"Should we really be here Lana, Lex is still missing," Tess said as she pulled the car to a stop, outside the window she could see what seemed to be a shady warehouse.
"Lex will be fine," Lana said as she took in the surroundings, the surrounding areas were relatively clean if you didn't count the graffiti that littered the walls. The sun was still in the sky if just barely.
"How do you know that?" Tess asked and Lana could feel the worry in her voice. Reaching out she placed a hand on atop of Tess'.
"Because he has to be," she said turning back towards the warehouse, "We should go in, see if Lionel was telling the truth."
"That man does nothing but lie," Tess said and Lana could only smile in response, she didn't trust Lionel for all she knew this was some elaborate scheme to pull her and Lex apart. But Lana had learned well from both Lex and Clark over the last few years, every lie had a hint of truth to it. What was so important that Lionel wanted her to see it?
Opening the car door she stepped out slowly, it wouldn't be long before the baby came a few weeks at most. Letting out a breath she closed the car door the key card to Cadmus labs in her hand. Tess led the way, she wore a black suit, Lex had mentioned she was trained but Lana had never seen her so dialed in. One of her hands stayed on her waist where her pistol was holstered as she opened the warehouse door. It smelled of musk, the pregnancy meant Lana could smell things much clearer sometimes to a fault. The lights flickered on revealing what seemed to be a room full of car parts.
"Over here," Tess called out and Lana immediately understood what she meant, there was a door to the right. A scanner for a keycard just on the front of it, walking over Lana swiped the card watching as Tess opened the door. It was a staircase, Lana raised an eyebrow at that as they made there way down.
It was dark but she could see glass containers hanging from the ceiling, she stopped as she reached the center. Tess on the other hand kept walking, and silence filled the room as Lana found herself alone in the dark.
"Found the light," Tess' voice rang through the darkness and soon Lana could hear the sound of lights flickering on. She watched as the room lit up section by section, her eyes went wide as she looked at the glass containers in front of her. They were large, large enough to hold a human, she could feel her chest tighten as she looked up at the figures hanging. It was rather they were Lex, one after another, Lex hung from each container. Her eyes scanned through them before she froze, she could see another figure. Her body moves on it's on as she found herself inching forward in the distance she could see long brown hair. It couldn't be, she thought as she came to a stop, sweat filled her palms as she closed her hands into fist. Her breath quickened as she looked up, there she was completely naked, each one a copy no a clone of herself. She took a step back as pain struck her she ignored it spinning around she looked at them all. She didn't feel it as the fluid hit her shoes, nor did she hear Tess' voice as she was being pulled away she continued to look at the clones. Once she could no longer see them she thought about them, one second she was in cadmus labs the next she was screaming in pain as she felt the contractions begin. Suddenly she could no longer think about the Clones, all she could think about was her child, and how Lex had decided to clone her. What would he do to the child?
"Breathe Lana, Breathe!" Tess called out and Lana regained her focus. "We're almost there," Lana let out a breath at the sound of that. She couldn't think about Lex right now she needed to think about their child.
…
"Clark I need you to use your x ray vision on the next exit," the light from his helmet illuminated the path forward, his forehead glistening with sweat and soot. The exit wasn't that far away according to Brani's map and Lex was getting tired of these games. He needed to check on Lana, he was sure LuthorCorp would persevere but Lana, she held they're child, his child.
"This is close enough," Clark said pausing and lex watched as his eyes narrowed, "It's lined with led, I can't see what's in it."
"Brani can you get a scan?" Lex asked looking down at the device only to be disappointed as the words no appeared on the screen.
"I know we aren't friends Lex but can you trust me, we need to get out of here especially if they're targeting Lana," Clark stood tall as he spoke and Lex couldn't help but agree with him, he needed to get out of the tunnels.
"What's the plan?" Lex asked.
"I'll rush the box, i'll rip the wire's from the bomb before they have a chance to react," He seemed confident but there were so many different things that oculd go wrong. Alas if there was anyone that could pull it off it would be Clark.
"I'll trust you this time," Lex said getting a nod from Clark as he turned around vanishing before Lex could react.
"Lex!" Clark's voice drew his attention, jogging forward Lex raised an eyebrow noticing the box in Clark's hand. Only there was no bomb, instead only a voice recorder that said press me, walking forward he pressed the button.
A distorted voice came from the box one that sent a chill down lex's back, "This is only the beginning Luthor, soon your entire empire will come crashing piece by piece. Watch those closest to you for you never know where the knife will come from," What followed was maniacal laughter yet lex could only frown. It seemed even when he went out of his way to not make more enemies for himself they still popped up.
"Brainy, run some voice recognition tests, lets also check on his pattern of speech, I doubt he's an unknown whoever it is," Lex said before turning to Clark. "Thank you Clark." Moving towards the exit he was stopped by Clark's hand landing on his shoulder.
"Lex, we'll have to talk again soon, about it all."
"Stop by the mansion," Lex said pausing only for a second before continuing.
…
"Lex Luthor, is alive, we don't have much information but he was the target of several bombings earlier today. By some miracle he was able to make it out through the complex tunnel system beneath Metropolis." A news reporter wearing a grey suit said through the microphone as they surveyed the wreckage of the bombings. Pictures of Lex popped up sporadically showing his dishevelled appearance as he exited the tunnels. All of this was overshadowed by screams, doctors and nurses barking orders.
Lana Lang gripped the sheets of her hospital bed, he hair matted to her face due to sweat. Her screams deafened anything else in it's surroundings, outside in the hallway Tess sat calmly clinching her fists.
"I'm glad he's okay," an aged voice entered Tess' ears drawing her attention and her ire. Lionel Luthor stood there in a blue freshly tailored suit a smirk on his face as he looked down at his daughter.
"I find that hard to believe," Tess said narrowing her eyes.
"He may be an evil man, but he's still my son," Lionel said his smile dropping from his face as he seemed to grow taller in Tess' eyes. "I see she didn't take the news very well," Lana's screams were intermittent but when she did scream she screamed.
"I'm sure Lex has some kind of explanation for this," Tess said turning to look towards Lana's room.
"That loyalty is exactly why I can't allow you to stick around," Tess didn't have time to react as a needle shot into her neck she turned anger in her eyes as she looked up at her father, before darkness overtook her.
Lionel shook his head as he looked down at his daughter, "Don't worry little one, I just need you to disappear for a while." Smiling he clapped and immediately men dressed in black entered the room moving Tess away. Looking back at Lana's room he paused, "I hope you put on a good show for me miss Lang."
…
Lex's black escalade came to a halting stop outside of the hospital, stepping outside of the car his coat swung in the wind as he sped into the building. The receptionist was staring at her computer in blue scrubs exhaustion clear on her face.
"Where is Lana Lang," Lex called out already moving towards the right towards the patient rooms.
"Room 319," she called out Lex sent her a thanks ignoring the blur of people in his peripherals he moved racing towards the stairs. The door swung open smaking the wall as Lex moved up the stairs two steps at a time entering the floor Lana was on it seemed empty. Where was Tess, he wasn't sure looking at the room numbers he stopped in front of 319. He took a deep breath, before entering the room.
Whatever confidence he had, whatever feelings of fear, or worry he felt for Lana seemed to vanish as he spotted her within Lana's arms. Her blue eyes shined even from the door her vibrant red hair brought tears to his eyes. Moving forward each step felt heavier as he fell to his knees looking at Lana and the baby he felt true happiness.
"It's good that you're here," Lana said a smile appearing on her face, her hair was matted to her face yet she seemed full of energy. Rising up Lex took a seat on the bed next to her wiping the hair from her face.
"You did it Lana, I'm sorry I couldn't be here," he had wanted to be here, to see his child be born to cut the umbilical chord himself.
"You're here now," Lana whispered, "Now we need to name her."
"Lillian, after my mother," Lex said looking down at his child.
"Lillian Luthor," Lana repeated.