Pete carefully folded up the notes he'd taken. Every bit of information helped, or at least Lionel said so. The more they knew about Kal-El's or his commanders' plans or infrastructure, the more they'd be able to block the worst. Most importantly, there might be some trivial detail that would lead to finding some kind of weakness in Kal-El. Pete only hoped that there was one to be found.
"What are you guys planning to do next?"
"We're just going to lie low until the baby comes. Unless, that is, there's anything that you want us to do."
"What I want you to do?"
Paul, who had done most of the speaking, and the other three survivors nodded.
"I don't know, man, I'm not the one to make that call." If he hadn't taken a deep breath first, he'd have sounded even more alarmed. Lionel hadn't given him any specific directions, just to do what seemed best. He'd planned on cornering Lionel and getting details, but Lionel hadn't returned in time.
"It's all right," Sarah said as she got up, her belly swollen but not yet too awkward. Pete wished that he could have been certain that she and the others hadn't exchanged glances of disappointment, but it would just make things more awkward if he said anything.
Lionel knew the full sea on which he was afloat. This moment might mean another chance, not just for Clark, but for himself. If this time he treated Clark as a young man who desperately needed acceptance and warmth, who was capable of receiving and returning a friend's love, instead of somebody whose family and upbringing meant that he didn't deserve them, it would defeat Kal-El more surely than all of the minor sabotage they had ever accomplished before.
"I'll take you to him," he said, quietly.
Clark grinned, shot out into the corridor, and it was only a few minutes later that Clark was driving, following Lionel's directions, given, purely in defense against the speed, as slowly as possible and with frequent interjections that he'd have to see to remember exactly where the landmarks were.
When Lionel led him into the basements, he jumped at an unexpected and unidentified noise from above. Clark also turned but didn't stop for more than a second. "It doesn't sound like anything."
Lionel unlocked and opened the door and Clark pushed past him. Lex was sitting at the table, an oil lamp lighting the map he was annotating. "Oh, Lex," Clark called, and Lex leapt up as it burst into flames under his hands. "There you are, Lex," he said, with great satisfaction, as he strode towards him, and in movements so swift Lionel couldn't even see them until they were done, fastened a choke chain around his neck. He swatted Lionel aside and jerked the chain, smirking as Lex stumbled.
"Clark, why?" Lionel couldn't even look at his son, for fear of seeing the expression on his face.