Lex gripped the wheel tighter and accelerated on the gas. The smooth paved road stretched out for miles in front of him, without a single car in sight. He was taking the most remote route to the small town of Cadmus, Kansas, wanting nothing to impair his journey.

The Kents had been angered; especially Mr. Kent when Lex told them it would take almost forty-eight hours to retrieve Clark. He understood their excitement, and impatience, but he wanted to do this right. He told them if he involved the authorities there would be a much better chance Clark would be left alone in the future, since it was apparent he'd been abducted. Warrants take time, even when a Luthor was giving the orders. Aside from that, Lex wanted to talk to the men running the institute himself before his parents arrived; a fact he chose not to share with the Kents.

The information he'd been searching for was handed to him two days ago, without any coercion on his part. A young kid named Matt, claiming to be from Smallville called, saying he had information for him, and Lex agreed to meet with him in his office at Luthorcorp. The kid looked vaguely familiar and he remained guarded until the boy revealed he'd been under a Dr. Carr's care because of his unusual abilities derived from meteor rock exposure

He'd been lured by Dr. Carr in Metropolis. The doctor had a habit of trolling the streets for kids who'd been abandoned by their families who were either too freaked out or afraid of their abilities to care for them any longer. Most ended up on the streets in and around Smallville, and a few made it as far as Metropolis where they had more options to earn a living. That's where Dr. Carr found him living in a makeshift community of kids like him, offering a warm place to stay and money if he agreed to let him run a few tests. Lex imagined such an offer would be too compelling to pass up for anyone in such a desperate situation.

Matt explained that when all the testing was exhausted, many were then sent on to Belle Reve. The ones who were interesting enough to keep at the Institute were given large doses of amnesiac drugs and were put through more traumatic testing. He'd been there when Clark was brought in. He recognized him right away from Smallville High, and had always suspected he was different like him. Clark became the institute's pet of sorts, and he always felt sorry for him. When he was finally released, he managed to escape on-route to Belle Reve, and ended up back in Metropolis. He remembered Clark's friendship with Lex and when times became bleak again, he thought maybe he would pay for information on Clark.

He didn't have the good sense to ask for any more than a few hundred dollars, but once Lex saw the shabby state the kid was in, he handed him five thousand in cash, ordered a meal be sent up, and encouraged him to tell him everything he knew.

Glancing at his watch he expected to be arriving at the nameless Institute in just under an hour. He was meeting with Dr. Carr, the head of the Institute, and the man he'd been told had a personal interest in Clark. With any luck, Dr. Carr would see it was in his best interest to comply to the deal Lex had in mind without any further persuasion.

Clark watched the rain fall in heavy sheets outside his window, like it was being poured from a bucket in the sky. It was late afternoon and the rain storm from the night before still raged on. The erratic rhythm of the shower beating against the windowsill sent shivers through his body, making him want to turn away, but some morbid fixation on his own fear held him there. He focused his eyes on a particularly large drop falling steadily from the roof and watched it dissipate into tiny particles. He discovered some time ago that if he focused his eyes, solid shapes and living organisms alike were stripped down to their bare essence right before his eyes. This new development revealed itself by accident one day, and since there were no outside signs it existed, he kept it to himself.

The other ability his eyes possessed presented itself unexpectedly one evening in the middle of an especially steamy R-rated DVD. It resulted in a scorched and ruined flat screen television and a very embarrassed Clark. He still remembered the heat rising in a warm rush from his groin, culminating in a fiery blaze that burst from his eyes with incredible force. Controlling it had been a very long, humiliating journey.

He tore his eyes away from the rain and glanced down at his watch. He was due in the hospital gym in five minutes. He'd completely lost track of time. He rose from the window seat, dropping down on his knees to look under the bed for his sneakers.

He felt the small rush of air before he heard the door open. He knew
Dr. Carr's familiar gait, and sat down where he crouched, looking up at him expectantly. It was unusual to see him just before weekly physical trials—he always immersed himself in mountains of data, preparing all day.

Clark smiled wryly. "Am I late or something?"

Dr. Carr didn't meet Clark's playful gaze and sat on the bed, placing a hand on his shoulder. Clark resisted the urge to shrug away, and looked up at him a little puzzled.

"Clark, your session today is canceled…in fact…Clark, we need to talk, come sit next to me."

Clark felt a sharp panic rise in his chest, but he moved off the floor and sat next to the Doctor.

"I need to you just listen to me. What I'm saying may sound bad, but its not..in fact its probably the best thing for you."

Clark's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"The institute is closing Clark. All of the patients here…even the doctors, we're all leaving."

Clark was on his feet in a blur. He often forgot his speed when he was agitated. He stopped just before the door, and turned back to the doctor, with alarm coloring his cheeks.

"I don't understand—why would the institute be closing? "

Clark took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He felt like the floor would give out from under him. The feeling was a familiar one, but he couldn't dwell on it, not until he made sense of what he was being told.

"It's a long story Clark, and one I don't have enough time to go into. But this is very real, and by tomorrow, all the occupants of this place are to be gone."

Clark paced around the room, making erratic patterns across the floor, fingers clutching at his abdomen.

"But…where am I supposed to go? Am I going with you?"

Dr. Carr shook his head slightly and a look of disdain flickered in his eyes, too quickly for Clark to really know if he saw it. He walked over to Clark, his face suddenly a mask of professionalism.

He gripped Clark's shoulders firmly. "I can't take you with me. I have a good idea where I'm going, and its definitely no place for you."

Clark had immediate thoughts of uncaring foster homes, like he'd seen on sappy television shows, and the panic started to rise. He had no idea what would become of someone like him—someone so different from everyone else. If his family was truly gone, he'd be forced to be on his own, and he wasn't entirely confident he was ready for that. He remained silent, completely at a loss, trying to comprehend what he was being told.

"Clark, I know this is a shock to say the least. And now I'm beginning to regret keeping you so sheltered here..but I thought we had more time, and we all planned to help you get the skills to be on your own eventually. I'm just sorry we're not going to have that opportunity."

Clark walked away from him and sat on his bed. He felt anger and frustration welling inside of him, and he feared he'd tear the room apart, and he didn't want to do that. He forced himself to face Dr. Carr.

"So what now...do I go live on the streets?"

"No Clark. You'll have a home."

"With who? I'm a freak..no one in their right mind will take me in."

"Clark, I don't like that term—and they know about your…they know you're special..and they're fine with it. They are claiming to be your parents."

Clark's eyes widened, and then narrowed in anger. "They're dead..you told me they were dead."

"There was no trace of them when we found you. No one came looking for you. As far as we knew, they were dead."

"So I've had parents all this time!"

"Clark, I don't know who these people are, and we're not being given any choice in the matter. We're to turn you over to them in the morning."

"What if I won't go?"

"You have no choice Clark, you're still a minor. Your only other option would indeed be the streets."

"I'm sure I can take care of myself." His voice faltered slightly and the doubt in his eyes was apparent.

"I'm sure you can too. But speed and strength won't give you a place to live or food to eat, unless you are going to turn to a life of crime. They seem like nice people. They have a farm in Smallville."

Clark looked at him incredulously. "A farm! I don't want to live on a farm! Listen, why can't I simply go with you? You must have a home somewhere. I won't be a burden…you can even continue studying me."

The earnestness on Clark's face almost made the doctor wish he could just take him with him—almost. He smiled sadly at Clark. Without the tools of the institute, Clark was of little use to him.

"I know there is so much more we could accomplish, but tomorrow morning you have to go with the Kent family. Its not what I want, believe me, but it's the best thing for you."

Clark's full lips caused him to resemble an insolent, pouting child with the slightest frown. It was very effective, though Dr. Carr doubted Clark did it on purpose. He remained silent for several minutes, and the doctor simply waited patiently, standing in front of the bed.

Each emotion Clark felt, played across his face, when Dr. Carr saw the look of resolve hardening his features, he moved closer.

There was a glint of unshed tears in his eyes, but Clark faced him bravely.

"Ok….I'll go with them."

"You never had any choice in the matter Clark, but I'm glad you're resigned to it at least."

Clark raked his hand through his dark waves and looked back at the rain, still coming down hard. He jumped suddenly from his bed and walked quickly to the door.

He stopped just short of the door handle.

"Can I leave? I mean can I go to the library?"

"You can go wherever you want, just don't leave the grounds."

Clark nodded but didn't turn around.

"Clark….please don't make this difficult. If you try to run away, we'll have to restrain you and I'd rather not have you spend your last night here like that. Just go to the library, calm down a little, and come up to my apartment. We can have your favorite dinner and we'll make pancakes in the morning…ok?"

Clark nodded again, glancing over his shoulder, and walked out the door.