Ok folks, here's a long one. But we're finally getting to some of the big action, so I hope you'll enjoy. I own none of this.

Chap 10

Lex stood on the edge of the bridge, surveying the river running below him. His hand rubbed over the metal guardrail, seeing where new metal had been placed between the original. He heard the click of heels on the ground behind him, and grinned. The sound was almost as noticeable as an elephant trampling a light bulb factory to him now. He turned, seeing his love… his new dark Goddess. "Lana."

She smiled in return, all traces of the sweet girl that most likely existed once gone now. "How long do we have to wait Lex?"

He moved closer, taking her hand. "I'm not sure my love. I don't know how long it will take Clark to figure out my message. I don't have much faith, look how moronic he was to let you go." Lex touched her cheek softly, feeling a low burn behind his eyes.

Their lips almost brushed when Lex tilted his face, hearing a low whistle from far off. "Do you hear that, Lana?"

She looked around, then craned her ear to listen in. "I hear something… but what…" She was suddenly staring into empty air, feeling a tremor all around her. Glancing down, she saw a hole in the bridge where Lex had been.

She heard applause from behind her. "Wow. Farmboy would be great to have on your team in hopscotch. That jump was at least half a mile, straight up." Lana turned in time to see a fist flying into her face, knocking her to the ground.

"You know…" Spike said, shaking his hand out, flexing the fingers to make sure they weren't broken, "I try not to fight ladies much anymore, used to be a real bad habit of mine. But I don't think you really qualify."

As Lana stood, he swung around, bringing his boot up against her right temple, knocking her over off of the railing into the grass below. He hopped onto the railing, licking his teeth with a big grin. "Payback's a Lana."

--

Lex popped up from the river, looking around. He had been talking to Lana and was suddenly underwater. "What was tha…" was all he could say before being dragged down again. Looking at what had a hold of him, he saw Clark. Smiling, Lex threw a leg out into Clark's chest, only to have the smile fade when Clark caught him. Twisting, Clark threw Lex hard into the river bank, sending him deep into the mud. Clark kicked off the center pylon, slamming his fists into Lex's chest, driving both of them deeper underground.

--

Spike was doing well against the brunette, using it to his advantage that she didn't know how to handle these new powers of hers, and every kick and punch she threw was taking her off balance. She had just missed a roundhouse back fist by almost a foot when he popped up under her, upper cutting her hard enough to sprawl her on her back. Standing over her, he grabbed hold of her coat. "Where are the girls?"

She simply grinned. "Don't worry. You'll see them soon enough." Before Spike could react, he felt a super powered knee catch him in the groin, tossing him over her head and onto his back, groaning.

"Oooooooh that was dirty," he moaned, both hands cupping his damaged goods. Finally opening his eyes, he looked just in time to see Lana grabbing him by the throat. Without lifting, she slung him around, grinning more as his body made a grotesque crack against a tree near the bank.

By the time she strolled up to where he had landed, Spike was on his feet, barely. "Ok bitch… had enough?" he asked, his hands barely up in a fighting stance, which broke when he had to cup his groin again. "I think there's three there now, how hard did you kick me?"

Lana ran for him at super speed, barely giving Spike time to react. He threw his right knee up, catching her in the jaw, sending her flying to the side several yards, landing hard in the grass. "One more time bitch. Where's Buffy and Chloe?!"

He was answered by her flying into the air suddenly, cracking his jaw with a hard punch as she went soaring.

Lana floated down, standing over the prone ex-vampire. "You can take a beating. But what about the heat?" Her eyes glowed dully, getting brighter right before she let the intense burst of heat go… but instead of a fried Spike, she only saw the tree line burst into flames as she was knocked silly, flying onto her stomach in the dirt.

Clark stood where she had just been, covered in mud and dirt, his clothes soaked. Tossing his jacket aside he went over, trying to wake Spike up. "Come on Spike. Come on. I'm not sure you can take some of the encouragement you gave me earlier in this shape."

Clark let a big breath out when Spike started to move. "Don't get all mushy on me Farmboy. I'll have to hurt you again."

Clark chuckled. "Again?" he asked as he stood, helping Spike up. "When did you hurt me the first time?"

"I know that wedgie left a mark, and not just on your skivvies. You've been walkin' funny all day." Spike stood, walking over to Lana before she could get up again. "Now listen to me. Tell me where they are or I'll have to…"

"TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF OF HER!" Spike and Clark were thrown back several feet by a blast of heat vision exploding the ground around them. Lex flew down, covered in mud and as soaked as Clark. Grabbing Lana, he picked her up in his arms, floating up above the two men. "Nothing can ever be simple with you can it, Clark? You can't just do what you're told! Now Chloe and her little friend are going to suffer for it! Then, I'll be back for you." Lex took off in a flash, streaking across the sky towards town.

Spike stood slowly, feeling his adrenaline waning and the aches kicking up a notch. "Ok… that didn't work exactly according to plan. Now what?" When he looked over at Clark, he was smiling. "What's got you so happy over there? We have no clue where they are."

"I wouldn't say that Spike." Clark tapped his ear. "I've learned a trick or two recently." He started to walk back towards the road. "You coming?"

Spike grumbled as he followed. "Yea, so easy for him… he didn't get clocked in the nuts by the anti-Barbie."

--

Buffy and Chloe were finishing off the latest round of rock, paper, scissors when the cell door flung open, banging against the metal wall making both of their ears ring. They barely had time to stand before Lex was in front of them, dirty and seething. He lifted both by their throats, slamming them back into the metal wall. "I gave your boyfriends a chance, but they didn't want to play nice. They hurt Lana…. MY LANA!" he roared, slamming them into the wall harder.

Buffy and Chloe both threw a leg out into Lex's chest, catching him solidly. He staggered back, not letting go of their throats. Glaring at Buffy, then Chloe, he snarled, "There's something not right about the two of you." Flinging Chloe easily to the side, she slammed face first into the wall of the cell. Both of his hands tightened on Buffy's throat. "Let's see how much fight your little boyfriend has left in him when he sees your lifeless body in front of him."

Buffy brought her arms up quickly in between Lex's, breaking his grip. Pushing off the wall, she brought a high kick up into his jaw, and then spun into a kick to his sternum, staggering him. "More than enough to still kick your Rogaine challenged butt!" she said, her voice raspy. She moved toward him, prepared to throw a thrust punch to his chest when he snapped back against her, slamming a shoulder into her abdomen, slamming her into the wall again.

He gripped her face in one hand, a sinister smile covering his lips. "On second thought, maybe I'll keep you around. There's something interesting about you, I can't wait to get inside and see what makes you tick." He leaned in, noses almost touching as he glared deep into her eyes.

Lex was suddenly ripped away, thrown into the other side of the cell. Buffy saw Clark standing in front of her, filthy in a stained t-shirt and jeans. "Took you long enough." She rubbed her throat as he pulled her up easily.

"Get Chloe and get her out of here." He turned slowly, staring Lex in the eyes. "I've got something to handle in here.

Buffy scrambled over, pulling Chloe to her feet. They glanced at Clark before exiting the room.

Spike stepped into the doorway, only to be stopped with a hand to the chest. "I've got this Spike. Make sure they're ok." One look in Clark's eyes told Spike not to argue.

"Ok then Farmboy. He's all yours." Spike walked away before hearing the thick metal slab of a door slam shut. "God help him."

--

Lex stood, circling across the cell from Clark. "How did you find this place? How did you know where we were?"

Clark tapped his ear. "Once you get used to it, you can tune in to someone. It was hard to find the heartbeat, but I managed to track yours down, Lex.

Chuckling quietly, Lex held his hands out. "So this is what it's come to? This is what happens to a great friendship, eh Clark?"

"I don't know what you consider to be friendship, Lex, but it doesn't include attacking someone's parents and friends."

Slamming his fist into the wall, Lex shouted above the echo. "You used to include me in that list of friends!"

"I STOOD BY YOU WHEN NO ONE ELSE WOULD!" Clark roared, pointing at Lex. "I went against my own father's wishes to give you a chance. I never judged you based on your father or your name Lex! But you gave me plenty of your own faults to judge you by."

Chuckling, Lex walked around the cramped room. "So that's it? A few transgressions on my part and I'm damned in the hallowed views of Clark Kent?"

"You went into my life, Lex. You broke into my family's privacy, our lives. Chloe told me about you threatening her when I was missing the day of the meteor shower Lex! There is no excuse for any of that!"

"YOU GAVE UP ON ME! You left me to rot in the Luthor name Clark. After you stopped being my friend, there was nothing else in my life except my work and my name! Not all of us were lucky enough to have the oh so holier than thou Jonathan Kent as our fathe…"

Lex's head slammed into the wall of the cell before he was finished, blood streaming from his nose. Clark moved in a flash, pulling him up to his feet. "Never talk about my father again. You don't have the right. He even let his views of you be changed, but eventually you proved him right."

Grabbing Clark by the shirt, Lex spun around, throwing him to the opposite wall, denting it. "Enough of this. It's time to find out if the Kawatche legends were right… Sageeth."

Clark stood, eyes glowing as he stared at his former friend. "You've got a lot to learn about history Lex."

--

Spike helped Chloe and Buffy settle down, his fingers moving over the marks on Buffy's face. "Are you ok, luv?"

"I'm fine Spike. How about you? You don't look so hot right now. I mean, not hot like hurt, not as in not sexy hot… I mean…" Spike cut her off with a deep kiss.

Chloe could only sigh. "Get a room."

Buffy was about to reply when they were interrupted by a very loud clang coming from inside the cell they had just occupied. "What was that?"

Spike looked over his shoulder, smirking. "Payback."

Chloe gasped when she saw the right wall bow out, like something had slammed into it hard enough to bend half a foot of steel. "Oh god… Clark…"

Spike touched her hand. "He'll be fine Chloe, don't…" he was cut off by a sharp kick from behind. Groaning, Spike slid back to his knees. "Oh hell… you really don't play fair."

Lana stood over him, and then she kicked Buffy in the face, sending her backwards over the barrels they were sitting on. Lana moved to punch Chloe, but her fist was soon wrapped in Chloe's hand. Lana's eyes went wide as she realized there was something different about her friend, as she looked at the blonde. "Lana… we need to have a serious talk."

Chloe released Lana's hand, twirling her arm over Lana's and hooking her elbow behind the brunette's, pulling it tight and locking Lana's arm. Grabbing a hold of her long hair, Chloe shoved Lana's surprised face down into her knee, letting her moves flow from years of practice. Releasing her arm, Chloe slammed the edge of her flattened hand into Lana's throat, driving the raven haired attacker to her knees. Finishing with a spinning thrust kick, Chloe landed the sole of her foot solidly in Lana's face, knocking her onto her back.

Stepping back, Chloe stretched her knee out while rubbing her hand, ignoring the ache in both of them from the punches she landed on the super powered she-witch. "What's gotten into you? Why are you doing this, to Clark and to me of all people? We're your best friends Lana!"

Lana stood slowly, daintily touching a finger to her split lip. "No you're not. Friends don't lie to friends Chloe. Friends don't keep secrets from friends!" She ran at the blonde, tackling her, shrieking as they slammed into the wall of the cell Clark and Lex were in right now. Lana scratched at Chloe's face, growling as she went to maim her. Lana was pulled back by her long locks, Spike tossing her back into the barrels.

"Time me and you settled up princess." He moved toward Lana, but Chloe stopped him. "This is my fight. I'll handle this."

Sighing, Spike stepped back, his hands up. Moving to where Buffy had sat down to readjust her jaw, he flopped down with a sigh. "I don't get to hit anyone tonight. This sucks, you know that?"

Buffy simply glared at him, then back to the former friends who were facing off. "Kick her ass, Chloe," she muttered.

--

Clark and Lex were evenly matched, the Kryptonian had to admit that. Every punch led to bloody knuckles and split lips. Clark was pushing himself up off of the floor when he felt searing heat boring into his chest. Letting out a scream, Clark fell, clutching the seared skin on his chest. "Having to pull an ace out of your sleeve, Lex?"

Laughing, Lex stared at the floor below Clark's hand, heating it up quickly. Clark moved, using his own heat vision to set Lex's shoe aflame. Both of the men were moving around, trying to get rid of the scorching pain on their skin. "You know what? I don't think this is going to be answered here. Maybe we should find a nice open area. Like a farm?"

Clark glared, understanding Lex's meaning. "Don't..."

Lex stared up at the ceiling, then to Clark. "It's time to finish what I started. No one looks down on the Luthor name. No one." Crouching, Lex prepared to jump into the ceiling of the cell, ready to burst through. The last thing he felt before hitting the ceiling was the bones of his ribcage crunching under Clark's shoulder when he slammed into Lex's body, slamming them both into the wall hard enough to rattle the entire metal room.

--

Spike jumped at the sudden noise from the cell, eyes widening. "What the hell are they doing?" He stood, moving to the cell slowly.

He had to move back suddenly when a fist shaped dent bowed the wall out a few inches from his face.

Chloe was caught under Lana's forearm in a front face lock, her forearm cutting off the blonde's air. Holding onto the pockets of Lana's jeans, she kicked her right foot up behind her, cracking her heel into Lana's forehead, knocking her back.

Buffy and Spike could only watch while the two women were fighting like animals, scratching, clawing, screaming and pelting each other with blows hard enough to bring an elephant to his knees crying.

Suddenly a loud cry came out of the cell, a primal roar of pain. Everyone could recognize the tone… it belonged to a certain farm dwelling Clark Kent. Chloe's attention was pulled from the fight as she turned to the room, eyes wide with fear for Clark.

"Looks like your boyfriend couldn't take a challenge. That's what he gets for everything he's done." Lana's arms crossed, a sneering smirk playing over her lips.

Chloe turned slowly, nostrils flaring. "For everything he's done? Does that include saving your selfish ass so many times? Does that include spending years doting on you, trying to make you happy? Does that include the fact he's spent his life holed up all alone, afraid he would get someone hurt if he let them in?"

"He should have told me! I know all about him now, Chloe! I know what he's done to us! He should have told me that he's responsible for my parent's death! He brought these meteors to our town!"

Chloe could only laugh hollowly. "It must tear you up that you live in this selfish little self absorbed world, seeing people like Clark out there helping anyone that needs it. He isn't responsible for the meteors. That wasn't his fault. It was fate, Lana. He had no control over it." Stepping up closer, Chloe got right in Lana's face. "And his secret? I've known for a long time now. Probably at least six months. How does that make you feel, Lana? I never pushed him for his secret, I never threatened him, I never gave him an ultimatum. And I… knew… the truth... first."

The self control Lana was holding onto snapped. She swung at Chloe, all her power focused into this hit. Chloe ducked just in time, feeling Lana's sleeve brush against her hair. Chloe brought both her fists up, slamming into Lana's jaw. As she staggered back, Chloe hopped over the barrels, a hard kick catching Lana in the face. Lana threw another punch, this one caught by Chloe, pinning Lana's arm under her own. Slamming knee after knee into the brunette's ribs, Chloe jumped, bringing a knee back into Lana's nose.

Lana pulled back, scared. She threw a wild kick which Chloe easily sidestepped. She threw a thrust punch at Chloe's face. Chloe brushed it aside with her forearm, punching Lana in the ribs with a short hit. Stumbling back, Lana tried again, swinging at Chloe's face again. Chloe took the punch, spinning with it and delivering a roundhouse to Lana's temple, knocking her to the ground.

Spike raised his eyebrows. "Interesting use of momentum. Not sure I'd try that one though." Buffy simply nodded, watching the rest of the fight. Chloe had only been powered for the last week or so, but she moved like a woman with a purpose.

From the floor, Lana kicked up at Chloe, only to have her leg grabbed. Gritting her teeth, Chloe smashed her shin into Lana's kneecap hard enough to destroy a regular knee. With her added powers, Lana only screamed in agony as she felt a muscle or two tear.

"Do you have anything else to say about my boyfriend?" Chloe asked in a flat tone.

Lana begged. "Please… Chloe, let me go. This is all a mistake. I don't know what's happening to me. Lex dragged me into this. I had no idea… I don't want any of this, I don't care about Clark's secrets!"

Chloe smirked, but her response was cut short by the sound of ripping… more like exploding metal. Looking behind her, she saw a limp body flying through the air bursting through the metal roof. "Clark?" She let go of Lana, moving toward the room just in time for the door to fly open… and a bruised Clark stumbled out. His t-shirt ripped to shreds, he pulled the tattered pieces apart, letting it drop. Chloe ran a hand over his face… lightly touching the splits in his skin. "Clark." She hugged him tightly, not caring about the shape he was in.

"I'm fine. I'm fine Chloe." He wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head. "But I'm not done yet."

Chloe pulled back slowly. "What do you mean?"

"We have to stop him. Have to turn him back to what he was. Lex might not have been a treat, but super powered Lex is worse." He looked up to see Spike and Buffy standing next to them. "I need a favor. I need you guys to go to my house, make sure that my parents are ok. He threatened to finish the job."

"Of course. Can't let anything happen to Mama Kent, none of us can cook that good." Buffy elbowed Spike again, but she was smiling.

"We'll protect them Clark," she added, touching his hand. "Just finish that bastard." Her voice was still scratching from Lex's grip.

Clark nodded, looking over to see Lana still on the floor. "Can you keep an eye on her?" he asked Chloe.

Smiling, Chloe looked back at the brunette. "Oh yea. We're having a great time reminiscing. Aren't we Lana?"

The girl said nothing, pulling herself further from the group. She wasn't even trying to fight back, knowing she had no chance against four. Chloe had beaten her easily alone.

Nodding to his girlfriend, Clark stepped back. "Time to go."

"How are you going to find him Clark? You don't know where he landed," Chloe asked him.

"I can tune into him. I can find him." With that, Clark sped out of the room, leaving the rest of them to stare at an empty spot.

After a few moments, Buffy finally turned to Chloe. "Do you ever get used to that?"

Chloe just shook her head. "Nope. Probably not gonna either."