The sun was slowly setting over Smallville. From the quiet of the Kent barn loft, Clark stood, silently gazing at it resting over the fields. A gentle warm Autumn breeze blew in and could hear footsteps approach. "Hi Clark. Your mother said you were up here, so I thought I'd drop these by" Chloe said as she placed some schoolbooks on the coffee table.
Clark turned around. "Thanks Chloe" he replied as they both went and sat on his couch. "Sure thing" Chloe said. "Um, so Clarkyou know me, can't go a minute without some questions" Clark chuckled at this. Chloe rolled her eyes at him. "AnywayI wanted to know, why you weren't at school today. I asked Pete and Lana, they'd no idea. Then I asked Larry the bus driver who was having a break with Jake the groundskeeper. Did you know they just started a new petition for pesticide free grounds? I think that's an amaz"
Clark placed his hand in the air, waving her to cease. "Chloe, take a breath" he shook his head and smiled. "Sorry, anyway, like I said, what's up?" she asked again. Clark relaxed back into the couch. "Nothing. I just needed to help dad out today with some new farm equipment". Chloe looked sceptically at her friend. "You know Clark, I can see right through you sometimes. You're not fooling anyone. Where'd you go?" she continued her inquiry. Clark sighed and got up. He knew she wasn't going to rest the issue anytime soon.
"I went to Metropolis" he replied turning his attention to his telescope. "What for? Some random personal school trip no one else knew about?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, desperate to know. Clark lent against the wall. "I went to Sommerhalt" he paused "with Lex". Chloe rolled her eyes again and sighed. "Why couldn't he have gone by himself? He does have an all access pass" she said sarcastically. Clark frowned. "Chloe, give him a break. He's not always that bad" he replied. Chloe stood up and collected her bag from the table.
"If you say so Clark". Turning to leave she looked back at him. "I guess your not going to grace me with details so I'll leave you be. Will you be coming to school tomorrow? Or is it going to be another Lex & Clark Excellent Adventure?" she asked mockingly. It was Clark's time to roll his eyes. "I'll be there. Thanks again for the books". Chloe nodded, "sure. Goodnight" she said as she made her way outside. Clark walked back to the loft window bay and watched Chloe drive home. Yawning, he walked over to his desk and sat down. He looked at the envelope in front of him. He hadn't opened it yet since returning home that day.
Emptying the contents out onto his desk, he scanned each page. It was documented information Lex had retrieved from Sommerhalt earlier that day concerning test results pertaining to Clark's telepathic late friend Ryan. Halfway through reading the files, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "How could they have done that to him?!" he thought angrily to himself. A little while later, his mother called him into the house for dinner. He took the files inside to show them to his folks. After their meal, they sat and began to discuss the findings. "What are you going to do?" Jonathan asked his son as Martha made everyone some cocoa. Clark shook his head. "I've no idea. Lex thinks he could sue, but not much will come of it. I need to try and shut it down. So that they can't keep experimenting" he said with anger building in his voice. Jonathan looked hard at Clark. "I don't want you doing anything rash son. And especially is Lex is involved. I know you trust him, but I still don't and I don't want anything to happen to you alright?" he said grabbing Clark's arm. They stared at each other for a moment. "Maybe wait a few days before deciding what to do" Martha said sitting down beside her husband. Clark sighed and nodded. "I guessit's just I'm so" he trailed off sadly. "Your mother and I know how much Ryan meant to you, we just don't want to see anything like what he went through happen to you as well" Jonathan said gently. Clark looked back at both his parents. "I know your both trying to look out for me. And I get it. I'm sorry".
He walked over to them and group hugged them both. "I don't know what I'd do without you guys" They smiled. "Back to school for you tomorrow mister" Jonathan said as Clark made his way up the stairs to his room. "Yeah, Chloe's already betting the odds" he jokingly said before closing his door behind him.
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CHAPTER 2.Lying Luthor
"I have no idea what you're talking about. If I wanted the Shares brought I would have done so by now. Next time check your facts first before disturbing me with inane queries". Lex Luthor hung up his mobile phone. Getting out of his sports car, Clark nodded towards him as he and Lana walked out of Smallville High's gates. "Ready to go?" Lex asked smiling broadly. "Where you off to?" Lana asked as Clark put his bag in the backseat. "Metropolis. You wanna come too?" Lex asked getting into the driver seat. Lana shook her head "the Talon awaits. Have fun!" she replied heading on her way.
"Exciting day?" Lex quizzed as they drove through Main Street. "Oh yeah" Clark replied sarcastically. Lex smirked, "That good?" Clark playfully punched Lex's shoulder. "Shuddup and drive dude" and turned the radio up. Lex laughed. They eventually arrived in Metropolis and headed inside Luthorcorp. The pair made their way up to Lex's father's office. "Thankyou Samantha, I'll call them back tomorrow" Lionel placed his phone back on the hook as Lex and Clark walked into his room. "Lex, what a surprise. And Mr Kent, how are you son?" the billionaire asked as he greeted Clark with a handshake.
Lex smiled disdainfully at his father. "Not really father, I called earlier about the Sommerhalt situation" Lex said as he took a seat in one of his father's office chairs. Clark shook Lionel's hand and sat over on the office couch. Lionel walked over to the wall safe, opened it and took out some sealed files. "I think you'll find these of interest son" and handed them over to Lex. "What are they?" he asked quizzically. Lionel smiled and sat back down behind his desk. "Answers" he replied cryptically. Clark sat silent, watching the two of them silently banter one another with questioning eyes.
"I don't mean to be rude, but we need to get going" Clark said disrupting the silence. "Of course" Lionel said getting up. "If you require anything else, just call" he said as Lex stood up placing the files into a briefcase his father had left for him to use. "I'm sure I will" Lex replied. "Indeed. Well it was nice seeing you again Clark" Lionel said walking towards the door. "Goodbye" Clark replied as he and Lex made their way out towards the elevator. On their way down to Ground Level, Clark's super hearing kicked in. It was Lionel talking to Dr Garner from Sommerhalt.
"I know what you said. But he has obviously found something that doesn't add up. I'm aware of that. Then do what you need to do to make it go away. I'm not wasting anymore money on these meaningless exercises if there is nothing substantial to show for it. See to it then. Yes I will. He knows nothing more than what he has been trained to. He can look after his own. I'm aware of that. Indeed. $20,000 000 is more than enough. She'll have that passed along by tomorrow morning. No, not until we find out more about Section 11. It will be arranged for next month. The preparations have already begun. There wont be."
The elevator doors opened, as Lex and Clark walked out the foyer, Clark was silent. "Clark, you alright?" Lex asked as they made their way towards his car. Clark nodded, "yeah I'm fine. Was just thinking about something". They got in and headed back towards Smallville. "What about" Lex inquired. Clark stared out the window, watching fields go by. "Just anxious to see what your father found out" he replied carefully. They pulled up to the Luthor Manson and made their way inside. "Drink" Lex offered him a bottle of water as they entered his office. "No thanks I'm good" Clark said taking a seat on Lex's couch.
Lex sat down opposite Clark and placed his Brandy on the coffee table. Opening up the briefcase, he took the files out, and passed a couple over to Clark. The two of them sat silently reading over them for a few moments. "This can't be right" Lex commented while looking over graph sheets. "What's it say?" asked Clark who'd already taken in all the information from the files Lex gave him to view. Lex passed the graph results over to him. Clark glanced quickly over them and frowned. Lex took a sip of brandy and furrowed his brow. "What are you going to do?" Clark asked handing the papers back over.
Lex smiled disdainfully. "My father thinks he can play hardball with the best of them. Most of the time he succeeds. But thislow even for him" he replied getting up and walked over to his desk. Sitting down, he opened up his laptop. "Forgive me Clark, but I need to make some calls. I'll talk to you tomorrow" he said entering in his password. Clark got up and headed towards the door. He knew something was up. "Let me know what happens with it" he replied before leaving. As he walked out the mansion, he couldn't help but think that maybe, even on a small scale, both Luthor's were in on something big. He just couldn't figure out what. On his way home, he decided to stop in at the Talon.
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CHAPTER 3.Along Came A Chloe "Clark! How was Metropolis?" asked Lana as Clark made his way and sat down in front of the main counter. He smiled, "it was alright. I saw billboards promoting a new animation film with the voices of Matt Damon and Claire Danes. Maybe we should go check it out one day." He remembered back to when the two of them sat watching old cartoons in his truck for her birthday and smiled at the memory. Lana looked at him. "You know, as friends. Not a date or anything" he chuckled nervously. She shook her head. "Sure, sounds like fun" she replied smiling warmly as she turned her attention towards a couple of customers.
"Clark you'll never guess what I just found out!" beamed an ecstatic Chloe walking towards him, a demure Pete in toe. Clark smiled a broad toothy grin. "What?!" he exclaimed just as brightly causing Chloe to make one of her world famous "Clark Kent your so annoying sometimes!" faces. Pete took a seat next to Clark. "She's been wanting to tell you all afternoon, practically had to drag her away from the computer" he said. "Ok, my time to talk, shoosh!"she said opening up her school folder from out of her bag. She pulled out a couple of photocopied pages and handed them over to Clark.
"Chloe, where'd you get these?" he asked looking over them. "What are you reading"? asked Lana from behind the counter as she poured Pete an ice coffee. "Articles about all the so called research that goes on at Sommerhalt" Chloe replied taking a seat the opposite side of Clark. "Isn't that the place that was hiding and testing Ryan?" Lana asked. Chloe nodded. "I thought I'd do some extra digging, I know you didn't ask, but I figured you wouldn't mind" she added quickly, glancing over at Clark. "Um yeah no thanks Chloe, this is good. Excuse me guys, I gotta go see Lex" he said hurriedly and got up to leave.
Lex was taking some pool shots when Clark barged his way into Lex's office at the mansion. "Why didn't you tell me you knew what they were going to do?"Clark exclaimed angrily slamming the pages Chloe printed for him onto the pool table disrupting Lex's move."Clark, calm down" Lex replied solidly as he placed down his que and picked up the papers. Clark glared at him. Lex silently read over them before walking over to his desk and sat down. Clark stormed over and sat opposite. He scowled at his friend.
"Well?!" he asked sternly demanding answers. "What is Section 11?" aggravation continuing to build in his voice. Lex shifted in his seat."It's a specialist section at Sommerhalt. I didn't tell you about it as I didn't feel it was necessary. I had no idea until just now reading these documents that they were using Ryan for their own purposes. If I had, I would have shut it down immediately" Lex replied. Clark shot him a look. "I don't believe you. You knew they were getting this information, why didn't you stop them before his tumour got worse?" Clark asked acrimoniously.
"Clark, I wouldn't lie to you. I swear I had no idea of Ryan predicament. It was only until after you brought him here and you told me. After you left, I made some inquires into Sommerhalt and was informed of various staff within Section 11 keeping the results for their own personal agenda. I was assured the treatment Ryan had undergone was not to blame for the severity of his tumour. I know now the information was false, and for that I am sorry" he said. Clark rose from his chair. "Sorry isn't going to bring him back" he replied derisively.
Lex nodded. "Clark, I'm sorry. If I'd known the truth in time I would have"Clark shook his head."I don't want to hear it Lex. You lied to me" and he stormed out of the mansion and made his way back to the farm. Lex called his father. "Dad, make tomorrow free. I'm coming to Metropolis" he said as he turned on his laptop before hanging up the phone. He opened up his email account and found an old email from Dr Garner. He re-read it. Running his hand over his scalp and to the back of his neck, he sighed and leant back in his chair. He knew he was in deep. And the one person he trusted, didn't trust him. And for a moment he wished for his mother to be there, just to tell him it was going to be alright.
"Clark, dinner will be ready soon, can you help set the table" Martha called out to him as he stepped inside the front door. Clark sundered his way into the dinning room and quietly laid out the table. "Are you alright sweetie, you look tired" his mother said as she placed a bowl of steamed vegetables in the centre of the table. Clark nodded, "I'm fine mum. I just have a lot on my mind" he replied setting down the cutlery. "Is it over what he talked about the other night?" she queried as Jonathan walked in through the back door. He made his way over to the dinner table and they all sat down to eat. Clark smiled. His mother knew him too well.
What I'm going to do, is that after I've written up each chapter, i'm going to add it onto the same post, so that it just flows and doesn't get seperated by comments, figure it's just easier that way. So periodically, keep checking it to see if I've added more to it.
Just a quick note, I haven't forgotten the story, it's just I have a new job at the moment, and I'm a little too busy during the week to do any writing, so I'll try and get up the next chapter sometime this weekend. So yes, I haven't neglected it, just busy with work.
