The Black Coats
Written By: The Ascended Ancient
Chapter VII: "Explanation"

"It was July of 1998," General Lane begins. He and Clark had relocated to his hotel room after Clark cornered him on the street, asking about the incident in Little Rock. "I was performing an inspection of a nearby military base when I first met them."

"Met who?" Clark asks.

"The Internal Threat Control," Lane replies, "better known as the 'Black Coats'. They're a branch of the government that has no rules. No laws, no restrictions... they're above it all. They're purpose is to identify threats within the United States and eliminate them using any means necessary." General Lane closes his eyes and sighs. "I learned all that over the course of several days. When I had the whole story, I was horrified." The general opens his eyes. "I wanted them stopped."

"What did you do?" Clark asks.

"I went to City Hall and gave the evidence I'd gathered on them to the Mayor," Sam says. "He promised to have it published in the local newspaper." He sighs again. "The very next day, the newspaper headline was 'Lawless Government Agency Comes to Little Rock'. I thought this would expose the Black Coats for what they were."

"And it backfired," Clark says. The general nods.

"It didn't take long for the I.T.C. to find out about the headline. When they did they stopped the newspaper distribution. And... and they killed everyone. Everyone who had seen the paper, everyone who was involved with its distribution. Everyone... except for me."

"Wait, how come I never heard about this?" Clark asks.

"The government put a total gag on all aspects of this incident," the general explains. "Anyone who tried to spread information about this was informed that they and their family would be killed." He sighs again. "As for me, they let me live. Joshua Hammond let me live."

"Chloe's new boyfriend?" Lane nods.

"He's the leader of the I.T.C. He knew that killing a three-star general would raise some eyebrows from the Joint Chiefs. But he made sure that I knew that my family wasn't so safe. H-He threatened Lois, if I ever..." Sam can't continue reliving this painful memory. "All my life, I was the toughest. It's how I got where I am. And these guys... the bullied me into doing exactly what they wanted." He looks up at Clark. "Look, Clark, the Black Coats are more trouble than you can handle. Please, for the sake of your parents, don't go after them."

"All right, general," Clark agrees. "I'll stay out of their way."

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In the Kent house, Clark tells his parents everything Sam Lane told him. They listen with shock and horror.

"...I just wish this was something that could help me get them out of Smallville," Clark finishes.

"Now, son," Jonathan Kent protests, "I think these guys are a little to dangerous for you to be messing with."

"Their leader is manipulating a friend of mine," Clark says coldly. "I've gotta help her."

"Clark, we're not saying don't try to look out for Chloe," Martha Kent explains. "We just don't want you going up against these Black Coats single-handedly."

"Mom..."

"Clark, from what General Lane told you," Jonathan says, "it sounds like these Black Coats will kill a lot of innocent people if they think they're in danger of being exposed."

"He's right, Clark." Martha stands up and walks over to her son. "If you do this, a lot of innocent people could die." Clark looks her in the eye.

"Mom," Clark begins, "even if I don't do this a lot of innocent people could die." They just stand there, staring at each other for a few moments, until Martha breaks the silence.

"You need to do what you think is right, Clark," she tells him. "Just be careful about what you do."

"I will."

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In the office of the Torch, Clark Kent waits for Chloe Sullivan to arrive. He looks up at a clock that says 2:59 on it. Suddenly he hears the door open.

"Chlo..." Clark turns around and sees that it's Lana. "Oh, uh, hi Lana."

"Hey, Clark," Lana says. "Where's Chloe?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing," Clark tells her. "I've been waiting here for almost an hour and she hasn't shown up."

"That's not like her," Lana says. "But maybe she has something else to do right now."

"Yeah," Clark mutters. "That's what I'm afraid of."

"What?" Lana asks. Clark sighs.

"You know that reporter from the Daily Planet?" Lana nods. "Well, he and Chloe are unofficially dating."

"Yeah," Lana says, "I, uh, saw that one coming a mile away."

"The problem is he's not who he claims to be," Clark tells her.

"What do you mean, Clark?"

"I just had a long talk with Chloe's uncle," Clark explains. "And he told me that our friend Mr. Hammond is more than just a reporter."

"Well, what is he?"

"It's safer if you don't know, Lana." Lana walks over to Clark.

"Clark, Chloe's my friend," she says sternly. "If she's in trouble, I want to help." They stare at each other for a moment.

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That afternoon, at the Black Coat compound, Chloe Sullivan, still wearing only a bathrobe, lies in a small, dark cell. She looks very frightened.

Elsewhere in the base, Josh Hammond is having a few drinks with his buddies, going over all the 'details' of his night with Chloe. They're all having a wonderful time.

Later that night, Josh walks into his quarters. His cloths are dirt stained as he walks over to his bed and slides under it. Where there used to be just one crystal taped to the underside of the bed, now there's two. Josh reaches into his pocket and pulls out a third.

End of Chapter VII

Author's Note: Well, Clark's goin' after the Black Coats, and Lana's backing him up. Chloe is locked in a cell, and Josh is still gathering those crystals. What are they, and why is he hiding them under his bed? And how will Clark save Chloe? All this and more in "Rescue", Chapter VIII of The Black Coats.