Sorry about the long wait. Seems I can't really update often, but I will do my solemn best, dear readers.
CONTEST: The first person to tell me what the title of this chapter means gets to have their OC do a little cameo in a future chapter.
DISCLAIMER: Oh, you know I don't own it... I'm just borrowing without asking ;)
Chapter Eight: Praeda
Lex's cell phone rang as he sped toward the Kent farm in a car that was sufficiently fast for the highspeed race Clark's life was turning into, and the car also got good gas mileage-- a major plus. The less they had to stop, the better. After checking the caller id, he answered, "Hi Bruce, can I get back to you later? I'm kind of in a rush right now."
He could hear the smirk in the other man's voice. "I know. You're going to rescue that Kent kid."
Inwardly, Lex cursed himself again. From now on I am having wherever I live swept for bugs at least twice a week. Outwardly, he demanded coldly, "What do you want with him?"
Bruce became serious. "To help you. Both of you."
Wary, Lex replied, "How?"
"I'll ask Batman if he can help."
Lex smiled. He should have figured Bruce had his study bugged... and that he would want to get in on saving the extraordinary alien. After all, Clark would make a hell of an ally. "Alright. But be discreet about it. We don't want anyone else to know, if it can be helped."
"The FBI already knows," the other business tycoon said, worry changing his tone. Lex cursed. "Yeah." There was silence on both ends of the line. "I'll talk to the Bat."
And he hung up.
Kent Farm
Clark was working on his homework in the living room when Martha let Lex into the cozy little yellow house. Before Martha could tell her son Lex was there, the young businessman said, "There's trouble, Clark."
Clark recognized the voice instantly, but the tone not at all. His friend's voice was an odd combination of cold monotone and shaky fear that he had never heard before. His head snapped up, and his eyes confirmed that Lex was shaken. "What's wrong?"
The older man ran a hand over his bald head and glanced at Martha. "It would probably be best if Mr. Kent were here too."
Though she had no idea what was going on, Lex's unfamiliar demeanor was scaring her-- he was worried and that was enough for her. Without a word she took off for the field to get Jonathan. When she returned, the young billionaire ran a hand over his head again, nervous as all hell, and said in that same shaky monotone, "Clark and I had a conversation. He told me everything." Lex let that sink in.
Martha gasped when she realized what he meant and Jonathan's eyes took on a dangerous gleam. He stalked forward menacingly, growling, "If you intend to hurt my son--"
He was stopped in his tracks as the young man said, "I'm trying to protect him."
Still suspicious, Jonathan demanded, "How?"
There went the nervous gesture again, and, "My father knows. So does the FBI. Apparently my home is bugged." A moment of unsteady silence, waiting to go off like a bomb. Teetering on the edge of peace and war, he continued, "But I want to help. I want to get Clark out of here, and I have a friend who can help."
As suspicious as ever, more so since Lex's confession of knowing, Jonathan opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by Martha. Maternal worry clouded her eyes with tears as she asked, "Who?"
"Batman."
He held his breath. Their decision could make the difference between a semi-happy, semi-normal life for Clark and a dark life of pain and suffering as a lab rat.
"Hell no." Jonathan snapped. "I appreciate the offer," he lied, "but I'll protect my son myself."
"What if you can't, Dad? This is the FBI and Lionel Luthor we're talking about," Clark said, standing up. "What if neither of you can? Maybe this is why I was sent to Earth, instead of somewhere else."
"To be a lab rat? I hope to God not, Clark, because that would be pretty barbaric for such an advanced race," Lex argued.
"Honey, don't you think you could help more people the way you are, rather than letting your healing properties become another drug store free-for-all?" Martha jumped into the debate.
"Your mother's right, Son, and I won't see you give yourself away like that. You have the same rights as any other human being."
Clark looked him in the eyes, self-loathing bubbling just past the surface of the soul revealed in his eyes. "But Dad. I'm not human."
TBC...
