The next morning Clark was up and dressed he stood in front of the mirror and combed his hair. When he was done he took the pair of glasses and put them on. When he was satisfied with his new look he walked out the door and headed to Lex's.
Clark found that it was still easy to get into Lex's mansion. When he got to the front door he was met by Mercy.
"Who are you?" She asked.
"I'm Clark Kent." Clark said.
"Come in, and follow me." Mercy said.
Clark followed Mercy down the hall and into the study. Lex sat behind his desk he was working at his laptop when he noticed that Mercy and Clark entered. He smiled when he saw Clark. He closed his laptop and walked over to Clark.
"I have to say that I almost didn't recognize you Clark." Lex said.
"It's been a while." Clark said.
"What's with the glasses?" Lex asked.
"My blurred vision came back." Clark said referring to the time he was blinded.
"So what brings you to my home?" Lex asked.
"I just wanted to know why you are in town?" Clark asked.
"This was my home at one time." Lex said.
"That was until almost help level the place." Clark said.
"As I recall you helped saved the day." Lex said.
"I was nearly killed." Clark said.
"I had some business to take car of with Pete Ross." Lex said.
"What business would that be?" Clark asked.
"That's none of your business, Clark." Lex said.
"If has something to do with Smallville it my business." Clark said.
"I find that odd coming from someone who just resurfaced after six months." Lex said. Clark was surprised that Lex knew that he had been gone.
"I'm warning you Lex if you try anything I don't approve of I'll run you out of town on a rail." Clark said then he started for the door.
"Clark, if I were you I wouldn't start a war I can't win." Lex said.
"I'll show myself out." Clark said to Mercy. Lex and Mercy watched as Clark marched out of the study.
"You want me to do something about him?" Mercy asked.
"No, Clark Kent may have grown a back bone, but I can snap it like a twig." Lex said.
Later Clark entered the Ledger and walked into Chloe's office where she was hold a staff meeting. When she saw Clark and the look on his face she quickly ended the meeting and sent everyone out of the room. When the last person left Clark closed the door behind her.
"This must be big I just ended a huge staff meeting." Chloe said.
"I need a job." Clark said.
"Sure no problem." Chloe said.
"And I want to work on why Lex Luthor is back in Smallville." Clark said.
"No problem. He has a photo op with the city council and some Q and A." Chloe said.
"Great I'm going to go home and change and then I'll be back here for a press pass." Clark said.
Later at the press conference, Clark walked into city hall. He walked into the pressroom and took a city near the front of the room. He could see the city council. Pete nodded to Clark. Lex kept his eyes on Clark as the conference began. The mayor was the first to step forward.
He spoke about the recent events in town and about the upcoming high school football season. He then talked about the events of the last council meeting and then he turned to the business at hand. He said a few kind words about Lex and then Lex walked over the podium.
"Thank you Mr. Mayor, now a lot of you maybe wondering what I'm I doing back in Smallville." Lex said as he looked at Clark. "The answer is simple. I have made a home here. I helped one the pillars of the community and gave to made of the charities, Smallville prospered when Luthor Corp was here and now I think the time is right to bring LexCorp to Smallville. How you ask? Simple, meteor rocks. These small but deadly stone changed this town not once but twice and its effects can still be seen all over town. It's time that we put the rocks to use to benefit Smallville. Any questions?" Lex said.
Clark was the first to step forward.
"You of all people know that meteor rocks can do more harm that good why risk so many lives?" Clark asked.
"I can assure you that the up most precautions will be taken." Lex said. A few more questions followed and then the confernce was over. Lex, Mercy and Pete left and walked into Pete's office. Clark got as close to the office as possible. Then he used his super-hearing.
"I need permits and approval from the city council and I know that I can get it with your help, Pete." Lex said.
"Lex, I have to know with 100 that nothing can go wrong at the planet." Pete said.
"I told you that I could get it done. Can you?" Lex asked.
"I'm not too sure that I can Lex." Pete said.
"Can't or won't in case you forgot. I made a hefty donation to your campaign and you promised that if you were elected you would bring jobs to Smallville. You help me and the next step is mayor, hell even senator, maybe even Vice President." Lex said.
"Who would be the President?" Pete asked.
"Why me of course, think it over." Lex said.
Clark heard the sounds of Lex and Mercy preparing to leave. He turned and walked out of the hallway. Lex exited the office a moment later and then headed back toward the door. Neither Clark nor Lex noticed Milton Fine.
Fine left city hall and walked over to the car that he had rented. When he was in the car, he changed complete from his human form to a humanoid that was bald with light blue skin; his eyes were shaped like triangles. This was the true form of Dr. Milton Fine. Three small circles on his forehead glowed a bright yellow and Fine turned invisable. He then phased through the roof of the car and flew over Smallville.
"Pete took money from Lex Luthor?" Chloe asked.
"That's right and now Pete owes Lex." Clark said.
"Something is not right, Pete hated Lex why would he take anything from Lex?" Chloe said.
"You know Lex, He'll get you looking one way and." Clark said.
"And do something else when your are looking somewhere else." Chloe said.
"If he is blackmailing Pete we need to find out why." Clark said.
"How would we do that?" Chloe asked.
"We asked him?" Clark said.
"We just asked him?" Chloe said.
"Pete's my friend, he'll tell me." Clark said.
Fine held up the glowing pieces of kryptonite. He studied the rocks for a few moments and smiled. He was something that he knew and trusted. Something that reminded him of how built him and why he came to this world. He knew that with this rock he could destroy the last son of Krypton. Then nothing would stand in his way.
Pete opened the door to find Clark standing on the other side. He smiled and opened the door. Clark stepped inside. Pete showed him to the living room where they both sat down.
"So you're working for the Ledger now?" Pete asked.
"And you're working for Lex." Clark said.
"What are you talking about?" Pete asked.
"I heard what you two were talking about, him helping you get elected." Clark said.
"You eavesdropped on us?" Pete asked.
"Pete, we both know that Lex is not the type of person that does a favor for someone and what nothing in return." Clark said.
"So what I'm suppose to do Clark, fight him?" Pete said.
"No, you tell the people that he helped you, but you won't be his puppet." Clark said.
"It's not that easy Clark." Pete said.
"Beside Pete you have something more powerful that what Lex will ever have." Clark said.
"What's that Clark?" Pete asked.
"Your friends." Clark said.
Clark walked into the loft after he had comeback from Pete's. He was surprised to find Milton Fine standing at his desk. In his hand was a piece of paper. The man placed that paper down.
"A symbol of planet and a people that serviced its purpose and they was wiped from the memories of the galaxy." Fine said.
"Who are you?" Clark asked.
"You should ask yourself that question. You could be a god among these pitiful life forms and yet you choose to live by their rules." Fine said.
"I know who I'm now tell me who you are?" Clark asked.
"I'm Brainic, I like you come from the planet Krypton." Fine said.
"Your from Krypton?" Clark asked.
"Yes, I was created by your father and others. And when I learned all that I needed to know about Krypton I left." Fine said.
"Did you know about its fate?" Clark asked.
"I knew and I made sure that no one listened to your father." Fine said.
"Why did you do it?" Clark asked.
"It's simple once I learned everything about a race or species, I like them die. I've done it thousands of planets after Krypton and I will do so after I'm done with earth." Fine said.
"No you wouldn't I'll stop you?" Clark said.
"You really have spent way to much time around humans." Fine said. Fine raised his hand and fire a large beam of kryptonite at Clark. The beam hit Clark in the chest and sent Clark flying across the room and out of the other side of the barn.
Clark landed hard on the ground. He could feel the pain in his body as the effects of the meteor rocks. He could feel his blood start to boil in his veins. His eyes watered and it was becoming more difficult for him to breathe.
Clark felt Fine's hand wrap around his throat. Fine picked Clark up and held him close to his face.
"The blast of Kryptonite will continue to effect your body until your dead. And then I will leave this rock to die as I left Krypton." Fine said.
He then dropped Clark and walked away. Clark could only watch helplessly.
To Be Conutined…