-1Chapter Ten-Deal with the Devil
Clark woke again, early like everyday before. The only difference was today was Friday. Tomorrow he could sleep in all he wanted and that was something Clark was grateful for. He rolled over and slammed his fist down on his alarm clock. He sighed as the annoying beeping came to an end.
He swung his feet out of bed and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. With a yawn he got up and shuffled over to his dresser. He picked out a green t-shirt, blue jeans, and his leather jacket. He dressed slower than normally, but he really didn't have to be early to school.
Max was meeting him after Clark talked with Lex today after school. Once the paperwork was in his hands he was going with Max to an attorney that Mr. Edge had in town. Once everything was verified then everything was in the clear for stage two. He made his way to the dinning hall for breakfast. Lex was already there and dressed in a fine suit. Clark had a bowl of cereal where he sat to eat. He took a seat and picked up his spoon.
"Morning." Lex said.
"Morning." Clark replied before stuffing his mouth with a spoon full of cereal.
"You'll be pleased to hear that I have the paperwork ready to sign. My attorney will be here when you get back from school." Lex said, cutting his pancakes.
"I'll be here." Clark said stuffing more of his honey nut cheerios into his mouth.
They finished eating in silence. Lex leaned back in his chair when Clark dropped his spoon into his bowl and stood. They just looked at each other, not needing to say anything. Lex understood that Clark was intimidated and wouldn't talk until he had proof it was as he wanted. Clark knew that Lex was one to double cross and wasn't going to feel guilty about it.
Clark picked up his backpack and left the dinning hall. He moved casually to the garage to get his bike and be on his way. He peeked into a few bedrooms but didn't find any evidence they were occupied. He did find one room that looked worthy of investigating. It was a library with a filing system on one wall. He could only imagine what was locked inside.
Clark entered the garage and found his bike where he'd left it. He shifted his backpack and straddled the seat. With a roar his bike came to life and vibrated comfortingly between his thighs. With a squeel of rubber he was out of the garage and down the driveway.
Clark parked next to Max's shiney car and turned his bike off. He saw Chloe get out of a red beetle and Pete get out as well. What a wonderful boyfriend to have the girlfriend drive him around. He got off his bike and made his way up to the front doors.
He noticed Pete and Chloe come in a few feet behind him. Pete took off to the Coach's office and Chloe joined Lana who was at her locker. Clark spun in his lock combination and pulled it off when it clicked open. He put his backpack inside and got the book he would need. Max came up beside him and leaned against the wall.
"I talked to him, he'll have the lawyer meet you at that coffee shop."
"Good morning to you too." Clark said smiling over at him. He closed his locker door shut and put the lock back on.
"Yea, yea." Max replied.
Clark was slammed into the locker with force. Max sprung from the wall and pulled the guy off him. When Clark realized what was going on, he focused in on the punk who pushed him. Pete struggled against Max's strong arms.
"Who do you think you are? Strutting into town acting bad ass cause daddy dearest bathes in money. Some of us have to get by on what we can. Football was my thing." Pete yelled trying to get away from Max.
"I take it you didn't make quarterback." Clark said folding his arms across his chest. Pete struggled harder against Max. Clark stepped forward and glared down at Pete. "Sorry about your loss, but I suggest you never touch me again."
"What are you going to do? Tell daddy and have him fire my daddy?" Pete asked mocking him.
Max let go of Pete and stepped aside as Clark stepped closer driving Pete into the lockers.
"I'll push back." Clark said raising his fist. Before he could swing Chloe stepped in-between them.
"No need to get violent. Pete will cool down, " Chloe said sending a look back at him. "Congratulations for making the team."
Clark put his fist down and looked over at Max. Max shrugged and rolled his eyes. What were they to do, hit a girl. They were more gentlemanly than that. Clark backed up and joined Max. Without a word they turned and headed to class.
The final bell rang and Clark sprang from his chair. He had to get to the Luthor Manor as fast as he could. He ran through the halls and burst through the doors. He jumped the curb and dashed to his bike. Max was hot on his heels as Clark jumped on his bike.
"Meet you at the Talon." Max called yanking open his car door.
Clark nodded revving his bike. As soon as Max's door was closed Clark pulled out and gunned it. Nearby students watched as Clark and Max burned rubber and hugged the turns in their hasty exit. Pete, Chloe, and Lana watched as the boys took off with burning rubber and squeals.
"Wonder what their hurry was?" Chloe asked.
Pete huffed, "Probably had to go tell daddy the great news."
Chloe and Lana shrugged. Chloe grabbed Pete's arm and drug him off to her car. Lana parted ways and went to her maroon jeep liberty. She had to go into work and get ready for the owner inspection in two days. Everything had to be tip-top for Lex or he might shut down the Talon. Of course he always used this as an excuse to get her to actually act like she liked him.
Clark parked his bike in the driveway and rushed inside. When he was a hallway down from the study he slowed to a fast walk. He pushed open the doors and walked inside. Lex sat behind his desk, his attorney in a seat close to Clark.
"How was school today?" Lex asked reading over some papers.
"I made the football team." Clark said folding his arms across his chest.
"Good job, my boy." Lex said standing from his chair and walking around his desk, papers in hand. "Guess we should get on to business."
Clark nodded and looked over at the suit who had his hands folded together like a priest. How lawyers thought they were mightier than thou.
"Everything is set, and I've already signed." Lex said handing him the paperwork. "All you have to do is sign as well."
Clark took the papers and looked them over. As far as he knew they were ligit. "I'll have my attorney look it over."
Lex looked shocked by his mention of an attorney. "Since when do you have an attorney?" Lex asked.
"For awhile." Clark replied, holding the papers tight in his hand in case Lex tried to pull them back.
"Alright. Have them looked over. You'll find I'm true to my word and that the Talon is yours, no strings attached." Lex said.
"We'll see." Clark said.
He turned and left the study making his way back through the halls to his bike. He placed the papers firmly in his backpack and straddled his bike. He started the bike and made a sharp u-turn in the driveway. With a roar, he was back on the road and speeding past cars and trucks.
He reached the Talon in record time, and parked his bike behind Max's car. He shifted his backpack as he walked inside the Talon. The place was busy and it took a second for Clark to find Max sitting in the back next to a suit.
Clark broke through the people and saw Lana bustling her way around the counter and to tables. They seemed so short staffed, that even Chloe was giving a hand. Clark didn't see Pete anywhere when he finally broke through the crowd to the back table. Max nodded to Clark as he sat down and rummaged through his bag for the papers.
"Everything go okay with Uncle Fester?" Max asked.
Clark looked up and smiled at Max's nickname for Lex. Not like it didn't fit the bald idiot.
"Got the paper's right here." He said holding them up. He handed them over to the attorney who immediately began to read it over.
"I talked to the boss." Max said leaning forward. Clark leaned forward too, the better to hear and the less to be overheard. "He's asking a lot from you. He's bringing in the other boy's, putting the team back together." Max said.
Lana walked up and cleared her throat, "What would you guys like?" She asked.
Clark looked up and immediately thought 'you' to her question.
"I'll have a latte, Max here will have a double espresso and …" Clark stopped, he didn't know what the suit wanted.
"I'll have a double Mocha Cappuccino." He said filling in for Clark's lack of speech.
Lana nodded, finished writing down their orders and turned back to the counter. Clark watched her walk away till Max snapped his fingers next to his ears. Clark hissed and turned back to him.
"Stay focused Kal." Max said shaking his head. Clark sighed and leaned forward again.
"What about the team?" Clark asked.
"He wants us to gather information on Lex. He's going after both Luthor's and playing everything off them both. It'll be quiet that day for the press when the shit hit's the fan." Max said.
"Sounds like a payday coming our way." Clark replied.
They talked about more relaxing subjects while sipping their coffee, as the attorney read through the paperwork. Finally, two and a half hours later, he set the paperwork back in front of Clark.
"There are no loopholes. This business transaction is legit. All that is left to be done is for you to sign." The attorney said.
Clark looked down at the papers and pulled out a pen. Within a second the paper was signed and the Talon his. Well Max's too, but only because he needed someone of age to sign next to his name.
"If you wish to changed ownership, you must wait a month to have the paperwork drawn up." The suit said finishing the last of his coffee.
"So if I said that was what I wanted to do?" Clark asked.
"I'll get started on it, put it can't be signed till you've owned the building for a month." He said.
Clark nodded. Guess he was going to learn quick about how to run a coffee shop. Max stood from the table and so did the suit.
"Wish I could stay around, but I've got to go welcome the guys and move into the house Edge bought for us." Max said.
Clark nodded and stood as well, "Tell the guys I said hello. I'll see them around, hopefully at school."
"We have to go, Edge's orders. Otherwise we wouldn't be anywhere near that piece of shit building." Max said.
Clark laughed and shook hands with the attorney. Max clapped Clark on the shoulder and followed the suit outside. Clark picked up the paperwork and stuffed it into his backpack. He tossed it onto his shoulder and picked up their empty coffee cups. He left a fifty on the table for their drinks and tip. Just to be kind, he carried the empty plates over to the counter and set them down for Lana or another employee to get. Chloe looked over at him from her Math book, her brows furrowed in confusion. Clark looked over at her, then turned and walked out of the Talon, his new business. At least it was a cool place.
Clark parked his bike in the garage of Luthor Manor and made his way back to Lex's study. Uncle Fester was behind his desk, sipping from a glass. He looked up when Clark entered.
"So was everything satisfactory?" Lex asked.
"It was." Clark replied standing at the edge of Lex's desk.
"Well, I'm glad to hear that." Lex said setting his glass down and turning in his chair.
"You do know that since you're not eighteen you need an adult to overlook the expenses and sign for everything." Lex said with a smirk.
"I thought of that, Lex. Don't worry about it, I have that covered." Clark said smirking.
He did, Max was nineteen and only in school under Edge's order. Max had signed while at the Talon and agreed to let Clark call all the shots. He really didn't care about the Talon, and because of that Clark wasn't worried.
Lex's smile fell, but only a fraction, "Covered all your bases, then?" He asked.
"That I did. So to finish the deal with the devil, here's the number to get in touch with Mr. Edge." Clark said tossing the piece of paper with the digits onto his desk. Clark turned to leave when Lex called out to him.
"Just so you know, the owner of the Talon must run inspection on Sunday. Tell the staff I said hello."