-1Chapter Twenty Nine- The Trial
Clark stood in front of his mirror and straightened his tie. It was before sunrise and he'd finished his chores for the morning. Now he stood getting ready for the trial later on today. Lana had made him promise to swing by the Talon for breakfast. He had an hour to kill before he had to be on his way to the Talon and he had no idea what to do for an hour, which surprised him.
He ended up working on the overwhelming pile of homework he had stocked up. He was amazed by the amount he had to do and it was only Wednesday. He leaned back and looked down at his watch. Hopefully Lana wouldn't mind him stopping by a few minutes early.
He walked out to his truck and looked over at his motorcycle. He missed riding it and feeling the freedom of holding on to the bars and choosing where he was going. It was a freedom he missed being in control of. He looked down at the keys in his hand and got into his truck.
When he got to the Talon the lights were on inside. He knew at least someone was up and hopefully it was Lana. He was wanting to get a coffee and muffin before he rushed off to meet Max before the trial. The mere thought of it made his stomach flip. He knew that going inside the Talon would get his mind off of the coming trial. He knocked on the doors and groaned when Lois opened the them.
"Well, looky who it is." She said.
"Morning Lois." He said.
"Oh wow, two words that aren't evil." She replied.
"Would you like me to say something evil?" Clark asked.
"Lois, let him in." Lana called.
She groaned and sent him a look, "I don't know what she see's in you." She said holding the door open.
"Like wise." Clark replied stepping through the door and smiling at Lana who was behind the counter.
"Morning." She said pulling her hair behind her ears.
"Morning beautiful." Clark replied leaning against the counter.
She held up a muffin, "Breakfast?" She asked.
He took it from her hands, "Blueberry, my favorite."
She giggled and turned to the coffee machine and started on a pot for the three of them. Lois walked over and got a good look at Clark.
"What's with the outfit?" She finally asked.
"I have to go to court." Clark replied.
"Parole?" Lois asked with a small laugh.
"No, I'm going as a witness in the Lex Luthor trial." Clark said reaching for a napkin and wiping the crumbs from his hands.
"Wait, you're one of the witnesses that is going to put Lex away for good?" Lois asked completely shocked.
"Yes." He said simply.
He was almost sure everyone in Smallville knew that Max and he were the prime witnesses.
"Why?" She asked.
Clark turned from her and looked at Lana and smiled. It was all he could do to answer that question. How would you answer that question.
"By the closed captioning I'm guessing it's because of Lana?" She asked.
"Lex used the Talon as blackmail. I removed that and he got pissed, then hired my friends to kill me. That among other things." Clark finally replied.
"You stood up to Lex and got the Talon?" She asked somehow not believing him.
"I saw how unhappy Lana was and I couldn't stand it." Clark said finally looking back at her.
"I don't believe it." She said placing her hands on her hip.
"Lois." Lana said handing Clark the cup of coffee.
"What?" She said throwing her hands up again.
"Chill." She said while Clark sipped at the hot fluid.
"Fine, I just don't get how a guy like him would do something like that." With a huff she went back to her work.
"How long do you have till you leave?" Lana asked.
Clark looked down at his fathers wristwatch, "A few minutes."
"Well, I'm glad you made time to stop by for breakfast." She said with a smile.
"It was no problem. I was up early anyway." He said standing, the coffee still in his hand.
"Chores?" She asked already knowing the answer.
"Always, but I did get some homework done." He said.
She chuckled, "That's good to hear, you were getting far behind."
"I know, I couldn't believe what I had to do and its only Wednesday." Clark said.
"Do you need some help?" She asked as she noticed the tired look on his face and the way his brow furrowed together in thought and worry.
"I'll be fine." He said looking down at his watch and realizing the time.
He really needed to go or he would be late to met Max and of course Max would be very upset and Clark would never hear the end of it.
"I should be going. Thanks for breakfast." He said.
"Of course." She replied before he kissed her on the cheek and made his way for the door. She watched as he walked out the door and it closed behind him.
"I still don't get what you see in him." Lois said. Lana let out a small laugh and shooed her back to work.
Clark walked into the lobby of the courthouse and noticed the summon of Max and the lawyer. Clark made his way through the crowd and shook his hand with the attorney that was soon joined by Lionel Luthor.
"All prepared, Clark?" The attorney asked.
"Of course." Clark said.
"Ah, Clark your tie is crooked. Allow me." Lionel said reaching up and fixing his tie.
Max shot Clark a look in which Clark replied with one. He knew Max didn't trust the Luthor's but with their history with the family, who would. Lionel stepped back and the attorney ran them through the process of the trail. With it about to begin Max, Lionel, and the attorney went on in. Clark excused himself for some air.
When he turned to go inside the court room, Lex himself walked up to him. Clark stared him down which Lex met with equal force. Lex walked up to him and placed his hands in his hundred dollar suit pants. Lex greeted him and Clark could hear the wheels of revenge turning in his head.
"A simple warning. Testify and you won't live to graduation." Lex whispered in his ear.
"You won't be invited to my graduation, father." Clark said with equal hate and anger in his voice.
Lex smiled, "Don't worry Clark. I plan on being at the graduation. You see, once you're out of the way, I can have everything I've ever dreamed of."
"I hope you dream of bars, because that's all you'll ever see again." Clark replied before turning and heading into the courtroom. Lionel watched as Clark was followed by Lex and his attorney.
"Did he say anything to you?" Lionel whispered where Max couldn't hear.
"Nothing important. Don't worry, the case isn't compromised." Clark replied.
The courtroom grew quiet as the bailiff stood, "All rise."
His voice boomed out in the courtroom. The people stood and watched as the judge walked in and told them to sit. The court hearing then proceeded. Clark sat and listened, making sure to keep up with what was going on.
Finally Max was called to the stand and Clark watched as he walked up. He placed his hand on the bible and swore to tell the truth. Clark listened closely to the questions Max was presented with and watched as he answered honestly. From the facial reactions, it didn't look good for Lex.
Max was released from the stand and Clark was called as a witness. As Clark walked up to the stand he noticed the death glare from Lex. Clark swore to tell the truth and wished that his insides would swear to relax. Clark took a seat and connected gazes with Max and Lionel before turning to the attorney.
He answered to the best of his ability and watched as the jury took notes. The judge nodded every so often and Lex's attorney chugged a glass of water. The attorney finished with him and the questions were turned over to Lex's attorney.
"Mr. Kent, is it true you made a deal with Lex?" The attorney asked.
"Yes." Clark replied.
"About what?" The attorney asked.
"I was asked to maintain my grades and join the football team in exchange for Lex removing my curfew and giving me my own ride to school." Clark said.
"Is it true you had an affair with his respective other?" The attorney asked.
"That is incorrect. I merely helped Mrs. Lang get out of the relationship. Mr. Luthor was using her business as blackmail to keep her in the relationship. I offered to give him a phone number in exchange for ownership of the Talon." Clark answered.
"You're still a minor, Mr. Kent. How would you gain ownership?" The attorney asked.
"I worked it out with my attorney where I had a legal adult sign for ownership under the terms that when allowed I could sign." Clark said.
"So there was a bad relationship between the defendant and Mrs. Lang?" The attorney asked.
"Yes, he abused his power as owner to let himself into her apartment above the Talon in the middle of the night." Clark said.
"He let himself in?" The attorney asked.
"Yes. It was only when I heard that she woke up with him in her bedroom that I took action to free her from the relationship." Clark said.
Clark watched as the attorney received a nasty look from Lex. Obviously this was working against Lex.
"That is all." The attorney said, releasing Clark from questioning. Clark stood and got down from the stand and headed back to his seat with Max and Lionel.
Clark watched as the jury re-entered the courtroom. The speaker stood and the judge asked for their verdict. The courtroom was quiet as the paper was passed to the judge. Clark broke out into a small sweat as the time seemed to move slower. The judge opened the sheet of paper and asked Lex to stand.
"Lex Luthor is found guilty of conspiring to murder and illegal experiments against unwilling subjects." The judge said.
The courtroom erupted in noise as everyone began to talk in awe of the verdict. Clark watched as Lex yelled and struggled with the officers that walked up to arrest him. Max grabbed Clark's shoulder and squeezed with a huge smile on his face. Lionel shook Clark's hand, but all Clark noticed was the death glare from Lex. He knew in his heart that the war wasn't over.