Chapter 10
"So what are you going to do for Tess' birthday?" Martha asked, looking over at her son. He was driving her to the Metropolis airport so she could catch the midmorning flight to Washington DC. "Something special, I hope."
"I don't know. I've got a couple of weeks, don't I?" Clark asked, turning off the highway into the city traffic. "She hasn't made a big fuss of her birthday in the past."
"Neither do I but you still do something for me." Martha told him. "Get her something nice. She's important to you so show her."
"Mom, you're making sound like we're dating."
Martha held her tongue, not knowing how far to push him. His wife had only died less than a year ago.
"But you're right. I should get her something nice." Clark said, "She deserves that much."
"Good. Clark, you're supposed to turn here Honey, "Martha pointed to the corner on their left.
"Sorry," Clark veered into the right lane and turned. "I got distracted. Lois was easy to get gifts for. She circled what she wanted in the catalogue and put in on my pillow. Tess doesn't say anything."
"Why don't you ask her?"
Clark looked at his mother, incredulous. "Then she'll know I have no clue. I can't do that."
Martha sighed. Now it was just getting complicated. "I'll ask her then."
Clark smiled broadly, knowing his caring mother would say that. "Thanks Mom." He pulled up at the airport drop off zone. "Do you want me to wait with you till your flight leaves?"
Martha shook her head. "You have to go to work."
Clark shrugged. "Perry won't mind." He got out of the car and picked up the suitcases from the boot. "He'll understand."
"It's fine Clark. I'll be fine." Martha took the suitcase handle from him. "Go to work. Change the world." She smiled proudly.
Clark chuckled. "Yes Mom." He reached over and hugged her. "Come back soon. We miss you."
"I will. I promise." Martha patted him on the back. "You know you shouldn't be afraid of moving on."
Clark frowned, not knowing where this is going. "I've gone back to work Mom. I'm not hiding anymore."
"You're hiding from your heart, Clark. I know you don't think you'll ever love anyone like you loved Lois but you will." Martha ran a hand down his cheek. You're starting to already.
"Okay." He really didn't understand. "Have a safe flight. Statistically, flying is the safest way to travel."
Martha chuckled, knowing how often he'd used that line. "I will. Love you."
"Love you too Mom." Clark watched her disappear through the opaque airport doors. He turned and hoped back in his car, leaving the airport behind. He turned up the radio and started singing along to the bobby song, ignoring the looks from the other people driving beside him. He'd had a good weekend – he couldn't help being happy. He'd seen his mother, Jonathan had behaved, Oliver didn't get drunk and Tess laughed at his bad jokes. It was a good weekend. His phone started screaming at him. Clark turned down the radio and answered using the hands free. "Hello?"
"You didn't do what I asked Mr Kent." The disembodied voice on the other end said sinisterly. "And now I'm angry."
"You threatened my family. Did you think you were going to get what you wanted?" Clark asked angrily. He went through a round about then pulled over.
"Well you certainly won't."
Clark's heart started beating furiously. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"You've had a beautiful woman living in your house for how long now? And according to my sources you've never touched her. To bad you won't have the chance."
Clark's voice dropped an octave. "What have you done?"
"Nothing much yet." The voice said nonchalantly. "But I will be having some fun with your 'friend' soon."
"If you hurt her…"
The voice laughed. "It's a bit lad for that. You may want to get a new babysitter. Your son's all alone. You should have done what I wanted." The phone call was disconnected, the beeping echoing through Clark's head.
Tess. Jonathan. Clark leapt out of the car, leaving it behind as he flew home. He didn't care who saw him. They were more important.
"Tess!" He yelled before he'd even landed. "Jonathan?"
"Dada." Came the quiet reply.
Clark ran into the house, looking for Jonathan. It had been destroyed. Furniture had been overturned, cushions slashed, lamps and photo frames smashed. Clark x-rayed the room to find Jonathan pinned under the bookcase. He lifted the up the bookcase with one arm, grabbing Jonathan with the other. The little boy cried, hugging his father around the neck and nearly choking him. "It's ok." Clark told him reassuringly. "It's ok. I'm here now."
"Essa!" Jonathan cried. "Bad men hurt Essa."
Clark rubbed the boys back, trying to calm him down. "I'll find her. I promise I'll find her. We aren't going to loose her too." Clark walked to the house phone and hit the speed dial. "Oliver? I need your help. Someone's taken Tess."
Ice cold water hit her face, bringing her back from the abyss of unconsciousness. "Wha…?" She lay on cold, now wet concrete in a dark warehouse. How did I get here?
"Wakey Wakey Tessie." A tall sandy haired man loomed over her. "Don't wanna miss all the fun." The cobwebs started to clear from her mind and Tess tried to move but couldn't. He leant down, his vaguely familiar face mere inches from her. "Don't try to move. Even Superman couldn't get out of those knots. You'll just hurt yourself."
"No. I'll just hurt you." Tess looked up at him defiantly. She'd survived worse. And Clark would rescue her soon. He'll be here any minute, she told herself.
He backhanded her. She gasped, blood flowing from her lips. "I've heard stories about you Miss Mercer." He said, pulling her up into a sitting position. "Everyone wonders why you turned on your fortune to become a nanny."
"The pays good." Tess quipped lightly. Hurry up Clark.
He slapped her again. "This isn't the time to be foolhardy. Do you know why you're here?"
"You wanted a captive audience to your melodramatic breakdown?"
He pursed his lips at her. "I don't see why your brother keeps you around. I've only known you 5 minutes and I prefer you unconscious."
"He's not my brother." Tess spat at him.
"Most people would clamber to call him brother yet you don't. Perhaps you aren't as smart as people think." He cupped her cheek.
She raised an eyebrow. "Or perhaps you are just as dumb as everyone else."
He cocked his head. "Do you even know who I am?"
A dozen answers ran through her mind, most of which would get her killed. "A man?"
"A Congressman." He clarified, drawing himself up in what he considered a dignified manner.
Tess realised who he was. "Former Congressman Phillips. Clark got you fired."
"And that blonde bimbo." Phillips grumbled. "But with you, I get to kill to birds with one stone."
Tess' face went blank. This guy wasn't messing around. Please hurry Clark.
"Because of your boyfriend, I have lost everything. My job, my money, my house, my wife!"
"Ever consider you lost your wife because she's last on that list?"
Phillips pushed her back onto the ground and the landed with a hard that. That's gonna bruise, she mused.
Phillips straddled her, leaning down over her. "I'm going to enjoy this. And then I'm going to tell Kent how much you screamed."
What little colour that left in her face disappeared. Please Clark, she half thought, half prayed. Hurry.