(12/14)

As the bright lights assaulted her senses again, Chloe groaned. I wish I'd stop coming to, she thought, a bit lightheaded from whatever her maniacal captor had been doing to her.

Lex was still standing over her, waiting until she fully regained consciousness to pump the next poison into her system.

"You're still here," she deadpanned.

"I wouldn't be so smug," he said, twirling the syringe between his fingers. "You won't be here much longer."

"Oh, great! Maybe I can get home in time for dinner. I'll just tell the boss I couldn't make it in today because I was being held prisoner by a psychopath. I'm sure he'll understand," she said in a false cheerful tone.

"I don't know if he'll understand, but I'm sure he'll come to your funeral."

Chloe rolled her eyes. What am I? In a movie? Is he just going to stand there talking about killing me all day? If he's going to, he needs to hurry up. But no. Talk, talk, talk...

"I just have one more thing to ask you before the service, Lex," she smirked.

He cocked an eyebrow.

"How did you know I was still alive?" She had to know why she had been safe for seven years and why he was trying to off her now.

"I know a lot of things, Chloe. But I have to admit I didn't know you were still around till you and Clark came to see me that day."

Thanks, Chief, she thought. "So you knew, right when I walked into your office?"

He shrugged. "It was a good try, but just a little too convenient. I like the brunette though," he leered.

"You always did," she said with disgust.

"Time for your medicine," he mocked and grabbed her arm, ready to inject her with a red liquid.

Before the needle could puncture the flesh of her forearm again, she heard a piercing screech a thousand times worse than nails on a chalkboard.

She cringed but couldn't cover her ears. Lex briefly forgot the needle and turned to see what was happening.

He shouted at his personnel, but it was already too late. They were nowhere to be found and Superman was standing in the middle of the room.

"Don't touch her again," he said, his voice deadly.

Lex shook his head. "Clark! You know I wouldn't hurt a fly."

Clark wasn't surprised Lex knew who he was. He seemed to know everything else about him. "That's Superman."

Lex laughed. "Do you really think a pair of glasses is going to hide your identity from the world?"

"Let her go."

"Sorry, don't think so. But I'm so glad you decided to drop by. It's almost like old home week, without all those secrets and lies that Lana Lang was always blathering on about," he laughed again.

Clark sped over to Chloe, broke her bonds, and carried her out the door he had ripped off. "Stay here," he instructed and she nodded weakly.

He came back and stood before Lex.

"Damn. I knew I made this too easy," Lex said with a mock pout. "Especially since you and your little reporter gal pal make everything so difficult for me."

"Forgive us for trying to save innocent lives. And forgive me for thinking you were ever worth saving," Clark said bitterly. If he glared at his enemy any harder, he would literally be burning holes in him.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Clark. One cannot fight their true nature," he said dramatically.

"It didn't have to be this way."

"Oh, but it did. I see you've retained your farm boy naiveté, but it won't serve you well. Not doing what you do," Lex said, indicating the cape and tights. He narrowed his eyes. "I never saw you as a spandex kinda guy."

"This has to stop, Lex," Clark said. He didn't want to use drastic measures, but he had a feeling he would be forced to, especially since Lex had a syringe full of red Kryptonite in his hand.

"It can't stop, Clark. There's too much to explore."

"You know those rocks have never done anything but harm people."

"You know, don't you, Clark? You know where they came from."

"You want to do this the hard way? I can do that," Clark said and charged him. When he got within ten feet of Lex, he suddenly stopped.

"I don't think you can," Lex said, as confident as ever.

Clark x-rayed him, only to find shards of Kryptonite lining the pockets of his jacket.

TBC