Chapter 23

The next morning, Harmony and Lex were talking quietly together beside the fire in Lex's office, when the alarm's suddenly sounded, and Lex's guards burst into the room, shooting back in the direction that they had come. Harmony jerked, dropping low as her hands fell to her hips, realizing too late that her guns weren't there.

"Come on!" Lex grabbed Harmony's arm. Together, they sprinted across the office to the side door, ducking through as their would-be assailants burst into the main doors.

They hurried down the hall to a smaller office where Lex had a few weapons. He tossed Harmony two guns and shoved one into his own belt. Then, after unstrapping the gun from his ankle as Harmony secured one of her weapons into her belt as Lex had done, he grabbed Harmony's hand. They ran. Lex focused ahead as Harmony watched for chasers.

Through the halls of the mansion, they stayed on step ahead of their pursuers. Finally, they managed to slide into an unused cleaning closet that also hid an entrance to the secret tunnels. Harmony cringed as the bricks scraped aside, then ground back into place.

"I really hope no one heard that," she whispered in the dim light of the one flashlight they'd been able to find in the closet.

"They won't find us in here," Lex whispered back. "We should hurry anyway. We need to get away from the mansion."

"How?" Harmony asked, worried. "The truck's in the shed and all the cars are in the garage. And you can bet that whatever they came in is running with a driver behind the wheel and an armed guard at the door. Do you think we can make it to the shed in this snow?"

They walked in silence as Lex thought. "Depends on where we come out," he finally answered, keeping his voice low. "If we can make it to the east wing tunnel, we should be able to go around the garage, rather than through it, and that'll open up directly into the forest, which will give us the best cover and the shallowest snow. But it's a longer route than if we go to the garage, then through, which will give us a straight shot to the garage, but no cover, and the snow's pretty deep."

Harmony nodded, thinking. Which path? Speed, or stealth? The snow would slow them down considerably, and greatly increase their chances of being caught, and the shorter route wouldn't make up for it very much. "The east wing," Harmony decided.

"That means we'll have to pass by the kitchen," Lex warned. "Right next to the wall. We'll have to be really, really quiet. The tunnel there is small, tight, and the wall is shallow."

Harmony nodded. Sure enough, when they rounded a corner, they nearly collided with a wall. Harmony looked down to see a hole about halfway down. She squatted, looking into the darkness. "Who's brilliant idea was this?" she's asked sarcastically, looking up at Lex.

Lex squatted next to her. "See you on the other side, Love," he grinned, diving in. Harmony sighed, following the heavy black boots as they vanished into the small tunnel.

Harmony crawled carefully, staggering her stride against Lex's so she was forced to place her hand on the sole of his foot each time she set down her hand. Though she could see the beam of the flashlight from time to time, she was more confident of her own sense of touch. Also, she didn't want to fall behind and be forced to call to him in the dark. Not after the warning he'd pointedly given her about not talking during this stretch of their journey.

All of a sudden, Harmony became aware of the smell of bleach, and she knew that they were nearing the kitchen. The tunnel began to curve slightly, and Harmony could begin to make out voices. Lex slowed, lifting his toes so his boots didn't scrape, and Harmony did the same.

"We can't find them, sir," someone Harmony didn't know was saying.

"Keep looking!" Harmony gasped, and Lex hissed. The master of that voice was right beside the wall. "They're in the mansion somewhere."

That's Lionel! Harmony squeezed Lex's ankle. She could feel his leg muscles tighten, though she suspected it had nothing to do with her, or her touch. He's betrayed us.

"Sir, we've looked everywhere," the first voice spoke again. "Somehow they got away."

"You haven't looked everywhere," Lionel answered, and Harmony could almost see the sneer on his face. "This old mansion has a lot of secrets." They heard Lionel stride away.

Suddenly, Lex jerked, and Harmony had to hurry to keep up. Moments later, they were out of the crawl space and running through the tunnels again.

"My father's betrayed us for good, and now he's realized that we're in these tunnels," Lex's words were rushed, and heavy. "We may not make it."

"We have to try!" Harmony pressed. "This mansion isn't the only one with secrets, Lex."

Behind them, though far down, they heard the unmistakable sound of a section of wall being moved aside. They ran faster, turning corners and hoping that Lionel didn't somehow know where they were headed. At last, Lex pointed, and there was the door. Lex yanked the key from its hiding place, shoving it into the keyhole.

"Come on, Lex," Harmony rushed. "We don't have much time." She had her gun out, in case Lionel showed up. She could hear them getting closer. Soon, there wouldn't be any more places for her and Lex to have turned.

At last, Lex got the door open, and they bolted through. Lex shoved it closed again, and they sprinted into the trees. They didn't make it far.

From around the side of the house, a large group of Lionel's Edge City mercenaries attacked. Lex and Harmony fell into a defensive position, back to back with their guns drawn, but they were surrounded, and there were far too many mercenaries for the two of them. Within moments, Lex and Harmony were separated and disarmed.

"Lex!" Harmony screamed, kicking at her captors as they tried to drag her away. "Let me go! LEX!" She freed one hand and slashed, catching the faces of two of her captors and drawing blood. The group around her tightened, forcing her toward the driveway, but she continued to resist as she screamed for Lex.

Those holding Lex were having no better luck. He, too, fought as hard as he could. "Harmony! Fight them, Harmony!" He struggled to free himself, throwing blows at the nearest aggressors. His boots connected with enough force to crack the ribs of the recipient of his kicks, and even his teeth managed to clamp down on an arm hard enough to draw blood, before he was finally forced to the ground. Yet, he continued to scream for Harmony as much as she was screaming for him.

In the driveway, the blindingly furious Harmony whipped around, and all within reach felt her wrath. She continued to scream, though in her rage, her words had lost all coherency. The group of kidnappers assigned to stuff the enraged girl into the trunk of their car was struggling. Anyone within reach was kicked, kneed, head-butted, bitten, elbowed, and hit with any other part of herself that Harmony could swing. Finally, they managed to get her hands and feet tied, and get her gagged, and then put in the trunk. They peeled away in a squeal of tires and a whirl of flying snow.

Through it all, Lionel Luthor stood above the driveway, inside the mansion, watching.

When the car was gone, Lex was freed. He bolted for the driveway, but it was too late. The car was already out of sight. Steel blue eyes blazing, he turned. He looked up to the window where his father stood, holding a steaming latte, and pointed. Then he slid finger slowly across his throat, and pointed again at his father. He tramped across the packed snow to the garage, grabbing an extra coat from the coat closet by the door, and when the garage door opened, he peeled out in his Lexus. Somehow, he'd find Harmony.

Then, he'd come back for his traitorous father.

Far down the road, the car holding Harmony sped toward Smallville. It flew through town, swerving past other cars and ignoring traffic lights.

In the trunk, Harmony continued to thrash. She kicked against the side of the car, causing it to rock, and she kicked against the trunk lid, hoping to kick it open, though she wasn't sure what she'd so if it did pop open. At the speeds they were going, she wasn't sure she'd survive if she managed to jump out. She didn't care. She was too furious. She'd never been so angry before in her life. She could feel her anger residing, though not disappearing entirely, and she knew it was because she had worn herself out. She used this exhaustion as a chance to think. She willed herself to relax, to try to settle down and begin to rebuild her strength. Meanwhile, she'd try to come up with a plan.

Secret.

This is what they'd been training for. Though she wasn't sure where they were going, she was fairly certain they'd take the gag out of her mouth eventually. Unless she could work it out on her own.

She began to work on the gag, gathering it and chewing it into a knot to the point where she could push it against her teeth, then down over her lip. She turned her feet back toward the latch, focusing her previously-wild kicks on the weakest point. Unfortunately, the car suddenly veered around a corner, throwing Harmony around the trunk and into the side. Momentarily dizzy, Harmony laid very still as she breathed through the nausea and the blinding pain. Then the car skidded to a stop. Quickly, Harmony shook her head around until the gag was back in place, and resituated herself so she was in the same place as when her kidnappers put her in the trunk.

Without a word, she was yanked out and dragged to a house very similar to the Kent's house. She recognized it as Lana's old house. Big mistake, she smirked to herself, being careful not to look toward the Kent farm. Who would be this stupid? She let them drag her from the car, across the snow, up the steps, and into the house, not offering to help at all.

At last, when they got inside, they shoved Harmony into a chair, tying her arms behind her. One man stepped up to Harmony and knelt in front of her, gently stroking her cheek. "Such a pretty young thing," he whispered, leaning closer, slowly doing exactly what Harmony had hoped he'd do.

He pulled the gag off.

Harmony let him get just inches from her face before she suddenly reared back and slammed her forehead down on his nose. "SECRET!" she bellowed as loud as she could. "Secret, now! Lana's farm!" Then, the man's hand slammed across her face, and she fell to the floor with a curse.

"Insolent bitch!" he hissed. "You broke my nose!" He hurried out of the room, but Harmony didn't care.

Two miles away on the Kent farm, Clark was doing dishes when he heard Harmony's call. In a flash, he was out the door, and Martha was left watching the dishtowel that had been on Clark's shoulder fall to the floor. Moments later, she stared in disbelief, though she was sure it shouldn't surprise her, as a jet-black rocket shot from her son's loft and across the fields toward Lana Lang's old farm.

Lex flew down the road toward the Kent farm. Once he'd hit town, he'd lost track of the men who'd taken Harmony. In his anger and fear, the only person he could think of was Clark, so he'd decided to go see if Clark might be willing to help him find her.

Just as he got to the Kent farm, though, he saw something massive and black streak above the field. "What the hell is that?" he stared, not sure if he could believe his eyes. But in a flash, it was gone, headed toward the farm where Lana Lang had grown up. Lex threw his car in reverse, peeled out, and sped down the road, flying down the next driveway he came to.

Amazingly enough, there were the group that had taken Harmony. Lex leapt from his car.

Inside, Secret had already dispatched most of the people guarding Harmony, or they had run outside. He ripped the ropes off her hands and from around her ankles, and she turned to hurry out the door, the guns he'd given her loaded and ready for action.

"Come on, Secret," she started to say, but then a bullet ripped across her side. She spun from the force of the shot.

Secret grabbed her, yanking her to her feet and blocking her with his lead-covered body. They barreled through the door together, bullets from behind bouncing off Secret.

Outside, Lex was in a firefight of his own. He'd already taken out a number of Harmony's captors, and had a handful pinned down, but they had him equally pinned. In a matter of seconds, Secret wiped most of them out. Harmony stumbled down the stairs toward Lex, arm pressed to her side. Secret rose up toward the roof to check behind the building.

She kept shooting. Those still there fired back, but they fell in minutes. Behind her, the one who shot her the first time was waiting patiently for his chance. At last, he took aim, and fired.

Harmony screamed. She fell to her knees, seeing the blood soaking through her shirt from the hole on the left side of her stomach. Then, she looked up at Lex, who stared, horrified and numb. She forced herself back to her feet, turned around, and she and Lex together shot the man. Secret appeared in a flash right then.

As she fell, Secret caught her, Lex falling next to him to hold her hand. "Harmony?" he whispered. His eyes began to fill with tears. "Hold on, ok?"

"Secret," Harmony looked up at the huge lead man. "Never tell."

Secret shook his head, then glanced at Lex, and back at Harmony. Harmony shook her head, then turned to Lex. "Your father killed mine," she coughed. She gagged, spitting up blood.

"I know," Lex whispered. He wrapped his coat around Harmony's shoulders. "I have all the proof. I just don't have a reason. But I will."

"Because my father found out that Lionel was not only running illegal mining operations in and around Edge City, but he was stealing from them, too," Harmony gasped for air, struggling to breathe as she spoke. "He found financial records of your father's for an offshore bank account in the Caymans where he sends the laundered money, and he threatened Lionel to go to the police if Lionel didn't let him in."

"Harmony, why are you telling me this now?" Lex asked, bewildered. "You can explain it all to me later, after you're ok. Just hold on till the ambulance gets here." He pulled out his cell phone, but Harmony laid her hand on his.

Harmony smiled softly. "Because you, and others that Secret will see to, need to know the truth." She coughed again, growing weaker with each breath. "I wasn't entirely sure myself until recently."

"Do you have these records, Harmony?" Lex asked, leaning forward.

"In my closet," Harmony whispered. She was rapidly losing strength with blood. "Lex, I need you to know something."

"Harmony, you'll be ok," Lex insisted, but he could feel the fear and panic building.

"Lex, tell my family that I love them," Harmony whispered.

Lex nodded, staring into her eyes as he stroked her hair. He gripped her hand. Secret held her gently, cradling her bleeding body against the cold.

"I have to go now, Lex," Harmony smiled. "I want you to know, my dear, that we would have loved you forever. We'll always love you."

Lex stared. "I love you, Harmony." He shakily kissed her lips, then watched as she slowly closed her eyes, and was gone. Dropping his head to her lifeless shoulder, he sobbed.

Finally, he sat up straight, looking at Secret, who still held Harmony's body. "Did she say 'we'?"

Secret nodded. He pointed to Harmony's belly, then curved his hand over his own, then pointed back at Harmony's belly, and held up two fingers.

Lex gasped, shaking his head. "What? Are you trying to tell me that she's pregnant with twins?"

Secret nodded solemnly.

Lex stood up, gently taking Harmony from Secret. "Thank you," he whispered. "You can go back to wherever it is you came from now. I have to go tell her family."

Secret nodded again, laid a gentle hand on Lex's shoulder, and shot into the clouds.

Minutes later, just as Lex was slowly pulling into the Kent driveway, Clark was shutting the chest and covering it. He quickly reminded himself that he had no idea what had happened over at the neighboring farm, and put on a cheery face, hard as it was.

A minute later, he heard his mother screaming. "Clark!" she heard her shove open the kitchen door. "Clark!"

Clark bolted for the house. "Mom?" he called. His voice was filled with concern. He forced himself not to think about what he already knew. "What's wrong? Are you ok?"

When he got inside, his mother was standing in the kitchen shaking and sobbing. Clark gathered her into his arms. He guided her to the living room couch, trying to sooth her. When he turned to look around for a source of his mother's panic, he saw Lex standing in the front hall, the lifeless Harmony in his arms, his own silent tears forming trails down his face. Clark's grip on his mother tightened as he buried his face in her hair, his own sobs in time to hers.

Finally, Lex fell carefully to his knees, rocking Harmony as he cried quietly. Why couldn't I save you? His mind shouted.

The snowy funeral was much like Jonathan's had been, with much the same group of people. This time, though, Lex was an accepted presence. Lana and Chloe had tried to help as best they could with the funeral arrangements. This time, Clark felt Lana when she reached for him, and his mother when she led him away. This time, Clark was aware and accepting of Chloe's soothing presence. He allowed himself to be comforted by the love and sympathy of the people who cared about him, and he cried.

But there was no one to comfort Lex. Alone in his sorrow, he locked his heart away. He watched as the casket holding his fiancé and unborn children was lowered into the frozen ground, and he felt his heart freeze as cold as the dirt that would soon be piled over top. He watched as the land took back the only person besides his mother who had been there for him for no other reason than because she loved him. He watched as everyone flocked to sooth Clark's pain, but leave him alone in the cold.

At last, long after everyone else had left, after the grave had been filled in, after the snow had begun to fall, Lex turned to go. Then he paused, and stepped over to the grave next to Harmony's.

"Well, Jonathan," Lex spoke to the gravestone. "Looks like you win after all. Not only do you get Harmony, but you get my children, too. Take care of them for me, would you?"

With one last look at Harmony's grave, his eyes hardened and he walked away, never to return.

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