DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters of Smallville, nor am I in any way affiliated with the show or with Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

NOTE: Set in the seventh season, sometime before "Traveler".


After finishing his chores and running errands, Clark went to check the mail, expecting the usual bills and junk mail. It was something he did every day, nothing out of the ordinary.

That is, until that fateful Tuesday afternoon, when he received an envelope with his name written on the front in fancy lettering. Curious, he tore it open, and found more of the fancy lettering, reading: To Mr. Clark Kent: You are cordially invited to a Murder Mystery Weekend at McKenzie Manor starting this Friday evening. You will be expected to arrive by 6:00 pm sharp, and stay until Sunday afternoon. Costumes will be provided for the parts you and the other guests are expected to play. A great prize awaits whosoever can solve the mystery first.

Intrigued, and with nothing better to do since Lana had planned on spending the weekend with her aunt Nell, Clark returned inside and dialed the number provided to RSVP.

...

Meanwhile, standing outside her apartment with her arms full of groceries, Lois struggled to find her keys in the black hole of her purse.

"Why is it," she wondered aloud, "that whatever I need ends up at the bottom of my purse?"

When she finally found her keys, particularly the key that would let her into her apartment, she fitted it into the lock and opened the door, nearly stepping on a couple of envelopes on her way in.

She set the bags on the kitchen island, then bent to pick up the envelopes, which had obviously been slid under the door at some point in the day. Tearing open the envelope that bore her name, she found an invitation addressed to "Ms. Lois Lane" for a "Murder Mystery Weekend", whatever the hell that was.

Just then, the rustling of paper invaded her ears, and she turned to see her cousin Chloe standing in the doorway of the apartment they shared, carrying the last of the groceries.

Lois quickly set aside the invitation and rushed to help Chloe, and as they were putting away the groceries, Chloe noticed the other envelope that had arrived, the one addressed to her.

"What's this," she asked her cousin, picking up the foreign piece of mail.

"Oh, it's probably an invitation. I got one, too." Lois indicated the envelope hers had arrived in.

Chloe cautiously opened the envelope, as if afraid it contained anthrax, but once she actually read over the invitation, relief spread over her body and her lips curved into a smile.

"Well, I now know what I'm doing this weekend," Chloe cheerfully declared, setting aside the invitation in favor of resuming with unpacking the groceries. "So, what do you say, cuz? Will you be joining me?"

"I don't know," Lois dubiously replied. "Isn't that where a bunch of people get together to solve some fake murder and then go home? I mean, what's the point?"

"Oh, come on, Lois, it'll be fun. You get to dress up and get into character, and solve a mystery while you're at it. Besides, it's not like you have anything better to do this weekend."

Lois agreed, albeit reluctantly, and as soon as they finished putting away the last of the groceries, Chloe called the number on the invitation and RSVP'd for the both of them.

As soon as she hung up, Chloe beamed at her cousin in excitement, and promised, "You'll have tons of fun, Lois, you'll see. Just you wait."

"I certainly hope so," was Lois's reply.