Mrs. Duval picked up the phone and contemplated her next move. Kal had scorned her, she was still adjusting to that, but more importantly she now had nothing whatsoever in her life that was exciting, eventful or even mildly distracting. Plainly stated, she was bored. She dialed the number and waited. "Hello this is Max Garner speaking, how may I help you?" The voice was melodic, but with a strained quality to it.
"I am calling regarding one of your employees, Kal I believe his name was." She paused and waited for the man on the other end of the line to find the information she was requesting. "I'm sorry miss…"
"Mrs." She stated coldly
"Mrs. We do not have a Kal in our register." He said, obviously expecting her to speak.
"That's impossible," she exclaimed. "I distinctly recall him. In fact I met him just last week!"
"We did have a Kal in our service last June, but he left after only a week." The shock of this statment caused Mrs. Duval to almost drop her phone. "What is his current address?" She didn't understand what was happening, Kal was safe as long as she knew he was bound by the regulations of the club, but if he wasn't... The things that could have happened.
"I'm afraid we can't divulge that information." The man was quiet, but she was quite sure she heard him sigh. The phone cracked as she slammed it down.
Clark pretended to be startled as Lois walked up behind him and tickled his ribs. He grabbed her hands and as he spun around, caught her in his arms. "Keepers finders," he whispered and let her go, scanning the crowd for Chloe. He saw her dancing with some older guy, when she turned around he smiled brilliantly at her. Lois appeared rather surprised, but quickly recovered. "I must really be a bad influence," she said and walked to the bar, disappearing in the multitude of faces looking for a good time. Clark was feeling regret, guilt and a multitude of feelings he was uncomfortable and tired of, he wished he had never put on the ring, and he wished he could but it back on. In an attempt to forget his inner turmoil he stalked slowly and deliberately towards Chloe. He wasn't going to do anything bad; he just wanted to loose himself in the music with someone he cared about. The guy she was dancing with seemed rather familiar, but Clark paid more attention to Chloe who was looking at him with a questioning frown. "Hi Clark, this is…" "Christopher, long time" Clark finished. "You two know each other?" Chloe asked with a hint of surprise. Clark really didn't want to explain how he knew Chris, but he couldn't ignore the fact that she was dancing with him. "Mind if I take over?" He looked at Chris and smiled, understanding entered Chris's eyes and he let go of Chloe's hand. "Yes he does," Chloe said indignantly, "if you want to dance with me, mister, you ask me!" Chloe took Chris's hand and led him away from Clark. Chris looked back with a pleading expression, but Clark had made his point, Chloe was of limits to Chris and his games.
The night wore on and Clark was getting bored. Chloe was completely infatuated with Chris, he didn't want a friendly dance with some stranger, and he couldn't get drunk. Just when he thought his night couldn't get any worse Lois parked herself on the couch next to him. "Hello Clark," she said and eyed him over with embarrassingly obvious eyes. After not regretting her many beers she slurred; "You're cute." Clark had to stop himself from reaching over and kissing her. This was Lois, and he was Clark, there would be no such things going on between them. "We need to get you home," he told her and lifted her effortlessly by her waist and helped her stand. "No, I am perfectly alright, see I'm standing all by myself," she held out her hands and fell back into his arms. "I see that, now are you going to come or will I have to carry you?" She pouted, then a look of rage swept her face. "You wouldn't dare," she said and waved a finger around, occasionally pointing at his face. "Try me." She looked at him with highly suspicious eyes and told him; "OK." Clark was not finding the situation to be funny. He did not want to take Lois back to the hotel, in fact spending time with Lois in her current state was to much work, and to much of a temptation. He looked around to see if he could spot Chloe, but there was no sign of her. "OK, we're going home." He took a hold of her and lifted her into his arms. As he made his way to the exit one of the security guards of the club, a dark skinned man of imposing stature, came up to them. "Kal, I can't let you leave with this woman." Lois, who was still outrageously indignant, slapped Clark on the arm and said, "See that, I told ya you couldn't." Clark looked at the man and said coldly, "relax, she's a friend." The security guard didn't move and Clark was getting really sick of playing nice. "Get out of my way," the man looked unsure, he clearly didn't want Clark to leave with Lois, but he didn't want damage the club by alienating one of their best customers.
"I'm sorry for the disturbance Kal, of course you may go." It was an attractive woman of about 30 with a killer body. Clark remembered her as the manager of another club, and as he recalled they had banned him from coming. He thanked her and walked out, Lois sleeping uneasily in his arms.