Chapter 10: Tempus Fugit
*****
A man sat on his comfortable leather chair with brandy in hand as a conceited smile crossed his lips. Normally he would not partake in alcohol this early in the day but this was after all, a special occasion. He quietly sipped his drink and leaned against the back of the chair. His eyes were closed as the sounds and words flowed through his earphones and were processed by his wily mind.
"Alien."
"X-ray vision."
"Heat vision."
"Fast."
"Strong."
"One weakness."
The gears turned around inside his head, as the seeds of numerous strategies were planted. He continued sipping his drink throughout the morning.
*****
To say that Clark's confession to Lex went smoothly was an understatement. Not only was he accepting of the truth, the two became closer friends than before after all the lies were torn down between them. Lex in reciprocation admitted to having investigated Clark, all be it briefly, but all was forgiven in the end. The young Luthor also helped Clark with his pregnancy, finding a retired scientist and doctor who he thought he could trust.
Doctor Bernard Klein was astonished to be offered the opportunity of a lifetime as a scientist. Having access to a full-blooded alien being - pregnant no less was a miraculous twist of fate. Dr. Klein had dedicated his life to science, won a Nobel prize in Medicine and wrote many influential books and research papers, but he would have gladly traded away all his accomplishments just to have a look at Clark Kent. He was also an honourable man and swore on his life to keep their secret while unlocking the mysterious of Clark's anatomy as well as finding a way to care for his unborn baby.
Though wary of having someone poke and prod him, Clark was actually excited about learning more about himself. They discovered how fast and strong he really was, the magnitude and range of his heat/x-ray vision, and just how susceptible he was to green kryptonite. He found that placing kryptonite at a set distance away from his patient, Dr. Klein could take blood and tissue samples for research. While they discovered many things about Clark's anatomy, they still had no idea how long the gestation period would be, nor how the baby would escape the womb.
In the meantime, Clark's belly grew to monstrous sizes. If it was Christmas time, he could easily put on a Santa suit and walk down the streets of Smallville without any trouble. Instead, he stayed out of sight, usually at his house, in the loft or at Lex's, always out of sight from prying eyes. At the end of the school year, the Kent's told their friends and acquaintances that Clark was going to hockey camp for a month. They got puzzled responses as there were no hockey teams or even an ice rink in a fifty mile radius of Smallville, but bought it nevertheless. After the month was up, they then concocted a better story - that he contracted mono. Thereafter, no one asked any more invasive questions about Clark's whereabouts.
*****
Five months after Clark's revelation, Lex received a visitor. Lionel Luthor walked brazenly into his office, closed the door, and made himself at home, his cane by side. Though Lex admired how his father had coped and adjusted to life as a blind man, he still held nothing but contempt and suspicion whenever he showed his face at Luthor Manor.
"To what do I owe this unannounced visit?" Lex asked, eyeing his father curiously.
Lionel, smug as ever, laughed a deep bellow and smiled at his son's demeanour.
"Come, Lex, is that anyway to great your father. I simply came to talk, to see how you were doing. How's business? Lexcorp still afloat?"
"Business is great, dad. Profits are up, publicity has all been good, and the only thing ruining my day is your presence in my favourite chair. Now why don't we cut the chit-chat short and you tell me why you're really here."
"To the point, Lex. Touché. I came to make a business proposal to you is all. I feel if we worked together, my vast resources could help you take advantage of your greatest asset." he stated calmly, getting up and helping himself to the bar and pouring a scotch on the rocks.
"What asset is that?"
"Why, Clark Kent of course." He paused and sipped his drink. "Lex, I know you're not exactly a billionaire anymore, but you shouldn't be skimping on the scotch. I'm sure your colleagues would appreciate something a bit pricier, a bit more smooth, don't you agree?"
Lex's eyes narrowed at his father, his pupils fiery from his arrogance.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he retorted.
"This scotch, son, it's weak - it would barely pass as moon-shine. Oh wait, I don't suppose you mean Clark Kent, do you? Come on, Lex. I'm no fool. I know all about him, his origins, his abilities and the fact that you've been hiding him all to yourself. The greatest scientific find in history and you have playing doctor with that professor Klein fellow."
Lex seethed in rage and grabbed his father by the collar.
"I don't know what you think you know, but you're wrong. There's nothing more to Clark Kent - "
"Than meets the eye, Lex? Lex, you have learned to be more careful by now. Your office is bugged - has been for months. Your little conversations have been most intriguing." Lex's grip tightened. "Now if you don't put me down, your boy is going to be on the front page of the Daily Planet tomorrow morning."
Lex hesitated but loosened his grip on Lionel and pushed him back into his chair with disgust.
"What do you want?"
"Want? Lex, all I want is to help you exploit this amazing opportunity. Do you have any idea how much potential profit is sitting there untapped in that 'farm boy'?"
"He's a person, dad, not something for you to exploit."
"Lex, you don't actually care for him do you? He's not a person, he's an alien - in fact I don't think according to the Bill of Rights or the U.N. that he has any rights at all. You could do with him as you wish, Lex. And if you're not willing to take advantage of the prize, I certainly will."
With that, Lionel Luthor brushed off his lapels, smoothed out his coat and turned around. He grinned wide as he walked out of Lex's office and down the hall. Lex groaned and threw a vase at the door frame, cursing so loudly his assistant jumped back out of her seat. He reached down for an aspirin as he felt a headache come over him, but as his hand touched the bottle, his pager went off.
It read:
"911 * Labour??? * Klein."
*****
A man sat on his comfortable leather chair with brandy in hand as a conceited smile crossed his lips. Normally he would not partake in alcohol this early in the day but this was after all, a special occasion. He quietly sipped his drink and leaned against the back of the chair. His eyes were closed as the sounds and words flowed through his earphones and were processed by his wily mind.
"Alien."
"X-ray vision."
"Heat vision."
"Fast."
"Strong."
"One weakness."
The gears turned around inside his head, as the seeds of numerous strategies were planted. He continued sipping his drink throughout the morning.
*****
To say that Clark's confession to Lex went smoothly was an understatement. Not only was he accepting of the truth, the two became closer friends than before after all the lies were torn down between them. Lex in reciprocation admitted to having investigated Clark, all be it briefly, but all was forgiven in the end. The young Luthor also helped Clark with his pregnancy, finding a retired scientist and doctor who he thought he could trust.
Doctor Bernard Klein was astonished to be offered the opportunity of a lifetime as a scientist. Having access to a full-blooded alien being - pregnant no less was a miraculous twist of fate. Dr. Klein had dedicated his life to science, won a Nobel prize in Medicine and wrote many influential books and research papers, but he would have gladly traded away all his accomplishments just to have a look at Clark Kent. He was also an honourable man and swore on his life to keep their secret while unlocking the mysterious of Clark's anatomy as well as finding a way to care for his unborn baby.
Though wary of having someone poke and prod him, Clark was actually excited about learning more about himself. They discovered how fast and strong he really was, the magnitude and range of his heat/x-ray vision, and just how susceptible he was to green kryptonite. He found that placing kryptonite at a set distance away from his patient, Dr. Klein could take blood and tissue samples for research. While they discovered many things about Clark's anatomy, they still had no idea how long the gestation period would be, nor how the baby would escape the womb.
In the meantime, Clark's belly grew to monstrous sizes. If it was Christmas time, he could easily put on a Santa suit and walk down the streets of Smallville without any trouble. Instead, he stayed out of sight, usually at his house, in the loft or at Lex's, always out of sight from prying eyes. At the end of the school year, the Kent's told their friends and acquaintances that Clark was going to hockey camp for a month. They got puzzled responses as there were no hockey teams or even an ice rink in a fifty mile radius of Smallville, but bought it nevertheless. After the month was up, they then concocted a better story - that he contracted mono. Thereafter, no one asked any more invasive questions about Clark's whereabouts.
*****
Five months after Clark's revelation, Lex received a visitor. Lionel Luthor walked brazenly into his office, closed the door, and made himself at home, his cane by side. Though Lex admired how his father had coped and adjusted to life as a blind man, he still held nothing but contempt and suspicion whenever he showed his face at Luthor Manor.
"To what do I owe this unannounced visit?" Lex asked, eyeing his father curiously.
Lionel, smug as ever, laughed a deep bellow and smiled at his son's demeanour.
"Come, Lex, is that anyway to great your father. I simply came to talk, to see how you were doing. How's business? Lexcorp still afloat?"
"Business is great, dad. Profits are up, publicity has all been good, and the only thing ruining my day is your presence in my favourite chair. Now why don't we cut the chit-chat short and you tell me why you're really here."
"To the point, Lex. Touché. I came to make a business proposal to you is all. I feel if we worked together, my vast resources could help you take advantage of your greatest asset." he stated calmly, getting up and helping himself to the bar and pouring a scotch on the rocks.
"What asset is that?"
"Why, Clark Kent of course." He paused and sipped his drink. "Lex, I know you're not exactly a billionaire anymore, but you shouldn't be skimping on the scotch. I'm sure your colleagues would appreciate something a bit pricier, a bit more smooth, don't you agree?"
Lex's eyes narrowed at his father, his pupils fiery from his arrogance.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he retorted.
"This scotch, son, it's weak - it would barely pass as moon-shine. Oh wait, I don't suppose you mean Clark Kent, do you? Come on, Lex. I'm no fool. I know all about him, his origins, his abilities and the fact that you've been hiding him all to yourself. The greatest scientific find in history and you have playing doctor with that professor Klein fellow."
Lex seethed in rage and grabbed his father by the collar.
"I don't know what you think you know, but you're wrong. There's nothing more to Clark Kent - "
"Than meets the eye, Lex? Lex, you have learned to be more careful by now. Your office is bugged - has been for months. Your little conversations have been most intriguing." Lex's grip tightened. "Now if you don't put me down, your boy is going to be on the front page of the Daily Planet tomorrow morning."
Lex hesitated but loosened his grip on Lionel and pushed him back into his chair with disgust.
"What do you want?"
"Want? Lex, all I want is to help you exploit this amazing opportunity. Do you have any idea how much potential profit is sitting there untapped in that 'farm boy'?"
"He's a person, dad, not something for you to exploit."
"Lex, you don't actually care for him do you? He's not a person, he's an alien - in fact I don't think according to the Bill of Rights or the U.N. that he has any rights at all. You could do with him as you wish, Lex. And if you're not willing to take advantage of the prize, I certainly will."
With that, Lionel Luthor brushed off his lapels, smoothed out his coat and turned around. He grinned wide as he walked out of Lex's office and down the hall. Lex groaned and threw a vase at the door frame, cursing so loudly his assistant jumped back out of her seat. He reached down for an aspirin as he felt a headache come over him, but as his hand touched the bottle, his pager went off.
It read:
"911 * Labour??? * Klein."