Almost Lovers (Chapter Twenty-Five)

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PREVIOUS CHAPTER

Sorry for the lateness. In the middle of the last chapter, I completely rethought my approach to the Lana reveals in my constant struggle to reign myself in about over-informing. I actually had an insanely long version of it all written out and, when I realized it would take up three chapters, I stepped back and tried to figure out how to get this info out in other, less word-consuming ways. I mean, I had suplots with subplots. 

Then I realized how many words and extraneous detail I was putting into something that could be summarized in smaller flashes here and there, just few spare trips in the wayback machine, or mentioned in dialogue. 

So, in the interest of finishing this fic, I tossed most of what I wrote out. Not completely out. Some of it will be mentioned. But this fic has already become a study in TMI. 

Anyway, here we are…

Chapter 25

It felt surreal, at first. So many things she thought she knew were torn to ribbons. It seemed like the door was some kind of extension of that, like a very apt hallucination. 

But it wasn’t. There was a damned foot kicking through that flimsy wood. So she didn’t have time to crumple to the floor in a fuzzy, light-headed heap… tempting as it was.

She did end up on the floor, in the end, grappling for her purse and her pepper spray, madly wondering if it would do any good against whatever was about to rain down on them and kicking herself for deciding a taser was just too expensive. Of course, she wondered if either would do any good when confronted with what seemed like seven feet and three-hundred pounds of man, casually tossing aside what was left of the door.

Didn’t matter. He had exposed eyes, didn’t he? Maybe she could even reach them. She scrambled to her feet.

“Stay back,” she growled. He did, to her surprise. Just stood there. Not cowering in fear, obviously. 

“All clear,” he said over his shoulder, looking at her like she was of absolutely no concern to him.

“I beg to differ,” she sneered, holding up what now seemed like the tiniest can of pepper spray in existence. But, damn it, it was all she had! “What are you? Mannheim’s?” She snapped her eyes to Lana. “Or is he one of your people?”

Lana just stared ahead. “I can’t afford people.”

“Of course she can’t.” 

She turned to the door, that feeling of unreality coming over her again as Lex stepped past the man. 

“Not without siphoning my funds. Isn’t that right, Darling?” He laughed. “I’m sorry. I guess we don’t do petnames anymore. Did we ever? I’m not even sure.”

Lana just stared at him, that same vague look in her eyes. “I knew it. I knew it was all too good to be true. I…”

“Such a pessimistic thing to say.” Lex smiled rather blandly at Lois as he nodded to the large man. 

He knocked the pepper spray out of her hand with what seemed like an indifferent flick.

“It’s all good and it’s all true. I, for one, am very pleasantly surprised.” Lex gestured to Lois. “I was out there thinking the two of you were conspiring against me and here I find this little scenario.” He gestured to the ropes, then to Lois again. “I knew I liked you.” Then he smiled again. There was something in that smile, something just on the edge. She didn’t need his large thug knocking down a door to know he was dangerous. She just needed that smile, that sweat all over his face even in winter. He was a man on the edge of cracking.

She didn’t want to see what happened when he did. Call Clark… No! Call Superman… No! Maybe a call to Clark would get her out of this, but it wouldn’t get her the truth. Not the rest of Lana’s and certainly not Lex’s.

“Can you blame me?” She moved closer to Lana, gripping her shoulder hard. “She’s a liar.” You stay calm, I stay calm, we get out of this… somehow.

“I told you everything,” Lana breathed, fear creeping into voice. “Now you can hate me like always and so can C…”

“Shut up!” Lois growled, gripping her harder. Damn it, Lana! Don’t talk! Don’t bring him into this! “Nothing but self-pity and lies out of you!” She didn’t know what Lex knew. She only knew he didn’t need to know any more. 

“This really was a pleasant surprise,” he said, moving slowly toward them. “I was actually waiting for you to leave. I was just after Ms. Leery, here. I think she’s been getting a little too pleased with herself. Just showing up at Martha Kent’s like that?”

“You followed me,” Lana droned.

“No. I have people for that, unlike you. Little hard to afford, isn’t it? Good help? At least not without siphoning money you didn’t earn.”

Lois slipped her hand from Lana’s shoulder to her back, moving her thumb just slightly back and forth, not sure if it was conveying the message, which was “don’t say a Goddamned word,” incidentally. Maybe a little side of “contrary to what you might think, I don’t want you to get yourself killed.”

“I made sure to have them watch for you there. See if you could keep out of it. I didn’t think you would. Crazy enough, most of what I know I’ve read, but I feel like I really know you by now.” He leaned down to Lana. “You’re like a ward of the town. You just can’t stay out of it. Even the far-reaches, like my place. You showed up there, too,” he whispered. “Was I supposed to just ignore that?”

“I needed to see,” Lana said dully. “I needed to be sure. I should have known it would all go wrong. I should have known…”

“Yes, you should have.”

“Even my friends. Interrogated like a terrorist. Everyone pacing and yelling at me. Everyone against me when all I wanted…”

“Yes, I tied you up and interrogated you,” Lois said loudly. This rope seemed to work whether she wanted it to or not. Lex didn’t need to know what really went down at Martha’s party. “Get over it.”

Lex groaned and straightened. “What did you do? Drug her?”

“It all went wrong,” Lana moaned again.

“No. She’s just… overwhelmed.”

“Good.” Lex nodded at his man and he pulled a syringe from his pocket. “Then she can handle this.”

“I don’t like needles,” Lana babbled. “When I was little, they said they’d gave me a sticker if I didn’t cry. I cried, but they still gave me a sticker and I still couldn’t stop all the way home. It didn’t even hurt that bad. It was just that feeling, like something invading my body that didn’t belong there. Then Aunt Nell said we could get ice cream if I stopped, because that’s how she was. She never wanted to talk about why I was crying or mad or sad. She just wanted to stop it and sometimes I think…”

“Shut up,” Lex cut in. Lois just watched as Lex carefully injected her, not sure what else to do. He looked very skilled at it. He must be by now. She’d seen the trail marks up his arms that day in the cave. The only thing she knew for sure was he’d have been less concerned about her already being drugged if he were trying to kill her. So she let it happen, watched Lana’s eyes roll back. 

She just stood there, not sure what kind of game she was playing. She only knew she was better off on Lex’s team, or at least letting him think she was, at the moment.

“That should calm her down,” she heard Lex say as he straightened. “And she’s already tied up. Thanks for that.”

No! She sure as hell didn’t need Diana’s lariat in his hands as well. Lois pulled at the ropes. “Well, if she’s subdued, then we can just…” 

“I strongly suggest you leave her that way,” Lex said. His man stepped up to Lois, as if hammering the point in.

She forced a laugh. “Rope? Really? I know we’re near the river, but playing pirate’s bound to look a little…”

“No one’s looking here!” He gestured wildly to the door. “One of these doors gets kicked in every second Tuesday. Do you see anyone rushing to see what’s happened?”

“No, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t looking.” She shrugged and held her smile with some difficulty. “Fine.” He was cracking. She had to be careful. “I guess I assumed you came prepared.” 

“I did,” he ground out. “Get the ties,” he barked at his man, gesturing to Lois as he moved out.

She pulled at the ropes, hoping they didn’t do anything suspicious, like move on their own. “What did you give her?” she asked, trying to sound casual.

“It’s a derivative of her concoction. That article of yours gave me a few ideas and I set my chemical division to work. I thought it was very fitting she was hoist by her own petard. Suggestable. Sleepy,” he whispered. Lana almost dutifully closed her eyes.

“Your chemical division?” she said as the ropes fell away, leaving just a few knots. She wasn’t sure how Diana would feel about that. Then again, she was kind of aiding an abduction at the moment, so she had bigger concerns. “I thought you were inactive at Luthorcorp.”

He straightened and smiled, that same rather frightening smile. “You do like to dig around, don’t you? But yes. I am. That doesn’t mean I have no one working for me.” He gave Lana’s head a pat as it fell forward. “Or refusing to work. We’ll see if you can get them going.”

Them? Who was he holding… and where? That, more than anything kept her from calling Clark. He’d fly right in and scoop them up and to safety. But nothing would be revealed, not without a witness. And that was her, wasn’t it? What was a reporter, if not a witness to great events?

She slipped her pen into one of the knots. She might not feel secure about calling Clark at the moment, but she could at least leave him a clue… and a record.

“I’ll go with you,” she said, standing.

Lex turned to her. “You will?”

“After what this b*tch did to me? I’d like to see her get what’s…”

“I’m sorry. I just realized that sounded like a question. I meant yes. You will come with me. But I am surprised you’re willing.”

“I’m more than willing. I…”

He chuckled. “Let’s not play games. It’s beneath both of us. It’s not like your job is a big secret.” 

“Well…”

“You think there’s a story here and you’re not above playing allies with me to get it. But that’s not what’s going to happen.” He sighed. “I’d actually been waiting for you to leave. Your occupation aside, I thought you’d been through enough. But it’s just too perfect,” he went on, staring at her closely. “You being here… It just works out, in the end. See, Lana, as fitting as it seems to use her, as downright justified, she doesn’t fit the criteria so well.” He dug in his pocket. “I don’t think she’d be as good a test subject as… someone who’s been where I am. It’s a little hard to resist.” She stared at the tiny bottle in one hand as the other yanked out his pocket square.

She tried to smile… and failed. “Test subject?”

His hands shook as he opened the bottle. “The technology’s a little sketchy. I wouldn’t try it on myself first. I learned enough about that with the formula. I’ve barely got my nerves in check. But this new project…” He nodded. “This could work.” He smiled. “Maybe even for you. Maybe you’ll thank me if it does.”

This. This was probably the time to call Clark, but she felt paralyzed and, God help her, curious. “What exactly…”

“You’ll see soon enough.” He moved closer. “Sorry about this. But I wouldn’t want to insult you by assuming you’ll come quietly.”

****************

“… and I’ll need to get to Happy Harbor,” Oliver was saying. “Just to see the bottom line as far as materials and lab… Scratch that. I guess we can’t have outside labor.”

“Not if we don’t want to take the secret right out of our headquarters,” AC put in. “But we can get it done between all of our skills. It already has a passage that drains right to the Atlantic, which is great for me, and it’s high enough for solar panels, if placed right, to store up energy almost all day for the generators, making it less of a drain on the power grid. There’s a large cavern on the west side that would be…”

“Hey, no need to sell it. I’ve already bought the land,” Oliver cut in. “What I need right now is to look it over and see what we’re in for.”

“I’ve already started disassembling the Clocktower equipment.” Victor nodded to the ceiling. “Some of it’s even up there. I’ll need another day before it can be packed to ship. Maybe you can go with me when…”

“No. I’d better check the place out tomorrow. Linda and I have to get back for a town forum. That’s Rhode Island, so fifteen-hundred miles,” Oliver muttered. “If I leave by five in the morning, the Bell can…”

“Seriously?” Bart piped up. “We’ve got like three people who can fly by now. Why waste hours in a helicopter? Diana, show this man…”

“Let’s not pimp me out as transportation just yet. I do have a day job in D.C.” She stood. “And, if we’re done here, I need to get back to it.”

“I guess we are.” Oliver stood as everyone disbursed. “Clark? You want to do the honors tomorrow? I’m going to have to take a flight with you at some point. I’d better get used to it.”

“Yeah. Fine,” Clark grunted.

“And no inappropriate touching," Bart snorted. 

“Laugh it up,” Clark growled. “Why don't you take him on a piggyback ride?” 

“Jeez! What’s with you?”

“I don’t know,” Clark muttered, grabbing some of the platters and moving into the kitchen. He was just feeling impatient. Maybe it was Bart’s constant jokes slowing that interminable meeting down. He felt edgy somehow, as if he wanted to be anywhere but here. He couldn’t shake the feeling, like something was wrong.

Maybe it was just the situation with Lois. He didn’t like how they left things, so unfinished. She’d gone off to sleep on it… with Lana in tow. Maybe that was what was bugging him. It wasn’t like he could go see her tonight, hash things out with his ex on the couch. Still, maybe he should try. He’d feel better if he could just see her for a…

“Okay, Bart! This is officially not funny!” he heard Diana yell from upstairs.

“Said everyone ever,” AC snorted as Clark came back for more dishes.

“Shut up,” Bart hissed. “What’s with everyone picking on me today?” He sped to Diana as she appeared in the doorway. “Seriously, Di, what…”

“Where is it, Bart?”

“What?”

“Take a wild guess.”

Bat shrugged. “Okay. Al Capone’s real secret vault? The lost city of Atlantis?”

AC raised his hand. “I actually have some insider info on…” 

“My lariat,” Diana hissed. 

Bart just stared at her. “What the hell’s a lariat?”

“Lasso, then,” she groaned. “It was just adorable when you sent me on a treasure hunt for my own bracelets, but I told you if you ever touched my…”

“Calm down,” Bart sighed. “I didn’t touch your precious stuff. I pretty much learned my lesson when you hung me upside-down over The Rockies. I can take a hint.”

“Then what…”

“There were a billion people here. I don’t know.”

“More like a few hundred and my wallet is still there, so this wasn’t just any…”

“I think I know where it is,” Clark breathed. Maybe that was what was bugging him -- the way she’d seemed so cagey, clutching her purse, so eager to leave… with Lana. He didn’t even know that part until after she’d left. Why didn’t she tell him that? “Lois,” he said, pulling out his phone. “My mother said she left with Lana.”

Diana shrugged. “And?”

“And she seemed pretty annoyed until she suddenly seemed to be fine with it,” he ground out. He should have known then. “Then she’s suddenly off with Lana.”

Bart scoffed. “That doesn’t mean…”

“No, this makes sense,” Diana said, pointing at Clark. “She was eyeing it up pretty good when I showed it to her. And she’s always going on about…”

“The truth,” Clark cut in as he snapped his phone shut. “Voicemail.”

AC shook his head. “Well, she’s not going to answer if you’re right.” 

“Well, she’ll answer to me,” Diana said through thin lips before disappearing.

“Wait!” Clark went after, knowing where she was going. 

He got there just as Diana was rapping on the door. 

“She wouldn’t take her here,” he said, looking through the walls. “They’re not here.”

Diana turned. “Then where are they?”

“I don’t know.”

Diana stared at the door, then at Clark. “Victor might know.”

“What?” 

He followed as she sped off again. 

************

It was an hour before a cab pulled up. He stood in the shadows to the side of her steps and watched her get out. She was wearing the "I heart Metropolis" shirt he'd given her and some yoga pants that had seen better days. Somehow, he thought she'd be wearing a pink dress and glitter in her hair. It didn't matter what she wore. Tonight was about her.

***************

She stared at Lana, almost willing her to wake up. Lois had been awake for… Minutes? Hours? She could hardly tell, her head was still so foggy. But her senses were on track, enough to smell the lead in the walls if it weren’t already rubbing off on her clothes. Lex was even more ahead of the game than she thought. Just how ahead, she wasn’t sure.

The time to call Clark had passed. She could see that as a good thing. She was definitely getting the story. Whether she’d get out alive with it was another matter. She’d woke up in this cell with no one in sight but Lana… who was snoring.

She sat up straighter against the wall, rather annoyed at the bare cell. If Lex was so sympathetic to her as he seemed to insist on pretending, he’d at least provide a chair. 

Lana started moaning and even that annoyed her, as much she’d been praying for her awakening. Sure, she wouldn’t be alone. But she’d be with Lana. If that wasn’t a mixed blessing, then…

“Where am I?” she moaned.

“I don’t know,” Lois snapped, staring ahead. Why the hell did she want her to wake up, anyway?

She heard shuffling, assumed Lana was sitting up. “I remember… Lex…”

“Yeah. So do I. Hard to forget.”

“Where are we?”

“I told you. I don’t know,” Lois said through clenched teeth. 

“You tied me up.”

“Well, you stole my life, so I guess we’re… Nope.” She stood and paced to the bare door with only a tiny, smeared window that she couldn’t even see through. But it was distance, at least. “We’re not even, actually. I don’t think we’ll ever be.”

Lana let out a shaky breath. “I never wanted you to know that.”

“Obviously.”

“What happened back there? Why couldn't I..."

"Lie? Never mind that." She wasn't about to tell Lana, or anyone else, about Diana's magical rope. And maybe she wanted Lana to think it wasn’t quite over. "Maybe I dosed you with chemicals,” she finally said. Hell, Lex had. Maybe they were working. “You shouldn't have a problem with that."

"Yes, I did.” She heard more shuffling and turned to see Lana standing. “I’m not the bad guy. I just… See, the chemicals… That's exactly why I brought Kevin in. Lizzie was getting crazy, constantly doping everyone with..."

"With the exact stuff you used on me... and Lex, now that I think about it." Now that she thought about it, she felt like a fool. There were so many clues along the way that she and Lex were a special case among Grady’s “patients.” She'd been so eager to move on that she'd refused to see them. She'd say it was the right call, considering how very intact her sanity seemed to be, last she checked, compared to Lex. But look at her now -- locked in a lead cell with Lana. If that wasn’t a comeuppance, she wasn’t sure what was.

“But that was just… Lex needed a push. It would be better for everyone if…”

“And me? How is that better for everyone?”

“Maybe it was better for you,” Lana hissed. “Didn’t you get everything you said you wanted? I helped you.”

“You helped yourself,” Lois sneered. “Maybe it didn’t work out that way, but don’t you dare tell me wiping Clark from my mind was for anyone but you.”

“I know! I just…” Lana’s face crumpled and she sunk to the floor. “I didn’t want to think of it… like that,” she finished on a gasp. “I remember taking that cab with you, whispering in your ear and thinking… this was okay. This was what she wanted. She just didn’t have the guts to follow through. I was making it happen. I was making you happy. And then you came out and you wondered where your car was and paced around, grumbling about being out in your pajamas and I felt like… like I must have damaged you. But then you laughed and you hailed a cab and you seemed… I guess I figured you were okay. ‘See? She’s laughing. She’s fine. She’s better off.’ And I…”

“And you forgave yourself? How benevolent of you.”

“I’m not saying I was right, but yes. I did. I didn’t want you to be used by him. I didn’t want him to continue making you help him and making you… do other things while, all along, he was just waiting for me.”

She shook her head, just staring at Lana. “Is that what you thought?”

“It was.” She gulped in a breath. “It was then.” She looked up, her eyes watering. “It took me a long time, too long, to figure it out.”

***
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"You did something. I know it."

"Kevin, I've had a long day,” she sighed, jamming her key card in. “You're going to have to be a little clearer."

"To Lois," he said. "And Lex. You interfered somehow. My methods aren't working with them. There's something different about them and I can only think of one reason why. One thing thing they have in common."

"And that's me?" Lana forced a laugh. "Kevin, I stopped working at Belle Reve months ago. I no longer have involvement with your practice. It's not like I have time. And you might have noticed I’ve been just fine about it." Clark would be in touch soon enough. He was probably just working at The Planet to make sure Chloe was okay and then he’d find Lana and…

“About what?”

“Lois and Clark working together. You need to stop painting me like some jealous…”

“That’s not common knowledge.”

She stilled as she tossed her purse on the table. “Well, I read it on the website,” she said quickly.

“No, you didn’t. He just got hired. How did you…”

“Fine. I have sources inside the Planet and…”

“I can come over there, Lana. I don’t even have to come in,” he growled. “I can stand on the other side of your wall and know every…”

“Fine! Yes! I’ve heard her sessions.” She took a deep breath. “I pay for the space and it’s only fair that what goes on…”

“And what else?”

“I don’t know what you…”

“A woman comes back to me in her pajamas and demands to be wiped clean right then. I just knew…”

“Yes, you knew,” Lana broke in. “You also knew it was the right thing to do or you wouldn’t have done it!”

He was silent for a long time. “You drugged her. Have you been drugging her all this time?”

“No.” She sat on the sofa, feeling drained. "It was just once. She was ready to do it, but she needed a push."

"And what about Lex?"

“Him, too,” she said tersely. “But you knew that, too.”

“Don't you see? Your interference made it worse! They ask too many questions. They complain about headaches. Lex is talking about formulas to reverse his amnesia and she... she's even outright asked me to reverse what I've done."

"But you can't do that!" Lana said, standing now.

"I know I can't. But, right now, I wish I could. This wasn't the way it was supposed to happen. You ruined everything!"

"I started everything. None of this would have happened if it wasn't for me."

"Jesus, you say that like it's a good thing!"

"Sleep it off," she sneered. He was drinking again, she could tell. Maybe he'd forget this entire conversation. "We can talk tomorrow. We can figure out a way to fix this. Maybe put them under and suggest..."

"No. Not tomorrow. This is over."

"Kevin..."

"I did what you said. Just leave me alone. I'm finished with both of them."

"What I said..." she started. But he'd already hung up. “It’s what they needed,” she said weakly. He had to know that or he wouldn’t have gone through with it. 

**********************
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**
*

"But I knew better later. That's why I tried so hard to find Kevin when he vanished. I just wanted everyone to have what they..."

"You knew better then," Lois said on a sneer. "And don't try to say you were just trying to give the people what they wanted. Maybe you started off that way. But that's not how you finished. You, Kevin, Albright, Helen... You were all just playing God in your own unique way, justifying everything you did."

"But if it worked..."

"It didn't work," Lois cut in. "Even if it did, can you honestly say it would be better. Just look at you and everyone you 'helped' now."

“But you don’t understand. I know better. I told you. I finally figured it out.”

*
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*****************

Kevin was gone. He wasn’t at his home or his office and several call to Florida told her he wasn’t there. 

She got out of her cab at Metropolis Grand, annoyingly far from the drive as it was quite backed up. Some masquerade ball. She finally decided she’d rather take the walk than wait. She had to figure out what to do. Things were going fine at Camp Tremaine. Two couples now, both of which were thrilled to be a part of it. She wondered what would happen down the road, if she could be a not-so-silent partner, credited with believing in this project, and if the history books would compare these children to Superman.

She laughed as several men dressed as Superman passed her. He’d definitely be one for the history books, whether or not they ever knew he was Clark.

She stared fondly at Clark now, pacing in front of the steps to her hotel, grumbling to himself in a matador costume. Silly ma… 

That was Clark!

It took a moment to separate the idea of him from the fact that he was right there! At her hotel!

She ducked behind the bushes, her hand moving to her hair before she realized that was silly. It wasn’t as if he could see her… unless she wanted him to. Did she want him to? He knew she was out there somewhere. Whatever he was doing, he’d find her when he was ready. Everything he said that say at the farm was just to prepare her to wait until… until…

She suddenly realized she couldn’t even finish that thought. But he must have some kind of plan for them after everything.

A woman with a curly, blonde wig moved passed him and he stepped back. "Excuse me."

The woman stopped. "Clark!" She pulled down her mask.

Chloe.

"Lois!" 

Fine. Lois. She’d made it happen. She might as well accept it. But did she have to show up dressed like a blowsy tavern wench. Clark seemed to find it funny. "St. Pauli Girl?"

“Lois” snapped the mask back on as Clark… he just stared and stared. "Oh, shut it. It was all they had. Like yours is better? I mean, are the bulls running?"

He was still staring. What was he seeing? "I got mine a little late, too," he finally said with a shrug.

“Lois” was staring, too, at his tight pants. "Where's your mask?” she asked, finally making it to his face. “We're supposed to wear them until midnight."

"Oh, I forgot."

Lana gripped the shrubbery before her, snapping a twig in her hand as they broke apart as several more Supermen passed by. 

Why was he doing this? Why was he going to costume parties at her hotel with “Lois”? Was he trying to make her jealous? Was this a game to him? It seemed unfair to Lois. He had to know… Then she realized that he didn’t know. He had no idea she was here. No one did. That was kind of the point. They were here for something else entirely – something that didn’t involve her. Together.

Lois was looking him over… again. "Hmmm. It's not like a mask will fit over the glasses. Don't you have contacts?"

"Um... They don't make them strong enough for me." He was staring at her again. And Lana felt her stomach drop.

Lois just shrugged and moved in. "I guess you'll just be a rebel, then. That should be new for you."

He followed her, looking rather annoyed but also looking at her, looking only at her.

Lana followed, at some distance, every glance confirming it. His eyes were on her. Sometimes angry, sometimes soft, sometimes worried, but always on her. Even when he rushed off, his last glance was at her.

She only barely ducked behind a pillar when he sped off, daring him to even notice her. She slapped at the cold marble, then did it again, even though it was useless and painful and stupid.

“No matter,” she hissed, not even sure how to finish the thought. No matter how she tried, he only went to her for help! No matter what she did, they always ended up near each other somehow! Even with all she did, it was her he sought out. 

All these years, after all we've been through, it's... It's like we've put so much into this that we'll never admit that... It's never going to be... us.

She stilled, resting her head against the cool stone, finally hearing those words he’d said at the farm.

All this time, she’d told herself it was just for now. Just until she proved herself. When he was gone, so obviously not with Chloe, she told herself that again, harder, louder. She told herself it was always going to be them in the end. She never even entertained the idea that he meant what he said.

Was that true? Was “Lois” what he truly wanted? 

She stared at her, wondering what it was he saw, as she slapped away the odd groper and seemed to endlessly say she was nota waitress. She’d known more before, more than Lana ever had. Maybe that was the attraction. But if he’d told her, if he’d just told her what Chloe knew, she’d do more than Chloe could dream of. Just look at all she was doing now! She’d…

Lex!

She ducked into the hallway the moment she saw him. She moved into an alcove, breathing heavily, afraid to even dart for the elevators, afraid he’d see her. It took a few moments to realize that was ridiculous. He wouldn’t know her if he did. She’d seen to that.

Still, she rushed to the elevators, rushed to her room, packed her things frantically through blurry eyes.

So what if Clark was determined to be with her? So what?

This wasn’t about him, anyway. It was just about the project, about the work, about the world. Think of how much better off this world would be with more heroes. She didn’t need to be here for that. Lizzie and Helen had things well in hand and she could go back to being a silent investor, just watch from a distance, from a safe distance.

That wasn’t even about Lex. She wasn’t afraid of him. This was just… just what she needed to do right now. 

And so Kevin was gone? So what? Did anyone really need him? Lois seemed just fine. So did Lex if he was out partying. Everyone would be fine and probably more than fine, thanks to her. She just needed a little distance, a little space. She’d figure out what was next without…

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“…without Clark,” Lana finished on a whisper. “See, I understood it then. I gave him up then.”

“You think that makes it okay?” Lois breathed, staring at her aghast. “Because you’re not after Clark?” 

“I thought you’d be relieved,” she said, blinking at Lois as if this explained everything.

“My God! Are you really that dense?”

“Well, I knew it was useless and I thought…”

“Lana, let’s forget what you did to me for just a second. What about your little project? All the lives…”

“But I didn’t know,” she moaned. “I didn’t how bad it had gone. I didn’t know Helen would go after Clark. I thought we’d agreed he was off limits and…”

“Jesus! Forget about Clark! What about the couples, Lana?”

“I thought they were all happy be there. I thought they were free to go if they wanted and… and they just didn’t want to. I didn’t know she was drugging them to keep them compliant.”

“Because that never happens,” Lois sneered. “Hell, you claim you didn’t like her little concoctions and what did you do the moment you got your hands on some?”

“I thought…”

“You thought, you didn’t know, you were only helping. There’s always an excuse with you, isn’t there?”

“I’m not trying to excuse what I did,” Lana said hoarsely. “I’m just trying to explain what I was thinking then, make you understand that I don’t think that way now. I know what…”

“Just shut up. Nothing you say can make this understandable, so just stop,” Lois hissed.

“Please, just…”

“I mean it. Shut up,” Lois whispered, moving to the door. “Someone’s coming.”

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“I’d usually track her cell phone,” Victor said, plugging in another monitor to the ones in Clark’s room, “but I’ve only got the skeleton crew here, equipment-wise, with setting up the… well, you know.” He gestured to the monitors still trained on the barn. “So we’ll just use the tracker in her car and…”

“Excuse me?”

Bart stepped forward. “Vic had me plug something into her gps so he could keep track of her movements when I drove her car.”

Clark turned on Victor. “You can’t be serious.”

“She went to Luthor’s again. I saw her on his feed.” Victor sighed. “I figured it was best we started keeping tabs so she didn’t go rogue and put herself in…”

“Unbelievable! Why didn’t inject her with one, like when they tag animals…”

“You know, we can debate this later,” Diana cut in. “At least it helps us find her now.” She leaned down to Victor. “Where is she?”

“I’ve got High Street. The Port Inn.” Victor nodded. “That’s where she said Lana was staying.”

Bart chuckled. “Okay, so now we know, but don’t go in there, guns ablazin. I mean, you can hardly blame her.” He shrugged. “Hell, we probably should have had that rope in the action from the start. Interrogations are probably super easy when people can’t lie, right?”

“That’s not the point,” Victor said. “I was all for helping out when she brought me on board, but she’s always got to go off half-cocked and…”

“And we can tell her all this when we bring her back here,” Diana cut in. “With my lasso.”

Clark stood there for a moment as she rushed off. He still felt edgy, as if this wouldn’t be that simple. By the time he caught up with Diana at Lois’ car, he knew for sure. One of the doors was broken down. He didn’t even bother entertaining the idea that it wasn’t the room they were looking for. 

“I knew it,” he breathed. “I felt it. Damn it, Lois!”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX