Chloe was waiting outside. The police had arrived and they wanted to speak to Lois and Sam. Lucy had not really seen much so Chloe took her back to her dad's hotel suite to keep her safe. Lois was hugged into Clark, both wondering what the General would say.
"So General Lane, could you tell me what happened." One of the detectives asked him.
Sam looked at Clark and his daughter. "To be honest, it was all a little strange. The men obviously hadn't planned very well. The chains pulled out of the wall easily and the door was majorly warped so when we pulled on it, it just fell off its hinges. Lucky for us when you think about it."
"Thank you General. We will contact you if we need any further information." The detective smiled.
The General walked over to them. "Don't think this lets you off the hook. I want to know everything."
Clark gulped. "I suppose I owe you that, but can we go somewhere more private."
For some reason Clark wanted to head home to discuss this. He needed his parents support. No doubt they would kill him for letting his secret out, but they would understand.
"Sam, could you excuse us for a few minutes." Clark pulled Lois down a side street and took off.
Five minutes later, Clark appeared from the alley to the sight of an even more confused General.
"Do you get travel sickness?" Clark asked Sam
"No why?" Sam replied.
"We are going for a short flight." He explained as he picked Sam up and flew him back to Smallville.
When they arrived Clark put Sam down. He was shaking. "What the hell?" Lois was in the barn waiting for them.
"Enjoy the flight, daddy." Lois asked in the hope of lightening the mood.
"Where are we?"
"We are back in Smallville at the Kent Farm" Clark said trying to make it sound totally normal.
Lois took hold of her father's hand. "Let's go into the house."
Martha and Jonathan were just sitting discussing Clark's trip when Clark himself walked in again. This time his face betrayed that something was wrong.
"What's wrong Clark?" Martha asked him. Her question was soon answered by the arrival of Lois and then her father.
"General Lane?" Jonathan stood up shocked to see him. "We didn't expect to see you here. I thought you were in Salzburg."
Sam was pale. "Well I was five minutes ago."
Martha realised what this meant. Clark went up to his parents.
"Sorry, but I need help to fill the blanks in to Sam. He saw me using my powers to rescue them after they were kidnapped."
Jonathan could not help but think Clark's trip to Europe was turning more complicated by the moment.
"General, can I get you a drink – a coffee" Martha asked
"Have you got anything stronger. I am a little stressed."
"Some bourbon." Jonathan suggested.
Sam nodded and gave a faint smile.
Martha could not help but notice how nervous Clark and Lois were looking. She went upto Clark and put her arm on his shoulder. "Why don't you two head to the Barn,your dad and me can deal with this."
It was as though a weight had been lifted off his shoulder. "Thanks mom."
They left and Martha went to join her husband and Sam in the lounge. The alcohol was starting to work. He looked calmer and seemed to have some of his colour back.
Sam looked at them "Before we start, could you call me Sam."
"Ok Sam , what do you want to know." Jonathan got to the point.
"I feel like I am intruding on a family secret but I need to know if Clark is going to continue a relationship with Lois. Was he affected by the meteor shower?" Sam explained.
"Not quite. He WAS the meteor shower." Martha announced.
"I don't understand" Sam looked puzzled.
Jonathan looked worried. "Before we go any further, can you guarantee that whatever we tell you will remain a secret. Clark's life and the life of a lot of other people depend on it."
"Clark saved my life and that of my daughters. I will always be indebted for that. And no doubt we are not the only people he has saved. This will not go any further. You have my word."
"Ok, then. Clark is not human, he is from a planet called Krypton. His parents sent him in a ship to save him before the planet exploded. We found him during the meteor shower, and adopted him. He has powers as you have witnessed. But I would just like to say that he is more human than a lot of people and he is no risk to Lois or anyone else for that matter."
Sam could not believe what he was hearing. It took him a few minutes to process the fact that Clark was an alien. "I never expected that, but then again Lois always did go for the quirky ones."
Sam smiled. "Seriously though, I am shocked but I know you are good people. You looked after Lois better than I ever could, so I will accept what you say. May just take a little time to get my head around it."
Martha went out to the barn to let Clark and Lois know it was safe to come back in.
"Lois, Clark. Is it safe to come up." Martha shouted.
Lois climbed off Clark and adjusted her clothes. "Of course it is mom. What do you think we would be doing."
Martha climbed the stairs. "Do you mind if I don't answer that question"
Lois piped in. "Has he gone off in a rage."
"Amazingly not" Martha explained."He is shocked but is working through things. He accepts that you and Clark are going to be together."
Clark and Lois smiled. Suddenly the General appeared. "I hate to be rude Martha but Clark could we head back to the hotel I want to see how Lucy is."
"Of course!"
Clark dropped Lois off at the hotel first and warned he might be a little while picking up the General because he had asked Clark to drop him somewhere first. Clark headed back to Smallville. Sam was still in the barn talking to his parents.
"Clark, could you drop me at the Hilton Hotel please. It's down by the Fortress. I need to visit someone and set them straight."
"Can I ask who?" Clark asked straight out.
"Lex Luthor is staying there."
"I won't let you go unless you let me stay nearby in case there is any trouble. Lois would never forgive me if you were hurt."
"Ok, Clark, but don't let yourself be seen. This is between me and Lex."
"He is going to be difficult to deal with. He is a very powerful and dangerous person." Clark looked concerned.
"Clark, I have something up my sleeve which will make Lex think twice about messing with the Lanes again"
Clark smiled. "I'm intrigued"
Minutes later they were back in Salzburg. Sam headed straight to the hotel lobby and asked them to let Lex know he was there to see him. The receptionist told him to take a seat and one of Lex's staff would be down to get him.
Meanwhile Clark was hiding around the corner. He wasn't the least but surprised when he saw Lana in a disguise being ushered out of a side door by a security man.
Lex was sitting behind a massive oak desk with a panoramic view of Salzburg in the background.
"General Lane. What an unexpected surprise!" Lex announced.
"Why so unexpected Mr Luthor, because you thought I would be dead by now."
Lex tried to act shocked. "Why would you be dead?"
"Don't act all surprised. I am not interested in any denials. I know it was you behind the kidnapping of me and my daughters."
"Of course, I'm denying it. I have nothing against your family."
"Bull, you are seeking revenge for my daughter's misdemeanour. She was wrong to steal from you and is going to pay back every penny. Here is the first instalment but in return I am confident in the knowledge that you will leave us alone." General Lane announced.
"Salzburg looks like a pretty safe place but I have heard there is quite an underworld of crime here. It pays to be vigilant." Lex said coldly.
General Lane did not react. "Mr Luthor, do the words Project Centaur mean anything to you?"
Lex panicked at hearing those words but did not show it.
Sam continued. "I believe Luthor Corp ended the project in 2003 due to failings, so to speak. Failings that cost the life of 37 men I believe."
"I don't know where you got this information from." Lex smiled.
"Well, I do believe it was from Alex Martin – one of the project leaders but I'm sure you know him anyway. Apparently he spilled everything to the Government before he was mysterious committed suicide. Although I must admit the suicide story never rang true for me." Sam smirked.
"You are lying." Lex said
"Are you willing to take that risk. Those files are locked away but could easily be found again if someone knew where to look. Don't bother trying to hurt me or my daughters again. If anything happens to me, I have left instructions of where to find all the info to send you to the gas chamber. Call it an insurance policy."
Lex laughed. "You are quite an opponent aren't you? Tell Lucy I accept her apology."
Sam nodded. "Mr Luthor I am not an opponent, just a father who loves her children."
With that he walked out the hotel room and caught up with Clark who had been listening into everything.
"Sam, you nailed him. First time I have ever heard Lex speechless." Clark smiled.
Sam and Clark headed back to the hotel. Clark went straight to the room to see Lois to see if she wanted to meet Sam and Lucy for some drinks and plan the next few days before they moved onto their next destination. It was time to get back to the original plan of seeing as much of Europe in the remaining two weeks. The hardest thing was going to be acting nice to Lana with everything they knew. They had to so they could protect Clark's secret.
Two days later it was time for Sam to head back to the US and for Lucy to get on with her life in Salzburg, although she had promised to meet up with Lois and Clark in Munich in a weeks time.
Friday 19th June
Clark and Lois booked out of their posh hotel and went to the small B&B where the others were staying. It was a bit of a step going from the most expensive hotel but in some ways they were glad to escape the stuffiness of it and stay somewhere laid back and relaxing.
Chloe had texted to say they were in the bar but would not be up late as they were catching an early train in the morning. She had booked them a room. Lana was still unaware of their new status and they decided it should remain that way for the time being. After all Lana was lying to everyone about her dealings with Lex.
Lois and Clark arrived about 8pm and headed to their room to leave their bags. The bed was so much smaller than the king size they had been sleeping in.
"We'll just have to bunch up more." Lois smiled.
"Should we go down to the bar or check out the bed." Clark looked at her with his big eyes.
"Maybe we should go downstairs. We have to face her sometime. I hope my acting is convincing because at the minute I just want to punch her lights out for the danger she put my sister in."
"I know, Lo. But you know why we have to."
Lois smiled. "Don't worry my lips are sealed."
They headed down. Chloe jumped up and gave Lois a hug. "I've missed you."
Lana just looked across the table and said. "Welcome back, strangers. If I didn't know better I would have said you were both avoiding us."
Lois did not bite. "Of course not"
Lana continued, "Well, I'm glad you got sorted and found Lucy."
Lois felt her blood pressure rising but then realised Lana was pathetic and not worth it.
"Thanks Lana." She said with a sickly sweet smile.
Chloe just looked in disbelief at her cousin, amazed she was keeping her mouth shut.
"It got a bit close. Lex decided to try and get her back for stealing his money." Clark piped in. "I was right about him."
Lana looked sheepish all of a sudden and changed the subject. "When are we going to meet Rachel, Clark."
Clark sneered at Lana for bringing the subject up. "Ah, we broke up."
"That's a shame considering she flew all the way here and all that money you must have spent treating her to that five star hotel." Lana was not giving up.
"It was rather expensive but I don't worry I have learnt from my mistakes in my love life." Clark revealed.
Lois could not believe what she was hearing. Clark had told her not to bait Lana and here he was doing the exact same thing.
"Look Clark, we all know Rachel doesn't exist." Lana laughed and looked around the table for support from the others but all she got was evil looks.
"think whatever you want Lana." Clark said calmly. "only I know the truth."
Chloe interrupted the spat. "Now let's discuss our trip tomorrow. I have booked a small hotel just outside of Venice. We should get there just after lunch. How do you want to do the sleeping arrangements"
Jason smiled at Lana. "It is so romantic there so i wouldn't mind sharing with Lana."
Chloe looked at Lois and Clark and asked the question to which she already knew the answer. "Are you two okay sharing."
Lana smirked. "Are you not sick of sleeping on the couch Clark yet?"
Lois couldn't stop herself. "Who says he sleeps on the couch, Lana?"
Lana smile soon disappeared. "Yeah right, do you?"
"What's it got to do with you Lana?" Clark asked.
Lana just laughed. There was no way there was anything happening between those two.
"Look, Jimmy and I are off to bed."
"Us two." Lois piped up as she took Clark's hand. She could feel Lana's eyes like daggers in the back. Lois was enjoying this.
Jason and Lana were left looking at each other. "I think I need another wine after tonight. I don't know what's up with Clark. He is so snappy at me. God knows what I've done to him. I hate to mention this Jason but I think he's still in love with me."
Jason looked at Lana and just smiled. Saying nothing was better when she was in this mood.
Sat 20th June.
The gang were up early next morning and on the train at 8am. Lana was quite chatty and telling Jason exactly what sort of engagement ring she wanted to get in Venice, and by the sounds of it, it was not going to be cheap.
Clark wanted to say something to Jason but felt he couldn't. Lana would dump herself in it soon enough.
Chloe and Jimmy were loved up as usual. Clark liked Jimmy a lot, although Lana had told him that she found Jimmy's constant good mood to be annoying. Clark thought it would not be such a bad idea for Lana to take a leaf out of Jimmy's book and cheer up. How Jason put up with the moodiness was beyond him, he deserved a medal.
Clark wanted to spend time with Lois, talking about what they were going to do in Venice. Clark did have a secret plan to surprise Lois, he just hoped she would not get the wrong idea.
The hotel was on one of the small inlets overlooking Venice. It was just to expensive to stay in the centre of town. Lois was amazed by Venice. It looked unreal, as though it had been lifted out of a fairytale. She was entranced.
They headed straight for the water taxi to take them into the centre. Chloe suggested they all did lunch together but Lana had other ideas – Jason was taking her ring shopping.
Jimmy, Chloe, Clark and Lois were sitting down in St Marks Square eating a rather expensive pizza.
"Is the hotel ok., Lo?. It is the only one I could find in our budget."
"Yeah, it's great" she looked at Clark. They could finally act like a couple, but Lois noticed the look of confusion on Jimmy's face.
"Have you not told him, Chlo?" Lois remarked.
"No, i thought it was a secret." Chloe replied.
"Told me what?" Jimmy asked.
"Me and Lois are a couple." Clark said.
Jimmy's grin just got wider. "that's great CK, no wonder you don't mind sharing a room."
Lois excused herself to go to the bar.
As soon as she was gone Clark asked Chloe a favour. "Could you take Lois shopping this afternoon for a few hours while Jimmy and me have a drink. Do you mind?"
Chloe and Jimmy were puzzled but agreed.