Chapter 6
Tess was working at the plant. She was sitting at her desk looking at projections. She looked at her watch, 6:30.
She smiled to herself. She has a date in half an hour. She had to leave soon because se wanted to swing by the mansion and get ready. She had picked out an outfit that afternoon before that would leave her date breathless. Not that she would try to seduce her date.
She is about to stand up to leave, when a man burst through her office door.
Tess looks up at him and ignoring his rudeness said, "I'm sorry but I was just about to walk out so if you could make an appointment with my secretary I'll get back to you at a later time."
The man opened up his jacket revealing a bomb strapped to his chest, "Do I look like someone who wants to make an appointment Miss Luthor?"
Tess didn't show her fear and said, "Look at that. You have my undivided attention. And it's Miss Mercer Mr.?"
The man said, "Jenkins. Earl Jenkins. I use to work here for your father."
Tess said, "Well judging from your attire I'm guessing that you have a complaint with the way my father ran the place?"
Earl explains that an explosion occurred when he was cleaning Level Three. They were conducting experiments with a new fertilizer that would help corn grow twice as fast. It was unstable, and when it exploded, it embedded itself in his skin. They shut down the whole level and transferred Earl to Metropolis. Four months later Earl started to experience "Jitters" His body would experience seizures at an impossible level. Now he is dying if he does not get cured. He went to the doctor but they needed to know what was in that fertilizer. He gone to Luthor Corp to try to speak with Lionel Luthor and while talking to the janitor, his body started to experience the "Jitters" again and he ended up cracking the man's neck on accident.
When Earl stopped explaining, Tess said to him, "Well I'd love to help you Mr. Jenkins but there is no Level Three."
Earl screamed at her, "Don't you lie to me Luthor Bitch!"
Tess face didn't flinch, "Not liking the answer doesn't make it any more so Mr. Jenkins. Now if you would calm down I will personally make sure you get all the help you need."
Earl pushed all of the papers off of Tess desk and stared screaming at her again.
Tess, very discreetly, moved her arm to her desk and pressed the silent alarm button.
Earl in his tirade saw the button glowing. Knowing that the police would be on their way and that this just turned into a hostage situation, cursed the name Luthor and pistol whipped Tess across the temple of her head, knocking her out.
Earlier That Day
Clark was sitting in his loft. He had watched the sun rise this morning alone. And that was just it. He was alone. He was always alone. Every day of his life. When he met Tess he didn't feel so alone. But the secret of his origins drove her away.
He set in his loft and he wondered, just why couldn't he tell Tess. His parents, well mostly his father, practically banned Clark telling Tess. No matter how much he defended that just because she is a Luthor does not make her, her father. But Jonathan wouldn't hear any of it.
Clark silently weighed the pros and cons. If he told Tess and she told her father, he would probably have Clark sent to a lab and dissected. That scared Clark. But what is the point in living free and possibly forever if you're alone? Clark decided that he would rather risk his life and freedom for Tess. She was worth it, he was sure.
So with this, he decided that he would tell Tess tonight. He planned tonight out in his mind, and thought he would prepare dinner for her.
Now, he thought, how do I invite her? She wouldn't take his calls she was so hurt. Then an idea came to him. He checked with his mother and to his luck The Luthor Mansion had a shipment of produce needed to be delivered today.
Clark grabbed the produce and with a smile at the thought of seeing his angel, he super sped to the Mansion.
Clark arrived at the Mansion carrying the produce. He walked into the Study looking for Tess when he heard the voice of an angel say, "Is that a big bag of produce or are you just happy to see me?"
Clark smiled, "Could it be a little of both?"
Tess returned the smile, "As much as I'd love to talk Clark, I got to get to the Plant and finish some paper work. Not to mention the whole friendship on the rocks we got going."
Clark frowned as Tess wouldn't meet his eye and she went to walk out.
Clark, gathering up his courage, asked, "Have you ever seen the sunset from my loft?"
Tess turned to him and showed a ghost of a smile, "Can't say that I have."
Clark smiled and asked, "Would you want to come over tonight and watch it?"
Tess frowned, "I don't think I should Clark. I've got work and your busy with whatever secretes you have."
Clark frowned
Tess walked towards him, "Clark are you ok?" Her voice laced with concern.
She stepped forward and placed her hand on Clark's chest.
"Oh my god," she said, "Your heart is racing."
Clark gave a nervous chuckle, "It's because I'm terrified."
Tess asked, "What's going on Clark?"
Clark took a deep breath, "Tess, the way you've been..." he stopped and took another breath, "I can tell by the way you look at me I'm losing your friendship."
Tess looked up at him, hope in her eyes, that he might say what she had dreamt of for two weeks.
Clark said, "Tess it's not your fault. There is something I think I should have shown you that day on the bridge."
Tess asked, "You mean your secret?"
Clark said, "Come by my loft tonight and I'll tell you everything. But you have to please promise me you will not tell anyone."
Tess looked up at him knowingly, "People like my father and brother."
Clark nodded, "Not only them but anyone."
Tess looked at him questionably.
Clark said, "Tess what I will tell you will probably change that way you look at me. It is information that if it got out could ruin my life and my parents."
Tess asked, "Then why risk telling me? A Luthor?"
Clark looked at her like it was obvious, "Because without you in my life there is not point in keeping my secret."
This almost made Tess cry. God knew she wanted to, she thought, but she wouldn't let Clark see how he affected her."
Clark asked, "So will you come to my loft tonight?"
Tess smiled, "Try to stop me."
They both shared a smile.
Clark told her to dress nice, he was making dinner.
They agreed to meet at 7.
Then quite reluctantly they parted.
With longing eyes they both watched the other leave the room.
And with a smile, Clark super sped back to the barn to get ready for tonight.
Tess watched Clark leave. She smiled and felt happier now then she had felt since when she first woke up in the hospital to find Clark sitting in the chair next to her.
She quickly picked out an outfit for tonight. She hoped it would leave Clark breathless. She would never take advantage of him, and she knew he would probably never get taken advantage of, but she wanted to show Clark that she appreciated the faith he put in her. It broke her heart. But in a good way.
And with that she went off to the plant.
Clark spent the rest of the day cleaning up the loft. He didn't want his parents to know given their hatred for Luthors. So when they left the house to head to town for groceries, Clark supersped through the kitchen and as quickly and to the best of his ability he made dinner for Tess and himself. It wasn't an ability but Clark had a knack for cooking.
Then when Clark had cleaned the loft, lit some candles, and got the food to his satisfaction, Clark went about dressing himself.
Clark was convinced that fashion was not a ability of his. In the end he ended up picking the only thing he had that was clean. It was a light blue dress shirt. He even put on a red tie. His parents had noticed that Clark seemed to favor Red and Blue outfits.
Clark found himself around 7 standing staring at the sunset. He had spent the last half an hour practicing what he would say to Tess. But after tripping over his words multiple times, Clark decided to make it up as he went along. Play it on the edge of his seat.
Clark heard footsteps and turned with a smile and said, "Tess." but was disappointed to see that it was his Mother.
Martha Kent smiled sadly, "Not the person you were expecting I take it?"
Clark frowned, "Thought you were someone else."
Martha looked around the loft and saw the effort Clark had put in.
Martha asked, "Would the person you were expecting happen to be a very pretty red head that hit you with her car?"
Clark asked, "How long have you known?"
Martha smiled, "Since this afternoon when your father and I got home. You were no where to be found and the kitchen was spotless. Very more so then when I left it. Not to mention how you look at her when she in the room." The very same look she gives you, Martha thought to herself but didn't tell her son that.
Clark said with a voice filled with disappointment, "Don't worry about it mom it was nothing."
Martha said, "I'm sure she's just stuck in traffic son."
Clark frowned at his mother, "You are aware we live in a place called Smallville?"
Martha looked at her dressed up son, "You really like this girl?"
Clark looked at his mother, "Mom there is a part of me that never feels freer than when I'm with Tess. She makes me feel like a normal person but yet special but not because of my abilities. She treats me like I'm special for just being me."
Martha said to her son, "Clark I know how badly you wanna be with somebody. I want that for you too. But she is a Luthor. Please use the good judgment that your father and I taught you before you trust her."
And with that she left the barn.
Clark spent the rest of night sitting in the loft waiting. He ran scenarios where Tess could just be running late. But every time he did it still came back to the fact that she wasn't coming. Clark bowed his head in grief. He was, he was sure, destined to be alone.
Clark picked up the untouched food and went back into the house.
He walked into the kitchen not looking either of his parents in the eye and dumped the wasted food in the garbage.
Martha was about to consol her son when on the news came on the TV.
It seemed that a disgruntled former employee of the Luthor Corp Plant had taken the Plant Manager hostage.
Clark looked up and stared at the TV intently.
It seems that the employee was holding a Miss Tess Luthor, (Mercer, Clark thought correcting the reporter in his mind), hostage and was holding her prisoner in the plant until he got to talk to Lionel Luthor.
The cameras showed Mr. Luthor arrive to the scene in a limo and got out. The reporters swarmed around him but he brushed them off as he made his way toward the police on the scene.
A reporter asked Mr. Luthor if he planned on meeting the employee's demands.
Mr. Luthor faced the reporter and said, "We will do whatever needs to be done to contain the situation but we will not bargain with a terrorist."
Martha said to Jonathan, "What kind of man would say that when his daughter is being held captive."
Jonathan replied with a voice filled with venom, "A Luthor."
Clark moaned in fear, "Tess?"
And then before his parents could stop him, Clark quickly sped upstairs and changed into a blue shirt and red jacket, and then sped all the way to the Luthor Corp Plant. Dead set on saying Tess Mercer.
I apologise for the lacking of an update. I've been on vacation for the last week and a half. But i'm back now and i'm back to this story in full swing.
Next chapter, Clark will try to save Tess. Secrets will be reveiled. And Clark will have a meeting with someone who will play a important role in him fullfilliing his destiny.
Update will be soon. Again I apologise for the wait and I hope you will all see fit to review and tell me how I'm doing.
Until next time
Dex-El of Krypton
