Pitbull, Chapter 10

Perry and full cast, from "Perry"
Season 3
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: These characters belong to the CW and DC Comics, not to me.
Read the story from the beginning here.
Read Chapter 9 here.

"Mrs. Kent?"

Martha Kent stepped out on the porch of the old yellow farmhouse, looking wary. She was a lovely woman in her forties, her long auburn hair drawn up in a ponytail, her face etched with lines that somehow only made her more beautiful.

Perry offered her his biggest, dumbest smile. Sometimes that threw people off, fooling them into thinking he was harmless until it was too late.

"I'm Perry White," he said, extending his hand. She pointedly didn't take it, and he drew his arm back. "I was just talking with your son when he disappeared."

She turned her head, looking around the farm. "Where is Clark? I just called him, but--"

"I don't think you understand what I'm saying, Mrs. Kent. He literally disappeared. One minute he was running toward the house, and the next moment-- poof. He was gone."

He saw fear in her green eyes, just a second, before she managed to mask it. But it was enough to make him certain that she knew what had happened to Clark. She turned her head and glared at him.

"I know about you, Mr. White," she said coolly. "I know that you were arrested for driving while intoxicated, and that you came very close to hitting my son with your car."

Mama Lioness is showing her claws, Perry thought, amused. "Your son ran out in front of me, actually," he said, although honestly, he was still pretty sketchy on details of what had happened that day.

"I also know that you've been thrown out of a local bar for drunkenness, and that you've been harassing people in town. In my opinion, you should still be in jail."

And what impressively sharp claws they are. "Mrs. Kent," he said, "we're not talking about me. We're talking about your son, and his very impressive ability to appear and disappear in the blink of an eye. What is it, teleportation of some kind?"

He thought he saw that flicker of fear again, but this time it was so well concealed he couldn't be certain. "You're drunk," she said, just as dismissively as Clark had. "You're imagining things, Mr. White."

"I doubt it." Since the gloves were already off, Perry crossed his arms over his chest and let the amiable expression fade from his features. "I've been doing research on your son. He has a very impressive ability to show up almost instantly, wherever there's trouble. He's also very strong and very durable. There's something very peculiar about Clark."

She drew herself up to her full five foot, four inches, looking like she might strike him. "There is nothing peculiar about my son," she said through her teeth. "He's just an ordinary teenager. But I'm starting to think there's something very peculiar about your interest in him, Mr. White."

"Please." Perry rolled his eyes. "I'm not the sort of pervert you're implying. I'm interested in a potential story. That's all."

"Regardless," she said, narrowing her eyes into green slits, "you will get off this farm right now, or I'll call the sheriff. I doubt you want another run-in with her."

Just the thought of the Howdy Doody sheriff was enough to make Perry cringe, but he persisted. "I'd like to interview Clark, Mrs. Kent."

"No," she said flatly. "Now get off my land."

Perry shrugged and offered her a saccharine smile. "Thank you for your help, Mrs. Kent."

He turned around and went down the old wooden steps, hearing the door slam behind him. He headed for the main road. It was a long walk back to town.

But, he thought, it had definitely been worth the trip out here. He'd learned a great deal about the mystery that was Clark Kent.

And he intended to learn a whole hell of a lot more.

*****

"Are you all right, son?"

Evening had fallen. Clark staggered off the bus from Metropolis and trudged wearily through the darkness toward his father. "It's been a weird day," he answered. "My superspeed gave out around Lake Tahoe."

Jonathan blinked incredulously. "That has to be a thousand miles."

"I know. One second I'm racing across the country, the next I can barely jog. I tried to make it home, but my superspeed gave out again around Colorado Springs. I barely had enough money for a bus ticket."

They walked back toward the waiting truck, and Clark fell gratefully into the cab. His dad walked around and got in the driver's seat. "This thing's getting way out of control, Clark."

"You're telling me." Clark closed his eyes, remembering the none-too-pleasant sensation of being unable to stop running, and the even more unpleasant discovery that his powers had given out a very long distance from home. "Don't worry, Dad. I'm glued to the couch until this solar flare passes."

Jonathan sighed. "I'm afraid it's not going to be that easy, son. Perry White saw you disappear. Now, your mother managed to get him off the farm, but I don't think he's going to give up. Not that easily, anyway."

Clark echoed his sigh with a long one of his own.

"Great," he said. "This day just keeps getting better and better."

Read Chapter 11 here.