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
“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.
“That’s nothing new,”
Chloe brushed the hair out of her face, caused by
Chloe smiled and kissed him. “Or her cousin?” She pulled away and showed him the article: “A Chat with the Super-Man” by
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?”
“You said you weren’t human.”
“But that you had nothing downstairs?”
“What?”
Chloe paused then started to laugh uncontrollably. “Oh,
Still clueless,
Chloe caught his expression. “Oh, it’s not that creative. I’m sure it won’t catch on.”
* * *
“This is preposterous!” Chloe screeched.
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
“‘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.
Chloe’s face always betrayed her emotions, except to Clark, but now it seemed like even
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.
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
“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
“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
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
Lex then noticed a softening in
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
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
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
“Thanks for the save, Pete,”
“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.”
“Point taken, Hercules. C’mon inside. My dad just got a promotion and he’d be glad to take us all out to dinner.”
Pete smiled knowingly, winked, and ran inside.
Clark’s eyes met Chloe as she stated, “You almost died 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.
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.
* * *
December 19, 2015
With much more ease,
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.”
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
“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.
* * *
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.
January 5, 2013
The sun shone over the large playground in
“Little guy’s as active as ever, I see,” came a familiar feminine voice behind Lex. It was the last voice Lex expected to hear.
“Chloe,” Lex said as the blond woman sat down beside him, “what a surprise…” He held his mouth open, as if to say something else but couldn’t.
“You’re probably wondering why I’m here,” Chloe predicted. Lex gave her an affirming look. “Listen, Lex, we’re friends. I’m not saying it’s not going to be hard, and part of me thinks that it’s not going to work, but what kind of person would I be if I didn’t?”
“The kind of person that betrays their friends when the going gets tough?”
“Well, tact has never been your strong point.”
Lex smiled. “I get that from my father.” Lex watched Alex for a moment, and pointed him out to Chloe. “It’s amazing, Alex has spent four hours with his grandfather in the last week. It’s the first time he’s ever met him. Now we’ve always known Alex had a Type A personality, but look what a little time with Lionel Luthor had done to him already.”
Chloe watched as a dozen kids listened to Alex giving directions on a new game. The group then proceeded to play a version of Red Light, Green Light involving tag, with Alex as the ringleader.
Lex said ironically, “I think my father is making up for lost time, where he could use his infant brainwashing techniques.”
“Lex, if you’re so afraid of your father’s influence, why are you at LuthorCorp?”
“As strange as this may sound, it feels like home. I’m not going to lie to you and say that I didn’t enjoy the life with Lana, but I felt like I was acting out a part. I loved the part, but when I’m working at LuthorCorp, it’s like something inside of me takes over, and it feels incredible.”
Chloe commented, “I think Napoleon Bonaparte might have described The Battle of Austerlitz in a similar manner.”
“Or Alexander the Great and the
“I get it, Lex. I’m just saying…”
“I know, and I appreciate the concern. You’re a true friend.”
“And, Lex, thanks for just hiring the best writer at my place of work’s rival company to attempt to debase my greatest work and my journalistic integrity in general, instead of, you know, hiring a sniper to assassinate me.”
Chloe suddenly lunged forward, struggling for breath, and holding her the left side of her midsection as the fabric around her hand turned blood red. Taking strength from her depleting life force, she screamed out, “
It was only minutes later when paramedics had Chloe on a stretcher, an oxygen mask on her face, and bandages on the now exposed gunshot wound.
“
One of the paramedics stated to Lex, “You’re obviously not Clark, Mr. Luthor.”
Lex didn’t know what to think of the fact his notoriety had already returned. “Clark
“Is he her next of kin?”
Lex’s mind raced. “No, her father’s still alive. Gabe Sullivan. He used to work for me, but it’s been years.” He thought harder. “I know how to get in touch with
“Mike!” cried the other paramedic. “She ain’t doin’ so good. We gotta get her to the hospital now!”
Across the street from where Lex was standing, there was suddenly a loud scream, a crash, and then a cacophony of honking cars, and Lex turned to see a small crowd gathered around something on the sidewalk.
* * *
Clark appeared on the roof of the three-story building overlooking
“You picked the wrong target,”
Through the pain, the man screamed in a heavy Eastern European accent, “You wouldn’t! You’re supposed to be a superhero!”
“Don’t test me. Just tell me who hired you.”
The man scrambled for something in his pocket with his good hand and pulled out a grey, metal sphere.
The sniper screamed, but
The sniper landed with his back on the curb with an ominous crack. Blood pooled around his head, into the street and onto the sidewalk.
Instantly,
He stooped slightly, turning his head away from the crowd. The entire back of his suit was stained with blood. He suddenly launched himself up into the air, leaving cracks in the sidewalk in a five-foot radius.
The crowd muttered, and one person in the crowd pulled out a small notebook. This brown-haired man was Marshall Heath, star reporter of the Metropolis Star.
* * *
The last place Clark wanted to be at was
“And, your relation to Miss Sullivan?”
In the hallway,
“Chloe was really lucky. Now I’m a factory manager, so don’t expect me to get all this medical jargon right, but the bullet missed her lung. There was some, uh, internal bleeding in her large intestines, but that was quickly taken care of. They say she cried you name a lot during her less lucid moments.”
“Yeah. It’s, um, …”
“Don’t kill yourself, Clark. My daughter’s been enamored with you since the day we set foot in Smallville. I’d almost given up on grandkids.”
Gabe wrapped his arm around Clark’s shoulder, which wasn’t easy given Clark’s height, “You know, I like to think there’s hope for
“Thanks. But, you know, Dad kind of misses the cows.”
The older man laughed heartily. “Yeah, I knew how much he hated to have to sell the farm when he was elected. I’m glad he kept the farmhouse though. The Christmas parties are the best.”
“Funny you mention your loft. It was one of Chloe’s favorite places to go. Scared me to death that she wanted to hang out in a teenage boy’s private space so much…”
Chloe turned her head as
Taking a breath
Chloe cut him off. “Clark Kent, if the next words that come of your mouth are an apology, I will ask the nurse to get me my belongings and I will hit you hard enough with my K-ring to break your jaw.”
Chloe’s eyes widened in shock. “
“It was an accident. Now I was harsher than I should have been throwing him around, but…” He paused before continuing, “He had kryptonite. We both fell off the building.”
“Kryptonite? How?”
“I don’t know how he had it, or even how he knew to pull it out. He must not have know what it would do, ‘cause he pulled it out while I was dangling him off the edge of the building.”
“Wait, are you alright? Did you fall off, too?”
“Yeah, and I landed pretty hard. Probably broke a few bones and gave myself a concussion before the kryptonite fell into the sewers. I’m good now. The shooter’s another story.”
Chloe reached her hand out and held his face. “Hey, then it wasn’t your fault.” She artificially heightened her tone, “So, it looks like I won’t be starting back at the Planet on Monday after all. I bet Perry’s beside himself. Which reminds me, have you talked to him about…?”
“
“Catch him? We didn’t need to. He’s dead. We found him on splattered on the sidewalk across the street from the park. It appears Metropolis’s resident superhuman vigilante threw him off a building.”
Chloe, playing along, said, “I find that hard to believe. I know him personally, and he’s not the type to just throw someone off a building. Weren’t there witnesses?” Perfect reporter question…
“Yes, but these same witnesses claim that they also the man in white fall off the building and start bleeding. Mind telling me how a man who can fly and catch bullets fell off a three story building and hurt himself? These same witnesses then claimed he got up and flew off. They showed me a dent in the sidewalk as ‘proof.’”
“We identified him as Latvian mercenary killer Andrejs Kohut. Do you know anyone who might want to kill Miss Sullivan?”
“Lionel Luthor,” the two said in unison.
“He’s tried it before,” Chloe added.
“We’re investigating both Luthors as we speak. Lex is cooperating. Lionel is giving us the runaround.” The words rang hollow as if it had been said many a time.
Chloe commented, “That isn’t the least bit surprising.”
Chloe added, “And even though he is going back to work for LuthorCorp, it wouldn’t be some show of loyalty. He’s already hired Marshall Heath from the Star to write a rebuttal to my book.”
“We’re investigated Lex because it’s standard procedure to investigate first at the scene. Mr.
“Yeah…” Chloe replied.
“We had a Marshall Heath at the scene as a primary witness. He’s the one who said the man in white threw the man off the building.” Clark and Chloe exchanged bemused glances. “Listen,” Det. Sawyer said, unable to decipher the looks Clark and Chloe were sharing, “I’ve got an investigation to proceed with. I’m sure you two would like a few minutes alone. Oh, by the way,” she said, through the doorway, “I loved the article in The Inquisitor the other day.” And with that, she was gone.
After a brief silence, Chloe started to fumble with her IV tubes, and meekly asked, “
“Not that kind of moving-in thing. People usually wait until there in a certain stage of their relationship before doing that.”
“Damn right. Listen, I know you’re gonna be hovering over me anyway—and not literally, please—you might as well be sleeping in the next room.”
“I don’t have a problem with that. It’s just the mattress on the couch isn’t the best.”
“Haven’t you heard? Lois got it replaced for me. You might as well be sleeping in my bed.” Hearing her own words, Chloe blushed, “Oh, brother, your awkwardness is rubbing off on me. Way to go,
* * *
January 12, 2013
Chloe giggled, “So, bleach didn’t work at all?”
“So, that’s why you’re dragging me to Smallville with you?”
“Dragging you? You begged me to let you to come.”
“I couldn’t stand to be cooped up in my apartment any longer.”
“You moved back in yesterday.”
“Before that, I was cooped up in the hospital for a week! I was about to die of boredom.”
“I brought you in a laptop and snuck your cell into your room. You’ve been working the entire time.”
“With a Cable modem. How ancient is that?”
“We could have plugged you into the phone line. We’re talking 56K there.”
Chloe covered her ears. “Ah! I’m not listening.” Chloe turned back to her notebook. “Plus, aren’t I garnering you a lot of praise from Perry ‘cause I’m helping you out with your S.T.A.R. article?”
“Point taken.”
Chloe brushed her hair out of her face again. “So, again, why Smallville?”
“The man in white has been out of commission for seven days now. Metropolis needs a hero. And I’d like a disguise that can withstand the elements. And for that I need to get some more Kryptonian fabric. And for that, I need to go back to the Fortress of Solitude. And for that…”
“…you need the Kawatche caves.” Chloe finished as she scribbled on a sheet of paper.
“Yep. What’re you drawing?”
“How do you know I’m drawing? I could be working on an article.”
“Because you’ve never used anything but a word processor to write down anything, save grocery lists, in years.” Adopting an even more demeaning tone, he added, “And when people write, they usually move their pencils in minute motions going back and forth across the page. You’re obviously drawing large, smooth lines across the entire area of the paper.” He turned to look at what she was drawing but she held the notebook to her chest.
“No lookies, Mr. Perfect-Peripheral-Vision, and don’t you even think about squinting.”
“Yeah, especially since it’s very difficult to use my x-ray vision to see the back of something. Plus, do you really want me using my vision anywhere near where you’re holding that?”
Chloe emitted a playful scoff. “Sometimes, Clark
“It’s funny you mention red,”
* * *
Kent Farmhouse
Peeling off one of Martha Kent’s winter coats, Chloe joked, “I tell you, that icicle kingdom of yours has enough nooks and crannies.” Martha handled her a cup of hot chocolate. “Thanks, Mrs.
“Chloe, please, call me Martha. You’re practically family.” Lowering her voice, she added, “’Course, before too long…”
In an equally hushed voice, Chloe replied, “Talk about counting your chickens before they hatch!”
Refining her accent, Martha replied, “Was that a farm analogy? I hardly understand those anymore.”
Chloe smirked.
Walking into the kitchen,
Martha picked up the sleek, white blanket of cloth that
Chloe spun towards Martha on the stool she was sitting on. “May I suggest our lovely green rings?”
“Could work,” Martha considered it. She tossed her son the broken scissors, and he used his heat vision to repair the blade. Turning back to Chloe, Martha inquired, “Would you like to help, Chloe?”
“Yeah, I’m not as domestically inclined as you, but I do have a couple of ideas I want to throw at you.” She reached down and pulled her notebook from her backpack.
Chloe was a writer, not an artist, but the figure on the page was at least recognizable as human. To
“It’s a cape.” Chloe pointed toward the cape, penned in red, which flowed behind the body of her figure.
“I think it’s symbolic.”
“It’s a lot of color. Blue… red…”
“
Martha pointed towards the gap near the center of the chest of Chloe’s drawing. “What’s supposed to go here?”
“I haven’t decided.
“One of my shop class projects?”
“Jonathan uses it as a paperweight,” Martha added.
Chloe grabbed a ruler from the drawer, and carrying both objects in her hand, laid them on the table, and then flipped to a new page in her notebook. She started to talk while working energetically. “Know I don’t know if this was intentional…” She laid the ‘S’ sideways on the page and started to draw lines around it with the ruler. “…but, I think if we played with the lines just a tad…” She removed the metal project and finished her design. “I think this would fit fairly well in…” She held up her work, showing the ‘S’ traced inside of a pentagon which had a very similar shape to the House of El Symbol.
Clark and Martha were silent, but exchanged impressed glances.
* * *
January 17, 2013
Winter was the windy season in Metropolis. For
He didn’t expect to collapse to the ground mid-stride in the middle of the room. The momentum carried him to the desk, where he found himself in pain. As he reached his hand up toward the desk, feeling a burning sensation, he realized that the small gift-wrapped box on top of the table carried kryptonite.
Even without his super-hearing, he heard the voices in the hall and the door opening.
“Lex, my boy, I must say you’re doing fine work in Smallville,” Lionel Luthor stated as he strode briskly into the room. “As always, I expect better, but, son, I think you’re really starting to get your life back on track.”
Lex’s insides burned at the implications of the comment, but he was in no mood to start an argument with his father, who had dragged him to Metropolis in the middle of some very important planning time with his plant managers.
“Lex, also, I noticed that you offered a job to Gabe Sullivan. Now, while I’m always glad to have one less competent worker at any of
“Lex, I will not tolerate such insubordination. Let us not forget whose fault that book was.”
Lex just smiled insincerely. “Dad, I think we should thank Chloe Sullivan for her work. LuthorCorp prides itself on such values as safety and honesty. I, for one, am relieved that the completely accidental fire at the publishing house where her book was being printed was quickly put out. It was very lucky that a random pedestrian happened to be walking by at three in the morning.” Lionel chose to ignore the sarcasm in Lex’s voice.
“As am I, Lex.” Lionel noticed the gift on his desk. “Oh, and how is Tessa working out?”
Lex kept his voice even. “Very well, I must say. The kids absolutely adore her. She seems very qualified. Overqualified, I must say.” He let the statement hang, but Lionel busied himself with the items on his desk. “She’s very attractive, Dad.”
A broad smile appeared on Lionel’s face. “I had hoped you would think so.”
“Dad, I know what you’re playing. But I was very much in love with Lana and I still am a grieving widower. I’d hold off on booking a church.”
“Lex, I don’t expect you to woo this woman just yet, but she’s a magnificent young woman. Don’t make the same mistake our friend Clark did all those years ago and obsess about that one certain woman. He’s moved on, I understand.”
Lex in his head quickly counted the years since his mother died: twenty-five. While Lionel could hardly be called celibate, he was still a bachelor.
Lionel noticed the silver box on his desk. “Aw, of course. Lex, this is for you. My VPs were so pleased with your return they had this prepared for you.” Lionel handed his son the four-inch cube wrapped in striped black and silver wrapping paper. Lex removed the top to find a silver watch, the face surrounded by a glowing, jeweled green ring. Lionel smiled and stated, “They had it specially made. That green ring is made from the meteor rock found in Smallville. It turns out that it’s naturally luminescent when a small electrical current is run through it.”
“It’s great, Dad.” Lex moved his own watch to his pocket and tried on the silver one. He looked up at his father. “Is there anything else you need? Because we’re both very busy men.”
“No, Lex, that will be all. Keep up the good work, son.” With a sincere smile, he patted his son’s shoulder.
“Who’s there?” Lionel called, seconds before he felt a passing rush of wind. He then looked thoughtfully at his desk, at the place where Lex’s gift used to be and then to the security cameras hidden above the door.
* * *
Seconds later,
“Hey, I could have taken them!” Lois cried incredulously.
“They have guns. You’re not bulletproof.”
“And you are?” Lois cursed her impetuousness as soon as the words came out of her mouth. She ignored the superhero’s proud smirk.
“Let’s get you out of here.”
It was a short ride back to the Daily Planet’s roof, being almost across the street from LuthorCorp.
“Well, thanks… I guess White Knight doesn’t really suit you anymore.”
“I never really like the name anyway,”
“Anyway, I like the new look. Blue suits you.” Lois smiled flirtatiously. After their third date, the personal trainer had stopped calling.
“Thanks.” He could have sworn Lois was flirting with him.
“So, anyway, Clark and Chloe have really hit it off.”
In reality,
“Well, obviously. But, you’re still a pretty attractive not-human.” Lois replied. She looked him up and down before a look of realization appeared on her face. “Oh, I get it. That could be a problem for me.” Lois coughed. “Listen, we can just forget we ever had this conversation. There’re plenty of fish in the sea. Some of them have all their fins. Catch you later… what should we call you now?”
“I’m just a man trying to help out a city.”
“You’re one super man, handsome.” She winked as
* * *
9:14 PM
Marshall Heath sat at his desk at the Metropolis Star. In front of him was his computer, opened to a black word processor page. To his right was a copy of The Underground Monopoly, open to the end of the first chapter. He drummed his fingers on the desk for a few seconds before he moved his hands to float about the keyboard, typing:
Writing an Underground Libel
A Response to The Underground Monopoly
~
A/N: Back in Chapter 1, I named Lex and Lana’s baby Lillian. I just read the recap of the episode and it turns out they did name her Lily. I’m developing psychic powers.
^_^ - Let me at this Marshall Heath guy. He won’t know what hit ‘im. No one messes with my LongHair!Chloe.
