Clark didn't make it back to Earth until the following day. By that point Hal had headed off to the Lantern's planet of Oa to learn more about his duties. Carol had returned home and to her work but there were at least two interested potential investors in Lex and Amara. Amara was speaking on behalf of Harry who usually spoke on behalf of the family.

Clark was having issues with his hearing and eyesight. He had realised during Hal's battle with Parallax that he could see much further than he normally could. Now he was having trouble as his eyes could see things at a microscopic level. After spending the better part of a day alone in the silence of space, his return to Earth was an assault on his senses, both smell and hearing as everything was far too strong. He followed the smell of baked goods from space all the way to France before he realised what was going on. He then spent twenty minutes zipping around Paris and taking out muggers, rapists and other criminals as he heard them.

It was evening when he got home and the news channels were showing images of Superman from all over the world going on a crime-stopping spree.

"Congratulations Clark. Superman just became a household name." Laura smirked.

"That wasn't what I was going for." Clark said as he buried his head in his hands. "I could hear all those people begging for help and… I couldn't leave them."

"You can still hear them. Can't you?" Scott said quietly. Scott was finally back at work now that the real criminals were in jail, Tess still came to help Laura give self-defence lessons as she seemed to enjoy it.

Clark just nodded.

"Oh Clark." Martha said mournfully as she put an arm around her son.

"I hated living in the city." Ryan spoke up. It was early evening and Martha and Jonathan had popped over to pick up Ryan from Lorna's school. "I could hear everyone's thoughts and dreams. It was horrible." He whispered.

"But your control is coming along nicely." Jean assured him with a smile full of a teacher's pride. "You can't hear what any of us are thinking right now can you?"

Ryan smiled and nodded. "Only Mom, Dad, Lana Chloe, Lex and Tess. And only if I want to."

"What about Kyla?" Chloe asked curiously.

"I'm a trained Amazon." Kyla grinned. "We learnt how to protect our minds from Queen Amara… well, they will at least. I learnt from other Amazons and they learnt from Her Majesty. But I don't think that will be for another year or so. It took me that long to become proficient."

"I like Harry's mind. His dragon always reminds me I'm safe." Ryan said surely.

"Which explains why I feel fairly vulnerable at the moment." Lex quipped. "Lionel keeps pestering me about his hi-jacked truck and demanding it back, I hate to think what he wants with all that Kryptonite."

"I had an interesting encounter with your genetic donor today." Chloe spoke up. "I went down to the hospital to see if the driver was awake and willing to give an interview. Lionel was there."

"Don't call him our 'genetic donor'… I hate being reminded I have anything of his." Tess shuddered.

Chloe smiled but completely understood. "Well, he says that the truck being his wasn't a secret. But that he is offering a reward to get it back. He even offered to pay for an advertisement about the reward for info in the Torch."

"And what did you tell him, Miss Sullivan?" Emma asked with a raised eyebrow.

"That he had to talk with my Editor and you." She smirked. "I actually enjoyed passing the buck this time."

"Yeah, thanks for that." Lana grumbled. "Do we have a policy or judgment on that sort of request, Principal Frost?"

"Yes, firstly, we wouldn't put anything so reckless in the school newspaper. I don't want my students putting themselves in danger. Secondly, if you agree Miss Lang, I believe you can step down as Editor now as I believe Miss Sullivan has proven herself worthy of the position once more."

"Thank you!" Lana cried out. "You are on your own Sullivan!" She said as she cackled madly at her non-identical blonde friend.

"You aren't getting off that easy Lang. I've been writing the same stories I wrote as Editor and I can tell you that people are buying it more for your articles. I bring in the ones who look for the headlines, you bring in the actual subscribers." Chloe smirked.

"As long as I don't have to proof read everything and deal with all the administrative stuff. I get enough practice with that at work."

"Fed up with it already?" Scott asked Lana with a small smile.

"Just the idiots. It's worth it every time I see a couple at a table. It's another reminder that the place where my parents met is still there."

"Speaking of parents, how goes things with Henry?" Dani asked.

"Not so good." She admitted sadly. "We get on well, but his wife… she was looking to divorce him, I don't know if she just doesn't like me or that I was taking him away from his family too much, but we agreed to not see each other for a while, at least until he can sort out his marriage and try and save it."

"You do realise it sounds like you're dating the man?" Tess asked.

Lana laughed. "We said the same thing, but if your Mom was married and had kids you'd probably be facing the same problem."

"And that leads us neatly into asking about you and you're mother." Dani grinned.

"We are doing fine." Tess said with a mild glare at Dani. "We are talking, she has one or two stories about me before I was kidnapped. We are planning on going away together for the summer."

"Not taking Lex with you?" Dani asked.

"I… hopefully, will be on my honeymoon." Lex said proudly.

There was a round of congratulations and a promise of retribution from Jean to have words with Helen for not telling her.

"Clark, I know I asked you before, but would you be my best man… again?" Lex asked causing the others to laugh.

"Are we sure Helen's good enough for him?" Clark asked Emma seriously.

"She's been fending off Lionel to protect Lex. She'll do fine." Emma assured him.

"Alright, I guess I should come up with a new speech." Clark mused.

"Just don't go meeting this one on the wedding night." Lex said with a playful glare.

"I intend to be far away that night. Preferably on Oa or with Thor, Sif and Loki."


Sheriff Adams was fairly surprised to be invited down to the school the next day. Given the rather fractious relationship she had with the Head of the School and her family she thought she would have to get a warrant. Principal Frost informed her that the truck driver had told Miss Sullivan that the attackers wore alien masks. The school had a policy of cooperation with the law and had conducted a search of the lockers that revealed Eric Marsh as one of the perpetrators. He was quickly escorted away.

Adams was disconcerted and highly suspicious when Lionel Luthor bailed the boy out less than half-an-hour later and accepted responsibility for him, the boy was a minor but had his parent's permission.

Brunhilde and Clark took to tailing the boy as Clark was forbidden from the school for a week until he had his strength under control. Most of the criminals he caught when he got back to Earth had broken bones and the doors of the castle needed putting back on their hinges. Earl just laughed as he put it on his to-do list.

They eventually tracked Eric to a foundry where he met up with his accomplices who were also fellow students. They heard them talking about returning part of the kryptonite to Luthor for a huge reward.

"Stay here Clark." Brunhilde whispered. "There is far too much Kryptonite in there for you to do anything but piss Jean and Harry off by collapsing."

Clark just glared as she walked into the foundry.

"Children. Get down on your knees and put your hands behind your head. The Sheriff is on the way." She ordered.

At first they looked shocked, but then they noticed that she was alone.

"You think you can stop us?" Eric laughed. "We'll be gone long before the Sheriff gets here. As for you, well we can't have a witness, Luthor wouldn't like that. Shame as you are quite the sexy thing."

"Can I assume that you are refusing to comply?" Brunhilde enquired with a raised eyebrow.

"Comply? How about you comply whilst we kill you." Eric snarled as he moved forward quickly to punch Hilde in the face.

It was a clumsy swing and regardless of the strength and speed, Hilde saw it from a mile away and was nowhere near where it landed. She charged her hand with a stunner and landed a chop to the back of the boy's neck sending him to the floor unconscious.

"Shall we continue or would you like to try your untrained hands as well?" She asked patronisingly.

Both boys charged together and Clark just winced as they were easily put down by one of his combat trainers. Nowadays he could take them on in a fight but he knew that if he lost his powers they would wipe the floor with him. They encouraged him to fight with his powers but also made sure to improve his technique.

"I miss a real challenge." Hilde sighed despondently.

"Thanks." Clark said sarcastically as he walked up behind her.

She laughed at his pout. "You are turning into a fine fighter Clark, but you lack the experience to make sparring what it should be. In order to defeat me you need to rely on your powers and that ends the match far too quickly. Sparring with Laura becomes far too repetitive for us both."

"I promise to try and get better." Clark said solemnly with a hint of a smile.

"Mr. Kent, and Mrs. Potter. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to find you here." Sheriff Adams said unhappily as she walked into the foundry with a couple of deputies in tow.

"No, you shouldn't. Especially as I identified myself when I called you." Hilde pointed out causing one of the deputies to receive a glare from his boss when a laugh escaped him.

"Is that your work?" Adams asked as she pointed to the three insensate bodies.

"Unfortunately Mr. Marsh and his school friends sought to kill me when I informed them they were being taken into custody."

"It was fairly pathetic." Clark chimed in. "Eric might be able to swing a bat but Brunhilde is a highly skilled martial arts instructor." He said as the sheriff and her deputies looked at him sceptically.

"You expect me to believe that Mrs. Potter here took out three substantially bulky young men all by herself whilst you just sat back and watched?"

"Of course not. That's what the camcorder is for." Clark smiled helpfully as he showed them the device.

Adams decided to ignore it for now. At least it would help in putting the boys away for a while. "I suppose Luthor will be wanting his cargo back." She mused.

"I don't believe Mr. Luthor will want to claim that as his." Brunhilde said. "Kryptonite has been labelled as a dangerous substance and you require a licence to handle it. At present LexCorp holds the state licence for disposal or storage. If Luthor claims it you will be forced to arrest him."

"Could you let us know when if he tries, Chloe will probably want pictures for the Torch and the Planet." Clark requested.

Clark was actually getting on Adam's nerves. "Mrs. Potter, perhaps you should take Mr. Kent home. I will call you in later to take your statement, for now the recording will do."

"Come along Clark." Brunhilde ordered calmly. As they made it a few steps away she let a smirk cross her face. "You are spending far too much time with Harry if you found that enjoyable."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Only for the Sheriff's sanity."


Lex, Tess, Brunhilde and Amara were at the LexCorp Fertiliser plant discussing the hand over of the Kryptonite for disposal whilst Gabe Sullivan dealt with the paperwork. Taking pictures nearby was Chloe who thought that it might make a decent side story for the Torch and she wanted to see if The Planet was interested as Kryptonite was fairly rare.

The Kryptonite Disposal Facility was actually a newly built structure several hundred metres away from the main plant. The process for handling the deadly substance was Kryptonian based on what Harry witnessed from Clark's ship but the family had managed to classify the whole thing, it would take a ruling from the government to force them to reveal the process. But the end results were pure clear meteor rocks with no radiation output.

Once they were finished with the transfer and destruction Lex and Gabe were called to the security gate. There they found one Lionel Luthor and his bastard son Lucas.

"I have here a court order demanding you return my property." Lionel said imperiously.

Lex glanced at the document before handing it to Amara. "I'll need to see your licence to handle this dangerous substance." Lex said calmly.

"The court order will deal with that." Lionel said dismissively.

Amara gave a nod to Brunhilde who walked off and pulled out her phone.

"I'm afraid this court order is not enough. Without the licence we are prohibited by law from allowing you or anyone else to take the kryptonite." Amara informed him.

"That court order-"

"Does not comply with the law and the judge in question will likely need to explain himself to a federal court and possibly Congress." Amara interrupted.

"If you refuse to hand over my property I will just call in the Sheriff."

"She's already on the way." Brunhilde stated. "She will be here in five minutes and asked that I request you await her arrival."

The group moved away about twenty feet whilst Lionel and Lucas were left glaring at them from outside the gate whilst two burly guards kept them there.

"Why hasn't he just applied for a licence?" Chloe asked.

"He has." Lex smirked. "But the Lunar Society for the Protection of Earth denied him one."

"Lunar Society, who are they?"

"That would be what Harry does with his money. Instead of impeding on the current economy and business he set up an organisation that would monitor various aspects of what happens on Earth to prevent catastrophes like Chernobyl. The Society has strong links with the Nuclear Regulatory Authority." Brunhilde explained.

"Who is on the Committee?" She asked.

"Harry and Jean, Virgil is being inducted, Alfred, Earl and Cassandra."

"That's an unusual bunch, I didn't think the last three had the qualifications or relevant education for that sort of thing."

"Alfred has some due to his SAS training. Earl and Cassandra don't need it, they are the moral members. Also… Cassandra can sometimes get a read on the applicant when she shakes their hand." Amara explained.

"Why hasn't this been in the papers?"

"When was the last time you heard of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority?" Lex asked with a small smile.

"Right, no news is good news. Just not for a reporter." She sighed causing the others to chuckle.

"What the hell is that twerp doing?" Tess said angrily as she started running to the guard post.

Lucas was attacking the guards and trying to get away.

The group reached the post and Brunhilde quickly put the foolish boy down.

"Sheriff, just in time." Amara said angrily. "You saw?"

"I did." Adams said with a stern look at Lucas. "Lucas Luthor, you are under arrest for the assault on two men. Deputy, read him his rights."

The young deputy walked forward and cuffed the struggling teen and walked him off.

"Now, Mr. Lionel Luthor, I understand from Mrs Potter that you are claiming the recovered Kryptonite is yours but that you cannot produce the licence for the stuff."

"I have a court order that supersedes that." Lionel said dismissively.

"The court order doesn't interest me. What interests me is that you are saying that the truck that was attacked was carrying your Kryptonite?"

Lionel frowned, he could sense he was in a dodgy position here but couldn't figure out why. "That is not what I am saying. I am saying that the recovered Kryptonite is being handed over to me by the court."

"Actually the court order states that the Kryptonite should be returned to Lionel Luthor." Amara said as she examined the document.

"In that case, you are under arrest for the illegal possession of hazardous and dangerous materials."

"Are you really going to waste your time trying this? We both know the charges won't stick and that I'll be out for dinner."

"Actually, you won't be eligible for bail." Lex spoke up with a smirk. "Kryptonite is considered on par with other radioactive isotopes. Possession is a terrorist offence. You will be picked up by the FBI and taken to Washington."

"Damn." Chloe muttered as she realised she was going to miss out on a huge story.


Scott was finishing up some paperwork later that evening when a very pale Lana stumbled into his office at the Talon.

"Lana, what's wrong?" He asked as he led her to the sofa that was against the wall, he often used it for catching a nap after an adventure that ran late.

"I think I saw a ghost." She whispered.

"What did it look like?" Scott asked.

Lana couldn't believe that Scott wasn't questioning her sanity. He gave her a small knowing smile and she realised that Scott's best friend was Death.

"My old friend, Emily Dinsmore. But she died years ago." Lana explained. "And there was a movie playing on the screen, it was an old home movie of us as kids."

"Ok, we can take a look and see what we can find. Harry would be best here as he can call on Emily's soul to see if she is here. But Laura and Clark will be able to track any strange scents." He assured her.

"Ghosts leave smells?"

"Sort of, but they won't be checking for ghosts, they will be checking for someone or something out of place."


Chloe couldn't believe she was flying in a jet. A private jet. Amara had decided not to deny Chloe the opportunity to cover this story, the girl was eager to be one of her Amazons and she and Lana would be offered the chance over the summer break. She took the care and development of her subjects very seriously. Amara needed to be in Washington to liaise with the federal authorities about Luthor's criminal activities and Virgil was accompanying them as part of the Lunar Society. Virgil wasn't entirely happy as he had to play up the invalid role and stay in his wheel chair. Although he was allowed to use his hands now and not rely on the respirator.

In the back of the plane with two FBI agents from the Metropolis office was Lionel Luthor, securely shackled in an orange jumpsuit.

He had complained bitterly at first until Amara had threatened to put him in the cargo hold.

He had tried to call abuse to his guards but they had offered to watch him themselves. It was clear Luthor had no friends on this ride.

Chloe was getting the whole thing down, complete with pictures.


"That's my favourite dress."

Lana spun around to see little Emily Dinsmore sitting happily on her bed.

Lana was very worried, the castle was supposed to be very safe, everyone said Harry put lot's of protections on the place, Thor and Loki had even added their own protections when they where there.

She was sure she wasn't hallucinating. Her head didn't feel fuzzy, her vision wasn't blurred and her hearing was crystal clear. She was sure Emily was there.

"Emily-"

She was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in!" She said frantically.

The door opened to show Harry standing there.

"Harry, you're back. I'd like to introduce you to-" Lana frowned as the bed was now vacant one small girl.

"Emily Dinsmore?" Harry offered helpfully.

"You saw her?" She said hopefully.

"No, Scott told me. Was she just here?"

"She was sitting on the bed."

Harry walked over and carefully examined the bedspread. "Ok, good news bad news. Someone or something was in this room. Bad news, you were the only soul in this room."

"What does that mean?" She asked as she sank into her desk chair.

"Absolutely nothing good. I will need to get a DNA sample to compare with the DNA here but based on what I am seeing, your childhood friend might have been cloned."

"So there is an Emily Dinsmore out there right now?"

"No. Very much no." Harry said firmly. "You remember what I said about you being the only soul? In my home world all clones created were soulless. Scott's world was a bit better but the souls were badly damaged, it's the reason the Trips and Laura bonded with me, to stabilise their souls.

"Clones without souls… beings without souls are the foulest of the foul. They are without morals or conscience. They will do what they want to get what they want and they won't care about anyone who gets in their way."

"What does this mean for Emily?" Lana asked sadly.

"Emily is dead, happily enjoying her existence on the other side. Whatever that thing is that is visiting you… it needs to be put down quickly."

Lana looked horrified.

"That thing is not truly alive Lana." Harry said earnestly. "Without a soul it will never be truly alive."

"Can't we give her a soul? Can't I give her part of my soul like you did with the others?" She asked as tears began to fill her eyes.

"Sweet Lana. Always so caring." Lana was startled by the soft voice as Aphrodite appeared beside her and hugged her. "Creating a soul is sacred task, it must be done with caution. The gods do not do so lightly and only the heads of the pantheons would even dare try, I was only allowed to create my Amazons with Love's blessing."

"But she seemed so real." Lana cried.

"But it's not me, Lana."

Lana turned to see the ethereal form of a twenty-year-old Emily standing next to Harry.

"Emily?" She gasped.

"In the spirit." Emily said with a soft smile. "I died long ago, this thing walking around is nothing more than a shell with my face and memories. It has no morals, let Lord Death deal with it, don't let it continue as all it will do is cause hurt and use my name and face to do so. I don't want you to remember me like that." She pleaded.

"But… maybe you could come back and… "

"Lana, I told you before, bringing the dead back is not right. Only truly exceptional circumstances would move me to do so." Harry explained calmly.

"But- but it's my fault you died!" Lana cried in distress.

"Lana Lang! You will not say that again, ever!" Emily said sternly.

"But it's true! I couldn't save you!"

"You were ten! That's why you couldn't save me! It was an accident Lana, I still remember seeing your crying face as the current took me away. It still hurts to see you so sad. Please, just remember the good times, remember I love you and I hope you can come stay with me, or at least visit." She said with wry smile.

"I miss you." Lana said tearfully from Aphrodite's arms.

"I miss you too, now dry your tears and forget about that clone. Go spend some time with your living friends. If you ask him real nice, Lord Death might help me visit you now and again." She said teasingly.

"Why do you call him Lord Death? He doesn't usually like that." She asked as she glanced at Harry who just rolled his eyes.

"Lord Death is the reason the Afterlife is so good. All those evil souls that he kills, if they where allowed to crossover we would have to always watch our backs, but he destroys them. He may never get to come here, but he is, without a doubt one of the afterlife's greatest and beloved heroes."

"I love you Emily."

"I love you Lana. Be happy, for me." Emily said with a wave as she began to fade away.

Lana looked to Harry sadly. "Thank you."

Harry just nodded and backed out of the room leaving Lana in Aphrodite's capable hands.


Chloe watched as Lionel was loaded into the back of a military van. She wasn't allowed to take pictures or divulge any of what she saw since she reached the hanger where an Army General was waiting with a squad of men and convoy of army vehicles. She watched with interest as the FBI agents accepted the transfer papers and Lionel was handed over. As the convoy pulled off she turned to Amara.

"What will happen to him now?"

"Hard to say. Lionel still has a lot of power, he could still get out of this."

"What about the story?" She asked as she held up her notepad.

"If Pauline can get it out quick enough then it may help in knocking down his reputation, but it is unlikely to affect whatever the justice system has in store for him or what he can pull out of his hat."

"It stinks, but in the end, money is power." Virgil added from his wheelchair. "It's why I got out of the business world. Too much can be bought and paid for. For the right price too much can be ignored."

"Which is why Harry always works to eliminate the need for currency in the world. North Korea has no monetary system. The people get what they need and they can build want they want with magic." Amara explained.

"What about import and export?" Chloe asked.

"The country is fairly self sufficient. With the need for internal currency eliminated there is a wealth of precious metals sitting in vaults and safes that can be used for international trade."


Clark, Lex and Laura stood outside the door to Mr. Dinsmore's house. Lex had told them that Dinsmore was supposed to be working on a growth acceleration formula to increase the speed of growing crops and herds. There wasn't supposed to be anything about cloning, the closest thing was that he worked with rabbit embryos.

Lex knocked on the door as Clark scanned the house with his x-ray vision and Laura confirmed that the same scent from Lana's room was around the house.

"Mr. Luthor- sorry, I mean Mr. Matheson, is there a problem?" Mr. Dinsmore asked.

"Yes Peter there is, you know exactly what the problem is. Emily has been visiting Lana Lang." Lex stated without preamble.

"Emily? Emily who?"

Peter Dinsmore collapsed under a blast of red light. Lex and Clark turned to Laura who just shrugged. "We don't need to argue with him. We will take him to Jean and she can read his mind and as long as he wasn't being malicious she can remove all knowledge of cloning and maybe add some suggestions to seek counselling."

Lex shrugged and waved his hand sending Dinsmore to one of the cells in the castle dungeon just like the others had taught him.

They went through the house searching for any reference to Emily being alive since her death. When they completed that they moved to the secret lab Clark had spotted through the walls.

"My god! He had back ups?" Lex asked in horror as they saw two clones of Emily.

"I don't think so, I think these were trials, maybe they didn't come out right." Laura suggested.

"He had to have known this was wrong and unethical though." Clark argued.

"I've seen people do crazy things when they become obsessed, reason and morals don't often figure into it." She said sadly.

"This one's heart is beating!" Clark called out urgently. He was shocked when the clone's eyes snapped open and he stumbled backwards knocking a vial to the floor. Clark collapsed in agony.

"Damn it Clark, pay more attention to your surroundings!" Laura snapped as Lex waved a hand, clearing the liquid kryptonite away.

"Sorry, it's just she startled me, she opened her eyes."

Laura moved to the clone and looked closely at it. She waved her hand in front of its eyes. "I don't think this one has a consciousness. Probably one of the failed experiments."

"The other is dead, but… not decomposing." Clark announced. "What do we do with them?"

"We burn the place down." Laura said firmly.

"All of it? What about all his belongings and photos?" Clark asked.

"All of it Clark. We can't risk cloning technology getting out, the heartbreak it can cause is immense, and that's if you don't take into account the personal violation of stealing a persons DNA.

"You two head outside, I'm going to be using a magical fire to burn this place. It might be dangerous to you Clark."

Clark nodded, he wasn't happy but he had learnt to trust Laura's judgement and that of the others.


Peter Dinsmore woke up groggily; he vaguely remembered a fire in his house and then nothing. He sat up quickly to find himself in a hospital room.

"Mr. Dinsmore, you're awake."

Sitting in the corner watching him was a young teenage girl with beautiful features and ebony hair. She reminded him of- "Lana? Lana Lang?" He asked.

Lana nodded. "I heard what happened to your house and you. I wanted to make sure you were ok."

A dark expression crossed his face. "I don't need you checking up on me Lana. Go home." He said bitterly.

Lana's gaze fell to the floor as the hurt hit her hard. She knew he blamed her for Emily's death, but hearing it was still horrible. "I just wanted to leave you this." She said as she placed a photo album on the soft chair she had been using. "The fire-fighters say you lost everything, I wanted you to have something from Emily."

Without another word she left the room and started walking down the corridor. "He didn't take it well?"

Lana looked up to see Kyla, Chloe and the Cuckoos standing there.

"No Kyla, he didn't. He still blames me." She said sadly.

"Really." Kyla said her face as dark as Clark's thunderstorms.

"It's ok, I can't blame him." Lana said.

"That's because you're a good person. I, on the other hand am an Amazon." She said as she marched past Lana and banged into the room.

"Wow… so much for subtlety." Chloe said with wide eyes.

Celeste laughed. "Kyla has truly embraced being an Amazon. The Amazons are children of Aphrodite, Aphrodite has made at least one personal visit to comfort Lana."

"What does that mean?" Lana asked.

"It means that in Kyla's eyes you are favoured by her goddess." Mindee answered. "An insult to the favoured of the gods is an insult on the gods."

"She won't… do anything to him will she?" Chloe asked worriedly.

"Like we said, she's a true Amazon." Phoebe smiled with pride. "She is a warrior but that is not the purpose of an Amazon. Their role is to spread love and compassion on behalf of their goddess."

"You head off, I'll wait for Kyla." Phoebe instructed the others.