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[The ID reads Clark Kent, as always. Not the right time to try fooling the network yet.]

Sadly, Captain Holiday was put under intensive care not long before I ended up here so I never got to talk to him. But I was hoping some of you might have gotten a chance to contact him before that. If you have, I'd appreciate if you could tell me about your conversations with him.

You don't have to tell me what the conversation was about, I understand a lot of them were confidential. [That word, he hates it. Lois might see it as a sign that she's pulling the right strings but Clark only sees it as a wall he cannot punch or fly over.]

It's really him I'm interested on. If you noticed anything weird in how he behaved, perhaps, or if he was acting completely normal.

[He pauses for a second. And then:]

I'd also be interested in talking with people who've been able to take a look at the Porter, or been in contact with it. I understand it's a privilege to be allowed near it?

Thank you.

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[Well, that means he doesn’t even need to use his vison on the drink, the smell of that would unmistakable enough. And he does what Kanaya would hate him for doing: he jump to conclusions, makes guesses. Considering some of the things he’s seen back home, and some of the things he’s seen in this place? A vampire isn’t even on the top ten. She’s being amiable and it’s easy to see how smart she is, so unless she gives him any reasons to think otherwise he’ll assume she’s pacific.

(Plus the only vampire that has ever tasted his blood said it tasted horrible and alien so he isn’t particularly worried.)]

I still think that her… boasting, her little games were means to draw the imPort’s attention to certain places, make them think whatever she wanted them- you- to think. Or the opposite, to have them look the other way and ignore things she didn’t really want you to know. Which means that her being quiet could simply mean she doesn’t have anything to hide from us or show us anymore.

Or… maybe she’s simply a little bit depressed. I guess the possibilities are endless. I’m just curious because I think she might be our only way out, if only we could figure out how to talk to her.

[ well, she can't fault him for a guess that's actually true, especially when he's going to be reasonable and not give her flak about it. she's had worse reaction from other vampires, clark's is pretty much the ideal. ]

It could be she has nothing to hide or show. It could be she's broadened her influence to let others do the work for her. Where her hand has begun in this world is something I'm not entirely confident in. I would be shocked if there was nothing prior to this January, personally.

But she's almost certainly our only way out. Even if we were able to escape by other means, nothing would keep her from bringing us back again, or sabotage any attempt to undermine her. She's very possessive like that.

But I really doubt talking to her will get us anywhere.

[Clark ‘hms’, idly tapping his fingers on the table once more. Her wording makes it sound like Lachesis wants them there, like she sees them as some sort of property in a way. The idea bugs him, but since he can’t quite figure out why he goes with it for now.]

If not by talking to her, then how are we going to find our way out through her? It’s not like we can force her.

[ another short pause sits, and there's a shrug in the tone ]

Sort of. We took care of each other. There were a bunch of us in the Glade; about 40 or 50 kids.

[ in the Glade. Now? There's 11. And dwindling. ]

[He opens his mouth, then closes it. Hm. Asking more about his world might just make things worse, and he doesn't have any right to get condescending with the kid.]

Are there any of the other kids in the 'glade' here with you?

From the Glade. It was a place, and the couple of us that started there got out before the Porter got us.

[ clark, pls. saying 'in' makes you sounds like those old people who say 'the marijuana'. but that's to say, yes, there are two other here. ]

You know Newt or Minho?

[ she sets her coffee back down, resting her hands on either side of it on the table. her manner seems to change, her jaw setting and eyes narrowing. it's like something hard just solidified in her chest, a heavy weight that she has to pass on to him. ]

There's something you need to understand. We aren't here against her will, she isn't some ally we can depend on in a struggle with the government. She's using them, like she's using us.

If you manage to reach her, you can't expect that we'll get anything we want simply because we talked to her. She is not our friend and she is not on our side, even if we may find ourselves with common enemies from time to time. But if you think she'll work with us with negotiation, the only thing you should count on is her laughing you out of the porter bay.

[Implying he isn't already one of those people.]

I have heard of Newt in passing, but never met either of them. They were from the Glade as well? [He can be taught!]

[ omfg clark, you adorable old dude. bless you. there is a small chuckle in his voice at that. ]

Yes, from the Glade. He was there a couple years longer before I showed up, though. Minho too.

[Clark listens intently, resting his head on a hand as he keeps on taps on the table with his fingers. If he doesn’t look surprised at her words it’s because… he isn’t. He hadn’t imagined Lachesis as this benevolent goddess that was just trying the best for them- if anything he imagined it (her?) as a petulant child who thought of them as toys for his game. But everyone deserves a chance to do what’s right and he wouldn’t be Superman if he didn’t try.

Somehow he gets the feeling that isn’t going to roll well with Kanaya, so he keeps it to himself.]

You’ve been her for long, longer than almost everyone. So I trust your world on that. But what choice do we have? She’s powerful enough to keep certain people in here despite their incredible powers, she’s powerful enough to give us powers, change our very DNA and who we are.

It’s not like we can fight her and force her to bring us home either.

[Don't you laugh at him, son. But nah, he's mostly glad the kid still has it on him to have a sense of humor, he sounds like he's gone through a lot. Him and his friends.]

And are they as good as gathering intel as you are?

Nah, they're a little slow on the uptake. [ said in the joking kind of tone teenage boys use to insult their teenage boys broskis. ] But they get on pretty well anyway.

[That makes him laugh. He likes this kid already.] I'm sure most people seem slow on the uptake to you, Thomas.

I'll keep an eye out for these friends of yours.

No, we can't. But there won't be any interceding with her, either. If she planned to do it out of goodwill, she would have done so by now.

She has what she wants already, at least as far as what we can offer. To turn her against it would take more leverage than we'll ever have. The cost is just too high.

[ because the only thing she can think of that would force lachesis' hand is atropos. there is no dealing with atropos, and to invoke her, if such a thing were even possible, would only bring an end to this world, and probably the rest of them with it. ]

[ though it can't be seen with audio, thomas is smiling on his end, which doesn't happen terribly often. but for real, though, so he doesn't sound like a total ass: ] I dunno. I think I just like figuring stuff out more than most people.

They're good guys to know.

[Clark frowns. Nothing she is saying is a surprise, but actually hearing it is different than just guessing.]

So we can't join forces with her and we can't go against her either.And yet we both agreed she's our only ticket out. We're running out of options, here.

The problem is you're looking for options where there aren't any. It's a misconception that many people seem to have, that there's something that can be done to expedite their return.

Make yourself comfortable, Mr. Kent. It's very possible that you'll be here for a very long time.

[Clark nods, but that isn't the face of someone who's accepted his fate. Very long time? Sure, he can handle that. He's done that before, actually.

Forever? Not an option.]

Well, thank you so much for all your answers, Kanaya. I think I don't have anything else to ask, so unless you want to add something I should probably let you be.

[ nothing lasts forever, clark. eventually, though it may be years in the future, there'll be a way home. but it will never be by their choice, that kanaya is certain of.

she downs the last of her coffee, then sets a five dollar bill under the mug before rising from her seat. ]

I think that will be it, Mr. Kent. The questions have been answered and the points made. [ she extends her hand across the table for him. ] I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.

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