Chapter 1

Part 1:

Lois was quickly running to her car, whilst desperately trying to avoid being caught. This was one of the very few moments in her life where she was actually grateful that her father was a three star general in the U.S. Army, and had put her through all those survival courses when she was younger. Thus making a quick retreat to her car seemed to be an easy task to fulfill.

Yet for Lois, this simple act of returning to her car seemed to take a life-time! Why? She wasn't sure. Was it the fact that she was confused? Maybe. She had just heard the two men that she was investigating talk about things such as 'alien', 'powers', 'taking over the world', and 'signals from the caves and The Arctic'. Yep, confused was a definite possibility, for her current dilemma. But as much as she'd hate to admit it, she knew the main reason why the dreaded trip back to her car, had taken an eternity was of FEAR!

Not of being caught, after all being the daughter of a three star general has its ups as well as its downs, going through all that survival hand to hand combat training as she grew up enabled Lois to take on even the biggest of enemies, and endure the most excruciating forms of physical torture. Lois knows that that is not what she feared as she remembers overhearing her targets' conversation – only the strongest comments haunted her mind 'capture', 'experiment', 'blackmail',and 'terminate the threat'. Had Lois only heard those words alone she might have thought nothing of it – the feeling of fear that overcame her made its presence known when her captors kept repeating a name. A name that was all too familiar with Lois. A name of a certain person that she knew all too well (or so she thought). A name that made her realize that, the person being named was in grave danger and she had to warn them.

But why? Why had she felt this great feeling of fear, when she realized that this particular person's life was in danger? She was certain that if she found out that her life was at stake she wouldn't be this petrified, yet for some reason this person's life seemed to be of great value to her. Was it because her recent discoveries had raised some questions that she wanted to ask him? Was it because this person had saved her life on more than one occasion? Was it because that she felt that he was the only other person besides Chloe that she didn't have to push away and made her feel safe? Whatever the reason she had to get to him right away and warn him… she had to warn CLAR KENT!

Earlier that day – Gotham University Dorm; 6.00 a.m.

Lois was startled, as she woke up to the sound of her cell phone ringing, not to mention extremely pissed off.

"Who the Hell is this?" she demanded.

"Whoa, easy there Lane, this is what I get for trying to give you free info? If this is how …"

"Agh, Bobby it's six in the morning – and I really don't have time for your crap, so you better have something really good for me, or you better make sure that black and blue are amongst your favorite colors 'cause I get the feeling that you'll be wearin' em for a while!" Lois cut in.

"Sheesh, easy there Lane. Ok yeah I got somethin' real good for ya on that project X thing you've been working, the thing with the Luthors… interested?" Bobby asked although already knowing the answer – he just felt like annoying her.

"Well you kinda' woke me up from my beauty sleep, at 6 a.m. I might add, so if I wasn't interested I'd probably be pondering on how I'm gonna get kill you!"

"Yeah, ok, whatever, anyway I don't have any major details but…"

"You don't have any major DETAILS! Then why da hell did you bother to call at…"

"6 a.m. I know, I know, but seriously Lane if you let people finish what there trying to say, instead of assuming that you already know what there gonna say maybe you'd be more satisfied. – Anyway as I was saying I don't have any major details, but all I know is that whatever this project is, it's BIG! By big I mean that both Lex and Lionel are said to be working together on this one. Not only that there also hiring some specialist agent from the CIA. Lane I don't know what the hell is goin on and I know you won't listen to me if I tell you just to drop this story 'cause your one stubborn b! So just be careful. 'Cause one thing I do know is that both Luthors individually have tried to uncover the mysterious of whatever it is they're trying to find out, and have both failed individually. Hell even the FBI tried to once have one of their top agents on this case and he miraculously disappeared. I guess father and son decided that they try to work on this thing together, figuring they'd have better luck together using their combined resources…"

"Ok, Bobby slow down a sec, you've just been rambling for two minutes about Lex, Lionel, the CIA, and FBI – so just give me a sec to sum up everything so far. So an FBI agent disappeared huh? And Lionel and Lex both failed before? Hold it! I thought project X was a weapon, this sounds like they're investigating someone or something."

"From what I hear Lane it's more probably something?"

"WHAT?"

"Yeah apparently the Luthors and Feds believe that there's some kinda' extraterrestrial being living amongst us."

"Bobby, I don't have time for your sick jokes, spit out what I wanna hear and don't gimme any of this extraterrestrial crap…"

"I'm serious kid, they honestly believe that there's some kinda alien species here on Earth!"

"Okay lets just say stopped listening to all voices of reason and believed what you're saying – so where do our favorite billionaires and most loving Feds believe that this alien species is?"

"SMALLVILLE!"

"Smallville?..."

"Yeah it's this little town in Kansas…"

"I know where Smallville is Bobby, it's where my cousin lives – and I also stayed there a little bit. But what the heck is in Smallville? Other than the meteor freaks!..."

"Whoa, what? What are meteor fr… hey are they those mutants that I've been hearing about? Lane you've actually seen' em ? Man and all this time I thought people had just gotten crazy…"

"BOBBY! Cut the talking-to-self crap and tell more!"

"That's all I have so far Lane, I actually wanted to tell you that you may find the answers your looking for at the Luthorcorp fertilizer plant in Smallville at 8.00 p.m. today!"

"Why? What's hapenin there?

"That's where the Luthors are meeting with the CIA agent, and placing all cards on deck!"

"Any dirt on who this agent is?

"Yeah! From what I hear his name is Cevin Klein, and he is good, real damn good!"

"What d'ya mean by good?"

"By good I mean, good enough to sneak past Japan's army into their military base and disable all their defenses. In FIVE MINUTES! By good I mean he's able to some how break into a German sub 50 ft under water, blow it up and make it back to surface without a single scratch. In THREE MINUTES! Lane I know you've dealt with people before, but what I here about this guy is that he's been with the CIA since he was 17, and ever since then he's always taken there most dangerous missions. Some missions the chance that he got out a live was a million-to-one, in his 10 years at the agency this dude is yet to register a scratch. I guess what I'm tryin to say is, be careful Lane; this is like nothing you've ever dealt with before."

"Oh that's sweet, didn't know that you cared!"

"I don't! But you're a very good customer Lane, I gotta look out for my customers – how else am I gonna get fed? Oh 'n by the way, don't think this is a free-be you owe me dinner"

"As long as you're payin, it's a deal!" Lois smiled to herself knowing Bobby's reaction.

"Wait a minute, just because you have the majority of the guys of Gotham University worshipping the floor you walk on, doesn't mean that I'm the same. Having dinner with you is like being in the Lion's den. The only reason I want to have dinner with is because I know how much it pains you to have dinner with me, and how embarrassed you get when your seen in public with me – the look on your face is priceless as the master card dude would say… hehe!"

"Fine Bobby dinner it is, after I get back we'll plan something, and if you get anything else let me know ASAP! You got that?

"Sure thing Lane you take care of yourself you here? Cause I don't care if you're dead I'm still gettin my dinner, understood?

"Yeah Bobby, whatever I'll talk to you later – BYE!" and with that Lois hang up the phone. It was know 6.10 a.m. so she decided to wash here face have a shower and head out to Smallville as soon as she could because it was a six hour plus drive, as well as she needed time to think on how she was gonna sneak in and plan her quick get away.

After she'd finished washing up she glanced at her clock and found it to be 7.00 a.m. she wondered if she should tell Chloe that she was on her way to Smallville, she knew that Chloe would be driving back home with Lana today. Lois decided not to in the end because she knew that Chloe had probably want to spend time with her father and she didn't want to disturb, she also knew that if she did that Chloe would probably want to tag along. Chloe, like Lois, had an insatiable desire to uncover the truth about things. Usually Lois wouldn't mind Chloe "tagging along" however after Bobby's warning about this CIA agent Lois didn't want to risk putting Chloe's life in danger; she would never forgive herself if anything happened to her. To Lois, Chloe was more than her little cousin, she was her sister and best friend. She still remembers how torn up she felt when her father told her that she had been supposedly 'killed' two years ago, and how she hadn't eaten or slept for the entire first week after she heard the news. And she still remembers how relieved she felt when she found her, alive and well. Well technically she wouldn't have found her at all without the help of a certain farm boy from Smallville.

No Lois knew that she couldn't tell Chloe that she was coming to town, Chloe would insist on going with Lois and it would be too dangerous, she didn't think she'd be able to live with herself is she got hurt again.

Lois then wandered if she should let the Kents know that she was coming. To Lois the Kents were like the perfect family she never had. Next to Chloe they were the closest thing to family she had. Lois decided not to call the Kents because they'd insist on making her rest a little at their house, and she was afraid that she would get too relaxed that she'd miss the meeting. She also knew that Clark would also try to convince her out of going or end up going with her. And she really didn't want Clark to come, despite the fact that he seemed to pull explosions out of a hat when they were needed. Lois couldn't have the annoying farm boy with her, she couldn't stand him.

Instead, Lois decided that she'd head on back to Smallville, see what she can learn from the meeting, and then go to the Kents' place knowing that they'd be more than willing to have her stay with them, once there – she'd call Chloe and fill her in on the details and might as well tell Clark.

So with that in mind, Lois grabbed a few spare sets of clothes and underwear and shoved them in a bag, grabbed her keys and her cell phone and made her way back to the small town she had grown very fond of (although she'd never admit it), Smallville.

Little did she know that this little trip will forever change her life…