“Good morning, Lois.”

Lois Lane looked up from her work, distracted. Clark Kent smiled at her, a steaming mug of coffee in his hand. In the background a dozen or so of their co-workers hurried around, trying to please the boss.

“Oh, yeah. Good morning, Clark.”

She returned towards the job at hand. Yesterday she had received a huge package with forms and papers that needed to be sorted. She and Clark were busy on an article about the aftermath of the heavy earthquake from almost two months ago. Many buildings had been severely damaged, and some of them had already collapsed over time.

Lois stifled a yawn and noticed that Clark was still standing next to her desk, grinning at her.

“I think you need one of these.” He held out his mug to her, and Lois accepted it gratefully.

“Thanks. I’m tired enough as it is. This mess isn’t helping.”

Lois indicated the papers that lay strewn all over her desk, covering every bit of the surface.

“And to think that I didn’t even have half of it.”

She leaned back to watch Clark’s desk, fully expecting to see an even bigger mess. After all, he had taken the lion’s share. Clark’s desk, however, looked impeccable.

Lois groaned.

“Don’t tell me you haven’t started yet. You know we-“

“I won’t.” Clark interrupted her.

“You won’t what?”

“I won’t tell you I haven’t started yet. I’m already finished.”

“What? How?” Lois spluttered. They had received these papers at the end of the day. There was no way that Clark could have finished them already, unless…

“Clark, did you stay late again?”

“No, I did it at home.”

Lois rolled her eyes. Really. That man had no life outside the office.

“Well? Did you find something?”

“Yes, I did. I- ”

He was interrupted when a loud voice sounded across the room.

“Kent! I want to see you in my office.”

Clark sighed, handed Lois a small pile of paper, muttered “I’ll be right back.”, and hurried off to Perry White’s office.

Lois started to skim the forms Clark had shoved into her hands. It didn’t take her very long to find out why Clark had thought them of importance. In fact, she got so engrossed that she started when someone disturbed her again.

Two hands were clapped over her eyes.

“Guess who?”

“Richard!” Lois yelped.

“Right in one!” Richard laughed, removing his hands.

Lois gave Richard a quick peck on the lips before returning to Clark’s papers.

“What’s so interesting, hmm?” Richard nuzzled her neck.

“Something Clark gave me, look.”

She shoved an very old looking paper under his nose. It was an map of Metropolis. Most of the buildings hadn’t been built yet. In fact…

“This still shows the old course of the river.” Lois said, trailing the broad blue line across the paper with her finger. “And when you look at this -.’ She held a more recent map of Metropolis right next to it.

Richard looked at the maps, bewildered. “What am I supposed to see?”

Lois sighed and took a red marker from Richard’s breast pocket. “Look at the locations of the collapsed buildings… voila!”

Richard looked at the map closely and then it hit him.

“All of the collapsed buildings are located right where the river used to flow…”

“Well, not all of them.” Lois pointed at two tray marks on the map. “But a convincing majority.” Lois looked smug, pushing the thought that Clark had come up with it first out of her mind.

“So, does this mean –‘

Richard was cut off when Jimmy interrupted then.

“Mr White wants to see the two of you in his office.”

Lois sighed and made a face before she tucked the two maps under her arm and meandered to Perry’s office.

“You wanted to see us, Mr White?”

Perry leaned back in his chair.

“I want to know what you got for me about this story of yours. Kent told me you found a lead?”

Perry casually waved in the direction of Clark, who sat in a chair next to the desk, fidgeting nervously.

“Yes.” Lois shoved the two maps under her boss’ nose and explained the purpose of the red marks. Perry looked thoughtful.

“So, obviously, the buildings in this area must be considered a high risk to the community. The public must be warned that –‘

Perry cut her off.

“Why? Why are these buildings such a risk? Why do only the buildings in this area collapse? They’re not that old.”

Lois was momentarily silenced.

“Maybe the soil is weaker there, or something? Maybe it’s unable to support the weight.” Clark’s helpful voice sounded.

Perry looked at Clark surprised, as though he had forgotten he was there. Which, Lois mused, he probably had. He then clapped in his hands. “Excellent angle! Lane, Kent, I want the two of you to dig deeper. Find the owner of that ground. Is he aware of the risks? How is he going to handle this? Talk to an expert. What’s wrong with the soil? How big a threat is this? I want to know it all and I want to know it tomorrow! Richard, you stay here, there’s something I want to discuss with you…”

Perry’s voice died as Lois closed the door behind her.

“Well, I guess it’s just you and me, like the old days then, eh?”

Clark smiled his trademark goofy smile and Lois rolled her eyes. Some things will never change.

“Yeah, I guess so… Well, if you call the owner of those buildings, then I’ll get us that expert.”

Lois sank down in her chair and threw all of the scattered paper on her desk in the bin with one a sweeping motion, drained her cup and picked up the phone.

“Oh, and Clark?” She called; the mild-mannered reporter looked up. “Thanks for the coffee.”

He gave her the thumbs up before picking up his own phone.