Notes: A thank you to Gemma who read this over when I wrote this and to my Sully Mama who did a quick beta-job when I found it again. Inspired (but definately way to late for) the Ray Bradbury Challenge. :) It's a little different than my normal, but I hope ya like it. Oooh, spoilers through Lineage for those who worry about those things. hee...

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, seriously. Even the title was ganked, I'm that poor. :)

The Utterly Perfect Murder
by Chiri
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If there was thing that he had excelled at as a boy, it was science. Debauchery didn't count, except, perhaps, the number of times he was able to get expelled. He remembered never having any problems when his mother was alive.

Young and bald was a combination that had gotten him called a "mama's boy" more than once. He actually had no problems with that. Lillian had encouraged learning and appreciation as much as his father encouraged business and prejudice. His mother's memory was a taintless purity in his mind; he knows she wasn't an angel, but she was nothing like his father.

His father, who claimed that she had a weak heart for years. His father, who substituted the medicine with poison himself. His father, who killed his mother and got away with it.

His father, who killed his brother in a fit of rage upon finding his mother's infidelity. It was his father alone who suffocated the babe in the night while maintaining the guise of happiness about the child. And it was his father who most likely made sure that Lucas died in his first year.

If that was even the truth.

If it was the truth, his father had committed the crime three times and gotten away with it. His father living up to the namesake he was given and killing off all the potential threats. All of them, except one. The one who was seemed too weak, too different to stand a threat. His father forgot one thing.

Too smart.

While his father had killed threefold, he had the missing pieces. Lionel had been good for showing him how to double-cross, that much was true. But this went far beyond business tactics. The man had taken his mother away, his brothers away. And countless women he had actually loved.

He was tired of the lies. He was tired of all the lies.

His father had left behind the tiniest of clues. Perhaps it was Lionel's way of playing cat-and-mouse. He would leave none. Not only would he get away clean, but it would be perfect. Science had taught him perfection; it was possible.

Lex let the unblended scotch swirl in is mouth. This was perfection. The contraption he had built with his own hands was perfection. Luring one teenage investigative reporter as the trial run had been easy. She simply seemed missing in the woods yet again. Her body had proven the method was clean, efficient. It was perfect.

And a curious, yet blind father, couldn't stay away from anything his son touched. He counted the numbers down in his head, twisting straw blonde hair in his fingers. Poor Clark, he'd probably never get over it. But compared to all the deceits his so-called friend had spewed, he really didn't care.

And as the machine hummed and the screaming began, Lex merely smiled. Revenge was sweet. He heard the doors breaking open as planned. And it was satisfying. He twisted the green gemmed ring around his finger, watching the boy fall. And it was perfect.

Everything was perfect.