Take a Hike

Lex paced in his wet clothes while a state trooper took his statement. He explained how he had used an experimental tracking device to find Chloe and when he’d reached her, he’d seen Feldman slapping her around in the river. He told the trooper that the sound of the river had muffled his approach and heatchatched till he saw a point where he could disarm the man with less risk to Chloe.


“He’d just clocked her in the head with the gun and was screaming at her when I jumped on him. We fought in the river and he hit his head on a rock. Then I took the cuffs off Chloe and put them on Feldman. I left him in the river and tended to her injuries.”


“Is thaen yen you shot off the flare?”


“Yes, I had one in my saddle bags. I bandaged up her head and dried off her feet, then I got some spare clothes from the saddle and shot off th flare. I wrapped her up in the blanket and put her on Merlin’s back.”


“Then what?”


“I crossed the river and ran into the searchers.” He shrugged, “The rest is history.” He looked over his shoulder and saw Gabe Sullivan coming through the double doors to the Emergency room. There were a few police officers that reached out to stop him when he started for Lex. He brushed them off and strode over to his employer.


“What the hell happened?” He demanded, “Where’s my daughter?”


“Are you Mr. Sullivan?” Asked one of the doctors that had just come out of Chloe’s room. He nodded and the man smiled warmly at him. Your daughter is going to be fine. There is an officer taking her statement now.”


“Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?” He asked throwing his hands up.


“Apparently there was a bus carrying some prisoners being transferred that had an accident near where your daughter was hiking today.” Began the Trooper. “One of the prisoners escaped and ran into the woods. He found her and took her hostage.” Gabe Sullivan’s ruddy face went pale. He looked at Lex. He wasn’t happy. The Trooper went on, pointing to Lex. “He’d told us that his girlfriend was missing so we had an idea of e toe to start looking.” Lex held his breath as his foreman turned red, then purple with rage. “Aparently the fugitive got one of the guard’s guns and hit your daughter, she was brought here-“


“Where is she?” Gabe choked out.” I want to see my little girl.” The doctor ushered him into Chloe’s room.


“I take it you’re not on good terms with your girlfriend’s father?” The Trooper said, sympathertically.


“I’m his boss.” Lex said. “And I’m afraid it’s my fault that she was out there in the first place.” He walkd to the window and looked in at Gabe Sullivan holding Chloe’s hand.


“Dad, I’m okay.” Chloe said , patting her father’s hand comfortingly. “They stitched me up and I don’t even have a concusscion.”


“How did this happen?” He asked. Hiustrustration and anger were as evident as his worry. “How does it always happen to you?” He covered his face with his hands and took a few breaths.


“Dad, I could have been anywhere by myself, I wasn’t in an unsafe area of the woods, or even a deserted one.” She rolled her eyes, feeling her own kind of frustration. “It was really just bad luck.” Her father gave her a sharp look. She didn’t back down. “I was in a public park, I’d have


been allowed to go there by myself if I was just taking a walk.” She prodded, “having the tracker made it easier for Lex to find us before I was seriously injured.”


“An escaped felon took you hostage.” Gabe was not being convinced.


“The bus crashed near where I was hiking.” She said, “I could have been anywhere and not even alone and the same thing might have happened.” She folded her arms across her chest.


“How did the police fnd you?”


“They didn’t, Lex did.” Gabe raised an eyebrow. “He tracked me on horseback and snuck up on us in the river. When he got close enough, he disarmed Feldman.”


“Why didn’t he wait for the police?”


“He didn’t want to risk a panicked man with a gun. I fell and that’s what set him off. He hit me because I couldn’t walk anymor Chl Chloe lifted her fingers to her scalp. Her face showed lines of tension. “Daddy I was really scared.” A tear slipped out of her eye. “Lex put himself between me and a guy with a gun. He knocked him out and then he took care of me.” She leaned forward, taking her father’s hand again. “He saved my life.”


“You wouldn’t have been out there if it weren’t for him.”


“How do you know?” Chloe’s voice had a slight edge to it.” A bus accident can happen anywhere, criminals escape from prisons all over the world. I was lucky that I had technology and a Luthor on my side.” Gabe nodded slowly. He handed her a glass of water and the pills that the doctor had given her for the pain in her knee and head. She took them obediently.


“Why did he call you his girlfriend?” He asked. Chloe cocked her head.


“I didn’t know he had till we were riding to the ambulance.” She grinned. “Don’t worry, Dad, we’re not going steady. The cops probably just assumed that he wasn’t just hunting any girl on horseback.”


Lex, now garbed in the dry clothes that Dr. Tyle had provided, resumed pacing the hallway. He answered a few more police questions but none from the press. He didn’t even tell them what he was doing in the hospital. Gabe Sullivan emerged from his daughter’s room. His face was a stony mask.


“Mr. Sullivan,” He began, “I’m so sorry about what happened to Chloe.” Gabe held up a hand Lnd Lex stopped talking.


“I know that you didn’t mean for this to happen.” He said, with some difficulty, “I would prefer it if you wouldn’t include my daughter in you future experiments, if for no other reason than her extraordinary ability to be in the path of madmen at regular intervals.” He placed a hand on his chest. “My heart can’t take losing her.” The younger man dropped his eyes to the floor. He nodded. And unexpectedly, Gabe stretched out his hand. Surprised, Lex took it. “I will always be in your debt for putting your life on the line to get her away from that man.”


“The debt is mine.” He replied. Gabe nodded, accepting his employer’s apology. Right now, he needed a drink. He headed in the direction of the nurse’s station.


“I’m gonna try to spring her from this joint.” He said walking away. “She could probably use some company while she waits.”


Lex knocked at Chloe’s door. At her call, he entered. She was sitting up in her bed, putting on a pair of hospital slippers. The staff had given her a pair of scrubs to go home in since her clothes were still wet.


“How’s the head, Red?” He asked, soberly. She smiled goofily at him and shook a small bottle of pills.


“I can see how this Vicodin stuff turns people into addicts.” Lex couldn’t help chuckling at that. He gathered her clothes from the floor. Hey.” she said with mock consternation in her voice. “Paws off the panties, Woolfie!” She was feeling very giddy. He looked down at the bundle in his arms, right on top were a pair of red, satin, bikinis. He looked away and handed them to her.


“Sorry.” He said, embarassed. She took them and he couldn’t resist, “Red, how appropriate.” He said with a smile. "I guess riding hoods are out of style now." She gave him a scathing look.


“That basket-carrying tramp got it easy in the story.” She said crossly.


“Funny, I’ve always thought the same thing.” Lex placed a hand on her shoulder and looked into her glazed brown eyes. “I’m glad you’re okay.”


“Thanks to you.” She smiled and stood on tiptoe to place a kiss on his cheek. “You were amazing.”


“You say that to all the wolves.” He said with exaggerated modesty. Her expression was serious.


“I mean it, Lex. He’d have killed me, he told me he wanted to find a place where they wouldn’t find me.” A tear rolled down her cheek. He cupped her face in his palm and brushed away the moisture with the pad of his thumb.


“I wouldn’t have let that happen.” More tears started to roll down her cheeks and he pulled her into his embrace. “It’s over now. You’re safe with me.” And Chloe felt better, because she believed him.