Chapter 1: The Interview
Chloe drummed her fingers on her desk, trying to wait as patiently as she could for the phone to
ring. If she could get this interview--no. She wasn't going to think in terms of 'if'. She *would* get
the interview.
"Coffee, Sullivan?" Lois Lane stopped by, holding a Styrofoam cup.
"Thanks." Chloe took the cup and sipped--it was awful, but that was par for the course. "What'd I
do to deserve this?"
Lois shrugged. "I heard through the grapevine you might get an interview with Lex Luthor. Let me
know how it goes, would you?"
Ah, now it made sense. Lois wasn't one to cultivate friends among the reporters unless there was
something in it for her. Not that Chloe could really blame her. "We'll see what happens *if* I get
it," she said noncommittally, emphasizing the possibility. Lex didn't normally give interviews.
She'd been trying for this one for weeks.
"Sure." Lois breezed off, leaving Chloe to sip her really bad coffee and stare at the phone.
When it rang, she jumped. "Sullivan," she said automatically.
"Miss Sullivan," a dryly amused voice said on the other end.
"Mr. Luthor." She hadn't expected him to call her back personally. After all, most of her calls had
gone to his secretary. Needless to say, she was a bit surprised.
"It's Lex, please. So--I hear you've been looking to interview me?"
"Yes, I have. I'm writing an article on LexCorp's new program of vitamin-intensive vegetables, and
so far everyone's told me that you're the one behind it."
"I'm the boss. I'm the one behind everything."
Chloe laughed at Lex's dry statement. "That's as may be, but you're also the one who created this
program and got it off the ground."
"True." Lex was quiet for a moment. "Are you busy tomorrow?"
"One sec." Chloe looked at her schedule. Nope, nothing she couldn't put off or reschedule. Even if
there was, it wouldn't matter now. "No, I'm not."
"Come by at ten. I'll give you an interview and a tour." It wasn't a suggestion; more of an order. It
was also much, much more than she'd been hoping to get. The best she'd hoped for was an
interview with one of Lex's press flunkies.
"Sure thing." Chloe noted it down in her Palm. "Thanks a lot, Lex--I really appreciate this."
"Not a problem. I'll see you tomorrow."
With that, he hung up. Chloe couldn't resist grinning like a fool before going to tell her editor about
the interview.
She wasn't overly surprised by the amount of security she had to deal with. First there was the
receptionist on the ground floor, who checked her ID, checked her appointment, then gave her a
badge. She was escorted to the elevator--an elevator that didn't go up to Lex's floor, she noted.
When she got out on the top level the elevator *did* go to, the receptionist there checked her badge
again and called up to confirm that she was indeed expected. The elevator that finally took her up
to Lex had to be accessed by a code that one of the security guards punched in. And, of course,
Chloe was certain there were metal detectors and other electronic safeguards all over the place.
"Chloe Sullivan," Lex said, walking toward her. He held out a hand and she shook it, pleased to see
that his handshake was firm and confident. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"
She nodded. "You look well," she said, meaning it. Outwardly, he'd barely changed at all.
"Power agrees with me." Lex half-smiled. "You look--happier, if I may say so."
"I like my job," she said simply.
"I'm not surprised. Speaking of which--" he gestured toward two couches with a low table between
them. "Shall we?"
Chloe took a seat, getting out her mini-recorder and her notebook. "For your benefit as well as
mine," she explained.
"Of course." Lex settled onto the couch opposite her, looking utterly comfortable.
The interview went well. Most of Lex's answers were clearly rehearsed, but she hadn't expected
anything less. She thought she managed to catch him off-guard once or twice, although it was hard
to tell with him. His poker face had only improved with the years.
"Would you like to see the labs?" he asked after about an hour. "I did promise you a tour, after
all."
"I'd like that," she said, smiling. She already had enough information to do a decent article, but she
wanted to get as much as she could. There was no such thing as too much knowledge in her lexicon.
"Come on, then." Lex stood; to her surprise, she realized he meant to take her on the tour himself.
"This is a bit of an honor," she remarked, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I hadn't expected so
much of your time."
"What are old friends for? Besides-the program's just in its beginning stages. There really isn't
anyone else who can show you around." Lex hit the elevator button and gestured for Chloe to
enter.
They went down for what seemed like ages before finally stopping. "We're four levels
underground," Lex explained. "Some of the chemicals we're working with are light-sensitive and it's
easier to control the environment when there aren't any windows."
Chloe nodded. "I can understand that, but it must get a bit claustrophobic down here."
Lex half-smiled. "Only when the lights go out."
In spite of herself, she was impressed with the setup. "Aren't you worried about the vegetables
being possibly toxic in high doses?" she asked, looking at a lab with trays of seedlings.
Lex shook his head. "That would be a concern, but we think we've found a way around that
problem."
"Oh? What's that?"
"I can't share *all* my secrets," he told her lightly.
"All right." It wasn't worth it to press him, she judged-he wouldn't talk anyway.
"Over here is the main lab," Lex said, keying in a code and opening the door for her. "It's not much
to look at now, but it-" Something started beeping and he frowned. "Who's down here?"
Chloe turned, but didn't see anyone. "Hello?" she called.
She didn't have time to move before she felt something hit her in the back of the head and she went
down like a sack of potatoes.
Waking up was painful; her head throbbed and a careful exploration with her fingers revealed a lump
on the back of her skull. "Ow," she said, pushing herself into a sitting position. The floor was cold
tile under her hands, and wherever she was had minimal light. "Lex?" she called. "Are you here?"
When no one answered, she began scooting backward, hoping to find a wall. She was lucky-it didn't
take long before her back came in contact with one. Carefully, she stood and began looking for a
light switch.
She made it to a corner and partway down the next wall before she found one. Flipping it on made
her see spots for a few moments, but at least she could tell where she was.
"And maybe I should have left the light off," she muttered, looking around. The room was really
more of a glorified closet, being about eight feet long and four feet wide, and had nothing in it.
Literally. There was a door, but it had no handle on the inside. Why the hell Lex had a room with
no handle on the inside, she didn't know.
On the other hand, Lex was lying on the floor, looking like someone had whacked him as well.
Chloe knelt next to him, relieved to see he was breathing. "Lex?" she said softly, resting a hand on
his shoulder. At least he was on his side, looking all right except for the lump.
He groaned something incoherent and his eyes blinked open, immediately shutting again. "I thought
I was done with getting hit over the head when I left Smallville," he mumbled.
"Maybe it's me-the whole Smallville influence thing." Chloe looked closely at the back of his head,
but the skin wasn't broken and it didn't look too bad.
"I'll remember that." Lex sat up carefully. "How's your head?"
"I'm all right-a few Excedrin and I'll be good as new. Yours?"
"I think I'm developing a resistance to head blows."
Chloe winced and settled into a cross-legged position. "Three questions for you."
"Do you ever *stop* asking questions?" Lex asked wryly.
"Nope. So-one, why are we in here, two, where was everyone else, and three, why do you have a
room with no handle on the inside?"
"In order-let me think. Your guess is as good as mine, there are only three other people with
clearance for this level and they're not in Metropolis today, and there *used* to be a handle on that
door." Lex raised an eyebrow. "Good enough?"
"It'll do."
"Thanks." Lex shifted backwards and leaned against the wall. "We'll be out of here soon-the
security systems will realize something's wrong and they'll come looking for us."
"But how'd your security systems get compromised enough that someone could get in and do this?"
Chloe pressed.
"That I don't know-but believe me, I will find out." Lex's voice turned cold. "No one should have
been able to come down here but myself and the three scientists working on this. And I *know*
they're all at a conference in Boston until Thursday."
"I believe you." Chloe hugged her knees to her chest; it was cool in the room. "Well, things could
be worse."
"I'm almost afraid to ask how," Lex commented.
"We could have broken bones, or be dead, or naked."
"That's worse?"
Chloe blinked. Lex couldn't possibly be flirting with her. "It's colder," she pointed out.
"True." Lex smiled a little. "So does this count as off the record?"
"Since they seem to have taken my bag, I'd say so. Why, are you going to spill your secrets?"
"I don't do that even off the record. Sorry to disappoint you."
"Oh darn." Chloe snapped her fingers and pretended to pout.
"Actually, I was wondering how you've been. It's been a few years since Smallville."
"I've been well. The usual drill, I guess-finished high school, did the college thing, went to work at
the Inquisitor, gave it up and went to the Planet, and now I'm working my way through the ranks
there." She shrugged. "What about you?"
Lex half-smiled again. "The usual drill, I guess-finished my exile in Smallville, came back here, took
over when dear old Dad kicked the bucket."
"I'd offer you my sympathies but I don't think you want them," Chloe said, half-questioningly.
"He was a bastard and no, I'm not sorry he's dead. Why should I be?"
She wasn't sure why, but she didn't entirely believe him. "Right then."
"I heard you graduated summa cum laude," Lex said, changing the subject. "Congratulations."
"Thanks." Chloe frowned. "How'd you know about that?"
"I hear lots of things."
Of course he did. Lex had a way of knowing everything he wanted to. She just didn't know why
he'd wanted to know her college GPA. "Can I ask you something?" she said abruptly.
"You can ask, although there's no guarantee you'll get an answer." Lex shrugged.
"Fair enough." Chloe hesitated for a moment. "Why me, Lex? Why'd I get the interview every
journalist in Metropolis has been begging for?"
For a long moment, she didn't think he was going to answer. "If I said sentiment, would you believe
me?" he asked at last.
"Probably not, no."
Lex shrugged again. "I admired your tenacity, even back in Smallville. And I know that you
wouldn't write a biased article, no matter how you felt about me. I can't say the same for other
reporters."
Chloe was surprised by how much that meant to her. Lex didn't give compliments easily; for him to
say he'd admired something about her was high praise indeed. "Thank you," she said, trying not to
grin like an idiot.
"You're welcome."
"Aren't we supposed to be in some kind of room with a window we can climb out?" Chloe asked
after a moment of silence.
"I think you watch too much TV," Lex said wryly. "Besides, we're four levels underground.
Where are we supposed to climb, exactly?"
"Oh shush, there's no need to get all practical on me."
Lex looked at her for a moment before starting to laugh. "Chloe, don't ever change," he said,
shaking his head.
She grinned at more than just his comment. It was nice to see Lex unguarded, even if it was at her
expense. "I'll try," she said lightly. "So, how long do you think it'll take before we're out of here?"
"In that much of a hurry to be rid of me? Not that I can blame you; my hospitality so far has been
less than stellar."
"Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of the three cups of coffee I had this morning," Chloe
said ruefully.
"With any luck we'll get out of here before they do." Lex smirked. Chloe would have thrown
something at him but as she didn't have anything to throw, she settled for glaring.
"Never realized your sense of humor was so crude."
"Just commenting." Lex raised one hand to his head but dropped it with a barely imperceptible
wince.
"Are you all right?" Chloe scrambled to her knees, crawling over to him. "Let me see."
"It's just a headache. It happens when you've been hit over the head."
"Funny, but I think I learned that at some point. Now let me see." Chloe tilted his head, looking at
the lump, which hadn't changed since the last time she'd seen it. "You'll live," she decided.
"Thank you Dr. Sullivan." Lex's voice was quietly amused; Chloe rolled her eyes and settled next to
him.
"So-okay. Why would anyone have a reason to break in here, let alone knock us out?"
"Your brain never stops working, does it?"
"Does yours?" Chloe countered. "Don't tell me it's not the first thing you thought of after 'Ow'."
"I wasn't even going to try. But I'm afraid that even off the record, I can't share that information."
Chloe wasn't about to give up that easily. "I got hit over the head too, Lex. I think I have a right to
know."
Lex turned his head and looked at her. "I'm sure you can come up with a variety of reasons
someone would want to sabotage me," he said, not quite challenging her.
"I'm sure I can as well, but I'm curious to see if your reasons match mine."
"They probably do." Lex settled back against the wall, drawing one leg up.
Chloe sat for another minute before getting up and prowling around the room, looking to see if there
was any way to open the door. There wasn't. She slammed her hands against it in frustration and
regretted it when the reverberation echoed in her skull. "Well, that accomplished nothing," she
muttered, sliding down the wall again.
"Feel better?" Lex asked mildly.
"You're taking this rather calmly," she snapped back.
"On the contrary-I'm thinking about the myriad ways in which I can make my security team squirm
in agony before I fire them."
She couldn't help it; she laughed. "Sounds like fun. Can I be in at the kill?"
"Odd-I'd have expected you to plead for mercy."
"You obviously don't know me all that well. Any security people who screw up enough to let me
get hit over the head and locked up don't deserve their jobs. In my opinion." Chloe wasn't sure if
she was crossing a line or not, but Lex didn't seem to mind.
"You're right. On both counts," he murmured. "Would you like to rectify the first?" He turned,
looking at her with an expression she couldn't read.
"Are you asking me out?" she said, startled.
"Not if the idea repulses you."
Chloe had the uneasy feeling he expected her to say no, although she wasn't sure why. "I didn't say
the idea repulsed me. I was just surprised. It's not every day I wind up trapped in a closet with
one of the most powerful-and attractive-men in Metropolis." Whoops. She hadn't meant to add in
the 'attractive' bit; apparently the knock on the head had rattled her brain more than she'd thought.
Lex inclined his head in acknowledgement of her comment-much like a king receiving advice from his
council, she thought. The thought made her smile. "Something funny?" he asked, raising an
eyebrow.
"Just my own thoughts. Nothing exciting."
"I beg to differ," he said smoothly. "Your brain works on a faster level than most people's, Chloe-
just because they can't keep up is no reason to be ashamed of it."
Two compliments in one hour from Lex-maybe *his* brain had gotten rattled as well. "Thank
you," she said, determined not to blush. "It takes one to know one, I believe."
"Perhaps."
He looked like he was waiting for something; Chloe wondered what before realizing she'd never
given him an answer to his oblique invitation. "I would very much like to go out with you
sometime, Lex," she admitted. "On one condition."
"Oh?"
"Nothing bad. Just-I can't afford to be thought of as your pet reporter. So you can either have a
business relationship with me or a social one, but not both."
"What if I want both?" Lex asked silkily. "I don't settle well."
She copied his raised eyebrow. "I don't see how making a choice is settling," she countered.
"I see no need to be deprived of your journalistic skills because we're seeing each other on a
personal level."
"Are we seeing each other, then?"
"I think it's a distinct possibility," Lex murmured. "Is that a problem?"
His lips were almost touching hers. She had no idea when that had happened and didn't really care
either way. "...no," she breathed, half-closing her eyes.
Lex's mouth brushed over hers, lightly. "Good," he whispered.
The second kiss was longer, deeper; his hand cupped the back of her head and drew her closer while
his tongue coaxed her mouth open.
"Mr. Luthor? Miss Sullivan?" The loud voices from outside made them both jump apart.
"In here," Lex called back. A moment later, the door swung open to reveal a security team.
"Not bad," Chloe said dryly. "It only took you-" she glanced at her watch. "Half an hour to find
us. Oh, but I don't know how long we were both unconscious, so maybe that was longer. Of
course, that's begging the question of how you managed to let this happen in the first place." She
stood and turned to face Lex, tapping one finger against her lips. "What do you think, Mr. Luthor?
Should I do an article on the hazards of LexCorp?" Her eyes sparkled.
Lex rose as well. "I have a counter-proposal. Why don't I call a doctor and get your head checked
out, to make sure everything's fine-then we can discuss your research over lunch, perhaps?"
She nodded, wincing as the movement jarred her headache. "As long as you get checked out as
well," she told him.
"This way." He led her past his security team without so much as a glance in their direction.
After being told her head was fine and given aspirin and an ice pack, she was escorted back up to
Lex's office. "Obviously, there's no way I can adequately apologize for the events of this
morning," he said, sitting down opposite her again.
"Which part? Getting hit over the head or being kissed by you?" Chloe teased.
He raised an eyebrow at her. "So I have an offer for you," he said, as if she hadn't spoken. She
would have been miffed had she not seen the dry humor in his eyes. "If you're willing to keep quiet
about what happened, I'll give you an exclusive series on LexCorp. Four articles' worth, including
interviews with myself and my top staff. I'll even sweeten the deal by offering you the
opportunity to be my shadow for a day or two-although, of course, you'd have to sign an NDA
about certain information."
"You really don't want this leaking, do you," she murmured. "As payoffs go, this one's definitely
up there." Chloe settled back and thought for a moment. The sensible part of her told her to forget
it. The journalist in her told her to grab the opportunity and hang on for dear life. "Exclusive to the
Planet, or-"
Lex shook his head slightly. "Exclusive to you. As I said before, I respect your journalistic ethics.
I can't say the same for other members of the Planet's staff."
"All right." She smiled and held out her hand. "You've got a deal."
Chloe drummed her fingers on her desk, trying to wait as patiently as she could for the phone to
ring. If she could get this interview--no. She wasn't going to think in terms of 'if'. She *would* get
the interview.
"Coffee, Sullivan?" Lois Lane stopped by, holding a Styrofoam cup.
"Thanks." Chloe took the cup and sipped--it was awful, but that was par for the course. "What'd I
do to deserve this?"
Lois shrugged. "I heard through the grapevine you might get an interview with Lex Luthor. Let me
know how it goes, would you?"
Ah, now it made sense. Lois wasn't one to cultivate friends among the reporters unless there was
something in it for her. Not that Chloe could really blame her. "We'll see what happens *if* I get
it," she said noncommittally, emphasizing the possibility. Lex didn't normally give interviews.
She'd been trying for this one for weeks.
"Sure." Lois breezed off, leaving Chloe to sip her really bad coffee and stare at the phone.
When it rang, she jumped. "Sullivan," she said automatically.
"Miss Sullivan," a dryly amused voice said on the other end.
"Mr. Luthor." She hadn't expected him to call her back personally. After all, most of her calls had
gone to his secretary. Needless to say, she was a bit surprised.
"It's Lex, please. So--I hear you've been looking to interview me?"
"Yes, I have. I'm writing an article on LexCorp's new program of vitamin-intensive vegetables, and
so far everyone's told me that you're the one behind it."
"I'm the boss. I'm the one behind everything."
Chloe laughed at Lex's dry statement. "That's as may be, but you're also the one who created this
program and got it off the ground."
"True." Lex was quiet for a moment. "Are you busy tomorrow?"
"One sec." Chloe looked at her schedule. Nope, nothing she couldn't put off or reschedule. Even if
there was, it wouldn't matter now. "No, I'm not."
"Come by at ten. I'll give you an interview and a tour." It wasn't a suggestion; more of an order. It
was also much, much more than she'd been hoping to get. The best she'd hoped for was an
interview with one of Lex's press flunkies.
"Sure thing." Chloe noted it down in her Palm. "Thanks a lot, Lex--I really appreciate this."
"Not a problem. I'll see you tomorrow."
With that, he hung up. Chloe couldn't resist grinning like a fool before going to tell her editor about
the interview.
She wasn't overly surprised by the amount of security she had to deal with. First there was the
receptionist on the ground floor, who checked her ID, checked her appointment, then gave her a
badge. She was escorted to the elevator--an elevator that didn't go up to Lex's floor, she noted.
When she got out on the top level the elevator *did* go to, the receptionist there checked her badge
again and called up to confirm that she was indeed expected. The elevator that finally took her up
to Lex had to be accessed by a code that one of the security guards punched in. And, of course,
Chloe was certain there were metal detectors and other electronic safeguards all over the place.
"Chloe Sullivan," Lex said, walking toward her. He held out a hand and she shook it, pleased to see
that his handshake was firm and confident. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"
She nodded. "You look well," she said, meaning it. Outwardly, he'd barely changed at all.
"Power agrees with me." Lex half-smiled. "You look--happier, if I may say so."
"I like my job," she said simply.
"I'm not surprised. Speaking of which--" he gestured toward two couches with a low table between
them. "Shall we?"
Chloe took a seat, getting out her mini-recorder and her notebook. "For your benefit as well as
mine," she explained.
"Of course." Lex settled onto the couch opposite her, looking utterly comfortable.
The interview went well. Most of Lex's answers were clearly rehearsed, but she hadn't expected
anything less. She thought she managed to catch him off-guard once or twice, although it was hard
to tell with him. His poker face had only improved with the years.
"Would you like to see the labs?" he asked after about an hour. "I did promise you a tour, after
all."
"I'd like that," she said, smiling. She already had enough information to do a decent article, but she
wanted to get as much as she could. There was no such thing as too much knowledge in her lexicon.
"Come on, then." Lex stood; to her surprise, she realized he meant to take her on the tour himself.
"This is a bit of an honor," she remarked, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I hadn't expected so
much of your time."
"What are old friends for? Besides-the program's just in its beginning stages. There really isn't
anyone else who can show you around." Lex hit the elevator button and gestured for Chloe to
enter.
They went down for what seemed like ages before finally stopping. "We're four levels
underground," Lex explained. "Some of the chemicals we're working with are light-sensitive and it's
easier to control the environment when there aren't any windows."
Chloe nodded. "I can understand that, but it must get a bit claustrophobic down here."
Lex half-smiled. "Only when the lights go out."
In spite of herself, she was impressed with the setup. "Aren't you worried about the vegetables
being possibly toxic in high doses?" she asked, looking at a lab with trays of seedlings.
Lex shook his head. "That would be a concern, but we think we've found a way around that
problem."
"Oh? What's that?"
"I can't share *all* my secrets," he told her lightly.
"All right." It wasn't worth it to press him, she judged-he wouldn't talk anyway.
"Over here is the main lab," Lex said, keying in a code and opening the door for her. "It's not much
to look at now, but it-" Something started beeping and he frowned. "Who's down here?"
Chloe turned, but didn't see anyone. "Hello?" she called.
She didn't have time to move before she felt something hit her in the back of the head and she went
down like a sack of potatoes.
Waking up was painful; her head throbbed and a careful exploration with her fingers revealed a lump
on the back of her skull. "Ow," she said, pushing herself into a sitting position. The floor was cold
tile under her hands, and wherever she was had minimal light. "Lex?" she called. "Are you here?"
When no one answered, she began scooting backward, hoping to find a wall. She was lucky-it didn't
take long before her back came in contact with one. Carefully, she stood and began looking for a
light switch.
She made it to a corner and partway down the next wall before she found one. Flipping it on made
her see spots for a few moments, but at least she could tell where she was.
"And maybe I should have left the light off," she muttered, looking around. The room was really
more of a glorified closet, being about eight feet long and four feet wide, and had nothing in it.
Literally. There was a door, but it had no handle on the inside. Why the hell Lex had a room with
no handle on the inside, she didn't know.
On the other hand, Lex was lying on the floor, looking like someone had whacked him as well.
Chloe knelt next to him, relieved to see he was breathing. "Lex?" she said softly, resting a hand on
his shoulder. At least he was on his side, looking all right except for the lump.
He groaned something incoherent and his eyes blinked open, immediately shutting again. "I thought
I was done with getting hit over the head when I left Smallville," he mumbled.
"Maybe it's me-the whole Smallville influence thing." Chloe looked closely at the back of his head,
but the skin wasn't broken and it didn't look too bad.
"I'll remember that." Lex sat up carefully. "How's your head?"
"I'm all right-a few Excedrin and I'll be good as new. Yours?"
"I think I'm developing a resistance to head blows."
Chloe winced and settled into a cross-legged position. "Three questions for you."
"Do you ever *stop* asking questions?" Lex asked wryly.
"Nope. So-one, why are we in here, two, where was everyone else, and three, why do you have a
room with no handle on the inside?"
"In order-let me think. Your guess is as good as mine, there are only three other people with
clearance for this level and they're not in Metropolis today, and there *used* to be a handle on that
door." Lex raised an eyebrow. "Good enough?"
"It'll do."
"Thanks." Lex shifted backwards and leaned against the wall. "We'll be out of here soon-the
security systems will realize something's wrong and they'll come looking for us."
"But how'd your security systems get compromised enough that someone could get in and do this?"
Chloe pressed.
"That I don't know-but believe me, I will find out." Lex's voice turned cold. "No one should have
been able to come down here but myself and the three scientists working on this. And I *know*
they're all at a conference in Boston until Thursday."
"I believe you." Chloe hugged her knees to her chest; it was cool in the room. "Well, things could
be worse."
"I'm almost afraid to ask how," Lex commented.
"We could have broken bones, or be dead, or naked."
"That's worse?"
Chloe blinked. Lex couldn't possibly be flirting with her. "It's colder," she pointed out.
"True." Lex smiled a little. "So does this count as off the record?"
"Since they seem to have taken my bag, I'd say so. Why, are you going to spill your secrets?"
"I don't do that even off the record. Sorry to disappoint you."
"Oh darn." Chloe snapped her fingers and pretended to pout.
"Actually, I was wondering how you've been. It's been a few years since Smallville."
"I've been well. The usual drill, I guess-finished high school, did the college thing, went to work at
the Inquisitor, gave it up and went to the Planet, and now I'm working my way through the ranks
there." She shrugged. "What about you?"
Lex half-smiled again. "The usual drill, I guess-finished my exile in Smallville, came back here, took
over when dear old Dad kicked the bucket."
"I'd offer you my sympathies but I don't think you want them," Chloe said, half-questioningly.
"He was a bastard and no, I'm not sorry he's dead. Why should I be?"
She wasn't sure why, but she didn't entirely believe him. "Right then."
"I heard you graduated summa cum laude," Lex said, changing the subject. "Congratulations."
"Thanks." Chloe frowned. "How'd you know about that?"
"I hear lots of things."
Of course he did. Lex had a way of knowing everything he wanted to. She just didn't know why
he'd wanted to know her college GPA. "Can I ask you something?" she said abruptly.
"You can ask, although there's no guarantee you'll get an answer." Lex shrugged.
"Fair enough." Chloe hesitated for a moment. "Why me, Lex? Why'd I get the interview every
journalist in Metropolis has been begging for?"
For a long moment, she didn't think he was going to answer. "If I said sentiment, would you believe
me?" he asked at last.
"Probably not, no."
Lex shrugged again. "I admired your tenacity, even back in Smallville. And I know that you
wouldn't write a biased article, no matter how you felt about me. I can't say the same for other
reporters."
Chloe was surprised by how much that meant to her. Lex didn't give compliments easily; for him to
say he'd admired something about her was high praise indeed. "Thank you," she said, trying not to
grin like an idiot.
"You're welcome."
"Aren't we supposed to be in some kind of room with a window we can climb out?" Chloe asked
after a moment of silence.
"I think you watch too much TV," Lex said wryly. "Besides, we're four levels underground.
Where are we supposed to climb, exactly?"
"Oh shush, there's no need to get all practical on me."
Lex looked at her for a moment before starting to laugh. "Chloe, don't ever change," he said,
shaking his head.
She grinned at more than just his comment. It was nice to see Lex unguarded, even if it was at her
expense. "I'll try," she said lightly. "So, how long do you think it'll take before we're out of here?"
"In that much of a hurry to be rid of me? Not that I can blame you; my hospitality so far has been
less than stellar."
"Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of the three cups of coffee I had this morning," Chloe
said ruefully.
"With any luck we'll get out of here before they do." Lex smirked. Chloe would have thrown
something at him but as she didn't have anything to throw, she settled for glaring.
"Never realized your sense of humor was so crude."
"Just commenting." Lex raised one hand to his head but dropped it with a barely imperceptible
wince.
"Are you all right?" Chloe scrambled to her knees, crawling over to him. "Let me see."
"It's just a headache. It happens when you've been hit over the head."
"Funny, but I think I learned that at some point. Now let me see." Chloe tilted his head, looking at
the lump, which hadn't changed since the last time she'd seen it. "You'll live," she decided.
"Thank you Dr. Sullivan." Lex's voice was quietly amused; Chloe rolled her eyes and settled next to
him.
"So-okay. Why would anyone have a reason to break in here, let alone knock us out?"
"Your brain never stops working, does it?"
"Does yours?" Chloe countered. "Don't tell me it's not the first thing you thought of after 'Ow'."
"I wasn't even going to try. But I'm afraid that even off the record, I can't share that information."
Chloe wasn't about to give up that easily. "I got hit over the head too, Lex. I think I have a right to
know."
Lex turned his head and looked at her. "I'm sure you can come up with a variety of reasons
someone would want to sabotage me," he said, not quite challenging her.
"I'm sure I can as well, but I'm curious to see if your reasons match mine."
"They probably do." Lex settled back against the wall, drawing one leg up.
Chloe sat for another minute before getting up and prowling around the room, looking to see if there
was any way to open the door. There wasn't. She slammed her hands against it in frustration and
regretted it when the reverberation echoed in her skull. "Well, that accomplished nothing," she
muttered, sliding down the wall again.
"Feel better?" Lex asked mildly.
"You're taking this rather calmly," she snapped back.
"On the contrary-I'm thinking about the myriad ways in which I can make my security team squirm
in agony before I fire them."
She couldn't help it; she laughed. "Sounds like fun. Can I be in at the kill?"
"Odd-I'd have expected you to plead for mercy."
"You obviously don't know me all that well. Any security people who screw up enough to let me
get hit over the head and locked up don't deserve their jobs. In my opinion." Chloe wasn't sure if
she was crossing a line or not, but Lex didn't seem to mind.
"You're right. On both counts," he murmured. "Would you like to rectify the first?" He turned,
looking at her with an expression she couldn't read.
"Are you asking me out?" she said, startled.
"Not if the idea repulses you."
Chloe had the uneasy feeling he expected her to say no, although she wasn't sure why. "I didn't say
the idea repulsed me. I was just surprised. It's not every day I wind up trapped in a closet with
one of the most powerful-and attractive-men in Metropolis." Whoops. She hadn't meant to add in
the 'attractive' bit; apparently the knock on the head had rattled her brain more than she'd thought.
Lex inclined his head in acknowledgement of her comment-much like a king receiving advice from his
council, she thought. The thought made her smile. "Something funny?" he asked, raising an
eyebrow.
"Just my own thoughts. Nothing exciting."
"I beg to differ," he said smoothly. "Your brain works on a faster level than most people's, Chloe-
just because they can't keep up is no reason to be ashamed of it."
Two compliments in one hour from Lex-maybe *his* brain had gotten rattled as well. "Thank
you," she said, determined not to blush. "It takes one to know one, I believe."
"Perhaps."
He looked like he was waiting for something; Chloe wondered what before realizing she'd never
given him an answer to his oblique invitation. "I would very much like to go out with you
sometime, Lex," she admitted. "On one condition."
"Oh?"
"Nothing bad. Just-I can't afford to be thought of as your pet reporter. So you can either have a
business relationship with me or a social one, but not both."
"What if I want both?" Lex asked silkily. "I don't settle well."
She copied his raised eyebrow. "I don't see how making a choice is settling," she countered.
"I see no need to be deprived of your journalistic skills because we're seeing each other on a
personal level."
"Are we seeing each other, then?"
"I think it's a distinct possibility," Lex murmured. "Is that a problem?"
His lips were almost touching hers. She had no idea when that had happened and didn't really care
either way. "...no," she breathed, half-closing her eyes.
Lex's mouth brushed over hers, lightly. "Good," he whispered.
The second kiss was longer, deeper; his hand cupped the back of her head and drew her closer while
his tongue coaxed her mouth open.
"Mr. Luthor? Miss Sullivan?" The loud voices from outside made them both jump apart.
"In here," Lex called back. A moment later, the door swung open to reveal a security team.
"Not bad," Chloe said dryly. "It only took you-" she glanced at her watch. "Half an hour to find
us. Oh, but I don't know how long we were both unconscious, so maybe that was longer. Of
course, that's begging the question of how you managed to let this happen in the first place." She
stood and turned to face Lex, tapping one finger against her lips. "What do you think, Mr. Luthor?
Should I do an article on the hazards of LexCorp?" Her eyes sparkled.
Lex rose as well. "I have a counter-proposal. Why don't I call a doctor and get your head checked
out, to make sure everything's fine-then we can discuss your research over lunch, perhaps?"
She nodded, wincing as the movement jarred her headache. "As long as you get checked out as
well," she told him.
"This way." He led her past his security team without so much as a glance in their direction.
After being told her head was fine and given aspirin and an ice pack, she was escorted back up to
Lex's office. "Obviously, there's no way I can adequately apologize for the events of this
morning," he said, sitting down opposite her again.
"Which part? Getting hit over the head or being kissed by you?" Chloe teased.
He raised an eyebrow at her. "So I have an offer for you," he said, as if she hadn't spoken. She
would have been miffed had she not seen the dry humor in his eyes. "If you're willing to keep quiet
about what happened, I'll give you an exclusive series on LexCorp. Four articles' worth, including
interviews with myself and my top staff. I'll even sweeten the deal by offering you the
opportunity to be my shadow for a day or two-although, of course, you'd have to sign an NDA
about certain information."
"You really don't want this leaking, do you," she murmured. "As payoffs go, this one's definitely
up there." Chloe settled back and thought for a moment. The sensible part of her told her to forget
it. The journalist in her told her to grab the opportunity and hang on for dear life. "Exclusive to the
Planet, or-"
Lex shook his head slightly. "Exclusive to you. As I said before, I respect your journalistic ethics.
I can't say the same for other members of the Planet's staff."
"All right." She smiled and held out her hand. "You've got a deal."