Chapter 25

Clark was sitting at the kitchen in the farmhouse looking at Wes's files, pensive. "How does this happen? All Wes wanted to do was serve his country, and wound up being used as a pawn."

Martha was also there preparing tea for them. "It happens more than I'd like to think."

Clark sighed. "Well, after what happened to Burke, for better or worse, we actually have a chance to stop this..."

"When do you plan to show the police the evidences against Lex?" Martha handed him his cup of tea.

"I'm just gonna pass by Lois's place to get a few notes she left there."

Martha caught a glimpse of sadness in Clark's eyes. "How are you feeling?"

He'd barely slept the previous night. The fact he understood why Lois needed a time alone, didn't diminish the fact he was hurt that she didn't want him by her side in this moment. There was also the issue with the bad timing proposal, but he wasn't ready to share it with anyone.

To Clark's relief, there was a knock on the door. Lionel opened it himself. "Martha. Clark," he greeted.

Martha gave him a greeting smile. "Lionel. Hi."

"I need to talk to you. I just got off the phone with the Governor. We were talking about your filling Burke's Senatorial seat until the next election."

She looked surprised. "Me?"

"Kansas needs to be represented by someone of unassailable character who can restore the faith that Burke has tarnished. The Governor agreed. You are the perfect choice for the U.S. Senate." Lionel looked at Clark. "Clark… You agree?"

Clark pondered it. He then stood up, looked at Lionel and then at his mother. "You should do it, mom." He gave her a small smile. "I think you should do it. And I think dad would have wanted you to."

"I-I can't move to Washington. We're barely keeping the farm running as it is."

"Clark can take care of that. Can't you, Clark?" Lionel asked.

Clark nodded. "I could lease out the back forty to Ben Hubbard. He's been wanting to work that land for years."

Martha sighed, still reluctant. "Oh, Clark."

"You and dad always taught me to put other people first, to use my abilities to help those in need. You have the chance to affect so many people, to change so many lives if you go to Washington. That's where you need to be if you really want to make a difference, mom. And it's where people like Wes need you to be."

Lionel smiled in agreement. Martha pondered it and then nodded shyly.

-º-

Clark arrived at the Talon. Heading to the apartment above it, he saw the door slightly open and a small noise coming from inside. It couldn't be Chloe, since he had just talked with her on the phone and she was at the Daily Planet. His heart started to be filled with hope. Was Lois back?

The smile appearing on his face suddenly disappeared as he entered the apartment and saw the last person he wanted to see. "Lex." His expression and tone changed to rage towards the man who had caused all of this. "What are you doing here?"

Lex looked serene. His eyes, however, kept studying Clark. "I was looking for my aggressor. Have you seen her?"

Clark gritted his teeth. He then moved closer and glared at Lex. "Stay away from Lois!"

Lex glared back at Clark. "You should be glad I hadn't sent her to jail yet after what she did to me."

"The only person going to jail is you. For what you did to Wes, for the murder of Senator Burke."

Lex's lips curled into a triumphant smile. "Not if you want the government going after your girlfriend."

Clark gasped. "W-what are you talking about?"

The bald man laughed. "Always the same." His expression turned to serious. "She shouldn't have attacked a man in his house surrounded by cameras everywhere."

"Her strength, her speed. I'd never guess it. Not from her." Clark swallowed hard, knowing very well what Lex meant. "But I got to give it to her, she was really willing to fulfill her promise to kill me."

Clark blinked in surprise.

Lex caught it, smirking. "What? Didn't your girlfriend tell you about her unfriendly visit to me in her vigilant disguise?"

Clark stood still. Lex guessed right, Lois hadn't told him that.

"The question now is, what is your role in all of this? Somehow, I can't imagine Clark Kent as just the supportive boyfriend."

Clark closed his fist, stepping closer and coming face to face with Lex. "You won't get away with it."

"Go ahead, send the proofs to the police. I guarantee you I'll know freedom way before your girlfriend. I'd watch out for your families and friends, too, I heard the government can be very persistent when they want answers."

Clark gave a step back, reluctantly. "I was wrong. There's nothing good left in you."

Clark's words were still capable to hurt Lex, but he decided to ignore it. He started to walk away. "Tell Lois… I didn't know Wes was her friend."

"Are you telling you're sorry?" Clark asked, skeptical.

"No." Lex then left without another word.

-º-

"Chloe, hey," Clark greeted his friend as he approached her desk at the Daily Planet.

"Hey," she greeted back, a sad look on her face.

Clark noticed it. "What happened?"

"The usual. Lex. Wes's body is gone."

Clark stayed quiet.

"I tried to talk to the Feds, but as far as they're concerned, Wes Keenan died in action four months ago." She sighed. "At least we still have the video to use against him."

"Don't hold your breath."

"What?"

Clark took a deep breath. "Lex knows about Lois. He threatened to turn her in to the government."

Chloe gasped. "Oh. Are you sure he isn't bluffing?"

He shook his head. "The mansion's security taped her using her powers."

Chloe looked disappointed. "So what do we do with those evidences then? We're so close to make Lex pay for at least one of his crimes."

"We wait until Lois comes back and decides for herself what to do with it."

"Don't you think we should tell her about what's going on?"

He shook his head. "No. She has a lot going on her mind right now, she doesn't need more to worry about. We'll tell her when she's back." He then looked down, hiding the hurt on his face.

Chloe looked empathetic. "Give her a couple of days and she'll be back."

Clark looked at her and nodded uncertain. He hoped she was right.

-º-

"You proposed to her?!" Chloe said, louder enough to attract the attention of her co-workers.

Four days had passed since Lois left. Clark missed her deeply, and not knowing anything about her nor how she was feeling was killing him. He was also afraid that the fact he left her an engagement ring was the reason she was taking this long to come back. He felt the need to tell someone about what happened.

Clark looked around at the onlookers and then glared at Chloe, receiving an apologetic look back. He then led her to the more quiet copy room. "I didn't exactly propose. I-I just left the ring there."

"What were you thinking? She wasn't in the right state of mind to make wedding plans!"

"I wasn't thinking, alright? I mean, I was planning to propose for awhile, but, I don't know, at that moment I just wanted to show her I want us to be together."

Chloe sighed. "You love her, I get it. But you also kinda dropped a huge bomb on her lap. She just need a little space to process all of this."

Clark didn't say anything.

"She's fine. She texted me two days ago, remember?"

He sighed. "I wish I could take that back."

"Hey, what's done is done. And, if you want my opinion, I don't think she'll say no," Chloe said, giving him a smile.

Clark grew hopeful. "You think so?"

She nodded. "I've never seen Lois more sure of one thing than when she's with you."

Clark smiled slightly. He then cleared his throat. "Uh, I need your help with something…"

"What is it?"

-º-

Martha was standing in the corridor of the farmhouse, holding an old photo of Jonathan and Clark when he was a kid, looking at it with fondness.

"Car's ready," Clark said as he entered the house. Martha put the picture down. "You know, I was thinking, if you're half the senator that you are a mom, this country's in really good hands."

Martha blushed. "I always thought you'd be the one to leave the farm first."

"Washington, D.C., is no different than Topeka. It's only a few seconds more away for me."

"That's not what I mean." She stepped closer. "Clark, if you feel need to do other things, I don't want you to let this farm keep you from doing that."

"This farm, it's my home. And it's been in our family for over a hundred years. Someone has to take care of it."

"But that someone doesn't have to be you. Just because I'm leaving doesn't mean you have to stay."

"I have no better place to be," he said, smiling at her.

Martha smiled back. "Well, maybe you could invite Lois to move in with you."

Clark breathed hard. "I'm not sure where we're standing right now."

"Clark…"

"It's been a week since she left, Mom."

Their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door. Martha's assistant poked her head inside. "Excuse me. Senator, it's time to go. Your plane to Washington is waiting."

"I'll be right there." Martha then looked back at Clark, tearful. "I love you."

Clark hugged her. "I love you, too, mom."

Their embrace was heartfelt, Martha barely containing the tears. They pulled away after a few seconds. When she opened the door, one last surprise came in her way.

"Were you about to leave without saying goodbye to me?" Lois said, standing right in front of Martha, a grin spreading on her face.

"Lois!" Martha instantly hugger her. Lois wrapped her arms around her, closing her eyes. It felt good to see a familiar face again.

Clark just watched the scene, not knowing what to do or say. Hearing her voice again after days had his heart beating like crazy. His eyes started to focus on something that has changed on her.

"Oh my, God! Look at you, you changed your hair!" Martha said after they pulled away.

Lois had dyed her hair to dark brown. "Yeah, I decided it was time I went back to my original color," she told her, touching her own hair.

"You look beautiful," Clark finally spoke. They stared at each other, there was so much tension in the air. But there was also longing.

"Hey," Lois greeted, shyly.

Silence filled the space. Martha broke it with a clear of throat, looking at Lois next. "I'm sorry I can't stay any longer."

Lois shook her head. "It's okay. I just wanted to see you before you left."

"You two take care of each other, okay?"

Lois and Clark looked at each other briefly and then back at Martha, nodding shyly.

Martha took a deep breath, fighting back the tears. On her way out, she looked one last time at Clark, a sad smile on her lips. Clark smiled back, the supportive kind. The kind she needed.

And so she left, closing the door behind her.

"She'll kick some serious asses in Washington," Lois said.

Lois's voice took Clark out of his stare at closed door. He looked at her, nodding. "How did you know she was leaving?"

"Chloe. She texted me saying Mrs. K was leaving today."

"That's why you came back?"

"Yes and no. I was already planning to come back before Chloe's message. I just had to come back faster, which let's be honest, isn't a problem to me."

Silence arose again as they stared at each other. They really need to talk. He cleared his throat. "How are you? Are you feeling better?"

She nodded her head. "I am."

"Good." Words failed to come out of his mouth. He had no idea how to say what he wanted to say. Lois' shyness, unusual of her, wasn't helping either. "L-Lois, I... I -"

"Look, Clark," Lois interrupted him. "I know we had a lot to talk. How could we not? There's just something I need to do first."

Clark looked worried. "Is that about Lex?"

"I can't tell you. I'm sorry."

"Lois, Lex knows about you."

She gasped.

"Not just about your powers, but your disguise, too. He threatened to reveal it to people who could make your life a living hell."

Lois bit her lip. "I screwed up, didn't I?"

He stepped closer. "No. You didn't." He took her hand in his. "We can fix it."

"I will fix it," she said, gently pulling her hand away.

Clark stepped back, taken by surprise.

"Can you trust me on this, please? It's all I ask."

Clark nodded, not really sure what to make of it. "Be careful."

She nodded, a genuine smile appearing on her lips. She then headed to the door, opening it. She looked at him again. "See you later."

Lois left, leaving Clark even more confused than when she was away. What was she planning?

-º-

Clark climbed the stairs to the loft, surprised to found someone else there staring out of the window. "Lana?"

Lana turned around to look at him, the sunlight on her face, tired and serene at the same time. "You've been avoiding me all week," she said.

"I-I… Um… I've been busy."

She was expecting this answer. "Of course…" She took a deep breath. "I'm leaving Lex."

Surprised at first, Clark's lips quickly curled into a smile, feeling also relief. "Lana, I know this is where I'm supposed to say I'm sorry, but I can't. You'll be happier without him."

Lana stepped closer. "Clark, I came here to say goodbye. Lex is going to be very angry. It's too dangerous. I have to leave Smallville."

"Lana, you don't have to worry about Lex. You don't have to be afraid. Me, Chloe, Lois, we can protect you from him. We can protect you from anything."

"Lois…" She looked at her side, eyeing a picture of her and Clark together. "How long does she have those powers?"

Clark swallowed hard. "Y-You should ask her personally. I don't… It's not my right to tell you those things."

She nodded. "Is that why you two came together?"

A small smile appeared on his face, his mind recalling the past months. "It brought us closer, yes, but there's more story than that."

Lana turned her back to him, trying to hide the hurt on her face. "So much has changed between us. I was always afraid this day would come." She took a deep breath before turning around to face him again, showing an uncertain smile on her face. "I just feel that there might be some unfinished business between us."

He averted his eyes, putting his hands in his pockets. "Lana, I know I haven't been the most honest person with you. But after my father's death, I didn't know how to handle you, how to work out our problems."

"And then I went with Lex," she completed, regret in her voice.

Clark didn't reply to that. "I'd never expect to fall in love with Lois, of all women. But when I did, it all made sense to me. It just felt right."

Lana could see the sparkle in Clark's eyes as he talked about his relationship with Lois. It was clear to her that the spot occupied by her in his heart before, now belonged to another woman. She knew he was still keeping something from her, and her best guess was that it involved Lois's new situation, but above all she wanted to know so her relationship with Clark could get better from that point on, so they could be happy with nothing between them. She'd still be happy to know what it is, but it'd be a revelation from a friend, not the man who she dreamed of being the one she'd have by her side.

"I wish you can find someone who can make you feel that way, too, someday," he told her, sincerely.

"Maybe," she said, nodding shyly. She then cleared her throat. "I should be going."

"Do you… Do you want me to go with you? I mean, in case Lex tries to hurt you."

She shook her head. "Thank you, but no. That's something I have to face alone."

Clark was still concerned.

"I won't let Lex hurt me. I promise."

He sighed. "You're all testing my emotions to the limit today."

Lana chuckled. "Bye, Clark."

As she started to leave, she heard her name being called one last time. She turned around to look at Clark. "If you decide to stay, we're all here for you," he said.

Lana smiled at that.

-º-

Lex was at the office in his mansion talking on the phone with his assistant.

"Subject en route and fully anesthetized," Jason Bartlett said. They'd been investigating a mysterious phantom-alike figure who'd been possessing people around America. Until now the victims were already dead once they found them.

"Meet you at base," Lex replied. But as he started to leave, the main doors opened and Lana came in.

"Lex, we have to talk," she said, staring coldly at him.

"We most certainly do, but it will have to wait. I'll be back tonight."

"I won't be. Lex, I can't live like this anymore."

"Yeah, I don't blame you... Living a lie in a marriage you never wanted. It must take its toll after a while."

"You're the expert... Setting up a nursery, an heirloom crib, the tears of joy in your eyes when you saw that ultrasound. What kind of a toll does that take, Lex?"

Lex frowned. "What in God's name are you talking about?"

Lana angered. "I'm talking about the massive amounts of hormones that you injected into my veins to make me believe I was pregnant. What kind of a monster are you?"

Lex tried to look unaffected. "I don't know where you're getting your information from, Lana, but it's nothing but slander. You know I would never..." He tried to touch her, but she refused it.

"Don't lie, Lex. It's too late for all that. This marriage is over."

He looked hurt, while Lana had confidence in her eyes. She then started to walk away.

"Lana, I know I'm far from perfect... But you can't deny what we had between us."

She turned around to face him, stepping closer. "Lex, all there is between us are lies on top of lies," she said, raising her voice.

"Lana, everything I've ever done... It's because I love you."

"You aren't capable of love, Lex. You never were."

Broken, Lex pondered it, nodding to himself. He then started to walk toward the doors, closing it next. "It's Clark, isn't it?"

Lana huffed. How could he still try to blame others for what he had done?

"You never could get over him... Even if he is with someone else now. He's not coming back to you. She has something you don't."

Lana moved closer and looked into his eyes. "You're right, I never stopped loving him. And even if I can't be with him again, you can be sure he means more to me than you ever will."

Lex couldn't contain his anger hearing this, slapping her across the face next. Putting a hand on her bleeding lower lip, Lana looked back at him, furiously.

There was regret in Lex's expression. "Lana."

"That's the last time you'll ever touch me." She then tried to leave again, but he stopped, grabbing her arm.

"Do you really think I could just let you walk away?" He whispered.

"What are you going to do, Lex... Kill me? Because that's the only way you're gonna keep me in this mansion."

Lana freed herself and left for good, leaving Lex standing alone in the room.

-º-

Clark arrived at Lionel's office at the Luthorcorp. The man himself was sitting on his chair. "You wanted to see me?"

Lionel looked up. "Clark. Actually…"

Suddenly a black man materialized himself next to Lionel. "Actually, I did."

Clark recognized him instantly, taken by surprise by his presence. "The martian. W-what are you doing here?" He looked at Lionel. "Do you know him?"

"Lionel is an emissary of Jor-El. We're all on the same side," John Jones spoke.

Clark blinked, confused. He looked at Lionel again. "I thought you said you had lost your connection with my father."

"It was when Lex was possessed with Zod. I became possessed with all your father's knowledge. I found myself writing, in Kryptonian, the symbol for power."

"It was a beacon ... The same beacon Jor-El used when he needed me," John completed.

"You knew my father?"

John approached Clark. "I worked for Jor-El, bringing criminals to justice. When Krypton was on the verge of annihilation, he asked me to keep an eye out for you."

"Where have you been all these years?"

"Watching from a distance."

Lionel got up and stepped closer the two of them. "Your father wanted you to pass the test without any help. He wasn't to interfere unless it was absolutely necessary."

"When you unleashed those phantoms, your life was at stake. I didn't have a choice."

"Like what happened at the docks in Seattle," Lionel added.

"When that phantom infected Lois's mind," Clark recalled.

"That's right. Unfortunately, I've lost a step since then."

"What happened?" Clark asked.

John hesitated. "Nothing."

Clark looked down and saw blood on the martian's shirt. He then opened his jacket and saw a gaping wound in the side of his stomach. Lionel averted his eyes.

"That's not nothing," Clark said.

"I had a run-in with the last phantom. I have to leave Earth's atmosphere to heal, but first I must complete the job I started."

"I'll go after the phantom, I have the crystal that Raya gave me."

"I doubt that crystal will work," John said.

"It's not an ordinary phantom, Clark," Lionel spoke. "It's the product of a Kryptonian lab experiment. It's been destroying one human being after the other, desperately searching for the only host that will ensure its survival... A Kryptonian body."

Clark was sure of what he had to do. "Where's the phantom?"

"If you were to get infected, it could kill you," John warned.

"People are being killed every day. If anyone's gonna stop this phantom, it's gonna be me," Clark told them, firmly.

John pondered it. He knew Clark was right, but he couldn't help but be concerned for his safety.

-º-

The next morning, Clark and Chloe were at the bullpen of the Daily Planet doing some research. She was working on her computer and him on his laptop.

"So, you said the symptoms were black eyes and a high fever, right?" Chloe said.

"That and a bad temper," Clark replied. "Your hack worked. I'm into the QPP database. I'll start searching police records."

Chloe found what they were looking for. "Here we go. There was an eight-year-old boy admitted to a hospital thirteen miles away from that cabin in Québec, where the phantom attacked. Blackened corneas, high fever, explosive tendencies. And the doctors didn't know what was wrong with him."

"What hospital is he at?"

"St. Mary's, but that's not gonna get us anywhere because it says here the boy disappeared."

Clark typed into his laptop and pulled up a new file. "I have the police report. A maintenance worker said he saw the boy being loaded in an unmarked helicopter. This has got to be Lex."

"So, Lex is tracking a wraith from the Phantom Zone, and Lionel Luthor is your new father figure? This is a lot of excitement for one day," she said as she got up from her chair, indignant.

Clark followed her as she started to walk to get some coffee. "Yeah, there's more. Lana's leaving him."

Chloe smiled in relief. "That's a happy headline. Why didn't you say anything?"

"Chloe, she's also planning to leave Smallville. I thought she was going to tell you that in person."

She looked disappointed. "But she didn't."

"Maybe that's a good thing, maybe she's reconsidering her decision."

Chloe didn't comment on it.

Clark took a deep breath, ready to touch on another heavy subject. "Isn't Lois coming to work today?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so. She was entirely focused on something else yesterday."

He looked puzzled. "What was it?"

"She wouldn't tell me."

Clark sighed. His expression show signs of frustration. "I hate not knowing what she's thinking. I wish she'd trust me with whatever is on her mind right now. I just… I just want us to sit down to talk and be us again. No Lex, no phantom, no proposal."

Chloe understood her friend's feelings, but he also had a job to do. "You know there's something you must do before you go after your pot of gold."

He nodded. "I have to deal with this phantom."

-º-

Lois arrived at the Reeves Dam. All the work she had done yesterday had led her here. It'd been difficult to find clues about this place, but she then remembered that when Wes was dying, he spoke a bunch of numbers. It took awhile to decipher it, but she realized they actually were longitude/latitude coordinates.

She had made a promise to Wes. She'd stop Lex.

It's been a tough week for her. No friends or family around. No Clark. She felt so alone. She tried to forget what happened, have her thoughts clear from that dark cloud, but her mind keep going back to the image of her hands around his neck, feeling so powerful. And that scared her.

She managed to control her anger in the last days. But she still couldn't come back, not without knowing what she'd tell to Clark. To say she was surprised with the kind-of-proposal was an understatement. Their relationship was going great, but she wasn't expecting at all to Clark to even think in proposing to her. Least of all in a situation like that.

She loved Clark like she hadn't ever loved anyone else before. That she was sure of. But they were still very young and in the beginning of their lives. Was she ready to start living a life where she becomes the half of a whole?

This wasn't time to think about that, though. She had a job to do. Lois easily entered the facility. She wandered around the multiple corridors, breaking some locks in the way. Unfortunately for her, the walls were covered with lead, making impossible for her to use her x-ray vision.

As she kept trying to find she was looking for, she heard a voice talking to her. "What are you doing down here?"

She turned around to look at the facility's security guard. "I could fake I story, but why bother," she shrugged. "I'm looking for the latest issue of Lex Luthor's schemes magazine. Do you know where I can get it?"

The man grabbed his gun and aimed it at Lois. "Let's go for a walk."

"Okay, you got it. You're the guy with the gun," she said, approaching him slowly. Close enough, she grabbed his wrist and took the gun out of his hand, throwing it away. She then held his arm behind his back and pressed him against the wall. "Tell me the way to the project Ares!"

The man tried to free himself, in vain. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Lois groaned. She bent his arm further, making him scream in pain. "Where is it?"

"I swear, I don't know! Luthor only let a few selected guards in the rooms."

Lois sighed. She then let go of his arm, hitting him in the head with tip of her finger next, knocking him unconscious.

She went on with her quest.

-º-

"I'm through with you Luthors. I'm leaving Smallville," Lana said on the phone to Lionel. He was being drive in his limousine to the Talon, where she was.

"Lana, I'm minutes away. Just stay where..."

"I don't trust you. I don't trust anyone anymore," she said as she was leaving the building in a hurry, her fear coming through the call.

"Lana, stay calm, please."

"It's too late. Lex hit me."

Lionel grew worried. His car arrived at the Talon. "All right, I'm here. I'm pulling up right now."

"I'm getting out of here, and I'm never coming back." She hung up the phone.

Lionel stepped out of the car, heading toward the door, not realizing that Lana was running toward hers. He then saw her entering it as he heard the alarm beeps coming from her car.

"Lana!" He shouted.

Lionel tried to walk toward her, but a postal truck drove by the street, obscuring his view. Once it got out of his way, Lionel started to walk toward the car, but stopped as he realized it was not moving. Suddenly, the car exploded, the impact throwing him on the ground.

He watched perplexed the car going up in flames.

-º-

After a few more corridors, Lois finally had found a door. She used her super hearing to see if there was anyone in there. It was empty, which could mean there's nothing useful for her here, but she had to try.

One of the reasons she had waited one day to get in here was to come prepared. Having been in other Lex's facilities, she knew he liked to own his buildings, which means the doors opened with his digitals. Taking the opportunity that he had spent most of the previous night here, she had invaded his mansion to collect some digitals with a sticky tape.

Lois entered the room, looking around for any paper that could prove what Lex has been doing in this place. However, she found nothing. She then walked toward a panel in the room. Looking up, she saw a huge window.

Tracing the buttons on the board, she came across a red switch button. She assumed it would turn on the lights, so she triggered it. She guessed right.

Lois looked shocked as the lights revealed a huge room full of several bodies.

- -º-

Clark entered the mansion abruptly. Lionel was sitting on a chair, with a drink in his hand, mourning the latest event.

"Lex has the phantom. He used an unmarked helicopter to kidnap a boy from the same village in Québec," Clark said.

Lionel turned around to look at him, trying to tell him what happened, failing miserably.

Clark noticed the scrape and dirty on Lionel's face, frowning. "What happened to you?"

Lionel set down his drink and got up, looking downcast. "Clark, I, uh... I don't know how to tell you this."

Clark grew concerned. "Tell me what?"

Lionel looked at him, despair in his eyes. "It's, uh... Lana. She's... She, uh..."

"She what?"

"She's gone."

Clark approached him. "What do you mean 'gone?'"

"She's dead, son."

Air left Clark's lungs. He couldn't believe it. "No."

"It was a bomb in her car."

Words failed Clark. It couldn't be happening. He stepped away, not wanting Lionel's words to sink in. "I don't believe you."

"I was there, Clark. I saw it happen." Lionel approached him, looking into his eyes to prove he was telling the truth.

Clark turned around, the news finally sinking in. Tears started to form on his eyes as the pain became too much.

Lionel put a hand on Clark's shoulder. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," he said, sincerely.

Clark's pain turned into angriness. He turned to face Lionel. "She was gonna leave him. He didn't let her leave. I shouldn't have left her alone." He breathed hard. "Where's Lex?"

"Clark..."

Clark grabbed the older man by his jacket. "Tell me where Lex is."

"I can't let you do something you'll regret for the rest of your life."

"I won't regret sending Lex to jail. He must be stopped." He let go of Lionel's jacket. "And it's time you show what side your really are. Where's Lex?"

-º-

Lois flew through the bodies all over the room. They mostly belonged to former soldiers. What terrified Lois the most, though, was that none of them seemed to have a beating heart.

They'd be use and act like zombie puppies, serving his master's purpose. "You are a monster, Lex," she said to herself.

Helicopter and car crashes, hit by bullet, bomb. These soldiers had suffered all kinds of accidents, and yet their bodies had no damage. She'd find whatever Lex's team was using and destroy it.

As she kept looking around the room, something at distance took her attention. Lois approached it, carefully. Her heart beat faster as she looked closer at it. "Wes?"

She was furious when Chloe had told her that Lex had taken Wes's body from the Feds, but she knew yelling at Lex for doing it wouldn't help her at all. But she had never expected to find his body, she thought Lex had burn it at this point. He probably still needed him for his countless experiments, she thought.

But she was so glad he didn't disappear with her friend. She hugged his body, smiling. "I'll take you out of here. I'll give you the proper funeral you deserve."

-º-

"We're here," Lionel told Clark as his car pulled up at the entrance of the Reeves Dam's facility. Clark's expression made it clear he was still mourning Lana's death, mixed with anger at Lex. "Son, don't let the feelings consume you."

Clark didn't look at him. "Wait here." He then got out the car and entered the facility in less than a second.

Lionel was worried for both Clark and Lex. His own son had reached a point where nor even the most optimistic of the men believed there was redemption for him. And he was afraid the worst could happen in Clark's sorrow state.

So he had brought lead box with kryptonite in it, hidden from Clark. He then headed inside.

In one of the corridors, Lex was running for his life. While they were analyzing the boy possibly attacked by the phantom, he woke up, possessed by the phantom. Killing Lex's assistant first, he then target Lex and Dr. Jaminson. Protecting himself above everyone else, Lex run out of the room, locking the doctor and leaving him to die at the monster's hands.

He kept running, but halfway through was pushed against the wall by Clark abruptly as the man himself was using his superspeed, unseen by Lex. "She was your wife, Lex."

"Now is not the time to lecture me about my marriage, Clark," Lex told him, his breathing uneven.

Clark got angrier. "Why did you do it? Just tell me."

"Get your hands off me!" Lex yelled.

"You afraid she was gonna bring you down, or was it just too humiliating for you that she was gonna leave you? Why'd you have to kill her? Why?"

Lex looked hesitating, Clark's words finally registering in his mind. "What are you talking about?"

"You already know. Lana is dead," Clark said, tears threatening to appear.

Lex looked genuinely shocked, on the verge of breaking down. "No."

Clark grabbed him by the coat. "No. You don't need to act so surprised. You're the one who killed her. You put a bomb in her car. You're the one who killed her!"

Lex's confusion was interrupted by the noise coming from a door opening. At the end of the corridor, the one he had been running from, there was the boy. He looked panic-stricken. "Get out of here. He'll kill us both."

"He is right," the wraith phantom said.

Clark freed Lex and pushed him away. Lex ran for the exit. Clark turned around to face the phantom.

"At last… A kryptonian."

The phantom then left the boy's body, heading toward Clark. Clark tried to use the Phantom Zone crystal against it, but as they collided, he was thrown against the wall, breaking it, sending him into a huge power generating chamber.

Feeling a little dizzy, Clark tried to get up. But as he looked to the side, an image shocked him. An exact copy of himself, only with an opposite outfit, dark blue jacket and dark red T-shirt instead of red jacket and blue T-shirt.

"Thanks for sharing. I feel a lot better now," the phantom said.

Clark was completely confused. "What just happened?"

"I took a little piece of your DNA." The phantom then grabbed Clark around his neck and held him up. "And now I'm gonna take your life." He then hit Clark on the face, sending him flying into one of the power generators, destroying it.

-º-

Outside the facility, Lex was leaving in his car, but before he could leave the bridge, a group of police cars blocked the exits. The officers got out of their cars, as did Lex, pointing their guns at him.

"Put your hands up," one of them said.

"My wife... Something's happened to her."

"Hands up now."

Lex raised his hands. "You're making a mistake."

The police officer grabbed Lex's hand, pulling it behind his back and pushing the bald man against the car. He then handcuffed Lex. "You're under arrest for the murder of Lana Luthor."

Suddenly, the bridge started to shake.

-º-

The phantom kept throwing Clark around, destroying everything in the way and causing the whole place to shake. He went after Clark again, but as he reached the spotted he had thrown Clark in, it was empty.

Appearing behind him, Clark put a hand on the phantom's should and made him turn around, punching the man as his face was turned to him. The punch sent him flying against the far away wall, destroying a large water pipe, which started to flood the place and made the whole dam start to collapse.

-º-

Lois was reading some of the soldiers' files when she felt the facility tremble. She frowned, wondered what had happened. She headed toward the door, opening it.

To her shock, the place was being flooded and falling to pieces as it collapsed. Without much time in her hands, Lois grabbed some files and wrapped Wes's body in the sheet that was covering his body, carrying him away from there.

-º-

Lionel walked through the collapsing corridor. He reached in time to see the phantom being thrown against a wall, thinking it was Clark. "Clark. Son, what is it?"

"That's not me. It's the phantom," Clark yelled from the distance.

Lionel turned around to look at him, gasping.

The phantom got up. "How do you like my new look?" He said, smirking.

Lionel then took the kryptonite out of the lead box and thrust it at the phantom's chest, making screams in apparent pain. But as the kryptonite glowed with a bright white light, the phantom pressed Lionel's hand further on his chest, absorbing its energy.

The older man looked shocked at the reinvigorated expression on the phantom's face. "Thanks. That's just what I needed." He then threw Lionel against a wall, leaving him unconscious on the floor as the water kept filling the place, covering almost all of Lionel's body.

The phantom stepped forward to face Clark, although keeping himself at a considerable distance.

"What the hell are you?" Clark asked.

"I'm you, only a little more bizarre."

The two of them ran toward each other, meeting halfway. The impact of their collision sent Clark flying away from the dam, making a huge hole in the outer wall of the facility. Making another huge hole in the outer wall, Bizarro Clark then flew after his enemy, his face changing to a gray steel-like and deformed form as he smiled triumphantly.

-º-

The water was covering more than half of the facility, Lois managing to avoid only by flying. The walls and ceiling were all crumbling. The place was about to come down.

She needed to get out of there. On her way, she also grabbed the soldier she had knocked unconscious, pulling him and Wes's body over her shoulders.

What she didn't count, though, was to find someone else there. "Lionel," she gasped as she saw his unconscious body being carried away by the water.

She grabbed him, holding his body in her arms. It was quite difficult to carry three men at same time, even with her strength.

Lois used her heat vision to vaporize the water and clear the way. Her hands were full at the moment, but she needed to check if there was somebody else in the facility. So she used her super hearing. Someone… A kid was crying.

She flew faster toward the sound. She approached the place, surprised to find the water hadn't taken over it. She placed down the three men she was carrying. She saw a door, stepping closer to it. Lois watched terrified as she saw through the window the several bodies Lex was using for his project floating in the water beyond. She couldn't help but feel guilty that she couldn't help them. Or at least returning their bodies to their families.

Lois suddenly felt a hand touching hers. She turned around.

"Help me, please," the little boy, the one that was used by the phantom, said.

Lois got down on her knees, smiling at him. "Hey, it's okay. I'll get us out of here. Just promise you won't tell anyone what you're about to see, alright?"

The boy nodded.

-º-

At the bridge leading to the facility, Lex watched locked inside the police car the police officers running away as the dam crumbled. Water came through, engulfing the bridge and everything in the way, including the car Lex was in.

Was it the end for Lex?

-º-

Clark was thrown against a tree miles away from the dam, tearing the roots out of the ground. He got up, looking for Bizarro.

The man he was looking for then appeared in the sky, landing in front of Clark next.

"Those people. I have to get back to the dam," Clark said.

Bizarro kicked him, sending him flying the forest floor and into a huge boulder, breaking it. "Hey, Clark. You ever wonder what would happen to all these humans if you weren't here to play savior? I know you do. You just never admit it."

Clark got up and wiped the blood on his mouth with his hand. "You don't know anything about me."

Bizarro moved closer. "No, Clark. I know everything about you. I didn't just borrow your DNA. I have all your memories, all your thoughts, every last twisted one of them. When I'm living your life, I won't make those same mistakes."

The sunlight revealed the true form of Bizarro's face. He motioned to punch his opponent, but Clark stopped it with his arm, punching him instead. The hit was strong enough to send Bizarro flying towards an electrical network miles away.

He knew Bizarro wasn't defeat yet, but there was someplace else he needed to be.

-º-

At the bottom of the river, Lex was trapped inside of the police car, trying to break free with his handcuffed hands, in vain. The water was almost filling the car, becoming harder and harder for him to breath.

Practically giving up once the water filled the car, he looked up. He looked mesmerized at the angelical figure of a woman floating above him. She had blonde hair and was wearing a short white dress. It was fascinating to watch.

It wasn't a bad way to die, he thought, as he closed his eyes.

-º-

A father, a son, and their dog were fishing in a river, upstream from Reeves Dam, oblivious to the destruction near them. It was when the dog barked, they realized something was wrong.

The kid looked at the dog. "Hey, buddy?" He frowned. "Dad?"

The father looked ahead, watching terrified as a huge torrent of water was coming in their way. He grabbed his son. "Run! C'mon, son!"

They started to run, but the father tripped and hit his head on a large rock, dropping down unconscious.

The little boy got down on his knees, shaking his father. "Dad! Dad! Wake up! Dad! Dad, wake up! Dad! Dad!" He yelled, desperate.

Back at the dam, Lois was leaving with the four men, ready to take the three alive to the hospital and bury Wes, so he could finally rest in peace. She then saw the torrent of water destroying everything in its way.

She was about to fly toward it when she realized the water stopped moving and started to heat. She looked ahead, knowing exactly who was doing it. She smiled, proudly.

Clark, always the hero.

Lois then flew away with her passengers.

Clark finished vaporizing the water running toward the family. The boy looked amazed at it. Clark gave him a smile and then superspeeded away.

-º-

Bizarro went to the farm. He wasn't at full strength, and the sun actually did the opposite of what it did to Clark, it weakened him. He had come to the place he knew there was the thing that could give him power, kryptonite.

He headed to the loft, where Clark kept the lead box with kryptonite. Bizarro opened it, his body still shaking with pain because of the metal that perforated the sides of his torso after Clark threw him on the electrical network.

He ripped the T-shirt out of his body and positioned himself in front of the mirror. But as he was about to heal himself, a voice called the owner of the place.

"Clark?"

Bizarro recognized the voice right away. Clark's girlfriend, Lois. Or maybe not so girlfriend, his memories weren't so clear about that.

"Smallville? Are you there?" Lois called.

She had taken all three men she was with to the hospital, and fortunately they were all fine. The boy had just a few small scratches, the guard woke up right away, while Lionel wouldn't be up for hours, but no severe injuries were found in his body.

Wes's body was still with her. It wasn't exactly her plan to carry a dead body around, but she couldn't trust it with the hospital or the cops either. She placed his body carefully on a corner of the barn.

Now it was time to deal with another matter.

She climbed the stairs to the loft, where she found who she thought was Clark. She smiled at him. Bizarro put his hand with the kryptonite behind his back. "Hey…" She then realized the wounds on his bare torso. "What happened?" She asked, worried. She stepped closer.

Bizarro gulped, careful not to giveaway who he was. "Just a fight with the last phantom. It's over now."

"Oh," Lois sounded surprised. "I-I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you," she told him, feeling guilty because of her detachment from him this past week.

"No problem. The guy was no match for me," Bizarro smiled, cockily.

Lois gave another step forward. "No, I mean it. I missed you." Tears started to form on her eyes. "I missed you so much."

Bizarro raised an eyebrow, studying her.

"I did want to call you. Every day. I just… Uh… I didn't know what to say to you. The proposal… I wasn't expecting it." She sighed. "I don't know. I guess I never really stopped to picture me marrying someday."

Bizarro remembered Clark proposing. He realized it was the thing coming between their relationship. Stupid, both of them, he thought. He decided he'd have fun with it. "Do you love me?"

"You know I do."

"Do you want to be with me?"

She nodded.

"Then what's stopping you from saying 'yes?'"

She blinked in surprise. She hadn't expecting him to be so direct. "Well, we're kind of young…"

Bizarro grew bored. "We're also two super powered good-looking aliens who defy anything possible in this planet."

She looked puzzled. "Are you on red kryptonite on something?"

He chuckled. He then came face-to-face with her, looking deep in her eyes. "What do you think?"

She studied his eyes. "There's something different about you."

He smiled and then crashed his lips on her, wrapping one arm around her. Lois kept her eyes open during the kiss, not managing to fully give in to it.

His lips tasted like Clark, it had some of his passion, but it lacked completely his love.

Unfortunately for her, there wasn't much time to understand it as a sharp pain hit her. She felt something perforating her chest. She started to spitted blood as it hit her heart.

Lois looked down, seeing it was kryptonite. She looked at the man in front of her, completely confused by his action.

Bizarro had a devil smile on his lips. "Believe me when I say this, I didn't want to do this. In fact, I'd love to taste more of those delicious lips of yours. But I can't risk letting you live."

Lois fell on her knees. Bizarro pushed the rock further inside her. A tiny tear fell from her eye as she fell on the floor.

-º-

Clark had looked for Lionel everywhere. No sign of him. He refused to believe the man was dead, but the odds were against him at this point.

He released the breath he was holding. What a terrible day. He felt like he was going to break down at any minute. And he still had to tell Chloe about Lana, that is if she didn't know already.

Most importantly, he had to find Bizarro before he hurt anyone.

Clark entered the barn. He had his head down, pensive, as he climbed the stairs. When he looked ahead, however, he realized the worst part of his day was still to come.

His eyes opened widely, his body started trembling. He looked terrified at the image in front of him. In the cross position, Lois was tied at the large window of the loft, her chest and mouth bleeding. A big "S" mark was burnt in her chest.