Part 9

"Darkseid!" Oliver gasped as he backed away. His turned white as a ghost as he mentally kicked himself for not telling anyone where he was going or having some backup. His heart raced rapidly against his chest as he tried to regain control of the situation and feared that somehow The Dark Lord would find a way to take control of him again.

"Don't worry," Darkseid announced cunningly. "I don't need you anymore. I have a whole army of soldiers at my becking call and soon I will have my champion."

"Clark will never join you!" exclaimed Oliver. There was no possible way Clark would ever become allies with this monster, this being who uses peoples fear and hate against them. He had nearly destroyed the earth the last time he had been here, but thankfully Clark made sure that wouldn't happen. "His heart is pure and good."

"The last time I faced off with him, yes. That was true, but things have changed now. Haven't they?" Darkseid questioned Oliver. "Do you truly believe he is the same man he once was?"

Oliver could feel his heart racing as Darkseid stared back at with through Lex's eyes, but he knew he couldn't show him fear or even acknowledge any doubt he may have about Clarks well being. Clark had never given up on him even at his worst moments Clark had always been there for him. He couldn't turn on him now. "He's grieving. He'll pull through."

"Just like you did?" Darkseid took a few steps forward towards Oliver. "After your parents died? What did you become?" he asked as he cocked his neck. "What happened to that sweet little boy your mother would tuck in at night and call her little angel?"

"I was angry..."

Oliver bowed his head down sighing. After he had lost his parents, he had become very angry at the world. And the older he got the more heartless and cold he had become. He had turned his back on Lex and had become his enemy forgetting all about the times when they had been children and would play games with the others. He picked on the weak, because he didn't want anyone to know the true, That deep down he was weaker than all of them. And then once he finished school that's when the drinking and the hard partying started. Until he found himself alone on an island the only survivor. He thought he would die, but then after three or five days and he hated died. He made a vow that if he ever got off that island he would change. He would make his parents proud and let go of his anger and become something better.

"But I changed..."

"Really?" questioned Darkseid. "Then why when faced with losing the woman you love was it so easy for me to take control?"

"No one is perfect!" exclaimed Oliver. "Ir had been his finest moment. He had lost control, but Clark was able to bring him back to the light. Even Lex couldn't withhold your control. And he the most stubbornest jackass I know!"

"Lex's father and I had an arraignment," he sneered. "Not that he was aware of it. He neglected to read the fine print of our arraignment. He was so desperate to have his son back that he would sacrifice his own life for a prophetic imitation that he didn't even consider the reproductions."

"So what?" Oliver announced. "You bring clone Lex to life in exchange to have a windows eyes view of earth?" Oliver felt an ounce of courage rise up within him as he looked Darkseid hard in the eyes. "You're not really here are you?" Oliver pulls out his crossbow and point it at Lex's head. "I wonder what happens when I put an arrow through Lex's head?"

"I would be more concerned what happens to you, Oliver Queen," he annouched with a wide eyes smile. Oliver threats were about as treating as a kitten with a ball of yarn. "Killing the President of the United State. You would become public enemy number one. You would be hunted and gunned down."

"If that is the sacrificed I have to make so keep you away then do be it!" Oliver pulled the trigger setting loose an arrow, but to his surprise Darkseid scoop up the arrow turning it to ash. "What the hell!" he gasped.

"Not surprising. You after all had no problem with killing the real Lex Luthor, but it will take more than a little arrow to finish off this Lex." He approached Oliver walking the Green Arrow up against a wall. There would be no escaping. "You were half right about the window, only it's a back door."

"You can come and go as you please," said Oliver. How could he have been so stupid. This was Darkseid of course he would want more than to look through a window.

"Yes," he hissed.

"Is Lex aware of what's going on?" He would have thought Lex of all people would not want to be controlled by anyone, but then again Darkseid isn't just anyone. .

"On some level he is, but I think he seems to enjoy it," he annouched breathing his hot breath into Olivers face. "That's what power does to a person, as you will find with Kal-El."

"You're wrong about him," annouched Oliver determined to prove Darkseid wrong. "And once he knows that you were somehow involved with what happen. He'll take care of you just like the last time."

"Oh, but I'm afraid you wont be able to tell him," hissed The Dark Lord.

Shouldn't have seen that coming. Oliver knew that there was no way Darkseid would let him just walk out of here. The only way he was leaving was in a body bag. "You kill me, it's only a matter of time until the others figure it out."

"Which is why I'm not going to kill you," Darkseid grabbed a hold of Oliver face then placed his other hand on top of Olivers head. "I would hold still. This is going to hurt."

Oliver screamed out in pain as a purple glow surrounded his head, but no words came out. Darkseid was some how blocking his crying pleas preventing anyone from barging in on them. Once it was over Oliver collapsed on the ground.

Darkseid stood over him smiling an evil smile of having removed any memory of their conversation from Olivers memory. It was not yet time to let the cat out of the bag, but the time would be approaching soon. He could feel it.

"...Lex, what'd you do to me?" moaned Oliver as he stared up at Lex, but was having a hard time concentrating, everything was spinning around and his vision was blurred.

"Don't worry, Oliver," announced Lex. "Help is on the way. They will see to it that you make it home safely."

Moments later three secret services agents entered the room. Lex turned to them and announced. "Would you three see to it that Mr. Queen is sent home. He's not feeling well."

"What about Superman?" one of them asked as the other two helped Oliver to his feet.

"He was very helpful," smiled Lex.

"We will see to it that Mr. Queen is returned to his private jet."

Smallville

Kent Farm House

Conner and Courtney were sitting in the living room. Kara had given Conner some much needed time out ever since Clark had made his declaration to the entire world. Clark had been working nonstop and Kara and him had been helping paroled the earth making sure everyone listened. It was a lot for anyone to take in, but after what happened in Metropolis it seemed like the thing to do. The only way to prevent more tragedies from happening. But this is have to be this way? Was there not another way? Conner wasn't so sure he agreed with what Clark was doing. It went against everything Clark had ever taught him. ….Everything their mother had believed in. Conner knew deep down that Martha Kent would not approve, but she would painfully understand. Clark had lost the most important person in his life. The person that makes it all worthwhile. Lois had meant everything to Clark and without her he's lost. It was for that reason he has stuck by him. Clark is his brother, they're a part of each other. Without Clark he wouldn't even exist, he would have died out like the other clones, but because he was the clone with half of Clark DNA he had survived. He felt he owed it to Clark to stand by him no matter what ….even if it felt wrong.

"You okay?" Courtney asked as she held his hand. The two had been dating over the last three years and grown closer with each and every day that passes. It didn't matter to her how Conner came into this world or that half his DNA was of one of the most evil men in the world. She knew Conner had a good heart and would always do the right thing.

"I should be asking you that," Conner answered as he turned to her brushing his hand into her hair and cupping her cheek. "You lost your entire family..." Courtney had lost her mother and step-father, both had died along with elven million others when Metropolis went up in flames. She hadn't been there because she had been on a solo mission saving lives, but had been unable to save the lives of the two people that meant the most to her.

"You lost family too," she answered with a faint smile. "We all had people we cared about who died that day." That was the only thing that made this all the more easier knowing that none of them were alone in this. They all had lost friends, family, people they would have done anything for and they all shared the guilt of being unable to save those closest to them. What could was it having these powers, these gifts, if you can't save the ones you love?

"He died too," Conner answered with a faint smile as he stared into her loving watering eyes. "...Clark, he died."

"He's grieving," Courtney answered. "We all are."

"This is different..." Conner answered sadly. "I've seen Clark grieve before back when we all thought Bart had been dead for a year." It had been a hard year on all them in more ways than one, but they made it. And Clark never lost sight of who he was and what the world needed him to be. He knew his limitation and he he could and could not do.

"Bart wasn't one of eleven million. That's a lot for anyone to take in, even someone like Clark," answered Courtney not willing to give up on Clark just yet. The last conversation she had with Carter was shorty after they had to shut down Watchtower in Metropolis had to do with Clark and it was a conversation she had never forgotten.

Carter and her were in Carters truck as they pulled up to her parents house. The two hadn't really talked after they all has agreed they should keep their distance from each other in order to protect one another.

"You going to come in?" Courtney asked as she turned to Carter. "He'd love to see you."

"It's probably best I don't," Carter answered with a faint.

"He's not made you know," Courtney replied knowing that Carter thought that after everything that's happened with Checkmate, Sylvester death and now with the government witch hunt that her stepfather was angry at Carter for getting her mixed up in all of it. "He knows he was the one who introduced me to all of you."

"It doesn't mean, we were right in allowing you to stay and train," answered Carter.

"Let's be honest," Courtney smiled a devious smile. "There was nothing any of you could have done to stop me. I wasn't going anywhere until Sylvester agreed to train me. And I'll admit at first it was just to piss off Pat, but after everything we've done and getting to know everyone. It's so much more. And I have you to thank for a lot of that."

Carter smiled. He now could see what Sylvester had seen in her. She had that spark that same spark his wife had had, perhaps that is why him and Sylvester had argued over her training. He was afraid that what happened to his wife could happen to Courtney, but unlike his wife Courtney would have no other chances, She was mortal, something he was not. How many friends has he lost? How many of their children has he watched die. It was both a curse and blessing to watch the next generation of heroes rise, but also a fear that he wont always be there for them. "That means more than you'll ever know."

"You're talking like we wont see each other again," Courtney annouched. "Once this whole thing blows over things will go back to normal."

"I don't doubt we will seize the day. I just don't believe I will be around to see it."

"What are you saying?" asked Courtney fearful of losing a good friend.

"I can feel her calling to me," Carter finally said after several seconds of silence. "My time in this life is coming to an end."

Courtney couldn't believe it. She thought she would know him forever, but deep down she knew that the day would come for him to leave and be reborn where he would reunite with his wife. "Will I ever see you again?" she cried.

"We just might," he answered with a kind smile. He truly hoped that one day he would see her again. She probably would be older than she is now, no longer a witty teenager, but a brave woman who has dedicated her life to helping others. "...But it might not be for a while."

"I wont ever forget you Carter. And I wish Shayera and you the best life possible," she told him. "I just don't know what I'll do without you."

"Hey," he gently brushed away a falling tear. "I'm not leaving you alone. I've left you with some good people."

"Yeah. Clark is a pretty good guy."

"Yeah. He is. In a way he reminds me of myself," he answered with a faint smile. "Which is why I'm asking you to never give up on him. Even if one day he loses his way" Carter didn't know where he would be if his friends had given up on him, but he knew he would be lost without them.

"I wont," she exclaimed. "I promise."

And from that they on she had every intention of keeping her promise. She would never give up on Clark and never allow those around her to do so either.

"She meant everything to him." Conner was afraid that now without Lois in Clarks life that the man they all had known was gone forever. Lois had always been the one that Clark trusted the most, she knew his doubts and his fears. She was the one who believed in him no matter what even when the odds were against them. She never once lost her faith in him. What does one become after losing all that?

"Yeah, she did," Courtney answered as she kissed Conner softly on the lip.

"...Do you think he's doing the right thing?" asked Conner as they pulled away.

"I don't know," Courtney answered. "I wasn't around when Carters wife died, I came after the fact. He had given up until Clark and Oliver showed up and he remembered who we was. Maybe all Clark needs is someone to remind him who he is."

"I'm just afraid it wont be that easy," Conner answered. Clarks situation was ten times more worst than Carters, although he couldn't imagine what it was like to live a thousands lifetimes only to lose the one person who means the world to you every time.

"It never is when it's the people we care for the most,"

TO BE CONTINUED