See chapter 1 for disclaimers.
A/N: LaCasta, you rock! Sending hugs and kisses with my thank you for the help.
The Missing
Chloe was in. She walked through the scanner into the high security area and couldn't help but hold her breath, waiting for an alarm, sure that something radiating from her skin would give away her real purpose, screaming out PRESS as if it was tatooed on her forehead. Rich smiled at her as she entered the restricted area and she knew he would have kissed her if they hadn't been with others.
Chloe squelched a feeling of guilt, again. She knew she was using him but a good investigative reporter needed to use all her resources, dammit. He was a few years older than Chloe and hopeless in his social skills. He'd started hitting on her in an embarrassing kamikaze fashion as soon as she started working on the cleaning crew. While being mildly offended, she had felt sorry for him. However, once Chloe had spotted Martha Kent, she knew she needed to get in and had begun to encourage him. He had access to the higher security section and had gotten someone else a job there before her. He'd vouched for her and helped her through security that her own fake identity may not have passed. Thank God, Chloe had an endless number of well-placed friends who'd confirmed and misled the background check. So far her alias was unscathed, but she gave herself the workweek to get her info and run. Besides, Rich was hinting strongly that they should consummate their relationship this weekend, definitely a good time to exit stage left.
Trying to suppress her glee at getting in, Chloe followed the other cleaners to the supply room and got to work. Before she knew it, Rich was touring her through the facility, showing her her responsibilities and stealing a quick kiss away from the obvious surveillance cameras. Rich knew all the unmonitored spots and in no time Chloe did as well. Chloe watched Rich walk away with a tilt of her head and spun on her heel, hiding the cynical smirk. There was nothing as indiscreet as a man in heat.
Chloe now had access to most of the facility. There remained a single high security research area but Chloe also had a map of the airducts and had finally bypassed the limited security within them. Chloe had managed to hack the computer system from the outside and had disabled the airduct sensors but couldn't break the security of the building. The lasers had been a tiny accomplishment in what had turned out to be several nights of endless frustration. She could do no more on her own.
It was too bad she had not been able to see Martha Kent again. She'd been back to the grate three times with no luck. If she did run into Mrs. Kent, it was unlikely Chloe would be recognised as she was currently sporting large, heavy-rimmed glasses, a kerchief on her hair, and no makeup. Chloe thought Martha would be friendly but quite honestly, the sight of Mrs. Kent walking around a place like this made her suspicious. Clark had always been a little strange. Had he been infected by the meteors, causing the Kents to turn him in to the government? Much as Chloe claimed to be a hardened cynic, she could not bring herself to believe this of the Kents.
Though it had been two years, the possibility that Clark Kent might be here, had exponentially increased Chloe's drive to find a way in. Her heart still hurt when she thought of him and though she had matured enough to know she would never completely lose that feeling, it did not reduce her desire to see him again. Chloe thought again of Rich, appeasing her guilt by promising herself she would be as kind as she could. Possibly, a letter explaining her sudden disappearance would help. She was a writer after all. She should be able to make it good.
Chloe worked fast, trying to accomplish a good enough job to not draw attention but cutting as many corners as she could. She didn't need to waste time working when she had a story to investigate. Finishing quickly, she made her way to a duct and crawled through to the most restricted area. When time was limited, it was best to go straight to the meat of the matter. Chloe's curiosity could wait no longer for satisfaction.
Pushing her way out of the vent, the first thing she noticed in the low light of the hallway was that the walls were green. An emerald green that almost glowed in its garishness, reminding Chloe of the meteors from her high school wall of weird. Lining the hallway were several locked doors with small high windows in the centre of each. Chloe was unable to see inside because the rooms behind were dark. This being the night shift, the whole section was dark and unused. The cleaning staff would be well gone before the day's tests would start again. Chloe needed to know what was in those rooms.
"My kingdom for a flashlight." she whispered, then covered her mouth with her hand, realising she had been talking to herself in this deafening silence. Mentally chastising herself with 'girl, this is not a good sign'. Moving down the hall, she looked into each room and saw nothing. Near the opposite end of the hall she finally found a door she could open.
Chloe made her way through the room by feel and the glow of the computer screen savers. The room seemed to be for documentation and communication. This must have been the room in which she'd seen Martha. Chloe licked her lips. If she could sneak access to these computers, she was sure she'd finally get into the documentation of what it was they were actually researching. Realising she didn't have time to hack into one now, she determined to try again tomorrow. She'd have to get back now, before Rich came looking for her.
Walking quietly down the hallway, she tried to see in the rooms one more time and was sure in the last one that she saw movement in the shadows. A chill ran up her spine and she shivered. This was too creepy. Glancing back at the window, Chloe was confronted with a face half pressed against the glass. Wide eyes and a mouth contorted in a parody of glee beneath glassy blue eyes and matted long blonde hair, stared back with only inches between them. Chloe gasped and staggered back in shock. The face disappeared as suddenly as it had come and the window was once again an empty maw. Chloe moved back until she reached the vent and was able to crawl inside, comforted by the small space. Concentrating completely on moving air in and out of her body, Chloe could not block the image from her mind.
Jesus, it was Jodi Mellville.
A/N: LaCasta, you rock! Sending hugs and kisses with my thank you for the help.
The Missing
Chloe was in. She walked through the scanner into the high security area and couldn't help but hold her breath, waiting for an alarm, sure that something radiating from her skin would give away her real purpose, screaming out PRESS as if it was tatooed on her forehead. Rich smiled at her as she entered the restricted area and she knew he would have kissed her if they hadn't been with others.
Chloe squelched a feeling of guilt, again. She knew she was using him but a good investigative reporter needed to use all her resources, dammit. He was a few years older than Chloe and hopeless in his social skills. He'd started hitting on her in an embarrassing kamikaze fashion as soon as she started working on the cleaning crew. While being mildly offended, she had felt sorry for him. However, once Chloe had spotted Martha Kent, she knew she needed to get in and had begun to encourage him. He had access to the higher security section and had gotten someone else a job there before her. He'd vouched for her and helped her through security that her own fake identity may not have passed. Thank God, Chloe had an endless number of well-placed friends who'd confirmed and misled the background check. So far her alias was unscathed, but she gave herself the workweek to get her info and run. Besides, Rich was hinting strongly that they should consummate their relationship this weekend, definitely a good time to exit stage left.
Trying to suppress her glee at getting in, Chloe followed the other cleaners to the supply room and got to work. Before she knew it, Rich was touring her through the facility, showing her her responsibilities and stealing a quick kiss away from the obvious surveillance cameras. Rich knew all the unmonitored spots and in no time Chloe did as well. Chloe watched Rich walk away with a tilt of her head and spun on her heel, hiding the cynical smirk. There was nothing as indiscreet as a man in heat.
Chloe now had access to most of the facility. There remained a single high security research area but Chloe also had a map of the airducts and had finally bypassed the limited security within them. Chloe had managed to hack the computer system from the outside and had disabled the airduct sensors but couldn't break the security of the building. The lasers had been a tiny accomplishment in what had turned out to be several nights of endless frustration. She could do no more on her own.
It was too bad she had not been able to see Martha Kent again. She'd been back to the grate three times with no luck. If she did run into Mrs. Kent, it was unlikely Chloe would be recognised as she was currently sporting large, heavy-rimmed glasses, a kerchief on her hair, and no makeup. Chloe thought Martha would be friendly but quite honestly, the sight of Mrs. Kent walking around a place like this made her suspicious. Clark had always been a little strange. Had he been infected by the meteors, causing the Kents to turn him in to the government? Much as Chloe claimed to be a hardened cynic, she could not bring herself to believe this of the Kents.
Though it had been two years, the possibility that Clark Kent might be here, had exponentially increased Chloe's drive to find a way in. Her heart still hurt when she thought of him and though she had matured enough to know she would never completely lose that feeling, it did not reduce her desire to see him again. Chloe thought again of Rich, appeasing her guilt by promising herself she would be as kind as she could. Possibly, a letter explaining her sudden disappearance would help. She was a writer after all. She should be able to make it good.
Chloe worked fast, trying to accomplish a good enough job to not draw attention but cutting as many corners as she could. She didn't need to waste time working when she had a story to investigate. Finishing quickly, she made her way to a duct and crawled through to the most restricted area. When time was limited, it was best to go straight to the meat of the matter. Chloe's curiosity could wait no longer for satisfaction.
Pushing her way out of the vent, the first thing she noticed in the low light of the hallway was that the walls were green. An emerald green that almost glowed in its garishness, reminding Chloe of the meteors from her high school wall of weird. Lining the hallway were several locked doors with small high windows in the centre of each. Chloe was unable to see inside because the rooms behind were dark. This being the night shift, the whole section was dark and unused. The cleaning staff would be well gone before the day's tests would start again. Chloe needed to know what was in those rooms.
"My kingdom for a flashlight." she whispered, then covered her mouth with her hand, realising she had been talking to herself in this deafening silence. Mentally chastising herself with 'girl, this is not a good sign'. Moving down the hall, she looked into each room and saw nothing. Near the opposite end of the hall she finally found a door she could open.
Chloe made her way through the room by feel and the glow of the computer screen savers. The room seemed to be for documentation and communication. This must have been the room in which she'd seen Martha. Chloe licked her lips. If she could sneak access to these computers, she was sure she'd finally get into the documentation of what it was they were actually researching. Realising she didn't have time to hack into one now, she determined to try again tomorrow. She'd have to get back now, before Rich came looking for her.
Walking quietly down the hallway, she tried to see in the rooms one more time and was sure in the last one that she saw movement in the shadows. A chill ran up her spine and she shivered. This was too creepy. Glancing back at the window, Chloe was confronted with a face half pressed against the glass. Wide eyes and a mouth contorted in a parody of glee beneath glassy blue eyes and matted long blonde hair, stared back with only inches between them. Chloe gasped and staggered back in shock. The face disappeared as suddenly as it had come and the window was once again an empty maw. Chloe moved back until she reached the vent and was able to crawl inside, comforted by the small space. Concentrating completely on moving air in and out of her body, Chloe could not block the image from her mind.
Jesus, it was Jodi Mellville.