OK here is the end well an end as Zen says. I had a bit of a quandary
coming up with the epilogue; whether to go and reveal a bit more about the
mystery girl. In doing this it left the story open for a sequel, so I ask
you wonderous readers to sort of vote on this subject. Read both ends and
tell me which you like more. Or just say go for it concerning a sequel
which will go further into a new destiny path for our Alexander.
________________________________________________________________________
~~~ Epilogue. ~~~
"I tire of this little sport you insist on playing." Lionel Luthor said.
The well-dressed man paced the small room; he then stopped and focused his glare on his quarry. This fierce look usually caused whoever was receiving it to shake in their boots. There were only few who could stand up to this glance; Morgan Edge was dead, so that reduced the opposing numbers. His son was missing, but the boy never missed a chance to throw his own equally powerful stare. Now there was one other who would defy his glower and try his patience to the very last nerve.
The girl spoke. "I do so enjoy playing it with you though, and you fall into it so well."
There was strain in the voice, and no wonder. Kharma was strapped down by metal bindings in a dentist-like chair. There was a needle in her arm connected to an IV that steadily delivered an odd colored liquid into her blood stream. Lionel knew this new drug would have a lip loosening effect; the right dosage and anyone would be singing like a well-trained canary.
"So you say, but this is my arena. I have the advantage; and you are hardly a player. Strapped down like a mere beast; hardly a threat, hardly a formidable opponent." Lionel gloated.
The girl snickered. "How do you know I don't enjoy being tied down?"
"Everyday you make me sorry I wasted my money. Then, you meet my son, and I hear great things were done. Now, here we are back at square one, playing games all over again." Lionel stated clenching and unclenching his gloved hands.
He walked up to the bed, laying a hand on the girl's shirt. He pulled it up enough to expose her belly.
She gasped. "Get your hands off me!"
"This bothers you I see." He mused.
A low growl escaped her throat. "Only your touch does that to me."
Lionel smirked as he touched the odd marking on her stomach. It was a dark birthmark in the shape of a paw print. It almost looked like a well-drawn tattoo, but without the ink. This symbol intrigued Lionel; he needed to know more about what she was, beyond a pain in his patience.
"I can make all your pain go away you know. Just tell me what I want to know; and I will stop all this." Lionel reasoned.
The girl started to squirm in the chair pulling against her bonds. Sweat appeared on her skin, and she tensed and hissed. The drug pumping into her system was stronger then before; the pain it caused was worse than all the other times. The sickly colored substance was a new, old solution utilized to get answers out of captured spy-types. Of course it had been tweaked to suit this more modern and unique time. She started to hum a song to focus her thoughts and soon the pain started to ebb.
She growled. "You know nothing of stopping pain; all you know is how to create hurt and destroy others. Don't make promises you cannot hope of ever keeping, you snake!"
"Resorting to insults now; I thought we were too far above such childish things." Lionel prodded.
She heaved a long breath out. "You're right and I just insulted all the snakes in the world. Snake is cousin to me; snake is transmutation and the universal being."
He had tracked this acquisition down in Japan; a side show freak, of sorts. The creature that could make the unknown known, endowed with an odd power of healing and possessed a universal answer to any question. Lionel had purchased the so-called girl and, immediately, had her transported to Belle Reve. She had proved to be a disappointment from day one. After a year, Lionel, stressed with his son's adventure in takeover, was more than ready to throw in the towel despite the etched in stone saying that Luthor's NEVER give up.
She clucked. "Next time you had best know what you're buying before you leap in with both eyes closed."
Lionel sighed and crossed his arms over his chest.
Then through a total disregard of his orders, his son and this girl meet and, then, comes the supernatural occurrences.
Luthor gave a pained chuckle. "Guess it pays to stay in one place." ( I don't know who is speaking here)
Her eyes were locked on his, as if burrowing into his mind, leaving a cool powerless feeling in its wake.
"Empires are built by making acquisitions; terrain is mapped out by going places." Lionel stated.
He pulled off his black leather gloves. With his right hand, he stroked his fingers over her strange marking, enjoying her squirming as he did so.
"Where is my son?" Lionel inquired demandingly.
She snorted out a lungful of air. "Don't you know? What's wrong? Can't you keep that iron, leash-like grip on your own flesh and blood as easily as you do on those you feel are beneath you?"
Lionel said nothing continuing to touch the spot.
She groaned audibly, her eyes taking on an unfocused quality. "They got Julian in time. Lillian asked to follow, but Alexander had to stay."
Lionel now was intrigued; he lifted his hand and waited listening to more. His ire in check; the thought of someone else, the puppeteer in his life, was shocking to him.
She pushed her head back deeper into the chair. "Not puppeteers; avatars, whatever."
"I don't understand." Lionel said.
She gritted her teeth. "You are not supposed to. It is not about you; never was and never will be. You could have been something; but you chose to rot, instead of flourish."
Lionel's look became stony as the muscles in his jaw flexed.
She started to pant. "You deteriorated so much that it became a disease that you willingly tried to pass on to your family. When you turned away from your son that day he lost his hair, he was granted a reprieve. Julian, though, was different; you would have infected him. Lillian knew this so Julian was saved from you."
"You do have a way with stories." Lionel responded keeping his anger out of his voice.
She pulled against her straps once more. "Life is a story; a living chronicle, and we are granting Alexander a superb part in a epic yarn. Every narrative needs a hero or two for it to be cemented in the timeline. The people need their Superman and/or their Warrior Angel."
Lionel exhaled a long breath through his nose.
She continued her eyes closed. "You think to make history by following the path of kings, by quoting passages of the wise and by being ruthless. You let others take the fall for your dubious dealings, portraying it as some life lesson needed to be taught. You know nothing of making empires; when it comes down to the bare truth, you are still that gutter snipe living in filth!"
She opened her eyes and they were clear as if the drug was having no effect. SHE stopped moving and sat up in the chair, laughing at the billionaire. Lionel snapped. He rounded the chair, grasped the IV bag and squeezed it, increasing the flow into her veins.
"It is amazing, you know, how pain can be used in getting answers or making people forget for a long time. It's a very broad spectrum sensation. I find it useful since it breaks down barriers and banishes lies from even the most stubborn of tongues." Lionel mused regaining his composure.
He smoothed his hands through his shoulder length hair, backing up once again to the foot of the chair.
"You have only one chance--one chance to defy me." Lionel threatened
She moaned as the pain in her muscles increased, but still she mocked back. "Or what? You'll start getting ugly? You're too many years too late."
"Where is my son?" Lionel asked again ignoring the jibe.
The girl writhed against the restraints. Lionel could see that her strength was ebbing. She clenched and released her fists, repeatedly.
She started to mumble. "Fate isn't yours to command. Lex has his own path. He will follow it and we will protect him. We like him, unlike you."
Lionel stepped forward, taking the girl's sweaty head into his hands, holding her face between his thumbs.
"Just give in; you can not win. Tell me what I need to know." Lionel said using his best, fake voice of concern.
She opened her eyes. "You'll know now, as much as you knew then.
The IV bag was nearly empty and the girl was still fighting the effects.
She gasped out, a definite smirk on her face. "With the eagle and the dolphin."
She then started to chuckle more; her answers were riddles to him. He had no more patience; he needed to be back to his office for a meeting. He would return soon though and he would find his son even if he had to strip the information from the girl's hide. Gods, people, monsters, nor freaks would keep him from what was his.
Lionel Luthor looked out from his helicopter as it took off; Metropolis was his city. He was the king and he held most of the world in his grip. Soon Lex would be back under his burning, all-powerful eyes and there he would stay. Lionel Luthor was not known for losing. He never lost and he planned to keep it that way. Fate be damned under his feet and destiny would recognize him in the end!
An End
Final notes: In Native American belief spirit animals guide the peoples when certain signs are given. They also can be advisors if problems arise that the people believe are too big to handle. Not gods or anything over powering like that; just spirits that help, protect, and teach. I bring all this up just to lend some notes to the afore mentioned animal guides in this fiction.
The paw print on the mystery character is that of the black jaguar known for embracing the unknown, accepting healing, protection, seeing the hidden truths, and finding answers.
Eagle is the spirit, and connection to the great divine, healing, illumination of the spirit, and creation.
Dolphin is the breath of life, manna, and sound which is connected to the creative life force.
Snake is the universal being, transmutation, rebirth, wisdom, resurrection(Like a phoenix).
~~~ Epilogue. ~~~
"I tire of this little sport you insist on playing." Lionel Luthor said.
The well-dressed man paced the small room; he then stopped and focused his glare on his quarry. This fierce look usually caused whoever was receiving it to shake in their boots. There were only few who could stand up to this glance; Morgan Edge was dead, so that reduced the opposing numbers. His son was missing, but the boy never missed a chance to throw his own equally powerful stare. Now there was one other who would defy his glower and try his patience to the very last nerve.
The girl spoke. "I do so enjoy playing it with you though, and you fall into it so well."
There was strain in the voice, and no wonder. Kharma was strapped down by metal bindings in a dentist-like chair. There was a needle in her arm connected to an IV that steadily delivered an odd colored liquid into her blood stream. Lionel knew this new drug would have a lip loosening effect; the right dosage and anyone would be singing like a well-trained canary.
"So you say, but this is my arena. I have the advantage; and you are hardly a player. Strapped down like a mere beast; hardly a threat, hardly a formidable opponent." Lionel gloated.
The girl snickered. "How do you know I don't enjoy being tied down?"
"Everyday you make me sorry I wasted my money. Then, you meet my son, and I hear great things were done. Now, here we are back at square one, playing games all over again." Lionel stated clenching and unclenching his gloved hands.
He walked up to the bed, laying a hand on the girl's shirt. He pulled it up enough to expose her belly.
She gasped. "Get your hands off me!"
"This bothers you I see." He mused.
A low growl escaped her throat. "Only your touch does that to me."
Lionel smirked as he touched the odd marking on her stomach. It was a dark birthmark in the shape of a paw print. It almost looked like a well-drawn tattoo, but without the ink. This symbol intrigued Lionel; he needed to know more about what she was, beyond a pain in his patience.
"I can make all your pain go away you know. Just tell me what I want to know; and I will stop all this." Lionel reasoned.
The girl started to squirm in the chair pulling against her bonds. Sweat appeared on her skin, and she tensed and hissed. The drug pumping into her system was stronger then before; the pain it caused was worse than all the other times. The sickly colored substance was a new, old solution utilized to get answers out of captured spy-types. Of course it had been tweaked to suit this more modern and unique time. She started to hum a song to focus her thoughts and soon the pain started to ebb.
She growled. "You know nothing of stopping pain; all you know is how to create hurt and destroy others. Don't make promises you cannot hope of ever keeping, you snake!"
"Resorting to insults now; I thought we were too far above such childish things." Lionel prodded.
She heaved a long breath out. "You're right and I just insulted all the snakes in the world. Snake is cousin to me; snake is transmutation and the universal being."
He had tracked this acquisition down in Japan; a side show freak, of sorts. The creature that could make the unknown known, endowed with an odd power of healing and possessed a universal answer to any question. Lionel had purchased the so-called girl and, immediately, had her transported to Belle Reve. She had proved to be a disappointment from day one. After a year, Lionel, stressed with his son's adventure in takeover, was more than ready to throw in the towel despite the etched in stone saying that Luthor's NEVER give up.
She clucked. "Next time you had best know what you're buying before you leap in with both eyes closed."
Lionel sighed and crossed his arms over his chest.
Then through a total disregard of his orders, his son and this girl meet and, then, comes the supernatural occurrences.
Luthor gave a pained chuckle. "Guess it pays to stay in one place." ( I don't know who is speaking here)
Her eyes were locked on his, as if burrowing into his mind, leaving a cool powerless feeling in its wake.
"Empires are built by making acquisitions; terrain is mapped out by going places." Lionel stated.
He pulled off his black leather gloves. With his right hand, he stroked his fingers over her strange marking, enjoying her squirming as he did so.
"Where is my son?" Lionel inquired demandingly.
She snorted out a lungful of air. "Don't you know? What's wrong? Can't you keep that iron, leash-like grip on your own flesh and blood as easily as you do on those you feel are beneath you?"
Lionel said nothing continuing to touch the spot.
She groaned audibly, her eyes taking on an unfocused quality. "They got Julian in time. Lillian asked to follow, but Alexander had to stay."
Lionel now was intrigued; he lifted his hand and waited listening to more. His ire in check; the thought of someone else, the puppeteer in his life, was shocking to him.
She pushed her head back deeper into the chair. "Not puppeteers; avatars, whatever."
"I don't understand." Lionel said.
She gritted her teeth. "You are not supposed to. It is not about you; never was and never will be. You could have been something; but you chose to rot, instead of flourish."
Lionel's look became stony as the muscles in his jaw flexed.
She started to pant. "You deteriorated so much that it became a disease that you willingly tried to pass on to your family. When you turned away from your son that day he lost his hair, he was granted a reprieve. Julian, though, was different; you would have infected him. Lillian knew this so Julian was saved from you."
"You do have a way with stories." Lionel responded keeping his anger out of his voice.
She pulled against her straps once more. "Life is a story; a living chronicle, and we are granting Alexander a superb part in a epic yarn. Every narrative needs a hero or two for it to be cemented in the timeline. The people need their Superman and/or their Warrior Angel."
Lionel exhaled a long breath through his nose.
She continued her eyes closed. "You think to make history by following the path of kings, by quoting passages of the wise and by being ruthless. You let others take the fall for your dubious dealings, portraying it as some life lesson needed to be taught. You know nothing of making empires; when it comes down to the bare truth, you are still that gutter snipe living in filth!"
She opened her eyes and they were clear as if the drug was having no effect. SHE stopped moving and sat up in the chair, laughing at the billionaire. Lionel snapped. He rounded the chair, grasped the IV bag and squeezed it, increasing the flow into her veins.
"It is amazing, you know, how pain can be used in getting answers or making people forget for a long time. It's a very broad spectrum sensation. I find it useful since it breaks down barriers and banishes lies from even the most stubborn of tongues." Lionel mused regaining his composure.
He smoothed his hands through his shoulder length hair, backing up once again to the foot of the chair.
"You have only one chance--one chance to defy me." Lionel threatened
She moaned as the pain in her muscles increased, but still she mocked back. "Or what? You'll start getting ugly? You're too many years too late."
"Where is my son?" Lionel asked again ignoring the jibe.
The girl writhed against the restraints. Lionel could see that her strength was ebbing. She clenched and released her fists, repeatedly.
She started to mumble. "Fate isn't yours to command. Lex has his own path. He will follow it and we will protect him. We like him, unlike you."
Lionel stepped forward, taking the girl's sweaty head into his hands, holding her face between his thumbs.
"Just give in; you can not win. Tell me what I need to know." Lionel said using his best, fake voice of concern.
She opened her eyes. "You'll know now, as much as you knew then.
The IV bag was nearly empty and the girl was still fighting the effects.
She gasped out, a definite smirk on her face. "With the eagle and the dolphin."
She then started to chuckle more; her answers were riddles to him. He had no more patience; he needed to be back to his office for a meeting. He would return soon though and he would find his son even if he had to strip the information from the girl's hide. Gods, people, monsters, nor freaks would keep him from what was his.
Lionel Luthor looked out from his helicopter as it took off; Metropolis was his city. He was the king and he held most of the world in his grip. Soon Lex would be back under his burning, all-powerful eyes and there he would stay. Lionel Luthor was not known for losing. He never lost and he planned to keep it that way. Fate be damned under his feet and destiny would recognize him in the end!
An End
Final notes: In Native American belief spirit animals guide the peoples when certain signs are given. They also can be advisors if problems arise that the people believe are too big to handle. Not gods or anything over powering like that; just spirits that help, protect, and teach. I bring all this up just to lend some notes to the afore mentioned animal guides in this fiction.
The paw print on the mystery character is that of the black jaguar known for embracing the unknown, accepting healing, protection, seeing the hidden truths, and finding answers.
Eagle is the spirit, and connection to the great divine, healing, illumination of the spirit, and creation.
Dolphin is the breath of life, manna, and sound which is connected to the creative life force.
Snake is the universal being, transmutation, rebirth, wisdom, resurrection(Like a phoenix).