(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter)
Chapter 7
On the edge of a small and unsuspecting Kansas town, a group of four unlikely heroes walked through a graveyard. Armed with a computer generated map of headstones and tombs, a couple of bazookoids, and a psy-scan, the three humanoids and the android trod carefully on through the overgrown grass, in the dead of night.
"This place is disgusting" the Cat complained, decked out in a black leather combat-ready outfit with gold spangles and a bandana, "What are we looking for anyway?"
"Some sort of life sign, Cat" Lister explained, "Can you smell anything near this grave?" he asked, rushing to the spot and waving an arm.
"Nothing other than dead person" came the feline's grossed-out reply, the look on his face saying it all, as he came to stand next to his companion taking half a deep breath, and then letting go as the stench overwhelmed him.
"Lister, it's all a dead end" Rimmer shook his head, jumping every time an owl hooted or a leaf blew past on the wind, "and it's nothing to do with us anyway" he pointed out as they stood around the tombstone of one Steven Stewart.
"Mr Rimmer, sir" Kryten suddenly sounded alarmed, "The psy-scan!" he gestured as the machine started up beeping like crazy, the display screen showing a huge peak in the usually relatively flat line.
It was clear that Kryten and Lister's bodge job on the little machine to make it more sensitive had indeed worked, but it remained to be seen just how sensitive it really was. What the flashing and beeping meant was unclear at first, and then they saw.
"No-one is going to stop me getting my revenge" a voice boomed, as the figure from before flickered into existence in front of them, looking as human as anybody else, if not decidedly green, "I wasn't allowed to live beyond High School!" he yelled, "Why should they?! Lex Luthor won't get away with what he did to me!" he sneered, before disappearing just as Lister pointed his bazookoid.
The bolts that shot from the weapon passed through the night air, almost decapitating a stone angel beyond where the figure had stood.
"He's gone" Cat shook his head, "For a minute I got a scent, now there's nothin', like he was never here" he frowned, not really understanding how all this was happening.
"But he was" Rimmer noted, staring at the empty space where the young man had been, going so far as to walk through the very air he had taken the place of and marvelling at the fact he was really gone.
"Yeah, he was here alright" Lister nodded, "and threatening to kill Smallville teenagers and Luthor on the way" he sighed, as he pulled a cigarette from his hat, placing it in his mouth and lighting it.
This was all a little too weird for him, and he needed the nicotine to calm his nerves which were starting to rattle. Though he refused to admit it, this graveyard was freaking him it just a little bit, and the sudden beeping of the psy-scan once again made him jump violently.
"It's coming back!" Rimmer yelped, diving behind the nearest tombstone and covering his head with his arms.
"No, sir, it's not Steven this time" Kryten assured him, "The psy-scan is now picking up signals on the other calibration"
"What that hell does that mean?" Cat wanted to know as Lister looked over his android friends shoulder at the read outs.
"It means it's somethin' to do with the time hole, you smeghead" he rolled his eyes.
"Indeed, sirs" Kryten nodded once, "According to these read-outs, the energy levels suggest the time hole will reopen in a little over two Earth hours" he told them, "It probably won't stay open very long"
"Define 'very long'" Rimmer said, as he step out from his hiding place and dusted down his hardlight body.
"Perhaps a further two or three hours, sir, it's difficult to tell" the android explained, looking a little agitated about the whole situation.
"Then I suggest we get back to Starbug" the ex-second technician said, with emphatic hand gestures, until Lister shook his head, thinking of a few hand gestures he'd like to share with the gimboid he was forced to share a bunk with.
"Rimmer, man, we can't just leave now" he insisted, adjusting the bazookoid strapped to his back, "These guys need our help"
"Lister, he's Superman!" Rimmer insisted, as he followed his crew mate through the grave yard, "or at least he will be, you don't think he can dispose of a zombied morpher on his own?"
"He's just a kid, Rimmer, alien or not, and we owe it to him" Lister insisted, "He kept our secret"
"Yeah, and we kept his" came the counter attack from Cat now, who seemed equally unimpressed at having to stick around, "This planet, especially this part, smells worse than some of your socks, Monkey Brain" he insisted, as Lister gave him a look that was far from pleased by his comments.
"Come on, man" he said, trying to appeal to the better side of Rimmer once again, despite the fact he knew already the task would prove near-impossible, "I like to think everything we do has a purpose" he said, turning to face the crew as they reached the cemetery gates, "Us being in space, going through that time hole and landing here, it's all got to mean something, otherwise there's no point in living" he told them.
"But saving Lex Luthor's life, sir?" even Kryten questioned his leaders motives, "Is he not the one who killed Superman in the end?"
"That was never proved, Krytes" Lister shook his head, "Besides whatever happens in the future, this guy is Clark's best friend right now. We owe it to him"
"Alright we'll help him" Rimmer sighed, looking unimpressed still, "but if we miss that time hole, Lister, I'm going to make your life hell"
"That's not a threat, Rimmer" his crew-mate called over his shoulder as they continued walking, "You already make my life hell"
"If we get stuck here, we could change time" the hologram said with insistence.
"That is so, sir" Kryten agreed, "It is quite important that we pass through the time hole as soon as possible"
"Look, it'll be okay" Lister waved away their concerns with another newly lit cigarette, blowing smoke into the cool night air, "We'll help Clark deal with the Krypto Kid and then we'll get back to the 'Bug and take her through the time hole, okay?"
"Er, sir, may I point out that as yet Kryptonite has not been named" his android companion advised, "The green fragments are known simply as 'the meteor rocks' at the present time, so your reference to 'the Krypto Kid' must not be repeated in front of our friend Mr Kent, or anyone else for that matter"
"Good point, Kryten" Lister nodded, "Slip of the tongue, won't happen again"
Since Pete had made it abundantly clear he hadn't wanted to go visit Lex at the hospital, something that came as no surprise to his friends, Chloe had questioned why she and her friend hadn't gone with Lister and his gang, whilst Clark visited Lex alone. Some lame excuse had been made about Pete needing to get home to his family who would be worrying, and Clark needing a ride to the Smallville Medical Centre. Chloe had accepted these awful reasons, simply because she couldn't be bothered to argue, or so she said. Actually, she was pretty eager to see the young Mr Luthor herself, though she wasn't entirely sure why. She really didn't know him that well, and if the rumours around town were to be believed she shouldn't want to. Still, her Dad always spoke well of him, as did Clark, and the small amount of time she'd spent with him had been pleasant, almost fun, not counting when she was pushed out of a window at his house last year, but that really wasn't his fault.
"How was he when you left him?" Clark asked as they walked down the hospital corridor together.
"Not bad, actually" Chloe nodded, finding it weird that she was the only one who knew about the condition of the billionaire.
At first she had assumed that Clark had become distracted by Lana, but now the truth seemed to be he'd been hanging out with Lister and his friends investigating the weird creature that had attacked the party. Just as Chloe was starting to feel bad for thinking Clark would choose the fairy princess' welfare over that of his best friend, she took it right back. Lana Lang herself appeared from one of the side rooms of the hospital and suddenly Clark had eyes for no-one but her.
"Okay" Chloe said mostly to herself, "So, I guess I'll check on Lex whilst you two… yeah" she said, deciding it was pointless even continuing to speak since nobody was listening.
"Miss Sullivan" she was greeted by the man now stood by the window.
It was almost as if nothing had happened, as far as Chloe could see, and she was suddenly very self-conscious as Lex came towards her.
"Hey, look at you, all up and walking around" she smiled a little nervously.
"Don't tell me you came for your exclusive interview with the victim of the attack already?" he checked, "I guess a good reporter can't wait for me to get out of hospital?" he said thoughtfully, though the smile on his face took away from what might've been a nastier comment.
"I actually just came to see if you were okay" she said, not as affronted as she might've been, but then Chloe was used to accusations and not exactly being loved by her fellow human beings. Such was the life of a wannabe reporter, "I brought Clark along with me but he got a little side-tracked" she admitted with an almost embarrassed look on her face as she gestured back through the window at where her friend and Lana were talking in the hall.
"Ah, yes" Lex nodded, "Our Miss Lang does know how to captivate an audience"
"Especially if that audience is Clark Kent" Chloe said bitterly.
"My, my, Miss Sullivan, you almost sound jealous" Lex teased her, "I'm sure you can find a more fitting young man than Clark for a partner in crime" he suggested, and she looked back at him oddly.
"I don't know what you…" she began, but the way he stared at her cracked her resolve to deny what was obvious to all, "Clark and I are just friends" she sighed, "I can't see that changing any time soon"
"If he can't see how special you are, Chloe" Lex told her, using her first name for a change, "Then I'm sure he doesn't deserve you"
"Wow, a compliment from the great Lex Luthor" she smirked up at him, bravado and sarcasm used as always to cover any embarrassment caused, "I am honoured"
"And sarcasm from the great Chloe Sullivan" his smirk mirrored hers now, "A little less shocking to hear, I have to admit"
"Us non-princess types have to have a sense of humour at least" she shrugged, looking back at Clark and Lana for a moment, before her eyes returned to Lex, only to find he was looking far too seriously at her now, "What?" she checked, feeling a little weird about him staring down at her that way.
"Chloe" he said seriously, "When I get out of here, would you do me the honour of having dinner with me?"
"Why, Lex?" she asked, with a nervous laugh.
"I know I'm somewhat famous for my ulterior motives, but in this case all I'm looking for is an evening in the pleasure of your company" he assured her, "I would think I owe you something for sitting at my bedside last night and visiting me again today" he said with a smile, "And beyond that, I'd be interested in getting to know you better, Chloe"
"Then what can I say?" she shrugged her shoulders, another oddly nervous laugh escaping her lips, "Thank you, Lex, I would love to have dinner with you"
To Be Continued...
