Heat swept through her tunic and the protective cover of her veil. The linen scarf protected her face from the bite of the Amon and the dust the horses' hooves racked from the uneven ground. The air was so dry her throat hurt when she swallowed. Ra drove its chariot, the sky flared, and the desert burned. The desert was merciless for the unaware. She pressed on, driven farther away from the sanctuary of Idfu into the scorching folds of the red land by curiosity and sheer will.

Something hid in the desert, among scorpions and evermoving sand dunes. She could feel it. The power inside her throbbed, faint echo of the one she knew awaited to be found.

West. She had to go farther west. Just a little farther…

Chloe regretted not taking Oliver on his offer to buy a straw hat for her. Even heavily lathered with sunscreen, her nose was starting to hurt each time she squinted against the glare around her. The bright sun bounced of the columns of the Jupiter Temple to bathe the plateau of the Akropolis in white and heat. She needed better sunglasses as well, she thought with a sigh.

She put one hand over her brow to protect her nose and ventured off the stoned floor to look at the valley beyond. The romantic in her wondered what it must have looked like centuries ago, when supplicants believed all-powerful gods inhabited the majestic structures, and looked down at mortals, with either ennui, lust or mischief.

A thick shadow casted relief on her face.

"Here." Oliver pushed the trucker hat deeper on her head. "It's no exactly stylish, but your nose is starting to rival Rudolph's."

"I'm not sure about the comparison but thank you."

Chloe reached behind her head to arrange her hair through the strap. Oliver stood next to her, his own cap perfectly in place. He'd managed to find a green one. Go figure.

"Do you think they knew?"

"Who knew what?"

"The people of old who came to pray here. Did they know or at least suspect that one day, their gods would be forgotten and their temples would be desecrated and become tourist attractions?"

"Temples were attractions for the lowly even then. We meet again."

Chloe kept her features neutral, though she leaned a little closer to Oliver. "Oh, hello."

"Bey Queen…"

"Mr. Savage."

The ominous silhouette bowed. His black silk robe was buttoned to the neck and impeccably pressed. "I'm afraid I didn't quite catch your name at the museum, Miss…"

"I am April." Chloe smiled sweetly at Savage.

Oliver wrapped one possessive arm around her waist. Even through her clothes, the contact made her mark pulse. She prayed the immediate pleasure didn't register on her face. "Are you an archeologist too? Like… What was his name, Ollie? That rude man who interrupted our date yesterday night? All? Howl?"

Oliver looked bewildered for a split second before he busted out laughing. "Hall, Dr. Carter Hall. I told you we were meeting him, Doll. Queen Industries is looking to sponsor a chair at the University he works for in Metropolis."

Chloe pouted theatrically. Savage was frowning, his beaded eyes cold and calculating. After a full minute, he backed down. "Though History fascinates me, I'm a simple businessman."

"Oh… Like Oliver?"

The charade was making her teeth ache. The skin in the area of her mark throbbed. Chloe fought to keep her beam wide and guileless.

"I wouldn't dare compare myself to Bey Queen. I buy and sell Art and other goods for those who have the good taste to enjoy them."

"Oh. I understand." Her bored tone conveyed a total lack of interest. Chloe ran her hand up Oliver's chest, hoping he'd caught on her intent and played along so their PDA chased the other man away. It only partly worked. Savage's eyes narrowed on her hand, but Oliver stayed as rigid as the stone columns in their backs.

"I have to take my leave. I hope you're enjoying Bergama, Miss April. If you have time, may I suggest you visit the old city of Troy? It's very romantic, I'm sure you'll love it. I wish you a good day."

"You too!" Chloe called cheerfully after his retreating back.

Oliver stirred her in the opposite direction.

"You need to work on the simpering, April. What the heck was that? An audition for next Spring Blonde-means-brainless calendar?"

"Well, you weren't exactly Oscar-worthy either, De Niro. Aren't you supposed to be all charm and easy-going?"

"You were suave enough for both of us. He probably thought I was annoyed because the inane blonde on my arm was beaming at another man."

"Inane?" Chloe grounded the word out. She had wanted to give that impression, yes. It didn't mean she appreciate the image. Oliver tipped her hat back to peer deep into her eyes. The flare of annoyance did something to her she refused to acknowledge.

"Whatever. We are not going to Troy," Oliver grumbled.

"Carter said something about Helen and Paris…"

"Here will I dwell, for heaven is in these lips, And all is dross that is not Helen. I will be Paris, and for love of thee, Instead of Troy, shall Wertenberg be sacked."

"You're ridiculous. I'm not some goddess whose beauty launched a thousand ships."

"I beg to differ. But we can discuss Marlowe another time. I don't know about you, but I have seen enough ruins for the day. Let's find a quiet place for lunch. With trees and shadows if possible."

"Agreed."

They made their way back to the parking lot. Chloe resisted the need to look over her shoulder. The leisured pace Oliver set contrasted with the firm hand he kept around hers. They were being watched.

"Why April, by the way?"

"I watched the Teenage Ninja Turtles when I was a kid and April O'Neil was my favorite character. That's how my passion for journalism was born."

Oliver laughed and the sun shone a little brighter.

Chloe sat crossed legs on the blanket and nibbled on a grape. The park he chose opposed lushness to the arid plateau they'd just left. Oliver finished his sandwich and washed it down with water before he put the bottle away. "We should leave Turkey."

"And go where? You don't exactly blend in the crowd, Oliver. People notice you wherever you are."

The downcast look that crossed his features made her regret her retort immediately. Chloe abandoned her position to kneel closer to him. She placed one hand on his arm as an apology. He covered it with his own.

"I don't know. Some place where I have more pull than here? Orient is Savage's play-ground. I didn't even notice we were being followed until he appeared."

He blamed himself for letting his guard down. Her guilt-ridden hero… Chloe rubbed his forearm gently.

"Don't do this, nothing happened Ollie…"

As much as it pained her to admit it, Savage running into them in the Akropolis wasn't a coincidence. Maybe Oliver was right and they should go back to the States. It would be easier to support Carter from Metropolis, with full access to Watchtower and the League at their disposal.

Chloe sighed. She wasn't ready to step into reality so soon. "Can we wait to see what the program came up with before deciding if we go home?"

Oliver's hands pulled her into his chest, her smaller frame secured into his broader one. "Who said anything about Kansas? Greece is just on the other side of the bay. We're two hours away from Italy, France, Spain, or even Ireland. We have the world at our disposal. How do you feel about Australia?"

"Why would I want to go to Australia?"

"They have kangaroos?" She bet Oliver also found that being on the other side of the world was an advantage. "Any country with an extradition treaty to the US sounds good to me."

Chloe twisted at the waist to look at him in the eye. "I'm pretty sure Turkey signed one, Oliver."

"I still don't see them applying it. Savage is wanted for felony, isn't he?"

"That what Carter sai— You're a genius."

Chloe stretched to kiss him hard on the mouth before she jumped to her feet. "We need to call Victor."

Oliver allowed her to haul him to his feet. She kissed him again, because his puzzled look was adorable, and because she could. Oliver treaded his fingers in her hair as he deepened the kiss, until she was putty against him. "Care to share with the rest of the class, Professor?"

"I am not sharing you, that's for sure."

"Likewise, Sidekick." Her heart skipped a beat. "We're going back to the villa?"

"Please…"

Chloe jumped on her laptop as soon as she got back to the house.

"Hey Chloe, what's up?"

"Hi, Vic. Are you up to a challenge?"

A chuckle echoed through the speakers. "Hit me, Tower."

"I need you to find the file of a man called Randall Savage, or maybe his first name is Vandal. It's not clear. Anyway, he murdered Shayera Hall in Metropolis 22 or 23 years ago. He is in Turkey now and I need him off our back."

"So an anonymous tip should leak his location toward the Feds, the Foreign Office, the US embassy and some Turkish officials?"

"You know me so well…"

"You have a picture?"

Oliver leaned over her shoulder. "He was at the Akropolis around 1 pm today and at the Bergama museum on Monday afternoon. They are both equipped with security cameras. The man is 6 feet or so, 190 lbs. Mid-fifties. Black hair tied in a mullet. Full Beard with chops. He dresses in black. Think Boris the Animal in MIB3 without the glasses."

"Got you, Arrow. I'll be in touch, Tower. Cyborg out."

Chloe shut down the communication and met Oliver's signature grin.

"So we're not going to Australia, I take it?"

She shook her head, her eyes crinkling in amusement. "I don't want to spend my birthday on a plane."

"And how do you want to spend your birthday?"

Several fascinating suggestions seared her tongue.

Oliver winked as if he'd just read her mind. "Monte Carlo is just a one-hour ride away…"

She knew he'd give a phone call to get a pilot in a heartbeat if she let him. Chloe shook her head again. Her fingers reached up to map the handsome shape of his face.

"All right. Keep your secrets, Sidekick. More fun to tease them out of you…" He turned his head slightly under the caress then kissed the meat of her thumb. "If you don't need me, I'll let you work and squeeze in a few laps in the pool."

Chloe had a flash of the future, Oliver going to work at Queen Industries or gearing up for patrol while she settled in front of her computers. If she closed her eyes, she could almost taste what life with him would look like. Her instant yearning for it jarred her to the bone.

Oliver must have sensed her hesitation. He straightened up, one hand still on her shoulder. "I'll leave you to it."

She must have hurt him somehow. Again. He was doing everything right, and she… wasn't. "I just want to check how the database is coming along and if Zatanna found anything, but it won't be long."

"It's fine."

She wished he kissed her again, but this time he only squeezed her shoulder one last time and left her alone with her regrets.

Chloe rubbed the twinge in her back absently as she concentrated on her screen again. She called her program from the background. The software was more than halfway through. It was progressing more quickly now the oldest documents were processed. Each time she blinked it seemed that the pile of remaining documents was smaller.

She got up to prepare a fresh pot of coffee. By the time it was done, a blip announced the scanning was through. Chloe settled back with her coffee and started to read.

The oblong shape rested in the middle of the crater it'd created when it'd struck the earth. The shock had vitrified the sand so that Nut, Mother of all, could admire her reflection in the natural mirror.

She advanced slowly down the slope, careful not to disturb the fragile equilibrium of glass and stone.

Her prize was cool to the touch. It spun when she placed a hesitant palm on its arching back. The Gods whispered about Time, Space and Love.

Alone in the desert, the princess closed her eyes and listened to the stars singing.