THE WEEKEND AWAY

 

 

Chapter One:

Cabana Boys and Billionaires

 

“Lex finally returned my call,” Chloe Sullivan announced to Lois Lane from across their table in the little café where the two reporters were having lunch at.

 

Ever since Lois had started working at the Inquisitor, the two cousins had made it a habit to share lunch together at least once a week. It was one of those rituals that Lois considered ‘Chloe’ time where they would leave out the shop talk and just catch up on things, the way family were supposed to. Even Clark knew better than to intrude on these occasions, having been told by Lois that she and Chloe used this time to talk about him which was enough to scare the Kansas farm boy even more than Kryptonite.

 

Lois did so love messing with Clark.

 

“Lex?” Lois raised a brow and stared at her cousin over her cup of coffee. “I know you and Jimmy decided to take a break but Lex? You can do better.”

 

Chloe threw Lois a withering look for bringing up Jimmy. Jimmy had been offered a fabulous opportunity to work in Europe for six months. He had been offered the job as the photographer to a well known writer of travel books whose next work featured Europe. The man wanted a photographic record of the trip to accompany the book and he had seen some of Jimmy’s Green Arrow pictures on the net and was suitably impressed.


Although he had initially turned down the job, Chloe had talked him into taking it because the opportunity was too good to miss and she didn’t want him to turn it down just because of her. While in theory, that seemed like the noble sacrifice, in truth, Chloe missed him terribly. However, in true Chloe pragmatism, she had told Jimmy that this would be an opportunity to take a break from their relationship and examine things. Jimmy hadn’t been happy about it but Chloe didn’t want him tethered to her while he was away.

 

“Very funny,” Chloe retorted. “Actually I called him about Lana’s bachelorette party. Nell apparently can’t make it. She and her husband are taking their annual trip to Vermont.”

 

“Vermont?” Lois exclaimed. “You’re kidding me.”

 

“Nope,” Chloe frowned, remembering how hard Lana had tried to show it didn’t hurt that Nell had once again opted to pick her husband over the niece she had raised. “According to Lex, Lana was pretty upset about it even though she tried to hide it.”

 

“Who can blame her? That’s pretty cold.” Lois replied sympathetically.

 

Since Lana had been let in on Clark’s secret, the three women had actually grown a lot closer without that particular subject clouding all their conversations. It helped not having to lie about Clark and though they didn’t go out of their way to describe in too much detail about Kal-El and Krypton, Lana at least knew that there was a good reason for secrecy. It also said something about her feelings regarding Clark’s welfare that she kept the truth from her husband to be, Lex.

 

“Anyway, I called Lex and I told him that I’d like to do something special for Lana and you know how extravagant billionaires can be?” Chloe teased.

 

“I’ve got some idea,” Lois threw Chloe a pointed look for invoking the Oliver factor. “Move along Sullivan.”

 

Chloe laughed, “Well he offered the use of the Luthor jet to take us to Acapulco for the weekend.”

 

“Acapulco, as in beaches and tanned cabana boys giving you drinks with cute umbrellas in them, that Acapulco?” Lois asked with interested.

 

“That’s the one,” Chloe smiled. “I figured we’d take Lana down there, get in some shopping, some beach time and take her mind of Nell not being able to show up”

 

“Sounds good to me,” Lois replied. “Although I can tell you now, we’re going to have a problem with this.” She looked at her cousin with a knowing expression.

 

“Clark?” Chloe said with a wince.

 

“Clark.”

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

 

“I don’t like this,” Clark Kent grumbled after hearing Lois’ plans for the weekend.

 

“Big surprise there Smallville,” Lois sighed exchanging a look with Martha Kent who was presently in the kitchen preparing dinner for her son and the young woman who was like a daughter to her, in more ways than one now that she and Clark were dating. “Help me out here Mrs. Kent. We’re trying to give Lana a great weekend away. So what if it’s Lex paying the bill. She is his fiancée.”

 

Clark Kent’s expression soured whenever that phrase was used in context with Lex Luthor and Lana Lang. Even if he was over her, Clark was not at all happy that the person she had pledged her life to was Lex. Not after Clark had seen what Lex was capable of, the least of which is involvement in Section 33.1.

 

“Clark honey,” Martha approached from the kitchen, removing the oven mitts over her fingers, “I know you don’t like it but whatever else Lex might be, it does really look like he cares for Lana and this isn’t about Lex, this is about Lana’s friends taking her away for a weekend. I don’t see any harm in it.”

 

“What are you going to do all weekend anyway?” Clark grumbled, knowing when he was outvoted. This was almost as bad when he’d get outvoted by his parents instead of his mother and his girlfriend.  Actually the question wasn’t so much what they would do all weekend but rather what he would do all weekend. It wasn’t as if he had any guy friends to hang out with since Pete left town and Lex, well Lex was no friend that was sure. Maybe he’d take a trip himself, run down to Star City and hang with Oliver for a few days.

 

“It is a resort, we’ll find something to do other than check out cute cabana boys,” Lois teased, giving him a wink of pure mischief.

 

“Oh make me feel better, why don’t you?” he sulked, flopping onto to the sofa unhappily.

 

“Oh come on Smallville,” Lois sat down next to him and wrapped an arm around him, “you’re kind of a tough act to follow you know, I wouldn’t worry.”

 

“Really?” Clark looked at her with a smug smile guessing there were some perks to being Kryptonian although impressing his girlfriend wouldn’t have been one Jor-El or his father would approve of.

 

“Really,” Lois leaned in to give him a quick kiss.

 

Martha smiled, returning to the kitchen seeing that all was well between Clark and Lois. Even though the relationship had taken her by surprise, she had to admit, she was pleased by how well it worked. Perhaps there had been something there from the very first, which could explain the duo’s early relationship. Martha couldn’t say for certain but anything that made her boy happy won his mother’s heart.

 

“It wouldn’t be a bad thing for Chloe either,” Lois added as Martha made her retreat.  “I think she needs to get away for a wild weekend. I think she’s still a little sore over Jimmy.”

 

“Jimmy,” Clark shrugged. For some reason, Clark couldn’t seem to like Jimmy Olsen. Maybe the guy tried to hard or something, Clark couldn’t put his finger on it. Certainly, he didn’t think Jimmy was good enough for Chloe.

 

“Oh stop it Smallville,” Lois smacked him playfully. “He made her very happy you know.”

 

“Then he shouldn’t have left,” Clark retorted. “I mean if I felt that strongly for a girl, I wouldn’t be going anywhere.”

 

“Well you do sort of have an unfair advantage Clark, not everyone can fly rings around the planet faster than the speed of sound.”

 

“Hey I’ve only tried that once,” Clark protested, “and I was so wiped out when I got home that I ate everything in the house including that box of stale cheerios you left here six months ago.”

 

“I remember,” Lois retorted. “I had to pick up Clarkie a new bag of dog biscuits.”

 

Clark gave her a look, “his name is Shelby and stop changing the subject.”

 

“Clark,” Martha came out of the kitchen again, setting the casserole she had been making on the table, prompting Lois to help with setting the table. “You know Chloe didn’t want him to miss such great opportunity. I mean compared to working in the basement of the Daily Planet, his pictures in a book is quite an accomplishment. If it were me, I’d tell him to go too.”

 

“Ditto,” Lois added as she started putting placemats across the table.


”Great, now you’re ganging up on me,” he complained as he stood up to help. “I’m just saying that if he really, really cared about her, he’d stay. Job opportunity or not.”

 

“Well he didn’t,” Lois frowned at him. “He went and she’s feeling miserable so if Lex Luthor is willing to pony up a free trip to a place where she might meet someone nice and have a good time, you are going to put on a smile and wish us bon voyage? Got it?”


Lois’ tone indicated that this wasn’t up for negotiation.

 

“Mom?” Clark looked to Martha for help.

 

“Didn’t you say you were old enough to make your own decisions, sweetie?” Martha replied with a smile of mischief.

 

“Fine,” he rolled his eyes muttering, “throw that back in my face.”

 

“Look,” Lois came up to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “A couple of Mai Tais, a few sail boarding lessons and both Chloe and Lana will be as good as new. Trust me, we’ll be fine. What could possibly go wrong?”

 

Clark stared at her with a straight face, “is this a trick question?”

 

“Clark are you impugning my ability to keep us out of trouble?” She looked at him through narrowed eyes, dropping her arms to her hips in classic female in battle pose.

 

“Lois, you are trouble,” Clark blurted out.  “If you had a middle name, it would be trouble or catastrophe.”

 

“Smallville, I can’t talk to you like this.” Lois threw her hands up in defeat. ‘Just for that, I am not bringing you back a souvenir.”

                           

***********

 

Subject: England is great!

 

From: JOlsen@hotmail.com

 

To: Chloe.Sullivan@DPlanet.com

 

====================================================

 

Hey Chloe,

 

I’m sorry I took a few days to get back to your last email but I kind of got swamped. Mr. Nelson is pretty cool; we’ve been traveling all over England the last few days. See the attachment for my shots of Glastonbury and Salisbury Plain. Got some amazing shots although I wish it wasn’t so damn wet. It’s always raining here. Anyway, tell Lois I looked up your cousin Lucy. She’s pretty cool. Lucy’s been showing me around London. We’ve been to a couple of bars…or as they call them here ‘pubs’. I can’t get used to the taste of warm beer or why they call fries chips. I guess that’s they need a travel book so dumb Americans like us get it.


I’ll be heading across the Channel tomorrow; Lucy says she might tag along while we go through France. Mr. Nelson doesn’t seem to mind and Lucy is pretty cool. I’ll write again when I can.  Miss you.

 

 

Love

 

Jimmy.

 

***********

 

Sometimes making the sacrifice for love could really suck.

 

Chloe tried not to feel jealous as she read the email from Jimmy, especially when he continued to describe how great a time he was having with Lucy Lane, Lois’ younger sister and her cousin. Lucy was not only flighty and a looker, she was also charming to the opposite sex and generally great fun to be with. Not at all like Jimmy’s regular girlfriend, girl Friday to a clandestine super hero from Krypton and basement dweller in the Daily Planet.

 

She knew she shouldn’t feel bad. Jimmy had been prepared to turn it down but the offer was too good and he was languishing here in the Daily Planet, Chloe knew it.  Furthermore, if she had been a little bit more supportive when he presented his ‘Lex working with the Egyptians’ theory before he went up to Pauline Kahn’s office to pitch the idea, he might not have been relegated to the basement with her.

 

Still, hindsight was everything and now she was sitting here feeling miserable and alone with the only thing of note in her social calendar, being Lana’s bachelorette party. Clark and Lois had been nice enough to invite her out whenever they went to the movies and the Talon but Chloe felt like a third wheel even though both had tried their hardest to not make her feel that way.

 

“Hey, Madame Editor,” a voice called out to her from the other side of the room. Chloe looked up and saw a familiar face that made her smile somewhat.

 

“Mr. White.” Chloe smiled at the legendary newsman who path had crossed hers and Clark some three years ago. “What are you doing here?” She asked pushing away from her desk to meet him at the door.

 

“Well I got on my knees and begged my old pal Pauline for a job and after letting me sweat it out as a freelancer for a couple years, I’ve finally earned a desk in the news room.”

 

“That’s wonderful,” Chloe said truly pleased. Perry White was a journalist of the highest caliber and after some unfortunate run ins with Lionel Luthor had been commended to the journalistic wilderness for a time. It was good to see him back. “I’m really happy for you.”

 

“Thank you kindly Madame Editor,” he said using the term fondly, remembering the young woman’s indignation when he suggested that she might have made up her stories for the Smallville Torch. “If you don’t mind doing some research for me, I could use your help.”


Helping out a newsman like Perry White, Chloe’s eyes widened in eagerness. “Absolutely, what can I do for you?”

 

“It isn’t much really,” Perry explained. “Something strange going on in Tierra Colorada. Seems like there’s been a rash of kidnappings. It isn’t unusual for places south of the border to pick off tourists that venture out into the sticks and hold them for ransom. In Brazil, it’s a part of the tourist experience, like Mardi Gras.”

 

“Oh,” Chloe retorted, thinking about their trip that weekend and made a mental note to tell Lois, that they should stick to the resort and not go wandering too far off the beaten track. “That’s good to know.”

 

“Why planning a trip down that way?” Perry asked with a smirk.

 

“Something like that,” Chloe answered, opting not to tell him that she was joining Lex Luthor’s fiancée for a weekend away. “I’ll get right on this Mr. White.”

 

“Call me Perry,” the older man said starting to leave. “Thanks Madame Editor, you’re a lifesaver.”

 

“Like I haven’t heard that before,” Chloe sighed before picking up the file and getting to work. 

 

These days, it was the story of her life.

Chapter Two:

Can We saw Awkward?

 

 

“You know I could fly you to Acapulco,” Clark suggested, giving Lois the look which always drove her crazy because she could never tell whether he was joking with her or not.

 

On this occasion, Lois was going to go with the obvious since this suggestion was only being offered because they were driving towards the private hangar where the Luther Corp jet was presently awaiting them.  Although Clark had relented in his disapproval long enough to agree that Chloe and Lana needed cheering up, the Kansas farm boy was still rather unhappy that this ‘mood lifting exercise’ was going to be carried out on Lex’s dollar.

 

“As fun as that would be, I don’t trust you with my luggage,” she retorted with a smirk. “Come on Clark, for me? Lighten up?’


Clark frowned, staring through the windscreen at the approaching hangar as the truck took the familiar road to the edge of the tarmac. However, a sidelong glance at Lois, especially when she did that pouty lip thing and Clark knew he was going to be on his best behavior in front of Lex instead of dropping a house on the bald asshole. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t do it, you know. He could. At least he’d be willing to try. It wasn’t as if he was the first person from Kansas to drop a house on somebody.

 

Just call him Dorothy.

 

Or maybe not…because that sounded kind of gay.

 

“I really need to hang with more guys,” Clark muttered to himself.

 

Lois crooked an eye brow up at him and shook her head. “You know I love you Smallville but sometimes, you being from Krypton is not the weirdest thing about you.”

 

“Yeah,” Clark agreed with a nod as he sighted Chloe’s car ahead and already parked. “My ability to eat your cooking is.” He threw her a grin.

 

“Hey!” She punched him lightly on the arm since hitting him hard would only result in busted knuckles, damn invulnerability. “That is so not the way to talk to your girlfriend just before she jet sets to a place where there are half naked cabana boys serving cocktails.”

 

Clark threw her a dark look, “you know I could fly up there and check up on you.”

 

“And if I caught you, kryptonite will be the least of your problems,” she warned with a wicked gleam in her eye that soon evaporated into affection as she sidled up to him and planted a kiss on his cheek.

 

The banter was one of the best things about their relationship. Lois and Clark had found out early in their relationship that their verbal sparring was often the precursor to some pretty intense making out. Even though the fallout from Kal and Zod had kept them from being completely intimate, it did not hinder the passion they felt for each other.

 

“I’m going to miss you Smallville, even for the weekend.” Lois confessed as Clark brought the truck to a halt near Chloe’s car.

 

Clark looked at her and smiled once they were stopped, “you sure? Even with all the guys you’re going to be running into on the beach?” He teased.

 

“I told you once Clark,” she leaned in for a deeper kiss. “You’re a tough act to follow.”

 

He smiled at the remark, liking that bit of reassurance and returning her kiss, grateful for the opportunity to say their goodbyes before having to get out the truck and facing Lex and Lana.

 

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

 

Chloe had already left her car and was talking to Lana and Lex when Clark’s truck was sighted.

 

Get ready for awkward, Chloe thought silently as she saw Lex stiffen involuntarily at the arrival of his fiancée’s ex-boyfriend. She wondered if Lana had coaxed Lex into behaving the same way Lois would have almost certainly done to Clark.  Although the ex-lovers were at a good place in their friendship now, there was no denying the sore point Lana’s impending nuptials to Lex continued to be.

 

Clark just knew too much about Lex’s dark secrets to be able to condone the marriage.

 

However, he had learnt his lesson about trying to convince Lana and these days, Clark took both hers and Lois’ advice and just shut up. Still, it was fun to see Clark turn purple with indignation sometimes.

 

As Clark and Lois said their private farewells to each other before emerging into the lion’s den, Chloe regarded the other couple on the field. Lex was trying not to look uncomfortable as he and Lana stood next to the limousine while his driver unloaded her bags. Despite being able to wear an almost perfect façade of indifference most of the time, Chloe didn’t miss his subtle glances at Lana and then Clark. It almost looked as if he was sizing up Lana’s reaction to Clark and Lois.

 

Ignoring the emotional currents swirling thickly around them, Chloe flashed Lana the most cheerful expression she could muster, without being under the influence of meteor Gatorade, to defuse any tension before it had time to form. “Lana, I checked the weather report in Acapulco and it’s definitely going to be sunny all weekend.”

 

“I look forward to seeing the tan,” Lex said throwing Lana an affectionate smile.

 

“I don’t know how much tanning I’m going to do,” Lana smiled, looking down at the slightly prominent swell of her stomach. “My bikini lounging days are done for a while.”

 

Enter Sore Point No.2, Chloe thought and was grateful that Clark wasn’t here for that statement.

 

“God, you’re barely showing,” Chloe shrugged it off. It was a lie of course. Although Lana looked more or less the same, she had the radiance of a woman with child. Her cheeks looked fuller, her weight was up and if Chloe had to pick a word, the stereotypical ‘ripe’ would have done.

 

“I think you look beautiful even if you are getting fat,” he teased.

 

“Nice,” Lana jabbed him in the ribs. “Have a heart for the pregnant woman.” She pouted a little before those porcelain perfect features broke into a smile.

 

“So any of those weird cravings yet?” Chloe asked, getting into the spirit of things. “Has she sent you out for M & M’s and pickles?”

 

“M & M’s?” Lex looked down at her with a raised brow.

 

“It’s her favorite topping at the sundae bar,” Chloe winked. “But they have to be red M & Ms.”

 

“I like the color they leave my tongue,” Lana retorted with a perfectly straight face before joining Chloe’s and Lex’s laughter.

 

“Hey all!” Lois announced hers and Clark’s arrival by that exuberant greeting.  Like Chloe, Lois was doing her best to make this awkward moment tumble by as painlessly as possible.


”Hi Lana,” Clark greeted Lana warmly, ignoring Lex for the moment.

 

“Hi you two,” Lana said genuinely pleased he had come to see Lois off. She hated the enmity that existed between Lex and Clark and missed the days when there were all friends. However, thinking on that only caused Lana to feel guilt since reason those days were gone had more than a little to do with her.

 

Clark and Lex faced each other and Chloe exchanged a glance with Lois and Lana, knowing whatever attempt any of them had made to ease the tension was shot promptly to hell.

 

“Clark,” Lex said evenly.

 

“Lex,” Clark returned with just as much casual indifference.

 

We meet again, my arch nemesis. Chloe added silently to their greeting and almost chuckled out loud. Bad Chloe!

 

 “Maybe we should get going,” Lana spoke up with just a hint of nervousness in her voice as she tried to ignore the hostility between the two barely concealed by false civility.

 

“I need to have a word with the pilot,” Lex remarked, taking the opportunity to leave the scene and avoid any further discourse with his former best friend.

 

“I’ll get the bags,” Clark retorted, heading back to the truck to gather Lois and Chloe’s things. Chloe had packed her bags earlier that day with instructions given to bring them with him when he gave Lois a ride to the airport, allowing Chloe drive straight there herself from Metropolis.

 

When the two had gone, Lana let out a loud sigh. “Maybe we should throw them in a pit and make them fight until they get it out of their systems.” Lana suggested.

 

“I put ten quatloos on the farm boy,” Chloe smirked.

 

“You have spent way too much time on the Internet,” Lois retorted shaking her head.

 

 

***********

 

In the background, the rumble of turbine engines had dulled to a low drone as the jet waited for its three occupants to board. Clark felt the rush of wind through his air from the spinning blades. He saw Lex and Lana saying their goodbyes and did not let his gaze linger upon them for too long. He didn’t know why it was still difficult to see them together even when though he loved Lois and could not imagine being without her. Perhaps it was the knowledge of how big a catastrophe Lana was headed with Lex that made Clark so concerned.

 

In any case, Lana had been willing to protect his secret despite her marriage to Lex so Clark resolved himself to say nothing more to change her mind or show her his disapproval. No matter how much he might loath the idea.

 

Tearing himself away from them because it would avail him nothing and he was here for Lois and Chloe, Clark regarded the two most important people in his life next to his mother.

 

“I guess you better get going,” he sighed with a look of longing. Clark wished he was going because a weekend of sun and surf with Lois sounded like a lot of fun and worse yet, he had no real plans for the weekend except to miss them both.  Still, Clark had learned that it was important to give his friends space sometime and solitude wasn’t something he wasn’t accustomed to.

 

“You gonna be okay?” Lois asked, noting the look he had been giving Lana and Lex and ignoring how little uncomfortable that made her feel.

 

“Yeah,” Clark replied shrugging, noticing nothing. “I got a ton of stuff to do on the farm that I haven’t gotten around to,” he lied putting on a stiff upper lip to show that he wasn’t going to be miserable while she was gone.

 

“I’m going to miss you,” Lois said giving him a hug which Clark was happy to return. “I’ll call you as soon as I get there.” The hug was climaxed by another deep kiss.

 

Chloe cleared her throat, trying not to be affected by the farewells being traded by the two couples. Instead, she busied herself by checking the contents of her handbag, as if there was something totally engrossing amongst her hair brush and her roll of Lifesavers.

 

“Hey Chloe,” Clark pulled away from Lois, his enhanced hearing picking up Chloe’s sounds and looked at his best friend. “Do me a favor and keep Lois out of trouble?”

 

“Always planned on doing that Clark,” Chloe smiled as he came towards her and gave her a quick hug as well.  As he did so, Clark whispered quietly in her ear. “Have a good time okay? You need cheering up too,” he remarked, his voice affectionate.

 

Damn. Just when she thought she was going to get away without any kind of emotional response, Clark Kent decides to be super sweet and make her go all misty.

 

“Thanks Clark,” she returned, aware that being alone right now was really bothering her.


Actually it wasn’t so much that Jimmy was gone but rather as much as she missed him, she didn’t miss him like Clark would miss Lois or Lex might miss Lana. The problem was Chloe didn’t really feel passion for Jimmy Olsen, just a deep affection and that just wasn’t the same. Of course, her friends believed that she was moping over Jimmy and as long as they left the subject alone, she was fine with them continuing to believe that.


For once, Chloe intended to keep the affairs of her heart private.

 

***********

 

Clark and Lex watched as the girls finally boarded the plane and he continued to watch through the fuselage as Lois, Chloe and Lana got settled into the seats of the expensive jet. In the cockpit, the pilot went through the motions of taking off, the plane beginning to taxi onto the runway.  Clark could see Lois waving at him through the window with Chloe doing the same.  Clark waved back at them, already feeling the ache of missing them both as the plane continued towards the runway.


”Make sure that’s Lois you’re waving at,” Lex couldn’t help but dig as they stood next to each other on the tarmac, watching the plane carrying their respective partners to far off places.

 

“Blow it out your ass Lex,” Clark retorted through the smile on his face for the girl’s benefit.


”Bite me farm boy,” Lex returned just as snidely.

 

“You’re not my type,” Clark said still smiling until the plane finally turned and Lois and Lana could no longer either of them.

 

“I should have run you over with my Porsche,” Lex growled turning toward his limousine.

 

Clark snorted and replied in kind, “I should have let you drown.”

 

***********

 

ACAPULCO – THE DAY BEFORE

 

Tanya Fox had always promised herself she’d never go in for one of these things.

 

Born and raised in Harlem, Tanya had prided herself in never allowing fortune to turn her into a pretentious person. She was very aware that as a middle aged woman with a very successful husband, she was allowed to indulge herself in his money. However, too much of Tanya remembered what it was like to go without, to have to worry about how the bills were paid for her to ever live extravagantly without pause.

 

So it was with begrudging reluctance that she allowed herself to be dragged to the Majestic Centre Spa for a day of decadent indulgence. She had always thought herself to be above that sort of thing when she found herself sinking into mud baths, being treated to body wraps and other processes she had always considered undignified. One should grow old with class, she often told herself. Still, time had a way of eroding one’s indignation to such things with every new wrinkle and every new strand of grey hair.

 

Convinced by her friends at home to try something new on this vacation, Tanya had checked herself into the Spa for an entire day of treatments. She had to confess by the time she was done for the evening and the sun had set over the horizon of the balmy Mexican city, she had more or less made peace with her principles in regards to the indulgence.  Leaving the building which was surrounded by leafy green trees framing the walk to the street, Tanya glanced at her watch and knew that she would make dinner with Lucius looking rather fabulous.

 

Ever since Lucius had been appointed CEO of Wayne Industries, Tanya had to confess feeling less than glamorous next to her successful husband especially when they were called onto attend the many social functions that the position demanded. She supposed that’s half the reason she had come to the Majestic Centre Spa, was so she’d look like a corporate wife, not a dowdy homemaker who was eating more pies than she was baking.


Hopefully her taxi would be waiting to take her back to her hotel where her poor husband had been trying to conduct business while keeping a leash on his rather flighty employer. Long shadows made the path she walked rather ominous and Tanya hasten her pace to reach the street she could see not far away.  Although the moon was full in the sky, the tropical vegetation around her made the place seem darker and Tanya who was too accustomed to living in Gotham City, knew there was reason to fear the dark.

 

She had almost reached the street and the comfort of street lights when suddenly something stepped out of the shadows and grabbed her around the throat, dragging her off the path and into the foliage. Tanya opened her mouth to scream but her voice was silenced by the rag clamped over her face. Not realizing until after she had done it, the woman inhaled deeply out of fright and breathed in a face full of chloroform.

 

By the time she identified the smell, her legs had already buckled beneath her and Tanya Fox knew nothing more.

 

Chapter Three:

A Perfect Ten

 

“Lana,” Lois Lane said with a smile. “I have something to say.”

 

“Oh?” Lana Lang glanced at Lois, pausing in her industrious efforts to apply suntan lotion over her person. Lex might want to see a tan but Lana had definitive ideas on the subject of skin cancer and its prevention.

 

“Yep,” Lois nodded from the beach chair she was stretched out across, soaking in the morning sun. “I think that no matter what happens, one of us should always keep a millionaire on tap to keep us all in the lifestyle we’ve become so accustomed to.”

 

“Hey I’m doing my part,” Lana retorted laughing as she went back to her lotion application.

 

“And we all thank you for it,” Lois grinned.

 

“From the bottom of our Mai Tais,” Chloe Sullivan grinned. “Or we will later,” she laughed, toasting Lana with her glass of orange juice. Weekend away or not; Chloe was not going for alcohol at this time of the morning.

 

The three friends were presently stretched out on beach chairs fronting a glorious stretch of beach, enjoying the mid morning sun since the agenda for the rest of the day was some sightseeing.  Balmy breezes caused the gentle rustle of palm tree leaves in the background and the warmth was a welcome change from the cool Kansas climate. At this time of the morning, the beach was nowhere as crowded and the exclusivity of the hotel ensured that only guests were allowed to enjoy this section of the shore. 

 

Although it was decidedly decadent, no one was complaining.

 

The hotel was called the Quinto Real Acapulco and Lex had booked them into nothing less than the Presidential Suite.

 

When Chloe had first suggested this weekend to cheer Lana up at Nell’s absence from her bridal shower, the reporter had left the details to Lex since security was a major issue with any fiancée of Lex Luthor’s. Chloe had acquiesced in the arrangement of their accommodation because she understood his concerns for Lana. However, upon arriving at the hotel, Chloe could not help but be awed by the truly luxury accommodations Lex had arranged for them.

 

”You know I’m all for this idea of exploring the town,” Lois remarked basking in the heat, ‘but I’m thinking, we stay put for at least a few hours.”

 

“Sounds good to me…” Lana remarked and then noted something, which made her smirk. “Since the view is not too bad.”

 

“The view is gorgeous,” Lois agreed staring at the ocean in the distance, “but I like the sun better.” She raised her face up to it, squinting behind her sunglasses.

 

“Uh I don’t think Lana was taking about the beach,” Chloe chuckled, following Miss Lang’s gaze.

 

“What?” Lois lifted her head and removed the glasses when she saw what they were looking at “very nice.”

 

Very nice was not a description that did the man any justice. Next to Clark Kent, what was walking across the beach had to be the most impressive specimen of manhood Chloe Sullivan had ever seen.  Tanned and lean, he was muscled without being overly buff. For some reason, his physique reminded Chloe of Oliver Queen but Oliver lacked the sheer jaw dropping quality this man seemed to have. Dark haired, chiseled features and eyes that Chloe thought looked older than his years made up the rest of the package. Those eyes studied everything she noticed as he walked, moving across the beach before coming to a rest on the three of them.

 

“Damn,” Lana blushed, “we’ve been made.”

 

Chloe averted her eyes, trying to be caught staring but forgot subtle was not in the cards when Lois Lane had the floor. Applause broke out as Lois started clapping with Lana and Chloe staring at her in a mixture of surprise and horror.

 

“A definite ten,” Lois called out to the guy as he walked past, still clapping, “Very impressive!”

 

“Lois Lane!” Chloe exclaimed. “Remember Clark?” She said under her breath.

 

“Hey I love Clark,” Lois retorted, delighting in the blush that was turning her two friends Technicolor. “But last I looked I still had a pulse. I’m not ashamed to give credit where credit is due.”

 

“Oh God, he’s coming over,” Lana replied. “Lois, I’m engaged.” She frowned. Temptation like this, she did not need.

 

“Hey I only applauded,” Lois said with complete innocence, “I wasn’t looking for a date.” Though she did throw Chloe a glance that got her nudged for her trouble.

 

He was smiling at them as he approached, an expression of bemusement on that perfect face.  Chloe continued to stare at him, trying to place his him but the answer was maddeningly elusive. Up close, she noted that he was about the same age as Oliver, in his mid twenties. Once again, Chloe thought his eyes looked much, much older.

 

“Ladies,” he greeted them with a charming smile, moving across each woman with methodical inspection, lingering on the blond for a moment before regarding Lois. “Thank you for the generous ten. It’s good to know the time at the gym was entirely wasted.”

 

“It wasn’t,” Lois answered, cockily, showing no guilt at being called out for her forward behavior especially when he was so good humored about. “We were just exercising our right to be as equally sexist as men.”

 

“I’m all for equal rights,” he returned smoothly before shifting his attention to Lana. “You’re Lana Lang right? Engaged to Lex, Lex Luthor?” The girl had been a regular fixture on the society pages ever since the announcement, that and one rather unsavory article by gossip columnist Linda Lake.

 

“That’s right,” Lana smiled at him and had to admit, he was devastatingly handsome. “Do you know Lex?” She asked, noting an air of familiarity in which he spoke about her fiancé.

 

“We went to the same prep school for a time,” he answered. “I’m Bruce Wayne,” he introduced himself finally. “Congratulations on your engagement, Lex is a lucky man.”

 

“Thank you,” Lana said graciously. 

 

“Bruce Wayne of Gotham?” Chloe spoke up, aware that she could sometimes disappear in the radiance of her two friends. The Bruce Wayne who recently returned after a seven-year absence from his hometown, after being presumed dead. Wow, talk about a man of mystery.

 

“All my life,” he turned that high-powered gaze on the blond woman who unlike the other two weren’t captivating but there was something about her that was inherently pleasing. He supposed the word that came to mind was sweet. She was sweet.  “And you are?”

 

“Chloe Sullivan,” she answered somewhat sheepishly now that he had turned his attention on her.  God, he really was good looking. Unfortunately, if his reputation was anything to go by, he was just as vacuous.

 

“Chloe Sullivan,” he seemed to ruminate “Of the Daily Planet. That was an interesting byline, Miss Sullivan,” he commented without missing a beat, “did they ever catch Mr. McNally?”

 

Chloe’s eyes widened in pleasant surprise that he had read her article about Farmer McNally who had killed a number of illegal immigrants on his property. If it were not for Clark, McNally would still be conducting his grisly slave labor operation. “You read that story?”

 

“I found it interesting,” he answered with a smile. In truth, what Bruce Wayne found interesting was what the article didn’t say.  How McNally was able to bury so many bodies without witnesses or evidence or how the bodies had been interred. Some of the corpses had been found intertwined in tree roots and beneath undisturbed earth and Bruce was curious to know how that was possible.

 

Lois and Lana exchanged looks as wheels began turning concurrently in both their heads. “Oh Chloe would love to go into more detail,” Lois blurted out. “If you’re interested that is, Mr. Wayne.”

 

Chloe shot Lois a venomous look. While the prospect of getting some alone time with this guy was attractive (because she had a pulse too), Chloe would have preferred doing it herself and being less obvious about it. Subtle, Lois Lane was not. 

 

“Bruce, please.” he laughed, recognizing the ploy as well and returned Chloe a look of sympathy. “I would love to hear the ‘inside scoop’ on that story but right now I have a number of rather boring business meetings that I have to attend. However, if you ladies are free this evening. I would love for you to join me for dinner.”

 

It was not uncommon for Bruce Wayne to be seen with a bevy of women and with his ‘developing’ project in Gotham, it was necessary to maintain the façade wherever he went.

 

“We’d love to,” Lois answered before Chloe could respond and the latter made a mental note to murder her cousin when they were alone.

 

“In the hotel restaurant at seven?” Bruce suggested

 

“At seven,” Lois replied winking at Chloe who was already reciting her apology to Clark for Lois’ battery death by beach bag.

 

“Until then,” the man retreated, making a mental note to ensure a picture ended up on a newspaper somewhere of all three of them.

 

It would divert attention for the real reason he was in Acapulco.

 

**********

 

“What in the hell was that?” Chloe glared at Lois once Bruce Wayne was far enough away to not hear the outburst.

 

“What?” Lois looked at her cousin innocently while Lana continued to chuckle.

 

“That!” She gestured at the direction Bruce Wayne had gone.

 

“Hey I was doing you a favor,” Lois exclaimed. “Who knew Bruce Wayne could read?” Being a sometimes tabloid reporter meant Lois knew exactly what Wayne was getting up, even more than Chloe even. “And not only does he read, he reads your stuff and remembers it.”

 

Well Chloe couldn’t deny that was terribly flattering. After all, what writer didn’t love a little bit of attention now and then? Not to mention that Bruce had a smile that could stop traffic. Despite herself, Chloe found herself blushing a bit at the way he had regarded at her when he realized she had wrote the McNally article. “It could have been a good piece…”

 

“Sure it could have,” Lana said with a straight face, “and maybe he has a thing for blondes.”

 

“We’re supposed to be here cheering you up!” Chloe pointed out. “Not inducting me into the ‘dates a billionaire’ club!”

 

“Well I know I’m finding this very mood lifting,” Lana replied smiling. “Besides, he is very charming and I wouldn’t mind hearing all about Lex at prep school.”

 

She’d be the only one, Chloe thought but kept that remark to herself. “What about Jimmy?” Chloe countered.

 

“Are you planning on having wild monkey sex off a chandelier with Mr. Wayne?” Lois blurted out, using blunt force trauma as always.

 

“NO!” Chloe exclaimed, turning redder if such a thing was possible.

 

“Then what’s the harm?” Lois exclaimed exasperated. “Its dinner and we’re on vacation. Besides, Wayne throws great dinner parties I hear.  At the very least, you get to quiz him on where he’s been the last seven years…”

 

“I suppose,” Chloe frowned, still disliking it intensely that her friends felt that she needed fixing up. Still a good reporter was all about taking chances and an interview with Bruce Wayne could get her out of the basement at the Planet and into a newsroom. No more obituaries.

 

“And you could get the scoop on what his plans are now that he’s back,” Clark Kent’s girlfriend added.

 

“That’s true,” Chloe nodded, already contemplating the questions she could ask. Much of Bruce Wayne’s life prior to his absence was well documented. Both parents gunned down brutally before him as a child and his youth was interspersed by a series of preps schools and colleges where he never stayed long and cemented his reputation as being flighty.  The man they had spoken to did not seem like the playboy that everyone talked about and Chloe had to confess this was fodder for a great story.

 

“And if there’s wild monkey sex…who could it hurt?” Lana quipped, sneaking that sentence in while being barely able to maintain her composure.

 

“Ye…. HEY!”  Chloe growled as her two friends burst out laughing.

 

*********

 

 

Tanya Fox had gone to hell.

 

That was the only explanation she could come up with about her present surroundings. Waking up from her chloroform induced stupor; she had found in unfamiliar surroundings, her cheek digging into a hard, uneven surface. However, even before she opened her eyes to look around, her other senses had been stabbed into awareness.  A pungent, acrid aroma filled the air, a smell she remembered from her days as a nurse.

 

It was human waste.

 

Her stomach hollowed and she heard voices of other people, their breathing, their sobs and their continued demands to be released. Their voices were close and filled her with dread, making her hesitant to open her eyes because seeing would make this nightmare all too real. Closing her eyes, she could convince herself that it was a bad dream, that she would wake up and find herself back in her hotel with Lucius, getting ready to return home to her children in Gotham. Yet the smell, the wailing and the discomfort she felt allowed her no retreat in to such a calming fantasy and almost against her will, Tanya opened her eyes.

 

She was inside a cavern.

 

From the look of it, she could tell that it was deep underground. There was no natural light other than that provided by the primitive torches hanging against the wall. The air was cool and stale, as if circulation was difficult. She was in a cage made of wood and rope, a primitive thing that one might see in a cheesy Hollywood movie like King Solomon’s mines or something. Through the bars, she could see other cages. Some were filled with other occupants and others were not, their doors were splayed open like mouths agape.

 

The emptiness inside them made her afraid.

 

A young woman occupied the cage nearest to Tanya. She looked no more than eighteen years old.  She was hugging her knees tight under her chin, her dark gold hair matted. Dressed in a shirt and khaki shorts, Tanya gathered she might have been one of those backpackers that traveled the world to find themselves before college or something of the sort.

 

“Hello,” Tanya called out to her.

 

The girl raised her eyes to Tanya and even through the flickering light of the cavern Tanya could see the puffiness that indicated the girl had been crying quite a lot. “Do you know where we are?

 

The girl’s eyes darted about anxiously, almost as if she was afraid to answer. It took several seconds of waiting before she finally decided to speak. “I don’t know,” she said in a soft, uneven voice. “I was out with my friends at Tierra Coronada when they took me. I had to go to the ladies room when they grabbed me into the bushes. When I woke up, I was here.”

 

Which was more or less what had happened to her, Tanya thought fearfully.

 

“What do they want with us?”

 

“To kill us,” another voice retorted.

 

“Kill?” Tanya exclaimed in horror. She had thought that this was some kind of ransom thing. Lucius had advised her about leaving the city without an escort for this particular reason. “Why would they kill us?”

 

“I don’t know,” the voice belonged to a man in his 30’s. He was Caucasian, pudgy and white. The hands wrapped around the bars of his cage appeared to be soft and manicured. Another tourist. “But they are going to kill us.”

 

“How do you know?” Tanya asked, almost afraid to ask.

 

He looked at the empty cages and gave her the answer.

 

 

 Chapter Four:

Dinner with Bruce Wayne

 

The airplane descended steeply, its nose diving head on towards the ground.

 

Another gust of wind and it righted itself, flying upwards but rolling on its side out of control. When the force of the currents dissipated, it began to make its perilous descent. It began to enter a spiral and its pilot, knowing that would more or less be the end of any flight try to regain control. A vacuum of air followed and in the suction, the plane leveled off briefly before riding the gentle breathe of air once more, maintaining its altitude.

 

“Bored?” Martha Kent asked Clark as she stepped into the loft and watched her son torturing the paper plane he had made with his super breath.


Clark Kent looked at his mother and stopped what he was doing immediately, causing the airplane to nose dive straight into the floor, an embarrassed expression on his face at being caught.

 

“Not at all,” he said trying to maintain his dignity by feigning nonchalance. “I’m just sitting here, trying to decide what I’m going to do first.”

 

“I see,” Martha nodded, wearing a look on her face which indicated she didn’t believe him for one second. The lady lowered herself next to her son on the sofa. “I thought you were going to Star City to hang out with Oliver.”

 

“Can’t,” he muttered. “Oliver’s on Section 33.1 business somewhere in Russia.”

 

“Why don’t you join him?” Martha suggested. “You can fly now.  It might be a good exercise for you to see if you can make it that far.”

 

“I don’t know,” Clark shrugged. Although he had been flying for a few weeks now, he had been taking it easy. As exhilarating as the experience was, it required some effort to maintain a controlled flight without landing through someone’s roof with most of his attempts being conducted at night so that he wasn’t seen.

 

Besides, it wasn’t much fun without Lois.

                                                                     

When he took her flying, he forgot all about his fear of heights because his concentration was fixed solely on ensuring that he didn’t fall with Lois in his arms. The fear for her safety had disciplined him, not to mention her talking had the effect of distracting him so that he didn’t freak out when he looked down.

 

“You can’t sit around here all weekend, moping.” Martha pointed out.

 

“I’m not moping,” Clark said defensively but it was true he was moping. He hated how much he missed Lois and Chloe not being around. Then again, he also missed not having Pete to shoot hoops with and worse yet, hanging with Lex like he used to. 

 

“Really?” Martha looked at him skeptically.

 

“Hey I’m happy Lois is gone for the weekend,” Clark stood up, “I’ve got all these things I was going to do and you know how she hates farm work.”

 

“Uh huh,” Martha stood up herself to leave her son in his denial “whatever you say sweetie.”

 

Clark groaned inwardly because Martha was giving him the look that only mothers seemed to manage so expertly. “I’m not missing Lois or Chloe at all!” He called after her as she left.

 

Suddenly, his cell phone rang and before the second ring could sound Clark had already retrieved it from his jacket.


”Lois?”

 

“Hey Smallville,” Lois’ voice returned. “How are you doing?”

 

Clark burst into a wide grin, not realizing how much he missed hearing that obnoxious voice until now. “I’m fine,” he said using the same casual tone he had with his mother. “You’re lucky you caught me. I’m up to my neck in chores.”

 

“That’s great,” Lois said cheerfully before continuing on to tell Clark about the shopping expedition with Chloe and Lana at the Artisan’s Mall near Plaza Bahia followed by a visit to the Zocalo and finally lunch at La Vela, a restaurant on the wharf at Bahía de Puerto Marqués.

 

Clark listened feeling more and more depressed he wasn’t there but consoled himself with the fact that all three girls were having a great time, which made him feel less like a martyr.

 

“How’s Chloe doing?” He asked, since part of the reason for this trip was not only for Lana’s benefit but also to cheer Chloe up.

 

“Oh she’s fine,” Lois sniggered, recalling the morning at the beach. “We’ve got her a dinner date with a really hot guy.”

 

“Lois you know Chloe doesn’t like being fixed up,” he reminded. More accurate however, was Clark didn’t like Chloe being fixed up unless he got to meet the guy first and ensure he wasn’t evil, psychotic or worse yet, Jimmy.

 

“Oh trust me Clark,” Lois retorted, “she’ll like this one. It’s not every day I get my cousin a date with a hot billionaire.”


Why were they always billionaires?  Clark groaned inwardly. “Yeah because hooking up with those guys always works out so well. ”

 

“Don’t be so negative Smallville,” Lois declared. “Look Lana and I are going too so if he’s a creep, he’ll have all of us to contend with. Now I’ve got to get going, I’ll call you tonight after dinner okay?”

 

“Okay, okay,” Clark grumbled, hating to end the call. It had killed a few minutes. “Wait who is this guy anyway…..?”

 

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

 

“Bruce Wayne’s table please?” Lois asked the waiter once they entered the hotel’s restaurant which was located at the water’s edge to give its patrons a panoramic view of the ocean.

 

“This way please,” the man lead them through the main dining area of the restaurant to what appeared to a private area, cordoned off just for Mr. Wayne, away from the rest of the diners.

 

Despite the obvious fix-up and Lois’ optimistic belief that Bruce Wayne was interested in her, Chloe had to admit, her excitement over the evening was largely due to the fact that she was getting the opportunity to interview one of the most elusive men in America. Despite his well documented playboy antics, which seemed to grace every cover these days, very little about Wayne himself was known other than the tragic passing of his parents when he was a child. Other than that, Wayne was oddly private for someone who was so often in the public’s eyes lately.

 

Chloe brushed down the skirt of the scoop neck light gold brocade dress she had spent all together too much money on last month. She had been saving it for Lana’s wedding but when Lex told her where he had booked them into, Chloe decided that perhaps this was a good a place as any to debut it. Her hair pinned up in the style she had worn for prom, Chloe didn’t know why she was bothering. She was a reporter and this was supposed to be a business dinner, not a date, despite what Lois might think.

 

Lois as usual looked spectacular, her height making her look terrific in the black dress she wore and Lana looked good in any colour, in this case sapphire blue. Chloe half expected to fade into the background walking next to these two to Wayne’s table. Perhaps it was owing to the fact that both Lois and Lana had always come first in Clark Kent’s life that left Chloe a little bruised where her self esteem was concerned.  In any case, he was her best friend and whatever insecurities she might have felt in the past, all of it seemed incidental in the face of their friendship.

 

Bruce Wayne stood up when the three females were shown at last to his table.

 

After all day searching for any clue as to what might have happened to Tanya Fox, Bruce knew he needed some PR attention to give credence to the story that he was in Acapulco for pleasure not a secret investigation.  When Lucius Fox had called him at Wayne Manor more than a day ago, Bruce had had flown immediately here to learn what had happened to the man’s wife. Bruce had encouraged Lucius to take his wife along when some business required the CEO in Acapulco. Knowing how hard Lucius worked for him, Bruce wanted the man to share some time with his family.

 

After all, if anyone knew the importance of spending time with family, it was Bruce Wayne.

 

However, things had taken a turn for the worse after Tanya had vanished mysteriously. She had gone to a beauty appointment while Lucius was in meetings and had not come back. Worst still, owing to Lucius’ schedule, he hadn’t realized she was gone until later in the day when she didn’t return to their hotel room. Bruce was aware that it was common occurrence for foreign tourists to be held for ransom. It was never an exorbitant amount and most of the time the ordeal did not last any more than a few hours.  Abductees were returned quickly enough. Realizing that it would be more expedient to simply pay the money, Bruce had advised Lucius to wait for the ransom and pay it when it came.

 

Except nothing had.

 

And with each passing hour of silence, Bruce was more convinced that time was running out even if he did not know why.

 

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

 

It was difficult to concentrate when Bruce Wayne looked almost as incredible in a tux as he did in a pair of swim trunks, Chloe thought as she sat next to him at the table for four he had prepared for their dinner. So few men could really wear tuxedos but Bruce looked amazing at it and to her surprise, he did not sound like the boring wastrel that had apparently slept with super models’ galore back in Gotham.  Chloe had expected him to hit on all three of them but so far Bruce had made no such attempt. He was a perfect gentlemen.

 

Dinner was magnificent with the reputation of the hotel’s gourmet chef well deserved. The conversation too had been similarly pleasant. Bruce Wayne was indeed as charming as reported but he was on his best behavior tonight, Chloe noticed.  They discussed Mrs. Kent platform as a state Senator and Bruce had surprised Lois by revealing that he would be interested in becoming a contributor through the Wayne Foundation, his charity arm of his company.


The Wayne Foundation fascinated Lana who had been attempting to carve herself a place in Lex’s world by putting to good use some of Lex Corp’s vast resources to help the underprivileged of Metropolis. Chloe noticed that his answers to questions were remarkably generic, often remarking that Lucius Fox would handle the details and yet, for a man who claimed to not have any real knowledge of business workings, there was a lot going on behind those dark eyes.

 

The mystery of him deepened Chloe’s interest even more.

 

By the time dessert was served, Bruce had succeeded in winning the friendship of everyone at the table. In some ways, he was like Oliver Queen, compassionate about the less fortunate people in the world but there was subtlety to him that was difficult to pin down. Chloe doubted that even Oliver could pull it off as well as Bruce did. Fortunately Bruce Wayne leaned towards the Oliver Queen category of billionaire as opposed to the Lex Luthor.

 

“Oh my goodness,” Lana laughed after being told that Lex Luthor’s rendition of Gilbert and Sullivan’s ‘Model of Major General’ was still talked about by his classmates at Excelsior Academy. “I never thought of  Lex as having a singing voice.”

 

“He was actually pretty good,” Bruce chuckled, playing to the devil in his nature by revealing Lex’s more embarrassing secrets. After all, considering what else Lex was up to these days, a little bit of embarrassment was the least of what he deserved to say nothing of this lovely young woman who could not possibly know what she was getting.  “He used to play the piano as well. Does he still play Manilow?”

 

“You’re making this up,” Lois accused laughing harder at the thought of Lex playing Barry Manilow songs. “Nobody likes Manilow anymore.”

 

“Scouts honor,” Bruce smirked, wishing he was there for Lana to present that little truth to her fiancé.  Lex had been a nice enough guy in school and Bruce had always thought that Lex would escape the yoke his father would have him wear. However, it seemed Lex had been no more able to escape his fate than Bruce himself.

 

“I think you should request Copacabana to be your wedding song,” Lois suggested to Lana, winking.

 

“No thank you,” Lana smiled back, taking a sip of her club soda. “I value my life and that of my unborn child.”

 

The news of baby Luthor had been public for some time now and though there had been some innuendo about it being a shotgun wedding, Bruce doubted that Lex couldn’t avoid that problem if he really wanted to. No, the girl was lovely and it was rare to see someone that beautiful possessing a warm and compassionate nature. She was a much better than Lex deserved, that was for sure.

 

“Although,” Lana added, “I think I’ll start listening to some good music before the baby’s born…just in case.”

 

“Whitesnake,” Lois suggested.

 

“Whitesnake?” Chloe rolled her eyes. “What is it with you and Whitesnake?”

 

“Hey its good stuff,” she returned.

 

The waiter returned at that moment with a fresh supply of beverages and commented to Lana as she was served another club soda. “Congratulations Miss Lang on your good fortune.”


”Why thank you,” Lana said with a smile. It was nice that people still treated her like a normal person. In the mansion, Lex’s staff tended to regard her like royalty and though she kept it to herself, Lana hated it.

 

His arrival coincided with a hotel photographer. “A picture Mr. Wayne?” The man asked in heavy Mexican accent.

 

Bruce swept his gaze across the table, “what do you say ladies? A memento of your trip?”

 

The three exchanged glances and Lois answered for all three. “Why not?”

 

Smiling into the camera like he had done a hundred times before in the last few months, Bruce Wayne was snapped with Lois Lane, Lana Lang and Chloe Sullivan in a tasteful picture that would make good copy in the gossip pages the next day.  That is if Bruce had anything to do with it.  

 

“Well I think I’m done for the night,” Lana said rising demurely to her feet. “I tire easier these days,” she confessed. “I had a wonderful time Bruce; it was very nice to meet you.”

 

“Me too,” Lois added her voice. “Well not the tired part but I’ve got a boyfriend in Kansas who insists he isn’t miserable without me and I promised I’d call.”

 

“Oh,” Chloe said starting to rise, a little disappointed to be leaving when suddenly Lois placed a hand on her shoulder and stopped her in her tracks.

 

“You should stay Chloe,” Lois spoke with such perfect innocence a halo could have formed on her head. “I mean the night is still young and Bruce has this great view. Besides, didn’t you want to ask him a few questions about the Wayne Foundation?” 

 

Bruce hid the smile that wanted to steal across his face as he watched Miss Lane corral her cousin into staying right where she was.

 

“But…” Chloe started to protest.


”We’ll be fine,” Lana commented. “Have a nice time.”

 

When they were gone, Chloe shook her head and looked at Bruce whose smirk had managed to slip past his control.

 

“There they go,” Chloe said with a gesture of her hands, “Lois ‘Subtle’ Lane and Lana ‘Obvious’ Lang, my friends.”

 

Bruce chuckled out loud.  “Friends like that are hard to come by Chloe.  You should hang on to them.”

 

“Yeah,” Chloe had to agree there. “I think I’ll keep them but they can be kind of annoying though.”

 

“So,” Bruce smiled, “since you’re staying, shall I order us another bottle of wine?” He asked.


What the hell, Chloe thought. She was on vacation and he was drop dead gorgeous. “You’re not trying to take advantage of me are you?” She teased, not that she wouldn’t mind. God only knows what Jimmy was up to with Lucy ‘I’ll do the Continent’ Lane.

 

“For some reason, I seriously doubt that it is possible for anyone to make you do anything you don’t want to Miss Sullivan.” Bruce remarked looking at her thoughtfully.

 

He marveled at how lovely she looked tonight with her hair up. Bruce wondered why she did not wear it that way more often. This morning, she had looked like the sweet girl next door but this evening, this evening, he kept thinking of Grace Kelly in those old movies, an elegant beauty with just enough quirk in her features to make her irresistible.

 

Shame of it, most men would probably never notice until it was too late.

 

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Chloe blushed a bit as Bruce ordered the wine.

 

“You should,” he responded turning back to her. “You’re an excellent investigator.”

 

“What makes you say that?” She raised a brow at him.

 

“Well you spent most of the night letting Lois and Lana do the talking while you observed.”

 

Chloe blushed a bit more because that had been her tactic alright. “You know, you’re nothing like what the papers say about you.”

 

“You mean I sleep with supermodels and jet set all over the world like a vapid pretty boy?” He asked.

 

“Ouch,” she laughed. “Even I wouldn’t have put it that uncharitably but you have to admit, there has been overwhelming evidence to that effect.”

 

It would have been easy for Bruce to play the part but for some reason, alone with her, away from prying eyes now that the publicity purposes of the dinner were done, Bruce didn’t wish too. There was always going to be a part of him that was guarded but he saw no reason why he couldn’t give Bruce Wayne, idiot playboy the night off.

 

“It’s all a case of sleight of hand Chloe,” Bruce replied. “I’ve cultivated an image that allows the press to assume that the playboy is who I am instead of the truth. I dangle a few movie stars and supermodels in front of them and that keeps the paparazzi and the tabloids happy. So while the world is more interested in who Bruce Wayne might or might not be dating, I can get down to business directing the Wayne Foundation to improve the life of underprivileged Gothamites.”

 

“Aren’t you afraid by telling me all this, you’re blowing your cover?” Chloe asked.

 

“I should be,” he said giving her that same thoughtful look, “but I read people pretty well. You’re a crusader Miss Sullivan.  It’s more than just a story to you. I think behind that journalistic exterior, there is a strong moral compass and genuine integrity. That’s rare.”

 

“It’s the friends I keep,” Chloe said smiling, denying nothing. “They tend to remind me that there are more important things in the world than a story.”

 

“There are,” Bruce agreed, finding himself warming to this girl more than he would have liked. “Would you care for a walk on the beach?”

 

Chloe stared into those dark eyes and nodded, “I’d love to Bruce.”

 

Chapter Five:

Such a bad idea....

(Warning NC-17)

 

 

 

“You think we were a little too obvious?” Lana asked as she and Lois made her way towards their suite after leaving Chloe behind to the ministrations of Mr. Bruce Wayne.

 

“Probably,” Lois smiled, not at all repentant. “But I think it worked out all for the best. Even if it ends up with Chloe coming back in the morning, panty hose in her purse, reeking of wine and expensive cologne, our job is done.”

 

“I don’t think Chloe was wearing hose,” Lana pointed out with a smirk.

 

“That will save time.” Lois winked.

 

Lana laughed at the mental picture that conjured up and had to confess that even if the phrase where angels feared to tread was written specifically for Lois Lane, it was a great deal of fun to follow Lois on her exploits. If nothing else, Lois knew how to ensure her friends had a good time.

Sometimes Lana rather envied Lois that daring. Thanks to her made the poster child for the original Smallville meteor shower and her aunt’s goading that popularity was the blueprint to success, Lana had allowed her desire for privacy to make her a more reserved person then she would like. She could never imagine taking the bull by the horns to the degree that Lois and Chloe so often did.

 

“You know this has been a fun trip,” Lana commented as they stepped out of the elevator onto their floor.

 

“Well I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself,” Lois answered, sincerely pleased at that. Despite the fact that they both dated the same man and things had ended badly between Clark and Lana, Lois was glad that their friendship had remained intact. She did not make friends easily and Lois liked Lana enough to keep her as one, even if the girl was going to marry Lex.

 

 “Between you and Chloe, someone had to do something,” Lois smirked before adding, “she’s been so down since Jimmy left and it can’t be a picnic for you either with Nell taking off.” Although it had been Chloe who called up Lex for this weekend, it had been Lois who had prodded her all week to do so. Lois was well aware that Lex would have been willing to do anything to make Lana happy and a little subtle manipulation had ended up being this nice weekend away for all of them.

 

Lana sighed. “It's all par the course for Nell,” she admitted without hesitation. “I know she loves me but being a parent wasn’t what she had in mind for herself. She took care of me after my parents died but I sometimes get the impression she felt her life went on hold because of that.”

 

“Ouch,” Lois winced at that description and wanted to say something to the contrary but found herself unable because she had never met Nell to be able to speak in the woman’s defense. “Hey if it makes you feel any better when my mom died, my dad didn’t have a clue either. Two daughters to a career army officer? I don’t’ know who was more frightened, him or us.”

 

It occurred to Lana that none of them had conventional upbringings. Chloe had been raised almost entirely by her father; Lana by her Aunt Nell and Lois it seemed was left to raise her sister with an army manual as a guide. 

 

“I suddenly don’t feel so bad,” Lana responded, smiling at Lois for revealing that bit of vulnerability. “Hopefully,” she looked down at the slight swell of her belly, “I’ll get it right with this one.”

 

“I think you’ll make a great mom Lana,” Lois replied, meaning it sincerely.

 

“Thank you,” Lana said touched by the compliment.

 

Reaching the door, Lois used the key card that all hotels seemed to employ these days instead of actual keys, to enter the room. The door clicked open and she stepped in first, turning on the light switch before making her way across the carpeted floor.

 

“Hey you want to call room service and get some chocolate sundaes?” Lois asked heading for the bathroom.

 

“How can you still be hungry?” Lana exclaimed. “I thought I was the…”

 

Before she could say another word, someone stepped from behind her and locked a hand over her mouth. Lana managed a muffled cry before Lois turned around.

 

“What the hell?” Lois exclaimed seeing Lana being gabbed by the….Oh God; it was the waiter from dinner! 

 

“Let her go!” The general’s daughter took two steps forward when the man holding Lana produced a gun and quickly held it at the younger woman’s belly. Lois froze in her tracks, unable to act for fear of escalating this situation into something worse than it already was.

 

“Stay where you are and nobody gets hurt.” He warned coldly, pressing the barrel up against Lana’s abdomen, a clear indication of what would happen if Lois did not obey.

 

“Lois!” Lana pleaded with her companion to do as their attacker demanded. “Don’t.”

 

Lana hated giving in like this but the metal pressing into her body was a stark reminder of how vulnerable she was. This was more than just about her life. It was the life of her child.

 

“You son of a bitch,” Lois spat unable to believe the callousness of it and worse yet how effective a restraint it was. “You’d hold a gun to a pregnant woman?”


”The gun is not for her,” the man said with an almost satisfied smirk. “The gun is for you. ” He nodded at her and Lois sighted something at the edge of her vision. She barely got a chance to turn around before a cloth was pressed against her face and the last thing that Lois Lane saw before the black veil descended on her was Lana’s anguished expression.

 

***********

 

 

Chloe couldn’t believe she was doing this.

 

She was meant to be here in Acapulco cheering up Lana, not walking barefoot along the sandy shore of a lovely Mexican beach with the full moon shimmering overhead and balmy breeze caressing her skin like a lover’s whisper. Even worse was the fact that she being accompanied by one of the most handsome men she had ever encountered, whose reputation as a womaniser was well documented, being charmed like any one of the starlets he so often had on his arm.

 

Holding her slingback shoes in one hand, a tall wine glass in another, Chloe felt the water rush over her feet as they both walked along the shore. Bruce was next to her, the collar of his tuxedo shirt loosened, his jacket flapping open and his trouser legs rolled up his shins like he was a little boy catching bullfrogs in a pond somewhere. It was such a far cry from the pictures of him she often saw in society pages and gossip magazines that Chloe wondered if it were actually the same man. Chloe actually wondered if this was the way he managed to seduce all those women by playing the role of the intelligent, unassuming charmer he had been all evening.

 

“So tell me about Smallville,” Bruce asked finding it surprisingly easy to talk to the girl. He imagined he would have been terribly guarded since she was a reporter but gut instinct told him that he needn’t fear.


”Smallville?” Chloe exclaimed with surprised. “Why?”

 

“I don’t know,” Bruce shrugged. “I guess I heard so much about it this evening, I’m curious.”

 

“Well there’s not that much to tell,” she confessed. “It’s like any Kansas town.” Right, Chloe snorted inwardly, complete with meteor freaks galore.  “My dad and I moved there when I was in eighth grade after my mom got sick and that’s where I still call home, even though I work in Metropolis at the Daily Planet.”

 

“It's good to have a place that always feel like that no matter where you go,” Bruce nodded, understanding completely. “I’ve been away from Gotham in the recent years but there’s no other place for me now.”

 

“Really?” Chloe looked at him, finding it strange that he could feel that way about a city that held such painful memories for him.

 

“Yeah,” he nodded, noticing her stare. “You find that strange?”

 

“Well I don’t mean to pry,” Chloe said carefully having done enough research enough to know what was the single most traumatic event in this man’s life, “I thought that you wouldn’t be too attached to it after what happened…” she couldn’t finish saying it.

 

“To my parents,” he concluded for her. The days were past when he was unable to discuss the subject. Even though Bruce Wayne existed forever as the child covered in his parent’s blood under the dark street light of Crime Alley, the man he had become learned to disconnect his unending grief with ruthless control.

 

“Yeah,” Chloe blushed. “I’m sorry…I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

 

“No it’s okay,” he said dismissively. “My father loved Gotham,” Bruce replied, a faint smile on his face as he remembered Thomas Wayne. “He always felt that Gotham had been good to our family so it was our responsibility to be good to it right back. I suppose I remain in Gotham because it was his belief that the Wayne family could make a difference and in trying to accomplish that, it’s just my way of holding on to him a little longer.”

 

“That’s really beautiful,” she said genuinely touched by the sincerity in his voice. Chloe had prided herself in being able to tell a phony and she was almost certain Bruce was not.  He meant those words.

 

“Well I say that to all the girls,” he joked, breaking the moment with a smirk.

 

“It sure works,” she laughed shortly and sobered when she noted the way he was looking at her.

 

It had been so long, if ever, that Bruce had spoken to anyone, other than Alfred like this, that he had forgotten how good it felt to simply share with someone his inner most thoughts without touching on the shadows that haunted him.  There was something about Chloe that reminded him of the sunshine, warm and inviting. She was no ravishing beauty, not the kind that was measured by today’s standards but when she smiled, Bruce could feel the warmth of her right to the depth of his dark and tortured soul.

 

Bruce leaned forward because at that moment, he had never seen a more beautiful woman nor had he ever wanted one more.

 

When he moved towards her, Chloe could think of a dozen reasons why this was a bad idea but when his lips touched hers, she was damned if she could remember even one.

 

The kiss was gentle at first but grew in intensity the more she became accustomed to his mouth exploring hers, tasting her lips as if she were something to be savoured. Chloe tried to maintain some sense of self as she stood there with the ocean swirling around her feet but it was hard when his kisses had such power. Her heart was pounding even before she realised it and that rushing sound she thought was the sea was really the blood rushing through her ears.

 

God she was fine, Bruce thought as he continued to taste her and thought that honey didn’t taste this sweet. Even though it was meant to a simple, somewhat innocent kiss, it soon evolved into something much more. Her mouth opened under his like the hot house bloom and before he had presence of mind to put a stop to it, he was taking every ounce of pleasure he could from those soft, petal like lips. Attraction had become passion and Bruce who almost never gave into such emotions, wanted her more than he had ever wanted anything. 


”Chloe,” his lips pulled away from hers, “this is probably not a good idea…” he wanted to give her an out before he was unable to.


”Probably,” she muttered, her head swooning as she felt the tip of his nose pressed lightly against her cheek. Eyes closed, she was having a difficult time remembering where she was, let alone what they were protesting.

 

“I mean we hardly know each other…” he spoke softly, his touch sending tingles of pleasure through her skin, until every nerve ending waited in anticipation for his next breath.

 

“I know,” she nodded, the heat spreading hot blushes across her cheeks and through her body. “It’s crazy,” she admitted her cheek rubbing against his gently.

 

“Absolutely,” he said opening his eyes to reveal smouldering points of heat.

 

Chloe felt her resistance give in under that powerfully, intense stare as she moved in to kiss him this time. “Let’s do it anyway. ”

 

 

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

 

Chloe barely remembered how they had gotten to his room.

 

Actually, later on she would remember that he hadn’t a room but a private villa in walking distance of the hotel proper. That’s where he had been headed to this morning when Lois had called him out. Their wine glasses discarded on the sandy shore for hotel staff to collect the next morning, it was an erotic trip indoors, with intermittent kisses and caresses growing in intensity as they travelled. Chloe couldn’t remember feeling this way, being swept up so completely in raw, hungry passion that nothing else mattered.

 

For so many years, she had dreamed of this with Clark and when she accepted that this would never happen for them, Chloe had resigned herself to thinking that girls like her didn’t have torrid affairs like this. Such fiery passion was left to the Lana Langs and the Lois Lanes of the world. Yet as they stumbled through the door of his room, with Bruce plundering her lips with such fierce intensity she could scarcely breathe, it felt so good to know that for once the man she was with wanted no one else but her and saw her not as a substitute for another.

 

No sooner than the door had shut behind them, Chloe was sliding her fingers beneath the lapels of Bruce’s jacket. Even as her hands glided over silk, she felt hard muscle beneath her palms that once again added to the mystery of him. In turn, she felt his hands slide over her shoulders, exploring the curve of her blades before moving down her back. Large hands cupped her rear and pulled her to him with fierce insistence. Chloe gasped involuntarily at the contact and pulled away from his lips long enough to lick her own with anticipation.

 

Bruce’s jacket fell off his shoulders, joining her shoes on the carpeted floor. They were barely past the hallway and reaching the bedroom seemed overly optimistic as her fingers worked feverishly on the buttons of his shirt. He continued to taste her, to continue the game of thrust and parry they had been engaged all the way from the beach. He couldn’t get enough of tasting her and when his hands slid under the hem of that lovely brocade dress, he shuddered at the touch of soft, supple thighs that felt like cream to the touch.

 

With neither navigating, Chloe soon found herself pressed against a wall and though it might seem base and tawdry, it was possibly the most erotic thing she had ever done in her young life. His hips were pressing into her with steady rhythm and Chloe let out a soft whimper when she felt his growing arousal against her slowly heated skin. Sliding his shirt off him, Chloe let out a gasp of appreciation. Fleetingly she thought that Clark had nothing on this guy. There did not seem to be one ounce of fat on his body and her reporter’s instincts somehow surfaced long enough to question how a man who was known for his excesses, was able to keep in such astonishingly good shape.

 

His mouth devouring her alabaster skin, Bruce felt a surge of electricity through him when her small hands started caressing his flesh. Despite all the women he dated, he had bedded very few of them. Relinquishing the control required for sex was not something he was comfortable with doing and this moment now, whether Chloe knew it or not, was rare. He delighted in how her palms glided over his biceps, caressed the planes of his chest and scraped lightly the taut muscles of his stomach. In turn, he started working her dress down her shoulders, nibbling at her collarbone as he coaxed her dress down her body.

 

Oh this was so bad, Chloe thought as she felt the cool chill of the night air seduce her bare shoulders as Bruce slid her dress down her arms. Her fingers were clawing at his back as he bit the soft skin of her cleavage before sliding down her left breast to discard the strapless bra she was wearing. There was a moment of clarity when she felt her nipples tighten with exposure and then she couldn’t think at all when his generous lips enclosed one and suckled her.

 

“Oh my God Bruce…” she whimpered. Her eyes clamped shut, exultant in the pleasure of it and slave to every flick of his tongue. He teased and bit at the tightening bud between his teeth while his hand caressed her other breast with similar reverence.

 

Her soft whimpers were fairly driving Bruce out of his mind and the urge to just take her was so great he could barely contain it. However, control was something that Bruce Wayne knew a great deal about and thus refused to rush. Leaving those wonderfully pert breasts, Bruce kissed his way down her stomach, all the while relishing her soft gasps as her hands ran through his hair. Rolling the material down her hips, he hooked two fingers on either side of her lace underwear and forced it to join the dress on the journey down.

 

Chloe looked down at him and swallowed thickly. What was happening was just so raunchy. Seeing him down there made her blush furiously even though she was standing before him almost naked. Her breath catching when he lifted her leg, Chloe’s head dropped back against the wall when she felt her leg draped over his shoulder as he began to kiss the inside of her thigh.

 

“Bruce you’re going to kill me,” she whimpered as he was poised to move in.

 

“It will only be a little death Chloe,” he smirked before moving into taste her and Chloe lost all capacity to respond coherently.

 

She tasted….wonderful.

 

With her leg over his shoulder, Bruce pressed into her, tongue darting inside her soft folds with deep, penetrating strokes. He plunged in as far as he could until his lower lip was brushing against moist tender skin. He alternated between this and sensuous flicks of his tongue where he explored every fold, every crevice before finally reaching that tiny pearl of female sexuality. Leaving it until the very last, Bruce almost smiled at the moan of utter bliss that escaped her when he drew it past his teeth and washed his tongue over it to meet her tip to tip.

 

Chloe was almost sobbing incoherently from what he was doing to her. Her fingers clawing at his hair as he tortured her so exquisitely, Chloe thought she might die from how incredible this was. She could feel her climax building. Not the gradual swell of sensation that she had experienced before, this was coming towards her like a juggernaut. She had no control whatsoever and was unable to warn him when she came hard into his mouth.

 

When Chloe screamed his name, it was most erotic and satisfying thing that Bruce had ever heard. To hear that self assured voice crumble so completely made Bruce half insane with desire and after he had lapped up her juices and savoured every drop, he was on his feet, claiming her mouth again. She was still coming down from her climax when he freed himself and hooked her leg over his hip before sliding into her with one powerful thrust

 

Chloe had barely recovered when Bruce spread her apart and impaled her with his impressive length. She gasped into his mouth as he took her, her nails digging into his back. Bruce’s lovemaking was unlike anything she had ever known. She barely had a chance to breathe. It was like being swept away by a force of nature. She heard him groan into her mouth when her nails bit and surmised he liked that. Clawing at that perfectly muscled back, the action succeeded in increasing the tempo of his strokes.

 

“Oh God Bruce,” she started to whimper again, uncertain whether or not if she could ever have sex without ever wanting this again.

 

Bruce was experiencing a similar sort of enlightenment.

 

Jesus, she felt so good. All those meaningless encounters in the past, trying so hard to feel something…anything and here this girl from Smallville, with her warm breezy smile and her sweetness had managed something none of the others had.  Each stroke into her was pure pleasure, making more and more of that control he struggled so hard to keep, slip further and further out of his reach. Lips fused to hers, Bruce took her other leg and wrapped it around his waist because he couldn’t get deep enough inside of her. Her back was pressed against the wall as he moved at a torturous pace that ensured she felt every inch of his penetration.

 

Kissing him hard, their tongues duelling as intensely as the rest of their bodies was ravaging each other, Chloe felt her stamina starting to splinter. He was the most incredible lover she had ever had and as that familiar tingle of sensation began to overcome her again, she covered his face in feverish kisses.

 

 

“More Bruce,” she begged, “oh please Bruce more!” Chloe could hardly recognised the voice coming out of her mouth as her own. Her skin was wet with perspiration, their wet flesh slapping against each other in moist, slick sounds. 

 

Gritting his teeth, he complied, pushing harder and faster into her, no longer thinking that she was this fragile thing that might break under his strength. Grunting with each stroke, Bruce was nearing the edge of his endurance but he held on for her, wanting to feel the exquisite pleasure of Chloe coming around him. She had already proved to be more than he expected and to hear that lustful cry again, he was prepared to wait for as long as she needed him too.

 

Which was not all that long because Bruce maintained such a devastating pace inside of her that Chloe could not concentrate on anything except how he felt. Her entire world became thick with the force of those powerful thrusts and the exquisite sensation they engendered. She would ache tomorrow and it was likely that Lois and Lana would never let her live this down but Chloe didn’t care. Digging her nails into his back, Chloe finally succumbed with another pleasured cry.

 

The force of her orgasm caused her muscles to clench so tightly around him it nearly drove the sense from his mind. Bruce found himself pumping into a solid fist of moist, hot flesh that made him dizzy from pleasure of it. He fought against the urge to call out but eventually he too gave in as the back of his considerable stamina snapped. Surging into her warm depths, Bruce groaned her name repeatedly through gritted teeth as he filled her with warm seed.

 

Their dance continued as both their bodies began to descend from their lofty exertions and when it was all said and done, their quickening settled into quiet breathing, Bruce leaned into her and whispered in her ear. “Stay with me,” he asked, not wanting the night to end with her sneaking out of his villa like some cheap one night stand. “Please.”

 

Chloe was too weak to move, even if she had the will to leave, which she did not. Her mind was fuzzy with pleasure and if she had presence of mind to think too deeply on what she had done tonight; Chloe would be hard pressed to determine if this was a good idea or a bad one. However for now, he wanted her to stay and for how he had made her feel.

 

Chloe couldn’t deny him that.

 

 

Chapter Six:

Disappearances

 

 

 CHAPTER SIX: DISAPPEARANCES

 

Sunlight invading the room through the bay doors of the bedroom roused Chloe Sullivan from her restful slumber. She blinked twice trying to dispel the glare, wanting nothing more than to return to sleep, still wrapped up in the embrace of her new lover. Unfortunately, the sun’s ascent through the sky ensured the late morning light remained persistently in her eyes.  Rolling onto her side somewhat reluctantly, a smile of happy contentment stole across her face when she felt strong arms envelope her and a lean, hard body spooned against her own.

 

With a sigh, she opened her eyes and for a moment felt a wave of confusion as she looked at the unfamiliar room and was struck with brief panic at not knowing where she was. The moment passed when she felt arms around her waist, someone’s warm breath caressing her shoulder as she was snuggled close to.  Biting her lower lip, Chloe looked over her shoulder to see Bruce Wayne still there, holding her like they had been doing this for years.

 

Looking forward again, Chloe found herself smiling in supine pleasure as the memories of the night returned to her in all its lust filled glory. They had spent most of the night in this room, when they finally managed to reach it that is. Blushing a little when she remembered about their lovemaking, particularly how raw and sensual it had been, it was the first time that Chloe had done nothing by lie in bed for hours and well… just fuck.

 

Thinking of the word sent another bloom of red across her cheeks but the embarrassment passed quickly. She had no idea what this thing with Bruce was but she knew it was the most adult encounter she had ever experienced. She still expected him to wake up and be a jerk, or worse yet, tell her that he was just very good at sweet talking women into his bed but for now, she was content to remain where she was in his embrace. 

 

“Are you awake?” She heard him speak, his lips moving to nuzzle her neck.

 

“Barely,” she smiled, shifting her neck so that he’d have better access. A soft sigh escaped Chloe when she felt those incredible lips, tasting the skin of her neck tenderly.

 

“You girls from Smallville,” Bruce teased, feeling content he hadn’t known in too long when he woke up and found her still there in his bed. “I had no idea how energetic you are.” His arm coiled around her even tighter, pulling her soft, delicious form next to him.

 

“Me?” Chloe laughed, rolling around to face him and finding him smiling at her.  It was a real smile, she decided, not the one he put on show for benefit of a photo op.  His real smile was very different from the fake one. It was subtle and rare, sometimes almost shy. It was a smile he did not use often and then only in private she suspected. Until she met Bruce, Chloe had thought Clark lived behind walls but it was nothing in comparison to the fortress this man had erected around his true self. “You were the one with the marathon stamina,” she remarked, smiling. “I’ll have to spend the rest of the day recovering.”

 

Bruce chuckled, “I’ll take that as a compliment,” he said with a hint of smug in his voice. Well he was male, after all, “when you’ve rested, how about dinner tonight?”

 

Chloe burst into a smile of surprise. He wanted to see her again! She didn’t know what she had been expecting but it hadn’t been a second date. Perhaps her luck with love up to this point had made her cynical. With the exception of Jimmy, every time Chloe found she could give her heart to someone, it inevitably got stomped into the ground. However, this, this was a pleasant change and Chloe couldn’t deny being pleased at that. “Dinner would be nice.”

 

“Good,” he leaned forward and kissed her mouth. “I’ve got to go soon,” he said genuinely regretful at that. “I’ve got business meetings all day but I’ll have our table waiting at seven. Lois and Lana are optional.”

 

“Oh Lois and Lana!” Chloe winced. “We were supposed to take a boat tour this morning. God I hope we didn’t miss it.” She looked at him a little guiltily but it was difficult to feel remorse for too long when he was nibbling on a shoulder, his hands still running up and down her curved hip.

 

“I tell you what,” Bruce paused long enough to comment, “if you have missed it. Go down to the marina. There’s a yacht there called the Robin.  Tell the captain that I sent you, he’ll take you wherever you want to go.” With that, he resumed his sensuous tenderizing of her skin.

 

“Are you sure he wouldn’t mind?” Chloe uttered a soft response, shuddering as his lips moved down her collarbone, past the sheets covering her breasts. God if this was a bad idea, then how come it felt so good? She asked herself as he feasted a rosy tip. She supposed she wouldn’t really know whether or not she just another notch on his belt until after the weekend was over. For now however, she didn’t mind being the one lavished for a change.

 

Bruce paused long enough in his attentions to lift his eyes to hers as he switched to the other nipple since he was a thorough sort and added, “I don’t think so,” he smiled, “it’s my yacht.”

 

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

 

An hour later and following a rather delicious session of morning sex, Chloe undertook the proverbial ‘walk of shame’ back to her hotel room convinced that people in the place was sniggering to themselves as she walked by in her rumpled dress from last night. Even though Bruce had offered to walk her back, Chloe had declined, aware that he had things to do himself and it wasn’t like she wouldn’t be seeing him that night at dinner. Besides, it was enough that he offered.


Despite the ‘walk of shame’, Chloe felt no regret about what had happened the night before. She was still feeling the tingle of his last kiss down to her toes and she was unable to revisit any memory from last night without blushing furiously.  God knows she wasn’t the most experience lover and other than a handful of experiences with Jimmy she could count on one hand, Chloe’s sexual encounters had been rather limited but she was not love struck school girl who wrote her little hearts on her note pads.

 

Chloe knew how to be realistic.

 

As much as she enjoyed being with Bruce, she was realistic. His reputation was infamous when it came to the opposite sex. What happened last night could be part of his shtick, probably well practiced from use on all those other women. For all Chloe knew, after this weekend was up Bruce might never call her again or send her a set of diamond earrings like Lex Luthor was known to do to his former lovers. She had no reason to believe that this was anything more than a holiday fling

 

Except that he had sounded so damn sincere.

 

Suddenly, Chloe felt the need to get back to Lana and Lois for the simple reason that she needed Lois’ sardonic cynicism to slap her out of this haze of desire for Bruce and Lana’s compassionate nature to pick up the pieces when Lois was done. She was even willing to put up with all the teasing that would result from Lois knowing that she had succeeded in her bit of matchmaking.  Chloe almost contemplated calling Clark but dismissed the idea. The instant Clark knew sex was involved, he’d start tripping over his words and blush harder than a virgin at a strip show.

 

The guy’s hang-ups were worse than hers.

 

Arriving at the door to their suite, Chloe stepped inside expecting to hear a whole bunch of questions from Lana and Lois about her night, copious amounts of teasing followed by the inevitable demand for details. However, upon entering the room, she closed the door behind her and swept her gaze across the luxurious décor to find…

 

Nothing.

 

No one was there.

 

“Lois, Lana,” she called out. “I’m back!  Yes, I did get laid so let’s get that out of the way right now. Yes, it was amazing and the question and answer portion of the morning will commence after I grab a shower and some breakfast. Right now, I’m starving.” Chloe retorted as she dropped her beaded purse bag unto the polished credenza and advanced further into the room.

 

However, no response greeted her and Chloe swept her gaze throughout the suite and came to the swift conclusion that she was alone. Even if the place was bigger than her apartment, Chloe was certain no one else was present.  She supposed that it was likely that Lana and Lois had already started their sightseeing agenda for the day. After all, it was almost noon and Chloe didn’t really expect them to wait for her to show up. Guessing they had already gone, Chloe saw no reason to rush and took the opportunity to make use of the pool size bathtub in the luxurious bathroom.

 

Besides, if Lana and Lois wanted to catch up with her, they always had her cell.

 

Chloe was in the middle of a rather relaxing bath when her cell phone rang. In the instance Lana and Lois did call, Chloe had set the thing down within easy reach at the edge of the tub. Shaking soapsuds of her arm, she answered the phone after drying her hand.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Hey Chloe, it’s me, Clark.” The Kansas farm boy’s familiar voice greeted her. “How’s the weekend?”

 

“Hey Clark,” Chloe said smiling. “It's great,” to put it mildly, she thought wickedly. “How are things back in the real world?”

 

“Oh the same,” Clark returned, trying not to sound as desperately bored as he was. “Hey is Lois around?”

 

“Sorry Clark, she and Lana are out,” Chloe explained. “Anything important?”

 

“It's nothing really,” Clark shrugged, trying not to sound disappointed. “I was just hoping to catch her. She was supposed to call me last night and didn’t.”

 

“Oh?” Chloe frowned, recalling that Lois had used that as an excuse to skip out on her and Bruce towards the close of the night. “That’s strange. I thought she would have called.”

 

“Weren’t you with her last night?” Clark asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice.

 

“No,” Chloe’s eyes narrowed. “I was out. I just got back in.”

 

“You were out all night?” Clark blurted out.

 

“Yes Clark, adult people do that sometimes.” She retorted.

 

“You were with this Bruce Wayne guy huh?”

 

“How did you know?” Chloe exclaimed, surprised and then surmised that Lois probably told him. “Lois?”

 

“Actually no,” Clark said smugly. “Must be the picture in the gossip pages of the Planet. Nice dress.”

 

“Picture?” She knotted her brow in puzzlement and then remembered the snapshot they had taken at Bruce’s table. “Oh that. It’s perfectly innocent. We had a nice dinner.”

 

“Sure,” he retorted, with just a hint of juvenile smirk she couldn’t see.

 

“Oh grow up Kent,” Chloe snorted. “Bruce is very nice.”

 

“Must be if you were out all night,” he teased.

 

“I’m sorry, how is this any of your business?” She declared, a hint of annoyance filtering into her voice.

 

“Don’t be mad Chloe,” Clark said in his sympathetic listening voice. “I’m just looking out for you. Get Lois to give me a call when you see her okay?”

 

“Sure Clark,” Chloe returned before hanging up the phone. Setting it down next to her again, Chloe closed her eyes muttering to herself.

 

“He really needs to hang out with more guys.”

 

 

**********

 

 

After she had emerged from her bath tub, Chloe decided to call Lois, hoping to meet up with her friends wherever they might be. She dialed their number on her cell as she ran a brush through her hair as she heard the ring tone. The sound that made her jump and dropped the brush noisily onto the polished marble floor did not come from her phone. Chloe could hear the shrill sound of Lois’ ring tone echoing through the empty suite.

 

“What the hell?” Chloe muttered as she went into the room Lois had selected as her own and discovered the sound coming from the dressing table. The phone had been in the exact same place Lois had left it the night before.  Lois was surgical attached to her phone and tendrils of uneasiness began curling up Chloe’s spine when she saw the phone left unattended. Ending the call silenced Lois’ phone but something else had escalated her anxiety. Against her will, she dialed Lana’s number.

 

“Please pick up. Please pick up.” Chloe began chanting to herself.

 

Lana’s Dido ring tone filled the air and Chloe hurried into Lana Lang’s room to find that the phone was on the bed.

 

Picking up the phone, she used it to dial the last number called and as expected, Lex Luthor’s voice answered.

 

“Lana, I thought you forgot all about me…” Lex started to say.

 

“Lex, its Chloe.”  Chloe quickly spoke. 

 

“Chloe?” The puzzlement in his voice was clear. “What are you doing using Lana’s phone?”

 

“Lex, when was the last time you heard from Lana?” Chloe demanded.

 

Even if she could not see him, she could imagine the hardening expression of Lex Luthor’s face as if she were standing in the same room. “Last night, before you three went out to dinner. Why?”

 

“I’m not sure,” Chloe said uncertain still whether or not she was being paranoid. “Both Lana and Lois left their phones in our suite and I’m not sure if they were here last night.”

 

“How could you not know?” Lex demanded. “You were sharing the same suite.”

 

Chloe rolled her eyes, fuming silently and wondering if everyone was going to call her up on that. “I didn’t sleep in the suite last night,” Chloe said hastily, not prepared to answer any questions. “I came back this morning and found the suite empty. I guessed they’d gone out but they’ve left their cell phones here and that’s not usual for either.”

 

“I’ll be on the next plane,” Lex stated.

 

“No Lex,” Chloe stopped him. “Look they could be down at the pool for all I know or at the beach. Let me check the hotel before we send in the cavalry, okay?”

 

“If I don’t hear from you within the hour, I’ll be on my way Chloe.” Lex retorted, his tone indicating that this was not subject to negotiation. Unfortunately, Chloe couldn’t blame him his concern.  Chloe knew Lois’ habits and keeping her cell phone on her was one of Miss Lane’s most rigid eccentricities. Furthermore, Lana had been diligent about keeping in touch with Lex knowing how protective he was about her and the baby.

 

“Understood,” Chloe returned. “I’ll contact you soon.”


Chloe finished getting dressed and left the suite, going to the hotel lobby where she sought the concierge to quiz the man and his staff of whether or not Lois and Lana had been seen at all today. Her blood ran cold when it became evident that no one had since the two women since they left the restaurant and headed back to their rooms.

 

Which meant, Chloe thought with dismay, they had been missing since last night.

 

**********

 

 

 

While Chloe Sullivan was searching the hotel for any traces of Lois Lane and Lana Lang, Bruce Wayne had completed that particular search the day before and was certain now that Tanya had never made it back to the hotel after her beauty appointment. Bruce still had no idea why Tanya was taken if it were not for the purpose of ransom although he did learn one thing of importance during his investigation; Tanya was not the first foreign tourist to vanish in the last few weeks.

 

As he sat at an outdoor care across the street from police headquarters in Acapulco, Bruce studied the file that a wad of hundred dollar bills had bought him from the corrupt ‘blue shirt’ police officers. All it had taken for Bruce to gain the information he needed was to offer one enterprising member of local law enforcement enough money to make a up a year’s salary and he was able to study nearly two weeks worth of missing person’s reports.

 

Owing to the massive amount of revenue that came from tourist dollars, the Chief of Police had kept the abductions quiet although his office was reaching the limits of what it was capable of concealing. As Bruce studied the paperwork, he noted that they had good reason for concern. The abductees were almost all foreigners. It had started in a place called Tierra Colarada. Tourists looking to explore the foothills of the Sierra Madre had vanished mysteriously. At first, not much concern was placed on the disappearances as ransom was a quick way for criminals to gain American coin. However, by the time ninth victim was taken it was clear the kidnappers were moving towards the city proper.


When Bruce had arrived in Acapulco, an embassy warning had been issued to foreign nationals about traveling beyond the city limits. If this held true, then it was possible the kidnappers were driven to the city for lack of victims daring to venture into the countryside. The abductions were being conducted every two days, which meant last night someone would have been kidnapped. Fourteen so far and the tally could be fifteen if the pattern held firm. Bruce had suspected that the kidnappers were finding their victims through the hotel and had even elected to say in an out of the way villa to dangle himself as bait, however so far no luck.

 

Bruce suspected that eventually he would have to go to Tierra Colarada and conduct his investigation there but he didn’t like to go blind and before that happened, Bruce intended to find the person who was fingering the hotel residents to be taken. Finding no clues at the hotel, Bruce chose instead to retrace Tanya’s movements during the day of the abduction. Perhaps finding out where she had been taken might lead to where she was now.  It was going to take time but he had little choice. Lucius was beside himself and Bruce had promised the older man that Tanya would be found, one way or another.

 

Bruce paid court to several stores and a restaurant, tracing her through her credit card purchases and discovered that people did remember her. She was a striking looking black woman with regal bearing which Bruce found perfectly complementary to Lucius own good humored demeanor. The woman was always gracious despite the fact that Bruce’s reputation as a playboy and dilettante had reached her ears. It amused Bruce that she tried to mother him a bit and while he was so far immune to such things, he did appreciate the effort.

 

Bruce’s last stop was the Majestic Beauty spa. The presence of ‘pretty boy’ Wayne at the place aroused no suspicion and Bruce was even able to ask for the same treatment regimen that Tanya Fox had undergone during her visit. After going through most of the afternoon engaged in what could only be considered the most glamorous scam to separate women from their money short of an outright con, Bruce finally emerged from the place looking supposedly ‘fabulous’. He observed everyone that came into contact with him and searched for evidence of foul play but saw nothing unusual.

 

When the day was done, Bruce walked back to his limousine, taking the path to the main street that led him through the overgrown tropical jungle type garden that framed either side. It occurred to him as he approached the street that the path had a blind spot between the building and the street. Contemplating the slight bend where the path could not be observed by those in the building and hidden from those at the street, Bruce played a hunch and stepped into the brush flanking the path at the point.

 

It did not take him long to find his first real evidence of a kidnapping. Under a tree were number of cigarette butts. Bruce stood recreated the steps of the smoker who had left evidence of his presence behind and stood in the assailant’s place. From where he was standing, Bruce was able to see a good portion of the curve in the path that led straight past the spot. Three cigarette butts meant Tanya’s assailant knew approximately how long he had to wait for her. Bruce could not imagine that this person stood in the bushes, hoping to be lucky.

 

No, this person had known exactly when Tanya Fox was leaving the Majestic Spa and had waited for her, here.

 

 

Chapter Seven:

Seventeen

 

Chloe didn’t have the chance to call Lex Luthor back because no sooner than sixty minutes had passed, he was calling her.

 

Unfortunately, Chloe had no good news to report. Her search around the hotel, the beach and her conversations with hotel staff confirmed her worst fears; no one had seen either Lana Lang or Lois Lane since they returned to their hotel room that evening. Even worse, Chloe had learnt from housekeeping that their beds had not been slept in early this morning. The possibility that Lois had made her own bed instead of allowing housekeeping to do it was so farfetched that it cemented the realization that something terrible had happened to them both.

 

“Have you heard anything?” Lex asked impatiently as he threw the last of his things into a suitcase and glanced at the driver waiting at the doorway of his bedroom.

 

“No,” Chloe sighed. “Nothing and I’m pretty sure they didn’t spend the night in their room.” She almost said ‘either’.

 

“I’m on my way with my people,” Lex retorted, nodding to his driver to make the call notifying the pilot in the fueled jet waiting at the airport that he would be flying out this afternoon.  “Stay where you are.”

 

“Right,” Chloe nodded. As if that was ever going to happen she thought to herself. “I’ll see you in a couple of hours,” she said complacently, not meaning it for a second. Besides, she had one other call to make to after she hung up on Lex.

 

“See you soon,” Lex said finally hanging up.

 

Finally, Chloe thought to herself and immediately speed dialed Clark.

 

 

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

 

Clark was no longer missing Lois.

 

He was, in fact, slightly annoyed that he had yet to hear from her and was taking out his irritation by doing chores around the farm. It wasn’t as if he expected her to call him every hour of the day but the last time they had spoke was more than a day ago and despite his wish to give her space enough to enjoy her time away, Clark longed to hear that voice that was a mix between girl and artillery fire. Telling himself he would have called her if it were him in Acapulco, Clark took out his frustrations on the hay he was baling when his cell rang.

 

Even though he was still mad at her, Clark nevertheless dove his hand into his pocket and retrieved the cell to take the call when he saw that it was not Lois calling him but rather Chloe. Okay, annoyance level still healthy, he told himself as he answered.

 

“Hey Chloe, what’s up?”

 

“Clark,” the timbre of Chloe’s voice immediately put him on guard. “Something’s wrong. Lana and Lois have been missing since dinner last night.”

 

“Since last night?” Clark exclaimed, suddenly feeling guilty for his annoyance at Lois for not calling. “Lois has been missing since last night?  How could you not tell me?”

 

“Clark I didn’t know!” Chloe retorted, sharing the same guilt hundreds of miles away. “I got back this morning and assumed they’d gone out without me. It’s only when I tried to call Lois that I found out that she’d left her phone behind.”

 

“Lois left her phone?” Clark blurted out, eyes widening. This was serious. Lois never left her phone anywhere.

 

“When I tried Lana, I found out she’d left her phone too. That’s when I started asking around. Clark, no one’s seen either of them since dinner last night. They didn’t come down the breakfast and no one saw them leave.”

 

“I’m on my way,” Clark said striding towards the house.

 

“Okay…,” Chloe started to say and then asked, “how long will it take you to run here?”

 

“Not going to run,” he declared, crossing the space between the barn and the Kent home. “Going to fly.”

 

“Are you sure Clark?” Chloe asked concerned. As far as she knew, he wasn’t that comfortable with flying.

 

“I’ll make it,” he said firmly, “look sooner or later I’m going to have to learn how to fly long distances. I’ve made a few long distance flights before and I know they didn’t end up so well but I think I got the hang of it. Besides, I have to get there.”

 

“Okay,” Chloe nodded and then opted to add her other bit of news. “Clark, Lex is on his way. I had to tell him what was happening with Lana. As soon as he heard, he hopped on the company jet headed here.”

 

“You called Lex before me?” Clark stopped short with disbelief.

 

“Hey!” Chloe snapped defensively. “I had to find out if he had heard from her Clark when I was looking for them. Give me a break here, I feel bad enough! If I hadn’t left them…”

 

“Chloe, Chloe,” Clark interrupted hastily, recanting his accusation almost immediately. “It's okay, I’m sorry. I’m being a jerk.  Lois isn’t a kid, well not in the eyes of the law anyway, she would have wanted you to have a good time. Look I’ll try to get there before Lex. I think I can make it there in two hours. Stay where you are.”

 

“No can do Clark,” Chloe said pausing in front of the lobby, “just hold on a second.” 

 

Chloe was greeted immediately by the concierge at the front desk. “Hi, I’d like to leave a message for Mr. Wayne please?” She reached into her bag and handed over a folded piece of paper with the hotel’s monogram.

 

“Certainly Miss Sullivan,” the concierge responded, taking the note from her.

 

“Thanks,” she said starting to turn before she added, “if someone called Clark Kent shows up looking for me, can you please send him up to the Presidential suite?”

 

“Of course,” the man nodded without question.

 

Chloe returned to her conversation with Clark when she resumed walking, having stood still long enough to see the concierge store her note for Bruce in the pigeon hole reserved for his villa. “I’m heading off to Tierra Colarada.”

 

“Where?” Clark asked, having never heard of the place.

 

“Before I left Metropolis, Perry White told me that there’d be a rash of kidnappings that originated form Tierra Colarada. Apparently, they’d been hitting tourists and holding them for ransom. I think they figured out that Lana Lang, fiancée of Lex Luthor was staying here and grabbed both her and Lois.”

 

“And you’re think that’s what’s happened to Lois and Lana?” Clark asked skeptically but then Chloe’s hunches were seldom wrong. The woman could put two and two together like no one he had ever known.

 

“It’s a hunch Clark,” Chloe confessed. “Honestly, I don’t know but I’ve got to do something. I can’t sit here and do nothing.”

 

“Chloe…” Clark started to protest, not liking this idea at all. “I think you should wait for me.”

 

“Clark I’ll be fine,” she declared. “I’ll call you when I get there and I won’t make a move until you arrive if I find out anything. I’ve left your name at the lobby so they’ll show you up to the suite. You can wait for my call there.”

 

Somehow, he didn’t believe her. “Chloe, I really don’t think that’s a good idea.”

 

“Clark, I got to run, I’ll call you when I get there.” Chloe retorted, ending the call before tucking the cell into her handbag.

 

Stepping into the elevators leading to the underground carpark where the rent-a-car she had ordered was waiting, Chloe knew that this was a long shot. Still she could not imagine why anyone would kidnap both Lois and Lana. If it were merely Lana that was abducted, Chloe would chalk it up to another one of Lex’s enemies and God only knows he had enough of those.  However, abducting Lois as well convinced the blond reporter that these might be the same kidnappers who had been abducting tourists these last weeks.

 

Compelled by concern for their safety and hamstrung by guilt, Chloe was determined to follow any lead she could, no matter how remote.

 

The doors of the elevator open and Chloe stepped into the parking lot. There were not many cars parked but she recognized the red VW polo she had asked the hotel to procure her during her search earlier. The keys had been waiting for her at reception so Chloe fished them out of her hand bag as she approached it. She wished she had time to call Bruce but her calls to him had gone straight to voice mail so she gathered he was still in meetings and could not be disturbed. She hoped he’d understand if she was forced to take a rain check on their dinner.

 

Unlocking the car, Chloe climbed inside and immediately pulled the seat belt over herself. Fastening it into place, she was about to reach for the rear view mirror when suddenly, someone sat up from the back seat and reached his arm around the seat. Chloe had enough time to recognize that the man in question as being the waiter from last night before a cloth was pressed firmly against her face. She struggled to unhook the seatbelt and her gasp of fear ensured she inhaled the noxious chemical in which the cloth was soaked straight into her lungs.

 

The dizziness hit her immediately and she felt her head swim. Trying to focus, Chloe made a decent attempt at struggling before the blackness overtook her and she slumped towards the steering wheel.

 

Eduardo Santiago looked around to ensure he had not been seen and immediately shoved the young woman to the passenger side before he took her place at the driver’s side. The keys already in the ignition, Eduardo started the engines with a low rumble before putting the vehicle into gear and driving out of the carpark.

 

He hadn’t intended to take another so soon but the girl was heading to Tierra Colarada where she would undoubtedly ask questions and lead others who would do the same. Best that he took her now and add her to the sacred number of the 18. Thanks to this premature abduction, Eduardo no longer needed to return to the hotel. He was finished here.

 

At last, they could carry out the Festival of the Binding Year in the way of the ancestors. 

 

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

 

 

Dear Bruce,

 

I’m sorry if I’m still not back for dinner. Something’s come up. I think Lana and Lois have been abducted. They never made it back to their rooms last night.  I’ve got an idea on a lead as to where they might be so I’ve got to chase it up. I’ll give you a call when I get back in. 

 

Love Chloe.

 

P.S. Last night was amazing. 

 

 

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

 

He was a fool.

 

He should have damn well known.

 

Why try and kidnap Bruce Wayne when it was just as easy to abduct Lana Lang, fiancée of Lex Luthor and mother of his child? Talk about two for the price of one and of course if Lois Lane just so happened to be in her company, the chief of staff to a United States Senator, all the better. If it money was at all the reason for these abductions. Bruce was no longer convinced that it was.  It couldn’t be some kind of white slavery racket unless overweight, balding accountants named Morris was in high demand in the notorious flesh pots of the world.

 

Slipping her message in his pocket, Bruce made his way to the presidential suite, determined to look over the scene of the crime. He deduced quickly that they could be abducted nowhere else since both women had declared their intention to go straight to their rooms when they had left the dinner table the night before. At that time of night, the path to the elevator and the ride up would have ensured maximum traffic from other hotel guests. It was simply too risky to abduct two women without some measure of privacy.

 

No, it had to be in the room.

 

Bruce reached the presidential suite and looked up and down the hallway to ensure no one was about before he went to work on the door. A few seconds of careful use with his platinum card that he was certain the good people at American Express had not intended and the door opened with a click.  Straightening up, he listened carefully for anyone approaching before entering the room and shutting the door behind him.

 

Once inside, Bruce surveyed the room carefully. It had the lived in look of any hotel suite but Bruce sighted nothing so far that indicated foul play. If the abduction had taken place last night, it most likely took place in this room. The execution would be careful since abducting two women would have caused commotion if carried out poorly. Bruce’s brief conversation with the concierge indicated that Chloe had asked around for her friends’ whereabouts before she took off and that the staff had heard nothing.

 

Most likely, they waited. Bruce could not imagine how two women could be moved out of this room with one abductor only. There had to be two. That was the only explanation that made sense. Chances are they would have abducted the two and waited until the coast was clear or the hour was later. Where would they have waited?

 

Bruce was pondering this when he heard the rustle of curtains against the wind and moved towards the open doors of the balcony. Open doors?  He parted the curtains and noted that the doors were spread open. Retreating into the suite, he turned on the lights and stepped outside again, this time studying the doors. He could see fingers prints and the potted plant in the corner of the balcony, contained one other clue.

 

Cigarette butts.

 

Stepping into the room, Bruce went to one of the bedrooms and began rifling through the drawers, searching. He didn’t trust local police to conduct a proper investigation, especially when the Chief of Police was attempting to keep these abductions quiet. No, it was better he lifted the prints himself.

 

“Looking for anything in particular?”

 

It took quite a bit for Bruce Wayne to be caught by surprise but the voice that came out of nowhere succeeded quite spectacularly.  Turning around sharply, he found himself being stared down by a man a little younger than him, eyeing him with clear disapproval. 

 

“How did you get in here?” Bruce asked, not at all concerned by the fact that he had been caught inside someone else’s room.

 

“You didn’t answer my question,” Clark Kent said staring at the man he recognized from the picture in the gossip pages as Bruce Wayne. “Are you looking for anything in particular?”

Bruce prided himself of being incapable of being snuck upon and yet here he was, standing next to this kid, taken completely by surprise. How the hell had he done it? Bruce didn’t even hear the door opening. Was he that engrossed in what he was doing that he had completely missed it? Bruce found that hard to believe as he studied the new arrival.  He was built sturdy that’s for sure and was at least three inches taller, which made the sneaking in all the more unbelievable. However, if there was one thing Bruce knew better than anyone else, appearances weren’t everything.

 

 A mystery for later, Bruce decided after a while. Right now, Chloe was the only thing that mattered to him. Recovering his composure quickly, Bruce turned back to the dressing table and resumed his search.

 

“Talcum powder and a makeup brush actually,” Bruce answered before locating what appeared to be a makeup kit.

 

His answer did not help Clark Kent’s confusion.

 

Clark was certain that he had made it before Lex since even with refueling on a private jet, would take a good nine to ten hours to make it Acapulco. He was rather pleased with himself that he had made it in five without crashing into anything. Clark suspected that he would be able to travel even faster than that once he was more confident with his skills but for now, he was rather proud of himself.  Even prouder that he was able to find the hotel from the air and Lois’s description of where they were allowed him to find the presidential suite easily.

 

What he did not expect to find was Chloe’s new guy going through the room like some kind of thief or in light of his explanation, a weirdo with makeup fetish.

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“You’re Lois’ boyfriend?” Bruce met his gaze briefly, “the farmer from Kansas?”

 

Clark gave him a look wondering if that was how Lois had describe him or was it the only term snotty billionaires could come up with.  “I’m Clark Kent, yes and you’re Bruce Wayne.”

 

“That’s right,” Bruce walked past him with the objects he had collected from the drawer. “I’m guessing Chloe called you about Lois and Lana.”

 

“She did,” Clark demanded trying to figure out what this crazy SOB was doing. “Where is she?”

 

“I don’t know, she was to supposed to meet me for dinner but said she had a lead to find Lois and Lana” Bruce frowned, unhappy about that as he pulled the curtains away from the glass doors of the balcony and kneeled down. “Whoever took them waited for them in this room,” he explained. “I found some cigarette butts in the pot plant on the balcony which tells me that’s where they were hiding until the girls got back. I think I can lift some prints. I don’t know how useful they’ll be since the Mexican police force is not exactly known for its modern techniques in law enforcement but we might get lucky.”

 

With that, Bruce proceeded to dust the balcony doors for fingerprints. Coating the soft hairs of the brush with a dab of talcum powder, Bruce applied delicate strokes across the glass. Each stroke bringing to light clusters of finger prints.

 

“What are you doing?” Clark had to ask so fascinated that he forgot everything else for a moment.

 

“Finger printing 101,” Bruce said not looking at the farmer as he reached into his coat and produced a role of adhesive tape he carried around for this particular purpose. Pressing the plastic against the powdered glass, Bruce pulled back and revealed his prize. “Now we’ve got something we can match up.”

 

Clark was still playing catch up. Wasn’t this Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy who was a notorious womanizer and seemingly useless fop?  Right now, this guy made Oliver look like a slacker. 

 

“Pretty impressive,” Clark had to admit. “So we take this to the police?”


”No,” Bruce shook his head straightening up. “They won’t do anything about it. Too much publicity about tourists getting snatched is not in their best interests. I’m guessing if you’re here then Lex Luthor won’t be far behind. I think Luthor Corp has some pull with the Mexican government, we’ll leave these for him.” Bruce said putting the samples into an adhesive bag. “Now I got to figure out where Chloe is.”

 

“She told me to meet her here,” Clark said willing to brush aside any questions he had about this man because he sounded like he knew what he was doing and right now, he was more interested in finding Lois, Lana and Chloe, before anything else. “She said she was checking out a lead in Tierra Colarada.”

 

Bruce shot the farm boy a look. “Tierra Colarada?” He demanded. “That’s where she said she was going?”

 

“Why?” Clark demanded as Bruce started towards the door.

 

“In the last two weeks, exactly fourteen people have gone missing.” Bruce stated as he exited the suite with Clark following. Clark was determined not to let this man out of his sight. Clark had no idea what to make of Bruce Wayne but it was clear he knew what was going on.

 

“Missing?” Clark did not like the sound of this at all.  “What do you mean missing?”

 

“Abducted, kidnapped. Whatever,” Bruce declared making his way to the elevator. It started in  Tierra Colarada  and as the numbers increased and travelers’ warnings were issued, the kidnappings began to move closer towards this city since tourists were warned not to travel too far out of town.  Three days ago, the wife of my company CEO was abducted on her way back from a health spa. The kidnappings takes place once every two days. Last night, Lois and Lana became victim fifteen and sixteen. Seventeen if you count Baby Luthor…..” suddenly Bruce’s voice drifted.

 

“What?” Clark stared at the man who appeared to pause in mid step. It was the face of someone who had an epiphany.

 

“He congratulated her about the baby…” Bruce mused. “The waiter at our table congratulated us about the baby.”

 

“You think it was him?” Clark felt like he had stepped into the second of a play.


”It’s a place to start,” Bruce said firmly.

 

“We better find this guy,” Clark returned. “The hotel should have a record of him.”

 

“Not so fast,” he looked at Clark. “We?  I don’t recall inviting you Kent. I work alone.”

 

“I’m sorry Mr. Wayne,” the younger man stared at him impatiently. “Did you think you had a choice in the matter?”

 

“You’re out of your league, this  isn’t Kansas.” Bruce retorted.

 

“This isn’t the society pages either but you seem to be managing,” Clark stared down that intense gaze. “I think I’ll be fine.”

 

“Don’t slow me down,” Bruce warned and stepped into the lift.

 

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Clark smiled to himself, privy to a joke the other man just would not understand.

 

 

Chapter Eight:

Time

 

After the countless threats to her life, the numerous infatuations turned obsession, the odd megalomaniac general from Krypton and the antics of an ex-boyfriend who only seemed to vent when hit with red kryptonite, Lana Lang did not think there was much left that could still scare her.

 

Until now.

 

While Lois had been brought to their prison unconscious, Lana unfortunately had been forced to endure the entire journey fully cognizant of their perilous situation. Thanks to the baby growing inside of her, Lana had managed to convince her abductors not to use the chloroform that incapacitated Lois so effectively.  Desperately babbling about how chloroform could harm a fetus, at least that’s the impression she got from her biology classes at college, Lana had instead been gagged and blindfolded before being hoisted over someone’s shoulder and taken out of their suite.

 

Throughout the entire journey of more than an hour, Lana kept telling herself that this was a simple ransom. Chloe had mentioned the news story she had been working on when they were on Lex's jet, citing how these things happened to tourists that ventured beyond city limits.  Thus when first abducted, Lana had been comforted by the knowledge that Lex would pay anything for her safe return. However, that perception changed when they had reached their destination and the blindfold was removed. When she bore witness to where they had been taken and how they were to be incarcerated, she realized with sickening fear that no amount of money would ever convince these people to let her or Lois go.

 

*********

 

From what Lana had been able to see when they had removed her blindfold, the cave in which she and others were held was located underground. There had been a good deal of walking through catacombs like tunnels before they entered the cavern where Lana saw other prisoners had been held in a crude, wooden cages, that looked straight out of some Indiana Jones movie. There was almost no natural light and torches made of copal-gum wood, hanging off the water-eroded walls, had lighted the path.

 

If she wasn't so frightened, Lana would have found it surreal.

 

She had been placed in the cage nearest to the entrance of the cavern, while Lois had been deposited at the other end towards the back. Lana suspected this was to demoralize them and prevent collusion into any plots of escape. As if that was going to stop either of them from escaping this hell, especially after what the remaining prisoners had told them about their fates.

 

This was never about ransom.  It was far worse than any of them could possibly imagine.

 

“Lois, stop,” Lana hissed a warning as her eyes fixed hard on the entrance to the cavern, trying to determine that the flickering movement against the wall from the torch light could be the returning shadows of their captors.

 

Freezing immediately, Lois Lane halted what she was doing and returned to a curled up position on the uncomfortable floor of her cage. Closing her eyes, she feigned sleep and hid behind the folds of her dress the ornate hair claw she had worn at dinner to hold up her dark hair. When she had been drugged and brought here, their fashion unconscious abductors had failed to remove it.  Made from zircon stones because girls who dated farm hands could not afford the genuine article, the cluster of diamond simulates had an uneven edge to it that was just serrated enough to provide some wear against Hessian ropes.  It wasn’t much of a tool but it was the best they had at this time. With patience and time, it could be use to fray some of the ropes holding their cages together.

 

Even as Lana watched the entrance, she could hear the noticeable pause of everyone in the cave with her. With breaths held in anticipation and wide-eyed fear, they waited and watched, praying that no one would come or if someone was out there, they would pass them by. Lana prayed too. For herself and for her baby. It was ironic that she was too sick with fear for her child to even notice the usual discomfort that came with her pregnancy. All she cared about was surviving long enough for Lex or even Clark to find them.

 

Eventually the shadows diminished and it appeared that no one was coming, at least for a while.

 

“It's okay,” Lana said quietly, careful that her voice did not carry. “All clear.”

 

“Thank God,” Lois sighed and sat up in the cage, bumping her head on the top. Of them women currently incarcerated, Lois was having the worst time of it because she was the tallest. Lana suspected her escape attempt was partially to keep her limbs from cramping up. “I think I’ve gotten some of the rope to wear," she announced, trying to sound hopeful

 

“Oh good,” Lana remarked trying to keep herself from showing her lack of confidence in Lois’ project. “In six months we might be able to get out of here.”

 

The girl in the far cage started to whimper at the mention of that and Lana swore inwardly at her thoughtlessness.

 

Until a week ago, Claire Denison had been just another American tourist, traveling to Acapulco with her friend Sandra. They had finished high school and were celebrating their coming of age by taking a trip aboard. Obeying all the advice of travel agents and other authoritative bodies when taking an overseas trip alone, they had been on their way home from the local markets when Claire had been abducted and brought to this place. She had watched as all others who came before her go on to their fates and the ordeal had very nearly splintered her nineteen-year-old sanity.

 

“It's okay honey,” Lana saw Mrs. Fox speak up. The older woman had been offering Claire what comfort she could since her arrival and Lana had to admit hearing the woman's calm and assuring voice, so reminiscent of Mrs. Kent's, did help her too.

 

"It's going to be alright.” The woman said reaching for the girl's hand though the bars and squeezed gently.

 

“I’m sorry Claire," Lana said adding her voice to that of Mrs. Fox, rebuking her lack of consideration for her fellow inmates. "Of course, we’re going to be okay.”

 

She even managed to sound like she believed it.

 

Still, optimistic projection aside, all four women knew that it wasn’t going to be alright, not unless something happened very soon. Time was against all of them but for Claire in particular, who had been a part of this dreaded menagerie longer than any of them; time was a commodity she simply did not have.

 

“Yeah,” Lois nodded, trying to sound confident as she went back to work, ignoring the fact that Lana was right, that a piece of hair accessory was not delivering them from this prison, not any time soon that was for sure. However, she could give in, not when there was even the slightest chance that it might work. Lois was driving herself on the hope that the longer they stayed alive, the better chance they had of being found. “You’ll see.”

 

Then the drums began beating.

 

Low rhythmic sounds, not quite music, not quite noise either. However, the effect on all of them was profound. It was a sound that Lois and Lana had only had described to them, a sound that Tanya and Claire knew all too well. The sound broke Claire completely and the young woman with the dark gold hair and the hiker’s clothes began to sob openly, weeping out loud. She started shaking the bars of her cage, trying to escape but to no avail.

 

"Oh God they're coming!" She wailed, trying to break through her prison, growing more frantic with each passing seconds.

 

Even Mrs. Fox, who had been a voice of calm in the last day, abandoned her attempts to calm the girl. Claire had good reason for her terror and none of them could think of any lie, any assurance that would reduce her fear when the reason for that macabre tribal drum beat had been revealed in all its gruesome reality.

 

"Claire it will be okay," Mrs. Fox found her voice at last but her words were impotent. She spoke them through tears of frustration and fear.

 

The drumbeat continued, intensifying as a chorus of very human voices joined in concert with its rhythm. The sound filled the cavern and bounced off the walls, stifling Claire's sobs as ruthlessly as it would soon extinguish her life. Never had those cages seemed so empty to both Lois and Lana until this minute. Even more insidious than the knowledge of what was about to happen was the fact that the primitive chanting had masked the voice of footsteps echoing through the passage until it was too late.

 

Two men entered the cavern a moment later without any warning and the sight of them forced a scream of horror from both Lana and Claire. Lois held her composure a little better but not much and had to turn away, less she began screaming too. Mr. Fox's reaction could be heard by the gagging sounds coming from her cage.  The men reacted dispassionately to the horrified expressions of their prisoners. The honored did not understand fully their role in the festival but understanding was not required, only that they were acceptable to the Gods.

 

“NO! PLEASE!! NO! DON’T!” Claire screamed as the men approached her cage, the nightmare that had been plaguing her since her incarceration unfolding before her eyes.

 

Helplessly, the others could only sit and watch helpless in horror and despair as the men dressed in Aztec garb, came at last for Claire.

 

Even though there were part s of their costume that were traditional Aztec, Lana was certain that no Mexican would have accepted these 'men' as being representative of any part of their culture. Their costumes were a mixture of traditional Aztec that one might see in any Mexican festival but what made them unmistakably something dark and evil were the cloaks draped over their shoulders. The material had been cured and fashioned from hide and the tell tale signs of the animal that had been skinned to provide this garment could be seen in tattoos and other familiar scars.

 

That and the masks they made out of their victims faces.

 

All three women had started shouting, with Lois predictably being the loudest as Claire was dragged out of her opened cage, kicking and screaming. She tried clinging to the bars to keep from being forced out, until one of the men smashed a foot against her slender fingers, creating a crack of sound that rivaled her scream in sheer chill, before Claire let go.

 

“LET HER GO YOU SON OF A BITCH!” Lois shouted, kicking hard at the bars of her own cage, fury and desperation compelling her to act even if it was a futile effort. 

 

Claire continued screaming hysterically, her pitiful shrieks of terror driving Lana, Lois and Mrs. Fox into an almost equal state of panic and desperation. The girl clawed at the men who were maddeningly silent in their reaction. Like automatons, they simply ignored her near feral struggles, making Lana compare them to butchers at a slaughterhouse, indifferent to the fate of the animal being led onto the killing floor. 

 

After all, who talked to a cow before the slaughter?

 

Her screams continued as they took her out of the cavern, it echoed through the passage, eclipsing briefly the sound of beating drums and chanting. The prisoners left behind were sobbing a she vanished from their sight, able to hear every second of her ordeal as she was taken away from them. Not seeing what was happening to the girl was almost as bad as being present for it, the mind’s ability to fill in the gaps was astonishingly potent.  The chanting and the drum beating seemed to grow louder even as Claire's voice began to fade away.

 

Screaming, chanting and the beating of drums continued as if they were all equal parts of a grisly symphony. The three women listened against their wills, crying in anguish for the girl that was no longer among them until the aria reached climax, and Claire's voice ended with a final, abrupt, shriek.

 

“Oh my God,” Lana was shaking as she sobbed. “Oh my God…Claire.”

 

Lana could barely think.  Her cheeks were wet with tears. Even if Claire’s voice could no longer be heard, Lana knew that Claire's voice would haunt her dreams for some time to come, provided that any of them live long enough to believe in a good night's sleep ever again. "This happened to all of them didn't it?" She whispered.

 

"Yes," Tanya Fox nodded. "Morris who was here when I came said so. They did this to all of them." The woman's face was ashen with shock.

 

Lois recovered faster, wiping her eyes and trying to regain her composure. Natural attrition would refused to allow Sam Lane’s daughter to simply submit to her fate, no matter how much of a blow had been struck to her self-confidence at this moment.

 

“We are not going to die in here,” Lois said firmly but she was shaken. Every word that escaped her lips showed it. “Not like this," she repeated herself and injected more confidence than she felt.

 

Someone had to be strong for the others.

 

“Right?” She demanded looking to Lana and the older woman, using the same voice her father used when he tried to convince her and Lucy that things would be alright after their mother had passed.  “We are getting out of this." She said noticing the slight crack in the wooden bar where she had kicked it. 

 

Mrs. Fox didn’t look at her but whispered softly, “It’s my turn next.”

 

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

 

Bruce was a very intense guy.

 

This much Clark Kent had learned in the brief time he had been in the man's company. Furthermore, the young farmer from Kansas had also come to the conclusion that while the world might see Bruce Wayne as a billionaire playboy he was anything but that. In some ways, Bruce's manner reminded him of Oliver Queen, smarter than he appeared and looking to save the world. Yet there was an edge to him, an edge that Clark couldn't quite describe.  Lex used to give him vibes like this which made Clark uneasy when one considered what Chloe had been doing the night before. It had been bad enough seeing Lana become involved in the wrong man. He didn't want to have to go through the same thing with Chloe and Bruce Wayne.

 

Once Bruce had announced his belief that it was the waiter who served them at dinner last night who might be responsible to the abduction, Clark decided to stick to the man and see what he came up with. Lex was due to arrived in Acapulco in a few hours and Clark would prefer they find the girls before that happened. He had no wish to be in Lex's company any longer than he had to be

 

"Nice," Clark said admiring the villa that Bruce Wayne called his own on the beach.  They had spent a bit of time questioning the staff at the kitchen before Bruce suggested they return here to continue the investigation.

 

"It will do," Bruce said as he went to the refrigerator. "Something to drink?"

 

"Water if you got it," Clark shrugged "What are we doing in here?"

 

"I asked the Concierge to come see us," Bruce replied reaching into the fridge and pulling out two bottles of spring water and tossed one at the younger man. "I think we need to talk to him privately."

 

"He'll just drop everything and show up?" Clark asked and then remembered what it was like being around rich people. "Never mind, scratch that question."

 

Of course, the man would show up. People always did for the rich. 

 

"Money makes the world go round Kent," Bruce retorted, looking out the French doors and seeing the Concierge making his way across the beach toward the villa.  "In this part of the world it doesn't come easily to most."

 

"There's still no excuse for being dishonest," Clark retorted, following his gaze and seeing their quarry approaching.

 

Bruce straightened up and looked at Kent oddly. "Dishonesty is a matter of perception, Kent."

 

"That's just sounds like an excuse for bad behavior," Clark retorted automatically. Didn't he have this argument with Oliver too?

 

"This isn't a perfect world Clark. There are different kinds of dishonesty. You lose a great deal of preconceptions when you put yourselves in the shoes of don't haves of the world. The first time you're driven to steal because of hunger, you understand how easy it is to cross that line. It’s a matter of perception. What would you consider more dishonest? The man who steals a loaf of bread to feed his family or the system that forced him to do it in the first place?

 

Clark had no answer which was just as well because the door knocked at that moment.

 

"Let me do the talking," Bruce instructed as he opened the door and invited the man into the room.

 

"Fine with me," Clark retorted, still debating whether or not he ought to go search for Chloe, Lois and Lana himself and leave Bruce to his clever word play. However, something in the man's manner earlier told Clark that Bruce knew what he was doing and to wait around to see what came next.

 

Bruce opened the discussion with the Concierge, named Manuel, rather diplomatically at first with Bruce putting the man at ease with platitudes about the serve at the hotel and how helpful he had been. By the time, the question about Eduardo Santiago came up, money had changed hands and Manuel was sufficiently pliant enough to answer.

 

Or so Clark thought.

 

”Eduardo Santiago?” the concierge looked up at Bruce, an expression on his face that put Clark on guard immediately.

 

"Yes," Bruce drawled as if he had noticed nothing. “Is he working tonight?”  .

 

“No Mr. Wayne," Manuel shook his head. "Eduardo quit this morning.”

 

He was lying, Clark thought. He could hear the man's heart started to beat more rapidly and though it was subtle, his respiration had increased as well. If Bruce noticed any of this, he did not let it show.

 

“I want to find him,” Bruce said smoothly. “You’re going to tell me how.”

 

"I cannot Senor…" the man started to say when Bruce cut him off.

 

“Manuel, let me explain something to you," he spoke in a tone that seemed almost charming and Clark watched with a mixture of concern and fascination as Bruce Wayne went in for the kill. "People are vanishing from your hotel with surprising frequency.  I suspect the hotel owners are unaware of this fact and local police haven't been terribly motivated to do anything more than make discreet inquiries owing to the concern that foreign tourists vanishing from one of the best hotels in Acapulco might be a little detrimental to the local economy. So far, no one has caught onto the fact that almost all the kidnapped victims from Acapulco stayed here and the only reason I can imagine why that is, is because someone has been paying the police to ignore that little fact."

 

Clark didn’t need enhanced vision to see that Bruce’s speculation had a profound effect on the man. Immediately Clark could hear his pulse start to race, his heart rate increasing even more steeply.

 

"I'll even go so far as to guess that everyone who went missing from this hotel at some point stopped at the front desk, be it to make appointments at a local health spa, to make arrangements for a car or even arrange for a long distance telephone call from their rooms, giving whomever was working the desk exact details of where they would be for the next few hours. I also suspect that someone at the front desk was paid very well for providing such useful information to the person intending to abduct a group of rich Americans.”

 

“I don’t know anything about that,” the man retorted quickly. “It could have been anyone at the front desk who gave Eduardo this information.”

 

“So it was Eduardo?”  Bruce's eyes fixed on him like lasers. 

 

“I do not know," he retorted. "I only said so because you are looking for him." He seemed pleased with himself for being able to score a point in this verbal sparring.

 

"Maybe we should call the local police and tell them what we know," Clark spoke up. "Let them deal with it."

 

"There's no point," Bruce replied. "He'd pay them off too."

 

Manuel almost smirked until Bruce spoke further.

 

“I guess he’s just too smart for us Kent. We should let him go,” Bruce started to walk Manuel to the door to Clark's astonishment.

 

"You're just not going to let it go…" Clark declared, fully intending to shake the truth out of the man if necessary.

 

Suddenly Bruce paused and snapped his fingers as if remembering something. "One thing though Manuel. Lex Luthor will be here in a few hours and I’ll be sure to let him know how cooperative you've been in regards to helping us with Miss Lang's disappearance, not to mention this hotel's relationship with the police. I’m sure when he ask you the same questions; he’ll be just as forgiving as I am. After all, Mr. Luthor is known to be a very understanding man when it comes to the life of his fiancée and his unborn child. I'm sure he'll take no exception to your silence."

 

Shit, Clark thought as he saw Manuel's face pale.

 

“Mr. Luthor is coming here personally?”  Manuel swallowed visibly.

 

“His plane is already in the air,” Clark added, playing along.  "He's extremely protective when it comes to the live of Lana Lang." As much as Clark hated to admit it, that wasn't a lie.

 

“I’ll give him your regards Manuel,” Bruce retorted, opening the door and proceeding to usher the concierge out of the room. "Although I think you'll be seeing him yourself before too long. Good bye…"

 

“Wait!” Manuel stuttered. "Maybe I can be of some help…"

 

Bruce smiled.

 

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

 

“How did you know?” Clark asked a short time later as they walked into the car park after Manuel the Concierge had told them that Eduardo Santiago hailed for Tierra Colarada, a town not far from the Sierra Madres foothills. It was the same place that Chloe had said she was headed to before her disappearance.  Although Clark could be in the town in less than a minute, he opted to stick with Bruce since it appeared the man knew what he was doing and Clark didn't want to waste time stumbling around town looking for Chloe without a clue of where she might be.

 

“How did I know what?” Bruce replied while fishing for the keys to his black Masserati coupe parked in the underground car park.

 

“That he was the one giving information to this Santiago guy?” Clark looked at him, trying to figure Bruce Wayne out and finding more questions than answers with each word that come out of the man's mouth.

 

“I didn’t,” Bruce said deactivating the car’s alarm. A short burst of sound followed a flash of headlights.

 

“You didn’t??” Clark exclaimed. “Then how…”

 

Bruce shrugged. "I assumed someone was giving information to Santiago. If you're going to accuse someone from the reception staff, it might as well be the concierge. After that, it’s easy to work your way down."

 

Clark shook his head and said, "You sure are nothing like the newspapers describe you," he remarked taking a moment to admire the gorgeous car. "How do you know how to do all this stuff?"

 

Bruce paused to look over the top of the room at the young man from Kansas "I'll answer that if you answer one question for me"

 

"Sure," Clark answered. "What?"

 

"How did you get into the girls' suite without me hearing you?"

 

Clark smirked. "Just quiet I guess," he met Bruce's eyes with a hint of amusement, daring him to solve the riddle. He suspected Bruce was hard at work at it already.

 

"No one's that quiet Kent," Bruce retorted before opening the door and adding, "except me."

 

"I'm full of surprises," Clark grinned.

 

"I hate surprises," Bruce grumbled.

 

"I get that," Clark retorted before joining him in the car.

 

 

Chapter Nine:

Out of the Fire

 

It was dark when Chloe opened her eyes and found herself lying across the back seat of the car she had rented. Panic filled her when she remembered how she had come to be in this position but the sounds of someone outside the car shocked her out of fear. Remaining still and giving no signs to indicate that she had regained consciousness, Chloe's took a moment to recover from the grogginess of a chloroform-induced sleep. Aside from lingering dizziness and a feeling of nausea, Chloe considered herself in adequate condition.

 

Face pressed against the vinyl seats, she raised her eyes to the windows and saw that it was almost dark. The car was parked at a slight angle and judging from the slight vibrations she could feel through the seats from the left side, Chloe realised that the car was being worked on. A flat tire maybe? That might explain why she had been left in the car long enough to regain consciousness. Not trusting herself to make a run for it, at least when things were still a little woozy in her head, Chloe also had no idea where she was. She could be in the middle of nowhere and her kidnapper could chase her down easily with her car.

 

Thinking quickly, Chloe tried to decide what to do. Her best option was to wait it out but she did not want to allow herself to be placed into a situation that she might not be able to get out of either. Looking around the car, she sought options and noted that her kidnapper had dumped her handbag into the back seat with her. That was something. She slid her hand into her handbag soundlessly, hoping to find her cell phone but after a few seconds, of painfully slow rummaging, Chloe realised it was gone. She supposed it was too much to assume that the kidnapper would be so careless but…

 

Wait.

 

He'd left something behind she could use.

 

Maintaining her poise, Chloe slipped the object out of her purse and slid into the one place she could conceal anything in this light summer dress she wore. It was slim enough to slip into place without any inconvenience to herself.

 

Thank God for Chlovage,  she thought to herself, remembering that juvenile term that Pete had used the first time the guys had seen her in a dress way back in eighth grade.

 

With that, she lay her head back down on the vinyl and feigned sleep again, continuing to listen to her abductor as he worked on the car.

 

 

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

 

He should have brought his own vehicle but Eduardo Santiago had been forced to improvise when he learned of Chloe Sullivan's decision to go to Tierra Colorada to investigate the disappearances of her companions. Unfortunately, the path to the great temple took them through rough terrain and during the course of the journey; the car developed a flat tire. Spending more time than he would have liked to repair it, Eduardo finally resumed his journey with Miss Sullivan in the backseat, none the wiser at their stop. As long as she remained unconscious until they arrived at their destination, there was no reason for any further trouble.

 

In truth, if given the choice she would not have been the person he would have taken as the last soul of the honoured eighteen. In ancient times, those who were selected were persons of importance, who born high in the scheme of things. If it were not for the fact that she had shared the bed of a prince, Eduardo would have killed her outright and not bothered taking her at all. However if he could not have Wayne, then the consort of Wayne would do just as well. In any case, she could not be allowed to reach Tierra Colorada and start questioning the locals.

 

While they knew little of what he and his brothers had been doing, their knowledge of the festival might allow a connection to be made with the kidnappings and could prompt the Federalis  into action, even beyond the best efforts of the 'blue shirts' who had been so had been well paid to remain silent. Furthermore, because they were foreigners, it was only a matter of time that local authorities caved into consular officials demanding answers regarding the fate of their citizens.

 

They had left civilisation some time ago and travelling on trails that had been forgotten by most except those native peoples who had been driven further and further into the forests, hoping to stave off civilisation. Peoples like the Tarahumara Indians who were seeing their world disappear and those like him, who recognised that the abandoning of ancient religions had placed the world on the brink of destruction. Tall trees flanked them on either side as the car moved across the uneven ground, soft with rotting foliage and teeming rainfall. Indeed, as he looked through the windscreen, he could see the light of day diminishing further under the gathering cumulus as well as the approaching night.

 

It wasn't long before the rain started, washing the muddy vehicle with a tropical downpour that drove home to all in the vehicle how far they were from civilisation.

 

***********

 

 

Chloe kept her eyes closed, maintaining the ruse that she was still very much dead to the world as she was lifted out of the car and carried through the dense jungle. Occasionally she risked opening an eye when she was certain it wasn't noticed and discovered that wherever it was they were; it was far away from anywhere help would be. However, if he was taking her to where Lois Lane was being kept than Chloe could take some comfort. Lois knew how to take care of herself in an environment like this and in a pinch she could take care of Chloe and Lana too.

 

If she was still alive and Chloe prayed that she was.

 

Suddenly the cool air of the evening diminished and they entered a place where she could hear the echoes of an enclosed space. The air too changed from fresh to dank, rotten almost. She noted her captor's grip around her tightened as if he needed a more secure hold of her body and gradually, they began making their way down was seemed like a steep incline with sharp turns and narrows walls. Even though she was supposed to be unconscious, Chloe couldn't help but feel her slivers of fear running up and down her spine. There was something so sinister about this that it scared on a primeval level.

 

The further into the Earth they went, the greater her sense of isolation grew and she hoped that at the end of this journey, Lana and Lois were still alive. She couldn't imagine what they were going through and was grateful that Clark was on his way. Chloe liked to think that Bruce might also be missing her enough to come looking. She clung to the memory of their night, using it as a beacon of hope that if someone felt such passion for her, they might be compelled to find her at any costs.

 

Chloe’s breath caught in recognition of fast approaching voices from up ahead. They were soft and faint but unmistakably familiar. Trying not to show any reaction, Chloe nevertheless stole a surreptitious look long enough to see that she was being carried to the mouth of a cavern. Clamping her eyes shut, she continued the charade until she crossed the threshold of the entrance and those familiar reacted to her presence.

 

“CHLOE!” Lois Lane’s voice echoed through the cavern and try as she might, Chloe found herself opening her eyes.

 

“Lois?” She lifted her head to see her cousin and Lana imprisoned inside wooden cages like animals, along with another woman she did not recognise. “Oh my God! What’s happening?”

 

Eduardo released her then seemingly unsurprised that she was awake. “You can stand on your own now,” he ordered and Chloe was dropped onto the hard ground.

 

Chloe dropped to her hands and knees, the attempt to stand up right too much for her after such a period of inactivity. Chloe kneeled on the ground, trying to regain her balance and recover so that she could move on her own volition.  Her mouth felt dry and she was drying for some water but she guessed that wasn’t forthcoming if Lana and Lois’ condition were any indication. Both women looked like hell and the place smelled like a barn.

 

“Oh God Chloe,” Lana spoke through the bars of her cage. “How did he get to you?”

 

“Shut up!” Eduardo ordered and jabbed at Chloe’s side with her foot. “Move,” he gestured to the empty cage that had previously held Claire.

 

“Leave her alone,” Lois snapped, “can’t you see she’s still doped off from your rag rufi? Chloe, take it easy.” She spoke gently, trying to sound confident even though it just killed Lois to see Chloe here too. It was bad enough that they had to deal with what had happened to Claire earlier today but to see Chloe here was even more demoralizing. 

 

“Move!” Eduardo shoved Chloe again and the blond reacted sharply.

 

“Alright already!” Chloe bit back. “I’m moving.”

 

Slowly, Chloe adjusted herself and rolled her spine to an upright position as if she were doing yoga or something similarly healthy. Taking a deep breath, she took a step forward when suddenly, without warning and with far more agility than her attacker believed her capable; Chloe Sullivan turned around and sprayed Eduardo with a face full of mace.

 

The man let out a sharp cry of agony as Chloe swung hard and connected her fist against the swell of his Adam’s apple. What scream he managed was cut short as he doubled over in pain, choking to breathe. Lois, taking advantage of the confusion, pushed herself as far back against one side of the cage before she threw a powerful side kick against the bar that had been loosened. She had only to do it with rapid succession and the wood snapped in half.

 

Meanwhile Eduardo was gasping for air and was reaching into his jacket.  Chloe was looking for something else to hit him with more effectively when he produced the gun. However, his ability to aim was severely hampered. His eyes watered with pain as he struggled to breathe.

 

Suddenly, a foot kicked the gun out of his hand, sending it flying a few feet off the cave.  Lois turned Eduardo around forcefully and threw a well aimed fist against the bridge of his nose.

 

“Get the gun,” Lois ordered Chloe and close the distance as the man staggered back. Throwing another punch that would have made General Lane rather proud of his little girl; Lois knocked the architect of their day and half ordeal of terror, out cold.

 

Chloe nodded and hurried to find the weapon. “Are you guys alright?” She asked as she found the thing and picked it up by the butt. Guns made Chloe nervous.

 

“We’ve been better,” Lana declared, clearly relieved to see Chloe, even if they were nowhere out of trouble yet. “Get us out of here please! They could be back any minute!” Lana’s voice was shaking with fear as her eyes darted frantically between Chloe and the entrance.

 

 “Here,” Chloe handed the gun to Lois who like a pro, released the magazine to see how many rounds was left in it before snapping it back into place.

 

“We need to get out of here right now Chloe,” Lois said hurrying to Lana’s cage. The contraction was held back by a lock but fortunately, Lois was able to use the heavy butt of the automatic to smash the hinges away from the wood. “These guys are crazy. They’ve been killing everyone they’ve captured and skinning them.”

 

“Please tell me you’re kidding,” Chloe gasped with horror.

 

“We wish,” Lana retorted, trying not to think about Claire because that was only going to bring about more tears.

 

“Go,” Lois prompted, “keep watch on the entrance.”

 

“Right,” Chloe nodded and hurried to the mouth of the cavern. She could understand Lois’ concern. Sound carried far down here.

 

“There’s no other way to do this,” Lois said approaching the cages and putting on the gun’s safety. Holding it by the barrel, she smashed the cast iron butt against the hinges of the cage and while the lock did not break, the wood splintered enough for the hinges to come free.  Lois winced each time the butt made contact, certain that its sound would bring all those crazies their way.

 

”Where’s Clark when you need him?” Lana actually managed a joke.

 

“Who’s Clark?” Tanya asked, talking just for the sake of maintaining her sanity. Odd how when they were somewhat close to freedom that Tanya was most afraid.

 

“Someone I wished was here right now,” Lois muttered softly to herself, believing for the first time in hours that she was actually going to see Clark Kent again.

 

Finally after what seemed like an eternity, both the cages were splintered and the two women scrambled out of the cage, driven by relief and adrenalin. Lois, Lana and Tanya exchanged embraces respectively before Chloe’s voice interrupted.

 

“I think I hear them,” she announced.

 

Everyone’s breath seemed to catch. Lois swallowed thickly and removed the safety on the gun once more. Lois had never shot anyone in her life even though she was more than proficient in the use of fire arms. However, it was very possible that to get out of here alive, she would have to shoot someone. Unfortunately, after what had happened to Claire, Lois feared it was going to be frighteningly easy for her to pull the trigger.

 

“Alright let’s move,” she ushered the others out of the cavern. “There’s no time for quick introductions so here the deal. Chloe, this is Mrs. Fox. Mrs. Fox, this is Chloe. Chloe do you remember how you got down here? Mrs. Fox and I were out of it and Lana had a blindfold.”

 

“I’m not sure,” Chloe replied as they hurried down the cavern. Even as they moved, they could hear voices carrying up the stone passageway.  “I was going to go looking for you guys in Tierra Colorada when that jerk ambushed me in the car with the chloroform face wrap. The only reason I’m awake is because he got car trouble on the way here and had to make a pit stop.”

 

“Lucky for us,” Lana replied as Lois directed them in the opposite direction of the sound. This would lead them deeper underground but for right now, the path to the surface meant going straight through the kidnappers and none of them wanted to risk that yet.

 

“I don’t know how lucky we are,” Lois retorted, leading the way further down the passage. As it was, the air was becoming even more stale and the increase in cobwebs and other dust meant that no one had been down here in a very long time. At least the voices had grown distant for now.

 

“I called Clark and Lex,” Chloe assured them. “I also left a note with Bruce that you were in trouble, so help is on the way.”

 

“Bruce?” Tanya exclaimed. “Bruce Wayne?”

 

“Uh yeah,” Chloe looked at the woman with surprise. “You know Bruce?”

 

“Yes,” Tanya nodded, “I know Bruce. He’ll find us.” The older woman said a little more relieved now that she knew Bruce Wayne was on the case. Lucius had told her something about Bruce’s abilities, beyond the playboy persona he projected to the world. If anyone could find them, it was Bruce.

 

“We talking about the same Bruce Wayne?” Lois asked as they reached a juncture. Good, she thought to herself, a split in the passage meant more places to look. There were two ways to go and neither looked very welcoming but at least they were moving and the longer they stayed free, the better a shot they had of getting found.

 

“Drop dead gorgeous but useless for anything else, that Wayne?” Lois asked as tried to see. She wished they had grabbed a torch but doing so would have given their abductors too much of an advantage. As if was the light from the torches further up the caves was diminishing. 

 

“Hey!” Chloe hissed defensively. “He’s not that bad.”

 

“Take the left one,” Lana suggested, cringing at the sight of all the bugs and things that seemed to be crawling out of the left fork. “They’ll figure we went the less creepy way.”

 

 “Good call,” Lois agreed. “When we’re a little further away from these psychos, maybe we’ll try and light a torch or something. Okay, everyone, hands against the wall, I know its gross but that will stop us from falling over ourselves in the dark.”

 

“After what we just went through,” Lana shuddered, showing no fear.  “Bugs  I can deal with.”

 

 

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

 

Tierra Colorada was not that much different than Smallville. It sat against the foothills of the Sierra Madre ranges and appeared to a somewhat modern yet rural Mexican town. While it lack the sophistication of Acapulco, it nonetheless had a healthy commercial centre and all the modern conveniences like medical centres, health insurance and phone booths on every second corner. As they drove into the town, Clark felt decidedly uncomfortable in Bruce’s expensive car. The black Maserrati which probably cost more than all the cars in the town combined, was highly visible.

 

“Maybe we should have gone for something a little less noticeable,” Clark frowned as Bruce drove through the streets, headed for the address that Manuel had provided them for Eduardo. It was most likely a fake but Bruce was determined to chase down every lead. Considering they had no other information, Clark couldn’t argue with him.

 

“Nope,” Bruce shook his head. “This is just fine.”

 

“What you like showing off in an expensive car?” Clark accused and immediately regretted saying it. 

 

Bruce rolled his eyes and shifted them briefly from the road to the younger man. “That’s very impressive, self righteous and presumptuous. How ever did I get so lucky to have your company?”

 

Clark shot him a filthy look. “Look I’m just saying that this car is going to get us noticed.” Clark explained himself and sound a little less pompous than this guy was claiming him to be.  This was almost as bad as those conversations he used to have with Lex.

 

“That’s actually the point Kent,” Bruce retorted. “If Eduardo Santiago is kidnapping rich tourists, don’t you think this car might attract his attention?”

 

Damn.  Clark hadn’t thought of that. “Are you always five steps ahead of everyone?”

 

Bruce smirked, “not at all. I usually prefer being ahead at least seven.”

 

“Very funny,” Clark snorted, warming a little to Bruce’s sense of humour though he couldn’t quite figure the guy out. In some ways, he was like Oliver and Lex but there was an edge to him, something Clark couldn’t quite read. He was smart though, smarter than anyone Clark had ever met. For someone who possessed super speed, Clark was finding himself running to catch up with Bruce.   “Call me Clark.”

 

Bruce tossed him a look of gentle surprise. “Clark.”

 

Bruce did not know what to make of this young man from Kansas.  In some ways, he was ridiculously naïve but it was completely at odds with his confident manner. Clark Kent was one of the most principled people Bruce had ever met. This much he had been able to tell even from their short acquaintance. All those high minded ideals he spouted out, there weren’t just words to him, he actually believed them and worse yet, he actually believed that everyone should behave the same way. Bruce wondered what it was like to be so unafraid to have faith in people, to be able to trust them even when they didn’t deserve it.

 

“Can I ask you something?” Clark asked after a pause where he noted Bruce’s gaze lingering on him for more than a split second. It was very subtle but enough for Clark to guess that Bruce was trying to figure him out. At least, Clark wasn’t alone there.

 

“Go ahead,” Bruce replied, his photographic memory showing him which road to take to reach Santiago’s home as he drove through the darkened streets.

 

“Do you like Chloe?”

 

“I think that’s between Chloe and myself,” Bruce retorted smoothly and unperturbed by the questions.

 

“Fair enough,” Clark conceded, half expecting that response. “But she’s my friend and I care about her a lot. I don’t want to see her hurt. If she’s just some weekend fling, I’d appreciate you let her down easily. She deserves someone who isn’t going to break her heart.”

 

Clark had done enough of that already.

 

“Normally I'd tell you that this is none of your business but I can see you care about her a great deal so here it is;” Bruce answered, giving just a little. “I do like her. I do want to see her again after this is over but that’s something she and I have to work out. Is that good enough for you?”

 

“Yeah,” Clark nodded, accepting that as a satisfactory enough answer for now. “It will do.”

 

“Alright then,” Bruce faced front again. “Since we’re on the subject, how does a nice girl like Lana Lang end up with someone like Lex Luthor?”

 

Clark bristled and muttered with a dark scowl, “don’t get me started.”

 

TO BE CONTINUED