Hot Head Part 2
Lex POV
I walked into my office, expecting to relax. Unfortunately, that was not to be. Three of my father's "business associates". I glanced carelessly at them. One thing I knew was that 'important' people hated feeling ignored. Of course that meant I did it all the more. I smiled. "Well, if it isn't the three wise men." I nodded at the one on the end. "Dominic."
He scowled. He never liked me. Still held a grudge for the whole 'I slept with his sister' thing. I didn't know she was his sister…not like that really would have mattered, but still. I never understood how the guy gets blamed and the girl gets off like she was the victim…but such is life. "I assume you're late because you've been at a fencing lesson, or have you taken up polo again?"
Polo. Big mistake. I inwardly shuddered, but I plastered on a smile. "I'm not late. I canceled the meeting." He nodded. "And your father insisted we come down here to keep it."
I nodded. "And when he barks, you jump." He scowled. I turned away to hide my smirk. I walked into another room. They followed. My father trained them well. "Have you seen the quarterly numbers?"
I grabbed a pool stick off the wall. Of course I'd seen them. I was a business man, despite my father's interference. "Yes. We're 20 percent below projections."
"Your father wants you to take drastic action." Well, obviously. I'd already gone through the figures and come up with a situation that was a win-win. It wouldn't be my father's choice, but wasn't that the point? "I plan to."
I could feel the relief of the trio. I admit I felt a rush at knowing it would be short lived. Dominic sighed. "Good. So I can tell your father you'll be cutting your workforce?" Did I say that? I don't think so. "On the contrary, I plan on increasing the workforce by 20%."
Dominic took in a panicked breath. "Lex, I've always enjoyed your unique sense of humor, but you cannot be serious!" I bit back a smile. "I can't? You gotta spend money to make money, Dominic. If we increase productivity and marketing while our competitors retreat, when the sector bounces back..." I took a shot and made the pool ball into the pocket. "...we'll corner the market."
Dominic scowled. "Your father sent you here to turn the plant around." I scoffed. "My father sent me here because he'd rather surround himself with mindless drones who don't challenge his archaic business practices." Dominic frowned. "I'll be sure to tell him that."
I nodded. "Good. Meeting adjourned." The three reluctantly started to leave. I set up another shot. "By the way, Dominic, tell your sister I said 'hi'." His face flushed with anger. I smiled. Score. As soon as they left I made a beeline for my desk. I pulled out the file on the Smallville plant.
It was true that productivity was down, but through research I'd also discovered that the workforce was practically skeletal. Sometimes taking the cheap route made things worse. Not that my father would ever learn from his mistakes. Then I'd gotten the idea of increasing the workforce. Clara's father actually reminded me of the impact my father had made on the people of Smallville. It most certainly wasn't a good one. Most local farms like the Kents resented the Luthors, and with good reason.
But I wasn't my father and I wanted to show that. If this plant was going to be successful the town needed to back it. That meant hiring enough people and occasionally making appearances in father banished me to Smallville as a punishment, but I was going to turn it into something great.
And I did so hate to disappoint my father…pity…
Clara POV
When I was done moping in the lovely mountains of Colorado, I decided to swing by the game. I figured Pete would be playing and Chloe of course would be there to report the evil doings of the coach. I chuckled to myself. That girl has a wild imagination. As suspected, Pete was sitting on the sidelines, dedicated even though he probably wasn't going to play. Something was off, though. Luke was missing.
Strange. He'd been at school. I shook my head. It wasn't important right now. I needed to find Chloe. She was hanging around the lower bleachers, snapping photos. She usually had somebody else cover sports but with the recent scandal she wanted to be in the middle of the action. I nodded to her. "Sup, Chloe? Enjoying the game?"
She rolled her eyes. "Ugh. Why did I ever decide to cover this game? It's a waste of time, seriously. I'm more interested in why Principal Kwan is hanging around and glaring at coach." I laughed. "If you want I could finish covering it and you could check out you 'lead'." I raised an eybrow. Her eyes lit up. "Really? Ah, Clara you're the best!"
I nodded. "You do. Buy me a coffee at the Beanery and we'll call it even."
"Your allowance still pulled from that sneaking out thing?" She said sympathetically. When Mom and Dad heard about Whitney's car during homecoming they were not pleased. I told my friends I broke curfew. Which I did, but that's not the point. I just nodded, shrugging. She smirked. "Well, let's see the article and then we'll talk."
I took mental notes on the game, silently memorizing each detail. I was sure Chloe had already taken photos, so I didn't worry about that. After the game I met up with Pete. We were walking out in the parking lot when I saw a burning car.
Somebody was screaming. I yelled at Pete to get help. He darted off and I ran to the car. I ripped the door off its hinges and pulled the man out. The car exploded. Thinking quickly, I took off my jacket and burned it in the flames. Now I had a cover story.
I looked at the man who I now recognized him as Principal Kwan. He was unconscious. What had happened? The paramedics came and I fed them the crap that I wrapped my hands in my jacket before pulling him out. So far it just looked like the car had exploded. I hadn't smelled a gas leak or anything. Something weird was definitely going on here.
Of course my parents were less than enthusiastic. My father, particularly, was worried. "Are you sure you weren't seen?"
"What dad? Didn't trust me the first hundred times you asked me? I don't get it! I'm supposed to be glad I have these abilities, but what? I can't play sports, I can't show off, and now you're saying I can't save people?" Dad frowned. "Clara, that's not what I'm saying."
"Then what, dad? What is the reason you obviously don't trust my judgment?" I scowled. "You can't keep me under wraps forever dad."
"Clara, you don't understand the danger! I'm protecting you! You could easily slip up and hurt others." I threw my hands up in the air. "Protecting me! Thank you, oh noble father. The poor defenseless abandoned alien spawn has to be protected at all times. She's too stupid, too young, too naïve to grasp the situation at hand!" I glared at him. "If you don't ever trust me, I won't ever be ready when the time comes."
I glanced at mom. She'd played the mediator so many times throughout my life. I wish she didn't have to. "I'm going for a walk."
I grabbed the leftover brownies I'd made earlier. Call me childish, but I didn't want dad to have them anymore.
I thought about where I could go. I needed to do something. An idea popped in my head. I'm sure I could get past the Luthor mansion security again…
Martha POV
I loved my husband but he could truly be an idiot sometimes. He sighed and looked at me. "How did she get to be so stubborn?" I rolled my eyes. "Gee, I don't know. "
He frowned. "Hey, wait a minute-I was not like that when I was his age." I scoffed. "Oh, no, you were the obedient son who always obeyed his father and didn't run away one summer and try out for the Metropolis Sharks."
" Since when did you go and join the other side?" I threw my dish towel on the counter. "Jonathan, listen to yourself! It's not sides against your daughter. She hasn't been able to do anything like normal little girls. She's older now. Why won't you give her a chance?"
"Her gifts come with responsibilities." I scowled. "This isn't about her gifts, it's about her judgment. You're telling Clara that you don't believe in her."
"Of course, I believe in her. W-what if she makes a mistake... and somebody suspects the truth? I do not want anyone coming on this farm and taking our daughter away from us." His face was desperate. I felt sorry for him. He was always used to protecting his little girl. So was I, but I understood she couldn't stay our little girl forever. I sighed.
"Well, if we don't start trusting her, nobody's gonna have to take her away. She's gonna leave all by herself."
Lex POV
There was no help in the garage, particularly at night. So when I was alerted to a motion sensor intrusion, I immediately went to investigate. Usually I'd just send a guard but the night was slow. I went to investigate. Probably some teenager trying to get some cheap thrills.
I saw a figure scuffling around in the dark. I acted quickly, chunking a nearby object at the intruder. I heard a definite clunk before flicking on the lights. I saw a figure stand up and spin angrily. "Ow!" I blinked in disbelief. "Clara?"
She rubbed her head. "Jeez if you wanted to me to leave all you had to do was ask."
I rushed to her, confused. She was standing next to her car that I was keeping in my garage. "What are you doing here? Did I actually hit you?"
She shook her head. "No, I hit my head when I ducked. Sorry if I surprised you. I just needed to get out of the house."
I raised an eyebrow. "Saving the innocent getting too boring for you?" She frowned. "I didn't really save him. I just pulled him out of the car…"
I did a double take. "What? I was joking." She blushed. "Uh, yeah. Long story short, the car blew up and I dragged my principal out."
"Extra credit takes on a whole new meaning with you?" She rolled her eyes. "Hardy har. At least you're taking it better than my parents."I raised an eyebrow. "Trouble in Kent family paradise?"
She slid into the seat of her car, patting the seat next to her. I slid in. She sighed. "They're worried. Dad wants to protect me from guys, danger, myself." I frowned. I wasn't very good at the compassionate mentor thing, but I was willing to try. "I'm sure they just want the best."
She cast an amused glance to me. "Was that what your father was doing sending you to snoresville?" I nodded. "Good point. But you are their daughter."
"Yes, they raised me, and they raised me well. But they can't expect me to stay the sweet innocent delicate flower." She spat the word delicate like it was poison. She sighed and leaned her head against the head rest. "If you had the ability to do something that would help a lot a people, not hurt yourself, but disappoint your dad, would you do it?"
I thought about the recent altercation with the plant workers. "Yes." She raised an eyebrow. "That was quick."
I shrugged. "I've never been proud of my dad. He's created quite the reputation in Smallville. If I'm going to change that, I know I'm going to have to go above and beyond to prove my honesty. I have to do things to gain their trust and keep it."
She nodded. "Well, you have my trust. That's one down. 4500 to go." I laughed. "That the real population of this town?"
She nodded. "Great, right? I've always grown up in a small town, so I wouldn't know the difference." I frowned. "I could definitely see you living in Metropolis. You'd do well there."
She snorted "Try telling that to my dad. If it was up to him I'd get married, move to some guy's farm and give them grandkids." I sat up and looked at her. Clara's face was pulled into a frowned. She was obviously upset about this. I was used to ignoring what my dad told me to do, but Clara wasn't.
"Clara." She looked at me questioningly. "It isn't up to your dad. I know you want to obey him, but there comes a time when you have to be your own person." She bit her lip. "Look, Clara. I'm obviously the wrong person to ask about having a healthy father-child relationship. But I can tell you two things I do know. One, you're young, Clara, but you're also growing up. You and your father have to accept that at some point. Second, your father is a good man and he seems to want what's best. He's also stubborn like you. Must be genetics."
She smiled. "Actually I'm adopted. But the basic principle's the same. Thanks Lex…"
I nodded. "Anytime. Now next let's tackle something difficult like world hunger." My joke worked and she laughed. "Great. You provide the food and I'll drive." She left a few minutes later but I couldn't help but wonder just what Jonathan Kent had gotten upset about.
I shook my head as I flicked the lights off the garage. I'd find out Clara Kent's secrets eventually.