"Now don't get me wrong, Mr Luthor, I like a big gambler. However, I do have to wonder if you are doing the right thing."

Lex stared at Mikhail coldly from across the desk. He was back home at the mansion, but it was only a brief stop – with everything that had been going on, he still hadn't been able to investigate the mysterious 'Fortress' Lenaria had mentioned. A team was ready and waiting to escort him to the location Lenaria had divulged. Lex felt a little uneasy about the whole thing, but he had to admit he was intrigued. For years he had studied Clark Kent, trying to put together the little pieces of the mystery that surrounded his former friend. Now Lenaria had offered him the truth, but he sensed there might be some other agenda in sending him to this place. It was interesting also that she had clearly indicated she would not be accompanying him. Lex believed there might be something there that could be a danger to him; to that end he was bringing some of his best people along. He wondered though, if there might be something there that was a danger to Lenaria as well…

"But you'll still do as we discussed?"

"Of course," said Mikhail, eyes trailing to the chess set Lex had sitting out. Rather than playing a game, the board was arranged as a puzzle that he was attempting to solve. "I'll get on it right away."

"You should be careful around Lenaria," said Lex as the youth got to his feet. "She knows you tried to control her. I doubt she cared for that one bit."

"Don't concern yourself," smiled Mikhail. "Whatever else she may be, she is still a woman. She enjoys being told how beautiful she is. I am sure she will find me most charming."

"Your insight into the female mind astounds me," said Lex flatly. "I mean it. I can protect Lana from her, but no-one else. You're one of the greatest resources at my disposal. I need you alive."

"As you say," said Mikhail, nodding at him before departing. Mikhail was right; he was taking a big gamble, and a lot depended on the youth. He ran a hand across his scalp wearily, returning his attention to his puzzle in the hope that it might sooth his uncertainty. Not to mention his conscience, such as it was. He couldn't afford to believe he was doing the wrong thing, not when the stakes were so high. He tightened his resolve.

A voice broke his concentration, causing him to drop his knight as he jumped, startled.

"I'm surprised to see you have time to play games, Lex."

Lex leapt to his feet, spinning around to face Lenaria. It was no wonder Clark always got past his security, if he could move half as quick as she could. Her arms were folded across her chest, her mouth tight.

"Lenaria. What can I do for you?" he said, recovering himself. He was certainly forced to make certain… concessions, around the woman (for now), but he was not about to be treated like her lapdog.

"I came to congratulate you on your speech. It was most satisfactory… although I do wonder… why did you refuse to betray your friend? I had thought you would expose him to the world, but clearly, you have something else in mind?"

Lenaria tilted her head to the right, smiling at him. Lex swallowed, uneasy under her gaze.

"The friendship between Clark and I was dead and buried long before I even learned what he really was. Our bargain didn't involve revealing Clark's identity, now did it? I intend to keep my end, so long as you keep yours."

The smile faded from The Empireth's face. She closed her eyes, frowning.

"I do wonder if I've done the right thing, putting this much trust in you, Lex. I mean, I do so enjoy being told how beautiful I am. Maybe it has affected my judgement. I had thought that seeing The Fortress would be something you would judge as a priority. Instead, however, you spend your time playing chess and nursing Lana Lang."

Lex flinched. Lenaria had been keeping a very careful watch on him. The question was, what else did she know?

"Lana is my friend, and she went through a terrible ordeal. I would have gone to this Fortress after she'd left, but I had errands to run for you. My team is getting prepped as we speak. But maybe you'll tell me, since you seem to know so much… who was responsible for the attack on the military camp?"

Lenaria's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Why do you ask me a question you already know the answer to? You seek to test me? Very well: the one responsible is the boy whose corpse you retrieved near the site. I believe his name is Joshua. You have of course found traces of meteor infection in his body, which gave him the unfortunate ability to turn human beings into bombs," said Lenaria, shuddering. "Most dreadful. It is my deepest regret that I was not there to help those poor people."

It was impossible for her to know all that, Lex thought. How could she know? Was she plucking the information from his mind? The thought was terrifying, and the implications unthinkable. Knowing if he was right, it was already too late, he tried running a song through his mind, hoping he might be able to drown out any wayward thoughts.

"Well, like I said, I'm about to go and check out this place you mentioned. You're more than welcome to come with us, of course…?"

"No, thank you," said Lenaria, as Lex had known she would. There was definitely something about the place she didn't like. He tried to drown the thought out. "There is much I need to attend to. Just remember to keep your end of the bargain."

"I intend to," said Lex, but by the time he had finished, she had already gone.

It was sometime later that he had another unannounced visitor, but this one was rather more prepared for. Lex had half-suspected that he would come here once he heard his speech. He didn't look up from the chessboard until Clark spoke.

"We need to talk, Lex."

888

Before he had left The Fortress with Pendar to find a safe place to leave him, Kimda had blurred away and returned with some tissues. Lyla held one against her nose now, tilting her head back. The bleeding wouldn't stop. Normally a nose bleed was little more than an inconvenience, but this one was an alarming omen of what was to come. Kimda hadn't told her what the later symptoms of the exposure sickness were, and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. It might well be so awful that she didn't want to know, but her mind was doing a pretty good job of coming up with terrible things anyway. She had never thought herself so creative.

She was starting to feel tired as well, but she didn't dare fall asleep. Hopefully Kimda would be back soon so she could get out of here; although she was very wary of The Sergeant, being alone was terrible. She tried to imagine she was brave like Clark was. He wouldn't be afraid.

Sleep had almost taken her when a new companion found her. A series of bleeping noises got her attention. When she opened her eyes a curious little robot with a large elliptical head was sitting in front of her.

"Well, hey there, little fella," she said, dropping a tissue and patting it's head as if it were an animal. She realised moments later that doing so could have been a potentially fatal mistake, though the machine certainly didn't look dangerous. It continued bleeping at her with great urgency. "Um, I'm afraid I don't understand you…"

"Made a new friend?" asked Kimda, appearing at her side from out of nowhere.

"I think he's trying to tell me something."

Kneeling down, Kimda inspected the machine closely.

"Can you understand him?"

"Uh… no," said Kimda, as if talking to a child. Lyla's face went red. "He's just making noises; it's not a language."

Pulling another tissue away, Lyla was relieved to see that the flow of blood seemed to have stopped, for now at least.

"I've seen you before, haven't I?" asked Kimda, picking the machine up of the ground and turning it around. A series of quick bleeps told Lyla it didn't like that very much, but Kimda appeared not to notice. Kimda did that a lot, she was beginning to see. It was a trait that she might expect from the kind of slightly eccentric scientist Kimda claimed to have been. It was not a trait she would expect from a C.P.C Sergeant. "You were with Raya on Kandor. You certainly get around, don't you? Looks like Jor-El has you look after this place. Can you help us find him? We want to help restore this place, but we don't know where he is."

While Kimda continued his one way conversation, Lyla turned her head to one side and was very abruptly (and violently) sick everywhere. Her eyes widened with fear as she saw it. Kimda clamped a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" he asked. She nodded, feeling numb inside. She'd felt fine just seconds before. "Listen, it looks like we won't need Clark after all. This machine can guide me to Jor-El. It's better that you stay here and rest. I won't be gone long. Just… be strong for me. I'll have you back home in no time."

Lyla wanted to grab him and tell him not to leave her, that she didn't want to be alone, but instead nodded. She was dismayed that she wasn't going to see Clark, but she didn't think she was up to the trip anyway.

"Wait…" she gasped as he turned to leave. "What if The Eradicator comes back?"

"It got what it needed from this place. It has no reason to return," said Kimda, though she could sense uncertainty in his mind. "Keep an eye on Kandor for me. Really though, I'll be back before you know it."

She called to him again, but this time he was gone. She felt like she was going to throw up again, and had to take deep, calming breaths to try and regain some control of herself. The Fortress cold barely touched her, but she shivered anyway. She felt very alone. Even the little machine would have been welcome company. Well, there were people close by, weren't there? Looking over at Kandor, she marvelled at how she now towered over the people there. She imagined peering in through the glass, and seeing some tiny person, having reached the edges of the glass universe, looking back at her. Thinking she was a giant. Thinking she was a god.

Her head felt light; little grey spots were dancing in and out of view. Leaning over, she threw up again, sobbing as she did so. She hoped Kimda got back soon. She wanted to go home.

Yeah, I'm homesick alright, she thought, and giggled. I'm bringing new meaning to the term. She leant back, dreaming of home, dreaming of taking Clark and J'onn back with her, dreaming of Pendar telling her she was forgiven, that he still wanted to be her friend. That he wanted to be Lyla's friend, not just Faye's. Eventually, wondering why Kimda hadn't come back yet, wondering if he had gotten sick like she had, she fell unconscious.

888

"I can't believe you would choose to work for Lenaria," said Clark, walking around Lex in a circle. "What's really going on here?"

"Are you familiar with the German word zugzwang?" asked Lex, not looking up from the board.

"I didn't come here for a German lesson," said Clark.

"It means 'compulsion to move'. Something you seem to be in possession of, Clark. Why don't you take a seat?"

Clark, looking irate, sat down opposite him. Lex offered him a smile. It was incredible that Clark had been able to conceal the truth from so many for so long. He wondered, with some irritation, just how many people knew about it before him. Lana, certainly. Oh, not for a long time, no, but sometime, probably recently, she had found out. Had Clark finally gotten the courage to tell her? Lex thought not. No, Lana must have found out somehow. She had gotten somewhat more… cunning, he thought, during her association with him. Yes, she had probably used some trick to uncover the truth.

Chloe? Maybe. Probably, in fact. Pete too. Lex knew now that Pete had died, while Chloe had lived. He was glad she had survived. Pete had admirable qualities, but he had no real future to lose. Chloe was different. She could be a nuisance, but he held her in somewhat high regard.

His father would not know, of course. Clark would not be sitting here talking to him otherwise. Well, assuming his father also knew Clark's weakness, at least. Happily, that was knowledge Lex also had. Otherwise, this meeting would be far more dangerous for him.

"The term is closely associated with chess," Lex continued. "In that context, it usually occurs when a player finds themselves in a position where they must take their turn and move, yet any possible move they could make can only weaken their position. Therefore they would ideally do nothing, and yet they find they cannot. Kind of like what led you here, isn't it. Clark?"

Clark leaned in close to him, baring his teeth.

"Listen to me, Lex. Whatever Lenaria is telling you is a lie. It was her that staged the attack that killed Pete, and almost Chloe, Lana and you as well."

"Well, tell me something, then," whispered Lex, leaning in close. "When Lenaria told me about this, was that a lie too?"

Pulling the meteor rock from his pocket, Lex held it towards Clark. Lenaria had told him only one thing could harm Clark, other than herself, and it was the rocks that populated the town. According to her, they were parts of Clark's home-world that had been dragged across space with him. For some reason she had not elaborated on, they were like poison to him.

Clark never even flinched. Lex continued to hold the rock, wondering if the effect wasn't instantaneous. He tried to remain calm. If the rock was useless, he was no longer playing chess, but poker. And, in the blink of an eye, he was going to have to choose to either fold or go all in.