a different side to the Metropolis elite

[slayers_desire]

April has been getting a weird vibe all day. She was working in her art gallery today, with Jonathan safely in the play area next to her. Things are bright outside, and it looks like a beautiful way to start May, with the birds chirping and flowers blooming.

However, that weird vibe just won't go away.

It happened earlier in the day, when a group of three women had entered the gallery to do some window shopping. April talked with them a little, but generally let her girls handle the rest of the sales since those women seemed a little snobby.

Then a few hours later, another group of women had entered, and they had that same snobbery vibe. And while that might be normal for some of the elite-status women in her store, April had recognized one of the girls from a previous encounter. And she seemed so different today. So not herself. It sort of her had her puzzling what was going on.

"Dede dede?" Jonathan asked from his position in the playpen. "Sure buddy, I can give him a call." April smiled down at him, picking up the phone.

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[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark is out on the streets following a story, a local interest piece on a reopening restaurant in downtown Metropolis. It's nothing urgent, so he politely excuses himself from interviewing passersby for their opinions, and steps aside to answer the phone. He smiles a little when he sees the name on the screen. "Why, hello there."

[slayers_desire]

"Hell..." That is all April get's out before Jonathan grabs the phone from her. And starts babbling to daddy on it.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

The sound of the phone being grabbed startles him at first, but his smile returns when he hears who's on the other end. "Hey there, buddy. Using Mommy's phone today, huh?"

[slayers_desire]

Jonathan happily talks with daddy for a little bit, before April gently reclaims her phone from him. "Silly boy."

"Hi handsome. How is your day?"

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"Pretty good. I've only had to step out a few times today," he says, using their code for superhero activities. "I'm in downtown right now. Nothing major, just looking for public opinions."

[slayers_desire]

"I have had a quiet day myself," said April. She glances up as another woman enters the art gallery.and frowns. She closes the door to her office, "But something strange is going on... and I am not quite sure what it is."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"Strange? What kind of strange?" In his world, 'strange' can mean a lot of things, and few of them are good news.

[slayers_desire]

"I am just getting this weird vibe... like something is going on, but I am just not seeing it."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

With her, weird vibes are more than just nerves, so this especially gets his attention. "Should I stop by your shop?"

[slayers_desire]

"Please..." April checks on that woman, her spine tingles. "I think something definitely is weird."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"I'll be there in just a minute," he promises. And with him, she can believe he means it.

[slayers_desire]

April hangs up the phone, and picks up Jonathan. She watches the new lady from the window, with a soft frown. Like the others, this one is acting snobby towards the staff.

Looking closer, April notes a small ladybug pin on her shirt.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

As soon as Clark is able to find a spot where he's unobserved, he speeds across town, heading for April's art gallery. He walks in at normal speed, of course, as though he's just here to visit his wife. And in a way, he is.

"Excuse me," he says politely to the woman as he goes to move past her.

[slayers_desire]

The woman moves almost immediately, giving him a very polite, yet almost robotic response. "Sorry sir."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark pauses for a moment, not able to put his finger on just what was wrong there, but recognizing that something is off. He can already see what April means about something strange going on.

He continues past her to the office, knocking on the door gently.

[slayers_desire]

April opens the door, embracing her husband, just reassured that he is there. Jonathan also greets his father, calling out from his playpen.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark hugs her back, sensing that this is something she needs right now, and not really sure what's going on. It's almost like she was taking refuge in here. "Are you okay?" he asks, after shutting the door behind him.

[slayers_desire]

"It is strange... I am used to high society women coming in the store. But today, all of them are acting weird."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"What's been weird about it?" he asks, mentally putting on his investigative journalist hat.

[slayers_desire]

"Well... some of them are snobs to the staff. But they are extra snobby today."

"And one of the women, when she was here last week, was all bubbly and excited about the art. And today, she snubbed the staff."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"So you think that their behavior is related somehow." It wouldn't be the first time that people started acting weird, and usually following it back to the source solves the mystery, usually with trouble involved.

[slayers_desire]

"Every time I see one of them, I get that weird vibe."

((have to head out for the evening))

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"What do your voices say about it?" he asks, looking out the window at the woman in the store, watching her behavior.

[slayers_desire]

"She is wearing a ladybug pin... and when I look at it, my voices show me blood and tar."

The women finishes her shopping escape, leaving even without a polite nod.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Blood and tar... that doesn't ring any bells for Clark. "Should we follow her?" He doesn't want to take Jonathan into danger, and they can't just leave him here... there might be time to take him to Watchtower and leave him with whoever's on duty.