Metropolis - The Daily Planet
Jul 13, 2013 14:13:42 GMT -5
Post by Clark Kent on Jul 13, 2013 14:13:42 GMT -5
Clark adjusted his glasses and clutched his laptop bag to his chest. The elevator was crowded as usual and he was nervous.
This wasn't the first time he'd disappeared for months, claiming to be in some country deep under cover. This time he was supposed to be in Russia covering the cold war, but it was apparently averted by Dr. Manhattan and the New York incident. So the extended period of time he'd spent away was now completely unfounded and he was at a loss for what to say.
When he walked in, he saw a few new faces, nobody seemed to pay him much attention.
Except for Jimmy.
"Clark, hey Clark!"
He turned his head to see a bobble of red hair coming at him "Hey Jim, how things?"
"Where the heck have you been man? The things that have happened since you left, Lois-"
He raised his hand with a solemn expression "I know." Jimmy looked like he'd aged 10 years in just the few months that he'd been gone. It only served as a reminder to Clark how much this world needed him. He cupped Jimmy's shoulder and walked with him toward Perry's office "I'm sorry I couldn't come back sooner things got a little... hairy for me over there. I had to lay low for a while until I could get back" he knitted his brow "the better question is where is Superman?"
"He disappeared about a week after you did" Jimmy replied with all the venom the young man could muster "if he was here, none of this would have happened."
A knot appeared in Clark's throat "Any leads on Lois?"
"Not a thing for weeks, heard the Batman was on it. Worlds greatest detective my a-"
"Jimmy, come on" Clark shook him gently "if he's working on it, he's probably got good reason for why it's taking so long."
As they got to Perry's office, he didn't have a chance to say much more before the doors flew open "God dammit Kent, get in here."
Clark smiled at Jimmy and followed his boss inside "Perry look I'm sorr-"
"Don't worry about it" the large man plopped down in his seat and nodded for Clark to take the other one "just tell me what happened."
Clark closed his eyes, he hated to lie, but the fact of the matter was that he'd lived almost 30 years in one and it was getting easier everyday to stretch the truth. "Things got a little tight over there" he started "once I managed to get in the country I was arrested, I figured I was going to be in jail forever. But on New Years eve they let me go without reason and I figured I could get home." Clark looked down "It wasn't so simple, I didn't know where I was, they took my passport, they took my identification and I was being followed."
He looked up at Perry with a pathetic sigh "The only reason I'm back is because I managed to steal away on a freighter back to New York, luckily my Russian was good enough they just figured I was the new guy. It took five months, we stopped everywhere and I tried to call or send letters but I couldn't communicate with anyone in any of the places we stopped."
Perry shook his head "You know Kent, I have no idea how you get yourself in these situations or hell how you get out of them. You Ma's gotta be worried sick."
"I've all ready been to see her, she lectured me to high heaven." It was quiet in the office for an uncomfortable minute. "Perry, Lois-"
"Clark, we're not giving up on her, I promise you we haven't been sitting on our asses. The sad truth is that there just isn't much to go on."
"I heard Batman's working the case."
"From what we understand yes, it'd be easier if Superman was here. Damn guy seems to have a homing beacon for her."
The lump in his throat got tighter "Any word on him?"
"Na, just up and disappeared one day, didn't say much to anyone. Guess he figured with all the other heroes about we'd be safe" Perry scoffed "not with that Keene act still in affect. They're all still too scared to come out, but with the apparent resurgence of Captain America they're starting to get their balls back if you don't mind me being crude."
Perry didn't always care for superheroes, he thought it wasn't right that certain people were allowed to take the law in to their own hands, just because they were meta humans. But he understood the need for them, even if he didn't like it. He raised his eyebrow "Captain America sir?"
"Yea, some government created propaganda tool from the 40's, he was one of the reasons we won world war two apparently, other than those covert boys uh what were they called? The Basterds, yea, shot Hitler and blew up a god damn theater full of the big wigs of the Third Reich" he shook his head "no wonder this country went to hell, anyway, look kid it's great to have you back. You're stuffs in the supply closet and you're spot in the bull pen's still open. I've all ready got a few things to throw your way."
Clark nodded and stood up "Thanks sir."
"Oh and Kent?"
"Sir?"
"We'll find her, Ms. Lane doesn't give up that easily."
Clark nodded and headed toward the supply closet, his head hanging even heavier than before.
This wasn't the first time he'd disappeared for months, claiming to be in some country deep under cover. This time he was supposed to be in Russia covering the cold war, but it was apparently averted by Dr. Manhattan and the New York incident. So the extended period of time he'd spent away was now completely unfounded and he was at a loss for what to say.
When he walked in, he saw a few new faces, nobody seemed to pay him much attention.
Except for Jimmy.
"Clark, hey Clark!"
He turned his head to see a bobble of red hair coming at him "Hey Jim, how things?"
"Where the heck have you been man? The things that have happened since you left, Lois-"
He raised his hand with a solemn expression "I know." Jimmy looked like he'd aged 10 years in just the few months that he'd been gone. It only served as a reminder to Clark how much this world needed him. He cupped Jimmy's shoulder and walked with him toward Perry's office "I'm sorry I couldn't come back sooner things got a little... hairy for me over there. I had to lay low for a while until I could get back" he knitted his brow "the better question is where is Superman?"
"He disappeared about a week after you did" Jimmy replied with all the venom the young man could muster "if he was here, none of this would have happened."
A knot appeared in Clark's throat "Any leads on Lois?"
"Not a thing for weeks, heard the Batman was on it. Worlds greatest detective my a-"
"Jimmy, come on" Clark shook him gently "if he's working on it, he's probably got good reason for why it's taking so long."
As they got to Perry's office, he didn't have a chance to say much more before the doors flew open "God dammit Kent, get in here."
Clark smiled at Jimmy and followed his boss inside "Perry look I'm sorr-"
"Don't worry about it" the large man plopped down in his seat and nodded for Clark to take the other one "just tell me what happened."
Clark closed his eyes, he hated to lie, but the fact of the matter was that he'd lived almost 30 years in one and it was getting easier everyday to stretch the truth. "Things got a little tight over there" he started "once I managed to get in the country I was arrested, I figured I was going to be in jail forever. But on New Years eve they let me go without reason and I figured I could get home." Clark looked down "It wasn't so simple, I didn't know where I was, they took my passport, they took my identification and I was being followed."
He looked up at Perry with a pathetic sigh "The only reason I'm back is because I managed to steal away on a freighter back to New York, luckily my Russian was good enough they just figured I was the new guy. It took five months, we stopped everywhere and I tried to call or send letters but I couldn't communicate with anyone in any of the places we stopped."
Perry shook his head "You know Kent, I have no idea how you get yourself in these situations or hell how you get out of them. You Ma's gotta be worried sick."
"I've all ready been to see her, she lectured me to high heaven." It was quiet in the office for an uncomfortable minute. "Perry, Lois-"
"Clark, we're not giving up on her, I promise you we haven't been sitting on our asses. The sad truth is that there just isn't much to go on."
"I heard Batman's working the case."
"From what we understand yes, it'd be easier if Superman was here. Damn guy seems to have a homing beacon for her."
The lump in his throat got tighter "Any word on him?"
"Na, just up and disappeared one day, didn't say much to anyone. Guess he figured with all the other heroes about we'd be safe" Perry scoffed "not with that Keene act still in affect. They're all still too scared to come out, but with the apparent resurgence of Captain America they're starting to get their balls back if you don't mind me being crude."
Perry didn't always care for superheroes, he thought it wasn't right that certain people were allowed to take the law in to their own hands, just because they were meta humans. But he understood the need for them, even if he didn't like it. He raised his eyebrow "Captain America sir?"
"Yea, some government created propaganda tool from the 40's, he was one of the reasons we won world war two apparently, other than those covert boys uh what were they called? The Basterds, yea, shot Hitler and blew up a god damn theater full of the big wigs of the Third Reich" he shook his head "no wonder this country went to hell, anyway, look kid it's great to have you back. You're stuffs in the supply closet and you're spot in the bull pen's still open. I've all ready got a few things to throw your way."
Clark nodded and stood up "Thanks sir."
"Oh and Kent?"
"Sir?"
"We'll find her, Ms. Lane doesn't give up that easily."
Clark nodded and headed toward the supply closet, his head hanging even heavier than before.