The Town Where No One Got Off 
Bradbury Challenge #2 
by Julad

* * * * *

Clark was adopted.  There was... Lex dropped the report on his desk, and
rubbed his palm absently over his scalp.  There was something *about*
that...

* * * * *

Clark wanted him.  He was sure of it.  He looked at Clark, and one look
was all he needed to be sure that a little nudge, the slightest pressure,
and those long legs would crumple until Clark was mere inches from where
Lex needed him most.

Lex licked his lips, but then threw back the covers, and rang for
coffee.  No time to be thinking about these things, he had a plant to
run.

* * * * *

Chloe Sullivan, Best Friend #1.  The Torch.  Gabe's Daughter.  Born and
raised in Metropolis.

Pete Ross, Best Friend #2.  Youngest of Five.  Parents from Gotham City,
moved to Smallville in '82.

Hmm, Lex thought.  There was something about that.

* * * * *

"Lex, come to bed," Victoria whined.  Lex smiled sweetly.  She'd shown
him a great time in the museum coatroom in Metropolis, but with a woman
like Victoria, once every three years was probably enough.

"I'll be there soon," he called, and went back to his spreadsheets.

* * * * *

Lana Lang-- object of Clark's affections.  Beautiful, intelligent, and
by all reports virginal.  Lex consulted his notes.  She and Whitney had
been dating for two years.

Lex tapped his pen against the paper.  A virginal cheerleader dating a
virginal quarterback... there was something... but it probably wasn't 
important.

* * * * *

When his eyes were too tired to stay open any longer, Lex dragged
himself into the bedroom.

"You took your bloody time," Victoria snapped.  "Don't think you'll be
getting any, now."

"Awww, baby, c'mon," Lex crooned, but to his relief, she rolled over.

* * * * *

Simon Smith was a gym queen who worked in Smallville's only travel
agency.  He was enough, Lex supposed, to relieve the nagging frustration
he was feeling.

"A lot of weekend trips," Simon was saying.  "Metropolis, mainly, but
also Gotham, Edge City, Coast City, anywhere, really." He shifted his
beer bottle a little closer to Lex's.  "We should go on one."

He was just too boring to bear.  "My idea of a weekend trip is Prague,"
Lex snarled, and picked up his coat.  He wasn't in the mood to get laid,
anyway.

* * * * *

Victoria was gone.  Lex ordered the mansion cleaned from top to bottom,
and then ran himself a deep, hot bath.  He was going to stay in there
all night, and have a long, hard think about Clark Kent.  Clark Kent and
his lips, Clark Kent and his perfect little ass, Clark Kent and that
rich, deep scent he carried, Clark Kent and... how he'd managed to
survive that fall from the bridge.

And never mind the bath.   Lex had a very urgent mystery to investigate.

* * * * *

"I'm pleased with you Lex," his father was saying.  "Smallville has been
a very educational experience for you.  I want you to come back to
Metropolis."

Lex didn't want to go.  There was Clark Kent, for one, and besides. 
Life here was... peaceful.  Quiet.  Uncomplicated.

There was something, Lex thought.  Something vaguely *creepy* about
that.  But these people were good people.  He couldn't leave them.  They
had homes, families...

* * * * *

Hitting the freeway, Lex was overcome by a terrible urge to turn back. 
He couldn't go to Metropolis, even for the day.  Bad Things would happen
there.  He was happy in Smallville.  He *liked* Smallville.  He didn't
want to leave it, and he certainly wasn't going to enjoy spending the
day with his mean, nasty father.

Lex nodded to himself.  He'd turn back, at the next turnoff.  Or, no,
wait.  He'd turn back at the next driveway.  No, he'd turn back *now*,
this *instant*, as soon as that truck had passed, he'd turn-- no, screw
the truck, he *had* to turn back, or it would be too--

The Maserati skidded, and spun, and the truck honked angrily at him. 
Shaken, Lex put the car into gear, not caring what direction he was
going.

It was a few minutes before he realised that he was headed for
Metropolis.

Lex nodded to himself.  He missed the clubs.  He missed the drugs.  He
missed Metropolis.  And with the sudden, burning pain in his loins, he
realised he needed a good fuck.  Metropolis, definitely.  But first he
was going to pull over, and jerk off thinking about Clark Kent.

Clark wanted him. Lex wanted Clark. Clark would be a *fantastic* lay,
and ohhhh, *yes*.

* * * * *

Lionel Luthor's voice echoed through his entire Metropolis apartment. 
"You've disappointed me, son."

Was his father here? Was it the machine?  Was his father's voice also 
the Voice of God?  Lex tried to get his eyes to open.  He had to let 
go of the -- breast?-- he was holding, to shield his burning eyes 
against the light.  

Ah.  Here, in the flesh, and very angry.  There were also nice, warm 
bodies underneath him.  Lex closed his eyes again.

"Fuck off, Dad."

* * * * *

Mid-afternoon sometime, Lex felt his head clearing, and got out of bed. 
He had urgent business to attend to, but that could wait.  There was 
something about Smallville, and he wasn't going back until he found 
out exactly what it was.

Lex rang the guidance counsellor at Smallville High, and dropped his
name.

"Mr Luthor," she said breathlessly.  "What can I do for you?"

"LuthorCorp is preparing its annual charity review, and I'd like some
statistics, if you have them."

"Of course," she fluttered.  "Anything."

"Can you give me figures on teen suicide, teen drug problems, teen
pregnancies?"

"Well," she said.  "Twelve suicides this year, terribly tragic."

"*Twelve?* Is that, ah. Standard?"

"Hmm."  Sounds of paper rustling.  "It's a little too early to tell. 
But last April there had only been nine."

Lex made a note to actually *have* an Annual Charity Review.  "I see. 
What about drug problems?"

"Oh, it's hard to say," she said.  "The police think most of the
suicides are drug-related.  That poor boy who threw himself into your
lake and got frozen over, for instance.  He must have been on drugs, to
do that."

Lex crossed out the Charity Review note.  "Certainly," he agreed. 
"Tragic.  And teen pregnancy?"

"I'll just have to look that up," she said, "because there haven't been
any while I've been here."

"And how long is that?"

"Hmm?" More paper shuffling.  "Oh, six years, come August."

Lex breathed a sigh of relief.  "Thank you, Miss Marshall.  You've been
immensely helpful."

* * * * *

There was definitely something about Smallville; a mystery that Lex 
needed to investigate, urgently.  But first things first.

"Clark.  It's Lex.  I'm sending a limo for you; we're spending the
weekend in Metropolis."

* * * * *

end