By StoryMaker8931
Clark came home from school the same time he normally always did, but when he came inside his house, where his parents were waiting for him, they both noticed something was odd about him. His clothing was covered with dirt and mud, and his hair was messy, and coated with what seemed to be some black crimson liquid. Martha and Jonathan were afraid to ask what was going on at first, but when they finally found the courage too, it was Jonathan who spoke.
''Everything all right, son?'' he asked, unsure if he wanted the actual answer, or rather a fake answer, Clark would give them. As Clark walked through the living room to get close to them, he stood next to the kitchen counter with a simple expression. From the outside, Clark seemed fine, but the inside, his appearance was one that needed to be explained. He'd figured that out from his parent's odd expressions toward him.
''Everything's fine. Why do you ask? Is it because of all this?'' he asked, pointing down at his clothing, that was covered with ominous dirt stains, and still what seemed to be blood. Martha's eyes softened as she came over to her son. Looking him in the eyes, scanning every inch of his face, trying to find any sort of problem, but came up empty.
''You'd tell us if something happened? Wouldn't you?'' she asked, her voice soft and worried.
''Of course.'' Clark replied. ''Nothing happened, just got in some trouble with some guys on the football team, let's just say my article for the Torch, will have to be put on pause for a while.''
''Clark, you shouldn't allow people to beat up on you! You need to stand up for yourself?!'' Jonathan shouted, coming over to his son, as he took in the rather size-able amounts of black stains and blood that covered his son. Placing a hand on his shoulder, Clark found his eyes quickly. Frowning, he took over the soft demeanor that his father was showing him, and replaced his frown with the same old, sweet smile.
''I know, Dad. But they're not worth it. Trust me.'' Clark took a few breaths, as he moved himself past his parents. Taking a quick glance behind him, and past his shoulder, he smiled at both of them. Reassuring them that everything was fine, as he desperately wanted to go upstairs to take a shower.
Martha and Jonathan passed each other the same expression, as Jonathan was the first to break the silence between them. ''What do you think?'' he asked. Martha brought her eyes away from the sight of the stairs, as she turned them towards her husband. Unsure what to say next, she nodded.
''He seems all right, I see nothing wrong? Besides, this isn't the first time the football players have had it out for him. Remember the first time?! He became a scarecrow. He didn't tell us about it for days, because he was worried about ruining our view of Whitney. Remember?'' she hissed. Jonathan nodded as he brought his fingers along through his hair.
''Your right, sweetheart. Maybe that's it.''
''Has to be? What else could it be?''
''I'm not sure, but I have this odd feeling inside, a feeling he's not telling us everything...''
''He's a teenager, Martha. Since when do teenagers inform their parents about everything? Doesn't sound like any teenager I'd ever met.'' he breathed.
''But Clark isn't like every normal teenager? He normally informs us when something's wrong. I don't think this is just teenage emotions, Jonathan?''
''I don't know what to say, sweetheart? If Clark doesn't want to open up to us, because he's embarrassed, then I don't think we can make him. If it were something dangerous, or that had his safety at risk, I'd certainly be doing what you're doing right now, and pushing the subject, but he said he's fine, and nothing about him looks different, so I think we should just leave it alone, for now. But if he comes home tomorrow, looking like that again, then I say we push it? All right, hon?'' Jonathan nodded. Martha drew a breath as she sighed. Closing her eyes in defeat as she reopened them after a few seconds. .
''I trust you, so I'll agree.'' she whispered. ''But if something seems off tomorrow when he comes home, then we're pressing the subject further.''
''Of course, hon.'' Jonathan smiled. ''In the meantime, I'm going to start on some chores that need to be done. When you see Clark, tell him I'll wait for him outside.'' As Jonathan headed towards the door, and disappeared outside, he bit down on his bottom lip, eager to forget everything, as he tried to tell himself nothing was wrong. But as he thought more and more about the situation, he couldn't seem to make his thoughts leave him.
Even when one of those thoughts had an image of what seemed to be a faded out bloody handprint, along the side of Clark's face, followed by dust from a green meteor rock stained on Clark's hands...what was really going on?
As Clark headed down the stairs after having his shower, and changing his clothing, which was now a dark blue and white shirt, and a pair of matching blue jeans. He cleaned off all the stains from his face, as he came down with a smile. Martha, who was waiting for him at the kitchen table, drinking a glass of tea in her hands, as her head rose when she saw him.
"Feeling better, Clark?" She asked softly. Clark nodded as he slowly re-positioned his shirt, so it better fit him, and opened his mouth to reply.
"Much better now that I don't smell like blood anymore..." he smiled. Martha got an even worse feeling in her stomach as he said this.
"So...the blood? You're telling me it's yours, right?" She whispered.
"Well it's not anyone else's, Mom." Clark replied, a confused smile on his face. "Why are you asking me that? You don't think I hurt someone, do you?"
"Of course not! I'm just worried about you!" She shouted rising from her chair, her fingers pushing back the glass of tea in front of her, as she walked over to approach Clark. "When your son comes home from school, covered in blood, it points some red flags!"
"I already told you before? I had some problems with some of the football players, when I threatened to uncover a story about how they've been cheating through the entire year! That's all! They didn't like it, so they decided to beat me?! What else is there to say?" Clark gritted his teeth through the defense, his eyes were widened as he felt like storming out of the house to make a point to his mom but stopped himself, before making matters worse.
"I don't understand what's going on with you, Clark. How were they able to hurt you, that you were able to bleed? Was Lana's necklace around?" She whispered.
"I was too out of it to notice, but now that you say it, maybe there was. That would explain all of my blood, all over my clothes." Clark's tone was fiery as he said those words, and as he did, Martha closed her mouth, not wanting to proceed and push the conversation anymore.
"Your father needs you outside, said something about some chores, probably needs you to lift something's...you should get out there." She sighed.
"Sure mom..." Clark hissed as he headed across the floor, and disappeared out the door. As he left, Martha was left in a trashy like state. The pit in her stomach increased as she took in the bad feeling she had towards Clark. Even if Jonathan didn't think so, there was something wrong with Clark. Something more than just a fight with the football players. Something that didn't explain all the blood covering him. As she thought more about it, she managed to escape up the stairs, where she ducked into his bedroom. Scanning around, until she bit her lip after finding the few amounts of clothing he'd once worn that still had fresh blood on it. Hoping Chloe could help her, she escaped out the back, with the clothes in her hands.
As the thought grew differently, she knew the person she needed to see wasn't Chloe, but Lex...
Lex fought desperately to put out all the fires, most of them were able to be dealt with right away, aside from a few that were raging higher than the ceiling itself. As he fought to keep fresh air in his lungs, he stopped some of his work team and gave them many more orders to follow his lead. With buckets of water in their hands, they each fought to dose the fire in the cold water. After a few minuets of proceeding the same process the fire was able to go out, and Lex was able to get some sweet air back into his lungs, from the amount of air mixed with smoke he'd been getting for at least ten minutes. Once the lab he'd been working in looked to be safe again, he swore under his breath once he was able to figure out the main cause.
As angry as he was there wasn't time to blow his top, he made his way down the long narrow hall, as two scientists followed rather quickly behind him. Each of them seemed to be trying to talk to him, but Lex was in too much of a rush to make sure his latest project was safe, and secured he wouldn't have it either way, to listen to them.
''Sir, please! This is super important! Something has gone wrong with the prototype!'' One of them shouted. The voice belonged to a female scientist. Dressed in nothing but a long white lab coat, followed by large black glasses. Her hair was light and her skin was pale, followed by green eyes, and as Lex fought the anger he felt deep inside, he tried to keep himself as calm as possible. As he turned around so he could make eye contact with her, he waited, and listened.
''What's wrong?'' he hissed.
''Turns out the fires were started by the prototype. We haven't been able to locate him, for many hours. I fear he's gotten outside...'' she said panicked, and worried, as her eyes were anything but focused. Lex clenched down on the bottom row of his teeth, the anger completely leaving his body, as there was nothing but panic and worry now.
''Send our entire team out! Make sure they check each and every single street! We need to find Project Nova, before he hurts someone.'' Lex ordered.
''Where do you think he'd go, sir?'' asked a male scientist, eager to hear the answer.
''I have no idea, the prototype knows one thing, and one thing only. How to blend in. If we don't find and put a stop to it, things could end very badly for everyone...''
''Put an end to it? Really sir? If we destroy it, there might not be another chance to create another one?! Project Nova will be dead before it even starts?!'' hissed the male scientist.
''It doesn't matter now!'' Lex hissed, cutting off the scientist before he could fight against his orders. ''The prototype is too dangerous! I'm beginning to wonder why creating it was such a good idea, after all? And giving it powers? What were we thinking?. Right now, we need to work on finding it and containing it, then we can come up with a plan to see if we can restore this so far horrible project? Understand?!''
Both scientists nodded as they both fled the scene, returning to the workplace, as each and every available worker, had their eyes glued to monitors, as they started guiding workers that were sent outside, with further intrusions on containing the prototype.
As Lex returned to his office at Luthorcorp Mansion, he was unaware, and surprised to see a guest waiting for him, inside. With a rather surprised expression, he relaxed himself, and went to shake her hand.
'' ? To what do I owe this surprise visit?'' he asked. Martha shrugged her shoulders slowly, as she held up the two pieces of clothing, still stained, with what Clark told her, to be his own blood. But even though she trusted him, she needed further evidence, to finalize anything. Right now, she was feeling too unsure of everything, to believe anyone.
''I need you to test these clothes.''
''And what would I be looking for, exactly?'' Lex asked.
''Clark's DNA. I need to know if he's telling the truth...'' she replied, her voice soft, and completely unsure of herself and everyone else. Right now, she could barely function with all the terror she felt.
''Why would Clark's DNA be on here?''
''Lex, please? I just need to know, I can't explain right now. I just need to know the truth, I need to know he wasn't lying to me.'' Martha pleaded. Lex stared at her for a few seconds as he let out a sigh. Walking to his office phone, he dialed a number, and spoke into it. Martha who listened to him, order his staff to come to test the clothing, watched with what seemed to be less terror, and more delight on her face, as she was finally going to be able to see for herself, that the one person she was supposed to love, and trust, wasn't lying to her about his story. She suddenly felt better, as the doors to the office opened, and a man wearing a black suit, came through the doors.
''Make sure those clothes are tested for any DNA, and report back to me.'' Lex told him. The man nodded, as he reached for the shirt and pants, proceeding to leave the room, as the doors closed behind him.
''What suddenly made it so hard for you to trust Clark?'' Lex asked.
''I'm not capable of talking about it right now, Lex. So please don't ask me again.'' Martha breathed.
''Your right, I'm sorry. I'm just curious. Mostly wondering if he's started to lie to you as well, seems I'm his favorite person to lie too these days...wish I knew why?''
''Clark has his reasons...that's all I can say.''
''Which makes me wonder why you're here, getting my team to test some DNA on his clothing? Makes me wonder how much he's really telling you and your husband...'' Lex breathed.
''I trust my son...''
''I believe you. You don't need to explain yourself to me, Mrs. Kent. I only want to know if there's some criminal activity involved here, cause if so? I could get in some real trouble for what you're asking me to do?''
''There's not, Lex. So you won't have to worry about that.''
''Does Jonathan know what your doing? Does he know your here, asking me for my services?'' Lex prided.
''No, he doesn't. This was my choice, and my choice alone. I'm doing this simply because as a mother, as his mother, I'm worried.''
''Worried Clark might be slipping down into a world of crime? Seems harsh...''
''I don't expect you to understand? You're not a father...nor will you ever know what it feels like to be a mother worried about the safety of her child. Come back to me when you know something about that, Lex.'' Martha breathed, mumbling under her breath. ''How long does the testing usually take?''
Lex slowly stepped behind his desk, taking a seat in his big comfortable desk chair, as he brought the chair closer to the desk. Logging onto his computer, and slowly staring at the small clock in the corner of the screen, it read ten o'clock. As he slowly shallow-ed, from the dryness in his throat, he replied. ''Shouldn't be but a few minutes. I'm honestly surprised you didn't go to Chloe about this...seeming as you trust her more?''
''I trust you, Lex. Which is why I knew you'd be able to help me with this. You're a good friend to Clark, and a good friend to this family. Whether or not Jonathan wants to admit it, you've helped us more times than we can thank you for..'' Lex smiled as she said this. The comment was a great deal of a booster to his ego.
The doors to the office opened just as slowly as they did the first time, and the same man wearing the black suit appeared. In his hands were the same blood stained clothing, but pressed up against his arm, was a long piece of paper, written with black text, and a weird font, he walked up to Lex's desk, and dropped it to the desk. An odd expression on his face, as Lex reached for the paper in his hands. Lex, who instantly read over the information, shared the same expression as the worker. And as he told the worker to leave the room, Martha who was now even more concerned, rose from where she sat, and approached Lex. Wondering with the same knowledge he had, to what the text said.
''What's wrong, Lex?'' she asked.
''The blood is a perfect match to Clark's, he wasn't lying to you.'' he breathed. Martha felt suddenly relieved. So Jonathan had been right. Clark wasn't hiding anything important from them, it was just him being a teenager. As she turned to leave, to return to her home, she was unable to miss the sudden last minute bit of information.
''Project Nova...'' she made out, from Lex's sudden whispers.
''Is that supposed to mean something to me?'' she asked, worriedly.
'' ?! Where's Clark now?!'' Lex shouted...
''Back at the farm with Jonathan? Why?'' she breathed.
''There's a chance my prototype from a recent project, is heading there as we speak! Your husband and son are in grave danger!...if he hasn't gotten there already?'' Lex's voice became dim and soft, as his mind played many different situations in his head...''There's a chance, Project Nova, might've already made himself comfortable at your farm...'' Lex whispered, his mouth closing, as he and Martha fled from the Luthor Mansion as quickly as possible...
Clark joined Jonathan in the field as quickly as he could, once he saw his father a smile came on his face. Jonathan, who just so happened to have turned around, saw his son's happy face, and waved at him.
''Ready to do some work, son?'' he asked, in a proud happy tone. Clark nodded, as he went to pick up a nearby shovel, the job today was to make some new potholes to help set up a new fence, after the first one got too old and broke apart. A part of it had to do with wet and run down wood from all the times it rained. Clark was sure it wasn't anyone's fault, about what happened, but he was sure the fence should've been replaced a while back.
As he held the shovel in his palm, he noticed something odd. His father, who had his eye placed on an old piece of a tractor. He'd been staring at it for some time now, and Clark was wondering whether or not he should do something. He let go of the shovel in his hand, and let it fall to the ground in the dirt. He walked over to the tractor piece, and picked it up. Jonathan who stared at it, as he noticed Clark was having trouble carrying it, which was odd, since he'd never seen him have problems before.
''Everything alright, Clark?'' he asked, a frown on his face, as he watched Clark.
''I don't know what the problem is? I don't think I've ever had trouble before? Have I?'' he asked, turning to face Jonathan. Jonathan backed away a few feet, as he stared confused.
''Why are you asking me that, son? Their your powers, surely you'd know if you ever had a problem in the past before? Right?''
''Yeah...sure, Dad.''
''Clark? Are you really feeling alright? Do I need to call someone?''
''No, no doctors!'' Clark shouted. ''I'm not comfortable with doctors...you know that...'' Clark whispered.
''Your not Clark...'' Jonathan breathed.
''What?'' Clark asked turning to face Jonathan again, allowing the heavy piece of tractor be where it was.
''Clark never said anything about being comfortable around doctors, he's been around a few doctors in his life, and he's never said anything about doctors...your not Clark...I can see it now, Clark would never have trouble with his strength, not unless there was another solar flare, or something else was seriously wrong. You're not my son! Where is he?!'' Jonathan's face began to turn red, as Clark lowered the smile on his face, returning with an evil glare, as he approached Jonathan, who kept his distance.
''Where's the real Clark?!'' he shouted again. Clark simply smirked, as he was comforted with that name. The name of the person's life he'd taken over.
''Dead and buried!'' Clark shouted. Jonathan's face fell once everything finally made sense. The blood on the clothing...it was really Clark's blood...His eyes widened as he found the oposter's green ones.
''The blood on that clothing...you weren't lying when you said it was Clark's...You just lied when you said it was yours.'' Jonathan felt his world starting to shatter, as the ground around him felt like an earthquake. He fell to his knees almost immediately, unaware of what his fate was yet to become, as Clark approached him. Many purple spliars appeared in his hands as he stared down at the trembling Jonathan.
''It didn't have to be like this...you could've just kept your suspicions to yourself. You and Martha, would've been completely fine..if you'd only ignored your suspicions.'' Clark breathed.
''Who created you? I deserve to know that much.'' Jonathan ordered. ''Who was it?!'' he shouted, his voice picking up as he clenched down on his teeth.
''I am the product of a recent project, invested from LuthorCorp. My full title is Project Nova. I'm a perfect clone of your son. Aside from one small detail, I don't carry the same abilities as he did. These are all I have.'' the imposter said as he held up his palms, with the purple spirals.
''Jonathan!'' Jonathan turned his head to the otherside of the field, where he saw Martha, followed by Lex. The two stopped right in front of the broken down fence, as the imposter Clark turned to stare at the both of them.
''I won't go back there, Luthor!'' he shouted towards Lex. Lex kept his serious expression on, as he slowly reached into his pocket, where he pulled out what looked like a small white remote. The imposter breathed a deep breath before a purple spiral shot towards Martha and Lex. Aiming over their heads, as Martha was sent to the ground. Covering in dust and sand as she turned to stare back at Lex. Lex still held the remote in his hands, as he began coughing up what looked like a mouthful of sand.
''What is Clark talking about?'' she asked. ''Lex clenched down upon his teeth as he ignored her. Pressing the biggest button on the remote, as he aimed the signal top of it straight at where Clark stood. As soon as the button was pushed, many blue and white sparks filled the area around Jonathan and the imposter, as Clark's body began shorting out. As sparks grew more intense, Jonathan found his opening, and he fled past his imposter son standing still in the middle of the field. A horrible expression on his face, as the three of them never took their eyes off him.
''I still got my life...even if it was for a few minutes. '' Those were the imposters last words, as the entire field was set on raging flames. As Martha and Jonathan comforted one another, they turned to Lex, who had just destroyed the remote by stepping down upon it. Jonathan, who made his way up to Lex, had to hold himself back so hard, his thoughts were on fire and his teeth hit from the amount of force he was using as he clenched down onto his bottom teeth.
''What happened to our son!'' he yelled so angry, the veins upon his face were starting to pop. Lex frowned and his face fell. The paper he'd read from earlier in his office, the one with black text on it, revealed more than just the fact that Project Nova had escaped the lab, but a few other things as well.
News that was rendered disturbing.
''I'm sorry to say this, but there's a chance the prototype was responsible for Clark's death...It was probably the first thing he did before he came here. Tracked Clark down, and got rid of him, so he could live his life without anyone knowing the truth.''
''He's dead...'' Martha whispered.
''I'm sorry...'' Lex mumbled. ''The project wasn't supposed to be like this.'' Martha who collapsed to the ground in front of the both of them, had tears escaping her eyes, as she whispered something under her breath, and as Jonathan knelt himself down next to her, young Luthor had nothing to say...
''I have a team out searching for Clark's body as we speak. If he's really gone, we'll know for sure.'' Lex mumbled, finally able to gather his words.
''He's not dead till there's a body.'' Jonathan breathed, repeating Lex's words, as he hugged Martha as close, and tightly as he could...