OH, THE HORROR!

setting: a test subject escaped the lab and put lionel in intensive care

Lex is seated behind his office desk, scanning through LuthorCorp data. One of his experimental subjects broke out of 33.1, destroyed the lab, killed six armed guards, and hurled Lionel through the windshield of his limousine. It was easy for Lex to blame himself. Lionel didn't know about his extracurricular activities. He was simply visiting LuthorCorp when he stumbled upon the man enraged.

The heavy doors to his office are pushed open causing Lex to peer above his computer screen. Lutessa. He closes the laptop and leans back in his chair. "I take it you heard about dad. Not to worry, I have my A team on it." As for the mutant running rampant in Metropolis, specialists have yet to locate him.

"I don't give a shit about your A team, Alex. You promised!" She should've known better than to trust his word. He might've hated their father but they were more alike than either cared to admit. "You think I don't know that your freakshow is still going on? You play Operation with enough juiced up experiments and you think something like this isn't going to happen? Who's next? You?.... Me?" And although, she wouldn't dare say it to his face, they both knew she was thinking it.... Ollie.

Her traitorous thoughts were enough to send a shiver down Riley's spine before she shot up unexpectedly. She should not be thinking about him this way. It has her feeling flustered as she scrambles to the door. "You do that. Then, let me know how it goes. I should probably get home. It's my night to do the dishes."

"I would love to go," There's a 'but', stuck in his throat that makes the air around them feel much colder. All the warmth that is Brooke Maddox was slowly starting to fade away with the realization that no mater how much he wants it, he can't leave. "But I can't leave." Before he can explain further, he takes her face between his hands and tells her how much he loves with with his eyes. "They'll kill Riley, Volchok, Isadora, the McKenzies..." He knows she's fighting with Isadora and couldn't care less in the moment, but would she really want Isadora and Volchok dead because of them? He knows she would never let anything happen to Riley.

"You can go and I'll come see you. We said a lot of things, but I don't want to break up or be with anyone else. That doesn't mean I want you to give up your dreams though. You know you deserve better than a underfunded college with more drug busts than graduations. You deserve better than these people and this town." He's never done long distance before but he believes in them and therefore he trusts that they're capable of anything. "I believe we can make anything work. I believe in you...pretty eyes."

"Don't say no, okay?" She was too stubborn to accept 'no' as his answer. "Just say you'll think about it. This town isn't made for you, either. I know you think the Vipers are your responsibility but they're not." She understands it's a lot to think about and he's worried they'll make good on their threats to force his leadership but, wouldn't Dante be happy if Tyler stepped down? If he passed the torch to him instead. Maybe Brooke could find him and convince him to take on the job himself and leave them alone. "My plane doesn't leave until Saturday. And I bet, if you let me, I could get you to change your mind." In fact, it would be her goal for the next couple of days as she took his arms and wrapped them around her waist, "At the very least, I'll have fun trying." She seals the promise with a kiss. A slow, steady, impossible to reject kiss.

"I'm not Satan. I have a right to be mad." HELLO? She slept with her brother and kept it from her! "Look, I came here to talk, not trade blows." That was the plan. But hearing her talk about Nina fucking Volchok makes her want to forget that plan. Maybe they should rip each other's hair out. It might make them feel better.

"I'll just get straight to the point. New York. Is that true? You're not supposed to leave." She thought they would go back and forth for awhile and then make up. If she leaves then it'll be over. For good. "You can't just leave."

"That's nice but, I'm not really interested." Fighting with Tyler was exhausting and heartbreaking enough. She wasn't looking for a round two with Isadora. It hurt too damn much. Especially when Brooke trusted her and really thought they were friends. Turns out, nobody can be trusted. Not even the people she swore would never betray her.

"How did you hear about New York?" Was it any surprise that she did? Not really. It still doesn't explain why she cares though. "Not that it's any of your business, because you made it perfectly clear we're not friends when you befriended Nina and stole my entire squad from beneath me but, yes it's true. I'm moving to New York this Saturday. I got offered a job there and it's what I want to do so, I don't really see any point of staying." Besides Tyler, however Brooke was still trying to convince him to go. The Vipers weren't his responsibility even though Eli might've brainwashed him into thinking they were.

If she really wants to leave, who is he to stop her? She is not his hostage and he is not her captor.

"You know what I mean, Brooke. You abandoned me once and you're abandoning me again. I can't live like that. I can't live in fear that you're going to leave every time you see something you don't like. If you stay, there's going to be tons of things about me you won't like. I drive a little too recklessly, I self medicate with drugs and booze, I flinch at the idea of big crowds, fight my way out of danger, and disappear when I'm not wanted..." He's grown tired of fighting to be seen, to be heard, and to be loved. Fairytales aren't just for girls. Tyler's spent half his life staring out a window or up at the sky, wondering if there was something ( or someone ) out there for him.

"You're mistaken if you think all I care about is getting laid. Maybe that's how you see me. I'm still just the bad boy from the wrong side of the river. The one who beats up your friends and gives you orgasms on the hood a car. Maybe you thought revisiting me would make you feel something again and when it didn't... you decided to pick this stupid fight and then bail. So no I'm not going to beg you to stay. You have to decide that on your own. I know what I want but you have unfinished business with the world. You're still searching. So go find it, pretty eyes. But don't you dare tell the world I was your wolf. I am not your monster."

Maybe Brooke was hoping he'd try to stop her. The flight or fight response in her, craved that. But the more sensible side, had always prayed for this version of him. The one who saw her and encouraged her to be her own person. Rather than repeat desperate mistakes in trying to entrap her again, Tyler was willing to set her free. If she comes back to them, then they're meant to be and if she doesn't..... well.... he'd know it was really over.

Right? ... No. Not exactly.

Because, Brooke had other plans. It was like calling her pretty eyes again had unlocked something in her. It was that nickname that told her he wasn't lost, she still had him. Chloe hadn't taken him from her or turned him against her. "Come with me." It wasn't a question. It was a flat out invitation. They could run away. Leave behind a town full of people that didn't truly know them. A town that would eventually be the death of them if they had stayed to see it through. If he came with her to New York, they could start over. Distance themselves from distractions and live a new, safer life in a bubble where all they had was each other.

"I know it sounds crazy," she's full aware of that. Especially given the blow out they just had and the complete 180 her personality took. But, it was this town.... it was the people she wanted to escape that were driving her crazy. It wasn't necessarily, Tyler. She only blamed him because he was there. He was the one person she couldn't bear to lose. The idea of truly leaving him behind, she couldn't fathom. It cut through her tunnel vision like knife through butter. "I mean it," her voice softened as she closed the distance between their bodies and left her car running, so she could cup his cheeks in her hands and force him to look at her. "Come with me to New York. Ditch the Vipers, get in the car and go with me. I can't stay in this town any longer. But, I don't want to lose you. I can't abandon you if you come with me."

"I don't think that's a good idea." For starters, she's seeing someone. Sort of. She had a crush on the news guy, who kept sitting at her section in the diner.

It's been weeks since Brooke and Isadora's initial fight. Isadora expected Brooke to make a bigger effort in making amends but when she didn't, Isadora became more spiteful and toxic. It wasn't enough to hang out with her enemy Nina Patterson. She had to turn the other cheerleaders against her too. If anything, it was a taste of her own medicine. When they were in Mexico, she told Brooke about her brother. Not by name, but she told her she had a brother who she ran away with after he was accused of hurting someone. Following that information, she told Brooke that he'd been ghosting her. When Brooke found out who Seth was, she should have told Isadora she found him. Instead, she kept the secret and continued to bang him behind her back. Isadora was just as alone as Brooke. She lost her brother, her best friend, her entire family. The only person she had left was Volchok. And according to Volchok, who spoke with Tyler, Brooke was leaving town. Furious, Isadora showed up at her house, banging on the door like she was the police.

Brooke could see Isadora through the glass. She considered ignoring her. In fact, she probably should've. But, considering this would be their final goodbye... Isadora deserved to know how Brooke felt about her. "I think you have the wrong house. Satan, your new best friend, lives a block over. You may want to call first. Knowing her, she's probably banging your boyfriend."

"I'm talking in circles. I didn't know who she was. It would have only been a betrayal if I'd known and went against you. She said she was from the southside. I thought she was some poor street kid who was down on her luck and needed a favor." Tyler wasn't sure why she lied but he was starting to wonder if she was also behind his missing laptop. He thought he misplaced it but it was possible she conned him for his modded laptop. But if she was from the northside why the hell would she need his computer? She could probably afford twenty of them.

"I'm not taking her side. Her side is the only side I knew. Because you left. You could have stayed and told me what was going on. But instead you told me you were finished with me and you left. The truth of the matter is, you didn't care enough to stay. You never do." Brooke's timing couldn't have come at a better moment. She was leaving for New York? And possibly moving there. Tyler has to hold back a string of profanities. Of course she was fucking leaving. That was her move. Create chaos and then run away while blaming everyone else. "New York, huh? So right now we go to the same school... We live in the same city. We can have a real relationship but you're taking off and transferring out of here the minute you see me talking to someone. That's all it takes for Brooke Maddox. The same girl who left Lakewood after getting matching tattoos with me. Any time we get close, you run. That's why I made that tape. I felt you slipping away and I was desperate to keep you there. But I only made it worse. I don't know what to do here. If you want to go then go. But don't you blame me." Jake left because Brooke was hooking up Tyler again. Isadora left because she found out Brooke was lying to her about seeing her brother. Now she has problems with Tyler because she thinks he betrayed her for Chloe. She might think the whole world was out to get her but she was doing it to herself. She's a runner. She takes something good, sabotages it, and then runs away. "Should I assume you're going to be with other people now?"

Because her threats to leave Riverwood and start a new life in New York, were just that - threats. She wanted to see how badly he cared in whether or not he'd try to stop her. Instead, he called her bluff and was practically encouraging her to go. So much for their relationship. If he didn't care enough to save it, then why should she? Underneath it all, Brooke Maddox was a sensitive soul. And she refused to get hurt. Especially by Tyler. The one person in this world who could destroy her and has fooled her once or twice. If leaving meant avoiding that or him, then so be it.

Brooke had half a mind to kick up her feet and leave just then. But, his last question stopped her dead in her tracks. It was almost like a freight train had nailed her in the chest. Nowhere in her actions, or in her words did she utter or even suggest the idea of breaking up for real. Nor did she imply her leaving meant they were free to see other people. It shouldn't have come as a surprise though, that that's what HE wanted. How could she ever compare or top his list of seventeen other lovers. She should've known that she was just another number to him. Another heart to break on his way to the next girl's bed. "Is that what you want?" Betrayal flooded her eyes and caused tears to form in her filmy gaze. "It is, isn't it? That's probably why you were hanging out with Chloe. You thought you'd sleep with her too. Well you know what? go right ahead, Tyler. I'm sure she'd be thrilled to have another go at my sloppy seconds." First Jake, now Tyler. Who was next, Branson? Maybe Brooke should send Chloe a list so she could go down them in order. "I should've known you'd never commit to one girl. You can't. So fine, go be single. Go sow your wild oats. Maybe while you're at it, you can call Nina. I'm sure she'd be thrilled to see you again. Wouldn't be the first time you ran back to her either."

UPTIGHT?!

Never in her life had someone called her uptight. But if being uptight means she doesn't want him to pummel her best friend then fine, she'll bear that cross like she does so many others. Including being his girlfriend at one point.

"So what if I am uptight? Guys usually like that. Hell, maybe this weekend I'll find someone new to help loosen me up while you sit there and watch."

It's become routine. Every night at precisely 8:45 pm. Sean O'Malley returns to Davey's Diner and sits at the same vintage red booth. The Kitschy diner was known for its nostalgic air its variety of milkshakes and fresh-ground burgers. But Sean was more interested in its waitress. Alexis ( as her nametag suggests ). The reporter always orders the same thing. Black coffee and a slice of cherry pie. It's his fuel when working on a big story. And there's nothing bigger than the Riverwood Ripper ( the name's a work in progress ). Every news channel was playing the horror story and unfortunately the diner chose to play Channel 6 with Gale Weathers as their star reporter. Sean was half-tempted to go over there and turn the channel. He probably would have if his focus wasn't broken by the sight of Alexis making her way to his table. She's beautiful and witty but that's all he knows about her. He's hoping to change that. "You should tell your boss Channel 6 is full of hocus pocus. Gale Weathers is a witch."

"Okay, so we're clear. You can't trust me because I fixed, who I thought was a random girl's, phone? I betrayed your trust by not knowing something I never knew? And when you say 'we're done' it doesn't mean, we're over. It means, we're over for now? None of this makes any sense to me." Tyler was feeling beyond frustrated. They were stuck in an impasse. He wasn't going to budge and it was clear that neither was she. However, he couldn't tell her she's right when he doesn't believe it. He was in the DARK. He didn't know who Chloe was and he didn't hook up with her. It was a business transaction. "If I were to reach out what would I even say? You clearly have this picture of me in your head. The cheater. The liar. The untrustworthy. Oh, and the whore." Since she's so concerned with how many people he's hooked up with in his life. When he was growing up in the slums, he didn't care about his reputation. He never thought he would get a girl like Brooke, so being a dirt bag never really mattered. "If you can't trust me then what are we doing? What do you want from me?"

“That’s a good question, Tyler. I don’t know.” It pained her to even have to say it. To admit that, she wasn’t sure their relationship could survive her hurt feelings and an obvious case of miscommunication. Couples have gotten divorced for less. Her own parents were still married but they barely spoke or looked each other in days. They casually lived separate lives and hooked up with other people. Was she doomed to repeat their same mistakes and live the same miserable life? It appeared that way.

Even Tyler came from a broken home. So does that mean, his future relationships and any family he built, would also be broken?

“I don’t know how I’m supposed to trust you though and just move on when you’ve clearly sipped on the Chloe koolaide like everybody else.” Her squad, Jake, her friends, and now Tyler? Isolating her from the people she loves was a total Nina move. For a moment, Brooke couldn’t help but wonder if somehow — Nina had orchestrated the whole thing. After all, it would be the perfect takedown.

Leaning against the driver’s side of her perfectly white Range Rover, Brooke sighs against the metal and crosses her arms over her chest. It’s a defense mechanism. It’s a way for her body to project that it’s protecting itself from harms way. “You’re taking the words of some girl who told everyone at East Mount about my affair with Branson and was the reason I got expelled and wanted to off myself for three months. She’s taken over my home, my school, my friends, my squad, Jake, and now even YOU are siding with her even though you don’t realize it.” Which was disappointing because of the two — between him and Jake — Brooke always thought Tyler would be the less wish washy one of the two. Tyler wasn’t naturally swayed by anyone. Unless you were Nina. Though, she only had power over him because she was the queen of blackmail. Jake was too much of an emotional wreck, just like her. When he got hurt, his only reaction was to get even. They were both spiteful and that’s why a relationship between them was not healthy.

“Just forget it.” She felt too exposed in front of him right now. They were in Westham’s parking lot when Brooke ran a defeated hand through her flat, blonde hair. “I gotta get to the airport anyway. I’m going to New York for a few days. There’s this influencer con I was invited to and there’s not much left for me here. I might just see if I can transfer there and start over fresh.” As bad as that sounds, at least she was being honest about it. Had she gone away without telling him? That would be bad. Maybe a small part of her was hoping, he’d stop her or try to talk her out of it completely and therefore prove and make up for the fact, he didn’t run after her in the diner. If they had any hopes of salvaging this relationship, she NEEDED him to want her. She NEEDED him to chase her again and it not just be her chasing him all the time. “So, what do you think?” What is it, he suggested they do about their relationship? Do they fix it? Do they try to mend it and attempt long distance? Or …. worst case scenario…. do they just break the fuck up?

"I went back home, fixed her phone, made sure she wasn't trying to play me by going through all her messages and contacts and then we met back up at Davey's to exchange cash for phone. Then Brooke comes in, sees us talking, punches the girl in the nose, and breaks up with me. From what I understand, this girl was talking to Jake while they were dating, and Brooke got mad. Now she was caught talking to me. So Brooke thinks she's moving in on all her boyfriends. That's literally all I know. She could've trusted me. Could've given me the benefit of the doubt. But nope, she sees what everyone else does. A liar. A manipulator. A criminal."

At the same time, Riley gets it and she sees his point too. When Brooke feels slighted, she has this way of overreacting and fleeing from her problems. Quinn would say she gets that from her mother. It's easy for people to write Brooke off as a prissy, stuck up, rich bitch. But there's more to her than that. Just as there's more to Tyler than the zipcode he came from or the houses he always bounced around in. "Don't you think that might be a little harsh? Look, I get you're angry. It's messed up if she broke up with you over just that without giving you a chance to truly explain yourself. You're not a cheater and I don't think you're that guy. But, I also kinda get where she's coming from. I mean if this girl was talking to Jake while they were still together then, that sucks. Brooke's way more sensitive than she lets on and it sounds to me like she's just hurt. Maybe even a little insecure or jealous over you. It's kind of a compliment because it means she's afraid of losing you. I don't think she would've cried to me all night if she didn't care or didn't feel some type of way about you. And those weren't the kind of tears you shed over a guy you think isn't good enough for you."