Chapter 11: The Fan Spineth, the Shit Prepareth
*****
Lex rushed down the stairs and through three locked doors. After a retinal and fingerprint scan, a large metallic door slid open leading him into the research lab. Clark lay sweating profusely in a bed, thrashing about. Dr. Klein hovered above him, taking his vitals and trying to come to grips with the situation.
"What's going on? Clark, are you okay?" He asked with fret.
"I don't know Lex; this baby is kicking like crazy!" Clark yelled out. He seized the edge of the bed and closed his eyes.
"Bernard, what's going on? Is he really in labour?"
"Lex, I can't even begin to guess. The baby is getting more and more active and if she's as strong as her father I'm worried she might cause some internal damage. I think we should go through with the Caesarian like we planned."
"Now? But, how do we know she's ready?? What if we cut her out and she's not fully gestated? Clark what do you think?"
"Ughhhh..." he moaned.
Bernard put his hand over his head. "He's burning up. If we're going to do this, we need to do it soon!"
"Is that your expert opinion?"
"If you can call me an expert, yes... that's what my gut is telling me," Dr. Klein replied, his voice trembling faintly.
"Prep him for surgery. But don't do anything until the rest of the Kents get here. I don't think this decision is ours to make," Lex sighed, his breath ragged.
Dr. Klein nodded and prepared to operate, taking out his equipment and measuring the amount of kryptonite he would need for the procedure.
Lex excused himself to the restroom. He grasped the edge of the sink and fought himself for a long minute before he began to sob quietly. No matter what he did, his father was always behind him, taunting him, testing him, transforming him. When the tears ceased, his despair was displaced by something else. Lex splashed cold water on his face and calmly looked in the mirror at his still form. His pupils dilated, his glare turned to ice. He recognized the image staring back at him - eye of the tiger. The memory flashed across his mind.
"Eye of the tiger, Lex, you have to be aggressive - or your enemies will never respect nor fear you. Look at you in that mirror; you look like someone who the bigger children pick on. Pathetic, Lex. Yes, that's it, you're angry - anger is good. Harness it, control it, and when you see your opponent begin to tremble, then you know you've already won."
The Kents didn't need Lionel on top of all their current problems. Lex thought of all the times Clark had been there for him and his friends, laying his life on the line at whatever cost to protect the ones he loved. Now he was in the need of help - lying their helplessly on the bed. He was in danger, his baby was in danger. It would only be a matter of time before Lionel had his way - he always did. It was about time Lex returned the favour.
*****
"Doctor, how is he?" Jonathan asked as the four rushed into the lab.
Martha and Lana placed a hand on each of his shoulders sympathetically as Pete looked on with apprehension. Clark continued to writhe.
"The baby is getting pretty violent in there. I think she wants out. I want to do the c-section now, but I need your consent."
The four looked at each other, but ultimately three pairs of eyes focused on Lana.
"It's your baby, Lana. It's your decision," Dr. Klein stated bluntly. "I don't think Clark is going to make it unless we get the baby out soon."
Lana swallowed and turned back to Clark, squirming on the bed and mumbling unintelligibly. She looked on with uncertainty, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.
*****
As Lex came out he saw the group surrounding Clark behind the glass window. He looked briefly at the sight and stalked off with resolve, determined to extradite Clark from peril. He quietly slipping out of the lab, out the doors, and quickly the nearest intercom.
"Foley - has my father left the premises yet?" he asked his chief of security.
"No, sir, he's about to though, his car is approaching the gate."
"Good, stop him. I need to discuss one last thing with him."
"Sure thing, Mr. Luthor."
He sprinted out the nearest exit and down the long driveway toward his father's limo.
"What is this, Lex? I've got important meetings to get to," he exclaimed after rolling down the tinted window.
He let himself into the car and nudged his father over. When the door was shut, Lex pushed two buttons, raising both the window and the partition between the driver and themselves.
"You aren't going anywhere near Clark Kent, dad. I won't let you!" he exclaimed briskly with determination.
"Lex! I'm impressed. I thought you would just sit there, wallow and accept defeat but you've shown me great resilience coming here like this. You truly are a chip off the old block." Lionel grinned. "Unfortunately your technique needs some refining. Running out here like that makes just makes you look desperate. Remember Lex, you can't let your opponent see just how weak your position is."
"You're not listening, dad. You go near Clark Kent and you'll - you'll be sorry," he exclaimed, his eyes piercing, his jaw tensed.
"I already am sorry. Sorry that my son doesn't know when the Lord O' Mighty drops a giant diamond on a silver platter right in front of him. That boy is going to change the world, Lex, and I intend to be the one who takes the credit. Now unless you've got something more compelling to convince me otherwise - not that your urgent pleading isn't doing a well enough job, my plans will remain unchanged."
Lex's nostrils snorted as he let himself out, shutting door with as much force as he could muster.
"Don't take it personally, Lex, it's just business. And you still have a window of opportunity. For the moment he is in your possession... I can't say for how long though."
The gate opened and Lex watched as the car pulled away, the shadow behind it quickly vanishing as the clouds ventured under the sun and the sky became overcast.
*****
She lowered herself to Clark's lips and gave him a brief kiss, caressing his cheek. She raised her head and looked at Dr. Klein. She nodded, her mouth too dry to speak.
*****
*****
Lex rushed down the stairs and through three locked doors. After a retinal and fingerprint scan, a large metallic door slid open leading him into the research lab. Clark lay sweating profusely in a bed, thrashing about. Dr. Klein hovered above him, taking his vitals and trying to come to grips with the situation.
"What's going on? Clark, are you okay?" He asked with fret.
"I don't know Lex; this baby is kicking like crazy!" Clark yelled out. He seized the edge of the bed and closed his eyes.
"Bernard, what's going on? Is he really in labour?"
"Lex, I can't even begin to guess. The baby is getting more and more active and if she's as strong as her father I'm worried she might cause some internal damage. I think we should go through with the Caesarian like we planned."
"Now? But, how do we know she's ready?? What if we cut her out and she's not fully gestated? Clark what do you think?"
"Ughhhh..." he moaned.
Bernard put his hand over his head. "He's burning up. If we're going to do this, we need to do it soon!"
"Is that your expert opinion?"
"If you can call me an expert, yes... that's what my gut is telling me," Dr. Klein replied, his voice trembling faintly.
"Prep him for surgery. But don't do anything until the rest of the Kents get here. I don't think this decision is ours to make," Lex sighed, his breath ragged.
Dr. Klein nodded and prepared to operate, taking out his equipment and measuring the amount of kryptonite he would need for the procedure.
Lex excused himself to the restroom. He grasped the edge of the sink and fought himself for a long minute before he began to sob quietly. No matter what he did, his father was always behind him, taunting him, testing him, transforming him. When the tears ceased, his despair was displaced by something else. Lex splashed cold water on his face and calmly looked in the mirror at his still form. His pupils dilated, his glare turned to ice. He recognized the image staring back at him - eye of the tiger. The memory flashed across his mind.
"Eye of the tiger, Lex, you have to be aggressive - or your enemies will never respect nor fear you. Look at you in that mirror; you look like someone who the bigger children pick on. Pathetic, Lex. Yes, that's it, you're angry - anger is good. Harness it, control it, and when you see your opponent begin to tremble, then you know you've already won."
The Kents didn't need Lionel on top of all their current problems. Lex thought of all the times Clark had been there for him and his friends, laying his life on the line at whatever cost to protect the ones he loved. Now he was in the need of help - lying their helplessly on the bed. He was in danger, his baby was in danger. It would only be a matter of time before Lionel had his way - he always did. It was about time Lex returned the favour.
*****
"Doctor, how is he?" Jonathan asked as the four rushed into the lab.
Martha and Lana placed a hand on each of his shoulders sympathetically as Pete looked on with apprehension. Clark continued to writhe.
"The baby is getting pretty violent in there. I think she wants out. I want to do the c-section now, but I need your consent."
The four looked at each other, but ultimately three pairs of eyes focused on Lana.
"It's your baby, Lana. It's your decision," Dr. Klein stated bluntly. "I don't think Clark is going to make it unless we get the baby out soon."
Lana swallowed and turned back to Clark, squirming on the bed and mumbling unintelligibly. She looked on with uncertainty, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.
*****
As Lex came out he saw the group surrounding Clark behind the glass window. He looked briefly at the sight and stalked off with resolve, determined to extradite Clark from peril. He quietly slipping out of the lab, out the doors, and quickly the nearest intercom.
"Foley - has my father left the premises yet?" he asked his chief of security.
"No, sir, he's about to though, his car is approaching the gate."
"Good, stop him. I need to discuss one last thing with him."
"Sure thing, Mr. Luthor."
He sprinted out the nearest exit and down the long driveway toward his father's limo.
"What is this, Lex? I've got important meetings to get to," he exclaimed after rolling down the tinted window.
He let himself into the car and nudged his father over. When the door was shut, Lex pushed two buttons, raising both the window and the partition between the driver and themselves.
"You aren't going anywhere near Clark Kent, dad. I won't let you!" he exclaimed briskly with determination.
"Lex! I'm impressed. I thought you would just sit there, wallow and accept defeat but you've shown me great resilience coming here like this. You truly are a chip off the old block." Lionel grinned. "Unfortunately your technique needs some refining. Running out here like that makes just makes you look desperate. Remember Lex, you can't let your opponent see just how weak your position is."
"You're not listening, dad. You go near Clark Kent and you'll - you'll be sorry," he exclaimed, his eyes piercing, his jaw tensed.
"I already am sorry. Sorry that my son doesn't know when the Lord O' Mighty drops a giant diamond on a silver platter right in front of him. That boy is going to change the world, Lex, and I intend to be the one who takes the credit. Now unless you've got something more compelling to convince me otherwise - not that your urgent pleading isn't doing a well enough job, my plans will remain unchanged."
Lex's nostrils snorted as he let himself out, shutting door with as much force as he could muster.
"Don't take it personally, Lex, it's just business. And you still have a window of opportunity. For the moment he is in your possession... I can't say for how long though."
The gate opened and Lex watched as the car pulled away, the shadow behind it quickly vanishing as the clouds ventured under the sun and the sky became overcast.
*****
She lowered herself to Clark's lips and gave him a brief kiss, caressing his cheek. She raised her head and looked at Dr. Klein. She nodded, her mouth too dry to speak.
*****