Title/Link: Guise of the Prodigal Son

Author: dh1031

Edited by: 13ReporterGirl13

Pairing: Clark and Chloe, Martha and Lionel, Lex and Lana

Rating: (for : K+) No higher than PG-13 (basically nothing more than what's appeared on Smallville will be depicted here). Moderators, please let me know if there is anything here than merits this story being moved, and feel free to make any changes you deem necessary.

Spoilers: Up to and including season 6

Summary: This is a sequel of sorts to my first fanfic, Look to Your Heart, which involved the events that took place at the beginning of the sixth season (with a Chlark spin of course). There may also be indescript references to events in earlier seasons. It will look at what happens when the long sequestered Lucas Luthor returns. I do not own, nor do I claim to own, any of the characters described here.

Chapter 1

Lionel Luthor made his way up to his office at LuthorCorp after having spent the previous day with Senator Kent. He was quite pleased with the events of the day, and the numerous accolades that were being bestowed on the Senator in light of her leadership, steadiness, and confidence after the events following Dark Thursday.

Lionel was especially interested with the way his relationship with the good Senator was growing, and his connection to Jor-El appeared to be advancing his agenda of gaining Clark's implicit trust. Martha was a very capable woman, someone he'd grown to not only see as an equal, but someone that he was beginning to have hopes of building a future with.

Ever since Martha completed a stint as an assistant for him almost four years ago, Lionel had felt there was a mutual attraction there. Still, even Lionel knew there were lines Martha Kent would never cross, especially when it came to devotion to her family – more specifically, her husband. Jonathan Kent's death had changed the dynamic to some extent, though Lionel knew that being the last person to have words with the farmer would augment any ill will Martha harbored for him – especially given the past interactions between the Luthor and Kent families.

Yet Lionel knew that Martha prided herself on being a forgiving soul and that, along with the passage of time would be the catalyst to heal her of the ill will she carried. However, currently he found himself pre-occupied with the issue of just how much Lex remembered from the time he was inhabited by Zod. Although all his contacts at the Pentagon had assured him that any footage of his son (or rather Zod) had been eliminated, who knew what snippets existed that could have been taken by civilians during the carnage.

Lionel's chain of thought was interrupted as he walked into his office to find it occupied by his son. It was not his son that threw off Lionel's chain of thought, but which son that was ensconced behind his desk that gave him pause – Lucas Luthor. Still, being the apt linguistic connoisseur that he prided himself on, Lionel did not elicit any befuddled retort to Lucas' presence, which he believed would be to the chagrin of his son.

"So, the would-be prodigal son makes a second return to LuthorCorp. What's the matter Lucas, bored with the drowning of life in Star City after a mere four years? Or have your sociopathic tendencies deprecated what little gratification you claimed to have found in your adopted home?" Lionel queried with distinct tact.

"Good to see you too Dad, and here I thought you might have developed a sense of sentimentality in your years since our last meeting. Especially given your latest ventures involving the Kent family, or one Kent to be more specific. Martha Kent graciously took on the task of being a State Senator – at your indirect behest if I'm not mistaken." Lucas chimed in with satisfactory reply.

"My, my we are the panegyric orator, though you do give me too much credit. Martha Kent made the decision to take up the senate seat vacated by her husband's death on her own accord. And as for the development of sentimentality, surely you would know better than to mistake me for fostering such a thing. Lex must have told you somewhere along the way that I have constantly admonished him for allowing his emotions to completely govern his actions. Remember, emotions can be a useful tool, but ultimately useless if they consume you. Now, if we are through with the formalities, would you please explain this unscheduled meeting?"

"Well, since you asked so nicely, I am here precisely because of my, as you describe him, emotional brother, Lex. Or rather, because of Lex's recent actions involving the events of Dark Thursday. You see, I have not been reticent in the past four years since we last met Dad."

"Surely since you are one to keep abreast of affairs concerning the Luthor family, you know that I have been involved with multiple companies whose objectives take into account military applications and a myriad of other interests. Now, since I was also privy to the only working satellite on Dark Thursday, I am well aware of the display of Lex's remarkable abilities. Despite Lex's previous assertions to the contrary, it seems to me that he is still living in your shadow. I am here to find out exactly how Lex acquired such abilities. And more to the point, how you were so gauche as to have allowed Lex to run amok with these abilities. I mean the results from experiments involving those with meteor infections have never yielded such results, even the most recent from Level 3."

"The only other individual I can recall ever displaying such feats was Clark Kent. The occasional pain I get in my arm always signifies an approaching storm; and serves as a memento from our prior meeting. It's funny, the run-in I had with Clark all those years ago – it was like I ran into a steel wall. Still, I know we Luthors are made of very resilient stock, but I do not recall us being bulletproof. You do remember that I miraculously survived a little visit by our old friend Dirk, thanks again to Clark Kent. I never have been able to ascertain how Clark reacted so quickly. Given the tenacity Dirk had for squaring accounts, especially when he'd been had at poker, there's no way he should have missed me. Of course tenacity isn't all it's cracked up to be - as Dirk learned when you cut him from your payroll permanently, upon his being taken into custody. I digress, with all of the events that I have read accounts of over the years, it appears that Clark Kent is a very gifted individual."

Before Lionel could reply to Lucas' retort, the doors to his office opened, and in walked the subject of their discussion.

"Well it's a regular Luthor cabal this morning; I was only here to 'graciously' thank Dad for his latest concerned-parental-intervention. However, it appears that conclusion was short-sited, Lucas, I thought we'd achieved a more amiable relationship than the report shared with Dad. However, considering your unannounced audience here, it would seem my assessment of our standing was misinterpreted. I take it that's why I'm being followed Dad? To make sure I don't destroy the rest of the world?"

Lucas displayed no sign of emotion and chose to remain silent; he looked to Lionel to answer Lex's charge of imposition.

"If I were having you followed, son, you would never know it. I can guarantee you that."

Tempered for the moment by his Dad's response, Lex and Lionel both turned to Lucas for an answer.

"Lex, I assure you that I, personally, have had no part in having you followed. As for my unannounced appearance here today, I merely came to learn more about the events that lead to the carnage of Dark Thursday, and more to the point, your miraculous bestowment of abilities that not even the most advanced meteor infected individual has displayed."

"I hate to disappoint the two of you, but whatever abilities I had are long gone. So if you all are looking for an encore performance, you're out of luck. Elvis has left the building."

Lionel chimed back in, "You want to find out who's stalking you? I suggest you concentrate on remembering every little, minute detail of that tragic day."

A smug expression captured Lex's face as he replied, "Well, I guess I should have kept a blog because I suffered a total memory loss. Besides what Lana has told me, those 24 hours are gone."

Lionel decided to try again, "The atrocities you committed, they could have been observed by anyone. Lex, please, let me help you."

Before Lucas could put in his two cents worth, Lex coldly answered his Dad's request;

"I've been on the receiving end of your help before, Dad. I think I'll decline on your generous offer."

Undaunted by Lex's reference to his actions in the past that resulted in Lex receiving unsanctioned electroshock therapy, Lionel pressed on.

"Listen to me. There are some adversaries that cannot be defeated alone."

Lex had apparently had enough of the discourse and left the office without another word to either Lionel or Lucas. He made his way to the elevator and once inside pressed the button to go to the lobby. However, after having only descended a few floors, the elevator came to an abrupt stop and begin filling with gas. Before Lex could take any recourse the gas had taken affect and he fell unconscious to the floor.