Chapter 2
Lois loved to watch Clark sleep. It was only the time when he seemed totally relaxed; because it was the only time he was totally relaxed. They had driven back to the farm very late and had decided that he would not patrol. Green Arrow had his back.
She worried about the glitch from the afternoon. He had thought it could possibly be a solar flare or unusual sun activity. She didn't think so and she didn't know why either.
She traced her finger over his chest. She didn't know what she would if something happened to him. When you were dating someone who was nigh invulnerable, you didn't think that you would have to worry so much about their health and safety.
Lois laid her head on her pillow. Solar flares her ass. Unfortunately, they couldn't go to a doctor and Emil was out of town until the weekend.
"I feel fine. I won't go out tonight and I'll make sure nothing else is fouled up."
It was a big concession on his part and just a sign of his confusion over what had happened. Plus, it was quiet. Real quiet. Ollie could handle it. They would see how he was feeling in the morning.
When morning came, she was alone.
Clark leaned against the barn wall watching the sun peek over the horizon. He stood in the through-way of the barn, drinking his coffee. The rays of light bathed what was left of his parent's farm. Early morning was always so quiet. There were not a lot of sounds from traffic and people. It was peaceful with very few distractions.
Yesterday took him aback. Since such a sudden loss of strength was abnormal, his faith in his abilities was shaken. It didn't matter, though. He could not stop being him. He figured he would go to work and patrol tonight if nothing strange happened during the day. Piece of cake.
His cell chirped.
"Tess."
"Clark, no solar flares or any other solar events were recorded yesterday. Sorry."
"Thanks, Tess."
"We'll figure this out, Clark. Just be patient."
"I'll try." He clicked his phone shut. He would let Lois know.
It was time to get the chores done.
A week later, Lyla handed her client a flash drive. "On the surface, he's as low key vanilla as a person can get." She sat down at the restaurant table.
"Just like he wants the world to believe," he added.
"There are financials, schedules, favorite foods, observed habits, and he has a dog, Shelby." The waitress came over to the table. "I'll have the crab cakes and an iced tea, no lemon."
Her dinner companion stared at his menu. "Beef tenderloin, rare, and water."
The waitress nodded and left. He turned the flash drive over in his hand and looked at Lyla. "What's not in here?"
"His reliance on friends and family to keep his secret. When Oliver Queen stepped out of the costume closet, it put the others at risk. He's trying to find balance. His greatest strength is also his greatest weakness: his friends."
She smiled at him. "So his second career comes up as a dangerous position to be in with the VRA trying to stamp out people with abilities. It really is amazing what you can see when you really look. I would never have suspected him of being the Blur."
His expression soured at the name. He quickly schooled his disfavor and put a smile on his face. "Excellent job. Anything else?"
"He's sentimental, too. The farm has ceased to be a working farm; yet he hangs on to it. His mother isn't going to be able to handle it by herself after she finishes her stint as Senator." Lyla paused as the drinks arrived. When the waitress left, she continued, "But there he is coming home to it every night, without a car might I add."
They left the drinks untouched.
"You didn't hire me to do just this."
"Good girl."
"What do you really want from me?"
"To eliminate him, of course."
Lyla would have rather kept him as a pet.
For the next week, nothing happened. He went and did his job, both of them. The mayor's office was waffling. They could not give a straight answer to any question posed to them.
Clark was disheartened. The VRA was winning. The Darkness (and he had to come up with a better name for something so iniquitous) snaked its way into people's minds and homes. The vigilantes were losing. Heroes were on the run.
To top it all off, the mundane had wriggled into this life and death battle. Real estate agents kept calling to see if they were interested in selling the farm. Over his dead body. He would not give that up without a fight or until his Mom said it was time. They had already sold off plots to neighbors. He just could not let it go, not yet.
"Come on, Clark!" Lois ran ahead of him, elbowing her way through the other reporters and news crews on the steps of City Hall. He followed, delicately. "Excuse me; pardon me; excuse me." He slipped through ugly glares and curses under breath to catch her.
"Let's see what they have to say today. They make it sound like they're on the side of people's right to make a citizen's arrest, but, yesterday, they had some backhanded sound bite that sounded like they were in bed with the VRA. 'Let the police catch the criminals.' I wish they'd make up their minds."
As she spoke, someone in the crowd touched him- a feather-like brush that he would not normally even noticed. However, in this scene, where he was trying not to crush or maim anyone, he was hyper-aware. The hand stayed there for a long, one count.
Clark hit the ground.
"Whoa," said a camera man. "You okay, buddy?"
Clark could not answer. He was not sure. Nevertheless, he did know that someone was doing this to him.
"Clark!" Lois was right there, in his face, very concerned. "Again?" She waved the helpful camera guy off. "Thanks, I got it from here."
The camera guy stepped back, recognizing that he was not wanted.
Clark nodded, catching his breath. "Go, get the story. I'll wait by the car."
Clark scanned the crowd. Nobody looked suspicious. Nobody looked like they could suck the life out of someone with a touch. They never did.
"Are you sure?" she asked. Her eyes darted from person to person, as well.
"Go." He stood and motioned her to the news conference. "I'll be waiting." He gave a weak smile and limped his way back to the car until the end of the press conference.
Later, Lois drove the way home to the farm. "Well, at least we know it's a someone and not a something. That's good, right? I mean, Tess can do a scan from the eye in the sky to see if she can spot the perp."
"She's already on it." Clark leaned his head against the window. "It took almost five minutes for me to feel normal again."
"What scares me is that someone's targeting you." She glanced at him. "Someone knows."
That had occurred to him as well. He was the specific target. If it was like Eric Summers, then they got his gifts', which was a problem. The difference this time was that his powers did not permanently leave him, but that was a small consolation.
"I'm fine, now."
"But they know about you. And what are they doing with your powers if they are getting them?"
"I don't know. I wonder how long they last in the person? Is it the same length of time I'm out of juice or is it longer?"
They sat in silence for a couple of minutes. "Hopefully, Tess can find this person," Lois finally said. "Until then, you need to stay on the farm."
"Lois…"
"I'm not arguing this point. You can see a person coming from a mile away. It's the safest place right now. Ollie agrees." She smiled smugly at him.
"Fine." He would stay put until Tess found something. After that, all bets were off.
The next day, Lois stood next to Tess at the large monitor in Watchtower. "You never get a good view of her face. And when she gets into range of this camera, she super speeds off." Tess changed views. "It's very frustrating."
Lois scowled at each successive view. At least, they knew they were looking for a woman. Hat, glasses, and a high collar couldn't hide that fact. Then she used her borrowed powers and escaped- frustrating indeed.
"Also, our little leech is not in any of the databases compiled by Chloe. She's stayed off the radar somehow." Lois could see the aggravation with each keystroke made by Tess. "All we've got is a woman about five foot seven with a slim build."
Tess slammed her hand down on the console.
"Hey! I'm not as made of money as I used to be and neither are you."
Lois and Tess both turned to greet Oliver. Sheepishly, Tess apologized, "Sorry."
"How's Clark?" He asked instead of dwelling on the abused technology.
"Super pouting and mucking out stalls. Unfortunately, he lost internet connection at the farm. He's called about ten times."
Oliver grinned. "Well, he's probably going stir crazy. Totally get that."
"I have an in," Lyla said into the phone. "They have him sequestered at the farm just like you thought. That building downtown would have probably driven him insane. Better to chuck cows than friends."
Her client laughed on the other end. "He thinks he's safe because he can see an enemy coming. I've given you a taste of what he possesses. How would you like a way to keep the powers you, um, siphon from him."
Lyla liked the way that sounded. "I'm listening."
"I will have distractions set up to keep everyone busy. He'll be all yours. I'll have a package sent to you with instructions. It's the best I could do under these circumstances. I couldn't procure the more formidable weapon." He paused. "Still, if this goes right, I'll be rid of him and what he represents."
"I'll be waiting."
The first thing Lyla would do with her new found abilities would be to visit those assholes associated with the VRA. Since they did not like vigilantes, they definitely would not look too kindly upon an assassin. Everyone would be in danger, even those that were just gifted and innocent- like her daughter.
