Clark stopped outside the nondescript building. Its artchitecture and materials, as well as its upkeep, were just a shade better than shabby, suggesting that inside were struggling businesses that couldn't afford better and didn't feel it necessary--or perhaps even possible--to create a sense of prosperity. It was a disguise to the outside world. For the first time, he looked at it wondering if it held secrets from him, too.
As he slowly, almost reluctantly, entered, the previous events seemed unreal. Or distorted, as though he'd been looking at them through curved, clouded glass. The glowing rocks had to have been unsettling his mind as well as his body. Nothing else would explain the way he felt when he saw the photograph of those two people, as though he had realized he'd lost something that now meant more than the world to him. Or when they showed up in person, and he'd felt that the only safe refuge was in the arms they held out to him.
Nothing else could explain that. He was doing the right thing, the American thing, and working for people who believed in what he believed in. He hadn't realized his head was lowered until he raised it.
He'd tell them about the rocks that had stopped him and they'd discover a way to disable them. They were smart, smarter than the target.
"Clark." The major stood up as he walked in. "We had to send Torini after you. Make your report, orally, to me. Omit nothing."
"Sir." Now the words wouldn't come. "I...I located the target as described and was prepared to eliminate him. But..."
"Yes?" The major's voice was impatient and Clark reproached himself. He should be able to explain.
"A...a woman came in and she had some kind of...something that made me weak. I couldn't even stand, sir. She was wearing a rock as part of a necklace. It glowed green when it touched me. I don't know what it was or how it did it. They took me prisoner."
"And?"
Clark realized that he wanted to lie. If he told the truth, the woman and the two Kents, the people who said they were his parents and loved him, would be targets. They'd send somebody else to eliminate them, since he hadn't been able to. And the first target, too. Clark had expected him to be evil. Interfering with the government. Hurting American people. Instead, the target had been, well, kind wasn't the word, but...had treated him as an American treats a prisoner. Enemies torture their prisoners or let them die but the target had fed him, let him sleep, even talked to him.
"And?" The major repeated himself angrily.
"I...it's very blurry, sir." He wondered if his voice sounded as unsteady to the major as it did to him.
The major continued to scrutinize him and then nodded. "Go to your quarters, Clark." Clark felt himself relax slightly at the normal tone. The major even smiled briefly at him as he added, "We'll get to the bottom of this and understand how and why it failed. Because it won't happen again."
A/N: Sorry, this is another one where it's been forever before the Muse hit me with the idea brick again!
As he slowly, almost reluctantly, entered, the previous events seemed unreal. Or distorted, as though he'd been looking at them through curved, clouded glass. The glowing rocks had to have been unsettling his mind as well as his body. Nothing else would explain the way he felt when he saw the photograph of those two people, as though he had realized he'd lost something that now meant more than the world to him. Or when they showed up in person, and he'd felt that the only safe refuge was in the arms they held out to him.
Nothing else could explain that. He was doing the right thing, the American thing, and working for people who believed in what he believed in. He hadn't realized his head was lowered until he raised it.
He'd tell them about the rocks that had stopped him and they'd discover a way to disable them. They were smart, smarter than the target.
"Clark." The major stood up as he walked in. "We had to send Torini after you. Make your report, orally, to me. Omit nothing."
"Sir." Now the words wouldn't come. "I...I located the target as described and was prepared to eliminate him. But..."
"Yes?" The major's voice was impatient and Clark reproached himself. He should be able to explain.
"A...a woman came in and she had some kind of...something that made me weak. I couldn't even stand, sir. She was wearing a rock as part of a necklace. It glowed green when it touched me. I don't know what it was or how it did it. They took me prisoner."
"And?"
Clark realized that he wanted to lie. If he told the truth, the woman and the two Kents, the people who said they were his parents and loved him, would be targets. They'd send somebody else to eliminate them, since he hadn't been able to. And the first target, too. Clark had expected him to be evil. Interfering with the government. Hurting American people. Instead, the target had been, well, kind wasn't the word, but...had treated him as an American treats a prisoner. Enemies torture their prisoners or let them die but the target had fed him, let him sleep, even talked to him.
"And?" The major repeated himself angrily.
"I...it's very blurry, sir." He wondered if his voice sounded as unsteady to the major as it did to him.
The major continued to scrutinize him and then nodded. "Go to your quarters, Clark." Clark felt himself relax slightly at the normal tone. The major even smiled briefly at him as he added, "We'll get to the bottom of this and understand how and why it failed. Because it won't happen again."
A/N: Sorry, this is another one where it's been forever before the Muse hit me with the idea brick again!
