Tickets To A Midnight Movie

Lois kept her face neutral. A movie wasn't...bad. Public location, casual dress. She could go as she was right now. It all depended on the film. Knowing her luck, the demon would take her to some run-down porno theater with sticky seats...

"What are we seeing?" she asked.

"Casablanca," the woman said, extending her arm to gesture Lois toward a side door.

The reporter blinked. "That's one of my favorite films."

"Mine too. When they sing La Marseillaise...ah, but we need to get going if we want to make it. This way."

Lois Lane turned to wave goodbye to her mother, except her shirt back from a waitress—cleaned and pressed, the reporter noticed—and slipped it on as Angelica Blaze ushered her through the side door to what turned out to be a private elevator.

They rode in silence, only dimly hearing the noise of the club through the walls. The elevator had signs of faded gentility, the old Metropolis with shiny brass gone foggy and green, oak paneling darkened with age, mirrors tarnished by spots. Time enough for Lois to dwell on the "date" and its implications, what her mother had hinted at and promised. Knowing she would have to go through with it.

You're a grown woman, Lois Lane, she told herself. Just lie back and think of mom. When we get there.

"Penny for your thoughts," the devil said as the elevator clunked to a stop. The door slid open and they stepped out, down a small corridor and through another door into an alley. There was a limousine waiting. Blaze opened the door to let Lois get seated first, then followed.

"The end of the evening," Lois said when the doors were shut and they were off again, a privacy window keeping their conversation away from the driver's ears.

"Ah," Angelica said. "Yes. That. I think we should just try to enjoy ourselves. This is a date. Let's have fun. I don't know about you, but it's been absolutely ages since I've been out with anyone."

"Me too," Lois said honestly, surprised at the devil's apparent candor. "But I would be more relaxed if we could...get it out into the open. Do we...have to have sex?"

"Contractually, yes." The devil said. "If you'll take my word for it. It's mostly a formality in this case. Nothing kinky, just the old way to 'seal the deal' so to speak. We can get it out of the way right now, if it makes you feel better. Or we can put it off until the end. Whatever you feel comfortable with."