Clark drove up to the farm still thinking about what had happened at Lex's. He briefly glanced down at the glove compartment as he put the truck into park and turned off the engine. He hoped his dad hadn't noticed the truck was missing. He really didn't want to listen to a lecture right now.

Peter heard the truck drive up and walked out of the barn.

"Hey, do you know where my dad is?"

"He's been working in the far field." Peter could tell the something was bothering Clark by the worried look on his face. "Something is bothering you and I don't think it is the fact that you took the truck without your father knowing."

"You're right."

"Did something happen at Lex's?"

"Yeah," Clark paused. "I'll tell you in the loft."

Peter sat down on the couch while Clark sat down heavily in a chair across the room. Peter sat there waiting for Clark to tell him what happened as Clark rubbed his hands nervously.

"I think Lex knows something."

"What makes you think that?" Peter then remembered the e-mail that Clark had received. "What did Lex have of yours?"

Clark answered worriedly, "My class ring."

"The one that you had on when you ran away."

"Yeah." Clark nodded his head.

"How do you know that it is the same one?" Peter questioned. "It could have been a different one?"

"No. It's the one I took." Clark answered. "All the other rings were destroyed when they were found out to be fakes. Chloe had kept only one."

"If that's true," Peter wondered. "How did Lex end up with the ring?"

"That is the part that has me worried." Clark replied. "Do you know what happened to it after I took it off?"

"Um, No I don't." Peter answered unsure. "I guess it just fell wherever you dropped it."

"It is definitely possible that Lex could have been in New York City as the time." Clark said.

"You think that he saw us fight and then he got the ring before anyone else showed up and found it."

"That's what I am afraid of." Clark remarked. "Lex seemed like he really wanted me to put the ring on while I was at the mansion. Like he wanted to see what it would do to me."

Peter looked worried. "You didn't put it on ... did you?"

"I had to." Clark said exasperated. "I didn't want to give Lex anything else to be suspicious about."

"How... How are you okay?" Peter stammered. "Where is the ring now?"

"The ring didn't have any effect on me when I first put it on." Clark answered. "I guess that is the only good side effect of the solar flares making my powers go away. The ring is in the glove compartment of the truck."

"You said that it didn't have any effect on you at first. What do you mean?"

"Before I could get to the truck and get off the ring the flares caused the strength of the ring to intensify and I wasn't sure for a moment if I was going to be able to get it off."

"What are you going to do about Lex?" Peter wondered.

"I don't know." Clark answered honestly.

Unbeknownst to Clark or Peter Chloe had pulled up to the farm and had quietly walked over to the barn hearing voices inside there. She heard Clark and Peter talking and stopped at the door to listen.

"How did you and Lex become friends to begin with." Peter asked. "You don't seem like the type to be friends."

"Well, Lex ran into me one day, literally." Clark said.

"What?"

"I was standing on the side of Lowell Bridge and Lex was driving down the road when he swerved to miss a roll of wire in the road." Clark said. "When he swerved, his car hit me and then took both of us for a plunge in the river. I pulled him out of the car and saved his life."

"Wow. How does Lex thinks it happened?"

"I told him I dove in the water after him and pulled him out."

"And he believed that?"

"I think he does to a point," Clark said. "I think he still has his suspicions."

Chloe was standing there at the door stunned. She could not believe what she was hearing. Was Clark a meteor freak? Several things were swirling around in her head. Clark was actually hit by Lex's car and uninjured how is that even possible?

"Most people think Lex is a bad guy. But, he saved my life also."

"How did he do that?"

"I was strung up in a field as a scarecrow." Clark saw the confused look on Peter's face. "It's a bad school tradition that happens each year. The quarterback at the time was dating Lana and thought that I was trying to move in on his territory. He took Lana's necklace that was made of the meteor rock and put it on me while I was strung up in the field."

"What happened then?"

"Lex came and found me and untied me. When he did the necklace fell off."

Chloe didn't know what to do she felt glued to the spot where she was standing. She had to go in and tell Clark what had happened at the Torch but she couldn't just walk in there normally after what she had just heard. She stepped backwards slightly and accidentally stepped on a stick causing it to crunch underneath her feet. She cursed inwardly at the stick.

Clark also heard the noise outside the barn. "Did you hear something?"

"I think so."

Chloe knew she was going to have to go inside now and try to act like she just came up. She called out "Clark?" before stepping into the barn.

Clark walked over to the railing and saw Chloe walk in. "Hi. Chloe."

Chloe saw the look on Clark's face and she knew he was wondering if she had heard anything. She had tried to put on her best smile. "Hi, Clark."

She walked up the steps and saw Peter sitting there. "Hi. Peter."
"Hey."

"Um, Clark." Chloe started unsure. "I don't know how to tell you this." She saw the look of fear in his eyes that he was trying to hide.

"I was told to give you a message."

Clark asked. "By who?"

Chloe looked Clark straight in the eye as she answered. "Eric Summers."

Clark eyes widened in concern. "Chloe, tell me what happened"

"Okay," Chloe said. "I think I need to sit down first."

Peter scooted over and Chloe sat down on the couch. "I was cleaning out some files at the Torch when someone came up behind me and grabbed my arm and put there hand over my mouth. He said he didn't want to hurt me; he just had a message to deliver. He said he wanted you to meet him at the Creekside Foundry at Midnight. Then he let go of me and threw me to the ground. I was able to get a look at him before he locked me in the closet."

Chloe saw the look of worry on Clark's face. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Chloe answered. "I'm fine. What does Eric Summers want with you?"

"I don't know Chloe."

Chloe's tone turned serious. "Clark, I don't want you to try to go off and be a hero and get yourself hurt now."

"Chloe, I'll be fine." Clark said reassuringly.

"No, I'm serious." Chloe stated. "I don't know what I would do if something happened to you."

"Okay, Chloe." Clark said softly. "I promise I will be careful. Will you do something for me?"

"Sure. What do you want me to do?"

"Go home and lock your doors so that I know that you are safe."

Chloe looked up at Clark uncertain but then gave in. "Alright."

After Peter saw Chloe drive off he asked. "What are you going to do?"

"Go to the Creekside Foundry." Clark replied. "But, I am going to need a little help."