Chloe walked out to the Kent’s barn after knocking on the door of their house and being told that Clark wasn’t inside. She assumed he’d be in his loft. He hadn’t been himself the past few days. Ever since the army had moved in and set up camp at Crater Lake, he’d been distant and quiet. It was easy to see there was a lot weighing on his mind.

Clark had x-rayed the lake and saw the second part of his ship resting on the bottom. Had it been any other lake, Clark could have easily dived in and retrieved it. However, Crater Lake got its name because it had been formed by the meteor shower. Therefore, it was loaded with the green meteor rocks Clark was so very allergic to, making it impossible for him to even get too near the water’s edge without feeling sick.

Chloe knew Clark was greatly worried about the piece of ship being discovered. What would the government do if they found out about him? I’m sure he’d end up experimented on and then dissected in some secret lab somewhere! She shuddered slightly at the thought as she reached the top of the stairs.

She looked around, but the loft was empty. “Clark?” she called out of habit when she didn’t see him, not really expecting an answer. “Where could he be?” she wondered to herself. She glanced around one last time and was about to leave, when something caught her eye. Sitting innocently by the open loft window was Clark’s telescope. With a smirk, Chloe decided to pull one of Clark’s own stunts and use it to spy on him. If I can actually find him, she thought dryly knowing if he really wanted to, he could literally run to another state.

She looked though the eyepiece and scanned the fields for any sign of her alien boyfriend. She finally spotted him in one of the far fields. He was leaning on a fence petting a cow. Chloe instantly recognized the animal as the little calf she had named Scully. “Aww,” she whispered then decided to head out there to them.

It took Chloe a lot longer than it had Clark to get out to the field where he was. She watched him in silence for a moment, then walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder.

“Hey. Ya know, that telescope does come in handy for something other than stargazing,” she teased. At his confused expression, she continued. “Well, how else do you think I found you way out here?” She wrapped her arm around his, and he glanced down at her as she reached a hand out and patted Scully’s head.

He wanted to give her a smile but he just couldn’t make his muscles cooperate. He was glad she was there, but he had too much on his mind. “It’s kinda late. Is everything okay?” he asked wondering what had brought his girlfriend over so late.

“Yeah, I’m fine, Clark.” Chloe said, not wanting to burden him with her family problems after seeing just how down he was. Not that I blame him. He definitely doesn’t need to hear my petty problems on top of what he is already going through. She hadn’t spoken to Gabe much since the night he told her he wasn’t her father. She didn’t know what to say to him. She had a million questions but was afraid to ask them. For the first time in her life, Chloe Sullivan was afraid of the truth. Chloe pushed her own thoughts aside and looked up at Clark. “I just wanted to see you. I was worried about you. Ever since that day at the lake you’ve seemed so upset.”

Clark thought there was something Chloe wasn’t telling him, but he decided to let it go. When she mentioned the lake, he sighed and turned his gaze back to the pasture. “I know. I just can’t stop thinking about it, Chloe.”

Hearing the despair in his voice, Chloe hugged him close and said, “Meet me at the Torch tomorrow afternoon. I’ll do some checking and see what we can find out about this army unit.”

Clark rested his chin on top of Chloe’s head and sighed again. “Okay,” he agreed sullenly.

It was breaking Chloe’s heart seeing him like this. She wanted to tell him everything would be okay. Truth be told though, she was worried about what might happen and even though it felt clichéd, she found herself mumbling, “I’m sure it will all work out,” as she wrapped her arms around him.

Clark’s only response was a depressed sigh. He buried his face on her shoulder and she rubbed his back in a small, circular motion trying to comfort him.

Scully mooed forlornly at the two teenagers as if she sensed their mood. Chloe reached out her free hand and patted the cow again. “Hey girl, maybe you can help me cheer him up.” Chloe said trying once again to get Clark to smile. For the briefest instant, she thought she had succeeded, as a small smile seemed to appear on his face, but it was gone so fast, it was hard to tell for sure if it had been real. Scully let out another loud moo, and a soft rustling sound told them they were no longer alone.

Chloe turned slightly and saw Ryan standing near the fence. She smirked playfully then looked at Clark. “I think we have a spy.”

Ryan just scowled at her and said, “Clark, your parents are looking all over for you. They said you need to come in the house ‘cause it’s getting late.”

Clark rolled his eyes. “Alright,” he said and pushed himself off the fence.

“You better hurry. Your dad might make you rebuild the tractor again if you take too long!” Ryan had noticed Clark’s somber mood the past few days and was trying to lighten things up with humor. As usual, he couldn’t read Clark’s mind, but he had a pretty good idea that whatever was bothering Clark had something to do with the missing piece of his ship. He had picked up bits and pieces from the Kents, but he still didn’t have all the details. He listened to Chloe’s thoughts to see if he could learn anything. He didn’t pick up anything about Clark, but what was on her mind about her father shocked him. He almost blurted it out, but he was learning to have a little more tact with the things he picked out of people’s thoughts and kept silent.

The three of them headed back to the farmhouse and Ryan went on inside. Clark walked Chloe to her car and gave her a gentle kiss. Still having the recent memory of coming outside and finding her car abandoned in the driveway, he stayed and watched her drive away until he could no longer see her car. Thankfully, she had been returned unharmed, but he felt better making sure she left safely.

After several moments, Jonathan stepped out onto the porch and called to his son. “Clark, you alright?”

Startled from his reverie, Clark turned to face his dad. “Yeah, I was just making sure she left okay.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets.

Jonathan put his arm around his son’s shoulder caringly. “Come on, Son, let’s go in.” Clark nodded, and they went inside the house.

* * * *

The next afternoon, Clark was taking much longer than necessary to do his chores. He just couldn’t seem to concentrate. He was so worried about what the army would do when they found the rest of his ship. He had no doubt they would find it soon. What if they connect it to me? What if that sergeant blabs about what he saw me do? Will they believe him and take me to some lab somewhere? What would that do to Mom and Dad? They could go to jail for faking my adoption.

“Hey, Clark how much hay are you gonna put in that stall?” Ryan asked has he walked up behind him.

Clark sighed, and the tall pile of hay rustled and blew around the stall slightly. He still had to be careful about letting his breath out. He had control over it for the most part, but every once in a while it kicked in if he wasn’t paying attention. Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Clark dropped the hay he was carrying and sat down on a bale behind him. He rubbed his face with his hands and said, “I need to get out of here for awhile.” He then disappeared in a blur causing the hay to whirl around in the gust his departure caused.

Ryan had a hunch Clark was headed to the Torch to see Chloe.

* * * *

Clark had left with the intention of going to the Torch, but he needed to clear his head first. So he didn’t use his super-speed to get there. Twenty minutes after leaving the farm, Clark finally arrived at the school.

“You’re late, Clark,” Chloe informed him playfully as he entered the office. She saw he was still depressed so she gave him a warm smile to let him know she wasn’t really mad at him.

“Sorry, Chloe.” Clark said despondently as he sat on the edge of her desk. “It took me a little longer to do my chores.”

Chloe knew he could do his chores in minutes if he wanted to. That told her just how depressed he was. She decided not to comment on it though, and instead she told him what she had learned hoping that getting his mind on investigating would make him feel at least a little better. “It’s okay, Clark. But I have some stuff you might wanna know. I’ve been investigating that strange army insignia we saw on those trucks at the lake. Get this: They don’t exist. Well, at least not anymore.” Chloe click her mouse and then turned her monitor so Clark could see the screen too. “Supposedly, according to all the records I can find, they were a special ops unit disbanded in 1976. Clark, these people are highly trained and very dangerous individuals. Just thinking about them being here in Smallville gives me the creeps.”

Clark gave Chloe a pained look. “That’s not making me feel better.”

Chloe grimaced. “Sorry, Clark, but it gets worse…”

“Worse?” Clark interrupted. “Do I even wanna know?”

Probably not, she thought but said aloud, “Well, I’ve been trying to trace those scientists we saw there too. At first, I wasn’t having any luck. I tried checking the unmarked trucks registrations with my contact at the DMV, but they’re false. So I just took a wild shot in the dark and looked into who owned the land around Crater Lake. And after several false fronts and fake names, guess who I cam up with?” Chloe was so excited by her breakthrough; she was practically bouncing in her seat.

“Who?” Clark asked, not really in the mood to play guessing games. He let it slide though, knowing how Chloe got about a case.

“None other than Lionel Luthor!” Chloe announced. Her excitement over the case died quickly as she saw the devastated look on Clark’s face. “Hey, we can figure something out. It’ll be okay, Clark.” Chloe took Clark’s hand in hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

He wasn’t convinced. He sighed heavily and said, “You don’t understand, Chloe. There isn’t anything I can do. I can’t get the other part of the ship. They are gonna find it. It’s only a matter of time. If they can connect it to me, my life is over and so are my parents’.” Clark put his head in his hands, and Chloe couldn’t tell if he was crying or not.

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. She let him rest his head on her shoulder as she ran her hand up and down his back in a soothing gesture. She could feel his body shudder with heavy sobs and it was breaking her heart.

Ryan backed away from a step from the Torch door. He had followed Clark when he left the farm knowing he’d end up here. He heard the whole conversation. I knew it had something to do with that ship! Clark can’t go near Crater Lake, but I can. I owe it to him and the Kents. I can snoop around pretending to be a nosy kid and I‘ll read the soldiers minds and see if I can learn anything to help Clark out.

His decision made, Ryan spun around and started to take off. He bumped right into Pete, but he didn’t stop. “Sorry, Pete!” he called over his shoulder as he ran down the hall.

“Well, hello to you too, Ryan.” Pete said to Ryan’s retreating back. What was that about? He wondered as he entered the Torch.

He walked in with a flourish and announced, “Man, is it great to be back! Don’t ever get the flu! It will kick your butt.” He stopped cold when he saw Clark practically crying on Chloe’s shoulder.

Clark looked up when Pete walked in, and the look that was on his face was utterly dismal. He didn’t say anything he just stared straight ahead almost as if he didn’t even see Pete there.

“What’s wrong, man? You look like you lost your dog!” Pete asked concerned.

Not exactly my dog, but I did lose something pretty important, and if I don’t get it back soon, life as I know it will be over. Clark thought morosely and looked to the floor again.

At Clark’s lack of response, Pete looked to Chloe. “Man, what’s wrong with everyone today? I just passed Ryan in the hallway, and he seemed upset too. He barely said two words to me.”

Clark’s head snapped up at Pete’s words. He looked at Chloe worriedly. “He must have heard everything we said! I better go after him. He knows how bad I’ve taken all this, and it’s not fair on him!” Clark dashed out of the office without any further explanation.

“Uh, Ryan heard what exactly?” Pete asked with a raised eyebrow.

Chloe was at a loss for what to say. She flashed him her ‘Oh crap, now what do I say?’ smile and thought, I better think of something fast!