While I'm working on long stories, and run into a part where I'm having trouble figuring out how to present it, I often work on shorter stories. This usually helps me to figure out what I want to do with the longer one. I'm partway done with the next part of Smallville, but I'm having a little trouble trying to figure out the transition from happy family occasion to drama. So while that is working itself out, here is part one of the next Dagger story.
Please leave feedback. Although I have a broad outline of the story, outside fdk strongly affects how I introduce things and how my characters interact.
Nan
Disclaimer: The recognizable characters and settings in this story are the property of D.C. Comics, Warner Bros., December 3rd Productions, and anyone else with a legal right to them, and I have no claim on them whatsoever, nor am I profiting by their use, but any of the new characters and situations are mine, and the story is copyrighted to me.
This is part of the Dagger series and follows immediately after Middle School.
Degrees of Separation: 1/?
By Nan Smith
"I'm supposed to walk home with my brother and our friends," Marta told Allynda Myers. The two girls had gone to their lockers before joining CJ and Wyatt for their walk home and were now heading for the rendezvous spot. "Maria will probably be with them by the time we get there. Her locker is over by the front of the school. We always walk together because we only live a few blocks from each other, and Dad says we're safer in a group."
"Your dad's probably right," Allynda said. "There's lots of weirdos running around these days. I live in an apartment building over on Michigan Avenue with my mom. We just moved here three months ago so I don't know very many people yet."
"Well, we live in a townhouse on Hyperion Avenue," Marta said. "We're just a couple of blocks away from Michigan, and only a little farther than that from Centennial Park, only it's the other way. There's my brother." She pointed to where CJ waited not far from the flagpole. Maria was also waiting, as was Valerie Henderson and Wyatt.
CJ straightened up as Marta approached with Allynda. He looked questioningly at Marta.
"This is Allynda Myers," Marta said. "Allynda, these are Wyatt Dillon and Valerie Henderson, and this is my brother, CJ. That stands for Clark Jerome Junior. We call him CJ because Clark's my dad's name."
"Hi," CJ said. "Maria was telling us about what happened." He grinned at Allynda. "Thanks for helping out my baby sister."
"No problem," Allynda said. "I can't stand bullies. I used to get picked on a lot in first and second grade. That's why I went into Tai Kwan Do."
"Smart move," Valerie Henderson said. "Marta's mom is a black belt, and got her into it. My dad told my sister and brother and me that we should, too. My little sister is nine, and in the kids' class. My brother, Alex, is eleven. He's in the class behind Marta's."
"I haven't seen you over at the dojo," Allynda said.
"I decided to take judo instead," Valerie explained. "I go to judo classes over at the Y twice a week. It helps me concentrate and keep my temper under control. Dad thought that was a good idea. I used to have a really bad temper when I was little."
"Well, if it works, that's the point," Allynda said. She looked at Wyatt. "Didn't I see you in music class this morning?"
Wyatt nodded. "I play the trumpet in the school band."
"So do I," Allynda said. "Mom just couldn't get mine fixed for me before Friday. How come I haven't seen you in any of my other classes?"
"Wyatt's in eighth grade," Maria explained. "He got skipped ahead a year at Metro Elementary. He's twelve. CJ and Valerie are thirteen."
"So am I," Allynda said. "I missed almost a year of school three years ago, so I'm a year behind my age group."
"A whole year?" Marta said, appalled. "Gosh! What happened?"
"That was when my mom and dad got divorced," Allynda explained. "Mom got custody, and my dad grabbed me, and we spent the next year moving all over the country, hiding from Mom and the police. It wasn't much fun."
"I guess not!" Marta said. She looked past her newest friend to see Linda Lennox approaching. She waved.
CJ saw her at the same moment. "Linda's coming home with us today, 'cause her mom is showing a house to a new client," he said. "Her mom's going to pick her up later." He beckoned to Linda. "Come on, Linda! Everybody's waiting!"
Linda joined the group, and Marta quickly introduced Allynda. Both girls regarded each other for a moment, and then Linda smiled. "Hi."
"Hi," Allynda said. "Nice to meet you."
"Likewise," Linda said. "I already heard about what happened at lunch. Nice going."
"That sure got around fast," Allynda said.
"Things do around this place," Valerie remarked.
"Let's get going," CJ said. "Where do you live, Allynda?"
"Over on Michigan," Marta said, "but she and Maria are coming to our house. Our science teacher assigned us a research project."
"You must have Dr. Jenkins," CJ said. "I had him last year."
"So did I," Wyatt said. "CJ and I picked the same assignment so we could work on it together."
"That's what Maria, Allynda and I did," Marta said. "South American tree frogs. We got all the books we could find about them in the library, and I'm going to do an online search for more stuff when we get home. The project is due on Friday."
"Dr. Jenkins is pretty cool," Wyatt said. "He makes you work, but he's the best science teacher I've ever had. He really *teaches* instead of just assigning make-work. I liked his class a lot."
"So did I," CJ said.
Allynda glanced at Marta. "Maybe Science class will be better than we thought," she said.
Wyatt nodded vigorously. "His class was fun," he said. "You get to do your own experiments and see why things work the way they do, instead of just reading about it. If you're lucky, he'll be able to take you to the Metro Aquarium, like he did last year for us. And at the end of the year, he gets some parents who are interested in astronomy and takes his classes out in the country where there's no lights and you can see the stars. You get to camp out overnight, and look at the stars and planets with telescopes. It's great."
Vaguely, Marta recalled that CJ and Wyatt had gone on such a trip the previous year. She hadn't paid much attention but, thinking about it now, it did kind of sound like fun.
The light turned green and they crossed the street with a crowd of other students. Marta easily spotted Susie, Darlene and Lynn in the crowd. They were walking close together, and Marta thought they looked angry. Well, that was no surprise. They looked mad most of the time. Lynn Montgomery spotted their group and drew the attention of her companions to it. Darlene gave them an obscene gesture, which Marta and the others who saw it ignored.
"Some people never grow up," Wyatt remarked, very softly. Valerie snorted.
Valerie left them at Georgia Street, two blocks farther on, and the remaining children continued on toward Michigan Ave. They paused beside one of the apartment houses while Allynda ran up to inform her mother that she was going over to a friend's house to work on their science project. Somewhat to Marta's surprise, she emerged only a few minutes later with a short, pretty woman, whom Allynda introduced as her mother.
"These are Marta and CJ Kent," Allynda said. "And this is Wyatt Dillon, Linda Lennox and Maria Hernandez." She added, "This is my mom."
"Hi," Marta said. "Is it okay for Allynda to come over? Allynda, Maria and I are working on the same science project for Dr. Jenkins' science class. Our house is over on Hyperion Avenue, so we're only a few blocks away."
Allynda's mother looked them over critically. "What's your address?" she asked.
"We live at 348 Hyperion Avenue," CJ said, giving her his best smile. He extended a hand. "I'm CJ Kent."
Marta kept quiet, envying her brother his ability to turn on the charm. No wonder half the girls at the school had a crush on him!
It seemed to work with Allynda's mother as well. She smiled back and shook his hand. "All right," she said. "Give me a call when you get there," she told her daughter.
"Sure," Allynda said.
CJ reached into his pocket and withdrew a pencil and a scrap of paper. Quickly, he scribbled something on it and extended it to Ms. Myers. "Here's our phone number," he said. "Just in case you want to call our house. My mom and dad will be home in about half an hour, and you can talk to them if you like."
"All right," Allynda's mother said. "Try to be home at six, Ally."
"I will," Allynda said.
The group of children continued on toward the townhouse. CJ produced his key and let them into the Kents' home, and held the door for the others. "I smell cookies," he announced as he locked it behind them. "I think Dad must have left something out for us."
They traipsed into the kitchen, and, as predicted, discovered a covered plate of cookies sitting on the kitchen table. CJ took the cover off. "Help yourselves," he said.
Linda took one and moved back to let Marta's new friend choose. "If you need to call your mom, the phone's on the wall behind you, Allynda."
The other girl glanced around. "Thanks. And why don't you call me Ally? That's what Ben called me when we were little, and it kind of stuck."
"Who's Ben?" Maria asked.
"My twin brother." Allynda picked up the receiver.
Marta took a couple of cookies. "After Ally's through with her call, let's go up to the playroom where we can spread out our books," she suggested to Maria. "That way I can get on the computer before Jonny and Jimmy get home and do a search for anything on tree frogs."
"Good idea," Maria said, her mouth full of cookies. "Your dad sure can cook."
"Good thing, too," Marta said.
"Why?" Allynda put down the phone, glancing from one to the other.
Marta grinned. "Mom can heat things up as long as she has instructions, but she doesn't cook very well," she explained. "Dad does the cooking around here."
"Is he a chef or something?" Allynda asked.
"Nope; he's a reporter," Wyatt said. "But he can cook, too."
Allynda frowned for a moment, and then her eyes widened. "You said your dad's name is Clark. Is he *Clark Kent*? The guy that works for the Daily Planet?"
"Yeah," Marta said. "Why?"
"I've read his stuff," Allynda said. She looked oddly at Marta, but didn't elaborate. "I guess we'd better get busy on our homework. I've only got 'til six. Mom doesn't like me to walk home in the dark."
"Neither does our mom," Marta said. "Grab some more cookies and we'll go up to the playroom and get started."
**********
Clark Kent walked in the front door of the townhouse, aware that Marta and her friends were up in the attic playroom, with the cd player on and evidently working on some kind of project. His hearing picked up Marta's voice, as well as Maria Hernandez and a third person, who was unfamiliar. From the den, he could hear the voices of CJ, Wyatt Dillon and Linda Lennox, as well as the hum of the newer Kent computer. The three eighth graders were apparently working on their homework as well.
He ushered his two younger sons inside and then returned to the new Jeep Cherokee to take two of the triplets from their car seats while Lois managed the third one.
"We've got a houseful right now," he informed her.
"Wyatt and Linda are here?"
"Yeah. And Marta's got two friends as well -- Maria Hernandez and somebody I don't recognize are up in the playroom with her. They seem to be working on some kind of report about frogs." He tilted his head, listening. "South American tree frogs."
"Sounds like Dr. Jenkins has struck again," Lois said. "I foresee another stargazing trip next spring."
"Yeah. That's not such a bad thing, though," Clark said. "At least he seems to be able to get kids interested in science." He let Lois open the door, since both of his hands were occupied by small, fat ones, and followed her inside. "If the older kids haven't eaten all of them, there should be some cookies in the kitchen," he added. "I put some away so there would be a few left when we got here. The triplets can have one each and then I think we should send them outside in back for half an hour or so, so they can run off some energy."
"Good idea," Lois said. "Why don't you take care of that while I get changed."
"Okay." Clark herded the trio into the kitchen and discovered that the reserved cookies were still where he had stored them. He distributed the largesse between the three smaller children as well as Jonny and Jimmy. "Okay, Lucy, you, Billy and Rach head outside and play for a bit. Jonny, I want you and Jimmy to keep an eye on them for a few minutes. I just need to change out of my work clothes. Then you can come in and get busy on your homework."
Jonny groaned faintly, but at a sharp look from Clark refrained from louder objections. The children departed through the kitchen door for the play set and sand box that Clark had installed in the small, fenced-in back yard.
"Dad." CJ was behind him when he turned, looking uncharacteristically serious. "I have something for you. Linda gave it to me. It's important."
"Sure. What is it?"
He extended a hand, and to Clark's surprise, he was holding a piece of ordinary notebook paper. He took the paper, and read the line of Linda Lennox's neat handwriting at the top of the page.
"Marta's new friend, Allynda, is one of us."
**********
tbc
