Fic: Badlands (6/8)
Fic: Badlands (6/8)
By: Pen37
Beta:
clarksmuse
Banner:
cheryljluv
Rating: PG-13
Fandoms: Smallville/Supernatural
Characters: Chloe, Sam, Dean, Bobby, Oliver Queen
Pairing: Chloe/Dean,
Disclaimer: Not Mine, Fun only.
Dust Jacket: http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u51/pen37_album/badlands.jpg
Summary: The group heads to South Dakota to recover. But recovery isn't as relaxing as it should be with Evil Scientists, ghostly Native Americans, and Chloe and Dean fighting the whole way.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8
This is part of the Special Projects series. The rest of the fics can be found here.
Written for the Crossovers100 challenge. Prompt #82 Cave. The table is here.
A/N: I have a poll up on my LJ concerning a comission that I'm having drawn. I need some help deciding which fiction series I want it drawn from. The poll is open to everyone, not just my F-List. Please go here to vote.
Dean wasn't sure how long they were in that little cell. It seemed like forever when he didn't have anything to do but count the cracks in the ceiling. Eventually, they heard the electric hum that signaled that the door was opening.
He looked up, and a tall bald guy in an expensive-looking suit walked into the cell.
“Dr. Evil?” He asked as he sat up.
The corner of Baldy's mouth turned up in a self-depreciating grin. “Oh, that's original.” He said dryly. He glanced at Sam and Bobby, before turning his full attention back to Dean. His expression was blank, yet his eyes were cold and calculating. Dean was reminded of a reptile, poised to strike. He fought the urge to look away and crawl deeper into his bunk.
“You want something, cue-ball?” Dean bit out, irritated at the way this guy's stare unsettled him.
“You're in a unique position, Dean Winchester,” His voice was light and reasonable. But something in it had Dean on his guard. “You have the chance to help me. And in the process, I can make all your problems disappear.”
Dean glanced at Sam and Bobby with a startled expression. How the hell did the bald evil scientist know who he was? Sam was trying to tell him something with his eyes but Dean had no idea what.
He looked back at Dr. Evil with a slightly uneasy grin. “Really? I've got some pretty big problems.”
The vague smile on Baldy's face spread to the point that the other corner of his mouth twitched. “Agent Hendrickson, I know.”
Dean blinked.
“I know all about the murders in St. Louis. I know about the bank robbery. I even know about your mom.”
Dean gripped the bed rail to keep from reaching out to strangle Mr. Clean. Given that they were in his evil secret lair, that would not be a decision that would ever allow Sammy to see daylight again.
“You don't know anything about my mom.”
“You loved her a lot, didn't you?” He said quietly. “I was about the same age when I lost my mom. It hurts. I know.” He paused, like a cat studying it's prey. About to pounce.
Dean pushed the anger down. Now wasn't the time. Not when he was unsettled. Off his game. Besides, it looked like baldy was coming to the point.
“You and I are more alike than you realize, Dean. We've even got a mutual friend.”
Something clicked in Dean's mind. Suddenly, he realized who he was talking to. And with that realization came the reason why.
“Chloe,” Dean said. Inwardly, he had a new fear. This was the guy that Chloe hated so much. The reason why she didn't talk to her dad. The only thing she was really afraid of. Suddenly, the nervousness was replaced by something new: This was just like a hunt. This bald freak was just another monster. And Chloe was someone he'd sworn to protect.
“And they said that your brother was the smart one.” Lex deadpanned. “I'm wondering. Here you two are. And yet she's not with you. Why is that?”
Dean shrugged, affecting a nonchalant front. “Haven't seen her in a while.”
“I find that hard to believe,” Lex said.
“Believe it, Dude” Dean quirked an eyebrow. “She's not with us. We decided to take a couple days off to relax, and she took off for parts unknown. Haven't seen her since . . .” He broke off, pretending to think.
“Tuesday,” Sam supplied.
“That's right,” Dean smiled at Sam in gratitude. “Tuesday.”
Lex spared a brief look at Sam, and then turned back to Dean. “The two of you aren't as smooth as you think.”
He paused, eyes studying Dean with that same unnerving stare.
“You see, when someone has been a pain in my ass for as long as Chloe has been, I make it a point to keep tabs on her movements.”
Dean swallowed nervously, and wondered what kind of enemies that Chloe had. “Pain in the ass is a good way to describe her.” He said with an affected, rueful chuckle. “And she did take off. I honestly don't know where she went. I don't think she'll be back. But if you want to find her, that newspaper she works for is a good bet.”
“Chloe's a very smart girl,” Lex said. “Most of the time, anyway. I wonder what she sees in you? You're certainly a step down from her last infatuation.”
Dean wasn't sure what kind of reaction baldy was trying to provoke. Whatever it was he wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Instead he forced his face to mimic the carefully-crafted neutral expression that was directed at him.
“I admire Chloe,” Lex confessed. “There aren't many people who challenge me. Unfortunately, I'm at a juncture in my life where I can ill-afford to be challenged.
“Chloe is a strong woman. But she's also got a fatal weakness. She's unfailingly loyal to the people she cares for.”
For the first time, Lex's expression shifted. He full-on smirked at Dean like he was some kind of prize.
“I'm betting that she's not far off. So why don't you make things easy on yourselves and tell me where she is?”
“You're the one who's keeping tabs on her, dude,” Dean snarked. “Why don't you tell me?”
Lex sighed. “She'll turn up. Sooner or later. The question is: What condition do you want her to find you in?”
***
“Sonofa-”
Ollie knew that Chloe had found something serious when she started swearing in a garbled mix of Gaelic and Kryptonian.
“What's wrong? Ollie asked as he moved to look at the computer screen over Chloe's shoulder.
“Remember how Lex has a double of me working for him?”
“I seem to recall that I gave you the information.”
“She's here.”
“What? Here in the lab?”
“According to this.” Chloe turned back to the computer. “Remember how I was going to put my identity into this thing to grant us clearance? Her id is already here.”
“No kidding?” He raised an eyebrow.
“Oh this is original,” Chloe snorted. “Her name? Laney Sullivan.”
“Anything on who she is?”
“No,” Chloe bit her lip thoughtfully. “But If we can swipe one of those guard passes and a spare uniform, then we don't even have to do the tricky mojo with security. You can just escort me in as Laney. Our objective is Lex's mainframe, anyway. There may be something there on her.”
“If not, then at least we have a lead to send to the Bat.”
“All courtesy of Lex.” Chloe grinned. “Remind me to send him a Christmas card. One of those annoyingly sugary ones with lots of cats in Santa hats.”
“You have the weirdest sense of humor,” Oliver said. He stood, and slipped out the door. When he returned, he was dressed in military fatigues.
“Found this in a supply closet --” He put a second uniform, coat and briefcase on the table.
“At least I can get rid of the Faithware,” she said with relish.
They made it through the checkpoints without incident. Before long, Chloe was sitting in front of a huge mainframe, cracking her knuckles in anticipation.
“Okay, sidekick. Make this speedy,” he said. “I'm going to keep watch.”
Within a few keystrokes, Chloe was copying records from the mainframe to her flash drive. While the records copied, she pulled up the video surveillance feeds, and looked them over with a grim eye, making a silent promise to the people in the cells that she would find a way to shut Lex down.
The records finished downloading, and she tucked the storage device away safely. She was just about to go in search of Ollie when a video feed in the lower corner caught her eye. Lex was in one of the cells, having a verbal confrontation with . . . Dean?
Just then, the un-mistakable sound of a hammer cocking back drew Chloe's attention. She turned, and found herself staring down the business end of a .45 - and into her own green eyes.
“Chloe Sullivan,” her double's voice sounded exactly like her own. “I suggest you come with me. That is - unless you want to find out if you can shake off a bullet to the head.”
***
“Why don't we start with why you three were poking around the south entrance.” Lex said.
“It's public property, Dude. Maybe we felt like a nice, relaxing hike,” Dean shrugged.
Lex raised an eyebrow. “You honestly expect me to believe that? You lie like I shave.”
“Well it was worth a shot.” Dean shrugged.
Sam shut his eyes. “We were looking into a couple of strange deaths in the area.” Sam spoke up.
Lex turned the weight of his cold regard onto Sam for the first time. Sam forced himself not to take a reflexive step back. He kind of wished Uncle Fester would go back to playing statue with Dean. According to Chloe - this guy liked to play Operation with metahumans. Sam wondered if that would extend to special kids. Even neutered ones like him.
“Strange deaths?”
“Mutilations. Hikers, hunters. Folks who have been hacked to death with tomahawks.”
For the first time since he'd walked into the cell, Lex looked troubled. Sam realized in a flash of insight that Lex probably cared for his employees At least the ones who weren't potential lab rats. It was kind of creepy. Like finding out that Hitler was a frustrated artist with a girlfriend.
“It's been happening to your people, too.” Sam said with conviction.
“What is it?” Lex asked.
“A restless spirit.”
Lex looked skeptical, so Sam rushed to explain. “Somewhere in that ravine are the bodies of several Kiowa Natives. I think when you blasted out that entrance into the rock, you stirred up their ghosts. Made them angry. Now they're taking out their revenge.”
Lex looked intrigued by the idea. He opened his mouth to say something, when the cell door opened. Chloe Sullivan stepped through the door. She was dressed in military fatigues, and her hands were raised in a pose of surrender. Behind her, holding her at gunpoint - was Chloe Sullivan.
Sam blinked in surprise. He knew that Lex had a Chloe double working for him, but Sam never thought that he would come face-to-face with her.
“Chloe Sullivan,” Lex's voice almost sounded warm. As if he were fond of her. “Speak of the devil.”
“That's my line.” Chloe said stonily.
“How is my favorite reporter?”
“Clark is fine, Lex. Although since he's married now, you should find a way to let go of your disturbing man-crush.” Chloe said evenly. A mask of indifference was firmly settled over her features.
The weird, half-smile was back on Lex's face. “Quite.” His eyes flicked to her double.
“She had this on her.” Chloe's evil twin held up a pin drive for Lex to see. He took it, and then nodded at her. “Well done Laney. You may go now.” The other blonde gave Lex this bedroom look that made Sam swear that he was going to bleach his brain out the first chance he got.
Once the door closed, Chloe raised an eyebrow at Lex. “Laney?”
“It seemed appropriate,” Lex shrugged.
“What did you do, Lex? Put some girl through plastic surgery?”
“Nothing that extreme, I assure you.”
Chloe simply raised an eyebrow.
“In a way, Laney could be the daughter you never had,” Lex shrugged. “You are, after some fashion, her mother.”
Chloe's raised an eyebrow. “Could you repeat that back for those of us in the room who don't speak what the fuck?”
“Allow me to refresh your memory,” Lex said. “The night of Lana's bachelorette party.”
She paled, and her eyes narrowed. “You cloned me?”
“Come on, Chloe. What did you think happened? Did you think that you were part of some twisted catch-and-release tagging program?”
“That was you,” she said flatly. “I always wondered.”
“We took samples of genetic material from all known meteor freaks back then. When your . . . unique abilities surfaced, we were intrigued by your sample. Of course, we never thought you would find the tracking device we left behind. But you proved more resourceful than I thought,” Lex said. “What did you do to dig that chip out of your shoulder?”
“Burned it out,” Chloe said. “Clark helped.”
“Why am I not surprised?”
“At the time I was afraid that it was some kind of explosive device.”
“Don't you think that's a little extreme?”
“You're the one running around with a mini-me acting like the Pinky to your Brain.”
“I prefer to think of her as my own personal playboy bunny.”
“And then I threw up in my mouth a little.”
Lex continued to stare at her with that same inscrutable look. Sam traded nervous looks with Dean. Chloe had often joked that she was a black belt in verbal Judo, but what she was engaging in here with Lex was more like bloodsport.
“So how is you mother these days, Chloe? Spoken with her lately?”
“Really Lex, Is that the best you can do?”
He chuckled. A dry sound that reminded Sam of snake scales over crumpled paper. “I suppose not. I do hope to give her my regards in person some day.” He turned to leave, and glanced over his shoulder. “I hear Kansas City is nice this time of year.”
If Chloe was surprised, she didn't show it.
With a final chuckle, Lex walked out the door.
As soon as the door slid shut, she buried her face in her hands. Dean approached her as one might a wounded animal.
“Chloe?”
She looked up, and gave him a watery half-smile. “We have to stop meeting like this.”
Dean slid an arm around her, and guided her over to the bunk he had been sitting on. Sam and Bobby joined them in the corner so that they could talk without being overheard by surveillance.
“How did you guys find this place?” Chloe asked.
“We kind of stumbled on it,” Sam said. “We're actually on a hunt.”
Chloe glanced at Bobby for confirmation. The older hunter nodded.
“Figures,” She chuckled dryly.
“What?”
“I commandeered a multi-million dollar imaging satellite, and then I spent three hours scanning this region of the country with infrared scanners to locate this place. And you guys stumble on it while hunting.”
Sam chuckled, and exchanged wry smiles with Dean and Bobby.
“It just figures that my luck would go that way.” She chuckled again. Her laughter tapered off as she stared vacantly at the floor.
“Where's . . .?” Dean started.
“Hopefully working on a way to get us out.”
“Right,” Dean nodded. He had a speculative look on his face. Sam suspected that he had a lot of questions for Chloe. But until such time as they could make an escape, they would have to remain unasked.