Life In Smallville & Metropolis {8}

Chapter 6: Prey

Note: Liana's not in this chapter.

Chloe's doing her group meetings for the people who have special abilities. Mary says, "Santa... gave me the wrong doll. And I was so mad... I sort of made all the Christmas lights on our entire block go out. That's when my parents first caught on that I was... different."  Mary looks at Jesse and says, "Jesse." Jesse says, "What?" Mary flips her cup, and her drink is frozen. Jesse says, "That was not me." Then Jesse's music he's listening to, the volume goes up automatic and everyone laughs. Mary says, "You know, I don't know why I came back here. So Miss Goldilocks could put a bull's eye on my freakish head. Putting out cryptic ads in alternative papers and gathering us all in one spot. Genius." Chloe says, "Look, you made the choice to come here on your own, Mary and I'm guessing it was for a reason." Mary says, "Look, I'm not saying I couldn't use a few... friendly faces when I'm lighting up the town... literally. But people don't want us to exist. And turning us into poster kids isn't gonna change that." Randy says, "I think this group is the best thing that's ever happened to me." Mary says, "That's because you don't know any better, Pocket Protector. Just wait till they spark up their torches and come after us." Randy says, "A-at least we're not alone, we're not such easy targets." Chloe says, "Okay, everyone who came here tonight took a really big step. And that is the first step towards changing the way people look at your special gifts. Thank you for coming. And if you forgot to sign in when you got here can you please do so before you leave? And I'll see you next week." Later, Chloe goes to see Clark at the Daily Planet and says, "You know, when I suggested we have dinner-and-a-movie night I didn't exactly think a $3.99 Special Number 2 combo with cheese and droning police blotter was what I would have in mind. Not to mention the communication skills of a paperweight." Clark looks at Chloe and says, "I'm sorry?" Chloe says, "Whoa... Look who decided to join the conversation." Clark chuckles and says, "Well... it all happened so fast, it was like a blur." Chloe smiles and says, "You know what, I have paperwork to do, and you have the world to save, so... Why don't we just call it a night?" Clark says, "We'll do this again, alright? Soon." Chloe smiles at him and says, "Right. As soon as all the criminals are behind bars and there are no more accidents." Clark softly chuckles and says, "Goodnight." Chloe softly smiles and says, "Try not to stay up all night." Chloe then walks away. Later, Chloe sees Clark walks in, and she says, "Hey, you missed sodas and cookies but, maybe next week, you can lead the session with a rousing Kent tale." Clark says, "Thanks, Chloe. Sitting around with a bunch of strangers singing "Kumbaya" isn't my idea of self-help." Chloe says, "Oh, what's with the 'tude?" Clark says, "There was a brutal attack at the Ace of Clubs tonight. It was... special." Chloe says, "So naturally, that means it must be someone from here?" Metropolis police don't exactly keep a list of all the Krypto-perps, so, I..." Chloe takes the list from his hands and Clark continues to say, "Chloe, I need your help." Chloe says, "Doing what? Randomly pointing fingers?" Clark says, "Chloe, you've run the stats before. Chances are, they're not all innocent." Chloe says, "I can't believe that you of all people would throw someone in a lineup just because they're different." Clark says, "I let whoever did this slip through my fingers. I was right there. This person attacks again it'll be on my hands." Chloe says, "Clark, I've learned to navigate your field of guilty landmines better than anyone, but these kids trust me. I don't know what you expect me to say." Later, Chloe goes to see Davis at the hospital. Chloe walks in a room where Davis is and says, "Chance meeting in a moldy basement over a corpse. Will the romance never end?" Davis looks at her and says, "What are you doing here?" Chloe says, "I wanted to see the coroner's latest report on the victim. She was a new member of my Isis group." Davis says, "I'm sorry." Chloe says, "Yeah. I mean, she was afraid of being targeted, and now..." Davis says, "It wasn't your fault." Chloe says, "She was there because of me. And to top it all off, there're few trigger-happy people who are convinced that one of my kids is behind all of this. And you? Checking for strep throat?" Davis says, "Look, you don't have to worry, Chloe. I-I don't think that one of your clients did this." Chloe nods and says, "I'd like to think so too... but I still need to find a suspect. Davis, what is it?" Davis eyes are teary, and he says, "Um... I'm afraid that I might be the killer." Then Chloe takes Davis to the Isis Foundation and they walk through the door and she says, "Davis, I know that you are not responsible for these killings. Hey, I know you. You save people every day.  What could make you think that you were a brutal serial killer?" Davis says, "Chloe, I've run the self-denial mantra for weeks but how do you explain the blackouts? How do you explain that I was covered in blood none of it was mine. I wanna believe that you're right than anyone but..." Chloe opens her computer and says, "Then it's just a matter of finding the real killer." Davis says, "You really don't believe that it could be me, do you?" Chloe says, "No." Davis says, "Even though we just met? You're really... leaping out on a limb for me?" Chloe says, "Well, if what they say is true and fools do rush in then I have definitely earned the mantle of village idiot on this one." Davis says, "And then you just toss it all aside with a healthy dose of self-deprecation." Chloe says, "Please don't make me a saint. What?" Davis goes to sit down and says, "Luck isn't part of my daily routine, Chloe but I just, I feel like... I feel like you were sent to me." Chloe slams her laptop shut and says, "You are not a serial killer. Now, look, Davis, when did those blackouts start happening?" Chloe sits next to Davis, and he says, "For as long as I could remember. When I was a kid... I-I would go a couple of months without a blackout but they're just... They're getting so frequent." Chloe says, "Is that why you bounced from foster home to foster home?" Davis says, "I've always felt like... You know, like there was this darkness inside of me... just fighting to get out." Chloe says, "So you close yourself off to everyone. After all these years of keeping this secret why are you telling me?" Davis softly says, "I think you know. I've-I've never met anyone like you. Chloe. But what if I'm right? What if you're looking at a murderer?" Chloe says, "Davis, there are lots of people who could have done these killings. Well, we're gonna find who did." Chloe brings Davis in for a hug. Later, Chloe walks to where her groups kids are and hears Jesse say, "But so far, Mary's been the only victim that's been a... club member. And after last night, we're all at the top of their suspect list." Chloe says, "Look, I don't know what flag you're waving but making them out to be all bad is no better than what people have done to you." Randy says, "You don't know what it's like. People don't look at you the same once you tell them you're a freak." Chloe softly smiles and says, "Some of them do. And turning against each other is not gonna stop all this. Look, I came here tonight because I wanna help catch Mary's killer. I thought that maybe some of you may have seen something or you maybe might have known why someone would have wanted to attack Mary." Randy says, "Because you think it's one of us." Chloe says, "No, it's just that." Jesse says, "Come on, Chloe. Some cop's been showing up at our homes... asking each of us if we know anything. It's kind of a coincidence... unless you gave him our names." Chloe shakes her head and says, "No. I would never betray you guys like that." Randy says, "Well, somebody did." Later, Chloe goes to see Clark. Chloe says, "Sharpening your pitchfork? You're gonna lead a marauding posse, you better come prepared. Clark, you gave the police the names of my Isis group? How could you use your powers to betray me like that?" Clark says, "I didn't mean to go around you, Chloe but you were so defensive--" Chloe angrily cuts Clark off and says, "Like I've been defensive of you? Clark, you don't get how much of my life I spend protecting your secret? And if you ever had enough courage to actually step forward like the rest of these kids, did you would be the first one on that pyre. How could you, of all people, be the ringleader for this witch-hunt?" Clark says, "Chloe, you're taking the side of people that you hardly know. I would think after eight years of friendship you might be able to give me the benefit of the doubt." Chloe says, "That works both ways. And your bonus features don't give you the right to trump anyone else's judgment." Clark says, "Fine. We'll let the facts speak for themselves. These are test results that Davis was trying to hide from me." Chloe says, "Davis?" Clark says, "I was thinking, with your brainiac ability you might be able to make sense of the results." Chloe says, "Oh, my God. The skin under the victim's nails is Davis's." Clark says, "His ambulance number is 17." Chloe's now on the computer and says, "I'm surprised you haven't enrolled the services of our friendly Martian on the force." Clark says, "Jones can't help us unless we have some hard proof. We need more than few pieces of evidence to arrest someone." Chloe says, "Yeah, and the evidence you have isn't exactly conclusive. I mean, the victim could have easily just reached up and grabbed Davis when he was trying to help them. But... I have to admit, Davis would have the perfect setup. I mean, he attacks the people and then pretends to arrive at the scene to save them? It's..." Clark says, "I know it isn't easy." Chloe says, "What, my perpetual knack for getting into lose-lose situations? Got it. Davis's ambulance just stopped. He answered a call a few minutes ago." They hear a male say, "Help. I'm at Liberty and 8th. Can anybody hear me? It's some kind of monster." Chloe looks at Clark and says, "Clark, that's Jimmy." Clark then speeds out of the room. The next day, Chloe's at the Isis Foundation and she hears footsteps and turns to see Clark. Clark says, "I lost perspective." Chloe says, "I can be a little stubborn." Clark says, "And I hate to admit it... but there was a part of me that was really frustrated... that you trusted someone else instead of me." Chloe softly smiles and says, "It's funny how that happens when you go behind someone's back." Clark says, "My obsession, it... pushed me past the line with you, Chloe. I'm really sorry. But you were protecting a killer." Chloe says, "Yeah, well, then there's that." Clark says, "I guess, I didn't understand how you hand over your trust so easily to people you didn't know." Chloe walks to her file cabinet and grabs a folder of files and says, "Three hundred and twenty-seven. That's how many of the meteor infected I've profiled since the ninth grade. And you know how many I've actually saved? None." Clark says, "Wow. I guess I've been so busy rescuing people from them I never looked at it from that angle." Chloe says, "It's not just the damsels in distress that need saving, Clark. And you know when I first thought that you were one of the meteor infected, I would have done anything to protect you." Clark says, "But I guess that's what scares me. I'm afraid that someday, you're gonna put your trust in the wrong person." Later, Chloe goes to meet Davis at a coffee shop. Chloe smiles at Davis and says, "Hey. Been waiting long?" Davis shakes his head with a smile, and he says, "I don't know how to thank you for believing in me when I was up against the ropes." Chloe softly smiles and says, "We all need someone to pitch a seat in our corner." Davis says, "Yeah, I guess but most of the time it's not a possible murder suspect standing there." Chloe smiles and says, "Davis, you were scared and paranoid. That's all. Seriously, backing someone who's actually innocent isn't much of a sacrifice. Besides, e-everything with you is so..." Davis says, "So easy." Chloe smiles and says, "Yeah, easy." Davis chuckles and says, "Have you ever felt that way with anyone before?" Chloe says, "Once." Davis nods and says, "With Jimmy." Chloe says, "No." Davis says, "Look, Chloe, I'm not trying to get between you and the rest of your life, but, uh..." Chloe says, "Davis, I help people. That's what I do. You know, this doesn't have to mean any more than that." Davis softly says, "Yeah, but it does. Did you help me because of some personal code of ethics or was there more to it than that?" Chloe softly says, "I shouldn't be here right now." Davis says, "Why, because you feel guilty about something?" Chloe says, "No. And I'd like it to stay that way. I think it's best if I don't see you for a while. Sorry."