Blackout - Part 8/8
Blackout part 8
Chapter Summary: The final battle and its aftermath.
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14 - Metropolis- next day just before sunrise
“Ready?”
Clark responded from his perch atop the Daily Planet, “Ready.”
From the main power station, Lori confirmed, “I’m set.”
At Belle Reve, Lois quipped, “Raring to go.”
And from the LuthorCorp computer room, Bruce commanded gruffly, “Let’s get this over with.”
“Right. Lois, you’re up first. Everyone’s going to be pretty much on their own for their part of the plan. Clark, it’s up to you to coordinate and troubleshoot. Any questions? Okay, good luck everyone.”
Lois hung up and drew a deep breath. She was nervous at confronting Fine again knowing what he really was, but also felt a thrill at the prospect of bringing down the being that had kept her away from her cousin for far too long. Her role was in some ways the simplest but nonetheless critical. She hopped over the perimeter fence and headed towards the staff entrance to Belle Reve.
As they’d expected from their reconnaissance, most of the electronic security was down to conserve the power available from the backup generator. The old-fashioned locks proved easy to pick and Lois quickly slipped into the facility. She was dressed as one of the staff and passed unnoticed to the main security checkpoint. This however was guarded - time to bluff.
“Dr Fine told me to bring Chloe Sullivan to his office.”
“Orders?” The guard sighed at her look of incomprehension. “These doctors can never remember the emergency protocol. With the phones down, we need written orders to move patients.”
“The phones are down?” Lois gave her most vapid look. “How’d that happen?”
The guard looked at her incredulously. “The blackout means we’re running on emergency power for god knows how long. The powers that be decided we could all live without phones.”
“Huh. So how are you communicating with everyone else?”
The guard pointed to a walkie-talkie, turned off to conserve power. Lois smiled and then suddenly swung around and hit him in the head with her surprisingly heavy bag. The guard crumpled to the floor.
Lois stared at the security panel and murmured, “Here goes nothing.” The high security zone she left alone - the last thing she wanted was to set the strongest of the freaks free. Some of them were no doubt like Chloe, rounded up mainly for getting in Lionel’s way, but it would take time to sort it all out. For now, her goal was a simple one. One by one she dropped the locks separating her from Chloe. From down the hall, she could hear a steadily increasing murmur as prisoners reacted to their newfound freedom. The noise level rose as the guards started to respond with force. A few screams punctuated the growing chaos.
Lois looked down again at the security panel and started to shut down the next line of security. But she suddenly found her hand crushed in an implacable grip. Remorseless brown eyes stared down at her. “Miss Lane, exactly what are you doing here?”
Lois looked up at him with a defiant head toss. “I’m setting my cousin free. I tried to help that bastard Lex Luthor for her sake and he doesn’t give a damn. All he can think of is hunting down alien artifacts. Right now, he’s preparing an expedition to the Arctic for god’s sake! I think he’s lost it, and if he’s not on my side, Chloe may never get out of here. Not by the front door at least.”
Brainiac examined her carefully. “I admire your persistence if nothing else. Perhaps you will survive the days to come.” With that, Brainiac threw Lois down the hall, into the middle of the growing riot. He zoomed away.
“Lex, he’s coming,” Clark reported in from the Daily Planet. By his standards, Brainiac was moving slowly - only a few hundred miles per hour. “He’ll be there in seconds. Be careful.”
“Right,” Lex replied and hung up. He picked up the Key and held it up to the first rays of the rising sun just as Brainiac burst into his office. The disk started to hum, and Brainiac paused.
“So, I see you have done your research, Mr. Luthor. I am surprised you would use the Key when you destroyed the Orb. Whose side are you on?”
“My own. And humanity’s of course. Do you think I’d trust a piece of alien technology to give me powers that could be taken away at any time? Better to destroy it all I say.”
“And what of Kal-El?”
“I’ll keep him around for emergencies - knowing his weakness makes him easy enough to control.”
Just then the lights flickered on in Lex’s office. Out the windows, the panoramic view of Metropolis gradually illuminated - the blackout was over. Even from this high above ground level, the welcoming cries of the population could be heard.
Lex smirked. “Bet you didn’t think humanity could solve your virus so quickly, hmmm?”
Brainiac sneered in response. “Do you really think you can save yourself for long? You cannot even begin to imagine the extent of my power.” He reached out for Lex’s laptop.
From his perch, Clark called out, “Lori, now!”
All over town, the lights abruptly shut off. They came back on in LuthorCorp tower alone with such power that most of the light bulbs exploded in spite of the carefully redesigned wiring. The surge flowed through Brainiac, still interfaced via Lex’s laptop with the LuthorCorp network.
Down in the computer room, Bruce surveyed the network of bombs one last time and flipped a switch. Ten seconds, nine… He slammed the door behind him and raced full tilt down the corridor. Clark could always save him if things got too close, but ideally needed to keep his attention on Brainiac and the search for the Black Ship.
… Three, two, one! LuthorCorp tower shook with the explosion from the computer room. In Lex’s office, Brainiac turned to Lex with a stunned expression under the dual attack. “Most… unexpected…” His features melted to a black metallic substance before solidifying again. “You cannot… stop me.” He pressed a signal device and flickered out of existence.
From his vantage point, Clark spotted the Black Ship as its screen dropped momentarily. Time seemed to almost stop as he narrowed his focus on it. He gathered energy from the Earth, and sprung into the sky on an unerring trajectory. He hit the side of the Ship with untold energy, knocking it several miles to the west. He fell to earth with a thump, then launched himself once again at the Ship. Over and over, he repeated the attack, moving too quickly for it to respond.
Despite the fury of his blows, Clark had not yet made a serious dent in the Ship. But then again, that wasn’t his immediate goal. With each contact, the ship was buffeted further and further away from Metropolis. Now it was safe for the battle to begin in earnest.
One last jump took Clark to the top of the Ship. He balanced precariously, unable to get a firm handhold on the smooth surface. The Ship responded to his presence by yawing repeatedly, then accelerating up into the atmosphere. Clark fought to control his vertigo and then focused the full intensity of his heat vision on one tiny spot. Not even the otherwise impenetrable material could resist this, his most powerful weapon. The metal started to bubble, then began to melt under the immense heat.
Gathering one last surge of energy from the sun, Clark punched downwards, once, twice, three times, finally shattering the ship’s power core. The Ship gave a sudden lurch, then plummeted down. To Clark, the fall seemed to last for hours, though in truth it took only seconds at the speed they were traveling. The Ship struck the ground with resounding force, cratering the surrounding terrain. Buildings from hundreds of miles away shook in response.
Silence slowly descended, broken only by the increasingly frantic voices over Clark’s headphone. There was no response. He lay motionless in the shadow of the now dead Ship.
***
15 - Luthor Mansion - next day
Lois was surprised when security directed her away from the study - she’d started to think it was the only room Lex ever used in the entire mansion. Instead, the guard escorted them outdoors and through a rose garden, a beautiful sight even though not yet in bloom.
Lex was stretched out on the ground, under an umbrella to protect him from the sun. He was dressed somewhat casually by his standards in a lilac shirt and cotton slacks. He was nonetheless working diligently on his laptop, and seemed vaguely annoyed at the interruption until he saw who accompanied her.
“Chloe! How did you get free so quickly?” He rose quickly to his feet. “Lois didn’t actually break you out, did she?”
Chloe laughed and gave him a quick hug. “No. Seems I’ve got friends in high places.” She gestured towards Martha. “Did you hear the news?”
At Lex’s blank look, Martha smiled mischievously. “Yesterday, I got a call from the governor. Seems like Senator Ames is being impeached for some of his activities with Lionel. And guess who the governor picked to replace him?”
Lex gave a shout of laughter. “You! What a brilliant choice - Lionel’s cabal probably think you’re one of them, while Jonathan’s old supporters hope you’ll carry on his agenda.”
Martha nodded soberly. “I’m not sure I’m the best choice given some of the decisions I’ve made lately, but I know I’m better than most of the alternatives. So I said yes, provided we immediately set up a committee to review the arrests over the last year. We’ve got to get the Metahuman Act repealed too.”
Lex reached out for her hand and gave it an encouraging squeeze. “And hopefully find someway to protect Clark. That’s a lot to aim for, but just know I’ll help in any way I can.”
Martha smiled at him fondly, then turned to the figure lying in the sun just a few feet away from Lex. Clark was still largely motionless, but his chest rose and fell with reassuring regularity. The cuts and bruises from the crash the day before were already fading in the early afternoon sun. Martha knelt down and pulled Clark’s head into her lap, then started to stroke the spiky hair.
Lex reassured her, “He hasn’t woken yet, but he’s recovering quickly. I thought it would be better to let him heal at his own pace this time. Unless another emergency comes up, I’d just as soon avoid the Fortress for now. I think Clark would appreciate a little mothering after everything that’s happened.”
Lois quipped, “Smallville definitely enjoys his coddling!”
Chloe protested, “Lois, how can you say that after all he’s done for us?”
“Just saying, I haven’t met a man yet who didn’t appreciate a little TLC. Smallville tries to act all independent and manly, but deep down he’s just a pile of goo.”
Chloe gave her an expressive look, but knew there was no point in arguing. Instead she turned to Lex. “On the drive over, I talked to Perry White at the Planet. He’s eager to get more details on what happened. I didn’t know though what was safe to reveal.”
“Short of Clark’s identity, all of it. I’m sure most people won’t believe it, and only part of it will get printed, but we can at least start laying the groundwork for the future. There’s someone out there, someone who’ll try to help when things get really bad. But he’s no god, just a friend in need.”
They looked over at Clark, from whose mouth seeped the slightest hint of drool. He looked so young, so vulnerable in the sunshine - it was hard to imagine in him the latent power to shatter worlds. He started to lightly snore.
Chloe laughed, “That’s a good angle, Lex. I know the last thing Clark would want is for people to treat him like some kind of all-powerful being. He’s just a man after all, despite all the super powers.”
Lois laughed suddenly. “Superman! That’s what we’ll call him. Emphasis on the ‘man’.”
Lex shot her a skeptical look. “Aren’t you afraid of associating Clark with some rather inappropriate Nietzschean philospophy?”
Lois gave him an impatient look. “Nobody reads Nietzsche any more, Lex. It’s perfect! Come on, Chloe. Let’s pitch it to Perry and see what he thinks.”
Chloe gave Lex a wordless apology with her eyes, then let herself be dragged off by Lois. Seems the journalism bug had bitten her cousin, and truth be told she was anxious to get back to business herself. This was the story of the century after all!
Lex and Martha watched them leave with a shared smile. Somewhat reluctantly, he turned his attention back to the hundreds of urgent emails in his inbox. He worked steadily through them until one stopped him dead in his tracks. He asked Martha to excuse him, then hurried into the mansion to find Lori.
She was at the pool table, carefully lining up a shot. She greeted him with a smile, then executed the shot. Lex watched in amusement as the cue ball curved around the solid blocking its path and connected gently with a stripe, sinking it. “Remind me not to play pool with you.”
“Hmmm. I used to play for hours with some fellow geeks - physics in motion. I can’t wait to see their reaction to Clark - he’s a walking violation of the laws of the universe as we know them. Fun days for science!”
Lex smiled. “If Lois has her way, they’ll be reacting to ‘Superman’, and Clark’s identity will stay safely hidden.”
“That’s good, but is ‘Superman’ the best name choice? I mean, won’t people associate it with Nietzsche? ‘Man is something to be overcome’ and all that?”
Lex picked up a pool cue and made a shot of his own - not as spectacular as Lori’s, but it did the job. “Lois assures me that no one reads Nietzsche any more so the question is moot. Anyways, I’ve got some news for you. I just heard from dad’s lawyers about his estate. There were a few very odd conditions that prevented them from talking to me earlier. Apparently, I was made the primary heir provided I was not under arrest two weeks after his death. He also left a substantial bequest to be split equally between any surviving illegitimate children, who would inherit everything in the event of my being disqualified.”
Lori gave him a somewhat incredulous look. “Just how many illegitimate children did Lionel have?”
“Just two, you and a somewhat psychotic half-brother called Lucas. He stood to inherit everything with you and me out of the way.”
Lori blinked, “So you suspect … What does he look like?” Lex drew a quick sketch and Lori exclaimed, “He’s that creep who was stalking me in Coast City! I always wondered why he seemed so interested in everything I did. The little shit!”
Lex nodded sadly. “I don’t think we can prove anything though, not unless that assassin speaks up. Hopefully Lucas will calm down now that his plans didn’t come off, especially when he gets his share of the estate. Unless you want to talk to the police - he did try to kill you after all.”
Lori examined the drawing again and looked back at Lex questioningly. “You’ll keep an eye on him, won’t you? Keep him in line? I can’t help but think someone who’d kill his only family is a dangerous man.”
Lex stroked the back of his head. “All of us Luthors are dangerous people. Even you; you cracked the Brainiac virus and figured out how to generate the energy spike that took him out. Imagine what damage you could cause if you turned your mind to it.”
Lori smiled faintly, “I had more than a little help, as well you know. But I see your point. We’re all potentially mad, bad and dangerous to know. Too smart for our own good.”
Lex gave her a reassuring hug, then left her to check back in on Clark. He was still asleep in Martha’s lap but was starting to stir restlessly. Lex sprawled beside them and enjoyed a few minutes of sun before moving back under the umbrella - the curse of his fair skin was the tendency to burn if he wasn’t careful. Rather than returning to work though, he and Martha strategized about her plans for the Senate.
An hour passed before Martha called a break. She had to check the messages back at the Farm, but promised to bring him back dinner in an hour or so.
No sooner was she out of sight then Clark’s eyes blinked open. “Finally,” he cried as he sat up. “I love my mom, but I thought she’d never leave.” He scuttled over to Lex and leaned down for a quick kiss.
Lex raised his eyebrows in bemusement. “How long have you been playing possum? And why?”
Clark blushed slightly. “I didn’t want my mom around when I saw you again!” He gestured vaguely towards his crotch, where his pants had started to bulge in a most interesting fashion.
Lex almost purred at the sight. “Hmm, I see your point. We should do something about that.”
Clark laughed. “The flesh is most interested but still a little weak I’m afraid. But soon!”
“Soon,” Lex agreed with a glimmer in his eyes.
“So mom is going to be a Senator; that’ll make quite the change. What on Earth am I gonna do with the farm?”
Lex laughed. “Somehow I think that’s the least of your worries. We’ve got to bring Clark Kent back to life in a way that doesn’t tip off to all the world that you’re Superman.”
“Superman? What kind of name is that?”
At Clark’s bewildered look, Lex started to laugh. “It’s Lois’s idea, and not a bad one as it turns out. Just think: the symbol of the House of El will work perfectly with your costume. Everyone will think the S is for Superman.”
Clark’s eyes were huge and Lex continued remorselessly. “And you’ll dress in those reds and blues you love so much. You’ll stand out like a neon sign. I can just see it now.”
Clark’s eyes widened even further in horror and Lex relented a bit. “I know it sounds… garish, but that’s kind of the idea. We don’t want people to fear you, and dressing to stand out says you’ve got nothing to hide.”
“So no mask? I kind of like that at least.” Clark’s voice was filled with bemusement. “But won’t people realize…” He pointed at his face.
“We can probably do something about that. I don’t understand Kryptonian physiology, but your eye colour seems to be somewhat changeable. Maybe you can take some acting classes to change around your facial features and body language. But your main line of defense will be hiding in plain sight.”
“At your side, you mean? In the full glare of the press?”
“Hmm. We’ll dress you in the fanciest clothes, straight out of GQ. No one would dream of connecting you with the unfashionable flying man.”
Clark smiled down at him quizzically. “So I’ll be a kept man?”
Lex looked up with smoldering intensity. “You’ll be everything and anything you want to be. I’ll help you when you need it and stand back when you don’t. We’ll change the world, Clark. Not quickly, and not by force, but by showing people what is possible if they dare to dream. What do you think?”
Clark’s smile grew positively blinding. “Clark Kent and Lex Luthor, together. I like the sound of that!”
***
Author’s Note
This story goes AU from Arrival though that isn’t immediately obvious since the action starts nearly a year later. What happened in the intervening period is hopefully clear from the story but here’s a summary just in case.
In this AU, Lionel takes away Clark’s powers at the end of Arrival after Clark takes care of the Disciples. Lionel can do this because his connection with Jor-El gave him vital clues about how to assemble and use the Veritas device, which functions differently than in S7’s Arctic. My version of the device can be used to drain Clark’s powers into its holder, although a significant amount of the power is lost in translation. Jor-El thinks Lionel is under control as his Oracle, but Lionel has years of practice at misdirection. He convinces Jor-El that he is working to bring peace to the world just like Jor-El thinks Clark should, by ruling with strength.
Meanwhile, Lionel keeps Clark “safe” in a Level 3 facility. Lionel uses the Summerholt memory machine to implant false memories into Clark, who now thinks he is Kyle. The scientists at the facility mistreat ‘Kyle’ trying to figure out what Lionel is interested in - they can’t find anything beyond his rapid weight loss and some psychological oddities, but it’s not for lack of trying.
At the same time, Lex and Lionel are involved in colossal power struggle that Lionel is winning. Meteor freaks are on the rampage and Lionel occasionally keeps them in line with EXTREME violence. He also uses his political clout to get a Metahuman Act enacted and martial law is declared. Jonathan steps forward and runs for office on a civil rights campaign: he receives widespread support (including quiet funding from Lex) but is killed in the crossfire. Chloe is institutionalized when she becomes Lionel’s target for being entirely too willing to speak the truth; he arranges a ‘possession’ somewhat similar to Tomb, except that in this AU Gretchen was a Level 3 experiment.
Lex is approached by “Fine” who tells him of the Veritas device. Fine thinks Lex will use it against Lionel, and that he’ll then be able to manipulate Lex into releasing Zod. Lex decides instead to destroy the device, and goes to Lionel’s penthouse to do so. They struggle, the device is smashed and Lex’s cyborg bodyguard winds up killing Lionel by “accident”. What really happened is Brainiac tampered with the bodyguard’s programming.
When Lionel dies, his scientists panic at the thought of Lex finding out about their research and try to dump the evidence. Clark just barely survives with a little help, and runs away, believing he is a street hustler with a long history of back alley assignations. He winds up in Spring Cove, where he meets Lorelei Lee - which is where the story begins.
As for Bruce Wayne, think Batman Begins just after he returns from Asia and while he's working on creating the Bat Suit. He and Lex met at Princeton, and while not exactly friends, had a mutual loathing for all things Lionel.