Reincarnation In Smallville

Bathroom

Clark entered the empty bathroom, closing the door behind him and leaning against the sink. He had sensed the stranger's presence from the moment he arrived at school, and now he was ready to confront him. The creak of the door opening broke the silence.

CREEEEK!

Nathan walked in with firm steps, his hood pulled over his head and his hands stuffed into his pockets. He stopped a few meters from Clark, a defiant smile forming on his face.

"So you know I've been following you, huh?" Nathan asked, crossing his arms. "You're smarter than you look, kid."

"You've been following me since I arrived," Clark said, turning slowly to face Nathan. His posture was calm, but his eyes burned with determination. "Why? What do you want?"

Nathan chuckled, a dry and sarcastic sound that echoed through the bathroom. "Straight to the point. I like that. But the question isn't what I want, it's what she wants."

"She?" Clark tilted his head slightly, feigning curiosity while already preparing to act. He focused, silently activating his ability to read Nathan's mind. His thoughts flowed like a turbulent river.

'Desirée.'

Clark remained still, hiding his surprise at hearing Desirée's name in Nathan's mind. He took a deep breath, keeping his expression neutral. "I don't know who you're trying to impress, but I don't think you realize who you're dealing with."

Nathan took a step forward, his eyes filled with arrogance. "You think you intimidate me? I don't care who or what you are. I'm just here to fulfill my part of the deal."

"Deal?" Clark asked in a low, controlled voice. He knew he needed to buy time to handle Nathan without alarming him.

Nathan smirked, a cold smile. "You have no idea, do you? But it doesn't matter. I'm going to hurt you and, consequently, hurt her. It's simple."

Clark took a step back, the air around him beginning to vibrate slightly. "You underestimate people, Nathan. That's your first mistake."

Nathan narrowed his eyes, noticing the change in the energy around him. "Oh, so that's how it is? Gonna show me what you've got, kid?"

Clark activated the Speed Force.

ZUUUM!

Time stopped. The bathroom's sounds disappeared, and the air's motion froze in an absolute instant. Nathan was stuck mid-taunt, his defiant expression frozen on his face.

Clark walked slowly toward Nathan, his footsteps echoing faintly in the environment frozen by the Speed Force.

'Jor-El, I need your help. Remove his powers. He's caused enough trouble.'

[Command received, Kal-El. Neutralizing his power will be immediate, but remember, this will temporarily drain his life energy.]

Clark extended his hand toward Nathan's chest.

A bluish light emanated from his fingers, enveloping Nathan's body in a subtle wave of energy. The air around him grew dense, and the vibrations ceased.

Clark watched as Nathan's posture weakened, his body slightly relaxing while the glow of his sonic power disappeared.

[It is done, Kal-El. He no longer poses a threat, but his actions will require manipulation to redirect them.]

Clark touched Nathan's forehead, focusing deeply. "Nathan, you will go to the police, confess your crimes, and declare that Desirée was the mastermind behind the thefts. You will forget about me completely."

Nathan's mind was enveloped by a soft glow, and his chaotic thoughts began to align. Clark stepped back, observing the effects of the mind control. He exhaled deeply, satisfied with the outcome.

Clark walked a few steps back, deactivating the Speed Force. Time resumed with a sudden snap. The sound of the bathroom fan returned, and Nathan stumbled, clutching the sink as if he had just awakened from a nightmare.

"I... I need to go," Nathan muttered, confused but driven by an uncontrollable impulse. He rushed out of the bathroom, his mind already dominated by Clark's command.

Clark sighed, looking at the mirror before adjusting his posture. "Another problem solved." He opened the bathroom door and walked out calmly, ready to resume his school routine as if nothing had happened.

---

Motel

The dim light of the bedside lamp illuminated the cramped room where Desirée sat at the edge of the bed, a malicious smile curling her lips. The emerald necklace Nathan had brought still hung around her neck, a reminder of what she had lost and what she planned to regain.

"If everything went as expected, Nathan should have given that stupid boy a good lesson by now," she said softly, crossing her legs as she looked at the cracked mirror in front of her. "And Diana... she'll feel every bit of the pain I felt."

'Lex... you thought you could discard me so easily, but you were wrong. Once Nathan finishes his job here, he'll be perfect for helping me get to you.'

She laughed to herself, running her fingers over the necklace as if it were a trophy. "Even without my powers, men like Nathan are easy to manipulate. A little charm, and they do what I want without even realizing it."

'Diana, Lex... all of you will learn that no one discards Desirée Atkins and gets away with it. I just need more time. Nathan is just the beginning.'

She stood from the bed, her eyes shining with a mix of rage and determination as she walked to the window. Outside, the night was beginning to fall, covering Smallville in a darkness that seemed to reflect her own thoughts.

"Diana thinks she can humiliate me and get away with it," she murmured, clutching the necklace tightly. "But she has no idea who she's dealing with. This is just the beginning, darling. Just the beginning."

She stepped away from the window with a confident smile, her mind already plotting the next steps of her plan. "And when the time comes, they'll all bow... even if it's the last thing they do."

---

Smallville's Sheriff Station

The muffled sound of the wall clock echoed through the interrogation room as Sheriff Ethan Miller studied the man sitting across from him. Nathan looked visibly worn out, his head bowed as he nervously fidgeted with his hands. The sheriff glanced one last time at his notes before crossing his arms and leaning over the table.

"So, Nathan," Ethan began in a firm but controlled tone, "you're saying you're responsible for a series of thefts in Metropolis?"

"Yes," Nathan replied, raising his head just enough to meet the sheriff's gaze. "It was me... but I didn't do it alone. I was manipulated by Desirée Atkins."

The sheriff raised an eyebrow, his forehead creasing. "Desirée Atkins? The same woman involved in recent trouble at the Talon?"

Nathan nodded, his face twisting into something resembling regret. "She convinced me to do it. Said it was our chance to start over, that no one would care. I just wanted to help her."

Ethan pulled out a chair and sat down, his gaze fixed on Nathan. "Why confess now? What changed?"

Nathan swallowed hard, averting his eyes for a moment. "She's at the motel, room seven. The jewels are there, in a black bag. She thinks I'm coming back with more, but... I can't keep doing this."

"If you're being honest," the sheriff said, his tone sharp, "I need to know: what were her plans after this?"

Nathan hesitated before answering, as if carefully choosing his words. "She wants to use the jewels to fund some sort of revenge against Diana and a man named Lex. I don't know all the details, but she's obsessed. I just wanted out."

Ethan leaned forward, narrowing his eyes. "You understand that confessing doesn't absolve you of your crimes, right? Are you prepared to face the consequences?"

"I am," Nathan said with a heavy sigh. "I just want to make things right. Desirée can't keep hurting people."

The sheriff stood up from his chair, walking to the door and gesturing to a nearby officer. "Prepare a team. We're heading to the motel now. And you," he said, looking at Nathan, "be better than this. Regret is just the first step."

"Thank you," Nathan murmured, closing his eyes as the sheriff left, leaving him alone in the interrogation room.

---

Motel - Room 7

The sudden knock on Desirée's door interrupted her contemplation. She stood up, her heels echoing on the wooden floor as she walked to the door.

KNOCK KNOCK!

"Need something, Nathan?" she asked without fully opening the door. Instead, she came face to face with Sheriff Miller and two armed officers.

"Ms. Atkins," Ethan said in a firm voice, "you're under arrest for involvement in a series of thefts and conspiracy to commit crimes in Smallville and Metropolis. Open the door now."

Desirée tried to maintain her composure, but her face betrayed her surprise and anger. "This is a mistake! Who would dare accuse me of this?"

"Your accomplice, Nathan Dean," the sheriff replied, gesturing to the officers. "We know about the jewels in the black bag and your plans. Don't make this harder."

"That traitor," Desirée muttered, her expression hardening as she slowly opened the door. "Let's see if you can prove anything."

"Take her," Ethan ordered as the officers handcuffed Desirée and began searching the room. He watched as one of the officers pulled the black bag from under the bed, opening it to reveal a sparkle of stolen jewels.

"Well, Ms. Atkins," the sheriff said, holding up the bag, "this looks pretty incriminating to me."

Desirée shot a hateful glare at Ethan before being escorted to the patrol car. "This isn't over," she muttered. "You'll all pay for this."

The sheriff didn't reply, simply watching as she was taken to the car. He knew he had done the right thing, but he also knew a woman like Desirée wouldn't give up so easily.

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