Chloe knew Lionel was behind Clark's disappearance the minute she heard the news of his supposed death. She didn't believe it for one minute and was determined to prove that he was behind the disappearance of both Lex and Clark.
It was the day of the funeral and Chloe was having a difficult time sitting in the community hall listening to the older Luthor talk about the loss of his son. She had to stop herself from snorting a few times as she listened to the dribbling nonsense. Martha and Jonathon Kent sat beside her and as always Lana was at there side as well. The Kent's sat staring up listening intently to the words being said looking for any hint that would give away the real where abouts of there son.
They had believed the possibility that Clark had in fact perished in a plane crash with his older friend until Chloe had relieved what she knew about the situation to them. That combined with the fact that Clark was virtually indestructible other than with the aid of meteor rocks lead them to believe that their son was still alive.
Lana had been left out of the loop and Chloe had mixed feelings about the necessity of leaving her out. Watching her sit in tears over the loss of Clark made Chloe want to tell her everything. There was a part of her though that enjoyed that she was the one that Clark had trusted. She was the one who could ultimately come to his rescue.
Lionel had left the podium and the room was slowly clearing out. Martha rose and walked to the front of the hall where the picture of Clark was set on the table surrounded by flowers. She gently picked up the picture and held it to her chest, tears streaming down her face.
Jonathon approached her from behind resting his strong hands on her shoulders. He leaned in to talk quietly in her ear. "Martha, you know that he is alive. You have to keep thinking that he will be home soon."
She turned and faced her husband burying her face in the crook of his shoulder as his hand moved to caress her hair. "I know Jonathon, but what if it's true. What if he is really gone?"
"Honey this is Clark we're talking about. He'll be fine. You have to trust him."
"Mr. and Mrs. Kent," Chloe announced her approach, "I'll bring him home I promise."
"You do that Chloe. I wish we could do more to help you."
"It'll be fine, the money Clark gave me from Lex's safety deposit box will get me over there and my uncle has military buddies there who can help me as well."
"Be careful honey." Martha said as she smooth back Chloe's bangs and gave her a hug.
"I will." She said as she gave them her bravest smile usually reserved for moments when Clark drifted his attention from her to Lana.
Clark lay on the bed curled in a tight ball in pain. Two days had passed since Joshua's last visit and it had been somewhat uneventful. That is except for moments like this. Sometimes the meteor rocks affects were small and other times it was so intense that he didn't think he could pass out from the pain fast enough. Each time he endured this pain Lex was at his side having plugged the air vents with anything he could find, he would sit beside his friend and offer what little comfort he could.
"Agh, Lex." Clark moaned in pain.
"I'm here Clark. I'm here." He didn't dare touch Clark. He knew even the gentlest caress of touch would just add to the pain.
"I can't take it any more Lex. You have to make it stop."
Lex felt for his young friend turned ward. He had been like this now for three hours and Lex could only imagine how it was wearing on his body. He had never seen an allergic reaction quite like the ones Clark experience and Lex wondered if there was more to the meteor rocks affects on Clark than he was letting on. Red rocks took away Clark's inhibitions while the green rocks curled him over in pain that much he knew.
Lex had enough. He knew Joshua would be watching, he knew this was just another experiment, and he knew Joshua could make this stop. He got up and approached the window banging on it with his fist. "Hey! Are you listening!" He shouted into the glass. "What do you want? What do you want to make this stop? You're going to kill him!"
Lex punched the glass once again swearing under his breath as he returned to Clark's side. Clark was sweating and weakly gasping for breath as he tried to turn to look at Lex. He gave up after only one attempt and lay his head back down on the pillow even more out of breath if that was even possible.
Moments later the pain seemed to subside slowly and Clark moved ever so slightly testing it out. He was so weak from the pain but it was definitely easing off somewhat. Lex knew Joshua must have turned down the amount of meteor rock again and he wondered how long it would be for this time.
"Are you okay?" The concern in Lex's voice showed through as he watched Clark come around slightly.
"I think so." Clark pathetically smiled up past tear stained cheeks and red eyes. "I feel sick to my stomach still but at least the cramping and some of the pain has stopped."
Lex knew why when he heard the door open in the kitchen. "Oh God, what now?" He mumbled as he rose and headed towards the kitchen.
He entered the kitchen/living room area shutting the door to the bedroom behind him. He hoped to shield Clark from this impromptu visit if at all possible.
He looked up and acknowledged Joshua's presence momentarily before looking down at his feet. He hoped that by his cooperation from the onset of the meeting he could avoid any unnecessary trouble for himself or Clark. He wondered briefly at why Joshua was here alone without guards but brushed it off to arrogance. Joshua knew that with Clark sick and Lex broken he would have little to worry about.
"Where's your guard?" Lex asked hesitantly.
Joshua approached him without answering and gave him a full-bodied kiss, which Lex returned out of habit and necessity. He was somewhat shocked by the slap that accompanied the kiss. He glared at his captor with as much contempt as he could muster.
"I warned you about your language. I realize you were protecting your possession but you need not swear in the process."
Lex had no idea what Joshua was talking about, when did he swear? It didn't really matter he reasoned with himself. What mattered was getting this visit over with so he could return tocheck onClark.
"Your time is almost up. I anticipate that you have instructed your pet on the rules expected of him at the ball. If you have any questions now would be the time to ask."
Lex hesitated unsure of the validity of the offer to speak. He decided to give it a try, "Will he be expected to perform any tasks at the table?" Lex tried to ask without going into the detailed memories of his tasks at the first ball.
Joshua laughed at the question before thinking it over a minute, leaving Lex frustrated for the thousandth time this week.
"That all depends. What are you willing to do in his stay. I mean it wouldn't do to have you performing while he sits by and watches now would it."
Lex didn't look away this time and he didn't reply. He needed an answer to his question. He needed to know what to say to Clark to prepare him for the night if they were unable to escape in time. So far he hadn't been able to come up with a way out of their current situation. With Clark periodically getting sick they had had limited time to think of something. Not to mention the fact that there was the continual possibility that they were being watched. There was never a time that they could talk candidly about how to escape.
That laugh, that infuriating laugh, filled the room again and Lex's every nerve strained with desire to choke it out of him. Joshua approached him and was still laughing when he grabbed Lex by the chin and forcefully shook his face, squeezing roughly.
"What. Are. You. Willing. To. Do?" He punctuated his words as he shook Lex's face.
Lex struggled not to pull away, he allowed his face to be moved and didn't answer until Joshua pulled away and turned towards the kitchen.
Lex felt his face with his fingers, moving his chin back and forth gingerly. He swallowed the bile that threatened to rise when he saw Joshua open the cutlery draw and return with a knife.
The blade was flaunted in front of his face as he tried to stand his ground. The only place he could dart to was out of the question. He wouldn't run into the room where Clark was to protect himself from what might come.
"Answer me now." The cold, calm tone in Joshua's voice was unnerving.
Lex tried to talk but his throat was closed in panic and fear. He stuttered on his words as he tried again to answer. He was angry with himself for his weakness. Joshua had succeeded in instilling fear into him as a method of control. He had always known that power was added to by the fear and thus loyalty of your followers. He hated to admit it but his fear of Joshua took away any power he had and gave it all to his captor. He was almost too afraid to try an escape and at this rate he would be demoralized beyond his comprehension.
"Anything." He finally managed to stutter.
"Anything, you say?" Joshua held up the knife and turned it around in his palm.
"Yes, anything you want. Anything you say to do, I'll do it. " Lex tried to appease him.
"I'm not sure how I feel about that. I think I liked the challenge of taming you almost as much as I like this new attitude of yours."
Lex stared at the knife still twirling in front of him.
"Will you take both the tasks on as your own?"
"Yes."
"I want you to prove your resolve. Take this knife and cut him across the chest." Joshua pointed towards the door to the bedroom with the blade of the knife.
"No, let me do something else. Something that doesn't involve him."
"You are making a sacrifice for him, he must accept this sacrifice for you. Do it or he will be very busy with his tasks at the ball."
"Why are you doing this? Why the meteor rocks? Why this?" He gestured to the knife, his voice sounding shaky.
Joshua stepped in closer and held the tip of the knife to Lex's throat, just under his chin. "Because I can." He answered and then slowly walked around behind Lex slipping his arm around his waist. "Because your friend's reaction to the percent of meteor rock in the air flow interests me. Because I think there is more to him than he is letting on." He paused in the conversation to nip at Lex's ear.
"He's allergic, that's all. There is nothing more to it than that." Lex tried insisting although he also had his doubts.
"Yes well according to certain legends about the rock there are some people who are allergic to it. These people can possess certain powers, powers like the ability to heal themselves. Take this knife and cut your friend."
"Why?"
"I need to know if he can heal himself." Joshua's hand caressed Lex's chest and flicked his exposed nipple with his rough thumb.
"Look at the marks on his back. That should be proof enough that he doesn't heal himself." Lex tried to reason thinking of the marks left by the whip.
"Let's just say it's an experiment. If you chose not to do it then I will find other ways to continue my experimentation and he will be a very busy boy the night of the ball. There are a number of people interested in having a piece of him. Now I am growing tired of your delaying the inevitable. Take the knife and do as you're told."
Lex took the knife hesitantly pulling it away from his throat.
"Good boy." Joshua purred as stepped away from Lex.
Lex turned and walked towards the door laying his shaking hand on the doorknob. The door clicked loudly as he turned the knob. His heart beat loudly in his chest and his breathing was shallow.
"Clark are you awake?"
"Lex?" Clark turned over no longer in pain like he was before.
"I'm here Clark. How are you feeling?"
"Better-" He stopped mid sentence when he saw Joshua enter the room behind Lex.
Lex leaned over the bed and gave Clark a subtle look that attempted to communicate something. Clark looked at the knife in Lex's hand and attempted to push himself up the bed and away from the knife.
"Lex?" His tone was panicked and it made Lex cringe.
"Do it!" Joshua shouted at Lex as he approached closer to the bed.
Lex hesitated again waiting for the perfect moment.
"Do it now!" Joshua's commanding voice was unnerving as Lex made his decision.
He rose the knife high in the air, hovering over Clark's upper torso. The look of fear on Clark's face pained Lex as he began to plunge the knife downwards.
