Title: Princess of the Tower.

Author: NickyJean

Summary: Chloe learns too much and the lengths Lex would go to protect her from his father.

Disclaimer: Nope not mine....blah, blah, blah

Chapter 5

Chloe sat on the large settee. She felt more like she was in it than on it. The fabric and cushions being as plush as they were. The book wasn't half as absorbing as the first five times she read it, but yet she kept trying. Anything to keep her mind off of her situation.

She hated to admit it, but she was falling into a pattern. Deranged as it was, at least her life was regaining its predictability. Sure it was never actually predictable, but this sick twisted thing called life had a way of allowing her to expect something and then actually have it happen.

For instance, Lex was quite dependable. He visited her when expected and called when he wasn't there. Every evening he was away, he would call at the exact same time and speak to her. Despite the comfort he offered her during the hurricane she refused to let that sway her actions. She rebuffed any interrogation that Lex had of her claustrophobia and finally Lex just quit asking. It was getting harder and harder to resent him. He was her only outlet to the outside world. She constantly had to remind herself that this man and his father were the reason she wasn't having her so called normal life. Few people would consider her actions stubborn and childish.

Unfortunately, one of those people was Lionel Luthor, also predictable. He did anything he could to remind her of her imprisonment, to encourage the animosity between her and Lex, and just be an egotistical jerk. The worst part was that she could tell he was enjoying it. Not just getting the upper hand every now and then, but he would also bleed joys from her triumphs as well. Sure he would taunt, she would snap. He would insinuate she would contradict. He would gloat, she would wipe that smugness from his face with a word or two. It was all a game to him, but she couldn't stop herself from fighting back. She refused to let her spirit die and hers was a fighting spirit.

'Damn,' she thought to herself. She realized she had wondered yet again to her situation, instead of her book. She focused on the words on the page she had been staring at for what seemed like forever. With a small hiss of resentment she slammed the book closed. This wasn't working. She just felt so frustrated not to be able to, just for a little while, forget herself in books as she had when she was a little girl. She got up and placed the book on the table and decided to give her CD's a try.

"Leaving so soon?" asked the man standing in the entrance of the library.

"Dr. Stacks, as a matter of fact," she stated with every intention of leaving. She felt no inclination to entertain Lionel's business associates. Lionel was keeping up relations despite Chloe's presence. These were the types of associates who thought nothing of having a female prisoner in residence. Chloe was warned to stay away from them and not to expect assistance from any of them.

"Well, I don't think you should. I mean, I've been very lonely lately….," he followed his words by touching her cheek.

She wasn't impressed with his lame attempt at seduction and slapped his hand away. "Listen, I don't know who you think I am but if you don't get the hell away from me I'll tell Lionel—"

He shoved her into the room and kicked the door closed. It didn't latch, but bounced against the jam and remained slightly ajar. "You'll tell him how I had my way with his paramour of the month." He snorted with disgust. "I doubt he'll care." He leered at her, "I mean you're pretty, but replaceable."

"Actually, I was referring to Laura James." Chloe had to stop the smirk that almost exploded across her face as she watched the information sink in and he jumped away from her as if burned. "You see I did a little look see in your past. Laura was a researcher, a partner if you will with Wayne Enterprises. Well, she mysteriously turned up dead after the completion of a top secret computer chip. The type of thing that makes the super computer presently look like a Leap Pad game system."

She got a little braver as Dr. Stacks went a bit paler. "But Lionel wouldn't be so much interested in the how and the why. He's more into the bottom line stuff." She tried really hard not to sound gloating. "He'll be slightly more interested in the fact that Wayne Enterprises did retain a copy of all of Dr. James work and is in the process of having it patented. So if you sell that information to LuthorCorp it would be worthless in about a week. You would get away with millions while LuthorCorp would be stuck with plans no one will duplicate because of the new international patent laws passed by the UN six months ago." She took the advantage of his shock and walked toward the door.

He reached out and grabbed her by her arm and spun her to face him. "You pathetic little," and he shoved her to the ground. He dove on top of her. Chloe tried to squirm out from under his weight, but to no avail.

"Get off of her," shouted Lionel.

Stacks followed the order immediately. "Mr. Luthor, it's not what you think. She came onto me."

"Please don't insult my intelligence. I heard everything. When were you going to tell me about the patent?" Lionel shot fire from his eyes and Stacks cowered a bit.

"Mr. Luthor, please," Chloe pleaded getting up.

Lionel's rage only increased. "Chloe, leave before I do something I would seriously regret later." Lionel turned his gaze back to the doctor fearing he would say something he would regret as well.

"But, Mr. Luthor, you haven't signed anything yet. It's not like you have to do business with him. He hadn't betrayed you. You don't have to…" kill him, her thoughts finished what her words could not.

"Mrs. McGregor," Lionel shouted. She came out of nowhere bobbing her head. "Please escort Chloe to her room, immediately. Keep her there until I come up to see her." Turning back to Chloe, "We will discuss how you came by this information later."

Chloe paled at the intensity in his eyes. She's rarely ever seen him this angry and she had taunted and probed him enough to know the various degrees. Mrs. McGregor pulled Chloe out of the room and whispered how everything was going to be fine once she had a nice warm bath (the Mrs. McGregor cure-all).

Lionel closed the door behind the two departing women. "Have a seat, Dr. Stacks."

"It's not as bad as she made it sound. We still have something we can work with. You can trust me," he stumbled over his words not really knowing what to say.

"Trust is a very important thing, isn't it?" Lionel muttered to himself, but Stacks nodded anyway. "Trust is especially fragile between a father and son." This time he looked directly at him watching as Stacks eyes grew large. "See that 'paramour' as you so delicately put it isn't mine but my son's. And you see if he can't trust me to take care of one small girl, what can he trust me to do?" Lionel stepped in front of him now, placing both of his hands one Stacks shoulders. "You see my dilemma. I cannot have people running around and accosting my guests."

"Nothing happened, Mr. Luthor, we were just messing around."

Lionel didn't bother to hold his rage in. He struck the doctor with all his might with the back of his hand. Dr. Stacks' head snapping back and the trickle of blood from the ring Lionel was wearing, didn't satisfy Lionel a bit. "Do you think I'm stupid? Her blouse was ripped and there were already bruises forming where you were holding her down." Lionel went to the desk and pushed a button. Two men entered.

Dr. Stacks just gulped. "You better pray those bruises heal before my son arrives. But then again, you can only die once." With a nod of his head, one of the men stepped forward. Despite the pleas of the man his neck was slit. "Trust is everything dear doctor," addressing the corpse. "My son would be at wits end if he couldn't trust me to take care of his girl while he was away." Turning to the to men. "Get rid of him. Make sure he turns up in Gotham, let Bruce know he has one less thing to worry about." Lionel noticed the blood trailing to the floor. "Oh, and make sure there's no trace left. I can't have Chloe refusing to be in the library because she thinks he died in here."

Both men nodded, but Lionel wasn't watching. He knew his orders would be followed without question. He walked up the stairs with practiced grace though he felt like running, to Chloe's tower room. He entered the room as Mrs. McGregor fussed over Chloe's injuries. "It's nothing really," Chloe whispered studying her bruises in the mirror.

Lionel cleared his throat and Chloe quickly covered herself. "Thank you Mrs. McGregor. Please go and get some coffee for Chloe. I'm sure after the experience she could use something to soothe her nerves."

"Coffee, Sir?" the housekeeper balked, but Lionel's gaze caused her to immediately change her tune. "Of course," bobbing her head yet again and running off down the hall.

"Mr. Luthor, you didn't, I mean…" Chloe asked slightly afraid of what he would say.

"Don't worry, Chloe. I sent him to Gotham. Let that Wayne boy deal with him."

"That Wayne boy is as old as your son. I think that would make him a little older than a boy."

"Don't change the subject Chloe. You know why I'm here. That is what we are going to discuss."

Chloe just looked around the room not really wanting to get into this discussion.

"How did you know about Stacks?"

"I researched him on the web." Chloe sneered at his look of disbelief. "Come on Mr. Luthor, I did uncover enough information on you to get me permanently kidnapped. I don't know why you're surprised."

"Does Alexander know?"

"I'm sure he does. He has someone monitor all my Internet movements to make sure I'm not calling for help."

"When were you planning on telling me about Stacks?"

"Was that a requirement in kidnapping me? I don't think I should be expected to save my kidnappers money."

"Well, then why did you look it up, if you weren't planning on using the information?"

Chloe sat down on the edge of her bed and glared at him, "As you can tell from downstairs, I had every intention of using the information if it became necessary. A girl has got to protect herself."

"So, you don't trust me or my son to care for your safety?" he asked with mock hurt.

"I don't trust you or your son period."

He laughed softly at Chloe's mutter. "Show me," he ordered.

"Show you what?"

"How you found the information and why my men didn't discover the same information when I had him investigated."

She seemed to contemplate the possible impact of showing him such secrets. "OK, but I'm not some computer teacher. I'm just showing you where I found the information, not teaching you how to break into computers. Got it?"

"Of course," he said taking a seat beside her desk so he could get a full view of her computer screen."

She took her position at her terminal and turned it on. In a flash she was surfing through police records of Gotham and Wayne Enterprises. She even took the time to show him the grizzly reports that she found in the Gotham Herald. While she discussed how she pieced the information together and beep sounded on her computer.

"What was that?" Lionel asked angry at the intrusion.

"Just an IM, it's probably your son." She pointed her mouse on it and double clicked.

LL: Rapunzel, Rapunzel, Let down your golden hair.

"Yep, that's definitely your son."

Chickofthetower: What can I do for the mi' Lord.

"Your son definitely has the air for the dramatic don't you think?" Chloe asked with a smile. Lionel ignored her.

LL: I was bored and wondering why you were pulling up all that research on Stacks. Did he try something?

Chickofthetower: Why would you think that?

"You didn't answer the question," Lionel snickered, causing Chloe to glare at him.

LL: You didn't answer the question.

Lionel gave her a knowing look and Chloe just snorted.

Chickofthetower: I'm fine.

LL: Still not an answer. Don't make me ask my father. You know how much I hate to speak to the egotistical ass.

It was Chloe's turn to snicker as she turned to Lionel with a knowing smile of her own.

Chickofthetower: Why don't you ask him now? The witch is in the tower as we speak.

For a moment a reply didn't come. Lionel was seething slightly and Chloe was trying to hold off a fit of giggling.

LL: You're not joking are you? Please tell me you're joking.

Chickofthetower: Ah poor LL, do you think he'll ground you when you get home? LMAO….Someone's in trouble.

Just then Lionel pulled out his cell phone and punched in the number. "Alexander, how dare you?" he started screaming into the phone.

LL: I've got to go, my father's calling…(LL Signed off)

Lionel took his tirade outside her room leaving Chloe alone. It was only for a moment though as Mrs. McGregor finally returned with her promised coffee. Chloe drank slowly, enjoying the bittersweet taste.

Lionel returned from his little tantrum with his son. "Before you ask, I told Lex that the doctor attacked you and that I also took care of the problem. He still insists on returning to see for himself that you're fine. He should be home by late tonight." He seemed lost in thought for a moment.

"Was there something else, Mr. Luthor?" Chloe asked when he hadn't left.

"Yes, do you play chess?"

"A little but I don't like it much," Chloe explained.

"Well, come down and I'll teach you until Lex arrives."

"I know how to play. I just don't like it," Chloe explained.

"Well, that's obviously because you don't know how to play well. Now come on child, the board's in the library."

Reluctantly she rose from her bed and followed him downstairs. Wondering once again why she was being punished.

TBC