Chapter 6

Clark's eyes widen in shock at Lex's announcement. "Are you sure she's missing? You know how sometimes she'll hop a plane to somewhere on a whim."

"Maybe so, but she always tells me when she leaves and when she gets to where she's going," Lex vehemently shaking his head.

"When was the last time you had any contact with her?" Clark asks him.

"A couple days ago," Lex replies while leaning back against the elevator wall. "She said she was going away for the weekend with a long-time friend of hers."

"Do you think this friend of hers might have had something to do with her disappearance?" Clark asks.

"I don't think so because I've known her for years," he replies. "Tess was originally supposed to go with her boyfriend, but he left her for another woman. My sister doesn't exactly have the best taste in men."

"Sounds like a Luthor family trait – except with you it's women," Clark remarks with a smirk.

Lex scowls at his comment. "I should smack you on the back of the head, but that's Lois' job," he says with a smirk of his own.

"I don't know why she persists in hitting me when she knows it doesn't hurt me," Clark remarks.

"I think it's because she's attracted to you, but doesn't want to admit it. After all, you always tease the one you love," Lex replies with a sly smile.

"Lois doesn't love me," he counters before changing the subject. "So why didn't you tell me about Tess earlier?" Clark asks him.

"Because something came up," Lex replies.

"What could have been more important than your sister being missing?"

Lex rolls his eyes at him. "Have you forgotten a little something called the Lang murder?"

"I guess I forgot that for a minute," shrugging his shoulders.

"You didn't forget to check the reviews on the RUSH concert you missed," quirking an eyebrow.

He chuckles as he flips the elevator switch and it begins to move again. "You got me with that one," he remarks as the doors open. "I'll see what I can find out," Clark tells him as they both step out of the elevator.

"Thanks," Lex replies just as his cell phone begins to ring. He pulls it out and glances at the caller id. "It's a text from DiNozzo," he says with a roll of his eyes.

Clark looks at him curiously. "Do you have a problem with DiNozzo?"

Lex hesitates before answering. "He drives me nuts sometimes with all that movie trivia he keeps spouting off. Remember the case about the doctor who escaped and was on the run for two weeks?"

"I remember," says Clark. "What about him?"

"Well DiNozzo realized that the case was very similar to the movie The Fugitive. I think you can guess what happened next."

"Did he recite the Tommy Lee Jones speech?"

"Word for word. He does it every time somebody escapes. It just makes me want to smack him on the back of the head," he says as he shoves the phone back in his pocket.

"It seems as if you like to smack a lot of people, Lex. First me and now DiNozzo? Maybe you need to take an anger management class," Clark says teasingly.

Lex rolls his eyes at him again. "I have to go," he says. I'll talk to you later," extending his hand.

"Alright," Clark replies as he takes his hand and shakes it.

Lex gives him a small smile, then turns around and steps back into the elevator. "One more thing."

"What is it?"

"Don't tell anyone that my sister is missing just yet."

"What about Lois? Can I tell her?" Clark asks.

"Just Lois," he replies as the doors close. Clark stands there for a moment before heading back for his desk. "So what did Lex want?" Lois asks as he sits back down.

Clark looks around to make sure nobody was around before he answers. "Lex's sister is missing but he doesn't want anybody to know," he tells her in a low voice. "He said it was okay to tell you."

"Wow," leaning back in her seat. "First Lana is murdered, now Tess is missing? I hope she's okay. I really like her. She's one of the few close friends I have left," she says with a sigh.

"I would rather have a few close friends than a hundred fair weather friends any day," he responds.

"So we're friends now?" she asks with a quirk of her brow.

"I won't tell anybody if you won't," he replies with a wink and a smile.

"I think it's too late for that," Jimmy pipes up.

"Were we talking to you?" Lois snaps back as she spins her chair around and glares at him.

Jimmy laughs as he returns his attention to the computer monitor in front of you. "Talk about denial," he mutters under his breath.

"I heard that," Clark retorts.

"I knew you'd hear it. Why do you think I said it in the first place?" Jimmy counters.

"We're not in denial about anything. Right, Lois?"

Lois turns back around and faces Clark. "I know I'm not in denial. What about you, Smallville?"

"I'm not in denial either," he replies.

"So we agree that we're not in denial?" Clark asks her.

"I agree that we're not in denial, Smallville," she replies as she takes a sip of her coffee.

Jimmy just shakes his head. "So both of you are denying that you're in denial about the fact that you're more than friends?"

"We are not more than friends, so will you please just drop it?" Lois retorts as she stands up and throws her now empty coffee mug at him.

Jimmy catches it before it could hit him. "If you're only friends, then why the constant eye sex between the two of you?" quirking his brow.

Both Clark and Lois' jaws drop. "Eye sex?" The two of them staring at Jimmy.

"That's right," Jimmy says as he stands up and puts on his jacket. "Eye sex," he says again with a grin as he zips up his jacket and pulls out his keys, then places Lois' mug on her desk. "If only you could see it for yourselves," flashing them both a wink. "See you tomorrow," he calls out as he walks away.

They continue to stare in his direction until he disappears from their view. "He doesn't know what he's talking about," Lois declares as she sits back down.

"He's nuts," Clark replies as he stands up.

"Of course he's nuts," agreeing with him.

"Good," he says.

"Good," she says.

They stare at each other for a few moments before he breaks the silence. "I'll be right back," he says and promptly walks out of the office.

She can't keep her eyes from lingering on his retreating form as he walks away. Damn, he has one fine sexy ass. She gives herself a mental shake. Get a grip, Lois, she tells herself as she resumes working on her article.

Clark enters the men's room and splashes some cold water on his face, then stares at his reflection in the mirror. Could Jimmy be right? He asks his reflection. Nah, grabbing a paper towel and patting his face dry, then tossing it into the trash before exiting the bathroom.

At the same time

Zod locks the door behind him and casually strolls over to where Tess was tied up. He leans over and pulls the duct tape off her mouth, then unties her from the chair but reties her hands behind her back. "If you even attempt to scream, you will be severely punished. It will not be pleasant. Am I making myself clear?"

"Crystal clear," her eyes narrowing at him. "Just one question though."

"You can ask, but there's no guarantee I'll give you an answer," he replies.

"Why did you kill Lana Lang and kidnap me?"

He leans back against the wall with his arms crossed against his chest. "Simple," he says as he lights a cigarette. "Revenge. I want him to pay for not only turning my fellow Kandorians against me, but for also sending me to the Phantom Zone," taking a puff.

"That's your big plan?" she replies as she starts laughing. "The RAO towers scheme was a lot better than that," still laughing.

He drops the cigarette and promptly walks back over to her. "I will not allow you to make fun of General Zod," backhanding her across the face and causing her lip to bleed. "I will take away every single person Kal-El ever cared about until he has no one left, then I'll kill him."

"You couldn't kill him before. What makes you think you'll succeed this time?"

His eyes flash as he hits her across the face again. "I will succeed," he declares.

"So why haven't you killed me yet?"

"Don't worry. Your time will come," he replies with a smirk as he rips her blouse open. "Besides, I want to have a little fun with you first," his finger gliding down from her chin to her neck.

"You would force me have sex with you against my will?"

"I don't need to force a woman to have sex with me," he replies as his finger glides down further. "Even I have my standards." She shudders with disgust as his finger slips into her cleavage. "There is one thing that Kal-El will do before I kill him."

"What?" she asks.

He removes his finger and pushes her down to her knees before answering her question.

"Kneel before Zod."

TO BE CONTINUED…

A/N: The last line refers to Clark - not Tess.