Chapter 8 - My Boyfriend's Back

The next day…

Lex heard his cell phone ring in his jacket pocket, and pulled it out. He was having a good day, until he picked it up.

"Lex." It was Lionel. Lex sighed.

"I sent the business report to you yesterday, dad. What's wrong with it now?"

"I'm not calling about the business report, Lex, you're too paranoid. I want you to meet me in Metropolis tonight to discuss the possibility of you coming to work at Luthorcorp."

"It's not really about me, is it dad?" Lex stated. "Just another publicity stunt for the media: another welcome back to Lionel Luthor from his travels. Where did you go for so long anyway?"

"I can't give away all of my secrets, Lex."

Lex had expected that answer. He had steeled himself up for this conversation.

"I kind of figured that you wouldn't tell me, so I took the liberty of getting the information myself. Tell me, dad, what's so important in Indonesia that you have to make private visits there every week?"

Lex was met with a chuckle. "My, my, you've certainly done your homework. You're starting to become like your old man. Keep it up, Lex, and you might even replace me one day."

"Luthorcorp means nothing to me, dad, not when you don't trust me. Now, I have more important things to do, so go find someone else to sucker."

With that, Lex closed his cell phone.

After school was finished, Chloe Sullivan sat in the office of the Torch, frantically searching for some way that Whitney could have returned. Clark was standing over her, equally as determined to find out how it was possible that Whitney hadn't died. Chloe was flipping through newspaper articles involving Whitney's death, as well as death reports in Indonesia. So far, she had come up empty.

Lana walked into the Torch with Pete. Walking up to Chloe's computer, she asked, "What are you researching today, Chloe?" Before Chloe could cover up the articles, Lana caught a glimpse. She turned pale.

"Are you ok, Lana?" Pete inquired.

"I'm…I'm…no." Lana whispered, and she proceeded to run out of the Torch. Pete ran after her.

"Lana, what's wrong?"

"It's Whitney. He's back. I thought no one else knew but Chloe had it up on her screen when I walked in. It just frightened me, since I've been trying to push it into the back of my thoughts all day."

"How is that possible?"

"I…I don't know. But he showed up in front of Clark's house last night. He's furious that I don't love him anymore. There's something wrong with him."

"I can help."

"No you can't, Pete. If you want my advice, steer clear of him at all costs. He's out for blood."

With that, she ran down the corridor, leaving Pete alone. He let Chloe and Clark know that he was leaving, and started to head home, hoping to call Lana.

In the Torch, Clark was now researching on his own computer. Chloe had stumbled upon something.

"This is interesting," she said. "Clark, look at this. Apparently Lionel Luthor was in Indonesia this week up until the day before Whitney returned."

Clark shuddered. Lionel's name always made him nervous, especially now that he could have something to do with Whitney's return.

"And another article here says that Whitney was reported as being in a coma after the huge blast." Chloe commented.

"Why would it be reported that Whitney was dead if he was in a coma? It doesn't make sense." Clark wondered.

"No, but this does. Apparently, the day that it was announced that Whitney died, guess who was in Indonesia?"

"Who?"

"Lionel Luthor. Apparently he opened a new research facility there that week." She turned the computer screen toward Clark so he could see the picture of Lionel shaking hands with the person who was clearly the manager of the new facility."

Clark swallowed, and immediately picked up the phone to dial Lex's cell.

Lana was driving her jeep in the now persistent rain towards Lex's mansion, hoping to find comfort there. It was so dark outside, as the clouds had covered most of the sky. She just hoped that she didn't run into Whitney.

Lex was about to take a shower, and again, his cell phone rang. "Damn that cell phone, he thought, as he picked it up. "Hello?"

"Lex, this is Clark."

"Clark, I hate to say this, but it is a less than ideal time to…"

"Just listen, Lex. Whitney is back."

"Dead people don't rise from the grave, Clark." Lex said, a bit skeptical.

"He was in the graveyard a couple of nights ago and tried to kill me and Chloe. Lex, there's something different about him. We think that he might be affected by the meteor rocks."

Lex stood there in awe. So Whitney really was back. He didn't know how Lana would take that.

"We did some digging and found out some information. Lex, you need to know this. Your father opened a new research facility in Indonesia, in the town near the place Whitney died. He opened it the week that it was announced that Whitney was MIA. That's not all. This week, up until the day before Whitney went after us in the graveyard your father was in Indonesia again, in the same town where that research facility is."

Somehow it didn't surprise him. He knew his father was a ruthless man who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted, even if a few kids were hurt or killed in the process. But now, his father's evasions on the phone made sense. Lex knew that his father had been in Indonesia this past week, and now he knew why. "Thanks for telling me Clark. I'll see if I can find out anything else and get back to you."

"Thanks Lex. Bye."

As he shut his cell, he heard a faint voice downstairs.

"I'm sorry miss, but you can't visit Mr. Luthor. He's unavailable currently."

Lex hauled on his bathrobe and went downstairs. "She can wait for me in my study. I won't be long," he said to the butler.

"As you wish, sir." With that the butler lead Lana to Lex's study.

Some fifteen minutes later, Lex came downstairs to find a very distraught Lana staring intently out the window.

"Lana, are you ok?" he asked. "You don't look well."

"Lex. Whitney is back, and he's after me. He's really violent; he'll kill anyone who gets in his way."

"I know."

"You do?"

"Clark just called and told me. I'm sorry Lana, but I'm afraid that it has something to do with my father."

"You're kidding."

"Would I lie to you? Lana, if you need protection, I'd be happy to offer it."

"No, Lex, that's not it. I appreciate the offer though. I just…Whitney showed up at Clark's house during the night and I don't really feel safe there right now. Would you mind if I stayed here for the night?"

"No, it's quite alright. I'll just give Gabe a call and let him know."

"Thanks," she replied.

Pete had followed Lana from the school. He was parked outside the Luthor mansion. Lana had gone in, but not come out. After an hour, he angrily drove away, furious at the fact that Lana would want to go to Lex for comfort, but not him. He didn't notice the shadowed figure hiding in the trees.

Next: Will Whitney attack? Chloe and Clark continue to investigate Whitney, and Chloe and Clark find out some new things about themselves.