Previous Chapter
Sorry this is coming much later than I wanted. Summer is just a busy time for me, work wise. I'm going to try to carve out more time to write.
Replies on Chapter 4 at the end. :)
Chapter Five
Wednesday afternoon
Clark stared past Chloe to the glass doors and windows. Lexcorp was pretty much all glass in front, as if there was just nothing to see here. He wasn’t so sure.
“You ready?” she prodded.
“Sure,” he lied.
She started up the steps.
“Wait. One more time.”
She stilled and turned back to him, sighing. “We got this.”
“So you toss your coat over the scanner for some reason.”
“I’m probably going to dig for my license, then…” She shrugged. “Oops. It was in my wallet the whole time.”
“But you said you already got into the cams. Can’t we just sift through the footage?”
“Maybe if we had a hundred of us. Didn’t we go through this before?”
“Not in minute detail, so maybe…”
“Stop stalling.” She gripped his arm and started moving them forward. “This is the easy part. Trying to stay awake through a corporate tour, on the other hand…”
She was right. It was a split second, placing the transmitter, which only made the droning of Otis, the portly man showing them around the lower offices, into an eternity before they could leave and see if it worked.
“…and, of course, the process of restructuring Luthorcorp into Lexcorp has been extensive. Most employees were found…” Otis stopped and yawned.
Clark knew the feeling. “Long day?”
“Sorry about that.” Otis cleared his throat. “It’s just this is the second time I’ve done this spiel. Had to take a lady from The Star through it yesterday and…”
Clark stepped back. “The Star?”
“They were here first?” Chloe scoffed at the same time.
“Uh… Well, they asked.” The man said, giving a nervous laugh.
“Probably piggy-backing on our story,” Chloe whispered venomously, low enough that only Clark could hear.
Our story. The words still felt strange and even strangely comfortable.
“You know, then we figured we should call you guys in for a follow-up, correct some of the misinformation.”
“What misinformation?” Clark wanted to know. “We were only doing a profile on…”
“Then we thought,” Otis went on as if he hadn’t spoken, “Hey, let’s get ‘em all in. We’re having most of the press in town all week. Got the Morning in Metropolis crew tomorrow.” He smiled and gestured to the elevator. “Moving up. Third floor is currently closed for construction, but you can see most of the offices…”
“Just a sec.” Clark stopped and pretended to adjust his phone’s recording app before putting it in his front pocket, tossing Chloe a glance as she passed him to get on. “So the third floor,” he said, trying to sound barely interested. “I thought all construction was done as of last month. Is that going to be more office space or…”
Otis shrugged. “You know, I don’t really know. Not my department. So you guys want to see the cafeteria?”
“God, yes,” Chloe smiled, “if that’s where you guys keep the coffee.”
“It’s on two,” he said, facing front and pressing the button. “Coffee’s all Dietrich’s. It’s building-wide. They made some kinda deal with vendors where they provide for the…”
Chloe moved closer to Clark behind him. “Construction? I didn’t see any workers or hear any hammering,” she whispered, softly enough so only he could hear. “Did you?”
Clark shook his head and gestured to the buttons on panel. There was only smooth metal where the number three would otherwise be.
“I see Lex’s thing for the number three survived the wipe. Do you think we need to arrange a tour of our very own?”
Clark didn’t get to answer as the elevator dinged to a stop.
The cafeteria was more like a mall’s food court than the gray hospital cafeteria he was expecting. Otis said it was all outside vendors, various Metropolis chains. “At least the food’s safe, then,” Clark muttered.
“Stop it. He’ll hear,” Chloe whispered, nodding to Otis in line in front of them. “I don’t know. So far, this tour’s lacked the excitement I was expecting.” She turned to him, speaking lowly. “What if this is all legit? What if Lex is just your garden variety unscrupulous mogul now and this really is just a company looking for a P.R. puff piece?”
Clark leaned closer. “What about the third floor?”
“Could be nothing but storage and back-up generators. I mean, they’re calling all press around here.”
Clark frowned. “If these were the offices of anyone but Lex Luthor, then…”
“What if Lex Luthor is not Lex Luthor… or at least not the one we knew?” Chloe shrugged. “Maybe this is all on the up and up.”
“Excuse me,” a gruff voice said, rather close behind them. “You two are going to have to come with me.”
Clark turned, stepping slightly in front of Chloe and looking at the plain-clothed, yet still obvious security guard. “Is there a problem?”
Otis rushed forward. “Hey, Hank. They’re fine. Sorry I didn’t bother with badges, but I figured if they were with me…”
“I know who they are and they need to come with me,” the man said, his eyes unreadable. The man turned, not even looking back to see if they followed.
“This is probably my fault for saying this is on the up and up,” Chloe whispered, staring after him.
Clark turned to give Otis an apologetic glance before ushering Chloe forward. “Well, here’s that excitement you wanted,” Clark said lowly, starting at the man’s back as he led them back to the elevators.
“I didn’t actually ask for it,” Chloe hisses. “I was just expecting it going on past experience.”
“Still, here you go.” Clark slowed his pace. “You think they caught the transmitter?”
“You’re no Bart,” Chloe said, hanging back as well, “but last I checked, the naked eye couldn’t catch you at prime speed or look through my coat.”
The man in the plain suit stopped, an arm in front of the elevator door as he waited for them to catch up.
Clark picked up the pace and spoke up, sick of the mystery already. “Listen, we’re on a set schedule today. We need to get back to The Planet before four. So if this detour is going to…”
“I don’t think this will take long,” the man said, still inscrutable, as they passed him and got in.
He didn’t risk saying anything else on the ride up and neither did Chloe, not even under her voice. There was no point speculating, anyway. They just had to be prepared to bullsh*t their way out of whatever dark interrogation room they were probably going to end up in.
Then again, hadn’t Otis said security was on twenty? He looked through the man, whose large frame was blocking the panel. Forty was lit up. He’d been on that floor before, many times. Except for seeing Oliver, he didn’t usually take the elevator on his other visits as much as superspeed up the stairwell and bust in on Lionel in the middle of some shady deal or another.
When the doors finally opened on forty, he noticed the difference right away. Gone were the blues, blacks and metallics Lionel had favored. There was more light grey with deep purple accents and dark wood. It was more like Lex’s study at home and Clark wondered if Lex had studied pictures of the now-burnt husk of the manor or if this was some left-over instinct. Either way, it was unsettling, bringing him back to those times when he passed Lex’s useless security to burst through the double doors to confront Lex. Now he was being brought to him by security. That had to be where they were going. They’d passed the other offices he’d known, heading for the far corner, what used to be Lionel’s.
It was Lex’s space now and Clark stared at the leather chair facing the window, his eyes zeroing in on a black glove dangling over the arm.
“Mr. Luthor?”
The chair swiveled, almost too slowly for Clark’s liking, to reveal the man himself. Clark stared at him, waiting for and even dreading something in his face, some flash of recognition, but there was only a bland smile. “Thanks, Hank.” He stood, straightening his suit and moving around the desk as the guard moved out, closing the door behind them. “Mr. Kent, Miss Sullivan.”
Clark felt Chloe move just a little closer to him and he could swear her hand twitched toward his as Lex approached.
“I’d say it was nice to meet you, but I understand we’ve already met,” he said, still with that bland smile.
Clark wasn’t sure what to say to that. Thankfully Chloe spoke first. “Yes, a few times.” She laughed. “I mean, it was mostly way back in Smallville mostly, so I’m surprised you remember us.”
Lex laughed as well. “Well, I actually don’t. That’s kind of why I wanted to see you before you left.” His eyes lingered on Clark for a moment before he moved away. “Won’t you two have a seat?” He didn’t move to his desk, but to a sitting area off to the side, taking a large, wingback chair and gesturing to a sofa against the wall.
Clark felt frozen. Was he really supposed to play out this farce? This was…
Chloe moved slowly past him, saying in the deepest possible whisper, her lips barely moving, “We don’t know what he knows. Play along or he’ll know to start looking.”
“I’m not sure there’s much to tell,” Clark started, thankful Chloe took the closer seat so he could claim the corner of the sofa furthest from Lex. “We weren’t in the same class, so to speak.”
Lex leaned back. “Is that still factor these days? Class?”
“Well, in a small town…”
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Lex said, leaning forward as Chloe placed her phone on the table, “but I need this off the record.”
“Oh?” She reached for her phone, but Lex leaned over first, firmly pushing that virtual red button to pause.
“I hate to thwart the cause of journalistic transparency and everything, but this isn’t something I want my shareholders getting wind of from the press.” Lex glanced at Clark. “I’d like your word that this conversation won’t be included in any further pieces on my company.”
Clark’s eyes slid to Chloe, mildly uncomfortable with . “That’s fine,” she answered for the both of them, pasting on a smile. “Your man showed us so much already, we probably have more info than we need.”
Lex gave her a rather humorless smile in return. “An enviable problem, which brings us back to my issue.”
Clark cleared his throat. “Like I said, I don’t know how much I can help. We moved in pretty different circles.”
“Really? I’ve read differently between the Smallville Ledger and The Torch.” He nodded at Chloe before turning his attention back to Clark. “You were part of discovering the Kawatche caves, which my company later spearheaded research on and you were related to some efforts on my part with your school. Your mother worked for my father.”
“Oh, yeah,” Clark said quickly. He hadn’t thought much about the paper trail, being so damned nervous. “I remember you donated things a few times,” he said, trying to sound surprised at the memory. “Oh. And my family delivered produce to you and your father for a while there. I mean, we definitely saw each other more than a few times, but things kind of fell off between your responsibilities and mine.” He forced a laugh. “They didn’t exactly match up.”
Lex stared at him for what seemed like a full minute. “That’s disappointing,” he finally said. “Most people who can tell me anything useful are gone and the rest, like you, don’t have much to say. I’ve tried contacting your mother…”
“Good luck with that," Clark said, forcing another laugh. “I can barely get a hold of her these days. Senate keeps her pretty busy.” He’d have to talk to her.
“Then there’s Lana Lang, who I also can’t seem to…”
“Oh, my God, Lana,” Chloe broke in. “I wonder how she’s doing. If you ever do get her, you tell us how. It’s been so long…”
Lex leaned forward. “Let’s not mince words, here. There has to be more to this. You were involved with Miss Lang, who I married and…
“Don’t remind him,” Chloe broke in. “He used to have such a thing for her.”
“Chloe…”
“No, Clark. He’s right. We shouldn’t be dancing around it. It’s obvious you’re uncomfortable.” She sighed. “I think the two of you could have been friends if things had been different. But once a rich man swoops in on your high school sweetheart… Well, is it any wonder things fell off?”
“Yeah. That.” Clark kept his eyes on his hands, folded in his lap. “I didn’t really want to talk about it, but…”
“There’s also that time we all thought she was dead and you were accused of it.” Chloe sighed again. “Look, things have intersected, but it’s all been so weird and complicated that… I mean, if you even start to look back, it’s hopelessly confusing.”
Lex stared at her. “Maybe that’s why I’m so determined to untangle it. I’m disappointed, but not surprised. That seems to be the way of things, no matter who I try.” His eyes slid to Clark. “Perhaps you’re right. Maybe there’s just not much to say.”
Chloe rolled her eyes. “Trust me. You’re better off looking forward. I mean, you’re building a pretty impressive company, here. Luthorcorp may have been an empire as far as this city’s concerned, but it was so mired down in research and development related to only this area. Lexcorp seems to be diversifying its interests on a more global scale. Speaking of that…” She reached toward her phone, hovering over that record button. “Can we get a few words on the record as far as your proposed headquarters in Japan. I hear…”
“Nothing is finalized,” Lex said abruptly, standing. He paced away slightly before turning back to them, a look of frustration in his eyes. “As you said before, you have more than enough information.”
“Well, in our line of work, there’s kind of no such thing.” Chloe smiled and stood as well. “Thanks so much for your time.”
“Yes.” Clark joined her. “We should probably get back if we’re going to get all this in for tomorrow.”
Lex stared between them. “What a shame. I feel like we barely had time to talk.”
Chloe laughed and picked up her phone rather gingerly. “Well, you know where to reach us if you want to set up another meeting. But I’m warning you, I’m going to want to know all about Japan.”
Lex gave them a patently false smile. “And I’ll want to know more about Smallville. I’ll be in touch,” he said, moving to his desk and pressing the intercom. “Hank, Please show Kent and Sullivan back to the tour.”
They didn’t end up back on the tour. Chloe bought a bag of nuts at one of the coffee stands while Clark made excuses to Otis about needing to get back to put the paper to bed. He mostly wanted to get outside to breathe for a change. He wasn’t sure what Chloe wanted, especially when she opened her bag of nuts over a trashcan out on the curb.
He glanced at her.
“I hate shelled nuts. Way too much work,” she said with a shrug and a smile.
“Then why’d you buy them?”
“For the bag. I wanted one that was relatively clean to put it in before I smudged it.”
“What?”
She grinned and held out her phone, still grasped very carefully between two fingers. “Lex’s fingerprint.” She dropped her phone in the bag. “Kind of a lucky break, getting a print. I wonder if I can get Vic to work something up from it. If anyone would want in on this, it’s him.”
Clark shook his head, letting out a slight laugh. “I kind of missed that about you.”
“What?”
“You think of everything.”
Chloe rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on.”
“I’m serious. All I could think when Lex turned it off was how much it sucked we didn’t have any way to go over it and you found a way to make it a good thing.” He nudged her as they walked along. “I guess that kind of sums us up. I whine and you make things work.”
“Well, I won’t outright take the flattery, but yeah. You did do a significant amount of whining. And of course we have a way to go over everything. Your phone’s still recording.”
Clark stopped and pulled it out of his front pocket. “I didn’t think…”
“I did. Why do you think I so obviously plopped mine in front of him? I figured he’d just see mine and not…”
Clark pulled her in, laughing. He really did miss her, even right down to this, the way her head fit just under his chin and the way she’d bury her head in his chest… except she wasn’t doing that. She was just standing there, rather stiff, pulling away.
“Okay, okay. Let’s not smudge my phone.”
He cleared his throat and stepped away. “Yeah. Of course. Sorry. Didn’t mean to get weird.”
“I don’t know if I’d call it weird.” She shrugged and walked on, still gingerly holding that bag. “Just… yeah. It was a little weird.” She chuckled.
Clark frowned. “Well, we used to hug a lot.”
“We used to hug too much. Then again, the world was always ending, so...” She trailed off on a laugh.
His mind couldn’t help flashing back to the Daily Planet after Dark Thursday.
You mean when I laid one on you? Don't worry, Clark. It was the end of the world. It's not like I'm expecting us to hook up.
Chloe always did have a way of brushing things off. It bothered him then, too, not that he ever had time to examine why. He supposed, if he had to pick a reason off the top of his head, it would be that it made things between them… somehow less.
Still, maybe she had a point. Maybe that was why they weren’t as close these days. Maybe the reason they were so “borderline codependent,” as she put it, back then was simply a side effect of a world on the brink of disaster. Maybe theirs wasn’t a friendship for fair weather.
“…and considering how much of your double identity depends on a few good lies,” she was saying, “you're still no better at it.”
He brought himself back to the present. “Huh?”
“In there with Lex,” she gestured vaguely behind them. “I felt like I was tap dancing alone in there.”
“Well, I guess you're kind of better about putting on that show than I am,” he said, trying not to sound bitter.
She must have picked up on it, anyway. “Hey, buck up. We’re okay. He might get some facts here and there, but he doesn’t he doesn't remember interacting with us. He doesn't have to know there was all this tension by the end. We can present the past and any bit of it he digs up in whatever light we want, like we were just crossing paths here and there.”
Clark tried to smile, but it devolved into a frown again. It felt like Chloe was painting all of the past in that same detached way and it was bothering him.
She nudged him as they approached The Planet. “Stop worrying,” she said, picking up on his frown, but mistaking the source again. “Listen, we can find somewhere quiet and go over the recording real quick, while it’s fresh and just plan our game faces for the next time we meet him.”
“I’d rather we didn’t have another meeting,” he muttered. He’d also rather not think of his past with Lex. It made it easier to pretend there was no uncomfortable future there.
“Well, it’s gonna happen, so we deal. Come on!”
***********
Chloe wasn’t sure exactly why Clark’s mood was so dour, especially considering how smoothly everything went compared to how it could have been. Maybe he was just stressed or even stuck in the past. She should probably snap him out of it so they could finish this story.
Lois approached as they came into the bullpen. “Finally! Chlo, I need an eye on…”
“In a minute, Lois.” She pushed Clark in the direction of the thankfully empty break room. “We have to go over some notes.”
“Don’t mind me, then,” Lois said, sounding a little miffed.
“I swear. Two minutes,” Chloe said, pushing him in. “Okay. I think I get what’s bugging you.”
Clark sighed and took a seat. “Sure, you do.”
“I know this isn’t easy. It’s hard to go from being friends to enemies to… indifferent acquaintances.”
He blinked up at her. “We were never exactly enemies, unless you felt that…”
She put up a hand as she sat. “I’m not saying you wished harm on Lex, but we did have to counter his every move. He was an antagonist, at the very least.”
Clark stared at her a moment, then nodded. “Yes. Lex. Well, I try not to think about it much.”
She leaned in slightly. “I know it’s not easy, but we’re going to have to separate the emotional end as we deal with him. It’s the only way to get things done.”
He stared at her. “You were always better at that than I was.”
She could tell it wasn’t exactly a compliment, but she ignored it. He’d had a pretty weird day, after all. “We’ll just listen and pick up on what his paper trail is. Hell, we can even add to it next time we see him, as long as it keeps him away from the truth.” She tapped the table and dug in her purse for a notepad. “So let’s get to it.”
All in all, they were in good shape with Lex. He’d obviously dug into The Smallville Ledger and The Torch. The next time they met him, they might even print up a few other innocuous things to “help fill in the blanks.” By the time they sat down to write up their very dry report of Lexcorp’s changes, Clark seemed to be less tense.
Lois, however, still seemed miffed. “I guess you two are back to normal, secrets included,” she said to Chloe when Clark got up to make sure Perry got the text.
“What secrets?” Chloe smiled, feeling slightly guilty. Their non-story related queries into Lex still remained, after all, but considering it was for Lois’ own good that she didn’t know, she could justify the little lie. “We were just getting our notes together in there.” She gestured to the break room. “It’s not much of an exciting story.” At least not the part they were writing up.
“It’s not about the story. It’s…” Lois shook her head, started to gather her things. “Never mind.”
“Lois,” Chloe sighed. “Listen, I’m sorry I cut you off earlier. I just wanted to get the notes while it was fresh and…”
“I told you. It’s not about that.” She stood and started away before turning back. “Did you ever wonder how this all worked out? You getting invited for this little exchange just in time for the big meeting? The timing was pretty perfect wasn’t it? Somebody handed Perry your name and your work and it wasn’t Clark,” Lois finished miserably before moving out.
TBC
That's all for now. I have to update a few other fics, then I'll be back for those Wednesday night fights. Thanks for your patience.
A friend of mine is working on a fix-it, canon compliant Lexana fic and wants to share, so in case any of you like crossing over into Lexana territory, here's where it starts:
http://trinityr.livejournal.com/2037.html
On Chapter 2....
Oh, it's been so long, I've kinda forgotten where we are in the story. Heh. I got a few jabs at the memory, but still a wee fuzzy. I'm thinking I have details mixed with your other WIP.
I like the back and forth between them, and Chloe's staunchness to not going back or giving in to the dreams and life she once thought she'd have. It's a very real aspect of life. Youth is the time for possibilities, but life is all about the reality of your situation. Not exactly an optimistic way of seeing things, but very practical and helps you cope with the struggle.
Anonymous said...
So.... headed over to Luthorcorp. How much does Lex *really* remember? Will he have meteor rock in his office? Will Clark be revealed as Superman? Lex is tricksy that way!
Thanks so much. I'm really trying to treat everyone (maybe even Lex) as fairly as I can.
These are real problems that don't come with easy answers or perfect solutions. (Ok there obviously is one but that comes with a huge cost). It's fascinating and rather engrossing to watch this play out. There's an inevitable feel to it.
Things are definitely rolling toward disaster, despite everyone's good intentions. I know what's going to happen up to a certain point, but I still haven't quite decided how things will shake out in the end. I'm just going to try to let the characters and events take me there.
Great but very sad point about them not being best friends anymore. Part of me wants to argue that distance and time apart isn't the real determiner to BFF status. With some people no matter how rarely you see them, the moment you do, all the pieces just slide back into place. That deserves some kind of title still.
I think Clark definitely wants things to slide back to the way they were, but Chloe's not there. Their slide from BFF to now will be talked over more before that fateful night
Anyway, great job on the chapter and here's me pressuring you for the next one. :)
.
Androuska said...
phillydragonldy said...
Aw! Thanks so much. That fic will always be my most precious baby. LOL. You should be dreading my WIPs. I tend to make people wait waaaaaaay too long.
There's an additional level of tension in reading this one because as much as I am a Chlollie fan, it was always easy and natural to see a Chlark relationship developing, no matter where the twists and turns of canon took them. I thought you captured the conversation between them really well - her stating that they are probably better off not being as close as they used to be (the "in-laws" line killed me), and Clark's discomfort with her assessment. Generally speaking, I would say that it's possible to remain friends even after a romantic relationship (or, in their case, a lack thereof) doesn't pan out, but these two have such a complicated history that it is also entirely plausible that they can no longer be close in the way that they were all those years ago.
I enjoy the Chlollie, too. :) This fic is hard, having both exist in the same fic because I usually don't mix ships. It's just hard to explore both at once, so this will be a challenge.
I have to say that I also love that they are working together for the first time in years, as I think it's a provides a natural progression to rekindled feelings and (gulp) the subsequent affair.
I'm both dreading and looking forward to getting there!
What's additionally intriguing to me is that it is Clark who seems to be experiencing the twinge before Chloe this time. Granted, Chlollie is in a happier place at the moment than Clois, but part of me is somewhat vindicated on her behalf, given that for years and years, the unrequited feelings were primarily Chloe's towards Clark.
That was definitely one of the things my fic requester wanted. No pining on Chloe's end. Clark, however...
Anyway, can't wait to see this develop. Please please please don't make us wait for months before we get to the juicy bits!
Anonymous said...
Continue please!
Trinity said...
2 comments:
I enjoyed this chapter as always:) It's a good think that I still remember the previous ones:D
And thank you so much for spreading the world about my Lexana story!:*
I know you're very busy and barely managing the fics you are in the process of writing, but have you ever thought of exploring the episode fortune from season 10?At the beginning we all thought Clark and Chloe did get married and I wondered what would have happened if they had.
And now as I think of it, didn't you do that already? There's sth at the back of my brain... if you did, then please remind me what fic it was because I am such a big fan of Chlark recently!
Post a Comment