"They don't look particularly comfortable," Lionel said, easily, releasing his hold on Clark's collar and gesturing at a group of large rocks a few feet away. "But they are convenient, at least." Clark watched warily as the older man hitched up his jacket and sat down, as casually as if it were his own office. Lionel looked up with a glance of mildly curious expectancy and then with a tolerant and patient smile, waited for Clark to seat himself, keeping as far away from the glowing bar as he could.
"Now then, Clark Kent, tell me about yourself."
"I- I don't know what you're talking about. I'm allergic to the meteor rocks."
"Oh, come now, you and I both know you're far more interesting than that." As Clark tried to gather his thoughts, Lionel's encouraging smile turned to a look of concern. "My boy, you really shouldn't be afraid of me. Lex hasn't filled your head with all kinds of stories about the ogre of Metropolis, has he?" He shook his head. "That's one of the griefs of being a parent, unfortunately. Your children resent most what they need the most. And there's so much that my son needs."
"What do you want?"
With raised eyebrows, Lionel responded. "To have a pleasant talk with one of my son's friends, what else?"
"Would you stop playing games with me?" Clark had meant to sound angry, but realized that the quiver in his voice fully revealed his alarm, and once seated, it was too much of an effort to rise. "What- where are you going to take me?" He clenched his hands, images of imprisonment and laboratories rising in his mind as vividly as the time that he had realized that his parents were protecting him by insisting that nobody learn of his abilities. He'd had nightmares for weeks, but now he was living one, both more real and more fantastical than any of them.
Lionel chuckled. "Aside from the many ethical considerations, I believe that holding you against your will would be very much against the law. Though it would certainly be interesting to find out whether, given the circumstances, it would count as kidnapping or as theft. Would you be considered your parents' son, or part of their livestock, or perhaps as government property? I don't believe there really are any historical precedents."
Another fear made Clark blink rapidly. "Did...was there anybody else but Chloe who..."
Lionel waited a few moments before answering. "No, no, the charming Ms. Sullivan was the only one of your friends who assisted me. If, as an older man, I might advise you, Clark, remember that an unattractive woman will probably forgive you for not returning her feelings, but never an attractive one." His tone became brisk. "Well, if you don't have an autobiography prepared, perhaps just some questions and answers, hmmm? When you came to the rescue that day in Metropolis, just how did you get in?"
"I jumped. From the Daily Planet building."
"Did you, indeed?" His answer was commentary rather than doubt, as he immediately continued. "How fast can you run?"
"Faster than anything I've timed myself against. Maybe 200, 300?"
Lionel nodded. "What is your connection to these rocks that you are so 'allergic' to?"
"I'm not exactly sure."
Lionel looked at him for a long moment and then, standing in a move as swift as a fencing master's, had the bar in his hand and held to Clark's throat. "You can do better than *that*, can't you?" Clark started to collapse and Lionel stepped aside, as if politely allowing Clark to pass. He caught himself with his hands as the Kryptonite was no longer pressing to his skin, and tried to rise. Lionel's free hand gripped him by the chin and pushed his head back, holding the Kryptonite closer. "I'm not trying to make this painful for you, Clark, but believe me when I say that I can. Is that clear?" Receiving no answer, he tightened his hold. "Is that clear?" Clark, unable to speak, finally managed to nod, and Lionel let go and put the bar down. "I don't think that going any further today would be very productive. Just one thing more. There's a notebook and pen behind you." Clark turned and seeing how close they were and feeling incapable of rising, despite hating the humiliation, crawled a few steps to retrieve them. "Now this is just for my guarantee that we'll continue our conversation tomorrow, I don't intend to use it unless you make me." Clark bit his lip in fear of what might be coming next. "Please write, 'Mr. Luthor, I hope you'll help me. I'm embarrassed to tell Lex, but you told me after that day when you and my mom were held hostage, that if I ever need help, I should come to you, and since I don't know you that well, it's easier.'" Clark finished writing and Lionel looked over his shoulder, checking his accuracy. "'My father has been molesting me for almost eight years now. He says that it would break my mother's heart if I ever told anybody and that nobody would believe that I just let him do it. Could you just help me hide un-'"
"I'm not writing that!" Clark let the pen and notebook drop and Lionel gazed mildly at him.
"Remember, Clark, this is the easy way for you. I could take other measures, including that theft or kidnapping we discussed earlier. I could hide you someplace where nobody would ever find you. You'd never see your parents, your friends, or your home again."
Clark swallowed hard. "I'm still not writing it."
"Hmmm. Is it that you're braver than your father, or just less intelligent?" Not taking his eyes off Clark, Lionel reached into his pocket and pulled out a small transmitter. "It's as I rather expected. I'll need you to come down here and help me take him to Brookfalls."
Clark was able to fight back his tears enough to see Lionel smile pleasantly and sit down again to wait, without showing the slightest sign of tension.
"Now then, Clark Kent, tell me about yourself."
"I- I don't know what you're talking about. I'm allergic to the meteor rocks."
"Oh, come now, you and I both know you're far more interesting than that." As Clark tried to gather his thoughts, Lionel's encouraging smile turned to a look of concern. "My boy, you really shouldn't be afraid of me. Lex hasn't filled your head with all kinds of stories about the ogre of Metropolis, has he?" He shook his head. "That's one of the griefs of being a parent, unfortunately. Your children resent most what they need the most. And there's so much that my son needs."
"What do you want?"
With raised eyebrows, Lionel responded. "To have a pleasant talk with one of my son's friends, what else?"
"Would you stop playing games with me?" Clark had meant to sound angry, but realized that the quiver in his voice fully revealed his alarm, and once seated, it was too much of an effort to rise. "What- where are you going to take me?" He clenched his hands, images of imprisonment and laboratories rising in his mind as vividly as the time that he had realized that his parents were protecting him by insisting that nobody learn of his abilities. He'd had nightmares for weeks, but now he was living one, both more real and more fantastical than any of them.
Lionel chuckled. "Aside from the many ethical considerations, I believe that holding you against your will would be very much against the law. Though it would certainly be interesting to find out whether, given the circumstances, it would count as kidnapping or as theft. Would you be considered your parents' son, or part of their livestock, or perhaps as government property? I don't believe there really are any historical precedents."
Another fear made Clark blink rapidly. "Did...was there anybody else but Chloe who..."
Lionel waited a few moments before answering. "No, no, the charming Ms. Sullivan was the only one of your friends who assisted me. If, as an older man, I might advise you, Clark, remember that an unattractive woman will probably forgive you for not returning her feelings, but never an attractive one." His tone became brisk. "Well, if you don't have an autobiography prepared, perhaps just some questions and answers, hmmm? When you came to the rescue that day in Metropolis, just how did you get in?"
"I jumped. From the Daily Planet building."
"Did you, indeed?" His answer was commentary rather than doubt, as he immediately continued. "How fast can you run?"
"Faster than anything I've timed myself against. Maybe 200, 300?"
Lionel nodded. "What is your connection to these rocks that you are so 'allergic' to?"
"I'm not exactly sure."
Lionel looked at him for a long moment and then, standing in a move as swift as a fencing master's, had the bar in his hand and held to Clark's throat. "You can do better than *that*, can't you?" Clark started to collapse and Lionel stepped aside, as if politely allowing Clark to pass. He caught himself with his hands as the Kryptonite was no longer pressing to his skin, and tried to rise. Lionel's free hand gripped him by the chin and pushed his head back, holding the Kryptonite closer. "I'm not trying to make this painful for you, Clark, but believe me when I say that I can. Is that clear?" Receiving no answer, he tightened his hold. "Is that clear?" Clark, unable to speak, finally managed to nod, and Lionel let go and put the bar down. "I don't think that going any further today would be very productive. Just one thing more. There's a notebook and pen behind you." Clark turned and seeing how close they were and feeling incapable of rising, despite hating the humiliation, crawled a few steps to retrieve them. "Now this is just for my guarantee that we'll continue our conversation tomorrow, I don't intend to use it unless you make me." Clark bit his lip in fear of what might be coming next. "Please write, 'Mr. Luthor, I hope you'll help me. I'm embarrassed to tell Lex, but you told me after that day when you and my mom were held hostage, that if I ever need help, I should come to you, and since I don't know you that well, it's easier.'" Clark finished writing and Lionel looked over his shoulder, checking his accuracy. "'My father has been molesting me for almost eight years now. He says that it would break my mother's heart if I ever told anybody and that nobody would believe that I just let him do it. Could you just help me hide un-'"
"I'm not writing that!" Clark let the pen and notebook drop and Lionel gazed mildly at him.
"Remember, Clark, this is the easy way for you. I could take other measures, including that theft or kidnapping we discussed earlier. I could hide you someplace where nobody would ever find you. You'd never see your parents, your friends, or your home again."
Clark swallowed hard. "I'm still not writing it."
"Hmmm. Is it that you're braver than your father, or just less intelligent?" Not taking his eyes off Clark, Lionel reached into his pocket and pulled out a small transmitter. "It's as I rather expected. I'll need you to come down here and help me take him to Brookfalls."
Clark was able to fight back his tears enough to see Lionel smile pleasantly and sit down again to wait, without showing the slightest sign of tension.
