"Smallville, Kansas, was hit by its second meteor shower in eighteen years, resulting in twenty‑three deaths and countless injuries."
The television screen blared the grim news, replaying footage of flaming rocks crashing into homes and streets, over and over.
"It looks pretty bad," Jonathan Kent murmured, eyes glued to the screen.
At the home of Courtney's family in Blue Valley, Jonathan and Martha Kent were gathered with Courtney's relatives, watching the disaster unfold.
Buildings collapsed in a shower of sparks and smoke. Houses and businesses had been struck, trees were toppled, and whole blocks were ablaze.
"Have you contacted Adrian and Clark?" Martha asked, her worry deepening with every passing second.
"Not yet," Jonathan admitted, taking Martha's hand. "Communication lines are probably down because of the meteor impacts. We have to trust them. Adrian and Clark always make the right choices, no matter how bad things get. This won't be different."
"I hope you're right," Martha said, her voice trembling slightly. Her large belly heaved with worry.
Mike, standing nearby, piped up awkwardly. "I think they'll be okay."
"Mike!" Barbara snapped, glaring at him from behind.
"Okay, sorry, Mom!" Mike said quickly, hands raised in surrender.
Martha and Jonathan watched the screen with tense expressions, both silently wishing their sons were safe.
Suddenly, Martha clutched her stomach.
"Ow!" she cried, pain pulling a sharp gasp from her lips.
Jonathan rushed to her side immediately.
"Martha?" he said, concern tightening his voice. "What's wrong?"
"My… my stomach hurts so bad!" she cried as waves of pain twisted through her abdomen.
Drops of sweat beaded on her forehead.
Barbara, having seen labor before, realized instantly what was happening.
"Pat, call the hospital now!" she instructed.
Within ten minutes, an ambulance raced into the driveway.
Jonathan helped Martha into the waiting ambulance, Barbara climbing in beside her.
"Let's go," the paramedic urged, and the vehicle roared off toward the hospital.
Mike stared after it with a dazed look.
"I…" he started, then turned to Courtney.
"Was I born like that before?" he asked with utter confusion.
"I don't know…" Courtney said, shaking her head.
"Well, it looks a bit scary," Mike said with a shrug, then brightened suddenly. "I'm going to deliver newspapers."
Without another word, he ran out, hopping onto his bicycle and pedaling away as fast as he could.
Courtney watched him go with a sigh.
Was her family being overly dramatic?
She wasn't even dating anyone, yet everyone seemed convinced something romantic was happening whenever she wore a little makeup or changed her clothes a bit more often.
Seriously, she thought, they're reading into way too much.
In a shattered room far from the Kent home, Lex Luthor blinked awake amid rubble and dust.
He rubbed his eyes, confused and in pain, especially his head which throbbed like it had been split open.
Touching his forehead, he noticed blood on his fingers.
What had happened?
Then his gaze drifted upward.
There was now a huge hole in the ceiling. Stone and broken building material littered the floor. Burn marks ran across the walls and floorboards.
He remembered the chaos — a massive meteor had crashed through the roof moments ago. At the same time he had been fighting his father — the man who had possessed his body.
After Adrian had struck him with a pool cue, Lionel had leapt back to life and attacked him.
Their struggle had been fierce and quick, each throwing blows at the other inside the crumbling room.
Just as Lionel began to gain the upper hand, the meteor rock smashed through the ceiling with a thunderous boom, sending them both flying.
Everything went black.
Now, seeing his father's lifeless body nearby, Lex staggered forward, confusion twisting his features.
But something wasn't right.
Spin around, touch his face — no hair on his scalp. He checked his reflection in a shard of broken glass.
It was his own face.
His soul, after swapping with Lionel's earlier, had returned to his original body.
The joy surged in his chest — he was Lex Luthor again.
Downstairs, he'd meant to check himself at the hospital and make sure nothing was seriously wrong.
Stepping outside, he slid into his Ferrari with a roar and sped away from the manor toward town.
As he drove along the highway, he spotted someone limping slowly toward him.
It was Lana Lang — bloodied, exhausted, and clearly in shock.
"Lana!" he called, jumping out of the car and walking briskly toward her.
She seemed startled when she saw him.
"Lex … we have to get out of here!" she gasped, pain lacing her voice.
"What?" he asked, concerned.
"They're here," she said urgently. "If they find us, they'll kill us!"
"Lana, calm down," Lex said gently, stepping closer. "You're safe. I don't know what happened, but we'll get you help."
"No," she protested, limping away. "You don't understand. We aren't safe. No one is!"
Lex reached out to support her.
"Lana, you can't walk like this. Let me call a doctor!"
She jerked away from him suddenly, eyes wild.
"Don't touch me!"
"Relax," Lex said, his voice steady and reassuring, "the meteor shower's over. Everything's fine."
He grabbed her arm lightly again to steady her.
Eventually, her breathing slowed and she calmed.
"A man and a woman came out behind me," she said, eyes still wide with fear.
Lex's paranoia spiked.
"Where did they come from?" he asked urgently.
"A… a spaceship," Lana said, dazed. "At Landers' field."
Lex took a deep breath, forcing calm into his voice.
"Lana, it's normal to feel dazed after all that you've been through," he said gently. "Let's get you to the hospital first."
Lana reluctantly followed him to the car.
Once she was inside and semi‑resting, Lex pulled out his phone.
Quickly, he sent a message to his subordinates.
"Bring all personnel, go to Landers' field immediately!"
He hit send and restarted the engine.
With the Ferrari's growl echoing down the highway, he sped toward the hospital.
At Town Medical Center
A nurse finished bandaging a cut on Lex's forehead as he glanced back toward Lana's room.
His concern was split between her injury and the possibility of a crashed spaceship.
He left the small treatment area and walked down the corridor.
His phone buzzed.
Seeing the message ID, he answered instantly.
"Sir, the spaceship has been located."
"Excellent," Lex said, his voice sharpening. "Do not let anyone discover it. Transport it back to the lab. If the information leaks, you will be held responsible."
He hung up, heart racing with excitement.
Then — boom.
A massive explosion thundered through the corridor.
Shrapnel and broken glass rained around him. Flames flickered and splintered down the hall.
Screams erupted from panicked patients and staff.
Lex managed to open his eyes and saw what seemed to be two figures emerging from the smoke.
A man and a woman, both clad in black patterns that screamed danger.
They walked forward with calm certainty, ignoring the chaos they'd created.
Lex staggered to his feet, trying to clear his vision.
They weren't interested in him. Instead they headed straight for Lana's hospital room.
Nearby medical staff, seeing their fierce presence, fled in terror.
"Hey!" Lex shouted, stepping in front of them.
"This is a hospital. If you plan to solve this with violence, you're making a big mistake!"
The two turned toward him.
The man's eyes bore intensely into Lex.
"Do you know Kal‑El?" he asked, his voice cold and direct.
"What?" Lex blinked, confused.
Before he could respond the woman teleported beside him and grabbed him by the throat.
Her grip was crushing.
Dark panic flared within him as he struggled to breathe.
His vision flickered and grayed.
"I know where Clark is!" he managed to gasp.
Just then Lana stumbled from her room onto the corridor.
"I… I know where Clark is!" she panted. "He's at Lex's manor!"
Lex's eyes widened.
At his manor?
The two agents showed no hesitation.
"I'll take you there," Lana said boldly.
The woman nodded once, then grabbed Lex roughly.
Before being led away though, Lana mouthed a single word to him.
"Green kryptonite."
Lex's eyes narrowed as recognition dawned.
He understood precisely how to deal with these intruders.