Chapter 4: The Birthday Party

Clark fidgeted in his tux as he walked to Lois's apartment door. He was extremely nervous. 'Why are you nervous, you've come here a hundred times.' but Clark felt that this time was different, it was Lois and him going somewhere nice, all dressed up. Like it was a real date. Inside the apartment Lois was pacing around. 'Its okay Lane. Its just an assignment, no big deal. Just an assignment with Clark.' She thought as she checked herself out in the mirror for the thousandth time in an hour. 'Nice work Lane.' she thought. She heard a thumping on the door and smiled. 'My date is here... I mean my co-worker is here!' She walked to the door and opened it up.

"Hey Smallville." she said casually, secretly admiring how handsome he looked in his new tux. Clark felt like the wind had been knocked out of him.

"He... Hey! Lois. You look... uh... umm..." Clark blushed and struggled. "I mean you look..." Lois looked concerned.

"Spit it out already Smallville. I look revolting, disgusting, hideous..." Clark cut off her rant.

"While I was away I ended up in Kenya, doing a report on the people who live on the slopes of Kilimanjaro. I took the opportunity to climb to the top. I got to see the sun rise from the top of Kilimanjaro. All of Africa spread out in front of me like an endless sea. The point is that up until this moment right now that was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen." Clark finished as he gazed into her eyes.

"Oh..." was all Lois could get out as they started to lean closer to each other, their faces getting dangerously close. Suddenly Lois's cellphone rang. "NO!" Lois shouted. Avoiding eye contact with Clark she blushed and said. "C'mon Kent, your chariot awaits."

Clark leaned his head against her apartment door and sighed "Right..." as she walked down the hall before he followed suit. As he stepped onto the elevator he took the time to admire her beauty once more. They did not speak a word on the way down about what just about had happened. Clark made up his mind. 'I'm not going to let this night go to waste.'

They walked out of the apartment building and Clark opened the limo door for Lois before climbing in after her. "Why thank you Clarkie." He heard Lois tease as she climbed inside. The limo pulled away and headed towards Lex Luthor's birthday party. The two occupants inside could not have predicted the events that would unfold over the next few hours.

----

Chloe tapped away at her computer at the Daily Planet. The subject she was reading up on: Spirits of Vengeance. "Whoah." she said. Though she knew that the sources on what she was reading was sketchy at best it was the only lead on flaming skeletons that walk around she could find. According to her research throughout the centuries there had been recorded cases of men with flaming skulls for heads claiming to be the Spirit of Vengeance, a herald for a demon named Mephisto. Often they would claim to be a person who had died in a tragedy or a person who had lost someone very close to them. Furthermore there had been only two sightings of them in the United States, one during the Civil War when some confederate soldiers disturbed a run down cabin in the mountains. That one had claimed to be someone named Noble Kale. Another sighting had occured five years earlier in New Jersery two days after a terrible stunt accident had claimed the life of Barton Blaze. The father of Johnny Blaze. Chloe did further research that led her to the connection. Johnny Blaze was the descendant of Noble Kale. And around the center of all this was the mystery of what had happened to these two men to turn them into these Spirits of Vengeance. 'I'd better tell Clark to be careful.' Chloe thought.

----

Lex and Lana stood side by side with phony grins plastered to their faces. "Hi, hello, thank you for coming, enjoy yourself." poured out of their mouths and they greeted guests that entered the 25th story Luthorcorp ballroom. The room was well lit and enormous, great care had been taken to demonstrate power.

"Lex I hate this. Why do you always have to do this for your birthday?" Lana mumbled under her breath.

"Because Lana. I need to cultivate relationships with all of these people if I want to run for senate again one day." Lex smiled sideways at Lana. At the back of the line he saw the man he was looking for. He signaled for a guard. "Mr. Blaze is here. Wait for the signal I gave you." Lex whispered in the guards ear as he shot a glance at Lana. Lex had a plan to lure out Noble Kale and end his quest for revenge against his family once and for all and Lana unfortunately was part of that plan. She'd probably be mad at Lex for being kept in the dark but there was no other choice. Lex didn't care. Lana was usually mad at him about something these days. His nature had corrupted her into a dark and angry woman.

Johnny Blaze stood at the back of the line, dressed in his black leather jacket and jeans looking bored. His head hurt and he couldn't remember several hours of the night before, which had nothing to do with his activities at the club he went to. He knew what had happened and he stood fearful of what he might do. Something wasn't right this time. He could feel it. Whenever the rider came out Johnny remained aware and in control. The fact that he didn't remember what happened meant that something bad was going on.

"Mr. Johnny Blaze. A pleasure to have you here tonight. Please make sure you enjoy yourself." Lex snapped Johnny out of his meditations.

"Thanks Mr. Luthor I'm sure I will."

----

Lois and Clark's limo got stuck in traffic and was late for the beginning of the festivities, which wasn't a big deal for Clark. He didn't want to have to meet Lex at the door, in fact he didn't want to speak to Lex at all.

"Seriously Smallville step on it! We're late. The Chief will kill us if we miss Johnny Blaze!" Lois grabbed Clark by the hand and dragged him along. Clark dragged his feet because he liked holding Lois's hand. "Whoah" Lois muttered as they entered the great hall where the party was being held. It was filled wall to wall dignitaries, businessmen, pro athletes and celebrities. Clark thought he spotted Lana mingling off in the distance. The sight of her brought back some old wounds but not any of the feelings like he would have expected. Clark scanned the room looking for her. Lois knew what he was looking for and rolled her eyes. "Are you kidding me Kent? You can't possibly still be all love-sick over that girl can you?" She asked for both his and her sake.

Clark smiled. "No Lois. Its just that I haven't seen her or heard anything about her besides the fact that she's still with Lex for the past two and half years." Lois looked at him suspiciously. "Besides, I think I'm starting to have feelings for someone else."

Lois beamed at the admission. "Really Smallville? Does this mystery woman have a name." Clark looked a little surprised. She smiled as she saw him get a little bit shy and then open his mouth to speak.

"Lois... I've been..."

"Lois Lane! Oh Ms. Lane! I'm so glad you're here. There's just somebody I've been DYING to introduce you to." A well dressed older woman with a snobby accent walked up. Clark sighed at the interruption. Lois knew the woman through a story she did on her collection of ancient cat figurines a few years back. "May I present Mr. Johnny Blaze. He's new to Metropolis and I've taken it upon myself to introduce him to all the people I know."

"Oh well lucky him!" Lois humored the woman and then she extended her hand to the handsome blonde man that approached. "Lois Lane." nodding to Clark, "This is my partner Clark Kent." Clark nodded at the man.

"Lane and Kent huh? The ones who reported me dead?" he said in a mock angry tone. Lois didn't catch the sarcasm.

"Listen we're both really sorry about that. I mean..."

"Hey Lois, listen don't worry. I'm just kidding. Its not the first time somebody said I was dead. It happens at least once a week. Your paper is however the most reputable one to do so." Blaze smiled. Clark cell phone rang. He looked at the ID that flashed Chloe's Cell.

"Hey Lo I've got to take this. I'll be right back. Don't do anything stupid." Clark teased and walked off. Lois gazed at him for a second before getting back to Johnny Blaze.

"So tell me Mr. Blaze. What is it like to defy death for a living?" Blaze smiled at Lois.

"Well it makes you appreciate the finer things in life, like beautiful women like yourself. Listen can I get you a drink?"

"Actually I'm fine thanks. I'm sorta involved with somebody right now. But I will still take that drink as long as a friend is offering."

"No harm, no foul. To the bar Ms. Lane!" Blaze jovially said. He liked how up front she was. Whoever the guy that she was holding out for was, Blaze hoped he knew how lucky he was.

----

Clark stood in a dim corner trying to hear Chloe over the music of the party that was now in full swing. "So you're telling me Johnny Blaze is possessed by some kind of Spirit of Vengeance?"

"Clark I know how it sounds but you and I have seen more than our fair share of weird. Just be on guard. This Noble Kale guy has surfaced more than once and my bet is that whatever he's looking for he hasn't found yet, but he chose now to possess Johnny and I'll bet whatever he wants is near at hand."

"Thanks Chloe."

"Clark, be careful. These spirits aren't your typical meteor freaks. They were given their powers by a demon and we know that magic hurts you."

"I will Chloe. Listen if you're right then I need to get back to Lois. She's interviewing the guy right now. Talk to you later."

----

Lois was busy at the bar drinking a vodka collins and filling out a notepad on the adventures of Johnny Blaze, who as it turned out was a very down to earth nice guy. He was hiding something from her though and she was desperate to get it out.

"So I've read that your career really took off after the death of your father Barton. Is that right?" A dark look passed behind Blaze's eyes.

"I don't really like to talk about that whole sad story. Lets just say I tried to save him and I failed. End of that story okay?" He said forcefully.

"Okay.. Sorry." Lois backed off. From the crowd she saw Clark approach. "Clark over here!" she yelled.

"Hey you guys. I hope she wasn't too invasive." Clark said to Blaze.

"For the most part!" he smiled back.

"Whatever Smallville! I ask the questions that you're too busy 'yes ma and pa' to get! Can you get me another drink Clarkie?" she said as she down her first drink.

"Alright Lois!" Clark said as he turned his back and walked over to the bartender.

"Lois Lane. Well its been a few months since the last time I saw you. Frankly I'm surprised to see you here at all? How did YOU get invited. Especially wearing that dress?" Lana Lang stalked out of the crowd. The changes in Lana were most noticeable by those who at one time were her friends. She turned on them one by one and was pretty nasty to them whenever she saw them. Johnny Blaze eyed the beautiful brunette approach. He felt funny. He felt like he had seen her countless times before and he felt like there was something he had to do involving her. He stuck out his hand.

"Hi, Johnny Blaze. Have we met before?" Lana looked him up and down with an icy glare.

"One word you cockroach. Raid." Johnny was taken aback by the stern rejection. He felt ill, his face felt really hot, he could tell he was sweating profusely. He turned to Lois.

"Geez good luck with her Ms. Lane. It was nice talking to you. I hope we can do it again." Johnny staggered off into the crowd in search of the bathroom.

Lois glared back at Lana. "Lana. Always a pleasure. How is playing the Mrs. to Lex going these days."

"Oh just fine, I've been busy decorating the mansion and buying all sorts of things. Much nicer than that dress. You really should consult someone..."

"Lois here is your drink." Clark said as he handed Lois her drink, which she slammed down as fast as she could.

"Well well well. If it isn't Clark Kent. Where have you been keeping yourself the past two and a half years?" Lana said coldly, she would never tell anyone but she never recovered from the heartbreak of their break-up. She still was wrongfully angry at Clark for all of the bad things that had happened in her life since, when she should have been looking in Lex's direction.

"Lana. Hi. Wow its been ages. How have you been?"

"Better since you left. I've been staying busy trying to keep up with a real man." Clark looked hurt. "Oh don't act like you care Clark. You never have and you never will. Okay well this has been SO nice catching up. Buh-bye." Lana said snottily as she walked off into the crowd. Clark just stared after her with his mouth agape. Lois smiled at him.

"Yeah Chloe and I neglected to tell you about how much she's changed."

"Lois I don't understand. What happened to her?"

"Lex happened. He took her into his inner circle and she's been changing for the worse ever since. You know she was a suspect in a murder last year." Clark looked hurt so Lois didn't say anything more. He couldn't believe his childhood love had fallen so far.

"I guess you can't save everyone huh?" he said outloud. Lois grabbed him hand and gave it a squeeze.

"No but it doesn't hurt to try Smallville." Clark looked at Lois and sensed his moment.

"Lois, listen I was hoping tonight you and I could talk. Before I left I had planned to take you out to dinner. Then my life got in the way and I had to leave. But I was wondering, if we could try to pick up where we left off before I left. Say dinner at my apartment tomorrow night?" Lois beamed. If she smiled any wider her face would have exploded.

----

"Clark! I think thats a..." From the center of the room several people screamed and began to break for the doors. As people began to clear out he could see what they were running from. A flaming hole in the floor had opened up and climbing out of it slowly was a horse made entirely of fire. Atop this horse sat a man in a black leather jacket and jeans with a flaming skull for a head. The room was now empty with the exception of Lex, Lana, Lois, Clark and Lex's men.

"Luthor!!! I come now for that which your family took from me so long ago!" It pointed a bony finger at a spot on the dance floor where Lana Lang stood isolated and with nowhere to run. She screamed as the rider rode her down, right before she was hit by the flaming horse the rider jumped off and landed next to her. "A dance my dear." It moaned. Clark saw Lex mouth something into a radio. Several men charged the rider with guns raised. Before the had a chance to do anything the Rider shot fire from his body at them. All around him the men dropped in agony. A few more men approached. One of them managed to shoot the Rider. From out of nowhere the Rider materialized a flaming chain. "Vengeance comes tonight!" It screamed as it slammed the chain into the men and tossed them aside like a rag doll. Lex approached the rider now.

"Kale. Leave her alone!"

"No Lex. She is mine to dance with this night!" Kale screamed at Lex. In one swift motion the he pointed the chain at Lex and some flaming pieces of it came flying off of the end, straight for Lex's head. Clark only had enough time to realize Lois was running towards Lana before he super sped behind Lex and used his heat vision to knock the projectiles to the ground. "What!" Kale shouted in rage. In another motion he based Lex across the face with the chain knocking him to the floor, unconscious. "You will pay for interfering mortal!"

"I'm not just any mortal!" Clark shouted back.

Lois ran up to Lana who sat frozen right behind the Rider, who had his back turned to her. "Lana lets get out of here come on!" but Lana wouldn't budge. She sat shaking and immobile. Lois watched as Clark distracted the monster by dodging chain strikes with what she saw as almost inhuman speed.

"Enough of this!" Kale shouted. He threw a ball of fire in one direction and then whipped the chain in another. Clark winced in pain as he realized that the chain had gone right through his shoulder as he tried to dodge the fireball.

"Clark! No!" Lois shouted as she saw Clark drop to the ground in pain. The shout brought Kale to his senses. He spun upon the two women. "Ladies. I think you will be my guests of honor tonight!" He whipped the chain at them, wrapping them tightly and then mounted his horse, dragging them alongside in a macabre saddlebag. Clark could only watch as he saw the horse, the rider and the woman he loved jump out of the 25th story window and disappear into the night.