-1X-Ray
It had been a good week. Of course there had been some bad moments like when the football coach lost his cool so to speak. All in all it was good. Clark had been able to convince his dad that he could play football. He had his senior year and nothing horrible had happened. Once his father understood he was more than glad to play. Even more so when the new coach let him stay on the team.
Lana had quite the cheerleading squad and got fired from her new job. Clark had been there to talk when Whitney had run off. They seemed to be doing good as well. His parents were acting normal around him again and he was sliding back into the high school life. He was actually enjoying himself. He knew what the future held and he wasn't worried about it. At least that's what he thought held him back in high school.
He was in Smallville having already gotten his chores done at the farm. He was on his way to meet Pete and Chloe to work on a school project. In front of him people began to shout and he could hear what sounded like a bank alarm. Lex came running his way brushing people out of his way. He grabbed Lex by his shoulders and saw how freaked out he looked.
"Lex what's going on?"
Lex looked up at him and then with one arm tossed him through a glass window of a shop. He landed roughly and his eyes started to hurt. When he looked up he could see Lex's skeleton and what appeared to be green veins running along the bones.
He shook his head and his vision cleared. Lex took off down the street and Clark pulled himself to his feet. Despite the fact that Lex had just hurled him through a window, he just got his x-ray vision. Wait, he had seen green veins running through Lex's skeleton. That wasn't Lex, it was Tina Greer. Someone he would never forget.
The next morning while he was in the kitchen pouring himself a class of orange juice his parents were talking about the Luthor robbery.
"I can't believe Lex would do something like this," Martha said.
"He's a Luthor, honey. They're capable of anything," Jonathan said sitting next to his wife.
"It wasn't Lex," Clark said.
"Glad to see I still have one ally," Lex said from the kitchen door. Clark turned and smiled to Lex as he walked in.
"I don't believe it was you," Clark said knowing his reason's behind his loyalty. He would have to explain to his dad.
"Thanks Clark. I just don't know who it was," Lex said. "Which is why I stopped by. I saw that you were on the witness list."
"Yea. Whoever it was looked just like you," He said.
"His finger prints and signature didn't match mine. Are you sure your eyes weren't playing tricks on you?" Lex asked wanting to get a lead.
"What's going to happen now?" He asked wanting to move the conversation on and not get stuck with the question how he knew it wasn't Lex.
"Hopefully the money will turn up," Lex said. "I'm sorry you got thrown through that window. I promise I'm not a criminal mastermind."
Clark looked at him all serious. "I know. A criminal mastermind would have worn a mask." They smiled at his joke.
Clark was in P.E. not really watching the competition going on in the middle of the gym. They were climbing ropes today for some athlete challenge they had to go through. Instead he was watching the girls come in from outside. Lana was with them and she turned to him and smiled. He smiled back and watched as she walked into the locker room with the other girls.
"Keep your eyes in your head," Pete warned, elbowing him in the chest.
Clark smiled and turned back to watch as the guys placed their feet back on the floor. A small headache formed in his temples and his eyes started to water. The coach noticed and called for him and Pete to go next. Something about getting their blood pumping.
He shook off the pain and gave Pete a bit of a head start before he scaled the rope. It wasn't a problem till he got to the top and his temples began to hurt again and his eyes watered even more.
"You okay man?" Pete asked.
As Clark looked over at him his vision blurred before clearing. He was looking at Pete's muscles and not his face. His grip slipped and he fell to the floor. Everyone crowded around him and he sat up. He shook his head but his vision went back into x-ray. He was looking straight through the locker room wall. He couldn't stop staring as he watched Lana walk up to her locker wearing only a towel. He smirked as she let the towel drop and he got a good view of her perfectly sculptured backside. The coach grabbed his shoulder.
"Kent are you okay?" He asked loudly into his ear. Clark looked away from the wall right as Lana turned around.
"I'm fine coach. Just a bit shaken," He answered. The coach helped him to his feet and by the time Clark could peek back into the locker room, Lana already had on her clothes. 'Damn, she dressed fast.'
"So you can see through anything?" Martha asked.
"Yes and no. I can see through objects and I can see things like an x-ray. The only thing I can't see through is lead," He explained sitting on the couch.
"Why didn't you tell us about this ability?" Jonathan asked.
"When I came back some of my abilities hadn't developed yet. I guess it's like puberty. I figured we'd deal with it when it happened," Clark explained himself.
"Is that how you knew it wasn't Lex?" Martha asked.
"Exactly. When I was tossed through the window it seemed to trigger the vision. I'm not sure how it happened though," Clark said.
"Do you have control over it?" Jonathan asked.
"No, I think I just need to practice. You know get the muscles used to the action so I can use it," He said.
"In that case I suggest you start. Sounds like a useful ability to me. Especially for finding whoever looked like Lex," Jonathan said.
"But I already know who it is," He said.
"Who?" Jonathan asked.
"Tina Greer. I just don't know how to fix this," He answered.
"What do you mean?" Martha asked.
"Before Tina and I fought until I knocked her out. That was after she attacked me though. So do I just confront her or tell the cops?" Clark asked.
"I don't know son. Do you think the cops will be a bad idea?" Jonathan asked.
"She can look like anyone. I doubt they'll believe me and not just put her in a jail cell," Clark went on.
"Then I don't know what to tell you son," Jonathan said.
Clark was at school and noticed Tina talking to Lana. His worry spiked when Tina went off on Lana and then stormed off. Lana watched as Tina rushed off down the hallway. Clark made his way over to her.
"Everything okay?" He asked.
"Hey Clark. Not really," She answered honestly.
"What's with Tina?" Clark asked trying to be casual.
"I don't know. She's been acting weird," She said.
"Maybe I can help?" Clark asked.
Lana shrugged, "If you think you can help?"
Clark looked off down the hallway and smiled down at Lana. "I'll see what I can do," He said.
He shifted his backpack on his shoulder and made his way after Tina. Maybe he could talk to Tina and get her to confess that she took the money. He looked all over Smallville High school and couldn't find Tina. He even x-rayed the girls locker room. Aside from the quick peep show he couldn't find anything. Accepting defeat he headed to his next class.
"Why do you need my help again?" Pete asked as he and Clark made their way to the antique shop.
"Because Chloe is busy and I need a witness," Clark explained.
"Okay, I'm here for you when it comes to girls and football along with other guy stuff. Leave this to Chloe man," Pete said.
They reached the door and Clark took a peek inside using his x-ray vision. It was nice to have another ability available for his use.
"We need to get inside," Clark said finding what he was looking for.
A reason to call the cops and report Tina. With her wanted for murder as well they would be extra cautious with her. Pete followed him to the back and they found a way in.
"What are you looking for?" Pete asked. Clark opened the closet door and an extremely dead body fell out onto the floor. "How the hell did you know where to look?" Pete asked shocked and freaked.
"I looked right through the door," He answered before realizing that Pete didn't know his secret yet.
"Very funny," Pete said. Clark sighed in relief. "How did she die?"
"Looks like a broken neck," Clark answered. They looked around some more and they found a pad of paper with Lana's handwriting all over it. "How could I forget," He said looking at the sheets of paper.
"Forget what?" Pete asked.
"Tina wants to become Lana," He said. Without another word he was out the door and up to the skies. He had to find Lana before Tina did.
Clark flew over the graveyard while x-raying. Among the dead he was able to find two moving skeleton's. He landed quickly and ran forward.
"Tina, leave Lana alone."
"How did you know it was me?" She asked pushing Lana away. Lana looked scared as Clark moved forward to stop Tina.
"I know that you stole the money and I also know what happened to your mom," He said.
"You don't know anything," She said picking up a metal pipe from some grave diggers tools.
She slipped something in her pocket and moved forward. As she got closer he could feel the effects of kryptonite. Tina must have Lana's necklace.
"Not feeling too good?" She asked as he winced and tried to not double over.
She smirked and brought the pipe down on his back. He grunted and fell to his knees.
"There's nothing you can do Clark," She went on as he got back to his feet.
She swung again and caught him in his chest. He went flying and landed on a tombstone. The marble turning to dust beneath him. Tina walked up and went to swing down again but Clark moved out of the way. He moved behind her and as she turned around he punched her. She went back into a tombstone and it cracked. They continued to wrestle until he was able to slam her hard enough to knock her unconscious. He caught his breath and rushed to Lana's side.
"Are you okay?" He asked pulling her up into his arms.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and her brows crinkled. "Are you okay?" She asked.
"I'll be fine once I know you're okay," He said.
He didn't let her get a word in edge wise as he carried her out of the graveyard and to where the ambulance was speeding to. The cops arrived and Clark told them where they could find Tina. When the ambulance pulled to a stop he met them half way and let them take Lana from his arms.
As soon as everything seemed to settle it began to rain. His parents had come to pick him up even though it wasn't necessary. He could have just flown home but his parents didn't know he could fly yet. He figured he'd hold off on that one. He watched as Whitney ran up to check on Lana. He was tempted to x-ray through the wall but he remembered what his mom once told him.
"What would you do if you could see through anything?" He had asked.
"I'd learn to close my eyes," She'd answered.
Lana looked over and saw him watching her. With a small smile he turned and followed his parents to the truck. He may have saved her life but Whitney was the one comforting her. He wasn't giving up. After all it was only just the beginning.