A/N: This story would not exist without the ongoing beta help of LaCasta.
Thank you sweetie.
deanine: I tried harder but I'm not sure I'm capable.
The Missing
Chapter 5
Chloe couldn't sleep, no matter how badly she needed it. Swinging out from under the covers, she set her bare feet on the floor and walked over to her computer desk. The case of discs she'd copied at the lab was cool to the touch as her fingers ran back and forth across them. Horror and curiosity warred inside her. Needing to understand the revelations of the night before didn't reduce her fear of what she might find. She'd loved Clark Kent for a long time and didn't like the implications of finding him in a lab with the likes of Jodi, Sean Kelvin and Ian Randall ... all meteor mutants. She thought of Clark's big friendly smile and said a silent prayer that it wasn't so.
The computer bathed her in pale light as she sat down, took a deep breath and made her decision. She needed to know. The first disc clicked as it slid in. Chloe leaned back in her chair, chewed on her bottom lip and opened what seemed to be the most recent of the many numbered files.
The entries appeared to be research investigating the possible health benefits of the meteors. Chloe skipped a few files ahead. Investigation was focused on Ian's cloning, Sean's revival from apparent drowning, Jodi's rapid extraction and absorption of nutrition from the bodies of others and the apparent lack of aging in them all. Chloe didn't read too many details, flitting from one file to the next. Time for that later. Going back to the earliest files, one on Earl Jenkins stated he had apparently died shortly after his arrival and there was comparatively little data on him. When his body had been unsuccessful in expelling the fragments, the ongoing mutations had killed him. He had been unable to establish a single mutation because the exposure to the fragments had not relented. The autopsy mentioned several changes to internal organs that had been sufficiently polar in purpose to cause his death.
One of the first files even mentioned the original experiment that had mutated Byron Moore. She noted a brief mention of Desiree Atkins, once Mrs. Lex Luthor, but very little data had been collected. A number of entries appeared to have been deleted.
Earl...Byron...It had been largely covered up at the time but Chloe was aware that LuthorCorp had been behind their afflictions. Recalling her attempts to find the government funding source for these tests, she realised why she'd hit a brick wall. Now she knew the wall was big and strong and had a purple and black LC logo on it.
LuthorCorp, no wonder. Power to bribe officials. Power to obliterate lives. Power to cover up the deaths that Martha had mentioned with no one the wiser. Proof of the connection between LuthorCorp and these questionable experiments may be the only protection they'd have after the escape. Thank God she'd managed to copy these discs. Their safety may depend on the data she'd stolen.
The light of the monitor was harsh on Chloe's tired eyes. They watered as she rubbed them. Another disc in the slot. At last. References to a brief study of Eric Summers, who was apparently released without exposure to the others, led to further investigation of one Clark Kent. It would seem they had some data on him before he was even brought to the lab but there was no record of the source. Mention of using meteors for restraint made the hairs on the back of Chloe's neck rise. She clicked another file and rubbed her eyes again.
Oh... My... God... Blinking to restore focus, she read the analysis three times. This one had data on Clark. They had documented the limits to his speed, strength, invulnerability. These readings were impossible. Alien DNA... Chloe increased her speed as she skimmed the files, opening more and more, getting the gist of one then moving quickly to another. Images of Clark coming to her rescue flashed through her mind. Impossible circumstances glossed over in her own mind because she'd always been secretly afraid he had been affected by the meteors. She knew she was still looking for something to disprove it. Well, he was affected alright but not in a way she had ever imagined.
Clark Kent was an alien. Chloe sat perfectly still as she absorbed this. He wasn't a meteor mutant. He was a very strong, very fast, impervious to bullets and heat kind of alien. He was also, possibly, mentally unstable, if the conversation she'd overheard had been correct. She still hadn't found any reference to the 'incident' of a month ago, or to his current mental state.
That tense shoulder was starting to bother her again and she rolled it to loosen the muscle. Was an escape plan such a good idea? Could Clark turn out to be as dangerous as the others?
Martha Kent didn't think so. God, old loyalties die hard. Chloe knew she'd still help them. Backing away now was impossible, even when everything she thought she'd known about Clark had been thrown out the window. He'd lied to her for years. He'd never trusted her. Did it hurt more than his rejection of her for Lana Lang? Possibly. This was a new cut and Chloe found he could still make her bleed. Had he confided in Lana? Damn that harsh light for making her eyes water. Rubbing them only seemed to make it worse.
She'd get over the fact that Clark was an alien. It wouldn't be too hard actually. Soft green eyes, killer smiles, and a beautiful, graceful body had dug her well of forgiveness to a bottomless depth long ago. Coping with a wounded heart was also old familiar territory, best ignored to let the pain dim. It was time to get practical.
She'd have to get Martha and Clark out soon. Her fragile identity had been established to cover the accumulation of data only. Hit and Run, not the great escape. The plan to get out was the problem. The ducts would be too small for Clark. She needed a way to get him out through the gates. Any thoughts of bribing Rich, her temporary beau, were quickly discarded as she knew she couldn't trust him in the long run. She'd contact Pete. It had been a long time, but Chloe had a sudden understanding of the cryptic hints that had so aggravated her in the past. Her relationship with Pete had become strained because she had felt his withdrawal. Now she knew why. Pete had dropped too many hints after Clark had disappeared. He had to know something and he would help. The unquestioning aid of Pete Ross in times of trouble was as much a fact of life as sunrise and sunset. His lawyer family and connections could also be useful.
Chloe had actually been considering contacting Lex Luthor. It would be impossible now. It had been three years and surely his loyalties would lie with his father. He may well be aware of this lab, though Chloe would not have believed it in the past. She knew that Lex had left Smallville abruptly and the word was he'd been forced to return to work for his father in Metropolis. Clark had not been forthcoming and had avoided further enquiries about Lex with his usual vague replies and abrupt exits. Lex had been intruiging but she'd really only known him through Clark.
It was Wednesday. Friday was her last shift. She couldn't do this alone. Who could she ask for help?
She needed someone from Smallville who would understand these strange happenings. If she was lucky, someone who'd know enough to not ask too many questions. Clark had helped a lot of people. Who would owe him enough to risk themselves for him? Someone with influence. Chloe got up and started rooting through some newspapers she'd stashed under her bed in a hurried attempt to make her apartment presentable when her dad had dropped in unannounced. There had been an article about an old aquaintance. He owed Clark some loyalty and he might be just the man to help. Unfortunately he was halfway across the country. Well, it wouldn't hurt to try. Perhaps she'd be able to walk Clark out the door after all. Chloe knew she'd need to make a few calls.
***
Crawling through air ducts was getting old. Chloe climbed out into the records room, landing with a soft thud and smoothed back her hair. Tonight she needed to talk to Martha Kent. Turning around to survey the room she let the beam of her flashlight shine directly in front of her, illuminating a pair of legs. Tracking the light up, a set of crossed arms became visible, followed by an open collar and then the angry face of her sponsor to the lab and supposed boyfriend, Rich. While she was registering the murderous expression on his face, someone from the side grabbed her arm, knocking the flashlight from her hand.
Blinding overhead lights snapped on. Squinting slightly, Chloe could see the face of the male scientist she'd spied on earlier this week standing to the side. He smiled with satisfaction.
"Good work, Rich. I believe you were right. I will be sure to report your loyalty to the board." He dismissed him with a nod and stepped closer to Chloe while rubbing his hands together. "So glad you could join us, Miss Fisher. Allow me to introduce myself, I'm John Halton. Welcome to Cadmus labs."
deanine: I tried harder but I'm not sure I'm capable.
The Missing
Chapter 5
Chloe couldn't sleep, no matter how badly she needed it. Swinging out from under the covers, she set her bare feet on the floor and walked over to her computer desk. The case of discs she'd copied at the lab was cool to the touch as her fingers ran back and forth across them. Horror and curiosity warred inside her. Needing to understand the revelations of the night before didn't reduce her fear of what she might find. She'd loved Clark Kent for a long time and didn't like the implications of finding him in a lab with the likes of Jodi, Sean Kelvin and Ian Randall ... all meteor mutants. She thought of Clark's big friendly smile and said a silent prayer that it wasn't so.
The computer bathed her in pale light as she sat down, took a deep breath and made her decision. She needed to know. The first disc clicked as it slid in. Chloe leaned back in her chair, chewed on her bottom lip and opened what seemed to be the most recent of the many numbered files.
The entries appeared to be research investigating the possible health benefits of the meteors. Chloe skipped a few files ahead. Investigation was focused on Ian's cloning, Sean's revival from apparent drowning, Jodi's rapid extraction and absorption of nutrition from the bodies of others and the apparent lack of aging in them all. Chloe didn't read too many details, flitting from one file to the next. Time for that later. Going back to the earliest files, one on Earl Jenkins stated he had apparently died shortly after his arrival and there was comparatively little data on him. When his body had been unsuccessful in expelling the fragments, the ongoing mutations had killed him. He had been unable to establish a single mutation because the exposure to the fragments had not relented. The autopsy mentioned several changes to internal organs that had been sufficiently polar in purpose to cause his death.
One of the first files even mentioned the original experiment that had mutated Byron Moore. She noted a brief mention of Desiree Atkins, once Mrs. Lex Luthor, but very little data had been collected. A number of entries appeared to have been deleted.
Earl...Byron...It had been largely covered up at the time but Chloe was aware that LuthorCorp had been behind their afflictions. Recalling her attempts to find the government funding source for these tests, she realised why she'd hit a brick wall. Now she knew the wall was big and strong and had a purple and black LC logo on it.
LuthorCorp, no wonder. Power to bribe officials. Power to obliterate lives. Power to cover up the deaths that Martha had mentioned with no one the wiser. Proof of the connection between LuthorCorp and these questionable experiments may be the only protection they'd have after the escape. Thank God she'd managed to copy these discs. Their safety may depend on the data she'd stolen.
The light of the monitor was harsh on Chloe's tired eyes. They watered as she rubbed them. Another disc in the slot. At last. References to a brief study of Eric Summers, who was apparently released without exposure to the others, led to further investigation of one Clark Kent. It would seem they had some data on him before he was even brought to the lab but there was no record of the source. Mention of using meteors for restraint made the hairs on the back of Chloe's neck rise. She clicked another file and rubbed her eyes again.
Oh... My... God... Blinking to restore focus, she read the analysis three times. This one had data on Clark. They had documented the limits to his speed, strength, invulnerability. These readings were impossible. Alien DNA... Chloe increased her speed as she skimmed the files, opening more and more, getting the gist of one then moving quickly to another. Images of Clark coming to her rescue flashed through her mind. Impossible circumstances glossed over in her own mind because she'd always been secretly afraid he had been affected by the meteors. She knew she was still looking for something to disprove it. Well, he was affected alright but not in a way she had ever imagined.
Clark Kent was an alien. Chloe sat perfectly still as she absorbed this. He wasn't a meteor mutant. He was a very strong, very fast, impervious to bullets and heat kind of alien. He was also, possibly, mentally unstable, if the conversation she'd overheard had been correct. She still hadn't found any reference to the 'incident' of a month ago, or to his current mental state.
That tense shoulder was starting to bother her again and she rolled it to loosen the muscle. Was an escape plan such a good idea? Could Clark turn out to be as dangerous as the others?
Martha Kent didn't think so. God, old loyalties die hard. Chloe knew she'd still help them. Backing away now was impossible, even when everything she thought she'd known about Clark had been thrown out the window. He'd lied to her for years. He'd never trusted her. Did it hurt more than his rejection of her for Lana Lang? Possibly. This was a new cut and Chloe found he could still make her bleed. Had he confided in Lana? Damn that harsh light for making her eyes water. Rubbing them only seemed to make it worse.
She'd get over the fact that Clark was an alien. It wouldn't be too hard actually. Soft green eyes, killer smiles, and a beautiful, graceful body had dug her well of forgiveness to a bottomless depth long ago. Coping with a wounded heart was also old familiar territory, best ignored to let the pain dim. It was time to get practical.
She'd have to get Martha and Clark out soon. Her fragile identity had been established to cover the accumulation of data only. Hit and Run, not the great escape. The plan to get out was the problem. The ducts would be too small for Clark. She needed a way to get him out through the gates. Any thoughts of bribing Rich, her temporary beau, were quickly discarded as she knew she couldn't trust him in the long run. She'd contact Pete. It had been a long time, but Chloe had a sudden understanding of the cryptic hints that had so aggravated her in the past. Her relationship with Pete had become strained because she had felt his withdrawal. Now she knew why. Pete had dropped too many hints after Clark had disappeared. He had to know something and he would help. The unquestioning aid of Pete Ross in times of trouble was as much a fact of life as sunrise and sunset. His lawyer family and connections could also be useful.
Chloe had actually been considering contacting Lex Luthor. It would be impossible now. It had been three years and surely his loyalties would lie with his father. He may well be aware of this lab, though Chloe would not have believed it in the past. She knew that Lex had left Smallville abruptly and the word was he'd been forced to return to work for his father in Metropolis. Clark had not been forthcoming and had avoided further enquiries about Lex with his usual vague replies and abrupt exits. Lex had been intruiging but she'd really only known him through Clark.
It was Wednesday. Friday was her last shift. She couldn't do this alone. Who could she ask for help?
She needed someone from Smallville who would understand these strange happenings. If she was lucky, someone who'd know enough to not ask too many questions. Clark had helped a lot of people. Who would owe him enough to risk themselves for him? Someone with influence. Chloe got up and started rooting through some newspapers she'd stashed under her bed in a hurried attempt to make her apartment presentable when her dad had dropped in unannounced. There had been an article about an old aquaintance. He owed Clark some loyalty and he might be just the man to help. Unfortunately he was halfway across the country. Well, it wouldn't hurt to try. Perhaps she'd be able to walk Clark out the door after all. Chloe knew she'd need to make a few calls.
***
Crawling through air ducts was getting old. Chloe climbed out into the records room, landing with a soft thud and smoothed back her hair. Tonight she needed to talk to Martha Kent. Turning around to survey the room she let the beam of her flashlight shine directly in front of her, illuminating a pair of legs. Tracking the light up, a set of crossed arms became visible, followed by an open collar and then the angry face of her sponsor to the lab and supposed boyfriend, Rich. While she was registering the murderous expression on his face, someone from the side grabbed her arm, knocking the flashlight from her hand.
Blinding overhead lights snapped on. Squinting slightly, Chloe could see the face of the male scientist she'd spied on earlier this week standing to the side. He smiled with satisfaction.
"Good work, Rich. I believe you were right. I will be sure to report your loyalty to the board." He dismissed him with a nod and stepped closer to Chloe while rubbing his hands together. "So glad you could join us, Miss Fisher. Allow me to introduce myself, I'm John Halton. Welcome to Cadmus labs."