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: I own them all. They're all mine…(cue evil laughter)…What do you mean you were just kidding. This is down right unacceptable…You're fired…What do you mean you don't work for me. Well, doesn't that just figure…I work and work, slave and slave and what do I get, a bucket full of nothing…That's what…

Distribution: Please tell a friend, then tell me…drop me an e-mail…then have at it…

Chapter 7

February 2004 – Southern Cross - Isolated island off the coast of Tasmania.

Chloe sat in her master suite. The latest mansion in the sea of prisons she had been shipped to for once wasn't so bad. Lionel specifically chose this location as part of her agreement to work for him. Of course she couldn't be bought off with exotic locales but the things she's been able to do lately, well she couldn't complain.

She started writing down her adventures knowing the chance of publication was slim to none. She used the pen name Cleo Suville just for fun, thinking the pen name was pretty clever.

She wrote with freedom that she never knew she had before, pretty ironic considering her captivity. She was able to pen her week in Africa, her trip to the Aztec ruins, and her time with the Aborigines. The world had just opened up for her.

Chloe began to wonder about her life. She knew that she would have been happy writing for the Daily Planet and living in Metropolis. But now she wondered if that life would still appeal to her. She had learned the incredible rush that experiencing life, a life only dreamed of could be. The writer in her was thriving on it. The descriptions of smells, sights, sounds, tastes, and touches gave her such insight that when she wrote about them the experiences were just absorbed into her computer.

But it wasn't just the experience that she wrote about. She also discussed the confusion that she felt for Lex. She knew it wasn't entirely his fault, his father was threatening to kill her if he didn't stay in line. But she wondered how much her life was really worth. When would Lex finally reach that line that couldn't be crossed? Lionel was very specific in what he expected Lex to be able to do. He never expected his son to kill anyone, he was careful in whom he had Lex betray, and the illegal dealing were more with things then with people.

Lionel was another puzzle. She hated him that was clear to her. He only allowed her to live because of her usefulness in controlling his son that was also undeniable. But as they spent forced time together, he commented on her intelligence and her wit. Of course it always followed by a "and that's what got you here in the first place," remark, but she could tell he was beginning to respect her as a person. Not some possession to be locked away in a safe until needed.

A sound in a darken corner snapped her from her thoughts.

"Chloe," came a whisper.

"Lex?" She knew she should know his voice by now but he wasn't supposed to be here. Not tonight, not in her room, at least not without her knowing in advance so at lest she would be wearing something other then a silk full length nightgown. "What are you doing here?"

"Getting you out of here. I'm here to rescue you," Lex said. He might have beamed with pride but his heart was pounding in his chest and he was covered with a sheen layer of perspiration.

"How Luke Skywalker of you," she commented not really believing his words.

"I'm feeling anything but brotherly at the moment, Princess," he remarked sarcastically but he was definitely tense from the situation. The Luthor façade he had so carefully built up had slipped away. He gave her a sweeping gaze and his heart clinched at the sight of her, "You, ah, have to change and fast."

She quickly ran to the closet and grabbed her black top and stretch pants feeling they were the most appropriate for an escape. She entered the bathroom and less the two minutes later emerged ready to move.

"So what's the plan?" Chloe felt her heart starting to pound at the thought that this might really be her last night in captivity.

"There's a boat at the bottom of that bluff on the other side of the island. We're about a hundred and fifty miles from the nearest point of mainland. Once there, we'll have a jeep waiting for us and then it's another two hundred miles till civilization."

"These are shark infested waters, Lex," she remarked with some concern.

"We'll be taking a boat, not swimming."

"Is it a fifty footer?"

He gave her a comforting smirk, "Getting used to the life style already?"

"Ha, ha, hilarity thy name is Lex."

"No it's a small motor boat, but it will get us there. I just needed to make sure we aren't detected until we're out of range."

He led her to the balcony; "Can you make the jump?" He looked down the story and a half drop.

"Not a problem," Chloe said swinging her legs over the railing. With Lex positioned beside her, she locked eyes with his. "I'd be willing to jump off that bluff if I knew I could be in Kansas by the end of the week."

They both leapt for it. Lex hit the ground first with perfect balance. Chloe was slightly less balanced and fell to the ground.

"Are you OK?"

"Fine," she said standing on her own two feet. "It wouldn't pay to sprain my ankle now."

They took off for the east, heading toward the woods. The trees provided cover, but they were far from soundless. Lex focus was on distance rather then silence since they were off the main grounds. Chloe was dragged through the trees and brush at a neck-breaking pace. Darkness cloaked them as the edge of the forest came into view.

"Oh shit," Lex whispered.

"What is it?"

"I hear dogs. I think they know."

Not given a chance to hear sounds herself the silence was shattered by an ear-piercing siren that rang out echoing over the land. The tranquil darkness was flooded with searchlights.

From out of nowhere, the sound of an army running threw the woods was heard. "POP, POP," was barely be heard over the siren.

Chloe shrieked dodging the flying wood shattered by the gunshot. "There shooting at us," Chloe frantically realized in disbelief. "Are they really willing to kill you too?"

"They're tranquilizers, Chloe," Lex responded pulling her in front of him taking cover by a near by tree. "This way they can shoot first and worry about everything else later." Lex didn't stop though. He kept a safe distance between them and their pursuers.

Finally reaching the edge of the bluff, Lex and Chloe looked down on the beach below, a distance of one hundred feet below. "When I said, I'd jump from the bluff, you knew I was kidding, right," Chloe asked with a hint of fear in her voice.

"No worries, Mate," Lex mimicked the accent. He picked up a rope from the ground and attaching it to the harness she had no idea he was wearing. "Do you trust me?"

She didn't say anything and just wrapped her arms around him. In the distance she heard the men coming closer, the dogs barking growing louder. She fastened herself around the front of him.

Lex was shocked when she kissed him, out of the blue. He froze for a moment in shock. "For luck," she explained, "Let's get this over with."

Snapping out of his trance he began the decent down the bluff. He maneuvered excellently, even with the additional weight.

Halfway between the top and the beach, the gunmen arrived. Shots were fired and pieces of rock flew at them where the darts impacted. Chloe closed her eyes and buried herself into Lex's neck. "We're almost down," he reassured. Hopping down the bluff face as quickly as he could, he released his grip on the rope and took a dangerous chance free-falling the rest of the way.

Now on the beach Lex didn't take any chances. "Run, Chloe," he shouted. She did as she was told as he triggered the mechanism releasing the rope from the top of the bluff before any of the guards were brave enough to follow. This left them only one way to retrieve Lex and Chloe and that route took time. Time they didn't have as one of the guys noted the boat about a mile down from where Lex and Chloe landed.

Lex wasted no time catching up to Chloe, but then fell to his knees a few feet later. "Lex?"

"I'm fine," he said standing up, but he swayed slightly and his balance was slipping away. He pushed her, trying to keep her on the move. They were about a half-mile from the boat and three or four men had just arrived on the beach as back up.

Chloe turned and grabbed his arm. Feeling the stickiness on her hand she pulled away as if burned. "You've been shot," she comprehended, fear filling her limbs.

"It's just a tranquilizer, I'll be fine once we get out of here," his words were already slurring with the effect of the drug.

"When?" she demanded as they kept moving.

"On the climb down," he replied still pushing her forward, "Now keep running." His orders had less potency as he started dragging. She was now pulling him more then he was pulling her.

They were two feet away from the boat when Lex's body finally gave into the drug. He collapsed to his knees. "Keep going," he begged. "I'll be fine."

"I don't think so, Luthor," Chloe voice was steeled with determination. "You got me into this mess, you're seeing me out of it." He was unconscious and there for in no position to argue.

She dragged his drugged body with a strength she didn't know she had. He was heavy but she was much more stubborn. She was able to get him into the boat, mumbling slight apologies when his head struck the bottom of the boat. She pushed the boat out into the water noticing that the men were closing in on her. She waded in the water as much as she could, getting the boat as deep into the water as possible before daring to get into the boat herself.

Her pursuers were still a mile and a half behind and she felt safe to try and start the motor. That was until the men deemed the situation dangerous enough to fire on her again. She ducked down, as much as she could in the small craft, but she knew they're only chance in staying free was to start that motor. She waited as long as she hazarded and took a chance. She stood up and pulled the starter cord anchoring her foot in place giving her the added strength to get a good tug. It groaned and spattered but didn't start. She tried a second and third time but with the same lack of response. She said a silent prayer and pulled a fourth time and was granted a growl from the engine as it finally turned over.

"YES," she screamed to the night sky her arms stretched out above her head in a pure cheerleader stance. The pleasure didn't last long as pain ripped through her shoulder. Reaching the source of the pain she pulled the dart from her arm. This was quickly followed by another dart hitting the middle of her back. The combined dose worked twice as quickly on her and with her small body she didn't last three minutes before the waves of dizziness overtook her.

She had the foresight to sit down in the boat, but she had to direct the motor's direction. Before long she lost all thought and darkness was closing in. As the last of her vision evaporated, she saw men climbing into boats. Hoping her boat was faster she slipped into unconsciousness. As her body went limp she couldn't control the way it shifted and she fell overboard. Unable to save herself her body sank into the water, leaving Lex alone, unconscious in the speeding motor boat.

~*~

TBC

~*~

A/N…Sorry for the cliffhanger, but what can I say, I'm evil…If I was a cruel person I would make some demands, but since I'm not, I'll try and get the next chapter out as soon as I can.