The latest video was slightly grainy but clear enough to make out the movements and expressions. A blur as Clark stopped, pulled a bouquet from underneath his jacket, and bent to put it on the doorstep. He stared for a moment at the dusty-pink envelope with his name on it, then put his flowers down and picked it up.
An almost imbecilic grin spread over his face as he read the note inside and looked at the contents, a cheap sterling friendship ring. Still grinning, he put it on his ring finger, then carefully tucked the note inside his shirt.
Lionel sent a terse email. "Start tracking the signal." It could take several more days--the ring wasn't large enough to hide the most sophisticated tracking devices and given Clark's speed, he could be coming from anywhere. Setting up the video cameras around Nell Potter's home had been a long shot, but it had paid off. Clark was indeed still hanging around Smallville, pining for glimpses of the girl and leaving her bouquets. He'd swallowed the sentimental bait so readily.
Lionel nodded in satisfaction. He'd always assumed that the Trojan Horse was a mare.
***
Clark was still grinning as he reached the condo.
"Hey, Lex, what's up?" Lex was clearly doing something boring with papers.
"Estimates for repairing all the damage here," his brother replied sourly.
"Yeah, geez, I'm sorry, you know. Maybe when we get our own place, we can have extra-strong walls or something."
"Or padded walls."
Clark laughed. Pissy Lex was funny. "Oh, come on, it'll be fun. San Diego will be great. Hey, world, look out, it's the Luthor brothers!"
"*Kent*."
"Sorry, sorry, Kent." Lex wasn't loosening up. The sun still rises in the east, too. It was his job as Lex's brother to make him loosen up. "Are you still ticklish?" He dove for Lex's ribs and Lex quickly moved out of the way.
"Who put amphetamines in your coffee this morning?"
"It's just a great day! I went all the way down the checklist, sun shining, birds singing, breezes blowing-"
"Minds going."
"Oooh, who put depressants in your coffee this morning? Or did you watch Teletubbies or something?"
"Clark, what has gotten into you?"
"Just in a good mood." He felt kind of bad about not telling Lex what was up, but Lex was in such a pissy mood that he'd probably just go off on how Clark had to be careful, couldn't keep ties with Smallville, and so on. Booooring.
He went into his bedroom, looked briefly at the holes in the walls and wondered for a moment how people fixed them, then flopped down on the bed.
Having Lana's note right next to his heart just felt so, so romantic. Like being in a movie or something. Even if all she said was, "Dear Clark, I'm glad we're friends. Will you wear this for me? It's a friendship ring. Lana."
He'd never take it off. Ever.
An almost imbecilic grin spread over his face as he read the note inside and looked at the contents, a cheap sterling friendship ring. Still grinning, he put it on his ring finger, then carefully tucked the note inside his shirt.
Lionel sent a terse email. "Start tracking the signal." It could take several more days--the ring wasn't large enough to hide the most sophisticated tracking devices and given Clark's speed, he could be coming from anywhere. Setting up the video cameras around Nell Potter's home had been a long shot, but it had paid off. Clark was indeed still hanging around Smallville, pining for glimpses of the girl and leaving her bouquets. He'd swallowed the sentimental bait so readily.
Lionel nodded in satisfaction. He'd always assumed that the Trojan Horse was a mare.
***
Clark was still grinning as he reached the condo.
"Hey, Lex, what's up?" Lex was clearly doing something boring with papers.
"Estimates for repairing all the damage here," his brother replied sourly.
"Yeah, geez, I'm sorry, you know. Maybe when we get our own place, we can have extra-strong walls or something."
"Or padded walls."
Clark laughed. Pissy Lex was funny. "Oh, come on, it'll be fun. San Diego will be great. Hey, world, look out, it's the Luthor brothers!"
"*Kent*."
"Sorry, sorry, Kent." Lex wasn't loosening up. The sun still rises in the east, too. It was his job as Lex's brother to make him loosen up. "Are you still ticklish?" He dove for Lex's ribs and Lex quickly moved out of the way.
"Who put amphetamines in your coffee this morning?"
"It's just a great day! I went all the way down the checklist, sun shining, birds singing, breezes blowing-"
"Minds going."
"Oooh, who put depressants in your coffee this morning? Or did you watch Teletubbies or something?"
"Clark, what has gotten into you?"
"Just in a good mood." He felt kind of bad about not telling Lex what was up, but Lex was in such a pissy mood that he'd probably just go off on how Clark had to be careful, couldn't keep ties with Smallville, and so on. Booooring.
He went into his bedroom, looked briefly at the holes in the walls and wondered for a moment how people fixed them, then flopped down on the bed.
Having Lana's note right next to his heart just felt so, so romantic. Like being in a movie or something. Even if all she said was, "Dear Clark, I'm glad we're friends. Will you wear this for me? It's a friendship ring. Lana."
He'd never take it off. Ever.