Lex is heading down the corridor in LexCorp. It is a massive, beautifully furnished building. He walks across to a special security door. There is a little stand in front of the door with a screen. There is a keyboard on the screen. Lex calmly types in a couple of letters. The door electronically opens. He steps in, and a few seconds later, it close. This is his office's reception area. His secretary is sitting at her desk. She looks frazzled. She stands up, afraid.
Woman: (scared) Mr. Luthor, I tried to stop him! He just brushed past me!
Lex: Calm down, Kathy. Tell me what happened!
Woman: There's a man in your office, Mr. Luthor, he looks really agitated.
Lex: How did he get in?
Woman: Security told me he had clearance. He got in when I was going down to get you some coffee.
Lex: Don't worry about it, Kathy. I'll handle it.
He winks at her.
Lex: You look beautiful today. Is it your birthday or something?
He obviously knows the answer and is asking the question for kicks.
Woman: (blushing) Why, yes, Mr. Luthor. Thank you.
Lex: Don't thank me yet, Kathy.
He takes a pair of car keys out of his pocket.
Lex: Happy birthday.
Her face lights up.
Kathy: Oh, thank you so much, Mr. Luthor!
Lex: Why don't you take it out for a test drive. It's in your spot. I've had the old Nissan towed already. Don't worry. It's all on me.
Kathy smiles gratefully.
Kathy: Thank you, Mr. Luthor!
He winks again and tosses her the keys. She catches them and hurries out. Lex's smile disappears immediately she's out of sighs. He takes out his cell phone and taps a few buttons. He waits and finally someone answers.
Lex: Lenard, she's on her way. Make sure she's atleast 5 miles away before you kill her. If they find out I'm even remotely involved in this, I'll take out you and your whole family.
He flips his phone shut. He then heads in to his office. It is a massive, beautifully furnished place. His desk and chair are expensive and he has the latest electronics including a big screen TV and a personal sofa room with a bathroom. A short, wiry man is sitting nervously in a chair.
Lex: Ah, Jeremy, what a pleasure it is to see you again.
Jeremy: (angrily) You sonofabitch!
Lex: (amused) Jeremy, Jeremy, is that kind of language really necessary? Calm down, relax.
He heads towards his mini bar and pours himself a drink. He sips slowly from the glass.
Jeremy: Are you out of your mind?
Lex: (licking his lips) Why would you ask that?
Jeremy stalking up to Lex.
Jeremy: I don't think you realize who you're messing with, Mr. Luthor.
Lex: Oh, I do, I do. I learned from my father, a Luthor never goes in to a war without haven already won it.
Jeremy: Do you know what is going to happen to me if Intergang finds out what I helped you do?
Lex: That, quite frankly, is your business. You should have known not to trust me.
Jeremy: Oh, god, Oh, Jesus Christ. Lex, you can't do this to me!
Lex is annoyed. He puts his glass down.
Lex: Let me ask you something, Jeremy, did I force you to do this? Did I drag you, anything like that? Or did you simply submit? Don't kid yourself.
Jeremy: Goddamn you, Luthor!
Lex: Tut, tut, tut. You're a religious man, aren't you? Thou must not use the lord's name in vain. But you never really did what the bible says, did you? (angry) Now don't you dare try to escape your fate? How meny men have you killed Jeremy? How many families have you ruined?
Jeremy: (sobbing) Please, Lex. You can't let me die. You just can't. I..I…
Lex: You what?
Jeremy: My family. Please my family. Don't let me die like this mi amigo.
Lex: (smiling) No soy to Amigo, Jeremiah.
Jeremy: Mi Familia, Senor, Mi Familia!
Lex: Oh, they won't hurt your family. But don't worry. You'll suffer enough for all of them.
Lex takes his drink and goes to seat in his desk. He sips calmly. Jeremy looks around desperately. Lex gets up.
Lex: I think you should leave. Excuse me.
He goes in to his private bathroom and closes the door behind him. Jeremy breathes hard, infuriated. He looks around and spies a weapon. It is a century old sword on display. He opens the glass and takes out the sword. He goes towards the door. He grabs the doorknob, about to kick it open, when it swings open. He is surprised, but he enters. He is shocked. Lex is not in there. The door swings shut behind him. The bathroom is empty. He grabs the doorknob but it will not budge.
Next Shot.
Lex in a secluded little room. He presses a red button.
Next Shot.
The bathroom. The walls are literally getting smaller. Jeremy cries out.
Jeremy: What's happening? No!
As the walls are bearing in, The room swivels around, revealing another chamber. It is awesome! The 2 rooms spin and exchange places so the room that was behind the bathroom is now in it's place. Lex stands in that room. He smiles.
Lex: A job well done.
He heads out as Jeremy's last cry is heard, a gut wrenching, agonizing wail.
Next Shot.
Lana's SUV stops at the gated entrance to the Kent Farm. Lana and Jana are sitting in the front. Clark has been sitting in the back.
Lana: See you tomorrow, Clark.
Jana: Thanks for the movie.
Clark: Sure. Bye Lana…..and Jana.
They giggle as he gets out. He waves as they zoom off. It is now that the disappointed look he has had on his face is revealed. He watches as Jana turns to Lana, talking animatedly. The SUV is now out of sight, going along the road. Suddenly, he gets a curious look on his face. He fights it, then grins awkwardly. He turns his head towards the SUV. Clark's Super Hearing is activated. Shots of traveling through his ear canal. Quick shots of his eardrums rattling rapidly. The camera zooms after the SUV to reveal shots of Lana's and Jana's mouths.
Jana: (with Clark listening) He is so hot!
Lana: (laughing) I can't go a day without one girl telling me that, you know?
Jana: (whistling) If you weren't my friend, I'd-
Next Shot.
Jonathon: Clark?
Clark turns away startled, obviously haven lost his concentration.
Jonathon: What's going on?
Clark: Oh, nothing, Dad.
Jonathon: When did you get home?
Clark: Just now. Lana dropped me off.
Jonathon: (smiling) So how did the date go?
Clark: (with a little of disappointment) Well, we took this girl along.
Jonathon: (winces) One of those, huh?
Clark nods.
Jonathon: (with a half smile) Well, you can come along in. There's about to be a Shark game and I bought some wings along the way home. Come in when you're ready, which better be soon, or you'll have to run to get some more.
Jonathon heads towards the house. Clark looks in the direction the SUV left in.
Clark: (smiling to himself) She thinks I'm cute.
He smiles proudly, then heads in after his Dad.
Next Shot.
Lana's SUV pulls out of the entrance of an apartment building to reveal she has just dropped Jan off. Jan waves at her until the SUV is out of sight. Suddenly, a car screeches to a stop beside Jan. Chloe is sitting inside.
Chloe: Jan, get in. We have to talk.
Next Shot.
A small café. Jan and Chloe are sitting inside. Jan is eating a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich and drinking a Coke. Chloe is simply drinking a cappuccino, looking pissed.
Chloe: (after a pause) I can't believe you would do this without consulting me.
Jan rolls her eyes.
Jan: What are you, my mother?
Chloe: No, I'm your friend, Jan, and I'm begging you, begging you not to do this.
Jan: I'm sorry, Chloe, but I have to do this. This is my one chance to be a reporter. I help bring down Intergang, The cops award me, I write the story of the century, and I become the female Perry White. What could beat that?
Chloe: You do not understand what they will do to keep you silent.
Jan: My Dad always used to tell me, the worst a man can do to you is kill you. Even if they do kill me, which I seriously doubt, I'll become some kind of martyr. Nothing beats that. You know you'd die for a story like this.
Chloe: Yes, but I have nothing to live for. You have your whole life ahead of you. This is what I do. This is not you, Jan. You don't have to do this.
Jana: Dammit, Chloe! I want to be a somebody. You're already a somebody. You have nothing to prove. I have everything to prove!
Chloe: What are you going to prove, Jan? Please, tell me!
Jan: Of all people, I thought you'd understand. But you know what, Chloe? I should have known better. I should have known you would try to hold me down. You can go to hell!
Jan begins to get up, but Chloe grabs her arm.
Chloe: Did the cops ever tell you what happened to the last 3 people they've sent after Intergang?
Jan: Yes, they told me that they never found the 1st two, but one is alive. I'm going to live, Chloe!
Chloe: I guarantee you that the man who is alive would rather be dead. But he doesn't have a choice, because he's paralyzed in the lower body. He's attached to a damn machine, Jana. He can't live without it. He could probably take out the oxygen if it wasn't for one little fact, he has no right arm. The fingers and thumb in his left arm and the muscles in the elbow are broken. If he ever survives the machine, he'll never have children again, nor be able to hear without a hearing aide, or chew solid food. I want you to think long and hard about that, Jan.
Jan pauses, then yanks her arm away and stalks out. Chloe looks after her, concerned and afraid.
Next Shot.
Screen Text: Metropolis
Chloe is sitting in the college newspaper. It is obviously much, much bigger than that of Smallville High. She has her own computer and dozens of students sit around her typing frantically at there own desks. Chloe is sitting there thinking. Suddenly, her cell phone ring. She takes it out and the Caller ID reveals that it's Clark. She flips it open.
Chloe: What's up?
Clark: (V.O.) I brought some food. My Mom told me to run over here and deliver it to you. She says with all the time you spend at school, you probably haven't had home cooking in a millennia.
Chloe: (sighs) Thanks, Clark. Tell your Mom thanks.
Clark: (kidding) Oh, c'mon, Chloe, I just got here! Anyway, meet me outside, at the outdoor cafeteria.
Chloe: (rolling her eyes and smiling) I'll be down there in a minute.
Next Shot. MIU Outdoor Cafeteria
There are only a few kids there. It is nice, outdoors with a beautiful view of nature. Chloe enters and spots Clark at a table a short distance away. He is putting newly made pasta coated with meat sauce and cheese gratings in two bowls. He has two bottles of water with him. Chloe goes to him and sits down at the table.
Chloe: Thanks, I really didn't realize how hungry I am.
Clark: (winking) No problemo. Eat to your heart's content.
Chloe sits down, waiting eagerly as Clark serves the food. As soon as it's done, she eagerly devours it. Clark watches, amused, as she gulps down long strands of meaty spaghetti.
Chloe: (humming contentedly between bites) I forgot how great your mom's cooking is.
Clark: I'm guessing you don't get much home cooking around here.
Chloe: (rolling her eyes as she sucks strands of spaghetti in to her mouth) That's an understatement. I'm living on McDonalds, Chinese food, and pizza. It's a wonder I don't weight 300 pounds.
Clark: You look like you've lost weight, Chloe.
Chloe: (sarcastically) Sure, Clark.
Clark: (seriously, surveying her) No, Chloe, I'm serious. Are you getting enough to eat?
Chloe: (sarcastically) Yes, Dad.
Clark: Are you starving yourself?
Chloe: I don't know what you think of me, Clark, but I'm not some attention seeking bimbo willing to starve myself to death just so I can steal a few more glances from empty headed jerks.
Clark: I'm sorry, Chloe, but you have lost quite a lot of weight. How much?
Chloe: (shrugging) I don't know.
Clark: How much, Chloe?
Chloe: 10, maybe 15 pounds. What does it matter? And please, can we change the subject. I've got enough to deal about without all these questions.
Clark: Alright, Chloe, but I'm watching you closely.
Chloe wipes meat sauce off her lips. She covers her mouth as she swallows and smiles at Clark.
Chloe: So, how is KCU?
Clark: (shrugs) It's good. It sucks not having you around though.
Chloe: (chewing) Are you in the newspaper?
Clark: Yeah. I do some independent work. I write a story once in a while. Not like the torch though.
Chloe: (smiling understandingly) No, not like the torch. I know how you feel. I miss being in charge. Now I'm just a lowly assistant, no offense.
Clark: None taken.
Chloe: Sometimes, I just want to scream at the editor.
Clark: I know how you feel.
Chloe: (chewing lightly now) So how is Lana doing?
Clark:(shrugging) I guess she's o.k.
Chloe: Guess?
Clark: Well, we haven't really been spending much time together. Every time we have plans, she either invites one of her friends to go along with us or breaks them off completely.
Chloe: (nibbling on her food) Well, that can't be good.
Clark: Believe me, it's not.
Chloe eats silently for a couple of seconds. Then she leans back.
Chloe: (with her eyes closed) Mmmm, that was good.
Clark: (changing the subject) So, have you met anyone here?
Chloe: Well, I did meet someone briefly.
Clark: (interested) Oh, yeah, who?
Chloe: He was a nuclear physics student, he visited here, Genius IQ. National phenomenon. Have you ever heard of Bruce Banners?
Clark: Heard of him? We study his work in physics. Wait a minute, you met Bruce Banners?
Chloe: Briefly.
Clark: So, what was he like?
Chloe: A little dorky if you ask me. He seems a little green around people.
Clark: That is awesome! I can't believe you met Bruce Banners. You know how many people I know would kill to meet him? He's a national celebrity. They say after college he's going to work for the U.S Defense Department as their leading scientist. He's going to get paid millions for doing what he loves. Imagine that.
Chloe: Yeah, yeah, yeah, success story of a lifetime.
Clark: So what happened?
Chloe: After a couple of days, he just left without a word. Never heard from him again.
Clark: So how far did you go?
Chloe: (looking at him, amused) Do I sense jealousy?
Clark quickly shakes his head.
Clark: No.
Chloe: Thanks a lot, Clark.
Clark: Oh, c'mon, Chloe, you know what I meant.
She laughs.
Chloe: It's so fun to mess with you.
He rolls his eyes now.
Chloe: C'mon, let's go to my apartment. I really need a drink…..
Clark gives her a stern look.
Chloe: ………of coffee.
He smiles.
Clark: I'm up for it.
They head away. The camera spins to a short man, who has obviously been watching them the whole time. He talks in to a radio.
Man: Mr. Edge, I've located the infiltrator.