Lex pulled Clark out of his vault and walked to the door before his former friend was back to full strength.

"Bye Hero." Lex said in a sinister voice.

Clark got to his feet and jumped into action. He scanned the mansion with his x-ray vision and saw Lana and a laser beam inching closer to her. He ran as fast as he could to the room and pushed the door so hard it flew off its hinges. The laser was a few seconds away from hitting Lana.

"NOOO, LANA!" Clark screamed as he shot two beams of fire at the machine disabling it. Clark ran over to Lana and untied her.

"Clark? What happened?" Lana asked referring to the laser.

"I guess it malfunctioned." Clark said being deceitful.

"What's wrong with Lex? He's not acting like himself."

"I think it may have something to do with that artifact he found. Listen Lana I have to go Lex has to be stopped."

"Why do you have to stop him?"

"I don't have time to explain just promise me you'll go somewhere safe."

Lana was about to say "I promise" but Clark was already gone.

Clark dashed to Chloe's house only to find her asleep in her bed. If Lex isn't here he must be at my house. Clark thought as he took off for his home.

He reached his house and found that his front door was knocked down. Clark scanned the area for Lex with his x-ray vision but only saw a woman lying on the floor.

"Mom, Mom!" Clark yelled as he kneeled bye her side. Blood dripped from her mouth and her side. He noticed she was having trouble breathing.

"Lex."

"No don't try to speak, I'll get you help just hold on."

"Clark there's no time. He said he was going to Luthorcorp." Martha said as she coughed up more blood.

"This is all my fault."

"No you didn't do this. I'm so proud of you Clark. I love you." Martha Kent said as she breathed in her last breath.

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Lex Luthor took an elevator up to the 13th floor of Luthorcorp. He walked out and proceeded down a long hallway until he got to a door with a card reader next to it. A keypad was underneath the reader. He slid his card and entered the number 927. The door unlocked and he entered. Lex walked over to a project his father had been working on. He entered a code onto a small keypad on the device in front of him. The Nuclear bomb was now armed.

"This ends now."

"Hello Clark, that didn't take long. How's Martha doing?" Lex said as he turned to see his former friend standing behind him.

"She's dead. You killed her."

"You could have stopped me Clark but you had to save Lana. It's your fault your Mother is dead."

"You're weak Clark. Your mother would still be alive if your personal feelings hadn't gotten in the way." Lex said as he took the scepter out of his jacket pocket. Clark fell to the ground in pain.

"You were right about one thing Clark. This ends now."