Up to the Task
Summary: The second year Anniversary of Alicia's death is close by and Clark is depressed. An army of meta-humans kidnap him and intend to put him through hell. With the Team Justice and Chloe in the middle of a raid, and Martha and Lionel away on business it's up to a certain Martian and a Lane to save him. Can they save Clark with sinister presence acting behind the scenes? Note the plot had some elements borrowed from 'Killing Joke'.
Chapter 1.
The Loft in The Kent's barn had for years acted as a 'fortress of solitude' for Clark Kent. It was a place that he could look out on the night sky, and let his thoughts wonder. Tonight his thoughts were rather angst-ridden; two years ago he had failed to save his girlfriend Alicia from a delusion murderer. "Just like with everyone important!" he thought bitterly.
He began to think of everyone he had failed to save over the years, his father, Jor-El, Raya, Ryan Kyla, with a list he felt would always be growing. It was one of the firm reasons he did not plan on joining Team Justice, a group of people with powers like his, it was the reason he did not maintain contact with Maddie unless she called. It made him worry about his close friends and mother who he couldn't just push away because they knew his philosophy and how to talk him out of it. At the same time he was frustrated that he always managed to end up helping someone who wasn't worth saving like his former friend now worst enemy Lex Luthor, or his former lover Lana Lang. Another reason he wanted to push his loved ones away he didn't want them betraying or dying on him. He however was resigned to the fact that his mother, Chloe and even Lois would never abandon him.
Speaking off the devil, she was climbing the stairs to the loft right now. He cringed and hastily hid an album of his time with Alicia under a couch cushion. Lois was here for a reason and he was hoping to avoid a conversation about himself and his behavior. He got up he was planning on visiting Alicia's grave today anyway.
"It is going to be strange the day I have to look for you, somewhere other than this loft." Lois grinned at him teasingly but stopped when she saw the somber look on his face.
"It's nice to see you to Lois." he replied hoping that she might catch on to the fact he didn't want to spend time with her. Unfortunately Lois didn't take the hint. She continued on ignoring his depressed distant tone.
"So what are your plans for this evening?" Clark looked at her knowing that she was going to make a remark that he really didn't need right now.
"I'm on my way to the cemetery before visiting hours end." He told her. Surprisingly her smirked softened.
"Your father was a good man Clark, and even though you make mistakes I'm sure he's still proud of you." Tension that had been building in Clark's back relaxed at Lois' unexpected statement. He gave her some more information.
"I'm not just visiting dad." Lois was puzzled for a moment only for it to click in her head a second later. How could she forget, it was a moment that changed her opinion of Clark entirely, at first he seemed to good to function almost inhuman in his amount of compassion and ability to experience near-death experiences without a scratch. He seemed to not need, and by association deserve the love of his parents. That all change when she found him choking Tim. What she saw made her realize that Clark did have a very human soul. When she tried to stop him the look in his eyes…
The pain he felt for not believing the women he loved, and caving into peer pressure in assuming her guilt, the resentment towards the entire town for judging her guilty without proof, those who cruelly whispered behind Alicia's back Lois included. The worst thing she saw in Clark's eyes was the pure savagery and hatred from Alicia's killer, for making her last moments ones of fear and loneliness as she felt the whole world attack her. Lois could have sworn Clark's very soul had changed into something else in that moment. It went from being as pure as snow to as dark as Lex's heart. She was relieved when he let Tim go and she felt the Clark she knew return to her albeit very slowly and torn by grief. Even though she would never admit it she eagerly listened in for news of how Clark coped. It was the only time she ever feared him and she never wanted that to happen again.
Clark stared at Lois as her mind replayed the events and her feelings clearly flashing across her face. He saw concern and fear flowing clearly in her expressions. Once again guilt was welling up as he saw something he never wanted her to feel about him. Feeling awkward Clark decided he wanted to leave.
"I have to go". He finally said.
"Clark, there wasn't anything you could do. Alicia would never blame you for her death". Clark stared for her for a moment unsure why tonight Lois wasn't at all antagonistic towards him.
"That's very presumptuous of you Lane." They turned looking down at the entrance of the barn to see Alicia there, standing pretty with exception to the cold look in her brown eyes. Lois and Clark stood frozen in shock on the steps to the loft. Clark struggled with his voice and feelings finally moving forward.
"Alicia how is this possible. I saw you lifeless that night?" the beautiful blonde's face contorted into a disgusted sneer.
"Yeah no thanks to you, you piece of trash!" Alicia then surprisingly lifted Clark with little effort throwing him into a post. To his astonishment Clark's invulnerability failed as he felt the post splinter into his back. He let out a muffled groan, his constant fights with zoners and meteor freaks had built his threshold to pain. He looked around to see if there was any visible kryptonite around only to find the that out of nowhere Kevin Grady was standing over him, holding a piece of kryptonite. Its green glow enhancing his evil grin as he lifted his foot and stepped on Clarks left forearm. It was easy to hear a loud cracking noise as the bones shattered, rendering his arm useless. This time Clark could not help but scream.
Lois rushed in to help, hoping there was something she could do to stop the stranger from harming Clark. She did not get far when something hard and fast hit her. She slammed into a wall and looked up to see that she had been hit by an exceptionally fast-moving young woman, with dark hair. The dark-haired women then turned away from Lois trying to get the man currently breaking Clark's fingers to stop. However someone else beat her to it.
"That's enough Kevin remember our plans for him, he needs to be alive!" a man appeared out of thin air, Lois recognized as Graham a hit man with the ability to turn invisible. He then smirked cruelly.
"At least until we get what we need." Lois's head was now swimming wasn't Graham meant to be dead. With that the man hurting Clark tapped him across the head knocking him out. Satisfied the women took the meteor rock and pick Clark up speeding off in the blink of an eye. Alicia then changed into someone else another dark-haired women with a crazed looked, her and the two men turned to Lois. They stalked towards her looking murderous. 'This is it!' Lois thought. 'I'm done for, now ones going to save me this time!'
As if to prove her wrong, a green flashed whizzed by knocking the three to the ground. Lois then gawked at a sight that made everything else she'd seen tonight seem normal. Standing before her stood a tall grim looking figure. He wore what looked like a dark-blue spandex body-suit, with a lighter blue cape. What was most unusual was that he had no eyebrows making his brow look more pronounced and his skin was green!
"What have you done to Clark?" the green-man demanded, his tone leaving no room for arguing.
The Meteor freaks were not impressed, the crazed-looking women went to strike him but she flew right through him, and quick as a flash he kicked her away. The other two prepared to charge but Lois had gotten to her feet and had trip the guy who broke Clark's arms.
However a whisper howl hit her it sounded like sand blowing across a beach on a windy day and it started painfully stinging her skin. It seemed that the green-guy was also struggling with the ripping sand, but more in irritation than in pain. Instantly Lois knew it was Tim Westcott Alicia's killer. Clark had told her that he could break down into sand, and that fire was the only thing that forces him to revert.
She glanced at the broken pillar of the barn noticing a large piece that had come lose one that most likely was not coated in flame retardant, 'bingo'' she thought. Though it had been years since her smoking days she still kept her Zippo with her in case of an emergency. She also spotted a fuel can for the tractor; she rushed over to the large chunk of wood and in reflexive action dunked it into the container, taking it out to then light it. She now had an effective weapon against Tim. Everyone in the barn stopped to look at her, knowing this would be the fights turning point.
Love it or hate it, please reveiw, oh and I'm trying to generally stick to cannon from about season six crimson, since thats what I've seen. If I slip don't heitate to tell me.