(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 10

Lex was seldom if ever worried. His own life had hung in the balance more than a few times over the years and to the outside world at least he had appeared to keep his cool in all things. Lex always believed he was in control, or could be given half the chance. It never bothered him in any real way to be at the business end of a gun or in a building that was due to explode. He was Lex Luthor, in the end he would prevail. Unfortunately, things were different this time.

Lex would gamble with his own life, it was only him at stake and there would hardly be anyone left to mourn if the worst should happen. Now he held two other lives in his hands, the woman he had always loved and her new-born baby daughter. One innocent and one as good as in Lex's eyes, he would not see anything bad happen to them, he just couldn't allow it. Of course, where Intergang were concerned, it was almost impossible to know how best to save these two who meant so much to him.

Making deals with the devil was all well and good for money or business, but Lex wasn't about to chance the safety and well being of two he loved so much on a roll of the dice that had Bill Church's name on them. It only made things worse knowing the names of others involved in all of this. Somehow Lex's investigation had completely missed the connection between Intergang and the one-time butler, full-time assassin, Nigel St John.

More than one of Lionel's rivals and enemies had been 'taken care of' by Nigel. Lex had known even back then that it didn't mean they'd been silenced by millions or persuaded to back down by some other means of giving. No, he was the worst kind of dispatches clerk, and next on his to do list seemed to be to bring Chloe down.

Lex couldn't care much for Jason Kendricks and his fate. Though the man he'd never met was Chloe's one time lover and the father of her child, he would be a rival to Lex if he still walked the earth. Strangely, Lex realised he would bring Jason back to this mortal coil, if it would make Chloe truly happy. In his heart or hearts, of course, Lex hoped that wasn't true, that in the grand scheme of things she would rather be with him. There was no real evidence to suggest it and Lex knew the fantasy inside his head would doubtless remain only that, but every man had the right to dream, especially in the middle of such a nightmare as he found himself in now.

Swearing to help Chloe out of this mess seemed like the thing to do, but he hadn't a clue where to start. She was far too well known to the organisation, and Intergang had such a reputation. His original idea to slay the beast from within now seemed ridiculous in retrospect, Lex realised, as he contemplated another scotch and realised it would only cloud his brain all the more. No, he needed to think clearly.

Poor Chloe, she was so oblivious to what her story did to him, Lex realised with a sigh as he sunk back down onto the couch in his office, upon which they had sat as she imparted her tales of woe. Hearing of her love for another man, Lex could've screamed, and knowing the tragedy that followed only broke his heart for the woman he loved before and still. She could hardly understand how he could want to help her after the way she had behaved, so naive, she'd said, but Lex wouldn't hear it. He was hardly one to judge when it came to irrational behaviour in relationships. He'd been there, done that, would've worn the T-shirt that said so, were he the T-shirt wearing kind.

"Not much scares me, Lex" Chloe had told him in this very spot, a couple of hours ago now, "but Intergang... I heard Nigel St John shoot Jason. I've seen and heard other things, too many things" she admitted with a shake of her head and tears in her eyes, "and now there's the baby to think of. I have to find a way out of this, Lex, I have to"

"No" he'd replied simply, "No, we will find a way out of this" he swore, gripping her hand in his and promising her they were allies and friends to the end.

She was grateful but barely less afraid of what was to come. Lex could hardly blame her, for a certain amount of worry gnawed at his insides too. These people they were dealing with were dangerous to say the least, but they were not unstoppable. Nothing was stronger than Lex or at the very least his feelings for Chloe. It surprised even Lex himself that he could care for another person's well-being as much as his own, and here were two that he was risking everything for, Chloe and her baby daughter.

"We can do this, Chloe" he'd told the blonde, looking down into her eyes that filled with tears inspite of her attempts to conceal the fear inside, "but you have to trust me. I have to know everything that you know about Intergang" he told her, sure that if he were talking to anyone else he would never say such a thing because it would be fruitless.

Lex Luthor had access to information, any and all that he needed or desired from sources too many to mention. Nobody could know more than him about anything when he put his mind to finding out the truth, but Chloe had always been the exception to many a rule. He had no doubt she knew things about Intergang that even the criminals themselves had no idea of, after her lengthy in-depth investigation. How much she recalled or could get access to was of course another matter, considering the way she had come to be here at the mansion, and what had happened to Jason.

"I do have some information" she told him, glancing towards the office door and back, "Jason had the rest but... come on" she said, pulling out of his arms, but strangely taking hold of his hand and leading him through the house.

Lex was a little startled and confused by the odd sensation of her hand in his as they moved up the staircase towards the room she called her own for now. Heading inside, she found Rosa sitting by the crib, the baby sleeping soundly there. She was quickly dismissed by her boss and hurried away with a brief smile at Chloe as she went.

It ought not to have felt strange, but Lex couldn't help but notice he was in Chloe's bedroom alone with her, despite the fact the situation was far too serious to be forgotten in favour of fantasies his brain conjured on a whim.

"A lot of stuff was in my apartment" Chloe sighed as she ensured the door was closed and no-one was listening beyond it, "I'm pretty sure Church's men will have torn that apart by now, but I kept the most important thing with me" she smiled briefly at the use of her own devious streak, as she moved over to the corner of the room and then returned to where Lex stood with the seat she often carried the baby around in. He watched her with a hint of a proud smirk on his lips as she unhooked the padding from the plastic surround, reaching into the space between and producing a small black item that he easily identified.

"Isn't technology amazing" Chloe said as she handed him the computer memory stick, "So much information in such a tiny box that's never been too far away from me ever since I found out I was pregnant" she explained, "I had to have some kind of insurance, only I wasn't even sure how to use it" she explained, as Lex nodded in understanding.

"I'll take a look at this" he told her then, turning towards the door, stopping momentarily before leaving.

She didn't know what that pause was for and she never would unless she were a mind reader and Lex was sure that wasn't true. If it were she might not even stay here, if she understood how he really felt about her. It would make things awkward at best and too complicated for words in a situation that was already beyond a mess.

Downing the rest of his scotch, Lex let the memories slide away and concentrated on the here and now instead of a couple of hours before. There on his computer screen sat the contents of the memory stick Chloe had given to him. A lot of this information he already had, other parts he didn't but they would be of little or no use. Unfortunately this would not be quite as simple as threatening to out the heads of Intergang if they tried anything. One day they could tell the world the truth but the next the biggest cover up of all time would be in place and those that told the world the startling truth would not live to tell any more tales. No, Lex knew handling Intergang was never going to be simple, but Chloe was worth whatever he must suffer to save her and her child. Unfortunately for Lex, he understood only too well just exactly what sacrifice he might end up having to make, but they were worth it.

* * * * *

"This is insane, beyond insane!" Bill Church Jnr complained as he strode up and down the secure office beneath Metropolis, "The old man's losing his mind!"

"Indeed, sir, you may be right" Nigel agreed, from his spot in the corner of the room, "He does seem to have rather lost his edge of late"

"It's that damn health scare" the younger man complained, running out of steam and dropping down into his desk chair with a thud, "I don't know why he doesn't just hand over Intergang to me and damn well retire, do us all a favour" he said, propping his feet up on the desk, simultaneously popping a cigar into his mouth and preparing to light it.

"You know, sir, if Mr Church is taking too long in dispatching Miss Sullivan, matters might be taken into our own hands..." he suggested, not a hint of a smirk on his face despite the fact every evil genius ought to have one.

Billy seldom if ever realised he was being controlled, and yet Nigel had been messing with his head for a while now, just as soon as he discovered Chloe Sullivan had a connection to the Luthor family. Turning Billy against his father was simple, there was already so such animosity there, and Nigel loved playing mentor and ally to the younger, manipulating him to take charge of an operation to bring both Ms Sullivan and her protector down.

Lex Luthor did not deserve to carry the name, he was not a worthy son of Lionel for whom Nigel had once worked. The respect Mr St John had for his former boss' guile was only rivalled by his hatred for him, for more reasons than he cared to count, and one specific one that had led to his being permanently undercover for years, fearing arrest or worse. With Lionel done for this world years ago now, Nigel would avenge himself upon the son, as well as the woman who would expose the organisation he had helped to build and prosper over the years.

"That bitch Sullivan and her damn Warrior-Angel wannabe will be old and grey in that mansion in Smellyville long before Daddy Dearest makes a move" Billy complained, puffing thoughtfully on his cigar, "If he knows she's there, baby and all, why doesn't he just deal with it?"

"He seems to believe that he can let Lex into Intergang, as he seems to wish, and double-cross the double-crosser, as it were" Nigel explained to him, wondering if even that would be too much of a complex answer for the less-than-sharp son of Bill Church.

"And yet nobody thought that maybe Lex Luthor's objective is the same as ours?" he said then, "Maybe he wants to get into the gang by handing over just what, or rather whom, we want?" he suggested, immediately provoking an odd sound from Nigel that could only be described as laughter.

"No, indeed, sir" he said with an uncharacteristic chuckle in his voice, "Believe me, Lex Luthor is by no means his father's son, and when it comes to women he can be profoundly stupid"

"Good" Billy said, leaning back in his chair and putting his hands behind his head as he relaxed, "Then I take matters into my own hands" he declared, "and they all die"

To Be Continued...