Title: Icons – Decoy, Deceive, Deception
Author: Hélio Rei
Spoilers: Smallville, Comics, Superman, Heroes etc.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: The world of Smallville meets the world of Heroes: Crossover.

Author's Notes: This is based on the first six seasons of Smallville and the first season of Heroes. However, I'm pleading for your suspension of belief in some aspects of this fanfic because it's very hard to combine the two universes.

Prologue #1

"You have unread messages." – He read out loud, looking for the one message he had been waiting for days in his email.

He clicked on the unread message he desperately wanted to read.

"I have something for you."

The message was too vague for him but at least it was a reply: better than nothing. Immediately he sent a response, wanting something more.

"I got your message. What do you have for me?"

The message was sent and patiently he waited: it was the only clue he had to find the path to solve the enigma surrounding a disappearance of a close friend, Chloe Sullivan.

Months ago, his life has turned upside down when he heard from Lionel, Lana had died; his mother was going to Washington D.C leaving him all alone in Smallville, taking care of the farm and the last phantom escaped from Reeve's dam, having his D.N.A and flying away and its whereabouts was unknown.

The phantom was probably his biggest headache: Although he was about to go after the phantom, he heard Lois's screams for help, coming from the dam and he went to her only to find a shocking scene his eyes were witnessing: Chloe lifeless in Lois's arms.

He couldn't lose two friends in the same day: without Lois realizing, he picked Chloe and headed to the Smallville Medical Center where the doctors confirmed what he felt and heard from Chloe's body; her cold body, her breathing absence and the lack of heart beat.

Lois met Clark later at the Smallville Medical Centre; her grief overcame her suspicion about Clark and cried on his shoulder, moaning for her loss, for their loss but something miraculous happened: somehow, Chloe resurrected. It wasn't the first time someone had resurrected from the dead: Clark Kent was the first one to cross that boundary and then Chloe followed his footsteps.

Firstly the cry was for the loss, for sorrow but then when they saw her alive again, the cry was for joy, happiness: all the questions about her resurrection would have to wait. Right then, they're happy to have their friend back.

However he should have known the happiness in his life was always brief. Even with Chloe resurrected, he still had to search for the phantom while he had to prove Lex was behind Lana's assassination and end Level 33.1 projects.

Lex had become one of his grips: if somehow the evidence was pointing Lex to be the main suspect, Lex's team of lawyers were effective to deny the evidence and pointing out it was a set up made by Lex's father, Lionel Luthor, in an attempt to regain LuthorCorp.

Lionel was in trouble but Lana's death deserved justice: Lex had to pay for his crime. However he had to search for a phantom, a replica of him but as the phantom pointed it out himself, just a little more bizarre: it escaped from him, flying away into unknown place.

His world was falling apart and become shattered when he heard from Lois, when she called him, telling the shocking news.

"Chloe's gone!"

"What do you mean by "Chloe's gone"?"

She tried to control herself but it was too difficult for her. – "She's disappeared from the hospital and I can't find her anywhere: I've called the Daily Planet, Uncle Gabe and I've been to the Talon…"

He knew about Chloe's power: if somehow Lois believed it was a miracle her cousin was alive, Clark knew Chloe's secret and he suspected her resurrection had something to do with her power. Clark and Chloe never had the possibility to discuss it openly but he thought they would have time for it but unfortunately time ran out for Chloe: she had disappeared.

Lex, the Phantom, Lana and Chloe: All problems and no solution.

A beep coming from his laptop pulled him away from such thoughts and pushed him to reality and he filed those thoughts for later: a new incoming message from the person he wanted to meet, a person from he could get answers, to get evidence against Lex and close once and for all Level 33.1.

"I have the answers you're looking for. Meet me at this place in two days at 14.00, local time: 40º 46' 25.97" N ; 73º 57' 51.23'' W . Bring a white rose." - After a search on Google Earth, he managed to find the place: New York's 5th Avenue.

The two day wait felt like an eternity but he had no option but to wait: the two days passed and in a flash, he speeded to New York to the 5th avenue and in a matter of minutes, he arrived at the location and patiently he waited.

Then he heard a public phone booth ringing next to him when no one was using it: hesitantly, he walked to the phone booth and picked the call.

"Hello?"

". I see you're on time. Good. As a safety measure, our meeting will be elsewhere: On the top of the phone booth you're using, there is a small map containing instructions which you must follow precisely. You have 10 minutes to get to end of the destination; otherwise I'll be gone by then."

The change of plans was too sudden for Clark. – "What's going on?"

"Clock is ticking Mr. Kent." – The connection was lost: Clark became apprehensive but he didn't have a choice but to follow the new indication. He looked to the top of the phone booth and he found a small paper which had the directions he had to take in order to meet the mysterious man. He looked carefully at the paper and ran at normal speed following the directions: as he ran, he noticed going to streets with less people, looking everywhere to see if he was being followed and after a few minutes, he arrived at the location the directions pointed out.

A big and old building on an empty street and he entered in it, going to the top floor: there was only one door and before he entered, he x-rayed the entire floor. There were a few objects with led scattered around the floor and one person armed with a gun on the entire floor.

Cautiously, he entered. – "Hello?" – He looked around playing the ordinary person card, looking around to see if there was anyone out there. – "Hello?"

A shadow came out of the darkness of one of the rooms. – "Mr. Kent?"

Clark turned around and saw a man: a man in his mid forties, wearing horn rimmed glasses, suit, almost as tall as he was.

"Another minute and you wouldn't find me here, Mr. Kent."

"You have a name, I presume." – Looking at the man, he didn't give any feel of security to Clark: the last minute changes didn't offer him any sort of confidence but he knew he had to cross dangerous territory if he wanted to find Chloe.

"Bennet, my name is Bennet."

"Mr. Bennet, in your email, you claimed to have information about LuthorCorp and level 33.1. What can you tell me?"

Bennet came forward and sat in a table from where he opened a drawer and pulled a file and handled it to Clark. – "Here, Take a look."

Clark took the file and took a brief look and essentially it had everything he wanted to bring Lex Luthor down and his level 33.1 but he was curious about how that man had so much information about it and how he got it. – "How did you get this?"

"It's simple: I work there." – Bennet's reply was point-blank and Clark became more suspicious.

"What's your job there?"

"To find people with abilities and you Mr. Kent, are one of them."- From the drawer, Bennet opened a small box and tossed against a stone.

When Clark was hit by the stone, he felt an excruciating pain but he knew too well that kind of pain, the pain from Kryptonite: the strength abandoned him and he fell, lay down on the ground in pain. He saw Bennet coming close to him.

"Oh yes, Mr. Kent, I know what you can do, your strength and your weakness." – Bennet got up and dialed the cell phone he had.

"Mr. Luthor, we have the package."

To be continued…