" hey." " hey." "what are you doing in metropolis ?" "i had to pick up some tractor parts for my dad, and i got your text message, so i brought you some brain food." "i don't remember texting you." "is that chow mein ?" "yeah." "what were you working on ?" "oh, just some astronomy homework, you know... numbers and equations and things that i don't really understand yet, but i'm starting to." "chow mein." "oh, this was, uh..." "this was at your door." "oh, that's weird." "let's open it." ""given your new major, i thought you might find this interesting..." "lex."" "lex is sending you gifts ?" "are you okay ?" "just a scratch." "it's a meteor rock, but i haven't seen one like this before." "i gotta go. my dad's probably waiting for those parts." "hi... and bye." "has my deodorant gone south ?" "why is he in such a hurry to bail ?" "i have no idea." "i guess clark's just not into geology." "what the hell's wrong with you ?" "!" "hello ?" "clark, i know who you are." ""Splinter"" "it's bad enough he owns half the state of kansas. now he wants to tell us what we need to do with our lives." "jonathan, i know senator jennings asked you to run after he had to step down, but i'm not gonna let you risk your health." "sweetheart, i feel fine." "i really do. i'm fine." "the election is in january." "putting together a campaign in that amount of time..." "who knows what the stress could do to your heart ?" "what about watching lex luthor get sworn in as state senator ?" "that kind of stress could kill me." "if you run, every reporter in kansas will be digging into our lives." "what if somebody finds out about clark's secret ?" "i think someone already has." "clark, what happened ?" "someone ran me off the road on my way back from metropolis." "did you see who it was ?" "no. by the time i got back to the road, they were already gone." "then i got a phone call, and a weird voice said, "i know who you are."" "look, clark, i think the best thing you can do is just stick to your normal routine." "don't do anything unusual." "if these people are trying to expose you, then they're gonna be watching everything you do." "let's not give them anything to gawk at." "brutus and caesar." "jesus and judas." "they all started out as best friends. what happened ?" "well, if history teaches us one thing, it's that even the most powerful men can be betrayed by those they trust the most." "the reason betrayal is such a predominant theme throughout history is really quite simple." "duplicity is human nature." "these classes getting shorter or is it just me ?" "I know how to kill you." "clark... is everything okay ?" "you look a little stressed out." "something really weird just happened after class." "and yesterday, a truck tried to run me off the road." "it wasn't black, was it ?" "yeah, how'd you know ?" "because i think the same one's been following me." "do you have any idea why ?" "we've been, uh, fishing some dangerous waters." "maybe the shark's finally getting testy." "lex." "never thought he'd take it this far." "i'm sorry for pulling you into this." "i'm gonna go talk to him." "no, let's not jump the gun. we need to figure out if it's him first." "how do we do that ?" "i jotted down the license plate of the truck." "do you know anyone who could find out who it's registered to ?" "my friend chloe could dig it up." "i'll check with campus security, see if they've had any other reports about that truck." "thanks." "listen, clark, whatever happens, we're in this together. remember that, okay ?" "how long do you think this is gonna take ?" "we should get a fax response in just a couple of minutes." "what do you want to bet that that truck's registered to luthor ?" "i don't know, clark." "lex comes from more of the rube goldberg school of villainy." "i think this sort of direct attack isn't really his style." "there's only one way to find out." "i'll go check the fax machine." "1 new message" "There are no secrets." "okay, clark, we've got a problem." "according to the dmv, your mysterious black truck doesn't exist." " are you sure the license-plate numbers are..." " why are you getting messages from lionel luthor ?" " you read my e-mails ?" " just answer the question." "my job at the daily planet requires me to talk to a lot of different people, including moral pygmies like lionel luthor." "what did you tell him about me ?" "what are you talking about ?" "i didn't tell him anything." "there are three people in smallville who know about my secret... my mom, my dad.." "and you." "you think i told lionel your secret ?" "clark, i would never, ever do that." "i can't believe i trusted you." "clark, i didn't say anything." "i'm paying you for results, griff, not excuses. get it done." "i'll have to call you back." "is this a bad time ?" "for you, never." "i wanted to thank you for that rock that you sent me. it's... it's an amazing find. i would love to know more about it." "what rock would that be ?" "uh, the silver meteor rock." "that sounds very intriguing, but i've never seen a silver meteor rock before." "it wasn't from me, lana." "it came with a note from you, lex." "someone's obviously playing a game with you because i don't know anything about it." "just like you don't know anything about the spaceship that landed during the last meteor shower." " that's different." " why ?" "why is it different, lex ?" "because there are some doors that can't be closed once they're opened." "thanks." "did you get that from a fortune cookie ?" "what i'm trying to say... everything i've done, it's all been to protect you." "i don't need to be protected, lex." "i need the truth." "then i have something to show you." "it's real." "yes, it is." "and i want you to help me get inside and understand exactly what we're dealing with." "the hardworking all-american farmer." "i can already see the campaign poster." "no tv spot, unfortunately, considering your state of your finances." "look, i don't know how you knew that i was considering running for state senate, but if you came here to try to strong-arm me into quitting... no, on the contrary, i am here to offer my support." "you'll need considerable amounts of money and influence to win this election." "you have a more than, um, shall we say, privileged adversary." "so, you want to back me for senate running against your son." "why would you want to do that ?" "lex is an extraordinary young man." "he's always had an extraordinary appetite for power." "but, um, if he succeeds in this first foray into the political arena, i'm afraid he'll develop such a fierce taste for it, he'll go on to devour the whole world." "guess the apple doesn't fall that far from the tree." "i know you don't trust me, jonathan. you have no reason to, but i'm asking you to accept my offer of support." "i know about clark." "chloe sullivan has supplied me with all the information i need... his true identity, the powers he possesses and uses." "i know he's vulnerable to kryptonite." "accept my support, and i can guarantee you a seat in the senate." "and what happens if i don't accept ?" "the truth about clark will come out in any case." "the only difference is how he'll be treated when we run the tests." "he can either be a distinguished guest or strapped down, helpless like a lab rat." "it's your choice." "it's so smooth." "it almost feels like liquid." "frictionless surface." "at least, that's what my experts tell me." "you've been studying it this whole time, and you let me go on thinking that what i saw the day of the meteor shower wasn't real, that i was losing my mind." "i didn't mean to make you question your sanity, lana. i was just trying to protect you." "you keep saying that, lex. what do you think you're protecting me from ?" "this ship is one of the most important discoveries in the history of mankind." "there are people who have killed for a lot less." "now, if i had told you the truth and something happened to you, i'd never forgive myself." "so, what changed ?" "i couldn't lie to you anymore." "is that the real reason ?" "or is it because you and your scientists are stumped ?" "because i'm the only person on earth who's seen this thing open up." "this is a chance to finally get answers to questions that have been haunting you since your parents died." "the meteors that killed them, the ship, all the strange things that happen in smallville... it's all tied together." "i'm offering you the opportunity of a lifetime." "whether or not you take it is up to you." "hi, clark." "your dad was looking for you." "i just saw him in the barn with lionel luthor." "lionel ?" "oh, there he is. clark, why don't you come on out and give me a hand with the tractor ?" "where is it ?" "oh, it's by the barn..." " where is it ?" " whoa, hey !" "clark !" " what are you doing, clark ?" " see ?" "he got this from lionel luthor." " he's helping him put me in the lab !" " what ?" "clark, lionel stopped by to talk about the campaign." "sure, he brought me lex's balance sheet so i could see what i was up against." " what about the money ?" " what money ?" "this money !" "why you doing this to me, dad ?" "why you doing this ?" "hey !" "clark, stop it !" "martha !" "hey !" "no more lies." "tell me the truth." "tell me !" "you want the truth ?" "you're not really my son." "you're just a thing i found in the corn field." "clark, please. i don't want to do this. just calm down." "you're all in this together." " clark..." " I knew it." "mrs. kent, are you all right ?" "chloe, how long have you known about clark ?" "since last year." "yeah, um... how much did he tell you, chloe ?" "well, everything, i think. i mean, that's how i knew about the kryptonite he kept hidden in the barn." "I... i just came by to check on him, and i heard all this commotion." "what's happening ?" "why is he acting this way ?" "i don't know. he came to visit me at the daily planet, and he just freaked out." "he was accusing me of revealing his secrets to lionel luthor, and then i tried to explain it to him, and he wouldn't listen." "it was like he was a totally different person." "it must be red kryptonite." "sweetheart, this is... it's different somehow. i don't think so." "red kryptonite ?" "there's another kind of kryptonite." "it's red instead of green." "it changes clark's personality." "he loses all his inhibitions and becomes very unpredictable." "what about silver kryptonite ?" "silver ?" "i think i may know what's gotten into clark." "iana." "clark, what are you doing here ?" "waiting for you." "get your stuff together. we gotta go." "go where ?" "up north. i know a place." "he'll never find us." "okay, wait. slow down. what's going on ?" " they turned against me, lana." " who did ?" "chloe, my parents." "you're the only one i can trust now." "you're the only one." " whatever they did, it can't be that bad." " no, lana, you don't... she's coming. she's coming." "chloe's coming. all right, listen, i promise i'll come back to you." "Alright, I'll find you." "just whatever you do, don't listen to a word they say." "clark, i'm just gonna call your parents." "iana, thank god. has clark been here ?" "why ?" "'cause i need to talk to him. did he ever touch that silver rock you had ?" "he's been here, hasn't he ?" "he told me not to trust you." "okay, clark's gone all captain paranoid, and i think it might be because of that silver meteor you have." "he did prick his finger with it." "iana, clark's been infected. he thinks everyone's turned against him." "he's gonna end up seriously hurting someone." "do you know where he went ?" "he was here for a second, and then he was just gone. chloe, the way he was acting..." "Yeah, I know." "It's gonna be ok, um... i'm gonna call the kents. they're looking for him back in smallville. i'll cover the campus and see if i can find him." " i'm gonna come with you." " no. lana, don't." "um, you stay here, and if he shows up, just call me and try and keep him calm." "i think you're the only one he'll listen to right now." "clark, i was wondering if you'd forgotten about me. is everything all right ?" "no." "chloe's in on it, too, so are my parents." "in on what ?" "the black truck that's been following us around..." "did you get any information from campus security ?" "campus security ?" "you said you were gonna talk to them earlier today when i told you about it." "clark, i haven't seen you in over a week." "no, no. we spoke this morning." "after class we talked about it... the black truck. you were gonna talk to campus security." "i had a class, but you weren't in it." "yes, i was. no, i... yes." "no, we talked. i know... look, clark, um... look, i got a faculty meeting right now, but why don't you wait for me in my office, and i'll make an excuse..." "i'll be right back. clark, whatever is happening, we're in this together." "who's there ?" "what is this ?" "!" "investigation into clark kent has yielded a surprising revelation." "clark kent is not of this earth. he is an alien, an intruder from a distant galaxy, first vanguard of an invasion." "no !" "no !" "that's not what i am !" "but i know his weakness. i know how to stop this strange visitor from another planet." "i'm the one that's gonna kill you, clark." "i should have known you'd pull something like this." "you can't stand to see us together, can you ?" "i think this is the part where i usually say, "lana, what are you talking about ?"" "i don't know how, but you knew what would happen when you sent this to me." "i swear, this is the first time i've ever seen a meteor rock like this." "i don't have time for any more of your lies, lex." "what did that do to clark ?" "i just shared the most important secret in the world with you today." "what would i have to gain by lying to you now ?" "if you didn't send this to me, then who did ?" "i honestly don't know." "now, you said this did something to clark." "what happened ?" "chloe thinks it infected him." "he's acting all paranoid, like everyone's turning against him. lex, the way that he looked when i saw him... listen to me." "we'll take this to luthorcorp and get my best people working on a cure." "whatever's happening to clark, i promise i'll find a way to help him." "thank you." "you're my partner now." "it's the least i can do." "i'm sorry that i didn't trust you, lex. i i know we've had our differences, but you have always been there for me." "and i always will be." "call in as many people as you need." "i want an update every 30 minutes." "my security team is coordinating with chloe and the kents." "they're not gonna hurt him, are they ?" "if that happens, somebody's getting transferred to siberia." "look, let's get this sample over to luthorcorp. the sooner we have it analyzed, the faster we'll be able to help clark." "stay here." "i'll see what's going on." "a lot of people are looking for you, clark." "i know they are." "i want you to listen to me very carefully." "something's happened to you." "yeah." "it's been a revelation." "clark, you're very sick. we need to get you to the lab." "we should get to the lab." "we should get to the lab so you can experiment on me." "you know, lex, it all makes sense now." "see, i thought you were obsessed with me." "but it's not about me at all, is it ?" "it's about lana." " it's always been lana." " clark." "and all these things that you do to me... all the digging, all the tests, all the lies... it was just to get me out of the way so you could have her all to yourself." "listen to what you're saying, clark. this isn't you." "i don't know what you did." "i'm not sure what you did to trick her into believing she was in love with you." "but i'm not gonna let you get away with it." "i need you to stop." "i don't want to hurt you." "but i want to hurt you." "iana !" "iana !" "iana, i know you're down here !" "come on, i want to... i want to talk." "iana !" "we were meant to be together." "it's okay, lana, i'm here." "whatever lex was doing to you, i stopped it." "oh, god." "what did you do ?" "did you hurt him ?" "why do you care about him so much ?" "clark, whatever you think lex did, it's all part of some delusion." " i saw you kiss him." " no, i would never do that." "stop lying." "stop lying." "i loved you, lana... more than anything else, i loved you, and you betrayed me like everyone else." "clark you don't want to do that." "trust me." "i can't trust anyone anymore." "you one of lex's experiments ?" "no." "i'm your friend. if you hurt lana, it'll destroy you." "what the hell are you ?" "i'm a kryptonian, just like you." "and i'm sorry but this is really gonna hurt." "you'll be all right now, kal-el." "iana !" "iana." "clark." "what have you done ?" "hi." "um, you know, the caffeine in my system is getting to a dangerously normal level." "i'm gonna go get a cup." " lana, i am..." " clark... it's okay." "chloe told me everything." "she did ?" "yeah." "how that silver meteor infected you, how it made you think that everyone was out to get you." "even that it gave you some sort of temporary powers." "iana, you know i would never do anything to hurt you." "of course i know that." "clark, whatever you think you saw, it was just the meteor playing tricks with your mind." "it wasn't real." "there could never, ever be anything between me and lex." "i was imagining some pretty crazy stuff." "chloe turning against me... my dad making a deal with lionel you and lex talking about a spaceship." "yeah." "i'm... i'm just glad you're all right, clark." "thanks for covering for me." "of course, clark." "you know, i have to admit, for once in my life, i was actually glad i wasn't the object of your desire." "you know, you're just lucky you snapped out of it when you did." " if i'd have killed lana..." " but you didn't, so stop beating yourself up about it." "i mean, silver kryptonite... who knew ?" "i just don't want it to happen again." "did you get that rock ?" "no." "i went to see lex, and he said it just disappeared during the excitement." "not that he ever even admitted he sent the rock to lana in the first place." "i still don't trust him." "it's not about being paranoid." "yeah, well, he is a luthor." "you know, um, speaking of the evil dynasty, i, um, need to come clean about something." "those e-mails that you saw on my computer from lionel... well, you weren't imagining them." "so you are talking to lionel ?" "yeah, but not about you... about lex." "lionel's been feeding me inside information about lex's campaign for state senate." "why would he do that ?" "maybe because he knows his son better than any of us and the thought of what lex would do in office scares the hell out of him." "he's not the only one." "look, clark, i understand that you haven't been yourself, but you know that i would never tell lionel your secret." "i'd never tell anyone." "i'd die before i'd ever betray you." "hmm." "those kents... they pack quite a punch, don't they, son ?" "it might be wise to avoid any more press conferences till your face has healed a bit." "i wasn't planning to." "not that it's any of your business." "fatherly advice. i can't help it." "but a front-page story that you were soundly beaten by a jealous, young lover will hardly aid your bid for office." "i have a team of political advisors, dad." "last time i checked, you weren't on the payroll." "last time i checked, lana lang had a boyfriend, and i don't think she's in the market for a spare." "i think you know the way out." "this isn't about serving the greater good." "or even about power. it's about you changing the way people perceive you, isn't it ?" "that's why you're running for office." "even if you were president of the united states, you think that's gonna make any difference ?" "because the people who are close to you will always know what is truly in your heart." "that's why lana lang will never love you, son." "the thing is, i don't know what was real and what wasn't." "well, your parents loaning you to lionel luthor for medical research... definitely not real." "well, i know you'd never do that." "i'm sorry." "it wasn't your fault, sweetheart." "i'm just glad the infection burned itself out when it did." "yeah, me too." "i guess no matter how much i trust someone, i'm always gonna have to be worried about my secret coming out." "that's what i never wanted to have happen." "which is why i've decided not to run against lex." "dad, i don't want you to put your life on hold because of me." "clark... i'm not gonna let fear control my life or ruin yours." "i want you to run against lex." "it's the right thing to do." "if anything happens, we'll deal with it the same way we always have... as a family." "professor fine ?" "how you feeling, kal-el ?" "so, i didn't imagine that part." "no, you didn't." "i thought i was the last son of krypton, but... you people keep popping up." "well, a superior civilization is difficult to eradicate." "why are you here ?" "to stop what's coming." "and to help you walk the path of a true kryptonian." "so i can be superior ?" "no, thanks." "why do you continue to trust humans more than your own people ?" "i'm just going off what i've seen." "maybe you need to look closer." "why didn't you just tell me who you really were instead of posing as my professor this whole time ?" "why do you keep your identity a secret, even from the woman you love ?" "you've been on this planet many years, kal-el." "i had to observe you before revealing myself to determine just how much you've been influenced by these... humans." "you say "human" like it's a bad thing." "just going on what i've seen." "this race shows promise." "but at this point in history, they're still duplicitous by their very nature." "even the ones you think you love can't be trusted." "you don't know anything about this race." "yeah, they can be petty and dishonest and betray each other over nothing." "but they can also be honest and loyal." "and they would give up everything to protect someone they love." "even if they were from another planet." "kal-el... my name is clark." "and i'll always believe in my friends and my family." "i sincerely hope your trust hasn't been misplaced." "you know where to find me when you're ready to accept the truth."