Superboy

Scene 8: Developing Powers

Clark arrived at Lois's apartment with only five minutes to spare. He had not meant to cut it so close. The conversation with Connor seemed to have made time go faster.

When he found Lois, she was already working on dinner, angrily flipping burgers on a frying pan. Judging from the way she was grumbling under her breath, the interview with Mercy Graves was still on her mind.

"Lois, I'm here," he said, making his way into the kitchen. "Didn't mean to cut it this close. It's just..."

"Can't talk right now, Clark," Lois replied without looking over her shoulder. "These burgers won't cook themselves, you know. Did you get the vegetables I asked you to get?"

"Yes, I did, Lois," said Clark, handing Lois the grocery bag he had been carrying into her free hand and feeling wrong-footed by the change of subject. "I got them with plenty of time to spare. I only got here later than expected because..."

"Well, now that you've got them, would you be a dear and wash the lettuce and tomatoes?" asked Lois. "And after you've done that, would you be kind enough to cut the onion?"

"Sure, Lois," said Clark, deciding to broach the subject of his near lateness another time. Lois was clearly still preoccupied about Mercy Graves. Clark could not blame her, as he had seen the broadcast of Graves meeting the press about Cadmus.

Cadmus had been on Clark's own mind for a while too, but for different reasons. After the League's last meeting, it had been agreed that any asset of Lex Corp's had to be looked into. Clark had been vocal on this point, and Bruce had been kind enough to back him up on that.

"Clark."

Clark came out of his thoughts and looked to see Lois glancing over in his direction by the sink. He had started to open the lettuce, but he had not yet made to wash them yet.

"You're not waiting for midnight to wash those vegetables, are you?" Lois asked, a hint of her old sarcastic personality.

Smiling in spite of himself, Clark made his way to the sink and began to wash the lettuce. "Sorry about that, Lois," he said apologetically.

"You seem a little off your game today," said Lois. "Why were back later than usual?"

"Well, funny thing," said Lois. "I accidentally bumped into a young boy, and I couldn't help but engage him in conversation."

"That's just so you, Clark," said Lois, flipping one of the burgers again. "You just can't help trying to make friends with everyone you meet."

"The odd thing about this boy," Clark went on, "was that I thought he kind of looked a little like me. I mean, he looked me back when I was only a teenager. Back when I lived with my parents."

"Well, you never know, Smallville," said Lois. "That might have been a relation of yours or something."

"I suppose it's possible," Clark admitted, becoming lost in thought again."

***

The conversation with Clark Kent remained fresh in Connor's mind as he continued to walking down the blocks of Metropolis. He had appreciated the man's kind words and all, but there was still something about him that... Well, something about him felt familiar to Connor.

As he turned around the corner of a tall building, he tried to think of what had made Clark Kent feel so familiar to him. Why did he look at him the way he had when they had talked? He was almost certain the man had felt the same way himself.

Before he could gather another thought, Connor suddenly faltered in his step. He had just heard something that sounded very ominous indeed. It sounded like something had been following him.