Chapter 28
Smallville…
To say things had been tense between Mia and her father these last couple of weeks is a gross understatement.
See, this is exactly why she never told him. She knew she would get the same lecture she got from all those phonies in the Justice League.
And you know what else. He grounded her.
Her! A 24-year-old woman!
He forbade her to go out and be 'Supergirl' and restricted her to the farm…with the dog. Not that Mia has anything against Shelby you understand. On the contrary she loves that dog but it is just that this is a repeat of what the League tried to do to her. They placed restrictions on her too until she discovered the Legion Time Travel Ring.
And that's how she got here in the first place.
Now one could point out the obvious. That short of tying her down her father can't stop her leaving the farm if she wanted to.
When she pointed this out to him he threw down the ultimate threat. Telling her Mamá.
Father and daughter then glared at each other for minutes on end waiting to see who would back down first.
The fact she is here on the farm alone tell you it wasn't him.
For the first time in her life she is starting to have uncomplimentary thoughts about her father.
So here she is having a rather boring day when out the blue Tess Mercer shows up at the farm saying she needs Mia's help.
Mia folds her arms across her chest in a pose reminiscent of her father and arches an eyebrow as they stand outside. "Don't you have a whole team to help you with stuff?" she asks back, rather acerbically.
"They're all busy looking for information on the Darkness," Tess explains, while she nervously looks around.
"Well, that's really not my problem," Mia says and yeah, that probably makes her sound like a total bitch but she's in a foul mood.
"Your father's in trouble."
Mia's eyes narrow. "Go on," she tells the redhead. Then she listens as Tess tells the story of another Clark from a parallel universe. Clark Luthor. Mia has a sharp intake of breath. "Ultraman's here?" she says, deep worry in her voice.
"You know him?" Tess asks, surprised but perhaps she shouldn't be.
"Believe me, I wish I didn't," the brunette says with utter loathing.
The Future…
It had only been a matter of a few scant days since Mia had showed up to help fight the villains in Metropolis and the world was still abuzz with the fact that Superman not only had a daughter but a grown-up one. It hadn't taken the media long to dub her 'Supergirl'.
Lois Lane-Kent had another term for her but lets not repeat it.
With her father's death and the subsequent destruction caused by his villains running riot the League had decided it was not a bad idea to have Mia patrol Metropolis as a reassuring figure due to the symbol she wears on her chest.
Not by herself. As if Batman would allow that.
Assigned with her was John Henry Irons; the armoured hero known as Steel and her brother, Conner. For the moment they had taken a pause atop one of Metropolis' many skyscrapers.
"So, Natasha talking to you yet?" Conner is asking Steel in regards to John's niece; Natasha.
"No," the distorted voice replies through the armour.
"You know you brought it on yourself, right?" the half-Kryptonian clone points out in regards to a falling out between Steel and his niece.
"She took my words completely out of context," Steel says in his defence.
"That's what they all say. That's what I've said. Got me a trip to the dentist for my troubles."
"You're the one who chose to date a demi-God," Steel points out.
"Yeah and I've never regretted it."
Mia has no idea what this conversation is about because unlike her Aunt she's not a gossip.
Just then Conner's phone goes off. "'Ello! Oh, hi Chloe. How's the Old Man doing?...What do you mean Ollie doesn't like it when I call him that?...Oh, I see, he's in denial about the passing years. Well, it's not my fault he can't accept his mortality…So, what has you calling?...No, I've not spoken to Lois in a few days…investigation into Intergang…she is a reporter, Chloe. It's what she does…it was the last thing she and Clark were working on together…I see…Ok, fine, I'll check she isn't getting in over her head…where is she?...what do you mean why am I asking you? Because you've probably already pinged her location before you called. You're obsessively stalker-esque like that…No, I won't take it back because you need me right now…I'll let you know. Bye."
Conner finds himself being stared at. "Soooo, looks like we have something to do," he says lamely.
"Uh huh," Steel drawls. "What's the location?" he just gets to it.
Conner relays the location he received from Chloe and the trio head off in that direction. As they draw near there are the sounds of gunfire and explosions.
"Oh, she's never going to let me live this down," Conner mutters in regards to Chloe's reaction when she hears about this.
The trio accelerate their approach to find themselves in what seems like a small warzone between what appears to a couple of Metropolis' more powerful gangs. Now that Superman was gone, it looked they too thought this was a chance to reassert themselves upon the city.
"We've got to stop this," Conner declares. "Also, if you see Lois get her out of here, no matter how much she protests. Knock her out if you have to," he instructs his two teammates and with that the three get to work, disarming and incapacitating the combatants.
"What you got Steel?" Conner asks.
The armoured clad hero relays what his scans are telling him. "I'm reading over a dozen life signs from within, in two distinct groups."
"Gang Warfare," Conner calls it. "Alright then. We need to stop them. Here's what we're going to do," he starts to lay out a plan but before he can the whole warehouse explodes in a massive fireball, blowing the 3 heroes backwards through the air. They right themselves as Conner looks on in horror. "Lois," he breathes.
"Up here."
The 3 heroes look up at a familiar yet impossible sight. Lois Lane in the arms of a red and blue clad alien.
"Clark?" Conner queries.
"Superman?" Steel queries.
Which leaves a shell-shocked Supergirl to whisper, "Papá?"
The present…
Tess looks at the Latino woman with a strange yet intense look. "Clark…dies?"
Mia shrugs. As far as she is concerned there is no need to keep the lies up. "He knows."
"What?"
"That he dies. He figured it out awhile ago…or so Papá tells me."
Tess has so many questions…and issues…and feelings she's been trying not to put a name to. She does what she always does and pushes those feelings aside. "The 'Clark' in your story, saving Lois isn't our Clark is it?"
Mia shakes her head. "Ultraman."
"Why?"
"A plot to gain power. To have a laugh at our expense as he watched our reaction to 'Superman' coming back from the dead. I'm sure there were other reasons that were running through his perverted, tiny mind but I cared little what they were, especially when I realised who he was," she says and the pain of that is clear in her voice. The pain of thinking her father, by some miracle, was alive only to then discover the awful truth.
"Did you manage to stop him?"
"He's a Dreg. He always gets stopped."
"Now, now, that's no way to talk about your father," a voice chastises.
Tess tenses while Mia turns round, her hands tightening into fists and an intense red glow forming around them.
"You," Mia says, seething anger and loathing clear to hear as standing there is Clark Luthor.
"Yes. Me," Ulrtaman says in mocking tones.
"You're going down, twip," Mia vows only to be stopped by a hand grabbing her arm courtesy of Tess. "What?!" she hisses at the redhead.
"He called himself your father," Tess points out before looking at the smug doppelganger of Clark. "How does he know that?"
"Excellent question, sis and here I thought you were failing to live up to the Luthor name," Ultraman throws her a backhanded compliment.
Mia's eyebrows droop as her brow furrows. "Sis?" she queries.
"Not the time," Tess tries to avoid the question. "Focus here," she says intensely. She looks up at her brother in another universe and sees the same smug, arrogant Luthor grin is still on his face. "How do you know who she is?" she asks him directly.
"I told him," another new but yet again familiar voice says.
The two women turn around to come face to face with a slender brunette, dressed to kill in a short, figure hugging dress. A brunette who just happens to be identical in every way to Mia.
"Ay Dios mio," Mia breathes in shock. She stands there stunned for but a moment. However, that is all her father's twisted double requires as without warning a metallic collar is snapped around her neck. The glow around her hands fizzles out as she tries and fails miserably to yank the collar off.
"Don't waste your time," Mia's double says arrogantly. "Power inhibiting collar. You're now as powerless as these pathetic humans," she explains.
Clark Luthor wanders round until he stands next to the duplicate. "See, as it turns out, Kent and I have the same tastes in women. At least as far as it concerns choosing the mother of our children," he explains who this woman is, before slapping her on her shapely ass.
Mia's double shivers pleasantly at the sensation. "You know I thought spanking was saved for when I was naughty, Daddy," she rebukes him in a suggestive manner.
Clark Luthor shrugs. "There's always exceptions to a rule."
Mia's double wanders towards Mia herself, her whole body moving in a smooth, seductive manner that Mia wouldn't even know how to replicate. "I guess introductions are in order. I am Mia Bernardo Rojas-Luthor."
"Mamá named you after Abuelo?" Mia finds herself querying the middle name.
"Interesting you focus in on that," Mia Luthor remarks.
Tess decides to intervene. "Well, she's not going to ask the obvious is she. Like how you clearly, like her, have travelled back in time."
"Auntie Lena!" Mia Luthor cheers.
Tess cocks an eyebrow.
"Oh, it's my loveable quirk to call you by your middle name and yes, you are absolutely spot on. I did travel back in time."
"How much did you tell him?" the redhead asks with deadly seriousness.
Mia Luthor giggles madly. "Everything, silly."
A deep worry grows in the pit of Tess's stomach at the idea of this psychopath possessing detailed knowledge of the future. "This…all this, you knew was going to happen. You and Clark swapping places," she starts to realise as she addresses her sorta brother.
Clark Luthor takes a few moments pretending he's thinking that over before admitting, "Yeah. Pretty much."
"Look," Mia Luthor points at the redhead. "You can actually see her working out the questions she wants to ask to try and get ahead of us."
"It is impressive. That I will give her," the dark-haired villain says. "Go ahead, sis. Ask them. After all my Tess and I keep nothing from each other."
"Like clothes. Modesty. Society's judgemental moral code about what even adopted brothers and sister can get up to," Mia Luthor lists off jovially.
"You really want that spanking don't you."
"Do you even have to ask?"
"So like your mother."
"Voy a perder mi almuerzo en un minute," Mia mutters.
"Why are you here?" Tess asks Mia Luthor.
"To save the world, Auntie Lena," the brunette replies with what sounds actual sincerity.
"From what?" Mia asks.
"Crisis."
"Which one?"
"Which one?" Tess repeats the question astounded that it is even a question.
Mia shrugs while her double giggles madly again.
"My oh so gorgeous doppleganger is correct. There is more than one Crisis that afflicts the multiverse but really all I care about is the one which destroys our world," Mia Luthor gestures at herself and her father. "You see that is the last thing I saw before I travelled back. I saw our world being eaten away by a wave of anti-matter."
"Oh. That Crisis," Mia says as she gets up to speed.
"Yes. That Crisis."
Tess feels so completely out the loop here. She hates that.
"You can't stop that Crisis," Mia points out. "You're not here to save the world," she dismisses her double's claim.
"You're here to save yourselves," Tess picks up on.
"Well ourselves and a few friends because you see the one great thing about this world is…"
"No Abuelo," Mia Luthor finishes.
Tess's green eyes narrow. "Lionel. This is about Lionel."
Clark Luthor snorts. "Don't give our father that much credit."
Tess cocks her head slightly. There is an intensity in his voice. A tension that says she's hit a nerve. Could be something she could use.
Clark Luthor marches over to his 'sister'. "Now, that we've got your inevitable attempt to betray me out of the way shall we get back to business?" he asks.
"What business?"
"Don't play dumb, Tess. It doesn't suit you. Where is the mirror box?"
Tess clams up tight.
"There's no-one coming to your rescue, sis. Kent's daughter over there is powerless. Your team is currently scattered all over the world and as for Kent himself…" a dark smirk forms on Clark Luthor's face, "…like you said, I knew we would be swapped. I've been waiting for it."
"What have you done?" Tess asks, glaring at this dark reflection of the Clark she knows.
"Oh he's alive. I have plans for him but I obviously couldn't leave him running around my world unattended."
"Mamá is keeping an eye on him," Mia Luthor says with an insane giggle.
In Tess's mind that means some sort of imprisonment. While that is very bad it also allows her to remain hopeful Clark is alive.
"Now, Tess, I really shouldn't have to explain what happens next if you don't tell me what I want to know," Clark Luthor makes the unspecified threat.
"Just tell him," Mia says.
Tess looks at her weirdly.
"If he wanted to kill you he would have done it already. The dreg has no impulse control."
"I think I was just insulted," Clark Luthor remarks.
"You were," his daughter confirms.
In response he slaps Mia hard, busting open her lip. "I could have killed you right there. I didn't," he points out but with the threat he could left hanging.
Mia licks at her cut lip. "My point, that I was trying to make, is Tess, you thinking keeping this mirror box from him is leverage that is keeping you alive in incorrect. Oh, sure, it'll make his life a little easier but in the end, when his patience runs out…"
"Smart girl," Clark Luthor praises her.
"Experience, actually. Also he's not going to kill us until he can gloat over whatever brilliant plan he's cooking up. He loves to hear himself talk."
"You're pushing my patience right now," Clark Luthor warns.
"Go ahead and kill me then," Mia dares him. "I'm not afraid to die. I made that choice the second I decided to travel back in time."
Clark Luthor looks at her carefully. There is something she's holding back. Something that is intriguing him. Something that will keep her alive for a little longer. He turns his head towards Tess. "So, sis?" he asks again.
Tess looks at Mia who nods at her to do it. "I'll take you to it," she reluctantly gives in.
"Now, you see, was that so hard?"
Clark Luthor grabs Tess and the two vanish.
Mia Luthor swaggers up to her double. "So, I'm curious what does powerlessness feel like?"
"Like watching your world be destroyed and not being able to stop it."
"Good analogy. Really hitting home there. Is that why you came back? To save the world?"
"You really think I'll tell you anything? I'm not that naïve."
"Oh you'll tell me everything. Or you can tell Papá and he's not nearly as gentle as I am," the psychotic double of Mia promises.
Speaking of Papá he returns with Tess and the mirror box. "Tie the two of them up in the barn," he orders. "We have a few things to take care of before we get down to the real business."
"Si, Papá," Mia Luthor says obediently.
A few seconds later Tess and Mia finds themselves tied to a post and then left alone.
"I hope the hell you know what you're doing," Tess says to Mia.
"Buying time."
"You're going to have to explain that one to me."
"Remember what the dreg said about saving a few 'friends'?"
"Yeah?"
"The Crime Syndicate. His dark reflection of the Justice League."
"Justice League?"
"What your team gets called in my time."
"That's not bad actually," Tess will concede.
Mia sighs. "His universe…it's a mirror universe. Everything is inversed. Good guys are bad guys and bad guys the good guys."
"So there are dark versions of the team whom he recruits?"
"Yes, though there shouldn't be. It's too early for that. I guess my double is responsible for accelerating events."
"Speaking of your double how did she get here if all the mirror box did was swap the two Clarks about?" Tess is trying to figure out.
"It is possible she was sucked along with him when the box was activated," Mia hypothesises. "Outside of that; Maybe something she brought back in time with her?"
"Which raises another question of if she has been here for longer than since Clark Luthor showed up this morning?"
"Mind reading is not one of my powers so I don't know."
"Ok, then lets return to you needing to explain the 'buying time' part of this whole plan of yours?"
"Why aren't the Crime Syndicate already here? Why didn't they come with him?"
"Limits on how many people can be transposed at one time?"
"You pick this up really fast," Mia has to say.
"I've been doing this awhile now."
"Ah. That explains…absolutely nothing."
"Get on with what you were saying."
"If he is going to bring the Syndicate over to this universe he needs to build an interdimensional portal. Now, I'm guessing my double has the knowledge but they will need access to resources and technology."
"Luthorcorp."
"And since he's not an actual Luthor and certainly not one in this universe he needs someone to order the portal to be built."
"Me."
"What's the word you use in this time? Bingo?"
"He's planning an invasion," Tess starts to grasp the ramifications.
"That would be my guess. He tried it in my timeline but was defeated."
"Ok, let me figure this out. We play along. Buy time. For what?" Tess wonders.
"Well, either someone on your team to figure out something is amiss or to get this slagging collar off of me or for Papá to escape whatever prison twip-lips trapped him in and return."
"You think Clark can?"
"I have faith in my Papá. Don't you?"
"More than you'll ever understand."
"And that's even assuming he was telling the truth about Papá. I mean future knowledge or not he can't have known down to the second when the swap would take place. Not to mention my presence here has made changes. It may have changed the day entirely for all we know."
"You're making good points, I'll admit."
"Then we play along until an opportunity presents itself, right?"
"Right," Tess agrees.
"I wonder where they went?" Mia idly speculates about the two twisted people.
"Probably to play 'Daddy Spank!'"
"Oh my God, gross! Are you trying to make me sick?" Mia exclaims, looking a little green around the gills at the thought.
"Honestly I'm trying not to imagine what those two get up to. They don't exactly seem like two people with any sort of boundaries," Tess reflects, considering the way Clark Luthor stuck his tongue down her throat when they first met.
"I swear to God if you don't shut up I'll vomit on your shoes," Mia threatens.
"Don't you dare! Do you know how much they cost?!" Tess warns her off passionately.
"More money than most people make in a year, probably," Mia says a little snidely.
"I don't need lectured on the inequalities of the world."
"I'm not so sure of that."
Tess scoffs. "So, since you're all willing to share stories of the future what happens to me?"
"Honestly, I don't know."
"You serious?"
"Yes, actually. I mean I swear you're familiar. Like we met briefly once or something but I can't place it."
"Well, that's disappointing," Tess rumbles.
"Like the way you wish I was your daughter?"
"What are you on about?"
"Please. I've seen the way you look at Papá," Mia points out.
"I don't look at Clark at anyway beyond he is my friend," the redhead denies the accusation.
"Surrreee," Mia drags the word our sarcastically. "Just write the words, 'Clark, please fuck me' on your forehead and get it over with-ow! You kicked me!" the brunette says indignantly.
"Serves you right. You don't know a damn thing about how I do or do not feel about Clark so do not try and get smart with me," Tess warns her off angrily.
Mia goes silent for a few moments, glowering over her sore leg. That really hurt. "You still need to explain to me why he called you 'sis'," she mutters sullenly.
"I don't need to explain anything to you."'
"Hey, you came to me seeking my help, remember? And look where it has gotten me?"
Tess simmers over the fact the Latino woman has a point. "I'm a Luthor," she confesses.
"Slag! Really?!
"Yeah. The product of Lionel being unable to keep it in his pants with," the redhead laughs mirthlessly here, "Lex's nanny. I'm the dirty little Luthor secret. Dumped into an orphanage and forgotten about," she says bitterly.
"I'm…sorry," Mia finds herself saying and genuinely meaning.
"Thanks," Tess says in a quiet tone.
The two women then stand there in silence, as they await either their opportunity to escape or to be rescued but one way or another, lets be clear, they have no intention of helping Clark Luthor conquer their world.
Author's Note: Sorry for the delay. The company I worked for went bust so I lost my job and been kinda depressed along with trying to find a new job eating into my free time. Anyway, I almost contemplated skipping over the Luthor episode as in letting it play out the same way so I wouldn't need to write about it but I changed my mind when the idea struck me of giving Mia her own evil double. Lets see what changes the presence of Mia Luthor brings to events. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews.