Disclaimer: I don't own any of this. If you recognise something you own then please don't try and sue. I was just having fun. But if you insist on making me pay pointless millions, I've got a button and a packet of throat lozenges as down payment.
-The Kent's Enigma-
Clark Kent stood in the middle of a giant crop circle. It was the biggest one he'd seen. Bigger than the one that had shown up in the Jackson's corn field a week ago. Probably bigger than the one in old Ernie Datsun's field, which was reported over a month ago. This would be the Kent's first crop circle, but Kansas state's seventh in one month.
"Dad! I think you should take a look at this" Clark yelled. A second later Johnathan Kent came barrelling through the corn and then stood impotently lamenting the damaged corn crops.
"I don't believe this" Johnathan said harshly. "This is the last thing we need".
Clark looked sympathetically toward his father. He knew that his family were only just keeping their heads above water in running this farm and he felt guilty somehow. "Perhaps we can sell the pictures to the local newspaper" he offered brightly with a hint of a smile.
Johnathan seemed to only hear him with half an ear, but politely returned a smile. "Perhaps" he said. "I'd sure like to know who's doing this, so I can strangle them". Both father and son grinned.
-What Lex Doesn't Know Will Hurt Him-
Striding down the corridor of the East Wing of the Luthor ancestral home, ex-special forces officer turned mercenary Matt McCarthy rapidly thought over the implications of the field report he held in his hand.
Lex will not be pleased was his first thought. As he reached the main doors to Lex Luthor's study he hesitated to open them for a small instant. But they swung open anyway and Lex stood in the doorway as if he had sensed McCarthy's approach and imminent retreat. Lex's slight frame was well dressed in designer Italian clothing worth more than McCarthy's car. Sophistication and style emanated from him. He was at once both friendly and chilling to be in the presence of.
"You have what I asked for?" Lex inquired.
"Yes" McCarthy said grimly.
"Oh it can't be all that bad" Lex smirked. He slid the folder out of McCarthy's clammy hand and walked over to his desk and took his seat behind it. McCarthy inched his way into the room before straightening himself out and walking over to take a seat as well. "Close the doors would you?" Lex said. The command caught the ex-major off guard and he froze in mid step for a second before complying. As he shut the doors, he made a mental note to rub some insults into that spoilt bald headed priss - when his mission was over and every cent of his five million dollars was safely transferred to a Swiss bank account.
McCarthy walked back and was about to sit down. "Don't sit down Matt" Lex said. "This is far from what I want to hear, so you have work to do" Lex threw the report into a rubbish bin beside his desk and cast an unreadable gaze on his toy soldier. "I'm a business man and I'm paying you for a service. If you can't tell me who's behind these crop circles or who these new land buyers are and what they're doing here, I'll take my business somewhere else"
"It's not easy Mr Luthor, I can't find anything on these Pallantine's and I just dunno where to start on this crop circle crap-"
"You start with who I sent you to and go from there" Lex said with flaring tone.
"Well then, that might lead me to your precious Kent's" McCarthy said. "They're the latest farm to get a crop circle. Perhaps I should see them-"
"No. Leave them alone, I'll talk to them"
"Well... raw nerve? Got a soft spot for Clark?" McCarthy goaded. As a former intelligence officer before he joined the special forces he was a natural snoop and almost terminally paranoid. So when the son of Lionel Luthor made a bid for his services, he naturally found out all he could about his new employer. It seemed that the only leverage he gained from a background sweep and surveillance of Lex was Clark Kent. A seemingly ordinary boy who had risked his neck to save Lex after a car accident. McCarthy didn't care about any bonds of friendship between Lex and Clark, he just knew or felt that the mere mention of Clark Kent would make Lex bristle.
"You can write my autobiography later, for now I expect you to find what I'm looking for" Lex ordered. "Now go take care of it and you'll get paid".
McCarthy accepted Lex's prompting and gratefully departed to conduct the strange and disturbing affairs of Lex Luthor. "Rich Kids" He smirked.
-Early Morning Dealings-
At 1 am Doug Jameson was only just locking the front door of his real estate offices to head home when he felt someone coming up behind him. He turned and sighed in relief. "Mr Pallantine! you scared me" he said.
"My apologies Mr Jameson" Eric Pallantine said. "I didn't mean too"
Doug still felt uneasy. Mr Pallantine seemed to be very well dressed in a dark leisure suit and a long flowing trench coat. His unusually asthetic frame made him seem like a phantom night stalker.
"Wha-what are you doing out so late Mr Pallantine?"
"Please Douglas, call me Eric"
"Okay"
"I was hoping to catch you before you left your offices - I wish for you to help me broker a deal for a very important piece of property". Pallantine's eyes seemed to shine with icy blue focus. It made Doug Jameson feel as if he were about to be eaten by Pallantine.
"Sure Mist- ah Eric" Jameson's jowls wobbled as he stammered his compliance. His eyes were darting everywhere desperately avoiding that hungry stare. Heightened by the sense of danger, his mind told him that there was no car parked in the street. Pallantine must've walked from where ever he was staying. Then why didn't I hear him coming?
"Which piece of property are you looking at?"
"The Kent farm" Pallantine said.
Jameson started a little. This new challenge channelled his instincts elsewhere as he smelt a large commission coming his way. "They'll never sell" He said weakly, even though his mind was already strategising over ways to canoodle the Kents.
"That is why I come to you my friend" Pallantine said, his Mediterranean accent and charm thicker than ever. "You tell them I will pay them what their farm is worth and more".
"They're very hard to convince... not even the Luthors could get them to sell" Jameson said.
"Well, I take great pride in not being a Luthor" Pallantine smiled and Jameson chuckled. "You will tell them of my interest and help me buy their farm?".
Jameson was nodding well before he said "yes".
"Excellent! I will speak with you tommorrow Douglas" Pallantine said. He offered a smile and began walking off down the empty midnight street.
Jameson was high on the potential deal and turned back to finish locking up. A second later he wondered what time he should meet Eric that morning and turned back to ask him.
But the street was empty.
-Night Of The Daywalker-
A slick black ducati sped down the quiet Smallville back roads. It's rider was helmetless, but wore dark wrap around sunglasses which would've struck most people as unusual seeing it was around 1 am.
He had rode all night to reach his destination and his senses were all fully engaged scanning the new Smallville environment. He knew this would be the place of a great battle. But he was also aware that he knew nothing of who his real opponents were.
Pallantine was the only name in the front of his mind. Their would be others though.
Vampires travel in packs nowadays. They had too, in order to avoid Blade or the Daywalker as his immortal enemies knew him. Since Blade had dispatched Nomak, who had already killed the head of the Vampire Nation Lord Damaskinos, vampires everywhere were now fleeing the cities to lie low in rural settings and build up their numbers once more. But Blade was wise to this strategy and was travelling across America to hunt them down and carry out his oath to kill all the suckheads in the world.
And now his hunt had put him on the trail of some big fish. Pallantine, one of the major vampire clans that was once part of the House of Erebus which ruled the Vampire Nation before Damaskinos. Blade had dispatched that leader as well, Deacon Frost who had killed Dragonetti in order to gain control of the house and the nation.
Blade was now approaching the actual town of Smallville and he slowed before hitting the quiet main street. Silently purring through the town on his bike, Blade scanned the shop fronts to get a feel for the town and to search for clues to Vampire nests. All the shops seemed to have well attended displays in their windows and the streets had been swept. That meant the towns people hadn't yet become suckheads. More importantly he hadn't seen anyone or anything on the streets so far.
He sped up again and took off toward the outter laying areas of Smallvile to recon the farms and houses. His first stop though would be the Luthor ancestral home. Wealth and greed seem to eventually come together in the same places Blade knew.
-Chloe and Prejudice-
Pete Ross came jostling through the human traffic of the Smallville High Corridor. "Hey Clark! Wait up!" he beckoned. A second later Pete joined his friend Clark on their way toward History class. "So I heard the aliens got you last night" Pete said.
Clark jumped a little hearing his friends jibe. "Aliens? Pete have you been drinking coffee again?" He smiled. Pete gave a sly grin in return.
"You can bet Chloe'll have a field day with this. She'll use any excuse she can find to hang around with you" Pete said.
Clark flushed. "Shut up Pete. Chloe and I are friends, always have been" He defended.
"Yeah I'm sure that's the way Chloe always wants it to be" Pete said.
"What I always want what to be?" A voice from behind Clark and Pete spoke up. Neither of the two noticed the short but extremely sassy blonde come up from behind them, despite the fact she liked to wear combat boots, which were sort of a big full stop for her entire ensemble. She smiled brilliantly at Clark, only just noticing Pete standing next to him.
"We were just...ah" Clark stammered.
"Just talking about the Kent's brand spanking new crop circle!" Pete interjected. Clark gave him a grateful look. Chloe's smile dialled down a bit but her disappointment wasn't pulpable. She always promised herself never to become one of those people who wears their heart on their sleeve. That was part of becoming an ace reporter.
"I trust you're giving me exclusive rights and access to your backyard enigma" Chloe smiled.
"Well dad had called the local Sheriff and they're coming out to help us file a report, but there's no way that dad'll allow those crop circle groupies to trapse through his fields destroying what's left of our corn crops".
"You don't think he'll let me see it?" Chloe asked.
"For you? Sure. He won't mind if I show you"
"Yay! I get exclusive pictures and interviews!" Chloe rejoiced in a bubbly manner that made Pete grimace then laugh. "What?" Chloe asked defensively.
"Oh nothing" Pete replied.
"Tell me you freak!" Chloe prodded Pete in the arm sharply, which made him laugh more. Chloe smiled and threw an arm over his shoulders. "When are we going to have you committed Pete Ross?".
"Guys" Clark called out from the doorway to History class. All three then disappeared inside to be swallowed up by the details of the American Revolution for the entire fourth period.
-Play Hard But Play Fair-
Lex had woken up with an uneasy feeling. It hadn't washed off with his morning shower and a hearty breakfast hadn't satisfied a growing sense of trouble fast approaching. He took to monitoring his stock options in a half dozen joint ventures he was thinking of pulling out of. But instead, he increased his investments in a high risk/high return approach.
He then tapped a password into a secure file created exclusively for his laptop. The screen blanked for a prescribed 5 seconds and then a split screen chart and graph came up. Lex looked pensively at the projections they represented. His planned take over of LuthorCorp was nowhere near being realised, but he could certainly rock his daddy's boat until his time came.
He rejoiced in his vision of destroying his father, Lionel Luthor for a second before leaving the program. But his attentions were eventually drawn to the new property investors, Pallantine. Just then a video messenger icon flashed in the system tray of his laptop. Lex clicked on it and a small window opened showing a picture of his dutiful gate guard Robert.
"What is it Rob?" Lex asked.
"There's a visitor who wants to see you Mr Luthor".
'Mr Luthor'Lex cringed. "Who is it?".
"Mr Eric Pallantine".
Only a second's silence betrayed Lex's surprise, his face remained unreadable. "Well show him in" Lex said.
"Thank you for allowing me the privilege" A sophisticated and slightly accented voice said from Lex's office doorway. Lex looked up and then stood.
"Sir? Are you there? I can't find Mr Pallantine, he seems to have-" Lex closed the screen and folded down his laptop.
"My apologies for bypassing your security staff, but I feared that I would not be able to see you". Eric Pallantine was tall and athletically built. He was dressed in the latest style of a European Businessman, which was both eloquent and professional looking. His seemingly unblinking gaze leant him a strange, unmerciful quality.
"Well it seems my security staff aren't doing what they're paid for. But it is a pleasure to finally meet you Mr Pallantine" Lex said casually. He extended a hand toward Pallantine and as they shook Lex's skin began to crawl and a permeating chill swept through him. It took all of his self control not to let it show.
"Please sit" Lex said, indicating the sofa suite in a more atmospheric corner of his huge office. They both walked over and Lex poured drinks for them both before they sat. "I've noticed you around Mr Pallantine, what brings you to this humble corner of Kansas?" Lex inquired.
"Please Mr Luthor call me Eric"
"Alright, thank you. Please call me Lex"
"Very well Lex" Pallantine smiled. "I am a businessman Lex, I make investments in worthy ventures" He said cryptically.
"What worthy ventures are available in Smallville?"
"Well, on behalf of the interested parties I represent I cannot fully disclose that information" Pallantine said.
Lex sipped his drink and contemplated his next approach. "I hear you want to buy the Kent's farm next?" He said. "They'll never sell, I've tried and given up".
Pallantine smiled and placed his untouched drink on a marble pedestal beside where he was sitting. "I wish to acquire their property, but not destroy their livelihood. I would pay them more than current market evaluation and even procure another property for them at no expense to the Kent's".
Lex swallowed another sip. "It's not their livelihood they would be losing, it's the heritage and legacy they have invested in that farm" Lex informed him. "Intangible assetts like those cannot be bought from highly principled people like the Kent's".
Pallantine smiled underneath his inscrutible gaze. "I understand heritage Lex, my family is built on hundreds of years of traditions, but there comes a time when things must change and new legacies must be passed on".
Lex saw an opportunity and went for it. "What precisely have you inherited from your families past generations?".
Pallantine seemed to stumble in his train of thought and Lex took satisfaction in seeing him blink ever so slightly. He smiled and changed tack. "Perhaps you are right Lex. The Kent's will be a difficult proposition to deal with and may never sell their property. But you understand that I am obliged to try and convince them to do so anyway"
Lex nodded. "Yes of course and best of luck Eric".
There was an unspoken but mutual agreement that the meeting was over and they both stood and shook hands. As Pallantine walked through the doors, Lex stared after him for a moment.
It seemed his uneasy feeling had risen to warning bells and he now understood why.
-Coffee, Donuts and Muffins-
Chloe knelt and aimed her camera directly into the bent over storks of corn. "Seems to be bent back without breaking them off..." She noticed.
"Huh?" Pete asked. He came and stood over where she was photographing.
"Pete. Your nikes are in the way!" Chloe said.
Pete shifted a little.
"Pete. You're standing in my light!" Chloe said through an ever tightening jaw.
"Oh sorry for ruining your shot" Pete said. "Close ups of bent over corn always do it for me".
Chloe ignored him and took the best shot she could. She stood up and looked around. "Where's Clark?".
"He's..." Pete looked toward where he last saw his friend. "... gone".
Chloe hid her frown by pretending to look down at the corn. Just then a strong pair of hands grabbed her about the waist and lifted her off her feet. "Suuuuuurprise!" Clark yelled. Chloe squealed and laughed as Clark gently lowered her. She glowed long after Clark and Pete had regained their composure.
"What was that for you big Jerk?" Chloe asked playfully.
Clark smiled. "Oh I just thought I'd make your story a bit more interesting. You can write you were abducted by aliens or something".
Pete laughed. "Man that'd rock!".
Chloe gave both of her friends a 'what am I going to do with you both' look. "Clark, I think you're turning into Pete" she retorted.
Just then all of them heard someone moving through the corn storks. A second later Lana Lang emerged and Chloe's cheerful disposition immediately constricted back into itself. But she maintained a polite face.
"Hey guys" Lana greeted.
"Hey Lana" Pete and Clark greeted in unison. Chloe made do with a 'hey' and noticed that Lana seemed to make a beeline to stand next to Clark, who of course let her. "I just came to see this crop circle stuff close up" she said.
Clark seemed to take a breath before replying. "Well Chloe here is writing an exclusive on it all, how's it going Sherlock Holmes?".
Chloe shrugged. "Compared to the others I've seen, this is different with the size and the fact that the design is contained within this one circle. I don't recall ever seeing that in other case files".
"Other case files? How much spare time do you have Chloe?" Pete asked and promptly received a shut up Pete from Chloe's direction.
"So this crop circle's special?" Lana asked, carefully approaching the subject.
"Sort of... I'd have to do more investigation and look up some stuff, I'm no expert, but the Kent's crop circle is different. This is probably gonna be the most exclusive exclusive I've ever written" Chloe said.
"What's your theory behind them Chloe?" Lana asked.
"Oh you don't want to hear my theory..."
"Sure, you're the ace reporter who gets to the heart of the matter" Pete said. "So tell us your theory - Aliens or Bigfoot?".
Ignoring him with sheer willpower, Chloe began relating her carefully constructed case. "I think they're symbols for some sort of gathering. For who, I don't know. But they all seem to correspond with symbols from an ancient mythological text called the Book of Erebus" Chloe paused to re-order her thoughts.
"The Book of Erebus is like an anti-bible. Legend has it that it's the sacred text of generations of vampires but modern scholars believe it was written by an ancient cult who practiced sorcery and black magic in the middle ages".
Clark's brow was furrowed in thought, Chloe relished the fact that it meant he was listening to her and not paying attention to Lana. "So, what're they doing in Kansas corn fields?" he asked.
"I'm not sure... the Book of Erebus went missing 400 years ago".
"Who would know about it then?" Lana asked with genuine inquiry.
"I'm not sure, it might be a cult..." Chloe offered weakly.
"Or aliens" Pete interrupted.
"Shut up Pete" Chloe said. She was beginnng to feel embarassed. Her reporter instinct always lead her toward a story, but didn't quite tell her how to crack it. Yet.
"What do the symbols mean?" Clark asked.
Greatful for a question she could answer, Chloe relayed what she had spent a month of late nights and early mornings researching. "The first symbol that appeared in Whately's corn field was kind of like a beacon, it sorta means the Beginning.
"The second one that showed up in Ernie Datsun's field was like an identifying marker, it was meant to symbolise something".
"What?" Pete asked.
"I dunno! God Pete, gimme a chance to talk here!"
"Well how'd you know all this if the Book of Erebus went missing 400 years ago? Did your great great great great grandparents steal it?" Pete asked.
"Noooo. My cousin Lois Lane found out about the book when she investigated a murder case in Metropolis, she e-mailed me what she found, apparently she teased it out've some University professor or something, Lois always knows how to get information" Chloe said.
"Oh okay, please continue" Pete urged.
"Anyway, as I was saying, each one's a symbol and I think they represent members of an ancient order. They're kinda like a roll call".
"For who I wonder and why here?" Clark asked no one in particular.
"That I'm still not sure of, looks like an all nighter back at the Torch. You up for that?" Chloe asked Clark.
"Sure, Pete you bring the donuts and I'll make the coffee" Clark said happily.
"What about me?" Lana asked. She caught everyone off guard. The popular brunette hanging out with newspaper geeks.
"Well ah, sure. If you're an insomniac come join us!" Clark said.
"Well I'll bring some of my double fudge chocolate muffins, all that caffeine should keep us going all year round!" Lana joked. Everyone chuckled before breaking up and heading off home for dinner and homework and then onto the Torch offices for the all nighter.
From the road, sitting on a black Ducati motorcycle, Blade watched them all leave and began to pack up his long range sound scanner. He hadn't anticipated involvement from the locals, but he was grateful for their insight into the crop circles.
Even he had failed to pay attention to the crop circles, simply dismissing them as sideshow distractions. But thanks to Chloe Sullivan he was now fully aware of their true significance.
And very suspicious of Miss Sullivan.
-Keep Your Friends Close...-
In his 'Fortress of Solitude' Clark Kent was free to think through his real problems. His father had built this quiet place for him to come and think and for a protected moment, he could be what he really is, a growing man with extraordinary abilities.
"Thinking of Lana?" A familiar voice asked. Lex must've come up quietly while Clark was sitting on his bed.
"Lex, how are you?"
"Fine, how about you and Miss Lang?" Lex goaded.
"I'm fine and so is Lana" Clark said. "To what do I owe the visit?".
"Can't I visit a friend?" Lex asked. He took a seat at Clark's study desk and gazed intently. "I was just here to say 'watch out'".
Clark instinctly looked behind him, then ducked. When nothing happened he looked at Lex, puzzled.
"No not in the physical danger sense, at least not yet I hope" Lex chortled. "There's a new investor in town buying up land, his name's Eric Pallantine and he's one of the few businessman that can dare to eclipse my father".
"What does he want?" Clark asked.
"Your farm".
"Well he's outta luck because Dad'll never let him have it - not for money and not for free either" Clark added.
Lex sat bemused. "Not for money and not for free? Have we been reading Dr Zeus?" he asked. "I'm just kidding, but not about Pallantine. He is powerful and some would say more agressive than my father".
"D'you think we should be worried?" Clark asked, stirring uncomfortably.
"Yes. But if he gives you real trouble don't hesitate to tell me".
"Real trouble? I'd have to call the police if that happened" Clark said.
It often bemused and fascinated Lex that Clark could believe in such greater goods despite the examples to the contrary in the world he really lived in. Lex couldn't tell if Clark was really that naive or if it was some sort of cover.
"No, you call me" Lex pointed between them both for emphasis. "Pallantine is like my father and has ways of subversing regular law enforcement".
What does that mean? Clark wondered but was to polite to ask. Lex spied some notes on Clark's desk. "You're interested in this crop circle nonsense?" he asked as he leaned over to inspect the handwritten notes.
"Well Chloe is, I'm going along for the ride though, her reporter instincts are never wrong".
"Never?" Lex prodded.
"Well... rarely" Clark ammended with a grin.
"What does she think these crop circles are all about then - aliens or magical vortexes?".
"I don't mean to frighten you but my friend Pete -"
"The comedian?"
"- yeah, he said almost the exact same thing, except his version had Aliens or Bigfoot" Clark chuckled at Lex's moch dismay. "Great minds think alike?".
"What a horrible thing to say!" Lex grinned. "But seriously what does she think?"
"Well, she seems to think they're symbols from an ancient text that went missing... 400 years ago. What they mean, who's doing it and why we're not to clear on. We're pulling an all nighter at the Torch to try an figure that out".
"Well good luck Clark" Lex said as he rose to leave. "Don't lose sleep over a wild goose chase though".
Clark followed Lex part way down the stairs. "You think it's a wild goose chase?" Clark asked.
"Not if Chloe found something in it, but it may not be all that she hoped" Lex replied.
"Well... thanks for the warning about Pallantine, have you told my dad?".
Lex paused at the bottom of the stairs and turned back to face Clark. "Ah no. I prefer not to lose seven of my nine lives". They both smiled at that and Lex departed. Clark left shortly after on his way to the Torch offices.
-The Last Gasp-
"Mayday! Mayday!" the young soldier yelled down the radio. "Is anyone hearing me? Damnit!". The radio was shot.
Private Fordman scanned the jungle all around him, searching for the danger that killed three quarters of his platoon, including the LT. Effectively he was in command. And he didn't have a clue about what to do.
"Whitney! Whitney! We should get outta here man!" Private Jimmy Esgrove said. "Get them to evack us!".
"Can't, radio's toast" Private Fordman replied.
"Oh man!" Esgrove spat. "This sucks!".
For the last 36 hours the 7th platoon of 40th Marine recon company had been engaged in a firefight with South American guerilla's in the Amazon. They had been surprised and mauled by the guerilla's sudden offensive and now it was increasingly likely that the 7th platoon would never be heard from again.
"American soldiers!" The call came from somewhere in the thick jungle cover. "Surrender or be killed!" it ordered. The guerillas had found the bedraggled survivors and were closing in for the kill.
"Go to hell!" Whitney yelled back. Seconds later the final firefight began. Not knowing where to shoot, the survivors simply tore up the surrounding jungle. There was a scream but no one fell out from cover.
"The trees, shoot into the trees!" Fordman yelled to the three surviving soldiers under his command. Once their fire was aimed high among the trees the screams became more numerous and the marines took heart at seeing the enemy dead falling from amongst their tree top hideouts.
But the marines eventually ran out of ammunition. The fight was effectively over. Fordman looked back at his troopers. "We go out like marines" he said simply.
Private Whitney Fordman of Smallville, Kansas died in action leading his men in an extraordinary act of valour against unsurmountable odds. But due to the fact that his unit was on a covert action, all the men of 7th platoon were reported missing in action. Their families would never know any of the circumstances of their death.
And that was the way Jason Wynn wanted it.
-Everything Will Change-
By the time Clark arrived it was all over. The Torch office was completely trashed. As he walked further into the room he saw Chloe lying amongst overturned chairs and smashed computer monitors. She didn't seem to be alive.
From over behind a filing cabinet, Clark thought he heard a grunt. When he looked he saw his friend Pete bound and gagged staring wide eyed at something behind Clark. Before he could turn to confront whoever it was, Clark suffered a massive blow on his back which sent him crashing through the window.
Before he blacked out, Clark saw the headlights of Lana's truck flash across the front of the building as she pulled up. He tried to yell a warning and wanted to get up and stop her from going in there, but he couldn't stop himself from being pulled toward unconsciousness.
-The Kent's Enigma-
Clark Kent stood in the middle of a giant crop circle. It was the biggest one he'd seen. Bigger than the one that had shown up in the Jackson's corn field a week ago. Probably bigger than the one in old Ernie Datsun's field, which was reported over a month ago. This would be the Kent's first crop circle, but Kansas state's seventh in one month.
"Dad! I think you should take a look at this" Clark yelled. A second later Johnathan Kent came barrelling through the corn and then stood impotently lamenting the damaged corn crops.
"I don't believe this" Johnathan said harshly. "This is the last thing we need".
Clark looked sympathetically toward his father. He knew that his family were only just keeping their heads above water in running this farm and he felt guilty somehow. "Perhaps we can sell the pictures to the local newspaper" he offered brightly with a hint of a smile.
Johnathan seemed to only hear him with half an ear, but politely returned a smile. "Perhaps" he said. "I'd sure like to know who's doing this, so I can strangle them". Both father and son grinned.
-What Lex Doesn't Know Will Hurt Him-
Striding down the corridor of the East Wing of the Luthor ancestral home, ex-special forces officer turned mercenary Matt McCarthy rapidly thought over the implications of the field report he held in his hand.
Lex will not be pleased was his first thought. As he reached the main doors to Lex Luthor's study he hesitated to open them for a small instant. But they swung open anyway and Lex stood in the doorway as if he had sensed McCarthy's approach and imminent retreat. Lex's slight frame was well dressed in designer Italian clothing worth more than McCarthy's car. Sophistication and style emanated from him. He was at once both friendly and chilling to be in the presence of.
"You have what I asked for?" Lex inquired.
"Yes" McCarthy said grimly.
"Oh it can't be all that bad" Lex smirked. He slid the folder out of McCarthy's clammy hand and walked over to his desk and took his seat behind it. McCarthy inched his way into the room before straightening himself out and walking over to take a seat as well. "Close the doors would you?" Lex said. The command caught the ex-major off guard and he froze in mid step for a second before complying. As he shut the doors, he made a mental note to rub some insults into that spoilt bald headed priss - when his mission was over and every cent of his five million dollars was safely transferred to a Swiss bank account.
McCarthy walked back and was about to sit down. "Don't sit down Matt" Lex said. "This is far from what I want to hear, so you have work to do" Lex threw the report into a rubbish bin beside his desk and cast an unreadable gaze on his toy soldier. "I'm a business man and I'm paying you for a service. If you can't tell me who's behind these crop circles or who these new land buyers are and what they're doing here, I'll take my business somewhere else"
"It's not easy Mr Luthor, I can't find anything on these Pallantine's and I just dunno where to start on this crop circle crap-"
"You start with who I sent you to and go from there" Lex said with flaring tone.
"Well then, that might lead me to your precious Kent's" McCarthy said. "They're the latest farm to get a crop circle. Perhaps I should see them-"
"No. Leave them alone, I'll talk to them"
"Well... raw nerve? Got a soft spot for Clark?" McCarthy goaded. As a former intelligence officer before he joined the special forces he was a natural snoop and almost terminally paranoid. So when the son of Lionel Luthor made a bid for his services, he naturally found out all he could about his new employer. It seemed that the only leverage he gained from a background sweep and surveillance of Lex was Clark Kent. A seemingly ordinary boy who had risked his neck to save Lex after a car accident. McCarthy didn't care about any bonds of friendship between Lex and Clark, he just knew or felt that the mere mention of Clark Kent would make Lex bristle.
"You can write my autobiography later, for now I expect you to find what I'm looking for" Lex ordered. "Now go take care of it and you'll get paid".
McCarthy accepted Lex's prompting and gratefully departed to conduct the strange and disturbing affairs of Lex Luthor. "Rich Kids" He smirked.
-Early Morning Dealings-
At 1 am Doug Jameson was only just locking the front door of his real estate offices to head home when he felt someone coming up behind him. He turned and sighed in relief. "Mr Pallantine! you scared me" he said.
"My apologies Mr Jameson" Eric Pallantine said. "I didn't mean too"
Doug still felt uneasy. Mr Pallantine seemed to be very well dressed in a dark leisure suit and a long flowing trench coat. His unusually asthetic frame made him seem like a phantom night stalker.
"Wha-what are you doing out so late Mr Pallantine?"
"Please Douglas, call me Eric"
"Okay"
"I was hoping to catch you before you left your offices - I wish for you to help me broker a deal for a very important piece of property". Pallantine's eyes seemed to shine with icy blue focus. It made Doug Jameson feel as if he were about to be eaten by Pallantine.
"Sure Mist- ah Eric" Jameson's jowls wobbled as he stammered his compliance. His eyes were darting everywhere desperately avoiding that hungry stare. Heightened by the sense of danger, his mind told him that there was no car parked in the street. Pallantine must've walked from where ever he was staying. Then why didn't I hear him coming?
"Which piece of property are you looking at?"
"The Kent farm" Pallantine said.
Jameson started a little. This new challenge channelled his instincts elsewhere as he smelt a large commission coming his way. "They'll never sell" He said weakly, even though his mind was already strategising over ways to canoodle the Kents.
"That is why I come to you my friend" Pallantine said, his Mediterranean accent and charm thicker than ever. "You tell them I will pay them what their farm is worth and more".
"They're very hard to convince... not even the Luthors could get them to sell" Jameson said.
"Well, I take great pride in not being a Luthor" Pallantine smiled and Jameson chuckled. "You will tell them of my interest and help me buy their farm?".
Jameson was nodding well before he said "yes".
"Excellent! I will speak with you tommorrow Douglas" Pallantine said. He offered a smile and began walking off down the empty midnight street.
Jameson was high on the potential deal and turned back to finish locking up. A second later he wondered what time he should meet Eric that morning and turned back to ask him.
But the street was empty.
-Night Of The Daywalker-
A slick black ducati sped down the quiet Smallville back roads. It's rider was helmetless, but wore dark wrap around sunglasses which would've struck most people as unusual seeing it was around 1 am.
He had rode all night to reach his destination and his senses were all fully engaged scanning the new Smallville environment. He knew this would be the place of a great battle. But he was also aware that he knew nothing of who his real opponents were.
Pallantine was the only name in the front of his mind. Their would be others though.
Vampires travel in packs nowadays. They had too, in order to avoid Blade or the Daywalker as his immortal enemies knew him. Since Blade had dispatched Nomak, who had already killed the head of the Vampire Nation Lord Damaskinos, vampires everywhere were now fleeing the cities to lie low in rural settings and build up their numbers once more. But Blade was wise to this strategy and was travelling across America to hunt them down and carry out his oath to kill all the suckheads in the world.
And now his hunt had put him on the trail of some big fish. Pallantine, one of the major vampire clans that was once part of the House of Erebus which ruled the Vampire Nation before Damaskinos. Blade had dispatched that leader as well, Deacon Frost who had killed Dragonetti in order to gain control of the house and the nation.
Blade was now approaching the actual town of Smallville and he slowed before hitting the quiet main street. Silently purring through the town on his bike, Blade scanned the shop fronts to get a feel for the town and to search for clues to Vampire nests. All the shops seemed to have well attended displays in their windows and the streets had been swept. That meant the towns people hadn't yet become suckheads. More importantly he hadn't seen anyone or anything on the streets so far.
He sped up again and took off toward the outter laying areas of Smallvile to recon the farms and houses. His first stop though would be the Luthor ancestral home. Wealth and greed seem to eventually come together in the same places Blade knew.
-Chloe and Prejudice-
Pete Ross came jostling through the human traffic of the Smallville High Corridor. "Hey Clark! Wait up!" he beckoned. A second later Pete joined his friend Clark on their way toward History class. "So I heard the aliens got you last night" Pete said.
Clark jumped a little hearing his friends jibe. "Aliens? Pete have you been drinking coffee again?" He smiled. Pete gave a sly grin in return.
"You can bet Chloe'll have a field day with this. She'll use any excuse she can find to hang around with you" Pete said.
Clark flushed. "Shut up Pete. Chloe and I are friends, always have been" He defended.
"Yeah I'm sure that's the way Chloe always wants it to be" Pete said.
"What I always want what to be?" A voice from behind Clark and Pete spoke up. Neither of the two noticed the short but extremely sassy blonde come up from behind them, despite the fact she liked to wear combat boots, which were sort of a big full stop for her entire ensemble. She smiled brilliantly at Clark, only just noticing Pete standing next to him.
"We were just...ah" Clark stammered.
"Just talking about the Kent's brand spanking new crop circle!" Pete interjected. Clark gave him a grateful look. Chloe's smile dialled down a bit but her disappointment wasn't pulpable. She always promised herself never to become one of those people who wears their heart on their sleeve. That was part of becoming an ace reporter.
"I trust you're giving me exclusive rights and access to your backyard enigma" Chloe smiled.
"Well dad had called the local Sheriff and they're coming out to help us file a report, but there's no way that dad'll allow those crop circle groupies to trapse through his fields destroying what's left of our corn crops".
"You don't think he'll let me see it?" Chloe asked.
"For you? Sure. He won't mind if I show you"
"Yay! I get exclusive pictures and interviews!" Chloe rejoiced in a bubbly manner that made Pete grimace then laugh. "What?" Chloe asked defensively.
"Oh nothing" Pete replied.
"Tell me you freak!" Chloe prodded Pete in the arm sharply, which made him laugh more. Chloe smiled and threw an arm over his shoulders. "When are we going to have you committed Pete Ross?".
"Guys" Clark called out from the doorway to History class. All three then disappeared inside to be swallowed up by the details of the American Revolution for the entire fourth period.
-Play Hard But Play Fair-
Lex had woken up with an uneasy feeling. It hadn't washed off with his morning shower and a hearty breakfast hadn't satisfied a growing sense of trouble fast approaching. He took to monitoring his stock options in a half dozen joint ventures he was thinking of pulling out of. But instead, he increased his investments in a high risk/high return approach.
He then tapped a password into a secure file created exclusively for his laptop. The screen blanked for a prescribed 5 seconds and then a split screen chart and graph came up. Lex looked pensively at the projections they represented. His planned take over of LuthorCorp was nowhere near being realised, but he could certainly rock his daddy's boat until his time came.
He rejoiced in his vision of destroying his father, Lionel Luthor for a second before leaving the program. But his attentions were eventually drawn to the new property investors, Pallantine. Just then a video messenger icon flashed in the system tray of his laptop. Lex clicked on it and a small window opened showing a picture of his dutiful gate guard Robert.
"What is it Rob?" Lex asked.
"There's a visitor who wants to see you Mr Luthor".
'Mr Luthor'Lex cringed. "Who is it?".
"Mr Eric Pallantine".
Only a second's silence betrayed Lex's surprise, his face remained unreadable. "Well show him in" Lex said.
"Thank you for allowing me the privilege" A sophisticated and slightly accented voice said from Lex's office doorway. Lex looked up and then stood.
"Sir? Are you there? I can't find Mr Pallantine, he seems to have-" Lex closed the screen and folded down his laptop.
"My apologies for bypassing your security staff, but I feared that I would not be able to see you". Eric Pallantine was tall and athletically built. He was dressed in the latest style of a European Businessman, which was both eloquent and professional looking. His seemingly unblinking gaze leant him a strange, unmerciful quality.
"Well it seems my security staff aren't doing what they're paid for. But it is a pleasure to finally meet you Mr Pallantine" Lex said casually. He extended a hand toward Pallantine and as they shook Lex's skin began to crawl and a permeating chill swept through him. It took all of his self control not to let it show.
"Please sit" Lex said, indicating the sofa suite in a more atmospheric corner of his huge office. They both walked over and Lex poured drinks for them both before they sat. "I've noticed you around Mr Pallantine, what brings you to this humble corner of Kansas?" Lex inquired.
"Please Mr Luthor call me Eric"
"Alright, thank you. Please call me Lex"
"Very well Lex" Pallantine smiled. "I am a businessman Lex, I make investments in worthy ventures" He said cryptically.
"What worthy ventures are available in Smallville?"
"Well, on behalf of the interested parties I represent I cannot fully disclose that information" Pallantine said.
Lex sipped his drink and contemplated his next approach. "I hear you want to buy the Kent's farm next?" He said. "They'll never sell, I've tried and given up".
Pallantine smiled and placed his untouched drink on a marble pedestal beside where he was sitting. "I wish to acquire their property, but not destroy their livelihood. I would pay them more than current market evaluation and even procure another property for them at no expense to the Kent's".
Lex swallowed another sip. "It's not their livelihood they would be losing, it's the heritage and legacy they have invested in that farm" Lex informed him. "Intangible assetts like those cannot be bought from highly principled people like the Kent's".
Pallantine smiled underneath his inscrutible gaze. "I understand heritage Lex, my family is built on hundreds of years of traditions, but there comes a time when things must change and new legacies must be passed on".
Lex saw an opportunity and went for it. "What precisely have you inherited from your families past generations?".
Pallantine seemed to stumble in his train of thought and Lex took satisfaction in seeing him blink ever so slightly. He smiled and changed tack. "Perhaps you are right Lex. The Kent's will be a difficult proposition to deal with and may never sell their property. But you understand that I am obliged to try and convince them to do so anyway"
Lex nodded. "Yes of course and best of luck Eric".
There was an unspoken but mutual agreement that the meeting was over and they both stood and shook hands. As Pallantine walked through the doors, Lex stared after him for a moment.
It seemed his uneasy feeling had risen to warning bells and he now understood why.
-Coffee, Donuts and Muffins-
Chloe knelt and aimed her camera directly into the bent over storks of corn. "Seems to be bent back without breaking them off..." She noticed.
"Huh?" Pete asked. He came and stood over where she was photographing.
"Pete. Your nikes are in the way!" Chloe said.
Pete shifted a little.
"Pete. You're standing in my light!" Chloe said through an ever tightening jaw.
"Oh sorry for ruining your shot" Pete said. "Close ups of bent over corn always do it for me".
Chloe ignored him and took the best shot she could. She stood up and looked around. "Where's Clark?".
"He's..." Pete looked toward where he last saw his friend. "... gone".
Chloe hid her frown by pretending to look down at the corn. Just then a strong pair of hands grabbed her about the waist and lifted her off her feet. "Suuuuuurprise!" Clark yelled. Chloe squealed and laughed as Clark gently lowered her. She glowed long after Clark and Pete had regained their composure.
"What was that for you big Jerk?" Chloe asked playfully.
Clark smiled. "Oh I just thought I'd make your story a bit more interesting. You can write you were abducted by aliens or something".
Pete laughed. "Man that'd rock!".
Chloe gave both of her friends a 'what am I going to do with you both' look. "Clark, I think you're turning into Pete" she retorted.
Just then all of them heard someone moving through the corn storks. A second later Lana Lang emerged and Chloe's cheerful disposition immediately constricted back into itself. But she maintained a polite face.
"Hey guys" Lana greeted.
"Hey Lana" Pete and Clark greeted in unison. Chloe made do with a 'hey' and noticed that Lana seemed to make a beeline to stand next to Clark, who of course let her. "I just came to see this crop circle stuff close up" she said.
Clark seemed to take a breath before replying. "Well Chloe here is writing an exclusive on it all, how's it going Sherlock Holmes?".
Chloe shrugged. "Compared to the others I've seen, this is different with the size and the fact that the design is contained within this one circle. I don't recall ever seeing that in other case files".
"Other case files? How much spare time do you have Chloe?" Pete asked and promptly received a shut up Pete from Chloe's direction.
"So this crop circle's special?" Lana asked, carefully approaching the subject.
"Sort of... I'd have to do more investigation and look up some stuff, I'm no expert, but the Kent's crop circle is different. This is probably gonna be the most exclusive exclusive I've ever written" Chloe said.
"What's your theory behind them Chloe?" Lana asked.
"Oh you don't want to hear my theory..."
"Sure, you're the ace reporter who gets to the heart of the matter" Pete said. "So tell us your theory - Aliens or Bigfoot?".
Ignoring him with sheer willpower, Chloe began relating her carefully constructed case. "I think they're symbols for some sort of gathering. For who, I don't know. But they all seem to correspond with symbols from an ancient mythological text called the Book of Erebus" Chloe paused to re-order her thoughts.
"The Book of Erebus is like an anti-bible. Legend has it that it's the sacred text of generations of vampires but modern scholars believe it was written by an ancient cult who practiced sorcery and black magic in the middle ages".
Clark's brow was furrowed in thought, Chloe relished the fact that it meant he was listening to her and not paying attention to Lana. "So, what're they doing in Kansas corn fields?" he asked.
"I'm not sure... the Book of Erebus went missing 400 years ago".
"Who would know about it then?" Lana asked with genuine inquiry.
"I'm not sure, it might be a cult..." Chloe offered weakly.
"Or aliens" Pete interrupted.
"Shut up Pete" Chloe said. She was beginnng to feel embarassed. Her reporter instinct always lead her toward a story, but didn't quite tell her how to crack it. Yet.
"What do the symbols mean?" Clark asked.
Greatful for a question she could answer, Chloe relayed what she had spent a month of late nights and early mornings researching. "The first symbol that appeared in Whately's corn field was kind of like a beacon, it sorta means the Beginning.
"The second one that showed up in Ernie Datsun's field was like an identifying marker, it was meant to symbolise something".
"What?" Pete asked.
"I dunno! God Pete, gimme a chance to talk here!"
"Well how'd you know all this if the Book of Erebus went missing 400 years ago? Did your great great great great grandparents steal it?" Pete asked.
"Noooo. My cousin Lois Lane found out about the book when she investigated a murder case in Metropolis, she e-mailed me what she found, apparently she teased it out've some University professor or something, Lois always knows how to get information" Chloe said.
"Oh okay, please continue" Pete urged.
"Anyway, as I was saying, each one's a symbol and I think they represent members of an ancient order. They're kinda like a roll call".
"For who I wonder and why here?" Clark asked no one in particular.
"That I'm still not sure of, looks like an all nighter back at the Torch. You up for that?" Chloe asked Clark.
"Sure, Pete you bring the donuts and I'll make the coffee" Clark said happily.
"What about me?" Lana asked. She caught everyone off guard. The popular brunette hanging out with newspaper geeks.
"Well ah, sure. If you're an insomniac come join us!" Clark said.
"Well I'll bring some of my double fudge chocolate muffins, all that caffeine should keep us going all year round!" Lana joked. Everyone chuckled before breaking up and heading off home for dinner and homework and then onto the Torch offices for the all nighter.
From the road, sitting on a black Ducati motorcycle, Blade watched them all leave and began to pack up his long range sound scanner. He hadn't anticipated involvement from the locals, but he was grateful for their insight into the crop circles.
Even he had failed to pay attention to the crop circles, simply dismissing them as sideshow distractions. But thanks to Chloe Sullivan he was now fully aware of their true significance.
And very suspicious of Miss Sullivan.
-Keep Your Friends Close...-
In his 'Fortress of Solitude' Clark Kent was free to think through his real problems. His father had built this quiet place for him to come and think and for a protected moment, he could be what he really is, a growing man with extraordinary abilities.
"Thinking of Lana?" A familiar voice asked. Lex must've come up quietly while Clark was sitting on his bed.
"Lex, how are you?"
"Fine, how about you and Miss Lang?" Lex goaded.
"I'm fine and so is Lana" Clark said. "To what do I owe the visit?".
"Can't I visit a friend?" Lex asked. He took a seat at Clark's study desk and gazed intently. "I was just here to say 'watch out'".
Clark instinctly looked behind him, then ducked. When nothing happened he looked at Lex, puzzled.
"No not in the physical danger sense, at least not yet I hope" Lex chortled. "There's a new investor in town buying up land, his name's Eric Pallantine and he's one of the few businessman that can dare to eclipse my father".
"What does he want?" Clark asked.
"Your farm".
"Well he's outta luck because Dad'll never let him have it - not for money and not for free either" Clark added.
Lex sat bemused. "Not for money and not for free? Have we been reading Dr Zeus?" he asked. "I'm just kidding, but not about Pallantine. He is powerful and some would say more agressive than my father".
"D'you think we should be worried?" Clark asked, stirring uncomfortably.
"Yes. But if he gives you real trouble don't hesitate to tell me".
"Real trouble? I'd have to call the police if that happened" Clark said.
It often bemused and fascinated Lex that Clark could believe in such greater goods despite the examples to the contrary in the world he really lived in. Lex couldn't tell if Clark was really that naive or if it was some sort of cover.
"No, you call me" Lex pointed between them both for emphasis. "Pallantine is like my father and has ways of subversing regular law enforcement".
What does that mean? Clark wondered but was to polite to ask. Lex spied some notes on Clark's desk. "You're interested in this crop circle nonsense?" he asked as he leaned over to inspect the handwritten notes.
"Well Chloe is, I'm going along for the ride though, her reporter instincts are never wrong".
"Never?" Lex prodded.
"Well... rarely" Clark ammended with a grin.
"What does she think these crop circles are all about then - aliens or magical vortexes?".
"I don't mean to frighten you but my friend Pete -"
"The comedian?"
"- yeah, he said almost the exact same thing, except his version had Aliens or Bigfoot" Clark chuckled at Lex's moch dismay. "Great minds think alike?".
"What a horrible thing to say!" Lex grinned. "But seriously what does she think?"
"Well, she seems to think they're symbols from an ancient text that went missing... 400 years ago. What they mean, who's doing it and why we're not to clear on. We're pulling an all nighter at the Torch to try an figure that out".
"Well good luck Clark" Lex said as he rose to leave. "Don't lose sleep over a wild goose chase though".
Clark followed Lex part way down the stairs. "You think it's a wild goose chase?" Clark asked.
"Not if Chloe found something in it, but it may not be all that she hoped" Lex replied.
"Well... thanks for the warning about Pallantine, have you told my dad?".
Lex paused at the bottom of the stairs and turned back to face Clark. "Ah no. I prefer not to lose seven of my nine lives". They both smiled at that and Lex departed. Clark left shortly after on his way to the Torch offices.
-The Last Gasp-
"Mayday! Mayday!" the young soldier yelled down the radio. "Is anyone hearing me? Damnit!". The radio was shot.
Private Fordman scanned the jungle all around him, searching for the danger that killed three quarters of his platoon, including the LT. Effectively he was in command. And he didn't have a clue about what to do.
"Whitney! Whitney! We should get outta here man!" Private Jimmy Esgrove said. "Get them to evack us!".
"Can't, radio's toast" Private Fordman replied.
"Oh man!" Esgrove spat. "This sucks!".
For the last 36 hours the 7th platoon of 40th Marine recon company had been engaged in a firefight with South American guerilla's in the Amazon. They had been surprised and mauled by the guerilla's sudden offensive and now it was increasingly likely that the 7th platoon would never be heard from again.
"American soldiers!" The call came from somewhere in the thick jungle cover. "Surrender or be killed!" it ordered. The guerillas had found the bedraggled survivors and were closing in for the kill.
"Go to hell!" Whitney yelled back. Seconds later the final firefight began. Not knowing where to shoot, the survivors simply tore up the surrounding jungle. There was a scream but no one fell out from cover.
"The trees, shoot into the trees!" Fordman yelled to the three surviving soldiers under his command. Once their fire was aimed high among the trees the screams became more numerous and the marines took heart at seeing the enemy dead falling from amongst their tree top hideouts.
But the marines eventually ran out of ammunition. The fight was effectively over. Fordman looked back at his troopers. "We go out like marines" he said simply.
Private Whitney Fordman of Smallville, Kansas died in action leading his men in an extraordinary act of valour against unsurmountable odds. But due to the fact that his unit was on a covert action, all the men of 7th platoon were reported missing in action. Their families would never know any of the circumstances of their death.
And that was the way Jason Wynn wanted it.
-Everything Will Change-
By the time Clark arrived it was all over. The Torch office was completely trashed. As he walked further into the room he saw Chloe lying amongst overturned chairs and smashed computer monitors. She didn't seem to be alive.
From over behind a filing cabinet, Clark thought he heard a grunt. When he looked he saw his friend Pete bound and gagged staring wide eyed at something behind Clark. Before he could turn to confront whoever it was, Clark suffered a massive blow on his back which sent him crashing through the window.
Before he blacked out, Clark saw the headlights of Lana's truck flash across the front of the building as she pulled up. He tried to yell a warning and wanted to get up and stop her from going in there, but he couldn't stop himself from being pulled toward unconsciousness.
