DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the "Smallville", DC, or "Static Shock"
characters nor am I receiving any fundage for this intrepid undertaking.
Summery: Well I got to thinking as, probably a lot of other people have Lex
from all three seasons was hardly the type to even over time become the
awful Lex Luthor we know of in DC Comics. Alexander Joseph Luthor would
rather die then become anything like his father, and in turn his father
would never allow him to not become him. Here's a future fiction snippet on
what I think occurred.
The Man of Tomorrow?
~~~Thoughts of the Past. ~~~
It always bothered Clark Kent; A.K.A Superman, how it had come to this. His once best friend; Lex Luthor, was now his strongest enemy. It never seemed like this would happen. Lex had always treated him like a younger brother, and that's how it felt.
Lex had come to Smallville to run the fertilizer plant. Of course, Lex preferred to be anywhere but there, but soon the young Luthor carved out a niche. Sure Lex had secrets, a dark past, things he preferred to leave in the past. Clark too had his secrets, perhaps that what tore them apart. Lex pointed this possibility out once right before Clark went off to the Spring Formal.
Superman pondered these thoughts as he thought about his last match with Lex. It was another take over the world thing, no different from the others, except the methodology was different. Lex had changed so much; it was like listening to Lionel Luthor gloat and revel, but looking at Lex Luthor. He tried to reason that the new behavior was due to the electroshock Lex had received in Belle Reve sanitarium. The hand of Lionel Luthor was cruel, and no one was safe. Clark had known Lex was completely sane, just drugged. He would have gotten Lex out of there in time but he hesitated. Thinking back, that mere pause had cost Lex a chunk of his memory and scarred his personality from then on.
He had to know, trace it back to the beginning to find out where and how two best friends had become mortal enemies. It was something he had to do, something that was nagging at him deep with in his mind. Lois would never understand, but he did not expect her to. He had already been to the caverns back in the town of Smallville where he had grown up; there was nothing there, but cave drawings and rocks. On his way back to Metropolis, he paused over the bridge and river where he had first run into Lex. Check that! Where Lex had, well, drove into him on that fateful day. How could one not forget 60 miles per hour of Porsche speed-slamming into him, pulling the older bald man from the car, and then giving him the breath of life. Those were the good old days, hanging out at the Talon, or at the castle. Lex was just like a big brother to him, and nothing like Lionel Luthor at all. Lex was compassionate, calm, and funny in a reserved way. Sure, he had darkness in him; but he always cancelled it out by doing the right thing in the end.
Leaving Smallville behind; his next stop was Cadmus Labs, another part of the past that deserved closer inspection. The Lab, though closed for sometime now, was a repeat mention in his history with Lex Luthor of the past. Maybe, there would be a machine there to help turn back the hands of time; so Superman or even Clark Kent would be able to save the one person he really wanted to save. Entering the empty modest sized building, he used X-ray vision to look for clues of any kind. This was the first time he, himself, had stepped foot into the lab, before, he could not because of the kryptonite that was stored within. The Justice League had said they had cleared out all the meteor rocks they could find. He was not able to be present at any of the matches or clean up at the lab because of the kryptonite. Using his X-ray vision once more he scanned the floor, the ceiling, and then the walls. As he turned to the last wall, he found that his vision did not penetrate it. This meant that the last wall was made of lead. Why would anyone make a wall of lead? The other walls were normal plaster walls; each with some sort of storage closet behind it filling the room to the outer wall of the building. This inconsistency peaked Superman's curiosity. One swift punch was all it took for the plaster mask of the wall to crumble into broken pieces. Gleaming behind the façade was the dull gray of metal, the lead wall. Interestingly enough, the lead wall had a door. Using his heat vision he melted the hinges on the door and pulled it out of the jam. It was then Superman started to feel a familiar sickness; this illness was always brought on when meteor rocks were somewhere close by. Superman stumbled back, glad for once that he had not tossed the door aside like he would have normally done. Putting it between himself and the room, the effects of the green kryptonite started to wear off.
"I need someone to come to Cadmus Labs; I've found something interesting." Superman said speaking into his communicator.
Just as he finished speaking, a red streak blasted into the room.
The Flash AKA Wally West, stopped as he got to Superman. "I came as fast as I could, what's up?"
Superman motioned toward the secret room.
The Flash rubbed his hands together. "Neato a hidden room, wonder why we did not catch that before."
Just then the duo was joined by another duo, two teenagers one dressed in blue and yellow, the other in green and blue. Neither of the teens' outfits were spandex or tights.
"Static, Gear, glad you could make it." Superman stated.
Static smiled. "Wouldn't miss out on a mission for anything. So what's up S- man?"
Static and Gear were not from Metropolis; they had come from Dakota to get more training from the Justice League. They had first met the teens when they needed help defeating a foe known as Brainiac. Static Shock AKA Virgil Hawkins, is an African American male with the ability to use electromagnetic powers; he can fire bolts of electricity, make charged force fields, and propel himself thru the air. Gear AKA Richie Foley, is Caucasian with a super powered intellect that gives him the ability to build and design everything he is geared up with.
Superman, once again, motioned to the room he had found. The Flash was already heading inside.
"Yo Flash, wait for back up." Gear called out and headed that way.
Static started to go as secondary back up to Flash and Gear, but he stopped. "What's with the door S-man? You coming or are you just going stay here and hold that?"
Superman nodded. "There's kryptonite; I'll stay here until you guys find out what's in there."
Static nodded and followed Gear across the main lab and into the room.
The room was small and bare, except for a machine sitting in the center with glowing green lights coming out of the back.
Flash scratched at the cowl that covered his head. "What is this?"
"Let me have backpack run a scan on it." Gear said.
The backpack on his back sprung to life as a scanner snaked out and ran up and down the length of the large device. The results of the scan would be transmitted to the visor hanging before his eyes.
Static walked around the machine. "Freaky, it looks like one of those sleep chambers you see in those space movies."
Flash bent over the top of the apparatus and brushed his hand along the smooth surface. "It looks like a glass top; but it's fogged over I can't see inside. Sure wish I had X-ray vision; then I could have this mystery solved and go get a pizza."
Static chuckled. "Not the most patient hero, are you, Flash? Just chill, Gear is good with this sort of thing. He'll be done in no time and you will soon be up to your ears in pizza."
"Whoa guys, you won't believe this. That is exactly what it look like, and there is someone in it. To top it all off, the whole thing is powered by kryptonite." Gear said as he looked thru the data transmitted from backpack's scan.
Flash jumped back. "You mean there's a freeze-dried person in there?!"
Static smirked at Flash's reaction. "Bigger question! Is that someone alive? If so, can we get that someone out of there?"
Gear stepped closer to the gadget. Looking between it and the reading on his visor, he found the control panel. He knelt down to take a look at what was what; soon, he felt uncomfortable as Flash and Static looked over both of his shoulders. If he were to shrug, he would pop both of them in their chins.
"Uh guys, as much as I enjoy our close friendship, I am thinking; right now, you both are too close." Gear said
Both of them stepped back mumbling apologies. Flash, then, left to go fill Superman in on what they had found.
"I heard everything Flash." Superman said as Flash reached him.
Flash nodded, "I know; it was just an excuse. I was feeling old in there, and somewhat useless."
"What's wrong Flash? Can't keep up with the peanut galley?" Superman joked.
Flash shook his head, "I can keep up with electro-kid any day, but it's Gear. He's saying stuff, a lot of stuff, but darned if I know WHAT it all means. The kid is a whiz. Batman may be able to keep up, but even that is a half and half chance."
"I got some of it. I think what he said, in simple talk, was that he was going to start the thawing process." Superman chuckled.
Flash started bouncing on his toes. "How long do you think that'll take? Maybe, I should go get a pizza; you know, some brain food."
"Go get some pizza and NO anchovies and pineapple. We'll probably be here for a while." Superman said.
Flash shot Superman a grin and, in a blink, the high speed hero was gone.
Pizzas eaten; the foursome had waited and waited. The thawing process would take longer than expected. Gear had explained that it was because the pod had not been regularly maintained in some time; though from cache files, the pod had been defrosted and refrozen many times in the past. The last handful of cycles had been more like clockwork; they decided to take the pod with them. Since removing and disposing of the kryptonite energy cell, Superman hefted the pod easily as if it was made of Styrofoam. It was brought back to the Halls of Justice and put in a safe-med room. Gear excused himself from the evening patrol and continued to monitor the thawing process.
The Man of Tomorrow?
~~~Thoughts of the Past. ~~~
It always bothered Clark Kent; A.K.A Superman, how it had come to this. His once best friend; Lex Luthor, was now his strongest enemy. It never seemed like this would happen. Lex had always treated him like a younger brother, and that's how it felt.
Lex had come to Smallville to run the fertilizer plant. Of course, Lex preferred to be anywhere but there, but soon the young Luthor carved out a niche. Sure Lex had secrets, a dark past, things he preferred to leave in the past. Clark too had his secrets, perhaps that what tore them apart. Lex pointed this possibility out once right before Clark went off to the Spring Formal.
Superman pondered these thoughts as he thought about his last match with Lex. It was another take over the world thing, no different from the others, except the methodology was different. Lex had changed so much; it was like listening to Lionel Luthor gloat and revel, but looking at Lex Luthor. He tried to reason that the new behavior was due to the electroshock Lex had received in Belle Reve sanitarium. The hand of Lionel Luthor was cruel, and no one was safe. Clark had known Lex was completely sane, just drugged. He would have gotten Lex out of there in time but he hesitated. Thinking back, that mere pause had cost Lex a chunk of his memory and scarred his personality from then on.
He had to know, trace it back to the beginning to find out where and how two best friends had become mortal enemies. It was something he had to do, something that was nagging at him deep with in his mind. Lois would never understand, but he did not expect her to. He had already been to the caverns back in the town of Smallville where he had grown up; there was nothing there, but cave drawings and rocks. On his way back to Metropolis, he paused over the bridge and river where he had first run into Lex. Check that! Where Lex had, well, drove into him on that fateful day. How could one not forget 60 miles per hour of Porsche speed-slamming into him, pulling the older bald man from the car, and then giving him the breath of life. Those were the good old days, hanging out at the Talon, or at the castle. Lex was just like a big brother to him, and nothing like Lionel Luthor at all. Lex was compassionate, calm, and funny in a reserved way. Sure, he had darkness in him; but he always cancelled it out by doing the right thing in the end.
Leaving Smallville behind; his next stop was Cadmus Labs, another part of the past that deserved closer inspection. The Lab, though closed for sometime now, was a repeat mention in his history with Lex Luthor of the past. Maybe, there would be a machine there to help turn back the hands of time; so Superman or even Clark Kent would be able to save the one person he really wanted to save. Entering the empty modest sized building, he used X-ray vision to look for clues of any kind. This was the first time he, himself, had stepped foot into the lab, before, he could not because of the kryptonite that was stored within. The Justice League had said they had cleared out all the meteor rocks they could find. He was not able to be present at any of the matches or clean up at the lab because of the kryptonite. Using his X-ray vision once more he scanned the floor, the ceiling, and then the walls. As he turned to the last wall, he found that his vision did not penetrate it. This meant that the last wall was made of lead. Why would anyone make a wall of lead? The other walls were normal plaster walls; each with some sort of storage closet behind it filling the room to the outer wall of the building. This inconsistency peaked Superman's curiosity. One swift punch was all it took for the plaster mask of the wall to crumble into broken pieces. Gleaming behind the façade was the dull gray of metal, the lead wall. Interestingly enough, the lead wall had a door. Using his heat vision he melted the hinges on the door and pulled it out of the jam. It was then Superman started to feel a familiar sickness; this illness was always brought on when meteor rocks were somewhere close by. Superman stumbled back, glad for once that he had not tossed the door aside like he would have normally done. Putting it between himself and the room, the effects of the green kryptonite started to wear off.
"I need someone to come to Cadmus Labs; I've found something interesting." Superman said speaking into his communicator.
Just as he finished speaking, a red streak blasted into the room.
The Flash AKA Wally West, stopped as he got to Superman. "I came as fast as I could, what's up?"
Superman motioned toward the secret room.
The Flash rubbed his hands together. "Neato a hidden room, wonder why we did not catch that before."
Just then the duo was joined by another duo, two teenagers one dressed in blue and yellow, the other in green and blue. Neither of the teens' outfits were spandex or tights.
"Static, Gear, glad you could make it." Superman stated.
Static smiled. "Wouldn't miss out on a mission for anything. So what's up S- man?"
Static and Gear were not from Metropolis; they had come from Dakota to get more training from the Justice League. They had first met the teens when they needed help defeating a foe known as Brainiac. Static Shock AKA Virgil Hawkins, is an African American male with the ability to use electromagnetic powers; he can fire bolts of electricity, make charged force fields, and propel himself thru the air. Gear AKA Richie Foley, is Caucasian with a super powered intellect that gives him the ability to build and design everything he is geared up with.
Superman, once again, motioned to the room he had found. The Flash was already heading inside.
"Yo Flash, wait for back up." Gear called out and headed that way.
Static started to go as secondary back up to Flash and Gear, but he stopped. "What's with the door S-man? You coming or are you just going stay here and hold that?"
Superman nodded. "There's kryptonite; I'll stay here until you guys find out what's in there."
Static nodded and followed Gear across the main lab and into the room.
The room was small and bare, except for a machine sitting in the center with glowing green lights coming out of the back.
Flash scratched at the cowl that covered his head. "What is this?"
"Let me have backpack run a scan on it." Gear said.
The backpack on his back sprung to life as a scanner snaked out and ran up and down the length of the large device. The results of the scan would be transmitted to the visor hanging before his eyes.
Static walked around the machine. "Freaky, it looks like one of those sleep chambers you see in those space movies."
Flash bent over the top of the apparatus and brushed his hand along the smooth surface. "It looks like a glass top; but it's fogged over I can't see inside. Sure wish I had X-ray vision; then I could have this mystery solved and go get a pizza."
Static chuckled. "Not the most patient hero, are you, Flash? Just chill, Gear is good with this sort of thing. He'll be done in no time and you will soon be up to your ears in pizza."
"Whoa guys, you won't believe this. That is exactly what it look like, and there is someone in it. To top it all off, the whole thing is powered by kryptonite." Gear said as he looked thru the data transmitted from backpack's scan.
Flash jumped back. "You mean there's a freeze-dried person in there?!"
Static smirked at Flash's reaction. "Bigger question! Is that someone alive? If so, can we get that someone out of there?"
Gear stepped closer to the gadget. Looking between it and the reading on his visor, he found the control panel. He knelt down to take a look at what was what; soon, he felt uncomfortable as Flash and Static looked over both of his shoulders. If he were to shrug, he would pop both of them in their chins.
"Uh guys, as much as I enjoy our close friendship, I am thinking; right now, you both are too close." Gear said
Both of them stepped back mumbling apologies. Flash, then, left to go fill Superman in on what they had found.
"I heard everything Flash." Superman said as Flash reached him.
Flash nodded, "I know; it was just an excuse. I was feeling old in there, and somewhat useless."
"What's wrong Flash? Can't keep up with the peanut galley?" Superman joked.
Flash shook his head, "I can keep up with electro-kid any day, but it's Gear. He's saying stuff, a lot of stuff, but darned if I know WHAT it all means. The kid is a whiz. Batman may be able to keep up, but even that is a half and half chance."
"I got some of it. I think what he said, in simple talk, was that he was going to start the thawing process." Superman chuckled.
Flash started bouncing on his toes. "How long do you think that'll take? Maybe, I should go get a pizza; you know, some brain food."
"Go get some pizza and NO anchovies and pineapple. We'll probably be here for a while." Superman said.
Flash shot Superman a grin and, in a blink, the high speed hero was gone.
Pizzas eaten; the foursome had waited and waited. The thawing process would take longer than expected. Gear had explained that it was because the pod had not been regularly maintained in some time; though from cache files, the pod had been defrosted and refrozen many times in the past. The last handful of cycles had been more like clockwork; they decided to take the pod with them. Since removing and disposing of the kryptonite energy cell, Superman hefted the pod easily as if it was made of Styrofoam. It was brought back to the Halls of Justice and put in a safe-med room. Gear excused himself from the evening patrol and continued to monitor the thawing process.