Eternal Wrath: Betrayal (1/15)
Title: nbsp; Eternal Wrath: Betrayal
Author: nbsp; Märk Owen
Pairing: nbsp; Chloe/Oliver (endgame), Chloe/Davis, Oliver/Tess, Clark/Lois
Rating: nbsp; R for violence and language (Chapter rating: PG-13)
Warnings: nbsp; None
Timeline: nbsp; Season 7 (Arctic and beyond)
Disclaimer: Any Smallville or DC Comics related things in this story are the property of their own owners. The only thing that belongs to me here is the storyline, nothing else is mine.
Series summary: A Green Arrow/Watchtower spin-off. Chloe and Oliver have to face several serious threats, Will this trials strengthen their bond or tear them apart?
Story summary: When Oliver Queen is betrayed in the worst way, Lex Luthor's threat rises, an alien beast lashes out in a killing spree that may result in horrific consequences and, in the middle of it all, stands love in the form of a petite blonde.
Previous chapters: Prologue
Chapter 1: Ice cold meeting
'At last, I can embrace my true destiny.' - Lex Luthor, Season 4, Episode 17: "Onyx"________________________________________
May 15th 2008. 2:36 AM UTC-6 (7:36 AM Local Time). Arctic Tundra.
Lex Luthor found himself lying on snow in the middle of nowhere. Getting up, he let his eyes run over the white neutral landscape and stopped abruptly as his eyes discovered a breathtaking ice building, kind of an ice castle, looking like anything but human-like construct.
'So this is the infamous shelter of our little Traveler. Whoever you are, I'm gonna stop you' thought Lex as he headed towards the Fortress of Solitude.
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May 15th 2008. 2:36 PM UTC-6. Smallville, Kansas, USA.
Clark Kent was staring blankly outside of the barn, lost in his thoughts. Lana's video destroyed his heart. After his father's death, he thought the world stopped but when Lana came back from the dead, he thought that maybe he was wrong, perhaps life could get better for him. He dedicated his entire heart to the woman he'd loved for what felt like forever. So, when he discovered her in this video, telling him that she had to leave him because she was holding him back, he felt like someone was stabbing him directly in the chest.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear Jimmy Olsen calling for him.
"Clark, are you here?" Jimmy nearly shouted when he entered the barn.
After a frantic search of the barn, Jimmy decided to check upstairs and finally found Clark in his loft, contemplating.
"Chloe was just arrested."
His panicked words caused the alien to turn to him abruptly, wearing a surprised expression on his features.
"What?" said Clark, not sure he heard him well.
"Her habitual hacking caught Uncle Sam's eye, so I..." he tried his best to make a complete sentence but he was still catching his breath as he had run to the death to find Clark, he was now exhausted. "I kind of went to Lex for help, and now he's holding it over my head!"
"You made a deal with Lex Luthor?" replied a stunned Clark; he knew Lex was capable of anything but sending Chloe to the government prisons was a proof that the billionaire had finally become a monster.
"Look, I told him to get another lapdog, Clark!" Jimmy explained himself "Then he just... He put her back on the most wanted list."
Clark had been informed that Chloe and Jimmy had broken up just a few weeks before, mostly because of his secret and he felt guilty about that but he also knew that Jimmy still cared a lot about her even if they weren't together anymore.
"She went from life support to life without parole in less than a day." complained a worn out Jimmy.
"Where's Lex now?" There was no time to lose, if Chloe had been arrested by the government, they might lose her forever.
"Look, I don't know!" panicked the photographer "I tried to get in contact with him, but he's off jet-setting around the Arctic Circle..."
His words were like a kick in Clark's gut, he let Lex without any surveillance, once again underestimating the threat and now he was heading toward his fortress.
Jimmy kept talking but it seemed Clark's mind couldn't decipher the words, he actually wasn't listening to him anymore. The only thing that kept popping in his head was that Lex was way too close to discovering his secret and that he had to stop him. It was an emergency situation but he still had to protect his identity. After spending a few minutes reassuring Jimmy, he finally got out of his sight and super-sped away, making sure his departure was left unnoticed.
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May 15th 2008. 2:39 PM UTC-6 (7:39 AM Local Time). Arctic Tundra.
Lex couldn't keep his jaw from hanging open as he stepped inside the fortress; it was the most beautiful thing he had seen in his entire life. There was ice pillars everywhere, sculpted in a way that rendered them gorgeous, white fog was hovering from the ground to his knees and everything looked so clear, so shinning. It was like a huge crystal sculpture, made by the most talented artist ever. Lex noticed a purple light similar to the orb he was currently holding. The glowing was coming from behind a pillar and he moved toward it. He then found the fortress console, a sort of inclined basin full of alien crystals reacting to the closeness with the orb. Lex lifted it towards the console and its five-sided detachable piece merged into the sphere, leaving it featureless with nothing but sleek faces. This alien piece of technology was never going to stop surprising him, first it teleported him here then, this; what next?
Right at that moment, he felt a gust of wind behind him, causing the orb to react immediately as it emitted a wave of power while its color changed from chromed purple to radiant pink.
There was no other way to interpret that, the Traveler was standing right behind him, he knew it. He could sense his presence behind his back, it was unmistakable. All he had to do was to turn round and peek, to find out his identity.
Clark just arrived in the fortress to come across Lex who was going to put the orb on the console. He stopped dead in track at his sight. His former friend who had become his enemy, his nemesis was going to control him in the next minutes and he couldn't do anything.
Eventually, Lex had had enough of waiting and turned around slowly. The sight that greeted him was both utterly surprising and still extremely logic. He was staring right into the face of Clark Kent and finally, after seven years of unsuccessful researches, every piece seemed to get into the giant puzzle that was his life. Everything made sense now. The farm boy who once was his best and only friend was actually an alien planning on conquering Earth. He'd always known Clark was special. The inexplicable way he left a room so quickly like he disappeared, his constant presence on crime scenes, the savings he'd done, even aliens mentioned his name. He should have seen it a long time ago but he'd been lying to himself, thinking he was just a shy mild-mannered farm boy.
But now that the truth was uncovered, his task came back in his mind. In fact, Lex felt it was a task he had been taught to do since he was born, it was like he was tailored to do it. 'Spot and annihilate' like his father often said about business matters, the same father he had killed with his bare hands not so long ago. He had been forced to kill him, the old man refused to help him in his quest, he was too blind to realize the gravity of the threat. So, he had done what he had to: pushing Lionel Luthor out of the 40th floor's window. He had had no other choice back then and right now, it was the same thing. He had to do what was needed to be done: destroying Clark Kent.
"I must admit Clark," began Lex, staring into his former friend's eyes "This is a big step up from the barn."
"It's not what you think, Lex." claimed Clark, marching cautiously towards him "You don't understand."
Lex felt the orb glowing in his hand and saw Clark stop his movements looking like he was in pain as he tried to move back. Lex now understood what Kara Kent meant when she said the orb had been created to protect humans: It could physically stop aliens by causing them pain when they found themselves too close to the orb.
The bald billionaire, determined, lifted the orb so it was now at his face's level and moved close to Clark to protect himself from him. Again, he applied a lesson once told by his father: 'The best defense is a good offense'.
"For the first time, I think I do." replied Lex, now understanding why his life was the way it had been: He had been tested.
"You see, you live among us as a mild-mannered farm boy. But secretly, you're a strange visitor from another planet, plotting our demise."
"That's not what I'm doing at all!" denied the kryptonian.
"It's a brilliant disguise, Clark." admitted Lex "You don't even need a mask."
"I'm not your enemy, Lex" replied Clark, trying to convince his former friend. "I've never done anything to hurt you."
"You didn't trust me" He shook his head. "With everything you had, with everything you could do, did you ever think about what we could have accomplished together?"
Lex would have been thrilled to share Clark's secret and protect him a few years ago. But he betrayed him, he lied to him every day, every time he looked at him in his eyes, Clark kept lying. And why did he do that? Because he was a Luthor,
Clark didn't trust him because of his name, he never did.
"I would have helped you to become a hero."
"When have you ever thought of anyone but yourself?" hissed Clark as he realized that Lex didn't understand that he wasn't his nemesis, all he had ever wanted was to help his friend.
"Right Now, I'm doing this for the world." continued the bald man. "I have to protect the human race!"
"This is my life," muttered Clark "You have no right to control it!"
"IT'S MY BIRTHRIGHT!" shouted Lex, the tension between them about to explode. They both knew that the end was near.
"After all my sacrifices, after all the pain … I finally understand."
Yes Lex finally understood, He was promised to become Earth savior by killing Clark Kent. He'd always known he was promised to a great destiny.
"I was being prepared for a much greater destiny." He voiced his thoughts.
Clark didn't know what to do or to say, he started panicking, his heart racing up in his chest, he could feel his blood pumping in his ears.
"Everything led me to this moment."
"And we're both here. We're in that moment! And what happens next is your choice!" Clark vainly tried to reason him. "But no one is controlling you Lex, No one is forcing you do this!"
He had to stop him or Lex was going to control him and use him as a weapon. No matter how convinced he sounded, Clark knew that the man in front of him was the most egoistic being of the planet. He actually wasn't doing this for the world, he wanted to do it for himself.
"Who am I to turn my back on my fellow man?" Lex was stuck in his opinions: Clark was a threat to humanity, a threat he had to kill.
"Especially after you turned your back on me?" He paused, allowing himself to savor this moment. This was the moment he would become a hero.
"I'm sorry, Clark. But you are the traveler." He turned back to the console and started approaching it with the orb.
"You hold the future of the entire planet in your hands." He explained while stepping. "I'm here to take it back."
"Lex?" the pleading voice of the farm boy tried vainly to reason him one last time.
Clark was panicking, he'd been unable to make him understand he was wrong and now he was going to be controlled by the devil himself. A chill ran through his entire being at the thought of what he could to with a brainwashed Kal-El. He couldn't stop his hands from shaking and his heart from beating faster and faster…
"You'll never threaten the world again... Kal-El!"
"Lex! Don't!"
With these words, the orb was placed on the console's crystal which started flashing and emitting a charging noise. A lightning coming from the console pierced through Clark's body. Pain rushed through his limbs as every nerve in him was hurting. He wanted to scream, to yell his pain away but it was so painful that he was unable to make any sound come out of his mouth. When the lightning disappeared, his knees were too weak to bear him. He fell on the ground with a loud thud. He felt a strange sensation he already had the occasion to feel in the past. It was like the protective layer of his skin had been ripped away from his body, he felt naked, he felt vulnerable, he felt… human! A frown appeared on his face as confusion settled inside him, how could he lose his powers? He was supposed to be mindless by now. He came to the realization that Veritas was wrong, the orb wasn't made to control him. It was made to take away his powers.
In a way he was relieved. Lex wouldn't be able to use his powers to destroy the world. But he was now vulnerable and powerless, the human version of Satan could kill him easily now or he could attack his friends without him being able to protect them. He thought about Lana who could be anywhere, Chloe who was now probably locked up in a federal prison and Lois who had the habit to find trouble anywhere. But then he thought about the League; Oliver Queen sure had some contacts inside the government and will help Chloe to escape. At least she would be safe. He knew Oliver and the guys could take his place easily in Metropolis and Smallville, even if he didn't want to admit it, he admired Oliver.
Lex moved to stand close to Clark. He then lowered himself to hold the alien just wanting to make him understand that he had no choice and that what he'd done was right.
"I loved you like a brother Clark, but it has to end this way." he tried to explained himself "I'm sorry."
The fortress became to collapse, pillars were falling apart, and terrible ear-splitting noises were produced by the frictions between the fortress pieces and the ice. These pieces were falling around the two men, they first thought they somehow were protected as nothing came to crush them but, when a pillar hit the ground inches away from them sending them flying meters away in opposite directions they realized they had no chance to get out of it alive and still, not even for a second Lex regretted his choice.
Clark had been projected out of reach from the falling pieces of the alien fortress while Lex found himself in the middle of the pillars, lying on his stomach. He didn't have time to react when one of them hit the ground hard, part of it landing on his back. Lex screamed in pain but his voice was veiled by a rising snow storm. The wind went strong making high flawed noises, covering his shouts. Lex didn't feel his legs anymore, he was blocked under a pillar in the middle of nowhere but still, it was worth it. If saving the world meant giving up his life then he would do it, he had said it to Regan and he meant it.
At that moment he noticed a blue light glowing under the ice beneath his body. The glowing was increasing and he noticed that the ice was melting, making a small hole in it. And then, from there, emerged a superb, radiant dark-blue triangular piece. Lex was sure it was part of the fortress and it looked important, he had to get it, to touch it even for a second before he died. He wanted to know how it felt in his hand; probably it could save him too. At that point everything was possible.
The crystal of knowledge was hovering a few inches from the ground. Lex tried to grab it but it was still out of reach, he could almost touch it. Almost. Forgetting the pillar on his back, he forced his body forward and reached to grab it. When his hand was about to get it, the crystal emitted blinding lights and incredible heat, he felt his hand and his face burning, and, once again cried in pain. This one was so unbearable that he fainted. His figure was lying under that pillar and the crystal of knowledge right next to him.
Clark found his strengths coming back, and he was able to get up. He tried to call for Lex, not wanting him to die there but the wind was too strong and there was too much fog and snow in the air that he was unable to see anything. He knew searching for Lex was a lost cause so he started walking in the snow, hoping to find someone, anyone who could help him. He hadn't walked for a few meters that he already felt his muscles aching due to the incredibly low temperature there, he almost felt himself freezing! Forcing himself to walk for almost a mile, he felt his head turning and breathing became difficult. Exhaustion took over him as he fell to his knees. It was too cold, his body wanted to sleep but he knew that if he did, he would die here. He tried to fight it, to get up but it was useless. Snow was beginning to cover his body as he eventually succumbed to unconsciousness with one last thought in mind:
Were Clark Kent and Lex Luthor actually destined to die in Arctic?
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May 15th 2008. 2:57 PM UTC-6 (12:27 PM Local Time). Qom, Qom Province, Iran.
The Justice League was gathered in a cheap and discrete motel in Qom. They were in Iran for a mission. Thanks to Queen Industries' Iranian contacts, Oliver had gotten wind of slaughters perpetrated by terrorist rebels that took over the region a few months ago and never let any information pass to the medias. Hundreds, maybe thousands of people were dying fast. They had to do something. After having called Victor, AC, Bart and Dinah to Star City, they all took the jet and flew to the Qom Province of Iran. Once they landed, they needed to keep a low profile there because strangers -especially American strangers- were considered as dangerous people there. Victor had found them a cover as tourists and they bought a few rooms in a vacant motel nearby the airport.
The guys were working on a plan to stop the rebel attacks when Oliver's personal cell-phone went off. The caller ID surprised him the most as he saw the name of Lois Lane on the screen. What did she want? After his last visit to Metropolis, they both agreed to put some distance between them for a little while.
A few moments of hesitation later, he checked his watch: It read 12:27 am. His frown deepened even more as he quickly calculated the time in Kansas and found out it should be way past midnight back there. If Lois was calling at this time, then it must be important. He decided to answer his phone knowing that she was going to yell at him for making her wait.
And he was right.
He hadn't even placed the phone to his ears that he had to jerk it away if he didn't want to be deaf as he heard Lois yelling his name and every insult she could think of.
"Lois! Lois, calm down!"
"When I'm calling you it's for a reason, stupid brat! I've been trying to reach you for hours!" She kept yelling at him.
"I'm sorry!" apologized Oliver. "There's not much phone connection where I am right now - Just..."
He stopped his sentence dead in track when he heard her sobbing at the other end, it only confirmed him that the reason for her call was definitely important. She wouldn't get all emotional on him like that and especially at this time, that wasn't her style.
"How could you do this to her? You hid the danger from her I'm sure! The government was seeking for a pirate in Kansas and now she's gone! I…" her wavering voice managed to form a sentence which sounded more like an accusation than anything else. "Was she working with you?"
Oliver had already seen Lois panicked before but this was the first time he heard her so lost, so vulnerable.
"Huh Lois what are you talking about? I didn't understand a word from what you told me." answered Oliver as he tried his best to calm her. "What did you mean by the government was seeking a pirate? And who was working with me?"
He had to keep her steady if he wanted her to form coherent sentences. He heard her taking a deep breath, probably to calm herself, then she spoke:
"Chloe's been arrested." was all she said.
"What?" his heart nearly stopped, he wondered if he heard her well because he couldn't picture his trusted little Sidekick locked up in a federal prison complex.
"Jimmy came by the Talon and told me that government agents arrested Chloe for being a dangerous cyber terrorist. He was there when they took her." He could hear she was genuinely concerned for her cousin and at the edge of crying the hell out of her.
"Jimmy told me that it isn't the first time she's issues with the government. Two weeks ago, some federal agents already tried to capture her but Lex stopped them."
"Lex ? Why would Lex protect Chloe against the government? He doesn't care a bit about her!" hissed Oliver.
He knew that if Lex was involved, It was because he would find his interest somewhere in this story.
"He doesn't." Lois clarified his thoughts. "But Jimmy made a deal with Lex and when he didn't respect it, Lex called the government."
"That bastard!" muttered the young man. "I'm coming back Lois, give me a couple of hours and I'll be by your side. We're gonna bring her back, I promise!"
He would do anything to protect that tiny feisty blonde, no one ever touched the people of his team, not even the government.
"Thanks" was all that Lois succeeded to articulate before hanging up.
Oliver came back in the main room where his team was busy studying blueprints and maps. When they saw their leader coming back in a hurry, they immediately knew that something was wrong. Oliver looked up and nearly shouted at them:
"Everyone back to Kansas! Now!"
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May 16th 2008. 3:24 AM UTC-6 (8:24 AM Local Time). Arctic Tundra.
Regan Matthews didn't wait two hours for Lex when he saw the snow storm rising in the horizon. He borrowed the villager's sleds and led his team to the fortress site. There was nothing but one ice sculpture, looking like a pillar there. He thought he was at the wrong place looking for his boss but then, he saw two legs under that pillar and found horrified Lex Luthor blocked under it.
He and his men managed to lift the ice piece out of him, letting the fresh air hit the deep wound on the man's back. There was lots of blood coming out from several injuries on his back and Lex's right hand as well as the left side of his face were severely burned.
Regan wondered how his boss could have gotten this kind of wounds in the middle of the Arctic. The temperature was not low enough to burn someone so his wounds were impossible to have. That was when he noticed the blue crystal lying on the ice. When he took it, he felt it was hot and eventually understood that this piece of alien technology was the cause to his boss's predicament.
"Take him to the village! There no time to lose!" ordered Regan as he slipped the crystal into his pocket.
The employees didn't discuss his orders and hoisted Lex on one of the sleds before heading back to the remote village they had settled at right before the billionaire left for the fortress. He would receive the first aids there. Regan was just hoping his boss' wounds weren't too severe.
Clark's world was still black when he heard voices, several voices. There were a group of men close to him but they weren't speaking English because Clark couldn't understand a word of what they were saying. He felt himself being lifted by several arms and thrown on hard wood. He heard waves and felt the ground floating. Was he on a boat?
Cold water was being splashed on him, it had for effect to send him back to consciousness. His eyes shot open as he gasped for air and then groaned in pain as he felt the air burning his frozen lungs. A few seconds were needed for him to recover from the sudden revival. After a few unfruitful attempts of focusing his eyes on the group of men standing in front of him, he found himself looking at several fishermen who were staring at him. One of them, a middle-aged man with gray hair stepped forward. And spoke up with a very pronounced accent:
"Welcome to Russia Yankee!"
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Here's chapter 1, tell me how you liked it!
Actually this chapter was the very first thing I have ever written for even before I started writing Stolen Future. So there my be some poor writing that I was unable to modify, sorry if there is! Next chapters will be better written.
As well, you noticed this chapter completely stick to SV canon and it will be that way for a few chapters but then, I'll go completely AU I can assure that. I also tried a new layout system as you can see, I don't know if you appreciate it or not, just tell me and I'll change it. I can understand it doesn't please anyone.
Finally, I wanted to thank you for spending time reading my work, it means a lot to me! I can promise you lots of unexpected twists already and big threats to everyone!
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