Part Eight

This was stupid. Idiotic. Why would anyone in their right mind
participate in such an awkward activity? Chloe looked up at the rope
suspended from the ceiling of the school's gymnasium. There was no way
she was going to climb it.

"Come on, Chloe." Lana bounced up beside her. Her dark ponytail swung
merrily back and forth, the perfect accessory to her brilliant white
smile. "It'll be great practice for when you're a hard-hitting
investigative reporter."

"And what? I've got an exclusive interview with Tarzan, King of the
Jungle?" Chloe shot Lana a death glare, but the girl only giggled in
response. With a deep breath, she grasped the rough nylon rope at a
spot up above her head. She pulled herself up, her legs flailing as
she tried to grip the rope with them. This was a horrible, graceless
exercise - at least it was when she did it. Chloe was certain that
Lana would ascend the rope like a ballerina dancing across a stage. It
was more than likely that her face would also turn a pretty shade of
pink from the effort and not the raging red that Chloe was sure hers
was.

"That's it, Chloe," Lana encouraged despite the fact that Chloe had
only managed to get herself a couple of feet higher. "Wrap your legs
around the rope to stabilize it." Chloe looked down to deliver a
scathing retort, but Lana smiled innocently at her and said - loud
enough for Chloe to hear, but soft enough that their struggling
classmates could not - "Just pretend it's Lex."

The combined shock of hearing that insinuation from the pure princess
of Smallville herself and that Lana even knew something was going on
between her and Lex, made Chloe let go of the rope. She landed
painfully on her ass. It was so excruciating that the wind was knocked
out of her and she couldn't even gasp. All she was capable of was
gaping like a fish out of water.

"Oh, no, Chloe!" Lana knelt down beside her. "Are you okay?" Chloe
gritted her teeth and nodded even though the pain was horrendous.
There was already a crowd forming around her and she hated a fuss.
"I'm taking you to the nurse. Mrs. Ashbrook, I'm taking Chloe to the
nurse." Lana helped Chloe up without waiting for permission and
supported her as her friend limped out of the gym.

"I'm so sorry, Chloe." Tears shone in Lana's eyes as they made their
way slowly down the hall. "I shouldn't have said that while you were
up there. I'm sorry."

The last thing Chloe wanted was to have to deal with a crying Lana.
"It's okay. Why..." Chloe took a deep breath. She stopped walking
and leaned up against the wall to rest. "Why did you say that about
pretending it was Lex?"

"I, uh..." Lana bit her lip. She was regretting her comment. She had
thought Chloe would blush or snap something back at her and that would
give her an opening to bring up the Lex situation. Technically, she
did still have her opening. "Lex is the older guy you met at the club,
isn't he? The one you were confused about?"

"What makes you think that?" Chloe evaded the question. She wasn't
ready to answer. She didn't know if she wanted to lie to Lana or
confide in her. She couldn't talk about her feelings for Lex with
Clark or Pete.

"The way you look at each other and how attentive Lex is toward you."
Lana smiled. "He looks for you every time he comes into the Talon. He
does it real cool and casual, of course, and he always asks for Clark.
His eyes light up when he sees you though."

"Really?" Chloe couldn't hide her pleasure at Lana's revelation. She
didn't want to. Lex looked for her! Suddenly, Chloe wanted to tell
Lana everything, so she did. It all came out in a rush - the Ryan,
Rothman, Bacchanalia, being drugged, Green Persuasion, Lex. "And when
he kisses me, I just....I can't think. I feel. I feel everything and
it's so intense."

"Chloe have you and Lex, uh, have you...." Lana stumbled over the
intimate question. She was bit stunned and worried about all the
things Chloe had told her, but this was her most pressing worry. Lex
was a player. He had better not be playing Chloe. Ooo, she hoped
Chloe wouldn't get mad.

"No," Chloe answered quickly. "Have you and Whitney...."

"No." Lana shook her head. She had never felt the way Chloe was
describing with Whitney. It was nice when she and Whitney kissed.
Sometimes when Clark smiled at her or touched her, she got a bit of a
shiver. She tried not to dwell on that though. "Do you want to - with
Lex?"

"I don't know." Chloe frowned. Lana had asked a question she hadn't
asked herself. Did she want to sleep with Lex? He was certainly
experienced enough to make her first time memorable and enjoyable.
"When he kisses me, I don't want him to stop. I want him to touch me
and I don't think I would say no if he took it further. But standing
here, I just don't know if I want to go that far."

"Then you shouldn't." Lana breathed an inaudible sigh of relief.
Chloe may be involved with Lex, but she was at least being half-way
sensible about it. "If you don't know if you want to do it when you
can think straight, then you shouldn't."

"I know. You put Clark up to asking Lex about his feelings for me,
didn't you?" Chloe pushed herself away from the wall. She felt better
now, physically and emotionally. Telling Lana everything had helped
her put her relationship with Lex in perspective and the rest had eased
the pain to a throbbing soreness.

"Are you mad?" Lana asked apprehensively. "I was worried and I wasn't
sure about Lex's motives. I'm still not."

"I think Lex isn't sure about his motives. I think this thing between
us has caught him by surprise." Chloe grinned as she remembered how
Lex had changed his mind in his office when he had lied to her about
not having any romantic interest in her. "Lex has been great, Lana, so
you don't have to worry or sic Clark on us again."

"Are you going to tell Clark?"

"Not yet. It's not like Lex and I are dating, we're just making out
occasionally while he helps me track down a story. Maybe after this
whole Rothman/Green Persuasion thing is over and Lex and I actually
decide to define our relationship and we still have a relationship,
then I'll tell Clark and Pete." Chloe sighed and looked at Lana.
"Wow, my second girl talk session. It's not as bad as I thought."

"But Chloe, we're not finished." Lana turned her big doe eyes on her.
"We've only talked about boys. We still have make-up, hair products,
boy bands, and clothes to cover. I like to use a leave-in conditioner,
especially in the summer because it keeps the static out of my hair.
What do you use to combat fly-away hair?" Lana couldn't stop herself
from breaking out in giggles at the truly astonished and panicked look
on Chloe's face. "Oh, Chloe, you can be so easy sometimes."

"I was just taking your advice, Lana. I was thinking of Lex." Chloe
laughed as Lana's giggles turned into sputters. She actually enjoyed
talking to Lana. She wasn't all about being perfect and sweet. She
was fun and easy to talk to and Chloe knew that what she said wouldn't
be spread around the school by morning. Chloe shook her head in
wonder - Lana Lang was her friend.

*****

The decelerating helicopter blades created a sluggish breeze that
stirred Lionel Luthor's dark mane of hair as he strode away from the
landing pad. Lex waited for him. Lionel smirked. He knew that his
son hated standing by to greet him, that's why he insisted on it. It
kept the boy in his place. "Lex."

"Dad. We weren't scheduled for a meeting until next week. Why the
sudden urge to visit Smallville?" Lex didn't look nervous and Lionel
had to give him a smidgen of respect for that.

Instead of answering, Lionel brushed past his son and headed toward
the elevator, forcing Lex to follow him. He didn't say anything until
they were alone in his office. Again he was impressed with Lex's
control. His son didn't pepper him with questions, he just waited for
the last one to be answered. Lionel made himself comfortable behind
his desk and then put on a stern parental look. "Chloe Sullivan."

"Gabe Sullivan's daughter. She's a friend of Clark's." Lex was
careful to keep his voice neutral and to meet his father's gaze. He
sat down, even though he hadn't been invited to. For some reason,
Chloe had made it onto Lionel's radar screen, but he couldn't panic.
There could be other reasons why his father would bring her up. "Is
this about the break-in? Because I've already taken care of Miss
Sullivan's medical expenses."

"Miss Sullivan. How formal considering your relationship with the
girl, Lex."

Lex merely raised his eyebrow in inquiry. He knew this game and his
father wasn't fishing. Somehow he knew about Chloe, but Lex couldn't
be sure how much he knew. He didn't want to admit to caring for Chloe
when his father might think it was only a flirtation. "Miss Sullivan
is a teenager and the daughter of one of my most valuable employees."

"I know. That is why I am so concerned." Lionel shook his head
slowly. "Really, Lex, are you so bored out here that you have to
dally with a schoolgirl? That's dangerous and stupid." Lionel paused.
"The girl could get hurt. Her life ruined."

"And who would do that?" Lex went cold. He never should have put
Chloe in a position where she could be hurt by his father. He never
should have let himself believe that he could be happy - that Lionel
would ever allow that to happen.

Even though his son didn't look defeated, Lionel knew he had won. He
had also managed to kill two birds with one stone as the old adage so
quaintly put it. Lex would do as he asked to protect the girl and then
he would end his stupid little romance with her so he wouldn't be
vulnerable again. Lionel placed the legal documents that would ensure
that he kept control of his company on the desk. "I have some papers
for you to sign, Lex."

Without hesitation Lex took the pen his father offered and scrawled his
signature in the proper places. "Is that all?"

"Aren't you going to even read them?"

"Why? I wouldn't change my choice." Lex stood up. "If that's all,
I'll get back to work."

"You signed away controlling interest in LuthorCorp for her, Lex."

Funny, Lex didn't feel any disappointment or regret. It could have all
been his - he would have finally beaten his father - and it didn't
matter that he had given it all up. "And how exactly did I wrest
control of LuthorCorp from you?"

"You did a good job here at the plant. Your mother had left it to you
with a provision in her will that if you were successful then you
would inherit shares in other LuthorCorp companies."

"Small details you neglected to tell me about." That's why Lionel had
been desperate enough to do business with Rothman. "So now that you
won't be needing the drug you bought from Nicholas Rothman I'll take
it." The look of surprise on Lionel's face was gratifying. It was
nice to know the old man didn't know everything.

"I hope you're not going to use it on the poor girl, Lex. It wouldn't
be very chivalrous of you." Lionel took the vial out of his
briefcase and set it on the desk. He regretted its loss, but he
doubted it would have worked anyway since Lex had apparently known
about it and had his guard up. He wasn't afraid that his son would use
it on him, Lex would hardly have been so obvious in asking that he hand
it over if that had been his plan. Lionel stood up and walked toward
the door. "Have a good day, Lex. I'll expect to see you in Metropolis
next week for our meeting."

"Wouldn't miss it, Dad." Lex picked up the green vial and regarded it
with a smirk. "I'll bring the refreshments."

"Don't be facetious, it only makes you look like a sore loser," Lionel
snapped. He paused in the doorway before leaving. "You will take care
of thinks with the girl soon, Lex. We can't afford the scandal and if
you don't, then I will be forced to."

"I'll take care of it and you will stay away from Chloe." Lex gritted
his teeth as his father left. It was over. He had always known this
weird, wonderful relationship he was developing with Chloe would end,
but he had hoped it would last a bit longer. Lex held the vial up to
the light and watched it glow in the sunlight. He would have to finish
the Rothman investigation and get Chloe her story before his father had
a chance to take care of anything. The lab techs wouldn't need the
whole vial to analyse the contents, the rest could be used for
something else.

*****

The music was loud and the place was packed with people, but Nicholas
Rothman was in no mood to join in on the gaiety. It had been months
since he had sold Lionel Luthor the contaminated Green Persuasion and
Lex was still alive. He crumpled up the photo of Lex that grinned up
at him from the front page of the Daily planet and tossed the newspaper
into the trash. He punched at the numbers on his telephone to replay
the voicemail.

"A celebration of our success is in order, Rothman," Lex's cool voice
issued from the machine, not even a hint of static or background noise
tainted the message. "Shut down the Bacchanalia to the public
tomorrow night and we can toast our profitable partnership. Then,
after you leave, I would like to host a more private party for Chloe -
it's her birthday and I want to do something special. I'll have my
assistant fax you the details about the food, music, and anything else
I'll require for the evening."

No hello, no good-bye - just orders. Our partnership. Our success.
Bacchanalia was his vision and the only reason Luthor was involved was
because of that unaerated bitch. "Goddamn Luthor," Nick muttered and
cradled his head in his hands. Just once he would like to get the
better of Lex. All he asked was to be able to go to his father and
say, 'Look what I did. I bested a Luthor - something you never did.'
And then the old man would have to shut the hell up and leave him
alone. Nick lifted his head at a loud knock on his office door. "I
told you I don't want to be disturbed," he yelled.

"Sorry, Mr. Rothman." Vince's voice was muffled by the closed door.
"But you wanted to know if Gillian McKay showed up in the club again.
I just ID'd her at the bar."

She came back. Someone down there must like him because the bitch who
had gotten him into this mess had very stupidly walked back into his
territory. Nick strode quickly form his office and followed Vince down
to the club. This time Lex would be the one to pay dearly because of
Gillian McKay. "Where is she?" Nick scanned the bar, but didn't see
any short, curvy blondes.

"Right there at the end." Vince nodded at a woman leaning against the
bar, talking animatedly to three other women.

Something was wrong. "Are you sure?" Nick frowned. That woman was
definitely not his Gillian McKay. Redheads didn't do it for him.

"Her college ID said Gillian McKay." Vince shrugged and went back to
work behind the bar.

Nick made his way toward the small group of women. He pasted a
charming smile on his face. "Good evening, ladies, are you enjoying
yourselves?" Nick gestured for Vince to refresh their drinks. "I'm
Nicholas Rothman." He didn't pay attention as the women introduced
themselves, he kept his focus on Gillian.

"So, you own this place?" Gillian smiled at him. "It's cool."

"Thanks." Nick knew that subtlety was not one of his strengths,
especially when he wanted something. This Gillian McKay had to know
the identity of Lex's damsel. She must have used this Gillian McKay's
ID to get into the club. "How did you hear about Bacchanalia?"

"Are you kidding? Everyone on campus is raving about this place."
Gillian blushed and looked a little sheepish. "I've meant to check it
out way before now, but I used to visit my boyfriend on the weekends.
We've broken up."

"Really." Nick paused as if thinking. "You know, you're name is
familiar. I think we have a mutual friend...short blonde girl, likes
to ask questions."

"Oh, you mean my cousin Chloe. Chloe Sullivan."

Nick tuned out the rest of Gillian's conversation. Lex had introduced
him to Chloe as Sullivan as his girlfriend. She had been dressed more
sophisticatedly, but now that he thought about it, it was her. Chloe
Sullivan was his Gillian McKay. Lex had used his jailbait girlfriend
to set him up and now he wanted to celebrate and do something special
for the slut. Well, Nick would just have to make sure it was something
extra special.

To be continued....