Chapter 29 – Smallville

"It was right where you predicted it to be, Mister Luthor." John Corben, part of Luthor-Corp Security, stood at attention as if in the presence of a general.

Lex nodded. "I trust you were able to take it without any incident?"

"None whatsoever, Sir. We used a sleeping agent on the Kents."

"I trust that they were already asleep when you deployed the drone," Lex half said rhetorically.

"No, Sir – they were in their kitchen. We fired the gas grenade into the …."

"You did what?" Lex was livid. "You mean you didn't use the sleeping agent I supplied to you?"

"It put them to sleep, Sir."

Corben was visibly puzzled. It was a reminder to Lex that lesser minds were prone to lesser results.

"Yes, and now they'll wake up knowing they were gassed, complete with a spent gas grenade in their kitchen … unless you thought to go in and remove that evidence."

"No, Sir, but who cares? It isn't like Luthor-Corp made the grenade, so it won't come back on you. We got the rocket."

Lex got right up in Corben's face. "I care."

Though Corben was a larger, heavier man, Lex had grown tall enough that he did not have to look up at the six-foot security officer. Much to his surprise, Corben actually recoiled slightly.

"But …."

"You do realize that the Kents are friends of mine. I gave you orders to use a mild sleeping agent, and to deliver it via a remote drone, not a grenade."

Corben shrugged. "We use gas grenades all the time. What's the big deal?"

Lex could hardly contain his anger. "Because, you dolt, the sleeping agent I had prepared was specially formulated to the Kents! They would go to sleep and awaken with no after effects. Instead, you fired a grenade into Martha's kitchen and blasted them with whatever sleeping agent you happened to have on hand!"

"We had to act fast; they had guests – their son and the Lane woman from the Planet I think. We heard a loud explosion overhead and then they took off in their rental, probably to cover it. Turned out there was a near derailment and Superman showed up to stop it. Figured they'd be back after they covered it, so we didn't have time to do things all fancy."

Lex's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. If Clark and Lois were in Smallville, it would explain why they had not returned his calls; with Lois involved, they were on assignment – most likely covering Superman. With Lois having covered the Smallville Superboy story and Clark being from Smallville, sending them here would be Perry's most logical move.

"Clark is in town?"

Corben still looked confused, but Lex was done trying to explain himself to this dullard.

"Get out of my sight!"

"Sir?"

"He and Lane will figure out it me that was behind it!" This was just getting worse and worse. It was time for Lex to cut his losses. "You're fired!"

"You can't fire me," Corben protested. "I have a contract!"

"Of which you are now in breach," Lex reminded him. "I have no place in my organization for dullards who cannot follow simple instructions. You've been paid – now, get out!"

Corben looked like he was about to attack Lex, but instead, he glared and left. With a backward glance, he called back, "This isn't over, Luthor!"

What a disaster. At least he had the starship. Hopefully, Doctor Lang could extract the Kryptonium from the vessel without any difficulties.

Lex's thoughts drifted back to the Kents. What if they had collapsed and hit their heads? What if the gas had some ill effect on them? Martha and Jonathan were fairly healthy, but they were not young, and Jonathan had allergies to certain medicines and anesthesia. Lex had gotten copies of their medical records and had specially prepared a solution that was tailor made for the Kents, guaranteeing that they would awaken rested and refreshed from a long night's sleep. Instead, Corben just blasted them with whatever he happened on hand.

Hopefully, the Kents would be alright and Clark would merely be upset. If something had happened to Clark's parents, Lex had no idea what his friend would do. He had never seen Clark lose his temper, not even once and not even close. If harm came to friends or family, Lex knew that Clark would get to the bottom of it and find all responsible – and then all hell would break loose.

There would be no hiding Lex's involvement either. Kent's Kryptonian mind was as keen as Lex's, possibly even keener. He would put the pieces together and trace it back to Lex. Even without personal involvement, even with orders to do things in a way that would be harmless to Martha and Jonathan, it was Lex's directives that put everything into motion.

Clark was the most forgiving soul Lex knew, but even Clark's forgiveness had its limits, of that Lex was certain – everyone's forgiveness did.

With Clark and Lois in town, Lex had to extract a sample of the Kryptonium and return the starship to Clark before any more damage was done. He could not imagine their friendship surviving this. Lex shook his head. This was a disaster. If he had any hair left, he would have pulled it out.

"If only I had waited for him to call me back."