Tuesday, January 30, 2007

AAI: Episode 104: Reparation




A/N: So, you’ve gotta be asking yourself: is the series going to be all about the Chlimmy… or the Chlark? And how long’s the Lexana gonna last? And is Lois going to die a horrific but ironic death? And is there an apocalypse coming? And, for goodness’s sake, is Clark flying yet?

Unlike Dagula-Inagehi, the arid desert of Jorja was hot under the red sun Pontikos. The Champions of Kal-El trudged across the sand, spacious but light robes covering their bodies and protecting them from the sun. Wearing the familiar turquoise Shaman’s Eye bracelet was the tall, able-bodied Groosalugg, his once long black hair now showed evidence of being cut short but allowed to grow out as of late. He was fulfilling his sacred duty as Loral’s warrior proxy, as Chloe decided to remain with Krisreo and Maddinai in their ship, acting as the command center. He looked longingly as Lois, who kept looking forward despite feeling his eyes on her back.

Also acting as a warrior proxy was the beautiful and able-bodied Kennedy Huerta, who represented Rayen, replacing Lana.

Lex caught up to Clark, who eyed him warily, the memory of their last adventure still fresh. “C’mon, Clark,” Lex began, “don’t look so paranoid. I know we haven’t been on the best of terms lately, but I want to do the right thing just like you.”

Clark smiled and tried to breathe out a sigh of relief. “Sorry, Lex, just caught up in all this,” he commented lamely. He reminded himself that Lex’s mind had been purged of the memory of his betrayal at the Kenaki palace.

If the statement sounded awkward to Lex, he didn’t make any indication of it. He lithely asked, “Tell me one thing, Kal-El, were summers this warm on Krypton?”

Clark and Pete stopped dead in their tracks. The rest looked on in confusion.

Lex took several steps forward, circling Clark like a wolf. “What, do you not like to be called by your birth name?”

Clark smiled uncomfortably. “Lex, what makes you think I’m Kal-El? Just because I’m Naman—”

Lex, smiling viciously, replied calmly, “Well, this past summer, I took Lana to the Kawatche Caves for some anthropology assignment. I returned to my mansion to find a rather curious book sitting on my desk.” He met Clark’s eyes. “At first I figured it to be some kind of practical joke. Probably my father; you know how whimsical he can be.” He held his hands out as if holding a rather large book. “The binding and the pages were made of very strange plastics, and the writing was in two languages: one was nineteenth-century British English, and the other was in the same writing as the cave walls. Well, knowing me, I hired the best linguists in the country to see if they could use the book to translate the cave walls.” This time as he paused, the rest of the team was noticeably silent. “Well, it appears the book was not a fake. My linguists were able to translate portions of the cave writings, nothing intelligible yet, but still more progress than we’ve made in years. Do you want to know what the book was about, Clark? It was about a little planet called Krypton less than a light year away from the Milky Way. There was a race of highly advanced humans living there before the planet’s super-dense core became unstable and caused the planet to explode. It said that a scientist, named Jor-El of all things, sent his infant son to Earth. He believed that under a yellow sun and lower gravity this child would demonstrate amazing powers, much like the ones Jor-El… gave you.” He spoke this last part with some doubt in his voice. “Well, if we were to assume Naman was a Kryptonian—the story fits rather nicely—well, that would explain your powers. But then I thought, if you had always had these powers, it would explain a lot of the strange occurrences that have been happening over the years, and why they all seem to involve you. Which is why…” At this, Lex pulled out the kryptonite dagger.

Clark grunted. “Not again.” He fell to the ground.

Then Lex did too as Groo knocked him upside the head.

Kennedy spoke up, “You know, I think I’m going to sit this one out. It’s probably a stupid guy thing.”

Suddenly, Groo fell to his knees, clutching the bracelet.

* * *

“Lucy?” Lois breathed, staring intently at the brunette woman near the entryway.

“Hi, Lo,” she said, trying to sound uplifting.

After taking a moment to collect her words, Lois asked, stunned, “W-what are you doing here?”

Her voice cracking, she lamely replied, “Can’t a girl visit her big sister?”

Exasperation filling her voice, Lois spat out, “Do you happen to remember what took place the last time we met? And… how did you find me?”

Lucy passively held up a wrinkled Archangel Investigations flyer. “Don’t think I wouldn’t recognize my own sister? Does Dad know what you’re doing?”

“No, and I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t tell the General.” After a brief pause, she returned to, “Where the hell have you been for the last six years?”

Lucy chuckled as she started stepping down the stairs, “Getting out from under the thumb of a German loan shark; what do you think?”

Dazed, Lana asked, “How?”

Matter-of-factly, Lucy replied, “Five hundred grand and a new Ferrari will get you started.” She shifted her eyes down to avoid eye contact with Lex.

“Speaking of which,” Lex said calmly, his tone causing Lucy’s head to snap back up, “need I remind you that that was my Ferrari you hijacked?”

Lucy casually slipped a hand in her pocket then threw Lex a set of car keys. “Brand new. Silver, just like the old one.”

Lex studied the keys in his hand. Flatly, he commented, “Miss Lane, I could fill a parking garage with these things. It’s not the car I care about; it’s about being robbed.”

“I know,” Lucy replied immediately, “but I’ve repaid you, and you’ll have to trust that these last few years have been my jail time.”

Curiously, Lex inquired, “How so?”

Reluctantly, she admitted, stumbling over her words, “For the last few years, I’ve been doing things I would rather not even mention… but I’m free now.” The relief in her voice still sounded strained.

Clark’s brow furrowed. “I thought that loan shark was arrested.”

“There’s always a bigger fish… or shark.”

Lois marched toward her sister. “I’m still a bit confused on how you repaid you debt. I mean, we’re not talking prostitution, are we?”

Indignantly, Lucy answered, “No.”

“Drugs?”

“No,” came the sharp reply.

“Money laundering?”

Exasperated, Lucy pleaded, “Lois, drop it. I’ve worked it out, okay?”

Sighing, Lois lowered her voice to a normal level, “So, what brings you to Metropolis, sis?”

Plainly, Lucy stated, “Airplane. I’m a flight attendant now. We flew into Met International last night.”

Her calmness disappearing, Lois screeched, “You said it wasn’t prostitution.”

Lucy rolled her eyes. “Oh, for goodness’s sake.”

Chloe finally approached her cousin. “It’s nice to see you again, Luce.” They hugged. “So,” she began calmly, “what’s with the sudden visit?”

“I’m just trying to get a second chance,” Lucy explained.

“Indemnity,” stated Lex.

Lucy nodded, “Yeah.”

“What?” Lois prompted, her eyes jumping between her cousin and employer.

Lucy shrugged. “Indemnity, it means… redress, reparation… paying back for my sins, you could say…”

Lois scowled. “You just had to be the smart one. Big SAT words.”

Lucy shrugged, “I got Daddy’s brains. You got Mom’s—”

“I know,” Lois cut her sister off with a smirk. “What’s it like being a flight attendant?”

“Being a prostitute would be less demeaning, and I’d make more.”

Lois eyed Lucy’s lone piece of jewelry, a clear crystal necklace, and commented on it, “That looks pretty nice.”

Rolling the jewel in her fingers, she callously stated, “Fifteen euros from a sidewalk vendor in OrleĆ”ns during a rather long layover in France. The real ones are all the rage in Paris. Look, I’ve got a two-day stay. Any chance you got a spare room in this place?”

Lana turned around, eyeing the large staircase leading up to the first floor of hotel rooms. She turned back around, and replied matter-of-factly, “I think we might be able to find one.”

* * *

Jimmy was whistling a song to himself as he confidently entered the Euryphaessa Hotel. The lobby appeared empty, so he walked over to what used to be the lounge area, only to be blindsided by a beautiful woman sitting in one of the chairs, reading. She looked up from her book and smiled at him. It was a very enchanting smile and Jimmy thought it seemed familiar somehow.

“Hi, I’m, uh, Jimmy Olsen…” His voice came out a little bit higher than he would have liked.

The stranger sweetly replied, “Hi, Jimmy, I’m Lucy Lane.”

“Like Lois’s sister?” Lucy just nodded, giving him another stupefying smile. “And Chloe’s cousin,” Jimmy remarked, “I should have seen the resemblance.”

“I don’t look anything like Chloe.”

Immediately, Jimmy stated, “You have the same beautiful smile.”

Her face filled with genuine appreciation. “Oh, that’s sweet. Jimmy, is it?”

Jimmy at this point was praying that he had remembered his antiperspirant. “Or James. I go by both.”

“Well,” her tone was a mix of sultriness and girl-next-door innocence, “if I get to choose, I’d go with ‘James.’ It has a more masculine feel while still capturing your cute personality.” She titled her head and some of her silky hair slid across her face.

Jimmy made a high-pitched noise which he covered by clearing his throat and continuing, dropping his voice half an octave, “Well, I kinda like ‘James,’ too.”

“Okay.” With another curious tilt of her head, she asked, “So, do you work here?”

“Not exactly. I work for the Daily Planet as a photographer.” Lucy gave him an interested smile at this, so he continued, “But, uh, me and Chloe work together, documenting the whole Archangel Investigations… thing.”

“Awesome, very cool,” Lucy said with full sincerity. “So, what does Chloe call you?”

Chloe took this moment to walk up and cheerfully greet, “Hey, Jimmy!”

Jimmy jumped nearly a foot in the air before spinning face Chloe. “Hey, Chlo.”

“I see you’ve met my cousin Lucy.”

Jimmy was too stunned to reply, trying to suppress guilt that came to him for reasons unknown. Lucy modestly stated for him, “Sorry. Look at me. Entertaining guests like I own the place. I’ll leave you guys to your work.”

“No,” Chloe replied, “stay here, cuz. We’ll work in my office.” Lucy nodded and returned to her book.

Chloe led Jimmy toward her office. “You seem jumpy,” she observed.

“Sorry, it’s Lucy. I can tell you’re related. You’re both beautiful and charming.”

Chloe’s next expression could have been interpreted as hurt or condescending.

Jimmy tried to recover, “What I mean is… uh, actually, I don’t know if I can say it any better…”

“Jimmy,” Chloe said flatly, “get over it.” She walked ahead, making Jimmy have to take a few leaping steps to catch up.

* * *

“So, she took her shopping?” Pete inquired, doubt thick his voice.

Lois, dumbfounded, replied, “I’m telling ya, Lana said she was going to the mall, and asked if anyone wanted to come along. Chloe, excitedly, jumped at the chance, and Lucy just wanted to stay and chat. I’m thinking transference stone.”

Clark tilted his head in consideration. “Where’s Lucy now?” he wondered.

“She said she wanted to wander around the city. She called up a friend.”

Clark shifted uncomfortably. “Look, Lois, are you sure we can trust her? I mean, last time…”

“Look,” Lois said, cutting him off, “no one knows my little sister better than I do. I haven’t given her any details about the agency… or our powers, for that matter. I’m sure she just assumes this is some kind of Mulder and Scully Incorporated that Chloe threw together. Plus, I made her take an oath.”

“An oath,” Pete repeated skeptically.

“Yeah, when Lucy and I were kids, we would exchange our deepest secret so that we could use it as blackmail if the other snitched.”

“You two had a great childhood,” Clark commented.

“Look, I have information on her that she does not want the General to find out.” She nodded superiorly. “I know how old she was when she lost her virginity.”

“What’s she got on you?” Pete asked with a grin.

“Same thing.”

* * *

Lucy squealed with laughter, taking a sip of her coffee. “You’re hilarious.”

“I didn’t mean to be,” Jimmy replied, his cheeks pink.

“Well, you’re just adorable. You don’t have to a have a sharp wit if you’ve got great delivery.”

He nodded, shifting uncomfortably, “Lucy, I feel weird about this.”

Lucy studied him, “You like Chloe, don’t you?”

“I’m crazy about her.”

“Look, we’re just a couple of friends, having coffee. You’re not with Chloe, yet, and even if you were, you’re wouldn’t be cheating, okay?”

“You think I got a chance… with her, I mean?”

Lucy feigned disbelief. “Aw, sure; you’re irresistible. Chloe doesn’t have a chance.” She took a sultry sip of her coffee. “I sure wouldn’t.”

Jimmy gulped then smiled proudly. “Thanks. You know, I’m two years older than her, but sometimes I feel like I’m ten younger.”

“You’ve got different personalities. Peace, child.” She finished off her coffee. “So, tell me, where can I get a good scoop of ice cream? I don’t know the area very well.”

Jimmy studied her for a moment, “I thought you grew up here.”

“Daddy moved us around a lot. I was really young, and we were only here only for a couple of years before he shipped me off to boarding school. Ironically, I know Switzerland like the back of my hand.”

Jimmy shifted his eyes back and forth and scooted up in his chair. “This is a big secret.” Lucy leaned in with a devious grin. Jimmy continued, “This guy is 100% local and privately owned. Makes his own ice cream. It’s incredible. I think I’ll take Chloe there.” Lucy grin morphed into a blazing smile.

* * *

There were at least six extra-large shopping bags in Lana’s hands as she entered the hotel. Chloe followed her with a couple of bags of her own and a wardrobe bag thrown over her shoulder.

Pete, from one of the seats in the lounge area, quipped, “Spending our well-earned money?”

“It was money well spent,” Lana replied almost curtly.

Chloe giggled at her tone, lugging the bag off her shoulder.

“You get yourself something pretty?” Lois asked suggestively.

“Nope, got Clark something pretty.” She unzipped the wardrobe bag, revealing a conservative blue business suit. “You good in blue.”

Clark studied it with neither appreciation nor disgust. “Thanks,” he stated flatly, “did I need one?”

“Yeah, Clark, if you have any hope of maintaining a secret identity, you’ve got to separate Clark and the Archangel.” Pausing to reach into a bag, she continued, “Which is why I also got you these.” She pulled out a pair of simple, black eyeglasses.

“My eyesight’s fine.”

Chloe’s face dropped in disbelief. “That’s an understatement from someone who can see the entire electromagnetic spectrum, telescopically, microscopically, and through things.” She stared at him. “You wouldn’t believe how different people look with glasses.”

“I love it, Chloe,” he said sincerely, “I honestly could not do this without you, and I appreciate everything you do for me.”

Chloe froze and her face blanked. Trying to hold back the flood of graciousness, she replied, “Well, it’s what I do. And thanks for noticing.” Without expression, she extended her arms, allowing Clark to take his suit. He took them and tried on the glasses. He looked straight at Chloe, his expression asking for appraisal.

“I’m gonna defer to Lana.”

“You look hot and sophisiticated,” she replied distantly, “In fact, I want to jump your bones at this very moment.”

Clark turned back to Chloe. “I’m pretty sure she’s kidding. About the second part.” Lana smirked. Chloe smirked back.

A loud growl from outside caused everyone’s heads to turn to the door.

“What was that?” Pete exclaimed.

“Mutant alligator,” Chloe predicted.

“Sound like our job,” Clark replied, zipping into superspeed. Half a second later, he was dressed in his trademark red leather duster. Pete found himself in his own trench coat and with his weapons belt around his waist.

“Forgot me,” Lois quipped, walking toward the desk, peeling off her blouse, giving Clark time to turn and race toward the door. Pete reluctantly pulled his eyes away to follow Clark. With a white tank on and saber in her hand, Lois followed. She turned to Chloe, “This’ll be exciting.”

Chloe too made her way to the door, leading Lana to comment, “What are you going to do?”

“Watch. I get a kick out of it.”

What was happening outside was very out of the ordinary. Clark, Pete, and Lois fought off an eight-foot, reptilian monster. But the real surprise was that they were aided by a woman floating in midair. Though her hair was white, she appeared young, and her body seemed to glow faintly. Balls of fiery light were thrust from her hands toward the beast. Annoyed, the beast leapt high into the air, and landed mere inches from Chloe, who luckily jumped out of the way in time. The momentum carried it into the wall of the hotel, but that did not weaken it. The beast, with heightened reflexes, spun around and pounced onto Chloe, trapping her wrists under his claws. Clark stood momentarily stunned until Pete’s call drew him toward the monster.

Though her vision was obscured, Chloe recognized the telltale breeze of Clark’s superspeed. Then, the creature screeched loudly, and as the air around her got warmer, Chloe thanked the higher powers for Clark’s heat vision. The claws relaxed and the monster soon found itself airborne, where Lois grabbed it from behind the neck and slapped it down hard onto the ground, where Pete was waiting with a sword to stab it in the neck.

Not to be easily put down, it continued to struggle, even as blood flew profusely from its neck wound. The floating witch glided down toward it and held her hand out. Pete and Lois backed up. The woman did not acknowledge them, her face instead frozen in intent concentration as she muttered in a foreign language. A yellow glow engulfed her hand and, all at once, the creature started to jerk, its limbs, moved by an unseen force, being bent at odd angles abruptly, until it finally stopped moving all together.

The witch finally released a sigh of relief. Her glowing subsided, revealing her fair skin. Her hair started to darken to rust-red color, making her age more apparent: around thirty. She turned to the five people who surrounded her in cautious awe, and she smiled sweetly. In a kindly, upbeat tone, she said, “Well, that wasn’t exactly the way I imagined us meeting, but apparently this darn Bindisu demon followed me from Arkansas. You see, it has a special taste for witches. Can you imagine?” Being met with only blank stares, she asked, “Well, it looks like that Angel didn’t inform that I’d be stopping by.” She extended her hand, “Willow Rosenberg, at your service.”

* * *

With her eyes closed, Lana sat in a white chalk circle in front of a burning white candle, a clay bowl filled with sage leaves at her feet, and a half a dozen pens and pencils laid before her. One of the pencils rolled, as if pushed by an invisible force. Then another one leapt up into the air where it shook unsteadily in the air. Then, one of the pencils suddenly shot towards Pete, who caught it without blinking. It was within an inch of impaling his sternum. “Careful, Lana, not all of us got super-reflexes.” He gave an advising look at Clark, just in time, as the rest of Lana’s pencils shot in random directions.

One shattered against Clark’s hand, held in front of Chloe’s face. The blonde gave him an appreciative grin. “Thanks, Clark. Though, next time, how ‘bout just catching it rather than exposing me to high-velocity wood splinters?” Clark opened his hand revealing the entire composition of the shattered writing implement. The blonde smiled sheepishly, “I stand corrected.”

“Sorry,” Lana stated.

Willow just rubbed the woman’s back. “Hey, it happens to the best of us. By the way, you show an enormous talent for witchcraft. Any experience?”

“Well, in high school, I was possessed by a very powerful witch that happened to be my ancestor.”

“Never a dull moment with you people.”

Lois chirped, “I hear you stop an apocalypse like almost yearly.”

“If not more. It’s a living.” The redhead paused then held her hand up to Lois, who immediately leapt up into the air. “You’ve also tasted magic,” Willow commented.

Lois returned to the ground. “Well, Isobel had some gal pals. You can taste magic?”

“Yeah, it leaves a distinct flavor on one’s life force. You taste like blackberries.”

“Could be her breath,” Chloe quipped, “good chance she had some blackberry wine earlier today.”

Lois sneered and responded as she returned to terra firma, “You know; we exchanged oath secrets, too. Don’t make me blackmail you.”

“Lois, if this is about our first times, it’s not really secret with me. You, on the other hand…” Chloe smiled superiorly and threateningly.

“I also know about your last time. Specificially, when it was.”

This shut up Chloe. Though, Clark’s super-hearing did pick up, “Clark, don’t react to this, but Lois’s first time was when she was fifteen with a guy named Danny Scardino.”

Willow turned to Chloe, “And you taste like raspberries.”

“Isobel had two girlfriends,” Chloe remarked matter-of-factly.

“And they were a handful,” Clark commented.

“What do I taste like?” Pete asked.

“I don’t sense any magic. Though I am picking up some grilled tilapia.”

“Well, I actually had that for lunch.” When he thought no one was looking, he breathed into his hand.

* * *

Chloe strolled down the familiar steps into the Planet’s first story bullpen. Upon greeting Jimmy, she asked what the fuss was all about around the office. “Surely, everyone can’t be that excited about St. Patty’s day.” Jimmy smirked, handing Chloe an image, which she quickly hid. “This is Kahn. What is she wearing?”

“Someone photo-shopped her stock photo. They put her head on top of this model in a golden bikini from some fashion show. Kahn’s having a fit over it. We know it came from inside because it’s obviously our in-house photo-editing software. Must be someone real talented,” Jimmy said, in an almost bragging tone.

Disbelief shot across Chloe’s face. “No!” she whispered, “You’re crazy.” She stared at him before grabbing a napkin off his desk.

“I’m a rebel.”

“You go get ice cream? You missed a spot.” Jimmy turned to give her access to his face. He was momentarily disappointed when Chloe placed the napkin in his hand.

“Yeah, I went to a place called P. Mason’s,”

Chloe nodded, “I know the place. By yourself? That’s a big place to meet friends or have dates.”

“No, I went with, uh… a friend of mine,” Jimmy covered.

“Anyone I know?” Chloe asked curiously.

“Just someone new in town.” Jimmy paused, “Look, the photo guys are going out to O’Cassidy’s Pub tonight. A couple of them are bringing dates…”

Chloe’s face dropped. “Jimmy, I’m gonna have to give you a rain check on that.”

He then tacked on, “How ‘bout next week? Business lunch, strictly professional?”

Chloe gave the photographer a knowing look, before smiling, “You know what? That sounds really nice.” She uncomfortably looked at her watch. “Look, I got to get back to the hotel. Turns out our newest guest knows a thing or two about computers. She’s helping me set up the new pager system.”

She nearly ran out, before racing back to the desk, “How’s the Jordan Elliot shot look?” Jimmy quickly dug it out of folder, showing her an image of Clark in his Archangel outfit on a street corner, dramatically positioned, but with his face only half visible and partially shadowed. “It’s perfect. Go to press with it.”

* * *

Chloe giggled at Willow, who was working briskly and ceaselessly at the computer. “Wow, I’m almost jealous. You really know what you’re doing.”

“Eh, every superhero team needs a techie. Though, you guys have got the techie and the vision girl rolled up in one very smokin’ hot package.”

Chloe took the compliment as gracefully as she could, “Thanks.”

“You know. I really didn’t have to do much at all. You’ve got a great system set up so far.” She spun in her chair to face Chloe.

“Aw, you’re just being nice.” She brushed a soft punch of Willow’s shoulder. The witch studied the gesture. “But I really did enjoy your company. We’re a very diverse group, and that’s good in a lot of ways, but it’s nice to have someone drop in who understands me.” Willow continued to study Chloe, who continued, “Maybe we can keep in touch?”

Willow smiled sympathetically, “Listen, I’m flattered, I really am, it’s just… I’m seeing someone now, and we’re really serious.”

Chloe was instantly speechless, her mouth hanging open as the gears in her brain attempted to decipher Willow’s last comment. She finally came up with very erudite, “Huh?” A sudden memory floated to the forefront of her brain.

Groo looked sadly at Lois, but turned his attention to Kennedy, whose fighting ability impressed him greatly.

“Miss Kennedy, is it?” Kennedy smiled and turned her head, nodding. Groo continued, “How did you learn such skill?”

“I was trained by my Watcher. And I’ve been working with a rather large group of girls like me out of Europe.” She studied the man, recognizing the subtle cues.

“On my planet, a woman who is a warrior is highly sought. Sometimes there are great tournaments fought for her hand, often lasting many moons…”

“Look, Gron, is it? Before you start declaring you’d fight in the big whip-it-out-and-see-whose-is-bigger contest, I should let you know I’m flatter, I really am. It’s just… I’m seeing someone.”

Groo backpedaled. “Oh, I apologize for being forward.”

“No, no, it’s alright. But she’s very nice. You’d like her.”

“Her?” he replied bluntly.

Smiling, she added, “Yeah, didn’t see that coming? No one does.”

“I did,” Lex stated passively.

“Aw,” she taunted, “a little miffed that being your girlfriend’s proxy doesn’t afford you the same rights?”

“I’ll recover. And so will Clark.” Lex grinned mischievously.

Clark replied, “Why would I care if you and Lana don’t get to… I mean… she’s my ex, yeah… and plus, Chloe and I aren’t… even so, Groo’s her proxy…” As Clark and Groo exchanged looks of epiphany, they both looked sick.

Lex joked to Kennedy, “You’ll have to excuse him. He grew up on a little farm in Kansas. Literally.”

“Eh, doesn’t bother me. Of course, I’m from New York.” Chloe’s giggles could be heard in the background from their transponders.

Chloe, mouth still agape, asked, “Kennedy?”

“Yeah. Oh, was that you guys she got called away for? Small world. Look, I’m sorry if I caught you off-guard.”

“No, I’m usually more tactful than this. I just didn’t mean to… make it seem like… You know Clark?”

“I may have met him,” Willow replied ironically. “You’re married to him, right?”

“No! Well… it’s weird.”

“So, you and Clark aren’t…?”

“Nope, the ‘marriage’ is purely symbolic.”

“Just friends?” Willow baited.

Sighing, she relented, “Yep.”

“Oh, wait, you mean you do like each other?”

“Well, Clark I’m not so sure about, really, and me, well, I’ve kinda had this thing for him since… forever-ish.”

“I know the feeling,” Willow replied with understanding.

Chloe nodded, “What was she like?”

“It was a him.” Off Chloe’s look, she remarked, “It’s not enough to pin down my Kinsley number, you’ve got to graph it against time, too. Go on.”

“Well, I also have this friend name, Jimmy. Well, we’re friends. Kinda more, kinda not. We’re going to lunch soon… And he’s really a great guy. I can completely trust him.”

“That’s nice,” Willow commented.

* * *

Lucy, lounging on the corner of Jimmy’s desk, joked to the uptight Jimmy, “Relax, James. You said yourself that you and Chloe have finished all your business. Your work, I mean,” she teased. “Plus, I think you’d kinda like the reputation you’d get for having so many pretty girls hanging around you.”

Jimmy lightened his mood. “I don’t know. I almost feel guilty spending the whole day with you.”

“It wasn’t the whole day. It was just a few hours here and there. And, why?”

“Well, Chloe and I… well…”

“You like her. We’ve established that.”

“And I think she kinda likes me back… but C.K., he kind of complicates things.”

“Because of the whole Naman and Loral thing?”

“They told you?”

“Lois trusts me,” she replied quickly. She shifted restlessly. “James, c’mon, it’s way past quitting time. Your pictures ain’t goin’ anywhere. I’m bored. It’s St. Patrick’s Day. I wanna get wasted. Where can we go for that?”

Jimmy frowned, “Should I be doing that? Taking you to a bar?”

“Jimmy,” she nagged him, emphasizing the name, “you’re driving a friend to fun night in the city. You don’t have to dance me with unless you want to. You’re not gonna buy me drinks. I don’t even mind if you want to leave. I can grab a cab for the way back. Being a flight attendant pays better than you’d think.” Jimmy still didn’t look convinced. “James, you’ve got a great shot with Chloe, and I’m happy for you. I’ve only got one more night in Metropolis—spring breaks are a busy time for us—so yeah, I’m kind of rushing the development of our friendship.” She leaned forward, exposing a little bit of her cleavage to Jimmy. He diverted his eyes.

“Well, the guys are doing this thing. I wanted to take Chloe, but she’s busy…”

Lucy cut him off, “Then I’ll tell her I met you at the bar and she missed out. And that she’d better hurry or a very attractive photographer is gonna be scooped up by some random hussy. Please can we go?”

Jimmy grabbed his car keys and dangled them in front of Lucy, who clapped gleefully and hopped off the desk. She almost stumbled, but grabbed onto Jimmy’s shoulder just in time.

* * *

Lex boldly entered his father’s office. “You’ve been keeping me out of the loop with the cockroaches.”

Dismissively, Lionel answered, “Lex, you’re talking nonsense again. Have you been drinking? I thought you weren’t into celebrating the holidays.”

Ignoring the quip, Lex charged ahead, “Archangel Investigation fought an infestation of mutated cockroaches. I don’t recall that plan being on the table.”

“Lex, there’s a cockroach in the corner right now. There’s surely one or two in a lab so top-secret that we don’t let exterminators in. Need I remind you that there is seven hundred pounds of kryptonite down there?”

“Dad, careful,” Lex sharply reminded his father, “you don’t know the word ‘kryptonite.’”

Standing up, Lionel continued, “Humans that come in casual contact with kryptonite acquire powers. I think a few roaches that got locked into a lead safe might display certain attributes. Plus, Mr. Schwab worked here. It’s no surprise that a few of them might have hitched a ride back to his house.”

“Dad, Archangel Investigations estimated there were at least seventy-five mutated insects inside that house. The bag they gave us alone contributed to nineteen individual specimens. So unless you think that seventy-five roaches hitched a ride in his briefcase, that means these things could breed.”

The CEO was unmoved. “We’ve never seen any consistent tests where the ‘meteor rock’ ever caused sterility. Lex, what do you want me to say?”

He stopped toward his father’s desk. “I want you to say you’re not getting careless in your old age. People that piss you off, go ahead of give them their silent retribution. What else can I expect from you? But those you don’t give a damn about? Don’t put them in danger, ‘cause if you’re not following the trail and doing clean-up, that trail is going to lead right back to you.”

Lionel surveyed his son ominously. “I have trained you well. Just be careful when you criticize me, son.” He sat back down. “Was there anything else?” He didn’t look up from his computer.

Lex dropped a file on the desk. Lionel opened it with interest, “Ah, the Abednigo Project. The subjects had the very opposite effect than what we expected. But, in retrospect, it probably makes more sense from an evolutionary standpoint.”

“I’d like to release all of them. The city is quiet. That means Archangel Investigations is doing their job too well, and not getting paid for it. They’ll be released in a very public place.”

“Be my guest, Lex. They were costing us a fortune in natural gas.” Lex picked up the file, but Lionel stalled him, “Tell me, how is Miss Lang?”

Lex look momentarily perturbed by the question, but didn’t hesitate, “Lana…” he began, saying her name with emphasis, “…shows a lot of talent in keeping a business in the place, though I wouldn’t necessarily call her any entrepreneurial genius. She has a good education and an amazing aptitude for dealing with people; she learns quickly and never gives up. I’m not worried about her.” Seeing it as a poor place to finished, he added, “Or Archangel Investigations.”

“Just curious. Since we’re on the subject, any thoughts on the rest of them?”

“Clark Kent hasn’t changed a bit, just gotten some lofty ideals stuck in his head. Pete Ross is the same, though it appears all it took to soften his opinion of us was a few trinkets. Well, his opinion of me, at least.” Lionel didn’t express anything; Lex continued, “The only change I see in Lois is her lack of drive in finding a boyfriend. Odd, but it helps the bottom line. Chloe Sullivan, on the other hand, shows incredible intelligence and sacrifice. She gave up a fast-rising career at the Daily Planet for this. She’s got more than lofty goals in mind.”

“Are you referring to Mr. Kent?”

Lex gave a small, pensive tilt of his head. “Wouldn’t be surprised, given her history of aiding Clark in his hero duties. Though, I might add, she’s brought in a certain Jimmy Olsen to help with publicity. I like it. He’s a wholly unremarkable young man whose sole contribution to the relationship is that he notices Chloe…” Lionel’s attention seemed to be waning, but Lex continued unabated, “…which means that there will be no distracting relationships within the organization. Clark seems more than willing to watch Chloe be swept up. And he’s long since abandoned his obsession with Lana.” He said “obsession” with what he thought was too much inflection. “Bottom line, Dad, we keep the ‘heroes’ busy with meteor mutants, the cash will continue to roll in.”

Lionel smiled proudly. “Good. Now get out of my office before the feds accuse us of fixing prices.” As Lex obediently left, Lionel devoted his full attention to his computer screen, which showed several images of Lana Lang entering Lex’s apartment complex and pressing 52, Lex’s penthouse floor.

* * *

Her necklace flickering off the red light of the phone, Lucy laid a soft kiss on Jimmy’s head. He was asleep, bare-chested, in the hotel room bed. Lucy grabbed her small suitcase, and after checking the hallway, tiptoed out. She didn’t see Chloe walking slowly down the hall, watching her as she headed down the stairwell towards the lobby. Chloe turned her head to the closed door, frowning with mild disappointment. Lucy always was a runaway.

But her superpowered mind began to tingle and she turned to face the door, when realization hit her hard. Her breath fled, her knees buckled, and a tear ran down her cheek. Her stinging sadness quickly made way for putrid anger. As she tried to regain a normal breath rate, she heard the sound of squeaking springs from inside the room.

~

Director’s Commentary: Originally, we didn’t have so many Jimmy-Lucy scenes, but the chemistry between Aaron and Peyton List was amazing. The original script called for a very off-screen development, but this work ten times better. Also, it was great to have Alyson Hannigan reprise her role as “Willow Rosenberg.” We only got her for a day, but it was all we needed. Joss, if you had anything to do with this, thanks. You too, Aly.

Okay, the test audience reacted very positively to 105, so the network green-lighted us through Episode 107, and now they’re demanding the 108 script.

On the next episode of Archangel Investigations: Chloe deals with the aftermath of Jimmy and Lucy. The team is dispatched to a nearby club, but something off about Clark.

A/N: CONTESTS!!!

If you want to be made into a character on this series, it’s very easy! Most of the names, places, etc. in these stories have relevance to Superman mythos or DC or whatever. The first reader to correctly name three will be Mary Sued or Harry Stued. I’ll probably reopen the contest again.

^_^ - So, it comes to my attention that the Smallvillians haven’t yet been introduced to me, yet. I am Sonriso, the Herald of Sarcasm. I like to denote my species as “punctusmiley.” Through no fault of Creedog, I appear at the bottom of the majority of his stories, adding my two cents, and often coming up in debt.

©2006, 2007 Godeerc VanDrey Enterprises, Inc. Created Tuesday, November 21, 2006. Finished Sunday, January 28, 2007.

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Future: Chapter 4: Destiny

January 18, 2013

Lionel Luthor sat in the silence of his office, looking at a security video on his laptop. One frame showed a blur outside his office. Another camera captured a similar blur, which changed into a man skidding across the carpet in his office, but as the camera was facing the desk, Lionel only saw from behind. A third camera recorded the weakened superhero crawling behind a file cabinet, but his face was in the shadow the entire time the second camera showed Lex and himself speaking. Suddenly the figure sped off.

Lionel rewound the video many times, slowing it down, trying to find that one instant when the hiding superhero came out of the shadows just before accelerating to inhuman speeds. It seemed to never come.

* * *

“And how does the horse move again, Daddy?”

Lex surveyed his precocious son sitting in an Italian hand-crafted chair atop several leather-bound, sixteen century bibles from Austria. Before him was solid marble chess set that Lionel had given his son. Alex had taken a sudden interest in chess after playing with his grandfather. Lionel had commended his natural talent. Lex grinned at the compliment, as in the last ten minutes, he had neglected to pull a fool’s mate, four easy attempts on Alex’s queen, and a checkmate against his son. He watched as Alex, out of turn, pulled a highly illegal move with on his pawns. At least he had gotten the hang of using only his own pieces.

“Grandpa tells me you like Tessa,”

“She’s really nice, but she’s not as good as Mommy.”

Lex moved to wrap his arm around his son. “No, I think so, too.” Lex was waiting for the next comment, about why Mommy wasn’t coming back. It never came.

“Are you going to marry Miss Tessa?”

Lex, caught off-guard, replied, “I don’t have any plans to.”

“Why do you do that?”

“What?”

“You used to just say ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ Now you say things that could mean ‘yes’ or ‘no.’”

“Alex, one of these days you’re going to find out we don’t live in a black and white world.”

“Like TV shows from a bazillion years ago?”

Lex laughed, “Um, you’ll find out that the world isn’t just made up of good guys and bad guys.”

“But there are good guys and bad guys.”

“Maybe. But what’s the goodest guy you know?”

“The White Knight!” Alex cried jubilantly.

Lex grinned, “Excellent choice. The White Knight does everything good right?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Now tell me, since the White Knight saves so many people, pretty soon we won’t need the police, right?”

Alex was quiet, but nodded.

“Now, if we don’t need police officers, then what are the police officers going to do to make money?”

Alex was silent.

“All I’m saying it that the world isn’t perfect, and can’t be perfect, because there aren’t any perfect people. Never have been; never will be. What about this? I give a lot of money to museums, right? Well, shouldn’t I give that money to poor people?”

“I don’t know. Yes?”

“You’re right. But what if the painter is a poor person? A lot of them are. But, what happens if I give my money to poor people, and they don’t work? Then, they’re lazy, right? What good is giving them money if we instead made them get jobs?”

“I don’t like this game.”

“I don’t either. But, tell you what, we won’t play it for a while. I think you’re about to cream me in chess.” Lex took his king and placed it on the diametrically opposite side of the board, moving one of Alex’s rooks out of the way to make room for it. “Bet you can’t beat that.”

Alex took three pawns in one hand and moved them to a random spot on the board. Lex studied this move and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

* * *

January 20, 2013

Chloe looked up from the newspaper into her living room, noting that the sofa bed, which was a mess of sheets two seconds ago, was now flawlessly made. Clark surveyed his work with a smile. Smirking, his roommate commented, “You do realize that I haven’t even made my bed yet.” She looked down at the newspaper again, opening up the Galaxy. With a perplexed look on her face, she commented, “You made the paper.”

“That’s nothing new,” Clark responded, and half a second later, he was wearing jeans and a blue turtleneck in place of his flannel pajama set.

Chloe brushed the hair out of her face, caused by Clark’s high-speed antics. “Yeah, but you don’t usually grant interviews.”

Clark adopted Chloe’s perplexed look. “I don’t.” He walked over to the counter where Chloe stood, commenting, “Plus, if I ever did, there’s only one reporter I would trust with my story.” He pressed his forehead against Chloe’s.

Chloe smiled and kissed him. “Or her cousin?” She pulled away and showed him the article: “A Chat with the Super-Man” by Lois Lane.

Lowering his eyebrows, his pupils became a blur. And an instant later, he stated, “That wasn’t an interview. Lois almost got caught in the LuthorCorp building, trying to get proof that Lionel tried to assassinate you. She got herself in danger—it’s genetic, I suppose.” This earned him a pinch on the shoulder by Chloe. Not feeling any pain, he continued with a voice full of mock indignation, “So I had to swoop in to save the day. We had a little chat on the rooftop.”

Chloe skimmed the article. “She calls you ‘lonely’ and… I’m getting the impression… did she flirt with you?”

Clark’s face reddened, “Yeah.” The change in Chloe’s body language was well-hidden, but Clark’s heightened senses pick up on it. “Chloe, I blew her off. The article even says so. C’mon, it’s Lois.”

“You said you weren’t human.”

Clark resigned. “I had to say something.”

“But that you had nothing downstairs?”

“What?” Clark’s face was nothing if not perplexed.

Chloe paused then started to laugh uncontrollably. “Oh, Clark… well, whatever lets me keep you all to myself.”

Still clueless, Clark picked up the newspaper. “She’s naming me the ‘Super-Man’?” He cringed.

Chloe caught his expression. “Oh, it’s not that creative. I’m sure it won’t catch on.”

* * *

“This is preposterous!” Chloe screeched.

Clark, sitting in a borrowed chair in front of Chloe’s desk, rubbed his sensitive ears. Because it was no secret—to the entire city in fact—that Clark and Chloe were dating, Perry White was forced to split the two up. So he moved Clark closer to the window, three desks over from Chloe, facing opposite directions. While they were no longer allowed “in the field” together, Perry saw no problem with having them work on the same articles… it would be a crime to journalism in his eyes not to let them make the Daily Planet the best newspaper in America.

Perry had already started to look for a wedding present for the two, not because he was a hundred percent sure that they were heading that direction, nor because he thought Clark would propose anytime soon, but rather because he was horrible at buying gifts, so he thought he could get a head start. If not, he’d put it in his cabinet for emergencies: forgotten anniversaries, forgotten birthdays, forgotten births, forgotten praise… In fact, as he approached Chloe’s desk, what kind of gift she would like was what was running through his head.

Exasperated, Chloe continued, “This Marshall Heath guy doesn’t make a single point. It’s all subversive. He uses pretty language and bad logic to undermine an ignorant public.”

“Sorry, sweetcakes, but that’s what the newspaper business is all about,” Perry joked as he grabbed a secretary’s chair. Or maybe it was an administrative assistant’s; Perry didn’t know the difference, or even if there was one; he enough to worry about—buying gifts, for example—without political correctness filling his worry jar.

Chloe smirked appreciatively. “It’s just… I’m afraid this is going to hurt sales.” She saw Perry start to adopt a look of sincere pretend concern, so she cut him off. “I’d hate to have it sully my name and have the Planet suffer.” Perry then adopted the look of genuine concern.

“Listen, kid, don’t you worry about this. I’ll get someone in Arts & Styles to write a rebuke. I bet Cat Grant wouldn’t do too bad of a job.”

Chloe rolled her eyes and sighed. “Let me talk to her about it. She talented enough to do it right, but… she spends too much time in doing fashion bios, and well…” Chloe didn’t finish. “Perry, we’re purists; you know what I’m saying.” And Perry truly did.

* * *

April 25, 2013

Chloe dropped Clark’s hand to read the newspaper. While she felt she could spend the rest of her life just strolling down sidewalks hand-in-hand with Clark, she had other passions, one of them being the newspaper she held in her hand.

“‘Superman Saves Reeve Orphanage From Fire’. You didn’t even make the front page.”

“I could care less. But Lois just had to make the connection that ‘S’ could stand for ‘Superman.’ It stood for Smallville.”

Tilting her head back and forth lithely, she replied, unable to suppress a playful smile, “Which she calls you by the way. You are still with the secret identity program, right?”

“You’re the one talking to the mild-mannered reporter as if he was Superman.”

“This is Metropolis. No one pays attention to anyone else walking across the street. Just one question…” Chloe paused dramatically. “Which one’s the secret identity?” She played it off as a joke, but her eyes betrayed her true intention.

Clark, who was quickly learning to read gestures as dating the expressive Chloe, paused before answered. With failing humor, he responded, “You’re never gonna get over Lois beating you to the first Superman interview.”

He hadn’t answered her question. Sharply, she replied, “Never. Did you hear that Perry asked her for a piece of investigative work to see if she was cut out to ‘work with her cousin’?” Her voice was still raw, but for the moment, she allowed the distraction.

Clark’s voice became more upbeat. “Yeah, as I recall, she tried to break into LuthorCorp… again. And the ‘Man of Steel’ had to save her… again.” With annoyance, he added, “Must she come up with a new nickname for me every time I save her?”

Chloe’s face always betrayed her emotions, except to Clark, but now it seemed like even Clark was catching on. “That’s Lois for ya, Smallville. So, who am I dating, the man or the secret identity?” She asked it flatly.

Clark took a while to formulate his words. “There’s the reporter at the Daily Planet. And then there’s Metropolis’s resident superhero. No one knows that Clark Kent can move mountains. No one knows that Superman is the son of a produce farmer. Chloe, both are the secret identity.”

Satisfied, Chloe’s snark quotient tripled. “That would make such a good quote. Dammit if I can never use it. So, if both are secret identities, does anyone actually know you?”

“You,” he answered immediately and with unquestionable sincerity. He let the word hang for a long time. “Mom and Dad. Pete.” Chloe could only nod as she kept walking. Clark stopped and laced his fingers through Chloe’s arms. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, you know that?”

She spun to face him. With mock thoughtfulness, she replied, “No, I’m not. Not with your folks to compete with. But I try really hard.” She gave him a soft half-smile.

* * *

April 26, 2013

The room with the metallic walls and the harsh overhead lighting gave the perfect monotone setting for the man in the black suit and the man in the white lab coat. Lex Luthor held the computer printout in his hand.

“EPA’s gonna have my ass for this.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Luthor, we put in the best filters money could by, but you knew what the pH levels on these chemicals were.”

Dropping the printout, Lex rested his hands on the raising overlooking a vat of bluish liquid. “Wanna tell me how the production of a chemical spray whose express purpose is to weaken structural stability and cause no adverse affect on biological organisms can create such toxic biproducts?”


From behind him, the man with a bowl cut of shiny black hair and thick glasses, replied, “I don’t suppose you’re looking for a yin-yang, balance-of-nature explanation, Mr. Luthor.”

Lex smirked and he turned around, “Dr. Milo, you humor me. What kind of environmental effects are we looking at?”

Dr. Milo shrugged his shoulders. “The stream isn’t a drinking water source. But this stuff’ll kill anything in the water from here to Morley Lake. Not to mention if this stuff gets into the water table, you’re looking at poisoning and killing hundreds of acres of forestland.”

“Get a sample and send it to LuthorCorp Labs. See if they can get working on a neutralizer. I thought this meteor rock stuff wasn’t toxic.”

“It’s volatile. Every time we try something new to it, it gives us new surprises. You of all people should know that.”

Lex pursed his lips.

* * *

April 29, 2013

Clark’s plan to stay fifty feet from Lex wasn’t working out so well, seeing that he was flat on his back on the helicopter pad on top of LuthorCorp’s Smallville plant, with the bald man choking him using the arm around which he wore the kryptonite-enhanced watch. Clark also planned on Chloe staying in the car where she was safe rather than ending up handcuffed to an antenna too far away to help, which was her current predicament.

Clark, even in his weakened state, was able to get a good punch in, which did nothing more than irritate Lex.

“Dammit, Superman, I was working on a solution! You didn’t have to come in and wreck my waste disposal system! You’ve cost me millions!”

Through his teeth, Superman replied, “What about the city of Smallville? How much have you cost them? Have you looked around you?”

And looked Lex had. He saw the same devastation that Superman, the EPA agents, and most of Smallville had seen: sickly gray-green water with foam and fish floating on the surface, withered trees from the bank of the Elbow River to a quarter mile away, and the acid-ruined walls of the shut-down Smallville Dam.

Lex then noticed a softening in Clark’s grimacing face, as if he were deep in thought. This quickly passed as an arm slowly rose. Lex quickly grabbed it with his kryptonite watch-laden arm and held it to the ground. “You know, you never do know when to quit, do you?” Lex’s right fist collided with Superman’s jaw, who retaliated by spitting Kryptonian blood in Lex’s face.

Lex adjusted his legs to have better leverage. Superman was quickly weakening under the radiation of the watch, all the more ready for a good beating. Lex changed his battle plan when he felt something against his shin: a broken piece of piping, a relic from a few minutes earlier, one of Superman’s missed punches.

“You know, you’ve been getting in my father’s and my way for quite some time, for reasons I cannot fathom, which makes me think there are no reasons for your vigilante escapades.” He lifted the jagged pipe. “I think it’s about time we ended that right now, freak.”

“NO!” Chloe screeched. Lex smirked at her infidelity. The woman was obviously in love with the superhero, despite her relationship with Clark. Clark would be heartbroken. Not unlike Lex was after Lana’s death. How poetic. The end result of love is always the same: pain. Lex would have no more of that. “It’s a pity, Superman, with your power, we could’ve ruled the world. Too bad you’ve proven yourself unworthy.”

Lex raised the pipe with his left hand, wanting the kryptonite to be near Superman’s heart when the pipe plunged through it. It never got the chance, as Lex’s wrist was bent back forcefully another piece of pipe struck it with great force. Lex found himself thrown to the ground by Pete Ross, who looked at him with steely eyes. Clutching his injured wrist, he asked, “What the hell? What are you…?”

With an almost evil smirk, Pete replied, “It’s quite simple, Luthor, while Clark was distracting you, Chloe made a quick call to me.” Lex tilted his head, to see Chloe with a cell phone in her hand. His mind replayed back the last few minutes. She had been struggling with her handcuffs quite loudly… an obvious ruse.

Something still didn’t make sense to him. “But… it’s only been…”

“Three, four minutes? Lex, don’t you remember where this plant was built? On top of my family’s farm! My dad’s farmhouse is 100 yards from here. I was in town visiting. You know, I’m kind of lucky that you were going off on your little mad scientist tirade just now. I had plenty of time to sneak up here and grab a weapon. Which reminds me…” Pete abruptly butted the pipe into Lex’s sternum. While the other man gasped for breath, Pete removed his crushed watch, tearing skin that got caught in the mangled metal, evoking a shriek from Lex. Pete threw it over the side of the building, where it landed in a pool of green liquid, created by the damaged outflow pipes of the building. The corrosive liquid quickly began to burn through the shiny steel.

Lex didn’t dare get up, as he saw a healed Superman doing just that.

“You were right about one thing, Mr. Luthor,” Superman said, adopting an impersonal tone, “we could have been partners. It seems your own greed has made you… what was your choice of words? Unworthy.” The blue-suited superhero walked off, mindlessly snapping off Chloe’s handcuffs with one hand. The two shared a tender moment that didn’t escape Lex.

As Superman grabbed the two friends around their backs and flew off, Lex pulled out his own cell phone. Without touching a button, he stated, “Security” into it, letting the GPS tracker inside of it bring the men to him. Two minutes later, as the paramedics attended to his wounds, he noticed one of them went to clean the blood of his forehead. Knowing he hadn’t hurt his forehead he stopped them, touching his sticky brow bone, and realizing the source of the blood. “Save it,” he ordered. The paramedic nodded and placed a wiping of it on sterile gaze in a plastic bag and handing it to Lex, who eyed it like it were made of solid gold.

* * *

No sooner than the three landed safely in the Rosses’ backyard was Clark redressed in his civvies.

“Thanks for the save, Pete,” Clark said, hugging his friend.

“Anytime, bro. Just glad I was conveniently in town.”

Chloe interjected, “I do have to admit, it was very deus ex machina of you.”

Pete snorted a laugh. “Hey, just ‘cause I’m a lawyer now doesn’t mean I speak fluent Latin.”

“I rescind the compliment. I’m just saying that we were really lucky you were in town. What else would we have done?”

Pete smiled. “C’mon, Chloe, you’re a big girl. You’d have thought of something.”

“Hope you’re not flirting with me, Ross.”

With a coy smirk, Pete replied, “You’re kidding? You obviously have not met the new paralegal in my office. Plus, the fact your current boyfriend lifts airplanes for sport.”

Clark smirked, “For sport? Watch how quickly I save the 797 you’re on the next time it has major engine trouble.”

“Point taken, Hercules. C’mon inside. My dad just got a promotion and he’d be glad to take us all out to dinner.”

Clark started to follow, but Chloe grabbed his arm. She commented to her friend, “Give us a second. We’ll be right in.”

Pete smiled knowingly, winked, and ran inside.

Clark’s eyes met Chloe as she stated, “You almost died up there, Clark.”

Clark quickly countered, his voice as grave as hers, “And just what were you doing up there?”

“Saving your buns of steel.”

“Chloe, what I do is dangerous.”

“That’s my point.”

At a stalemate, they stopped and laughed humorously. Clark started, “This relationship’s gonna kill us both. Literally and figuratively.”

She took a step closer. “And if it doesn’t?”

“We’ll see what the future holds.” His caressed her cheek as she pretended the gesture was corny.

* * *

Metropolis International Airport

December 19, 2015

Clark’s arms were wrapped tightly around Chloe’s shoulders. More nervous than he, she held tightly to his hands with her own, her chin resting on both sets. She tensed up in his arms as the door opened to Gate 42 and people started filing out. She began to tap her foot anxiously as the crowds of people walked out with an obliviousness that annoyed Chloe to no end. She gasped suddenly and pointed to a small Chinese woman with a baby in her arms. “Do you think it’s her?” Chloe’s breath was airy as she spoke to Clark.

With much more ease, Clark replied, “We’ll find out soon enough if it’s… it’s…” He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening. His nervousness soon matched Chloe’s and he began to shake. Chloe squeezed tighter, if only to remind him what would happen if he started shaking in superspeed.

The woman made eye contact with Clark and Chloe, giving them no more time to process the situation as she softly said to them, “Mr. and Mrs. Kent?”

Chloe fingered the ring on her right hand nervously as she nodded speechlessly.

The woman smiled wide, “Well, then, my name is Jane Xiao, from Shaohannah’s Hope. And this sleepy bundle is Lana.” The 18-month-old girl roused from her slumber and looked into Jane’s eyes. Her black pigtails stuck straight out.

“Hey, xiao gui, I’ve got a surprise for you.”

The girl shifted hurriedly in Jane’s arms to look at Clark and Chloe, whose muscles seemed atrophied.

“Ma ma, ba ba?” she said cheerfully.

Jane nodded and stood Lana on the ground before Clark and Chloe, who immediately kneeled down, smiling and trying their best to breathe normally. Little Lana took a cautious step forward and grabbed a handful of Chloe’s sweater in one and another handful of her hair in the other.

Chloe wrapped her hands around the little girl, picked her up, and tried to mouth several things before coming up with, “Hi.”

Clark followed suit with a breathy “Hey.”

Jane stepped forward and brushed back Lana’s hair to whisper in the tiny girl’s ear, “Remember the English I taught you?”

“Mommy,” Lana proclaimed, and added, “Daddy.” A tear fell down Chloe’s cheek.

Lana’s head was turning back and forth as Chloe carried her into the terminal, her eyes absorbing every detail of this alien world around her. While the Beijing Capital International Airport was a monument of smooth curves, the Metropolis airport was an edifice of sharp angles and straight lines. As Lana descended the escalator, one of her favorite things to do, she noticed a small group of people waving at her, or maybe it was her new mommy and daddy. At the bottom, Lana was at first caught in the middle of many hugs between her mommy and the new people who were waving at her before, but pretty soon her mommy tried to get her attention. Lana didn’t want to a miss a moment.

“Lana, I’d like you to meet some people.” Lana knew that her mommy didn’t speak Mandarin, but she spoke very sweetly, so Lana forgave her, even though she was pronouncing her name with incorrect intonation. Lana watched as her mommy presented her to a man who was tall like her daddy, but had straw-colored hair and glasses. “This is your ye ye.” Lana was very excited to meet the man she was pretty sure was her grandpa. Her mommy couldn’t say Mandarin words right, but that’s what ye ye meant. Lana was then presented to a woman who was about her mommy’s height and had bright red hair, which was so interesting to Lana, she just had to grab some of it.

“Hey, sweetie,” said the woman with the beautiful colored hair.

“Lana, this is your nai nai.”

Grandma! Lana thought happily. Her hands were pried away from the coppery hair and she was introduced to a man who was shorter than her daddy and her ye ye, but still taller than her mommy and her nai nai. He had dark blond hair. “This,” her mommy told her, “is your lao ye.” Lana became very excited, because she was now meeting her other grandpa. How marvelous was this day!

Lana was then shown another woman. She had beautiful brown hair, which was obviously perfect for grabbing. What other purpose is there for hair? So, Lana grabbed it. Her mommy then said to her, “This is Lois. She’s your, uh, well, I don’t know what the word for her is, but you can call her Aunt Lois.”

The brown-haired woman came close to Lana and whispered in her ear. “You make sure to tell your mommy and daddy that they’re crazy if they think I’m going to babysit you, okay?” She pulled away and winked. Lana responded by pulling on her hair.

Most little girls think that their daddies are the strongest man in the world. As Lana was held by her daddy, she thought the same, and she was right.

* * *

Metropolis General Hospital

Lex Luthor sat patiently as Dr. Litvack removed the cast from his hand.

“Well, Lex, are you ready?”

Lex groaned and grimaced as he stared as his left hand; the skin was sickly green, and long scars marked his wrist and the lengths of his fingers. Crippled, wrinkled fingers, tipped with blackened fingernails, moved spastically. In a sudden movement, his hand clenched together into a fist. Lex looked amazed at the development. “You’re a genius,” Lex commented as he repeatedly clenched and unclenched his hand.

“Well, of course I am. But this was easily. Move around a few muscles, a few more metal implants.”

Lex slipped on a black leather glove over his diseased hand.

As Lex stepped out of the doctor’s office, he was surprised to find his father accompanying Tessa and his children.

Tessa approached him and they kissed briefly. Lex picked up his daughter and kissed her forehead. He then knelt down to hug his son.

He rose again and addressed his father, “Dad, what are you doing here?”

“Well, Lex, you had an important medical procedure done today. I thought it was only proper.”

Lex started to walk down the hallway, his wife’s hand in his arm and his son’s hand in his healthy hand. “Where was this sentiment the last three times I had surgery?”

“Lex, I make it when I can.”

Lex showed off his clenching hand. Tessa smiled. Lionel did not. “You don’t seem impressed,” Lex commented.

“Lex, the first thing you did after you came out of the womb was clench your hand.”

“Lionel…” Tessa pouted. Lex affectionately shushed her.

He stopped and turned to face his father, “Well, Dad, maybe I’ve been reborn.”

Lionel smiled sincerely. “So true, my son.”

As they reached the end of the hallway, Lex waited to have his personal items returned. The first item he pulled out was a shiny silver ring. Slipping it on his left hand, over his glove, he tapped the top, where three flaps opened to reveal a translucent green stone. With the flick of his wrist, the lead-lined sterling silver panels closed into a metal hemisphere. Tessa watched this, and touched the silver necklace with a green jewel setting. Lionel too watched his son’s actions, subconsciously fingering the tip of his cane, which featured a sterling silver knob with three radial seams.

* * *

The soul of Lillian Luthor watched as the scene faded around hers. She grimaced as she looked over toward Godeerc.

“So, it appears no matter what I do, Alexander is destined to follow in his father’s footsteps.”

“I don’t know the answer to that, Lillian. All I know is there are a lot of forces working against your son. Now, my job is to examine the future, the what-will-be and the what-could-be, and in my experience, nothing is impossible. Though, certain things seemed destined to happen.”

“Clark and Chloe?”

“Sometimes it seems inevitable. Sometimes it seems impossible.”

“Is it even worth fighting for my Alexander’s soul?”

“It worth everything, Lillian. We’re only destined to do what we did, not what we will do. Clark, Chloe, and many others never gave up on trying to save Lex. It would be a shame if you didn’t.”

Lillian knew time was an illusion, but in that moment Godeerc just ceased to exist beside her. So she waited, somehow knowing that another chance to speak with her son would come soon.

~

A/N: I hope you’ve enjoyed this story. I’m sorry that it’s taken me so long to complete, but every once in a while, a story just drains me, and this story did. I usually don’t ask for reviews, as it seems tacky to do so, but I’ve recently began to faithfully constructively criticize ever story I can get through, and I invite you to do the same.

By the way, Shaohannah’s Hope is a real adoption foundation. “And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name, welcomes me.” Matthew 18:5. I invite you to check it out.

^_^ - Hey, little Lana! My name’s Sonriso and I’m your… what did you call it, Creedog? Oh, right, sha zi. Creedog says it describes me perfectly.

©2006 Godeerc VanDrey Enterprises, Inc. Created Saturday, June 29, 2006. Finished Monday, July 17, 2006.