Chapter Twelve: Armageddon Knocking

The minute the sound screeched through her ears, forcing her hands over them in reaction, Chloe knew what it was.

Lois and Clark had the same reaction within the confines of the barn, Clark worst of all because his hypersensitive hearing amplified the sound. He doubled over in pain, caught by surprise Chloe suspected, while Lois, forgetting her own discomfort had automatically come to his aid. The sound was piercing but would not last long. This too, she knew from experience. The last time she had encountered it Clark had was trapped in the Phantom Zone and Lois had been unconscious, near dead from the planet crash Fine had caused to murder both her and Martha.

"What the hell is that?" Lois demanded out as she tried to help Clark.

Chloe didn't answer because her voice would be competing against that awful screech and it would take too long to explain. Best to wait it out. Instead, she shifted her eyes to Clark, hoping that he would adjust his focus as he often did when overpowered by too much stimuli. To her and Lois, this was uncomfortable, for Clark, it had to be painful.

It took Clark a few seconds to shut it out but by the time he did, the noise had died as suddenly as it began. Straightening up and lowering his hands from his ears, he saw Chloe to do the same. Her expression was strangely devoid of surprised and seemed almost as if she expected the silence. With a flash of insight, it occurred to him she knew what this was.

"Chloe," Clark stared at her. "What just happened?"

"Wait for it," Chloe said, wanting to know for certain if she was right. The next few seconds would confirm it.

"Wait for what?" Lois blurted out because the word 'wait' was as foreign to her as 'tact'.

It started subtly at first, slowly intensifying until Chloe could feel tremor pass through the soles of her feet, traveling through her bones and up her spine. With that sensation overtaking them all, there was no longer any denying it. Around them, the barn began to shudder and if Clark didn't know what it was then, he certainly knew it by the time the first jar of old washers shattered against the dusty floorboards of Jonathan's workshop.

"It's beginning," Chloe exchanged a look with Clark whose breath caught when the realisation dawned upon him what was happening.

"WHAT?" Lois exploded. "Just because you are from Krypton you don't have to act so goddamn cryptic!"

"Its Zod," Clark explained already moving past both women and heading towards the steps. "He's fixed the hard drive from the alien ship."

"This is what happened on Dark Thursday Lois," Chloe retorted before following Clark. "It started with that sound and then the earthquakes hit."

"Oh my God," Lois uttered a soft exclamation. "You mean right now? He's redecorating right now?"

"If you call shifting the Earth's crust so that the planet looks like Krypton, redecorating," Clark said in a deadpan. "I've got to stop this then I'll figure out how to get Zod back in the zone."

Lois could tell by the timbre of his voice that he was running on nothing but urgency, not thinking through what was ahead of him. That was Clark's way; she had come to learn since they had started dating. People mattered so much to him he didn't think of the consequences and sometimes he had to for the very same reason.

"Clark wait!" She called out following them both down the steps. The tremors had now become full on shaking and even as they descended, Lois was having trouble maintaining her balance. "You can't just go over there and fight him without your father's crystal."

"Lois, I can't afford to waste the time." He said grabbing both women like some kind of circus strongman and zipping out of the barn into the open fields where there would be little danger of them being harmed by anything.

Letting them go in the middle of the recently harvested field, Clark could feel the intensity of the tremors growing. Even from this distance, he could see its effect on the Kent household not to mention the bar. The nightmare of Dark Thursday and the destruction it wrought because one again, he had not followed his father's instruction was taking place before his eyes again. He just couldn't let it happen a next time.

"Smallville think!" Lois said placing her hands on his shoulder as if that would do anything to stop him if he chose to go. "You have once chance of stopping him, one chance and if you screw it up, we all lose."

Chloe wasn't sure what Lois was thinking she was accomplishing by this 'pep talk' but she knew Clark had barely managed to defeat Zod the last time and this time, without the crystal, Zod could very well kill him. "Clark, just listen to Lois a minute. Let's think about this before you rush off and do something to make things worse. "

"Lois, Chloe," Clark said impatiently, "every second I waste is another second where people are going to get hurt."

"Clark!" Lois spoke in a tone that Chloe had rarely heard her use. "People are going to get hurt a lot worse if General Krypton gets his way. This guy is a soldier, meaning he knew how to kick serious ass before he got superpowers. You've had them all your life and I'm sorry to be the one to break it to you Smallville, but you're not a soldier and you don't know how to fight like one. Without the crystal, he'll have the advantage and as you're the only chance this planet has of getting through this thing, I'm asking you to think."

Clark wanted to protest and refute her words. It had stung a bit when she declared that having superpowers all his life had given him an unfair advantage but it was a fact he could not deny. Raya herself had said it when he first spoke of facing Zod, the man was a General and for all intensive purposes, Clark Kent was a farm boy. During their last encounter, Clark had only been able to get as close to Zod as he had because he had kneeled before the general in defeat.

As ego bruising as it was, Lois was right, he couldn't take the chance of moving too quickly and losing.

"Alright," he said meeting both of their gazes. "I'm thinking. What do we do?"

************

When the tremors had started, Zod was somewhat surprised that Kal-El hadn't appeared to make some pathetic attempt to stop him. After all, the young man had laughably warned him to leave Metropolis and Smallville untouched. Technically Zod had kept his word, he had made no move against those two cities but he had promised nothing about the planet. Despite the Construct's confidence that Kal-El would continue to be an ally whilst he remained under the thrall of red kryptonite, Zod did not share it.

Allegiance balanced on such a knife's edge was no absolute and the more Zod considered the idea as the Earth tore itself apart around him, the less he liked the idea that some day Kal-El might turn on him. And there was that other possibility as well, that the boy might have ambitions of his own. Certainly the moral inhibitors in his personality had been vanquished in the river of red kryptonite running through his blood. Did Zod want an ally that could challenge him?

Unable to decide at the moment because Zod was not one to waste resources, he would belay the question for now. Besides, the notion of having Jor-El’s child as his right hand in the new order was too delicious to discard so easily and Zod was not immune to trapping of vengeance on his old nemesis.

When Kal-El arrived at the Luthor Mansion, the source of the earthquakes currently tearing his adopted home world apart, Zod was careful to ensure he had scanned every inch of the young man’s person before reaching his presence. Zod had made that mistake once and paid for it dearly, he was not about to repeat it now that he was so close to getting everything that he wanted.

Around him, the Luthor home shook and shuddered but largely remained intact. The memories of Oliver Queen he had ingested when taking this body revealed that Luthor most likely had the mansion’s structure reinforced to survive such a disaster. However, Zod suspected that no amount of precaution was going to prevent the structure from crumbling once the transformation of the Earth was complete. Watching the device on Luthor’s laptop continue its endless spin, Zod waited for Kal-El to arrive.

Clark came to a stop in front of Lex’s desk and stared across it into Zod’s face. Around him, he ignored the effect of the tremors on the mansion and more importantly, what he had done the last time he was here. What he had said to Lana and how he had almost killed Lex. However, those memories were nothing in comparison to the soul sucking despair he felt when he saw Zod’s wearing Oliver Queen’s body. It took every ounce of control the young Kryptonian had not to show the shock and horror at what he had done to his friend. Clark held his impassive mask in place even though his soul screamed nothing but anguish

I did this to him. I watched Fine hold him down while I did this to him.

“I thought we agreed that Metropolis and Smallville was mine,” Clark spoke with Kal’s confidence, attempting to project as much of that arrogance as he could. Dressed in Kal’s expensive clothes, remembering Lois’ advice which was ‘to just act like a jerk’, Clark Kent stood before Zod trying to buy time. He kept his eyes fixed on Zod, ignoring the hard drive that was spinning within his line of sight. The less attention he paid to it; the better.

Zod displayed Oliver’s charming smile as he eased back into the chair, dusting off a stray bit of debris from his shoulder. “They are still yours Kal-El,” Zod said smoothly, “however; they will be a part of New Krypton.”

“New Krypton,” Clark nodded, seemingly impressed. “I suppose I could get used to the sound of that,” he pulled up a chair and lowered himself into it, keeping his gaze fixed on Zod.

“It is the path your father should have chosen for you,” Zod continued to speak. “Instead of sending you here as little more than a farmer’s livestock, he should have sent you here to fulfill Krypton’s legacy. This primitive world would have welcomed what we could have given them.”

“I guess,” Clark retorted, feigning boredom at his conversation. “Never been there, never gonna now.” He shrugged.

Zod’s eyes narrowed. “It is the planet of our birth. Krypton was a shining jewel of civilization in an otherwise savage galaxy.”

“Couldn’t be that good,” Clark replied. “Everyone keeps saying you destroyed it.”

“Everyone?” Zod raised a brow in interest.

“Fine, Raya….”

“Raya ,” Zod uttered a low chuckle. “Jor-El’s little whore.”

Clark’s jaw almost clenched in response but he managed to hold it back and surprised himself by responding with a smirk, “She was very beautiful.”

“She was nothing,” Zod said dismissively, “now your mother. Your mother was a beautiful woman.”

Despite himself, Clark couldn’t help but show some interest. “Really? You knew my mother?”

“I doubt that there was anyone on Krypton who did not Lara Lor Van. Your father was the scientist. Your mother was the soldier. I knew her well.” Zod’s eyes seemed to drift and for a moment, Clark saw something in the man’s eyes that made him uncomfortable, that appeared too much like how Clark looked in the mirror whenever he thought of Lana and Lex together. “She was a formidable woman,” Zod concluded, “and much too good to be have wasted her life on playing a home maker. She could have greatness but instead, she chose to die with your father.”

Zod almost spat out the words and Clark decided then, he didn’t want to know because the parallels to his own life could be more than he could stomach.

Around them, the quakes were becoming more and more violent and Clark dared a look over the building, wondering if the supports were going to hold out. “We should get out of here before this place comes down.”

“Frightened Kal-El?” Zod taunted.

”Kal,” Clark said sharply, remembering his aversion to his Kryptonian name when he was under the influence. “I’m not afraid. This is a new jacket.” He smirked.

“Tell me about Miss Sullivan,” the general inquired.

Clark blinked. “What?” A bit of his personality showed because the question took him by completely by surprise. “Why do you care about her?” Clark asked, insides knotting. Zod had never had any dealings with Chloe.

”Oliver remembers her,” Zod replied, watching Kal-El’s reaction with great interest. With serpentine eyes, the general watched and continued to prod, dissecting the young man with his questions. “Those memories indicate a sharp mind, adaptable with just enough complacency to be useful to me.”

Hearing Chloe discussed like that was almost as disturbing as believing that Zod’s feud with Jor-El could have been the result of his feelings Lara. “Useful.”

“I need an heir Kal-El. I want a new bloodline, descended from Zod to crown my new empire. You have chosen your consort to rule Metropolis and Smallville; I want Miss Sullivan to rule New Krypton.”

No. No. No.

Even as the tsunami of rage rose up inside of him, Clark’s reasons was making a desperate attempts to rein in the fury that was flaring out of control, shattering the façade he had been trying so hard to main. However, the idea that Zod had designs on Chloe, the one person who had stood by him for no other reason than friendship, sickened him to the core and cause something to snap inside Clark Kent with such finality that he barely noticed it had broken until it was too late.

“Not Chloe! NOT EVER.” Clark’s eyes burned with crimson that for once had nothing to do with red kryptonite.

Clark slammed into Zod with the force of a locomotive. The two men smashed through the wall and kept going, one after the other. Suddenly the roar of the earth quaking under them seemed far and hollow because all Clark could hear was the roar of fury in his ears. Consumed by the idea of Zod turning his twisted desires towards Chloe, Clark felt a rage he had not experienced since Alicia was murdered.

Only this was much, much worse.

Clark did not see the walls exploding around him but felt the support beams holding Lex’s mansion give way, each time he and Zod barreled straight through them. They finally reached the grounds of Lex’s manicured lawns, existing through the outside wall of the mansion before skidding through the meticulously tended Kentucky bluegrass. Soil and grass piled up around them as they tore deep groove in the lawn before finally coming to a stop.

“You’ll never get your hands on her!” Clark shouted, throwing a punch before Zod had time to recover, driving the older Kryptonian deep in the dirt. Lois had said he didn’t know how to fight like a soldier, well maybe he didn’t but that wasn’t going to stop him from beating Zod to a pulp or die trying. “NEVER!” He screamed enraged.

“All too easy,” Zod smirked, blocking the blow as if expecting the outburst and blasted Clark off him with a burst of heat vision.

Clark sailed across the air in a neat arc, landing on a concrete bench and collapsing it beneath the force of his impact. Zod immediately got to his feet and looked at Clark, smiling.

“All too easy, Kal-El,” Zod gloated triumphantly. “You’re still a boy and so predictable. I knew it was just a matter of time before you would show your true nature although I am disappointed by how easy it was to provoke you to act. You are ruled by your emotions. Lara would be disappointed.”

Clark ignore the obvious taunt, knowing now that he had thrown down the gauntlet, he had no choice but to follow this fight wherever it might lead. Whatever, it might cost him. God help him, he may have to sacrifice Oliver to stop this.

Getting to his feet, Clark faced Zod, readying himself for a fight.

To the death if necessary.

***********

Across the frozen wasteland, Lois Lane was running as fast as she could towards the fortress, knowing that she had no time to waste. In the distance, the crystal structure waited patiently for her to arrive while beneath her feet, the ground shuddered and quaked treacherously. Clark had wanted her to leave, go far away where Zod would not find her, at least for awhile anyway. If he failed in stopping the Kryptonian warlord, far away would not be enough. However, Lois convinced him that she could help and he needed all that the assistance he could get.

Dressed for it this time, Lois made good pace across the icy tundra, seeing her breath form clouds of vapor as she moved. Heart pounding at the exertion, she crossed the space between the fortress and the spot where the cleft in the Kawatchee cave wall had deposited her after Clark had sent her through. Chloe had wanted to come with her as well but both Clark and Lois had decided that if this desperate plan of theirs failed, someone on Earth had to know how to stop Zod. There were other heroes out there, Clark had said, other heroes who might be able to do what he might not.

The idea of failure and the death that might result was something Lois kept firmly out of her thoughts because compared to the destruction of Earth, it seemed rather a small price to pay.

PART THIRTEEN