Chapter 6
Clark entered the Talon eagerly. He wanted Max to meet Lana, and she was just as curious. Max seemed cool about it, but he seemed cool about everything most of the time. Just as usual, Lana came up to there booth with a smile on her face.
"Hi, Clark," She said sweetly, "What can I get you two?" She raised he pen and paper.
"Just two coffees would be fine," Clark told her.
She quickly made the coffees, and one for herself and sat down.
"Hi, I'm Lana," she told Max.
"Max," he shook her hand. "I've heard a lot about you," he told her, grinning at Clark.
"Really?" she asked, fake shocked. They laughed at the mock innocent look on Clark's face.
"I'll bet he hasn't told you much about him though, has he?" Lana asked pointedly, glancing at Clark.
"Well, I'm a private guy myself," Max told her.
"Another mystery in Smallville, huh," she teased. Then seeing the uncomfortable look on his face she added "Don't worry, Smallville's mysteries rarely get solved." Again she glanced at Clark. He looked away self-consciously. This wasn't what he thought it would be.
* * * * *
Isabel watched through the window of the small coffee house as Max laughed softly. He looked more at rest than he ever had. Like he didn't have the weight of the world on his shoulders. She almost felt guilty going in there and spoiling the evening for her brother. Maybe that's all he came here for. But as much as she would have liked to believe that, she knew there were other reasons. Besides, as she glanced and Michael, she realised that he would never back down. He had not stopped fuming since he had learned that Max had gone to chase aliens. Isabel was just worried.
Michael looked at her commandingly and she nodded as they entered.
* * *
*
Max sighed happily. He felt so normal with these people. A slight streak of envy ran through him but it was quickly replaced with simple admiration. How could life be this simple? Suddenly, he knew he was being naive. Of course this wasn't simple. There were probably complications behind the mask. But for all intensive purposes, it was normal. Whatever that was.
His thoughts were cut short when someone tapped him on the back. He spun around, and nearly fell of his seat.
"Michael. Izzy!" he exclaimed. "What are you. when. hi."
"Can we have a word," Michael asked through clenched teeth. Max knew this was going to be intense.
"Sure. Um, this is Clark Kent. the guy I'm staying with. And this is Lana Lang," he introduced them.
"Hi, I'm Max's sister, Isabel," she told them pleasantly.
But Michael was still staring at Max. Breaking the silence Max said "Just give me a minute."
Michael and Max left the room and headed to the alley round the back. Isabel sat down quietly, feeling the uncomfortable silence.
"What the hell do you think your doing," Michael demanded.
"I thought it would be easier, and safer if I did this one my own." Max tried to explain.
"No, you were being selfish, just the same as usual. God, I guess being a king goes to your head huh? Not that I'd know," Michael bawled.
"Michael, would you keep it down," Max said between his teeth.
"WHY! Worried your knew friends wont like it. Well the rest of us don't have that option so why should you?"
"Look, I think you just need to calm down," Max said coolly. This seemed to infuriate Michael even more.
"You are coming back with us," Michael stated plainly.
"No, Michael, I can't do that," Max argued.
"Your coming whether you want to or not," Michael said, raising his hand in the air.
Max took a deep breath. "No," he told him, not tearing his eyes away from Michael's for a second.
Max could feel Michael's energy building up, causing the air around them to prickle.
Isabel, who could always feel the emotions of her brother and friend, suddenly got up from the table. Clark followed, telling Lana to stay behind.
"Stop, Michael," Isabel cried. She couldn't believe what he was about to do.
"Isabel, get out of the way," Michael, shouted. He wasn't thinking clearly.
"No, Michael." Isabel pulled at his arm, but he pushed her hard and she hit her head against the back wall.
Max, on seeing this, thrust his hand up to meet Michael's. He was not going to hurt his sister.
"No, stop. Just calm down and you can work this out," Clark attempted to reason.
"Clark, this is the only way to deal with Michael. He doesn't know any other way," Max said viciously.
Clark felt the air change slightly. The world slowed down around him and he watched as a beam of white light began to erupt from Michael's hand. Clark quickly stepped between them, just as another beam came from Max's hand. They hit him from both sides, filling the whole alley with unbearable light.
Clark groaned in pain as finally they stopped, realising who they were hitting. He slumped to the ground, unconscious.
- - -
-
Cliffhanger!! Reviews bring me happiness and joy.
Clark entered the Talon eagerly. He wanted Max to meet Lana, and she was just as curious. Max seemed cool about it, but he seemed cool about everything most of the time. Just as usual, Lana came up to there booth with a smile on her face.
"Hi, Clark," She said sweetly, "What can I get you two?" She raised he pen and paper.
"Just two coffees would be fine," Clark told her.
She quickly made the coffees, and one for herself and sat down.
"Hi, I'm Lana," she told Max.
"Max," he shook her hand. "I've heard a lot about you," he told her, grinning at Clark.
"Really?" she asked, fake shocked. They laughed at the mock innocent look on Clark's face.
"I'll bet he hasn't told you much about him though, has he?" Lana asked pointedly, glancing at Clark.
"Well, I'm a private guy myself," Max told her.
"Another mystery in Smallville, huh," she teased. Then seeing the uncomfortable look on his face she added "Don't worry, Smallville's mysteries rarely get solved." Again she glanced at Clark. He looked away self-consciously. This wasn't what he thought it would be.
* * * * *
Isabel watched through the window of the small coffee house as Max laughed softly. He looked more at rest than he ever had. Like he didn't have the weight of the world on his shoulders. She almost felt guilty going in there and spoiling the evening for her brother. Maybe that's all he came here for. But as much as she would have liked to believe that, she knew there were other reasons. Besides, as she glanced and Michael, she realised that he would never back down. He had not stopped fuming since he had learned that Max had gone to chase aliens. Isabel was just worried.
Michael looked at her commandingly and she nodded as they entered.
* * *
*
Max sighed happily. He felt so normal with these people. A slight streak of envy ran through him but it was quickly replaced with simple admiration. How could life be this simple? Suddenly, he knew he was being naive. Of course this wasn't simple. There were probably complications behind the mask. But for all intensive purposes, it was normal. Whatever that was.
His thoughts were cut short when someone tapped him on the back. He spun around, and nearly fell of his seat.
"Michael. Izzy!" he exclaimed. "What are you. when. hi."
"Can we have a word," Michael asked through clenched teeth. Max knew this was going to be intense.
"Sure. Um, this is Clark Kent. the guy I'm staying with. And this is Lana Lang," he introduced them.
"Hi, I'm Max's sister, Isabel," she told them pleasantly.
But Michael was still staring at Max. Breaking the silence Max said "Just give me a minute."
Michael and Max left the room and headed to the alley round the back. Isabel sat down quietly, feeling the uncomfortable silence.
"What the hell do you think your doing," Michael demanded.
"I thought it would be easier, and safer if I did this one my own." Max tried to explain.
"No, you were being selfish, just the same as usual. God, I guess being a king goes to your head huh? Not that I'd know," Michael bawled.
"Michael, would you keep it down," Max said between his teeth.
"WHY! Worried your knew friends wont like it. Well the rest of us don't have that option so why should you?"
"Look, I think you just need to calm down," Max said coolly. This seemed to infuriate Michael even more.
"You are coming back with us," Michael stated plainly.
"No, Michael, I can't do that," Max argued.
"Your coming whether you want to or not," Michael said, raising his hand in the air.
Max took a deep breath. "No," he told him, not tearing his eyes away from Michael's for a second.
Max could feel Michael's energy building up, causing the air around them to prickle.
Isabel, who could always feel the emotions of her brother and friend, suddenly got up from the table. Clark followed, telling Lana to stay behind.
"Stop, Michael," Isabel cried. She couldn't believe what he was about to do.
"Isabel, get out of the way," Michael, shouted. He wasn't thinking clearly.
"No, Michael." Isabel pulled at his arm, but he pushed her hard and she hit her head against the back wall.
Max, on seeing this, thrust his hand up to meet Michael's. He was not going to hurt his sister.
"No, stop. Just calm down and you can work this out," Clark attempted to reason.
"Clark, this is the only way to deal with Michael. He doesn't know any other way," Max said viciously.
Clark felt the air change slightly. The world slowed down around him and he watched as a beam of white light began to erupt from Michael's hand. Clark quickly stepped between them, just as another beam came from Max's hand. They hit him from both sides, filling the whole alley with unbearable light.
Clark groaned in pain as finally they stopped, realising who they were hitting. He slumped to the ground, unconscious.
- - -
-
Cliffhanger!! Reviews bring me happiness and joy.