A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I'm glad you guys are liking this story.
Disclaimer: Did I even do one of these at the beginning of my story? None of the characters belong to me, but it's my story line. This is the only time you will see one of these on this story, b/c I think they're dumb.
ON WITH THE STORY!
True to his word, Jimmy showed Chloe around the newsroom right after lunch. Chloe felt lower than scum by the time he was done; everyone he had introduced her to had been so friendly, including Perry White, the editor.
And they all raved about the unstoppable team of Lois Lane and Clark Kent.
Chloe tried to convince herself she was doing the right thing, but in the back of her mind, she wondered when she had stopped being a reporter and started being a rat.
The Chicago Sun-Times had such a different atmosphere than the Planet; it was a dog-eat-dog world at the Sun-Times, and everyone knew it.
She was broken out of her reverie when Clark approached her and said, "Chloe? Earth to Chloe?"
She shook her head, and smiled. "Sorry, Clark. Lost in my own thoughts."
Chloe decided this was the best time to begin the true mission. "Clark, do you ever want a change of pace from the Planet? I mean, it's just not as big as, say, the Chicago Sun-Times."
Clark laughed. "Are you kidding? Everything about this newspaper seems right to me."
Chloe gave a forced smile. "Well, just a thought."
He grinned, then looked distracted. "Chloe, I have to, well . . ." Clark made a flying motion with his hands.
She made the shooing motion with her hands. "Go, go. We'll continue this later."
Clark gave a grateful smile, then began walking briskly towards the exit.
Lana saw Clark leaving, and approached Chloe. "Where was Clark going? He looked like he was in a real hurry."
Chloe made the discreet motion that Clark had just made with her hands, and Lana said, "Oh, I see. He'll be back soon, then."
Chloe's cell phone went off, and she said, "I'm sorry, Lana. I've been waiting for this call and have to take it."
Lana replied, "It's ok, go ahead."
Chloe hit the 'Talk' button, and answered, "Chloe Sullivan."
After listening for a few minutes, with only grunts and "Uh-huhs," as her response, she hung up with a satisfied click.
She looked excited, and said, "I have been waiting a long time for this. One of my colleagues, Jason, got me an exclusive interview with Lex Luthor."
Lana looked shocked. "Lex Luthor? Our old friend Lex Luthor?"
Chloe nodded happily, "The same."
Even though Chloe was excited, Lana felt uneasy when talking about Lex Luthor. Lana had read in the papers that Lex had been involved in some shady dealings over the past eight years, and Lana wasn't sure that they could trust him anymore.
Lana looked concerned. "Are you sure it's safe to talk to him one-on-one?"
Chloe seemed to brush her off. "I don't care if it's safe; it will be the story of a lifetime! It's in half an hour, so I have to go. Tell Jimmy thanks for the tour and that I'll be here bright and early tomorrow morning!"
Lana tried to protest, and was quickly cut off by Chloe, who said, "Lana, I know that look in your eyes. I've read about him too and know what I'm dealing with. Don't worry."
Chloe raced out of the newsroom and down the elevator.
A minutes later, Clark showed up. He looked around quizzically, and said, "Where did Chloe go?"
Lana cracked her knuckles, which she only did when she was nervous. "She left for an interview with Lex Luthor in a half an hour."
Clark grasped her arm. "Why would she need to interview him?"
Lana broke free, and put her hands up in exasperation. "I don't know. She said something about the story of a lifetime."
Clark grabbed her hand and practically dragged Lana to an elevator. "We've got to get to her before she talks to Luthor."
Lana rolled her eyes. "I tried to tell her that, and she didn't listen to me. What makes you think she'll listen to you?"
Clark turned to look at her. "As Superman, I know a lot more things about Luthor that you two DON'T know. He's killed so many innocent people just to get to his ultimate goal."
Lana asked, "What's his ultimate goal?"
Clark looked at Lana, and said softly, "To kill Superman."
Lana set her shoulders as the doors open and put her mouth in a grim expression. "Ok, let's go for it."
She walked out of the Planet, and was about to hail a taxi, when Clark stopped her. "It's rush hour traffic, and we'll never get there in time."
Lana shrugged her shoulders. "How do you suppose we get there then?"
"Like this." Clark stepped in a dark alleyway, and moments later, appeared as Superman.
Lana couldn't help herself from staring at the magnificent "S" on his chest. Lana walked over to trace her fingers over it, and up Clark's shoulders. She couldn't find her voice, and when she finally did, said, "I've never seen you like this before."
Clark grinned, and lifted her gently in his arms, as if she weighed no more than a feather. "It's nice that I don't have to hide from you. If we're going to be dating, there should be no secrets between us."
Lana didn't realize the last thing that Clark had said until they were up in the air, soaring above the clouds. She turned around uncomfortably to give Clark a glare. "What makes you think I would ever date you?"
Clark smiled another one of his smiles, and said, "We'll see."
Before Lana could respond, they arrived at Lex Corp. Lana looked up at the building scraping the sky, and gulped loudly. "How could our friend Lex turn out to be a killer?"
Clark had disappeared. Lana looked around worriedly. "Clark?"
He ran up, dressed in his normal suit and tie. "Had to change; I didn't want to draw a lot of attention to ourselves."
Lana knew she shouldn't tease, but couldn't help herself. "Yah, I think blue tights and a red cape might have drawn a crowd."
Clark laughed, then turned serious. "We've got to find her before she has that interview." The two hurried into the building.
Unfortunately, Chloe was already squirming in Lex's office, waiting for him to arrive. He entered, looking very distant, until he realized who he had an appointment with.
"Ms. Sullivan."
Chloe tried her best to look professional. "Mr. Luthor, thank you for seeing me."
Lex tried his best to smile, but the best it came out to was a sneer. "With pleasantries out of the way, let's get down to business, then."
Chloe pulled her notes out of her briefcase. "First of all, I wanted to ask you about your supposed involvement in the funding of the study of kryptonite."
Lex leaned forward, and said, "I have no involvement in that area. Next question."
Chloe's professional smile hardened. "Now, Mr. Luthor, you cannot just deny it. I have bank statements for the company Glow!, which is a direct subsidiary of Lex Corp. Every month, they receive a very large check to continue their kryptonite analysis."
Lex grinned, reminding Chloe of a cat, about to pounce on its prey. "You've done your homework."
Chloe tapped her finger on the reports, and said, "I always do."
Lex leaned back in his office chair, and pressed the intercom that led to the outer office. "Logan? This appointment will be taking longer than expected. Hold my calls."
Lex attempted a casual pose, and said, "Personal question, Ms. Sullivan. Off the record. How are you doing at the Sun-Times?"
Chloe was taken aback at the sudden change of pace. "It's fine. Now, back to those reports . . ."
Lex interrupted her, saying, "I always wondered how a reporter fresh out of college could have gotten such a prestigious job at the Sun-Times."
Chloe looked suspicious. "What are you saying, Mr. Luthor?"
Lex continued. "All I'm saying is that a job that easily given can be that easily taken away."
Chloe began to get angry. "Are you threatening me?"
Lex steepled his hands. "Just an observation."
He set his arms, folded, on the table. "Drop your research. My involvement or non-involvement with the company Glow! and everything related to kryptonite has nothing to do with you." Lex stood up and walked over to the large window, looking out into the city of Metropolis.
Chloe began packing up her papers and putting them in her briefcase. "I will not drop anything just because you tell me to! This interview is over." She began to leave, and then turned back around to look at Lex. "Lex?"
At the mention of his first name, Lex turned away from the window to look at Chloe. Chloe continued, "What happened to the you I knew in high school?"
Lex shrugged. "Things change."
Chloe nodded from side to side angrily. "No, people change."
Disclaimer: Did I even do one of these at the beginning of my story? None of the characters belong to me, but it's my story line. This is the only time you will see one of these on this story, b/c I think they're dumb.
ON WITH THE STORY!
True to his word, Jimmy showed Chloe around the newsroom right after lunch. Chloe felt lower than scum by the time he was done; everyone he had introduced her to had been so friendly, including Perry White, the editor.
And they all raved about the unstoppable team of Lois Lane and Clark Kent.
Chloe tried to convince herself she was doing the right thing, but in the back of her mind, she wondered when she had stopped being a reporter and started being a rat.
The Chicago Sun-Times had such a different atmosphere than the Planet; it was a dog-eat-dog world at the Sun-Times, and everyone knew it.
She was broken out of her reverie when Clark approached her and said, "Chloe? Earth to Chloe?"
She shook her head, and smiled. "Sorry, Clark. Lost in my own thoughts."
Chloe decided this was the best time to begin the true mission. "Clark, do you ever want a change of pace from the Planet? I mean, it's just not as big as, say, the Chicago Sun-Times."
Clark laughed. "Are you kidding? Everything about this newspaper seems right to me."
Chloe gave a forced smile. "Well, just a thought."
He grinned, then looked distracted. "Chloe, I have to, well . . ." Clark made a flying motion with his hands.
She made the shooing motion with her hands. "Go, go. We'll continue this later."
Clark gave a grateful smile, then began walking briskly towards the exit.
Lana saw Clark leaving, and approached Chloe. "Where was Clark going? He looked like he was in a real hurry."
Chloe made the discreet motion that Clark had just made with her hands, and Lana said, "Oh, I see. He'll be back soon, then."
Chloe's cell phone went off, and she said, "I'm sorry, Lana. I've been waiting for this call and have to take it."
Lana replied, "It's ok, go ahead."
Chloe hit the 'Talk' button, and answered, "Chloe Sullivan."
After listening for a few minutes, with only grunts and "Uh-huhs," as her response, she hung up with a satisfied click.
She looked excited, and said, "I have been waiting a long time for this. One of my colleagues, Jason, got me an exclusive interview with Lex Luthor."
Lana looked shocked. "Lex Luthor? Our old friend Lex Luthor?"
Chloe nodded happily, "The same."
Even though Chloe was excited, Lana felt uneasy when talking about Lex Luthor. Lana had read in the papers that Lex had been involved in some shady dealings over the past eight years, and Lana wasn't sure that they could trust him anymore.
Lana looked concerned. "Are you sure it's safe to talk to him one-on-one?"
Chloe seemed to brush her off. "I don't care if it's safe; it will be the story of a lifetime! It's in half an hour, so I have to go. Tell Jimmy thanks for the tour and that I'll be here bright and early tomorrow morning!"
Lana tried to protest, and was quickly cut off by Chloe, who said, "Lana, I know that look in your eyes. I've read about him too and know what I'm dealing with. Don't worry."
Chloe raced out of the newsroom and down the elevator.
A minutes later, Clark showed up. He looked around quizzically, and said, "Where did Chloe go?"
Lana cracked her knuckles, which she only did when she was nervous. "She left for an interview with Lex Luthor in a half an hour."
Clark grasped her arm. "Why would she need to interview him?"
Lana broke free, and put her hands up in exasperation. "I don't know. She said something about the story of a lifetime."
Clark grabbed her hand and practically dragged Lana to an elevator. "We've got to get to her before she talks to Luthor."
Lana rolled her eyes. "I tried to tell her that, and she didn't listen to me. What makes you think she'll listen to you?"
Clark turned to look at her. "As Superman, I know a lot more things about Luthor that you two DON'T know. He's killed so many innocent people just to get to his ultimate goal."
Lana asked, "What's his ultimate goal?"
Clark looked at Lana, and said softly, "To kill Superman."
Lana set her shoulders as the doors open and put her mouth in a grim expression. "Ok, let's go for it."
She walked out of the Planet, and was about to hail a taxi, when Clark stopped her. "It's rush hour traffic, and we'll never get there in time."
Lana shrugged her shoulders. "How do you suppose we get there then?"
"Like this." Clark stepped in a dark alleyway, and moments later, appeared as Superman.
Lana couldn't help herself from staring at the magnificent "S" on his chest. Lana walked over to trace her fingers over it, and up Clark's shoulders. She couldn't find her voice, and when she finally did, said, "I've never seen you like this before."
Clark grinned, and lifted her gently in his arms, as if she weighed no more than a feather. "It's nice that I don't have to hide from you. If we're going to be dating, there should be no secrets between us."
Lana didn't realize the last thing that Clark had said until they were up in the air, soaring above the clouds. She turned around uncomfortably to give Clark a glare. "What makes you think I would ever date you?"
Clark smiled another one of his smiles, and said, "We'll see."
Before Lana could respond, they arrived at Lex Corp. Lana looked up at the building scraping the sky, and gulped loudly. "How could our friend Lex turn out to be a killer?"
Clark had disappeared. Lana looked around worriedly. "Clark?"
He ran up, dressed in his normal suit and tie. "Had to change; I didn't want to draw a lot of attention to ourselves."
Lana knew she shouldn't tease, but couldn't help herself. "Yah, I think blue tights and a red cape might have drawn a crowd."
Clark laughed, then turned serious. "We've got to find her before she has that interview." The two hurried into the building.
Unfortunately, Chloe was already squirming in Lex's office, waiting for him to arrive. He entered, looking very distant, until he realized who he had an appointment with.
"Ms. Sullivan."
Chloe tried her best to look professional. "Mr. Luthor, thank you for seeing me."
Lex tried his best to smile, but the best it came out to was a sneer. "With pleasantries out of the way, let's get down to business, then."
Chloe pulled her notes out of her briefcase. "First of all, I wanted to ask you about your supposed involvement in the funding of the study of kryptonite."
Lex leaned forward, and said, "I have no involvement in that area. Next question."
Chloe's professional smile hardened. "Now, Mr. Luthor, you cannot just deny it. I have bank statements for the company Glow!, which is a direct subsidiary of Lex Corp. Every month, they receive a very large check to continue their kryptonite analysis."
Lex grinned, reminding Chloe of a cat, about to pounce on its prey. "You've done your homework."
Chloe tapped her finger on the reports, and said, "I always do."
Lex leaned back in his office chair, and pressed the intercom that led to the outer office. "Logan? This appointment will be taking longer than expected. Hold my calls."
Lex attempted a casual pose, and said, "Personal question, Ms. Sullivan. Off the record. How are you doing at the Sun-Times?"
Chloe was taken aback at the sudden change of pace. "It's fine. Now, back to those reports . . ."
Lex interrupted her, saying, "I always wondered how a reporter fresh out of college could have gotten such a prestigious job at the Sun-Times."
Chloe looked suspicious. "What are you saying, Mr. Luthor?"
Lex continued. "All I'm saying is that a job that easily given can be that easily taken away."
Chloe began to get angry. "Are you threatening me?"
Lex steepled his hands. "Just an observation."
He set his arms, folded, on the table. "Drop your research. My involvement or non-involvement with the company Glow! and everything related to kryptonite has nothing to do with you." Lex stood up and walked over to the large window, looking out into the city of Metropolis.
Chloe began packing up her papers and putting them in her briefcase. "I will not drop anything just because you tell me to! This interview is over." She began to leave, and then turned back around to look at Lex. "Lex?"
At the mention of his first name, Lex turned away from the window to look at Chloe. Chloe continued, "What happened to the you I knew in high school?"
Lex shrugged. "Things change."
Chloe nodded from side to side angrily. "No, people change."