Hidden Truths

Chapter 11

"Guys?! You have to see this!"

Clark turned expectantly when he heard Lex and Chloe come up behind him, eager to see what he had discovered. They looked at him for an explanation but Clark simply pointed at the wall.

Chloe turned but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. She moved to take a step closer to the wall, but she was stopped by Lex's hand on her arm. She turned a questioning gaze on him, but he started to turn her towards the door. Before she could begin to protest, Clark had grabbed her other arm and she was being hustled out of the warehouse.

When they reached the outside, she shook their hands off of her, and glared in anger at them. "Want to tell me what the manhandling was for?"

Neither man answered her. Instead, Lex pulled out his cell phone, and announced, "I'm calling the FBI." Clark nodded in agreement, and started a fast walk towards the entrance to the building. "I think I can diffuse it."

Lex started to protest, but Clark interrupted. "There's a chance all of those records could be lost. Do you really want to take that risk?"

Chloe listened to their conversation and asked incredulously. "There's a freakin' bomb in there? Shit, Clark, there's an even bigger chance that you could be blown up with the records!"

Clark smiled grimly at his friends. "Guys, I can do this. Trust me!"

Lex and Chloe turned to look at each other, and in that split second, Clark was back inside the building. After what felt like an eternity, but was actually two minutes, Clark came back to the doorway and shouted, "Everything is okay. It's not going to go off."

Chloe and Lex exchanged another look and started to run towards the warehouse again. Neither spoke their suspicions aloud, but they weren't surprised that Clark could diffuse a bomb. Before they could begin to question him, they heard sirens in the distance. Clark didn't even try to hide his relieved expression. The Calvary had arrived and not a moment to soon.

Chloe, Lex and Clark arrived back in Smallville a little before dawn. They had been questioned repeatedly about the files and particularly, the bomb, and what they knew about both. Lex and Chloe explained about Flint and Baxter, and what had happened to their mothers.

It was only when Lex threatened to have his attorney call the Attorney General, that the Feds finally let them go. Apparently, the agents had uncovered over a hundred cases of drugged women abusing/killing their children. They swore out an arrest warrant for Dr. Baxter, and took their statements. The agents told Lex, Chloe, and Clark to go back home, and, if needed, they would be called in for further questioning.

Lex pulled up to Chloe's house, and shook his head, stunned at the swiftness of the events that transpired at the warehouse. He looked over at his two friends, and was amazed at their courage, particularly Chloe's. Reading those files had been gut wrenching, but Chloe never flinched, and she never looked away. He knew that her mind would be whirling as to what her mother would have done to her if she hadn't been stopped.

Chloe chose that moment to look over at him, and tried to smile reassuringly. Instead, her eyes filled up with tears, and she started to cry. She didn't know if she was crying for herself, of for the eleven year old boy who watched his mother kill his baby brother, or for all of the innocent children killed by their mothers.

Either way, the trauma of the day's events finally caught up with her, and once she started crying, she couldn't seem to stop. Lex pulled her into a hug, and started to rub her back while he whispered soothing words to her.

Clark, who had fallen asleep in the backseat, woke up when he heard Chloe's sobs, but before he could reach out to comfort his friend, Lex had her in his arms. He was stunned into silence at the sight of his two closest friends holding each other.

He smiled slightly when he realized that they looked good together, but it quickly turned into a frown when he thought about what her dad would say. He didn't even want to contemplate what his own father would have to say on the subject. His mom, well, he had a feeling she would say that she saw it all along. And Pete's opinion was a whole other subject.

Clark shook his head and wondered at all the obstacles Chloe and Lex would have to get past in order for them to be together.

But that was in the future, and it was the present that they had to deal with now. Clark knew that sooner or later he would have to talk about the whole diffusing the bomb situation. He had been able to use his heat vision to sever the wire between the detonator and the switch. Now, how would he explain that to his extremely curious friends?

He was taken out of his thoughts when he heard Chloe whisper 'Thank you' to Lex, and kiss his cheek before moving out of his embrace. Lex whispered back 'Anytime' as he ran his fingers gently across her neck and cheek.

Clark watched as Chloe blushed and Lex grinned at her response to his flirting. They really were rather sweet together. He made a mental note that when this whole mess was straightened out, he would pull Lex's punk card about his obvious affection for their blonde friend.

Clark opened his mouth to speak, when Chloe and Lex turned to look at Clark. Their expressions were deadly serious and Clark tried not to gulp too loudly. Lex was the first to speak. "Clark, we are both grateful for what you did tonight. We would never have found those records and been able to salvage all of the evidence if it weren't for you."

He paused, and they shared a look of mutual understanding before Lex continued. "You not only saved our lives tonight, but helped to get justice for many murdered children. You helped to bring peace to those mothers who were also horribly abused. Above all, we have the evidence to put Baxter away, and, hopefully, find Chloe's mom."

Again, Lex paused and he and Chloe exchanged another look. This time, Chloe spoke. "What Lex is trying to say, is that we won't question you about all the miraculous things you've done. You've saved our lives, and when you're ready to tell us, just know that you can trust us."

Clark didn't know what to expect, but it certainly wasn't that. He nodded his head slowly, not trusting himself to speak. One day, he hoped he would be able to tell them his secret, but right now, it just wasn't the right time.

The three friends sat in silence, until Lex spoke again. "I'm planning on visiting my father this afternoon. I would understand if neither of you wanted to come along.."

Before Lex could finish his statement, Chloe interrupted him. "Hell, yes, I want to go. I want to see Lionel's expression when you question him about drugging your mom."

And Clark added. "You can't cut me out now. Besides, you never know when you might need some more back up."

Lex shook his head in amusement, but sobered quickly when he though of his father. "Okay, I recommend trying to get some sleep, and we'll meet at the Plant at noon. We'll take the helicopter to Metropolis."

Lex was waiting for Chloe and Clark with a grim expression on his face. As soon as they were all seated, and belted in, Lex turned and spoke worriedly. "Dr. Baxter has avoided being captured by the police."

Chloe's face paled at the words, but Lex hurried to reassure her. "The airports, train stations, and bus station are being watched. The FBI, the police and my own security team are looking for her. She won't get out of Metropolis."

Chloe tried to take heart at Lex's words, but she was afraid. They were so close to having all the answers, only to have Baxter escape the authorities. She cheered up slightly at the thought of Lionel Luthor's expression when they walked in with Lex. She doubted he'd be too happy to see any of them.

When they got to the guard station, they were told that they would have to wait, because Mr. Luthor's doctor was in with him. Chloe rolled her eyes, and tried to keep her impatience from showing. Lex, not to be deterred, told the guards that he was well acquainted with the man who was his father's physician and Dr. Wood wouldn't mind the interruption.

The guard looked surprised and said, "Wood isn't the name of Mr. Luthor's physician. Besides, this is a lady physician and she might mind all of you barging in."

Lex stilled at the words, and looked back at the guard, and tried to keep himself from showing the panic he was feeling. "What is the name of this lady physician?"

The guard looked at the sign in sheet and said, "Baxter, a Dr. Dana Baxter."