"Mortal"

Original Air Date on October 13, 2005

Belle Reve. Night. Inside Lex is walking with a doctor. They are talking.

Doctor:Transferring the other patients out of this wing, per your request, a reorganization of thise size, the Board of Directors will ask questions, Mr. Luthor.

Lex: For what I'm paying you, Doctor, I'm sure you can buy some answers.

We see Lionel behind a glass wall. His eyes are still gray and he's in a straightjacket. Lex looks at him.

Lex, to the doctor: Keep him isolated, twenty-four-hour survailence. Notify me if there's any change iun his condition.

Lex puts his hand to the glass. Lionel turns away, a hint of a smile on his face. Lex walks away.

As Lex is walking down the hallway he and a patient (who is being escorted by orderlies along with two other patients) bump into each other.

Lex: Hey!

Orderly: Sorry about that, Mr. Luthor.

Patient: Yeah, my bad.

Orderly: Oh, you're really good at making friends. Aren't you, Lee?

The patient, Lee, taking of his handcuffs: I guess I'm just a people person.

Lee punches the orderly and then with his hand, he draws electricity from a nearby light and with that energy. He shoots the other orderly across the room.

Lee: Can I light up a room, or what?

He shoots energy out of his hand at the other two patients handcuffs, releasing them. The other two patients are twins.

Lee: Time to do your thing, boys. Go!

The alarms go off.

The twins put their fists together, creating an energy barrier that repelss the bullets that are being shot at them.

Guard:What's going on?

Lee: Let's blow this joint.

There's an explosion and the patients are free.

Twin 1: Where to ...

Twin 2: ... now boss?

Lee: Smallville.

OPENING CREDITS

Barn raising. Day. The men of Smallville are raising a barn.

Man: Pull. Steady!

Jonathan: Ready? Pull!

The men pull on the ropes until they've raised the side of the barn. When it's up, the women and children cheer. Clark and Jonathan run and nail the beams in place.

Jonathan: It's good.

Clark: It's great. It's a lot heavier than I remember.

Jonathan: You're just going to have to learn, Clark. Pace yourself. You're human now...Martha!

Clark hammers on a beam as Chloe walks up.

Chloe: Ah! The joys of manual labour.

Clark: It's not so bad. I kinda like being sore. It makes me feel like I've actually accomplished something. No pain, no gain, right?

He hammers his thumb.

Clark: Aah!

Chloe takes his hand: Yeah, well, being a mere mortal does have it's drawbacks. You alright?

Clark: Ow!

Chloe: Are you sure this is what you really want?

Clark sees Lana off in the distance, working with some power tools.

Clark: It's what I always wanted.

Chloe: I was talking about you, Clark. Not your feelings for Lana.I mean, one day I find out my best friend's an alien, then the next day, presto change-o, he's just your average Kansas farm boy. Excuse me if I'm finding this a little hard to accept.

Clark: Well, you're going to have to just get used to it. It's who I am now.

Chloe: Clark, with all that you are able to do, I can't help thinking that your destiney is more than just milking cows and raising barns.

Clark: Destiney's just abother word for not having a choice.

Chloe: OKay, what about Alien Ken and Barbie? They tore arpart Smallville looking for you.

Clark: They were looking for Kal-El. They're gone and so is he. Just let it go, Chloe.

He walks away from her. Lana brings him a drink.

Clark:I've never been so thirsty!

Lana: It's incredible, isn't it? How the whole town gets together to help rebuild Smallville?

Clark: Thanks to Lex. If he hadn't pulled those strings at FEMA, we'd still be waiting for the relief money.

Lana: Yeah, he's a real hero.

They see Lex get out of his car.

Martha: Hey, Clark! We're getting low on ten penny nails. Can you run to the farm and get some?

Clark: Yeah.

Lana: I'll come with you.

Clark: Yeah.

Lex: The happy couple! Sneaking off while there's work to be done.

Lana: Supply run,

Lana, to Clark: I'll wait for you.

Lana walks off.

Lex: I get the feeling I'm not her favorite person right now.

Clark: She doesn't trust you, but I'm sure you're kinda used to that reaction by people now.

Lex: Look, Clark, we've all made mistakes. That's in the past. For whatever reasons, we've been given a second change. I hope we can rebuild more than just the town.

Clarck: So do I.

He walks off to join Lana. Lex watches them go.

Clark and Lana run up the hill playfully and kiss.

Lana: I can't believe a second meteor shower hit Smallville. Like the first when we were kids wasn't bad enough.

Clark: Maybe this time it's different. Maybe not the end of something, but the begining: a second chance.

Lana: Clark, there are so many things that I haven't told you. Things that I've done.

Clark: Whatever we've both done ... it's in the past now. The past can't hurt us anymore.

Lana: You're right. No more crystals or spaceships or meteor showers.

Clark: Sounds good.

He throws a meteor rock off into the distance.

At the farm...

Clark: This will only take a sec.

Lana: No hurry. I think I need a break anyway.

Clark: Found 'em.

Lana: You know, sometimes taking your time isn't a bad iddea.

Clark: Sorry.

Lana: It's okay. We should probably be heading back anyway.

Clark: You're right. We should probably be heading back.

They kiss.

Clark: Everyone's waiting for us at the barn raising.

Lana: Which means we're all alone.

They run upstairs and make out heavily, sitting down on the couch.

Clark: We should, ah, we should take this slow.

Lana: Clark, we've been taking it slow for four years now.

Clark: I know. I want our first time to be as special as you are. It's, um, it's my first time.

Lana: It's mine too.

Clark: You and Jason ...

Lana: No, no. You and Alicia?

Clark: No. You are the only one I ever really loved. It's only been you, Lana.

They kiss. They hear the door open and pull away.

Clark: My parents! Hey, Mom! Dad! We were just um...We were just ...

He sees the twin Belle Reve escapees. They use their powers to pin him to the ceiling.

Lana: Clark!

Lee: Pretty girl, hey you!

Clark: What do you want?

Lee: What every freak in Belle Reve wants, Clarky boy! You!

The Belle Reve escapees push Clark and Lana inside the Kent home, which is in the middle of repairs.

Lee: Get in there!

Clark: Lana!

He goes up to Lee, who punches him. Lana walks to Lee.

Lana: Stop it!

Lee grabs her.

Lee: Stop? I'm just getting started, baby girl.

Lana: Clark, what's going on? Who are they?

Clark: I don't know.

Lee: Oh, but we know you! You're a ledgend back in Belle Reve. Hell, half of the freaks are in there 'cause of you.

Clark: You got the wrong guy.

Lee: Oh, yeah? Well, maybe sweet one here knows where I can find the right one.

He licks Lana's cheek.

Clark goes to attack him, but Lee shoots him away with his electrically charged powers.

Lana: Clark!

Lee: Boy, you do not wanna be pissin' me off!

Twin 1: Strange, he does not seem ...

Twin 2: ... What we ...

Twin 1: ... expected.

Clark: I told you: you got the wrong guy!

Lee: Well, I guess we're just going to have to have to kill you. Maybe I should start with your little girlfriend.

Inside the caves, Chloe is looking around with a flashlight.

Chloe: Alirght Clark. As long as you're happy with who you are.

She runs into Lex.

Lex: Happiness is such an illusive creature, isn't it? We all wish for it, but very few ever really find it.

Chloe: Doesn't make the search any less important.

Lex: Or the destination.

He picks up her fallen flashlight and hands it to her.

Lex: Do you remember the last time we stood here together? I ended up unconcious on the ground and somehow you landed in the artic.

Chloe: I told you, I don't remember what happened.

Lex: Then, why have you been avoiding me, Chloe? It's been weeks since I brought you back from that hospital in the Yukon where I found you.

Chloe: I've been busy, Lex.

Lex: Right, I heard being a third wheel is very time consuming.

Chloe: Clark and Lana are finally together. They're happy. That's all that should matter to a real friend.

Lex: I think you know more than you're telling me about what happened in this cave, about Clark's involvement. I know you think you're being a good friend, but you're playing a very dangerous game.

Chloe: Kinda like covering up the spaceship Lana said crashed during the meteor shower.

Lex: Lana was hysterical. She didn't se what she thought she did.

Chloe: Well, maybe you didn't either, Lex. Stop asking me questions or I will start asking my own.

She walks away, leaving Lex alone in the cave.

Cut to the Kent Home. Day.

Clark: Level 3?

Lee: So, you've heard of it.

Clark: Yeah, it's supposed to be a top secret research facility at Luthor Corp. Everybody thinks it's just a myth.

Lee: Yeah, spending a couple of weeks in there can make it pretty real.

Clark: You've been in Level 3?

Lee: Yeah, I had a real nice stay. Gourmet food, sattelite TV, and a nifty little green cocktail shot in my neck three times a day.

Clark: They were experimenting on you?

Lee: Just trying to amp up what me and the Wonder twins could already do. It worked. Then one morning, I woke up in Belle Reve. No more sattleite TV. No more green cocktails.

Clark: They got you hooked then cut you off.

Lee: Look, we all got a cross to bear, kid, and this is your's: You're gonna break into Level 3. You're gonna get me that serum. Otherwise, you're gonna be playing patty cake all by your lonesome.

Clark: What do you need me for? I've seen what you can do. Why not just go in there and get it yourself?

Lee: They got all kinds of defence systems to keep people like me out, but if the stories I hear at Belle Reve about you are true, then you shouldn't have a problem.

Jonathan and Martha drive up in the truck.

Lee: Looks like we've got ourselves some company.

Martha: Clark better have a good excuse for not bringing these nails back.

Jonathan: I'm sure he does.

They walk inside the house to find Clark alone.

Jonathan: Clark! Clark, we sent you out for those nails hours ago. What happened?

Clark: I got side tracked.

Martha: Where's Lana?

Clark: She's not feeling well. She's lying down.

Martha: Why is you shirt on inside out?

Jonathan: I think I'll go check on Lana myself.

Clark: No! Wait! You guys never believe me! Why are you always all over me? Why can't you just back off for five minutes?

Martha: Clark Kent! What has gotten into you?

Lee and the twins come out of the room with Lana.

Lee: Yeah, boy! That ain't any way to talk to your mama!

Jonathan: What's going on here, Clark?

Lee: Pipe down, old man!

Jonathan: Listen, fella. I don't think you know who the hell you're talking to ...

Lee uses his powers, shooting him across the room.

Clark: Stop! Just stop! I'll do whatever you want. Just don't hurt anyone else.

Lee: Smart move, farm boy. You got two hours to get back here with the serum or I'm gonna fire me up some family barbeque.

Luthor Corp. Day. Clark and Chloe drive up.

Clark: All I know, the serum is in a vault somewhere in there in Level 3.

Chloe: What about Lex? What if we just told him what was going on ...

Clark: Nah, I called his office. They said he was en route to Washington. It's up to us, Chloe. We gotta get in there.

Chloe: Well, I'm always up for a little mission impossible. Okay, so this is where your nut job said he was experimented on, right?

Clark: Yeah.

Chloe: Well, according to public records, this section of Luthor Corp was closed a year ago. Turned into storage.

Clark: It's a great cover if you don't want anyone to know what you are up to.

Chloe: It's exactly what I thought. Now, I couldn't pull up anything called "top secret evil lab" on the scimatics, but I did find this: or more accurately, didn't.

On her lap top, she shows him Luthor Corp blueprints. There is a large blacked-out area.

Clark: Level 3.

Chloe: I guess someone forgot to pencil that in.

They get out of the car and open the trunk to reveal various gadgets.

Clark: Whoa!

Chloe: What? I like to come prepaired.

Clark: Chloe, where'd you get all this stuff?

Chloe: E-bay.

Clark: Is that a flash grenade?

Chloe: Careful! That was a graduation present from Lois. I'm saving it for a special ocassion.

Clark: Why didn't you tell me about all this stuff?

Chloe: We all have our secrets, Clark.

The two sneak past the guards and make their way inside.

Chloe: Relax, Clark. We still have a couple minutes before the guards swing back around.

Clark: You sure this is going to work?

Chloe: You got a better plan?

Clark: Well, normally, I'd just rip open the door, super speed past the cameras, and somehow open the vault with my heat vision.

Chloe: So what you're saying is: now that you are human, you have no useful skills.

Clark: Not so much.

Chloe: Great. I finally land my own super hero and this is what I get.

Clark: We don't need super powers for this. You get the door open and then access the survailence cameras. Then loop the same empty hallway over and over and I ...

Chloe: Clark, that kind of electronic hocus pocus is going to take hours to rig up. Sometimes it's easier if you just turn off the power.

She presses some buttons on her lap top and the door opens.

The sheriff drives up to the Kent Farm with her sirens on.

Lee: Looks like the kid done went and called the law on us. I guess he doesn't love you very much.

Martha: Clark wouldn't go to the police.

Jonathan: I'm sure it's just routine.

Lee: Yeah, well, too bad for her then.

Lana: Wait! We'll get rid of her. Just don't freak out!

Lee: Baby, you'll know when I freak out. Look, get rid of the sheriff or your wife is toast.

He grabs Martha. He hides with Martha and the twins. There's a knock on the door.

Jonathan: Just a second!

He opens the door.

Jonathan: Sheriff.

Sheriff: I'm sorry to trouble you folks, but three real mean cusses busted out of Belle Reve last night. Put about half a dozen guards in the hospital and we found the car they stole a mile up the road.

Jonathan: We'll keep our eyes open.

Sheriff: Well, you be sure and do that. Where's the missus?

Lana: She's still at the barn raising.

Sheriff: Oh, I was just there. I didn't see her. Well, make sure she knows what's goin on when she turns up.

Jonathan: Sure will, thank you.

Sheriff: Wait a minute. Is that coffee I smell?

Cut to Luthor Corp. Clark is crawling through the air vent, talking via headset to Chloe who is elsewhere.

Clark: We're running out of time. There's gotta be another way to do this.

Chloe: Clark, there isn't. The only direct access to Level 3 is through a magnetically sealed door with redundancy powered backup. You have to get through the air vent and unlock the backups from the inside.

Clark: How much further?

Chloe: Well, according to the air vent diagram, you should be getting close to an exhaust vent port right above the vent's end. Take your next left. C'mon Clark, left!

Clark: I'm going in circles!

Chloe: No, you're not. It just feels that way because you are in a confined space with no sure markers.

Clark: This is impossible! It's a million degrees in here!

Chloe: Gosh, Clark. I didn't realize super whining was one of your powers.

Clark: Pete was a lot better at these pep talks in these situations.

Chloe: Pete?! You told Pete your secret?! Did he see your spaceship?

There's a buzzing noise.

Chloe: Oh, no! I think you tripped some sort of lock down switch.

Clark: What?! What do I do?

Chloe: Go. Go, go, go, go, go.

The vent begins to lock down in Clark's wake.

Chloe: Go left. Left!

The vent locks down in front of Clark. He goes left.

Clark: Whoa!

He falls through the vent, hanging from the ceiling.

Chloe: Clark! Clark, are you alright? Clark, Clark! Are you okay?

Clark: Yeah, super.

Back at the Kent farm, Lee has his hand over Martha's mouth as they are waiting for the sheriff to leave.

Sheriff: Good coffee, Mr. Kent.

Jonathan: Thank you, Sheriff. Um, would you mind if I finish the rest of my chores while there's still some daylight out there?

Sheriff: Oh, right. Yeah, I should get going, myself. Thanks for the coffee.

She picks up a pack of Lee's cigarettes.

Sheriff: Wouldn't think a man with your heart condition would take to smokin', Mr. Kent.

Lana: Those are mine, Sheriff. I started after the meteor shower. Nerves.

Sheriff: Nasty habit, Miss Lang. You better quit before they kill ya. Thanks again for the hospitality. I'll let myself out.

Outside, the sheriff acitivates her radio.

Sheriff: All units, we got a 10-11 out at the Kent Farm. I repeat, a 10-11 out at the Kent Farm.

Lee: Oh, Sheriff!

She tries to draw her weapon, but he's too quick, shooting her with his energy, knocking her over her car and on the ground.

Jonathan attacks Lee.

Lana: Mr. Kent!

Lee punches Jonathan. Lana attacks the twins, drilling a hole in one of their hands with a drill. The other twin feels his brother's pain.

Twin 1: That really ...

Twin 2: ... hurt!

Lee: Get the field up!

He and Jonathan are still fist fighting. The police arrive. The twins activate the forcefield. The police find they can't go through it.

Lee: Aaah! Well, ain't this a right pickle?

At Luthor Corp., Clark is climbing down from the ceiling, using the various pipes and beams.

Chloe: Clark, how's it going?

Clark: Well, I'm not really crazy about heights. Okay, Chloe. What am I looking for?

Chloe: Okay, um, just a really big door.

Clark: Big door...big door. Got it.

Chloe: Okay. Now look fort he manual override switch.

Clark presses it; Chloe enters.

Chloe: Good work.

Clark: I guess you didn't have any trouble with the guards.

Chloe: It was weird, actually. It was like they were only guarding the parimeter from the outside. Wow.

Clark: Can you get us in?

Chloe: No, the locking mechanismn is controlled by finger print access.

Clark: There's gotta be a way to bypass it.

Chloe: Maybe if I had like a week or Lex's thumb...Lex's thumb print.

She reaches in her bag and pulls out the flashlight which Lex had picked up for her earlier.

Clark: What?

Back at the Kent farm, the sheriff is hitting the barrier with her fist.

Officer: What the hell is this, Sheriff?

Sheriff: Another day in Smallville.

Twin 1: We cannot ...

Twin 2: ... maintain the field.

Lee: You know, the whole finishing each other's sentences is really starting to grate on me!

Twin 1: We need the serum!

Lee: You ain't the only ones, Heckle and Jeckell! You keep that field up! We're almost home!

Twin 2: Perhaps we should cut our loses.

Lee: No! We're gonna stick to the plan and wait for the Kent boy to get back. So, you two just shut up and concentrate.

Martha: Is it just me, or are they starting to look desperate?

Lana: Don't worry, Mrs. Kent. Clark will figure a way to get us out of this. He always does.

Back at Luthor Corp...

Clark: Is that gonna do it?

Chloe: It better. It's our last clean print. Hand me the tape.

Clark's phone rings.

Clark: Hello?

Lee: Times up, bright boy. Where's my stuff?

Clark: I got it. I'm on my way.

Lee: You better be.

They hang up. Clark and Chloe go inside the vault.

Clark: Who needs super powers with you around?

He tries to get the serum, but is hurt by a laser.

Chloe: Clark!

At the Kent home...

Lee: He's got a couple of minutes. Then I start killing me some people. Starting with you, Mom.

Back at Luthor Corp.

Clark: Can you dissrupt this thing? What if we shoot the grid down?

Chloe: I could try, but that could take hours.

Clark: Chloe, I already told them I had the serum.

Chloe: Well, can't you call him back and see if he can give you more time?

Clark: He's not the more time kinda guy.

Chloe: So? we don't have a choice! You can't walk in there without your abilities. The lasers will cut you to pieces!

Clark: There might be one other way. Can you find out where the signal's coming from?

Chloe: What are you going to do?

Clark: Whatever it takes.

Back at the Kent farm, Clark arrives.

Clark: Sheriff! Hey, Sheriff!

Sheriff: Let him through! What in the blazes do you think you are doing, Mr. Kent?!

Clark: I'm trying to save my parents and Lana. You have to pull your men back now!

Sheriff: Last time I checked, I was the one wearing the badge and barking orders.

Clark: I can stop this!

Sheriff: This is not the time to be a hero.

Clark: I'm not! Look, I'm just a normal guy who doesnt want to see everyone he loves die. Please, Sheriff. You have to trust me. I can do this.

Sheriff: Even if I lost all my sense and gave you the okay, there's some sort of barrier around the whole place. How do you plan to get past that?

Clark holds up his cell phone.

Clark: With this.

Lee: Right. Nice and easy, kid. I'm feeling kinda twitchy. Get the force field down!

Martha: He did it.

Lee: Shut up! He ain't done anything yet. Alright, get the field back up. Get it up!

Clark enters.

Lee: I was starting to think you forgot about us.

Clark: Don't worry. Everything's going to be okay.

He has a case of something in his hand.

Lee: Ain't nothin' okay till I say so!

Clark: They really did a job on you at Luthor Corp., didn't they?

Lee: Look, they made me more than I was. I didn't ask for it. The power grows on me really fast. I guess some of that talk is true about you, kid. You really are out of this world.

Clark: You have no idea.

Lee opens the case that Clark brought him and is blinded by smoke.

Lee: Aaaah! God, you little son of a ...

He tries to shoot Clark with his powers, but Clark ducks and Lee hits the twins.

Clark picks up a mallet and swings it at the breaker box, cutting of the electricity. Lee can't use his powers.

Clark punches Lee, knocking him out.

Clark: Somtimes it's easier to just turn the power off.

Later, the Belle Reve escapees are being led out of the house in handcuffs by the police.

Sheriff, about Lee: Get him outta here! Keep movin', Sparky.

Lana: That's guy has some serious issues.

Clark: Let's hope Belle Reve can hold him this time.

Lana: Or you could always knock his lights out again.

Sheriff: Or call the authorities before you hatch another hair-brained rescue scheme.

Clark: Sorry, Sheriff.

Sheriff: That aside, nice work, Mr. Kent.You ever consider a career in law enforcement?

Lana: She's right, Clark. What you did was amazing.

Chloe walks in.

Chloe: Hi.

Clark: Hey.

Chloe: Ah...

Clark, to Lana: Can you give us a second?

Lana nods.

Chloe: Breaking news: Clark Kent saves the day.

Clark: Thanks to you.

Chloe: Yeah, well, I did just what I usually do. You were the one who took down three meteor freaks without any special advantages. Then again, once a hero, always a hero.

Clark: Nah, it was a one time thing. I'm done with that now.

Chloe: We've talked about this, Chloe. I'm not the one you should worry about. I traced the carrier signal I picked up in the vault. I found a second layer of video feed hidden in the frequency. Someone was watching us.

Lex's study. Night. Lex is watching a video of Clark and Chloe in the vault on his laptop.

Lex: This is impossible.

Clark enters.

Clark: Disappointed?

Lex: Clark! I heard what happened. Is everyone alright?

Clark punches him in the face. Lex is knocked on the floor. When he looks up, we see his nose is bleeding.

Lex: What are you doing?

Clark: What I should've done a long time ago. Chloe traced the video feed from Level 3. You were watching us the whole time.

Lex: I don't know what you're talking about.

Clark throws him down on the ground a few feet away.

Clark: She also pulled the security records from Belle Reve. You were there the day those pyschos escaped! You helped them somehow, didn't you? What'd you promise them them, Lex? Enough serum to last the rest of their lives?

Lex: You're being irrational.

Clark: This whole thing was a set up. A test! And to do it, you put Lana and my family in danger.

Lex: Clark!

Clark: No!

Clark punches him again.

Clark: I thought we could start over, Lex, but you're too obsessed with the past. But, I'm different now and I'm through playing games with you. You wanna test me? You wanna see what I'm really made of, you do it yoruself, you coward.

Clark swings another punch, but Lex blocks it and punches him in the face. Clark's lip bleeds.

Clark: Satisfied?

At Lana's there's a knock on the door. It's Clark.

Lana: Clark, what happened?

Clark: I said goodbye to an old friend.

Lana: Have you ever heard of a handshake? Come here.

She dabs at his bloody lip with a napkin.

Clark: Ow.

Lana: Sorry. God, you're a mess.

Clark: After everything that's happened, I thought I knew what my life would be like now. I thought it would be easier, but I guess you cannever be certain what's gonna happen tomorrow, can you?

Lana: No. No, you can't.

They kiss.

End