[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/M3SfSt4.png[/img][/center]

[b]Newsroom of the [i]Daily Planet[/i]
Metropolis
11:00am Local Time[/b]

[color=SandyBrown]"--says to me 'I need blood, semen, urine, and stool samples from you',"[/color] Steve Lombard continues, nudging me with his elbow as regales me of his latest encounter with the Metropolis Special Crimes Unit.  [color=SandyBrown]"So I say, 'look, officer, I don't have time to stick around, how 'bout I just leave you a pair of my briefs?'"[/color]

This elicits groans from various cubicles.  Jenny rolls her eyes, Troupe tries as hard as he can to pretend that Lombard doesn't exist.  Jimmy looks up with some recognition.

[color=Orange]"Isn't that from a movie?"[/color] he asks.  [color=Orange]"Yeah, that's from--"[/color]

[color=RoyalBlue]"Oh, ha-ha, that [i]is[/i] funny,"[/color] I force a chuckle, trying to spare Lombard the embarrassment-- he's a bit of a blowhard, and his jokes crash more often than they land, but I suppose he's just trying to relate.  [color=RoyalBlue]"That reminds me, did I tell you the one about--"[/color]

[b][i]ZEEE- ZEEE- ZEEE- ZEEE- ZEEE-[/i][/b]

[color=RoyalBlue]"Oof!"[/color] I say, putting my hand to my mouth as if to cover a burp.

The others in the room can't hear the ultrasonic signal ringing in my eardrums, but I hear it loud and clear.  An emergency signal from the Watchtower, broadcast to all members of the Justice League.  While the signal can be picked up by the communicator earpieces all of the members have on them, my enhanced senses hear the signal wave itself directly.

[color=SandyBrown]"Whoah, somethin' wrong, Kent?"[/color] Lombard asks, only half concerned.

[color=RoyalBlue]"Just a little....ngggh....indigestion,"[/color] I say, clutching my stomach and squirming with mock nausea.  [color=RoyalBlue]"One second, if you don't mind."[/color]

With just a touch of overacting, I hurry out of the newsroom and towards the men's room.  Once I'm out of eyesight, I touch own earpiece to hear the actual message.

[i]PRIORITY ALERT
UNKNOWN ASSAILANTS IN S.T.A.R. LABS, TOKYO
MULTIPLE CIVILIAN FATALITIES
PLEASE RESPOND[/i]

The comedy of my upset-stomach routine vanishes, and I feel my brow furrow.  Innocent people are already dead, and Heaven knows how many people might still be in danger.

[color=Violet]"Everything okay, Smallville?"[/color] asks Lois as she follows me out of the newsroom.

[color=RoyalBlue]"Just a little indigestion,"[/color] I say, [color=RoyalBlue]"I think the Japanese takeout we had last night was a bit strong for me."[/color]

It would be a fairly easy code to crack, using food to tell her where exactly I'm needed.  Thankfully, everyone at the [i]Planet[/i] knows Clark Kent has the weakest stomach of anyone they've met, so anything spicier than white bread and skim milk sends him running to the stalls.

Lois nods.  [color=Violet]"Well, you might want to take care of that before you make a mess.  I've still got a deadline to meet, and one of us needs to be free in time to pick up Jon from little league practice."[/color]

[color=RoyalBlue]"Got it, I should be quick,"[/color] I say with an apologetic smile.  [color=RoyalBlue]"Love you, hon."[/color]

I give her a quick kiss, then rather than the men's room, I head to the janitor's closet.....

[center][url=https://imgur.com/yeLgEne][img]http://i.imgur.com/yeLgEnel.jpg[/img][/url][/center]

....and I change into my work clothes.

Seconds later, I'm hurtling through the skies, across the Continental US, across the Pacific Ocean, across the International Date Line as day turns to night on the far side of the planet.

Tokyo, here I come.

[center][b](TRAVEL POST; NO PROGRESS MADE TOWARD EVENT[/b][/center]

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[center][h2]EVENT #1: TROUBLE IN TOKYO[/h2]
No Twists Today
Target Number: 15
Timer: 4[/center]