Chapter 9 – Realizations

Lionel walked down the halls of the Luthor mansion toward the dinning room, with his cane in hand.

"Why do you continue to keep up this charade?" Lex's voice called out from behind him.

"I will announce it in due time Alexander. Everything has its purpose." Lionel replied.

Lex rolled his eyes. "I don't have to have eyes to know what you just did." Lionel smirked. Lex walked over to his father and they continued towards the dinning room.

Victoria was already waiting for them when they got there. They ate breakfast in silence, nobody wanting to talk to the others. Lex wished Lila was there to keep him company, but she hated eating breakfast, no matter how much he or his father tried to make her over the years.

He chuckled quietly to himself. "What, may I ask are you laughing about Alexander?" Lionel asked.

Lex looked at his father, an amused smile on his lips. "I was just remembering how much trouble we had getting Lila to eat her breakfast."

Lionel smiled at the memory, "Those were good time, son."

Lex's smile faded and a blank look appeared on his face. "Yes they were." He replied sadly. They went back to eating breakfast, not noticing the death glare coming from Victoria.

* * * * *

Lex walked into the Talon, and found Clark at the counter talking to Lana. They smiled at him when they saw him coming through the door.

"Hey Lex." Clark greeted.

"Good morning." Lana greeted brightly.

"Hi guys. Have you seen Lila around this morning?" He asked. Clark shook his head.

"Haven't seen her this morning." Lana answered.

"Are you sure? She wasn't at the mansion, I don't know where else she could be." Lex frowned.

"I would remember seeing her." Lana smiled. "I'm sure she's probably wondering around Smallville or taking a walk around that huge garden of yours. I remember her saying something about liking the garden a lot."

Lex smiled at Lana, and shook his head. "I forgot all about the garden. You're probably right."

* * * * *

Lex strolled through the garden of the Luthor Mansion, looking left and right for any sight of Lila. He had just stepped out of the hedge maze when suddenly something caught his eye. In the middle of a dozen white tulips, something shining was inside the blossom of one of the flowers. Lex took a few steps closer to the white tulips, and bent down to take a better look. He reached inside the flower and took out the shining object. It was a sapphire and diamond bracelet, one that Lex had given Lila for her eighteenth birthday. At that instant, Lex knew something was seriously wrong.

* * * * *

"Sheriff Johnson," Lex begun. "I'm perfectly sure that Lila has been kidnapped. Nothing else explains why her bracelet was left inside a flower." His usual calm exterior was still in place, but anybody that knew him well could tell it was just a façade.

Sheriff Johnson sighed, "I'm sorry Mr. Luthor, but that is not direct proof that Miss Li has been kidnapped. There has been no ransom demand, and you have to wait forty-eight hours before reporting someone missing. There's nothing I could do, I'm afraid." Sheriff Johnson said and looked at Lex, noticing he was getting impatient.

"Fine, the Samllville police have never been helpful before. I don't know what I expected this time." With that, Lex walked out of the police station.

Lex sat inside his car. He ran his hands over his head, feeling lost and hopeless. He then took out his cell phone and dialled a number. "This is Lex Luthor." He spoke into the phone. "I need you forget about the Victoria situation for a moment. It is very important." Lex then went on explaining all he knew about what happened to Lila. "I know it's very little to go on." Lex said knowingly. A muffled voice on the other end of the line spoke. And Lex replied, "But money is no object. Just find her." He stuffed his cell phone into his pocket and drove to the Talon.

Lex pushed through the doors of the Talon and headed toward Clark and Lana. Clark frowned at Lex. He could tell something was wrong with his friend.

"Lex, that's wrong?" He inquired.

"It's Lila." Lex replied hastily. "When was the last time you guys saw her?"

"I saw her last night. Here at the Talon. She brought some coffee from Lana." Clark looked toward his girlfriend and she nodded. "That's the last time I saw her too. Did something happen?" She asked, concerned about her newfound friend.

"Yes." Replied Lex solemnly. "I think she has been kidnapped."

"What?!" Clark and Lana was shocked at Lex's news. "Are you sure? Is there a ransom demand?" asked Clark.

"No, I haven't received any ransom demands. But I found her bracelet inside the blossom of a yellow hyacinth. You can't tell me that's coincidence."

Clark pondered for a minute. "You're right, bracelets don't end up inside a flower naturally, someone has to have placed it there. Probably for you to find." 

At that moment, Chloe and Pete walked into the Talon. "Hey guys." Pete shouted.

"Hey Pete, Chloe." Clark answered back.

"What's with the grim faces?" Chloe asked quizzically.

"Yeah man." Pete agreed. "Aren't you guys glade to see us?" He teased.

"Of course Pete. It's just under the circumstances…" Lana trailed off.

Chloe frowned a bit. Sensing something was wrong.

"Maybe you could help, Chloe." Clark suggested. "After all, you are the intrepid reporter here."

Chloe glanced at Lex, who was being awfully quiet. Which was not normally the case.

"Is there something wrong Lex?" Chloe asked. Clark and Lana shot worried glances toward Lex.

"As matter of fact, yes." Lex answered. "Lila has been kidnapped."

"Oh dear Lord no." Was all Pete could manage to get out. Chloe's mouth dropped open as she heard Lex's words. But she quickly composed herself.

"You have reported this to the police?" She asked.

Lex snorted. "Of course. But seeing as though they are incompetent and doesn't even regard this as a real case, I have put my own people on it as well." Lex answered, still bitter about how the Smallville police had handled the case.

Chloe started to go into her investigative reporter mode in order to help her new friend. "I don't suppose you have come up with any suspect so we could start the investigation." She asked.

"As a matter of fact, I was just thinking of that while driving to the Talon." Lex answered. He glanced around the room. "But maybe we should all go somewhere more private to discuss this." He suggested. He then led everyone into his office.

"Why don't you fill Pete and I in on what actually happened." Chloe suggested. Lex nodded and proceeded to explain the events of that morning.

"So who do you think did this?" Clark asked Lex.

"I'm not sure." Lex answered honestly. "There are quite a number of people who will love to see Lila disappear, consider how many people she has put away in her line of work. Or this could be money motivated. Yet another possibility is that this is directed towards me, and who ever did this is using Lila to get to me."

"You got any other ideas Chloe?" Lex asked desperately.

Chloe frowned a bit. "None of us has know Lila for very long, but the number one suspect on my list is Victoria."

Everyone stared at Chloe. Not believing what they just heard. But Lex didn't seem surprise at the idea.

"Why do you think that Chloe?" Pete inquired.

Chloe looked at Lex. "I'm assuming Lila is the one that talked you out of getting married?" Lex nodded, and thoughts started to form in her head. "Victoria couldn't have been too happy with that." Chloe added.

"There's the motive. And I'm sure Victoria can hire people to do this for her."

"Do you really think she would do something like this?" Lana asked.

Chloe was about to answer when Lex's voice rang out. "She's capable of more than you can imagine."

"Lex. If you don't mind me asking. Why were you going to marry Victoria in the first place?" Clark asked.

Lex was unsure if he should tell his friends truth. But if it will help in the investigation into Lila's kidnapping, then he will. Lex cleared his throat. "She's pregnant." He spitted out.

Everyone in the room widened their eyes.

"And it might not be mine." Lex added.

Everyone's eye grew wider. And they blinked back in disbelieve. "Wow." Pete exclaimed. "Chloe's right. Victoria should definitely be our top suspect."

"But if Victoria kidnapped Lila for revenge…" Clark trailed off a bit, glancing worriedly at Lex. "…Wouldn't she not ask for a ransom and just…" Clark could continue with his train of thought. 

Everyone glanced at Lex, knowing the implication of Clark's thought.

Lex sighed deeply. "If Victoria wanted revenge, it would be slow and painful. And if she's going to…" Lex could say the words out loud. And sorrowful eyes glanced at him in sympathy. "Which is why we probably have a bit of time to find Lila." Chloe added, hoping to cheer him up.

Suddenly, Lex's cell phone rang. Everyone jumped back a bit by the sudden noise.

"Lex Luthor" He answered. His eyes grew cold and distant for a few minutes. "Yes, I understand." he replied. He glanced at his friends. "Looks like we were wrong." He stated. "That was the kidnappers. They want ten million dollars by the end of tomorrow, or we would never see Lila again."

Chloe glanced at Lex. "You're going to pay them aren't you." It wasn't a question, more like a statement.

"Yes." He simply stated. "I won't do anything to jeopardize Lila's safety." He replied with more emotion than any of them as ever seen. "It can't happen again." Said Lex quietly to himself. Only Chloe heard him, and she was puzzled.

"And when we get Lila back. I will track down those bastards and kill them myself." He added, with tone that sent shivers down their spines.

"What makes you think they will give her back once they got the money?" Chloe asked fervently.

"Kidnappers aren't known for keeping their words." Clark added.

"They don't want any trouble." Lex stated. "They know what I can do to them if they don't give her back." He appeared confident about his decision.

"Alright Lex. But I have a bad feeling about this. All of my reporter intuition is telling me that something isn't right here." Chloe replied sadly. "But I hope you are right for Lila's sake."

"I'll go make the arrangements. Thanks for your help, but I don't think I'll be needing it." Lex walked out of the office and headed towards the door of the Talon.

Once he was outside, he pulled out his cell phone. "I have a suspect for you." He spoke into the phone. "Victoria Hardwick. Monitor her moves, I want to know everything she does.

Chloe stood beside the Talon door, and overheard Lex's phone call. 'So he isn't as confident as he appeared. He thinks the ransom is just a ploy to get our attention away from the real kidnapper.'

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's Note: I don't know who the new Sheriff is, so I'm making it up. And I really don't want to wait until they get a new sheriff and then post this chapter. If I do later find out about the new sheriff, I'll just change that tiny part. So is anybody still reading this thing? I mean the story, not the note. I would appreciate it people can review so that I know people are still reading, and that way I'll still post.