Clark drove down the road, having to put down his visor to block out the shining sun which had just peeked out behind one of the many many clouds practicly filling the entire sky. Another storm was brewing, it would hit today. Maybe tonight at the latest. Kent pressed his foot down on the accelorator. He needed to see "Crazy Joe" as soon as possible. Something was wrong with today. Very wrong.
There is was. Clark braught the truck to a screaching halt, turning off the truck. He opened his door and stepped out, looking at the house. This is where he had picked up Alex for the dance. Clark ran onto the porch, avoiding the gap. Clark knocked anxiously on the door. "Mr. Mercer! Mr. Mercer, I need to talk to you!"
Clark recieved no answer. But something was wrong with this house... there was danger inside. Clark knew something was terribly wrong. This was a trap. He had to get out! Clark turned around, walking towards his truck. He would escape out of here alive if he didn't look back. If he didn't bother Mercer.
'Mercer!' thought Clark. He had the same powers as Alex. Clark looked back at the house, the unexplainable fear increasing. What was he afraid of? Nothing. There was nothing wrong with the house. Clark forced himself to think that, heading back up to the porch. Clark knocked again. "Mr. Mercer, I need to talk to you. It's about Alex!"
The door opened. Clark stepped inside, ready to great Mr. Mercer. He ws there. Who had opened the door?
Clark looked around the interior, or what he could see of it through the dark. Not a light was on, it was very dusty and rotting away. Spider-webs could be seen everywhere. "Mr. Mercer, I need to talk to you about Alex."
i"Who are you?"/i
Clark darted his eyes around. Where had that voice from? It was coming from everywhere. "Kent. Clark Kent! I need to talk to you. Please." Clark walked into what appeared to be the living room, with an ancient TV.
i"Kent? You're the boyfriend."/i
"Boyfriend?" asked Clark. "I'm not her boyfriend. I'm just a friend. Mr. Mercer, I need to talk to Alex. How can I talk to her? Where is she?" Suddenly there was a noise behind him. Clark spun around, falling back. Mercer had appeared behind him.
"That isn't possible." he said, his voice scratchy. He sat down on the couch in front of the television. "And sorry if I mistook you for being involved with her, the way she talked about you was quite passionite."
Clark thought this strange. "Crazy Joe" was supposed to mean and distant. And why wasn't it possible for him to speak to Alex? Why was he being nice to Clark? Was it because of Alex? "Passionite? What do you mean?"
"She was in love with you."
Clark shook his head. "You must be mistaken."
Mercer looked strangely at Clark. "Alex was right, you are different. I can't access your memories from here."
Clark was a bit shocked at what he said. Why was he trynig to read Clark's memories? "Why can't I talk to Alex? She was on vacation here, you must have her number."
"Vacation?" asked Mercer, standing up. "Something is wrong."
Clark gulped. He wasn't the only one who felt it. "What do you mean?"
"Alex came here hiding. She never told you that she was on vacation, she was here to stay." Mercer said. "And I find it interesting you don't consider her and you involved, young sir. Something is not right."
"Alex was here to stay? Then where is she?" asked Clark. "Is she allright?"
"No." replied Mercer. "She is home. With her family, if you can call it that." he said, stepping closer. He hovered his fingers over Clark's temples. "It requires a lot of effort to read you."
"What are you talking about? Is she in trouble? I need to help her."
"Yes, she is in trouble." replied Mercer. "But nobody can help her. Not even you, dear boy. What I can't understand is what's wrong with you."
"I'm... not from around here." Clark replied.
"No, it's not that. Your memories are more scattered than when you were in the Talon."
"You read my memories?"
"I read everyone's emotions. But now I can't read you from a distance. Your thoughts, memories, emotions... they are scattered. Out of place. Why is this?"
Clark shrugged. "I don't know. But how is she in trouble?"
"Alex." he replied.
"What?"
Mercer sighed, closing his eyes, concentrating more. "Alex. She was in your mind. She did something. She tried to erase memories..."
Clark's heart skiped a beat. Those dreams. "Last night, I had dreams. About me and her. Not sexually, but together... you know what I mean."
Mercer managed a weak smile, but that soon faded. "She couldn't erase them. You have a second latent memory? Clark, whatever you are, your brain is incredible."
"Thank you. But where is Alex?"
"Just hold on one minute. I'm trying to access those memories." said Mercer. "Those memories, she overwrote them with memories she created. But your real memories are seepinging into your subconscious." he explained.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm pushing them to the surface. You'll remember what happened."
Clark and Mercer both cried out in pain, but only for an instant. "There." reported Mercer. He had absorbed Clark's memories as well. He shook his head. They were scattered, out of order. "Clark: were you or were you not involved with Alex?"
Kent thought about it, hard. "No." he responded. "We were just friends." he said. But one memory was different than it was on the drive up here. She kissed him in the loft? Why did Clark kiss her back? He felt no love for her then. But now... now was different. Clark resented the fact that he didn't feel anything before.
Mercer looked down. "It didn't work. Clark, Alex was taken. By her own will. There is nothing you or I can do to help her."
"Why? Where is she?" asked Clark.
"You do care for her, don't you?"
Kent paused. He did. "What's happened to her?"
"Her family has taken her back." he said, sitting back down.
"I have to help her!"
"No!" barked Mercer. "You don't understand anything about this. Clark, you saw how powerful Alex was at the dance when she stopped that thing from killing people. She is incredibly weak compared to Justin. Her brother is the exception within our family, his powers are too strong."
"Justin..." Clark repeated. "His eyes glow green."
Mercer's eyes widened. "You remember?"
"Yes, sort of. It's not clear. He was there. I was running... I needed to escape, get Alex to safety. I did! I can help her now."
Mercer shook his head. "Clark, you still don't understand. If Justin gets angry he can kill everyone in Smallville. Everyone in Metropolis. He can kill anyone with a thought, Clark."
"It doesn't matter." said Clark. "They can't just use Alexandra like that. I have to help her. I can destroy Justin, I know I can. I just need to find a weakness." he said. He needed to help Alex. Clark would at that moment do anything to save her.
"You would risk your own life and the life of those around you to save a friend?"
Clark paused. "No. But Alex isn't just a friend, I love her. I can save her. I know I can. If I'm strong enough I can."
"Do you remember loving her?"
"No! I don't understand it. When she was around I don't remember feeling any emotion towards her, but now... now it's different. I love her."
Mercer blinked. "It's too risky. You can't defeat Justin."
"iYes I can!/i For Alex I can. But I don't know where she is, you do!"
Mercer remained quiet.
"Just let me try. Alex is worth that, isn't she? Doesn't she deserve a real life? She can't just die there, under Justin's thumb. I ican/i save her. I know you love her, otherwise you wouldn't take the risk of hiding her from your grandson. I love her too, Mr. Mercer, I will do anything to stop Justin. I'll die trying before I stop trying to save her."
Mercer looked over on the desk, a picture of his younger self and his wife there. It was the only thing in the house that didn't have dust or cobwebs on it, he kept it clean. Melisa was gone from his life, she died in the meteor shower. Mercer started thinking about how he felt, how we would have done anything or given anything just for the change to try and stop those meteors from falling. Clark was in a position to at least try and stop something terrible, and he was willing to sacrifice himself to do it. "Allright. But you can't barge in and hope to subdue Justin, you need a plan."
Memories started surfacing out of order, confusing Clark, but one thing was for certain: he loved her just as much then as he did now. Today he would act. Today he would either save her, or die along with anybody else Justin thought worthy of ending. Tonight would be the end and beginning, either way the battle went. "I'm listening."
There is was. Clark braught the truck to a screaching halt, turning off the truck. He opened his door and stepped out, looking at the house. This is where he had picked up Alex for the dance. Clark ran onto the porch, avoiding the gap. Clark knocked anxiously on the door. "Mr. Mercer! Mr. Mercer, I need to talk to you!"
Clark recieved no answer. But something was wrong with this house... there was danger inside. Clark knew something was terribly wrong. This was a trap. He had to get out! Clark turned around, walking towards his truck. He would escape out of here alive if he didn't look back. If he didn't bother Mercer.
'Mercer!' thought Clark. He had the same powers as Alex. Clark looked back at the house, the unexplainable fear increasing. What was he afraid of? Nothing. There was nothing wrong with the house. Clark forced himself to think that, heading back up to the porch. Clark knocked again. "Mr. Mercer, I need to talk to you. It's about Alex!"
The door opened. Clark stepped inside, ready to great Mr. Mercer. He ws there. Who had opened the door?
Clark looked around the interior, or what he could see of it through the dark. Not a light was on, it was very dusty and rotting away. Spider-webs could be seen everywhere. "Mr. Mercer, I need to talk to you about Alex."
i"Who are you?"/i
Clark darted his eyes around. Where had that voice from? It was coming from everywhere. "Kent. Clark Kent! I need to talk to you. Please." Clark walked into what appeared to be the living room, with an ancient TV.
i"Kent? You're the boyfriend."/i
"Boyfriend?" asked Clark. "I'm not her boyfriend. I'm just a friend. Mr. Mercer, I need to talk to Alex. How can I talk to her? Where is she?" Suddenly there was a noise behind him. Clark spun around, falling back. Mercer had appeared behind him.
"That isn't possible." he said, his voice scratchy. He sat down on the couch in front of the television. "And sorry if I mistook you for being involved with her, the way she talked about you was quite passionite."
Clark thought this strange. "Crazy Joe" was supposed to mean and distant. And why wasn't it possible for him to speak to Alex? Why was he being nice to Clark? Was it because of Alex? "Passionite? What do you mean?"
"She was in love with you."
Clark shook his head. "You must be mistaken."
Mercer looked strangely at Clark. "Alex was right, you are different. I can't access your memories from here."
Clark was a bit shocked at what he said. Why was he trynig to read Clark's memories? "Why can't I talk to Alex? She was on vacation here, you must have her number."
"Vacation?" asked Mercer, standing up. "Something is wrong."
Clark gulped. He wasn't the only one who felt it. "What do you mean?"
"Alex came here hiding. She never told you that she was on vacation, she was here to stay." Mercer said. "And I find it interesting you don't consider her and you involved, young sir. Something is not right."
"Alex was here to stay? Then where is she?" asked Clark. "Is she allright?"
"No." replied Mercer. "She is home. With her family, if you can call it that." he said, stepping closer. He hovered his fingers over Clark's temples. "It requires a lot of effort to read you."
"What are you talking about? Is she in trouble? I need to help her."
"Yes, she is in trouble." replied Mercer. "But nobody can help her. Not even you, dear boy. What I can't understand is what's wrong with you."
"I'm... not from around here." Clark replied.
"No, it's not that. Your memories are more scattered than when you were in the Talon."
"You read my memories?"
"I read everyone's emotions. But now I can't read you from a distance. Your thoughts, memories, emotions... they are scattered. Out of place. Why is this?"
Clark shrugged. "I don't know. But how is she in trouble?"
"Alex." he replied.
"What?"
Mercer sighed, closing his eyes, concentrating more. "Alex. She was in your mind. She did something. She tried to erase memories..."
Clark's heart skiped a beat. Those dreams. "Last night, I had dreams. About me and her. Not sexually, but together... you know what I mean."
Mercer managed a weak smile, but that soon faded. "She couldn't erase them. You have a second latent memory? Clark, whatever you are, your brain is incredible."
"Thank you. But where is Alex?"
"Just hold on one minute. I'm trying to access those memories." said Mercer. "Those memories, she overwrote them with memories she created. But your real memories are seepinging into your subconscious." he explained.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm pushing them to the surface. You'll remember what happened."
Clark and Mercer both cried out in pain, but only for an instant. "There." reported Mercer. He had absorbed Clark's memories as well. He shook his head. They were scattered, out of order. "Clark: were you or were you not involved with Alex?"
Kent thought about it, hard. "No." he responded. "We were just friends." he said. But one memory was different than it was on the drive up here. She kissed him in the loft? Why did Clark kiss her back? He felt no love for her then. But now... now was different. Clark resented the fact that he didn't feel anything before.
Mercer looked down. "It didn't work. Clark, Alex was taken. By her own will. There is nothing you or I can do to help her."
"Why? Where is she?" asked Clark.
"You do care for her, don't you?"
Kent paused. He did. "What's happened to her?"
"Her family has taken her back." he said, sitting back down.
"I have to help her!"
"No!" barked Mercer. "You don't understand anything about this. Clark, you saw how powerful Alex was at the dance when she stopped that thing from killing people. She is incredibly weak compared to Justin. Her brother is the exception within our family, his powers are too strong."
"Justin..." Clark repeated. "His eyes glow green."
Mercer's eyes widened. "You remember?"
"Yes, sort of. It's not clear. He was there. I was running... I needed to escape, get Alex to safety. I did! I can help her now."
Mercer shook his head. "Clark, you still don't understand. If Justin gets angry he can kill everyone in Smallville. Everyone in Metropolis. He can kill anyone with a thought, Clark."
"It doesn't matter." said Clark. "They can't just use Alexandra like that. I have to help her. I can destroy Justin, I know I can. I just need to find a weakness." he said. He needed to help Alex. Clark would at that moment do anything to save her.
"You would risk your own life and the life of those around you to save a friend?"
Clark paused. "No. But Alex isn't just a friend, I love her. I can save her. I know I can. If I'm strong enough I can."
"Do you remember loving her?"
"No! I don't understand it. When she was around I don't remember feeling any emotion towards her, but now... now it's different. I love her."
Mercer blinked. "It's too risky. You can't defeat Justin."
"iYes I can!/i For Alex I can. But I don't know where she is, you do!"
Mercer remained quiet.
"Just let me try. Alex is worth that, isn't she? Doesn't she deserve a real life? She can't just die there, under Justin's thumb. I ican/i save her. I know you love her, otherwise you wouldn't take the risk of hiding her from your grandson. I love her too, Mr. Mercer, I will do anything to stop Justin. I'll die trying before I stop trying to save her."
Mercer looked over on the desk, a picture of his younger self and his wife there. It was the only thing in the house that didn't have dust or cobwebs on it, he kept it clean. Melisa was gone from his life, she died in the meteor shower. Mercer started thinking about how he felt, how we would have done anything or given anything just for the change to try and stop those meteors from falling. Clark was in a position to at least try and stop something terrible, and he was willing to sacrifice himself to do it. "Allright. But you can't barge in and hope to subdue Justin, you need a plan."
Memories started surfacing out of order, confusing Clark, but one thing was for certain: he loved her just as much then as he did now. Today he would act. Today he would either save her, or die along with anybody else Justin thought worthy of ending. Tonight would be the end and beginning, either way the battle went. "I'm listening."