Act IV
Act IV, Scene i
The loft of the Kent's barn
Lana had taken the afternoon off work and was planning to spend as much of it as she could at the hospital. Chloe was still unresponsive, but Lana had read that there was a possibility that people in comas could hear speech, maybe understand it. She had books with her to read to Chloe in case she couldn't think of anything to say.
She'd visit Pete too. Pete was probably going to be fine. He was pretty much only still there for observation, to make sure the bleeding didn't start again. She didn't know whether or not a visit from Clark would raise Pete's spirits, but she stopped by the Kents' anyway, to invite Clark along.
She was pretty sure that was the only reason she wanted to see Clark.
Almost positive it had nothing to do with knowing Lex was leaving town for an indeterminate amount of time.
Mr. Kent directed her up to the loft, where she found Clark reading. She announced herself with a "hey," which somehow came out sounding a little forced.
Clark looked up and grinned. "Lana! Poor soul, thy face is much abused with tears. How're you holding up?" He set down his book without marking it, face-down. Halfway through Machiavelli's The Prince. Definitely Lex's influence there.
"The tears have got small victory by that, for it was bad enough before their spite!" she answered with self-deprecating humor.
"Aw, thou wrong'st it more than tears with that report," Clark cajoled.
"That is no slander, sir, which is a truth; and what I spake, I spake it to my face." She sighed. "But I'm good. I'm okay. I was just on my way to the hospital to visit Pete and Chloe. Did you want to come?"
"Chloe?" Clark jumped to his feet, looking more than a little like a gigantic puppy. "Is she awake? You should have called me!"
"No, she's not awake. I just think maybe it could help her to know we're there."
"Sure, I'll come." He hesitated. "But maybe you should see Pete first and find out if he even wants to see me. It's sort of my fault he's in there. I mean, I know he picked the fight, but it was sort of about me."
"It was about testosterone and hot weather, Clark." He gave her a small, grateful smile, and Lana found she felt inordinately pleased to have been able to offer that comfort, such as it was.
When they reached Smallville Medical Center, they went to Chloe's room first, but only tried conversation for a few minutes before they resorted to taking turns reading to her.
Pete was sleeping, so they just scrawled notes for him and left.
Back in the car, Clark stared quietly out the passenger window while Lana searched for something to say. "So," she came up with finally, "It sounds like Lex is going to be gone for a while."
"Yeah. Did you see him today?"
Lana didn't miss how Clark perked up at the sound of Lex's name. She felt a slight sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She didn't like this. Did she still have feelings for Clark? And if so, why now? Why not over the past few months?
"He came by the Talon early," she said, focusing on the road. What was wrong with her? Was it knowing about Lex and Clark? She'd never thought she was one of those girls who only wanted a guy because someone else had him, but could that be it? Sure, that's probably what it was. She forced herself to relax her death-grip on the steering wheel. Conversation. Make conversation. "He mentioned that he had a lot to get done at the plant because he didn't know how long he'd be out of town."
Clark looked startled. "You mean he wasn't leaving right away? Did he say when?"
"Not until this afternoon." She frowned. "He didn't tell you when he was leaving? Uneven is this course; I like it not -"
"Can you take me by the mansion?" he asked suddenly.
"Uh, sure." Her stomach twisted. "Is everything all right?"
He laughed a little. "Yeah, it's just that I sort of threw him out in a hurry this morning. I didn't really get to say goodbye."
"Sure, no problem," said Lana, feeling faintly queasy.
Act IV, Scene 1.5
Lex's mansion
Lionel waited for Lex in his office on the main floor of the mansion. He'd come to make sure that Lex actually got in the helicopter and away from Smallville.
He really had to stop Lex's association with the Kents, he'd decided. Jonathon Kent hated Lionel with a passion and Lex with less of a passion. Martha knew far too much about LuthorCorp. And he was never going to get his hands on Clark Kent as long as Lex was keeping an eye on the boy.
And without Clark, his research into the green meteor rocks would never yield half of what it could. Of this he was sure. The rocks had an effect on Clark that defied explanation. He was linked to them in some way… Lionel felt instinctively that between Clark and the rocks, he was on the verge of a scientific revolution. And whatever he discovered, he could most surely patent.
And if Clark or the meteor rocks held the key to a treatment for his liver disease, he might even live to see the profits.
Clark burst into the room unannounced, as was his custom. He stopped short upon seeing Lionel. "Mr. Luthor …" The boy was clearly nonplussed.
Lionel hadn't got where he was by passing up golden opportunities like this one.
"Clark, come in. Are you looking for Lex? I'm afraid you've just missed him. I came to pick him up in the helicopter, but he'd already left by car." Of course, Lex might walk in any moment and spoil this ruse, but it wouldn't exactly be a shock to Clark to find Lionel was lying to him. "Is there anything I can do for you?"
"No," said Clark, edging back towards the door. "I just wanted to say goodbye. I can talk to him on the phone. Sorry to bother you…"
Ahhhh. "The phone?" Lionel asked in a tone of confusion. "He gave you his new number? I'm rather surprised."
"Um… no. He has a new number since yesterday?"
"Well, yes. He thought that not having his number would make you less inclined to call him. After all, I'm sure this is painful enough without dragging it out that way."
"Dragging what out?"
"Why, his move to Metropolis. Don't misunderstand, I'm sure he'll miss you, but you really can't carry on a long-distance relationship, especially not at your age. But I'm sure it's all for the best, Clark."
"Lex is coming back," Clark protested. "He wouldn't have lied to me about that."
Lionel raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't lie to you? Clark, I already know thy grief. It strains me past the compass of my wits. Come with me; I think there is something you need to see."
Oh, this was far too easy.
Lionel led Clark from the office and down a hallway to a locked door. "Have you seen this before?" he asked.
Clark shook his head. Lionel took a moment to enjoy the wariness and confusion the boy was emitting. Then he unlocked the door.
The darkened room was lit by several computer monitors and a few display lights. The most striking object, though was a five-foot-tall image of Clark's face. It was a candid, black-and-white image, obviously taken with a telephoto lens.
Opposite the photo was a case displaying several flattened bullets. Another case held a large chunk of raw kryptonite. Another held refined kryptonite in the form of bars, and in another were several sheets of what appeared to be green glass. The monitors were running various simulations, one of which Lionel was sure Clark would recognize: the car crash from which Clark had rescued Lex.
The displays were somewhat artistically placed. Lionel knew that Lex had to be doing his research somewhere else; somewhere far from the mansion, probably far from Smallville, possibly far from the continental United States. He supposed that his son must come here, to this room, to contemplate his findings. To encourage the pieces to fall together. Lionel understood that thinking.
One of the straight, functional pedestals stood empty, with no glass casing. Lex must have been expecting a new acquisition from the labs.
Perfect.
As Clark stood transfixed by the photograph of himself, Lionel slipped a vial out of his pocket, congratulating himself on having chosen to carry it on his person until he could secure it in his office safe. He was fairly sure it would incapacitate Clark with a cold and drowsy humor; he'd only been working out a method of delivery. Silently, he placed the vial on the empty pedestal and stepped away from it.
If this worked, all he'd have to do now would be to arrange for Clark to be removed from the mansion before Lex returned.
Clark's gaze had drifted from the photograph and he was staring around the room. Lionel stood back and gave him plenty of time to take it all in before finally speaking.
"Tell me again," he said, "about how Lex wouldn't lie to you about leaving."
Clark stiffened. "You set this up!" He accused suddenly. "Lex would never have done all this. It was you!"
"Oh, no, I'm afraid Lex set this all up himself. He's been fascinated with you from the beginning, you see. Studying you. As you can see. And from what I gather, his… experiments… have become quite thorough lately. You know, I have an interest in the meteors as well, but I have to admit, Lex has gone to far greater lengths than I would have. I really do have to admire the way he's thrown himself into it." He gave Clark a smile that only just bordered on the suggestive. "Now that he'll be working with me in Metropolis, I'm hoping that he'll eventually trust me enough to share all his findings with me."
Clark looked nearly hypnotized for a moment, then shook himself. "You're a liar!" He shouted at Lionel. His voice echoed off the blank walls of the room, and he lowered it. "Lex would never do this to me. Never. I don't know how you managed this, but I'm sure it was you."
"I assure you, it was not. But I do have to be going, Clark. You're welcome to stay and examine the room as long as you like."
Clark had already turned away from him and back to the computer monitors. Lionel left the room silently, closing the door most of the way behind him. After a brief silence, he heard a rustle, a click, a faint buzzing, then, "Mom, I'm over at Lex's. I don't think I'll be home for dinner tonight."
Act IV, Scenes ii and iv.
The Kents' kitchen.
Lana returned to the Kents' house, sans Clark, and went in to speak to Martha.
"I dropped Clark off at the mansion. He said he hadn't said goodbye to Lex yet. I'm sure Lex will get him a ride home."
"Thanks, Lana. He just called me from there. He actually sounded pretty tense. Did you notice anything strange while you were there?"
Lana shrugged. "The LuthorCorp helicopter was there. That struck me because I assumed Lex would be driving."
"It could be Lionel," Martha said thoughtfully. "Lana, I know this sounds strange, but do you have the feeling there's something just not right about this?"
"I do," said Lana, who had been feeling not-right about Clark Kent all day.
"Do you have time to give me a ride back over to the mansion? If Lionel's there, I think I should talk to him."
"No problem," said Lana. "Although I'm sure there's nothing to worry about."
Act IV, Scene iii
The "secret room" in the mansion
Clark stood alone in a room full of kryptonite, apparently collected by his… whatever Lex was. Lex was supposed to have stopped this investigation years ago. A faint cold fear thrilled through his veins that almost froze the heat of life. He wished for a moment that Pete were with him… but what could Pete have done? Pete would have said he'd suspected this all along. Pete was biased, and Lionel was a liar. Whatever he did about this, he would have to make the decision alone.
He lifted the glass from the display case that held what seemed to be sheets of glass made from molten kryptonite. He didn't even need to touch it to know the glass-like material was more potent than the unrefined Kryptonite was, although what its use could be, he couldn't imagine.
He sat down before the simulation of the car crash. He'd seen it before. Nothing had changed. The other simulations seemed to be of molecules. Lionel could have set this up as well as Lex. But this was Lex's home. Surely this couldn't have been assembled without his knowledge. Lionel may still have owned the building, though. But still, Lex had to have known. If Lex hadn't actually done this, then he had at least allowed it. And he hadn't told Clark.
But Lionel had. Why? To drive him away from Lex? Why do that? Or to force Lex and Clark closer together, just to piss off his dad?
He moved to examine the flattened bullets. They were suspended in their case so that they could be examined from all angles. Someone had collected all those bullets. Someone who'd been near Clark when they'd been fired.
Lex.
One case was missing. A stoppered vial of green fluid sat uncovered on one of the pedestals. Clark tried unsuccessfully to cheer himself by comparing the scene to that in Through the Looking Glass as he approached it.
The proximity of the fluid didn't make him ill. He put his hand on the vial. His hand ached, but the veins didn't bulge. What was the meaning of this? Was it meant to be drunk or injected? Something else? Another human enhancement drug? If it were some sort of poison, then it was obviously meant for Clark. It was clear that Lex had at least an idea of how Kryptonite affected him.
Thorough experiments, Lionel had said. That's all this had been to Lex after all.
Well, if it was meant for him, then it would only be polite to drink it. Numbly, he raised the vial to his lips. "Lex, this do I drink to thee."
Act IV, Scene iv
Lex's mansion
"Lana, I think maybe you should wait for me out here," Martha suggested. "I'm used to handling Lionel, but I don't like subjecting other people to him."
"That's fine with me," said Lana. "The less I see of Lionel Luthor, the better. Besides, you might need a getaway driver!"
Martha laughed as she got out of the truck, but her sense of foreboding returned as she faced the mansion.
It increased when no one answered the door.
Letting herself in, Martha heard Lionel swearing at someone. If Clark hadn't been in the house, she would have left then, but instead she followed the voice to Lex's office.
She found Lionel waving his phone and yelling at his assistant and one of the household staff. The gist seemed to be that he wanted them to leave him alone. Martha was usually good at smoothing out Lionel's tempers, at least when she knew what was going on, so she went straight to him. Seeing her, his victims finally took Lionel's advice and left.
"Martha! Thank god you're here – I've been trying to call you! O heavy day!"
"What happened? Where's Clark?" she demanded.
"You'd better see for yourself," he said, seizing her arm and leading her from the room. He pulled her quickly down the hall until she saw a shape on the floor at the corner ahead.
It was a limp hand, and the rest of the body attached to it was just out of her sight. She broke from Lionel's grasp and dashed ahead of him, screaming Clark's name. She skidded to a halt and fell to the floor next to her son. "Clark! Clark! Can you hear me?" She shook his shoulder, then slapped his face lightly.
No response.
She put her hand to his throat. No pulse. She pressed her head to his chest and heard no heartbeat. She looked up at Lionel, who, for the first time since she'd known him, didn't seem sure of what to do. "Have you already called an ambulance? Are they coming?"
"Do you think an ambulance would really help?" he asked with what sounded like curiosity.
"CALL NINE-ONE-ONE!" she screamed at him. "Alas! He's cold! His blood has settled, and his joints are stiff. Life and these lips have long been separated. Death lies on him like an untimely frost upon the sweetest flower of all the field!"
Lionel stepped back around the corner, out of Martha's line of site, and took out his cell phone. But he the number he dialed was more than three digits.
"Lex… Son, you're needed back at the mansion."
End Act IV
