*Here goes. I always suspected my famous last words would be "aaargh."* Lex looked up from the newspaper he'd been staring at and waited until Clark had finished another piece of toast.
"I've thought about what the next best move is and decided that it might be most practical to retrun to Metropolis."
"What? Dad would find us there-"
"I mean for me to return there. That way, I can alert you if Dad starts looking for you or getting closer, and I can get you money if you need it. Also, with us together, if somebody recognizes just one of us, the chance of being found is higher." Clark was silent and Lex went on. "I can tell Dad that you were holding me as a potential hostage but that you decided that as long as he leaves you alone, you'll leave him alone." Clark stared down at the table and Lex waited for a response.
His brother cleared his throat and answered, quietly, almost meekly, "Okay. When are you leaving?"
Lex blinked at the sudden acquiscence and at Clark's subdued voice. "Not right away, of course. Remember? The documents for your new identity won't be delivered until today, and then there's still figuring out where you want to live."
"Okay."
*This is seriously spooky. I wish I were as sure I'm doing the right thing as I was when I was thinking it through. Oh, well, he's probably just as glad to be rid of me.*
Clark automatically finished breakfast and went into his bedroom with a book. He averted his eyes from the new dents in the metal headboard. *I don't know why I thought anything like this would last. I still hate thinking about what happened but this part was even kind of fun. No assignments, nothing like that, and figuring that we might go someplace neat after this. Like when people play hooky on tv. But now it's a bit scary again. What Lex says makes sense, but I've never been really on my own before. I know I can take care of myself, I'm almost sixteen, and I've still got my abilities, but I've never really been all alone before. Maybe it'll all work out. Or at least it will for Lex. He's probably just as glad to be rid of me.*
"I've thought about what the next best move is and decided that it might be most practical to retrun to Metropolis."
"What? Dad would find us there-"
"I mean for me to return there. That way, I can alert you if Dad starts looking for you or getting closer, and I can get you money if you need it. Also, with us together, if somebody recognizes just one of us, the chance of being found is higher." Clark was silent and Lex went on. "I can tell Dad that you were holding me as a potential hostage but that you decided that as long as he leaves you alone, you'll leave him alone." Clark stared down at the table and Lex waited for a response.
His brother cleared his throat and answered, quietly, almost meekly, "Okay. When are you leaving?"
Lex blinked at the sudden acquiscence and at Clark's subdued voice. "Not right away, of course. Remember? The documents for your new identity won't be delivered until today, and then there's still figuring out where you want to live."
"Okay."
*This is seriously spooky. I wish I were as sure I'm doing the right thing as I was when I was thinking it through. Oh, well, he's probably just as glad to be rid of me.*
Clark automatically finished breakfast and went into his bedroom with a book. He averted his eyes from the new dents in the metal headboard. *I don't know why I thought anything like this would last. I still hate thinking about what happened but this part was even kind of fun. No assignments, nothing like that, and figuring that we might go someplace neat after this. Like when people play hooky on tv. But now it's a bit scary again. What Lex says makes sense, but I've never been really on my own before. I know I can take care of myself, I'm almost sixteen, and I've still got my abilities, but I've never really been all alone before. Maybe it'll all work out. Or at least it will for Lex. He's probably just as glad to be rid of me.*