TRUTHSEEKERS

Part 16

"Miss Alexander."

Chloe whirled around in surprise. She had sent Lois on ahead to wait for her at her apartment while she finished the preparations that Bruce Wayne had asked her to see to. The dinner party that he was holding was great publicity for Wayne Enterprises, since Mr. Wayne had taken care to invite the most esteemed people around.

"Mr. Wayne," she exclaimed breathlessly. "What are you doing here so late?"

"Seeing as it's my building I find no reason to explain myself," Bruce answered with a smirk. "You however are another matter. Why are you just leaving at," he glanced at the watch on his wrist, "nine in the evening?"

"Well I've always been a workaholic," she said easily, "and you've always found that to be a very good trait on this employee."

"True," the dark-haired man agreed. "But that was before you informed me of certain… changes."

She should have been affronted by his reference to her condition changing her work habit, but he spoke the words without a trace of malice or irritation that there was no mistaking it for anything but concern. "I won't slack off just because of this, Mr. Wayne. I'm a modern woman," she informed him with a grin.

"Of course you are, Lily," he replied smoothly.

"I had to finish the party preparations, call every last caterer and florist and recheck the accommodations for your guests flying in from out of state."

"And you couldn't ask anyone else to do this for you why?"

"Someone once told me you can't trust underlings to do the job right," Chloe told him teasingly.

"Well I would have appreciated getting the heads up that you'll be all alone here tonight and I could have brought you dinner and helped."

"You're paying me to do my job right, Mr. Wayne, not to be taken care of."

Bruce merely shook his head at the short blonde in front of him, who was acting like she were six feet tall. "Well I hope your sensibilities as a modern woman won't be insulted by my offering you a ride home. It's too late to call a cab and I won't let you walk on those heels in your—"

"If you say condition I'm going to thwack your head with these heavy folios boss or not!" she warned.

Chloe rolled her eyes when her words reminded Bruce Wayne that she was carrying office materials, and he easily took them from her hands. "I have to get you an assistant round-the-clock," he muttered. "So have you picked out a dress for the dinner?" he asked as he helped her into the backseat of the car.

Once he sat beside her, the black limousine rolled off into the night. "I was actually planning to stay at home, Mr. Wayne. I have a visitor."

"Ms. Lane."

Chloe didn't bother to look surprised. With the security of the Wayne Building, there was no way he could not know that Lois Lane had come to see her. "Actually yes. I should keep her company."

"Invite her along. I haven't seen Ms. Lane since she made me take you."

A smile graced the corner of her lips. "Was it really that bad?"

"Amazingly enough, that blackmail was also a blessing. I've not had such a great PR person before."

"She must have something really bad on you!"

"You have no idea," he said. "But everyone has secrets. I was unfortunate enough to have been careless with the reporter around." The car slowed and Bruce glanced out. "Here we are. I'll walk you to your door."

"It's not necessary, Mr. Wayne."

"Lily, this part of our evenings is pointless and you know it. I'll still walk you in and no matter how much you insist that I don't."

"Fine," she sighed. When she moved to pick up the folders and envelopes, she found them already in his grasp.

Bruce help her elbow as they walked up the stairs leading to the door. And then without speaking, he took the keys from her and opened the door. He led her into the elevator and through the corridor until they reached the door bearing the name 'ALEXANDER.' He slipped the key into the knob and swung the door open.

"Oh no," Chloe murmured at the sound of the music blasting out of the room.

"Seems like Ms. Lane has made herself at home," he told her.

"You should leave," Chloe whispered back. "She'd be totally humiliated." Chloe had a pretty good idea how they would find Lois Lane.

"Well it's something to balance the fact that she has on me."

"And you can foist me on her again!"

"Never," he denied, looking at her with what she suspected was all the warmth his gothic personality could muster.

They found Lois exactly how Chloe had dreaded it. She was headbanging to an alternative album, wearing nothing but a thin cotton tank top and bikini briefs. She was holding a brush to her mouth and singing, or rather, shouting along with the lead vocals.

To his credit, Bruce Wayne did not laugh. He even cleared his throat futilely to alert her to their presence. But Lois Lane rocked on. Finally, the song stopped, and when Lois opened her eyes to play it again, she stopped stock still.

Chloe was standing in the doorway shocked into uncharacteristic silence. The worst thing was that Bruce Wayne, the mysterious and utterly delicious Batman himself, as she discovered covering a series of frauds and robberies in Gotham last year, was standing behind her with a ridiculous smirk on his face.

"I would love to see you perform at my party tomorrow," Bruce started, and Lois wanted to jump on him and murder him. She would even relish writing the headline herself. "But Lily had confirmed with all the musicians and I doubt she can fit you in. I would like you to be there though." Lois opened her mouth to croak out thank you, but Bruce continued, "Because Lily doesn't want to come without you."

"That's very gallant," Lois retorted. She took the folders from him so she could push him out the door. "Bye, Brucey," she waved. It was not like he could do anything about it. She still held the aces in the secret department. A hidden fantasy to be in a rock band did not translate equally to a secret identity as Gotham's dark vigilante.

When Lois finally shut the door, Chloe burst out laughing. "You were very good, Lois!"

"Shut up, Chloe. Now we have to spend for dresses!" she whined, although the spark of excitement in her eyes told Chloe that Lois would not let this opportunity to rub elbows with country's finest pass.

"Speak for yourself," Chloe said. "As head of PR, my expenditure for these events are on him!"

Lois nodded in agreement. "We'll have to get the most expensive one then. It's not like it'll put a dent on his account." She didn't bother to say that if Chloe just stayed with Lex Luthor, she would not even have to glance at price tags for the rest of her life. Lois shrugged. It was Chloe's choice. She still couldn't believe how satisfied she was feeling sitting on the biggest story to hit human interest and national issues for a long time.

The next day, the two of them went to the elite mall this side of Gotham. It held only the best boutiques with the best selection of gowns and shoes. Lois pulled Chloe to the display windows bearing a shimmering deep ruby mermaid cut gown with a very low décolletage. The V neckline dipped so low that it touched her stomach.

"The beautiful thing about how far along you are," Lois said, "is that you don't have the tummy yet but you definitely have the boobs."

Chloe grinned. She had not spoken like this with anyone since Lana. At first she found it odd that Lex never thought to include moments of girl talk in those two years he made up for her. And then he realized that it probably had not occurred to him as a man. In fact, his team of scientists and programmers was probably all male too. There was no way it would have occurred to them that it would have been more real to put genuine female conversations there.

They walked into the boutique to fit the dress, giggling like children. Chloe had not felt this whimsical for a long time. She pointed Lois to a pale yellow silk slip that would contrast dramatically with her hair. This was the best part of shopping.

~~

He should have expected this, Lex thought as he walked into the mall. He flies here to finalize a deal with Wayne and he throws this at him. He would have appreciated some advance information. When he walked into Bruce's office this morning, his old classmate just sprung on him that he was throwing a dinner and party and that Lex was expected to attend.

At first, Lex balked. He was in no mood to party. Besides, since it was Friday night, he was supposed to be on videophone conference with his investigators who were assigned to look for Chloe. For old times' sake, and so as to not blow it out of proportion, he agreed reluctantly.

Bruce was okay. Even if he had never met Chloe, he sent her an engagement gift when he read that Lex had proposed. Chloe enjoyed that pen very much. Leave it to Bruce Wayne to send the perfect gift even without having met the receiver. He had probably read in one of the articles that Lex had been steadily dating a journalism student.

On the day of Chloe's 'burial,' Bruce Wayne had been absent due to a business that took him out of the country. Lex Luthor knew better. Bruce had always been able to leave business trips with just a moment's notice. Bruce had instead just sent a beautiful arrangement of white flowers because he knew Lex enough to know when to give him his privacy. For Lex, it was a bigger gift that anything anyone else could have given. The silence that Bruce had given him was more appreciated that consoling words.

So Lex agreed and did not put up a fight. Now he had to go to these ready-to-wear boutiques and pick out some clothes. He had not been expecting to attend anything formal, and had not brought any acceptable clothes with him.

A flash of gold caught his eye. His breath caught. From the periphery of his vision he could have sworn that it was…

When he turned around, the woman was gone.

He was going insane.

Lex saw a head of dark hair that was almost familiar walk into a dressing room. He shook himself. He could have sworn that he saw a blonde. He turned around and walked into the men's boutique store at the other end of the mall.