Chapter Four: Castling
Kansas State Capitol Building – Topeka….
"Why, hello, Sweetheart!" Martha stood up and walked to Clark from around her large oak desk to kiss him on the cheek. "And Diana! This is a surprise!" Martha's offices at the state capitol were buzzing. "You would not believe the news we had today…Bruce Wayne is contributing to our push to get my education bill passed by Congress. He and Oliver have really just gotten so behind this. It's going to be wonderful seeing our education reforms implemented nationwide." Her eyes sparkled and Clark nodded, casting a quick sidelong look at Diana. "Is something wrong?"
"Mom, I need to talk to you, confidentially." Clark looked around the room. "Is there somewhere we can go?"
"Sure." Martha nodded, leading them to a small, cozy little sitting room that was just off her larger, formal office. "We can talk here. What is it, Clark?"
"Mom." Clark put his large hands on his mother's shoulders. "How much do you really trust Lionel Luthor?"
"He's been a good friend, which has surprised me." Martha replied, keeping her voice low. "But, I'd be foolish to trust him completely. The only person I ever trusted completely was your father, Clark, you know that." She looked from Clark to Diana, studying their expressions. "What's going on?"
"Mrs. Kent, there is some concern that Lionel may be involved in experimentation on who were unfortunate enough to have been affected by the meteor showers." Diana answered Martha levelly. "Evidence has been found supporting that theory, I'm afraid."
"Have the authorities been notified?" Martha asked, her face pale with shock and horror as she looked up at her son. "Has he tried to hurt you?"
"No." Clark shook his head. "Not yet." When Martha began to protest, Clark met her eyes with a calm gaze that silenced her. "Oliver and Bruce are working on a plan to stop Lionel, and when we have all the evidence we need, we'll make sure he never hurts anyone again. I just want you to be very careful around him, Mom. We can't let him into our lives any more than he already is. He already knows more about me than I'm comfortable with."
"I understand." Martha nodded. "I'm not expecting to see Lionel any time soon. He's away."
"Away?" Diana asked. "Do you know where, Mrs. Kent? It might be important."
"He just said he was going skiing." Martha said, looking over at Diana. "Now that I think of it, Lionel didn't say where, either." She looked from Clark to Diana again,
"That's fine, Mom. Just remember. Be extra careful around Lionel…and Lex, should you see them." Clark kissed his mother on the cheek. "I'll call you later."
"Okay." Martha agreed, reaching up to hug Clark tightly. " "You be extra careful too."
"I will. Come on, Diana." Clark released his mother and turned toward his companion. "We have to get back to Metropolis." Diana smiled at Martha, nodding and waving just a little as she and Clark left.
"Now what do we do?" Diana asked as they walked down the steps of the capitol building. Clark took her hand in his as they crossed the street. "Go back to Metropolis and wait?"
"We call Chloe first." Clark dialed his friend's phone number. "If she can't find Lionel, he doesn't exist."
The Daily Planet, Metropolis….
"Right, right." Chloe nodded, sipping her coffee. "I'll start searching for hotel reservations or something. Clark, and I'll call you back." She looked up and frowned. "Clark, you're not going to believe this but Luthor, Jr. just walked in. I have to go." Chloe hung up and set down her cup, making eye contact with Lex. "Lex. I'm surprised to see you here."
"Funny, you don't look surprised." Lex's mouth curved in a sardonic smile that made the hair on the back of Chloe's neck stand up. "Lana asked me to stop by, see if I could convince you to bury the hatchet. She's worried our little differences will ruin the wedding."
"I'd be worried the hatchet would be buried in my taffeta covered back, Lex." Chloe said, not breaking eye contact. "And, the last time Lana's name came up between you and I, you made sure I came out worse for it." She folded her arms over her chest. "So, you can see where I'd be a little reluctant to be friendly, right?"
Lex dismissed Chloe's worry nonchalantly. "You and I have never minced words, have we, Chloe? Not with each other."
"True, which is why this tap dance is so compelling now." Chloe replied, tipping her head to study him dubiously. "What do you want, Lex? If this is about Lana's birthday, you can always ask Aunt Nell."
"It's about information." Lex said, tapping his finger on Chloe's desk, over the hole made by Oliver's arrow. Her desk calendar covered it, but still, Chloe was never 100 sure what Lex knew and didn't know. "Bruce and Oliver just closed a multimillion dollar deal, and not a word has hit the markets about it."
"Go talk to Jim Thompson. He's the financial editor, not me." Chloe shook her head. "40th floor. He's always got an inside track. I only know what I hear over dinner."
"I doubt that's entirely true." Lex smiled again. "This kind of thing is always better kept between friends." He tapped the calendar again, and smiled. "Don't you think, Chloe?"
"That's assuming you were ever friends in the first place." Oliver said, standing behind Lex. His schedule being what it was, Chloe had become very used to seeing Oliver in jeans, workout clothes or in the Green Arrow's green leathers. Today, Oliver was positively daunting in his business clothes, his tie carelessly loosened. There was no trademark smile, though, and Chloe noted the warning tone in his voice. "Also, for Chloe to give you any tips about the deal between Queen Enterprises and Wayne Industries might be unethical."
"Can't blame me for wanting to get in before the other investors, Ollie." Lex replied, turning to face his former classmate, his grey eyes cool. "Being in on the ground floor of such ground breaking technology is worth billions."
"I appreciate that." Oliver nodded. "As it happens, I just finished giving an interview about that very thing, and I know Bruce gave an interview to the Metropolis Journal. Tomorrow's papers will be full of the story, Lex."
"Tomorrow, then." Lex turned to Chloe and bowed slightly. "You're looking well, by the way, Chloe. Settled. Less uncertain." He placed an odd emphasis on the last word. She frowned, trying to decipher the meaning of his tone, but came up short. Lex was a master at veiling his real meaning. Catching her eye, Oliver winked at her over Lex's head, and Chloe bit her lip to keep from laughing.
"Thank you, I think." Chloe said, succeeding in not laughing but grinning instead. Lex's eyes flashed, and a small smile lurked in the corners of his mouth but did not fully unfold.
"You're welcome." Lex bowed again, and turned, strolling out of the newsroom with a brief nod to Oliver, he was gone.
"Well, that was interesting." Oliver said, watching Lex go. "Lex thinks he's smelling blood in the water." He closed the distance between them and kissed her. "How are you, intrepid reporter?"
"Fine, captain of industry." Chloe grinned up at him. "Did you really have an interview here?"
"Yes." Oliver nodded. "Usually I make columnists come to me, but since Jim Thompson's office was in the same building as my girl, I figured what the hell.
I wanted to see if you were ready to head home."
"I am." Chloe picked up her things. "Clark just called. He wants me to try and find Lionel. Mrs. Kent hasn't seen him – said Lionel told her he was going skiing."
"Well, project 33.1 is in Colorado." Oliver reminded her. "Skiing is a great cover story." He took the briefcase containing her laptop and shrugged. "Bruce is using that excuse right now."
"Bruce?" Chloe blinked, looking around. "But you said…"
"I said he'd given the Metropolis Journal an interview. Which he did." Oliver put his arm around Chloe's shoulders. "From the plane."
"Very cute. You jet setting billionaires..." Chloe grinned. "I guess I'd better call Clark and let him know."
Oliver looked around cautiously. "Wait until we get home to make that call." He put his hand over her cellphone. She looked up at him questioningly, and Oliver smiled. "Trust me."
"Okay." Chloe smiled, sliding the phone back in her bag. "When we get home." Following Oliver's eye line, Chloe saw the shadowy figure of a man disappear into the crowd of people going through the revolving doors. "Who was that?"
"I don't know." Oliver shook his head. "I don't know that I want to find out right now either." He folded his hand around hers. "Come on."
They walked toward their apartment, casually discussing their day, both of them cautiously watching the people around them. Chloe had almost convinced herself that the shadow she and Oliver had seen had been simply that, until she felt Oliver's hand flex over her own protectively. Looking up, Chloe saw the man again. He was leaning against a lamppost, watching Chloe and Oliver as they walked down the street. He was pale, ghostly pale, dressed in black, his clothes vaguely Edwardian, doffing his top hat in their direction as they passed. Chloe felt a cold chill race down her spine and she leaned closer to Oliver, who put his arm around her shoulders, not taking his eyes off the odd man, until, with a flourish of his ebony walking stick, simply vanished into the growing dusk.
Vista Ski Resort and Spa – Telluride, CO…"So, you see, Mr. Wayne, this is a full service, year round resort. Skiing in the winter, a PGA approved golf course in the summer, our spa has won several awards for excellence. I think you'll find your stay here as full and active or as restful as you'd like." The concierge smiled, handing Bruce a vellum envelope. "There are your lift tickets, and the vouchers for a snowmobile you requested."
"Thank you." Bruce nodded, taking the envelope. "Appreciate the help."
"You also asked about the gym. It's in the spa wing, first floor. There's an excellent view of our mountains." The concierge managed to look proud. "Nothing like inspiration for the soul while building the body, don't you think?"
"Words to live by." Bruce replied, waving. "Thanks again." He crossed the lobby, planning his exploration of the resort. The tall blonde in black ski clothes that had been following him since he landed at the private airport was sitting in a large chair near the fire, reading in the large seating area near the massive stone fireplace. Bruce walked past her chair, and wasn't at all surprised when the young woman looked up at him and cleared her throat just as he was next to her. Her expression was pleased, slightly awed, and Bruce noted that her blue eyes were the emotionless and blank –the eyes of a hired gun.
"You're Bruce Wayne." She said, standing. "I thought I saw you earlier. I'm so excited to meet you." Her book was clasped to her chest girlishly, but there was nothing 'girlish' about her except that, Bruce thought, allowing himself a moment to look her over appreciatively.
"Well, thank you." Bruce nodded. "I'd like to say the same, but you have me at a disadvantage, Ms…" He smiled, charmingly, and the young woman smiled back.
"Oh." The blonde said quickly. "I'm Mercy Graves."
"Pleasure." Bruce shook her hand. "If you'll excuse me, I'd like to get to my room. The altitude the first day always wipes me out. I'm sure I'll see you again, Ms. Graves."
"I hope so." Mercy replied flirtatiously. "I'll be here all week." She waved a little as Bruce walked away, her eyes hardening. Taking out her phone, Mercy pressed one number and waited. "Contact established. Tell Mr. Luthor that Mr. Wayne and I will be keeping close company this week."
Once on the elevator, Bruce took out his own cellphone. "Oliver?"
"Yeah." Oliver answered, walking out onto his balcony to look down on Metropolis, while Chloe searched online for Lionel. "How's Colorado?"
"I'm at the resort. A very interesting young woman just approached me. I think we're being scoped out." Bruce smiled. "I think it's time for castling."
Oliver grinned. "It's always a chess game for you, isn't it, Bruce? I was thinking the same thing, though. There was a pretty strange guy following Chloe and I home tonight. Got a plan? "
"I do." Bruce nodded, as the elevator doors opened. "I'll do some exploring here while you work on the entry and exit plan. Call Clark. He and Diana are going to need to pick up the lead now until things cool off around us. That satellite deal must have set off an alarm bell for Lex."
"He was at the Daily Planet today, trying to get Chloe to give him more information about that very thing." Oliver nodded. "Okay. I'll call Clark now, and you keep us posted on what you find."
"Will do. Say hi to Chloe." Bruce said, just before he hung up. Oliver hung up as well and leaned against the wall of the balcony.
"You look upset." Chloe's voice drifted out to Oliver from just inside the glass doors. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." He turned and held out a hand. "Just getting ready to switch the players on Lex. Bruce is being tailed in Colorado, too. Time for Clark and Diana to take over."
"Oh my God." Chloe took his hand and moved close. "Now what?"
"Now, I get to be Oliver Queen, regular guy for awhile. I have to call Clark." He kissed her forehead. "Did you find Lionel's hotel reservations?"
"No, but his pilot filed a flight plan that had it's end destination in Telluride." Chloe smiled. "I guess if he owns the hotel, there's no need to make reservations."
"Brilliant." Oliver sighed, pulling Chloe into his arms. "You're pretty handy to have around, you know? Smart, funny, make the best rice pudding I've ever eaten." He looked down at her, studying her face sweetly. "Let's call Clark."
"Not what I thought you were going to say," Chloe nodded, laughing. "So romantic."
She dialed her phone, eyes twinkling up at Oliver in the evening twilight. "You lose serious points for wasting the sunset with that."
Oliver grinned and hugged her. "I know. You'll have to figure out how to instruct me. I'm always open to improving myself."
"I will." Chloe nodded, and then quickly filled Clark in on the situation, paused for a minute and hung up. "He said he and Diana are on it and then as he was hanging up, I heard him tell Diana something that sounded like 'castling'. What does chess have to do with this?" Chloe asked, and Oliver smiled.
"It's just code for what we're about to pull on Lex. Switching things up. Hopefully, he won't see the change coming." He replied, pulling Chloe close again to kiss her jaw and trail his lips down her neck. "Now, about my romance lessons. You do have a qualified instructor in mind, right?" Oliver's voice was a whisper.
"Oh definitely." Chloe sighed, leaning into him. "Me."
"I'm ready for my first lesson, Miss Sullivan." Oliver led Chloe inside and pulled the glass door shut. "This student is completely ready."
