An: Ok here it is! Another update. This chapter was fun to write because with the bad guys like Lionel you get to say they sneer and stuff! Thanks to all the people who have reviewed. Keep em coming!
Clark landed silently in a grove of trees just off the main driveway to Lex's mansion. He had just walked into the back alley by the Talon with Chloe who was very surprised when he bent his legs slightly and then took off. Clark was used to moving fast but his ability to fly added a whole new level of speed to what he could do. He made it to Lex's mansion in less than 30 seconds. Clark looked side to side and walked up the road to the main gate. As he approached the guard recognized him.
"Hello Clark."
"Hi, I'm just here to see Lex."
"Oh I'm sorry Clark, Lex just got some urgent news from Metropolis, he just took the helicopter to Luthorcorp."
"Ok, sure. I'll come back tomorrow."
"See you later Clark." Clark walked off back down the road. This sort of thing wasn't uncommon with Lex but it was late evening on a Sunday and something just didn't feel right to Clark. He decided that he should go to Metropolis and make sure Lex wasn't in any trouble. Deep in thought he didn't see the guard pull out his cell phone.
"Yeah. He just stopped by."
"Did he buy it?" the voice on the other end asked.
"I don't know."
"Make the call."
"Yes sir."
Chloe approached the Kent's farm but she was in no hurry. Clark had agreed to call her to fill her in on whatever Lex knew about Lana's disappearance. As she got near the farm a black van going very fast came up on her rear-bumper and then sped pass on the wrong side of the road. "What's your hurry d-bag?" Chloe said. Her phone rang and she looked down. "Clark whats up?"
"Lex had to go to some emergency meeting in Metropolis, but something doesn't feel right Chloe. I'm going to the Luthorcorp building to make sure he's alright."
"Ok Clark, just be careful ok? I don't wanna have to drive three hours to pull some meteor rocks off of you."
"Understood Chloe. Are you at my farm yet?"
"Yeah actually I'm pulling in the driveway now." Chloe looked at the farm in shock. The black van had pulled into the Kent farm and a man with a gun was throwing the Kents and Lois into the back. "Oh my god Clark! Somebody is at the farm. He's got a gun Clark! He's..." On the other end Clark heard a gun-shot and the phone went dead.
Lex stepped out of his black helicopter onto the roof of the Luthorcorp building. He looked around at the night skyline of Metropolis for a moment and then smiled. With a wave he gestured that the pilot should return to Smallville and then he entered the building alone.
Lana tried to scream but the cloth that was tied into her mouth made it just come out as muffled noises. "Now now Ms. Lang. If you promise not to scream anymore I will remove that dreadful object from your mouth." Lionel Luthor smiled sadistically at Lana. She nodded at him and he untied the cloth from her mouth.
"Why did you abduct me!" she shouted at him
"Why Ms. Lang, you're the perfect bait." smiled Lionel. "I needed to get Clark Kent away from the watchful eye of my son, his parents and his friends so that he and I could discuss business."
"What do you want with Clark? Why me?"
"Ms. Lang I'm not surprised. Lets just say that there are things about your friend Clark that you do not yet understand but nonetheless they are things that would be advantageous in regaining total control of my company back from my son. As for the second part of your query, I would think you know the answer. My son and others have assured me that you are the person Clark cares about the most in the entire world."
"Well you're wrong about that. Clark and I are just friends." Lana said with a hint of pain in her voice.
"We'll see Ms. Lang" Lionel sneered and then he put the gag back in Lana's mouth and injected her with a sedative. Her muffled screaming was getting to be too much. He had a headache.
Clark flew as fast as he could back to his farm. He got there just in time to see a black van speeding off towards some woods. He looked around and saw Chloe's car, still running in the middle of their driveway. The windshield was shattered. He super-sped up to it and found Chloe lying on the ground next to the driver's side door. Her head was bleeding.
"Clark..." she said faintly.
"Chloe! Are you ok?"
"Hit me Clark... He hit me in the head with a rifle. Has your family and Lois... Go kick his ass. I'll be okay..." she stammered and then passed out. Clark picked her up and brought her into the barn. He found some medical bandages in his dad's truck and wrapped her head, then left her on the couch in the loft. Then without delay he took off after the van. Clark caught up with it very quickly. He ran up alongside the speeding van and rammed it with his body, leaving a dent in the side. The force of Clark hitting the van caused the driver to swerve into a ditch, bringing the van to a stop quickly. This did not deter the man. He jumped out, ran to the back and pulled a very shaken Lois to the van and held a gun to her head.
"I don't know how you did that kid but take one more step and I kill her." Lois looked scared at first but then a flash of anger crossed her face.
"Don't listen to him Clark, he's just a fat s.o.b. anyways!" she shouted.
"I'm am NOT FAT!" the portly hit-man shouted.
"Whatever pudgy your anger says I must have hit a little close to home." The hit-man had enough and he hit Lois across the face with the gun, knocking her unconscious. Clark was surprised by Lois' guts to taunt a man with a gun pointed at her but it had provided the opening he needed. In the blink of an eye he was in front of the man. He grabbed the gun and crushed it, then threw the man into the side of the van. Clark tackled him to the ground.
"Why did you abduct my family!"
"This is bigger than you know kid. I ain't tellin' you anything." Suddenly the man's mouth started to foam and he keeled over. Dead. Clark sat back for a moment and then he untied his mom and dad.
"Are you guys ok?"
"We're fine son, just a little shaken up is all."
"I'm so glad you were here Clark." his mom said. Clark nodded and then ran over to Lois to check on her. She had a nasty welt on her face but appeared to be alright. He shook her a little.
"Lois are you ok?"
"Why is a smelly moose waking me up? Oh hi Smallville." she teased weakly. Clark smiled. Lois was just fine.
Lionel sat patiently on his desk watching the door. Behind him lay a dagger made out of pure Kryptonite. Lionel kept one hand on the dagger just in case. His office door suddenly whipped open and he was taken by surprise.
"Hi Dad. No don't say anything I know you're happy to see me." Lex said.
"Lex! What brings you here son?" Lionel said, trying to act like nothing big was happening. Lex just looked for a second at the tied up and gagged Lana Lang lying on the floor next to the desk.
"I found your note." he held up the ransom letter. "Dad did you really need to tie her up? Her leg is in a cast."
"Well one can never really be too safe." Lionel said as he turned his back on Lex to fill a glass with bourbon.
"You're going to let her go dad."
"Son I'm afraid I'm not. You see I've learned some very interesting things in the last few days and she is quite crucial to my plan." Lex lost his cool.
"I WARNED YOU NOT TO MESS WITH MY FRIENDS DAD!" Lionel was taken aback by this. Lex did not usually lose his cool. Then he realized. He looked at Lana, brushed some hair behind an ear and smiled at Lex.
"She does look extraordinarily like your mother doesn't she Lex. Yes I guess I can see the attraction. Sweet, kind. Everything that you are not actually. I can't believe I didn't notice it earlier." Lex had once again fixed his face into an solid mask. It flinched a little at this.
"Dad I was really hoping that you and I had finally come to terms where we could work together as father and son but you just aren't leaving me any choice."
"Oh but we can Lex. Just wait until your friend Clark arrives. I've been counting on his ever so charming hero complex to deliver him here tonight."
"As have I father." Lex smiled. "Let just say I made some arrangements for Clark to try and save somebody a little closer to home." Lionel was surprised.
"Are you saying you intentionally put your friend in harm so that he wouldn't come here?"
"Very good observation dad. Clark has proven himself to be someone I would call my only friend in the world dad. He is interesting to me. He does everything based on an upright sense of morality and justice. He is a hero countless times over because he puts himself into danger without regard to personal well-being and every time he comes out on top. I admire it actually. The world needs people like him. But the world also needs people like me to protect people like Clark. Even if from himself. I don't see things in black and white like Clark does. Sometimes you have to bend the rules a little to get what you want. You understand this dad. I was taught by the best."
"Lex haven't you ever wondered why Clark comes out on top every time?"
"Yes. But I'll find my own answers to that in due time." Lex reached into his pocket, pulled out some black driving gloves and put them on. "See dad. You've been a real pain in my ass the last few years. Poisoning me, erasing my memory, having somebody steal those stones, sicking somebody like the Teagues on Lana and now kidnapping her. Well I just can't let you keep acting out like this. Its bad P.R."
"Lex I didn't have anything to do with the disappearance of the stones or with Mrs. Teague trying to kill your friend here."
"I don't believe you dad."
"Well you can believe whatever you want but it wasn't me this time." Lionel turned his back on Lex again.
"Dad, I want you to see this." Lex said as he pulled a piece of paper from his jacket.
"What is it son?"
"Your suicide note." Lex said with a cold voice. Lionel took a step back from Lex and tripped onto a sitting position on the edge of the desk. "I can't take it anymore. I Lionel Luthor have done countless horrible acts in my life to advance my business and my own personal wealth. I should have gone to prison countless times over. Now I have kidnapped an innocent girl in an attempt to blackmail a family off of their farm, only because the farm means something special to my son Lex. The guilt has finally become too much. May I be forgiven for my crimes. Lionel Luthor." Lex read. Lionel gave a nervous laugh.
"Ok son, you have my attention. What is it you want. You want me to let your friend here go. Fine, but I will not leave the Kent's alone." Lex smiled at his father's attempts to bargain.
"Dad my entire life I have sought not to become you and know what. I've succeeded. I'm something much much worse than you and I will be remembered for doing truly great things." Lex pulled a gun out from his jacket.
"Lex..." Lionel said.
"Come on dad. You always knew it would have to be like this."
"I am so proud of you son." Lionel smiled.
"Thanks dad." Lex pulled the trigger, shooting Lionel right in the chest. He fell over onto the desk, dead. Lex walked up, put the gun in his father's hand and the note in his shirt pocket. Then he removed the driving gloves and smiled as he pulled his phone out. "Hello 911! I need some help at the Luthorcorp tower! Yes my father has shot himself right in front of me!"