Open on a cluttered alley outside a large warehouse. Inside the empty warehouse, a man sits in a chair. His face is heavily bandaged. A doctor moves toward him.
Doctor : Lets have a look.
The man in the chair grasps a necklace of large green beads, running his thumb over them as the doctor begins to remove the bandages. The doctor walks across the room to examine a laptop computer as his patient holds up a mirror, studying his now exposed face.
The doctor punches some keys on the laptop, and a picture of Morgan Edge appears, the computer noting adjustments made to his face in plastic surgery.
Doctor : You're a new man.
Edge : [Touching his face] Like looking at a stranger.
Doctor : [Chuckling] Wasn't that the idea?
Edge : [Touching his neck] Throat hurts.
Doctor : You'll feel better when the swelling in your vocal cords goes down.
Edge holds the mirror up to his face again. As he does so, he sees Lex Luthor standing behind him in the reflection.
Lex : [Dryly] Personally, I think society places too much emphasis on looks. Should be the character of a man that counts. Don't you agree, Mr. Edge?
Edge swivels his chair slowly, facing Lex.
Edge : I think you have me confused with someone else.
Lex : [Walking toward Edge] You can change your face, your hair, your voice... but not your DNA. You still sweat the same.
Edge stares at Lex. Behind Lex, we hear a gun cocking. Lex turns his head to see a man pointing a gun at him.
Lex : I don't walk out of here in 5 minutes, my people have orders to send the police. [Turning back to Edge] And inform my father that... you didn't die on the docks that day. Maybe he'll send somebody to finish the job.
Edge gets up from his chair and slowly walks toward Lex.
Edge : What do you want?
Lex : [Slightly angry] When you and my father were teenagers, you conspired to kill my grandparents....
Lex winces in slight pain, his breathing becoming a bit labored as he reaches up to rub the back of his neck.
Lex : [Continuing] ...and split the insurance money.
Edge : Are you on something Lex? Because frankly, you sound delusional.
Lex : No, I've got evidence. But I need hard proof to bring down my father.
Edge stares at Lex.
Lex : [Holding up a videocamera] You tell the whole story, he goes to prison. And maybe you can get a new life to go along with the face.
Edge and Lex study each other.
Cut to the screen of Lex's laptop. On the computer, video of Morgan Edge telling his story is running.
Edge : [On camera] I blow up the building. Lionel gets rid of his bastard father and his gin soaked mother. The slumlord splits the insurance payment with us. Lionel uses his cut for his first start-up, and the rest is history.
Lex watches the video, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose as if he has a headache. There is a slight knock at his study door, and Lex switches off the video and begins disconnecting the camera from his computer as his bodyguard Darius enters.
Darius : Sorry for the interruption, sir, but your father called again. Now, I did what you asked. I told him you weren't here.
Lex : [Lightly] You look worried, Darius. Relax. [Stands up, gathering the camera supplies]
Darius gives Lex a slight smile, before looking around worriedly.
Lex walks behind his desk, heading toward his bookcase. He glances over his shoulder, watching as Darius leaves the room. Once Darius has closed the door, Lex reaches under one of the shelves and presses a switch, causing the shelf to flip up, revealing a hidden safe. Lex enters the combination, opening the safe.
The camera pans up to the skylight, where we see a figure dressed in black crouched on the roof, cutting a glass pane out of the skylight.
Lex places the videocamera and some papers inside the safe.
Above him, the figure in black silently removes the pane of glass from the skylight. The figure drops a rope down into the room and begins to slide down the rope into Lex's study. He drops onto the landing and pulls a gun from his belt and aims it at Lex.
As he closes his safe, Lex sees the red light from the gun's scope on the bookshelf. He drops to the ground, yelling for his bodyguard.
Lex : [Yelling] Darius!
A shot is fired, taking a chunk out of the bookshelf. Darius enters, gun drawn. The gunman shoots at Darius, and from his position crouched on the ground, Lex sees Darius slump to the ground, dead.
Lex decides to make a run for it, and, still crouching, darts behind his desk. The gunman fires, missing Lex as Lex then makes a dash for the side door and gets out of the study.
Lex runs down the hall, only to meet another gunman as he rounds the corner. Lex turns and runs the other way, seeing another gunman coming up the hall from the other direction, in front of a large window. Lex grabs a small sculpture off a dais in the hall and throws it at the gunman, hitting him in the head and knocking him unconscious. Lex races toward the window, yelling as he leaps out of it, shattering the glass.
Lex groans as he hits the ground several stories below. One of the gunmen appears at the broken window, shooting at Lex. Lex climbs to his feet and runs away, limping badly as the shots sail by him.
Cut to the Kent farm the following morning. In the barn, Clark climbs the stairs to his loft and grabs some books off his desk. As he moves them, he sees Lex, his face bloodied from a cut above his eye, crouching on the floor.
Clark : [Shocked] Lex!
Lex : [Climbing to his feet] Are you alone?
Clark : [Concerned] Yeah. What happened to you?
Lex glances around nervously, then limps across the loft to look out the window.
Lex : Someone tried to kill me last night.
Clark : [Walking quickly to Lex's side] We need to get you to the hospital. Call the police.
Lex : No, no hospitals. No police. These people are professionals. They killed my security guard, Darius. They tried to finish me off too. [Walking away from Clark] I just need time to think....
Clark : Who would want to kill you?
Lex : [Seriously] The less you know, the better.
Clark : [Angrily] Lex, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's going on!
Lex studies Clark for a moment.
Lex : It was probably my father.
Clark : [Disbelieving] Look, I know you guys have had your problems, but you really think he'd try to kill you?
Lex : It was either him or Morgan Edge.
Clark : [Concerned] Morgan Edge.
Lex looks at Clark, slightly surprised that Clark speaks about Edge as if he knows him.
Clark : [Trying to cover] Isn't he the crime boss I read was killed in a shootout a few months ago?
Lex : He survived... Went underground, got some hack plastic surgeon to change his appearance.
Clark : But what does he have against you?
Lex : I have evidence linking him and my father to a crime that can get them both the death penalty. That evidence was supposed to be delivered to the US Attorney this morning.
Jonathan : [From below] Clark? Is that you?
Clark glances worriedly toward the sound of Jonathan's voice.
Lex : [Whispering] But it's in my safe, Clark. And I can't go back there.
Lex crouches down behind some trunks, so Jonathan won't see him.
Jonathan : [At the foot of the stairs] Clark? [Sees Clark] I thought I heard somebody up here. Listen, since you're up with the cows anyway, why don't you come down and give me a hand with the milking.
Clark : Sorry Dad. I've got some last minute cramming to do.
As Clark talks to his father, we see Lex crouched behind the trunks, wincing in pain and rubbing the back of his neck again.
Jonathan : All right. But I expect you to get an A. [Grins at Clark]
Clark : [Nodding] Yes sir.
Jonathan leaves and Clark turns back to Lex. Lex climbs to his feet.
Clark : [Hurriedly] All right. I'll go get what's in your safe.
Lex : [Concerned] No, no, it's too dangerous, Clark. The people in the mansion could be in on this.
Clark : No, if anyone asks, I'll just play dumb. Tell them I was there to meet you. [Seriously] Tell me exactly what happened.
Cut to Clark walking in to Lex's study. The entire study is completely undamaged--no bullet holes in the wall, no broken glass, no evidence of the incident the night before. Clark looks around, noting this. He glances up at the skylight and sees it is intact and undamaged. Clark walks over to the bookshelf. He presses the switch and the shelf flips up. He sticks the key Lex gave him into the lock, then presses the combination. He opens the safe, and finds it completely empty.
Clark steps out into the hallway, walking toward the window where Lex made his escape. He shrugs and shakes his head in confusion as he looks out and sees the window--unbroken. From behind him, one of Lex's bodyguard's steps out of a room.
Bodyguard : Mr. Kent. Can I help you?
Clark : I'm here to see Lex.
Bodyguard : [Chuckling] Most of the household is still asleep.
Clark : [Curiously] Is Darius on duty?
Bodyguard : He had the night off.
Clark : [Lightly] You got stuck with the graveyard shift? What a bummer.
As he engages the bodyguard in conversation, Clark uses his X-Ray vision to scan the hallway. He sees a shard of glass in the corner behind a dais in the hall.
Clark : Anything unusual happen?
Bodyguard : [Shrugs] Not until you arrived.
Clark : [Smiling] Right, well I know how to take a hint, so um...
Clark reaches in his pockets to grab his keys. As he does so, he purposely drops them on the floor near the shard of glass. He kneels down to pick them up, also grabbing the shard of glass as well.
Clark : [Standing up] Tell Darius I was asking for him.
Clark walks away as the bodyguard watches him.
Cut to the Kent barn. Clark walks across the loft.
Clark : I'm telling ya Lex, it was like the Twilight Zone. There was nothing wrong.
Lex pulls on a clean shirt, buttoning it up.
Lex : I didn't imagine getting shot at, Clark. They must have had cleaners there to cover their tracks.
Clark : [Pulling the shard of red stained glass from his pocket] Yeah, well, they missed a spot. I found this in the hallway.
Lex takes the shard from Clark.
Clark : I called Darius's house to see if anyone knew he was missing. But according to his answering machine, his wife and his kids are off visiting their grandparents.
Lex : [Studying the glass shard] Darius is probably at the bottom of Crater Lake by now.
Clark : Maybe we should call that US Attorney.
Lex : And tell him what? He was nervous about going after someone as powerful as Lionel Luthor to begin with. I don't think he'll be issuing warrants based on [Holds up the glass] a shard of glass.
Clark : Is there *anyone* who can corroborate *any* part of your story?
Lex looks at Clark, nodding slightly.
Cut to a shot of Chloe in the Torch office.
Chloe : [Concerned] Well, is Lex all right?
Clark : He's freaked out... pretty shaken up, but he's alive. How'd you get mixed up in this.
Chloe : Uh, I was just researching Lionel Luthor for a story. I found out that he ran with a pretty tough crowd as a kid.
Clark : Morgan Edge?
Chloe : Yeah. I thought Lex would be interested, but I had *no* idea he would develop this theory that Edge and Lionel murdered his grandparents.
Clark : [Concerned] Chloe, these people are dangerous. They could come after you too. Lex and I both agree that you should stay out of sight until this is over.
Chloe : [Slightly scared] No, nobody who knows anything about this is safe, not until whoever is responsible is exposed!
Clark: [Determined] Well, I'm not going to leave you alone. Grab your laptop and let's go.
Chloe looks at Clark, knowing she can't disagree with him.
Cut to the Kent farm. Clark and Chloe pull up in the pickup truck. As they get out of the truck, they see Martha, Jonathan, and Lionel standing the barnyard and walk toward them.
Lionel : [Extending his hand to Clark, who shakes it reluctantly] Hello Clark. [Turning to Chloe and extending his hand] Miss Sullivan, isn't it?
Chloe : [Shaking his hand] Yeah.
Jonathan : Clark, Mr. Luthor has something he'd like to talk to you about.
Martha : I'm afraid it's serious.
Lionel : Have you seen Lex, Clark?
Clark glances at his parents, and they nod slightly that it's OK to answer.
Clark : Not for a few days.
Lionel : Lex is missing. It's important that I find him.
Clark : Mr. Luthor, I know Lex pretty well, and if he wanted you to know where he was, you probably would.
Chloe glances back and forth between Clark and Lionel, shocked at Clark's words.
Lionel : [Seriously] Lex is seriously ill. He needs help.
Clark : [Surprised] What do you mean, ill?
Lionel : There's a psychotic break. Lex has had a psychotic break..
Chloe looks stunned.
Clark : [Disbelieving] That can't be right.
Lionel : It happened while he was on that island. I thought he'd beaten it, but, um... he's had a relapse. He is suffering from paranoid delusions. He's hearing voices. He sees things that aren't there.
The Kents look at Clark in sympathy.
Lionel : [Emotionally] I want my son. I want him back... the way he used to be. If you hear from him Clark, you have to help me. We have to get him the care he needs.
Clark looks concerned, not knowing if he should believe Lionel or not. From inside the barn, we see the group gathered outside from Lex's point of view as he peers through a crack in the barn wall. Lex glances behind him, a concerned look on his face, and walks away.
Cut to a shot inside the barn's lower level. Clark enters, looking around for Lex.
Lex : [Off camera, singing softly] Hush little baby... don't say a word... I'm gonna buy you a mockingbird... and if that mocking bird don't sing... I'm gonna buy you a diamond ring... If that diamond ring turns brass... I'm gonna buy you...
Clark walks through the barn, following the sound of the singing. He rounds a corner and sees Lex, his back to Clark, sitting on a stool cradling something in his arms as he sings to it.
Clark : [Concerned] Lex, what are you doing down here?
Lex turns his head and looks at Clark over his shoulder.
Lex: [Whispering] I had to get the baby. He was crying. My father woke him.
Lex turns back around, smiling down gently at what is cradled in his arms.
Clark : [Confused] The baby? What baby?
Lex smiles and turns around, showing Clark the "baby" cradled in his arms--a rolled up blanket. Lex stokes the blanket gently as he smiles up at Clark.
Lex : [Proudly] My little brother Julian.
Clark just looks at Lex sadly as Lex continues stroking the blanket and smiling at it.
Clark : Lex...
Lex : [Putting a finger to his lips, never taking his eyes off the blanket] Shhh... shhh. He's asleep.
Lex begins to sing to the "baby" again as Clark watches, stunned.
Lex : [Softly] ...And if that diamond ring turns brass....
Lex looks up at Clark and smiles, before turning back around and continuing his song
Lex : [Softly]...I'm gonna buy you a looking glass... And if that looking glass gets broke.... I'm gonna buy you a little toy boat... [Rocking the blanket] Shh. Shh. No, no.
Cut to a shot of the Kent's yard. Clark, Jonathan, and Martha stand in the yard, talking.
Martha : And the baby was a figment of Lex's imagination?
Clark : He did have a little brother named Julian. He died as an infant when Lex was still a kid.
Martha : [Sympathetically] Oh, that must have been traumatic for him.
Clark : Anyway, Chloe's with him now, and... he seems perfectly fine. I don't get it. One second, he thinks he's holding a baby, and the next he's making complete sense.
Jonathan : [Angrily] Clark, what I don't understand is how you could hide him in our barn without telling us!
Clark : Dad, he was scared. And he thinks Lionel is trying to kill him.
Martha looks on, concerned.
Clark : He said Morgan Edge is still alive.
Jonathan : Morgan Edge?
Clark : He's involved.
Jonathan : [Angry] Morgan Edge knows all about your abilities. He knows that kryptonite can kill you. How could you not tell us that?!
Clark : [Glancing at Martha] There's more.
Jonathan : More?
Clark : He said Morgan Edge has had plastic surgery. Even if he showed up, we wouldn't know it was him.
Jonathan : [Disbelieving] So Morgan Edge is alive, and he's had plastic surgery.
Clark nods.
Jonathan : Clark, don't you think that that sounds like another one of Lex's delusions? Come on.
Clark looks upset, and Martha steps forward.
Martha : [Sympathetically] I know how hard it is for you to see Lex in this condition, but he needs psychiatric care.
Jonathan looks over Clark's shoulder, and his expression changes to one of extreme concern. Clark turns and sees Lex standing behind them, a look of disappointment on his face. Clark looks at him guiltily.
Lex : [Sadly] You think you know people, and, uh, you realize it's all just a facade.
Martha : [Soothingly] Lex, you know we only want what's best for you.
Lex : [Angrily as he limps toward them] Save the cloying maternal posturing for your own son, Mrs. Kent. [Points at the group] I heard you all talking. Little Kent cabal... [Accusingly] Such a selective group, aren't you? And so secretive. Plotting to pack me off to the loony bin.
Clark looks on guiltily as Martha and Jonathan shake their heads. Chloe comes running around the corner, stopping next to Lex.
Chloe: [Out of breath] I tried to stop him. I'm sorry.
Lex turns to look at Chloe, even more upset.
Lex: [Angrily turning back to the Kents] You're all watching me now?
Lex turns and starts to limp away. Clark starts after him, grabbing his arm.
Clark : Lex! Where are you going?
Lex : [Determined] To find Morgan Edge and prove I'm not crazy.
Clark : [Softly] Lex...
Lex : [Demanding] You're either with me or against me Clark. Choose right now.
Clark glances back at his parents apologetically.
Jonathan : Clark.
With a last glance at his parents, Clark turns and walks away with Lex. Martha and Jonathan share a look of concern.
Cut to a shot of Clark and Lex in the Kent truck. Clark pulls up behind a warehouse and stops the truck. Both men look out the window at the warehouse.
Lex : Maybe you should wait in the car.
Clark : [Opening the truck door] No. Lex, I've got your back. That's why I'm here.
The two men climb out of the truck and head for the warehouse.
Cut to a shot inside the warehouse. The sound of machines running fills the room, and Clark and Lex stand in the doorway, taking in the scene before them. Lex walks through the room in slow motion, his breathing labored, looking in confusion at the room full of seamstresses, sitting behind machines making clothing. Wincing in pain, Lex reaches up to rub his neck again.
Clark : [Approaching Lex] Lex, maybe this is the wrong place.
Lex : No. No, this was the place. No, Edge was *here*.
Clark : That was only yesterday. And these people look like they've been here a while.
Lex : [Conspiratorially] Don't you see? It's part of the cover-up, Clark. No, it wouldn't be that hard. [Waves his arms toward the workers] Bring in a few machines, some immigrant labor....
Clark : If you just want to disappear, Lex, why go through all the trouble?
Lex : [Frustrated] I don't know, Clark!
Clark reaches over and grabs Lex's shoulders, turning Lex to face him.
Clark : Lex... you gotta ask yourself... is there any possibility you might be imagining all this?
Lex seems to be considering this, then pushes past Clark and grabs an Asian man who appears to be in charge.
Lex : [Angrily] Where's Morgan Edge? Where's Edge?
The man, frightened, doesn't speak English and doesn't understand, speaking some phrases in his native tongue.
Lex grabs the man's arm and drags him to a nearby sewing machine, sticking the man's hand in the machine.
Lex : [Yelling] Tell me where he is, or I'm going to stitch this seam right through your hand!
The other workers scream, and Clark tries to pull Lex off of the man.
Clark : Lex, he doesn't understand a word you're saying!
The man begins to shout at Clark and Lex, again in his native language.
Clark : [Soothingly] Come on, let's go.
Lex : [Shrugging Clark's arm off] All right Clark, you win. [Pulls the shard of glass out of his pocket and holds it up, his hand trembling] But I'm not imagining this, am I? Huh?
The man shouts at them again in a foreign language, indicating they need to leave.
Clark : [Pulling Lex's arm] Let's go.
Lex: [Waving the shard of glass at the man, yelling angrily] Huh? Am I imagining this?!
The man continues shouting at them, shouting "Go!" in broken English as Clark pulls Lex from the room.
Clark : Come on.
Cut to a shot of the Luthor Mansion at night. Inside Lex's study, Lex and Clark look around.
Lex : [Frustrated] There's gotta be more evidence.
Clark : Maybe we should call the sheriff. Get her to bring in a forensics team.
Lex just looks around the room, overwhelmed, rubbing the back of his neck.
Clark : What do you want to do, Lex?
From behind them, a familiar voice calls out.
Darius : Mr. Luthor.
Lex and Clark turn around to see Darius standing in the doorway.
Lex : [Stunned] Darius. You're alive.
Lex walks slowly toward Darius, a look of confusion on his face.
Darius : We were worried about you, sir.
Lex approaches Darius, pointing at him.
Lex : [Accusingly] You're in on this, aren't you?
Darius : [Confused] In on what, sir?
Lex just continues to point at Darius as he stares, confused and suspicious.
Clark : Lex...
Clark pulls Lex back from Darius, and Lex stumbles a little in his confusion. He makes his way over to the bar and, hands trembling, pours himself a glass of scotch, downing it in one swallow.
Clark : [Concerned] Come on, Lex...
The door opens and someone enters.
Dr. Foster : [Off camera] Lex.
Wild eyed, Lex turns around to see Dr. Foster walking into the study.
Dr. Foster : Thank God. We were looking everywhere for you.
Lex spins around toward Clark.
Lex : [Accusingly] Did you call her?!
Clark : I don't even know who she is.
Lex : She's my psychiatrist. [Walking toward Dr. Foster] Don't you think it's a little convenient she just happens to be here.
Dr. Foster : Security called me, Lex. You need to come with me.
Lex : [Suspiciously] No. No, I'm not going anywhere. Somebody tried to kill me last night. I jumped through a window! Look, I have proof.
Lex holds the shard of glass up to Dr. Foster's face.
Dr. Foster : [Gently pushing Lex's hand down] The window was broken.
Dr. Foster walks over to her medical bag and opens it, pulling out a vase.
Dr. Foster : [Continuing] You got angry during our last session and you threw this vase through the hall window.
Lex takes the vase from Dr. Foster as she walks back to her bag and pulls out a syringe.
Lex : [Muttering and shaking his head as he looks at the vase] No. No.
Dr. Foster : I'm going to give you something.
Clark looks at Darius, concerned. Lex grabs the bottle and syringe from Dr. Foster.
Lex : [Suspiciously] What is this? Huh? Some kind of hallucinogen?
Dr. Foster : It's a sedative.
Lex : [Accusingly] No. No, you're working for my father. [Stepping back and bumping into Darius] Drugging me to make me crazy!
Dr. Foster : We need to get you to a hospital.
Darius : [Soothingly] All right, Mr. Luthor. Everything's going to be fine. It's going to be all right.
Lex reaches into Darius's belt and grabs his gun.
Lex : [Shouting, aiming the gun at Darius] Get on the ground! [Turning to Foster] Both of you, on the ground! Get on the ground!
Clark : Lex! What are you doing?
Lex : Get down there!
Clark steps between Lex and Dr. Foster and Darius.
Clark : Lex, give me the gun. Come on.
Lex points the gun at Clark.
Lex : [His voice breaking] No, Clark, if they take me to the hospital, I'm either going to end up dead or drooling in a padded cell for the rest of my life!
Clark : [Pleading] Why would they want to do that?
Lex : [Voice breaking] It's the perfect plan, Clark! As long as the world thinks I'm crazy, no one will believe what I found out about my father and Morgan Edge! Think about it, Clark.
Dr. Foster : [Calmly to Clark] Young man, your friend is very sick. These conspiracy theories are a symptom of his condition.
Lex : [To Foster] Shut up!
Lex, hand trembling, continues to aim the gun at his hostages, never taking his eyes off of them as he speaks to Clark.
Lex : [Tearfully] Maybe I am crazy, Clark. I honestly don't know anymore. But what if I'm right about all this? [Looking at Clark] Are you really just going to let them put me away?
Clark looks at Lex, conflicted.
Cut to a shot of the Smallville stables at night. Lana enters, carrying a cooler bag. She looks around as she walks into the stable.
Lana : Hello? Are you here?
Clark steps out of an empty stall and Lana jumps.
Clark : I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you.
Lana : I got your message. I brought the food. Now tell me what I'm doing here in the middle of the night?
Clark steps back so Lana can see inside the stall. Lex sits on a bale of hay, head bowed, staring blankly at his hands. He looks broken.
Lana gasps in shock and moves over to Lex, kneeling next to him.
Lana : [Softly] Lex. What's wrong?
Lex doesn't answer, continuing to stare at his hands.
Clark : There's a possibility he's being drugged. People are after him, I couldn't bring him to the farm, and I knew you knew this place.
Lana gets up and walks toward Clark.
Lana : [Angrily] Why didn't you tell me about this?
Clark : Because if Lex is right, everyone who's involved is in danger. And I promised myself I would never put you in that position again.
Lana : [Concerned] What exactly are we mixed up in?
Clark : I wish I knew. [Pauses] I need you to stay with him.
Lana : Where are you going?
Clark : I've got to get some evidence to Chloe that may prove that he's being drugged. She couldn't come here because we think she's being watched.
Lex : Don't worry Lana. [Smiles slightly] I'll tell you everything.
Clark : [Softly to Lana] Be careful. He's not himself.
Lana : [Whispers] Go.
Clark exits, and Lana returns to Lex, kneeling next to him and rubbing his arm gently.
Cut to a shot of Chloe sitting outside in her car. She looks around nervously, and sees Clark pull up next to the car in his truck. She gets out and walks over to his window.
Chloe : Hey.
Clark : Thanks for meeting me all the way out here.
Chloe : Of course.
Clark holds out Dr. Foster's bottle of medication to Chloe.
Clark : Look, I need you to find out if this can make someone hallucinate.
Chloe : [Taking the bottle] OK, I'll get it to my source at the pharmacology lab.
Clark : Also, I need to check out a Dr. Claire Foster and the two security guards. If there's a conspiracy, they're probably in on it.
Clark moves to start the truck, but Chloe stops him.
Chloe : Clark, I dug up some of Lex's medical records.
Clark looks at Chloe, concerned.
Chloe : Apparently this isn't the first time he's... had this kind of problem.
Clark : What are you talking about?
Chloe : Well, after his brother died, Lex went right back to boarding school. And soon after that, he started exhibiting some... pretty bizzarro behavior.
Clark : What do you mean, "bizzarro"?
Chloe : [Hesitates] His house-master found him sitting in the bell tower in the middle of the night, singing a lullaby to a wrapped up blanket.
Clark's face falls.
Chloe : You know, I want to believe that this is a conspiracy just as much as you do, believe me, but I think we need to start preparing ourselves for the possibility that Lex really is losing his mind.
Clark sighs as he considers what Chloe is saying.
Cut to the stables. Inside, Lex and Lana are sitting on a bale of hay, while Lex eats one of the sandwiches Lana has brought.
Lex : [Politely] Thank you for coming, Lana.
Lana smiles, gently squeezing Lex's arm as she stands up.
Lana : I'm just glad you're letting me help.
Lana grabs a thermos and opens it, pouring a cup of liquid for Lex. She holds out the cup and Lex takes it, smiling gratefully. He raises it to his lips, but then hesitates before taking a sip.
Lex : [Suspiciously] What is this?
Lana : [Smiling] It's chamomile. It'll help you relax.
Lex studies the liquid, chuckling dryly to himself.
Lex : [Softly] Liar.
Lana : [Confused] What?
Lex : [Angrily throwing the cup aside] Liar!
Lex gets up from the hay, and Lana steps back.
Lana : [Scared] Lex, what's wrong?
Lex grabs the thermos from her hand, throwing it aside.
Lex : [Angrily] You're trying to drug me!
Lana : I would never do that!
Lex limps quickly from the stall, and Lana runs after him, trying to stop him.
Lex : I shouldn't have trusted you!
Lana : [Running after Lex] Lex, wait!
Lex turns and grabs Lana by the arms.
Lex : Keep away from me!
Lex throws Lana against the door of a nearby stall. The force with which he throws Lana causes the lock on the door to give way, and Lana falls into the stall, startling the horse inside. The horse begins to rear up. Lex looks back one last time, then hurriedly limps from the barn.
Inside the stall, the horse is squealing angrily and rearing into it's hind legs. Lana looks at the horse fearfully, and quickly tries to crawl from the stall. She's not fast enough, however, and the horse strikes her repeatedly with it's hooves, leaving her unconscious on the floor of the stall.
Clark superspeeds into the barn. He glances cautiously at the horse, which has calmed down a little but is still unnerved.
Clark : [Kneeling next to Lana] Lana?
The camera pulls back and we see Lana, unconscious on the stall floor, her leg bent at an unnatural angle at the knee, clearly broken.
Cut to a back roadway. A truck drives down the road, and slows down as a man steps into the road in front of it, waving for the driver to stop. The driver slows to a stop and we see Lex limp over to the driver's door.
Driver : What's the trouble, mister?
Lex doesn't answer. Instead, he reaches inside the truck and slams the driver's head against the steering wheel, knocking him out. Lex opens the door and pulls the driver from the truck, dragging him across the road. He throws the driver down into a ditch on the other side of the road, and limps back to the truck. As he climbs inside the truck, Lex sees a shotgun mounted on the gun rack behind the front seat. He touches the gun, then gets behind the wheel of the truck and speeds away.
Cut to a shot inside Smallville Hospital. Clark stands outside a room, looking through the window at Lana, who lies on a bed inside. She's still unconscious, and hooked to various machines, including a respirator. Lionel approaches and stands next to Clark, also looking in on Lana.
Lionel : You know, I was never quite sure which of them was more out of touch with reality--Don Quixote, jousting with imaginary enemies, or his loyal lackey Sancho Panza, indulging his master's fantasies in spite of the danger to everyone else.
Clark glares at Lionel and starts to walk away.
Lionel : [Following] Wait a minute. Where are you going?
Clark : I'm going to find Lex. [Threateningly] If I were you, I'd be careful. Lex is convinced that you're responsible for everything that has been happening to him.
Lionel : [Mockingly surprised] Well, I'm touched by your concern, but you and I both know which of us is to blame.
Clark : [Angrily] Mr. Luthor, I don't think--
Lionel : [Interrupting, voice rising angrily] No, no! I don't want to hear it. If you had listened to me, Lex would already be getting the help he needs, and Miss Lang wouldn't be here fighting for her life!
Chloe : [From behind Lionel] Clark?
Lionel turns to see Chloe.
Chloe : [Concerned] Are you OK?
Lionel : [Turning back to Clark] But don't worry about me, Clark. My security personnel are well-equipped to protect me and to, um, find my son. [Turns to Chloe, then Clark] Now, I strongly suggest the two of you go home before you do any more damage.
Clark just glares at Lionel. Lionel turns to walk away.
Lionel : [Passing Chloe] Miss Sullivan.
Chloe : [Stepping closer to Clark] The drug analysis came back. It was just a common sedative.
Clark's face falls, and he turns back to the window to look at Lana. We see she also has several steel pins and a metal brace on her leg to keep it immobile.
Clark : [Sadly] Lionel's right, Chloe. I really screwed up.
Chloe : [Encouragingly] Maybe not. There are a lot of drugs that could make Lex see pink elephants. Now, the question is, how did it get into his system.
Clark : [Pausing to think] The mansion. Everything is brought to him there--the food, the drinks.
Chloe : So for all we know, they could have been dosing him for weeks.
Clark looks at Chloe, a look of realization on his face.
Cut to Lex's study. Clark throws the doors open and strides inside.
Clark : [Firmly] How'd you do it?
Darius gets up from his chair, tossing a magazine aside.
Darius : Do what?
Clark : [Accusingly] Get the drugs into Lex's system.
Darius : [Stepping closer to Clark] You know, I don't appreciate some farm boy coming in here and accusing me of a felony.
Clark grabs Darius's arm, and in one quick motion throws Darius to the floor, pinning his arm behind his back. Darius grunts in pain and surprise.
Clark : Don't underestimate farm boys. Baling all that hay can make you pretty strong.
Darius : [In pain] Come on man, you're going to break my arm!
Clark : Not if you tell me who drugged Lex.
Clark twists Darius's arm for good measure.
Darius : [Grimacing in pain] It was the scotch.
Clark looks up at the bar and sees the decanter of scotch. He twists Darius's arm again.
Clark : [Shouting] Tell me who you're working for!
Darius : I don't know who they are, all right? All I have is a cell phone number.
Clark : [Demanding] Then call it. Tell whoever answers to be at the Smallville Stables by noon with a bag full of Benjamins or I go to the cops.
Darius : [In disbelief] Wha... kid, you're crazy! These people are not going to pay you off. They're going to kill you!
Clark : [Leaning in] I'll take my chances.
Cut to Lionel Luthor's office. His security guard opens the door, and Lionel walks through.
Lionel : Thank you, Mike.
The security guard punches in a security code on a keypad near the door inside the office. As he turns from it, Lex steps out of the shadows and hits the guard in the face with the butt of the truck's shotgun, knocking him unconscious. The guard slumps to the floor. Lionel turns around, surprised. Lex reaches down and grabs the guard's gun, aiming it at Lionel.
Lionel : Lex. How did you get in here, Lex?
Lex : [Voice trembling] Well, uh, when people think you're insane and you're holding a rifle to their head, they, uh, tend to do what you ask.
Lionel : [Calmly] Put the guns down, all right. Sit down. Let's talk.
Lex : Sure, Dad. We'll have a nice father-son chat.
Lionel : All right, sit down.
Lex : [Continuing, waving the guns around as he talks] About, uh, how you and Morgan Edge killed my grandparents, and, uh, how you're drugging me to make the world think I'm crazy. [Growing more frustrated, voice raising to a shout] And hey, why not do the whole thing on Oprah, you know? Spill our dysfunctional guts on national TV like regular families do.
Lionel : [Walking toward Lex, hands outstretched to calm Lex down] All right, Lex, I understand why you're angry. I found out the same thing as you. The slum lord that owned my parents' tenement hired Edge to blow it up for the insurance money.
Lex : [Mumbling to himself] Just like you planned it.
Lionel : [Firmly] No. Lex, no. Lex, no, they were my parents! No matter how badly they treated me, I would never hurt them. And I know deep down, you don't want to hurt me.
Lex just stares at Lionel, trying to get control of his emotions.
Lex : You know what disappoints me, Dad?
Lionel : [Calmly] All right, tell me.
Lex : You hired pros to kill me. You always taught me, if you want something done right, son, do it yourself!
Lionel : [Calmly] Lex, the person responsible for this is Morgan Edge. I know where he is....
Lex cocks aims the gun at Lionel, resting it right over Lionel's heart.
Lionel : Believe me. We can get justice. Lex. Lex! Listen to me.
Lex glances over his shoulder.
Lex : [Angrily] Shh! [Whispering] You'll wake the baby.
Lionel : [Realizes what Lex is talking about] It's Julian. Are you seeing Julian again?
Lex stops aiming the gun at Lionel. Lex uses the hand he's holding the gun in to rub the side of his head, in obvious discomfort. He walks away, rubbing his head.
Lex : [Distraught] You know I can't take it when he cries, Dad.
Lionel : [Calmly] No. Julian isn't here, Lex. He's dead.
Lex : [Shouting over his shoulder at Lionel] No!
Lionel : No, Lex, you can't blame yourself for the baby's death.
Lex whirls around angrily, aiming the gun at Lionel again.
Lex : [Shouting] Shut up!!
Lionel : I know. You didn't mean to hurt him. I know that.
Lex : [Screaming] Shut up!!!
Lionel : Lex. It was an accident, Lex.
Lex shoves the gun in Lionel's face.
Lex : [Shouting] Tell me where Morgan Edge is, now!!
Lionel : All right.
Lex : Now!
Lionel : All right. All right.
Lionel reaches into his pocket and pulls out a pen and a notepad. Lex keeps the gun on him, but grimacing in pain, cocks his head to the side, trying to rub his neck on his shoulder.
Lionel : [Softly as he writes the address down] You have to be careful. Lex, please... be careful, please Lex.
Lionel holds out the notepad to Lex, who grabs it from him.
Lionel : [Pleadingly] I can't bear to lose another child.
Lex studies the address, then uses the gun to hit Lionel on the side of the head, knocking him out. Lionel groans and falls to the floor, unconscious.
Cut to the Smallville Stables. Clark walks through the barn, looking for the people Darius works for.
Clark : Hello?
As the camera pulls back, we see one of the gunmen who tried to shoot Lex crouched in some bushes across from the barn door. As Clark steps out, the gunman takes aim. As the gunman looks through his scope, suddenly Clark is gone. The gunman puts the gun down in confusion, as Clark speeds up behind him.
Clark grabs the gun from behind, bringing it up to the gunman's throat, choking him with it. He pulls off the gunman's ski mask.
Clark : [Matter of factly] Tell me where to find the guy you're working for, or I keep squeezing.
Cut to a small stone villa. Inside, Morgan Edge is having a drink, studying his new face in a mirror on the wall. A security guard keeps watch as Edge walks to a set of glass doors and opens them, looking outside across the fields. He brings his hand up to stroke his throat, and we see he's clutching a string of kryptonite beads.
Edge hears a door opening. He turns and nods to the bodyguard.
Edge : Check it out.
The bodyguard nods, pulls his gun, and moves to check out the source of the noise. We hear the bodyguard groan, followed by a loud thud. Edge pulls out a gun and moves slowly into the hallway, calling for the guard.
Edge : Jameson?
As Edge rounds a corner, he comes across the unconscious form of his bodyguard. He kneels to check on Jameson, then stands up. As he does do, Lex appears behind him and presses a gun to the back of Edge's neck.
Lex : [Angrily] I gave you a chance, Edge, but you really screwed it up. Now, drop the gun.
Edge drops the gun.
Edge : [Muttering angrily] Your father's the one who screwed up.
Lex angrily grabs Edge by the shoulders and throws him down the hall, forcing him back toward the room he just came out of.
Edge : [Continuing] If we'd done it my way, you'd be dead by now.
Lex : What are you talking about?
Edge : You really believe you could have escaped if I wanted to kill you? It was your father's idea to make you look crazy instead.
Lex : [Angrily pushing Edge into the room] You're lying!
Edge: [Turning to face Lex] It's true, Lex. Lionel's gone soft in his old age. He was willing to lose his parents, but he said he couldn't bear to lose another child.
As Edge talks, Lex grimaces in pain, rubbing his neck.
Edge : Neck still bothering you? Muscle aches, sleeplessness? All common side effects of the drugs.
Lex : I knew I wasn't crazy. [Thrusting the gun in Edge's face] Tell me how you did it!
Edge : [Unafraid] Lionel thought of everything. First the dope. And getting the window fixed, and setting up the sweatshop... all little details to push you over the edge.
Lex : How do I know it wasn't all you?
Edge : [Indicating the room] Well take a look around you. You think I'd be in digs like this if I hadn't cut a deal with your old man? You got to admit, it's an elegant plan, just like when he was a kid. [Mocking] Either you crack so completely that you can't form a coherent sentence or anything you say sounds like the ravings of a madman.
Lex looks stunned by this information.
Edge : [Friendly] But he doesn't have to win, Lex. We can bring him down... together.
Lex lowers his gun, thinking about this for a moment.
Lex : [Raising the gun again] Maybe I'll just kill both of you.
Suddenly, Clark superspeeds into the room. He grabs the gun from Lex's hand and steps back. Lex turns around, shocked to see him. Clark suddenly looks sick, and looks around the room for the source.
Edge : Hi, Kal. I had a feeling we'd see each other again. [Raises the string of kryptonite beads] That's why I've been carrying these around.
Clark, trying to stay on his feet, glares at Edge. Lex looks back and forth between the two men.
Lex : [Disbelieving] You know each other?
Edge : We go way back.
Lex : [Accusingly] You're in on this too, Clark? You're in on this too?
Clark doubles over, clutching his stomach.
Clark : [Weakly] No, Lex. It's not what you think.
Edge wraps the beads around his hand and punches Clark in the jaw, sending him sprawling across the floor. As Clark tries to get up, Edge kicks him. Lex looks on in shock as Edge beats up Clark. Edge pulls Clark up onto his knees by his jacket collar, and punches him square in the face. The string of beads breaks, sending kryptonite beads rolling across the floor. Clark slumps over, his mouth and nose bloodied.
As Edge prepares to attack Clark again, a shot rings out. Edge falls back through the open glass doors into the yard as he's shot him in the shoulder. Edge lies in the grass as Lex, his gun still smoking, watches. Clark, still lying in a pile of kryptonite beads, rolls over to face Lex.
Clark : [Weakly] Thank you.
Lex lowers the gun.
Lex : [Coldly] Don't thank me, Clark.
Clark tries to climb to his feet as Lex walks over to him.
Lex : You're part of this. [Aims the gun directly at Clark] I have to kill you too.
From the floor, Clark looks up as Lex aims the gun at Clark's head.
Clark pushes the beads away from him as best as he can, and tries to slowly crawl away from Lex.
Lex : [Accusingly] You think you can just slither away from me, Clark?
Clark : [Weakly as he crawls across the floor] Lex... I'm your friend. I would never do anything to hurt you.
Lex : [Following Clark, still aiming the gun at him] What'd you do--did you betray Edge too? [Clark rolls over] Is that why he beat you to a pulp?
Lex reaches down and grabs Clark's jacket, pulling him up slightly and shoving the gun right in his face.
Lex : [Angrily] Tell me Clark! What's the price of a Judas kiss these days?!
Clark just stares at Lex. Outside, we hear a car starting, and Lex glances over his shoulder toward the doors. He sees Edge is no longer lying on the ground. Lex pauses, unsure of who to deal with first. He angrily shoves Clark back down to the ground and walks outside to catch Edge.
Tires squeal as Edge's car pulls out into the drive. Lex runs across the yard and steps in front of Edge's car. Edge doesn't stop, and Lex fires his gun, hitting Edge several times. As Edge slumps over, his foot presses on the gas pedal and the car speeds up. Lex doesn't move, continuing to shoot at the car.
Clark suddenly superspeeds in between Lex and the car, and pushes Lex out of the way. Lex tumbles to the ground. Clark lowers his shoulder and the car hits him, the car curling around him as the front end smashes in and the car comes to a stop.
Lex watches all this, a look of shock and amazement on his face.
Clark pulls himself free from the car wreckage and pushes the car back easily. Lex turns and watches the car go, utterly amazed. Clark brushes off his hands and turns around, realizing Lex has witnessed this whole incident. Lex looks at Clark, tears in his eyes, his face a mixture of awe and relief.
Lex : [Amazed] I was right about you all along, Clark. You're not even human.
Clark looks at Lex fearfully.
Lex smiles to himself and looks down, grasping on to this piece of evidence to prove he's not crazy. He looks up, tears still in his eyes and smiles, almost joyfully.
A car pulls up and Lex glances over, as we hear Clark superspeed away.
Lex climbs to his knees as an SUV pulls up in front of him, and Dr. Foster and two men step out.
Lex : That car hit him at 80 miles an hour. And he tossed it like a toy. [Hopefully] Did you see him?
Dr. Foster : [Confused] See who?
Lex happily points toward where Clark was standing, but stops when he sees Clark is no longer there.
Lex : No, no no... [Points to wreckage] He was right there.
Dr. Foster looks around, then looks at Lex. He smiles hopefully at her, willing her to see what he knows is the truth. She kneels next to him.
Lex : [Pleading] He was right there, I swear!
Dr. Foster looks at him sympathetically, reaching out to cup his chin gently.
Dr. Foster : It's all right, Lex. We're going to get you the help you need.
Lex blinks back tears as the two men grab him by the arms.
Lex : No. [Fighting the men as they pull him to the SUV] No! He was right there! Look at the car! Look at him! [Screams] Clark!! [Mutter to the men] He was right there. [Screams once again as he's forced into the SUV] CLARK!!
Cut to a hospital bed. The camera pans up Lana as she lies in the bed. She wakes up, and turns to see Clark sitting next to her bed.
Clark : [Softly] Hey.
Lana smiles slightly, then looks concerned.
Lana : How's Lex?
Clark : [Sadly] Lex isn't doing so good.
Lana : I'm sorry. I know how much you wanted to help him.
Clark : [Changing the subject] Um, the doctors say that you're doing better.
Lana : [Pauses for a moment] I almost died, Clark.
Clark : [Sadly] I know.
Lana : I always thought you were being paranoid.
Clark : About what?
Lana : That being around you is too dangerous. [Pauses] But it's true.
Clark : Lana...
Lana : [Interrupting] It's OK, Clark. I know. You're really looking out for me. But you're right... [Sadly] I think I have to stay away from you.
Clark just looks on sadly as Lana closes her eyes, drifting back to sleep.
Cut to a shot of a building in a large lot. A spotlight shines across the lot, and as the camera pulls back, we see the lot is surrounded by chain link fences topped with barbed wire. A sign on the fence reads "Belle Reve Sanitarium. Keep Out."
Inside, Dr. Foster walks through a door marked "Restricted Access". She walks down the hall, checking her charts. As walks down the hall, we see Lionel standing against the wall.
Lionel : Dr. Foster.
Dr. Foster : [Turning to Lionel] Good evening, Mr. Luthor.
Lionel: [Glancing around] Why do these institutions always... stink of ammonia?
Lionel walks toward Dr. Foster and stops next to her, looking down toward something at the end of the hall.
Lionel : How's Lex?
Dr. Foster : [Also looking down the hall] Well, now that he's here, I can control his meds much more tightly. By the time he finishes his treatment, he won't have any short-term memory left.
Lionel sighs.
Dr. Foster : Wasn't that exactly what you wanted?
Lionel : [Slightly angry] Never believe for a second, Doctor, that this [Nods toward the end of the hall] is what I wanted. I love my son more than life itself. But he leaves me no other choice.
Lionel walks down the hall, and Dr. Foster watches him. At the end of the hall, a large two-way mirror looks into a large padded room. Lex sits on the floor, barefoot and clad in a straitjacket. He rocks back and forth, mumbling to himself. Lex climbs to his feet and walks over to the mirror, looking at his reflection. Deep purple circles are under his eyes. His lips move wordlessly as he talks to himself, staring at his reflection but not really seeing anything. Lionel watches, a few tears welling up in his eyes.
Cut to the hospital. Clark stands outside Lana's window, watching her sleep.
Back at the asylum, Lionel puts a hand up on the mirror, touching Lex's face through the glass as Lex stares out blankly, rocking back and forth, his lips still moving occasionally.
End
