Deadly Persuasion [31]

The sun was beginning to set on the Kent farm, and Clark was busy stacking bales of hay in the barn. The day had been long, but the physical work helped him focus. He stopped for a moment, glancing in the direction of a car approaching.

VRUUUM!

Clark looked toward the noise and recognized Lex's car. He dropped the bale of hay and walked toward the car, curious about the visit.

'What does he want now?'

Lex's car stopped in front of the house, and the door opened slowly. Lex got out with a serious air, but he maintained his usual calm smile when he saw Clark approaching.

"Hey, Lex. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" Clark said with a slight smile, but he could already sense that Lex wasn't just there for a casual chat.

Lex closed the car door, adjusting his tie as he walked toward Clark. "Clark, I need to warn you about something. I just came from a reception with Bob Rickman, and he mentioned he's interested in your farm."

Clark frowned for a moment, surprised. "Rickman? What does he want with the farm?"

"He wants to build a pesticide factory here," Lex explained, his voice firm. "I know this guy, Clark. He's dangerous. He can be very persuasive, and trust me, he won't give up easily."

Clark took a deep breath but kept his expression calm. "Lex, you know my dad. He's never going to sell the farm, so you don't have to worry. Jonathan Kent isn't the kind to cave under that kind of pressure."

"I know your father is a strong man, but Rickman plays dirty. He's pressured people before, and believe me, he can go much further than we can imagine," Lex said, offering a small smile as he admired Clark's confidence.

Clark nodded, realizing Lex was genuinely concerned. "Thanks for the warning, Lex. I'll talk to my dad about it. But honestly, I think Rickman is wasting his time here."

Lex looked at Clark with a more serious expression. "I just want you to be prepared, Clark. Rickman isn't someone to be underestimated."

"I'll remember your advice, Lex," Clark said in a calmer, yet grateful tone. "Thanks for looking out for us."

"I know you will, Clark," Lex said, heading back to his car. "But be careful. He could show up at any moment."

Lex got into his car, started the engine, and gave Clark one last wave before driving off. Clark stood there for a moment, watching Lex's car disappear into the distance.

'Now it's just a matter of waiting for him to show up and deal with it.'

Clark took a deep breath, still thinking over Lex's words, before returning to his work in the barn. He knew that sooner or later, Rickman would try something, but he also knew his family was ready to face any challenge.

Clark went back to stacking the hay bales, focusing again on the work but keeping his mind alert for what was to come.

...

Kyle walked through the quiet streets of Smallville, the weight of his thoughts reflected in his serious expression. He knew that sooner or later, he would have to deal with Bob. Suddenly, he saw Bob himself coming out of a building ahead, his face lit up with a confident smile.

Kyle quickened his pace and approached Bob, his voice tense.

"Rickman, we made a deal nine years ago. You promised you'd leave Smallville alone. I think it's time to honor that promise."

Bob looked at Kyle, still smiling. "Kyle, things change. That deal… it was a good move back then, but now the interests are different. Smallville's in my way again, and I'm going to move forward with my plans."

Kyle clenched his fists, holding back his anger. "You should leave Smallville while you still can."

Bob chuckled, unfazed. "Do you really think you have any control over this? I suggest you think twice before making threats you can't back up."

At that moment, Whitney walked out of *The Beanery* and saw Kyle talking to Bob. He frowned, remembering Lana's accident, where Kyle had been involved.

"Hey, Kyle, what are you doing here? Stay away from Lana," Whitney said, his voice filled with frustration and anger.

Bob, sensing the tension, smiled maliciously. He walked over to Whitney and extended his hand. "Whitney, right? Maybe you should handle this in a more… decisive way."

Still irritated, Whitney shook Bob's hand, not noticing the subtle, green glow that surrounded their handshake. His eyes glazed over a little, and he turned sharply toward Kyle, who looked at him with suspicion.

"You want to settle this right here, right now?" Whitney shouted, advancing toward Kyle, clearly agitated.

Kyle, seeing Bob using his powers, raised his hands, trying to avoid the confrontation. "Calm down, kid. This has nothing to do with you."

But Whitney wasn't listening anymore. He shoved Kyle hard, causing him to stumble backward.

"Enough!" Whitney shouted, advancing again and landing a punch on Kyle's face.

Kyle defended himself, but Whitney seemed out of control. The two started brawling in the middle of the street, exchanging punches and shoves. However, Whitney didn't have Kyle's experience and was quickly overpowered. Kyle pushed him to the ground, and Whitney hit his head hard on the pavement, becoming dizzy and vulnerable.

Thud!

Lana, who had been inside *The Beanery*, came running out when she heard the noise. "Whitney!" she shouted, kneeling beside him as Kyle backed off, still breathing heavily.

The police, who were nearby, quickly arrived on the scene, drawn by the commotion. One of the officers stepped out of the car and, without hesitation, arrested Kyle.

"I was defending myself!" Kyle tried to explain, but the officer, with a cold look, pushed him into the patrol car.

Bob Rickman, with a satisfied smile, approached the officer. "Great job, officer," he said, extending his hand for a handshake.

"I know people like Kyle don't deserve to be in society," Bob murmured as he shook the officer's hand. "You should take care of that… tonight."

The officer's gaze became vacant for a moment, but he quickly nodded in agreement, without question.

"I'll take care of it, Mr. Rickman," the officer replied, closing the patrol car door with Kyle inside.

Bob smiled and turned away, walking calmly down the street as if everything was under control.

Lana, still kneeling beside Whitney, waited for the ambulance to arrive, her eyes filled with worry.

...

Clark was on the porch of his house, the night silent and peaceful. He gazed at the stars, letting his thoughts drift while feeling the soft breeze of the countryside. The day had been full, and he could finally relax for a few moments.

Ding!

The sound of a notification broke the silence, and Clark pulled his phone from his pocket. He saw it was a message from Lana. He opened the message quickly, curious about what she wanted to say.

Lana: Clark, I need to tell you what happened. Whitney ended up getting into a fight with Kyle today. It all happened so fast, I think it's connected to the accident I had with the horse earlier. He was so worried about me, and it seems like that pushed him out of control.

Clark frowned as he read, concerned about what had happened.

Clark: I'm sorry for all of this, Lana. I hope Whitney will be okay. If you need anything, you know where to find me.

After sending the message, Clark looked at the phone, expecting a quick reply. A few seconds later, a new message appeared on the screen.

Lana: Thanks, Clark. The ambulance already came, and he's being taken care of. I'm just worried, it feels like everything's going wrong lately.

Clark quickly typed a few more supportive words, but inside, he was reflecting on what was going on.

Clark: Lana, what about Kyle? What happened to him?

Lana:The police took him. I don't know what's going to happen, but he was trying to defend himself, everything is so confusing, Clark.

Clark frowned as he read Lana's response, his concern now shifting to Kyle.

'Someone might try to kill him at the station. If Bob Rickman's involved, I can't trust that he's safe there.'

Clark quickly ended the conversation with Lana, sending one last message.

Clark: Stay calm, Lana. Everything will be fine.

As soon as the conversation ended, Clark put his phone back in his pocket and, in an instant, became invisible.

Whoosh!

Clark's super speed took him directly to the Smallville police station in a matter of seconds. He stopped outside the building, his body still invisible, and observed the activity inside.

'The station's still pretty busy. Getting Kyle out of here will be tricky at this hour… I'd better check the minds of the officers first.'

Clark concentrated, expanding his telepathy to read the minds of the officers inside the station. He needed to find out if any of them were already under Bob Rickman's influence and what plan might be unfolding.

As he scanned the minds, he noticed that some officers were agitated, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. However, when he focused on one of the officers further away, Clark picked up disturbing fragments of thoughts.

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