The Nicodemus Effect [33]

"So, Lex, what would you say to those who question your family's intentions in Smallville? Many believe that LuthorCorp's actions have caused more harm than good to the town."

Chloe adjusted the microphone, her expression determined, while Clark focused the camera on Lex. The mansion's setting was elegant, but the tension between the question and the answer was palpable.

Lex, with a controlled smile, was about to respond when one of the security guards entered the room hurriedly.

"Mr. Luthor, we need your attention for a moment."

"Excuse me, Chloe, Clark. I'll handle this quickly." Lex stood up, adjusting his suit before leaving the room.

"You don't hold back with the questions, do you?" Clark said, looking at Chloe with a slight smile.

"I'm a journalist, honey. If I'm not making people uncomfortable, I'm not doing my job right," Chloe responded, returning the smile as she reviewed her interview notes.

...

Elsewhere, James Beels was driving frantically down the road, a large yellow flower on the seat beside him. He held the phone in one hand, his voice anxious as he tried to speak with Lionel Luthor.

"It's urgent! I found something you need to see!" James said, but Lionel's secretary wouldn't budge.

"Sorry, Mr. Beels, Mr. Luthor is in a meeting. He can't take your call right now."

"I don't have time for this!" James yelled, before throwing the phone down in frustration and stepping on the gas.

His eyes locked on a car ahead on the road. It was Jonathan Kent. He honked, flashed his headlights, and sped up toward him.

Honk! Honk!

Jonathan glanced in the rearview mirror, confused by James's aggressive behavior, and began trying to slow down.

"Come on, what are you doing?" Jonathan muttered, trying to keep control.

In a sudden fit of rage, James attempted to overtake Jonathan on the right along the narrow road but ended up hitting an obstacle on the side.

Crash!

James's car flipped several times before coming to a stop on its side.

Jonathan braked sharply, his heart racing. Without a second thought, he ran toward the overturned car, managing to drag James out just before the vehicle exploded into a ball of fire.

Boom!

Jonathan looked at James, panting and relieved. However, before he could react, the large yellow flower from the car struck him in the face.

Fwoosh!

Jonathan recoiled, surprised and confused, as he held the flower, which now lay on the ground.

...

Clark was driving back to the farm after dropping Chloe off at her house. The interview with Lex had gone well, though there was always a sense that more was happening behind the scenes. The sound of the truck's engine filled the silence of the road as the sun began to set.

When he arrived at the farm, Clark parked the truck near the house and slowly got out, enjoying the cool evening air. As he entered through the front door, he noticed something strange. There were muffled laughs coming from the kitchen.

Clark frowned, curious, and quietly approached. When he peeked through the kitchen door, his eyes widened as he saw his parents kissing passionately, with Martha sitting on the table and Jonathan's hands on her waist.

Clark whistled loudly, trying to get their attention.

Jonathan quickly pulled away, and Martha straightened up as well, adjusting her hair with a slightly embarrassed smile.

"Mom... Dad... I'm home," Clark said, trying to hide his discomfort, avoiding looking directly at them.

"Oh, Clark, you're home," Martha said, blushing slightly as she tried to compose herself.

Jonathan, on the other hand, seemed less embarrassed and even a little amused by the situation. He playfully slapped Martha's backside, causing her to let out a small yelp.

"Hey!" Martha exclaimed, with an embarrassed smile.

"You're awfully inconvenient, Clark, interrupting your old man's fun," Jonathan said, smiling and winking at Clark.

Clark, not knowing what to say, just rolled his eyes and began heading upstairs, trying to ignore what he had just seen.

"I didn't see anything... I didn't see anything..." he murmured to himself as he climbed the stairs.

As soon as Clark disappeared upstairs, Jonathan approached Martha with a playful smile.

"Let's pick up where we left off, dear," he whispered teasingly.

The kitchen soon became quiet again, except for the sound of them resuming their kissing.

...

Dr. Hamilton arrived at Luthor Mansion with quick steps, carrying an urgent expression on his face. He entered Lex's office, where the young Luthor was reviewing some documents, and spoke directly, without preamble.

"James Beels stole one of my flowers after helping me with the equipment," Hamilton said, crossing his arms.

Lex looked up, clearly confused. "Flowers? What's so important about those flowers that he would steal one?"

"They're not just any flowers," Dr. Hamilton explained, his voice serious. "The Nicodemus flower has been extinct for 100 years. I used meteorite fragments to irradiate the dormant seeds and bring the flower back to life."

"I didn't invest my money for you to bring flowers back to life," Lex said, not hiding his frustration as he closed the file he was reviewing.

"There are steps that must be followed, and the flowers are an important part of that process," Dr. Hamilton replied.

Lex sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Where is James Beels now?"

"James Beels was in an accident and nearly died. Luckily, a passerby was there at the exact moment and saved him," Dr. Hamilton explained.

"Let me guess, Clark Kent saved him," Lex said with an ironic smile.

"No," Dr. Hamilton replied, shaking his head. "It was his father, Jonathan Kent."

Lex smiled, intrigued by the coincidence, as he leaned back in his chair and looked at Dr. Hamilton with a thoughtful expression.

"So, the Kents' fate continues to intertwine with mine in… unexpected ways."

Dr. Hamilton frowned, not understanding what Lex was thinking.

"What are you going to do, Lex?" Hamilton asked cautiously. "The Nicodemus flower is extremely dangerous. It can alter people's behavior and lead them to do reckless things."

Lex crossed his arms, deep in thought. "First, we need to make sure that flower doesn't fall into the wrong hands. If Jonathan Kent touched it, we might be facing a bigger problem."

Hamilton nodded, but there was an uneasiness in his expression. He knew the experiments with the Nicodemus flower could have serious consequences, but he wasn't sure how Lex intended to handle it.

"I'll go to the Kent farm to check on Jonathan personally," Lex said, already standing up. "If there are any effects from the flower, I'll need to intervene."

Hamilton shook his head, worried, but he knew Lex wouldn't be easily dissuaded.

"If Jonathan is affected, he could become dangerous," Hamilton warned. "The flower amplifies emotions and behaviors. He could be unpredictable."

Lex nodded. "I know. That's why we need to act fast."

Without further words, Lex left the room, determined to resolve yet another issue involving the Kents and now the mysterious Nicodemus flower.

...

Clark walked down the stairs slowly, still reflecting on what he had seen and trying to clear his mind of the scene he witnessed between his parents. When he reached the living room, he saw Jonathan in the kitchen, opening the fridge with a serious expression. He took out a beer and, without much thought, wiped the bottle on the curtains instead of using a towel.

Clark frowned, realizing something was off about his father's behavior.

"Dad, are you okay?" Clark asked, trying to keep his tone casual.

Jonathan took a swig of the beer before answering, his voice a bit sharper than usual.

"You want to watch the football game with me?" Jonathan turned to Clark, the beer bottle in hand, already heading toward the living room. "We can forget about all these chores for a while, don't you think?"

Clark observed his father's behavior, something was definitely off. He decided to use his powers to read Jonathan's mind. As he delved into his thoughts, he saw the memory of his father coming into contact with an unusual flower.

'So that's what's affecting my dad.'

Suddenly, Clark heard a familiar sound in the distance. With his super hearing, he picked up the noise of a car approaching down the dirt road leading to the farm.

Vruuum!

Clark quickly turned toward the window and saw Lex Luthor's black car pulling up in front of the house.

Lex stepped out of the car, dressed in his typical impeccable suit and with a serious expression on his face. He walked firmly toward the house, clearly determined to speak with Jonathan.

Clark sighed, knowing this probably wouldn't end well, considering his father's condition.

Knock, knock!

Lex knocked on the door, and Clark was the first to answer, with a worried expression. He opened the door to find Lex looking slightly surprised to see Clark's face.

"Clark," Lex said, with a smile that tried to soften the tension. "I came to check on your dad after the incident with the Nicodemus flower."

Clark nodded, concerned. "He's… different. The flower clearly affected him."

At that moment, Jonathan appeared in the kitchen doorway, still holding the beer in his hand. He looked at Lex with a contained rage, and his posture indicated he wasn't in the mood to be polite.

"Ah, of course. The Luthor heir shows up to see how we're doing after yet another one of your messes," Jonathan said, his tone sarcastic and aggressive as he walked toward Lex with firm steps.

"Jonathan, I just came to make sure you're okay," Lex responded, remaining calm but clearly worried about Jonathan's behavior.

"Okay? You want to know if I'm okay, Luthor? The truth is, I hate all the Luthors!" Jonathan shouted, his voice rising as he moved closer to Lex. "You're a cancer in this town! LuthorCorp does more harm than good, and you… you're just like your father. I've never trusted any of you!"

"Jonathan, I understand you're upset, but I'm not my father," Lex said, still trying to maintain his composure. "I'm here to help."

"You don't understand anything!" Jonathan took another step forward, but Clark stepped between them, trying to defuse the situation.

"Dad, I think you need to rest a bit," Clark said, trying to guide Jonathan away from Lex.

Jonathan looked at Clark, visibly irritated, but after a few seconds, he backed off, letting out a frustrated sigh.

"Maybe you're right. I'll take a nap," Jonathan said, turning and heading toward his room, still muttering under his breath.

Clark sighed in relief.

"That was intense," Lex said, breaking the silence.

"I know," Clark replied. "Sorry for my dad's behavior. He's not usually like this."

"Don't worry, Clark," Lex said with a gentle smile. "I understand. We'll talk later."

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