Chapter 7
Chloe spent the following morning with Martha, helping her run errands in town, and trying to keep her spirits up. Neither of them were used to seeing Clark feeling bad, even though they had seen it in the past, it certainly wasn't the norm when it came to Clark.
Martha spoke again about how much she had relied on Jonathan when it came to situations like this, or when Clark was developing a new ability. Chloe reassured her that Jonathan was always still with them, in their hearts. She also noted that knowledge gained going through Clark's previous 'growing pains' would get them through this latest situation. Martha thanked Chloe for the reassurance and for being such a good friend to her. Chloe's efforts appeared to pay off as Martha's spirits were much more jovial when they returned to the farm. While gathering the last of the shopping bags from the truck, Martha was finishing an anecdote that involved Clark first using his strength as a toddler.
"So, Jonathan decided to crawl under the bed in order to coax Clark out. Now mind you this bed was made by Jonathan's grandfather, Hiram, from solid oak and weighed every bit of five hundred pounds. Well, Jonathan had just gotten under the bed when all of a sudden the bed went into the air, with nothing but this little toddler holding it up. We stared at each other for a moment with our mouths open, then Jonathan quickly moved out from under where the bed used to rest, and I managed to finally talk Clark into putting the bed down."
"Wow that must have been some speech!"
"Not so much a speech as a comedic plea, I could just see that bed going straight through the floor if Clark wasn't careful. I can tell you that occasion marked the fastest I had ever seen Jonathan move. Ole Hiram would never believe that bed he spent so much time on would end up in the air, by a toddler's hand no less."
"Sounds like the Select Comfort Mattress folks need to consult Clark in order to really find the secret to sleeping on air!"
Martha and Chloe walked in the kitchen, still with smiles on their faces, and began putting the groceries away. Clark was sitting at the kitchen table with a towel over his head, breathing in the vapors from another round of cold medicine/warm water mix that was still steaming in a bowl before him. Martha paused from putting away things to check on Clark.
"How are you getting along today sweetheart?"
Clark moved the towel off his head and laid it behind his neck. "Well, I'm still not used to having a cold-medicine-sauna in my face every few hours. Everyone seems to get excited about colds with the axiom, 'feed a cold, starve a fever', but it's definitely not all it's cracked up to be in my opinion."
Having finished putting away the last of the groceries, Chloe walked over with a few DVDs they picked up, and decided to put her two cents worth in.
"It's not all doom and gloom Clark; you can rest up on the couch and watch some of these movies with me. Plus your Mom and I got all the fixings we need for her to make her world-famous chicken casserole."
"Chloe, I can watch DVDs after I take care of the irrigation ditch, weed the garden and..."
"Look Clark, I know you feel like you have to work on projects all the time, I can relate – especially when I'm entrenched in a story. However, the irrigation ditch is not going anywhere and I think the garden will survive the weeds growing one day."
"Okay, okay, Chloe, you win, loafing and DVDs it is."
"Great, just do me a favor?"
"What's that?"
"Give me fair warning if you feel a sneeze creeping up on you. This is Kansas and I don't want to wind up like Dorothy, caught in a tornado."
"Okay, you're gonna get it for that one."
Clark got up to teasingly chase Chloe into the family room, but they were both halted by a knock at the door. Martha answered the door and let in a now familiar guest to the Kent household.
"Lionel, I wasn't expecting you until this afternoon for our meeting, is everything okay?"
"I'm here about Lex, he's missing. I believe he has been kidnapped."
Chloe asked, "Considering how many skeletons Lex has in his closet, isn't there a rogue's gallery that would take him for ransom? Have you received any contact from the kidnappers?"
"It's no secret that Lex lacks somewhat of a refined demeanor when it comes to his business dealings. However, all of my inquiries into those who might seek restitution of the sort you suggest have yielded no tangible links to his disappearance. Also no, there have been no demands of ransom made, and I would have expected one by now; especially after the incident with Rachel Dunleavy a few years ago.
My instinctive reaction was the government, what with the classified materials he stole from the Pentagon. However, after speaking to my many contacts in Washington, I don't believe that to be the case. You have to find him, Clark."
"Why? He's thrown away every attempt I've made at re-establishing any resemblance of the friendship we used to have. Lex and I have nothing to do with each other anymore."
"No but you and General Zod do. Lex is adamant in his claims that he cannot remember anything about what transpired while he was possessed, but he may not be being honest about that. It is conceivable that he remembers everything that happened during that time. Therefore it is also possible that whoever is holding him, if they apply enough pressure, could cause him to tell the truth….about you."
"Okay, I'll look into it." Then with a knowing glance toward Chloe, Clark added, "I've been meaning to stop by the mansion to talk to Lana anyway."
"Before you go, there's one more thing you all need to be aware of. Lex's brother, Lucas, showed up at my office a few days ago. Lucas is apparently aware of the feats Lex displayed on Dark Thursday and claims he's here to ascertain how Lex acquired such abilities. Be careful son."
Chloe walked over and took Clark by the hand, "Clark, let's go, I'll drop you off at the mansion, I'm going back to the Daily Planet to see what more I can dig up."
With that, they departed the farm house, leaving Lionel and Martha standing in the kitchen. Martha was good at reading people, and could tell something more was bothering Lionel. She walked over so as to stand beside him, and as they watched Clark and Chloe depart the farm; Martha put a comforting hand on Lionel's shoulder.
"Something else is bothering you Lionel, what is it?"
"Martha, you have so much going on right now, I'd much rather not burden you with it – especially when I've not yet concluded where all the pieces of this imbroglio are."
"Lionel, listen, I know you are used to taking on everything that is thrown at you on your own, but one thing having a son like Clark has taught me is that no one can take on everything alone. And just as Clark and I trust you with his secret, you need to learn trust me. Please Lionel, let me help you."
"You win Martha, its Lucas, or rather something Lucas said, which worries me. He alluded to events that transpired involving Clark when they last met. The inference with which he spoke of the events from when they last met: an accident while playing basketball that he likened to colliding with a steel wall and Clark's intervention when a gunman on a motorcycle attempted to shoot him…."
"Do you think he believes Clark is somehow responsible for Lex's actions on Dark Thursday?"
"Thus the imbroglio I mentioned, Lucas was quite direct that his motive for being here was to find out how Lex gained his abilities. However, given his sociopathic tendencies of the past, I would be remiss to not analyze everything he said during our short meeting. I think Lucas is grasping at straws to connect the dots his sociopathic mind has laid out. After Lucas' comments, I checked and discovered he's checked incident reports that log Clark as having been present on numerous occasions."
"I do not believe he has any hard evidence to connect Lex's show of abilities to Clark, as none of the reports Lucas accessed relay any specific action Clark may have taken. Still, in Lucas' twisted mind, there was enough that he views Clark as a possible mitigating factor."
"Lionel, if Lucas suspected something about Clark, wouldn't he have tried something long before now?"
"Not necessarily, knowledge is power, and given the upbringing Lucas endured, jumping from foster home to foster home, I'm sure it's a lesson he learned well. He may have been just bidding his time with this suspicion, or he may have been testing the waters to see if I'd give any reaction that conveyed knowledge I might have concerning Clark. Of course my brand of parenting in raising Lucas – that is keeping him at arm's length with a checkbook – only served to embellish his mindset."
"Until we have more answers, I think its best we presume Lucas believes Clark isn't normal. I appreciate you making me aware of this Lionel. Do remember this, a person cannot undo past actions they've taken, but they can always change the actions they have yet to take. I know your world did not lend itself to the methods of parenting that Jonathan used, but a father can always still teach his son."
"I fear that Lucas and Lex may be beyond the point of being swayed by any council I could give, but I will take your suggestion under advisement. You were the best associate and advisor I ever had the pleasure of working with. Kansas is indeed fortunate to have a person such as you as its senator, and I am even more fortunate to have you as a friend."
"Lionel, we've been through a lot over the years, and I know we'll get through this. You have told me on more than one occasion that you are always here for me. I appreciate all you have done for Clark and I, and I want you to know that I am always there for you too."
It was unplanned, unexpected, even by Lionel, but Martha turned to him and they shared a chaste osculation. In parting one looked at the other, both unsure of what to say. Despite the surprise of it all, Lionel regained his composure quickly.
"Good day to you senator, I'll be in touch with anything more I learn about Lucas."
Martha simply nodded to him and with that Lionel exited the farm house to return to Metropolis.
