-- Chapter 23 -- The Kindness of Strangers --

A laugh, strangled and weak, emerged from Chloe's lips. "That wasn't a funny joke. Clark came down with the meteor shower, not even funny." They weren't laughing though. The Kents were just standing there, hand in hand, waiting. "I don't appreciate being jerked around."

"I know this is a big thing to just throw at you, but it's true," Martha said. "I could understand if you were angry or if you didn't want to believe us." Martha frowned and shrugged. It wasn't like she could ask Clark to bench press the truck and prove it to her. "Wait, I know. Would you like to see his spaceship? It's in the cellar. That's why I drug you out here in the first place. It's the only proof that we have."

"You have his ship in the storm cellar? You have an alien spacecraft in your storm cellar?" Chloe barely managed to stop herself from paraphrasing again. They were leaving her behind and going down. What was she waiting for? It was either true or they were crazy.

Stepping into the musty cellar, Chloe wasn't sure what to expect, the truth, some strange lie. It looked like a ship, kind of dusty and innocuous, sitting there on its side. "It's a real spaceship? Can I touch it?" It was paper-mache or scrap metal. That was not a freaking spacecraft.

"You can touch it, beat it with a sledgehammer, whatever you'd like. It's pretty durable. We haven't been able to open it and we've been trying for over a decade," Jonathan said. Chloe didn't believe them. He could see it her posture and the look in her eyes. She probably thought they were insane.

Chloe crouched next to the odd little oblong craft and ran a hand along its edge. It was cool and smooth like aluminum, but tingly too as though something was humming beneath the surface. Real? Tears trickled from her closed eyes. It couldn't be a real spaceship, and Clark couldn't be an alien. Chloe could see him in her mind's eye, blue eyes sparkling with mischief, strong muscular hands lifting her onto the Torch's float in the homecoming parade. That moment had sealed it for her, touching him, smelling him, feeling the strength in him. Clark, her best friend, had become her unattainable dream. He was a Greek-God-farm-boy not an alien.

Even if he were an alien, he wouldn't have left. Would he? "If you're telling the truth, and I'm not saying that you are, Clark just left? He just went back to wherever he came from and thumbed his nose at the rest of us. I thought he cared about us. How could you let me look so hard if he just left, and you knew I wasn't going to find him?"

Martha and Jonathan exchanged a shocked look. "We weren't very clear about what happened I guess," Martha said. "Clark didn't want to go. The Eradicator made him go. She was strong and dangerous, a weapon. She hurt you and threatened everyone he loved. Clark left to keep everyone safe."

Jonathan nodded and wrapped his arm around Martha protectively. "Clark had a plan to take the Eradicator down, but it's been so long. We don't know what that thing ultimately wanted from Clark or if he's okay. We don't know if he'll make it home or what's happening to him."

Chloe rolled her eyes and threw her hands up. "I should have known. Clark always does the noble thing. I don't understand you though. You just let him go with a half-baked plan and prayer. Why didn't you ask for help? The Eradicator, you let her take him," Chloe said. She came to her feet, hands clenched into white fists. "Didn't you love him enough to stop him from throwing his life away?" Chloe didn't...couldn't wait for the Kents to make their excuses. "I'm going home, and I don't need a ride."

"Wait," Jonathan called. "You're not going to do something foolish."

Chloe paused halfway up the stairs, and she turned. The morning sun surrounded her like a fiery corona. "Foolish? I'm not going to tell your secrets if that's what you mean. Whether that's foolish or not, I can't tell you. I'm too angry to be clear on that right now."

Martha felt Jonathan leave her side to follow Chloe, and she sank to her knees. It was true, everything she said, all the accusations. They were things Martha had whispered to herself those first nights after Clark had gone. "Jonathan, let her go. Just let it go."

The road, dusty and long, stretched out in front of Chloe and her impractical shoes, but she hardly even cared. So what if she was going to have blisters the size of Texas, Clark was an alien and he was gone and she was so angry. How could he have just gone, without a word, without even asking for help? He said goodbye though. Chloe flinched and nodded to herself. He came to see her in the hospital, and she hadn't seen it then, but he was saying goodbye. He'd known he wasn't going to show up the next morning to give her an exclusive interview, and he was scared that he wouldn't be there to keep her safe.

"Damn you," Chloe screamed. She wished Clark were there for her to hit, to pummel with all the strength of her frustration. "I hate you! You don't get to be noble and perfect, and you don't get to leave. You could have trusted me!" As suddenly as it came, the anger in her chilled, and Chloe's hand went over her mouth. The image of her psychic, writhing in agony, begging, screaming, jumped out in her mind's eye. The simple truth remained the same. Her friend Clark was alive and in deep trouble. The only difference was, now Chloe understood that she couldn't save him. It didn't matter how hard she looked or how much Lex spent, this game was being played too far away.

"There isn't anything I can do? I guess, part of me is glad. I don't know if that makes me a bad person, but I was getting tired of looking, of being the only person who thought you were alive. I think it does make me a bad person, maybe. I guess we can't all be perfect. I'm only human."

Chloe bent down and unbuckled her shoes. She stepped off into the grass on the shoulder and sighed, high-heeled sandals dangling from her fingers. Now she just had to figure out what to say to Lex. He was going to want to know why her plans for the summer had changed. Well at least she had a long walk to think about it.

An old fencerow that she could just picture Clark perched on, stretched across a field of young corn, and Chloe smiled wistfully. "Okay, I don't hate you. I guess I still love you, Clark Kent, alien, farm boy, whatever you are. If you ever make it back..." Fisk's agonized face flashed through her mind again. "I'm going to tell you all about it when you make it back."


A loud grumble like an angry animal followed by sharp incessant hunger pains had Clark considering making his way into the mad rush of foot traffic he'd been watching for hours. He could keep moving until he found someone to help. Someone would help him.

"Hello little one, do you need some help?"

Just breathe. If it wanted to attack it probably would have while it had the advantage of surprise. Something had taken notice of him, so what? He did need help. Clark turned slowly until he was facing the owner of the low husky voice. So tall, he had to look up to meet this creature's shimmering black eyes. Her pink skin was coarsely grained as though she'd been painted in pastels. "What are you?" Clark whispered.

"Who are you would be the polite question." She stroked at the tufts of black hair covering her forearms, rearranging them absently. "Would you like to have some breakfast with me? I was feeling a bit lonely and tired after working all night." She gestured toward a door in one of the buildings with two of her four hands.

I don't even know your name, Clark almost said. He wasn't very sure of his own name at the moment though. His stomach growled again loudly and hit bit at his lip. "Why do you want to have breakfast with me? You don't know me, and I'm not the same type of creature as you."

"My name is Aislinn Laviscia Pythias. You may call me Aislinn, and I have a soft spot in me for little lost aliens. Join me if you will, I'm too tired to coax you," she said. Proximity had not tarnished her first impressions of this one. He really was exquisite with a fine porcelain pattern to his skin and a full dark mop of hair. The eyes were the clincher, blue but not cold. Those eyes held fire. They were the eyes of the young, lost and confused, but innocent and unassuming too. He could be an incredibly valuable commodity.

"I..." You're going to starve to death wandering the streets if you turn your back on this. Be brave. She isn't going to hurt you. Clark stared at this woman, Aislinn, and tried to fathom her through the black puddles she called eyes. They gave away nothing though. "I'm just Clark."


A pair of lovely white hands methodically scraped a layer of fish-smelling greasy slime from themselves. The Eradicator smiled as she cleaned the mess away. The nurse at fault for losing Clark would think twice before he neglected another patient. Xyle had begged for mercy before she finished, but he hadn't been able to help her on her search.

The Eradicator grinned and kicked at the groaning puddle of orange goop at her feet, what was left of Xyle. "I have an entire planet to search thanks to your incompetence. Would you like to live?" A strangled gargle emerged from his misshapen face. "I'll take that as a yes. If you ever speak of this encounter, or cause trouble for me by involving any law enforcement agencies, I will remove each slimy tentacle from your hide and feed them to you. Afterwards... well you get the idea. Be good, Xyle."

The Eradicator paused in the window and closed her eyes. New plans and possibilities flashed past her mind. When the epiphany came, it was an amazing thrill, like a light coming on in the dark. She turned to the broken Xyle. "I think I know how to find him after all. Isn't that lovely?"


Clark dipped a finger hesitantly into the thick gray jelly-like substance Aislinn had presented him with and tasted it. "Sweet and tangy," he said.

Aislinn nodded and scooped a mass out of her bowl with three fingers. "It isn't wonderful, but it will fill up the empty spot inside."

Once Clark started eating in earnest he didn't stop until the bottom of the bowl was glistening up at him. He licked each of his fingers clean and sighed deeply. "Thank you so much. I was starving."

Aislinn nodded and continued her meal at a more sedate pace. "I can tell. Please don't think I'm prying, but do you have papers or maybe someone to call for help?" If this child had papers, she would be shocked beyond belief. "You know identification papers?"

Staring at the table, Clark shrugged helplessly. "I don't think so. I just don't remember much. I'm not even sure my name's Clark. I was having hallucinations when I first woke up and one of them, well all of them, called me Clark. Then I ran away and ended up on your doorstep."

"Very lucky for you, finding my doorstep, because I can help you, dear. You're going to need work and a place to stay. Without papers or money, that's near impossible to do," Aislinn said. She reached out and patted Clark's hand gently. "First we need to know what species of alien you are, before I can help you. Would you like my help?"

Clark hesitated. He couldn't say no. He needed her help desperately. "I don't understand what you get out of this. Why help me?"

"Honestly, I think you have a nice look. That is important in my line of work," Aislinn said. "Before you start with any more questions, let me see your hand." She took one of Clark's hands and placed it on a small translucent scanner. The scanner was her most prized possession. It separated her from the lower class whores wandering the streets. Rendering pleasure was nearly impossible if you didn't understand the alien you were working with. "You don't remember what species you are I suppose." Aislinn grinned and looked down at the display. That was impossible. She stared hard at the display and the species it had determined her lost puppy to be. Nervously she told it to rescan, but it flashed the same data. Kryptonian? Her lost puppy could not be a Kryptonian. There weren't any left.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" Clark asked. "Did it tell you anything about me?"

"No dear, I think it must be broken," Aislinn whispered. It wasn't broken though. This was an unreal occurrence. The money this boy, a truly unique commodity, would bring at an underground auction...It would be more than enough for her to retire. No more aliens sweating alcohol on her, no more bouts of Fernien VD, this was a miracle, but it would take time to set up. "You get some rest for now, and we'll talk this evening, okay?"

Clark nodded and yawned. "You've been so kind. Thank you. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't come along."

Aislinn nodded and tried not to let her pure glee shine through. Instead, she marshaled her face into maternal concern. "Please don't speak of it. You are a darling child, and I only hope I'll be able to help you."


A dull little blue rock languished on a shelf gathering dust. The stooped mole-like workers moved around it, oblivious to the being trapped inside. Lola had failed miserably in her every attempt to restock her severely depleted energy. She was stuck in a hole, a laundry devoid of light. The whole situation was maddening. God knew what was happening to her Clark while she couldn't even reach out.

"Little Lola, you're right where I thought you would be," the Eradicator whispered. She took the piece of Kryptonium and blew at the dust coating it. She wrapped her hands around the rock and began directing energy towards it. "This won't be as pleasant or tasty as drinking from Clark or even the sun, but as a rapid infusion of energy is necessary, I suspect you will endure."

Lola couldn't have complained if she had wanted to. A little pain was an acceptable price, to restore her energy.

"I need your help little Lola. Your friend, Clark, is lost in the big bad city alone. Who knows what state of mind he's in or what he's gotten himself into? You have to help me find him, so that we can protect him. You may not believe it, but I do want to protect him. I'll be the first to admit, ascension might have been a mistake, but I'm seeing things clearer now."

Lola wished she were fully charged so she could float away from the psychotic weapon who had instigated the entire mess they were entangled in. Unfortunately, she was going to need some help if she was going to locate her friend. Vibrating out the words would be a waste of energy, but it was necessary.

"I can find him, Eradicator."