Visiting Smallville: 11b/21
Chloe met Clark outside the Beanery, and Clark grinned at her in greeting, nodding at the Winchesters. He led her inside, straightening at the sight of Bob Rickman.
He glanced round the room, before lightly grabbing Chloe’s arm. “Look, sit with Lex and I’ll join you in a second.”
Chloe nodded as Clark raised his eyes to meet with Rickman’s. The brother’s followed Chloe as Clark introduced himself, shaking hands tightly with Bob. Chloe slid in opposite Lex, smiling in greeting. He nodded at her, watching as Sam sat next to her and Dean pulled up a chair.
“Lex Luthor.” He said, smiling slightly.
“We’ve already met.” Dean said and Lex smirked in recognition.
Everyone relaxed when Clark joined them, sitting next to the billionaire. Chloe grinned, pulling the article out her pocket and laying it on the table. A large picture of Tippett and Rickman covered half the page.
Clark glanced up at Chloe for an explanation, while Sam and Dean read through the article. “Well, Sam and I spent the morning delving into the exotic world of agricultural equipment and it seems that Kyle and Rickman were partners in the mid-80s.”
Lex looked up at her, his eyebrow raised. “They sold farm equipment?”
“Yeah, they were Salesmen of the Year, three years running - ’89, ’90 and ’91. Then, the year after, Rickman started his own company and Kyle went Walden.”
“Wonder what happened.” Clark said, trying to pull the article away from the brothers.
“I don’t know exactly but I found this story in the Smallville Ledger.” Chloe answered, taking it easily from Sam and scanning through it one more time. “’Salesmen trapped in car after meteor shower’. So, I’m guessing whatever it is started that sunny day in October, twelve years ago.”
Lex stood up, a frown on his face. “Let’s go ask him.” He said to Clark, but loud enough so that Chloe and the brothers could hear.
“You know where he is?” Chloe asked, and Lex turned to her, smiling thinly. “Well, I’ll go with Clark and Lex to wherever Kyle is, and how about you guys go look round the woods?”
*
Chloe walked through the Luthor Mansion, eyes wide at the ornate decorations and large rooms. Lex led through to the Eastern Wing, and into a large, almost empty bedroom.
A young woman, in a nurses outfit, sat, her eyes glazed over, in a large chair. Lex stared at her, and then at the empty bed.
“Where’s Kyle?” he asked, furious.
The nurse blinked. “Who?”
Clark seemed confused, but he suddenly grinned, stepping closer to the billionaire. “I think I know where he went.”
Clark grasped Chloe’s hand and led her back out the mansion, helping her into the red truck before speeding out the mansion grounds.
*
Sam turned when he heard the sound of a car trundling through the dirt path. He nudged Dean and they jogged back towards the Impala, seeing the red truck belonging to Clark Kent driving slowly through the woods.
They followed him, down a small trail to the front of a metal trailer. Clark climbed out first, heading straight for the door. They stood back, watching, until Chloe climbed down from the passenger seat, glanced behind her and spotted them, immediately waving them over.
Sam walked over immediately, Dean slightly behind him. She grinned, linking her arm with Sam and leading him over to Clark, who was glancing at them unhappily.
Clark turned round as the trailer door banged. They stared as Kyle Tippett locked the door, and then spun round to face them, angry.
“I appreciate the help, Clark, but I’m done here.” he said, glancing round the forest.
“We know that Rickman used to be your partner.” Clark stated, but Kyle barely flinched.
“That was a million years ago.”
Kyle tried to walk past them, but was blocked by the Winchesters. Chloe grinned, bounding in front of them to face Kyle.
“What happened to you guys in the meteor shower?” Chloe asked, eyes wide with curiosity. “Trust me, you’re not the only ones that were affected by it.”
Clark stepped up behind the ex-salesman. “What’s going on with you and Rickman?” he asked, his voice dangerously low. “How did he get my dad to sell the farm?”
Kyle looked intently at the ground, clearly trying to avoid anyone’s eyes as he began to speak. “You know, until that day, we were the worst salesmen to ever carry a catalogue… and all that changed when they pulled us out of that car.” Chloe stepped closer, intrigued by the story. “With a single handshake, we could get people to do whatever we wanted them to do. Buy a tractor, stand on one leg…”
He drew off and Chloe’s eyes widened, while Winchesters looked vaguely surprised, Dean’s eyebrow raised at the strange story. Clark stood there, a look of understanding on his face - Chloe thought he had probably just realised why his father had sold the farm. “So,” Dean asked, sounding strangely serious. “You’re saying you have the power of persuasion?”
“How long does it last?” Chloe asked, an excited smile gracing her face.
“Until the person does what I tell them.” Kyle answered, a strange glaze across his eyes. “Could be two minutes, two hours, and then they come out of it without a memory.”
Sam smirked at the realisation that Kyle had been causing the missing memories, suddenly dying to question the hermit. He opened his mouth, but Clark started speaking first.
“What happens if they can’t do what you want?”
“Then they keep trying, unless they’re forcibly snapped out of it, like your friend Whitney.”
Chloe grinned, stepping away from Sam and Dean and closer to Kyle, Clark stepping beside her protectively. “Well,” she said, mischievously. “It sounds good in theory but…”
“Chloe!” Sam said, trying to interrupt her before she said something rude.
Chloe smirked, Clark and Sam on either side of her, with Dean slightly off to their side, glaring at Kyle suspiciously. “What?” she asked, amused. “The guy lives in a crappy trailer out in the woods. You’d think if he had this power, he’d use it to sell some of these…sculptures.”
“It’s dangerous.” Kyle snapped.
Chloe smiled slyly. “I’m used to living on the edge.”
Kyle shrugged, holding his hand out for Chloe. She took it, the three guys tensing with worry as Kyle grasped her hand tightly with both of his, a green glow emanating from the handshake. Both Sam and Clark stepped forward as Chloe’s eyes changed from their usual dark green, to a bright, meteorite green and her face went blank.
“You have feelings for Clark, don’t you, Chloe?” Kyle asked, his voice monotonous, yet soothing. Sam’s eyes widened and clenched his fists, his knuckles white. Clark looked round, jaw dropped in disbelief and amusement. “You see him and you want him.” Dean sniggered, watching as his brother shook slightly, his body rigid, and as Clark chuckled weakly. “All this time, you’ve been hiding it. Now, you can show him.”
Chloe smirked, turning to face Clark; unable to see how his eyes were open in surprise. She leant forward, placing her hands on his stomach then running them up his chest to grab his collar. Sam stared in shock, Dean unable to stop laughing. Chloe raised her eyes, catching Clark’s stare before viciously pulling on his jacket as she pushed herself onto the balls of her feet, pressing her lips against his, eyes fluttering close.
Clark’s eyes opened even further and he stared at Sam and Dean with astonishment as Chloe continued to move her lips over his. Sam’s mouth fell open, a strangled gasp falling from his lips as Chloe’s arms moved from Clark’s collar to wrap around his neck, attempting to pull the farm boy even closer.
Clark seemed to come to his senses, pushing away from Chloe, shocked.
She turned away, her eyes flashing the meteor green once more, before placing her hands on her hips and staring at Kyle, oblivious to the various looks she was receiving - entertained from Dean, upset from Sam, and an mixture of amazement and confusion from Clark.
“Okay.” she said. “Come on. I’m ready.”
Kyle just stared at her in amusement.
“Let’s just say he proved his point.” Clark said awkwardly, glancing down at Chloe’s lips before looking away and wiping his mouth.
“What? Why are you all looking at me like that?” she asked, finally noticing the different expressions on the four men. She paused, swallowing, then looking away in confusion. “And why is my mouth minty?”
Dean burst out laughing again, and Chloe’s head shot up, looking from Sam and Dean to Clark, still wiping his mouth.
“Oh…god.” Chloe stared down at the ground, embarrassed, and trying to ignore Dean’s continuous laughter. “Did I just…?”
“Don’t worry.” Clark said quietly, staring at Chloe. “It was…fine.”
Chloe raised her hand to her mouth in shock, her face flushing red. Clark was a similar colour, staring at her, then at Sam, and then to Kyle. Kyle grinned innocently, picking up his bag.
“Well.” he said, his voice full of compressed laughter. “Now the party trick’s over… I got to hit the road.”
He started to walk away, but Clark seemed to realise what was happening and stepped forward, panicked. “Wait.” he called, relaxing as Kyle turned round. “You have all these gifts, but you hid in the woods. Why?”
Dean seemed to agree. “And I’m assuming you were responsible for the missing memories.”
Kyle frowned but nodded. “Yes. But I was just telling them to leave the woods - not to even dare surveying in Smallville. We don’t want another dead town.”
Dean nodded in acknowledgment, allowing Clark to step in front of him. “Kyle? Why?” Clark asked.
“Because I was scared I wouldn’t be able to control it.” Kyle answered. “And that I would end up like Bob.”
“What happened between you and Rickman?” Clark asked, concerned.
“He knows that I know his secret … I threatened to expose him if he ever built a plant here.”
Chloe stared at him, still in a state of shock, but managed to step back to Sam’s side and stare at the sculptor in surprise. “But he’s been destroying communities like this for years. How come you let him get away with it for so long?”
“Because I wanted to be left alone!” Kyle shouted, getting frustrated. “As long as it wasn’t here, it wasn’t my problem.”
Clark was glowering at Kyle, clearly furious. “My dad…” Clark shouted. “My dad lost our farm because you didn’t tell anyone!”
Kyle was glaring back at Clark. “Do you know what it’s like to have to hide because of who you are?”
“yes!” Clark yelled at the smaller man, not noticing how Dean’s gaze snapped to him and Chloe stared at him with barely-masked confusion. “But when you have a gift, you can’t just hide in a hole and pretend it goes away.”
Kyle stared down at the floor in shame. “I’ll call you if I decide to tell.” he said, turning and slouching away.
Clark relaxed, trusting the older man.
“What do you mean, you understand having to hide because of who you are?” Chloe asked and Clark started, glancing at her.
“I don’t really.” he said slowly, oblivious to how Dean rolled his eyes. “I was just trying to calm him down, get him to do the right thing.”
Chloe nodded, disbelieving. “See you later?”
Clark nodded, climbing into the red truck and leaving the others standing outside the trailer. Chloe wrapped her hand round Sam’s arm, surprised when he pulled away from her, starting to head back to the Impala.
She glanced at Dean in shock, who just smirked. He turned to follow his brother, unable to stop one final bark of laughter. Chloe stood still for a second, confused, before running after them.
*
Dean stepped into the living room, raising an eyebrow when he saw Chloe cuddled up against Sam as they both watched the TV.
“Sammy?” he called, smirking as Sam groaned, turning to him with annoyance. “Kent called. Tippett’s going to tell, and he wants us there.”
Sam reluctantly removed his arm from Chloe’s arm, smiling at her as he stood up. “When?”
“Kent said to get to some gas station as soon as possible.”
Chloe waved at them as Dean led his brother out of the house and into the car. They sped through Smallville, pulling up at a dingy building just off the road. They gazed through the front window as a car with the number plate ‘LX LTHR’ parked next to a small telephone booth.
Kyle stepped out, smiling at the bald man, before him and Kent opened the car doors and sat in the back. Lex watched them, then walked over to the petrol, pulling out one of the pumps and pouring the gasoline over the car.
Dean and Sam exchanged worried glances as the billionaire lit his lighter and drop it onto the trail of petrol. Sam leapt out the Impala as Lex’s car exploded.
“Rickman must have got to him.” Dean whispered, now at Sam’s side.
They peered round the service station as Lex examined the car, yelling angrily when he couldn’t find either Clark or Tippett. A large truck arrived, lights off, and Bob Rickman stepped out, gun held in his hands. He appeared to be snarling at the Luthor Heir before handing him the gun and stepping aside, smirking viciously as Lex strode into the gas station.
Sam pulled Dean round the back of the station, picking the lock on a metal door, before sneaking into the gas station. They hid, guns held high, behind a tyre rack, shocked as a smirking Lex scanned the room.
He grinned suddenly, reaching down and pulling Kyle Tippett up, forcing him against the front of a truck. “Hey Clark,” he yelled, sounding amused, the gun held lightly in his hands. “You know that guy you’re trying to protect? I’m going to shoot him now!”
Dean’s grip on the gun tightened as Clark stood up from behind another car, staring anxiously at Lex and Kyle.
“Lex!” he shouted, and Lex chuckled harshly.
“There you are!” He let go of Kyle, letting the older man slide to the floor, apparently unconscious, turning and raising the gun towards Clark.
Clark raised his hands, eyes wide. “Don’t do this.” he pleaded, scared. “I’m your friend.”
“Oh, please.” Lex drawled, waving the gun slightly. “You don’t think I see the way your parents look at me? The way half of the town look at me?” He glanced at the floor for a second, before returning to stare at Clark with a hard gaze. “You’re no different. Friendships’ a fairy tale, Clark. Respect and fear are the best you can hope for.”
“Rickman’s doing this to you!” Clark shouted in desperation.
“What if he did?” His arm’s stopped waving the gun and he steadied his hand, pointing the gun directly at Clark.
“This is getting out of hand.” Sam whispered to his brother, who nodded slightly, fascinated by the exchange.
“You hate Rickman!” Clark shouted.
“You can learn a lot from someone you hate.”
Lex suddenly began to fire at Clark, the gun spitting bullets out quickly. Sam and Dean watched as the freshman writhed, somehow managing to dodge the bullets. But they were too fast. The Winchester’s watched as three hit Clark in the back, and they were unable to run to save him without going directly into the line of fire. Dean swore as Clark flailed slightly as one more struck him, before falling to the floor.
There was silence as Lex slowly approached Clark’s body.
“So, I guess he’s not immune to bullets then.” Dean breathed.
“How are we going to explain this to Chloe?” Sam wondered, watching as Lex kicked Clark. “Never mind his parents.”
They watched, breathing heavily, as Lex frowned, unsatisfied, and pointed the gun directly at Clark’s chest.
Suddenly, Clark sat up, pulling the gun from Lex’s grip and throwing him across the room, wincing as Lex crashed into a tyre display, lying unconscious.
“I take it back.” Dean said, frowning at the freshman, while Sam just watched, incredulous.
The shot blasted through the silence, and they looked up in shock. They raced back out the back door, and round the building, frowning even more when they reached Kyle, and Clark was already there.
“What happened?” Sam asked, staring from the wide-eyed Kyle, to the fallen body of Bob Rickman.
“I always was the better salesman.” Kyle answered, as Clark turned to them, an accusing glare on his face.
“You were so much help.” he said, eyebrows furrowed.
Dean grinned. “Christo.”
Clark stared in confusion, not reacting to the words at all. “Pardon?”
“Nothing.” Dean answered, annoyed. “Sam was on the phone with Chloe.”
“What?” Sam asked, amazed, while Clark frowned in jealousy.
“You didn’t help because you were talking to Chloe?” he asked, now glaring at Sam. “That’s…”
“Dean was kidding.” Sam forced out, turning away to help Kyle move the body.
“Yeah.” Dean grinned innocently. “Really, we thought you could handle it.”
Clark breathed in quickly, staring at Dean in fright. “What do you mean?”
“Oh…nothing.”
Clark relaxed, turning to leave, but Kyle shot them a knowing look, then Tippett and the Winchesters watched as Clark walked away.
*
Sam pushed Chloe out the room, smiling as she struggled against him. “Look, Chloe, we told you, we’re fine!”
She rolled her eyes. “You were at a shoot-out!” she protested, but her eyes were sparkling with laughter. “You could have died.”
Sam smiled fondly down at her, before one final shove, ensuring she was outside their bedroom, and closing the door.
“God, Sammy.” Dean said, looking up from their father’s journal, a teasing smirk on his face. “Don’t want her in the bedroom?”
Sam turned to his brother. “She’s fifteen.” he said, again.
“I’ve heard.” Dean smirked.
“I don’t want her knowing we’re researching Clark.” Sam admitted, pulling their father’s journal away from Dean and scanning what Dean had written. The table showed everything they had seen Clark do, from walk through fire to survive being shot-out.
Sam frowned as he stared at the facts. “You’re researching Clark.” Dean corrected, laughing as his brother glanced up at him, not amused. “I just write the notes. You’re the college boy."
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