Thanks for the reviews, keep on reading and keep on reviewing. About the pairing, well considering this story the possibilities are endless, so... i'll let you guys decide later on in the story.

Chapter 2 - finding Samuel

He hadnt slept all night, all he did was stare at the small card. He traced the softly written letters for the hundreth time, remembering yet another time when his mother had been with him. He had tried getting his people on investigating the name, but had found no one, of course the high time of night might have had something to do with it.

He sighed deeply and looked at his watch. It was 4:30 a.m. He decided to get an early start on today and headed for his bedroom to take a shower.

The Talon, later that morning.

Chloe had been surprised at the early wake up call she had received from Lex, lucklily it had been early enough to make it before school. She was going to Smallville University, working afternoons at the Smallvile Ledger. Having considered her experience with Lionel Luthor and his help to get to the Daily Planet, she had decided to give her journalism a begginning she could afford.

She stopped in front of the Talon, it looked closed, but she pushed the door, finding it open. She walked in, apparently Lana hadn't arrived yet, most lights were off, except for the ones of the tables in the back. There she found Lex, lost in thought staring at something she couldn't see from behind him.

"I came as quickly as I could. What is so urgent?" she asked as she sat besides him, Lex tore his sight from the small piece of paper in front of him and without a word handed it to her.

"Its just a name, what is going on Lex?" she asked.

"I received this last night, it came in this." He handed her the white envelope and the large cardboard one. "Its from my mother." His bussiness like tone breaking only a bit at this last phrase.

"Your mother?" she asked before examining the papers in front of her.

"It was mailed a month before her death with instructions to give to me on my 28th birthday. That was all I could get from the post office. Apparently they had sent it to my office first, then one of the employees brought it all the way over her last night." he looked strangely distraught.

"Okay, I guess I can help you find this Samuel guy, but why me? don't you have people who do the investigating for you?"

"As you can guess, I don't want this issue on just any hands. I trust you Chloe and you have the best nose for a good mystery I have ever seen."

They didn't hear the front door open, but they did notice the lights all go on at once.

"Lana must have arrived." Lex noticed, seconds before she had arrived at their table.

"What is going on?" she asked, surprised at the early intruders. She had seen Lex's Porshe out front, but she hadn't expected to find Chloe there.

"Just an early meeting, sorry for not having told you." Lex said, not sounding sorry at all.

"Its okay, I just didn't expect to find anyone here. Would you want some cofee?" she offered, noticing the slight tense enviornment, and Lex's tired demeanor.

"Yes please, make mine black."

"No Lana, thanks, I already had my caffeine fix." Chloe said as she watched Lana leave.

They waited in silence. Chloe stared back and forth at the documents in front of her, Lex lost in thought.

Lana made her way back to the table a full 15 min. later. She came up from behind Lex to put his coffee in front of him. He hadn't heard her coming and at the precise moment he reached his hand to grab the small card pushing Lana's hand and making her drop the hot liquid across the table. Both Lex and Chloe reacted quickly, standing up quickly to prevent getting coffee stains all over their clothes.

"Sorry Lana, I didn't hear you coming." he apologized to her. She nodded and quickly went to get something to clean it up.

"Lex, the card." Chloe said, realizing she had saved the papers she had had in her hand, but the small white card was now swimming in a puddle of coffee, the already faint letters washing away.

"Its okay, not like I can forget the name." he sighed.

"What name?" Lana asked as she arrived with a cloth and started cleaning the table.

"Samuel Hartridge - Attorney at law. That is what this card said." Lex replied throwing the wet card in the trash can.

"Samuel Hartridge? that's the name of an old lawyer that helps my father once in a while." Lana said, surprised at the coincidence.

"You can't be serious." Said Chloe.

"Yeah, its probably not the one from the card, but I do know a Samuel Hartridge who is a lawyer." she said, not realizing what was going on around that name.

"Take us to him Lana." Lex demanded, "Its very important"

"Okay, just let me call my dad for the right address." she left confused.

"You can't possibly think we found him already, can you?" Chloe asked.

"How many Samuel Hartridge are out there that are also lawyers? its worth a try, besides, what can I lose?"