Chapter 1 – Arrival

The midnight blue Ferrari's engine throbbed as a lower gear was engaged and shot forward, literally eating up the tarmac. The landscape on either side blurred crazily as the as the huge V12 zipped past.

"So what do you think? Can this baby fly or what?" Alexander (Lex) Luthor glanced over at his passenger and grinned.

Slim and aesthetic, with a head that was completely bald, the grin seemed somehow out of place on Lex's Romanesque features.

Clark Kent turned and looked at his best friend, noting the glint in Lex's grey eyes.

"I think you oughta slow down before the wheels fall off," he replied.

Lex just laughed, changed down, and accelerated again.

"C'mon Clark, you only live once," Lex sniggered, "Besides, when are you ever going to travel this fast while still on the ground?"

Clark said nothing. He ran a hand through his dark, tousled hair and looked out the window. Everywhere, the golden fields of Kansas rolled away and stretched the horison, making the land of the Midwest seem endless. Above, the sky was a cloudless, deep, azure blue and the open road stretched out straight and inviting before them.

All in all, Clark decided he was enjoying the ride. Not the speed, the ride. Clark could jog faster.

"I thought that dealer in Metropolis was gonna commit suicide when we showed up to pick up the car today," said Clark.

Lex laughed, "He probably has pictures of it in his wallet to keep him satisfied."

"How long before we're back in Smallville?"

"Not long," said Lex, "Maybe another five... What the hell?"

"What is it?" Clark swung to face Lex, concerned.

But Lex was staring into his rear-view mirror.

"Looks like we got another speed demon on our hands."

Clark spun round to see out the back window and spotted another car. It was a couple hundred yards behind them, and closing fast. As it drew nearer, Clark noticed it was a sleek, acid green sports car.

"What kind of car is that?" he asked Lex.

"Dodge Viper. Looks like I'm not the only one who's fond of big toys. What do you say Clark? Should we see what he can do?"

Without waiting for an answer, Lex eased off the speed, allowing the Viper to draw level with the Ferrari. Clark and Lex both looked across at the other driver.

It was a young man. He had lengthy auburn hair, down to his chin, and was wearing sunglasses. The driver turned to them and flashed a smile.

"Hey!" said Lex, "I know him!"

At that moment the Viper shot forward. Lex gritted his teeth, kicked down, and sped after it. The engine roared as they slowly closed the gap. They'd almost reeled it in when the Viper jerked violently to the left, cutting across in front of them and forcing Lex to slam on the brakes and fall behind again. Clark placed his hands on the dash in front of him and braced himself.

"Lex, what the hell are you doing?"

"Relax Clark. We're just playing a little game, that's all."

The Ferrari drew forward inexorably, and Lex kicked in a last burst of speed, drawing up alongside the Viper. Clark got another look at the driver.

"He's grinning like a maniac!" he said in disbelief.

"My kind of guy," said Lex.

He wrenched the wheel hard left, forcing the Viper to swerve off the road.

"Ha! Ha! Gotcha!" Lex whooped.

But the Viper driver regained control quickly. He banked and swung back onto the road, ripping through the gears as he started pulling in on the Ferrari's right. Then they were neck and neck in an all out dash, doing 90 down the stretch.

In the distance ahead, Clark could make out his hometown of Smallville.

"Lex, remember that left curve just before town," he reminded him.

"I remember Clark," Lex told him, "Let's just hope this clown knows about it."

Both mega-cars were now gunning it to the metal and neither was giving anything. They rocketed past the sign that read:

"Welcome to Smallville Kansas, POP, 45000, 01

The Meteor Capital of the World!"

The left turn came up on them out of the blue and both cars hit it at a dead run.

The Viper swung sharp left, veering into them. Lex wrenched on the wheel and hit the brakes. The wheels locked and the car swerved out. The Viper's tail spun out and it swung right round until the hoods of both cars were facing each other in the spin, almost touching. The ear-splitting screech of squealing tyres filled the air as the two machines spun a complete 360 degrees before lurching to a dead stop.

Head to head.

In the centre of the road.

"Whew!" Lex heaved out a long breath, "What a rush!"

Clark shot him a look that spoke volumes, then wrenched open his door and climbed out onto the road. Lex followed suit.

The Viper's door slid open and the driver got out. He leaned on the open door and took off his shades. Clark could see that he was about seventeen or eighteen, but tall and built like an athlete.

"Tyler Ring!" Lex grinned at the newcomer, "Metropolis's favourite wildchild!"

"If I'd known about that damned curve I woulda nailed you Lex!"

"In your dreams you amateur," Lex stepped forward and grabbed Tyler in a viscous bearhug, "Man its good to see you again! Here, let me introduce you to a very good friend of mine, Clark Kent. Clark, this is the one and only Tyler Ring."

Clark, still a little flustered, reached out and gripped Tyler's outstretched hand, noticing that he wore a black glove with the fingers cut out.

"It's a pleasure," said Clark.

This was wasn't exactly true, but Tyler's grin was so infectious Clark couldn't help but smile back. Now that they were face to face, Clark saw that Tyler had strange eyes. One was blue, but the other was the same green as the Viper.

"What are you doing so far from Metropolis?" asked Lex.

"I'm moving here," Tyler answered, "To Smallville."

"Really? What about your dad?" he turned to Clark, "Tyler's father, Donald, is on the Board at LuthorCorp."

Tyler lost his smile and his face became grim.

"Tyler, what is it?" asked Lex, suddenly concerned.

"Didn't your father tell you?" asked Tyler.

"Tell me what?"

"Lex. My parents, they uh... They died last week. Car accident."

"Must run in the family," Clark muttered under his breath.

"Oh Tyler, I'm so sorry to hear that," he hugged Tyler again, "Your father was a fine man."

"I know."

"C'mon, follow me to the manor, we'll have a drink."

"Sure."

They all climbed back in. Tyler swung the Viper around so it faced the right way, then followed Lex into Smallville, his new home.

-----

"How did it happen?" asked Lex.

They were sitting in Lex's study at the Luthor Manor.

The manor was actually the Luthor ancestral home. Lex's father, Lionel, had shipped it over to Smallville from Scotland, brick by brick. In Tyler's opinion, this was more than a little excessive, but he'd known the Luthor's most of his life, and knew that 'excessive' was not in their vocabulary.

He reclined on an antique leather sofa, and regarded his old friend. Tyler had been shocked when Lex left Metropolis for Smallville. According to his father, Lex and Lionel had a falling out, and Lex was summarily banished to this, the hinterlands of the Midwest.

"It was last Friday," said Tyler, "Driving home from a party. I drove behind them and saw it all."

"My God!"

"My dad just had too much to drink, its that simple. He tried to take a turn too wide, hit the barrier on the highway and flipped the car. I don't think they survived even that, and the car blew up before I could get to them."

"Tyler that's terrible, I really am so sorry."

Tyler raised his glass and Lex did likewise.

"Good scotch," said Tyler, "From the barrel?"

Lex nodded, "As always."

Tyler suddenly laughed, "Remember the time we stole your father's bottle of 25?"

"I remember, you picked the lock to his study."

"As I recall, it was a certain follically-challenged individual who taught me that handy little trick."

"Man," Lex chuckled, "Old Lionel really hit the roof over that one. That bottle cost him $4000 in 1989."

"It was a particularly fine bottle of Scotch," said Tyler.

"I know I enjoyed it," said Lex.

"Do you miss Metropolis?" asked Tyler.

"Why do you ask? You think you're going to hate this place?"

"No, its not that," Tyler shook his head, "But if anyone understands what it means to get dumped in a small town after living in the greatest city in the world, it'd be you."

"True," said Lex, "Smallville's just... I dunno, its just different, I guess. Everyone here has the same small town mentality. You get used to it. It'll take some time, but I think you'll like Smallville."

"So you like living here?"

"Its my home now," said Lex, "No use hating the place when I'm stuck here."

"True," Tyler agreed.

"Where are you staying?"

"Nell Potter."

"That's right, you're Lana's cousin."

"Yeah."

"Well, you're welcome to crash here anytime."

"Thanks, I think I'll do that. Nell doesn't strike me as the type to condone drunken binges."

Lex chuckled, "No, she doesn't."

Tyler stood up, laying the empty glass down. Lex stood as well, and the two made their way out.

"Just drop off your stuff and get ready, I'm coming to pick you up in half an hour," said Lex, holding open the door.

"Where are we going?"

"We can shoot some pool or something."

"Sounds good," said Tyler.

"When did you get the car?" asked Lex.

"A few weeks ago. Nice, huh?"

"Its beautiful, but you should be more careful with it."

"You're giving me driving advice?"

"This isn't Metropolis, people do things differently out here. No more stunts."

"Yes dad," Tyler mocked.

Lex smiled at him. "You always were too reckless."

Tyler got in the car and wound the window down. He grinned at Lex.

"There's no such thing," he said.

-----

The Viper moved at a more sedate pace down Smallville's main street. The sun was slowly dying in the west, and the dusk air carried a soft, golden tinge.

Tyler felt uneasy. He hadn't set foot in this town since that strange October day twelve years before. He absently rubbed at the glove on his right hand and let his mind drift back.

He remembered everything about that day. Every little detail, though he'd never spoken of it to anyone, not even his parents. Tyler felt a lump form in his throat at the thought of his mother and father.

"How could you leave me alone like this?" he asked the fading daylight.

Smallville was his mother's hometown. Her family had lived here for generations, and Tyler found some comfort in the knowledge that he was back now. Tyler's grandfather still lived in Metropolis, and it was the old man who'd decided that Tyler should move to Smallville.

"I'm too old to be taking care of a teenager," he'd said.

Tyler himself wasn't too keen on living with Donald Ring senior either. So he'd packed his things, locked up the family apartment and started driving.

Slowly, he made his way to Nell Potter's house. The lights were on and the screen door lay open. He pulled into the driveway, shut the engine off and stepped out of the car. The air outside was balmy and warm, and Tyler gulped in a lungful of fresh, country air, so different from the constricting smog of Metropolis. He let his eyes drift over the surrounding fields, seemingly endless in the pale moonlight. Now, in the calm of the night, it was hard to believe this was once the scene of such horror.

"Tyler? Tyler, is that you?"

The voice jerked Tyler from his reverie, so he smiled and turned around.

"Aunt Nell!"

Nell came down the steps and embraced him, holding on a bit longer than necessary.

"I'm so sorry about what happened Tyler," she said, pulling back and looking at him, "Your mother was the best of friends, and your father was one of the good ones."

"Thanks Nell," he said, "And thank you so much for taking me in."

"Don't ever mention it honey, its my pleasure," she said with a kindly smile, "Now come inside, your cousin is dying to see you."

They were about to move up the steps when Nell laid a restraining hand on his shoulder.

"Tyler," she said, "Have you been drinking?"

"I met Lex on the road in," he explained, "We stopped off at the manor for a quick scotch."

Nell clucked disapprovingly, "Your mother was always concerned about your relationship with him."

"Nell, please stop. Lex and I have been friends for years. I trust him with my life, and I'd like you to cut him some slack. Please, for my sake."

"Well, okay," said Nell, though she sounded reluctant, "Let's go inside."

Lana Lang was sitting on a couch in the living room, a book open in her lap, but she sprang up the minute Tyler entered and ran into his arms.

"Tyler!"

"Lana, hey!"

Tyler picked her up and spun her around. Then something strange occurred. An unfamiliar sensation swept over him, as if tiny bolts of savage electricity were shooting through his veins. His right arm started twitching and he put her down, taking a hesitant step back.

But Lana didn't seem to notice.

"I haven't seen you since..."

"Since you came to Metropolis when you were twelve," Tyler finished for her, "We went over to the Luthor place, remember?"

"Yeah. Didn't you steal some of Lex's prized baseball cards?"

Tyler chuckled, "Uh huh. But don't worry, I mailed them all back to him. One a week for six months, really screwed with his head. I don't think he ever figured out who took them."

"Lana," said Nell, interrupting, "Why don't you help Tyler with his things and show him up to his room?"

Tyler followed Lana back out to his car, where he popped the trunk and started pulling out his bags.

"This is an awesome car Tyler," said Lana, coming up beside him and reaching into the trunk to grab a case.

"Thanks," he said.

His arm brushed against hers, and again, sharp electricity flashed through his blood. Shrugging it off, Tyler heaved out the last suitcase and followed Lana back inside.

Lana turned to face him on the landing at the top of the stairs.

"It was sad to hear about your parents," she said, "I didn't know them very well, but..."

"Yeah I know. You can sympathise."

"Exactly," she smiled at him.

Tyler was amazed at how much she'd grown. Her raven hair was sheer and fairly glowed, framing her pretty, petite face. Her eyes had a slight Polynesian cast to them, large and gorgeous.

"This is your room," she told him, leading him into a bedroom adjacent to her own.

"Cool," he said, flinging his stuff down on the bed.

"I'll leave you to get settled in." Lana moved in and hugged him.

Again, that strange electricity whipped through him. He pulled back slightly and caught a glimpse of the necklace she wore. It was a chain, set with a glossy stone the size of a pebble. The stone was glowing green!

He stepped back from her, "What is that?"

"This?" Lana fingered the stone, "Its a fragment of the meteor that killed my parents."

"Oh," was all Tyler could say.

There was a long, drawn out silence that made Tyler uncomfortable, then:

"Anyway, I'll let you get to it." She backed out the room and shut the door.

Tyler stood in the middle of the room with his hands on his hips, taking in his surroundings. There was a queen-size bed; a dresser topped with an assortment of toiletries completely unfamiliar to him, a large closet.

He walked over to the window. It opened onto the roof of the porch and he had a view of the farm next door. Tyler stared in that direction for a while. It was there he had stumbled on the ship. It was there that his eye had changed and the metal fused in his hand. Tyler made up his mind. It was there he'd find some answers.

Finally, he came back into the centre of the room and looked around again.

"It'll do," he said.

-----

A horn sounded out in the yard. Lana got up and peered through the curtains.

Turning, she called up the stairs:

"Tyler! Lex is here!"

Tyler came barrelling down the stairs, shrugging on a jacket.

"Where are you off to?" asked Nell.

"We're going to shoot some pool," said Tyler, "Lana, you wanna join us?"

"No thanks Ty, it's a school night."

"So? I've got school tomorrow."

"Lana's not used to gallivanting on school nights," said Nell.

"Gallivanting? I thought we were playing pool."

"Funny," she said, "Don't be home too late, okay?"

"I won't." He bent over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek, then turned to Lana and did the same.

Again, that peculiar feeling of electricity shuddered briefly through his system.

"Enjoy yourself," said Lana, as she walked him to the door.

"I will."

He stepped out onto the porch, then moved down the stairs to Lex's car. He climbed in and grinned at his friend.

"So, where are we headed?"

Lex pulled away and eased the car out onto the road.

"We're picking Clark up first," he said, "Then we're going to a place called Cues, its on Main Street."

Tyler nodded. Lex pulled into the driveway of the house next door.

Tyler frowned, "Clark Kent lives here?" he asked.

"The Kents are Nell's neighbours, yes," said Lex. "If you call living a mile apart neighbours."

Clark was waiting for them on the porch. He came over as they drew up and climbed inside.

"Hi," he said, "So, what's the destination?"

"Cues," said Lex.

"Cues? On Main Street?"

Lex nodded,

"That's a pretty rough place."

Lex suddenly laughed, "Relax Clark. Tyler and I have been in worse."

"If you say so."

-----

Tyler followed Lex and Clark as they stepped through the bar's old-style saloon doors. Springsteen wailed out of the jukebox and the place smelled of smoke and sweat. An array of liquor perched on shelves behind the bar running the length of one wall, and there were three pool tables in the centre of the room. Only one was occupied and there were maybe ten guys on stools, chatting idly.

"Okay, I'll get the drinks," said Lex.

"Coke," said Clark.

"Tequila," said Tyler.

Lex gave him a pointed look and Tyler grinned. "I'll have a beer."

Lex headed off to the bar as Tyler dropped a half-dollar in the table. The balls rattled out and he racked.

"So Clark," he began, "How long have had the pleasure of Lex's acquaintance?"

"Few months," answered Clark, chalking a cue, "We met in, um, strange circumstances."

"What circumstances were those?"

"Pretty close to the ones I met you in, actually."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning I rode my car off a bridge," said Lex coming up behind Tyler and handing him a beer, "Clark dove in and pulled me out."

"No way!" Tyler's eyes flicked from one to the other, to see if they were joking.

They weren't.

"It was nothing," said Clark, "I'm sure anyone would have done it."

"Not anyone who knew Lex personally..."

"Aw thanks, Ty," said Lex.

"Anytime!"

Clark grinned, set the cue ball, and broke.

"Well, well Clark," said Tyler, taking a shot and sinking a solid, "You're just a regular Superman, huh?"

"I wouldn't say that."

"I would," said Lex, "In fact Mr. Kent here has been to the rescue of a number of Smallville's helpless, single-handedly keeping up the population."

Tyler shot another two, before rechalking, "Sounds like you're a good man to have around in a tight spot," he said, "Hang around with us long enough and we'll really put your skills to the test."

Lex laughed, "No, not anymore," he tapped his chest, "I... have cleaned up my act."

"Musta been one helluva cleaning bill." Tyler missed his next shot and Clark took over.

"It was. It took banishment to pull me straight, but its worth it."

"What was Lex like in Metropolis?" asked Clark.

Tyler regarded Lex for a few seconds before answering, "Ruthless," he said, "Whatever he wanted, he got! No limits, no consequences, huh buddy?"

Lex said nothing.

They were interrupted when the two men at the next table came over. Tyler looked them up and down. They were big, hairy, wore leather.

"I'm sorry gentlemen," said Lex, "This is a private game."

"Just wondering if you boys were interested in a little two on two," said the first.

Lex spread his hands, "Like I said..."

"Hundred bucks a game," said one.

"You boys look like you can afford it," said the other.

Lex and Tyler exchanged glances, and almost grinned. Tyler slotted in more money to return the balls that were sunk.

"You're on," he said, "I'm Tyler. This is Lex and Clark."

"Jim," said one.

"Joe," said the other.

"A pleasure," said Tyler.

He racked the balls and chalked his cue again.

"Who breaks?" he asked.

"Go ahead," said the one known as Joe.

Tyler nodded. He placed the cue ball, set himself and drew back, careful to keep his wrist loose. He broke and sank two solids.

"Nice," Lex patted him on the back.

"Canon. Three onto the seven, top left corner," said Tyler, he made the shot, "Seven off the cushion, corner pocket," he sunk that too. Next came a delicate stroke along the cushion into the bottom right hand corner, followed by long double into the same pocket. He sunk another before the eight ball rattled off the corner of the pocket and came back out.

Jim and Joe were silent throughout all of this, and were regarding Tyler through narrowed eyes.

"They don't look too happy," said Clark, coming to stand beside Tyler as Jim lined up a shot.

"We never asked them to play," said Tyler. He took a long swig of his beer and watched as Jim blew his shot.

Lex stepped up, grinned at Jim and Joe, and nailed the eight to kill the game.

Tyler walked over to them and held out his hand, waiting.

"You ain't getting nothing from us," said Joe.

Tyler stepped closer.

"Look man, don't start this," he said, "It was your idea to play for money."

"You guys hustled us!" Jim stabbed Lex with his finger.

"Hey!" said Tyler, "Don't blame us because you couldn't perform."

"Oh yeah?" Joe got right in his face, "Well that's not what your mama said."

Tyler's eyes flashed. He shoved Joe back and grabbed a pool cue.

"Tyler, no!"

Lex moved to intercept him but, too late, Tyler swung the cue and cracked it over Joe's head, snapping it. Still grasping the pointed end, he spun on his heel to jab Jim in the stomach. Jim doubled over and Joe fell to his knees, blood running from a cut to his temple.

Tyler made to hit Joe again, but Clark grabbed his collar and hurled him backward onto the table. Tyler sat up quickly, his face still a mask of rage, but Clark laid a hand on his chest.

"Tyler, chill!"

"Get the hell out of my bar!" the bartender came round the bar, brandishing his fist at them.

Jim and Joe stayed where they were, looking pathetic.

"We don't want your kind in here!" he stormed.

Tyler got up off the table and faced him down, smiling.

"Take this..." he said, chucking the remnant of the cue at him, "And eat it!"

"Let's go," said Lex, steering them out the door.

They climbed back in the car.

"Nice one, Ty," said Lex, he revved up the Ferrari and pulled away, "I expected you to wait until at least your second night in town before getting into a fight."

"He shouldn't have said that about my mother," said Tyler, still angry.

"I know, he was out of line," said Lex, "But you still haven't learned to curb your temper."

They rode on in silence for a while, then:

"Thanks for pulling me off that guy, Clark," said Tyler, "I was in the mood to snap his neck."

"Don't sweat it," Clark told him, "I'm Superman, remember?"

-----

Lex dropped Tyler off at Nell's, then pulled up in front of Clark's house. Clark grasped the handle, then paused.

"Has he always reacted to insults like that?" he asked.

"No," said Lex, "He's always had a vicious temper, and he's a demon in a fight, but it usually takes more for him to lose it. He watched his parent's car explode a week ago, insulting his mother was not the smartest thing that moron could have said."

"How did you react when your mom died?"

"The same way, I guess," said Lex, "A lot of anger and resentment. Its natural, I suppose."

"What do we do to help him?"

"You can't help everybody Clark," said Lex, "And why would you even want to? You don't know the guy."

"I have no idea," said Clark, "Even though our first two encounters were a near-fatal car race and a bar fight... I have to admit I like the guy."

"Get to know him better and you'll like him even more," Lex told him, "All we can do is be there for him, Clark."

"Yeah, I guess," he climbed out.

With a final wave, Lex drove away.

A mile away, in one of the upstairs bedrooms of the Potter house, Tyler Ring watched the figure of Clark Kent with growing curiosity, his mind full of questions.

-----

The dream came out of nowhere.

He found himself in a large, dome-shaped room. It was filled with opaque shadow, but he could make out a number of unusual machines lining the walls. They were large, and had odd protrusions jutting from them at every angle, and then running along the floor or into the walls. They all made a low, insistent humming noise and soft points of flight kept flashing on them.

Tyler had a curious feeling of detachment. He had no sense of weight, or a body, as if he were merely viewing a memory from another time. Then he noticed the figure in the centre of the room.

It was a man, he was slender, though taller than any Tyler had ever seen. He was doffed in a black cat-suit that covered his entire frame, leaving only his pale face exposed. Over the suit he wore a white, floor length, sleeveless robe braided with gold and silver wire. The figure seemed to exude a raw, primitive power.

Then the figure spoke.

At first, the language was alien to Tyler. But slowly, as if he were tuning in, he began to make it out. Soon, he understood every word.

"I see you have awoken, my creation," said the figure, "I am Jor-El, your master, and you, are the key to the destiny of Krypton. The memories which I have programmed into you, are the very thoughts of the people of this planet. Every heartbeat, every tear, every joyous cry is inside of you, and will arise when your time has come. The mission for which you have been built will be perilous. This I know. But at all costs, you must protect my son. He is the last of our blood, and in him resides whatever fate still decrees for us. Befriend him, and preserve him. That is all!"

A terrible green light exploded behind Tyler's eyes. He jerked awake and sat up, panting. The metal squares on his hand were on fire, and he had to stifle a cry.

Tyler looked out the window. It was still dark, and all around him was silence. Tyler shook his head, trying to remember the dream. But already it was slipping away like water between his fingers.

Eventually, he lay back down. This time, he slept without dreams.