Resurrection Part 4

At the Luthor Mansion…

Lana's tongue felt thick and fuzzy. There was a pounding in the forefront of her skull. When she finally opened her eyes, she found herself in an unfamiliar room.

"How are you feeling?" Lex Luthor was at her side.

Lana's attempt at talking erupted into a coughing fit. Lex handed her a glass of water. "What happened?"

"Can you tell me what you remember?"

Lana sat up in the four poster bed. She noticed she was dressed in her familiar pajama set. "Uh…I was working my shift…Clark wanted to interview me…then…"

An image of the cursed magazine cover flashed before her eyes. She closed them to shield herself from the image. "There was this other guy who wanted an interview."

"Perry White. Lana," Lex leaned forward and took her hand, "I assure you; he will not bother you again."

"Thank you." Lana smiled. "Then…no. It's all a bit fuzzy after that."

"That's about when I entered the building. I'll say you made quite the scene."

"Oh, no. What did I do?"

"Let's say you were brutally truthful." Lex smiled wryly.

"I don't understand. What happened? Lex?"

Her business partner sighed. "Lana, you were exposed to a toxin that forced you to share your true feelings about the meteor shower and its' affects. It's been neutralized; you'll be perfectly fine. But I can't say how business will do after this." Lex brought out a copy of the Torch.

The title read The Coffee Battle Ground with a picture out the Talon's storefront with the silly coffee stand right next to it.

And it was written by Clark Kent.

"I guess I need to do some damage control." Lana sighed.

"Rest first. Your nurse, Natalie, will be here in a little bit to check on you. When she gives you the all-clear, you can go home."

Lex stood up and began to head for the door. Lana was sad at the loss of his hand.

"Lex," Lana called out. "Thank you."

Lex Luthor turned and gave a rare smile.

Lana turned her attention back to the newspaper article.

A single tear fell on the front page.

At Smallville High…

Lana was furious.

All day at school everyone treated her like a pariah or a hero for a reason she didn't condone. She couldn't escape the glares or the nods of encouragement. That stupid article declared the Talon a social battleground. To support the Talon was to support the Smallville Shooter killing every single meteor freak.

The first chance Lana got, she barged into the Torch office. Both Clark and Chloe were sitting at their desks.

"What the hell!" Lana screeched as she threw the newspaper down in front of Clark. "How could you do this! I have thrown my heart and soul into that place!"

"Hey!" Chloe stepped in front of Clark. "I'm the editor. Nothing got printed without my approval. You got a problem, you talk to me."

"How could you print that! I thought you were my friend." Lana's eyesight was divided between the two of them.

"Lana," Chloe spoke calmly, "it's news. This is a newspaper. It's nothing personal. And I can print a retraction. Just tell me what's wrong with it. What's factually wrong with the article."

Lana seethed. She barely read the article; just sped through it in an angry glare.

Just then, Alicia came in, grinning at Clark. She went directly over to him, gently grabbing his jaw, forcibly moving his head up and in her direction. Alicia climbed in his lap and gave him a deep kiss. Chloe watched Clark's eyes grow wide. The chair was pushed back and almost toppled over if he hadn't steadied them. Alicia finally released him with an audible smack.

"Hi?"

"You are wonderful." Alicia grinned at him, twirling the ends of his hair.

"Thanks?"

"Want to get out of here?"

"Uhh…in the middle of something."

Lana took in Alicia's outfit. Today, she was channeling a cowgirl aesthetic. Alicia was wearing a pleated jean skirt, a white tank top with a familiar red flannel shirt tied in the front. To finish her look, the girl wore fashionable brown boots, and her hair was tied in two braids.

"Nice shirt."

Alicia only giggled at Chloe's compliment.

"Alicia, is that my shirt?" Clark questioned.

"Yeah. It's like you're hugging me all day long."

"But…I didn't…"

"The article's vindictive." Lana insisted, trying to get back on track. She noticed how Alicia put her hand on her belly, as if she were experiencing some indigestion. "You claimed the Talon's being discriminative. That is not true. The Talon serves everyone."

"We didn't. Patrons did," Clark said, bringing out a notebook. Alicia had retreated closer to the door. "I interviewed at least two dozen people claiming a difference in service since the shooter showed up. That's not to mention those present for your rant."

"Excuse me," Alicia rushed from the room.

"You got to retract this." Lana insisted to Chloe.

"Lana," Chloe looked straight into her eyes, "Clark's article is factual and unbiased. I stand by what my reporter wrote. And unless you can provide facts to contradict what's written, there's nothing I can do."

Clark's body stiffened; his head snapped toward the direction. In a second, he sprinted out of the office. In shock and curiosity, Chloe followed. Not wanting to be left behind, Lana did the same, following both of them into the nearby girl's bathroom.

There were several girls already there, unsettled by Clark's appearance. He was holding a shaking, whimpering Alicia in his arms in a stall. A quick glance at the toilet showed a bowl of green soup.

"What'd you eat?" Clark questioned.

"Just some of the chocolates you gave me."

"I didn't…" Clark's face paled. "Alicia, listen to me. We have to get you to the hospital now. Please work. Please work, please work."

Chloe gasped when a second later both Clark and Alicia had disappeared.

"What just happened?" Chloe asked, looking at Lana.

"Long story."

At the Smallville Medical Center…

For the third time in just as many days, Clark brought another person to the emergency room. Clark had heard Alicia call him for help from the school's bathroom with his super hearing. Alicia was too sick to use her powers. Due to the emergency, Clark used his superspeed to transport both of them to the ER. From what Lana already knew, Clark hoped Alicia would forgive him for explaining their disappearance on her powers instead of his.

"I need help. Now!" Clark called in the middle of the emergency room.

"What happened?" Dr. Scanlan asked as Alicia was put on a stretcher.

"She was poisoned."

As the doctors were distracted giving Alicia care, Clark sped to Alicia's bedroom. On her bed was an opened heart shaped box of chocolate; there were five missing. A small card nearby read: Sweets for my sweet.

"These were some of the last things she ate," Clark explained back in the hospital, handing the box over to a medical technician.

Clark was forced to stay in the waiting room as Alicia was wheeled to the back.

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Clark went to his father's hospital room. His mother was there, having never left her husband's side. In tears, Clark explained what happened to Alicia. He shared about the tractor and what was going on with his powers.
"Son, don't worry about the tractor."

"And I'll call the school to ask if you can get extensions on your homework. I should have thought of that before."

"I can't lose her, mom. I can't."

"So, your girlfriend really is a freak." Clark turned to see Van smirking in the doorway. "You know, I was starting to wonder about you. But it's just like Lana said; your girlfriend's got a talent for appearing out of thin air."

Clark rushed over and grabbed Van by his shirt, forcing him against the wall. "You're going to tell those doctors exactly what you gave her."

"No problem. I even got the antidote. You're just going to help me with something first."

Clark pushed him away and took a step back. "What do you want?"

"We're going to print a special Torch edition. Do that, and she'll live." Van flashed a wide grin. "For now."