The Rules of Enmity: NC17

[Mel]

Fire alarm?
Bruce Wayne?
Lex dancing?
I can't believe you left it there.
Update your fantastic story, please.

[pipersmum]

This just gets more and more interesting! Lex needs to get rid of Jake for good! Loved it that you wrote Clark and Bruce was there, I wanted Chloe to have a dance with Bruce

The fire alarm has gone off so I presume that means trouble for Chloe I can't wait to read what happens next

[zho9]

It's getting more complicated...and I love it. Now Clark and Bruce? Can't wait to see what happens next.

[jedi]

when i think the end is coming soon, every update you're getting it more interesting. You rock! i can't wait to see what is it, chemical stuff. dammit, please give us an update asap

[eternitychlex]

I am loving this story...........though I am confused of what is going on right now.............but it is so interesting and so good............Please update soon........It's amazing this story.........

[Kit Merlot]

Zelda, this was a cool chapter, but your update has left me with several questions!

Will Clark and Bruce be playing a role in the solving of this mystery?

Please update soon

[Beck]

I just caught up on this story and am loving it. Post an update soon, Pretty please.

[lilinny]

I just read this whole story!!! I love it! I almost thought it was over with Chloe and Lex making up and Charlie and Sheri hooking up. You are still able to come up with more. What a roller coaster ride!!!

[celticangel]

This is one of the best stories ever!! So PLEASE, PLEEEEEASE say your going to continue!!

[zelda]

No matter how well-bred or wealthy a crowd is, a large group of individuals will always panic at a loud alarm and being rained upon while indoors. People began moving en masse towards the door. Chloe held Shelley back a moment and tried to catch sight of Charlie. He’d be impossible to miss in this crowd.

"The others went to the balcony, they might still be in that area," Chloe said, watching the solid wall of bodies blocking the exit. She was concerned, but a niggling sensation in the back of her psyche made her want to watch the people, not the immediate danger of the alarms.

"I’d rather not wait."

"I smelled something when I went upstairs looking for you," Chloe said, taking her arm. "One of the volunteers went to check it out."

"Hopefully it’s just a precaution." Shelley moved forward towards the crowd. Chloe let her go and walked along the back, towards the balcony doors. She hadn’t seen Lex or Charlie but she went out anyway. The balcony appeared empty but she stepped out onto the wet, slippery marble and called out.

"Charlie, Lex?" She walked around a pillar and towards the other door but it was shut and locked. The lights on the other side of the glass doors went out. She heard the gasps and exclamations, muffled through the door. The lights in the garden below her flickered and went out as well.
She shook the water out of her eyes and went back to the doors where she’d come in. They were shut and she was certain she’d left them open. As she reached for one of the handles, she heard a click and saw movement on the other side of the curtains that covered the double-paned glass doors.

She knocked quickly on the window and called out.
"Hey, I’m still out here." The movement ceased and the curtain drew back for a moment, she was greeted with a smile, a crude gesture then the replacement of the curtains. "Hey!" Chloe pounded on the window again.
So far, she was only pissed and inconvenienced. It was no reason to panic or start calling for a heroic rescue. She checked all of the doors and windows, finding all of them locked and dark and nothing strong enough to break the security glass, she watched for anyone spilling out into the garden. With no lights, she saw nothing at all. Finally, when she caught a whiff of thick, acrid smoke, she began to worry.

Lex followed Charlie though the edges of the crowd, he spotted Shelley and seized her hand in the hallway.

"Where were you?"

"Chloe just found me, she said you were out near the balcony, I started to look for you."

"Is she with you?"

"I think she went looking for you two." Shelley turned around and looked at her. "On the balcony." Since Shelley was one of the last people to exit the ballroom, the doors swung shut with a buzzing sound. Fire doors meant to protect the room, or the rest of the house. Bruce Wayne, Lex’s friend looked at them quizzically.

"Where is she?" Charlie hadn’t heard them speaking. He was like a rock in the midst of a fast current of people. He had one hand around Sheri’s waist, tucking her against his side. Imigen was on Sheri’s other side and Mr. Wayne closer to the doors.

"I don’t know," Shelley said. "I lost her in the crowd." Lex started back to the doors but a security guard stopped him.

"I’m sorry sir, but once the fire doors have closed, we cannot allow any guests back inside."

"I think there’s someone still in there," he said. "On the balcony."

"Please let security handle it, sir, I can’t have two missing people. Now what does she look like?"

Lex gave a brief description of Chloe and a young lady in a purple dress walked up.

"That’s the lady who warned me. She pointed me upstairs."

"So there is a fire?" Bruce interrupted smoothly at the lady’s elbow.

"We’re currently investigating the source…" her voice trailed off as he held her gaze. "Yeah, started upstairs, we’ve sealed it off, but the library-"

"We need to evacuate, now," Bruce interrupted. "How close is the fire department?"

"They should be here any second," the guard said. "I need to clear the building. Please follow the staff onto the lawn to the left of the driveway, it’s open and you’ll probably find your friend there." He pushed everyone out in front of him.

"Where’s Clark?" Lex asked Charlie.

"He left just before we went out to the balcony," the big man shrugged.
"While you were dancing."

They filed out of the building, having little alternative. A few people had flashlights, the volunteers and staff, mostly. The garden was dark, Lex looked around him and Shelley slipped her fingers into his hands.

"What is it?"

"Something’s wrong," he said. "It’s not just the fire; the lights shouldn’t be out like this."

"We should try to find Chloe." He nodded in agreement and began weaving through the crowd, tugging Shelley behind him, she stopped suddenly.
"Where’s Bruce?"

Sheri and Imigen stayed close to Charlie, and when the fire engines began roaring up the street, the tall Englishman began scanning the crowd with the aid of the bright, flashing, lights. He didn’t see her, but with the mass of moving bodies, he had difficulty making out many of the faces. He began to worry in earnest.

Chloe looked down and could barely make out the sheer wall below the balcony. There was just a straight drop to the stone walkway below her. Not a particularly good prospect. She looked up, the smoke that blotted out the moon was coming from around the corner of the building. An idea struck her. There was bound to be a way out of the building, if she could just get back inside. Shouting for help hadn’t worked; not with the sirens and noise from the people on the front lawn.

The balcony above her had a railing made of iron with decorative swirls that trailed down the sides. She took off her shoes and stepped on the edge of a large, cement, plant pot. It had been to heavy to move, or she’d have tipped it over to break the glass doors. Standing on the edge, she reached up and grasped the bottom of one of the iron loops. Swinging her legs forward, she gritted her teeth as the metal cut into her palms. Kicking up, she managed to get a stocking-clad foot hooked on a leaf-shaped ornamental piece of iron. She hung by both hands and her toes and sighed; who was she kidding?

The smell of smoke grew stronger and Chloe fought the cramping in her calf and held on with her toes and hand-walked up the curved bottom to the outer edge of the balcony corner. Grunting she slid her other foot onto the smooth platform and dragged her torso upward. Her sweaty palms began to slide and her thoughts turned to frustration and anger.

She was not going to be left like this. Not by anyone. She fought back the tears that threatened to spill over her cheeks and pulled herself up, with trembling arms, and swung one hand up blindly.

Miraculously, Chloe’s hand found purchase on the top of the railing. Her knee was scraped when she scrambled up over the edge, but she barely felt it when she fell over onto the upper balcony. It was smaller and had just a single-paned, glass door and, much to her relief, a heavy, plaster pillar with a plant on top of it.

Trying the plant pot first, Chloe succeeded only in littering her feet in ceramic, soil and geraniums. Swearing loudly, she wrestled the heavy pillar to a spot in front of the single pane, far enough that its momentum would land its top corner in the center of the pane, hopefully the weakest point.

Bracing her hips against the iron railing, Chloe held it tight with her throbbing hands. She kicked with both feet as hard as she could and toppled the pillar into the glass. Her plan worked and the glass shattered, spilling tiny shards around her and, to her chagrin, thick wisps of smoke.
Realizing her destiny with broken glass, Chloe walked across the gauntlet of glass. And felt the heaviness of the polluted air envelope her. Covering her mouth and nose with her hand, she coughed and gagged immediately.

She rushed blindly through the room, stumbling over a trashcan and crawling towards the door. Her eyes burned and she began to feel light-headed. She tried to call out but only managed a croak. Her throat was tightening and she gagged out the fumes. Desperate for air, she turned and started back to the balcony. Suddenly the idea of a two-story drop seemed a better alternative to the burning, suffocating air in her lungs, eyes and nose.

Despite the lack of light, Chloe saw a red haze in front of her. Was it the light from the fire trucks? A crashing sound behind her had her turning around. A hazy, dark figure stood, crouched in the doorway, lit by an eerie, flickering glow that she dazedly knew to be flames. The figure was leaning over her and grasping her by the hips. Her battered fingers clutched at the silky material of a tuxedo lapel.

Chloe felt strong arms pull her upwards and her face was pressed against the chest of her rescuer. She tried to speak, but she could barely get enough air to breathe. They were moving, she felt as if she floated. She couldn’t feel his hands on her anymore and saw a spinning view of the stars overhead. Then a jarring sensation, she wondered if she’d jumped after all. Then she felt a slight relief of the pain in her lungs. Cool grass touched her back and a dark shape loomed over her. Soft lips pressed to hers and she felt warm air forced into her throat. Once twice, and the redness began to recede from her vision.

"Breathe." The order came from the silhouette. "You need to get to the ambulance." The voice was husky and low. Her senses were returning slowly.

"How did we get down?" She asked, her voice barely a whisper. She heard a soft chuckle and the arms went around her, lifting her up again.

"We flew."

"So you’re a bird?"

"No," he answered. "I’m something else altogether. Close your eyes."

Chloe closed her eyes. They hurt less when she did but her head was still swimming. She tried to hold onto the man but her arms didn’t seem to work. Behind her eyelids, she could see flashing red lights. They became faint, as did the noise from the crowds. Vaguely, she could hear someone shouting for a stretcher and oxygen, then blissful darkness.