Clark races out into the parking lot just in time to watch Chloe's car cruise onto the road.
He takes half a step forward to speed off.
"Mr. Kent!"
Clark stumbles and turns to face Mr. Hoffman, the yawning school security guard.
"We got a report some lights were on. Were you in the school?"
"Yes, sir. I was in The Talon office." Clark glances in the direction that Chloe's car had disappeared.
Hoffman shakes his head. "Were you here with that little blonde?"
"Yes, Chloe just left."
"That girl really needs a boyfriend."
Clark shifts from foot to foot. "Is it okay if I go?"
"I've got to call this in Mr. Kent. You mind walking back to the office with me?"
Clark's shoulders sag as he follows Hoffman back into the school. He's probably not going to be the only Kent nabbed by the police this evening.
Across town in the Sullivan house, Jonathan Kent surveys by flashlight the damage he has done to Chloe's room. What started out as a systematic search has turned into an overturned bed, strewn books and scattered clothing.
Jonathan shifts uncomfortably as he tries to get a pair of panties off his boot. The tapes are definitely not in Chloe's room.
He heads out into the hallway just as the front door begins to open.
Flipping off his flashlight, he freezes in place. With the only light coming from a streetlight, Jonathan catches a glimpse of face and blonde hair in the doorway.
Clark is an idiot. It's only been about half an hour.
Chloe steps inside and starts to close the door. She immediately senses she is not alone. Her first impulse is to run but she knows that if this is a hired assassin of the Luthor clan she'll be dead before she reaches her car.
It's better to stay and fight in familiar surroundings.
She closes the door behind her and eases over to the wall of the hallway. Straining to hear the intruder's breathing, she closes the distance between them.
Jonathan Kent stands motionless. He has no idea where Chloe is in relation to him or the door. He starts forward and his shoulder collides with the girl's outstretched hand. He knows he has to get out of this and if it means pushing the girl to the floor and running…
Chloe braces her feet and shoves her fist into Jonathan's abdomen. Her tumble out of a third story window had inspired her to take an entire summer's worth of Krav Maga self-defense classes. She's prepared to deal with an intruder.
Jonathan stumbles. Chloe grabs him by the throat and uses his weight against him to pin him against a wall. Thrashing around, he gags for air.
A desperate Jonathan kicks out and knocks Chloe off balance. Before she can get her hands on him again he drops and fast crawls for the door. He wrenches the door open and rolls out onto the sidewalk.
He runs for all he is worth.
Chloe stumbles out and watches as a shadowy figure disappears over a neighbor's fence.
With adrenaline pumping, Chloe kneels down, scoops up a rock and throws it in the general direction of the retreating form.
She stands just outside the house for a few moments and then starts to shake.
She stumbles back into the house and fumbles the lock into place. Crying in little half gasps, she sinks to the floor with her back against the door.
Lex had really sent someone after the tapes. Was it possible that Clark had already told him? That Lex had called some 24-hour dial a thug service? No, that didn't make sense. Lex must have already known about the tapes. So, Clark going to him and telling that Chloe had them was going to look like she was reacting to the burglary.
Great. Just great.
Chloe wipes away tears and struggles to concentrate. Checking her bag, she makes sure the tapes are still there.
She slides up the door to a standing position and moves toward her room. With an unsteady hand, she flips on the light.
Chloe's marginally organized world has been thrown into chaos. Shutting the door, she wades into the piles of books and clothes.
Knowing she has to get things back to something bordering on normal before her father gets home, she sets to work.
He takes half a step forward to speed off.
"Mr. Kent!"
Clark stumbles and turns to face Mr. Hoffman, the yawning school security guard.
"We got a report some lights were on. Were you in the school?"
"Yes, sir. I was in The Talon office." Clark glances in the direction that Chloe's car had disappeared.
Hoffman shakes his head. "Were you here with that little blonde?"
"Yes, Chloe just left."
"That girl really needs a boyfriend."
Clark shifts from foot to foot. "Is it okay if I go?"
"I've got to call this in Mr. Kent. You mind walking back to the office with me?"
Clark's shoulders sag as he follows Hoffman back into the school. He's probably not going to be the only Kent nabbed by the police this evening.
Across town in the Sullivan house, Jonathan Kent surveys by flashlight the damage he has done to Chloe's room. What started out as a systematic search has turned into an overturned bed, strewn books and scattered clothing.
Jonathan shifts uncomfortably as he tries to get a pair of panties off his boot. The tapes are definitely not in Chloe's room.
He heads out into the hallway just as the front door begins to open.
Flipping off his flashlight, he freezes in place. With the only light coming from a streetlight, Jonathan catches a glimpse of face and blonde hair in the doorway.
Clark is an idiot. It's only been about half an hour.
Chloe steps inside and starts to close the door. She immediately senses she is not alone. Her first impulse is to run but she knows that if this is a hired assassin of the Luthor clan she'll be dead before she reaches her car.
It's better to stay and fight in familiar surroundings.
She closes the door behind her and eases over to the wall of the hallway. Straining to hear the intruder's breathing, she closes the distance between them.
Jonathan Kent stands motionless. He has no idea where Chloe is in relation to him or the door. He starts forward and his shoulder collides with the girl's outstretched hand. He knows he has to get out of this and if it means pushing the girl to the floor and running…
Chloe braces her feet and shoves her fist into Jonathan's abdomen. Her tumble out of a third story window had inspired her to take an entire summer's worth of Krav Maga self-defense classes. She's prepared to deal with an intruder.
Jonathan stumbles. Chloe grabs him by the throat and uses his weight against him to pin him against a wall. Thrashing around, he gags for air.
A desperate Jonathan kicks out and knocks Chloe off balance. Before she can get her hands on him again he drops and fast crawls for the door. He wrenches the door open and rolls out onto the sidewalk.
He runs for all he is worth.
Chloe stumbles out and watches as a shadowy figure disappears over a neighbor's fence.
With adrenaline pumping, Chloe kneels down, scoops up a rock and throws it in the general direction of the retreating form.
She stands just outside the house for a few moments and then starts to shake.
She stumbles back into the house and fumbles the lock into place. Crying in little half gasps, she sinks to the floor with her back against the door.
Lex had really sent someone after the tapes. Was it possible that Clark had already told him? That Lex had called some 24-hour dial a thug service? No, that didn't make sense. Lex must have already known about the tapes. So, Clark going to him and telling that Chloe had them was going to look like she was reacting to the burglary.
Great. Just great.
Chloe wipes away tears and struggles to concentrate. Checking her bag, she makes sure the tapes are still there.
She slides up the door to a standing position and moves toward her room. With an unsteady hand, she flips on the light.
Chloe's marginally organized world has been thrown into chaos. Shutting the door, she wades into the piles of books and clothes.
Knowing she has to get things back to something bordering on normal before her father gets home, she sets to work.