Into the Pantheon: Of Gods and Angels
::Chapter Four:: [edited]
Clark rushed to Pete's house with his super speed, not bothering with anything: even a truck. He knew he could get there faster on his own. When he reached Pete's house, he saw bright red flames shooting out of the roof and sides of much of the house. Clark looked around him and didn't see anyone else, as a matter of fact it looked pretty dead around there. Probably everyone was either still sleep and/or gone. Clark heard sirens in the distance, but he was afraid it would be too late when they got there, because even if they could enter a house this engulfed, it would be too late for Pete.
Clark scans with his x-ray vision and sees only one figure. Without another second of hesitation, Clark sped through the flame-engulfed building. Even if the fire could have hurt him, he was going too fast through the house. Clark burst into Pete's room and half the room was already in flames. He struggled at first to see through the smoke, but he knew where Pete's desk was and sure enough, he was still there.
Clark picks up his friend and speeds back through the house, dodging a falling timber as he burst out the back door.
Clark emerged with hardly more than soot marks smudged on him and his clothes and a few burn holes in his clothing where the fire had licked at the fabric.
A strange thing occurred -- it started to rain. Without warning, out of nowhere it began to drizzle. Though, Clark couldn't care less about the weather at the moment.
The fire truck stopped nearby and an ambulance could be heard screaming its way into the area.
Clark laid Pete on the grass away from the house. Through the smoke he was surprised to see a figure standing in the near distance from him. "Who's there!" Clark called.
Stepping closer to him, he could see who the person was.
"Catherine!" Clark gasped, "What are you doing here?"
Catherine didn't answer the question, instead she said, "I saw you go through the fire Clark. I saw you save Pete."
"No, you---" Clark started and Catherine interrupted as she came closer and shook her head. "I know, Clark."
Clark stares at Catherine, wanting to deny what she'd seen, but he could tell by the calm conviction in her face that she was sure of it.
He doesn't have a chance to say anything, because they hear a voice. "Is anyone out here?!"
"Here! Over here" -Clark shouts.
In a moment, they see a fireman enter their line of sight. He sees them too and rushes over to them.
"My friend... he needs an ambulance!" -Clark tells the fireman.
"An ambulance is out front." The fireman says and radios for the rescue team to come around to them in the back.
The fireman looks at Clark and then Catherine. "Is anyone inside?"
"No. I don't think so." -Clark says.
Two paramedics rush over with a stretcher. They immediately bend down to inspect Pete. They put an oxygen mask over his face and lift him onto the stretcher.
Clark watches worriedly as they carry Pete away.
Catherine watches too, silently.
"Come with me, please." The fireman says, gesturing to Catherine and Clark.
Catherine just looks at Clark as she passes him and follows the fireman. At that point, he had no idea what she thought about his abilities or who he was. She said she knew about him, and that alarmed him. He didn't understand why she was here or what she meant exactly. He followed, reluctantly.
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Smallville Medical Center:
Police had arrived shortly after the ambulance that took Pete to the hospital. Clark had wanted to go to the hospital, of course, so he was given a ride to the hospital in a police car. Sheriff Nancy Adam's police car, unfortunately. She had taken Catherine as well, because she wanted to question them both.
Mrs. Ross had been called and was now standing inside the room with her son.
The doctor had said Pete was suffering from respiratory distress due to the smoke inhalation. He had regained consciousness, but not for long and was sleeping now while his breathing was assisted with oxygen and an IV was attached to his arm.
Mr. and Mrs. Kent had been called by the hospital moments earlier, but they hadn't arrived yet. Clark stood outside the room's door and looked into the wide window. Catherine stood out in the hallway too, but apart from Clark. She had her arms around her and was glancing in now and then.
Clark looked her way and she looked over to him. He couldn't tell what she was thinking or feeling as she appeared calm.
"Okay, kids." Sheriff Adams said, walking towards them again from down the hall. She ushered them away into a corner outside a waiting room. She had a pen and a pad of paper and was poised to write down information.
"Clark Kent, you're always in the middle of all kinds of excitement in this town." She shook her head and then asked, "How did you manage to get Mr. Ross out of his home without being injured?"
"It was before the fire was too out of control to enter." Clark said. Sheriff Adams gave Clark a skeptical look.
"That's true." -Catherine said.
Clark looked at her as she vouched for him, wondering why.
The sheriff turned to Catherine and said, "I don't believe I've seen you around before. Who are you again and why were you at the Ross' house?" -Sheriff Adams.
"I'm Catherine Lancaster and while I was driving by I saw the fire, so I stopped." -Catherine.
"Where's your car?" -Adams.
"Down the street from the Ross' residence." -Catherine.
"Where do you live?" -Adams.
"She's staying at our place for a while. Her dad is a friend of the family. We already told you this on the way here." -Clark.
Jonathan and Martha saw Clark and walked towards him. "Any more questions?" Clark asked, on the edge of being exasperated.
Sheriff Adams watched his parents arrive and then said, "Not at this time. I may be in touch." She then turned toward Catherine and said, "Same goes for you." She looked pointedly at them and then walked away.
"We were told about the fire... and you rescuing Pete. Are you alright, son?" Jonathan asked as he and his wife came next to Clark and Catherine.
"Yeah, I'm fine." -Clark.
Martha looked over to Catherine. "And you're fine too?"
Catherine nodded, almost puzzled by her concern. "I'm going to call...my father." She walked off down the hall and used her cellphone.
The Kents watched her walk away and then looked back at Clark. "How did you know about the fire?"
Clark explained about Pete's call and emailing the notes and how he couldn't sleep and then what he saw on Pete's webcam. He also said no when asked pointedly if anyone had seen anything out of the ordinary.
During the conversation with his parents, Clark managed to listen to much of Catherine's conversation. Since she said she knew about him, it wouldn't be a good thing if she went and told Lionel Luthor.
"Well, why's Catherine here?" -Jonathan asked.
Clark was distracted and he didn't hear his dad's question as he listened in on Catherine's conversation via his super hearing.
~"Do they know the cause?" -Lionel's voice
"Not yet." -Catherine.
"The Sheriff asked me questions, she may want verification of identity." -Catherine.
"...I'll alert them. They already have the false documents." -Lionel.
"They're usually on top of things." -Catherine.
"As you are... I trust. Progress?" -Lionel.
Pause on her end of the conversation. ".....No."~
"Clark, are you sure you're okay?" -Jonathan asked when Clark didn't reply to his question.
Clark looked to Jonathan. "Oh yeah, dad. What did you say?"
"I asked why Catherine's here." -Jonathan.
"She drove by and saw the fire." -Clark.
"But honey, how did she know whose house it was?" -Martha.
Clark glanced quickly at Catherine, but she was already clicking the phone off.
"Yes, and I'm wondering why she cared to stop in the first place." -Jonathan.
Clark shrugged and said, "I think she saw me with Pete outside. It's the only reasonable explanation."
"Yes, well -- it's strange that she was out driving around in the middle of the night." -Jonathan.
"So you knew she had a car?" -Clark.
"Yes apparently her security people have arrived in town, because earlier today when you were at the Talon after school, three men came briefly and talked to Catherine. She later mentioned to us that they were bringing her a car last night, for her use." -Martha.
Mrs. Ross was coming out of Pete's room and Clark's parents headed down the hall to her. Martha said, "We're going to go speak with Mrs. Ross for a few minutes."
As they walked down the opposite direction, Clark looked back to Catherine at the other end of the hallway. She seemed to feel his eyes on her, because she turned to look back at him and walked to where he was standing.
"We need to talk."
END of Chapter Four
Thanks Nightwing, Jalevah and fuzzynerds for reviewing last chapter. Feedback is appreciated!
Next chapter should be up tomorrow or Thursday. . . .
::Chapter Four:: [edited]
Clark rushed to Pete's house with his super speed, not bothering with anything: even a truck. He knew he could get there faster on his own. When he reached Pete's house, he saw bright red flames shooting out of the roof and sides of much of the house. Clark looked around him and didn't see anyone else, as a matter of fact it looked pretty dead around there. Probably everyone was either still sleep and/or gone. Clark heard sirens in the distance, but he was afraid it would be too late when they got there, because even if they could enter a house this engulfed, it would be too late for Pete.
Clark scans with his x-ray vision and sees only one figure. Without another second of hesitation, Clark sped through the flame-engulfed building. Even if the fire could have hurt him, he was going too fast through the house. Clark burst into Pete's room and half the room was already in flames. He struggled at first to see through the smoke, but he knew where Pete's desk was and sure enough, he was still there.
Clark picks up his friend and speeds back through the house, dodging a falling timber as he burst out the back door.
Clark emerged with hardly more than soot marks smudged on him and his clothes and a few burn holes in his clothing where the fire had licked at the fabric.
A strange thing occurred -- it started to rain. Without warning, out of nowhere it began to drizzle. Though, Clark couldn't care less about the weather at the moment.
The fire truck stopped nearby and an ambulance could be heard screaming its way into the area.
Clark laid Pete on the grass away from the house. Through the smoke he was surprised to see a figure standing in the near distance from him. "Who's there!" Clark called.
Stepping closer to him, he could see who the person was.
"Catherine!" Clark gasped, "What are you doing here?"
Catherine didn't answer the question, instead she said, "I saw you go through the fire Clark. I saw you save Pete."
"No, you---" Clark started and Catherine interrupted as she came closer and shook her head. "I know, Clark."
Clark stares at Catherine, wanting to deny what she'd seen, but he could tell by the calm conviction in her face that she was sure of it.
He doesn't have a chance to say anything, because they hear a voice. "Is anyone out here?!"
"Here! Over here" -Clark shouts.
In a moment, they see a fireman enter their line of sight. He sees them too and rushes over to them.
"My friend... he needs an ambulance!" -Clark tells the fireman.
"An ambulance is out front." The fireman says and radios for the rescue team to come around to them in the back.
The fireman looks at Clark and then Catherine. "Is anyone inside?"
"No. I don't think so." -Clark says.
Two paramedics rush over with a stretcher. They immediately bend down to inspect Pete. They put an oxygen mask over his face and lift him onto the stretcher.
Clark watches worriedly as they carry Pete away.
Catherine watches too, silently.
"Come with me, please." The fireman says, gesturing to Catherine and Clark.
Catherine just looks at Clark as she passes him and follows the fireman. At that point, he had no idea what she thought about his abilities or who he was. She said she knew about him, and that alarmed him. He didn't understand why she was here or what she meant exactly. He followed, reluctantly.
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Smallville Medical Center:
Police had arrived shortly after the ambulance that took Pete to the hospital. Clark had wanted to go to the hospital, of course, so he was given a ride to the hospital in a police car. Sheriff Nancy Adam's police car, unfortunately. She had taken Catherine as well, because she wanted to question them both.
Mrs. Ross had been called and was now standing inside the room with her son.
The doctor had said Pete was suffering from respiratory distress due to the smoke inhalation. He had regained consciousness, but not for long and was sleeping now while his breathing was assisted with oxygen and an IV was attached to his arm.
Mr. and Mrs. Kent had been called by the hospital moments earlier, but they hadn't arrived yet. Clark stood outside the room's door and looked into the wide window. Catherine stood out in the hallway too, but apart from Clark. She had her arms around her and was glancing in now and then.
Clark looked her way and she looked over to him. He couldn't tell what she was thinking or feeling as she appeared calm.
"Okay, kids." Sheriff Adams said, walking towards them again from down the hall. She ushered them away into a corner outside a waiting room. She had a pen and a pad of paper and was poised to write down information.
"Clark Kent, you're always in the middle of all kinds of excitement in this town." She shook her head and then asked, "How did you manage to get Mr. Ross out of his home without being injured?"
"It was before the fire was too out of control to enter." Clark said. Sheriff Adams gave Clark a skeptical look.
"That's true." -Catherine said.
Clark looked at her as she vouched for him, wondering why.
The sheriff turned to Catherine and said, "I don't believe I've seen you around before. Who are you again and why were you at the Ross' house?" -Sheriff Adams.
"I'm Catherine Lancaster and while I was driving by I saw the fire, so I stopped." -Catherine.
"Where's your car?" -Adams.
"Down the street from the Ross' residence." -Catherine.
"Where do you live?" -Adams.
"She's staying at our place for a while. Her dad is a friend of the family. We already told you this on the way here." -Clark.
Jonathan and Martha saw Clark and walked towards him. "Any more questions?" Clark asked, on the edge of being exasperated.
Sheriff Adams watched his parents arrive and then said, "Not at this time. I may be in touch." She then turned toward Catherine and said, "Same goes for you." She looked pointedly at them and then walked away.
"We were told about the fire... and you rescuing Pete. Are you alright, son?" Jonathan asked as he and his wife came next to Clark and Catherine.
"Yeah, I'm fine." -Clark.
Martha looked over to Catherine. "And you're fine too?"
Catherine nodded, almost puzzled by her concern. "I'm going to call...my father." She walked off down the hall and used her cellphone.
The Kents watched her walk away and then looked back at Clark. "How did you know about the fire?"
Clark explained about Pete's call and emailing the notes and how he couldn't sleep and then what he saw on Pete's webcam. He also said no when asked pointedly if anyone had seen anything out of the ordinary.
During the conversation with his parents, Clark managed to listen to much of Catherine's conversation. Since she said she knew about him, it wouldn't be a good thing if she went and told Lionel Luthor.
"Well, why's Catherine here?" -Jonathan asked.
Clark was distracted and he didn't hear his dad's question as he listened in on Catherine's conversation via his super hearing.
~"Do they know the cause?" -Lionel's voice
"Not yet." -Catherine.
"The Sheriff asked me questions, she may want verification of identity." -Catherine.
"...I'll alert them. They already have the false documents." -Lionel.
"They're usually on top of things." -Catherine.
"As you are... I trust. Progress?" -Lionel.
Pause on her end of the conversation. ".....No."~
"Clark, are you sure you're okay?" -Jonathan asked when Clark didn't reply to his question.
Clark looked to Jonathan. "Oh yeah, dad. What did you say?"
"I asked why Catherine's here." -Jonathan.
"She drove by and saw the fire." -Clark.
"But honey, how did she know whose house it was?" -Martha.
Clark glanced quickly at Catherine, but she was already clicking the phone off.
"Yes, and I'm wondering why she cared to stop in the first place." -Jonathan.
Clark shrugged and said, "I think she saw me with Pete outside. It's the only reasonable explanation."
"Yes, well -- it's strange that she was out driving around in the middle of the night." -Jonathan.
"So you knew she had a car?" -Clark.
"Yes apparently her security people have arrived in town, because earlier today when you were at the Talon after school, three men came briefly and talked to Catherine. She later mentioned to us that they were bringing her a car last night, for her use." -Martha.
Mrs. Ross was coming out of Pete's room and Clark's parents headed down the hall to her. Martha said, "We're going to go speak with Mrs. Ross for a few minutes."
As they walked down the opposite direction, Clark looked back to Catherine at the other end of the hallway. She seemed to feel his eyes on her, because she turned to look back at him and walked to where he was standing.
"We need to talk."
END of Chapter Four
Thanks Nightwing, Jalevah and fuzzynerds for reviewing last chapter. Feedback is appreciated!
Next chapter should be up tomorrow or Thursday. . . .