1276/The Bells: Superhearing is a Problem

The Bells: Superhearing is a Problem
Date of Scene:	21 April 2020
Location:	Midtown - New Troy
Synopsis:	Lois and Clark attempt to follow the 'Bells' monster, knowing Clark may well get hypnotized by it.
Cast of Characters:	Clark Kent, Lois Lane

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Clark Kent has posed:
The plan is a decent one. The idea was, the next time that Clark picked up on the sounds of those strange bell sounds with his Super-hearing, they'd set Lois as the driver, with Clark in a passenger seat. For safety, Lois would have ear-plugs, so that she'd be sure not to be caught by anything. If Clark seemed to go into a hypnotic state, she'd attempt to put the noise-canceling headphones he'd brought for himself.

No matter what, they'd learn a few things: whether the earplugs would work, if Clark could be pulled out of a trance that way, or if they'd need to come up with something entirely different.

And now, they're running out to the car, as Clark tries not to focus too hard on the strange vibrating tones he can hear from the other end of the city. "Have everything?" Clark asks, climbing into the passenger seat, and then offering her something: her earplugs, in his hand. He's worried, but there's a brave firmness to Clark right now behind his glasses, as they're entering relative privacy of the car.

Lois Lane has posed:
Sure, it's a dangerous task, but Lois had never shied away from danger. Except, of course, this put Clark in danger. That shouldn't have been an issue save for the fact that if /Clark/ was in danger, then it was a much more dangerous situation than if she were. Still, she's not shying away from getting to the bottom of this. Especially not if it's dangerous.

"Yeah, I think we're about as prepared as we can be, I think." As she settles into the car, she takes the earplugs from his hand. "If you need my attention, just wave and look panicked." She smirks at him. It's a little lightness to the situation. "And if you aren't waving and looking panicked that's my cue to do it."

Clark Kent has posed:
Clark gives her a slight smile sideways. It's very low-key, the man has moved into a more serious-business look. He's wearing some black things under his usual 'Clark' ill-fitting attire, his tie snug yet somehow also loose at the same time. It's a superpower of a sort. He adjusts it, a move she's seen before him delivering some news to Perry or something like that - an honest tell that he is, in fact, affected by things, but is otherwise showing a competent strength.

"That seems entirely fair. But I'll be directly you, so you'll notice that I stop. If I do clearly stop responding, pull over before you deal with it. I will probably just sit here, and the last thing we need is a car accident," Clark warns, moving a hand over to touch her knee gently. He brings out his headphones and hooks them onto his head, leaving them positioned in front of his ears but not on them, and then gives her another smile and nod. He then seems to 'go' elsewhere, as he listens intently. "North, due north."
He pauses, and directs instead with a hand, pointing. Won't help to talk to her after she's got her earplugs in, after all.

Lois Lane has posed:
"Yeah, I'll be careful. I figure if you stop responding we're close and I probably need to pull over anyway." Lois puts a hand atop his for a moment, then moves to lean over and press a quick kiss to his cheek before putting her earplugs in. She can tell he's concerned too--a little reassurance goes a long way.

With the earplugs in, she directs the car northwards, following whatever way he points with care. She'll take her time on the streets if she has to, she doesn't want to go any closer to the thing than she needs to.

Clark Kent has posed:
Clark directs them, over the course of several lights, then suddenly he bolts an arm across her, unnatural in speed: the protective arm flashed out to indicate what she already can see: a car is sort of lazily going through a red light towards the intersection in front of them, rolls to back-end a parked car slowly, and stops there.

Clark points north more, though, his frown deep, after he stared hard at that car. 'They're okay,' he mouths at Lois, then points onward, expression turning more serious as they head INTO the place of wherever that car just came from. There's a lot less traffic....

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois can't help but smile. She just got mom-armed by Superman. Still, the protectiveness is warranted. There was something potentally dangerous and protecting was what he did. Her eyes go between him and the nearby car, but as he indicates things are good, she proceeds onwards. Now, however, she knows to be a little more careful.

Her eyes take in any cars near her, anything that seems out of the ordinary, and she keeps the car at a low speed as she proceeds forward. Reaction time would be necessary, especially if she couldn't hear something coming. He'd have to be her ears--until he couldn't.

Clark Kent has posed:
Clark directs her a bit more, then... he lowers his arm, and just sits there, staring out to the last direction he gave, which was to make a right turn. But there's no more instruction anymore, just him sitting there, looking out the window.

Around her, it's eerie quiet. Mostly due to that Lois has earplugs in, possibly.

Lois Lane has posed:
Even with the earplugs, Lois is aware that there's something unnatural around. It seemed a bit too empty, traffic wasn't a thing, and she couldn't spot anyone from where she was. She turns right, the pace slow as she looks for signs of life, people in cars, people on sidewalks... and then she notices no more instruction.

"Clark?" While she can't hear, if he's still awake, he still would be able to. Her car rolls to a stop in the street and she checks around her before she pulls the car over into the nearest parking spot. This had to be the closest he could go. But she was still alright, earplugs and all, so the big question was--was he?

Clark Kent has posed:
Clark isn't; she's seen him do this before. In the same car, in the same style of position. He's just checked out, and isn't doing anything at all. It's just a quiet sort of daydreaming, a distance.

And then there's something else. It's starting to get dark, as long, massive shadows fall across the street, as if clouds were coming in, yet the sky is clear of that. It's just becoming darker, bleak.

Lois Lane has posed:
Okay, that's not good. Lois reaches over to cover Clark's ears with the headphones, not bothering to try and get his attention in any other way. Right now, she needed to see if she could get his attention at all. While her car is in park, she's ready to pull a U and get them out of there if she can't get Clark to respond.

It was one thing to get some intel on the thing, it was another to see a dark shadow starting to take over the area in front of them. This wasn't exactly her usual reporting gig.

Clark Kent has posed:
Clark does appear to get the headphones put on... but he does not respond. Maybe it didn't work? Which means... what? It could mean many things.

But the truth of the matter is that long shadows are deepening around them, slanting humanoid-like shapes of long limbs and arching backs, tall as buildings, stretch over the gas station billboard to Lois's left...

Lois Lane has posed:
Superhearing seems to have its downfalls sometimes. Given that her earplugs are still working, Lois is at least feeling confident that she's safe from things--other than the fact that the shadow was getting close and /large/. "Crap," she mutters into the void that neither of them can hear. One hand reaches over to the dashcam tilting it over to the side where it should be able to record some of it as she makes for her retreat.

Putting the car back into drive, she quickly pulls out of her spot, flipping a quick U-turn so she can put a bit of speed on and put some distance between the shadows and the two of them.

Clark Kent has posed:
Lois leaves the shadows behind them. After a few minutes of that, Clark seems to come back with a start, and look bewildered. He turns around in his seat, trying to look and figure out how they started to go around in the opposite direction. The big shadows in the sky, at the edge of his vision, tell him a lot.

Clark looks at her silently, his expression very serious.

Lois Lane has posed:
Once Clark appears to be paying attention again, Lois pulls off the street again and puts the car into park. She doesn't take her earplugs out, mostly because she doesn't know exactly where is /safe/ to for either of them at this point. She holds up a finger in the general 'wait a second' motion before she leans over to the dashcam. Hitting a button, she sends the video to her phone.

With the footage there, she turns the phone towards him and plays it back so he can see just what the shadows were like when he was unresponsive. Her eyes watch him carefully.

Clark Kent has posed:
Clark accepts her phone, watching the footage critically. He looks out the window and back again, then at Lois, with a mix of frustration and dismay. He switches to their text window, and very quickly types out a message, before handing it back to her. Easier than trying to mouth things.

'I could still hear the edge of it with my headset on, as you were driving away. I think it's just not a good enough headset for me. But I'm glad you're safe. I don't hear it now.'

Clark shakes his head again, and waits for her reply and thoughts.

Lois Lane has posed:
It's a tough call, and Lois actually sits there for a moment before she texts back, concern in her eyes. 'I don't know if we've got a safe way to protect you from it. It was pretty close even when we were over there, but at least it seems like I didn't have a problem. I didn't see anyone nearby, it looks like if there was anyone affected they were all indoors or somewhere safe.'

She rests a hand on his knee for a moment, squeezing it before texting again. 'We need to find you something stronger if you're going to get near it.'

Clark Kent has posed:
Superman -- err, Clark -- nods his agreement, lifting his hands to take off the headset, clearly looking around, listening. "It's passed." He lowers the headset to his lap in one hand, touching her hand with his free one.

"We'll have to find something.... magical or tech, yes," he gives, gravely, brows knitting, but he accepts her statement and gives her a smile. They'll figure it out.

Lois Lane has posed:
If he's certain it's nowhere nearby, she'll trust him. Lois takes the earplugs out, setting them aside. "I've got to say, I kind of feel slightly guilty now that I feel what it's like worrying after you being in danger. I don't like the fact that this thing can effect you too."

Her hand turns to grasp his, squeezing it gently for a moment. "But you've got me. I'll have your back." They are, after all, partners. In everything now.