Chapter 37
Lionel Luthor was down in the caves, watching as his scientist prepared the equipment for the test. Hopefully the key he had fashioned would help him discover all the mysteries of this cave.
"How much longer now?" Lionel asked a blonde female scientist.
"Another ten minutes," she replied.
"Another ten minutes," Lionel repeated slightly annoyed as he set the box containing the Kryptonite key down on a stand.
"Hey, Luthor, I got something to say to you!" someone yelled.
Lionel turned around to see someone he didn't recognize pushing his way into the caves. It was some black high school boy. He had no time for this.
"Security, get him out of here," Lionel ordered.
The security tried to drag the boy away.
"These guys don't let me go I'm gonna lay a lawsuit on you so fast that it'll make your head spin," the boy threatened.
"Alright, alright I'll talk to him," Lionel said motioning for the security to let go the boy. "Do I know you?"
"The name's Pete Ross," Pete replied.
"Ross, Ross, Ross, Ross," Lionel repeated the name several times but couldn't come up with a plausible connection.
"As in Ross Cream Corn," Pete stated angrily. "You stole my family's business."
"Yes, I over paid for that ramshackle old factory," Lionel recalled.
"Nobody in this town likes you," Pete said trying to grab Lionel but the security pulled him away; Pete turned to the security personnel on his right. "Don't touch me, you know you hate him."
"I know that, but I value their hatred. I find it very useful. You see, people are always at their weakest when they're angry," Lionel explained. "Ask your father."
Pete looked past Lionel and saw the box holding the key vanish in the blink of an eye. "I'll do that," Pete said.
"Get him out," Lionel ordered the security once more.
The security began to escort Pete out of the caves. Lionel turned to go back to the key but it wasn't where he had just left it a moment ago.
"No, no, no." Lionel muttered, the muttered turned into a roar of anger, "NO!"
Lionel turned around and pointed a finger accusingly at Pete, "You; search him, search him," Lionel ordered desperately.
The security personnel began searching Pete's jacket but they weren't going to find anything and didn't.
"Search me, what are you doing?" Pete asked annoyed.
"Where is it?" Lionel demanded.
"Where is what?" Pete inquired.
Lionel motioned to smack Pete across the face with a backhand. Pete flinched to block but Lionel regained his composure realizing that if he did strike this boy he really would have a lawsuit on his hands.
"Be careful Mister Luthor," Pete warned. "You wouldn't wanna look weak."
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Lana descended the steps into the storm cellar. The space ship lay dormant in the darkness at the far end of the storm cellar. Lana got as close as she could to the ship. She'd need to do this quick, to not get herself killed. She took a deep breath and prepared herself for what she knew she had to do. She crushed the box in half and was immediately sickened as she was met with the green glow the kryptonite key. She fell to her knees and struggled to slide the key into the slot. As soon as it was in the ship immediately began to rust all over. Lana back away weakly as she watched the rust begin to take over the ship.
The ship raised up off the ground and shuddered as if were trying to shake what was attacking it away but to know avail. It began to glow for the inside and Lana looked about worried, not sure what was about to happen. Suddenly the ship just collapsed in on itself in an instant taking the kryptonite key with it, and Lana began to feel better. The roof of the storm cellar caved in a bit. There was a sudden burst of energy and the entire storm cellar was destroyed by an explosion of pure force that literally blew open the storm cellar so it was just a hole in the ground. A massive wave of energy was released.
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Martha and Jonathon Kent were returning from town. As they were driving the shockwave of energy came silently towards their truck as the reached the driveway. Martha screamed as they ran into it. Jonathon lost control of the truck and spun sideways he swerved to avoid the telephone pole. The truck rolled into a drainage ditch and did two more barrel rolls before it came to a rest on its roof.
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Down in the storm cellar Lana lay on the ground covered by debris but uninjured. She slowly shoved the heavier boards off of herself and got to her feet and surveyed what she had done. Her clothes were ruined and covered with dirt that had been blasted into them. She tried to run up the steps out of the remains of storm cellar but tripped near the top, still feeling the effect of the blast. She noticed her parents' truck resting on its roof near the driveway. Lana realized what she had done and sped off at super speed to help.
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At the hospital, Lana was changed and dressed. Her father was fine and Lana found him waiting outside a room where her mother was being examined.
"How is she?" Lana asked.
"The doctors don't know yet," Jonathon replied. "What did you do Lana?"
Lana stared at her father, unsure if she wanted to tell him the truth. But she decided that she must since sooner or later the truth would come out. "I stole Lionel's kryptonite key," Lana answered. "I put it in the ship."
"And why did you do that?" Jonathon Kent inquired.
"Dad I haven't been telling you everything," Lana admitted. "My father told that I had to leave by noon today. I didn't have a choice dad. I had to destroy the ship."
"And why didn't you tell us?" Jonathon asked as he was choking back tears.
Lana wasn't sure what her father was so upset about. Her mother looked like she would be fine, "I knew you wouldn't agree with what I did," Lana responded. "Dad I didn't want him to take me away from you. I'm so sorry for what I did."
"You actions have consequences Lana," Jonathon told her. "Didn't your mother and I ever teach you that?"
"Yes," Lana replied. "But…"
"There's no time left for excuses Lana," Jonathon cut her off. "It's too late. You didn't think this thing through. You had no idea what was going to happen and now, now your mother is lying in a hospital bed."
Jonathon stared angrily into his daughter's eyes. She tried to avert her eyes from his gaze by staring at his right shoulder. Behind them the door to the hospital room open and the doctor examining Martha stepped out.
"Mr Kent?" she interrupted.
Jonathon turned around and took a deep breath to calm himself down. "Doctor how is my wife?" he asked.
"She has a mild concussion, but she'll be fine." The doctor replied.
"And how is our baby?" Jonathon inquired.
Lana was in complete shock. She had no idea that her mother had been pregnant. She thought that her mother was incapable of having children. Lana wondered why they had kept this secret from her.
"I'm sorry," the doctor apologized before she hurried off to see her next patient.
Jonathon stood there in stunned silence. Lana wanted to comfort him but she was also angry. They had been keeping secrets from her as well. Still, she felt she had to say something.
"Dad," Lana tried to get his attention.
But Jonathon ignored his daughter. He was too angry with her at the moment, he went into the hospital room closing the door behind him shutting Lana out both physically and emotionally. Feeling unwanted Lana went back to the farm.
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Clark found Lana standing in the ruins of the Kent's storm cellar.
"Lana what happened?" Clark asked. "It looks like a bomb went off."
He descended the steps into the remains of the storm cellar.
"Where are your parents?" Clark inquired.
"Hospital," Lana replied unable to complete complex sentences. "They're fine. My mom lost the baby."
"The baby?" Clark asked.
"I didn't know she was pregnant," Lana said. "This is all my fault Clark, I did this."
Clark looked around at the remains of the storm cellar.
"How could you do this?" Clark asked.
"With my own selfishness," Lana replied. "I destroyed the ship."
"Why?" Clark asked.
"Because I had to," Lana answered. "If I wanted to stay here. But now I've gone and screwed up everything."
Lana staggered about the ruins with a stunned look on her face. Her eyes were wide and seldom blinking. Clark grabbed her by the shoulders and tried to calm her down.
"Lana it's okay. We can get through this." Clark said.
"He said that if I didn't leave I'd hurt the ones I love the most." Lana said ignoring him. "He was right."
"Who did?" Clark asked.
Lana didn't respond but just stood there, staring at the edge of the storm cellar's remains.
"Lana you're in shock," Clark stated.
"No stay away from me." Lana said stepping away from Clark. "You stay away from me before I hurt you too."
"Lana, you can't hurt me," Clark said.
"But I can," Lana said.
She ascended the steps out of the storm cellar leaving Clark standing there in confusion. Clark moved to go after her but she took off at super speed.
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Please Read Over:
The ship blew up and somehow Martha was pregnant, how that happened will surely be explained. But what lies in the future for Lana? Will she leave Smallville or will Clark be able to stop her? And lets not forget our good friends Lionel and Lex, they've still got their part to play in all of this. Well that's certainly a cliff hanger to leave this on, but I don't think I'll leave you to stew for long. Also, I created a new C2 for Lana fans, to counter all those Lana bashers. I've picked a few of my favourite stories to go in there along with this one. Check them out too, but keep on reading this as well.
Just another one of the usual reminders that if you want to talk to me about the story or Smallville in general. Go on IRC to the otherside servers, irc. (Port 7000), irc. (Port 7000), or irc. (Port 6667), then go to channel #smallville. Hope to see some people there. If you're looking for an IRC client I would recommend X-Chat although there are many other options out there. Really, please go there to discuss any questions answers will be a lot more direct. That and it gets kind of boring talking to the same two people all the time, I need fresh opinions. And if that doesn't work for you, look for the Smallville Revised Forum. I hope to see you in one of the two places. And check out the C2, Lana Fans Unite, for stories that are based around Clark's girl next door.