It's morning at the Kent farm and Clark is in the barn loft getting his books together for class. Suddenly there's a loud rumbling sound. He rushes down the stairs to see what it was. Down below there was a glowing coming from the drawer where Clark kept the spaceship key. He reaches forward and unlocks the drawer slowly. Upon opening it the glowing gets brighter. As soon as the drawer was fully opened the key jumped to life. In mid air it sat spinning. Clark stood there staring at it wondering what it was doing when suddenly it began to move up and down rapidly. A large bright light appeared in it's opening. Clark felt that he had to step through it, but was a little hesitant. Within a flash he stepped out on the other side. He was in an ice fortress. Last time he was here he was with Milton Fine but he defeated him. Suddenly Jorels voice was heard, "My son I have called you here for matter of grave importants. Your battle with Fine isn't over. He's still alive, and General Zod is coming," "but I saw Fine disappear and Zod's portal close." " No my son you saw what they wanted you to see. Zod's portal is still there but he is trapped, and can still be released. Fine is still in Smallville, but has changed his location. You must find him and finally stop him or he will unleash Zod on the Earth and it will forever be thrown into an evil darkness and no human being will survive." "Why should i trust you?" "You need not to but for the Earth to survive you must do what is right and no one is safe." For you see Jorel was correct and it had been many weeks since Clark had fought Fine and he was in fact alive of sorts and had taken up a new home.
Back in Smallville
In an old abandoned factory deep in the center, Milton Fine was recouperating. On the ship, Clark hadn't killed him, but wounded him. He was almost completely healed, and soon he wood release his master, General Zod. His plan was to acquire the equipment to make a portal retrieving device. You see when the black Crystal was placed into the heart of the Ice Fortress computer it not only started an opening but had downloaded the computers files and sent them back to Fine's ship where he nowdidn't need the fortress or Clark's help, but rather he would use his ship and a few minor adjustments to open it here in Smallville so Fine thought. Unknown to him Clark knew of him still alive. A few more days and Fine would be ready to put his plan into action.
At the Luther Mansion
Lex is studying with several other men. "Iwanna know how someone got by my new securities and how they got out of the building without a singlesoud seeing them taking the ship out. I want an answer." ALl of the men are silent. There is no answer. Suddenly Lex hears "Well anyone ever thought maybe it disappeared." It was Lionel. "Well father what do you want." "Well I just thought I'd drop by and see how your search was going and if you were still blaming me. "Well ytou didn't take it someone did and I shall find that someone. "As I said son maybe it went poof and just went out in a flash of light. " Well father sounds like you need to head back to the asylum, got a few marbles loose. "There as Mrs. Sullivan would say "We do live in Smallville, home of the meteor freaks strange things do happen.
Speaking of Chlow we find her snooping outside of the now empty warehouse where the ship originally was stored. She had decided to look around for some answer and was intrigued by Milton Fine. She wanted to know more about who he was inside. She was standing in the open space where the ship had once stood. She begins to look around the place is a mess. Luthercorp had cleared out quickly. She is about to leave when she notices a black round object walking above. She notices it looks sort of like Clark's ship key. Different shape and all but some of the writing. Could this have fallen off of Fine's ship. She places the key in her pocket. She leaves minutes later. She is turning onto the Kent farm where she finds no one home and wonders where Clark could be and if he was in any of his classes.
Back at the ice fortress, Clark was still in conversation with Jorel. "How will I stop Zod from being released and defeat Fine." "I know not how to defeat Fine, but Zod I can tell you, you must this." A glowing yellow in color krystal rises out of the computer console. " When the portal is open you must be there to throw this into it. IT will build a shield and close the portal forever, but I warn you, you need to get away or else the portal will suck you in taking the crystal." Clark leaves. He had to get back to Smallville and find Fine before he opens the portal. Shortly there after, Clark arrives back in Smallville. He heads to the farm, walking into the barn he runs into Chloe who was about to leave. "Clark, I've been looking all over for you, Where have you been? "I ended up bumping into the artic Jorel He warned me that Fine and Zod were still a threat." "Speaking of Fine. I found this." She reaches into her pocket and pulls out the black hey, hands it to clark. "What's this? Looks like mine." " Well I found it in the warehouse where Fine's ship was last. I think it's from it. "Well maybe it'll aide in finding the whereabouts of the rest of the ship." Chloe and Clark decide to go in search of it.
Elsewhere Lex and his father are talking. "It's insane son to have an obssession with something as you have with this." "Yours is worse as I once was well. Some of us father feel certain things in life are more important to bettering ourselves and this I feel is one." " Well some obssessions can kill you. Only some us. Father I still have the idea you hnow what happened to the ship and where it is, but for now I'll say you don't." The phone rings,Lex answers. He silently talks for a few seconds then hangs up. He begins to leave. "Where are you going?" " I have a lead. Why don't you come along." "Fine." Both Luther's leave. Everyone is on the look for the ship. Who will find it first? One Looking for the ultimate power, another needs to destroy it to save humanity.
At the warehouse. Fine has finally recovered and begins to build the device he needs using the existing ship, soon Zod shall be freet. Later he presses a few buttons and lights begin to flash and the room is filled with buzzing suddenly from the hole opening. Fine walks over and places the black krystal into the slot. Within seconds a small dot appears. It slowly gets bigger, but it wil be sometime before its fully openeds. Seems the ship alone hasn't gotten the power to open the portal unlike the ice fortress which the portal would have been open already.
Nearby Clark and Chloe are driving by when suddenly the black key begins to glow and starts to go crazy. It flies out of Clark's hand. It rotates in the air and then zooms over and attaches itself to the steering wheel, It takes over the car. There's nothing Chloe can do. It's in control taking the two to the ship. Back
a few miles back Lex and his father are driving. Lex takes a small device out of his pocket. It's beeping. "What's that son?" "It's the way to my prize." Unknown to Clark and Chloe, Lex had a tracking device installed on Chloe's car. He figured that she would end up finding the ship before him, knowing Clark would have a hand in it as well. Chloe's car is seen coming to a sudden stop outside the warehouse the key drops from the steering wheel and flies out the window. Clark and Chloe chase after it. Outside they can see in. Inside is Fine. The portal has grown larger almost to its full size, The two split up and enter the warehouse. Clark goes in through a door to the large room. "Fine" he yells "Stop what you're doing. "Well well Mr. Kent I don't know how you found me, but this time you're not going to stop me." With that he shoots a beam out of his eyes at CLark who jumps to miss it. Fine then picks up a barrel and throws it at Clark who returns the barrel back at him. Clark runs and spears Fine. The two go at it punch to punch. Fine keeping CLark from the maching so the portal can finish opening.
Elsewhere outside Lex and his father have arrived. They jump from the car and hurry into the building where they see Chloe. "Where is it?" Lex yells. "Where's the ship?" " I don't know what you're talking about." "Yes you do. I'll find it." The noise from the fight between Fine and Clark can be heard. Lex races towards a hallway but the doors are blocked from the otherside. He can't see what's happening. Clark is getting the best of Fine who suddenly turns his arm into a spike and stabs at Clark who blocks. Clark can see the fortal is fully there. The image of Zod can be seen coming towards the openign. Knowing he only has a matter of seconds until Zod will be free, Clark uses all his strength and throws Fine clear across the warehouse. The portal is now completely open and a large figure of a man is seen stepping from the portal. He is dressed in black with muscles and dark eyes, slicked back hair. The portal won't be opened long after he's thru. Clark must find some how to get him back in it. He runs to Fine's ship and picks it up with one mighty throw hurls it towards Zod. Its impact knocks him into the portal along with Fine's ship. Seeing his chance Clark reaches into his pocket for the krystal and tosses it into the portal. Suddenly the warehouse shakes. The portal shoots bolts from it. A field is seen coming. The opening begins to suck objects in around it. Zod is on the otherside beating on the field. The portal is slowly closing. Fine seeing this attacks Clark but is overpowered. He is hurled into a large pile of scrap metal. Clark pushes Fine away. He is slung hurling across the warehouse.
Meanwhile in another area of the warehouse, Lex is fighting with his father to reach the ship. Chloe is in the corner still feeling the effects of Lex hitting her over the head, She sees Lex and Lionel fighting, then Lex pushes his father back. He reaches into his coat and pulls from it a pistolim. "I'm tired of being in your shadow, father. I'm tired of you taking away all I want, but this time you're not going to do it." "You don't want to do this, Lex." Chloe sees Lex. She runs and scuffles with lex to keep him from shooting his father when suddenly it goes off. Chloe and Lex look at each other then she falls to the ground. Lex looks in disbelief. He can't believe he shot her. It was his father he wanted dead, not Chloe. Clark has heard the gunshot and reshes to see what happened. He arrives to see Chloe laying on the ground. She is in a pool of blood. He reaches to her side. "Chloe don't leave me." "Someone get an ambulance." IF Lex and Lionel wasn't around he would super speed out of there. He picks Chloe up and walks her out the foor within a flash he uses his spped and in seconds he is outside the hospital rushing in. He yells "She's been shot . I need a doctor. " They put her on a bed and Clark steps back seeing her being took care of.
Clark rushes back to the warehouse where Fine has entered the room and is holding Lex and Lionel in some sort of hole. Clark doesn't want to use his powers again so he sees a way Lex and Lionel are in the storage room. He uses his xray vision to knock out a pole dropping it over the door trapping them from seeing anything. Clark seizes his chance. He attacks Fine. The two once again go fist to fist. Fine suddenly knowing his defeat turns into a puddle of black liquid and disappears in a drain. Clark sees this and knows he needs to get to the hospital. Clark is sitting in the hospital waiting for the doctors to come out of surgery. "Are you Clark?" a doctor asks. "Yes" "Well you friend made it through surgery ok but she's not out of the woods yet." "Can I see her?" "Well only for a minute. She needs her rest." Clark enters the room. CHloe is lying on the bed. Moniters buzzing all around. Clark walks over to her and she opens her eyes saying. "I see we won again. You know I you I would die bofore giving out your secret. " "What happened? Who shot you?" Before she could say anything she closes her eyes back and falls asleep. Clark leaves the room. In the hall he sees Lois talking to the Sheriff of Smallville. "How is she?" "She's resting" "Mr. Kent I need to ask you some questions about the shooting. All we found at the warehouse were the Luthers." "I don't know what happened. When I arrived she was already shot. I just heard a shot. I don't know who did it." "As soon as Mrs. Sullivan is ready I need to ask her. According to the Luthers it was one Milton Fine who was holding them, and he in fact shot her. We now have an APB out looking for him ." "That's all lies, the Luthers were involved." "Were you there, Mrs. Lane?" "Um, no." Suddenly alarms blare code blue code blue room 229, which is Chloe's room. Doctors rush in. She's not breathing. "Charge, clear." Minutes later "That's all we can do. Time of death 4:14 pm." As the doctors are leaving one places a sheet over Chloe's face. Lois yells "No" She begins to cry. Clark comforts her. "I'm sorry for your loss, Mrs. Lane." sheriff says. "I have upgraded the charge to murder. We will find him you can count on that."
Couple days later at Chloe's funeral.
Everyone is gathered around her grave paying their respects. Clark is beside Lois who has just given her eulogy. Clark has said a few words as well. Everyone begins to leave. Clark still holding Lois begin to walk away. "I want this to all be a dream as like when I first came to smallville. Her death being a hoax, but I know this time it's not. "I know and we will find the truth.
The next day at the Kent farm.
Clark and his parents are having breakfast. "I can't believe she's gone. I guess Jorels promise has come to pass. If I could trade my life for hers if I hadn't been fighting fine I would have saved her. I promise you I will find out from Luther what happened and who did it.:
In Metropolis
Lois is at the Daily Planet. She's waiting to see the editor "Mrs. Lane ok Mrs Lane you can see her now. Lois walks in "Good evening Mrs Lane. I'm sorry to hear about your cousin. What can I do for you?" Well I would like her job. I want to bring the one who did this to justice." "Well I guess I could give you her job, but as her you have to work your way up." "Oh I will." she says. Behind the smile and handshake Lois' real plan is to bring down the Luthers even if it takes the rest of her life.