Title: One Stone
Author: Minnie-May
Distribution: Archive permission granted to: Naughty-seduction, Girl Friday, Electric, all others please ask
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Obviously. Although I wouldn't mind owning Lex ^_~
Summary: "So Ms. Sullivan the question on my mind is this; why do interviews with you tend to end in murder and mayhem?" Chlex
Rating: PG-13
Feedback: Yes please! Send to: sweet_senshi@hotmail.com
Spoilers: S1 and beginning of S2
Author's Notes: It's like the Chlex version of Mission Impossible! Only not.
Chapter 2: Shifty Looks and Fuzzy Coats
Chloe had been in the mansion before so it's hugeness didn't intimidate her as much as it had the first time. One of the house personnel was leading her to Lex's office and she hasten to catch up with his long strides. When she had gotten to the house earlier that evening she had been excited. Finally she was getting the story of a lifetime, the chance to interview a million dollar man and ask the tough questions. She had been sorting through how she would set up the interview in her head, her brain whirling with nervous activity. Of course that was nearly a half hour ago and at the current moment the only emotion she was feeling was annoyance.
Lex Luthor had hired a crack staff of security personnel for the mansion that had spent the better part of the last half hour clearing her to go into the house. Apparently Lex had neglected to tell them that she would be coming.
Chloe glanced over and saw herself reflected back in a window right outside the door to Lex's study. Despite herself she felt her stomach flip when she realized what window it was and turned around quickly to focus her attention elsewhere. Wordlessly the security guard ushered her into the study and slammed the doors behind her.
"You have friendly guards Mr. Luthor. I think they were about five minutes from giving me a strip search" Chloe snapped as Lex entered through a side door. He gave her a sideways look as he sat down behind his desk and motioned for her to take a seat across from him.
"My guards are very thorough, although surprisingly most intruders end up getting into the house anyway. You must have looked shifty Ms. Sullivan" Lex replied airily, his gaze locked on her.
"I think it's probably the fuzzy coat; just screams 'homicidal manic'. Although in my defense I don't actually own the coat" Chloe said, swinging her bag over her shoulder and setting it down on her lap.
"Really?" Lex replied, sounding intrigued. "So a homicidal manic and a thief? I'm impressed."
"I just stole it from Lana's closet but thanks, it's tricky getting in there when she's not home and the whole house is deserted" Chloe muttered sarcastically, searching in her bag for her tape recorder.
"It's very" Lex paused for a moment here and allowed his gaze to sweep Chloe entirely, making her squirm in her seat. "Fuzzy."
"Well I'll be sure to pass the compliment on to Lana," Chloe remarked, pulling her tape recorder out of her bag with some difficulty and setting it down on the desk.
"So should we start the interview now or do you want to hear about the time I borrowed Lana's lipstick and didn't even ask?"
Lex laughed as he leaned across the table and placed his hand over Chloe's. Chloe felt her heart leap into her chest at the contact with Lex's smooth skin. To cover up her blush she raised a questioning eyebrow at him. Lex pulled Chloe's hand away from the tape recorder and picked it up himself, then leaned back into his chair.
"I think you misunderstand me Ms. Sullivan. There will be no interview."
Chloe stared at Lex blankly for nearly a full minute before she could produce a sound. What did he mean, no interview? He had already agreed to it, Clark had told her so with the most plaintive look on his face. 'You don't just back out of an interview when you've already agreed to one', Chloe fumed. 'I need that award', Chloe thought furiously, 'and I'm getting an interview if I have to torture it out of him.'
"Pardon me but I think I'm hearing things, probably a by product of hearing some kind of police code for the last half hour. Did you just say that you won't do the interview?" Chloe asked in disbelief.
"That's exactly what I said" Lex replied calmly.
That was the only thing Chloe needed to hear before she went off on a long rant about responsibilities and interviews and awards. Lex's eyes went very wide as Chloe felt herself continue to ramble on in loud, angry tones. She knew she was making a fool of herself in front of Lex and she desperately wanted to shut up but she apparently no longer had any control over her mouth. She was going on Chloe-rant auto pilot and there was no stopping her now.
"It's my one chance to show the Daily Planet what I'm made of and to set myself apart from the crowd! Do you know what my chances are going to be like, trying to get into one of the better journalism schools when I go to Smallville High? I need to distinguish myself as a serious journalist and I'm never going to be able to do that if I write my application article on Mr. Erich and his pigeons!" Chloe took a moment to pull in a deep breath and Lex held up his hand to stop her from continuing.
"Please Ms. Sullivan, take a breath. I was afraid for a moment that your head was going to explode. Now" Lex said calmly, "what about this man and his pigeons?"
Chloe let out a loud, strangled yelp and stared at Lex in defiance. She was seeing red now. Not only was Luthor not agreeing to the interview, now he was teasing her. And at the moment her pride was all she had left.
"Lex!" she yelled. Lex let out a laugh and then pressed his lips together tightly trying to contain the rest of his laughter. Chloe fought the urge to leap across the desk and strangle him, but the urge was getting stronger.
"I'm sorry Ms. Sullivan, I don't think I made myself clear" Lex said, standing her tape recorder upright on the edge of his desk. "Just because you're not interviewing me doesn't mean you won't get your story."
"What? Did we just enter some bizarre world where up is down and left is right? How am I going to get my story if I don't get the interview?" Chloe asked, her anger waning the more curious she got.
"That's simple" Lex replied smiling smoothly at Chloe. The light from the windows painted him in a dark red color, making her think more devil in training, than generous humanitarian.
"You want a story with bite, something with edge where you'll get to show off your skills as a writer and investigator. If you just wanted to write another puff piece you'd write it about the man with the pigeons. Am I right?" Lex asked, nodding his head towards Chloe. Chloe crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at him, not liking where this was going.
"Yea, and I'm assuming there's a point far out in the distance?"
"An interview with a powerful business man is impressive but it's not exactly juicy news. Were you to interview me somehow I doubt I'd come across in a good light. You'd go for blood in the interview and another article about Luthor corruption is the last thing I need on my hands right now" Lex explained patiently, his eyes finding Chloe's and holding them.
Damn if he wasn't right too. She had a long list of questions and most of them were what she would consider hard-hitting. Questions about business practices and internal affairs, not about what his favorite color was and whether he was single.
"I'm not denying it. Where's the part where I still get my shiny award?" Chloe asked matter-of-factly. Something like surprise registered on Lex's face before he continued in that same calm voice.
"I'm sure you've heard of Spencen Industries," at Chloe's nod he continued. "In the last few months they've risen to fame among the business world after several hostile takeovers of other companies. Now they have their eye on LexCorp. I almost know for a fact that they've been using every illegal business practice in the book to get at my company and the companies they've previously taken over. It would make a good story, don't you think?" Lex asked leaning forward with a gleam in his eye. Chloe blinked in honest surprise and took a few moments to take in the information.
"So instead of writing a piece about LexCorp's questionable business practices I write one about one of your competitors instead. I uncover the truth about them and LexCorp is saved. Am I right?" Chloe felt amusement enter her own voice now.
"Well saved might be taking it a bit far but it would certainly help."
"You want to kill two birds with one stone."
"Actually with one blonde reporter."
Lex smiled and stood up from his desk, watching the thoughts rush through Chloe's brain. She tried to make herself a closed book like Lex was, not show any emotions, but it wasn't working. Excitement and worry showed on her face and she bit her lip, her decision final. Lex picked up the tape recorder and handed it to Chloe before raising his brows questioningly.
"So what do you think Ms. Sullivan? Do we have a deal?" he asked extending his hand.
The situation was more or less still in Chloe's favor. Lex would help her with the story, and if there was no story then she still had the torturing idea.
"We have a deal" Chloe said, her smile wide as she pressed her hand into Lex's and gave it a firm shake.
**
Present Day
"I think I'm obligated to remind you that going after Spencen was your idea, not mine" Chloe muttered irritably.
The car was getting colder by the minute. When her hands brushed against the soft leather of the seats they felt as if they were touching marble. Outside the winds were still howling in protest. It played with the branches of the trees outside the Lexus, sometimes pushing them against the car so that they lovingly brushed the windows and sometimes whipping them back so that they smashed loudly against the glass. Chloe tried to focus on her conversation with Lex and push out the other thoughts clouding her mind.
"Setting you on Spencen might have been my idea but how was I to know you'd take it to such extremes?" Lex shot back. Chloe could barely hear him over the roaring wind that battered the car.
How would anyone find them in this weather?
***
TBC