[COLOR=GRAY][INDENT][INDENT]Clark walked along the side of Main Street, the only road, leaving Smallville towards Miller’s Field, hands shoved into his pockets, an old MP3 player clutched in his right hand, while headphones that had definitely seen better days sat under his hood on top of his thick head of hair. 

[CENTER][i][color=#ffffff]♫ Sometimes we never get started[/color][/i]
[i][color=#ffffff]No one will give you a wake-up call[/color][/i]
[i][color=#ffffff]Sometimes the hours are wasted[/color][/i]
[i][color=#ffffff]No one will give you a wake-up call ♫[/color][/i][/CENTER]
The steady thump of the backbeat kept Clark nodding along with the music. A smile crossed his face as his empty hand withdrew from the pocket of his denim jacket, running a thumb over his lips where Lana Lang had kissed him not even half an hour earlier.

Finding himself suddenly swept up in the music, Clark began to dance as he continued along the roughly paved road. Jumping into the air, he felt lighter tonight, clicking his heels together before gently landing on solid ground again. If he didn’t know any better, Clark would have sworn he could fly.  

Stopping along the Loeb Bridge, Clark leaned against the railing, watching the Elbow River lazily flow beneath, reflecting the light of the stars above. Stars that shone almost as brightly as Lana’s eyes. He could still see her coy smile just before she kissed him. The taste of her cherry lip gloss and the smell of her cupcake-scented perfume sent his head spinning again.

[CENTER][i][color=#ffffff]♫ Candy, she's sweet like candy in my veins[/color]
[color=#ffffff]Baby, I'm dying for another taste ♫[/color][/i][/CENTER]
The next track on his MP3 player rang out, echoing Clark’s own thoughts as a dumb smile was plastered across his face. Turning the volume up, he stretched his arms out, spinning around while dancing, only to suddenly find himself staring into a pair of headlights. 

Frozen in that moment, Clark couldn’t think as the car was suddenly on top of him. The screeching of tires and twisting of metal drowned out the music. Headphones were ripped from his ears as the full weight of the American-made sedan collided with his chest. Metal and concrete broke against Clark’s back, the ground going out from under him, before suddenly the night air was replaced by the freezing waters of the Elbow River. 

Pulled along by the current, Clark narrowly missed having the black Towncar land on top of him while he frantically checked himself for any sign of injury. Surfacing, he gasped for air but, beyond shock, couldn’t find any injury on himself. 

[color=#3d85c6]“What the h-”[/color] Clark muttered to himself before his eyes darted back to the ruined bridge and the glowing taillights beneath the surface.

[i][color=#3d85c6]The driver![/color][/i]

Stripping off the heavy denim jacket, Clark dove back beneath the surface. His mind was racing as he tried to figure out why he was still alive. His parents had always been protective, but Clark had been sickly when he was younger. In his adolescence, that had gone away, and he was the picture of health. 

Taking hold of the windshield, Clark pried it from the car with ease. Pulling the unconscious man from the front seat before noticing another passenger in the car. Pushing himself, he delivered the driver to shore before plunging back in.

His lungs should have been burning by now. But Clark barely felt winded. He chalked it up to adrenaline before the roof of the car in his hands suddenly peeled back like the top of a can of beans. Clark barely had time to register what he had done before he pulled the man from the wreckage. 

Dressed in a suit finer than anything Clark had seen in Smallville. The man had a magnificent mane of hair that spilled over his shoulders. Pulling him ashore, Clark felt the hands of another begin to help as the first man had regained consciousness. 

[color=#ffffff]“Sir!”[/color] He yelled, [color=#ffffff]“Mr. Luthor, Sir!”[/color] He yelled again before pushing Clark aside and beginning to try to resuscitate the man who must have been his boss. Flashes of red and blue refracted from the bridge above as the Sheriff’s department made its way on the scene. 

A cough brought Clark’s attention back to the man he had pulled from the water. The older man spat out a mouthful of water before the driver helped him to sit up. 

[color=#3d85c6]“Is-”[/color] Clark started, his eyes wide as the situation all began to sink in. [color=#3d85c6]“Is he going to be okay?”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]“Young man,”[/color] The driver replied, [color=#ffffff]“He is, thanks to you.”[/color] He said with a relieved smile.

[color=#ffffff]“Not every day a teenager saves one of the most powerful men in the world.”[/color]

A tug on the driver’s sleeve directed his attention back to his employer as the man croaked a request.

[color=#978fa8]“I’d like to shake the hand of the one who saved me.”[/color]

Clark stood, his legs feeling unsteady beneath him. 

[color=#3d85c6]“Clark, Sir, Clark Kent.”[/color] Clark offered a hand as he spoke. 

[color=#978fa8]“Young man, I owe you a great debt of gratitude.”[/color] The man replied, taking Clark’s outstretched hand. He gave it a firm squeeze before placing his other hand over top of Clark’s.

[color=#978fa8]“My name is Lionel, Lionel Luthor.”[/color][/INDENT][/INDENT][CENTER][IMG]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019ae5d8-259a-77b5-b37c-931c223261f3.webp[/IMG][/CENTER][INDENT][INDENT][color=#38761d]“Clark!” [/color]

Lex called out jovially as Clark entered the den of the younger Luthor’s home. He embraced Clark with a quick hug before holding up a glass.

[color=#38761d]“Can I offer you a drink? I don’t think I’ve seen you since the wedding, and I must admit that night was a blur.”[/color]

[color=#3d85c6]“A fifty-year-old Scotch will do that,”[/color] Clark replied with a smirk of his own. 

[color=#38761d]“Ah, yes, well, if a man intends to only get married once, he should make it a night to remember.”[/color] The bald man replied with a genuine grin.

[color=#3d85c6]“I’m pretty sure you spent more on that bottle of Scotch than I’ll make in a year at the Planet.”[/color] Clark retorted dryly. 

It was Lex’s turn to smirk.

[color=#38761d]“You didn’t exactly pick a lucrative career. My father would have happily helped you gain admission to any school of your choice. But as I recall, you turned him down.”[/color] Lex replied, holding up the class again as Clark politely declined.

[color=#3d85c6]“Sorry, I’m on the clock,”[/color] He answered, shaking his head.

[color=#38761d]“Ah, so this social call is actually a work call,”[/color] Lex stated coolly.

[color=#3d85c6]“I like to think of a social call within work hours,”[/color] Clark retorted,[color=#3d85c6] “Did you see the news regarding the metahuman attack at the bank in Midtown?”[/color]

[color=#38761d]“Hard to keep track of during the record crime wave Metropolis is currently experiencing, but I believe I did,”[/color] Lex said dismissively, pouring himself another drink.

[color=#3d85c6]“Luthorcorp has contacts with facilities that could help these people, don’t they?”[/color]

[color=#38761d]“Clark, you are aware my wife was the responding agent on that scene today.” Lex countered, “Well, I’m sure your intentions are good, but I don’t have much of a desire to live in a house divided by overstepping my wife’s jurisdiction.”[/color] Lex rubbed the top of his head, stopping at the base of his skull before massaging his neck.

[color=#3d85c6]“Lex, these people don’t deserve to be locked up, they need someone to help them find a place in this world where they can use their abilities for good.”[/color]

[color=#38761d]“Like Superman?”[/color] The other man countered.

Clark paused for a second.

[color=#3d85c6]“No-”[/color]

[color=#38761d]“See, Clark, that’s the problem. The media has turned Superman into some kind of an idol to be worshiped, and for what? For breaking the law. Last I checked, vigilantism was still illegal in America. But no one stops Superman, so why wouldn’t every other meta or mutant think they couldn’t take advantage of their powers too?”[/color] Lex argued, his voice firm, leaving little room for argument. 

But Clark wasn’t about to back down.

[color=#3d85c6]“Lex, I don’t think that’s a fair comparison. They’re not looking to be treated differently. Most metas are an average everyman. Just someone looking for a place to belong. The majority of whom would sooner give up their abilities if it meant a normal life.”[/color]

[color=#38761d]“And what would you have Luthorcorp do?”[/color]

[color=#3d85c6]“This,”[/color] Clark replied, handing Lex a folder from within the satchel slung over his shoulder. 

[color=#3d85c6]“I found this through the Planet’s archives. ‘Project Everyone’, a Luthorcorp incentive program that would give a purpose to metahumans, a fulfilling life where they could use their abilities to make a difference in exchange for a stable life.”[/color]

Lex took the folder, slowly flipping through the documents inside. His face looked as though he had seen a ghost. 

[color=#38761d]“This was one of my mother’s ideas,”[/color] Lex explained. His tone softened.

[color=#3d85c6]“I know,”[/color] Clark replied with a small smile.

[color=#38761d]“That’s a low blow, Clark.”[/color]

[color=#3d85c6]“I know,”[/color] Clark repeated with a wider smile. [color=#3d85c6]“But it’s something to think about. I did some further digging, and I think you might be able to broker a deal with Frost-”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]“Mr. Luthor!” [/color]

The two men turned to where the third had entered the den.

[color=#ffffff]“It’s your wife, Sir, she’s just been admitted to Metropolis General.”[/color][/INDENT][/INDENT][/COLOR]