It's Ficlet Friday. Here you go with another story in the MagiKal AU.
Thanks to Lynn S.M. for her beta.Shattered illusionsHoudini voiced his disapproval in a low howl. Then he sat down, stretched out and yawned for good measure, before finally resting his head on his paws. His tail flopped up and down a few times until the tired dog stopped moving altogether.
Clark shook his head with an amused smile and knelt down next to the setter. He scratched his head.
"I take it you're done for the day."
Houdini looked at him without so much as raising his head, somehow managing to give his face an accusing expression.
Clark heaved a sigh. "Sorry, buddy. I know it's not your fault I'm so restless."
He ran his hand through his hair, then buried his face in both hands, trying to breathe through the panic bubbling up inside of him. Without running around restlessly, he didn't know how to cope.
So far, he'd managed to distract himself, spending the better part of the last few days learning new magic tricks.
It did him some good to come up with more creative ways to use his powers, helped him focus and used up a part of the excess energy he had in abundance.
Clark had spent what was left of his days walking around the Southside, trying to find the hideout of the Toasters.
It would have been much easier to use his x-ray vision. But wired as he felt he didn't trust himself using his powers in an environment that wasn't safe.
MagiKal had just been redeemed in the public's eye. He was afraid that if he gave in to temptation and used one of his powers in his current state of pent-up tension the dam would break and he might end up causing a fire after all.
Perhaps it would be wiser just to stay out of this area that only served to further fray his nerves. Too much here reminded him of his near-exposure. It was a miracle Lois hadn't already guessed the truth about him. Giving her the interview had been a test, one he'd thankfully passed. But he couldn't go anywhere near her again. It was just too risky.
Which was why he found himself running in circles, literally.
For a blissful while he'd fallen for the illusion that he and Lois could be friends, that he could have even that small fragment of the social life his heart craved. It wasn't fair that his dog was paying the price for his error.
Clark gave Houdini's favorite scratching spot a long moment of extra attention before he stood up. "Let's go home."
Houdini whimpered but refused to get up. His only action was another tired flop of his tail.
"Oh, come on, buddy. I know you hate flying with me and people will look if I carry a dog of your size through half the city."
He resumed scratching Houdini and tried to encourage him with a treat. The setter took it and looked at his master as if to say that he'd need much more than that to stand up again.
Before Clark had a chance to come up with a solution to his dilemma, his ears picked up a familiar heartbeat. It was racing, accompanied by muffled panicked gasps. Clark's own pulse increased as he looked around, trying to find the source.
Lois was somewhere close and she seemed to be in trouble. What was she doing in the Southside so late at night?
He looked down at Houdini. "You stay here. I'll be right back."
Concentrating hard, Clark followed the sound of Lois' rapidly beating heart. Now that he paid closer attention, he could hear other voices, too.
The first was one of the Toasters. "Did you bring the money?"
A female voice replied. "One hundred thousand."
Clark recognized Toni Taylor. He closed his eyes, feeling a pang of disappointment. Though he'd suspected that she'd hired the Toasters, it gave him no satisfaction to hear it confirmed.
"You said two." The Toaster complained.
Toni snorted. "Considering how badly you botched the hit on my brother, you're lucky I'm even here. Do you realize I could've been killed?"
Clark could practically hear the man's leer. "Yeah, that would've been a real shame."
As quietly as Clark could without floating, he snuck into the building. Straining his ears to make out Lois' heartbeat among the other five, he tried to find her in the darkness.
Toni spoke again, her words tense with barely concealed anger and frustration. "Just don't forget who's running the show. The fires were supposed to stop as soon as I took over. What did you think you were doing?"
The Toaster laughed. "Having fun."
As Clark took the next step, he spotted the group -- four men were circling Toni Taylor and mocking her. It was obvious they didn't respect her. The way Toni's hands were clenching into tight fists told Clark that she was thoroughly fed up with the men.
Lois' heartbeat picked up in speed as Toni stepped forward and held out her hands. "Well, the fun stops now. Give me those things."
She didn't wait for a reaction but grabbed the weapon from the Toaster's hand. Taken by surprise, the man loosened his grip on the weapon for a moment before he struggled to get it back under his control.
Right at that moment, Clark spotted Lois on the stairway up to the next level. She was crouching, trying to be invisible.
"Give me that damn thing," Toni shouted.
Her anger turned her words into a squeal as she was fighting a losing battle. The man was clearly a lot stronger than she was. Still she wouldn't give up. The hairs on the back of Clark's neck stood on edge and he felt a prickling sense of foreboding somewhere in his stomach.
Not even his super senses were quick enough to see exactly what happened next. A burst of flames evaporated from the fire thrower, right into a group of barrels. Remnants of gasoline around the lid caught fire and ignited an entire barrel. Clark had no time to think. He drew in a deep breath and tried to stop the explosion, but all he managed was to blow the five people out of the immediate vicinity. He burst into speed as the barrel exploded in a ball of fire, causing a sort of chain reaction.
He slammed into Lois and took her with him, shielding her with his body as he carried them out through a window on the first floor.
Clark heard her gasp, hoping that it was not from pain. The bang of a massive explosion rang in his ears. He held Lois tight until the cool night air told him she was safe.
His mind started to race as he realized what he'd just done, coming up with half-baked excuses. But he found himself unable to float them back down, ruining the flimsy explanation that the explosion had miraculously carried them out to safety. Clark felt sick to his stomach as her eyes widened.
He tried to relax, fought with gravity which just refused to pull him back down. Time seemed to stand still as they continued to hover a good ten feet above the ground. Recognition dawned on Lois' face. Down below, Houdini barked a warning that came much too late.
Clark squeezed his eyes shut, not knowing what to say. And the prickling in the back of his neck intensified, taking over his whole body until there was no doubt in his mind that the looming hiccup was beyond his control. He had to get away before he hurt anyone.
With his super breath he built a slope and lowered Lois down, letting her slide to safety.
"I'm sorry," he managed.
Then he shot up into the night sky, heading straight north where he couldn't endanger anyone. He made it into the wilderness when his powers erupted from him in an uncontrollable burst.
A cry was ripped from his lungs and when the burst finally subsided, he limply fell from the sky.
As Clark hit the ground, he knew no more.
