A/N: My chapters seem to be getting longer with each one I write. So if
it's bugging anyone, let me know, and I'll try and cut them off sooner. :)
~*~*~*~
They walked back towards the main street in a casual manner. The closer they got to the main street however, the slower Chloe walked.
Looking back and seeing Chloe almost four steps behind him, and still slowing, Lex waited until she caught up with him. Slinging an arm over her shoulder, he started off again at his pace, pulling Chloe along so that she couldn't slow.
"You're gonna have to get over being afraid of these guys if you wanna help solve this." He said simply, as they stepped back onto the main street. There was a pay phone a few blocks away, and they headed towards it.
Acknowledging his advice, Chloe kept pace with him all the way to the phone booth, trying to convince herself that she wasn't afraid, and that she could definitely handle the situation.
Lex stepped into the phone booth, leaving the door open so that Chloe didn't feel closed off from him. He dialed up his office at Lexcorp, calling collect.
Chloe waited outside, watching the traffic, and keeping an eye on the restaurant, which she could see a ways down the street.
Lex heard his secretary pick up and the message from the Phone Company as they stated who the call was from, and asked whether they wanted to accept charges.
Lex smiled as he heard her growl 'yes', and then winced as she came onto the line.
"Boy you've got some nerve mister! I'm gonna report you to the police! How dare you try to impersonate Mr. Luthor! He's missing or didn't anyone tell you that! I'm calling the police right now! I'm on the other line, so don't you dare hang up! They're gonna trace this call, and then we'll see if you still think you're a Luthor..."
"Stop the other line, Melissa. This *is* Mr. Luthor." His voice was hard and brooked no disagreement.
"What?" Melissa stopped mid-rant.
"Did you stop the call to the police?" Lex asked quietly.
"Yes sir, Mr. Luthor." Melissa said quietly, doing it as she spoke. "I'm very sorry about yelling. I didn't recognize your voice at first! You see we've had a couple of crank calls from people wanting to have some say in your business now that you're gone... or when they thought you were gone... er. Where are you Mr. Luthor? There's stuff happening here, and I don't know what to do!"
"Melissa, listen carefully. I need you to send Adams. I need you to call my housekeeper, and make sure she sends some credit cards with Adams. I need him to bring a car, preferably an unobtrusive one, and I need him to bring it to a small town on the Oregon coast. Do you understand me so far?"
"Yes, just let me write this down!" Melissa scribbled everything onto a pad of paper. "Mr. Luthor, if you don't mind my asking what's all this about?"
"I do mind. You'll find out in good time. In the interim however, deal with the company the way you would were I on holiday."
"You never go on..."
"A business trip then. Tell people you can get a message to me, but that I am unavailable until further notice."
"Yes Mr. Luthor."
"Now. When you reach Adams, tell him that I need him here tomorrow, noon at the latest." Lex paused.
"Where should he meet you sir?" Melissa asked.
"Tell him that I'll call him on his phone at noon." Lex paused. "Now, I'm going to call back in half an hour, and I want you to tell me that everything is arranged. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I'll get on it right away."
"Fine." Lex said, and then hung up the phone.
Chloe had been listening in. She chose not to comment on his abrupt manner with his secretary. She was an employee after all and she figured that if the girl was really poorly treated she could quit. But the other person Lex had mentioned was interesting.
"Lex, who's Adams?" She asked, as he stepped out of the booth.
Lex smiled. "Let me put it this way. I don't like to dirty my hands unless I have to."
Chloe's eyes widened. "You think we're gonna have to do a lot of that? Dirtying of hands I mean?"
Lex pinned her with a gaze that made her feel a little foolish.
"Ah, of course we are." She answered herself. "These guys wouldn't be intimidated by anything less."
Lex nodded. "In the mean time, I need to find another phone. I have no doubt that Melissa is still loyal, but I wouldn't put it past someone to be trying to trace the calls without her knowing." Then he headed off towards the beaches west of Main Street.
Chloe followed, trying to figure out whether she would be capable of 'dirtying her hands', as Lex had so delicately put it. She wondered if maybe she should have just gone back to Smallville. She shook her head. She was a hard-hitting journalist who did what it took to get a good story! Those kidnappers weren't going to scare her off, and the thought of this Adams guy interrogating someone wasn't going to scare her off either, dammit!
Lex watched as indecision played across Chloe's features. "Chloe." He spoke sharply, to get her attention. When she looked up, surprised at his tone, he continued more gently. "You don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with." She opened her mouth to interrupt. Lex shook his head to stop her and continued, "And that includes tracking these people down. If you don't want to be here, the second that Adams gets here with my credit cards, I'll send you back to Smallville."
"But you won't be coming?" Her question coming out as more of a statement.
"That's right." Lex said simply. "If no harm had come to my business, and it was just me, it's conceivable that I may have let it go at putting the fear of the Luthor's into these guys.
"However, the moment they included you in this mess, was the moment they stepped over the line. I refuse to allow people that know me to be caught in the crossfire. So I won't stop until I go to the very top, and destroy whoever I find there."
Chloe was surprised at the depth of his feelings in the matter of her being kidnapped along with him. She could have laughed at his comment about destroying the person that had orchestrated the whole thing, but he was too serious. The cold look in his eyes, and his tone of voice sent a shiver down Chloe's spine. It was the same tone he had used on the phone with the Winston guy. But it was even more menacing now, when she had a better idea of what Lex was capable of.
"Well, I'm going to stick out." Chloe said at last. "I'm not going to let them scare me away." Mustering up her courage as she said the words, she plunged ahead. "And that said, what do we do while we're waiting for Adams to arrive?"
"I need to call Melissa back, and then we find some place to hole up until tomorrow."
Chloe nodded. "Well, there's a phone over there by that beach volleyball court." She pointed it out.
As they walked by the court, Chloe noted that the people playing volleyball all looked like rich snobs. She wondered if Lex had ever seemed like that when he'd been in prep school. Lex walked by without sparing a single glance their way.
He picked up the phone, and dialed for the time. He planned to give Melissa exactly half an hour.
Meanwhile, Chloe noted with displeasure, that one of the girls who'd been watching the volleyball game, was making her way over to them.
Chloe scowled, trying to make the girl leave, but since the girl's eyes were focused mostly on Lex she didn't really notice.
"Hey there." She said, catching his eye with a flick of her fingers. "You don't look like you're from around here."
Lex looked bored. "And?" He asked, not really paying attention.
"Well..." The girl smiled, not at all put off by Lex's attitude. "I'm not from around here either. And to be quite honest, you look like you could use a little fun."
Lex smirked. "I look like that do I?" He asked. Chloe scowled.
The girl nodded. "Well, you look like my type that is, and *I* could use a little fun!"
"And what type would that be?" Chloe demanded, making it clear that she was not going to be left out of the conversation.
"Rich." The girl said succinctly. "Now be quiet kid, and let mom and pop talk."
Chloe's jaw dropped, and Lex managed to smother a laugh.
"Well, I'm a little busy. Maybe some other time." He said, indicating the phone, as he punched the number for the time in again.
"Well, I'm just over there." She said with a wink, pointing to the volleyball court. "If you change your mind!" She blew him an air kiss, and then sauntered back towards the courts.
Chloe spluttered a little at her treatment. "How dare she! How dare you!" She glared at Lex. "Way to defend your partner in crime!" She quipped.
Lex chuckled. "Tell you what. Ream me out later, okay?" Then he punched the number for his office in.
Melissa accepted charges without the yelling this time.
"Mr. Luthor?"
"Yes."
"Everything is taken care of. Your housekeeper had your credit cards sent to the office, and Mr. Adams will pick them up, before arriving in the area you specified by noon tomorrow." She paused. "Is everything all right, Mr. Luthor?"
"Yes. Thank you. Everything is fine. I'll be in touch." And he hung up.
Chloe waited expectantly for Lex to tell her what was up.
"Well. Adams will be here tomorrow, with money, which will be nice. Nothing like not having it, to realize you take it for granted." Lex said with a slight smile.
"Well, she sure noticed." Chloe muttered. Glaring at the girl sitting by the volleyball court. "You're dressed up like a punk, and she *still* smelled money on you!"
Lex smiled. "Well, I do have about thirty dollars left in my pocket and the keys to the Ferrari. She probably smelled that."
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Whatever."
Lex leaned against the phone booth, observing Chloe, and the girl by the volleyball court. A plan slowly started to form.
"How do you feel about being my sister?" He asked Chloe suddenly.
"I beg your pardon?" Chloe looked at him, surprised. After that kiss, being his sister was the farthest thing from her mind.
"Well, we do need a place to stay tonight. I think I can get us into a really nice place."
Chloe looked suspicious. "Le-ex." She said, drawing his name out, her voice as menacing as she could make it. "Why do I get the feeling that I'm not going to like this plan?" She asked.
Lex shrugged. "I have no idea." He ignored her menacing tone. She had a ways to go yet, before it had any effect on him, he thought with a smile.
Then with a grin in her direction, he walked across the sand to where the girl was sitting by the volleyball courts. Chloe ground her teeth, as she watched him sit down. The girl beamed at Lex.
Chloe wasn't sure what the plan was but she wasn't going get cut out of it. She stalked over, and sat down on the other side of Lex.
"So she's your sister, Alex?" The girl was saying as Chloe sat. She glanced at Chloe with a nasty look on her face. "I wondered why you were tolerating her presence."
Lex smiled, and patted Chloe's head condescendingly. "Well, you know. You have to make do."
Chloe all but growled. She felt Lex's hand still on her head and move to her shoulder, gripping her warningly.
"Here's the thing, Angie." He said to the girl, when he was sure that Chloe wasn't going to rip the girl's throat out. "I need a place to stay, and I suppose she does too." He jerked his head in Chloe's direction.
Angie looked interested.
"See, my Ferrari is in the shop. What can I say?" He asked with a shrug. "I guess I drove it too hard. The thing is, the parts they need won't be here till tomorrow and..." He trailed off. "Have you *seen* the motels in this town?"
Angie laughed. "Well, Alex, I think I can help you out. My folks have a nice place just outside of town. Private beach, hot tub, I think you may find it a little more to your liking." She batted her eyelashes. "You'd have to put up with little old me though!"
Chloe groaned. She figured if she had to play the roll of the sister, she may as well get into it. "Gag me!" She muttered, earning a dirty look from Lex and Angie.
Lex turned his attention back to Angie. "I'm sure I can handle you." He said, allowing his voice to drop to a suggestive register. Angie giggled.
Rolling her eyes at how gullible the girl was, Chloe cleared her throat. "*Alex*, I'm really hungry. Do we have to sit around in the sand all day?" She demanded, doing her best to sound rich and spoiled.
"Actually, food is a good idea." Lex agreed, smiling at Angie. "I bet you have a great kitchen at your place!"
Angie nodded. "And a world class chef. He could whip something up for you in a second!"
"Sounds fantastic!" Lex said with such enthusiasm, that Chloe wondered how the girl was suckered in at all. "Well, let's get going!" He got to his feet, helping Angie up, and leaving Chloe to her own devices.
Angie linked her arm in Lex's heading towards the parking lot. She waved to her friends on the volleyball court and walked away from the catcalls, hoots and hollers.
Chloe shook her head. Leave it to Lex, she figured, to find the one girl with a bad reputation in the vicinity. Managing to keep her sense of humor intact, she followed in Lex and Angie's wake.
Angie pulled her remote start out of her pocket as they neared the parking lot. "Now, it's no Ferrari, but it's nothing to sneeze at." She said, as a top of the line BMW hummed to life. She hopped into the driver's seat, popping the lock to the passenger door. Lex slid into the car.
Chloe rapped her knuckles against the window. "Oh brother dear." She crooned. "I don't think mother would like for you to leave me all alone in a parking lot."
Lex faked a sigh of frustration. He reached back, and opened the backdoor.
Chloe flopped in. "And no kissing. I don't wanna watch that!"
Angie snorted. "What makes you think you have any say in what we do? You're just some punk kid dragging her brother down."
"I'll te-ell." Chloe said in a sing-song voice. She was actually getting into this. She'd never had anyone to bug growing up, and was enjoying bugging Angie.
Lex rolled his eyes for Angie's benefit. "Can we go? The sooner we're at you house, the sooner we can lock her in a bathroom or something!"
Angie giggled, and roared out of the parking lot.
Chloe made a point of being a nuisance. She reached between the two of them, to switch the radio from a romantic tune, to rap. She kicked the back of Angie's seat, and made gagging noises whenever Angie looked in Lex's direction.
"God! How old it she?" Exasperated, Angie glared behind her. Chloe stuck her tongue out.
Lex chuckled. "She's spoiled. Only daughter." He shrugged. "You get used to her. She's like an annoying insect. You just ignore it, and it'll go away."
Angie laughed like Lex was the wittiest guy in the world. "I bet."
The BMW ate up the road, and they were quickly out of town, and heading down the highway. Chloe noted that Lex seemed to sit up straighter, and began paying attention to the scenery herself. Then she saw why. They were approaching the mansion, where they had stolen the Ferrari.
Chloe shuddered, as the BMW whipped by that property. She caught only a glimpse of the glass showroom, before they were moving on. She held her breath, as the car roared up on the next gate in line. Suddenly, she felt panicky. What if this girl *lived* with the kidnappers?
Her blood ran cold as the gate approached...
And passed them in a flash. Chloe started breathing again, realizing that she had been holding her breath. Lex spared a glance at her over his shoulder, glad that she hadn't noticeably panicked.
Then Angie began to slow down, and a gate swung open. Chloe realized that Angie lived right next to the kidnappers, on the other side!
The BMW turned into the lane, and drove up to a stately looking manor. There were white columns at the front, with a balcony over the top, and ivy crawling up the side of it.
Angie smiled as the car pulled at a stop. "Well, it's not much, but it's home!" She said as she got out. Lex followed suit, looking around the property.
Angie held her arms wide. "What do you think?" She asked.
Lex smiled at Chloe as she got out of the car. He looked at Angie.
"It's perfect." He said. "In fact, I don't think I could have dreamed up a better situation!"
Angie beamed, while Chloe looked nervously in the direction of the kidnapper's mansion, shielded from view by trees and a big brick wall, she knew had to be there.
TBC...
A/N: Feedback makes the world go 'round! And makes stories too! I know I'm begging, but this *is* my first fanfic after all! So review eh? :)
~*~*~*~
They walked back towards the main street in a casual manner. The closer they got to the main street however, the slower Chloe walked.
Looking back and seeing Chloe almost four steps behind him, and still slowing, Lex waited until she caught up with him. Slinging an arm over her shoulder, he started off again at his pace, pulling Chloe along so that she couldn't slow.
"You're gonna have to get over being afraid of these guys if you wanna help solve this." He said simply, as they stepped back onto the main street. There was a pay phone a few blocks away, and they headed towards it.
Acknowledging his advice, Chloe kept pace with him all the way to the phone booth, trying to convince herself that she wasn't afraid, and that she could definitely handle the situation.
Lex stepped into the phone booth, leaving the door open so that Chloe didn't feel closed off from him. He dialed up his office at Lexcorp, calling collect.
Chloe waited outside, watching the traffic, and keeping an eye on the restaurant, which she could see a ways down the street.
Lex heard his secretary pick up and the message from the Phone Company as they stated who the call was from, and asked whether they wanted to accept charges.
Lex smiled as he heard her growl 'yes', and then winced as she came onto the line.
"Boy you've got some nerve mister! I'm gonna report you to the police! How dare you try to impersonate Mr. Luthor! He's missing or didn't anyone tell you that! I'm calling the police right now! I'm on the other line, so don't you dare hang up! They're gonna trace this call, and then we'll see if you still think you're a Luthor..."
"Stop the other line, Melissa. This *is* Mr. Luthor." His voice was hard and brooked no disagreement.
"What?" Melissa stopped mid-rant.
"Did you stop the call to the police?" Lex asked quietly.
"Yes sir, Mr. Luthor." Melissa said quietly, doing it as she spoke. "I'm very sorry about yelling. I didn't recognize your voice at first! You see we've had a couple of crank calls from people wanting to have some say in your business now that you're gone... or when they thought you were gone... er. Where are you Mr. Luthor? There's stuff happening here, and I don't know what to do!"
"Melissa, listen carefully. I need you to send Adams. I need you to call my housekeeper, and make sure she sends some credit cards with Adams. I need him to bring a car, preferably an unobtrusive one, and I need him to bring it to a small town on the Oregon coast. Do you understand me so far?"
"Yes, just let me write this down!" Melissa scribbled everything onto a pad of paper. "Mr. Luthor, if you don't mind my asking what's all this about?"
"I do mind. You'll find out in good time. In the interim however, deal with the company the way you would were I on holiday."
"You never go on..."
"A business trip then. Tell people you can get a message to me, but that I am unavailable until further notice."
"Yes Mr. Luthor."
"Now. When you reach Adams, tell him that I need him here tomorrow, noon at the latest." Lex paused.
"Where should he meet you sir?" Melissa asked.
"Tell him that I'll call him on his phone at noon." Lex paused. "Now, I'm going to call back in half an hour, and I want you to tell me that everything is arranged. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I'll get on it right away."
"Fine." Lex said, and then hung up the phone.
Chloe had been listening in. She chose not to comment on his abrupt manner with his secretary. She was an employee after all and she figured that if the girl was really poorly treated she could quit. But the other person Lex had mentioned was interesting.
"Lex, who's Adams?" She asked, as he stepped out of the booth.
Lex smiled. "Let me put it this way. I don't like to dirty my hands unless I have to."
Chloe's eyes widened. "You think we're gonna have to do a lot of that? Dirtying of hands I mean?"
Lex pinned her with a gaze that made her feel a little foolish.
"Ah, of course we are." She answered herself. "These guys wouldn't be intimidated by anything less."
Lex nodded. "In the mean time, I need to find another phone. I have no doubt that Melissa is still loyal, but I wouldn't put it past someone to be trying to trace the calls without her knowing." Then he headed off towards the beaches west of Main Street.
Chloe followed, trying to figure out whether she would be capable of 'dirtying her hands', as Lex had so delicately put it. She wondered if maybe she should have just gone back to Smallville. She shook her head. She was a hard-hitting journalist who did what it took to get a good story! Those kidnappers weren't going to scare her off, and the thought of this Adams guy interrogating someone wasn't going to scare her off either, dammit!
Lex watched as indecision played across Chloe's features. "Chloe." He spoke sharply, to get her attention. When she looked up, surprised at his tone, he continued more gently. "You don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with." She opened her mouth to interrupt. Lex shook his head to stop her and continued, "And that includes tracking these people down. If you don't want to be here, the second that Adams gets here with my credit cards, I'll send you back to Smallville."
"But you won't be coming?" Her question coming out as more of a statement.
"That's right." Lex said simply. "If no harm had come to my business, and it was just me, it's conceivable that I may have let it go at putting the fear of the Luthor's into these guys.
"However, the moment they included you in this mess, was the moment they stepped over the line. I refuse to allow people that know me to be caught in the crossfire. So I won't stop until I go to the very top, and destroy whoever I find there."
Chloe was surprised at the depth of his feelings in the matter of her being kidnapped along with him. She could have laughed at his comment about destroying the person that had orchestrated the whole thing, but he was too serious. The cold look in his eyes, and his tone of voice sent a shiver down Chloe's spine. It was the same tone he had used on the phone with the Winston guy. But it was even more menacing now, when she had a better idea of what Lex was capable of.
"Well, I'm going to stick out." Chloe said at last. "I'm not going to let them scare me away." Mustering up her courage as she said the words, she plunged ahead. "And that said, what do we do while we're waiting for Adams to arrive?"
"I need to call Melissa back, and then we find some place to hole up until tomorrow."
Chloe nodded. "Well, there's a phone over there by that beach volleyball court." She pointed it out.
As they walked by the court, Chloe noted that the people playing volleyball all looked like rich snobs. She wondered if Lex had ever seemed like that when he'd been in prep school. Lex walked by without sparing a single glance their way.
He picked up the phone, and dialed for the time. He planned to give Melissa exactly half an hour.
Meanwhile, Chloe noted with displeasure, that one of the girls who'd been watching the volleyball game, was making her way over to them.
Chloe scowled, trying to make the girl leave, but since the girl's eyes were focused mostly on Lex she didn't really notice.
"Hey there." She said, catching his eye with a flick of her fingers. "You don't look like you're from around here."
Lex looked bored. "And?" He asked, not really paying attention.
"Well..." The girl smiled, not at all put off by Lex's attitude. "I'm not from around here either. And to be quite honest, you look like you could use a little fun."
Lex smirked. "I look like that do I?" He asked. Chloe scowled.
The girl nodded. "Well, you look like my type that is, and *I* could use a little fun!"
"And what type would that be?" Chloe demanded, making it clear that she was not going to be left out of the conversation.
"Rich." The girl said succinctly. "Now be quiet kid, and let mom and pop talk."
Chloe's jaw dropped, and Lex managed to smother a laugh.
"Well, I'm a little busy. Maybe some other time." He said, indicating the phone, as he punched the number for the time in again.
"Well, I'm just over there." She said with a wink, pointing to the volleyball court. "If you change your mind!" She blew him an air kiss, and then sauntered back towards the courts.
Chloe spluttered a little at her treatment. "How dare she! How dare you!" She glared at Lex. "Way to defend your partner in crime!" She quipped.
Lex chuckled. "Tell you what. Ream me out later, okay?" Then he punched the number for his office in.
Melissa accepted charges without the yelling this time.
"Mr. Luthor?"
"Yes."
"Everything is taken care of. Your housekeeper had your credit cards sent to the office, and Mr. Adams will pick them up, before arriving in the area you specified by noon tomorrow." She paused. "Is everything all right, Mr. Luthor?"
"Yes. Thank you. Everything is fine. I'll be in touch." And he hung up.
Chloe waited expectantly for Lex to tell her what was up.
"Well. Adams will be here tomorrow, with money, which will be nice. Nothing like not having it, to realize you take it for granted." Lex said with a slight smile.
"Well, she sure noticed." Chloe muttered. Glaring at the girl sitting by the volleyball court. "You're dressed up like a punk, and she *still* smelled money on you!"
Lex smiled. "Well, I do have about thirty dollars left in my pocket and the keys to the Ferrari. She probably smelled that."
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Whatever."
Lex leaned against the phone booth, observing Chloe, and the girl by the volleyball court. A plan slowly started to form.
"How do you feel about being my sister?" He asked Chloe suddenly.
"I beg your pardon?" Chloe looked at him, surprised. After that kiss, being his sister was the farthest thing from her mind.
"Well, we do need a place to stay tonight. I think I can get us into a really nice place."
Chloe looked suspicious. "Le-ex." She said, drawing his name out, her voice as menacing as she could make it. "Why do I get the feeling that I'm not going to like this plan?" She asked.
Lex shrugged. "I have no idea." He ignored her menacing tone. She had a ways to go yet, before it had any effect on him, he thought with a smile.
Then with a grin in her direction, he walked across the sand to where the girl was sitting by the volleyball courts. Chloe ground her teeth, as she watched him sit down. The girl beamed at Lex.
Chloe wasn't sure what the plan was but she wasn't going get cut out of it. She stalked over, and sat down on the other side of Lex.
"So she's your sister, Alex?" The girl was saying as Chloe sat. She glanced at Chloe with a nasty look on her face. "I wondered why you were tolerating her presence."
Lex smiled, and patted Chloe's head condescendingly. "Well, you know. You have to make do."
Chloe all but growled. She felt Lex's hand still on her head and move to her shoulder, gripping her warningly.
"Here's the thing, Angie." He said to the girl, when he was sure that Chloe wasn't going to rip the girl's throat out. "I need a place to stay, and I suppose she does too." He jerked his head in Chloe's direction.
Angie looked interested.
"See, my Ferrari is in the shop. What can I say?" He asked with a shrug. "I guess I drove it too hard. The thing is, the parts they need won't be here till tomorrow and..." He trailed off. "Have you *seen* the motels in this town?"
Angie laughed. "Well, Alex, I think I can help you out. My folks have a nice place just outside of town. Private beach, hot tub, I think you may find it a little more to your liking." She batted her eyelashes. "You'd have to put up with little old me though!"
Chloe groaned. She figured if she had to play the roll of the sister, she may as well get into it. "Gag me!" She muttered, earning a dirty look from Lex and Angie.
Lex turned his attention back to Angie. "I'm sure I can handle you." He said, allowing his voice to drop to a suggestive register. Angie giggled.
Rolling her eyes at how gullible the girl was, Chloe cleared her throat. "*Alex*, I'm really hungry. Do we have to sit around in the sand all day?" She demanded, doing her best to sound rich and spoiled.
"Actually, food is a good idea." Lex agreed, smiling at Angie. "I bet you have a great kitchen at your place!"
Angie nodded. "And a world class chef. He could whip something up for you in a second!"
"Sounds fantastic!" Lex said with such enthusiasm, that Chloe wondered how the girl was suckered in at all. "Well, let's get going!" He got to his feet, helping Angie up, and leaving Chloe to her own devices.
Angie linked her arm in Lex's heading towards the parking lot. She waved to her friends on the volleyball court and walked away from the catcalls, hoots and hollers.
Chloe shook her head. Leave it to Lex, she figured, to find the one girl with a bad reputation in the vicinity. Managing to keep her sense of humor intact, she followed in Lex and Angie's wake.
Angie pulled her remote start out of her pocket as they neared the parking lot. "Now, it's no Ferrari, but it's nothing to sneeze at." She said, as a top of the line BMW hummed to life. She hopped into the driver's seat, popping the lock to the passenger door. Lex slid into the car.
Chloe rapped her knuckles against the window. "Oh brother dear." She crooned. "I don't think mother would like for you to leave me all alone in a parking lot."
Lex faked a sigh of frustration. He reached back, and opened the backdoor.
Chloe flopped in. "And no kissing. I don't wanna watch that!"
Angie snorted. "What makes you think you have any say in what we do? You're just some punk kid dragging her brother down."
"I'll te-ell." Chloe said in a sing-song voice. She was actually getting into this. She'd never had anyone to bug growing up, and was enjoying bugging Angie.
Lex rolled his eyes for Angie's benefit. "Can we go? The sooner we're at you house, the sooner we can lock her in a bathroom or something!"
Angie giggled, and roared out of the parking lot.
Chloe made a point of being a nuisance. She reached between the two of them, to switch the radio from a romantic tune, to rap. She kicked the back of Angie's seat, and made gagging noises whenever Angie looked in Lex's direction.
"God! How old it she?" Exasperated, Angie glared behind her. Chloe stuck her tongue out.
Lex chuckled. "She's spoiled. Only daughter." He shrugged. "You get used to her. She's like an annoying insect. You just ignore it, and it'll go away."
Angie laughed like Lex was the wittiest guy in the world. "I bet."
The BMW ate up the road, and they were quickly out of town, and heading down the highway. Chloe noted that Lex seemed to sit up straighter, and began paying attention to the scenery herself. Then she saw why. They were approaching the mansion, where they had stolen the Ferrari.
Chloe shuddered, as the BMW whipped by that property. She caught only a glimpse of the glass showroom, before they were moving on. She held her breath, as the car roared up on the next gate in line. Suddenly, she felt panicky. What if this girl *lived* with the kidnappers?
Her blood ran cold as the gate approached...
And passed them in a flash. Chloe started breathing again, realizing that she had been holding her breath. Lex spared a glance at her over his shoulder, glad that she hadn't noticeably panicked.
Then Angie began to slow down, and a gate swung open. Chloe realized that Angie lived right next to the kidnappers, on the other side!
The BMW turned into the lane, and drove up to a stately looking manor. There were white columns at the front, with a balcony over the top, and ivy crawling up the side of it.
Angie smiled as the car pulled at a stop. "Well, it's not much, but it's home!" She said as she got out. Lex followed suit, looking around the property.
Angie held her arms wide. "What do you think?" She asked.
Lex smiled at Chloe as she got out of the car. He looked at Angie.
"It's perfect." He said. "In fact, I don't think I could have dreamed up a better situation!"
Angie beamed, while Chloe looked nervously in the direction of the kidnapper's mansion, shielded from view by trees and a big brick wall, she knew had to be there.
TBC...
A/N: Feedback makes the world go 'round! And makes stories too! I know I'm begging, but this *is* my first fanfic after all! So review eh? :)
