Enemies & Allies by Kevin J. Anderson Read Free Book Online Page A

front door!
    She regained her composure, surprised that her voice sounded so normal. “Do you often peep in on single women like myself?”
    “That wouldn’t be proper.”
    She smiled. “Exactly what I expected you to say.” She indicated the davenport. He declined both wine and champagne (no surprise) and got right down to business. He remained standing in her living room, his red cape moving in the slight breeze from the open balcony door. Lois urged him, “Please have a seat.”
    Moving with a flash of endearing awkwardness, as if he didn’t know how to be casual, he walked to the davenport, adjusted his cape, and sat down. Lois took a seat on the cushion next to him, as close as she dared, and picked up her notepad and pencil, crossing one shapely leg over the other. She was pleased to see from a slight widening of his blue eyes that he noticed.
    She cleared her throat, pretending to be all business. “First things first. What do we call you?”
    Lois thought it was a straightforward question, but his brow furrowed. “You mean like a stage name? I haven’t really thought about it.”
    “You have many amazing abilities, and you certainly seem like a real hero. Someone super… Superman ! I like that, unless you’d prefer something else?”
    “No, I like it, too, Miss Lane.” She was surprised at how pleased his approval made her feel, and she moved a little closer to him, trying to be nonchalant. He didn’t notice…or maybe he did.
    “What’s the significance of the symbol on your chest and cape? Is that the letter s ?”
    He touched his chest. “It’s a symbol with its own meanings. But yes, it could be seen as the letter s .”
    She sighed, trying to disarm him with charm. “Is this how it’s going to be, then? Evasive answers to direct questions?”
    His eyes sparkled. “It depends on the questions.”
    “What’s your telephone number?”
    “It’s unlisted.”
    “I figured as much.” As Lois scribbled a note to herself, she continued her questioning. “One other thing. Why do you wear your red trunks on the outside of your pants? Isn’t that a little backward?” Her lips quirked in a smile.
    “Oh, now, Miss Lane,” he said, blushing. “I thought this would be a serious interview.”
    “Just trying to break the ice. All right, I’ll be serious. Tell me more about these powers of yours. What, exactly, can you do?”
    Superman explained that he could fly (obviously), that he had super-strength, that he possessed certain other powers, many of which were just emerging. He seemed a bit mystified about them himself.
    Lois was fascinated, even forgetting to take notes. “And how did you come by these powers? A radiation accident? A scientific experiment? Vitamins?”
    He laced his fingers together, holding his hands in his lap as if the answer was a difficult one for him. “No, you see, I…I don’t exactly come from Earth. I’m from another planet, a place called Krypton.”
    Lois stared at him incredulously. “An alien, you mean?”
    “Do I look like an alien?”
    Lois recalled the rubber monsters she’d seen in the movies. If he was telling the truth, she had her hands on the story of the century. The hard part would be deciding which headline to use. No, she thought, the hard part would be convincing people of his claims. “Do you realize how preposterous this is going to sound to my readers?”
    “Preposterous?” Superman crossed his muscular arms. “You mean like a man who can fly? A man with heat rays that lance out of his eyes or X-ray vision?” She couldn’t argue with that.
    “X-ray vision? Does that mean you could see right through my dress if you wanted to?” The question had sounded coy and demure in her mind, but when she said it aloud, it sounded stupid. She blushed furiously, kicking herself for letting her guard down.
    “Again, Miss Lane, that would be an improper use of my powers. I was raised better than that.”
    Of course you were. “Who raised you? Where