Sunnydale
"Really? They-they actually spiked the drinking water with a love potion?" Buffy never thought she could laugh this hard in her life. "I can't believe nobody at my high school ever attempted something like that. Well it was a love spell, but this reeks of such desperation."
"It gets worse. Because my best friend Lois didn't know about my powers, she made me go undercover as one of the brainwashed men so she could steal their instructions to find an antidote," Clark laughs just as loudly.
"But that's nothing compared to the time the entire town got infected by candy that made the adults act like teenagers." Buffy can barely control herself and stumbles over.
Clark swiftly catches her while trying to keep his own footing. Clark and Buffy stare into each other's eyes for a short moment. Clark can't control how wide his smile is getting then feels his cheeks starting to grow red; Buffy feeling the same. Clark clears his throats and helps her back up.
"Sounds like your life's filled with a lot of fun," Clark says.
"I wish I could say that, but being a Slayer has caused me a lot of grief too. Especially with my mother when she found out what I was. She couldn't handle it at first. Though in her defense I did drop the bombshell on her with little time for her to absorb it since I had an apocalypse to deal with."
"AN. You mean you've dealt with more than one?" Clark asks her while finishing up the rest of his ice cream.
"About two or three. I've honestly lost track," Buffy states. "There's always something."
"I know the feeling...sort of. There are powerful forces in my town of Smallville. Three ancient relics left over from my people came close to wiping out the entire town. I managed to stop it, but not before extensive damage was done. That's part of the reason I'm here. Just to get away from it all for a bit at least."
"Well you couldn't have picked a better place to vacation or a better person to hang out with," Buffy compliments her town. "Well during the day time that is," she adds.
"Speaking of hanging out, don't look now, but I think we're being followed," Clark points out. Buffy spots Lois and Chloe out of the corner of her eye trying in vain to hide themselves with newspapers.
"Want to experience my speed first hand?" Clark asks.
"Sure," Buffy smiles.
"Follow me," Clark says leisurely leading Buffy away towards an alley. Chloe and Lois drop their papers and start to follow the pair. They get to the alley only a few seconds after Clark and Buffy enter it.
"Now where could they have gone?" Lois ponders.
"That's a good question," Chloe says.
It isn't like Clark to randomly show off his powers to someone that's normal, but what other explanation is there? Chloe thinks.
"Then again Clark seems to be handling this well on his own. Maybe we should just let him...be."
"Chloe? What is it?" Lois asks noticing Chloe's shift in attention.
"Him." Chloe points to the man she believes to be Victor Stone standing at the side walk waiting for a change in the walk/don't walk sign.
"Who is he?" Lois curiously asks.
"I have an idea. I just need to be sure," and Chloe immediately walks to Victor's position just as the sign changes.
Lois sighs and follows suit. They tail him for a few minutes and then Victor casually enters an apartment complex. He heads up the stairs and Chloe follows close behind. Apparently the inquisitive duo didn't move fast enough, however, because upon getting up to the floor Victor chose, he's gone.
"Does everyone suddenly have super speed or something?" Lois asks.
"That's another good question," Chloe says wondering the same.
"Why don't I give you an answer?" Victor says. They both turn around just as Victor grabs them both and shoves them through an open apartment door. He shuts the door and pins them up against the wall.
"You think I don't know when I'm being followed? Who are you guys!?" He shouts at them. "Wait...I remember you. From yesterday at the film shoot. You working for Kano? Luthorcorp!?"
"Victor, what are you doing!?" Bart Allen's voice sounds from the entrance to the apartment.
"Haven't done anything yet, Bart. Depends on who these two are."
"No one! We're no one. Just two cousins who's curiosity got the better of them," Lois quickly says.
"You both know that curiosity killed the cat," Victor recites.
"Hold up Victor. I know this girl...well I know a guy that knows her, but you don't have anything to worry about," Bart tells him.
"Do I know you?" Chloe asks Bart.
"We met once at The Talon a few months back. I was a little TOO fast for my own good, which is saying a lot."
"I remember now. You were hanging out with Clark," Chloe recalls.
"Would you mind letting us down please?" Lois asks Victor. He gives them both a hard stare, but agrees.
"I still want to know why you guys followed me," he demands.
"You're supposed to be dead. That's reason enough don't you think?" Chloe answers.
"How do you even know who I am? I've only been here for about a week and no one that's seen my face has connected the dots."
"I'm an aspiring journalist. We tend to not forget things such as a promising football star's life being cut short...,but why did you bring up Luthorcorp earlier?" Chloe asks.
"It's a long story Chloe," Bart answers her.
"Can you skip to the part where I saw metal underneath the spot that man cut you at?" Chloe requests.
"Even outside of Smallville we can't avoid things weird," Lois sighs.
"That's Sunnydale for you from what I've heard," Bart comments.
"If you have to know Miss..."
"Sullivan. Chloe Sullivan."
"Well Ms. Sullivan, it happened about a year ago. I was involved in a major car wreck with my family. I don't know what he was doing there, but Kano found my body shortly after the crash. I was barely alive, but enough for him to take me to Luthorcorp. They played God with my body. That's why you saw medal underneath my skin. I'm more machine than man now. A cyborg. They planned on stripping me of my free will then giving me to this shady group of assassins. I only got away because one of the scientists released me."
"How do you two know each other?" Chloe asks pointing from Bart to Victor.
"Let's just say we're kind of similar. Well not in the cyborg department that is. We figured we could help one another out."
Across the street in the adjacent building, someone watches the group through a pair of binoculars.
"Target sighted, Mr. Luthor," the man says into a communicator. "Civilians are present, however. What are your orders?...Understood."
"What's the boss want us to do?" Another Luthorcorp. employee asks. The room has a small handful of Lex's men all loading up special guns.
"He says obtain the prototype by any means, but to have there be as less collateral damage as possible. Well you can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs," he declares.
Clark comes out of super speed in another section of town carrying Buffy.
"That was incredible," Buffy praises.
"This isn't the half of it. I can do so much more," Clark finds himself bragging.
"Can you fly?" Buffy asks.
"Except for that," Clark clarifies.
"You can put me down, Clark," Buffy says.
"Oh. Right." Clark sets her down and they continue their walk.
"Wonder how Buffy's doing," Willow says.
"Well she hasn't come bursting in here to see if I'm alright, so things must be going good," Joyce voices her thought; looking better than she had previously.
"She has nothing to worry about Ms. Summers. It would take the forces of Hell itself to break the barrier we've placed over the hospital...ok that was a poor choice of words, but you know what I mean," Tara says to ease the elder Summers.
"I wish I could see Buffy, just to know that she's ok. This would be the perfect moment for my vision to come to pass and me not be there to stop it," Cordelia moans.
"No offense Cordelia, but you told us that you don't even have a clear idea as to what you saw. For all we know it might not even involve Buffy," Xander suggests.
"Still, I need to know. Just to put my mind at rest."
"Walk with me," Tara says pulling Cordelia out of the room, into the hallway, and then into an empty room.
"Ok, If it will help, the offer to try and augment your vision still stands," Tara reminds her.
"Willow already tried that and it sent me flying halfway across the room," Cordelia recalls.
"I've been practicing magic longer than Willow has," Tara says holding out her hands. "Trust me. It won't hurt a bit."
"...Promise?" Cordelia asks; hands hovering over Tara's.
"You want to protect your friends right? Then we need to know what you saw."
"Fine," Cordelia accepts and Tara takes her hands. A small light encircles them both.
"Now concentrate Cordelia. Think back to what you saw. Try and form a clear picture in your head." Cordelia shuts her eyes in deep concentration. Pictures flash in her mind at a rapid pace. Cordelia starts to pant and her head starts to pound.
"Nothing's changed...," Cordelia says.
"Try and relax, Cordelia," Tara advises trying not to pour too much energy into Cordelia.
"There's so much blood...Buffy...wait...it's starting to come in clear..."
Blood splatters across Buffy's face.
Shang Tsung stands outside the Hospital observing the magical barrier. He rolls his eyes and dissipates it with a wave of his hand.
Fire surrounds Buffy and someone else.
Smoke...smoke everywhere.
Kitana...
"Oh God," Cordelia whispers coming out of her vision.
"What is it? What did you see?" Tara asks.
"I didn't see everything, but the woman that attacked us...she's coming back..with friends." Cordelia answers; feeling slightly drained.
"I have to say Buffy. I've enjoyed talking with you this afternoon," Clark admits.
"I have that affect on people...well those that aren't normal that is," Buffy quips. "I've enjoyed our time together too. Short as it's been."
"Day's not over yet, Buffy."
"When?" Tara asks. Cordelia observes the clock and gulps.
"They're coming...pretty much now."
Tara looks over her shoulder and sees small traces of smoke coming out of one of the air vents.
"What else do you have in mind Clark?" Buffy asks. Clark opens his mouth to answer, but a giant ring of fire suddenly appears out of nowhere surrounding them both.
"What the Hell!?" Buffy shouts.
"Yes. Hell," A figure says stepping through the flames.
"Who are you?" Buffy asks taking a fighting stance.
"My name is Scorpion. Your executioner," he answers.
To Be Continued...
