Chloe pulled up at the plant just as it was getting dusk. She didn't know how, but somehow the day had just flown by without her even noticing it. Maybe it's because I missed most of my school day?

Clark noticed her strange look. "Everything okay?" He asked worriedly.

Chloe nodded and was glad that tonight Clark was with her. She instinctively took out the PDA from its cradle and stuffed it in her purse, subconsciously thinking no one would get the chance to use it again…if indeed they ever had. "It looks even more deserted than last night," She noted glumly. "What if the place is empty?"

Clark climbed out and scanned the structure with his x-ray vision. As far as he could tell it was very empty, although there were the odd areas that appeared as dark, black holes to him. I guess this place has some lead around. He surmised.

"Do you have a flashlight, just in case there's no lighting in there?"

Chloe scurried to her trunk and readily supplied a safety lamp she carried in case of a break down at night. "I was about to go through those doors when I heard something and had the good sense to run." She pointed out the entry and they both climbed the wooden barrier to gain entrance.

Clark could feel Chloe shivering as she held tightly to his arm, but he didn't mention it. Instead, once they reached the doors, he tugged at them before Chloe had chance to try. If they were locked they could spend all night looking how to get in, and that wasn't necessary because of his super-strength.

The doors gave under his power, but they had indeed been locked. Clark shrugged, pretending otherwise. "I guess they didn't leave anything behind worth protecting."

Chloe's frown said it still appeared strange to her, and she made a mental note to check the lock herself if she came back this way. "So, where do we start?"

"I'll go check through there, it looks pretty dark…maybe you should wait here in case we need to make a quick exit." Clark shone the light towards what seemed to be a large open room akin to Luthorcorp's mysterious level three. What had once been housed there was anybody's guess, but from where stood it looked empty now.

He couldn't see much beyond what Chloe did though, because it was this ground floor section that appeared to be shielded. That in itself was a worrying thought, and he didn't want Chloe putting in any un-necessary danger.

As usual, Chloe disagreed. "Hey, are trying to outdo me on this story?" She swatted her towering partner and was about to take the lead into the mystery room, when something else caught her attention.

A lone computer terminal sat on the floor along with a screen and a few other office items that looked as if they had been packed ready for transport. "Looks like they haven't quite cleared house yet, which is kind of suspicious…" Chloe couldn't resist the challenge. "If there's still power here maybe I can boot this thing up and take a peak..." She began rooting through the packed items and then searching for a power socket to plug the machine into.

"Fine, I'll go check the room. You can stay here and play computer nerd." He shot her the smile that surely belonged to some Greek god, and then hurried to his target before Chloe changed her mind.

Clark walked up to the opening with trepidation. Anything his x-ray vision couldn't permeate always made him nervous that way. He shone the flashlight in an arc, trying to pick out what could be so important to shield in an old building like this. Why would Chloe bother with some tip about a dump like this? Unless she was already on to something…

He moved onward as gray bare walls were all his light seemed to detect. Then, without warning it hit him. Even though he couldn't see it, there was Kryptonite or a derivative nearby.

Clark's knees buckled, and the light in his hand clattered to the floor with a harsh rattle and went abruptly black. He could feel the evil mineral sending spikes of radiation down every vein and sinew of his body, and as usual it hurt like hell. I should have known this could happen. Chloe encountered the stuff here only last night. What was I thinking?

"Clark?" Chloe's voice cut through the dark cavern-like room in concern. She had heard the noise and realized the flashlight she had given him had gone out. "Clark, are you alright?" She poked her head around the doorway, and somehow once her eyes had adjusted she spotted his agonized silhouette on the ground.

She didn't wait for his reply as it sank in he may be hurt, and never once did she think someone could be lying in wait for her, so great was her worry. As she reached his side Clark groaned, both with the pain and at his own stupidity for being caught out.

"Need to g-get out of this room." He almost slurred his every word.

Chloe fumbled at his side and retrieved her light. She tapped it a few times and magically it came back on, shedding new illumination on their predicament.

Clark was sprawled across a concrete based section of floor, with his head right in front of several large vats. He was struggling to speak, and was obviously in some kind of pain as he clutched his temple with one hand.

It never occurred to Chloe that the thing troubling him was actually in the huge liquid containers close by. Instead, another thought came to mind, and it terrified her. No one hurt Clark, he just collapsed! Maybe he is sick and didn't even remember he did those things with the roses earlier. Oh God! What if he has a tumor or something like Ryan did?

"Its okay, Clark. I'll call an ambulance, you just stay still." Chloe bit her lip and then was relieved as she recalled she'd brought her PDA/phone in with her. She used the glow from her light to help find it in the darkness, all the time keeping a watchful eye on her man.

Clark rolled onto his side, trying to put more distance between his skull and the offending vat, but it didn't work. The more he resisted the harder it became to stay conscious.

"C-Chloe, call m-my dad…"

The frightened reporter noted Clark looked strange, and not just because he was growing pale. His veins look like they're gonna pop through his skin! I need to hurry…She dialled 911, ignoring her friend's weak pleas not to.

The phone hissed back at her with annoying regularity. Chloe didn't need to check the screen to know there was no signal. "I need to go outside and try and get this thing to connect." She pulled off her tiny jacket and stuffed it under Clark's head, but it was a wasted gesture, because she wouldn't be going outside, and Clark wouldn't be staying where he was.

The sound of a large engine labouring made Chloe pause in her actions, and begin to panic. It was faint at first, but then grew ever louder as it neared their location. It was a truck on Turner Enterprises property, and it was probably coming to collect the last of the evidence…right where they were sitting.

"Clark! Someone's coming. You have to try and get up!" Chloe prodded her sick friend, but his legs were just too weak to move. Even the urgency in her tone didn't rouse his confused brain and paralysed muscles.

He moaned softly at her touch, and then appeared to swim in and out of conscious thought. "I thought it was Pete, I was so sure he'd s-sent the r-roses…" Clark's eyes rolled back under his eyelids and he shivered, making the word 'tumor' rise in Chloe's thoughts again.

Great! He's delirious or worse, and we're about to get caught by some Turner goons!

Summoning all her strength, Chloe grabbed Clark under each arm and attempted to drag him across the floor. If they couldn't escape or call for help, then they would have to try and hide till the people left again.

Chloe huffed and panted at the exertion it took to move her well-built friend just a few steps, but she wouldn't give in. The nearest place to find refuge was straight behind the closest vat. It seemed quite a distance when time was against her, but Chloe made it just as the plant's outer doors opened.

The visitors might not know they were here if they'd used the main gate, because as before, Chloe had parked her VW at the back entrance. She breathed heavily, as did Clark even though he hadn't done any of the work. He seemed to be getting sicker, but until the two men who had just arrived left, there was nothing she could do but keep him quiet.

Chloe thought it would have been an easy task after dragging him, but Clark's delirium had gotten worse since she'd moved him. What if it's some kind of brain haemorrhage? I'm so useless! She felt her own pulse pounding through her body with fear, but not for her own safety.

"Chloe…didn't send the f-flowers…" he groaned but his eyes remained unfocused, "Not my fault…K-kryptoni…"

"Shush!" Chloe gently put a hand over his mouth, careful not to cover his nose and hamper his already weak breathing, "we have to stay quiet," she whispered. But of coarse this close to concentrated meteor rock residue, Clark didn't hear her.

Two men walked into the room were Chloe had been fumbling with the computer she'd found. One thick-set blonde individual noticed the pc had been plugged in and booted, and he pointed to it and nodded. His partner acknowledged he'd seen it too, but neither man appeared shocked.

"Just unplug it and get it packed." Mr. Blonde, as Chloe thought of him seemed to be in charge. "I'll start loading the other things out back. I wouldn't want our friends to see that particular evidence." He looked around a second as if he'd caught some sound.

Clark had the bad timing to add to the effect. "Mmn…" He mumbled through Chloe's half open fingers, "C-can't breathe…"

Chloe almost had a heart attack as Mr. Blonde looked straight in their direction. He had to have heard something, and there was nowhere to run. Not that Clark could run anyway, and she wouldn't leave him to their mercy.