Chapter 26
Clark just ends up staring at his High School Principal for a long time, his mouth hanging open slightly.
Principal Fine, in return, looks mildly amused. "You trying to catch flies there Mr Kent?" he jests.
Clark frowns.
"Close your mouth," Fine just says it.
Clark's jaw snaps shut.
"Better," Fine praises him so. "So funny us meeting like this isn't it," he says with a humorous tone.
Clark's mind finally makes a connection. "You're Andrea's contact?"
Fine sighs. "All our talks and you have learned nothing have you, Mr Kent?" he criticises.
Clark likes to think he does pay attention but how could he have foreseen this?
"If you haven't realised it already I like to garner knowledge," Fine explains. "Especially the sort other people would prefer to keep secret. Call it...a hobby of mine."
"And Andrea helps you with this?"
"Recently, yes...and speaking of Ms Rojas, where is she?"
"Not well," Clark phrases it. "And I think it's connected to whatever she was investigating. The only link I could find was a cryptic note mentioning a contact and something about Luthorcorp."
"Which brings you to me," Fine makes the connection.
"Yes...and what are you doing in Metropolis?" Clark wonders because it's not exactly round the corner from Bayville.
"I could ask you the same thing."
"Andrea's a friend and distant colleague of a sort. She called me saying she needed my help," Clark can explain his presence.
"And I'm here for my hobby. Meeting people, doing research...a good historian never speculates. The study of history is built on meticulous research...but for now let us return to Ms Rojas' illness. It wouldn't involve extreme sensitivity to sunlight and a need for human blood would it?" Fine guesses...correctly.
Clark's eyes narrow, suspicious now.
Fine reaches into the bag he brought with him and pulls out a file. "Luthorcorp project 1138," he gives it its assigned number.
Clark takes it and starts to read. It's about some sort of rabies like virus...contracted from bats...from caves littered with (surprise, surprise...not!) meteor rocks if the pictures are anything to go by. "What does Andrea have to do with this?" he asks, trying to understand the connection between his friend and his Principal.
Fine purses his lips a little before answering. "In the final days of the Roman Empire, wealth and power were the only thing the Emperor coveted. What about the good citizens of Rome? What did they do? Did they rise up and burn their bras and their draft cards? No, they went to the Colosseum. They stood idle while an evil man destroyed their world. In your lifetime you may be faced with a similar situation. The question is: will you leave your footprints on the history of time or let them be washed away by the tides of more powerful men?"
"That's a pretty speech if you were giving a lecture, Principal Fine," Clark will concede. "But the point?"
"The point is at the fall of Lionel Luthor's Empire what was it he coveted?"
"To cheat Death."
"Exactly. Now imagine this. Through sheer chance he discovered a disease that grants you near immortality...at a price."
"Becoming a vampire you mean."
"There's nothing supernatural about this Mr Kent. It's simply an exotic disease. But Lionel wasn't so desperate at that point just to expose himself to the virus. He needed to have it studied in a test subject under controlled conditions. Now ask yourself this. What would have happened after Lionel's fall from grace? This was a secret project. Very few people knew of it. What happened when the Emperor was no longer around issuing control?"
"This test subject got loose didn't she?" Clark can guess. And she being the girl in the file he's reading. "And now this experiment is out of control." That's what Fine is pushing at. Without Lionel it's now all out of control.
Fine nods. "Where she went to I didn't know but it was clear she needed to be found...and this is not exactly the sort of thing you can bring to the police and expect to be believed."
"Which brings us to Andrea's part I'm guessing. You thought she could find this test subject."
"Metropolis was where Lionel's secret facility was. It was the place to start and if you hadn't notice I have a school to run. It means I needed someone local to investigate and Ms Rojas has developed a reputation for investigating subjects off...what shall we call it...the mainstream?"
Clark would concede that was true. By the nature of her other 'job' Andrea did tend to gravitate to the 'unusual' in her investigative journalism.
"And she must have succeeded if she is in the state you're indicating," Fine concludes.
Clark reads the folder more. "It says in here there was a cure for the virus...which makes sense from Lionel. If all goes wrong make sure you have the final upper hand."
"Yes, very Luthor like. Runs in the family," Fine remarks.
Clark is well aware Lex has his own secret projects. Victor keeps an eye on it more than he does he will admit but Vic has a more personal stake in the subject considering what Lex tried to do to Victor, almost turning him into an emotionless robot. That and Vic's still trying to use Lex's systems to trace where the Metaleks are. "Where's the cure?" Clark wants to know.
"If it still exists I would expect Lex absorbed that part of Luthorcorp along with all the other parts he bought. I'm afraid my research didn't get as far as getting the exact composition on it just yet."
Clark gets very thoughtful. "That's alright. I know someone who can get the details."
Fine leans back with an enigmatic smile. "Resourceful for a high school senior," he remarks...and he's not wrong. How does a high school senior have the means to get classified Lexcorp material?
"If you live where I live, Principal Fine, you'd become very resourceful too," Clark brushes off a more detailed explanation. "I need to go," he says as he stands up.
"Before you do I assume you have Ms Rojas...contained?"
"I got lucky. She tried to feed on me and I ripped the curtains down in her apartment. Sunlight didn't agree with her. Weakened her to the point I could...well I had to knock her out. I didn't want to do it," Clark improvises an explanation on the spot.
Fine waves his hand. "You don't have to explain. You did what you needed to. If you need my help further call me."
"I will. Thank you Principal Fine," Clark says grateful that he has more information now than he did before. Still it's a little puzzling his Principal being involved. He didn't see that coming. He also doesn't have the time to think on it right now.
He exits the diner and pulls out his phone, dialling the number of a friend. "Hey Vic. How are you?" he asks his cybnertically enhanced friend. "That's good. I would love to catch up but I'm afraid this is a business call. Do you still have access to Lexcorp's more private files?...Uh huh. It was previously a Luthorcorp project. One-One-Three-Eight. More specifically I need the details on the serum they created for the virus...that'll make sense when you read it."
Clark walks on, waiting for Vic's response.
Vic's response is, understandably, fairly incredulous at what he is reading.
"Are the details on the serum there?" Clark really wants to know. "And can it be recreated?...Yes, there are people infected. I don't know how many just yet...It can be recreated. Good. Ok, what I'm going to do is go to Star Labs. Send all the data to Dr Emil Hamilton," Clark instructs. He's the guy he and the X-Men usually go through when they want assistance with something.
With that done Clark sneaks down an ally and peels his jacket and plaid shirt off to reveal his blue t-shirt with his family crest on it. He was so hoping to avoid pulling this out. If he's seen he can expect SHIELD to show up but what choice does he have. Andrea needs to be saved so Superman to the rescue.
Speaking of Andrea she was testing her bonds. The metal creaks against her strength. She's so close.
She gives it a few more minutes before trying again.
With a cry of effort the chain links finally give way and she rips the metal away and rises to her feet.
She lets out a feral snarl.
Now, time to put her plan into action. She can sense the sun has set. She has to get back to her 'sisters' at Met U. The Tri Psi sorority. And as for her advantage over Clark? The necklace round her neck with kryptonite inside. He should have taken it from her. His mistake.
Andrea looks up and leaps into the warehouse's rafters before punching her way through the roof. She hops up, runs and leaps to the next roof over, heading for her destination.
What she doesn't see is the 2 shadowy figures, one tall, one shorter, following her...
Star Labs...
For Emil Hamilton he must confess it's a rather remarkable experience to be in the presence of what he knows to be an alien from another world.
He is a scientist after all. He almost has to stop himself from gawking.
If Superman notices he doesn't mention it. "So Dr Hamilton, what do you make of our little exotic disease?" he asks, getting straight to business. He's on the clock after all.
Dr Hamilton turns his attention back to the computer screen here in his lab as he reviews the sent data he received. "Fascinating how it in many ways resembles the classic vampire myths."
Superman purses his lips and wonder for a half a moment whether he should mention, that if his girlfriend is to be believed(and he has no reason to doubt her) vampires are real. Nah. That would simply be a distraction. "Can you recreate the serum?" is all he really wants to know.
"I see no reason why not. All the information seems to be here. It will need to be created while exposed to the meteor rocks."
"I know you can do that safely," Clark has faith in them. Yes, they have some of the rock. It needs to be studied to discover how to reverse its many, many effects.
"Oh, yes, of course, all safety procedures will be undertaken," Dr Hamilton assures him. After all these are radioactive rocks. Extremely exotic ones to be sure but their effects are known now...well some of them at least.
"The only thing I don't know is how far this has spread just yet," Superman admits. "I'll need several doses at least to be on the safe side."
"That's going to take time," Dr Hamilton warns.
"Time..." Superman murmurs. "I think I know someone who can help with that. If you'll get started I'll go get the help we need," he says as he heads for the door. "And Dr Hamilton...thank you," he adds.
"That's what I get paid for," the scientist quips...though technically it's true. He's paid and ordered to aid Superman.
At the Institute...
Jean is wondering if she should stop Rogue. The...she almost said Goth girl but she's noticed lately the Gothness(is that a word?) has been slowly fading away. Anyway her friend has gotten that look in her eye when she's about to unleash one of her payback pranks.
Only this one is being aimed at Illyana and Jean really thinks perhaps she should intervene...only some naughty part of her is kinda curious what the reaction would be. When you're surprised is when you tend to show your real self because you're caught off-guard and can't mask it.
And Jean finds herself curious as to who Illyana really is because the girl is incredibly closed-off. Plus her mind is unreadable. Rogue was right. It is rather...off-putting to be in the blond girl's presence. It's nothing you can discernibly describe. It's just a feeling of...'wrongness'.
So for once Jean is going to ignore that little Angel-Jean on her shoulder and listen to the little Devil-Jean on her other shoulder and just watch and see Rogue's prank play out.
Rogue's figured out Illyana's main weakness. Her seeming obsession with food.
So Rogue's using that to her advantage. It's nothing fatal or anything. It's just going to be very funny.
You ever added baking soda to ketchup? Then you'll know what is about to happen.
So sucked Illyana in with an offer of a plate of fries, you know playing up trying to make nice. "Ketchup?" Rogue queries with an innocent smile.
Illyana nods, too engrossed in the food to really pay attention. She takes the bottle, shakes it...and the contents explode all over her.
Of course everyone present breaks down into fits of laughter.
And of course no-one realises the one thing you shouldn't do is humiliate and anger a demon-sorceress. Especially not when she's the Queen of Limbo. And the more they laugh at her embarrassment the more it simply stokes Illyana's anger. Her eyes begin to glow red.
"You think this funny?!" she rages, turning her focus first on the one who gave her the bottle. A flash of...evil you could call it, comes over Illyana's features. "You ever wanted to know, leech, what it feels like to be on the receiving end or your powers?" she asks, her voice having an almost echoing bass to it now. She casts her hand and a spell and a mystical energy field encompasses Rogue's form, doing what Rogue does, draining energy from her cells.
Rogue cries out in pain and falls to the floor.
Illyana turns to Jean next, recalling her whispering to Rogue. Clearly the red-head was in on the conspiracy. "Lovely hair you have there," she says, a cruel smirk on her lips. "Then again Medusa had lovely hair too," she practically cackles as she casts the spell, turning Jean's hair into a writhing mass of snakes.
Jean screams in panic as the snakes hiss and almost bite her.
Illyana laughs evilly as she turns her focus on the rest of them. "Who's next?" she asks in a faux silly little girl voice. Her soulsword manifests in her right hand as the group of girls begin to back up.
Whoosh!
That's when Clark appears right in front of Illyana.
"Why hello lover!" Illyana greets him cheerily. "I'll get to you in a moment."
Clark takes her by the shoulders and looks into her eyes. "Darkchylde," he whispers what he sees.
"You were expecting someone else?" Darkchylde pouts...before she snorts with cruel laughter.
Clark's blue eyes narrow. He knows how to deal with this. "Know what I remember. I remember a 9 year old girl seeking strength and power but what she needs to understand is that while she gained those things it was not about inflicting misery on others for her own amusement. It was actually in an attempt to protect her brother. Do you remember Illyana? These are your brother's friends. And you don't really want to hurt them because that would hurt him. And you love your brother, Illyana. Remember that."
Confusion reigns on her features as his words reach her human side. That's what you need to do. Remind her she has a human side, reach it, encourage it out.
Clark's hands go to her face and he strokes her cheeks with his thumbs. "Come on Yana. Calm down. Come back to me. I know you can do it. I believe in you."
Illyana blinks, the glow in her eyes fade. "I'm...I'm sorry," she stutters.
"I'm not assigning blame," Clark assures her. "But, uh, can you undo..." he nods his head in Jean and Rogue's direction.
Illyana turns round and sweeps her sword through the mass atop Jean's head. The sword breaks the spell and the snakes turn back into Jean's red hair. She looks down at Rogue. "She'll recover. She's simply drained," she states, her voice flat. "She shouldn't have made me mad," she has to add.
Seeing the mess Illyana is in Clark can guess, more or less, what happened. "I need you for something. Get cleaned up. I'll deal with this," he informs her.
Illyana nods and vanishes into a stepping disk.
"What the hell was that?!" Tabby finally exclaims.
Clark sighs and runs his hand over his short hair. "Did or did I not say Illyana had grown up in a rough place. Do you really think it's a good idea to anger her? Let me answer that and say no, it's really not. And before someone says it I'm not defending what she did. Just explaining it."
"It was just a joke," Rogue groans as Jean helps her up. Jean is completely freaked out by what just happened
"I know that Rogue. I just think that perhaps you should have thought it through. Illyana...has to control a lot of anger and hate as a result of where she grew up," he tries to explain it as best he can without giving away too much. "It's a process I'm trying to help her through. Sadly right now it doesn't take a lot to set her off. I hoped her making friends, making the connections of friendship would help her...rediscover her humanity...metaphorically speaking," he adds an untruth at the end to cover a truth Illyana's not ready to share. "Friends, connections, love even...they are things she had next to none of growing up. I think you're all smart enough to figure out what happens to people that cut off but there is goodness inside Illyana. It needs to be encouraged out. She needs to be encouraged. Perhaps I should have explained this more clearly," he feels he could have said more, slightly berating himself but it's a balancing act. Trying to explain without giving away the whole demon and Hell stuff. "That's not to say she didn't do wrong. She did and I'll talk to her about it," he promises. Illyana went too far in her reaction. It's just lucky he got back when he did before she went completely Darkchylde on them all. That would have been...very bad for them. "Now I'm sure you'd all like to have your 3 or 4 cents worth and you can give me both barrels if you wish later but I need Illyana for something urgent right now so if you'll excuse me I really must go," he excuses himself and is gone in a blur and the accompanying whoosh!
"When he gets back ah'm so tellin him how ah don't lahke his new girlfriend," Rogue mutters angrily.
Jean is still trying to settle down her emotions.
"Well he did, like, have a point, Rogue," Kitty speaks up. "You should have thought through better what her reaction might be," she feels the need to take this position of defence for Illyana. The girl wasn't that bad. Distant yeah...but so was Rogue once and Kitty would know. They were roommates for 2 years. Point is Kitty knows how to handle someone like that and it's not through playing jokes on them. It's getting them to join in this little thing we call life.
Rogue grumbles something under her breath that can't be heard. Probably for the better that it can't be heard.
It's at that point Claire and Marie walk in hand in hand, having spent the day catching up on quality alone time as girlfriend and girlfriend. Though Marie liked to joke Claire was the man in the relationship because it was just fun to wind her girlfriend up from time to time.
It's painfully obvious something has happened. "So what did we miss?" Claire quips.
By the time Clark reaches Illyana's room she is changed and cleaned. Either through magic or via Limbo in the time. She's also pacing. Almost like a caged animal.
"I do not want lectured," she warns him off.
"I am not going to lecture you," Clark tells her. "But when you've calmed down we will have a discussion," he promises.
"I don't want to have a discussion either," she snaps.
Well we went from her apologising back to demonic rage pretty quick didn't we. Clark steps in her way, his arms folded across his chest.
Illyana looks up and growls at him.
"Illyana," he says sternly. "There's a time and place if you want to let your temper out but it's not now. Right now I need your help. I need the focussed hunter."
"Be careful what you wish for."
"Illyana. I can handle her. If letting her out is what you have to do right now then do it."
"On your own head," she warns him as she stops holding her darker half back and the physical changes begin. Her horns grow out along with her tail and her lower legs become cloven. Her eyes flash deep red. Her tail swishes hard back and forth. "It's been far too long," Darkchylde complains how much time has passed since she's been fully let out.
"That's a matter of opinion," Clark rumbles.
"Don't push it Clark," she warns him. "My respect for you only stretches so far before I decide to finish our little hunt."
"But then you'd be bored without me to keep you challenged," he points out.
Darkchylde cocks her head to the side. "Huh...you may have a point," she concedes. It probably is more entertaining to keep him around. "So what is it that requires you to get my other half to let me out, hmm?"
"Like I said. I need you focussed. Not full of undirected rage." And truth is Yana's darker half is better at being focussed right at the moment.
Darkchylde snorts. "That's what you get for encouraging me to embrace my 'humanity'," she says partly sickened at the concept.
"And here I thought I had split-personality issues," Clark murmurs. "Yana. You made me promise to ask you if I needed your help, remember."
Darkchylde folds her arms across her chest. "Aw, what's the matter. The little blood suckers too much for ya to handle," she mocks.
"It's not what you think...at least I don't think it is," he says before going on to explain everything that has happened so far.
Darkchylde ponders it for a minute. "Interesting. A kryptonite mutated infection that simulates in many ways vampirism...and you have a plan don't you."
"Do I?" he asks her.
Darkchylde smirks. "I know that look you're wearing Clark. I saw it many times in Limbo. That little sparkle just before you lured me into one of your traps."
"And yet you didn't learn not to walk into them."
"Oh I learned Clark," she contradicts him. "I learned that you could always come up with a new and different way to trick me...to infuriate me...and worst of all I learned the idea of a next time we would clash would excite me. I looked forward to it. You earned my respect...and more."
"Depressingly I also started to look forward to our meetings...but then again talking to someone other than War was a welcome relief," he quips with a smirk.
Darkchylde gives him a derisory look.
Clark chuckles. "Do you need me to say it? It would simply be repeating your words...but I'll say it. Of course I learned to respect you. Of course my feelings became more. I think I've showed you many times how I feel about you."
Darkchylde's face glows with unrestrained lust. "Yes. That is the bit me and my lighter half agree on is definitely the fun part."
"So care to join me and see how one of my plans unfolds from at my side?" he asks her holding his hand out.
Darkchylde grins and accepts his hand. "Sounds like fun."
Author's Note: I did debate for awhile whether to go for proper vampires or Smallville's kryptonite virus version. In the end I went for the latter because the important bit here is Fine worming his way further into Clark's trust. Plus I can link it back to the good old days of Lionel and his experiments on trying to cheat death. Note to everyone; never ever make Illyana angry. You wouldn't like her when she's angry...wait that's stealing someone else's bit...but it's true nonetheless. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Thirst part 4.