Chapter 64

Inside the arctic Fortress of Solitude. 

Leonardo was currently inside the virtual training room looking down at a virtual corpse that had been chopped up. The limbs were all wrapped up in bags and dumped in a ditch next to the expressway in a desert setting. In which he needs to play detective and solve this crime before he could go onto the next generated crime that will be slightly harder.

When the thoughts of becoming a detective entered his mind on a whim. He thought it was interesting and decided to use the fortress to practice cases. Since then, before he realized it it had been around a month since he began. From very simple crimes such as pickpocketing and low level thefts to murders of passion to serial murders. Each case was increasing in difficulty.

It's just if he had to complain about one thing. Leonardo felt the detective group wasn't so robotic. They were so stiff and moved to a rhythm while only throwing out ideas after he stated something. Though, since they are programmed characters, it can't be helped.

Putting on his rubber gloves, Leonardo picked up one of the severed arms. An arm that was decayed, chunks were missing as insects and worms have long borrowed into it. Not to mention the rotten smell it emitted.

'It looks like this killer doesn't have much experience in the human body or butchering animals.' Leonardo thought as he examined the arm bone where it chopped off.

There were a bunch of chip marks on the bone and signs of repeated chops. For it seemed the killer attempted to target the joints but instead missed and chipped his way through the tough part of the bone. Luckily or unlucky the victim seemed to already be dead when the chopping began.

Humming to himself as he passed the arm back to the A.I forensic person. Leon continued to look at the other severed limbs while stroking his chin. Besides using his superbrain, in the simulation he is unable to use his other abilities. Otherwise he wouldn't see anything but the virtual room instead of what he wants to see.

"Do we know if it is a female or male?" Leonardo asked.

"Unable for the moment. The head and pelvis bones are missing. So we need to take it back to the lab for more in depth testing. The killer even ripped out the fingernails and tore up the hands. Not to mention it is hard to tell with the decay the limbs show." An A.I detective answered.

"It seems that they are fairly knowledgeable in covering their tracks, but inexperienced in dissembling the body." Leonardo frowned. "It's almost as if someone was half heartedly teaching them or the student came out on his own."

"There is also the option they were arrested before for another crime." The A.I detective added.

"There that too, but dumping isn't all that planned out either. I mean there are cameras in the two factories. If they have any cameras on the roof they should be able to see the express way clearly." Leonardo pointed.

After a few hours and allowing the virtual room to speed up time a bit. So a few days passed by in the virtual world. Leonardo managed to capture the killer apprentice and master thus solving the virtual reality case.

--

Leonardo returned to the Kent farm where he found Clark waiting for him. The guy looked troubled and from what he could read from his body language. It's some sort of girl or love problem.

"I need your help, Leo." Clark began.

"While I am not a master of the heart realm, I will try." Leonardo nodded.

"How? Wait, never mind and stop reading my body language." Clark sighed as his eyelid twitched in annoyance.

Leonardo noticed that while he claimed to say that, he let out a soft sigh of uncaring and relaxed his tense muscles in his arms. Which bummed Leonardo out a bit since it was a bit fun to poke at Clark's nerves like this as if he was reading his mind. However, Clark seemed to have grown a resistance to his antics over the last few years.

"You say that, but your body says otherwise. Anyways, did one of your ex-flings return?" Leonardo asked.

Well technically Clark considers them his girlfriends, the relationship never lasts more than a few days. Hence Leonardo doesn't really classify them as ex-girlfriends. Since in his opinion it should last over a week to earn that title. None of which Clark's previous attempts at dating have yet to achieve. For in this world, Clark and Lana clicked but immediately took a detour, which he felt he was to blame for some of it.

"Alicia back." Clark stated as if that was some grand secret.

"Be sure to use protection when she sneaks in again." Leonardo patted Clark's shoulder. "While the chances are small, that tiny chance will send Jonathan and Martha over the solar system."

Clark just slapped Leonardo's hand away. "Please be serious."

"I am, Clark." Leonardo shrugged. "She has been in Belle Reve for a while and if they let her out. Then I am sure the doctors agree she is stable enough to rejoin society."

"Yeah, but she did hurt her father pretty badly last time and tried to kill Lana." Clark said unsure.

"Then just be friends with her, and not try to court her. Just because she is a nice looking girl and knows about your abilities, doesn't mean she has to be your other half." Leonardo replied. "Besides, Clark. Lana is not going to take the news happily. While understandable, you know her tendency when she is angry or feels betrayed."

"She is not my only friend and it is not like I plan to take Alice to the Talon any time soon." Clark said while Leonardo saw a hint of lying in those words.

"Clark, I will just tell you now. The chances of those two becoming friends is very low. In fact it would probably be best for Alica to move away from Smallville." Leonardo said. "Now I don't mean it in a bad way, but Chloe articles and how infamous she is. Most will just look at her unkindly."

"It won't be that bad." Clark said with hope in his voice.

"Clark, most aren't like you who are very accepting of those that come out better once they did their time for their crimes." Leonardo vaguely said.

---

Later on, Leonardo was sitting cross legged on the barn roof as everyone went to sleep. There he just stared up in the sky at the stars. Feeling an emotion he felt many times before and the emptiness inside.

His days just feel so monotonous doing basically the same thing day in and day out. The Kents were friendly to him, but at arms length. While Clark is maturing into an adult, Leonardo is beginning to see Superman's personality bubbling to the surface as Clark moves past his moody teenager stage.

Aurora has finally received her business licenses and began a modeling studio. Which is something similar to Playboy and recruiting models. Though he knew and felt, Aurora will continue to expand the studio in more similar directions in the future.

Hence due to the launch of her business endeavors. Aurora didn't have much time lately to visit and he couldn't go visit her often. For some reason she still believes he rides a plane to see her, thus spending money on unnecessary plane tickets.

'Having a slow life isn't bad, but it's so boring.' Leonardo sighed to himself.

While Leonardo doesn't want super eventful days, he felt these monotonous days were driving himself crazy. The thought of having a slow life clearly doesn't fit him. For if he had to explain it, he felt like a bundle of energy that wanted to move rapidly, but forcefully contained it to move slowly.

'Well, even if it feels a bit bad, Chloe managed to use her few old friends still working at the police department and got me an entry ticket to the criminal investigation department. I just need to pass the training and review and I can begin and show my talent or be kicked off.' Leonardo sighed. 'After all she got me to the door quicker than others, but being accepted by others in a similar position is another matter.'