Similis

"My father was what?" Lex turned to Jonathan, "Right? What was Lionel right about, Mr Kent?"



"That Clark is ... special." Jonathan said carefully, "That he can do things that most other people can't, and that the meteor rocks affect him differently than they do the rest of us."



"I already know how the green rocks affect Clark." Lex reminded them. "They hurt him, make him weak and nauseous. I don't need my father's research to tell me that."



"Did you also know that the red rocks change him too?" Martha asked softly.



"They do?" That was apparently news to Lex. “How? I mean in what way?”



"They release his inhibitions." Jonathan spoke in a low tone, as though not saying it loudly would make it easier to admit. "Lionel apparently saw some of the effects the Red-K has on Clark. You did too, although you might not have been aware of it at the time."



"Dad would have noticed that." Lex said darkly. "Lionel saw a lot more than people expected while we all thought he was still blind…" He looked at Jonathan. "So what sort of things can Clark do? Or …"



"No, you'll need to know that if you are going to have any chance of finding him.” Jonathan wasn’t going back on his decision. They were working to enough of a disadvantage already; there was no sense in hobbling the Luthor boy. He wants to help, so let’s see what he can do. Jonathan took a deep breath and started. “Clark is fast … Very fast, Lex."



"How fast? Fast as a hare, as a dog, as a race-horse? Fast is relative, Mr Kent. Cars are fast. Helicopters are fast."



"Call me Jonathan, Lex. If we are all going to be working together, we should at least try to feel like we are on the same side." Jonathan decided. "And Clark is faster than any of those things."



"He is?" Lex was staring.



"We don't know how fast Clark is, we've never had any accurate way to measure it, but at the moment when Adam fired on Lana outside the Talon, Clark was standing across town in the Crisis Centre."



"Surely he couldn't have been?" Lex was understandably sceptical. "Lana said that as the gun went off Clark was already pushing her onto the ground so that Adam would miss her. Which means he had to already be there."



"Clark was holding the phone at the Crisis Centre as the gun went off, and he still got there in time to stop the bullet from hitting Lana." Jonathan waited for Lex to absorb that information. "He took it on the chest for her. Clark seems to have developed a habit of bouncing bullets." He sighed deeply. "The boy goes through more t-shirt's that way."



"Clark can move faster than a bullet…" Lex's eyes were wide. "And he can get hit by one without being hurt? Fuck." At that moment he was too stunned to think about the niceties of what he was saying.







Martha and Jonathan decided not to call him on the lapse. After all, it wasn't everyday that you learned something that strange about your best friend, so they were prepared to make certain allowances. Just this once.



Recovering, Lex shrugged himself together, "So is there anything else I should know?"



"Clark has a sort of extra strong vision, we jokingly called it his x-ray vision and the term stuck. He can see through anything but lead." Jonathan wondered about whether he should withhold the bit about the lead, but it might turn out to be important later, and besides, ranked among the rest of it, it hardly seemed crucial.



"He can also do those heat beam things." Martha added.



"Heat beams?" Lex's eyebrows shot up.



"From his eyes. That was what caused the fire in the Sex–Ed Class. He's gotten it under control since then, but it was quite a problem at first."



"Oh." Lex looked a bit paler at that.



"Ah, and there's the hearing thing. That only kicked in relatively recently, but Clark is able to pick out the sound of our truck from here, even before Jon leaves the main highway…" Martha added helpfully.



"Phew." Running a hand over his suddenly moist forehead, Lex frowned.



Haze tugged at Martha's sleeve and gestured a reminder.



"Oh, yes Haze… The … uhm … flying …" Martha flushed a little at the omission. "Yes, I'd quite forgotten that."



"Flying?" Lex asked weakly.



"Hmm." Martha nodded.



"Clark doesn't have wings, does he?" For once the bald youth seemed to be struggling for words. "Haze told me that that was one of the main ways in which they're different."



"No, Clark doesn't seem to need them." Martha smiled awkwardly. "We don't know how he does it." She turned to Haze. "He isn't flying now, is he, Haze?"



Haze shook his head, looking thoroughly dejected.







Lex realised that if Clark had been flying Haze might not have lost track of him. He also suspected that, had that been the case, nothing in this world would have stopped the angel from following his 'twin'. However, for whatever reason, Clark had apparently opted to remain earthbound.



"Well, at least we can be grateful for that. Clark hasn't had a lot of practice with that. I expect he forgot he could." Martha suggested.



Haze signed something rapidly in response.



Lex tried to follow what they were saying, but realised that he was already hopelessly lost. He sighed and gave up.



"Yes, it's rather a lot to take in, isn't it?" Jonathan sympathised.



"I begin to see why Clark felt that he wasn't ready to share any of this with me." Lex admitted. "It adds up to a bit more than the standard 'meteor-mutant' stuff, doesn't it?"



"Yep." Jonathan was obviously not going to say any more, and Lex was almost relieved. He wasn't sure how much more he could have taken at that moment. "So, let's see if I've got all this straight," He said carefully. "Clark is actually faster than a speeding bullet, stronger than steel, has x-ray and heat vision, can fly, and can hear things that the rest of us would need to rely on surveillance equipment for?"



"That's about it, Lex."



Lex rolled his eyes. "And somehow we have to go looking for him, when he doesn't want to be found?"



"Put like that it does sound a bit of a tough call." Jonathan agreed.



"Tough?" Lex laughed dryly. "Just a bit. Can't we just put some food out, wait until he's hungry and then drop a box on him?"



"It would have to be a pretty damn big box." Jonathan laughed at the idea of catching Clark like some sort of squirrel.



"And of course we have no idea of which of Edge's hideouts Clark is heading for?" Lex remembered. "Clark could be heading for Metropolis, New York, or even Gotham?"





* * * * *





"Haze, it's only been four days, we'll find him." Martha insisted, "Clark wouldn't want you to sit here and worry yourself into the ground on his account." She sighed as she watched Haze sink the remaining three pancakes. He even ran his fingers through the last traces of syrup on the plate. "Well, at least your appetite is still with us." Martha decided aloud, giving him an affectionate little hug as she took away the empty plate. "Now, what are you two going to do this morning?"



"I'm going to take the tractor out and test it on the small back field." Jonathan decided. "Haze can come and sit and watch if he wants. All of the main chores were done a half-hour ago thanks to the people that Lex hired to cover for Clark. I already sent them home for the day, as there actually isn't that much else on the list now." He glanced at the lad. Haze shrugged.







Walking into the diner, Clark eased himself onto the high stool beside the counter. The assistant gave him a nod of greeting, presumably recognising him from the previous three mornings. "What'll it be?"



"Coffee, and a cheese roll, thank you." Clark answered with his habitual politeness. "Oh, and I'll have one of the pastries too, please."



"Sure." The man in the apron smiled and went off to see to the order. Clark sat there, wondering if he was doing the right thing by being here? He had recognised the registration plates on the car as Gotham issue, and so coming to the city had seemed like the logical move, only he had been in Gotham for four days in total now, and despite employing all of his unique advantages to the full, Clark had yet to find any sign of Edge. He was starting to miss his parents, his bed, his mom's cooking, and Haze, though not necessarily in that order.







After they finished putting the fully-restored tractor through its paces, Jonathan's attention returned to the problem of Haze, he could see that the angel's usual enthusiasm was entirely absent; Haze was clearly pining for Clark.



Martha wandered up. "I'm worried about him, Jon," She murmured in her husband's ear. "What are we going to do with him?"



Jonathan had a sudden inspiration. "Tell you what, Haze?" He suggested, "Why don't you have a quick fly round? You could drop over to Lex's place and see if he's got any news? The exercise might help cheer you up a bit?"



Haze opened wide eyes and looked at Jonathan.



"Go on. You deserve a break." Jonathan told him.



"It's a bright day, and no one will see you if you stick to the edges of the tree line." Martha approved. "Perhaps if Lex isn't around you could drop in on Professor Willowbrook at the Reservation? Wherever you go, have them call us to let us know that you're there safe though. We can come by later and pick you up. We're going to go out after lunch and see how Chloe is doing with her computer search, and we still have to fetch the groceries."



Haze signed that he would be sure and have someone call the Kent's the minute he arrived. Carefully slipping out of his t-shirt he tucked it under his belt and knotted it to prevent it slipping off while he was flying. Stepping out of the door and bounding down the steps he leapt into the air and beat steadily upwards into the cerulean blue sky.



"There. At least one of them can be relied on to keep out of trouble." Jon sighed, hugging his wife and giving her a tender kiss. "Now we only have to worry about what our other not-so-little, not-so-green, man might be up to…"







As Clark waited for his food, he planned the rest of his day. He had set himself up with casual work at a meat packing plant almost immediately, and even chanced to find lodgings thanks to one of his co-workers. Finding this diner was due to its closeness to the factory and the fact that the other guys on the night shift used it too, and while the food wasn't like his mom's, it was edible. Or maybe that was because Clark really could eat almost anything?



At least I'm not going to have to resort to crime to feed or clothe myself this time.



Being paid in cash should also make it that much harder for anyone to trace him here, whatever their motives, although so far the factory hadn't even asked Clark for ID. Of course he had guessed at once that it wasn't the sort of place where they asked too many questions, and besides, how many kids of his official age were built on his scale?



And how many of those would have willingly ventured into a deep freeze room filled with cow carcases on a regular basis? For once his freaky size and endurance were turning out to be an advantage…



Having just completed his third night shift, Clark was ravenous. Once the plates arrived, he gulped down both the roll and the pastry in a couple of bites, washing them down with the coffee, and so it wasn't until he took a last long swig from the mostly empty cup that he actually noticed the odd aftertaste.



Sorta hot? Sure, it IS hot, but should it taste that way too? Clark’s eyes started to burn. He blinked, feeling heat light up deep inside his belly. It was at that moment that it finally occurred to him that there weren't that many other people in the diner.



Kinda odd for a place that relies on the breakfast trade? His head started to swirl. Suddenly concerned, Clark looked up and found himself facing his own reflection in the long mirror that ran the full length of the serving counter. Even the lousy lighting in the room didn't quite hide the bright red glow that suddenly blazed inside Clark's eyes.



No...!



Something tore inside him, but the scream never made it past his lips.







The air above the woods was welcoming and smelt of sun-warmed pine. Haze winged his way in close over the tops of the trees, making sure that he would not be easily seen. Along the near horizon dark clouds bullied their way across the pristine blue, there was definitely rain on the way.



Haze could feel the smaller inhabitants of the woods below becoming briefly active as they anticipated the coming downpour and sought shelter, although his senses were still picking up a few fuzzy animal traces prowling among the trees.



The angel was unconcerned about the unscheduled rain, predicting that he would be safely under cover well before it hit. Just a short way ahead of him was his destination: a small natural clearing not too far from the manicured grounds and the Castle. These thinning woods formed the last real cover before the landscaped areas began and Haze had no illusions about what would happen if one of Lex's occasional visitors happened to see him fly in. There would be pandemonium. Far simpler to avoid all of the fuss and land here, shift his wings away, and simply walk the rest of the way to the house and check his reception.



There were definitely some human life signs over that way, and while one of them bore Haze's touch that didn't necessarily mean it was Lex he was sensing, it could just as easily be Chloe or even Lana. The only thing Haze was certain of was that it wasn't Clark.



Circling in, Haze back winged, slowing his descent, the moss in the clearing pleasantly damp and cool under his feet as he touched down. He sighed as he realised that he had come out without any shoes … again.



A low grumble sounded from under the nearer pines. At first it sounded a little like early thunder. Glancing over, Haze noticed a flash: not of light but of teeth. He waited, wings out and perfectly still, knowing that he could be back in the air long before most land-bound threats could reach him if that proved necessary.



The Doberman advanced, eyeing the angel uncertainly, baring ivory white teeth at him, and drawing back its black lips in a snarl.



Wings raised, Haze remained passive: watching it watching him.



With another growl, this time from away off to Haze's left, a second dog arrived.



Pain bit into Haze, as a flood of red heat drowned out his connection to Clark. He would have screamed then had his body known how, but as it was he simply collapsed silently onto the lush vegetation. Vaguely, the angel was aware of falling forward, of sprawling out across the mossy soil, and of contact with two solid furry bodies.



As the last lingering traces of awareness deserted the angel, the sky above darkened and the first few drops of icy rain spattered down on the isolated glade.







"Mmmm!" Kal stretched and clicked the knots out of his spine. With Clark out of it, Kal was back in the saddle. "That feels sooo good…!"



"How would you prefer to be addressed, sir?" A man's voice asked politely.



Kal turned and stared at the new arrival. Apart from the grey-suited man, there didn't seem to be anyone else in the diner now, not even staff. "Why?" He answered lazily. "Who wants to know?"



"Mr Morgan Edge would very much appreciate a moment of your time, sir. Mr Edge apologises profusely for any previous misunderstandings and he has instructed me to assure you that if you are only willing to hear him out personally, then he intends to make it very much worth your while."



"Is that so?" Kal turned slowly, allowing the other man to see the easy play of muscle as he moved.



"Yes, sir." The pale eyes darted nervously.



Kal enjoyed the effect he was having on this mere human. Oh, it was going to be so good to be bad!



"Worth my while?" He favoured the man with a dangerous smile. "Would that be in a money-type way?"



"Indeed. Mr Edge has sent his limousine to collect you, as proof of his good intentions."



"I don't do limo's." Kal decided. He might not be as weak minded as Clark, but this body still held memories of the unpleasant treatment that Clark had received from some of Edge's men.



Kal also remembered that Edge had just gone to a lot of trouble to have Clark's food tampered with, not that Kal wasn't grateful for that little innovation, but Edge could have also had the forethought to arrange to have a few other adaptations set aside specifically for after the changeover, and that didn't appeal to Kal in the slightest. Money did though, and power, and Morgan Edge had access to both. It was worth a small risk…



"I'll fly us there." He decided, noting that the other man didn't seem at all eager. "You can show me where Edge is."



"Me?"



"I'm not talking to myself here, am I?" Kal reminded him. "I assume you do know where your boss is right now?"



"Mr Edge is waiting in one of his apartments. I was to see that the limo delivered you straight there, sir." The other man said hastily, obviously not wanting to anger Kal. "But although Mr Edge's suite is on the top floor, the building doesn't have a helicopter pad."



"That's okay." Kal gave him a megawatt grin, and towed him out of the door at the end of a steely arm. "I don't need one."







Lex knew that something was not right the minute he stepped out of the car. He glanced around but found nothing to account for it apart from another local downpour, so what the hell was it that was bothering him?



Oh, well, maybe I'm just tired… He shut the car door and jogged up the steps to the front door, encouraged to increase his speed by the increasingly miserable weather. The instant he stepped inside the mansion he saw one thing he would definitely rather have not seen after a long morning at the office.



"Dad." He announced diplomatically, suddenly unsurprised that his instincts had hinted at something amiss.



"Lex." Came back the neutral reply. "I was beginning to wonder if you had forgotten about our little arrangement?"



"Of course not." Lex lied. "I was just delayed. You know how it is?" He salved his conscience by telling himself that he had remembered about the meeting when he had woken up this morning, and consequently had issued instructions to his staff and hidden the decent whisky in anticipation before he left. It had only been as the morning had worn on that the dreadful event had finally slipped his mind.



Good job I came back when I did…



"If you have no objections, Dad, we can begin to go over the paperwork after lunch?"



Lionel waved an indifferent hand. "As you wish. I have no particular plans for the next few hours." He agreed.



Oh, damn! He wants to stay! Why me? Why couldn't I have been adopted? Is it too late to put in for it?



Even as he poured himself out a glass of amber liquid, purely for therapeutic purposes, Lex couldn't help but feel that it was actually not his father's presence that was disturbing him, although it was hard to think of a more likely cause.







"Mr Kent, or should that be Kal?" If Morgan Edge was surprised to see a red-eyed youth land effortlessly on his balcony while dragging one of Edge's obviously terrified employees along for the ride, the man managed to conceal it admirably.



"Kal." Kal eyed the man disdainfully. "Kent's not my father."



"Ah. Then welcome to my humble abode, Kal." Edge said silkily. "I do apologise sincerely for any previous … misunderstandings. Won't you come in?"



A long careful look around the apartment produced no signs of a double-cross, and no concealed dark patches on the man's body that might suggest that Edge was carrying any little lead wrapped surprises.



"I got your message, and your messenger." Kal said at last, letting go of the quivering lump that had shown him where to locate Edge. "Actually, 'mess' is probably the right word all round. You might want to encourage him to get out of those clothes." He suggested, casting a disdainful look at the quivering man at his feet. "He stinks…"



"Ah." Morgan Edge waved a dismissive hand to his lackey. "Yes, do get out. Take some time to get yourself cleaned up. I'll page you if I need you." Picking up an expensive looking glass, he took a thoughtful draught. "Since I am still standing, can I take it you're not nursing a grudge against me for any past actions, Kal?"



Kal watched Edge swallow, checking that the liquid was actually going down the man's throat. He didn't intend letting himself become another of Edge's victims. He very definitely did not trust the gang leader, not even as far as Martha Kent could have thrown Edge. "Not at the moment." He said, making sure that the other man realised that that could change.



"Excellent. I rather hoped that might be the case. Can I interest you in a drink perhaps?" Edge offered, picking up another glass and wandering over to a well stocked bar.



"I'll have what you're having." Kal told him, and when Edge brought over the two glasses he made sure to take the one that Edge had already drunk from, using his X-ray vision to ensure that no unexpected switches were being made while Edge's back was between him and the glasses.



"Not worried about germs?" Edge smirked.



"Not human," Kal reminded him. "Not particularly worried about anything right at the moment."



"And how pleased are you about that, Kal?"



"Pleased?" Kal pretended not to know what Edge was referring to. Play dumb and he might learn something more than Edge was expecting to reveal to him.



"My little present." Edge's smirk developed into a full-blown grin. "The something extra in your coffee this morning? I trust it improved your day just a little?"



"Ah, that." Kal chose a seat and lowered himself into it. "Let's just say that I wasn't unhappy about it."



"And what would it take to make you happy, Kal?"



"Why?" Tilting his head, Kal took a long look at Edge. There was something about this human that set his teeth on edge. Even so, he's only human…



"I would very much like for you to be happy." Edge answered cagily.



"Again, why?"



"Because it occurs to me that the two of us could work together to our mutual benefit." Edge said coolly. "If I were to make you happy then you might be inclined to make me happy in return."



"I might." Kal pretended that he was thinking it over, but he had already decided that Morgan Edge was offering the kind of lifestyle that Kal could be quite comfortable with, at least until he was finally ready to make his big move. After that he would have Edge's severed head on a plate, just as an example. "Tell me what you had in mind?"



Leaving Edge to do the talking, Kal sat back; relaxing and soaking up every word.







Swallowing the last succulent morsel, Lionel eased himself comfortably back onto the dining chair and favoured his heir with a satisfied look. "Excellent dinner, Lex," He complimented. "Do pass on my appreciation to your chef."



"Thanks, Dad." Lex tried to keep up the pretence of hospitality. "I'll be sure and do that. Were you thinking of staying, by the way?"



Please say no, and shove off back to Metropolis just as fast as you can! I've spent all afternoon with you; don't make this an all-nighter too!



"If you are offering?" Lionel stretched. He gave a calculated sigh. "I am rather too full of food at the moment to want to be bounced around all the way back to Metropolis."



"Of course." Lex gave a polite smile, knowing full well that what Lionel was hoping for was a glimpse of a certain occasionally-winged person…



Blast it! Stuck with the old paternal lump for another evening… His father's fascination for all things Clark-related had achieved new peaks with the new arrival and, since Haze was at least less openly hostile than Clark, Lionel seemed determined to wear out his welcome by taking full advantage of both the angel's pleasant nature and Clark's unexpected absence.



"Actually, I rather think I shall make a short excursion around the gardens to aid my digestion." Lionel speculated. "Will you join me?" He looked over at Lex.



Oh great! Some choice! If I don't go with him then for the rest of the evening I'm going to be constantly harassed about being a physical weakling with a delicate constitution, not capable of facing the elements like a Luthor should!



Of course if I do go with him then I'm weak minded, easily persuaded, and going to get lectured about that all the way around the grounds… The classic 'no win' situation … then again if I do go, I might be lucky enough to find a really big bottomless hole that I could shove him into? Maybe I could have one excavated before his next visit? Now that was an inspiring thought… Did he still have the number of that landscape gardener?



"I may." Lex supposed, deciding that it would probably be in his best interests to keep a close eye on the old goat. Good grief, but Lionel was really pushing his luck this evening! Suddenly something came to mind that would put a spoke in his father's wheel, and thankfully it was not only a great deal less expensive than arranging for patricide, it was also thoroughly legal, would really piss Lionel off big-time, and would have the added benefit of earning Lex a few extra 'brownie-points' from the Kent's into the bargain.



"I just have one quick telephone call to make, and then I'll meet you outside." He said carefully, never taking his eyes off his father. "How about we rendezvous by the summerhouse?"



"Excellent! Then I shall begin with a short loop around the castle, that should give you ample time to complete your call." Lionel strolled out into the passage and was gone.



Utterly sick of the seemingly never-ending Luthor power-struggle, Lex stalked rapidly into his office for greater privacy, and made use of the speed-dial, only to be disappointed with the irritating electric tone.



"Line busy?" Leaving a brief message warning Haze against visiting that evening, Lex ended the call. "Why don't they use call waiting? Typical Kent simplicity!" Although as he was pulling on his coat that it occurred to him that perhaps the lack of facilities at the Kent home might have a more financial than moral basis? Perhaps he was lucky that they even HAD a phone…





With access to all of the information that Jor-El and the AI had implanted in his head, it was abundantly clear to Kal that if he tried to rule this world before he matured into his full adult potential he would almost certainly set himself up to fail spectacularly.



There were other meta-humans on this dump of a globe, some of whom could pose a serious threat to Kal’s plans. While Kal didn't like that one little bit, he had to reluctantly accept that he was still some way from perfecting all of his emergent abilities.



Any attempt to take this world right now, and alone, would almost certainly fail, and that failure might well cost me any future opportunities.



A little more time to grow was what Kal needed, and it occurred to him that a little more experience of the shadier side of human dealings wouldn't hurt either, at least it wouldn’t hurt him.



An alliance with Edge could be a useful way of gaining both. Clark had lived far too sheltered a life to provide Kal with anything useful on that score.



If I'm going to rule them then I'll need to know the human's weaknesses, as well as their strengths. Tapping into their dark side could be a better way to ensure their co-operation than just using brute force.



"What exactly are you offering me then?" Kal sipped the rich liquid and regarded Edge over the rim of the glass, noting the way that the other man relaxed a little. It would not have been apparent to a human how tense Edge had been, but to Kal's more efficient senses it had been perfectly obvious. "And what do you want in return?"







Leaving the Castle, Lex found the evening air unseasonably chilly, which he supposed was thanks to the same leaden clouds that had hounded him all the way back from the city, making a complete mockery of the local predictions for continuing good weather. Shivering, he hurried along the path towards the waiting figure.



"For once you weren't exaggerating when you said it would be a quick call," Lionel remarked, drawing his own coat more closely up around his neck.



"I couldn't get through." Lex admitted. "I'll try again a little later." He shivered harder, feeling the muscles between his shoulder blades locking into a tight knot in response to the chill air. "Not really the night for being outside!" He muttered.



"Indeed not." His father agreed. "It's the damp. An elderly English business acquaintance used to comment to me that the damp air could get into one's bones. Not technically accurate perhaps, but wonderfully descriptive…"



"Dad, why don’t we dispense with the walk and go back into the house?" Lex suggested. "I'm as keen on exercise as the next person, however this really doesn't seem like the ideal evening for pursuing it outdoors."



Lionel pursed his lips, eyeing the rainy sky with scepticism. "I tend to agree with you." He said unexpectedly, turning and heading back towards the house.



Somewhere off in the distance a plaintive howl split the night air.



"Apparently the dogs agree with us too." Lex grinned, and turned his back thankfully on the chill wind, eagerly anticipating a warm fire and a hot drink.



"Thinking of the dogs, I was gratified to not have to fend them off when I arrived this time." Lionel said thoughtfully, striding through the dark in his expensively tailored coat. "You may actually have gotten them properly trained at last…"



"The dogs?" Lex frowned, rubbing his cold hands, and hoping that the dogs had not actually decided to ignore Lionel permanently. It amused Lex no end when his father got out of the car only to be menaced by the Castle's canine protectors.



"Actually, now you come to mention it, I didn't see them at all when I drove up. They usually give every car at least a quick once-over…" Small tingles of alarm began to disturb his digestion. That was what had unsettled him as he had returned home! The lack of something so thoroughly familiar that it's presence was barely noted. "I wonder where they were?"



"Well at least one of them is patrolling, we just heard it." Lionel reminded him.



Both men shared a moment of concern. The well-trained pack ran loose on the grounds and it was unusual in the extreme not to see rather more of their presence. Security was not a thing that any Luthor could afford to ignore.







"What do I want? Only for us establish a working agreement. I was thinking that I could start by providing you with somewhere more appropriate to live than that shoebox that Clark was hiding away in?" Edge suggested carefully. "See that you had plenty of spending money, some nice clothes, a decent car if you want one? And of course I would make sure that you had other things to … entertain you?"



"And why do you think that I couldn't get all of that by myself, or from someone else?" Kal gave him a long lazy look; letting Edge know that he was not as simple as he might appear, that he knew what was what, and where to get it.



"Clark's good buddy Lex Luthor has bigger pockets than you do. I'm sure he'd be very interested in taking me in if I wanted him to, once I explained a few things to him." Kal reminded Edge.



"Lex is certainly rich enough, but I don't think he would have the stomach for some of the things you find amusing." Edge said candidly. "Even my old pal Lionel might balk a little at what you enjoy doing."



"Maybe." Kal took another sip of the drink. "So why would you be any different?" He asked.



"I really don't care what you want to do with your spare time.” Edge smiled, but there was no warmth in it. “And if we were working together naturally you would have plenty of that. However I would ensure that you had a few things to occupy you, every so often."



"Such as?" Kal narrowed his eyes and stared at Edge.



"Just a few little tasks every so often, to stop the boredom setting in?” The other man suggested. “Nothing that a person with your skills would find taxing: a little violence here, a little demolition there… What do you say?"



"That I'll think about it."



"Of course. Take your time." Edge was the epitome of smoothness. "Can I offer you somewhere in which to think?"



"I can find somewhere, thanks." Kal put down the half-empty glass, deciding that, even untampered with, Edge's whisky was definitely not to his taste. He unfolded himself from the chair and fixed the man with a neutral glance. "I'll be back if I decide to take you up on the offer."



"Take as long as you like." Edge was obviously expecting something similar as he merely nodded. "For someone with your very special talents, Kal, I am prepared to wait. I also have a gift for you."



Kal nodded, wondering if Edge ever got sick of the taste of shoe polish? Considering the amount of boot licking the man did, it must be a regular part of his diet?



Walking over to his drinks cabinet, Edge picked up a small bottle of pale red liquid.







"No sir, all of the dogs are very definitely out on patrol." The voice of Lex's security head assured him. "The transmitters are online and their vital signs are registering normal on the receiver screen. If I might enquire, is there something particular concerning you, Mr Luthor?"



"I'm not sure," Lex told him, cradling the phone and thinking it over. "Where are they now, Smithy?"



"In the woods up on the north side of the estate, Mr Luthor. Actually, that is a little unusual, sir."



"Unusual, how?"



"That's where they were when I came on shift."



"Are you saying that they haven't moved at all, in five hours?"



"No sir. That would have triggered an immediate alert." There was a pause as Smithy checked the computer readouts. "Sir, the computer logs show that over the afternoon all six dogs have come back to base at intervals, for food and so on."



"They've all come back in, one by one, and then gone off out again?" Lex frowned. "So what is the fascination in that particular bit of woodland?"



"Squirrels?" Lionel smirked from the comfort of an armchair.



Lex gave him a dark look. Seeing how much a top grade security dog cost to purchase, train and keep, they had better not be running around after squirrels. Particularly when Lex had made it plain that he expected a little 'Lionel-chasing' to happen whenever his father made one of his unwelcome little visits. Still, this behaviour was puzzling.



"Get some of the men together, I want that area checked out." Lex decided.



"I'll get them on it right now." Smith's voice was earnest.



"Tell them to swing by the house first." Lex told his security head. "They'll have company."



"Yes, sir." The connection closed.



"You're going to go with them?" Lionel raised a curious eyebrow.



"I thought YOU might want to go." Lex suggested with a wry grin. "After all, you never did get your quota of fresh country air, did you Dad? Far be it from me to deny you some healthy exercise. When you come back, you can tell me what sort of 'squirrel' keeps six of the most expensive guard dogs in this country fascinated for over five hours, even in the rain."



"And while I am out in the cold, you will be doing what exactly?" A sarcastic eyebrow inched upwards.



"Making my very important call, of course," Lex smirked.



Lionel shrugged. "Very well. However, when it does turn out to be a squirrel, you will owe me an immediate apology along with a bottle of my choice from your cellar."



"Deal." I already hid all the good stuff anyway... Abruptly Lex's phone rang. Lionel gave him a superior look, but departed without further comment.





Edge turned, the bottle held snugly in his hand.



"Don't even think about it." Kal told Edge sharply, allowing just a twinge of heat vision to light in his eyes.



"Oh, it isn't anything green." The gang leader assured Kal hastily. "I have something else for you, something better, assuming you decide to return and take me up on my offer. However, as no one could supply me with any idea of how long the dissolved red mineral might remain active in your bloodstream, I assumed that you might appreciate the opportunity for a top-up at some point? To give you the best possible chance to think things through?"



Looking at the glass bottle, Kal thought it over. Did he really want to take a chance on losing control of this body so soon? Somewhere in the back of his head he could feel the Clark parts simply biding their time and waiting for the red-K to wear off. It figured that both of the idiots would have the same idea, even if it did happen to be for two very different reasons.



"I might." Kal held out his hand. If it was a trap, he couldn't see what Edge's angle was: he wouldn't be able to do anything for Edge if Edge poisoned him and besides if Edge had wanted him dead, it would have been easier to kill him as Clark, even so Kal wasn't going to trust the human quite so easily.



Edge nodded, and placed the bottle on the table. The liquid in the bottle glowed a definite red as Kal's fingers got near it.



It could be Red-K? But then again maybe that was what he was supposed to think? Is there anything else that glows like that though?





"Lex here." Lex watched absently through the window as his father crossed the drive and joined the assembled men in the small buggy, ready to set off towards the woods.



"Lex! Oh, thank goodness!" The voice on the phone was all-too familiar.



"Chloe?" Lex's instincts began to tingle. "Any news?"



"Not about Clark." Chloe immediately doused his hopes. "Lex, have you seen Haze today?"



"No, I was busy in the head office all this morning, and going over some paperwork with my father until a short while ago, we only just got done by dinnertime. In fact I just left Haze a message on their answering machine not to come over this evening. My father is around, abusing my hospitality as per usual and I thought I'd spare all of us from the inevitable interrogation."



Across the drive, the 'safari' departed with much crunching of gravel.



"Oh." Chloe had a sudden thought. "Are you sure Lionel isn't listening to us?"



"Dad's outside in the grounds right now actually." Lex sighed. Did she honestly think he would make an amateur mistake like that? Surreptitiously he checked the room for bugs, but found none. That was worrying!



Either Dad's slipping, or else he's gotten better at hiding them! Damn!







Lex brought his mind back to the current conversation. "Chloe, is something wrong?"



"I'm not sure."



"About what?" Lex was getting more concerned by the second.



"Well, Mrs Kent rang me about two hours ago, and asked if I'd seen Haze, and when Lana came over, she said that Mr Kent had rung HER earlier at the Talon asking the same question."



"Maybe Haze is over in the Kowatchi Village? Professor Willowbrook seems to have taken a real interest in helping him find Clark." Lex suggested. "Maybe they're all out on the Reservation doing some sort of tribal equivalent of a Google search right now?" He tried to lighten the mood with a small joke.



"I guess." Chloe didn't sound convinced or amused. "Uhm, Lex, not to sound sceptical or anything, but you wouldn't happen to know what your father was doing for the earlier part of the day, would you?"



"He had lunch with a business colleague and we had dinner together. Chloe, I told you, Dad's been pursuing company business most of the day. Besides Lionel isn't going to do anything to Haze, not after he started to understand what it would cost him if he tried."



"Yeah, sure. I'm just being paranoid, Lex. Please, just forget I said anything."



"I don't think you're paranoid Chloe," Lex reassured her. "Just a little over concerned about a friend." He suppressed the urge to tell her that he was worried too. That particular revelation could not possibly help. "After all that's been happening recently it's hardly surprising." He added, to cover any hesitation.



As soon as Chloe had ended the call, Lex retried the Kent's number, only to meet with a 'busy' tone yet again. Cutting the call off before the antiquated answering machine could switch on, Lex made a swift decision and, pausing only to pull on a coat and slip his cell phone into his pocket, he grabbed his car keys and headed out of the door.







Taking the bottle and shoving it into a pocket, Kal sauntered out to the balcony and lifted himself effortlessly away from the effects of gravity. If there was green kryptonite in the bottle then there couldn't be much of it, or he would already be feeling the effects by now. He doubted if he could have flown at all if there was green-K in the bottle. Unless of course it was lead lined? Squinting down he immediately discounted that theory…



Standing at the window, Edge watched him prepare to leave, evidently every bit as fascinated at Kal's blatant disregard of the natural laws as he was of the youth’s refusal to abide by human rules. "You'll like what I have for you." He promised.



"I haven't decided to join you yet." Kal reminded him "But if I do then I'd better LOVE it..."







"Sir, over there!" Like the professional soldier he had been before taking up employment with the younger Luthor, Smithy pointed into the misty gloom with the business end of a very well maintained rifle.



"Where?" Lionel squinted into the cloying dark under the trees without much enthusiasm. The chill air was beginning to penetrate his clothing, which was definitely styled more for the corporate car rather than the great outdoors. The idea of a warm fire and a hot coffee was beginning to sound better and better. Rather than reveal his inclinations, he turned his attention over to where the man was pointing. Evidently Smith was efficient as ever. A sudden movement attracted Lionel's attention.



One of the dogs, and it looks … unhappy? The hunched stance and nervous pacing were not in keeping with the dog's intended function. The elder Luthor frowned.



What's wrong with the brute? And where are the other five? Gradually, as he stared into the darkness, Lionel realised that what he had taken for shadows were in fact the rest of the pack.



The dogs were huddled together at the base of a small dip in the underlying landscape, just at the edge of the main wooded area.



"Call them back." He ordered. "Let's get a closer look at them."



Smith pulled a small whistle from his pocket and blew it. The black patch under the trees shifted, but did not break up.



Smith blew again. "They look like they're protecting something…" He said suddenly, lowering the whistle. "But what could they possibly be guarding all the way out here? There's nothing out in this section of the grounds but trees, and not very interesting trees at that, sir." He added.



Silently agreeing, Lionel edged forward, distrusting the moist suction of the damp ground under his shoes. The soil was mossy here, and sodden from the biting drizzle that had leached all of the heat from the air throughout the long afternoon. Come to that, it was still raining faintly, even now.



"Come on you dozy objects!" Smith cursed under his breath. He blew the whistle once more. "I don't understand, sir, the dogs are usually very responsive to command." Glancing at Lionel he shrugged. "This really isn't like them at all."



One of the dogs shifted uneasily. As it altered position on the spongy moss, something white glinted between its legs.



"That's a foot!" One of the other men gasped. "Jesus Christ! They've caught themselves a prowler and had him for supper!"



One of his colleagues nodded knowingly. "Torn the poor bastard apart by the looks of it."







Lex eased his foot off the accelerator once he left the main road. Up ahead the lights in the modest house were on, and from the moving shadows on the blinds it was evident that at least one of the Kent's was at home.



"Lex!" Martha looked openly relieved to see him as she answered the door. "Jon's out looking for Haze. I've been calling everyone who might have seen him. I tried your number but it was busy. Have you…"



"No." Lex did not want to be the cause of any dashed hopes. "Chloe explained. Sorry, I've got no news at all, on any front."



Martha nodded.



"Any idea of where Haze was going?" He asked.



"Jon suggested that Haze go over to your house this morning, and he flew off in that direction." Martha explained. "He was going to get you to call us when he arrived, and that was the last we saw of him."



"My house? But I've been in meetings all day." Lex was puzzled.



"I know. I rang just before lunch and your housekeeper said you were expected back from Metropolis later in the afternoon.” Martha sighed. “We supposed that Haze would simply go visit someone else once he found you weren't available, either that or go on and visit Lana at the Talon, but no one's seen him. The whole idea was that Haze needed to fly, he was getting so anxious about Clark that seeing you, seeing anyone," She amended, "Was secondary really…"



"It doesn't matter now," Lex nodded, no longer dreading insults from the inhabitants of this house. "What's important is that we find Haze. Has anyone tried Joseph Willowbrook?"



"I rang Professor Willowbrook about an hour ago." Martha's disappointment was audible. "He says he hasn't seen any sign of Haze since yesterday."



"Chloe asked when she rang me." Lex anticipated the next question. "My father's over at my place, but neither of us has seen Haze either."



"Oh Lex." Martha sat down on the kitchen chair, "I'm so worried! First this business with Morgan Edge, then Clark running off, and now Haze is missing too!"



"I'm sure he'll be back soon." Lex tried to reassure her. He wasn't sure of how effective he could be, given that he wasn't feeling very certain of the situation either. Both of them jumped as the door slammed.



"Martha?" Jonathan came straight over to his wife and hugged her. "Nothing, honey." He looked at their visitor and shook the offered hand efficiently. "Lex, it's good to see you. Any news?"



"Sorry."



Jonathan sank down onto a chair. "I just don't know where else to look." He admitted. "You don't suppose…" His voice trailed off and he merely looked at the younger Luthor.



"That Haze went off after Clark?" Lex finished for him, taking that idea to its logical progression. "But if so, then why wait until now to do it? I would have thought that Haze would have gone that night, or at least the next day, while the trail was fresh, if he was going to chase after Clark like that."



"Maybe." Jonathan accepted the coffee that his tearful wife placed in his hand. "Honey, don't cry. We won't give up until we find them." He promised.



Martha shook her head, and looked anxious. "I know, but I can't shake the feeling that something terrible has happened … to both of them."







So just who the hell did the dogs catch? Lionel stood and stared uneasily. And what was anyone doing all the way out here?



As Lionel watched, the last of the dogs dodged past his legs and bounded down the slope to join its pack mates. Whining, the arriving animal licked at something practically buried underneath its companions. A chorus of plaintive whimpers erupted from the pack, fidgeting, they rose as one, and began to nudge and sniff at the pale shape that had lain hidden beneath them. Lying face down in the sodden moss was something vaguely man-shaped.



At first, Lionel assumed that what he was looking at was in fact a dismembered foot, as had been suggested. However as the torches held by the security team combined to bathe the area, he realised that the feet, as there were now very definitely two of them, were still firmly connected to their rightful owner.



The body lying on the ground under the milling pack was wearing dark jeans, the fabric could have been blue or black, but was currently so saturated with water or blood that it was impossible to tell. A ragged scrap of dark mud-spattered cloth hid most of the person's back.



At that point Lionel realised that, despite the ridiculous rumours that were constantly being printed about him, he very definitely possessed a heart, as the sight in front of him had it pounding fit to burst from his chest.

Not rags … Wings!







"Oh, my good god!" For the first time, Smith and the rest of the team also understood exactly what the dogs had been guarding with such unprecedented enthusiasm. "It's," He stared, "That's…"



"Confidential." Lionel said curtly, deliberately cutting off any further speculation. "And if anyone here tonight so much as breathes one word of this, they can anticipate a very long and most unpleasant stay at Belle Reve. Now get those animals away from here."



"What are you going to do, Mr Luthor?" Smith was wide eyed.



"Hang-glide! What do you think? I'm going to go over there and see if he's still alive, you idiot." Lionel snapped, inching his way along the crude trail and down into the watery hollow. Several pairs of pointed white teeth rose to greet him.



"Hurry up and call off the damn dogs!" Lionel snapped, wondering why the dumb brutes couldn’t recognise natural superiority when they saw it?



Dismissing his shoes as a lost cause and ignoring the water that filled them, Lionel stepped carefully across the boggy ground. There were no trees here because the clay soil was too wet; the only thing that would grow in this area was moss. As he headed toward them, the dogs finally obeyed the summons from their handler and reluctantly retreated to the higher ground.



Kneeling down beside the still form, Lionel tentatively reached out one hand and pressed it to the white flesh. The skin was colder than it should be, but not the chill of a corpse. At least not yet.



Evidently the dogs had been sharing their own body heat with the angel.



How badly is the boy hurt? Would it be safe to move him?







Sprawled out on the moss, chilled to the bone, and scarcely breathing, Haze's skin was pale and shone wetly in the light of the torches. He lay crumpled, face partially pressed into the sodden vegetation. The torchlight revealed the shimmer of water around his slightly open mouth and every breath ended in a soft bubbling gurgle as he partly inhaled the puddled rainwater from the watery sump.



Leaning over the youth, Lionel felt the chill of water rising up to his ankles. Injured or not, the angel had to be moved and fast, or he would drown here and now. It was a wonder that it had not happened already.



Carefully, Lionel shifted the magnificent wings until he could roll Haze over. Drawing Haze into his arms, Lionel lifted him to his chest, feeling a curious thrill as he took possession of the ethereal youth.



The angel was no lightweight, and it was not the easiest task in the world to walk back across the suctioning muck with the large limp body cradled in his arms, but somehow Lionel managed to retain both his grip and his footing. He toyed with the idea of handing Haze to one of the more muscular members of the team, but somehow never quite got around to it.



Clambering awkwardly back onto the electronic cart, Lionel settled himself into one corner, settling Haze tightly onto his lap.



Shucking off his own jacket, Smith tucked it carefully around Haze's upper body, while one of his more astute colleagues quickly volunteered a second jacket and slid that around the youth's legs over the lad’s sodden jeans.



Swaddled in the quilted fabric, Haze rested limply in Lionel's embrace, bare feet brushing the muddy floor of the vehicle. Strands of dark hair lay plastered to his smooth forehead, the tips clumped together by a mix of rain and dirt. The ethereal youth’s face pressed against Lionel's neck, skin cool to the touch. Faint shallow breaths ghosted from him, proving that he was breathing, albeit erratically.



None of the men spoke. At a nod from Lionel the small group set off back toward the mansion.







The whole way back Lionel wondered what exactly to do with this unexpected gift? Memories of a sleek chrome lab table and the cupboard full of empty sample bottles flickered through his mind. With trembling arms he held onto the youth and evaluated his options with the utmost care.



Stepping inside the mansion through the door into the spa room, Lionel hesitated.



How to tackle the current problem? The angel showed no indications of returning to consciousness, and he was heavy. They were also both dirty, wet, and cold.



What is needed here, is another pair of hands. Which brought Lionel’s attention to a conspicuous absence. "Where is my son?" He demanded.



"Mr Luthor went out just after you did, sir. I believe it was in connection with a telephone call." Enrique replied.



"Which car?"



"I believe it was the new Porsche, sir."



"Wonderful." Lionel was not at all pleased to hear that. So Lex was off haring around the countryside again in that damnable car? Lionel had a good mind to disinherit him just for that, always assuming that Lex didn't crash the foolish thing and kill himself first… which would be more than annoying.



"Did Lex leave any message for me?" He wondered.



"No sir, however the staff were instructed to make up your usual room, and that has been done."



Lionel frowned. With Lex gone, and for who knew how long, this was very much Lionel's game… Perhaps the car wasn't such a folly after all?



"Get the spa pool heated to around three quarters body temperature. We need to get Haze clean and slowly start him warming up. Have the other guestroom at the end of the hall prepared for him." He told the housekeeper.



When no one jumped to obey, Lionel fixed the hired help with his best authoritarian stare. "Sometime now would be preferable." He reminded them, masking the small grin of success as Lex's staff began to scurry around in a more satisfactory manner.







Towels were fetched, and quickly placed by the side of the bubbling pool. Lionel nodded at the equally hasty retreat. That was more like it.



"Mr Smith," He ordered decisively, without even bothering to look behind him: Smith was efficient, even if no one else in this place was, the man would be listening. "You and your team may as well return to your regular duties." Lionel stated. "We'll send for you if there should be any further need for your services tonight."



As the subdued security team melted hurriedly back outdoors, Lionel was already turning his attention elsewhere. Carefully, he laid Haze beside the spa, grimacing at the puddle of dirty water that immediately appeared beneath the youth.



A breeding ground for contagion if I ever saw one. Dropping his cashmere coat onto the stone flooring, Lionel didn't waste any time attempting to undress either of them any further. He simply stepped out of his shoes and into the bubbling pool just as he was and began to immerse as much of the chilled angel in the warming water as possible.







As the minutes ticked by, Lionel watched for the tiniest hint of colour to return to the pallid cheeks. If not for the flutter of a pulse in the hollow of the youth's neck, Haze might have been dead. There was not the faintest hint of returning awareness.



Now that IS worrying…



Reaching for shampoo Lionel cleansed the matted hair of dirt and debris without encountering the slightest indication of a head wound. Puzzled, the older man moved on, swabbing the pale arms and torso clean.



With Haze wedged on the submerged seat he methodically worked his palms along every part that he could reach, all the while checking for signs of injury. The fact that he found nothing more serious than a few minor abrasions did not reassure Lionel: there could well be internal bleeding, and that would be less easy to determine.



So why is he unconscious?



Pressing the buzzer, Lionel waited for Enrique. Between them the two men managed to remove Haze from his saturated jeans and underclothes and, after rinsing the angel clean, extracted him from the pool with only minor difficulty.



While Lionel was removing and discarding his own wet garments and climbing into the borrowed towelling robe, he kept a watchful eye out as Enrique efficiently dried the youth and wrapped Haze in warm towels, leaving only the angel's damp wings uncovered.



"What do we do with him now, sir?" The manservant wondered.



"Get him upstairs to his room." Lionel decided. Cautiously the pair of them transferred Haze to the upper floor and settled him onto the bed that had been prepared for him.



"You may go, Enrique." Lionel ordered, watching the way the other man's eyes darted around. Irritation flared within him.



I don't like the way he's looking at Haze… Lionel felt his hackles rise.



"Sir?" The servant replied, barely tearing his eyes from the supine form.



"I doubt if Haze would appreciate being stared at any more than I do." Lionel told him gruffly. "I can manage from here. I shall ring if your services are required."



"Very good, sir." Cowed, Enrique left the room without further protest, closing the door smoothly behind him.



Settling Haze belly-down so as not to compact his wings, Lionel evaluated his latest interest. As this was the first time he had really been able to indulge his curiosity, he did so to the fullest.



Quite exquisite …



Haze lay unmoving on the silk sheets, his powerful arms stretched out above his head, the broad wings naturally angling so that they rested flat along the bed.



Clean now, the youth’s appearance reflected his unearthly nature: his skin shone with a soft pearly radiance under the bright lighting, the thick ebony eyelashes pressed close over pale cheeks, errant strands of shiny hair contrasting starkly with the ivory skin on his forehead and neck. Shell pink lips parted slightly, the youth breathed with difficulty, chest heaving in the same sudden bursts of shallow panting.



Shock. Lionel supposed, unsettled, he edged closer. As he leant over the boy, the beautiful eyes drifted open with not even a hint of awareness in them.



"Haze?" Lionel tried speaking softly, and then slightly louder, but there was no reaction and the boy's eyes slid shut once more.



Pressing his ear against the broad back Lionel could just hear a slow pattering.



What could have done this to him, and without leaving any mark? And just as importantly, now that Haze has practically fallen into my lap, what do I do with him?



Lionel’s cell phone had been placed on the bedside table, along with all of the other personal effects rescued from his ruined clothes. With shaking hands, he flipped the cover open and stared at the keys.



Hardly anyone else knows that Haze is here, or what has happened, and those that do know will not be talking. Lionel was not slow to recognise the possibilities that the situation offered. His fingers flicked rapidly across the glowing buttons.



"It's me." He worked to keep any hint of emotion from his voice. "I need you to get to the Castle."