The Talon
Lana looked at the cup of coffee she just made herself and remembered how headstrong she had been back then. Running this coffee shop was the hardest thing she had ever done back then. Looking back she missed those days, life was easier. Hearing the sound of the door opening she turned to look with raised eyebrows. A man wearing a courier uniform appeared with a bouquet of flowers in his hand.
"You miss…", looking down at the card card he continued, "Lana Lang?"
"Yes, I'm her," Lana was still confused as he placed the flowers in her hands. "Thank you," She said getting a nod from the guy before he left. Looking down at the flowers she knew they could only be from one person.
"Lana, who was that," Chloe walked down the stairs catching sight of the flowers. "Flowers from Lex, someone's desperate." Chloe walked behind the coffee bar beginning to make a cup for herself.
Reading the card Lana looked up at chloe, "He wants me to meet him at his office this afternoon."
"You're going?" Chloe took a seat next to her as she sipped away at her coffee.
"Yeah, I think it's time we finally had a talk," placing the flowers down Lana picked up her own coffee. "I've had enough time to think things through, I think I'm going to end things with Lex."
"I'm all for you and Lex breaking up, but have you considered the kid?" Chloe asked being the devil's advocate.
"The baby is the reason why I can't stay with Lex any longer. I don't want my kid raised in a family that stabs each other in the back for fun. Lionel will always be a part of Lex's life whether he wants that or not. "
…
It was hours Later that Lex saw it, a small door opened one that reflected the inside of his office and from that door walked in his kidnapper and Lana. Lana was pushed sending her running right into Lex arms.
"Lex, what's happening?" Lana's eyes were wide as she looked around the so called shadow realm. She gripped Lex tightly as she did so, she looked as if her heart would jump out of her chest.
"Everything's gonna be alright Lana, I'll protect you," Looking down at her Lex didn't break eye contact he knew that she needed his reassurance.
"You can barely protect yourself, now get to talking or you'll be forced to watch as she's killed in front of you," It wasn't only his words that drew Lex's attention. The sound of his pistol cocking was more than enough.
Placing Lana behind him Lex raised both of his hands. "Tell me what you want."
"I want 33.1 destroyed and you alongside it, luckily for you I can't kill you until you authorize the release of all the people within it. Imagine escaping and knowing there are others still going through horrible experiments." He waved the gun as his face went red and spit flew out of his mouth.
"Lex what is he talking about?" Lana's shaking arms slowed as her grip on Lex's suit jacket began to loosen.
"He thinks i'm running secret experiments on people affected by the meteor showers," Lex said to Lana.
"I don't think you're doing it I know you're doing it. I saw your signature on the papers, you're in charge of 33.1 and you're going to shut it down." Closing the distance between himself and Lex, Jace the kidnapper placed the barrel of the gun against his forehead.
"Do you know what kind of experiments you have your scientist running, poking and prodding, sedatives and more experiments. I haven't been able to sleep since I left that place, the nightmares are too vivid. Maybe you'll have nightmares when I kill your girlfriend." Lex could hear the anger, the desperation in his voice. It wasn't that Lex didn't believe him, at first he was skeptical but now he was sure.
"There's only one other person that could authorize the existence of such a place, my father Lionel Luthor. Are you sure it wasn't his name on the paper instead." Lex watched as Jace took a step back, using his free hand he wiped at his eyes. Lex could see the cogs turning in his head, he could tell what he was thinking. Maybe just maybe it was Lex Luthor's name that he had seen but Lionel's.
"No," Taking in a deep breath Jace shook his head. "I'm sure it was you, I was tired and exhausted and maybe still a bit whoozy from the sedative but I'm sure it was your name." He raised the gun again but Lex could tell that his grip was a bit shaky.
"Okay, since you're sure it was me how do you expect me to shut down 33.1 from within your shadow dimension?" Lex could tell he wasn't too sure about the name, but the guy had been planning this for weeks. He wouldn't risk it all on the off chance that he had seen the wrong name, but Lex had already come up with a plan.
"You'll sign this," Reaching into his back pocket he pulled out a piece of folded paper, read it," Jace said as he tossed it over.
Picking up the piece of paper Lex read it slowly, it was a will. One that would ultimately free those that were being experimented on in 33.1 while confessing Lex's sins.
"You want me to sign this?" Lex looked over at Jace before looking at the will again. "What if it wasn't me though, if it wasn't my name that you saw 33.1 will continue to exist. It's already a secret place that no one knows about, won't they just say they shut it down in public while keeping it running in the dark?"
"No, they can't do that. It's public, the whole world will have their eyes on LuthorCorp. It's impossible to keep 33.1 running with such publicity." Jace shook his head.
"You don't remember dark thursday? That wasn't that long ago and even though Luthorcorp had the whole worlds attention you still ended up in that research facility didn't you?" Lex asked almost cracking a smile. "You only have one option, bring my father here. You brought me, and you brought Lana. It can't be that difficult to bring him in, he's arrogant, just tell my secretary to tell him I want him in my office pronto."
"If you're lying I promise you your death won't be quick," Turning around Jace vanished leaving only Lex and Lana remaining in the shadow realm.
Seeing that he was gone Lex reached into his pocket pulling out B2, "What did you discover?"
"Who are you talking to, what is that?" Lana asked looking at the silver replica of an Ipod touch. She had never seen something like it in her life and the way Lex talked to it as if it was a phone confused her.
"It's a new device I designed, it's a cell phone but it's touch screen," Lex responded waving the device.
"Is there someone on the other side of it? You can get a connection from here?" Lana asked.
"No I've placed a code within this device that can help me in times of need, it's name is B2. I asked B2 to scan our kidnapper and the door used to enter and exit this realm. It's gonna help us get out of here." Looking down at B2 Lex said continue.
[Upon scanning his entry into the alternate dimension I've come to the conclusion this alternate realm is closely connected to your captor. The energy required to open and close such a door is not only mentally draining but physically exhausting. Upon entering the shadow realm with Lana I noticed the stability of the realm waning. I took an extra scan when he left and realized that the realm returned to stable once he exited the realm.]
"You're thinking that the more people he holds in the realm the more exhausting it is for him which leads to cracks and the stability of the realm?" Lex asked thinking of all the possibilities.
[I don't currently have enough data to conclude that my thesis is correct, i'll need more scans if i'm going to conclude such a thesis. What I have concluded though is that if the realm breaks there are only two ways things could turn out. One you and everyone within the realm are returned to the real world. Two you're all lost to the void forever, looking at the percentages I would recommend you not take such a risk.]
"B2 if there was a way to get you outside could you destroy the realm from the outside?" Lex asked.
[After scanning the energy released upon entering and exiting the shadow realm i'm sure I could send out and electromagnetic pulse using your computer outside. Whether that pulse would be strong enough to destroy the portal to the shadow realm is another thing.]
Looking up from B2 Lex took a look at Lana before making a decision. She was pregnant with his child and he'd do anything to protect them both.
"Lana put this in your pocket," Passing B2 to Lana Lex grabbed her by the arms squeezing her tightly. "When he returns he'll have my father with him, i'm not sure what'll happen but this place will experience some kind of change. I'll convince him that you're not needed i'll get him to send you out." Lex stared into her eyes making sure she understood how serious the situation was. "You're our only hope, once you're out there plug this into my computer using the usb, it's already plugged in you just need to connect the device. Once you do that call for security, once you've called them leave."
"I can't just leave you here, I read what the device said, there's a chance you won't make it out once this place is destroyed." Lana shook her head, her eyes were turning red and tears began to flow.
Reaching his hands up Lex wiped her tears as a smile appeared on his face. "I'm going to be fine Lana, this isn't where I die. It's not where our story ends, you just do what I said and get as far away from the building as possible. I promise you that I won't allow my child to be raised without a father." placing his hand on her chin Lex pulled her in for a kiss. "I love you Lana," It was true, sure he had questioned whether this relationship would last but at every turn he did everything he could to keep her safe. He'd fight for her even when he wasn't sure if he could trust her, but wasn't that what love was? A leap of faith. Lex smiled as they waited and it wasn't long before their kidnapper returned.