Dreaming the Wolf, R, 10-23-09, Chapter 23 and Epilogue

[kaneslita]

Wow that is great. Such an amazing story. Please keep at it.

[Kit Merlot]

Well, it's been over a month since we've had an update to this wonderful fic, and Ava, I need my dose of wolf-esque Chloe, an attracted yet fearful Lex, and my favorite psycho, Kale.

Please update soon

[Avalanche]

A/N: Sorry about the slow updating, but real life happens and skauble was feeling unwell. Everyone thank her for being nice enough to be worried and such and STILL finishing. She’s a trooper.

Warning: So skauble is a great beta because she brought up a very good point. I was all ready to post this chapter willy nilly and without a warning because sometimes I ride the short bus with a helmet. But then, skauble is all like: “Ava, I love this part, but you might want to put a warning because you are a vat full of violence and horror and terror. Did I mention the horror and terror? I did? Oh, ok. How about the violence? Really? Regardless, it bears repeating. You are none of that sugar and spice nonsense.”

And then I thought it over and found that I could not refute her logic…mainly because of the short bus, helmet thing. So here is a warning, my favorite readers ever! This part is high on violence. There’s face ripping, explosions, chests being ripped open and the like. Squeamish people beware! This is totally the moment that Model B-9 is all “Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!”

All kidding aside, warning is for you for violent content at the beginning of the chapter.




Chapter 15- Discoveries of the Wolf



“To solve a problem or to reach a goal, you don't need to know all the answers in advance. But you must have a clear idea of the problem or the goal you want to reach.”
W. Clement Stone




When she had first conceived of her plan five years ago to destroy the people who hurt her and fix the problems with the others, Serena knew that it was going to be difficult. She knew that she would do things that would truly make her a monster; and she was fine with that on most days. Things happen and the life you thought you would lead vanished as dust on the wind. So Serena created a new self. A self that wasn’t timid. That had little to no regard for the others in the face of her own success. And all those things were working. It had worked.

The plans that she had painstakingly put together were coming to fruition. In her gut she knew that she was close. It made everything that came before worth any sacrifice and everything that would come after better. All of the contentment that she had with her decisions, all of the feelings of success and accomplishment became nothing more than a bitter gruel on her tongue when she read the lab results for Lana Lang. As bad as those results were; Serena couldn’t help but think that there were many more in the same situation as Lang. The proof was in the fact that Serena and the others like her existed.

Before the keystroke of her computer that gave her access to Langston’s discovery, Serena was lost in the puzzle. She knew that she had to come at the problem from multiple angles. She’d solicited theories from a number of sources…Samuel, the scientists working for her; and none of them could give her insight. It was like she had the pieces to twelve different puzzles. None of the pieces fit. “Why make Lana Lang believe she’s pregnant? What’s the point?” She keenly remembered asking herself those questions and feeling frustration every time her mind came up with a blank.

Someone fakes pregnancy to garner attention or to entrap some poor, unsuspecting sap into marriage. But Langston’s other employers just wanted him to make her believe she was pregnant. There had to be something more going on here. And there was because this made sense to people. This puzzle fit perfectly and created a beautiful image. A blueprint to success.

The puzzle she had been looking at was even more nonsensical in the face of Clark Kent. Serena knew that someone like him would grab their attention like a shiny object would a raccoon; but there had been no evidence that he was even a consideration to them. In fact, they used him as a red herring for other activities. He was used as a mask to hide whatever it was they were doing.

And so she labored and could come up with nothing that made sense. Until now. Until the moment that she opened that file. It was as important to the odd language of the puzzle presented to her as the Rosetta Stone centuries past. Now she truly had the burden of knowledge and it put everything into a tailspin.

All of her life good and evil had been black and white. Right and wrong were concepts that were as solid to her as the ground she walked. She thrived on the structure. On the safety it brought her and the cheerful certainty that was afforded her by its mere presence. Those feelings that she had long since buried came rushing to the surface in a torrent so overwhelming that it left her gasping for air. She had killed people, directly and indirectly. It had all seemed so necessary and it still did, but the devastating weight of values buried in her need to destroy those who had destroyed so many wouldn’t let her go. Despite this, Serena knew that she wouldn’t turn from her course.

Serena decided that she going to get well and truly hammered. The last time she had done so had been the night of her debutante ball. She remembered the way that her boyfriend had looked at her and the way that her friends were all clamoring to go out and do something. But those images were quickly replaced by the first time she had chosen to be the wolf and kill.

There had been nothing like it. The adrenaline rush. The pure feelings of finally being at ease and united in full concordance with the desires of the wolf and the mind of the human was glorious. As she took the first draw of vodka from her glass and felt it burn a path down her throat, Serena immersed herself in that moment. She let the feelings, sight, and sounds wash every part of her mind. Even now the feeling was addictive. The slow unsheathing of her claws, the elongation of her teeth, and the saliva that gathered in her mouth wasn’t unwelcome. It allowed her to feel the moment as it was.

It had been one of the scientists that had tested on her. His scent was ingrained in her memory. It had been by complete coincidence that she had even happened upon him. She had been in Washington near the Canadian border on business. The stress of dealing with her plans and her siblings in misery had pushed her to her elastic limits. There were many places to take a run and she had done so when the scent of Thomas Winfield greeted her. She knew all their names and current places of employment. Serena just hadn’t killed them because they still had the potential to be useful and it would be suspicious if they started dying.

The combination of stress and seeing him happy and with his family had been more than she was willing to endure. The glass shattered in Serena’s hand, but she barely took note of it. Instead of retrieving another glass, she simply took a pull directly from the bottle. Moving would break the memory trance, and she wanted to finish what had been started.

After seeing him and his family, Serena followed them to a cabin. They were on vacation. Maybe they were celebrating something. Maybe they just wanted to spend time together. Just the family. So she watched them. Serena watched as Winfield unloaded the van and then tickled his son. The sweet tones of his young son’s laughter filled her ears. Every now and again his wife would teasingly reprimand them and cajole them back to the business of getting their cabin ready for inhabitants.

Every teasing gesture, every soft word, and joyful expression of how close they were only served to enrage her. Serena could remember thinking that it was unfair. His life continued as if nothing had happened. She remembered the soft drizzle of rain. It was a fine mist, but it did nothing to cool her heated skin or stop the change of the wolf. The dark whispers of the animal invaded her. This was the enemy and his mate and offspring. They challenged her and the only way to ensure her survival was to end them. Serena gave in to the promptings because it was right.

Her voice echoed in her dark office, “They were the enemy.”

She hadn’t moved to take action until Winfield’s wife made a mad dash to their van. It triggered the predator response; and Serena’s body was moving before she was conscious of telling it to go. The wife only had time for a muffled scream before her chest and face were little more than shredded meat. Even then, the sickening gasp of breath escaped her lungs. Serena saw the bloody air bubbles seep from her chest where her lungs had been.

Serena would’ve continued her work on the wife, but the scream of a young child interrupted her. He was standing in the threshold of the front door. Once again she was in motion. Her work wasn’t done. Not until they were all dead. The bottle of vodka was once again raised to her lips. Unlike the mother, Serena moved to the boy’s belly. She felt movement and knew it to be Winfield further in the cabin. He was running towards her to save his child, but it was useless. Even if she hadn’t felt his last, desperate gasp of breath, it was far too late to save him.

Winfield looked to be leveling a shotgun at her, but he was nowhere near fast enough to aim and pull the trigger before she was on him. Serena didn’t use her teeth on him. Just her claws. She wanted to draw out his death. It wasn’t enough that he saw the death of his offspring and could only guess that his wife had suffered the same fate. No, she needed to give him this physical torment as well.

Serena recalled changing back to a hybrid form. She couldn’t let Winfield die without him seeing her face. Even through the haze of pain, Serena knew that he recognized her. He had made a feeble attempt at moving before she was once again the wolf. Digging into his chest, Serena ripped his heart out and flipped it into her mouth.

The light, drizzling rain stopped, but she knew it would resume in mere hours. Serena doused their bodies in gas and lit them on fire. She stayed and watched the entire cabin flame and begin to crumble.

The rain would keep the fire in check and the remoteness of the cabin would prevent a quick response from the authorities. Every time the fire looked to die down, she had started it again. When she finally got back into town, she slept like she hadn’t done since her change.

Bringing herself fully into the present, Serena took one final swig from the bottle of vodka. She had more liquor in her cabinet. So she got up to get more. Her night was far from done. That fact became even more apparent when she caught a whiff of Samuel’s unique scent and heard the door open to her office. She hadn’t called him, which meant he needed to talk to her. That in turn meant something not so good had happened.

Serena closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the couch. She would know what he wanted in a few moments.

Samuel opened the door and noted that Serena was more than a little tipsy. He would’ve said something, but she beat him to the punch, “Before we discuss any business, go to my computer and open the file ‘Langston’s report’. I think it might still be open actually.”

Her words were slightly slurred. Samuel looked at her closely. She hadn’t bothered to lift her head or open her eyes. It was uncharacteristic. Serena was always observing. Her hands were clawed and an empty bottle of vodka was at her feet. He noted that she had another newly opened bottle of vodka in her hands.

He did as she asked and read the files. It took him fifteen minutes to read it through and another fifteen to truly understand what he had read. The files he had just read were…disturbing to say the least. No one deserved the fate they had received from Serena’s mysterious tormentors.

She hadn’t really given him information and his own investigation was pathetic and yielded nothing of import. It was mildly insulting, but Serena and her enemies were playing in an entirely different league than he was. Samuel could understand his limitations.

He shut down her computer and moved to join her on the couch when she spoke to him. She sounded defeated and tired. Her words slurred slightly, but it was understandable because she had drunk a lot of alcohol, “Why did you kill his kids?”

Samuel cocked his head. He needed her to narrow down what she was asking because he had killed more children than he wanted to acknowledge. Serena must have discerned his problem because she elaborated, “You must know…you must know by now that my hand was in some of your previous jobs. Nathaniel Chase, Samuel.”

When she had first given him the mine to use as a distraction, he had thought it mere coincidence; but having known Serena for even a short time he knew that his first thought was mistaken. Rarely were there coincidences and never around Serena. It was why they could work well together. She saw the long term and he adjusted her plans as needed.

Samuel dragged the coffee table closer to where Serena was and sat before her. He took her face in his hands and forced her to meet his eyes. He wanted her focused entirely on him when he spoke, “His wife and children weren’t supposed to be there, but plans change and you have to adjust. I couldn’t wait for another time. People on his block were vacationing and the opportunity would never be so perfect. Well, not in the time frame. His children saw a man break into their home and use violence to subdue their mother. Mothers fight harder than any other threatened creature in existence.”

The air seemed to thicken between them. Samuel realized that at any moment she could rip him in two and was very close to it. Serena did not take death lightly. She may have used it as a tool, but it was always controlled and planned. No one needlessly sacrificed. Nevertheless, he had to continue. If he didn’t, she would kill him. Of course, she could kill him when he was finished. Samuel had the feeling that she was looking for an excuse to refrain because she still needed him and she liked him.

“Do you honestly believe that they would have gotten over such a trauma? I tried that once before and saw the poor kid descend into an abyss he couldn’t get out of. So tell me why it’s better to let them live instead of killing them? You think the chance to get past what happened makes the fact that I ruined their lives better? It’s not nobler to let them live and watch them become monsters themselves or fade away. Maybe it’s a twisted philosophy I adhere to, but it is what it is. Some can work their way through and the rest become like us. I choose to err on the side of caution.”

He was a very eloquent speaker when he chose to be. Of course, it made nothing he did even a little better; but now she knew him better. The greatest thing that they had in common was the fact that they cast off what had made them weak in a bid to never feel powerless. Many people did. They were separated from those people by a sea of willful destruction. It was only after he finished talking that she lifted her head and looked at him. He would never tell her but he thought the gold of her eyes was beautiful.

“Why are you here?”

It amazed Samuel because her words were no longer slurred when they had been only seconds ago.

“Our facility in Kansas was hit. Delayed footage shows it was Lex Luthor and Chloe Sullivan. They had people with them.”

Serena sighed, “It’s not like there was anything there so it’s of little consequence. Put that aside for now because I want you to begin modifications to our primary facilities. It’s time to capture our target.”

Samuel’s voice was slightly amused when he answered, “I already began those modifications. They’re complete. We can get her any time you’re ready.”

Serena took another drink from her new bottle of vodka and said, “I’m ready.”

********

They had established a rhythm of sorts. A dance that was perfection. Chloe found herself sleeping somewhere in or near the mansion. She made it her life’s mission to avoid Lana; and it was easier than expected. It may have been an obvious conclusion, but having heightened senses made everything infinitely easier.

If there were any moments of awkwardness in her dealings with Lex, it was because he smelled so strongly of Lana. Chloe realized that she would have to tell him eventually, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that it would not end as expected. It wasn’t so much that she was worried about Lex’s feelings as it was she knew that he would react badly, which was a remarkable understatement.

They hadn’t discussed or even mentioned the conversation they’d had when he found her naked in his office. She didn’t want to revisit it. As weird as it was, Chloe continually got the feeling that he would’ve pounced all over the topic if given even half the chance. It was a strange reversal, but there was no changing her mind. She didn’t want to share her feelings and she wasn’t going to.

If there was any time in his life that flying off the handle would make sense it was now; but it was the worst possible time because they didn’t know what was happening. Even after the countless hours they and assorted techs put in, there was still so much unknown. It wasn’t until two days after Chloe had first gone to Lex that they caught the break they needed.

They had been working diligently in his office. It was different because she was sitting at his desk and he was on the couch doing something on his laptop. Chloe felt that it signified something, but she couldn’t place it. Lana was off on some kind errand. Chloe would’ve been worried, but she knew that Mercy was having her followed. Chloe may not have been particularly fond of Lana, more so now that she was a wolf, but she was worried. She didn’t want Lana hurt. Chloe had thought that maybe she was the focal point of whatever was going on, but it seemed that Lana was.

Whatever was done to her was far more subtle and insidious than anything prior and it meant something. Chloe had no doubt that if she could figure that out, she would know everything. She really wanted to tell Lex something; but she couldn’t. Not until she knew more herself.

Chloe had been about to shut down his computer and take a much needed break when a phrase leaped out at her. She knew that she was smart. She wouldn’t call herself brilliant, but there was no doubt in her mind that she was quicker than most people; but it always amazed her when connections became clear to her and she knew it was a gift of the wolf mind.

But none of that mattered because now she could finally see the pattern. She could only guess that it hadn’t been caught before because of the number of people working on the project. One failure to communicate and nothing got done.

Chloe looked up from the computer and called to Lex, “I think I found something.”

Her eyes immediately returned to the computer monitor so she didn’t see Lex’s look of frustration. Lex knew he was competitive. It was something encouraged by his father. It was something he reveled in and chose to do. He enjoyed it. Competition allowed him to turn weakness into strength. The very fact that Chloe was able to find something before he did was galling.

Lex shook himself out of those thoughts. It wouldn’t be productive. They had been doing so well together and being petty about an imagined slight would not be conducive to the furtherance of their partnership. She hadn’t shared anything with him since two days ago; and it was one of the more maddening things he had ever encountered. He prided himself on his ability to get people talking, but she was proving to be formidable. Lex didn’t recall this streak in her the first time they had worked together.

He did the only thing he could do in the situation. Lex went to his desk like the summoned puppy he felt like. Lex deliberately invaded her personal space by leaning over her to look at the monitor. He began reading, “What is it, exactly, that I am supposed to be seeing?”

Chloe rolled her eyes. She could hear and feel his annoyance. He was hiding it well. Better than well, but it seemed there was little that could be hidden from her at this point. The realization that she was focused and keyed to him was a little unnerving. Realizations about people came at a rapid pace and she automatically adjusted without deep introspection. “Another gift of this change.” But with him it seemed like everything was dissected. She didn’t know how to process that information and it was becoming harder and harder to ignore such promptings.

It took a few minutes for Lex to finally stand. She could only guess that he had seen what she had. He gestured for her to move and she obliged him. Chloe watched his deft fingers fly over the keyboard. She had no idea what he was looking for until he pulled up satellite and GPS images. She waited impatiently for five minutes. It looked like he might be receiving rapid responses from a tech; but she couldn’t be sure. It seemed absurdly quick. “But he is Lex ‘Get it done now’ Luthor.”

She thought they were on the same page, but those thoughts were proven incorrect when next he spoke.

“Those buildings are abandoned. I just received confirmation.”

Chloe growled loudly and quickly counted to ten, “Lex, there hasn’t been a year since you’ve arrived here that a previously abandoned warehouse, building, or hole in the dirt hasn’t miraculously been discovered to be some kind of hide-out for mustache twirlers.”

Lex chuckled a bit and put his hand on the back of his neck and the other rested on his waist, “You have a point.”

He picked up his phone and was about to dial before Chloe stopped him, “What are you doing?”

She wasn’t fast enough and he was already talking to someone and telling them to gather various other people. Lex was unparalleled when it came to infuriating her. He did it so effortlessly.

He hung up the phone and spoke to her, “We’re going to those buildings. It shouldn’t take long to plan and get there.”

The buildings in question were about an hour and half drive south of Smallville, located in the middle of farmland. The place was owned by a Mr. and Mrs. Joel Smith, which they purchased six years ago when the previous owner began selling off land. That wasn’t suspicious, but Chloe was willing to view everything as some kind of conspiracy. “At this point, I’ll view running out of milk as some sort of conspiracy.”

Lex stepped back and leaned against his desk. He looked like he wanted to tell her something, but didn’t quite know how to break the news to her. It was kind of nice that he was trying not to antagonize her. Chloe sat down on the couch and got herself situated. She was going to be comfortable; and if she wasn’t tense, maybe he would find it easier to say whatever he obviously needed to say.

Lex raised an eyebrow and smiled at her. Chloe wasn’t expecting the satisfaction and warmth that lanced through her. She was pleased that she could comfort him in this way and it was…unsettling.

His smiled turned to a look of amusement, “Trust you to read me like a book,” a heartbeat later, “We have to tell Mercy. Everything.”

A part of Chloe didn’t want to dismiss his suggestion out of hand; but the other part, the part that was scared and didn’t want to deal with a damn thing and didn’t feel like it should have to, was screaming at her to tell him to “screw off”.

Mercy was dangerous in a way that Clark and Lex would never be. She was brutal. Chloe had the excuse of being a werewolf, Lex was a spoiled billionaire with daddy issues, and Clark was an indestructible alien. She could acknowledge that they all had a reason, but not her. Not Mercy. Chloe realized that their relationship had changed when she witnessed Mercy threatening Lana. She honestly didn’t think that Mercy was a real danger to herself. Nevertheless, the bestial instincts labeled Mercy a hunter.

Chloe shook her head and forced herself to think about the situation rationally. Yes, Mercy was a hunter. Yes, she could pose a danger. But Chloe was also capable of defending herself and with the added power of the wolf coupled with her own formidable intellect, Mercy was no more dangerous than any other threat. At least that’s what she told herself. Mercy was the one bitch in the pack that could legitimately challenge her, but she wouldn’t. Not without good reason; and Chloe didn’t foresee a situation wherein Mercy could best her or find a need to even try.

She blew out a breath. Chloe had to commend Lex on his patience. “It always comes back to him trying.” She really wished that these thoughts would stop. There was too much going on for this kind of confusion. “Yeah. You’re right. She probably knows more than we think she does anyways. At least this way, she can better help us.”

Lex nodded. He knew that she would see it that way, but people always surprised him with their willful ignorance. He could be honest enough and include himself in that. He didn’t like it, but there was no point in denying it. Lex took his cell phone out of his pocket and called Mercy.

He looked up to see Chloe shaking her head at him, “You couldn’t go get her?”

Lex laughed, “What? You want me to yell throughout the mansion like a kid whose parents told them to retrieve a sibling? Please, give me a little credit,” he paused and smirked at her before continuing, “Or should I say ‘throw me a bone’?”

Chloe couldn’t help but laugh. She also couldn’t help but call him names under her breath.

********

Mercy knew that something big was going to happen. It wasn’t just that Chloe Sullivan was at the mansion more often than not. It was the fact that she was sequestered with Lex in his office. It wasn’t just that Lex Luthor rushed through business meetings or just blew off certain transactions. It was that he did both of those things at the behest of Sullivan. Mercy took a moment to be resentful of the secrecy, and then she moved it aside.

She wasn’t naturally patient, but she learned to be what her employer needed. Lex Luthor needed her to do her job so that he could concentrate on whatever it was that he and Chloe Sullivan found all consuming and worthy of all their time. She would be there, like the specter of death, because the shit was going to hit the fan and there was never enough cover for everyone.

As soon as she made this resolution to herself, Mercy found it was not needed. She got the call on her cell phone and went to his office directly. When she got to his office, she saw Chloe Sullivan like she knew she would.

For the next half hour Mercy stood stunned. She knew that Smallville was a screwed up place. She knew that weird things happened. Mercy knew these things, but she didn’t truly know. Not until Lex, her employer and one-time lover, told her so. The man was eccentric, but he wouldn’t toss something this…fantastical into her lap without it being irrefutably true. And when Chloe Sullivan did some kind of eye trick, it sealed the deal. Mercy hadn’t really gotten a look at her the day that Sullivan attacked Lex and pinned him.

Mercy took a few moments to place this new knowledge into what was previously known. Now she could deal with whatever was going on because now she knew what they knew. She saw a little bit more and could now plan better. She was going to watch Lana Lang even more closely because her behavior had changed. No one else may have noticed, but she did.

She nodded to herself once and said, “So when are we leaving to check out this suspected building?”

Lex knew he could count on her; and now Chloe knew that she could too, “As soon as our team is assembled. I gathered the men you had on reserve in Metropolis. They should be here any moment now. They’re using my private helicopter.”

********

Four long, frustrating hours after Lex’s strike force arrived, they stood before what looked like an empty building. Lex had sent Mercy and ten other men and women into the place to scout it. They came back an hour later and sounded the all clear.

Mercy removed her gas mask, because she was always prepared for the worst, and said, “We found what could be the main office. The computers are fragged, but we might be able to salvage something. All the papers were shredded using a micro-cut shredder. There’s no salvaging that. We didn’t find anything that could kill you so I think it’s probably safe for you to go in if you want.”

Chloe looked at Lex who looked at her. They would’ve spoken in unison, but she gestured for Lex to ask the question on both their minds, “Probably?”

Rolling her eyes at them both, Mercy replied, “Nothing is ever 100%. Proceed with the caveat that shit happens,” with that she turned smartly on her heel and spoke with the men under her command.

Chloe knew that some form of communication passed between them about herself and Lex because a guy built like a truck glanced at them and shook his head. Apparently, mercenaries had their own language.

She and Lex walked into the building flanked by ten mercenaries and Mercy. Chloe stopped short when they got to a large observation room. It smelled of old blood and bleach. Even now, there was the slight lingering of industrial grade cleanser.

Chloe found herself whispering despite the fact that the building was empty save for them, “I think something bad may have happened here.”

Lex exchanged looks with Mercy, who exchanged looks with the guy built like truck. Once again, it fell on Lex to ask the question that everyone was dying to ask, “Why?”

She stopped whispering because he hadn’t whispered and it was ridiculous that she was, “Because that entire room smells faintly of blood and bleach.”

Lex gave her a measuring look, “Okay. We’ll hurry. Mercy, bring three people and leave the rest here.”

Mercy did as told and they were on their way to what was possibly the main office.

Everything was going well. There hadn’t been any indication that there was going to be trouble until there was. Chloe felt the rumbling first; and before she could say anything to anyone else, a massive explosion rocked the south side of the facility. It was where they had entered the building. Mercy and her crew were able to tuck in and land fairly safely against a wall, and Lex managed to not be injured either.

She, however, was closest to the door and was thrown to the ground. In the seconds it took her to process that, Mercy was jumping up and using her walkie-talkie to get a status report. There was static and then, “We’re a little worse for wear but no major injuries. There was a time delay security measure hidden in an electrical socket.”

Mercy took all of that with calm, “Clear a path. We might need to make a hasty retreat.”

While Mercy was doing this, one of her men had removed a screw driver from a pocket and began taking out hard drives. Once again everything was going fine, until a high pitched siren sounded. She handled the stress from the explosion well, but the siren was too much. Between those two negative stimuli, Chloe began an involuntary change.

Lex had been about to help the guy taking apart the hard drives from the fried desktop and laptop computer, when he heard Chloe softly call for him. He turned to her and didn’t even think before he went to her.

Lex grabbed her face and forced her eyes to meet his own, “Chloe, concentrate on me. You have to calm down.”

She ripped herself from his grasp because nothing was more stressful than to have a nose full of Lana’s wrong scent thrust into her nose. Chloe ran from the room and didn’t stop until she was outside and waiting by the car. The men that Mercy had left to guard the entrance only had time to let loose a barrage of expletives.

The others exited the building ten minutes later, and she was till gasping and trying to get herself under control. She saw Lex motion for them hang out elsewhere. Chloe heard Mercy protest, but Lex didn’t even stop to listen.

He was about five feet away before she spoke to him, “Stop, Lex.”

Lex stopped in his tracks. As much as he wanted to be near her, he wouldn’t needlessly risk death. “What’s wrong?”

It wasn’t the words. The words didn’t make her heart seize in panic. It was the way he said it. It was the way that she couldn’t properly process the fact that he sounded like he cared with the fact that Lana was all over him. She had been ignoring it successfully, but it was too much. Lana was wrong. And so was he.

She didn’t even attempt to stop the dangerous rumble that penetrated her words, or the anger that fueled them, “Because you smell like her!”

[purplemoon123]

Yay, new chapter!!!

When I saw that you had a warning my gutter filled mind rejoiced... oh well.

I like knowing a bit more of Serena's past. And that was wow!!!!

Mercy was the one bitch in the pack that could legitimately challenge her, but she wouldn’t. Not without good reason; and Chloe didn’t foresee a situation wherein Mercy could best her or find a need to even try.

Just too awesome.

She didn’t even attempt to stop the dangerous rumble that penetrated her words, or the anger that fueled them, “Because you smell like her!”

I seriously can't wait for the reaction!!!!

[SVfan1286]

Yay an update! This chapter was excellent... I personally loved all the violence and gore.

I really liked the bit about Serena's past. What she did to that family was horrific but also showed how angry and vengefull she is to those who wronged her... and also showed that with the wolf, she's in less in-control of her feelings and actions.

I'm very interested now to find out what the hell is wrong and going on with Lana. Even she doesn't know. Lex doesn't know. So who's behind her pregnancy and why? Why would the 'people' behind Serena's and Chloe's condition, fake Lana being pregnant? Great mystery though!

Chloe's reactions to Lex almost make it seem like he's her mate or something. I'm I right, or is it just about him smelling of Lana?

I can't wait to read more!!

[dagney]

Rocking Update, Your story keeps me on the edge of my seat and is a visceral thrill ride. I worry about Chloe and Lex and oh boy Lana just might become so dangerous and do I forsee a Lana/Chloe wolf fight over Lex. That would be something. LOL Dagney

[somethingeasy]

“To solve a problem or to reach a goal, you don't need to know all the answers in advance. But you must have a clear idea of the problem or the goal you want to reach.”

As always, I LOVE the tone you set with the header quote, Ava! It really helped me see how clear-minded and level headed most of the characters in this fic are when it comes to strategising and executing plans to fulfil personal objectives. It made me see that the reason why the most dangerous characters are so formidable is because they are so clear-eyed about their ultimate goals, and the barriers that stand between them and the goals in question. Lex, Chloe, Serena and Kale are all hugely dangerous players because of this quality.

Heh… and it also made me appreciate how ‘fuzzy thinkers’, like Lana will always be pawns and never players. It’s because they don’t have the ability to see a situation clearly. Either because they don’t see the need for it, or because they’re incapable of it? Whatever the case, Lana will never be a person who can identify exactly what her goals are, much less what the barriers might be, and I don’t ever see her as ever learning how to be happy unless she can learn.

And so she labored and could come up with nothing that made sense. Until now. Until the moment that she opened that file. It was as important to the odd language of the puzzle presented to her as the Rosetta Stone centuries past. Now she truly had the burden of knowledge and it put everything into a tailspin.

wow! I LOVED the use of the Rosetta Stone analogy. It’s perfect! The whole situation was a huge indecipherable and frustrating mystery to Serena (just like it is now to the readers ), until she found the one piece that made everything go ‘click’. So now she understand the hows and WHYS of Lana’s pregnancy? What the heck can this conspiracy be about that it uses a prize like Clark Kent as a red herring?!?? What the hell can be the stakes if even Clark is dismissed as ‘small potatoes’?!

There had been nothing like it. The adrenaline rush. The pure feelings of finally being at ease and united in full concordance with the desires of the wolf and the mind of the human was glorious. As she took the first draw of vodka from her glass and felt it burn a path down her throat, Serena immersed herself in that moment. She let the feelings, sight, and sounds wash every part of her mind. Even now the feeling was addictive. The slow unsheathing of her claws, the elongation of her teeth, and the saliva that gathered in her mouth wasn’t unwelcome. It allowed her to feel the moment as it was.

I thought it was fascinating that Serena (and Kale too actually) sees the world in black and white, good and evil. I would have thought it wasn’t possible for these kinds of people to live with themselves unless they were able to justify all their actions into shades of grey like Lex (and Chloe). But now only do Serena and Kale manage to survive with this viewpoint, even accepting that they’re on the side of ‘evil’, they actually thrive in it. Scary! It’s as if they’ve thrown themselves into the belief that they have nothing more to lose in terms of morality and decency, therefore they have an ‘excuse’ for a no holds barred approach to achieving all of their goals. This actually makes them [I]more dangerous[I] than the Chlex couple, doesn’t it?

I also loved getting the description on how Serena feels when she turns into a wolf. I had the feeling that she viewed herself as an unnatural, loathsome freak… but a good part of her revels in being a monster as well as loathes it. How fascinating!

The sequence describing the killing of the Winfield family was gruesome, Ava! LOL! You can guess that I LOVED every gory detail. Well done! It had me wincing and leaning away from the screen, and I loved it! I highly approved that you showed absolutely no mercy to the wife and even the CHILD. Serena gutted them like the prey she saw them as, and it really illustrated how she had lost herself in the brutal, animalistic urges of her inner-wolf.

In fact, it was their very innocence that made Serena all the more brutal in her killings. She couldn’t stand the fact that such ‘an evil man’ had the grace of such a loving, innocent home and family while SHE had been turned into a monster. She wanted to gut the goodness right out of his life… gut it, and set it on fire no less!

Serena is scary! Possibly more frightening that Chloe.

It also made me fear all the more for Chloe. Giving into the brutal tendencies seems to be a matter of choice and will-power against animal instinct… Chloe is very strong, but will she always remain strong enough ALL the time?!

Serena recalled changing back to a hybrid form. She couldn’t let Winfield die without him seeing her face. Even through the haze of pain, Serena knew that he recognized her. He had made a feeble attempt at moving before she was once again the wolf. Digging into his chest, Serena ripped his heart out and flipped it into her mouth.

This was the perfect ending to the gutting, Ava. Not only that Serena wanted Winfield to know who was killing him and WHY, but also because it was made clear that Serena wanted to be the one administering the final killing blow to her enemy rather than allowing the wolf to have that privilege. It really illustrated which part of her is the REAL monster of the duo.

But… she’s still getting drunk now over the memory of what she did. Which suggests she feels some remorse for her actions, even if she did exult in the brutality of it during the time. I just LOVE how your characters are so complex and difficult to pin into a category, Ava!

He did as she asked and read the files. It took him fifteen minutes to read it through and another fifteen to truly understand what he had read. The files he had just read were…disturbing to say the least. No one deserved the fate they had received from Serena’s mysterious tormentors.

*grits teeth in envy* and now it seems like even Kale knows about the secret behind Lana’s fake-pregnancy conspiracy. The really disconcerting thing is that even HE seems so shocked and repulsed by the ‘fate’ that’s in store for… all the targets of the conspiracy.

Now I REALLY want to know what the heck is going on! Dammit, Lana! Couldn’t you have exhibited just a little bit more paranoia and aggressive curiosity about your state?!??

Heh… I did like how Kale was a little irritated that he had to rely on Serena for the information and couldn’t find it out on his own through his own contact. LOL! Even Lex felt that way later when Chloe found ‘A Major Clue’ before him, didn’t he? LOL! Boys and their silly, fragile egos. It’s NICE to see them deflated every so often.

“Do you honestly believe that they would have gotten over such a trauma? I tried that once before and saw the poor kid descend into an abyss he couldn’t get out of. So tell me why it’s better to let them live instead of killing them? You think the chance to get past what happened makes the fact that I ruined their lives better? It’s not nobler to let them live and watch them become monsters themselves or fade away. Maybe it’s a twisted philosophy I adhere to, but it is what it is. Some can work their way through and the rest become like us. I choose to err on the side of caution.”

I’m not sure exactly why Serena was asking Kale for his reasons/justification for killing the kids of the target as well as the target himself. But I’m guessing that she was looking for some way to justify her own blood-lust killing of the whole family instead of just the man who had personally wronged her? Despite how she’s tried to stamp it out, she’s still got some humanity and sense of morals in her, that won’t let her rest properly knowing what evils she’s done.

I don’t know whether Kale’s twisted sense of reasoning was able to help, but if anything is going to help, that certainly should do the trick He IS a very eloquent bastard when he wants to be. Scary!

He was a very eloquent speaker when he chose to be. Of course, it made nothing he did even a little better; but now she knew him better. The greatest thing that they had in common was the fact that they cast off what had made them weak in a bid to never feel powerless. Many people did. They were separated from those people by a sea of willful destruction. It was only after he finished talking that she lifted her head and looked at him. He would never tell her but he thought the gold of her eyes was beautiful.

wow! I loved this! It’s not exactly desire or attraction that’s sparked between them… but there IS a fundamental connection, and a kinship that they both feel with each other. And I LOVED the idea that, in their own twisted way, they actually find each other to be beautiful. In a very wrong and twisted kind of way, of course.

Samuel’s voice was slightly amused when he answered, “I already began those modifications. They’re complete. We can get her any time you’re ready.”

get her?! Who are they talking about? Lana? But Lana wouldn’t be that difficult to catch and hold, so there would be no need to make special capture plans as well as containment facilities for her. Is it Chloe?!? Leave Chloe alone, you evil monsters!!!

Lex shook himself out of those thoughts. It wouldn’t be productive. They had been doing so well together and being petty about an imagined slight would not be conducive to the furtherance of their partnership. She hadn’t shared anything with him since two days ago; and it was one of the more maddening things he had ever encountered. He prided himself on his ability to get people talking, but she was proving to be formidable. Lex didn’t recall this streak in her the first time they had worked together.

I was at first frustrated by the lack of communication and bonding between Chloe and Lex. But then I realize it was a GOOD thing, mostly because of what it meant to the Chlex couple. Chloe needed distance, which was good… and Lex was being driven crazy by the continued silence, which was better, ROTFL! But I liked that he was beginning to understand that this alliance would not be as ‘easy’ as last time where Chloe was willing to bond with Lex if he gave her half the opportunity. This time she’s REALLY making him work for her trust and friendship.

I did think it was fascinating though that part of the reason why Chloe wanted distance was because Lex had the smell of a much despised rival female all over him, ROTFLMAO! Granted, she only thinks that he smells ‘wrong’, but that’s exactly what the inner-wolf in complaining about, isn’t it?

ROTFLMAO! I was in hysterics seeing Lex stamping down his petty hissy-fit about HIM not being the one to find a lead first. LOL! The guy wanted to preen and prove to Chloe how very clever and useful he could be. ‘look at me, look at how smart I am!’ ROTFLMAO!

“Those buildings are abandoned. I just received confirmation.”

Chloe growled loudly and quickly counted to ten, “Lex, there hasn’t been a year since you’ve arrived here that a previously abandoned warehouse, building, or hole in the dirt hasn’t miraculously been discovered to be some kind of hide-out for mustache twirlers.”

LOL! All these warehouses are the same! In twilight zone stories, and in Smallville , Sunnydale and pretty much every single town where ‘strange happenings’ are regularly ignored by the blissful public, LOL!

Word of advice to the author (and any readers) if there’s an abandoned warehouse near your residence, go play arson one night! It’s for the better good (fun too!).

Lex raised an eyebrow and smiled at her. Chloe wasn’t expecting the satisfaction and warmth that lanced through her. She was pleased that she could comfort him in this way and it was…unsettling.

His smiled turned to a look of amusement, “Trust you to read me like a book,” a heartbeat later, “We have to tell Mercy. Everything.”

Squeee!!! I loved the small moment of a connection between them. I keep forgetting that Lex is madly in love with Chloe, but it’s wistful moments like these that bring that back to me.

And I was REALLY delighted about his suggestion to bring Mercy in on the loop. It was a good idea from Lex, and I highly approve that he sought Chloe’s permission first before just going off and blabbing everything to Mercy.

I also liked how Chloe felt an urge to dismiss that suggestion right out of hand. It’s fascinating to see that Chloe finds Mercy to be rather intimidating. I think Mercy would actually be flattered knowing that someone who can tear her guts out with her pinky finger would actually be intimidated by her.

At least it was good to see that Chloe’s wariness around Mercy didn’t make her irrational towards the woman, and what a valuable, resourceful ally she can be in unravelling this conspiracy. At this point, team Chlex need the numbers.

Lex laughed, “What? You want me to yell throughout the mansion like a kid whose parents told them to retrieve a sibling? Please, give me a little credit,” he paused and smirked at her before continuing, “Or should I say ‘throw me a bone’?”

Chloe couldn’t help but laugh. She also couldn’t help but call him names under her breath.

This was actually a good sign that Chloe is growing a sense of perspective and humour about her situation. She didn’t get huffy, offended (or homicidal) hearing Lex making a wolf and bone reference. This is an excellent sign on how Chloe is becoming more accepting of her condition. Wonderful!

I wonder whether Serena can joke about HER inner-wolf as yet…?

Mercy took a few moments to place this new knowledge into what was previously known. Now she could deal with whatever was going on because now she knew what they knew. She saw a little bit more and could now plan better. She was going to watch Lana Lang even more closely because her behavior had changed. No one else may have noticed, but she did.

I really appreciated the description on how Mercy had been feeling so irritated and frustrated about being ‘out of the loop’ for all this time. I LOVE the idea that she saw there was something major and important taking place between Chloe and Lex (quite honestly, she’d have to be BLIND to not notice that). She also knew that it was something that she should know more details about because she sensed it was something that was going to interfere with her job of protecting Luthor.

Her frustration about not being in the loop made it all the more satisfying to be brought into the Chlex investigation. Now she’s part of the team Yayy!!! Oooh, and it seems like she’s making herself indispensably useful already… by realizing that ‘something is up’ with Lana, and that the girl needs to be watched very carefully in the upcoming weeks.

Chloe looked at Lex who looked at her. They would’ve spoken in unison, but she gestured for Lex to ask the question on both their minds, “Probably?”

ROTFLMAO! I loved this cute, comedy moment. And it was also a sign of their closeness as well as what a perfect match they make in terms of synchronized humours and personalities. What the HECK was Lex thinking, attaching himself to Lana! … oh, right! Mutant pheromones LOL!

Everything was going well. There hadn’t been any indication that there was going to be trouble until there was. Chloe felt the rumbling first; and before she could say anything to anyone else, a massive explosion rocked the south side of the facility. It was where they had entered the building. Mercy and her crew were able to tuck in and land fairly safely against a wall, and Lex managed to not be injured either.

bleach, blood and booby-traps… yep! They’re in the right location all right, ROTFLMAO! It’s sad to imagine what kind of indications are meant to be heartening signs of a good lead, ROTFL!

Lex grabbed her face and forced her eyes to meet his own, “Chloe, concentrate on me. You have to calm down.”

She ripped herself from his grasp because nothing was more stressful than to have a nose full of Lana’s wrong scent thrust into her nose. Chloe ran from the room and didn’t stop until she was outside and waiting by the car. The men that Mercy had left to guard the entrance only had time to let loose a barrage of expletives.

It ‘could’ have been such a sweet moment. Lex using his presence and the bond he shares with Chloe to become her centre, ground her and calm her down. LOL! Instead, Chloe only gets hit by a noseful of Lana when Lex leans in close to her. I guess a make-out session is completely out of the questions until Lex has a thorough shower… and perhaps a ritual burning of his current wardrobe, LOL!

It wasn’t the words. The words didn’t make her heart seize in panic. It was the way he said it. It was the way that she couldn’t properly process the fact that he sounded like he cared with the fact that Lana was all over him. She had been ignoring it successfully, but it was too much. Lana was wrong. And so was he.

She didn’t even attempt to stop the dangerous rumble that penetrated her words, or the anger that fueled them, “Because you smell like her!”

I loved this! I loved the way that Chloe sensed the emotion, regard, respect and even the love and care Lex holds for her in his voice… but, despite all this evidence on how he belonged to her, she knew that he was ‘marked’ by Lana. Wow!

Squeee!! And now she’s finally brought up the Lana-issue out in the open. NOW perhaps they’re finally going to have a discussion all about the ’wrongness’ that Chloe sense about Lana as well as Lexana… the pregnancy AND the fact that the thought of Lex and Lana together makes her feel sick. This is going to be so COOL!

I can’t wait for the next chapter, please update soon!

Great chapter, Ava! And I also wanted to extend a special note of congratulations to Skauble for the bang-up job she did betaing this latest update. Great work, Skauble!

[Kit Merlot]

A wonderful update!

I'm loving the mystery surrounding the Lang's pregnancy, and how Serena is mixed up in all of this.

I liked all of the background we learned about Serena, and just how far she will go to get even with her enemies.

I's also loving the slow build-up to the Chlex--there is an attraction between them that is slowly becoming more, and Chloe can't take his connection to Lana anymore.

She didn’t even attempt to stop the dangerous rumble that penetrated her words, or the anger that fueled them, “Because you smell like her!”

I hope Lex doesn't let this go, and asks her what she means

This story continues to rock--keep up the great work

[Avalanche]

AN- Hey ya’ll! Here’s another chapter for you guys. Probably not the one you hoped for and wanted, but I figured a small break was in order. I hope you enjoy it! It’s probably gonna take me some time to sit down and write Chapter 16 and pull everything together, so savor it.



Interlude II- Purpose


“There is nothing heavier than compassion. Not even one's own pain weighs so heavy as the pain one feels for someone; for someone, pain intensified by the imagination and prolonged by a hundred echos.”
Milan Kundera




After Samuel had called to inform her of his success with the beginning stage in his plan to acquire their target and that Lana Lang was playing her part beautifully, though there was never a chance he’d fail with such a simple girl far out of her depth, Serena went to her facility. It was in the boondocks of Kansas. She wanted to check up on a few of her charges that had not been doing well. It was so hard to look them in the eye and know that she could do nothing to truly help them or alleviate their suffering. Serena knew that she could easily have ended up like them. She had been lucky. But she would find a way to make them better…to give them vengeance and peace.

She walked through the halls and occasionally heard little whimpers of pain. Serena also heard scatterings of laughter. There were whispers of reassurances of parents to children or vice versa. Some of them were doing well. Too many of them weren’t. Some of their number had no one to comfort them. She clenched her hands in anger and frustration.

Serena came to a fluid stop at one room in particular. This one had nothing. A foster kid taken in and cast aside with as much care as one would give a sack of garbage.

She opened the door and affected a cheery demeanor, “Hey, Ricky! I brought a new movie for you today. It’s called ‘The Incredibles’. I had hoped we could watch it together.”

The boy, Ricky, turned his head slowly, painfully. Of all the mistakes and tampering, he was the worst. He was entering puberty, a time when the body is under stress and turmoil and finally settling into what it will be until he reached old age. It was under these conditions that whatever had been done to him took a drastic and terrible turn for the worst.

When she had first freed him, he was still normal. She had only thought that he was like her. That eventually he would find some sort of balance, but it had never happened. His body kept changing in an endless flux. His screams had been more than any of them could take, but she had stayed with him. Serena refused to even entertain the thought of locking him somewhere away from everyone and letting him do this on his own, and she couldn’t bring herself to kill him. It would’ve been a mercy, but she was weak.

The end result was what was before her now. His legs were like tree trunks that were bent backward to allow for a quadruped form. His arms were incredibly muscled and looked vaguely like a gorilla’s. They were lined with veins that stood out against his dark skin. Ricky’s hands were elongated and he had retractable claws. Everything about him screamed brutal, bloody death. His ears were elven and his face was angular, the beginnings of a snout. The thing that broke Serena every time she looked at him was his eyes. They were still full of intelligence and awareness. Ricky knew everything that was happening to him. His mind was intact. He hadn’t gone crazy. His eyes were the reason why she couldn’t kill him. Somewhere deep down he still had hope.

Despite the hodgepodge features, there was potential there for beauty. Ricky’s change was simply slow. It came in bursts. She could only guess that it was because he was morphing into something of a gorilla. Gorillas were the next closest living relatives of humans. The only thing closer was the chimpanzee. The sheer explosion of muscle and weight was immense and it made sense that it would take a greater amount of time. He was already larger and more heavily muscled than many of the others and he was still a child.

The other scientists were at odds. Some of them felt that since the gorilla was so close to humans that his change should’ve been more fluid than anyone else’s. Those who disagreed posited the notion that the closeness of the gorilla and human was precisely the reason it was taking so long. The human body was confused and at odds. It knew it should recognize what was happening but it also knew the changes were foreign; the body was so much more conscious of the fact that it was the wrong form.

She recalled what Dr. Benson had said, “If you put cold water in the freezer to make ice, it will take longer than if you put hot water in the freezer to make ice. There is a long detailed reason as to why this is true, and if you are interested, look up the Mpemba Effect. Suffice it to say that we believe that something similar may be happening here. We think he’ll finish eventually. We’re missing something, Serena, something important.” That statement had firmed her resolve. Chloe Sullivan might be the salvation of them all. And Lana Lang was intrinsically linked with them.

Serena pushed those thoughts away because she knew that he could smell her distress. From the sensory tests that everyone participated in, she knew that his senses were far more advanced. It was why she never put him further away from people. He’d hear them anyways and it would torment him. She made sure that people visited him. It wasn’t his family, but she would not have him alone. Everyone here was forged in the cauldron of pain and misery, their goals were one, and that was a bond that would hold as strong as any other. Maybe stronger.

“Sssserena,” his voice was a deep bass. A voice belonging to a man, but she knew he wasn’t. She knew he was still a child. Their records had told her so. He continued, “Sssaw it. Baggg.”

Serena walked to him and gave him a big hug. She turned the DVD over in her hands and frowned down at it. She then opened her bag and pulled out the movie she knew he was clamoring to see, “You mean this one?”

He stood from the overstuffed chair he was sitting in with astonishing speed. He was at her side in a blur of movement. It was frightening because Ricky could kill her with relative ease if he so chose. He was that strong and fast. She could feel the excitement radiating off of him and for a moment she basked in his emotions. His joy was an incredible rush.

Ricky grabbed ‘Transformers’ from her hands, “Yesss!”

“Oh, I see how it is. Do you think we can still watch ‘The Incredibles’ though? I haven’t seen it and Jill tells me that I’m missing out.”

Ricky bobbed his head up and down. He didn’t know why she thought that he wouldn’t want to see it again. He would watch anything twice for her. Besides, he really loved that movie too. He shoved the movie at her. Clearly he wanted to get the show on the road. As Serena was about to put the movie into the DVD player, Ricky stopped her.

“Cannn Tommmmy come?”

Tommy was Ricky’s best friend here, but he was currently in observation. His hearing was overwhelming him. He needed to be sedated and placed into a sound proofed room until his hearing equalized out or they could fit him with special ear plugs.

Serena looked at him and he sensed the mood change, “Tommy isn’t feeling well, but we can bring some of the others if you want.”

Ricky shook his head. He only wanted to spend time with her or Tommy; but since Tommy wasn’t coming, he wanted her all to himself.

As Ricky cuddled next to her on the couch that was also in the room, she felt content. Serena ran her hands through the fur that was growing thicker. The repetitive motion soothed him, but it also soothed her. Touch had become so much more important since she could feel even more so than when she had been a normal human.

This was why she would be relentless and ruthless. Serena would spare nothing and no one. Her soul and peace of mind was a small price to pay if it meant that this didn’t happen again.

“No cost is too high.”

[Kit Merlot]

Quite an emotional update!

I like that Serena is trying to help the people who have been so terribly experimented on, but she better not try and hurt Chloe.

Chloe is no Lana Lang because Serena and Chloe would be very evenly matched in a fight

I guess it goes without saying that I don't care who disposes of the Lang: Serena or Kale or even Chloe. I just hope she pays for actively betraying the girl who treated her like a sister and invited her to live in her house.

Keep up the great work on this story