Chapter Seven

Clark watched Beppo eye Chloe. Clark narrowed his brow. No one looked at Chloe like that at school. At least when HE was around. He wasn't jealous of the attention Beppo was giving her. Just like he wasn't jealous last year, when he caught Craig Williams looking at Chloe the same way her second day at school. But Craig smiled at Clark and Clark glared back. Later, at P.E., the class played dodge ball, and Clark nailed Craig right on the forehead, sending Craig's glasses flying and knocking the skinny asthmatic unconscious. Craig couldn't see straight for a month, and never looked at Chloe again.

It began a pattern: Clark shielded Chloe from guys he felt didn't come up to her standards, warned away guys that seemed out for one thing, and clamped down any rumors about her. Chloe didn't know that this school year there was a nasty rumor about how she was getting "inside information" for her stories. Clark followed the rumor trail to the school's auto shop and had a "talk" to Drake Pierson, a constant presence in Detention. Drake called Chloe several harsh names. Finally, Clark goaded Drake into a punch and Clark caught Drake's fist, spun him around and wrenched the metalhead's arm behind his back. Clark lifted him a bit, just enough to make Drake scream in agony that he would never talk about Chloe again. The silent word was out: Chloe was covered with a "no-fly zone", patrolled by Clark Kent. Pete and Clark talked about it when they played on the PS2 that night and Pete wondered whose interests Clark was protecting; his own or Chloe's? Clark just went silent, drank his Yoo-Hoo, ate some cookies and watched Pete play. Pete laughed and laughed; Pete knew Clark's answer.

Clark realized he was jealous of other guys like back in eighth grade, like this year, like now when Beppo looked at 'my girl', Clark thought for the first time. He looked at Chloe. 'She's my girl,' he thought more firmly.

"I'm ready. Are You?" She asked with a bright smile. Clark nodded. He was, finally. Clark took out his notes and Chloe pushed record and play at the same time on the micro-cassette recorder.

"Ok, we have several questions, standard fare," Chloe lead, "Beppo seems to be a very unique specimen...how did you acquire him?"

"I bartered with the The Mogumbo tribe," Joe started with his usual tale, "in the deepest darkness of Africa and..."

"OK, P.T.," Chloe interrupted, "Lets try and stay factual. There isn't a sucker born EVERY minute..." She looked over and slapped Clark's hand. He was taking notes. She frowned and shook her head at him. Clark sank a bit in his chair, chastised. 'My poor innocent Clark,' She thought with a sigh. 'I have to watch out for him.' She looked back at Joe and Beppo. "Continue, Joe."

"Well," Joe smiled at her, so earnest looking. "Beppo was a famished lil chimp in a zoo down in Miami, near the 'glades."

"Write," Chloe whispered and patted Clark's thigh. Beppo hooted. Clark smiled at Beppo and jotted down what Joe said.

"Was he already so..." Chloe looked at Beppo, and he showed his teeth and chattered, "unusual?"

"I was surprised," Joe admitted. "He stood upright not crouching, walked not jumped around, and he looked so ...human." Beppo nodded, and rubbed his chin, thoughtfully.

"Was Beppo a part of an experiment?" Chloe asked boldly. She leaned in and looked Joe in the eyes. Beppo shook his head.

"Great question," Joe said, leaning back. "No...not that I know of, I mean. He's just been checked out medically."

"And ?" Clark and Chloe said at the same time. Chloe slid her hand to his side and pinched at his rib. Clark moved to her touch, but not the sensation. Chloe always pinched him when he butted in.

"Beppo was found to have 47 chromosomes," Joe revealed. "One less than a normal chimpanzee, but one more than a human." Beppo nodded quickly again.

"Ooo...interesting," Chloe said. "So he's a mutant?" She winced, recalling how she thought that was lame when Pete said it.

"Maybe he's an evolutionary jump?" Clark asked quickly and smiled at Chloe. She smiled with thin lips; she didn't like when he asked the better question. Beppo wiggled his hands and shrugged his shoulders to show that he didn't know.

"Whoa whoa whoa," Joe said. "I was expecting easy questions."

"So there could be some validity to calling Beppo a 'missing link'?" Clark jumped in.

"Technically...no," Joe said and Chloe slumped a bit in her chair. "But he does raise those questions, doesn't he?"

"Yes!" Chloe said too quickly. Beppo saw her empty glass, uncrossed his legs and walked around and poured a glass of brandy. She giggled. "No, Beppo, I don't drink that stuff. Coffee yes, booze no."

"Is this carnival...a circus show ...the best for Beppo?" Clark asked, his eye on Beppo while the chimp played with Chloe's hand.

"This exposure is funding 'The Beppo Foundation for Chimpanzees'," Joe said; he also watched Beppo. The animal seemed to be more muscular than before.

"He drinks quite a bit...is that humane treatment?" Clark asked with some worry. Beppo drank the alcohol he poured for Chloe.

"Well, honestly, he never gets drunk," Joe said with a chuckle. "And this motorhome ain't the Ritz, but it's as posh as its gets for our business."

Beppo was bored. He looked up at Clark and sized up his competition. The Tall One must be smart and virile to be the girl's mate, Beppo thought. Strong, too. Beppo went, grabbed his chess board and pieces and looked at Clark. He wanted to beat Tall One in front of the girl.

"Clark is a great player," Chloe giggled and looked at Beppo. Beppo understood. Tall One must be skillful to have the girl sit with him.

"Beppo's pretty good," Joe said. "I haven't beat him yet."

"I'll take it easy on him," Clark said with a smile. He went undefeated last year in the chess club and won a trophy at the state meet. He knew how to get four-move checkmate.

The pieces were set and after 4 moves, Clark was playing defense to Beppo's attack. Beppo's kryptonite-laced brain made him smarter, almost on par with Clark; he needed an edge to win. Chloe had often went to Clark's chess matches and she knew that something was amiss with Clark's game: Clark was losing pieces quickly and taking longer to make a move. She leaned into his left shoulder, her upper body pressed against him while she looked at the board.

Clark felt Chloe's upper body, how she moved when she breathed, how her fingertips pressed his shoulder when Beppo took another piece of Clark's. He was more aware of her than the game; it was distracting and wonderful all at the same time.

"Protect your horsey," Chloe chided Clark and snuggled in more.

"You're really making it hard for me to concentrate," Clark whispered.

"Really hard for you?" Chloe smiled. "I am?" She said it extra breathy and leaned in more.

"Oh no," He whispered. Clark misplaced his pawn when he felt her chest nudge into his arm.

"I guess I am," She said and stayed against him.

Beppo shrieked happily and swiftly took Clark's knight, the one Chloe warned Clark to protect. Clark turned and was nearly nose to nose with Chloe. "Sorry," she said, all fake wide-eyed innocence, not sorry at all, happy she could fluster and get a reaction from Clark, finally. Even if it cost him a game of chess.

"THAT'S CHECKMATE!" Joe yelled and Beppo waved his hands in the air. Clark laid his head on the table. Chloe stroked his hair.

"I think that ends our interview," Chloe said, her hand rubbing Clark's neck until he sat up. Beppo was surprised that the girl still clung to the Tall One. Wasn't his win a show of strength? Enough to win her? Chloe looked back at Joe and Beppo. "Thanks for the interview, and thank you for letting us meet Beppo."

"Anytime," Joe said. "Are you two coming to opening night?"

Chloe said "I haven't been asked" and Clark said "I haven't asked anyone" simultanteously. They looked at each other.

"Well," Joe said, looking at them pack their stuff into their backpacks. "I'll keep an eye for you two."

Chloe and Clark shook Joe's hand and Beppo kissed Chloe's hand. He flashed Clark his teeth.

"Aww...Thank you, Beppo," Chloe said and gave him a hug. Beppo didn't want to let go when Chloe leave. "Umm, I hope that he knows I'm not the prize," She laughed nervously.

Beppo finally let go and Chloe and Clark walked out of the motor home. Beppo was not pleased that the girl left with the loser. He stomped to his room, and watched the rest of 'King Kong'. He began to plot how to get the beauty.

"Its funny," Chloe said to Clark while they stood outside the main gate, watching for her dad or his mom to arrive, "I get a hug AND a kiss with you in the room, Kent, but a chimp does it. That really makes me wonder about my role in the future of OUR species."

"Our future will be secure," Clark said with a tone Chloe never heard. She gave him an odd look while he stared down the road. "Just be online tonight. We have to go over the history study guide together."

"Of course! We always do homework together," Chloe happily. "Just don't be late...God, I hope Daddy brings me caffiene."

Chloe's dad arrived first, with an espresso for Chloe, and five minutes later, Clark was on his way home with his mom. It would be a few hours until they meet up on the AOL messenger system.