Visiting Smallville: 7b/21
Chloe left the classroom, her phone in one hand as she texted Sam. She walked through the corridors back to the Torch, grinning at Pete as he passed her. He smirked back, pulling her aside.
“Look, Chloe, I know you’ve got Torch business, but Clark and Lex are having a heart to heart in there.” He said bitterly.
Chloe frowned. “Well,” she glanced down the corridor. “I want to meet Lex, I guess.” Pete frowned at her. “He’s Clark’s friend after all.”
Pete rolled his eyes and walked away. Chloe watched him leave, heading towards the Torch. She paused at the door, hearing an unfamiliar voice.
“It doesn’t matter.” It said. “Clark, it happened. Personally, I think my life’s going to be brighter than that spoiled, little rich brat who walked into that cornfield.”
Chloe frowned, not understanding, listening to the awkward silence. Groaning, she walked in, pasting a smile on her face.
She stopped, confused, when she saw Lex Luthor staring at the Wall of Weird. “Mr Luthor?”
He turned, smiling. “Lex.” He corrected and she smiled nervously as he stepped towards her. He held out his hand and Chloe shook it. “Clark was just telling me about your meteor theory.” Chloe shot an angry look at Clark, but Lex smirked. “I like it. Especially since people think my company is secretly behind everything that goes wrong in Smallville.”
Chloe laughed. “That’s the reigning theory.”
“Are you the only one who blames the meteors instead of me?”
“Pretty much.” Chloe paused, thinking for a second, before she shook her head. “Well, there is Doctor Hamilton.”
“Except most people don’t have much regard for a guy who sells plastic meteor chips to tourists.” Clark added, chuckling.
Lex winced. “Doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.” Clark shook his head while Chloe grinned in agreement. “Call me when you’re looking for a summer job. I’ve got friends over at the Inquisitor” Chloe frowned at Clark, who chuckled. Lex moved towards the door, lifting his hand up in a wave. “I’ll see you tomorrow; I hear you’re escorting the birthday girl. Nice work.”
Lex got to the doorway, when Clark panicked. “We’re just going as friends.”
Lex laughed. “Sure you are.” He grinned. “Hope you got her a nice gift.”
*
Chloe came down the stairs, rubbing her eyes. She groaned, sitting next to Dean and dropping her head onto the table.
“Why you so tired?” Dean asked, raising his eyebrows as Sam gazed at her in concern. “Another long night at the Torch?”
Chloe looked up, nodding. “Fat-Sucking Vampire struck again.” She said, watching as Dean and Sam exchanged a frustrated look.
“Chloe, we looked into it.” Sam said. “We can’t find anything.”
Chloe frowned. “It wasn’t a deer this time. It was a boy.”
Dean crashed his fist against the table. “Sorry, Chloe, but I think this is a meteor freak thing.”
Chloe grinned slightly. “I see I’ve converted you to believers of the meteor theory.” She smiled. “That’s three people in two days.”
Sam raised an eyebrow. “Do you have any idea who could be pretending to be a fat-sucking vampire?”
Chloe grimaced, grabbing her bag. “Well, I told Clark I’d meet him at the Beanery.” She told them. “You want to come?”
They stared at her for a few minutes, Chloe watching them impatiently. Sam nodded, suddenly. “Yeah. You’re discussing the fat-sucking vampire, right?”
Chloe nodded, and Dean frowned, grabbing the car keys and slouching over to the Impala. Chloe grinned at Sam, following Dean and climbing into the backseat.
Dean drove through Smallville, pulling up next to the Beanery and helping Chloe out the car. Sam stood next to her, glancing round. Chloe smiled as Clark came down the street.
Chloe stepped away from Sam, clinging onto Clark’s arm as they entered the Beanery. “I called the hospital this morning.” She said and Sam glanced at her in shock, wondering when she did that. “Dustin’s in a coma. His body went into shock from loss of fat so...he hasn’t told the police anything.”
Clark grimaced, ordering Chloe a latte and himself chocolate milk. He turned to the brothers. “DO you want anything?” he asked, reluctantly.
Dean shook his head, and Chloe frowned. The woman behind the counter passed Clark the order and then he paid, turning to find a seat. Chloe frowned, looking round.
“You know, I think it’s time to revisit the fat-sucking vampire theory.” Clark said, still scanning the room.
“You know, if you hadn’t been there, he probably would have died, Clark.” Chloe said, and Dean turned to Clark in shock.
“What?” Dean asked.
“Clark found him, and brought him to the hospital. He was in the boiler room.”
“How the hell did you find him in the boiler room?” Dean asked, and Clark frowned.
“Luck, I guess.” Clark said, fidgeting. “What I can’t figure it out is why someone would want to steal body fat.”
Chloe nodded. “I know. It takes eating disorders to a whole new level.”
Chloe’s eyes widened as she spotted Jodi sitting alone at a table. She nudged Clark before walking over and sitting opposite Jodi. Sam eyed the table, frowning at the food spread across the table. He sighed, sitting next to the red-head. Dean pulled up a chair and joined them. Jodi looked up, shocked as she saw three guys sitting at her table.
“Jodi.” Clark said, greeting her.
“Hi guys.” She said nervously. “What’s up?”
“You missed our study session.” Chloe said, frowning at her classmate.
“Totally slipped my mind.” Jodi apologised.
Chloe nodded, scanning the table. “So, no more veggie shakes, huh?”
Jodi stared at her, while Clark watched her in worry. “Jodi, you okay?” he asked. “Pete said you felt sick yesterday.”
“Oh, that.” Jodi glanced down at the table. “I’m fully recovered.”
She picked up some more food, stuffing it into her mouth. Chloe grimaced in disgust. “So, I’m guessing it’s safe to say the diet’s finally over.”
Sam frowned, glancing at the thin red-head in confusion, and Dean shot him a look saying ‘Why the hell is she on a diet?’
“Mmm, I’m starving. I haven’t eaten anything all day.” Chloe stared as Jodi pushed more food into her mouth. “I’m just a little nervous about the party tonight.”
Chloe’s eyes widened. “Yeah.” Chloe agreed, lying through her teeth, grinning over to Sam.
Jodi noticed, her eyes widening and she stood up. “So, um, I’ll see you tonight.”
She stood up, grabbing some of the food and running out the café.
“Okay, what was that about?” Chloe asked, grabbing some jell-o from the table and opening it. Dean grinned, following her example.
Clark shook his head. “I don’t know. I got to fly.” Dean raised an eyebrow. “We’ll talk about this later.”
He finished his milk and stood up. “Okay.” Chloe said. “Where are you going?”
“I’m still working on Lana’s birthday gift.”
“Any hints?”
“It’s not a gift certificate.”
Chloe smiled, watching him leave before grabbing a bag of cookies from the table and opening it, passing one each to the brothers. “Well then, I guess it’s up to us to find the fat-sucking vampire.”
*
Chloe read the fax one more time, and then looked up at Sam and Dean in shock. She cursed, grabbing the Impala keys from the desk and rushing out of the Torch. Dean watched her leave the room, passing Sam an amazed look before following Chloe out of the room.
They got out the school, seeing Chloe in the driver’s seat of the Impala. Sam sniggered as Dean ran out into the road.
“Stop the car!” Dean bellowed and Chloe stopped. Dean glared at her, opening the door. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? Get out the car.”
Chloe raised an eyebrow, but wouldn’t get out the car. “Um, no. I’ve kind of got something important to do. Urgently.”
Dean groaned. “Get out!” he said. “I don’t let anyone drive.”
Sam finally stopped laughing, walking over and circling his arms round Chloe’s waist, lifting her out the car easily. She squealed, attempting to pry Sam’s arms from her waist.
Dean stared at them in shock, suddenly smirking. “Aw, young love.” Dean joked, watching as Sam put her down quickly. Dean climbed into the front seat. “Well, Chloe?” he said. “What’s so important that you needed to steal my car?”
Chloe scrambled into the backseat, and then Sam sat in the passenger seat. “I need to get to Clark’s house.”
Dean grimaced, but still pulled away from the school.
They arrived at the picturesque barn, Chloe rushing out of the Impala and into the yellow house. Dean and Sam followed. An older red-haired woman turned in shock. “Hi Chloe.” She said, looking at the two brothers. “And team.”
Dean frowned at her, and Mrs Kent smiled.
Chloe laughed. “Hi Mrs Kent.”
She looked past Mrs Kent, spotting Clark and smiling, rushing past his mother and pressing the fax into his hand.
Mrs Kent offered Dean and Sam seats at the kitchen island. They sat there, eagerly accepting the warm muffins she offered them.
“Clark, look at this.” Chloe said, forcing Clark to unfold it.
Clark glanced at the brothers and then at Chloe. “Chloe? Why aren’t you dressed?”
Chloe’s eyes widened as she remembered Lana’s party. “I didn’t have time. Clark, you really need to check this out.”
The brothers strained their ears, trying to hear what had got Chloe so worked up.
“’Smallville body and fender...’” Clark read aloud. “’replaced windshield, replaced side panels. Cause of accident - impact with deer.’”
He looked at Chloe in confusion and she rolled her eyes. “It was Jodi’s car, Clark.”
Clark looked at her in shock, as the brother’s stood up, walking over to read the fax. “What do you think happened to her?”
“Her house is built right next to one of the meteor hits.” Chloe said. “Her greenhouses are probably right on top of the meteors.”
Sam’s eyes widened as he remembered his dream and he glanced at Chloe in shock. “She lost weight by drinking vegetables grown in her own greenhouses?” he asked and Chloe nodded. “What if the meteors were actually in the soil in the greenhouse?”
Dean shot a look at Sam, wondering how he knew that. Chloe beamed at Sam. “It must have something to do with her metabolism.” She concluded. “She’s losing weight too fast to keep up with regular food.”
Clark nodded. “And that’s why she needs body fat.” Chloe smiled, Clark’s grin fading. “We need to find her.”
Chloe agreed, letting Clark rush past her. “Clark.” She called after him. “Jodi wouldn’t let anything stop her from getting to that party.”
Clark glanced at her in fright. “Pete.”
Chloe watched him leave, turning to the brothers. “Not that I don’t trust Clark or anything, but maybe you should go help.”
Sam nodded, leaving the room. Dean stared at Chloe, and then looked at Clark’s mom. “Chloe, I’m sure Clark has everything under control.”
Martha’s eyes widened and she turned, busying herself with making a new cake. Chloe laughed, pushing Dean out the doorway.
“Yeah right.” She grinned. “You’re the one with the heavy artillery.”
*
Sam pushed open the door, walking slowly into the house, his gun at the ready. He paused, hearing a grunt from the left. He stepped through, lowering his gun when he saw the broad silhouette of Pete.
“Jodi?” Pete called, rubbing his head. He turned, eyes widening when he saw Sam. “Oh, uh....Dean?”
Sam grimaced. “It’s Sam.” He corrected. “You alright?”
“Yeah.” Pete looked round, confused. “I just don’t know where Jodi went.”
Sam scowled. “She’s not here?”
“I don’t think so. I mean, she looked a bit ill when I arrived.” Pete said, confused. “Then she told me to leave, like I was in danger, or something.”
“You probably were.” Sam said.
*
Dean came round the corner of the house, spotting the two large greenhouses. He smirked, raising his gun and running towards them.
He reached the door, slowing when he saw Jodi standing over someone, shouting. He strained his ears, trying to hear what she was yelling.
“What? Isn’t this what I’m supposed to look like?” she screamed.
She grabbed a shovel, aiming at the person she was confronting. Dean cocked his gun; ready to interfere when she stopped, looking into the glass.
“Look at me.” She cried, hysterical. “I’m a freak.”
Dean’s eyes widened when he saw Clark rise from the floor, his hand out in an attempt to grab Jodi.
She turned, her eyes dark with anger when she saw Clark. “I know how to stop this.” She snarled. “For good.”
She grabbed the shovel once more, and turned quickly, ramming it against a gas pipe. It cracked and Jodi turned, looking for something to start an explosion. She looked up, and Dean cursed he followed her gaze to see the halogen lighting.
She raised the shovel, but Clark grabbed her. “No...Wait!”
She pulled away from him and Dean ran, just crouching behind a large bush when the greenhouse exploded. He heard footsteps, and he spun round, seeing Sam and Pete, staring in shock at the explosion.
Dean frowned, going to stand with them.
“Pete!” Dean’s head shot up at the sound of Clark’s voice. “You better get over here!”
Pete ran over, finding Clark and Jodi just outside of the range of the explosion. Clark’s jacket was smoking slightly, but was otherwise fine. Pete knelt next to Jodi while Dean stared intently at Clark.
“Is she going to be okay?” asked Sam, and Clark nodded.
“Yeah. She got out the greenhouse just in time.” Clark told them, and Dean raised an eyebrow at the boy’s nervous tone. “She just needs to go to hospital.”
Sam nodded. “I’ll call an ambulance.”
*
“Are you sure you’re alright?”
“Chloe, for the fifth time, yes. It was Dean who was closest to the greenhouse.”
Chloe smiled, relieved, before curling up next to Sam on the sofa. The news was reporting the story, obviously not mention the fact that Jodi had been acting as Smallville’s local fat-sucking vampire.
Dean smirked. “Chloe?” She looked up at him. “Weren’t you supposed to be at Barbie’s party?”
Chloe nodded slowly. “I did go, but it really wasn’t my sort of thing.”
Dean raised an eyebrow, suspicious. “Oh really, you didn’t have fun exploring the Luthor Mansion.”
“Well, you know, I gave her the book and then went to sneak around but it wasn’t even guarded.” She laughed. “And if Lex Luthor has no security guards, then he probably has nothing to hide.”
“Or that’s what he wants you to think.” Dean added. “I think you were just worried about us.”
Chloe blushed and Sam looked at her in shock.”Well, you know...” she attempted to brush it aside as Dean chuckled. “Even you’re not immune to fat-sucking vampires.”
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