Disclaimer -- I don't own the marvelous Bart Allen, or smallville. Just the plot.

A/N: This is my revised version of the first chapter -- it has the same premise -- I just worded it better, but please give it a chance. PLEASE review. Do it -- I know you want to

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Lex Luthor was a genius, of the mad scientist variety. He liked knowing, and he didn't care who he took the knowledge from or how broken he left them. So when he got ahold of a speedster, Lex Luthor was not about to let this one slip away. He was convinced that Bart's powers had disappeared when the boy subjected himself to a full on brawl. This boy, who could disappear in the blink of an eye, would never risk fighting.

Lex wanted to run certain tests on Bart, to see if he was separate from humans, even without his powers. He believed that perhaps Bart's previously dominant powers could be recessive, or latent. They could still be there, just not strong enough for Bart to be able to access. So, currently, the boy was strapped onto a steel operating table. The bonds were so tight that Lex believed even if the kid did get his abilities back, he wouldn't be able to escape either way. With every shudder of a breath, Bart winced against the restraints.

His vision blurred behind thin layers of tears. Dr. Brimming slowly slid a needle into the under skin of Bart's arm. His arm was growing awfully tender. Bart bit deep into his lip, cutting off the whimper at the root. His head was spinning and he swallowed vomit that refused to stay down.

"It's a small difference in his DNA, sir. So small it's invisible, unless you know exactly what you're looking for." The voices were quiet but Bart listened hard. Usually he always quickly phased out of conversations, too hyped to noticed, but now he strained to hear the precise words, to understand the message they conveyed. He must have passed out because he couldn't remember them putting him through the test they were talking about. "The strands severely differ from his parents and his earlier DNA samples."

"What could have caused it?" Lex asked. "The change," he clarified, staring hard at Bart who was trying desperately to meet his heavy gaze, but his eyelids were growing heavy. When the doctor failed to relay an answer Lex slapped Bart hard in the face. Bart recoiled. He wasn't accustomed to physical violence. "You hear me? What caused the change?"

"Fuck that," Bart mumbled, turning away from Lex but the mad scientist gripped Bart's chin with bruising force and jerked the boy's head back toward him.

"I'll go out on a limb here, and assume you recognize this face?" Lex seriously, the hostility in his voice giving way to condencension. He held up a picture of Chloe. Chloe was bound, her face red from crying. Bart's hard expression faltered. "What changed?" Lex repeated, slower, much more deliberately.

"Lightning," Bart croaked. "Clark's gonna kick your ass," he sneered.

Lex smirked down at the adolescent. "Or so you hope, right, kid? Because now you're weak, helpless, as fragile as a newborn kitten. Where's Green Arrow?"

Bart wrenched his head to the side, jerking his chin free of Lex's grasp. "He doesn't have a power," he snapped. "Your tests are shit to him."

Lex recaptured Bart's chin and gripped it tighter, aiming to hurt. "Bring her to me," Lex told the doctor, his eyes never leaving Bart's. "I want Bart to see her die."

"No, don't," Bart shouted after the doctor, his eyes abandoning Lex's murderous gaze to follow the doctor's retreating back. Lex released Bart's chin but slapped him again before Chloe was dragged into the room and unceremoniously thrown at Lex's feet.

Chloe huffed and climbed back to her feet, recoiling from Lex when she realized just who exactly was tied to the table. "Lex, you can't be serious." She inched toward Bart, and he shivered beneath her roaming gaze. Albeit fully clothed, he suddenly felt naked beneath her searching eyes. "Lex, he's shivering. He looks dehydrated. When's the last time you gave him water? Bart-"

"Chloe," Lex interrupted, half amused, half annoyed. "You're a prisoner," he reminded her. "Now shut up and act like one, if that isn't too much to ask. Where's Green Arrow?" he repeated, his gaze returning to Bart.

"Lex -" Bart began slowly.

"Where is Green Arrow?" Lex shouted. He paused, almost managing to get a hold of himself. Bart hesitated, turning his eyes away. Lex nodded and snorted to himself. This kid obviously needed an example...and well...Lex would at least enjoy setting him one. He turned his back to Bart and approached the doctor. He snatched the scalpel from the doctor, ignoring the doctor's protests, and returned to Bart's side, plunging the scalpel into the shallow of Bart's stomach. A torturous scream was torn from Bart's trembling lips and he struggled painfully against his bonds, unable to endure such pain. He felt hot tears sting his eyes, but he couldn't blink them away.

"Bart," Chloe gasped, lurching forward. She rushed to his side, gripping his arm just to touch him. "Green Arrow has a head quarters in Florida, Lex," Chloe shouted over her shoulder at him. "Bart needs medical help." Bart's eyelids had suddenly gained weight and managed to inch closed. Chloe glanced behind her at the immobilized Lex Luthor. "Lex, please," she begged.

Lex sighed almost dramatically. "Run a scanning of all the sectors in Florida," Lex ordered one of his men and then paused. "And fix this boy," he commanded his doctor.

Bart couldn't stop the trembling, or prevent the grunts of pain that continually slipped from him. Consciousness was fragile and it kept slipping away from him. Chloe seemed to have edged closer to Bart without him noticing. She was unable to tear her eyes away from the knife that was still lodged in his stomach.

The doctor appeared behind Chloe and ushered her away. He carefully extracted the knife from Bart's abdomen and handed it to Lex, successively ignoring Bart's yelp of pain and subsequent curses. He swiftly inched Bart's shirt up his torso so he could get a look at the wound. "It's not so bad," the doctor murmured, almost as if he were reassuring Bart. "Mr. Luthor missed all your vital organs and successively avoided any internal bleeding possibilities. I'll stitch it up and the worst you'll get is a nasty scar."

"Pain killers?" Bart coughed. He grimaced as the pain raced across his abdomen, lacing within his wound until it was one with the sharp pain of the wound. "Just a shot of morphine?" He pleaded, tilting his head back slightly. There was a thick layer of sweat on his face, drenching and plastering his usually wild hair to his forehead.

"No, Bartholomew," Lex said pleasantly, approaching the boy. "I am torturing you for information. Pain killers will severly alter the effects I want. Stitch him up quickly, doctor. The boy has a heightened metabolism. He won't scar or die. Just make it quick."

The doctor nodded and began his grueling task. Chloe had to look away, Bart's grunts and hisses still unescapable. The doctor worked quickly, so that Bart wouldn't heal prematurely and incorrectly. Lex replaced the doctor once he was done and stood beside the boy. "Unlucky for you -- the scan was negative. If Green Arrow was residing in Florida, he is gone now."

"But he was there," Chloe protested. "If he's gone, how is Bart supposed to -"

"Shut up, Chloe," Lex interrupted loudly. "I know you have some way of contacting him and I will all but kill you if I have to. Hell, I'll all but kill you even if I don't have to. That's just how the cookie crumbles."