Oh, my God.  Whew!  Good one there, huh?!  Did I have anyone going?  Anyone?  No?

Oh, boy...  My stomach hurts.

Lol.

            Furious Angels
            by Nymph Du Pave
 

            CHAPTER ONE:  Bait

            ---"This kid sounds dangerous.  I'vve got the gate down and the alarm on.  You're staying here until they find Shawn."---

            Here comes the stupid part.  The part where he- why, why, why?- paused and stupidly, idiotically, helped Clark's chances with Lana Lang, every straight guy's soft core wet dream.

            ---"Sorry about your date."---

            He winced at the memory of his own stupidity.

            Fuck.  Just had to open your god-damned mouth, didn't you, Luthor?  Christ.

            The look of incredulous surprise, absolute shock and unambiguous mortification on Lana's pristine little face wasn't even truly worth it.  Sure, he had been able to take a moment to appreciate and honestly enjoy the fact that he had gotten her, that he had made everything with her and Whitney- no matter how much he didn't want her to hook up with Kent, he hated the thought of anyone with that asshole jock, Fordman- that much more difficult.  Her look, unaffected and honestly shameful, had been great, but in the long run?  It hadn't even been close to worth it.

            It wasn't that he hated the girl; she was sweet and erudite, sagacious without being judgmental, innocent without the naivete.  It was just that he had grown painfully jealous of certain attentions bestowed upon her, attentions that he would rather have thrown on his own court.

            She had the world sprawled benignly at her toes and with one single word, just one of her choice-

            'Okay'.  'Sure'.  'Yes'.  'Please'.  'Now'.  List goes on.

            -she could have the most amazing creature one Earth.

            Lex frowned.  Now, speaking of…

            Jonathon's reaction to Clark's absence had been beyond bizarre.  Though he was sure they thought him paying attention to something else, he had instead heard every word exchanged and was bewildered.  The blase attitude had been out of character for the farmer, a man of the land and the perfect doting and loving father.
 
            ---"Nah.  I'm still getting the ansswering machine at home."---

            Martha had, of course, looked the typical part of concerned mother.

            ---"Remind me I don't have to worry."----

            Now, for what shocked Lex:

            ---"It's Clark, Martha."---

            Smug and slightly condescending, like she should have known better or something.

            Now even he, Lex Luthor, indifferent to even the extreme, was fretting.  His best and really his only friend was possibly in danger.

            Knowing Clark?  He's right in the fucking middle of it.

            So what gave Jonathon Kent the right to not be pacing on the five digit rug beneath his wear-and-tear work boots?

            Clark had been on a 'non-date' with Lana Lang who suddenly showed up, boyfriend in tow, at Lex's house with absolutely no idea what happened to her 'friend' or even where he had gone after dropping her off at the Beanery.

            The reaction, or lack thereof, just solidified Lex's presumption that something was amiss within the Kent clan.

            He approached his study and Michael, one of his security guards placed outside the room to keep the occupants safe and sound and put, opened the door for him.

            He nodded to the man- once again internally grateful for his father's hoards of much money and the man's fanatical paranoia- and walked in, ready to hand over the flashlights he went to retrieve.  He had needed time to think, to air out certain thoughts and worries, but he'd only really become more concerned.

            Especially about Clark.

            Get a friend, the first friend that's never wanted anything but the kinship, and automatically you get possessive.  Feel you have to protect him.  He bit his lip.  Duh.  What did you think would happen?

            Actually, he never thought he'd have a friend, not one as real and true to him as Clark.

            He sighed.  This was going to be a long night.  Until they found Clark, he was going to be tied up in knots with worry.

            "Here you go," he said handing Jonathon a light then passing one to his wife.

            "Thanks," the man said, turning it on then brushing past Lex.  "I'll go check the front gate."

            "It should be secure," Lex started only to have Martha stand up from beside him.

            "I'll check the generator.  Where is it?"

            "It's on the side of the house," he guessed.  "-but I can get it."

            "That's quite alright, Lex."

            Oh, no you don't, Mom.
 
 
 
 

            TBC Tomorrow :)