11
He didn't understand anything today, it seemed. He didn't understand Chloe's reaction, nor the strange coldness between Lex and Chloe. Some of it, as always, was that Chloe became defensive and very careful about what she said when Lex hinted about the caves. She withdrew when anything could lead back to her heritage. Except, this time, it felt different, as if there were a strain between the two of them that hadn't been there before. What could have happened at the dress fitting to put them in such a place.
It could be more about Helen, but he felt like there was something else. Something that wasn't brides or alien artifacts, something much deeper than that.
He could figure out what, but based on the way Chloe had avoided eye contact with Lex...well, he didn't want to make assumptions. It was Chloe. She wouldn't.
He walked carefully over the rocks and boulders scattered on the cave floor, coughing as the dust assaulted his sensitive lungs. The cave looked the same to him, or so he thought. There were footprints, but grad students came in her with Dr. Willowbrook. Even if there were new prints from Walden, he might not be able to identify them.
"Dr. Walden? Hello? Are you there?"
He wanted to add, "Please don't flashfry me," as an afterthought. He had no idea what he'd do if he found the doctor and he decided to use his new powers against him.
"Dr. Walden?" He called, coming to stand in front of the cave wall, staring at the part with the octagonal indentation which Chloe's key fit. Something didn't look right. It didn't look as he remembered it. Quickly, he pulled out a small reporter's notebook from his jeans pocket and started to jot down the altered symbols.
"Interesting."
Clark almost dropped his book, but quickly shoved it back under the waist band of his jeans. "Mr. Luthor?"
"Well, hello Clark. How are you?"
"Fine." God, Chloe should be here. She was a better liar.
"I hear there's a linguist missing."
"Yeah, Lex and Chloe and I are looking for him. I promised to look for him here since this is where he got sick, but I guess he's not around." He was backing up and Lionel advanced on him.
"So, everything's set up with The Torch. I've even managed to get a state of the art printer from LuthorCorp."
"Thanks. Look, please don't tell Chloe that I came to you. She thinks it's a donation from Fordman's since that's the second biggest business in town. But she was so crushed after it was vandalized and we weren't going to be able to even put out a graduation edition. I really appreciate what you did for me."
"Of course. Miss Sullivan is an amazing talent. It would be a shame to let her potential go to waste. Besides, I hate to see young damsels in distressed."
Clark swallowed. He doubted that very much, based on Lex's conversations, but he'd been desperate. Seeing Chloe in tears had been unbearable and now The Torch was back and she was so excited. He'd done that.
"Well, again, I appreciate it."
"Oh, there's really no need to thank me. I'll just take your follow up as a thank you."
"What?"
"Clark, you can't expect to get so much for free."
"My dad always said that was how philanthropy worked."
"Philanthropy allows for tax write offs. There's always a trade-off."
He wheezed a little. It definitely felt like his lungs were in a vice. "Trade-off?"
"Why yes. You're a journalist too, aren't you? You've had some solid articles for the Planet."
"Just one. I got second byline when I finished off a piece with a real reporter. It was on opposite street parking."
"But you're the curious sort. Down here, in the caves, searching for lost linguists."
Clark backed up a little more and felt himself hit the wall. "What do you need me to be curious about?"
"Well this should be easy. I just want everything you know about Chloe Sullivan."
God, it was getting hard to breathe. "I'm not giving you details about our dates. That's a little disturbing, sir."
"No, I don't need that. I want to know more about her. She's adopted isn't she?"
"You set up Metropolis United Charities," he pointed out.
"Do you ever wonder where you girlfriend is actually from?"
"Lowell County, probably. Mr. Luthor, I'm not helping you with spying on Chloe."
"Spying is such an ugly term. Besides, she wants her paper, doesn't she? How else would you keep it?"
"I'll go to Lex."
"Lex is mortgaged to the hilt, keeping his company going. If you don't cooperate, The Torch won't last the week."
"Mr. Luthor, with all due respect, I won't help you. If that means Chloe and I have to print out leaflets or get a press or whatever, I'll do it. But I am not going to betray Chloe. She means too much to me."
"How honorable. I wonder if Miss Sullivan feels the same way about you."
"Of course she does," he huffed, stalking back out to the exits.
"I hope you're right. Oh and how interesting. Clark, did the symbols change?"
He turned and looked over his shoulder. "I don't think so."
"You were writing them down."
"I was checking off a list of where else I need to look for Dr. Walden."
"And you're sure they're not different?"
He shook his head. "It's all Kawatchee to me."
He found Chloe back at The Torch and, surprisingly, she was out of breath.
"Chlo?"
"I looked over five states, Clark. Everywhere I could think of and I can't find him. He's got my speed and some laser touch and he could be anywhere. What if he hurts somebody? I mean, telling people about me would be bad, but if he hurts someone because of what the stupid caves did-"
"Chlo, shh," he said, hugging her tightly and grateful she actually squeezed him back. Sometimes she trusted herself enough. He just wished it was all the time. "We're gonna find him. I promise."
"Did you have any luck?"
He took in a deep breath, deciding that mentioning Lionel would scare her more. "I didn't see him, but I did find something else," he finished, pulling back.
"What?"
"Can you read this?" he asked, pulling out the notes he'd made.
Frowning, Chloe took the paper and read it, her eyes skimming quickly over it. Then she dropped it. "No."
"Chlo? What could it possibly say?"
"Where'd you find this?"
"The caves. I think Walden was there and he did something to change the symbols around. But what does it say?"
She looked back up at him and she was shaking. "It says 'The day is coming when the last son will begin his quest to rule.'"
It took Clark a minute to remember the Kawatchee were convinced that they were going to be receiving a Kal-El instead of a Kala, that Chloe was the 'last daughter' who had been prophesied. "What?"
"It says I'm supposed to start ruling."
"Well that's vague."
"Really? You know about the temple in China with my family symbol. You know about 'rule them with strength.' This is just more of the same. Clark, I am dangerous."
"And Walden might have found a way to alter it and he's the one with the problem. He's the one who burned his way out of the hospital."
"This is the third thing telling me I'm a conqueror. I don't...Clark, I don't want to do that."
He smiled sadly and hugged her. "You don't even want to bruise me when I say it's okay."
"Not funny."
"I know. We'll find Walden and make sure he doesn't know anything about you that he shouldn't. You'll ignore some stupid 500 year old cave painting and then you'll look great at the wedding, be the one person who actually applauds my toast."
She slapped her forehead. "Your toast. I've been such a bitch."
He stepped back and quirked his head at her. "No you haven't. If Helen upset you, I can understand that. I just...did you and Lex fight too?"
"No, why would you ask that?"
Clark frowned. Her response came so quickly, almost as if it were rehearsed. "You were so different today, like tense. Are you sure?"
"I'm fine, Clark. It's just being under the microscope again. I hate that. It makes me nervous."
"Nervous enough to pull away from me?"
"I'm sorry. I know. I'm trying to work on it. For most of my life, I had to take care of myself. I had my dad, but I couldn't tell anyone else. When things get hard, I just want to close up."
"I know, believe me. I love you."
"I love you too," she added, her voice wavering.
Clark frowned and hugged her one last time. "Chlo, I promise. You might be the last daughter, but you're not going to hurt anyone. I know you're not."
She nodded and hugged him carefully back and, as she gradually relaxed into his embrace. Quietly, oh so quietly, she said something else.
Something odd.
Something that sounded like "I don't deserve you."
But of course she did.