Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty Six: Keys Part One.

"I've given your business proposal some consideration over the past couple of weeks. But I did not want to make a decision about whether or not to agree to it, until I was completely sure."

Lex sat across from Harry in one of the conference rooms of the Shining Light Foundation. Security stood behind Lex, arms folded. The bald man tried to block them out of his mind, and kept his mind on business. The two men sat across from each other for the next moment. Lex took a deep breath, and proceeded to speak.

Doing business with a Luthor, or even considering it was like a well calculated chess game. All of the pieces needed to be maneuvered into place properly. One misstep could put a person behind.

"That is fair," Lex responded in a crisp voice. His eyes narrowed towards Harry. "Someone like you needs to consider your entire reputation when making deals. And I'm sure you have certain parties whispering in your ear that a deal with Lex Luthor would be a foolish blunder."

A feigned look of innocence spread across Harry's face.

"Depends on what people you are talking about," Harry answered in a questioning voice. A frown was about to spread across his face, but the expression was hidden. Any expression in his eyes had been hidden by the sunglasses that he wore over his eyes.

The expression of blissful ignorance would be his best ally in trapping Lex within his own web.

Lex decided to elaborate. "I trust you have been seeing a lot of Clark Kent lately. Perhaps I'm off base, but your marriage to his cousin will be happening within the next couple of months."

"Yes, I've encountered Clark a few times," Harry said. He chose his next words carefully. "And I've also encountered…Ms. Lana Lang, your ex-wife if I'm not mistaken, once or twice. Your name has barely come up. I don't think they think that you're important enough to spare a moment of thought of. Lana in particular seems to have moved on."

Lex remained stoic, and he nodded rather stiffly.

"So they have not been telling you tales about my misdeeds?" Lex asked.

Harry just turned towards Lex. "I've heard more about your flaws from your father than I have heard about you from any former friends or ex-spouses, or anything along those lines."

Lex looked like he had swallowed a lemon at this point. A sour expression was on his face, but Harry only caught it due to the fact he was observant. It was gone in a matter of seconds.

"Yes, my father has the ability to point out my flaws, to an almost uncanny degree," Lex agreed. He drummed his fingers on the table, and spoke. "But, we're getting off the subject of business. I will restate what I told you weeks ago. I believe in protecting those in the world who cannot protect themselves."

Harry surveyed Lex for a number of seconds. He took some time to really consider what he was saying. He only had one statement to offer.

"And who prey tell is going to save the world from you?" Harry asked him. He was silent for only a second, before he amended. "The best intentions often to go awry and the road to hell is often paved with good intentions."

Before Lex could respond, Harry cut him off.

"I have thought about what you're trying to accomplish long and hard. And I feel that there may be a few benefits from making a deal with Luthorcorp. And there are many disadvantages as well. I'm not sure if you have adequately sold me on why I should agree to join up with you."

Harry slid over a cup towards Lex. He offered him a casual expression, and question.

"Tea?"

Lex accepted the gesture, with only the slightest amount of hesitation. Harry bent down under the pretext of checking his papers to hide the calculating expression on his face. The tea was drank and suddenly, Lex was visited by a strange compulsion to tell the truth.

"So, what's the real reason that you are trying to make this business deal, Lex?" Harry asked him.

Sweat rolled down Lex's face. He spoke, his voice becoming flat and emotionless. His tongue was loosened, and he spilled his answers. "During my trip to the graveyard when I was looking into your past, I went to a graveyard to look for answers. When I touched a gravestone, the symbol created a backlash, and caused clarity to flood through my mind. The answers to the Veritas society flashed through my mind. I had only been a child when it happened, but I remembered enough. The memories had been subconsciously blocked from my mind. Many of the memories prior to the first meteor shower have been. I also remembered a boy in the cupboard underneath the stairs. My father tried to tell me it was a delusion, but I know better. I know that child was you."

Harry remained collected. He did not confirm or deny Lex's statement.

"Why was Lionel Luthor there?"

"He was trying to gain information about the Traveler. Apparently your aunt was not to receptive about it, and yelled something about freaks. She knew nothing about the traveler, and if he existed, she hoped that he would perish because he did not belong. My father accepted that answer at the time, but he was disappointed. I feel that you may have had a hint about the secrets of the Veritas Society. Whether or not you do, I don't need you, because I've found out much about it. However, it would be unwise to allow you to find out the truth, in case you are a threat."

"What did you find out?" Harry asked. He hoped to cross-reference his own research with some of Lex's own.

"There was a box, containing information leading to a source of power how to defeat the Traveler," Lex said. "The key was in the possession of Doctor Virgil Swann. Swann died years ago. I believe the key is in the possession of his daughter. I must get that key."

"Do you know what the key looks like?" Harry asked him.

"It's unclear to me right now," Lex managed. He tried to fight the compulsion to tell the truth. "All I know is she has the key. Once I find out what it is, then I'll decide how to proceed from there."

"Is that all?" Harry asked.

"Yes, that's all I've been able to piece together," Lex admitted.

A few moments later, Lex blinked. To him, no time had passed since the moment he drank the tea, and he said no words.

"I've considered it Lex, and my answer is I'm going to have to decline," Harry said.

There was a long moment of silence.

"It's a disappointment," Lex admitted. "But not unexpected. I had hoped that you would see the benefits of making a deal. Then again, perhaps some people never understand what needs to be done to save the world."

"Perhaps, perhaps not," Harry said. He checked a pocket watch, with a calm expression on his face. He asked his next question with feigned innocence. "Did you enjoy your tea?"

"Not the best in the world, but it was adequate," Lex said.

"It's an acquired taste," Harry said crisply. He extended his hand. "Nothing personal Lex, I was just doing this in the name of business."

Lex took Harry's hand. "Nothing personal, just business, and remember anything that happens between us from here on out is just business."

Harry was pretty sure that was a veiled threat. If Lex tried everything with him, he'd cut him off at the knees and bury him alive.

"My security will escort you out," Harry said. He lowered his glasses, and looked Lex straight in the eyes. "Drive safely. Accidents do happen."

Lex tried to hide the expression. He was unclear of whether or not he should interpret that casual statement as a threat. He stood there for a moment. He nodded slowly.

"I will," Lex said.

When Lex left, Kara walked out of the corner. She had watched the entire meeting from the shadows. She walked over towards Harry. She had an approving expression on her face.

"That was smart lacing his tea like that," Kara said. "And he didn't suspect he had spilled everything he had found out to you."

Harry knew some would frown at his distinct breach of ethics. However, desperate times called for desperate actions.

"All he did was verify what I already knew," Harry admitted. Kara just shrugged, before she looked at Harry with a smile. "I don't think he's going to let this go without a fight."

"I can't believe he threatened you," Kara said. A fierce expression spread across her face. If Lex Luthor ever harmed Harry in any way, or tried to, he would not live long enough to regret that mistake.

"I've been threatened by far worse people than Lex, trust me," Harry said. Kara sat down next to Harry. "He did verify one thing for me. And that is we have plenty of work to do regarding this Veritas mess."

Now with the Heralds of Voldemort and Project: Genesis seemingly behind them, Harry and Kara could focus on uncovering the secrets of Veritas. Harry was now more than intrigued about them then previously. The way Lex was going on, it was almost like they had a method to control the Traveler, should be become a threat.

At least that's how Harry interpreted the words.

"I think it's time we pay Patricia Swann a visit," Harry said. "Before Lex does."

Kara and Harry stepped away, and realized that they had a lot of work to do, and not that much time to do it.

Pressure built character, and it was something that Harry and Kara thrived well under.

Lana hovered in the air outside. The snow and cold winds were prominent, however she did not care. Her eyes were closed. She had been thinking about her lack of ability to save Clark. It was eating away at her in a way. In another way, it was giving her the motivation to rise to the lofty standards that she was expected to. There was so much potential for her powers.

Her powers, she figured, was like an untapped well. She just had to figure out how to get the water out.

"You've been out here all morning, Lana."

Lana spun around, and saw Clark standing below, looking up at her.

"Oh, hello Clark," Lana said in a weak voice. She tried to maintain positive and upbeat. "I guess I'm just recovering what happened the other day, with the Fortress."

"You shouldn't really pay that woman any attention," Clark told her.

"It's kind of hard not to," Lana said to Clark. She got down to Earth level so she could face Clark properly. "Did you ever feel like no matter what you do, it's not going to be good enough?"

Clark offered her a smile. "More times than I can count, but I think that if you don't think of ways that you can do things better, you might not be fully embracing what you can be. I have regrets, and I'll continue to have more."

"Yeah, those regrets seem to be super powerful for people like us," Lana said. "Everything she said, and everything she did in that Fortress. She could bring both of us to our knees, and there is nothing that we can do about it."

Lana looked out into the distance. She had another question to ask Clark.

"Did you give any consideration to what your father said?"

Clark seemed to ponder that answer for a moment.

"I did think about it," Clark admitted. "After the Fortress got taken over one time, who is to say that it won't get taken over again? I'm not even sure if that was my father speaking. If Lily was able to take control of the Fortress, can I even be sure that she wasn't mimicking my father's voice?"

Lana had to admit that Clark had a point. She took a deep breath.

"To protect everyone in the world, that's a big responsibility thrust onto your shoulders," Lana said, and Clark placed his hands on her shoulders. "The biggest responsibility is to be the one tasked to protecting that protector. Kara had a point, when she said that this wasn't going to be easy. And there are supposed to be powers that I have that you don't."

"Do you have any clue of what they are?" Clark asked.

Lana remained thoughtful at this moment.

"There are times where I'm sitting there, and I could have sworn I see objects lift into the air," Lana said. "I'm not even touching them, but they float in the air. A few inches off of the ground and they drop back down before I can get a closer look at them."

"You mean like some kind of telekinesis or levitation?" Clark asked her.

Lana nodded.

"That's what I thought as well. I spent an hour last night after you went to bed trying to lift up a book with my mind. I stared at it until my eyes went bloodshot. But I couldn't do it. Am I imagining things?"

"You could be onto something," Clark told her. "My powers, they always took a while to get a hang of how they worked properly, and how to consciously make them work, without setting them off at the wrong time. Just like what happened to you the other day with the mishap with the heat vision."

"You just couldn't let that one go, could you?" Lana asked. She tried to act offended, but in reality she was amused. "I was in the moment when it happened. Although, it does kill the mood when the bed gets set on fire."

Clark would have to agree. A smile crossed his face for a brief moment, but he had to get back to the matter at hand.

"Kara and Harry were both right to tell you not to force it," Clark said. "Just let it come naturally."

Lana was not sure. She was frustrated that she could not figure out how to turn on these powers. She wanted to help Clark. Perhaps she could channel her frustration into something meaningful, consciously at least. A snow plow came down the roads, knocking the snow into the driveway that Lana just shoveled out a short time again. Her eyes narrowed as the mailbox nearly was knocked over by the snow and ice flying through the air.

"That's the third that that happened this morning!" Lana yelled crossly, staring at the pile of snow, and suddenly, the snow lifted off of the ground out of the driveway. It was blasted across into a meadow.

Lana paused, and blinked.

"You did see that, didn't you?"

Clark nodded slowly.

"So, I wasn't imagining things," Lana said.

"If you were, then we both were," Clark said. "I guess you needed the right motivation."

Lana nodded. She could have shoveled the driveway in less than a minute with her powers. Still it was the principle of the matter.

Now she just needed to figure out how to lift something without getting agitated. She was sure there was a way.

A dark haired man dressed in black walked down a driveway. He walked with a purpose. Each and every step was done with swift precision. Over the past number of weeks, Bruce Wayne continued to piece together every bit of information that he could find regarding the Veritas Society. There was much that his father had kept track of, and there was even more secrets that he took to his grave.

Bruce knew one person that could help him, and one person who could fill in the blanks that Thomas Wayne left. That man was Virgil Swann. There was just one problem, and that was that Swann passed away years and years ago. Bruce hoped that Swann's daughter would be able to fill in the necessary blanks. He raised a hand, and knocked on the door.

A young woman with red hair pushed the door open. She surveyed Bruce, carefully.

"Bruce…Bruce Wayne?" Patricia asked him, and Bruce responded with a nod. "I haven't seen you in years and years."

"It's been a long time," Bruce said to the woman with a smile. "I was going through my father's notes, and I found something interesting."

Patricia had a shrewd suspicion what this was about.

"You better come inside," Patricia said. "It's the only place we can talk safely."

Patricia stepped inside, and bolted the door tight behind her.

"I heard about your father," Bruce said. Swann had passed on when Bruce was traveling the world, training himself. "I'd like to send my belated condolences. I only met him once or twice in passing, but he seemed like a remarkable man."

"I heard likewise about your father," Patricia said to him. A look of unmistakable seriousness crossed her face. "The secrets of Veritas may be coming undone. Lionel Luthor knows about the traveler, and he's the only member that is still among the living and breathing that I can locate."

Patricia took a moment to walk forward.

"Hugo Strange was another member, and he died a little over a month ago," Bruce said. "The secrets of the traveler caused members of this society to be taken out, left and right. It's much like my father speculated in his notes. All of the members of the society would eventually die over the traveler. And there are those out there that will try and uncover what the traveler is."

"I've tried to get in contact with Lex Luthor, he would know what his father's eventual game is," Patricia said.

Bruce shook his head. He figured that Lex would be a problem. He had his moles inside of Luthorcorp that were keeping an eye on both Luthors.

"I think Lex may have his own ambitions regarding the Traveler. My contact inside Luthorcorp has indicated that he's researching many things. Veritas is a topic that he's looked into. And he's looking into this symbol."

Bruce pulled out a symbol. The upside down triangle, with a circle placed in the triangle and a line dividing down the center of it.

"I've poured over countless references, but I've only been able to see some images of the symbol carved on a prison wall in Germany and a gravestone," Bruce said.

Patricia looked at the symbol, studying it.

"I fail to see what relevance this symbol has to do with the Traveler," Patricia said. She bit her lip, and frowned.

"I think that symbol has everything to do with the Traveler," Bruce said.

The red haired woman did not know what to make of that statement.

"If only my father was here, he might have more insight on it for you then I would," Patricia stated. She shook her head. She studied the symbol. "As for right now, I don't really know what to tell you. I'm surprised that Lionel Luthor hasn't come after you yet. Your father did know a lot, and he would enjoy getting that information for himself."

Bruce hid the calculating expression on his face. He had an idea that both of the Luthors would be very interested in meeting with him. He would be ready for both of them, when they decided to make their move.

"I'm not going to mince words, Patricia," Bruce said to her. "You are in danger because of who your father was. I can make sure that no harm comes to you, by either Luthor. I can make you seem like you disappeared, and ensure that no one ever attacks you."

"How would you be able to do something like that?" Patricia asked.

"I have my resources," Bruce said in his mysterious tone of voice.

Patricia remained firm in her stance.

"I plan to seek out the traveler, and do what I can to help him. Disappearing would not help me do this. My father had a dream to help the traveler, and I want to follow into his footsteps. Surely, you can understand that? The need to live up to your father's ambitions?"

"More than you can ever realize," Bruce said with a far off look in his eyes, and another knock could be heard on the door. "It seems like you're popular today."

Patricia wondered who was at the door. She took a few steps forward, and reached forward. She opened the door. She saw two new arrivals. One of them was a young man with green eyes and dark hair, dressed in a rather bland suit. His hair was completely straight. The other one was a blonde woman, dressed in a jacket, red blouse, a skirt, stockings, and high heels, wearing a pair of glasses.

"We haven't been formally introduced, Ms. Swann," Harry said without preamble. "I'm Harry Potter, and this is my fiancée, Kara Kent. We need to talk to you about an important matter. Your life might be in danger."

Harry had resisted the temptation to check the lifeline reader to see how much danger Patricia might be in. That was something was an aspect to his powers that was so easy to lead to a great deal of abuse.

"It's about the traveler, and Veritas," Harry added in an undertone.

Patricia stood up straight at her declaration, and her eyes flashed. The name Potter seemed rather familiar. One look at his eyes indicated all that she needed to know. Bruce got up to his feet.

"I must be leaving now Patricia, thank you, and…." Bruce said. He looked at Harry and Kara immediately. "I'm sorry, I don't think we have had the pleasure of meeting. Bruce Wayne."

Harry took a good look at Bruce. It clicked in his mind. He and Kara had been listening to bits of the conversation from outside of the door before they had actually entered for the meeting, and had heard Veritas come up.

As far as Harry knew, Bruce Wayne was a billionaire, and from what the tabloids said, he would not have been interested in something like Veritas or the Traveler. They called him a flake, who could barely find his own office, and was seen with a different woman almost like a nightly basis. Harry figured that this was an image that he encouraged. They were part of the mask, the illusion.

"Harry Potter," Harry responded, shaking Bruce's hand.

"Kara Kent," Kara added. She frowned, and came to the same conclusion that Harry did. There were subtle differences in his posture, and big differences in his demeanor. However, there were certain things that that the best disguises could not mask.

Bruce left, and Harry and Kara turned to Patricia Swann. She surveyed them, and finally where she heard the name "Potter" had finally clicked with her.

"You're the son of Lily Potter, formerly Lily Evans," Patricia said. Harry nodded. "I'm sure you hear this a lot, but you have your mother's eyes."

"A few times, yes," Harry agreed as he looked at the woman. "So, how do you know of her?"

"My father was extremely interested in the headway that her family made about the Traveler over the years," Patricia said. "In many ways, the work the Evans family did over the years was a part of the foundation for what became the Veritias Society. You two know all too well about that."

Harry and Kara nodded. They did plenty of research before conducting this meeting.

"I don't know if your father ever knew this, but my mother and her family's intentions with the Traveler were less than noble," Harry said and Patricia turned to them. Confusion appeared on her face.

"I heard a different story, from my father," Patricia said. "An old friend of your mother's joined the Veritas Society. Her name was Isis Lovegood."

'Luna's mother and mine were friends,' Harry thought, a bit surprised about this revelation. He did not know, and Luna never mentioned it. He wondered if Luna even knew about this.

"Isis claimed to my father that your mother wanted to break the cycle that doomed her family to multiple deaths over obsession regarding the traveler," Patricia said. "Lily said it doomed her parents to their murders, and she told Isis to do what she could to protect the Traveler. Isis was like the rest of them. She died years ago, and any other information she had to share was taken to her with the grave."

Harry allowed all of this to sink in. His mother seemed to be a complex woman, and there was so much about her that he had no idea about. The real Lily Potter would forever be shrouded in mystery. And Luna's mother had to die because of this entire mess. Kara placed her hand on Harry's, and they sat in silence. The fact was Lily's quest to protect the Traveler did not match up with the journal's ambitions about controlling the Traveler.

Did something change? Did Lily allow Isis to believe one thing, while secretly plotting for another? Or was Isis in on the entire thing? Harry shook his head. There were too many questions.

"My father was interested in meeting you when he was alive," Patricia added. This was also a new revelation to Harry. "He sent a few letters, trying to arrange a meeting with you. He felt that you could potentially have a role in the destiny of the Traveler, even though he wasn't clear on exactly how it was. All letters he tried to send to you were sent back. And after a certain point, he just assumed that you were not interested."

Harry had a shrewd idea of who was returning his mail, but that was the past.

"I never knew," Harry said. "I would have done what I could to help sooner if I would have known."

"Harry would have," Kara added. She was firm and supporting in her words.

"The reason we're here is that Lex Luthor knows that you have something that might help him lead you to the Traveler," Harry said. "And he's willing to do anything to get his hands on it. There is nothing that he won't do, and that puts you in the crossfire."

Patricia remained silent.

"If you want a meeting with the Traveler, then I can make it happen," Harry said to her. "All you need to do is trust me, and hand me whatever Lex might be after."

"Why would you need it?" Patricia asked him. She seemed to have a small bit of mistrust regarding Harry's intentions.

"It has everything to do with this symbol," Harry said, and he tapped the piece of paper that Bruce had left on the table.

"Do you know what it means?" Patricia asked.

Kara and Harry both remained silent.

"If you have any information to share with the Traveler, prepare it," Harry replied. "I'll bring you to him. I'm sure he'll be interested in anything that you have to say."

Patricia pondered this for a moment. She had been collecting information about Lionel Luthor and his possible connection to the deaths of several members of the Veritas Society. She had intended to use the information to blackmail Lionel into arranging a meeting with the Traveler. She had imagined Lionel was doing his best to gain the trust of the Traveler for his own means.

"Don't worry about Lionel Luthor," Harry said. "I'll handle him."

Patricia remained surprised.

"How…"

"I have my ways," Harry said.

"I don't think that we have much to gain sitting around here," Kara said. "We'll take you to the Traveler right now."

Patricia nodded in agreement.

"Let me get something, and you can take me to him," Patricia said.

Harry and Kara agreed. This was a calculated risk, but phase one of their plan was about ready to be completed.

"Bruce Wayne? Now why would he of all people be meeting with Patricia Swann? Yes, follow him, see what he's up to, and report back to me when you get a clear picture."

Lex put down the phone gently. He sat back in the chair, and moved around the clutter on his desk to get a clearer working area. A newspaper with the headline "Fatal Fall of Circus Acrobats Believed to be Homicide, GCPD Investigate" had been tossed into the trash bin to the side. Lex reached over, and continued to file through papers on his desk. He remained calm, but he would be lying if he was not intrigued with what was going on with one Bruce Wayne.

Why would Wayne be interested in Patricia Swann? That was the million dollar question. Lex only met Bruce less than a handful of times, and they had been rather young during their meetings. Bruce had just returned to Gotham City less than a year ago, and Lex had other pressing matters on his mind. He had seen more than a few tabloid articles regarding the Billionaire playboy. Lex knew better than anyone else not to pay any of the content much mind. Pictures could be manipulated, and facts could be distorted.

That was the price that one would pay for being rich and famous. Yet, Bruce Wayne was meeting with the daughter of the man who Lex believed knew much about the Veritas Society. He was slowly maneuvering in to get what he needed. Eventually he would know, and he would have the secrets of the universe at his fingertips.

His overtures for a partnership with one Harry Potter had gone south. Lex suspected that Harry was a bit more competent than he had let on, although how much more competent he was uncertain. He still maintained that he was in control of the situation. It was just a matter of unearthing the right secret about Harry Potter to force his hand, and lead to a partnership that would allow him to get everything he needed.

The problem was that his record seemed to be very clean. There was no hint of wrong doing. Everything he did with the Shining Light Foundation was on the level. He had not so much as an unpaid parking ticket.

Everyone had a dark side in their past. Lex continued to follow the threads, while he waited for his men to report back on their progress regarding Wayne. He continued to research through records. Everything matched up. Harry Potter was a rather average student of a boarding school in Scotland. He had traveled the world for years, before he had come to Smallville.

There was nothing, except for a dead end.

The phone rang after a moment, and Lex picked it up immediately.

"Sorry, sir, but we lost Wayne," one of the men said on the other end of the phone in an apologetic voice.

Lex took a number of moments for it to set in. Disappointment did not even begin to adequately cover what he felt towards the success, or lack thereof with his men. He drew breath. After a moment, he once again began to speak.

"You lose the remote control, or you lose your car keys," Lex said. Disgust dripped from his tone as he spoke. "How could you lose Bruce Wayne?"

"We were following him from the Swann woman's place," the man on the other end of the phone said. "He drove, and it seemed like he knew that we were there. I don't know how he knew, but he knew that we were following him."

"You obviously weren't being that careful," Lex said in a cold tone of voice. "Listen to me, find Wayne and bring him to me. Look for him like your life depends on it. Do not disappoint me again, or you'll regret it."

The man's voice shook on the other side of the phone. He proceeded to speak immediately. "Y-y-yes sir, we'll find him. Why do you want him so bad?"

"Your job isn't to ask questions," Lex said. "Your job is to just go out there, and do as I tell you to. Is that clear?"

Lex's voice was calm as he said this. However, there was a hidden threat dripping from his words.

"Yes, it's clear, very clear, I won't let you down again, sir," the man stammered. Lex could tell that his voice and perhaps his hands were shaking on the other side of the phone.

"For your sake let's hope you gain results," Lex said. "But don't waste time talking to me. Find him."

Lex hung up the phone. He felt a bit of a migraine headache coming on. He saw the list of Veritas Society members on his desk. All of them had died except for two. One of them was missing, and presumed dead, that being Edward Teague. The other one was someone who was very near and dear to Lex's heart, in a matter of speaking.

His father had been keeping secrets. Lex felt a bit hurt about the lack of trust. Surely they could have found a common ground, and worked together regarding the traveler.

'Unless there's another reason,' Lex thought. 'No, he wants the traveler all for himself.'

Lex folded his hands over. He had much work to do, and he would be having a confrontation with his father. There was a reckoning between them that was long overdue. He thought that this time, it would end with blood on his hands of the worst kind if his father did not give him the answers he wanted.

If the traveler arrived in a meteor shower, then Lex had a right to know. It was the same meteor shower that set off a chain of events that defined his life.

It was his destiny to find out. There was no two ways about it.

The claims he had a greater destiny was something that had surrounded Harry Potter throughout all of his life. The Wizarding World claimed that he of all people was destined for great things. He was destined to be the one to defeat Lord Voldemort. The defeat of Voldemort did not happen like he envisioned. Harry thought about it several times, and knew that it was the Wand of Eternity that defeated Voldemort. It would not do any harm to Death's chosen champion.

He both succeeded and utterly failed at achieving his destiny. He had no idea how he felt about that.

The thoughts swam through his head, as Harry and Kara led Patricia Swann towards the Kent Farm house. The snow storm was beginning to pick up in intensity. That was nothing compared to the storm that was brewing when the secrets of the Veritas Society were spilled out for Lex to grab his hands on.

"My father's journal should hopefully give the Traveler a clear idea of what he's up against as he grows into the hero that he needs to be," Patricia remarked to an undertone.

"Any help that he gets, it will be a benefit to him," Kara agreed, and Harry went first, knocking on the door.

There was a pause. Harry wondered if he had caught Lana and Clark at the wrong moment, or if they were not home. Secrets passed before the door opened and Clark looked at Harry and Kara. Before he could properly greet then, Patricia Swann took a good look at him.

"You're about how my father described," Patricia said and she looked at Clark. "I'm Patricia Swann."

"Doctor Swann's daughter?" Clark asked, and she nodded. Clark tried to figure out what this was about. "Is this about…"

"You know of Veritas," Patricia said in an undertone, and Harry and Kara quickly ushered her inside. They made sure they were not followed. They were almost certain that they were not, but it was better to be safe and sorry.

"Yes, I've been informed of it, by…a source," Clark said.

It was unspoken who that source was. Patricia remained calm.

"And then this will cut down on the amount of explanation that I'll have to give regarding it," Patricia said. "Most of the members are dead, with the exception of one. The second to last member perished a few weeks ago, that being Hugo Strange."

Clark's expression darkened. He remembered his encounter with Strange all too well. It would be a long time before he forgot being under his tender care.

"Who is the last member?"

Lana turned up at this moment, a curious expression on her face. Patricia remained calm and tentative now. She debated whether or not she could say anything in front of Lana.

"We can trust Lana with any information you have," Clark said in calm voice. Patricia nodded.

"The final member is Lionel Luthor, and I believe he has been behind many of the deaths of members of the Society, so he could have the Traveler all to himself," Patricia said. "I have evidence that states that he was seen meeting with several of the members before they died. He met with Hugo Strange two months ago."

"A month prior to when he died," Lana said. Lionel lied about cutting his involvement off with Strange years ago.

"Shouldn't you take this evidence to the police?" Clark asked. He was trying to reconcile everything that happened. He was having a bit of a crisis of faith after the events in the Fortress of Solitude, and his doubts about everything regarding that. He questioned everything that he knew. The revelation that Lionel might not have changed his ways was something that he deep down should have expected.

Yet, he was naïve enough to trust him.

It was Harry who answered that. "Someone was powerful as Lionel Luthor is not going to go down easily. He's going to talk his way out of trouble. He'll be able to spin it in his own way, or take as many people as he could down with him if he's trapped."

"Yes, but I thought he…he has helped me."

"My father did speculate that your greatest strength might also be your greatest weakness," Patricia said. "The fact that you see the best in others, and hope that one day they might change for the better."

Clark nodded. That seemed like a common sentiment regarding him.

"I wish to share to you the contents of my father's journal," Patricia said. "He said that you would be able to decipher the symbols."

Clark nodded, and walked off with her. This left Harry, Kara, and Lana alone. Lana turned towards Harry, a questioning expression in her eyes.

"I had to bring her here to meet with Clark before it is too late," Harry told her.

"She might be in danger, Lex is getting too close to putting two and two together," Kara said. "He said that he was keeping a close eye on her, and trying to find out what she knew about the Traveler."

Lana frowned. Thinking about Lex was not something that was conductive to her mental health. She took a deep breath, before she voiced her question.

"You got this information from Lex, willingly. No offense, but how did you manage that?"

Harry offered a mysterious smile. "Well there are ways of loosening a person's tongue. Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies."

Lana understood the hidden meaning immediately. Harry was willing to take a step to achieve his goal that most would find a distinct breach of ethics. Not that she blamed him in the slightest, given that it was Lex, and she shuddered to think what he would do if he had found out the complete truth regarding Clark. His mind would twist it into something else entirely.

"Harry did what he had to do," Kara said. The tone of her voice almost dared Lana to contradict. "If we have to bend the rules to protect Clark, that's what we're going to do. And I'm sure you understand that better than any of us."

Lana nodded before she spoke in a quiet voice. "More than you ever know. But I have to ask you a question about something."

Harry waved his hand, and gave her the invitation to do so.

"I think I discovered one of my powers," Lana said, and Harry proceeded to motion for her to go on. "There are times where I can lift objects with my mind, but it happens on and off. Clark thinks that it's levitation, or telekinesis."

Harry thought about it. This was unsurprising.

"Clark might be onto something," Harry said. "It's a rudimentary skill, but a rather tricky one to master at first. When you master it, it should not be a problem. That would explain the spikes that you have in strength .You are using your mind to amplify the natural power exerted by your strength. If this can be done using your body, it can also be done using your mind. I'd advise starting small with light objects. You know like paper clips or a feather. I wouldn't try and lift entire buildings for a while with your mind. You might be able to leap them in a single bound, but all you're going to accomplish for a while is a nose bleed and a headache."

"Wait, lifting entire buildings with my mind?" Lana asked.

"I've done it before, long story," Harry said to her and he waved it off. "Powers will manifest, and they'll get easier to control. It is not too much like anything else. We must learn to crawl before we walk, and then we must master walking before running. Once you figure out how to turn the powers on and off, you can figure out how to creatively master them, and only the sky is the limit."

It was a lecture that Harry had given his students at the Shining Light Foundation a few times when they were mastering their powers. He figured that it might do Lana some good.

Clark looked at the journal in his hand. Much of the information was intriguing, and it would be something that he would pursue at his leisure. Perhaps it could give him and by extension Lana, some hints about what exactly his destiny could entail.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, and I'll do what I can to assist you just as my father could," Patricia said. "Harry and Kara speak rather highly of you, as did my father, and even if I can play the smallest role in your destiny, then I will be happy."

"All the help is appreciated, and I'm sure Doctor Swann's journal will help me out when I can," Clark said. "And for Lionel…I'll be on my guard against him."

"Be on your guard against both Luthors," Harry said.

Even if he did manage to outmaneuver Lex, he doubted that he would go down without a fight. Despite not having any powers himself, Lex was slippery and sadistic as a snake in the grass. He was always lurking, ready to strike and bite when he was able to do so.

Harry and Kara led Patricia from the kitchen, and Clark and Lana remained alone for the moment, to likely talk about the contents of the journal.

"You're truly someone of your word," Patricia said. A frown spread across her face. "Why would you go to so much trouble, when you have your own life? I've read about your work as part of the Shining Light Foundation, yet you spent weeks hunting down every possible lead."

"It's all about making sure that the traveler remains safe until he becomes the hero he can be," Harry answered. "I don't know how much I believe in destiny. However, I think that there is something special within Clark that could manifest into a hero to inspire millions."

It was a hero that he thought he could be, but he never allowed that full potential. He tried to give Clark as many of the answers that he could. However, as Death reminded him, he could not fight Clark's battles for him.

Harry was not fighting Clark's battles for him. He was giving him the tools to succeed, and grow into what he could be. There would come a day where he would be ready, and Harry was glad that he played a part of it.

"And I believe there may be an item that Lex was after," Harry said. "One that you may have on your person."

Patricia seemed unsure and indecisive. Harry and Kara made sure the barrier blocked out any eavesdropping.

"My father told me to keep it safe at all costs, no matter what," Patricia said. She held the locket in her hand. It flipped between her fingers tentatively.

"And I'll be able to keep it safer than anyone else," Harry said. He had a feeling that she wore it at all times. That fact would serve as a blinking beacon that it was important to her. "I know if this item, whatever it is, falls into the wrong hands; it could mean doom for many people."

Patricia remained indecisive for a moment.

"If you had over the key, Lex will not be able to go after it, or you," Harry responded. "If you don't allow me to help you, then he'll do something drastic that could take you down. I don't know what, but he's a desperate man and obsessed."

Patricia held the locket in her hand once again. The red haired woman slowly pressed it into Harry's hands. Kara and Harry both responded with an encouraging smile. It told her that somehow she did the right thing.

They had one of the keys. Now arrangements would be made for Harry to further hold up his end of the deal.

Lionel Luthor sat in a chair and his back was turned away from his door. He half paid attention to the snowstorm that was raging on outdoors. The latest weather report said that it would be a nasty one. There was a storm of another kind brewing.

Footsteps could be heard behind Lionel. His eyes snapped up, and he spun around.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, I was wondering if I would be seeing you before too long," Lionel said. "You've had a lot on your plate as of now. I heard that your deal with Lex did not get cemented like I had feared. But, a word to the wise, he won't take no for an answer."

"Lex is the last person you have to worry about," Harry said. He remained absolutely calm, and he surveyed Lionel with narrowed eyes. "Two months ago, you had a meeting with Hugo Strange. I was under the impression that you said you cut off your communication with him years and years ago."

"It was a brief meeting, nothing of consequence," Lionel said in a dismissive tone of voice. "So, you are interested in the secrets, aren't you?"

"I'm interested in the safety of the world, and not to have more innocent lives perish," Harry said. "Unlike some, I don't enjoy having blood on my hands. However, I will not hesitate to get my hands dirty if it helps saves lives."

A knowing look crossed Lionel's face.

"Perhaps you are much more like your mother than either of us could have thought," Lionel said. "From all I could find out, when she believed in a cause, she would do anything that she could succeed in her mission. Even if people suffered, and I recognize that look in your eyes. You're going to do something drastic to succeed, aren't you?"

"Wouldn't you like to know, Luthor?" Harry replied in a crisp voice. "The fact of the matter is, I have something that I need to accomplish. And there are people who wish to control something very powerful for their own means."

"Well, that's a very interesting theory," Lionel said. He remained rather calm, and his hands were folded over his desk. A calculating expression shifted on his face. "We both have the same goal, albeit for different reasons. Truly you must believe that."

Harry remained silent. His gaze stared a hole through Lionel. The elder Luthor believed that he reformed, and perhaps he did make a genuine attempt to do so. However, there was a sinister undertone beneath his intentions. There was always a chance that he would fall back, and then they would have a problem.

There was something else that he sensed. Now that he was up close, and next to him, he stared him down.

"You don't have much time left, Lionel," Harry told him suddenly.

There was silence. Lionel was not sure if he heard him properly.

"Is that a threat?" Lionel asked in a chillingly calm voice.

"No just an observation," Harry said. "The sins of your past could come back to haunt you in the worst way. Lex knows about Veritas. It won't be long before he takes you down because of it."

Lionel acted like he was pondering everything Harry said slowly, and carefully.

"Providing its Lex gets to you first," Harry responded.

"One could interpret that as a threat," Lionel answered in a calm and collected voice. "I wouldn't think a man of your status would be giving threats. Especially someone with so much on the line. "

"I don't make threats," Harry said in a cool voice. "The sands of time are running down for you. And whatever intentions you have, they're all for nothing. You might wear the face of a changed man, but will those who you wronged believe that?"

"It doesn't matter what they believe," Lionel said. "I'm a Luthor, and I've survived far worse. I will weather the storm, and I will come out on the end. The real shame would be if you were expected of wrong-doings. Just after the adoption for that young girl went through even. It would be a shame if she lost another parental figure."

Harry remained calm at this veiled threat. He was extremely tempted to rip Lionel's throat out for even suggesting what he suggested.

"Don't worry about anything that happens to me," Harry said. "Lex is closing in on the Traveler, and he's closing in on you."

"Lex and I are both on a different level," Lionel said. "But, never the less I do thank you for the warning. No matter what you might think, people do change, and I am one of them."

Harry nodded. He had a look of disbelief on his face. If Lionel tried anything, he had enough information on him to put him away for a long time. There was a sense Harry got however that he was talking to a man who was reaching the end of his life.

"Do what you have to do Mr. Potter, and I will do likewise," Lionel said.

"You know I will," Harry said, and he turned around.

He walked out, and made sure Lionel did not have him followed by anyone. Immediately, he spotted Kara waiting for him with a triumphant smile on her face. She rushed forward, and hugged Harry in an excited manner. A wide smile was on her face.

"I've got it!" Kara said in a triumphant voice.

"I knew you would," Harry said, and he embraced her, before they appeared in the sitting room area of their home.

"I switched it with the fake," Kara told him. "Just like we planned."

Harry held in her close. He was happy that things had seemingly gone right for once.

With both of the keys in their hand, Harry and Kara could move onto the next step. With any luck, they would be able to prevent anyone else from accessing the secrets of the Traveler.

Hopefully in the end, everyone would understand the steps they had to take to succeed in their mission as Heralds of Death.