-
Clark spent the next day weighing his options and they came down to (A) do nothing and hope the memory lapses would stop, or (B) do whatever he could to save himself. Being the logical person he liked to think he was he figured 'A' didn't stand a chance in hell of happening, and while 'B' was vague, it was pretty much the only option he saw working.
He was dressed and ready when Dr. Garner came in holding large x-rays. "Oh good, you're up." It really bothered Clark when he was friendly because he was such a jackass the rest of the time.
"We need to talk," Clark said, standing up. He still felt exhausted but today was important.
"Yes, we do," he held up an x-ray and began, "Now I want to show you-"
"No," Clark cut him off, "I need to talk and you need to listen."
He smirked, a little surprised, "Oh really?"
"Yes." Clark held his ground, he had something to say and would not let his shot-to-hell nerves prevent him from stepping up and saying it.
Garner placed the x-rays on the desk and crossed his arms. He was annoyed, amused and honestly, a little curious about this new development. "Alright, go ahead."
Clark took a breath and squeezed his trembling hand into a fist. "First, I want to say that although I am being held against my will, I can at least appreciate that you haven't treated me like an animal or freak." Garner smiled so he quickly added, "Don't take that as a compliment. Don't think I'm the least bit happy with this situation."
"I've done everything you've asked. Taken every test you've given and I haven't tried to hurt you or your men but believe me, if it came to that, I could." That got him a raised eyebrow. "Basically I have been a good 'test subject' because there is nothing I can do about it. I've thought of every possible way to escape and even tried a few. I know I can't get out of here on my own. I know what will happen if I get near the walls and even the hallways. I know it all."
"Do you have a point?"
Clark's jaw clenched and his fists tightened, "My point is I've been obedient because I'm not willing to die trapped here and losing my memory fall in that category. A change needs to be made or I won't be so cooperative in the future."
Garner straightened, his face angry, "You're giving me an ultimatum?"
"I have no choice." His heart was pounding and his hands were trembling, his adrenaline increasing.
"That's right. You have no choice." He stepped forward, voice rising, "You think I give a damn if you cooperate? You said it yourself, Clark, you can't do a thing about what I do to you. You have no control or leverage and you're a fool to think I'd actually negotiate with you."
All of his anger and pain from the last month filled him with a rage that would have scared him had he been thinking clearly. A feeling of desperation came over him. Staying within the given parameters of his room, he sped forward, grabbed Garner and forced him to his knees in a headlock, holding his arms behind and above his head.
Dr. Garner didn't know what happened but suddenly Clark was behind him and what felt like a vice was wrapped around his neck. "That was a mistake," he grunted, trying to pull against Clark's steel grip.
"I don't have anything to lose. If I stay here I'll lose my mind and life. That is not happening, now shut up and tell me how to get out." He squeezed his arm tighter around Garner's neck.
"Ugh… there is no way out for you," he grumbled, struggling to move his arms, to get his hands closer together. "The second you pass over that line the panels will activate. Even if you got out of this room, my men will know."
"Not if you call them off."
He was able to move his hand further and reach his wrist, "Not necessary." He pressed a small hidden button on the side of his watch and the loud clank of the panels began. Clark's grip instantly loosened but he still held tight. "Give up, Clark. You no longer have the upper hand."
Clark stifled a groan as the pain intensified. He kept his focus on his strength, drawing as much as he could. He flexed his arm and squeezed it tighter. Garner made a muffled sound and struggled harder. Clark was cutting off his air.
"I. Will. Not. Die. Here." Clark said curtly. The kryptonite forced him to his knees but he refused to loosen his hold. Had it not been for the kryptonite, his arm would have snapped Garner's neck by now. Beads of sweat began to form on his neck and forehead; he said through gritted teeth, "I will kill you now if you don't do what I say."
"'k-ay, okay" Garner choked out, gasping for breath.
"Let me go home."
"No," he rasped, "anything… but that."
"That's all I want."
"T-Then… kill… me."
Clark squeezed, his heart and head pounding, his ears echoing with the sound of bones beginning to crack. He wanted it -almost needed it- with every fiber of his being, but a voice that sounded remarkably like his father set off alarms in his mind.
No! No! Don't! This isn't you! You won't be able to live with yourself! You are a good person! Don't!
Clark groaned furiously and let his arm loosen completely. The strength that had come from nowhere left him. He fell forward, his head leaning in his arms, his body shaking from the anger coursing through his body and the kryptonite. He pounded his fist against the cement; his frustration, anger and pure pain were overwhelming. He felt angry with himself for what he almost did and even more for how much he wanted it. He was so close, too close.
Dr. Garner fell over then scooted further away from Clark while he gasped for much needed breath. He looked back to Clark and his face grew red hot with rage. He staggered upright, using the desk for support. He breathed heavily and spoke; his voice was weak and dry, "You fucking idiot." He grabbed the x-rays and threw them on the floor near Clark. "The meteorite treatments are damaging your temporal lobes and in the hippocampus region of your brain." He said, holding his throat, his face twisted in pain.
Clark could barely hear over the pounding in his head but he heard enough to choke out, "How much damage?"
"Enough to cause several forms of amnesia. I came to tell you that and suggest a treatment but you just ruined any fucking chance you had at keeping your mind intact. You can rot in alien hell for all I care." He took one last look at Clark grimacing on the floor, rubbing his tender neck, and said with disgust, "Piece of shit!"
The door slammed hard when Garner left and shortly after, the panels closed. The gut wrenching pain running through his body stopped except in his head. The adrenaline spike, stress and kryptonite had brought on another migraine, this one worse than all the others.
"Ahhurgh!" he screamed, the pain unbearable. He pressed his forehead against the cool cement, tears pooling around it, and pounded the floor again, desperate for some relief. Pressure beat against his skull like a drum, blackening the edges of his vision. It became so intense that his vision turned completely black for several panic-filled minutes before he finally passed out.
-
Molly jumped when the door slammed so hard that it shook the frame. She twirled her chair around and gasped. Her lover's neck was red with ghastly bruises forming around it and his expression was furious.
"My God, Lawrence! What happened?"
"He attacked me," he answered, his voice hoarse, swatting her hand away, heading straight for the bottom drawer of his desk. He didn't bother with a glass. Grabbing a bottle of Scotch, he took a long swig, hissing at its sting as he swallowed.
"Are you crazy?" she snatched the bottle before he could take another drink then took a bottle of water from the mini refrigerator. "Here, take small sips. Now, what happened?"
Taking the water from her, he looked at her incredulously. "Isn't it obvious? He attacked me."
"Clark?"
"No, the other psychotic alien! Who the fuck else would I be talking about?"
"Hey! Don't talk to me like that. Calm down before you say something I'll make you regret. What exactly happened?" She pulled an ice tray from the refrigerator and emptied it onto a small towel.
He grumbled and took a drink. "He gave me an ultimatum and attacked me when I said 'no.' Nearly broke my neck."
"What was the ultimatum?" she asked, pressing the towel against his neck.
"Let him leave or he'd kill me."
"And you said no?" her voice pitched.
"I knew he wouldn't do it."
"Excuse me? Just the other night you said if it weren't for the meteor rock he'd kill us all. What happened to that theory?" He didn't say anything. "So he had the opportunity to kill you but didn't? And you still feel that your work is justified?"
"Now is hardly the time to lecture me on how gentle Clark is," he winced then grabbed the towel from her and pressed it to his neck. "What is with you, anyway? You do remember you're the reason he's here at all?"
"When you asked me to write that code, I was under the impression you would run a few tests and Clark would leave without any memory of them. I did not sign up for this. You're slowly destroying him and I'm sorry if that's not alright with me."
"Oh, now you're a crusader for the people? You didn't seem to have a problem with killing a year ago."
She frowned, upset at the reminder. "I'm not proud of what I've done, I can't change the past but I will not pretend this is okay."
"Quit acting like an innocent bystander. You're just as responsible as I am, whether you like it or not."
She stared at him for a moment and then sat down across from his desk, sighing. "I can't do this."
"You don't have a choice," his angry tone quieted and he came around his desk to kneel in front of her. "We're in this together."
-
"Clark," he heard his name called from afar "wake up."
"Ugh," Clark moaned, still lying on the floor of his room. His shirt clung to his chest, he felt overly hot, feverish even. There was still a dull throb against his skull and his vision was fuzzy. A hand touched his shoulder then roughly pushed him onto his back. He moaned again.
"Get the fuck up!" Garner practically yelled, his face inches from Clark's. He squeezed Clark's face with one hand and shook him to gain his attention. "Clark!"
Clark's eyes fell on him but his vision remained unfocused, "Wh-aa?" he mumbled, his jaw beginning to hurt from the hand squeezing it.
"Don't think you can pull that "I'm sick" shit again because whether you are or not, I don't really give a fuck anymore."
"St-oop," Clark pleaded, the pain in his jaw traveling up his skull, intensifying the throbbing.
Dr. Garner turned his head, like a dog studying him. "Do you remember what happened yesterday?"
Clark thought and only a few small flashes sparked in his mind. He remembered feeling angry and wanting to kill Garner, and then advancing on him and his own arm squeezing tight until he felt bones breaking. Then a horrible pain that was followed by feeling panicked as his vision blacked, then nothing. "I… I attacked you." As he said the words, he noticed the dark bruise that circled the doctor's swollen neck.
The corner of Garner's mouth curled a little, almost into a smile then he released his grip and patted Clark's cheek. "Looks like you're ready for more treatments."
That same anger and desperate desire that overwhelmed Clark the day before rushed back as Garner's words struck him. His expression twisted in anger and he quickly grabbed Dr. Garner's arm before he could move and held tight.
Garner didn't look surprised and as if he were expecting Clark to attack again, he pulled a remote from his pocket with his free hand and pressed the button to open the panels. They raised and Clark's hand fell from his arm. He rose from his haunches and watched Clark cringe in pain, delighting in the sight. After the previous days' events, he felt Clark deserved punishment, or payback, he didn't really care which.
Clark had felt the same blood-boiling pain many times in his life, some more intense than others, but each in itself unbearable. It never got better or easier to endure, and since he began Dr. Garner's treatments, it only got worse. The pain… the stabbing, scolding pain swelled and left him feeling weaker each day and it was becoming increasingly difficult for his body to recover in the short periods of time he was free from it.
He squeezed his eyes shut, holding back tears he did not want escaping in front of his torturer. His stomach flip-flopped and had there been food in it, he would have vomited it back up. Instead, he dry heaved, choking on nothing but pain and anger.
The panels began to close and when he looked up at Dr. Garner, who squatted next to him again, he noticed the two other men in the room, standing near the door. His attention went back to Garner as he spoke.
His voice was deadly serious, "I am not an unreasonable man, Clark. I can forgive and forget just as easily as others can, but I will not tolerate the kind of behavior you exhibited yesterday. Your little stunt was a mistake and I understand that." He paused, as if waiting for Clark to acknowledge him but then continued when he received nothing but a cold, confused stare. "I won't threaten you with meteor rocks or punishments because I think you are smart enough to believe me when I say, if it happens again I will end you."
He stood up and motioned for the two men to get Clark. "You are not as important as you think you are."
Dr. Garner walked out the door and the men took Clark by the arms, hoisting him up. The motion nauseated Clark, the effects of the kryptonite panels still with him, so he just closed his eyes and hoped. For what? Too many things; to be free from everything, to know what he should do, to have the patience he needed to withstand it all, but first and foremost, to not pass out.