Beyond the Sun

28

"Annie, it's getting late, why don't you call it a night, huh?" Annie lifted her head up and away from her hand and looked to Emil, he looked equally as tired as her. She didn't even comment back, she merely stood, nodded and shuffled out into the snow and never ending white landscape. Blinking her eyes slowly she looked up at the dark sky. It was so dark, it was endless almost. Hearing the crunch of boots, she looked to the side. Reaching up she rubbed and squinted her eyes slowly, she'd been staring at computer screens for too long, her eyes really didn't want to focus.

"I never got shown where I was meant to be staying. Can I bug you and ask for your help again?" Annie asked while Clark mutely nodded and turned and led the way to where herself and Emil were apparently meant to be staying.

"How'd it go?" He asked when they had moved far away enough from any prying eyes and ears.

"Whatever that thing is, it's huge. Like...at least a thousand feet long. Everyone seems to think it's a submarine, I lie, Lois thinks it is, it isn't. It can't be. Why the heck would a submarine be here, out of all places?" Annie questioned while rubbing her eyes again. "If it was a sub, it should be buried in the seabed, but that thing is proper lodged one hundred feet above sea level. So...how'd this thing get there? It's nowhere near the ocean...I do love a mystery me," Annie commented while rubbing her hands together with a wry smile.

"You're having fun, aren't you?" Clark couldn't help but watch her as she rambled away to herself. She looked so utterly enthralled, concentrated, and excited about this. He suspected she was getting some sort of enjoyment out of this whole thing. He guessed as much when he'd overheard her shoot down that reporter. He had stayed close and listened to the little chat which happened and took on board the information which was shared.

Annie nodded quickly and looked at him. "Of course, this is my job now! If I didn't like my job, then...well, I better find one I do like." She said while they finally stopped and she eyed up the simple shelter she was being given. It didn't look very inviting, nor did it look warm, or look like it could fend off the harsh Arctic winds. "Can't be any worse than my apartment." Annie said with a nervous laugh.

"What's wrong with it?" Clark was sounding apprehensive, perhaps he shouldn't have asked because of the look which appeared on her face. Some akin to nervous humour, but also, if she was making links between this and her actual home, he worried. Where exactly did she live? He hoped somewhere safe.

"It's a student apartment I swear. Tiny, awful, there's a leak somewhere, and a draught...I need to move." Annie rolled her hand, explaining simply the few quibbles she had with her home. "Again, I moved from Kansas to Metropolis, then Metropolis to Virginia...seriously," Annie sighed and hung her head. "I lie, this cargo container is going to be seriously awful to sleep in." After a second assessment, that's what this thing looked like. Shaking her head, she walked in and spied her bags, she grinned and smiled at him. "Thanks." He merely shrugged, he got asked to take her bags and he did, just he had hung around listening to their conversation and only left when Lois got ushered out. Annie shivered and continued assessing the dark walls, at least there was some form of portable heater in the corner; not that it would do much because it was so cold, so, so cold. The point of it seemed pointless. A stupid attempt at warming a space which would never be warm. Lifting her head slowly, she turned and looked at Clark, he looked at her a little confused. From experience, sudden bouts of silence weren't ever good; it always meant she was scheming something, or was about to do something. It just so happened that it was the latter of the two. He raised an eyebrow when she simply unwrapped her arms from around herself and held them up. He smiled, he got the hint rather loud and clear and moved forwards. Leaning down slightly, he managed to wrap his arms around her waist while hers went around his neck. She held on as he stood back up straight again, meaning her feet were now dangling rather pathetically above the ground.