Almost Chloe (Chapter Four)

Warning: Character death. Sorry.

Chapter 4

Here, you will learn to be the master of your abilities. You will achieve speed greater than any invention men could dream of and strength beyond any living creature. But with these gifts comes the responsibility to protect and shelter, never to harm the innocent.

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First, he tried deprivation.

It started with The Talon. Only two days after their meeting, she came up the steps only to find them blocked by Lex Luthor, pretending to read the paper. "Oh, Chloe. I've been waiting for you." He moved away and let her pass, though he seemed to give her as little room as possible.

"Really?" she asked, when she was clear of him. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I want to make sure I apologize."

She was at the door and trying desperately not to look like she was in a hurry to go inside. She'd have to invite him in then. Courtesy must be observed in their little dance or she knew things would get ugly sooner. She leaned against the door. "Apologize for what?"

He smiled. "Mind if I come in? I feel kind of awkward talking about it out here." He gestured to the crowded cafe below.

She formed her lips into a semblance of a smile. "Sure." She turned around and unlocked the door, noting how close he was. She almost tried stopping on the way in to see if he'd stumble. She tossed her purse on the table and turned around. "So..."

He only smiled and waited.

"The apology?"

"Oh, yes." He ran a hand over his hairless head. "Listen, I hate to do this to you... and your cousin, of course, but I'm afraid your lease on the apartment has run out."

"Oh." She continued to smile. "I wasn't aware that it would."

"Well, as you know, as Lana's husband, The Talon passed back to me. I've been having the worst time finding management. But there's a charming couple from Missouri. Of course, they'll need somewhere to stay..."

"Of course," she parroted. "How long do we have?"

"I can only give you two weeks. Sorry." He came forward on the pretense of looking around. "It's a shame, too. You two have really made the place your own." She saw his eyes dart to her laptop. He was a fool if he thought she'd write or type anything anymore. She kept it all in her head now. And it was getting crowded. It got crowded, too, in the apartment. He was right next to her, staring down. "You always had your own style, didn't you?"

She refused to move. He'd take it as a sign of weakness. "You're quite the piece of work, yourself."

His eyes wandered further down. She truly hoped he wasn't moving on to physical intimidation. She didn't want to have to hurt him. Not yet. "I just hope you have enough time to settle things."

She tilted her head and his gaze wandered up from her neckline. "Two weeks is plenty."

"Great. Well, I should get back to work." He started past her, his arm brushing her breast as he moved. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"No problem," she said through tight lips. She followed him to the door, but he stopped short and turned, grabbing her arms when she knocked into him.

Her breasts were against his chest and he looked entirely too happy with the situation. "Be careful," he said softly. He didn't let go. "By the way, what do you do with your days now that you're not at The Planet?"

She glanced at his arms and he removed them. "Just sleeping late, catching up on my reading," Chloe said, stepping back and smiling. It was true. Having no new leads from either of her sources, she was now poring over business news, just waiting for any new projects from Luthorcorp that sounded like covers.

"Wonderful. Good to know you're taking time to enjoy life. It really is too short." He walked out withut closing the door. She took a breath before doing it herself. And it took all of her strength not to slam it.

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Next, he tried enticement.

Three days later, she found herself at the mansion for a benefit. He'd sent her a ticket. He'd sent her a dress. She felt dirty doing so, but she put it on and she came. She had to dance to his tune just a little longer.

"You're nuts. You can't go," Lois had said, staring at the strapless black gown. "He's toying with you like the cat that plays with the mouse before eating it."

"No. He's desperate. I can feel it. I'm in control, Lois. In fact, this may be the night." She knew Violet Tessmacher would be there. If there was any new information to be had, she would have it. "He wouldn't be going to all the trouble if he wasn't scared. He thinks I know more than I do. Am doing more than I am." Little did he know, she needed this invite more then he needed her there. Just to see Violet...

"I should call Oliver and tell him what you're up to," Lois had said, staring at Chloe's cell.

"Why don't you?" Chloe had said, holding the gown up, knowing Lois was as likely to call Ollie as she was. "It's about time you two actually talked."

But Lois hadn't. Chloe hadn't called either. He would have warned her away. It wouldn't have worked, though. Chloe knew what she was doing.

Just going to a party. Essentially, that was all it was.

Just a huge throng of rich people she'd never met. But her eyes roved the crowd for a familiar face. There was just one her for her...

She finally spotted Violet near the check stand. She seemed to be on duty, talking to waiters and checkers alike. She looked lovely in a rose-colored suit and Chloe wondered what she'd looked like at twenty. A young girl appeared next to her and Chloe got some idea. The girl was short and curvy with curly blonde hair and just had to be Eve.

Chloe stood in line, waiting to check her purse and trying not to look at them.

"Mom, I don't want to gross you out, but I think Lex is totally sexy." She sipped from a tall flute.

Chloe glanced to see Violet take it from her. "You are under drinking age and he's our employer, Eve. Why don't you go outside and get some air?"

"Why don't you remember that I'm a legal adult and you can't tell me what to do?" She stormed past Chloe and Violet finally spotted her. She gave the slightest shake of her head and looked away.

When Chloe approached the makeshift counter, she handed her purse over. The sullen teenager took it, but Violet quickly stopped her. "Wait. I think we have a repeat in tags, here." Violet took the purse and put a different tag on it, discarding the other. "Best to be cautious." She handed Chloe a ticket. Chloe smiled in acknowledgment and quickly moved off.

She waited until she was in the restroom and only allowed herself a quick glance before placing it in the side of her bra and washing her hands. "Solarium. No cameras. 9:45."

She spent the evening avoiding the host and glancing at her slim watch. He hadn't planned very well, sendinf her this dress. It was easier for her to spot his bald head than for him to spot her in a sea of black gowns. At 9:35, she decided to find the solarium.

It ran along the side of the house and smelled like jasmine and orange blossoms. She felt nearly relaxed and turned with some pleasure as the door opened behind her.

She went cold immediately as it was not Mrs. Tessmacher. It was Lex. "There you are." He came forward, leaving the door ajar. "I was starting to think you were avoiding me."

"No," she lied. "Just checking out the digs."

"Are you enjoying the party?"

She pasted on a smile. "Of course. Thank you for including me."

"Well, it was the least I could do." He moved closer and she found herself fascinated by a pot of impatiens. "I am depriving you of a home, though I hope only temporarily."

"It's fine. My father has room." He was closer and she slipped sideways to investigate a hanging pot of ivy. "Though, if you want to make amends, you should have invited Lois, too."

"Lois." He snapped his fingers. "I forgot. I'll have to send her something." He was right at her side and she was getting tired of this tango. "Speaking of, I hope you like the dress."

"It's lovely. Thanks."

"It's not much. But you do bring a certain flare to it." She could feel his eyes on her cleavage and wondered at the sudden interest in breasts. Lana had been petite, small-breasted, and brunette- like most of his flames.

"How sweet." She moved to a cluster of birds of paradise before realizing her mistake. She'd been moving inexorably down the lane to a wall of windows. She was nearly up against it now. She had the sinking feeling he'd been herding her that way, like a sheep. She needed to regain control. She smiled and leaned against the glass. "I don't often accept dresses from strange men." She couldn't let him play Red Riding Hood and The Big Bad Luthor forever.

He looked mildly disconcerted before smiling again. "Strange? We've known each other for years now."

"Well, we never talked much, did we? I mean, we only had common friends, really."

His hand moved to rest on the glass beside her head. "Common friends?" He smiled. "is that all?"

It was crunch time. He'd started this game and there was no way out. Did she keep playing along and let this end up somewhere unsavory? Or did she put him down flat and walk away? Either move had consequences.

She imagined having him at her mercy, getting close enough to learn what she needed. Gaining his wary trust before betraying him as she knew she would, as she knew she had to. She then saw herself walking away, her head high and proud. He'd feel rebuffed. He'd come after her harder. He might even try to possess her the way he wanted to possess all things that belonged to Clark Kent.

And Chloe did belong to Clark Kent.

She was ready to split the difference. Giggle and slip away to the party, as if this was all some silly flirtation. Suspend the action just a little. But she saw a movement over his shoulder. His eyes nearly followed hers to it until she placed her hand on his cheek. His eyes widened as she arched her back and ran that hand over his head. "You're very smooth, Lex Luthor."

He swooped in suddenly and she found herself pressed hard between the glass and him.

For a split second, she forgot this was only subterfuge. To feel a man's lips and hands and extremely hard cock that rubbed her through his trousers... It satisfied and destroyed her all at once.

She tore her lips from his, then pulled his head to her neck. He nipped and sucked and, God help her, bit hard.

Mrs. Tessmacher stood half-frozen in the doorway and Chloe lifted her hand from Lex's head to wave frantically before placing it back. Violet nodded and stepped forward, placing something in a flowerpot on a work table next to the door. She glanced sadly at Chloe before leaving.

Chloe closed her eyes in relief. It was a mistake. It made her have to feel.

"God, your heart's racing," he whispered in her ear. "Is that for me?"

"Yes," she breathed. It wasn't a lie. She was as terrified as she was turned on. Hers was a body that was hungry to be touched. Clark had left her in a state she'd never fully recovered from.

But she had to get him near that door and that pot. She pushed him backwards and pulled at his tie. She circled him, holding it and keeping his gaze, then pulled hard, pulling him backwards to the door.

"Fuck," he growled as he let himself be led, nearly licking his chops. "I've underestimated you all along."

"Not a mistake you'll make again," she said, leaning against the wall nearest the door.

"Oh, I don't think so," he whispered as his mouth found hers again. It was so nearly what she wanted that she lost herself in it for a moment.

His hands were on her breasts, his cock was against her pelvis, and her hands were at his jacket. She pulled away and grasped his lapels, turning them so her back was at the side of the table. It was right behind her.

And so were his hands. He lifted her up and she thanked her lucky stars as she felt the pot at the small of her back. One hand left his lapel to grope behind her as she leaned in for a kiss. But he turned away.

"I have somewhere else I want to kiss you." She jumped slightly as he whispered in her ear, desperately afraid he'd see into the pot. "I've been imagining your taste all week." He bit her ear and moved down her body. "Are you salty or sweet?" He looked up as he knelt. She felt his hands under her dress, pulling her panties down her leg. "I bet you're sweet."

She couldn't stop him, having his head under her dress was almost the best stroke of luck she'd had this evening. She groped in the flower pot. It was a disk so small, she almost thought it was a woodchip. She stuffed it in down her dress, shoving it against the underside of her breast. Now would be the time to stop him and leave.

But suddenly she felt what he was doing, no longer able to numb herself with business. His tongue was circling and he was outright moaning against her flesh. Even as she wanted to kick him away, she found her hand on his smooth head, pulling him closer. His hands groped at her buttocks, squeezing them harshly and she threw her head back, groaning.

It was when he bit her that it happened. She jerked and came hard and selfishly against his mouth. Only then did she kick. Her shoe landed on his shoulder and she pushed. He fell backwards and she flew sideways, skirting him and going for the door.

She cried harder than she ever had that night.

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Finally, he tried endangerment.

Chloe rolled the Volkswagen's window down, but it did no good. The heat would break by mid-September, but it was killing her now. Aside from that, she'd just got her car back from a tune-up (her father had insisted) and now it would have to go in again. She pressed the button for air conditioning, but it seemed stuck. She used the button to press the other window down and marveled that the air still hardly stirred.

"Nice car," Lucy Lane groused from the back seat. "Not only can I die of heat stroke, but I can do it with my knee under my chin in this tiny-ass..."

"Just shut it," Lois snapped from the passenger seat. "You've done nothing but complain since you got here. It would have been fine if it was just for a week, but you just had to come early. Why didn't you just go back to Dad's?"

"I can't," Lucy shot back.

"Oh, definitely not," Lois sneered. "He'd just never accept that his precious baby got kicked out of another college."

"At least my roots aren't showing."

Lois' hand nearly went to her hair. "No, but the rest of you is. Did you borrow that dress from a streetwalker?"

"Can it, you guys!" Chloe yelled. "It's too hot to argue." She looked in her rearview mirror at Lucy sulking, then to the side at Lois muttering. She'd felt like a referee all week. On top of that, she felt like the worst kind of slut. Lex Luthor seemed to be all over town lately, wherever she was, staring at her and down her body. She noted the cool satisfaction in his eyes whenever she ducked away. He thought he'd won.

On top of that, she had no way to make use of the disk. There didn't seem to be a machine that existed for it.

"Lucy," she said gently. "Are you sure you don't want to borrow something? We're the same size and I have some stuff at Dad's already."

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing? We're going to breakfast, not mass. Does this podunk have a dress code?"

"Lucy," Chloe sighed. "If you're unhappy, we can drop you at your dad's tomorrow. Whatever you want."

Lucy sat back and crossed her arms. "You can't," she finally said. "He's not there."

Lois snorted. "Oh, like you don't love that. You think I don't know what you do when Dad's away? Skeevy guys and pot and..."

"Yeah, but it'd be kinda hard to have a party with no food, furniture, or electricity," Lucy cut in.

Chloe stopped the car. "What?"

"Dad's gone," Lucy said to her lap. "He never picked me up at the airport and I had to get a cab and everything was just gone. So I took the bus here."

Lois turned in her seat. "He just left?"

"He probably had to," Lucy said quickly. "You know how they send him off with no..."

"When will you stop defending him, Lucy? A good father doesn't leave his daughter waiting at an airport without even a phone call."

"He'll call," Lucy snarled. "You're just upset that he'll call me and not you."

There was silence in the car and Chloe started forward again. The both of them seemed near tears. When she pulled up to her father's house, Lucy moved the seat back and jumped out before Lois, nearly knocking Lois through the windshield. Lois started after her, but Chloe got out hurriedly and came around. "Let her be for a minute. She's upset."

Lois blinked hard. "She should be. Now she'll know what he truly is, how he doesn't really care at all. We were just inconvenient baggage my mom left behind."

"Yes, but Lucy's always stayed close to your father. She idolizes him. This must really hurt." Chloe grabbed Lois' shoulders. "And now she has nowhere to go."

Gabriel Sullivan came out the front door. "What's wrong with Lucy? She didn't even say hi, just ran upstairs."

Chloe patted Lois on the shoulder. "Go check on her." She turned to her father. "It's just the heat, Dad. My air conditioner's on the fritz."

"What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing. Just the button's stuck." She looked back at the house. "Dad, I'm gonna go hurry up the girls."

He was staring at her car. "I'll just take a look at this."

"Knock yourself out."

"Better get my tools," she heard him mutter as she went in, making her way right to the stairs. Near the top, she heard them.

"What if he's not okay?"

"Lucy, it's like you said. They send him off all the time."

"Yeah, but not with the house packed up? Maybe he never got my message, but wouldn't he call me or..."

"We'll figure this out." Lois cut in as Lucy's voice faded to sobs.

Chloe didn't go in the bathroom. She gave them time and looked at the pictures in the upstairs hall. There was one of her with her first issue of The Torch. Her grin looked like it might split her face. She felt a pang of self pity. She wanted to be that girl again- the one who looked at life and saw possibilities.

It seemed that all she could look forward to now was more worry. She nearly wished, for her own selfish reasons, that she'd never got involved with this mess. Never given a thought to saving the world from Luthor. She could still be at The Planet, living a normal, nearly carefree life. Then again, how many would die before this was over?

Whatever her was doing... She had to know.

Not just for the world. But for herself. And all those close to her.

She was in too deep to back out now.

Things had quieted down and she was about to knock on the bathroom door when a loud rumbling knocked her backward. An explosion sounded from the front of the house. She landed half-off the top step as the smell of fire filled her nostrils.

"Daddy," she moaned.


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