"Genevieve Teague," Zatanna repeated, cocking her head as she studied the woman in front of her. "I don't think that Lana's ever mentioned you…are you a relative?" Zatanna asked, instantly knowing where she had heard the last name before.

Jason Teague. This person was a relative of his, and guessing from the fact that she was calling on Lana, Zatanna would bet that this was Jason's mother.

Who was a Homo sapien witch.

That never boded well.

"No, not yet," Genevieve replied, "though, if my son…ah, well, let's not go there shall we? Tell me, is she in?"

"Lana…actually isn't here right now…but can I give her a message?"

"No, I can wait actually. Are you her roommate?" Genevieve asked as she pushed past Zatanna and let herself into Lana's apartment. Zatanna whirled around as Genevieve let herself in, taking a look around the apartment. Zatanna's eyes flared as she watched the older woman survey the apartment, her facial expression trying to mask her distaste.

"Actually no, I'm her friend," Zatanna replied, keeping any edge out of her voice. "So, you're Jason's mother."

"Yes, yes I am," Genevieve replied, seating herself on a chair. "When will Lana be back?"

"Not for a long while, actually." Zatanna replied. "Waiting here wouldn't be the best thing."

"Define 'long while'," Genevieve asked saucily.

"I don't believe you need to know," Zatanna replied.

"I actually believe I do." Genevieve said back, matching Zatanna's tone vocal note by vocal note.

Zatanna sighed and arched an eyebrow at the older woman. This conversation could seriously go one of two ways. She could reveal herself to the older woman and tell her that she knew who Genevieve was…or at least what she was…or she could play stupid and just not do anything. Truth be told, Zatanna was tired of playing dumb and just letting things happen to her and her friends.

After Lana's sudden transformations, it was more than just a little weird for someone like Genevieve to appear out of the blue and pay a social visit to Lana. First of all, there was the witch factor. Secondly there was the fact that Jason and Lana had broken up, and Zatanna was more than certain that Genevieve knew that. The woman looked shrewd and calculating. There was also the fact that she was pushing herself into Lana's home and demanding to know where the young woman was.

What was this lady's game? What did she want?

"No, you really don't, Genevieve." Zatanna replied back, perhaps a little more saucily than she meant to. "Wherever Lana is, it really doesn't concern you any more than it concerns me as to what your son is up to right now. Now, I'd really appreciate it if you left and let me finish up whatever it is that I was doing here before you decided to barge on in."

"You're a feisty one."

"You don't know the half of it, lady. Are you going to leave or do I have to drag you out of here by those Harry Winston earrings? I really don't have a problem doing the latter, you know."

Genevieve smiled smugly at Zatanna, arching an eyebrow as she listened to Zatanna. "You don't have the power to get me up off of this chair and out of Lana's apartment."

"You don't want to discuss power with me, Genevieve." Zatanna said, walking closer to the woman. "It's really not in your best interest."

"And you know what's in my best interest, little girl?"

"Don't even try to 'little girl' me. You don't know who I am."

"Who are you then? Shed some light on it, and let me be amazed by your greatness."

"Zatanna Zatara."

Genevieve blinked for a moment and just stared at Zatanna blankly. "Zatanna Zatara," she repeated off-handedly. "I'd be in awe, except for the fact that your name sounds like a really bad Italian dish."

"That was a low blow for a supposedly sparkling socialite like you," Zatanna shot back, unfazed. She'd heard worse things said about her name in elementary school, and frankly, insults never really got to Zatanna. Ever. Call it having a high case of self-esteem. "Then again, so is verbally sparring with a woman young enough to be your daughter."

Genevieve was silent for a moment, unsure of what to say, exactly. She wasn't used to someone being this feisty with her. People usually bowed down to Genevieve and deferred to her instead of being, well, this outspoken.

"I don't think I like you."

"Good for you. I already don't like you." Zatanna replied point blank. She stopped then, in front of Genevieve, her arms akimbo, her head cocked to one side, her eyes boring into Genevieve's. She silently considered her next move for a moment.

Zatanna instinctively, inherently did not trust this woman. She wanted Lana for another reason, not just because she was Jason's ex-girlfriend. Whatever that reason was, Zatanna bet on anything – even her own powers - that it was connected to the recent developments in Lana's life.

Which meant that it was time to stop playing it safe, time to stop researching Lana's new powers and Lana's new destiny, and time to seriously take some action.

"You know what? I'm tired. I'm tired of the word games. I'm tired of the mysteries that have been accosting me during the past few weeks. I'm tired of all the weirdness. Let's cut to this chase, Genevieve. I know what you are."

Genevieve gave Zatanna a quizzical look. "What I am…what are you -"

Zatanna shook her head. "Don't even try the innocence shtick on me. You're a mortal witch. You know it. I know it. Deal with the fact that I know. Oh, right, and while we're on the subject of knowing, I also know what it is you want with Lana, and let me tell you, you aren't getting it. Any of it."

"Who are you?" Genevieve asked, finally suspicious of the teenager in front of her.

"A teenage girl with a name that sounds like something you'd return at the Cheesecake Factory, apparently," Zatanna shot back. "You weren't interested earlier. Don't try to change the subject by being so now. I want you to back off, Genevieve. Back off and go back to London or Paris or whatever city it is where you try to move around in your wannabe Alexis Carrington lifestyle."

"You can't make me. You can't make me do anything you want me to. You really don't know who you're dealing with," Genevieve said tartly, incensed. Zatanna was pushing a few of the witch's buttons, she noted gleefully.

"And who am I dealing with, exactly?"

"Someone far older than you." Genevieve said cryptically.

"As can be witnessed by very bad plastic surgery. What happened, did all your beauty spells backfire? Look, realize that Lana is under my protection, as is everyone else in Smallville. You want any of them, you come through me first. Understood?"

"Don't think too much of yourself."

"I don't. I think just enough, Genevieve. I suggest you leave, now. Before I have to take any drastic measures in making you go."

Genevieve eased herself off of the chair upon which she sat, her lips curling into a smile. "I'll go. For now. But don't expect me to leave Smallville. And don't expect me not to enjoy a cup of tea at the Talon. I'll be here, around. Waiting to meet your friend. After all, I have unfinished business with her."

"Like I said, Genevieve, you want her, you come through me."

"We'll see about that," Genevieve replied, walking towards the front door. She put her hand on the knob and turned it, opening the door slightly. She then turned around and gave Zatanna a once over before saying, "But believe you me, Zatanna, when things come to a pass, you'll wish you had let me deal with Lana in the first place. You don't know everything, you know."

"And you can say this because?"

"I'm older. And wiser. And because I'm one of the very few who knows of what will come to pass."

"What do you mean?"

"If you had co-operated, I would have answered that," Genevieve said, closing the door behind her, leaving behind an even more confused and upset Zatanna.

As soon as Genevieve left, Zatanna plopped herself down on the couch and picked up the phone. She quickly dialed in a number and waited for someone to pick up on the other end.

"Clark?"

"Zatanna. Hey."

"Hey…have you spoken to Mrs. Baker yet?"

"No…not yet. I was going to go pay her a visit. What's going on?"

"I just had the most interesting meeting."

"With."

"Genevieve Teague."

"Jason's mom? You're kidding me. What happened?" Clark asked, his curiosity piqued. Zatanna smiled to herself. For someone who claimed to have very little interest in journalism, Clark definitely was curious. Then again, with his life in Smallville, it was hardly surprising.

"Let's just say that she knows way more than she's letting on. Oh…and she's a witch."

"Think there's a connection to Isobel?"

"Don't you?"

"Does she know about you?"

"No. She's a mortal witch. She can't inherently sense me."

"What do we do now?"

"You have no idea how tired of that question I am. I don't know, Clark…all I know is that we need to keep Lana in confinement for as long as possible. And keep Genevieve away from her. I'm sure she's got her eyes set out on me now."

"That sounds so comforting," Clark replied dryly.

"I know. I'm scared, Clark. After what Kent told us, and after this meeting with Genevieve. I mean, I held my own against her, but dammit, there's more to this than what even Kent's told us. We don't even know how Lana's going to…you know."

"Yeah, I do. I say we go to you friend Madame Xanadu's tomorrow and discuss this. I'll call Bart."

Zatanna nodded. "Do that. And Clark? Please be careful?"

"I think I should be telling that to you," Clark said before he hung up.

Zatanna set the phone down, thinking the same thing.

They'd have to be careful, while time was speeding up on them. Great.

Writer's Note: Hey guys….Yeah…it's been exactly one month since my last post. I really truly am sorry for the delays, and I'm gonna try to stop any more delays from happening. Sorry…I know it's no excuse, but my personal life's been somewhat of a mess the past few weeks, and I sort of let things slip, but no more. Admittedly, not my best chapter…but it does get better. Trust me. :-D.

There's a big reveal coming soon too, which will pretty much lead up to the climax of the story.

So what did you guys think of the chapter? Comments, complaints, and all that juicy stuff is way cool, so keep on r-and-r-ing yeah? And meanwhile I'll keep posting.

Right, and thanks guys, for those of you who emailed me in my absence. I totally appreciated it. :-D.

Hope to hear from you soon, and until next time, yeah?