Chapter 12 Kenny Braverman aka Conduit

Chapter 12

I do not own Smallville or Twilght. Please leave some love read and review thanks!

Bellapov

I groan out in pain as I come to. The bright lights hurt my eyes. I go to cover them, but see I’m bond down to a metal gurney. I’m able to move my head other than that it’s about all. I narrow my eyes making out someone sitting at a table, their back was to me. The more I gathered my surroundings, the more I realized I was in a lab of some sort, a fancy one at that. I move my head up touching my chin to my neck. I saw I was strapped down with some sort of white straps. That’s also when I realize that the other person was Kenny.

I tried to see what he was doing, but didn’t have a good enough view. Instead I begin to think of how to manage my way out. I moved my fingers about hoping to loosen the grip the straps had on my wrists. My ankles, wrists and tummy were bonded. I loosened my right wrists with that rope burn feeling digging into me. I grit my teeth as I try to maneuver my hand squeezing it in a deformed like shape trying to break free. A silent victory comes over me as I free that hand. Quietly as possible, I reach over and undo the other wrist. I carefully and patiently undo my tummy. It was Velcro, last thing I wanted was for him to hear the ripping sound. I then unbuckle my ankles.

I then whip my body around and glide off the gurney. Coming to a crouch along the floor, I crawl around the floor and find a corner place beside another table to hide. The door unfortunately, was right across from Kenny. I lean my head back in thought. Now what? I begin to change my method of escape and look to see if there were any windows. But there wasn’t in fact…. This looked more like some sort of bunker made lab. Luthorcorp?! You’re fucking kidding me right? I saw the black and purple insignia on the damn coffee mug on the lab table in front of me.

There was no other way out. The vents weren’t big enough to crawl through. The door was my only choice. I say a silent prayer as I head towards the door. I manage to make my way and I’m damn near pissing myself as I’m leaning against the desk Kenny is at. Talk about a damn horror movie waiting to happen. Just go for it. Pry that door open Bella and run like there’s no tomorrow. I crawl towards the door and reach up with one hand towards the handle.

“How are you feeling?”

JESUS CHRIST! My eyes widen and I swallow back. I almost screamed he caught me so off-guard. I look over to see him peering at me from the desk.

“Sorry about the head, might be sore for a few days.”

WHAT?! I run my fingers along the back of my head. DAMN! There was a huge goose egg. It hurt just running my fingers along it. I look upon him like he’s lost his mind, in which clearly he has.

“Would you like something to eat? Drink even?”

HUH?

He comes to his feet as he scoots his chair out. He puts his bracers back on and I notice the odd engravings he’s just recently put on there. Kenny makes his way over and offers a hand.

“Kenny… I really think I should go home now.” I try to say rather offhandedly considering he’s obviously insane!

He smiles and grabs my hand.

“Come on Bella… Let’s get some food in that tummy.”

Kenny starts to pull me his direction.

“Kenny please I’m sorry, but I really need to go. My family… they’ll worry.”

“Come one Bella we both know you haven’t any family left.” He says with a shrug.

“I’m your family now. Come on baby. From now on I’ll take care of you. We don’t need anyone else. That’s all in the past now.”

“The Kent’s are my family.”

“Oh please, Bella you stick out like a sore thumb! How can you not see it?! You’re different. I like it though it’s refreshing.”

If I hear one more time about how “different” I am… ugh. Am I that bad?

“You and I make sense. Think about it Bella. You and Clark? Come on… I mean the farm boy? Really? You and I can see the world together. You’re far too beautiful and smart for HIM! You deserve someone that gets you…” He pulls me away from the door and up against him.

“Tell me Bella what’s the one thing. You want the most that Clark can’t give you? Tell me and it’s yours.”

I roll my eyes.

“Don’t do that!” He grabs me roughly by the arm.

“Tell me what it is you want! Please!”

“Fine, the moon Kenny.”

“The moon?”

“Yeah Kenny. Can you give me the moon?”

He shakes his head and grabs my arm dragging me away from the door. Kenny leads me into this makeshift room he’s created.

“Kenny? Have you been living here?” I question as I note the food, drinks, futon, blankets, and clothes.

He shrugs.

“It’s our place now Bella.” He says with a smile.

“Our place?”

He nods as if certain of himself.

“I will get you some clothes of course, but for now you can borrow mine. Of course at night we won’t be needing them.” He hints looking to the futon.

“You just said that shit didn’t you?”

“Come on Bella. Stop trying so hard to push your feelings for me away. We were having fun together.”

“Ok so we had fun, but that was just it Kenny. We had fun working together… You’re a nice enough guy. However, I’m with Clark.”

He presses his lips together.

“You’re my girl now.” He says with smile and shrugs.

I half laugh.

“Um yeah I don’t think that’s exactly how it works.”

“I can protect you Bella. There are things about me you’ll soon learn. So I say why not?”

He starts unbuttoning his shirt and tosses me a bottle of water.

“You can’t just make demands like that and expect it to take place. Honestly, what did you think? You’d kidnap me and I’d get Stockholm syndrome?

He smiles and takes his shirt off. I scoot away uncomfortably.

“Am I making you nervous or something?”

I cover my face in disbelief and laugh; when I move my hands though he’s like right there.

Kenny then has the nerve to lean into me.

“No Kenny!”

I shove him back.

“Why are you doing this?!”

He says nothing and presses me down against the futon. My jaw drops as he rips my shirt open. I punch him across the face and go to take off. He grabs me and flings me back down. Seriously, I’ve never ever seen this side of Kenny!

“KENNY! Please! STOP IT!”

He leans his entire body over me.

“Let me prove how I feel Bella.”

“WHAT PART OF NO DO YOU NOT GET!” I scream out and go to kick him in the balls.

“KENNY YOU’RE HURTING ME!” He shoves my leg back down with his own.

A gust of wind hits, I turn to see Clark holding him up by the throat, and punching Kenny in the face. Kenny swings back and Clark bows over as he takes a good hit to the gut. I noticed the green sparks coming from Kenny’s bracers when he’d hit Clark. I come to my feet and back away from the confrontation. The both of them took turns punching the shit out of one another. Each time Kenny hit Clark those green sparks would fly. I’m trying to find some sort of weapon or matter of defense. That’s when I come across the table, where Kenny was working.

“What the…” I look back towards the guys and quickly stuff the object into my pocket.

“CLARK!”

He sails right past me as Kenny does that thing again. Only this time there was a green beam shooting from it. Kenny smiles.

“Whataya know, it works!”

Kenny winks at me as he comes towards Clark. As he walks past he goes to grab me. Clark dives after him and slams him into the floor.

“YOU’RE NOT TOUCHING HER!” Clark roars deeply and smacks the hell out of Kenny.

Kenny does that thing yet, again only with both bracers.

“NOOO!”

He sends Clark right through the ceiling with two beams of that green light again.

“Meteor rocks…” I utter softly. They must his source of energy.

Clark comes plummeting back down. I crouch down to check on him. Clark’s face was seriously beat all to hell.

“Clark…”

“STOP FUSSING OVER HIM!” Kenny says and goes to strike at Clark again.

“NO PLEASE!”I grab his arm trying to make him stop.

Kenny grits his teeth and starts to belt me one. Clark immediately grabs his hand, starts squeezing it, and forcing it back. With his free hand Clark shoves me behind him.

“She’s not yours to have Clark. There is only one of us walking away from this. When I’m done Bella and I are leaving and never looking back!”

“What’s come over you Kenny?! This isn’t the same guy I grew up with!”

“We all gotta change sometime Clark. Let’s just say I’m sick and tired of playing second fiddle to you. Hell even my old man has more respect for you than me! I’m his son! You’ve even managed to blind Bella into this false sense of hope about you. You’re only going to turn your back on her.”

“I would never do that Kenny and you know that!”

I wince as Kenny punches Clark in the gut again. Only I start to notice that the green sparks are beginning to turn red. Kenny swings again before Clark can even catch a breath.

“KENNY PLEASE STOP IT!”

Kenny smiles as he grabs him by the collar.

“You think that I didn’t know! You thought that after all this time, I never paid attention! Would you like to know, how I know it’ll never work between the two of you?!”

Clark stumbles back fighting for a breath. Everytime Kenny shot his meteor wave it’d damn near knock Clark out.

“I know your secret Clark. I know what you are! I know you’re the reason behind all of it! EVERYTHING! You see Clark it wasn’t just Bella who paid the price. That is how I know you don’t deserve her! You’re mere existence is a slap to her face! How can she even stand to look at you! I always knew there was something off about you. It wasn’t until recently, I finally put it all together! Now I can put you in your GOD DAMN PLACE for once! Does she know Clark?”

He turns towards me.

“You wanna know what kind of FREAK Clark is?”

Clark and I lock eyes at this.

“Does she know you’re the reason for that meteor shower?! That it’s because of YOU her parents are dead? Did you know that my mother died that way as well? The very day Clark Kent suddenly arrived in Smallville! A FREAK OF NATURE! YOU DON’T BELONG HERE CLARK AND YOU KNOW IT! I too almost died that day. Instead of dying, something else happened. Something came over my body. I’d spent months in the hospital on my damn death bed! The doctors and my father were amazed however, when I suddenly overcame it. I was robust, faster and it wasn’t until later I discovered I had an ability no one else had. I could shoot waves of energy from the palms of my hands. Nothing too extravagant, but I could move certain things without even touching them. Within time I found ways of increasing the flow. So you see Clark all those times you purposely lost against me to hide your freakish ways… Which only pissed me off more! Well now you don’t have to! NO MORE HOLDING BACK! GIVE ME YOUR ALL KENT!”

He laughs as Clark rushes him through the tables into a wall.

“Don’t worry Clark. I’m going to take very good care of Bella, once you’re gone. I promise.”

“Clark!” I scream out as Clark set’s Kenny’s crotch on fire.

Kenny grits his teeth and quickly puts it out. He cries out and shoots his hands out. Clark only scoots back slightly as he braces himself for the impact. Kenny gets pissed at this and starts firing away at Clark, both bracers were shooting red sparks now. I could already see it happening.

“CLARK!” I try desperately to warn as I quickly duck for cover.

Sure enough I peek over and Kenny fires everything he has left at Clark. Sparks are igniting now and landing on the ground starting small fires. I scream out and crawl under one of the metal desk for cover. Within seconds an explosion takes place the desk I’m under gets hit by the impact and I’m being rushed with great force across the room. My body slams up against a wall as I’m in a sitting fetal position. Or so I thought it was against the wall. Once I brought my head back up I realized I was inside the wall debris dropping down around me the top of the desk sheltering me.

The desk is lifted and tossed aside.

“Bell…”

“Clark!”

His clothing was in literal shreds. He was covered in soot. I reach out to him and he picks me up.

“Are you ok?”
“Yeah you?”

He nods, looking as though he was about to cry.

“Clark?”

His hold around me becomes tighter.

“Bell, whatever you do keep your eyes locked with mine. Look nowhere else!”

I swallowed back nervously on his words, but did as he said. Clark carries me away from the area. He takes a few more steps down the hall.

“Bella…” He says in this heartbreaking manner.

“He’s dead Bell… I tried to stop it. I swear! But I didn’t cover him in time. Kenny’s bracers exploded along with him!”

Clark comes to his knees as he continues to keep a good hold on me.

“Clark… it’s not your fault! You can’t do that to yourself!”

I could hear the sirens outside now.

“Clark?” I say slightly panicked.

“Just follow my lead.”

“But your clothes!”

He sighs seeing that even his pants were nothing, but pieces of denim hanging down.

“Just go Clark. I got this.”

“Bella I can’t do that!”

“You have to and you know it! How the hell are you going to explain this?”

He shuts his eyes for a moment.

“Wingman remember… go!”

He grits his teeth.

“I can’t keep doing this to you Bell!”

I cringe as I hear them entering the building now.

“Don’t be a blockhead I got it from here!”

He rolls his eyes coming back to his feet. He places me down and kisses my forehead, he ties my shirt together best he can, then disappears. However, I swore I actually heard Clark Kent cussing as he vanished.

Even through the recent HELL of events, I half laugh seeing Lex amongst the police entering the building. I raise my hands in the air as they’re aiming at me.

“De ja vu…” I utter softly.

“Up against the wall Miss.”

“Relax I can assure you, she’s not the one responsible.” Lex surprisingly defends.

Lex walks up to me.

“Are you alright?”

I nod.

“Your friends Chloe and Pete told the police about that Kenny guy kidnapping you.”

This odd look comes about his face though as he says this. We both jump as the fire in the room is spreading even more and making popping sounds. Lex grabs my arm.

“Let’s go it’s not safe.”

“He’s in there.”

Lex stops and turns to the room. I exhale still taking it all in myself.

“He’s dead Lex.”

He narrows his eyes in question.

“He was working on some sort of experiment. It didn’t go over so well for him. I barely got out in time.”

“Of course you did…” Lex says with a smile.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask as he continues to drag me out of the building.

Firemen begin to rush past us heading towards the room.

“It means I’m glad you’re alright Bella. Don’t read so much into everything.”

Once we’re outside Lex seems to be observing me thoroughly.

“Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine.”

He nods. There was so much I wanted to say to this bastard, considering all I knew now. There were just too many witnesses and now wasn’t the time.

“So what happened?”

I give the police and Lex my own little version of the story; keeping it close to home as possible, and leaving Clark out of it completely. That went something along the lines of he kidnapped me, knocked me out, I woke up here, and I managed to break free. Only I made it sound like the moment I went out the door, the explosion had taken place.

After I’m done being questioned and the fire is put out. The police begin to clear out. I turn to Lex and whisper.

“So did Kenny work for you as well?” As in my own little hint. Yeah I know you deranged man!

Lex looks to me with a bewildered mien.
“No the boy didn’t work for me. In fact that area had been shut down for quite sometime. I’m not even sure how he managed to break in, security is pretty tight here.”

“Obviously not tight enough.”

“You seem to be right as usual Ms. Swan. That’s something I will have to look into. By the way what did you mean by too?”

“I don’t play games Lex. Therefore, if you’re going to stand there and play dumb. Then I’m going home.”

“What are you going to do walk?” He looks around.

“As you can see there’s only you and me.”

“Who is Roger Nixon?”

HA! I saw that asshole. Lex actually flinched for a spilt second at the name.

“I haven’t a clue. Why?”
“Huh… really?”

He nods.

“How’d you know I was in jail Lex?”

“Word gets out quick around here. You know that.”

“Why’d you bail me out?”

He takes in a breath and looks me dead in the eyes.

“Because you don’t belong there and we both know that.”

I wanted to interrogate the hell out of him until he caved. However, Clark pulls up in my truck. I note the brutal expression on his face as he sees Lex. Lex takes in a breath.

“Looks like your ride is here.”

I nod. I look back to Lex once more.

“Whatever it is you’re up to Lex, needs to stop, before someone ends up getting hurt or worse. This obsession of yours, whatever you wish to call it, it’s done nothing, but prove to be unhealthy.”

“Are you blaming me for what happened today?!”

I half laugh.

“Honestly? I no longer know what to believe. For all I know you could have had something to do with it. But no… today isn’t what I’m referring to, but then again you already knew that. You know very well what I’m talking about. Don’t you Lex?”

From there I turn my back to him.

“Is this how you thank me?” He fires back as I’m walking away.
I shut my eyes for a moment. I don’t turn back I don’t come to a stop. I stick my middle finger in the air as I make my way to the truck.

Clark eyes Lex before burning rubber out of the parking lot. He’s speeding down the road. His entire body shook all over. He pulls over before we get to the farm. The both of us gaze upon each other. The both of us lost on what to say or do. Clark turns back towards the front and rubs his face.

“I didn’t know what to do Bell. I screwed up. I never meant for him to DIE!”

He grits his teeth and pulls at his hair as he runs his hands along his scalp.

“When I saw him trying to force himself on you!” Clark’s hands become fists.

“Clark baby…” I say feeling broken myself. I hated seeing Clark like this.

He sucks in a breath, gripping the stirring wheel.

“I wasn’t going to kill him, but I wanted to! He hurt the one person in this world that’s off limits! NO ONE’S EVER TO HARM YOU BELL, EVER!” A growl escapes his mouth and now I find myself crying.

Not just because of his words, but for Clark Kent in general. He’d all this weight on his shoulders. The poor guy had no idea where to put it or what to do with it. I hadn’t a clue how to help him either. All I knew was to hold him; to be there for him. Let him vent. If he needs to scream, let him scream. If he needs to lash out, let him! If he needs to let out a good cry, I’d be right here crying along with him. That’s exactly what I did. I wrapped my arms around him as he fell apart.

The both of us just sit in the truck holding one another.

“Clark?” I finally say after a few minutes have passed.

“Yes?”
“I’m sorry.”

“About?”

“Kenny and everything else.

“Why would you need to be sorry for anything?”

“I don’t think I’m much help after all Clark. Like today… I felt so useless.”

“That couldn’t be further from the truth and I don’t want you involved. That’s only going to get you hurt. In any given situation you’re to stand back!”

He takes in a breath.

“He was right though. How can you stand it Bell?”

“What?”

“TO look at me each and everyday! How can you stand to be with me?! Your mother and father would still be alive Bella. Kenny’s mother would have. He would have never died today, he would have never grown this obsession to outdo me! If I had never even existed! There wouldn’t be so many lives affected by me!”

“If you had never existed. Martha, Johnathon and myself would have never known the love of Clark Kent. There would always be this absence where you were supposed to be in our lives. You’ve just as much right to be here as any of us. You belong here this is your home; no matter where you came from Clark. So you just hush your mouth. You can no more control what happened that day than any of us. You were just as much a victim.”

He blinks a few times and takes in the biggest of breathes.

“You need to know I can’t lose you. When I found out he’d taken you! JESUS! The worst scenarios played out in my mind. I love you Bell.”

He leans over and kisses me.

“I can’t lose you either Clark.” I meant it too. Without Clark I was nothing.

We sit a bit longer in silence.

However, a certain something I’d discovered in that lab, suddenly, felt as though it weighed a ton. I felt my heart racing in thought. If it was what I thought it was…

My thoughts are interrupted as Clark starts the truck again and heads home.

Yet again we explain our adventure to his parents. They too couldn’t believe what had overcome Kenny. Naturally, they both fussed over me and kept asking if I was ok. Ugh. Martha put an ice pack on the back of my head. Of course, Clark plum freaked out when he saw the knot Kenny had made.

We then called Pete and Chloe letting them know everything was ok. They too was caught by complete surprise about Kenny. After everything died down, Clark and I watched a movie in his room. We just needed to have some sort of normalcy even if it was just for a couple hours. Kenny’s death however, still weighed upon Clark. I knew he was blaming himself.

When the movie is over I look up from laying on his chest. I see he’s sound asleep. I quietly crawl out of the bed. I cut off his TV. I kiss his forehead and cover him up. Then I pulled his door shut. Once I get into my room I take out the object. It was in the shape of an octagon and silver. My fingers run along the engravings on the edges.

I stuff it back into my pocket and grab my jacket, and a flashlight. I sneak out of the house and head into the storm shelter. Clark had hidden the ship here after the fire in the barn. I shine the flashlight over the ship and pull back the tarp covering it. I cover my mouth realizing I was right. My fingers run along the empty area on the ship. The area in the exact shape of the burning betrayal in my jean pocket. I’m being a very naughty girl and Clark is sure to have my ASS if he finds out I’m keeping this from him! So why am I doing it? I’m the one person he says he trust the most. I stumble back in thought. My gut wrenched. WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING BELLA TELL HIM!

I swallow back and take it out of my pocket. I look to it and the ship as though it were a fucking curse. What would happen if we placed this inside? If anything? I stuff the thing back into my pocket. I drape the tarp back over the ship. I bolt out of there like the damn thing was chasing after me or something. I slam shut the door to the storm cellar. There’s no way I could sleep now. Too much was going on in my mind. Roger Nixon, Lex, Kenny, and now this! We’re to figure this out together! TOGETHER! Tell him Bella. Wake him up and tell him! But no… I sit on there on the porch swing. I chew upon my bottom lip, causing it to bleed and rock a back and forth. I knew what this was. It was the fear of saying goodbye to Clark Kent forever.