ACT THREE

FADE IN:

INT. KENTS' KITCHEN – NIGHT

JONATHAN is still talking to CLARK on the phone.

JONATHAN
I'm not sure what to do Clark. I mean, I want to tell your mother but at the same time I don't know how to begin to explain this. I mean… until I spoke to you I couldn't be sure that I wasn't just suffering from amnesia.

CLARK (V.O.)
You're not dad. But I think you should tell mom… perhaps she can give us a little more information.

JONATHAN
You'd better get back here son, we'll figure this thing out.

CLARK (V.O.)
But won't mom freak when she sees me?

JONATHAN
Uh… Clark. Well, you'd best see for yourself. Just come over here.

CLARK (V.O.)
Okay dad.

CUT TO:

INT. CLARK'S HOUSE – CONTINUOUS

JONATHAN (V.O.)
But you'd better check the mirror before you do.

CLARK
(puzzled).
Ah… okay.

CLARK hangs up the phone and walks over to the other side of the room where there's a full-length mirror.
As CLARK looks into it we see that the reflection staring back to him is the older Clark of this time.

CLARK (CONT'D)
What the…?

CUT TO:

EXT. THE KENT FARM –NIGHT

We hear the sound of CLARK's super speed. He appears on the road and runs at speed up to the house, slowing to normal motion as he arrives.

He goes up and opens the door.

CUT TO:

INT. KENTS' KITCHEN –CONTINUOUS

CLARK comes into the room.

CLARK
Mom, dad. I'm here.

MARTHA comes into the room and approaches CLARK. He flinches a little as he sees her, much older than he last saw her. They embrace.

MARTHA
Oh Clark, thanks for coming, I'm just a little concerned about your father. He's acting a little strange and won't let me take him to the doctors.

JONATHAN (O.S)
That's because I'm not convinced there's anything wrong with me.

JONATHAN comes into the room, a little shakily and stops and stares open-mouthed at his son. Who does exactly the same thing. Neither of them looks any different.

CLARK
But how?

JONATHAN
C'mon son.

JONATHAN leads CLARK out of the room and we…

CUT TO:

INT. THE BATHROOM –CONTINUOUS

JONATHAN and CLARK enter. They come to a stop in the middle of the darkened room.

JONATHAN
Now!

JONATHAN reaches forward and turns on a light over the bathroom mirror.
We see in the mirror the older versions of JONATHAN and CLARK.
They both look from the mirror versions to the flesh and blood versions that still seem to be "normal" age.
CLARK
(concerned)
What does it mean Dad?

JONATHAN
It means we're not crazy.

MARTHA appears in the doorway.

CLARK
Mom, do we look different.

MARTHA
What do you mean?

CLARK
Do we look the same to you as we look in the mirror?

MARTHA
Of course you do. What are you talking about.

JONATHAN
It's incredible.

MARTHA
What is? Will one of you explain what on Earth is going on?

MARTHA looks between her husband and son as we…

FADE OUT:

INT- KENTS' KITCHEN – DAWN

MARTHA, JONATHAN and CLARK are sitting around a table. They're sipping coffee in silence. We wait a few seconds before…

MARTHA
So you really don't remember anything?

JONATHAN
Well we remember everything that's happened to us… it's just that we don't remember what happened… after that.

MARTHA
And you both see each other as you looked, what… ten years ago?

CLARK
Well, maybe. Erm

JONATHAN
(looks at CLARK)
I guess… it's… I mean it was 2003.
(to MARTHA)
What is the year now?

MARTHA
(raises a hand to her mouth in shock, and then lowering it after a second)
It's 2022.

JONATHAN
Nineteen years? How is that even possible?

CLARK
Nineteen?

JONATHAN
Clark doesn't look like he's in his late thirties!

MARTHA
We've always assumed it was something to do with his alien DNA

CLARK
We have to figure a way of getting us back.

MARTHA
But time travel? I mean we've seen it, but not like this!

CLARK
We've seen it?

MARTHA
Well, over the years… it's come up.

JONATHAN
But it's different somehow… I mean we look old, but no to each other.

CLARK
A bit Sam Beckett.

JONATHAN
Sam who? Do you know something…?

CLARK
(smiles ruefully)
Ah, just kidding dad. It's from a TV show.
(pause)
But maybe it's like our consciousness were brought here from the past and we landed in our future bodies. For all we know our future selves have woken up in our bodies.

They all look at each other, nervously. Then suddenly a phone rings.
JONATHAN
Is that ours?

MARTHA
No it's a cell. Check your coat pocket Clark.

CLARK checks the pocket of his coat and pull out a sleek-looking mobile telephone. He opens it, presses the receive button and puts it to his ear.

CLARK
Hello?

LOIS (V.O.)
Clark it- ewwww. Gross!

CLARK
What? Who is this?

LOIS (V.O.)
Clark why are you showing me your ear?

MARTHA
(whispering)
Clark… it's a videocell! It's got picture!

CLARK takes the phone away from the side of his head and looks at it. We see on the main display area a very grainy video image of a disgusted-looking LOIS LANE who puts a hand up to ward off the offensive image and the then the screen reads "Voice Mode".

CLARK
Uh sorry.

LOIS (V.O.)
Where are you Clark? I'm at your house and you're not there.

CLARK
Uh, I'm in Smallville. My... uh... Dad had an accident.

LOIS (V.O.)
Is he okay?

CLARK
Yeah he just-

LOIS (V.O.)
(Interrupting)
Good, glad to hear it. Look did you hear about the Senator?

CLARK
Yeah, uh, Mr White said we were flying out to meet him this afternoon.
LOIS (V.O.)
Mr White?? Look, Perry doesn't know what he's talking about. After the crash…

CLARK
Crash?

LOIS (V.O.)
(irritated)
The plane crash. The plane crashed that killed the senator? The one you said Perry told you about.

CLARK
Uh, no sorry, I didn't know. That's terrible.

LOIS (V.O.)
Well yes. But we've got to get moving now.

CLARK
But why, we can't interview him now.

LOIS (V.O.)
Clark! They are saying it's a terrorist attack, that there was a bomb onboard. We've got to get out there and investigate.

CLARK
I don't know… uh
(he mouths to his mother)
Who??

MARTHA
(mouthing)
Lois Lane.

CLARK
Look, er, Lois. I think I should stay with my dad today.

LOIS (V.O.)
Clark Kent are you crazy? This is the story of a lifetime. We've got tickets on a flight to D.C. in two hours and if you're not on it then I think that "Mr White" is going to be very angry with you.

MARTHA
(whispering)
It's probably best you go Clark.

CLARK
Okay Lois. I'll see you at the airport.

He hangs up the phone.

MARTHA
I know you'd rather stay here, but I think you ought to get back to work.

CLARK
But mom she wants me to go Washington to investigate some terrorist bombing. I haven't even finished high school…. I quit my job at the Torch and now I'm an investigative reporter for the Daily Planet??

MARTHA looks at her husband with concern.

JONATHAN
I'm sure we can fake it until we find out what's going on. At the moment I'm all out of ideas and we can't afford to wreck our lives, our future lives, by blowing things off.

CLARK
Okay.
(beat)
I can't believe I have to work with this Lois woman. She seems awful.

MARTHA
(looks at him incredulously, then smiles)
You haven't actually seen her yet, have you?

CLARK looks a little bemused as we

FADE OUT:

EXT. METROPOLIS CITY AIRPORT – DAY

We get a shot of the airport including a sign with the name.

CUT TO:

INT. SECURITY OFFICE, METROPOLIS AIRPORT – CONTINUOUS

We have a shot of the door announcing "AIRPORT SECURITY: KEEP OUT". A GUARD walks up to the door and enters.
We follow the GUARD for a moment before coming to rest on a security monitor through which we see the older version of CLARK standing in the middle of the terminal looking around as though lost.

CUT TO:

INT. METROPOLIS AIRPORT MAIN TERMINAL – CONTINUOUS

We now see the normal CLARK standing in exactly the same position looking lost.

LOIS (O.S.)
Clark? What are you doing?

CLARK turns to see LOIS LANE. Here in the flesh she is simply stunning. CLARK looks at her in something approaching awe. He is floored by this beautiful woman. There's a moment while LOIS continues to look confused while CLARK's jaw works up and down but no speech emerges.

LOIS (Cont'd)
Well Clark?

CLARK
Ah, Lois. I was, um, looking for you.
(he smiles).

LOIS
Gee Clark. You'd think we'd never been to Washington before.

CLARK
Uh, it's just that… erm, I was wondering where we check in.

LOIS
Check in? Are you okay Clark?

CLARK
I guess. I just, you know wondered where our tickets are.

LOIS
Clark stop playing around and come on. The flight's leaving in a few minutes.

She leads him quickly over to the nearby security check point. A GUARD is there who is checking people through. LOIS pushes Clark first and then starts rummaging around in her handbag.

GUARD
Sir, your ID?

CLARK
Um. Yeah. I think I have something somewhere. My wallet… hang on.

CLARK pats his pockets looking confused.

GUARD
I need to see your ID Mr Kent.

CLARK stops and looks up at the sound of his name.

CLARK
You know me?

LOIS
Of course he knows you Clark, he's got a copy of the Daily Planet there on his chair.
(she sighs)
Call yourself an investigative reporter.

She reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out his mobile phone, which she hands to the GUARD. He passes it over a handheld scanner that beeps obligingly.

GUARD
There you go Mr. Kent. Have a pleasant trip. Say "hi" to Superman from me next time you see him. That time he saved us from the-

LOIS
Yeah, yeah. We'll tell him.

She hands him her phone, which also is scanned with a beep. She bustles Clark through the gate as he barely has time to say:

CLARK
Super…man?

CUT TO:

EXT. OUTSIDE DULLES AIRPORT – DAY

Establishing shot of the airport.

CUT TO:

INT. DULLES AIRPORT, MAIN TERMINAL –CONTINUOUS

LOIS and CLARK appear under a sign saying "DULLES AIRPORT: Welcome to Washington". CLARK looks a little shaky.

LOIS
Gee Clark. We've flown dozens of times and you've never mentioned a fear of flying or heights before.

CLARK
It's a childhood thing, it comes and um… goes.

LOIS
I think we should interview some of the staff here, see if anyone was on duty last night, see who were the last people to see him that sort of thing.

CLARK
Yeah… that sounds…. Good.

CLARK's attention is attracted to a newsstand. He wanders away from her to stare at a large placard bearing the cover of TIME magazine. It shows superman flying over Metropolis. Underneath the words: "SUPERMAN: Hero or Villain".

LOIS
Clark, could you pretend you are listening to me?

LOIS's phone begins to ring. She rummages in her handbag for it.

CLARK
Superman? Hero or Villain?

LOIS
Yeah I know. It's ridiculous.

LOIS opens the phone and looks into it.

LOIS
(into the phone)
Oh, Perry what is it?

We don't hear the response but CLARK is staring at the placard.

CLARK
The picture… he's flying.

LOIS
(to CLARK)
Well, yeah, it's a little melodramatic, but Time can pull that off.
(into the phone)
No Perry, we're on a story.
(beat)
No way.
(beat)
Well, okay, if he asked for me.

She closes the phone and puts it away. CLARK manages to drag his attention off the sign.

LOIS (CONT'D)
Change of plans Clark. Apparently the President has called a press conference at the White House. No other Planet reporters are here and apparently the President wants us, well me, to cover this.

CLARK
White House?

LOIS
You know, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue… where the President of the United States lives. We have to go there and report on a press conference. Do you think it may have something to do with the Senator's death? Another series of terrorist attacks maybe?

CLARK
(shakes his head)
This is going to be a long day.

CUT TO:

INT. THE MAIN LOBBY OF THE WHITE HOUSE – DAY

We recognise this scene as being the same as at the start of the show. Reporters are milling around. CLARK and LOIS are standing amid a knot of reporters with small handheld computers. LOIS is operating hers with detached professionalism while CLARK is turning his over in his hands with a baffled look on his face.

LOIS
So… any predictions on what the President will say?

CLARK
No, I… well.

We change camera angles and see the REPORTER talking into her camera.

REPORTER:
Still no word from the Press Secretary as to exactly what it is that President wishes to announce here today. The Cabinet session will begin in just one hour but it seems…

We turn our attention back to LOIS and CLARK.

LOIS
What's up with you today Clark?
(she looks really concerned for the first time)
Is it your dad.

CLARK
Yeah I guess… I wish I could do something for him.

LOIS
(tenderly)
I know Clark. I'm sorry.

They look at each other for a moment. For the first time we get the real sense of the chemistry between these two.

CLARK
(looking away)
But reporting from the White House… I wish Chloe was here.

LOIS
Yeah, she's late… oh here she comes.

CLARK
What?

CLARK looks up see CHLOE enter. He watches, his face betraying his stunned disbelief as she begins her address.
CHLOE
Ladies and Gentlemen of the press. Viewers at home…

FADE OUT:

END OF ACT THREE