The doors to Lab 2 finally opened with a pneumatic sigh and Lionel stepped out. Lana straightened to attention, waiting for him to notice her. She’d managed to grab a quick shower and a change of uniform in the meantime and had been waiting for more than an hour for him to emerge. He didn’t notice her right away, he simply stood there, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Then he glanced up, noting her, and a slight smile touched his face. “Lana,” he greeted her simply. He looked over his shoulder at the closing lab doors and the smile faded from his face. “Anything else to report?” he asked her quietly, still gazing at the doors.
“No, sir. There were a few false positives that were reported, but nothing solid.” He turned his gaze back on her and she swallowed, feeling his displeasure. “It’s just a matter of time, sir.”
He said nothing and started to walk down the hall. Surprised, Lana fell into step slightly behind him. She glanced behind them at the receding lab and noted his preoccupied expression. “Did you ask her about the alien?” she ventured carefully.
He considered that and nodded slowly. “Yes. Yes, I did.”
After a long moment, she asked, “And?”
“And she wouldn’t answer me. She claimed he was blocked from her.”
“But I thought that was…”
“Impossible,” he laughed, “yes, to a human. Certainly it’s the first time she’s been unable to answer a question before. Yet he may be able to shield himself from her. Perhaps it’s possible, or perhaps not.” He stared off into space, contemplating it.
“Would she have any reason to lie to you?”
Lionel frowned and nodded. “That is something to consider.” He was silent for a moment. “Anything else?”
“We’ve identified the girl with the alien. She’s General Lane’s niece.”
He looked at her, surprised. “Are you certain?” She nodded. He considered it for a moment. “Does the General know about this development?”
“We don’t believe so, sir. He hasn’t been alerted.” She hesitated. “We thought it best if we let you be the one to judge what to do with this. There’s no hurry though. It seems the two didn’t have a very close relationship in the first place. From our reports, she’s been missing from home since last week.”
“Very good,” he murmured. He smiled at her one-sidedly. “It was Lex’s idea to keep the General in the dark, wasn’t it?”
Lana blinked in surprise, but controlled herself. “Yes,” she said slowly. He nodded.
“He is quite brilliant, wouldn’t you say? But what else could be expected from him?” They arrived at a pair of sturdy, metal doors and Lana started to excuse herself, but Lionel waved her on. “That’s not necessary, I want to speak with you some more.” She was surprised, but nodded quietly.
He pressed his hand against the sensor to the side and the door’s swung open softly. The room inside wasn’t any cold and sterile science lab, but actually a warm, paneled study built for Lionel’s private use. She had only been inside it a few times before, and was always surprised by the richness in the air as she stepped through the doorway. It was such a difference from the cold, filtered air outside. Lionel touched a few buttons on a panel on the wall and softly, a light sonata began to play. He smiled and stepped over to a cabinet, freeing a bourbon bottle and glass.
“Care for anything?” he asked her quietly. She shook her head, a little off balance from the offer. He poured one for himself and then studied her for a moment. Lana shifted on her feet, suddenly feeling anxious. She fought back the nervousness and waited, raising her chin. “Something’s bothering you,” he remarked, finally.
“I’m fine, sir. There’s nothing wrong.”
“Lana,” he said reproachfully. “Who raised after your parents died? Who took you in, gave you a home, an education? Who arranged for you to study with the greatest masters, all because you insisted on doing so?” He sank into the leather chair behind his desk, still watching her. “Who gave you an opportunity to shine here?”
“You did, sir.” Her voice was hardly any more than a whisper.
“Then who would know when something was bothering you, hmm?”
“You would, sir.”
He smiled at her genially. “It’s Lex, isn’t it?” She winced and bit her lip, not trusting herself to look at him. He swirled his drink slowly, watching the liquid in his glass. “It’s alright,” he told her gently, looking back up at her. “I understand. You’re upset because of what I decided.”
“I don’t…” she started.
“Do you think I made a mistake?”
“No! No, that’s not it!” she said sharply, her head snapping up. “I would never doubt… I just feel… I… don’t trust him.”
“Lex has shown himself to be very dependable in the past,” he reminded her. “More than capable as well.”
“I don’t like how he talks to you,” she said quietly.
“He’s impatient for power.” He sipped his drink and smiled appreciatively. “Much like I was at his age. But trust me, he knows his place.” Then he put his glass down and looked at her sharply. “But that’s not what upset you, is it?” She stared off into space for a moment and then shook her head. “Tell me.”
She flinched visibly. “Was… Was I right, today?” she asked hesitantly. “To order my men to open fire? Those people are dead now… because of what I did. I couldn’t stop myself, I saw him standing there and there was this roaring in my ears.” She took a breath, and let it out heavily. “And then suddenly I was yelling and firing and everyone was firing and when it was over-“ She looked down, her face tormented.
“Go on,” he said gently.
“When it was over, part of me knew it was wrong, but another part of me didn’t care. I just stepped over their bodies and went on with the mission.” She was quiet for a moment and then looked up, watching him. “Was that right?”
Lionel seemed to measure her for a moment, and then he gave her a small nod. “The taking of life, human life, is always a heavy act,” he explained to her gently. “But you had no choice. It this sort of a situation, there are rarely good choices.” He smiled at her sadly. “To be a leader, means being able to make some choices and do some things that others would not be able to. And sometimes it means shutting your emotions off, making yourself into stone for a time. It may seem horrifying now, but we have to put things into perspective. The alien could’ve killed hundreds if he had been left alone. With what we know from the first, there’s every reason to believe that he’s just as violent and destructive. Your quick thinking could have saved countless people today.”
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
She listened quietly, clearly still upset. He saw her confusion and he shook his head sadly. “If anyone is to blame, Lana, it’s me. I shouldn’t have laid such heavy burdens on one so young. Please forgive me.”
“No, it’s not your fault,” she told him quickly. “You’ve done everything for me, I wouldn’t have anything if you hadn’t… Please, I can handle this,” she swore to him. “I need to be here”
“Because of your parents?” She froze, blinking fiercely. “Because of what he did to them?” Lionel asked.
“Yes,” she said horsely. “He took everything away from me.”
“You were so young then,” he murmured. “How old were you, four, five? To lose everything in a single instant. You must have felt so alone.” She closed her eyes, remembering the horror of it. Her arms started to tremble at her sides.
“Your only family an aunt who didn’t want you. Everyone else too busy with their own tragedies to care about you. You had no one, you were no one.”
The ringing in her ears drowned out all the music, deafening her. Lionel watched her silently, waiting. “Until you,” she said, forcing it out.
“Until me,” he smiled. “You won’t let me down, will you?”
“No, sir,” she said wearily, feeling so drained. “You can count on me.”
“I do, Lana.” He sat up and walked around his desk again to face her. She looked away, uncertain, as he reached up and brushed her cheek softly. “I think of you like the daughter I was never blessed with,” he said quietly. She felt herself go red, but was unable to move away. He raised her chin gently and her eyes were helplessly caught in his gaze.
“You are such a beautiful, capable girl,” he murmured. “So strong, yet so fragile, like polished glass, balancing on a point.” She stared into his eyes, unable to move or even look away. The music seemed to reach a crescendo behind them. Lionel smiled at her, and then stepped back and turned away. Just as suddenly, the spell was broken, and she took a step back herself involuntarily. She clasped a hand to her chest, feeling her heart racing.
“I’ll be making another trip out to the site this morning,” he remarked, picking up his glass from the desk. He refilled it at the cabinet and turned to her, swirling his drink again. “That won’t be a problem, will it?”
It took her a moment to collect her thoughts, but she nodded. “No, sir, I’ll arrange a detail.”
“That’s fine. I think that will be all tonight.” He sipped his drink and turned back to his desk, waving her away.
“I… uh,” she hesitated. He looked back at her, surprised. “I saw the Talon today,” she went on.
He thought for a moment, and then nodded to himself. “You’re parent’s theater, right?”
She nodded. “It was… worse than I remembered.” He waited, watching her. “I was thinking,” she said slowly. “Luthorcorp still owns the property. Maybe we could rebuild it or something.”
“Of course,” he smiled at her. “I’ll get some people on it right away. It’ll be as good as new before you know it.”
“I was hoping I could help out with that. Maybe be put in charge of it?”
“Lana,” he said reproachfully. “You know we don’t have time for that. We’ll put someone else on it. Someone we can spare.” She nodded, trying to hide her disappointment.
“That’s a good girl,” he told her, waving her away.
***
Chloe stepped into Whitney’s computer room in the midst of wrapping a towel around herself. She had left them to their research in favor of a hot shower. As she came back inside, Clark practically choked as he caught a glimpse of her adjusting the towel. His eyes went wide as he watched her stand in the doorway, dripping wet. What happened next was unintentional, but probably unavoidable. His vision shifted briefly, and he caught a more intimate glimpse of her before he jerked his eyes away, staring at the floor.
As he tried to not think about what he saw, his mouth betrayed him by blurting out “When did you get a tattoo?!”
Chloe and Whitney stared at him, she amused, him puzzled. He peered over his monitor at her and shrugged. “I don’t see any tattoos.”
She smiled and looked down at herself. “I don’t see any either, Clark. Do you?” she remarked, barely holding back a laugh.
“Just forget it,” he muttered, not trusting himself to look at her again.
She laughed wickedly and then turned to Whitney. “I thought about washing my clothes, but I think a bonfire’s the only way to deal with them now. You have anything else for me to wear around here?”
He stood up and walked over to the kitchenette, snagging a coffee cup and filling it from a nearby pot. “You mean aside from my towel?” he remarked dryly. “You can check the boxes in the back of the house. There’s some stuff I saved from the fire. Should be something in there for you.”
“Thanks,” she said. Then she glanced over at Clark and grinned again. “The showers all ready. If you need any help finding it, just call me.” Laughing, she turned around and left, the towel’s edge flipping up a little as she walked off. Clark looked away again and caught Whitney’s eye. He was watching him, his eyebrows raised questionably.
“It’s not what you think,” Clark muttered. Whitney rolled his eyes and went back to work. He balanced the coffee mug on the corner of the desk and stared at the screen, ignoring Clark. “I’m serious, we’re just friends,” he tried to defend himself.
“’Just friends’ means a little different with that girl,” Whitney remarked.
“What do you mean by that?” Clark asked him slowly.
Whitney stopped typing and looked up at him, smiling slightly. “Just things I’ve heard. We never really ran in the same crowd in high school, but I saw what she was like. ‘Course I stopped going about a year ago, so who knows, maybe she’s changed. I doubt it though.” He went back to typing but then stopped again and looked up, frowning.
“Speaking of which,” he asked, “how do you know her?”
“We’re old friends,” Clark told him angrily.
Whitney smirked and looked back down at the screen. “I guess you’d know her best then,” he remarked. Clark glared at him, but didn’t say anything in response.
He stood there for a minute, listening to Whitney type away, and then he turned suddenly. “I’m gonna go take a shower,” he announced.
“Sure, you do that,” he replied, not bothering to look up.
“I mean it, I am,” he insisted.
“Wonderful, Clark, but it’s not anything special. Trust me, you’re won’t be the first guy to get there.”
Clark opened the door and paused, looking back at him. “I’m still talking about the shower.”
“Oh well, same goes.” He didn’t even bother to look up as he said it. Grumbling, Clark slammed the door behind him, hard, and listened as he heard the coffee mug fall and shatter. He smiled as he heard Whitney yell in shock and start to curse as it spilled all over him.
That sentiment was fleeting though as he walked through the darkened hallways. He heard Chloe humming softly to herself in the next room and he stopped, mentally preparing himself. When he was ready, he knocked quietly. “Chloe?” he croaked. He tried again after clearing his voice. “Chloe? Are you decent?”
“Am I ever?” she asked through the door. “But yeah, you can come in anyways.” He took another breath and opened the door, shutting it behind him as he stepped inside. Chloe was in the middle of pulling a tight, gray shirt on. She smiled at him and turned around, showing off. “He didn’t manage to save much, did he?” With the shirt she had on a pair of jeans that started a few inches below her navel. She kicked a box full of shoes and bent down, rummaging through them.
“Chloe, I think we really need to talk about something,” he started. She turned around and waited, smiling. “I know we don’t know each other very well, but I meant what I said earlier. I don’t think I could’ve gotten through today without your help.”
“Hey, no biggie,” she said, stepping close to him. “I’m sure you would’ve done the same for me. In fact,” she touched him lightly on the chest, “you did do the same for me, didn’t you? At the Talon?”
“Yeah, I guess I did,” he stammered.
She smiled and stepped even closer. “So let’s see: once for saving me from the dogs, another at the Talon. I helped you find Whitney, so that just means I owe you one, don’t I?” Clark was having a hard time thinking straight, listening to her. She was so close now, both of her hands on his shoulders. Chloe glanced at his shirt and smiled. “You still haven’t had a shower yet, have you? Why don’t we take care of that right now.” Her hands slipped up into his neck and latched into his hair, pulling his head down.
Clark said something in surprise, but it was muffled against her lips. He tasted her for a moment and then he took a step back, staring at her. She was no less surprised, still standing there, with her arms out. “What?” she asked, a little hurt. “What’s wrong?”
“We can’t…” he swallowed and looked away. “We can’t do that.”
“Why not? I thought you wanted to..” her voice trailed off. “Why can’t we?” He hesitated, searching for the words. “What? Is it, me?” she asked.
“No!” he told her. “It’s just… we’re… you and me, we’re just friends okay?”
“Friends?” she asked, staring at him.
“The two of us, well, the other you really. We’re not together. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Things are getting a little confused, and I just wanted you to know some things. It’s complicated, but I’m sort of with someone else. I didn’t want to lead you on or anything, making you think there was anything ever between us.”
Chloe stared at him, her face flat. “Between me and you?” she asked him, her voice like a whip, “or between you and that other me?”
“What?” he started.
“You think I haven’t noticed?” she demanded. “It’s like you’ve been dropping all these hints today about you and this other me, whoever she is. You just went on and on about her, but now there’s this other girl, huh? Where’s she been all day? You haven’t mentioned one word about her now, have you? Or gone looking for her? Have you done that, even talked about it? No, it’s just been Chloe this and Chloe that.”
“You’re the only person I’ve seen all day that I know,” Clark yelled at her, starting to get a little angry. “What was I supposed to do, leave you and go running around for someone who could be dead for all I know?”
Chloe folded her arms and stared at him coolly. “Maybe you should,” she replied. “I’m not what you remember, maybe they’d be.”
“And what if they’re not?” he asked, his voice starting to crack. “It was enough of a shock meeting you today, but what if, when I find them, it’s even worse?”
“Worse?” she repeated coldly. “Worse?”
“I didn’t mean it like that,” he said, hissing in irritation.
“What did you mean then?” She waited; her eyes like daggers. “Let’s get one thing straight, okay?” she told him. “I’m not your Chloe. I’m not her. I’m me, myself. I’d don’t know or care about what she’s like. I don’t care if she’s a saint; she’s not me. You think I’ve been hanging out with you all day because you said we were friends somewhere else? I could’ve blown you off anytime; I stuck around because I wanted to. And now I’m not so sure that was such a good idea.” She stormed past him and out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Clark stared after her, but couldn’t think of anything to say that would get her back.