Hey, sorry for the long wait (please don't kill me!) and thanks for the reviews guys! It's encouraging to know people are reading and enjoying this.

Mindgames

Part 7

A scene of destruction met Clark's eyes as he slammed through the door into Lex's study. His mahogany desk was overturned and the various files and folders that had once resided on its surface were scattered haphazardly across the room. Several pool balls were still rolling lazily along the floor, bumping off of the broken furniture only to take a new path. Lex lay strapped to a chair in the very centre of the picture, blood seeping slowly from a head wound.

"Lex!" He twitched in his sleep when Clark called his name.

"Lex! Are you ok?" He rushed over to his friend, tipping him upright on the sturdy chair before easily ripping through the thick ropes binding him with one sweep of his hand. Lex began to slump sideways but Clark caught him and bent down so they were at eye level.

"Lex." Clark repeated urgently, and Lex's eyelids flickered and opened to reveal dazed and confused grey irises.

"Clark?" Lex mumbled, blinking furiously to clear his hazy vision. The room sharpened and he sat up fully on his own, gazing around at the mess before letting his stare rest on his worried friend.

"What happened? Are you ok?" Clark asked again, an Lex nodded in answer to the last question.

"There was…" Lex swallowed and his eyes darted about the room as if searching for an escape. "There was a scream… then he came in…"

"He? Who's 'he' Lex?"

"Aaron Asidian." Lex replied with crystal clarity, his eyes clearing for a second. "He came… and he did something to my head… I saw things…" He stopped and shook his head. "It's all so long ago… like it never happened, but it did happen… because I saw…" Lex trailed off, staring into space.

Clark tried to regain his attention. "What did you see?" He prompted.

Lex didn't reply and Clark sighed and rose to his feet, looking around for a phone.

"I saw… Julian… and Lillian… and we… we were happy…" Lex's unsteady voice came from behind him, and Clark looked down as Lex looked up, his eyes filling with tears. Then he blinked and they were gone, leaving Clark wondering if the tears had ever been there at all or if he'd imagined it.

Lex stood up abruptly and walked swiftly over to his desk phone, which has slid off but thankfully was still in working order. Clark had to take a moment to marvel at the way Lex could change his demeanour from one moment to the next. The old Lex was in charge now.

"I'm calling the police." He informed the teenager as he dialled in the numbers. "From what Aaron said to my father it sounded like they had a deal, but Aaron went back on his side of the bargain and Chloe has something to do with it."

"Chloe?" Clark repeated instantly. "What does Chloe have to do with this?"

"I'm not sure yet." Lex said, lifting the phone to his ear and turning his back to Clark to show he wanted him to be quiet.

A second later Lex got the feeling he was alone, and spun around to find Clark was gone, the only thing proving he'd actually been there the tattered ropes lying at the base of the chair. Lex sighed and relayed the events of that night to the police, knowing he should have informed them of his father's dodgy dealings long ago. Now not only himself but Chloe was paying the price for his mistake as well.

---

Slow footsteps alerted Chloe to her friend's presence outside the Torch office, and she smiled to herself.

"It's alright Clark, you can come in. Don't worry, I won't bite your head off for using a size 16 font instead of the proper 12." Chloe didn't bother to look up as a shadow appeared in the doorway, she simply smiled and shook her head fondly at her big dumb farm boy who'd tried to cheat his way out of writing the proper amount for the article.

However, when Chloe received no sheepish reply she began to look around, only to feel the sharp, cold edge of a knife at her throat. She gasped and jerked ramrod straight before she could stop herself, body quivering.

Her assailant didn't say a word, but the increased pressure of the blade on her skin told her he wanted her to move back and she did so willingly, most definitely not preferring the alternative.

Once they'd stopped well out of range of the phone, Chloe said in what she intended to be a strong voice, "What do you want? Because if it's money I've left my purse at home and-"

She was cut off by a deep voice that seemed to her to be altered somehow, as if to cover up the true attacker's tone. "It's not money I want."

"Then… then what is it?" Chloe could barely force herself to say the words, a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach telling her exactly what he wanted.

"I want to be free again." Came the cryptic reply after some hesitation, but the answer didn't satisfy Chloe's fears.

"What's that supposed to mean? Because if you're some kind of wacko who takes sick pleasure in scaring teenage girls then you should know I'm a black belt in Ju Jitsu." She lied flawlessly.

"We both know you're not, Chloe." The voice trembled slightly. The man took a deep breath.

"I have to do this." He stated, almost as if to reassure himself, Chloe thought. "I… I don't want to do this…" His voice broke and Chloe felt warm tears slide down her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Sulley." He gasped out.

Chloe jerked with recognition at the old nickname she'd heard so many times in her days at Metropolis High School from her best friend…

"Mike!" She choked out, and as she did so her mind was hit with images and pain, the impossibly happy dreams clashing with the despairing nightmares.

Through the torture she distantly heard a quivering voice say quietly, "It's Aaron, now."

Ever so slowly, his hand shaking violently and tears streaming down his face and her back, he started to sink the knife into Chloe's vulnerable neck.

Aaron clenched his eyes tight shut so he didn't have to see it.

End of Part 7

rhenq: Dark twist? I'm not sure what you mean... I don't think it has a dark twist lol! Don't worry, major Chlark to come!

Emily M. Hanson: Sorry, won't be able to finish before I go. There's only 3 more chapters left as well!

chlodouble1011: Wel I did update, but it was late so I'm sorry! You'll find out about Chloe's dreams soon enough.

IMPORTANT: I don't have much time at the moment 'cause I'm packing to go to go on holiday today, so the next chapter won't be up for another 2 weeks, sorry! ( I seem to be saying that a lot lately hmm.)