The next day our story hit the front page titled, “Low-Level Crime Boss Abducts Transient Population to Build Giant Robot”. I was surprised to Lois had shared the by-line with me, but things were certainly changing between us. I was sensing we both wanted to be more than friends but neither of us had said anything to each other.

Feelings or not, the days still continued going on by. Perry gave me my own assignment and Lois was working on a new trail to go down. She knew that Max Danner didn’t have the resources to pull off what he had accomplished and had to have taken the fall for Bruno Manheim. A week after our article came out, she saw that a Charity Gala was being held in Gotham and all of the big names would be there. People like Bruce Wayne, Lex Luthor, Simon Stagg and of course, Bruno Manheim would be in attendance.

Lois got permission from Perry to use the Planet’s helicopter to get to Gotham. She didn’t want to drive there because arriving in a taxi wouldn’t give off the right message she said. I, however, was done for the night. So, I wished Lois good luck and took the elevator down.

On my way down, I listened in to see if Lois had left yet, and instead heard the maintenance crew getting the helicopter ready.

“It’s simple” one said to the other, “we pretend we are doing a takeoff check, but we actually loosen the bolts on that hold these electric cables down. Then, when the helicopter takes off it snags on the cables and goes down in a freak accident. Miss Lane can’t talk anymore, and the boss is safe.”

Lois was in danger, but I was still in the elevator. I heard the helicopter fire up and Lois get in before I got out, but as soon as it opened it dashed outside and heard Lois screaming for help and dangling from the top of the Daily Planet. The helicopter had got stuck on its side near the edge and Lois must have fallen out. I ducked into a nearby phone booth and changed into my hero identity at super speed. I made it to Lois right as she started to fall.

“Don’t worry, Miss. I’ve got you.” I said ascending back up to the top of the Daily Planet.

“You’ve got me? Who’s got you?” she said shocked, then she shouted, “Watch out!”

The helicopter had come loose from the railing that was holding it in place. Holding Lois with one arm, I reached out the other arm and caught it. I took both Lois and the helicopter back up to the helipad. “I hope this doesn’t put you off writing, Miss Lane. I value your stance for truth.”

“Who are you?” she said.

“Just a friend” I said taking to the skies.

 As I flew away, I heard Lois mutter to herself, “Not a flying man, a super man. Ha Superman, that works.”

The next day, Lois had published a front-page story entitled, “My Rescue by Superman”. Ron Troupe was furious, he had been reporting on the flying man all this time and in one fall Lois had actually spoken to him, named him, and courtesy of Jimmy’s zoom lens on his camera, actually gotten a good picture of him.

“Lois! Congrats on the um uh the Superman story. Fantastic work.” I told her when we were
heading out that night.

“Thanks, Smallville. But if you really want you show your appreciation, I’m starving and your paying. So, let’s go eat.”

“I would love that, Lois.” She took my arm, and we headed outside.

Lex Luthor

I slammed the Daily Planet down onto my desk as I looked out over Metropolis and the sun setting on the skyline I had built. I was in charge of Metropolis, seven years ago I had come to the city of tomorrow and brought tomorrow with me. Metropolis was nothing without me, and now this big blue boy scout wanted to take that all away. He wanted people to trust in the goodness of people and protect others. That I could not allow, people worked for me best when they were afraid, he could crush them, but that didn’t work if they hoped Superman could save them.

“Mercy!! Come here now!” Mercy Graves was my assistant and personal bodyguard, also the only person I trusted with outside delicate matters.

“Yes, Mr. Luthor.”

“Mercy, tell me what the press is saying about right now about this Superman.” I asked her, my back to her as I gazed out the window.

“Yes, Mr. Luthor. The Daily Star says, ‘Why We Shouldn’t Trust This Outsider’. The Metropolis Times reads, ‘Look Up In The Skies, It’s a Menace’. The Galaxy Gazette reads, ‘How Can We Stop A Man Who Can Fly?’ . You have successfully swayed public opinion about this Superman.”

I grabbed the Daily Planet and turned to face her, “Then why does the Daily Planet have an article,” I threw down the newspaper pointing at the title, “titled, ‘My Rescue By Superman’!”

“The Planet, Mr. Luthor is an outlet we do not control. They have resisted every attempt of a buyout. They are still free to print what they…”

I cut her off, “No one Mercy is free to do what they want. They maybe think that in the quiet moments of the day, but everyone in Metropolis acts in the ways I want them too or we ruin their lives and take them off the board. I need you to redouble our efforts to get the Planet under our control. And get me Bruno Manheim on the line we need to talk.”

Mercy left my office and a few minutes later, the phone rang. “This is Manheim.”

“We are on a secure line, but you failed me, Bruno. You were supposed to take out Miss Lane before she could publish anything about this Superman.” I yelled into the phone.

“Signor Luthor, come on I had plans and sometimes plans don’t work out. I had hoped to catch her with a spray of bullets when she showed up at the warehouse, but Superman stopped that. Then, I was sure we would get her on the helicopter but Superman once again.”

“Well, whatever you had planned isn’t working. We need to bring in the consultant.”

“No way, he’s not right in the head. He thinks everything is a game and thinks of people as toys to play with.” Bruno said a hint of worry in his voice.

“His designs are perfect; I have gone over them and they are what we need to defeat this Superman. Get me in touch with him and I will give him the supplies he needs to build a new robot quicker than it took you guys. We are going to ruin this Superman, no matter what it takes."