A/N: for any who were confused, all will be revealed by the end of the story.. no worries.. :D And wow, gets it before NS... you all should feel special... grumbles at NS' server

10.

Chloe watched Alex and a slim, cute, confident boy, walk into the Talon. They were joking about something. Well, Pete's plan was going to have to wait for a while then. She thought grimly.

Operation Mant, he called it. In actuality, the operation would be the perfect pairing of Clark and Alex. Judging by Alex's attitude towards this boy, Operation Mant would have to be put on hold.

"Alex." Chloe waved the tall blonde down. Alex smiled and led the boy over to Chloe's usual table. Chloe eyed up the boy. He was a tall boy. Dressed in Dickie jeans and a vintage tee-shirt. Chloe smiled, "Who's your friend?"

"Ray Alvarado." The boy said extending his hand. She shook it firmly, before replying.

"Chloe Sullivan." Giving him what she hoped would be a suspicious look, she said, "You're not exactly from around here are you?"

He laughed, "What gave me away?"

"Well, seeing as I have never seen you before, and I've lived here for over four years."

"Here I thought it was the clothes." Ray said sitting down.

"Well, Dickies isn't necessarily Smallville quality." She smiled. "Plaid is very 'in'."

"I've noticed." He laughed again. "I'm guessing you're a city girl."

"Metropolis bred." She smiled her usual bright smile. "At least I'm not the only one that will stick out like a sore thumb."

"I don't stick out that much!" Alex said feigning anger.

"That's just because you look like you came from Clark's closet." Chloe replied with a straight face. "So, are you two a couple or can Lana get a piece of him?" Bluntly put, yes. But she really wanted to know, if Operation Mant was a go or not.

"What?! You thought - Ray and I -" Alex laughed before turning a unusual shade of gold.

"Alex," Ray whispered, "you're glowing."

"Shit." Alex said before pulling her plaid collar up and putting her face down on the table.

"A side effect, I'm assuming." Chloe asked. 'Now this is interesting.'

"She knows?"

"Yeah," came the mumbled response from the glowing girl. 'She glows! She makes things fly, shoots electricity out of her fingertips, turns into a literal puddle of goo, and to top it all of she glows! Why don't I get special powers?'

"Alex and I aren't together any more." Ray said answering her previous question. "We're just friends."

"Good to know." Chloe smiled at him.

"Do you know any single girls around that would be interested?" He asked checking her out.

"I'm not, but I can try and hook you up with one of the waitresses if you would like." She spoke without thinking. Then she realized what she said, and paled.

"You're not?" Alex asked, here head shooting up off of the table.

"It's kind of complicated." She said not looking at the other blonde's pleading eyes.

"How complicated?" Ray asked. 'So this is what it's like to be interviewed by somebody who doesn't give up.'

"Too complicated." She said looking at him angrily.

"So, if its that complicated, why are you still in this relationship?" He asked.

"It's serious."

"So you're fucking him then?" Ray asked bluntly.

She didn't have to respond. The bright red blush on her cheeks told both Ray and Alex the answer.

"Then why is it complicated."

"I just is. Okay. If word got out that we were together-"

"What?"

"Lets just say that 'town pariah' is too weak of a word."

Alex just looked at her, obviously just letting it all sink in. Her eyes brightened before she loudly declared, "It's Lex!"

"Shut up." Chloe hissed.

"What's me?" A familiar voice replied from behind her. She froze. 'Shit! Shit! Mayday Captain. The ship is going down!'

"We were playing favourite millionaire." Chloe said quickly, ignoring the little First Mate in her head.

"But I'm not a millionaire, Miss Sullivan." He sat in the chair beside her. "I'm a billionaire."

"True. but if we were playing favourite billionaire, the category would be narrowed down significantly."

Lex nodded his head once, before looking at his surroundings. "And who is this?"

"Ray Alvarado." Ray declared proudly, extending his hand. "You must be Lex Luthor."

"How could you guess?"

"Just lucky." He smiled.

"I have to be going. I have a dinner with the new neighbours, Ray, give me a ride home?"

Ray stood up quickly. "Right." He said before turning back to Lex and Chloe. "Nice meeting you both."

Chloe nodded, then, shot Alex a warning look. "See you tomorrow Alex. Have a fun dinner."

"Will do." She beamed back.

As Chloe watched the two forms leave the Talon, she felt his eyes shooting into her.

"What was that all about?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do they know?" He asked shooting a glance at the retreating vehicle.

"No. They don't." She said lying to him. She looked into his eyes not showing the fear that lying to a Luthor brings.

"You sure that they don't suspect anything?"

"Lex," she smiled her 1000 watt smile at him, "you're just being paranoid."

"Good." He risked a smile back at her. "Because we wouldn't want anybody else knowing about us."

"Don't worry." She said, crossing her legs. Inconspicuously she ran her fingertips along the side of his pants. "See you later Lex." She said before excusing herself from the booth.