STAND BACK

CHAPTER SIX-MISSING

Clark waited for the wolf to attack. To his amazement and relief, nothing happened. He had shut his eyes briefly before the wolf leapt.

He might be 'superman' but a wolf bite wouldn't be stopped. He was part human after all.

Turned out, the wolf jumped in front of him protectively as a second one wolf appeared. The one he ran over before. It stood behind him snarling. The black wolf snarled at the red/brown wolf threateningly.

They began fighting for a bit before the red/brown wolf turned and tore into the darkness.

The black wolf turned toward Clark.

It just stared up at him with those jaundice eyes and watched him. It sat on its haunches at his feet.

"Thanks, Liz," Clark said gratefully.

The wolf just leaned forward and nuzzled his hand with its cold, wet black nose.

Clark began realizing that this wolf was good. Elizabeth had a good heart and so did the wolf. He's heard of the legend where if a person was good so would the wolf. If the person was evil the wolf would be evil.

The wolf took one last look at Clark before tearing into the darkness too.

Elizabeth woke up in the barn again. She just pulled on the clothes and headed into the house. She was greeted by Clark.

"It wasn't you who killed Lana and Mrs. Reynolds," Clark said eagerly.

"It wasn't?" Elizabeth asked tilting her head.

"How do you know Clark?" Mrs. Kent asked.

"Because the original wolf that attacked Elizabeth is still out there," Clark replied. "I first ran over it and then it followed me home. Elizabeth had changed into the wolf and protected me."

Elizabeth looked startled. "You mean I didn't hurt you? I protected you from the other wolf?"

Clark nodded.

"We still don't know who the original wolf is," Mr. Kent replied.

"I know. We're going to have to keep a close eye on people. Find some clues," Clark said.

Just then, the phone rang.

Mrs. Kent answered it.

"Hello?"

There was a pause then: "Oh My God…when?"

Elizabeth froze and so did Clark and Mr. Kent.

"Yes. She is here with us now," Mrs. Kent said.

Elizabeth's breathing began speeding up as she began getting nervous.

She and Clark looked at each other.

"Okay. Thanks,"

Mrs. Kent hung up.

She had a grave and solemn look on her face.

"Mom?" Clark asked getting up from his seat.

"That was the Smallville PD," Mrs. Kent began slowly. She turned her eyes onto Elizabeth.

"What happened?" Elizabeth demanded now getting upset.

"Your mother was killed by some sort of dog," Mrs. Kent replied swallowing.

"No," Elizabeth said as tears formed in her eyes. She jumped up from her seat and went into the living room.

"No, no, no," Elizabeth chanted as she dropped to her knees on the carpet and clamped her hands over her ears. She began rocking back and forth.

"No, no, no," Elizabeth began crying hysterically.

Mrs. Kent rushed over to her and kneeled down beside her, wrapping her arms around the girl.

Clark crouched down beside Elizabeth and gently stroked her hair.

"It wasn't you," Clark whispered to Elizabeth. "It was the other wolf."

Elizabeth just cried.

"What now?" Clark asked looking at Mrs. Kent with remorse and grief in his eyes.

"She'll stay with us," Mr. Kent said automatically.

"Do you really want a monster living with you?" Elizabeth asked raising her head.

Her eyes were red and puffy and her cheeks were tear stained and flushed from crying.

"You're not a monster," Mr. Kent said.

Elizabeth just pressed her face deeper into Mrs. Kent's shoulder and cried harder. Clark continued to stroke her hair. He felt just as upset as Elizabeth.

But he felt really attached to her and didn't want her to go away. He was glad his father said that she stay with them.

Clark was now angry though. He was going to find out who this original wolf was. It would be easier in the day time…or would it?

Didn't the wounds heal faster because of the metabolism?

There had to be away.

He decided to see if he can see evidence inside of Elizabeth.

He studied her until his vision changed and he could see through her whole body and skeleton.

Her bone structure seemed different and so did her skull. It looked longer and her teeth were sharper and she seemed to omit a gentle blackish glow from her bones.

He would use that and find the original wolf. He blinked and everything came into focus again as normal.

"I think I've found a way to determine the original wolf," Clark said eagerly.

Mrs. Kent raised her eyes to Clark's.

"How? Their metabolism heals too fast for any wounds to show,"

"I can see through the person. They have an odd skeletal structure," Clark said.

"Think you can do it?" Mr. Kent asked.

Clark nodded.

Elizabeth was still hysterically crying in Mrs. Kent's arms.

Clark leaned close to her.

"I've found a way to find the original wolf and make him or her pay for what has happened,"

Elizabeth raised her red and puffy eyes to Clark's.

"How? The metabolism…"

"I can see through people and things. I saw through you before. You've got a strange skeletal structure. I can find the person this way," Clark said gently. "I'm so sorry about your mom."

Elizabeth's eyes swelled with fresh tears. She threw her arms around Clark's neck and rested her chin on his shoulder. He hugged her back as well.

"I'm so grateful to you that you have no idea," Elizabeth whispered in his ear.

Clark just hugged her tighter. He realized he really cared about her.

"I know you aren't the one doing the killing," Clark said softly.

"When are you going to start looking?" Mrs. Kent asked as Elizabeth finally released Clark from the hug.

"Tomorrow at school. The best place to start," Clark said.

"You really think it's someone from school?" Elizabeth asked wiping her eyes with the back of her hands.

"I'm not ruling anything out," Clark said.

Later on Chloe stopped by.

"Ooh, I'm so sorry," Chloe said giving Elizabeth a hug. "What will happen now?"

"She'll stay with us," Clark replied. "Until we can find some relatives."

Elizabeth looked at him. "I have no relatives,"

Chloe looked surprised. "What do you mean?"

"I mean my mom was all that I had left. My dad died, and my grandmother lives over in Ireland. She and my mom disagreed over a lot of things. I doubt very much she'd take me in,"

Chloe looked stricken. "So basically you're an orphan now?"

Chloe and Clark exchanged looks.

"Basically," Elizabeth said shrugging. "My grandmother really never got to know me. Secretly I thought she didn't want to. That's when I heard my mom talking to her one day. Mom asked her why she didn't call me or anything. Mom told me later on that she replied that she didn't want anything to do with me."

Chloe swallowed. "That's horrible,"

"So when we moved here, I figured that my mom and I would become closer," Elizabeth continued. "Doesn't look like that's going to happen now."

Chloe threw her arms around Elizabeth.

"Well you have four people that care about you now," she said smiling.

Elizabeth smiled back.

"Make that five," a voice said from the front door.

They all looked. Lex stood in the doorway.

Elizabeth was stunned to see him.

"Lex? What are you doing here?" Clark asked shocked.

"I heard about Elizabeth's mom," Lex replied looking solemn. "I'm so sorry."

"Thanks," Elizabeth said.

"Would you two please excuse me? I'd like to talk to Liz alone," Lex said.

"Sure," Chloe and Clark headed outside.

Lex came over to Elizabeth.

There was a silence for a bit. Elizabeth toyed with the edge of the tablecloth on the kitchen table.

After a few minutes, Lex spoke.

"Elizabeth, Clark talked to me after we had that little…disagreement. He told me the real reason why you told me," Lex said.

"I didn't want to hurt you…I still don't," Elizabeth replied looking up at him.

Lex sighed.

"I know. It's still a little hard for me to swallow but I'm willing to understand and cope with it if I'm going to be with you,"

Elizabeth was shocked. Was he saying that he wanted to be her boyfriend? Even after all that happened?

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I'd like to be my girlfriend…that is if you still want to. I know this is a hard time and inappropriate but…" Lex's voice trailed off as Elizabeth stepped over to him and stood in front of him.

"Thanks. I'd love to," she smiled.

Lex leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"If there's anything I can do for you let me know," he replied.

"I will,"

The kitchen door opened and Clark and Chloe slowly poked their heads into the kitchen.

"Everything okay?" Chloe asked.

"Everything's fine," Elizabeth replied.

They stepped into the kitchen.

Clark had no idea things would get even weirder and worse.

The next day at school, Clark began scanning students. So far everyone seemed normal.

"See anything?" Elizabeth whispered to him as they stood by their lockers.

"Nothing so far," Clark responded.

Pete came over with Chloe.

"Guess what?" Chloe said looking smug and knowing.

"What?" Elizabeth asked.

"Mrs. Travis is back,"

"What?" Clark asked stunned.

"Mrs. Travis is back at school teaching," Pete said.

Elizabeth and Clark looked at each other.

"Did you see her?"

"Yeah. I caught a glimpse of her. Her whole entire face was badly burned and her left hand," Chloe said.

Clark decided to go and see Mrs. Travis…for more reasons than one.

"Chloe? Why don't you take Liz into the Torch office? Show her what you do. I'm going to talk to Mrs. Travis and see how she's doing," Clark said.

Elizabeth knew the real reason why he was going to talk to her and she allowed Chloe and Pete to lead her into the school newspaper's office, The Torch.

Clark quickly hunted Mrs. Travis down.

Sure enough, she was burned in the exact areas where the original wolf was.

He narrowed his eyes until he could see through her and her skeletal system.

She had the exact same structure as Elizabeth.

He blinked and everything returned to normal.

"Clark…what can I do for you?" Mrs. Travis asked kindly.

"I just wanted to see how everything was," Clark said casually.

"I'm fine," Mrs. Travis said. "How is Elizabeth Reyes doing? Since her mom was killed,"

Wait. How'd she know Mrs. Reyes was killed? We only told Chloe and Lex. I had called Lex and told him but didn't expect him to come over last night. Plus I called Chloe. That was it.

Clark tried not to let Mrs. Travis see he was suspicious.

"She's holding up but not the same. It will take some time," Clark said.

"I'm sure. I'll see you later," Mrs. Travis said as she left the principals office where Clark had found her.

Clark hurried back to the Torch office.

Chloe was typing on the computer. Elizabeth was talking with Pete.

"Liz? Can I see you for a moment?" Clark asked.

Chloe looked up and seemed a bit suspicious and annoyed, but she didn't say anything.

Elizabeth stood in front of Clark and leaned close so Pete and Chloe couldn't hear them talking.

"I know who the original wolf is," Clark whispered.

"Who?" Elizabeth asked.

"Mrs. Travis. She knew your mother was killed but we only told Lex and Chloe," Clark said.

Elizabeth's eyes widened.

"Oh my God,"

"She's the one who was doing the killing," Clark said swallowing a lump. "She killed Lana and your mother."

"And attacked me," Elizabeth said quietly.

Clark nodded.

"Lex knows your secret now. He won't tell anyone but we've got to stop Mrs. Travis from killing again," Clark replied.

Elizabeth nodded.

Just then, the door opened to the office and a woman entered the office. It was the school administrator, Mrs. Kelly.

"Is there a Clark Kent here?" she asked looking from Clark, to Pete, to Elizabeth and Chloe.

"That's me," Clark replied. "What can I do for you?"

"Do you know a Lex Luthor?"

"He's a good friend of mine," Clark replied. "Why?"

Mrs. Kelly swallowed and looked nervous.

"Mr. Lionel Luthor just called me to tell you that Lex is missing,"

"Missing?" Clark asked confused.

"Yes. Mr. Luthor SR. heard some shouting and things crashing in the office. He said he could tell that Lex was missing because he didn't answer. He knew something was wrong," Mrs. Kelly replied.

Elizabeth began getting upset.

"Thank you," Clark said turning to Chloe, Pete and Elizabeth.

"I say we pay a visit to Luthor Mansion," Clark replied.

"What about school?" Chloe asked.

"Right now Lex needs our help. If he is missing, as Lionel says, we're going to have to find him right away," Clark said. "Chloe and Pete stay here. Elizabeth and I will check it out."

They nodded and Elizabeth and Clark left school.