One Phone Call

Lex avoided eye contact with most of the passing officers, as he waited patiently for Chloe to sign out the last of her belongings. He would never remember the faces of the arresting officers from the lost years he had spent partying in Gotham as a kid. A long deserted playground full of faces that the name Luthor might or might not have once owned, reminded him of a chapter of his life long since closed. When there was business with Wayne Industries, Lex had always managed to lure Bruce to Metropolis. Not just anyone could have lured him to this dark, brooding city.

Pushing off the wall, Lex fell into step beside of Chloe. "I came as quickly as I could," he explained. "Bruce wasn't exactly helpful with the Gotham contacts."

Chloe held up a hand to stay the apologies. "You don't have to explain yourself, Lex. I'm grateful for the help."

"Everyone should have a friend you can call to help you hide the body or spring you out of jail," he replied, smiling over at her and guiding her down another hall. "We'll go out this way. Avoid the crush of media."

Chloe blinked. "Crush of media? But. . .why? I'm not that important."

"No, but when you're arrested for assaulting the Joker's moll, it tends to attract attention." Lex pushed open the door and held it for her before escorting her to a waiting car. "Gotham has a certain affection for her criminally insane."

Sinking into the warm leather seat, Chloe waited on Lex to circle the car and slip behind the wheel before asking. "This entire city's a little off, isn't it?"

"I think that's why Bruce loves it so much."

Chloe stared at the clutch of reporters hovering outside the front entrance to the police precinct as they rounded the corner of the building and headed down the street. "What kind of town embraces the criminally insane as celebrities?"

"LA, New York, Gotham." Lex glanced over at her with a small smile. "So you suddenly had an urge to travel to Gotham and deliver a personal ass-kicking to Harley Quinn, or am I missing a crucial element of the puzzle?"

Eyes narrowing, Chloe ground out the word. "Wally."

A Luthor would never say uh-oh, but Lex's brows inched up a notch. "Should I ask?"

Chloe flapped her hand in a dismissive wave, blowing a puff of air to stir her bangs out of her eyes. "It's not like it's a big secret that my boyfriend's a flirt, but even I have my limits."

"Wally's very good at pushing limits." Lex rolled the words on his tongue, delighted that an old nemesis was in the dog house, even if it had meant springing one of his oldest and dearest friends out of the big house. "I won't press the matter."

"You know, she's like, totally his type. Petite, blonde, sense of humor." Chloe slumped down in the seat. "She looks good in tights."

Lex smiled. "It's a requirement in Gotham."

"I hate her."

"She's back in Arkham. The Batman will probably show up in the next day or two and hover near you in thanks."

"Did you know she laughed at me when I told her to stay away from him?"

"It's my understanding she's taken with The Joker. I'm sure she merely appreciates Wally's. . .unique brand of humor."

"She grabbed his ass. That's totally unacceptable." Chloe glanced over. "You probably think I've completely lost my mind."

"Actually, territoriality is something I can appreciate." Lex held her gaze while they waited at the light, surprising them both when he leaned over and kissed her just above her bruising left eye. "Never apologize for fighting for what's yours." Pulling back, he cruised through the light, pointing up at one of the gothic banks towering over the downtown business district. "I have a theory that the level of disturbing behavior in Gotham is directly linked to the number of gargoyles incorporated into the hideous architecture."

"Lex?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for springing me."

"Just tell me she looks worse than you do, and we'll call it a satisfactory day, hmm?"

Chloe rolled her head against the headrest and grinned over at him. "Huge fat lip. I mean, we're talking Wall of Weird swelling. I wanted to take a picture." Shame over, she rustled back to life, shifting around in the seat. "I'm starving, do you think we could stop at a hotdog stand? But then again, what are the hotdogs made out of in Gotham? That's probably a story worthy of the Inquisitor. Adrenaline must make you hungry, because I'm starving right now. . ."