Smallville (TV Series)

Odyssey (2008)

Cassidy Freeman: Tess Mercer

Photos 

Quotes 

• [first lines] 

  Tess Mercer : [entering tent]  Who is Regan? What have you been doing, all this time, building snowmen?

  Regan Matthews : Who do you think you are? This site is off limits.

  Tess Mercer : Tess Mercer. My access is unrestricted. Per Lex's written instructions, I'm now the acting C.E.O. of LuthorCorp and all its subsidiaries.

  Regan Matthews : You're nothing but an obscure Regional V.P. You actually think you're qualified?

  Tess Mercer : Lex believes it... and that's all that matters. I want a complete inventory of everything you've found. Footprint, snowmobile tracks, any sign of escape.

  Regan Matthews : Escape?

  Tess Mercer : Trust me, Lex Luthor didn't meet his end at some dwindling ice cap.

• Tess Mercer : You missed a spot.

  Lois Lane : Oui, oui, madame.

  Tess Mercer : And the floors, they've lost their sheen. You're not getting lazy, are you?

  Lois Lane : I didn't realize Lex's secretarial staff could spot a speck of dust from across the room.

  Tess Mercer : I'm as much a secretary as you are a French maid. I've been so looking forward to meeting the intrepid reporter Lois Lane. So, you like to play dress-up?

  Lois Lane : If you're not a secretary, who are you? Lex's 4:00 p.m. booty call?

• Tess Mercer : I realize Mr. Luthor gave you quite a bit of journalistic rope knowing you'd eventually hang yourself. Me, on the other hand, I'm a little less patient.

  Lois Lane : I'm not here as a reporter. I'm here to find my cousin, Chloe Sullivan.

  Tess Mercer : I doubt she's hiding under the furniture.

  Lois Lane : Lex had her arrested by the Department of Domestic Security, but the DDS claims to have no record of her. I want access to Lex's phone records from the day he made the call. I want that agent's name.

  Tess Mercer : Mr. Luthor is a firm believer in truth and justice, Ms. Lane. You can rest assured if he had your cousin arrested, she was guilty.

  Lois Lane : The only thing Chloe's been guilty of is standing up for what she believes in.

• Tess Mercer : What's the news from your elves at the North Pole?

  Regan Matthews : Satellites picked up an encoded communication signal from the group that attacked us.

  Tess Mercer : Well, they're not the only ones that are good at concealing information. Don't you remember, your little journey up north in the LuthorCorp jet right before Lex disappeared?

  Regan Matthews : I honored Mr. Luthor's request for absolute discretion.

  Tess Mercer : Have you been searching for Lex or are you just covering your own tracks?

  Regan Matthews : I did my homework on you. Girl who taught herself to read in a Louisiana swamp house, got into Harvard at fifteen, goes deep sea diving in her spare time. But I don't give a damn about any of it. Nobody questions my loyalty.

  Tess Mercer : If I ever discover that someone withheld information that could help me find Lex, I'd be forced to respond accordingly.

  Regan Matthews : Are you threatening me?

  Tess Mercer : Just giving you an opportunity to keep your job. I suggest you find Lex, or you will be summarily terminated.