- Clark Kent: [receiving a text from Lois] Apparently, the goddess of journalism is wondering where I am.
- Chloe Sullivan: With Lois on the case, it's gonna get harder to duck away to save the day.
- Clark Kent: If I could hide my secret from you, I think I can handle your cousin.
- Chloe Sullivan: Heh. Good luck with that.
- Lois Lane: Whoa, Clark, what happened? Are you okay?
- Clark Kent: Why? Were you worried about me?
- Lois Lane: Hell, no. I'm trying to chase down a lead on this story. I don't want to have to chase after you, too. Hey, did you happen to hear anything while you were out there making your ash angels?
- Clark Kent: Actually, I did. The police think the bomb misfired since there weren't any casualties.
- Lois Lane: Didn't feel like a misfire to me. All right, who's your source?
- Clark Kent: I'm sorry, Lois, I didn't get a name. I was too busy, you know, helping people.
- Lois Lane: Okay, rule number one: always know your source.
- Clark Kent: I understand. Look, if you're gonna teach a class on Lois Lane's rules of reporting, I think I'd rather read the CliffNotes.
- Chloe Sullivan: Well, I Googled you. And I read an interview that you gave about running away from foster homes as a kid.
- Davis Bloome: You researched me? Well, you know, I always kind of wanted my own stalker.
- Lois Lane: Basically, that firecracker was a major menace to Metropolis.
- Clark Kent: But there's no mention of explosives in any of his crimes, Lois. If you were a criminal, with these abilities, wouldn't you use them?
- Lois Lane: Well if Tommy didn't kill himself, then who did?
- Clark Kent: Bette claimed that Tommy blew up the bus, but she was there for both of the blasts.
- Lois Lane: Oh, my God. My cousin's babysitting Psycho Spice.
- Clark Kent: I'm Clark Kent.
- [Clark and Davis shake hands]
- Davis Bloome: Davis Bloome. I met your fiancée. Clark, congratulations. She's a real catch.
- Clark Kent: I'm getting married?
- Davis Bloome: Well, I thought that - 'cause I saw you and Chloe together, and you seemed pretty close. When she said she was engaged...
- Clark Kent: Chloe's engaged?
- Davis Bloome: Oh, man, okay, my brain's completely gone completely D.O.A. Clark, she said she hadn't told anyone yet. Do me a favor. Don't tell her I said anything.
- Clark Kent: I won't reveal my source.
- Lois Lane: Well, big points for punctuality, Smallville. But what's with the wardrobe malfunction?
- Clark Kent: What? This is a nice shirt.
- Lois Lane: [scoffs] Human resources is gonna be down here any minute, and you do not want to meet them looking like the Brawny lumberjack.
- Lois Lane: Always dress for success. No time for the men's room. Let's change in here.
- Clark Kent: Lois, a phone booth is not exactly private-...
- Lois Lane: Burning daylight hours, Clark! Change!
- Davis Bloome: What's your name?
- Bette Sans Souci: B-Bette.
- Davis Bloome: You inhaled a lot of smoke, Bette. We're gonna give you a little fresh air.
- [putting an oxygen mask on her]
- Davis Bloome: Take slow, deep breaths. Try to stay calm, okay? I'm gonna check you over, tell me if anything hurts.
- Chloe Sullivan: [Bette holds her hand] Just hang in there, Bette. It's okay.
- Davis Bloome: You're doing great.
- [to Chloe]
- Davis Bloome: You, too.
- Chloe Sullivan: Thank god you heard me.
- Davis Bloome: You're hard to miss.
- Tess Mercer: Have a seat, Mr. Kent.
- [he's surprised to see her]
- Tess Mercer: [offering a handshake] Tess Mercer, acting CEO of LuthorCorp.
- Clark Kent: You're my boss?
- Tess Mercer: You weren't this shy when I was the damsel in distress, Kent. Don't tell me you're intimidated by a powerful woman.
- Clark Kent: That new boss, she really came out of nowhere, huh?
- Lois Lane: You tell me. You're the one who just spent quality time with her.
- Clark Kent: She just wanted to welcome me aboard.
- Lois Lane: Don't try to keep secrets from me, Clark. Tess Mercer is a pitbull in Prada. There's no way she'd roll out the welcome mat for a copy boy, no matter how charming his smile is.
- Clark Kent: You think I have a charming smile?
- Lois Lane: I think you're about to lose some teeth if you don't tell me what she said.
- Lois Lane: If I'm gonna write "Tommy was a human bomb", I need scientific proof.
- Clark Kent: We could check the autopsy report, see how much meteor rock was in his system.
- Lois Lane: The coroner won't release it if it's part of an ongoing investigation. But... I bet we could find a copy lying around the hospital.
- Clark Kent: By "find", I'm assuming you mean "steal".
- Lois Lane: Rule number three: do whatever it takes to get the story. You really should be writing these down.
- Clark Kent: Lois, you can't just walk in and steal a file. It's a crime. You'll go to prison.
- Lois Lane: I have a plan, Clark.
- Clark Kent: Would you like to share it? I'm having doubts.
- Clark Kent: [holding up her wallet] When in doubt, charge it.
- [searching through access cards]
- Lois Lane: City Hall, 13th Precinct, 15th Precinct. Metropolis General.
- [she gains access]
- Lois Lane: If I could just get mileage points on these things, I'd see the world.
- Clark Kent: How long have you been engaged?
- Chloe Sullivan: A week. I said yes the night I came back from Montana.
- Clark Kent: You could've called, any time.
- Chloe Sullivan: It's just that... we've been friends for such a long time.
- Clark Kent: We're more than just friends, Chloe.
- Chloe Sullivan: When Jimmy and I get married, things will probably change; between us, I mean. And I don't know if I'm ready for that just yet. Are you?
- Clark Kent: I know that your happiness is one of the most important things in the world to me, and that you and Jimmy will have a wonderful life together. Don't worry about anything else.
- Tess Mercer: Hello, Bette.
- Bette Sans Souci: You should have died on that bus.
- Tess Mercer: The last time we met, things did get a little fiery. Lucky for me, I ducked.
- Tess Mercer: So, they're taking you to Belle Reve. I'm sure after a few years of good behavior, they'll let you see the sun again. Or you could come with me.
- Bette Sans Souci: I'd rather be a prisoner there than your lab rat in Montana. Go push your cheese somewhere else.
- Tess Mercer: [entering the cell] I didn't build that place, Bette. And after I heard about all the terrible things happening there, I closed it down. I tried to tell you.
- Bette Sans Souci: If you shut down the Thunderdome, then why are you still coming after me?
- Tess Mercer: Because you're a very powerful person, and I think it's about time the world started treating you accordingly. Don't you?
- Bette Sans Souci: Listening.
- Tess Mercer: I want to introduce you to some people like you. A sort of team. But only if you want.
- Bette Sans Souci: A team? Take a look at my file, lady. I don't play well with others.
- Tess Mercer: I think once you meet everyone, you may finally feel like you fit in. I remember what it was like to be your age; alone, angry, trapped. The injustice of it all. I can help, Bette.
- Bette Sans Souci: A team is only as good as its weakest link. Look what happened to me on the bus. Why scout out somebody who's just gonna choke on their own smoke?
- Tess Mercer: Hey, don't be so hard on yourself. We'll make a hero out of you yet.
- Bette Sans Souci: You're not afraid of me?
- Clark Kent: No. I just want to help you.
- Bette Sans Souci: After everything I've done, why would you want to help a monster like me?
- Clark Kent: Because you're not a monster. You've just been led down the wrong path.
- Bette Sans Souci: What if other people find out about me and they get afraid and they try to hurt me? So I have to lie, I have to hide what I am.
- Clark Kent: [offering his hand] You don't have to anymore. Not from me.
- Chloe Sullivan: Bette almost killed me, Clark.
- Clark Kent: Chloe, there's no way you could've known how dangerous she was. Her power was hidden. Some sort of high-frequency energy blast? She fooled everyone.
- Chloe Sullivan: It's because she didn't trust anyone. I mean, I was only in that cell for a few weeks. I can't imagine being in there for three years.
- Clark Kent: Well, hopefully she'll find the help she needs at Belle Reve.
- Chloe Sullivan: Yeah, I seriously doubt that being locked away in another cell is gonna do any good.
- Kat: [passing Clark outside Tess' office] Handsome.
- Tess Mercer: And a liar. He's hiding something.
- Kat: I'll have someone watch him.
- Tess Mercer: No. I'll keep an eye on this one personally.
- Clark Kent: Lois, you sound like a jealous girlfriend.
- Lois Lane: Jealous? Of you? Please. That would be like Willie Mays being jealous of a batboy.