Chapter 38
Clark entered the Isis Foundation at super speed, and found Chloe, as usual, in front of the bank of computer screens.
"Clark! What brings you this way? You know, I need—"
"Chloe, I need to talk to you."
Shocked at his tone, Chloe gave him her complete and undivided attention. "What is it? What's wrong?"
"There was another attempt on Lois' life. Oh, she's fine," he assured her. "I was there, but the guy thought it was a direct hit, so I've decided we're going to fake her death while we find out what's going on with this Benson character."
"You've decided?" Chloe's eyes went round. "And Lois is just going along with this? My, you are having quite an effect on that cousin of mine these days."
Clark smiled. "Believe me, it's a constant battle. Perry will be putting out an obituary and I've got Oliver taking care of the death certificate and a few other details."
"You're serious? So will I be going to a fake funeral and be expected to cry, or—"
"I'm hoping it doesn't go quite that far, but I do need you to check your files for this guy. He got out of and back into jail with not one person even batting an eyelash. Something is definitely wrong there. I was thinking ... maybe a meteor power? Invisibility? Or some kind of mind control?"
"You mean Benson? The hitman you caught?"
"Yes. That's him. Maybe you can find out if he was in Smallville around the time of one of the meteor showers?"
"I can try," she said, "but, Clark, frankly, I don't know if I'll be able to find out much. He is a very shadowy figure. Most hitmen are."
"Whatever you can find out will help. I can't very well be seen at work for the next few days, so I won't have access to the Planet's computers. And anyway, with all the homework the doctors at Star Labs are assigning me, I feel like my brain is going to burst if I add one more fact. I swear, I avoided 'training' with Jor-El only to be put through it there."
"You know, I'm absolutely stunned you ever consented to any tests. How in the world did Oliver convince you to do it? You were always so dead set against being put in a lab."
"Uh…it was…well…say, is that a new hairstyle?"
Chloe laughed. "No, it is not. But I do get it. You're not going to tell me. I can take a hint."
"Thanks, Chloe." Clark breathed out a sigh of relief and smiled.
"Just for the record, Clark, changes of subject and excuses – they are so not your strong point." The cell phone on the desk rang. She reached for it and saw the caller ID flashing, but she didn't answer it. "Oh, and tell Lois dead people don't make phone calls. If someone does check on how dead she is, she'll need to make her calls from your phone. I'm assuming she's at the farm?"
"Yes." Suddenly, he seemed unsure. "Bad idea?"
"No. As long as you can keep her there and you really watch her. I'll run by her apartment and get some clothes and things for her and bring it by tomorrow. I'm sure that's what she's calling about, in addition to griping about you bossing her around, that is."
********
"Chloe, you're a life saver!" Lois grabbed the small suitcase from her with delight.
"Anytime, cuz. Your laptop is inside as well." She looked past her into the kitchen. "Is Clark here?"
"No, still at Star Labs. But he promised he'd be back by five." They both looked at the clock. "So any minute now." Lois saw the look of triumph in her cousin's eyes. "You found something?"
"Oh yeah," Chloe said with a satisfied smile. A whoosh of air suddenly ruffled her hair, and Clark appeared. "Good, I won't have to repeat myself."
Much to Chloe's surprise, after depositing a quick peck on Lois' cheek, Clark came over and gave her a little side hug. She had to admit, a relationship with Lois was definitely making Clark a more relaxed person when it came to showing affection. She was pushing down that little, familiar spurt of jealousy when she heard him ask, "What did you find?"
"Well, Benson is not a meteor freak. He's just one very talented killer with no conscience at all." She watched Clark's face fall a bit before continuing, "He's always been quite effective too, until he ran into a certain target who just happens to have Superman for a personal bodyguard. You're his first failure, Lois. I'm sure that is just about to kill him too, not to mention it's bad for business." She walked over to the table and spread out some pictures before them.
"But… his lawyer, a Mr. Simon Grange…" she pointed to a picture taken just outside the jailhouse steps, "just happened to be traveling through Smallville during the last meteor shower, as ill luck would have it, trying to get to Lex Luthor. He wanted to convince him of a rather shady corporate buy-out deal for one of his clients. His car came under a direct hit by a meteor, and he recovered from his various superficial cuts and bruises within a few days. But ever since, he's had an uncanny ability to influence the behavior of others with his amazing rhetoric."
"How?"
"He talks people into anything. It's every lawyer's dream. Call it persuasion a la Kyle Tippet and Bob Rickman or some kind of hypnosis, and, frankly, I'd go with the latter, but he can convince people with his voice to act in any way he wants for a limited amount of time, usually a few hours."
"A meteor freak and a lawyer? Insert joke here. So why isn't he in Vegas?" Lois mused, as she picked up the picture. "I know this guy from somewhere…"
"According to the police records," Chloe said, "he paid a visit to Benson just a few hours before the attack on Lois. He hung around the jail making small talk until he returned, but no one seemed to know that Benson was ever missing for that period of time."
"So he got the guards at the jail to look the other way while Benson just walked out and back in again?" Clark nodded as he looked thoughtfully down at the floor.
"Essentially, yeah."
Clark took the picture from Lois and studied it.
"Clark, no! Just get that thought right out of your head! You can't go near that guy!" Lois said emphatically.
"Lois, Bob Rickman shook my hand and had no effect on me. I doubt—"
"But you said other meteor freaks, sorry, no offence, Chloe, have affected you!" She shook her head and began pacing. "No, we can't risk your going near him. So how do we get to him? How do you stop someone who can hypnotize anyone into letting him get away?"
"I'm with Lois here, Clark. We can't risk it. Maybe we should send Impulse to handle him?"
"That's an idea. He moves so quickly, it would be hard for the guy to do anything to him. But then, so can I, so why involve him?"
"No." Lois said it with a finality that Clark wasn't used to hearing from her, and he and Chloe both stared at her for a moment.
"She's right, Clark. You can't. If Impulse or one of the others comes under the guy's influence, there's always you to control them. But if something happens to you, the only way to control you is—"
"Chloe!" Clark stopped her from saying anything more, but it was too late. Lois pounced on the revelation.
"There's a way to control you? Clark! Why didn't you tell me this?"
"Gee, I wonder why?" Clark mumbled under his breath.
"What is it?" she demanded, openmouthed.
"Oops…" Chloe gave Clark an embarrassed smile and wanted to sink into the floor. Maybe an exit was in order. Obviously, these two had plenty to discuss. "I think I'll be going now. This foot in my mouth is going to make it hard to see the road as it is. Bye, you two!" She slipped out the door while both of them stood there glaring at each other.
