Ch. 6

Chloe was busy tending to Lana's leg as best she could. Their Trainer had finally shown them to their 'quarters' as he called their accommodations. Chloe had a different term for it. A cage. After Lana had collapsed three times the Trainer finally called it a day and had given them a little food, some water that was thankfully clean, and a few rags to use as bandages. They had also been given a foul smelling salve that was supposed to be applied to any open wounds they had. Chloe was about to start applying this to Lana's leg when the more human looking guards took the opportunity of their Trainer being gone to proposition them. After awhile Chloe had tried to shrug this off as the guards just talking trash, but Lana had apparently taken their comments to mean that they might rape them at any moment. In fact, Lana had retreated into a corner of the cell they shared and refused to leave it. She was there even now, as Chloe tried to finish bandaging her leg, always watching the guards just in case they tried something. To be honest, Chloe was frightened too, but one of them had to hold it together or neither of them would survive very long.

She had just finished with Lana's leg when she heard the door to their cell block open up. Looking up, more out of curiosity than anything else, she saw something that left her stunned.

"Oh my word." Chloe said involuntarily.

Clark. It was her Clark. Her heart soared for one incredible moment and then plunged the next. He was wearing a strange outfit, one that covered his whole body except for his hands and face. It was all white, with what looked like one of the symbols from the caves painted across the chest of the outfit in black. The symbol was a diamond with and eight in the center. Come to think of it, it was also on one of the stones. Not that any of that really mattered, but it did draw Chloe's attention to the fact that this Clark was acting strange. He was in the middle of yakking it up with one of the rat/men as if he didn't have a care in the world.

What was he doing? Why wasn't he rescuing them? How had he even known where they were? Even more importantly, how had he gotten here? Something wasn't right. She decided to listen to the conversation he was having with the rat/man as they drew nearer.

"And this is where we keep out prisoners, and more importantly, our new 'acquisitions'. I thought you might like to see the prizes for tomorrow's games," said the rat/man.

"I have to say that I am somewhat interested in seeing them. I would like to see whether or not they would make suitable prizes for the winner of the games tomorrow," said Clark in a disinterested tone of voice.

Lana looked up at the sound of Clark's voice. She and Chloe both listened with amazement and horror to what was said next.

"Neither slaves are very large or very strong, but they are both in good shape and are very beautiful. I doubt that the winner of the games tomorrow will have any problem at all finding something suitable for them to do," stated the rat/man as they reached the cage and gave both Chloe and Lana a leering glance.

"No, I don't think he will have any problem with that at all," stated Clark with an even bigger leer than the rat/man he was with, if that was even possible. "I don't think he will have any problem with that at all."

Chloe was stunned into silence. Clark, her Clark, was one of them. He didn't even look like he recognized her. Instead of rescuing them, he was pretending not to know them and was being, well, the word disgusting was the word that came to mind.

Hearing Clark say what he did was simply too much for Lana to take. She seemed to fold in on herself as she once again retreated to her corner of the cell. Chloe, however, both hearing what Clark had said and seeing its affect on Lana, got angry. Angry enough to forget the lessons she had so recently and painfully learned.

"I can't believe it. Why you cretin, you backstabbing, lying, no good…" Chloe continued to rain names at Clark until the rat/man pressed a button on the outside of the cell that sent a massive jolt of pain throughout Chloe's body.

"This slave seems to still have a bit of spirit left in her, but that's nothing a little time and effort can't cure," said the rat/man, looking slightly embarrassed by the outburst.

"Of course," Clark said. Suddenly Clark locked his eyes onto Chloe's and said in a slightly different tone of voice, "Time and patience can work wonders," and with that he turned away and once more looked at the rat/man. "Anyway, I've seen enough here. Why don't you show me to my room so that I can get prepared for tomorrow."

"Of course, of course, just follow me," the rat/man said as he started to walk out of the cell block.

Chloe stared on in utter disbelief as Clark left with the rat/man, her heart breaking. How was this possible? What was going on here?

Ch. 7

Clark was very glad at the moment that The Owner had asked him to follow him instead of walking side by side. He simply wasn't a good enough actor to keep from showing his rage. Not right now. When he saw how the Chloe and Lana were being treated the only thing that kept him from tearing the place apart with his bear hands was Jor-el telling him to calm down or he would get the girls killed. It had worked, but that didn't mean he was any calmer, just that he was more concerned about hiding that anger.

Of course, he had something else to think about now. How Lana had responded to the act he had put on for The Owner. She had simply crumbled. It was as if she had just given up and decided that it was all over now.

What was even worse than the way Lana had reacted was the way Chloe had reacted. He had been covertly watching her when she first spotted him. He had seen the sheer joy and love that had swept over her features when she first laid eyes upon him, only to see that look fade and shock, anger, and finally loathing take it's place as he continued his act.

Then there was what happened next. Chloe had let loose here temper at the very worst possible time and started to yell at him. As long as he lived, he would never forget seeing Chloe writhing around on the floor in pain. Just the thought of it brought about such afresh wave of sorrow and anger that he was forced to bury the memory or risk loosing control all together.

One thing was abundantly clear to Clark now. He wasn't going to let them suffer any more than they already had. He was going to use every available trick he could think of to coerce The Owner to allow them to stay the night with him until the fight tomorrow. It was about time he started making a few 'requests' anyway as a part of his cover. He began formulating a plan of attack as he followed The Owner to his room. Just outside the door, he turned and spoke to The Owner.

"Have those two slaves we just ran into brought to my room. I think they could use a small lesson in the way one talks to one's superiors, and I do enjoy teaching such lessons," demanded Clark in his best foppish tone of voice.

The request surprised The Owner. The Kryptonian knew that those two were the prizes for tomorrow's games and yet he wanted to see them tonight? It didn't make sense.

"I'm sorry but those two are to be used for the prizes in tomorrow's games."

"I know that, I just want to borrow them for the night and have a little fun with them."

Clark could see that this wasn't going over very well with the owner so he tried again. "Don't worry so much, I'll bring them back in one piece. Besides, if I win tomorrow, their mine anyways, and if I lose, well, I won't be able to tell anyone about it in the afterlife, now will I? Besides, even if someone found out, who would really care? Their slaves, so what if someone used them a little first?"

At this statement Clark could virtually hear the gears turning in the rodents little head, weighing the potential for trouble against the potential for profit if he could keep this spoiled Kryptonian brat happy.

"All right, you can have them for the night, but you have to keep them in your room at all times and you will have to return them in the morning before the games. You know, I wouldn't do this for just anyone," The owner replied in a conspiring tone of voice.

Changing his voice to match, Clark replied, "You don't have to worry about a thing, what I have planned for them will take all night and will require a great deal of privacy, so if you will insure that no one bothers us until morning, I would greatly appreciate it."

"Not a problem. I'll tell all of my staff that you are not to be disturbed after they arrive. Simply give me a moment and I'll have them brought right up. I do have a bit of business to attend to right now, but if you need anything just call me and I'll see that you get it."

"All right, but I doubt I'll need anything else. No doubt an important man such as yourself must have much to attend to. If I have any trouble I'll let you know."

"Well then, I'll see you tomorrow morning. Good luck with the fight, although I doubt you'll be needing any." With that he turned and walked away, leaving Clark with his thoughts of how he was going to explain this to Chloe and Lana.

TBC