Title: Enemy of Illusion
Author: Miche_Connor (Thaissa of Pern)
Email: iamthaissa@yahoo.com
Rating: PG
Challenge: Man in meeting to Lionel or Lex
Notes/Disclaimer: I do not own them. If I did, there would be a rule about boys not allowed to wear shirts. Ever. This story is set during Metamorphosis, so there are spoilers for the pilot and that episode. Warning: There is schmoop ahead. :D Also, very big thanks to Herohunter and Roxymissrose for stepping in for the pinch to beta this real quick. Their keen eyes found typos that mine missed and their suggestions, along with Cinderella81's, made it generally better. Feedback and constructive criticism would be wholeheartedly appreciated!
Summary: Lex learns some things about his good, and dear friend Clark, and makes some decisions.

Enemy of Illusion

The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.
–Stephen Hawking

~*~*~

"Son." Lionel entered the study that Lex had claimed for his office in the castle in Smallville and lounged against the desk.

"Dad." Lex glanced up from his laptop, and smirked. "What brings you all the way out to Smallville and the crap factory?" He nonchalantly saved what he was doing and closed the computer. The click of the laptop’s lock engaging seemed loud in the silence that stretched between them.

Lex waited patiently for his father to speak; it was a little game between them–just another little test of his fitness to be ‘heir’ and the victor got to gloat over the loser. He twisted his mouth in to a smirk and just looked at his father. For some reason, this expression could sometimes push the old man’s buttons.

"Lex, you look like the cat that ate clotted cream. I wonder why. " Lionel ran a finger over the closed top of his laptop, and Lex knew, instantly, what the real game was.

"You’re not going to let me have this are you?" Lex’s voice was pleasant but his eyes were white-hot with rage.

"Whatever do you mean, Lex?" Lionel asked quietly, impersonally.

"This. This company that you supposedly sent me here to save. A great big joke, but one on me. A lesson to learn."

"I won’t deny that I sent you here to take care of things, Lex. You know that as well as I do." Lionel paused to regard his son coolly, his hand resting proprietarily on Lex’s laptop computer. "If that teaches you something about life and business . . ."

"That’s not all, is it? There’s something else and you’re all but. . . gloating. . . about it."

"All in due time, Lex. All in due time."

Lionel left soon after, and the helicopter’s rotating blades were a curiously comforting sound as they retreated into the distance.

~*~*~

Earlier that same day, in Metropolis.

"You have made some interesting claims, Mr. Nixon. But I need to see proof before there’s any monetary compensation."

"Well then. It’s good that I brought a little sample with me, isn’t it?" Roger Nixon threw what looked like a photocopied picture onto the desk that squatted between them. "Have a look. Look real hard. I am sure it’s all that you were looking for."

Lionel Luthor gingerly picked the cheap photocopy up and looked at it closely for some moments, then with apparent unconcern dropped the paper to the desk.

Nixon smiled nastily when he saw the flash of recognition and greed flare into the rich man’s eyes.

"Interesting, but hardly worth–"

"Worth more to the military, I bet," Nixon said snidely. "They won’t dicker but at least I’ll get a fair deal."

"A fair deal." Lionel grinned, showing lots of teeth. "Is that what you want? Because I’ll give you one hundred thousand for it. And that’s more than you’ll get from the military. Any military."

"One-fifty. I want one hundred and fifty thousand!"

"Give me the tapes now, and I will see that you get what you deserve before you leave this room."

"Hah. As if I would carry them on me. Look in the mail, Luthor. Look right in your gold-plated, diamond studded mailbox. You’ll know it when you see it." Nixon sauntered out of the office, grinning.

~*~*~

Lex simply sat a moment, listening to the helicopter fade into the distance. Good. That was good. Just a few more tweaks on the budget for the crap factory and that would be done. Another task checked off, and one that others would appreciate.

Lex opened his laptop and frowned as it wobbled unevenly. It was the matter of a moment to simply lift the thin machine and eyed the culprit. A single sheet of paper that had been folded in half and then in half again. What? Of course Lionel had placed it there, and of course he left it so that Lex would find it.

It was a gauntlet thrown down, a slap of a leather glove across the face and a thumbed nose of a challenge. It was irresistible, and Lex reached for the paper and opened it.

He stared for a long time at the image contained in rough black and white. It was enough. It was damning, but it was more than enough. The paper, crumpled, flew into the fireplace and was consumed. It was no surprise that moments later his cell phone rang.

"Lex," a rough voice said immediately as he opened the phone.

"Who is this? How did you get this number?"

"How did I get it? You gave it to me, remember?"

Lex looked for the caller ID and frowned when it said nothing. "Who--wait. Nixon." He pushed a button on his intercom and quickly typed the code to alert his security to track incoming calls. Almost immediately, the security guy Lex mentally called RedShirtOne poked his head into the door and gave a thumbs up.

"Got it in one. So, did Papa Luthor show you my award-winning photo?" The man all but preened as he spoke.

"I’ve seen it," Lex allowed. "Look. I know you have more. A lot more. And I want all of it. Every last bit and trace. I’ll pay you three times what my father is giving you."

"Ah. I don’t have the originals . . . " Nixon tried to be coy.

"I won’t pay for anything less. You know as well as I that images can be far too easily manipulated."

"Lex, Lex! These are the real deal."

"Then I want the real deal."

"Give me half of a million and you’ll get it all."

"I’ll have it in an hour. Bring me everything. Everything, Nixon, because if I discover you’ve made side deals with my father or anyone else, you will be pushing a shopping cart loaded with all your belongings faster than–"

"I get it, I get it. I’ll be there in an hour."

Lex scrubbed absently at his ear once Nixon hung up. He waited and was rewarded almost immediately by the appearance of RedShirtTwo.

"Got it! He was calling from that dive out on highway 52."

"I want you and your partner to head over there and wait for him to leave. He’ll be coming here. I want you to make sure that he does not secret away any potentially damaging material. You know the routine. Check his room, the front office, post office drop boxes nearby and the post office itself. If there’s anything to be found, bring it here immediately."

"We’ll be off. Maria’s manning the security cameras, so it should all run smoothly."

Lex nodded, smiling faintly to himself. This was going to be good.

It was almost too soon when Enrique knocked on the door. "Sir. There is a rather scruffy individual asking to see you. Are you in?"

Lex grinned at the euphemism. "Yes. I’m in. But I might need to have a phone call about five minutes after he’s here."

"Five minutes? I'll make sure to pay attention to see if that needs to happen." Enrique’s eyes flashed with humor as he turned for the door. "I will direct him in to see you immediately."

Lex moved over to his liquor cabinet and poured himself a little bit of scotch. Not really more than a taste, but it made him appear perhaps anxious. A little bit of a distraction is always a good thing and it was thus, with a chiseled snifter in hand, that Roger Nixon found him.

"Ah, Lex. A little early to be having a taste of scotch, isn’t it?" The man nearly leered as he entered the bookcase-lined room.

Lex immediately set his glass down and moved forward with purpose. "Let me see it."

"Hah! I like that you don’t try to pussy-foot around. Here. It’s all in here."

Nixon patted a slim briefcase and moved to open it. "Look. All the hard copies, the DVD and an old video tape. All here."

"So I see. Play the tape for me." Lex gestured toward a flat screen television that had a combination of tape and DVD player next to it. "I want to make sure you’re not trying to cheat me."

"Now Lex. You know I’d never do that." It was a lie, and Lex knew it, and Nixon knew that too. All games.

"Nevertheless. I’d like to see."

"Here goes. You’ll have to excuse the quality. I didn’t make this tape."

"No? I’m surprised."

"It was made," Nixon paused to turn the set on and push in the tape. "By a very strange kid named Greg Arkin." He slanted his eyes toward Lex, gauging his reaction. "He was the kid that killed his mother last week. Lived nearby, I think."

Lex’s smile was cold. "Just up the lane, actually," he lied. "Fast forwarding, Nixon?"

"Well. You really want to see the life cycle of a pharaoh beetle? Or maggots? Oh wait. Here. Have a look at that."

The scene had clearly changed from being filmed in a rather messy bedroom to peeping through bushes at an idyllic scene: two young men apparently sharing sandwiches and talking innocently enough about sports. Occasionally, another's voice could be heard; it was muffled and was clearly the camera’s operator and he kept repeating the same word over and over: "Liars!"

Lex recognized both Clark and Whitney Fordman as the young men on the blanket. "This is hardly worth–"

"Oh, just wait. You’ll see." Nixon laughed to himself and moseyed over toward the scotch decanter. "Mind if I?" he asked as he gestured toward the liquor.

"
"I–No." Lex was suddenly riveted to the screen, for there was Clark, and there was Whitney and each very interested in the other. Was he really seeing what he thought he was seeing? No. It wasn't interest of a sexual sort, but something else. Lex listened closely.

"Clark. You gotta know--I really didn't mean to put you on that stake. I was just so mad. And Lana--"

"Lana?"

"She does something to me, man. She makes me confused sometimes, and I can't think straight."

"That's what happens to me, Whit. All the time. I dunno what it is, either. I thought it was maybe that necklace she wears, but that's not it."

"Yeah. It's not. Because you and I both sort of get kind of nuts around her. I mean, she can talk me into doing just about anything. And dude. You were totally flirting with her."

Clark blinked twice at that. "I tripped and fell down and that was flirting?"

"Well--It felt like it. And then everything kind of became mixed up and . . . . I think it was just that you were the next person I looked at right then."

"Whit--Let's just forget it happened." Clark sounded very tired.

"It's forgotten. Hey--Let's play some catch, okay?"

Clark shook his head and grinned, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Yeah. Okay. Winner buys the loser a coffee." He'd forgiven Whitney, but that didn't mean he'd forgotten how much what happened had hurt.

"It's a deal."

Lex blinked as the area being filmed changed again, and this time it was far darker than the previous two. Still, Lex could make out some sort of machinery and what looked like vats. There were also strange piles of rocks all over, piles of rocks that he could see start to glow eerily. A low groan echoed across the tape, and Clark was again the subject on display, though he looked very, very ill. "Help yourself." Lex stopped the tape and ejected it before the lurid eye of the camera could continue any farther.

"What, not going to watch the jock take one for the team, eh Lex?"

"I don't believe that happens on this tape, does it, Nixon? It's just two boys talking about sports. And one very strange boy watching them. Where's the footage that contains the image that I saw earlier?"

Nixon tossed back two fingers of scotch and belched expansively. "It’s on the DVD. Have a look!"

"I will. And what I saw had better be there–Or I’ll believe that it’s all a hoax and you will be persona non grata in your chosen field of expertise." Lex flipped open the DVD’s jewel case and removed the green-tinged disk. He looked at it a moment before inserting it into the player. "I’m not joking, Nixon. This had better be good." He stabbed a long finger at the play button and waited.

The quality of this recording was far better than that of the VCR tape; that was to be expected. However, seeing the Kent’s old green tractor fly through the air was shocking to say the least–though not nearly as interesting as Clark’s shocked face and his father’s amazed one.

Lex blinked impassively as he replayed the image twice more.

"What did I say?" Nixon looked smug as he asked the question.

"Fascinating." Lex sounded about as interested as he had been in the other recording. "It’s clear, however, that this material is only worth anything to the single person that controls it." Lex ejected the disc and held it in his hand rather tightly. "You do understand?"

"Yeah, yeah. Gimme the money and I’ll get out of your hair. Oh, did I say that out loud?"

Nixon lied badly, Lex thought. Very badly indeed. "Get out!"

"Not without my money, I won’t."

"It’s already been wired into your account."

"Then you won’t mind if I check that, will you?" Nixon pulled out his Sidekick, even as Lex was nodding to RedShirtOne and Two who had slipped into the room and settled into that ‘bodyguard stance’ with arms folded behind their employer.

"Assist Mr. Nixon out of the house, gentlemen. And for future reference, he’s not to be allowed in again under any circumstances."

"Hey, hey! No need to get rough. I can see all is well and fine. Pleasure doing business with you, Lex." Nixon snapped the combination PDA and cell phone closed as he tossed off a jaunty wave, smiling happily at the security guards who escorted him out of the castle and off the grounds.

When RedShirtOne and Two returned, there was no sign of the tape or pictures or DVD. "We found another package," RedShirtOne said as he produced the package from a bag. "There were also four or five other tapes and two discs. We grabbed it all, left blanks in place and left. It was a piece of cake."

"Let me see it."

A thick padded envelope was summarily dumped into his hands, and he opened it. "I knew it. Look. I want you to get more blanks, both tape and disc and make them look like these do. And then send them off to my father. It would be very good if you could actually get Nixon’s finger prints on everything, as well."

"Piece of cake," RedShirtTwo volunteered.

Lex bit his lip, but had to say it anyway. "Go then. Make it so."

It was only after they’d left and he’d closed the door and locked it that Lex watched the rest of Arkin’s video tape. "Lies, and more lies indeed, Greg," he said softly as he trailed his fingers along the smooth flat surface of the tv screen, tracing an outline around Clark Kent and the football he held frozen in one hand and smiled. "Truth will out. At length, in detail--all will be known, and I will claim what is mine."

~*~*~

Clark groaned as he suddenly crashed down into his bed, the structure groaning itself in protest over rough treatment. "Oh god." He sat up and looked around blearily even as his mother's face appeared in the door.

"Clark?"

"Fine mom. Just . . . " He swallowed. "It happened again."

"I'll ask your father to check the bedframe while you're at school." Worry
lines pulled at her pretty face. "But you're going to be late, so get up." She grinned, just a little. "And take a shower, honey. You smell like a team of wild horses."

"I... huh?" Clark lifted his arm and sniffed, making a face. "Gah. That's so gross. I hate being a teenager."

Martha just giggled to herself as she turned away. "Come on, Clark. I've got waffles waiting for you." Then more faintly, he could hear, "Honey? Breakfast!"

Clark pulled the tangled blankets from his legs and grimaced. There were other messes to wash away, as well, he thought. God. "Well, at least she didn't smell that, too."

Five minutes later, washed, shaved and dressed, Clark clomped down the stairs and into the kitchen, absently gathering his schoolbooks and shoving them into his backpack. "Smells really good, mom."

"Well, I hope so. You've got everything together, there?"

"Yeah. Here, see?" Clark opened his pack briefly and Martha peered inside, nodding. "Math's done, too. Oh! Can I have four?"

"You can have ten, if you sit down. Your father will be right in. Clark--" Martha's voice hitched just a little.

"Yeah, mom?"

"Please, can you do those posts for the back fence quickly--Before your father--"

"Huh? Oh! Yeah. I will. Mom--" Clark slid a hefty stack of waffles on his plate, then proceeded to drown them in butter and syrup.

"Yes, dear?"

"Dad's . . . all right, isn't he?"

"With you to help, I don't see how he can be anything else, honey. Don't worry." Martha leaned close to kiss Clark on the top of the head. "It just scares me, sometimes, how hard he works. And those pains he gets in his chest. You understand."

Clark nodded, solemnly as he shoveled food into his face, his expression changing almost instantly to a smile as Jonathan Kent paused on the porch to take off his rubber boots and heavy coat before coming in. "These are so goo--Hey, dad! Better get some waffles, while you can. I might eat them all!"

"Jonathan, Here--" Martha tugged a chair out just a bit as she handed her husband a tall stack of waffles. "The jam's there, dear."

"Jam!" Jonathan grinned at his family and they beamed back at him. "It's going to be a good day," he said, satisfaction clear on his face and in his voice. "I've got strawberry jam and waffles!"

Clark grinned too, meeting his mom's eyes just briefly before putting the last bits of waffle on his plate into his mouth. "Dad, I'll go get those posts in really quick this morning and do my other chores, okay?"

Jonathan frowned uneasily. "Just be sure you stay clear away from the road. I don't want--"

"I will dad. Promise." Clark stood and took his plate and utensils to the sink, pausing only to drain the last of the milk from his glass. He rinsed them all off quickly and zipped out the door, just a blur of motion to his parents.

"Martha," Jonathan sighed, looking more tired and worn than he'd let on to his son. "What are we going to do--"

"We're not going to do anything," Martha said firmly, after swallowing a bite of her powdered-sugar topped waffle. "You're going to have to check Clark's bed again, though. I think he might have cracked the support falling." There was a real glint of amusement in her eyes as she looked at her husband.

"What? Oh no. He's going to be sleeping on the floor if he breaks the frame," Jonathan said with a little smile. "I can't imagine what that's like, falling down and startling awake like that. Must be a bit terrifying." He swallowed a little chuckle. "This may be wrong of me, but I can't help thinking it's just a bit more fair. He's given us more than our share of grey hairs."

"Jonathan!" Martha looked outraged for all of a second, before giving in to her own little laugh. "Well. Maybe so. But it was clear he didn't know what was going on until he fell on the bed. The look on his face--"

"I wonder if I should reinforce the attic floor, too."

"He wouldn't go through it--would he?"

"Do we really want to take that chance?"

The blur that was Clark rematerialized into clarity before them once more. "Dad, got all the posts done, and my chores too." He scooped up his pack. "I want to go over to Lex's after school. Can I? He said I could use his library for my paper on myths and legends."

"Oh, of course he would, Clark, but wouldn't the library at school--"

"Mom, Lex has more on myths than any three libraries."

"Well. All right. But be home at six. I'll have supper ready at 6:30."

"Okay. Hey - Maybe I can invite Lex, too? He just has these weird rabbit food dinners and that's not gotta be good for him."

"Well, you can ask. I won't mind," Martha glanced at her husband, who, while looking a bit unhappy, shrugged. "Can't deny that. Boy's awfully thin."

"I know, dad. He doesn't eat nearly enough." With that, Clark kissed his mom on the cheek, waved to his dad and headed out to meet the bus that could be heard rumbling down the street.

"Jonathan. You want Lex here?"

"Better here where I can see him, than over there . . . where I can't. Here, let me help you clean up before I go unroll that wire between those posts."

"Well there is that thought. But, I really think you should wait on that fence, Jon. We don’t have any cattle back there, so there’s no need to rush it. You don’t need to push yourself."

"No, but no need to put it off, either. I’ll be careful." Jonathan stopped stacking dishes and looked at his wife. "I promise." he said quietly, leaning in to kiss her.

~*~*~*

School passed in a daze as Clark waited for time to pass. It was frustrating, being so bored, but passing notes to Chloe in U.S. history was always fun. Not as fun when they got caught, though, and had to spend the rest of the class in isolation from one another. It was a relief when the bell rang, and getting out of the institutional green and grey halls was like having wings. Or, maybe, it was just the fresh air.

"Hey Clark! Where're you off to?"

"Oh, hey Chloe. Hey Pete! I'm going to raid Lex's library for the paper that's due Friday."

"Oh man, Clark. That's like days away."

"I know. Only four days, Pete!" Clark shook his head absently. "I want to get it done while I have free time."

"Free time?" Chloe looked at Clark quizzically. "You think you might not have free time in the near future?"

"Guys." Clark looked very serious for a moment. "It's my dad. I really think something is wrong with him."

"Oh no." Chloe and Pete shared a worried expression.

"Dude," Pete said quietly. "You think it's bad?"

"Yeah. And mom can't get him to go to the doctor. So--I've been doing as much as I can. So he won't have to."

"Clark. I--We--we understand. It's just. We wanted--"

"What Pete is trying to say is that you should do what you need to do, and let us know if we can help." Chloe jabbed Pete in the side, and he oofed. "Right, Pete?"

"Oh, yeah. Right."

"Thanks guys. I am going to work with mom on it. He can’t resist us both at the same time. I just don't want to see him that pale ever again."

"I hear ya."

"Okay, bye Clark. Give me a call if you discover lost treasure in that library, will you?"

Clark laughed and nodded at his friends as he walked down the steps and onto the bus that headed toward both his house and the Luthor Castle.

~*~*~*

"Thanks, Ms. Bills. I know it’s a long walk home, but I want to go see a friend. He lives over this way," Clark said as he exited the bus at a stop sign that was less than a mile from the castle gates. "My mom knows."

The bus driver nodded, "Bye, Clark. See you tomorrow." She shifted the doors shut as she turned the wheel and pulled the bus out of the gravel at the side of the road.

Clark ambled slowly along the road, waiting for the yellow vehicle to get out of sight before using his speed to dash over to the Castle. He made a point of stopping well before the gates and switched to his normal fast-paced gait. "Hi, Marco," he said as he neared the gate. "Can you let me in? Lex said I can use the Library."

"Of course, Clark. Let me call Enrique, too."

"Oh? Oh! Sure. Yeah. I don’t want to disturb Lex though. I know he’s been busy."

The gate opened and Clark slipped through, waving as he jogged up the long driveway to the front door, which opened just as he was about to knock. "Hey. Enrique."

"Greetings Master Kent. Master Lex is expecting you in the library."

"Oh, uh--Well. I didn’t mean to bug him, especially if I am going to be just looking at books . . ."

"Mister Luthor has stated repeatedly that as far as you are concerned, he wants to be interrupted."

"Oh! Well. I see." Clark grinned a little, turning faintly pink at the edges. "I’ll just go up then."

Enrique nodded. "Very well. Refreshments are on their way."

Clark grinned. "Okay. Tell Cook thank you! And thank you, too."

"Of course. You’re welcome." Enrique bowed, and faded away into the bowels of the house.

"I really wonder how he does that," Clark said as he neared the room in the castle that was known as the Library. "It’s really almost scary." For a human, he added silently.

"Hey, Lex!" Clark called as he opened the doors of the room unceremoniously dumping his backpack on the sofa. "I got a question for you." A grin teased at his lips, stretching his mouth even as he tried to speak without giving his question away.

"Ah, Clark." Urbane, smooth, elegant; those were the words that popped into Clark’s mind as his friend turned from perusing the thick Oxford English dictionary. "Ask away."

"Well. I was just wondering about Enrique."

Lex’s finely arched brows lifted. "Wondering?"

He seemed a little more reserved than usual, Clark thought. Time to fix that.

"Yeah. I think he might have some superpowers."

"Really, Clark?" Lex sounded amused as he smirked, and time stopped for just an instant around Clark.

"Yeah, because look at it. He always is there when you need him," Clark started to tick his points off on his fingers. "He has the ability to just . . . fade . . . into the darkness of the castle. And, more importantly, he always has this creepy smile on his face."

Lex burst into a shout of laughter that echoed, "I will be sure to tell him."

"Oh, no Lex!" Clark widened his eyes comically. "You can’t do that! He might . . . well, have evil abilities too! And then, well, the world would be doomed."

"What, you wouldn’t save me?" Lex winked at Clark, teasing.

A slow flush rose over Clark’s cheeks. "Lex, I would certainly try. But you know . . . Evil Minions of Darkness tend to destroy everyone. But I bet you could easily fend him off! I mean, he does have to do what you say, right?"

Lex’s eyes glinted as he sauntered closer to Clark who blushed a little deeper as the older man got closer. "He does, indeed, ‘have to do what I say.’ I think I like having an evil minion to do my bidding. It does come in handy, especially on days when my father is in residence. Though, I have to ask–-if he’s an evil minion, does that make me an evil genius?"

Clark grinned at that. "Well, I know the genius part is right. Though, that time you pranked Chloe’s dad with the ‘red’ herring that was actually a fish . . . That, gotta admit, was pretty evil. Oh! I almost forgot. Mom said she’d like you to come over for dinner. I would, too. You don’t eat enough here."

"Clark." Lex stepped closer, nearly touching the younger man’s arm with his own as he leaned over to hook a finger around the strap of Clark’s back pack. "I eat enough. I have a nutritionist on staff."

"Lex, you are too skinny," Clark said with a snort. "When you take your coat off, I can see the bones in your spine. You should not see a person’s bones through their skin, Lex, especially through their shirt! I don’t care what your nutritionist says."

"Opinion noted--Ah, my Minion of the Underworld arrives," Lex said with a big grin as Enrique entered with a covered tray. Predictably, Clark’s stomach growled. "Your stomach has excellent timing. Clark, your feast awaits."

"It’s my pleasure, Mister Luthor." Enrique bowed and turned away, but not before Lex caught the grin on his face. "Just let us minions know if you need anything else."

"Of course. Perhaps another 'snack' in just few minutes?" Lex said with a hint of a teasing grin that was directed at the young man standing so very close to him.

"Lex!" Clark’s face was a deep rosy red color, flattering his features and making his eyes appear grape green. "Err, I mean, thank you, Enrique." He sighed, looking at Lex almost apologetically. "I really do eat at school and at home. I bet he and the cook think I just come over here to mooch."

"I think they appreciate that your appetite is not nearly as finicky as mine."

"Well, there is that. Let’s see; what have we got?" Clark moved away from the sofa, and Lex tossed Clark’s backpack onto his desk before moving over to the covered tray as well. "Oh look, Lex. Um. Cheese?" Clark sniffed experimentally as he lifted the silver dome from the tray. "And more leaves. No wonder you are so thin."

"It’s a fine goat cheese, Clark, deep fried until the outside is crispy, and the inside is soft. And those leaves are arugula, which is like spinach, but tastier. Try putting a little cheese on one of the leaves of arugula."

"Well." Clark looked doubtful. "If you say so." He copied Lex, using the tiny spoon that was provided to scoop a little cheese onto the leaf before popping the lot into his mouth and chewing. He looked faintly apprehensive, but that passed from his face as delight at the equisite flavors meshed in his mouth. "It's good!"

"You sound so surprised! Of course it is. It’s also incredibly fattening." Lex sighed a little. "I think my cook agrees with your assessment of my figure."

"Well, it’s just that you look like you might break if you get squeezed. Or touched. Or something."

Lex grinned again, casually leaning forward to get more of the delicious snack. "I am not going to break. Heike would have broken me long ago in our fencing matches if that were so."

"Okay. That’s true. But I have to remind you that I didn’t say that you would break. Just that it looked like you would." Clark sniffed, absently, quietly enjoying the faint scents of soap, lotion and cologne that Lex was wearing as he sort of leaned into Lex’s personal space to breathe a little deeper. It smelled particularly good with the cheese and leaves he was eating and that made him laugh. A diet that was coordinated with what you wore, what you smelled like. Yeah. Lex would do that–and that reminded him of his original reason for being here, in the castle, at this point in time. "Oh. I do have to look at some of your books. I need to pick a myth or legend and analyze it."

"Any myths? I have plenty on Greek mythology. That should be relatively easy. There’s probably three or four rows worth." Lex popped the last bit of snack into his mouth and waved expansively at a particular section of books. "Take your pick."

"Hm." Clark grabbed three leaves and piled a good bit of the still warm cheese on them before tossing all of it into his mouth. "Let me see." He looked at the spines, hesitant to touch any of them. "Um. Help? What would you pick first?"

"I think a general book to start off with–you don’t have a myth in mind, I take it?"

"Well, no. But, since you mentioned Greek myths, I thought maybe Aphrodite–" Clark blushed, predictably, as he broke off, nearly stumbling over his own feet as he turned to look at Lex. "Aphrodite. Because she just appeared from nowhere, unlike the other gods that were the children of the Titans."

"That’s a perfectly valid choice. Here, try this book." Lex pulled a thick tome from the shelf and flipped it open to a particular page. "But I think you may find that there’s a little more to her than just appearing suddenly from the sea."

"Really?" Clark, intrigued, leaned forward to take the book. "What do you–Oh. Huh. This guy sounds like he was there when it happened. Hesiod." He moved over toward Lex’s desk and his abandoned backpack. "I better write this down." Dutifully, Clark pulled out his notebook and pen and started to copy the citation. "Hesiod, Theogany. Page 176. Okay. What does it say-- " he looked up, aghast. "She’s made out of some guy’s . . . naughty bits?"

Lex grinned. "I told you. Keep reading–-there’s at least four or five versions of her arrival into the world."

"But . . . Lex. Why–oh, god. This other god castrated him? Wait. I am confused. I thought Apollo was the sun god, but here, it’s some guy named Kronos–"

"The Greeks had wide variety of deities, Clark." Lex leaned close to point at another word. "Ouranos, like Kronos, and Gaia, were primeval deities. Not anthropomorphic, but more elemental. Ouranos was literally the dome of the sky. Gaia–earth. Kronos, however was not a ‘sun’ god, but Ouranos’ son, one of the Titans."

‘Wait, you mean, the son castrated the father?" Clark winced at the image, turning back to look at the book before him. "Why? I mean, why did he care if his dad was, well, getting it on with Gaia?"

"He did it to depose him from his throne. So that he could become ruler over his siblings and everything else."

Clark rocked his head back in surprise. "Geeze! That’s brutal. It worked, I take it?"

"It worked very well, since he ate his own children to keep his throne, lest what happened to his father happen to him."

"Man. That’s just–-vicious."

"Clark, life was far harder for everyone in the days of these tales."

"Yeah. No electricity. No running water. Oh man!" Clark looked over at Lex, his eyes comically wide. "No pie!"

Lex grinned, and Clark laughed too, making several more notes. "Lex, do you have a copy machine, by any chance?" He looked over at the young businessman hopefully.

"Actually, I do. Why?"

"Well. It’s nearly time to head back home, and I’d like to take this information back with me. There’s no way I can write it all down quickly enough." Clark shrugged a little. "At least this way I can finish the rest of this at home."

"Clark. You can always come by tomorrow." Lex smiled again, his gaze warm and friendly. "Really. If I am not around, just come in and use it."

"Well, I just didn’t want to be–"

"You’re not a bother."

"As long as you’re sure?"

"Absolutely sure. C’mon. Let’s go see what your mom’s made for dinner."

"Okay. Can we take the Ferrari?"

"Yes. I wouldn’t drive anything else around you. I think the other cars may be too short in the leg room." Lex made a show of looking at Clark’s long legs before returning his gaze to his friends’.

"Yes!" Clark all but cheered as he scooped up his pack and papers and shoved everything inside. Lex simply watched in amusement.

"Ready?"

"Yeah. And Lex?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks."

"It’s my pleasure." Lex’s smile was genuine, and it was all for him.

Clark beamed at him and turned pink all over. "My dad was right. This has been a great day!"

Lex patted Clark’s shoulder once, and moved toward the door, opening it. "After you."

"After you, Lex, it’s your house."

"Clark . . ." Lex growled just a bit.

"What? It is your house. Okay, fine, Mr. Paranoia. I’ll go first." Clark muttered as shifted his pack and edged for the door. He really wanted Lex to go first, but he didn’t think too deeply about why. It could have embarrassing results.

Lex chuckled as he followed Clark out the door.

~*~*~

Lionel waited impatiently for his secretary to take herself off once she placed the package on his desk. "No disturbances, Miss Lear. I've been waiting for this to arrive, and I will need all of my attention for it."

"Yes, Mr. Luthor." Miss Lear ducked her mouse-brown hair and scooted out of the office.

"Now, let's see that throw again, shall we, young Mr. Kent?" Lionel spent scant attention on the packaging and went straight for the DVD that was marked with his name.

He stared at the blank screen for several moments before retrying the 'menu' button on the remote at his fingertips. When all remained dark, he pursed his lips thoughtfully and tried the video tape. It didn't surprise him that this too was blank.

He laughed suddenly, delighted by the implications that occurred to him. "Ah, Lex. Slowly, slowly you learn." Affection for his son washed through him and he fell into his chair, well pleased with what he had wrought.

~*~*~*

"Mrs. Kent, thank you for dinner. It was, in a word, fantastic. I am stuffed!" Lex patted his stomach and Clark beamed at him, pleased at the small round shape that was protruding from his friend’s abdomen.

"See? I told you it would be good. Can’t beat Shake ‘N’ Bake chicken."

"No, that you can’t. Though–if my taste buds do not deceive me, there was more than just a packaged mix on this chicken. Am I right?" Lex looked at Martha for confirmation.

"Well, I just threw in some things-–You know how it is." Martha said, pleased at the young bald man’s complement.

"Oh, mom! He got you!" Clark grinned hugely. "See! I told you he would. He has an–what did the cook say–oh! An educated palate."

"No, that’s what Enrique said," Lex corrected. "Better get that right. He’ll get upset if you misquote him."

"Oh, I don’t want to do that." Clark leaned over to murmur to his father. "We’re pretty sure Enrique is a super-hero, or and Evil Minion of Darkness that's hiding out as Lex’s butler."

"A super-hero minion?" Jonathan frowned impressively, but was far too full to do more than pat his stomach. "What do you mean?"

"Like Warrior Angel dad. You know. Comics? Guys with special powers doing stuff to save the day and the world."

The elder male Kent looked skeptical.

"I can vouch, personally, for Enrique’s experience on that. He’s saved my bacon I don’t know how many times."

Clark laughed. "Lex, you said bacon."

"Uh, yes? Why is this funny?"

"Because–it’s BACON!"

For some reason, this made everyone laugh except for Lex, who looked completely mystified. "I don’t get it."

"It’s a commercial, Lex." Clark pushed his chair back from the table and started to clear away the dishes. "There’s this dog’s nose and it’s all you can see of the dog, but the guy talking goes on and on about this fake bacon treat for dogs. It’s really funny."

"I am sure that it is, but I don’t understand–"

"Clark, leave that. Go on. Show Lex that new gadget your grandfather sent you." Martha made waving motions toward the door and interrupted them. "Go on, now."

"Oh! Yeah. Lex, you gotta see this cool thing!"

Lex smiled back at Clark’s rather bemused parents as he led Lex outside and into the barn. Clark was excitedly describing the digital camera that could attach to his telescope so that he could now take pictures of the moon and other celestial objects.

". . . basically, I can take a stack of twenty exposures with these red, green, and blue filters that screw on, and combine them and get a real image of what something looks like. I’m working on Neptune, at the moment."

"I understand–you’re saying you can control the aperture and shutter speed so that the images are recorded for a longer duration–-" Lex paused and looked up from his perusal of the camera. It looked like something that some guy in a garage put together, with screws and a plastic outer shell that looked like it was cannibalized from a brownie camera. "Clark. You should be able to get some respectable images of some of the more luminous deep space objects."

"Yes! And then I have a program on my computer to take the images and merge them all together. I just need to find an online copy of Messier’s Objects."

"Look no further, young man. I have one."

"No!" Clark seemed astounded by this.

"Yes!" Lex said, unable to hide a grin that made both of them laugh. He didn’t actually have a copy of the classic list of deep space objects in his possession, but finding one would be a simple task.

"Okay, that’s so cool. I should have known that you’d have that."

Clark held out his hand for the precious device and Lex reluctantly let go of it so that Clark could put in a padded box.

"I have to say, Clark, I want nothing more than to take that thing apart and see how it works."

"I know you do, and that’s why I’m putting it away."

"Spoilsport!"

"Just protecting my stuff, Lex. I can give you the box it came in though–you can get your own to take apart."

"Okay. Now, gimme."

Clark handed the small heavily padded cardboard box to Lex. "Maybe you should get two."

"Two?" Lex examined the box and took note of the manufacturer.

"Well, yeah. Then you can take one to pieces and use the whole one to put it back together again."

"Not funny."

"No?" Clark looked hopeful as he fell onto the lumpy old sofa.

"Not even a little bit." Lex grinned as he spoke to take the edge off his words, sighing as he dropped into the sofa’s evil clutches. "I am going to get you a real sofa. This thing feels like it’s eating my butt!"

"Oh! Shh!" Clark pressed his very warm and very big hand against Lex’s face. "Don’t insult it. It really could get mad at you!"

Lex’s eyes twinkled and, as Clark dropped his hand, he said, "It’s an evil thin–" He sighed as Clark’s hand covered half of his face for about ten seconds.

"Shh. I mean it. Don’t say it!" Clark was frowning, his expression intent. "It will hear you!"

"Clark. It’s an inanimate object. I don’t care if it hears me."

"Lex! Look out!"

"What!?" Lex jumped and was promptly grabbed and hoisted.

"Okay that’s it. It’s too dangerous here. You can’t be trusted around the couch."

"What–Clark! Put me down."

"Nope. And you need to close your eyes because I am going to take you to my secret lair!"

"You really did read too many of those comics. Lucky for you I'm an Evil Genius. Alright. My eyes are closed."

"No peeking!"

"Would not peek. Not even if you paid me." Lex sounded insulted, and Clark laughed. "Don’t keep me over your shoulder like this. I’m not so sure I can stop my stomach from rebelling against the law of gravity as it keep my dinner down.

"Don’t worry, Lex. We’re almost there." There was a rushing sound, like wind in his ears and it stopped as fast as it started. "Okay. You can look now."

He felt himself being lowered onto something soft and vaguely fuzzy.

"It’s just an old sleeping bag. You don’t want to get in it, but it’s comfortable to sit on."

Lex opened his eyes and looked around. "Wow. A real secret lair."

"Well it’s really an old tree house, but it does double duty in a pinch."

"I can tell." Lex leaned back against the rough timbered wall of the tree house and looked at the Clark-shaped shadow sitting next to him. "All we need are comics and candy, and we have the perfect little kid’s dream house."

"I’m out of candy. But I have a stack of the Archies over here. And there’s some Casper, too." Clark’s smile gleamed even in the faint light.

"And a flashlight to read them all by?"

"Oh I think the battery’s long dead on the flashlight here."

"A pity. Clark?"

"Huh?"

"There’s room on this sleeping bag for more than just me. Spare your buns some splinters." Lex frowned as he tried to make out more than dim shapes. "I really hope there aren’t any bugs on this thing."

Clark groaned softly. "Bugs? Oh god. I didn’t even think–" There was another brief rush of air and light appeared in the room. "I forgot about this old lantern," the young man explained. "Battery’s probably not good, but it should help to see if there are any creepy crawly things in here."

Lex could tell by the slow fading of the light that it would not last long. He also didn't comment on the breezes that seemed to spring up suddenly around Clark. Instead, he said, "I don’t see anything, but you have to tell me why I can’t get under this sleeping bag. There’s not anything dead–"

Clark looked pale and shook his head emphatically. "No, there’s nothing like that there. I just spilled coke on it a long time ago and it never got cleaned. It’s just all dirty."

"Clark–about bugs."

"Uh, yes?"

"I saw what Greg Arkin nearly did to you."

"What?" The farm boy’s face looked bloodless. "You saw–How–"

"Greg liked to record everything in his room, and in his life." Lex looked at his friend gently. "Everything. There was a tape."

"Oh, god." Clark stared at his hands and seemed unable to look at Lex. "You saw him try to–"

"Clark. Look at me, Clark. Nothing I saw on that tape changed my opinion about you."

"But–" Clark looked at Lex with his heart in his eyes.

"But nothing. You need to see it, and another recording that someone tried to sell me." Lex smirked. "I obtained all copies of the recordings and the pictures made from the recordings. And, after you see them, they will be destroyed, as well."

"I don’t understand why someone would want any of that. Me? What's so special about me?"

"It’s a matter of curiosity, that’s all. And there are some people who take satisfaction in . . . collecting such curiosities. Would you mind if I asked you a question or two?"

Clark shrugged and looked frustratingly impassive. "I don’t know if I can answer–if I know the answer, but sure."

"Clark, do me one small favor. If you won’t or can’t answer just say that. Don’t . . . try to explain it away."

Clark flushed and shrugged again.

"You’re not a very good liar." Lex grinned a little to show he was teasing. "Let’s just leave it at that."

That make Clark chuckle and nod. "I would rather do that, actually."

"Good. So, would you tell me how it began?"

Clark nodded. "It was simple enough. Greg and Pete and I used to play together when we were kids, but after his parents got divorced, he just sort of stopped calling." He looked around the tree house and sighed. "This was actually his. I mean, his dad made it."

Lex nodded. "I wondered," he said softly.

"Well. A couple weeks ago, Greg asked if I could help him with the Nathaniel West assignment that we had. I didn’t think anything about it, but he looked different. His hair was combed back, and he wasn’t wearing glasses." Clark shrugged. "I didn’t think anything about it though, because it was kind of nice to do more than just nod at him in the halls at school as we had been doing for the last four years. Anyway. We were going to get together the next day to study, but something came up. I completely forgot. And Greg got . . . angry." Clark took a deep breath. "I know there’s nothing I could have done, and I was stupid to forget that I'd told him we'd get togther, but-–"

"Life happens. It’s only when you’re young that you can’t understand that things come up unexpectedly." Lex waved his hand dismissively. "But that’s not important. Go on. What happened next?"

"Anyway, I tried to apologize to Greg, but he would not listen and he left. So I just had to go on home and help my dad with the tiller. And as I was helping him, Greg was in the barn, and he jumped on me, and my dad. I got so mad–-I ran after him." Clark’s cheeks reddened with embarrassment. "I know now it was just to get me to follow him, and it worked. I ran, and he went right to the old foundry."

"The foundry–That’s down by the Elbow River, right?"

Clark nodded. "Yeah. It’s also where everyone has put piles of-–" the young man faltered.

"Meteor rock."

"Yeah. It’s piled high with it, because people had to put it somewhere when they had to till the land. Anyway. It’s been there a long time. Most of it’s in huge lead container things, but some of it is just thrown in there. I don’t like that stuff."

"I saw, Clark. Greg recorded all of it."

"He–All of it?" Clark flushed red. "I got sick all over--"

"As I said. Nothing on that tape changes how I feel about you, or how I feel about our friendship," Lex reassured, lifting an arm so that he could drape it companionably over Clark’s shoulders. "Nothing, Clark." The physical contact seemed to do more to settle the young man than the words he spoke, so Lex kept his arm around his friend. "I am more concerned about what happened next with Greg. Will you continue?"

Clark nodded, taking a moment to scoot very close to Lex so that he could rest his head against Lex's shoulder but not actually have to look at him as he spoke. "Well. There’s not a whole lot to say. Greg tried to cover me in webs and Lex–-I felt so sick from all those rocks. I don’t know why they should make me feel that way, but, I managed to break out of the sticky stuff and run outside. Greg was following me, but he tripped and fell on a lever that dropped a metal chute thing on him, and he was–-" Clark gulped and shuddered. "Crushed. And it looked like a million bugs popped out of him. It was so gross! I ran away. My dad was the one that made the call to the police."

Lex squeezed Clark’s shoulders. "I can’t imagine how that must have been. But-–there’s something I have to ask. Clark, the meteor rocks-–you know they changed me, right?" His gentian gaze rested on Clark’s face as he spoke. "No, don’t look upset. There’s nothing you could have done about that. I think they changed you, too."

Clark blinked at that thought and shook his head. "Lex, this is one of those questions that I can’t answer. My parents–-"

Lex patted Clark’s shoulder again to silence him and get his attention. "Wait, let me continue, all right?"

"Oh, sorry."

"It’s okay. It’s just that as I was watching that video–-and no, it didn’t show Greg getting crushed, but the sound of what happened to him--Ugh. It’s all there. That sound reminded me of something. Something I forgot a really long time ago." Lex put his hands on either side of Clark’s face and gently turned it toward him. "I remembered you. Your parents. My father and all of us in that old blue truck. Clark!" He seemed on the edge of tears. "I remembered you touching my face. I felt so sick and then I felt better and just fell asleep."

"I touched-–Oh!" Clark’s apple-green eyes widened. "You–I–Oh! Lex!" He grinned, and it was the huge puppy smile that showed all of his teeth and Lex loved it. "I remember you, too. I remember that, but I never knew that it was you!"

And Lex was engulfed in a hug that seemed both perfect and a promise of things to come. "Destiny, Clark. It really was destiny." He grinned at the young man’s laugh and tightened his arms about Clark’s torso. "I wanted to tell you as soon as I could. And–you’re not going to have to worry about those stupid rocks, because I’ve got people collecting them for disposal."

"Lex–" Clark felt his throat catch. "You don’t have to do–"

"Yes, yes I do. Because if you get sick from these things, who’s to say someone else won’t?" Lex pulled back a bit. "I’m not about to let you go, you know. Not now. Not after finding you again."

"You won’t escape me that easily either!" Clark teased. "Besides. We have to work on that whole super-hero thing."

"Definitely, though I expect I may have to wait to take you officially under my wing until you turn eighteen."

Clark turned red again and hid his face against his friend’s shoulder. "Take me under your wing?"

"Of course! What else could I, Bored Playboy Billionaire do? It’s all the rage. Look at Bruce Wayne and that ward of his. Even old Ollie Queen has one. How could I do any less?"

"I can’t believe you said that. My father is going to have a fit."

"Because I want to show you some of the finer things in life?"

"Because he doesn’t like Bruce Wayne. He thinks he’s an idiot because he has all this money and just wastes it."

Lex laughed and somehow both turned so that they rested against the wall of the tree house. "Hey, hand me that Archie, would you?"

Clark grinned again and passed the old comic over, snagging one for himself.

~*~*~

It was early morning when Jonathan found them, each leaning against the other with comics scattered about like leaves from an tree in autumn. Dislike Lex as he might, he could not find a single fault in the smooth, unlined faces that slept so peacefully together. Some things were just too precious to destroy, he thought as he turned away. He’d let Clark have this one.

~*~*~