Title: Entrapment – A Handmaid's Tale

By: Amanda

Feedback: sweety167@yahoo.ca

Rating: R – at least it will be

Spoilers: up to and including "Dichotic"

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Smallville/superman related.

Summary: There's a new girl in Smallville, working in the Luthor Castle. But just like everything else is Smallville, nothing is ever just that simple.

Chapter Completed: November 28, 2002

She paid the small taxicab, throwing the bag over her shoulder and turned to look at the vast estate. Her face was blank, but her eyes held an odd look. Usually when people get their first glimpse of Luthor Castle they are full of awe and even jealousy. But not her. The look in her eyes was something completely different: Entrapment.

Lex strided over from his car, noticing the new figure on his lawn, "Can I help you, miss?"

"I'm looking for Mr. Luthor," she replied, slowly taking her eyes off her prison to have them fall on her questioner.

He pulled off his sunglasses for a better look. Sure enough, she was pretty. He made a mental note of that. Wavy blonde hair framing clouded blue eyes. She definitely wasn't from here. The very way she wore her clothes and carried herself spoke of Metropolis. Not to mention the attitude. With his smirk, Lex inquired, "Which one?"

"Lionel," a slight disappointment did hit him as she spoke his father's name.

He nodded, starting to lead her to the house, "What possible business could you have with my father?" he ment the comment as a compliment, but got no response, "I didn't catch your name…" he held the door for her.

"Anna Clarkson," she replied in the same emotionless, numbed tone as previously. It was almost lockdown.

"Dad?" Lex opened the large doors to the office Lionel had taken over to find him standing at the window. Even if he couldn't look out over and see his vast property he would maintain that air of power and dominance by standing over it.

"Didn't know you were expecting a visitor," Lex continued, motioning for Anna to enter as well.

"This is still my house Lex, I didn't know I had to clear them through you," he turned toward them using the desk as a guide, but careful not to seem dependent.

The younger Luthor fumed silently over his father's condescending tone and manner. Not bothering to reply, he nodded politely to Anne before leaving the room. Closing the door behind him.

"Mr. Luthor?" Anna took careful steps farther in, closer to where the remaining man was still standing, closer to her captor.

"Anna Clarkson," Lionel smiled and nodded at the correctness of his assumption, he knew it was her. He reached out to determine her position, his hand probing out in the direction of her voice.

She stepped closer to him, his reach, his touch. Almost feeling pity for the sudden blindness.

Lionel reached out to touch her cheek, caressing her like appreciating a new possession, "Call me Lionel," he told her, standing fairly close to her, "much more personal."

She felt sick. Any and all pity was gone with that one touch, the tone of his words. She fought her desire to run, reminding herself of why she was there. Why she had to stay.

"We'll be spending a lot of time together," his lips twisted into smile as he stepped away; temporarily releasing her of the uncomfortable intensity. Carefully he walked out of the room, "I do hope your father is well," he took the jab, giving her the reminder.

-x-x-x-x-x-

"Tights!" Clark scrunched his face up in disgust as he sat himself at the table, "Parading around in tights?!"

"That's how they performed Shakespeare Clark," Lana added a-matter-of-factly as she placed another round of coffee on the table for the Talon study group.

"You'd never catch me in a pair of tights," he gave a firm nod.

"That's an interesting declaration there Clark," Lex quipped as he passed the table, sipping a latte.

The group – Chloe, Pete, Lana and even Clark laughed.

"We're studying for a Shakespeare test," Chloe explained, wanting to save Clark the embarrassment.

Lex nodded, "I have no spur/To prick the sides of my intent, but only/Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself/And falls on the other," and taking another sip.

"Macbeth," Lana beamed with pride at her ability to identify the quote. But her display of over-achieving intelligence went unnoticed. Pete and Clark's gaze was locked on the front counter, as was the attention of everyone else thanks to Pete's enthusiastic nudging of Clark.

Pete whistled in appreciation of the blonde girl ordering coffee. Taking his time scanning up her body

Lex smiled and chuckled to himself, "That's my father's new personal handmaid," he to taking the moment to appreciate the view.

Chloe cocked her head to the side, "I donno, she has the whole slave-girl vibe to her." Her comment was on the mass amount of packages and bundles she was lugging, while trying to take a coffee break for herself. None of the boys really heard her. Their attention, as usual, wasn't on Chloe.

"Anna," Lex reached for the girl's arm as she passed by, only to have her jerk back in a defensive jump.

"High strung too," Chloe muttered under her breath to her coffee cup.

"Sorry, I...ah didn't see you," Anna was out of sorts, she wasn't used to this small town-ness or her new role.

"She's from Metropolis," the comment seemed to explain her reaction to everyone. Lex now turned to her, "Being new to Smallville, I thought I would introduce you around. And these are the central characters in this little play," he carefully edged her closer to the table, "Chloe Sullivan, Lana Lang, Clark Kent and Pete Ross."

She received nods and smiles from around the table, giving them in return.

"So, you work for Mr. Luthor?" Lana chimed in.

The new member nodded, uneasy about how long she had been their topic of discussion.

"Why?" Chloe stepped in. Chalk it up to her investigative nature, "If you don't mind me asking," adding a sweet smile.

Anna had a small amount of panic, never anticipating anyone would ask. And why should they? It was none of their business.

"College," she replied quickly, figuring she had taken far to long in answering. But there was no way she would answer with the truth, even Lionel didn't know it all, "Saving for college." The truth made her feel worthless, cheap. And all it was was a job.

"Oh, which one?" Lex raised an inquisitive eyebrow bone.

She was very uncomfortable with their curiosity into her. And the real reason began to gnaw at her, breaking her down. "I haven't decided yet," she replied in a quiet, low voice. It felt like they were belittling her, without knowing why. If they only knew…

"Ah, why don't you join us?" Clark began to offer her a chair, giving that classic Clark Kent smile.

In an involuntary reaction, she smiled back guessing there could be something positive about small-town-ness. Only if you could get away from the inquisition.

"I'd love to," her mind drifted and her smile dropped, "but I really ought to get back to Lionel." She nodded to excuse herself from everyone before heading out the door.

"How many servants call their employers by their first names?" Chloe put the question on the table before Pete and Clark began deciphering Anna's smile at Clark.

Lex was still staring off in the direction she had left, "Few," he replied to no one really. Thought and questions of his own forming.

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A/N There is definitely more to come….. just wait! Hehe It'll also get better…