Stars and Water
Chapter 31
Clark came out of super speed in an alley near the Daily Planet, walked around the corner and froze, staring at a horrific sight. The iconic building was engulfed in flames, licking up the walls, glowing in the windows. A huge pillar of sooty black smoke climbed into the sky and spread across Metropolis.
Fire trucks were pulling up to the building as he stared and the firemen moved swiftly to set up hoses and move bystanders away from the area. The wall of heat radiating off the building had already managed to clear out most of the onlookers but the reporters who usually worked inside were covering the fire from a very personal viewpoint and had no intention of leaving.
Clark looked for Lois and Chloe among the crowd, expecting them to be front and center. When he couldn't find them his stomach dropped and he felt like he couldn't breathe. Then Clark heard Chloe scream and he was filled with fear for his friend. Oh God, she was inside. He looked at the building, and then he used his x-ray vision and really looked at the building and found them.
Thoughts about how he could save them flew through his head. Walking in past the firemen and through the heat and flames would be dangerous. He might as well carry a huge sign that read "Hey, I'm an alien". Of course that was exactly what he would do if there was no other way. He certainly wouldn't let his friends die to protect his secret. He had no time to think things through; he just had to go for it and hope for the best. Clark took a deep breath.
Chloe held Lois close and ducked her face into her chest to protect it from the heat. "I love you Lois." She said in a raspy voice.
Lois held Chloe and stroked her back with a shaking hand. "I love you too, little cuz." The heat grew in intensity and it was nearly impossible to breathe.
Suddenly a gust of cold air hit their faces and the fire went out. Chloe and Lois looked around in wonder. The room had become an ice palace complete with dripping icicles. Chloe grinned, she didn't know exactly what happened but she knew it was Clark. It was always Clark. Oh how she wished she could tell Lois, just to see the look of disbelief on her face as she found out what Clark Kent could really do. Ah well, I'll have to settle for the look she's got on her face now, Chloe thought.
Clark charged in through the debris, careful to exert only a human amount of strength. "Chloe, Lois!" he yelled, "where are you?"
Chloe heard him and called back. "I'm here Clark, we're okay!" and she headed in the direction of his voice.
Lois looked at her oddly. "How did you know Smallville would come?" she asked suspiciously.
"He was coming to see me today," Chloe thought fast, "and I didn't know, I just hoped. Lois, he's been my friend like, forever, and he's gotten us both out of a lot of tight spots, I just thought of him. Okay?"
Lois looked skeptical and then they were interrupted by Clark as he swept Chloe into a hug. Before Lois could say anything she found herself pulled into his arms next and returned his hug with tears threatening to come.
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Kate staggered around the corner to the car, unlocked the door, buckled Nick into the back seat and collapsed behind the steering wheel. Still trying to catch her breath she started the car and waited, turning on the radio to calm her nerves. What she heard on the news didn't help her relax. One station was leading with the assassination attempt on Lionel Luthor; another was covering the strange fire at the Daily Planet. Combined with the attempt on her life it all added up to one name, Lex.
Kate pulled out her cell phone and tried to call Maria but got no answer. A chill washed over her and she found herself crying out to Maria over the silent phone. Kate sat and watched and waited for the strangers that she had decided to trust. Frustration and helplessness rose in her and tears for Maria ran down her cheeks unnoticed as her frantic calls continued to go unanswered.
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Clark tried to get Chloe and Lois to go to the hospital but Lois was intent on talking to the police and investigating the strange fire and Chloe was determined to help him find Maria. Since her laptop was now a melted hunk of plastic they decided to use his and he disappeared and then returned to her with it in a matter of seconds. They had retreated to a bench in a small park down the street from the Daily Planet and their heads bent close over the computer as Chloe's fingers flew over the keys. They stared in silence at the map before them.
"She's over the Atlantic Ocean." Chloe looked at Clark with tear filled eyes. "I'm sorry Clark; you can't run to her there."
Clark stared at the screen and swallowed hard to clear the lump that formed in his throat. Maria was out of his reach and in Lex's hands. A sick fear filled him at the thought of what Lex would do to her.
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Lex felt a shiver of pleasure as he watched Maria's fear grow. He moved towards her with the syringe and laughed when she ran to the far end of the plane's cabin. "Oh now Maria, it wont hurt." He reassured her in a velvet smooth, soothing voice. "This is just a truth serum developed by Luthorcorps for the military. It's similar to sodium pentothal but more reliable." He moved towards her in such a way that she was cornered in the rear of the plane. "One dose and you will be eager to answer any question posed to you and I will know Clark Kent's secret once and for all.
Maria felt the fear washing over her, shuddering through her body in waves. She shook uncontrollably and it made her angry that she couldn't stop because she knew Lex could see her fear. She couldn't tell Lex Clark's secret. If Lex ever found out Clark was an alien, Clark's life would become a living hell. If Lex found out how to hurt Clark he could capture him, render him helpless, and Clark would never see the outside of 33.1.
Picturing Clark lying helpless and in pain, strapped to a table with scientists gathered around gave her a rush of rage so strong it drove out all fear. She resolved to hit Lex with all she had when he came close, and she considered some of the moves Chloe had taught her, including the lethal ones.
She knew Lex was stronger than she was and she knew she would probably only get one good shot at him. It would have to be a surprise, if he were expecting it he would block it and she would be at his mercy. Maria allowed herself to slump against the cabin wall as though she were about to faint. It wasn't hard to fake weakness when she really did feel like her knees were loose with terror.
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Kate blinked back tears and stared out the window while sending up a prayer to God for her girl. At last she saw Scott running towards the vehicle while supporting Matt with an arm under his shoulder. She revved the engine and prepared to leave in a hurry. Where to go was the question. Was there anywhere safe from Lex?
Scott eased Matt into the back seat next to Nick and Kate felt a tendril of fear shoot up her spine at the sight of the blood soaked stranger sitting next to her son. Matt forced a gentle smile through his pain at Nick and Kate watched in amazement as her son smiled back.
"Hey Nick," said Matt, "You okay?" Sweat beaded on his pale forehead and his voice came out strained and breathless. How did he know her son's name, Kate wondered.
Nick smiled at Matt and then reached towards him, "I'm okay Matt, but you're hurt." Nick looked to his astonished Mother, "Mommy, I think Matt needs to go to the hospital."
Kate turned to Scott as he got in the passenger side, "First, where do we go, and second how does he know my son?" she asked as she pulled onto the street. Scott glanced back at Matt and exchanged a look.
"It's just grazed, in and out, no bone. I need stitches and probably some blood but I'll hold together." Matt said, his voice tight.
"Matt will be okay for the moment. We need to get you to a safe place first." Scott looked around, "Turn right at the next block," he said, then he looked back to see if they were being followed and frowned when he caught a glimpse of a black SUV pulling into the lane a few cars behind them.
"To answer your second question, we met Nick when we came to report to Mr. Queen. You were in the lab and Nick was on site in his preschool. Mr. Queen thought it would be best if Nick knew us in case the worst happened and you, ah…weren't available. We were going to introduce ourselves to you as well but there was no time. Lex was moving fast and we had to get back to our team." He glanced over at Kate to see her knuckles clenching on the steering wheel as she thought of what he meant by "not available".
He looked behind them again and noticed the SUV had turned also and was gaining on them. "Cut through this parking lot, cross that traffic and reverse your direction, as fast as you can." He smiled a little crookedly at her expression, "We're being followed. Can you drive fast and break traffic laws or should we switch drivers? It would be dangerous to stop now, they'd probably open fire on us but if you can't…"
"I can do it." Said Kate calmly and she sped up, whipped the car suddenly through the parking lot, shot out across three lanes of heavy traffic through a gap that was barely there and bounced across a low median to put herself in the lane going the opposite direction. When they came to the intersection she saw the light about to turn red and looked to check traffic. There was a chance and she took it, blowing through the red light and then turning right at the next block. Kate glanced over at Scott to get further directions.
Scott's eyebrows shot up and he grinned at her. "I guess you can," he said, "Now we need to drive about five blocks and turn left, we're almost to the house. I'll keep an eye out for our shadow but I think you lost them."
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Clark closed his eyes as the world spun around him. It was hard to get his breath as he thought of Maria in danger and yet out of his reach. He focused all his thoughts on her, if he could just think himself there, if wanting it this badly could only make him able to go where his heart and soul longed to be.
He had flown once, as Kal El, maybe he could do it again. If he could only remember how he had done it. At the time it had seemed easy, effortless, and as natural as breathing. He searched his broken memory of that time and moaned in frustration when he came back with nothing but the knowledge that he could fly, if he knew how.
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Kate pulled up to the gate and they passed her through as though expecting her. The walls and guards made her nervous and Scott picked up on it. "The guards are to protect those inside, not keep them inside." He said with a reassuring smile. "My wife and children are here and so are Matt's. We knew once we became open about our work for Oliver Queen they would become targets for Lex."
Kate looked at him with admiration, "Yet, you did it anyway. You are very brave men. Thank you for saving us."
Scott looked embarrassed "I just had to do the right thing, I don't feel brave."
Matt looked out the window and explained. "I got my job as a security guard to protect Lex because I like being the good guy." He looked significantly at Kate as if to say, and we know how that panned out.
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Lex noticed Maria slumping against the wall as he moved towards her, unfortunately he also noticed the look of determination that briefly flashed across her face, and the way she ceased to tremble when she looked at him. She's up to something, he thought as he reached out to grab her arm.
Maria lashed out with the heel of her hand to his face and as he blocked the blow she came in with her other hand at his throat. He blocked that one hard and followed up with a blow of his own to her face. Maria fell back against the wall with a scream, holding her aching head. She lay there huddled against the wall sobbing as Lex stood above her and gloated. "Come on, Maria, you didn't half try. You hesitated to kill me; I could see it in your eyes, a reluctance to harm, you poor, weak, gentle fool." and he quickly plunged the needle into her shoulder and stepped back.
Maria could feel the drug burning its way into her body and wondered how long before it took effect. Leaning against the wall she stared blankly at a light blinking above her head. Emergency Exit, the sign read and there was a button to push near the door. That was what she needed she thought, an exit, a way out, freedom.
She could feel her mind getting clouded as she tried to think of how many miles up they were. She could tell from Lex's expression it wouldn't be long now before the questions started. Suddenly Maria made up her mind and lunged for the button. The cabin door opened and the plane shook. Wind sucked through the cabin and everything unattached was pulled out the door. Maria lurched upright to the opening and, begging God for forgiveness and hoping Clark would never know why, she jumped out of the plane.
As soon as the door opened Lex realized what she was doing and it shocked him that anyone could be so stupid to choose death over answering a few questions. He saw his answers getting ready to jump and he lunged to grab her. He felt the plane jerk as her weight left it, and then he was tossed against the doorjamb so hard it knocked him unconscious. His limp body slid out the door and tumbled through the clouds.
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Clark kept his eyes closed and ignored everything around him as he focused on going to Maria. He had to fly, he flew in dreams, he floated a few times with Maria, he flew as Kal El, he could fly. He knew it was there, just out of reach, like a name you can't remember. Up, he willed himself. A gasp made him open his eyes and look down to Chloe. About ten feet down. Surprised, he fell immediately and hit the ground hard enough to make a dent in the soft grass.
"Clark! You Flew!" cheered Chloe and then she looked around terrified. "We need to go somewhere private before you take off again. Thank God everyone is staring at the Planet."
"There's no time for that!" exclaimed Clark, excited beyond words and aching to get to Maria right now. "Show me the map again so I know where to go." Chloe showed it to him and looked around nervously watching for onlookers.
Clark looked closely at it and then gathering himself he gave one of his biggest jumps. He rose swiftly into the air and then turned and accelerated, disappearing in a blur of red and blue. Chloe's eyes grew wide when she heard the sonic boom. "Go Clark!" she whispered and found she needed to sit down.
To be continued…
Well? What do you think? I'd like to say thank you to those of you who took the time to review, and for all those silent people who've been reading since the beginning. I really hope you are enjoying this! Yes…there is more coming soon.