They now had a time limit. Lex revealed they had up to six days before the effects were irreversible. They were now starting their fourth day in Wonderland.
"The easy part will be getting him here," Clark stated to Pete. "The hard part will be keeping him here." He and Pete walked around the airport in the early morning sunshine.
"Can't we use the green Kryptonite on him?" Pete asked.
Clark winced. No one else understood what that stuff did to him. The mere thought of his blood boiling in his skin made him shiver.
"NO! I mean, no, the black Kryptonite will be traumatic enough. Add the green…well, who knows."
Pete nodded. They reentered the main hangar.
"I can keep him here, but it is probably going to take everything I've got to do it. I also have my doubts about what happens afterwards."
Clark looked around the main hangar. He needed to find anything to gain the upper hand. "Are there any other assets that I don't know about?"
"Follow me." Pete motioned him back out of the hangar to one of the out buildings.
"I brought all of his parent's things here; including the ship."
Clark grabbed Pete and stopped. "The ship is here? It's not destroyed?"
"No, still got it." Pete answered rubbing his arm.
Clark continued walking with Pete. "What about the key?"
"Right in the tool chest as always."
"That could be very useful when the other shoe drops."
Pete looked at Clark confused, then it hit him what Clark was thinking. They had to plan for a second fight.
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Lex faced his head of security, James Cotterall. The man exuded competence and maturity. He had better; the man had done this type of job for over twenty years. The military records on this man were so hush hush that Lex could not even get to them. This was the kind of personnel he needed to go up against the Clarks.
"The armaments have arrived as have the ammunition. Make sure all your men are assigned a weapon and at least one box of the specialized bullets."
Lex studied the ex-soldier for a moment. He must have been a little angry about the night before last. Clark had humiliated them. One teenager had taken them all out in less than a minute.
Lex had lied. The test was not for Clark. It was for Cotterall and his men. They had to know the danger they would face. They had to know that he was not exaggerating about Clark's powers. They had to know the consequences for failure.
Cotterall nodded and dismissed himself. A soft noise broke Lex out of his thoughts.
"Lana! How was your session with the good doctor?" Lex wore a serene smile on his face.
"Fine Lex, he has really helped me to work through my grief." She answered with a dream like quality in her voice.
Lex had made sure Lana had received the best of care after Nell's death. A specialist visited the house once a week to treat her depression. The revolutionary medication had worked wonders. Lana remained lucid but able to cope with her emotional pain. Lex had added his own twist to her therapy especially after the threat of Kal-El.
Lex clapped his hands together. "Excellent! Oh, before I forget, I have a present for you."
Lana smiled shyly, "Lex, you didn't have to."
"Oh I insist," he walked smoothly around his desk. "It is just a token of my admiration for you."
He handed her a small box; inside was a gold, oval shaped locket.
"It's beautiful!" She lifted it out of the box.
Lex held her gently by the shoulders. "The outside is only the beginning. The jewel inside is the true treasure." Lex's lips curled wickedly. "I thought you needed a necklace to replace the one you lost. This one is a gift of hope for the future not a memorial of the past."
Letting go he took the necklace from her and placed it on her neck.
"Now it's time to save the last son of Krypton and, more importantly, Earth." he whispered in her ear.
Lana opened the locket revealing the emerald colored stone inside. She faced Lex, nodded and followed him out of the study. She closed the locket as they walked to the garage.
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Lex Luthor- crowned prince of corporate America- knew he was one of the most powerful people on the planet. After his father's and his new bride's unfortunate death in a crash on their honeymoon, he took over Luthor Corp. His father had taught him well; eliminate any threat to you. Helen Bryce was such a threat. Too bad, she had been beautiful. However, no one could stand in the way of what he wanted. Until now.
He became aware of the extraordinary powers of CK when he ripped the door off his jet at 30,000 feet. Lex was stunned to say the least. CK, much to Lex's chagrin, was much more powerful than he could ever be. Thus, CK was dangerous; a bigger threat than anyone else on the planet. He could thwart any plan Lex had with his little finger. With all that power, how could he not abuse it? This Kal-El incarnation was a case in point. He could murder people with impunity. Clark Kent- son of Jonathon and Martha Kent- had to be neutralized.
"Lana, I think Clark should be the first to see your necklace," Lex said as he gunned his car down the road.
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A/N: Go ahead, you know you want to, leave a review.