Clark's mind was working. He had Lana at his side, but Lila and Chloe were still at the mercy of the goons hired by Mason Hines.
Dr. Hines and Katherine Trumpet were talking quietly in the corner, and as Clark focused his hearing to listen in, he suddenly felt sick. Sick like there was Kryptonite around.
Clark panicked, and within a few seconds he was powerless. He strained as hard as he could, but his hearing wouldn't amplify. Waves of weakness and nausea pounded him, and it was all he could do to keep from leaning on Lana.
Suddenly Dr Hines was in front of him.
"Tie them all up," he instructed.
"I'll make the best of this disastrous situation," he added.
Katherine appeared in front of Lana and Clark with several yards of rope, while the two goons administered bindings to Lila and Chloe.
Minutes later they were lined up in chairs, restrained.
Clark was between Lana and Chloe. Lila was on the other side of Chloe, closest to the vault where the unknown bomb had counted down to 23 minutes, 45 seconds, 44, 43, 42…
Lex and Lois burst into Luthorcorp Plaza. Lex's eyes were flashing as he approached the security desk.
"Give me the visitor register," he demanded.
The guard handed it over silently, his face betraying the fear he had for this man who had the power to ruin him with one swift stroke.
Lex reached for the clipboard and smiled inwardly at the obvious control he held over all his employees. It's all about intimidation, he thought. He thrived on this power he lorded over others.
Lex looked over the visitor register, smirking at the written names. He handed the register to Lois, who looked at it.
"Jonathan Ross," he said wryly, "one guess who that's an alias for."
Clark was having a difficult time. Chloe sat beside him, watching him, and wondering why he hadn't done anything to get them out of this situation. She slowly realized something was wrong, but she never would have guessed there would be Kryptonite down here. Chloe quickly made the connection when she observed Clark's pasty appearance and his slouched shoulders. He was breathing heavily, but trying to hide it as his body was slowly bending over as far as the rope bindings would allow.
Chloe looked around the lab quickly as she tried to determine where the Kryptonite was located. She saw nothing in the vicinity, no glowing green. It made no sense. Suddenly in her peripheral vision she caught a shadowy movement just above her. Chloe slowly raised her eyes upward, and saw it. Her eyes widened with surprise and shock as she realized they were seated right below a clear window; and the window was fast filling with green fluid that was glowing brightly. She traced the pipes the entire length of the room. There were clear windows all the way across the room. Great, she thought.
"Clark," Chloe whispered. He slowly turned his head to her. His eyelids droopy and a fine mist of perspiration evident at his hairline.
"Up," she said, motioning with her eyes. Clark raised his head as much as he could and when he saw the fluid filled pipes, it was as if he gave up. He fell back into his chair, slouching even further down than he was before, closing his eyes with a large exhalation.
Lana was watching him with worried eyes also, but she was at a loss as to why Clark was suddenly so sick.
On the other side of Chloe, Lila was struggling with her bound wrists, angry that two people she'd worked with for two years were now holding her hostage.
"It was you who followed us last night," Lila said through clenched teeth, glaring at Mason and Katherine.
Mason just nodded affirmation, while Katherine stood frozen in one spot. She was not happy with the turn events had taken. She didn't want to be responsible for these other three lives. Lila, she didn't care about. But the others she'd had no problems with. She scanned the faces of the four captives, her gaze lingering on Clark. He doesn't look very well, she thought.
"What exactly are you going to do with us," Lila asked, still unaware anything was wrong with Clark.
Chloe looked up at this question, she too was curious to know what they intended with the four of them.
"You four will become part of my grand experiment. I have had tremendous success, and my first completed model is a wonderful work of art," Mason smiled excitedly, as he paced across the room, in front of the four of them.
He kept his eye on Clark, his mind working as he remembered the things he'd been told. He'd had his suspicions earlier in the day when Clark visited him at the lab, and then just a little while ago when Clark mysteriously found the entrance to the secret lab. But his apparent illness now didn't correspond with his previous behavior. It was almost as if something in the room were making him sick. Mason walked the room, periodically glancing back at the four of them. Lila and the blond woman were watching him. The other dark haired woman was still watching Clark. Dr. Hines stopped near the far wall of the lab and faced them all again. That was when he noticed the hint of green light that seemed to be falling on Clark and the others. Mason quickly noticed the pipes located in the high ceilings, and the green fluid within them, glowing through all the portholes.
He walked fast back towards the head of the room-excitement growing in his chest.
"I had a feeling it was you," he said directly to Clark, almost giddy with the possibilities this realization could provide.
Clark, who was struggling to form coherent thoughts, slowly raised his head to look at Dr. Hines.
Lila stopped fighting with her bound wrists to watch the scene before her. She noticed that Clark was not well and she became concerned when she heard his labored breathing, and saw his pale appearance.
"I don't know what you mean," Clark struggled to say between breaths.
Mason stood directly in front of Clark, a smirk of epic proportions on his face. Lana and Lila were watching Clark with puzzled looks, while Chloe was scared out of her mind about what this man seemed to know.
"Oh, I think you do. Something here is making you sick," Mason smiled bigger, and looked up at the pipelines. He looked back down at Clark, indicating with his eyes that he knew everything.
Lana and Lila had followed Dr. Hines' glance upwards, but they didn't understand the significance of the green fluid.
In the vault, the timer on the bomb was down to 16 minutes, 32 seconds, 31, 30, 29, 28…
"Katherine, go be sure the door leading down here is closed up. I don't want any more uninvited guests," Katherine nodded and left the room. "And take these two idiots with you," he yelled after her. The two men left the room, and the lead door slammed shut behind them.
"Finally, we're alone." He smiled at his captive audience.
"Why don't I tell you all a little story," he said, watching Clark with a gleam in his eyes. He walked back towards the corner of the room, where a black curtain was covering half the wall. He slowly pulled the curtain back.
The curtain moved open and everyone watched with wide eyes as the reveal took place.
Lila gasped in shock at what she saw. Chloe also gasped, and Lana stared slack-jawed, a scream bubbling in her throat, threatening to escape. Clark watched, his eyes widening with realization of what was happening.
Behind a two-way mirror, was Lionel Luthor, very much alive.