
wife.  "Are you all right, Lois?"

"I'm fine, Superman."  Her voice sounded a little shaky, but he didn't
say so.

"Good.  Let's turn this gentleman over to the right people," he said,
deliberately keeping his voice light.  "You need to get inside, out of
the rain."

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

"In here, folks," the officer said.  "Watch your step, Mr. Kent."

Clark let his mother guide him into the room, his father following, CJ
in his arms.    Perry's voice said, "Clark!  They just called me.  She's
okay!"

"Yeah, Superman told me," Clark said.  "Where is she?  And what are you
doing here, Chief?"

"She's still in Henderson's office.  A friend of mine in the department
gave me a call.  How are *you* doin', son?"

"Okay.  A lot better, knowing Lois is all right."

He could hear the hesitation in his editor's voice.  "Eyes any better?"

He hesitated as well.  "Not much," he admitted, finally.  "My doctor
says it's going to take some time."

"Oh."  Perry was silent for a moment.  "Well, you take the time, Clark.
The Daily Planet takes care of its own.  Understand?"

"Yes.  Thanks, Perry."

Perry's hand patted him on the shoulder.

There was the sound of a door opening, and his boss's voice said,
"Lois!  Honey, are you okay?"

"More or less," Lois's voice said.  There was the quick sound of her
footsteps--bare feet, he realized by the sound--and suddenly her arms
were around him.  "Oh, Clark!  I'm so glad you're here!"

He wrapped his arms around her and rested his cheek against the top of
her head.  Her hair was still damp.  "I'm glad *you* are," he said into
her hair.  "Are you all right?  Is the baby...?"

"I'm all right, Clark, really.  Inspector Henderson even got me a
sandwich and something to drink when I got here.  But--" She pulled back
and her hand touched his face.  "What happened to...?"

"We'll talk about it later," he told her.  "First we're taking you to
Metro General to get checked over."

"Clark, I'm *fine*!"

Clark heard Perry laugh softly, much too softly for Lois to hear.  He
felt his mouth set itself in stubborn lines.  "Lois, you were kidnapped,
for God's sake!  Superman found you being chased by two hoods, in an
alley in Suicide Slum--in a blinding rainstorm!  Just this once, don't
argue, okay?  Let's get you checked over, if only for *my* peace of
mind."

Silence for a very long moment, then she gave a long-suffering sigh.
"Oh, all right.  When you put it that way..."

Clark heard three very soft sighs of relief.  Perry said, "It's not a
bad idea, Lois.  You had a rough time.  And don't worry--"  A grin had
sneaked into his voice.  "This isn't counting against your vacation
time, in spite of the suits, upstairs."

"It better not!"  Lois's voice fairly crackled with irritation.

Clark  hadn't removed his arms from about his wife; he *needed* to
reassure himself that she was here and safe, but the dampness of her
hair reminded him of something.  "Uh, Dad, did you remember the bag of
clothes?"

"Right here," Jonathan Kent's voice said.  "And here's somebody else
who's missed you, Lois, but I'm afraid he conked out in the car."

"CJ!"  Lois moved to free herself from his arms, and Clark released
her.  "I didn't even see him with you standing there behind Martha,
Jonathan!  Oh, let me hold him just a minute."  Clark could hear
movement to his right.  "I missed him so much!"  There was a sniffle.
"I was so scared I'd never see him or Clark again!"

Perry's voice said softly, in his ear, "Now there's something I never
thought I'd see.  Mad Dog Lane cuddling a baby and liking it!"

"Miracles *do* happen, Chief," Clark said.

"Yeah, but not that often."

Clark felt the muscles of his face stretching into a grin for the first
time in days.

"Don't think I don't hear you guys," Lois's voice said.  "I'm going to
change in the bathroom.  A policewoman loaned me some clothes, but she's
bigger than I am, and she didn't have a pair of shoes that came anywhere
near close.  Then I want to get this exam business over as quick as
possible.  I want more than a cheese sandwich and a soda for
dinner...and I want to sleep in my own bed tonight!"

Heavier footsteps entered the room.  Henderson's voice said, "You can
use my office, Lois.  You got my rug soaking wet already.  It can't do
any more damage."

"Gee, thanks, Inspector."  Clark heard her bare footsteps retreating,
and the door shut.

Perry's voice said, "You got any leads on these people yet, Bill?"

"Not yet.  The piece of muscle Superman brought in was too scared to
talk."

"Who is he?" Clark asked.

"His name is Mitchell Ross.  Used to live in Cleveland."  Henderson's
voice was approaching him.  "How are things going, Clark?  I heard what
happened."

"My doctor says the spray was pretty toxic to the eyes," Clark said,
truthfully.  He and Dr. Klein had worked the explanation out that first
night.  "He says it's going to take a while before we know for sure."

"I see."  Henderson's voice sounded grim.  "I hope it turns out all
right.  We're going to do our best to catch these people.  Your wife
told us everything she could.  She saw the flunkies, but she never got a
look at the guy in charge.  I wish most of our witnesses were as
observant as she is, though."

"Other witnesses aren't Lois Lane," Perry said.  "She didn't win her
journalism awards for dog shows."

"Yeah.  But don't tell her I said so," Henderson said.  "You must be--?"

It took Clark a second to realize the Inspector was speaking to Jonathan
and Martha.  "Oh, these are my parents, Bill--Martha and Jonathan Kent.
Mom and Dad, Inspector Henderson."

The door opened while they were exchanging greetings, and Lois's
footsteps came toward them.

"I'm all ready."  Her hand touched his arm lightly and he instinctively
put his other hand over hers.  "Can we go, now?"

"Sure.  Thanks for everything, Bill."

"You're welcome."  Henderson's voice was hard to read.  "I'll let you
know if we find anything."

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

"Now," Clark said, "get into bed.  Mom's bringing you up something to
eat, but you heard what the doctor said.  If you won't let them keep you
overnight for observation, then you're at least supposed to get plenty
of rest."

Lois slid into the bed.  "You get in, too," she said.  "Your Mom told me
you didn't have any sleep for two days while you were out looking for
me."  She watched as he felt carefully around and slipped in next to
her.  She pulled the blankets up and took his hand.  "Clark, what
happened to you?  You--" She swallowed a lump in her throat as he turned
his face and his unfocussed brown eyes toward her.  "How did this
happen?" she repeated.

There was a knock at the door and Clark called, "Come in, Mom!"

The door opened and Martha entered, followed by Jonathan, each carrying
a tray.

"We thought you could use something to eat, too, Clark," his father
said.  Lois hid a smile.

Later, cuddled next to her husband in the darkness, Lois told him what
had happened to her and how she had escaped.  Occasional rumbles of
thunder punctuated her recitation.  Clark's arms tightened around her as
she told of the cold, little room and her struggles to clear the vent,
and when she had finished he didn't speak for a minute or two.

"My God," he said at last, and she could hear the catch in his voice.
"And they call *me* the super-hero!"

"Clark, I knew something must have happened to keep you from saving me.
Was it this?"  She reached up to touch his face, gently.

He nodded.

"What happened?"

Now it was her turn to listen while he talked.  When he had finished she
said, after a moment, "So that's what they meant..."

"What?"

"The spray.  It was supposed to be used on Superman if he tried to stop
them.  I heard them talking.  The guy who sprayed you apparently
panicked.  They were pretty mad at him, I guess.  I heard the one called
Mitch tell him that if he goofed again he'd be sorry."

"It was an *accident*?"

"Yeah."  She turned and put her arm across his chest, holding him
tightly.

He stroked her hair.  After a few seconds he said, "I suppose I should
be happy they don't know how...lucky they were.  I guess I am, really,
but--"

"Clark--" She put her fingers on his cheek.  "What did Dr. Klein say?"

"He isn't sure.  Did you know he'd guessed--about me being Superman?"

"Well," Lois said, prosaically, "he knows more about Superman than just
about anyone else.  He isn't galactically stupid, you know.  We
discussed telling him if the test came back positive, anyway, remember?"

"Yeah.  We probably should have told him before.  Anyway, he thinks my
eyesight *may*--" he emphasized the word, "--heal on its own."

"‘May'?"

"That's what he said."

She tried to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach.  "It's been two
days.  Is there any improvement?"

She felt him shrug.  "I'm not sure.  I think the shadows are a little
more...defined, maybe.  It's hard to tell."

"Oh."  She was silent for a moment, thinking.  "Well, it hasn't been
that long."

"Lois, it's been two days!  My powers were back in a day!"

"Yeah, but these are your *eyes*, Clark!  I think I read somewhere that
eye damage takes longer to heal than other kinds."

"In humans."

"Okay, in humans.  But you're not so much different, except for your
powers.  You heal faster than we do, sure, but why shouldn't other
things be similar?  Your eyes might take a little longer.  You're
already seeing some difference, aren't you?  You said you were."

"Yeah."

"Then we don't panic, yet," she said, firmly.  "Is that clear?"

He gave a half-hearted chuckle.  "Yes, ma'am."

"Good."  She hugged him.

"But, Lois, we have to be practical," he said.  "What if my eyes don't
get better?  How happy are you going to be, tied to a blind man?"

Lois closed her hand over his mouth and raised herself on her right
elbow, glaring at him in the darkness.  She knew he wouldn't see her,
but she also knew she had to squash this particular attempt at nobility
without delay.

"Oh, and you think I'm in love with you because you can see?" she asked,
sarcastically.  "Or because of your pretty face, or your fantastic body,
or your powers?"

"Well, no..."

"Good!  I'm in love with you because you're Clark Kent, the most
wonderful, caring man on *any* world, you idiot!  I'd never be happy
without you, even if you were deaf, dumb *and* blind!  The only thing I
*am* afraid of is being *without* you, no matter what condition you may
be in.  Is that clear?"

"Lois..."  His voice sounded choked as he pulled her back into his
embrace, but she didn't relax, yet.

"I want you to promise me, on your word of honor, that you're not going
to go all noble on me and do something stupid for my own good!"

"Honey..."

"Promise!"

She saw him smile in the dimness.  "I promise.  I really promise."

"Good!"  She let herself settle down in his arms again and felt them
close protectively around her.  "We'll handle this however we have to,
Clark.  Like we always do.  Remember what you said to me on Spencer
Spencer's island?  ‘I'm stronger with you than without you?'  Together
we can do anything."

"I know."  His voice was almost inaudible.  "I really wasn't going to
jump the gun, Lois.  You don't have to worry.  I just wanted to bring up
the subject."  For a moment neither of them said anything, then he spoke
again.  "I could feel you while you were gone, you know.  I knew you
were alive."

"You could?"

He nodded.  "All the time.  Just before you called I was sort
of...drawn, I guess you could say.  I was right above you when you
yelled for me.  I don't think it was a coincidence."

"In a city this size?  I don't see how it could be.  Besides," Lois
said, "I don't believe in that kind of coincidence."

"Neither do I."

Lois yawned suddenly.  "I know this is hard to believe, but I'm tired."

She felt him kiss the top of her head.  "I can't understand that at
all.  It's only five o'clock in the morning."

She giggled, sleepily.  "Don't tell me you aren't."

He hugged her, gently.  "Go to sleep, honey.  I'll be right here when
you wake up.  I promise."

******************
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 14:16:15 -0800
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
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Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
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From:         Nancy Smith <deimos1@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      NEW STORY:  Blind Man's Bluff  Part 7 of ?
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******************

The rain had stopped when Lois woke, and the sun was high in the sky.

The room itself was dim; the curtains had been pulled against the light,
but a stray sunbeam had crept through a tiny gap in the curtains and lay
across the pillow.  It was that which had awakened her.

She was deliciously warm, which was easily explained by the fact that
her husband's arms were still clasped loosely around her, his face was
buried in her shoulder and she was snuggled into the curve of his body.
She lay still for several minutes, simply luxuriating in the fact that
she was back home, safe, and that he was here with her, but then the
faintest stirrings of the now familiar morning sickness gave her fair
warning that all would not be well in a few moments if she didn't take
the necessary actions.

Gently, she disengaged herself from Clark's arms and slid out of bed,
trying not to disturb him.  She had rarely seen Clark look tired, but
even in sleep she could see the lingering fatigue on his face.  She
planted a light kiss on his forehead and headed for the bathroom.

Twenty minutes later, she was seated at the kitchen table eating a
breakfast of dry toast, drinking another cup of Clark's herbal tea,
prepared this time by Martha, and feeding CJ an afternoon bottle of
formula.  Martha sat across the table from her, drinking tea as well and
smiling at the domestic scene before her.  The kitchen clock read 12:14.

"Would you like me to make you more tea?" she asked her daughter-in-law,
when she saw Lois's cup was empty.

"No, I'm done."  Lois swung CJ around to burp him.  "This young man
needs a diaper change."

"I'll get a diaper," Martha said.  "Oh," she added, as she reached the
kitchen door, "your editor called.  He wanted you to call him when you
get a chance.  He said it wasn't urgent, and not to wake you when I told
him you and Clark were still sleeping; just for you to call him back."

"I'll do it as soon as I finish with CJ," Lois said.

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

Jimmy Olsen answered the phone.  "Daily Planet."

"Hi, Jimmy, it's Lois.  Perry wanted me to call him.  Is he around?"

"Lois!  How are you doing?  The Chief said you got away from those
guys.  Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Lois said.  "Can you get him for me, Jimmy?"

"Yeah, just a minute."  She held on while the message was relayed, and
then Jimmy was back.  "He said he'll be with you in a moment, Lois.
How's CK?"

"He's doing all right.  He's still asleep."

"I guess you guys were up pretty late," Jimmy said.  "Did you know we
had a break-in here last night?"

"What?  What happened?"

"Yeah.  Poor old Horton was knocked on the head.  The day shift found
him when they came in this morning.  He's in the hospital."

"Is he okay?"

"I don't know.  They don't tell me anything," Jimmy said, a note of
disgust in his voice.

"Well, what did the burglars get?" Lois asked.

Jimmy hesitated.  "Um--maybe Perry'd better..."

"Jimmy!  What did they take?"

Silence for a moment.  Then: "Well, they took Clark's and your
computers."

"They *what*?"

"Um, here's Perry," Jimmy said in a rush, and was gone.

"Hello, Lois," Perry's voice said.

"Perry, Jimmy said someone stole Clark's and my computers?"

"Yeah.  Sometime early this morning.  Old Horton's in the hospital in
critical condition."

"Oh, dear."  Lois paused.  "Is he going to be okay?"

"They don't know.  He's seventy-five, after all."

"Oh, poor Horton."

"Yeah.  Do you have any idea what someone might have been after?"

"Not really, Chief.  I don't...wait a minute!"  She was silent for a
moment while she thought.

"You know what it was?"

"Not exactly," Lois said.  "But kind of..."

"There's a nice, specific answer."  Perry's voice was heavy with irony.

"Well, what I mean is, I sort of know, generally, but what they were
looking for wasn't there."

"And that would be...?"

"Probably the information I was kidnapped for.  Whoever Mr. X is, he's
apparently afraid I may have dug up something incriminating in his past
that he wants to keep hidden.  I think they're trying to find out if I
have it."

"But if it's part of the public record, anybody could find it."

"I know," she said.  "But they wanted to know what I'd found and if
there was anything I hadn't published.  Somehow it's connected, Perry.
I can feel it."

Perry grunted.  "You're probably right.  Now, if you can just figure out
how..."

"Clark and I are going to work on it.  We want to solve this thing as
much as you do."

"All right," Perry said.  "Just don't go gettin' yourself killed or
kidnapped again."

"Not if I can help it.  Was that all you wanted to tell me?"

"No."  Perry cleared his throat.  "I wanted to let you know what
happened after you left the police station last night.  It just might
tie into all this."

"What happened?"

"Well, I stayed for a few minutes to talk to Henderson.  About five
minutes after you left, in walks John Bancroft, wantin' to see this
Mitch guy!"

"No kidding?  John Bancroft?"  Lois sat up straight.  "What happened?"

"Well, considering it was after one in the mornin', they wouldn't let
him see the prisoner.  They told him to come back at a decent hour.  But
a friend of mine over at the courthouse called me awhile ago.  Ross was
up for a bail hearing this mornin' and Bancroft was representing him.
Ross is out on bail as of two hours ago."

"Now *that*," Lois said, slowly, "is *very* interesting."

"I thought so."

"Hmm.  I'll tell Clark as soon as he wakes up.  This adds a whole new
dimension to this thing."

"Yeah.  You and Clark watch yourselves, honey."

"Don't worry, Chief, we will.  And thanks for the warning.  Could you
put Jimmy back on before you hang up?"

"Sure thing."

Her editor apparently put a hand over the receiver, and a moment later
Jimmy's slightly apprehensive voice said," Hello?"

"Hi, Jimmy.  I've got some research I need you to do for me.  You know
the five members of the City Council that were involved in that ticket
scandal I wrote about a few days ago?"

"Yeah," Jimmy said.

"I want you to do an in-depth background check on all five, and Mayor
Burns, since she was involved, too.  I mean, I want to know everything
about them, down to which nursery school they attended and what they ate
for dinner last night.  Understand?"

"Got it.  I'll do my best," Jimmy said, sounding resigned.

After she had hung up she glanced at Martha, who had been listening.
"Well, that was interesting."

"What happened?"

Lois told her.

"Your computers were stolen?"  Martha looked shocked.

"It's not as bad as is sounds," Lois said.  "Association with your son
has had a bad effect on me.  I've started backing up my files.  I've got
everything important here at home.  What I found more interesting was
the lawyer who showed up for Ross."

"What about him?"

Lois smiled tightly.  "John Bancroft has ties to Intergang.  Clark and I
found that out awhile back.  We don't have any tangible proof, but we
know he works for them.  So, why would Intergang send one of its
high-powered lawyers for a thug like Mitch unless it's pretty important
to them that he not talk?"

"What about Intergang?"

Lois turned, to see Clark, still in his robe, descending the stairs, one
hand carefully on the banister.  Jonathan Kent was a few steps behind
him, also in his night clothes.

"John Bancroft got Mitch out on bail, this morning.  What do you think
of that?"

"Bancroft?  You're kidding!  Why would a high-priced lawyer like him
worry about someone like Mitch Ross?"

"That's what I'd like to know.  And someone broke into the Planet last
night, assaulted Horton--the security guard, you know--and stole our
computers."

Clark reached the bottom of the steps and came slowly into the living
room.  "I think somebody is worried about what information we might have
in our computers about something they want to keep hidden."

"That's what I figure.  I've got Jimmy running a background check on
everybody involved in that ticket thing.  Maybe that will turn up
something."

"Maybe.  Whatever it is has got to be pretty well hidden, though."
Clark felt around, located a chair and sank into it.  "Is Horton all
right?"

Martha stood up.  "Why don't you fill him in, while I get these two some
breakfast, Lois?"

A short time later Clark and Jonathan were finishing up breakfast at the
kitchen table.  The subject had been thoroughly hashed over by the four
of them, and Clark sat frowning, sipping the tea which Martha had poured
for him.  Lois winced, even knowing he was invulnerable.  The tea was
barely below the boiling point.

"Intergang," he said, slowly.  "And some kind of connection to the City
Council.  Well, it wouldn't be the first time they've tried to take over
cities, and even whole countries, by putting their people in sensitive
places.  It sure could explain why they're so determined to keep this
guy's background hidden--and why they wouldn't stop at a little thing
like kidnapping and murder when they thought you might know something.
It also means you're probably still in danger, Lois."

"Probably," Lois said, trying to push away the tightness in her gut.
"At least I've got Superman as a bodyguard."

"Yeah, but they were prepared for that the first time," Clark said.
"And it worked, even though they didn't know it.  Now I can't even guard
you as well as before."

Lois put her hand on top of the fist he had clenched on the table.
"Relax, Clark.  At least now we're warned.  And in some ways you might
be an even better bodyguard.  They're not going to expect any real
threat from a ..."  She took a breath and said it out loud.  "From a
blind man.  They won't be ready for any trouble from you."

 "Lois..."

"And I've been thinking about that," she continued, as if he hadn't
spoken.  "All your other senses are a lot sharper than a human's,
right?  You've got some advantages over a normal human who can't see."

"I guess so."

"I *know* so!  I think we might be able to use that to help you navigate
better until your eyes get well."

"Honey," Clark said, quietly, "they might not--"

She interrupted him.  "Until we know for certain that they aren't, I'm
going to assume that they *are* going to heal," she said.  "And I've
been thinking.  You know how bats and dolphins navigate, locate prey and
avoid collisions?"

"Sure.  They bounce sound off of..."  He stopped.

"Could you do that?  Could you use your super-hearing that way--say,
with a handclap or a supersonic whistle, or something, and listen for
the echoes to tell you where things are?"

Clark's face was a study in blank surprise.  The other three were
silent, watching him as the surprise faded and chagrin took its place.

"You know, I never thought of that," he said, at last.  "I've been
listening so hard to things around me that it never occurred to me to
try."  He shook his head slowly.  "Mom and Dad," he continued, "now
you've seen the proof.   I am an obvious idiot.   My wife is a genius,
and I can't figure out why she tolerates me."

"Oh, you have your talents," Lois said.  "Besides, we don't know for
sure this will work."

"Well then, let's see."  He raised his hands and clapped them sharply
together.

As the sound died away, Martha absently righted the vase of flowers she
had placed in the center of the kitchen table that morning, eyes never
straying from her son.  Lois held her breath, but the look on Clark's
face told all of them everything they needed to know.

"It works?" she whispered.

"Yeah."  There was an intent expression on his face.  "I can pick up the
echoes with my super-hearing and..."  He pursed his lips, still with
that look of concentration.

This time they heard no sound, but Clark began to smile.

"This is going to take some practice," he said.   Lois felt an
involuntary smile beginning to stretch her lips at the relief in his
voice.  "It works, though.  It really works!"

*******************
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 14:19:41 -0800
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
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Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
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From:         Nancy Smith <deimos1@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      NEW STORY;  Blind Man's Bluff  Part 8 of ?
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"There, how do I look?" Clark asked.

Lois turned to examine her husband's outfit.  He wore one of the suits
he would normally wear to work, neat and professional in every way.
Lois surveyed it narrowly for a moment.  Clark had managed the job of
dressing himself by touch very well, but something wasn't quite right.
For several seconds she stared at him, trying to place the feeling.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, suddenly.  "Just a minute.  I'll be right back!"

She turned and half ran up the stairs to their bedroom.  With
single-minded determination, she headed for Clark's tie-rack, selected
the tie with the loudest geometrical design she could find and returned
down the stairs with an air of triumph.

"Hold still," she ordered her husband.  He obeyed, obviously puzzled, as
Lois removed the sober, matching grey tie and replaced it with the one
she had chosen: black, with bright red and yellow interlocking
triangles.

"My goodness!"  Martha said.  "That one kind of dazzles the eye, doesn't
it?  What was wrong with the grey one?"

"That was the one my dad gave him last Christmas," Lois said.  "Plain,
grey ties just aren't Clark.  There, honey, you look much better."

"That's a matter of opinion," his father observed, with a slight grin,
"but if Lois likes it, who am I to argue?"

"The other one just didn't feel right," Lois said.  "Now we're ready.
Are you sure you don't mind watching CJ for us, Martha?"

"Honey, you just go on ahead and do your job," Martha told her.
"Jonathan, CJ and I will do just fine.  He's the sweetest baby!  Just
like Clark was at his age."

"Well, I guess that would follow," Clark said.  "We'll see you later,
then."  He pursed his lips slightly in that silent whistle, then
gestured Lois out the front door ahead of him.

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

"I know it was in Suicide Slum," Lois was saying a short time later, as
they maneuvered through the early rush hour traffic.  "I mean, you can't
mistake the smell.  But it was dark, and raining and I couldn't see
much.  I'm not really sure I can find the place again, but I guess it's
worth a try."

"Well," Clark said, "I think I can get us pretty close."

"How?" Lois demanded, in mild exasperation.  She cut expertly around a
slow-moving truck with the name of a well-known supermarket chain on the
side.

"Bibbo's was only a little ways off, to my left," he explained.  "Maybe
a block or two.  I could hear the barroom brawl going full blast."

"Of course," Lois said.  "How could I possibly forget Bibbo's?  All
right, let's cruise around a bit and see if I can spot the place I got
cornered.  I'd only gotten about a block and a half away from the house
where they were holding me, so if we can find where I was when you
rescued me, maybe we can backtrack."

"Okay, then.  Head for Bibbo's.  From there we can try a search pattern
and I'll tell you when it sounds right to me."

"There's probably no fight going on right now," Lois pointed out.

"That's okay.  There's no place anywhere that sounds quite like Bibbo's
Ace o' Clubs," Clark assured her with confidence.  "I could recognize it
in my sleep."

Unable to find fault with this reasoning, Lois fell silent as they wove
through the traffic into sections of Metropolis which grew steadily more
decrepit.  At last, she said, "Okay, we're here.  Bibbo's is--"

"Right in front of us," Clark said.  "Believe me, I can smell it.  Which
direction are we facing?"

"East."

"Then go right a block or two."

It took them half an hour to locate the alley where Clark had found her,
and after that another hour for her to retrace the path of her desperate
flight the night before.  But when they did find the ancient, boarded-up
tenement, Lois was in no doubt at all about the accuracy of her
selection.

"This is it," she said, with quiet certainty.  "There's the basement
window I crawled out of."

"Then let's get inside.  I don't hear anyone in there.  Is anyone
watching us?"

Lois glanced around at the few scruffy people moving about within their
sight.  "Nobody that I can see."

Lois saw him purse his lips unobtrusively and smiled.  Superman was
practicing his new method of navigation, and it appeared to be working
for he moved with confidence beside her, up the dingy, peeling wooden
steps to the door.  A little judicious application of super-strength,
and the door knob turned.  They entered.

The entry hall was littered with trash, dried mud, cigarette butts and
tracked-in debris.  The ancient linoleum, all too familiar to Lois, was
cracked and peeling.  She took a deep breath and started forward, Clark
right behind her.

"Honey, are you all right?"  His voice, sounding slightly concerned,
startled her.

"What?"

"Are you all right?  Your heart rate has gone way up."

There were definite disadvantages to having him depend so completely on
his hearing, she reflected.  "I'm all right, Clark.  Just...seeing this
all again is a little...upsetting."

He put an arm around her waist.  "I can understand that.  If it's too
much, you don't have to stay."

"Clark, I'm fine!  Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I've suddenly
turned into china!"  She regarded his worried expression in mild
exasperation.  "Honestly, Superman, you're getting to be a worry-wart!"

He gave a sheepish grin.  "Sorry, honey."

"It's okay.  Just don't do it again."

"I'll try not to," he temporized.  "You can't blame a guy, though, when
it's something this important."

"Well, try to keep it under control," she said.  "Come on."

The entry-way gave onto a hall, crossing at right angles at its end.  On
one end was a coat closet, the door hanging from one hinge.  In the
other direction the hall ran for a short distance before ending in
storage cupboards, also with broken doors, and on the left it opened on
what must pass, in this place, for a living room.  A thin, shabby, green
shag rug carpeted the floor of an area perhaps fifteen feet by twenty.
A window in one wall was broken and boarded over in a familiar manner,
and tattered curtains hung to either side of it.  A couple of battered
chairs, a sofa with patently broken springs and a table with water rings
in the flaking varnish was the only furniture the room contained.
Several beer cans and cigarette butts lay scattered around and the
debris from a local fast food restaurant was crumpled on the table.
Flies were crawling over it.

Lois backed hastily out, trying to control her suddenly unruly stomach.
Her foot contacted some small, hard object and sent it skidding across
the linoleum of the hall floor.  Curiously, she bent to see what it was
that she had kicked.

It was an earring, one of the white, button-like clip-on earrings worn
by many professional women Lois had met in the course of her job.  She
even had a pair, herself.

"What is it?" Clark asked.

"It's an earring," she said, slowly.  "And it hasn't been here long.  It
doesn't have any dirt on it."

She dropped the earring into the pocket of her coat.  "Let's hurry up
and finish.  I don't like this place."

"Me, neither.  Does anything look familiar?"

"Not this part of it.  Most of the time I was out of the room I was
blindfolded, remember.  Come on."

More quickly, now, they continued on down the short hall.  This part
looked suddenly familiar.  A tiny bathroom opened on her right and
ahead, to her left, the door now gaping half open, was the room where
she had been confined.  She started toward it, her footsteps loud on the
peeling linoleum.

Clark's hand on her arm stopped her.  "Wait, Lois.  Let me go first."

"Huh?"  She looked up at him in surprise, to see his head lifted and his
nostrils twitch like a hound sniffing the air.

"I smell blood."  He stepped past her, nudged the door wider with a puff
of his super-breath and entered, Lois on his heels.

There was someone sitting in the ancient armchair with the spring
protruding from the cushion.

Already suspecting what she would find, Lois moved around to get a front
view of the dead man.  She was not disappointed.

"It's Mitch," she said.  "He's been shot."

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

"You know," Henderson said, "in my naivete, I sort of expected you two
to take at least one day off before you went out and started discovering
bodies, but I guess that must have been too much to ask."

Lois closed the conference room door behind them, shutting out the
sounds of the busy newsroom.  "Henderson, we wanted to find the place
where I was held.  You know as well as we do that evidence disappears
pretty darn fast, sometimes, and these people apparently have a lot to
hide.  I mean, why kill Mitch unless they were afraid he'd talk if
someone applied a little pressure?"

Henderson grunted.  "As a matter of fact, after you'd left one of my
boys found an incendiary device connected to a timer in the basement.
Whoever's behind this means business."

"I think that's pretty obvious," Clark said, quietly.

Lois saw Henderson glance uncomfortably at Clark.  "Yeah," he admitted.
"I suppose so."

"Anything on the earring?" she asked.

"A little," Henderson said.  "It's a woman's clip-on earring.  Half the
women in the city have them.  The lab's got it.  It's a good thing, by
the way, that you picked it up by the clip.  There's a fingerprint on
it, as yet unidentified.  Like I promised, I'll let you know what we
find as long as I have your word not to print anything without
permission."

"Of course not!" Lois said, irritably.  "You know us better than that,
Henderson!"

"Take it easy, Lois," Henderson said, with uncharacteristic mildness.
"I really wasn't trying to insult you."

"Oh, I know."  She pressed her fingers to her temples where the
beginnings of a tension headache was making itself known.  "I've just
had sort of a rough week.  And don't you dare laugh, Clark!"

"Wouldn't think of it," Clark assured her.  "Although only you would
describe the week we've had as ‘sort of' rough.  Between Luthor blowing
up our car, breaking into our house, trying to kidnap our son and your
being kidnapped twice by two different people--"

Lois surprised a faint grin on Henderson's mouth and glared at him.  The
Inspector sobered at once, although she could have sworn she could see
the glint of amusement in his eyes.

"Anyhow," Henderson went on, "that's the story as of now.  These people
play for keeps.  Be careful."

"We will, Inspector," Clark said.  "Thanks for the information."

After Henderson had left the newsroom, Lois made her way to her desk and
sank into her chair, rubbing the back of her neck.  Her computer had not
yet been replaced and the desk surface looked empty without it.  Clark
was similarly seated at his desk, tapping a pencil against its surface.

"Lois," he said, suddenly, "that earring.  I've been thinking."

"So have I," she said.  "You know, I never saw Mr. X.  I was always
blindfolded, and he'd distorted his voice.  There must have been a
reason.  I figured it was because he knew I'd recognize him."

"Probably.  If you got away--and you did--you'd have identified him.
But what if he is a she?"

"Just what I was thinking," she said.  "I guess great minds do think
alike."  She turned.  "Jimmy!"

Jimmy appeared from the copy room.  "Yeah?"

"How's that research coming?"

"I've got some preliminary stuff on them right at the moment.  Why?"

"Give us what you have, and then we want you to concentrate on the
women."

"Sure.  That cuts it down by half, anyway."  Jimmy vanished back into
the copy room again, but a few moments later he dropped a sheaf of
computer printout on Lois's desk.

"Here you are.  I arranged them alphabetically."

"Thanks, Jimmy."  She riffled through the sheets.  "There's not much
here."

"Yeah.  I said it's just preliminary.  I've got a search program
running, though.  I'll probably have more for you by tomorrow."

"Well, let's see what you've got."  She squinted at the first sheet.  "I
think you need more toner for this printer, Jimmy.  It's a little hard
to read.  Hmm...Jennifer Anderson...46 years old, married three times,
divorced twice, three kids...elected to the City Council last year..."
Clark had scooted his chair over next to hers, and she read the
information aloud for his benefit.  "Not too remarkable...wait a
minute.  She used to be on the Metropolis School Board.  Five years ago
she got caught in a scandal when the money the voters approved for
renovating the Bankford Elementary School classrooms was used to
redecorate the Principal's office and add a private bathroom.  The
Principal was her cousin."

"Huh!  How did she get elected to the City Council, then?" Clark asked.

"It was blamed on a clerical error," Jimmy said.

"I'll bet."  Lois shuffled the papers.  "Mayor Burns.  Madeline Burns.
She's 45, married only two years ago and had a baby just before last
Christmas.  She was on the City Council for twelve years before she ran
for mayor last year and was elected on a platform of fighting city
corruption.  Pretty clean record, actually; no political scandals to
speak of--oh, there was a minor one ten years ago.  Some question of an
audit of City accounts, but it apparently never went anywhere.  She
wasn't even involved in the ticket scandal as much as the others, you
know.  One of the other members of the City Council brought it to her
attention and she just sort of looked the other way.  Let's see, what
else...she was an anti-war activist in the early 70s, arrested once, but
the charges were dropped, and went into politics right after that.
Apparently she's always been a strong opponent of the death penalty,
too, and an advocate for human rights.  She'd already formed an
exploratory committee to evaluate her prospects for the governorship in
the next election, before this scandal broke."

"Interesting political history," Clark said.  "And the other
one...what's her name, Saunders?"

"Marianne Saunders, age 52," Lois said.  "She's not married, been on the
City Council for ten years, and a career politician.  She survived a
recall vote three years ago when she was found to be involved in a
scheme to divert money from the homeless shelters to a redevelopment
project that would have benefitted her brother-in-law's construction
company.  She claimed she was misinformed as to the goals of the project
and blamed a fellow City Councilman, who was subsequently sacked by the
voters for spearheading the project, even though the evidence pointed to
her.  I remember that!  I exposed the whole scheme...you know, we've got
a nice batch here."

"I don't think I even want to know about the others," Clark said.  "I'm
surprised the City runs as well as it does if this is a sample of the
people who govern it.  About the only one I'd care to associate with is
Mayor Burns.  Her record's fairly clean, considering."

Jimmy grinned.  "Maybe she's covering up some horrible crime in her past
and was afraid Lois would expose it."

Lois shook her head.  "It would have to be a real doozy to be worth all
this."  She glanced at the printout again.  "As soon as you get the rest
of the info, I want it, Jimmy.  So far, all we've got is a list of
pretty typical sleazy politicians.  Whatever this person is afraid of,
the clue has got to be in their background, somewhere.  All we have to
do is recognize it."

******************
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 14:22:38 -0800
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Nancy Smith <deimos1@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      NEW STORY;  Blind Man's Bluff Part 9 of ?
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The weather had turned distinctly cooler than it had been a week ago,
Lois reflected as she and Clark headed for the Jeep, parked some
distance away from the elevators in the Planet's underground lot.  And
the fact that this place was under cover didn't seem to affect the
temperature in here at all.  If anything it might even be a little
cooler than completely outdoors and, after the things that had happened
to them in here in the past week or so, Lois was strongly considering
the advisability of parking the Jeep regularly on the street, unless the
weather was unusually bad.

She inserted her key into the lock on the driver's door and turned it.
She was tired; she hated to admit it, but she really hadn't recovered
completely from her ordeal of the past few days, not to mention the fact
that her early pregnancy was draining her energy more than she liked.

"Lois!  Don't get in!"  Clark's sharp voice startled her.  Without
thinking, she backed hurriedly away from the vehicle.

There was a sudden swirl of wind, and Clark, in the familiar blue and
red uniform, jerked open the hood and removed a small object which
seemed to consist mainly of wires.  Another rush of air, and he was
gone.  She had started to follow when the sound of an explosion reached
her ears.  Wearily, she leaned against the fender of a sports car parked
across the aisle and shook her head in disbelief.  This kind of thing
was getting to be a real irritant, and she'd had it.  Somebody was going
to pay.

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

"I can't *believe* that they impounded our new Jeep as *evidence*!"
Lois‘s irritation had subsided not at all as the taxi pulled up in front
of 348 Hyperion Avenue a little over an hour later.  The sun had long
since set, and even Clark's patience was growing thin as they exited the
taxi and ascended the stairs to the townhouse.

 Martha had apparently been on the watch for them, for the door opened
as they reached the top of the steps and her voice said,"What on earth
happened?  We heard about the bomb on TV."

"Someone's pretty unhappy with us," Clark said.  "They planted a bomb in
the Jeep, but I heard the timer start up when Lois unlocked the door,
and got rid of it.  The police impounded the Jeep temporarily for
evidence, though."

"I've had it up to here!" Lois announced, and her voice was still
crackling with anger.  "No more!  Whoever is behind this has gone too
far when they try to blow up my brand new car!  I haven't even had it
for a week yet!"

"Lois is a bit upset," Clark said.

"Yeah, I can tell," his father's voice said.  "Come on in and have some
dinner.  You'll feel better with a full stomach."

"I'll feel better when this..."  Lois bit off the word.  "I'll feel
better when this *person* is behind bars!"

"Lois," Clark said, "try to calm down.  "Losing your temper isn't going
to help."

He could hear his wife take a deep breath and forcibly blow it out.
"Oh, I know, Clark, but I'm so *tired* of having various people
targeting us for stupid reasons.  I mean, we wouldn't have had any idea
there was anything to investigate if they'd left us alone!"

"I guess we've got the kind of reputation that scares them," Clark said,
trying for a lighter tone.

"I guess."  Her voice sounded suddenly depressed.  He moved over to put
his arms around her.

"Honey, we'll get through this, I promise.  Hey," he teased, "is this
the Lois Lane who found a way for me to get around without being able to
see?"

She sniffled, and suddenly burst into tears.  Clark's own irritation
vanished in the urgent need to comfort his wife.  He pulled her close
and held her against him.  "Honey, it's okay, really.  It'll work out.
Henderson'll get the Jeep back to us, and we'll solve this before long."

He heard his parents' retreating footsteps and thanked them silently for
their perception.  "Lois, sweetheart, what's wrong?  Can I help?"

"I don't know, Clark!" she wailed.  "I don't even *know* what's wrong!"

He cradled her against him tucking her head under his chin.  "I think
*I* might."

"What?  And don't tell me it's because I'm pregnant!"

"Well, maybe only indirectly."  He hugged her.  "I realize this is
heresy where you're concerned, but you don't think it could possibly be
because you're *tired*, do you?"  She tried to look up at him but he
continued to hold her tightly.  "I mean, you've only been through a
couple of weeks that would half-kill most people, and you not only came
through it pretty much in one piece, you're still on your feet and
fighting.  I think you owe yourself a little rest.  After all, even
*Superman* gets tired sometimes."

For what seemed like forever, but was actually only a few minutes, Lois
was absolutely still in his arms, then she moved to free herself and he
released her.  "Sometimes you're so smart it scares me."

"It comes from working so hard to keep up with you."  He leaned down and
kissed her.  "Come on.  Let's go get some of that dinner Mom made for
us, play with our little boy, relax for a while and forget about this
mess for tonight.  Maybe we could even think of something to do a little
later, too--in private."

"You know," Lois said, "that sounds awfully nice right now."

"It does, doesn't it?"  He put his arm around her waist.  "Shall we go?"

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

"You just sit right there with Clark, and feed CJ," Martha said.
"Jonathan and I will take care of the dishes."  She handed Lois the
remote control.  "Here.  Put your feet up and relax."

When Martha had vanished into the kitchen, Lois tuned in a news channel
and settled against Clark, CJ in her arms, to watch the news.

"How are your eyes doing, Clark? she asked.  "Are you seeing any
improvement at all?"

"It's hard to tell, but I think maybe," he said.  "I'm supposed to see
Dr. Klein in the morning for him to check them."

"I'm going along," she said.  CJ slurped on his bottle in a contented
way and Lois rested her head against Clark.  He slipped his arm around
her shoulders.

"You know," he said.  "I could do with more evenings like this one."

"You and me, both," she agreed.  "Oh, there's the Mayor.  Carmen
Alverado's interviewing her."

"I thought we weren't going to think about business tonight," Clark
said."

"It's just about the new convention center they're opening next week."
Lois watched the screen with half her attention.  "As usual, the whole
City Council's there, taking credit for the project."

"Weren't they against it in the beginning?" Clark asked.  "It took an
independent initiative to force it through, if I remember correctly."

"Since when do inconvenient facts get in the way of politicians on the
make?" Lois asked.  "Wait a minute!"

"What?"

"There's Marianne Saunders!  She's wearing a pair of earrings like the
one I found in the tenement!"

"Lois, Henderson said half the women in the city have earrings like
that."

Lois relaxed back into the curve of his body again.  "Yeah, I guess
you're right.  But she's still on my suspect list."

"Of course.  All three of them are.  But let's not think about them
tonight.  How's CJ doing with his bottle?"

"He's just about finished...and just about out.  Let me burp him and get
him ready for bed, and then we can talk about those other activities you
were mentioning earlier..."

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

"Okay, Clark, look straight ahead," Bernard Klein said.  "Can you see
any difference?"

"It's brighter," Clark said.  "What are you doing?"

"I'm looking at your corneas.  Are *you* seeing any improvement,
yourself?"

"The shadows are definitely sharper," Clark said.

"Good.  That's consistent with what I'm seeing," Dr. Klein said.  "Your
corneas are less cloudy than they were when I first examined them.  Some
healing seems to be taking place."

"But why so slowly?" Clark asked.  "I usually heal much more quickly
than this!  Dr. Klein, *are* my eyes going to get well?"

The scientist was silent for what seemed forever, trying to decide upon
the best way to phrase his answer.  Finally he said, "I don't know,
Clark.  Your healing abilities are well beyond that of Earth creatures,
but I don't know if you're going to be able to repair all the damage.
You've already done more than any human would be able to do."

"At this point," Clark said, a trifle grimly,"I'll take anything I can
get."

"I can understand that," Dr. Klein said.

"What I want to know," Lois said, "is if you have any alternatives if
his eyes don't return to normal!  Do you have any idea what it will mean
to Metropolis, not to say the *world* if Superman is blind, Dr. Klein?"

Dr. Klein felt himself squirming uncomfortably under Lois's glare, and
wondered, not for the first time, why it had taken him so long to figure
out the truth about Clark Kent, since it was painfully obvious to anyone
with half a brain that the only husband fit for Lois Lane was a
superman.  And, at that, it seemed that sometimes even he had a
difficult time with her.  On the other hand, no one who had her in their
corner could ever say they didn't have a formidable ally.

"Lois, I'm sure Dr. Klein has every idea of what it would mean," Clark
began.  Klein nodded vigorously.

"Yes, well, do you?  Have any alternative ideas, I mean?" she persisted.

"I'm exploring some possibilities," he said.  "With luck it will never
come to that.  I'm seeing some significant improvement in the four days
since it happened.  I want you back here tomorrow morning, Clark, so I
can have another look."

"I'll be here," Clark said.  "Have you made any progress with that other
thing?"

"What other thing?" Lois asked.

"The police gave me the job of analyzing the stuff on the handkerchief
Jimmy used to wipe off Clark's face," Dr. Klein said.  "I told them that
Kryptonite in the eyes was quite toxic to humans as well as Superman."

"Well, what else is there to know?" Lois asked.  "It was powdered
Kryptonite, right?"

"Yes," Clark told her, "but we need to know a few other things about
it.  Where it came from, for one thing."

"You see," Klein told her, in his best professorly manner, "I've
analyzed only a few pieces of Kryptonite--fortunately for Clark there
aren't many of them--but each piece has had slightly different trace
element content..."

"English, Dr. Klein," Clark said.

"Of course.  Sorry."  Dr. Klein harrumphed and started over.  "Each
piece has had slightly different impurities, except the ones that were
broken off from the parent chunk.  We need to know if this one is from a
different source or if it came from a piece we've already accounted
for.  Naturally, we hope it's from a known source, because otherwise
there's another piece of Kryptonite out there in the hands of
criminals.  None of us want that."

"No, I can see that."  Lois had paled slightly at the thought.

"Easy, Lois," Clark said.  "Let's not borrow trouble."

"I'll let you know as soon as I'm sure," Dr. Klein assured them,
quickly.  "Don't forget to come back tomorrow.  Oh, by the way..." he
added, as another thought occurred to him.  "I'll want you in here for
those other tests, too, just as soon as things settle down a bit.  I'm
anxious to find out what went wrong with the first set, since it's
obvious something did..."  He glanced at Lois and felt himself blush to
the hairline...or where his hairline had once been.  To his amazement he
saw that Superman...Clark...was blushing, too.  The only one who seemed
unaffected was Lois.

"Well," he said, hastily, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Um, right."  Clark said.  "Come on, honey.  We've got an investigation
to finish."

******************
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 14:25:08 -0800
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
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Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Nancy Smith <deimos1@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      NEW STORY;  Blind Man's Bluff Part 10 of ?
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"Here's the photos you wanted, Lois," Jimmy said.  He dropped a large
envelope on her desk.  "I enlarged them like you asked.  Do you really
think the City Council could be involved in something like this?"

"No," Lois said.  "Just one of them.  Although, with what I've learned
about them in the past couple of days I wonder if the worst crooks in
the city aren't the ones running it."

Jimmy laughed.  "Yeah.  After that research I did for you, I have to
admit you've got a point."

Clark rolled his chair over to her desk.  "What have you got?"

"Photos," Lois said.  "The Mayor and the two councilwomen.  Jimmy blew
them up for me."  She opened the envelope.  "Here's one of Mayor Burns
at that ribbon-cutting last month.  Clark, she's wearing a pair of those
white earrings!"

"Well," Clark said, "that's two out of three."

"Yeah."  Lois dumped the remaining photos out onto her desk.
"Hmm--here's Saunders again...no earrings, but we saw her with a pair of
them on television last night.   Another of Mayor Burns...here's one of
Anderson.  Oh, heck!  She's got a pair, too."

"Oh, well," Clark said, "back to square one."

"Not yet."  Lois reached for the phone.  "I've got an idea.  I'm going
to try to arrange an interview with each of them."

"You're kidding.  After that article you did on them, do you think any
of them will agree to an interview?" Clark asked.

"Probably not.  But maybe I can throw a scare into the guilty one.  Her
thugs haven't found my so-called evidence, and she must know I haven't
turned it over to the police.  If you were in her shoes, what would you
think I was up to?"

"Blackmail?"  Jimmy suggested.

"Exactly.  And being the kind of people they are, they'd believe it,
too.  The ones who aren't guilty won't have any idea what I'm talking
about, but the guilty one..."

"It sounds kind of dangerous," Jimmy said, a little doubtfully.

"That's why we'll alert Superman to keep an eye on us," Lois said.  "I
think it's got a pretty good chance of working, don't you, Clark?"

The expression on Clark's face didn't seem to indicate a great deal of
confidence in the plan.  "Lois, I don't know.  This might not be such a
good idea."

"Clark, it can't possibly increase our danger.  They tried to blow us
up, yesterday!"

"Well, yeah, I guess."  Clark still sounded doubtful.

"Well, if Superman's watching you it ought to be okay," Jimmy said.
"Unless they've still got that K-spray stuff they used on you, Clark.
Dr. Klein said it's pretty toxic to humans, too.  How are you doing, by
the way?  Are your eyes any better?"

"Some," Clark said.  "My doctor says it's going to take awhile."

"But they're going to get better?"

"We hope so," Clark said.  "I might not be much of a reporter if I can't
see."

"Clark, it's not your eyes that make you a great reporter," Perry said
from behind them, "it's your brain, your talent and your partner, and
you've still got all three of those.  Metropolis hasn't seen the end of
Clark Kent, award-winning investigative journalist, even if you never
get any of your sight back.  The rest of us know it, even if you don't."

Lois could have kissed Perry for that, and would have if they hadn't
been in public.  "That's just what I've been trying to tell him, Perry."

Her boss cleared his throat and looked embarrassed.  "Nothin' but the
truth," he said.  "Jimmy, have you got the photos of the Electronics
Trade Exposition ready for the Business Section, yet?"

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

"Well," Lois said into the phone, "it's too bad Ms. Saunders feels that
way.  Please tell her that I think we might be able to come to a
satisfactory arrangement over the whole unfortunate episode if she could
find time to see me.  You have my cell phone number if she changes her
mind.  Thank you."  She hung up.  "There!  That ought to do it!"

"It'll do something, all right," Clark said.  "I'm still not sure this
is a good idea, Lois."

"If one of them takes the bait it will be worth it.  This cat and mouse
stuff is driving me crazy."

"I know," Clark said.  "And you're right.  We have to stop her one way
or the other--assuming, of course, that we're right about this and it is
one of the women."

"Well, there's nothing to do now but wait," Lois said.  She glanced at
her watch.  "It's nearly noon.  Shall we get some lunch?"

"I guess."  Clark stood up and pushed his chair back under his desk.
"How about Pedro's?"

"All right."  Lois made sure her cell phone was in her purse, let him
take her arm and together they headed for the elevator.

They had finished lunch and were headed back for the Jeep when Lois's
cell phone rang.

"Well, that was quick," she said as she dug it out of her purse.
"Hello?"

A familiar voice said, "Hello, this is Bernard Klein."

"Oh, Dr. Klein."

"You sound disappointed, Lois," Dr. Klein said.

"Oh...no, I was expecting someone else.  What can I do for you Dr.
Klein?"

"Well,' the scientist said, "I have that information I was talking about
this morning, Lois.  Is Clark anywhere around?"

"He's right here," Lois said, glancing at her husband.  "Do you need to
talk to him?"

"Actually, all I need is for him to hear this.  Just tell him to
listen.  The Kryptonite is from the piece we have here in S.T.A.R.
Labs.  It's an exact match."

"*What*?"  She opened the door of the Jeep one-handed, slid onto the
seat and shut the door.  "Clark, listen in on this call, okay?  Dr.
Klein says the Kryptonite..."

"I heard, Lois."  Clark slammed the Jeep's door on his own side.  "I
don't quite understand.  It's from the lab's sample?"

"That's what he said.  You *did* say it's from the lab's sample, Dr.
Klein?  Did I hear that right?"

"You heard me."  Dr. Klein's voice was very sober.  "The Kryptonite in
that spray came from the piece of green Kryptonite we have here in the
vault at the lab."

"But...how is that possible?  The piece is still there, isn't it?"

"Wait a minute," Clark said.  "Not *all* of it is still there."

"What are you talking about, Clark?" Lois asked.

"Do you remember when Jerry White used the Red Kryptonite to throw my
powers out of control?"

Lois nodded.  "Yes, but I...ohmigod.  The bullet."

"The bullet.  Dr. Klein never got that one little piece back, did he?"

"Did you, Dr. Klein?" she asked into the phone.

"Did I what?"

"Sorry.  Did you get the piece of Kryptonite back that they used to make
that bullet with?"

"No," Dr. Klein said.  "It vanished.  That's what I think the spray must
have been made from. It was only a tiny piece.  That's probably why it
was made into an aerosol by whoever found it."

"But who would that have been?" Lois asked.  "It could have been
anyone!"

"Maybe."  Clark's voice sounded grim.  "But I just thought of
something.  In the first place, a civil official can't arbitrarily order
a civilian killed.  Ordering an assassination is forbidden under the
law.  Even the President can't do such a thing, much less a Mayor.  No
one ever pressed it, but what Mayor Burns tried to have done to Superman
was illegal."

"Whatever happened to her opposition to the death penalty?" Lois asked
slowly.  "Do you suppose her original ideals could have changed that
much?"

"People do change," Clark said.

"True," Lois said.  "But there's another possibility--that she
deliberately tried to use that situation to get rid of Superman.  Clark,
this is really out there, and you're probably going to think I'm crazy,
but what if the woman in the Mayor's office isn't Madeline Burns?"

"What?"  Clark said.  He turned toward her, in real surprise.  "Lois, I
know we figured our suspect is probably a tool of Intergang, but..."

"Look at the facts a minute.  She was in the anti-war movement.  She
campaigned against the death penalty, and she was actually a fairly
clean politician--and then she turned around and got the Kryptonite from
S.T.A.R. Labs and had a piece taken off to make a bullet to murder
Superman--one of the most effective forces for law and order in the
world--even though you hadn't hurt anyone.  You damaged property by
accident, yes, but that isn't a capital offense.  They don't sentence
people to die for that--heck, they don't even do that with people who
kill other people by accident, which you never did.  It was as if she
was looking for an excuse to have you killed.  That's a pretty big
character change."

"Well, there's always the argument that killing me isn't murder, Lois.
I'm not human."

Lois made a rude noise.  "Nonsense.  Human or not, no one can argue that
you aren't an intelligent being.  You testified in a murder
trial--mine--and no one objected.  They swore you in.  No one is going
to swear in a monkey!  And they court-martialed Colonel Cash for what he
did when you fought Lord Nor.  You've even been given honorary
citizenship in many of the free countries all over the world!  Mayor
Burns knew what she was doing was illegal, not to mention wrong.  If it
hadn't been for Dr. Klein she might have succeeded."  She stopped.
"Oops, Dr. Klein!"  She lifted the phone to her ear again.  "Sorry, Dr.
Klein.  We got kind of distracted.  Thanks for letting us know.  We'll
get back to you, okay?"

"Sure, Lois,"  Dr. Klein said.  "I'll talk to you later."  As Lois
removed the phone from her ear she could have sworn she heard the
scientist burst into laughter before the phone went dead.

Clark was frowning.  "I have to admit you have a point, but going from
that to the possibility that she's not Madeline Burns is kind of a
stretch."

"It just seems to me that she did a complete about-face.  Of course, if
Intergang is pulling her strings I suppose that could account for it,
but I just have a--I don't know, call it reporter's intuition, okay?  We
can at least try to check it out."

"Yeah, we can do that.  Let's get back to the office."

******************
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 14:28:01 -0800
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Nancy Smith <deimos1@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      NEW STORY:  Blind Man's Bluff Part 11 of 12
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"Okay, here's what you asked for," Jimmy was saying a couple of hours
later.  "I found some of the earliest pictures of Mayor Burns--the ones
taken when she was first elected to the City Council, way back when.
Why do you want them?"

"I want to compare them to the current ones, Jimmy.  I'm looking for
something."

"Lois has a pretty wild theory," Clark said, "but it makes a weird sort
of sense.  Jimmy, I've been thinking--Madeline Burns was arrested in the
early seventies; the charges were dropped, but her fingerprints would
still be on file, somewhere.  Do you think your dad could get us a copy
of them?"

"I guess I could ask."  Jimmy's voice still sounded puzzled.  "I'll see
what I can do."

"Aha!"  Lois's voice held a note of triumph.  "There it is!  I *knew*
it!"

"What?" Jimmy asked.

"Right here!  See these pictures?"

"Yeah.  That's Mayor Burns."

"No, that's Councilwoman Burns, fourteen years ago, to be exact," Lois
said.  "Look at her ears."

"What?"

"Her ears!  Specifically, her earlobes!"

Jimmy leaned over Lois's desk.  "Okay.  What am I looking for?"

"In this picture," Lois said, patiently, "you can see her ears.  She has
attached earlobes."

"Yes?  So what?"

"So, here's a picture of her as she is today.  Look at the earlobes."

Silence.  Finally Jimmy said, "They're not the same."

"No, they're not.  That Madeline Burns and the Mayor, today, aren't the
same person."

"They look a lot alike," Jimmy said.

"Yeah, my double looked a lot like me, too, but she wasn't me.  My guess
is that the real Madeline Burns was replaced by Intergang not long after
they targeted Metropolis for their next takeover and before she ran for
Mayor.  Jimmy, after you've talked to your dad, I want you to find me
every picture of Madeline Burns that you can, from as many years as
possible, between this first one and the current ones.  I want to know
the approximate time the switch was made.  And, I want to know if any
known female criminals died at about the same time.  This is just a
hunch, but maybe we can figure out who she is."

"I think we should take a closer look at the funding behind her mayoral
campaign, too," Clark said.  "If we're going to prove this we'll need to
have to have our evidence pretty solidly lined up."

An hour later, Lois was saying, "That's it.  This picture is the last
one Jimmy could find of the real Madeline Burns.  It was taken in
September of 1994, The next one, two months later, is the replacement.
Sometime in that two months, Madeline Burns was probably killed and
replaced by the imposter--somebody who looked just like her, or who'd
had plastic surgery, and was enough of an actress that she was able to
fool the other members of the City Council.  It wasn't very long
afterwards that Intergang began to make its presence known in
Metropolis."

"The timing is right," Clark said.  "No wonder they were afraid of what
you might have discovered when you started researching Madeline Burns's
background, Lois.  Who else would have made a leap of faith like that
and figured it out?  Now, the question is, was it Burns--or whoever she
really is--or Intergang that came after us?"

"That's a good question," Lois said.  "I think they must have used their
people to create the K-spray.  Killing or disabling Superman is probably
pretty high on their agenda.  And they must have sent Bancroft to bail
Mitch out."

"But that part was no risk," Clark pointed out.  "We can't prove
anything, and they know it.  You know, it kind of sounds to me as if
they consider her semi-expendable.  If they ordered her to have Superman
killed with that Kryptonite bullet, they must have known what would have
happened if she succeeded.  She'd have been arrested but Superman would
have been out of their hair.  Probably a good trade, from their point of
view."

"Yes, but they wouldn't just throw away their investment without
results, would they?  Now, I mean?"

"It depends," Clark said.  "I think they'd support her as long as they
thought it was worth it.  But if they decided her position might have
been compromised beyond repair, they just might tell her to deal with it
herself.  She wouldn't dare talk, either way."

Before Lois could reply, the phone on her desk rang.  She reached over
to pick it up.  "Hello?"

"Hello, Lois, it's Martha," her mother-in-law's voice said.

"Martha?  Is everything all right?  You sound a little strange."

"It must be the phone," Martha's voice said.  "You need to come home,
Lois.  CJ's terribly sick."

For a moment, Lois couldn't believe she'd heard correctly.  "CJ's sick?
But..."

"I think the milk may have disagreed with him," Martha continued.  "I
think you need to come home and take him to his pediatrician."

Lois looked up at Clark.  "She says CJ's sick and we need to take him to
the doctor."

Her husband's expression held an arrested look.  Suddenly what Martha
was saying made a terrible sense.  "I'll be there as quickly as I can,"
she said, and hung up.

"They're at the house," Clark said.  "They've got CJ and my parents."

"Clark, what are we going to do?"

"The first thing is not to panic."  Clark reached out and found her
hand.  "Jimmy, tell Perry we had to go out."

"What's the matter?" Jimmy asked.  The young photojournalist looked from
Lois to Clark and back.  "‘They'!  You mean those Intergang guys?  I'll
call the police!"

"No, Jimmy!"  Lois grabbed his wrist.  "If the police show up, CJ and
Clark's parents could be killed!  Trust us, okay?  Just tell Perry we
had to leave."

"But..."

"Jimmy, we don't have time to argue!"

"I'm going to get hold of Superman," Clark assured him, quickly.  "Just
don't alert the police--at least give us half an hour, okay?"

Reluctantly, Jimmy nodded.  Lois grabbed Clark's hand, and together they
headed for the ramp.

Disdaining the elevator, Lois and Clark ducked into the stairwell and an
instant later they were launching from the roof of the great newspaper's
headquarters with a sonic boom that shook the ground and cracked several
windows.  Clutched tightly against her husband's body for maximum
protection, Lois didn't try to talk, but closed her eyes and held
tightly to him as they closed the distance between their place of work
and their home in split seconds.

Hovering in the air above the townhouse, Lois was perfectly still as her
husband listened.  At last he nodded his head.

"There's three of them there.  Two men and a woman."

"Would Burns come, herself?" Lois asked.

"Maybe.  If I were in her shoes, I'd be getting worried about my bosses
right now.  She probably thinks you're trying to blackmail her and
Intergang isn't exactly lenient when their people foul up.  Remember
what happened to Martin Snell?  If she's getting scared, she might
decide to handle it in person."  Clark's head was cocked as he listened
to the voices only he could hear in the townhouse below.  "It's Burns,
all right.  I can hear six heartbeats, though.  Mom, Dad and CJ are
still okay."

"What are we going to do?" she asked.

"*You're* going to stay outside this time.  You've got our baby to
protect."  He rested a hand lightly on her still flat abdomen.  "*I'm*
going in there.  Like you said a couple of days ago, who would think I'm
dangerous?  I'm *blind*!"

"Clark, they've probably got the K-spray in there!"

"Yes, but they won't want to waste it on a blind man.  They've got it in
case Superman shows up, and he isn't going to.  Once I'm in there I'll
get CJ and my parents out."

Lois knew he was right, though all her instincts rebelled.  This time,
and until their baby was born, this kind of action was off limits to
her, and even afterwards she would have to strictly repress her tendency
to "dangle over the jaws of death", as that social worker had once
described it.  Others were depending on her now.

"All right," she said.  "But *please* be careful!"

He smiled and cupped her face in his free hand, then, without a word, he
kissed her, hard.  When he drew back, she was gasping slightly for
breath, and the smile on his face had vanished.  In its place was a look
of pure determination.

"Lois," he said, very softly, but with an edge of steel in his voice, "I
have my wife whom I love waiting for me, my son, and my mom and dad
depending on me.  I'll do what I have to, to protect them all...and God
help the man--or woman--who tries to stand in my way."

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

Feeling his way carefully, conscious of the possibility of observation,
Clark Kent slowly climbed the steps to the townhouse.  Clear and sharp
to his hearing came the warning from one of the invaders inside his
home.  "Act natural.  If he suspects anything, he's dead.  We only
really need one of you alive.  Got it?"

  Fumbling a little, he unlocked the door, opened it, and stepped
cautiously within.  "Mom?" he called.  "Dad?"

"In here, son."  Jonathan's voice answered him.  Clark pursed his lips
carefully in a silent whistle, locating every person in the room.  There
was his mother, sitting on the sofa with CJ in her arms.  His father was
in the armchair to their left.  Seated at ease in the room's second
armchair was a woman, and the two men stood next to her.

Another silent whistle.  He listened to the echoes with attention for
the smallest detail.  The sound bounced from metal--the two men were
armed with hand weapons, he thought, but the woman was not.  He had the
two men to deal with; with them out of the way the danger the woman
represented was minimal.  No...not quite.  In her hand the woman carried
something small, metallic and cylindrical.  The Kryptonite spray.

He came across the rug, one hand stretched before him until he felt the
back of the couch.  "Mom?"

"Right here, Clark."  His mother's voice sounded calm.  "We have
visitors."

"Oh, really?"  He raised his head.

"Yes.  This is Ms. Burns, Mr. Jones and Mr. Brown."  Martha's voice was
slightly ironic.  "They were waiting to see Lois."

"Lois was at the Planet when I left," Clark said.  "I had an appointment
at the eye clinic.  Fred Watkins just dropped me off here."  He moved
around the sofa, feeling his way with slightly exaggerated clumsiness,
placing his body between the gunmen and his mother and son.  There was a
hasty movement on the part of one of the men, then stillness.

"This is my son, Clark," Martha said.  "He was recently blinded in an
accident.  You'd better sit down, honey."

"Yeah, I've heard of him," said a male voice.  "Hotsho--uh--" The voice
broke off.  "Uh, gladta meetcha, Mr. Kent."

Well, that answered one question, Clark noted.  The big bruiser on the
left wasn't exactly an intellectual.  "Pleased to meet you," he replied
courteously, gauging his next movements with great care.  This had to be
exactly right, because he wouldn't get a second chance.

He moved forward slowly, obviously unsure of his motions.  "Mom, where's
the chair?  I..."

With exquisite artistry, he snagged his toe on the rug and staggered
forward into the man who had not spoken, grabbing at him frantically,
and then everything shifted into slow motion.  One of his hands closed
like a vise over the other's gun hand. He squeezed mercilessly.  His
victim screamed as they pitched sideways into the lap of the seated
woman, and there was a heavy thump as the pistol hit the floor.  One of
his feet shot backwards in a kick that caught the other man's weapon.
Clark clearly heard the crunch of bones and winced internally as the
thing flew like a bullet across the room; there was a bellow of agony.
They crashed on top of the woman, and he heard the metal cylinder strike
the rug.  Madeline Burns shrieked in combined alarm and fury.

Then his father's voice said, clearly and distinctly, "I've got the can,
Clark."

"And I have the gun."  Martha's voice sounded grimly triumphant.  "Don't
any of you move.  Jonathan, call the police."

"You don't have to," Clark said. In the distance, he could already hear
the sound of the approaching sirens. "Jimmy must have called them.  They
should be here in a few minutes."

********************
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 14:29:58 -0800
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Nancy Smith <deimos1@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      NEW STORY;  Blind Man's Bluff  Part 12
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Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
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"Her name is Marie Waterford, alias Jenny Barnes, alias Hannah Jackson,
alias...you get the drift."  Henderson's voice over the speaker phone
was its usual dry self.  "She's a thirty-nine-year-old, highly skilled
con woman who disappeared in late ‘94 after she killed her third
husband."

"*What*?"  Lois' voice sounded stunned.  "She killed her husband?"

"No, she's killed at least three that we know of.  All wealthy.
Probably the only reason her current one is still alive is that, as
mayor, she couldn't afford to risk it.  I wouldn't have bet on his
longevity, though.  She was convicted and sentenced to die, but she
broke out--probably with the help of Intergang, from what we know,
now--and apparently died in a car crash in October of ‘94."

"That may have been the real Madeline Burns," Lois said.

"Probably."  Henderson sounded resigned.  "We're going to have a lot of
details to sort out before this is over."

"The ironic thing," Clark said, after Henderson had hung up, "is that if
she'd left Lois alone, no one ever would have caught on."

"I wouldn't say that," Lois said.  "We might have."

"That's why she was worried," Perry said.  Their editor sounded very
smug to Clark's experienced ears.  "Man, what a headline!  We scooped
every newspaper in the City, and our sales are up ten percent over
this.  Not to mention the questions, the follow-ups...I'm thinkin' a
Kerth nomination next time for the pair of you, at the least."

"Thanks, Chief," Lois said.  "Oh, I just noticed the time.  Clark's got
an appointment with his doctor.  Then we need to go home and pack.  Our
flight leaves at six this evening."

"Don't let me keep you," Perry said. "I'll see you two after you get
back from your vacation."

It had been a hectic two days since the capture of Madeline Burns.  The
initial uproar over the arrest of the so-called Mayor had begun to die
down, but Lois and Clark still found themselves dodging the occasional
tabloid reporter and other members of the press who worked for rival
newspapers.  Finally, Lois had suggested that they take their previously
scheduled and long-postponed vacation to Kansas.  They were flying back
by actual plane this evening with the elder Kents, as Clark's eyesight,
although getting better, had not yet recovered to the point where he
completely trusted his ability to get them where they needed to go.

 Lois pulled their Jeep out of its parking place by the side of the
street and into traffic.  Clark could hear vehicles on either side of
them and see the indistinct images as they rolled past.  He could even
see the colors.

"Any more improvement?" Lois asked.  She had been asking him that almost
every hour on the hour since yesterday when Dr. Klein had determined
that the rate of healing seemed to be gradually accelerating.

"A little," he told her, and he could feel a grin that he couldn't
resist stretching his lips.  "I'm starting to see the brighter colors.
"It's coming back, honey.  It's really coming back."

"I know.  It's a miracle.  I almost can't believe we could be that
lucky.."

"Why not?" he said.  "I had the incredible luck to meet and marry you,
and now we're having a baby together.  If those aren't miracles, I don't
know what else to call them.  If we could have two miracles, why not
three?"

They drove in silence for a short time, Clark concentrating on the
images that had been growing steadily more distinct over the last couple
of days.  In what seemed only a few minutes, they were pulling up to
S.T.A.R. Labs.

Dr. Klein was waiting for them, and ushered them quickly into his
office.  Clark squinted at the blurry, pink patch that was the face of
his friend, and  Dr. Klein's voice said, "I take it there's been more
improvement?"

"He's seeing colors!" Lois said.

"That's a good sign."  Clark could hear him open one of the drawers of
his desk.  "Let me see what's happening here."

Clark removed his glasses to allow the scientist to examine his eyes,
then flinched as Dr. Klein snapped on his penlight.  "Excellent
reaction, Clark!  That's very encouraging.  Now, hold still and try not
to blink..."

The examination took longer this time, because, Clark was sure, Dr.
Klein was being as thorough as it was possible for him to be.  By the
time he finished, Clark knew Lois was almost jumping up and down with
impatience.

"Well?" she burst out, at last, "what do you see?"

"The rate of healing still seems to be accelerating," Dr. Klein said,
and the note of satisfaction in his voice couldn't be disguised.  "If
everything keeps going the way it should, Clark's eyes should be back to
normal in two or, at the most, three days."

"Yes!"  Clark grinned widely at his wife's exclamation.  "Thank you, Dr.
Klein!"

"Uh, ehem...I really didn't do anything, Lois."  Dr. Klein sounded a
little flustered.  "It's his Kryptonian heritage that saved the day, so
to speak."

"And in a few days," Clark said, feeling more optimistic than he had
since this whole thing had started, "Superman will really be back."

"Superman was never gone, Clark," Lois said.  "With your powers or
without them, sighted or blind, you'll always be Superman.  I only wish
I could make you see that."

"If I may say so," Dr. Klein said, "She's right, Clark.  With one
caveat."

"What do you mean by that?  What ‘caveat'?"  Clark could literally
*hear* Lois bristle.  In a way, the days of blindness had taught him a
few things.  He would never fail to really *listen* again.  As he was
listening now, even though he had a good idea what Dr. Klein was going
to say.

"Just this one."  For once, Lois was not rattling Dr. Klein, Clark
knew.  Maybe because the scientist was as sure of what he was saying as
he was of the laws of physics.  "Lois, Superman isn't just one man.
Superman accomplishes miracles, that's true, but once I realized who he
really was, I began to notice something fascinating.  Superman was
always at his most effective when you were standing behind him.  Either
as Clark, or in his alter ego, he leans on you, just as you lean on
him.  Superman, at his very best, is the two of you, together.  It's one
of the most incredible things I've ever seen."

"Oh."  Her voice was suddenly very quiet.

Clark moved to put his arm around her.  "He's right, honey.  You know he
is."

"Of course I am," Dr. Klein said.  "Now, before I embarrass all of us
further, I think you two have a plane to catch, don't you?  You better
get going.  Besides..."  He closed his desk drawer and Clark could hear
the key turn in the lock.  "I don't want to be late, either."

"Late?'  Knowing the man's usual habit of staying at the lab until all
hours, Clark couldn't help his surprise.

"Yep."  Dr. Klein opened his office door, ushered them out and followed
them.  "I'm taking a lesson from the two of you.  Playing it safe all
the time makes life pretty boring, so Carolyn and I have a date this
evening.  I'm picking her up at six."

Epilogue:

As the 737 raced down its runway, three passengers sat together in one
row, a lovely woman, a strikingly handsome man, wearing sunglasses, and
a little boy, who resembled his father closely, and was strapped into a
safety seat.  The child's head was already nodding as the plane lifted
off and began its climb toward the clouds.

Lois glanced at CJ and smiled, then turned to her husband.  "Relax,
Clark.  I'd think that you, of all people, wouldn't be nervous in a
plane."

"That's just it, Lois.  A plane just seems...unnatural."

Her hand reached out and closed on his.  "In that case, if you're
nervous, it gives me a good excuse to hold your hand."

"You don't need an excuse, honey," he said, but it was noticeable that
he relaxed visibly at the touch of her fingers.

She interlaced them with his.  "Good, because I intend to hold your hand
all the way to Kansas, Farmboy.  You better get used to it."

He smiled at her in the way that always made her heart flip over.  "I
already am," he said.  "And I'm never going to let go."

The End
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 15:31:08 -0800
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Nancy Smith <deimos1@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: NEW: Heartache (12/12) PG13
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Petra Steudle wrote:

> TITLE: Heartache Tonight
> PART: (12/12)
> AUTHOR: The German L&C Fanfiction Team
> RATING: (PG13)

> I just finished reading this story.  This is wonderful!  What amazes me is
> that the first language of the writers is not English, and yet if I didn't
> know it, I wouldn't have had any idea.  The characters were completely
> true to LnC, and the story--well, I won't give anything away to those who
> haven't read it yet, but I loved it.

Nan Smith
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 16:35:47 -0800
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Nancy Smith <deimos1@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      NEW STORY;  Blind Man's Bluff  Part 11-A
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Somehow I missed one small part, so here it is.

Feeling his way carefully, conscious of the possibility of observation,
Clark Kent slowly climbed the steps to the townhouse.  Clear and sharp
to his hearing came the warning from one of the invaders inside his
home.  "Act natural.  If he suspects anything, he's dead.  We only
really need one of you alive.  Got it?"

  Fumbling a little, he unlocked the door, opened it, and stepped
cautiously within.  "Mom?" he called.  "Dad?"

"In here, son."  Jonathan's voice answered him.  Clark pursed his lips
carefully in a silent whistle, locating every person in the room.  There
was his mother, sitting on the sofa with CJ in her arms.  His father was
in the armchair to their left.  Seated at ease in the room's second
armchair was a woman, and the two men stood next to her.

Another silent whistle.  He listened to the echoes with attention for
the smallest detail.  The sound bounced from metal--the two men were
armed with hand weapons, he thought, but the woman was not.  He had the
two men to deal with; with them out of the way the danger the woman
represented was minimal.  No...not quite.  In her hand the woman carried
something small, metallic and cylindrical.  The Kryptonite spray.

He came across the rug, one hand stretched before him until he felt the
back of the couch.  "Mom?"

"Right here, Clark."  His mother's voice sounded calm.  "We have
visitors."

"Oh, really?"  He raised his head.

"Yes.  This is Ms. Burns, Mr. Jones and Mr. Brown."  Martha's voice was
slightly ironic.  "They were waiting to see Lois."

"Lois was at the Planet when I left," Clark said.  "I had an appointment
at the eye clinic.  Fred Watkins just dropped me off here."  He moved
around the sofa, feeling his way with slightly exaggerated clumsiness,
placing his body between the gunmen and his mother and son.  There was a
hasty movement on the part of one of the men, then stillness.

"This is my son, Clark," Martha said.  "He was recently blinded in an
accident.  You'd better sit down, honey."

"Yeah, I've heard of him," said a male voice.  "Hotsho--uh--" The voice
broke off.  "Uh, gladta meetcha, Mr. Kent."

Well, that answered one question, Clark noted.  The big bruiser on the
left wasn't exactly an intellectual.  "Pleased to meet you," he replied
courteously, gauging his next movements with great care.  This had to be
exactly right, because he wouldn't get a second chance.

He moved forward slowly, obviously unsure of his motions.  "Mom, where's
the chair?  I..."

With exquisite artistry, he snagged his toe on the rug and staggered
forward into the man who had not spoken, grabbing at him frantically,
and then everything shifted into slow motion.  One of his hands closed
like a vise over the other's gun hand. He squeezed mercilessly.  His
victim screamed as they pitched sideways into the lap of the seated
woman, and there was a heavy thump as the pistol hit the floor.  One of
his feet shot backwards in a kick that caught the other man's weapon.
Clark clearly heard the crunch of bones and winced internally as the
thing flew like a bullet across the room; there was a bellow of agony.
They crashed on top of the woman, and he heard the metal cylinder strike
the rug.  Madeline Burns shrieked in combined alarm and fury.

Then his father's voice said, clearly and distinctly, "I've got the can,
Clark."

"And I have the gun."  Martha's voice sounded grimly triumphant.  "Don't
any of you move.  Jonathan, call the police."

"You don't have to," Clark said. In the distance, he could already hear
the sound of the approaching sirens. "Jimmy must have called them.  They
should be here in a few minutes."

********************
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 20:09:40 EST
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Kate Crane <KCrane1865@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: NEW STORY;  Blind Man's Bluff  Part 11-A
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Nan,
I just got finished printing this appealing story (cut & paste, double
columned, two sided, etc) when your "11-A" came through.  Prior to stomping
around, cursing, etc.,  I compared postings, and this segment did indeed
come
through on your original part 11 e-mail.
Somebody please confirm that I'm not on drugs here.....
Kate,
who's looking forward to curling up with TWO wonderful stories tonight,
after
thoroughly enjoying The Mirror Cracked last night.  THANK YOU, you wonderful
writers, you!  You're helping to make this an even better holiday season!!
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 20:04:52 -0500
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Pam Jernigan <jernigan@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Organization: http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam/
Subject:      Re: NEW: Heartache (12/12) PG13
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Petra, Nicky, & Martina ... you guys are sick & twisted, and I love it!
<g>

/me tries to comment on the story without spoiling anything...

You did a great job with this story, and you had me on the edge of my
seat the whole way through ... loved the way they met and then kept
misunderstanding each other, until the crisis ... very waffy scenes at
the hospital & apartment, at the end there.  I was a little disappointed
where you broke the next-to-last scene, I wanted more of that
conversation, but the epilog was great <g>

Some great lines, too!  I remember this one that Petra(?) was teasing us
with earlier...

> He
> wanted to tell her that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever
> seen. He wanted to ask her out, to marry him and have his children, but
> no sound still staring at her.

I was laughing out loud at that.  (Although the last bit of that
sentence was a bit garbled ... did a word or two get lost somewhere?)

Anyway, thanks for giving me a very enjoyable afternoon!

Pam
who is now back from vacation and just *immersing* herself in fanfic!
--
-------------------------------------------------------
Pam Jernigan            |  jernigan@bellsouth.net
ChiefPam on IRC         |  ChPam on AOL IM
-------------------------------------------------------
"Here, buggy-buggy," he cooed plaintively.  "Come to
Papa, that's the good girls..."  He paused, and peered
worriedly under a side-table.  "Buggy-buggy?"
"Now...*that* cries out for an explanation," murmured the
Count, watching him in arrested fascination.
--A Civil Campaign, by Lois McMaster Bujold
-------------------------------------------------------
http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 17:21:06 -0800
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Nancy Smith <deimos1@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: NEW STORY;  Blind Man's Bluff  Part 11-A
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Nah, I guess it's just my computer playing its usual games.  I've given up
trying
to figure it out.  Just wait.  In a couple of months we're upgrading it with
a
new motherboard and all kinds of new gadgets.  Maybe then it will start
behaving.

Nan

Kate Crane wrote:

> Nan,
> I just got finished printing this appealing story (cut & paste, double
> columned, two sided, etc) when your "11-A" came through.  Prior to
stomping
> around, cursing, etc.,  I compared postings, and this segment did indeed
come
> through on your original part 11 e-mail.
> Somebody please confirm that I'm not on drugs here.....
> Kate,
> who's looking forward to curling up with TWO wonderful stories tonight,
after
> thoroughly enjoying The Mirror Cracked last night.  THANK YOU, you
wonderful
> writers, you!  You're helping to make this an even better holiday season!!
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 20:39:20 -0500
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Joy Sowell <jsowell@MAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: NEW: Heartache (12/12) PG13
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Great job!!

______________________________________________
FREE Personalized Email at Mail.com
Sign up at http://www.mail.com?sr=mc.mk.mcm.tag001
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 20:48:19 -0500
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Joy Sowell <jsowell@MAIL.COM>
Subject:      NEW STORY;  Blind Man's Bluff
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

I liked this a lot, Nan.  Keep it up!!

______________________________________________
FREE Personalized Email at Mail.com
Sign up at http://www.mail.com?sr=mc.mk.mcm.tag001
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 20:59:16 EST
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Budmayes2@AOL.COM
Subject:      OT: Changing Screen name
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Just FYI:
Do to getting my umpteenth spam mail (Is there anyone who actually falls for
those stock picks of the day emails?), I decided to switch to a different
screen name.This screen name will be for mail I want, like this list.
Eventually, I will set my preferences to refuse all mail at budmayes@aol.

Now let the spammers be flooded with bounced mail.
Heh heh heh.
budmayes@aol.com
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 1999 18:40:32 -0800
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         "Irene D." <sirenegold@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: OT: Changing Screen name
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Just a quick response to this. If any FoLC is getting
seriously hassled by spammers, please let me know. I
can put you in touch with a 'cybersheriff'.
Cybersheriffs are volunteers who are very
knowledgeable about computers, the internet, problems
therein, laws or lack of laws. They are very good at
solving this kind of problem for people. Actually in
my husband's cousin's case, this is part of his job
description - he works for a computer company.

I'm not going to give his address out to the list in
general only to those in need.

Irene
sirenegold@yahoo.com

--- Budmayes2@AOL.COM wrote:
> Just FYI:
> Do to getting my umpteenth spam mail (Is there
> anyone who actually falls for
> those stock picks of the day emails?), I decided to
> switch to a different
> screen name.This screen name will be for mail I
> want, like this list.
> Eventually, I will set my preferences to refuse all
> mail at budmayes@aol.
>
> Now let the spammers be flooded with bounced mail.
> Heh heh heh.
> budmayes@aol.com
>

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger.
http://messenger.yahoo.com
=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 30 Dec 1999 06:18:46 EST
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Rowan Fuller <LaneKent@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: OT: Changing Screen name
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Yes Please Irene definately as AOL don't seem to care about the pornographic
content received nearly daily and other spam mail.  I've had enough.

Rowan :)
-- -- --
LaneKent@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/lanekent
=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 30 Dec 1999 17:47:41 +0100
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Kaethel <kaethel@CLUB-INTERNET.FR>
Subject:      Re: question for a fic about the 80's
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

I remember that men such as Michael Stipe (REM), Robert Smith (The Cure) or
Boy George (Culture Club) used to wear make up, especially on concert (well,
Michael Stipe still wears make up now <g>), especially black eyeliner. I
don't know if they were as popular in the US as they were here on French
campus. And there was the punk wave, too. People who had green hair and
piercing everywhere in their bodies ;)
As for the movies, I remember "Dirty Dancing" with Patrick Swayze and
Jennifer Gray... ah... I'm not sure "Ghost" was made in the 8O's... maybe
early 9O's... I can't remember. Oh, and let's not forget Steven Spielberg's
ET, Sydney Pollack's "Out of Africa", Oliver Stone's "Platoon", or Barry
Levinson's "Rain Man".
I hope that helps :)

Hélčne :)
------------------------------------------------------
Kaethel on irc / Kaethel79  on AIM
kaethel@club-internet.fr
"This is my mistake. Let me make it good
  I raised the walls, and I will be the one to knock it down"
                                            REM -- "World leader pretend"
(1988)
=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 30 Dec 1999 12:47:57 -0500
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Marnie Rowe <bumpkin@CGOCABLE.NET>
Subject:      Re: NEW STORY;  Blind Man's Bluff
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Nan Nan Nan, great work here, i got so lost on the message boards that I
despaired of figuring out where I was but then I saw yu had posted it here
and well.. Thank YOU! this was great and it would have made a great ep, if
they had let it go into another season.. grumblegrumblemummblemummble...
But then you know you are good. :) And so do we of course... <g>

Marnie
Bumpkin@cgocable.net
=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 30 Dec 1999 16:55:01 -0500
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Gerry Anklewicz <Gerry_Anklewicz@NYNET.NYBE.ON.CA>
Subject:      Another question for fanfic
In-Reply-To:  <199912301749.dBUHn1r05467@admin.cgocable.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

You folcs are so good at answering questions to help make better fanfics.
Here's mine:

For a school district in New Troy USA,
a) what are the responsiblities of a superintendent?
b) who does the hiring of teachers?
c) who makes the decision of where to order major items such as books?
d) does the superintendent get elected or is s/he hired?

Can I make up all this stuff to suit my story?

Gerry
=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 30 Dec 1999 23:04:40 +0100
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Petra Steudle <petrast@GMX.NET>
Subject:      Re: NEW: Heartache (12/12) PG13
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
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Pam wrote:

> You did a great job with this story, and you had me on the edge of my
> seat the whole way through ...

Good! That means our idea actually worked :-) Thanks!

> > He
> > wanted to tell her that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever
> > seen. He wanted to ask her out, to marry him and have his children, but
> > no sound still staring at her.
>
> I was laughing out loud at that.  (Although the last bit of that
> sentence was a bit garbled ... did a word or two get lost somewhere?)

ooops!
/me wonders where the words have gone

My fault. I had a hard time formating the story. Sorry Nicole, I didn't mean
to "edit" your part ;)

Here's the sentence that must have gone lost in the depths of my computer:
"... have his children, but no sound came from his lips. Instead he became
aware that he was still staring at her."

Petra
aka KiwiPit on IRC
(for the German L&C Fanfic Team)
=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 30 Dec 1999 16:45:12 -0800
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Pat <peabody@MCS.COM>
Subject:      Re: question for a fic about the 80's
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

When I think of things that typify the 1980's, the first image that
pops into my mind is the tv show Dynasty.   It combined greed,
opulence, ostentation, and big shoulder pads; four hallmarks of that
decade.  I believe the show ran from the mid-80's through 1989, about
the same time period Lois and Clark would have been in college.  (Zoom
can probably date the show a little more exactly ;)

Pat

peabody@mcs.com
pattijean@aol.com
=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 30 Dec 1999 22:48:16 -0000
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Elizabeth Reid <ereid@IOL.IE>
Subject:      Happy New Year
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
              boundary="----=_NextPart_000_000F_01BF5317.F67FFF40"

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_000F_01BF5317.F67FFF40
Content-Type: text/plain;
        charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Hello all!

I have decided to come out of Lurkdom to wish you all a very happy and =
prosperous New Year, and a New Millenium. My thanks goes to all the =
writers who have given us so much pleasure over the last year, and I've =
been thinking of dipping my toe (very carefully, mind you) in the ocean =
of fan fic writing.  If anyone can give me some advice, I would be very =
grateful.

Anyway, that's all for now,

Have a great new year.

Liz
ereid@iol.ie

------=_NextPart_000_000F_01BF5317.F67FFF40
Content-Type: text/html;
        charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>

<META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 =
http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
<META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Hello all!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>I have decided to come out of Lurkdom to wish you =
all a very=20
happy and prosperous New Year, and a New Millenium. My thanks goes to =
all the=20
writers who have given us so much pleasure over the last year, and I've =
been=20
thinking of dipping my toe (very carefully, mind you) in the ocean of =
fan fic=20
writing.&nbsp; If anyone can give me some advice, I would be very=20
grateful.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Anyway, that's all for now,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Have a great new year.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Liz</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>ereid@iol.ie</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

------=_NextPart_000_000F_01BF5317.F67FFF40--
=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 30 Dec 1999 18:06:12 -0500
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Tara Smith <jilectan@EMAIL.COM>
Subject:      The Black Circle part 9 of 13
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Ok, I finished up Black Circle and I realized that I had stopped posting to
the mailing list.  I know that some of you don't have access to the net and
probably a few of you have been reading Black Circle.  So, I'm just going t=
o
post all of the rest of it right now.  Enjoy.

The Black Circle part 9 of 13

Tank ducked into a doorway as his quarry glanced backwards yet again.  So
far he had managed to follow without being seen, but it was getting harder.=
=20
He only hoped the man reached his destination soon.

As he thought that, the man ducked into a doorway.  Tank hurried up to it
and reached it in time to see the door finish closing.  He glanced quickly
around, then ran for the alley that opened to one side of the building.  Th=
e
front door probably wouldn=92t be the safest way to enter the building,
especially if the Inner Circle was there, but maybe in the alley . . .

As he had hoped, there was another door to the building in the alleyway.=20
Hopefully this one wouldn=92t be quite so well used.  He gingerly tried the
knob.  Locked!  Well, he was prepared for this.  He reached into his pocket
and pulled out a small tool.  He inserted it into the lock and and manuvere=
d
it around for a couple of minutes before a small =91click=92 announced his
success.  He pushed the door open wide enough for him to slip through and
looked around.

He was standing in a secluded area of the warehouse.  There were crates
stacked haphazardly in front of him shielding him from view.  The unmarked
dust on the floor showed that no one had been over there recently.  They
might not even know about this door.  He hoped they didn=92t, anyway.

Voices nearby caught his attention.  He went carefully toward the crates,
trying hard not to make any noise.  From what he=92d heard, Superman might =
be
under their control and he didn=92t want to do anything to draw the
superhero=92s attention should he be there.  He crept carefully through the
crates towards the voices.  As he got nearer, he recognized some of the
voices as members of the Inner Circle.

=93 . . .Centennial Park.  It'll be perfect for the ceremony tonight.=94  T=
hat
was Eric, one of Stapleton's chief lieutenants.  He sounded smug.  "It's go=
t
this nice clear area we can set up in."

"Good.  Marge?"  That voice was one anyone who had ever been in the Circle
would recognize immediately--Stapleton Love.

"I've found a nice little marble slab to use for the altar.  It's bigger
than the one we lost from the main meeting site."  Marge practically purred
that.

"Good.  We're going to need a large one this time due to our . . .hmm,
difficulties with the subject."  Stapleton laughed shortly.  There was a
chorus of laughter from the others.  "Ok, we need to be ready for tonight.=
=20
I want all of you to go around to your 'flocks' and have them at the park b=
y
eleven."

=93What is keeping those snacks?=94 Marge demanded irately.  =93I don=92t w=
ant to
have to summon the flock on an empty stomach!=94

Tank squeezed around another crate, keeping low.  Who was this subject they
were talking about?  If he got closer, maybe he could find out.

"Hey!  What're you doing back here?"

Tank spun to see a young man dressed as an acolyte standing behind him.  He
was carrying a tray of sandwiches and glasses.  These were obviously the
snacks Marge was waiting for.

=93I=92m uh . . .=94 Tank groped for an acceptable response.  =93I=92m look=
ing for my
talisman.  Have you seen it?=94 He advanced towards the younger man.  =93It=
=92s
about so long and red.=94  He motioned with his hands, lifting both hands i=
n a
measuring gesture, then lunged forward, punching him solidly.  The acolyte
staggered backwards, tray of food falling to one side with a loud clatter.=
=20
Tank turned and ran, dodging crates and fumbled for his cell phone.

The commotion behind him told him that people were coming to investigate.=
=20
He threw open the door to the alley and ran as fast as he could, terrified
at the thought of what they might do to him if they caught him now.

He pulled out the slip of paper Sara had given him earlier with the phone
number on it and punched it into his phone.  He ducked around just as the
phone began to ring.

Someone picked up.  =93Lois Lane.=94

=93This is Tank.=94 He told her.

=93Tank Wilson?  How did you get this number!=94

He came to a gasping halt and ducked into a door alcove, peeking back aroun=
d
the corner the way he=92d come.  =93This is important!  They=92re meeting t=
onight
at Centennial Park at eleven!=94

=93Who is?  The Black Circle?=94

=93No, the mayor=92s tea party!=94 Tank said sarcastically.  The first of h=
is
pursuers came around the corner and he took off running again.  =93Of cours=
e
the Circle!=94

He rounded a corner and ran directly into a Black Circle member.  The phone
went flying and crashed into a building as they went down in a heap on the
ground.  They writhed around on the ground for a minute, Tank trying to get
away, the Black Circle member trying to restrain him.  Running feet
announced the arrival of several other members and within minutes Tank had
lost the fight to sheer numbers.

He shook his head, dazed from getting his head knocked against the ground,
and looked up in time to see Marge come around the corner.  She grinned
sadistically when she saw him.

=93Why, Tank Wilson, how nice to see you again!=94 she crooned.

Tank flinched away from her as she jerked his face up to force him to look
at her.  She dug her nails into his face.  =93And what perfect timing, too!=
  I
was wondering how we would make up for the power we=92ll be using tonight i=
n
the ceremony!  You=92ll be perfect as a post-summoning sacrifice!=94

At her gesture, the two holding Tank dragged him around the corner and back
towards the warehouse.  Marge followed, laughing.

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

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Cindy carefully laid out a circle with the salt she had brought with her.=
=20
Lois, who was seated inside the circle, was watching her intently.

The living room had been cleared of all furniture to make room for the spel=
l
casting Cindy needed to do.  In addition to the circle Lois was seated in,
there was a larger circle that enclosed both Lois=92 circle and the incompl=
ete
inner circle that Sara and Joy were standing in.

Cindy apparently noticed her look, for, without looking up, she said, =93Do=
n=92t
worry, Lois.  I=92ve got this neat little gadget that sucks the salt right =
up.
There won=92t be a problem with clean-up.=94

Lois shook her head.  =93That=92s not the problem.  Why do we need the circ=
le at
all?  What=92s it for?=94

=93Your own protection.  Exorcisms are a messy business.  I could mess up a=
nd
the critter could get loose and go for the nearest unprotected human--you.=
=94=20
She finished laying the circle and looked Lois intently in the eyes.=20
=93Whatever happens, you must stay within the circle!  Do you understand?  =
I
might not  be able to protect you if you don=92t.  I=92m not that strong.=
=94

Lois nodded.  =93I=92ll stay here.  I may dangle myself over deaths jaws, b=
ut I
never do it deliberately.=94

Cindy gave her a tense smile before turning and stepping inside the
pentagram she had already drawn and almost completed in the center of the
large room.  She turned and finished it off with the last of the salt and
put the container back in the bag she wore around her waist.

In addition to the bag she wore strapped around her waist, she was wearing =
a
tight black outfit, obviously designed for ease of movement that had a
number of symbols sewn into the collar and wrists.  When Lois had asked,
Cindy had called them her work clothes.

Sara was already standing in the center of the pentagram with Joy.  Joy
wasn't actually struggling any more, but none of them wanted to take any
chances of any disruptions.  Sara had her hands resting lightly on the olde=
r
woman=92s shoulders as a warning against Joy attempting to escape.

Cindy stepped up to the two and nodded at Sara.  Sara adjusted her grip on
Joy=92s shoulders as Cindy began to speak.

=93I declare the circle closed.  Let it stand as a wall between us in our
endeavors and the rest of the world, protecting all without from harm.=94

Lois gasped as the room outside the circle seemed to vanish, to be replaced
by a glowing iridescent dome.  Sara seemed startled too, but was quickly
distracted from the dome by her suddenly squirming captive.  Apparently the
thing controlling the FBI Agent didn=92t like what was happening.

Cindy continued in a singsong tone.  She raised both hands up, palms toward=
s
the struggling Joy.  She was wearing bracelets Lois had not noticed before,
which gleamed in the iridescent light from the dome.

"Wolf and Horse, old signs of strength,

Come to us now in our need,

Bind this one with gossamer thread,

So now our words she must heed."

The air within the dome seemed to darken for a moment, then two shadows
coalesced on either side of Joy.  Joy abruptly stopped struggling in Sara=
=92s
hold.

Cindy nodded at Sara, who released Joy and clasped hands with Cindy.

"Courage I need and the power of steel,

Energy, willpower, the defense to feel.

Strong in magic, blessed by light,

Lend your strength to me this night."

Lois winced and shielded her eyes as Sara lit up with a bright white light,
which flowed through her arms into Cindy through their clasped hands.  When
light lessened a bit, she looked back.  White light was still flowing from
Sara to Cindy, and Sara had her eyes tightly closed.  Lois grimaced.  From
what Cindy had told them while she was setting up the room, that light was
the solar energy that Sara had stored during the day and used to power her
super abilities.  She knew from past experience with her husband that if to=
o
much was removed, Sara wouldn't be able to use her super powers and with no
way to re-fuel, she would be vulnerable to injury.

Cindy went quickly forward to the next phase of the spell.  She, too, knew
that Sara's power wasn't limitless.

"Creature of darkness, child of night,

Leave this woman, come into the light."

The energy seemed to split and focussed on Joy.  It lifted Joy up in the
air, outlining her in pure white light.  Joy screamed and something dark an=
d
shadowy was pulled out of her.  She dropped to the floor, limp and
apparently unconscious.  The shadowy form twisted and danced above Sara and
Cindy's heads.  It flared red wherever it touched the light and roared.

Lois covered her ears and hunched down in her circle.  This was completely
outside anything she had ever faced alone, before.

Abruptly, Sara went to one knee, and Lois could see that her face was drawn
and pale.  The creature the two were holding at bay seemed to sense her
weakness, for it launched a series of tendrils of darkness at her.  Sara wa=
s
knocked backwards onto the ground.  Her mouth opened, but over the noise
Lois couldn't hear anything from her.

The creature took advantage of the break in the link between the two women
and surged through a break in the light barrier that was confining it.  It
surged around the dome aimlessly for a moment, then, apparently sensing Loi=
s
as an unprotected human, moved quickly towards her.  It came to a hard stop
just in front of Lois, where the circle's protection started.  It roared in
rage as it began searching for a way in to her.

Dimly, through the red flares caused by the creature coming in contact with
the invisible shield protecting her, Lois saw Sara trying to push herself t=
o
her feet.

"Gabriel!  Now!" She faintly heard Sara shout over the ruckus.

A door opened right in front of Sara and a figure that appeared to be
wearing a trench coat and a broad rimmed hat stepped out.  With a throwing
gesture he sent a fresh burst of energy to Cindy who caught it and sent it
at the creature.

"In the name of the Goddess, I command you!  Return to that place from
whence you came!"

The energy swirled around the creature, forcing it tighter and tighter in o=
n
itself.  In moments, it was gone entirely.

The sudden silence was deafening.  Behind the newcomer, Sara collapsed with
a thud.

=93Sara!=94  Lois tried to step forward, but was blocked by the same wall t=
hat
had protected her just a few minutes before.  The strange man in the trench
coat and broad-rimmed hat turned towards the fallen girl.  Cindy held out
her hands, closed her eyes, and muttered something and Lois felt the
invisible barrier vanish from before her.  The dome vanished as well and th=
e
light returned to normal.  Lois went quickly over to the girl, who was
beginning to stir.

Sara pushed herself up to hands and knees, shaking her head as if dazed.=20
Her hair had come out of its tight ponytail and was hiding her face.  She
looked up at Lois.  =93Is everyone all right?  Did we beat it?=94

Lois nodded.  =93Are you all right?=94

Sara looked confused.  =93Of course I=92m all right.  Just a little dazed.=
=94  She
accepted the hand Lois extended to help her up.  Sara looked past Lois and
through the window behind her.

=93Duck!=94 she shouted.  She shoved Lois behind her just as Superman crash=
ed
through the window, sending glass shards everywhere.

=93What do you want, Superman?=94 Sara asked him as he advanced towards her=
.=20
She gasped in surprise as he grabbed her at super speed and took off out th=
e
window.

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

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Superman placed an indignant and scared Maggie in the dimly lit room and
closed the door, blocking her only hope of escape.  In her current weakened
condition, she didn=92t think she=92d be much of a threat to an ordinary hu=
man,
much less a Kryptonian at full strength.

=93Good work, Superman.=94  A voice familiar to Maggie spoke from the shado=
ws.=20
=93Now don=92t you think you should tie her up so she won=92t be able to ge=
t away
and threaten anyone else?=94

Superman picked up a length of metal pipe from a nearby table and used it t=
o
fasten Maggie's wrists behind her back.

"Why don't you take a look around the city for any crime taking place,
Superman?" the man in the shadows continued in a helpful, friendly tone.

Superman nodded and sped out of the room.  A sonic boom announced his
departure.  As the door closed behind him, the man stepped out of the
shadows.  Maggie found herself glaring at Stapleton Love, the leader of the
Black Circle.

"What did you do to him?" Maggie demanded.  "He would never obey you unless
you did something!  What was it?"

Stapleton chuckled as he approached her.  Maggie flinched as he grasped her
arm and pulled her forcibly over to a chair that was in shadows.  "You are
involved in things you could not possibly understand, little superhero."

"Try me.  I might just surprise you."

Stapleton took a step backwards and leaned down to place a short length of
rope on the ground between them.  He muttered something Maggie couldn't
quite hear and suddenly a dome that looked like a solid soap bubble appeare=
d
around her and the chair.  Maggie ignored it.  Escape hadn't seemed to be a=
n
option, anyway--at least not while Stapleton had Superman at his beck and
call.

"You may be right.  You've surprised us several times already.=94 The man
surveyed her solemnly.  Then he smiled slightly.  =93So tell me, what do yo=
u
think we=92ve done to him?=94

She considered for a moment, twisting her wrists in their metal bonds as sh=
e
did so.  Hopefully her strength would return soon so she wouldn=92t be quit=
e
so defenseless.  =93It=92s not a demon, like was controlling Agent Sowell.=
=20
Maybe a spell or something?=94

His smile broadened into a rather ominous smile.  =93You see?  This is exac=
tly
why our Lord has chosen you!  You have abilities far beyond those of humans=
.
Even untrained, you have sensed something the FBI=92s witch missed entirely=
.=94=20
He began to move slowly around Maggie=92s enclosure, scrutinizing her as
closely as he could in the dim lighting.  =93We placed a spell on Superman
that has convinced him that I am all that is good and that everything I say
is true.  We blocked his long-term memory entirely.  He knows only what I
tell him.=94

=93And you=92re telling him lies!=94

He chuckled softly as he moved back into her line of vision.  =93Of course,=
 my
dear!  I have my very own obedient superhero!  Why would I tell him the
truth?=94

Maggie suddenly remembered what Stapleton had told Superman before sending
him off.  =93Wait a minute!  If you have his memory completely blocked, why=
 do
you have to lie to him?  Why not just command him to do what you want?=94  =
She
fixed the man with a penetrating look.  =93You don=92t have complete contro=
l
over him!  You wouldn=92t have to tell him I was evil otherwise!=94

The man scowled at her exultant expression.  =93You are entirely too smart =
for
your own good!  If we didn=92t need you for the ceremony . . .=94

Maggie paled.  That was the ceremony she=92d overheard Stapleton and Joy
discussing earlier that day--the one she knew almost nothing about.  If it
was anything like the other ceremonies the Circle had been conducting,
though, she definitely didn=92t want to play a part in it.

The man saw her expression and chuckled softly.  =93Don=92t worry, my dear,=
 you
won=92t feel any pain.=94

Maggie swallowed hard.  She had to get away!  Help was probably on its way,
if they could only find out where she was being held.  That might be a
problem, since she didn=92t know where she was either.  Lois Lane was a gre=
at
investigative reporter, though, and if anyone could find her, Lois could.=
=20
If only Lois could find her in time.

=93When is the ceremony?=94 Maggie asked in a slightly unsteady voice.

=93The ceremony begins at eleven.  That gives you three hours to make your
peace.=94  Stapleton laughed softly.  =93I wouldn=92t waste it, if I were y=
ou.=94

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

Lois stared after her husband, stunned.  It was true, then.  He was being
controlled by someone.  Her husband would never do something like that of
his own volition.

Something shrilled, making them all jump.  Lois unclipped her cell phone
from her pocket, where she=92d put it before the exorcism.

=93Lois Lane,=94 she said.

=93This is Tank.=94

=93Tank Wilson?  How did you get this number!=94

=93This is important!  They=92re meeting tonight at Centennial Park at elev=
en!=94
the man gasped.

=93Who is?  The Black Circle?=94

=93No, the mayor=92s tea party!=94 Tank said sarcastically.  =93Of course t=
he
Circle!=94

=93What do they need Sara for?  Tank?=94  Over the phone, Lois heard a yelp=
,
then nothing.  The phone went dead.  Lois turned the phone off slowly and
turned to find Cindy and the stranger staring at her.

=93That was Tank Wilson.  The Black Circle is meeting tonight in Centennial
Park.=94

=93That=92s probably where we=92ll find Sara,=94 a weak voice said.  Everyo=
ne turned
to see Joy Sowell pushing herself up from the floor, face very pale.

=93Joy!=94 Cindy hurried over to her partner.  =93How are you feeling?=94

=93A little weak.  I could use some food,=94 she said hopefully.

Cindy smiled.  =93You can eat after I check you out.  I have to make sure a=
ll
traces of that demon are gone.=94

Joy sighed.  =93Ok, let=92s get this over with.=94

Cindy retrieved the red crystal she had used earlier on Joy from her bag,
which had been placed just outside the protective circle.  She held it over
Joy=92s head and chanted something softly.  Nothing happened and Cindy sigh=
ed,
obviously relieved.  =93It=92s completely gone.  Not a trace of the thing.=
=94

Lois sighed softly in relief, as well.  She didn=92t want to go through
something that ever again.  As she thought of the ceremony, though, she
remembered something.  =93Where did that man go?=94

=93What?=94  Cindy looked around the room.  =93I don=92t know.  He was just=
 here a
minute ago.=94

=93Who was he, anyways?=94

Cindy shook her head.  =93I have no idea.  I=92ve never seen him before.  D=
idn=92t
Sara yell something before he appeared?=94

=93Yeah, she did.  It sounded like a name to me.  Let=92s worry about that
later--he did help, after all.=94 Lois turned to Joy.  =93Do you have any i=
dea
of where the Circle would have Sara?=94

Joy shook her head slowly.  A little color had returned to her face, but sh=
e
still looked exhausted.  =93I=92m not sure.=94

=93She could be at the secondary meeting site.=94 Cindy volunteered.  =93I =
heard
it mentioned a few times, but the Inner Circle were the only ones who knew
where it was.=94

=93We=92ve got to find it before eleven tonight.  It might be our only chan=
ce to
save Sara.=94  Joy told them.  =93I=92m not exactly sure what they=92re goi=
ng to do
to her, but I know it won=92t be pleasant.=94

Lois nodded sharply.  =93Let=92s get down to the Planet.  If there=92s anyt=
hing we
can find in the,=94 she glanced at her wristwatch, =93three hours we have l=
eft,
we can find it from there.=94  She hurried over to the door, pausing only t=
o
scoop up her purse and coat.  =93Let=92s go.=94

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

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Joy shoved the keyboard away in disgust.  =93We=92re not getting anywhere w=
ith
this!=94

They were in the newsroom at the Daily Planet.  Lois was seated at her desk
and the two FBI Agents had appropriated computers for their own use.  They
had been using all the resources available to them to search for the Black
Circle=92s secondary meeting site.  The search had, thus far, been less tha=
n
successful.

Cindy looked up from her computer at Joy=92s outburst.  She had been checki=
ng
the property records for Suicide Slum in the hopes that the cult had been
running true to form in their choice of locale.  It was too bad Sara hadn=
=92t
thought to tell them where she=92d been when she spotted the Circle member.=
=20
=93We have to keep searching, Joy.  It=92ll be easier to rescue Sara from t=
heir
meeting site than in the ceremony.  We=92ll have more of a chance of surviv=
ing
it, too.=94

Lois, too, had looked up from her work.  =93It=92s already 10:23.  We=92re =
running
out of time.  We might not have any choice of where we confront the Circle.=
=94

Cindy sighed.  =93You may be right.  I was hoping we wouldn=92t have to.  I
guess its time to call in some back-up.=94  She reached for her cell phone =
and
activated it, speed dialing a number as she did so.  She held it to her ear
and looked puzzled.  She cancelled the call and dialed in a number, then
another.  =93That=92s strange.  The signal doesn=92t seem to be getting thr=
ough.=94

Lois looked puzzled.  =93That=92s odd.  Try the other phone.=94

Cindy reached for the desk phone, then flinched when she placed it to her
ear.  =93Ouch!=94

=93What=92s wrong?=94  Lois, too, picked up her phone, but held it at a saf=
e
distance from her ear when she listened to it.  =93That=92s odd.  I=92ve ne=
ver
heard static like that before.=94

Cindy listened to it again for a moment.  =93That=92s not regular static.  =
Joy,
check the Internet connection for me?=94

Joy pulled her keyboard back and pushed buttons.  =93That=92s odd, it=92s n=
ot
responding.=94

=93What?=94 Lois, too, turned to her computer.

Cindy was staring at the phone receiver, still.  =93They=92ve started early=
.=94

=93What makes you say that?=94

=93The phone disruptions.  This static is too rhythmic for it to be anythin=
g
but a something caused by the Circle.=94  She slammed the phone down in its
cradle and jumped to her feet.  =93Their ceremony might have already starte=
d!=20
We have to go now!=94

The other two women exchanged a horrified look, then jumped up and followed
Cindy in a race for the stairs.

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

Lois, Cindy and Joy slipped quietly through the trees.  The night had gotte=
n
darker in the past few minutes due to a cloud cover that had mysteriously
moved in.  They were headed for commons--it was the only place in the park
that had enough clear ground to have a gathering of any kind.  Normally it
was used for rallies or public gatherings of some sort.

=93Shh!=94  Cindy, who was in the lead with her gun at the ready, motioned =
for
the other two to stop.

=93What is it?=94 Lois breathed.

=93Cultists,=94 Cindy replied at the same volume.  =93Let=92s wait until th=
ey go
past.=94

The three crouched down in the sparse underbrush as two robe-clad cultists
went past.  The cultists were moving noisily and without regard for secrecy=
.
Cindy and Lois exchanged a look in the dimness.

A few short minutes and a small scuffle later, Cindy and Joy were wearing
two bona fida cultist robes.  The two cultists they left cuffed behind a
tree.  Now appropriately clad, Lois and Cindy made no effort at silence,
striding apparently uncaringly along the path with Joy just behind them.

They heard the noises of the Circle long before they saw them.  They paused
at the edge of the trees to scan the clearing.

The area had been cleared of the trashcans and picnic tables that usually
occupied the area and had been replaced with a good-sized group of robe-cla=
d
people.  They had set up torches like the ones found at the warehouse the
Circle had used for their sacrifices.  From what little the three women
could see, the cultists appeared to have also laid out a large replica of
the design that had been burned into the floor of the warehouse in the
ground in the center of the area.

=93Ok, Lois, we need you to keep trying to get through to our team or the
police.  If we get into trouble, get out of here.=94 Cindy told the reporte=
r.

=93Wait a minute!=94 Lois objected.  =93I=92ve dealt with people like this =
before!=94

=93We can=92t let you go in there with us!=94 Joy said.  =93You=92re a civi=
lian and we
wouldn=92t be able to protect you.  Besides, we only have two robes.=94

=93I won=92t run if you get into trouble.  Superman and Sara are my friends=
!=94=20
Lois eyed the two.  =93There=92s no way you can force me to leave.=94

Joy sighed.  =93She=92s right.  Besides, you don=92t know Lois Lane like I =
do,
Cindy.=94

=93I=92ll try to stay out of sight,=94 Lois offered.  =93We don=92t really =
have time
for this.  Go do your job.  I can take care of myself.=94

Joy and Cindy exchanged a worried look before they stepped out from behind
the tree and headed for the cultists.  Lois watched the two FBI Agents as
they made their way across the open expanse of land to the cultists.  As
soon as they had vanished into the crowd of people, Lois began to carefully
work her way through the trees and around the clearing.

She had gone perhaps half of the way to her goal--the opposite side of the
circle they had set up--when a commotion was raised by the cultists.

"FBI!" she heard someone shout.  "Get them!"

She peered through the trees and managed to catch a glimpse of one of the
agents being overpowered by the mob.  It was up to Lois to save them now.

She resumed her painstaking progress around the clearing.  The few glimpses
she got of Joy and Cindy were enough to tell her that the two were still
alive.  The cultists were tying them up and placing them near the center of
the circle under the watchful eyes of several cult members.

As she neared her goal a familiar whoosh made her stop and look in time to
see Superman coming in for a landing.  He had two passengers; both of them
bound and gagged.  One was Tank Wilson, the other . . . Lois closed her eye=
s
in relief.  Sara seemed to be in good condition, still, despite having been
captured several hours ago.  Tank was slung carelessly over one shoulder bu=
t
Superman seemed to be carrying Sara a little more carefully.

Suddenly the group seemed to be taking their places.  Sara was placed in th=
e
center of the circle with the two FBI Agents with Superman guarding her.=20
Tank was put outside the circle with one guard.

Lois eyed Tank thoughtfully.  Despite her protestations earlier about being
able to take care of herself, this looked like a situation she would need
help with.  Usually that wouldn't be a problem, but this time her husband
was one of the ones in trouble.  Despite her personal dislike for the man,
Tank had proved to be rather helpful to Sara and Agent Reed so far.  Perhap=
s
if she rescued him, he'd be able to help her now.

"Assume your places!  The time is at hand!"  A tall man dressed in the pure
black robe of the Inner Circle spoke loudly from the very center of the
circle.  Lois couldn't see him well due to the hood he wore, but she would
bet anything it was Stapleton Love, the leader of the Black Circle.=20
Standing beside and behind him were eight other figures also dressed in the
pure black robed hood.  They were standing in a ring around Sara and
Superman, who was still holding Sara immobile.  Joy and Cindy had been move=
d
to another section of the circle.

Stapleton turned and faced Superman and Sara.  The other Inner Circle
members followed suit.  As they did so, they raised their hands to head
level.

"I call upon the Light of Dahak!  Illuminate your chosen host with your
presence!" Stapleton proclaimed in a stentorian voice.  From nowhere, a
brilliant white light began to shine on the Inner Circle and the two
superheroes.  The expressions on the faces of the Circle members she could
see could only be described as rapt awe.

Seeing that everyone's attention was on the ceremony taking place, Lois too=
k
that as her moment to act.  She grabbed up a branch from the ground beside
her and ran forward, hitting Tank's guard over the head.  She quickly untie=
d
him and ungagged him.  "How do we stop this?"

At a signal from Stapleton, Superman removed Sara's bonds.  He moved more
slowly as he did this than he had earlier.  As he finished removing the
ropes, he staggered backwards a step and collapsed.

"We have to get to Stapleton!  If we knock him out, it's all over!  The
other Inner Circle people won't know what hit 'em!" Tank had to shout over
the noise the Circle was creating.  The lesser members of the Circle had
just begun chanting something incomprehensible to Lois.

"How do we do that?  He's surrounded by cultists!"

The sourceless light that was shining down on Sara intensified with the
chanting and focussed narrowly on her.  She no longer seemed to be aware of
anything around her as she swayed in time to the chanting.  The white light
slowly became infused with red until it had a core of pure red light shinin=
g
directly on Sara's face.  Beside Sara, Superman stirred.

"They're in trance!  They won't be able to do anything!"

Lois grabbed her branch from where she had dropped it and went determinedly
towards the Circle.  Tank was just a few steps behind her.  As they did so,
Sara began to lift into the air.  Her eyes were closed and her expression
was one of sheer terror.

Behind Lois, Tank tripped and sprawled forward in the grass.  Lois ignored
him as she ran toward Stapleton, branch raised high.  Just as she reached
him, Sara opened her eyes.  Lois stumbled and nearly fell at the sight--the=
y
were glowing red!

Bang!  The sound of a gunshot from behind her made Lois throw herself flat
to the ground.  Stapleton jerked, then stumbled forward and went to one kne=
e
in the grass.  Two more gunshots and the man fell face down in the grass.=
=20
Everything seemed to pause for a moment.

The light enveloping Sara seemed to pulse.  Tank grabbed Lois' arm.

"Run!" he yelled.  He dragged her to her feet and shoved her along before
him, not letting her stop at the edge of the circle.  Behind them, the ligh=
t
enveloping Sara exploded outward.  Lois and Tank fell face down in the gras=
s
as the shock wave hit them.

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Date:         Thu, 30 Dec 1999 18:12:36 -0500
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
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From:         Tara Smith <jilectan@EMAIL.COM>
Subject:      The Black Circle (13/13)
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Lois huddled down where she had landed, covering her head with her arms as =
a
second explosion sent debris over her.  The ground rumbled and shook beneat=
h
them.  A brilliant light lit up the park.  As the debris subsided, Lois
pushed herself to her feet and turned, uncertain of what she would see.

The circle the cultists had laid out was still there.  Most of the cultists=
,
however, were nowhere to be seen.  A few crumpled figures lay scattered
around, unmoving.  The spot where Joy and Cindy had been was blocked from
Lois=92 sight by the events in the center of the circle.

The nine members of the Inner Circle were pushing themselves to their feet.=
=20
Stapleton was moving slowly and rather gingerly with one arm clutched
tightly against his side as he stood to stare up at the thing coalescing
above him.  Above him, something enormous was taking shape.  The light
illuminating the park was emanating from it.  As Lois watched, it formed
into a roughly human shape.  Its eyes were glowing red.

=93Lord Dahak!=94 Stapleton yelled over the noises the creature was making.=
=20
=93What is your will?=94

Dahak threw back his head and laughed.

=93I have returned to this world!=94 Dahak rumbled in an ominous voice.  =
=93All of
humanity shall kneel before me!=94

Modest, isn=92t he? Lois thought.  Where was her husband?  He and Maggie ha=
d
been in the center of the circle before the explosion.  A slumped figure in
black beneath the massive Dahak caught her eye.  It was Sara!  Lois couldn=
=92t
tell what kind of shape she was in, though, and Superman was nowhere to be
seen.

She leaned down and grabbed Tank by his arm.  He=92d been laying on the gro=
und
in stunned silence at the creature.  =93Tank!  We have to find Superman!=94

Tank brushed blood out of his face.  Evidently, he hadn=92t gone down as fa=
st
as Lois had when the debris had started flying.  He shook his head
violently.  =93He=92s probably dead!  He was right on top of that explosion=
!=94

=93Superman=92s alive!  He has to be!  And we=92re going to find him!=94

Tank shook his head in disbelief.  =93Fine.  Whatever you say.  Where=92s S=
ara?=94

Lois indicated the slumped figure beneath Dahak.  =93She might be hurt!  If=
 we
don=92t get her out of there soon . . .=94

Tank=92s face paled even more as he caught sight of the girl.  =93Let=92s s=
plit
up!  We=92ll have a better chance of finding him!=94

Lois stared after the man for a moment as he ran off, searching for
Superman, surprised.  Maybe the man wasn=92t as self-centered as he=92d
appeared.  Nah, of course he was self-centered.  He was probably just
worried about what would happen to him if this Dahak character succeeded.

=93Ah, my chosen receptacle!=94 Dahak boomed, drawing Lois=92 attention bac=
k to
the circle.  He reached down and lifted Sara=92s limp body up before him.  =
He
shook her roughly.  =93This little thing?=94

=93Yes, my Lord Dahak!  She has abilities that will be useful to you!=94

A flash of red to one side of Dahak caught Lois=92 eye.  It couldn=92t be! =
 Lois
went swiftly around the circle, hoping the cultists wouldn=92t notice her.=
=20
Fortunately, the other eight members seemed to be as completely focussed on
Dahak as their leader was.

It was Superman!  He was pushing himself up on both arms, shaking his head
as though dazed.  He was at the edge of the circle where he=92d apparently
been thrown by the blast.  Lois ran over to him and helped him stand up.

=93Are you all right?=94 Lois asked him.

He nodded.  =93I think so.  What=92s going on?=94

Lois indicated Dahak, who had started giving commands to Stapleton and the
other Inner Circle members.  =93That=92s the Black Circle=92s Lord.  He=92s=
 got
Sara.=94

Tank rounded the circle at a staggering run, one arm around Cindy, who
appeared as dazed as Superman had when Lois had found him.  They came to a
halt before Lois and Superman.

=93Lois!  Cindy says she knows how to stop Dahak!=94

Cindy looked to have fared worse than Superman had.  Her hair was tangled
and blood was trickling down her face from a cut over her left eye.  There
was a smudge of dirt on one cheek.  She nodded.  =93It=92s simple.  We have=
 to
get Sara out of there.  She=92s the focus of the whole ritual.  If she=92s =
not
in the circle, the whole thing=92ll collapse in on itself.=94

=93How do we get her out of there?=94  Superman asked.

Cindy looked at him.  =93The three of us will try to distract Stapleton and
Dahak.  You have to fly in and grab Sara the first chance you get.=94

=93That doesn=92t sound so hard.=94

=93Dahak is very strong, even now.  He has powers I know nothing about, exc=
ept
from legend.  I don=92t know what to expect from him.=94  She considered fo=
r a
moment.  =93Oh, and when we do get her out of there--run!  I=92m not sure w=
hat
will happen, but when you disrupt a spell the energy has to go somewhere.=
=20
It can be explosive.=94

Lois nodded.  =93We understand.  We=92d better hurry, though.  It looks lik=
e
they=92re doing something.=94

They turned to look.

Dahak was holding Sara up in the air one-handed.  Sara had awoken and was
struggling against her captor.  The Inner Circle members were holding their
hands up in the air above their heads and were chanting something in a
language that sounded like Latin.  From what they could see of Stapleton=92=
s
face, he was grimacing with pain as, despite his injuries he, too, held bot=
h
of his arms up.

Lois nodded.  =93Let=92s do it!=94

The three humans ran toward Stapleton.   Lois stopped abruptly and picked u=
p
a rock and threw it expertly at the man.  It bounced off of his injured
shoulder.  He yelped, staggering backwards out of formation.  Dahak turned
towards them.  He roared something and moved one hand as though he was
throwing something.  Lois threw herself sideways as something flashed towar=
d
her.  It missed her and ripped through the ground a few feet behind her,
sending dirt and rocks flying.

Ahead of Lois, Cindy stopped and shouted something as well.  A ring of fire
exploded into existence around Stapleton.  Dahak gestured with his free han=
d
and the fire vanished.  Tank, the nearest to Stapleton now, tackled the man=
,
slamming him hard into the ground.  He punched the blood-soaked patch on
Stapleton=92s arm where he=92d shot the man earlier.  Stapleton writhed in =
pain.

Cindy bent over, then straightened, holding her now glowing hands together
above her head.  She threw the light at Dahak.  It hit him squarely in the
face.  The demon roared with pain.  He threw his free hand up in the air.=
=20
Light seemed to coalesce into a sphere in his hand.  He threw it at Cindy.

She threw a shield up in front of herself and the energy sphere shattered a=
s
it hit.  Then she threw a dagger of light at Dahak.  It slammed into his
chest and he roared in pain again.  As he did so, something red and blue
streaked past him and Sara vanished.

Dahak roared with anger and turned, searching for the one who=92d taken Sar=
a
from him.  Lois, remembering what Cindy had said about explosive results,
turned and ran as fast as she could.  An odd noise behind her made her look
over her shoulder as she ran.

The area around Dahak seemed to shimmer.  It pulsed inward, then the shimme=
r
and Dahak both vanished in a massive explosion.  Something caught Lois
around the middle and pushed her back towards Tank and Cindy, who were just
behind her, before lifting them all away from the expanding fireball that
had been Dahak and the Black Circle.

***********

Lois sat on the back of the ambulance and let the paramedic clean and
bandage the small cut she=92d managed to pick up somewhere during the
excitement.

The Metropolis PD and the FBI task force had arrived just minutes after the
explosion, with the fire department just behind them.  The fire department
and Superman had managed to put out the fires in what was left of Centennia=
l
Park before it spread to anything else.  Joy had been discovered near the
center of the explosion, relatively untouched.  Cindy had apparently placed
a protective barrier around the woman before leaving her to help with Dahak=
.
She was already on her way to the hospital for treatment for the concussion
she had picked up during the first explosion.

Lois nodded at the man as he finished treating her.  He nodded back and
allowed her to get up and head over to where Superman and Sara were talking
to some FBI personnel.  Sara looked exhausted and was leaning against
someone=92s car.  As Lois walked up to them, a police officer handed Sara a
steaming cup of what looked like coffee.  With a start, Lois recognized the
officer as Inspector Parent.

The woman appeared rather pale.  She nodded at Lois and strode off.

=93What=92s wrong with her?=94 Lois asked.

Sara shrugged.  The FBI agent spoke up.  =93She collapsed right before the
explosion.  When she woke up, she didn=92t seem to remember anything of the
past three months--from just before she started investigating the Circle.=
=94

Lois exchanged a significant look with her husband.  =93That=92s interestin=
g.=94

Sara cast a glance over at the leveled park.  =93Very.=94

=93Excuse me.=94  The FBI agent squeezed past Lois and went over to one of =
the
police officers.

Lois waited until he was out of earshot before speaking to Sara.  =93You lo=
ok
exhausted, Sara.=94

=93I feel like I could sleep for a week,=94 the girl admitted.  She drained=
 the
rest of the coffee from her Styrofoam cup.

=93I don=92t think you=92re needed here, anymore.  Why don=92t you go home =
and get
some sleep.=94 Lois suggested.

=93Can I get a lift?=94 Sara asked hopefully.  =93I don=92t think I can mak=
e it
myself.=94

=93I=92d be glad to give you a lift,=94 Tank volunteered, startling Lois.  =
His
face had been bandaged and cleaned up a little.  He tossed a set of keys up
in the air and caught them.

=93Didn=92t you leave your car in Suicide Slum?=94 Sara asked him.

He nodded.  =93Yeah.  Cindy went to the hospital with her partner.  She lef=
t
the keys to her car with me.=94

Sara patted his unbandaged cheek with one hand.  =93It=92s sweet of you to
offer, but you can=92t drive to where I live.=94

Tank looked disappointed, but smiled.  =93Oh, well.  You can=92t say I didn=
=92t
try.=94

=93Ladies?=94 Superman addressed both Lois and Sara.  =93Why don=92t I give=
 both of
you a ride home?=94

=93Good idea, Superman.=94 Lois said.  Superman put an arm around the two a=
nd
carefully lifted off into the starry night.  Behind them, Tank shoved the
keys into his pocket and watched as they flew off before walking slowly ove=
r
to his borrowed vehicle.

A short distance away, a man in a broad rimmed hat and trench coat watched
as Superman and his two passengers vanished into the distance.  As soon as
they were out of sight, he turned and sauntered off into the shadows.

------------

Ok, any and all comments are welcome.  Let me know what you think of it,
what I did wrong, what I did right, etc.  BTW:  Did anyone notice the name
of the demon?  Recognize it?

Tara

-----------------------------------------------
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Date:         Thu, 30 Dec 1999 15:42:29 -0800
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Judith Williams <judithwilliams@PRODIGY.NET>
Subject:      Re: Another question for fanfic
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Hi Gerry,  Superintendents are hired by the School Board or Board of
Education.  Its members are usually elected but in some places they are
appointed.  The School Board is responsible for everything that happens in a
school district, but they don't do the actual work involved. The
Superintendent is the person responsible for running things.  In a
corporation, he would be the CEO.  The Buck stops with him and he answers to
the Board for everything that goes right or wrong.

 New teachers, except in tiny little districts, are interviewed by Personnel
employees who make recommendations for hiring to the Superintendent.  If he
agrees,  he hires.  The Board approves teacher contracts. Purchasing, again,
is done by recommendation from the District Financial Officer,  agreement by
the Superintendent and approval by the Board.  All expenditures must be
approved by the Board. This is usually a Pro Forma thing, but there are
occasional disagreements.  The Board always has the final word.  They are
legally responsible for everything. Jude
----- Original Message -----
From: Gerry Anklewicz <Gerry_Anklewicz@NYNET.NYBE.ON.CA>
To: <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, December 30, 1999 1:55 PM
Subject: Another question for fanfic

> You folcs are so good at answering questions to help make better fanfics.
> Here's mine:
>
> For a school district in New Troy USA,
> a) what are the responsiblities of a superintendent?
> b) who does the hiring of teachers?
> c) who makes the decision of where to order major items such as books?
> d) does the superintendent get elected or is s/he hired?
>
> Can I make up all this stuff to suit my story?
>
> Gerry
=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 30 Dec 1999 19:23:13 EST
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         "Ann E. McBride" <Aerm1@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Another question for fanfic
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In a message dated 12/30/1999 4:55:39 PM Eastern Standard Time,
Gerry_Anklewicz@NYNET.NYBE.ON.CA writes:

<< For a school district in New Troy USA,
 a) what are the responsiblities of a superintendent?

the superintendent is the chief officer of a school district, responsible
for
the budget, hiring deputy superintendents, and in most states, principals of
schools.  In Kentucky, the superintendent recommends three candidates for
principal to a school's "site-based management council" which hires the
principal. So, you can let him do what you want.

 b) who does the hiring of teachers?

In most districts, there is a personnel department which does the initial
screening of teachers, and sends several candidates to be interviewed by the
principal of the school which needs a teacher.  Usually the principal does
the actual hiring.  In some cases, the principal may know of someone they
want to hire and bypass the personnel office  (usually someone who
substitutes or has student-taught at the school.)

 c) who makes the decision of where to order major items such as books?

usually the district has a committee of teachers, administrators and maybe
parents which reviews textbooks and makes the decision.  these decisions
generally apply district wide.

 d) does the superintendent get elected or is s/he hired?

hired by the elected school board

 Can I make up all this stuff to suit my story? >>

Why not??  Just say that they have educational reform in New Troy and you
can
set it up however you want. <G>

Ann
=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 30 Dec 1999 19:26:46 EST
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         "Ann E. McBride" <Aerm1@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: NEW: Heartache (12/12) PG13
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Dear German  Fanfic Team,

What a wonderful story.  It was worth the wait!  Keep up the good work and
more, more, more!  The premise was fascinating.  I couldn't put it down.

Ann

P.S.  Are you sure you all aren't native English speakers?
=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 30 Dec 1999 19:35:31 EST
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         "Ann E. McBride" <Aerm1@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Happy New Year
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In a message dated 12/30/1999 5:51:46 PM Eastern Standard Time, ereid@IOL.IE
writes:

<<  I've been thinking of dipping my toe (very carefully, mind you) in the
ocean of fan fic writing.  If anyone can give me some advice, I would be
very
grateful. >>

My advice would be to jump right in and do it.  You might want to either ask
for  someone to read it for you via email, or post it on Zoomway's message
boards for instantaneous feedback and suggestions.

Good luck,

Ann
=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 30 Dec 1999 19:06:30 -0800
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Nancy Smith <deimos1@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: Another question for fanfic
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Gerry, since it was never covered in the show, you can make it up to suit
yourself.  Go ahead and be inventive.

Nan

Gerry Anklewicz wrote:

> You folcs are so good at answering questions to help make better fanfics.
> Here's mine:
>
> For a school district in New Troy USA,
> a) what are the responsiblities of a superintendent?
> b) who does the hiring of teachers?
> c) who makes the decision of where to order major items such as books?
> d) does the superintendent get elected or is s/he hired?
>
> Can I make up all this stuff to suit my story?
>
> Gerry
=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 30 Dec 1999 23:23:48 EST
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         No Name Available <Larus2407@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Another question for fanfic
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In a message dated 12/30/1999 4:55:39 PM Eastern Standard Time,
Gerry_Anklewicz@NYNET.NYBE.ON.CA writes:

<< For a school district in New Troy USA,
 a) what are the responsiblities of a superintendent?
 b) who does the hiring of teachers?
 c) who makes the decision of where to order major items such as books?
 d) does the superintendent get elected or is s/he hired? >>

Superintendents are hired by the elected board of education for the school
district. HOWEVER, in some major cities the school district is controlled by
the city government. Teachers may be interviewed and selected by a committee
(including teachers) and teh superintendent, but are usually approved at a
board meeting (generally a rubber stamp). Teachers may suggest books, but
the
decisions may be made by a department chair, the superintendent for
curriculum or some such position (under the main superintendent). There are
cases where the boards of education have gotten involved and removed text
books--generally because they panic at something some parent has brought to
their attention in that particular book.

--Laurie (former teacher)
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 31 Dec 1999 07:22:51 -0700
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
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Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
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From:         Desert Rat <desertrat@USWEST.NET>
Subject:      Fw: Millennium facts
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'Soon as the new year hits, I'll hit you guys with my first fiction.  =
I've been lurking too long.  Happy New Year Everyone!!!
P.S.    I've been here since 1997. (Just in case you are wondering.  HI =
Zoom.)
----- Original Message -----=20
From: ginni coyle=20
To: <jacki=20
Sent: Friday, December 31, 1999 1:23 AM
Subject: Millennium facts

.
PRE-pare for Millennium!  HUuuu!
     Batten down the hatches, lay in a good supply of beer 'n chips, and =

don't come out til the ALL CLEAR has sounded.
     Here are a few millennium facts to consider, during half-time, or =
until the electricity comes back on and the firing stops, compliments of =
George Hijar, MGySgt, USMC (Ret.).....
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Here are some interesting millennium facts for you to ponder over as it =
approaches...

-  According to the U.S. Naval Observatory, the first populated land =
where the Sun will rise in the new millennium (and any other year) is at =
Kahuitara Point (44* 16' S 176* 9' W) on Pitt Island in the Chatham =
Islands, a dependency of New Zealand.

-  The U.S. Library of Congress has compiled a 232-source bibliography =
on
the subject of when, properly speaking, centuries roll over.  Almost all =
of the sources agree that the 20th century will not end until December =
31,2000.

-  How many days in a millennium?  The calendar system that was in use
during a particular millennium determines the actual number of days that
elapse during that time span.

> The First Millennium (1 - 1000 AD) consisted of 365,250 days.

> Our current millennium (1001 - 2000 AD) will consist of 365,237 days.

> The Third Millennium (2001 - 3000 AD) will consist of 365,242 days.

-  Is the year 2000 a leap year?  According to the Gregorian calendar,
which is the civil calendar in use today, years evenly divisible by 4 =
are
leap years, with the exception of centurial years that are not evenly
divisible by 400. Therefore, the years 1700, 1800, 1900
and 2100 are not leap years, but 1600, 2000, and 2400 are leap years.

-  The Times Square "time ball" is named the "Star of Hope". It was
specially made for this year and contains 504 glass crystals cut into
triangles, 600 light bulbs, 96 big lights, and 92 mirrors.

-  While the world was busy welcoming the arrival of the twentieth =
century on December 31, 1900, a forceful gale on England's Salisbury =
Plain blew over one of the ancient monumental stones at Stonehenge.

-  The official time ball for the U.S. is on top of the U.S. Naval
Observatory in Washington, D.C.  As early as 1845, the U.S. Navy dropped =
a time ball every noon from atop a building on a hill overlooking =
Washington, D.C. People from many miles could set their watches at noon. =
 Ships anchored in the Potomac River could check their chronometers.

-  In December 1997, the state of Nevada (USA) became the first state to =
pass legislation categorizing Y2K data disasters as "acts of =
God"--protecting the state from lawsuits that may potentially be brought =
against it by residents in the year 2000.

-  The difference between a "millennium" and a "chiliad"?  None.  Both =
words mean "a period of one thousand years" -- the former from Latin, =
the later from Greek.

-  If we were to up-turn the Millennium Dome at Greenwich, London, it =
would take 3.8 billion half-liters of beer to fill it up.

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<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>'Soon as the new year =
hits, I'll hit=20
you guys with my first fiction.&nbsp; I've been lurking too long.&nbsp; =
Happy=20
New Year Everyone!!!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>P.S.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; =
I've been here=20
since 1997. (Just in case you are wondering.&nbsp; HI =
Zoom.)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----=20
<DIV style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A=20
href=3D"mailto:ginnicoyle@worldnet.att.net"=20
title=3Dginnicoyle@worldnet.att.net>ginni coyle</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A href=3D"mailto:The.OnlyDesertRose@yahoo.com"=20
title=3DThe.OnlyDesertRose@yahoo.com>&lt;jacki</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Friday, December 31, 1999 1:23 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Millennium facts</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><IMG align=3Dright alt=3D"It's a Party" border=3D0 height=3D164=20
src=3D"cid:003201bf539a$8547afc0$0101a8c0@desertrat" width=3D92><IMG =
align=3Dright=20
alt=3D"It's a Party" border=3D0 height=3D164=20
src=3D"cid:003201bf539a$8547afc0$0101a8c0@desertrat" width=3D92>.<IMG =
align=3Dright=20
alt=3D"It's a Party" border=3D0 height=3D164=20
src=3D"cid:003201bf539a$8547afc0$0101a8c0@desertrat" width=3D92><IMG =
align=3Dright=20
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src=3D"cid:003201bf539a$8547afc0$0101a8c0@desertrat" width=3D92></DIV>
<DIV>PRE-pare for Millennium!&nbsp; HUuuu!<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; =
Batten=20
down the hatches, lay in a good supply of beer 'n chips, and <BR>don't =
come out=20
til the ALL CLEAR has sounded.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Here are a =
few=20
millennium facts to consider, during half-time, or until the electricity =
comes=20
back on and the firing stops, compliments of George Hijar, MGySgt, USMC=20
(Ret.).....<BR>~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<BR><BR>Here are =
some=20
interesting millennium facts for you to ponder over as it=20
approaches...<BR><BR>-&nbsp; According to the U.S. Naval Observatory, =
the first=20
populated land where the Sun will rise in the new millennium (and any =
other=20
year) is at Kahuitara Point (44* 16' S 176* 9' W) on Pitt Island in the =
Chatham=20
Islands, a dependency of New Zealand.<BR><BR>-&nbsp; The U.S. Library of =

Congress has compiled a 232-source bibliography on<BR>the subject of =
when,=20
properly speaking, centuries roll over.&nbsp; Almost all of the sources =
agree=20
that the 20th century will not end until December =
31,2000.<BR><BR>-&nbsp; How=20
many days in a millennium?&nbsp; The calendar system that was in =
use<BR>during a=20
particular millennium determines the actual number of days =
that<BR>elapse during=20
that time span.<BR><BR>&gt; The First Millennium (1 - 1000 AD) consisted =
of=20
365,250 days.<BR><BR>&gt; Our current millennium (1001 - 2000 AD) will =
consist=20
of 365,237 days.<BR><BR>&gt; The Third Millennium (2001 - 3000 AD) will =
consist=20
of 365,242 days.<BR><BR>-&nbsp; Is the year 2000 a leap year?&nbsp; =
According to=20
the Gregorian calendar,<BR>which is the civil calendar in use today, =
years=20
evenly divisible by 4 are<BR>leap years, with the exception of centurial =
years=20
that are not evenly<BR>divisible by 400. Therefore, the years 1700, =
1800,=20
1900<BR>and 2100 are not leap years, but 1600, 2000, and 2400 are leap=20
years.<BR><BR>-&nbsp; The Times Square "time ball" is named the "Star of =
Hope".=20
It was<BR>specially made for this year and contains 504 glass crystals =
cut=20
into<BR>triangles, 600 light bulbs, 96 big lights, and 92=20
mirrors.<BR><BR>-&nbsp; While the world was busy welcoming the arrival =
of the=20
twentieth century on December 31, 1900, a forceful gale on England's =
Salisbury=20
Plain blew over one of the ancient monumental stones at=20
Stonehenge.<BR><BR>-&nbsp; The official time ball for the U.S. is on top =
of the=20
U.S. Naval<BR>Observatory in Washington, D.C.&nbsp; As early as 1845, =
the U.S.=20
Navy dropped a time ball every noon from atop a building on a hill =
overlooking=20
Washington, D.C. People from many miles could set their watches at =
noon.&nbsp;=20
Ships anchored in the Potomac River could check their=20
chronometers.<BR><BR>-&nbsp; In December 1997, the state of Nevada (USA) =
became=20
the first state to pass legislation categorizing Y2K data disasters as =
"acts of=20
God"--protecting the state from lawsuits that may potentially be brought =
against=20
it by residents in the year 2000.<BR><BR>-&nbsp; The difference between =
a=20
"millennium" and a "chiliad"?&nbsp; None.&nbsp; Both words mean "a =
period of one=20
thousand years" -- the former from Latin, the later from =
Greek.<BR><BR>-&nbsp;=20
If we were to up-turn the Millennium Dome at Greenwich, London, it would =
take=20
3.8 billion half-liters of beer to fill it up.</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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------=_NextPart_000_003A_01BF535F.D8F078E0--
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 31 Dec 1999 10:21:24 EST
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Charlotte Fisler <Cdfisler@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: The Black Circle part 9 of 13
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

In a message dated 12/30/99 11:06:33 PM !!!First Boot!!!, jilectan@EMAIL.COM
writes:

<< Ok, I finished up Black Circle and I realized that I had stopped posting
to
 the mailing list.  I know that some of you don't have access to the net and
 probably a few of you have been reading Black Circle.  So, I'm just going
to
 post all of the rest of it right now.  Enjoy. >>

Thanks Tara.  I've been waiting.

Charlotte
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 31 Dec 1999 12:05:46 -0500
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Pam Jernigan <jernigan@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Organization: http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam/
Subject:      OT: I'm OK, Y2K?
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Since some of the world is already started the year 2000, I thought I'd
ask if any of the Aussies/Kiwis/Asians on this list have encountered any
Y2K problems yet?

I'm 98% certain that there will be small localized problems at worst,
but I know others are more fearful, so if anyone out there has any
reassuring words for us in the US ... :)

Of course, I know it's like 2am on that side of the world, so I doubt
anyone's awake and reading e-mail, but you never know :)

Oh, and is there going to be a New Year's IRC party?  I just logged on
and found no one (although I did log on through a NZ server, which
didn't seem to have crashed, hooray! :)  Anyway, I'll check back
throughout the day....
--
-------------------------------------------------------
Pam Jernigan            |  jernigan@bellsouth.net
ChiefPam on IRC         |  ChPam on AOL IM
-------------------------------------------------------
"Not only was Ivan an idiot, but he generated a
telepathic damping field to turn the people nearby
into idiots, too."
--An exasperated Miles contemplates his cousin in
_The Warrior's Apprentice_, by Lois McMaster Bujold
-------------------------------------------------------
http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 31 Dec 1999 12:15:38 -0500
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Tara Smith <jilectan@EMAIL.COM>
Subject:      OT: Lost E-mail
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

If anyone sent me e-mail yesterday, could you re-send it?  I'm not sure why,
but I didn't receive any after I sent off The Black Circle parts 9 thru 13.

Tara

-----------------------------------------------
FREE! The World's Best Email Address @email.com
Reserve your name now at http://www.email.com
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 31 Dec 1999 12:35:58 -0500
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Tara Smith <jilectan@EMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: The Black Circle part 9 of 13
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

No problemo.  I was actually trying to post here within a couple of days of
posting on the boards, but I got busy and forgot.  I'll try not to do that
with my next thing. :)

Tara

------Original Message------
From: Charlotte Fisler <Cdfisler@AOL.COM>
To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU
Sent: December 31, 1999 3:21:24 PM GMT
Subject: Re: The Black Circle part 9 of 13

In a message dated 12/30/99 11:06:33 PM !!!First Boot!!!, jilectan@EMAIL.COM
writes:

<< Ok, I finished up Black Circle and I realized that I had stopped posting
to
the mailing list.  I know that some of you don't have access to the net and
probably a few of you have been reading Black Circle.  So, I'm just going to
post all of the rest of it right now.  Enjoy. >>

Thanks Tara.  I've been waiting.

Charlotte

-----------------------------------------------
FREE! The World's Best Email Address @email.com
Reserve your name now at http://www.email.com
=========================================================================
Date:         Sat, 1 Jan 2000 05:10:23 +1100
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         jem <jem@WEBONE.COM.AU>
Subject:      Re: OT: I'm OK, Y2K?
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

So far, so good.  My friend is a computer technician with Honeywell and he
has learned that there have been no significant problems either in New
Zealand or Australia.

The only problem he has heard of is with some parts of American manufacture
<eg>

So take heart - Y2K may pass with a whimper not a bang (or crash or tinkle)

jem :)

----- Original Message -----
From: Pam Jernigan <jernigan@BELLSOUTH.NET>
To: <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sent: Saturday, January 01, 2000 4:05 AM
Subject: OT: I'm OK, Y2K?

> Since some of the world is already started the year 2000, I thought I'd
> ask if any of the Aussies/Kiwis/Asians on this list have encountered any
> Y2K problems yet?
>
> I'm 98% certain that there will be small localized problems at worst,
> but I know others are more fearful, so if anyone out there has any
> reassuring words for us in the US ... :)
>
> Of course, I know it's like 2am on that side of the world, so I doubt
> anyone's awake and reading e-mail, but you never know :)
>
> Oh, and is there going to be a New Year's IRC party?  I just logged on
> and found no one (although I did log on through a NZ server, which
> didn't seem to have crashed, hooray! :)  Anyway, I'll check back
> throughout the day....
> --
> -------------------------------------------------------
> Pam Jernigan            |  jernigan@bellsouth.net
> ChiefPam on IRC         |  ChPam on AOL IM
> -------------------------------------------------------
> "Not only was Ivan an idiot, but he generated a
> telepathic damping field to turn the people nearby
> into idiots, too."
> --An exasperated Miles contemplates his cousin in
> _The Warrior's Apprentice_, by Lois McMaster Bujold
> -------------------------------------------------------
> http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 31 Dec 1999 15:10:16 -0500
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Joy Sowell <jsowell@MAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: OT: I'm OK, Y2K?
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Pam wrote:

<<Oh, and is there going to be a New Year's IRC party?>>

I'm game.  #lanekent, or #loiscla?????

______________________________________________
FREE Personalized Email at Mail.com
Sign up at http://www.mail.com?sr=mc.mk.mcm.tag001
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 31 Dec 1999 15:35:13 -0500
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Pam Jernigan <jernigan@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Organization: http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam/
Subject:      Re: OT: I'm OK, Y2K?
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

> <<Oh, and is there going to be a New Year's IRC party?>>
>
> I'm game.  #lanekent, or #loiscla?????
>

How about both? :)
--
-------------------------------------------------------
Pam Jernigan            |  jernigan@bellsouth.net
ChiefPam on IRC         |  ChPam on AOL IM
-------------------------------------------------------
"Not only was Ivan an idiot, but he generated a
telepathic damping field to turn the people nearby
into idiots, too."
--An exasperated Miles contemplates his cousin in
_The Warrior's Apprentice_, by Lois McMaster Bujold
-------------------------------------------------------
http://www.geocities.com/~chiefpam
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 31 Dec 1999 15:44:42 -0600
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Pat <peabody@MCS.COM>
Subject:      Re: OT: I'm OK, Y2K?
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Pam wrote:
> > I'm game.  #lanekent, or #loiscla?????
> >
>
> How about both? :)

Sounds good! (although I can't always keep up with two channels at the
same time ;)  We can watch the new millenium move west across the
country :)

Who's got the party horns and noisemakers?

Pat

peabody@mcs.com
pattijean@aol.com
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 31 Dec 1999 13:38:40 -0800
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Cynthia Haste <chaste@CYBERHOTLINE.COM>
Subject:      Re: OT: I'm OK, Y2K?
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Just out of curiosity... Whenever I try to join #lanekent, it says I need
the "correct key".  Anyone know what a key is, and how I can get one?

Cindy

Pat wrote:

> Pam wrote:
> > > I'm game.  #lanekent, or #loiscla?????
> > >
> >
> > How about both? :)
>
> Sounds good! (although I can't always keep up with two channels at the
> same time ;)  We can watch the new millenium move west across the
> country :)
>
> Who's got the party horns and noisemakers?
>
> Pat
>
> peabody@mcs.com
> pattijean@aol.com

--
Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are good is like
expecting the bull not to charge because you are a vegetarian.
  - Unknown Author

Diet tip: Eat a chocolate bar before each meal. It'll take the edge off
your appetite and you'll eat less.
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 31 Dec 1999 16:58:42 EST
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         The Zoomway <Zoomway@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: OT: I'm OK, Y2K?
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

In a message dated 12/31/99 3:40:31 PM Central Standard Time,
chaste@CYBERHOTLINE.COM writes:

<< Just out of curiosity... Whenever I try to join #lanekent, it says I need
 the "correct key".  Anyone know what a key is, and how I can get one? >>

Since we go into the gutter on #lanekent, those attending have to be 18 or
older, hey, nfic happens <g> So write to Chris at CP13607@aol.com. She runs
the channel and ask for the key word.

Zoom
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 31 Dec 1999 18:04:27 EST
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         "Eileen F. Ray" <Eraygun@AOL.COM>
Subject:      L&C Fanfic Writing Session Saturday, January 1, 2000
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Hi everyone,

Our holiday hiatus is over and we hope you can join us Saturday, January 1,
2000, for our first fanfic writing session of the new year. Our premise this
week:

Mxy returns and he sends Clark back to the time of 'Forget Me Not' with a
mission is to woo and win Lois if he wants things to return to normal. But
this time, thanks to that 5th dimensional imp, Clark's rival for Lois' heart
is the Man of Steel rather than the infamous Dr. Deter.

In addition we would still like to hear from you if you have any story
premises of your own that you would like us to explore together.  You can
either email them to me at:

         eraygun@aol.com

Or better still, just bring your ideas with you when you join us this
Saturday or for our weekly "story bouncing" sessions on Wednesdays on
#L&CFicOrg, starting around 9:00 PM EDT.

We generally meet Saturdays starting at 3:30 PM EDT and try to start writing
fairly soon thereafter.  You can come and join the fun at any time, however.
We are usually there for several hours since writing a story takes time.

A note on procedure here ;) : When people need to be caught up on the story
in progress after being bounced off IRC or just joining the session late,
please try and avoid pasting the story directly into the channel window.
Please do that in a private message or dcc-chat window instead.

Hope to see you all there!

Cheers,
Eileen
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 31 Dec 1999 19:42:09 -0500
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Yael Kfir <zaglembia@MAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: OT: I'm OK, Y2K?
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Pam Jernigan wrote:

[snip]

>>
Of course, I know it's like 2am on that side of the world, so I doubt
anyone's awake and reading e-mail, but you never know :)
<<

Thank Pam, like I didn't feel pathetic already!

Yael.

-----------------------
- Oh, god...
- Zod.

(Superman II)
-----------------------
______________________________________________
FREE Personalized Email at Mail.com
Sign up at http://www.mail.com?sr=mc.mk.mcm.tag001
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 31 Dec 1999 19:42:35 -0500
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Yael Kfir <zaglembia@MAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: OT: I'm OK, Y2K?
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Pam Jernigan wrote:

[snip]

>>
Of course, I know it's like 2am on that side of the world, so I doubt
anyone's awake and reading e-mail, but you never know :)
<<

Thanks, Pam, like I didn't feel pathetic already!

Yael.

-----------------------
- Oh, god...
- Zod.

(Superman II)
-----------------------
______________________________________________
FREE Personalized Email at Mail.com
Sign up at http://www.mail.com?sr=mc.mk.mcm.tag001
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 31 Dec 1999 17:04:20 -0800
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         Cynthia Haste <chaste@CYBERHOTLINE.COM>
Subject:      Re: OT: I'm OK, Y2K?
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

LOL

Yael Kfir wrote:

> Pam Jernigan wrote:
>
> [snip]
>
> >>
> Of course, I know it's like 2am on that side of the world, so I doubt
> anyone's awake and reading e-mail, but you never know :)
> <<
>
> Thanks, Pam, like I didn't feel pathetic already!
>
> Yael.
>
> -----------------------
> - Oh, god...
> - Zod.
>
> (Superman II)
> -----------------------
> ______________________________________________
> FREE Personalized Email at Mail.com
> Sign up at http://www.mail.com?sr=mc.mk.mcm.tag001

--
Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are good is like
expecting the bull not to charge because you are a vegetarian.
  - Unknown Author

Diet tip: Eat a chocolate bar before each meal. It'll take the edge off
your appetite and you'll eat less.
=========================================================================
Date:         Sat, 1 Jan 2000 05:59:07 +0100
Reply-To:     "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sender:       "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic"
              <LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
From:         "=?iso-8859-1?q?R.=20Ziegler?=" <r_ziegler_3@YAHOO.DE>
Subject:      Re: OT: I'm OK, Y2K?
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--- Pam Jernigan <jernigan@BELLSOUTH.NET> wrote:

> Since some of the world is already started the year
> 2000, I thought I'd
> ask if any of the Aussies/Kiwis/Asians on this list
> have encountered any
> Y2K problems yet?

It's now the 01.01.2000 here in Germany (since six
hours) and nope, no problems so far. :)

Ren
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