Disclaimer: Smallville and its characters belong to the WB. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes. In other words, don't sue me!!!
Timeline: Set directly after the season 1 finale. An AU fic.
Funvince Fanfic Enterprises presents:
************************************************************
SMALLVILLE CHANGES
-By Vincent "Funvince" Nguyen
************************************************************
-Chapter 2-
Roger Nixon ran hard and already his lungs were gasping for air and his chest was beginning to spasm. His pursuer, Jonathan Kent, a man who had baled hay for the last few decades and was driven his overwhelming concern for his son, was barely winded.
Jonathan knocked Nixon down in a flying tackle and with a cry of rage, ripped the video camera away from the journalist's arms and smashed it into the ground. He then gripped the lapels of Nixon's jacket and pulled the man's face up to inches away from his own.
"You look here," Jonathan said through gritted teeth, "Clark is my son and I'm not letting a sniveling weasel like you rip this family apart. It almost happened once and I'll be damned if I let it happen again!"
Nixon sneered at him. "What you choose to do with this alien is none of my business but you're a fool if you think I'm just going to forget about the biggest story of the century!"
"Are you going to start sprouting some crap about the people's right to know?" Jonathan asked sarcastically.
Nixon tried to push the elder Kent off him and when he failed he snapped, "No, I'm telling you that I want to be the most famous, richest man in the world. And what exactly, Mr. Kent, do you plan to do to stop me?"
His smug smile faded as he saw the look in Jonathan's eyes. It was the look of a man who had been driven to the edge, of a man at war with himself. It was clear that the resolution of that war would spell out Nixon's future. Minutes, hours, ticked by as Nixon watched Jonathan's eyes, memorized by what he saw.
Jonathan's fingers clenched then with a growl of disgust threw Nixon to the ground. He walked over to the smashed camera, popped out the tape, and stuck it in his jacket. Then he straightened and acting as if the last five minutes hadn't happened, he said in a conversational tone, "Mr. Nixon, you're right. There is nothing I can do to stop you, but you're not going up against only me. You're dealing with the Kents and I suggest you think real hard about what that means."
From the ground, Nixon watched the man turn and walk away. Dredging up a remaining ounce of defiance, he shouted, "This isn't over, Kent!"
Jonathan gave him a bemused look. "I'd be more concerned about finding shelter. Nearest farm is about half a mile from here and it looks like the storm's coming this way." A mirthless smile crossed his face.
"I suggest you get started."
~*~
"Lex! Help me," Lionel Luthor moaned weakly.
Lex tried to clear his head as he watched in fascination at the pieces of debris hanging over his father's body that in one fatal moment could change his life forever. He ignored the pain in his head and the blood dripping past his eyes and simply stared at his father. After a moment, Lionel grew quiet and simply stared back with a look that was half defiance and half plead.
It would be so easy. There wasn't anything to hide or cover up because it really was an accident and it was a shame that he couldn't get to his father in time. This would be the perfect way for him to finally be rid of the man who for years lied to him, harassed him, crushed his dreams, treated him no better than a tool, and worse of all, caused his mother to give up…
He would never have such an opportunity again. So why was he hesitating? He was a Luthor and there were no levels too low that he could not sink. He had learned from the best after all. Blackmail, extortion, bribery, and other technically illegal acts were simply business as usual to him. Getting rid of annoyances and ignoring the fact that they were people with faces and families was one of the first lessons he had learned. This was just the next logical step, wasn't it?
Wasn't it?
Before he knew it, he had crossed the interval between him and the debris in two quick strides and was knelt down by his father's side. Lionel's eyes held surprise and a little bit of relief. He said sincerely, "Thank you, Lex."
"Don't mistake this for a sudden burst of compassion," Lex informed him. "It occurred to me that your death would cause more problems than it would solve. The other Board members would each try to carve out their own piece of the Luthor empire in the aftermath while I was still picking out flowers for your funeral."
Lionel hissed as Lex removed the plaster that had crushed his leg. Lex waited patiently for his father to cover up his momentary lapse before he continued, "Don't worry, dad, you'll get what's coming to you someday but it'll be on my terms and when I'm better prepared."
Lex smirked at the look of outrage on his father's face and he was briefly surprised to see a flicker of pride flash across the old man's face. Lionel breathed deeply then said, "If you're quite finished threatening me, would you mind?" He stared pointedly at the wreckage. "Or are you going to change your mind again?"
"Are you showing fear? Nah, cause that'd be a weakness and Luthors don't show weaknesses," Lex said not trying hard to hide his smile. He got up and started moving the planks that were covering his father then he paused. "There is one thing. In all the confusion, I almost forgot what you came here to talk about. If I recall correctly, we had a short conversation where you agreed to my plan for an employee buyout of the plant. Does that ring any bells?"
"What are you doing, Lex?" Lionel asked dangerously.
"Don't blow a gasket. Any promise made under duress is meaningless. But you owe me." It was a short statement that would have meant nothing to anyone else but to the two men in the room, it was a sure indication that the dynamics of power had just shifted. Lex knew that a debt of any kind would gnaw and prick away at his father if left unresolved. He decided to give one final push.
"So dad, do you remember that conversation?"
The glare he received only made him smile.
Timeline: Set directly after the season 1 finale. An AU fic.
Funvince Fanfic Enterprises presents:
************************************************************
SMALLVILLE CHANGES
-By Vincent "Funvince" Nguyen
************************************************************
-Chapter 2-
Roger Nixon ran hard and already his lungs were gasping for air and his chest was beginning to spasm. His pursuer, Jonathan Kent, a man who had baled hay for the last few decades and was driven his overwhelming concern for his son, was barely winded.
Jonathan knocked Nixon down in a flying tackle and with a cry of rage, ripped the video camera away from the journalist's arms and smashed it into the ground. He then gripped the lapels of Nixon's jacket and pulled the man's face up to inches away from his own.
"You look here," Jonathan said through gritted teeth, "Clark is my son and I'm not letting a sniveling weasel like you rip this family apart. It almost happened once and I'll be damned if I let it happen again!"
Nixon sneered at him. "What you choose to do with this alien is none of my business but you're a fool if you think I'm just going to forget about the biggest story of the century!"
"Are you going to start sprouting some crap about the people's right to know?" Jonathan asked sarcastically.
Nixon tried to push the elder Kent off him and when he failed he snapped, "No, I'm telling you that I want to be the most famous, richest man in the world. And what exactly, Mr. Kent, do you plan to do to stop me?"
His smug smile faded as he saw the look in Jonathan's eyes. It was the look of a man who had been driven to the edge, of a man at war with himself. It was clear that the resolution of that war would spell out Nixon's future. Minutes, hours, ticked by as Nixon watched Jonathan's eyes, memorized by what he saw.
Jonathan's fingers clenched then with a growl of disgust threw Nixon to the ground. He walked over to the smashed camera, popped out the tape, and stuck it in his jacket. Then he straightened and acting as if the last five minutes hadn't happened, he said in a conversational tone, "Mr. Nixon, you're right. There is nothing I can do to stop you, but you're not going up against only me. You're dealing with the Kents and I suggest you think real hard about what that means."
From the ground, Nixon watched the man turn and walk away. Dredging up a remaining ounce of defiance, he shouted, "This isn't over, Kent!"
Jonathan gave him a bemused look. "I'd be more concerned about finding shelter. Nearest farm is about half a mile from here and it looks like the storm's coming this way." A mirthless smile crossed his face.
"I suggest you get started."
~*~
"Lex! Help me," Lionel Luthor moaned weakly.
Lex tried to clear his head as he watched in fascination at the pieces of debris hanging over his father's body that in one fatal moment could change his life forever. He ignored the pain in his head and the blood dripping past his eyes and simply stared at his father. After a moment, Lionel grew quiet and simply stared back with a look that was half defiance and half plead.
It would be so easy. There wasn't anything to hide or cover up because it really was an accident and it was a shame that he couldn't get to his father in time. This would be the perfect way for him to finally be rid of the man who for years lied to him, harassed him, crushed his dreams, treated him no better than a tool, and worse of all, caused his mother to give up…
He would never have such an opportunity again. So why was he hesitating? He was a Luthor and there were no levels too low that he could not sink. He had learned from the best after all. Blackmail, extortion, bribery, and other technically illegal acts were simply business as usual to him. Getting rid of annoyances and ignoring the fact that they were people with faces and families was one of the first lessons he had learned. This was just the next logical step, wasn't it?
Wasn't it?
Before he knew it, he had crossed the interval between him and the debris in two quick strides and was knelt down by his father's side. Lionel's eyes held surprise and a little bit of relief. He said sincerely, "Thank you, Lex."
"Don't mistake this for a sudden burst of compassion," Lex informed him. "It occurred to me that your death would cause more problems than it would solve. The other Board members would each try to carve out their own piece of the Luthor empire in the aftermath while I was still picking out flowers for your funeral."
Lionel hissed as Lex removed the plaster that had crushed his leg. Lex waited patiently for his father to cover up his momentary lapse before he continued, "Don't worry, dad, you'll get what's coming to you someday but it'll be on my terms and when I'm better prepared."
Lex smirked at the look of outrage on his father's face and he was briefly surprised to see a flicker of pride flash across the old man's face. Lionel breathed deeply then said, "If you're quite finished threatening me, would you mind?" He stared pointedly at the wreckage. "Or are you going to change your mind again?"
"Are you showing fear? Nah, cause that'd be a weakness and Luthors don't show weaknesses," Lex said not trying hard to hide his smile. He got up and started moving the planks that were covering his father then he paused. "There is one thing. In all the confusion, I almost forgot what you came here to talk about. If I recall correctly, we had a short conversation where you agreed to my plan for an employee buyout of the plant. Does that ring any bells?"
"What are you doing, Lex?" Lionel asked dangerously.
"Don't blow a gasket. Any promise made under duress is meaningless. But you owe me." It was a short statement that would have meant nothing to anyone else but to the two men in the room, it was a sure indication that the dynamics of power had just shifted. Lex knew that a debt of any kind would gnaw and prick away at his father if left unresolved. He decided to give one final push.
"So dad, do you remember that conversation?"
The glare he received only made him smile.
