clark kent / kal-el (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
signifies) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
riverviewlogs2017-03-12 10:08 am
signifies) wrote in riverviewlogs2017-03-12 10:08 am
Entry tags:
(no subject)
who: Clark and Michael.
what: Close encounters with the third kind.
when: During Sampreni.
where: The perimeter fence.
warnings: none.
[ The moment Clark has time on his hands after talking to Michael, and once he's sure he's alone, he starts trekking from one end of the fence to the other, scanning it. Clark can see tunnels around the area too. He memorises the ones completely invisible to human detection. Those he can find easily, he marks the entrance with diagrams. Most of them are about people-sized, but some are smaller and narrower.
He brought along a fresh notebook intending to contact Michael when he's done and hand him the complete and detailed set of notes.
Half the morning passes before someone approaches. They're still far enough that he can move away from loitering around the fence. They're also being very quiet, for a human.
Clark had expected everyone to be busy with the festivities. At least the stranger didn't account for his hearing. By the time they reach him, Clark is clearing a tunnel entrance. He's loud enough pushing away the fallen branches to have disguised the sound of anyone approaching him if they wanted to do it stealthily, and waits for them to announce themselves. ]
what: Close encounters with the third kind.
when: During Sampreni.
where: The perimeter fence.
warnings: none.
[ The moment Clark has time on his hands after talking to Michael, and once he's sure he's alone, he starts trekking from one end of the fence to the other, scanning it. Clark can see tunnels around the area too. He memorises the ones completely invisible to human detection. Those he can find easily, he marks the entrance with diagrams. Most of them are about people-sized, but some are smaller and narrower.
He brought along a fresh notebook intending to contact Michael when he's done and hand him the complete and detailed set of notes.
Half the morning passes before someone approaches. They're still far enough that he can move away from loitering around the fence. They're also being very quiet, for a human.
Clark had expected everyone to be busy with the festivities. At least the stranger didn't account for his hearing. By the time they reach him, Clark is clearing a tunnel entrance. He's loud enough pushing away the fallen branches to have disguised the sound of anyone approaching him if they wanted to do it stealthily, and waits for them to announce themselves. ]
no subject
[ Michael peers around the trunk of the nearest tree, spotting the man for the first time. His eyes rake over him, taking in every detail. Height, build, visible weaponry, and any hint of a concealed carry.
He's big. Bigger than Lincoln, even. He wouldn't need a gun to break Michael's neck. ]
What are you doing out here? Those tunnels are restricted.
no subject
It probably means that neither of them want a confrontation. ]
My name is Clark. I saw something run out from here and wanted to see where it came from.
[ The concrete curve of the entrance is poking out from the ground, visible from where Michael is standing. The rest is under the remaining branches. ]
Who are you?
no subject
[ Michael steps out from behind the tree. Michael recognizes Clark's voice from the network almost as soon as he speaks his name. Clark was the man who had helped before anyone else, when he says what he's doing and why, Michael believes him.
Almost.
He picks his way across the rough terrain with casual grace, coming to stand near Clark. Just outside of arm's reach. His muscles are tensed beneath his clothing, but his face and voice stay relaxed. Cool. Seemingly at ease in the other man's presence, and their surroundings.
Michael hasn't gotten this far being naive. They're alone out here, anything could happen, and no one would be around to see it. ]
It's Michael. Chicago Man? I was doing some over-time.
no subject
[ He's standing apart from Clark still, but Clark can bridge that gap by holding out his hand to shake. He didn't hear Michael's voice over the network, but there's sincerity in his words. He walks like one who's come here before to do his job.
People don't lie unless they have a good reason. ]
Good to finally meet you.
no subject
[ He smiles, taking Clark's hand for a friendly shake. Feeling the warmth of Clark's palm against his skin is calming. He relaxes, his breathing and heart-rate dropping somewhere in the realm of 'normal'. Normal for Michael, anyway. He's an anxious person by nature. Always alert. Intense, by most people's standards, and neurotic by others.
His eyes flicker over Clark's body, head to toe. Cataloguing. He laughs a little, genuinely, the corner of his mouth quirking. ]
You're a reporter? I thought I'd run into a lumberjack.
no subject
His heart-rate appears to have reached equilibrium, and Clark — like he's done for every person here — memorises the sound of his body. Anxious or otherwise, everyone has a response to real stress that Clark doesn't feel he should ignore. ]
I grew up on a farm.
[ He also eats his greens and listens to his mother. ]
Anyway, I think I found some kind of tunnel. Do you want to help me move the branches?
no subject
[ Clark's confident, but considerate, handshake doesn't go unnoticed. Between that and his small-town honesty, Michael can't help but be a little charmed.
He lets go of Clark's hand, and turns to start pulling away the foliage from the tunnel entrance. It's densely covered, enough that even Michael wouldn't have found it without a map. Clark's story that he'd seen something come out of bushes makes sense to a degree, but Michael's still not entirely sold.
Why would an animal coming out of the bushes be anything worth inspecting? ]
It's an old access tunnel. Records show it was sealed after the completion of the wall. Nothing should be going in or out.
What were you doing out here, looking for the next big scoop?
no subject
They push away the foliage. The entrance has one of those heavy stone covers, with a circular hole cut into the middle to let air circulate.
This one has been broken through, like something forced its way out. The cover is cleanly in two pieces. Clark pulls at the corner at the smaller half, testing how heavy it is. A human could move it, but with help.
He stands up, taking out his notebook to mark where this tunnel is. ]
Something like that. Do you have a torch?
no subject
[ Michael inspects the edge of the broken stone, running his fingers along the edge. The cover had been impacted from the back. Whatever had broken through had definitely come from inside of the wall. Judging by the fractures, the damage was through blunt force, and not a build up of pressure. There were no signs of an explosion, either.
Something had gotten out. His eyes scan over Clark's notebook, discreetly. Michael knows without looking at his own map that his records will match. Clark's been doing his work for him.
Michael peeks around the edges of the cover and into the depths of the tunnel. The networks of passages going up, down, and through the wall are maze-like in their intricacy, made only more convoluted by years of additions and repairs.
He pulls his flashlight from the fanny-pack at the small of his back. Being prepared trumps looking cool. He also has flares, water, and a few other provisions in case he gets lost. ]
I do, actually, but I'm not sure we should go any farther than the first passage. If there's something in there, and it's strong enough to have done that, we should come back with more man-power.
no subject
He listens. There's rats and cockroaches, but deep down there's a lot of shrieking and roaring. Clark can make out heavy creatures moving around.
He doesn't want to go in unprepared into an enclosed space. If it's just the first passage, he can make sure nothing happens to Michael. ]
I agree. Does anyone know you're here?
no subject
[ Michael flicks on the flashlight and shines it down the tunnel. He can only see as far as the beam, but the technical drawings of the inner wall are still fresh in his mind. They could keep walking for a solid ten minutes before they reached the far side of the interior wall.
He picks up a rock off the ground and throws it. He can hear the echo of the rock as it skips along the concrete floor, and half expects a wall of bats to come flying out at them. When nothing does, he takes the first tentative steps forward. ]
There are miles of tunnels within the wall. Some of them have been filled, but a lot of them were just closed off. If something got in here, there's no telling where it could have gone, or how many more there might be.
no subject
[ The flashlight illuminates some more gouges on the wall, with a different spacing between the lines. The smell is pretty strong too.
Michael doesn't have a gun. That leaves just Clark if something happens. ]
It wouldn't hurt to take a quick look.
no subject
[ A dark tunnel, monsters, and a mysterious stranger. What could go wrong?
Michael follows a scratch in the wall with his fingertip as they walk. Whatever made the mark was big. He walks calmly, and with purpose, but his heart is already beating harder in his chest. ]
This is all starting to feel a little Jurassic Park.
no subject
[ It's a weak joke. Michael is friendly enough, but not everyone who's friendly is open too. He walks side-by-side, giving Michael space. ]
Are there any cave-ins around here that you know of?
no subject
[ He picks up and throws another rock, his eyes closed as he listens in silence for a moment after. ]
There's something off about that echo. It's being split, somewhere. An open door maybe, or a cave-in. Guess we'll find out.
no subject
That way.
no subject
[ Michael's only half joking. If something's there, and neither of them are armed, their best bet is to take off.
He walks with slow, careful footsteps towards the jagged opening in the wall. Apprehensive. He takes a deep breath before looking out from around the corner and into the darkness.
The tunnel stretches out far past what he can see, dark and seemingly empty. He steps out into it, looking back over his shoulder at Clark. ]
Seems clear.
[ Michael had looked everywhere but up. ]
no subject
Something takes the bait.
It's so quick, using the dark as a cover. Clark hears its feet on the opposite wall, then the ceiling.
He looks up and sees rows of very sharp teeth being bared at them. ]
Run!
no subject
[ Michael wouldn't have heard, or seen the creature until it was too late. He stumbles backwards, into Clark, and then grabs his sleeve to tug him forwards.
They've got a better chance of running past it into the tunnel than navigating the turn back and out. Michael knows the interior of the wall well enough to lose it, if they can run fast enough. ]
C'mon!