Disclaimer: see Chapter 1

CHAPTER 13: The Stake Out

Chloe couldn´t remember a night like the one she was living. In fact, Lex´s phone call had done nothing but taken away the little control she had over the whole situation. It wasn´t until after fifteen minutes solid that she felt collected enough to sit back at Queen´s table. If the billionaire noticed the glassy eyes and puffy nose, he was gentleman enough not to ask her any questions. What´s more, he didn´t mention the younger Luthor again and regaled Chloe´s ears with some funny anecdotes in an attempt to put her at ease.

Time dragged on and Chloe tried to feign interest in the conversation while she zoned out. Would Lex barge into the restaurant? Would he tail them to Oliver´s loft or would he give up and drive back to Lana?

Queen realised Chloe´s mind was elsewhere. The call had definitely upset her, and he was ready to bet a good sum it had something to do with Lex Luthor. She was decisively too touchy about his former boarding school classmate- a fact that gave him food for thought. He´d have to call Clark and talk to him about the new development. The Justice League´s agenda had to be protected at all costs and Chloe could be a liability.

At about eleven o´clock they left for the loft. He´d grant her the interview about his charity work as a favour to Lois and avoid any questions Chloe might ask about his extra curricular activities. Two hours later, Chloe drove away in a taxi with enough material to write a profile for the Sunday edition.

Meanwhile, Lois and Clark were sharing some closet space in Oliver´s loft.

¨I must be out of my mind. He won´t turn up, ¨gritted Clark.

¨Stop squirming, Smallville, or you´ll blow our cover, ¨ hissed Lois. ¨And he´ll show up. You´ve got to be patient. ¨

¨I won´t be spending the night with you in this closet, Lois, just to prove you wrong. ¨

¨You mean ´right´, Smallville. That´s your hand on my butt, isn´t it? ¨

¨What did you expect? I told you this closet was too small for both of us. And yes, it´s my hand. You´re not my type. ¨

¨Shh..., ¨interrupted Lois, putting a hand over his mouth.

¨What? ¨he mumbled.

¨The elevator. ¨

¨It´s Lex, ¨answered Clark, using his x-ray vision.

¨How do you know? ¨

¨A hunch, ¨he lied.

¨So now you believe me. ¨

¨His being here doesn´t prove anything. They´ve got unfinished business. ¨

¨What was that? ¨responded Lois when she heard a heavy thump.

¨It sounded like a punch, ¨murmured Clark.

¨Don´t you dare come near her again, Queen, ¨hissed Lex.

¨I haven´t set eyes on Lana in months, Lex, ¨answered Oliver, rubbing his jaw.

¨I´m not talking about Lana. Don´t play dumb, Oliver. A cousin isn´t enough? You´re trying to seduce Chloe behind Lois´ back, ¨said Lex.

¨He´s tried to hit on Chloe? ¨asked a puzzled Clark.

¨It´s Lex´s jealousy speaking, Clark. Oliver would never do that to me, ¨answered Lois with a frown.

¨Chloe is a free agent now, Lex, and you´re virtually engaged to another woman. Does Lana know about your affair with Chloe? ¨

¨Nothing improper´s ever happened between Chloe and me, Oliver. I´m not you. I´d never cheat on a woman; and Chloe isn´t someone to be taken lightly. ¨

¨She´s a smart and beautiful woman. I wonder what the hell she sees in you. ¨

¨Exactly the same question I ask myself about Lois Lane. She could do a lot better than you, ¨he sneered.

¨Is that supposed to be a compliment? ¨asked Lois under her breath. ¨I hate when they talk about me behind my back.¨

¨All this is because of Clark, isn´t it? ¨asked Oliver with a knowing smile.

¨The world doesn´t revolve around Clark Kent, ¨responded Lex gravely.

¨Are you sure Chloe isn´t another Lana Lang for you? ¨

¨What the hell are you talking about? ¨spat Lex.

¨I know you, Lex. You bide your time well and you pounce on the unsuspecting victim, and once you´ve captured your prey you get bored. It´s the chase that keeps you going. I know... it´s the same with me. Lana´s old news and now you´re planning on hunting Chloe just to spite Clark. ¨

¨What the hell did Oliver mean? ¨gritted Lois.

¨I guess he meant you´re an old prey, Lois, ¨answered Clark, ¨and that he´s planning on moving to greener pastures. ¨

¨It was a rhetorical question, Smallville, ¨she answered, nudging him in the ribs. ¨I think we´ve heard enough, don´t you? ¨she asked, grabbing the doorknob.

¨Wait! What are you doing? ¨said Clark, catching hold of her arm.

¨I was right. Lex is in love with Chloe. ¨

¨He didn´t say that.¨

¨You´re so dense, Smallville. What were you expecting? He won´t use the word ´love´ in front of his second worst enemy. ¨

¨Despite my issues with Clark, I´d never use Chloe to get to him. She deserves the best and I´m not it, ¨ blurted Lex.

¨See ? I told you, Clark. He loves her, ¨said Lois, smiling widely.

¨At least we agree on something, ¨responded Queen.

¨You´re not it either, Queen. Clark could have been ´it´ if he hadn´t been so blind. ¨

¨What do you say now, Smallville? Will you help Chloe get what she wants? ¨ asked Lois when she felt an indrawn breath next to her. ¨Despite everything, he still admires you. ¨

¨He doesn´t deserve her, Lois, ¨ answered Clark.

¨Maybe not, but she loves him, ¨stated Lois matter-of-factly.

¨OK, OK, whatever! Damn! How long´ll this conversation drag on? I´m getting claustrophobic, ¨whined Clark. ¨Lois, ¨ he warned her, ¨what do you think you´re doing? ¨

¨Nothing, Smallville. I just needed to change my position. I was getting cramp. ¨

¨Don´t lean on me, please. ¨

¨Clark? ¨

¨ What? ¨

¨I´ve got an idea. ¨

¨Oh, no! ¨

How did you like this new instalment? Any ideas of what Lois might have in mind? What did you think of the Chlex and Clois dynamics in these three chapters?