Chapter Twenty-Six

"So how was Metropolis?" Chloe asked. She and Clark were at the Beanery enjoying a cup of coffee.

"It was okay. Turns out I'm not really a city person."

"Oh, come on. The city is full of culture, interesting people…"

"Big crowds that rush everywhere they go, loud noises…"

"Museums, dozens of restaurants…"

"Litter everywhere…"

"The Daily Planet…"

"Tell me honestly if you knew any of your city neighbors before moving here."

"Okay, you got me." Chloe frowned. "Did I tell you I moved from Metropolis?"

"No," Clark confessed. Inwardly he screamed in frustration. He wanted to know who he was once and for all. Every time he felt close to finding an answer, something else came up. Lois showing up with blackened teeth made him think maybe he didn't imagine it at all. But then, reading over the police reports showed everything was exactly how he remembered it happening. He shook his head and smiled. "But it's a small town. I'm sure I heard it from somewhere."

"Right. Of course."

Chloe got busy asking for another latte from the waitress. Clark's eyes wandered to the counter where there was a notice saying that Spring Formal tickets could be purchased there.

"So, are you going to the Spring Formal?"

"I don't know. Pete asked me, but I turned him down. It'd feel weird going now without a date."

"Well, I'm not a student, but if you'll invite me, I'd like to take you."

Chloe tapped her fingers on the coffee mug. "Before I say yes, I need to know if you paid for my dad's hospital bills. And don't even think about lying to me," Chloe said as soon as Clark began protesting.

"You got me. I just knew I could help. So, I did."

"That conversation we had, when I broke down, was not me asking for charity. I never wanted it, and I would have bussed tables and worked two jobs while writing freelance articles at night to support my dad through this."

"I believe you. Sorry."

"Well, now that it's established that I don't owe you anything, Julian, would you like to go to the Spring Formal with me?"

"I'd love to." Clark reached out and took her hand. The two smiled at each other from across the table.

"Hope I'm not interrupting." Lex said as he walked over.

"No," Clark said. "What's up?"

"I have an update on the Allison case." Lex took a seat. "The detective found evidence linking Watts to the kidnapping. He was arrested ten minutes ago."

"And Kyle?" Clark asked.

"He was put in Belle Reeve two days ago. I oversaw it personally. Thought I mentioned it?"

"Maybe." Clark had been distracted going through the security footage. With his eyes, he had been able to go through his tapes at a faster rate than Lois, since he was able to do it speeded up.

Chloe stood up. "I have to go right now and write this before it's old news."

Lex held out a business card. "This is the detective in charge. I told him to expect your call for a quote."

The two boys laughed as Chloe squealed and dashed off to write her story. "Need a ride?"

"Hi, Dominic," Clark said back at the mansion. He found Dominic tidying up the conservatory. Now that Clark spent a lot of time in this room, changes had been made. A desk had been brought in, along with more comfortable furniture than the wicker chairs had been.

"Hello, Master Julian. How was trip?"

"Fine. How was the visit with your brother?"

"Wonderful. So unexpected. He normally can't get off of work, but it happened. Is there anything I can do for you, sir?"

"Well, Dominic I was wondering if you could tell me if I'm…different in any way? Like I'm a completely different person?"

"I can say with one hundred percent certainty that you are not the same person."

Clark felt his pulse quicken.

"It must have been so difficult, having Lionel as a father. He was a hard, ruthless man. But, now that he's gone, your true nature is able to come out."

"Oh." Clark didn't know how to feel.

"Do you need anything else, sir?"

"No. I'm good. Thanks."

Two days earlier

Kyle walked into the car that was to transport him to Belle Reeve and found Lex Luthor already sitting inside. "Hello, Kyle."

"Hello."

"I hope you don't mind me joining you for the ride. It's very noble of you to step forward and tell the truth. I looked into you, and I can see you were quite the family man. A good portion of your wages, that is when you were still regularly employed, went to your sister. It's not easy be a single mother. Especially now, with the bank reevaluating mortgage rates. You know, I own that bank."

"What do you want?"

"I'm a family man myself. I have a younger brother. Julian. You met him. He's going through a hard time. His memories aren't what they should be. This has left him questioning his place in the world. He's not confident that I'm his family, despite all evidence telling him otherwise. It doesn't help that my butler seems to think the same thing. In fact, he's planning on telling Julian about his suspicions."

The car pulled over beside a bar. Through the window, they could see Dominic having a beer with someone. "That's my butler, Dominic. He's a kindred family man and spends time with his brother whenever he can. Which is rare, since he has such a pressing schedule. I want you to go inside and persuade him that these changes he's noticing in Julian is nothing more than him being free of our overbearing father. If you do that, I'll call the bank and persuade them to lower your sister's mortgage."

"If I don't?"

"This car will go to Belle Reeve exactly as planned. But I'll be far too busy keeping my brother from chasing ghosts to make the call. She's barely getting by now; this new interest rate will force her to sell the house and she'll probably have to go to a Metropolis slum. Isn't this the least you can do for her?"

Kyle was about to exit the car, but then stopped. "Why not just have me persuade Julian to give up the witch hunt?"

"Then everything that follows wouldn't be real. I need him to be real." Lex inwardly sighed in relief as he watched Kyle leave the car and "accidently" bump into Dominic inside.

Lex had known all along that keeping Dominic was a calculated risk. He hadn't, however, counted on Clark's new friends to be so meddling. He would have to keep a close eye on them.