Title : Manipulating Fate
Author : Tariq ( formerly Aeris Jade Orion )
Rating : R
Pairing : Chloe/Clark
Timeline : After Doomsday.
Summary : Chloe is dealing with the aftermath
of Doomsday, being abandoned by the Justice
League, and keeping Metrolipolis together alone.
Authors note: It's unbeta'd. At the moment I
have no beta reader for this genre. So drop me
a line if you're interested.
Second, due to health issues, and taking care
of my disabled mom, I haven't been able to
write much. But over the last several years
I've managed to slowly write on a number
of stories.
What I've decided to do is go ahead and
publish what I've managed to put together.
The stories are unfinished, and sometimes,
the last chapter I worked on is unfinished.
Plus, there maybe multiple chapters, each one a
different version. Just warning everyone.
So I apologize in advance.
Disclaimer : Not mine. All characters belong
to WB and DC.
00000
Prologue
00000
' Clark Kent is dead. '
Chloe stared numbly at the blood stained floor where
Jimmy had died just days before. She was feeling so
many emotions at the moment, too many to identify.
The League had broken up and scattered without a
single word to her. Refusing to answer their cells.
Her dad was remarried in Maine, and couldn't be
bothered now that he had a son to raise. Lois had
been fired by Tess after being caught in the red
head's office, and was now working for the Washington
Post.
' Clark Kent is dead. '
Clark had just walked out of her wedding present.
The cold, blue eyes unwavering after renouncing his
membership to the human race.
" Chloe? " A young, hesitant voice came from the open
double doors.
She peered up at sixteen year old Rebecca in surprise.
The meteor infected teen didn't know about the
building or that Chloe would be here. Though, her
power was being psyhic.
" Is something wrong? " She approched the clearly
tired raven haired teen. She could see black circles
under her eyes, and her olive skin was pale.
" I've been having visions since Monday morning. The
same one. " Becca shakingly admitted. " Over and over. "
' The morning Davis and Jimmy died. ' Chloe frowned.
" I... I saw you in them. " Becca held out her hand.
Chloe studied it. Part of the teens abilities was
transferring the visions to other people. A part of
her wanted to walk away from whatever could have
disturbed a tough street kid so badly, the other part
wanted to know so she could be prepared.
Finally, she took the hand, and... saw.
00000
Chloe grunted as she dragged herself further
under the computer desk. Along The Watchtower
blared through the room from her IPod dock. The
chords of Hendrix in time with the pounding
of the heavy drumming.
" Interesting choice of tunes. " A pair of black
leather boots appeared by her legs. The music
lowering to a more managable level.
She pulled the thin screw driver from her lips,
and crawled out from under the desk. Standing
up, she hugged her friend.
" Andrea. " She sighed in relief. " Did you have
any problems? "
" In and out. " The superhero held up the small
bag. " It was almost too easy. "
" I'll try to give you more of a challenge next
time. " She smirked at her friend, reaching for
the bag.
" Want to tell me what's going on? " Andrea
pulled the bag back.
Chloe paused, hand still out. Andrea was eyeing
her with deep concern. The other woman had come
when Chloe called, but Andrea had been unable to
hide her sympathy, or suspicions over the mission
Chloe had sent her on.
" I need you to trust me on this. " The blonde
meet Andrea's gaze steadily. " Everything I'm
doing is necessary for the safety of Metropolis,
Smallville, and all of the US. "
" Chloe, I looked at the files for these. " Andrea
shook the bag. " The first is safe enough, all
it'll do is reactive your meteor power. It's the
other one I'm worried about. Chloe, it will kill
you. "
The blonde cursed under her breath, a la Lois.
It figured the Angel would get overprotective
of her. The vigilante had secretly continued
working with Chloe, so Andrea knew everything.
Jimmy, Davis, Clark's and the League abandonment.
" One of my teens is a psychic. She paid me a
visit and gave me a preview. " Chloe sat in her
office chair tiredly. " I have two choices. Choice
A, I waste six months trying to drag the league
back together by their ears, and the world implodes.
Humanity becomes enslaved, the League dies horrible
deaths, and finally, the Earth goes boom. "
Andrea's eyes had widened at her words. " And
choice B? "
" I stale the bad guys until the League gets off
their lazy asses and get back here. " Chloe
shrugged.
" Shit, chica! " Andrea swore. " If the bad
guys can kill the League...? "
" A human Watchtower has no chance. " Chloe slumped
down. " I'm dealing with the guy who destroyed
the planet Krypton, and his army. A secret
government group, a second government group
made up of meteor infected, and a mega powered
alien. "
" Jeez, you're in way over your head. " Andrea
handed over the bag.
" I know. " Chloe took the only hope she had.
" I'm hoping my meteor power will let me survive
the serum. "
" Because it let's you self-resurrect. " Andrea
said.
" Yeah, not exactly my best idea, but considering
the odds... " The blonde opened the bag and
glanced at the two vials inside.
One was an electricly charged liquid meteor rock.
Something Lex had developed to activate meteor
powers. The other vial was simple, clear liquid.
It was ordinary looking, but in fact, it contained
a serum to give a specific meteor ability.
An ability no one had ever survived the process
of acquiring before. One she desperatly needed
if she was going to survive trying to keep the
future from happening.
She sat the bag on her computer desk and grabbed
one of the two syringes she'd sat aside earlier.
" You don't have to stay. " She told her friend.
" Yes, I do. " Andrea took the vial of meteor
rock and syringe.
Chloe smiled lightly as she sat back down, letting
her friend prepare the first shot. " Thanks. "
" I owe you more than I can ever repay. " Andrea
opened a alchol pad, wiping Chloe's arm with it.
" Like you haven't done me several dozen favors. "
Chloe winced as the needle slide into the skin.
She breathed deeply, a soft glow starting in her
chest, spreading out to her fingertips, to her
eyes, and finally her toes. Then it disappered.
" Wow. " Andrea stared in awe. " I've never
seen your power at work before. "
" That's as good as it gets. " She rubbed her
arm. " Just call me the human bulb. Comes in handy
when the power goes out. "
" I bet. " Andrea filled the second needle. " Are
you sure about this? "
" There's no choice. " Chloe admitted. " The vision
was absolute. This is the only way for the city
to survive what's coming. "
" But will you? " Andrea wiped her arm again.
Chloe didn't answer.
The coming year was going to be hell for her. Not
just surviving the battles she'd have to fight,
but the battle against her new power. The fight
against herself, and this time she didn't have
Clark to act as a personal bomb squad.
" Do it. " She ordered her friend.
The needle slide home, and the clear liquid set
her veins on fire. She had never felt pain like
it before in her life. It started in her her gut
and surged out in a constant web. Throbbing, pulsing,
pushing, until her muscles locked up on her.
Someone was screaming in the distances. Loud and
shrill. A piercing high pitched siren like shriek.
It wouldn't stop, and it hurt almost as much as
the serum.
Then the pain and the screaming stopped.
And so did her heart.
11111
Chapter One
11111
Chloe gulped the whiskey straight from the bottle.
Her head pounded from the new ability. Feeling at
the edge of her mind, waiting patiently for her
attention, like a puppy waiting for it's master
to come home.
Shaking, she sat the half empty bottle on her
computer desk. She wanted to continue ignoring
her power, to stuff her head in the sand, and
pretend none of it was necessary.
Licking her suddenly dry lips, she mentally gave
her power a slight nudge. What Lex's doctors
called Biological Manipulation, and then she was
no longer in the Watchtower.
Instead, she was standing in the most wonderful
room she'd ever seen before. It was a large
study. Turning in place, she could see a enourmous
stained glass window similar to Watchtower in the
back overlooking Smallville.
Moving to it, her breathe was taken from her.
A balcony was outside the giant window. She was
so high up, she could see the entire town. Stepping
back, she turned back to the room.
Two of the walls were wall to wall, ceiling to
floor, built in book cases. Somehow, she also
know they had secret compartments behind them.
However, the shelves were completely empty.
A large desk was in the middle of the room. It's
top was made up of a touch screen, which could be
raised, and slanted for easy used. A plush, black
leather desk chair placed in front of it.
On the wall in front of the desk, from ceiling
to floor, was dozens of flat screen computer monitors.
All of which were the lit up with DNA. Her DNA.
Chloe swallowed as she realized this was her mind
scape. Moving to the desk, she ran her fingers
over the virtual touchscreen keyboard. In here
she could do anything to her DNA.
She had ultimate power. It was... heedy.
' It's no wonder so many freaks go insane. '
She sat down slowly.
The display in front of her shifted, and she
frowned as she recognized the strands of DNA
due to her power. It was the DNA responisble
for various psychological problems. It wasn't
a sure thing obviously, but the DNA made it
a possibility.
Tapping quickly at the keyboard, she watched
the DNA twist to give her immunity to all forms
of insanity. A weight lifted from her shoulders
at the sight. A crack Lionel had found repaired,
and was fortified.
Her DNA shifted, catching her attention.
It ended on her original meteor ability. Frowning
at it, she studied the DNA closely. There was a
lot she could see wrong with it immediately.
First was the strand concerning her life force. If
she died healing someone, there was no telling when
she would resurrect. It could be anywhere from
Eighteen to Thirty six hours. That would be a good
way to end up in the morgue, or on an autopsy table,
or even in a grave.
Second was the way her healing used energy, it
consumed it so rapidly, and with such waste, it
guarenteed she would be almost dead by the time
she finished.
She started to tap rapidly. The DNA mutated and
flashed. When she finished, it was evolved so if
she did die it would only be for twenty minutes
at most. Her energy would no longer be wasted,
and...
She froze as her DNA started to mutate again.
Several more abilities began to tree off her
healing ability. Self-healing, self-regeneration,
accelerated metabolism, and age manipulation.
" Shit! "
This was bad. One little change had triggered a
major shift. What next? Was it going to go and
add Omni-immunity?
The DNA shifted again, doing just that.
" I'm really going to have to watch that. " She
groaned in frustration.
While it was a useful ability, it wasn't something
she'd planned to add. Especially since every
change would cause her pain once she left her
mindscape.
Rubbing her forehead, she began to type on the
touchscreen keyboard. There was one ability
she wanted to add before left.
Technology manipulation. With it, she would be
able to create the type of security and technology
Watchtower needed. Plus, she would be able to do
it without the kind of money Queen had.
This time her DNA added enhanced memory,
and enhanced intelligence.
Unnerved didn't begin to cover how she felt right
now. It was like she was a bomb about to go off.
If she could, she would rip her DNA apart, bit
by bit, and not put it back together again.
Unfortnately, it wouldn't let her. It was protecting
her, and itself.
Not to mention it wasn't an option anyway. She
had a future to protect. Though, Chloe wondered
if it was worth risking having possession of
this kind of power. One which couldn't be
controlled.
Stepping back, she opened her eyes to the her
office, and fell to the floor in agony. A white glow
under her skin showed her DNA was mutating and
making the changes she had decided on. Fine
trembles ran over her body from the top of her
head to the tips of her toes.
She curled up into a tight ball, cursing Clark,
the League, and most of all herself.
' This is the price I have to pay. ' She tried
to rationalize.
Because of Davis and Jimmy. It was her sin. Her
crime. Her burden. Now she had to walk the path
to redemeption alone. Bearing the burden one day
at a time.
Slowly, her left hand latched onto the pole of the
office chair. Concentrating on the cold of the
metal. The hardness of the material.
The world blurred and she let it. The pain too much
for her right then. Just like the pain in her soul.
11111
" I have them. " Andrea breezed in with four boxes,
sitting them on the coffee table in front of the
couch now residing inside the computer room.
" All of it. " Chloe headed for the boxes in
surprise. " I thought it'd be several more weeks. "
" They were able to put a rush on it. " Andrea
smirked.
" With a little persuasion. " Chloe lifted up the
shoebox sized package, and opened it.
It was filled with playing cards. On oneside was
what looked like a white rook on a black background,
on the back was the red gothic words WatchTower on
black and white checkered background.
" Nice. " Andrea peered over her shoulder. " A
calling card? "
" Yeah, considering reporter's, especially Lois's,
tendacy to name superhero's I thought I'd head
them off. " Chloe set the package aside and picked
up a large rectangular box.
Opening it, she found her uniform. It was made
similar to Oliver's. It was also leather. However
it was long sleeved, and the gloves fingerless.
Instead of green, it was black. Where there was
supposed to be black strips, there was dark red.
She reclosed it, and put it by the cards. The next
box was filled with tools. A small, handheld
computer. A special lockpick set. A pair of
telescopic electric baton's. The battery on both
would last four hours. Plus, they came with
four extra batteries.
The last box had accessories. A zippered pouch
for her cards. Not to mention pouches, and
holster's for everything else.
" I think you're fully prepared. " Andrea raised
an eyebrow. " I like the baton's. "
" They have a strong zap to them. " Chloe lifted
one up. " Not quite up to a tazer's standards,
but it'll make a point. "
" I don't suppose... "
" Get your own. " Chloe put it back.
" Spoilsport. " Andrea sighed, eyeing the toys.
" Besides, I go out for my first patrol tonight.
I'm hoping to locate Zod. " The blonde said.
" I should introduce myself. It's only polite. "
" A shocking display? " Andrea tilted her head.
" I have to make an impression. " She smiled.
" It's his first time on Earth, afterall. "
" I'm sure he'll never forget you, chica. "
Andrea shook her head with a chuckle.
" I'd better start getting ready. " Chloe glanced
down at her new gear. " This is all new for me. "
" Come on, I'll help you. " Andrea lifted two
of the boxes.
Chloe felt some of the tension ease up. She was
glad she had at least some support at the moment.
Otherwise, she wasn't sure what she would do.
22222
Chapter Two
22222
Chloe flew. Though she didn't have the ability
to fly. In this case, she had help, from a six foot
seven inch tall meteor infected man made up of
four hundred and eighty pounds of muscles. The
fact he was completely covered with pinhead
sized metal scales didn't make it any better.
And it hurt.
It hurt worse when she landed on top on the
closed dumpster. Thirty feet away.
She blinked, appearing in her mindscape. Chloe
let out a breath as she saw a single book on
the empty book shelves. On the spine was gold
writing. Damion ' Brick ' Thompson.
The blonde pulled the book from the shelf, and
flipped it open. Her opponeant's DNA, and knowledge
was all contained inside it.
' He's a master of kickboxing. ' She nibbled at
the bottom of her lip. ' That's a major problem. '
She paused as the knowledge of kickboxing
disappeared from the book and was added to herself.
Glancing to the monitors, she saw her DNA start
to shift rapidly.
Enhanced flexibility, enhanced dexeterity, and
enhanced reflexes.
Huffing at the sight, she turned back to the DNA,
apparently Brick had the ability to absorb and
manifast scales made of any material. Once absorbed
the material was stored permantely and could be
accessed at any time.
Making the decision, she went ahead and copied the
ability, discarding the rest of the book. Her DNA
flashed once then the book vanished completely.
Turning away, she returned to reality, and hurt
like a bitch.
' I'm cursing way too much. ' She struggled up.
' Or like a Lane-Sullivan, so I suppose it's
okay. '
She really needed to start carrying pain pills
if this was how things were going to go. The
pain was so bad she was stumbling, and barely
on her feet.
' Like the Hydrocodone I took from Jimmy. ' She
grimly remembered the pills back at Watchtower.
Of course, it would be a temporary measure at
best. The potential for addiction was too
great. Not to mention the limited amount of
pills.
She groaned as her body glowed. She could feel
her DNA change.
" You've got to be joking me. " She muttered.
But it wasn't a joke. She could feel the changes.
One added to her omni-immunity to prevent any
kind of addiction. The other an ability to
replicate.
" Forget about me, doll face? " Brick cracked
his knuckles.
Chloe glanced up her eye ticking. " What did you
call me? "
" Doll face. " Brick grinned.
She flickered her eyes over the alley. Quickly
the blonde scanned over the long area, stopping
on a single bolt. A high quality steel.
Glancing back at Brick, she smirked darkly. " I
was hoping you'd say that. "
22222
She popped the codine in her mouth, dry swallowing
it. The pain faded to a pounding ache. Throbbing
in time with her heart. Never letting her forget
her sins, or her duty.
" You look like hell. " Andrea entered the tower.
" I feel like it. " She slipped the black pill
bottle into a pocket. The last thing she needed
was Andrea finding out she was taking pain pills
like candy. " Between trying to put Watchtower
together, and patroling, I've barely got time
to sleep. "
" Found Zod yet? " Andrea perched on her desk.
" Actually, I have. " Chloe typed on her keyboard
rapidly. " Seems Tess is playing hostess to our
local aliens. "
" I knew she was bad news, but this is taking it
rather far. " Andrea grimaced. " When are you
going to confront him? "
" Tonight. " The blonde touched the gun under
her desk.
She'd hoped to be a lot stronger first, but it
hadn't worked out that way. Since her run in
with Brick, she hadn't found anymore meteor
freaks, or superpowered bad guys. It was just
run of the mill idiots.
Now, after a week of putting it off, she had to
confront him. It was time to get his attention,
and keep it. However, battling a fully powered
Kryptonian made her shiver in fear. Especially
when he had a small army of Kandorian's at his
beck and call.
' God, I need a drink. '
" You want me to back you up. " Andrea offered.
" No. You've done enough. I'll handle things
from here. " Chloe stood up to get ready.
" Chica, you've got no support as is. " Andrea
followed after her.
" The vision... "
" Forget the vision. " Andrea interrupted
sharply. " You need someone around, and
I'm willing. "
" We can argue later, right now, E.T. needs
a lesson in human relations. " Chloe waved off.
" You are a pain in the ass. "
Chloe headed down the hall to the locker room
she'd set up. " Aren't I? "
-
To Be Continued