Crossroads - Chapter 27

by a campbell

Clark Kent/Lex Luthor, PG-13

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"Clark!" Lionel rapped sharply on the two-way glass. Lana watched as Clark, wearing white hospital garb and slumped alone on a sofa in the laboratory chamber, jerked and looked around the room.

"I know you can’t see me, Clark, but that you can hear. That’s correct, isn’t it?"

Clark frowned in the direction of Lionel’s voice. Dark circles rimmed his eyes and his face was pale and drawn. Clearly he hadn’t slept.

The room that held him was in the lowest level of the Metropolis penthouse. Lit by bright fluorescent lamps, it had no windows. The couch, an examination table, a shelf with books--it was smaller than the master bedroom many floors above.

"The half-silvered surface is strengthened with lead," Lionel’s gaze remained on Clark as he leaned over to whisper to Lana. "The walls? Fortified with green meteor rocks. Not enough to hurt the child, they assure me, but enough to disable Clark’s extraordinary strength. He can’t see through the glass. Nor can he escape." He stroked his crisp beard, his features settling into an expression of satisfaction. "He’s in our power."

Lana caught her breath and nodded. Clark seemed to be starting straight at them. "He can’t see us," Lionel’s breath was warm in her ear as he repeated his assurance with a light touch to her wrist. They stood motionless in the dark hallway, watching.

Clark narrowed his eyes as he rose to his feet, keeping his gaze trained in the direction from which Lionel had spoken. His voice lowered, serious and intense. "You son of a bitch. Let me out of here!"

"Easy, Son." Lionel soothed, leaning closer to the pane of glass and to the metal case that held the sophisticated microphone projecting his voice into the chamber.

Clark’s pale face darkened; Lana could almost see his temperature rise as he glared at the unseen voice. "I’m not your son! So don’t call me that again."

A light chuckle from Lionel. "Do you know where you are, Clark?"

Clark looked around, then back toward the glass. "I’m in your building."

"That’s right." This time, Lionel laughed loud enough for Clark to hear, and Clark’s face flushed even darker. The heavy metal lab door swung open to admit Dr. Gabrielov with a tray of medical equipment. Clark jumped, then grabbed him by the arm and sent him flying into the door, the tray of needles and syringes clattering against the wall on their way to the floor

"My boy," Lionel spoke into the mouthpiece. "That sort of behavior will not be tolerated here. Or work to your advantage. We only want to help you."

"Help me?" Clark scoffed, chest heaving. "By locking me up?" His trembling voice rose, tinged with desperation as he moved closer to the wall. "You don’t understand. It’s not just me you’re hurting. It’s--" Clark broke off and glanced down, and Lana’s heart twisted in spite of her resolve at the despair in his tone.

"Who?" Lionel’s smile was small and smug; he looked to Lana exactly like a cat with a mouse trapped in its claws.

Clark was silent for a moment before he answered. "Someone else who’s very important to you."

"My grandson," Lionel whispered, again in Lana’s direction. "He thinks I don’t know."

Lana tried but couldn’t suppress a wince, and Lionel’s glance told her it hadn’t escaped him. His dismissive conversation about Clark with Clark apparently within earshot was disturbing. But she beat down the impulse to protest. After all, she’d made up her mind, pledged her allegiance to Lionel. Whatever he wanted to do, she would support.

Clark had come to her aid more than once from captivity like this. Rescued her when she was in danger, put her safety first. Never asked for anything in return. Stayed her friend no matter what, even if he no longer wanted her in his life.

But she could no longer care. Her heart was dead, thanks to Clark. And Lex. They’d toyed with her, hurt her, passed her back and forth till she had no feelings left. She mustn’t be soft. Those days were over. That girl no longer existed, the sensitive young woman who’d wept at the blows to her emotions, time and again. Power and control were all that mattered now.

She gripped the metal rim along the wall and turned away, thinning her lips. "I’m going back upstairs." She waited for Lionel’s response, but his rapt gaze was still focused on Clark. Their prisoner.

"So, Clark, will you do as you are bid? It will be best for you and all concerned." Lionel put ever so slight emphasis on the "all."

Gloomily, Clark hesitated, with a rueful glance at Gabrielov, who was dragging himself slowly to his feet. "I’m sorry," he whispered, then turned back to the speaker. "I need to see Lex," he demanded.

"Get some sleep, boy. You’re exhausted." Lionel reached for a switch on the wall. "Watch him carefully," he directed Gabrielov, who was straightening his coat and clearly endeavoring to regain his composure.

"At least let me talk to him!" Lionel’s men had confiscated Clark’s cell phone immediately upon his arrival. "Please!"

Lionel ignored the plea and turned to Lana at last. "Come, my dear. We’ll return tomorrow. Perhaps, after he spends a bit more time alone, he’ll decide to...cooperate."

Lana swallowed hard and nodded, slipping her hand into his. She turned back once more to see Clark slump down on the couch in despair as Lionel flipped the switch with his free hand.

"Wait!" Lana watched the room dissolve in darkness as Clark’s voice rang in her ears.

**

A few sleepless hours later, Lana was back, having left Lionel asleep upstairs and having pocketed the key to the door in case she needed it.

Surely by now, Clark slept. Lana peered warily through the glass.

No, he was still awake, just a little more wan and haggard, and pacing, smoothing his shirt over the rounded and now obvious bump of his belly and murmuring aloud.

"It’s okay. Don’t worry. We’ll get out of here." He stroked the fabric with a faint smile. "Somehow." The smile faded and, gnawing his lower lip, he sank back down on the couch. "They must know about you, and even if they don’t, I can’t keep you secret for long." A sigh. "We’ll just have to try to get them to listen. If we can get word to your dad, and he can help well, maybe we’ll let him name you Alexander after all." Clark choked back a sob as his voice trailed off.

Lana watched. When Clark suddenly looked up and straight at her, she caught her breath and stepped back from the glass.

"Someone’s there. Who is it?"

She knew she should remain silent. So it was with surprise that she heard her voice, small and thin in the quiet of the hallway. "Clark, it’s me. Lana."

His eyes grew large and dark. "Lana!" He yanked his shirt down as far as it would go. "I don’t--how come--" Squinting, he stared in the direction of her voice as though he knew exactly where she stood. "Why are you here?"

Lionel would freak if he knew she knew about the secret screen, but, well: Lionel wasn’t here now. She pushed the button and the glass panel slid up to reveal a screen. Clark would be able to see her now. Nothing between them.

His startled gaze softened as it always had when he caught site of her and something in her awoke as though from a long sleep. She stepped closer to the screen

"I live here now. With Lionel."

Clark frowned. "Lana, are you serious?"

She didn’t answer.

"Don’t you know what--"

"I don’t want to talk about it," she broke in. "Not now."

His mouth settled in a glum line as he moved close to the wall. "All right. But Lana, listen." Lana could barely hear the whispered words, "Help me. Help me get out of here."

She shook her head and looked away. "I can’t."

"Please, Lana, he’ll listen to you. I know you can’t really be part of this. Maybe he’ll listen to you--it’s worth a try. It’s really important. I know you’re probably still mad, but there’s more at stake here than just me."

The baby, she thought, but didn’t say. Always secrets with Clark. Secrets he would never share. Instead, she murmured.

"Clark, do you realize you broke my heart?" He couldn’t know the bleak days and sleepless nights she’d endured. He just couldn’t.

He looked away. "I never meant to hurt you. But please--"

"I can’t go against Mr. Luthor--Lionel. He took me in after everyone else cast me out." She paused for the remark to sink in, then continued. "He’s all I have left."

"Lana, you deserve better. You shouldn’t be with him. He’ll only destroy you." Clark looked down, then back up, and said bleakly. "Look at me."

"I can’t listen to this." She should never have come back down here. She should just have stayed away. She drew back from the window as Clark pressed closer to the grille.

"Lana, you have to leave him. And I have to get out of here. Please!" He took a quick breath, glancing down again, and back up. "There’s so much I haven’t told you…"

"That was always the problem between us, Clark."

"Lana, if you ever cared about me, and Lex, help me get out of here."

"Stop! I can’t listen any more. I--"

Her gaze still fixed on Clark, she reached for the button on the wall.

"No! Lana--"

Her heart was thudding in her chest as she pressed the button and the glass lowered, sealing her off from Clark.

She walked quickly down the dark hall, away from the mirror, away from him, trying to block out the memory of her last glimpse of his desperate face.

She only knew she had to escape back upstairs, away from the lies once and for all.

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