"His name is Zod, he had the help of Milton Fine. One of the people who helped me study the ship. When Zod was removed from my body he left behind bits of himself. Markings that would one day allow him to return." Lex watched Lana closely seeing the fear in her eyes.
"So you've been?"
"Trying to destroy the markings he left behind, I finally found a way. That's why we're here." Lex gripped the lead box tightly as he opened the door to his left. Inside was a silver machine; there was a glass window to the right, and another door that led to the other side of the window. Guiding Lana to that room he stopped in front of a computer. "Listen Lana that x-ray machine has been designed to destroy markings Zod left behind. I need you in here to watch over me. The machine hasn't been tested, and I'm not completely sure I can trust the person who provided it. If something goes wrong turn it off immediately." Lex walked over to the machine, removing the kryptonite from the lead box.
He opened a latch on the side of the machine, inside was a place specifically designed to hold the kryptonite. Energy rays would heat the kryptonite allowing it to not only order the x-ray machine but target the crystal that would destroy the making left on Lex's body.
*Clank*
Lex closed the latch, he took a deep breath before removing the shirt from his back. Next, he removed his pants, socks, and shoes, leaving nothing but a pair of shorts. The cold ground made his body shiver, the basement needed a better heating system.
"You trust me enough to do this," Lana asked with a bit of guilt and confusion in her voice.
"I never doubted your trust, you doubted mine though." Lex turned his back to climbing into the X-ray machine. The cold metal surface caused him to grimace as he laid down, he felt the chill run through his back as he looked up at the crystal in the center of the machine.
The sound of a door opening and closing worried Lex, did Lana decide to leave? His intention wasn't to guilt-trip her; at first, he had believed her trust issues stemmed from her relationship with Clark. Now he wondered If it was simply his fate to be viewed as a villain by the people he loved.
The sound of the machine turning on caused Lex to smile, she hadn't left which meant there was still hope. Looking up at the ceiling he saw as the crystal began to glow a green color, it was long before the coldness began to fade away. What was left was a warmth similar to a parent's loving arms.
Lex closed his eyes. How long had it been since he felt so comfortable? In fact, the machine felt safe. His eyes opened wide as he felt like a needle had pierced his chest. Had Brainiac betrayed him, looking down at his chest he couldn't help but feel puzzled. There was nothing there, but then he saw it a ray of green light fell on his arm and he couldn't help but bite back his scream.
Brainiac hadn't mentioned the pain the machine would cause, Lex had a feeling the machine was still warming up and the pain he currently felt wouldn't be the worst.
He squinted through hollow breaths as he looked at the crystal that had become completely green due to the kryptonite. Lasers began to shoot out hitting Lex all over his body, the pain soon caused him to pass out.
Lana watched on in worry she was unable to see what was happening inside the machine. Lex had done his best to hide his pain but Lana could hear it. She hoped the machine did what it was supposed to.
Above the Luthor basement, a young African American Male walked the Luthor manor halls with a frown on his face. He wore tattered clothes but didn't seem to mind, he pushed the doors to Lex's study open with ease. Looking inside his frown deepened, he had already taken out Lex's security team only none of them seemed to know exactly where he was at.
He closed his eyes for a second and when he opened them there was a smile on his face. Looking down at the floor he felt the energy coursing through the base of the building.
"Found ya," he said as he exited the study and headed for the stairs.
Lana stared at the X-ray machine wondering if she had made the right decision. Lex had recently become so secretive when they had only just established the no-secrets rule. The device was more dangerous than Lex believed, she knew what it was capable of. She told herself that she was doing all of this to protect the world but more importantly to protect Lex. There were moments when he couldn't control how things would end up, she had seen it in the past.
His possessive nature was something she recognized from within herself, she knew how far it could push someone over the edge. They wanted the same thing, to protect the world, the aliens from outer space wouldn't stop coming. Without Lex and his plans, she was sure the world would be a worse place. But then there was Clark for some reason she felt like he could stop it. She shook her head realizing how insane that sounded.
"So this is where you're hiding," Lana heard a voice from the other room. Looking away from the machine she spotted a young man wearing a beater and a pair of jeans. He stood in front of the door looking within. There was a weird glow in his eyes as he looked down at the machine.
"I don't know why you're experimenting with pieces of that destroyed planet, doesn't matter I'll take what I came for and be on my way now where Is it?" There was no response, Lex was still unconscious and neither Lana nor the young man could tell.
"Mr.Luthor you and Miss Lang should immediately exit the basement. Most of the security team has already begun taken out. "
Lana looked at the small radio sitting on the desk. Lex must have placed it there, looking at the young man she couldn't believe he had been the one to take out the security team. It didn't matter though; she needed to immediately get Lex out of the machine .
Walking out of the room, Lana quickly locked the door the young man was standing behind. Turning back to Lex she frowned, she could tell he was unconscious. He would have reacted to the voice of the young man standing outside.
She didn't know what the sound was, she could only describe it as metal being torn from metal, a quick screech. She didn't have time to turn around and see what the sound was as a hand pushed her.
Lana flew across the room hitting her head on the wall and falling unconscious. The young man a phantom in disguise looked down at Lex in amusement. He didn't know what this machine was for and he didn't care either.
Raising his hand slightly he had an urge to crush Lex within it. He paused as he felt it, the energy source he had been looking for. Exciting the room he looked around, there was no obvious door but he could feel the energy from the wall to his left. He tightened his fist before easily picking through the brick.
A computer connected to a generator greeted his sights. Connected to that computer he saw it, the device that would empower him.
He tore through the bricks quickly, ignoring the dust it seemed to make. He smiled triumphantly as he took his first step in.
...
In the machine Lex opened his eyes in confusion, climbing out he saw Lana unconscious. While he wanted to run over to her side and comfort her he currently could not. Not when the sound of bricks being torn apart could be heard.
He didn't realize, but in the blink of an eye, he was in the hall looking at the destruction. A young African American Male had his back turned to Lex as he looked inside the room at Brainiac's core.
Lex immediately realized what was happening, vanishing in a show of speed, he grabbed the young man's shoulder, sending him flying backward.
"I don't know who you are but I think it's time you leave. "
"You're telling me you don't recognize me, Zod," the young man reappeared before Lex with a smile on his face.
"Phantom," Lex spoke as the word came to his mind. He gripped his fist tightly knowing he didn't have time for pointless conversation. He was running out of time; he could feel it.
"Well, since it's you, simply hand over the device and I'll be out of your way. Your plan to revive Krypton failed, you no longer need it."
"Or I can kill you where you stand," Lex said with a smirk on his face. The phantom believed he was Zod and Lex didn't mind using that to bluff.
"It seems that leaving the phantom zone has only made you more arrogant. " Baern the Phantom smiled in disappointment as he looked at Zod.
"We both know that as you are now you don't stand a chance again Kal-el." Lex returned the smile. He didn't want to target Clark but right now he needed to secure Lana's safety.
"So give me the device and I'll erase him from the face of the planet."
"You don't have the qualifications," Lex shook his head, knowing it was the trut,h even with the device's power, Baern still didn't stand a chance. "You can sense energy and yet you avoid the simplest answer to your problems."
"You're pretty talkative, maybe I should absorb the energy of that generator before killing you and taking the device for myself." Baern frowned as he took a menacing step forward.
"Once again you don't have the qualifications, you need energy yet you ignore this." Lex vanished before returning with Kryptonite in his hand. "Do you not sense the energy this gives off?" Lex asked with a raised eyebrow.
"It's not enough, it's no better than those nuclear power plants. It won't sustain me for long."
"This is only a piece of Krypton, go to the LexCorp factory and you'll find enough Kryptonite to last the rest of your pitiful existence."
"Once I kill Kal-el, I'm coming for you." Baern didn't wait for Lex's response, vanishing instantly.
Lex sighed as his body instantly relaxed upon seeing him leave. The power that had filled his body was gone. He only hoped Clark could handle him. He would make sure to take his own precautions.
Turning to look at the unconscious Lana he knew he had to get her to a hospital.
...
Lex hovered over Lana Lang as she slept comfortably in a hospital bed. The wound on head had been perfectly dressed. Lex wasn't completely sure when she would wake up but he knew it would be soon.
This attack on the mansion was a reminder of how dangerous this world was. Lex realized how lackluster his security was, they were useless. The phantom had tracked brainiac's energy source, Lex would have to find a way to mask that he didn't want more villains showing up at his home.
He had been busy the past two weeks, he didn't think he needed to constantly persuade Lana that he wasn't evil. What was the point of they're relationship if she listened to his father as they tried to tear them apart.
"Is she okay?" A voice entered the room from the doorway a voice Lex recognized.
"Clark," Lex turned to look at Lana before exiting the hospital room. "The doctors say she'll be fine, she just needs to rest and recuperate."
"I went by the mansion, your security team said someone broke in and attacked you guys. I wanted to make sure you were both okay. " Clark couldn't help himself as he looked at Lana.
"We both know you came to check on Lana, as much as I hate to admit it we're no longer friends Clark. " Lex looked into Clark's eyes, seeing a hint of regret in his baby blue eyes.
"You choose this path Lex, we both did." As Clark spoke the regret was replaced by anger.
"You're right, we've chosen our path." Lex changed the subject as he turned from Clark and looked at Lana. "The guy who did that tore a door off its hinges with ease. I don't know what he was looking for when he came to the Manor but he didn't find it."
"Ring" "Ring" "Ring"
"I have to take this," Lex pulled his phone from his pocket quickly answering it.
"Sir there's been an intruder at LexCorp, the meteor rocks are gone. It's like they turned to dust." Lex turned around expecting to see Clark but he was already gone. "So this is how Gordon feels when Batman does that."