Chapter 1 Am I dead?

Chloe's eyes shot open and she inhaled a desperately needed breath. She gasp for air, and panted trying to get her breathing to normal. "Clark…" she whispered, breathing normally, she rose up off what seems like the ground. Chloe observed her environment, "Clark?" She called out… her voice echoed, but no response. The environment was bleak, everything was white… the sky or cealing, the floor and the walls. Everything was plain white. "Clark?!" She called out again.

Chloe Sullivan A soft, strong voice filled the room.

Chloe stiffened, looking around to find the person of the Voice. She saw no one. "Oh God…" she exhaled.

While extraordinary my powers on Earth may be, I am by no means a God. You, Chloe Sullivan, are the confidante of my son Kal-El are you not?

Chloe's eyes widen, "Jor-El?" She called out.

Answer my question. He demanded.

Chloe blinked and was about to give him a sarcastic response but held her tongue, 'Cool it Sullivan, this guy is capable to do many things… and with a bedside manner like that, no wonder why Clark was afraid of him for so long…' "Yes." She answered, "I am the Confidante for Clark—I mean Kal-El."

There was silence.

"Jor-El where am I?" Chloe asked, last thing she remembered was bringing the crystal in contact with the Zoner, there was a bright light and now she was here.

Jor-El didn't answer.

"Am I dead?" She asked forcefully, her heart pounding.

Yes." Jor-El responded coldly. Chloe stopped breathing, trying to process the answer and her surroundings, she was about to ask another thing when Jor-El added, And No.

Chloe blinked "What?" she didn't understand.

To answer your first question, you are in a dimensional plane that exist and doesn't exist. As for your condition, while you are alive in this existence, you are no longer present in your own. However you are only alive in this plane through consciousness, while your corporeal form no longer exists.

Chloe thought for a moment trying to make sense of what his explanation was. "So what you are telling me is, that, I am in a place that, to me exist, but doesn't exist, and I am no longer in the place or realm I exist in?"

Crudely Yes

"Well, how did I get here?" Chloe asked, wanting to get back to her home, to the Daily Planet, to Lois, to Smallville, and most importantly back to Clark. 'Clark… I hope you are ok…' she thought to herself.

The Crystal Raya gave my son was meant for phantoms only, Kal-El knew this, however the creature my son encountered wasn't a phantom nor a prisoner of the Phantom Zone. Jor-El explained

Chloe nodded, "I know, the Zoner said he existed there…" her voice trailed not really understanding what was going on. Clark never truly explained the Phantom Zone to her.

The 'Zoner' as you call him, is a creature that inhabits the Zone, a creature that has never left the confines of the Zone until now. And at the time, I had no explanation as to what will occur should it come in contact with one of these creatures, until now. Chloe didn't say anything, which was uncommon for her. The Zoner now has the ability to manipulate Dimensions.

Chloe blinked, "Wait a minute, you saying the crystal made him stronger?"

Yes

Signing, getting a bit angry, Chloe asked, "What the hell do you mean by 'manipulate dimensions' and how the HELL do you expect us to STOP IT?" She shouted

DO NOT RAISE YOUR VOICE TO ME HUMAN! Jor-El boomed. If Kal-El was not so fond of you I would have allowed you to fade out of existence.

Chloe blinked, 'Did he just say Clark is fond of me?' she thought to herself. "Fine, I'll keep my voice low, but please answer me."

The creature now has the ability, if chooses, to open a portal to the Phantom Zone.

Chloe nodded seeing what he was getting at, "He can access the Zone, meaning if he chooses he can flood the Earth and release ALL the Zoners from the Phantom Zone."

Correct.

"How do we stop him?" Chloe asked.

Kal-El must bring the Crystal back to the fortress so I may reprogram it.

Chloe rebutted, "But the Fortress isn't working right… I mean your presence is gone…" obviously that statement is false now.

The Fortress was repaired by your actions with the crystal.

Chloe knew what action he was talking about however didn't know how it could have affected the fortress. "This is one of the times I will have to just accept it and say it works again don't I?"

No response.

Chloe got the hint, only serious questions. "You said in so many words that my body no longer exists in my realm, how will I get back?"

Because you are now solely conciseness, I will be able to return you to your dimension, however because your corporal body no longer exists I will return you to a previous time.

"Wait you mean you are gonna send me back in time?"

Only a few hours, at most one Earth Day.

Chloe nodded, "Alright Jor-El, send me back." The was a bright light

Suddenly there was laughter. Oh my! Humans are so gullible… Jor-El's voice said. "I can't believe she fell for that… Oh this is gonna be fun." The Zoner grinned.