-
Dreaming the Wolf, R, 10-23-09, Chapter 23 and Epilogue
Title: Dreaming the Wolf
Rating: So far this is going to be PG-13, but that could always change...mainly because I am a rather violent person
Category: Angst
Summary: After the events of Freak, Chloe finds herself changed more than she thought possible. A spin on the classic tale of girl becomes werewolf.
Spoilers: I haven't been actively watching SV for a long time now, so anything goes and I take liberties. This is set after the episode Freak and careens madly and gleefully towards AU.
Disclaimer: If I owned anything, then there would be no need for me to write fanfic or read it.
A/N- So after much needling, harrassing, pain and whining from regular shoutboxers, Eternia has been destroyed. I hope you people are happy!
A/N2- I darn you all (shoutboxers) to the very fiery pits of the skuzziest part of heck! Especially you, skauble!
Prologue
“The wolf changes his coat, but not his disposition.”
The wolf knows no complications. She only knows what she can do and what she cannot. She knows that she can leap over that log with ease. She knows that she can run for yards. She knows that she cannot survive the harsh winter alone. She knows that her survival is in her fangs, her speed, and her cunning. The line between living today and tomorrow was the spray of blood that mists in the wind as it leaves her prey. There can be no room in her for compassion. Her heart beats for her life alone.
This knowledge is in her bones. And will exist until her bones become a fine powder, indistinguishable from the soil under her paws. She feels the wind in fur. And the glorious exertion of muscle and bone as she moves swiftly. She tunes herself to the sounds and smells around her. She hears the scurry of the mice of the field and the rabbits in burrows. She smells the fear of her prey and the clean of the night. That is her reality and she considers nothing else.
The spark that still held the rational mind of Chloe inside the wolf body took a moment to feel the loss of her humanity. But then that spark to feel only the realities of the wolf, which at the moment was the blood scent of the rabbit she was hunting, subsumed her rational mind. Her body was tense. Her focus narrowed to a pin prick. Her desire and need all dedicated. She waited for her time. For when all her hard work would manifest. And there it was. Chloe gave chase and then there was only the crunch of bones and the burst of blood in her mouth. She had won.
Chloe lifted her muzzle to the night sky and howled her triumph. Tonight had been a good night and the part of her that was still human felt disgust. That part vowed that this time would truly be the last time. But in the harsh light of day when fur gave way to skin and the wild gave way to the rational, she knew it to be the lie that it was.
********
Chapter 1- Heart of the Wolf
By the time Chloe found herself in her apartment, she was panting heavily. The urge to be the wolf was still strong but she knew that she had to sleep at some point. She could control this. At least, that’s what she told her self. Lately it seemed as if she was just fooling herself. Chloe realized that she had waited too long to change. She knew because her dreams had been filled with the hunt and blood and the wolf. The myths, the legends, the hearsay…it was all wrong. She wasn’t chained to the moon. She was chained to her own strength, which offered little comfort since she couldn’t resist.
So here she was. Standing in her restroom and staring at her reflection in the mirror. The green eyes still flecked with gold. The still elongated canines. The ropy muscle of the wolf still evident in her frame. But she could control this. She had to. Chloe suddenly felt a spasm that was strong enough to bow her back. It was all she could do to not let loose a roar of pain. Her hands, still bent and curved with the claws of the wolf, gripped the sink with an inhuman strength. Distantly, she heard the groan as the porcelain cracked under her hands. She felt the jagged edges dig into her flesh and for a moment, Chloe was back in control.
“Easy. Easy. You can do this. It’s not so bad.”
Chloe could barely recognize her own voice. It was guttural and low. Hardly human. And that’s when Chloe decided that she had to tell someone. The only person she could realistically confide in was Clark, but Chloe was reluctant. In all the time that Chloe had known what Clark was, she had never thought of him as an alien…as some thing else. But since her first foray into wolfdom, every time she was around Clark the unmistakable scent of otherness clung to him. He was not of this world. His scent, his heartbeat, his very aura was something wholly wrong and she didn’t know how to deal with that knowledge. She didn’t know how to tame the wolf and only see Clark as she’d always seen him…as her crush, her confidante and her friend.
Clark was something her wolf knew it couldn’t kill. The wolf in her knew that it wouldn’t be able to defend itself against Clark’s superior strength and that terrified the wolf. Her wolf couldn’t stand him and so she was left with a dilemma: to tell the only person who could possibly understand and help her or to stay alone. Neither option was tenable to her. Her instincts, both human and wolf, told her she couldn’t do this alone…but the paranoia was getting to both aspects of her.
“I’m going nuts. It’s the only explanation.”
Chloe did the only thing she could do. She got into the shower and turned the heat as high as she could stand it. As the water pelted her bruised and scratched body, she came to a decision. “I’ll tell him. I’ll tell him tomorrow and we’ll figure out what happened to me. We’ll figure out what Luthor did and I’ll rip him apart myself.”
The last word ended as a sob and a pitiful whine. If Chloe had bothered to glance at the mirror as she left her restroom, she would’ve noticed the gold of her eyes. After drying herself and tending to her evening after shower ablutions, Chloe picked up her phone and dialed familiar numbers. Despite the fact that it was 3AM, she had to call Clark now or she’d chicken out. When he finally picked up the phone, it came as a shock to Chloe that he was fully awake. Maybe he somehow knew that she’d need him. It didn’t really matter though because she still felt uneasy and sick to her stomach at the thought that she’d have to talk to him. The wolf was so close now and it was making its displeasure known.
“Chloe, is something wrong?”
Chloe cleared her throat a few times and finally answered him, “No. Nothing’s wrong. I just need you to meet me tomorrow.”
“Sure. I’ll meet you at the Talon at--“
Chloe interrupted him. “Do you think we could meet at your place? It’s kinda private.”
Clark knew that something was wrong. And Chloe knew that Clark knew something was wrong. It was in the slight change in his voice intonation.
“Chloe, I need to meet Lois.”
Chloe really had no choice. She needed to tell him and if she delayed then she’d lose her resolve. The last thing she wanted right now was for Clark to come charging to her apartment. She couldn’t handle it. “Fine, Clark. I’ll meet you afternoon. Is 2 good for you?”
“Chloe, what’s really—“ For the second time that evening, Chloe found herself interrupting Clark.
“Clark, just meet me tomorrow. Is 2 good for you?” She couldn’t help but put more bite into her words than was called for.
“Sure, Chlo’. I’ll meet you at 2 at the Talon.” He was confused and slightly hurt. His voice told her so, but she couldn’t be moved to care. The wolf was nothing if not heartless.
“Good. See ya then.”
It was with much relief that Chloe hung up her phone. It took all of her willpower not to crush the damned thing in her hand. Five minutes later found Chloe hitting the mattress not as the human, but as the wolf. Despite the fact that it was only a little past 3AM, it was going to be a long night of restless sleep for her. There would be no relief tonight.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-20-07
Ooo, I love werewolf stories. And Chloe being one is definitely a twist in SV fandom. Most everyone makes Lex the wolf. I can't wait to read more. It was very well written, and interesting as hell.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-20-07
ROTFLMAO! You’re blaming the poor denizens of the shoutbox for this fic? Actually, ‘blame’ is the wrong word… credit! Yes, I happily accept full credit for this lovely new fic ;)
Quote:
“The wolf changes his coat, but not his disposition.”
The wolf knows no complications. She only knows what she can do and what she cannot. She knows that she can leap over that log with ease. She knows that she can run for yards. She knows that she cannot survive the harsh winter alone. She knows that her survival is in her fangs, her speed, and her cunning. The line between living today and tomorrow was the spray of blood that mists in the wind as it leaves her prey. There can be no room in her for compassion. Her heart beats for her life alone. This knowledge is in her bones. And will exist until her bones become a fine powder, indistinguishable from the soil under her paws. She feels the wind in fur. And the glorious exertion of muscle and bone as she moves swiftly. She tunes herself to the sounds and smells around her. She hears the scurry of the mice of the field and the rabbits in burrows. She smells the fear of her prey and the clean of the night. That is her reality and she considers nothing else.
I LOVED the beginning of this fic. First of all, I liked the premise of Chloe transforming into a wolf. It’s very different from everyone’s first thought of a SV werewolf story where LEX is the one to transform. This was an excellent, original take on an old cliché of a prmise. Very nice.
The beginning was GORGEOUS! I loved the description of Chloe losing herself in the visceral and rich sensations of being a wolf. It was incredible reading about how she was revelling in her muscles, movements, viciousness, teeth, claws, speed and strength. It was obvious that, more than being a ‘curse’ or a ‘condition’, this was an addiction to Chloe. She ENJOYS the feeling of immersing herself into a body that is run by pure, feral instinct. Magnificent writing, Ava.. I really felt the JOY that Wolf-Chloe feels when she’s transformed.
Quote:
The spark that still held the rational mind of Chloe inside the wolf body took a moment to feel the loss of her humanity. But then that spark to feel only the realities of the wolf, which at the moment was the blood scent of the rabbit she was hunting, subsumed her rational mind. Her body was tense. Her focus narrowed to a pin prick. Her desire and need all dedicated. She waited for her time. For when all her hard work would manifest. And there it was. Chloe gave chase and then there was only the crunch of bones and the burst of blood in her mouth. She had won. Chloe lifted her muzzle to the night sky and howled her triumph. Tonight had been a good night and the part of her that was still human felt disgust. That part vowed that this time would truly be the last time. But in the harsh light of day when fur gave way to skin and the wild gave way to the rational, she knew it to be the lie that it was.
heh, it’s very interesting that Chloe still regards her human form as her ‘true self’, when it’s so clear that BOTH of these physical forms are ‘true’… only very different from each other. It was incredible seeing her taking such joyous delight in the hunt and the kill. Human-Chloe has always valued her own passions, and Wolf-Chloe is no less passionate about HER priorities either.
Heh, it’s a pity that, as a human, Chloe finds everything about her wolf-self to be repulsive, dangerous and disgusting, and she’s trying to cut those instincts out of her. If only she can find a way to reconcile both halves of passions, perhaps she might find it easier to live with both of these lives?
Quote:
She wasn’t chained to the moon. She was chained to her own strength, which offered little comfort since she couldn’t resist. So here she was. Standing in her restroom and staring at her reflection in the mirror. The green eyes still flecked with gold. The still elongated canines. The ropy muscle of the wolf still evident in her frame. But she could control this. She had to. Chloe suddenly felt a spasm that was strong enough to bow her back. It was all she could do to not let loose a roar of pain. Her hands, still bent and curved with the claws of the wolf, gripped the sink with an inhuman strength. Distantly, she heard the groan as the porcelain cracked under her hands. She felt the jagged edges dig into her flesh and for a moment, Chloe was back in control.
ouch! This whole thing sounded SO painful. Is it like this all the time for her, or only when she’s trying to deny her Wolf half? There is obviously a lot of adjustment and self-negotiating required before Chloe can find balance and peace of mind… but she can’t function with the situation as it is right now.
Quote:
He was not of this world. His scent, his heartbeat, his very aura was something wholly wrong and she didn’t know how to deal with that knowledge. She didn’t know how to tame the wolf and only see Clark as she’d always seen him…as her crush, her confidante and her friend. Clark was something her wolf knew it couldn’t kill. The wolf in her knew that it wouldn’t be able to defend itself against Clark’s superior strength and that terrified the wolf.
oh WOW! I LOVED this part. I always thought it was so darned ‘convenient’ that Clark looked like such a beautiful boy when he was in fact NOT a human boy at ALL! That the reason why people could find it so easy to accept this ‘alien living in their midst’ was because this alien looked so human… not only human, but also such a good-looking clichéd version of ‘the boy next door’.
But THIS! I loved how Wolf-Chloe was able to pick up on the fact that Clark is fundamentally different and ‘not of this natural environment’. That she can finally ‘see’ the alieness of him, and be frightened on what he is and everything that the difference represents… I think she’s finally getting a glimpse of what Lex Luthor (SV version as well as canon comics) sees when HE gets so scared and paranoid about ‘alien invasion’ and ‘otherworldly tyrants’ coming in to take over the planet.
Wolf-Chloe sees Clark as a possible threat, something that she would never be able to fight or defend herself against if he ever turned his strength against her. Wow! She and Luthor can have a LOT in common to talk about, LOL!
Quote:
Chloe did the only thing she could do. She got into the shower and turned the heat as high as she could stand it. As the water pelted her bruised and scratched body, she came to a decision. “I’ll tell him. I’ll tell him tomorrow and we’ll figure out what happened to me. We’ll figure out what Luthor did and I’ll rip him apart myself.”
LOL! But then again, we must not forget that, underneath the fear, wariness and paranoia, Chloe still trusts and believes in Clark a great deal more than she could ever trust Lex.
Oooh, are we going to get a scene of Chloe ripping into Lex about what he did to her at any point? I’ll settle for either a verbal ripping session, or something literal involving teeth and claws, LOL!
Provided, of course, that he was left able to participate in make-up sex immediately afterwards ;)
Quote:
Clark knew that something was wrong. And Chloe knew that Clark knew something was wrong. It was in the slight change in his voice intonation.
“Chloe, I need to meet Lois.”
WHAT?! One of your best friends is calling you up at 3am begging you to meet with her, and you say you have… what? …a DATE with her cousin? What the heck is he doing meeting with Lois at 3am anyway?
Oh well, I’m going to hold out hope that there was a genuinely good reason for Clark to blow off Chloe during her hour of need. I really, REALLY hope there was. I don’t like not being able to ‘like’ Clark when he behaves like a selfish, self-absorbed ass in SV and SV fanfic.
Excellent start to a very intriguing and beautifully written fic, Ava. Wonderful work, and I am SO glad that we pushed you into posting this up. I look forward to seeing how future chapters come through. Please update soon.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-20-07
This is an excellent beginning, and I can't wait for more, but I have a question about this line:
Quote:
So after much needling, harrassing, pain and whining from regular shoutboxers, Eternia has been destroyed.
When you say Eternia, are you referring to the underground city in the Llantano Mountains on One Life to Live? That was one of my favorite soap storylines. Or is it something completely different?
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-20-07
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kit Merlot
When you say Eternia, are you referring to the underground city in the Llantano Mountains on One Life to Live? That was one of my favorite soap storylines. Or is it something completely different?
It's something completely different. So He-Man's alter ego is Prince Erik of Eternia. And I said that that is a terrible name for a city simply because it's like this huge neon sign to villains. If I were Skeletor or any villain I'd be like "Oh really? Eternia? All forces attack that one point!" So if anyone says something like "you'll never be able to get me to do', I say "You have named your city Eternia"...it's my way of saying the guantlet has been thrown. I threw the guantlet and they (shoutboxers) pounced like a pride of hungry lions on a wounded gazelle (me).
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-20-07
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Avalanche
It's something completely different. So He-Man's alter ego is Prince Erik of Eternia. And I said that that is a terrible name for a city simply because it's like this huge neon sign to villains. If I were Skeletor or any villain I'd be like "Oh really? Eternia? All forces attack that one point!" So if anyone says something like "you'll never be able to get me to do', I say "You have named your city Eternia"...it's my way of saying the guantlet has been thrown. I threw the guantlet and they (shoutboxers) pounced like a pride of hungry lions on a wounded gazelle (me).
I understand now--thanks for the explanation. The Shout Box sounds like a pretty dangerous place....:P
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-20-07
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kit Merlot
I understand now--thanks for the explanation. The Shout Box sounds like a pretty dangerous place....
Heh. No problem, even the shouters let a big "what?!" when I first said made that reference. And yes, the shoutbox is a danger of the highest kind, but it's hilarious and you should shout with us.;)
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-20-07
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Kit Merlot
This is an excellent beginning, and I can't wait for more, but I have a question about this line:
When you say Eternia, are you referring to the underground city in the Llantano Mountains on One Life to Live? That was one of my favorite soap storylines. Or is it something completely different?
Oh my God that is what I was thinking to. I loved that story on One Life to Live. :rofl:
This is an interesting start to the fic. I can't wait to see what you come up with next and how Lex fits into this. :D
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-20-07
wow, what an exciting twist. Dagney
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-20-07
I absolutely love werewolf and vampire stories, and I also really love that Chloe is the werewolf and not Lex.
The beginning was amazing and wonderfully written...I'm so excited to read more...I really intrested to find out how Chloe became a werewolf.
Please update again soon!!!
-
Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-25-07, Chapter 2
Disclaimer- see Ch1
Spoilers- I'm all over the place and everything is my playground
A/N- I figure I need to clarify something. Lana's pregnancy timing is retarded on the show so in my fic she's 4 months pregnant.
Chapter 2- Visage of the Wolf
“There will be time; there will be time
To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet…”
T.S. Eliot, “The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock”
Chloe opened her eyes at 9AM to a gray day. She hated gray days. Today promised to be no different because today would be the day that she stopped being a coward and told Clark. Chloe squared her shoulders and put on the face that was so familiar to everyone in town. She expected her day to go downhill. It was how these things went. It was an inevitability. So when she walked into the Talon at 2PM, she was only mildly surprised that Clark hadn’t shown and instead was greeted with the brash countenance of her cousin.
Chloe’s first shift into the wolf had been two months ago and since then she’d been avoiding the Talon. Hell, she was avoiding everything. The likelihood that someone could figure out that something was wildly different with her was dramatically reduced. And to tell the truth, she didn’t particularly want to deal with the crap that came with dealing with Lois, Lana, Clark or the many good citizens of Smallville.
Those first few hours and days were the hardest. She didn’t even have a little control and there was no doubt in her mind that she’d nut out and start eviscerating people. She could deal with the loneliness, but the thought of such a loss of control was something that would undo her completely. But there was an even more primal and truthful reason. She was afraid. Luthor had done something. Before she was kidnapped and lost time, before she had Clark remove the tracking device she was just Chloe. And now she was…something else. Meteor rocks were able to do many things, but give the ability to become a wolf? A creature straight out of legend? Something more had to have occurred.
Chloe was forcibly brought back to the situation at hand when Lois called out her name. From across the room. As much as Chloe knew she loved Lois and as much as Lois loved her, the girl was more often than not too abrasive to be a functioning member of a community. On the best of days, Chloe had a dominant personality. With the wolf? Her dominant personality was enhanced to the nth degree. Chloe knew that if Lois was persistent and her normal self, things would get ugly. So it was with great reluctance that she joined Lois.
“Hey, Chloe. It’s been awhile. Clark said he’d be meeting you and I decided to make it a threesome. Here’s your coffee and I got you a chocolate chip muffin.” Lois’ eyes narrowed and the unmistakable gleam of intrigued calculation settled upon her features.
“It hasn’t been so long, Lois. You were just at my apartment a week ago. And I think I’ll just have water without the muffin, but thanks.”
It was in that denial that Lois knew with absolute certainty that something was very wrong with Chloe. Chloe loved coffee and she loved chocolate chip muffins. On top of that, Chloe had been avoiding everyone. Lois had been to Chloe’s apartment and it was what made her begin to think something was off with her cousin. When Lois had time to really think about the changes in her cousin’s apartment, it had freaked her out. Chloe had labeled almost everything…mainly colors. Her fridge was filled to the brim with meat and meat products. Lois didn’t think Chloe would buy into the extreme low carb, high protein diet, but the fridge doesn’t lie.
Lois looked at Chloe. Really and truly looked at her and she didn’t like what she saw. Chloe was thinner. Lois had noticed that every time someone dropped something or set a cup down none too gently, Chloe winced. She noticed that Chloe was still. Too still. And for some reason she was still wearing her sunglasses. Chloe never did that.
“Chloe, something is off with you and you’re gonna tell me what. And don’t give me that song and dance about how everything is fine and that you’re fine. I know it isn’t true. You’ve been avoiding your friends, you’re not drinking coffee or eating this muffin, your fridge looks like a butcher stocked it, and I go to your apartment and you’ve got colored labels on everything. So go ahead and tell me just how fine and normal that is. Just know that it’s a load of bullshit and I ain’t buying it!”
Chloe felt her hackles rise. She could feel the heat steal down her spine and she knew that her eyes were gold. She also didn’t know what to do. Lois was her family. She smelled like home. She smelled safe and she wanted nothing more than to bury her nose in Lois’ hair so she wouldn’t feel alone. Chloe wanted to be close to Lois and she was both hurt and angered at Lois’ outburst. Chloe wanted Lois to submit but she also wanted the comfort that only Lois could give since she was family. But more than that, Chloe didn’t know what she would do if Lois rejected her…if Lois didn’t believe her. Chloe wanted so much to bury herself in something that wasn’t foreign. The Talon was foreign. It was too loud…too bright. And even though her apartment smelled like her, it too was foreign. A wolf’s den was cozy. It was compact. But her apartment wasn’t. It was so…empty.
“Yeah, Lois, I’m a werewolf. A real, honest to goodness, furry, straight out of legend werewolf. My apartment has color labels on everything because a day or so after I shift into the wolf I’m color blind. You’ll never understand just how freaked out and depressed I was when I woke to grays. Everything! Gray! My fridge has been stocked by a butcher because I’m never full unless I’ve eaten meat. I can’t get enough of it and if it’s anything cooked more than medium rare I don’t want it. It gets better after I shift, but the craving is still there. I haven’t come to the Talon because the coffee bean smell is so overwhelming that I get dizzy and I can’t find my bearings. It gives me headaches. I’m not drinking that coffee because it’s too bitter without sugar and far too sweet with sugar. It wreaks havoc with my taste buds. And dogs and chocolate are two very unmixy things. But to make my life so much more interesting, I haven’t had my monthly cycle in two months and I’m deathly afraid that I’m gonna go into heat! And I don’t know the hows or whys!” No matter how much Chloe wanted to say all those things she couldn’t because she still didn’t understand herself. How could she even begin to explain it to Lois?
“Lois, I understand that in our profession dramatizing the mundane is a necessary skill but you’re being overly emotional.” Chloe really had to sell her irritation so she removed her sunglasses and rolled her eyes for good measure. “I was going through some old things and I found a labeler and I was bored and hyper. The end result was a massive label spree. I’ve been too lazy to remove them and I figured it added an extra sense of whimsy that my apartment had been lacking. As for the meat thing, well, ya got me there. I guess I was hungry when I went to the store. I’ve learned my lesson, scout’s honor.”
Chloe had been about to continue but the sound of Lois clapping interrupted her, “Oh, you are good, Chloe, very very good. I never really and truly appreciated your talents because, hey, we’re family and you’ve never played me. So let me guess. You aren’t drinking coffee right now because you’ve decided that Uncle Gabe is right and you drink far too much of it. And you won’t eat the muffin because you aren’t hungry. Reasonable answers. Ya even got your little aura of irritation going. I mean, bravo! Whoever said you couldn’t be subtle has clearly been fooled. But I *know* you. I realize that my mouth gets in the way of many of the more salient aspects of life, but I’m not an idiot and you can’t play me. So I’ll leave you alone… for now. In the meantime, how about we wait for Clark? That boy can nag on the hour every hour, but he can never seem to actually be on time.”
Chloe realized three things. First, Lois wasn’t an idiot and she had been treating her like one. Second, Lois was gonna dig until she found the big weird bone that was Chloe’s secret. Third, Chloe had to put more effort into not acting like she was acting if Lois was to be fooled. Before Chloe had a chance to offer a rejoinder, she caught whiff of Clark. It was like she had been doused with a bucket of cold water in zero degree weather.
“Lois, I’m going to the restroom. Be right back,” Chloe beat a hasty retreat, but the feeling of Lois’ eyes burning a hole in her back kept her from running…barely. In the split second it took for Chloe to say she was going to the restroom and her departure, Lois noticed a few things. Chloe moved fast and fluid. Chloe wasn’t a gangly albatross, but she moved like she had no bones in her body. It should not have been possible. More importantly Lois noticed Clark looking very confused. “Why would she run from Clark?” Despite the oddity, Lois decided to occupy the farm boy until she could properly corner Chloe later.
When Chloe reached the relative safety of the restroom, she locked the door. She ran to the mirror and saw the panicked expression on her own face. It scared her that she could so easily see the distress so she closed her eyes.
“Why did I run? I called Clark. He can help me.”
“But will he?” It freaked Chloe out that she was answering herself.
“This isn’t real. It’s all in my head. There’s no phantom voice.”
“He can’t understand me. He’s unnatural. He’s wrong. He’s not for me.”
“You’re wrong. He’s like us.”
Chloe opened her eyes and the outside world came crashing down on her. In the span of one heartbeat and the next she heard and smelled everyone in the Talon and was overwhelmed. Everything ran together and one scent was indistinguishable from another. But even in the din, in the chaos, one person was different. One heartbeat went counter to the others. One scent was stronger. One voice tone more distinct. And Chloe knew it to be Clark.
A strong growl answered Chloe. It frightened Chloe to know that the growl wasn’t from inside her head. It came from her. From her throat. “There is no ‘us’! Only you. Only one. Not two. Never two. Be with me.” A low keening erupted from Chloe’s throat and she rocked back and forth in distress. This feeling of being incomplete…of not being whole hurt so badly.
Chloe turned the faucet on and splashed water on her face. She couldn’t stay here. She had to leave. Chloe could do this. She dried her face and left the restroom. It wasn’t hard to spot Clark and Lois and Chloe almost made a run for it, but she couldn’t show weakness. Weakness meant death…especially in front of the other.
Clark greeted her and flashed her that big grin that used to make her heart melt. That grin that was so comforting before was now only the baring of teeth. A thinly veiled threat.
“Hey Clark. Listen, I’m not feeling so well so I think I’m gonna go and meet up with you later.”
“But you called me here, Chloe.”
Before she first changed, the little inflective whine he employed to get his way was merely irritating. Now it was grating and a sign of weakness and she wanted nothing more than to remove his throat. But she *knew* that he was stronger than her. Her fight or flight was seriously messed up when it came to him and that was the problem. Chloe couldn’t make him fit anymore and she didn’t know how to fit with him.
“Yeah. I know, but Lois is here and you said that you needed to discuss some things with her anyways. We can do this some other time. Later Clark, Lois!” Chloe made sure to inject feeling into her words. To inject her personality and let them know that everything was good. One look at Lois, however, let her know that she may have succeeded with Clark but not with her cousin. Chloe felt the momentary twinge of unease but it was quickly supplanted by her need to be anywhere but in the crowded Talon next to Clark.
But fate wasn’t on her side as she was confronted with Lana’s presence just as she was about to exit the Talon. Chloe knew from the look on Lana’s face that Lana wanted to talk to her. It was almost enough to make Chloe scream, but she realized that Lois was still watching her. Since her change, she had noticed many things, or rather many things that she should’ve noticed before but didn’t due to bias were making themselves known to her in a myriad of ways. Clark’s alien nature and surprisingly Lana’s nature.
Where Clark was wrong, Lana was disjointed. Chloe *knew* that Lana was pregnant, but certain things that should’ve been there weren’t and things that were there that shouldn’t were present in Lana. It all led to one immutable fact: Lana was not nor had she ever been pregnant. There were no dual heartbeats in Lana. There wasn’t the slight shift in scent that should’ve marked all the new and exciting hormones in her body. Lana’s movement wasn’t any different. These things were clear to Chloe but she wasn’t looking for those changes. The wolf instinctively knew these things because it was the domain of animals to take notice of such. Since the change, Chloe had been in the presence of pregnant women. And she had noticed all those things, which led to a great confusion in her. “How does one miss the fact that they aren’t pregnant?” The only answer was that Lana was dimmer than she thought possible and that someone, probably Lex, was going to extraordinary lengths to fool her. Which made perfect sense to Chloe.
She was also confused because if these things were apparent to her wolf then Clark had to have known. Clark had X-ray vision. His hearing was even better than hers. He was around Lana before and after she was pregnant. He should’ve known something was wrong. He wasn’t stupid no matter how bumbling he was. Clark had moments of surprising intuition. He just relied on how special he was too much and it made him lazy and complacent. But this was too obvious to be overlooked by his lazy. “So how could he have missed it? Is it because the kryptonite smell that’s always around her? Was it always around her? What did Lex do?” And now Lana smelled odd. As if something vital to her and found in everyone else was missing. It made Chloe feel itchy and anxious, but she had to maintain the jovial act or Lois would notice and be unbearable so she plastered on a big smile and waited for Lana.
“Chloe, I haven’t seen you in a week! Maybe we could hang out sometime? Take a shopping trip, just the two of us. All on me of course.”
“I’ve just been really busy lately and I’m not feeling well today. I think it was something I ate. Just give me a call and we’ll set something up.”
With this, Lana pouted and Chloe wanted to rip her mouth off so she’d never have to see that look again.
“Sure, Chloe. Hope you feel better. And call me if you need anything. I’ll come right over with soup and company!”
Chloe was a big enough person to realize that Lana was really and genuinely only trying to help, but Lana’s simpering and odd smell were the last things she needed. Well next to last Chloe conceded. Lois’ suspicions and Clark’s hurt looks and general alien nature would probably be the last things she needed. “Do the rules allow for a three way tie in that particular category?” At any rate, Chloe left Lana to her simple thoughts and concerns. She was mildly interested to know why Lana thought she was pregnant and why Lex was trying hard to foster those thoughts because something in her was telling her it wasn’t about his undying love for the girl. “He’s probably behind it all. But how and why?” These thoughts consumed her and it was time for her to do something about it. “Which is why I need to tell Clark. Dammit!”
These were things she’d ponder later. Now, however, she needed to leave because she couldn’t stand to be in the Talon for even one second longer. If it were just Clark or just Lois, or just the Talon she knew she could’ve handled it. But today was a gray day and she knew it was all downhill. As she left the Talon and got into her car, all she could hear was the echoing words: “Be with me.”
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-25-07, Chapter 2
Awesome update...I am just going say this again, I absolutely love this fic! Keep up the amazing work!
I really like Chloe's battle between her normal side and her wolf side. I can't wait for her to accept herself fully, and be as one with herwolfself.
Lana not being pregnant and smelling of krytonite is really intresting, I can't to see were your going with this...And Lex's involvement and reasoning behind it.
Can't wait to read more! Please update again soon!!!
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-25-07, Chapter 2
i cant wait til chloe goes into heat.... wonder how itll play out
PLEASE UPDATE!!!
im feeling sorry for poor chloes conflicting emotions over wanting to go to clark and not being able to trust him cause of what shes sensing with her wolf abilities..
lets hope she gets a playmate soon hey??
i wish lex was a wolf, and he all of a sudden notices the change in chloe then was undeniably getting attracted to her..
update update before i go off into my own little fantasies!
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-25-07, Chapter 2
Wonderful chapter! I was so happy when I saw the update.
You do such a great job of showing us Chloe's conflicting needs and wants. I feel so sorry for her, having to be on the outside of everything she once enjoyed being in the middle of, no longer able to be a part of her family and friends.
I can't wait for Lex to join the story. What the hell did he do to her? Or maybe he did nothing. Maybe the timing is just a coincidence and she needs someone to blame.
I'm anxiously awaiting the next chapter!
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-25-07, Chapter 2
I feel so bad for Chloe. I wonder how she got this way? I have a feeling it was Lionel behind this but I could be wrong. ;)
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-25-07, Chapter 2
A wonderful update!
If Chloe is going to share her secret with anyone, it should be Lois. Lois loves her, and ins genuinely worried about her, and Chloe needs someone she can trust.
I did love this line:
Quote:
The only answer was that Lana was dimmer than she thought possible and that someone, probably Lex, was going to extraordinary lengths to fool her. Which made perfect sense to Chloe.
How true! In S7, Lana is so brilliant she can fake her own death, set up surveillance on Lex and kidnap Lionel, but in S6, she isn't even smart enough to know that she wasn't pregnant. Unless this Lana is a clone.:eek:
This story is wonderfully inventive and I can't wait for more:grin3:
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-25-07, Chapter 2
Quote:
Those first few hours and days were the hardest. She didn’t even have a little control and there was no doubt in her mind that she’d nut out and start eviscerating people. She could deal with the loneliness, but the thought of such a loss of control was something that would undo her completely. But there was an even more primal and truthful reason. She was afraid. Luthor had done something. Before she was kidnapped and lost time, before she had Clark remove the tracking device she was just Chloe. And now she was…something else. Meteor rocks were able to do many things, but give the ability to become a wolf? A creature straight out of legend? Something more had to have occurred.
I loved how the story started with a description about how miserable, alone and paranoid Chloe has become about her ‘condition’. I also liked the reference to ‘gray day’, which I initially took to be a reference to the weather, but was later explained to be… something else. This was a GREAT way of showing all the ‘little inconveniences’ as well as the huge anxieties that Chloe has to go through ever since she turned into a Wolf-Lady.
Hmmm, it’s also very interesting that Chloe believes that this Wofl condition of hers is not a ‘random mutation’, but something that was intentionally done to her by Lex. I don’t know whether she’s right… perhaps he DID fiddle around with her mutation to intentionally (or unintentionally) bring about this very strange kind of Krypto-reaction… or perhaps this is more of her paranoia speaking?
Quote:
Chloe was forcibly brought back to the situation at hand when Lois called out her name. From across the room. As much as Chloe knew she loved Lois and as much as Lois loved her, the girl was more often than not too abrasive to be a functioning member of a community. On the best of days, Chloe had a dominant personality. With the wolf? Her dominant personality was enhanced to the nth degree. Chloe knew that if Lois was persistent and her normal self, things would get ugly. So it was with great reluctance that she joined Lois.
heh, very nice! I liked this mention about how Chloe’s dominating instincts are coming to the fore because of her wolfy self. I’ve been feeling like Chloe has always been a dominant personality, but that she’s been beaten into being a submissive sidekick for everyone for far too long. Perhaps this Wolf thing is just what was needed for her to get her spine back and start prioritizing herself again.
Quote:
“Chloe, something is off with you and you’re gonna tell me what. And don’t give me that song and dance about how everything is fine and that you’re fine. I know it isn’t true. You’ve been avoiding your friends, you’re not drinking coffee or eating this muffin, your fridge looks like a butcher stocked it, and I go to your apartment and you’ve got colored labels on everything. So go ahead and tell me just how fine and normal that is. Just know that it’s a load of bullshit and I ain’t buying it!”
squeee! Lois has always been a tricky character. Sometimes she can be too abrasive and end up with me hating some fanfic version of her… but when she’s shown in the role of the observant, no-nonsense, caring, attentive and devoted cousin… I adore her! :D And I like this version of Lois who is not only observant about what’s happening around her, but she’s not hesitant about sharing and acting boldly and decisively on her observations.
Quote:
Chloe felt her hackles rise. She could feel the heat steal down her spine and she knew that her eyes were gold. She also didn’t know what to do. Lois was her family. She smelled like home. She smelled safe and she wanted nothing more than to bury her nose in Lois’ hair so she wouldn’t feel alone. Chloe wanted to be close to Lois and she was both hurt and angered at Lois’ outburst. Chloe wanted Lois to submit but she also wanted the comfort that only Lois could give since she was family. But more than that, Chloe didn’t know what she would do if Lois rejected her…if Lois didn’t believe her. Chloe wanted so much to bury herself in something that wasn’t foreign. The Talon was foreign. It was too loud…too bright. And even though her apartment smelled like her, it too was foreign. A wolf’s den was cozy. It was compact. But her apartment wasn’t. It was so…empty.
I REALLY loved this part. Ava is doing a great job in building up on how Chloe’s perspectives have been changing, in all these very surprising but plausible ways, ever since she’s had these extra senses kick in… it’s not only the extra senses, but a whole alternate perspective on ordinary situation. I LOVE how her view of life is being reduced to ‘basic instincts and needs’ like ‘hunt, love, trust, comfort, safety’ and the like. It’s amazing! AND it’s also amazing seeing her battling these two warring instincts within herself… the need to dominate, and the need for Chloe to be loved and comforted.
Quote:
“Yeah, Lois, I’m a werewolf. A real, honest to goodness, furry, straight out of legend werewolf. My apartment has color labels on everything because a day or so after I shift into the wolf I’m color blind. You’ll never understand just how freaked out and depressed I was when I woke to grays. Everything! Gray! My fridge has been stocked by a butcher because I’m never full unless I’ve eaten meat. I can’t get enough of it and if it’s anything cooked more than medium rare I don’t want it. It gets better after I shift, but the craving is still there. I haven’t come to the Talon because the coffee bean smell is so overwhelming that I get dizzy and I can’t find my bearings. It gives me headaches. I’m not drinking that coffee because it’s too bitter without sugar and far too sweet with sugar. It wreaks havoc with my taste buds. And dogs and chocolate are two very unmixy things. But to make my life so much more interesting, I haven’t had my monthly cycle in two months and I’m deathly afraid that I’m gonna go into heat! And I don’t know the hows or whys!” No matter how much Chloe wanted to say all those things she couldn’t because she still didn’t understand herself. How could she even begin to explain it to Lois?
It was VERY interesting reading about all the physiological changes that have happened to Chloe, even when she’s in human-mode. The poor girl can’t enjoy sugar, chocolate or COFFEE anymore? Why didn’t you just carve out her heart and stomp on it, Ava? ROTFL! It was very interesting reading about these other little inconveniences that she’s been forced to adjust to.
Quote:
Chloe had been about to continue but the sound of Lois clapping interrupted her, “Oh, you are good, Chloe, very very good. I never really and truly appreciated your talents because, hey, we’re family and you’ve never played me. So let me guess. You aren’t drinking coffee right now because you’ve decided that Uncle Gabe is right and you drink far too much of it. And you won’t eat the muffin because you aren’t hungry. Reasonable answers. Ya even got your little aura of irritation going. I mean, bravo! Whoever said you couldn’t be subtle has clearly been fooled. But I *know* you. I realize that my mouth gets in the way of many of the more salient aspects of life, but I’m not an idiot and you can’t play me. So I’ll leave you alone… for now. In the meantime, how about we wait for Clark? That boy can nag on the hour every hour, but he can never seem to actually be on time.”
VERY nice! I loved how Lois returned Chloe sarcastic, mocking tone right back at her. Chloe was actually doing a very good job in covering up all the points that Lois had pointed out as ‘wrong and weird’, but I’m very glad to see that Lois didn’t fall for any of Chloe’s very reasonable sounding explanations. It’s truly a wonderful thing to see a Lois with brains and deductive skills as well as brash tenacity.
Quote:
“He can’t understand me. He’s unnatural. He’s wrong. He’s not for me.”
“You’re wrong. He’s like us.”
Chloe opened her eyes and the outside world came crashing down on her. In the span of one heartbeat and the next she heard and smelled everyone in the Talon and was overwhelmed. Everything ran together and one scent was indistinguishable from another. But even in the din, in the chaos, one person was different. One heartbeat went counter to the others. One scent was stronger. One voice tone more distinct. And Chloe knew it to be Clark.
Very, VERY nice, Ava! I am seriously enjoying seeing Chloe freaking out from the scent of her best friend. It’s truly so fascinating and interesting seeing how Clark ‘might’ be viewed if his outward appearance was discounted, and a person was truly confronted full on with the fact that he’s a super-strong, all powerful alien from another world altogether. He’s not just ‘different’ from everyone else on the planet, he truly doesn’t ‘belong’ to this planet… and that would be unnerving for someone forced to face up to it for the first time.
Chloe’s reaction to Clark’s ‘unnatural wrongness’ is also giving me an idea on how Lex (classic canon Lex) views Superman, and why he sees this benevolent, sweet, boy-scout, role model as an actual frightening threat.
Quote:
A strong growl answered Chloe. It frightened Chloe to know that the growl wasn’t from inside her head. It came from her. From her throat. “There is no ‘us’! Only you. Only one. Not two. Never two. Be with me.” A low keening erupted from Chloe’s throat and she rocked back and forth in distress. This feeling of being incomplete…of not being whole hurt so badly.
hmmm… curiouser and curiouser! I wonder where this ‘other voice’ is coming from. It ‘could’ be the Wolf-half of Chloe… or perhaps there’s another werewolf running around in Smallville?
Quote:
Chloe turned the faucet on and splashed water on her face. She couldn’t stay here. She had to leave. Chloe could do this. She dried her face and left the restroom. It wasn’t hard to spot Clark and Lois and Chloe almost made a run for it, but she couldn’t show weakness. Weakness meant death…especially in front of the other.
Clark greeted her and flashed her that big grin that used to make her heart melt. That grin that was so comforting before was now only the baring of teeth. A thinly veiled threat.
Squeee! I LOVED how Chloe viewed Clark’s open, sweet smile as a threat. Her animal senses are playing havoc with her intelligence and her ‘normal human reactions’ to everything.
I also think that her fear of Clark is forcing her to view everything about him… his smile, his voice, movements, strength in context of ‘potential threat’. I mentioned on she’s having the same view of Clark that Classic-Lex has had for years? BOTH of them have their views coloured by fear and panic… which is not good. I do hope Chloe manages to get over her fear of Clark soon, before it drives her to do something desperate and stupid.
Quote:
Before she first changed, the little inflective whine he employed to get his way was merely irritating. Now it was grating and a sign of weakness and she wanted nothing more than to remove his throat. But she *knew* that he was stronger than her. Her fight or flight was seriously messed up when it came to him and that was the problem. Chloe couldn’t make him fit anymore and she didn’t know how to fit with him.
Loved that! That Chloe can’t find a way to make Clark ‘fit’ into any of her life’s experiences. Very interesting! And it was also fascinating seeing how his presence is triggering some desperate fight or flight response in her… even when the human side of her keeps trying to reassure her animal side that he SHOULD represent comfort and safety to her.
Quote:
She was also confused because if these things were apparent to her wolf then Clark had to have known. Clark had X-ray vision. His hearing was even better than hers. He was around Lana before and after she was pregnant. He should’ve known something was wrong. He wasn’t stupid no matter how bumbling he was. Clark had moments of surprising intuition. He just relied on how special he was too much and it made him lazy and complacent. But this was too obvious to be overlooked by his lazy. “So how could he have missed it? Is it because the kryptonite smell that’s always around her? Was it always around her? What did Lex do?” And now Lana smelled odd. As if something vital to her and found in everyone else was missing. It made Chloe feel itchy and anxious, but she had to maintain the jovial act or Lois would notice and be unbearable so she plastered on a big smile and waited for Lana.
I loved how CHloe ran down the list of things that proved how Lana was NOT pregnant. No dual heartbeat, no hormonal scent change, etc. And it was also an interesting note about how CLARK has not seen these obvious discrepancies when HE also has the same facilities to be able to check and discover Chloe’s revelations.
Hmmm, I wonder what Chloe meant by the ‘something vital to her was missing’ comment. What’s missing in Lana? Are we going to find out later?
Quote:
Chloe was a big enough person to realize that Lana was really and genuinely only trying to help, but Lana’s simpering and odd smell were the last things she needed. Well next to last Chloe conceded. Lois’ suspicions and Clark’s hurt looks and general alien nature would probably be the last things she needed. “Do the rules allow for a three way tie in that particular category?” At any rate, Chloe left Lana to her simple thoughts and concerns. She was mildly interested to know why Lana thought she was pregnant and why Lex was trying hard to foster those thoughts because something in her was telling her it wasn’t about his undying love for the girl. “He’s probably behind it all. But how and why?” These thoughts consumed her and it was time for her to do something about it. “Which is why I need to tell Clark. Dammit!”
Heh, and I really liked the way that she blew Lana off. I mentioned something about how Chloe is constantly picking up the slack in other people’s lives and prioritizing THEM above herself… It’s obvious that this werewolf experience is something really frightening and traumatic, BUT it is teaching her to place her own self above others for once… Perhaps some good will come out of this experience… once she manages to adjust and control her wolfy self.
Hmmm, I’m also looking forward to finding out (Ava’s explanation) about why Lex is going through this ridiculous pregnancy charade, and what he hopes to accomplish with it.
Quote:
These were things she’d ponder later. Now, however, she needed to leave because she couldn’t stand to be in the Talon for even one second longer. If it were just Clark or just Lois, or just the Talon she knew she could’ve handled it. But today was a gray day and she knew it was all downhill. As she left the Talon and got into her car, all she could hear was the echoing words: “Be with me.”
‘be with me’? I DO wonder where these words are coming from, and what they might mean. It ‘might’ be Chloe’s inner-wolf trying to negotiate with her… or it ‘might’ be another werewolf trying to woo her towards becoming it’s mate… or it might be a whole pack of them trying to convince her to join them. LOL! I guess it could be anything… I look to finding out the answer to this mystery, as well as all the others that have been raised in this chapter. Please update soon, Ava.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-25-07, Chapter 2
Bravo, your description of Chloe's life her fears and struggles are gut wrentching. Dagney
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-25-07, Chapter 2
Great and interesting fic
:)
I can`t wait to see Chloe confront Lex
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-25-07, Chapter 2
You *know* how much I absolutely adore this, Ava; but I wanted to add my two cents publicly and say that this story totally rocks!
I love Chloe's struggle with being the wolf. It's nice to see her not just be swept away by it, but try to fight with it. And the way she reacts to different people in her life is absolutely fascinating.
It's great the way she loves Lois but needs her to be more submissive, the way she senses there's something wrong with Lana, and the best is her reaction to the superior strength of Clark, even though she knows that he cares so much about her.
The mystery is fascinating and I love all of the little details you add that build, one on top of another, to make this situation crushing and overwhelming for poor Chloe. It's not just the transformation or the fact that someone did this to her, but things like the grays, or that she can't have coffee; those things truly bring home how truly life altering this is in a myriad of ways.
Keep up the fantastic work!
~Sarah~
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-30-07, Chapter 3
Disclaimer: see ch1
A/N: So it looks like my writing is slowing down. The next update might take some time.
A/N2: MWAHAHA! Teh Evol is MEEEE!
Chapter 3- Baring of the Wolf
“. . . there was about him a suggestion of lurking ferocity, as though the Wild still lingered in him and the wolf in him merely slept.”
Jack London
As Clark continued to talk to her, Lois marveled. She couldn’t believe how fast it took for Clark to lose interest in Chloe. “The boy had to have noticed something.” Lois could never understand what it was about Clark that inspired loyalty in her cousin. Of course people said that about herself in regards to Chloe, but that was only because she was abrasive and people never bothered to look any further. However, while she knew that she wasn’t an authority on Clark Kent, she honestly hadn’t seen any reason other than the fact that he was beyond pretty. And she had been trying. Lois loved Chloe. Chloe got her like no one else and that was why she was willing to moderate her naturally big mouth. Chloe’s regard, once earned, could never truly be lost unless that person was a complete and utter jackass.
So as Clark talked about some issue or another, she watched as Chloe talked with Lana. “Chloe’s body language is hostile.” Lois might not have noticed a real change in Chloe’s body language as she was talking with her, but it was obvious as she spoke with Lana. It was even slightly apparent as she stood next to Clark. Chloe had leaned away from Clark. Chloe usually stood firmly in his personal bubble. Clark never minded because they were exceptionally close friends. Lana and Chloe’s conversation afforded her the ability to objectively look at Chloe.
Lois took in Chloe’s stance. “It’s wide. To stabilize. Stabilize for what?” Chloe’s eyes seemed to dart over Lana’s body. “As if she’s looking for something.” Lois trailed her eyes over Lana in much the same path as Chloe’s. “What could she possibly be looking for?” If the gravity of the situation had been any less, Lois might’ve been tempted to make an internal comment on how Chloe could’ve been looking for a brain or even an errant thought in that vapid exterior. And then Lois saw Chloe’s eyes move to Lana’s. And something she thought she’d never see happened. Lana dropped her eyes for a split second. Lana’s head actually ducked and her eyes lowered. “What the hell?”
But something else happened to trump even that and make Lois’ eyes widen and a gasp to almost slip from her lips. Chloe’s entire body posture changed. No longer was irritation and hostility evident in her frame. No longer did she seem like she wanted to be anywhere other than standing in front of Lana speaking with her. Chloe *relaxed*. It didn’t last for long. And then Lana’s and Chloe’s conversation apparently came to an end. Lois didn’t think that Chloe had even realized what was going on. She also didn’t think that Lana realized what had happened either.
Lois was certain that Chloe was most likely too busy trying to seem as if nothing was wrong for her benefit. Lois watched Chloe leave the Talon. Her body language alert. “As if she’s anticipating an attack of any sort.” If Lois, for even a second, had thought about not uncovering what was going on with her cousin then what she had just witnessed steeled her resolve.
“Lois? Earth to Lois.”
Lois came back to the present when she heard Clark call her name in irritation and wave his hand in front of her face.
“Sorry Clark.” Lois actually tried to look repentant but she knew that such a look wasn’t something she could fake. She was too direct to be subtle and she had long ago come to grips with that fact.
“What was so important that for the last few minutes I might as well have been talking to the cows?”
Lois could not believe that Clark would actually liken her to a cow. If Lois had been a lesser person, she might’ve decked the guy. “Negative reinforcement would do wonders on Farmer Ted.”
“Did you actually imply that I was a cow? Seriously Clark, were you raised in a field or just in the barn itself?”
Lois felt a momentary twinge as Clark’s eyes actually darkened. “I suppose I very nearly came close to impugning the honor of his most sainted mother.” But Clark was too much of a stand-up guy to say anything in reply. She watched as Clark glanced to his watch.
“Lois, I’ve got chores to do.”
“Clark, don’t be mad. It was a joke. It would be just like if someone asked me if I lived under power lines as a child. Nothing to get your flannel in a bunch over.”
Clark shook his head and a small smile danced across his features. “Did you see what just happened there? You actually came close to apologizing. Maybe we’re making progress after all. I actually do need to head home. I’ll talk to you later.”
Lois watched him leave. She finished drinking her coffee, Chloe’s untouched coffee, and ate the chocolate chip muffin. Lois left soon after, her mind busily considering the best way to approach Chloe. No matter what people thought of her, she’d never do anything to hurt Chloe or to alienate her, but she couldn’t leave Chloe to deal with a problem that was as big as this one seemed to be.
********
It was a shame that Clark, Lois, and Chloe were all too wrapped up in their own concerns and as a consequence missed the pair of eyes that had tracked Chloe from the time she entered the Talon until she left.
It was in moments like these that Samuel Kale appreciated the swift, progressive turns that technology underwent every few months. Competition made the world go ‘round. Bluetooth was probably one of the best inventions to hit the market. It made talking on the phone such an inconspicuous thing. The conversation taking place would’ve proven to be interesting no matter who overheard. But it held particular importance to Chloe and would’ve provided a less ephemeral lead for Lois.
“Boss, Patient 081 just left the Talon. The second surveillance unit is moving into place.”
Kale listened for a response and when none was forthcoming, he continued, “We have the recordings from the microphones Miss Lang so industriously placed around the Talon. This would be much easier if you simply gave me the authorization to enter 081’s apartment.”
The cultured tones that filled his ear were bored, “If she is what we think she is and if she is capable of what we think she is then she will know that her residence has been violated. Simply do as you are told and improvise as little as possible.”
“We might be having a few problems with the future Missus Luthor. She insists on more involvement.”
“I pay you quite handsomely for your services because you are one of the best at what you do. If you can’t manage a simple woman, then perhaps it is time for your severance pay.”
Kale was not an idiot. Had he been any less smart, he knew that he would’ve found himself in a cell. Instead of bowing under the weight of the circumstances of his childhood, he got his degree in psychology and joined the marines. It’s what made him so good at what he did. Well, that and the fact that he looked pretty ordinary. He was someone that no one would be able to describe to a sketch artist simply because few people would actually remember that he was anywhere near the scene. There was nothing distinguishing about him. As a younger man, Kale was often bothered by this fact. But the money and the respect he garnered made it inconsequential. It was because of the fact that he was one of the best that he knew a threat when he heard one.
The voice on the other end of the phone continued, “She is still a serviceable asset. Dr. Langston assures me that all is progressing as planned. After this is over, she will be replaced. Until then, deal with her arrogance and her need to be something more than she is. Let her feel important and clever. Are we clear?”
“Yes, Boss, we’re clear.”
Like Lois, Samuel Kale finished his coffee and took the time to reflect. When he left, it was with a much clearer mind and a more solid plan to deal with the small town girl he was being forced to accommodate. “Maybe I’ll get to kill her when all is said and done.”
********
After Clark finished his chores, he went to the barn to be alone. He hadn’t been angered over Lois’ insinuations and slight insult, but he did feel the need to do some quiet reflection. Of course, most people would’ve called it brooding or being needlessly angsty.
Clark was no fool. He knew that his view of the world was limited. It had to be. His gifts were too strong to allow for him to be as dynamic as other people. Clark knew that he wedged the people in his life into roles. His mother and father could never be more than that to him. He couldn’t let them be friends. They had to serve as the code by which he lived his life. Martha had to always be the person that took care of him. That protected him with remarkable ferocity. His father had to always remain the rigid, moral force in his life. Lana had to be the girl to which he aspired to have. She was perfect in his eyes. Pure. She needed him and no matter whose arms she ran to, or what plans and actions she engaged in, she had to be *that* girl for him. And Chloe…Chloe had to be his best friend. Chloe occupied that place in his life that served as an example.
If Jonathan and Martha were the road that he traveled, then Chloe was the compass that he held in his hand every step of the way. She showed him how to be better. His parents lectured, they proselytized the virtues of strength and honor, but they were never examples of what it meant to be those things the way that Chloe was. She was alive and dynamic. She never lectured him, but with every action she took she showed him how to be better. Her tenacity, her strength, her thirst for knowledge and truth were manifest in everything she did. How could he, a man whose gifts elevated him, be any different?
He could clearly see the scale of any obstacle that was thrown his way, but the minutia of life and all that it entails were obscured to him because he couldn’t allow himself to become too invested in those things. Clark knew that if such things became paramount to him, then he could easily descend into thinking that he was superior and not merely gifted. His role as protector was not a mantle that he had donned willingly, but a burden placed on his shoulder by the mere fact that he was what he was and his parents reinforced this. It would’ve been so easy to chafe at this, but the people in his life that filled a role moderated and soothed that which could have broken him.
He couldn’t grant himself the luxury to pick and choose when and where to be moral; he had to be obsessively consistent because he wanted to be a good person. He wanted to be worthy of the gifts that he was granted. Clark could readily admit to himself that he was lonely, but Chloe took him as he was. He wasn’t the savior his parents wanted him to be yet. He wasn’t the man that Lana could love. He wasn’t able to be a friend to Lex. But he could be the person that Chloe cared for and was loyal to. He could simply be himself and he knew that Chloe would like him still. And it was for this reason that no matter what happened he couldn’t let her go. He realized that he took her for granted, but all she would ever need to do is cast one glance at him and he knew he’d go running. But the thing about Chloe was that she never did. She didn’t need him like others needed him.
The harsh truth was that Chloe didn’t *need* him, she *wanted* him. Clark knew that if she had never met him then her life would be much the same. She’d still have her journalism. She’d still get into trouble. Her vivacious personality would still exist, but would his parents have been content? They needed a child and he could be that. Lana needed a savior and he could be that too. Chloe, however, wanted him around and that freed him to find his way. It freed him to accept what he was and what he could be…to find his purpose. It meant that he could be content, he could be happy, but most of all it meant that he didn’t have to be alone.
Clark was getting tired of this particular train of thought and was about to leave to go to the house when he heard shuffling, a crash, and a faint moan. He quickly ran outside and saw Chloe lying on the ground, clad only in an over-sized shirt, half conscious and covered in blood.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-30-07, Chapter 3
It's getting juicy...Amazing Chapter!
Wow, I didn't expect the Lana twist. I can't beileve she has something to do with Chloe's condition, or at least is working with the people responsible.
I'm guessing that the person on the phone was Lex, so he is responsible for what happened to Chloe, or he knows what she is and is following her. I'm so confused, but I love how the story is progressing. I love a good mystery!
I really like your Lois, you can tell she truly cares for Chloe, and is extremely concerned for her cousin.
I love this story...Please update again soon!!!
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-30-07, Chapter 3
This was an awesome chapter!
Quote:
The voice on the other end of the phone continued, “She is still a serviceable asset. Dr. Langston assures me that all is progressing as planned. After this is over, she will be replaced. Until then, deal with her arrogance and her need to be something more than she is. Let her feel important and clever. Are we clear?”
So Lana is involved in whatever is happening to Chloe. I hope that when Chloe learns about this, she rips Lana's throat out. Actualy, I hope Chloe tells her off, then wipes the floor with her. And Lois can have whatever's left to kick around because as much as I dislike EDLois being ILL, I have never doubted her love for Chloe.
Quote:
Clark was getting tired of this particular train of thought and was about to leave to go to the house when he heard shuffling, a crash, and a faint moan. He quickly ran outside and saw Chloe lying on the ground, clad only in an over-sized shirt, half conscious and covered in blood.
..the hell??!! What's happened to Chloe?
Please let us know as soon as you can;)
Also, this story contiues to rock.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-30-07, Chapter 3
That was a great update. I want Chloe's first kill to be Blana and then Lex. They both deserve it. :wth:
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-30-07, Chapter 3
your plot is so exciting. i'm also enjoying the character's thoughts. Dagney
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-30-07, Chapter 3
Once again, Ava, excellent, wonderful work!
I love the way that the mystery is building and how you're setting up all of the characters and explaining, so thoroughly, what motivates them. You take the idiocy of SV and give it plausible meaning and it makes my thinky score hurt less to read this. :)
I'm still enthralled by Chloe's struggles against her new nature and the way that it's reshaping everything she knows and all of her closest relationships. It's very compelling, especially as you use so many cool details to support it.
The cliffhanger's wonderful even though you were quite correct that you are extremely evil.
Can't wait for more. Seriously, is school really *that* important? It'll still be there next semester.
~Sarah~
P.S. Happy birthday!!!
:nsparty:
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-30-07, Chapter 3
First off:
Quote:
Lois took in Chloe’s stance. “It’s wide.
made me laugh so hard, because of Senator Craig, now known for his 'wide stance'. Heh. Sorry.
Ahem. Anyway, I love your Lois and Clark much more than Smallville's versions. Clark's insight into the people around him and the roles they all play is fantastic. I loved the entire section. I like that he recognizes these roles and needs them to be like that. His thoughts on Chloe especially.
Lana has been dominated! Yes! Not a difficult feat, I'm sure. :rofl:
Loved that part, and all of Lois' thoughts. I'm glad that neither Lois or Clark are going to let Chloe go without a fight. It's nice to see people actually care about Chloe.
I don't think Lex is responsible at all. I think that was Lionel that Kale was talking to. But I'm not averse to Lex being involved and even responsible. Dark Lex is a hot Lex. :drool2:
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-30-07, Chapter 3
Quote:
So as Clark talked about some issue or another, she watched as Chloe talked with Lana. “Chloe’s body language is hostile.” Lois might not have noticed a real change in Chloe’s body language as she was talking with her, but it was obvious as she spoke with Lana. It was even slightly apparent as she stood next to Clark. Chloe had leaned away from Clark. Chloe usually stood firmly in his personal bubble. Clark never minded because they were exceptionally close friends. Lana and Chloe’s conversation afforded her the ability to objectively look at Chloe.
heh, I liked how the fic began with Lois stating her bewilderment about WHAT Chloe sees in Clark. It is true that, discounting his amazing superpowers, Clark actually seems like a mediocre doofus… nothing amazing about him at all, except for the fact that he’s ‘pretty’. But then again, Clark Kent has spent a lifetime learning how to blend in and make himself as average looking and inconspicuous as possible… so it’s easy to see why Lois wouldn’t see the attraction… not right away.
It was also very interesting to see that Lois has also observed something a little ‘off’ about Chloe body language. Not only the way Chloe is now distancing herself from Clark, but also how she’s acting around Lana…
Quote:
Lois took in Chloe’s stance. “It’s wide. To stabilize. Stabilize for what?” Chloe’s eyes seemed to dart over Lana’s body. “As if she’s looking for something.” Lois trailed her eyes over Lana in much the same path as Chloe’s. “What could she possibly be looking for?” If the gravity of the situation had been any less, Lois might’ve been tempted to make an internal comment on how Chloe could’ve been looking for a brain or even an errant thought in that vapid exterior. And then Lois saw Chloe’s eyes move to Lana’s. And something she thought she’d never see happened. Lana dropped her eyes for a split second. Lana’s head actually ducked and her eyes lowered. “What the hell?” But something else happened to trump even that and make Lois’ eyes widen and a gasp to almost slip from her lips. Chloe’s entire body posture changed. No longer was irritation and hostility evident in her frame. No longer did she seem like she wanted to be anywhere other than standing in front of Lana speaking with her. Chloe *relaxed*. It didn’t last for long. And then Lana’s and Chloe’s conversation apparently came to an end. Lois didn’t think that Chloe had even realized what was going on. She also didn’t think that Lana realized what had happened either. Lois was certain that Chloe was most likely too busy trying to seem as if nothing was wrong for her benefit. Lois watched Chloe leave the Talon. Her body language alert. “As if she’s anticipating an attack of any sort.” If Lois, for even a second, had thought about not uncovering what was going on with her cousin then what she had just witnessed steeled her resolve.
This was fascinating! Lois is a lot more observant and insightful that I would have given her credit for. I really like this version of Lois… THIS woman is showing true signs of being a budding reporter and investigator that she’s destined to become.
Hmmm, I didn’t ‘completely’ get what happened between Chloe and Lana… Obviously it began with Chloe surveying Lana’s body and finding startling evidence of NO pregnancy as well as a vague sense of ‘wrongness’ about her… but after that? What made Chloe ‘suddenly relax’ around Lana… Was it because Lana ducked her head and lowered her eyes (signs of submission), which allowed Chloe to feel like she had established her dominance over the girl, and therefore allowed herself to relax?
Quote:
“What was so important that for the last few minutes I might as well have been talking to the cows?”
Lois could not believe that Clark would actually liken her to a cow. If Lois had been a lesser person, she might’ve decked the guy. “Negative reinforcement would do wonders on Farmer Ted.”
“Did you actually imply that I was a cow? Seriously Clark, were you raised in a field or just in the barn itself?”
Lois felt a momentary twinge as Clark’s eyes actually darkened. “I suppose I very nearly came close to impugning the honor of his most sainted mother.” But Clark was too much of a stand-up guy to say anything in reply. She watched as Clark glanced to his watch.
Heh, there’s something fun seeing two completely tactless and verbally inelegant people sniping at each other. Especially when they manage to accidentally score some hits off each other, LOL! It might lack the polish and grace of Chlex banter, but it’s still great fun to watch.
Quote:
“Clark, don’t be mad. It was a joke. It would be just like if someone asked me if I lived under power lines as a child. Nothing to get your flannel in a bunch over.”
Clark shook his head and a small smile danced across his features. “Did you see what just happened there? You actually came close to apologizing. Maybe we’re making progress after all. I actually do need to head home. I’ll talk to you later.”
Heh, but the good thing about these two… at least they’re very quick to apologize IF they happen to realize that they’ve hurt someone’s feelings. So at least there are no lingering feelings of resentment between these two… not this time, mostly because they were not oblivious of the accidental damage they had done on each other.
Quote:
It was a shame that Clark, Lois, and Chloe were all too wrapped up in their own concerns and as a consequence missed the pair of eyes that had tracked Chloe from the time she entered the Talon until she left.
It was in moments like these that Samuel Kale appreciated the swift, progressive turns that technology underwent every few months. Competition made the world go ‘round. Bluetooth was probably one of the best inventions to hit the market. It made talking on the phone such an inconspicuous thing. The conversation taking place would’ve proven to be interesting no matter who overheard. But it held particular importance to Chloe and would’ve provided a less ephemeral lead for Lois.
“Boss, Patient 081 just left the Talon. The second surveillance unit is moving into place.”
woah, WOAH! New player! Actually it seems like there might be a whole team of new players! The mystery thickens, and now, on top of the mysterious voice in Chloe’s head, there’s ALSO a surveillance team watching and recording her every move. As if the poor girl didn’t have enough troubles. Heh, I can’t wait to see how this turns out, it bodes to be an exciting fic :D
Quote:
Kale listened for a response and when none was forthcoming, he continued, “We have the recordings from the microphones Miss Lang so industriously placed around the Talon. This would be much easier if you simply gave me the authorization to enter 081’s apartment.”
The cultured tones that filled his ear were bored, “If she is what we think she is and if she is capable of what we think she is then she will know that her residence has been violated. Simply do as you are told and improvise as little as possible.”
VERY interesting! Whoever has hired the surveillance on Chloe has some notion about her heightened senses of smell and hearing… AND they might have an idea that she will NOT react well to having her personal space and territory invaded by strangers.
I wonder who this ‘cultured voice’ might be… Most logical answer might be Lex Luthor, but the most obvious answer is not always right… and it could just as easily be anyone with enough resources to carry this out… including Lionel Luthor, Oliver Queen, Bruce Wayne or ANY new character that Ava wants to introduce.
Quote:
“We might be having a few problems with the future Missus Luthor. She insists on more involvement.”
Freaking HECK!! That nasty horrible backstabbing witch is in on this too??!!! SHE knows about all these people experimenting on Chloe and then watching her afterwards?! AND she wants firther involvement in this interference in Chloe’s life? I hope the nasty witch gets what’s coming to her!
Quote:
Kale was not an idiot. Had he been any less smart, he knew that he would’ve found himself in a cell. Instead of bowing under the weight of the circumstances of his childhood, he got his degree in psychology and joined the marines. It’s what made him so good at what he did. Well, that and the fact that he looked pretty ordinary. He was someone that no one would be able to describe to a sketch artist simply because few people would actually remember that he was anywhere near the scene. There was nothing distinguishing about him. As a younger man, Kale was often bothered by this fact. But the money and the respect he garnered made it inconsequential. It was because of the fact that he was one of the best that he knew a threat when he heard one.
The voice on the other end of the phone continued, “She is still a serviceable asset. Dr. Langston assures me that all is progressing as planned. After this is over, she will be replaced. Until then, deal with her arrogance and her need to be something more than she is. Let her feel important and clever. Are we clear?”
I liked the description given of Kale. It really helped me get a sense of the history and personality of this character. Although the note that came later about how he seemed to be looking so forward to killing Chloe was VERY chilling!
Heh, but on the other hand… I liked all the cruel references to Lana, especially how the ‘cultured voice’ said that Lana was to be reassured and ‘made to feel important and clever’ until it was time for her to be ‘replaced’. It seems like Lana’s high and mighty days are numbered, and I can’t wait to see the witch meet with her downfall.
Quote:
After Clark finished his chores, he went to the barn to be alone. He hadn’t been angered over Lois’ insinuations and slight insult, but he did feel the need to do some quiet reflection. Of course, most people would’ve called it brooding or being needlessly angsty.
LOL! I loved this reference to Clark’s constant moping brooding hissy fit in the barn all the time. It’s promising that he’s at least self-aware enough to realize how his behaviour might appear to others.
Quote:
Clark was no fool. He knew that his view of the world was limited. It had to be. His gifts were too strong to allow for him to be as dynamic as other people. Clark knew that he wedged the people in his life into roles. His mother and father could never be more than that to him. He couldn’t let them be friends. They had to serve as the code by which he lived his life. Martha had to always be the person that took care of him. That protected him with remarkable ferocity. His father had to always remain the rigid, moral force in his life. Lana had to be the girl to which he aspired to have. She was perfect in his eyes. Pure. She needed him and no matter whose arms she ran to, or what plans and actions she engaged in, she had to be *that* girl for him. And Chloe…Chloe had to be his best friend. Chloe occupied that place in his life that served as an example.
If Jonathan and Martha were the road that he traveled, then Chloe was the compass that he held in his hand every step of the way. She showed him how to be better. His parents lectured, they proselytized the virtues of strength and honor, but they were never examples of what it meant to be those things the way that Chloe was. She was alive and dynamic. She never lectured him, but with every action she took she showed him how to be better. Her tenacity, her strength, her thirst for knowledge and truth were manifest in everything she did. How could he, a man whose gifts elevated him, be any different?
Wow! This was incredible, Ava. I really enjoyed seeing this re-assessment of Clark’s character. You actually gave a GOOD reason for Clark having such a one-dimensional, limited, black-and-white view of life. And I can see how this would translate perfectly into the DC Canon version of Superman… the stalwart and true hero who refuses to compromise his vision of ‘good and evil’ and stands as a symbol for beautiful simple, clean and pure principles everywhere.
And I loved how Clark said that it’s Chloe as well as Jonathan and Martha who are the role-models for his life… the source of all the principles that he’s eventually going to come to stand for. It’s lovely that he appreciates Chloe like this… even if the idiot doesn’t SHOW her what an important part of his life she really is.
Quote:
He could clearly see the scale of any obstacle that was thrown his way, but the minutia of life and all that it entails were obscured to him because he couldn’t allow himself to become too invested in those things. Clark knew that if such things became paramount to him, then he could easily descend into thinking that he was superior and not merely gifted. His role as protector was not a mantle that he had donned willingly, but a burden placed on his shoulder by the mere fact that he was what he was and his parents reinforced this. It would’ve been so easy to chafe at this, but the people in his life that filled a role moderated and soothed that which could have broken him.
It was VERY interesting how Ava has made Clark so self-aware, so he KNOWS about the limitations of his views, but he knows they are necessary for him to maintain his sense of self and not give into the urge to abuse his powers… not even the ‘slightest’ bit. VERY nice, Ava… I’m actually proud of your Clark, and I can see how he can grow up to become Superman.
Quote:
He couldn’t grant himself the luxury to pick and choose when and where to be moral; he had to be obsessively consistent because he wanted to be a good person. He wanted to be worthy of the gifts that he was granted. Clark could readily admit to himself that he was lonely, but Chloe took him as he was. He wasn’t the savior his parents wanted him to be yet. He wasn’t the man that Lana could love. He wasn’t able to be a friend to Lex. But he could be the person that Chloe cared for and was loyal to. He could simply be himself and he knew that Chloe would like him still. And it was for this reason that no matter what happened he couldn’t let her go. He realized that he took her for granted, but all she would ever need to do is cast one glance at him and he knew he’d go running. But the thing about Chloe was that she never did. She didn’t need him like others needed him.
The harsh truth was that Chloe didn’t *need* him, she *wanted* him. Clark knew that if she had never met him then her life would be much the same. She’d still have her journalism. She’d still get into trouble. Her vivacious personality would still exist, but would his parents have been content? They needed a child and he could be that. Lana needed a savior and he could be that too. Chloe, however, wanted him around and that freed him to find his way. It freed him to accept what he was and what he could be…to find his purpose. It meant that he could be content, he could be happy, but most of all it meant that he didn’t have to be alone.
This was also great. I’m actually beginning to think that ‘deep down’ Clark is a person who is actually worthy of Chloe’s friendship and loyalty. It’s obvious that he appreciates her and the role she plays in his life. In fact, he actually seems to hold her in reverence, unlike any other person. Not even Lana is granted the same kind of awe and worship that Chloe has in Clark’s eyes. It’s really such a pity that the stupid, careless idiot doesn’t SHOW Chloe how much she means to him. It’s just pure laziness!
I loved the distinction Ava drew about how other people ‘need’ Clark, while Chloe ‘wants’ him… It was a very interesting perception that I have never considered before, and it was a real-eye-opener about the way Clark sees Chloe.
Other people need him to perform a particular function as a saviour, devoted admirer, loving son, loyal friend… Everyone expects him to live up to a certain role, while Chloe is the only person who accepts him fully for all his faults, bumblings, eccentricities and carelessness… and she still adores him, and WANTS him in her life… as he is. I thought it was beautiful how Clark NEEDS Chloe to reaffirm his sense of self, but I was also ticked off on how he uses her to reaffirm himself without returning the favour to her. Lazy bastard!
Quote:
Clark was getting tired of this particular train of thought and was about to leave to go to the house when he heard shuffling, a crash, and a faint moan. He quickly ran outside and saw Chloe lying on the ground, clad only in an over-sized shirt, half conscious and covered in blood.
heh, it’s about time some kind of an emergency happened where Clark was finally supposed to ACT on his friendship and loyalties for Chloe. She needs to be prioritized now, and no more excuses, you lazy farmboy!
Hmmm, I wonder what led to Chloe ending up here tonight covered in blood? Was she hunting? Or was something hunting HER? Let’s see how it turns out in the next chapter… PLEASE update soon, Ava!
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 11-30-07, Chapter 3
I have been thinking about it and I still have absolutely no clue who the 'cultured tones over the phone' is, it's killing me with anticipation.
Well the obvious choice is Lex, but what if it's not Lex, than who is it? It could be Lionel Luthor like SE said, or it could be a completely OC. And WTF is Lana's part in it?
But the bigger question at the moment is, WTF happened to Chloe, why is she covered in blood outside the Kent Barn? I'm anxious to read what happens next!
I completely love this fic, and can't wait for your next update! Which will be soon right? *g*
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-06-07, Chapter 4
Disclaimer: see ch1
A/N: My understanding is that Freak took place in Feb. so this fic is set in mid May.
A/N2: This one is a long ride, so have fun! Hopefully questions will be answered and even more asked.
Chapter 4- Knowing the Wolf
“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art, like the universe itself (for God did not need to create). It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.”
C.S. Lewis
Earlier in the day…
Chloe was relieved when she finally got into her car. As she drove around Smallville in an effort to clear her mind, she conceded the fact that having heightened senses wasn’t all bad. She noticed everything now and her recall had increased drastically…especially if she could tie a particular memory to a scent. The first time it had happened to her amazed her. It was an incredible rush.
Two weeks after she had first changed, Chloe had been speaking with a professor about a paper she had written and modifications he would make to smooth it out and he’d had a salami sandwich on rye bread with honey Dijon monster and regular potato chips. She’d smelled it on his breath. She’d taken notes of course and paid close attention, but inevitably something is missed. When she’d gone back to read over her notes, she recalled the way his breath smelled and the entire conversation replayed itself. This time it was much clearer.
She noticed certain words had tonal shifts that had betrayed his interest. From there, Chloe made improvements and dramatically built on what was suggested. When Chloe sat to think on it more, she realized that she could recall specific details that hadn’t even occurred to her before. It was like everything that her subconscious mind took notice of and her conscious mind discarded as too much were given a new weight. It elevated her writing to a whole new level. Her immediate boss at the Daily Planet had noticed the improved quality of her work. She felt confident that she had a secured a post graduation position.
She enjoyed school and she enjoyed working at the Daily Planet, but Chloe was glad that classes were over so that she didn’t have to split her attention so much. As Chloe continued to drive around Smallville, she came to two conclusions. It was inevitable that Lois would discover the truth. Either because Lois would snoop and probably break into her apartment sooner or later, or because Chloe herself would betray her status. Chloe’s only fears were that Lois would reject or that she might seek to “help” her. She vividly remembered being possessed and the kind of help that was given to her. Chloe didn’t think Lois would do something like that, but caution was the watch word.
Chloe also came to the conclusion that she couldn’t keep Clark at a distance anymore. It was hurting him and it was also hurting her. Clark had been a fixture in her life for so long and it was hard to imagine him not being there. He came through when it counted, when it mattered, and she had come to terms with that. The wolf stripped away all pretenses and delusions she may have had. She was finally able to see that she and Clark would never have worked before. It was one of the hardest realizations in her life but a necessary one. Chloe had to find some way to make him fit. It was going to be hard, painful, and no doubt inspire a rage in her like none before but she had to make him fit.
Chloe was tired by the time she got home and she felt relief. Here was her domain. Her sanctuary. It was calm here. There were no intrusions. No harsh lights, foreign smells, or loud noises. It was just her smell and her things. It may have been empty but this was her territory to rule and for now it was enough. She walked her domain and every now and again touched an item. Left her scent on it. Marked it as hers. After puttering around her home for a few moments, Chloe realized that she was restless and it wasn’t getting any better. “All this energy.”
Chloe decided that she would voluntarily change. She wouldn’t wait until her dreams got bad or she got irritable. She’d do it now and hope that this time would be different. In any way it didn’t matter. She just needed to know that it wouldn’t always be as it has been. So around 10PM, Chloe got into her car and drove to the outskirts of Smallville where there was nothing and nobody to bother her. She parked her car in an abandoned barn and ran until she was about a mile away until she found a small burrow that could fit her clothes. Chloe felt the change overtake her and she was the wolf. She wasn’t hunting this time. She only wanted to feel her heart race and her muscles tense and relax. She didn’t want to remember a time when she wasn’t the wolf. A time when she was just Chloe. She wanted the world to fall away because it was scary and complicated. For a moment in time, she wanted to feel free of any burden that she might’ve carried. And she could feel that way as she ran. “This must be what sprinters feel like.”
This sense of freedom caused Chloe to ignore all else. To ignore the fact that she was fast approaching farmland and the associated livestock. She never heard the gun cock, the inhalation of breath, or the pull of the trigger. Chloe did, however, feel the brutal sting of buckshot as it pierced her side. She flew five feet from the impact. Chloe was dazed and in pain, but she couldn’t really feel angry at a farmer protecting what was his from a feral dog. “Son of a bitch this hurts!” Chloe was amazed that she had a coherent thought in her head. A low keening made its way from her throat. She hurt so much.
Chloe was partially brought to reality when she heard the light foot falls of the one who shot her. She also heard the heavier tread of a second person. “Two? Both Male. No doubt coming to finish the job.” No matter how much Chloe realized that they were just protecting what was theirs, she wanted to live. To survive. As soon as the male with the heavy feet got close enough, she lashed out. Quick and forcefully. Chloe latched onto his arm and felt the bones break and tasted the blood that gushed into her mouth. He screamed and tried to tear his arm from her mouth. It only served to injure him further. “Triumph.”
She heard the second male draw back a gun except it sounded different from the shotgun he had previously used. Still attached to the male’s arm, she launched herself into his body and used him as a shield. She needed to cause confusion and succeeded. The ensuing scuffle prevented another bullet, but she was getting weaker. Chloe swiftly let go of the male and tackled the other. As soon as he was on the ground, she made a run for it. Chloe had never run so fast, so frantically before. This was desperation born from the need to survive. And she would survive. In the truest sense of the words, failure was not an option. She felt vaguely sorry that she had hurt the male so badly, but that was pushed aside. Right now there was only her life to consider. Only her pain and desires mattered. Nothing would get in the way of that.
By the time Chloe felt safe enough to stop running full tilt, she realized that she was near the place that she had stashed her clothes. The wolf was bleeding out. She didn’t think it would be a good idea to change into the human, but she had to get to help. Chloe quickly donned the over-sized t-shirt she had worn and ran the mile to her car. She pushed the pain away and the weakness. There would be time later to feel all those things and curse herself.
Chloe felt relief when she spotted her car and was barely inside before she started the engine and headed towards Clark’s place. He was closest. As soon as she got to the Kent’s, she opened the car door and spilled out of it. Chloe forced herself to move. To get to the barn because that’s where she smelled Clark. She was about ten feet away before she collapsed. She stretched her hands out in front of her to drag herself even a little bit further.
********
The Present…
Chloe felt Clark. She smelled his panic and could feel his indecision. She was able to gasp out his name and it seemed to put him into a flurry of motion. He was by her side in a heartbeat. He was touching her and calling her name. She felt comfort.
Chloe was relieved that she had been able to stay conscious long enough to get to Clark’s. For the first time in a long time, she didn’t feel the dissonance in Clark. She didn’t want to run. The wolf actually seemed to want to be around Clark. “He’s strong enough to keep me safe.” It almost seemed to Chloe that Clark’s alien nature was being pushed aside by the need to survive. “Because nothing brings people closer together than possible impending death.”
Chloe stubbornly held onto consciousness and was able to gasp out what she needed to tell him, “Clark. I can’t…can’t go to the hospital. Take care of me. Please.”
Clark was torn. She was injured so badly. He didn’t know what to do. But she was begging him not to take her to a hospital. Chloe wasn’t afraid of doctors so something had to be seriously wrong.
“Chloe, you have to tell me what happened. What’s wrong?” Panic was not something that Clark was particularly familiar with. He’d only truly felt it about three distinct times. When his father died, when he was told Chloe was dead…and now.
Chloe’s voice was so weak and low when she answered him, “Shot.”
If Clark had been panicked before, he was down-right terrified now. Her eyes fluttered closed. Clark gingerly moved her to the barn’s couch. He trained every sense on her. He was able to discern the pattern of the shot. It looked like she was hit with buckshot. Her heart beat was strong, her pulse steady and her breathing was pretty even. She wasn’t in danger of dying so he decided to not take her to the hospital. Clark went to the house and retrieved the first aid kit. He carefully removed her shirt and set about cleaning and bandaging her wounds. If he wasn’t so afraid for her, then he knew that he would’ve been far too self-conscious, but Chloe was hurt and he had to push aside his own concerns. He had to be strong for her. As soon as she woke up, he was going to wring the answers out of her if he had to.
********
Clark stayed awake all night staring at his best friend. The girl who loved him. He would’ve slept on the floor next to the couch because he was confident in his ability to hear her distress if things turned bad but something stopped him. When he had finished cleaning and bandaging her wounds, he finally saw why Chloe couldn’t go to a hospital. Why she had been shot. He saw her hands. They were clawed. Thick, wiry hair trailed down her arms and back. Her face was angular and if he had been forced to define it, he would’ve said she had something of a muzzle. “It’s not possible.” As he watched, her face reverted to *her* face, the thick hair that wasn’t her own fell away like she was shedding and her claws receded. She was Chloe again. “Can’t be possible. How could meteor rocks do this?”
Despite the fact that he knew it was a distinct possibility, it still disconcerted him. He would never wish it on anyone. The familiar feeling of guilt threatened to overtake him but his guilt wouldn’t help Chloe. Chloe wouldn’t appreciate it either. She’d be the first to tell him that it wasn’t his fault and even if it was he could only move forward and try to make it better. Chloe’s renewed acceptance and faith in him after the red K bender hammered home how much she cared. She didn’t ignore it. She didn’t excuse him. She made him own it and remember it always. Clark realized that the constant reminder made it possible for him to have a stark contrast between what he wanted to be and what he could be if he let selfishness guide him. He couldn’t forget that his abilities could devastate the lives of many on a vast scale.
His ruminations were interrupted when he heard Chloe groan. Her heartbeat accelerated and he knew that she was waking up. He watched as Chloe jack-knifed into a sitting position and her eyes desperately shift around the barn and finally settle on him.
She relaxed and spoke his name, “Clark.”
“Chloe, what happened?”
Chloe didn’t know how to even begin this conversation. She was pushing against the same wall that she had with Lois and she was nowhere near strong enough. She met his gaze for a few moments trying to think of a way to start this and have it make sense. The longer the stare went on the antsier Chloe became. The feeling of Clark being an alien seemed to be coming to the fore again. Chloe tried to resist panicking and remind herself that Clark had helped her, but it wasn’t working. That is, it wasn’t working until Clark stopped returning her gaze. “Pack.” She felt safe with him again and Chloe had an epiphany. “I am a wolf. He kept staring into my eyes. Challenging me.” Clark, whether he knew it or not, had conceded alpha status to her. Chloe suddenly recalled that Lana had done that too earlier that day. “But why? It makes no sense.”
Chloe didn’t care about starting the conversation she needed to have with him. She needed to know why, “Clark, why’d you drop your eyes?”
“What does that—“
Chloe interrupted him, “Answer the question. I’ll explain…just answer. Please.”
Clark took a moment and he looked away from her again before he finally answered, “My eyes started to hurt and all I could think about was looking anywhere but at you.”
Chloe took a deep breath, “Remember two months ago when I lost that night and you had to remove the tracking device?”
“It’s not something I could ever forget.”
“Do you also remember that time we watched An American Werewolf in London? That was one of the best were—“
Clark was becoming impatient and so he interrupted her, “Chloe, just get to the point!”
She glared at him but continued on as if he had never interrupted her, “That scene where David Naughton first shifted into the werewolf was intense. Pete let out that little girly gasp and you and I both laughed at him. Clark, about a week after my kidnapping, I staged my own re-enactment of that scene.”
Clark was stunned. Sure, he had noticed those things as she slept, but to be confronted with the reality and to have the words spoken made it real. Made it inescapable.
“That’s not possible. We’ve seen meteor rock mutations. It’s never been like this.”
Before he could expand that thought and blow it up to something bad, Chloe snapped back, “I know that! I just know what happened. I just know that my life has been turned upside down. I can’t escape this. I was shot tonight by a farmer because I was a wolf and he was trying to protect his investment. So believe me, this isn’t something I can come up with by myself,” Chloe wasn’t finished she had to get him to realize the magnitude of the situation but he also couldn’t panic.
“Clark, this is no different than your own situation! At any moment you could be confronted with red meteor rocks. It’s everywhere and they’re pretty. Despite this, Clark, I trust you,” Chloe eyes never left Clark’s. He felt the inexplicable need to look away from her again.
Chloe visibly relaxed but she had to continue, “Clark, since I’ve known about what you are I have never asked anything of you. Nothing that you couldn’t do. You’ve always been free to be whatever around me. This...this one time I am asking you to just be my friend. To just listen to me. I’m asking you not to be a man who has amazing abilities. I don’t need a savior. I need my friend. Be this for me. Please.”
Clark knew she was right, but it didn’t make it easier. It certainly didn’t comfort him. He also realized that he had just made it about himself.
“I’m sorry, Chloe. We need to confront Lex. He knows what happened. He had those others removed. No one has seen them since that night.”
Chloe was relieved to know that she wouldn’t need to hammer Clark with how much she needed him to just be there for her, “Clark, we can’t just go to Lex and demand whatever answers he’s willing to give. You and I both know that he has more resources than we could possibly overcome. We have to get information first and that comes later.”
Now, however, she needed to know that he could trust her so she began the change. She removed the bandage and her clothes. At any other time, she would’ve been extremely self conscious about stripping in front of him but she needed to do this. “Please don’t let him reject me.”
Clark had never been so entranced before. He couldn’t help but think the entire process was somewhat messy and a little disgusting, but he kept reminding himself that this was Chloe. This was his friend. Who was he to judge? He was an alien whose planet was destroyed and as a result caused a meteor shower on Earth, which irrevocably changed the lives of thousands.
But when it was all over, a rather large wolf stood in front of him. On close inspection, there was actually no way that this animal could ever be mistaken for a wolf. It was far too large and far too muscular. It shamed the timber wolf in size and strength. The back legs were heavily muscled. They looked like they belonged on some larger animal. He could only conclude that they were for quick lunging and made running far easier. Her front legs, while still muscled, were leaner and streamlined…meant for quick turns and fine adjustment of pursuit. Her coat was also one not found in regular wolves. It was honey. “Beautiful.”
Clark noticed that her body language seemed unsure. He’d seen it before on many dogs who didn’t know the welcome they’d receive. He slowly walked towards the best friend he’d ever had, Pete was a close second but he was gone now. He bent down and touched her. Running his hands through her fur was an amazing thing. It was soft. He noticed her eyes. Far too intelligent to be on an animal. Her eyes were still green, but they seemed more vibrant as they caught a ray of sunlight.
Chloe rested her muzzle in his large hand. This was the first time that she could get a scale of how large she actually was. Clark was a big guy and she expected her muzzle to be dwarfed in his hands. She’d seen him with dogs before. Her muzzle didn’t fit in his hands.
When Clark finally spoke, his voice was reverent and soft, “Chloe.”
Chloe was getting slightly uncomfortable with the solemnity of the situation and so did the only thing she could think of. She tackled him. The tackle took Clark by surprise but since she obviously wanted to wrestle with him then he’d oblige her. They hadn’t done anything like this since they were younger. He was always mindful of his strength.
By mutual accord they both stopped. Chloe was panting and Clark looked like he always did. “Jerk isn’t easily tired.” She moved away from him and cocked her head. Clark finally realized that she wanted to shift back to human so he turned his back on her. “He presents his back. Trust.”
When she was finished, she grabbed the blanket he’d covered her with the night before.
”You think maybe you could go get me so clothes? I need to go home, but there’s more you need to know and we can discuss that later.”
Seeing that it was safe, Clark turned around, “Sure. Wait here.” With that Clark left at super speed.
Chloe rolled her eyes and shouted after him, “Where exactly am I gonna go?”
He quickly returned with a flannel shirt and a pair of jeans that he’d long since grown out of but was still big on her.
She moved towards her car and heard Clark say, “You were beautiful. You were a honey color.”
She turned back towards him and ran into his arms. Her greatest fear that he’d tell her that she was a monster or that he would turn from her were unrealized. It was as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Chloe committed his scent to memory. “Pack.”
Chloe ran back to her car and drove home.
********
Chloe walked into her apartment and was immediately on guard. Her domain had been violated. She almost attacked the figure of the person standing in the middle of her living room but stopped when she realized who it was. “Lois.”
Chloe didn’t even have to feign anger when she spoke, “What the hell, Lois!”
“I’ve been reading. You’re going to hate me for this, but I couldn’t let it stand. Chloe, please, just tell me what’s wrong so that I can help you.”
Chloe looked around and saw what Lois had been reading. After Chloe first changed, she decided to keep a journal tracking what was happening. It seemed that Lois knew Chloe well enough to find where she had hidden it.
There were no words that Lois could’ve used to describe what she read. Chloe needed help. She’d obviously had a psychotic break with reality if she honestly thought that she was some sort of werewolf. Lois recalled all of the anomalous behavior in Chloe and was even more alarmed. Chloe had fully adopted and played into the fantasy she had created. “Color labels. All the meat.”
Chloe could clearly read Lois’ face. Lois was alarmed, concerned, scared, and determined. Chloe also knew that no words would persuade Lois or even make the situation better. It’d only make it worse. She did the only thing she could do. She closed and locked the front door. Chloe then charged Lois too fast for Lois to see or avoid and lifted her off her feet.
“Do you need any more persuasion?”
Chloe dropped Lois and moved away from her. She removed her clothes as Lois watched, stunned. For the second time that day, Chloe was going to shift. She’d never done it in such quick succession before, but she had to if she didn’t want Lois to have her committed. Chloe once again found herself praying to whatever higher power existed that Lois wouldn’t reject her.
As Chloe changed, Lois went from stunned to terrified. “This can’t possibly be happening.”
Unlike with Clark, Chloe didn’t stay in her wolf form after she shifted. She stood before Lois and when Lois made no movement, she fled to her room. The sound of the door slamming galvanized Lois. “She must’ve thrown her weight against the door to close it.”
Lois ran to Chloe’s room and shouted outside her door, “Chloe! I don’t know what to think. This shouldn’t be possible! How is this possible?”
Lois was vaguely aware that her voice sounded panicky and far too high, but it wasn’t something she could help. “I can’t be helped. I just saw my cousin turn into a freaking werewolf!”
The door to the bedroom was abruptly opened and Lois stumbled. She was greeted by a clothed and *human* Chloe. She brushed passed Lois because she was famished and she needed to eat right now. Lois followed her and watched Chloe gather meat and eggs and some fruits.
“The change always drains me. I need to eat. Fruits are naturally sweet and help with energy. Coffee doesn’t taste terrible but it doesn’t taste good either. Too much articifial sweeteners and flavors. I try not to eat chocolate because in large quantities it can kill me and I’d rather avoid the temptation. You never did get to see my Wall of Weird did you? Weird things happen in this town and I know that you’ve noticed. It’s just you can’t explain it in a rational way so you discard it and have faith that it is somehow rooted in what you know and understand of the world,” Chloe stopped gathering food and looked at Lois, “But I can track most, if not all, of the weird things in this town back to mteor rocks. About two months ago I was kidnapped and then returned. Before you ask, it wasn’t an alien abduction. Anyway, I came back with a tracking device and the ability to become a werewolf. I don’t know how and I definitely don’t know why. The end.”
Lois was stunned. She was overwhelmed. She had noticed weird things but like Chloe said, she discarded it as nonsense.
“Ok, Chloe.”
Chloe had resumed preparing her food, but she stopped what she was doing and looked at Lois. She wasn’t panicked anymore. She was vaguely freaked out, but Chloe couldn’t hold that against her.
“Just like that?”
“Yeah, Chloe, just like that. You’re still my cousin. And we’ll get the bastard who did this.”
Life couldn’t get any better than at that moment. She wasn’t alone any more. There were still problems to face, issues to deal with, and things to discuss, but not right now. Right now, Chloe was going to bask in the glow of knowing she had Lois and Clark on her side.
********
Samuel Kale enjoyed his work retrieving the freaks that Luthor had released. It wasn’t as thrilling as he had hoped it would be, but it kept him from being bored and relieved his frustrations over dealing with the fiancée. “Such weak minded individuals should be shot in public as a lesson to others.” So when he received the retrieval orders on Patient 081, he was no more or less excited than with the others. “Another weakling that I’m removing from the world. It’s a service.” He’d done his homework and got as much information about 081 as his boss was willing to divulge. He did wonder about the secrecy surrounding this particular patient, but it was “need to know” apparently.
Kale had meticulously prepared. No matter how much he denigrated the abilities of the dregs he was retrieving, he’d always get it right. It was the first rule. But this retrieval went wrong almost from the start. She was careful. There had been no overt use of her abilities and she seemed almost paranoid. “This one has brains.” He realized why this one was shrouded in secrecy as he tracked her movement. “A most fascinating animal. Beautiful. Strong.” Kale prided himself on his objectivity. There was no room in this business for anything other than business. He couldn’t be biased. So he could appreciate her abilities.
As Samuel Kale bandaged the veterinarian, Chip Rogers, that his boss forced him to bring with him to capture 081 he had a smile on his face. Rogers’ career as a veterinarian was effectively over, but that was of no consequence. No doubt Rogers would need to go to a better physician, but that too was of no consequence to Kale. Patient 081, Chloe Sullivan, was going to be a most challenging hunt. He’d enjoy testing his smarts, his cunning against hers. He’d enjoy bringing down such a magnificent beast. His planning had to be better, but it would be worth it to have her. Samuel Kale sent the little veterinarian on his way with instructions to report back to the big boss. Telling his employer that he had failed in his mission was not going to be pleasant, but he could deal with that.
When the doctor finally left, he pulled out a beer and sat in the dark with his toys…his tools of the trade and breathed one word, “Finally.”
It was going to be a good day.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-06-07, Chapter 4
Ooo, fantastic chapter. I'm so glad Clark and Lois are now on Chloe's side. And Kale seems like a nasty piece of work.
Hey! What's up with Lex trying to kill Chloe? Bad Lex!
Also? Clark or Lois should either take pictures of Wolf!Chloe or video tape her so she can see herself. :)
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-06-07, Chapter 4
This was an awesome update!
Quote:
Life couldn’t get any better than at that moment. She wasn’t alone any more. There were still problems to face, issues to deal with, and things to discuss, but not right now. Right now, Chloe was going to bask in the glow of knowing she had Lois and Clark on her side.
I love that Clark and Lois are on Chloe's side and are going to help her--good for him.
And that Kale guy wants to hunt Chloe?! Is that what this whole project is for? And is it Lionel Luthor who is behind it all?
I am enjoying this story a great deal:grin3:
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-06-07, Chapter 4
Oh my, what a powerful update. I feel so bad for Chloe her world has been turned upside down. Your scene with her and Clark was wonderful. Dagney
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-06-07, Chapter 4
Great update but what has Lex done. He is going to cause the death of Chloe.::/:
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-06-07, Chapter 4
Excellent update. My god, I love this story!
I love that Lois and Clark both know and still will stand by Chloe no matter what. Clark telling Chloe that she was beautiful when in wolf form was lovely, I'm happy he accepts her. Both scenes were wonderful! I love how you described Chloe's change from human to wolf and back, really well written!
Kale is a really intresting character, I look forward to reading more about him and about his boss. I still don't know who's behind everything, but I can't wait to find out.
Please update again soon. This fic kicks a**!!!
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-06-07, Chapter 4
Quote:
“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art, like the universe itself (for God did not need to create). It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.”
C.S. Lewis
I loved this quote, and it set the theme for this chapter very nicely too. Nice choice, Ava :D
Quote:
She noticed certain words had tonal shifts that had betrayed his interest. From there, Chloe made improvements and dramatically built on what was suggested. When Chloe sat to think on it more, she realized that she could recall specific details that hadn’t even occurred to her before. It was like everything that her subconscious mind took notice of and her conscious mind discarded as too much were given a new weight. It elevated her writing to a whole new level. Her immediate boss at the Daily Planet had noticed the improved quality of her work. She felt confident that she had a secured a post graduation position.
Wow! I really enjoyed hearing about this new and fascinating feature of Chloe’s ‘mutant power’. I remember reading a short story by Isaac Asimov once which was all about a guy who had taken some kind of a chemical that allowed him ‘perfect recall’ as well. It benefited him in many of the same ways like it does for Chloe… complete and total recall allowed the man to sift and analyze through his memories in a more objective, carefully controlled way. This analysis allowed him to take a better look at all the information that he had gathered, which included not only perfect recall of words, but also perfect recall of body gestures, vocal tones and the like.
One the things he did was sift by all the ‘gossip’ that he had been privy to over the course of his life, and he was able to put together enough data to sort out a clear picture on what kind of horrible dirty laundry everyone (his work colleagues) had hiding in their closets. Having done that, he started blackmailing and pressuring everyone to increase his own financial and social status.
Heh, the point of the story was that ‘perfect recall’ was a pretty new toy to play with, which enabled him to use more of his brain, but did NOT make him more intelligent. His fiancé managed to rescue him from being killed by a number of people he was blackmailing, and told him that as the ‘smarter one in their partnership’ SHE should be placed in charge of his life and decisions. He very humbly agreed to her assessment of both their strengths, and the story leaves off with the both of them confident about world domination within a year’s time.
LOL! I really don’t think Chloe is going to do anything stupid with her new gifts like the man in the story. She has enough intelligence to know when to practice discretion, and when to launch a frontal attack, and the ‘total recall’ gift is something that’s going to be used most wisely by her.
This was a BEAUTIFUL and brilliant addiction to Chloe’s array of gifts, and I am very pleased to see how it was described in this fic (in a very real and plausible way). I especially loved how this new feature allowed her to see her status as a were-wolf as a gift rather than a curse. Beautifully done, Ava! Excellent transition and shifting of Chloe’s perception of her new mutant abilities.
Quote:
Chloe also came to the conclusion that she couldn’t keep Clark at a distance anymore. It was hurting him and it was also hurting her. Clark had been a fixture in her life for so long and it was hard to imagine him not being there. He came through when it counted, when it mattered, and she had come to terms with that. The wolf stripped away all pretenses and delusions she may have had. She was finally able to see that she and Clark would never have worked before. It was one of the hardest realizations in her life but a necessary one. Chloe had to find some way to make him fit. It was going to be hard, painful, and no doubt inspire a rage in her like none before but she had to make him fit.
I was really very happy about this decision. I thought it was a shame that Chloe was allowing her fear of Clark’s ‘strangeness’ overcome her sense of friendship, trust and camaraderie with him. But it seems like Chloe is willing to confront her fears, wrestle with her wolfy instincts and force Clark into her life, no matter how much the wolf inside complains. Own the wolf, Chloe! LOL!
It was also wonderful that Chloe has finally, FINALLY let go of the vestige of hope of getting together with Clark. There were times when I was seriously angry with her for hanging onto carrying a torch for a guy who has rejected her time and again. NOW she can have a real and honest friendship with him where she doesn’t expect anything more than friendship, and where Clark will no longer be able to take advantage of any lingering feelings of infatuation for himself in her.
Quote:
Chloe decided that she would voluntarily change. She wouldn’t wait until her dreams got bad or she got irritable. She’d do it now and hope that this time would be different. In any way it didn’t matter. She just needed to know that it wouldn’t always be as it has been. So around 10PM, Chloe got into her car and drove to the outskirts of Smallville where there was nothing and nobody to bother her. She parked her car in an abandoned barn and ran until she was about a mile away until she found a small burrow that could fit her clothes. Chloe felt the change overtake her and she was the wolf. She wasn’t hunting this time. She only wanted to feel her heart race and her muscles tense and relax. She didn’t want to remember a time when she wasn’t the wolf. A time when she was just Chloe. She wanted the world to fall away because it was scary and complicated. For a moment in time, she wanted to feel free of any burden that she might’ve carried. And she could feel that way as she ran. “This must be what sprinters feel like.”
I really enjoy seeing how Chloe’s wolfy instincts come out to affects her day to day life… such as marking off all her possessions every day to refresh them with her scent. That was very interesting. Hmmm, I wonder how she’ll feel about marking her possessions once she gets herself a mate (Lex Luthor of course… cause this IS a Chlex fic after all, LOL)… oooh, and how about marking and refreshing the scent on her mate on a regular basis? ROTFL!
I also enjoyed how she ‘chose’ to indulge her inner wolf tonight. She’s finally becoming more accepting of that part of herself… which will go a long way towards helping her learn how to adjust to her new condition and fit it into a semi-normal routine. I also loved the description of her ‘freedom’ on being a wolf. It sounded exhilarating and magnificent, and I can imagine she could learn to get used to this very easily… once she has her wolf under control.
Quote:
This sense of freedom caused Chloe to ignore all else. To ignore the fact that she was fast approaching farmland and the associated livestock. She never heard the gun cock, the inhalation of breath, or the pull of the trigger. Chloe did, however, feel the brutal sting of buckshot as it pierced her side. She flew five feet from the impact. Chloe was dazed and in pain, but she couldn’t really feel angry at a farmer protecting what was his from a feral dog. “Son of a bitch this hurts!” Chloe was amazed that she had a coherent thought in her head. A low keening made its way from her throat. She hurt so much.
Damn! OUCH! Poor Chloe! I knew that Chloe was going to be facing problems from being a were-wolf… Lots of people would love to catch one and experiment… or train them to work as slaves/soldiers. But I never figured on the inherent dangers in being mistaken for a real wolf. Dear heaven, so THIS is how she ended up bloody and injured in front of Clark.
Quote:
Chloe was partially brought to reality when she heard the light foot falls of the one who shot her. She also heard the heavier tread of a second person. “Two? Both Male. No doubt coming to finish the job.” No matter how much Chloe realized that they were just protecting what was theirs, she wanted to live. To survive. As soon as the male with the heavy feet got close enough, she lashed out. Quick and forcefully. Chloe latched onto his arm and felt the bones break and tasted the blood that gushed into her mouth. He screamed and tried to tear his arm from her mouth. It only served to injure him further. “Triumph.”
She heard the second male draw back a gun except it sounded different from the shotgun he had previously used. Still attached to the male’s arm, she launched herself into his body and used him as a shield. She needed to cause confusion and succeeded. The ensuing scuffle prevented another bullet, but she was getting weaker. Chloe swiftly let go of the male and tackled the other. As soon as he was on the ground, she made a run for it. Chloe had never run so fast, so frantically before. This was desperation born from the need to survive. And she would survive. In the truest sense of the words, failure was not an option. She felt vaguely sorry that she had hurt the male so badly, but that was pushed aside. Right now there was only her life to consider. Only her pain and desires mattered. Nothing would get in the way of that.
Beautiful! I’ve never written a fight scene before, but I imagine it would be difficult keeping track of all the actions, describing all the complicated moves and still keep it fast-paced and exciting. This was wonderfully handled, thrilling and exciting, Ava! You did a stunning job in conveying all the action across. I loved how Chloe still managed to hang onto her sense of self ‘just’ enough to feel bad about injuring the man, AND perhaps keeping herself controlled enough to NOT kill him in self-defense. This is proof that she’s getting a hold of the wolf, even under life and death situations. How wonderful and heartening!
Quote:
Chloe was relieved that she had been able to stay conscious long enough to get to Clark’s. For the first time in a long time, she didn’t feel the dissonance in Clark. She didn’t want to run. The wolf actually seemed to want to be around Clark. “He’s strong enough to keep me safe.” It almost seemed to Chloe that Clark’s alien nature was being pushed aside by the need to survive. “Because nothing brings people closer together than possible impending death.”
Brilliant! I loved how Chloe’s inner-wolf had a kind of epiphany about Clark which resulted in a complete change of perception. Clark’s status was changed from being ‘threat of unknown origins and immense power’ to ‘protector with immense strength’. Beautifully done! LOL! And I loved Chloe’s snark coming through, even in a moment as serious as this, ROTFL!
Quote:
If Clark had been panicked before, he was down-right terrified now. Her eyes fluttered closed. Clark gingerly moved her to the barn’s couch. He trained every sense on her. He was able to discern the pattern of the shot. It looked like she was hit with buckshot. Her heart beat was strong, her pulse steady and her breathing was pretty even. She wasn’t in danger of dying so he decided to not take her to the hospital. Clark went to the house and retrieved the first aid kit. He carefully removed her shirt and set about cleaning and bandaging her wounds. If he wasn’t so afraid for her, then he knew that he would’ve been far too self-conscious, but Chloe was hurt and he had to push aside his own concerns. He had to be strong for her. As soon as she woke up, he was going to wring the answers out of her if he had to.
I’m actually proud of Clark over here… He took Chloe’s wishes to heart, and respected her decision to not go to a hospital despite how common sense might dictate otherwise. Clark’s doing a good job taking care of her., and he’s proving his worth as a good and loyal friend. YAY Clark, LOL!
Quote:
Clark stayed awake all night staring at his best friend. The girl who loved him. He would’ve slept on the floor next to the couch because he was confident in his ability to hear her distress if things turned bad but something stopped him. When he had finished cleaning and bandaging her wounds, he finally saw why Chloe couldn’t go to a hospital. Why she had been shot. He saw her hands. They were clawed. Thick, wiry hair trailed down her arms and back. Her face was angular and if he had been forced to define it, he would’ve said she had something of a muzzle. “It’s not possible.” As he watched, her face reverted to *her* face, the thick hair that wasn’t her own fell away like she was shedding and her claws receded. She was Chloe again. “Can’t be possible. How could meteor rocks do this?”
ROTFLMAO! Looks like Chloe’s secret is out in the open now. Clark is understandably freaked, but he’s handling it much better than I would have given him credit for. I really like how your Clark is showing signs of maturity that is still beyond SV-Clark’s grasp.
Quote:
Despite the fact that he knew it was a distinct possibility, it still disconcerted him. He would never wish it on anyone. The familiar feeling of guilt threatened to overtake him but his guilt wouldn’t help Chloe. Chloe wouldn’t appreciate it either. She’d be the first to tell him that it wasn’t his fault and even if it was he could only move forward and try to make it better. Chloe’s renewed acceptance and faith in him after the red K bender hammered home how much she cared. She didn’t ignore it. She didn’t excuse him. She made him own it and remember it always. Clark realized that the constant reminder made it possible for him to have a stark contrast between what he wanted to be and what he could be if he let selfishness guide him. He couldn’t forget that his abilities could devastate the lives of many on a vast scale.
This was lovely! I really liked seeing how much Clark appreciated Chloe, and how she’s a role-model as well as a source of constant loyal support to him. She’s his hero, LOL!
Quote:
Chloe didn’t know how to even begin this conversation. She was pushing against the same wall that she had with Lois and she was nowhere near strong enough. She met his gaze for a few moments trying to think of a way to start this and have it make sense. The longer the stare went on the antsier Chloe became. The feeling of Clark being an alien seemed to be coming to the fore again. Chloe tried to resist panicking and remind herself that Clark had helped her, but it wasn’t working. That is, it wasn’t working until Clark stopped returning her gaze. “Pack.” She felt safe with him again and Chloe had an epiphany. “I am a wolf. He kept staring into my eyes. Challenging me.” Clark, whether he knew it or not, had conceded alpha status to her. Chloe suddenly recalled that Lana had done that too earlier that day. “But why? It makes no sense.”
Chloe didn’t care about starting the conversation she needed to have with him. She needed to know why, “Clark, why’d you drop your eyes?”
“What does that—“
Chloe interrupted him, “Answer the question. I’ll explain…just answer. Please.”
Clark took a moment and he looked away from her again before he finally answered, “My eyes started to hurt and all I could think about was looking anywhere but at you.”
Oooh, interesting! This also explains that weird thing that Lois noticed the other day where Chloe seemed to relax after Lana has lowered her eyes at the Talon. AND it’s also interesting that Chloe’s powers include forcing her ‘opponents’ and challengers to lower their gaze, even if they don’t fully realize what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. Heh, and it’s highly plausible that Clark would lower his gaze, because (in all versions of Clark Kent, comics, SV, fanfic, etc) I always got the impression that Clark was a submissive kind of personality who would always defer to a higher authority. Classic Clark was always Lois Lane’s whipped boy-toy (even after they got married)… the submissive to her dominant. And SV-Clark always submitted to the authority represented by others whether it was Martha, Lex, Lana, Chloe… EVERYONE!
LOL! It’s rather ironic considering that he’s the most powerful being in the universe, but he desperately seems to ‘need’ someone to take charge of his life. Hmm, perhaps it stems from his own fear of his powers and what he’s capable of doing with them?
It’s going to be SO interesting to see what happens when Chloe comes across Lex. HE is as dominant a personality as her, and he’s not going to submit easily when she turns her unnerving gaze on him. I hope she doesn’t maul him (too much), when he refuses to back down from his challenging ‘looking at her straight in the eyes’ position, LOL!
Quote:
“Clark, this is no different than your own situation! At any moment you could be confronted with red meteor rocks. It’s everywhere and they’re pretty. Despite this, Clark, I trust you,” Chloe eyes never left Clark’s. He felt the inexplicable need to look away from her again.
Chloe visibly relaxed but she had to continue, “Clark, since I’ve known about what you are I have never asked anything of you. Nothing that you couldn’t do. You’ve always been free to be whatever around me. This...this one time I am asking you to just be my friend. To just listen to me. I’m asking you not to be a man who has amazing abilities. I don’t need a savior. I need my friend. Be this for me. Please.”
Clark knew she was right, but it didn’t make it easier. It certainly didn’t comfort him. He also realized that he had just made it about himself.
That was a lovely, direct eloquent speech from Chloe, and I am so proud of her for speaking out about what SHE needs. I always found it frustrating whenever Chloe buried her own needs deep down to accommodate others, even when they were being unbelievably selfish and whiney. But now, she’s finally stating what she wants and needs… in small, simple words so Clark will have no trouble understanding it and providing it for her, LOL!
Quote:
Chloe was relieved to know that she wouldn’t need to hammer Clark with how much she needed him to just be there for her, “Clark, we can’t just go to Lex and demand whatever answers he’s willing to give. You and I both know that he has more resources than we could possibly overcome. We have to get information first and that comes later.”
*sigh* I guess I’m going to have to wait a little while longer until the Chloe/Lex confrontation. What she said makes sense, it would be better to gather more information first and be able to approach him from a better tactical bargaining position, rather than just rushing in and trying to beat the answers out of him (lol, although violence would have been very satisfying for wolfy-Chloe, no doubt, LOL).
Quote:
But when it was all over, a rather large wolf stood in front of him. On close inspection, there was actually no way that this animal could ever be mistaken for a wolf. It was far too large and far too muscular. It shamed the timber wolf in size and strength. The back legs were heavily muscled. They looked like they belonged on some larger animal. He could only conclude that they were for quick lunging and made running far easier. Her front legs, while still muscled, were leaner and streamlined…meant for quick turns and fine adjustment of pursuit. Her coat was also one not found in regular wolves. It was honey. “Beautiful.”
Clark noticed that her body language seemed unsure. He’d seen it before on many dogs who didn’t know the welcome they’d receive. He slowly walked towards the best friend he’d ever had, Pete was a close second but he was gone now. He bent down and touched her. Running his hands through her fur was an amazing thing. It was soft. He noticed her eyes. Far too intelligent to be on an animal. Her eyes were still green, but they seemed more vibrant as they caught a ray of sunlight.
Chloe rested her muzzle in his large hand. This was the first time that she could get a scale of how large she actually was. Clark was a big guy and she expected her muzzle to be dwarfed in his hands. She’d seen him with dogs before. Her muzzle didn’t fit in his hands.
Wow! I didn’t realize that Chloe’s wolf state has never been described in previous chapters. I didn’t even know what colour she was. And Chloe probably didn’t know either considering that she becomes colour blind during the change. The description of the awe Clark feels when he first sees her… her muscles, her coat… her beautiful, soft, intelligent green eyes… I felt the same kind of reverence alongside Clark. This was a stunning physical-appearance introduction to Chloe-wolf. VERY nicely done, Ava! Brilliant!
I also liked how Chloe herself was taken by surprise when she finally had a proper basis of comparison (Clark’s hands) to judge her size with. That was a nice touch, Ava :D
Quote:
Chloe was getting slightly uncomfortable with the solemnity of the situation and so did the only thing she could think of. She tackled him. The tackle took Clark by surprise but since she obviously wanted to wrestle with him then he’d oblige her. They hadn’t done anything like this since they were younger. He was always mindful of his strength.
By mutual accord they both stopped. Chloe was panting and Clark looked like he always did. “Jerk isn’t easily tired.” She moved away from him and cocked her head. Clark finally realized that she wanted to shift back to human so he turned his back on her. “He presents his back. Trust.”
ROTFLMAO! Oh this was a BRILLAINT scene that’s going to stay with me for a long time. I loved Wolf-Chloe and Clark’s interaction… they were just so adorable together!! And it was lovely to see them being playful and re-establishing the friendship that has been a little estranged recently. Lovely!
Quote:
She moved towards her car and heard Clark say, “You were beautiful. You were a honey color.”
She turned back towards him and ran into his arms. Her greatest fear that he’d tell her that she was a monster or that he would turn from her were unrealized. It was as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Chloe committed his scent to memory. “Pack.”
Awww, he really is SUCH a sweet, charming boy. I rather understand why Chloe would have been carrying a hopeless torch for so long. Clark can be really considerate, tender and loving, once he gets his head out of his behind, LOL!
Quote:
Chloe walked into her apartment and was immediately on guard. Her domain had been violated. She almost attacked the figure of the person standing in the middle of her living room but stopped when she realized who it was. “Lois.”
Chloe didn’t even have to feign anger when she spoke, “What the hell, Lois!”
“I’ve been reading. You’re going to hate me for this, but I couldn’t let it stand. Chloe, please, just tell me what’s wrong so that I can help you.”
Chloe looked around and saw what Lois had been reading. After Chloe first changed, she decided to keep a journal tracking what was happening. It seemed that Lois knew Chloe well enough to find where she had hidden it.
Heh, Lois had no idea how lucky she was that she wasn’t mauled after breaking and entering into Wolfy-Chloe’s home, LOL! And it seems this was the chapter where the secret comes out to everyone… I understand the quote set at the beginning of the chapter now…. This is all about Chloe regaining her friends and her support system. Excellent!
Quote:
Unlike with Clark, Chloe didn’t stay in her wolf form after she shifted. She stood before Lois and when Lois made no movement, she fled to her room. The sound of the door slamming galvanized Lois. “She must’ve thrown her weight against the door to close it.”
Lois ran to Chloe’s room and shouted outside her door, “Chloe! I don’t know what to think. This shouldn’t be possible! How is this possible?”
Lois was vaguely aware that her voice sounded panicky and far too high, but it wasn’t something she could help. “I can’t be helped. I just saw my cousin turn into a freaking werewolf!”
ROTFLMAO! I loved this… I loved how the scene changed moods so quickly with Lois being completely incredulous and disbelieving of everything Chloe had written, going immediately to shocked realization, and THEN immediately to terrified fright! It was really quite amusing, LOL!
I know Clark handled the news of Chloe’s wolfy state better, but I think his invulnerability might have played a part in helping him be ‘not terrified’. Lois, on the other hand, has no such assurance about the continual preservation of her physical well-being when confronted by a huge super-strong wolf, LOL! Nice and realistic reactions from both of them, Ava!
Quote:
“The change always drains me. I need to eat. Fruits are naturally sweet and help with energy. Coffee doesn’t taste terrible but it doesn’t taste good either. Too much artificial sweeteners and flavors. I try not to eat chocolate because in large quantities it can kill me and I’d rather avoid the temptation. You never did get to see my Wall of Weird did you? Weird things happen in this town and I know that you’ve noticed. It’s just you can’t explain it in a rational way so you discard it and have faith that it is somehow rooted in what you know and understand of the world,” Chloe stopped gathering food and looked at Lois, “But I can track most, if not all, of the weird things in this town back to meteor rocks. About two months ago I was kidnapped and then returned. Before you ask, it wasn’t an alien abduction. Anyway, I came back with a tracking device and the ability to become a werewolf. I don’t know how and I definitely don’t know why. The end.”
LOL! Nice summation, and a couple of new things that I didn’t know too. I thought meat would have been Chloe’s main source of nutrients, but it’s good to know that she’s still balancing it out with fruits, and possibly veggies and dairy too, lol!
Quote:
“Just like that?”
“Yeah, Chloe, just like that. You’re still my cousin. And we’ll get the bastard who did this.”
Life couldn’t get any better than at that moment. She wasn’t alone any more. There were still problems to face, issues to deal with, and things to discuss, but not right now. Right now, Chloe was going to bask in the glow of knowing she had Lois and Clark on her side.
Yay! Chloe has her support group to help her out now :D
Quote:
Samuel Kale enjoyed his work retrieving the freaks that Luthor had released. It wasn’t as thrilling as he had hoped it would be, but it kept him from being bored and relieved his frustrations over dealing with the fiancée. “Such weak minded individuals should be shot in public as a lesson to others.” So when he received the retrieval orders on Patient 081, he was no more or less excited than with the others. “Another weakling that I’m removing from the world. It’s a service.” He’d done his homework and got as much information about 081 as his boss was willing to divulge. He did wonder about the secrecy surrounding this particular patient, but it was “need to know” apparently.
Kale had meticulously prepared. No matter how much he denigrated the abilities of the dregs he was retrieving, he’d always get it right. It was the first rule. But this retrieval went wrong almost from the start. She was careful. There had been no overt use of her abilities and she seemed almost paranoid. “This one has brains.” He realized why this one was shrouded in secrecy as he tracked her movement. “A most fascinating animal. Beautiful. Strong.” Kale prided himself on his objectivity. There was no room in this business for anything other than business. He couldn’t be biased. So he could appreciate her abilities.
Fascinating! Kale is one really creepy guy, and I think he definitely gets a sick pleasure from inflicting pain, hurt and fear on all the ‘creatures’ he hunts down. It was rather strange that he regards mutants to be ‘weaklings’, considering that many of them have super-abilities that render them more powerful and dangerous than normal humans. Perhaps he’s referring to the weakness of their minds? The way these mutants ‘allow’ themselves to be driven towards megalomania and insanity because of their powers?
It was ALSO interesting that there was no definite mention about Lex Luthor being Kale’s employer. There was only mention of Lex being the one to ‘release’ these mutants (for reasons that I’m not yet certain of) and then Kale being given orders to ‘collect them’? Perhaps it was Lex who wanted his test-subjects back after observing how they interacted with the ‘real world’, or perhaps it’s a whole new person taking an interest in Lex’s mutant project.
Heh, mysteries piling up now, and I can’t wait to see where the answers lead. I look forward to the next update, Ava… Please post soon.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-15-07, Interlude
Disclaimer- see ch1
A/N- We, here at Killing Wall of Snow International, call this new part the “calm before the storm”. Enjoy!
A/N2- This part is also dedicated to skauble because she’s the SUPER BETA! I think everyone should thank her for her hard work and her all around awesome beta-ness. I know I do.:D
(I can be nice sometimes…in between the monstrous evil I sometimes indulge in)
Interlude- Being
May you find serenity and tranquility
in a world you may not always understand.
May the pain you have known
and the conflict you have experienced
give you the strength to walk through life
facing each new situation with courage and optimism.
Sandra Sturtz Hauss , excerpt from “May You Always Feel Loved”
After Chloe had revealed herself to Lois, they had spent the day just talking and knowing each other again. Chloe could see the wide gulf that had been between them. It had never really been there before…even when they were younger and Lois and Uncle Sam were constantly on the move. They had been like sisters. And while Chloe was no slouch in the hyperactivity department, Lois took it to a whole new level. She was outgoing, brash, and daring. Chloe was all those things too, but she could take control of it. Own it so as not to alienate people.
Lois simply didn’t care. She barely had impulse control. It was both endearing and frustrating beyond believe. But none of that had mattered until the wolf. The wolf came and forced Chloe to look at Lois like a new entity. Forced her to look at Lois not with the lens of being a cousin or a sister, but objectively and the wolf had found her lacking. It was a new and scary feeling. Yes, she and Clark had been close and rejecting him had hurt badly, but it was nowhere near the feeling of rejecting Lois. Lois was family. She was there before Clark and would be around long after him.
By mutual agreement, they chose to not begin searching for the hows and the whys. They chose to just be together. Even now, after Lois had left, Chloe’s apartment held faint traces of Lois. The kitchen counter where they both stood and talked and put food together to eat. The couch where they had sat and watched movies. The only place where Lois’ scent didn’t linger was the bedroom. Chloe hadn’t been ready to have her scent there, but it was a start. Sometimes baby steps were the way to go and sometimes charging madly and wildly was the way to go. The day had already been emotional, so it was a fairly easy decision to not push her luck with what she could and could not do.
No matter how small the step, it had been a big thing to feel content with someone else’s scent all over. It wasn’t obtrusive. It was comforting because Lois was once again family. She wasn’t a loud talking stranger that she had visions of maiming horribly. She was Lois again and that meant everything. It meant that even though her father wasn’t around, some part of him was with her, however removed.
She didn’t know that she could feel this level of peace. Even before whatever was done to her was done to her. Lois was understandably freaked. Chloe was a tactile person before and even more now that she was a wolf.
She had eventually run Lois off with a promise to call her soon. Chloe wanted to be alone and process everything and she didn’t think she could do it with Lois around keeping up an endless stream of chatter. So it was with quiet reflection that Chloe watched the sunset.
Since becoming the wolf, sunset and sunrise became something of a spiritual experience…even when she was color blind. She might not have been able to see the brilliant hues now, but she could take note of the tree that was across the street. It was as if the absence of color forced her to note everything else. She could see the dips and hollows of the leaves. It was like she was holding the leaf in her hands. It was that vivid. The experience became so much more when could see the colors and be focused on them.
Chloe remembered the first time she had just *sat* and looked at something with her new sight. She’d been doing the dishes and the sun had caught this bubble. And there were just so many colors refracted and reflected back at her. It was then that it was really and truly hammered home that everything about her was different. Everything. The whole changing into a wolf was something almost abstract. It happened and then she was Chloe again, but this meant that it was with her even as Chloe. It was a surreal moment.
She disliked the fact that she was color blind but at these moments she could stop and try to appreciate everything else. It was the only way to adapt to the circumstances of her new life and all that entailed. Chloe was left with the earthshaking knowledge that she could not be what she was, could not remain in her present condition, but had no clue how to move forward. She did know that it began with Lois and Clark. Her family. Eventually her new life would include her father, but not now. Baby steps.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-15-07, Interlude
I love that Chloe is finally starting to accept the wolfside of her, that she is different now, changed, and not trying to seperate herself from her wolfself, that they are now the same{did that make any sense?} LOL
I also love that she and Lois are getting along and not letting Chloe's change ruin their relationship. Another awesome chapter!
Can't wait to read more!!!
I was wondering if Lex will be making an appearance soon?
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-15-07, Interlude
This was a wonderful interlude!
Chloe is right about her cousin--Lois is too brash, too loud, too outspoken. Shis is almost foolhardy in her actions. Chloe is smart and brave and will go out on a limb for a story, but she also knows her limitations. But I did like that Lois accepted the "changed" Chloe--good for her.
But I have a question: where is Gabe? This update makes it sound that Chloe's dad is still around, but just not living in Smallville? And I would also like to see Lex make his appearance in this awesome fic.
But I know this is your story, so I have to be patient. DAMN!!!:D
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-15-07, Interlude
Your writing is so with your use of the senses of sight, smell and touch as through Chloe's new found change. Keep up the good work. Dagney
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-15-07, Interlude
Quote:
By mutual agreement, they chose to not begin searching for the hows and the whys. They chose to just be together. Even now, after Lois had left, Chloe’s apartment held faint traces of Lois. The kitchen counter where they both stood and talked and put food together to eat. The couch where they had sat and watched movies. The only place where Lois’ scent didn’t linger was the bedroom. Chloe hadn’t been ready to have her scent there, but it was a start. Sometimes baby steps were the way to go and sometimes charging madly and wildly was the way to go. The day had already been emotional, so it was a fairly easy decision to not push her luck with what she could and could not do.
No matter how small the step, it had been a big thing to feel content with someone else’s scent all over. It wasn’t obtrusive. It was comforting because Lois was once again family. She wasn’t a loud talking stranger that she had visions of maiming horribly. She was Lois again and that meant everything. It meant that even though her father wasn’t around, some part of him was with her, however removed.
This was a great new chapter. I really enjoyed seeing a little more on the re-bonding that took place between Lois and Chloe. I can see that Chloe had been quite upset from the estrangement from her cousin, and it was fantastic seeing that Chloe had wrestled her Wolfy-half into accepting Lois. I loved the detail about how Chloe had forced herself to become used to another person’s scent encroaching on ‘her territory’. LOL, it’s going to go a long way to helping her not tear out Lex’s throat when they start sharing a bedroom together, LOL!
Can we have a really sexy scene where we see Chloe growling at Lex until he submits and bares his throat to her? That would be SO hot :D
Quote:
Since becoming the wolf, sunset and sunrise became something of a spiritual experience…even when she was color blind. She might not have been able to see the brilliant hues now, but she could take note of the tree that was across the street. It was as if the absence of color forced her to note everything else. She could see the dips and hollows of the leaves. It was like she was holding the leaf in her hands. It was that vivid. The experience became so much more when could see the colors and be focused on them.
Chloe remembered the first time she had just *sat* and looked at something with her new sight. She’d been doing the dishes and the sun had caught this bubble. And there were just so many colors refracted and reflected back at her. It was then that it was really and truly hammered home that everything about her was different. Everything. The whole changing into a wolf was something almost abstract. It happened and then she was Chloe again, but this meant that it was with her even as Chloe. It was a surreal moment.
This was a BEAUTIFUL description on Chloe’s new physical perceptions and senses with the benefit of the wolf. It was lovely and breathtaking.
Quote:
She disliked the fact that she was color blind but at these moments she could stop and try to appreciate everything else. It was the only way to adapt to the circumstances of her new life and all that entailed. Chloe was left with the earthshaking knowledge that she could not be what she was, could not remain in her present condition, but had no clue how to move forward. She did know that it began with Lois and Clark. Her family. Eventually her new life would include her father, but not now. Baby steps.
Chloe is getting a proper hold of herself. Heh, it would have been fun to see LEX suffering through a lot of Chloe’s ‘transitional problems’, but it seems like Chloe is going to have herself substantially under control by the time CHlex rolls in… Still, I’m sure being part of a relationship will bring up a whole new set of unexpected problem with the inner-wolf, and I look REALLY forward to seeing how it all work out
:D :ecstatic: Please update soon.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-15-07, Interlude
What a great update. It really showed how Chloe accepted where she is at at the moment. ;)
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-17-07, Chapter 5
Disclaimer- see ch1
A/N- The plot thickens. Enjoy! Also, this part is dedicated to skauble. Yeah, she got the previous part too, but she really kicked me into a direction here.
Chapter 5- Actions of the Wolf
“The truth will set you free. But first, it will piss you off.”
Gloria Steinem
Chloe was awakened by the sound of her phone ringing. She rolled over and looked at her clock. It was 8 AM on a Sunday. The past few days had been emotional and she hadn’t been sleeping well so she was annoyed that she was being disturbed this early in the morning. “I don’t even have coffee to make it better. I think this deserves an evisceration.”
She had discovered that she could no longer have her alarm clock or her phone in her room. The noise of an alarm clock or phone was jarring. One minute she’d be asleep and the next she’d be wide awake and casting her glance about the room frantically. Her heartbeat racing. Her breathing rapid. The response was the same as if she’d been awakened from a nightmare. It happened every time. She couldn’t get used to.
After the fourth time this happened, she reduced the volume on the phone and alarm clock. It hadn’t helped. After that, she placed her alarm clock and the phone in the drawer of the nightstand next to the bed. That only resulted in her attacking her nightstand before she was even fully aware of what she was doing. Claws out and viciously ripping into the wood. Chloe had to go to the hardware store for a new one and she cried as she put her newly bought nightstand together. She also found that she couldn’t stand the constant ticking of analog clocks. Chloe had to change every ticking clock in her home to digital. She only set the alarm clock in the living room and the volume was turned off on the phone in her room, but not in the living room.
The action of rolling over and answering her phone put strain on her side where she’d been shot. The wound had healed a month over the span of a day. “Fast healing makes no sense.” Sure most werewolf movies and lore say that werewolves healed quickly, but there was no scientific basis for such healing. It was one more thing she needed to know the hows for.
Her voice was hoarse from sleep and tinged with annoyance when she greeted the person on the phone.
“Hey, sweetheart. Sorry to call so early.”
It was her father. His voice immediately calmed her. Whatever dark thoughts she had been thinking, whatever irritation she might’ve felt left her. Love and devotion was left in its wake. “Alpha.” Gabe Sullivan might not have been a werewolf and she was more than positive that killing him would be a trivial thing, but he was her father. He was still the boss of her, but it made her feel safe. She didn’t have to be afraid if her daddy was there. She definitely wasn’t alone despite the fact that he had a job in Metropolis. His voice called to mind every good thing, every bad thing that she had experienced with him. When he disciplined her. When he comforted her and told her stories. When he smiled at her. Superior physical strength meant nothing if the mental strength wasn’t there. And she was strong mentally when he was there.
“Chloe, are you ok?”
She realized that she had zoned out on him because his voice was on the edge of parental worry, “Sorry, daddy. The gray matter isn’t working this early. What’s up?”
Her reassurance settled him because his voice was soothing in her ear, “I’m headed out of town for a couple of weeks on a business trip. I leave in about an hour so we won’t be able to have dinner this evening. I didn’t know I was going on the trip until late last night. I’ll make it up to you as soon as I get back.”
Chloe was disappointed. She had been looking forward to going to Metropolis and being in her father’s home. He always smelled nice. She belonged with him. In his place. There were times when she thought it slightly ridiculous how much she depended on him for her emotional well-being but she felt she had a good excuse with the whole werewolf situation. The only consolation was that he didn’t sound enthused about missing dinner with her.
She made sure to inject her voice with levity. He couldn’t know that it hurt badly to miss this time with him, “I can’t believe you're ditching me for work. I’d skip work for you. It would be a sacrifice but I’d do it.”
Gabe chuckled a little, “I remember a certain delinquent daughter ditching me to chase leads on a story. Chloe, are you sure you’re ok? I feel like I’m missing something.”
"Unbelievable." It was scary how well her family knew her. “First Lois and now my father.” Chloe would be eternally grateful to whatever providence gave her people in her life that cared enough to worry and nag. Even if it was annoying sometimes. “It just means that if I die in my apartment my corpse will be found in a timely manner. None of those icky gas explosions for me.”
“I’m just feeling a little stressed. Ya know. The usual. Go. Have fun on your trip. Well as much fun as a business trip can be. Bring me back something pretty.”
For the next 30 minutes they caught up on what each was doing and he gave her the details of his trip. He was headed to San Diego for some kind of symposium. Chloe hung up the phone with her father feeling much renewed.
********
Her watch said it was two minutes until noon. Chloe sat in her car outside of Clark Kent’s barn. She was about to have a rather difficult conversation with him and didn’t look forward to it. After her talk with her father, Chloe had to find something to do for the day. She had planned on going to Metropolis early and hanging out with him but he deep-sixed that plan. Since he was going to be out of time for at least two weeks, she figured that she might as well face the elephant in the room, which was why she was sitting in her car. Chloe realized that she really couldn’t involve Clark in what she was about to do. Clark could be as emotional as the best of them and his judgment had always been clouded when it came to Lex. “He means well.”
Clark would distract her. Would make her back off when her judgment told her to strongly push forward. She couldn’t afford to dance around the answers she needed. She couldn’t let ethics or morality cloud her mind. Chloe needed to be unerringly ruthless in the pursuit of this truth. In the pursuit of Lex. This situation was as deep as the one she had found herself in with Lionel. She hadn’t gone too far in taking him down because Lex had. She let him do the dirty work so that she didn’t have one more thing to feel guilty about. Besides, in any endeavor with the Luthors plausible deniability became paramount to self preservation. Chloe still wanted to preserve that kernel of innocence that she had. The entire ordeal had taught her a very valuable lesson. “Life is like a jar of jalapenos. What you do today will burn your ass tomorrow.”
At any rate, Chloe didn’t want to put him in a position of having to choose between his friendship with her and his principles. It wasn’t fair to him. Lex had already forced that issue; and while Chloe knew that she and Clark had a much stronger foundations, she didn’t want to put it to the test. More than that, she didn’t want him to look at her differently. Clark was one of the best people she knew and she loved him. It was why his possible rejection had hurt so badly. If for even one moment, he looked at her in fear or hatred or as if she were a monster, Chloe knew she wouldn’t be able to handle it. It was what happened when you willingly bound yourself to someone else. For that reason, she could feel pity for Lex. Chloe could almost track the exact moment that Clark stopped looking at Lex as a friend. It may seem like she was forever sacrificing herself on the altar of Clark Kent’s regard and getting nothing in return, but she was a willing participant. And at the end of the day, she got someone who loved her. No matter how dumb his execution was.
She knew her place in his life and the wolf made her content with it. Besides, when he needed help or needed anything he came to her. She had power over him. She just chose never to abuse it. Clark Kent was the kind of person destined for great things and that meant that sometimes the rules had to be brutally murdered in the town square. He was someone that came into being only once in millions of tries. Chloe knew that he was worth it and so she could never bring herself to resent whatever hold he had on her. She embraced it because the man he would become would inevitably be shaped by the people he was close to. It meant that no matter what he did or where he went she, Chloe Sullivan, had a hand in it. Great people were measured by their deeds, and those deeds were forged by the people who knew them best. In a round about way, that meant that when Clark Kent’s greatness was measured, they would actually be seeing her greatness. And Martha’s, Jonathan’s, Lex’s, and even Lana’s.
The subject of her thoughts walked into view. He took the choice of meeting him right out of her hands. Never let it be said that Clark Kent lacked decisiveness. Once he had a course of action he bulldozed right on through to the end. His lack of focus and indecision would fade away with time and confidence. Every now and again she saw it in him. No doubt it was that spark that kept Martha and Jonathan, when he was alive, going and the people who knew him best. Clark Kent was going to be a legend.
His stride was long and purposeful with a hint of the small town farmer that he would’ve been had he not been a super- powered, beautiful alien.
“You’ve been sitting out here for ten minutes.”
Chloe got out of her car, “Yeah. I know. I’ve been trying to find the words to tell you something you’re not gonna like.”
There were times when Clark knew that Chloe Sullivan might possibly prove to be more deadly than green kryptonite. Usually it came on the tail end of a vague statement that spelled doom. Now was such a time, “And why is that?”
She watched as the grin left his face and he got serious. It changed his demeanor entirely when he did that. It was like he was becoming someone new. Someone who was unburdened by the cares of a teenager. “Trading one kind of burden for another.”
“Because I know that you want to help me take down Luthor and I can’t let you.”
Chloe knew the exact moment when Clark shut down on her. The exact moment she knew that he was gonna dig in and be as hard-head, as stubborn as a mule. Worse than a mule. “Maybe a camel.” It was when his impressive jaw clinched and set into a hard expression. She remembered when they were younger and he would do that. It was so adorable. Now, however, it wasn’t. He was a man now.
Clark looked away from her. He was trying to gather his composure, “Why? This isn’t something you can do alone. I can help you.”
Chloe knew where he was coming from. She’d be hard pressed to accept such a rejection if she were in his shoes, but she had to stay firm on this, “Because Lex is either a massive blind spot or he flares too brightly in your view. Your judgment has never been right when it came to him.”
Clark flinched away from her words. She had hurt him.
“Clark, I can’t do this if I’m afraid that you’ll do something drastic. I don’t need you to protect me. And I’ll say that until you believe it. I’m here for you because I love you. You don’t need to do anything for me. If this is about your sense of right and wrong, know that it won’t get out of hand,” she moved to stand in front of him again, put her hand on his cheek, and met his eyes, “You’ll be the first person I call if I need anything. Clark, part of being what you are means knowing when you can’t interfere. Trouble will find you. It will forever be a part of your life. There is no need for you to go hunting for it. This one time, Clark, you can’t go where I’m going.”
Chloe thought she might cry at his expression. Many emotions raced across his face. He was torn and hurt.
Clark enveloped her in a hug. He held her tight as if she would slip away, “You’re the best person I know, Chloe. I don’t know what I would do without you. One of the worst moments of my life came when I thought I had lost you forever that summer. I always expect you to come back to me. And it’s only recently that I realized that you’ve never left me.”
He let her go and walked back to his barn. In so many ways he didn’t fit with the image of a barn, but in the only way that mattered he belonged there. He belonged there because the people around him carved out a niche he could fit. “Clark Kent is one in a million.” Chloe knew that dragging this out and running to him would not have made things better so she got back into her car and drove away. It was the beginning of something new. “Change is a hurtful bitch.”
Chloe called Lois. She told Lois to meet her at a cyber café in Metropolis. It was time to find the answers she was looking for.
********
It took Chloe and Lois three hours to get the results they were looking for. Chloe had denied Lois access to the information she had helped her acquire. She didn’t want her cousin deeply involved until she knew the depth and width of the opposition. Lois pouted. She threatened, and whined until Chloe’s eyes flashed gold. That shut her up in record time. “I should abuse the fun eye change more often.”
Chloe left Lois with vague promises of filling her in later and headed home. As she sat and read her computer screen, the world faded away. A quarter of the way through, Chloe let loose a roar of rage. She didn’t care about neighbors hearing. They’d probably think it was the radio anyway. Chloe had only felt this out of control the first time she had changed into the wolf. She couldn’t control this. Her heart was racing, her breathing was rapid and she knew that the change was at the surface. Chloe ran from her apartment, gunned her car engine and pointed it in the direction of Lex Luthor’s mansion. There were no thoughts in her mind. Only fury and pain. She was going to murder him and paint his walls red with his blood.
“Lex Luthor will die for this.”
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-17-07, Chapter 5
This was a gorgeous update!
I liked the Chloe/Gabe phone conversation, and that even though she is a wolf now, she still needs her dad.
The Chlark conversation was also excellent--Clark would never be unbiased enough to be able to investigate Lex properly, and Chloe was right to not let him help. And good for Clark for telling Chloe how much she means to him;)
Lois helping Chloe to find info is cool, but Chloe is right to keep her away from the important "It could get you killed" info--she and Clark would be the type to barge in on Lex, with tons of accusations and no proof.
Lastly, what the heck did Chloe read in that file that made her want to kill Lex? Is it about her mom?
Please let us know as soon as you can:grin3:
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-17-07, Chapter 5
oh my goodness. I don't think lex can be ready for a feral Chloe. Dagney
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-17-07, Chapter 5
Wow that was a good. I love the talk she had with her dad and Clark. They are very important to her and I can see how she cherishes them. But the last part about Lex. EEK!! if i were him I would get the heck out of dodge. :eek:
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-17-07, Chapter 5
Well, you actually made it on to my To Do list for the day and I have read what is so far a wonderful piece. I still have little interest in the werewolf part of the story (sorry www), but I am very intrigued by the storyline overall. I love that she has been honest with Clark and Lois. Looking forward to Lex's reaction when she attacks him. Which limb to bite off first...hmmm.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-17-07, Chapter 5
Quote:
After the fourth time this happened, she reduced the volume on the phone and alarm clock. It hadn’t helped. After that, she placed her alarm clock and the phone in the drawer of the nightstand next to the bed. That only resulted in her attacking her nightstand before she was even fully aware of what she was doing. Claws out and viciously ripping into the wood. Chloe had to go to the hardware store for a new one and she cried as she put her newly bought nightstand together. She also found that she couldn’t stand the constant ticking of analog clocks. Chloe had to change every ticking clock in her home to digital. She only set the alarm clock in the living room and the volume was turned off on the phone in her room, but not in the living room.
More fascinating stuff! I love seeing all these little details on how Chloe’s new senses have disrupted her life, and how she has to make the most bizarre and radical adjustments to compensate. Personally, I never liked analog clocks… they never seem to give me a proper reference to the time… seeing that it’s only one minute to eight is a WHOLE lot different from a clock telling me to ‘relax since it’s ’only’ 7:59, LOL!
Quote:
The action of rolling over and answering her phone put strain on her side where she’d been shot. The wound had healed a month over the span of a day. “Fast healing makes no sense.” Sure most werewolf movies and lore say that werewolves healed quickly, but there was no scientific basis for such healing. It was one more thing she needed to know the hows for.
LOL! You gotta admire her pragmatic view, ROTFL!
Quote:
It was her father. His voice immediately calmed her. Whatever dark thoughts she had been thinking, whatever irritation she might’ve felt left her. Love and devotion was left in its wake. “Alpha.” Gabe Sullivan might not have been a werewolf and she was more than positive that killing him would be a trivial thing, but he was her father. He was still the boss of her, but it made her feel safe. She didn’t have to be afraid if her daddy was there. She definitely wasn’t alone despite the fact that he had a job in Metropolis. His voice called to mind every good thing, every bad thing that she had experienced with him. When he disciplined her. When he comforted her and told her stories. When he smiled at her. Superior physical strength meant nothing if the mental strength wasn’t there. And she was strong mentally when he was there.
squeeee! I wanted to hug this paragraph… squeeze it to tiny, oozing pieces! I loved it! I thought it was beautiful that even the Wolfy part of Chloe respected and was so devoted to Gabe that she deferred to his authority without putting up even the slightest bit of a challenge. LOL! The ONLY person in Chloe’s life that she would submit to is her father, and there is something so lovely about the love and trust implied in that.
LOL! I wonder if Lex will be bemused by the fact that Gabe was able to tame Chloe’s wolf without trying while HE had to jump through hoops to prove HIS subservience to her. :P This is of course, based on the huge a presumptuous assumption that Chloe will force Lex to submit when she wants him as her mate… It sounds likely (and hot), but it’s possible that Ava has something better in mind than my poor imaginings ;)
Quote:
Chloe was disappointed. She had been looking forward to going to Metropolis and being in her father’s home. He always smelled nice. She belonged with him. In his place. There were times when she thought it slightly ridiculous how much she depended on him for her emotional well-being but she felt she had a good excuse with the whole werewolf situation. The only consolation was that he didn’t sound enthused about missing dinner with her.
She made sure to inject her voice with levity. He couldn’t know that it hurt badly to miss this time with him, “I can’t believe you're ditching me for work. I’d skip work for you. It would be a sacrifice but I’d do it.”
Awww, so no werewolf-Chloe and Daddy-Gabe bonding sessions taking place soon, and Chloe has is really disappointed about the bonding opportunity vanishing. I guess it’s going to take place a little later in the story. I look forward to seeing how it turns out.
Quote:
Gabe chuckled a little, “I remember a certain delinquent daughter ditching me to chase leads on a story. Chloe, are you sure you’re ok? I feel like I’m missing something.”
"Unbelievable." It was scary how well her family knew her. “First Lois and now my father.” Chloe would be eternally grateful to whatever providence gave her people in her life that cared enough to worry and nag. Even if it was annoying sometimes. “It just means that if I die in my apartment my corpse will be found in a timely manner. None of those icky gas explosions for me.”
LOL! It’s so much seeing how everyone is showing their support for Chloe in ways that none of us (including Chloe herself) would have imagined them capable of. She’s in shock about how people are putting aside their own issues to place her needs first, but it’s a GOOD kind of shock, which is great to see, LOL!
Quote:
Clark would distract her. Would make her back off when her judgment told her to strongly push forward. She couldn’t afford to dance around the answers she needed. She couldn’t let ethics or morality cloud her mind. Chloe needed to be unerringly ruthless in the pursuit of this truth. In the pursuit of Lex. This situation was as deep as the one she had found herself in with Lionel. She hadn’t gone too far in taking him down because Lex had. She let him do the dirty work so that she didn’t have one more thing to feel guilty about. Besides, in any endeavor with the Luthors plausible deniability became paramount to self preservation. Chloe still wanted to preserve that kernel of innocence that she had. The entire ordeal had taught her a very valuable lesson. “Life is like a jar of jalapenos. What you do today will burn your ass tomorrow.”
oh dear! I like that Chloe is taking a proactive approach to destroying the person she ‘believes’ to be responsible for her condition, but I think she’s moving too vicious, too soon. The wolfy aspect of her has gotten her blood boiling, so she can’t sit down a investigate in her usual cool, collected way.
But I do appreciate how she’s not automatically calling Clark for help. She IS calm enough to be able to judge that Clark will probably hold her back, distract her… AND she’d feel terrible asking him to betray his principles… even for her. Now THIS is why Chloe is such a wonderful friend, she would never take advantage of Clark’s love for her by asking him to do something that goes against his ideals.
Quote:
It was what happened when you willingly bound yourself to someone else. For that reason, she could feel pity for Lex. Chloe could almost track the exact moment that Clark stopped looking at Lex as a friend. It may seem like she was forever sacrificing herself on the altar of Clark Kent’s regard and getting nothing in return, but she was a willing participant. And at the end of the day, she got someone who loved her. No matter how dumb his execution was.
She knew her place in his life and the wolf made her content with it. Besides, when he needed help or needed anything he came to her. She had power over him. She just chose never to abuse it. Clark Kent was the kind of person destined for great things and that meant that sometimes the rules had to be brutally murdered in the town square. He was someone that came into being only once in millions of tries. Chloe knew that he was worth it and so she could never bring herself to resent whatever hold he had on her. She embraced it because the man he would become would inevitably be shaped by the people he was close to. It meant that no matter what he did or where he went she, Chloe Sullivan, had a hand in it. Great people were measured by their deeds, and those deeds were forged by the people who knew them best. In a round about way, that meant that when Clark Kent’s greatness was measured, they would actually be seeing her greatness. And Martha’s, Jonathan’s, Lex’s, and even Lana’s.
This was a beautiful, gorgeous monologue from Chloe. It was wonderful that, despite whatever problems she might have with the way Clark expresses his friendship, she can see that his friendship is a relationship worth fighting for. Not only that, but she also helped ME see why a person would hang onto Clark as a friend, despite all the difficulties associated with hanging out with a brooding hero-in-training.
I also loved how Chloe had a moment where she felt pity for Lex and how he is incapable of hanging onto a friend of any worthy calibre. It actually MUST be horrible and depressing going through life knowing that there’s no-one who loves you for yourself… No wonder Lex clings to people who show the slightest bit of inclination of liking just ‘Lex’ and not just wanting to hang out with ‘Lex Luthor’…
Quote:
The subject of her thoughts walked into view. He took the choice of meeting him right out of her hands. Never let it be said that Clark Kent lacked decisiveness. Once he had a course of action he bulldozed right on through to the end. His lack of focus and indecision would fade away with time and confidence. Every now and again she saw it in him. No doubt it was that spark that kept Martha and Jonathan, when he was alive, going and the people who knew him best. Clark Kent was going to be a legend.
squeee! This was a lovely picture painted of Clark. I love fics where Clark is shown as an actual young Superman rather than a whiny, broody, stupid, self-righteous, sanctimonious teen with some ‘superman-like’ powers.
Quote:
“Because I know that you want to help me take down Luthor and I can’t let you.”
Chloe knew the exact moment when Clark shut down on her. The exact moment she knew that he was gonna dig in and be as hard-head, as stubborn as a mule. Worse than a mule. “Maybe a camel.” It was when his impressive jaw clinched and set into a hard expression. She remembered when they were younger and he would do that. It was so adorable. Now, however, it wasn’t. He was a man now.
LOL! I actually liked that Clark was going to put up a fight about not being included in Chloe crusade. I would have been horribly disappointed if Clark had just accepted Chloe’s orders to ‘stay put’ without arguing that she needs back-up.
Quote:
Chloe knew where he was coming from. She’d be hard pressed to accept such a rejection if she were in his shoes, but she had to stay firm on this, “Because Lex is either a massive blind spot or he flares too brightly in your view. Your judgment has never been right when it came to him.”
This was AWESOME! I loved it! I loved Chloe’s astute and spot-on analysis on how Clark has this weakness of perception when it comes to Lex. AND she managed to phrase it beautifully in a short, cutting, brief statement. Awesome writing, Ava!
Quote:
Clark enveloped her in a hug. He held her tight as if she would slip away, “You’re the best person I know, Chloe. I don’t know what I would do without you. One of the worst moments of my life came when I thought I had lost you forever that summer. I always expect you to come back to me. And it’s only recently that I realized that you’ve never left me.”
awww, dear sweet Clark… When he finally gets it into his head to start paying attention to his friends, he is unbeatable when it comes to loyalty and unwavering support. Which makes sense, because he learned everything he knows about being a friend from Chloe :D
Quote:
It took Chloe and Lois three hours to get the results they were looking for. Chloe had denied Lois access to the information she had helped her acquire. She didn’t want her cousin deeply involved until she knew the depth and width of the opposition. Lois pouted. She threatened, and whined until Chloe’s eyes flashed gold. That shut her up in record time. “I should abuse the fun eye change more often.”
That is great! I was concerned that Chloe was just rushing off blindly and hotly to beat the heck out of Lex, without taking a moment to research, think or strategize beforehand. But it seems like the wolf’s blood-lust has not overcome to cool, ruthless reporter within… not yet.
But Chloe was calm enough to commit herself to research, AND take along a assistant with her, LOL! I’m sure Lois must have been livid about being forced to carry papers without being fully informed about everything in them, ROTFL! Chloe would have KILLED Lois if Lois had tried to pull a stunt like that on her… I guess a pair of vicious, killer eyes go a long way to making the opposition shut up, LOL!
Quote:
Chloe left Lois with vague promises of filling her in later and headed home. As she sat and read her computer screen, the world faded away. A quarter of the way through, Chloe let loose a roar of rage. She didn’t care about neighbors hearing. They’d probably think it was the radio anyway. Chloe had only felt this out of control the first time she had changed into the wolf. She couldn’t control this. Her heart was racing, her breathing was rapid and she knew that the change was at the surface. Chloe ran from her apartment, gunned her car engine and pointed it in the direction of Lex Luthor’s mansion. There were no thoughts in her mind. Only fury and pain. She was going to murder him and paint his walls red with his blood.
“Lex Luthor will die for this.”
oh dear Heavens! What the heck was in those papers? WHAT could have produced this kind of a blood-lusting, violent reaction from Chloe… She not only wants to hurt him (which is understandable) or even kill him (which is extreme, but a possible outcome) but she actually wants to torture and rip him apart. Part of the viciousness of her emotions might be from the Wolf, but I think there must have been something TERRIBLE in those files to have driven Chloe to this state.
I can’t wait to find out all the details on whatever Chloe discovered during her research. Not to mention the upcoming Lex and Chloe confrontation? AWESOME!!! Please update soon!
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-17-07, Chapter 5
Fantastic chapter!
I dying to know what Chloe read in those papers. The plot thickens! Can't wait for the Chlex confrontation.
Please update again soon!!!
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-24-07, Chapter 6
Disclaimer: see ch1
A/N: So, I'll be traveling for the foreseeable future. School will also be starting around that time. All that to mean that I probably won't have the chance to write the next parts for awhile. I still love you all? Please don't kill me. :D
Chapter 6- Anger of the Wolf
“The truth is rarely pure and never simple.”
Oscar Wilde
One minute Lex was having a conversation with his bodyguards and the next the double doors to his office were flying open and an obviously irate Chloe Sullivan was bearing down on him. He was in the process of escorting them from his office when all this occurred so it came as a surprise when his guards seemed to fly away from him and he was tackled to the ground with Chloe straddling him. She looked vicious. Something was wrong with her face but he couldn’t concentrate on that because her eyes were gold and her lips were pulled back into a fierce snarl. He could see elongated fangs and feel vibrations. She was growling low in the throat and he felt it in his bones.
His head was pounding and he didn’t think he could move even if he wanted to do so. From the corner of his eye, Lex could see his two bodyguards, Mercy and Williamson, stand. Mercy pulled her glock, but Chloe didn’t remove her eyes from him. Williamson rushed to Chloe and made to grab her, but she lashed out. Her hand gripped Williamson’s fore arm and with a sharp twist, Chloe broke it. All of them heard the bones snap. They saw the blood as it gushed from his wound. But most of all, they heard Williamson scream. Chloe released his arm and pushed him. Williamson fell to the ground screaming and writhing.
Chloe put both of her hands, palms down, on his chest. Lex could see claws. His breath hitched and he knew that he was only a few moments away from panicking. Chloe then began to press hard on him. Lex felt like a Labrador retriever was standing on his chest. He could barely breathe.
Chloe spoke for the first time. It was deep and menacing, “Tell them to leave, Lex.”
Lex wasn’t stupid and he knew that the only way he could possibly get out of this alive was if his bodyguards were present. He gasped his words, “I don’t think so, Chloe. You’ll have to kill me in front of them. I lay odds that if you do, a bullet will soon find its mark.”
Chloe smirked, “Lex, how much do you want to bet that I could get off you, rip that gun from her hands, and violate her ten ways from Sunday with it before she even knew what was going on? Do you think in that time you could get far enough away that I wouldn’t be able to catch you? How about your life? Yes, I think I’ll take that bet. Tell them to leave or you’ll live to regret it.”
Lex knew when he was caught between a rock and a hard place. Something was wrong with Chloe and she had murder in the eye. Her rage was a tangible thing and for the life of him he couldn’t understand what was going on. His brain felt like it wasn’t working. He knew that if he could only start thinking again, he would know why she was behaving this way. “What happened to her? She was fine when I last saw her.” As Lex stared at her, he came to the conclusion that he was going to be screwed either way. It was the way rocks and hard places behaved. Mercy seemed to be seeing the situation the same as he was. She lowered her gun, helped Williamson from the floor, and closed the doors as she left.
Mercy was a mind reader like that. It was why Lex had hired her. She was very good at what she did and didn’t bat an eyelash at the weird things. Recent events had shown him that he could no longer be lackadaisical about his security. He could no longer count on his wealth and notoriety to protect him. Lex realized that the time of lax security and trusting his welfare to rent-a-cops were done.
Chloe was getting agitated. Lex kept staring at her. He was so freaking calm. Her world had been turned upside down. Everything she knew to be true wasn’t anymore. Her life would never be the same. No matter how much she accepted what she was now or adapted to what she was, some part of her would forever wish that this wasn’t her reality. Some part of her would always rail against the hand that fate had dealt her. And she’d be damned if his life went on the same as it always had. For once in his life, Lex would know the suffering he caused. Chloe moved her right hand so that it rested on his chest just below his breast bone…over his diaphragm. She pressed down and up hard with her palm.
If Lex thought that he couldn’t breathe before, he was more than certain that he couldn’t now. He also felt his eyes burn and felt liquid on his lip. Lex realized that his nose was bleeding. But he knew that she hadn’t punched him or touched him other than to knock him to the ground. Lex felt tremors in his body. Something was seriously wrong other than being pinned on the ground by a woman smaller than he was. Lex was the first to blink in their stand-off. As soon as he did, Lex’s body stopped trembling and his mind cleared.
Chloe immediately felt better about the entire situation. She could do this.
“I know what you did to me…to those others. Did you think you’d get away with it?”
Chloe realized that he wouldn’t be able to answer her if he couldn’t breathe. It was a dilemma. “Hurt him or let him answer?” She decided that her need to hurt him was less important than her need to have the answers to her questions, so she removed her hand from where it was pressing against his diaphragm. The response was immediate. Lex began gasping and wheezing. Chloe stood up and watched him roll away from her towards his desk.
Lex leveraged himself until he stood. His hand was at his chest rubbing as if he could remove the feeling of her hands on him. He briefly glanced at her and touched his nose. His eyes narrowed and a few pieces of the puzzle began to click into place.
Lex had been close to death many times before but this was the first time that he didn’t think that he would survive. The first time he truly felt weakness. “Of course it was Chloe Sullivan.”
Lex was finally able to gasp out, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Chloe held herself rigid. Her hands balled at her sides. She felt her body shaking in repressed fury and constraint. “I won’t hurt him. I won’t hurt him.”
Despite this repetition of words, Chloe took a step towards him, “Don’t lie to me! I saw your files! Did you think I wouldn’t take a peek?”
Lex’s system had been hacked earlier that day and he could finally see the two pronged attacked that had rendered his security measures pathetically ineffectual. There was a blunt force knock at the front and back door of his system, but even sneakier was the scalpel that neatly and deftly lanced its way to the inner parts of his system. His computer techs didn’t even see it coming. They didn’t see Lois Lane and Chloe Sullivan working in tandem to utterly obliterate and defeat them. “Amateurs.”
“So you saw the files. All of them,” at her nod, Lex continued, “Then you are as informed as I am. Yes, I had you and those others taken. But that was only to see what you could do. Haven’t you noticed that the meteor infected are getting stronger? Their abilities are manifesting in a more and more dramatic fashion. I thought that by knowing who you were we could at least prevent some of the disturbances. My scientists ran one test. Only one, which was to determine what you might be able to do. We let them go immediately after except a few who were actually homicidal. It ended there for me and my project, but not for someone else.”
Lex turned away from her, moved behind his desk, and turned on his computer. He wasn’t lying. There were no body signals that indicated he was lying. Many people lied through the course of the day and she had gotten a feel for the body cues. Pupil dilation, slight pulse change, a minute change in breathing patterns. It wasn’t exact, but she could be ninety-five percent sure that he wasn’t lying. It was good enough.
“You only ran a test? Nothing more?”
Lex looked up from his computer terminal, “Chloe, we did nothing more. I was doing routine oversight and found anomalous files. Some were missing, altered slightly, or we got new ones altogether. Despite what it sounds like, it wasn’t a sloppy job. I should never have noticed. It was only by luck that I did. I’ve been distracted, but then I came back to it a few days ago. I dug deeper and saw the files that undoubtedly had you rushing over here.”
He still wasn’t lying. Lex was telling the truth as he knew and understood it.
“I also found a few more files that you missed because they are stored on a different server,” with this Lex removed his hard drive and gave it to her, “Chloe, I am sorry. I honestly thought that what I was doing was the right thing. If none of this ever happened, no one would’ve gotten hurt.”
Lex watched Chloe leave as quickly and abruptly as she had come. He couldn’t blame her. “I need a drink.”
Lex walked to his bar and poured himself some scotch. He was about to take his first sip when he was once again aware of the blood on his lip. He looked into his glass of scotch and threw it into the wall. He was breathing hard. Today had not been a good day and it didn’t look like he’d have any in the foreseeable future.
“Mercy!”
His bodyguard came running. He pushed past her on his way out of his office, “Tell every tech we have that they aren’t to sleep until every project Lionel has ever worked on has been examined with a fine-toothed comb! Threaten them, hurt them, kill them! I don’t care how you get his former employees to cooperate. Leave me plausible deniability and get it done! I won’t accept failure from you.”
Lex had spent too much time in this back-water shanty town if something as large as what was perpetrated against him escaped his notice. He’d been too nice and it had gotten him nowhere. He had a fiancée in love with another man, a town that didn’t appreciate the jobs he brought, and an inexplicably bloody nose. The citizens of this town were sadly mistaken if they thought they knew him. They were in for a rude awakening because he would show them the real him. He was Lex Luthor, son of Lionel Luthor, billionaire, and CEO of a multi-national corporation. He could buy and sell every person in this town many times over and not break a sweat. “Damn them if they can’t accept it.” They had no real recourse or power to stop him. He would know his enemies.
The time of treating these people with kid gloves and giving them space and time to accept the change he represented was over. They would do as he wanted or he’d destroy them and find someone who would.
“She was hurt.”
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-24-07, Chapter 6
I sitting here with my jaw on the floor. WoW Can you write powerful action. I'm still hopeful that Lex can help Chloe figure out what has happened. Loved the last line. Dagney
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-24-07, Chapter 6
This was a fabulous update!
I didn't think that Lex was the one involved in what was happening to Chloe. I hope they pull their resources and kick the person's butt who is actually behind it all. I'm thinking it's Lionel;)
And I also love Lois and Chloe working as a tag team--that is very cool.
Thanks for this lovely Christmas gift, and please update when you can:grin3:
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, PG-13, 12-24-07, Chapter 6
Quote:
One minute Lex was having a conversation with his bodyguards and the next the double doors to his office were flying open and an obviously irate Chloe Sullivan was bearing down on him. He was in the process of escorting them from his office when all this occurred so it came as a surprise when his guards seemed to fly away from him and he was tackled to the ground with Chloe straddling him. She looked vicious. Something was wrong with her face but he couldn’t concentrate on that because her eyes were gold and her lips were pulled back into a fierce snarl. He could see elongated fangs and feel vibrations. She was growling low in the throat and he felt it in his bones.
His head was pounding and he didn’t think he could move even if he wanted to do so. From the corner of his eye, Lex could see his two bodyguards, Mercy and Williamson, stand. Mercy pulled her glock, but Chloe didn’t remove her eyes from him. Williamson rushed to Chloe and made to grab her, but she lashed out. Her hand gripped Williamson’s fore arm and with a sharp twist, Chloe broke it. All of them heard the bones snap. They saw the blood as it gushed from his wound. But most of all, they heard Williamson scream. Chloe released his arm and pushed him. Williamson fell to the ground screaming and writhing.
WOW! This was an awesome, wicked beginning to the new chapter, Ava! I was stunned and in awe! Your action sequences are truly amazing, and I love the way you can convey such blistering, blinding fast-paced movement while still keeping the descriptions of everyone’s actions and positions perfectly clear at all times.
Above everything else, I love the ‘suddenness’ and viciousness of Chloe’s attack. I can see that none of Lex’s guards had even the opportunity to see her, much less start to react to her presence before she incapacitated them. Chloe’s VERY dangerous, and Lex is in a very tight position right now.
Quote:
Chloe put both of her hands, palms down, on his chest. Lex could see claws. His breath hitched and he knew that he was only a few moments away from panicking. Chloe then began to press hard on him. Lex felt like a Labrador retriever was standing on his chest. He could barely breathe.
heh, I can see that Lex has been brought into a position where he can REALLY appreciate the horrible precariousness of his situation. Chloe is NOT going to show him any mercy, and she’s making him full aware of that.
Quote:
Chloe spoke for the first time. It was deep and menacing, “Tell them to leave, Lex.”
Lex wasn’t stupid and he knew that the only way he could possibly get out of this alive was if his bodyguards were present. He gasped his words, “I don’t think so, Chloe. You’ll have to kill me in front of them. I lay odds that if you do, a bullet will soon find its mark.”
LOL! Despite how, at this point, I believed Lex was partially responsible for Chloe’s current situation, I still had to admire his balls and nerve. Even in such a obviously dangerous position, he’s keeping his wits about him and is trying to negotiate. He’s really quite a nervy, courageous guy.
Quote:
Chloe smirked, “Lex, how much do you want to bet that I could get off you, rip that gun from her hands, and violate her ten ways from Sunday with it before she even knew what was going on? Do you think in that time you could get far enough away that I wouldn’t be able to catch you? How about your life? Yes, I think I’ll take that bet. Tell them to leave or you’ll live to regret it.”
LOL! unfortunately for Lex, Chloe is ALSO a masterful negotiator, and she’s holding all the cards right now. And she knows it too. LOL! Love it! Love HER!!
Quote:
Lex knew when he was caught between a rock and a hard place. Something was wrong with Chloe and she had murder in the eye. Her rage was a tangible thing and for the life of him he couldn’t understand what was going on. His brain felt like it wasn’t working. He knew that if he could only start thinking again, he would know why she was behaving this way. “What happened to her? She was fine when I last saw her.” As Lex stared at her, he came to the conclusion that he was going to be screwed either way. It was the way rocks and hard places behaved. Mercy seemed to be seeing the situation the same as he was. She lowered her gun, helped Williamson from the floor, and closed the doors as she left.
oooh, that observation ‘she was fine last time I saw her’ left me wondering about the circumstances under which he saw her last. Was it while she was being ‘tested’ by his scientists? What kind of checks did they perform to see whether she was ‘fine’?
I liked how Lex came to the conclusion that he was screwed whether his bodyguards stayed or not, so he might as well offer obedience as a means of placating the monster at his throat. I also liked how his body-guards were smart enough to ALSO arrive to the same conclusions… although it might have been better if they had waited for confirmation from their fallen leader before retreating, LOL!
Quote:
Mercy was a mind reader like that. It was why Lex had hired her. She was very good at what she did and didn’t bat an eyelash at the weird things. Recent events had shown him that he could no longer be lackadaisical about his security. He could no longer count on his wealth and notoriety to protect him. Lex realized that the time of lax security and trusting his welfare to rent-a-cops were done.
GOOD! About time Lex got himself some serious protection! The lack of security around him was becoming a really old joke, and it’s good that he’s FINALLY taken steps to stop looking like he’s courting suicide. AND I was really pleased to see Mercy brought onto the screen. She’s always been a favourite of mine from the Warner Brothers animated version of the DC universe, and I always enjoy seeing her reincarnated into SV fanfic.
Quote:
Chloe was getting agitated. Lex kept staring at her. He was so freaking calm. Her world had been turned upside down. Everything she knew to be true wasn’t anymore. Her life would never be the same. No matter how much she accepted what she was now or adapted to what she was, some part of her would forever wish that this wasn’t her reality. Some part of her would always rail against the hand that fate had dealt her. And she’d be damned if his life went on the same as it always had. For once in his life, Lex would know the suffering he caused. Chloe moved her right hand so that it rested on his chest just below his breast bone…over his diaphragm. She pressed down and up hard with her palm.
LOL! It figures that, even though I admired Lex for holding onto his cool, his calmness only served to further aggravate Chloe. I imagine it IS very irritating for people to see Lex remaining so calm and collected, even under threat of death by dismemberment.
But, I can also see how this coolness would make Lex the perfect match for Chloe with all her passionate, over-flowing emotions… which have only become more intense and overwhelmingly out of control ever since she turned into a half-wolf.
Quote:
If Lex thought that he couldn’t breathe before, he was more than certain that he couldn’t now. He also felt his eyes burn and felt liquid on his lip. Lex realized that his nose was bleeding. But he knew that she hadn’t punched him or touched him other than to knock him to the ground. Lex felt tremors in his body. Something was seriously wrong other than being pinned on the ground by a woman smaller than he was. Lex was the first to blink in their stand-off. As soon as he did, Lex’s body stopped trembling and his mind cleared.
Chloe immediately felt better about the entire situation. She could do this.
Wow! Fascinating! I can also see why Lex’s coolness ‘might’ have been interpreted as a ‘challenge’ from Lex by Chloe’s inner-wolf. She wanted him disconcerted to prove his submission to her superior force, and she only relaxed when he finally showed real, intense fear for her.
It was ALSO so interesting how Chloe did the ‘trick’ with her eyes on Lex… forcing him into a headache until he finally had to drop his eyes to relieve the growing pressure on his chest as well as in his head. I wonder how Lex will feel once he knows that his blinking and averting his eyes was a sign of submission to Chloe’s inner wolf… I don’t think Lex will be pleased AT ALL about giving even the ‘appearance’ of submission to anyone… not even Chloe.
Quote:
“I know what you did to me…to those others. Did you think you’d get away with it?”
Chloe realized that he wouldn’t be able to answer her if he couldn’t breathe. It was a dilemma. “Hurt him or let him answer?” She decided that her need to hurt him was less important than her need to have the answers to her questions, so she removed her hand from where it was pressing against his diaphragm. The response was immediate. Lex began gasping and wheezing. Chloe stood up and watched him roll away from her towards his desk.
LOL! At least Chloe’s wolfy half still allows her higher brain to set the priorities straight. It’s very good to see that, even in a rage as intense as this one, Chloe STILL has control and final say over the wolf’s actions and decisions.
Quote:
Lex had been close to death many times before but this was the first time that he didn’t think that he would survive. The first time he truly felt weakness. “Of course it was Chloe Sullivan.”
squeee! I loved how, even at this dangerous moment, Lex still felt such a grudging sense of respect for Chloe. He’s actually not surprised that Chloe was the one person to inspire fear from him, where all others have failed. The admiration is clear!
Quote:
Lex’s system had been hacked earlier that day and he could finally see the two pronged attacked that had rendered his security measures pathetically ineffectual. There was a blunt force knock at the front and back door of his system, but even sneakier was the scalpel that neatly and deftly lanced its way to the inner parts of his system. His computer techs didn’t even see it coming. They didn’t see Lois Lane and Chloe Sullivan working in tandem to utterly obliterate and defeat them. “Amateurs.”
I loved, LOVED the description of the two-pronged attack on Lex’s research facilities. I loved hearing about how Chloe combined the subtlety of her sneaky B&E acquired skills along with the new strength and brute force that came from her Wolf. It’s fantastic to see her utilizing ALL her talents to become even better at everything she is already so amazing at.
Quote:
“So you saw the files. All of them,” at her nod, Lex continued, “Then you are as informed as I am. Yes, I had you and those others taken. But that was only to see what you could do. Haven’t you noticed that the meteor infected are getting stronger? Their abilities are manifesting in a more and more dramatic fashion. I thought that by knowing who you were we could at least prevent some of the disturbances. My scientists ran one test. Only one, which was to determine what you might be able to do. We let them go immediately after except a few who were actually homicidal. It ended there for me and my project, but not for someone else.”
Lex turned away from her, moved behind his desk, and turned on his computer. He wasn’t lying. There were no body signals that indicated he was lying. Many people lied through the course of the day and she had gotten a feel for the body cues. Pupil dilation, slight pulse change, a minute change in breathing patterns. It wasn’t exact, but she could be ninety-five percent sure that he wasn’t lying. It was good enough.
Ooooh, that IS quite a interesting, surprising twist given to the developing plot. Who would have imagined, but Lex was actually being a GOOD GUY while he was kidnapping people and testing them about the Freak abilities. I can understand why Lex would have felt the need to have tested these people in the first place, considering his own horrendous experiences with psychotic mutants… but I’m impressed that he didn’t use this as an opportunity to exploit the Freaks while they were in his custody.
LOL! It’s a VERY convenient talent for Chloe to be able to tell when someone is lying. She doesn’t have to bother to check out his story or corroborate everything he’s telling her against secondary sources, because she can TELL when he being truthful. And, miracles or miracles, Lex is actually telling the truth over here… even if it ‘might’ not be the WHOLE truth, at least there are no lies mixed in with everything he’s saying.
I wonder if he knows about the full extent of Chloe’s powers, and therefore knows that she would be able to tell if he’s lying…? Is that why he’s not trying to lie to her right now?
Quote:
“You only ran a test? Nothing more?”
I VERY curious about this ‘single test’ that was performed on all of them. The visual of Chloe being strapped down to a table with probes being gutted into her… it seemed VERY painful, and an example of a very extreme kind of testing.
Quote:
“I also found a few more files that you missed because they are stored on a different server,” with this Lex removed his hard drive and gave it to her, “Chloe, I am sorry. I honestly thought that what I was doing was the right thing. If none of this ever happened, no one would’ve gotten hurt.”
darnnit! I really want to know some more about these files that had Chloe rushing over here ready to tear Lex’s throat out as soon as she confirmed her findings. Was someone trying to frame Lex? Or did the files just ‘happen’ to lead to him by unhappy accident?
Lex’s apology also seemed quite sincere and genuine… which took me by surprise. I was viewing the Chlex relationship in this fic as an antagonistic one… even if Lex is not, at this moment, the person responsible for making all these moves against Chloe, I certainly didn’t expect him to CARE that Chloe had been hurt during the course of HIS all important research.
And he gave her his hard-drive?! WOW!
Quote:
Lex watched Chloe leave as quickly and abruptly as she had come. He couldn’t blame her. “I need a drink.”
Lex walked to his bar and poured himself some scotch. He was about to take his first sip when he was once again aware of the blood on his lip. He looked into his glass of scotch and threw it into the wall. He was breathing hard. Today had not been a good day and it didn’t look like he’d have any in the foreseeable future.
LOL! Yep! This is one time when Lex REALLY needs and deserves a drink without the readers judging him for using alcohol as a crutch, ROTFL!
Quote:
His bodyguard came running. He pushed past her on his way out of his office, “Tell every tech we have that they aren’t to sleep until every project Lionel has ever worked on has been examined with a fine-toothed comb! Threaten them, hurt them, kill them! I don’t care how you get his former employees to cooperate. Leave me plausible deniability and get it done! I won’t accept failure from you.”
squeee! I love seeing Lex taking firm, merciless control of his more ‘dubious’ employees. It’s always fantastic seeing them being ordered to go out and bend some rules for their employer’s benefit.
Quote:
Lex had spent too much time in this back-water shanty town if something as large as what was perpetrated against him escaped his notice. He’d been too nice and it had gotten him nowhere. He had a fiancée in love with another man, a town that didn’t appreciate the jobs he brought, and an inexplicably bloody nose. The citizens of this town were sadly mistaken if they thought they knew him. They were in for a rude awakening because he would show them the real him. He was Lex Luthor, son of Lionel Luthor, billionaire, and CEO of a multi-national corporation. He could buy and sell every person in this town many times over and not break a sweat. “Damn them if they can’t accept it.” They had no real recourse or power to stop him. He would know his enemies.
This part gave me a real thrill, because I knew that Lex was finally ready to go to war… and his focus was completely on destroying his enemies. He is not going to settle for even a surrender from them… I think he’s aiming for complete annihilation this time. Now it’s only a question of knowing whether his targets are strictly restricted to the ‘bad guys’ or whether he’s also got some innocents in his sights… I can’t wait to find out who is in danger from Lex Luthor.
Quote:
The time of treating these people with kid gloves and giving them space and time to accept the change he represented was over. They would do as he wanted or he’d destroy them and find someone who would.
“She was hurt.”
oh WOW! Oh dear heaven! This last sentence took me completely by shock, and completely turned my whole perception of the Chlex exchange upside down. I assumed that Lex felt nothing more for Chloe except for animosity coupled with a grudging sense of respect and admiration for her skills. BUT, it actually seems like he cares for her. And that the reason for his rage right now is hearing about how SHE has been hurt by whatever was uncovered in those mysterious files.
Squeee! The plot is becoming more intense, and I can’t wait to see how it turns out in future chapters. Please update soon, Ava… I’m really anxious for more plot progress!!!
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 01-05-07, Chapter 7a
Disclaimer- see ch1
A/N- Look at this. An update. I leave on business and then school so you’ll really have to wait. I'm too nice sometimes as somethingeasy well knows. :D
Warnings- Readers, this part is rated R for violence and disturbing behavior. It isn’t nice. Kale is a hitman. It’s what he does. Keep that in mind. If this scares you off, then pm me and I’ll give you the gist of what’s going on.
Chapter 7- Origins of the Wolf
Part I- A Day in the Life
“It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.”
Bhuddist quote
Two Months Before…
Nathaniel Chase, Nate to his friends and family, was finally getting home after a long day of work. Nate was 6’2, wore nerd glasses and let his wife dress him in tailored suits. He worked as an engineer, mainly designing and building mines for the army. He was good at what he did and had been part of the team that had reduced the size of a mine series by half. It wasn’t going into wide spread use, but it could function for limited types of engagement. He was inordinately proud. It was with this lens that he could say with certainty that his life was great. It was on track. Nate had a relatively large home, two cars, a boat, a dog and a summer home in Florida. The dream of a white picket fence was his. He made sure that the house he bought with his success had a white, picket fence. He had a beautiful wife, Janie, and adorable twin girls, Emma and Lucy. They were the light of his world. Everything he did was for them. There was nothing that he wouldn’t do if it meant that they could be happy. Nate could die at this moment a happy man. “Yes, my life is good.”
This attitude was greeted with silence from his home. It was dark and quiet. More importantly, it was unnatural. Nate came home to laughter and bright lights of his home. His girls ran to his arms and gave him sloppy kisses. His dog greeted him with a bark and a wag of his tail. And his lovely wife looked on indulgently with a soft smile. But all of that was missing now. Nate was excitable and absent minded. His wife was the cool, collected one.
He ran into his home calling the name of his wife.
“Janie!”
The sight that greeted him as soon as he entered the dining room chilled him to the bone. His dog was dead. The side of his wife’s face wasn’t there anymore. Her eyes were vacant. Sightless. Blood covered her chest, but Nate couldn’t see that. He only saw her face…her eyes. Her crystal blue eyes. Her long, dark hair matted with blood. Nate heard the whimpering of his daughters and he saw that they were bound and gagged close to their mother. Their faces were streaked with tears.
Nate ran to move to them when a voice stopped him cold. The voice originated behind him. Nate slowly turned to face the voice. It was a man who had been a valet at the parking garage he regularly frequented.
“Mr. Chase, I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
Nate stuttered, “Tony? What…what’s going on here?”
Samuel Kale saw the recognition flash across the face of his mark. He saw as Nathaniel Chase’s eyes took in his features. The man may have been something of a goof, who had a wife way out of his weight class, but he was an engineer. Nathaniel was trained to notice the minutia. To augment and improve upon designs that had been streamlined already.
“I’m sorry to inform you, but my name is not Tony. It’s actually Samuel Kale.”
It was in that moment that Nate knew that he was going to die. No mere kidnapper, blackmailer, or burglar would ever reveal themselves let alone tell their true name. Nate didn’t doubt that he had been told the true name of the man who had killed his wife and hurt his daughters.
“Whatever you want. It’s all yours. Just please, please let my girls go. They’re kids. They won’t tell. They won’t even remember your face.”
Kale tilted his head to the left and narrowed his eyes, “They will die tonight as will you. The only say in the matter that you have is how quickly they die. Give me what I want and they won’t suffer. I’ll kill them quick…and you. Don’t waste your time begging. It won’t do you any good, but it will piss me off. This doesn’t have to be unpleasant.”
Nate felt his eyes burning. He knew that he was crying. His breath was little more than shallow pants. His body trembled. Nate could only hope that this man was telling the truth. How could it be that he had to hope in the word of a madman? What kind of God would let this happen?
“What do you want?”
Kale was glad that Chase had seen reason. He wasn’t entirely unsympathetic to the man’s plight. He didn’t relish hurting children, but he had accepted the job. He’d done his homework and knew that the key to Chase was his family. Kale didn’t want to hurt them more than necessary.
“You have some files that my employer wants. Project: Pipsqueak. I’m not entirely unreasonable so I’ll tell you the whys. You remember a Miss Kimberly Wavers don’t you? It seems that she didn’t appreciate you stealing her work and then lying about it…or rather her uncle didn’t. Ruining someone’s career is just so uncouth. So here we are.”
Nate hadn’t stolen her work. He merely borrowed some parts and presented it to the bosses. It was done all the time.
“Listen, I didn’t. She’s lying.”
Kale actually thought this might’ve gone easy, “No. I do believe you’re lying. I’ve been watching you for weeks now. You have so many tell-tales that it’s been pathetically easy to decipher you. But even if you were telling the truth and she was lying through her teeth, it would not have mattered. I’m being paid to get the files and kill you. So get them now or I’ll become rather…unpleasant.”
Nate ran upstairs to his computer with Samuel Kale right behind him. He put in his pass codes and left his computer open. After ten minutes, Kale got what he wanted and gestured for Nate to go back downstairs to his dining room.
“Well, Mr. Chase, we are now at the end of our little acquaintanceship. I have enjoyed my time as a valet. We had the most interesting conversations. So what I want you to do is pick up that gun on the table. It has three bullets. Before you think to turn that gun on me, know that you will fail. After you fail, I will hurt your daughters…very badly. Save us all the trouble. I think you know what you are to do.”
Nate trembled. There was no way that he could do as he was told. There was also no way that he could let this psychotic man hurt his daughters. Nate had no doubt that Samuel Kale would do just as he said he would. Nate closed his eyes and pulled the trigger in quick succession.
“Very good, Mr. Chase. You’re a better shot than I would’ve guessed. But then again, this is Texas.”
Nate’s voice was unsteady, “I had no choice.”
“How could it have all gone so wrong?” He turned the gun on himself and pulled the trigger.
If there was anything that Samuel Kale actively hated, it was those words.
He spoke to a corpse, “No, you had plenty of choices. You could have chosen to defy me. Taken your chances, but you didn’t because at the end of the day you are weak. You could have chosen to not steal the work of others. Just because you see no other options doesn’t mean that they don’t exist. It means that you lack a strong will.”
Kale left the quaint little house with a picket fence. He was actually on his way to meet his long-time girlfriend when he received a call. It was a phone reserved for business. There were so many layers of security and obfuscation that it would take an almost Herculean effort to get to him. He wasn’t on anyone’s radar except the kind of people who wanted his services.
“Kale.”
The voice on the other end spoke into his ear, “There’s a job for you in Smallville, Kansas. The information you need is in the usual drop box. Be here by noon tomorrow.”
Kale heard a click and the line was dead. Sometimes his future bosses were like that. No nonsense types. Efficient. The instincts that he had honed in the marines and his profession told him that this would be something off the beaten path of his normal jobs. He looked forward to it.
********
Four hours later Samuel Kale was on the road out of Texas. He’d checked his email on a secure server. Emails sent to him were innocuous. Many referenced the weather. Others talked about seemingly random news stories, but all of them had meaning to him. He was intrigued by this new job. This small town in Kansas was too much to be believed. There should have been more press in the news about this town, but there wasn’t. No doubt all the oddities of the town were more than likely attributed to the fact that these people were hicks in a town so far removed from the map it was unreal.
“Smallville, Kansas here I come.”
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 01-05-07, Chapter 7a
What an intense update!
If I needed proof that Kale was a cold-blooded killer, I received it in this chapter. But I think he is going to have a surprise when he deals with Chloe--she is not weak willed in the least.
Good luck with your traveling and school, and I hope to hear from you soon with a new update:grin3:
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 01-05-07, Chapter 7a
WOW!! What two amazing updates. So it isn't Lex who did this. My instinct tells me its Lionel. God I hate that man. I am so scared for Chloe. I hope she can get her self out of this mess. :eek:
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 01-05-07, Chapter 7a
Quote:
“It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.”
Bhuddist quote
This was an excellent quote, and a apt way of setting the tone for this chapter. It ‘could’ have been referring to the mundane kind of evil Nate committed while he was stealing someone’s work, or it could have been a reference to Samual’s atrocity.
Quote:
Nathaniel Chase, Nate to his friends and family, was finally getting home after a long day of work. Nate was 6’2, wore nerd glasses and let his wife dress him in tailored suits. He worked as an engineer, mainly designing and building mines for the army. He was good at what he did and had been part of the team that had reduced the size of a mine series by half. It wasn’t going into wide spread use, but it could function for limited types of engagement. He was inordinately proud. It was with this lens that he could say with certainty that his life was great. It was on track. Nate had a relatively large home, two cars, a boat, a dog and a summer home in Florida. The dream of a white picket fence was his. He made sure that the house he bought with his success had a white, picket fence. He had a beautiful wife, Janie, and adorable twin girls, Emma and Lucy. They were the light of his world. Everything he did was for them. There was nothing that he wouldn’t do if it meant that they could be happy. Nate could die at this moment a happy man. “Yes, my life is good.”
This was an excellent start to what will become a very tragic and gruesome chapter. I loved how Ava covered how incredibly happy, content, satisfied and at peace Nate was with his life before Ava tore it to shreds in front of him. Heh, and I also have to appreciate her black humour over here in reference to Nate making the observation that if he died at this moment, he would have died a happy man… Oh, what a difference a few moments make.
Quote:
This attitude was greeted with silence from his home. It was dark and quiet. More importantly, it was unnatural. Nate came home to laughter and bright lights of his home. His girls ran to his arms and gave him sloppy kisses. His dog greeted him with a bark and a wag of his tail. And his lovely wife looked on indulgently with a soft smile. But all of that was missing now. Nate was excitable and absent minded. His wife was the cool, collected one.
Fantastic buildup! It started out just eerie and disquieting. None of us, including Nate, having any idea about the true scope of the horror waiting for him a few more steps into his home. You have a special talent for building up atmosphere, Ava!
Quote:
The sight that greeted him as soon as he entered the dining room chilled him to the bone. His dog was dead. The side of his wife’s face wasn’t there anymore. Her eyes were vacant. Sightless. Blood covered her chest, but Nate couldn’t see that. He only saw her face…her eyes. Her crystal blue eyes. Her long, dark hair matted with blood. Nate heard the whimpering of his daughters and he saw that they were bound and gagged close to their mother. Their faces were streaked with tears.
I stopped short with startled terror at the same time Nate did. Of course ‘my’ terror probably didn’t come to even a fraction of the same level as this fictional character, but I really felt something intense for this poor man. Nothing… not even the crimes of stealing work from another brilliant young girl could have justified this kind of payback.
Quote:
Samuel Kale saw the recognition flash across the face of his mark. He saw as Nathaniel Chase’s eyes took in his features. The man may have been something of a goof, who had a wife way out of his weight class, but he was an engineer. Nathaniel was trained to notice the minutia. To augment and improve upon designs that had been streamlined already.
Just like Samuel, I was also quite impressed by Nate, not only recognizing this man from a brief previous encounter, but also remembering his name. It’s obvious that there was a lot more to Nate than met the eye, and it’s such a pity that this man of obviously high intelligence, talents and skills had to be killed… and so brutally and viciously too. It’s obvious that Samuel did not share my feeling of intense regret for the loss of this bright spark of human life…
My same feeling of regret applies to ALL the human lives in this household. I’m sure Nate’s wife was also a wonderful person who deserved better than this… and the children… oh, the poor kids!
Quote:
It was in that moment that Nate knew that he was going to die. No mere kidnapper, blackmailer, or burglar would ever reveal themselves let alone tell their true name. Nate didn’t doubt that he had been told the true name of the man who had killed his wife and hurt his daughters.
“Whatever you want. It’s all yours. Just please, please let my girls go. They’re kids. They won’t tell. They won’t even remember your face.”
My respect for Nate was growing by the second. He took in the trauma and horror of the situation, and he actually reacted VERY well considering the circumstances. He didn’t waste his time or antagonize this killer with curses or threats. Instead he went straight to bargaining, offering his own life without struggle as long as the children were left safe and alive.
Quote:
Kale tilted his head to the left and narrowed his eyes, “They will die tonight as will you. The only say in the matter that you have is how quickly they die. Give me what I want and they won’t suffer. I’ll kill them quick…and you. Don’t waste your time begging. It won’t do you any good, but it will piss me off. This doesn’t have to be unpleasant.”
Kale is just… frightening! He didn’t bother to participate in the bargaining process… just told Nate that everyone in his home was going to be dead, and there was nothing he could do about it. The bastard really took pleasure in inflicting this despair on Nate before he finally killed him off.
Quote:
Nate felt his eyes burning. He knew that he was crying. His breath was little more than shallow pants. His body trembled. Nate could only hope that this man was telling the truth. How could it be that he had to hope in the word of a madman? What kind of God would let this happen?
“What do you want?”
Kale was glad that Chase had seen reason. He wasn’t entirely unsympathetic to the man’s plight. He didn’t relish hurting children, but he had accepted the job. He’d done his homework and knew that the key to Chase was his family. Kale didn’t want to hurt them more than necessary.
Nate ACCEPTED this psychopath’s terms? He accepted that it was all right for his kids to die as long as they didn’t experience too much pain? I take back ‘some’ of my I said about Nate being smart, he might be clever, but he doesn’t have guts. I can see that Kale also felt gratified at seeing this proof of ‘unworthiness of living’ in this man’s easy acceptance of Kale’s deplorable terms.
Quote:
“You have some files that my employer wants. Project: Pipsqueak. I’m not entirely unreasonable so I’ll tell you the whys. You remember a Miss Kimberly Wavers don’t you? It seems that she didn’t appreciate you stealing her work and then lying about it…or rather her uncle didn’t. Ruining someone’s career is just so uncouth. So here we are.”
Nate hadn’t stolen her work. He merely borrowed some parts and presented it to the bosses. It was done all the time.
“Listen, I didn’t. She’s lying.”
Kale actually thought this might’ve gone easy, “No. I do believe you’re lying. I’ve been watching you for weeks now. You have so many tell-tales that it’s been pathetically easy to decipher you. But even if you were telling the truth and she was lying through her teeth, it would not have mattered. I’m being paid to get the files and kill you. So get them now or I’ll become rather…unpleasant.”
It’s VERY interesting seeing this fully fleshed out character that had only created and built for about three pages. Excellent work, Ava! I loved how Nate has a very interesting and believable combination of cool nerves along with so many short-sighted weaknesses.
Quote:
“Well, Mr. Chase, we are now at the end of our little acquaintanceship. I have enjoyed my time as a valet. We had the most interesting conversations. So what I want you to do is pick up that gun on the table. It has three bullets. Before you think to turn that gun on me, know that you will fail. After you fail, I will hurt your daughters…very badly. Save us all the trouble. I think you know what you are to do.”
Nate trembled. There was no way that he could do as he was told. There was also no way that he could let this psychotic man hurt his daughters. Nate had no doubt that Samuel Kale would do just as he said he would. Nate closed his eyes and pulled the trigger in quick succession.
“Very good, Mr. Chase. You’re a better shot than I would’ve guessed. But then again, this is Texas.”
oh dear GOD! What was Nate forced to DO in the end?!? It was horrifying beyond anything else I might have imagined. I think Kale took sick, vicious pleasure in forcing Nate to be the one to bring death to his own children. I don’t think he did it because he wanted to ‘cover up’ his crime as much because he just wanted this final bit of power over Nate before the man was killed.
Quote:
Nate’s voice was unsteady, “I had no choice.”
“How could it have all gone so wrong?” He turned the gun on himself and pulled the trigger.
If there was anything that Samuel Kale actively hated, it was those words.
He spoke to a corpse, “No, you had plenty of choices. You could have chosen to defy me. Taken your chances, but you didn’t because at the end of the day you are weak. You could have chosen to not steal the work of others. Just because you see no other options doesn’t mean that they don’t exist. It means that you lack a strong will.”
I do NOT share Kale’s views that Nate deserves to pay with these ‘weaknesses’ with such an brutal death, but I can also understand how Kale would have arrived at such conclusions. Nate ‘did’ seem rather weak-willed in the way he stole another person’s work, tried to make excuses of his theft to himself as well as to others, and then folded over under Kale’s demands of shooting his own kids and himself.
Kale would have been thoroughly disgusted by all this evidence on why Nate didn’t deserve to survive, and would have felt justified in his own atrocious, terrible, monstrous and heartless actions. I’m starting to understand the kind of terrible philosophy Kale lives by… he basically believes in a survival of the fittest kind of world, where only those who are willing to put their whole being into FIGHTING to survive are the ones who deserve to live.
Hmmm, I wonder whether he’s going to admit that Chloe was the one prey who deserved to survive during the few moments before she rips his throat out. Or perhaps he will see that there is something more to life than simple ‘survival’ when he sees Lex and/or Chloe risking their own lives for each other?
Heh, I’m already dying to know how this character evolves as the story progresses, and how his end his going to come. Will he survive and become a better man? Or will he die the wretched kind of death he deserves?
Quote:
Kale left the quaint little house with a picket fence. He was actually on his way to meet his long-time girlfriend when he received a call. It was a phone reserved for business. There were so many layers of security and obfuscation that it would take an almost Herculean effort to get to him. He wasn’t on anyone’s radar except the kind of people who wanted his services.
Long term girlfriend? Kale has a girlfriend?!? Are we going to meet her later? Is she going to be drawn into this story by Lex and/or Chloe as Kale’s weakness perhaps? Now THAT would be poetic justice.
Quote:
The voice on the other end spoke into his ear, “There’s a job for you in Smallville, Kansas. The information you need is in the usual drop box. Be here by noon tomorrow.”
Kale heard a click and the line was dead. Sometimes his future bosses were like that. No nonsense types. Efficient. The instincts that he had honed in the marines and his profession told him that this would be something off the beaten path of his normal jobs. He looked forward to it.
Quote:
Four hours later Samuel Kale was on the road out of Texas. He’d checked his email on a secure server. Emails sent to him were innocuous. Many referenced the weather. Others talked about seemingly random news stories, but all of them had meaning to him. He was intrigued by this new job. This small town in Kansas was too much to be believed. There should have been more press in the news about this town, but there wasn’t. No doubt all the oddities of the town were more than likely attributed to the fact that these people were hicks in a town so far removed from the map it was unreal.
“Smallville, Kansas here I come.”
I loved the details on how Kale gets his assignments, what kind of a tone he respects from his prospective employers, and the way that all the information is given in innocuous sounding code to throw off any possible listeners. It was really interesting seeing how, when and from where he gets his jobs from. Although I do wonder who manages his schedule for him.
This was an fantastic, amazing chapter! It was short, but VERY intense! It was angsty, traumatic, frightening, and an absolute delight to read! I loved it!!! I look forward to seeing how the next chapter comes along. Will it be posted soon? I really like this structure of posting short but intense pieces of work at a time. It provides me with an Avalanche fix, and doesn’t threaten to give me carpal tunnel syndrome through my feedback, LOL!
Please post soon.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 01-05-07, Chapter 7a
yikes the plot become more complex. I fear for the gang in smallville. Dagney
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 01-05-07, Chapter 7a
Just catching up with this one. very interesting take on being a wolf. I'm glad that Lex doesn't seem to be the one behind what's going on. The hit interlude was a nice touch. I can't wait to see what's on that file Lex gave to Chloe and I'm sure there is more Chlex exchange to come.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 01-05-07, Chapter 7a
Sorry folks this isn't an update. That's going slowly, but it is going. I did, however, write a side story for DtW concernin Kale. You can thank SE and skauble for that. The got the wheels turning on this one. Anywho, it has nothing to do with chlex so I can't post it here. It's posted to my lj: http://shard-baenre.livejournal.com/
I hope you enjoy!
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 01-06-08, Chapter 7a
Disclaimer- see ch1
A/N- This is for somethingeasy. Congratulations! And I hope you have fun in Australia!
A/N2- In case there’s any confusion, we’re still in the past until we get to Chapter 8.
Chapter 7- Origins of the Wolf
Part II- Believer
“Pale death knocks with impartial foot at poor men's hovels and king's palaces.”
Horatio
Kale had managed to wrangle four of the meteor freaks. The dossier compiled for each person was impressive. Meticulous. If he had to guess, he’d say that his new boss was compulsively neat. The words precise and the entire document crafted with an eye to detail. This job was proving to be enjoyable even if his quarry was not.
As soon as he had gotten to Smallville, he had applied for a janitorial position at the local high school. He enjoyed working there. He worked with his hands. Made everything neat. It didn’t really matter that he’d have to clean the same spot the next day. It appealed to the inner obsessive compulsive. His girlfriend had jokingly said that he bore more than a passing resemblance to some character on a show called, “Friends”. Whatever that was. Samuel wasn’t big on television. He was a reader.
He had slowly been getting used to Smallville. In that time, he had seen and heard some seriously strange things. Kale had noticed a pattern to all the odd things happening in town. Lex Luthor, Chloe Sullivan, Lana Lang and Clark Kent seemed to always be connected. Digging even deeper, which is to say he broke into the police station, and using the limited knowledge that his boss had given him, he had noticed that all things invariably led back to Clark Kent and something the locals called meteor rocks. That is, he was always at the center of things. The others were incidental. Nevertheless, it had piqued his interest. Kale felt an almost painful compulsion to fit the pieces of the puzzle that was Smallville.
It was at that point that Kale decided to make discovering the odd core of Smallville part of his mission. Capturing the meteor freaks didn’t require all of his attention. And his boss played the game of “need to know”. Kale understood, but that didn’t mean he’d back off investigating the happenings. He was still careful and wary of his marks, but they had proven easy to capture. It was like punting a Pomeranian across the room. Easy and somewhat satisfying, but requiring no effort. So he began his work following each of them.
Luthor posed special problems due to his social standing, but following him proved to be unnecessary. Chronicling the fumbling attempts at clandestine activity of Lana Lang, however, proved far more informative. Kale thought it completely pathetic and weak that she would betray someone she purportedly cared for. Not only did she use various means, all stupid in his opinion, to try to find damaging information on her fiancée, but it actually seemed like she had feelings for this Clark Kent.
Kale had spent two nauseating hours watching the juvenile mating dance of Lana Lang and Clark Kent. “Hours I will never get back.” He also found a possible route to kid Luthor if he needed it. It galled him to admit it, but Lana Lang had led him to an impressive amount of information regarding the younger Luthor. Information that might come in handy. There was a momentary twinge of anxiety when he realized that his activities might be construed as betraying his boss, but he tossed those aside. He had to make sense of the power brokers of Smallville.
Lana Lang had also led him to Clark Kent. The boy was fascinating. Clark Kent wasn’t nearly as careful as he thought he was. “I suppose he counts on the general stupidity of those around him to conceal his…gifts.” So he chronicled what he had seen the Kent boy do. Kale had seen him bend a steel girder like one would snap a twig. He had seen the boy survive things that no man should ever have been able to survive. Kale was sure that this boy would be a mark…should’ve been his first mark. He figured maybe his boss didn’t know about Kent, but he was wrong. His boss just had other plans. Plans that he wasn’t privy too. Kale had thought that he had learned all he could from Kent, but he was also wrong about that. Very wrong.
Two Weeks Ago…
Kale had followed Kent to a quarry of some sort. “I guess he’s meeting someone.” From a distance and using high-powered binoculars, he watched as the Kent boy doubled over in pain. The sun hit the quarry just right and an eerie, iridescent green glow could be seen. Kale was no geologist, but it seemed like the glow was coming from what everyone around here called meteor rocks. He watched as a blond woman, who he recognized as Chloe Sullivan, ran to Kent. She seemed frantic and had to drag the boy to safety. It was slow going as he could only offer the slightest bit of help. Kale sat up straighter when he realized that Kent was able to offer more help the further he got away from the rocks. “Intriguing.”
Later in the day, Kale informed his boss of what he had witnessed at the quarry.
His boss was very quiet. When Kale finally got a response, it wasn’t what he figured it would be, “Riddle me this, Kale. If the meteor rocks are the cause of the genetic anomalies observed; and if they are the reason that the denizens of Smallville frequent the hospital less, then it wouldn’t make sense that it both gave strength and weakness to the same individual would it? You also tell me that you have seen Clark Kent do many other spectacular things, yes? Then tell me how multiple and disparate mutations would occur in one person? Or perhaps I am missing something.”
Kale absorbed those words. His boss was right. It didn’t make sense that the dual properties of the meteor rocks would manifest in one person. That person would surely die if the source of strength and weakness were one and the same. Another important point was made. The meteor freaks documented did have random abilities but once established any given individual had a natural progression of abilities.
No meteor freak had the ability to run quickly and have above human capability strength. They were too different. Taken into context with the fact that the boy, Tobias, who could see meteor freaks, indicated that Kent was not meteor infected it made little sense. Unless Tobias was wrong. But that also didn’t make sense. Tobias was batting 1000 when it came to identifying meteor infected. “Occam’s Razor.”
Kale spoke, “It only makes sense if Kent is the cause. Did you know that his adoption papers are so shallow as to imply that he was never really adopted?”
He heard chuckle on the other end, “Yes. Chloe Sullivan accidentally discovered that little fact. Did you know that a few locals said that something significantly larger than meteor rocks crashed into town?”
Kale heard the riddle posed in the question. “Impossible.”
“You’re telling me that an actual ship may have crashed?”
The voice on the other end continued without answering his question, “I have been aware of Clark Kent, but this new information helps me in my endeavors. You also intrigue me with the information on Lana. Sooner or later, I’ll want to involve her directly. She’s the weakest link. Congratulations, Mr. Kale, I am impressed. But I have another assignment for you. Too much attention is being paid to my project, especially from Daddy Dearest. I want you to cause a major distraction. I don’t care how you do it. I do, however, require that you set up a subsidiary of Wayne Enterprises for whatever activity you settle on. FoxTech is run by Lucius Fox. He’s a cohort of Wayne. More importantly, they recently developed some new kind of mine that will be seeing limited army use. It’s having a coming out party. I’d like that party to be delayed. The government is becoming a thorn in my side so I’d like these birds killed with one stone. I won’t breathe down your neck on this. My project requires my full attention. You’ll have what you need by tomorrow. I want to read about this in the news, Kale.”
The line went dead. He was both frustrated and surprised. So few of his bosses allowed him such autonomy. And even fewer were able to evade him. No question that mattered to him had actually been answered…but they were in a round about way. True to form, his boss delivered. He once again had the blueprints for the pipsqueak mine, which elicited a small laugh from Kale, and the mine itself. He would’ve worried about the mine if there wasn’t a paper attached to it with the headline: FoxTech Warehouse Robbed. Unknown Items Taken. He was impressed. “A boss who anticipates my worries.” Kale set his mind to work on the problem and found a solution that was bound to make a splash. His heartbeat sped up and a smile lit his face. “This will be fun.”
Present…
For two weeks, Kale followed Lana to figure out Lionel Luthor’s schedule. Through the course of his investigations, Kale had found that Lana Lang was trying to play father and son against each other. His observations indicated that she was failing miserably at her games. “She is the worst kind of woman.” He spent a lot of time in and out of Smallville. For someone so high profile, Luthor foolishly allowed his arrogance to get in the way of prudence. The man didn’t think anyone would come for him. But Lionel Luthor was wrong.
The last stretch of road into Smallville was a two lane affair. It was also surrounded by corn fields with only a few breaks of clear land in between. On this particular day, a Monday, the road was deserted. Kale had noticed that the road was empty of cars between noon and 2 PM. It was also the time that Lionel Luthor generally rolled into town in his impressive limo. Luthor had taken to using the limo instead of the helicopter due to the falling out with his son.
Luthor would not have his driver stop to help a motorist whose car had broken down, but he would stop if that car took up both lanes due to an accident. Kale deliberately hit the embankment on either side of road so that he’d have to overcompensate and the car would end up crashed. He had a hell of a time finding and stealing a car that would serve his needs, but he had. This stretch of road was also very good because there were no cell towers nearby. It lay well outside of Metropolis’s and Smallville’s range of towers. Nevertheless, Kale activated his cell phone killer. It interfered with phone signals. Lionel would be unable to call anyone for help.
Kale positioned himself a little ways off the road and watched through the scope as Luthor’s limo slowed and finally stopped. He was a good marksman, but the tires were the kind that would work even when flat and the windows were bulletproof. He expected nothing less. He watched as the driver got out of the car. This was the moment. “Perfect.” Kale pulled the trigger and fired three bullets into the back of the driver. The scope made it possible for him to see the blood spray as the bullets violently impacted the man. He had been tempted to go for the head shot, but figured that now wasn’t the time to get fancy.
He left his rifle and ran from his vantage point to the limo. Kale had to get Luthor out of the car quickly. Luthor wouldn’t come out of the car voluntarily, but he also wouldn’t be able to get to the front seat of the limo easily. The partition ensured it. Kale made it to the limo just as Lionel found the courage to step out on the side of the car away from the bullets.
Kale figured the man had a gun. He had on full riot gear. Luthor could prove to be adept with a gun to make a head shot. Kale was not going to find out if he was. ”Better safe than sorry.” He called out to the elder Luthor, “Mr. Luthor, I’m Samuel Kale. It’s nice to make your acquaintance.”
********
One minute, Lionel Luthor was enjoying reaming an employee about some report and then his cell phone died. A few moments later, his driver lowered the limo partition and informed him of a wreck.
“Mr. Luthor, sir, we seem to have a problem. There’s an overturned car—“
Lionel interrupted him, “Drive around the car and call the authorities.”
“I can’t, sir. The car is taking up both lanes and my phone is dead.”
Lionel’s patience vanished. He had a meeting with Lex. The boy didn’t know it, but that didn’t matter. Lionel picked up his phone to dial out and discovered that it was also dead. It was fully charged. There was no reason for it to not function.
“Sir, I’m going to see if the person in the car is ok. I’ll also check for a phone.”
The driver, Lionel forgot his name, raised the partition and exited the car. Three loud bangs in quick succession greeted Lionel’s ears. He identified them as bullets. They could be nothing else. He moved to exit the car and stopped himself. Whoever was shooting was probably not going to stop at a limo driver. Lionel took stock of the situation and did not like the way things were going. He used his control panel to lower the partition once again, but he wasn’t as flexible as he used to be and getting to the front seat would slow him down too much.
Lionel had to take the risk and assume that there was only one shooter. He probably wasn’t in too much danger. “Probably a kidnap attempt.” If it was, then whoever it was wouldn’t want him dead. Lionel didn’t know who the hell was shooting at his limo, but this person would pay.
He exited the car away from where he expected the shooter to be and crouched low. Lionel heard a voice call out to him, “Mr. Luthor, I’m Samuel Kale. It’s nice to make your acquaintance.”
Kale drew his tranquilizer gun and dropped to the ground. He saw that Luthor was crouched low, but his knee touched the ground. It was a good enough shot to get a dart in him. Kale took the shot and was rewarded with a soft expletive and then the sound of Luthor’s body hitting the dirt.
Samuel Kale stood. It was now time for the hard stuff. He pushed the driver into the passenger seat and carried Lionel into a break in the corn field where his car was hidden. Kale had enough time to wipe the mine of his fingerprints, both inside and out, and place it on the underside of the car. He was sorry that he wouldn’t be able to stay for the explosion because it was on a timer. The mine could be traced to an employee of FoxTech. He so rarely got to work with demolitions. No matter. He had his mark. Lionel wouldn’t be given up for dead, but in the interim there would be an investigation. It would be on the front page.
********
Lionel Luthor woke up to a funny smell. When he tried to move, he found that he was bound to a chair and his mouth felt like he had cotton in it. His head pounded in time with his heartbeat. He was uncomfortable.
A voice sounded to his right, “Ahh…I see you are awake, Mr. Luthor. I trust your nap was about as good as it gets for these types of situations.”
If there was anything that Lionel Luthor knew, it was when he was being mocked. He moved his head to face his kidnapper and found that he didn’t so much move it as it lolled to the side.
Lionel would’ve said something cutting, but his tongue simply would not work. Kale saw the man’s predicament. He was tempted to be mean, but that wouldn’t satisfy his boss, who wanted his humiliation. Kale brought a glass of water to Lionel’s lip and allowed water to trickle into his mouth. Kale watched as Lionel composed himself. He saw the very moment that lucidity returned to Lionel and watched as his cunning mind began to work in earnest.
Lionel swallowed and spoke, his voice raspy, “You’ll regret this.”
Kale readied himself for a grand performance. This would be the best kill he’d earned. If he were into trophies or otherwise marking occasions, now would’ve been the perfect time. As it were, Kale was content to allow this moment to forever exist in his mind alone.
Kale laughed and allowed his entire body to shake with his mirth, “Maybe. Probably not. I will tell you this, I won’t be ruing the day in your lifetime.”
Lionel narrowed his eyes at the threat, “If you’re looking for money, I should tell you that Luthorcorp has a policy against negotiating with kidnappers. Stop this nonsense now, and I’ll be tempted to let this offense go unpunished.”
“In that case, I suppose I should tell you that I don’t plan on sending out some cliché ridden ransom note. No, I plan on killing you, Mr. Luthor.”
Lionel let his words wash over him, “Samuel Kale was it? If you honestly believe—“
Kale was getting bored with the blustering and decided to end it now, “Mr. Luthor, you shouldn’t concern yourself with the “whats” of the situation. You are going to die and I’ll be the one to kill you. Now you know the “what” of the situation. I’m being paid to do this, but the satisfaction of knowing that I got Lionel Luthor to beg for his life is more than gratifying. I wouldn’t waste your breath on offering me money to let you live either. It just isn’t going to happen. I’ve already been bought. But really, the most important question is the “how”. I can kill you quickly, well quickly for me, it’ll still be far too slow for you. Or, I can kill you slowly. What I want from you is your pass codes. You scatter your technological resources so well.”
Lionel Luthor refused to believe that this was his end. He was not meant to die this way. He was going to get out this. This…this piece of hired filth would not get the better of Lionel Luthor. No one could’ve gotten this close to him without help. As soon as the thought that Lex might’ve had a hand in this entered his mind, Lionel quashed it. There was no way that his cowardly, *broken* son could’ve done this. Lex was just too weak.
Lionel affected his patented smirk that even his son tried so hard to imitate, “Even as we speak, there are people looking for me. It’s only a matter of time before you are found out. You will not get away with this. I’m going to bet that you have a family. Everything about you will be investigated. I’ll have you, boy.”
As soon as Luthor mentioned family, the smirk left Kale’s face, “I get it. I see what you’re trying to do now. You’re trying to play on my weaknesses. I think I need to reassess my opinion of you. Bravo! Unlike many of the people you have brought low, I remain unaffected. I will help you out though.”
Samuel began ticking points off of his fingers with his gun, “I have numerous daddy issues. He beat me and then I killed him. I wasn’t too fond of women for a long time. There was a long time when I only accepted jobs with female targets. My mother was a terrible influence. I even have a few sexual hang-ups. My girlfriend is such a sweet heart. She’s helped me through many issues I have. I love her to death. Quite literally. So, Mr. Luthor, do your worst. The difference between me and the fodder you destroy so completely is that I know myself. In real terms, it changes nothing, but it does mean that I can sometimes harness my own impulses. I won’t be panicking. I won’t deviate from my plan.”
Lionel set his mouth to say something cutting to the upstart that dared to touch him, but he didn’t have a chance before Kale spoke again.
“The trouble with men like us is that we believe ourselves to be strong. Powerful. My death will undoubtedly be painful. The strong are brought low quicker than the weak because we don’t see it coming. We don’t even believe it will come. But I believe. And now, I’m going to make a believer out of you.”
Lionel scoffed, “Better men than you have come at me. From all sides, they have come at me. And still I won. Because that’s who I am and that’s what I have created. I have an empire of people afraid of me. People who will look for me out of loyalty, fear, and respect. You are one of many fools I will grind into dust, boy.”
It was in that moment that Kale knew how to get him. His son. It was always through the family that you can get to the mighty, “I want you to know that I found you through someone close to you. Someone betrayed you. It was fun to trap you using one of those people you’ve created an empire out of.”
“Lex would never-”
Kale let Lionel have his assumption and interrupted him, “Mr. Luthor do you believe that because you believe that your son doesn’t have the guts to do so? Or maybe because you think you’ve beaten him down. Or maybe it’s because you simply can’t envision a scenario where you lose by the hand of your son. Make no mistake you have lost.”
And there it was. The look that made everything he did worthwhile. The look of resigned defeat. The moment that his mark knew that they were well and truly ruined. That everything they knew to be true wasn’t and that he, Samuel Kale, would come out on top.
Kale leaned until he was nose to nose with Lionel Luthor and his voice became a whisper, “There are those people who are wrapped in bubble. Innocent. Never truly knowing or understanding that the world they live in is tainted with darkness here and there. The world is an endless joy to them. And to these people I give them my resounding indifference. What should I care for them? There are those in the glass house, who see the troubles coming their way and every now and again a window is broken. They pick up the pieces of their window and make a new one. Or maybe they put duct tape over it and resolve to fix it later. These people would benefit from barricading themselves in, but they can’t imagine not letting the sun bathe them. Most of them don’t even know what it means to take the easy way. They toil and toil. They deserve what happiness they can find; their peace of mind, but it’s not for us. Never for us or those who dabble in the games we play. We aren’t strong enough to handle it. It is one of the greatest ironies crafted by God. And now. Now you begin to believe. I knew I’d make a believer of you.”
Then the screaming began. It didn’t stop until an hour later. Kale surveyed his work. It was his best yet. Samuel felt a rush that he had never felt before. His heart raced and his breath left his body in forceful pants. “It’s almost like sex.” He doubted that it would be like this ever again. After he cleaned this place and arranged the body for discovery, he’d call Marissa. He needed to hear her sweet voice in his ear. He needed to dissociate himself from this kill. He couldn’t yearn for something like this ever again. He needed to remember that this wasn’t personal. It was business…clinical. Anything otherwise would lead to his self destruction. He would be better than that.
********
The world woke up to a breaking bulletin. It filled the radio airwaves. It filled television stations. Everyone was in on the know. Lionel Luthor was found dead. Tied to a scarecrow stand in a corn field of Smallville. It was equidistant to the Kent farm and the mansion owned by Lex Luthor. His body posed to be a blasphemous mockery of a crucifixion. If Lionel Luthor wanted to live like a god, then Kale would let him die like one.
Already there were major shake-ups at FoxTech due to the hardware found at the scene of the crime. A huge investigation was ongoing and Wayne Enterprises was rocked by a scandal the size of which it had never encountered before. Luthorcorp was shaken to its very core. It was chaos and mayhem at its most glorious.
Never before had he clung to Marissa as he had when news first broke. Samuel needed her to ground him…to focus him. She helped get rid of the euphoric feeling of Lionel’s death. She prevented him from immersing himself in it. He had just finished speaking with Marissa when his phone rang.
“You did well.”
Samuel didn’t have a chance to speak before the line went dead. His employer would forever remain a mystery to him. Nothing like what would be expected.
“I knew it was going to be a good day.”
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 02-06-08, Chapter 7b
Wow your plot continues to rock. I'm scared for my smallville favorites. Yikes. Dagney
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 02-06-08, Chapter 7b
One hell of an update!
So, I guess we can cross Lionel Luthor off as Kale's boss;) I do hate that he died believing that Lex arranged for his death, but what a death scene--your descriptions gave me chills.
And Lex is also not Kale's employer, and that Lana is trying to play the Luthors against each other to try and help Clark. The mysterious boss knows what Lana is up to, and is even encouraging her--and Chloe is also in the middle of all of this.
This story continues to intrigue me--excellent work:grin3:
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 02-06-08, Chapter 7b
Quote:
As soon as he had gotten to Smallville, he had applied for a janitorial position at the local high school. He enjoyed working there. He worked with his hands. Made everything neat. It didn’t really matter that he’d have to clean the same spot the next day. It appealed to the inner obsessive compulsive. His girlfriend had jokingly said that he bore more than a passing resemblance to some character on a show called, “Friends”. Whatever that was. Samuel wasn’t big on television. He was a reader.
I really enjoyed reading about this extra ‘quirk’ of Kale’s. It actually makes sense that a person like Kale (who is obsessed with strength and perfection) would be an obsessive-compulsive neat freak on top of others things… it makes him VERY interesting to imagine as a serial killer, and separates him from the mediocrity of a common thug.
Quote:
He had slowly been getting used to Smallville. In that time, he had seen and heard some seriously strange things. Kale had noticed a pattern to all the odd things happening in town. Lex Luthor, Chloe Sullivan, Lana Lang and Clark Kent seemed to always be connected. Digging even deeper, which is to say he broke into the police station, and using the limited knowledge that his boss had given him, he had noticed that all things invariably led back to Clark Kent and something the locals called meteor rocks. That is, he was always at the center of things. The others were incidental. Nevertheless, it had piqued his interest. Kale felt an almost painful compulsion to fit the pieces of the puzzle that was Smallville.
It was most fascinating seeing how much Kale had discovered and deducted about the strangeness in Smallville, AND how he had discerned a pattern to the weirdness ands violence that happens on a regular basis in the town. It takes an outside perspective to really be able to see how STUPID and blind the residents of Smallville are for not noticing how everything
revolves around Clark Kent and his gang of friends and family.
I felt a considerable amount of gratified smugness about the way Kale feels such contempt for Lana. He seriously HATES her duplicitous, self-absorbed, vapid nature. And he despises how no-one else seems to notice how useless, irritating, deceitful and disloyal this girl is.
But Kale’s assessment of Lana’s personality was also chilling… because I could see how he was framing Lana in reference to all the women that he has basically hated in his own life. And I actually found myself hoping that Lana never finds herself alone with this man anywhere EVER… because, considering how he feels about her, he would be vicious in killing her.
Quote:
Lana Lang had also led him to Clark Kent. The boy was fascinating. Clark Kent wasn’t nearly as careful as he thought he was. “I suppose he counts on the general stupidity of those around him to conceal his…gifts.” So he chronicled what he had seen the Kent boy do. Kale had seen him bend a steel girder like one would snap a twig. He had seen the boy survive things that no man should ever have been able to survive. Kale was sure that this boy would be a mark…should’ve been his first mark. He figured maybe his boss didn’t know about Kent, but he was wrong. His boss just had other plans. Plans that he wasn’t privy too. Kale had thought that he had learned all he could from Kent, but he was also wrong about that. Very wrong.
oooh boy!! So not only has Kale discovered that Clark is usually in the centre of every strange situation in Smallville… but he’s ALSO found out about Clark’s powers. Kale is a seriously bad, hostile force that has been released in Smallville, and even the experienced warriors around here will have their hands full in dealing with this man. Sheeesh! Clark REALLY needs to learn some sense of discretion when it comes to hiding his powers. It seems like Kale didn’t even have to look too hard before discovering everything he needed to know about Clark.
Quote:
Kale had followed Kent to a quarry of some sort. “I guess he’s meeting someone.” From a distance and using high-powered binoculars, he watched as the Kent boy doubled over in pain. The sun hit the quarry just right and an eerie, iridescent green glow could be seen. Kale was no geologist, but it seemed like the glow was coming from what everyone around here called meteor rocks. He watched as a blond woman, who he recognized as Chloe Sullivan, ran to Kent. She seemed frantic and had to drag the boy to safety. It was slow going as he could only offer the slightest bit of help. Kale sat up straighter when he realized that Kent was able to offer more help the further he got away from the rocks. “Intriguing.”
oh dear heaven!!! Not only does Kale know about Clark’s strengths, which was bad enough, but he ALSO knows about Clark’s only weakness… This is terrible! And it has upped the level of danger that Kale represents to everyone.
Quote:
Kale absorbed those words. His boss was right. It didn’t make sense that the dual properties of the meteor rocks would manifest in one person. That person would surely die if the source of strength and weakness were one and the same. Another important point was made. The meteor freaks documented did have random abilities but once established any given individual had a natural progression of abilities.
No meteor freak had the ability to run quickly and have above human capability strength. They were too different. Taken into context with the fact that the boy, Tobias, who could see meteor freaks, indicated that Kent was not meteor infected it made little sense. Unless Tobias was wrong. But that also didn’t make sense. Tobias was batting 1000 when it came to identifying meteor infected. “Occam’s Razor.”
This was a very clever and clear-headed line of deduction. I really admired the way this thought was introduced and how it was followed through to a logical conclusion. All the clues of Clark’s powers, weaknesses AND origins are right there, waiting for anyone to piece them together… and it’s absurd to imagine how no-one else has managed to link up these pieces of information together.
Quote:
The voice on the other end continued without answering his question, “I have been aware of Clark Kent, but this new information helps me in my endeavors. You also intrigue me with the information on Lana. Sooner or later, I’ll want to involve her directly. She’s the weakest link. Congratulations, Mr. Kale, I am impressed. But I have another assignment for you. Too much attention is being paid to my project, especially from Daddy Dearest. I want you to cause a major distraction. I don’t care how you do it. I do, however, require that you set up a subsidiary of Wayne Enterprises for whatever activity you settle on. FoxTech is run by Lucius Fox. He’s a cohort of Wayne. More importantly, they recently developed some new kind of mine that will be seeing limited army use. It’s having a coming out party. I’d like that party to be delayed. The government is becoming a thorn in my side so I’d like these birds killed with one stone. I won’t breathe down your neck on this. My project requires my full attention. You’ll have what you need by tomorrow. I want to read about this in the news, Kale.”
I was going nuts trying to figure out who was The Boss speaking to Kale. The reference to ‘Daddy Dearest’ made me wonder whether it was Lex after all, but I dismissed that suspicion halfway through this chapter. Now I’m trying to remember any Smallville or DC characters that might have some daddy-issues… but no-one comes to mind except… Lucas?
Quote:
The line went dead. He was both frustrated and surprised. So few of his bosses allowed him such autonomy. And even fewer were able to evade him. No question that mattered to him had actually been answered…but they were in a round about way. True to form, his boss delivered. He once again had the blueprints for the pipsqueak mine, which elicited a small laugh from Kale, and the mine itself. He would’ve worried about the mine if there wasn’t a paper attached to it with the headline: FoxTech Warehouse Robbed. Unknown Items Taken. He was impressed. “A boss who anticipates my worries.” Kale set his mind to work on the problem and found a solution that was bound to make a splash. His heartbeat sped up and a smile lit his face. “This will be fun.”
I’ll admit I was also impressed by this carefully laid out, well-considered plan. It was efficiently planned and arranged to achieve as many objectives for The Boss as possible. I’m not sure about ALL the objectives that this mysterious Boss was trying to get done, but I can tell that this plan was designed to fulfil a lot of goals on a multitude of levels.
Quote:
For two weeks, Kale followed Lana to figure out Lionel Luthor’s schedule. Through the course of his investigations, Kale had found that Lana Lang was trying to play father and son against each other. His observations indicated that she was failing miserably at her games. “She is the worst kind of woman.” He spent a lot of time in and out of Smallville. For someone so high profile, Luthor foolishly allowed his arrogance to get in the way of prudence. The man didn’t think anyone would come for him. But Lionel Luthor was wrong.
I’m really not surprised that Lana was the weak security link that allowed Kale access into whatever part of the Luthor’s life he wanted. Lionel and Lex have been far too tolerating of Lana’s attempted security break-ins and hacking… They probably allowed it because they didn’t deem her to be a threat, but they FAILED to see how a greater threat can piggie-back on her fumbling, and actually come far too close to the Luthors.
And I still felt a chill hearing Kale describing her as ‘the worst kind of woman’… I can practically feel him salivating at the notion of exacting his idea of vengeance on this woman… not because of anything she’s done, but simply for being the kind of person that she is.
Quote:
Kale positioned himself a little ways off the road and watched through the scope as Luthor’s limo slowed and finally stopped. He was a good marksman, but the tires were the kind that would work even when flat and the windows were bulletproof. He expected nothing less. He watched as the driver got out of the car. This was the moment. “Perfect.” Kale pulled the trigger and fired three bullets into the back of the driver. The scope made it possible for him to see the blood spray as the bullets violently impacted the man. He had been tempted to go for the head shot, but figured that now wasn’t the time to get fancy.
I’m always in awe of your action sequences, Ava! You covered through all the actions, made it exciting and fast-paced, and yet made it clear to all the reader’s about everything that was happening everywhere at any given moment. The poor driver, but it’s scary to imagine that the poor man got off lucky because he died so quick.
Quote:
“I can’t, sir. The car is taking up both lanes and my phone is dead.”
heh, Kale planned everything out perfectly when it came to setting a trap for Lionel Luthor. He even planned it out to the extent of knowing that Lionel would ‘never’ stop for any motorist in trouble unless he had no other choice.
And it was a nice touch to place a phone-dampener in the area.
Quote:
Lionel’s patience vanished. He had a meeting with Lex. The boy didn’t know it, but that didn’t matter. Lionel picked up his phone to dial out and discovered that it was also dead. It was fully charged. There was no reason for it to not function.
Poor Lionel… here he was… looking forward to another day of tormenting his son with another unannounced paternal visit… and the serial killer decides to interrupt his father/son bonding time.
Quote:
The driver, Lionel forgot his name, raised the partition and exited the car. Three loud bangs in quick succession greeted Lionel’s ears. He identified them as bullets. They could be nothing else. He moved to exit the car and stopped himself. Whoever was shooting was probably not going to stop at a limo driver. Lionel took stock of the situation and did not like the way things were going. He used his control panel to lower the partition once again, but he wasn’t as flexible as he used to be and getting to the front seat would slow him down too much.
Lionel had to take the risk and assume that there was only one shooter. He probably wasn’t in too much danger. “Probably a kidnap attempt.” If it was, then whoever it was wouldn’t want him dead. Lionel didn’t know who the hell was shooting at his limo, but this person would pay.
I admired the way that Lionel kept his cool head throughout this emergency. He assessed the danger and immediately sprung into action. And I suppose the fact that he didn’t waste time in grieving over the ‘unknown, nameless’ driver must have helped matter :P It’s interesting to see how utter bastards can have a better sense of survival than most decent people.
Quote:
Samuel Kale stood. It was now time for the hard stuff. He pushed the driver into the passenger seat and carried Lionel into a break in the corn field where his car was hidden. Kale had enough time to wipe the mine of his fingerprints, both inside and out, and place it on the underside of the car. He was sorry that he wouldn’t be able to stay for the explosion because it was on a timer. The mine could be traced to an employee of FoxTech. He so rarely got to work with demolitions. No matter. He had his mark. Lionel wouldn’t be given up for dead, but in the interim there would be an investigation. It would be on the front page.
huh! It seems like the mission has been accomplished… all the objectives have been taken care of. Now there’s only Kale’s ‘fun time’ to be indulged in. Seriously, Kale didn’t NEED to kidnap Lionel to torture the poor man… he just chose to prolong Lionel’s agony for no really good reason except for personal satisfaction. Did the Boss specifically request some torture, or was it purely Kale having some fun after a hard day’s work?
Quote:
Lionel would’ve said something cutting, but his tongue simply would not work. Kale saw the man’s predicament. He was tempted to be mean, but that wouldn’t satisfy his boss, who wanted his humiliation. Kale brought a glass of water to Lionel’s lip and allowed water to trickle into his mouth. Kale watched as Lionel composed himself. He saw the very moment that lucidity returned to Lionel and watched as his cunning mind began to work in earnest.
huh! It seems like the Boss at least ‘did’ ask for Lionel to suffer a little bit before dying. And Kale doesn’t really do anything by halves, does he?
Quote:
Kale readied himself for a grand performance. This would be the best kill he’d earned. If he were into trophies or otherwise marking occasions, now would’ve been the perfect time. As it were, Kale was content to allow this moment to forever exist in his mind alone.
It’s interesting that Kale was already geared up for a ‘fun’ and challenging torture session from the very beginning. He seems to have already guessed that Lionle would be a challenge to break, and he’s relishing thre thought of beating down a strong, powerful man like this one. I saw that Kale feels merciless contempt for his ‘weaker’ targets, but it seems like it’s not much better being a ‘stronger’ target either.
Quote:
Lionel narrowed his eyes at the threat, “If you’re looking for money, I should tell you that Luthorcorp has a policy against negotiating with kidnappers. Stop this nonsense now, and I’ll be tempted to let this offense go unpunished.”
Very impressive! Lionel is putting up a good front despite his situation of being kidnapped and tied down to a chair by a psychotic killer. I can see how this kind of an attitude ‘might’ have even worked to intimidate lesser kidnappers. OR infuriating them :P
Quote:
Kale was getting bored with the blustering and decided to end it now, “Mr. Luthor, you shouldn’t concern yourself with the “whats” of the situation. You are going to die and I’ll be the one to kill you. Now you know the “what” of the situation. I’m being paid to do this, but the satisfaction of knowing that I got Lionel Luthor to beg for his life is more than gratifying. I wouldn’t waste your breath on offering me money to let you live either. It just isn’t going to happen. I’ve already been bought. But really, the most important question is the “how”. I can kill you quickly, well quickly for me, it’ll still be far too slow for you. Or, I can kill you slowly. What I want from you is your pass codes. You scatter your technological resources so well.”
It was good to see WHY exactly Kale had to torture Lionel before killing him. I wouldn’t have been surprised if Kale HAD decided to torture Lionel just for the heck of it, but there is some ‘reason’ behind this.
Quote:
Lionel Luthor refused to believe that this was his end. He was not meant to die this way. He was going to get out this. This…this piece of hired filth would not get the better of Lionel Luthor. No one could’ve gotten this close to him without help. As soon as the thought that Lex might’ve had a hand in this entered his mind, Lionel quashed it. There was no way that his cowardly, *broken* son could’ve done this. Lex was just too weak.
Lionel affected his patented smirk that even his son tried so hard to imitate, “Even as we speak, there are people looking for me. It’s only a matter of time before you are found out. You will not get away with this. I’m going to bet that you have a family. Everything about you will be investigated. I’ll have you, boy.”
Oh dear… Lionel has not fully understood the kind of man who is before him. He’s not only maintaining his imperious attitude of bravado and entitlement… but he even believes that he’ll be released, as long as he demands in an authoritative enough tone.
It was interesting that Lex was Lionel’s first suspect for this kidnapping… but the idea was immediately dismissed out of mind because he thought Lex was too ‘weak’ to so this. WHAT kind of a man would prove his strength by hiring a psychotic contract killer?!? Lionel has a very skewed sense of weakness and strength.
Quote:
Samuel began ticking points off of his fingers with his gun, “I have numerous daddy issues. He beat me and then I killed him. I wasn’t too fond of women for a long time. There was a long time when I only accepted jobs with female targets. My mother was a terrible influence. I even have a few sexual hang-ups. My girlfriend is such a sweet heart. She’s helped me through many issues I have. I love her to death. Quite literally. So, Mr. Luthor, do your worst. The difference between me and the fodder you destroy so completely is that I know myself. In real terms, it changes nothing, but it does mean that I can sometimes harness my own impulses. I won’t be panicking. I won’t deviate from my plan.”
I liked getting a short summation of Kale’s history. The part where he mentioned about how he used to only accept contracts in killing women made me recoil in loathing and disgust. I have a VERY low opinion of men who use physical force against women. And I can’t imagine how Kale managed to reconcile his idea of ‘strength’ and ‘worthy opponents’ while he was limiting himself to attacking females.
I ALSO wondered what the heck could have led Kale to become such a misogynistic bastard. He mentioned ‘daddy-issues’ of physical abuse… but how did he suffer at the hands of some woman/women?
Quote:
It was in that moment that Kale knew how to get him. His son. It was always through the family that you can get to the mighty, “I want you to know that I found you through someone close to you. Someone betrayed you. It was fun to trap you using one of those people you’ve created an empire out of.”
“Lex would never-”
Kale let Lionel have his assumption and interrupted him, “Mr. Luthor do you believe that because you believe that your son doesn’t have the guts to do so? Or maybe because you think you’ve beaten him down. Or maybe it’s because you simply can’t envision a scenario where you lose by the hand of your son. Make no mistake you have lost.”
And there it was. The look that made everything he did worthwhile. The look of resigned defeat. The moment that his mark knew that they were well and truly ruined. That everything they knew to be true wasn’t and that he, Samuel Kale, would come out on top.
Kale is a seriously scary bastard! But he’s very smart in his ability to look at a person and assess what their weak-spots might be. It was really interesting to see that THIS was the most satisfying moment during this entire interrogation for Kale. He doesn’t get off as much on bringing pain to his victims as he does in messing with their emotions and luring them down to despair before destroying them.
It was at THIS part where I threw away my tiny suspicion about Lex being the one who hired Kale, and I started racking up all the other possible suspects in earnest.
Quote:
Kale leaned until he was nose to nose with Lionel Luthor and his voice became a whisper, “There are those people who are wrapped in bubble. Innocent. Never truly knowing or understanding that the world they live in is tainted with darkness here and there. The world is an endless joy to them. And to these people I give them my resounding indifference. What should I care for them? There are those in the glass house, who see the troubles coming their way and every now and again a window is broken. They pick up the pieces of their window and make a new one. Or maybe they put duct tape over it and resolve to fix it later. These people would benefit from barricading themselves in, but they can’t imagine not letting the sun bathe them. Most of them don’t even know what it means to take the easy way. They toil and toil. They deserve what happiness they can find; their peace of mind, but it’s not for us. Never for us or those who dabble in the games we play. We aren’t strong enough to handle it. It is one of the greatest ironies crafted by God. And now. Now you begin to believe. I knew I’d make a believer of you.”
oh, this was GOOD, Ava!!! I loved this philosophy from Kale. It’s fascinating seeing that he consciously KNOWS about what a evil bastard he is… and he doesn’t try to rationalize it away by telling himself that, deep down, everyone is evil. Instead he knows that there are plenty of people in the world who are capable of great, wonderful, unselfish acts… AND that they manage to find happiness and peace in their lives because of the lack of darkness in their thoughts, actions and souls. It was a fascinating monologue from a serial killer. I loved it!!!
Quote:
Then the screaming began. It didn’t stop until an hour later. Kale surveyed his work. It was his best yet. Samuel felt a rush that he had never felt before. His heart raced and his breath left his body in forceful pants. “It’s almost like sex.” He doubted that it would be like this ever again. After he cleaned this place and arranged the body for discovery, he’d call Marissa. He needed to hear her sweet voice in his ear. He needed to dissociate himself from this kill. He couldn’t yearn for something like this ever again. He needed to remember that this wasn’t personal. It was business…clinical. Anything otherwise would lead to his self destruction. He would be better than that.
The world woke up to a breaking bulletin. It filled the radio airwaves. It filled television stations. Everyone was in on the know. Lionel Luthor was found dead. Tied to a scarecrow stand in a corn field of Smallville. It was equidistant to the Kent farm and the mansion owned by Lex Luthor. His body posed to be a blasphemous mockery of a crucifixion. If Lionel Luthor wanted to live like a god, then Kale would let him die like one.
I seriously felt like shutting my eyes and ears and crying out ‘la, la LA’ to drown out the visuals you were putting in my head, Ava. This was a HORRIBLE, nasty, demeaning and terrible way for anyone to die… even a man like Lionel Luthor didn’t deserve a long, drawn out death at the hands of a psycho like Kale. You did an amazing job in depicting Lionel’s death, and having all the readers cringe away from the screen rather than lean forward to make sure ‘the bastard got everything he deserved’. Very impressive.
Quote:
Already there were major shake-ups at FoxTech due to the hardware found at the scene of the crime. A huge investigation was ongoing and Wayne Enterprises was rocked by a scandal the size of which it had never encountered before. Luthorcorp was shaken to its very core. It was chaos and mayhem at its most glorious.
hmmm! It seems like the Boss had some reason to want BOTH the world’s leaders in business to be distracted and unsettled during this brief period. I wonder what kind of an advantage he was hoping to gain.
Poor Lex… he’s going to be devastated and heartbroken. He might have hated his father… but what kind of a man WOULDN’T be distressed upon hearing that his father had been killed in such a gruesome, brutal and horrifying way. Any chance of Chloe rushing in to offer some comfort sex?
Quote:
Never before had he clung to Marissa as he had when news first broke. Samuel needed her to ground him…to focus him. She helped get rid of the euphoric feeling of Lionel’s death. She prevented him from immersing himself in it. He had just finished speaking with Marissa when his phone rang.
I keep finding new fascinating facets to Kale’s personality. It was so interesting that Kale needs Marissa to keep in darkness in check. He’s already such a brutal, unfeeling killer… I don’t think I want to imagine the kind of man he would become without Marissa’s ‘gentling’ influence. What the heck would he become?! Isn’t he enough of a monster? And now I find out he ‘could’ be something worse?!? Scary!
This was quite a chapter, Ava! I loved this ‘going away’ present that you made a point of finishing before my leaving :D It was fantastic, and I loved the time you (and Skauble) took in polishing it off in time. Thank you!
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 02-06-08, Chapter 7b
This might be bad author form, but you had some really good questions, Sabrina. I should probably let the story speak for itself, but I wanted to answer you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by somethingeasy
I ALSO wondered what the heck could have led Kale to become such a misogynistic bastard. He mentioned ‘daddy-issues’ of physical abuse… but how did he suffer at the hands of some woman/women?
I've read some literature that indicates that the hatred of the abuser sometimes pales in comparison with hatred of the enabler, especially if the primary abuser is male. The mother is supposed to nurture and comfort...give succor to offspring in times of distress. Of course this could also go the other way with the child having an obsessive need to put the enabler on a pedestal. Defense mechanism and all that. So it's easy to transfer hatred to the person who doesn't help you in this case it's actually worse.
Kale doesn't hate women necessarily. Just certain kinds of women. Women who are fickle, who don't have the guts to leave a bad situation, who betray the faith placed in them. But I would go further and say that he hates that in everyone. Including himself.
Kale is on the outside and he can't see that Lana does have a few redeeming characteristics. I've actually had to come to grips with this myself. When Lana wants to be and she shows you her affection, she does make you her entire world. Lana is a chameleon personality. She tries to fit whoever she's with and it's rooted in her own insecurities and her own special form of arrogance. If the writers would just let her grow up and deal with them, she would not be a bad person.
Lana is like the kid in the ice cream shop that has to taste every flavor. Not because she's looking for something better, but because she can't pin down what she wants at any given moment. She just knows she wants something. Contrast that with the Chloe Sullivans of the world who go into the ice cream shop and committ to a flavor. Sometimes it's the same flavor, sometimes they switch it up. The Lana person would be found lacking or sometimes ambitious. Depends on how charitable you want to be. Lana is the fulcrum in SV and that's retarded. If the writers had any jeuvos at all, then it would be Lana and Lex competing for Clark's attention. To illustrate what HE represents to different perspectives.
(As a weird aside, you ever get the feeling in some episodes that Lex and Clark could totally be on the verge of some homosexual affair, but they just can't deal with that thought because it isn't "proper"?)
I've tried to show that once someone pays for his services he sticks with them to the bloody end. Lionel could pay him even more money, but he'd never take it. It would mean that he forsakes the trust that someone places in him, in this case his employer. Sorta like how his mother and father betrayed the fundamental, inherent, and necessary trust a child places in the hands of their parent. He does love Marissa and he has more than a modicum of respect for Chloe, which I've shown (hopefully) in chapter 4.
Quote:
Originally Posted by somethingeasy
I keep finding new fascinating facets to Kale’s personality. It was so interesting that Kale needs Marissa to keep in darkness in check. He’s already such a brutal, unfeeling killer… I don’t think I want to imagine the kind of man he would become without Marissa’s ‘gentling’ influence. What the heck would he become?! Isn’t he enough of a monster? And now I find out he ‘could’ be something worse?!? Scary!
I think it's his feelings that make him such a terrible person and not the lack of them actually. He has feelings. He doesn't deny them. He just adjusts them until they don't bother him anymore. Or he goes out and does something so that his negative feelings go away. Like when he got a job because he felt guilt. Or runs daily to alleviate a sense of restlessness that he can't identify. Or got a girlfriend because he's lonely and he does want someone to love and to love him in return. He doesn't pretend that he's better than he is and he knows that he is fundamentally flawed. His monologue indicates as much. And he actually admitted earlier that if he weren't as smart as he was, he'd be in jail. Giving in to darkness would do that. His need for survival means that he won't let himself take that leap and Marissa is a big reason why. Also, never let it be said that service in the military doesn't give ya discipline.;)
Quote:
Originally Posted by somethingeasy
And I actually found myself hoping that Lana never finds herself alone with this man anywhere EVER… because, considering how he feels about her, he would be vicious in killing her.
He'd probably just shoot her in the face and take away the one thing that she values above all else. After he explains why he's going to kill her. It's important to Kale that no one dies in ignorance. Everyone deserves the truth...it's the worst cruelty he can give. The thing is that he doesn't believe it to be cruel, but he feels that he's doing them a favor. Fearing the truth is like settling for weakness.
Quote:
Originally Posted by somethingeasy
I saw that Kale feels merciless contempt for his ‘weaker’ targets, but it seems like it’s not much better being a ‘stronger’ target either.
If Lionel were strong, he would've won. ;)
Quote:
Originally Posted by somethingeasy
I seriously felt like shutting my eyes and ears and crying out ‘la, la LA’ to drown out the visuals you were putting in my head, Ava. This was a HORRIBLE, nasty, demeaning and terrible way for anyone to die… even a man like Lionel Luthor didn’t deserve a long, drawn out death at the hands of a psycho like Kale. You did an amazing job in depicting Lionel’s death, and having all the readers cringe away from the screen rather than lean forward to make sure ‘the bastard got everything he deserved’. Very impressive.
Heh...thanks. Skauble liked it because I didn't go into details and people could let their imagination run wild. You guys come up with it better than I do.
I think this kill was different than the others. And you picked up on that. You mentioned that Lana represented every woman that Kale has hated, well Lionel represents everything he hates about himself and others. Kale broke Lionel like he was broken by his own father. Kale looked at Lionel and saw his father and I hope that showed. And I posed his body like that because if you assume the posture of a god, you assume all of the trappings that come with it. Unfortunately, the world has a history of betraying their gods. Whether it's through the perversion of the tenants of that god, turning to other gods, or actually killing that god. Kale did two of the three;)
I've always been of the opinion that monsters aren't monsters because they do terrible things and people hate them for it. I think monsters are monsters because they do terrible things and some people, some where love them. Sam is respected by people, people love him and when he does things like this it hits low in the gut that this guy is going against everything you find right in the world. Lionel is such a bad guy because people genuinely like him. Lex loves him and to viciously deny something as instinctual as parental love is the worst kind of bastardly.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 02-06-08, Chapter 7b
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Avalanche
This might be bad author form, but you had some really good questions, Sabrina. I should probably let the story speak for itself, but I wanted to answer you.
:clapclap: :love2:
THANK you, Ava... all those answers to my comments and queries were VERY useful and interesting. It really helped me understand a lot more things about Kale... such as where his hatred of 'certain traits' that he associates with \a certain kind of woman' comes from. I can see how it works that Kale would feel such overwhelming psychotic hatred for females. but still be the world's most sweetest, considerate of boyfriends to a woman that HE deems worthy of devotion and respect.
I forgot to mention, but I sensed that some of the elements that he admires in Marissa as ALSO traits that he admires in Chloe... He's doesn't feel contempt for her as he does for most of his other targets, and I got that.
And I loved, LOVED the assessment of Lana's personality. It turned my views around, but I can see so clearly how Lana can actually be a sweet, likable and even lovable person to people. I can see how addictive it might be to become the very center of someone's world. Lana is an adaptive chameleon who rearranges her life and personality according to whoever she happens to have her devotion focused on. Her chameleon like attitude however makes her 'too' adaptable... to the extent of being deceitful and disloyal. It's just in her nature, and not because she means any malicious harm from her flitting habits.
I really admire the way you've actually made LANA seem likable! VERY nicely done, Ava... and I look forward to seeing whether you manage to fit that into your plot line.
The thing about Kale killing Lionel because Lionel represented a 'father figure'... or perhaps even a reflection of Kale himself. THAT was very interesting, and I can't believe I didn't pick up on those undertones before. It's SO obvious! LOL!
Thanks so much for providing these long 'behind the scenes' notes to some of my comments. I really enjoyed them, and they helped me gain a whole new appreciation for your fic and it's characters. Good luck with the next update.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 02-06-08, Chapter 7b
Disclaimer- Sally forth unto the first chapter and thou shalt surely find words of reckoning that doth proclaim that I own these characters not. (I got bored with what I had been typing)
A/N- Enjoy!
Chapter 7- Origins of the Wolf
Part III- Footsteps
The child who refuses to travel in the father's harness, this is the symbol of man's most unique capability. "I do not have to be what my father was. I do not have to obey my father's rules or even believe everything he believed. It is my strength as a human that I can make my own choices of what to believe and what not to believe, of what to be and what not to be."
Frank Herbert, Children of Dune
For two hours he had been sitting in darkness. He had thought about lighting a fire, but decided that would be too much work. “A metaphor for my life no doubt.” As soon as that thought passed through his mind, he snorted. It didn’t get more emo than that. He’d been sitting in the dark, ignoring the world, and drinking another glass of Scotch. This would mark the fifth time in as many days that he would indulge in this activity.
All Lex wanted to hear was the frantic splashing as his liver cells drown in Scotch. Lex hadn’t been neglecting the real world during the day, but the night was his. His time to wallow in self-pity. His time to brood and focus on the negatives. Tomorrow would be another day to put the night behind him. There were a million things that needed his attention; and for the first time in his life, he didn’t know how to handle it.
It had been a week and a half since Lionel’s death...since his murder. A week since he had buried him. “My father.” The police were pinning the crime on some worker at FoxTech. Lex didn’t believe for one minute that the person the police were investigating had been the perpetrator of the crime. He didn’t even believe the man could’ve hired someone to do it. He was a nobody who was afraid of his own shadow. Lionel’s murderer was a professional.
Something dark was swirling around that damned mine. First had been the death of the lead engineer, then a break-in was staged at a Wayne facility, and then the mine was used to facilitate the kidnapping of Lionel. It looked to be a large conspiracy. Lex had been obsessive in trying to make sense of the situation. He pored over everything. Files. Meetings. Anything that could possibly give him a clue as to why this happened. The lead engineer, whose name Lex couldn’t recall at the moment, had been found dead. Apparently he murdered his family and then killed himself. His suicide note said something to the effect that his life was a sham and came at the expense of someone else.
The police had investigated the woman that had been mentioned in the engineer’s suicide note. Lex couldn’t remember her name either. His mind was far too clouded. But she had been cleared as well. Nothing in her bank records indicated any kind of dirty dealings. She was just a brilliant, young engineer caught up in the storm of misfortune. The only thing Lex did know at this point was that Bruce was beside himself. The first time the man ventures into military research and development and it ends poorly. He doubted that Bruce would get in bed with the government in anything approaching military applications ever again. “Just as well.” It relieved Lex to know this. Luthorcorp couldn’t afford the competition.
Lex had threatened and bribed a number of people to get the original report of the medical examiner. He even had photos. Lex had never been so horrified in his life. He raised the glass to his lips. His hands trembled. His breath quickened. Lionel hadn’t just been murdered. He had been brutalized. A forensics specialist told him that the deep cuts and bruises that adorned Lionel’s body were the work of an angry individual…someone who had no respect for human life. He’d also been told that Lionel had been alive for at least an hour on that cross. A small part of Lex recognized the dark humor of the mind that had posed Lionel. Both an insult and a twisted honor to have been placed in the death pose of a god. The person who had done this knew Lionel well. Or at least he knew the kind of person Lionel was.
The glass was raised to his lips again. The funeral had been hell. He’d given a eulogy. A generic speech that could’ve applied to any number of fathers. Any number of powerful men. Lex had refused to allow a priest to speak at his father’s funeral. He even thought that a priest could probably give a better eulogy, but it seemed wrong somehow. Acting as a pallbearer had been hard.
Somehow he had persuaded Clark to stand and carry his father. Lex didn’t know why Clark agreed or why he even asked. He’d flown Lucas in and had him act as a pallbearer as well. A board member had rounded out the quartet necessary to carry the coffin. The feeling of knowing that inside that coffin lay the body of his father was something that tightened his chest. He had been so numb. His father’s funeral had been closed casket. He didn’t want anyone to see. To see his father in death because the body he had buried wasn’t Lionel.
Lex ran his hand over his face and shook his head. He tried to direct his thoughts to something else, but it wasn’t working. The memory of identifying his father was one that would stay with him for a lifetime. He had been so broken. Whoever had killed his father had shaved him. It wasn’t just that his hair was cut to his skull. It was that someone took a razor and removed all of his hair on his head and face; and then waxed him so that he was entirely smooth. “Maybe a reference to Samson. Maybe to symbolize that he was a sheep. A sheep to the slaughter. A lion without his mane. Macabre. Fitting.” It was no wonder that he had also been investigated, but his alibi checked out. Lex had voluntarily handed over his phone records and the pertinent bank account information.
But all those thoughts lead him back to the funeral. He couldn’t get away from it. He couldn’t get away from the fact that his father was dead…murdered. No matter what Lionel may or may not have been, he was still human; and no matter what Lex may or may not have felt for his father, he was still his son. He didn’t like his father and he didn’t think he loved his father more than what was required of a son, but he grieved. No human deserved that death. The worst of society didn’t deserve that death and Lex couldn’t reconcile his conflicting needs. It wasn’t that he needed his father’s love or approval at this point. It was that he could never say the things he needed to say. He could never win and that was the rub. His father had the last laugh.
When he had gazed around and took in the people at the funeral, he had been amazed. There were plenty of people there who hated Lionel and wanted to make sure the bastard was actually dead. There were also those who wanted to endear themselves to Lex and didn’t particularly care either way if the man was dead. But there were those, in the minority, who had actually liked and respected the face Lionel showed them. People who worked hard because Lionel gave them a reason outside threats and intimidation. It always boggled his mind that people like them existed, but they did. Whenever he had the opportunity to do so, Lex had tried to find those people because they had a piece of his father that would never be his.
Chloe had been there with her cousin. Martha had attended as well. He didn’t know if they had been fooled by his father’s recent attempt to win them over, but he supposed it didn’t matter. They saw him laid to rest in the plot next to his mother. “My mother. The light of my world and his.” There was something Oedipal in that thought and in the fact that his father and he had competed over her. “Who is the author of my life that I’m this twisted? Who would craft such a well worn and clichéd tale? I think I’ll shoot them for this travesty of a life.”
He remembered the way Chloe had looked. She was beautiful but there was something “off” about her. She was pale and had been sweating despite the fact that there had been a brisk wind and it was cold enough to warrant wearing a coat. Lex guessed that it was due to the reality of Lionel actually being dead. The woman and her male companion next to Chloe had caught his eye, especially the woman. There was something…some quality about them that forced onlookers to give them a wide berth. They were noticeable. At least the woman was. The man was not very striking, but there was something about the way he stood. This was a man not to be trifled with.
She was significantly taller than Chloe. Her hair was dark red. Beautiful. But it was her eyes that held him. They were a startling green. She had held his gaze and smirked at him. If this woman hadn’t slept with Lionel, then he was king of England. There was also something very creepy about her. It gave him chills. Lex felt that he was well on his way to drunk if the word “creepy” entered his thoughts. He hadn’t really had time to entertain impure thoughts about her since Lana was by his side. Both had offered the usual words of condolences and left.
Chloe didn’t even give him that. She looked at his face as if searching for something. He guessed she didn’t find it because her eyes flicked passed his own to settle on his father’s final resting place. For a moment, her eyes looked liquid. There was something in her face that he couldn’t identify. She turned from him and left, Lois trailing behind. He watched her leave and wished that she was by his side. But she wasn’t and never would be.
Lana. His fiancée and soon to be wife. The mother of his child. He didn’t love her, but she was his. He knew he could be happy with her in time…if he let himself. If she let him. There were moments when he was sure that she could be happy with him. Moments when she would smile at him because he had done something to put that smile on her face, but those were few and far between. Lex finished his current glass and moved to pour another when he heard the door open. It could only be one person since he had left instructions to his staff to not let anyone bother him.
Lana walked further into the room and watched Lex ignore her. She sighed, “Lex, we need to talk.”
He finished pouring his Scotch and swirled his glass, “Do we?”
“Yes, we do. You know we do. It’s been a week. You work all the time, barely eat, then isolate yourself in this room and drink until you pass out! We haven’t spent any time together!”
The alcohol in his system made her voice shriller than it was. He didn’t want to deal with her now. He couldn’t. He didn’t know how to deal with her, “Lana. Don’t be that way.”
Lex still hadn’t looked at her and she was becoming irritated.
“Lex, I won’t let you ruin yourself this way. He isn’t worth it. Why can’t you see that? Why is it so hard for you?”
Lex stood in a fluid motion and threw his glass into the fireplace that had no fire. He yelled at her, “Because he was my father! Because someone deliberately targeted him; and by extension, us! What do you expect, Lana? That I would feel nothing? That everything would be ok? It’s not ok.”
Lana could never understand what this pain was. Her parents died before she knew them. All she had was story clippings and a picture. She could never comprehend what it was to experience that unique brand of love and anger that was etched into the fabric of who you were by parental care. Lana could never understand why Chloe was the way she was or why Clark had such a hard time dealing with Jonathan’s death.
Their parents weren’t ephemeral ideas. They were ties that bound them tightly and intricately and to have it taken away either in death or because they walked away was to be cast adrift in a storm. Lana couldn’t understand that Lionel gave him life. He gave him a legacy; and while he never got the approval and love that he needed, Lionel was still his parent. Hell, even he realized on some level that there were other people out there who had it far worse.
At the end of the day, Lana had Nell. She had a guardian who loved her. Who protected her. Why she persisted in thinking that she was singular in her pain and had it harder than anyone else was beyond him. He could understand that she longed for such a connection and that an aunt was not the same as a mother and father, but that was an entirely different problem. One that she had to reconcile, but she couldn’t. Lex realized that Chloe and Clark recognized their own limitations to some extent. No one truly understood their own idiosyncrasies, but he recognized that they honestly tried. The harsh truth was that Lana was forever stuck in time and she didn’t want to change. No one gave her reason too.
He was breathing hard and for a moment, he wished that he could hate her. He wished that he could cast her aside, but she was pregnant. He was a cold-hearted bastard in many ways, but he could never hurt someone like that…not even her. It was still dark in the room and only the faintest light from the moon trickled in. It was enough to see her face. Lex had never yelled at her. She had never felt his rage or what it meant to see him with no control.
Lex could understand why she felt neglected and why she was felt insecure about him. He didn’t like it, but he could understand it. Their wedding had been called off. Between his project and his father’s death, he didn’t think it would be a good idea. They had plenty of time to give the child his name. There was so much to do and planning a wedding took more of him than he could afford at this moment. Not to mention the fact that he knew she loved Clark. Lex was loathed to give her his name, but he couldn’t refuse her because she was pregnant and some part of him did care for her.
He shook those thoughts off and moved to stand behind her. His arms wrapped around her waist, he splayed his hand across her stomach and bent so that his lips were next to her ear. She was right. It had been a long time and there were more pleasant ways to relieve the tension in him. He ran his fingers through her hair. She was like a doll. All gloss. Never a hair out of place. He wanted to ruffle her. To really make her his. He was Lex Luthor and he got what he wanted. Lana was his and he’d make her believe it.
Lex breathed into her ear, “You’re right. I should spend time with you. It’s been awhile.”
In one motion, he turned her around and began backing her to the wall. He felt a slight hesitation on her part, but she wanted to spend time with him. This was how he wanted to spend time with her. She could settle. She should be happy with what he gave her.
“Lex, I didn’t mean—“
He silenced her the only way he wanted to at the moment. He wanted her mouth to do other things than talk at him while he was drunk. Sometimes thinking was overrated. He had done enough of it tonight and the past many nights.
Lana didn’t particularly enjoy his manhandling at the moment. She didn’t enjoy that he tasted like alcohol and she didn’t enjoy the realization that he was probably doing this so that he wouldn’t have to talk. She pushed him away and drew her hand back to slap him. Lex caught her hand and lowered it. His action was gentle. The nature of his action, however, was in stark contrast to his eyes. Lex’s eyes were dark and uncompromising. They held the hint of a threat. His message was clear. Lex would never tolerate a slap from her.
She was breathing hard. Her chest heaving. Truth be told, Lana was a little scared. Lex had never been this way with her. He had never been rough. She could choose to believe it was because of what he had been through the last few weeks, but deep down she knew it was a lie. This was Lex. Focused. Intent. She wasn’t naïve enough to believe that he hadn’t enacted this scene countless times before, but this time he would get the response he should’ve gotten the first time.
Lex strode away from Lana towards his bar. He needed another glass. Since his Scotch was in his chair by the fireplace, he would just have to make due with whiskey. He downed his shot and poured another before he looked at her again. He ran his hand down his face and focused on her. He pushed the alcohol away from his mind. It took a lot of willpower to not give in, but he needed to say what he was thinking.
“I’ll admit that I was out of line so we don’t need to talk about it. I’ll admit that I haven’t handled recent events with the aplomb you might expect of me. I’ll even admit that I am deliberately avoiding you. I’ll admit all those things when you admit that you expect me to be something I’m not. I’m not Clark. I’m not Whitney. I’m not Jason. I’m not any of those high school boys that spent their time putting you on a pedestal and not acknowledging who you are. I’ll never pretend to be. You are having a child. My child, Lana. The Luthor name carries with it the decorum as befits it. We will be in the spotlight. If this is something you can’t handle, then tell me now and be done with me. I won’t force you and I won’t coddle you, but I will protect you. If you say yes to me, then we go all in. No half measures. I won’t accept it. Especially from you. Don’t answer now. I want you to think. To really think because I won’t make time for games. I’m done with them. The easy out I’m giving you now I won’t give you later.”
Lex punctuated his words with a sip of his whiskey. Lana read the seriousness of the situation in the way he was standing. Whatever passion he held moments before was gone. The glaze of alcohol entered his eyes again.
Lana opened her mouth to speak when she saw Lex’s pointed look. She was being dismissed and she’d get nothing more out of him. She turned on her heels and ran from the room. Lex figured she’d start crying soon after leaving his office. When alcohol spoke through you, it spoke with stark honesty and a blunt tongue.
It was at that moment that Lex realized that he would never marry that woman. He would care for the child. He would care for her, but he would never make that woman his wife. It was only a matter of time before she ended things with him or he ended things with her. Either way, it just wasn’t going to happen. That realization both freed and weighed him down. “Another failure.” But he wasn’t going to end it now. She still had her uses.
After pouring another glass of whiskey, Lex began to pace. There had to be more to Lionel’s death than a mine! There had to be a reason. Even if the sole purpose was ruining Wayne Enterprises, it made no sense. Bruce didn’t need this project. Lucius Fox had persuaded him. The mine was a limited application mine. It didn’t have the sheer explosive force of other series. No terrorist would shake in their boots.
Corporate espionage was brutal, but that was backstabbing and wheeling and dealing. At most embezzlement and blackmail would occur. Something deeper and far more sinister was happening, and that’s what was twisting him into a knot. That’s what kept him up nights and plagued his days.
Lex stopped pacing and lowered himself into the chair he had occupied earlier. He downed his whiskey and sat in the darkness. All the alcohol he had consumed in such a short time would hit his system like a sledgehammer soon. Tomorrow he’d make a phone call. He needed better security. He needed to be able to trust that he was safe because he wasn’t. Lana wasn’t either.
Tonight, however, he was going to wallow. Lex hadn’t truly appreciated the situation he was in, but now he was beginning to. He was hemmed in on all sides by a foe he didn’t know he had. Despite this, one niggling thought persisted. Maybe he was just being paranoid. Maybe he saw shadows moving where there was nothing. He could believe that, but he would still get better security. Lionel’s death taught him that he had taken his welfare for granted. “Something wicked this way comes.”
He also needed to plug a few security holes. Lex knew about most of Lana’s more destructive activities. He’d engineered many of them. His father probably had too. As long as she was where he thought she was, she was no danger. “Better the devil you know.” In the interest of safety, however, he was going to rectify a few things. Lex could be effective, but he didn’t have to be the man his father wanted. There were things he needed to change and it was going to begin with his project. His new reality was one that he could not have foreseen, but he could adapt. He had to adapt. He had no other viable choice.
Lex leaned over and put his head in his hands. Those were thoughts for later. The only thing that mattered now was his self pity. Tonight there was only room for one thought. Lex had to speak the words even if it was only to a darkened, empty room that held so much of his father’s presence.
“My father is dead.”
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 02-26-08, Chapter 7c
your story continues to pack a powerful punch. The emotions lex is experiencing were well written. Keep up the good work. Dagney
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 02-26-08, Chapter 7c
This was a fantastic new chapter, Ava. I appreciated the tone set by the beginning quote which illustrated how very hard it is for a child to get away from the training and expectations imposed by the parent, and it’s a very strong, skilled, independent and resourceful person who can manage to separate himself from a parent. It only makes you really appreciate how very difficult it was for Lex to be his own person, despite how freakishly controlling and intimidating a part Lionel played in his life. AND how Lex would feel such a huge sense of loss from the disappearance of such a prominent figure in his life.
Quote:
All Lex wanted to hear was the frantic splashing as his liver cells drown in Scotch. Lex hadn’t been neglecting the real world during the day, but the night was his. His time to wallow in self-pity. His time to brood and focus on the negatives. Tomorrow would be another day to put the night behind him. There were a million things that needed his attention; and for the first time in his life, he didn’t know how to handle it.
I loved how the chapter begun with the readers looking in and feeling Lex’s intense grief. Poor Lex has gone over the edge of mourning and despair and come to a whole new level of trying to reconcile himself to loss. It was VERY interesting seeing Lex taking a kind of masochistic delight in this kind of self-destructive behaviour. He was taking some sick kind of satisfaction in killing his liver cells, AND in putting his life on stasis so that he can properly indulge in this horrible, tragic form of grieving.
Heh, of course Lex wouldn’t be able to shut away all his brain functions, no matter how much he tried to lose himself in drink and mourning. I liked how he kept frantically trying to find a connection between all the evidence he has gathered about recent events. The innocent FoxTech employee charged with Lionel’s murder, the attack on the mines and the mine’s engineer, and all kinds of other threads that simply didn’t link up to each other to make a coherent picture.
I really admired the way Lex has picked up on all these disparate threads, and been able to figure out that there IS a connection between all of them (in the direct shape of a psychotic named Kale). I thought it was brilliant that Lex was able to sift through the evidence and be able to sense which ones were true and which ones were false leads. It’s really fantastic that Lex knew, almost immediately, that the FoxTech employee charged with Lionel’s murder was actually innocent. Lex has a good head for being able to pick out the truth from the evidence, and I KNOW he’ll eventually be able to form a complete picture.
Quote:
Somehow he had persuaded Clark to stand and carry his father. Lex didn’t know why Clark agreed or why he even asked. He’d flown Lucas in and had him act as a pallbearer as well. A board member had rounded out the quartet necessary to carry the coffin. The feeling of knowing that inside that coffin lay the body of his father was something that tightened his chest. He had been so numb. His father’s funeral had been closed casket. He didn’t want anyone to see. To see his father in death because the body he had buried wasn’t Lionel.
This part spoke most poignantly and pitifully of Lex’s feelings towards his father. His emotions might have been tangled and with feelings of love, hate, longing and loathing all mixed up together, but he had an intense emotional bond with his father. It was so pitiful imagining Lex taking time and effort into bullying a whole bunch of unlikely and probably dubiously cooperative people into being pallbearers… but he went through the trouble, as a final tribute to his father.
It was ALSO very disturbing to imagine Lex bullying a bunch of officials into releasing the final horrible, ghastly and appalling reports of his father’s death into his custody. I can imagine that there were several officials who might have refused to hand them over thinking it was cruel to let Lex in on ALL the gruesome, unvarnished details, but I can ALSO imagine Lex must have been VERY persistent, and railroaded them into giving him whatever he wanted, regardless of their misgivings.
Quote:
Lex ran his hand over his face and shook his head. He tried to direct his thoughts to something else, but it wasn’t working. The memory of identifying his father was one that would stay with him for a lifetime. He had been so broken. Whoever had killed his father had shaved him. It wasn’t just that his hair was cut to his skull. It was that someone took a razor and removed all of his hair on his head and face; and then waxed him so that he was entirely smooth. “Maybe a reference to Samson. Maybe to symbolize that he was a sheep. A sheep to the slaughter. A lion without his mane. Macabre. Fitting.” It was no wonder that he had also been investigated, but his alibi checked out. Lex had voluntarily handed over his phone records and the pertinent bank account information.
I am very impressed (and also rather disturbed and creeped out) by the cool, analytical way Lex was able to read through and assess the reports of Lionel’s death. Lex suffered a breakdown of sorts, but his mind was constantly clicking away, assessing the grisly details, noting the ironic twists and formulating a profile of the type of man who might have carried out these actions.
Lex actually saw the irony and humour in the way that Lionel was hauled out on a cross, in the manner traditional to demi-gods, traitors as well as the worst of criminals. AND he was finding various ways to find meaning in the way that Lionel was completely shaved before hanged on the cross… Now wasn’t THAT a very disquieting and disturbing revelation. And I thought you were finished with the gruesomeness in the last chapter, Ava. LOL! I should have known better than to have underestimated you, LOL!
Quote:
Chloe had been there with her cousin. Martha had attended as well. He didn’t know if they had been fooled by his father’s recent attempt to win them over, but he supposed it didn’t matter. They saw him laid to rest in the plot next to his mother. “My mother. The light of my world and his.” There was something Oedipal in that thought and in the fact that his father and he had competed over her. “Who is the author of my life that I’m this twisted? Who would craft such a well worn and clichéd tale? I think I’ll shoot them for this travesty of a life.”
I found it surprising, but also slightly comforting and heart-warming, that Lionel’s funeral was attended by a handful of people who were actually sorry to see him dead. It’s good to know that Lex was not completely alone in his genuine grief for the old Luthor.
Heh, but it was interesting to see that, even during his mourning at the funeral, Lex couldn’t stop his brilliant, overly-active brain from continuing to make smart, ironic comments about the situation. Poor Lex… It was as if his own mind wouldn’t give him the respect that is die to a man grieving for his father.
LOL! But I did like the comment about how both Lex and Lionel competed for Lillian’s love and attention. Poor Luthor men! Lillian was given a raw deal when she became a Luthor, but I really don’t think Lillian was much of a wife and mother if she forced her family to fight each other for her love.
Quote:
He remembered the way Chloe had looked. She was beautiful but there was something “off” about her. She was pale and had been sweating despite the fact that there had been a brisk wind and it was cold enough to warrant wearing a coat. Lex guessed that it was due to the reality of Lionel actually being dead. The woman and her male companion next to Chloe had caught his eye, especially the woman. There was something…some quality about them that forced onlookers to give them a wide berth. They were noticeable. At least the woman was. The man was not very striking, but there was something about the way he stood. This was a man not to be trifled with.
heh, it seems like Lex is noting several things that are ‘off’ about Chloe. Although I don’t think any of these latest observations will be able to top the freakish display that took place when Chloe attacked him a couple of days before.
Oooh, and who were those people standing next to Chloe? New characters? They sounded intriguing. Perhaps these two were the sources of the ‘strange voice’ that has been bugging Chloe lately? Heh, I guess I’ll have to wait to find out. You’re doing a magnificent job in building up the mystery here, Ava. Please update soon!!!!
Quote:
Chloe didn’t even give him that. She looked at his face as if searching for something. He guessed she didn’t find it because her eyes flicked passed his own to settle on his father’s final resting place. For a moment, her eyes looked liquid. There was something in her face that he couldn’t identify. She turned from him and left, Lois trailing behind. He watched her leave and wished that she was by his side. But she wasn’t and never would be.
I found this part to be particularly interesting! I was VERY curious about Lex’s reaction to Chloe… I was searching for clues about how he felt about her. There have been several hints given, and it seems like Lex admires Chloe, and that he also wishes that he could be with her. Which makes me wonder why he’s not pursuing her?
But it was heartbreaking to see Chloe’s reaction towards Lex was just a cold, suspicious scan to check whether he might have murdered Lionel, but nothing warmer than that. It was especially heart-wrenching because I saw just a small moment where Lex seemed to hope he would get just a ‘little’ bit of warmth from Chloe… but got nothing. Poor Lex needs COMFORT! I truly felt like crying for the poor, miserable, lonely, grief-stricken young man. He’s broken, and he’s got NO-ONE to comfort him!!!
Quote:
“Lex, I won’t let you ruin yourself this way. He isn’t worth it. Why can’t you see that? Why is it so hard for you?”
Lex stood in a fluid motion and threw his glass into the fireplace that had no fire. He yelled at her, “Because he was my father! Because someone deliberately targeted him; and by extension, us! What do you expect, Lana? That I would feel nothing? That everything would be ok? It’s not ok.”
I loved your Lana, Ava! I loved how you managed to cut out a three-dimensional character out of that ‘perfect cardboard princess’ that’s paraded around on the show. This Lana is also very simple-minded like her Smallville counterpart, in the sense that she doesn’t comprehend complexities of thought, emotions and behaviour. She doesn’t understand that there’s a difference between the face that you show to the world, and the ‘real you’ that you keep hidden away inside.
In her eyes, Lionel was an evil parent, who emotionally abused his son, so she simply could NOT understand how Lex could be mourning for a monstrous father. She sees Lex’s behaviour as wallowing in self-pity, and she’s genuinely trying to help him out of it as best as she can. It’s not her fault that she can’t understand Lex enough to be able to help him the way he needs.
Quote:
Lana could never understand what this pain was. Her parents died before she knew them. All she had was story clippings and a picture. She could never comprehend what it was to experience that unique brand of love and anger that was etched into the fabric of who you were by parental care. Lana could never understand why Chloe was the way she was or why Clark had such a hard time dealing with Jonathan’s death.
Their parents weren’t ephemeral ideas. They were ties that bound them tightly and intricately and to have it taken away either in death or because they walked away was to be cast adrift in a storm. Lana couldn’t understand that Lionel gave him life. He gave him a legacy; and while he never got the approval and love that he needed, Lionel was still his parent. Hell, even he realized on some level that there were other people out there who had it far worse.
I also loved this explanation about how Lana cannot understand a child’s grief for his/her parent because it’s just out of her range of experience. The sad thing is that Lana fully believes herself to be an expert in mourning, but she’s never actually experienced the full ugly, complex truth of loss. I think Lana thinks of grieving as something noble and beautiful, when in fact it’s ugly, torturous and unbearable. And she just doesn’t get that! Because she’s never experienced it, and no-one ever told her about her lack of education.
Quote:
At the end of the day, Lana had Nell. She had a guardian who loved her. Who protected her. Why she persisted in thinking that she was singular in her pain and had it harder than anyone else was beyond him. He could understand that she longed for such a connection and that an aunt was not the same as a mother and father, but that was an entirely different problem. One that she had to reconcile, but she couldn’t. Lex realized that Chloe and Clark recognized their own limitations to some extent. No one truly understood their own idiosyncrasies, but he recognized that they honestly tried. The harsh truth was that Lana was forever stuck in time and she didn’t want to change. No one gave her reason too.
This was ALSO good Ava! I appreciated how it was made clear that a great injustice had been done to Lana because people kept coddling and ‘worshipping’ her as the town princess. It never gave her a chance to acknowledge her own weaknesses, limits and eventually grow beyond them. That is actually a VERY horrible thing to happen to someone, and I find it a tragedy to imagine all her potential being wasted because sweet, simple Lana will never find a way to change and become a stronger, more capable person.
Quote:
Lex could understand why she felt neglected and why she was felt insecure about him. He didn’t like it, but he could understand it. Their wedding had been called off. Between his project and his father’s death, he didn’t think it would be a good idea. They had plenty of time to give the child his name. There was so much to do and planning a wedding took more of him than he could afford at this moment. Not to mention the fact that he knew she loved Clark. Lex was loathed to give her his name, but he couldn’t refuse her because she was pregnant and some part of him did care for her.
This part helped a lot in explaining why Lex was willing to marry Lana even though he knew that their relationship had some serious problems. Lex Luthor places a lot of importance on words like chivalry, honour and duty… and I can see how his code of honour would demand that he stands by a woman carrying his child, even if he doesn’t actually want her, or particularly like her.
In fact, I can also understand how Lex’s feelings of guilt about impregnating a simple-minded but sweet girl like Lana would lead him to overcompensate and be tolerant, gentle and lenient towards her, even if she does stuff to anger him, or even mildly betray him. He ‘might’ even take her underhandedness and deviousness as trials that he ‘has’ to go through to punish himself for getting himself into this Lexana mess in the first place?
Quote:
He shook those thoughts off and moved to stand behind her. His arms wrapped around her waist, he splayed his hand across her stomach and bent so that his lips were next to her ear. She was right. It had been a long time and there were more pleasant ways to relieve the tension in him. He ran his fingers through her hair. She was like a doll. All gloss. Never a hair out of place. He wanted to ruffle her. To really make her his. He was Lex Luthor and he got what he wanted. Lana was his and he’d make her believe it.
Now this, THIS was my favourite part in the chapter. It spoke volumes about the different levels that make up Lex’s personality. I can see how Lex would want to ‘dirty Lana up’, dishevel her, muss her perfect appearance. It’s not because he wants to ‘taint’ her, although I’m sure he likes the idea of revealing some form of ‘realism’ behind the simple perfection that she presents all the time… This behaviour comes from the Luthor possessive, jealous impulse to make an impression on her. To put his mark on her.
Stunning writing and characterization, Ava! I loved it! And I think it goes perfectly with the Lexana relationship.
Quote:
He silenced her the only way he wanted to at the moment. He wanted her mouth to do other things than talk at him while he was drunk. Sometimes thinking was overrated. He had done enough of it tonight and the past many nights.
AND I can also see that, other than wanting to make a perceptible mark on Lana, Lex was also searching for comfort, solace and support. You can’t expect Lex Luthor to ask for a hug or a cuddle. THIS was Lex’s way of asking Lana for help. He was practically begging her to help him find control and solace by letting him take charge of her body. It’s really SUCH a shame that Lana is just not equipped to understand Lex’s thought process and his complex level of needs.
Oh if only, if ONLY Lex had someone who could truly understand him enough to offer him whatever form of comfort he needed. The poor distraught man is desperate, and he BADLY needs some solace from the despair that’s consuming him. Oh PLEASE materialize a friend for him, Ava!!! :beg:
Quote:
Lana didn’t particularly enjoy his manhandling at the moment. She didn’t enjoy that he tasted like alcohol and she didn’t enjoy the realization that he was probably doing this so that he wouldn’t have to talk. She pushed him away and drew her hand back to slap him. Lex caught her hand and lowered it. His action was gentle. The nature of his action, however, was in stark contrast to his eyes. Lex’s eyes were dark and uncompromising. They held the hint of a threat. His message was clear. Lex would never tolerate a slap from her.
She was breathing hard. Her chest heaving. Truth be told, Lana was a little scared. Lex had never been this way with her. He had never been rough. She could choose to believe it was because of what he had been through the last few weeks, but deep down she knew it was a lie. This was Lex. Focused. Intent. She wasn’t naïve enough to believe that he hadn’t enacted this scene countless times before, but this time he would get the response he should’ve gotten the first time.
Now THIS was magnificent, Ava! This was a stunning, true, apt and very plausible depiction of the Lexana relationship… what was fundamentally wrong with it. I even loved how there was a hint on how it could be worked on to create a strong, stable, long-lasting relationship, if only both parties were willing to communicate, understand and compromise.
Poor Lana! Lex has been babying her so far. He’s been far too gentle and accommodating of her every little whim, so he’s led her to believe that he was just another one of her immature, high-school doormats rather than a strong, powerful, ruthless ‘born-and-bred-to-rule’ billionaire. It’s only NOW that Lana finally sees exactly what a true marriage and relationship with Lex would be like. She finally sees that she would have to be strong and brave enough to withstand Lex’s merciless, ruthless, controlling and conquering nature… and at the same time be gentle, generous and loving enough to give him whatever he needs to be whole. Lex needs a lot from a woman, and he’s finally, FINALLY showing a glimpse of that need to Lana.
Quote:
“I’ll admit that I was out of line so we don’t need to talk about it. I’ll admit that I haven’t handled recent events with the aplomb you might expect of me. I’ll even admit that I am deliberately avoiding you. I’ll admit all those things when you admit that you expect me to be something I’m not. I’m not Clark. I’m not Whitney. I’m not Jason. I’m not any of those high school boys that spent their time putting you on a pedestal and not acknowledging who you are. I’ll never pretend to be. You are having a child. My child, Lana. The Luthor name carries with it the decorum as befits it. We will be in the spotlight. If this is something you can’t handle, then tell me now and be done with me. I won’t force you and I won’t coddle you, but I will protect you. If you say yes to me, then we go all in. No half measures. I won’t accept it. Especially from you. Don’t answer now. I want you to think. To really think because I won’t make time for games. I’m done with them. The easy out I’m giving you now I won’t give you later.”
I thought it was very wise of Lex to take a step back from Lana and give her a moment to re-think her options. It simply wouldn’t have been fair to have been ‘suddenly, shockingly and unexpectedly’ so demanding of Lana. It was a good move for him to give her this ‘warning’ about what he expects from his wife, and give her a chance to back out before they’re both trapped in a hostile, unsuitable, unstable marriage.
Quote:
It was at that moment that Lex realized that he would never marry that woman. He would care for the child. He would care for her, but he would never make that woman his wife. It was only a matter of time before she ended things with him or he ended things with her. Either way, it just wasn’t going to happen. That realization both freed and weighed him down. “Another failure.” But he wasn’t going to end it now. She still had her uses.
Her uses? Is he talking about her usefulness (to him) as anything other than an incubator carrying his seed? Still, it was good to see that Lex has made a decision to stop this farce of a marriage before it’s too late.
Quote:
Tonight, however, he was going to wallow. Lex hadn’t truly appreciated the situation he was in, but now he was beginning to. He was hemmed in on all sides by a foe he didn’t know he had. Despite this, one niggling thought persisted. Maybe he was just being paranoid. Maybe he saw shadows moving where there was nothing. He could believe that, but he would still get better security. Lionel’s death taught him that he had taken his welfare for granted. “Something wicked this way comes.”
Impressive! I can see Lex has very finely, honed instinct of self-preservation. There is a GOOD reason to be paranoid, Lex. And I’m glad that he’s listening to his instinct that keep insisting that he should keep guard against monsters around the vicinity.
Hmmm, I also wonder whether, while he’s plugging up all the security holes during this paranoid fervour, whether he’s going to find out that it was Lana’s security leaks (that the Luthor’s were amusingly tolerant of) that led to Kale finding out about Lionel’s movements, and therefore finding the best way to set a ambush for the man.
Quote:
Lex leaned over and put his head in his head. Those were thoughts for later. The only thing that mattered now was his self pity. Tonight there was only room for one thought. Lex had to speak the words even if it was only to a darkened, empty room that held so much of his father’s presence.
“My father is dead.”
oh poor, POOR Lex!!! Won’t ANYONE have any pity on this poor, miserable, wretched man?!?! It’s not right that he’s left to suffer alone and friendless. Isn’t these anyone who can find sympathy for this boy who just lost his father… to a horrible, tragic, brutal murder no less?!
I loved, LOVED the anguish and suffering in this chapter, Ava! You captured Lex’s grief (and his attempts to allay the pain of the grief) perfectly and beautifully. It was a wonderful chapter, and I enjoyed every sentence. I look forward to the next ones… LOL! that promise to be a ‘doozy’? ROTFL! I can’t wait :D
Good Luck and Best Regards.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 02-26-08, Chapter 7c
And you said I'd need to be patient and that you were loads of busy! rofl
I just wanted to mention, because this might change your view slightly and allow you to see a bigger picture, that we are still in the past until the heading goes to chapter 8. All parts in Chapter 7 are around the time Freak happened. I'll define that more in upcoming parts.
Chapters 1-6 are set 2 months after Freak as will Chapter 8 and onward. Sorry for any confusion.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 02-26-08, Chapter 7c
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Avalanche
And you said I'd need to be patient and that you were loads of busy! rofl
I just wanted to mention, because this might change your view slightly and allow you to see a bigger picture, that we are still in the past until the heading goes to chapter 8. All parts in Chapter 7 are around the time Freak happened. I'll define that more in upcoming parts.
Chapters 1-6 are set 2 months after Freak as will Chapter 8 and onward. Sorry for any confusion.
doh! I should go back and read through everything carefully to sort it out in my head. Thanks for the clarification, Ava, I really appreciate it :D
LOL! And I WAS too busy to write a review for this, but I pushed back a lot of my deadlines and re-arranged a schedule around putting up feedback for you. I'm seriously troubled about the level of my addiction to your fic. I'll have to try weaning myself away from it... sometime soon... as soon as possible... perhaps after the last chapter? :p
I look forward to your next posting. Good luck with that :D
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 02-26-08, Chapter 7c
A lovely update!
I loved how you showed Lex's horror at his father's death, but I think my favorite part was the excellent Lana Lang tell off. He doesn't love her, but he will support her if she is having his child. I can't wait for him to discover that there is no baby, so he can dump her annoying ass.
And I think I especially loved that Lex has known about all of Lana's "secret" dealings. She probably thinks she has everyone fooled because she's so "stealthy." Beautful, just beautiful:D
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 02-26-08, Chapter 7c
Wow I can't believe I missed 4 amazing chapters! This fic is simply incrediable...with an fascinating plot and exellent writing.
Samuel Kale is the most intresting and well written OC I've ever read. His killing of Nathaniel and his family was very tragic and horrible but trilling to read. Then his disturbing and brutal way he killed Lionel...Kale is a scary f**ker...Lionel may have been a bastard but even he didn't deserve to die the way he did.
I even feel bad for Clark, to have someone like Kale and his mysterious employer know of his abilities, means big trouble for him. But still it's his own stupid BDA-self fault always flaunting his abilities around...someone with any intelligence could figure out his secret by now.*That's one of the many reasons the show is laughable!*
I loved Lex's thoughts and emotions on his father's murder, and how Lana just couldn't understand. Brilliantly written as always! I love this story and extremely happy I finally caught up and now I can't wait to read what happens next!!!
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 02-26-08, Chapter 7c
Disclaimer- see ch1
A/N- I think there will be one more part in the past after this one. Enjoy!
Chapter 7- Origins of the Wolf
Part IV- A Change Unwanted
“Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a poor hand well.”
Jack London
Everything in her life began an ended with Clark. He was he was her friend, confidante, crush, annoyance…he was all those things and so much more. At least that had been the case. It was a discomforting thought when she realized that somewhere along the way that fact was no longer true. Chloe could now see that her life now began and ended with the Luthors. She realized that fact when she begged Clark to use his heat vision to sear her skin and burn a tracking device out of her.
Her kidnapping had nothing to do with Clark and everything to do with her and one of the Luthors. She suspected Lex. Lionel was off playing a different game. Any last vestige of doubt or avoidance of that fact was burned away when she felt Clark’s heat vision for the first time.
She had to protect Clark. She had to prevent him from foolishly trusting Lionel. Chloe would never make that mistake again. She had to protect Clark’s secret; especially since he didn’t fully comprehend the subtle threat from the Luthors. Clark may have been paranoid when it came to Lex, but that didn’t mean that he truly understood the threat Lex posed.
He couldn’t define the true depth of Lex’s ability to hurt him. Or even Lionel’s. Clark couldn’t see the subtle weave of the plots that would bind and break him. That fact made him pure and able to summon a near inviolate faith in people. His capacity for goodness was limitless, but it made him a target of life.
Clark had to have discerning and wise people around him as guides. He had to have someone at his side capable of doing the things that he couldn’t. Capable of being the kind person that he could never be. Chloe could be that person for him at this time in his life. As his parents had before her and as someone would after her. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Chloe knew that she was handicapping him, but he had to at least have the opportunity; and that would never come if the things that made him such a unique person were crushed before they could even develop. But this one time, this one situation had nothing to do with Clark. It was ironic and unfair to her that side-kicks got into more trouble than heroes.
Chloe thought that the worst of the fallout from the kidnapping was behind her. There was no way that it could get worse than being kidnapped, not remembering what happened, realizing that you were being tracked like an animal, and then having to beg your super-powered friend to use one of his more destructive abilities on you in a bid to survive. But it had gotten worse.
Chloe went to bed after a hard day’s work, working on a school paper, and thinking heavy thoughts.
********
Chloe bolted upright in her bed. She’d been awakened from one of the most bizarre dreams of her life. “What the hell was that?” Dreams weren’t something she remembered often; and when she did they were disjointed and nonsensical. Easily forgotten in the course of her day. But this dream was vivid and scary in its intensity. It began innocently enough, but then there was this drastic left turn at weird and disturbing.
She’d dreamt that she was some kind of potato that turned into a human and that she had this morbid fear of being eaten. During the course of the dream, however, she’d been eaten four times, which could’ve been fine. But to add to the freaky nature of the dream, she was the one eating her potato self. She’d been chased by Enrique, Lex’s butler, who had carried a potato peeler. It really made no sense that Lex’s butler was in her dreams. “How is that normal?” Chloe doubted that there was a dream book in existence that could decipher what that meant. And if there were, she didn’t want to read it.
The dream had given her a moment of pause, but she got dressed and headed off to meet her father for lunch. They hadn’t been able to spend much time together and she needed to see him. The dreams she could handle. It was something that was easily attributable to any number of stress factors. Work was getting heavy at both the Daily Planet and school. But something else was wrong. She’d been feeling odd. Chloe pushed those thoughts aside when she saw her father waving at her. He’d gotten a window seat and she could clearly see him. He must’ve been avidly watching for her car. She hurriedly parked her car at the little bistro her father loved to eat at.
Chloe walked into the restaurant and felt a flash of heat roll through her body. It stopped her in her tracks. She swayed and felt dizzy. Her nose was assaulted by the strong aroma of spice. Chloe convulsed and would have collapsed; but soon after she was bombarded by those sensations, they left her. It was only a momentary reprieve. The overwhelming external input was replaced by nothing. She didn’t hear, see, or smell anything. It was all darkness. A scream of panic was making its way forth from her chest, but then the world returned to normal with a burst of light and sound. It was disorienting as well as welcome. For that brief moment she was cut off from everything and she felt nothing.
Gabe noticed that Chloe stalled at the entrance of the door. She looked like she was about to faint. He was just rising from his chair to go to his daughter when he caught her eyes. Her eyes…there was something wrong. They looked blank and vacant. Gabe stopped dead in his tracks. It was like he couldn’t move at all. The world faded away from him and there was only his daughter. There was only Chloe. But then she was moving again and the world came back to him. It was like his head was breaking the surface of water.
Chloe was moving before she even knew it. She sat at the table and watched as her father sat again. Everything seemed so far away; but if she focused on him then everything was o.k. again. A feeling of contentment and peace rippled across her awareness. Chloe was hyper-aware of her father. His heartbeat was strong and steady. His scent inspired something that she couldn’t even describe. It was like coming home. And more than anything, none of this made any sense.
Gabe opened his mouth twice to speak, “Chloe?”
Chloe tilted her head towards his voice. She didn’t know what was happening but she couldn’t find her voice to speak. Once again she was confronted with the unidentifiable. Her salivary glands were malfunctioning or something because she couldn’t swallow enough to remove the excess.
Gabe stood up and drew her out of her chair. They needed to leave because something was wrong.
The voice of her father was echoing in her head again, “Chloe, sweetheart, we need to leave. Help me out. Stand up, sweetheart. That’s it. Just stand up.”
Chloe felt the strong arms of her father and endeavored to burrow herself into him. He was a comforting presence. She felt him haul her out of her chair. And then she felt herself moving. Gabe didn’t know or understand what was going on. All he knew was that something was wrong with his baby girl. Uncaring of the looks they were receiving, he walked her to his car because he didn’t know where hers was; and maneuvered her into the passenger side.
After going around to the driver’s side, Gabe angled his body to face Chloe. He took her chin in his hand forced her to look at him.
“Chloe? Snap out of it. Tell me what’s wrong, or I can’t help you!”
Chloe heard the panicked voice of her father. She wanted to reassure him. She wanted to say something. To beg him to help her, but all she could do was blink at him. She felt like she was drunk or something. Chloe had been feeling better when she sat down at the table, but something about her father blanked out everything in her mind.
Then just like that, everything was a flurry of movement. In fact, Gabe was now speaking too fast. Chloe closed her eyes and counted to ten. The background was filled with the frantic voice of her father.
Chloe croaked, “Dad.”
“Chloe? What’s wrong. Talk to me.”
She couldn’t explain this to Gabe. She couldn’t tell him that she thought one of the Luthors had done something to her. Probably Lex. Two days and she was still feeling off kilter.
“Dad, I’m fine. I think. Work and school have stretched me a little thin and I think I just had a mini break down. Not a huge deal,” Chloe made herself sound strong. Cheery wouldn’t work this time.
Gabe searched her face. She was lying to him. Or maybe withholding something from him. He didn’t expect that she share all things in her life. She had her secrets and he had his own. But he just wanted her to be honest with him. To tell him if something was seriously wrong. Gabe turned away from her, blew out a harsh breath and raked his hand through his hair.
“No, you aren’t. You’re one of the most stable people I know; and I flatter myself when I say that you get it from me,” Gabe looked at her again, “Something is wrong. Especially when you can look me in the eye and lie to me.”
He knew he hurt her because her face told him so, “Chloe, just let me be here for you. I’m your father and I’m supposed to look after you.”
Chloe couldn’t tell him the truth or even what was happening. At least not yet. Not until she knew herself. Not until she could edit it for his ears. Chloe jerked the handle of the door. She was leaving. She could face his anger, but never his worry and fear for her.
Gabe’s voice stopped her cold, “Don’t leave.”
She had only heard that tone when he was fed up with her. It held traces of disappointment and anger. Chloe never did do well when confronted with it. Despite this, she was fully prepared to leave and storm off to her car. The problem was that she couldn’t get her body to move, and she desperately wanted to leave the car.
Two heartbeats of silence were all she could handle, “You’re right. Honestly, the last three days have been hard. Someone close to me got into a little trouble. It’s just been more difficult adjusting and trying to fix things. I…haven’t handled things well.”
Chloe wasn’t lying. Chloe happened to be very close to herself. She watched as her father started the car.
“What are you doing?”
He didn’t even bother to look at her, “We’re going to the hospital.”
Chloe cut him off before he could continue, “I told you—“
Gabe returned the favor by speaking over her, “You’re going to have a check-up. We’ll leave when the doctor says nothing is wrong with you. We can talk about anything else, but this is not up for discussion.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Gabe watched his stubborn and beautiful daughter cross her arms and huff like she used to do when she was younger. A pang of nostalgia shot through him. “Some things never change.”
It took them an hour to reach a hospital, fifteen minutes to fill out paperwork, another hour to be seen, and yet another hour for a full check-up. Gabe was irritated with both the situation and his daughter. “She never takes care of herself.” But he made sure to project calm and good humor. If Chloe saw even a small crack in his resolve, she’d exploit it. He held no illusions about her disposition. His daughter was a good person, who was endlessly forgiving; but when she was finally moved to anger it was never pretty to be on the receiving end. It was barely even fun to watch; although there were occasions. Chloe was tough and her words were cutting; even her silences served as a weapon. “At least she has morals and ethics.”
The doctor, Kevin Masters, walked into a room full of tension. If this wasn’t the quintessential picture of parental irritation and child annoyance, he didn’t know what was. He was going to make this quick, no need to draw it out.
“We didn’t find anything wrong. There are still some standard blood tests that are being performed, but we won’t have anything to tell you for a couple of days. It sounds like you may have had something of an anxiety attack. Maybe a few days off from work or cutting down on caffeine might help.”
Her father may have forced her to come on this little trip to the hospital, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t curious. Something had been done to her. Chloe only hoped that whatever it was wouldn’t reveal itself to doctors. “How can I possibly explain anything weird?”
On the heels of that thought, the sound of the doctor’s voice penetrated her awareness. Her father and Dr. Masters were still talking and she had the occasion to listen. His voice was even. The kind of cultivated voice that all physicians had to have to soothe patients. It was a nice baritone. His voice made her hyper-awareaware of everything about him. He looked like a man who was rushing from one place to another with few breaks. His shoes were made for comfort and he smelled strongly of antiseptic. Chloe hadn’t noticed it before, but now that smell was all she seemed to be focused on.
Then her father said her name and whatever fugue she had been in vanished. He hadn’t called her name, or had otherwise given any indication that he was speaking to her. The doctor and her father were still engaged in conversation with each other. Gabe stood to leave and Chloe took her cue from him to do the same. Chloe thanked him and left with her father.
They were halfway to the car before she spoke, “Are you satisfied now?”
Gabe expected her words. He expected any number of variations of “I told you so”. He even expected the sarcasm and the little bite of anger, but he didn’t care.
“Not really. But since the doctor seems to think everything is fine I’ll let it go. For now. I’m still hungry. Are you still up for eating with me?”
Chloe sighed, “Of course I am. I don’t actually want to eat at the bistro, but I need my car.”
He didn’t answer her until they were settled into the car, “There’s a burger place not far from there. We’ll eat and then I’ll drop you off to pick up your car. Sound good?”
“Sure.”
********
Their meal was tense, and their conversation was superficial. It would blow over quickly. Chloe and her father had arguments and then they were forgotten. This would be the same. She just had to figure out why the hell her mind had been scattered lately. It could just be the stress. It might not even have anything to do with the Luthors. “And pigs fly.”
Chloe had believed that. She believed in spite of the weird dreams. She believed it in spite of the fact that she was tired a lot and had been taking naps more often. Her belief remained in the face of the fact that she was always hungry and always eating. At least it seemed that way. It was enough for Lois, Jimmy, and even Clark to comment on it. Chloe forced herself to believe it when she’d have random joint pains and general aches despite the doctor assuring her that nothing was wrong.
She believed it because things kept coming up and she had to deal with them. Clark had gotten himself in trouble at a quarry. He never did tell her why he was there or what he hoped to accomplish. It had annoyed her, but she told herself that it didn’t matter. She was in the middle of her own crisis storm.
Whatever lie she told herself was shattered two days after her tense lunch with her father. Chloe was driving back from Metropolis. It was a long day and she had been feeling nauseous for the better part of it. She was finally getting home and was looking forward to resting. It was past 9pm and there weren’t any other cars on the road.
She was halfway home when a sudden cramp seized her entire body. It was severe enough for her to jerk on the steering wheel and send the car into a spin. She regained control of the car and pulled over onto the shoulder. Chloe wrestled with her purse to pull out her cell phone, but her hands wouldn’t work the way she wanted them.
Her body tensed again and she was forced back into her seat. The pain was intense. The car was cramped and if she kept flailing around, she’d injure herself badly. She’d already flung her purse to the floor. Between the pain and her possession scattering, she wouldn’t be able to reach her phone.
Chloe opened her door and got out of her car. The pain had receded to a dull ache. She was going to walk to the passenger side. She’d be in a better position reach under the seat, where her phone was.
Chloe was about to open the passenger side door, when a wave a pain hit her. She fell to her knees. Raising her hand, Chloe saw it elongate. Distantly she heard the bones of her hands break. She felt intense discomfort, but she couldn’t focus on that. Her face felt like it was on fire and her throat closed. She opened her mouth to scream, but found that she was unable. She couldn’t breathe.
Chloe clawed at her throat and felt blood coat her hands. She realized that she was panicking, but there wasn’t anything she could do about that. It was then that she felt her ribs bend and then break. Her heart beat was fast and furious and she could almost imagine that it would rip out of her chest. She’d give anything to not feel this. There were plenty of stories she’d read where the mind went off to another place when confronted by intense pain. She wasn’t so lucky. She felt it all and it was an overload.
The bones of her knees bent backwards and her spine bowed. A flash of human insight asserted itself when she realized that what was happening wasn’t random. There was a purpose. She was changing into something. When she was finally able to give voice to her pain and panic, it was the deep echo of a howl. It sounded inhuman to her ears. But Chloe finally got her wish when she fell into unconsciousness.
********
Chloe was awakened by a cold breeze. It was still winter in Kansas. It was still early morning and the sun still hadn’t made an appearance. She ached all over and her mouth was dry. Her throat felt raw and abused. But those aches didn’t matter in face of reality. She was lying in the dirt on the side of the road next to her car wearing the tatters of what had once been her clothes. The time to panic was fast approaching, but she had to get home.
Chloe recalled that Lois had left her workout clothes in her car. “She won’t mind.” She was trying so hard to keep it together. “For 30 more minutes.” Chloe was doing so well until she settled into her car and realized that everything was in shades of gray. There were no colors. Her breath picked up and she began hyperventilating. The control that she was hanging onto by the merest of threads snapped. This was too much. She gave herself over to the full blown breakdown.
Fifteen minutes later she was finally on the road again to her apartment. Chloe ran inside and promptly collapsed. Exhaustion, terror, and something indescribable had overwhelmed her taxed body.
********
It was a little over a week later and Chloe still hadn’t been able to reconcile what had happened. She’d been able to figure out that she had turned into some kind of wolf. Her dreams became even more violent and she knew that they preceded a change. Chloe forced herself to adapt to this new reality because it was one that would kill her if she let it. She’d taken pictures of her tracks to determine that she was a wolf. Not to mention that she had clearly heard herself howl.
She gradually became aware of herself as a wolf. The first few times of her change she couldn’t remember anything. There was only a vague essence of Chloe. It was a bitter pill to swallow when she had tried to comfort herself with chocolate ice cream and then found herself vomiting up the contents of her stomach. She was really and truly a dog.
It was even more painful when she had to modulate her food intake. Her sense of taste was heightened and it was hard to eat the rich foods or the overly spicy foods. It had taken time, but she had learned to enjoy them once more. All of her senses were still wonky but they seemed to be stabilizing. She could only hope that whatever changes still to come would finish soon. Being in a weird metamorphic limbo would drive her to insanity.
Chloe thought she was adapting well if slowly when the news of Lionel’s death rocked everyone in her world to the core. And she wasn’t exempt. Lionel had been a large part of her life at one time. Thinking of him still left her breathless with fear and anxiety. Not that she would ever show such weakness to him, but it was there nonetheless.
She had attended his funeral. Chloe had to know if he was truly dead and that this wasn’t some elaborate ruse he was perpetrating on the world. Seeing Lex had invoked a myriad of emotions within her, most on the darker end of the spectra. He stood there with Lana and a host of lackeys at his back.
She had been so willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. To give him her belief that he didn’t kill his own father or orchestrate the devastation of her own life and many others. Chloe knew that he lived in a world of gray. She knew that he bent and broke rules, but it was too much to believe that he could have his father killed this way and ruin lives like this. She still believed him to be a decent, if flawed, man.
But when she looked in his eyes and felt nothing, saw nothing, she could no longer lie to herself. She believed him guilty of both. Chloe wouldn’t stop until he was brought low. Until his life was a wreck like hers was. Lex had so many intrigues. So much to answer for and he wouldn’t get away with it.
It wasn’t too terribly difficult to track his handiwork. She had her sources as well and she knew that he had the medical examiner’s report. Chloe was able to get the report herself. Lex was a sick and twisted bastard if he could do this to his father. He had to be stopped.
“This is only the beginning.”
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 03-09-08, Chapter 7d
A beautiful update!
The description of Chloe's anguish when she first changed into the wolf was truly gut wrenching. And I hope she realizes that she can trust her dad with her secret like she did Clark and Lois. He is her dad and he loves her, and wants the best for her.
But I wonder, does Chloe actually think Lex is capable of plotting his own father's death in such a grisly manner?
This story continues to rock--excellent work, Avalanche.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 03-09-08, Chapter 7d
Quote:
He couldn’t define the true depth of Lex’s ability to hurt him. Or even Lionel’s. Clark couldn’t see the subtle weave of the plots that would bind and break him. That fact made him pure and able to summon a near inviolate faith in people. His capacity for goodness was limitless, but it made him a target of life.
Clark had to have discerning and wise people around him as guides. He had to have someone at his side capable of doing the things that he couldn’t. Capable of being the kind person that he could never be. Chloe could be that person for him at this time in his life. As his parents had before her and as someone would after her. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Chloe knew that she was handicapping him, but he had to at least have the opportunity; and that would never come if the things that made him such a unique person were crushed before they could even develop. But this one time, this one situation had nothing to do with Clark. It was ironic and unfair to her that side-kicks got into more trouble than heroes.
I loved this explanation and description about how Clark is actually quite fragile and vulnerable when it comes to his ideals and faith in humanity. It makes perfect sense that Clark would not be able to imagine the kind of cunning, ruthless, vicious and nasty plans that his enemies will think of, simply because his simple perspective will not allow him such convoluted, Machiavellian thinking.
In fact, Chloe is probably right that, not only is Clark too simple to grasp such a thought process, but it is imperative that he should REMAIN direct, clear-eyed and honest enough to never be able to understand this kind of a mind-set. He just wouldn’t be Superman anymore if he tried to delve too deeply into the darker thought-patterns of some of the world’s most vicious and ugly criminals.
I loved the suggestion of foresight Chloe had over here… about how she believes that Clark will always attract ‘wiser’ people to him who would be willing to delve into the gray areas of human behaviour and not force him to complicate his views. I wonder whether Chloe is ever going to meet Batman, and give him her approval and blessing as being a worthy replacement to her as Clark’s ‘deeper conscience and guide’.
Quote:
She’d dreamt that she was some kind of potato that turned into a human and that she had this morbid fear of being eaten. During the course of the dream, however, she’d been eaten four times, which could’ve been fine. But to add to the freaky nature of the dream, she was the one eating her potato self. She’d been chased by Enrique, Lex’s butler, who had carried a potato peeler. It really made no sense that Lex’s butler was in her dreams. “How is that normal?” Chloe doubted that there was a dream book in existence that could decipher what that meant. And if there were, she didn’t want to read it.
ROTFLMAO! Oh, Ava! I see you couldn’t resist adding in some random shoutbox element into your fic, huh? ROTFL! The whole idea of a Chlotatoe sounds even more ridiculous than usual when seen as some random ‘nightmare’ of Chloe’s, ROTFL!
Quote:
Chloe walked into the restaurant and felt a flash of heat roll through her body. It stopped her in her tracks. She swayed and felt dizzy. Her nose was assaulted by the strong aroma of spice. Chloe convulsed and would have collapsed; but soon after she was bombarded by those sensations, they left her. It was only a momentary reprieve. The overwhelming external input was replaced by nothing. She didn’t hear, see, or smell anything. It was all darkness. A scream of panic was making its way forth from her chest, but then the world returned to normal with a burst of light and sound. It was disorienting as well as welcome. For that brief moment she was cut off from everything and she felt nothing.
This was a fascinating part! I can see that this was probably the first time that Chloe’s wolf-senses started kicking in, and her body tried to adjust… I LOVED how her body actually overcompensated for the information overload by shutting everything down for a few moments. VERY clever, Ava… I could feel how frightening and disconcerting the experience was for Chloe. Beautifully done!
Quote:
Gabe noticed that Chloe stalled at the entrance of the door. She looked like she was about to faint. He was just rising from his chair to go to his daughter when he caught her eyes. Her eyes…there was something wrong. They looked blank and vacant. Gabe stopped dead in his tracks. It was like he couldn’t move at all. The world faded away from him and there was only his daughter. There was only Chloe. But then she was moving again and the world came back to him. It was like his head was breaking the surface of water.
Gabe’s reaction was also fascinating. I don’t know what made him freeze like that. Was it pure parental instinct (from within) that stalled him? Or was it Chloe’s wolf-senses imposing some kind of a command on him? Perhaps both? Or perhaps Gabe also has a touch of wolf inside him too? Perhaps it’s something that has been dormant within him, and only manifested itself fully in Chloe? It could be possible…?
Quote:
Chloe was moving before she even knew it. She sat at the table and watched as her father sat again. Everything seemed so far away; but if she focused on him then everything was o.k. again. A feeling of contentment and peace rippled across her awareness. Chloe was hyper-aware of her father. His heartbeat was strong and steady. His scent inspired something that she couldn’t even describe. It was like coming home. And more than anything, none of this made any sense.
I forgot to mention, but I was SO happy to see Gabe make an appearance in this fic. I LOVE seeing these two engage in father-daughter bonding sessions. It’s always a beautiful thing to see. And I was REALLY pleased to see Chloe’s deep-rooted, animal feelings of complete peace and contentment when she was in her father’s presence. I could feel Chloe relishing the feeling of being with ‘her pack’ again. Lol! Granted it’s a pack of only two… but it’s quality that counts, right? Lol!
Quote:
The voice of her father was echoing in her head again, “Chloe, sweetheart, we need to leave. Help me out. Stand up, sweetheart. That’s it. Just stand up.”
Chloe felt the strong arms of her father and endeavored to burrow herself into him. He was a comforting presence. She felt him haul her out of her chair. And then she felt herself moving. Gabe didn’t know or understand what was going on. All he knew was that something was wrong with his baby girl. Uncaring of the looks they were receiving, he walked her to his car because he didn’t know where hers was; and maneuvered her into the passenger side.
Yayy daddy-Gabe!!! Seriously, it’s wonderful seeing Daddy-Sullivan taking charge of his baby-Chloe. There’s always a special heart-warming feeling I get whenever I see anyone taking care of our favourite, stubborn, mule-headed, headstrong reporter and it’s even more beautiful to see Gabe being the one to care for her.
Lol! And I can see even Chloe liked giving into those deep-rooted impulses to ‘trust her daddy to take care of everything’ as she snuggled against him while he carried her out.
Quote:
Chloe heard the panicked voice of her father. She wanted to reassure him. She wanted to say something. To beg him to help her, but all she could do was blink at him. She felt like she was drunk or something. Chloe had been feeling better when she sat down at the table, but something about her father blanked out everything in her mind.
hmmm, I’ve been scratching my head trying SO hard to figure out what might have triggered Chloe to go into this ‘shut down mode’ after meeting Gabe. There’s nothing to panic or shock her into a breakdown… she simply cannot be in a safer environment. Erm… perhaps her body was arguing with her that it was time to let go, rest, relax and… sleep?
Quote:
Gabe searched her face. She was lying to him. Or maybe withholding something from him. He didn’t expect that she share all things in her life. She had her secrets and he had his own. But he just wanted her to be honest with him. To tell him if something was seriously wrong. Gabe turned away from her, blew out a harsh breath and raked his hand through his hair.
“No, you aren’t. You’re one of the most stable people I know; and I flatter myself when I say that you get it from me,” Gabe looked at her again, “Something is wrong. Especially when you can look me in the eye and lie to me.”
He knew he hurt her because her face told him so, “Chloe, just let me be here for you. I’m your father and I’m supposed to look after you.”
I have to say Gabe deserves an award for being the world’s most patient, understanding, tolerant father. I seriously cannot imagine any other father who would not broken into furious, cursing yells at his daughter at a time like this. It’s OBVIOUS that there’s something seriously wrong with Chloe, and yet she’s lying to her father, asking him to ignore the evidence about her being unwell, stand by silently and just let her handle everything. No THAT is pushing a father’s tolerance to it’s utmost limits, and I don’t blame Gabe for breaking and losing his temper.
Quote:
Gabe’s voice stopped her cold, “Don’t leave.”
She had only heard that tone when he was fed up with her. It held traces of disappointment and anger. Chloe never did do well when confronted with it. Despite this, she was fully prepared to leave and storm off to her car. The problem was that she couldn’t get her body to move, and she desperately wanted to leave the car.
Aaargh! And on top of lying to him, she then tries to run off? I’m SO glad that her wolfy-instincts stopped her from disobeying him, because I really feel that this would have driven a wedging distance between the Sullivans like nothing else before.
I don’t blame Chloe for not wanting to worry her father by telling him the full extent of everything that might have led to her breakdown just now. A lot of the story involves Clark’s secret, and a lot of it is just horrifying. But it was a mistake for Chloe to just ask her dad to dismiss everything he had just witnessed because it was ‘inconvenient’ for her to explain.
*sigh* at least she ended up telling him some vague semblance of the truth… even if it WAS a maddening, irritatingly vague description. Poor Gabe… I never realized how much it must hurt the poor man to be excluded from a large part of his daughter’s life. He doesn’t know the full extent of the secrets she’s keeping from him, but I’m sure he knows that she IS keeping secrets. He’s a good father, and he doesn’t deserve this kind of estrangement from his only child, dammit!
Quote:
Out of the corner of his eye, Gabe watched his stubborn and beautiful daughter cross her arms and huff like she used to do when she was younger. A pang of nostalgia shot through him. “Some things never change.”
ROTFL! This part made me smile as well as sigh in relief. Despite how angry (and betrayed) Gabe is feeling right now, it’s good to see that he still has the same kind of fond, affectionate, protective feelings of complete love and devotion for his ‘baby’. LOL! no matter how much she behaves like a brat, she’s ‘his’ brat, rotfl!
Quote:
The doctor, Kevin Masters, walked into a room full of tension. If this wasn’t the quintessential picture of parental irritation and child annoyance, he didn’t know what was. He was going to make this quick, no need to draw it out.
ROTFL! Now that’s a sharp and observant doctor! hmm, Kevin Masters? The name sounds familiar? A character from a past episode?
Quote:
On the heels of that thought, the sound of the doctor’s voice penetrated her awareness. Her father and Dr. Masters were still talking and she had the occasion to listen. His voice was even. The kind of cultivated voice that all physicians had to have to soothe patients. It was a nice baritone. His voice made her hyper-aware of everything about him. He looked like a man who was rushing from one place to another with few breaks. His shoes were made for comfort and he smelled strongly of antiseptic. Chloe hadn’t noticed it before, but now that smell was all she seemed to be focused on.
I liked seeing how, despite her anxiety over how to explain any possible weirdness that might crop up, Chloe was beginning to get the hang of all the new input from her enhanced senses. She wasn’t being overwhelmed from information and sesory-overload anymore. Excellent!
Quote:
Gabe expected her words. He expected any number of variations of “I told you so”. He even expected the sarcasm and the little bite of anger, but he didn’t care.
“Not really. But since the doctor seems to think everything is fine I’ll let it go. For now. I’m still hungry. Are you still up for eating with me?”
awww poor Gabe. He’s too smart to know that, just because a doctor says you’re ‘within normal range’, doesn’t mean you actually are ok. I can still see how irritated he is about how Chloe doesn’t take care of herself properly… AND how she doesn’t allow anyone else to care for her either. Indeed, the woman is just too exasperating for words. LOL! Gabe and Lex are going to have many commiserating conversations about how difficult it is to look after Chloe when she’s determined to be her own worst enemy, lol!
Quote:
She was halfway home when a sudden cramp seized her entire body. It was severe enough for her to jerk on the steering wheel and send the car into a spin. She regained control of the car and pulled over onto the shoulder. Chloe wrestled with her purse to pull out her cell phone, but her hands wouldn’t work the way she wanted them.
Her body tensed again and she was forced back into her seat. The pain was intense. The car was cramped and if she kept flailing around, she’d injure herself badly. She’d already flung her purse to the floor. Between the pain and her possession scattering, she wouldn’t be able to reach her phone.
Chloe opened her door and got out of her car. The pain had receded to a dull ache. She was going to walk to the passenger side. She’d be in a better position reach under the seat, where her phone was.
This was a beautiful opening into Chloe very first transformation into a wolf, Ava. I loved how it started quite painful, but the readers were well aware that this was only the tip of the agonizing iceberg that lay ahead. Heh, and Chloe was actually willing to try and call for help, huh? I guess the girl does display common sense and call for help when the situation is desperate enough.
Quote:
Chloe clawed at her throat and felt blood coat her hands. She realized that she was panicking, but there wasn’t anything she could do about that. It was then that she felt her ribs bend and then break. Her heart beat was fast and furious and she could almost imagine that it would rip out of her chest. She’d give anything to not feel this. There were plenty of stories she’d read where the mind went off to another place when confronted by intense pain. She wasn’t so lucky. She felt it all and it was an overload.
The bones of her knees bent backwards and her spine bowed. A flash of human insight asserted itself when she realized that what was happening wasn’t random. There was a purpose. She was changing into something. When she was finally able to give voice to her pain and panic, it was the deep echo of a howl. It sounded inhuman to her ears. But Chloe finally got her wish when she fell into unconsciousness.
You captured Chloe’s transformation in such an intense, raw and visceral way, Ava! Every break of Chloe’s bones made me flinch away from the screen, and them draw in closer as the transformation gained speed and intensity. It was agonizing seeing Chloe going through all of this…all alone with no back-up or support, no less. It was frightening!
The note about how couldn’t separate herself from the pain, not even by ‘cutting herself and drifting away into her mind’ really added on a cruel tone to what was happening. Chloe couldn’t find any comfort or solace from the pain in ANY way.
But I LOVED how, amidst the pain, confusion and fright, Chloe could see a pattern on what was happening to her, and she could see that her bones were breaking and resetting themselves into a new coherent, working shape… even though she had no way of knowing what kind of a shape to expect. It’s AMAZING how Chloe’s keen, analytical mind kept working furiously, even under THESE horrific circumstances.
Quote:
Chloe recalled that Lois had left her workout clothes in her car. “She won’t mind.” She was trying so hard to keep it together. “For 30 more minutes.” Chloe was doing so well until she settled into her car and realized that everything was in shades of gray. There were no colors. Her breath picked up and she began hyperventilating. The control that she was hanging onto by the merest of threads snapped. This was too much. She gave herself over to the full blown breakdown.
I loved how panic-stricken Chloe was upon awakening. It must have been like waking up from the worst nightmare ever, and realizing that it wasn’t a nightmare after all. There wasn’t any peace or relief from the knowledge that those ‘visions’ she remembered were ‘not real’. But, despite her breakdown, she handled the situation really well, and it was good to see that she got herself home safe… if not sound.
Quote:
It was a little over a week later and Chloe still hadn’t been able to reconcile what had happened. She’d been able to figure out that she had turned into some kind of wolf. Her dreams became even more violent and she knew that they preceded a change. Chloe forced herself to adapt to this new reality because it was one that would kill her if she let it. She’d taken pictures of her tracks to determine that she was a wolf. Not to mention that she had clearly heard herself howl.
It was very interesting imagining Chloe carefully drawing conclusions about her ‘alternate shape’, not from direct memories, but from analysing the evidence of her various ‘leavings’ (like tracks, possible torn fur, vague dreams, the howling, etc). I wonder when exactly Chloe started having more vivid memories of her time as a wolf… probably when she decided to start shifting by choice rather than being forced into it.
Quote:
She gradually became aware of herself as a wolf. The first few times of her change she couldn’t remember anything. There was only a vague essence of Chloe. It was a bitter pill to swallow when she had tried to comfort herself with chocolate ice cream and then found herself vomiting up the contents of her stomach. She was really and truly a dog.
ouch! Talk about adding a cruel twist to the knife. It’s bad enough that she turned into a howling, furry beast on random occasions… but she can’t even comfort herself with chocolate during the aftermath… that’s just cruel!
Quote:
It was even more painful when she had to modulate her food intake. Her sense of taste was heightened and it was hard to eat the rich foods or the overly spicy foods. It had taken time, but she had learned to enjoy them once more. All of her senses were still wonky but they seemed to be stabilizing. She could only hope that whatever changes still to come would finish soon. Being in a weird metamorphic limbo would drive her to insanity.
I really enjoyed hearing about Chloe slowly adjusting to her new lifestyle. How she experimented with different kinds of foods, until she found the new combinations that would agree with her new taste buds. LOL! But she wasn’t going to be satisfied with keeping herself to bland food for the rest of her life… I loved how she re-trained herself to start enjoying rich textures and tastes again. Rotfl! You’ve gotta admire the stubbornness of this woman, even if it IS exasperating beyond all belief, lol!
Quote:
But when she looked in his eyes and felt nothing, saw nothing, she could no longer lie to herself. She believed him guilty of both. Chloe wouldn’t stop until he was brought low. Until his life was a wreck like hers was. Lex had so many intrigues. So much to answer for and he wouldn’t get away with it.
It wasn’t too terribly difficult to track his handiwork. She had her sources as well and she knew that he had the medical examiner’s report. Chloe was able to get the report herself. Lex was a sick and twisted bastard if he could do this to his father. He had to be stopped.
Oh NO!!! Poor Lex! I was really curious about what was Chloe thinking that day when she briefly met with Lex during he funeral. She had a rather odd reaction to him, and I was hoping that she was feeling some sympathy for the poor man. But that was NOT the case, huh?
Poor Lex simply cannot catch a break on any end, can he? He displayed his shock and grief to Lana, who didn’t show the slightest bit of understanding or sympathy, and didn’t offer ANY comfort or solace.
And Chloe… who was actually looking for grief only saw the stoic blankness that Lana was probably expecting (or hoping for?). So Lex lost out on his chance to gain comfort from her. Poor Lex… he had the absolute worst kind of timing and luck possible. If only he had… what? Broken down at the funeral? We know Lex would never have done that!!! I guess he never stood a chance of getting a kind word on this horrible day. Poor thing.
Excellent chapter, Ava! I loved every second of it, and I look forward to the next update. This was the last chapter set in the past, right? Getting the backstory was fantastic, interesting, intriguing and necessary, but I’d like to see what’s happening in the present now, please. Whenever you’re ready ;) Good luck!
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 03-09-08, Chapter 7d
All I can say is wow.. This story is absolutely captivating! I normally wouldn't be intrigued by this, but your writing is such that it just draws you in. Can't wait for more!!
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 03-09-08, Chapter 7d
Absolutely amazing as always!
I loved the father/daughter interaction, how much they love/care for each other and how worried Gabe was about her. I hope eventually chloe trust her father with the truth about herself.
I find it really intresting that Chloe believes that Lex is responsible for his father's murder, I wonder if she ever finds out the truth behind it?
Exellent chapter, and can't wait to read more!!!
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 03-09-08, Chapter 7d
Disclaimer- see 1st chapter
A/N: There might be one more chapter in the past. I haven’t decided yet. We’ll see what I post next. Also, whenever you read this, somethingeasy, take note of the first words of the chapter. It’s all for you! :D Enjoy!
Chapter 7- Origins of the Wolf
Part V- Night Terrors
Atrocity is recognized as such by victim and perpetrator alike, by all who learn about it at whatever remove. Atrocity has no excuses, no mitigating argument. Atrocity never balances or rectifies the past. Atrocity merely arms the future for more atrocity. It is self-perpetuating upon itself -- a barbarous form of incest. Whoever commits atrocity also commits those future atrocities thus bred.
Frank Herbert, Children of Dune
Serena Edgler woke from a dead sleep. Abrupt. Pained. Her heart thundered in her chest. Her eyes darted across the room frantically. She was panting. She couldn’t catch her breathe. But under all of that was the deep hatred and loathing of the people who made her weak like this. Even deeper still was Serena’s hatred of herself. The abiding self-loathing that never went away no matter how hard she tried to force it gone. The discontent and restlessness that burrowed its way into all aspects of her life. Serena had no peace. No solace. It was always with her. Staring at her. It was a weight that settled on her chest like the torture press of old. No relief.
She felt a burning sensation in her throat and ran to her restroom. Serena just barely made it to her toilet before she vomited. The contents of her stomach emptying in a torrent. The burning low in her gut migrating to her throat. She felt the tears trail down her face as she stared at the mess she had made. “Pathetic.” With trembling hands Serena wiped her mouth and flushed the toilet. Days…nights like this had worn her down. Made her remember everything that she wished she could forget. Made her feel the weakness…the helplessness…the violation all over again. They were monsters and they did this to her.
The worst part had been their eyes. The way they had stared. Assessing her. Making her feel less than human. As if she was nothing. They had all the power and knew it.
Serena Edgler had been normal. She had a promising career as an accountant waiting for her. Her life was boring, but it was hers. Serena was raised in the WASP tradition. She was a debutante. Her life charted and well on its way to fulfillment, but she was happy with that. Serena wanted to be a simple accountant. Numbers were her life. Serena saw them in everything she did. They were poetry. She wanted to marry a man named Chet and have her 2.5 children and a dog. That was her vision for life. She made her place in life, but then all that was changed. In the span of a heartbeat, it had changed.
She stared at her reflection in the mirror. It was wrong, all wrong. Her hair should’ve been brown not red. Her eyes should’ve also been brown, but they were green. An unnatural green. Whatever they had done to her, the long buried attributes of her Irish ancestry had come out for all the world to see. There was no way that her family would be able to recognize her. Nothing was her own anymore.
Yelling her fury and pain into the mirror, she lifted her fist and rammed it into her reflection. Serena didn’t stop until her mirror was demolished. That person should not have been her. That person was created by them. She had nothing of her father and mother. She had nothing of her twin. Serena was alone.
Serena stared at her hands and watched as the cuts healed. She watched them become claws and sprout red hair. With another inarticulate cry of fury, she left her restroom and proceeded to destroy every mirror in her apartment. She had to focus this and not change. She couldn’t control herself while changed. Serena knew that the more she changed, the harder it would be to join the human world. She’d read their reports and she had to find a way to stabilize herself and the others. No doubt it would come at a high cost, but this was survival.
Lex Luthor had gotten far too close. She could only shield him from their eyes for a short time. He was too useful to be lost to them. His project was the key. They had so completely subverted key aspects of it that Serena knew that it was only a matter of time before she knew everything, but she had to fly under the radar. Her chances of success depended on it.
Serena knew Lana was also key to them, but she didn’t know why. All she knew was that Dr. Langston had been communicating with her enemies for quite some time. It was time for Lana to be turned to her cause.
When Serena had first devised this plan of hers, it became paramount that she find someone that could be ruthless and work independent of her plan. An outsider, who had their first loyalty to her or at the very least, her money. She was fortunate enough to find it in Samuel Kale.
He could never know that his last few jobs were orchestrated by her. She needed to weigh and access his value. The man was a virtuoso in his field. Kale had killed Chase and his family with an uncanny precision and utter lack of morality. Serena had been awed and terrified. She had mourned those lives taken. They were innocent, but the end game was so very important.
When she had given him vague orders to cause a distraction with the same mine, he had been even more masterful if that was possible. What sane person would target Lionel Luthor? And in such a fashion? But it had yielded the results she wanted. That singular act of Kale’s had propelled her plan forward like nothing she had done prior. Kale played his version of intrigues with a deft touch. Serena wondered what he could’ve been if he hadn’t been so ruined by his past. She sat on her bed and realized that she couldn’t live with this but she had too.
His ignorance would not make him a more useful tool. It was a delicate tight wire she walked. Samuel had to be a player in this game. He had to have specific pieces of knowledge, but she couldn’t be the one to direct him there. Samuel’s mind had to be allowed to work to its fullest. She couldn’t let her own biases cloud his judgment. He had to see this puzzle through his own, unique lens. Only then could Serena see what she had missed.
Oh she knew that he was investigating Smallville and the major players of the town. She also knew that he had harbored the thought that Lex Luthor had hired him and she was just a cover, but he had to work out why he was wrong on his own. Serena was glad that he took the initiative. He came highly referred and now she knew why.
Serena felt her claws prick her temples. She felt and smelled the sweat produced from her earlier exertion. She sighed and stood. There would be no sleeping tonight. Hard-wired for movement and restless, she decided to get her day started. If she wasn’t going to sleep then many of those in her employ wouldn’t either.
She picked up her phone and didn’t wait for an answer, “Kale, meet me at noon.”
Serena hung up before he could say a word. She didn’t have time for pleasantries and he didn’t require them. Once again she dialed, “Langston, step up plans with Lang.”
She would’ve hung up on him as well, but his fearful protestations could not go ignored. She was tired of him thinking that he actually had a say in the matter. Serena was also tired of the fact that he feared the Luthor brat more than he did her. It was time to disabuse him of the notion that he was irreplaceable.
“1710 North Summerville Drive. Let me speak plainly. You work for me and I did not ask you what you wanted to do. I told you what you were going to do. There is a very important difference. You are valuable to me inasmuch as you follow orders. Luthor will only kill you. I’ll keep you alive. Now, get it done before you become more than an irritant and I am forced to hurt you.”
She hung up before he could say anything more. If he didn’t do what she wanted, or if he gave her any problems, then Samuel Kale would be paying that address a visit. She knew Samuel’s particular brand of psychotic and no one at that address would live. Serena did not want to do it, but Langston and those he cared for were not her concern.
Serena hadn’t actually had a face to face meeting with Kale since they had attended Lionel’s funeral. She had wanted to see the aftermath. The consequences of her actions had to be seen. Serena needed to ground herself. She could never become inured to the horror she caused. There would be a special place in hell for her and she knew it. A small part of Serena hoped that one day the people she did this for would understand. The rest of her hoped that they forgot her and what she did. That they remembered her the way she was and not how she ended.
“I wish I were a stronger person.”
********
Noon saw Serena in her penthouse preparing for Kale. Ostensibly, it was being rented by a stockbroker, Timothy Salinger, and she was only the secretary. The credentials were flawless and the men who had made them were dead. There couldn’t be a trail; and there wouldn’t be if she didn’t do anything extravagant under his name.
She heard Kale long before she saw him. He buzzed her office and she let him in. He unnerved her because it was so easy to dismiss him; but then with one action, he could become dangerous. This was a man who could talk endlessly about the weather and then kill you with the same bland expression.
Serena was typing away on her computer when he walked into her office. She heard him sit down in the only comfortable chair in the room. He smelled nervous. No doubt it was because his back was to the door. People like Kale couldn’t stand even the hint of a cage and she hated the fact that she was now someone like Kale. He must’ve been a child that enjoyed the outdoors. It probably had little to do with his actual home life. There were times when she was sure that he showed the classic signs of attention deficit disorder. His muscles would give minute jumps as if he were holding himself in tight check to prevent himself from moving like he wanted.
At any rate, she was about to dump exposition on him. She wished that she had the time to properly detail this, but her creativity was running low. Drawing this out any further would probably serve to squander whatever good will she had accrued with him. He may play the patient snake in the grass now, but it was probably wearing thin.
She also liked that he wasn’t going to speak until she did. He’d probably learned that at the hand of his father. “What would you be, Kale, if life had not ruined you so thoroughly before you had a chance to be a man?” Serena wondered if he ever asked that question or if it was too hard for him. Or even if he knew to ask that question.
She looked him in the eye and spoke, “How is your investigation into the seedy underbelly of Smallville coming?”
Kale cocked his head. He should’ve known that his boss would know what he was doing.
“Confounding and nonsensical. These people are a…contradiction.”
Serena laughed a little. Kale was like a little boy when confronted with something outside of his frame of reference, but she could understand where he was coming from. Common sense was lacking all around. It was mind boggling. She did realize that it was easy for her to pass judgment since she wasn’t deeply and hopelessly entangled with their odd brand of drama.
“Yes, they are.”
Kale wished that she would expand her answer, but she was the type of person to keep her mouth shut just to spite him. With anyone else he would’ve called it petty, but he recognized it as the strategy of someone with a deeper game. Serena was a deliberate and methodical person.
Serena raised an eyebrow. His mouth pursed ever so subtly.
“I suppose you finally believe that I am your boss? Tell me, did the funeral confirm it?”
Kale raked his hand through his hair, “No. The day I told you about Clark Kent was when I knew for certain. Until then, every order you gave me could’ve easily been delivered by a lackey. Telling me to do whatever I want with the mine was something that only a person with full command of the situation would’ve done.”
Serena had figured that was when he believed her his employer. His voice tone on every correspondence after was more deferential. Kale had also become more interested and excited.
“Now that you have been confronted with the reality of Smallville, it probably makes no sense that our government has been uninterested, right? Well, they aren’t exactly uninterested. They’ve just outsourced their interest,” at his nod of understanding she continued, “Even if the meteor rocks did not bestow mutation; imagine other scenarios. The value in meteor rocks isn’t just what they can do. It’s also what they bring. They have traveled in space and with them they bring things that don’t exist on Earth. Microbes, random dust, or maybe a new element on our Periodic Table. How valuable would that be?”
Kale realized that he had thought of the rocks in too small terms. He was blinded by what they had been doing to people and not what they would and could do to the Earth itself. It meant so much more than life on other planets. But there was definitely no way that the government, The United States or any number of others, would not find a way to market this. “Unless this town is one, giant laboratory.”
“May I call you Samuel? You may, of course, call me Serena. We’ve committed crimes together and standing on formality is nothing but pretension.”
At the inclination of his head, Serena continued, “Smallville has to stay small. Luthorcorp has done well, but not so well as to attract other businesses. The trick is to minimize what the meteor rocks represent. You don’t lie about them per se because such falsehoods would be spotted immediately. You simply call them rocks and people do the rest; especially if the United States hasn’t published any reports on them. If the United States doesn’t care, being the opportunistic bastards that we are, why should any other entity care? By outsourcing interest, we can honestly say that we aren’t doing anything with them. And no one can trace it. So what do you do?”
Serena stopped speaking and Kale realized that she wanted him to participate. He realized that she valued him.
“It only works, Serena, if you hijack what someone else is doing. Private researchers don’t have the resources of the government and they’ll be limited without funding. So you plant people in an organization, misdirect people you can’t trust, and collect the data. It leaves the original designers of the project in the lurch; especially if they don’t even consider that their project could be compromised. Luthor was the unlucky victim wasn’t he?”
Serena smiled broadly. She struck hit-man gold with Samuel Kale, “Yes, he was. He provided the route to them. Other researchers limited themselves to the land and general environmental impact. He targeted the meteor infected themselves. This town is unusually healthy and the conclusion was reached that everyone in affected. Not everyone will manifest a strong mutation, but they are all infected. The hospital reports less actual illness and more things with physical problems. That is, broken bones and the like are more common.”
She wasn’t telling him everything. Samuel got the feeling she was waiting for the correct question from him. When he finally found it, he could’ve slapped himself. It was so obvious.
“What did they do to you?”
“Finally! He asks the money question.”
“I am meteor infected. But I and a few others were the first the government mucked around with. They messed with our mutation directly. I don’t know how, but as a result we are unstable.”
“What is your mutation?”
Serena looked away from him for a moment. This was difficult and her bloodlust was so easy to arouse.
“I think they were messing around with animal DNA or something. Meteor rocks just don’t follow our scientific principles and something unexpected happened I think. I don’t know why I was chosen. I think it was a random thing. At any rate, I’m as close to being an actual werewolf as you’ll ever get.”
Kale was shocked. He’d seen some weird things, but a werewolf was something else. The meteor infected looked normal. Her change was unnatural. It didn’t seem like it was following the admittedly crazy blue print of the meteor rocks.
“So what are you trying to do?”
“Whatever Lex Luthor was doing, the government took the next step that he didn’t. What do you think of Lana Lang?”
Her last question was random. “Why would she bring up that girl?”
“She’s a pitiful excuse for a human being.”
Serena chuckled, “Yes, she is. She isn’t pregnant.”
She saw him become angry and held up her hand, “No, she isn’t faking it. She genuinely thinks she’s pregnant.”
He didn’t believe her. No woman was so clueless as to think they were pregnant when they weren’t. If she was, then he would kill her on principle. Someone that simple was a waste of resources that should go to someone else.
“Before you condemn her to a painful and torturous death, know that she’s being duped by the best. Her doctor is giving her a slew of drugs to keep her in the dark. He’s probably got a very impressive faked sonogram and such. I think that she is a key to what’s happening.”
“A key?”
His quick mind was such an asset. She liked that he picked up on the important part of that, “I think Chloe Sullivan is the other. I wasn’t sure before, but her base scent has altered. It’s closer to what mine smells like. I think she’s like me.”
It was Samuel’s turn to quirk his eyebrow, “Like you and these others you keep mentioning?”
“Yes.”
“So what does this mean?”
“Samuel, it means we continue to watch and wait. It means that you can’t kill the meteor infected anymore. I need to decipher them. Before you got here, many of the infected were retrieved by whoever is shadowing Luthor’s project. I want them alive. They don’t deserve the death you’ve been giving them.”
“Then why am I still here?”
“Because you want the challenge. It’s not going to be easy, Samuel. Clark Kent will be a factor and a few of his friends. Luthor is a factor. I need you to be more than a hit-man. I want you to be my eyes and ears. My focus needs to be elsewhere.”
Kale could accept that. He did need the challenge; and he wasn’t so twisted and bloodthirsty that he would kill just to kill. He considered her. There was one more thing that he needed to know, “Why the drama around the mine?”
“Luthor needed to be distracted. I covered a few tracks and planted a few false leads if he or anyone else should discover something. Chloe Sullivan has already been making waves. Luthor is a useful cover, and the people shadowing his project must believe that they are clever. They must believe that they are in full control. Besides, I could not pass up creating such chaos for Wayne and Luthor. It’s satisfying to know that they are in turmoil because of me,” Serena continued, “I need you to involve Lana Lang somehow. Get her to plant bugs or something. I need to keep track of her and Sullivan. Dr. Langston has been turned to our cause. He doesn’t know the reasoning behind his orders from his other bosses, but he’ll tell me what I need to know.”
Kale recognized the name of Lang’s doctor. “I guess he is the one fooling Lang.”
Serena gazed at Kale for a moment. She had to know one thing as well, “Why did you shave him?”
Kale cocked his head. He considered not answering her, but he would respond to her honesty with his own, “My grandfather was a barber and he used to have a straight edge razor. It was very ornate and beautiful. Far too decorative for the task. He passed it on to my father. There were times when it was calm in the house. In those times, my father would pull out his razor and sit in front of my mother, who would shave him. Her hands were always steady. The only time her hands were gentle. She never cut him. Not even once.”
Of all the things he could’ve said, that was unexpected. She thought it had to do with proving a point to Lionel. While it had shown Lionel a point, it wasn’t the one the man died with and it wasn’t the one that Serena thought. Serena took in his relaxed posture, the slightly glazed eyes lost to memory and the fond smile on his face. It was such a departure from what was previously known of the man. He had shared something highly personal. Samuel Kale was still someone special.
Serena stood, “Let’s go to lunch. I’m hungry.”
Samuel stood as well and offered his arm. They both realized that this was a time for waiting and setting plans. She could do that and had no doubt that he could as well. Trouble would find them soon enough; but until then, they’d prepare as best they could.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 03-24-08, Chapter 7e
This was quite an intriguing update!
This Serena person is just as terrifying as Samuel Kale, but I'm wondering about this line:
Quote:
She had nothing of her twin. Serena was alone.
I know that she mentioned Chloe and that she was a werewolf just like her, but who is Serena's twin? It's not Chloe, is it?
Can't wait for more of this story to unfold:D
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 03-24-08, Chapter 7e
Great story...can't wait for an update
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 03-24-08, Chapter 7e
Quote:
Atrocity is recognized as such by victim and perpetrator alike, by all who learn about it at whatever remove. Atrocity has no excuses, no mitigating argument. Atrocity never balances or rectifies the past. Atrocity merely arms the future for more atrocity. It is self-perpetuating upon itself -- a barbarous form of incest. Whoever commits atrocity also commits those future atrocities thus bred.
Frank Herbert, Children of Dune
Awww, Ava! You put in a quote from one of my favourite book series… All for me? You sweet thing! And, as always, I love the appropriateness of this quote and how it set the tone for this chapter. Great job!
Quote:
Serena Edgler woke from a dead sleep. Abrupt. Pained. Her heart thundered in her chest. Her eyes darted across the room frantically. She was panting. She couldn’t catch her breathe. But under all of that was the deep hatred and loathing of the people who made her weak like this. Even deeper still was Serena’s hatred of herself. The abiding self-loathing that never went away no matter how hard she tried to force it gone. The discontent and restlessness that burrowed its way into all aspects of her life. Serena had no peace. No solace. It was always with her. Staring at her. It was a weight that settled on her chest like the torture press of old. No relief.
She felt a burning sensation in her throat and ran to her restroom. Serena just barely made it to her toilet before she vomited. The contents of her stomach emptying in a torrent. The burning low in her gut migrating to her throat. She felt the tears trail down her face as she stared at the mess she had made. “Pathetic.” With trembling hands Serena wiped her mouth and flushed the toilet. Days…nights like this had worn her down. Made her remember everything that she wished she could forget. Made her feel the weakness…the helplessness…the violation all over again. They were monsters and they did this to her.
The worst part had been their eyes. The way they had stared. Assessing her. Making her feel less than human. As if she was nothing. They had all the power and knew it.
This was a fantastic introduction to a new character, Ava! I LOVED how the quote continued with this particularly vivid description of a character who has been twisted into a horrible, monstrous, vicious and barbaric human being because of atrocities that had been done to her in the past. I loved the detailed, vivid descriptions of the inhuman, abhorrent treatment that had been inflicted on her… how they made her feel… and how they twisted her into this monster she has become today. VERY nicely done, Ava. I despise this girl, but I can’t help but feel some grudging sympathy for her as well.
Quote:
She stared at her reflection in the mirror. It was wrong, all wrong. Her hair should’ve been brown not red. Her eyes should’ve also been brown, but they were green. An unnatural green. Whatever they had done to her, the long buried attributes of her Irish ancestry had come out for all the world to see. There was no way that her family would be able to recognize her. Nothing was her own anymore.
It was particular horrible hearing about how this girl wanted a very ‘normal’, even a BORING life, and she was quite happy with the choices she was making… until someone decided to take her ‘ideal life’ away from her. This is a girl who wanted to be ‘normal and average’… and this is exactly the kind of person who would find it loathsome to be turned into an ‘abnormal freak’.
Quote:
Yelling her fury and pain into the mirror, she lifted her fist and rammed it into her reflection. Serena didn’t stop until her mirror was demolished. That person should not have been her. That person was created by them. She had nothing of her father and mother. She had nothing of her twin. Serena was alone.
Serena stared at her hands and watched as the cuts healed. She watched them become claws and sprout red hair. With another inarticulate cry of fury, she left her restroom and proceeded to destroy every mirror in her apartment. She had to focus this and not change. She couldn’t control herself while changed. Serena knew that the more she changed, the harder it would be to join the human world. She’d read their reports and she had to find a way to stabilize herself and the others. No doubt it would come at a high cost, but this was survival.
This really drove the point home about how much Serena HATES the wolf that has been put inside of her. I can understand how being part-wolf would be ‘inconvenient’ for anyone, but it can be pretty awesome for someone who has the soul of an adventurer. Even Chloe eventually adjusted to her wolfish lifestyle, and I believe she will even learn to enjoy this new aspect of her life… eventually.
But Serena is the type of person who will always see herself as a loathsome, despicable freak (in the worse sense of the words possible) and she will never be able to adjust not having the ‘normal life’ she had planned out for herself.
Quote:
Lex Luthor had gotten far too close. She could only shield him from their eyes for a short time. He was too useful to be lost to them. His project was the key. They had so completely subverted key aspects of it that Serena knew that it was only a matter of time before she knew everything, but she had to fly under the radar. Her chances of success depended on it.
Isn’t that fascinating… I look forward to seeing exactly what is Serena’s interest in Lex Luthor, and why she needs to keep him alive and safe a little while longer.
Quote:
When she had given him vague orders to cause a distraction with the same mine, he had been even more masterful if that was possible. What sane person would target Lionel Luthor? And in such a fashion? But it had yielded the results she wanted. That singular act of Kale’s had propelled her plan forward like nothing she had done prior. Kale played his version of intrigues with a deft touch. Serena wondered what he could’ve been if he hadn’t been so ruined by his past. She sat on her bed and realized that she couldn’t live with this but she had too.
I think Serena disgusts me more that Kale in several ways. Kale is a plain self-admitted psychotic who gets off on pain and sadism. But Serena… she’s actually admiring all the horrific actions that Kale has taken, thinking of him as ‘efficient and creative’ in getting his job done. What kind of a cold-blooded human being is this girl?!
I also loved the parallels drawn over here about how Kale was also turned into a monster because of vile actions done to HIM during his vulnerable childhood and adolescence. Both Serena and Kale are seriously messed up, both of them because they could never let go and recover from the horrors they survived through. It does make a person wonder what kind of people they could have been if only… well, if only!
Quote:
Serena hung up before he could say a word. She didn’t have time for pleasantries and he didn’t require them. Once again she dialed, “Langston, step up plans with Lang.”
oh dear… granted, I don’t think much of Lana, but I hate the idea of this poor, slightly dim kid being at the centre of some cold lab experiment.
Quote:
She would’ve hung up on him as well, but his fearful protestations could not go ignored. She was tired of him thinking that he actually had a say in the matter. Serena was also tired of the fact that he feared the Luthor brat more than he did her. It was time to disabuse him of the notion that he was irreplaceable.
“1710 North Summerville Drive. Let me speak plainly. You work for me and I did not ask you what you wanted to do. I told you what you were going to do. There is a very important difference. You are valuable to me inasmuch as you follow orders. Luthor will only kill you. I’ll keep you alive. Now, get it done before you become more than an irritant and I am forced to hurt you.”
heh, I don’t know what Langston did to bring himself to the attentions of such powerful, intimidating figures such as both Serena and Lex Luthor… but I can’t help but think that he deserves all the stress that such a position brings a person.
Quote:
She hung up before he could say anything more. If he didn’t do what she wanted, or if he gave her any problems, then Samuel Kale would be paying that address a visit. She knew Samuel’s particular brand of psychotic and no one at that address would live. Serena did not want to do it, but Langston and those he cared for were not her concern.
What a cold witch! Just like that… she’s considering having a life snuffed out in a particularly horrible, tortured kind of death… because she can’t bring herself to care about the situation or person one way or the other.
Quote:
Serena hadn’t actually had a face to face meeting with Kale since they had attended Lionel’s funeral. She had wanted to see the aftermath. The consequences of her actions had to be seen. Serena needed to ground herself. She could never become inured to the horror she caused. There would be a special place in hell for her and she knew it. A small part of Serena hoped that one day the people she did this for would understand. The rest of her hoped that they forgot her and what she did. That they remembered her the way she was and not how she ended.
“I wish I were a stronger person.”
hmmm, well this was interesting… so it seems like Serena is well aware (just like Kale) that she’s a horrible monster who indulges in needless cruelty and malicious vindictiveness towards innocents. She’s aware, but she can’t bring herself to care enough to change her behaviour. What a strange attitude… most evil people find countless ways to justify their actions to themselves as well as to others, but Serena and Kale are well-aware that they are perpetrators of random, unnecessary cruelty and violence, but they’ve learned to live with the fact that they’re monsters.
Quote:
Noon saw Serena in her penthouse preparing for Kale. Ostensibly, it was being rented by a stockbroker, Timothy Salinger, and she was only the secretary. The credentials were flawless and the men who had made them were dead. There couldn’t be a trail; and there wouldn’t be if she didn’t do anything extravagant under his name.
ouch! Actually, it’s hard enough to find good help without going around killing your underlings, Serena :p but I liked seeing this little slice of paranoid cruelty from her.
Quote:
She heard Kale long before she saw him. He buzzed her office and she let him in. He unnerved her because it was so easy to dismiss him; but then with one action, he could become dangerous. This was a man who could talk endlessly about the weather and then kill you with the same bland expression.
I LOVED that description in the last line, and I had an absolute chilling image in my head while visualizing it. VERY nicely done, Ava!
Quote:
She also liked that he wasn’t going to speak until she did. He’d probably learned that at the hand of his father. “What would you be, Kale, if life had not ruined you so thoroughly before you had a chance to be a man?” Serena wondered if he ever asked that question or if it was too hard for him. Or even if he knew to ask that question.
I loved Serena’s observations about Kale. It was fascinating seeing how she can see past his near-invisible ‘tells’… such as seeing how jumpy and claustrophobic he seemed to be while ‘trapped’ indoors. It seems like she’s got special insight into Kale’s personality because she feels like she can relate to him. I wonder whether Kale also sees a bit of himself in Serena too?
Quote:
“Confounding and nonsensical. These people are a…contradiction.”
Serena laughed a little. Kale was like a little boy when confronted with something outside of his frame of reference, but she could understand where he was coming from. Common sense was lacking all around. It was mind boggling. She did realize that it was easy for her to pass judgment since she wasn’t deeply and hopelessly entangled with their odd brand of drama.
ROTFL! I suppose seen from a purely objective view, all the ostentatious and showy melodrama of the town seems really pointless, irrelevant and just plain… contradictory and stupid. I’m sure all the history, emotional charge and theatrics seem important to the people acting and living it out… but it seems immature, petty and childish to people who are pure dispassionate observers.
Quote:
Kale raked his hand through his hair, “No. The day I told you about Clark Kent was when I knew for certain. Until then, every order you gave me could’ve easily been delivered by a lackey. Telling me to do whatever I want with the mine was something that only a person with full command of the situation would’ve done.”
heh, he’s a suspicious bastard, isn’t he? Was he initially doubtful of Serena because she was a woman, because she initially pretended to be only a secretary?
Quote:
Kale realized that he had thought of the rocks in too small terms. He was blinded by what they had been doing to people and not what they would and could do to the Earth itself. It meant so much more than life on other planets. But there was definitely no way that the government, The United States or any number of others, would not find a way to market this. “Unless this town is one, giant laboratory.”
woah! WOAH!! Now THIS was a mind-turning idea! I can’t believe I didn’t consider this possibility before, but it makes perfect sense! All this time we have been assuming that the government and law enforcement agencies were blind and/or stupid for not seeing the correlation between mutants and Kryptonite. But I never considered that the government was actually more devious than anyone could have given them credit for, and decided to ‘leave things be’ to see ‘what will happen next’. What a horrible, AWFUL thing to do!! But it fits in perfectly.
Quote:
At the inclination of his head, Serena continued, “Smallville has to stay small. Luthorcorp has done well, but not so well as to attract other businesses. The trick is to minimize what the meteor rocks represent. You don’t lie about them per se because such falsehoods would be spotted immediately. You simply call them rocks and people do the rest; especially if the United States hasn’t published any reports on them. If the United States doesn’t care, being the opportunistic bastards that we are, why should any other entity care? By outsourcing interest, we can honestly say that we aren’t doing anything with them. And no one can trace it. So what do you do?”
Serena stopped speaking and Kale realized that she wanted him to participate. He realized that she valued him.
“It only works, Serena, if you hijack what someone else is doing. Private researchers don’t have the resources of the government and they’ll be limited without funding. So you plant people in an organization, misdirect people you can’t trust, and collect the data. It leaves the original designers of the project in the lurch; especially if they don’t even consider that their project could be compromised. Luthor was the unlucky victim wasn’t he?”
oh dear heavens!!! Ava! This was a brilliantly DEVIOUS plot that made perfect sense in terms of economy, deniability and results… it seems like the perfect kind of plan for any kind of government agency to make… provided they’re willing to throw the idea of decency, morality and ethics out the window, which I’m sure wasn’t much of a struggle, LOL!
Hmmm, so most of Luthor’s top people have been moonlighting on the side, handing over the cream of their work to whatever clandestine agency is bribing them enough? Poor Lex! And poor Lionel… both the Luthors were made into patsies and their investments were effectively stolen away from them since their research got hijacked. And what the heck is Lex going to do when he finds out? Sue the government for stealing away his dubiously legal research? They will probably reply with the statement that they decided to ‘confiscate’ the work from HIS labs because of ‘environmental issues’ or ‘national security’ or even ‘free trade laws’… whatever they want to say, and Lex won’t be able to stop them. The poor patsy!
Let’s hope Lex manages to find a way to wriggle out of this nasty trick that has been pulled on him. Perhaps Chloe will eventually be able to help?
Quote:
“I think they were messing around with animal DNA or something. Meteor rocks just don’t follow our scientific principles and something unexpected happened I think. I don’t know why I was chosen. I think it was a random thing. At any rate, I’m as close to being an actual werewolf as you’ll ever get.”
Kale was shocked. He’d seen some weird things, but a werewolf was something else. The meteor infected looked normal. Her change was unnatural. It didn’t seem like it was following the admittedly crazy blue print of the meteor rocks.
The idea of a real live werewolf does sound pretty nuts, doesn’t it? At least to anyone living outside the vicinity of the Kryptonite Lab Experiment Town of Smallville. I can see how and why Serena got herself involved in this situation. Hmmm, I wonder whether she knows exactly which agency and what people did the experimenting on her… or is she just guessing at this point about who they are and what their ultimate agenda is?
Quote:
“She’s a pitiful excuse for a human being.”
heh, despite the fact that it was Kale who said it, I have to say it’s a rather accurate assessment of this useless, dim, ‘pretty’ girl. She IS a bit of a ‘waste of space’.
Quote:
He didn’t believe her. No woman was so clueless as to think they were pregnant when they weren’t. If she was, then he would kill her on principle. Someone that simple was a waste of resources that should go to someone else.
“Before you condemn her to a painful and torturous death, know that she’s being duped by the best. Her doctor is giving her a slew of drugs to keep her in the dark. He’s probably got a very impressive faked sonogram and such. I think that she is a key to what’s happening.”
Kale seriously scared me in his blood-thirsty and pain-lusting attitude towards Lana… it was as if he was straining at the leash, just looking for an excuse to kill this girl in a horrible, painful and ironic way. I might not like the girl, but she doesn’t deserve to have this kind of cold, focused rage and homicidal wrath directed towards her.
Quote:
His quick mind was such an asset. She liked that he picked up on the important part of that, “I think Chloe Sullivan is the other. I wasn’t sure before, but her base scent has altered. It’s closer to what mine smells like. I think she’s like me.”
well, WELL!!! It seems like you’ve answered a LOT of questions in this chapters, Ava! And only provided new avenues of mystery for the viewers, LOL! At least now I know who is funding Kale, and I have an idea why… but now I have to start wondering about this secret agency that has been pulling the strings behind most of the drama and mysterious occurrences that have recently happened in Smallville. Why are they trying to make Lana believe she’s pregnant? And why did they choose Chloe to test out this ‘werewolf warrior’ serum on? Has it got something to do with Clark or Lex Luthor (considering that the agency is targeting the women who are most important to these two men?) What’s the agenda for this agency, what are they trying to achieve?
Hmmm, And how are they checking on the results? Lana is being spied on via Langston. But what about Chloe? Who has been keeping an eye on her?
Quote:
“Luthor needed to be distracted. I covered a few tracks and planted a few false leads if he or anyone else should discover something. Chloe Sullivan has already been making waves. Luthor is a useful cover, and the people shadowing his project must believe that they are clever. They must believe that they are in full control. Besides, I could not pass up creating such chaos for Wayne and Luthor. It’s satisfying to know that they are in turmoil because of me,” Serena continued, “I need you to involve Lana Lang somehow. Get her to plant bugs or something. I need to keep track of her and Sullivan. Dr. Langston has been turned to our cause. He doesn’t know the reasoning behind his orders from his other bosses, but he’ll tell me what I need to know.”
heh, so I guess Langston is being pressured by THREE separate powerful figures. Luthor, Serena AND the mysterious group pulling the strings in the background. How the heck did he land in this mess? Was he just unlucky? Or arrogant and greedy enough to believe he could handle everything, only to discover too late that he couldn’t?
yikes! Serena is really scarily efficient when it comes to shadowing the shadowers. She’s got her fingers in everything that her tormentors are doing… it’s a wonder on how SHE doesn’t have those same people still watching her? Did she escape from them somehow? Fake her death? Convince them to release her? Or perhaps they threw her away as a ‘useless failed experiment’?
Quote:
Kale cocked his head. He considered not answering her, but he would respond to her honesty with his own, “My grandfather was a barber and he used to have a straight edge razor. It was very ornate and beautiful. Far too decorative for the task. He passed it on to my father. There were times when it was calm in the house. In those times, my father would pull out his razor and sit in front of my mother, who would shave him. Her hands were always steady. The only time her hands were gentle. She never cut him. Not even once.”
wow! Kale is one seriously sick puppy! Seriously! I never would have expected THIS to be a reason behind the shaving, but who would have imagined that the act of shaving Lionel Luthor would have been undertaken with such deep meaning and significance to Kale… he treats all his killings as a ‘ritualistic’. It’s almost a religion to him. Freakishly scary! I love it :D
This was a fantastic chapter, Ava. I look forward to seeing how the next update goes. Best of luck!
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 03-24-08, Chapter 7e
Disclaimer- Sally ye forth unto the first of these chapters and thou shalt surely see words of denial that doth proclaim I own these characters not. (just to spice things up)
A/N- This is the last of the parts in the past. Enjoy!
Chapter 7- Origins of the Wolf
Part VI- Soft Hands and Gentle Reins
“There are three kinds of intelligence: one kind understands things for itself, the other appreciates what others can understand, the third understands neither for itself nor through others. This first kind is excellent, the second good, and the third kind useless.”
Niccolo Machiavelli
Samuel Kale watched her. He watched her and he waited for the perfect time to pounce. For the time when he would gain some measure of satisfaction for breaking her so thoroughly. It would be a delicious victory because he had to do it the right way. Lana Lang may have been a fickle and pathetic human being but she had certain things she’d respond to.
He didn’t want her mere cooperation. Kale wanted to have her utterly and completely. So that she would not even think to attempt to question his motives and his point of view for even the barest of seconds. Some would say that a victory over such a person…such a woman…would have an asterisk besides it. But what did those people know? Lana may have been simple, but she could be stubborn if you didn’t approach her the correct way.
She was a young, untamed filly. Approach on the correct side, correct her efficiently and without fail, and give her a treat; and she’d be yours forever. A person would be able to drive her to exhaustion and then death and she would be willing and none the wiser because the only thing in her view was the treat.
Kale had spent long moments considering the best way to approach her. Being the janitor for the high school limited him. He couldn’t be seen conversing with her in any capacity. It would be far too suspicious. Why would a janitor be speaking privately with local town princess and future Luthor? So he had to adopt an entirely new persona and look. She could be swayed with a handsome face, a nervous one, or a fatherly one. Considering that he wanted no part in touching or flirting with her, he would not be donning a mask of devoted admirer. He also refused to be submissive around her so that ruled out playing the part of the nervous guy. It left him with father figure. “Only marginally less odious than the others.”
That was how he found himself in The Talon watching as Lana Lang spoke with Clark Kent. How he found himself observing them was beyond him. He wanted so much to inflict violence on Clark Kent for pandering to that simpering…whore. Her he just wanted to shoot in the face. Kale didn’t particularly desire investing time in her death. She was too…easy…in that regard. Killing her would provide no challenge and even less satisfaction.
Where he had been lean and fit before, he had the beginnings of a paunch. His hair was beginning to show the signs of gray. His eyes were gray and not the blue they normally were. Samuel looked like someone’s father, but he looked good. It would appeal to Lang’s vanity and her need for a father-figure.
Kale wondered if she ever fantasized about Lionel Luthor. It would make sense. Daddy Luthor had money, influence, could fake care and concern like no one else; but most of all, Lionel Luthor looked world worn enough to lend an air of authority that came with parenthood.
It would appeal to someone like her. He could be wrong though. She might’ve rejected Lionel in her mind because he was too intense. Boy Wonder Luthor was in the zone of being as intense as his father, but still was willing to modulate it for others. Lionel was uncompromising in that way.
Kale watched as Lang’s eyes flicked to his own. He held her gaze long enough to let her know that there was interest. He saw the answering spark. For the last few days as he watched her, Serena had begun planting leads in the Luthor database that Lang regularly played in. Serena had also had Dr. Langston drop a few hints. Those hints were obvious and heavy handed, but Lana had soaked them up like an empty sponge. Despite the fact that she was inept at such games, there were times when Lang was discerning. She had to believe in her cleverness. These tidbits had to be fed, but not so that she couldn’t reasonably believe that she put the picture together herself.
It was why Kale was looking forward to this aspect of dealing with her. He had to have a gentle hand on the reins to give the illusion of freedom. He had to be patient. He had to cajole a response. The joy would come when she realized how outclassed she was. It would come the moment she realized that she was nothing and he was the cause. Lana Lang would tame herself and that was so very thrilling. It would almost be on par with killing Lionel Luthor. She would be a worthy conquest.
Kale watched as Clark Kent left. The impatience was practically oozing off her. She wanted to confront him. To prove to him that she was the clever one and that she was only deigning to speak with a peon like himself. His mind supplied the villainous chuckle, which caused him to actually chuckle.
She walked over to his table.
“Show time.”
********
Lana supposed that the man thought himself clever. He had been following her for the last two days. At first, she thought that Lex was keeping an eye on her; but from offhand comments from Dr. Langston, she soon deduced that this man was looking for an ally. Things had changed, and not for the better, ever since Lionel had died. Lex was barely around; and when he was around, he was impatient and abrupt with her.
She had to figure out a way to help him. Lana honestly cared for him. Lex was strong, he was rich, and he was smart. She enjoyed being with him. There were times when she thought that this was the best relationship she had ever been in. But then there were other times, when she knew that Clark was the one for her. There was something about him that appealed to her on a multitude of levels. It wasn’t just that he was gorgeous; it was that he was sweet and kind too.
Forcing her thoughts back to the man who had been following her, Lana mentally prepared herself. She needed to protect the town from whatever Lex was planning. Only she had the appropriate tools to effectively remove whatever threat he posed. She could infiltrate his system because she was so close to him already. Despite this, Lana knew that Lex didn’t kill his father. His grief and rage were real and not something that could be faked; especially since she knew him so well.
Lana poured herself some coffee, approached his table and sat down. She figured that being direct and to the point would help her cause more than trying to play games, “Why are you following me?”
“Really? This is how she begins? Amateur.” Kale gave an inner snort of exasperation. Her voice wasn’t whiney, but it was close enough. Now that he was seeing her up close and personal, Kale had no clue as to what people found so compelling. She was pretty in her own way, but not the incomparable beauty that this town seemed to think she was. There were no less than five females in this establishment alone that he would be willing to debauch; and she wasn’t on that list, even discounting personality. “Maybe if I expanded that list to ten.”
He could probably get Lang into bed if he truly wanted to, but what was the point? He’d be cheating on Marissa, it would take more time than he was willing to invest in such an activity, and he was actually repulsed by Lang. It was a revulsion he hadn’t felt since he’d last lain eyes on his mother.
And he was sure that she’d be boring. She dated these town boys. The only one to be in a position to actually teach her anything worthwhile would be Luthor and he doubted that she’d be a willing learner. For the proverbial cherry on the sundae, her physical form was unremarkable. There was nothing there for a man to truly enjoy.
At any rate, he had to begin playing his part. If he analyzed the dubious wiles of Lang any longer, he might actually haul off and shoot her in the face. Kale imagined ruining that pretty face that she was so proud of. Maybe not kill her. Just scar her for life. That would require no real effort.
He could imagine the slur of her words from a ruined jaw… the visible indent of her skull where fragments splintered off. Kale would shoot her at an angle so as not to hit anything vital and would use bullets that would go straight through the body. He wouldn’t want it to lodge in her, then she might die. The entire point was for her not to die. Her screams, the blood, the puppet jerk of her body as she twitched in pain…it would be beautiful, but it wouldn’t be art until she felt the first twinges of self hatred as she looked at herself in the mirror and imagined the pitying whispers of the town folk. Then…then it would be a masterpiece. It would be something to savor for a lifetime.
He felt lust course through his body for her. For that image. She would never look better to him and he wanted it. The image of her bloody and torn form, her pained screams, and her twitches were superimposed by the image of her under him in submission. Whatever lust he had felt moments prior quickly left him. Kale could never hurt a woman that way. It was wrong on many levels for him. He was disgusted with himself for entertaining such a thought for even a moment.
Kale shook his head and glanced around The Talon. He had to seem slightly nervous and cautious. As if he were preparing to give her some profound secret. It was what she expected. It also served to clear his head from his violent imaginings. He’d call Marissa tonight.
His voice was a whisper when he finally answered her, “People say things. They say that maybe you’d be in a position to help. My name is Anthony Burner. We can’t talk here, but here’s where you can reach me,” Kale handed her a card with only his name and a phone number.
She would look his name up to see if he worked for Luthor. He didn’t, of course, but that was the whole point. He would just say that he had been attached to some deeply buried project. It would work in his favor. Kale had documents and other things that he would give her. She’d provide a spectacular distraction for Luthor because he would be forced to plug whatever holes she created with her fumbling attempts to do whatever it was she thought she had to do.
Lang was far closer to Chloe Sullivan and provided a direct pipeline to her so Serena wouldn’t have to rely on various janitor plants at the Planet, plants in her classes, or any of the maintenance staff at the apartments she lived at. He thought it was a stroke of genius to hire such. Who paid attention to the people who cleaned or fixed your things?
It had been pathetically easy to plant janitors and the like. There was a background check, but it was nowhere near the caliber needed to root out the false documentation that Serena was able to procure. It was safe to say that Kale had a more than healthy respect for Serena. She was smart and capable. He had learned so much from her in the time that they had worked together. She was more than able to kill him if she wanted. It gave Kale a thrill. This was a worthy woman.
Kale stood, gulped the rest of his coffee, and left a tip for his server. The waitress had been nice, funny and engaging. She deserved the ten dollar bill he left on the table. He was a generous tipper because there was nothing harder than serving idiot people. Besides, he could feel her pain. He hated being a waiter for the two years he did it. Kale could feel her eyes on his back as he exited The Talon. It was Lang’s show for the time being.
********
Marissa sounded cheery when he called her that evening, “How is my favorite guy?”
Samuel raised his eyebrows, although she couldn’t see him, “I’m your only guy.”
It made his heart race in delight when he heard her giggle, “Chip keeps me company.”
His voice was laced with amusement, “Chip? Our neighbor that loves to wear golf clothes and that ridiculous beanie even though he doesn’t golf and is more than a little over weight? That Chip?”
Marissa let out a huff of amused exasperation. He could imagine her rolling her eyes at him, “Be nice, Sammy. Chip has personality. Besides, he’s lonely.”
Samuel knew Chip was nice. He liked Chip. He laughed a little himself, “Tell him to have a beer for me.”
“Sure thing.”
He spoke with her for an hour before he felt good enough to go to bed. There was something about Lana Lang that put him off balance. He went to bed thinking only of Marissa.
********
Kale received the call from Lana Lang two days later. When he met with her, he knew he had her when she leaned towards him and gave him a few leads on a database that had once belonged to Lionel Luthor. He had known of one, but not the other she mentioned. “She’s useful after all.”
It hadn’t surprised him that Lionel was able to keep a few secrets. Lionel was stubborn and would’ve held the most damaging secrets close to vest even while being tortured. Especially if those secrets damaged the son he professed to care nothing for, but needed.
Lionel may not have loved his son in the way a father should, but he still wanted his son’s respect and admiration. It gave him power and everything in Lionel Luthor’s world began and ended with power.
Lang was strangely gung-ho about spying on Sullivan. It was disconcerting. Of course, it was probably aided by the fact that he had dropped a few misleading hints as to the nature of the relationship between her friend and her fiancé. Serena had gone to a lot of trouble in creating emails that showed Lex Luthor’s intense interest in Sullivan. The icing on the cake had been when he revealed that Luthor kidnapped Sullivan. Kale didn’t even have to lie.
But she needed one more final push to his side. One push that would mean that he had her completely. That push came when he gave her documented proof of the closeness between Sullivan and Kent. Lana deeply wanted to know Kent’s secret. It was an obsession. So when he showed her abbreviated footage of Chloe aiding Clark at the quarry when he discovered Kent’s secret, he saw her go ballistic. The implication was clear; especially the way he had edited the video he had taken with his cell phone. Chloe Sullivan, best friend of Clark Kent, knew his secret. She didn’t throw anything or pace, but she did clench her teeth and ball her fists. “Even her rages are pathetic and childish.”
He won her when he showed her that both men in her life held Chloe Sullivan in such a higher regard than she could ever be; whether it was because Sullivan was a threat or a confidante. It didn’t matter. It also meant that Chloe Sullivan was smarter than she could ever be and Lana Lang finally understood that. In those moments, Lana Lang was intimately acquainted with her uselessness and her inferiority in the eyes of the universe. Lana Lang wasn’t the priority and it drove her to the biggest mistake of her life.
Kale could’ve crowed with delight, but he settled for another inner villainous chuckle.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 04-05-08, Chapter 7f
Very well written. The creepy hit man character is so horrible and yet brillant with looking for weakness and weak links. I like how shallow you have written Lana. LOL I'm worried about our beloved Chloe, Lex and Clark too. Dagney
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 04-05-08, Chapter 7f
An excellent update, Ava!
There were so many parts that I adored that I could quote whole passages, but I will settle for only a couple.
Quote:
She needed to protect the town from whatever Lex was planning. Only she had the appropriate tools to effectively remove whatever threat he posed. She could infiltrate his system because she was so close to him already. Despite this, Lana knew that Lex didn’t kill his father. His grief and rage were real and not something that could be faked; especially since she knew him so well.
The sad thing is, not only does Lana believe this, but so do the crack monkeys writing this show. We are actually supposed to believe that Lana is the expert on all things Luthor. Thanks for showing what a joke this actually is:grin3:
Quote:
In those moments, Lana Lang was intimately acquainted with her uselessness and her inferiority in the eyes of the universe. Lana Lang wasn’t the priority and it drove her to the biggest mistake of her life.
This was just gorgeous! Lana can't stand that Chloe knows Clark's secret and she doesn't. And now Lex's interest in Chloe's been brought to light and Lana is livid. The Lang truly is a coldhearted and vengeful person.
Can't wait for more:D
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 04-05-08, Chapter 7f
Quote:
“There are three kinds of intelligence: one kind understands things for itself, the other appreciates what others can understand, the third understands neither for itself nor through others. This first kind is excellent, the second good, and the third kind useless.”
Niccolo Machiavelli
This was an excellent way to set the tone for the new chapter, Ava! It was a very clever way of putting Lana’s ‘intelligence’ into perspective… at least from Kale’s point of view…
Oh, what the heck, from the Chlex reader’s point of view too, LOL!
Quote:
He didn’t want her mere cooperation. Kale wanted to have her utterly and completely. So that she would not even think to attempt to question his motives and his point of view for even the barest of seconds. Some would say that a victory over such a person…such a woman…would have an asterisk besides it. But what did those people know? Lana may have been simple, but she could be stubborn if you didn’t approach her the correct way.
She was a young, untamed filly. Approach on the correct side, correct her efficiently and without fail, and give her a treat; and she’d be yours forever. A person would be able to drive her to exhaustion and then death and she would be willing and none the wiser because the only thing in her view was the treat.
I absolutely LOVE Kale. He’s an amazing, brilliant and determined individual. I loved the way how, even though he found it so personally distasteful and probably even difficult, he managed to get into Lana’s head and predicted exactly the kind of strategy to adopt to gain her cooperation. He delved deep into Lana’s psyche (which is probably not all ‘that’ deep, but definitely not waters he’d want to be crossing into, lol) and knew exactly what kind of triggers and buttons needed to be pushed and manipulated to get whatever he wanted from her.
What an extraordinary master manipulator he is. I think he outclasses even Lex… probably even Lionel in this way.
Quote:
Kale had spent long moments considering the best way to approach her. Being the janitor for the high school limited him. He couldn’t be seen conversing with her in any capacity. It would be far too suspicious. Why would a janitor be speaking privately with local town princess and future Luthor? So he had to adopt an entirely new persona and look. She could be swayed with a handsome face, a nervous one, or a fatherly one. Considering that he wanted no part in touching or flirting with her, he would not be donning a mask of devoted admirer. He also refused to be submissive around her so that ruled out playing the part of the nervous guy. It left him with father figure. “Only marginally less odious than the others.”
ROTFL! I guess it really wasn’t ‘that’ difficult to figure out what kind of stimuli Lana would respond to… she’s a very simple person whose actions can probably be mapped out and predicted with relative ease… Hmmm, or perhaps (most probably) it’s just Kale who makes it look so easy and simple? Very impressive!
Quote:
Where he had been lean and fit before, he had the beginnings of a paunch. His hair was beginning to show the signs of gray. His eyes were gray and not the blue they normally were. Samuel looked like someone’s father, but he looked good. It would appeal to Lang’s vanity and her need for a father-figure.
Kale with a paunch? And gray in his hair? Wow! He really goes all out to form the perfect image for his disguise. He even gave up his beautiful, dangerously lean and trim figure to look ‘harmless’ to Lana. This was EXCELLENT work, Ava! I love how you showed Kale going into the details and the extra miles for his job.
Quote:
Kale wondered if she ever fantasized about Lionel Luthor. It would make sense. Daddy Luthor had money, influence, could fake care and concern like no one else; but most of all, Lionel Luthor looked world worn enough to lend an air of authority that came with parenthood.
It would appeal to someone like her. He could be wrong though. She might’ve rejected Lionel in her mind because he was too intense. Boy Wonder Luthor was in the zone of being as intense as his father, but still was willing to modulate it for others. Lionel was uncompromising in that way.
I was taken aback over the idea of Lana being attracted to Lionel Luthor. But Kale actually raised some good points about why Lana might have gone searching for her ‘authoritative daddy figure’ in Lionel. We all certainly know that she’s mostly attracted to LEX because she’s looking for some kind of powerful authority figure who will ‘care, protect and look after her’.
But there was also another excellent point that Lionel would not be willing to display even the shallow semblance of tenderness towards Lana… she would find him too unyielding and uncompromising… and far too intimidating to even think about emotionally manipulating into whatever mould and attitude she needs at any given moment.
Quote:
It was why Kale was looking forward to this aspect of dealing with her. He had to have a gentle hand on the reins to give the illusion of freedom. He had to be patient. He had to cajole a response. The joy would come when she realized how outclassed she was. It would come the moment she realized that she was nothing and he was the cause. Lana Lang would tame herself and that was so very thrilling. It would almost be on par with killing Lionel Luthor. She would be a worthy conquest.
oh very, VERY nice! I LOVED the cold, semi-cruel but sadly accurate assessment that Kale has made of Lana’s personality. He’s got her pegged completely… at the very least, he’s got all of her weaknesses mapped out for his manipulative pleasure. It makes sense that it’s very easy to fool Lana precisely because she thinks of herself as difficult o fool. It’s very interesting that if only the poor girl actually knew how simple-minded she really is, she would actually be able to protect herself better from smooth talkers. I LOVED the irony of Kale catching and hanging Lana up on her ego and her inflated idea of her own ‘cleverness’.
I’m pretty sure Kale also loved the irony of trapping her like that too.
Quote:
She had to figure out a way to help him. Lana honestly cared for him. Lex was strong, he was rich, and he was smart. She enjoyed being with him. There were times when she thought that this was the best relationship she had ever been in. But then there were other times, when she knew that Clark was the one for her. There was something about him that appealed to her on a multitude of levels. It wasn’t just that he was gorgeous; it was that he was sweet and kind too.
I LOVED this viewpoint from inside Lana’s head, Ava. I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been to make Lana seem even mildly likeable while still maintaining how flighty she really is. But you’ve captured how Lana doesn’t think of herself as an unfaithful user of people who love her, she’s seriously like the kid who doesn’t know what flavour she wants from the gourmet ice-cream shop. She ends up tasting everything while committing to and buying nothing.
I don’t particularly like this person. But I still enjoy reading her. Excellent work, Ava!
Quote:
Forcing her thoughts back to the man who had been following her, Lana mentally prepared herself. She needed to protect the town from whatever Lex was planning. Only she had the appropriate tools to effectively remove whatever threat he posed. She could infiltrate his system because she was so close to him already. Despite this, Lana knew that Lex didn’t kill his father. His grief and rage were real and not something that could be faked; especially since she knew him so well.
I have to commend you on your portrait of Lana, Ava. Her self-congratulatory tone doesn’t inspire the usual kind of loathing and hatred that is usual. Instead, I actually feel pity and sorry for the poor confused, self-deluded girl. It’s really seriously sad seeing how she’s so smug about being in complete control of her life, as well as the lives of others, when you KNOW that she’s a sacrificial lamb walking around with a huge target on her forehead.
It’s honestly like watching self-assured ten year old negotiating a mine-field without so much as a map or a metal detector. The ten year old might be a little brat, but you still want to warn and/or rescue the stupid kid.
Quote:
And he was sure that she’d be boring. She dated these town boys. The only one to be in a position to actually teach her anything worthwhile would be Luthor and he doubted that she’d be a willing learner. For the proverbial cherry on the sundae, her physical form was unremarkable. There was nothing there for a man to truly enjoy.
I loved, LOVED the vivid and detailed description from Kale about how much he loathes and is repulsed by Lana. It’s a very extreme reaction, but I can completely relate to his utter bewilderment about WHAT is it that people find so irresistible about Lana… physically or emotionally.
LOL! A bit of Lana-bashing is always fun to read through… especially if you manage to indulge without making the reader completely hate the character. VERY impressive writing, Ava!
Quote:
He could imagine the slur of her words from a ruined jaw… the visible indent of her skull where fragments splintered off. Kale would shoot her at an angle so as not to hit anything vital and would use bullets that would go straight through the body. He wouldn’t want it to lodge in her, then she might die. The entire point was for her not to die. Her screams, the blood, the puppet jerk of her body as she twitched in pain…it would be beautiful, but it wouldn’t be art until she felt the first twinges of self hatred as she looked at herself in the mirror and imagined the pitying whispers of the town folk. Then…then it would be a masterpiece. It would be something to savor for a lifetime.
He felt lust course through his body for her. For that image. She would never look better to him and he wanted it. The image of her bloody and torn form, her pained screams, and her twitches were superimposed by the image of her under him in submission. Whatever lust he had felt moments prior quickly left him. Kale could never hurt a woman that way. It was wrong on many levels for him. He was disgusted with himself for entertaining such a thought for even a moment.
*shudder* whenever I think I’ve gotten used to the guy, he shows me a whole new level of creepiness that makes me cringe away all anew. I might not like Lana personally, but dear HEAVENS no woman deserves to be even thought of in that violent, brutal manner. I just LOVE the way you freak me out with Kale over and OVER again, Ava. Magnificent job in making a truly memorably scary character that I admire as well as hate and fear.
It was very interesting that Kale even freaked himself out a little bit too. I can’t describe the relief that ran through me to think that there are ‘some’ things (like violently violating rape) that Kale won’t descend to.
I also liked how Kale sternly told himself that he’d better visit Marissa that night. It’s actually really lovely how he thinks of her as his sanctuary away from all the dark and violent parts of himself. He goes to her, when he needs her to protect him from himself. It’s actually very satisfying to see how much he depends on his love, and how much he needs her.
Quote:
It had been pathetically easy to plant janitors and the like. There was a background check, but it was nowhere near the caliber needed to root out the false documentation that Serena was able to procure. It was safe to say that Kale had a more than healthy respect for Serena. She was smart and capable. He had learned so much from her in the time that they had worked together. She was more than able to kill him if she wanted. It gave Kale a thrill. This was a worthy woman.
I am seriously impressed by both Kale and Serena… and by equal counts, I am seriously concerned for Clark, Lex, Chloe and everyone in Smallville who might become a target from these two. I loved the explanation on why Lana was approached as an ‘in’ to the situation. It actually makes perfect sense that she was the weakest point that was strategically placed to influence all the other major players. She can gain information on Lex, Chloe AND Clark and perhaps even provide Kale with an excuse to get close to all these people by gaining their trust through her.
I also had to shake my head at the cleverness of the thought that she would even distract Lex by fumbling her way through his securities. I just can’t imagine why Lex is being so tolerant and accommodating of Lana’s constant spying and bumbling in his system. Why isn’t he telling her to cut it out… OR shutting her out himself?
Quote:
Kale stood, gulped the rest of his coffee, and left a tip for his server. The waitress had been nice, funny and engaging. She deserved the ten dollar bill he left on the table. He was a generous tipper because there was nothing harder than serving idiot people. Besides, he could feel her pain. He hated being a waiter for the two years he did it. Kale could feel her eyes on his back as he exited The Talon. It was Lang’s show for the time being.
heh, Kale is quite a paradox… He can vividly imagine the violent rape and murder of a simple-minded innocent young girl… and then, the next moment, he’s leaving a lovely generous tip for his waitress because it’s ‘nice, decent and honourable’ in his eyes. What a strange man! I LOVE how I can’t predict him!
Quote:
His voice was laced with amusement, “Chip? Our neighbor that loves to wear golf clothes and that ridiculous beanie even though he doesn’t golf and is more than a little over weight? That Chip?”
Marissa let out a huff of amused exasperation. He could imagine her rolling her eyes at him, “Be nice, Sammy. Chip has personality. Besides, he’s lonely.”
Samuel knew Chip was nice. He liked Chip. He laughed a little himself, “Tell him to have a beer for me.”
It’s even more incredible seeing how Kale turns so easily into this sweet, funny, kind, amusing man with such a lovely sense of humour. He was actually amused hearing about Marissa teasing him about her flirting with this Chip person. No blow-ups or irrational possessive jealousy… not even so much as a twinge of mindless rage or insecurity. He’s actually acting like… a normal guy!
It’s almost schizophrenic watching him turn around and back again in this manner. But, at the same time, you can see how his core personality remains the same throughout. Amazing!
Quote:
Kale received the call from Lana Lang two days later. When he met with her, he knew he had her when she leaned towards him and gave him a few leads on a database that had once belonged to Lionel Luthor. He had known of one, but not the other she mentioned. “She’s useful after all.”
heh… it seems like Serena’s and Kale’s plan with using Lana is already churning out results. The idiot girl is already providing them with information… probably congratulating herself on how very ‘clever’ she’s been in obtaining said information. It’s really pitiful how easily Lana is manipulated.
Quote:
Lionel may not have loved his son in the way a father should, but he still wanted his son’s respect and admiration. It gave him power and everything in Lionel Luthor’s world began and ended with power.
I LOVED this insight into Lionel’s personality. It was very astute and it explained quite a LOT about the Luthor relationship from Lionel’s point of view.
Quote:
He won her when he showed her that both men in her life held Chloe Sullivan in such a higher regard than she could ever be; whether it was because Sullivan was a threat or a confidante. It didn’t matter. It also meant that Chloe Sullivan was smarter than she could ever be and Lana Lang finally understood that. In those moments, Lana Lang was intimately acquainted with her uselessness and her inferiority in the eyes of the universe. Lana Lang wasn’t the priority and it drove her to the biggest mistake of her life.
oh wow! WOW!!! I loved, LOVED this, Ava. This was brilliant! I LOVED the brilliant idea that Lana would become so fanatic (and even obsessive) about Chloe when she saw how Chloe is a threat to everything that Lana regards herself the ‘Queen’ of… Lana loves to think of herself as the centre of all the people, action and happening in Smallville. She wants to think of herself as the object of perfect devotion from all the powerful, alpha men in Smallville (in her eyes, that is currently Lex and Clark). She wants to see herself as the centre of information, salvation, research and rescue in Smallville.
For Lana to see proof that CHLOE is all these things… for her to see Chloe as her main competition and rival in all these things that SHE wants to be the centre of… I can’t imagine how intolerable it must be for her. Especially since I’m sure, deep down, Lana probably knows that she will never be able to measure up to Chloe with regards to wit, intelligence, capability, friendship, loyalty, power and pure stubborn determination.
I LOVED the idea that, in the end, it was horrible, petty jealousy that brought Lana over completely to Kale’s side. Jealousy about Chloe Sullivan no less. Talk about the irony of THAT! That is brilliant plotting, Ava! I am in awe!
Quote:
Kale could’ve crowed with delight, but he settled for another inner villainous chuckle.
LOL! Excellent ending sentence, Ava. I think Kale deserved a self-congratulatory chuckle. He did quite well in ‘taming Lana’ and bringing her completely and unquestioning over to his side. She’s going to perform whatever tricks he wants, and never EVER present a argument about it. Now THAT is excellent strategizing and master manipulating. Well done, Kale (and Serena).
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 04-05-08, Chapter 7f
Disclaimer- Unowned by me.
A/N- We are no longer in the past.
Chapter 8- Loving the Wolf
“The family is one of nature's masterpieces.”
George Santayana
Present Day
Chloe didn’t know what to do. A sense of restlessness and wrongness had taken up residence in her mind and she couldn’t shake it. She couldn’t make parts of her fit; and while that had been true before her confrontation with Lex, it got worse after it. She had been pacing her living room for at least an hour and so many thoughts flitted in and out of her mind. So many mistakes and shortcomings looped endlessly until it was all she could see.
She abruptly stopped pacing, went to her phone, and dialed a familiar if too little used number. Her courage almost failed her until the line was picked up.
“Hello?”
It had been so long since she had heard his voice. There were so many regrets and missed opportunities linked with that voice; but she had to swallow her doubts and forge ahead.
“I’m sorry. For so many things.”
Pete didn’t know what was going on, but Chloe never sounded lost. There was defeat and resignation in her voice and he had no idea how to fix it.
“Chloe, is everything alright?”
Chloe began pacing faster. She hadn’t even realized that she had started again.
“Not really, but that isn’t why I called. You’re one of my best friends and I didn’t treat you like it. I put you third and fourth on my list and there never should’ve been a list. You deserve better and I just wanted you to know that.”
Pete was stunned. He expected many things, but Chloe pouring out her heart like that was something he could’ve never predicted and he was glad. There had always been that nagging question of why he hadn’t been good enough. Always was there this persistent feeling that he wouldn’t be seen. No matter what hadn’t happened between them, they were friends and for her to admit that he held a place of importance in her life made him feel something that he didn’t want to name.
Chloe was beginning to worry. Pete hadn’t said anything for at least a minute. “Maybe this was a mistake.”
Pete finally spoke, “Thanks.”
Chloe let out the breath she had been holding. She would start over with him. Her life may have been in an odd and new configuration, but at least she could set this one thing right. Chloe couldn’t tell Pete what was going on with her despite the fact that she knew that he knew Clark’s secret, but she could find peace here. She could use this time to reconnect with him and bolster her courage because she was going to need it when she went to Lex’s mansion. It was time to burn off some of the fog that was obscuring what was going on. But she put that on hold for the moment to talk to one of the best friends she was ever going to have.
********
After spending the better part of an hour speaking with Pete, Chloe got into her car. She needed to clear her head and the rumble of her car soothed her. She found that driving was now something she could do with half a brain. It relaxed her like it never had before. Driving had become a more enjoyable activity for her.
Chloe felt a deep and overwhelming yearning to be near family. Talking with Pete brought back so much and her emotions were running high. She had never really understood loneliness until the change. It was woven into her and it was something that she couldn’t get away from. She’d thought that she was happy, but apparently her life left much to be desired. It hurt to realize that fundamental and basic necessities were missing in your life. It hurts even more when those realizations came on the heels of becoming some kind of monster. “The winter of my discontent.”
She finally got to the street where her father lived. It was a nice, little duplex. He’d told her that he liked that it was quiet; but in the same breath, he mentioned how nice it was to join the bustling life of a city when the quiet got too boring. Chloe hoped that he was back from his trip. If he wasn’t home, she’d just use her key. She’d still be able to have him even if she wasn’t with him.
It was a pleasant surprise when she saw the light on in her father’s home and saw movement. Chloe pulled into his driveway and let her senses go. She wanted to make sure he was alone. Her emotions were off balanced enough that she might go ballistic if she had to share him.
Chloe ran to the front door and rang the bell. She couldn’t wait. Seeing her father was the only thing that she could think about; and she knew it was because of being a wolf. There was a moment that she considered going to Lois, but that wouldn’t help this aching need to see her father. He had become so much more to her after the change. He was guidance, comfort, familiar, strength, and many more adjectives.
As soon as he opened the door, Chloe flung herself into his arms. With Chloe still attached, Gabe guided her into his home and sat down with her on the couch. She didn’t even realize that she was crying until he started crooning to her like he had when she was younger.
Gabe knew something was wrong. He knew it was wrong months ago, but she wouldn’t let him help her and he couldn’t force the issue. So he did the only thing he could do for her. He waited. Chloe had to come to him and he had to be patient. It was hard to do, but if there were any time that he absolutely couldn’t fail her, it was now. It was now when his daughter was in his arms crying over something that he couldn’t even guess at.
He rocked her until she fell asleep, but Gabe resolved to force the issue this time. Something got to her and shook her to her very core. The only other time he’d seen this was with the Lionel trial and going into hiding. If there was a time in his life that he had been angrier or more disappointed in the choices she made, he couldn’t identify it. He had seen the worst of his daughter and hadn’t liked it. It had been so hard to even think about her with anything other than appalled anger but she was his daughter and he had to reconcile that feeling within himself.
Gabe had no doubt that she knew how he had felt at the time because she gave him the space he needed. It was a hard thing to really take a long measure of your offspring and find them lacking. Going down that road only yielded bad things. It was a slippery slope of wondering where you failed them. Of wondering if maybe you didn’t provide them with a strong enough foundation or a haven.
It was a hard thing to realize that your child failed you. But he had forgiven her because he wasn’t going to live without her. She was his child, the one true thing left of his wife, and she carried all of his hope. Gabe was never going to let that go. So he did the only thing he could do at the moment. He held her close on his couch and waited for her to wake up.
It was near dawn when Chloe finally began stirring. Gabe had considered making coffee but then he remembered that Lois had called him a few weeks ago. She had told him that Chloe was no longer drinking coffee like a fiend. His joy in knowing that she wasn’t consuming coffee like there was no tomorrow was tainted with the fact that she would never give it up without a good reason. His fervent hope was that she wasn’t pregnant. That was a big thing to keep secret and he didn’t want to imagine that she felt that she couldn’t come to him.
Chloe opened her eyes and looked at him. She was still his little girl. The moment was broken when her eyes became guarded. It was frustrating to Gabe that she was still second guessing him. She could trust him and he didn’t know how to get through to her. Words could only go so far and he thought he’d done a good job in showing that she could. He couldn’t keep telling himself that he had when she was moving away from the comfort he wanted to give her and steeling herself for something he wasn’t even going to try to figure.
A sense of dread settled into Gabe’s chest as he watched his daughter move to the opposite end of the couch. It was a long couch because he sometimes forgot to go to bed. Chloe leaned her head into her hands.
Her voice was muffled and her words came out rushed, “About two months ago I was kidnapped. I don’t know by who or why; but a couple of days after you forced me to go to the hospital, I turned into some kind of werewolf.”
There were moments when only silence can say and explain everything. Now was such a moment. Gabe didn’t have words for this. He didn’t even know how he should feel. Chloe wouldn’t lie to him about this. That meant that she was either going insane or she was telling the truth. He couldn’t tell which was true.
Gabe opened his mouth to say something. He didn’t know what that would be until he started, but Chloe interrupted him with a raised hand. He saw blond hair grow and slightly darken. Claws slowly came from the tips of her fingers. There was no denying that what she was saying was true…unless he was in a coma and this was all allegory for some existential bullshit that would lead him to Heaven or wake him up to join the real world. His gut was telling him that he wasn’t in a coma and that this was as real as it ever got.
Chloe was a little worried. She wasn’t very good at such fine tuned changing and her body wanted to finish what she had started. Sweat broke out on her hairline. She felt her vocal cords constrict and her chest preparing for the wolf changes. A low whine of discomfort resounded in the room. Fighting this was difficult because she wanted his approval. She wanted him to look at her and like her form. At least it was further proof for him.
Something deep and primal tugged at Gabe when he heard that noise from her. It set him on edge and he wanted it to stop. He wanted her to not make it because it meant that his daughter was hurting. Gabe needed to put distance between them. This was more than he could handle; but he knew that if it was difficult for him, then it had to be far harder on her.
Chloe watched him get off the couch and walk across the room. She needed him to understand this so she walked to his back and made him turn around. They had to face this and they had to do it now. There was only a small window here and if this issue wasn’t resolved then it never would be. There would a chasm between them that neither of them would be able to cross. It wasn’t something she could deal with and she desperately wanted to believe that the same was true for her father. For the one person that she loved above all others. He was hers and she was his. They had to overcome this. There was no living any other way.
Making him turn around was a mistake. One that Chloe should’ve anticipated, but in the turmoil of her own emotions didn’t. The action forced his eyes to hers and it was like being set on fire.
Gabe felt her strength as she forced him to face her. The part of his brain recognized her for the predator that she was and it sent him into a near panic. There was, however, another part of his brain that was undefined. It just knew that she was challenging him. A rage filled him like never before and violence coursed through him. The room clouded into a haze of red. Visions of her showing her submission to his will inundated his thoughts. It hit him like a ton of bricks and he couldn’t breathe through the pressure.
Chloe could’ve cursed herself as she felt his body tense and felt danger coat the air. It was dominance play and she couldn’t do this. It would mean a fight; and since she was so much stronger, she could kill him. The wolf loved him with everything she was; but if he started a fight, she would kill him on accident because it would be a reflex.
She jerked away from him, lowered her eyes and, moved across the room. There had to be emotional and spatial distance to give them both a chance to calm down.
Gabe could finally speak, “What the hell just happened, Chloe?”
Her father’s voice sounded like it was on the verge of panic, but at least he’d said something and was actually trying to puzzle this out. Chloe closed her eyes and rubbed her temple, she was getting a headache.
Her voice held the slight rumble of the wolf, “I don’t know, but I could maybe guess.”
Gabe’s voice reflected his frustration, “Yeah. I’ll settle for a guess. I’ll settle for a half-baked theory any day of the week if it means that I could put this in some kind of context, Chloe!”
She flinched from his words, but Chloe made herself stay calm. This was hard for him as it was for her, but she was in a better position to keep control of the situation. How that worked, she had no idea.
“Dad, you have to stay calm. Please. This won’t work if you can’t at least try to fake it.”
Gabe took a few deep breaths and motioned for her to continue.
And then it came crashing back to him that she was some kind of werewolf. Chloe, his daughter, the apple of his eye, the greatest aggravation, and pride of his life was some kind of werewolf. And she could kill him. He shuddered.
She was proud of herself. Chloe was calm and she could do this rationally, “I think it’s a dominance issue. We have to have a pecking order. To run smoothly. The imperative…it’s strong in me and I think it was affecting you through me. I think it’s been settled now.”
Gabe raised his eyebrows, “You think?”
She turned back to look at him, “Yeah, I think. This isn’t exact science. It didn’t come with a handbook. It came with misery and frustration. It came with not knowing if you would accept me. Besides, I’m currently looking at you. It’s as settled as it can be.”
Gabe was going to be honest with her. It’s what held them to each other. “I don’t know how to handle this or even if I can, Chloe. I don’t know how to help you and it’s…confusing.”
His words did not give her the confidence that she thought they would. It felt like he was rejecting her and the wolf howled her torment. Chloe gave herself a mental slap. It was time to face facts. There was no wolf and there was no her. They were one and the same. Pronoun use became so much more confusing when she forcibly separated herself. She had to face that she was a werewolf and that she felt like her father was rejecting her.
He was going to say something, but Chloe’s pleading stopped him and left him cold, “Tell me you understand. Tell me this won’t break us.”
Her words hurt. A thrumming resounded in him. It was an ache. It was the place that held every memory he had of her…and his wife. Gabe went to her and gathered her into his arms. He needed to hold her and be held by her, “You’re my girl, Chloe. And I’ll be here no matter what, sweetheart.”
Gabe let her go and went to the kitchen. He called to her, “Chloe, we’re going to have a once in a lifetime moment. We’re going to have some beers and talk about this. It’ll work. We’ll work.”
Chloe felt lighter than she had in two months. Those were the words she needed to hear. Those were the words that gave her confidence. They could do this. Chloe knew that it would only get harder from here. She had to tell him to get the hell out of dodge. He had to get somewhere safe. Uncle Sam would take care of him. It was going to hit the fan and she couldn’t risk something happening to him. But they could discuss it later. Right now she just wanted everything to be uncomplicated. If only for a brief time.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 04-14-08, Chapter 8
A beautifully intense update, Ava!
Good for Chloe for going to Gabe to let him know what was going on with her. I think she'll be able to handle all of this much better if she knows she has her dad's support.
Quote:
She had to face that she was a werewolf and that she felt like her father was rejecting her.
This was very painful because at first, it seemed as if her dad wasn't going to be able to accept her as a werewolf.
Quote:
“You’re my girl, Chloe. And I’ll be here no matter what, sweetheart.”
Gabe let her go and went to the kitchen. He called to her, “Chloe, we’re going to have a once in a lifetime moment. We’re going to have some beers and talk about this. It’ll work. We’ll work.”
God bless Gabe, and you know what? I think my dad would also suggest us drinking a beer together if I told him I was a werewolf too:P
Quote:
She had to tell him to get the hell out of dodge. He had to get somewhere safe. Uncle Sam would take care of him. It was going to hit the fan and she couldn’t risk something happening to him. But they could discuss it later. Right now she just wanted everything to be uncomplicated. If only for a brief time.
Chloe is right to want to get her dad out of Smallville because Kale would probably target him as a way of getting to her. And if Lana attempts to use Gabe against Chloe, I hope Chloe tears her apart. Literally.
This story continues to fascinate me--excellent work:D
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 04-14-08, Chapter 8
Quote:
“The family is one of nature's masterpieces.”
George Santayana
I’m seriously falling in love with your Quoting Choices, Ava. I love how you set the tone and mood of every chapter at it’s beginning… in such a beautiful, eloquent way too.
Quote:
It had been so long since she had heard his voice. There were so many regrets and missed opportunities linked with that voice; but she had to swallow her doubts and forge ahead.
“I’m sorry. For so many things.”
Pete didn’t know what was going on, but Chloe never sounded lost. There was defeat and resignation in her voice and he had no idea how to fix it.
It was so interesting seeing how the chapter started with Chloe in a state of intense confusion, bitterness and even self-loathing. I was confused about WHY she seemed so angry and bitter at herself… what sparked off this self-hating?
Quote:
Pete was stunned. He expected many things, but Chloe pouring out her heart like that was something he could’ve never predicted and he was glad. There had always been that nagging question of why he hadn’t been good enough. Always was there this persistent feeling that he wouldn’t be seen. No matter what hadn’t happened between them, they were friends and for her to admit that he held a place of importance in her life made him feel something that he didn’t want to name.
I don’t know what sparked off this sudden realization in Chloe that she has been a b*tch to one of her closest friends, but I’m glad that it resulted in this awkward, stammering but heartfelt apology. Personally, I NEVER thought the day would come when Chloe would be revealed as a bad friend to ANYONE. The idea sounds preposterous! But, not that I consider it, she HAS been slightly neglectful of dear, sweet, supportive Pete.
Hmm, actually, I think she might be judging herself a ‘little’ too harshly. It might be true that she always prioritized Clark over Pete, but I think Pete also had a tendency to put Clark over her. Clark is just the kind of guy who always seems to end up the centre of attention amongst all people… especially his group of friends.
It’s no one’s fault, but I can understand why his other friends might feel a little bitter about being ‘second place’ to him all the time. So it’s good that someone gets an apology sometime or another. And I guess Pete must have felt awful about being shoved out of their group in such an extreme fashion… he DOES deserve an apology, from Chloe… and Clark too.
Quote:
Chloe felt a deep and overwhelming yearning to be near family. Talking with Pete brought back so much and her emotions were running high. She had never really understood loneliness until the change. It was woven into her and it was something that she couldn’t get away from. She’d thought that she was happy, but apparently her life left much to be desired. It hurt to realize that fundamental and basic necessities were missing in your life. It hurts even more when those realizations came on the heels of becoming some kind of monster. “The winter of my discontent.”
I understand now why Chloe reached the sudden realization right THEN that she owed Pete an apology for being a negligent friend. She was feeling neglected, isolated and lonely herself, which led her to understand what an ugly and nasty place poor Pete was sent to when he was slowly ‘outed’ from their group. I’m actually quite impressed that Chloe’s yearning for company, friends and family lead her to understand and empathize in a ‘larger view’ kind of way, instead of closing herself off in self-pity.
It was wonderful to see that she reconnected with Pete… AND how the reconnection with Pete bolstered her courage to go and connect with her father too. It’s about time she told Gabe about what’s happened to her.
Quote:
Chloe ran to the front door and rang the bell. She couldn’t wait. Seeing her father was the only thing that she could think about; and she knew it was because of being a wolf. There was a moment that she considered going to Lois, but that wouldn’t help this aching need to see her father. He had become so much more to her after the change. He was guidance, comfort, familiar, strength, and many more adjectives.
As soon as he opened the door, Chloe flung herself into his arms. With Chloe still attached, Gabe guided her into his home and sat down with her on the couch. She didn’t even realize that she was crying until he started crooning to her like he had when she was younger.
Isn’t that beautiful? There are time, no matter how old, strong, independent a woman gets, when she JUST NEEDS her daddy to cuddle her, protect her and take care of her like his little baby-girl again. There are very few substitutes for that kind of need. And Gabe seems to be delivering on exactly what she wants from him.
Quote:
He rocked her until she fell asleep, but Gabe resolved to force the issue this time. Something got to her and shook her to her very core. The only other time he’d seen this was with the Lionel trial and going into hiding. If there was a time in his life that he had been angrier or more disappointed in the choices she made, he couldn’t identify it. He had seen the worst of his daughter and hadn’t liked it. It had been so hard to even think about her with anything other than appalled anger but she was his daughter and he had to reconcile that feeling within himself.
Gabe had no doubt that she knew how he had felt at the time because she gave him the space he needed. It was a hard thing to really take a long measure of your offspring and find them lacking. Going down that road only yielded bad things. It was a slippery slope of wondering where you failed them. Of wondering if maybe you didn’t provide them with a strong enough foundation or a haven.
It was a hard thing to realize that your child failed you. But he had forgiven her because he wasn’t going to live without her. She was his child, the one true thing left of his wife, and she carried all of his hope. Gabe was never going to let that go. So he did the only thing he could do at the moment. He held her close on his couch and waited for her to wake up.
This was a hard, HARD thing to read through, Ava. Seriously, it was actually one of the most difficult paragraphs I had to go through. No other form of squicky angst, violence or hard-core sex presented such a challenge. It actually feels AWFUL to read about a loving, kind, good father contemplating a way that his beautiful, passionate, accomplished daughter has FAILED him… how she has disappointed him! I just hope to heaven that Chloe NEVER gets an inkling about how deep her father’s appalled anger and disappointment was in her during that difficult time in her life.
It’s seriously terrible to imagine Gabe not being proud of what an accomplished, amazing, powerful, brave, generous, strong daughter he has. But what can you expect? Considering that she never TELLS him about all her amazing exploits, and the dangerous situations that she has fought her way through. Poor Gabe has NO idea about what kind of a woman he has raised, which is a huge crying shame!
Quote:
Chloe opened her eyes and looked at him. She was still his little girl. The moment was broken when her eyes became guarded. It was frustrating to Gabe that she was still second guessing him. She could trust him and he didn’t know how to get through to her. Words could only go so far and he thought he’d done a good job in showing that she could. He couldn’t keep telling himself that he had when she was moving away from the comfort he wanted to give her and steeling herself for something he wasn’t even going to try to figure.
Poor Gabe! As much as it would have hurt Chloe IF she had known about her dad’s disappointment, I think that kind of pain is minor compared to the hurt Gabe is feeling right now when he doesn’t feel trusted by his baby. And Chloe doesn’t even realize what she’s doing to her dad… she probably tells herself that she’s ‘protecting him’. The poor, foolish Sullivans! If there was ever a time needed for family therapy…
Quote:
There were moments when only silence can say and explain everything. Now was such a moment. Gabe didn’t have words for this. He didn’t even know how he should feel. Chloe wouldn’t lie to him about this. That meant that she was either going insane or she was telling the truth. He couldn’t tell which was true.
Gabe opened his mouth to say something. He didn’t know what that would be until he started, but Chloe interrupted him with a raised hand. He saw blond hair grow and slightly darken. Claws slowly came from the tips of her fingers. There was no denying that what she was saying was true…unless he was in a coma and this was all allegory for some existential bullshit that would lead him to Heaven or wake him up to join the real world. His gut was telling him that he wasn’t in a coma and that this was as real as it ever got.
I loved the sense of shock that Gabe went through when Chloe just bluntly stated about what’s wrong with her and how it happened. Dear god, Chloe! Ease the poor man into it, will you? I guess Chloe still believes her dad is a superhuman who can take whatever she can throw at him without batting an eye. ROTFL! Poor Gabe! LOL!
Quote:
Making him turn around was a mistake. One that Chloe should’ve anticipated, but in the turmoil of her own emotions didn’t. The action forced his eyes to hers and it was like being set on fire.
Gabe felt her strength as she forced him to face her. The part of his brain recognized her for the predator that she was and it sent him into a near panic. There was, however, another part of his brain that was undefined. It just knew that she was challenging him. A rage filled him like never before and violence coursed through him. The room clouded into a haze of red. Visions of her showing her submission to his will inundated his thoughts. It hit him like a ton of bricks and he couldn’t breathe through the pressure.
Chloe could’ve cursed herself as she felt his body tense and felt danger coat the air. It was dominance play and she couldn’t do this. It would mean a fight; and since she was so much stronger, she could kill him. The wolf loved him with everything she was; but if he started a fight, she would kill him on accident because it would be a reflex.
Oh dear heavens, Ava! You seriously scared me over here. I got quick, horrible visuals of Chloe ‘waking up’ from a wolf-induced blood-lust to find out that she had torn her father to pieces. But I loved, LOVED the way that Gabe reacted to his daughter’s challenge was an instinctive response to assert his control and domination. It’s so FASCINATING to imagine how these powerful, cruel, inhuman instincts lie deeply buried within all humans… even in the most loving of relationships.
I LOVED the idea that every other person Chloe has ‘challenged’ has submitted to her… And this includes powerful, pride-filled, arrogant people like even Lex and Lana… but Gabe refused to back down because he somehow knew that it was his fundamental right as a parent and family patriarch that was being challenged. And he would sooner die than relinquish that! Amazing work, Ava! I love how you’re exploring and turning the whole idea of human and animal behaviour around on it’s head for this fic.
Quote:
She was proud of herself. Chloe was calm and she could do this rationally, “I think it’s a dominance issue. We have to have a pecking order. To run smoothly. The imperative…it’s strong in me and I think it was affecting you through me. I think it’s been settled now.”
Gabe raised his eyebrows, “You think?”
She turned back to look at him, “Yeah, I think. This isn’t exact science. It didn’t come with a handbook. It came with misery and frustration. It came with not knowing if you would accept me. Besides, I’m currently looking at you. It’s as settled as it can be.”
I’m glad that Chloe at least KNOWS about what happens in this confusing dominance, challenging routine that she seems to go through with every single person that she meets, LOL! Knowing what the problem is a good way of figuring out a solution. Hmm, and it seems like Chloe submitted to Gabe over here? Has she accepted him as alpha pack-male? Or did her ‘inner-wolf’ just put the fight on ‘hold’ for another time?
Quote:
His words did not give her the confidence that she thought they would. It felt like he was rejecting her and the wolf howled her torment. Chloe gave herself a mental slap. It was time to face facts. There was no wolf and there was no her. They were one and the same. Pronoun use became so much more confusing when she forcibly separated herself. She had to face that she was a werewolf and that she felt like her father was rejecting her.
This was fantastic! Ok, it was awful to hear about Chloe suffering so because she thought her father was rejecting her, but it was GREAT that this conflict and confusion helped her sort out her sense of identity as a wolf and a person. I think that, once she fully accepts her inner-wolf as an integral (and even loved and needed) part of herself, she’ll have absolute control over herself. The conflict just now brought her a step closer towards that level of acceptance… which was fantastic.
Quote:
Her words hurt. A thrumming resounded in him. It was an ache. It was the place that held every memory he had of her…and his wife. Gabe went to her and gathered her into his arms. He needed to hold her and be held by her, “You’re my girl, Chloe. And I’ll be here no matter what, sweetheart.”
Gabe let her go and went to the kitchen. He called to her, “Chloe, we’re going to have a once in a lifetime moment. We’re going to have some beers and talk about this. It’ll work. We’ll work.”
Yayyy Gabe! He told her exactly what she needed to hear. Now his little baby-girl can feel safe, warm, cared for and comforted in her daddy’s arms. Chloe can have tonight to let go of her burdens and let someone else just let someone ‘take care of her’… just for tonight… tomorrow she can readjust the weight of the world on her shoulders again.
Quote:
Chloe felt lighter than she had in two months. Those were the words she needed to hear. Those were the words that gave her confidence. They could do this. Chloe knew that it would only get harder from here. She had to tell him to get the hell out of dodge. He had to get somewhere safe. Uncle Sam would take care of him. It was going to hit the fan and she couldn’t risk something happening to him. But they could discuss it later. Right now she just wanted everything to be uncomplicated. If only for a brief time.
hmmm, so Chloe thinks her dad is in danger because of her… again?! Gabe is going to be seriously ticked off upon hearing that he has to relocate and go to ANOTHER safehouse because his baby is in danger from the shady, dangerous forces AGAIN!
LOL! At least Chloe can tell him that this is part of the reason why she’s been keeping him in the dark about the rest of her life over the past five years or so? Perhaps he’ll feel better about being ‘protected’ from the details of her life?
All right, unlikely! But it’s worth a shot, LOL!
I’m so glad that we’ve moved onto the Present, Ava. Getting all the backstory details of the past was fantastic, informative and important… but I always felt a level of frustration, as if I wasn’t getting any ‘story progress’ because all the information I was getting was stuff that had ‘already happened’… it was a silly feeling, and I KNOW it wasn’t true… but it still feels more satisfying to be in the present now :P
I look forward to future chapters. Good luck and best regards,
Sabrina
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 04-14-08, Chapter 8
I feel so stupid for not replying when I finished reading the lat update.
So here is my quick fangirling response. Love this story. It's kinda AU but not really. The new characters are fascinating. Is it wrong for me to anticipate what Kale will do to Lana??? :drool2:
Anyways, can't wait for the next update.
Rocio
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 04-14-08, Chapter 8
Disclaimer- see ch1
A/N- skauble helps me choose the quotes when I’m torn. She’s good people and everyone should know it. Paradoxically, she’s also a big jerkface. It confounds and confuses me at every turnn.
A/N2- Well, I’ve hammered out the direction this story is going to go and I wanted to let everyone know that it’s gonna get pretty dark. I can’t explain better than that because then it would get all kinds of spoiler-ific. I just want everyone to know that it’s going to be intense so that everyone is on the same page and you can decide if you want to continue reading. This is to give everyone fair warning.
Chapter 9- Boundaries of the Wolf
”There is probably no more terrible instant of enlightenment than the one in which you discover your father is a man -- with human flesh."
Frank Herbert, Dune
The next day came with Chloe still at her father’s home. The beers were great and so was their chat; but now she had to get back to business. The longer he stayed, the more he was in danger. The enemy she faced was something she had never encountered before. Lionel had been the devil she knew…as was Lex. Lionel wanted power and so did Lex. It made predicting what they would try to force from her so much easier. This new enemy was one that she couldn’t account for. Chloe couldn’t see their motives and that made it so much harder. She had no clue how to protect herself; and that meant she would enhance her paranoia. They were out to get her and she would act like it.
As Gabe went about making their breakfast, Chloe dreaded what was to come and it was reflected in her voice. She spoke without preamble, “You can’t stay here. You have to go to Uncle Sam. He can keep you safe.”
Gabe knew that there was more to it. He knew that the other shoe would drop and he knew that it would land on him. He just didn’t think it could come so soon. He and Chloe’s renewed connection was still fresh and he didn’t want to let that go. And so Gabe did the only thing he could do given the circumstances: he drew a line in the sand and metaphorically said “I have moved this far and will go no further. Deal with it. I already have.”
“No.”
Chloe raised her eyebrows. Her father didn’t even look up from the pan where he was scrambling eggs. His voice was mild.
“No?”
Gabe looked at Chloe, “That’s right. No. No, I’m not leaving. No, I’m not letting you tell me what to do. Is it a little childish? Possibly, but the reality of my “no” remains.”
As was her new habit, Chloe began pacing. This was going to be tricky because the struggle for dominance would rear its ugly head. She wouldn’t back down on this. If she had to knock him out and drag his carcass to her uncle’s doorstep, then she would. And never would she regret it. Even if it cost his love because at least he would still be alive to not love her.
Gabe knew that her agile mind was working on a way to make him see reason, but he would not be swayed.
Chloe stopped pacing and blew out a harsh breath.
“Dad, for this moment I am not your daughter and you are not my father. We’re going to speak as equals and you are going to listen. I mean really listen. This isn’t like with Lionel,” she paused.
It was so hard to say this. Her throat closed and she honestly didn’t want to say anything else because even that little bit was more taxing than anything she had done yet. Her talk with Clark was child’s play in comparison because at the end of the day Clark knew the horrors of Smallville. He was battle-tested. And that meant that he could take a back seat because even he realized that he would be in her way.
Clark knew that this was a fight that he was not equipped to deal with and would end up hampering her ability to face her enemy. Clark saw the defeat that would come if he didn’t relent a little. She knew that he was poised to jump into the fray; but, for now at least, he was content to wait. That’s all she could reasonably ask for and she had to make that clear to her father.
Her voice was soft when she finally resumed speaking. Gabe felt like she was almost speaking to herself; as if she were trying to convince herself of the truth of her words, “I had nothing to do with it this time. I did everything right. I tried so hard to do it right. I was in school. I had my work…fluff pieces for the Daily Planet. I didn’t need to poke the bear and I didn’t. I swear I didn’t this time. I was happy, but then this happened. Someone experimented on me and I can’t remember it. And…I don’t think I want to remember. Someone has been kidnapping the meteor infected. They’ve left no trail. It’s like they don’t exist. They…whoever…got to me and there was nothing I could do about it,” she looked away from him, “You have a big bull’s eye on your back and I doubt that even Uncle Sam can protect you fully, but maybe they’ll leave you alone.”
He heard the nuance in her voice and saw it written all over her face. It said: “Believe me. Please. Because I want you to see me and approve of me. I want you to see that I was a victim this time. I tried so hard for it to be different; and now I don’t know what to do because even my trying wasn’t good enough.” Of course, Chloe could never describe herself as a victim. Even in the deepest part of herself she couldn’t do it. But he was her father and there were times when he knew her better than she knew herself. He cursed her mother for leaving and he cursed himself for not putting up a fight.
Gabe opened his mouth to speak, but she rushed on, heedless of whatever it was he thought he had to say, “I know nothing about whoever is doing this; but I know…I know that they will come for you to get to me. They killed Lionel. It wasn’t a disgruntled psycho at Wayne Enterprises. It was someone who knows what’s going on. And there would be no point in me continuing if something happened to you.”
Chloe shrugged. She was resigned to whatever happened. This was her line and she would go no further.
Shoulders slumping in defeat and his desire for food gone; he dumped his eggs. Gabe mumbled into the silence that fell onto the room, “It hurts, Chloe. It hurts to know that I can’t protect you. I’ve never felt like a bigger failure as man, a father or a person than now. The reality of the situation has just kicked me in the jewels. You’re my daughter and I can’t—,” he stopped completely, unable to finish. How could he end that sentence?
“Chloe, you’re hurting and it’s hurting me. And all I want to do is fix this so that we’re not hurting anymore,” he looked up from their ruined breakfast, “Why is that so wrong?”
If it meant that the last vestiges of his reluctance faded away, then she would be cold, “Because you can’t do anything. Nothing you do will fix it. But you can leave,” her voice lowered, and nodding to herself, she repeated, “You can leave.”
Chloe smelled the salt in the air. They were both about to cry. It was something she didn’t want to deal with; but she knew that it would be a good emotional release for both of them. Chloe looked at the floor, but she felt and heard him move. He was hugging her. It wasn’t the hug a father gave his daughter to comfort her. It was between equals who were experiencing the same tragedy… equally giving and receiving comfort.
His voice was muffled because his face was buried in her hair, “I have a lot of vacation and sick days saved up. I’ll leave within the week.”
Chloe didn’t respond because there was nothing to be said. His words were so final and unforgiving. He had never sounded so resigned. His heart raced in agitation and his scent was tinged with unhappiness, but he held her. She was his and he was hers and nothing else mattered.
********
A week after she went ballistic and threatened to kill Lex, and two days after her confrontation with her father Chloe found herself nearing the security gates of Lex’s mansion. Just thinking about her father made her want to cry some more; but he was with her uncle. It was for the best. She had called Uncle Sam to make sure that her father arrived safely. Chloe would not take his safety for granted. Not even for a moment.
Chloe forced her mind away from her father and took note of Lex’s driveway. There were newly installed security cameras and an actual guard manning the gates. It was a new feature. “I guess he’s tired of being almost killed in his own home.”
After Chloe had left her father, she forced herself to reevaluate everything. Things were adding up but incorrectly. She could’ve sworn that Lex was responsible. It wasn’t just the obvious and only conclusion. It was the logical conclusion. It was hard to reach that particular conclusion because she hadn’t wanted it to be true. She didn’t want to believe that Lex would do that; but the reality of it was screaming in her face. It was a relief to know that he didn’t; but a scarier reality because she didn’t know who did do it and had no way of finding out.
Chloe sat down with her computer and his hard drive and immersed herself in it. She had absorbed all she could from the files she had pilfered and the hard drive that Lex gave her. The picture it painted had been an ugly one. Not even Lionel had scared her this much. He only wanted to kill her.
She went deeper into the material than ever. All of her focus…all of her was devoted to this one thing. Lois called periodically to check up on her. Chloe valued those calls because it alerted her to the passage of time and forced her to take care of herself. It was only after she had done this that she was able to see the true pattern of the data.
Chloe was able to see the discrepancies that she had overlooked and dismissed. “No doubt Lex and his technicians had as well.” Lex had been right. This was a professional job. She never truly doubted it, but some things required independent verification. It had been done with a precision so fine and detailed that it was a miracle that Lex had even been able to see it. Chloe knew that he was a genius, but this was quite literally finding a needle in a field of haystacks.
Chloe had compared and analyzed everything she could. She compared various techs and their speech patterns and their use of words. It was obvious that a few messages had been forged. Had been written to seem legitimate. This project had gone far deeper than she had initially thought. Hell, she didn’t even think that Lex truly understood just how deep they were wading in it.
This project…experiment was infinitely worse. It was a fundamental violation. She was the lone lucky survivor. Lex had been telling the truth. He’d only bagged and tagged individuals with powerful meteor mutations. A select few had something done to them. The reports didn’t detail the procedure, but the results were clearly shown. They told Chloe all she needed to know. Those images had been seared into her memory.
Whoever had done this was a monster on a level she hadn’t even known existed. It made the world that much scarier. But the worst part of the entire ordeal was that she had no clue who had done this. They left no traces. It would’ve been so easy to blame a faceless organization, but that wasn’t the truth of the matter. From what she had gleaned from various data transmissions, the perpetrator had been a faceless, all powerful organization, but then things changed. The entire tone of the project and its aims had drastically changed and Chloe had been able to track it to a series of four emails.
Now the threat was focused. It had also become far more deadly. Chloe knew that she couldn’t fight this alone. More terrifying than that was the fact that she didn’t even think that she and Lex working together could fix this. It was one thing to know on an intellectual level that you weren’t good enough. It was something else entirely to know on an emotional, instinctive level that you weren’t good enough. Chloe knew it in her gut and her head. There had never been a time in her life where she had been more frightened.
It didn’t matter though. Chloe would fight until the bitter end. But with this came the knowledge that this was a zero sum game. Either she would die or her enemies would. One way or another, there would be an end. It was with this mindset that Chloe sat in front of his mansion. It had been made crystal clear that neither could find what was going on alone. For the third time in her life she was going to voluntarily entrench herself into the Luthor muck. “Three times too many.”
Chloe got out of her car and approached the guard at the gates.
“Chloe Sullivan to see Mr. Lex Luthor.”
The guard gave her a dubious look, but he called the main house, speaking low. Sometimes it was good to have improved hearing. Now was one of those times as she listened in on the conversation. She clearly heard the guard on the other end of the phone tell the guard at the gate that she was denied entrance. Chloe fumed.
Lex could never do anything the easy way. This tactic of his was his way of asserting his power over her. She came here to his front gates requesting permission and he was denying her. This wasn’t something that she would or could let stand. There was no doubt in her mind that he was viewing the entire thing on one of his security cameras.
The guard turned to her, “Mr. Luthor is busy at this time. If you stop by at a later date, he might be available. Good day.”
There was no denying the dismissal.
Seeing movement in the distance, Chloe saw Lex’s new bodyguard. “Mercy. Such an ironic name for the kind of bodyguard she is.” She also saw the fluttering of a curtain and knew it to be Lex. He really was a bastard. Lex was leaving her with few tenable choices. She tried doing it the polite way. She tried coming to him with respect and as equals; but he was having none of that.
Chloe turned around. She’d gotten a good look at Lex’s perimeter and she’d be paying a visit later on this evening. Even as she thought this, Chloe knew that he would make it hard for her. It didn’t matter. Chloe got back into her car and rested her head on the steering wheel. [/i]“I really don’t want to break in this time.” [/i] She was whining, but Chloe couldn’t bring herself to care that she was. The novelty had worn off a long time ago.
At this point, it really didn’t matter what she wanted to do. There was no way that she would let this go. Too much was at stake for her. And whether Lex knew it or not; or even if he wanted to know it or not, there was much at stake for him too.
Chloe started her car. She had to prepare herself, both mentally and physically for the night to come. “It’s gonna be a long night. The bastard.”
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 04-30-08, Chapter 9
This was quite an intense chapter!
oood for Gabe for realizing the seriousness of the situation at hand. I would really hate to see him overpowered by his own daughter:D
And now we're going to have a Chlex partnership to uncover, expose and bring to justice the evil psychos behind Chloe's experimentation.
I know it's going to be bloody, and I just want you to know that I'm with you in this story all the way.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 04-30-08, Chapter 9
Bring on the doom. I'm thinking that lana may become to a very bad end... Thanks for the update. dagney
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 04-30-08, Chapter 9
I loved the talk with Gabe and Chloe and I'm glad Chloe had convinced him to go away and Gabe actually listed to her as an adult and not Father to Daughter. I know it's hard for him but she'd probably do better. And Lex you coward come out from behind that curtain and stop hidding behind a woman.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 04-30-08, Chapter 9
Poor Gabe realizing that he can't do anything to protect his child.
:nono: Tsk, tsk Lex you've gone and made Chloe mad.
Can't wait for the Chlex interaction
Rocio
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 04-30-08, Chapter 9
Quote:
”There is probably no more terrible instant of enlightenment than the one in which you discover your father is a man -- with human flesh."
Frank Herbert, Dune
As always, I LOVED the way that these quotes set the tone for your chapters. LOL! And there’s a special part of me that squeals whenever you use quotes that I recognize from my own readings, LOL!
Quote:
Gabe knew that there was more to it. He knew that the other shoe would drop and he knew that it would land on him. He just didn’t think it could come so soon. He and Chloe’s renewed connection was still fresh and he didn’t want to let that go. And so Gabe did the only thing he could do given the circumstances: he drew a line in the sand and metaphorically said “I have moved this far and will go no further. Deal with it. I already have.”
“No.”
oh this was GOOD, Ava! I loved the way that I was hearing FOUR voices happening during this two-person conversation. Chloe and Gabe’s inner-voices were as important, relevant and powerful as the words that they were actually saying out loud… in fact it was MORE important because it helped a lot in seeing their differing points of views and contrasting them against each other.
I loved the voice of Gabe as the weary, stubborn father who has basically allowed himself to be pushed around by everything (his bosses, circumstances, his own daughter) and now he’s finally decided that he’s not going to be ‘a doormat’ anymore.
Quote:
As was her new habit, Chloe began pacing. This was going to be tricky because the struggle for dominance would rear its ugly head. She wouldn’t back down on this. If she had to knock him out and drag his carcass to her uncle’s doorstep, then she would. And never would she regret it. Even if it cost his love because at least he would still be alive to not love her.
It’s almost a shame seeing that Gabe doesn’t stand a chance against Chloe because she’s absolutely stubborn and determined to MAKE him do what she wants. Heh, Gabe’s attempt at a ‘valiant last stand’ has already failed barely even before it’s begun. I liked how Chloe HATES being a forceful bully, she loathes dominating her father, but it’s something she thinks has to be done.
Quote:
It was so hard to say this. Her throat closed and she honestly didn’t want to say anything else because even that little bit was more taxing than anything she had done yet. Her talk with Clark was child’s play in comparison because at the end of the day Clark knew the horrors of Smallville. He was battle-tested. And that meant that he could take a back seat because even he realized that he would be in her way.
I liked this interesting note about how Chloe finds it easier to ask Clark to take a back-seat as compared to Gabe. I would have thought it would have been the other way around, but it makes sense that Chloe understands and trusts Clark a great deal more than she does her father. She knows Clark, she can predict what he’s going to say and do, and what he’s capable of. She doesn’t have this same kind of ‘battle-trust’ in her father. It’s rather tragic actually.
Quote:
Her voice was soft when she finally resumed speaking. Gabe felt like she was almost speaking to herself; as if she were trying to convince herself of the truth of her words, “I had nothing to do with it this time. I did everything right. I tried so hard to do it right. I was in school. I had my work…fluff pieces for the Daily Planet. I didn’t need to poke the bear and I didn’t. I swear I didn’t this time. I was happy, but then this happened. Someone experimented on me and I can’t remember it. And…I don’t think I want to remember. Someone has been kidnapping the meteor infected. They’ve left no trail. It’s like they don’t exist. They…whoever…got to me and there was nothing I could do about it,” she looked away from him, “You have a big bull’s eye on your back and I doubt that even Uncle Sam can protect you fully, but maybe they’ll leave you alone.”
He heard the nuance in her voice and saw it written all over her face. It said: “Believe me. Please. Because I want you to see me and approve of me. I want you to see that I was a victim this time. I tried so hard for it to be different; and now I don’t know what to do because even my trying wasn’t good enough.” Of course, Chloe could never describe herself as a victim. Even in the deepest part of herself she couldn’t do it. But he was her father and there were times when he knew her better than she knew herself. He cursed her mother for leaving and he cursed himself for not putting up a fight.
Oh god, Ava! This hit me like an emotional sucker punch! It made me HATE those scientists and ‘others’ all the more for everything that they did to CHloe. I never thought of it that way, but I can imagine Chloe took a (albeit bitter) kind of comfort in knowing that the situation with Lionel was her own fault… it suggests that she at least had some control over the nasty things that had happened to her.
But these events? She was actively TRYING to lead a normal, healthy, stable, non-conspicuous kind of life, but she somehow randomly got pulled into insanity and chaos. I can imagine that it’s the fact that she had and has no control over this HUGE thing that happened to her that makes it so horrific and appalling.
I loved how Gabe saw how Chloe was skirting around the word ‘victim’. That is exactly how she felt, even though she loathed the idea of using that term on herself.
Quote:
Shoulders slumping in defeat and his desire for food gone; he dumped his eggs. Gabe mumbled into the silence that fell onto the room, “It hurts, Chloe. It hurts to know that I can’t protect you. I’ve never felt like a bigger failure as man, a father or a person than now. The reality of the situation has just kicked me in the jewels. You’re my daughter and I can’t—,” he stopped completely, unable to finish. How could he end that sentence?
“Chloe, you’re hurting and it’s hurting me. And all I want to do is fix this so that we’re not hurting anymore,” he looked up from their ruined breakfast, “Why is that so wrong?”
oh dear daddy-Gabe! It’s heartbreaking to imagine he’s thinking of himself as a failure of a husband, father and man… unable to hold his family together or protect it. NONE of this is his fault, because he’s a good, kind, decent man and a wonderful, loving, attentive father. He just happened to have been PUSHED out of his daughter’s life through no real fault of his own. Poor man!
Actually, if there’s anyone to blame to this estrangement between father and daughter, it’s Chloe (and perhaps Clark?)… SHE’S the one who let Clark’s secret take priority over pretty much every aspect of her life, including her relationship with her dad.
Quote:
If it meant that the last vestiges of his reluctance faded away, then she would be cold, “Because you can’t do anything. Nothing you do will fix it. But you can leave,” her voice lowered, and nodding to herself, she repeated, “You can leave.”
ouch! That’s just cruel! But I can see it hurt Chloe as much as it hurt Gabe (well, almost as much?)
Quote:
Chloe smelled the salt in the air. They were both about to cry. It was something she didn’t want to deal with; but she knew that it would be a good emotional release for both of them. Chloe looked at the floor, but she felt and heard him move. He was hugging her. It wasn’t the hug a father gave his daughter to comfort her. It was between equals who were experiencing the same tragedy… equally giving and receiving comfort.
hmmm, at least this tragedy forced them into a situation where they HAD to reconnect with each other. At least something good came out of this horror.
Quote:
Chloe didn’t respond because there was nothing to be said. His words were so final and unforgiving. He had never sounded so resigned. His heart raced in agitation and his scent was tinged with unhappiness, but he held her. She was his and he was hers and nothing else mattered.
*sigh* It’s a bitter-sweet note that this section ended on. I loved that the two of them have drawn closer to each other, but it’s really sad to think of the circumstances that had to occur to force this kind of renewed closeness.
Quote:
Chloe forced her mind away from her father and took note of Lex’s driveway. There were newly installed security cameras and an actual guard manning the gates. It was a new feature. “I guess he’s tired of being almost killed in his own home.”
LOL! I loved her wry, slightly mocking tone here. So I guess Chloe was the final straw that made him take his security measure to extreme paranoia?
Quote:
Chloe sat down with her computer and his hard drive and immersed herself in it. She had absorbed all she could from the files she had pilfered and the hard drive that Lex gave her. The picture it painted had been an ugly one. Not even Lionel had scared her this much. He only wanted to kill her.
I liked the note that Chloe not knowing even WHO her enemies were exactly only made the situation more terrifying for her. I can see how much more serious and scarier this situation is as compared to dealing with Lionel Luthor. At least with HIM she knew she was dealing with a single, lecherous, power-hungry, ruthless, merciless, killer business-man. Not very nice facts to know, but at least she knew what she was working with… NOW she’s just groping around in the dark, trying to prepare herself for anything at anytime.
Quote:
She went deeper into the material than ever. All of her focus…all of her was devoted to this one thing. Lois called periodically to check up on her. Chloe valued those calls because it alerted her to the passage of time and forced her to take care of herself. It was only after she had done this that she was able to see the true pattern of the data.
awww, isn’t that sweet, LOL! I loved how these ‘annoying’ periodic messages from Lois were helping Chloe in some way. It’s NICE to see people paying attention to her and being concerned about her.
Quote:
Chloe had compared and analyzed everything she could. She compared various techs and their speech patterns and their use of words. It was obvious that a few messages had been forged. Had been written to seem legitimate. This project had gone far deeper than she had initially thought. Hell, she didn’t even think that Lex truly understood just how deep they were wading in it.
I liked the way that Chloe had a moment of admiration for Lex as she mulled over how smart, brilliant, observant and intuitive he must have been to have been able to find discrepancies in reports that even SHE had missed. It’s good to know that she’s acknowledging Lex’s qualities as a potential ally again, AND that she can see how this ‘unknown someone’ is targeting Lex as well as herself.
Quote:
Whoever had done this was a monster on a level she hadn’t even known existed. It made the world that much scarier. But the worst part of the entire ordeal was that she had no clue who had done this. They left no traces. It would’ve been so easy to blame a faceless organization, but that wasn’t the truth of the matter. From what she had gleaned from various data transmissions, the perpetrator had been a faceless, all powerful organization, but then things changed. The entire tone of the project and its aims had drastically changed and Chloe had been able to track it to a series of four emails.
Now the threat was focused. It had also become far more deadly. Chloe knew that she couldn’t fight this alone. More terrifying than that was the fact that she didn’t even think that she and Lex working together could fix this. It was one thing to know on an intellectual level that you weren’t good enough. It was something else entirely to know on an emotional, instinctive level that you weren’t good enough. Chloe knew it in her gut and her head. There had never been a time in her life where she had been more frightened.
This part really drove home on how intensely creepy, scary, horrifying the situation is for Chloe. She’s not only dealing with an unknown enemy of very sizable (and immeasurable) resources, BUT she also knows that she’s dealing with a person who had Lionel Luthor tracked, trapped and killed in the most brutal way possible. It sents shivers down my spine to see how SCARED Chloe is… She’s Chloe Sullivan, and the idea of something frightening her is very… disconcerting and disturbing. Very nicely done, Ava. I also liked the note where Chleo thinks to herself that this threat might be something that even she and Luthor allied together might not be able to handle… now THAT is truly a scary thought.
Quote:
It didn’t matter though. Chloe would fight until the bitter end. But with this came the knowledge that this was a zero sum game. Either she would die or her enemies would. One way or another, there would be an end. It was with this mindset that Chloe sat in front of his mansion. It had been made crystal clear that neither could find what was going on alone. For the third time in her life she was going to voluntarily entrench herself into the Luthor muck. “Three times too many.”
heh… Chloe might have a moment where she indulges in panic and terror… but she’s not going to let it paralyse her. She’s NOT the type of person to lie cowering beneath her bed waiting for the danger to pass (no matter how tempting the idea). She’s going to face it head-one, and either claw her way through it… OR inflict enough damage on her enemies to make even defeat a satisfying experience.
Quote:
There was no denying the dismissal.
Seeing movement in the distance, Chloe saw Lex’s new bodyguard. “Mercy. Such an ironic name for the kind of bodyguard she is.” She also saw the fluttering of a curtain and knew it to be Lex. He really was a bastard. Lex was leaving her with few tenable choices. She tried doing it the polite way. She tried coming to him with respect and as equals; but he was having none of that.
LOL! Considering the fact that Chloe attacked, nearly killed and scared the pants off Lex last time she got on his premises… it’s REALLY cute to see that she’s irritated about NOT being allowed to see him now, ROTFL! She’s just so peeved off that the man she brutally assaulted a few weeks ago is not willing to invite her into his home, LOL!
Quote:
Chloe started her car. She had to prepare herself, both mentally and physically for the night to come. “It’s gonna be a long night. The bastard.”
LOL! She’s not only peeved off, but also whining about the necessity of being ‘forced’ to break into Lex’s home. The idea of respecting his space and privacy didn’t even occur to her, ROTFLMAO! Poor Lex! He gets no consideration, ROTFL!
I can bet that Chloe is also going to take some petty form of revenge by ‘sneaking up’ on Lex after she breaks in. I can’t wait! It’s going to be FUN!
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 04-30-08, Chapter 9
I loved the talk between Chloe and Gabe, hopefully he will be safe with General Sam. Right?! Lex is such a jerk, hiding in his house... but I can't wait for Chloe to break-in again. *grins* it's gonna be awesome!
This is one of my favorite stories! I look forward to reading more of this incrediable fic... Please update soon!!
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 04-30-08, Chapter 9
more please i must have more.
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 04-30-08, Chapter 9
Disclaimer- see ch1
A/N- The moment ya’ll have been waiting for. Enjoy!
Chapter 10- Ally of the Wolf
“One of the hardest things in this world is to admit you are wrong. And nothing is more helpful in resolving a situation than its frank admission.”
Benjamin Disraeli
Lex finished re-reading the files associated with his project. They were the same files that he had given Chloe. Most of them anyway. There was no way that he would give her all the keys to the kingdom. He had thought he was doing a good thing by initiating the project. It was only supposed to be a general survey, but it had snowballed. “They weren’t supposed to remember.” Smallville had too many anomalies. The hospital statistics showed that more people were treated for broken bones, sprains and the like on at least two orders of magnitude higher than illnesses. This place was uncommonly healthy.
But it didn’t stop there. Reports of the fantastical were in constant supply. Chloe’s Wall of Weird was the pathetically small tip of the iceberg. And everything…everything could be traced to the first meteor shower. Time hadn’t passed long enough to accurately detail the effects of the second meteor shower; but if the results were anything like the first, it would get ugly in about 10-20 years. An entirely new generation would spring up, which would compound the original problem of the previous generation. How this little town wasn’t overrun with scientists itching to study the rocks, land, and anything was beyond him. “It makes no sense.”
Lex took it upon himself to correct the oversight of the government…of scientists. It was why he began the project. It was important. He was doing good work. But as he read the files he had ruthlessly plundered from his own company, he could not help but be shocked on more levels than he thought possible. He was horrified.
When Chloe had come by earlier, he had wanted to see her; but he found that he didn’t have the energy. His mind was racing and the full consequences, the consequences he could discern at any rate, weighed on him. He had failed as a person. How could he look at her and not see his failure? How could he look at her and not beg her for forgiveness? Even if he didn’t care for her? Which wasn’t the case.
And so he was sitting at his desk with his head in his hands, contemplating the bottle of Scotch within his line of sight. The only saving grace was that Lana was off somewhere else. Lex had painted himself into a corner and he couldn’t back down now. To do so would be to admit things to himself that he wanted to remain hidden. Lex yelled into his hands and slammed them down onto the desk. It stung.
“I can’t fix this.”
********
Chloe returned to Lex’s mansion at about 8PM and let her senses go. It was overwhelming. She maintained tight control on how much she was willing to focus on a particular sense. It became background noise after a while; but she had never actively focused on them. The wolf mind was hard-wired to interpret the various and numerous input; the human mind, however, was not. Human senses were so dull and it slowly stopped being an evolutionary concern once humans were no longer the prey.
Chloe had to do what no human has ever had to do, but what their genetic brethren have done for millions of years. She had to accept her senses and deny the higher brain functions that defined Homo sapiens as a species. From her observations, Chloe knew that there would only be a short time for her to vault the gate and avoid any perimeter guards. She only hoped that her jeans would survive the ordeal because she couldn’t relax enough to change. Getting shot hadn’t been fun and she didn’t think that was something that would change the second time around.
Her car was parked two miles up the road and hidden in a rather large stand of brush. It’d either be deemed an abandoned car or it wouldn’t be found. At least that was her hope. A towing fee would wreak havoc on her finances. She hadn’t bothered with dark clothes because she could move fast enough to not need to be overly stealthy.
Chloe had to psyche herself up to do this. “I’ve never vaulted a gate. We’ll see how this goes.” A running start would probably be best, but she didn’t have the time to do it. Besides, she was trying to jump up and over an obstacle instead of across a gap. It was more difficult. She was better off attempting a standing jump.
Closing her eyes and praying for a little luck, Chloe jumped. She didn’t quite make it. Chloe grabbed at the ledge and felt claws rip from her hands violently. They caught the gate. She had a tenuous grasp, but it was a start. Her hands hurt because her claws were embedded in the concrete of the gate. She pulled herself onto the ledge and then dropped onto the other side.
It was official. Her life was now a video game and her player was a button masher. She could make that an analogy only because she counted Pete as one of her best friends. Rolling her eyes at herself, Chloe ran to the stables at a dead sprint. She felt an incredible rush of adrenaline and euphoria.
If this euphoric power rush was what Clark had to deal with every day, then she was not giving him the credit he deserved. She didn’t even think that he was giving himself the credit he deserved; but it made sense. If ever he thought he had everything solved and he knew for a fact he wouldn’t ever abuse his powers, then they were all in trouble because he’d have already started descending into abusing his powers.
For a moment, Chloe felt pity for him. He could never be normal and it would break something in him when he finally realized that. But like all great men, he would recover and be better than anyone thought he could be. She would love to know that Clark. The Clark that cast off his youthful follies. The Clark that finally forged his own place in the world and didn’t let anyone do it for him. That man would be someone worth knowing.
The man Clark would become would be a savior to many. He wouldn’t have many friends, but the ones he would have would go to hell and back for him. He’d have relationships that flared out dramatically, but he would always be able to pick himself up. And when he finally found that person he could spend a life with, his strength of character and resolve would get that much stronger. He would truly be invincible. Chloe really wanted to know that man; and she couldn’t wait.
Chloe forced her thoughts away from Clark and back to the situation at hand. From the stables, there would be an unbroken path to the rear of Lex’s mansion. There would be about five minutes that she would have no cover; and there would be ample opportunity for her to be caught. Chloe took a deep breath. She could smell the scent of horses and their waste, but she could also smell the cheap cologne of one of the perimeter guards. He was noisy man, but his partner was not. She came to the conclusion that they were moving away from her.
There wasn’t anyone else close enough to catch her so once again she took off running towards the grounds keeper’s office. She knew it was his office because Lana had once shown her the stables. A part of her figured that Lana was probably bragging on some level; but it came in handy now. If Clark Kent didn’t exist, Chloe knew that they wouldn’t be friends. There was nothing in Lana that she could relate to and vice versa. Lana wasn’t a bad person. She just wasn’t someone Chloe would’ve made the effort to know.
This was going to be the hard part because there was an alarm on the door. Chloe didn’t have a key, but she could’ve picked the lock. Picking the lock wouldn’t be a good idea; the alarm would still sound and she’d be delayed. Her plan was to break the door and then run like the very hounds of hell were chasing her. Lex’s guards came equipped with guns. “God, please don’t let me be shot…again. Here goes nothing.”
Letting out a breath and squaring her shoulder, Chloe threw her body into the door. The door flew off the hinges and there was a blessed moment of silence. Then the hounds of hell started shrieking bloody murder in the form of the alarm. Chloe took off running towards Lex’s office. He was there. He was always there.
She streaked by four armed guards before the yells of “halt” sounded. That wasn’t the problem. The problem came when they started using their walkie-talkies to communicate with each other. They’d be able to anticipate her and trap her. Or shoot her. She could not emphasize enough to herself how much she wanted to avoid being shot.
When Chloe began hearing gun fire, she somehow summoned the will to run faster. She sharply turned left and barreled into Mercy. Chloe had no doubt that if she had not been a werewolf, she would’ve ended up sprawled in a heap; but she was a werewolf and that didn’t happen. Although she did hear Mercy let out a pained breath. It was very satisfying.
Chloe had to get vicious now because they knew where she was headed. She picked Mercy up and turned her around. Mercy would be the first to face any bullets coming from the front. At the last minute, she decided that using Mercy as a human shield would be crossing a line she didn’t want to cross. The only other option was not that much better.
The only thing to recommend it was the fact that she wouldn’t be using Mercy as a shield, but as a projectile. Chloe pushed Mercy hard into the group of men aiming their guns. They all fell like bowling pins. It was amusing. Unfortunately, Chloe wouldn’t be able to savor it because Lex’s door was only a few feet away and a pile of bodies were between her and her goal.
Her body may have been capable of great feats of acrobatics, but Chloe had no knowledge of such things. She did the only thing she could do, which was to run some more. “This has got to be the most running I have ever done.”
Lex had taken note of what his guards were saying. Even before Mercy had uttered a single word, he knew it was Chloe. No one, not even his father or Clark, had been able to so thoroughly disrupt his household like the whirlwind of energy that was Chloe. On the heels of that epiphany was the sound of commotion outside. There was yelling and once again his office doors were being blown open by Chloe Sullivan; except this time, she looked harried, but not feral. Lex had barely stood up from his chair before she closed and locked the doors.
Chloe turned golden eyes to him and said hurriedly, “Lex, call them off. We need to talk.”
Before he could even think about not doing something, she said, “Lex, I am going to kill you if I get shot tonight. Not ‘ha ha’ dead. I mean real, choke you to death dead.”
Lex sighed. He was resigned to this. “I wish this day was over.” Lex walked around his desk and strode towards her. Reaching around her, he opened the door, “Go away and fix whatever door she broke.”
He leveled a look at Mercy. She wasn’t going to go far and she was prepared to come into his office, guns blazing if need be. Lex closed the door and stepped away from Chloe. “I suppose there’s a reason you’ve broken into my home for the second time in as many weeks.”
She was about to answer him, when he began speaking again, “I have no idea why I never press charges,” he shook his head and motioned for her to start talking.
Chloe was suddenly very hungry and thirsty so she followed her nose to a sandwich at his bar. As she walked, she talked, “Lex, we really need to talk about a few things.”
Lex watched as Chloe went to his bar, took his sandwich from earlier in the day, and took a can of coke from the mini-refrigerator. “Why don’t you help yourself to some food and a drink, Chloe?”
A baleful glare was his only reply.
“You really had to break into my home when a phone call or a note would’ve sufficed?”
Chloe finished chewing and swallowing the large bite of sandwich she had, “I came by earlier today, Lex, and you wouldn’t see me.”
He rolled his eyes and sat down on the edge of his desk. He affected a casual pose and laced his voice with arrogance, “Did it never occur to you that I was busy?”
“I saw you in the window. Besides, you and I both know that if you had wanted to see me you would have.”
He crossed his arms, “Fine. What was so important that you had to see me so urgently?”
She finished the sandwich, guzzled the coke, and answered him. “Lex, I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt. I’m going to trust that you aren’t a bastard. I’m going to trust that you want to figure out what the hell is going on. But most of all, I’m choosing not to be angry. We need to work together. Whatever is going on is bigger than either of us and neither of us can handle it alone,” Chloe’s voice was harsh when she continued, “If you screw me on this, I swear they’ll be finding pieces of you for weeks.”
Lex ran his hands down his face, “I came to that conclusion about fifteen minutes before,” with this he gestured to his office doors, “But you’re right. Just like old times, Chloe.”
That was what Chloe was afraid of. It being just like old times. Lex smiled a little to himself. It was the smile of a man resigned to his fate and just begging for it to be over.
“Where do you want to start, Chloe?”
“With dinner. All this running around has me hungry; and I doubt that you’ve eaten yet.”
Lex was incredulous, “You came all this way for dinner?”
“No, Lex, I came all this way to talk to you; and now I’m hungry. Feed me.”
He could do this. He could take her jokes and her weird sense of humor. At the very least, it removed some of the tension between them. “And after dinner?”
She sighed, “You tell me. You have all the files and your techs. I’ll follow you on this one.”
It was such a sacrifice to say, but it was the truth. The only way she could see to get through this was to be honest. And she honestly needed him to use his brain because this was his field. He was masterful when it came to business subterfuge. Lionel had trained him well. Of course, she was also trusting him to give her his original project files because she knew he hadn’t. And when he did finally relent, because he would, she had to be prepared to not be angry with him. It was a tall order; but if it increased their chances of success then she would deal with it. It wasn’t as if she had a choice.
Lex shook his head and asked her, “What do you want to eat?”
Chloe looked around, “Lana isn’t around is she?”
“No, why?”
“I’d prefer not to involve her.”
He was giving her the eyebrow raise of “try again”. “Honestly, Lex. The fewer number of people involved the better.”
Lex didn’t believe her. Chloe was an adequate liar. She could usually fool the less discerning. He had seen her do it. He didn’t fool himself into thinking that she had never pulled one over on him; but he could detect many of her lies. And she was most definitely not telling him the full issue. In the spirit of their new alliance, he let her have this lie. She would probably share it with him sooner or later; especially if it became important. He could be patient and not pick this battle. There would undoubtedly be more.
“Yes, I did notice that Clark wasn’t around. I guess you wanted to keep him safe?”
Lex was jealous; but that dig was going to be the last…unless she did something. Allies were not friends.
Chloe chose to disregard his last comment and instead answered his first question, “Have your cooks prepare me a steak, rare, with mashed potatoes. Nothing fancy. And tell them not to be stingy with the portion.”
Chloe Sullivan was nothing if not audacious. He had to admire her for looking him in the eye with a straight face and demanding that particular dinner. It was kind of endearing in an exasperating kind of way.
Lex left his office and found Mercy. Chloe listened as he told her to inform the cooks of her request. He even added shrimp and a dessert to the order…for two.
Lex returned to the room. He actually sounded vaguely cheery and slightly optimistic, “There’s nothing like cementing an alliance than with good food. We’ll be eating shortly. In the meantime, we could always play a game of pool. Or we could stare at each other in uncomfortable silence.”
She rolled her eyes at him, “Turn on the news and let’s play pool.”
This promised to be a long, surreal evening. “At least he’s trying.”
-
Re: Dreaming the Wolf, R, 05-09-08, Chapter 10
An awesome update!
I loved the descriptions of Chloe's running, and all of the thoughts going through her head were amusing and rather terrifying. But I think I loved Lex's reactions the best--nothing really fazes him does it?
The Chlex partnership has begun, and it promises to be fascinating:grin3:
Please continue as soon as you can.