Chapter 10
Chloe walked into The Garden at 1:00 sharp, taking a moment to look around and absorb the ambiance. The restaurant was famous for both its five star dining and its private garden rooms featuring exotic plants and flowers. The main dining room had an open dining area in the center and a few private alcoves off to the sides. Strategically placed skylights allowed natural light into the room without making it awash in sunlight. The back wall had been constructed to look like a natural rock formation complete with water cascading down into a rounded koi pond that ran the length of the wall.
In short, it was the kind of restaurant that catered to Star City's elite and usually required reservations several weeks in advance. Chloe acknowledged that Ashlyn apparently had just as much pull in Star City as Oliver did, given that she had managed to get a table on such short notice. Chloe mentally calculated how much this lunch might set back her monthly budget and grimaced slightly; looked like she might be brown bagging for the rest of the week. Thank God for Mrs. Chandler, she thought as she approached the hostess desk.
The hostess looked up at Chloe, and a flash of recognition crossed her features. "May I help you?"
Chloe smiled. "I'm meeting Ashlyn Sinclair. I believe she has a reservation for 1:00?"
The hostess tried to mask her surprise, but failed rather miserably. "You're meeting Ms. Sinclair?" When Chloe raised her brows expectantly, she seemed to recover her composure. "Of course, if you'll follow me. Ms. Sinclair arrived a few minutes ago."
She led Chloe through the rather crowded main dining room, and Chloe noted that several conversations ceased as she walked past. She spotted Ashlyn seated at a table placed prominently near the koi pond. Ashlyn spotted Chloe immediately and stood as she approached, looking casually elegant in a black linen dress that followed the lines of her tall body perfectly, ending just at the knee. The sleeveless design set off her perfectly toned arms and the simple, platinum earrings and cuff bracelet she wore were the perfect accent pieces.
Chloe was suddenly very glad that she had dressed with extra care this morning. Knowing that the tabloid articles would mean many more eyes on her than usual, she had chosen a muted green and gold, capped-sleeve blouse with a modest v-neck paired with a vintage brown pencil skirt. Three-inch Jimmy Choos gave her extra height, and while she might need to update her casual wardrobe, the extra money she'd earned by helping Oliver had definitely been put to good use when updating her work attire.
"Chloe, I'm so glad that you could make it." Ashlyn stepped forward and hugged Chloe, who stiffened slightly before returning the embrace rather tentatively. Ashlyn stepped back and motioned for Chloe to take the chair opposite her own. As the hostess left, Ashlyn leaned forward, speaking in a low voice. "Sorry if that was awkward, but I wanted to make it clear to everyone watching that this is a friendly meeting."
Chloe eyed the other woman curiously as she picked up her menu. "Not to sound ungrateful, but did Oliver put you up to this? I know he's got his PR people on damage control today."
"No, this was my idea. Oliver has no idea that I asked you to lunch today. It's something that I would have done anyway because I would like to get to know you better, but the tabloid articles spurred me to act sooner. Would you like wine with lunch?" Ashlyn tapped a perfectly manicured nail against the side of her menu as she perused the menu items.
Chloe grimaced. "Thanks, but after last night I think I'll stick with mineral water."
Ashlyn laughed lightly as she pushed her long, dark hair off her shoulder. "So last night is a bit out of the norm for you, I take it?"
Chloe raised her brows in amusement. "You mean I don't look like the kind of girl who often goes clubbing and ends up going home with a billionaire amid rumors of wild threesomes?" Chloe laughed, shaking her head. "The only thing I was known for in Metropolis and Smallville was being a workaholic, which is why my friend Lanie has adopted a 'fun' rule. Essentially it involves dragging me out at least once a week for some form of social entertainment."
Ashlyn's lips quirked as she said, "I think last night's entertainment might be hard to top."
"Yeah, I've decided that last night's entertainment more than fulfills my fun quota for a while. I'm sticking to movie and pizza nights for the rest of the month." Chloe motioned to the menu. "What do you suggest? I've never been here before, and some of these menu items are unfamiliar."
"The owner is from Bulgaria, so many of the entrees are prepared in a Bulgarian style. The stuffed eggplant and stuffed tomatoes are both delicious appetizers. As for the entrees, my favorites are the grilled salmon, pork medallions, or the spinach and ricotta stuffed chicken."
Chloe looked over the menu for a moment before deciding on the stuffed tomato appetizer and the spinach and ricotta stuffed chicken. Ashlyn chose the grilled salmon with steamed vegetables and again signaled the waiter to place their orders.
Chloe took a sip of her mineral water. "So again, not to sound ungrateful, but the tabloid article viciousness was mostly aimed at me, not at you. If Oliver didn't ask you to play nice with me for the cameras today, then why bother with the public invitation at the Gazette and the very public lunch friendliness?"
Ashlyn tilted her head slightly as she regarded the younger woman. "You're very direct aren't you? I can see why Oliver likes that about you." She smirked as Chloe's cheeks warmed slightly at the mention of Oliver's name. "To answer your question, I don't like being used by the tabloids to sell papers. The media is a necessary tool for my business, and one that I've learned to use when and where it's appropriate, but I don't intend to allow them to run rampant with their ridiculous theories. I also don't want your career to suffer as a result of these stories. You don't deserve that, and anything that hurts you would upset Oliver as well."
Chloe considered this as the waiter returned to serve their appetizer. She took a piece of the stuffed tomato and transferred it to her plate. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you this, but there's nothing going on between Oliver and me. We're just friends."
"There's also nothing going on between Oliver and me, so I guess the tabloids are wrong on all counts. Unless Lanie's holding out on you?" When Chloe laughed, Ashlyn joined in. "I do admit that I had some reservations when Oliver told me that you're a reporter."
"Reporters have a tendency to be both nosy and tenacious, so I suppose I can understand that. Was there any particular reason?" Chloe moved her appetizer plate aside as the waiter appeared to serve their lunch entrees.
Ashlyn waited until they were alone before continuing. "Men like Oliver have secrets, and he trusts you so completely that it worried me."
Although she gave no outward appearance of it, Chloe's heart rate sped up a bit at the other woman's words. She carefully cut into her chicken as she affected an air of amusement, aware of Ashlyn's watchful gaze. "Well, Oliver's business secrets are safe. One thing I'm sure of is that Oliver's business practices are all aboveboard, and the only stories I'm interested in are the ones involving illegal actions."
"But a man's business secrets aren't the only thing that can make him vulnerable," Ashlyn murmured.
Chloe paused before looking up to meet Ashlyn's eyes directly. "I'm aware that Oliver trusts me, and there have been times when I've found it necessary to place just as much faith in him. So you can trust me when I say that I would never betray any of Oliver's secrets, business or otherwise."
"Please don't take offense – you're young and ambitious, so of course I had concerns. But Oliver is not a stupid man, despite how he's portrayed occasionally by the media, nor is he one that gives his trust easily. I know that if he believes you're trustworthy, then he has good reasons for it. If he trusts you, so do I."
Chloe smiled as she replied, "I'm not offended; frankly, I'm not a very trusting person myself, so I can understand your concern."
Ashlyn turned her attention toward one of the private luncheon rooms. A group of businessmen were leaving, and their path to the restaurant entrance would take them right past Chloe and Ashlyn's table. "Right on schedule."
Chloe looked up. "Sorry?"
Ashlyn looked at Chloe and smiled. "You and I have cleared the air, and despite all of this tabloid craziness at the moment, I think you'll be good for Oliver. Being seen having lunch together today should dispel some of the rumors, and now Oliver is here right on schedule."
"What?" Chloe's head whipped around. Sure enough, Oliver was walking toward their table with a group of businessmen, clearly having just concluded a business lunch. She turned back to Ashlyn with a raised brow. "I thought you said Oliver didn't put you up to this?"
"Oh, Oliver had no idea we would be here," Ashlyn responded with a smirk. "But I knew he had some investors coming into town today, and I got the location of his business luncheon from his secretary. Just in case his business associates believed any part of the tabloid rumors, I thought it might not hurt for them to see us together as well."
Chloe was surprised by how carefully Ashlyn had planned all of this; suddenly, she had no problem seeing the former model as the shrewd businesswoman she now was. She and Ashlyn stood as Oliver approached their table, a look of surprise on his face.
"I wasn't expecting to see the two of you here," Oliver said curiously. He turned to his business associates. "Gentlemen, I believe you met Ashlyn last year at the QI fundraiser gala. Ashlyn, you remember Peter Sadurska, one of our European investors?" He gestured to a tall, dark haired man beside him, whom Chloe judged to be in his late thirties.
Ashlyn extended her hand. "Yes, of course; lovely to see you again, Mr. Sadurska."
Peter took her hand and nodded. "And you as well, but please call me Peter." He turned his attention to Chloe. "And I believe you are Miss Sullivan?" A pleasant accent betrayed his European heritage, although his English was perfect.
Chloe tried not to grimace at the realization that he recognized her, knowing there was only one reason he would know who she was. Her eyes shifted to Oliver, and she saw his mouth quirk up at her silent question.
"He's heard today's scandalous rumors, but I've assured him that the stories are completely without merit," Oliver remarked.
"And I believe that's true, given the two lovely ladies in question. You do not seem like the type of women to engage in a 'catfight' as one tabloid site reported," Peter observed with amusement. He turned to Oliver. "The joys of having money and living in the public eye, yes?"
Oliver laughed. "Something we've all had experience with, aside from Chloe. I'm afraid she's used to being on the other side of the byline."
"Although let's be clear – I don't report on tabloid drivel. I'd hang up my laptop first," Chloe commented wryly.
"Ah, yes, Oliver mentioned that you are a reporter for the Gazette – on the city beat, I believe he said?" Peter asked. When Chloe nodded, he said, "I will have to look for your byline then. I often keep up with the news in Star City, given my interest in Queen Industries. Ashlyn, I hope I will see you at the QI gala in a few weeks? My wife was very happy to get an appointment with you for a gown to wear to this year's event."
Ashlyn nodded. "I will be there, and Chloe will be attending with Oliver this year, so you will see her again as well."
Chloe tried not to react to that surprising announcement as Peter turned a speculative glance in her direction. "My wife and I will be pleased to see both of you there, then. Oliver, I will allow you a moment with your friends?" At Oliver's nod, he walked toward the front of the restaurant.
Chloe raised her brows at Ashlyn as the three of them sat down at the table. "Why would you tell him that I'm going to be Oliver's date for the QI gala?"
"It's not a bad idea, Chloe," Oliver said. "I haven't asked anyone yet, and I was actually already thinking about asking you."
"You were?" Chloe asked skeptically. "Because I've never been your go-to girl for that kind of thing."
"And just because something has never been, doesn't mean it can't ever be," Oliver challenged her. "You're not afraid to face the red carpet with me, are you Sullivan?"
Chloe laughed. "Are you daring me?"
"Yes. And given the tabloid attention, seeing all of us there being friendly will quiet a lot of rumors." Oliver said in a coaxing tone, his smile guaranteed to melt resistance. "Besides, what will Peter think if he doesn't see you there?"
"Fine, I'll go," Chloe said, rolling her eyes slightly. She turned her attention to Ashlyn. "You planned all of this, didn't you? You knew Oliver would be here with Peter, and you knew he would probably mention the QI gala."
Ashlyn shrugged. "Like I said, I don't like being fuel for tabloid rumors. I doubt it will all disappear overnight, but I believe we've made a significant dent in it today."
Chloe raised a brow at Oliver. "Quite a good friend you have watching your back here."
"I'm lucky to have more than one good friend to watch my back," he murmured, his smile so full of charm that Chloe couldn't quite stop the blush that climbed her cheeks. She dropped her eyes to her plate, taking a bite of her now cooling chicken.
"I guess Chloe needs someone watching her back too," Ashlyn told Oliver. "I had no idea that city beat reporters routinely received threats to their personal safety until I saw the note that Chloe received when I stopped by the paper."
Oliver's smile faded as Chloe choked on her chicken. "What are you talking about?"
Chloe reached quickly for her water, taking a sip. "It's nothing, Oliver, probably just someone's idea of a prank." She looked pointedly at Ashlyn.
Ashlyn's brows rose doubtfully. "A prank? I specifically remember the words 'digging your own grave' and 'back off, bitch' which sounds like more than a prank to me."
Oliver turned his head to look at Chloe directly. "Chloe, that sounds like a death threat – you weren't even planning to tell anyone about it, were you?"
"Oliver, do you know how many threats I've received since I've been a reporter? I mean, it started in high school, and if I freaked out every time, I'd never get any sleep. Most of the time there's never any intent beyond scaring me off of a story."
"Most of the time," Oliver repeated, not looking even a little bit appeased by her explanation. "And the rest of the time?"
When Chloe didn't respond, Ashlyn cleared her throat. "Maybe you two should discuss this later. We don't want people to think we're arguing about anything."
"Right," Oliver said, standing. He leaned over to kiss Ashlyn's cheek before walking around the table to Chloe's chair. Sliding his arm around her shoulders, he brushed his lips across her cheek before whispering into her ear, "We're not done talking about this."
Chloe fought a shiver as his warm breath hit her ear and his fingers drifted across her shoulder briefly before he stood, waving casually as he walked to the front of the restaurant where his business associates were waiting for him. Chloe looked over at Ashlyn. "Is there any particular reason why you told Oliver about that note?"
Ashlyn shrugged. "I just thought someone should be aware of it besides me. I could see that you weren't taking it very seriously."
Chloe felt a tingle of suspicion. "If I receive threats that I believe to be credible, the standard procedure is to inform my editor. I'm not sure how you think Oliver can help."
"Oh, Oliver's a resourceful guy. Now that he's aware of a potential problem, I'm sure he'll think of something. And changing the subject, do you think you could find time to stop by my boutique this weekend?"
Chloe wasn't sure she bought Ashlyn's explanation, but she decided to drop it for the moment. "I'm sure I could find time. Do you need help with something?"
"Actually, I'd like to do a fitting for you. I'd love for you to wear something from my design label for the gala, if you're interested," Ashlyn replied. When Chloe hesitated, she added, "If you're worried about the cost, don't – I'm offering, so this is on me."
"Ashlyn, I appreciate the thought, but you really don't have to do that," Chloe said firmly.
"Do I look like the kind of woman who does things because she feels obligated? You will be Oliver Queen's escort for the evening, so there will be a lot of photos of you in magazines and on fashion sites. If you're wearing one of my designs, that's good publicity for me. And I'm afraid it's the designer in me, but I've been imagining you in a few of my gowns ever since you told Oliver you would go with him. Obviously there's no obligation – if you don't like the gowns I choose, you still have time to shop elsewhere."
"I'm sure liking them won't be the problem," Chloe said. "If you're sure it's not too much trouble, then I accept."
"Great!" Ashlyn smiled with satisfaction. They chatted amicably as they finished their lunch, and when Ashlyn asked for the bill, they were informed that Oliver had already taken care of it. Chloe rolled her eyes a bit at the high handed gesture, while the other woman did not seem surprised. They walked toward the entrance of the restaurant, with Ashlyn nodding at a few people she knew along the way.
Slipping on her sunglasses outside the restaurant, Ashlyn accepted the keys to her silver BMW from the valet. "Would you like me to drop you off at the Gazette?"
Chloe shook her head. "Thanks, but the weather is so nice here that I think I'd like to walk. And thanks for inviting me to lunch."
Ashlyn reached out and squeezed her hand. "Thanks for accepting. I'll see you on Saturday." She slid into the driver's seat of her car and drove off.
Chloe slid her own sunglasses on and enjoyed the sunshine on her walk back to work. No doubt about it, the California weather definitely agreed with her and put her in a much mellower mood than she was usually in on workdays in Metropolis. Tabloid stories and death threats aside, it hadn't been such a bad day.
She ignored the curious glances of her coworkers as she walked through the newsroom to find Lanie waiting for her at her desk.
Lanie eyed her curiously as she sat down. "I got your text earlier. So, how was it?"
"Surprisingly, much better than I thought," Chloe replied quietly. "Turns out she has no love for tabloid reporters either, so this was her doing her part to douse the rumors."
"It wasn't Oliver's idea?"
"No, not at all, although it turned out he was having lunch with an investor at the same restaurant. We saw him when they were leaving. And, it seems that I will be Oliver's arm candy to this year's QI gala in a few weeks, and Ashlyn has offered to dress me for the event."
"How did all of this come up at lunch?" Lanie laughed.
"You kind of had to be there," Chloe said. "Want to go with me to Ashlyn's boutique on Saturday?"
"Hell yes – I've heard that it's easier to get an invitation to the White House, so this is probably my only chance to see it."
Chloe pursed her lips as she eyed Lanie for a moment. "If I show you something, do you promise not to overreact?"
Lanie raised her brows and leaned forward as Chloe reached into her laptop bag and retrieved the note she had received earlier. She took the note from Chloe, reading it silently. "Well, someone needs spell check. Do you know what they're referring to?"
Chloe hesitated. "I have an idea, but if it's the story I'm thinking of, I don't even have anything solid yet. I was actually working on another story when I stumbled onto this one, so I'm still in the 'poking around' phase."
"It looks like your poking around caught someone's attention, then. Are you planning to take it to Harry?"
"Not yet. I need a little more before I tell him about it."
Lanie nodded. "You know I'd never try to scoop you… so, maybe you should let me tag along the next time you go digging."
"Lanie, I don't want to drag you into anything dangerous," Chloe said.
"Between the two of us, I'm sure we can manage to stay out of trouble. And if the situation is ever reversed, you'll owe me one. Besides, do you know how many times I've dragged Mike out to help me chase down a lead in a bad part of town?"
Chloe impulsively reached out and hugged Lanie, surprising both of them. "You know, you're a really good friend. Thanks for that; and it's possible I might need to take you up on your offer of snooping tonight. Are you up for it?"
"No problem, just tell me when and where. Time to get back to my story; oh, and in case you were wondering, Gwyn decided to work from home today. What a coward," Lanie said with disgust.
"I'm not really worried about Gwyn anymore, to be honest. Her story is going to look kind of ridiculous once photos of me with Ashlyn at lunch today come out. I'll bet she wasn't expecting that," Chloe smirked.
"Yeah, I don't think anybody was expecting that. See you later." Lanie headed across the room to her own desk, and Chloe settled in to get some work done on her own stories. First on her list was the pet charity project of a city councilwoman by the name of Helen Jenkins. A self-made and wealthy businesswoman, she had risen to popularity in Star City by being an advocate for the less fortunate, as well as for her participation in various charities both at home and abroad.
It was while doing a story on one of the charities that Chloe stumbled upon something odd. The charity in question provided both books and classroom technology for schoolchildren in countries affected by war and civil unrest. Chloe had gotten the usual press packet from the councilwoman's office, but had decided that talking to some of the people in the countries involved would lend a more personal touch to the article.
She had started with a school in Afghanistan reported to have received computers, software and books; and while it was true that they had received those things, Chloe found that the numbers reported by the charity were somewhat exaggerated. Without voicing any suspicions, Chloe had quietly contacted a few more schools in countries across Asia and Africa, only to find that none of the numbers matched up with any given school. When Chloe had attempted to contact the overseas director of the charity, a woman by the name of Samantha Sutton, she had been told the woman resigned two months before, and all of her attempts to locate Ms. Sutton had hit a dead end.
Chloe had then begun tracking how the books and equipment were shipped abroad. Her hacking had uncovered that all donations came through Star City. They were briefly stored in a warehouse owned by the charity before being shipped to a branch located in Japan, and by perusing various shipping logs, Chloe had managed to determine that the loads being reported at Star City Harbor were significantly heavier than what was being reported at the points of arrival. She was beginning to suspect that the councilwoman was using her charity as a front for some form of drugs or weapons trafficking, but currently had no proof to back it up. One thing she knew for certain was that if she planned to take on Helen Jenkins, she'd need an airtight story. The woman hadn't gotten where she was by being careless or by being a fool.
She had planned to head down to the docks tonight because another shipment of school supplies and equipment was being sent out on Friday. Chloe wanted to observe what went on while the ship was being loaded. She knew that the charity had a contract with the shipping company in question, so the ship should only be carrying books, computers and software. If a third party was adding to the shipment, she hoped she could observe proof of it and find another trail to follow.
She spent the afternoon piecing together her notes on the story and adding questions to her file of things to follow up on. It was 5:30 when she finally found a stopping point, and she was just about to see if Lanie wanted to grab dinner when a bunch of tulips appeared in front of her just as a pair of hands covered her eyes.
"Guess who, Chloelicious," said a teasing voice.
Chloe jerked around, laughing. "Bart! What are you doing here?" As she hugged him, she noticed a tall, blonde man grinning behind him. "And AC – I didn't know you guys were in town. Is Victor here too?"
AC stepped forward to give Chloe a hug. "Vic will be here tomorrow. How are you doing?"
"I'm great," Chloe said with a smile.
"Really? Cause we heard you were having some trouble – Bossman made it sound kind of dramatic," Bart said. "You look fine though – and I do mean fine." He wiggled his eyebrows a little, causing AC to roll his eyes at his theatrics.
"Oh God, please tell me that Oliver did not call you into town to babysit me?" Chloe crossed her arms and lifted her brows expectantly.
AC rubbed the back of his head. "I wouldn't use the term babysit," he hedged.
"Uh huh," Chloe said. "Bart? When exactly did you guys decide to come to Star City?"
"This afternoon," he replied easily, dodging AC's hand as he tried to slap the back of Bart's head. "What? Like I'm gonna lie to Chloe? Dude, she always knows when I'm lying, even over the coms." He turned back to Chloe. "Come on, admit it, you're glad to see us even if we are supposed to keep an eye on you."
"Fine I'm glad to see you – it's not your fault that Oliver is a crazy man." And crazy he was if he thought calling in the Justice League was going to stop her from investigating her story. "Come on, you guys should meet my friends." She could see Mike and Lanie watching them curiously from Lanie's desk. "Have you eaten dinner?"
"No, and I'm starving," Bart complained. "Got any good Mexican places around here? Or pizza… I could live with pizza. Or chicken even." He rubbed his stomach.
Lanie watched Chloe walk across the newsroom with two men, one of whom seemed to be a year or two younger than Chloe, while the other was probably a few years older.
"Seriously, are all of her friends from back home men?" Mike grumbled.
Lanie poked him with her elbow. "Be nice," she said with a laugh. "You don't hear me complaining." She ignored his snort of derision as the trio reached her desk.
"Hey guys, these are some friends of mine, Lanie and Mike." Chloe performed the introductions. "So, feel up to grabbing dinner with us? Lanie and I have some research to do later at my place, so we should go now."
"Research? I thought we were going to a movie tonight," Mike said.
"We were until I was volunteered to be Oliver's date to the QI gala in a few weeks," Chloe replied. "You're welcome to come back to my place with us, but the evening will now entail going through my closet and online shopping while we decide what I'm going to wear." Since Mike had no idea that her dress was taken care of, she figured this would be the best way to get rid of the guys later.
"Pass," Mike said with a sigh. "So, you're Oliver's date for the big night, huh?"
Chloe missed his wistful expression as they walked back over to her desk. She collected her jacket and laptop bag and turned off her computer as she answered him. "It's not a date, and if you say arm candy I'll smack you."
"Still, it's going to add to the tabloid fire," Mike pointed out.
Bart and AC glanced at each other. "Sounds like we've missed something," AC said curiously.
"Don't worry, I'll fill you in," Chloe said. She grabbed her phone and shot off a quick text to Oliver: You and I are going to have a serious talk about boundaries later.
As they were walking out, her phone beeped.
Oliver: There are no boundaries when it comes to team safety. You guys have fun while I'm stuck at this boring business dinner. Tell Bart and AC I'll call them later.
Clearly he felt no remorse about calling in reinforcements; Chloe felt a slight twinge, knowing that she planned to ditch the guys later so she and Lanie could follow her lead at the docks. She didn't expect any danger though, and even if someone who worked for Helen Jenkins had sent that note, they had no reason to suspect she knew much at this point.
Dinner was a lighthearted affair, with Bart eating an impressive amount of food and cracking silly jokes. AC told them about his recent work to rehabilitate injured dolphins in Florida. After dinner Mike headed home, and Lanie followed Chloe to her apartment. Chloe was sure she spotted Bart outside her apartment building, so she knew he was keeping an eye on her. She sighed as she and Lanie entered her apartment, wondering how she could get around Bart.
"I think we're going to have to wait about an hour, and then head down to the docks on foot or by taxi," Chloe told Lanie after she explained what she had found out about the charity.
"Why can't we drive my car?" Lanie asked. "We can park in the restaurant district and walk over to the shipping docks."
Chloe considered this. "The problem is that it's possible that Bart or AC will check on me later. If your car is gone, they might come up here and if I'm not here, they're going to come looking for me."
Lanie's eyebrows shot up. "Ok, care to explain what's going on? Who are these guys?"
"Just friends," Chloe reassured her. "But Oliver found out about the threat I received and he told them about it, so they've taken it upon themselves to look after me."
"Wow, and I thought my brothers were bad," Lanie joked. "We could call Mike and have him go with us…but then we'd have to explain why, and he's going to want to tell Harry if he thinks you're in danger." She thought about it for a minute before looking up at Chloe. "Mrs. Chandler has a car, doesn't she? Think she'd let us borrow it?"
Chloe's eyes lit up. "We could leave my lights on, and with both cars here they won't bother us if they check in later."
Two hours later, Chloe and Lanie were settled in on the roof of a warehouse overlooking the one housing the charitable contributions. Lanie kept a couple of changes of clothes in her car, and both women had changed into jeans, dark T-shirts and running shoes.
Lanie checked the activity through her binoculars again. "I don't really see anything too suspicious yet. I mean, they're loading a lot of boxes, but as far as we can tell, those boxes are full of books and computers."
"I'm sure something else is going on with these shipments," Chloe told her. "Maybe if I could get a look inside the boxes…"
"That's a little more dangerous than watching from up here," Lanie interrupted her. "What's our game plan if we get caught?"
"There's no we," Chloe said firmly. "You stay up here and keep watch while I go down there and poke around. If I get caught, you get help."
Lanie sighed. "Fine, but please be careful? I'd rather not catch hell from Mike, Oliver, and Oliver's reinforcements if you get yourself into trouble down there. Not to mention Harry." She shuddered slightly.
"Did I mention my friend Victor is supposed to be here tomorrow?" Chloe smirked at Lanie as she headed for the stairs. She had been watching the guards' routines and knew she had a few minutes to make it around the side of the building without being seen. From there, she could edge along the side of the building and wait until the workers took their break, which she had heard them say would be in about ten minutes.
Ten minutes later the dock workers who had been loading boxes took their break, and the guards headed around to the front of the building. Chloe knew from watching them that they would be gone for at least five minutes, so she took her chance and headed into the warehouse. Boxes were still lined up inside, and she hurried over to one set marked "Hardware." She quickly sliced open the top and found more boxes, which turned out to contain laptops. Using the tape she had brought with her, she quickly taped the box closed again and moved on to another group of boxes. Like the others, they were marked "Hardware" but they also had number combinations the other boxes didn't have. Following a hunch, she opened one of the boxes and found what she was looking for; the first box contained a laptop, but the one below contained metal parts that Chloe was sure were parts to be used in assembling firearms.
Using her pocket camera, she quickly took photos of the boxes containing the charity foundation's logo, as well as the contents inside the box. It wasn't enough to bring the councilwoman down, since Chloe had no way to prove that she was directly involved, but it should be enough to convince the police to come down here and stop the shipment from going out.
She taped up the box and moved back toward the entrance. Seeing no one, she darted out of the warehouse and began to edge around the building again.
"Hey! What the hell are you doing back here?" One of the dock workers had rounded the corner and was staring at Chloe in surprise, half of a sandwich in one hand.
Chloe tried to run around him, but he dropped his sandwich and grabbed her arm as he shouted for the guard. Chloe kicked him, and he grunted in surprise, releasing her. She ran as fast as she could around the side of the warehouse, praying that Lanie wouldn't panic and come down to help her. When she reached the back of the neighboring warehouse, she crouched behind a storage container and reached for her phone, texting Lanie to meet her back at the car. She peeked around the edge, noticing that several of the dock workers were now talking to the guards. No one seemed to be heading in her direction, so she backed up – and immediately hit something hard.
Strong arms came around her, and a leather gloved hand covered her mouth. Chloe stifled a scream and immediately began to struggle, kicking back against her captor, who grunted.
"Dammit, hold still," she heard a deep, distorted voice say. She stilled, relaxing as she realized it was Oliver behind her. When she stopped struggling, he pulled his hand away from her mouth and turned her to face him. "What the hell are you doing here?"
Chloe stared at him in disbelief. "Do you think we could save the lecture for a place where armed guards aren't searching for me?"
"Chloe!" Lanie's head appeared over the top of the storage container. "Are you ok?" She began climbing down the side of the container, landing silently next to Chloe. She gestured toward the leather clad hero nervously and whispered, "He found me on the roof and I don't know how he knew exactly, but he knew I wasn't alone, so I told him what you were doing. He was coming to get you and then we heard the shouting… holy shit, Chloe, he's the freaking Green Arrow!"
"Breathe, Lanie," Chloe whispered back. She looked over at Oliver, who was watching the guards and workers around the side of the building. "How do we get out of here?"
Oliver looked back at her, his face hidden by the hood and dark glasses he wore. Chloe couldn't see much of his expression, but she could definitely tell by his tense posture that he wasn't happy with her at the moment. "Follow me," he said shortly. He made his way silently behind the groups of warehouses, pausing occasionally to make sure no one was coming. Chloe and Lanie followed just as quietly.
When they neared the restaurant district, Oliver paused behind a building. He pointed at Lanie. "You, stay here… and you," he gestured at Chloe, "come with me." He reached out and grabbed Chloe's hand, pulling her behind him. When they were far enough away from Lanie not to be overheard, he stopped and faced Chloe. "What the hell were you doing back there?"
"It's a story I'm working on," Chloe replied. "I think Councilwoman Jenkins is using one of her charitable foundations as a front for weapons trafficking. Some of the boxes in that warehouse contain gun parts, and they're all going to be shipped out tomorrow." She handed over her pocket camera. "I took photos – hopefully that's enough to get the police to look into it before the shipment goes out."
Oliver took the camera. "You knew that the threat you received today was probably related to this story. You lied to me." The voice distorter lent an impassive quality to his tone, but the thread of anger was still audible.
Chloe felt a surge of irritation. "No, I didn't lie to you. That note could have been referring to a couple of stories that I'm working on. I poke my nose into people's dirty laundry for a living, and it tends to make people angry sometimes. Do you know how many threatening notes I've received since moving to Star City? At least ten and nothing has come of any of them."
Oliver stepped closer, invading her personal space as he towered over her. "Is that supposed to make me feel better? Because it doesn't, Chloe. What was your plan tonight? Those guards had guns – you put yourself in danger, and you dragged Lanie into it with you."
"In case you didn't notice, I got away all on my own. If you hadn't been there, I would have met Lanie back at the car and we would be on our way home now. I'm not a damsel in distress, Arrow – stop treating me like I don't what I'm doing." Chloe stared up at him, determined not to back down an inch.
The side of Oliver's mouth quirked up suddenly as he gazed down at her. "Damsel in distress, huh? Is that how you think I'm treating you?"
Chloe raised a brow. "Did you or did you not call in half the league to watch me because I got one threatening note? What do you think?"
"Maybe I overreacted," he acknowledged. "You could ask for help, though. You have a league of superheroes who'd all come running if you called."
"Including you?" she smirked at him.
He leaned in a little closer. "Every time."
Chloe's smile faded as he continued to stare down at her. She cleared her throat. "So, Lanie is probably still hyperventilating back there because the Green Arrow swooped in and saved the day before dragging me off for a lecture. She's going to wonder why you wanted to talk to me personally, alone."
Oliver held up her camera. "You can tell her we talked about this."
"And that required privacy? My guess is, she's putting two and two together and realizing that somehow we know each other. Unless you have a better idea, I think I should tell her that I ran into you once while investigating a story in Metropolis with Lois – that way, Lois can back me up if necessary."
Oliver dropped his gaze to her mouth. "You could tell her that – or you could just say I have a thing for damsels in distress." He didn't think about it as he raised his hand to her jaw and tilted her face up to his. He registered her surprise only briefly before he pressed his lips to hers. He had intended it to be a playful kiss, short, maybe even a little provocative. He thought he'd make a teasing comment, she'd fire back one of her snarky retorts, and a conversation that had begun in tension and anger would end on a lighter note as he left her with Lanie to finish patrolling.
Once his lips touched hers, however, all of his thoughts were suppressed by that moment – that single moment of lips touching, breaths mingling, his hand sliding back into her hair as she suddenly raised her hands to grip his arms. He deepened the kiss, one hand gripping her hip as the other slid from her hair to cradle the back of her neck. He pulled away reluctantly, wondering what had just happened as he took note of Chloe's dazed expression. They stared at each other for the space of a heartbeat before they both pulled away.
Neither spoke at first; Chloe was the first to break the silence. "I'm not sure that was helpful."
Oliver had been expecting more outrage, so her comment startled a laugh from him. "Maybe not, but it was … enjoyable." He held up the camera. "I should drop this off with the police, and you should go home. I'll call you tomorrow and tell you what happened."
"Ok – be careful out there." Chloe watched Oliver walk away before turning back to Lanie, who was still standing in the same place. She jogged over to her and said, "We should get going." When Lanie didn't move, Chloe asked, "What's wrong? Are you ok?"
"Am I ok?" Lanie asked. "Yeah, I'm gonna go with no… no, definitely not ok. Either I just hallucinated, or I just watched you making out with Green Arrow."
Chloe's cheeks flushed. "We were not making out."
"Really? Then what the hell was that because to me it looked like he totally planted one on you! Holy shit, you know the Green Arrow don't you? I cannot believe you've been sneaking around Star City making out with the Green Arrow." Lanie paused to take a deep breath. "Ok, feeling calmer but I think I need to sit down."
"Lanie, I can promise you that there has been no sneaking and definitely no making out with the Green Arrow. Lois and I ran into him once while checking into a story in Metropolis. He remembered me, but I have no idea why he just did… that," Chloe explained awkwardly. Well, at least the last part is true, she thought. She definitely had no idea what had possessed Oliver to kiss her, dressed as the Green Arrow, in front of Lanie no less.
Lanie stared at her. "Seriously?"
Chloe shrugged, affecting amused indifference. "Maybe he gets off on saving the girl. I mean, he is running around town in green tights – who knows what a guy like that is thinking?"
Lanie snorted with laughter. "If he gets off on saving the girl, I'm coming back tomorrow. Jesus, did you see his arms – wait, you touched his arms! What did they feel like?"
Chloe stared at her before she started to laugh. "Oh God, please tell me that you are not a closet Green Arrow fan girl?"
Lanie looked offended. "I'm not a fan girl!" She paused for a minute. "Ok, I'll admit that I have a Green Arrow novelty mug that the Tourism Center was selling right after the stories about him broke a couple of years ago. And the T-shirt – and I'm probably going to be fantasizing about him having his way with me on the roof for the rest of the week. Does that make me a fan girl?"
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Come on, Lanie. You can have your fan girl moment in the car." As she listened to her friend continue to ramble about their Green Arrow encounter, Chloe's mind drifted back to the moment when Oliver kissed her. What had he been thinking?
A/N: Well, there you have it, and I hope it was worth the wait. After I cleared out all the weird symbols, I noticed bits of text were missing here and there. I tried to fix everything like it was before, but this chapter is longer now because I got carried away during my "fixing" and added more lol. I tried to read through and check for mistakes thoroughly, especially after the problem I had with this document. I think I found all the errors, but if you notice anything strange let me know. I'm trying to get Chapter 11 cleaned up now.
Up Next: Chloe and Oliver both deal with the effects of the kiss, Chlollie becomes a tabloid staple, Chloe takes up Watchtower duties, and Batman finds out that it's a REALLY bad idea to get on Watchtower's bad side. Thanks again to all who are reading and reviewing!