Lex found it amusing how nervous Clark was as he set up the camcorder for his interview with Chloe. He'd been happy to do it when Clark had asked. He told him he didn't care if he was using his friendship to get this favour, it's exactly what friendships were for, just like he used Clark's friendship to drop in on the farm every now and again... and would likely use it to move any heavy furniture in the future.
He was called away from the interview with the tenacious Miss Sullivan for an annoying business call. Sometimes living on a round planet sucked, stupid time zones.
When Lex heard Chloe's scream he rushed back downstairs only to see Clark dive out the window from four floors up. Seeing Chloe lying on the floor severely injured he pulled out his phone and called an ambulance.
"Clark!"
The farm boy spun to see Lana and Pete rushing towards him.
"Is she ok, is she awake?" Lana asked worriedly.
"The doctors say she's going to be ok." Clark assured them as he indicated the sleeping Chloe in the hospital room.
"What happened?" Pete asked.
"We were attacked, these guys just appeared in Lex's Mansion out of nowhere."
"Was Lex hurt?" Lana asked.
"He was out of the room, he had a phone call."
"Sounds convenient to me." Pete groused.
"Pete." Clark said warningly.
"Ok, she has a few cracked ribs, a broken arm and a nasty concussion, that said, she'll be home in a few days." Harry reported as he walked up dressed in a doctor's white lab coat.
"Doctor Potter? I didn't know you worked here." Lana remarked.
"Occasionally I help out, during major incidents and the like, sometimes I consult on unusual cases."
"As long as she gets better I don't care who does take care of her."
"I some how doubt you'd say that if I was her doctor, Mr. Ross." Lex smirked as he walked up behind them. He ignored the scowl and turned to Harry. "I've got her dad on the way. She's covered by LuthorCorp Medical Insurance but she was hurt in my mansion so make sure they charge everything to me, just don't tell Gabe until it's done."
"Harry, is she ok?" They all turned to see the green haired Lorna walking up in a tight pair of jeans a halter-top and light jacket.
Pete, who had never met Lorna or the other girls, stared slack jawed.
"Ow!"
Until Clark elbowed him.
"I swear, times like this I wish I could post the results on the door, would save me repeating myself." Harry groused.
Lex laughed at Harry and Lorna's expressions. "I'm staying until Gabe gets here, I'll explain what he told us."
"Wow... just... wow." Pete breathed.
"Ahem."
Pete's head snapped round and he saw an irritated Lana Lang with a grimacing Clark and Harry behind her.
"Erm... what I meant to say was-"
Lana just spun around pushed through Clark and Harry before entering Chloe's room.
"Nice Pete. Very nice." Harry said as he patted the young man on the shoulder and walked off.
Pete sighed. "At least she didn't hear me." He said nodding to where Harry had joined Lex and Lorna.
"No, but she did see you drooling."
"Kill me now."
"I want to use this opportunity to tell Chloe about what I am." Lorna told the two men. "I think it will be a good way to ease her in to the other secrets and show Clark that his friends can be trusted."
Harry just shrugged but Lex clearly was thinking it was a bad idea.
"You think she won't be able to handle it?" Lorna asked.
"I think she might, there's a big difference between reporting that an alien landed on the planet to make overtures of peace and telling the world that the boy you grew up with and is your best friend, is actually an alien.
"I'm just worried that if we are wrong you can't un-tell her."
Harry patted him on the shoulder. "Lex, the castle is home to four highly powerful telepaths... if that fails, I can erase her memories with magic."
Lex stood there in shock as they walked off. Had they heard all his racy thoughts?
He was so dead.
As was Clark's way, he took Chloe's injuries personally. He wasn't quick enough or strong enough. Despite the fact that he had been severely physically affected by the assailants. After school he had dragged Pete to investigate, the Cuckoo's decided to tag along. Not that Pete complained.
They discovered that a similar robbery had occurred at the Smallville bank where the robbers had managed to enter a locked room without opening any doors, just like at the mansion. So that is where they started.
"Why are we here again? Bank heists are a little out of our league, Clark." Pete said nervously.
"Don't worry Pete." Phoebe smiled reassuringly.
"We won't let Clark do anything foolish." Celeste said with a pointed look at the overgrown Boy Scout.
"We have plans for him tonight." Mindee's look was anything but innocent.
Clark gulped before turning his attention back to the bank. "Ok, I've seen all I need to."
The girls shared a rolled set of eyes.
"What? You got x-ray vision or something Clark?" Pete scoffed.
"Come on boys, let us show you how to really investigate." Celeste said as she snapped her fingers and her sisters grabbed them by the arm.
Clark and Pete witnessed first hand as the gorgeous identical triplets completely bamboozled the bank manager and security into giving them the details with nothing more than a smile.
Chloe slowly regained consciousness. She didn't know where she was but it definitely wasn't her room. Unless her dad had gone overboard on disinfectants... again.
She was in a fair amount of pain, her arm throbbed her head ached and breathing was excruciating!
"Morning sleepy head."
Oh god, there was a chipper Candy Striper in the room... it had to be a hospital.
She slowly opened her eyes and saw a mass of green hair.
She blinked a few times.
"Lorna?"
"Glad you remembered me, it has been a few weeks after all."
"You have green hair." Chloe pointed out dryly.
Lorna smiled, it was a little tighter than usual but the amusement was still there. "I'm going to pretend you just said: 'Lorna! Of course I remember the woman who cheered me up in my darkest moment.'"
"Tell me you're here to do it again by breaking me out of this place and I'll say whatever you want." She said grumpily.
"Well, you are supposed to be in here for a few more days, but I think we could come to an agreement."
Chloe eyed her suspiciously. Then a thought occurred to her. "How did I wind up here?"
"You were interviewing Lex Luthor in his mansion with Clark and you were attacked? You wound up getting thrown out of a fourth floor window?"
Chloe frowned. "I can't remember."
"Don't worry, you had a very bad concussion so it's likely you have mild amnesia, it might come back to you but by all accounts you handled yourself admirably."
Chloe and Lorna arrived at Luthor Mansion to be greeted by Lex himself. Apparently her father had given into Lex's pleas for her to receive private care at his Mansion. He showed her to a room on the ground floor, it was a servant's room but it had an en suite bathroom and would save her from having to walk up and down stairs with broken ribs.
"Are you going to get started now?" Lex asked Lorna.
"Yep, Jean gave me the goods and I am set to go." Lorna smiled at Lex.
"I'll leave you to it." He smiled at the two ladies and stepped out of the suite closing the door behind him.
"Is this going to be some therapeutic massage?" Chloe asked.
"No, the Cuckoos are the best at that, they are so in sync that they work you into paradise." She said dreamily. "No, first, you need to drink this." She handed her a glass vial with a rubber stopper.
"What is it?"
"A special medicine that Jean, a doctor friend, gave me. It will... make you feel much better."
"It's not some sort of drug like LSD?"
Lorna just smiled. "Trust me."
Chloe tried to take the stopper off.
Then Lorna remembered she only had one hand to use and did it for her with a sheepish apology.
Chloe sniffed the clear liquid but couldn't smell anything.
She took a deep breath and downed it sending it straight past her tongue and down her throat.
As Lorna retrieved the vial from her hand she looked around the room. Nothing seemed to be moving, nothing was doubled or coming to life so she didn't think she was drugged.
Then she felt it. Her swollen eye began to tingle. Her ribs and forearm bones felt like they were shifting.
It was fairly uncomfortable, but not painful.
"What did you do to me?" She asked worriedly.
"What I just gave you was the most powerful healing substance in existence. The tears of a Phoenix."
"Is that some new type of plant?"
"Phoenix, as in the presumed mythical fire bird that is reborn from its ashes."
"Presumed?"
"Well, I did just imply they existed."
"And you have one and gave me its 'healing tears'?" She asked sceptically.
Lorna walked over to the dresser and picked up a mirror that she handed to Chloe.
"My face!"
"Check you ribs."
Chloe put the mirror down and felt her ribs. They no longer hurt and her face was completely healed.
"Wow... just... wow." She said.
"Now for the next part, the important part." Lorna said seriously.
Chloe looked a little worried, was there some sort of payment required.
"I am going to tell you about something. But you can't tell anyone about it. Lex knows but you can't even talk to him. But this cannot be written or spoken about. Do you understand?"
"I guess... does this mean I can't write about Phoenixes?"
"Everything you learn here in Lex's Mansion is completely secret, from your miraculous recovery and Phoenixes to what ever else you learn." Lorna warned.
"Ok." She agreed slowly.
"You need to understand that if you do start blabbing, the consequences will be severe. Think of this as being top secret, government black ops type of secret."
"If I blab you kill me?" Chloe was beginning to lose a bit of colour.
"We won't kill you, we have other methods, but from your point of view they won't seem very nice. We won't hurt you though, in any manner." She assured her.
"Ok, I'm in." Chloe said firmly. It didn't really matter what the threat was, if these were good guys then she could learn to keep her mouth shut, if they were bad guys then she would get help.
Lorna smiled and sat on the edge of the bed.
"Phoenixes are magical beings. Magic does exist and I am a witch." She said simply as she caused her hand to light up.
Chloe looked at her. "Neat trick." She said, the scepticism dripping from her lips.
Lorna waved a hand at Chloe's cast and it turned into a cat. Chloe backed away slightly panicked.
"You really are a witch."
"That's me." Lorna grinned.
"Mr. Jenkins, good to see you looking well." Lex said as he passed the large man who was working Harry's farm.
"Mr. Luthor."
"Just Lex, sir. I hear you've been... how did Harry put it... 'magicked up'." Lex chuckled.
"They told you?" Earl asked surprised.
"Yes, I was having trouble coping with some incomplete knowledge, turns out Clark was the missing part."
"They're good people, deserve their safety and privacy." Earl said warningly.
"They have nothing to fear from me. Clark saved my life, it's because of him I'm a completely different person than I was in Metropolis." Lex assured him.
"We are all different in our youth." Harry said as he strolled up.
"Harry, hope you don't mind that I came round. Lorna has Chloe at my place giving her the explanation and I thought I'd clear out. I sent the staff home as well."
"That's no problem." Harry shrugged.
"I'm curious, if you don't mind me asking, Mr. Jenkins, how did you heal him Harry?"
Earl gave a shrug and a nod to Harry.
"I built him a new body." Harry stated simply.
"I... don't understand."
"The problem had become genetic, it was in every cell of his body. I could have taken the time to suppress the symptoms and eventually figure out how to repair or reverse the damage but it might have taken a long time.
"Instead I found some clean DNA from his home and from it I rebuilt his body and then transferred his soul across."
Lex widened his eyes and then scrunched them. "Wow... it's only been a few days so hearing you talk about souls and new bodies like that... wow."
Earl chuckled. "Imagine how it felt for me, I could see my damaged body and my new body from the outside. Do you know what that's like?"
"Actually I do." Lex said. "When Clark saved me that time we first met I found myself outside of my body floating over the town... it was... an experience." He said wistfully.
"That does happen sometimes." Harry nodded. "More often than people realise, but most people repress it."
"Harry, what do you do when you can't get fresh DNA?"
"Well, some people like Cassie, they aren't ill from exposure, they just get abilities. For them it all depends on whether they are violent and commit crimes. Our dungeon currently has several meteor-infected people who are serving a sentence for their crimes. Whilst they serve their sentence we are working on removing their powers."
"You are holding people prisoner?" Lex asked.
"Where would I send them? If I gave them to local authorities they would break out in minutes and kill anyone in their way. By all rights I could have killed them all. As it stands my soul mates tend to temper my hand some what."
"Ok, so we've established that you are a potion brewing, broom capable riding, spell casting witch and that we will never mention skin colour or... facial blemishes again." Chloe shuddered. She had mentioned green skin and warts and Lorna had turned her into a toad.
It wouldn't have been so bad if there hadn't been a fly in the room.
"Right."
"So why all the secrecy?"
"What do you think would happen if you went to the Daily Planet and presented this story to them?" Lorna asked as she settled into a nearby chair.
"I'd get laughed out of the office and the world of journalism."
Lorna nodded. "What do you think would happen if I went with you as proof?"
"They would probably hold a press conference."
"And then what would happen?"
"More interviews, in papers, radio and TV I guess."
"And?"
"I suppose the government might want to talk to you. See what you can do... and I am beginning to see your point." She breathed reluctantly.
Lorna smiled with pride. "So now you can see why some stories are better kept buried."
"So no one will ever know about magic?"
"You know. My friends know. Those that I can trust to keep my secret know."
"Then why tell me?"
"A test. If you can keep this secret then there are other secrets, more important secrets that you can be trusted with. You are... special in a way, not a way that matters to most of the world, but there is a reason I want to reveal these secrets to you and if you can keep this secret then I can justify telling you more."
"Bigger secrets than magic being real?" Chloe said in awe.
"Trust me, I'm not even worth mentioning."
"Lex, I believe you've met Cassie, or Cassandra as you knew her."
Lex looked at the young woman who appeared to be slightly younger than him. He just couldn't place her. "Look, I'm really sorry, but if we met in Metropolis then I probably wouldn't remember, I wasn't exactly attempting to keep up on names and faces back then." He apologised.
Cassie smiled and moved forward. "I saw you as the President of the United States in a pure white suit that practically glowed. But then you were covered in blood and everything you touched died."
Lex frowned as Cassie stepped forward and took his hand.
As she closed her eyes she spoke again. "I see you again as the President, but you are dressed more conservatively. You are surrounded by friends." She opened her eyes and released Lex's hand. "If you want to avoid the first future, one of death and loneliness, then stay close to Clark and Harry. They can guide you to a better life."
Lex's eyes widened in recognition. "From the retirement home." He whispered. "But you died, I was holding your hand!"
"Ahem!"
Lex spun towards Harry who was grinning and waving.
Lex looked a little weak and pale so Harry conjured a chair behind him.
"You said you could do it... I didn't doubt it. But to see the proof."
"Does he need a paper bag?" Cassie asked.
Lex just laughed weakly. "I'm not sure it would matter... if I died, Death is right here."
"I think he's gonna be just fine." Harry smirked.
"Quick, get back in bed." Lorna ordered Chloe.
Chloe quickly complied. "Why?"
"Clark and Pete are coming to visit, they just arrived. Secret, remember."
"Oh right! Wait, my face and cast."
"Yeah, hold still, I'm going to need to pound your face a bit."
Chloe's eyes went wide.
"I'm joking!" Lorna laughed as she waved her hand casting a glamour to restore her battered appearance without the pain and a new cast to form.
"I'm still trying to determine if you are out to cause trouble! Please don't scare me like that." Chloe scowled.
"But it's fun! Besides, I told you I'm only here to do what good I can."
Chloe just growled at her, to which Lorna laughed harder.
"Chloe! And Lorna?" Clark was confused... nothing unusual... but it still confused him.
"I offered to play nurse whilst she recuperated." Lorna explained. "You must be Pete Ross, hi, I'm Lorna Dane and friend of Clark and Chloe, we saw each other last night but never got introduced."
"Wow-OW!"
Pete's drooling was interrupted by Clark's elbow.
"I'm getting pretty fed up with everyone having secret friends." Pete groused. "And getting elbowed."
"You don't have your own friends? Different classes, different clubs and hangouts?" Lorna asked.
"Yeah Pete, what about all those girls you date?" Clark teased.
"That's different!"
"Do tell, Super Stud." Chloe snarked.
"Well... it just is!"
"What if I'm dating Clark?" Lorna asked as she sidled up to Clark and sat in his lap. Clark just blushed.
"Isn't he dating those triplet cheerleaders?" Chloe asked.
"I should have stayed at the farm." Clark groaned.
"Oh! Erm..." All heads turned to see a shocked and embarrassed Lana standing in the doorway. "I'll just come back..." She quickly turned and walked off.
"Lana! Wait!" Clark called out.
"You stay here, I'll go get her." Lorna warned. After all those centuries of working with teenagers she had a pretty good handle on how to deal with the whole High School Drama.
She knew she was still in a relationship with Whitney but it still hurt. Seeing Clark with all these women draped across him. It didn't help they were amazingly beautiful or exotic. First he had three identical blond triplets and now the green haired goddess. Then there were the other women at the castle. She knew he spent a lot of time there even though they claimed it was just training.
She had met most of them at least once when they took her to get her necklace insured, Lorna seemed very nice.
"Lana Lang!"
A hand clamped down on her shoulder and she jumped. Attached to the hand was the green haired goddess.
"World of your own?" The woman smiled.
Lana composed herself and threw on a smile. She knew it didn't reach her eyes but hopefully the woman would let it pass.
Lana knew there was no chance of that when the woman rolled her eyes, put her hand around her shoulder and led her the way she had originally been going.
"You have it bad, don't you." She said sympathetically. "Tell me Lana, why are you still with Whitney Fordman?"
Lana's head snapped around with an angry look. "I don't see how that's any of your business."
Lorna just shrugged. "Maybe, but I know you are unhappy in that relationship and that you are pining after Clark. You could try talking to someone with a fair bit of knowledge and experience when it comes to relationships."
"You can't be that much older than me."
"I'm a lot older than I look." Lorna smirked. "Plastic surgery."
Lana looked at her closely.
"It's rude to stare."
"Sorry!" Lana blushed.
"Make it up to me by explaining the weird little love triangle you've got going."
Lana sighed. "I've been with Whitney for a long time. But… we've kind of grown apart. He's a different person and so am I. Plus… he's really not making me want to stick by him considering his stunt with Clark and the scarecrow." She scowled.
"And the whole Clark side of things?"
"Clark is the opposite of Whitney. He's quiet, relaxed and… un-demanding."
"So why are you with Whitney and not Clark?"
"Well Clark is clearly unavailable." She scoffed with a wave of her hand at Lorna.
"First of all, never leave a situation like back there without getting all the details. I was just teasing Clark, nothing more."
"And the identical triplets?"
Lorna laughed. "They like Clark but are more than willing to step back if you want in. If you step up then Clark will probably worship the ground you walk on for saving him."
"Then why are they always kissing him?"
"That's the thing, they kiss him. Never on the lips though as they enjoy teasing him but know he wouldn't appreciate it going too far."
"They're just using him?" Lana was beginning to build up a head of righteous indignation.
"It's more that they are trying to teach him about girls. Enough about Clark, he's the easy part of this mess. What about Whitney, why stay with him?"
"I don't know. At first I thought things would get better, that it was just a phase. But then his dad got sick, he lost his scholarship… "
"Yeah, but his dad is better now. Perfectly healthy."
"How did you know?" Lana asked suspiciously.
"It's a very small town."
"I just-"
"You are afraid to take that final step and break up with him. Afraid of hurting him, afraid he'll hate you… etcetera."
"I am." She admitted with a small voice.
"He'll get over it and so will you. Say you went out with Clark? What if you eventually grew apart? You are very young Lana and you are going to change over the next few years. Make the most of your youth and take the enjoyment where you can."
"That sounds very familiar." Lana frowned.
"It's something Harry says. We've all heard and tend to repeat it. Along with a lot of other things he says."
"I guess I should go and apologise." She said as she looked back towards where Chloe was staying.
"No, you should go off and decide what to do about Whitney."
Later that evening Lana returned. "Hey Chloe, how are you?"
"Lana, you're back!" Chloe smiled.
"Sorry about running out earlier."
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah… I think I am." Lana smiled sadly. "I broke up with Whitney today."
"Oh my god! What happened?" Chloe asked as she sat up… then remembered she was supposed to be injured and faked a wince. "Won't be doing that again." She grimaced as Lana helped her back down. "So, why did you break up?"
"We just grew apart, I needed a break." Lana shrugged.
"Want to raid Lex's fridge for chocolate ice-cream?" Chloe offered sympathetically.
Lana just laughed. "No, I'm ok. A little shaken… but-"
"What happened, you don't seem all that ok?"
"I saw him talking with some men. They didn't look like nice men." Lana admitted. "It was actually that that helped me make the decision."
"Gang members?"
"They had tattoos."
"Let Fordman make his own mistakes, girls." Lorna warned as she walked in with three tubs of Haagen-Dazs.
"How did you know?" Lana asked.
"I had faith you would make the sensible decision." She smiled as Chloe looked on curiously.
"Harry? It's Lex. I think I need some of your special help."
"…"
"Well I didn't know how secure the lines are."
"…"
"That's handy. Anyway I just had a repeat visit from those same men who robbed me and attacked Chloe."
"…"
"No, I'm fine, but Harry, they just managed to appear in my office. No doors opened, no windows… could these be magicals?"
"Did you hear any noise at all?"
"GAH!" Lex jumped his phone clattering to the ground as Harry appeared behind him. "For Christ's sakes Harry! Don't do that! I could have had other people in here."
"First of all, you were talking about magic so I assumed you were alone. Second of all, I've been here since you said you had a repeat visit, I was just invisible and silenced."
"Give me some warning next time. Please!"
Having gotten the details of what the thieves wanted, namely money, Harry and Brunhilde came up with a suitable plan. They would follow the thieves' entire plan except the part about coming alone and not doing anything stupid… Harry was a big fan of stupid, well… this kind of stupid.
"Why are we out here? Shouldn't we be in there with Lex?"
Clark, Brunhilde, Amara, Laura and Scott were currently stationed at strategic points around the meat locker where Lex had been instructed to meat them… meet them. Jean was hovering above them out of sight. Clark was partnered with Brunhilde as he was considered the rookie or trainee.
"Harry is more than capable of handling anyone that attempts to hurt Lex. Just remember that you are not to engage with your powers if it comes to that."
"They're here." Clark jumped as he heard Harry's voice in his head. "They appear to have phased straight through the walls, they are armed with guns."
"That is creepy." Clark shuddered.
"Focus Clark." Brunhilde warned.
"Where did the walls go?" Clark asked as he suddenly had a clear view of the inside of the locker. He knew he wasn't using his x-ray vision.
"Worry not, Clark, Harry has just made them invisible." She assured them. She burst out laughing as the startled thugs tried running. They didn't realise the walls were still there and smashed into them, at least one of them was out cold and the others were severely dazed.
"That's it? All of us came out here for that?" Clark asked in disappointment.
"Clark, remember; the best won battle is the one that is won before the first punch is thrown or the first shot is fired. This was a most successful night."
