The full moon shown overhead as Lex ducked between the branches of the windbreak between the two fields. He held back a yawn- these midnight meetings were taking their toll, but he didn't see any reason to stop- even if the Kents had welcomed him back into their home.
Clark was more open out here, they didn't have to worry about bugs or cameras, and Lex didn't have to worry about Jonathan or Martha figuring out that he knew far more than he ever let on about their son. He didn't think they'd be happy, and he didn't really blame them. They obviously loved their boy- and he was different enough that someone would want to cart him off for 'further study' if his abilities ever became public knowledge.
Things like that were secrets that you didn't tell casual acquaintances. Or even good friends- or even best friends- at least, not if you could help it.
Lex had been surprised at himself yesterday, when he realized he understood Clark's reluctance to share, and found out that he didn't really care to know. Oh, he still wanted to find out- but the burning need was gone. He'd find out in good time, and that was good enough.
"Lex." Clark whispered. He was hidden behind some trees.
"Clark."
"You've got a tail tonight."
"Shit." Lex turned around, seeing nothing in the moonlight.
"He's behind your car, sneaking around. He's going to find your clothes."
"Damn, damn, damn!" Lex fumed that he had to change clothes to leave any new tracking devices behind. His father's labs had gotten quite creative in miniaturizing circuits lately, and Lex couldn't let his father find out what he was doing.
"He left his car behind- it's just down the road."
Lex grinned, letting his old sneer shape his face. "Think we should do something to it?"
"Dunno. I'll go check."
Lex glanced at Clark, but he was already gone. Lex Luthor sighed. It was still hard to get used to Clark's speed sometimes. He stepped behind a tree to wait. It was almost creepy in the darkness, and time seemed to stand still. Why was he so nervous about this? Lex checked his watch- Clark had only been gone twenty seconds or so.
Suddenly, there was a loud roar of an engine- a mid-sized sedan, by the sound of it- the car peeled around the corner where Lex had hid his car, the horn blaring 'beep! Beeeepp!' The car took off down the road, tires squealing.
Lex blinked, even as he heard a loud "SON OF A BITCH!" And the faint sounds of running feet.
Clark had stolen his tail's car?!? Lex grinned in the moonlight, one hand over his mouth, holding in the laughter. A faith woosh, and Clark was standing beside him.
The young man gave him a very earnest look. "You should never leave your keys in the ignition."
"Ah… no, you shouldn't." Lex smothered another laugh. "But, he'll be back soon."
"Maybe. I left it right up by the next stand of trees- he'll be able to see it, and he'll probably go after it." Clark started walking towards Lex's car, Lex following.
"Not if he's smart." Lex argued.
Clark shrugged. "It's in the middle of the road. Right behind a bend. It might get hit by the next car through if he doesn't get it."
Lex sighed. "We'll relocate. Damn!" To Clark's wondering look, he added, "he'll be able to figure out that I'm not alone out here, Clark."
"There's a row of trees all along the road here- maybe he'll think you snuck back."
"Maybe. You wear gloves?"
"Yeah." He had talked with Clark about leaving traces, and fingerprints had been one such conversation. Lex was glad Clark had taken precautions.
"What kind of car was it?"
"You couldn't tell by the sound?" Clark was grinning.
"A cheap one." Lex playfully growled.
Clark turned and gave him a fake leather-bound thick folder. He gazed into the distance, saying, "Guy's still walking towards his vehicle. He's looking around a lot."
Lex picked up the book, realizing it was the owner's manual from the car. He flipped it open, frowning at the name. One of the house staff, of course. "Tell me when he's almost there- then I'll run for the car. Fourth location?"
"Sounds good. I wanted to talk to you about security stuff- I've found a few more bugs at the house. And I told my parents about them."
"Clark-"
"I had to, they would get sloppy if I didn't. And he's almost there, so you better go. See you soon."
////
Lex stood in his office, back to the room, watching the landscapers work on his garden in the bright sunlight. He frowned, eyes catching the one he wanted. He turned around, rolling open the bottom drawer on his desk and removed the owner's manual from last night.
Quick steps and he had walked down the long corridors, waving off his butler. He soon found himself in the backyard standing in front of the man who had tailed him last night. He was unimpressive- graying brown hair, middle-aged, slightly fat. Lex dropped the manual in front of the man, straight in the pile of aged manure he was working into the garden.
"I know that you don't work for anyone else but my father- at least, you better not. It's a fast way to get killed around here, Lionel Luthor will see to that."
Lex turned and walked away. Threats were pointless, innuendos meaningless, and out-and-out propositions dangerous. He could only hope that the spy his father had hired would figure out that it was in his best interest to pretend that he had never gotten 'caught' and not to try so hard to follow Lex next time. Because if Lex fired him or told his father that he had found him out? The man would be without a job- and most likely find it very hard to find a new one.
////
Her hair was perfect- Jessica Wellspring gave it another flick of her fingers to tuck the last errant wisp into place. She admired herself in the mirror, long nails caressing the stunning diamond necklace Lionel had given her earlier this week. It was a pretty piece- all white and glittering with splashes of red rubies. She had even managed to find matching nail polish.
She snapped open her tiny purse, fishing out her lipstick. Behind her, another woman entered the plush women's room of Metropolis's most historical posh restaurant.
"Honey, it ain't gonna work. He'll be tired of you in a week."
Jessica turned, eyes stormy. The other woman continued, "I know from experience."
Jessica smiled, a little warily. The other woman was older, easily in her thirties. She had reddish-brown hair and a wedding ring- not likely to be competition. She was probably an old conquest, just trying to warn the 'young innocent thing' from heartbreak. "I know." Jessica said, "And I appreciate your concern, but I'll be alright."
"I hope so, girly." The other woman shook her head, "he doesn't let anyone sink their hooks in."
Jessica shrugged; dismissing the tiny thought that entered her head- this stranger wouldn't know what was going on in her life. She certainly hadn't told anyone, so no one knew. "I know. That's what I like about him." Jessica gave the woman a big smile. "At least it will be fun while it lasts."
The lady chuckled, walking back to the stalls. "Just keep that attitude… and you won't get your heart broke."
Ms. Wellspring left the bathroom, letting her face settle into its smiling mask. It was true, she had thought about keeping the baby and forcing Lionel to pay support- but besides ruining her figure, Lionel would be likely to either get out of paying, or take the baby away. And she'd be left with nothing.
No, her first plan was best. Ride this till it was over- and then quietly sweep the consequences under the rug. She'd need some down time between Lionel and her next conquest anyway.
////
Clark carefully looked over the barn, eyes scanning the beams and joints with his X-ray vision and super-sight. Nothing in here- but he had found an array of tiny microphones and even a small camera in the house. The camera was pointed at the dinning room table, the microphones littering the living room, dinning room, kitchen, and downstairs bathroom. He hadn't found anything upstairs.
They had all shown up when he and his folks had spent the day shopping last week. Lex hadn't known they were going, but whoever planted the first mike would know.
It had to be Lionel Luthor because Clark had been able, however unwillingly, to overhear another conversation between Lionel and his 'rebellious' son. Lex had driven him around for some errands again when he had received another call. Lionel had demanded that Lex not use the speakerphone, and then proceeded to use some of the worst language Clark had ever heard. He was blushing by the end of it, and Lex was red in the face as well.
Clark couldn't tell if it was anger or shame that made the young Luthor so upset, but he had offered to drive Lex home. Clark would have been afraid for his life if he had been human; Lex's hands were shaking so badly that the car was almost wobbling down the road.
So Clark drove, and Lex insisted that he take the car out for a proper spin. "Clark, don't tell me you're afraid of a little speed." They had gotten on the back roads, Lex coaching, "Just be sure to look ahead- further than you normally have to. The car takes the same amount of time to react to changes, but when you're going fast- that little bit of time takes up a lot of distance." And turning, "start on the outside of a turn, cut to the inside by the middle, and then end up on the outside. It's the turn race-car drivers use, and corners aren't so sharp that way."
"Where did you learn all this stuff?" Clark had asked, laughing, and Lex had replied, "Took lessons from some professional race-car driver down in North Carolina."
Lex had calmed down after awhile, and they had taken the few items they had promised to pick up back to Clark's mother.
The farm boy sighed. Nothing in the barn… But how long would that remain true? As soon as Lionel learned that Lex sometimes talked with Clark in the loft, Clark would loose everyplace he could possibly call 'safe'.
His dad came in, looking at Clark. "The seed just arrived. You gonna help me load it up?"
"Sure." Clark turned around, kicking at the dirt. They made quick work of it, Jonathan pulling the tractor around and Clark easily lifting the huge bags of organic seed into the hopper. They finished with the setting sun.
As soon as they finished, Jonathan sighed, pointedly looking over his shoulder. "Clark?"
"Yeah?"
"Find any more?"
"No- they're all in the house. Downstairs. With a camera on the dinning room table." Clark spat out, feeling angry.
Jonathan growled. "To watch Lex. I can't believe it. No- I take that back- I can believe it. I just… this is beyond… anything… and…" Jonathan drifted off. When he continued, he was very quiet. "I'm afraid Clark- what if he finds out about you? Lionel Luthor will find a way to dice you into little pieces, and I won't be able to stop him."
"Dad, it will be alright."
Jonathan let out a long breath. "I can only pray."
They stood there for awhile, looking out over the field. Jonathan patted the tractor. "Plant tomorrow. I'd like to get an early start- weatherman says it'll rain tomorrow night, and that would be good for the seed."
"All right." Clark was about to turn back to the house, but his dad stopped him with one arm.
"And Clark?"
"Yeah?"
"How much does Lex know?"
Clark froze, torn. He could tell his dad everything, at least he could before. Why did he feel so much like lying now? "Uh… I don't know." It was the truth.
"Son, how much do you sleep in your own bed at night?"
"Uhh…." Dad was using that tone of voice that meant he knew the answer to the question. "Most of the time, when I'm not in the barn?" Clark knew he sounded sheepish- but what did dad want him to say?
"Which means you're home only five days a week. Clark- I know that you're not running out to go drinking or anything like that. And that only leaves Lex. And I can't approve of that- if nothing else, what kind of a man asks his friends to hide their time together so much? Why can't you meet him at the Beanery or something?"
"The kind of man whose father had bugged his car, bugged his clothes, bugged his phone, and set people to follow him every time he leaves the house." Clark muttered. "Dad, he really needs a friend, someone he can trust. And he trusts me. And… it isn't so bad, is it?"
"Clark, you have too much to loose."
"Not from Lex." Clark was very sure about that.
"No." Jonathan slowly said, "I don't believe you have to worry about Lex. But if his father starts nosing around here anymore- we've got things we don't want him to find." Jonathan nodded to himself, Clark could easily figure out what in particular he was talking about.
"Dad… do you want me to hide it somewhere? I could… I dunno, dig a hole and bury it. Tonight- out in the field. Planting tomorrow will cover our tracks."
Jonathan sighed. "Not really- we've got shale and limestone less than ten feet down around here, the aquifers only at fifteen feet- you know that. You'd have to dig through rock, and you'd hit water. I would have buried it years ago if I thought that was a solution. But the dirt changes color at five feet, Clark. It would be far too noticeable, digging all that up. And even then- underground, it would be practically sitting in water. I don't know what that would do, outer space is a different environment, and I don't want to damage it."
Clark frowned. "So what if it rusts? It's not like it's going anywhere else anyway."
"Sorry son, it isn't that simple. I don't know much physics, but we don't know what it uses for fuel. I'd rather not release that into the atmosphere." Jonathan reached a hand out, ruffling his son's hair. "But, you've changed the topic- what do you think your new best friend knows?"
Clark just sighed. "I don't really know, dad. I think he thinks I'm a meteorite mutant. He's suspicious that I'm… ah… faster than normal, and he knows I'm stronger- I pulled him and Earl up one handed, you know. But he isn't doing anything, he isn't trying to get tissue samples, or run tests, or… anything. I… trust him dad. I really do."
"We don't really have a choice, do we son?" Jonathan replied. "Not if we want to be his friend, we're going to have to trust him. Just a little- mind. I don't want you telling him anything. Okay?"
"Okay." Clark was happy to agree, he didn't like talking about this with his dad. Jonathan could be so paranoid.