Chapter VI
Better Safe than Sorry
The sheriff's deputy on duty at the station looked up Pete's abductors in the computer and said they both had criminal records dating back several years in Gotham City. Neither of them had ever been arrested in Kansas before. Pete was happy to swear out a complaint and change that for them.
The van had to be left behind as evidence. Clark hoped they didn't look at the roof too closely -- he'd taken the opportunity when Lex hadn't been with him and Pete to weld the metal shut with his eyes, but it hadn't worked as well as he'd hoped.
Sometimes he wondered why he bothered to hide his extraterrestrial powers from Lex. They were best friends, after all. His dad kept saying, "You can't trust a Luthor," but try as he might, Clark always did.
Oh, well. He'd have to think about it tomorrow.
After Lex and Clark left Pete off at his house in town, they hopped back into the silver convertible and headed towards the Kent Farm. It was late.
"I'll drop you at home, and then meet you in the morning at the airport," Lex said. "What time shall we hook up at Hakes Air Transport Company?"
"Um, Lex, I don't think that's a good idea."
"What? Why?" Lex turned his head and looked at Clark questioningly. Clark hated it when Lex drove like that.
"Eyes on the road, Lex. Eyes on the road," Clark repeated agitatedly until Lex resumed paying attention to his driving. "Pete said he thought those two goons were after you, not him. And you gotta admit, it makes way more sense if that's the case. If somebody's after you, I don't think you should be staying at the mansion all alone."
"I do have security, you know."
Clark snorted. "Yeah, some security. They never stop me."
"Well, yes, if I'm going to be attacked by...." Lex didn't know how to finish that sentence.
Clark went on as if he didn't notice. "How about this? We'll go to your house, and you can pack a bag and stay with me until this whole thing blows over."
Lex always liked to have a chance to spend more time with Clark, but there were several obvious drawbacks to this plan. "What about your parents?"
"They won't mind. Mom likes you, and Dad does, too. Kind of."
Lex snickered. "I have a business to run, you know. How long would you anticipate this situation lasting?"
"Well, I don't know. It's Friday night, now...."
"Saturday morning," Lex interrupted. It was after midnight.
"Whatever. It's the weekend. LexCorp won't dry up and blow away if you take an occasional weekend off, will it? If we don't have this mystery solved by Monday, you can bring in more security from Metropolis or something."
They arrived at Lex's incongruous Scottish castle, and Lex parked the car out front. Clark looked all around the whole time they were there, anxiously using his x-ray vision to try to catch sight of any trouble. When Lex finished packing (way too many clothes for just a weekend, Clark thought) Clark sighed in relief. They could finally get going.
The two boys walked out to the car. They got in, and Lex inserted his key. Clark suddenly realized that something smelled funny. "Lex!" he shouted.
The silver convertible exploded into a ball of flame.
Better Safe than Sorry
The sheriff's deputy on duty at the station looked up Pete's abductors in the computer and said they both had criminal records dating back several years in Gotham City. Neither of them had ever been arrested in Kansas before. Pete was happy to swear out a complaint and change that for them.
The van had to be left behind as evidence. Clark hoped they didn't look at the roof too closely -- he'd taken the opportunity when Lex hadn't been with him and Pete to weld the metal shut with his eyes, but it hadn't worked as well as he'd hoped.
Sometimes he wondered why he bothered to hide his extraterrestrial powers from Lex. They were best friends, after all. His dad kept saying, "You can't trust a Luthor," but try as he might, Clark always did.
Oh, well. He'd have to think about it tomorrow.
After Lex and Clark left Pete off at his house in town, they hopped back into the silver convertible and headed towards the Kent Farm. It was late.
"I'll drop you at home, and then meet you in the morning at the airport," Lex said. "What time shall we hook up at Hakes Air Transport Company?"
"Um, Lex, I don't think that's a good idea."
"What? Why?" Lex turned his head and looked at Clark questioningly. Clark hated it when Lex drove like that.
"Eyes on the road, Lex. Eyes on the road," Clark repeated agitatedly until Lex resumed paying attention to his driving. "Pete said he thought those two goons were after you, not him. And you gotta admit, it makes way more sense if that's the case. If somebody's after you, I don't think you should be staying at the mansion all alone."
"I do have security, you know."
Clark snorted. "Yeah, some security. They never stop me."
"Well, yes, if I'm going to be attacked by...." Lex didn't know how to finish that sentence.
Clark went on as if he didn't notice. "How about this? We'll go to your house, and you can pack a bag and stay with me until this whole thing blows over."
Lex always liked to have a chance to spend more time with Clark, but there were several obvious drawbacks to this plan. "What about your parents?"
"They won't mind. Mom likes you, and Dad does, too. Kind of."
Lex snickered. "I have a business to run, you know. How long would you anticipate this situation lasting?"
"Well, I don't know. It's Friday night, now...."
"Saturday morning," Lex interrupted. It was after midnight.
"Whatever. It's the weekend. LexCorp won't dry up and blow away if you take an occasional weekend off, will it? If we don't have this mystery solved by Monday, you can bring in more security from Metropolis or something."
They arrived at Lex's incongruous Scottish castle, and Lex parked the car out front. Clark looked all around the whole time they were there, anxiously using his x-ray vision to try to catch sight of any trouble. When Lex finished packing (way too many clothes for just a weekend, Clark thought) Clark sighed in relief. They could finally get going.
The two boys walked out to the car. They got in, and Lex inserted his key. Clark suddenly realized that something smelled funny. "Lex!" he shouted.
The silver convertible exploded into a ball of flame.