Band of Blue TOCChapter 22 “Lois!” Clark’s voice came out breathy and shocked. He quickly pushed his glasses all the way onto his face.
“Clark.” Chloe stood up and smiled. “Come on in. Join us.” Clark gave her a questioning look. What was that strange tone in her voice? He stepped fully into the apartment and closed the door. Taking a small step in the direction of the seating area he then stopped and spoke, nervously.
“How’s your father?”
“He’s fine, thanks Clark,” came Lois’s quiet reply.
“And you?”
“Fine.” Clark could feel the tension in Lois’s voice and it was obvious that she was uncomfortable with the situation by the lack of chatter.
“Clark, would you like a drink?” asked Chloe. He turned to look at her. She had the biggest smile on her face. It seemed completely out of place with the tension in the air.
“Uh, sure.” He walked with Chloe over to the kitchen area. Lowering his voice he whispered to her. “What’s going on? And what’s with the over-the-top chipper attitude?”
“What?” she replied, innocently. “I’m just happy. I’ve got my best cousin and my best friend visiting me.”
“Chloe, we need to talk,” he paused and lowered his voice even further, “about Superman.” Chloe looked him straight in the eye and nodded. Turning back to the coffee maker she busied herself with Clark’s drink and he turned back round to look at Lois. She was sitting on the couch, seemingly paying no attention to the conversation in the kitchen. Clark took a deep breath and summoned his courage then stepped back towards Lois.
“Lois?” he asked tentatively. She turned to look at him. “We should talk.”
“What about, Smallville?” she replied. Clark was stunned by the lack of emotion in her voice. She genuinely seemed not to know what he was referring to.
“What about!” Clark frowned and injected as much surprise into his voice as he could. “About Friday night.” He paused. “And Saturday morning.” He stepped forwards silently appealing to her to acknowledge what had happened.
Lois stood and looked directly at him. She seemed about to say something then turned away. Turning back after a moment he saw emotions playing across her face. He couldn’t interpret them and then, suddenly, they were gone, replaced with nothing.
“Look, I was upset on Friday. I’m really grateful to you but I think we should just forget this whole ‘thrown together in the trenches’ thing.” She gave a smile and tilted her head. Clark stared at her in shock. Lois nibbled on her lower lip then suddenly jumped round to pick up her handbag. “I should get going. I’ll see you in the bull pen in the morning.” Clark watched as she headed for the door. She called out a goodbye to Chloe as she left and Clark felt the last of his hope leave with her.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lois closed the door behind her and leant against it while she expelled her breath in a deep sigh. When Clark had walked in she’d found herself frozen in shock. It was the first time she’d seen him since ...
Maybe it was her realisation of her feelings but he looked more handsome than ever. She’d been lost for words initially. Lois pushed back away from the door and walked off. She fingered the distorted bullet which was in her pocket while she recalled the conversation which had happened in the kitchen.
Why does Clark want to talk to Chloe about Superman? And why in such hushed tones? Lois reached her car, parked in the back alley, and slid into the driver’s seat. She pulled the bullet out of her pocket and stared at it.
You mean something, but what? She talked to the bullet but it held onto its secrets.
There is definitely something I’m missing here. Something to do with Clark and Superman. Too many things don’t make sense. But the only conclusion that does make sense is still just too ... unbelievable. “Uurgh.” Lois muttered to herself. “You are just trying to ratify having the hots for two different men by making them into the same one man.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Clark was still staring at the door when he felt a hand on his back. He turned. Chloe was holding out a drink to him.
“I couldn’t resist when I saw them for sale at the corner store.” She smiled.
Clark frowned and looked closely at the mug. It was yellow and had a familiar red logo on it. Clark stared in shock.
“What? When did these start coming out?”
“Clark!” Chloe had a disbelieving tone in her voice. “Superman is a hit. Everyone loves you. You’re a superhero. Why are you surprised that merchandise is already on the market with your symbol emblazoned on it?”
Clark sighed and dropped onto the couch. “I guess I’m just overwhelmed at the reaction to Superman. He’s been turned into a superstar overnight.”
“He? Clark you are referring to yourself in the third person. This isn’t good.” Chloe sat down next to him and looked worried. She glanced away then looked back with a serious frown. “Why didn’t you come to me, Clark? Why didn’t you tell me about ... I’m your best friend.” She sounded very hurt.
“I’m sorry, Chloe.” Clark looked her straight in the eye. “I didn’t know what to say. How do you tell your best friend of over ten years that she’s actually best friends with an alien?”
Chloe looked away again. “I guess I understand, but I would have preferred you to trust me rather than me figure it out from a picture in the paper. Do you know how I felt: reading the article that Lois wrote? Finding out in such a matter-of-fact way the fantastic truth about you.”
Clark dropped his head. “I’m sorry.”
“Lois!” Chloe suddenly shouted. “You gave the story to her, does she know?”
Clark shot his head back up. “No.” His eyes widened in shock. “No, definitely not.”
“Clark, what’s really going on between you and my cousin because you both seem awfully tense whenever taking about the other.”
“Lois talked about me?” Clark asked tentatively.
“Seems you disappointed her for some reason, but I can’t figure it out. She mentioned the kiss but seemed to think you’d rejected her. What did you reject, Clark?”
He frowned. He hadn’t rejected her, she’d left him. “What? That’s ridiculous. She’s the one who disappeared to avoid talking about it.” He thought for a moment. “Twice!”
They both sat in silence. Clark could almost hear the cogs turning in Chloe’s brain. Eventually she spoke.
“You know. I get the feeling that you both like each other but something is getting in the way. What’s the something, Clark?”
“Superman,” he muttered without thinking.
“What! Why would Superman come between you and Lois?”
Clark realised it was true. “Because she likes Superman more than she like me and how can I compare with a superhero?”
“But
you are Superman!” Chloe said. Clark just sighed.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Zod sat in the flying contraption ... helicopter ... as the vessel’s knowledge told him.
“We’ll be landing in a few minutes Mr Luthor,” came the voice from the pilot.
Yes I must get used to that name; Lex Luthor. “I’ve radioed ahead and they are ready for your arrival sir.”
Zod ... Lex looked down at his suit and sneered. He looked terrible. He knew that Lex would never have approved of looking so shabby, but he couldn’t do anything about it at the moment. Zod ... Lex felt so helpless.
Yesterday he’d been trapped; forever doomed to a wraith-ly existence. Then, unexpectedly, he’d found himself free. He’d even felt the thrill of having superpowers ... for two seconds. Then he’d crashed back to the ground and sank into the snow. Disappointment, frustration and extreme confusion had dogged his steps as he’d slogged through the snow, eventually to be spotted by a small LuthorCorp outpost left to keep up the search for Lex Luthor.
The helicopter landed with a slight bump and Zo ... Lex jumped out immediately. He ran across the lush green lawn towards the mansion. An instinctive knowledge led him directly to the correct door and he was met by a score of servants.
“It’s good to have you back sir.”
“Here, I have a change of clothing, Mr Luthor.”
“Miss Mercer is waiting for you in the drawing room.”
He was bombarded with messages but he ignored all but one of them, aiming straight for the clean suit in his valet’s arms. Focussing his thoughts inwards he pulled on the personality of his vessel and replied to another of the messages.
“Tell Miss Mercer that she may petition to see me in one hour. I will wait in the Library.”
Lex strode through the corridors of his home, already planning strategies for the future.
Re-establish control of LuthorCorp.
Scientific research into the yellow sun.
I need power. Industrial, political, but most of all ... physical. I will get the power I am entitled to. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
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