AUTHOR'S NOTE: NEED REVIEWS TO CONTINUE STORY, yes, it is a bad story but I have fun writing it, so please review with something witty…
Lex opened his eyes, stumbled along the brick corridor until he came to a door. He rubbed his head as his memories came flooding back. The door swung open revealing a final chamber. It smelled putrid, Lex noticed at first. He rubbed his sore arm, as his eyes narrowed on the final challenge.
"Oh my god! (Oh buzzard on buzz saw!)" Lex felt his mouth droop.
There was Clark, booth his arms were chained to a plank of wood. He looked like a scarecrow, except this time it was much deadlier. The plank itself was hanging above a vat of acid, possibly acid mixed with melted meteor rock. There were elaborate ropes set up, so if one was cut it would start a chain reaction. It left three choices: he would kill himself yet free Clark, or it would kill them both, or he could save them both. Tough decision on a chance of cutting the wrong rope.
Lionel stepped out from the shadows. "Hello Alexander."
Lex growled. "Ah yes, that nasty temper of yours," Lionel purred, "how rude. Especially considering…"
Lionel made a gesture to the digital clock fixated to the outside of the vat of acid. It read 11:50 am. "Especially considering we have company. At high noon," Lionel said dramatically, "It will trigger the only rope that will kill you both. Chose carefully."
Lex glared as Lionel retreated to what he assumed was somewhere safe to watch. First Lex took in his surroundings, there where ways to die of suffocation (a giant box that would fall on his head), fire (a lighted chandelier that would again fall on his head), acid (the floor was spring loaded designated to hurl him in with Clark), a viscous animal (a tiger, kept in a cage off to the side), and poison (the dart guns were in different corners of the room).
Lex looked around; he had guessed that Clark could be saved. It had not escaped him that Clark might be unconscious, thus leaving Lex to all the saving. He almost laughed at the irony. To his left he suddenly noticed what looked like a retractable platform.
"That's how to save Clark! (Hmm? Talking to me?) Shut up I'm saving you! See that platform? If I cut the right rope, it'll stop you from falling into the acid! Like it will shoot out and fly across! (ha ha ha,) What's so funny? (And if you cut the wrong rope?) Shut up Clark, I'm working."
Lex dug into his pockets. There was the poisoned beef, and canteen that might be poisoned. A smile crept across his face. There was also a knife in front of him to cut the rope.
"Hey kitty!" The tiger's ears perked up, "I got meat for you kitty!"
The cat looked moderately ready to accept any meat thrown at it. Satisfied Lex took the elastic band out of his pants and used it to tie the canteen around his neck. He had now had water to defeat the fire, he had armor against darts, he had the cat on his side, but he didn't have anything to help him against a spring loaded board though.
(I can fly) his mind offered helpfully. Lex put a finger to his lips and whispered, "Quiet you're just saying that. (Well, yeah. I'm going to go take a nap now.) Yeah, I'll take one too, soon, I hope."
Hesitantly Lex walked up to the ropes, his body did not convey any of his tension, and he remained calm. Blue eyes did not waver from the ropes for a moment, not even when his peripheral vision noticed the clock was now reading 11:56. Then, almost like an after thought there was a flash of movement.
Two ropes had been cut. The first launched Lex towards the vat. He grabbed on to Clark's waist, just as the farm boy's arms where being released.
They would have hit the acid if it where not for the platform now catching them mid fall. Once they hit the ground, Lex helped Clark to standing, draping one arm around his shoulder. As a precaution (against who knows what) Lex threw the meat towards the tigers. Hungrily, they sunk their fangs into the meat; they fell dead in an instant. "Just as I suspected," he snorted.
He dragged Clark toward the door Lionel had exited from. Two feet from the exit, the metal door swung wide open. Lionel was aiming a gun straight at Lex's forehead. Lionel's hair was flying around him, and his coat twirled. He chuckled.
Lex's blue eyes widened at horror. The realization that he was not done with this hideous maze sunk in after minute. The alarm went off behind them. Shaking his head vigorously he growled, "You cannot kill me! I've proved myself!"
"That's right you took every challenge. Handle every situation. Passed every test…except…"
"Except?" Lex cringed as the gun was cocked. He shrugged his shoulder so the body of his best friend lay on the floor. He took a more menacing position one foot closer to Lionel.
"Except uncertainty. You never could deal with the unexpected, you are always planning Lex. That is where you lose."
"No, No, NO!" Lex threw the knife aside. It landed, cutting the last four ropes in the process.
Clark woke at that moment. He saw his captor, the man who had abused him, the bald freak! And it was time to get revenge. Walking towards the vat of acid he picked it up easily, and aimed….
Lex heard a whooshing sound. "Oh shit, oh shit!"
He ducked, as trigger was pulled. The gun fired, hit the oncoming vat of acid, and destroyed the wall between him and freedom. This was not a problem, he turned to Clark, "Clark let's break free! I'll explain this too you later!"
The farm boy snarled, "I am free. Free to destroy you! You sadistic monster!"
Lex was already running out through the building.
Clark saw his target run. "That damn coward." Using his speed he ran to catch up, but some of the acid fell on his skull, dripping into his eyes. Immediately the effects of kryptonite poured over him, causing everything to warp and change.
Pausing to catch his breath in the alley outside he realized that his father had been right. He was not ready for Clark to come at him like this. He was not ready for the unexpected. Then again, having a fire hydrant with a hose two feet away was a help. He did not know how much time he had until Clark came out.
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Meanwhile Lana was hit with a bomb. That is all.
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Clark was inside facing against a giant dragon. He thought was a dragon at least. Lionel scoffed at himfive feet away as Clark continued to ram himself at wall, two feet away from thewall's hole. Lionel laughed with gusto.
Clark faced him, limping slightly, with eyes flaring red. "I AM SO SICK OF THIS! I AM GOING TO KILL YOU- YOU STUPID PINK BUNNY WITH LOTS OF HAIR! THIS WILL END!"
Outside with his giant hose, Lex heard a scream. He sucked in a breath of air. "One more challenge, I suppose…"
With the water bursting on he rushed inside, just as Clark was running out. They collided, this soaked Clark, and washed him of the kryptonite chemicals. On his knees gasping for breath, Clark, panted, "Lex? I just killed you I thought? Didn't I just run something sharp into you?"
Lex looked down. Clark was right. A piece of pipe was sticking out of Lex's abdomen. He half smiled, "well at least you got out right Clark?"
Clark clapped a hand to his mouth, "Then it really never was you?"
"How are your grades Clark?" Lex was leaning against the brick wall, trying to staunch the blood with his shirt. With great effort he had pulled out the pipe. Clark was backing away; about to turn and run mumbling, "I'll go get help…"
"Wait," Lex touched Clark's wrist, "is Lionel dead?"
"Yes he is," a third voice said as Lex lowered himself to the ground.
Stepping through the hole in the brick wall, Lucas appeared with a first aid kit. "Yes, Lex, Lionel is dead." Luca's put his coat on Lex.
He tossed a cell phone to Clark while he went over to help his brother. Pulling out gauze, he winked, whispering to Lex, "I made sure."
"Good," Lex said, drifting into a semiconscious state. "Good."
Now, he thought, if only I knew whether Lucas was on my side…
to be continued
