When the Wife's Away, Plans the Husband will Lay – Chapter 13
Lex sat on the couch and thought about the morning they had experienced. It wasn't the first time he had made her late for work in the last two weeks. He was happy that things were back to normal, as normal as could be. Things still didn't feel one hundred percent like the old times, but they were happier. She hadn't once left in the evening without him for a trip to store. She had taken him everywhere with her in the small confines of the community. They walked through stores with his arm around her and people would smile almost strangely at the two.
Nodding himself out of his daydream, he answered the door. "Hi, Chloe Sullivan said to drop this off for you. You have to sign for it." Lex looked at the young man and wrinkled his face up in confusion.
He signed the papers and stopped the young man. "Chloe Sullivan?"
"Yeah, she works at the Planet." Lex took the boy by the neck and smiled at him. He looked nervous. Lex wasn't gripping him hard but he was pretty sure the boy thought he was going to strangle him. "Sir?"
"Come in. So are you a friend of Chloe's?" The man sat down on the couch as instructed by Lex, still nervous and wondering if he had met his death by mentioning her name. People at the Planet knew that the Luthors and Chloe had never meshed into something remotely like a friendship. Sitting up straighter, he smiled grimly and responded, "Not really. I'm just a courier. I get paid to deliver things. And paid better not to talk about it."
Lex pulled his wallet out of his pocket, fumbling for some cash.
"She's already paid sir. What do you need me for or can I go?" Lex put his wallet back and pointed at the boy to wait another minute. He went back into the office and pulled a small file out from between two dusty books on the shelf. He sat down next to the young man and wrote out a check to the address on the brochure in the file. "It looks nice."
Lex glanced up at the kid and back down at the envelope. Handing it to the boy, he ripped another check out and started writing. "Name?" The young man gave him his name as Lex continued writing. "Ok, here. Take this to the address on the envelope and wait for a confirmation. Then, return the confirmation here. Oh, and take Chloe her phone." Lex walked the boy to the door and handed the phone to him. "And don't let Chloe know what you are doing for me."
The young man stood in front of the door after it closed and stared at the envelope in his hand. Only an address listed on it, he hunched his shoulders and headed back to his car.
Lex watched as the kid drove away and wondered when he would be back. He smiled at his trickery, even if it was very old fashioned. Chloe was too good with phones and email to safely make arrangements without her knowing. He worried, though, he didn't want to have to get a young man fired over spouting his mouth off if he ever did. Going back into his office, he flipped through the file one more time before burying it among the books again.
Going back into the living room, Lex ripped open the simple envelope and read the message hand written by his wife, "Flush all your pills. Take only OTC meds. I'll try to explain later. Kisses." Lex reread and wondered what she had dug up at work that would frighten her to sending a person without using the phone. He glanced at the phone on the side table and remembered that she had never used it except to call out for dinner. He couldn't put the pieces together exactly but he knew Chloe had found out more about his condition.
"What's going on," he asked himself as he thought about his next move.
*********
Clark paid heed to Chloe's wishes and met up with Lionel going into the main office of Luthorcorp. Listening outside the door, he heard the man on the phone with what he could only assume was a business associate.
"I'm not concerned on that front. Look, we need to move up production on the plant in Stockholm before the one in Brussels. Make it…hang on," Lionel switched over and heard another man's voice that Clark couldn't make out. Coming back on the line, Lionel continued, "I'm sorry, but make it happen. I need to return a call." Lionel sat down at his desk and flipped to the folder the other caller referred to.
"Sir, a man from the Daily Planet visited with Lex today sir. They were in the house, and we were not able to intercept the entire conversation. What is our next move?"
"I want the house rebugged. Audio in all rooms, video in the main living room, office, and dining room. The pieces need to be lead encased and placed in lead locations in the house. Lay lead pipes in attics and basement areas to hide them if necessary. Also, I want the hard drive switched out of that closet in the hallway. I will send you the identical to replace it with."
"Yes sir. When would like for us to take care of all of this sir?"
"As soon they are out of the house. Follow their schedule as you have been sent." Lionel hung up the phone and looked over the latest email chains from Chloe's computer and her phone call log that showed nothing out of the ordinary. "What are you doing Chloe?"
Clark disappeared into a men's room hearing someone coming down the hall toward the executive office and stood on the toilet. Lionel was playing all of them. He needed to talk to Chloe, but she must be tailed constantly with the new provisions that Lionel was making on the house. He peered through the steel beams of the high rise and watched as Lionel had a somewhat normal conversation with another man.
"Mr. Luthor, you realize that the medication was supposed to have been dropped two weeks ago. You have to let his brain build itself back up. No one can guarantee how he is going to come back. But the residual side effects of the meds are going to more than definitely kill him."
Clark heard that word; Lionel was planning on just letting Lex die. "I'm not paying you to be concerned with his welfare. I want him out of the picture." Clark watched as Lionel handed the other man a folder and watched the man look through it.
"So we are going ahead with the project? Lex's previous scientists said the clones were marked with an acute independent streak that was not expected from the first testings. Have you noticed the same issues?"
"The clones have, at least in the Dam's facilities, been eradicated from the inside out. I spoke to several engineers that said the destruction of the dam was not possible under the circumstances but the viable parts not needed have been destroyed and the rest needed to regenerate is still present in a new location. All other clones have been destroyed; all DNA accounted for."
"Sir?"
Lionel walked around his desk and threw another folder across to the man. Clark couldn't read the print from his location but could see the pictures. The pictures of Chloe and other people were marked out left a picture of Lex on the page. "I will send you the results of the new tests from the new lab at the address on the back of the page. This is eyes only, understood?"
"But sir, the main endeavor is improving."
Lionel sat back in his chair and stroked his beard, nodding his head and trying to show his concern for his 'endeavor.' "Let me handle that." The man nodded and walked out of Lionel's office. Lionel sat and stared at the photo in the 'endeavor' file. Clark swallowed at the picture of the two faces in the photo. Lionel closed his eyes and pushed the folder aside in favor of a strong drink. "In an imperfect state that is," he whispered to himself.
Clark dropped his feet from his hunched position and took a deep breath. He was planning something more than just undoing his son's evil behavior and schemes. He was using Lex's own projects against him. The drug manipulation, the cloning, the behavior modification. Chloe, he thought as he disappeared in a blur.
"Clark, what a surprise," Lionel held his hand out as the doors closed behind Clark. Clark calmly walked over to the desk as Lionel shut the file behind him on the desk. "What brings you by son?"
"Don't call me son," Clark scowled and heaved Lionel above his head, holding him around the neck. "What the hell are you plans for Lex and Chloe?"
Trying to choke through the grip on her neck, trying to pull on Clark's fingers knowing it would do no good. "Nothing."
"That's a lie. I still blame you in my dad's death, you drove my mom away, Lana is dead by making her marry Lex, and now since things are not exactly going your way, you're prepared to kill Chloe and your own son? You are a sick man."
Lionel stared back at the young man and choked another breath. Clark dropped him to the ground and held him against the wall with his hand. "Clark, you are the chosen one. You have to train; you have to have a balance in the world to training against."
Clark backed up and watched Lionel grab at his neck, "And you think Lex is the anti-god? The one I'm supposed to fight?" Clark moved closer still to the older Luthor, wrapping his fingers around his arm, "Jor-el was wrong for picking you as a vessel. I was not sent here to destroy and take over."
"Those you love hold you back, son. You have to be separated from them to succeed. Even Lex in his present condition could not balance the power." Clark knew the word separate meant by death. Jor-el, Lionel, it would stop here.
"So you kill Chloe and create a new Lex like the one that actually existed before."
"He's changed and is no longer useful to your training, son." Clark shook his head and grasped Lionel's neck again, pressing him against the wall by the safe.
"Combination old man, and you aren't my father. Vessel or not, you think Lex and Chloe are the problem with reality. You have a twisted version of it too." Lionel continued to fight against the weight pressing against his chest with no result.
"The combination is 12-21-05." Clark spun the dials so fast they were a blur. He pressed his hand back around Lionel's throat.
"You lied to me again?" Clark leaned over toward the door while firmly holding Lionel off the ground again. He watched the man flail his legs in desperation as he listened to the clicking of the internal lock until the door cracked. A sudden sharp pain hit him in the gut. "You are a bastard," as he dropped Lionel to the ground and watched him try to run to his security button.
Clark fought through the gut wrenching pain that emanated from his internal organs and chest to fling Lionel into the couch like a rag doll. Picking him up be the lapels, he swallowed the intense pain hitting him in the stomach and squelching his breathing long enough to push Lionel against the wall inside the safe. Staring at the lock from the inside, he found a pinhole and burned the lock from the inside out.
Lionel kicked Clark back on the floor and ran across the room, hitting the floor as Clark caught his foot. Clark summoned enough strength to grab Lionel by the back of the neck and throw him against the back of the safe. Lionel headed for the door as Clark took a last effort to push the door closed and spin the lock. Sinking to the floor, he took a deep breath and could barely hear the pleas for help coming from the other side of the door. Grabbing the folder on the desk, he disappeared from the room.
*********
"Coming. Hold on," Lex yelled from the kitchen to the front door. Opening the door, he breathed deeply and turned his head uncomfortably. "What the hell are you doing here? Chloe's at work, not that I'm real excited about you seeing with her anyway." Lex stood with both hands on the door, prepared to slam it in the younger man's face.
"Lex, we've got to talk," Clark interjected as he slid his foot in the crack in the doorway.
"I have nothing to say to you. We're just now putting our marriage back together, and we don't really need any complications." Lex tried to pry Clark's foot back outside to no avail. Clark put one hand on the door and gently pressed against Lex's strength and forced his way into the house.
"Look, I don't really want to be here either. As far as I'm concerned, you and I are still not really on speaking terms, but here it is. Chloe did some digging and," Clark was cut off.
"She sent me information about the drugs. Why else are you here?" Lex was a smaller man than Clark but was not intimidated by him even in his state. Clark could hear the hatred and disgust in Lex's voice that had always existed. As far as Clark saw, he couldn't understand the feelings that Chloe obviously developed. This man was the same man from before; he just hated Clark for a different reason.
Clark sighed as he scanned the inside of the house. Looking back at Lex, who continued to stare sharply at the man and wonder what kind of game he was playing. "As much as I hate to do this, I think you may want to consider taking a little trip, just you and your wife." Lex smirked as the doorbell rang.
Lex passed by Clark, still holding fast to the slight scowl on his face and opened the door. "Thank you," Lex said quietly and turned to face Clark.
"I don't know why Chloe has any interest in you." Clark walked around the decorated living room, picking up pictures from the last Luthor wedding that had been doctored. Shaking his head, he stared at Lex. "You don't deserve her; you did nothing for her but cause her pain."
Lex stared at Clark confused. Chloe and he had admittedly had their problems and some, he could remember, involved Clark. Just to have the man he still thought cheated with his wife make the suggestion that the two needed to go away just didn't add up. "And yet you want me to take her away from here." Lex looked questioningly toward Clark.
Clark rolled his eyes at the actual thought of suggesting having Chloe out of his sight, but at least that would put her out of Lionel's sight for awhile as well. "Truth is Chloe found something out about a story she's working and …"
"And you think we need to disappear." Lex admitted to himself that Clark was the oddest character to be there telling him about his father. He had never been involved in his father's affairs. "How are you involved?"
Clark bit his lips in confusion, "Chloe called me and said for me to look into a few things and that led to here."
Lex handed the paper in his hand to him for Clark to look at it. "She doesn't know, and I don't expect her to if you get my meaning. Now, I have some things to get ready, if you will excuse me." Lex pulled the receipt out of Clark's hand and opened the door.
Clark stood in the doorway and turned around to face his enemy. "You do love her, don't you?" He had to hear it for himself. Of all the moments he had seen the two together, he had wondered if the whole thing had been just a farce or a game that he and Lionel had elaborately put together. Lex had never been one to come out and express himself, even when he was with Lana. The emotion was stale. He had to know if this new Lex was as different as Chloe and Lionel made him out to be.
Lex stared at Clark and wondered why the strange but on point question. Clark had been interested in Chloe for so long, Lex wondered if the man just needed to know if he was indeed simply out of the picture. Leaning on the door before closing it, he stared Clark up dead in the eye. "Don't worry; I'll take care of her." He saw Clark's face soften as his eyes squinted in a slight worrisome look, wondering why Lex avoided the question.
He normally wouldn't admit such things to strangers. Clark, though, needed to know the truth. Maybe then, Lex thought, he and Chloe could finally get back on track. "I love her."
"You love who?" Clark turned around as Lex saw a young blond woman bounce up the stairs and push past Clark. She turned and glared at Clark. She obviously was not interested in his being there. "Hey honey," she smiled as she kissed the side of Lex's face. "Clark. Lex, can I talk to Clark for a minute?"
Lex kissed her on the cheek and smiled faintly as he pulled the door open yet again. "I'll be upstairs," he said as he pressed his lips against Chloe's head and pulled his hand from hers. Chloe turned and smiled as he disappeared into the bedroom and closed the door. She sighed knowing that Lex's retreat from her and Clark was to simply to keep the peace. She closed her eyes as Clark closed the door and turned to her.
"You were right," Clark leaned in and whispered to Chloe as they made their way into the dining room. Chloe sat down next to him and waited for the rest of the story. "He's cloning Lex and planning to eradicate the two of you. He thinks Lex is other half of my destiny. It's Jor-el and his vessel."
"What did you do?"
"They're going to figure it out soon enough. I came over to tell Lex to get you out of town where I could take care of the information off that drive that Lionel wants. Those pills are supposed to kill him eventually." Clark took Chloe's arm as her breath hitched at the mention of his death. "Go with him – let me see what I can do."
Chloe silently got up from the table and unlocked the hall closet and handed Clark the files. "Where's Lionel now?"
"Probably getting his security to break into his safe. I kind of locked him in it." Chloe covered her mouth and laughed briefly at the spur of the moment decision for Clark. "It was all I could do – I wasn't going to kill him." He paused. "Just be careful," he whispered as he eyed the rest of the house before kissing Chloe on the cheek. He disappeared in a windy blur.
Chloe sat down at the table and closed her eyes. The targets were set on the two of them. Lionel had never meant to let Chloe out of the bargain. Whether Lionel or Jor-el were pulling the strings, she had simply been used. Grabbing her head, she continued to choke back sobs of being in the middle of another Lionel Luthor plan. She jumped at the touch behind her around her shoulders.
"Baby, I'm sorry," Lex whispered as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. "Anything I can do?"
Chloe shook her head and resisted breaking into tears when he sat down beside her. "No, I just had your pills checked out and found some things that were irregular. I want to see how you do without them. We don't have to tell the doctors, ok?" Lex smiled and kissed another small tear away.
"Ok. Now," Lex stood up and took her hand in his, "We have plans, we have suitcases in the hall, and we have dinner waiting for us before our flight tonight." Chloe looked up at him plastered on her best fake smile in weeks. She silently prayed for Clark to take care of whatever Lionel was up to while they played the happy married couple.