Clark walked through the halls of Lex's castle. He had just made the produce delivery and wanted to catch up. Sometimes he would wonder if he took a wrong turn somewhere and got lost if anyone would ever find him. Quite some time ago servants stopped announcing his presence or showing him where to find Lex all together. However, the room that Lex used for his office was a pretty good bet.
Clark reached the double doors and knocked softly as he peeked inside Lex's office. He was sitting at his desk, looking through some files. He smiled when he looked up and saw Clark. Clark shot him a blinding smile, "Hey, Lex, I just dropped off your produce."
"Thanks Clark, I appreciate it. I lost track of the time reading through some -- files," Lex didn't feel the need to talk about background checks but knew his hesitation was a give away.
"So, whom are you checking up on this week? Not me I hope," Clark said with a smile but was sincere.
Lex smiled wryly at Clark, "There are some people from the government that are going to check over some invoices. Nothing really, I just like to know whom I'm dealing with."
Clark nodded; you didn't have to know Lex very long to know he liked to know things. Ok, he liked to know everything.
Lex rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. For the first time, Clark noticed how tired his friend looked. "Hey, Lex, maybe you should give this a break and get a coffee or something," Clark suggested out of slight concern.
"Considering these are the three most boring files I have ever read," Lex started, "I should get it done."
"How boring can they be, someone's intimate details," Clark was surprised at himself. Not only that he was saying this but he regarded having someone's personal life in file form on his best friend's desk as normal.
Lex smiled at the challenge. "This one, Jean Rex, is quite interesting," Lex leaned forward. He finished by placing the file in front of Clark, "She collects ceramic farm animals."
Clark looked at Lex and after a moment said, "Wow." After a brief pause he said, "I'm big enough to admit that I was wrong -- really wrong."
As Clark said this, Lex opened the last file on his desk labeled "Rhone Chade." He started reading and an "Hn" escaped him as he leaned back.
"What?" Clark asked when he heard his reaction.
"The one who is supervising is only twenty-two years old. She is half the age of the three people she is overseeing," he answered. Lex thought it peculiar. He always considered the government a horrible bureaucracy that rewarded seniority.
"She must be good at what she does," Clark offered.
"Either that or she knows who to sleep with," Lex commented with a smile and Clark blushed.
Rhone pulled into the parking lot of the Smallville Hotel. So far what she had seen of this town had not impressed her. There were a couple of spots she would have to make acquainted with her skateboard, but that was about it. Otherwise, this place reminded her of home, a place she really didn't care to think about.
There were all of those stories that came right out of the X-files she had run across, but nothing concrete. Considering who she was, what she had seen, but most importantly what she was, she believed that things like that were more than possible. It was painfully obvious, however ignored, that all that cheap sci-fi movie of the week shit was related to that meteor shower that occurred here. "That isn't my job," she told herself getting out of the car. She grabbed her artist's case and slung it over her shoulder to her back. She knew she didn't need it, but it felt natural to have it.
She walked up to the man behind the main desk of the Smallville Hotel and smiled, "Hi, I'm Rhone Chade." She offered her hand to the man. He looked pleasantly surprised as he shook her hand. She continued, "I must say that I was quite surprised at the fine establishment that my superiors decided to put us up in."
"Hello, Ms. Chade," the man beamed as he started to type on his keyboard. "Here we are," he said, pleased with himself.
Rhone continued to smile back at him, "That was quite efficient, I would love to tell your employer what an excellent job you are doing."
"Come with me, Ms. Chade," he said holding her key in his hand.
"Call me Rhone," she corrected with a smile.
"Rhone," he said leading her to the elevator.
They made small talk on the way to her room, about his family, the details of his job, his hobbies. She wasn't really listening, but she made it seem like it. It was always good to have friends, especially in new territory. By the time they got to her room he was asking if he could help her with any bags she had, even though this wasn't that kind of hotel. She insisted that she would be fine and he told her that if she needed anything, all she had to do was call Matt at the front desk. He left with a smile.
She looked around the room, nothing special. She got her bag and laptop from her sporty car and got out her skateboard. She changed into what she referred to as normal cloths. Cargo pants and a fitted T-shirt. She considered taking out her light brown contacts, but knew better. She put her artists' case over her shoulder, she knew it wasn't necessary but had learned to work with it. She walked by the desk again and the man smiled and waved while on the phone. She returned the pleasantries. She put her sunglasses down over her eyes and walked out the door. She always made it her goal to be well liked in a situation like this; it made life easier.
She started to skate. She noticed her co-workers drive by in their minivan. They didn't seem to recognize her. "Good," she thought to herself. Thank god she didn't have to share a room with any of them. Not only did she dislike them, but then they would know about the whole bizarre sleep ritual she had, or lack of it.
She skated and did a few minor tricks and grinds. She wasn't trying to impress anyone, no one was watching anyway. She realized that she was starting to get thirsty and scanned what passed for down town for a place to pick up some water.
Clark was sitting at a table amidst an empty Talon with Chloe and Pete. Chloe had picked them up and they were trying to work on their chemistry homework, but not having much luck. Clark had taken to staring at Lana who was filling sweeteners behind the counter. Chloe and Pete were flipping through notes and textbooks. Occasionally, Pete would glance up at Clark and chuckle.
Only Lana looked up when the door opened, but Clark followed her gaze to the door. A young woman with a skateboard and one of those tube things that artistic types carry around was walking toward the counter. She was dressed like a skater and had extremely short hair, or it was just pulled back that tight? She was slim but with broad shoulders, maybe that was why she walked like a guy. Clark looked back to Lana; she was physically tensed and staring at the figure with dark sunglasses purposefully coming at her.
Pete and Chloe both looked up from their homework. This woman had some type of presence that no one could place. Both Pete and Chloe and watched her cross the room. She reached the counter and stood right in front of Lana. She knew she was being stared at. Here was more of that awkward silence she was so used to.
Clark used his X-ray vision on the woman to investigate her bag. He was confused by what he saw. Everything else looked normal, so he knew nothing was wrong with his ability. She didn't -- have a skeleton. She was solid looking underneath her skin. And her artistic bag had a bunch of machine looking parts in it, like it did something. He stopped focusing because he couldn't figure out what else was in the bag, but there was something else in there with all the machine parts.
"Can I get a water from you please?" the young woman asked in a surprisingly casual voice.
Lana paused for a moment before the question registered. "Ummm, a bottled water?" Lana asked.
"No," the woman replied. Lana looked nervous. She put her sunglasses on her head and smiled at Lana, "I want you to spit in a glass until it's full and then sell it to me at an exorbitantly high price." Lana returned her smile; it was contagious. The woman paused, "I'm Rhone, Rhone Chade." Rhone switched her skateboard to her left hand and held out her right for Lana to shake.
"I'm sorry, I'm Lana. Lana Lang," Lana was visibly relieved. She shook the outstretched hand and smiled even wider.
"It is a pleasure to meet you Lana Lang," Rhone said. She knew two of the three at the table relaxed as well. "Are you always so -- tense?" she asked allowing her vision to travel to the table behind her. Her gaze landed on Clark and she smiled at him; she had a feeling that she could trust him. That was – rare.
He smiled back, but it was reserved. He didn't like what his X-ray vision revealed, or didn't reveal. Where had he heard that name before?
Lana got a bottle of water and set it on the counter, "You're not from around here." Rhone sat down at the counter.
"Beautiful and smart," Rhone complimented. "I normally live just outside of Metropolis. I'm here to offer -- professional services to Luthor Corp.'s Plant Number Three."
That was where Clark knew that name. He couldn't believe that he had forgotten so quickly. Her name was written on the folder Lex was looking at when he talked about her sleeping with the right people. Clark blushed at the recollection.
While Clark was in thought Pete had gotten up and sat down next to Rhone at the counter. He had introduced himself and was introducing Clark and Chloe. "Clark Kent?" Rhone asked. "The local hero," she added. Clark blushed again and flashed a large smile.
Clark forgot about his X-ray scan of her and the bag. Maybe he was at a bad angle or something. She seemed nice enough. He had a feeling about her, that she was a good person. Either way, he would mention it to his mom and dad when he got home.
"And Chloe Sullivan," Pete said, gesturing to the spunky blond sitting at the table.
"The intrepid reporter," Rhone's complimented. That solicited a blushing smile from Chloe. She continued, "I have read some of your work for The Torch."
"You like my fascinating account of high school sporting events?" Chloe asked dryly.
"No. Actually, I like your other work. Your reports on the meteor fragments and their effects on your community are -- insightful," Rhone said looking at Chloe.
"You believe me?" Chloe could not hide her surprise.
"I didn't say that," Rhone smiled. "But it's not like anyone else has a better explanation for what goes on here. It's interesting," she finished.
That was good enough for Chloe. Clark watched her face light up; he knew what was coming.
"You should come and see the wall!" Chloe blurted.
"You're going to scare her away, Chloe," Pete said. "You know, I can't shake the felling that I know you from somewhere," Pete added. He was looking at her like he was trying to place her.
"I doubt that, I've never been to Smallville before today," Rhone quickly pointed out.
"Pete, can you spare just one woman of your charms," Chloe joked.
"I just enjoy good company," Pete responded. "So," he turned his attention back to Rhone, "what are you doing Friday night?"
"Probably working," Rhone said smiling.
"Your loss, I know a great place," Pete said.
"Then what are you doing here?" Rhone asked. "I'm only kidding," she said, putting a hand on Pete's elbow. "You'll get used to it, hopefully," she added. Everyone smiled, they weren't used to that level of sarcasm, but it was funny. She looked at the notes and books on the table that they were seated around when she walked in, "What are you guys working on?"
Chloe melodramatically buried her head in her hands on the table and there was a muffled reply of, "Chemistry,"
"Really," one of Rhone's eyebrows perked up.
"Do you know anything about chemistry?" Clark asked hopefully. Chloe looked up hopefully.
"You could say that," Rhone said getting up from her position at the counter. She didn't mention that she knew chemistry and physics because she had blown up more things than she could remember with, well, anything. They didn't need to know that, no one did. She sat at the table, Pete followed. She looked at their homework questions and smiled.