-Chapter Twelve-
The Secret Allies
Little Timmy ran, he ran so fast his feet felt like they were going to buckle. Or else they should if he wasn't running at the speed of sound, his very surroundings blurred past them as he rocketed past them. The entire world was in a stand still as he past them; he could kill them all. He growled hungrily as he past every Earthly parasite he passed, they were weak.
But then so was he.
Where was he? He growled inwardly stopping just outside of a cemetery. His body was weakening he could feel it. It wasn't going to last much long, he'd have to get a new one.
"Hold it, Alien Invader!" called a voice from behind him. He turned to see three... nerds.
"Shouldn't we identify the species?" Jonathan asked nervously holding his brave stance yet looking as if he was ready to run at any given time.
"Yeah it could be a Vulcan or something?" Andrew said equally nervous.
"What? It's a Skrull idiot!" Jonathan snapped in an indignant whisper.
"What about a Grey Martian, remember in JGA: A New World Order? Where the Grey Martians disguised themselves as Superheroes to take out the Justice Guild?"
"Awww, Green Guardsman was awesome in that issue!" Jonathan cooed in awe. Andrew sighed in agreement.
"Both of you shut up!" Warren snapped looking angrily as he stared out the boy. "And besides Tom Turbine was way more awesome than the Green Guardsman!" he scoffed mockingly at the name rolling his eyes.
"What? What kind of name is Tom Turbine?! It totally gives away his identity!" Jonathan scoffed indignantly.
"What about Catman?! He was cool, he didn't need any powers!" Andrew cried childishly as he joined the argument.
"Oh please, who's going to be scared of Cat?" Jonathan scoffed.
"You are!" Andrew snapped.
"Only cos my Aunt Silvia's.... kept looking at me," Jonathan grumbled.
"Excuse me?!" came a vicious spitting growling voice from in front of them. They turned wide eyed remembering the thing in front of them, the thing that was spitting black goo from its mouth, blacked eyed that glowed with hunger. "But I'm... HUNGRY!"
The Cemetery echoed with an almighty roar and the ringing of three high-pitched screams as a grey decaying creature shot from Little Timmy and flew at its three withering, shivering tear stained victims who hold each other as the inevitable happens. It made the phantom sick to inhabit the body one of these withering pathetic creatures who at very sight of danger can't even hold on to their bladders.
"She never even told me!" Clark snapped down the phone angrily as he stormed through the barn looking for his crystal. "Can you believe that?"
"Clark, I get you're upset but try and stay focused," Chloe said, "A boys body was found in cemetery in Sunnydale last night matching all the other Phantom Victims."
"I'll talk to Lionel maybe he knows more about it," Clark said as he walked up the stairs to the loft. "Maybe he knows something?"
"Okay I'll keep up my search for your favourite Martian, whoever he is he knows something about these Phantoms," Chloe replied as the typing of her computer echoed down the phone, "in the mean time maybe you should try getting back in touch with Buffy now that you have the chance again."
"Yeah you're right," Clark sighed, "I'll call you later."
Clark walked up the stairs to see Lionel stood waiting for him. He had his arms behind his back as he always did when he was giving grave news. "Something tells me I'm not going to like this," Clark said glumly awaiting the inevitable. "You heard from my mother?"
"Yes, she's landed this morning," Lionel replied curtly with a weak smile, "I suspect she'll be quite adept to Senatorial life."
"What have you come to tell me?" Clark asked cutting to the chase.
"Lex is close to finding the Phantom," Lionel said gravely. "He's already abducted five people. His people have tracked the Phantom to..."
"Sunnydale, I know," Clark said walking to the loft door, "I checked the hospitals. The phantom is lurking around cemeteries."
"Mmm, an appropriate place for a Phantom," Lionel scoffed. He looked at Clark awkwardly, "Clark... this phantom..."
"Isn't like all the meteor freaks I've fought I know, Chloe's always reminding me," Clark said a little tired by the constant reminding. What did they take him for? He'd fought Gloria, he'd fought Baern, fought Titan and all the others, okay he had help with some of them but he still held his own. Hell, he even fought Zod.
"Yes, well this Phantom... Is nothing like the others..." Lionel replied urgently. He sighed. "Maybe you should tell him?" he said softly to no one in particular.
"Very well," came a voice next to Lionel yet the owner of the voice was not there. Clark stepped back in fright as a green shimmer filled the spot next to Lionel showing the outline of a man. A tall bald black man stood before Clark, middle aged but with wisdom well beyond his years. "Hello, Kal-El... it's been a long time."
"You lost it!" Lex growled as he stared at the two imbeciles angrily at yet telling himself over and over again; what did he expect?
"It cornered us," Andrew cried as they communicated via webcam, "We fought it off as long as we could but it took him..."
"You two fought a being from another planet?" Tess scoffed next to Lex, he too sharing the same mocking smile at the two withering on screen.
"We have powers! Powers unimaginable to mere human's eyes," Andrew cried desperately, "that's why you employed us."
"He's not employing us," Jonathan groaned, "employment would mean getting paid for this... not blackmailed."
"Look Mr. Luthor, we didn't kill that girl... Warren did," Andrew said jitterily, "we we're victims of household abuse... he is a very aggressive man... he tried to kill us to when we tried to go to the police..."
"And I feel for you, I really do," Lex said with mocked sympathy, "call this your redemption boys... Just think, you could be like Gabrielle, Warrior Angel's sidekick..."
"We know who Gabrielle is Mr Luthor," Jonathan replied a little offended.
"Then you should know that during the Omega Crisis, Gabrielle was part of the Warrior Classes that nearly destroyed the world," Lex said rolling his eyes inwardly as he was forced to resort to his child hood love. A black and white picture book that never identified to true nature of life, it never could see the grey of life. He had learnt that. "He was redeemed during the Galactic Invasion Event, so could you? You two could be... Gabrielle."
Lex could see Tess smiling trying to contain the laughter as the two geeks discussed the matter on screen excitedly. They whispered loading arguing with each other. "Okay, we're in!" they both said, "but we want capes and masks."
"Of course," Lex growled through his teeth showing a smile to seem pleasant when really he wouldn't mind washing his hands of the two of them. "Now find him, or you'll end up like EvilSied!"
The two of them looked at Lex wide eyed with fear. They gulped knowing full well what happened to EvilSied in issue 282 of Warrior Angel. "Of course, Mr Luthor we won't let you down."
The screen went black leaving an infuriated Lex wondering why he was subjecting himself to working with these idiots. "Well, that was interesting," Tess said sarcastically.
"You speak of this to know one," Lex snapped. "You have a job to do... do it."
"Very well... my master," Tess said playfully bowing to Lex before marching off a smile of great amusing pressed across her face as Lex glared back at her.
