Chapter 4
Lois walked down the steps and found Clark,sitting at the table. She went straight for the coffee she poured herself a cup and sat next to Clark. Clark watched her for a few moments. Lois sipped her coffee and waited for the coffee to do it's work. Finally she felt awake.
"You know just when I think I got this sleepy little hamlet all figured out something weird happens."Lois said.
"What do you mean?"Clark asked.
"Last night I was getting back into town when I got attacked be these three guys. Next thing I know this ninja comes out no where and takes them out. Then he's gone again."Lois said.
"Really,a ninja?"Clark said trying to sound uninterested.
"Yeah,he came out and beat on them like they were nothing. One of them had a knife."Lois said.
"A knife,and what did this ninja do?"Clark asked.
"The ninja threw this at him."Lois said. She then got her purse and pulled out a black throwing star. Clark took the star in his hand and examined it. It was eight pointed throwing star and was painted black. The was no identifying marks on it.
"And he threw it at him?"Clark said.
"Yes Clark he threw it at him."Lois said. She took the star back from Clark.
"Lois I think you have been watching way too many kung fu movies."Clark said. Then headed for the door.
"Hey were you going?"Lois asked.
"I have to talk to Chloe."He said.
"Well when you see her tell her I want gory details about her date with Wayne."Lois said.
Bruce looked out the window and saw Clark walking toward the Talon. He was intrigued by the farm boy that he had met a few days ago. For a while now Bruce had been training himself to look for the evil in people and if they were capable if controlling it. Here in Smallville he found that most of the people could control themselves. Everyone but Lex Luthor , he seemed to be on the braking point of losing control. As for the other people like Lois Lane,he got the feeling that Lois was more trouble than evil. Lana was just a sweet young girl,Chloe was the same as Lois but a not as troublesome,but then there was Clark Kent.
Clark Kent was different. Clark reminded Bruce of his parents and Alfred. But there was more to Clark. Bruce could tell if a person was in control their dark side. Clark Kent had no dark side. He was something the world needed more of a person who was pure,and simple and knew right from wrong. Bruce wanted to know more about Clark.
Clark walked into the Talon and found Chloe and Lana talking. He walked up to them.
"Hey guys what's up."Clark asked.
"Chloe was telling me about her day by the lake with young Mr. Wayne."Lana said.
"Really you've been seeing him a lot lately."Clark said.
"Yeah,his a really great guy,kind dark but it's a good change of pace from our mild mannered farm boy."Chloe said.
"I think you need to stop seeing him."Clark said.
"What did you say."Chloe said with anger in her voice.
"He bad news Chloe and I don't want to see you hurt."Clark said.
"I got things to do,I'll see you later Lana."Chloe said and then walked out. Clark followed her.
"Chloe wait."Clark said.
"What is it Clark,are you having trouble adjusting to me seeing someone?"Chloe said.
"No,but what do you know about him really?"Clark said.
"You got a lot of nerve asking me that when you keep secrets from me."Chloe said.
"Chloe."Clark said.
"What's the matter Clark are you jealous"Chloe said.
"Chloe,please."Clark begged.
"Clark do me a favor and go pine after Lana and leave me alone."Chloe spat then she walked away. Clark watched her go. The word that she told him had felt like someone had take a knife and ran it though his heart. He watched until he could no longer see her. Then he turned and walked away
Lionel and Lex waited in the office. They had been waiting for what felt like hours. This was the time that Lionel was to meet Bruce Wayne. Bruce walked into the room. He saw Lionel and Lex and smiled. He checked his watched and acted as if he was right on time.
"Mr. Wayne your father was a very punctual man it appears that you are not."Lionel said.
"We had a meeting yesterday morning and you were late. In fact your son told me that you would not be in town till this morning."Bruce said Lionel glanced at Lex, Bruce acted as if he did not see the cold exchange between father and son. He pulled out his proposal and sat down across from Lionel and Lex.
"I'm not my father."Bruce said. A tension filled moment passed between the two. Neither was willing to back down. Lex was startled by the fact that the fact that Wayne was not intimidated by his father. It was Lionel who finally blinked.
"Let's get on with it I have more important things to do."Lionel said.
"Fine by me."Bruce said.
"As you know the Planet is one it's last legs,after trying as best as I could to bring up sales it still loses money. However it's the name that the people car about not the product."Lionel said.
"I disagree. You see that Planet as product I see it as a institution. George Washington wrote a article for the paper,in fact the Planet is as old as the country it self."Bruce said.
"I'm going to cut to the chase, you don't own your own company,in fact if you don't reclaim your stock by 5 'o clock Monday night Wayne Enterprises becomes a publicly traded company."Lionel said. Lionel looked at Bruce trying to rattle the young man with the threat that he might by his company.
"Mr. Luthor,I won't care if if anyone bought that old worn out company to me is just a reminder that I'm the son of a rich dead man."Bruce said. It was Lionel's turn to keep a poker face and he failed.
"You don't care about you name your legacy?Lionel said.
"Mr. Luthor,I could care less about my legacy."Bruce said.,then he picked up his proposal and tossed it to Lionel then Bruce stood up and headed for the door."I'll be waiting to hear from you."Bruce said. Lionel and Lex watched for a moment.
"That boy is a fool,like his father. I'll own his company by the end of next week."Lionel said. Lex stood up and headed for the door.
"You might want to watch out day. That boy may end up owning your company."Lex said then left the room.
Chloe sat in the Talon nurse a latte. She was going to meet Bruce for a late lunch. However she was not very hungry. She was think about what happened with her and Clark and what they had said to each other. She did know a lot about Bruce, she knew about his parents and how they died. She knew about his dark out look of the world. Bruce came in a second later and sat down.
"Penny for your thoughts?"He asked.
"Just thinking."Chloe said.
"About what?"he asked.
"About wishing I could take back something I said."She said.
"I know the feeling. I said something this morning I know I didn't mean."Bruce said.
Clark walked in a moment later and saw Chloe and Bruce,he walked over to them.
"Chloe."he said.
"I'm busy,Clark."She said.
"Bruce could I have a minute?"Clark asked.
"Sure."Bruce said. Then he got up and walked away. Clark sat down.
"Clark I really think that you should leave."Chloe said.
"Will you please listen to me."Clark said.
"Why so you can tell me more reason to be mad at you."Chloe said.
From the counter Bruce saw Chloe and Clark talking he could tell by their body language they were not having a friendly conversion. After watching them for a moment Clark stood up and left the Talon. Bruce walked back over to Chloe. She was wiping a tear from her eye.
"You okay?"he asked.
"No,nothing is right."Chloe said.
"Something going on with you and Clark?"He asked.
"We had a fight over you."Chloe said.
"Clark is not gay is he?"Bruce said.
"No,Clark is not gay."Chloe said.
"How about I go and talk to him put him at ease."Bruce said.
"I don't think that would be a good idea."Chloe said.
"Let me give it a shot."Bruce said.
"Okay."Chloe said.
"Besides I would like to know a little bit more about Clark Kent."Bruce said.
Bruce stopped his car in front of the Kent home. He smiled as he looked at the yellow two story house. He saw the barn and silo. He was reminded of the farm that he had seen when he went with his father to visit a friend that lived outside of Gotham. He walked to the door and knocked. Jonathon came to the door.
"Can I help you?"He asked.
"You must be Jonathon Kent, it's nice to meet you sir. I was wondering if Clark was around?"Bruce said.
"Yes he is. He's in the barn."Jonathon said.
"Thank you."Bruce said
Bruce walked into the barn and found no one inside. He then went to the stairs and climbed up. He found Clark looking at the sunset. Bruce watched for a moment. He could not remember the las time he had watched the sunset. Then again the sunset was nothing to him but the changing of night into day. Bruce had grown to love the night. A time when all was dark and stealth was your best friend. Night was when the real Bruce Wayne came out. The Bruce Wayne that people knew during the day was a facade a fake .Someone who had not existed for years now. That Bruce Wayne was dead he had died that night with his parents. The real Bruce Wayne was a machine,devoted to one thing and only thing only revenge and he would have it one day.
"You do this a lot don't you?"Bruce asked. Clark spun to see who was behind him.
"What are you doing here?"Clark asked.
"I came to talk to you about Chloe."Bruce said.
"There is nothing to talk about. She's mad at me."Clark said.
"Because of me?"Bruce said.
"I just don't want to see her get hurt."Clark said.
"You don't like me very much do you?"Bruce said. Clark was about to answer. "Don't answer that."Bruce said.
"She's been hurt before I don't want to see it again."Clark said.
"You mind if I sit down?"Bruce asked.
"Sure."Clark said.
"You have a crush on her and Lana."Bruce said.
"Me and Chloe are just friends. As for me and Lana,I don't know what we are."Clark said.
"So your undecided."Bruce said.
"That's not what's important."Clark said.
"So what is important."Bruce said.
"Chloe,promise me that no matter what happens you won't hurt her."Clark said.
"You have me word."Bruce said. "I don't think that Chloe knows lucky she is to have you has a friend."Bruce said.
Clark started to head inside knowing that his mother and Lois had made dinner. He hated to admit it but,Lois was learning how to cook. Mostly it was because his mother was teaching her. Clark figured that with enough time and preparation Lois could make toast without it coming out of the toaster as a black brick. He was almost there when he noticed that the storm cellar door was open. He rushed over and looked inside. No one was inside. He looked around and saw no one or anything but the ship. At first he though that maybe his father had come down here to get something and forget to close the door,but he knew that was not true. Then the door closed behind him. Clark turned. Bruce was standing in front of him.
"Explain that."Bruce said.
Clark had no idea what he was going to do.
TO BE COUNTINED...