Smallville: Power Plays

Wahoo! Thank god for kryptonite! And thank god for cheerios! And thank god for my clinical insomnia! Thanks for everything big guy.okay, I'm going to shut up now before that gets worse. Here we get a little more info on Chloe's new deal Brad, and Clark and Lex have a discussion that men have poured over for ages: women.

HAHAAH!!! SMALLVILLE IS MINE! I OWN IT ALL! AND I OWN SUPERMAN TOO!!! IN FACT I OWN DC COMICS, WHICH MEANS I ALSO OWN BATMAN, FLASH, GREEN LANTERN, AND THE COMIC WORKS OF NEIL GAIMAN!!! BOW BEFORE ME PUNY MORTALS!! HAHAHAHAAH!!!!!

Okay, enough of that.remember kids; when it comes to kryptonite, just say no

Chloe plopped herself down in the small but cushy purple chair she had looted from a teacher's desk earlier that week. Fortunately, finals week was as hectic for teachers as for students, so Ms. Griswold likely didn't even notice she now sat in a small gray armchair with holes in it.

Normally, she would be getting onto the torch database and writing up her scathing column, grinning madly at the mere thought of the hate mail she would receive the following morning, half from teachers, just less than half from students, and of course, there were always the parents to deal with. Those were the most fun to read, Chloe thought.

But today (tonight in about an hour) she was logged onto the internet, her AIM service specifically. She was looking for one person specifically. She had her buddy list, of course, but it was mostly family and old Metropolis friends that seemed more distant every day. Clark didn't have a computer with internet, but Pete was on the list. But none of these people where who she was looking for.

Of course, that one person was not on. "C'mon Brad. You said you'd be on right now."

"And you said you would call me about now." Clark Kent said, leaning in the doorway to the Torch office.

"Clark! What time is.oh."

"Yeah. That time."

"Clark, I'm sorry, I thought I'd be done with the article by now."

"Chloe, we both know you weren't working on the Torch." Clark walked in and sat down on a table.

Chloe pushed the chair backwards, and pursed her lips. "Forgive me?"

"On one condition: Tell me what's going on."

Chloe sighed. "Its kind of personal, Clark. It's a me-and-a-guy thing.and no offense, but every time you get involved with that it gets messed up."

"No, whenever I get involved, the guy turns out to be a very-bad-thing." Clark stopped himself, a little late as the words were already out. "Look, Chloe, I just want to know what's going on. Is this guy on the internet?"

Chloe nodded. "Yeah. I probably sound like an uber-nerd now, don't I? Having an internet boyfriend, putting off friends and work to talk to him."

Clark shrugged. "I don't know. I don't think you sound nerdy.I just don't think that internet relationships have much of a chance. I don't want to see you hurt."

Oh, really? She thought. Wait.now that wasn't entirely fair. Clark really did want to protect her.it's just that he wanted to protect everyone else too. Sometimes he did one better than the other. "Brad's just.he's really nice. He always listens, he's into journalism too, and he.said he liked me." Chloe let a rare warm smile melt across her face.

"Where does he live?"

Still smiling, Chloe replied "Gotham City"

Clark blinked. "You do know that's on the Eastern Seaboard, right?"

Chloe's smile froze like Crater like in January. "Maryland isn't too far away."

Clark let out a slightly amused sigh. "Look, Chloe, I'm just concerned is all. Like I said, I don't want anything bad to happen."

Chloe shrugged. "I know. I just wish you hadn't rained on the parade."

"He's from Gotham, right? He should be used to rain by know."

Chloe laughed at that. "Okay, dad, I promise to be careful around the Internet guy."

"And don't forget to give me a call later. I'm heading over to Lex's Mansion to talk about some things."

"Is this about the JLA Company?"

"Yeah. Have you heard?"

"That they tried to buy your farm and that your dad gave them a very rude decline? Yeah. You'd be amazed what you could find in the Ledger if you look hard enough."

Clark nodded, but felt kind of inferior. He hadn't heard anything about it, and he was the one with X-ray vision. "Yeah. If you find anything else about it, let me know, okay?"

"Alright. Hey, Clark?"

He stopped halfway out the door. "Yeah Chloe?"

"Do you really think this Internet thing won't work out?"

Clark held up his hands in surrender. "No comment, ms. Sullivan. Hey, I gotta fly. Later."

"Yeah, later!" Chloe watched him go, and sighed. Of all the things Clark was a pessimist about. Why did it have to be relationships? Kind of makes sense, though. She told herself. His rarely turn out well.

She sighed, and turned back to the computer. To her surprise, and delight, the boy from Gotham had just signed on, and was apologizing for being late.

Lex sat in one of his many comfortable chairs, holding one of his many weapons from the trophy room in his hands. It was an English-made rapier, the blade long and smooth, with a tip that would make any swordsman grin in approval. It was polished every day, usually by his butler, but today Lex had insisted in cleaning the swords. It took longer than he thought it would. It had taken him four hours just to get through the oriental collection.

"I hope you're not planning on using that any time soon," Clark said as he walked into the office.

Lex grinned. "Never let your weapons dull or rust. Every one of them is useful."

"Yeah, but a blade too often used can become dull as well," Clark replied.

"I see you actually did read that copy of Art of War I leant you. What brought that about?"

"History Class. Fifth period."

Lex frowned. "You should read more stuff like it. It's pretty useful for everyday life. Even the most peaceful person has to fight some kind of battle for truth and justice at some time."

Clark shrugged. "Well, if it ever comes up, I'll take you up on that."

The bald man put the rapier aside. For the most part, it was done. "How are you and your family doing after last night?"

"Confused. At least I am. My dad didn't really talk about the JLA thing at dinner.actually; he didn't talk much at all. I asked mom about it, and she said he'd tell us what was going on when he thought it was time."

Lex got a nervous look on his face.

"Lex? What is it?"

"That sounds suspiciously like what my father would say."

Clark laughed and shook his head. "We both know that our fathers are two completely different men, Lex. Whatever my dad's reasons, I'm sure they're good ones."

"And I agree with you completely. But I think we'll both feel better when we find out what those reasons are."

Clark nodded. "Lex, how do you deal with family keeping secrets from you?"

"I don't. It's just a part of my life, my world. I don't have to deal with it any more than you have to deal with homework and chores."

The two were interrupted by an attractive, if somewhat showy, blonde walking into the room, and taking a seat on Lex's chair's arm. "Hello, mister Luthor. Finished polishing your sword" She smiled mischievously, and leaned in closer. "Going to use it any time soon?"

Lex smiled good naturedly, but Clark could tell it was a fake. "My good friend Clark here just told me a good piece of wisdom. A sword used too much becomes dull. Heidi, if you don't mind, I have some things I still need to talk with Clark about."

"Oh, fine then. Just come see me when you're done, okay?" Heidi kissed Lex in the nose, surprising the young Luthor, and swayed her hips out of the room, taking more than three looks at Clark as she went by.

Clark took a little while to work that all out in his mind. "Did I just detect about three sexual innuendos just now?"

Lex shook his head to clear his mind. "Actually, there were about five, but you have to have a sharp ear for them."

Clark narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Okay Lex. What's going on?"

"Nothing your virgin ears need to hear. Suffice to say that there is a very strange triangle forming in Smallville, and I don't mean you, Lana, and the Quarterback."

Clark raised an eyebrow. He was now thoroughly confused-not an uncommon occurrence when dealing with Lex Luthor. "Is this one of those times that I should put my hands up and back out? Because I already did that once today."

"What do you mean?"

Clark groaned, and told Lex the story about Brad and Chloe.

Lex sighed. "So that's why she wasn't answering earlier."

"You called her?"

"Yes. Actually, to ask her if she was able to go see a movie this Saturday with me and.a friend."

"You mean Heidi? Why are you taking them both?"

"So that I have an excuse not to leave early with Heidi." Lex smiled. "And besides, Chloe is kind of fun to be around. When she's not ranting about conspiracies and mutations from the meteor rocks."

Clark laughed. "How will Chloe feel if Heidi makes a move?"

Lex's face suddenly became stony. "She won't."

Clark was a little concerned by that, but he knew his friend wouldn't do anything too dastardly. He was, after all Lex Luthor. A good guy.