The Not Quite Justice League in... The Bee's Pleas!!!

[stands_for_hope]

[continued from here]

Finishing his article, clearing everything with Keith, those things took time. That was why it took a few hours before Clark was ready to make his usual call to Lois that night. He had worried that he might not make the time window that she cleared every day to talk to him and the others, but he was proud to say that he'd left himself an even half an hour as long as everything was to schedule.

After the fifth time she didn't pick up (didn't so much as text or ping him), it became clear that things were very much off schedule.

Clark made his way back to the main floor where everyone seemed to congregate and headed straight for Tony, holding up the phone to him.

"I know we're all tired and we've certainly had a long day, but... can you find out where Lois's phone is from the number here?"

In all the madness of the day, all the fighting and the close calls and the weakness brought on by the proximity of kryptonite, he'd lost track of her heartbeat. Usually, it was simple enough to pick up over the phone once again, a steady pulse that he could find his way back to once the phonecall had ended.

He couldn't hear her. He couldn't tell where she was. And she wasn't answering her phone. She always answered her phone. He didn't want to think anything was wrong, but he wasn't naive enough to discount something like this. Not after today. Not after they'd pulled out kryptonite weapons.

Comments

[kolodnoykovki]

And given that Steve's bag was buzzing and Steve was elsewhere, Jim was the one who picked up the phone and said, "Yeah, this isn't who you're expecting, but somebody left his phone in his bag. Hey, Sam."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Oh thank God," came the answer. "Though I'll save the whole 'I'm hurt, I'm feeling slighted, why don't you call me for teamups anymore' line for when the big guy himself picks up.

"How you doin', Jim? I'm assumin' that everyone's in one piece and doin' as all right as they could be?"

[kolodnoykovki]

"Live closer and you can come," Jim answered with half a smirk in his voice. "Yeah, everybody's okay, generally. Lois is on the mend. I'm... still kind of wishing I could've cracked some more heads, but that's me. How's the SHIELD reputation doing?"

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Not really my thing," Sam admitted, "but I know the rest of the folks at the Tower up here are kinda watching half popcorn, half jaws on the ground."

[kolodnoykovki]

"At least we've taken a base out from under them," Jim exhaled. "I suspect things are going to cool down now. For a while, anyway. We've found some people who know more about Hydra movements than we do."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"You mean those Justice people who're on the news right now?" and it was clear he was turning to look at a screen himself.

[kolodnoykovki]

"Nnno, they're allies, but we found other people who have been keeping an eye on Hydra, too. The Justice people on the news are really helpful, though. One of them's kind of related to Superman. The other group's been around doing covert stuff since the eighties."

He remembered that, anyway.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Well, sounds like we've got some introductions to make. And it's always good to make friends. Anyone I woulda heard of?"

[kolodnoykovki]

"Dunno. I can't remember their acronym and I don't know if I'm allowed to give their names. They're still kind of underground for a lot of what they do." Even if they both did have the same name. Seriously, whose idea was that.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"That's cool. I know the need to know. Anyway, I was mostly just checkin' in to make sure that you and the other fossil were still around and kickin'. Anything you need me for?"

[kolodnoykovki]

"We're still around. Steve and Diana are busy - feel free to tease him about that next time you call, too - and we're mostly just... sleeping it off. If you want to come by, I'm sure Stark would let you up, but we're not doing anything. Or at least we won't be until somebody gets back with news from SHIELD. ...Kind of a huge superhero sleepover up here."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Isn't that how you Metropolis folks roll? Not that we can talk, what with the big Tower full of people who actually take Thursday Movie Night seriously."

There was a snort and a pause as someone made a comment from behind him but it wasn't quite audible.

"Think I'll stay here, though. As much as I wanna tease the old man, I got birds in the nest and a phone works just fine. Can't fault his game, though."

There was some shuffling and readjusting of the phone before--

"Just gimme a call if you guys need anything. I'm just a plane away. Glad it all went down without too much trouble."

[kolodnoykovki]

"Same." But then, more quietly, Jim added, "We did hear of some stuff happening in South America we might be keeping an eye on, but if anything starts coming to a head, you want a call?"

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Definitely, man, not even a question," Sam said seriously.

"I'd be offended on this one if I didn't know it'd all kinda hit by surprise. Not that I'm missing the bruises or anything."

[kolodnoykovki]

He nodded invisibly before answering, "Plus, we've only got so many supersonic flyers. But if we get a clue on South America, we'll have more time to get everything together. I'll call you if it comes to it." Easy to promise. Some aerial recon that didn't have a problem using a gun would come in handy.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Sounds good to me," he said with an audible smile. "It'll be nice to get the wings out."

[kolodnoykovki]

"It'll be nice to have you on the job. I'm gonna go see if Steve and Diana are done. Want to hold or want him to call you back?" He'd give the option, at least. And he wasn't quite sure which of those he'd prefer.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"I'll just call him later. Let him know I called all concerned, though," Sam said with a smile, "and take care of yourself, Rogers."

[kolodnoykovki]

"You too, Wilson." And with that serving as a goodbye, he hung up and headed toward the room he, Steve, and Diana shared.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Steve and Diana were curled up on the bed on their floor, Steve looking a little like he'd been hit by a freight train and Diana looking smug and quite happily settled for the evening. Steve threw up a hand and gave Jim a warm smile when he saw him in the doorway.

"Hey."

[kolodnoykovki]

"Sam called. He was worried," Jim said in lieu of greeting, for all he lifted a hand to answer the wave. Planting himself on the foot of the bed, he tossed Steve's phone at his knee. "Lois's painkillers finally kicked in and she's sleeping. Clark's watching her. And apparently some of our new friends are on TV. A lot happens while you're being lazy in bed."

He said it all with a perfectly straight face but a faint gleam in his eye.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Jerk," was Steve's answer as he reached over to grab his phone and take a look at the screen. He considered calling Sam back, but chose instead to send him a quick text to let him know that he was fine, really, he swore, and he'd give him a call sometime tomorrow.

Diana sat up a little and looked over at James.

"I am glad to hear they are together. Which of our new friends has found themselves on the television, if I might ask?"

[kolodnoykovki]

"Sam said 'some of the Justice guys,'" he answered. "So Clark's ... kind-of cousin and all."

He rolled his shoulders.

"We hit two heavy Hydra targets, one right after another. They're either going to gear up for a counterstrike, or they're going to lay low for a while."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"I would bet lay low, given the political implications with Bialya," Steve guessed as he put his phone off on the bed table. Then he was swinging his legs out and looking for his boxers. Diana had not been... neat.

"I'm debating another shower," he admitted, which was when he ruffled his hair and some of the water still in it sprayed. Apparently, Diana had jumped him in the shower.

[kolodnoykovki]

"Stark's water bill. Run it up." Jim was chuckling, but for once, he didn't want to look Steve over. He averted his eyes instead, giving him at least the illusion of privacy. "Guess we'll find out what Hydra does after we hear back from that young guy's father."