You know what? Screw them all
*
Friday Afternoon, Oct. 11
"Isis," Pete's father called, "your Dad on the phone for you."
Isis and Pete turned around just as they were heading out the door. "Dad? Really? Tell him to call me on my cell phone in about fifteen minutes, Uncle Mark. He can talk to us while we drive to Metrop--"
"I'm sorry, not your father, your grandfather."
Isis made a face. "This'll only take a sec Pete, then we can go. Uncle Mark, we can still use the car, right?" He nodded. "Spiffy!" She took the phone from him, smiling broadly at Pete. "Hey Gran'pa, how's it shakin'? Not so bad. A little chilly, but hey, it's Kan--
"Actually me and Peter are going to Metropolis. See, I banged up the Benz and I needed a new car anyway, so I promised Pete--
"But I'm gonna be there in three hours anyway. More the longer this convo lasts." She turned back to Pete, but her eyes weren't shining quite as brightly as before. "Can't it wait until later in the week? It's not like I'm do--
"But didn't you hear, I banged up the Benz. My only car. It's being fi--
"I'm taking Uncle Mark's. What do you mean, 'Forget about it?' I promised Peter." Isis was still looking at her cousin, but she obviously wasn't seeing him. "Why can't this wait. At least until after we get the car. I'll have it by this eve--
"I can't be there now, Grandfather. Grandfather how coul-- This just couldn't wait, could it? Fine! Just fine, I will see you in Metropolis as soon as the friggin' limo friggin' pulls up!" Isis hit the end button as if she wanted to put her finger through it.
"Every time!" she fumed. "I swear this only happens when I've got something interesting planned. Do they have some camera on me or something? And you know what? It wouldn't be so bad if they would just let me bow out every now and then. Have they ever heard of the word compromise?"
"Isis, what's wrong?" Pete asked.
"Grandmother and Grandfather are in Metropolis and would like to see their only granddaughter. Never mind they're in town for the next month or so. Oh nooo. They made plans for tonight, without me, and by golly, by gum, they're gonna carry through with them. Whether I like it or not."
"It's okay, Isis. We'll do it another time," he said lightly.
"It is not okay! Now you see why my parents fought with them. And Dad still does! Controlling rat-bastards. Do you know Grandfather already sent a limo? It should be here in minutes. They had this all planned. I probably wouldn't have minded as much if they had given me some sort of notice."
"They probably didn't want you to say no."
Isis gave him a long hard look. "You know what, Pete, when they finally meet you they are gonna be so blown away."
"Why's that. And why would they meet me. They're your grandparents," he asked suspiciously.
"Oh, did I forget to mention that, until I have kids, you're listed as my heir?"
Pete's jaw dropped.
"And because when they meet you -- and they're gonna want to eventually -- you're gonna see right through them." There was a knock on the door. Isis' eyes narrowed. "I bet that's my ride," she said sarcastically. "Tell Uncle Mark I won't be home tonight. Oh, forget about it, I'll call when I get to Metropolis. I love you Pete. You are the best bro ever."
"Nah, I'm . . .I'm all right. You're the best bro ever."
"Really, you think so?" A genuine, playful smile lit up her face. "You have no idea how much I wish you were coming too. Ugh! It's so mad with them. Bye Pete."
"Bye," he called after her weakly. Elated and annoyed, Pete picked up the phone from the couch and dialed. "Hey Chloe. How long are you gonna be at the paper?"
"I thought you and Isis were going to Metropolis?"
"We were, but she got pulled away on business." He thought about telling her about Isis' revelation.
"You sound bummed."
"Is it that obvious?" Pete changed his mind.
"I bet it'd be even more obvious if you came over here and helped me lay out Horoscopes."
Pete was already up, walking the phone back the kitchen. "I thought you did Horoscopes already."
"You get here and I'll tell you about it."
"See you soon, Chloe."
"I'm counting on it. I really need the help."
Pete expected most of the work to be done by the time he got there. Chloe was not known for her slacker habits, at least when it came to The Torch. Surprise, surprise, surprise: "Oh my God! I am so happy you're here Pete. Yesterday's little game cost me major layout time. Don't get me wrong, it's the most fun and terror I've had in a while, but I'm going to be pulling huge overtime if I don't want to be here tomorrow. Well I was, but now you're here," Chloe finished brightly. "Oh don't look so glum," she said as Pete dropped himself heavily into a chair.
There was a knock on the office door at 10:12. Pete knew because he had been checking his watch every four minutes, exactly. Not five minutes, four. "Maybe it's reinforcements," he said, checking his watch and glancing hopefully at his senior editor.
"Maybe. Only one way to find out." Chloe let the persistent knocker in. "Lana?"
Lana held up a tray of four grande cups. The smell of coffee preceeded her. "I know you didn't get any work done yesterday so I thought you might be needing a pick-me-up. And The Talon's all locked up for the night, so no costumers to worry about."
Chloe snatched up a cup. Her face the image of religious rapture she declared that "You, Lana, are a saint."
"Hmm, not from the looks I still get sometimes. Are you guys ever going to tell me what happened when that funny flower sneezed on me?" She handed Pete a cup and sat down with her own.
"Not for us to tell. Who's the extra cup for, by the way?" Chloe asked, eyeing it hungrily over her own coffee.
"I thought Clark might be here too. I'm surprised he isn't."
"Farmwork."
"Hey," Pete broke in, "how'd you know I was here?"
"Oh, I saw your Dad on my way to Talon. He told me. Isis is in Metropolis without you?" she asked, obviously confused.
Pete explained the situation as best he could, leaving out his possible inheritance. "She seemed really pissed about it. I'm kinda glad they're not my grandparents. I'm not exactly eager to meet them. The paternal ones are just fine, thank you."
"And your grandmother's pecan pie has got to be the best this side of the Great Plains," Lana reminded them all. There was a collective groan.
Chloe reached for the second cup. "Isis is a big girl. She can handle a pair of geezers."
*
Thrum
Thrum
Thrum
sweat-slick sweet bodies/hot-sweet smell of sweat from bodies
so closeso closeso close
Press
and
Press
and
Press
Yes this
forget that
there's only this/and this is bliss
BlissThrumBlissThrumBlissThrum
it all twists
and yes
Press
Press
Press
i'll take it/twist it/screw it -- Baby yes, It feels good
yeah that feels good?
-- Baby yes, It feels good
gimme a new heart
gimme a new mind
gotta lose my mind to the sweat-slick sweet bodies full up of hot-sweet smell of sweat from bodies
that are just so closeso closeso close they just press and press and pre-- and twist and twists
Yes it all twists
and trips
and skips
and falls
Gotta lose my mind
Gonna lose my mind
"My mind."
*
"Lex. . . Come get me."
"Who the hell is this and what time is it?"
"It's Isis, Le--"
"How'd you get this number?"
"Get me and I'll tell you."
Much as he didn't want to be, Lex was very much awake. "And why would I want to do that?"
" 'Cause I'm Trippin'." Now as trump cards went, that wasn't one Lex would have thrown out, but Isis wasn't done yet. "And if I'm not mistaken you've got all these kids thinking you're decent. Maybe not Pete, but the rest of 'em. Helping out the high cousin and newfound friend would really solidify that, wouldn't it? Or at least not make you look like the total worthless bastard we both know and love from Metro U."
"My, my, I've never known a loquacious Tripper."
" 'S my forte."
She was right of course. It would look very good with the locals. He didn't have to mention the drug problem. No, that was better kept close to his chest for more appropriate use later.
"God, Lex," Isis hissed. "It's bad. Come get me, please."
"Why me, Ice?"
"I really don't need Pete seeing me like this. You've done it. It can get nasty."
"What if I refuse."
"My grandparents have set me up in nice little digs here in Metropolis. I'm sure the staff can be paid off to ignore my odd behavior. But I'd really like to go home, Lex, and if I can't get to Gotham, Smallville's a nice alternative."
"Don't enjoy the old folks?"
"How is LL senior these days, Lex? Have any fun father-son conversations of late? Been ordered to have a business dinner, despite your own plans, in Metrop--" He heard her cry out faintly over the phone. "Screw it," her voice was less than steady. "I will call a cab," she said slowly, carefully. "Goodnight, LL."
"I'll pick you up. Where are you?"
An hour and a half, and a roundly broken speed limit, later Isis was bundled up in the passenger seat of the Lambhourgini. "I was . . .I was kinda hoping for the other car. The black one. Darkness," she whispered. " 'Where is my Darkness?'"
Lex ignored her, concentrating on making the trip to and from Metropolis three hours, round-trip, instead of its three one-way.
Isis snuggled deeper into the blankets he had thoughtfully brought with him. "Nothing to say, LL? No questions? Trying to figure out how quickly you can kick me out?"
"You're not staying at the Mansion."
"Like I'm going home to Uncle Mark's. Yeah fr-friggin' right, Lex. Just find me a room in the most deserted dungeon you've got in that castle, then you and the servants can ignore the screams."
"It might not be that bad," he said blandly. Making conversation. Hello, you've reached the automated conversation with Lex device. For real emotion, i.e. a Lex that cares, please matter. Thank you.
"Don't talk to me like that Lex, like you're so much better than me," Isis shot back weakly, staring at things she knew were never seen on Kansas roads at any time of day or night. Just in her imagination. "Tell me you've never fallen back into the old life. That you've never done anything stupid, if only because it was so familiar: if only because that scene was closer to being home than anything in the real world."
He spared her a glance, but that was all the discussion he was going to get from her. She'd be a little less than lucid for the next five hours. At least.
Yeah Lex, he told himself, you've never gone back. It had never looked inviting. Not to you, Lex. Not to you.
"So how loud was I?" Isis asked some time after noon the next day.
"On a scale of one to ten?" Isis nodded. "A nine for loudness, an eleven for piercing-quality."
"I haven't Tripped in a long time."
"So say my eardrums."
"I'm sorry Lex. For butting into your life. For whatever I said last night. I remember some of it, but not all. It's not nice anyway."
He snorted. "I notice you aren't taking any of it back."
"It's all true."
A short bark of laughter escaped him. "You, my Ice Princess, are fully recovered. So, mind if I asked what happened?"
"So you can reprimand me like a child? I've had more than enough of that, thank you. It's part of the bloody reason --"
"What happened," he prodded gently.
Isis explained, as concisely as possible, her grandparents. The similarities to Lionel Luthor's authoritarian style were unmistakable. "They had even rented a hotel room for me, for when I left in a huff. They knew exactly what they were doing. I went out clubbing and . . . Paint your own picture, I really don't care to. I just needed to get out of Metropolis. Less than two whole weeks in Smallville and I was already pining for open fields. God only knows what I'm gonna do when I go home to Gotham."
"Readjust."
"Succint as always. Now if you don't mind," she motioned him to move his chair back as she swung her legs over the side of the guest-bed. "I really should be going. I've impinged on your time and hospitality far long enough. Merci beaucoup, Alexandre."
"Vous êtes l'accueil, Isis." He rose to leave. "My driver will take you to the Rosses."
"The formal, Lex? Hmm. You must remind me to thank you properly one day," she called after him.
He promised himself he would.