Smallville: A New Beginning
Episode 2: Runaway
Conner sat in the loft and stared out the window and at the windmills. The sky was orange and the grass a darker green as the sun began to set. Martha walked up the stairs and greeted him.
"This sunset is truly beautiful, makes you just appreciate being alive, and being able to see it."
"I know, this is a memory that should be held onto."
"Clark used to enjoy seeing this sunset with Lana."
"How could he hate it? The sun wasn't just a thing of beauty for him, or me even. It's a battery, that is what gives us our powers. Sometimes of course…I wish it would just turn red."
"That means its life is near finished, and that's not something we would want. It would have finished growing up."
"What was it like for you growing up, Martha?"
"As beautiful as it always was, of course I had an apartment view, not a loft view. Childhood was the greatest time of my life for me, things were simple, easy."
"Well, your lucky to have the simple and easy experience. I was born complicated, my life is complicated, and my birth, a huge mystery."
"What do you mean?"
"Ma, I still don't know, how I was born, or how it happened. Or where. What did I look like as a kid, you know? I want to know this."
"Well, I'm sure you'll learn when the time is right, but for now, you need to focus on living for the present, not the past."
Conner nodded.
Lena sat on a dark leather chair and watched TV with Lex. They sat and watched Bourne Identity.
"Memories are quite the gift Lena, knowing who you were, and what you did, and who you loved."
"They are." She replied
"A lot of people lose their memories after a while, through different ways, you know. Old age, sickness, injury, even technology."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, it really is."
Lex's conscious appeared from the shadows and nodded toward his vessel.
"You're doing the right thing; give her the life she deserves."
"Now class, before I pair you up I want you guys to get to understand each other better. Let's start with Conner."
"Huh?"
"Conner, tell us about yourself."
"Well, uh, I was born in…uh…Smallville. And um….I lived in D.C. for a while and just came back here …"
"That's all?"
"Yes."
"Ok than, Simon could you….."
Conner couldn't stand not knowing who he was. His life was one big mystery and he didn't enjoy having to find it out. He knew one thing, if anyone could help him, it would be Chloe.
"Uh….Can I use the restroom?"
"Sure…take the pass."
Conner got up and grabbed the bathroom pass and walked out of the room. The hall was empty, as soon as the door closed he began to super speed. He went outside of the school. He dialed Chloe's number.
"Hello, Conner."
"Hey Chloe, listen I need you to find out something very important."
"Sure, what is it?"
"I need to know where I'm from, and who created me."
"That's not a mystery I need Watchtower for, Conner, you were born in Cadmus Labs."
"Cadmus?"
"It's a top-secret organization made by Lex Luthor back in 2003, when Lex supposedly died he used it to clone himself and use those organs to heal himself. All the clones died either to deformation or old age. You're the only survivor."
"I'm…the last one?"
"That we know of at least."
"This Cadmus Labs, where is it?"
"I'll search that up for you, shouldn't you be in class?"
"Oh yeah." Conner hung up and ran back toward the class room.
Lena stood alone in the darkness of her room. She looked around at the windowless walls. She had no way of leaving.
"Lex!, Lex!" Lena called out. Lex came down, with a towel around his hands.
"Lena. Are you ok?"
"Yes…it's just. I need to leave, now."
"Oh..well I'm sorry, but that's not happening."
"What? Why not!"
"It's for your own good. That's all I have to say about it"
"Lex please!"
"No Lena! Your not going anywhere."
"Lex please, I have never seen the sunlight, I have never been outside, I've been stuck here all my life. Let me go!"
"You've been alive for a week. You don't know what the world is like."
"…and I guess I never will."
"Suit yourself."
Lex slammed the door behind him.
Conner sped out of the classroom when class ended. He ran through all of Smallville. All of the scenery blurred by him. He continued to speed through the cornfields. Suddenly he stopped at a pile of concrete. He jumped inside. He was inside of Cadmus. He walked slowly through the burnt interior. He saw halfly cremated bodies everywhere. He turned over one of them and looked at the face. It was someone who looked just like him. A teenage boy. Lex's clone. He put the body back on the floor. He saw a large metal door in the corner. He tried the handle. It was locked. He dug his fingers into the sides and pulled the door out. He tossed it to the side. A strange green glow came from inside. He walked closer toward it, and he began to feel weaker. Liquid Kryptonite in glass cases surrounded him. He fell on his knees, and began to fidget and breathe heavily. He felt sick and weak, and he wanted to vomit.
"Help! Somebody help!"
No one replied. He began to try and drag himself out. He put his arm in front of him and pushed it back toward him, and began to drag himself toward the doorway. The little energy he had began to fade, everything was going black. Suddenly, he saw someone. Someone standing over him. A teenage girl with red hair.
"Who are you?" She asked.
"Help" Conner replied "Please, get me out of here."
She bent over and grabbed him and lifted him by the arm, she put his arm over her shoulder and began to drag him out of the room. As they turned the corner he began to feel better. He stood up straight. And looked at her.
"Thank you" he said
"Now answer the question. Who are you?" She asked
"I'm Conner." He replied
"Lena" She said to him. "Now what are you doing here?"
"I'm just here for answers. Why are you here?" He asked her
"I live her. This place belongs to Lex Luthor, and I'm his daughter, or so he tells me."
Conner was shocked. Why would Lex have his daughter in Cadmus?
"If Lex is your father, why does he keep you here?"
"I'm not sure. I tried to leave, he just locked me inside my cell."
"Then I'll help you get out of here."
Suddenly they heard footsteps.
"Shh..I hear something" He said, and they leaned against the wall.
"Lena! Lena! Where are you?" Lex called out.
"Don't let him know I'm here." Conner pleaded, as she walked out toward Lex.
"I'm here Dad."
"What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be outside of your cell! I want you to go back in there now."
"But listen, Dad. Can't I just go outside and just see everything for once I'm begging you."
"Fi…" Lex paused. Other Lex appeared behind her.
"Don't let her out, if people discover she's a clone it'll be the end of your new life."
Lex began to pace toward her, and walked passed her.
"Well what should I do?" He asked his conscious. Conner and Lena were confused, who was he talking to?
"Let me go outside" Lena pleaded
"Kill her." Other Lex said "When we had our memories, that was how we solved our problems. And this is a problem that won't be solved easily. She's a clone, and cloning human beings is illegal, we can't risk any more problems than we already had."
Lex turned toward Lena, and drew a silver handgun on her.
"Either you stay, or you die." Lex told her
She stared at the silver gun, and began to run down the hall toward Conner. She grabbed his arm and he followed her down the hall.
"What are you doing?" He asked
"Getting us out of here." She replied.
They ran down the long maze-like hallways. No exits. They were going farther from the exits than they should have. Conner knew if he could use his powers they could get out easily, but he couldn't display his abilities to anyone he didn't know. Or should he?
[No] He thought to himself.
As they continued to run they reached another room. They rushed inside. It looked like a classroom. Conner looked around. The wall was covered in scratches on every corner. All over, continuous graffiti and scratches. These scratches all crossed over one particular symbol. The House of El symbol. As Conner stared he began to develop a headache. He fell down and covered his ears. Lena ran toward him and held him in her arms.
"Conner, are you ok?"
"No" He said in-between grunts.
Visions began to flash by him. He saw a vision of a doctor staring at him from a tank. He then saw Tess, being attacked by Lex, he saw Cadmus on fire, he saw toy soldiers and Tess bringing him milk in Luthor Mansion, he saw a boy in the mirror, a small boy with a shaved head, and red hair surrounding him. He saw Lionel, hugging him and Clark and Tess on the floor, while he held a Kryptonite gun in his hands.
His headache began to end.
"My God!" He said to himself.
Suddenly the door slammed open, and Lex appeared with the gun.
"Lena! Who is that?" Lex asked
"Leave him, it's me you want!" Lena pleaded
Lex walked toward Conner and flipped him over to see his face. As he pointed the gun at him he realized something. Conner looked a lot like the picture of himself he saw as a kid. Conner staidred at the gun, and then at Lex, who he noticed was distracted. He kicked his ankles and Lex fell. He grabbed the hand with the gun and they fought over it. It didn't take long for Conner to realize something was wrong. As Lex held the gun in his hand he noticed the problem. The gun illuminated a blue glow. The bullets were blue meteor rock. As the realization sunk in, Lex kneed him and flipped him over. Conner landed on his back and Lex smacked him across the face with the gun. Conner was out cold. Lex pointed the gun at Lena.
"Come with me!" He said. As he rushed Lena down the hall and dragged Conner by the arm.
Conner woke up in the middle of a dull-colored room. The lights gave it a grayish-green look. He was sitting in a chair, and he tried to stand up.
"Ow, stop stretching my arms" He heard Lena say.
"What are you talking about" He said as he looked back. He was bound to a chair with chains. Lex walked in with the gun.
"Lena, you surprise me. I give you a loving home, and you try to leave, and then you bring an uninvited guest and cause me to act…hostile."
"Then why the gun and bondage?" She asked
"You see…Lena, in this world we have, there are a lot of secrets. Some more dangerous than others. You are one of those dangerous secrets. And what he now knows is dangerous too. I tried to give you a good life, but the thing is, my life was hell once, I'm not gonna let it happen again."
"Too bad. I was starting to enjoy it" Conner said with a chuckle
Lex smiled and walked toward him.
"And who are you?" Lex asked as he bent over to meet him face to face.
"Call me the Ghost of Christmas Past, Jackass." Conner said as he continued to laugh.
Lex smiled and smacked him with the gun.
"You're bold. You have the audacity to challenge the man with the revolver. I like you. Such a waste I might have to go as far as to kill you." Lex said.
"Well, I'm not going to beg you to spare me, I don't stoop to levels as low as yours" Conner replied
"Well then, I won't demand such, but it's interesting how you see me. I'm one of the country's most respected CEOs, I have a net worth of billions, and I'm the man winning right now. I suppose your opinion hasn't changed however."
"Eat me, bastard." Conner replied
"Enough games." Lex said as he smacked him again with the gun.
Lex walked out of the room and slammed the metal door. He was still close, as Conner could feel the affect of the Blue Kryptonite. Conner sat battered and bloody, his face had bruises all over, and his hair was wet with sweat and messy.
"You're pretty brave." Lena said to him.
"I had to keep him distracted, get his focus off of you."
"Well, I'm not sure if it worked or not."
Conner suddenly no longer felt the presence of the Blue Kryptonite. He could tell Lex was gone. He focused in on his super-hearing to see where Lex was. He heard nothing but constant footsteps, and a beeping noise. Then he heard multiple beeping noises.
"We have to get out of here." Lena said.
"Don't worry." Conner pushed his hands against the chains and broke them.
"What the hell. How did you do that?" Lena asked amazed
"It's a trick, learned it from a friend"
Conner released her and escorted her out of the room. The two ran down the hallway, and continued to run past each turn. They continued to run until they heard Lex screaming behind them.
"You're truly persistent!" He said from down the hall. Conner once again felt the presence of the Blue Kryptonite, and he began to slow down to Lena's speed. As they turned the next hall, Lex fired a single shot. It grazed Conner's shoulder. The Blue Kryptonite bullet dissolved into powder and spread across the floor.
"Crap!" He said as he fell over. Lex appeared before them. "Run Lena!" Conner told her.
"No. I'm not leaving you here."
"How interesting, you seem to display a lot of trust in each other." Lex interrupted. "I hope you're deaths will be as nice as you're trust. I wish not to get my hands dirty with your blood, so I went for a cleaner solution. Cadmus will explode soon, with you two in it. I'm sorry, but this has to be done."
"I hate you, you son of a bitch!" Lena said as she charged toward him. Lex smacked her with the gun and she passed out. Lex walked away and looked back, and continued walking. Conner stood up and ran to Lena.
"Come on Lena, stay with me" He called out. She didn't respond. Blood began to drip from her forehead. Conner lifted her up, and began carrying her. He walked slow and sluggish, as the Blue Kryptonite and his injuries prevented him from super speeding. He continued to walk down until he felt the Blue Kryptonite's affect leave him. As he walked he changed his position from nelt over to standing straight upward, as his injuries began to heal. As they got to the main lab, the Blue Kryptonite left him completely. He leaped out of the gravel and cement covered hole in the ceiling, as he began to speed her to the Kent Farm, he saw Lex in the distance getting into a chopper.
"I'll get you next time Luthor" He said to himself.
He sped Lena to his home as Cadmus began to explode around them.
Lena woke up and saw Martha and Conner over her.
"Who…who are you?"
"Hello…I'm Martha Kent, I'm Conner's mother."
Lena sat up and checked her face, and looked at Conner.
"How did we survive?"
"I managed to get us out before the place exploded."
Lena sat up and Martha offered her a glass of water.
"Where am I?"
"On our farm, in Smallville." Martha responded.
"A farm?" Lena asked
"Yes a far…" Conner replied, but was interrupted as Lena got up and ran outside. She ran out the front door and looked out toward the sky. The sun shone bright and the colors were brilliant.
"It's nice to finally see it in person." She said to Conner, who walked out and stood next to her.
"It's a memory, that's worth holding onto." He replied
"You know I have to thank you for taking me out of solitary confinement, or as Lex would say, home."
"I was stuck, too."
"Either way, you were pretty brave out there, even surviving a bullet. You proved to be quite the hero."
"Well, thanks. I just don't feel like one."
"Well you should, because you are."
Conner put his hand on her shoulder and the two watched as the sun set.
"Luthor, I here you called me?" A tall scarred man said.
"Yes, I have a job for you, I need you to eliminate a certain threat for me" Lex responded
"Who?" He asked
"This boy" Lex said.
Lex showed them a picture of Conner. The mercenary picked it up and staired at the picture.
"Do what you have to do." Lex told him
Author's notes:
This episode officially introduces the Tess Mercer clone as Lena Luthor, who I would consider the Smallville version of Lori Luthor of the Superboy comics, as Lutessa Luthor (Tess Mercer) was the Smallville version of Lena Luthor. Lex keeps Lena in Cadmus Labs, which was destroyed back in Smallville Season 10 episode Lazarus, by a Lex Luthor clone. This episode also brings Kryptonite into the series, the first two being green and blue. Also, as explained by Clark in Season 10 episode Beacon, Kryptonite bullets dissolve on impact.