"Thanks again, Mr. Kent." Bart said as he and Jonathon arrived with the truck. They pulled in to the farm to find Clark waiting, with a worried expression on his face.

"Something bothering you, son?" Jonathon asked, getting out of the car. He was wearing jogging shoes so he and Bart had obviously been working on the legs again.

"No, Dad," Clark said, "Just need to talk to Bart."

"O.k.?" Jonathon said strangely. He made his way to the house. Bart slowly got out of the car. He landed on the ground with a grunt.

"What is it you need to talk about, Clark?" He asked, a little aggravated.

"This doctor," Clark said, "The guy you were talking about. What did he look like?"

"Well," Bart thought for a moment, "He was a redhead. Not tall, not short. Average height."

Clark nodded. "He wore contacts?"
"Yeah," Bart nodded vigorously. "How did you know?"

"I think I met him today."

"What?"

"I was going to the Talon. He attacked me."

"How? Who?"

"The doctor. Then he said he was looking for you."

"No, that's impossible. No." Bart sank back against the truck. "This can't be." His eyes reddened. "He…He had my speed. If I had been here, I could have been killed."

"Very considerate, Bart. Thanks for caring."

"You're not dead, Clark. You're not hurt, nothing."
"But…something's bothering me. He didn't just have, super speed, he had super strenght. He was like….almost as strong as me. And I threw him, men, I threw him far, he had a few bruises, just a few bruises."

"So what does this have to do with me?"

"We're not talking about you right now, Bart."

"Whatever."

"I'm gonna go tell my parents." Clark started for the house. Bart stopped him.

"No, Clark."

"What?" Clark asked confused.

"Don't bring your parents in to this. There's nothing they can do. I don't want them to worry."

"It's a little too late for that, Bart." Clark said, a little annoyed. "And there's something I just don't get. How'd the good doctor kidnap you?"

"What are you talking about, Clark?" Bart asked.

"You know what I'm talking about, Bart."

"No, I don't." Bart said defensively. "If you're implying something, why don't you say it right to my face?"

"I don't think he just, kidnapped you, Bart."

"What are you talking about?"

"In fact, I think it was voluntary."
"How the hell would you know something like that?"

"I saw his speed, Bart. I've seen your speed. If they had let you go for one second, you'd have already been out of the block, Bart."

"What the hell do you mean?"

"Stop lying!" Clark shouted. "I'm trying to help you."

"Yeah?" Bart said skeptically, "You're sure doing a great job."
Bart stalked back to the house. Clark sighed. He linked his fingers for a moment and thought. Something dawned on him. If Bart was in any kind of trouble, there was only one person who could help.

It was a big Hummer, military style, one of the biggest Clark had ever seen. He saw that there was a beautiful woman in the back and two guys in the front, one who was driving. The huge car stopped at the check point, then entered the Luthor Mansion compound. Clark exited the truck, leaving it outside, and entered behind the Hummer. The woman was out before the huge car stopped.

"Who are you?" She asked, glaring at him.

"Clark Kent." He said, a little shocked by her rudeness. He held out his hand.

She ignored it. "You really shouldn't be here. Mr. Luthor and I will be having a private conference. How did you get in here."

"Lex is one of my friends." He said, "I always come here."

"Not today," she said, waving him away.

"I'm sure I can wait somewhere," he said, not willing to be turned away by her.

"No, you cannot."

"What's the big deal, I'll just wait in the game room. Lex and I are good friends."
"Security," she said pointing to the 2 men, "Escort Mr. Kent here out."

"Why?" He asked.

"Take him out." She hollered.

The 2 men stalked up to Clark and grabbed him by the biceps. He surpressed the urges to throw them off him.

"We'll take him out." The 1st man said.

"No problem," the 2nd man said. They proceeded to usher him out of the compound and out of the gate. Lex's security guards just watched this calmly, not intervening. The men hastily went back inside, ordering the Luthor security to shut the gates which they did. Clark bit his lip.

He had to make a tough decision. He could either choose to leave the matter alone or eavesdrop. He chose the latter. He wanted to know what was so important and if maybe it even involved him. The Luthors had spied on him before, he decided, so it was time to return the favor. He made his way to the truck. He got in and drove a little while away from the mansion till he was out of the site of the guards. Then he stopped the truck and turned off the ignition. Clark settled back in his seat, watching the distant Luthor Mansion from his rearview mirror and focused on the sounds around him.

Clark's Super Hearing was activated, the frequency stretching throughout the Luthor Mansion and the surrounding areas. His eardrums began to beat rapidly and he easily heard everything that was going on. His ears throbbed with the effort and he easily heard every single thing going on inside the Luthor Mansion. He heard servant's conversations, the drone of a television, radio and even a computer. He heard the whimpering of the huge hounds that were barking in the backyard. He could hear a treadmill and someone was drinking something.

Clark focused and listened intently, now focusing on the woman's heartbeat so he could know where she was. He listened solely to her now. She was going upstairs to Lex's office. Clark waited impatiently, desperately wondering what was going on. What was Lex involved in that was so secretive. Whatever it was, he was going to find out.

Lex turned off the treadmill and stepped off, his body covered with sweat. He rubbed most of it off with a towel and grabbed a sports drink. Then he went down to his office. To his surprise, Kristena was already there.

"What are you doing here?" Lex asked calmly.

"I still have the key, Alex." She said, jiggling the proof out in front of him.

"Do you have anything on the kid's location?" Lex asked. He dropped in to his swivel chair and turned, to look out at the city.

"It's kinda hard to track a kid faster than lightning, Lex, but yeah, we're working on it. We do have one thing though."
"What is it?"

"The kid was registered at a hotel in Orlando a few weeks ago. Haven't found anything on him since."

"I want everybody you have on this, Kristena. I want him, Kristina, you understand me?"

"Yes, sir!" Kristina drawled sarcastically.

"Save the comments," Lex snapped, "We're not exactly on the best of terms right now."

"No, we're not, are we?"

"You're a very smart talker, you know that?"

"A certain bald man taught me that."

"I'm a Luthor, Kristena. It's a given."
"I always found that aspect incredibly sexy, you know that?"
"Perhaps a few Hamilton's also?"

"You know, Lex, no matter what you think, I didn't want you for the money."

"No?"

"Why are you so goddamned skeptical of everything?"

"It comes with the job."
"Not the first time I've heard that from you."
"It won't be the last."

"I didn't think so." Kristena said.

Kristena stood up seductively. She advanced towards him, swaying her hips suggestively. She leaned over him, breathing hard, "You know, Lex, when you were away, I missed you."

Lex shoved her slightly, giving him enough room to get out from under her. He chuckled and headed to the mini bar. He poured himself a glass of Vodka and stared longingly at her slender, toned frame. 4 years earlier, he would have killed for a chance with her. But now….

"I don't know what you're trying to do, Kristena, And honestly, I don't really give a damn. Just.. stay out of my personal space and I'll stay out of yours." He gulped down his vodka and quickly refilled it.

He turned around right in to her. "You don't really mean that." She purred. "You love me, Lex. I think we both know that."

"This would be funny if I wasn't so disgusted." Lex said, a little flustered. "Your audacity to do this is admirable. You're a very brave, or stupid, woman."

"Brave no….. stupid no. I am a coward, Alex. We both know that's why I left you."

"I hope it bothers you as little as it bothers me."

"Oh, Lex- ''

"How did it get to this, Kristena? We were just hear, talking about the kid. I want to hear about Bart Allen, I really care very little about your personal feelings."

"You never did care about anybody but yourself."
"That coming from you doesn't hurt as much."

About half an hour later, Clark heard Kristena leave the office. It was time to go, he swallowed, shocked at all that had happened. So Bart was involved in this.

"What have you gotten yourself in to, Bart?" Clark muttered to himself, as he opened the truck's door and entered it, careful not to break it when he closed it because he was a little angry. "Oh,god, Bart. A robbery?" Clark started the engine.

He saw Kristena exit the mansion.

He shook his head, made a U-Turn, and headed back home.