I can only say right now that I have no idea what will be the ending of this story, and I hope that those who can hang on will. And this is one of *those* kinds of stories. You'll discover as you go along.
SURGE
Surge
I. Lucas
He had a destiny.
This was the last thing that his foster father told him before the old man died. Robert was a good man—a loving husband and encouraging father. Sure, Robert had left his wife and son with a debt that was the size of Kansas, but that was because of his illness, his addiction. The chips were at fault. The reason why he was killed outside a suburban supermarket though, was another matter entirely.
At first, Lucas believed that his destiny was to find the men his father owed money to. There were no other people on earth who had the resources and the motive to blow the man’s brains out.
After the funeral, an affair that half a dozen people bothered to attend, Lucas saw his foster mother slowly decline. She languished inside the small living room, staring out the window waiting for her husband to come home.
And Lucas believed his destiny was to throw his mother a lifeline, help her back to the land of the living. He believed he was going to succeed too. Lucas worked part time after hours at the community high school. His back started to kill him at fourteen but he met the deadlines on the bills. He missed one utility payment or two, but for five months, Lucas truly believed they were staying afloat.
Until one July day when he opened the door carrying a brown take out bag, and saw his foster mother in her usual rocking chair by the window, staring out unseeing, a small bottle of pills lying on the floor close to her feet.
Then Lucas knew that destiny was something you had to wait for.
He must have been destined to work for the same men who popped Robert’s head. Out of a home and a family, Lucas ended up learning about the world that Edge City was ashamed of. He lied and cheated to silence his hunger. He worked until he could not stand the filth on his body. This determination brought her inch by inch closer to the people who brought him that low.
One day, he had thought. One day he would be close enough to grab a gun from someone’s belt and spit a bullet into their heads.
Funny this about destiny, he learned. The same night when he was about to execute his plan, someone accused him of cheating. He rolled to find one hand extended to him. His brother became his salvation.
He swore to himself that destiny was paying Lex back.
Lucas knew he would work for Lex until the day he died. When Lex decided to run for office, Lucas became the shadow that Lex needed more than ever. For the younger man, it was an honor to be so trusted. He would lay his life for his brother without question.
He knew every move, tasted everything before Lex did, stepped into a room before Lex ever could. Lucas checked every possible source of danger before Lex even know it existed.
Lucas gave every waking second to Lex. One danger he never succeeded in removing was the small town girl. The moment Lucas saw Lex stop and turn, one night after a meeting in a highly favored restaurant, he was sure that his blonde would pose problems. Ever since that night, Chloe Sullivan had been his brother’s constant companion.
Lucas had never seen Lex as relaxed and free as he was with the woman. Immediately, Lucas conducted his own investigation that made him even more suspicious of Chloe Sullivan. She was a reporter fighting her way to the top, and it just so happened that he was in the same restaurant as Lex Luthor would be.
She knew Lex would want to reminisce about Smallville. Lex had always recalled the place fondly.
Lucas knew the exact moment when Lex first slept with the girl. It was two months after they met again. He was surprised the girl waited that long.
One night, during a fundraiser that Lex did not need except to make his candidacy known, Lex said that woman’s name from the podium. Lex had extended his hand to her. Chloe pretended hesitation and waited for Lex to ask her again to step up there with him. That was when Lex introduced her to everyone as his fiancé.
As the audience burst into a round of applause, Lucas decided it was his destiny to watch over her too.
II. Lex and Chloe
He was everything that Lucas admired. Lex Luthor, candidate for office in the United States senate, possessed all that Lucas could only dream of.
Lucas watched as heads turned at Lex’s approach. His hand hovered over the gun invisible under his belt. Lucas was always ready to protect his brother. Not one flicker of an eyelash when Lex appeared in public.
Chloe was conspicuously missing from the party. It had been natural for Lucas to search for her after ensuring that Lex was safe. Once, his brother told him that Chloe Sullivan was his life. The absence prickled his sense of control. He did not understand why Lex and Chloe are making this harder for him. He would not be able to rest if he could not watch them both.
Lucas straightened when he saw Lex heading for his direction. Usually, Lex would go about his business alone and Lucas would be the shadow. It was almost as if Lex did not want to acknowledge his presence in front of an audience. Yet Lucas knew just how much Lex valued him. He had accepted long ago that there were roles for them to play.
“What is it, Lex?” Lucas inquired immediately when the millionaire was within hearing distance. There was an urgent reason for Lex to head to him.
“I need a favor,” came Lex’s smooth voice. Lex steeped closer and took his brother’s elbow. Lucas listened intently. He did not need to respond. Lex knew that he never had to ask. “I need you to check on Chloe.”
Lucas nodded. He wanted to ask, but he did not need to. He’d do it anyway.
Lex offered his explanation. “I’m worried about her. I know you’re familiar with the threats that come with who I am. I tried to get her to leave with me.”
“So she’s at home?” Lucas inquired, only to make his retrieval quicker.
Lex nodded. “We had a fight. It was—“ He ran a hand over his face. “It was my fault. I flew off the handle. I just need you to make sure that she’s safe, Lucas. I won’t be able to apologize until midnight if I wait until this affair is over.”
“You want me to bring her here?”
Lex shook his head. “I doubt she’d come, although I’d love it. I can tell her I’m sorry a lot earlier. But if she doesn’t want to, then just keep her safe. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Lucas frowned. “Would you like me to send someone so I can stay here for you?”
“I need my best man out there, Lucas. I can’t think of anyone other than my brother.”
“Lex, I’m your guard. Chloe has hers.”
Lex took a deep breath and for the first time since he found Lucas, Lex closed his hand around his brother’s. “Lucas, I just walked out of our house after telling her that I’m not ready for a kid.”
Lucas’ immediate thought was that Lex must have done something so brilliant as a child to deserve everything he was getting now. The next was that his brother may be a genius but he did not know what to do with heaven when he got it. Instead Lucas said, “Chloe knows that. I was around when you two agreed to wait. Was she pressing the issue?”
“She gave me photo paper print out that she got from her doctor.” Lucas could see Lex’s lashes trembling when his brother closed his eyes. “I told her that I had to think about it. And then I left.”
Lucas remembered being unwanted. It had not been a great feeling for a six-year-old to find out your real parents did not love you enough to keep you. “I’ll see you later.” He turned around and called his primary security officer and left instructions for Lex’s safety.
He rushed to his black Honda, the perfect car for low profile quality performance. Lucas could not presume to understand what went on in his brother’s head most of the time. Lex adored Chloe. Lex had ambitions. Until this moment, Lucas was pretty certain that he knew Lex’s priorities.
When he arrived at the house, Lucas turned off the engine and stepped out, scanning the surroundings for any suspicious people or cars. He was as aware as, if not even more so than, Lex of the threats to their lives. He would have preferred not leaving Lex, but Chloe was as much a target as his brother was. While Lex was now surrounded by media and by his security detail, Chloe was left in the private sanctuary of the house she shared with Lex, a place so big you can scream without being heard from the other side.
Stealthily Lucas let himself into the house and up the long flight of stairs that led to the floor where the bedrooms were. The house was silent and still, and he could not take any chances of alerting anyone lurking around to his presence. He took out his wallet and slid the key out of the photo wad. He pushed the door open slightly and peered inside.
She was an image he would not soon forget.
Lying on the center of the bed, a jewel on top of cool silk sheets, Chloe closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The oxygen was meant to steady her racing heart, calm her tumultuous emotions. She successfully managed to make whatever was inside her even stronger.
Intentionally leaving herself blind, she gripped the hard metal binding on her middle finger and slowly, excruciatingly pulled it off. One hard stone bit into her flesh, but Chloe merely sniffled and held the ring more tightly. Without minding the material value of the symbol, she threw it away from her, not the least bit curious about where it would land.
Lucas bent to pick up the heavy ring. He twirled it around on his fingers. The diamond winked at him. “Geniuses are often the stupidest people in the world.”
Chloe opened her eyes and sat up on the bed. Her eyes swam in tears. “Did he send you to make things clear to me? Did you come here to tell me how stupid I was to get pregnant when he made it clear that it’s not time?”
Lucas shook his head.
Chloe appeared to calm down. “Did he tell you to apologize for him?”
Lucas denied it again. He walked to the side of the bed and sat down. “He sent me to keep you safe,” he answered, “so he can apologize to you himself.”
She released a half-smile, half-cry, as she threw her arms around him. “I knew he’d understand.”
Lucas bit back a teasing comment that it had not been too apparent. “You’ve got to forgive him. He’s not used to dealing with real people, with real feelings. In that respect we’re like our father.”
Chloe smiled at Lucas. “He should take lessons from you.” She craned her neck to look for her ring.
“Looking for this?” Lucas took Chloe’s hand and slid Lex’s ring on her finger. “Now don’t lose that again. And get your clothes,” he told her, remembering that Lex would feel better if he were able to apologize sooner. “You’re coming to the party with me.”
“When you’re my baby’s godfather, you’re the one who’s going to get bossed around.”
Lucas shook his head. “I’ll never be any kid’s doting godfather, Chloe. Don’t even think about it.”
tbc
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