Chapter 30 [A Half Hour Later—Luthor Mansion]
Lex scribbled his signature across the last document on his desk. He leaned back in his chair. Judging from the ruckus down the hall, Dave and Angie had encountered something either in the cemetery or somewhere between the mansion and there. At least he's out in the garden. He shook his head. Mom, you had him figured out. Give him his flowers and he calms down. He smirked at some of the floral displays back in Amherst and later at the Tucson condo. Between that and the poetry, he has his artistic flare all right. He sipped on his coffee and sauntered over to the window. He gazed out on the high bushes obscuring the floral wonders within.
At that moment, Jenkins, the elderly butler, rapped at the door. "Excuse me, Mr. Luthor?"
"Yes, Jenkins?" Lex noted the renewed dire expression on the staff member's face. "Is there something else that's come up?"
"Mr. Kent and Miss Lang are here. They say it's urgent. Might I show them up?" Jenkins requested.
"Yes of course. Can you brew another pot of coffee and bring some snacks? I'll leave it to you to choose," Lex instructed. As the butler closed the door back behind himself, the billionaire had questions galore swimming through his head. Hopefully this is related to the poetry reading. He heard the doors open and turned to meet his newest guests. "Hey, Guys. Feeling better?"
Lana glanced at Clark. Indecision held her back.
Clark motioned to Lex. "Go ahead. We need to ask him."
"Ask me about what? Don't tell me your parents are still mad about whatever was going on yesterday." Lex sighed. He raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. But we're kind of working through bigger issues right now, Lex." Clark bowed his head. He squirmed a bit.
Lex coughed. He could well imagine some of the typical teenage scenarios. "So you two spent the night together? I can think of worse things."
"What? No!" She stiffened and exhaled a terse breath. "Well not…that I don't want to but…you know…."
Clark admitted, "I wouldn't want my Dad finding us." He shook his head.
"Clark Kent Boy Scout Supreme. Don't lose that." Lex rubbed the Farm Boy's arm. "Relax. Everything's coming together for the poetry reading. That menu we worked out with Jasmine and Miranda meets with the suppliers' approval. Jasmine's father sent some more coffee beans that will get here on Tuesday. I've got extra warmers for the back. Mrs. Kent's going to bake some pies to help. We just need to sweep out the old theater and inspect the old seats. Everything's coming together. Right?"
"That's great, Lex." She plastered a smile across her face. Granted she was excited about the strings coming together. Still her own mysteries weighed heavily on her.
"But…?" Lex motioned for Jenkins to bring the coffee and snack service into the room. After the butler had departed, he closed the doors again to insure their privacy. He rubbed his chin. "What's going on? I expected you both to be excited that this is going to be a rousing success."
She sighed deeply. "We've been making a few discoveries, Lex, since this all started. Some of them are kind of hard to deal with. Others have more and more questions attached." She poured herself a coffee and fixed it. "Thanks though. I need this."
"I'll second that." Clark made himself a cup. With everything else going on, the java provided a soothing relief.
"And here I thought that visiting my folks would have clarified things." She frowned. While she would've wanted to go on about everything, she knew she had to keep the Secret. Still she could talk about the other matter…at least the main matter…. "Lex, I was at the cemetery earlier, I ran into Mr. and Dr. Dubois."
Lex rolled his eyes. That might be it. "You said something that set him off. She brought him back here. He's in the garden cooling off with Jasmine's namesakes. What happened?"
"I didn't get there until afterwards. I don't know," Clark conceded.
"I went there after school to visit my parents. I found them there. I admit I'm uncomfortable around him when that thing takes control. I tried not to show it. They told me that my feelings were provoking it, I guess. That got things going. I told them that they were stirring things up since they got to town. How do they know me? Apparently he knew me at some point and knows all about my family? They said you do too. Did my mother keep secrets about our heritage? What's going on, Lex?"
Lex sipped on his coffee. "You have the next two days to sit and listen? It's quite a story." He sucked in a deep breath. "Now I get it." He nodded. "You do realize that they're both telepaths? They can feel emotions. Sometimes they can hear thoughts. That's how they felt your fear, Lana. In his case, he's really sensitive to that stuff. Be really careful."
"So he can't control himself? Lex, he should be on meds then," Clark suggested.
Lex snorted. "Clark, he's partially possessed and cursed. There isn't a pill that can cure that. You don't want to see what did that to him."
She bit her lip. "He said my ancestors did that to him. Lex, how is my family involved?"
Lex rubbed his scalp. "Sure you want to know? Lana, your family has a dark past. It's better off left back there."
"Lex, I can't be left in the dark like this! How can someone who didn't cross paths with me before a few days ago know about my family and me?" she demanded.
Lex coughed. "Lana, they knew your parents before you were born. You apparently talked to him a couple of times as a toddler. He was here during the meteor shower and for your parents' funeral." He bowed his head. "I'll never forget that."
"Lex, you mean he knew Lana back then?" Clark supposed.
"He knew both of you, Clark. Your parents met him during the Talon protests a generation ago." Lex paced about the area. "And he's known your family for most of his life too." He frowned. "As have I." He gulped down the rest of his coffee. "My father's greatest sin brought Dave and me together." He rubbed his forehead. "Are you really sure you want to hear this, Lana?"
"Lex, I'm not my ancestors. Whatever they did, it couldn't have been that bad!" she protested.
Lex shook his head. "Your Mom was a truly wonderful person. Your Aunt Nell is a hard worker. Your ancestors, at least those we know of, were a mixed lot. The worst of them were demonic sorceresses in France, Canada and America. We've seen their ghosts. The Child has battled all of them. We've all suffered in the process. You and I lost our mothers."
"Sorceresses? You mean witches? They don't exist, Lex," Clark doubted.
"Oh they exist all right. That kind of power could be right in front of you and you'd never know it." Lex refilled his coffee mug.
"Lex, my mother died in the meteor shower not from some witch. And who was this witch anyhow?" Lana disagreed. She could almost feel his earnestness. For some reason, she could feel that he believed he was telling the truth.
"Her name was Anne Lichtenfeld, an eighteenth century witch, back in Massachusetts. She was the fifth in that lineage and your great aunt many times removed, Lana. I've seen her ghost personally. During the meteor shower, she used a spell to fling that meteor down on top of your parents," Lex recounted. "I'm sorry to have to tell you that, Lana." He sighed heavily.
"Lex, you can't be serious! It's a great story," Lana denied.
"It's true." Dave stalked into the library. He rubbed his forehead. "I hope I can grab some of that coffee. Wow. What a headache." Rejection still stung his ego.
"Go for it. I told her you knew about that coven in her family. The Child already ranted as much to her," Lex insisted.
"Angie said he did." Dave savored the rich java. "Oh I needed that. Thanks." He studied Lillian's portrait. "Gram and Auntie both would've had us keep it quiet, Alex. " He studied Lana again. As in the cemetery, he clearly felt the change in her aura. He sensed the new found energy surging through her. Still he opted to keep his peace. "You also have a white priestess and a distinguished nun in your ancestry as well. Your direct ancestor, Heloise, defied the dark path taken by her mother and sister. Sister Clarise, her sister, sacrificed a great deal to serve her order and God. The point is you can have power. The question focuses on intent and purpose. Do you serve the Light or the Darkness?"
Clark nodded. He could clearly hear his father's admonitions in those words. He glanced at her. Still he chose to remain silent.
"Good advice. Maybe when the poetry is all over, we can talk about it further," Lex suggested clearly trying to steer the conversation back on course.
"Yeah. I'd rather have a poetry reading without the collateral excitement for once. Smallville deserves that much," Dave agreed. "Lana, rather than focus on the dark characters in your family, look to those who served others. They're the ones you should emulate. Just as we're trying to light things up here, you should do the same in whatever way you can."
"Byron would break out into verse over that," Lana agreed.
"Let's hope we all can do as much," Lex surmised. He drank deeply from his mug. Hope prompted positive thoughts on all fronts.
At least that's what they all wanted…..