Hidden Truths
A/N: Okay kids, this is where the mystery is resolved. A shout out to my mom and dad for helping me with some details. Again, thanks for all the reviews
Chapter 12
Dr. Dana Baxter stood over Lionel Luthor's semi-conscious body. The pillow she had used to smother him with lay discarded next to her. She had a syringe in her hand, filled with a deadly amount of snake venom. Cobra venom to be exact. An injection of this poison could kill someone, but not before it paralyzed the central nervous system. All in all, a very painful way to die.
Baxter smiled grimly to herself, as she looked once more at the clock. She knew that the guard shift change was in ten minutes. She had to move quickly. She pressed the syringe into Lionel's neck and was about to release the poison when she heard the commotion outside the door. There was quite a bit of yelling, and then silence.
She paused, confused as to what was happening at the guard station. She took a step away from the table, when she felt a whoosh of air, and hands were digging into her arm. She found herself staring into the furious face of a teenage boy.
"What the hell?! Where did you come from?" Baxter shouted in amazement. She never even saw the boy run into the room, let alone apprehend her.
The teenager ignored her, and instead shouted, "Guys, I've got her. Get in here quick!"
Baxter turned her head towards the door, and watched as the blonde reporter from the other day walked in, followed by Lex Luthor. She shook her head, angry at her own stupidity. Granting an interview to the daughter of a former patient had been a bad decision, but she couldn't refuse what her benefactor wanted. But then again, that had always been her problem.
The couple wasted no time in coming towards them. Baxter opened her mouth to speak, but Lex Luthor interrupted her. "Dr. Baxter, we're so glad that we found you. We have some questions for you and my father, so I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't kill him just yet."
Baxter's jaw dropped, and she was left in stunned silence. She had not been expecting this. She looked cautiously at the couple and asked, "What do I get if I cooperate?"
Again, Lex spook, but in a low voice, with barely controlled anger. Baxter flinched when she heard him practically spit at her. "I am not offering you anything. You are facing multiple counts of murder, attempted murder, attempted kidnapping, and a host of federal charges stemming from the drug you helped to create and distribute to hundreds of innocent victims."
At this point, Lex's voice had trailed off, and Chloe realized that he was trying to suppress his rage. She took his hand, and squeezed it gently. He glanced at her briefly, and took a deep breath, comforted by her steady gaze, and even steadier grip on his hand.
He began to speak again, and his voice had regained its strength. "Among those innocent victims were my mother, brother and Chloe's mother. The only help I'll ever offer you is the quickest route to hell!"
He hadn't realized it, but his voice had begun to rise with each word, until he was literally shouting at the psychiatrist, who for her part, looked like she was about to wet herself. She started to speak again, but was once again interrupted by a hoarse voice.
"Well done, son, I'm glad to see you can still threaten with the best of them."
All heads turned to the figure on the table. Lionel Luthor tried to sit up, but he was tied to the table. The blood from where the syringe had stuck him, had dried on his neck, and had run down to the collar of his prison uniform. His skin was still a bluish shade, from where his air had been cut off. He looked like hell, but he was still alive.
Lionel tried to loosen his binds but to no avail. He tried to catch his son's eye, and asked. "Lex? A little help here?"
Lex didn't move from his position, and Lionel suddenly realized that there were other people in the room besides his son and Dr. Baxter. He noticed the Kent boy with a death grip on the psychiatrist. And the third figure in the room was….Chloe Sullivan.
Lionel's eyes narrowed as he contemplated the young blonde who had given him so much trouble. He smiled slightly when both Lex and Clark moved to stand in front of Chloe. "Well, well, well. What have we here?"
He was not surprised at Clark's trying to protect the girl. They were, despite everything that had happened between them, still friends.
No, it was Lex's reaction that was the surprise. He knew from his trial that they had been working closely together, but he had no idea that the relationship had continued, and seemed to be as strong as ever.
Lex's voice interrupted his father's thought. "So, Dad, are you planning on telling us why Dr. Baxter tried to kill you? Besides the obvious reasons, of course."
Before Lionel could even formulate a response, Baxter piped in with, "My God, I thought you were a genius. You haven't figured it out yet?"
This time Chloe spoke. "He has something to do with Dr. Flint's death."
Baxter turned to Chloe with a sneer in her voice. "Why look what we have here. Blondie blonde is halfway intelligent."
Chloe's expression darkened in anger, but Baxter cut her off before she could reply. "Lionel actually had quite a bit to do with Flint's death. Considering the fact that he's the killer."
Lionel smiled mirthlessly. "Your point?"
Chloe was momentarily stunned then she started to shout. "The point being that my mother was blamed for a crime that YOU committed!"
Lionel gave an impatient snort. "Please Miss Sullivan, don't be so melodramatic. Your mother didn't go to jail, did she?"
Chloe's outraged reply was silenced when Lex stepped closer to the table where his father was tied down. "What exactly happened that night?"
Again, Baxter spoke before Lionel could. She sent Lionel a malevolent smile before she answered for him. "He killed Flint because of what happened to your mother and brother."
"Flint murdered my wife and son," Lionel suddenly snarled. "Lillian was already unstable and those god-forsaken pills pushed her over the edge." He looked sickened, and suddenly much older. "Flint had to pay for what he did to my family."
Lex could barley contain his own contempt when he heard his father's words. "Dad, you gave Mom and Julian that death sentence when you signed the consent form that made her a guinea pig."
Dr. Baxter snorted with derision. "Your mother was lucky to receive the treatment she did. In fact…" Baxter's voice trailed off when she saw the hatred gleaming out of both Luthor men's eyes.
Lex clenched his jaw and barely controlled his anger. "Mention my mother again, and I won't be responsible for my actions. And exactly how do you know all this?"
"Because Dr. Baxter heard me arguing with Flint, and decided to investigate. She walked into the room right after…" Lionel made a slashing gesture across his throat. "We struck a deal. She would help me cover up Flint's death, and I would continue funding the research into their anti-depressant."
Lionel paused and turned to look at Chloe. "It had actually worked out rather nicely, but you had to go interfering. That is a nasty habit of yours, Miss Sullivan."
He turned towards his son. "Lex, you have to believe that I would never put any member of my family purposely in danger. I though this was the most expedient way to cure your mother, so she would be like her old self again."
This time time Lex didn't even try to control his rage. "The only thing you wanted restored was the image of your perfect family to trot out to the shareholders. You had no interest in what was best for Mom, or Julian. Only for yourself!"
Lionel closed his eyes, pained at hearing the harsh truth. "Think what you want Lex, you always do. But I did kill Flint. I stabbed him to death with his own knife. And I don't regret it for a minute. The man was a monster and he deserved to die."
Chloe stepped towards Lionel, and spoke furiously. "How is my mom involved and why is Baxter trying to kill you?"
Baxter, spoke up again, clearly enjoying all the misery around her. "She was the last appointment for the day, and we needed a scapegoat. Enter Claire Sullivan." Baxter tried to look sorrowful but failed miserably. "It was a crime of opportunity I'm afraid. Your mom was in the wrong place, at the wrong time."
"But you want to know how Claire was set-up, don't you?" Chloe shuddered at how much Baxter seemed to relish telling how she destroyed her mother's life. "It was simple really. As your mother walked into the room, I injected her with a stronger dosage of the anti-depressant. I took the knife, smeared her hands and clothes with his blood, and left her to wake up."
Lex looked to his father. "You bribed the judge to get Chloe's mom released both times, didn't you?"
Lionel nodded his head, and Baxter gladly filled in the details. "Convincing Claire that she actually did the crime was easy work. However, getting her to leave her husband and daughter proved a lot harder. I finally had to insinuate that she was so out of control, she might accidentally hurt her precious daughter and husband. That did the trick."
Chloe blinked back tears, and stared at the woman in front of her in horrified silence. Lex stood next to her, unsure of what to say. Indeed, there was not much to say. Both of their families were destroyed on the whim of two mentally deranged psychiatrists.
"And as for why I tried to kill Lionel? There are so many reasons, but among them was the warehouse full of evidence about the instability of the drug Flint and I created. The alarm was rigged to the bomb, when the bomb didn't go off; I knew the authorities would be coming for me. If I'm going down, I'm taking Lionel Luthor with me"
Chloe shook her head in disbelief, and tried to quell the hysterical laughter that threatened to erupt at any second. "You're telling me that my family was ruined, because my mother had the last appointment? Jesus, you have got to be kidding me?!"
Again, Baxter tried to look upset for Chloe, but she just looked like she was trying not to grin. "But think of all the good that has been done from all of the money Lionel has been giving to my research. We've made great strides in the field of psychiatry."
The other four occupants in the room looked askance at the doctor. Baxter rolled her eyes, and said, "Yes, I know of all the unfortunate accidents, but there are always casualties in a war. It is just a painful part of medicine."
Clark tightened his grip on Baxter's arm. "Those unfortunate accidents were innocent children who died from your playing Frankenstein with their mothers' lives. And two of my closest friends are hurting because of you. Don't you dare make light of your monstrous actions!"
Baxter winced more at the pain in her arm, then Clark's harsh words. Chloe placed a hand on Clark's arm. "Easy, Clark. We want to deliver her to the guards with all her limbs attached."
Clark immediately loosened his grip, and shot Chloe a half-smile. "Are you okay?"
Chloe started to shake her head, when Baxter interrupted with one last ace to play. "Aren't you even curious where your mother is?"
Chloe turned to her in surprise, and tried to keep her excitement in check. "You know where she is?"
Lex strode over to Chloe, and placed himself between her and Baxter. He placed both of his hands on her shoulders, and looked into her face. He saw her fear, but he also saw a glimmer of hope. "Chloe, do not listen to a word this woman has to say. She is clearly insane, and trying to make a deal for herself."
"But Lex, what if she really can tell me where my mom is?" Chloe tried not to sound gullible, but if Baxter gave her a last known location, she could take it from there.
Lex shook his head. "Chloe, I will find your mother for you. Don't listen to her."
The other three people watched their exchange carefully. Clark was hoping that Chloe would listen to Lex, and realize that Baxter was evil personified.
Lionel watched through narrowed eyes at his son's obvious devotion to the blonde girl. This was not good at all.
Baxter sighed impatiently, wanting some kind of credit for ratting out Lionel and clearing an innocent woman. "I know where your mother is. If you help me, I'll tell you everything you need to know, so you'll be able to find her."
Chloe hated to admit it, but she was torn. She desperately wanted to find her mom, but the thought of Baxter getting any kind of leniency made her sick. Chloe slowly nodded her head, and looked at Lex. "Alright, we'll play it your way."
Lex's smiled in relief. "Thank God, Chloe, I was really scared there!"
When Baxter heard Chloe's reply, she screamed in rage. "You stupid, stupid girl! I have all the answers you need, but you still won't help me."
Baxter was shaking with rage, as she ranted at Chloe. "God, you are even more naive then your mother was! And all she ever did was cry, and ask me where her little sparrow was."
Baxter paused, and a look of malevolence crossed her face before, she looked directly at Chloe. She began to speak in a mocking tone of voice. "Oh, Sparrow, I miss you and love you! Can you ever forgive me?"
Chloe didn't even hesitate. She crossed the room, stood in front of Baxter, and punched her across the face. Baxter landed with a thud onto the concrete floor, knocked out cold.
Lionel looked at the unconscious form of Dr. Baxter and smiled relief. "Thank God! I thought that bitch was never going to shut up."
