Chapter 51

"Rush"

Clark and Lois arrived at 'The Rush' and headed to the back employee entrance. "You two are late," the large, dark haired, bouncer said as he took Clark and Lois' ID cards and examined them.

"What?" Lois asked as the bouncer passed her card back to her.

"You two were supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago," the man replied.

"I don't go onstage for a half an hour," Lois said as she noticed the bouncer looking at her. She glanced at Clark and noticed him flexing his fist as if was going to hit the man in front of them.

"Whoa, didn't get an attitude."

"I wasn't."

"Look, you may be the new dancer, but that doesn't mean you get any special treatment. Someone should teach you a lesson," the man said in a threatening tone.

"You try to lay a hand on her you'll have to go through me," Clark warned positioning himself between Lois and the bouncer.

"Ha. Why am I not surprised, the bodyguard has a thing for the dancer. Always happens."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Every time a bodyguard gets assigned to a dancer he falls for her and becomes protective of her."

"I'm not protective," Clark said causing Lois to roll her eyes.

"Right. We'll see about that when she gets onstage," the man laughed.

"Okay, let's go Tom," Lois said grabbing Clark's arm and dragging him toward the rooms in the back of the club. Clark kept his eyes on the bouncer until he and Lois rounded a corner. "Will you relax? You look like you're going to kill him and he didn't even do anything," Lois stated. "What was that?" She demanded as she pulled Clark into a room full of half dressed girls.

"I don't trust him," Clark replied as he noticed where he and Lois were.

"We're trying to not draw attention to ourselves," Lois stated.

"I should leave," Clark said uncomfortably as he turned away from a woman who was changing her shirt beside him.

"Stay," Lois warned.

"Do I have to?" Clark asked embarrassed.

"We have a half an hour."

"Fine," Lois said turning and putting a hand beside his face to block his view of the changing women in the room.

"Come with me," Lois laughed at Clark's awkwardness as she dragged him by the arm.

"Where are we going?" Clark asked.

"We're going to take a look around," Lois said.

"Sure, until we get caught."

"If you keep quiet we won't," Lois said.


"Where are you going?" Lana asked as she saw Lex in his office picking up a briefcase.

"I have business to attend to down at 'The Rush'," Lex answered.

"I thought you weren't going to go to 'The Rush' this week?"

"I wasn't, but I got a call from a business associate and he wants me to meet two of his men at the club."

"Can't you do it some other night?"

"They're only in town tonight."

"Are you going alone?"

"I was planning to."

"Lex, you know how dangerous the last three deals got. Please, take someone with you."

"Who?" Lex asked. "I gave my bodyguards the night off."

"Take Otis and Richard."

"Lana."

"Please Lex. I don't want to plan your funeral instead of our wedding."

"Fine, how can I argue with that? I'll call them right now."

"Thank you."

"Anything for you," Lex said kissing Lana's forehead.


"Lois-"

"Erica! If someone hears you call me Lois then we're in trouble. Is it so hard for you to call me by a different name?" Lois asked in frustration.

"Sorry," Clark apologized. "Do you even know what you're looking for?"

"Evidence, maybe something incriminating," Lois stated.

"I know that," Clark said.

"I'm trying to find something to incriminate Lex, what are you looking for?"

"I'm looking out for you, trying to make sure we don't get caught."

"You two," a familiar man's voice said from behind them.

"Great job making sure we don't get caught," Lois hissed sarcastically.

"You distracted me," Clark defended.

"Right, blame me."

"What are you two doing?" The bouncer Clark and Lois had met earlier asked.

"We were just looking for a room where I could change in private," Lois lied.

"You're a stripper and you don't want to undress in front of people?"

"She a little shy," Clark said.

"You're the first modest stripper I've met. Fine, you can get changed in there."

"Thanks," Lois smiled. "Tom, come," Lois instructed.

"You won't change in front of a room full of girls but you'll change in front of him?"

"Well, he's worked with me forever," Lois said.

"Right," the bouncer laughed. "Anyway, make this snappy. You're on in ten minutes. Save a dance for me," the bouncer said looking over Lois then he left and headed to the club area.

"Smallville, you'd better sit close to the stage so I don't have to go near that perv," Lois said.

"I'll be right there in front of the stage," Clark reassured.

"You'd better be," Lois gave Clark a warning look.


"Hey guys," Chloe said as she walked into the living room where Pete, Jimmy and A.C. were playing a video game while Linda watched from a chair in the corner. "I'm going out and I'll be back in about an hour."

"Why?" Pete asked as he, Jimmy, A.C. and Linda all looked at Chloe.

"Where are you going?" Jimmy asked.

"I'm going to go pick up some food for dinner for us," explained Chloe.

"I'll go with you," Jimmy volunteered.

"No, Jimmy that's okay. You stay here and hang out with the guys and Linda."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Actually Chloe, would you mind if I came with you?" Linda asked standing up.

"You don't have to."

"I want to, if it's okay. We don't get to hang out much, but I'd like to get to know you a little better, and this would give us a chance to get to know each other a little more."

"Yeah, okay. That sounds good. Thanks."

"You don't have to thank me," Linda giggled. "I want to get to know you better Chloe, you're my cousin's best friend, I share an apartment with your boyfriend, we hang out together all the time but don't really know each other. I want to be your friend."

"True," Chloe smiled.

"Have fun," A.C. said.

"Don't worry we will. You aren't coming so it will be great," Linda teased.

"I thought the mean girl was gone," A.C. replied.

"You wish."


Clark headed out to the front of the club and found a table located just right of the stage to sit at. There was no way Lois could miss him. Clark took a quick glance around the club as he sat down. He was looking for any suspicious behavior that could help him and Lois expose Lex. Then he noticed the bouncer taking a seat three tables from him, waiting to have sick fantasies of Lois no doubt, he sickened Clark. If he so much as put a finger on Lois Clark would make sure he regretted it. Suddenly the stage lights went dim.

"Now, 'The Rush' would like to welcome to its stage the gorgeous, the voluptuous, Erica," an announcer said as Clark's head shot to the stage and Lois walked out in the same sailor outfit she had wore the last time they had found themselves in a situation like this. The music began and Lois began to move and dance with it. Clark glanced over at the bouncer who was clearly enjoying Lois' performance. Clark's jaw tightened in anger as he looked at the man. Clark looked back at the stage in time to meet Lois' eyes. She smiled when she saw him. Relief flooded her face at the thought of knowing where Clark was so she wouldn't have to go to some other man's table. Finally the music stopped. "Thank you, Erica. I wish I was the lucky guy at the table she's headed to," the announcer said as Lois walked off the stage and headed to Clark's table. Lois began to act like she was dancing for Clark when suddenly the bouncer was at the table. He violently grabbed Lois by the arm and pulled her to his side.

"Hey!" Clark warned as he jumped up from the table.

"I told you that you owed me a dance," the bouncer said ignoring Clark's warning and remaining focused on Lois.

"Take your hands off her," Clark warned as the bouncer pulled Lois against him.

"Leave the bodyguard, let's you and me go have a private dance session out in one of the back rooms," the man said rubbing a hand up and down Lois' back.

"No," Lois said disgusted.

"You don't have a choice," the bouncer said through gritted teeth as he roughly pulled Lois.

"Leave her alone," Clark said angrily.

"I always get first choice of the strippers," the bouncer said.

"Too bad, you can't have her," Clark said punching the man in the face, knocking him down. At that moment Lois spotted Lex, Otis and Richard entering the club and heading in thei direction, looking at the crowd that was now circling around Lois, Clark and the bouncer.

"Tom," Lois warned gaining Clark's attention.

"What is it?" Clark asked.

"Lex is here," Lois replied.

Clark looked to the front of the club and saw Lex, Otis and Richard. "Let's go," Clark said grabbing Lois' hand and heading toward the back.

"Wait!" The bouncer choked while shakily trying to climb to his feet.

"Keep moving," Lois whispered as her and Clark disappeared into the back employee area. They walked quickly down a hallway and rounded a corner where they spotted Lex walking up the same hallway with Richard Otis and two other men from the opposite direction. Clark was busy looking over his shoulder making sure the bouncer wasn't following. Lois suddenly got an idea. "Kiss me," she instructed, grabbing Clark by the shirt and pulling him in front of her.

"What?" Clark asked confused by Lois' sudden demand.

"Just do it!" Lois hissed pulling his mouth to hers and kissing him.

"What's going on?" Clark asked out of breath as he and Lois broke momentarily.

"Lex," replied Lois. "Now, make it look like you hired me for a private 'dance' backstage." Lois grabbed the back of Clark's neck and pulled him into a kiss again.

"What?" Clark pulled away.

"Nice time to be an innocent farm boy, Smallville. Just do what I tell you and follow my lead," Lois instructed gaining a nod from Clark. "Okay, I'm going to raise my left leg put it on you side, grab it with your right hand and pick me up so I can wrap my legs around your waist and keep kissing me. Then I want you to push me into the wall."

"While I'm holding you?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Just do it," Lois said suddenly kissing Clark. She raised her left leg as she said and Clark followed the instructions she had given, grabbing her leg and picking her up. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist and put her arms around his neck and his pushed into the wall.

"Now what?" Clark asked between kisses.

"I can't believe you have to ask," Lois rolled her eyes. She glanced to the left as she continued kissing Clark and saw Lex and the others still standing at the end of the hall. "Crap!" She grunted.

"Did I hurt you?" Clark pulled away.

"No, keep kissing me," Lois said pulling his head back toward hers. "At least touch me to make it look more real," Lois instructed as she pushed a hand through Clark's hair and rubbed his back with the other.

"Fine," Clark responded and placed a hand on Lois back.

"Gosh, Smallville, am I going to have to walk you through our wedding night?" Lois asked between their heavy kissing.

"'Our' wedding night? Clark asked suddenly breaking away from Lois.

"I said 'your'," Lois covered then changed the subject. "We have to get out of this hallway before Lex recognizes us. Here's the plan, kiss me like we're doing and we'll move toward that room on my left," Lois said. Clark began kissing Lois again and moved away from the wall, still holding Lois up. He walked toward the door so that Lois was back on to Lex and her body was hiding his face. "Good thinking," Lois said as she realized Clark's deliberate movements. Clark smiled at her as they reached the door and he quickly opened it. He went in with Lois and kicked the door shut behind them. Once inside he stopped kissing Lois and set her in the floor.

"Now what?" Clark asked as Lois looked around the room, her eyes stopped on a vent in the ceiling. Clark followed her gaze then looked back at her again as she turned to smile at him. "Oh no," Clark said.

"Oh yes. We can crawl through the vent and position ourselves over Lex so we can hear what he's up to."

"Lois-"

"Come on. Lift me up," Lois smiled at Clark.

"Fine," Clark submitted linking his hands and crouching so that Lois could step into them. "I can't believe we're doing this."


"Isn't that Mr. Luthor?" Linda asked Chloe as they entered the restaurant and spotted Lionel standing with his back to the two.

"Yeah, it is. We should go say hi," Chloe replied. The two approached and realized that Lionel was on his cell phone, he didn't notice the girls coming up behind him because of this distraction.

"It was unacceptable. He could have died," Lionel said fiercely.

"I told them only Lex and Lana, but they disobeyed my orders."

"Clark was not meant to be a target. I told them to capture Lex and Lana and erase any memories they had of Clark Kent. They weren't supposed to drag Clark, Lois, Jimmy and Chloe into it. They could have killed them, it's inexcusable. I hired them to help Clark, not kill him."

"Well luckily they are in jail where they belong, but Lex is still a problem."

"No. I'll take care of Lex and Lana some other way. Leave them in jail where they belong. No one can ever know the part I played in this, especially Clark. All the evidence of my involvement has been destroyed, I just need you to make sure they are locked up for life. I need you to pay off the judge for me, make sure someone who can be bought is assigned to the case."

"Good. Keep me updated," Lionel said hanging up his phone. Linda and chloe looked at each other, both thinking the same thing.

"I don't believe you," Chloe said, gaining Lionel's attention.

"Miss Sullivan. Miss Lee," Lionel greeted with a smile.

"Oh cut the crap," Linda jumped in.

"I can't believe you'd do something like this," said Chloe.

"What?"

"My cousin trusts you. He almost died because of you."

"You've misunderstood. I was trying to help Clark."

"Help him?" Chloe stated in disbelief.

"You help him by almost killing him?" Linda questioned.

"No. You don't understand."

"Oh, we understand perfectly. You are just like your son. You'll go to any lengths to benefit yourself and get what you want."

"I was trying to protect him."

"Protect him! What if your 'plan' had gone more wrong? Clark would have died, then what?"

"But it didn't. He's alive and he never has to know."

"No. He needs to know. He trusts you and you lied and almost killed him."

"You can't tell him about this."

"Watch us." And with that both girls left.


"How long is this thing?" Lois complained as she and Clark crawled through the vent system.

"Shh… They'll hear you," Clark replied.

"Don't 'shh…' me."

"They're here," Clark whispered, looking through the grate in front of him. Lois pushed past him and looked down.

"What do you think they're doing?" Lois asked. Otis, Richard and Lex stood side by side facing the two men. Neither Clark nor Lois recognized the two men. One had long, dark hair pulled into a ponytail. He had a thin beard that outlined his square jaw line. He was large, about 6'5" and built very muscular. He wore a grey suit with a black dress shirt and crimson tie. The other man had a similar build, but he was a little shorter, maybe 6'1". He had chestnut brown hair, close to the length of Clark's hair and he wore it gelled back so that his facial features were very noticeable. He had some facial hair right below his lower lip and thick, bushy eyebrows. He wore grey suit as well and a white shirt with the top button open.

"I don't know what they're doing here, but I'm assuming it has something to do with whatever's inside that briefcase," Clark said, looking at the silver briefcase in Otis' hands.

"The boss will be happy to know that you could make it on such sort notice, Mr. Luthor," the man with the ponytail said.

"Anything for a respected client," Lex replied.

"Well, he only needs enough for the rest of the week, then we get another shipment in."

"Well, it's right here and it should be just enough," Lex said as Otis passed him the briefcase.

"He'll be pleased. We have the $10,000.00, but we want to take a look in the briefcase just to make sure everything is in the right order. You know how it is."

"Of course," Lex said clicking the locks on the briefcase open.

"What do you think is in there?" Lois asked as she watched intently.

"I don't know," Clark answered as Lex opened the briefcase and it revealed liquidized Kryptonite. Clark suddenly fell forward, weak and unable to support his own weight. He crashed through the vent and to the floor below where he landed, face down, unable to move.

"Clark," Lois whispered in concern as she looked down at him, but tried to hide from the men.

"Well well, what do we have here?" Lex asked kicking Clark, causing him to roll over onto his back. "Clark Kent. Why am I not surprised. Didn't your ma and pa ever tell you not to sneak around in places you don't belong?" Richard looked up to the vent Clark had fallen through and spotted Lois watching them in concern. "Well, Mr. Kent. We're going to have to make sure what you just saw never leaves this place," Lex said closing the briefcase. Clark's pain immediately stopped and he realized the case must have been lined with lead. Clark continued to lay on the floor feigning an injury. "Boys, you want to give me a hand with this," Lex said. The two men stepped toward Lex and Clark. Lois saw her chance. She grabbed the edge of the vent hole and swung down using the momentum of the swing to kick the two large men in back and then she let go of the vent and dropped to the floor as the two men stumbled forward. Clark, who now had all his strength back, used the distraction to his advantage. He jumped to his feet, grabbed the man with the ponytail, punched him in the face and threw him into the wall. Lois back spun and kicked the other man in the face knocking him out. Lois then grabbed a chair and hit Otis over the head knocking him out as well. "I'm surprised at you Clark," Lex said as he and clark stared at each other.

"I can't say I'm surprised by you," Clark replied. "It's not shock you're making drug deals selling refined meteor rocks."

"Is that what you think this is?"

"This is that, Lex. You're not fooling anyone."

"Really," Lex said looking down. "Well, Clark, I'm sorry things between us had to end up this way." Lex suddenly grabbed the lead briefcase and swung it at Clark's head. Clark ducked and ducked again as Lex took another swing. Clark reached up, grabbed Lex by the shirt and punched him in the face, letting him fall to the floor and drop the briefcase. He then picked Lex up and punched him in the face again, this time with enough force to knock him out then he threw Lex's unconscious body back onto a table. Clark and Lois both turned to Richard who posed as if he were going to fight.

"What are you doing?" Lois asked.

"Putting on a show for the security cameras. If you don't act like you knock me out then Lex will know I helped you," Richard explained.

"Fine," Clark agreed and walked toward Richard. The two began circling each other. Richard took a fake swing at Clark, who ducked. The Clark suddenly punched Richard in the face and pushed him back into the wall. Richard fell down. "Let's go. Quickly," Clark said to Lois as he grabbed her hand and both took off before anymore trouble could find them.