Chapter 3 No Retreat
"Lex, you have to see this."
Lex sighed in frustration at the interruption and looked up at his Chief of Security. "What have you got."
"While you were away we activated all security cameras according to protocol and taped all movement within the house. No alarms went off so the tape went unreviewed until this am when we had an inquiry about your father's visit."
"My father was here? Why wasn't I informed immediately?"
"You arrived home rather late last night and he was here so briefly it was deemed it could wait. He left you no messages...Well except maybe this." Robert held out a video tape. "I'll leave it with you." Lex nodded in dismissal and took the tape. He set it on his desk and looked back at his mountain of paperwork. The paper wasn't going anywhere.
Lex stood and moved to his "recreation" room. He placed the tape into the VCR, hit play and watched a video of his empty office. He set the fast forward and slowed it again as an image of his father came on screen. There was no sound and the picture was black and white. His father appeared angry and paced the office after trying to make a call. Then he moved to the window and smiled secretly as he spotted something in the drive. He had his hand in the pocket of his long black coat and appeared to be considering something. He pulled something from his pocket looking briefly at it then replaced it. At that point Clark Kent entered the room and Lex almost broke the remote as his grip tightened reflexively. Clark quickly started to turn to leave. Lionel grabbed him appearing to threaten him. Clark seemed to stumble back and looked confused. Lionel's demeanor suddenly changed to seductive but still fired by rage. He began to touch Clark and Lex's stomach clenched in shock and sorrow. Large as Clark was he seemed unable to fight of Lex's father who kissed him. Lex felt his heart lurch as he saw Clark turn his head away. Clark looked terrified. The encounter lasted only minutes. Lionel backed off after more heated words and Clark sank to the floor looking broken. Lionel then turned and looked directly at the camera with a calculating smile. As he stormed out of the room the only image left was of Clark appearing to quietly cry.
Oh God, just by knowing Clark he was bringing him in to his personal world of hurt. His rage at his father was easily added to the simmering hatred he'd harboured for years. He watched as Clark's image slowly unwound itself and straightened. Standing slowly he seemed to shake himself and wiped at his eyes with the heal of his hands. He straightened his shirt and tried to pull himself together but did not seem capable. His chest was hitching as if stiffling sobs and he walked out of the room with an unsteady gait, knocking one shoulder against the door frame and reeling slightly as he left.
Lex stopped the tape and backed up till his knees contacted a chair causing him to almost fall as he sat down hard. The image of Clark's frightened look was burning into his memory and branding his heart. Innocent, friendly, unsullied Clark Kent. The best thing to have come into Lex Luthor's life in as long as he could remember. It was really quite humorous how much this boy meant to him. He wanted to give him everything even if it meant helping with his boyish crush on the local cheerleader. He would take Clark Kent as part of his life in any way he could just to have that sunny smile and open friendship warm his cold world. Instead he was giving Clark a walk in a nightmare. He needed to see him, now.
Lex grabbed his coat and raced to his Ferrari, peeling out of the drive at a speed that tested even this car's power. It was 3:00 pm on Friday, Clark should be just getting out of school. He raced across town to pull up to the school as most students swarmed out the doors. He waited watching for a dark head that towered above the rest. Lex spotted him easily, walking with his shoulders slouched and his head down. He appeared deep in thought. Lex again marvelled that such a handsome young man was not popular at school but his uncomman height and pale skin set him apart. The community he'd grown up with was a small town and unforgiving of those who stood out. Lex got out of the car and walked towards Clark, students parting like the Red Sea before him. Lex also experienced the lack of acceptance projected on someone who is different. If he could, he'd make his own world for Clark and himself.
"Clark, can I talk to you for a minute?" Lex seemed to startle Clark out of his reverie.
"Lex, I wanted to see you. I tried yesterday but you didn't get back til late. I've got to go home and do my chores, I missed some last night and have to catch up but it shouldn't take too long. Can I see you after supper?" Clark wouldn't look at him, studying Lex's feet.
"Can I drive you home?" Lex watched Clark steel himself as if going into battle.
"OK."
Lex lead him to the Ferrari and watched as Clark folded himself into the low seat. Lex got in and started it up. They drove in silence until the school was out of sight then Lex spoke. "I know what happened. I have a security video in my office." Clark let out a breath as if he'd been holding it since they left the school. "I saw how my father treated you and I can't apologize enough for pulling you into our battle of wills. I never expected him to do something like this. I want to protect you but I'm going to need to know what he said."
"I have to get home. Can we talk about this later?" Clark swallowed admonishing himself mentally for being chickenshit.
"You eat at 6:00 right? I'll get you at 7:00. Clark, I need to know if you've told your parents."
Clark looked moritified. "God Lex, how could I tell my folks about this." Clark looked out the window at the pretty yellow farm house as they pulled in the drive feeling that his world was crumbling. Once they stopped Lex reached over to take Clark's hand and Clark jerked away reflexively. There was pain in Lex's eyes quickly shuttered to nutrality as he watched Clark get out. "I'll see you later." He backed cautiously out of the drive but once on the road, drove the Ferrari hard. His eyes began to swim with tears that he refused to shed.
"Lex, you have to see this."
Lex sighed in frustration at the interruption and looked up at his Chief of Security. "What have you got."
"While you were away we activated all security cameras according to protocol and taped all movement within the house. No alarms went off so the tape went unreviewed until this am when we had an inquiry about your father's visit."
"My father was here? Why wasn't I informed immediately?"
"You arrived home rather late last night and he was here so briefly it was deemed it could wait. He left you no messages...Well except maybe this." Robert held out a video tape. "I'll leave it with you." Lex nodded in dismissal and took the tape. He set it on his desk and looked back at his mountain of paperwork. The paper wasn't going anywhere.
Lex stood and moved to his "recreation" room. He placed the tape into the VCR, hit play and watched a video of his empty office. He set the fast forward and slowed it again as an image of his father came on screen. There was no sound and the picture was black and white. His father appeared angry and paced the office after trying to make a call. Then he moved to the window and smiled secretly as he spotted something in the drive. He had his hand in the pocket of his long black coat and appeared to be considering something. He pulled something from his pocket looking briefly at it then replaced it. At that point Clark Kent entered the room and Lex almost broke the remote as his grip tightened reflexively. Clark quickly started to turn to leave. Lionel grabbed him appearing to threaten him. Clark seemed to stumble back and looked confused. Lionel's demeanor suddenly changed to seductive but still fired by rage. He began to touch Clark and Lex's stomach clenched in shock and sorrow. Large as Clark was he seemed unable to fight of Lex's father who kissed him. Lex felt his heart lurch as he saw Clark turn his head away. Clark looked terrified. The encounter lasted only minutes. Lionel backed off after more heated words and Clark sank to the floor looking broken. Lionel then turned and looked directly at the camera with a calculating smile. As he stormed out of the room the only image left was of Clark appearing to quietly cry.
Oh God, just by knowing Clark he was bringing him in to his personal world of hurt. His rage at his father was easily added to the simmering hatred he'd harboured for years. He watched as Clark's image slowly unwound itself and straightened. Standing slowly he seemed to shake himself and wiped at his eyes with the heal of his hands. He straightened his shirt and tried to pull himself together but did not seem capable. His chest was hitching as if stiffling sobs and he walked out of the room with an unsteady gait, knocking one shoulder against the door frame and reeling slightly as he left.
Lex stopped the tape and backed up till his knees contacted a chair causing him to almost fall as he sat down hard. The image of Clark's frightened look was burning into his memory and branding his heart. Innocent, friendly, unsullied Clark Kent. The best thing to have come into Lex Luthor's life in as long as he could remember. It was really quite humorous how much this boy meant to him. He wanted to give him everything even if it meant helping with his boyish crush on the local cheerleader. He would take Clark Kent as part of his life in any way he could just to have that sunny smile and open friendship warm his cold world. Instead he was giving Clark a walk in a nightmare. He needed to see him, now.
Lex grabbed his coat and raced to his Ferrari, peeling out of the drive at a speed that tested even this car's power. It was 3:00 pm on Friday, Clark should be just getting out of school. He raced across town to pull up to the school as most students swarmed out the doors. He waited watching for a dark head that towered above the rest. Lex spotted him easily, walking with his shoulders slouched and his head down. He appeared deep in thought. Lex again marvelled that such a handsome young man was not popular at school but his uncomman height and pale skin set him apart. The community he'd grown up with was a small town and unforgiving of those who stood out. Lex got out of the car and walked towards Clark, students parting like the Red Sea before him. Lex also experienced the lack of acceptance projected on someone who is different. If he could, he'd make his own world for Clark and himself.
"Clark, can I talk to you for a minute?" Lex seemed to startle Clark out of his reverie.
"Lex, I wanted to see you. I tried yesterday but you didn't get back til late. I've got to go home and do my chores, I missed some last night and have to catch up but it shouldn't take too long. Can I see you after supper?" Clark wouldn't look at him, studying Lex's feet.
"Can I drive you home?" Lex watched Clark steel himself as if going into battle.
"OK."
Lex lead him to the Ferrari and watched as Clark folded himself into the low seat. Lex got in and started it up. They drove in silence until the school was out of sight then Lex spoke. "I know what happened. I have a security video in my office." Clark let out a breath as if he'd been holding it since they left the school. "I saw how my father treated you and I can't apologize enough for pulling you into our battle of wills. I never expected him to do something like this. I want to protect you but I'm going to need to know what he said."
"I have to get home. Can we talk about this later?" Clark swallowed admonishing himself mentally for being chickenshit.
"You eat at 6:00 right? I'll get you at 7:00. Clark, I need to know if you've told your parents."
Clark looked moritified. "God Lex, how could I tell my folks about this." Clark looked out the window at the pretty yellow farm house as they pulled in the drive feeling that his world was crumbling. Once they stopped Lex reached over to take Clark's hand and Clark jerked away reflexively. There was pain in Lex's eyes quickly shuttered to nutrality as he watched Clark get out. "I'll see you later." He backed cautiously out of the drive but once on the road, drove the Ferrari hard. His eyes began to swim with tears that he refused to shed.