All talking ceased when the four of them entered a room containing a larger subset of the resistance.
Clark and Kent both picked up on the intense fear in the room and it made them feel sick.
"So these are them," a sickeningly familiar voice rang out.
Lex Luthor stepped forward and eyed the group with an insouicance that had to be faked. "Amazing likenesses. Let's hope it's just skin deep?"
"We aren't dangerous megalomaniacs, if that's what you mean," said Kent, unable to resist, mentally cursing himself at the sharp inhalations his outburst elicited. He had to remind himself forcibly that he wasn't perceived as 'Clark Kent, mostly harmless' but rather, Kal-El, proven to be deadly.
Lex's eyes narrowed at his words, feeling as if they had been directly addressed to him.
"I take it there's some hidden meaning in your words," Lex asked Kent, his eyes cold and unflinching. "Do tell?"
Lex felt a surge of satisfaction as the Kryptonian seemed to already be regretting his outburst. The Kryptonian looked at his companions uneasily and one of the Lois Lane's smiled at him before answering Lex's question.
"The four of us have had bad experiences with your doppelgangers," said Lane. "Let's just say we're feeling a little discomfited by your presence."
"Really, All four of you?" he asked with sarcastic disbelief. "Kryptonians afraid of my doppelgangers?"
"Well, they *are* dangerous megalomaniacs," said Clark, unable to help himself even though he knew he shouldn't be engaging in battle. "But then again, those are alternate universes."
"Quite. I hope you give me the same benefit of the doubt I'm giving you. Otherwise I imagine we're going to have difficulty working together."
"We're here to help end the invasion," said Kent. "Our feelings about who you are in different worlds has no bearing on anything here. Sorry to have even brought it up."
"So you forgive me my doppelgangers if I forgive you yours?"
"Their doppelganger here is in stasis," said Zara quietly.
"Oh. So you all say. I find it hard to believe that he could be so stupid to have let himself be trapped in such a way."
Zara didn't react to his insult.
"But the evidence suggests that he's the real deal," said Lane in confusion. "We're here to free him and end the invasion that way - if you aren't all on board with that idea, why are we even here?"
"There's a - creature - in stasis," said Lex smoohtly. "It could be a clone. I personally am not so naive as to think freeing him will make any difference at all to our situation."
"I've explained to Lex the truth," said Zara, "But I'm afraid i have little credibility with him."
"Zara, you are a member of the invading alien force that's enslaved my people," Lex rebutted, his tone hard. "I accept that you hate whatever version of Kal-El you married enough to take him out, but honestly, I don't trust you one bit. You know that."
"I know it. And I accept it. I deserve it. Nonetheless, the plan is to resuscitate the man in stasis so he can rightfully claim his throne and exile the usurper into the phantom zone. If you disagree with this plan and have no intention of helping carry it out, we either need a new plan, or we need to talk about it more."
"I say we kill both Kal-Els. Oh. Not you two," he said looking at the two in the room with barely disguised disdain. He could see that the four interlopers were afraid of him and he relished it. After years of enslavement by this wretched species, it felt good to make a few of them watch their backs.
"If the man in stasis is truly Kal-El," said LL harshly, "Then he is our only shot at removing the clone from power. I believe he is Kal-El. You agreed to go along with this plan, Lex."
"And I intend to. But I'm just making a point that we shouldn't discount getting rid of the real Kal-El either. Cut off the head, and the snake dies."
"I would advise against that," said Zara calmly. "You will bring my people's wrath in full force if you kill their rightful leader."
"And you? Zara, would I gain your wrath as well? Killing your childhood friend? Your rightful mate?"
"My loyalty is to the resistance," she said, still holding her emotions in check. "I cannot fend them all off. In the end they would destroy you - taking me down as well. I will not turn on you, and neither with Kal-El. The man in stasis was a good man once, and I believe he still is. He would never condone what's been done here. I'm sure that's why he was disposed of in this way - because he refused to consider such an action."
"If you sense anything from him that refutes your beliefs, what will you do," Lex asked her, his entire focus on her.
"I will kill him."
They both gazed at each other stoically for a few long moments.
"We've already hashed this out, Lex. Are you with us or not? We can't afford dissenters at this point," said LL in a hard tone.
"Oh, I'm with you my dear," he said making both Lane and Lois shudder, "I trust you, of course. Nobody hates them more than you."
"Then enough of this, and let's get down to planning."
