A/N: This chapter begins in the middle of Zero, in which a contractor seeks revenge on Lex for mysterious events that occurred at Club Zero three years ago. I'm using some direct quotes from the show, starting with a conversation which originally ended with Martha encouraging Clark to keep his distance from Lex until things cleared up. Reminder that I don't own anything.

Chapter 9 - Club Zero

But the weeks that followed only confirmed for Martha how convoluted the Luthor world could really be.

First, there was the severed hand that had been mailed to Lex at the Talon. Clark said he'd never seen Lex look so panicked, and she could hardly blame him.

Then there were the poisoned cows, killed by toxic waste from LuthorCorp. Her heart had broken, though her sadness paled in comparison to Jonathan's. When Lex came over to apologize, she'd wanted to reassure him that she didn't blame him—obviously, there was something going on that was far out of his control, and his voice was honest when he said he didn't know what had happened—but in that moment, she'd needed someone to blame. So when Jonathan had berated Lex and mocked his offers to pay for the damages, she just allowed it. She walked away, and she and Jonathan mourned together.

According to Clark, Lex had disappeared from the field shortly after. That didn't surprise her. She was sure Lex wouldn't have let any harm come to their family intentionally, but if he was at fault for anything that was happening, even indirectly, he'd be wracked with guilt. If he wasn't at fault at all, and he really was just being set up, Jonathan's words would have shredded him even more.

Martha entered the house to find Clark on the phone.

"Alright, well, just tell him that Clark Kent called. Thank you." He hung up.

"Who was that?"

"I'm trying to reach Lex. He's not in the office, he's not at the mansion, and his cell phone goes straight to voicemail."

That was a little more worrisome. Whoever was making these things happen had already used a myriad of creative methods to torment Lex. So far, they'd been targeting people he cared about rather than the man himself, but she didn't like the idea that he was suddenly out of contact.

"Where's Dad?" Clark asked.

"Still supervising the removal of the cows."

"Lex said he'd pay for that."

"I know, sweetie." There was more to it than that—toxic waste meant health threats to the farm and the families surrounding it. But she knew Clark understood how severe the situation was, and he knew it was more complicated than money. He'd just been trying to defend his friend.

"I don't think this is Lex's fault," Clark said. "I think someone is trying to set him up 'cause of what happened at the night club."

"What happened at the night club?"

"I don't know. He didn't want to talk about it."

Her reflex was to be suspicious, but she imagined how Chloe must have been feeling after trying to interview the Kents about Clark's adoption for days and hitting a brick wall, and forced herself to try to view the situation as objectively as she could.

No matter how she looked at it, some things in Lex's past were a little shady. Maybe it was his fault, maybe it wasn't, but whatever the case was, someone who had been involved in his past was trying to make his life hell.

If Clark had been a normal human, she would have worried about him being involved—anyone who remained close to Lex through this was apparently in danger, whether or not that danger came from Lex himself. But unless the person somehow knew about Clark's abilities and weakness—and she had no reason to believe they did—Clark would be safe. Lex wouldn't.

"Clark, when's the last time you spoke to Lex?"

"On the field, right after you and Dad talked to him. He was pretty torn up, so I've been trying to call him."

"You've tried all of his phones?"

"Yeah, I don't know where he is."

She frowned. "I need you to be on the lookout, Clark. Whoever this is, they're going after people Lex cares about. They've already come after our family; they might try to get to you."

"I'll be okay, Mom. You know that."

"I know, but be careful."

"You think I should try to find Lex?"

"I think so. I have to admit I'm a little worried."

"Chloe's been doing some research on that night club. I know Lex told us to stay out of it, but I've been worried, too. Maybe I should check in with her first?"

She looked him right in the eyes. "Yes. But run."

It had been three years since that day, the day Lex still had nightmares about.

Taking Amanda to Club Zero to expose her cheating fiance, Jude Royce. Watching her heart shatter as she witnessed the infidelity; following her away to take care of her. Jude chasing him, beating him, stabbing him. Amanda shooting Jude. Lex taking the fall to protect her, then allowing Sam Phelan to sweep the incident under the rug.

He hadn't seen anyone involved at Club Zero in three years. Then, out of nowhere, he was kidnapped and tortured by a contractor, Roy Rothman, who turned out to be Amanda's brother, seeking revenge for Lex ruining her life by "killing" Jude. Roy had backed Lex up against the railing of the loft in the old abandoned warehouse that was once Club Zero, and he'd tried to shoot him.

Clark had arrived at Club Zero just as Lex fell from the railing and conveniently landed on a couch beneath it. Roy had been found unconscious up on the loft a few minutes later. Lex still didn't know how he had survived—he suspected Clark had something to do with it, but he couldn't prove anything. He and Clark had only talked for a couple of minutes, just long enough for Lex to tell Clark what had happened, before they parted ways to get ready for the party at the Talon.

Back at the mansion, Lex limped into the bathroom. His nerves were still on edge from the taser Roy used when he kidnapped Lex. His head still pounded from the hours of hanging upside down in a straightjacket, and he just managed to make it to the toilet before retching his guts out.

He stood slowly, flushed away the vomit, and rinsed out his mouth at the sink. All of his muscles felt weak, begging for him to lay down and sleep away the evening and night and maybe the next morning, but he still had to make it back for the grand opening of the Talon. The event meant so much to Lana, and he didn't want to disappoint her. He'd started to see her as a little sister.

He picked up a bottle of prescription-strength pain killers and a small first-aid kit from the medicine cabinet before stopping by the kitchen, which was empty since he'd sent his staff to help at the Talon. He started a pot of coffee—ironic since he was heading to the grand opening of a coffee shop, but he'd need the caffeine long before he got there—and a couple of ice packs from the freezer.

Leaning against a counter, he downed four of the pain pills with the coffee before trudging his way back up to the bathroom. He stripped away his shirt, and winced at the dark bruises on his ribs and chest where Roy had kicked and punched him, as well as the many cuts from landing on the broken glass from the loft. Mrs. Kent would probably insist on an antiseptic if she were here, but she wasn't, and the cuts stung enough as it was. So he just a put bandages on the deeper cuts and left the other ones alone. He wouldn't be able to shower until after the grand opening; the cuts were too fresh.

He put on a fresh shirt, asked one of his servants to wake him up in an hour, and laid down on his back on his bed over the covers. He pressed the ice packs into his chest and ribs and tried to breathe evenly.

He didn't even realized he'd closed his eyes when the servant was returning to wake him up. As soon as the servant had left the room, he groaned, rolling over. The painkillers and caffeine weren't much help.

Twenty-five minutes later, he was walking into the Talon. Lana had done an amazing job with the decorations, and the place was packed, which would have made him happier if he didn't want so desperately to be alone. He spotted Clark staring at Lana, who looked positively radiant.

Lex could talk to Lana later—she was busy. He went over to Clark first.

"Hey," Lex said.

"Hey." Clark barely looked over at him.

Lex kept his eyes on Clark's, even though Clark was faced away. "Whatever you think of what I did . . . I was only doing it to protect Amanda. My father wouldn't have raised a finger to help her, but I knew he'd do everything to save his only son."

"So you took the fall and everything was covered up. Is that what really happened? Is that the truth?"

Clark's voice was incredulous, and it hit Lex like a punch to the gut: Clark didn't believe him.

He wasn't going to be able to convince Clark. There wouldn't be anything he could say. He could lose Clark's friendship over this, his only friend. And groveling wouldn't help: Clark's standards were too high.

So Lex just said, "The truth is, I'd do anything to protect my friends."

"Hey Clark!" Pete was calling to Clark from across the Talon. Clark gave Lex one last nod and half-smile, and jogged over to join him.

"Why would he believe you, Lex?"

That voice in his head again. An icy hand clenched Lex's heart, cold acid dripping into his stomach. For a moment, he felt like he was going to throw up again, but the feeling passed, leaving behind a thick emptiness.

Of course Clark didn't believe him. Neither did Roy; neither would anyone. He wouldn't have believed himself. That night at Club Zero had doomed him. He'd given everything to protect Amanda—what should he have expected but to lose everything? Even Amanda herself.

A soft touch on his arm brought him out of his spiraling. He turned to see Mrs. Kent.

"I heard about what happened," she said.

"Mrs. Kent—"

"I believe you."

His voice caught in his throat. "What?"

"I believe you. About Amanda."

She didn't even know. She had heard the story from a third-party. She was just saying that. Even Clark didn't believe him—why would she?

But what motive could she have to lie to him? Why would she tell him she believed him if she didn't?

Right now, he couldn't afford to be picky. Someone believed him.

He nodded, and his eyes stung. She pulled him into a tight embrace, and he wrapped his arms around her without hesitation.

"Are you hurt?" she whispered.

"I'm fine," he told her.

She let go and held him at arm's length, looking into his eyes. "Are you hurt, Lex?"

He lowered his head. "Yeah."

She pulled him in again and rubbed his back, squeezing tighter.

He didn't care that everyone in the Talon could see him. He didn't care that he'd look weak and vulnerable. He didn't even care that her arm pressed into the bruises on his ribs. He just let himself melt into her arms.