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Thread: Compromising Positions (NC-17) Completed: 4/24/15

  1. #1

    Compromising Positions (NC-17) Completed: 4/24/15

    Compromising Positions

    Summary: A disaster is in the making, and Chloe and Lex need to work together to stop it. But as the unexpected sparks fly, the sides waver, and they are forced to reconsider what they each thought to be true.
    Rating: NC-17
    Note 1: This story has a lot of what I think of as "Smallville Science." Which is to say, it is in no way related to actual science. So roll with me on it. If anyone could actually do this stuff, Lex could.
    Note 2: This story was written for the Winter 2014/15 SecretChlex exchange for apeygirl.



    Awesome Banner by: malugargula

    CHAPTER ONE:

    The email read simply:

    Chloe,

    Please meet me up in Grant Gabriel's office now.

    --LL

    P.S. - Do not mistake my use of "please" to see this as a request.



    It came from the address lex.luthor@luthorcorp.com

    There was no way this was good news.

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

    "Alright, Lex. I'm here. What do you want?" Chloe challenged as she let the door to the Daily Planet editor-in-chief's office close with a slam.

    Lex didn't flinch at the noise or the challenge. He just stood calmly gazing out the large window at the city of Metropolis below. Chloe imagined he felt like the King of the Universe in his immaculately tailored dark suit, purple dress shirt, and perfectly smooth scalp. The dramatic view of the city behind him felt like a backdrop set up just for him.

    Chloe nearly rolled her eyes at the little tableau he made for himself.

    In his own time, Lex turned away to face the annoyed blonde standing before him. "Hello to you too, Chloe."

    Chloe snorted derisively. "Oh, please, Lex. Cut the crap. Why did you drag me up here?"

    Lex smirked in reply. That self-satisfied expression made Chloe's hand itch to slap it off his face. "I'm sure the story about the Brookville Antique Show will leave readers frantic for more, but this is important."

    Chloe narrowed her eyes and folded her arms under her chest. "Fine. Back to my question then. What do you want?"

    Lex looked her up and down pointedly, taking in her green sweater, dark knee-length skirt, and practical heels. The strange once-over gave Chloe the feeling she should run for the hills.

    Too bad running away wasn't part of her nature. So instead, she straightened her spine and met Lex's gaze unflinchingly.

    He smiled with wicked humor. "Why, I need a nosy investigator, of course."

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

    Chloe blinked in surprise. She couldn't help it. That was about the last thing she would have expected. When he had called her up here, she had figured Lex had some new torment or belittling assignment to aim at her. Something to crush another small part of her dream of working under the Tiffany lights. Not...this.

    She spoke very slowly, to make sure she understood. "You want me to investigate something...for you?"

    He was still smirking. "As I recall, you used to enjoy investigating. Or rather, snooping. Has all that changed? Have you found your true calling writing about craft fairs and lost kittens?"

    Chloe didn't respond, just gave him her best glare. She had earned her spot at the Daily Planet under Pauline Kahn, and she wouldn't let Lex belittle that. Sure, maybe she had hoped to be writing more high profile stories like Lois kept getting, but then Lois was...

    She quickly halted that thought before it could show on her face.

    Seeing she wasn't going to respond to his jab, Lex sighed. He lifted a manila folder from a stack of papers and tossed it over to her side of the desk. "Well, even so, I'm going to take the risk that the nosy girl I knew is still in there."

    Chloe didn't move.

    Speaking slowly, with exaggerated patience Lex said, "Chloe, it would really be in your best interest to take a look at that."

    She still didn't move.

    Lex sighed again. "Fine then." He turned back to face the window and spoke without looking at her, his words coming out full and strong. "A few years ago a tainted shipment of Luthorcorp material was slotted to be destroyed. We had always believed it safely disposed of. Unfortunately, some evidence has recently come to light that was not the case."

    "Sucks to be you."

    Even facing away from her, she could tell he smirked again at her snarky comment. "The material was meteor-rock tainted fertilizer from the Number Three plant in Smallville. The event happened while I was in charge." He paused and glanced back over his shoulder at her. "As for why I requested you...open the folder."

    A sick feeling hit Chloe's stomach as she placed the timing and location of the incident. She wasn't exactly sure what Lex was going to show her, but she had a sinking suspicion she wouldn't like it. Feeling like she was moving through quicksand, she picked up the manila folder. Slowly she opened the slim file. Sitting on top of the small stack of papers was a document with the Luthorcorp logo emblazoned on the top. Scanning farther down she saw it was a shipping and transfer manifest for the destruction of some tainted soil, just as Lex had mentioned. That wasn't what arrested her attention. At the bottom, as clear and unmistakable as day, was the signature that confirmed the shipment had been properly destroyed.

    It was signed by Gabe Sullivan, Plant Manager.

    Oh, crap.

    Lex had gone back to gazing out the window as she read over the document. She could see the smirk had never left his face. Chloe tried to school her expression, but she feared Lex knew exactly what she was thinking. He thought he had her trapped.

    And damn him, he was right.

    Still, she tried for nonchalance. Closing the folder without looking through any of the other papers within, she asked, "Ok, so why are you bringing this to me? Why not take it up with my father?"

    Lex turned back around to face her, even going so far as to place his hands on Grant's desk as he leaned towards her. She knew it for a "power move" and forced herself to hold her ground. She saw a flicker of something that may have been respect or maybe pleasure in his eye when she failed to react. He should know her better than that to think she would be cowed so easily. Intuition told her that standing her ground caused him to reassess how he would respond. She was even more sure when his voice came out firm and reasonable without any more hints at threat. "Because Chloe, I need to know what actually happened to it. If your father was involved in the disappearance, he will do one of two things." Lex stood up from the desk and counted off on his fingers. "One, he will lie and I'll need to waste valuable time hunting down the lies, which would give his partners time to cover their tracks. Or Two, he will bolt, which means I will again have to waste time hunting him down."

    Lex caught her eyes and his expression made her think of a cat that held a mouse down by the tail. "Besides, I know that by bringing it to you, there would be a real...motivation to find out the truth."

    Chloe tried for nonchalance again, but guessed she failed miserably once more. "Don't think you can use him to motivate me. My father and I have barely spoken for years now." Her eyes turned hard. "As I know you are aware."

    Lex hadn't let his irksome smile drop, but something flickered in his eyes. Something there and gone so fast she wasn't sure it was real. It almost looked like...sorrow. "Yes, Chloe. I'm aware, but that won't matter. He is still your family, and you would do anything to protect your family. Just look at what happened to your cousin."

    Chloe felt a brush of panic. Did Lex know about what happened with Lois at Reeves Dam? Did he know about her healing ability? No, he couldn't. If he did...no. Best not to even think about that. Just play it off.

    She saw him studying her expression, but she kept her face impassive. She knew Lex well enough to know he wasn't above some fishing.

    He sighed. "Anyway, Chloe, we both know you are going to look into it."

    Crap, crap, and double crap. He was right.

    Even though her relationship with her father had been irreparably torn by her decision to stand against Lionel Luthor...Gabe Sullivan was still her father. She loved him and would do anything she could to protect him. Even if she didn't think he would do that same. Even against bad things he may have done...

    "Ok, let's say for argument's sake, that I was willing to look into this...why the sudden rush after all these years? Are you being sued or something? I could see how that would get you all in a huff if you or Luthorcorp could be held liable."

    "Check the folder again."

    Copying Lex's heavy sigh, she opened the folder again. This time looking behind the shipping manifest. There appeared to be about 5 large glossy photographs. It was immediately obvious they were not taken by a professional. They were blurry and poorly centered, with the graininess of a cheap disposable camera. Everything about them indicated the photographer had taken them in a hurry.

    Leaning a hip against the desk, Lex started to explain. "That manifest along with a disposable camera containing only those five photographs were delivered to me via courier today. There were no prints on the camera and it was a brand sold nationally. It didn't have a serial number. Only thing of use off of it were those images."

    Chloe nodded though she wasn't really listening. Gone were her thoughts this was only about Lex covering his ass from a legal suit. The five images told a very frightening story.

    The first image was of a few of barrels with the Luthorcorp logo inside something that looked like a storehouse or factory.

    The second image was a close up of one of the barrels open. Inside appeared to be dirt, or more likely, fertilizer. Clearly visible in the dirt was a large concentration of green crystals. Some of the crystals looked to be the size of marbles, while others were almost as fine as sand.

    The third image was of a factory. A crane of some kind was lifting one of the Luthorcorp barrels. It was fuzzy around the edges, but behind the crane, it looked like a massive tank of dirt. The image left no doubt in Chloe's mind the crane was dumping the barrel contents in with that dirt.

    The fourth image looked like some sort of giant industrial egg beater. Except this beater was mixing dirt. The dirt had the deep healthy black of rich loamy soil. As long as you ignored the green flecks of crystal.

    The last image was the most disturbing of all. It appeared to be part of a label mock-up. In bright green letters over a white background and it read "NOW WITH ENRICHING CRYSTALS!"

    Chloe understood instantly and looked at Lex with large, startled eyes.

    He nodded, seeing she understood. There wasn't even a hint of a smirk now. He looked serious and...dangerous. "I see you understand. It looks like someone got a hold of that meteor-rock tainted material and is mixing it in with clean soil for distribution."

    Chloe felt her blood run cold again. "They want to get it out to farmers and gardeners." Chloe grabbed one of the two chairs facing Grant's desk to steady herself. When that wasn't enough, she sat down heavily, visions of Jody Melville and her meteor-rock tainted greenhouse coming to mind. Jody had developed an appalling craving for fat -- including human body fat. She had even tried to eat her friend Pete. And now someone was trying to do that intentionally. "It'll poison the food, poison God-knows-how-many people."

    "Yes," Lex replied simply. "I would normally have set my own investigators on it, but I don't think working this with my usual contacts is safe. To pull this off, I think someone within Luthorcorp may be involved. The list of potential suspects is huge. The mole -- if I am right about there being one -- may not even be with Luthorcorp anymore, but there is no way of knowing in time." He paused, thinking a moment before he continued. "I also don't want to scare off whoever it is that sent me this warning. They took a tremendous risk in getting this evidence to me. They must know I wouldn't brush off the dangers of meteor rock. Most people don't appreciate the hazards of exposure." Stabbing a finger at the pictures for emphasis, he declared, "This is a call for help that I won't ignore." He paused and looked at her hard. "That said, of all the people that know about the meteor rocks and the danger they represent, there is only one person I would trust to look into this that I am sure wouldn't have been involved."

    Chloe matched his hard look. "Me."

    Lex nodded. "You."

    Chloe broke away from Lex's almost hypnotically pulling look. She had forgotten how magnetic he could be. "Ok, so let's say I agree to look into this missing material. What if I find something that does incriminate my fa--....Luthorcorp of wrongdoing?"

    Lex smiled. Her slip was obvious, but he let it lie. "I know for a fact that I and no one above me was involved in any scheme to hide the fraudulent disposal of hazardous material. So any wrongdoing would be limited to the lower levels of the organization." His eyes became hard. "As long as we can keep that material from being distributed, we can resolve this with minimal impact. But if that fertilizer gets out, it will be a disaster and heads at all levels will have to roll. So we have to track who has it, how it got out, if there is more, and put a stop to it."

    Chloe knew he was right, and she knew that in all good conscience that she would have to help, but... "You didn't say what would happen to any 'lower level' employees that may have been involved."

    Lex's smile was nasty. "I suggest they find lawyers."

    Chloe shook her head. "Not good enough, Lex. Luthorcorp must render them any sort of help they need. Up to and including agreeing to pay for defense attorney's of their choosing."

    "Not a chance!"

    "That's my price, Lex."

    Lex waved an arm to indicate the Daily Planet around them. "I could fire you, you know."

    "Oh yeah? Then you would be down a reporter and still not have an investigator." She paused, letting the next words sink in. "At least, not an investigator that had any concerns for Luthorcorp."

    They held each other's eyes for a long moment, testing the resolution of the other. They both knew that now she was aware of it -- not to mention her father's possible involvement -- nothing was going to stop Chloe from investigating on her own. Though with her limited resources, it was a dangerous bet if she could do anything in time. On the Luthorcorp side, with a possible mole working against him, Lex would be hampered in his research by his own notoriety. And they both knew that material had to be kept contained at all costs. If the tainted fertilizer was distributed to farmers and retailers, it could cause incredible amounts of grief as hundreds or possibly thousands of new people were exposed to the poisonous rock.

    The best way of stopping the possible disaster was to work together, pooling resources and knowledge.

    "Fine then." Lex finally agreed. Then he checked his watch. "Grant should be here in just a moment for a meeting. I'll request that he assign you to work with me for the next week. I'll tell him you are working on a profile piece."

    Chloe nodded. "Alright. I'll start some digging. And I'll need any and all evidence that you have found."

    Lex pointed to the manila envelope she still held. "All I have is right there."

    Chloe looked at the slim folder that had only contained six pages. "Well, glad to see this isn't going to be a challenge or anything."

    Lex smiled again, but for the first time since she had walked in the room, she saw it reach his eyes.

    Challenge accepted.

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

    As he watched Chloe leave Grant's office, Lex couldn't help but smile to himself. he had known she wouldn't be able to resist the challenge.

    Even if it was to help him.

    The opportunity to prevent a meteor-rock fueled disaster, vindicate her father, and poke her nose where it really had no business being, easily outweighed the minor fact that she would be helping out a Luthor.

    How strange that felt. To have Chloe Sullivan working on his side again after so many years of her not-too-subtle attempts to undermine him. Things had once been different. For one summer they had been on the same side, they had shared a purpose. But that was a long time ago now. Since then, they had been engaged in mostly silent battle. Sometimes when he had matched against her, that he felt she saw it as he did. That Clark and his secret were just one of the battles they waged. That most of their battles had been about something else. A need to prove one or the other of them was smarter, more capable, a better defender for the world.

    Because of that he had no doubt. He fought for the world against the dangers he saw -- aliens and meteor freaks with incredible abilities. That was what his secret projects and ethically questionable experiments were really about.

    And she fought for how she saw it -- enormous potential and a need for truth. To move in the shadows, disrupting his plans to bring them into the light. To expose all the secrets and lies to the world for its protection.

    It was so odd then that she herself kept so many secrets. But then again, except for her meteor ability -- if it had manifested -- most of the secrets she kept were because of loyalty. That was something Lex could appreciate. He had experienced so little loyalty in his life that when he saw it, it felt almost sacred to him.

    He moved to the sideboard and pulled out the bottle of scotch and a glass he had sent to Grant. He had wanted to be sure there would be something drinkable if he stopped by to visit his brother. Tipping a healthy portion of the liquor into the crystal glass, he took his drink to the window. The view from here wasn't as good as the one from his own Luthorcorp office, but it was still respectable. Looking out at the busy city below, Lex switched his mental focus from his blonde partner to the work to come. With Sullivan looking into it, he didn't doubt that all the dirty little secrets surrounding the theft of the meteor-rock tainted material would surface. The only outstanding questions were if they could do it in time to prevent a disaster...and how she would react if her father turned out to be as dirty as the fertilizer he had stolen.

    Because Lex was pretty sure the Luthorcorp insider had been Gabe Sullivan.

    ~***~
    Last edited by phillydragonldy; 25th April 2015 at 05:52.

  2. #2
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    Re: Compromising Positions (NC-17) Posted: 3/3/15

    curious to see what happens.

  3. #3

    Compromising Positions (NC-17) Chapter 2 Updated 3/8/15

    Compromising Positions --- Chapter 2

    Of all the ways Chloe had expected to spend her night, sharing a couch amicably with Lex Luthor was not even on the top 100 possibilities she would have picked. In fact, being within a mile radius of Lex Luthor or his mansion hadn't even cracked the top 500 options she would have expected. That she was close enough to smell the scent of his cologne (something clean and fresh-smelling) and the surprising warmth radiating from him, would normally have only gotten a laugh at the sheer impossibility of it. She couldn't remember the last time their interactions hadn't been tainted with something -- suspicion, hate, anger, and even pity. But this was...none of those things. This was...almost familiar, but from so long ago it was nearly forgotten.

    Working together -- with Lex Luthor -- to take down a dangerous evil.

    And they hadn't even tried to kill each other yet.

    But then again, hadn't he just given her the chance to do what she lived for? Investigate and expose the truth to protect people?

    She slanted a look at the man next to her. Though the "expose" part may or may not happen. She didn't trust for one moment that Lex wouldn't do whatever he saw fit to protect his company, his name, and his freedom. So it was up to her to do the same for her father.

    She pulled her attention back to the task at hand. Her investigation had already yielded some results. She pulled up the transfer order record from the Luthorcorp server and tilted the laptop slightly to face Lex. "So it looks like the tainted material was sent to a company called Optimus Enterprises for destruction in specially marked Luthorcorp shipping containers. These containers were then returned to Luthorcorp after the material was destroyed to be reused when and if more tainted material was found and also needed to destroyed. It looks like the return of these containers was taken as 'confirmation of destruction' by my fath-- by Luthorcorp."

    "You should just say it, you know." Lex responded, leaning in close to look at the manifests that Chloe had pulled up. His scent filled her nose in a strangely distracting way.

    "Say what?" she replied, trying to sound innocent and not at all aware of his unusual closeness.

    "You should just say 'my father.' You keep trying to make this look like it was a corporate action, Chloe, but it wasn't. This wasn't Luthorcorp being the Big Bad." He paused and caught her eyes, smiling. "This wasn't me being the Big Bad." Then he looked back at the manifest again. "Believe it or not, there was a time when I was trying to do right by this town and its people."

    Chloe didn't know how to respond to that. He was right, of course. There had been a time he had tried to be a good man in ways both big and small. Once he had offered himself as a hostage to the meteor infected Earl Jenkins to save her and the rest of her captive Smallville High class. Then when his father was going to close the plant that was the lifeblood of the town, he had stood up for them and gone freelance. Even when the Kents were about to lose their farm, he had stepped in and saved it in thanks for a small token from Johnathan Kent. But mostly, she thought of how he had risked his own life and hers to seek justice against his father for the murders of his grandparents. She thought how much he had risked to keep her safe and...No.

    That was many years ago. He wasn't that man now.

    Now he was the man that experimented on the meteor infected...those like her and her mother. He was the man that gave his own wife hormones to make her think she was pregnant. He was the man that if he learned about Clark, would do only-God-knew-what to him.

    Still a part of her whispered...But here he was now, trying to keep the hazardous material from getting out. Trying to protect people from the poisoning, when he could just let it happen. It would be so much easier to just set her father up as a patsy to take the fall. Instead, Lex was taking a risk in involving Luthorcorp in the search, when he could have been focusing on damage control.

    Chloe cleared her throat, pushing the confusing thoughts aside. "Anyway, I think that is where we should start. We need to track down those shipping containers. The ones Luthorcorp used were specifically made to contain the contaminated material. They were lead-lined and had individual serial numbers. We should compare the manifests to the serial numbers of the barrels that Luthorcorp has. If those barrels have been modified, or the serial numbers don't match, or are missing, that would give us a clue as to where the material may have gone missing."

    Lex nodded and looked at the laptop screen. "Makes sense. Where are the barrels supposed to be now?"

    Chloe smiled and pointed to the correct section of the screen. "Well at the Smallville #3 plant of course."

    "Ah yes, of course." Lex smiled back and it was strange to see his eyes fill with humor. "And for once, you won't even have to break in to a Luthorcorp facility to investigate."

    Chloe chose not to comment though her smile did broaden.

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

    As Lex had promised, they walked right in through the front door even though it was the middle of the night. The security guard at the gate was surprised to see them, but Lex was pretty unmistakable. The guard waved them through without comment, not even asking who Chloe was.

    She raised a brow at that. Lex just shrugged. "You're with me. He assumes you had business here."

    Well, that was actually true. Strange, but true.

    Lex pulled into the parking spot right next to the plant entrance that had a "Reserved for Lex Luthor" placard on it. The only spot closer had a similar placard reading "Reserved for Lionel Luthor". Lex swiped a keycard through the reader next to the door and they were in. Placing the card back inside his jacket, Lex said, "Not that I don't trust you, Chloe, but I'll be getting a new keycard in the morning. So if this one should happen to 'disappear' it won't do much good for anyone that should find it."

    Chloe smiled her sweetest smile in reply. "Oh, Lex, you really think I'd need your keycard?"

    She only took a moment to enjoy Lex's expression which showed elements of surprise, confusion, and curiosity before moving on.

    She knew exactly where she needed to search first. The storage room for the barrels and then the records room.

    It felt strange working on an investigation without Clark. She had considered telling him about the missing meteor rock fertilizer, but had decided against it. First, meteor rock tainted material in the quantity they were searching for could be deadly to Clark. He was likely to rush in, and if it was no longer contained in lead-lined barrels, Clark would be in serious trouble. Secondly, so far the evidence seemed to indicate that her father may have been complicit in hiding that the material hadn't been destroyed. Lex hadn't said as much, but they both knew that just accepting that the barrels were sent back empty would not normally have been considered enough to confirm the material was destroyed properly. So could it be that her father was involved? If so, she needed to figure out a way to protect him. He may have turned his back on her, but she had never turned her back on him.

    Clark wouldn't understand that. He would believe her father should be punished if he was guilty. It was just how Clark was built. He wouldn't let a criminal go free just because he was her father.

    She couldn't do that, to either of them.

    So here she was at the #3 plant in the middle of the night with the devil's bald representative on earth. There had to be more records that could tell them what went wrong. Records of the actual destruction being performed. Records that might clear her father and show what actually happened.

    But first things first, they needed to search out the barrels.

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

    "Lex, I don't think these are Luthorcorp barrels at all. Look." Chloe pointed to the serial number placard on the side of one of the barrels. The metal strip was considerably more worn that the metal of the barrel it was attached to. It also seemed to not quite fit the barrel correctly, as if it was still adjusting to the shape of the barrel behind it.

    Lex hunkered down next to Chloe in the dim light of the storage room. Even with the overhead lights on, they were using flashlights to read the small embossed print of the barrel labels.

    "I think you're right, Chloe." Lex rapped his knuckles against the side of the barrel, which rang with a low hollow note. "Sounds like they are heavy lead-lined barrels though. So why replace the Luthorcorp barrels with newer versions of the same barrels? Why the deception? Why not just send back the original Luthorcorp barrels?"

    "Would it have been noticed if the type of barrel was changed? From the heavy lead versions to a lighter metal?"

    "Maybe. The barrels are filled based upon weight. A lighter barrel would throw the scales off." Lex was silent a moment, before springing back to his feet with a cry of "Shit!" He ran a hand over his bald head in a gesture of frustration and started to pace.

    "What? What is it?"

    "They want Luthorcorp barrels!"

    "Yeah, got that, but --"

    "No, think about it! They want to make sure they had genuine Luthorcorp barrels."

    "Umm, ok. Why?"

    "Because when the real Luthorcorp barrels are found, there won't be any doubt to whom they belong. Someone is setting us up. Someone is going to a lot of trouble here -- making sure toxic material is being introduced into clean soil, acquiring genuine Luthorcorp shipping barrels. They are building a disaster with all the evidence pointing straight at Luthorcorp. And I bet they even..." He spun on his heel and marched toward the door.

    Chloe rushed after him. "What, Lex? What is it?"

    "Records. The records you were looking at online were digital copies."

    "Right. Yeah. I was trying to trace the trail of those barrels, but everything looked in order."

    "Yes, online. It's easy to modify online records if you can crack the system." He shot her a sideways glance. "As I'm sure you know."

    Chloe chose not to dignify that statement with an answer beyond a little smirk of her own. She had a sudden inkling what Lex was getting at. She rushed to keep up with Lex's fast strides. A few moments later he paused in from of a room with a simple placard reading "Records Room."

    He shot a victorious smile down at her and Chloe found herself grinning back. Lex swiped his keycard against the reader, unlocking the door. As the door swung open on the dark room, he said, "I'd bet my Porsche they didn't think to change the paper records. They probably only switched out the digital versions."

    Chloe wasn't about to take that bet.

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

    They made their way into the records room, Lex hitting the light switch next to the door, illuminating the space. The room was large, nearly the size of a basketball court, and stuffed full of neatly organized rows of shelving and document boxes. Chloe knew from her previous snoop...uh..."investigations" that paper copies of important documents were kept here for a period of ten years before they were destroyed. That added up to a huge amount of paper, and took a lot of manpower to keep it updated and organized. She had thought it to be overkill in the digital age. Now she wasn't so sure. Those paper copies may be the key to tracking down the mystery of the switched barrels.

    There was a computer at the front of the room and Chloe made her way over to it. The easiest way to locate a specific record in the mountains of paper was to use the index on the terminal. She swung out the desk chair and was in and searching a moment later. She felt Lex looking at her sardonically as he drawled, "Why of course, Chloe, make yourself at home."

    "Oh please, Lex. This is a generic database terminal. Nothing special or Luthorcorp specific about it, so don't get your panties in a bunch. The average fifth-grader could do this, so quit being so huffy about it being 'your property' and accusing me of misdeeds."

    Everything she had told him was of course all true, but that didn't mean she hadn't done this all before without his knowledge.

    "Ok, the shipping records concerning that shipment are stored in section 124-C. Second shelf in a box labeled 1080-LC-OT."

    "Alright, I think that is down this way." Lex began making his way down between rows of shelving stacked high with meticulously labeled document boxes. Chloe got up from the terminal and followed behind.

    They located the proper section, Lex hunkered down to better see the boxes on the second shelf, which was about hip high. Chloe watched as he trailed a finger over the labels on the boxes. When he had identified the correct box, he heaved it from the shelf, and onto the floor. Chloe moved around to better see into the box as Lex began working at the lid.

    Flipping through the files with long, dextrous fingers, Lex located the correct one quickly. "Here we go," he said, pulling out the correct file and flipping it open. Chloe leaned in close to peer at the file around him. There was a history of shipping manifests of Luthorcorp sending tainted materials out with a company called Optimus. Each manifest had three parts -- the outgoing shipment, confirmation of destruction, and the return of the empty barrels.

    Except for one shipment which didn't follow the pattern.

    "Hmmm," Lex paused, looking over the irregular shipment. "You seeing what I'm seeing?"

    Chloe's brow was creased in concentration as she reviewed the same document. "Yeah. This isn't what the online records showed." She looked up and met his eyes. "Who is Savage Inc. and why were they the ones to deliver the barrels back to Luthorcorp?"

    Then they both heard footsteps moving down the hallway outside the records room and froze. They stayed still, listening. The footsteps were joined by off-key whistling.

    Security Guard, Lex mouthed at her silently. She nodded to show she understood. Hopefully he would just keep walking by, but then she looked up, realizing the room lights were on. The guard would see the light showing under the door. Lex followed her gaze and she saw that he comprehended the problem as well. While Lex had every right to be here, they didn't want anyone to know they had been looking at the shipment records. If they were caught here in the middle of the night, even the most oblivious security guard would wonder why. While Lex could threaten the man into silence, but who could say if that would work? Or that the guard wasn't part of the setup operation?

    The records had given them their first real lead, but no one could know that. They couldn't risk tipping their hand and letting the bad guys know they were on to them. Chloe looked around frantically for a place to hide, but the aisles were bare of anything except the shelves of boxes. The shelves themselves were packed full and even the computer desk was a poor place to hide. She looked up to see if they could maybe climb the shelves or access the drop ceiling, but that would take too much time. The guard was in front of the door and they heard a electronic ding as he swiped his own badge to access the room.

    Then the world was spinning and Chloe found herself sitting on the cold metal wire of the shelving in the spot the records box had previously occupied. She only managed to get out a short squeak of surprise before Lex sealed her mouth shut with his own.

  4. #4
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    Re: Compromising Positions (NC-17) Chapter 2 Updated 3/8/15

    interesting.can't wait to see where this goes.lex kissed chloe at the end.

  5. #5

    Compromising Positions (NC-17) Chapter 3

    Compromising Positions --- Chapter 3

    What the hell? was the only thought that came to mind when Lex dropped her into place on the wire shelving. She barely realized the metal was cold on the backs of her legs, when Lex's mouth slammed down on her own.

    She only had a moment of shock before the molten forceful heat of his mouth on hers sent her senses into overdrive. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she found herself kissing him back with a passion she had forgotten she contained -- even when she had dated Jimmy. It had been years since...No. She wouldn't think about that now. She wouldn't fall into the past when the present was so much more shocking.

    A part of her knew this was a distraction for the benefit of the security guard, but most of her was falling, lost and shockingly ready for him. She could go back to alternately saving the world and locking horns with him again later. Right now, his mouth slanting against hers was much more important. The angle should have been awkward with her on the edge of the shelf and more boxes above, but Lex gripped her hair to keep her head still. She found herself grateful for that. If she was concussed, she probably wouldn't have been able to respond properly when his tongue pressed against her lips. She opened them, and he swept inside. A low moan sprang up between them, and she wasn't sure if it was him or her or both. She really didn't care. He moved in closer and she felt his cool hands running up her thighs. A shiver raced down her spine as she lifted her legs and wrapped them around his slim waist, drawing him in even closer. She heard someone speaking at them, but neither of them paid the words any mind. Not when he began grinding his hips against hers. Even through both his clothing and hers, the contact felt amazing. He was shockingly hard (how had he gotten so hard so fast?) and the height of the wire shelf placed her just at his hip level. As he pushed his hardened body against her, he was giving her just a taste of the friction she hadn't known she needed until that moment.

    "Look, I don't know who you are, but you don't belong here. I need you to break that off and come with me," an angry male voice cut in from just a few feet away.

    Lex broke off the kiss and glared over his shoulder at the guard. She felt something very like barely controlled rage vibrating from him as he snapped at the guard. "I have every right to be here. Don't you know who I am? Get the fuck out of here. Now."

    The guard gasped in shock. It seemed between her arms wrapped around him and the angle of their kiss the guard had missed Lex's trademark bare head. She heard the unfortunate guard gulp. "Mr -- Mr Luthor. I--I'm so sorry. I didn't realize it was you. Just...yeah...just...take as long as you need." Then the guard turned around and fled.

    When Lex turned his eyes back to her, his expression was complex -- a combination of burning, hooded eyes, surprise, and something like...fear?

    She wondered at her own expression for just a moment before reality came screaming back. She felt her eyes widen and her mouth drop open in horror at what she had done. She had been climbing all over Lex Luthor! What the hell was wrong with her??? Her arms and legs dropped away from Lex like he might burn her.

    His expression shuttered instantly. Holding her wide eyes, he very slowly and very deliberately removed his hands from where they were buried under her skirt. Then in the same unhurried way, he stepped back away from her. He offered a hand palm-up to help her hop down from the shelf but she ignored it.

    What was it with her and making out in records rooms? With Clark was one thing, but with Lex Luthor??

    How could she have let something as...stupid as a kiss with Lex Luthor happen? Well, alright, there had been a time years ago when she had...No! This was not then. But for him to kiss her...alright, fine. She had to admit it was a clever ploy given their circumstances. She had even used it herself. If they had been caught rifling through obscure documents from years ago in the middle of the night, that would definitely put their mission at risk. But a blustering Lex Luther involved in a sordid encounter with a nameless woman? That wouldn't raise any eyebrows. His proclivities were common tabloid fodder.

    Admit it, Chloe. You aren't mad he kissed you. You are mad you liked it. That you responded. That you responded A LOT.

    But then again...he had too.

    She shook her head to clear it. This was much too confusing. After everything they had done to each other over the last few years, there shouldn't be anything left between them except anger and suspicion.

    Grabbing her purse from where it had dropped from nerveless fingers to the floor, she started to make her way to the door, but Lex grabbed her arm, holding her back. Fury burst through her, and she snapped, "Get your hands off me!"

    Ah, good, there's the anger.

    Lex released her instantly with a dark look. "Fine. You didn't seem to mind a moment ago, but fine."

    She gave him a withering glare, before she shifted her purse and moved towards the door again.

    "You can't go yet," he said flatly, but this time he kept his hands to himself.

    "Why not?" she lashed out in response, though she knew the answer even before she finished speaking.

    "Because that guard thinks we are in here in flagrante. If you go marching out now, you'll spoil that perfectly good cover I just gave us."

    "Fine," she spat out in the same tone he had used. "What do we do now, then?"

    He smirked wickedly in response. Actually smirked as if that had a chance of happening again.

    She scowled in reply, then marched back and snatched the file of shipping records from the shelf where he had discarded if to make their little "show."

    "Well, if we are going to assume these are the unmodified records, then those barrels were sent out to Optimus as contracted, but for some reason they were delivered back to you by a company called Savage Inc. As to why my father didn't flag the change, I don't know."

    "Unless he was involved."

    Chloe opened her mouth to snap a reply, but stopped. Even she had to admit, it was highly irregular. Instead, she continued outlining the facts. "The good news is that it only looks like a single tainted shipment was taken. All the other records looked to be in perfect order. So if we can track down this one shipment of..." She flipped the manifest page to check the number. "Eight barrels, we should be safe."

    "Alright then. We just need to track down this Savage Inc. facility then and check it out." He paused catching her smirk. "What?" Then he smiled too, catching on. "The address is listed on the manifest?"

    "Yep, right at the top. So, Lex, how do you feel about visiting scenic Nebraska?"

    He smiled widely. It was such an odd and intriguing expression to see on Lex's face, but she felt her own smile appear in response. "I can hardly wait," he said.

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

    Lex wasn't exactly sure what he had been expecting from her when he kissed Chloe. He knew she was smart enough to realize it for the distraction it was, but he certainly hadn't expected her to respond the way she had.

    But then he hadn't expected that he would respond the way he had. Every rational thinking part of his brain had just...shut off when his lips meet hers.

    How could he possibility have expected that? It had been years since... No. Best not to go there.

    She tasted like cinnamon and coffee, and her lips were so soft, he had needed to explore her mouth further. And when he felt her arms wrap around him, he couldn't stop himself from moving in closer. He hadn't thought for even a second past wanting to feel here legs wrap around him too. Sweetly curved legs he had surreptitiously watched years ago when things had been different between them. When she had trusted him with her life. When she had always been in clothes just a bit too short and too tight. Then there she was kissing him and pressing into him, and it all came rushing in. Desire that was sharpened, instead of dulled, by years of undeclared war. Suddenly, his arms were full of her, pressing her body against his...wanting more...

    Then it had all come crashing to a sudden halt. Reality snapped back so quickly it nearly left him with whiplash. In the middle of working to prevent a possible disaster, in the middle of saving his company and reputation, he had lost himself with Chloe Sullivan.

    Chloe Sullivan of all people!

    Self-righteous bitch that she had become, always thinking herself so much better than him. He knew better. She was a meteor mutant like the others and sooner or later she would snap.

    And it would be up to him to contain her.

    So how has he let himself forget all that even for a moment? Was it because of everything she brought to the surface for him? He rarely had an interaction with her that didn't have them locking horns. But for some reason, he had always liked that. Even when she had been so young, she had seen him for what he was. But she hadn't let that stop her. Her mind and her drive had been the things that mattered, not what stood in her way. He had always admired that about her. It was actually what had brought her to him all those years ago. She needed to be free of his father and so had he. They had needed each other.

    But what had happened just now was an entirely different kind of need. A dangerous need.

    He couldn't deal with this. Not now.

    But that didn't stop him from wanting it now that the fire had been kindled.
    Last edited by phillydragonldy; 15th March 2015 at 21:29.

  6. #6
    NS Senior Member Senior Member HotCrossedBunny's Avatar
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    Re: Compromising Positions (NC-17) Chapter 3

    Re reading and continuing to love this story. Who is extremely talented?

  7. #7
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    Re: Compromising Positions (NC-17) Updated: 3/15/15

    can't wait to see what happens next.

  8. #8

    Re: Compromising Positions (NC-17) Updated: 3/15/15

    Thanks guys! Glad you like this!

  9. #9

    Compromising Positions (NC-17) Chapter 4

    Compromising Positions --- Chapter 4

    Lex flew them in his helicopter to a pad outside the small town of Beatrice, Nebraska. At first, Chloe had been surprised when Lex himself climbed into the pilot's seat, but it made sense when she thought about it. After his near-death in a plane crash, he must have learned to handle all the Luthor toys -- including the helicopter. Using the helo was slower than the jet, but they didn't have to file a flight plan if they flew low. They agreed it was worth the time if it helped to disguise their destination. Once they hit Beatrice, they found a car rental, and Chloe had the bizarre pleasure of paying to rent a car for Lex Luthor. Lex couldn't risk his name popping up anywhere near the Savage Inc. facility and giving off an alert. However, it was unlikely that the name "Chloe Sullivan" would raise any brows. Especially not when they were still hours away from their final destination. For his part, Lex was doing his best to disguise his unique silhouette with clothes that could have been taken from the Clark Kent school of fashion.

    Fiddling with the car keys as they went out to the nondescript sedan, Chloe was suddenly struck by the humor of the situation and let out a small snort of laughter.

    Lex looked at her sideways, peeking past the raised hood of the jacket that camouflaged his bald head. "Care to share the humor, Chloe?"

    "Oh, I just realized this is my first travel assignment while at The Planet, and it's to Bumble-Fuck, Nebraska, I can't write the real story, it's with you, and I'm picking up all the bills."

    He smirked. "I thought you'd appreciate a return to Bumble-Fuck. Didn't you once spend a summer there?"

    She found herself smiling, almost against her will. She had forgotten she referred to the tiny town where the safehouse had been as Bumble-Fuck as well. "Yes, but that was Bumble-Fuck, Kansas. I think that it is going to look like Metropolis compared to where we are heading."

    "Ah yes, you may be right. I can see how this isn't quite the plum assignment your cousin has been getting."

    Her smile disappeared as she automatically went on the defensive. "Lois is a good reporter. She --"

    The look Lex shot her had her biting off her words. The light in his eyes showed he had purposely provoked her.

    "Be careful, Lex. I'm the one with the credit card this time around. Don't make me use it against you."

    He snorted. "Oh, please. You know well enough you'll be compensated above and beyond any expenses you incur during this sojourn."

    She nodded in agreement. "True, but until then I have every right to purchase nothing but Krispy Kremes and gas station coffee if you push me too far."

    This time it was his jaw that clenched shut.

    Chloe basked in her victory.

    They reached the car, and both reached for the driver's side door.

    "Lex, the car is rented under my name."

    "I'm aware, but there is no way I'm letting you drive."

    "Oh yeah? I drive myself everywhere. Don't you have a driver? I mean when you aren't in one of those penises with wheels you like to call a car?"

    He ignored the 'penises with wheels' comment completely, saying instead, "Yes, but I've seen you drive."

    "Me? Of the two of us, who has been in more car accidents?"

    He paused, thinking. "Actually I think we might be even on that one."

    Still both holding the driver's door handle, they glared hard at each other when a sudden thought struck Chloe.

    She gave Lex her sweetest smile. His look turned instantly suspicious. Maybe she was still a little affected by that kiss, because she suddenly felt a little reckless. She moved in close to him, until only a few crucial inches separated them. She let her voice go soft and low as she dangled the keys before his eyes. "Fine, Lex, but you owe me."

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

    As he drove the 90 miles out to Bumble-Fuck, Nebraska as Chloe called it, Lex found himself sneaking glances at the blonde next to him. The sleeping, drooling, blonde.

    Dammit, he should have let her keep the keys, but fuck-it-all he had to insist on driving. He wasn't even sure why he had done so. She was right, he did often use a driver. Maybe it was some sort of misogynistic impulse that wouldn't let a woman drive him around. Or maybe it was just that he didn't want this woman driving him around.

    So instead he got to listen to her ipod music, since the radio stopped getting signals after about 20 miles, and he hadn't thought to load up any playlists.

    He wasn't about to admit that Chloe had surprisingly good musical taste though. It was nothing like his usual classical selections, but her found his fingers tapping more than once.

    Not that she could see.

    She had fallen asleep within minutes of them getting in the car.

    It wasn't like him to miss such a glaring disadvantage in pressing his case to be the driver. She got to sleep while he got to drive almost two hours through dark and completely forgettable terrain.

    Listening to her music too.

    And on top of all that?

    He 'owed her'.

    Fuck-it-all.

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

    He pulled into the parking lot of the White Deer Motel just as dawn was breaking. They would have time for a few hours of sleep, then go out for some live surveillance of the Savage Inc. facility, before they broke in tonight and deployed the counter-measures. As the car came to a stop, Chloe jerked awake. He didn't try to hide his smirk at her appearance. Her hair, always so obedient to her style wishes, was stuck up weirdly on one side. He felt the smirk falter slightly as he realized her dishabille and sleepy half-lidded eyes made her look...

    No. Not that. That unexpectedly hot kiss in the records room did not make her look fuck-able.

    Chloe Sullivan was merely a means to an end.

    No matter what his cock thought.

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

    It wasn't long before Chloe had secured them rooms, food from the breakfast spread, and they had unloaded their "wildlife photography equipment" into the two rooms at the end of the small motel.

    "So Doris, the desk clerk, was very helpful about the best places to see the ridge," Chloe said before biting into a 'cherry' danish that Lex doubted had anything close to real fruit in its ingredients.

    He looked at his own equally uninspiring 'strawberry' pastry, asking, "Oh, yeah? What did she say?"

    She smiled triumphantly, looking annoyingly well rested after her snooze in the car. "That you can see it perfectly from a scenic outlook off Highway-14 about ten miles down."

    He found himself smiling too. That was excellent news. He had to admit that her choice of cover for them -- wildlife photographers -- had really been quite inspired. Because really, who else would be out here otherwise? The motel itself clearly catered to that crowd. He didn't know if it was an attempt to get in good with "Doris" or if she thought it some sort of joke, but Chloe had even purchased a pair of t-shirts from the motel for them.

    Her forest green shirt had a picture of a camera and bold white type declaring 'PHOTOGRAPHERS DO IT WHILE EXPOSING.'

    She had smilingly presented him with a 'White Deer Motel' shirt that had a picture of a smiling cartoon deer on it. He had raised an eyebrow at it, but hadn't said anything more. It was bad enough he was wearing flannel and a jacket. Made him feel like he had raided Clark's closet.

    But there wasn't a chance in hell he'd let her see him annoyed by something as changeable as clothes.

    Checking the time, Chloe said, "Well, as 'Wildlife Photographers' we need to get going. Animals are most active early in the morning and evening." She caught Lex's dark look. He hadn't gotten any sleep, and she seemed positively cheerful. Smirking, she snapped up the keys. "I can drive."

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

    It took them about 20 minutes to reach the ridge described by Doris. The motel clerk had been right. As they stretched out on the ridge, it gave them a perfect overlook at the Savage Inc. site. Pulling out a camera she had borrowed from The Daily Planet, Chloe started snapping pictures through the telephoto lens of the site. She focused on the elements they hadn't been able to discern from reports or satellite imagery, especially the security measures and protocols. Lex was next to her with a pad of paper and a stopwatch, recording notes as she pointed out details or asked him to time the different protocols used at the site. They wanted to build the most complete picture of the workings of the site as possible before coming up with a strategy to get in and somehow stop the release of the tainted earth.

    It took upwards of two hours as they switched roles and shifted up and down the ridge a few times. Chloe had clearly done this before, but he pointed out a few security details she missed, including the use of keycards to access the buildings. Finally, it looked like they had done all the surveillance they could reasonably do from their perch. Slowly lowering the binoculars he had been using for a last perusal of the site, Lex caught her attention, and motioned with his head that they should retreat back to the car.

    Now was the time to plan.

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

    Chloe expelled a heavy breath as she brought up her newly-sorted information on the Savage Inc. site on her laptop screen. She had spent the last few hours sorting and compiling all their information while Lex got some much-delayed sleep. Now they were both up, dressed, and ready to get into the nitty-gritty of the planning. "So based on what we saw on the ridge, the plant security is pretty much what we had expected. They obviously aren't expecting any interference, but they aren't leaving any huge loopholes either."

    Lex settled himself in one of the motel room chairs. He looked much refreshed after some sleep and a hot shower. The goofy cartoon deer t-shirt she had purchased for him as a joke somehow looked...appealing on him. Maybe because it was so unlike the Lex she knew. Maybe it was because the thin white tee fit his trim body snugly showing off surprisingly firm and lean muscle.

    But the smirk in his voice was the same, and it snapped her attention back. "Well, Chloe, pretend for just a moment this is a Luthorcorp facility. How would you break in then?"

    Chloe reminded herself he was still an asshole no matter what he wore.

    She made a rude face at him before turning back to the pictures on her laptop. "Well, the guards seem to circle on a loop. Major mistake. I used the timing we did to set when they won't be there, but the cameras could still be a problem. As will be the facility doors. Those will need a slightly more invasive methods for us to get around them."

    "Like what?" Lex asked.

    "Well, I think I have a closeup pics of one of the cameras in here somewhere..." Chloe clicked lightning-fast through the pictures, looking for one that focused on the cameras. "Ah, here we go..." She leaned in so close to the screen her nose almost touched as she looked over the image of the security camera. "I think it is a XLR deluxe camera." She sat back and smiled in triumph at Lex. "That is good news."

    "Why? Can you set up some sort of fake footage loop and patch it into the system?"

    Chloe rolled her eyes. "Why does everyone suggest that? Is it because it is a movie thing?"

    Lex couldn't help but wonder who the "everyone" Chloe was referring to could be. Though he had a flannel-clad guess...

    "Alright, then, Chloe. I'll bite. Why does that help us then?" he asked instead.

    "Because..." she replied, drawing the word out as her fingers clacked away on the keyboard. "The XLR uses a remote connection between cameras. I can tap into it using the remote administration tool I got when I..." She abruptly stopped speaking and her eyes shot over to Lex, before going back to her laptop. "Nevermind."

    "It would appear that this exercise has produced a number of other side benefits," he drawled.

    Chloe shot him a sharp look, and her fingers immediately pulled away from the computer as she turned to face him, her cheeks flushing red. "Lex, if you think for one moment that what happened in the records room -- "

    He cut her off quickly. "Not what I had in mind, but it you wish to see it as a side benefit, Chloe, I'm not going to argue it with you."

    His smirk was so wicked Chloe had to physically restrain herself from clawing it off his face. Instead she felt her nails digging into the flesh of her palms.

    "No, what I meant was that you are uncovering all sorts of vulnerabilities in the Luthorcorp security systems." His eyes almost twinkled with evil glee. "Maybe I should hire you as a consultant to shore up our systems."

    She let her own expression melt into one of wicked delight. "Absolutely, Lex. I'd love to look over the Luthorcorp security systems."

    Chloe didn't know what sort of reaction she had expected from Lex to her comment, but it wasn't...laughter.

    Genuine, full-bodied laughter.

    She also hadn't expected that she would enjoy hearing it. She couldn't remember the last time she had heard him laugh. But that shouldn't be surprising, she hadn't really spent much time with him that didn't involve battle on one or more fronts since the safehouse. He used to laugh then, even as sick as he was from Lionel's poison. The laugh she heard now was so much like then, without the bitter edge that seemed to always haunt his words now.

    She didn't realize she was smiling until Lex's laughter tapered off and he smiled back at her.

    She cleared her throat and turned back to the computer. "Anyway, I can get us around the cameras by setting off a system reboot. Most people are used to technology hiccups, so won't think it resetting will seem suspicious." She released a sigh as she stared at the screen. "So that just leaves the doors. As you pointed out, they use keycards. So we need to get our hands on one of them." She tapped a finger against her jaw thinking. "We have to think of a way to steal one without anyone being suspicious. I suppose we could knock out a guard, but they travel in pairs with dogs, so that would be difficult."

    "This is the only motel near the facility, right?"

    "Yeah. Why?"

    "I might have an idea." Then without another word, he slipped out the room's door.

    He came back about ten minutes later, brandishing an ID badge.

    "What?" Chloe jumped up from her seat and snatched the badge. Looking back at him, she stuttered..."What? How?"

    Lex smiled, and for once it wasn't a smirk. "The lovely Doris again. I figured if this was the only motel around, that at least some of the employees would come out here. Especially for a...personal break with a lady friend." Now he smirked. "So I just asked if anyone had left an ID badge by accident." His expression changed and he became someone open and innocent. His voice lost its cultured tones, sounding a bit young and maybe sickly. "You see, the friend that told us to come out here to photograph lost his badge and he'll be in so much trouble if they have to replace it. Did any show up in the lost and found?"

    A brilliant smile overtook Chloe's face. Lex found himself momentarily speechless as she directed that 1-million-megawatt smile at him. "So this it it, then. We're in." Her smile faded. "But what do we do once we're in? We still need a way to stop the distribution of the tainted soil. There is too much to take away, now that they mixed it across eight truckloads. How do we secure it?"

    "I believe I have something that could help us there too, now that we know what we are facing." Lex went over to his baggage, and pulled out a black hard-side case. "A very exciting innovation from one of my labs." He paused and shot her a teasing look. "One you haven't found." Chloe moved to stand beside him as he lifted the case onto the bed and popped the locks on it. Inside were eight silver contraptions of some kind. They were about the size of her palm and had vials of some sort of liquid in them.

    "What are those?"

    "Lead diffusion bombs."

    "BOMBS?!" She backed away with her palms up. "No, Lex. I didn't come here to commit arson."

    "Relax, Chloe. They don't work like that. They release a fine mist of lead. I'm sure you already know that lead can shield against meteor rock." He gestured at the devices. "These use the same principle. They coat the meteor rock, rendering it inert."

    "But lead is still poison!"

    He smiled. "Yes, but it is a known poison. The government regulators will catch it on the first quality inspection. That soil will never make it to market." His smile turned nasty. "And the Luthorcorp fertilizer plants have never had any lead contamination. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to find anything lead in our facilities. Unlike Savage Inc., which has had multiple lead citations. So even if they do try to push it back to my company, that will be an instant red flag to anyone looking into it. Those barrels they worked so hard to secure will damn them instead of exonerating them."

    Chloe thought it through, but didn't see any gaping holes in the plan so far. "Alright then, how do they work?"

    Lex picked up one of the devices. "We just need to plant one of these in each truckload of contaminated soil. When we are clear, I use a radio trigger to set them off. They will begin emitting a lead gas that will be attracted to the meteor rock particles. The gas will seek out and encapsulate the meteor rock pieces throughout each truckload, right down to the smallest shard."

    Chloe frowned. "But what about the explosion? And the people working there? We don't want to injure or give anyone lead poisoning any more than we want to cause meteor-rock poisoning."

    Lex shook his head. "They don't explode. They release. More like a smoke bomb than a true explosion. And as for the gas, it has been highly engineered to be attracted to the meteor rock. You would have to try really, really hard to inhale enough to hurt you. But just in case, I do have masks." He indicated the two small breathing masks inside the case. "The masks come as part of the kit because the devices can be triggered both by the remote and manually with this switch on the side." He turned the device over, indicating a small red switch. "I had hoped we could test them further before putting them into use, but it is what it is."

    Chloe couldn't help but smile a little. This may actually work. "So it looks like our next step is just to wait for dark."

    Lex reclined back on the bed, smiling as well. "Or rather, dusk. We'll want to get some photos of those Western Meadowlarks Doris was talking about."

    Chloe smiled in response. Apparently Lex had gotten the same talk that she had from the friendly motel clerk. "Well, it is the state bird of Nebraska. What kind of wildlife photographers would we be if we missed it?"

    Lex's lips twitched up slightly as if he were fighting another smile. "I don't know, but I'm sure I'd never hire them."

  10. #10

    Re: Compromising Positions (NC-17) Chapter 4

    Check out the sweet new banner by malugargula!!! Thanks Malu! You are just the best!!!!

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