Chapter 5

Lex was dropped outside and his father drove off instantly. He wondered for a moment how he would get home, but pushed the thought out of his head. Up at the front door he had another wave of guilt. Looking at the simplicity of his home, it just didn't feel right to ruin such a perfect life. But Martha, cheerfully answering the door, interrupted his thoughts.

"Is Clark in," he asked politely.

"No, he's not back yet. You can wait if you want," she said putting down the plate she was drying.

Lex looked around and walked towards the sideboard. Then he turned his back to it and tried to strike up a conversation to keep her eyes away from what he was doing.

"While I'm here, I'll order some more of your wonderful apple pies for the Talon," he said, whilst slipping a bug behind the bread bin.

"That'd be great, how many do you want?" she asked.

"A dozen," he said trying to sound as normal as possible, having gone into the living room and planted a bug behind a framed picture of Clark.

"Could I use your bathroom?" he said after a while.

"Sure, go ahead," she said.

Lex felt another twang. She was so trusting. Jonathon had always said that Lex was no good, but she had stuck up for him on several occasions and now he was doing exactly what Jonathon had thought he was capable of doing all along. He climbed the stairs, but instead of going right, he went left, into Clark's bedroom. He put one bug on top of his wardrobe and attached a computer bug to his computer. Then he came back downstairs.

"I should probably go," he said abruptly. Then he walked out. Martha frowned.

"That was weird", she thought to herself.

* * * * * *

Lionel had been going over the results of Dr Matthew's tests when he got the call from Lex confirming he had done what he asked. He sent a valet to pick him up and bring him to the secret location. Then he set up the computer equipment and studied every word muttered in the Kent house.

* * * * *
*

Clark arrived home about 10 minutes after Lex had left. He told his parents of his run in with Lex and they assured him he'd done the right thing.

"It's just too much," he told them, frustrated, "I can't be myself with anyone, and now I can't even be Lex's friend. This secret is killing me."

"You'd have to be pretty abnormal not to want to share," said Jonathon, "but in your case it just may not be possible."

"But I am abnormal. Do you know any normal people that can get hit by a car and be okay, can see through solid objects, can outrun bullets? And that's without even mentioning the spaceship in the storm cellar."

"Clark, I understand, but Lex of all people can never know. You can't trust him son."

"Well maybe it's up to me who I trust," he said and then ran out of the house.

He wandered round for a couple of hours and ended back at his barn, pondering his thoughts.