Chapter Twenty-Three
Lex left early the next morning to go to the office. There was no Benji to cook him breakfast, but Lex explained how he could order room service the night before, or the kitchen was fully stocked if he wanted to attempt making something.
Clark surprised himself by ordering pop tarts with a side of bacon and a coffee. He remembered his breakfasts on the farm were toast or pop tarts because he always seemed to be running late to catch the school bus. Even with his speed. His mom, or Mrs. Kent, would make pancakes on holidays or Sunday morning when they would eat together as a family.
He had been eating good since he woke up. Large breakfasts of waffles and omelettes at the ring of a bell. He found himself wanting something simpler this time. Although he was enjoying the coffee. It was more flavorful and stronger than what he remembered having at home.
Clark swallowed hard as he remembered this was his home now.
Lex had given him a reading list to keep him occupied during the day. The Art of War was on the top of the list. Clark remembered Lex speaking about it a few times. He could only get through three chapters before he turned on the gaming system.
Then he tried out the jacuzzi.
He wanted to text Chloe or Jeff or Lois but they were in school.
Then he tried watching tv with the stereo on full blast to break through the overwhelming silence. He ordered an entire apple pie from room service and tried talking with the waiter, but he had other deliveries to make and couldn't stay. Clark put a slice on a plate and then retrieved the milk bottle from the fridge to take a swig. He stopped as a memory of his mother always chiding him for drinking out of the bottle came to mind. Clark set the bottle down and got a glass from the cupboard.
Clark suddenly found he couldn't breathe. It was hard to breathe. He reached up to take off his tie, but he wasn't wearing one. Air. He needed air.
He didn't care about the cameras. He didn't care who saw him. At full speed he raced down the fire escape stairs until he was on a Metropolis sidewalk surrounded by a crowd of people in the sunlight.
Clark walked down the sidewalk one way and then another. He passed by the Daily Planet building and smiled at the thought of Chloe working inside one day. The walk calmed him down and he realized how silly he had been. It wasn't as if he was scared of being alone. He retreated into the barn many times to be by himself. But there always was the comforting knowledge that his parents were close by.
He decided it was time to go back. He'd order another coffee and get to reading the book as he ate the pie.
Clark frowned. He couldn't remember the direction he came from. The building couldn't be that hard to find. It was tall. But so was every other building in the city. He remembered there being a doorman, but almost every high-rise had one of those. He checked his pockets, but in his panic, he had left without his cellphone or wallet.
"Oh, great," Clark muttered in the middle of the street.
The one building Clark knew to go to was the Luthor Corp high-rise. He went there and tried to explain to reception he was there to see his brother.
"Do you have an appointment?" The girl behind the desk asked.
"Well, no, but…"
"Then I'm afraid I can't let you up."
"But…"
"Do I have to call security?"
"No, that's not necessary." Clark shoved his hands into his pockets and started to walk away. He figured he'd walk down a few blocks and then use his superspeed to get past the security guards. But a figure in the corner caught his eye.
"Earl?" Clark breathed and walked closer to him. Earl Jenkins was mopping up what appeared to be spilt coffee.
"Can I help you?" Earl asked, seeming confused at who Clark was.
"No. No, I'm good. I just thought I heard you were really sick."
"Sick? I can't afford to be sick. I got a family to provide for. Look, look," Earl took out his phone and started showing Clark pictures of his child. An adorable boy with big eyes and a head of dark curls. "He's just starting to walk. And he'll soon be a big brother. My wife's pregnant again."
"Congratulations." Clark smiled. The last he remembered hearing about Earl was he had ended up dying from the Kryptonite poisoning. It was good to see him happy and being able to be the father he desired to be.
"Earl," a voice said behind them. It was Marci. "We talked about this. You have to keep your phone off your person when you're clocked in. Company policy."
"I'm sorry, Ms. Grieves, but look." Earl showed Marci the photo. She gushed over it appropriately.
"He's adorable, Mr. Jenkins. Tell you what, we'll keep this time just between you and me."
"Thank you." Earl put his phone away and went back to mopping.
"Julian, what brings you here?"
"I was thinking I could see Lex, but I don't have an appointment."
"If I know Lex, he'll want you to have your own security badge so you can come in anytime. Come with me." Marci led him to a roped off elevator. Once they were inside she asked, "So what really happened?"
"I got lost." Clark winced. "I left to go for a walk, and I was in such a hurry I forgot my wallet and phone. I didn't remember the address of the penthouse, so I thought I'd come here and catch a ride with Lex."
"He's at Cadmus right now. Mr. Luthor will be back in the late afternoon. I can have a car drop you off in the meantime. But first, I'll create that pass for you."
"Thanks. And could you not tell Lex about this?"
"Of course. I'll also have to speak with the front desk people and remind them who you are so that never happens again."
The elevator reached their destination. Marci took his photo and handed him soda as she went about creating the pass. As Clark sat there, an idea popped into his head.
"Hey, Marci. When I woke up, do you remember the color of my teeth?"
"Your teeth?" She looked up from the computer scene. "Um. White I guess."
"Are you sure?"
"Honestly, I wasn't paying attention to your teeth. I was more preoccupied with you finally waking up. And then not knowing your name. And then you running away." Marci sighed at the memory. By then the machine was done printing out the pass. "Here you go. One all-access pass."
"Thanks."
"No problem. I'll call that car for you. And for future knowledge," Marci typed on her phone, "here is the phone number for the front desk and address. You can save it when you have your phone again."
"You know my number?"
"Who do you think set up your phone?"
Earl Jenkins death isn't technically canon, but it was mentioned in the Chloe Chronicles so that's what I'm going with. Since Luthor Corp started doing experiments with kryptonite earlier than in the show, Cadmus labs became a high security research facility and the Headquarters of Kryptonian research. The experiment that caused Earl to get the jitters was never conducted on level three meaning he never got sick and was able to stay a healthy, loving husband and father. He was relocated to Metropolis when the plant closed.