Superman V Batman: Dawn Of Justice

12: Connections

Bruce stood at the window and watched as life passed by in the city of Metropolis as the sun began to set. The conversation he just had with the reporter Lois Lane was playing over and over in his mind.

To call that conversation exhausting would be quite an understatement, Bruce thought to himself. Lois was an intelligent, quick-witted and very inquisitive journalist, no doubt; and although those were the traits he admired in a person too, he didn't find them at all pleasant when directed against him.

But as unpleasant as Bruce found the interview, he did gain one thing out of that interview though. There was definitely a connection between Lois Lane and Superman, one which he was willing to bet was very important to one or both parties.

Thing is, he had gotten that conviction when he had questioned her about Superman being a threat. The way her body tensed up in response showed that she was about to jump to his defense but quickly caught herself. A smart move on her part, he would agree. Unfortunately, for her at least, she wasn't quite that fast enough to escape the notice of someone as perspective as him.

Bruce began to wonder how a bond could have been forged between Superman and Lois, especially in light of former's god-complex. "Perhaps there's more to the Man of Steel than meets the eye," he said, finally turning away from the window and the city now fully into the night, "and I bet Lois Lane's a vital piece to completing that puzzle."

***

Lois finally exhaled when she stepped out of the elevator; she didn't even know she had been holding her breath that long.

She had just finished a very long and rather excruciating interview with Bruce Wayne whom she had to admit was quite interesting but in a strange kind of way. The man was dark, like someone who was used to playing in the shadows. If she didn't know better, she would have even said he had them around him in the sunlight.

Anyway, the interview was done and now was the time Lois had to put all she'd learnt together in a coherent piece, which was why she decided to go back to the Daily Planet.

"How did the interview go?" Lois suddenly heard behind her, causing her jump in fright and screaming as she lost her footing and would have hit the floor if not that Clark caught her in a blink of an eye.

"Clark, Would you please stop scaring me like that?" she chastised him. "You'll end up giving me a heart attack one of these days, you know?" She got out of their reflex embrace. "By the way, why are you even still in the office at this night?"

Thing is, it was already way past work hours and Daily Planet employees only stayed overtime when they had reports to finish- which wasn't often- which was why Lois had chosen to come back to the office instead of going straight home in the first place.

"I was waiting for you," Clark replied, pulling up a chair right across from Lois' desk as she pulled hers behind it. "So, how did the interview go?" he asked again.

"Quite okay, I have to admit," she replied truthfully. "Although I think Bruce Wayne knows more about the Batman than he's letting on."

"Are you sure?" He made a curious face.

"I'm willing to bet on it," she replied. "It was when I asked him about the Dark Knight, actually. It was just for a split second but I could have sworn his eyes lit up with a sense of familiarity, which would confirm a suspicion I already had."

Lois turned her laptop towards Clark and showed him photos of a few of Batman's equipment that had been caught on camera. "I emailed these photographs to a tech-head friend of mine that works for Star Labs and he told me that these things are worth a fortune," she explained, "Now tell me how someone the authorities described as a lowlife vigilante could afford this kind of equipment?"

"Except he's been funded by a billionaire who also happens to own one of the best industries in the country," he realised what she was getting at, agreeing immediately that that was definitely a compelling case for Bruce Wayne's connection to the Batman. "But Lois," he said, "if what you're saying is the truth, I don't think Bruce or the Batman will let you poke at it just like it. You have to let me handle this."

"And are we talking about handling this as Clark Kent or Superman?" she asked, shooting him what could be termed a conspiring smile.

"I have a feeling the both of them will be needed before all this is over,", he returned, sighing. "You just stay out of it till I deem it safe, okay?"

"No promises," she returned, the conspiring smile still on her face and Clark knew that she was only half-listening; if she was even listening at all, that is.

"Lois, there are some things in this world that are best not trifled with," he said, his tone filled with both warning and concern.

But she only continued to smile at him. "It's a good thing we have the Man of Steel on hand then, Clark," she replied. "Or what do you think?"