----------

Teaser

Clark is at a reception at the Metropolis Museum. He studies a breastplate Lex tells him belonged to Alexander the Great. The breastplate looks like it's made out of gold, with a snake on the front, curving around to look like an "S." It's also adorned with jewels. The design, Lex says, symbolizes strength and courage. Clark says he can't imagine going into battle with that on his chest.

CLARK: I didn't know you were such a history buff.

LEX: I'm not. I'm just interested in people who ruled the world before they were 30.

Lana interrupts them at this point, and it's made clear that Lex invited her without Clark's knowledge. Lex then leaves the two of them alone (and yet all I can think about is Lex inviting Lana to this thing -- on the phone? In person?). Lana tells Clark that Whitney is just as uncomfortable as he is. Clark is so not thrilled by the news that Whitney is there as well. Lana invites Clark to join them, but I think he'd rather someone rip his arms off. And really, who can blame him.

He wanders away, and Lex catches up with him again.

LEX: Clark, where are you going?
CLARK: I'm going to get some air.
LEX: You know, you're never going to get her if you keep running away from your enemy.
CLARK: Whitney's not my enemy.
LEX: Yes he is, Clark, and the sooner you realize that, the sooner you'll find a way to win Lana. Just remember, keep your friends close and the quarterback closer.

Hmm, one wonders if that's Lex's own strategy when it comes time for him to win Lana from Clark. Oops, did I say that out loud?

At this point the two of them are interrupted by Victoria Hardwick, a beautiful old flame of Lex's.

CLARK: How close are you going to keep her?

Bwhahahaha. Outside, two men are fighting. Dammit, this is far less interesting than what's going on inside, but fine. One of the men is Sam Fallon of the Metropolis Police Department. He's blackmailing the man he's beating up. Clark walks out of the museum and Fallon sees him.

Clark spots a homeless man asleep at a bus stop bench. A bus turns around the corner and all of a sudden, the driver has a heart attack and loses control. The bus is headed right for the homeless man and his cute little dog. Clark, being Clark, zips out in front of the bus and stops it with ... well, himself. He leaves a dent in the front of the bus, and he believes his only witness is the little dog. People start coming out of the museum, alerted by the noise, and Clark speeds away. The bus driver comes to in the bus, looking perplexed. Fallon is walking around the bus in amazement. He looks to where Clark sped off to. Uh oh ...

Opening credits ... yes, Whitney's still there.

Act One

In the barn, Jonathan is trying to lift some heavy machinery. Clark shows up and does it for him one handed. He shows Jonathan and Martha the newspaper article about the bus accident. Jonathan is concerned that someone might have seen Clark, but Clark says that everyone was in the museum. Before Clark leaves for school, the Kents tell him, despite their reservations, that they're both proud of him.

Fallon meets with one of the Metropolis Museum security guards. Clearly he's blackmailed the guard into giving him security photos, and one of them is of Lex and Clark.

At the Luthor mansion, Lex and Victoria talk about their old relationship and what she's been doing lately. She's the daughter of Sir Harry Hardwick, a multinational industrialist. Lex holds no illusions about his own future where his father is concerned:

LEX: My father plans to bring me back to Metropolis in a few years.
VICTORIA: He's lying.
LEX: I know.

It seems that Victoria's father would like Lex to reconsider his position with LuthorCorp. Victoria seems to be the incentive, as she and Lex kiss. Prostituting your own daughter. Nice.

Clark and Chloe are sitting extremely close together in front of a computer at The Torch office. He's admiring another one of her scathing editorials. Lana walks in, and Chloe's face immediately falls in disappointment. Lana wants to know what happened to Clark the night before. But before he can answer, Principal Kwan enters, and rips Chloe a new one about how The Torch is not her personal tabloid. He wants her to report on relevant school events, not about the weirdness in Smallville or her personal theories on them. He suspends her, then leaves.

Wow. You'd think that if he didn't like it, he could have told her that and given her a chance to respond before just up and suspending her like that. I guess it just needed to happen quickly, so that at this point Lana can jump in and offer to talk to Principal Kwan.

Lex is at The Beanery getting a drink and he's approached by Fallon. Given that we think Fallon is a creep, suddenly Lex's ruthless ways don't seem so bad. At least he's not slimy. Anyway, he seems just as repelled by Fallon, but apparently the two of them have a history.

FALLON: When do you turn on the people that help you? How many times did I pull you back from the edge? You'd be dead right now if it wasn't for me.
LEX: You were on my father's payroll. His go-to guy in the department. You got paid to fix situations, so don't try to pretend it was anything else.

Fallon makes a subtle threat, but Lex isn't having any of it. Fallon tells him he's looking for a witness, and shows Lex the security picture of Lex and Clark. Lex says that he doesn't know who Clark is.

FALLON: Hmm. I'd have pegged you for buddies.
LEX: Guess you're losing your instinct. Maybe you should think about retiring.

Protecting your friends whether or not you know what's going on -- that's friendship.

Clark enters the barn, but it seems to be empty. He sees something glinting on the ground -- Fallon's badge. He goes over to pick it up, and suddenly the big machine that he helped to lift earlier comes crashing down on him. He flings it away and lies there, dazed. He springs to his feet when he hears clapping.

FALLON: Kid, I don't know what they've been feeding you, but that was pretty impressive. Not quite as exciting as last night, but I wanted to be sure.

Clark is nervous and suspicious, but tries to remain cool. Fallon now knows his name. Fallon says that he wants Clark's help, but Clark says that he'll never help him. Fallon tells him he knows Clark has a gift that he wants to keep secret, and if he wants to keep it that way, he'll do what Fallon says. Fallon tells him to meet him at The Beanery the next day.

Commercial break: Why's TW's hair so long in that WB promo thing?

Act Two

Clark tells his parents about what happened. They're concerned and upset, of course. Jonathan tells Clark that he will see Fallon; he doesn't want Clark anywhere near him. (I'm not sure what Jonathan thinks he can accomplish.)

Later, Lex goes up to Clark's loft, where Clark is doing some serious contemplating. Lex tells Clark that Fallon came to see him, and that Clark should stay away from Fallon. He explains that Fallon has no scruples -- he'll do whatever he has to do to get the job done.

LEX: If he's got something on you, Clark, he'll use it.

While wanting to project Clark, it's obvious that Lex is curious about what Fallon wants with Clark, and what he might be hiding from Lex.

At The Beanery, Fallon introduces himself to Jonathan, who has come in Clark's stead. Fallon says he suspected Jonathan might be the one to show up. The two of them have a tense, terse conversation.

JONATHAN: I don't think a rational adult drops a generator on top of a teenage boy, do you?
FALLON: Well, we both know it wouldn't hurt him.

Fallon tells Jonathan that he wants Clark to help him maintain "the veneer of safety." Jonathan refuses.

FALLON: Of course, if you don't agree, I will tell the world what I know. Best case, Clark's under a microscope. Worst case, he's a freak in a jar. Either way, his normal life is over.

Jonathan loses it and attacks Fallon, who plays it out for the public as if Jonathan is the one out of line. Fallon exits.

At The Torch office, Clark's on the computer, which he quickly shuts off when Chloe enters. She wants to know if Clark has heard anything about Lana's meeting with Kwan. Conveniently, Lana enters, and she breaks the news: Kwan is lifting the suspension the paper, but he wants Lana to be the new editor. Chloe completely flips out, which is understandable at the same time that I think she's also overreacting. Lana explains that it was the only way Kwan would reopen the paper, and she figured Chloe could at least ghostwrite until they got her reinstated. Chloe blows up, accusing Lana of trying to take the position because editor of the school newspaper looks better on college applications than cheerleading.

Lana takes it extremely well, considering the insulting nature of these accusations and the fact that they're not true. (If I were her, I'd have blown up right back.) Clark tries to play mediator, but Chloe includes him in her rampage, making it pretty clear how bitter she is at Lana not just about the paper, but also about how Clark feels about her.

CHLOE: It figures you'd side with her.
CLARK: I'm not taking anyone's side.
CHLOE: Yeah right, Clark. You're completely objective in all things Lana.

Chloe's parting shot? That she thought for a millisecond that Lana was actually her friend. Oh, please. Maybe if you weren't such a freakshow.

Clark, of course, has problems of his own. He's accosted by Fallon on the street, who makes subtle threats about Clark's family.

Lex and Victoria are eating dinner in front of the fireplace. Lex tells her that he knows why she's there -- Sir Harry wants to take over LuthorCorp, but he needs Lex's shares to do it. He suggests to Victoria that the two of them could take over both companies.

Nighttime. Fallon has brought Clark to an apartment complex. Clark says he won't hurt anyone. Fallon says he just wants some files from an apartment. Clark, against his better judgment, goes to the apartment and locates the safe where the files are kept. He takes the safe and drops it down on top of Fallon's car, and hands Fallon the files. He's also called the police, who arrive shortly. Fallon starts to make a threat, but Clark super speeds off.

Commercial break: Don't you think it's time you tried deodorant?

Act Three

The next morning in the Kent kitchen, Clark is in a good mood. He tells his parents that he thinks Fallon is out of their lives forever. Just then, the local police arrive with a warrant to search the Kent farm. They find a dead body in the barn, with a gun under the seat of Jonathan's truck. They arrest Jonathan, and Clark flips out, but Jonathan tells him to be strong.

Back in the house, Clark is pissed and punches a beam, breaking it. Fallon shows up, more determined than ever to exploit Clark, especially now that Clark has tried to get the better of him. Clark grabs Fallon, shoving him up against another beam. He looks psychopathic. Fallon points out that Clark has a lot more to lose than Fallon, and Clark lets him go, still upset and unhappy.

Lana is trying to fix the printer in The Torch office. Clark, despite his own problems, takes the time to be nice to her. She tells him that she heard about his dad, and knows it's not true. They swap experiences about being adopted -- Clark thinks that all he's ever done is complicate his parents' lives. His talk with Lana makes him realize something.

Clark goes to visit Jonathan in jail. He confesses to having gone with Fallon to Metropolis the night before. Jonathan is angry, which doesn't really help matters. Clark bravely plows ahead, telling Jonathan about Fallon's visit that morning.

CLARK: I got so angry that I grabbed him and for a second I wanted to ... I wanted to kill him.

Jonathan calms down and seems genuinely concerned and scared that Clark might have done something. He tells Clark that Fallon will play on his fear and anger, and Clark mustn't let Fallon get to him.

CLARK: I don't care. I won't let anybody hurt you and Mom.
JONATHAN: And he knows that. But once you cross that line, there's no going back.

Lex is at The Beanery. He spots Clark outside and runs out to him. He tells Clark that he knows it's bullshit; Jonathan didn't kill anyone. He offers to get 10 lawyers on the case. Clark says that he doesn't think lawyers will help.

LEX: It's Fallon, isn't it? What's he got on you, Clark?

His suspicions backfire as Clark turns the tables on him, saying that Lex seems to understand Fallon's world all too well, and that Fallon mentioned Lex had secrets of his own. Lex wants Clark to let him help, but Clark gets angry and says that he has to handle it on his own.

Fallon finds Clark in the Kent barn. He's got a job for him, saying that the business he has for him will be the last (oh, NEVER believe THAT).

CLARK: I don't care. You can tell the whole world about me.
FALLON: Clark, you may not care about yourself, but think about your parents. Now, your father's in jail on a murder charge, and whether he beats it or not, he's going to lose this farm just paying legal fees. And I can still make that all go away.

Clark and Fallon leave the farm, but they've got a tail. Lex follows in his extremely expensive car. Yeah, that's not conspicuous.

Commercial break: Chili's ... baby back ribs ... Chili's baby back ribs ... barbecue sauce!

Act Four

Fallon and Clark arrive at the Metropolis Museum. Fallon wants Clark to pick up his retirement package -- the breastplate we saw earlier. Or rather, what he cares about is the $10 million worth of jewels on the breastplate.

Fallon calls security, saying that there's a bomb in the building. All the security guards run outside, and Clark and Fallon go in. Lex finds a small box inside a newspaper vending machine. He puts a coin in and takes out the box. Clark mangles the metal cage around the breastplate, then breaks the glass. Lex opens the small box. In it is an ordinary clock. (What is he, a bomb expert now? I can't believe HE'S the one doing all this stuff. Well, I can and I can't.) He tosses the clock to the jittery security guards behind him. Fallon takes the breastplate, putting it into a duffel bag.

FALLON: We are going to make a great team

See, it's never the last job. Clark sees the security guards outside and grabs the duffel bag. He tosses it up, breaking through one of the museum's windows. It lands right at the guards' feet. Lex, again, is the one to bend down and open it.

CLARK: You might be able to explain the safe, but your fingerprints are all over that breastplate.

Fallon, pissed, says that Clark may be strong but he's not bulletproof. He takes out his gun and fires. In slow mo, Clark has time to dodge the bullet twice. It ends up breaking a glass case behind him. Clark super speeds away. The security guards and Lex bust in. There's a firing match and Fallon is hit. Lex rushes over.

LEX: Fallon, where's Clark? I know you came with you. Just tell me what you had on him.
FALLON: Go to hell, Luthor. (he dies)

Jonathan walks into the kitchen the next morning, with all charges dropped. Jonathan says that there is more than one Fallon out there, and Clark says that maybe he should stop using his gifts -- it would solve all their problems.

MARTHA: No, it wouldn't, Clark. Your gifts are who you are. You can't live in fear.
JONATHAN: Although a little caution wouldn't hurt.

At The Torch office, Kwan comes to berate Lana. The paper he holds has the headline: Kwan Crushes Freedom of Speech. Lana says she doesn't know what's wrong with it -- it has all the criteria he required. He wants to know if she did it so that he would reinstate Chloe -- Lana replies that she did it because it was the right thing to do, and that Chloe was born for the job.

KWAN: Although I do admire her passion, her reporting lacks accuracy.
CHLOE: I can work on that.

She has shown up, in much better spirits. Apparently, seeing Lana's story changed her mind about what Lana was trying to accomplish. Kwan reinstates Chloe, telling her to not print what she can't prove. Subsequently, Chloe and Lana have what amounts to one of the most heart-to-heart talks they've ever had. It's very revealing.

CHLOE: I'm sorry I flipped out at you the other day. It's just -- you know, the paper's kind of my identity, and it's like the only things that Clark and I do together. And so when I saw you here ...

Chloe has basically admitted her feelings for Clark here! Lana apparently came to the same conclusion. She says that she wants to be friends with Chloe, but doesn't want to stand between Chloe and Clark.

CHLOE: Oh, no. Don't worry, there's nothing between us. We're just good friends. How about you?
LANA: Same thing. We're just friends.

They're both lying. It's pretty obvious. <g> But WHAT is UP with the extreme extreme close-up of their faces? Jesus. Back away a little, would ya?

At his desk, Lex is viewing a security video from the Metropolis Museum. Over and over, he watches Clark's blur zipping by. Victoria comes to ask him when he's coming to bed, and he replies that he'll be there in a minute. He watches the clip one more time, pausing on the blur.

The End