"Are you sure you want to do this, Alicia?" asked Clark. They were outside the building that housed Level 33.1, and this time it seemed he would get to see that place for himself. It was strange that, for the most part, he'd never really seen himself as being like any of the kryptonite infected people. There were exceptions though, like Kyle, with his gift of persuasion over others and Cyrus, who for a time he'd thought an alien like himself. And the person who he felt closest to of all, Alicia Baker.

"I don't think we have a choice. I won't live my life in fear," she said. "I'm glad you're here with me."

"I'm glad you're here with me," he replied, smiling.

"Then let's go," she said, and in that instant the world changed around them. Clark allowed the teleportation to go at full speed from his perspective. He wondered what it would have looked like if he'd sped up. From his view then, the whole process would have slowed to a crawl. Alicia couldn't see the point she was teleporting to, but Clark trusted her judgement. To think of it, it was a miracle that she hadn't, at some point while learning to use her abilities, teleported herself into a wall. Perhaps her body had some inner defence mechanism that prevented such a thing. Either way, thinking about it made him shudder.

"Welcome to Level 33.1, my home away from home," said Alicia, pursing her lips. Clark forced himself to take his eyes off of her. Her attractiveness was in danger of driving him to distraction. He needed to stay alert for both their sakes.

"They didn't want Lex hurt, but they probably put him out of the way somewhere. I'll see if I can find him," said Clark, using his X-ray vision to take a look around. His mouth dropped open in shock at what he saw.

"What is it Clark?" asked Alicia, stepping in front of him as if to shield him from whatever he was looking at.

"Someone's planted a bomb in Lex's office," replied Clark. "Get out of here, I'll take care of…"

"Stop," came a voice behind them. Immediately Clark's body seized up, as if in the grip of some incredibly powerful force. Mikhail stepped into view, a confident look on his face. From the corner of his eye, Clark could see Alicia was trying to teleport, and it wasn't working. Mikhail's simple command had rendered them both utterly helpless.

"Well, this is convenient," said David, stepping out from behind Mikhail. "So, I finally have you, Alicia."

Striding forwards, David brushed his hands against Alicia's cheek, resting his head against hers and smelling her hair. Clark redoubled his efforts to try to move, but couldn't budge even an inch. He couldn't even speak to try and warn him off. Panic began to grip him.

"Oh, you smell so sweet. I bet you taste even better," he said mouth hovering about her lips. "Such a shame that in a few minutes, you'll be dead."

"Speaking of which, perhaps it is time we were going?" said Mikhail. That bomb was going to go off, Clark knew, and the explosion wasn't going to kill him. But Alicia didn't stand a chance. He wasn't close enough to her for his body to shield her. No, he couldn't let her die… Mikhail was right in front of him… if he could just activate his heat vision…

It wasn't working! He had to keep trying, he couldn't just give up now…

"You never understood what Lex had here, did you? It's not just a lab, you know. It's a base. Lex Luthor is the head of an army. The sheer diversity of powers he had here would render any technology used against him ineffective. I had hoped to wait until he'd gathered more, but my hand is forced. I'm going to stop an army in one move. I'm going to be a hero."

"We don't have much time," said Mikhail impatiently.

"I KNOW THAT!" roared David, spinning on his heel. "First, we let the other one go. I don't kill normal people. We can alter his memories later. He can forget that Alicia Baker ever existed at all."

"I doubt that there is much normal about Clark Kent," said Mikhail with a rueful grin.

"What?"

"He's one of them."

David blinked.

"So that's why Luthor is so interested in you? But why didn't he just… never mind. Time to go. Goodbye, Alicia. Time to pay for your crimes. Time to burn."

"There are only two people here who are going to pay for their crimes, and Alicia isn't one of them," said a cold voice from behind Clark. He couldn't see him, but he recognised Lex's voice instantly.

"Lex? How did you…?" began David.

"Get back in here? There's more than one way in and out of here, not that you'd know that. By the way, Mikhail, if you try to speak my people will have you dead before you can complete one syllable."

"But your memories…" said David.

"Oh, that. People have tried to alter my memories before. Perhaps I've grown resilient to it. Or maybe someone just happened to fill me in."

"Julia?"

"Was on my payroll for quite some time. I'll leave it up to your imagination just how long. Now, Mikhail, undo what you've done to my friends."

Mikhail gave Lex a murderous look. Clark hoped Lex knew what he was doing.

"Move," spat Mikhail. Clark didn't waste any time. That bomb was going to go off any second, and Lex didn't seem to know about it. He didn't have a choice. He had to reveal his secret in order to get that bomb out of here.

"I've got it, Clark," whispered Alicia as though reading his mind.

"No, wait –" began Clark, but she was gone. Clark spun, using his X-ray vision, and saw Alicia touching the bomb and taking it with her. But where would she take it? What if there was no time? It couldn't hurt him, he should be the one dealing with it.

Trust her. Believe in her.

"Clark? Where's Alicia?" asked Lex, sounding uncharacteristically uncertain.

"I'm right here," she said, appearing behind Clark and kissing him deeply.

888

Two hours had passed. Strapped as he was to a chair in the lab, David was beginning to know just how the freaks felt. His only hope now was that Mikhail would find a way to put all this right.

As Lex entered with Mikhail by his side, this became quite a slim hope.

"What are you going to do with me?" he asked weakly.

"Good question. I really don't like people playing around with my mind, David. You're going to learn what that feels like, thanks to our good friend here. Mikhail, I want you to make him think he's a dog."

"My pleasure," said Mikhail, as David began screaming.

888

Clark dropped by the Luthor Mansion to see Lex the next day. Alicia was busy packing for the weekend away he'd promised her. They were both really looking forward to it. Things had gotten really complicated lately, and it would be nice just to put all that to one side and have some fun. Like say, normal people.

"I just wanted to say thanks, Lex. You saved our lives yesterday."

Lex closed him laptop, which he'd been working on when Clark arrived.

"It's nothing you wouldn't have done for me," he said, shrugging.

"I also wanted to let you know that Alicia won't be back in Level 33.1. Ever again."

An ambiguous look crossed Lex's face, and he stood up.

"Clark, I know your upset about what happened, but I promise that no-one like David will ever…"

"No, Lex. Your promises don't mean anything. You knew David was up to something, yet you let him keep working there. Alicia almost died twice because you were content to play some sick game."

"If I'm guilty of anything, it's underestimating how far he would go. Maybe a little of you rubbed off on me, Clark. Maybe for once I just wanted to see the good in people. The way you see good in Alicia."

"What are you getting at?"

Luthor raised an eyebrow, circling around Clark.

"Here's this girl, she stalks you, almost kills you and Lana, but you keep her around."

"She's different now."

"And yet just a few weeks ago she somehow manipulated you into marrying her. Now, I'm not saying she's a bad person. But you were the object of her obsession, after all. The doctors told Alicia to keep her lead bracelet on. She couldn't do that. They told her to stay away from you. She couldn't do that. Does that sound like she's different to you?"

Anger swelled up inside Clark. He had to use his willpower to stop himself from grabbing Lex.

"So all that in The Talon, that was just lies? Just so you could get Alicia into your lab?"

"I was trying to help her, Clark. As long as she's around you, she's still chained to her old life. I wanted to help her move on. I wanted to give her a reason to live that wasn't you. Being around you is dangerous for her. It's only a matter of time before she suffers a relapse. I can give her so much more."

"Is that what this is about? You want her for yourself?"

Lex shook his head, smiling.

"Think what you want, Clark. You're young, too young to understand. When it all falls apart, remember that I tried to help you. Both of you."

888

Feeling uneasy, Clark returned to Alicia's house that night.

"How much did you pack, exactly?" he asked, looking at two rather large suitcases.

"Well, what's the point in dating the world's strongest man if you can't get him to do some lifting for you?" she asked, winking at him.

"What's the point in dating a teleporter if you can't get her to bring you stuff from the fridge to the couch?"

Leaping from the bed into Clark's arms, she kissed his mouth and laughed.

"Oh, come on Clark. I put in lots of sexy outfits for you to enjoy looking at your gorgeous girlfriend in. Of course, I'm not sure how many of them I'll actually get to wear…"

"Let's make a promise to have a good time this weekend. No worrying about powers, or Luthors, or anything like that."

"It's a promise," she said, smiling warmly at him. No-one had ever looked at him the way she did. Not Lana, not Chloe, not anyone. She could see right inside him, right to his heart. "Clark?"

"What is it?"

"Do you think we'll find other people, like us?"

"I'd count on it. People like that seem to be drawn to me… or maybe me to them. There are a lot of friends out there, I think. And we'll deal with Lex's Level 33.1. I'm not sure how yet, but if we work together, we'll figure it out."

It wouldn't be an easy road forward, he knew, but that didn't mean Lex's cynicism was accurate. He was here with the woman he loved, the woman he wanted to be with, and that was something worth fighting for. What lay ahead no-one knew. Yet as he lay her down that night, and removed her clothes as she looked up at him lovingly, even that single night held so much promise…

END