Re: Four Square (PG-13) *Chapter 5* 3/9/05
Wow. Just read the last three chapters in one go and I found myself leaning towards my laptop. And you know what I saw? Hmm?
Only 5 chapters. 5!
Great premise and twists. Please keep going. This is such a fun plot.
Do Not Go Angsty. That is an order.
What a great story, compact, and full of twists and turns. I hope your muse cooperates soon, because I'm anxiously awaiting more!
Shanna
very nicely twistly done.
so, what's up next? do
we get to see our heroine?
Well, I guess it's that time again...
Thanks to everyone who offered feedback and support this last go 'round. It really is appreciated.
Chapter 6 Restitution
***
"Lex? There you are!" Clark rushed over to him as he entered. "Where have you been?"
"As I said in the note, I had some business to attend to." Lex brushed past Clark but not before the younger man had caught a glimpse of his friend’s expression.
"Lex? What happened?"
He just ignored the question.
"Did you go see your father?"
Lex froze for a moment before continuing to pour his drink. "What makes you ask that, Clark?"
Clark took a step closer, trying to close the gap between them. "The look on your face. It’s the same one I get when I’ve fought with my dad."
Lex let out a bitter laugh. "You and your father fight?" He tossed back the drink before setting the tumbler on the bar.
"Lex, tell me what happened."
"As I said, Clark. I just took care of some business. Everything is squared away for the exchange." He glanced at his watch. "I should get going soon considering how far out of town the meeting place is."
"I’m coming with you," Clark started for the door but Lex stopped him with a firm hand on his arm.
"No, Clark. The last thing we need is to tempt Edge with your presence. He’s obviously interested in you for reasons I don’t understand so it’s best if you stay as far away as possible."
"Lex, what’s going on? What aren’t you telling me?"
Lex looked at his friend, obviously torn yet determined. "Just trust me, Clark. I’m going to get Chloe back…and keep you safe in the process."
"You don’t need to worry about me, Lex." He hesitated for a moment before continuing. "And what about you?"
"I’m a Luthor, Clark…remember? I can take care of myself."
A flurry of emotions passed across Lex’s features before he stepped forward and embraced Clark. "Take care of her, okay Clark?"
"Lex, what do you mean?" Clark was starting to feel desperate for Lex to tell him what was going on.
"She deserves the best, Clark. She deserves to be loved and cherished for who she is. Don’t ever forget that, do you hear me?"
Lex started to walk past him but froze at the sound of Clark’s voice. "You’re right, Lex. She does deserve all those things." He walked up behind Lex before finishing. "She deserves you."
Lex spun around to face Clark but was unable to say anything in response.
"So whatever plan you have in mind, it better involve you coming back here afterwards so we can all celebrate. Is that clear?"
Lex just nodded and gave one last look at the young man he was happy to call a friend again before turning and walking out.
His only regret was that he wasn’t going to be around to find out if he deserved Chloe after all of this because, as his father had taught him, nothing of worth in life comes without personal sacrifice.
And Chloe was more than worth the sacrifice he was about to make to bring her home.
***
Clark looked at the clock on the wall.
11:55am.
He paced back and forth in Lex’s study, trying to determine his next move.
He knew something was up with Lex, confirmed by the fact that when he’d gone out to follow him, he’d found the truck disabled in a way that implied tampering.
Lex had wanted to make sure Clark wasn’t at that exchange.
Now Clark had to ask himself why.
***
"Did you bring the money?"
"Let me see her."
The two stared at each other for a moment before Edge motioned to one of his goons standing guard over the car behind him.
To Lex’s relief the man reached down and opened the door to the sedan’s back seat, reached in and grabbed an arm and started to pull the accompanying figure out.
What Lex saw next made his blood boil.
"What did you do to her?!"
He started to take a step towards her but was stopped by the barrel of a gun to his chest.
"She made the mistake of being difficult and trying to get away…on more than one occasion."
Lex had to keep himself from smirking at the genuine frustration he heard in Edge’s voice. Leave it to Chloe Sullivan to irritate a Metropolis mob boss by being difficult while being held hostage.
She was marched up to stand just a couple of feet from him, her hands still tied behind her back.
"Release her."
"Let me see the money first, Luthor."
"I’ve got something even better for you, Edge." He put the briefcase on the hood of the car but didn’t open it. "Now release her."
Something in the way Lex said it convinced Edge so he nodded for the girl’s release.
When the man released her, she almost fell forward but Lex was there to catch her.
"Chloe?"
"Lex?" Her voice was shaky and the hint of fear in it tore at something deep inside of him.
"I need you to listen to me, Chloe."
"What are you doing here, Lex?"
"I came for you, Chloe." He brushed the hair out of her face, resisting the temptation to show any further affection in front of their small audience. "Now listen, I need you to--"
"Where’s Clark? I heard them say they were getting Clark in the trade."
"They’re not, Chloe. Don’t worry." He tried to comfort her with his words.
"But then why are you here, Lex?" Her voice took on a tone that was part suspicion and part concern.
"It doesn’t matter." He pressed his keys into her hands and gestured to the SUV parked some distance behind them. "I want you to walk over there, turn it on and get out of her as quickly as possible. You know where you are, right? And how to get home?"
"Yes, but--"
"Go straight to the mansion. Clark is there waiting."
"But, Lex--"
"Please, Chloe. Just do this for me." The whispered voice he’d been using to keep their conversation as private as possible, turned into a plea with his last words.
He couldn’t stand there like this and say goodbye to her, not after realizing that he couldn’t live without her.
He’d learned so much in the last thirty-six hours. Life lessons that he’d never be able to put into practice because he was living on borrowed time.
But seeing her there before him, just feet from the means of her escape, made it all worthwhile.
He placed his hands on either side of her face and pulled it close to his. "It’s time to go now, Chloe."
"Lex, no." She could sense what was happening. Tears started to form in her eyes and she grabbed onto the front of his jacket, her small hands clinging to him for dear life.
"Chloe, please."
"Lex--"
"Huh, maybe I was wrong after all. Maybe she does belong to you, Luthor."
And something about that almost made Lex smile.
"Say goodbye now, little lady. Your boyfriend’s about to." Edge chuckled as did the men who surrounded him.
His words confirmed Chloe’s worst fears and suddenly something in her expression changed. She looked intently at Lex. "Stay out of my way," she whispered.
Before Lex could respond she’d taken the keys and started walking purposefully towards his parked vehicle.
"Something tells me you don’t have the amount I requested in that briefcase of yours."
"As I told you, I have something better." Lex finally turned back to face Edge, convinced that Chloe was out of harm’s way.
"And what would that be, Lex? Unless you’ve managed to fit your young friend Clark Kent into that briefcase, I don’t see what you could possibly have that would be better than the amount I requested."
"I have two things to offer you," Lex opened the briefcase and pulled out a document folder. "First is an opportunity at a new life. One of legitimacy."
"Well, that doesn’t sound like much fun."
"It comes in the form of a position with LuthorCorp."
"A position?"
"Yes, that of CEO."
This got the older man’s attention. "And the second thing?"
Lex pulled out another file and laid it down in front of Edge. "This one is more…personal."
Edge narrowed his eyes before picking the file up off of the hood where Lex had placed it. His eyes went wide when he saw what was inside.
"What’s this about?" His voice was barely more than a growl.
"Haven’t you ever wondered what really happened the night you lost your daughter? Or did you really believe for all of these years that it was a random act of violence?"
"What are you saying?"
"I’m saying that I’m offering you closure. Proof that your daughter didn’t die randomly but rather as an act of revenge."
Edge flipped through the various documents in the file. "An act of revenge?"
"Yes. By my father."
Edge froze before letting the file fall. "It can’t be. He wouldn’t." He placed his hands on the car in front of him for support.
"Oh come now, Edge. You know my father well enough to know that isn’t true."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I’m offering you something in return."
"And what would that be?"
"My father took away your heir. And now I offer you his."
Edge stood straight again looking across at the young man who was offering himself up as penance for his father’s crime.
And as a sacrifice to save a girl who he could already tell was going to grow up to be quite a woman.
Edge allowed himself a moment to wonder if his little Megan would have found someone that loved her that much when she grew up.
But the thought reminded him of the fact that, thanks to the father of the young man across from him, Megan would never get the chance to grow up at all.
"Well, I--"
Edge went to accept the offer but was distracted by the sound of an engine roaring to life. Lex followed his gaze and turned around to see his white Tahoe heading straight for them.
He heard gunshots as he turned to step away.
He realized that all guns had been aimed at him.
He closed his eyes as he waited for the end.
Instead he felt a jarring sensation in his side and found himself tumbling toward the ground, a heavy weight landing on top of him.
"Stay down!"
Lex did as instructed, covering his head with his arms, when he heard what sounded like a helicopter and then more gunshots followed by yelling and screams.
The heavy weight lifted off of him and he heard the sound of metal screeching followed by a desperate voice.
"Chloe?"
Lex moved his arms and looked up to see a familiar figure removing Chloe from the smashed remains of his SUV. He started to get up to help but suddenly felt hands dragging him up off of the ground.
"Mr. Luthor, come with me."
Lex barely heard the voice over the whirling sound coming from above. He looked up to see a familiar black, unmarked helicopter hovering just above. He looked back to see that Edge and his small group of armed guards were sprawled out on the ground, covered in blood and being removed by other men like the one who was now directing him towards a black SUV parked to the side.
"Mr. Luthor, this way." The man barked commands and Lex followed, all the while trying to find Chloe in the war zone around them.
"Where is she?" He yelled.
"She and Mr. Kent are in another vehicle, Mr. Luthor. Now, please. Let’s get you out of here."
Clark?
Lex didn’t bother to ask any further questions. He was satisfied knowing that Chloe was with Clark, figuring she was at least safe with him.
***
Lex looked out the window as he felt the vehicle come to a stop. They’d been driving for almost an hour and he’d given up trying to get any information from the driver within the first fifteen minutes.
He knew who these men were and he knew that one of their greatest strengths was the ability to remain silent when so instructed.
The door opened and Lex started to step out. "Mr. Luthor, you’ll find your party waiting for you." The man gestured to a vehicle, identical to the one Lex had been riding in, parked up ahead. "And you’ll find one of your personal vehicles parked in that shed," he gestured off into the adjacent field.
"Who sent you?" Lex asked as he took the keys from the man.
He got no response except for a nod as the man got back into the vehicle and started to pull away.
Lex turned to look at the figures getting out of the vehicle in front of him. Clark was the first to get out. He then turned and reached in picking up Chloe and lifting her out of the vehicle before closing the door and watching it pull away.
Then he turned to see Lex walking towards them. He leaned down and whispered something to Chloe who had her head buried against his chest. She looked up, eyes wide and glanced in the direction Clark gestured with his head.
She dropped down out of his arms and started running in Lex’s direction.
He met her halfway and wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off the ground and burying his head in her hair as he whispered her name over and over again.
Eventually, he released her, allowing her to stand on her own two feet again.
"Chloe, there’s so much I want to say. So much--"
"I know, Lex. Me, too. But for now, can we just go home?"
Lex smiled, then dangled the keys in front of her. "I think our ride is waiting just over there."
He looked up to see Clark approaching. He reached out the arm not wrapped around Chloe and embraced Clark.
"Was I glad to see you."
Clark pulled back and shrugged, a smile on his lips. "I knew you were going to do something stupid. Couldn’t let you do it alone, I guess."
They all laughed before Lex nodded in the direction of the shed. "Let’s get out of here, shall we?"
Clark went around to Chloe’s other side and started to scoop her up into his arms.
"Clark!"
He stopped, slightly confused by her protest.
"I can walk just fine. They went after my face, not my feet." She laughed but both of her companions went a little tense at her words.
"I’m fine, guys. Fine. Okay?"
Lex noticed that Clark must have used some first aid supplies on her face during their journey out to the middle of nowhere because she looked much better off than she had when she’d first emerged from Edge’s sedan.
"Yes, I believe we have some celebrating to do." Lex pulled Chloe close and then smiled over her head at Clark.
"Yeah, let’s go home."
***
Author's Notes...
Is it over? Ha! Do you hear a fat lady singing?
No. Me either.
I'm guessing there will be about two more updates and I'm *hoping* they will happen by this Friday (18th) before I go out of town. Trust me when I say, I'm doing everything I can to get my muse back to work so I can finish this before I leave for two weeks.
I am so glad this is not over. If not, I would have had to kill you... Oh, well, you are off the hook so you can finish this Wonderful, endearing fanfic.
Did I meantion that I love you? Cause I do, you know.
generally as a rule, I complain about Clark's timing in Chlex fics. But in this case, I'm willing to make an exception. Good work. can't wait for the next part.
Whoa! Gunfire and screeching cars. Have to take a breath. Thank goodness this isn't over. We need closure on the Chlex in the form of smoochies. In fact you could just move this over to the section with the label NC-17. I don't think anyone would mind. Raise your hand if you mind? Nope, no one minds.
Fantastic update.
Yeah that was an excoting update. I am so glad Lex and Chloe were saved. This is the first time I am glad Clark was there. LOL! More please...
Hope
"Everyone seems normal until you get to know them. "
Tremendously good update!! I love how both Clark and Chloe worked to save Lex!! I also love the Chlex hugs!! Maybe Chlex smoochies in your next update? I'm so glad that they're both ok!! Can't wait for more!!
Oh, I can do better than that. How about some Chlex orgasms in the next updates--as in happy, satisfying orgasms of reconciliation. The NC-17 section is just waiting for you. Huh? How about it? For old times' sake?Originally Posted by autumngold
Hmph! I was afraid you might be stubborn. But I'll forgive you because it was such a wonderful update. Exciting and fast-paced and action-packed.
Good job with the action--just exciting enough without being overdone. And I love how you wrapped up this part of the plot, with the three of them working together. Perfect and fitting.
Loved this . . .
and this . . .She deserves the best, Clark. She deserves to be loved and cherished for who she is. Don’t ever forget that, do you hear me?"
Lex started to walk past him but froze at the sound of Clark’s voice. "You’re right, Lex. She does deserve all those things." He walked up behind Lex before finishing. "She deserves you."
Lex spun around to face Clark but was unable to say anything in response.
"So whatever plan you have in mind, it better involve you coming back here afterwards so we can all celebrate. Is that clear?"
and this turned me into a big pile of mush:He couldn’t stand there like this and say goodbye to her, not after realizing that he couldn’t live without her.
*happy sigh*She dropped down out of his arms and started running in Lex’s direction.
He met her halfway and wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off the ground and burying his head in her hair as he whispered her name over and over again.
Can't wait for the rest. And just remember . . . orgasms are always appreciated.
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