TOCChapter 11Clark found himself back in the abandoned subway tunnels - at least he thought he was. His vision was blurry, but he recognized the dark, damp walls and the faint lights hanging from the ceiling. The world around him spun from the dizzy spell that always seemed to accompany the soul switches. He also felt his strength vibrate through his body in a familiar hum. The sense of belonging was so strong he couldn’t hold back the sigh of relief that escaped his lips. Though he knew that it probably wouldn't last long, he relished the comfort of being back in his own body.
“Lex, are you okay?” a woman beside him asked.
Clark felt the touch of her hand on his arm before he saw her. He blinked a few times, trying to clear his blurry vision. A blond woman in her late thirties swam into focus. He had seen her before, not as clearly. She’d been at his side shortly after he’d last woken up in Luthor’s hideout. It was the woman on the photos he’d gotten from his friend at the FBI, the woman who’d saved his life after his last attack. The woman who’d tried to transfer his powers into Luthor’s body a few months ago.
Gretchen Kelly looked at him, a worried frown marring her features.
Her grip on his arm intensified. “Lex?”
Her eyes were full of love and a deep affection. Her touch was nothing like Lois’s, though. There was no spark, no connection, not even the slightest hint of anything but unease. Clark still vividly remembered his previous encounters with Dr. Kelly - their battle when she’d been infused with his powers through the strike of lightning she’d created or how she poked and prodded at him while he was almost suffocating. A shiver ran down his spine and instinctively, he withdrew his arm and took a step back.
His hands clenched into tight fists and, horrified, he realized that he had absolutely no idea what he could possibly do to use the situation to his advantage. He’d been so preoccupied with Lois’ safety and how he might get her to believe him that he had made no further plans. Now that he was here, he once more felt like he was completely at her mercy despite all his powers.
Kelly frowned at him, the affection in her gaze gone. “You’re not Lex, are you? You’re Kent.”
Clark stared at her, taken aback. And all the helplessness and fear that had formed a tight ball in the middle of his stomach unleashed in a sudden surge of rage. His hands shot forward and he grabbed her by the lapels of her lab coat.
“Indeed I am.” he growled. “What have you done to me?”
She looked at him with wide eyes that were full of terror from the anger that Clark knew contorted his face. His breath hitched as he caught himself at the brink of losing control in a way that had never happened to him before. Scared of his own rampant emotions, he loosened his grip on her without letting go of her completely.
Kelly swallowed, her eyes still dancing with fear. Gone was the air of confidence that usually surrounded her. She looked much younger, almost child-like.
Her voice trembled, pitched a bit higher with the panic that now seemed to hold her in a firm grip. “I was just trying to save Lex, but I had nothing to do with this body stealing thing.”
Clark was torn between his fury and compassion for the frightened woman that was completely at his mercy. And part of him was terrified of what he might become. Suddenly, he wanted nothing more than to let go of Gretchen before he gave into his rage. But he needed to know.
He bore his eyes into hers. “Then how?” he spat. “How did this happen?”
Kelly shrank under his intense gaze. “Lex’s servant, Asabi, has some kind of stone that can be used to transfer souls from one body into the other.”
He could feel her shake in his grip and it was getting to him. His conscience screamed at him not to do this, to find another way. But then he saw her expression change, the first hints of a smug smile creeping onto her lips. She seemed to read him, she seemed to know exactly which kind of thoughts were running through his head. He remembered the way she’d taunted him that he wouldn’t be able to strike a woman when she’d attacked him with the stolen superpowers. He knew Superman’s morals made him weak in her book.
For now, he had the upper hand and he couldn’t miss the opportunity to find out what was going on, just because of a pang of guilty conscience. He wasn’t really going to hurt her - just scare her enough. But with powers like his, that was a thin line to walk.
Clark narrowed his eyes at her. “Why did Luthor steal my body? Why me? Did he know I was Superman?” His throat tightened at the thought that Luthor might have known all along. Fear and rage sparked inside him in equal intensity. His urge to get answers grew so strong that he pulled her closer, not really caring if he hurt her. He needed answers, and he needed them now. “Tell me everything, and quickly. I don’t know how much time I have.”
Her eyes widened, any hint of smugness wiped from her face. “But… I know you … you wouldn’t hurt me.”
Clark’s jaw worked, and he was struggling hard to suppress the turmoil of emotions boiling inside him. “Try me.”
Dr. Kelly gasped, the fear evident in her gaze as she nodded. “When Lex woke up, he was in very bad shape. He was barely alive. To save him, we needed to get hold of Superman. Lex wasn’t capable of going after him, yet he insisted on chasing Superman down himself.”
Images of Lex Luthor assaulted Clark’s mind. He was standing above him, laughing and taunting him as he lay trapped in a cage and writhing in Kryptonite induced pain.
The sense of unease in his stomach intensified. He wanted nothing more than to escape from this nightmare. If only he could wake up and find himself in his own bed, drenched in sweat, but still himself. He tried to shake the stupor. It was getting him nowhere.
“What then?” he snapped.
He straightened his stance and pulled her a little closer toward him, doing his best to appear menacing instead of like a quivering wreck. He wasn’t helpless. He’d gotten out of that cage on his own. And however Luthor had trapped him now, he would get out of this as well.
“Lex chose to switch bodies with Clark Kent because he was close to both Superman and Lois Lane.” A crooked smile appeared on her lips. “Little did we know how close you and Superman actually were.”
An icy chill ran through him again as she taunted him with the knowledge about his secret. It shouldn’t rattle him anymore. After all that had been kind of obvious since - he blinked to clear his head. It didn’t matter right now. He didn’t have time for doubts or introspection. He had to find out what he could about what was going on. Quite against his usual habit, Clark focused on his anger.
Gritting his teeth, he bore his eyes into hers. And by the feel of it, it was quite possible they were glowing red.
No doubts, not now.
“What did you need Superman for?”
Gretchen shrunk under his gaze. “Remember the clone Lex made of you?”
Clark nodded tightly.
“While I was doing research to revive Lex, I found stem cells that had been used for testing,” she explained, her voice trembling. “They were still very much alive. I theorized that your stem cells are part of your remarkable healing abilities. And I was right - I was able to produce a serum from these cells. Once I injected Lex with the serum, his extensive injuries started to heal.”
Clark fought to suppress his rising panic. “I understand. And what do you need me for?”
“I’m running out of serum.” Kelly said. There was a slight hitch to her voice, almost like a sob. “I only have two injections left - that’s not enough to heal Lex completely, not by far. I need your blood.”
Clark froze. He didn’t like the sound of that, not at all. His father’s voice resounded in his mind.
<They will study you and dissect you like a frog.>A shiver ran through him and it took all his willpower to pull himself together.
“My blood?” He couldn’t keep his voice from cracking. “Why didn’t you transfer Superman’s powers to Lex’ body while I was out? I’m sure that would have worked.”
Kelly lowered her gaze. “I thought so, too, while I was trying my best to keep him from dying. But the truth is, I don’t think his body is strong enough to withstand a strike of lightning like that. Besides, Asabi warned us that being inhabited by the wrong soul is damaging to the body as well as the soul.”
Clark did his best to hide his alarm. More bad news. Just what he needed. He let go of her suddenly unable to stand her close presence a moment longer.
Dr. Kelly continued. “Lex, in your body, might not produce a strong enough aura to protect his own body during the power transfer. And I don’t think that Lex would be willing to give up his new body now that he knows who you really are. I tried to talk him into giving me more of Superman’s blood. But he wouldn’t listen. He’s no longer interested in restoring his old self.” She took a deep breath. “However, that’s not the only reason why I no longer consider the option.”
Something about her expression had changed dramatically. There was no smugness left, just a deep sorrow. “Giving Lex this sort of power isn’t a good idea. He’s always been dangerous - but now he’s…” She drifted off, as if she didn’t know the word for it.
Clark studied her face, trying to gauge whether she was playing him. He extended his hearing, listening to her breathing, her pulse. He concentrated on her smell. Often he could tell if people were lying to him. But it worked a lot better if he knew them.
“If you truly think that Luthor shouldn’t have these powers, then help me to get my body back!”
“You’d need the stone.” Kelly said quietly. “I’m not sure where Lex is keeping it.”
“Then we better start searching,” Clark growled. A wave of dizziness hit him. “I’m running out of time.”
Her eyes widened. “You’ll never find it before he comes back. But I could help you.”
“Help me?” he frowned. “How would I be able to trust you?”
“Because I want the old Lex back, just as desperately as you want to be yourself again.” There was a sincerity in her gaze that was simply baffling. She sounded wistful. “I love Lex, the old Lex. We grew up together, you know.”
“Then find that stone,” Clark urged. The sense of dizziness got stronger, harder to ignore. Any second now he’d be back in Luthor’s body and this opportunity would have slipped through his fingers.
“Only if you promise me something!” she demanded.
Clark tightened his grip on her. “And what would that be?”
“When you have your body back, I’ll need your blood,” she whispered. “I have to save Lex.”
“No way,” he growled. He let go of her as if he’d burned himself. His chest tightened with visions of green glowing bars while someone tried to draw blood from him. “No way.”
The dizziness hit him in a tidal wave and he stumbled back. He barely registered that Kelly was hurrying away from him. Then everything went black.
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