Through Lana's Eyes
Chapter 14
Zero
It was just a couple of days before the grand opening of the Talon and they were still having problems. The plumbing was leaking so badly that every two hours someone had to change the buckets collecting water.
"You promised every thing would be ready on time." she told the contractor.
"That was before the plumbing started leaking. Hasn't been replaced in years."
"How long will that take?"
"I can't really give you a straight answer, not until I crawl up there." She sighed. 'This is turning into something I wasn't ready to handle.' "You resurrect the past, you get the problems that come with it."
"Lex Luthor's going to be by later. He's going to need numbers and a timetable and a better explanation than that." She sighed again. The contractor walked away. She turned around and saw a man standing right behind her.
"Sorry, we're not open yet." she told him.
"It's about the assistant manager position. I know I'm late, but if I can get an application."
"Yeah, yeah, just give me a sec."
"Great. Really appreciate it, Miss. . . um?
"Lang."
"Lang."
"And just to warn you, my aunt's not taking any more interviews until next week."
"Well, that's all right, I happen to have all the time in the world. I'm Jude Royce." He held out his hand, and she shook it."
"Hi."
"So I understand that Lex Luthor has a stake in this project."
"Yeah, he's one of the owners. Why? Do you know him?"
"A lifetime ago in Metropolis."
"That must have been interesting."
"Well, let's just say there's a reason he's in Smallville. You know my advice? Stay away from him. When Lex gets involved things usually turn out badly." 'Why do you want to work here then?'
"I thanks for the warning." She turned around, and the man was walking out the door. She went and looked outside, but he was no where to be seen. She was going back to look at the papers, when Clark and Lex walked in.
"I hear we've sprung a leak." said Lex. She was still looking around wondering where the guy could have gone
"Is everything all right?" Clark asked her.
"Just a little weirded out."
"Relax, it's just a leak."
"No, a friend of yours came by, applied for the assistant manager position. He told me to stay away from you."
"What was his name?" She looked at the application,
"Jude Royce."
"What is it, Lex?" Clark asked. Lex ignored Clark.
"When did he leave?"
"Just before you came in."
"What was that about?" she asked Clark.
"I don't know; let me go find out." He walked out of the Talon leaving here with a leaking ceiling and even more questions. She focused on cleaning up, and apparently got lost in it, because she was surprised to hear Clark walk in an ask,
"Are you planing on spending the night here?"
"What? I was just talking to you like five minutes ago."
"Um Lana, it's almost nine. I went by your house to work on my English paper, but Nell said you were here."
"What English paper?"
"The six page one on a fellow student. By the way, I got you."
"Right." She was still a little out of it. "Is it really almost nine?"
"Yeah. Come on, I'll walk you home."
"Let me get my coat." She went into the back room and got her bag and her coat and walked back into the front of the theater.
"So, how does it feel?"
"Feel?"
"To single handedly bring the Talon back from the brink of becoming a parking garage?"
"It's nice, you know, being counted on, have responsibility. People treat you differently."
"Like you won't break." 'He remembers.'
"Finally feel like I'm shedding that fairy princess costume." Lex's car pulled up in front of them and he got out.
"Lex, what are you doing here?"
"Contractor called. Said he had an estimate, wanted me to meet him here." 'I might as well stay too.' They went back inside and she turned the lights back on. She looked over at the counter and saw the contractor laying on the floor.
"What the hell?" Lex said.
"Are you okay?" she asked as they ran over. She helped him to his feet.
"Yeah. I came in the back door and some guy jumped me and forced me to let him in and bashed me over the head."
"Did you see is face?" Clark asked him.
"No."
"Look." Clark walked over to the counter where a wrapped box was sitting.
"That wasn't there when I locked up. I'll go call the police." She walked into the back room where the phone was. Once she'd gotten off the phone she, Lex told here that there was a human hand in the box. She sat down on one of the chairs. 'Gross, gross, gross. Who's got a sick enough mind to do something like that?' Once the police had finished questioning her and Clark they sat down to talk.
"How you holding up?" he asked.
"I was fine until it showed up."
"Yeah, stupid question."
"What kind of a sick person would do a thing like that?"
"I don't know. But I've never seen Lex so freaked out before."
"Join the club. That guy warned me. He said everything Lex touches ends badly. How much do we really know about him and his past?"
"I want you both to know how truly sorry I am about this." Lex said coming over. "I promise this won't affect the grand opening."
"We're going to be infamous before we even open the doors." She got up and walked away. For the next few days she concentrated on getting the Talon as clean and as organized as she could. On the night of the grand opening Whitney picked her up and they drove into town together. When they got there he helped her with some last minute decorations and they waited for people to arrive. She was standing with Whitney when she saw Clark come in. She walked over to him.
"So, what do you think?" she asked him.
"I'm definitely surprised."
"Me too. Where's Chloe?"
"She said she wanted to be fashionably late."
"Oh."
"I got this for you." He held out a package with a red bow on it. "Don't worry; it's not a body part." She laughed and pulled off the paper. It was a framed black and white picture of the Talon. "It was in the attic. It was my grandfather's. It was taken just after the Talon opened. Figured you could hang it above the counter."
"Clark, it's amazing. Thank you."
"You're welcome." They heard some glass breaking. 'I guess this really is a party now. I should clean it up though.'
"I'd better get back to work."
"How does it feel?"
"Terrifying. Don't tell anybody."
"Your secret's safe with me." She smiled and walked over to the counter where she put down the picture and went to get a dustpan and broom to clean up the glass. By the time the party was over she was exhausted, and apparently she fell asleep in Whiney's truck on the ride home, because one minute she was sitting in the truck next to him and the next he was carrying her up the front steps of her house.
"Hey, sleepy-head." He set her down on the steps and sat down next to her.
"Thanks for the ride home."
"No problem. Are you going to fall asleep again before you get back inside?"
"I don't think so" She got up and walked into the house and went upstairs. 'I think I'll lie for a few minutes before I change and go to sleep.' She thought and she took off her shoes. 'I should probably get up now. I think I'll stay here for a little while and read.' She reached over and picked up a book, but before she even opened it she was fast asleep with the book still in her hand which was resting on her stomach.