Been sick all weekend, so again got a bit behind =(
Next part on Thursday!
Thank you again Nancy (anonpip), Rel and Michael!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Both Sides of the CoinPart 32
Table of Contents Aymee lead Lois and Clark out of the elevator and into her friends’ hideout. They faced two kids with squirt guns.
Aymee backed them down. “Dudley, cut it out! They’re with me...”
Dudley was unmoved. “I have my orders...”
Aymee yanked a tube out of the gun. Green slime drained out to the accompaniment of Dudley’s protests.
“Where’s Luthor?” The tone of Clark’s voice made everyone take a step away from him, even Lois.
Aymee pulled her gaze away from Clark. “Guys, they’re here to help. They found out the smart stuff turns to poison if you use enough of it...”
Dudley glared. “It's a trick.”
Clark stared at him. “And if we’re right?”
Dudley swallowed but the girl whined. “Then we won't be smart anymore...”
Lois sighed. “You *are* smart, with or without the ‘smart stuff’. You’ll just be normal...”
Aymee cut in. “Listen up! These are friends of mine! I think we should believe them...”
The two put down their weapons.
“Where’s Luthor?” Clark’s voice snapped out again.
Dudley eyed him warily. “Phillip's got him... in the spy center. Down the hallway...”
Lois looked at Clark. “Go, I’ll stay with them...”
In moments, Clark entered the ‘spy center’ as Superman.
Phillip smiled at him. “Hi, Superman! Even you're not fast enough to stop me from using this.” He pointed a device toward Lex Luthor. Luthor was secured with several syringes of Mentamide ready to be plunged into his body. “Mr. Luthor here could end up with the I.Q. of a radish.”
Clark’s gaze met the prone Luthor’s. Recognizing the look on Superman’s face, Luthor’s face went deathly pale. “Did you take more ‘smart stuff’?” Clark said as he continued to hold Luthor’s gaze.
Phillip frowned at him. “Yeah, an improved version. My mind is so big...”
Luthor broke Superman’s gaze. “You took Mentamide 6?”
Phillip nodded. “There was a flaw in the formula... I fixed it.”
Luthor’s eyes widened. He momentarily forgot his danger in his greed.
Clark turned his gaze to Phillip. “The other kids are giving it up... becoming normal.”
Phillip sneered. “Normal... is boring.”
Clark raised a brow. “Take it from someone who knows, different is worse. You’ll always wonder if you belong, never really fit in, be set apart, even if only in your own mind... Different is wishing you weren’t.”
A spark of doubt entered the boy’s eyes.
Luthor intervened. “You’re not different! You’re *special*! Now, I had no idea Dr. Carlton was using his research grant at LexLabs to experiment on you kids. I'm shocked, of course, but I take full responsibility. Let me make it up to you, you and the others. But don’t change...”
“Luthor!” Superman’s roar caused the machinery in the room to shake.
Luthor’s eyes shot to Superman’s and the color he had regained drained once again as he saw a red flash in the hero’s eyes.
Superman turned back to Phillip. “You take his offer and you become his tool. He uses his tools, then disposes of them without a thought. At best, in the end, you would end up just like him. Is that what you want?”
Phillip swallowed. “No, I want... to be a kid.” He handed his remote to Superman. “It’s cherry syrup...”
Clark turned to see a look of disbelief cross Luthor’s features. He leaned in close to his nemesis. “No more kids, Luthor...”
Luthor looked at him, gulped, and nodded. A second truce was forged in their war.
***************************
That evening CJ landed in an open field near his parent’s home. He quietly walked up to his twin, who sat on the fence in front of him. “You okay, Cal?”
Clark sighed. “He could have killed those kids, Jay...”
CJ nodded. “Without a second thought... but it just confirms what we thought...”
Clark sighed and glanced at his twin. “How is your... project for him going?”
CJ grinned. “I have yet to speak directly to him... but there isn’t anything to find when and where he’s looking. So it’s not hard to come up with data to support that...”
Clark smiled. “Good. You know, as much as you working for him, however indirectly, scares me, I’m glad we can control what he learns about us to some extent...”
CJ smiled. “Me, too...”
***************************
The next day, Lois, Clark, and Jimmy visited the school. Kids played all around them.
Jimmy sighed. “Some story...”
Lois sighed. “Yeah, Luthor came out smelling like a rose... He made sure all the notes and samples were destroyed, under Superman’s supervision. He isn’t even doing anything about the credit card bill...”
Clark grinned. “Five million is a drop in the bucket to him...”
Jimmy returned Clark’s grin. “And with the kids back to normal and Carlton conveniently turning himself into a vegetable...”
Lois snorted. “Luthor used the phrase ‘overcome with remorse’...”
Jimmy laughed. “Yeah, no more ‘smart stuff’...” He wandered over to a basketball game.
“Lois! Clark!” Aymee ran up and hugged them both.
Lois beamed. “Hi, Aymee!”
Clark ruffled the girl’s hair. “How are you?”
Aymee smiled shyly. “I’m fine...” She sobered. “Inez and I are going to talk to our mom...”
Lois drew her into a hug. “That’s wonderful!”
Clark smiled. “Congratulations!”
Aymee grinned at them. “Thanks, you two. You make pretty good parents...”
Clark started to laugh as Lois’ eyes went wide.
***************************
A few nights later a man stared at Superman, stunned. “Man... don’t nothin’ hurt you?”
Superman grinned at him. “Not so far!” he apprehended the man.
<Jay, quit playing around...>
<Well, nothing has... Date going well?>
<Do we ask you about your evenings with Rachel?>
<Well, Lois, your boyfriend was keeping tabs on me...>
<And now he’s going to stop. Night, CJ...>
***************************
The next morning Clark was pitching a story to Perry. “So, here's this decent guy- a farmer- who gets thrown off his property by the feds who then start tearing his place up with bulldozers.”
<You’re joking, right, Clark?>
<He isn’t, Lois. It doesn’t make sense...>
<EPA suddenly appears and takes over a farm that happens to be adjacent to where Jay and I landed...>
<You don’t think... Trask?>
<I have no idea, but I’d like to look in to it...>
Perry was looking at Clark in careful consideration. Finally he said, “Sounds like a story to me.”
Lois sighed. “Fine...” She glared at her boyfriend. “But you owe me, Kent.”
Perry warmed up to his topic. “‘The Poisoning of America.’ I'm seeing a Planet special investigation.” Perry left the conference room.
Clark suddenly tensed, clamping his hands over his ears for a moment.
Lois stared. <Clark?>
<One... sec...>
<What in the world *is* that?! I’m hearing it all the way at the house...>
Clark’s eyes narrowed and he walked out of the room. Lois scrambled to follow him. They soon reached Cat and Jimmy, who appeared to be playing with a watch.
Cat pouted. “I can't hear anything.”
Jimmy rolled his eyes. “You're not supposed to...” He noticed Clark, who tapped his ear. His eyes widened and he grabbed the watch from Cat. “It’s hypersonic, Cat, and we probably should only use it for an emergency...” He deactivated the watch.
Clark relaxed with a tiny sigh of relief. <Jimmy has a new STAR Labs toy... a hypersonic watch...>
<You know, that might be nice for the girls... if we weren’t telepathic...>
<Ha ha, CJ...>
<I’m just saying, Lois...>
Cat rolled her eyes. “The man's a super-hero, Jimmy, not a dog.” She departed.
Jimmy looked apologetically to Clark. “I didn’t think she would manage to turn it on, CK...”
Clark scanned the area then said in a low voice. “Jay heard it at his house, Jimmy. So it has quite a range... but that hurt close up...”
<Your girlfriend wins though...>
<What?!>
<That whistle thing you do for taxis... It *hurts*!>
<Um... oops?>
Jimmy frowned at him. “How do you know he heard it?”
Clark blinked. “Oh, Jay and I can communicate telepathically...”
Jimmy stared. “That must be handy...”
<What about me, Clark?>
<Didn’t know if you wanted him to know, Honey...>
Lois grinned and said in a stage whisper. “I can hear them, too...” She winked as Jimmy’s jaw dropped.
“Do you think I could...?”
Clark chuckled. “The only other person who can hear either of us is Rachel... and only Jay can hear her... I can’t...”
Jimmy raised a brow at Lois, who blushed. <Forgot that...>
Cat returned with a fresh coffee. “So, what were you two talking to Perry about?”
Lois rolled her eyes. “A story idea of Clark’s... in *Smallville*...”
Cat grinned at Clark. “Combining business with pleasure and taking your girlfriend home to meet the parents?”
Clark chuckled. “I guess you could say that, but really, there *is* something weird going on with my parents’ neighbor.”
Jimmy frowned at Lois. “I’m surprised you aren’t kicking and screaming...”
Lois sighed. “I trust Clark’s instincts...”
Cat shook her head. “Well, I have a benefit to go to...” She left.
When Cat was out of sight Lois looked at Jimmy. “Also, the situation down there seems to mirror what Trask did here at the Planet...”
Jimmy’s eyes widened. “Seriously?!”
Clark nodded. “Wayne’s place is next to my parents. I’ve known him all my life. He wouldn’t have done anything the EPA needs to worry about...”
Lois suddenly straightened. “Clark, how are we going to get there?”
Clark sighed. “A plane... and a rental car...”
Lois grinned at him. “I’ll hold your hand...”
Jimmy looked at them in confusion.
Lois winked at Jimmy. “Clark hates planes, Jimmy...”
Clark rolled his eyes as the other two laughed at him.
***************************
The next afternoon Clark loaded their luggage into a rental car while Lois finished the paperwork. Once done, she tossed him the keys and they started their drive.
“Anything else I need to be aware of?”
“Well, CJ and Rach may come for a little bit here and there but Jay doesn’t want to take off work...”
Lois nodded. “And better for Superman to still be in Metropolis when either of you are out of town...”
“True, also there’s a festival this week in Smallville...”
Lois raised a brown. “Another ulterior motive, Flyboy?”
Clark chuckled. “The Corn Festival is fun! I was panning to try to talk you in to going on one of our days off...”
“Corn Festival?”
“Yep! There’s a Corn Queen Pageant, Husk-Off, Corn-O-Rama, popcorn, creamed corn, corn-on-the-cob. We're in luck.”
Lois sighed. “Sounds like a blast...”
Clark flashed her a grin. “Just give it a chance, Lois...”
***************************
They headed down a dirt driveway to Wayne Irig’s farm. About midway down the driveway they found a barrier.
A woman came forward. “Hey! No public allowed!”
Lois hopped out of the car. “We’re not the public! We’re the press.”
The woman scowled. “We’ve already given a statement to the local paper...”
Clark smiled engagingly. “I’m Clark Kent and this is Lois Lane. We work for the Daily Planet.”
The woman raised a skeptical brow. “I’m Carol Sherman with the EPA. Why would the Planet be interested in this?”
Lois frowned. “A rural angle...”
Sherman sighed. “This operation is an ecological risk assessment. During the sixties, the owner used a lot of pesticides and we’re concerned about contamination of the local ground water.”
<You have *got* to be kidding me...>
<I agree, Jay. That isn’t Wayne...>
Lois took over the interview while Clark started to scan. “Giving people more than they bargained for at the dinner table?”
Sherman relaxed. “Exactly. Public safety... No big story, I’m afraid...”
“We’d like to speak to the owner...”
Sherman cut her off. “He’s been given relocation money for the duration of the testing. He didn’t say where he was going.”
Clark stiffened and Lois decided to stop the interview. “I’m sure you have to have that information on file somewhere. We’ll be checking back.”
Back on the road, Lois looked at her boyfriend. “What did you find?”
“I heard Trask.”
“Heard?”
“There was a lot of lead around so I couldn’t see much... but I heard his voice... Unfortunately he was just ordering someone to go somewhere...”
“So we know this is ‘Bureau 39’ again. We just need to nail them this time...”
***************************
The next stop for the reporters was Smallville itself. Lois looped an arm through Clark’s as they strolled through a park.
Clark freed his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders. “The rumor mill here is far more efficient and extensive than the Planet’s...”
Lois poked him. “Now *that* is saying something...”
Clark grinned. “Yeah, so if anyone has any idea where Wayne is we can find out... Since I’m an insider and all...” He winked at her.
“Do you feel like Dorothy coming home, Clark?”
Clark’s eyes widened and he chuckled. “No, I’m happy in Metropolis...” He squeezed her shoulders.
“Clark!” They turned to see Randy Harris, in a deputy’s uniform, approaching them.
Clark released Lois to shake the other man’s hand. “Your dad finally got to you, Randy?”
Randy chuckled. “Well, with Rach off in the big city someone’s got to keep Poppa propped up. And it was Ms. Lane, right?”
Lois smiled. “It’s Lois...”
Randy nodded. “Lois, then. What are you two doing here? Enjoying the festival? Should I expect Rach and CJ?”
Clark sighed. “We’re looking into what’s happening out at Wayne’s...”
Randy stilled. “CJ called Poppa. Said he thought it might be that Trask guy that gave you two problems before...”
Clark nodded grimly. “He’s there... I heard him.”
Randy frowned. “You two watch your steps then and let Poppa and I know how we can help. No one’s heard a peep from Wayne, either. Even though he kept to himself after Mrs. Irig passed on it’s still strange...” Randy’s radio squawked. “Oops, gotta go, you two...” He rushed off.
Clark sighed. “So much for the rumor mill... Want to grab something to eat?”
Lois claimed his arm again. “Sure... Hey! Isn’t that Jonathan at the grill?”
“Clark! Lois!”
The couple turned towards the sound and Martha embraced them both.
“Hi, Mom.” Clark pressed a kiss to her cheek.
“How are you, Martha?” Lois smiled at the other woman.
“I’m fine, Lois. This whole thing with Wayne is a little worrying but we’re enjoying the festival. Come get something to eat and say hello to Jonathan...”
***************************
That evening they all returned to the Kent farmhouse. Coming inside Lois spotted a painting.
Noticing her gaze Martha smiled. “That's my latest. What do you think?”
Lois smiled. “I like it...”
“What is it, Mom?”
Martha swatted her son. “It’s a bowl of fruit!”
Clark just grinned. “Is the Fax machine all hooked up?”
Martha frowned. “Let me go check the paper...”
Lois and Clark settled on the couch.
“Oh! Kids, how are you two doing rooms?”
Lois stared at Martha with wide eyes.
Clark’s cheeks were stained red as he replied, “Lois can have mine and I’ll take over CJ’s.”
Jonathan started to sit down, but was quickly dragged off by Martha.
Clark wrapped an arm around Lois, pulling her close. “So... what do you think?”
Lois grinned at him. “Your mom is a force of nature, Clark.”
Clark chuckled. “How do you think she handled Jay and me?” He shrugged. “But really, how are you enjoying your first real visit to Smallville?”
Lois giggled. “You know I love your parents, Clark... and the festival was... surprisingly fun...”
Clark waggled his brows at her, “Want to go stargazing?”
Lois smacked him, “Watch it, Flyboy!”
Clark just chuckled and claimed a quick kiss.
tbc...
