Chapter Fourteen

An hour earlier in the stately, ancestral Luthor Mansion...

Lex Luthor strolled away from the arboretum where he had just concluded a leveraged buyout of a small research firm, Cadmus-Kathryn NeoPharmecuticals. Before the ink was dry on the contract, though, Lex himself was swiftly bought out by his father, Lionel Luthor. Lionel's corporate spies' Swedish bank accounts swelled accordingly.

Moving through the west wing of the mansion, up the spiral staircase and down the long rich oak panaled hallway to a room only he had a key for, Lex dismissed a maid dusting a frame of a Dali painting and unlocked the door.

He smiled.

The room housed Lex's new obsession; it wasn't sex, for he had other rooms for that. It wasn't money, for money he had, and like the sex, he had it in vast quanities. Lex went down the steps in the specially constructed room. Each step triggered a spotlight in the ceiling to shine on huge hanging pictures of a young teen. The teen was Clark Kent.

The pictures were blow-ups of the Smallville Ledger's story on Lex's accident, in which Clark saved him. Lex's Porsche had hit a roll of metal coil dropped by a flat bed truck in the opposite lane on a bridge over calm waters. Lex hit the coil, the tires blew out and he lost control and the car ...

Lex remembered seeing a tall boy looking at him just when the car hit slammed into the boy, and crashing through the railing and into the water below. The impact of hitting the water knocked out Lex.

Lex woke sputtering, water in his lungs.

He opened his eyes from the blackness that enveloped him, looked up, and a figure shone in the sun.

Clark Kent.

"I could have sworn I hit you," Lex whispered.

"If you did, I'd be...I'd be dead," Clark said, an uneasy look on his youthful face.

But Lex KNEW he hit the boy. However, he didn't press Clark despite seeing through the boy's lie. He was grateful. The next day, however, Lex began looking into the car crash and Clark's role in it. During Lex's investigation, Clark's name started popping up in odd circumstances in Smallville's weird going-ons. Odd bedfellows, Lex thought...or were there simularities between them?

While Lex moved across the room, lights hit more hanging frames. A picture of Clark at the crash site. Another picture of a Ledger story about Clark's role in stopping Greg Arkin, who somehow had insect-like abilities and stalked Lana Lang. Lex looked around; more blow-ups of Clark saving Chloe Sullivan from a fire at school; more steps, more pictures of Clark, his house, his parents, his friends were lit up. Several months into their friendship, Lex still couldn't get past Clark's amazing secracy, secracy on how Clark was seemingly at the right pace at the right time, and how he was able to defeat the weirdly-powered freaks.

Lex wanted to know the how and the why, Clark was able to do the things he did. To Lex, his friend Clark was also an asset to have on his side. But, he saw Clark as a rogue asset...and if Lex could not befriend him enough to get the information he wanted on him, he'd see Clark as a threat. A threat, because nothing in Lex's life was unknown.

A tall blonde looked up from the lucite desk she sat at typing on a laptop computer. Removing her wire-rimmed glasses, she stood and walked around the desk. The woman was several inches taller than Lex, and had a volumptous shape to her body. She wore a slate grey business dress and blazer, and her hair in a braided ponytail.

"Guter Nachmittag, Sir," Miss Tess Macher, the teutonic blonde said, the sound of her voice silky, the language german. She was head of Lex's security, and now his lead investigator in all things Clark Kent.

"Guter Nachmittag, Tess," Lex answer with a smile. "Genießen Sie Ihr Frühstück?

"Ja Sir," Tess smiled. She enjoyed it. "Die Mahlzeit war ziemlich köstlich."

"Was haben Sie erhalten, um mich zu zeigen?" Lex asked and looked at the two widescreen plasma monitors, each connected to computer towers. Tess nodded and went to them and turned on the monitors. She grabbed a keyboard and typed in a program and the monitors came alive.

"Ich habe dieses verursacht, Sir," Tess said and started the program. Lex watched one monitor. An animated presentation began, showing a scenario of that fateful day of the car wreck. Lex followed a 3-D model of his Porsche move along the bridge, and spin out of control. A red Clark figure jumped out of way, the car went through the bridge railing and into water. Lex chuckled when he saw the red Clark dive in after the car.

"That didn't happen at all," he whispered.

"Die Animation bezieht nicht mit der strukturellen Beschädigung des Autos aufeinander," Tess said. Lex nodded in agreement.

"Fangen Sie das folgende Drehbuch, Tess an," Lex said and Tess pressed the 'enter' key again.

Lex watched the next animated scenario. The car spun out of control again, but this time, the car barrelled into the red Clark figure, knocking him onto the hood and into the windshield. The Porsche went thru the railing and into the water. Lex stared watching the red Clark pulled him out of the water.

"Wieder!" Lex yelled, and Tess jumped. She replayed the image. Lex watched it again. The memory of the day became clearer, more focused: Lex saw the look of surprise on Clark's face when the car hit him. The scream Lex shrieked just when Clark's body shattered the bullet-proof glass; the water was what did the damage, the insurance and car specialists contended. 'No,' Lerx thought. He hit him. He watched the animation, cementing that memory, cementing the truth.

"Why are you lying, Clark?" Lex whispered.

"Dieses Drehbuch bezieht vollständig mit der Strukturbeschädigung des Autos aufeinander," Tess said with a surprised tone. "Egal was I, das," Tess said, reaching for her lime green clip board, "den Daten eingegeben wird immer, zu dieser Zusammenfassung... kommt, schlug.you ihn." She walked to a hanging frame and looked at the freshman ID card picture of Clark. " Er hat eine Menge Erklären, zum zu tun."

"Ich stimme zu," Lex said and walked to the back of the room. A giant floodlight showered the wreaked Porsche. It had been Lex's favorite. Now it was his personal ground zero. He looked at what appeared to be long dent on the hood. He figured it was made by Clark's body.

"Dieses ist ungewöhnlich," Tess said and pointed.

"Ja... ja ist es," Lex agreed, looking at the hand-sized indentation on torn roofing of the Porsche. "Wie erklärten die Fachleute den?"

"Sie nicht," Tess said with a bemused chuckle. "Niemand, die das Porsche betrachtet hat, können es erklären."

"Irgendwelche Nachrichten über Clark seit gestern Abend?" Lex asked and spun on his thousand dollar loafers.

"Schule früh gelassen aus," Tess said and followed Lex. "Noch compilying Daten bezüglich seines Datums, Fräulein Chloe Sullivan."

"Setzen Sie die Untersuchungen auf beiden, Tess fort," Lex said, the lights turning off with each step. "Fräulein Sullivan ist zum Verstehen von von Clark Schlüssel."

"Ja Sir," Tess said with a wicked grin.

"Und Tess...setzen Uhr auf Peter Ross fort," Lex added, turned and looked at Tess.

"Selbstverständlich Sir," Tess whispered and gave a bright toothed smile. "Ich finde alles, das Sie benötigen, Sir heraus."
"Ich weiß, Sie, Tess, ich wissen werden, daß Sie werden," Lex said. He leaned in, kissed her, patted her rump and left her. He went from the dark into the light see his friend, Clark.

An hour later...

Up in the air. It was not a bird. Nor a plane. It was Lex Luthor's Sikorsky S-76C+ Executive Transport heliocopter, "The Bald Eagle ", that whisked downwind at its top flight speed of 170 mph towards Metropolis from Smallville. The black heliocopter rose and dipped and Clark Kent did not enjoy his first flight at ALL.

"Do you think you can get the pilot to fly smoother?" Clark asked to Lex. He closed his eyes. Lex chuckled, looking at Clark press himself against his seat, legs spread, hands gripping the cushions. Lex thought it was the first time he ever saw Clark look nervous, scared. It was a welcome sight. Pete was looking out the window, enjoying the view, watching the rural countryside become more urban.

"My pilot Jake is an ex-Green Beret, Clark," Lex said somewhat loudly. The blades of the heliocopter whup-whup-whuped none too quietly. "He's been in the family for years."

"Jeeze, man," Pete said, looking at his petrified friend. "Open your eyes, Clark. The view is amazing!"

"Clark." Lex unclasped his seat belt and swung over to his friend's side. "My father gave the one piece of advice I actually listened to while in a 'copter." Clark opened one eye and looked at Lex. Pete watched him, wishing he could tell Clark something more useful than what he had said. He, too, listened to Lex.

"He said, 'You have a destiny, Lex. You're never going to get anywhere with your eyes closed.' and I did," Lex yelled into his friend's ear. He didn't have to; Clark could hear the pilot's heart beat. "I think you need to follow the same advice Clark."

Clark turned to his friend and opened up both eyes.

"You're lucky his mom was cool about letting him go, Lex," Pete said loudly and leaned in. He wished he had a 'copter so he and Clark could cruise the skies in. "His dad didn't...how'd you get past him?"

"I simply said to him we were going to buy a shirt," Lex said. The truth was easy to say.

"Didn't you say we were going to Metropolis?" Clark asked. Lex shook his head.

"Oh man!" Pete exclaimed.

"Really? You didn't say that?" Clark was shocked that Lex would decieve his parents. He stared at him, both eyes taking Lex in.

"I may have omitted our destination," Lex admitted. "But they really shouldn't worry...you're with an adult."

"It's the principle, Lex," Clark said. He ran his fingers through his hair worriedly. He looked at Pete, and Pete shook his head, lips tight. "Maybe we should..." Lex stuck up one finger to pause Clark; his cell phone vibrated in its holster on his hip. He swung back to his seat and took the call.

"He might be your new friend...but your old one is here to watch your back," Pete said, sliding next to Clark. His friend smiled.

"Slight change of plans," Lex told Clark, reholstering the phone. "That was my old dear friend, Victoria Hardwick, the woman I was telling you about last night, Clark. She's flying into Metropolis International from London early. She wants join us..."

Clark nodded. He was going to Metropolis for certain now.

The Sikorsky gently stopped on the landing pad atop the 69 story tall LuthorCorp Tower in downtown Metropolis. Lex gave Jake instructions to pick up Victoria at Met-Int Airport after he told the boys to head to Lionel's rooftop restaurant, 'The Lion's Mane '.

"This totally rocks!" Pete said, looking at the skyline. The tower was easily the tallest building in Kansas, and one of the tallest in the country. At night, a spotlight atop the restaurant would shine straight up to the stars, a beacon for all the Midwest.

"I'm just glad we're on land now," Clark said, held onto the guardrails and slowly followed Pete down away from the pad.

"C'mon, Bro," Pete nudged Clark in the ribs. "It wasn't all that bad, was it?"

"Sorta," Clark said and smiled. "I now relish being ground bound. I think I'll just walk where I need to go."

"Yeah right," Pete said, laughing. "If Chloe's butt is in trouble, you'll totally kick on the afterburners and jet to her."

"It just happens that I can run fast," Clark said quickly, defensively, wondering if Pete saw him using his powers.

"I know, man," Pete said. "All the other times, you totally lag… a complete slow-poke."

"Oh," Clark said, relieved. He wished he could just let his best friend of nine years in on his secret, to confide in him like Pete had confided in him; all the secrets and discoveries that they did share was tainted in Clark's mind since he kept his secret and didn't make their friendship complete.

"Welcome to My Metropolis," Lex said with a cheshire grin, catching up with them. "When you two are older, I'll take you to the clubs."

"What kind of clubs?" Pete asked. Lex winked at him just to perturb him. "There's going to be girls there, right?"

"Gorgeous girls and beautiful boys," Lex said simply. "We'll fit right in."

Pete didn't know to be happy that Lex thought he was a 'beautful boy' or not, but Clark just laughed. Lex guided them inside the restaurant and they sat.

"Victoria will be here in about 20 minutes," Lex informed them. "So Clark...a little first date jitters?"

"A little...," Clark confessed and smiled when a waitress brought their group tall glasses of imported water and a platter of hors d'oeuvres. Pete looked at the tray hungrily.

"Eat up," Lex chuckled. Pete devoured 3 succulent spears of asparagus wrapped in procuitto covered in melted parmesan cheese. Lex and Clark sat back to talk.

"I mean, I want it to be a night she won't forget," Clark continued his train of thought.

"That's admirable, Clark," Lex said. "I'm sure you will give her that wonderful night."

"It's not like you don't have enough 'practice'," Pete said between bites of a delectable canapé. Lex nodded and Clark smiled sheepishly. "Where were you two last Satyrday? All day and night?"

"The Talon. There was an Audrey Hepburn film festival that Chloe wanted to go to, but didn't have enough for a ticket. It was my treat," Clark said with a smile at the memory of learning about Chloe's fascination with Audrey Hepburn's work. He didn't know what was better: witnessing Chloe munching through bucket after bucket of popcorn (with extra real butter), 6 boxes of Milk Duds, 10 Clark bars and sipping from the one straw in the 5 large sodas that they shared or watching 'Roman Holiday', 'Sabrina', and 'Breakfast At Tiffany's'.

He addressed his notes to Chloe all week 'Chloe Golightly' and Chloe sent her notes to 'Capote Kent'. Students in class that passed the notes around thought it was one of their 'games', the kind that couples played.

"Sounds like a date," Pete said between swallows.

"I concur," Lex said.

"She just mentioned the festival casually," Clark weakly protested, and wondered why. "I told her I got extra in my allowance and it would be great to..."

"Take her out?" Lex smiled.

"Go with her," Clark finished. Pete laughed.

"It seems from that and all the evidence that you have shared with Me, Clark," Lex offered, "you and Chloe have been going out regularly since that kiss."

"KISS?" Pete yelled, spitting out the crepe. "WHAT KISS?" Lex smiled, and mentally notched another tally in his favor over Peter.

"Umm...Chloe kissed Me," Clark said slowly. He hadn't told Pete...yet. "It happened the first day of school last year. She wanted to see our farm. I showed her around and she sorta kissed me in the barn."

"You said it was your first kiss, Clark," Lex reminded, mindful of Peter's reaction. He liked watching Peter's slow burn. "You said it was...and I quote...'The Best Feeling Ever'...unquote."

"Cool," Pete said dully, looking at Lex's smug smile and Clark's ashamed face. "So why the long wait in actually asking her out, Clark?"

Clark. Said crisply and curtly. Like Pete had spit something foul.

Clark slumped a bit, caught between his two friends that hated each other, Pete and Lex, talking about a girl, Chloe, that knew about him more than they did. Suddenly, his life was totally stressful, and if he could sweat and not just condensate, he'd be a sweating mess. "Umm...I wasn't ready for a 'more-than-friends relationship."

"I can commiserate," Lex said, patting Clark's back. He saw the boy's anguish and deftly switched gears; It was Peter he wanted to decimate, not Clark. "The hardest thing in the world is telling the girl you love that you like her."

"Chloe knows that, Alex" Pete jumped in. 'Why was Clark telling Lex all this?' He thought. 'He's supposed to be telling ME.'

"Well...," Lex said smoothly, wishing a chunk of tender salmon would get trapped in Peter's larynx, "now it's up to Clark to tell her he loves her...if he does, that is."

"I do!" Clark exclaimed. A rosy blush flared on his skin.

"Tell her tonight then," Lex said and sipped on some water; he'd rather have a scotch and water, but he was playing the responsible adult. He looked out the window and spied his 'copter. "She's here. Let's go and greet Victoria."

"Hey," Pete tugged Clark's flannel and they dropped back away from Lex. "Thanks for the heads up on "the kiss", Bro."

"I ...I should have told you," Clark stammered.

"Yeah, man," Pete said. He was bummed out and the food, although savory, felt like brick in his stomach now. "You got to see my first kiss."

Pete kissed Felice Chandler at his own 11th birthday party, Clark thought back. Everyone was gathered in the basement and all the young party-goers played 'Spin the Bottle' and Pete's spin aimed at Felice. They kissed for 25 seconds straight. The next turn's was Clark's and he spun the bottle and his target was Lana Lang. He blushed and she giggled. He moved in for the kiss, and immediately spazzed out, thanks to his weakness to the meteorite nugget on her necklace. Somehow he managed to grab the table cloth and yanked it while he collapsed, sending red punch all over Lana's new white party dress. Nell picked her up in tears shortly thereafter. Clark ran home and missed out on the birthday cake.

"Sorry," Clark whispered.

"You better be, punk," Pete said with a smile. "And you better call me TONIGHT with graphic details about the kiss!"

They laughed, Pete silently forgiving his friend, and they joined the awaiting Lex on the landing pad.

"Lex!" London-born Victoria Hardwick shouted out when the pilot opened the passenger door on the Sikorsky. Lex and the boys followed her every step and with good reason: Victoria was gorgeous; tall and curvaceous, her brunette locks fluttered while she glided across the landing pad. She wore a crisp, white button up blouse, gray and white plaid micro mini-skirt, a black pocket-less leather jacket and matching knee high boots. Her sunglasses were cats'-eyed shaped. She ran and bounced the final few steps into Lex's embrace and they kissed passionately.

"Boobs," Pete whispered in reference to Victoria's more than ample breasts.

"McChesty," Clark agreed in hushed tones.

"Who is this dashing young man and his dishy friend, Lex?" Victoria said, pulling away from Lex and smiling at Clark and Pete.

"This is Clark Kent and his friend, Peter Ross," Lex introduced.

"Best friend," Pete chimed in and he and Lex quickly looked at each other through squinty eyes.

"HE's Clark?" Victoria said, shocked at the sight of the tall muscular young man. She shot a look at Lex. "You said a boy saved you! This..." Victoria said, pointed and smiled at Clark, "is certainly not a boy! I'm totally goobsmacked!"

Clark blushed; before, only Chloe had gushed over him. Lex saw the teen's reaction and decided to have some fun. He leaned in and whispered in Victoria's ear. She grinned wickedly.

"Lexy says your Mum and Old Man made you give back his gifty of the lorry," Victoria said and slinked towards Clark. "So...I will present you with one for saving his bacon."

Victoria slid up to Clark and before he could react, hugged him tightly, pressing her body against his. She was surprised; He was far more muscular and toned than Lex. She held tight when Clark tried to break off the hug. Victoria had held many a man in her arms, on many a continent, and Clark felt really good.

"A cuddle," She whispered and tilted up her head, "and kiss for this cheeky miss." She kissed each cheek. Suddenly, her lips were on Clark's. She was kissing hard, enjoying the snog. Clark went wide-eyed, looked over at Lex and raised his arms into the air with surprise. Lex's smirky grin dropped; the peck on the cheeks was part of the plan, not the full-out smacker that Victoria was giving Clark. Pete loved it; not so much watching the Brit mack on his friend, but watching Lex's girlie mack on his friend.

"Clark is taken, Victoria dear," Lex reminded loudly. "And so are you."

Victoria pulled away from Clark wit some effort and smacked her lips together; they tingled in a way they never had after a kiss before. She looked at Clark with a glazed look in her eyes. "That was smashing," she whispered, wanting more. But she turned to Lex dreamily. "I feel a bit knackered."

"You can rest up while we shop," Lex said firmly. He was not too pleased with her antics. He walked over to Jake and told him to take Victoria's luggage and trunks to the mansion and to return promptly. Victoria loved how the breeze atop the tower chilled the heat emitting from her. Clark looked at Pete and walked to him.

"I won't tell, big guy," Pete promised in a whisper to Clark. The thought of telling Chloe what he saw never popped in his head.

"Thanks Pete," Clark said and thought Chloe was a much better kisser.

"I believe we have some shopping to do," Lex said after he finished a call to a fashionable boutique. He escorted them into the tower, into an elevator and pressed the button indicating the first floor. He smiled at his group.