Chapter Twenty-Six
"Did you see anything?" Lois asked. "In that time..."
Chloe knew what she meant. She meant in death. There were flashes sometimes, even now. Warmth and light and faces she couldn't quite place. The most prominent was a voice. She'd heard it in her dreams last night and the words had suddenly come back to her...
Not now. Your time will come soon enough.
Lois didn't need to know that. Chloe rather wished she didn't. "There were things, but I don't remember. You?"
"I thought I saw my mom for a second."
Chloe turned to her. "Really?"
Lois nodded. "Her mouth was moving, but I couldn't hear anything and then I was just... back."
Chloe faced forward again. "What do you think it's like for Lana?" She stared into the rectangular hole as the minister went on.
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death..."
Would she be facing that valley again? And soon?
"I don't know," Lois said. "I guess only Lana has the answers. She gets to stay."
Chloe looked across the grave at Clark and Martha. Martha had flown back for the funeral. She wanted to stay and Chloe wished she would for Clark's sake. But Clark said she was needed in D.C.
She looked around her. It was a small, private funeral. Nell wanted things quiet to keep the paparazzi at bay. They probably had their hands full, anyway, with both Luthor funerals in Metropolis this week. The Luthors were counted among the missing dead along with five policemen and two guards at Reeves. As rich as they were, their funerals had been long-planned. Chloe would not be attending, though a part of her almost wanted to show up for Lionel. But he had done enough dastardly deeds to overshadow any help he'd tried to give Clark. Why pay respects to him just because he was the lesser of two evils?
The saddest part was that both funerals would be filled with investors and employees and stockholders, along with a large contingent of paparazzi. Not one person who even liked the Luthors, if such a person existed.
Everyone was filing away. It must be over. She'd been so lost, she hadn't known. Lois was speaking to Martha a few yards away. Clark was nowhere to be seen. He was off... doing whatever it was he refused to tell her.
She tossed a red rose on top of the coffin It was empty except for a few of Lana's personal things, but it was all Nell could find. She started away. She needed to move, feel the blood in her veins. Ever since her "death", she was hardly sure it was there.
She meandered through angels and markers and stones and found one that stopped her.
Jonathon Kent's grave. It already looked weathered. It saddened her. It had seemed so long ago that he'd been taken on the night that should have been one of his finest.
"Hi," a soft voice said to her left. It was Martha. She was holding a white rose.
"Hi. Mrs. Kent."
Martha bent to place the rose at the base of the stone, kissing her hand and touching it to the granite. She straightened and stood next to Chloe. "I thought that night was the worst of my life," she said softly. "I still do. But there has been some competition."
"Yes," Chloe agreed. Things had only gone downhill since the death of Jonathon Kent. "But I hope things will get better."
"Good," Martha said, hugging her to her side. "We should always hope."
They stood silent for a moment before Martha turned to Chloe. "Can you promise me something?"
Chloe smiled a little. "Anything. You know that."
"Look after him," she said. Chloe didn't have to ask who she meant. "I don't think he should spend too much time alone. He seems to think the weight of the world is on his shoulders."
"As always." Chloe nodded. "I won't let it weigh him down."
Martha smiled sadly and stroked her cheek. It felt nice. It made her think of her own Mother, far away in Star City. "Thanks, Sweetie."
Chloe left her alone and wandered the cemetery. There was an empty spot near a copse of trees. It had been her own grave once. At least there was no stone. Clark had confided that he'd sent a blast of heat at it one night, letting it shatter to bits. Still, it chilled her, standing on her own grave.
She was even more chilled when she heard a strange laughter behind her. She turned slowly. Clark was lounging against a tree. Why was he laughing? He was wearing a maroon shirt and a navy jacket. It struck her as odd, considering she'd just seen him minutes ago in a suit.
"Clark? Why aren't you with your mother?"
He made a strange face at her and laughed again. "Clark?" He snorted.
She closed her eyes. Not Clark. "Kal," she breathed. "I know selflessness is not your thing, but Clark needs..."
"Kal?" he echoed, still smirking at her.
She found herself getting angry. Whichever one was fooling with her, this was not the day. "Fine, whoever-you-are." She fisted her hands at her sides. "Whatever you are trying to accomplish, it won't work. You need to work through this and..."
"Blah, blah, blah," he sneered, coming forward. "Don't I know you?"
She gasped. Once, Clark had had amnesia. Was this... But how could Clark have changed clothes and developed amnesia in mere minutes?
He circled her, looking her up and down. It made her uneasy. She never felt that way with Clark. Even with Kal, her uneasiness was tinged with lust. Now, she just felt invaded. Especially when his eyes narrowed in that way so familiar to her. Was he... x-raying her?
"Yeah," he said nodding. She noticed he was chewing gum. Clark hardly ever chewed gum. "I'm pretty sure I know you."
This was not Clark. And it wasn't Kal, either. The eyes were too mocking, even a little sinister. "Who are you?"
"Oh, just somebody who wanted a laugh. Funerals, you know?" He snickered again in that oddly childlike way. He took a step toward her, laughing again when she jumped. "What are you staring at?"
"You... you look a little like someone I know. That's all." She backed away.
"Really?" He threw back his head. "I was just thinking that about you." He smiled as she continued to back away. "Of course, I was thinking know in a more biblical sense, if you get me." She couldn't hide her grimace. "I see you do."
"What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to keep him talking, trying to keep him there. She had a sneaking suspicion this was Clark's big challenge. The thing he was always running off searching for. She willed him to show up now.
"Me?" He smiled again. It was chilling. "Just checking out the new digs. Nice planet, by the way. You have no idea what a hole I've been stuck in. Been kind of missing those..." his eyes dropped to her neckline, "wordly comforts."
Was he Kryptonian? And why did he look exactly like Clark? And why did he seem to know her? And she really wished he would stop looking at her that way. She flashed back to her self-defense class at The Learning Annex. But if this guy was anything like Clark, nothing could save her now. She found her back against a tree. "You wouldn't like this planet," she said in a shaky voice. "It's very unwelcoming. I doubt it wants anything to do with you."
He leaned an arm over her head. "Oh, give me a chance."
"I don't think so. I think you need professional HELP!" she yelled the last word, craning her neck.
He just snickered again. "I may seem a little... bizarre, but I bet this planet would warm right up to me if..." He trailed off and tilted his if he heard something. "We'll talk later," he said quickly.
And then he did something Chloe had never seen someone do without the aid of a pogo stick. He jumped right up. She stumbled forward. Her eyes tried to follow him through the tree branches. It looked like he was... flying.
"Chloe!" she heard. She turned and saw Clark in the distance in the second before he was right beside her. He was still in his suit. "What's wrong? What happened. I heard you."
She stared at him, then back at the sky, then back at him... "He flew."
Clark turned her to him. "What? Who flew?" he demanded.
"H-he just jumped right up and..." She stared at his shirtfront. "He looked just like you, except a little..."
"Bizarre?" Clark finished.
Chloe could only nod.
"Damn it!" He sped off. Chloe took a moment to gather herself. So, apparently Clark had an evil, Kryptonian twin? And not the one she was used to. This one was not him. He may know some things that Clark did (along with a few he didn't), but inside there was something else, something mingled with a piece of Clark. It frightened her.
She screamed as Clark appeared beside her with a strong gust of wind. "Lost him again," Clark said darkly.
"Uh-huh." She held a hand to her heart. "I guess this is the thing you didn't want me mixed up with."
"He's stronger than me, Chloe. I don't want you hurt again. Promise me you won't..."
"I think I'm officially in the mix now." She pointed to the sky. "That thing knew me."
"What?"
"What's worse, it practically... molested me," she said, her lips curled in distaste.
"Oh, God!" He rubbed his hands over his face.
"I think you and I have to talk, Clark."
*************************************
Chloe pulled the suitcase from her car. There might still be a few things she'd need from the apartment, but she had the essentials. She strolled toward the barn, her stride as determined as her face. He needed her whether he'd admit it or not.
Clark was speeding around the barn, lifting animals out and mucking their stalls in a blur. She wondered that it didn't spook them. But they were probably used to Clark by now.
She waited until he'd stopped and clapped loudly. "Bravo. Encore."
He whirled to face her and wiped his brow. "What are you doing here? I told you to stay home."
"What are you doing mucking out the barn when there's an evil you to catch," she countered, ignoring his question.
He leaned his shovel against the wall. "Kind of hard to catch a guy who flies."
"I bet it would be a lot easier if you could..."
"I told you yesterday, Chloe. I can't. I've tried." He looked down, finally noticing her suitcase. "No. No way."
"Your mother asked me to look after you, Clark."
"I don't think she meant moving in."
"Just until this is cleared up. I'll help with the chores when I'm not at work. I did a few times when we were younger and..."
"It's too dangerous. If he comes for me, you'll be here," he said. "He's mentioned you, Chloe. He could just..."
"He could just as easily find me at The Talon like he found me at the cemetery," she said loudly. "Now, call me crazy, but I think I'm safer with someone who can protect me."
His shoulders drooped. "Please just... promise me you won't try to get into this."
"Clark," she sighed. "I'm as in as a person could be. That bizarro version of you has a little thing for me." She was done marveling at the irony.
He came toward her. He smelled like a cow's backside, but she didn't bat an eye. "That's exactly why I don't want you around him."
"I don't want to be around him. I want to be around you." She pursed her lips as her face colored. "I mean I... I want to help. Not with the chasing and stopping and speeding off. That's obviously your domain. But as strong as this thing is, it's not that smart. That's where I can help."
He gave her a reluctant half-smile. "Out-thinking is obviously your domain."
She grinned. "Is that some kind of compliment? Keep it up and I might never leave." She turned and dragged her bag toward the house. She could feel his eyes on her. He was glad she was here. She was sure of it.
************************************
Clark watched as Chloe tucked her leg under her on the couch, leaning forward excitedly. "It's just reasoning. I mean, this guy is your opposite in almost every way. It's like he took a bit of you and then just..." She gestured wildly with her hands. "He just turned it on its ass because it's, like, his nature. Right?"
Clark nodded. "I'm with you so far."
"He was laughing at a funeral. If that's not bizarro, what is? You like fixing things and helping people, he's the kind of guy that tears down a building just because he can. Green K, which pretty much levels you, peps him right up. And he seems to be infatuated with me, whereas you..." She shut her mouth, then pretended a cough and picked up her mug.
He felt a little uncomfortable, himself. That was one of the aspects of Bizarro (as Chloe called him) that irked him most.
"Well, anyway. It's simple. We can figure this out." She set her tea down. "What hurts you, makes him stronger. Green kryptonite makes you weak. Can you think of anything that could make you strong?"
"I don't know, Chloe. The medallion has done something like that in the past, but mostly, it traps him. Sends him back."
Chloe threw up her hands. "Clark! Why don't you just do it, then. Just wave the thing at him and he'll..."
"I can't. I can't seem to use it while he's in my body. The Kryptonian DNA seems to protect him."
Chloe sighed. "Yeah. It'll do that." She shrugged. "We're just lucky he does have your DNA, Clark. This thing was nasty as a wraith. I think having a little human in it stops it from doing worse."
"Yeah, well, it's bad enough. Someone with my face is running around wreaking havoc for fun. To top it off, he can fly, so I obviously can't keep up. How long before I'm arrested for something he's done?"
Chloe reached forward and grasped his hand. "Hey. You have an alibi. I'm right here with you. The fact that he looks like you is just circumstantial."
He swallowed and wrapped his fingers around hers. "Still, I hate to think of all the people hurt along the way."
"Me, too." Her thumb rubbed his palm lightly. "But we'll figure it out, Clark, and then you'll stop him. I believe in you," she said softly.
"I know you do," he whispered back. He found himself leaning toward her...
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