CHAPTER 6

John Thomas had never been a man of the outdoors. In fact, he hated it. The bugs, the weeds...the poison ivy... He even found the cute little bunnies and deer to be annoying. No reason, he just couldn't stand anything that couldn't walk upright and speak to him.

"So why am I out here?" he asked himself as he ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair.

John was standing in the middle of a field, not really sure what to do. Ever since he'd gotten the call from Mr. Luthor to meet him at a set of unknown coordinates, John had been intrigued. After all, he was a business man, a man who dealt with the underbelly of every town and city and the high society snobs such as Lionel. It was simply a matter of masking his clients from prying eyes to assure his reputation with paying customers.

Paying customers. Yeah, that was it. Whatever was needed, he would either supply or do on his own. That was why he traveled among every crowd. They had his word that he would do what the situation called for himself.

He pulled his collar away from his neck a bit, suddenly a bit uncomfortable. The midday sun beat down on him mercilessly, yet he couldn't move. Lionel had instructed him to stay in the exact place the coordinates had specified.

And when Lionel Luthor asked, he received.

A whistle sounded from the woods to the right of him, and John focused on the dark patch of trees the noise had come from.

"Hello?" he called.

It was probably a bunch of dumb kids.

John heard the sound again, but louder. And from a different place. He whirled to face the brush behind him, tense. What the Hell was going on?

"What do you want?" he asked.

It was then that Lionel stepped out from the shadows, his long dark coat fluttering in the wind that had gusted only moments ago, "Hello Mr. Thomas." he greeted as he took a few steps into the field.

John glanced at the place Lionel had stepped from out of the corner of his eye. He was no fool. A man like Lionel Luthor didn't just go anywhere he pleased without bodyguards or escorts.

John knew numerous clients who had asked that he be killed.

His men were probably hidden around the field, in the shadows. Ready for anything that may put Lionel in jeopardy.

John's instinct to run kicked in and he had no choice but to obey. He spun away from Lionel and took a few quick steps in the opposite direction, only to have his heart sink.

Four large men had melted from the forestry, blocking his exit.

John pivoted, hoping to see an open escape route. He couldn't help but moan when four more henchmen appeared to him, each larger than the last.

He was not getting away from whatever Lionel had planned for him.

Suddenly very weak, John fell to his knees as he turned to face Lionel again. The older man smiled gleefully, and it sent shivers up and down John's spine. He had been around killers, drug dealers, and organized crime in his days, but that grin was so incredibly coldhearted, so...evil, that John felt every single part of him freeze up with fear.

He was not going home tonight.

***

Martha Kent's tea was possibly the best in Smallville, Chloe was sure of it. And while it didn't completely take all her troubles away, it was a start.

"Thanks Mrs. Kent," she smiled gratefully at the red head as she puttered around the kitchen.

Martha waved her hand nonchalantly, "No thanks needed, Chloe. I've dealt with Clark a few times to know how far a small cup of tea will go."

Beside Chloe, Clark smiled gently, but didn't say anything. His eyes had never strayed from Chloe since she had made her way, broken and emotionally battered, to the Kent farm.

She couldn't help but squirm under his gaze, unsure of how to react. Even though she wanted him to protect her, to shield her from harm like he used to, she knew that he could do no such thing. She could take care of herself now, despite her reluctance.

As the events of earlier had showed, she could take care of herself almost too well.

Chloe sighed audibly at the thought of what had happened. Sure, the jerk had deserved it, but it scared the crap out of her to know that she could do such damage to a person.

"Chloe?" Clark asked quietly.

Damn. He could tell when she was brooding, "Hmmm?"

"Don't beat yourself up over what happened. Believe me, I used to every time something like that happened, and I remember feeling guilty a lot even after I realized that everything wasn't my fault," he paused, watching her, and she couldn't help but give him a small smile as he continued, "it's not worth it to dwell on things."

Martha turned from the stove to nod at Chloe, "He's right."

"I know,"

But then again, she didn't. She couldn't just throw her worries to the wind and forget about what she had done. If she did, who was to say when it would happen again? What terrified her even more was the possibility that Clark and Pete, not to mention Lana and her father, were in harm's way.

It was a strange feeling, being worried about others' safety, but Chloe supposed she would have to suck it up and play the part of the rescuer.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but it sure has been a hectic few days." Martha said as she moved towards the stairs, no doubt about to turn in.

Chloe could only nod. Words couldn't even begin to express what she'd been through.

Still, knowing that she and Clark had made amends comforted her, more than she was willing to admit.

"Good night Chloe." Martha said as Clark rose to kiss his mother.

As they hugged, Chloe couldn't help but smile. Still kissing his mom goodnight... If Clark had survived with his powers, then Chloe certainly could. Especially with an alien as a best friend around to guide her through all the "growing pains" of her powers.

"Good night Mrs. Kent."

After Martha was gone, Clark and Chloe were left in silence. She didn't know what to say that hadn't already been said, and neither did he.

So, she simply asked him a question, "Where do we go from here?"

Clark only smiled.

***

"You see, Mr. Thomas," Lionel began as he took another step toward John, "I am a man of venture, of discovery. You of all people should know that."

John swallowed, terrified. He knew he was audibly trembling, even as he attempted to remain brave in the face of a man who had committed more monstrosities than the world needed to know, "Yes." it was all he could say in return.

Lionel chuckled, "Why so afraid, Mr. Thomas? I'm simply discussing a matter of business with you, as all legitimate businessmen do."

"Oh God," he whispered.

He hoped there was one, for his sake.

"I have a new...product that I wish to try, yet I find that the consumer market is nowhere near ready for it. In fact," Lionel smiled as he turned his face toward the sun, as if breathing in it's energy, "it's not ready for anything, not even my scientists."

John was getting a very bad feeling about what Lionel's new "product" was, "Then just what are you getting at?"

"I am getting to the point, Mr. Thomas," Lionel paused again, "patience, John. It is a virtue."

"Virtues don't exist anymore." John couldn't help but answer, despite the fear that was coursing through his body.

Lionel laughed, "That may be true, Mr. Thomas, but it is not the point of our meeting. The point, sir, is that I need a subject to test my newfound "potion" if you wish to use such a medieval term, and I find that you are the best candidate."

"What-what if I refuse?" John asked, running a shaking hand through his hair.

Oh God...he was about to die.

"I don't really care," Lionel answered, "because I don't like you, Mr. Thomas. I despise such leeches as you, who cannot make a living without someone holding your hand, so to speak."

Lionel took another step towards John, yet he couldn't find himself to turn away. Instead, he stared, transfixed, into Luthor's cold, steely eyes.

"Besides. No one will care where you've disappeared to. You're not as well liked as you like to believe," he was standing within an arm's length from John now, and he swore the temperature dropped ten degrees, "do you understand, Mr. Thomas? I'll be doing everyone a favor."

Before he could even react, Lionel lashed out. Something glinted in his hand, and a fresh stab of pain in John's arm told him that it was a syringe, filled with a strange green liquid that shimmered seductively in the sunlight. He couldn't even move, he was so stunned at what had just occurred.

"Would you like to know what has been injected into you?" Lionel asked him. After a pause, he continued, "a mixture of pure meteor rock, in it's quintessential form, along with a mild form of steroids."

"W-what?" his arm had gone numb moments ago, the feeling was beginning to spread.

Lionel chuckled as he withdrew the needle and stepped back, "It's no product, John. We just want to see what makes a meteor-infected mutant tick."

John was disgusted, "You-you're sick. What about innocent people? What do you think I'll do?"

"We have no idea. That is what makes life exciting, Mr. Thomas, the unknown." Lionel turned away from him and began striding toward the forest.

John could only collapse, every inch of his body numb to him. What the Hell was going on? Suddenly, a wave of intense fiery pain overtook him, and he screamed as his vision blurred. It was as if his entire body burning from the inside out.

It was agony.

Another wave overtook him, and John screamed again. He was barely conscious now, and he could only pray for darkness to swallow him mercifully.

A few moments later, it did.