Post by Stardrifter on Jun 21, 2011 23:30:26 GMT -5
by
Stardrifter001
Revelations
"Here ya go, sir. Daily Planet."
The cabbie pulls to a stop in front of the building. The morning sun is shining brightly down, reflecting off all the windows on the tall skyscrapper. At the very top, the world famous Daily Planet globe shines bright gold as it spins.
"Wow," Clark whispers as he looks up from the back seat of the cab.
"Impressive, huh?" the cabbie smirks. "First time in Metropolis?"
"Does it show?" Clark jokes. "How much?"
"Twenty-four fifty." Clark hands him the money. "Much obliged. Take care now."
Clark continues to look up at the building after he gets out of the cab with his briefcase. He's a tall man, whose muscular build is hidden by his gray suit. His black hair is slicked down neatly and a pair of glasses adorn his face.
Since he was 8 years old he's read the Daily Planet every day. He's seen the building in photographs but they don't do it justice. Fifty stories tall and gleaming white and gold. Clark can't help but feel a little overwhelmed. He'd been to Kansas City once or twice growing up back in Smallville, but it was nothing compared to Metropolis. His parents laughed at first when he told them he was taking the bus all the way here. When he told them he wanted to see the city like anyone else, they understood.
"Crap!" Clark looks down at his watch. He only has 10 minutes before his interview. His whole life was aiming toward this interview. His stomach tightens in anticipation, an unusual nervousness that he only ever felt back in high school. Picking up his briefcase, Clark rushes inside.
***
"How are you doing today, Mrs. Whitley?" the portly security guard asks as he helps the elderly woman up the steps of the First National Bank of Metropolis.
"Oh fine Ronald. Thank you. It's a beautiful morning."
"That it is," Ronald smiles. "You make sure to say goodbye before you..."
Ronald's words are cut short by the blade sticking out the front of his throat. Mrs. Whitley draws her breath in preparation of a scream, but a gloved hand covers her mouth and pulls her into the building. She watches as the masked man behind Ronald draws his knife out and idly tosses his limp body through the door. Once inside, the man throws the rag he'd used to catch the blood on the floor.
"This here is a robbery!" the masked man yells. A half dozen men, all in ski masks and black clothes, lock down the building. One shoots a couple shots from his uzi into the air to get the crowds attention.
"Do as we say and no one will get hurt!" the leader yells. "Well, unless you're a security guard, in which case you're already very hurt."
The men gather the crowd of twenty odd people in front of the counter. The leader and another man go behind the counter, pulling the tellers away from it to prevent any alarms going off. There is little resistance. The sight of the lifeless bodies of the security guards take care of that.
"Charlie, security down?" the leader barks.
"It's taken care of. We got ten to fifteen until cops show up."
"Good. Bravo, Echo, get the vault. Everyone else, clean them out." The leader points with his knife to the gathered hostages.
***
Clark sits in awkward silence, waiting as Perry White, the Editor in Chief of the Daily Planet, reads over his resume. Perry, an older man with graying temples, already has his jacket off, sleeves rolled up, and tie loosened at just past 9:00 in the morning. He is obviously a no nonsense, get to work kind of boss.
"Mmmm...mmm hmmm..." Perry looks up at Clark. "I see you have an impressive, if limited resume. Your work at the Smallville Gazette is solid. And you've got your own...blog?"
"The Copy Room Floor," Clark says, seeing an opportunity to sell himself. "So many stories end up getting cut out of the final edition of the paper. I used it as a way to highlight the ones that I thought people really needed to know about. Often positive stories from the community. I..."
"Mmm hmmm," Perry interrupts. He drops the resume and stands up to walk to the window. "I read some of it. Good stuff. Becoming pretty popular, as far as the internet goes. So why would someone about to break into internet stardom want to be a reporter in the newspaper business? A business that's dying out."
Clark can hear the reporter in the question. Perry may not do the legwork anymore, but the field reporter is still alive in him. "True newspaper is a declining medium, but the Daily Planet is one of the few whose sales have remained steady. Even if news moves to the internet and mobile devices almost exclusively, the Daily Planet is still one of, if not the, most trusted names in the news business. It'll go on, whether it's paper, computer screens, or touch screens. I just want to be a part of it. Ever since I was a boy."
Another silence, as Perry stares out the window for a minute. Then he turns and looks Clark in the eye. "Very well said. Personally I hate the internet and...tablets and mobile phones! Doesn't feel real to me!" Perry fumes as he sits back down in his chair. He quickly takes hold of his anger again. Anger Clark can see has been there for a while. Perry is many things, but first and foremost in his life he is a newspaper man. "I don't like it, but that's the way the news is going. We need people like you to take it there. Men and women with passion for news.
"I know some of your college professors and they spoke very highly of you and your work. I even got a call from a very prominent..."
"I told him," Clark interrupts, speaking so quick he forgets Perry isn't the type of man you interrupt. "I'm sorry, I just...I told him not to do that. I wanted to earn this on my own."
"I understand," Perry says as he stands up. He reaches his hand across the desk. "And you have, Mr. Kent. Welcome to the Daily Planet!"
***
Shots fire into the air. Plaster falls from the ceiling as the men, women, and children cover their heads. If they could, they'd drop so low onto the floor they'd practically become part of it.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the leader of the robbers yells. "Thank you for your cooperation! You have been far too kind. We leave you now with these last words." He pauses, waiting for the bravest of the hostages to look up at him. "Move from this spot or follow us, and you're DEAD!"
The robbers fire a few more shots for good measure, then head for the elevators. They can hear the sirens and see the lights from outside as the doors close.
***
"Looks like everything's in order," Perry says as they finish the paperwork and get up to leave his office. "Have you found an apartment yet?"
"Not yet, sir." Clark grabs his briefcase quickly and follows Perry. "I'm in a hotel for now."
"Well if you need any help, let me know." A young man with red hair comes running past. Perry grabs the back of his shirt, pulling him to a stop. "Hey! Jimmy! Slow down!"
"Sorry Chief." Jimmy is a smaller man, thin and wiry.
"Jimmy Olsen, this is Clark Kent, our new reporter." Clark and Jimmy shake hands. "Jimmy is an up and coming photographer. Why don't you show Clark around, I got a meeting."
"Sure thing Chief!" Jimmy smiles at Perry with the look of a child wanting his father's approval.
Perry turns and pats Clark on the shoulder before he walks back to his office. "Let me know if you need anything, Clark. And welcome to the Planet. I expect great things."
***
The sound of glass shattering startles everyone. The police come charging in, securing the bank. The hostages are relieved at first and start to stand up until the police force them back down as they check for hostiles. Once everything is secure, they question the hostages.
"Okay where did they go?" Lt. Dan Turpin asks a mother cradling her child.
"They..." She sobs, fighting to get the words out. "They went into the elevator."
Turpin looks over at the elevators and scratches his head. "Why on Earth would they want to go up?"
***
"So that's pretty much it CK," Jimmy says as they end their tour back in the newsroom. Clark already hates the nickname, but tries to be nice. "I don't know what it was like in Smallville, but it's pretty hectic here. Fast paced doesn't begin to describe it. I've seen two interns and a reporter freak since I've been here. Just lose it and quit. Or just not show up the next day. Think you can handle it?"
"I'll manage," Clark rolls his eyes as he walks over to a nearby desk. He picks up the name plate. "So where's Lois Lane? I was looking forward to meeting her."
Jimmy laughs and takes the name plate from Clark. "Yeah you and every man in the city. " Jimmy takes extra care putting the name plate perfectly center on Lois' desk. "Our star reporter is on vacation. She'll be back after the weekend."
"Then I'll meet her on my first day I suppose." Clark reaches out to shake Jimmy's hand. "Thanks for the tour. Look forward to working with you."
Jimmy slaps Clark's hand, trying to seem cool and failing. "No prob, CK. Catch you on Monday. Got plans for the weekend?"
Clark turns back as he's walking away, "Got an old friend to look up. Have a nice weekend, Jimmy."
***
Turpin and his team reach the roof and find the robbers waiting. "Hold it right there! You're all under arrest!"
The robbers don't bother to lift their guns. The leader laughs.
"Put your hands up! Now!" Turpin and his team spread out and raise their weapons. The leader of the robbers continues to laugh. His laugh begins to drown out from a loud noise coming from behind them.
"Oh shit!" Turpin screams as the helicopter rises up over the rooftop. A gunner in the back starts firing a rail gun onto the roof. The robbers raise their weapons, firing at the police as they retreat to the helicopter with their loot. Five of the cops are hit as they dive for cover. Only one robber is hit and left for dead as the helicopter flies off.
"Worked out perfect John!" the pilot yells back to the leader. The robbers take off their masks and stowe the loot away.
"Like clockwork," John yells back. He's a handsome man in his mid thirties. Short brown hair and a five-o-clock shadow. "They'll be talking about this heist for years!"
THIS IS THE POLICE! YOU ARE ORDERED TO LAND YOUR CRAFT IMMEDIATELY!
"We got company!" John shouts, pointing at the police helicopter tailing them. The gunner turns the railgun back toward them and opens fire.
***
"Taxi!" A cab screeches to a halt in front of the Daily Planet. Clark gets in.
"Where to boss?"
"To..."
Clark is drowned out by the sounds of helicopters and gunfire from above. Cars stop short as everyone looks to the sky. A police helicopter bursts into flames and barrels toward a nearby building. As Clark watches, a memory comes unbidden....
At first it's nothing but silence and black and small white lights in the distance. It goes on for so long, like an endless dream. Until finally, fire! Fire and noise. The world shakes. A great weight pulls. He cries, scared almost to death. The noise deafens him to the sound of his own screams. An abrupt stop is followed by more silence, but for his cries.
Then they're there, looking down at him. Faces filled with kindness and warmth. She reaches in to take him into her arms. His cries stop, content.
"Shit man!"
The cabbie breaks Clark out of his memory. As the police helicopter spirals toward a skyscrapper, Clark runs around the corner of the Daily Planet building.
The crowd looks on in horror, awaiting the inevitable, when a blue and red blur flies past, creating a sonic boom. When they look back, the helicopter is no longer falling.
"It's all right!" Clark yells to pilot as he carries the burning helicopter toward the ground. "I've got you!"
Clark is dressed in a blue suit with red boots and cape. A black and red symbol adorns his chest. His glasses are gone and his hair is flowing in the breeze. When they reach the ground, Clark takes in a breath and blows on the helicopter, putting the fire out and leaving a film of ice.
"Is everyone all right?" Clark asks the stunned police officers. None seem the worse for wear. "What happened?"
They all stare at him, police and civilians alike. Finally, one of the officers just points to the sky, still staring at Clark, and says. "Bank robbers."
Clark smiles and says, "Thank you officer." He turns in the direction the other helicopter was heading and leaps into the air. In an instant, he catches up to the helicopter.
"What the fuck is that!?" the gunner shouts.
John looks out the side. It takes him a second to adjust to the idea of a man in a blue and red suit flying after them, but he quickly recovers. "Shoot him down! Now!"
The gunner opens fire. A hail of bullets slam into Clark. He wasn't expecting it. The bullets bounce off leaving him unharmed, but the impact causes him to stumble for a moment. Righting himself in the air, he flies toward the gun as it fires full force into him. When he reaches it, he rips it from the helicopter and throws it onto a nearby rooftop.
"Take it down now!" Clark orders the robbers. They respond with more bullets. Clark taps them one by one, knocking them against the cabin of the helicopter. John continues to fire until Clark looks at the barrel of his pistol and it melts in John's hands.
"What are you?!" John screams.
Clark ignores him and jumps back into the air. He grabs the helicopter from underneath and pulls toward the ground. The pilot fights to no avail. Clark lands amongst a number of police cars on the street.
One of the quick witted officers manages to pull his gun out and hold it on Clark. "Put your hands where I can see them!"
"They're the criminals, officer." Clark smiles. "I was just trying to be of assistance."
With that, he leaps back into the air and flies away.
***
And that's when the mysterious man appeared. Clad in a blue outfit and a red cape, he flew into the air and rescued the police helicopter and took down the bank robbers. He flew away before he could be question, but we do have a number of cell phone pictures from the scene. As for the robbers, they were apprehended by the police. The leader is one John Corben, a wanted crim...*PAUSE*
A woman stirs in bed as the man next to her stares at the image of the blue and red clad hero on the screen. "Mmm...what's going on Lex?"
Lex ignores her question, saying simply, "Intriguing."
-To Be Continued-