Summary: Pete's assignment - Conclusion

A/N: If you haven't noticed, the chapters have been slightly reordered. This is the final chapter for Pete and Lex. Hopefully, you'll read it and not skip past it to the last chapter because you've been reading it... You can see that I'm hoping lots of people are reading it... even if I don't get their reviews... because I don't always review everything I read on here, so I guess that's my failing...


Pete ran for all he was worth towards Plant #7. This is not good… This is not good… was his mantra. But he didn't allow that thought to stop him. As he reached the door, he paused, listening for any signs of people beyond the door and pursuit behind him. Pete, get a hold of yourself! You have to be here. You know you do. But the first thing you'll do is you'll step into an office and call the cops. Then you won't have totally gone against the plan. He nodded decisively to himself. He opened the door and ducked in.

It was a large warehouse with doors lining one side. There was all the typical equipment you expected to find in a warehouse. There were the forklifts, winches, backhoes, dump and garbage trucks and other machinery he knew nothing about. It didn't go with his image of energy producing equipment, but what did he really know, after all? He looked back towards the doors. OK, Petey boy. Just go to the first door and duck in. You're looking for an office with a phone, remember?

Slowly, he crept toward the nearest door. Every squeak of his shoes made him wince in anticipation of being jumped by an imaginary hulking foe. Why does it always seem to be that when you are trying to sneak around you inevitably make noise? he wondered agonizingly. It's like it would be better for you just if you just run for it. Maybe I'd make less noise… He shook his head. Of course he was pondering the unimportant issues in life when he could be faced with death around the next corner...

He reached the door and took a deep breath. Grasping the handle, he turned it slowly. He mentally thanked Lex for maintaining a good janitorial department that kept the doors well greased. Slipping inside, he rested against the door for a moment. Looking on the desk against one wall, he could have cried when he saw no phone there. He wanted to scream in frustration, but knew that wouldn't help and would only put him in greater danger. He looked around the room, trying to look for something that might be used for a weapon. Two cabinets with an odd sized gap between them caught his eye. He walked over to it and almost sobbed in relief. A phone! Someone was looking out for him!

He lifted the handle and pressed 9-1-1. While the phone rang, his foot jiggled impatiently. He looked out the small window to the trees. He didn't see any movement and wondered why his gut twisted in response. It's quiet. Too quiet… Finally, the phone was answered and he took a deep breath to start confessing the situation he found himself in. A cold piece of metal pressed against his spine and he stiffened. "Drop it," came a menacing, but decidedly female, voice.

He obeyed and heard the phone clatter against the floor. "What do you want with me?" he practically shouted, praying that the operator would remain on the line to hear their conversation.

Her laughter chilled his blood. "You, Mr. Ross? What could I possibly want with a wet behind the ears high school student? But if you hadn't managed to get me fired, you wouldn't have been in the office with Lex Luthor, would you?"

Pete's mind raced. "Lynette the receptionist?" He wanted to twirl around to look at her, but knew that would not go over too well with the obviously crazed clerical worker.

"As far as you know…" she gritted. "It's too bad that you hadn't just gone to that abandoned farmhouse like you'd started to. I was really annoyed when I saw you change directions. I had to take care of you instead of allowing George to. Irritating! Now get moving." She moved the gun slowly to his back and grasped his arm, directing him to the door.

He wanted to resist… to stay where the operator just may hear the trouble he was in. But he definitely wasn't willing to get himself shot over it. He followed her directions deeper into the plant. Her breathing sounded harsh behind him and he wondered how he could have ever found her attractive. Obviously she was mental… and not just in a "I want to be the next Mrs. Luthor" way. They entered the main room where an odd-looking piece of machinery lay. It had tubes coming out of it, but looked fairly simple with one tank and tubes coming out of it.

"Let him go," a voice to the right of the machine sounded. Pete breathed a sigh of relief, but remained tense.

"Lex!" Pete shouted. "Get out of here! She has a gun!"

"I'm fully aware of that, Pete." Pete could visualize the smirk that undoubtedly crossed his face. "She's not the only one."

Pete felt the gun jab him from behind. "This isn't 'catch up with each other' time. You can't shoot me, Mister Luthor, without shooting your friend."

"What do you want… whoever you are?" Lex drawled. He still hadn't shown himself and his voice was echoing about the chamber like he was moving to find a better position.

She laughed and Pete thought it sounded slightly hysterical. "You don't even remember me, do you? And we just met officially today."

"I don't make it a habit to make friendly with the hostage takers. And why would I remember your name? You're not working for me anymore."

"I never was working for you." Pete was pushed farther into the room. His arm was released, but the gun was still firmly pressed against his flesh. "This machine is an abomination. It cannot be permitted."

Lex laughed. "You're not going to try and pass this off as a holy crusade, are you? Give me a little more credit than being gullible enough to believe that."

"You are good, Mr. Luthor." Pete heard the stiff smile in her voice. "It's not a holy crusade. I work for the oil and energy concerns out there and they will not allow this project to continue. You would force them out of business within 2 years. Do you know the number of jobs that would destroy? Do you even care?" Another bark of laughter was heard. "Of course you don't. You're just in it for the money!"

"And your concerns aren't?" Pete wondered if it was hopeful thinking that Lex's voice sounded like it was nearer.

"Don't try and moralize this with me!" she shouted. "But I've got no further time to talk with you about this. At first, I was going to leave your dear friend in here to fry with the machines, but apparently I need him as a shield. And this is actually better."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm sure you've been in here long enough to notice the explosives welded to each and every part of that monstrosity. It's going up in flames and you're not going to get out of here. If you follow us, I'll shoot your friend and while you're trying to save him, I'll escape and blow you both up."

"Whoever said Mr. Ross was my friend?" Lex sneered. "He's just annoying me for an interview for the high school paper. What makes you think I wouldn't just leave him?"

"And risk the bad PR?" It was obvious to Pete that she was trying to match Lex's sneer, but she didn't have the practice and he could hear the uncertainty start to creep into her voice.

"What bad PR? Terrorists blew up the plant. It's my word against yours. Simple enough."

"Fine, let's just try that out, shall we?"

Pete felt the gun being cocked and closed his eyes. This was it. He was not going to make it out to tell the story. A shot sounded and he felt a searing pain in his arm. He was confused because the report sounded further away than he'd expected. He could feel blood dripping down his arm, but was slightly confused because the gun at his back was no longer there. He stood there, wobbling slightly. He wondered why his knees hadn't collapsed yet.

"Pete, come on!" Lex's urgent voice was in his ear and his uninjured arm was being tugged.

Pete focused on Lex and then looked around. Lynette was lying on the ground, bleeding from her abdomen. "What happened?"

"I was able to shoot her before she shot you."

"You shot me!"

"A flesh wound in the arm is better than a shot in the abdomen that could puncture your organs."

"But you shot me!"

Lex growled and pulled at Pete harder. Pete found his legs starting to move. "We have to get out of here. I have her detonator, but I don't think she's the only one that has one."

"Crap!" Pete tried to get his legs to move faster.

They were almost at the door when they heard her. "You'll never make it out of here," came the whisper. Pete didn't even bother to turn towards her voice. They raced through the warehouse, desperately trying to make it to the outer door. Then they heard it. An explosion sounded in the bowels of the plant followed by the rushing roar of flames. Lex kicked open the door to one of the offices and threw Pete and then himself inside. He just had time to slam the door shut and get both of them to the outside window as the glass shattered in the door behind them and the force of the flames and heat slammed their bodies through the window.


When Pete woke up, he looked about. A hospital room? A hospital room! We made it!

"We certainly did, Pete." Pete turned and saw Lex lounging against the doorframe. His face was covered with small cuts and his skin was pink with what looked like slight burns. His hands were wrapped in bandages and he winced as he walked further into the room.

"The plant?"

"Gone. We have back-up plans, but the world may not be ready for the process yet. I'd hate to have to go through something like that again."

"True enough. But what are you going to do with the garbage contract?"

Lex laughed. "Oh, I didn't make the garbage contract. That was all my father and his cronies. They'll get to do all the clean-up."

Pete laughed as well, wincing at the pain of his jostled arm. Then he groaned. "Chloe's going to kill me! The story's been blown!"

"To say the least," Lex chuckled. "But that doesn't mean you don't have one hell of a story to tell."

Pete's eyes widened in realization and grinned. "So does that mean I can interview you for the new angle, Mr. Luthor?" Lex's eyes widened and his hands came up in defense. Pete started laughing and soon the sound of uncontrollable male laughter rang down the hallway of Smallville Medical Center.


A/N: Markmark, this is all for you, buddy! I've been thinking and while Lana's part and the stuff with Chloe and Clark are funny, this is all about a mystery and suspense. So I'm adding this final chapter of the Pete saga and then swapping chapters between Lana and Chloe and Clark. Maybe this will help with your interest in Pete's story… :D I figured it was worth a try! ;)

Markmark, this is all for you, buddy!I've been thinking and while Lana's part and the stuff with Chloe and Clark are funny, this is all about a mystery and suspense.So I'm adding this final chapter of the Pete saga and then swapping chapters between Lana and Chloe and Clark.Maybe this will help with your interest in Pete's story… :DI figured it was worth a try! ;)