"Fire"
BACKGROUND: The tale follows the events of 'Mr. Kent goes to Gotham'. It's August. Chloe is working as an intern at the Daily Planet. Maybe she should have stayed in Smallville because a big story is about to break in this small town. The spotlight now shifts to Clark and risks exposing his -- so far -- private life. Whatever story is fit to print, it threatens to destroy Lex and Clark. Plus, Chloe can't keep an eye on Lana and her friendship with Clark. It promises to be a hot summer in Smallville.
Chapter 1
Summer Gleeson, GCTV's crime reporter, turned up the air conditioning in her neon green Ford Focus. Her long red hair fluttered as the blast of cold air swept around her. She was assigned to uncover more about the mysterious Kansas farmboy who saved Bruce's life. Three hours to go.
She protested to her assignment editor yesterday. The story is in Gotham. The two recent attempts on Bruce Wayne's life involved a hidden agenda. She could sense it. Shady links to the Kosovo crisis. Revelations of a numbered Swiss bank account, transfers to a hotel in the Cayman Islands. Why was she being sent to Smallville? Clark Kent was in the right place at the right time. Mere coincidence. There might be something juicier about Lex's connection to Bruce, but she doubted it.
As for her connection to Bruce, that was not for public consumption. She switched on the radio. "Here's Nickelback and 'How You Remind Me' on Rock 97.7"
She met Bruce when he visited Ground Zero in NYC in November. She admits now that she used her press credentials to get up close to the most eligible bachelor in America. It was a whirlwind – but secret – romance. Trips to Martha's Vineyards. Weekends eating ice cream in Wayne Manor. Despite the attention, he never REALLY let her get close.
"I've been wrong, I've been down ... to the bottom of every bottle..." the radio wailed.
She began prying about his family. My mistake, she realized, I knew that would be icy territory. He made some vague comments about 'setting things right'. Then two months ago, a public spat at the Gotham Symphony. A bad move since all the society hacks were there. They became hot tabloid fodder for weeks. Even her high school cheerleading photo surfaced. They had coffee a few times after. Bruce finally ended it a week later. "I can't get close. Not now." His butler Alfred returned the rest of her things only last week.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Gleeson. About Bruce. I rather hoped you were 'the one'." "I thought I was 'the one', too," Summer had lamented.
"It's not like you to say sorry ...." the radio wailed.
The last time she talked to Bruce, the break-up on Gotham Harbor Pier 7, he just looked away into the sunset when she pleaded with him to work things out. Then he left. No hug. Nothing.
I'm hurting too, Bruce. Summer wiped her eyes and put on her sunglasses. I've got work to do.
"... are we havin' fun yet ..." the radio wailed again.
BACKGROUND: The tale follows the events of 'Mr. Kent goes to Gotham'. It's August. Chloe is working as an intern at the Daily Planet. Maybe she should have stayed in Smallville because a big story is about to break in this small town. The spotlight now shifts to Clark and risks exposing his -- so far -- private life. Whatever story is fit to print, it threatens to destroy Lex and Clark. Plus, Chloe can't keep an eye on Lana and her friendship with Clark. It promises to be a hot summer in Smallville.
Chapter 1
Summer Gleeson, GCTV's crime reporter, turned up the air conditioning in her neon green Ford Focus. Her long red hair fluttered as the blast of cold air swept around her. She was assigned to uncover more about the mysterious Kansas farmboy who saved Bruce's life. Three hours to go.
She protested to her assignment editor yesterday. The story is in Gotham. The two recent attempts on Bruce Wayne's life involved a hidden agenda. She could sense it. Shady links to the Kosovo crisis. Revelations of a numbered Swiss bank account, transfers to a hotel in the Cayman Islands. Why was she being sent to Smallville? Clark Kent was in the right place at the right time. Mere coincidence. There might be something juicier about Lex's connection to Bruce, but she doubted it.
As for her connection to Bruce, that was not for public consumption. She switched on the radio. "Here's Nickelback and 'How You Remind Me' on Rock 97.7"
She met Bruce when he visited Ground Zero in NYC in November. She admits now that she used her press credentials to get up close to the most eligible bachelor in America. It was a whirlwind – but secret – romance. Trips to Martha's Vineyards. Weekends eating ice cream in Wayne Manor. Despite the attention, he never REALLY let her get close.
"I've been wrong, I've been down ... to the bottom of every bottle..." the radio wailed.
She began prying about his family. My mistake, she realized, I knew that would be icy territory. He made some vague comments about 'setting things right'. Then two months ago, a public spat at the Gotham Symphony. A bad move since all the society hacks were there. They became hot tabloid fodder for weeks. Even her high school cheerleading photo surfaced. They had coffee a few times after. Bruce finally ended it a week later. "I can't get close. Not now." His butler Alfred returned the rest of her things only last week.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Gleeson. About Bruce. I rather hoped you were 'the one'." "I thought I was 'the one', too," Summer had lamented.
"It's not like you to say sorry ...." the radio wailed.
The last time she talked to Bruce, the break-up on Gotham Harbor Pier 7, he just looked away into the sunset when she pleaded with him to work things out. Then he left. No hug. Nothing.
I'm hurting too, Bruce. Summer wiped her eyes and put on her sunglasses. I've got work to do.
"... are we havin' fun yet ..." the radio wailed again.