Original Air Date on September 29th, 2004

Clark and Lois walk up a grassy hill overlooking a field of cornstalks. Day. The sky is filled with light gray clouds.

Clark: I know you find it hard to believe, but trust me. Chloe's not buried in that grave.

Lois: How do you know that? Look, I want her back more than anyone, but don't you think your hunch is a rung on the whole grief ladder?

Clark: None of this would've happened if I had been there.

Lois: Okay, Commando, I don't get you. Half the time, you're all meek "Yes, Ma" and "Yes, Pa", and the other half, you are the most overconfident guy I've ever met.

Clark: It doesn't happen to you much, does it? Not being able to peg someone right away?

Lois: Oh, get over yourself. You are not that complicated.

Clark and Lois get to the top of the hill and find an area surrounded by yellow police tape. In the center of the site is a large pile of burnt rubble including a burnt car. There are a few wooden beams still standing haphazardly.

Lois: [Quiet, shocked.] This is Chloe's safe house?

Clark: You mean what's left of it.

They stop walking and stare at the mess in awe.

Lois: Oh, my God, Chloe. What did they do to you?

Clark lifts up the police tape to enter the site, and Lois follows. They walk slowly through the rubble of the house.

Lois: What exactly do you expect to find here?

Clark: I don't know, but the FBI sealed the case, even the autopsy reports. Doesn't that sound a little odd?

Lois looks around at the wreckage becoming more and more uneasy.

Lois: Remind me if I'm ever a witness not to put my life in the hands of the FBI.

Clark: Well, maybe she got out before the expl*si*n.

Lois: They said she walked inside, Clark. I don't know how anyone could survive this. Look, you may be in denial thinking Chloe's alive, but I'm gonna find out who did this to her.

Thunder rumbles softly in the distance.

Lois: Let's get out of here, Clark. This place gives me the creeps.

Clark and Lois hear another rumbling that isn't thunder. Suddenly, a black helicopter flies into view from behind a nearby cluster of trees, so close that its propeller sends a sharp wind at Clark and Lois. Surprised, they both look up at it. The helicopter comes to a stop in the air and two men dressed in black combat suits jump out of either side of the helicopter and lower themselves to the ground, suspended by cables. They both wear helmets and have large g*n strapped to their backs.

Clark: [To Lois.] Run!

Lois dashes out of the safe house and toward the hill that she and Clark just ascended. The two men land on the ground and disconnect their wires, and the helicopter flies after Lois.

One of the men jumps into the safe house holding his g*n pointed at Clark. Clark knocks the g*n out of the man's hand with his forearm and throws the man across the site. The man flies high into the air and lands on top of the burnt car, unconscious.

Lois continues to run down the grassy hill, but the helicopter is gaining on her. There is another man in black hanging out of the door of the helicopter. They fly so low that Lois finally has to duck and roll to avoid being h*t. She comes out of her somersault and gets to her feet as the helicopter keeps flying beyond her toward the cornfield where it starts to turn around.

Seeing everything that is going on, Clark runs toward Lois on the hill but is stopped by the other man in black. He attempts to f*re his g*n at Clark, which fires bolts of electricity rather than b*ll*ts, but Clark catches the g*n and pushes the man backwards where he crashes into a standing woodwork frame.

Lois has made it to the cornfield and is running down one of the narrow aisles. The helicopter follows her. She comes to a stop and watches as the helicopter keeps flying, then changes direction, running sideways through the field and pushing her way through narrow gaps between cornstalks.

She gets to a dirt road to the side of the cornfield only to find that the helicopter is already there waiting for her only several feet above the ground. The man holding onto the door jumps to the ground and rushes toward Lois. Clark super speeds to the edge of the hill to see what is happening. He watches the man in black accosting Lois. The man tries to h*t Lois in the face, but she blocks his arm and chops the man in the face instead. Clark sends several bolts of heat vision at the helicopter causing it to lose its s*ab. Lois continues to fight with the man, eventually throwing him to the ground with the skill and agility of a trained professional.

The man gets back to his feet as the helicopter sinks to the ground, skidding along the dirt road. Lois kicks the man on the top of his helmet and he falls onto his back unconscious. Clark super speeds onto the dirt road behind Lois.

Clark: Lois!

Lois turns around, smiling slightly.

Lois: Well, don't just stand there. Come on.

Lois runs toward Clark and grabs his arm, forcing him to run with her away from the helicopter.

From the helicopter steps a general, SAM, dressed in fatigues and sunglasses with an unlit cigar hanging from his mouth. He rips off his sunglasses angrily as he watches Lois and Clark running away. Another man in black runs up to Sam. They have to shout to be heard over the propeller.

Man: We lost them, sir!

Sam: [Taking the cigar out of his mouth.] Find them!

Man: Yes, sir!

Sam puts the cigar back in his mouth as the man in black runs away.

[Opening credits]

The Kent bathroom. Day. We see Clark's silhouette through the shower curtain as he washes himself. Lois enters the room. She is wearing one of Clark's flannel shirts and has slightly damp hair. A towel hangs over her shoulder, and she stands in front of the mirror as she continues to dry her hair.

Lois: Nothing like a little North by Northwest action to get the blood pumping, huh?

Clark jumps at the sound of Lois's voice, shocked that she is in the room while he is showering. He pulls the shower curtain open just enough to peek out and sees Lois wearing nothing but a shirt. He closes the curtain.

Clark: [Embarrassed.] Um... we usually take turns in the bathroom.

Lois: Oh, don't start with me, Smallville. You're the one taking the marathon shower. [Pulling a brush through her hair.] Besides, my delicate feminine sensibilities weren't offended the first time I got a glimpse of, uh, Clark Junior.

Clark: My parents kind of missed the whole Woodstock phase. [Clark turns off the water.] Besides, they freaked out the last time they caught me in a co-ed situation.

Clark peeks out from the behind the curtain again to make sure that Lois isn't watching him. Then he reaches out and yanks a towel off the rack.

Lois: [Intrigued.] Last time? So the eagle scout does have a few secrets in the closet.

Clark drapes the towel around his waist and comes out of the shower.

Clark: Just forget it, all right? [Noticing the flannel shirt.] That's my shirt.

Lois: It's the only thing I could find that was clean.

Irritated, Clark starts to step past Lois to the door and she stands in his way.

Lois: Hey, let's keep this morning's game of chopper tag a secret, okay?

Clark: Right. [Sarcastic.] Because I'm the one who can't keep my mouth shut.

Clark opens the door to leave the room and finds Martha standing in the hallway with an arm full of clean towels. Martha doesn't see Lois who is now behind the door.

Clark: Mom.

Clark jerks the door closed to his shoulder, making sure Lois is out of sight.

Martha: [Brightly.] Hi.

Clark: You're home.

Martha nods, smiling. Lois steps behind Clark and stands on her tiptoes to see Martha over Clark's shoulder.

Lois: [With a big smile.] Hi, Mrs. Kent.

Martha's jaw drops as she looks from Lois to Clark. Lois continues to smile as Clark stares at Martha awkwardly. He is at a complete loss for words.

A sh*t of the base of the Eiffel Tower. Day. Inside her apartment, Lana is looking through some pictures on her laptop computer. She is wearing a shirt that ties in the back, revealing much of her bare skin including the symbol tattooed onto her lower back. There are several pictures taken in Smallville on her computer screen. She clicks on a picture of Clark and it zooms forward, filling the screen.

In the picture, Clark is standing in front of a stone wall in the Kawatche caves. Upon closer inspection, Lana sees a symbol painted onto the wall behind Clark. It is the same symbol that is now on her back. She stands up and goes to a mirror, looking at her lower back with growing worry.

Outside sh*t of the Kent farmhouse. Day. Inside, Clark and Lois stand side by side in the kitchen facing Jonathan and Martha who are also standing side by side. Clark is fully dressed. Lois is still wearing Clark's flannel shirt and a pair of jeans. Martha and Jonathan are staring at Clark and Lois disapprovingly.

Lois: I don't understand what the big deal is here. We just took a shower.

Clark: [Emphasizing the plural.] Showers. We took separate showers.

Martha: [Skeptical.] At noon?

Lois: [Prepared to lie.] We were just ...

Clark: [Blurting out the truth.] We went to Chloe's safe house.

Lois sh**t an annoyed look at Clark.

Clark: These guys showed up and chased us into a field, and there was all this dirt.

Jonathan: [Stepping forward, reproaching.] Clark, that is a federal crime scene. And the last thing that we want is for you two kids to get involved with the FBI.

Lois: Whoever it was, we don't need to worry 'cause their chopper is face first in the middle of the field.

Clark closes his eyes exasperatedly, now annoyed at Lois for blurting out the truth. Jonathan and Martha look at each other seriously.

Lois: Your non-verbals are k*lling me, and this seems like it's a family matter, so... I'm just gonna get out of the way.

Lois picks up her bag and walks toward the stairs, whispering to Clark as she passes.

Lois: Way to go.

Clark gives Lois an irritated look, wanting to argue but staying silent as she jogs up the stairs. Jonathan steps even closer to Clark.

Jonathan: [Quiet and stern.] Please tell me that you did not crash that helicopter.

Clark looks at Jonathan guiltily.

Outside sh*t of the U.S. Penitentiary. Day. Inside, Lionel is in his cage standing in front of a full length mirror wearing a half-finished suit. A tailor is in the cage with him, taking measurements and marking the suit with a piece of chalk. Lex enters the room behind Lionel. We see both of them in the mirror.

Lex: Waste of a new suit, isn't it, Dad?

Lionel: Well, I don't think so, son. Even if Miss Sullivan were alive and testified against me, you and I both know the jury would still find me not guilty. [He turns around to face Lex.] But I am sorry, Lex.

Lex: Sorry that you k*lled a bright young woman just because she stood in your way?

Lionel: My apology concerns you and me. I'm sorry that you couldn't foresee the consequences of your actions when you betrayed me.

Lex: [Raising his voice slightly.] You can save the thr*at, Dad. I'm not as easy a target as you seem to think.

Lionel walks away from the tailor and toward Lex.

Lionel: All those tests, all those trials have made you strong. But this time it's different.

Lionel is standing so close to the cage that his face almost touches the bars. His voice is quiet and full of menace.

Lionel: You'll never know when it will happen, but it will happen. Each swallow of wine you take, every key you turn, every... friend you make. You'll never have another moment's peace.

Lex is silent. His lips twitch slightly with nervousness, but he walks closer to the cage, refusing to back down. Lionel turns away from him and goes back to the mirror, smiling pleasantly at the tailor. Lex stands their and watches him.

Lex pours a goblet of red wine in his study. Day. He holds it up and looks at it as if hearing Lionel's words in his head. Someone enters the study behind him and he turns around seeing that it's Lana. He puts down his glass and Lana walks toward him with a smile.

Lex: You look great.

Lana: [With a smile.] Thank you.

They hug.

Lex: Hey.

Lana: Hey.

Lex: So from your message, I didn't quite get if this is a stopover or if you're back for good.

Lana: For a while. I guess Paris just wasn't for me.

Lex: Yeah. [He walks toward the sofa. His tone is teasing.] Museums, late night jazz clubs, walks along the Seine. I see how that can all get boring.

Lana follows Lex to the sofa where they sit next to each other.

Lana: Let's just say that I felt as though something was calling me home.

Lex: A little cryptic, but I'll take it. Well, you picked a good day for homecoming. You know, Clark just resurfaced, too. Interesting timing.

Lana: [Dismissive.] Funny, I don't remember asking about Clark. [Changing the subject.] Actually, uh, I came by because I saw the Talon was boarded up. I thought you would've sold it by now.

Lex: Yeah, well, I had a little trouble letting it go. [Lana squints at Lex inquisitively.] Why, are you in the market for a partner?

Lana: [She smiles.] No. Um... no. I want to rent the apartment.

Lex nods, smiling in return.

Outside sh*t of the Kent farm. Day. Inside, Clark is sleeping on the couch in the living room. He lies on his stomach with no shirt on, covered by a blue blanket. His face is buried in the pillow.

Dressed in her own clothes, Lois creeps down the front stairs and glances in the living room at Clark. He stirs slightly but doesn't wake up. Lois then exits through the front door closing it gently behind her. Clark stirs a second time and again stays asleep.

Cut to Chloe's tombstone. We hear Lois breathing heavily and we see that she is digging up the grave. She is already waist deep in the earth. She stops digging and looks around, revealing that her face is sweaty and covered with dirt. Then she turns back to the tombstone and plants the shovel in the dirt next to her with determination.

Lois: I hope that Clark is right. Otherwise, this is gonna get really ugly, Chlo.

Lois toss the shovel to the side of the grave, then takes a deep breath, motivating herself.

Lois: Okay.

She kneels down in the grave and brushes the remaining dirt off of the top half of Chloe's coffin. Once the lid of the coffin is in view, she hesitates. Then she closes her eyes and pulls the coffin open slowly. When it is open, Lois slowly opens her eyes and is visibly startled.

The coffin is empty.

Lois: [Smiling.] He was right.

Lois closes the coffin and stands up. A young man, TRENT, stands next to a tree several meters behind Lois.

Trent: Where's Chloe Sullivan?

Lois: [Turning around.] Who the hell are you?

Trent: [thr*at.] You'd better tell me where she is.

Trent walks toward Lois. His head is shaved almost down to the skin. He wears a black shirt and black pants and a brown trench coat. Lois jumps out of the grave and reaches into her bag, pulling out a can of pepper spray. She hides it behind her back as she walks toward Trent.

Lois: What? The posse couldn't get to me the first time, so the boss sent you? You can both kiss my ass.

Lois and Trent are now standing face to face. Trent holds his right hand behind his back and it turns silver, morphing into a large metal blade. Then he brings his arm forward, swinging the blade at Lois. She tries to spray Trent in the eyes, but he knocks her to the ground, causing her to lose her grip on the pepper spray which lands next to her shovel.

Trent swings at Lois again and she backs away. Trent's blade connects with a nearby tombstone, breaking off a large chunk.

Somebody picks up the shovel and pepper spray, though we can't see who it is.

Trent leans over Lois and pulls his arm back, preparing to run her through with the blade, when he is suddenly bashed on the back of the head by the shovel. He turns around and sees Lana who sh**t the pepper spray into his eyes.

Trent: Aah!

Trent grabs his eyes and falls to the ground. Lana drops the shovel and goes to Lois, helping her to her feet.

Lana: Are you okay?

They both look toward where Trent was lying. He is gone.

Lois: Where the hell did he go? Medieval psychopath.

Lana: [Seeing Chloe's grave.] I guess you'd have to be in order to dig up a grave in the middle of the day.

Lois: Actually, that was me. [Lana looks at Lois strangely.] It's my cousin's grave. [Offers her hand.] Lois Lane.

Lana shakes her hand.

Lana: Lana Lang.

Clark is in front of the farmhouse working on the tractor. Day. Lana's car drives up the road and stops outside the Kent yard. Clark puts down his wrench and walks toward the car, smiling cautiously as Lana steps out of the car. She looks less than thrilled to be there.

Clark: Lana. You're back.

Lana: [Awkwardly.] Hi. Hi, Clark.

Clark is surprised as Lois steps out of the passenger seat.

Clark: Lois. How did you two ...

Lana: We just met. I, uh, stopped by the cemetery to pay my respects to Chloe.

Lois: [To Lana.] I think you're forgetting about the part where you saved my life. [To Clark.] Some Ginsu boy came after us at Chloe's grave.

Lana: Look, Clark, if you really think that Chloe's alive, I want to help find her.

Clark: Uh, Lana... Look, I don't want to get your hopes up, but we don't know anything for sure.

Lana: Okay.

Clark: You're back from Paris. You must've found what you were looking for.

Lois: [Cutting in.] I'll say! Who wouldn't want a hot summer fling in the most romantic city on Earth?

Lana glances at Lois then at Clark, embarrassed. Clark looks at Lana questioningly.

Lana: [To Clark.] I was going to tell you.

Clark: [Hurt.] It's okay.

Lois looks at them both, catching on.

Lois: Really? You two?

Clark: We never...

Lana: Not really.

Clark: ...had a thing.

Lana: It's complicated.

Lois: [She has heard enough.] A complicated thing. Never mind.

Lana and Clark share another long look.

Lana: Well, um, I'm gonna go.

Lana laughs uncomfortably and walks back to her car.

Lois: The awkward tension's just getting started.

Clark doesn't respond. Lois looks back at Lana.

Lois: I really crashed and b*rned on that one.

Clark: Must be a daily ritual for you.

Lois: Only when I'm barreling into a train wreck.

Lois glances back at Lana as she drives away, then walks toward the house. Clark stays where he is.

Outside sh*t of Clark's loft. Night. The moon is a sliver in the starry sky. Inside, Lois follows Clark up the stairs to the upper level.

Lois: Listen, I really think we're onto something here. I did my research, and it turns out LuthorCorp paid for Chloe's funeral. Why would they do that? It doesn't make any sense.

Clark doesn't respond. They continue to climb the stairs.

Lois: I guess the real question to ask would be, why would somebody bury an empty casket for nothing? Right, Clark?

They get to the top of the stairs, and Clark remains silent, lost in his own thoughts.

Lois: Clark?

Clark turns to Lois, looking at her blankly.

Lois: Wow, she didn't take any prisoners, did she? [Clark doesn't understand.] Lana? Cute, smart, gutsy... and way too much for you to handle. I can see why you're in love with her.

Clark: Look, you're really not the person I want to talk to about this.

Lois: Suit yourself.

Lois goes to the couch and sits down, pulling her laptop out of her bag and opening it. Clark keeps his back to Lois, eventually realizing that he does in fact want to talk about it.

Clark: It's just... I knew she'd be dating other people.

Lois: But?

Clark: [Turning to look at Lois.] I just don't understand how you could feel like you know someone so completely, like you know everything about them, and then just all of a sudden...

Lois: You don't even know what continent they're on.

Clark: [Frustrated.] Do you always have to finish people's thoughts?

Lois: Well, am I right?

Clark lowers his eyes, revealing that Lois is right. Before they can say anymore, a whirring of a helicopter is heard outside the loft. A blinding searchlight shines in through the window and the wind from the propeller sends debris flying into the loft. Clark runs to the window to see what is going on.

Lois: [Grabbing Clark's arm.] Come on! We gotta go!

They run to the stairs, but just as they get there, Sam the general is walking up the stairs toward them. He stares at Clark coldly. Then he turns his eyes to Lois.

Lois: [Unafraid.] Hi, Daddy.

Clark jerks his head to Lois, surprised. Lois smiles at him.

Fade to black.

Sam and Lois walk out of the loft. Night. Sam is still holding his unlit cigar.

Sam: I thought we had an understanding. You were to stay away from that crime scene.

Lois: And you were supposed to be at the Pentagon.

Sam: Ha. They sent me out to Fort Ryan to oversee some maneuvers.

Lois: To keep an eye on me. Is that it, Boss?

Sam: [He stops walking.] Drop it, Lo.

Lois: Why? I'm obviously onto something here. You wouldn't be calling out the birds if I was late for dinner.

Lois walks toward the house, and Sam follows her.

Cut to Martha setting the dining room table for dinner as Jonathan takes a tray out of the oven. Clark stands next to Martha.

Clark: [Disbelievingly.] You didn't seriously invite him to dinner.

Jonathan: Clark, Mr. Lane is a three-star general. I think he deserves a little respect.

Clark: [Trying to fight it.] Mom. Mom...

Sam and Lois enter the kitchen.

Sam: [Friendly.] This is some place you got here Mr. and Mrs. Kent. And again I'd like to thank you for keeping an eye on my little Lo.

Martha smiles. Sam addresses Jonathan, holding up a cigar.

Sam: Can I offer you a Chavelo? Hand rolled with some of the finest tobacco in the U.S. of A.

Jonathan reaches out to take the cigar, then stops himself.

Jonathan: No, I, uh... My heart isn't exactly what it used to be.

Sam: [To Martha.] I'm gonna have to take a rain check on your hospitality, Mrs. Kent.

Martha: You're welcome any time. [She shakes Sam's hand.]

Sam: Thank you. [To Lois.] Let's double-time it, Lo.

Lois walks to Clark and gives him a hug goodbye. He seems confused by the warm gesture. She whispers into his ear.

Lois: This is about Chloe. Clark, find the connection to LuthorCorp.

Lois steps away from Clark and smiles at him inconspicuously. She exits.

Sam: Good night now.

Jonathan: Good night.

Sam leaves. Jonathan looks at Clark who is still startled by Lois's words.

Lex is in his study with a man, Agent Stocker. Day. There is a screen set up on which they are watching a projection of a computer simulation of the door being pulled off of Lex's private jet in midair.

Stocker: I was assigned to the accident in Jakarta and the shuttle disaster.

Lex: Impressive.

Lex walks toward the screen and gestures to the door of the plane.

Lex: Then maybe you could help explain to me how a door rips off a jet at 20,000 feet.

Stocker: We found no traces of expl*sive residue. Now, all evidence suggests that the door was extricated from outside the aircraft... by manual force.

Lex: [Doubtful.] I'm sorry, are you trying to tell me someone did this from outside my plane?

They hear the door open and Clark steps into the room. Lex is surprised to see him.

Lex: Agent Stocker, will you excuse us?

Using the remote control in his hand, Lex turns off the projection of the airplane as Agent Stocker leaves the room. Clark remains near the door, staring at Lex.

Lex: Does this mean you're talking to me again?

Clark: [Cold.] Only because I don't have a choice.

Lex: Relegated from friend to last resort. [Sad.] I guess I'll have to accept it if it's my only chance to prove myself.

Clark: Good. 'Cause I want you to help me find Chloe.

Lex: Look, I'd like to set things straight between us, Clark, but don't you think raising someone from the grave is setting the bar a little high?

Clark: Lex, Chloe's not in her grave.

Lex looks away. Clark walks toward him slowly.

Clark: She was the linchpin in your father's trial. You would've had investigators crawling all over that area. What'd they find?

Lex: I pulled some strings and asked the FBI not to release all the morbid details. The fact is, that expl*si*n took out an entire acre, and the reason Chloe's casket is empty is... It's because there wasn't anything left.

Clark lowers his eyes, shocked. His gaze wanders toward Lex's desk. He sees the butt of a Chavelo cigar stubbed out in an ash tray. Clark looks back to Lex, a new idea forming in his mind. Lex doesn't appear to notice the change.

Lex: I'm sorry, Clark.

Without responding, Clark turns around and leaves.

From above, we see Lionel in the prison showers standing under the steaming flow of water. Day. The sh*t comes down as Lionel scrubs himself and lets the water fall down over his face, clearly enjoying himself. He glances to the side of the room where a guard is standing by, waiting for him.

Lionel grabs a bar of soap and begins to rub it through his hair and over his body. He looks again in the direction of the guard, but the guard is now gone. Lionel looks around, confused, but sees no one.

Then another prisoner comes up behind Lionel and grabs him around the neck with one arm. The man is younger than Lionel. He has a shaved head and a very muscular body with several tattoos on his arms. He wears a white towel around his waist. Lionel's mouth flies open in surprise when the man grabs him.

The man says something inaudible into Lionel's ear, then with his left hand, holds a Kn*fe to Lionel's ribs and s*ab him. Lionel flinches, then stumbles to the ground slowly as the man takes his Kn*fe and runs away. Lionel's mouth is still a perfect O, and he touches the side of his torso gently, feeling the blood dripping from his wound. He remains on the ground, gasping.

Outside sh*t of a military base. Day. Inside, we see the top of a desk in an office. Sitting on the desk is a box of Chavelo cigars. Next to the box is a file folder. Somebody opens the folder and looks through the papers inside, but we can't see who. The name plate on the desk says "Gen. Sam Lane". Next to the name plate is a picture of Sam, his wife, and Lois as a little girl.

We see that the person in Sam's office is Lois. She opens a file cabinet and continues to snoop. When she doesn't find anything of use there, she goes to a bookshelf and pulls out a large log book, thumbing through the pages. The door to the office opens behind her, bathing her in light from the outlying hallway, and she turns around, startled.

Clark enters and closes the door behind him.

Clark: Considering your father has a yard full of t*nk out there, I don't think you should be in his office rifling through his files.

Lois: That didn't seem to slow you down any. I gotta say I'm impressed, Smallville, that you could sneak on a military base undetected. What are you doing here?

Clark: I'm looking for you. I think your father's working with Lex Luthor. I saw one of his cigars in his library.

Lois: I knew it. You're right. What do you know? My dad and the king of the trust fund kids.

Lois goes back to Sam's desk and sets down the log book to keep looking through it.

Clark: They're trying to cover up something to do with Chloe, and if he finds us here ...

Lois: I can handle him, Clark. Besides, if you think that chopper recital was something, you should've seen the escort I had for prom.

Clark: Wow, and I thought my father was overprotective.

Lois: [Grinning slightly.] I guess when he lost my mom, he kind of cracked, and... ever since, he's been scared of losing me too.

Clark lowers his eyes apologetically and sees the picture on Sam's desk.

Lois: [Amused by Clark's sympathy.] I can actually talk about it. She died when I was six.

Clark: [Pause.] I'm sorry.

Lois: Don't be. Unless you're the one that got her hooked on cigarettes behind the gym during high school.

Lois picks up another log book and hands it to Clark.

Lois: Make yourself useful.

She takes another book for herself and begins to flip through its pages. Clark skims through his book. There is a list of names and Clark stops at one that catches his eye.

Clark: Nellie Blye?

Lois: I know. Can you believe after 15 years, my dad is finally getting some action? I'm kind of happy for the old geezer.

Clark: She died nearly 80 years ago.

Lois: [Looking in Sam's day planner.] But it says in his calendar that he's been taking R & R with her at least once a week.

Clark: She was one of the first undercover female reporters. She was Chloe's hero.

Lois is stunned. She sits down at the desk to continue looking at the planner.

Lois: It says here that she is at... 2348 Walnut Street.

We hear a burst of air, and when Lois looks up from the planner, Clark is gone.

Lois: Clark?

Cut to Clark super speeding down the street. He gets to an old country house and finds the front door partially open. He steps inside and hears pop music playing on the radio. Right inside the door is a desk with an open laptop computer sitting on it. As Clark enters, he sees the back door at the end of the hallway, bouncing on its hinges as if someone has just left.

Clark looks around and sees a collage of pictures on the wall, very similar to Chloe's Wall of Weird in the Torch office.

Clark: [Yelling.] Chloe?

Clark walks closer to the pictures and studies them. Then he turns to the laptop on the desk. From there, he looks to the ground and sees a smear of blood, and another on the door leading into the next room. Clark rushes to the door and bursts through it, finding two d*ad officers in the room. One is slumped against the wall and the other is hunched over a chair. Clark rushes to the chair to check the man's pulse. Then he looks up at the door he just came through and sees Lex standing there.

They share an intense stare and Lex looks away.

Fade to black.

Outside sh*t of the U.S. Penitentiary. Day. Inside, Lionel lies in a bed in the prison infirmary with bandaging around his midsection. He is shirtless and hooked up to a IV bag. His eyes are closed.

Trent enters the room, and Lionel's eyes open when he speaks.

Trent: You were right, Mr. Luthor. Lex's men led me right to her.

Lionel: It's done? You did what I asked?

Trent: No. I've kind of had a change of heart. I had to k*ll two men. The price is doubled.

Lionel: That was a very foolish decision, Trent. Yes, you have an extraordinary gift. I know that. But wasn't it your pride in that gift that first landed you in Belle Reve?

Trent: [Furious.] Don't think you understand! You don't!

Trent holds a finger to Lionel's face, and the finger morphs into a blade. Lionel pushes Trent's hand away slowly.

Lionel: Believe me, I couldn't begin to imagine what it must have been like for you.

Trent's finger goes back to normal.

Lionel: But, Trent, very few people in your life will ever accept you for the man you are. Why would you turn against the one person who would never, never judge you?

Trent is silent for a moment. Lionel's words are affecting him.

Trent: I don't care.

Lionel: But you do care. It's what you want, Trent... to be normal. Isn't it?

Trent's face scrunches with emotion.

Lionel: And I want to help. But I can't. I won't be free. Not if Chloe Sullivan testifies tomorrow.

Trent looks at Lionel seriously, understanding what Lionel is asking of him. Lionel gives Trent a fatherly smile.

Clark and Lex are in the country house. Day. Clark is standing next to the collage of pictures on the wall as Lex talks angrily on his cellular phone.

Lex: How long does it take to locate her? [Pause.] Well, do it!

He hangs up his phone and turns to Clark.

Lex: Clark, I was trying to protect her.

Clark: You had a tracking bracelet on her wrist. You couldn't have thought she was that safe.

Lex: I tried to take every precaution.

Clark walks to Lex, angry.

Clark: You looked me straight in the eye and told me she was d*ad.

Lex: Look, sometimes you have to do the right thing no matter what the cost.

Clark: Even if that cost is Chloe's life.

Lex: Clark, if it wasn't for me, Chloe would've died in that expl*si*n.

Over the next few lines, we see a flashback of Chloe and her father Gabe walking into the safe house just before the expl*si*n.

Lex: I felt responsible for Chloe, so I had the investigators watching her. They found a detonating device in the safe house. My father had hired someone to make sure Chloe never made it to the witness stand.

In the safe house, two men in black combat suits and helmets jump out and grab Chloe and Gabe. They push Chloe and Gabe into a closet. A trap door in the floor of the closet has been opened revealing a staircase to the underground. Chloe and Gabe are pushed down the stairs.

Lex: The only think I could do was b*at him to it. The house was built on tunnels left from the underground railroad. Seconds after Chloe and her dad entered, we rushed them underneath the house. The expl*si*n was rigged to cave in the tunnel behind them.

Chloe and Gabe cling to each other fearfully as they walk through the narrow and dimly-lit tunnel. The safe house explodes.

Back to the present.

Lex: The cops never found it.

Clark: And Sam Lane?

Lex: I didn't trust the FBI. I needed someone who could engineer the rescue.

Lex gets a message on his PDA. He looks at it.

Lex: She's at the old foundry. Don't worry, Clark, I'll have people over there in minutes.

Lex dials a number on his cell phone and holds it to his ear. Again, we hear a rush of air as Clark leaves the room at super speed.

Lex: [On the phone.] Give me General Lane.

He turns to the front door and sees it partially open. Clark is nowhere to be seen.

Cut to an outside sh*t of the foundry. It is a mass of pipes rising high into the air and emitting white steam and smoke.

Inside, in what seems to be an enormous boiler room, a hook hangs from a long cable. We see the hands of somebody hanging from the hook, tied to it with rope around the wrists. The sh*t lowers, and we see that it is Chloe. She is bleeding from the side of her head and her mouth is covered with electrical tape. She struggles to get free.

Clark super speeds toward the foundry.

Chloe kicks her legs in the air, knocking her feet against a nearby steel beam. She swings back and then forward again and this time, wraps her legs around the beam. Beneath her feet is a button and she kicks the button with her foot. The cable she is suspended from begins to lower slowly until Chloe is finally standing on the ground. She takes her arms down from the hook and rips the tape off of her mouth.

She then starts to make her way through the boiler room, turning around constantly to see if anyone is following her. There is steam rising and sparks flying in several places. She runs through a wall of steam and continues to look around. Suddenly she runs into Trent who wraps one hand around her throat. He grimaces viciously.

Chloe gasps for air as Trent's hand turns into a metal vice. She holds onto the vice, trying to pull it away, but it won't move. Then Trent sees a reflection of Clark standing behind him in the metal. He turns around startled, and Clark grabs him, tossing him into the air. He crashes against two pipes held in place by opposing walls, and knocks both of the pipes to the ground as he falls. Clark strides toward Trent furiously as Trent is standing up. He turns to Clark and morphs his arm into a large blade, swinging it at Clark.

Clark blocks the swing with his own arm and sparks fly from the collision. Trent spins around for his next swing, which Clark blocks with both arms. Trent swings one more time, and Clark crosses his arms to block the impact, then pushes Trent backwards. Clark tries to punch Trent in to the chest, but Trent's whole body becomes a mass of liquid metal and Clark falls right through him, landing behind him on the ground right in front of a vat of red hot liquid metal.

Clark turns over onto his back and sees Trent standing over him, preparing to swing. Suddenly, Trent's body is covered with an electrical current. He turns around to see Lois standing behind him, sh**ting him with an electric ray g*n. Clark sh**t his heat vision at Trent's body until Trent finally explodes into thousands of tiny drops of liquid metal that plop into the steaming vat.

Lois: What the hell was that?

Clark stands up, not responding.

Lois: Chloe always told me this town was weird. I don't know how you ever survived without me.

She grins at Clark who turns away and runs back to Chloe.

Clark: [To Lois.] How'd you get here, anyway?

Lois: [Following him.] What do you mean how did I get here? How did you get here?

Clark: [Calling out.] Chloe?

He finds Chloe unconscious on the ground and kneels down next to her, untying her hands.

Clark: Chloe, are you okay? Chloe?

Chloe's eyes open, and she laughs with happiness and relief when she sees Clark. She sits up and they hug each other tightly.

Clark: Chloe. I was afraid I'd lost you.

Chloe is too overcome with emotion to respond. Clark helps her to her feet as she gasps through tears of joy. She laughs again and touches Clark's shoulders and face as if to make sure he's really there. Then she sees Lois standing behind Clark.

Chloe: [Surprised.] Lois? Lois, what are you doing here? Lois!

They hug.

Lois: Putting the worst two months of my life behind me.

They pull out of the hug to look at each other, and Chloe laughs happily.

Lois: I am so glad I found you.

Clark: "I"?

Clark and Lois share a slightly annoyed glance.

Chloe: If you guys don't mind, I'd really like to get out of here.

Clark: Yeah.

Lois: Yeah.

Clark and Lois stand on either side of Chloe, each putting an arm around her, and they all walk out of the foundry.

Clark: Let's get you out of here, Chloe.

Lois: Before Lionel throws anymore creeps at you.

Chloe: Yeah. Because tomorrow morning in court, I'm gonna kick Lionel Luthor's butt.

Fade to black.

Outside sh*t of the Kent farmhouse. Night. Inside, Jonathan sits at the dining room table looking at the latest issue of The Daily Planet. A headline in huge bold letters says "GUILTY!" There is a picture of Lionel Luthor in handcuffs, and below the picture in smaller print are the words: "Jury Returns Verdict in High Profile Case." Martha stands next to Jonathan, and Clark is also seated at the table eating dinner.

Jonathan: It's good to see that there are some things even Lionel Luthor can't buy his way out of.

Clark: Thanks to Chloe.

Jonathan: [Putting down the newspaper.] Clark, as much as I hate to admit this, Lex had a hand in this too. He did make good on his promise to protect Chloe.

Clark: And look what he got out of it. Control of LuthorCorp.

Jonathan stands and goes into the kitchen and Clark follows.

Clark: Look, I'm sorry, but it's gonna take a lot more than that for me to get to trust him again.

Martha follows them both to the kitchen.

Martha: Ever since he met you, he's been surrounded by things he can't explain. We can't really blame him for trying to find the truth.

Clark puts his dishes in the sink.

Clark: The truth is, he's been lying to me from day one. The legend on the cave wall says I'm destined to have an enemy. All this time, I've been worried about Lionel. But I'm beginning to think that the real thr*at was right in front of me. I think it's Lex.

Lana is in the Kawatche caves. Night. She shines a flashlight along the walls looking at the different paintings. Clark enters behind her with his own flashlight.

Clark: Lana.

Lana turns around, not sure how to explain herself.

Clark: What are you doing down here?

Lana: Probably the same thing you are. [Clark waits for her to go on.] It's peaceful.

Clark: You're two for two. You keep showing up when I least expect to see you.

Lana: I'm not trying to surprise you, Clark.

Clark: I know. It's just when you left, I wasn't sure when I'd see you again.

Lana: It's funny, isn't it. After everything we've been through, I thought it would take us longer to get over it.

Clark: [Not understanding.] Us?

Lana: You and Lois.

Clark: Lois?

Clark realizes what Lana is implying. He tries to deny it.

Clark: She's bossy.

Lana smiles, seeing through Clark's negative words. Clark continues, trying to prove his point.

Clark: She's stuck up, she's rude. I can't stand her.

Lana smiles and nods.

Lana: The best ones always start that way.

Clark looks at Lana, not responding. Lana looks past Clark and sees the symbol she's been looking for on the wall, the one that is on her back.

Lana: Do you believe in destiny?

Lana goes to the wall and shines her flashlight on the symbol.

Clark: I don't want to.

Lana: But you can't escape it, can you? Even if you don't know what it is yet?

Lana is standing with her back to Clark. Her back is now covered so Clark can't see the tattoo.

Clark: Lana, what is it you're not telling me? Does it have something to do with this guy you met?

Lana: No, no. Um, no it doesn't. [She turns to him.] But I'm sorry that you found out the way you did. I should go.

Lana leaves. Clark looks around unhappily, and his eyes land on the painting of Naman and Sageeth.

Outside sh*t of a prison. Night. There is a buzzing within and the door to a cell block opens. Lionel is escorted by a guard into a small antechamber surrounded by bars. He is dressed in an orange jumpsuit and holds a folded blanket in one hand and a couple of books in the other. Lex is standing behind him outside the bars.

Lionel: Well done, Lex. [He turns to Lex.] But wasn't it you who warned me don't wound what you cannot k*ll?

Lex merely smirks in reply. Lionel turns back to the bars in front of him that lead the way to the main cell block.

Lex: Oh, and Dad...

The main gate is opened and Lionel starts to step through. He stops and turns his head slightly, waiting for Lex to speak.

Lex: [With a small smile.] I wouldn't have missed this for the world.

Lionel doesn't look at Lex or respond. He goes through the gate which closes behind him. Along the hallway of the cell block are dozens of dangerous-looking men, also in orange jumpsuits who eye Lionel menacingly. Lex's smile grows.

Outside sh*t of the Talon. Night. Inside the empty building, Lana is at the top of the stairs outside the apartment. She tosses an empty cardboard box over the railing where it lands next to several others. She walks back to the apartment and stops when she hears the door open downstairs. She goes to the railing and looks down with shock.

Jason Teague is looking up at her with a bouquet of flowers.

Jason: [Quietly.] Hi.

Lana is still too stunned to respond.

Jason: I'm freaking you out with the whole Cary Grant moment, aren't I?

Lana laughs breathlessly and comes down the stairs.

Lana: What are you doing here?

Jason: Giving you time.

He hands her the bouquet.

Lana: They're beautiful.

Jason pulls a note out of his pocket and unfolds it.

Jason: I, uh, found this. [He reads.] "Jason, I had to go back home. I wish I had time to explain." So now you do.

Lana smiles.

Lana: I'm sorry, Jason, I, uh... I don't know what to say.

Jason: It's okay. It's all right. You know, I kept trying to convince myself that this wasn't about me, but... you can't really put that in a note, can you?

Lana doesn't answer, and Jason takes that as a cue to leave. He turns away and walks toward the door.

Lana: Wait.

Jason stops and turns around.

Lana: Jason, I'm not sorry to see you. You know, it's just, you came all this way, and I-I wish I had a better explanation for you.

Jason: For why you left Paris or why you left me?

Lana: You know how I feel about you. That hasn't changed. But I can't go back.

Jason: Lana, I didn't come here to get you. I came here to be with you.

Lana smiles thankfully at Jason. He leans down to her and they kiss slowly and warmly.

Fade to black.

End
{"type": "series", "show": "Smallville", "episode": "04x02 - Gone"}