Chapter 5: Key
Vista Ski Resort and Spa – Telluride, COLionel Luthor stood in the wide windows of his suite, his back to the three people with him, staring out onto the snow capped mountains. He turned, and smiled at the others, sipping from the steaming mug he held in his hand. The worry on the faces of two of his guests amused Lionel greatly. He'd come a long way and recognized it for what it was.
"Do you honestly expect me to believe that Bruce Wayne is somehow aware of our activities? He's a very driven young man, by all means, but I expect he has no more interest here than a few days of skiing and snow boarding before he heads back to Gotham City. Billionaires very seldom indulge in espionage personally."
"You want me to get him, boss?" A bulky young man, roughly Lex's age, but with a round cherubic face and curly light brown hair, eagerly nodded, rubbing his pudgy hands together. The rough accent of Suicide Slums cluttered his speech and Lionel turned, pursing his lips. He saw the father when he looked at this particular son, but then, every Luthor seemed to have an Otis attached to him somehow.
"No, Otis. Bruce Wayne isn't someone to be manhandled." Lionel stroked his chin and turned to the statuesque blonde standing to his right. "I cannot believe, my dear, that you have had a hard time getting near enough to him. "
"Near, yes." Mercy replied, rolling her eyes. "He'll dance me into next Tuesday, but we're not exactly at the pillow talk stage, you know?" Lionel touched her smooth cheek and looked into her eyes. She didn't look away, and Lionel saw a trace of something flash across her face and then disappear just as quickly. Rebellion was fine, Lionel thought, especially when tempered with the common sense the girl had just shown.
"Please don't make me send you back where I found you, Ms. Graves. You have enemies who would cut your beautiful skin. Stay on him. Go." Lionel watched Otis and Mercy leave and then looked at his own son, sitting in the highbacked wing chair, half hidden in it's shadow. "You'll have your hands full with those two helping you, Son."
"I'm not worried." Lex leaned forward, his silver grey eyes glinting. "Mercy, especially, has tremendous potential. As it stands, they serve their purpose. "
"As do I, I take it." Lionel nodded, eyes narrowed, ever on alert. "I wonder, Lex.
"What, Dad? What would I do without so many helpful people around me?" Lex stood, eyebrow raised sardonically over one eye. "The best I could, I suppose."
"Indeed. I'm wondering why you suspect Bruce Wayne and Oliver Queen of leading secret double lives." Lionel rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It's a bit bold. Even for the Queen boy. Not to mention they seem to have less free time than you do."
"Call it a hunch." Lex opened a bottle of mineral water and smiled. "Educated guess."
"Even educated guesses are just that, Lex." Lionel turned back and looked at the view of the mountains. "Guesses."
"But theories become fact with sufficient proof, Dad." Lex sipped his water. "And most theories start out as educated guesses."
"Of course." Lionel nodded, not looking away from the mountains. "I'd hate to see your theory blow up in your face, son. Meantime, we have other issues. Several of our 'guests' are not responding to the experiments as we hoped they might."
"How so?" Lex asked, interested. "Initial results were promising."
"You'll have to see for yourself." Lionel picked up a large key and handed it to Lex. "
"Just be advised, Lex, the people in this part of 33.1 are not going to be glad to see you."
Lex took the key and examined it, closing his hand around the cool, heavy object. "I'll take that chance, Dad."
Expert Run, Vista Ski Resort and Spa….
"No, I don't think I was clear enough." Bruce said, fixing Clark with a deadly black stare. "You were supposed to pick up Ollie's loose ends, not mine. I don't want you anywhere near here, Clark, until we know what we're dealing with." Bruce's voice was heavy, authoritative and his words were final. "Go back to Metropolis."
"I can't." Clark was stone. "These people are being hurt…." They were standing on a ski slope, Bruce in ski clothes, and Clark, incongruously, in jeans and his usual blue t-shirt and red jacket, making an odd display on the frozen mountaintop.
"That's what the plan was for, Clark. Christ." Bruce groaned. "To help these people. Now, if you start poking around and get caught, what good are you to any of those suffering people? ZERO." Bruce voice echoed over the mountains, but Clark wasn't paying attention. He was looking at the ground. "Did you hear what I said?"
Clark nodded, studying the snow at his feet. He frowned. "Bruce."
"I'm not interested in debating the fine points of this again, Clark. Go home." Bruce retorted and then, seeing Clark's face, frowned. "What is it? You're staring at the snow like you've never seen it before. Metropolis was covered in snow just last week."
"This mountain is hollow. There's a whole complex of rooms inside it." He met Bruce's eyes and shook his head. "What the hell are we dealing with, Bruce? This is bigger than we imagined." The glorious afternoon seemed to go flat around them, and Clark shook his head, amazed. "
"Go back to Metropolis, Clark. Hiding anything inside a mountain is bad news." Bruce stabbed at the snow with his ski pole. "Tell Oliver and Chloe what you found. Chloe needs to start looking for old silver and copper mines in this area. We need to rethink this, regroup. I'll meet you all at Oliver's tonight."
"I'll go now." Clark turned and with a leap, disappeared into the blue sky. Bruce watched Clark fly off, and then turned his scowl to the snow at his feet, wishing he could see through the layers of rock like Clark had. Perhaps the key to all of this lay just under his feet. The answers were there.
Sullivan – Queen Residence, Metropolis….
Chloe shook her head and handed Hal Jordan back the map. "I'm not coming up with anything in this area. No geological studies, not even old prospectors tales. This part of Colorado really isn't mining country." She sighed. "I'd love to know how they managed to hollow out a mountain and not have local environmental groups up in arms." A.C. nodded, sitting down on one of the arm chairs across from Chloe and Hal.
"Luthorcorp spin doctors, at work…" A.C. said, stretching. "That guy can make anyone believe anything. The damage that Leviathan machine could have done should have been a Greenpeace action waiting to happen, but nothing."
"I could do a fly over, I suppose, but getting low enough is a problem." Hal frowned, looking over the map in his hands again. " It's pretty close in there, tight angles with the mountains. I could do it, but, most skiers don't like Lear jets screaming by as they're conquering the Rockies." He shook his head. "I wish I could get Clark up there with me. He could use his xray vision from above." Chloe nodded, and looked back down at her computer, still searching for anything she could find on the Luthors piece of Telluride, CO.
Oliver was studying Bart as the teen seemed to vanish and then reappear. "How are you doing that?" Oliver asked thoughtfully, and Bart smiled, winking at Chloe. "I mean it, Bart. Tell me."
"Vibrating my molecules, man." Bart said, and Oliver looked at Hal and Chloe, startled, but amused. "It's a freakin' rush."
"You vibrate your molecules enough, you can pass through anything. Everything is just particles floating in a field anyway. Move your molecules fast enough, it's like walls don't exist." Oliver observed, and Hal laughed as Bart looked at Oliver doubtfully. "Try it."
"Oliver, you're going to confuse the kid. Quantum physics?" Hal shook his head, but Oliver nodded. "You've got to be kidding."
"Far from it, my friend." Oliver smiled. "Okay, Bart, follow me here. If you can figure out how to do this...nothing could hold you back."
"Serious?" Bart asked, and Oliver nodded. "You going all Obi Wan Kenobi on me now?"
"Here." Oliver held out a large book. "Do your thing and try to take the book from me."
"Piece of…" Bart began to shake, and then vanished, just as he was reaching out for the book, and reappeared behind Oliver, shocked. "Cake… Did you see that?!" Bart threw himself on the couch next to Chloe. "I'm unstoppable. I can be anywhere."
"He's unstoppable." Chloe looked up at Hal, who mirrored her surprise and they both looked over at Oliver, who was nodding in satisfaction as Bart began to phase in and out of the room.
"Lady, and Gentlemen. Meet our skeleton key." Oliver said, to the amazed people around them. "I think you and Bart should head out to Colorado, Hal. Lex doesn't know you, and Bart's been a guest of the Luthors before."
Hal nodded. "We'll fly out as soon as I get the plane fueled up."
Metropolis University – Metropolis…"That's excellent news, Oliver." Diana smiled, glad Lois had not come back to their room yet after her class. "Yes, I can be ready to go with Hal and Bart." She looked out the window at the sky. "In almost no time. I'll be at your place in a half hour."
A soft knock at the door made her look up as she unpacked the armor she'd brought with her from Themyscria. Covering it with a blanket, Diana cleared her throat. "Come in." Clark appeared around the door, and Diana smiled, holding her hands out to him happily. "Oh, Clark, I'm so glad you caught me! I'm on my way to Colorado with Hal and Bart. They've figured out how to get into 33.1 and I'm with the advance team."
"Diana, I don't think it's a good idea. We need to wait for Bruce to get back." Clark took her hands in his and leaned in to kiss her as she frowned at him.
"Are you trying to protect me?" Diana laughed. "You must be delusional, Clark. I'm going because you can't. I'm as powerful as you are."
"Diana, this is no joke. I saw into that mountain. There are rooms upon rooms there. Until Chloe and Bruce work out the bugs in our tracking devices, it's not safe." Clark put his arms around her, and Diana rested her head on his shoulder, still angry, but content to let him hold her. They stood together quietly, her arms slung around his waist and Clark pressed a kiss into her dark curls. "I don't want to think about what can happen to you there, Diana."
"I've already made my decision, Clark. You can't stop me." Diana said softly, and he nodded. "It has to be me now. You can't go there until we know how much of that Kryptonite is there. The immediate danger is to you." She looked up into his face. "I can't allow you to be in danger, Clark. I don't want to think about what might happen to you."
"I'll go over to Oliver's with you." Clark looked at the blanket covered lump on her bed. "What's that?"
"Things from home." Diana pulled the blanket back, and Clark found himself dazzled by the body armor that lay on Diana's white comforter. Golden metal, molded to her shape, inlaid with blue and red and white. It didn't look very protective, until Clark examined it. It was like no metal he'd ever seen, including his Kryptonian ship. Her large silver bracelets were apparently part of this collection, as was the golden rope she often wore coiled around her slender waist and hips as a belt. "Crafted by the gods, for the champion of the Amazons. I wanted this piece in particular." She picked up what looked like a tiara. "It's helpful in focusing my mental abilities, and it will be hidden by the hood of my coat." She slid the silver metal crown into her dark hair, letting the triangular part with it's bright red star rest against her smooth forehead. "I seem strange to you."
"No." Clark smiled, tipping her chin up so he could kiss her. "You are wonderful…"
Project 33.1, Anti-Sonic Holding Cell 121….
Dinah Lance had quickly realized that whenever the intercom was activated, a pop and an electronic whine would proceed any words spoken over the speakers. She was also aware of the man standing on the other side of the plexi-glass window, staring at her with mirror like grey eyes. He was dressed in head to toe black, making his pale skin seem even whiter. For a minute, Dinah wondered if the figure watching her was even real, and then she heard the intercom.
"I know you." The voice said, smooth as fresh cream. "We've met before."
"Not exactly a leap, considering you've had me here for three weeks." Dinah replied, looking up into his eyes. "Congratulations, genius."
"Thank you." He inclined his head. "I meant prior to your visit here. And you obviously seem to know me."
"Visit implies I wanted to be here." Dinah shrugged. "Visit implies I eventually leave. All I had to do before I got in here was to read the papers to know who you are."
"Yes. That's very true." Lex smiled his most charming smile through the window at Dinah. "My father made you an offer. I'm here to sweeten it for you."
"I'm diabetic." Dinah turned, waving her hand, dismissing Lex. "Offers from the Devil or his son just don't interest me. I like my soul all white and shiny."
"You're not diabetic, and I'm hardly the Devil's son." Lex replied. "You work with me, we get that collar off your pretty neck."
Dinah looked at Lex over her shoulder. "What do you want? Your father wants my abilities."
"Oh, see, that's where my father and I have different priorities." Lex tipped his head. "I want information."
"There are whole volumes of encyclopedias online for that." Dinah told him. "Get your secretary to find them for you and leave me alone."
"I want information that I believe only you can give me, Dinah." Lex' voice was seductive. "About a mutual friend."
"I doubt we know any of the same people." Dinah shook her head, making her blonde hair fall around her shoulders. "I'm just a florist's daughter from Star City."
"Who once was very, very involved with Oliver Queen." Lex smiled. "I'm sure you telling me about your ex-boyfriend couldn't be too big a hardship." She heard the whine of the seals of her cell door as they opened. "Let's walk."
The electric collar was enough of an indignity, but Dinah felt that the wristlets and weighted anklets lent just the right prisoner tone to her ensemble. Lex Luthor held her elbow as tenderly as he might have supported an elderly aunt to help her across the street as they walked down the long corridor. Heavy doors punctuated the walls on either side of them, and sometimes, Dinah could hear the people behind those doors, pounding fists making fruitless thunder or screams and wails, begging for release that fell on deaf ears. Lex Luthor seemed to not hear any of it, and Dinah stayed at his side, pretending to listen, until they got to a very large door.
"Behind this door is something very, very special, Ms. Lance." Lex turned, freezing Dinah with his icy eyes. "Would you like to see?"
"Not particularly, but I have a feeling what I want really isn't the point." Dinah replied.
"Smart girl." Lex reached over and pressed a combination of numbers onto the keypad and then pressed his palm against the glass panel set into the wall. The hinges on the door hissed as they swung the door open. "This is of particular interest to you, my sonically gifted friend." Three people sat in chairs in the room, the acoustics so deadened that Dinah could not even hear her own footfalls. "These people, like you, can manipulate sound. Unlike you, they were found after being less than law abiding." Dinah felt her skin crawl as she took in the people in the room. One of the young men, his long wheat blond hair falling across his face, studied her intently, a sliver of amusement curving his handsome mouth. He wore a collar like hers, and nodded at her restraints, gesturing with his own bound wrists.
"A new addition to our group." His voice was a Slavic accented, husky and seductive purr. Dinah wondered what exactly his ability was, since all she wanted to do was o listen to him speak some more. "Welcome, beautiful." As if he knew she was drawn to his speech, the young man let his summer blue eyes meet hers. "You can call me Mikhail. You should smile, you know." Dinah felt herself smile at him, even though smiling was the last thing she wanted to do. Mikhail smiled in return. "We are going to be very good friends, I think."
Lex watched impassively for a moment, and took out what looked like a cell phone. "Well, Mikhail, it seems like your controls are slipping. Much too much 'charm' still floating around in the air." Lex pressed a button and Dinah watched in horror as the young man's collar vibrated and made the proud Mikhail drop to his knees in agony. "That's better." Lex smiled benignly at Dinah. "This room is designed to minimize the damage people with your particular gifts can do." Lex brandished the controller and smiled. "I'll let you all get acquainted." He turned, a black smudge on the white, silent room and walked out.
The two others stared down at Mikhail, and Dinah knelt beside him, unable to help.
"Are you okay?" She asked, and he nodded, coughing. "That was quite a wallop."
"I'm growing more accustomed to them." Mikhail said, shaking his head. "It was unfair of me to let it show in front of Luthor." He smiled. "I was faced with an angel and wanted to show off."
"Save it." Dinah grinned, completely voluntarily, and Mikhail's smile grew wider. "What is going on here?"
"Lex Luthor is trying to break our wills." A female voice said, and Dinah looked up at the dark eyed girl that stared down at them. "He wants us to work for him." Stringy brown hair fell into her pale face, and Dinah had to strain to hear the girl speak at all. "Use what we can do…"
"Right. Got that." Dinah nodded. "I'm Dinah. You are?" The girl shook her head. "Don't you know your name?"
"She can't say it. Her name is Dora." The curly haired young man explained. "Just like if you tried to scream, that collar would shock you back down." His eyes flicked to Mikhail. "I'm Bobby."
Mikhail stood, and offered one of his manacled hands to Dinah. "Well, now we have a fourth bird to join us in our captivity. That's what Luthor calls us. His birds."
"I've been someone's bird before." Dinah cast a dark look at the mirrored window, knowing Lex was watching them from behind it, listening to their conversation. "I'm not about to let him clip my wings."
Sullivan-Queen Residence – Metropolis….
Clark stood on Oliver's terrace, looking out at the sky. Diana, Hal, Bart and Bruce had left – Bruce having only just returned to Metropolis long enough to pick up some gear and go back to Telluride with his small team. It bothered Clark tremendously that Diana was out there without him, and Clark leaned forward, hoping that she'd be smart and stay safe. Clark had agreed to stay with Chloe while Oliver was out, but he suspected that the request had been more to keep him from following Diana to Colorado, rather than for Chloe's sake. It was after midnight now. Clark knew Oliver would be back before long and that meant Clark could go home to Smallville and wait.
"Hey." A familiar hand rubbed his arm, and Clark looked down at Chloe, smiling sympathetically at him. "You know they're going to be okay, right?"
"I hope so." Clark looked back up at the stars. "How do you do it, Chloe? Here waiting for Oliver to come home from patrol every night?"
"It's not easy." She nodded, looking up at the globe on top of the Daily Planet building. "But, it's part of being in Oliver's life."
"The part Lois couldn't deal with." Clark interjected, and Chloe shrugged.
"I think Lois just had enough of being left without an explanation. I'm used to that." Chloe nudged Clark gently. "I've had years of practice before now. "I love Oliver, Clark. That makes the waiting and the worrying worthwhile."
Clark sighed. "That and knowing Oliver's secret makes it easier."
"Sure." Chloe agreed. "I can't pretend that it doesn't. I know why he vanishes and what it means to him." She turned to Clark. "Oliver didn't tell Lois because he wasn't sure how she'd handle it, since they met she's been trying to uncover the identity of the Green Arrow. Think about why you never told Lana about your secret, Clark. Being able to trust someone makes a difference. I love Lois, but her wanting to get the Green Arrow story only made it harder for Oliver to tel her."
"I don't think so. Lois is a lot of things, Chloe but I think when it came down to it, she wouldn't have hurt Oliver." Clark defended Lois instantly, making Chloe smile. "Oliver wanted to protect her. I was trying to protect Lana too. I didn't want her knowing my secret to…"
"Oh, you know what?" Chloe interrupted impatiently, tapping her fist on the balcony railing. "Be honest, Clark. I knew and nothing bad happened to me because of it. Diana knows and nothing will happen to her. You never told Lana because you didn't trust her, not completely and you know that, Clark." Chloe sighed. "You would have told her and she's with Lex now. Do you think she'd have kept your secret from him? And, as far as Lois goes? All I can say is that the lure of a byline sometimes is blinding." Chloe looked down right then, and Clark remembered Chloe's own moment of temptation. "In time she'll learn, but right now? She would have exposed Oliver's secret and regretted it for the rest of her life." Clark opened his mouth to reject what Chloe was saying, but he couldn't. Chloe was one hundred percent right.
"It's hard to debate you when I know you're right." Clark admitted sheepishly, and then looked down at the street below them. "Oliver's home." Chloe smiled and Clark kissed her cheek. "I'm going to take off. See you tomorrow."
"Okay." Chloe nodded, looking up at Clark, studying his face. "Are you going to be okay?"
"I think so." Clark smiled. "Thanks, Chloe." He flew away with a backward wave and Chloe waved back, turning only when she heard Oliver's footsteps behind her. He looked tired, but smiled seeing her out on the terrace.
"Hi." Oliver closed his arms around her and looked up at the sky. "Clark leave?"
He was still in his Green Arrow leathers, and Chloe smiled. Tired or not, Oliver really did look great in green.
"Just now." Chloe kissed Oliver's lips quickly and frowned. "What's wrong?"
Oliver shook his head, kissing the top of Chloe's head. "Nothing. I'm just glad to be home."
"Right." Chloe slipped her arms around his waist and squeezed. "That's all? You look worried."
"You're impossible to keep anything from, you know that?" Oliver smiled. "If there really were anything wrong, I'd have to tell you. I'm just worried about Bruce and his team, that's all." He looked down at Chloe and raised an eyebrow. "So, how are you, Goldilocks?"
Chloe sighed. "Clark and I just had a conversation about secrets." Oliver took her by the hand and led Chloe inside out of the cold January night.
"Uh-huh." Oliver nodded. "Clark likes to talk about keeping or not keeping secrets. I can't say I disagree with him most times, but it's nice not having to hide the biggest part of who and what I am from you."
Chloe looked up at Oliver and pulled him down to look levelly into his eyes. "I love you, Oliver Queen. Don't ever keep anything from me, to protect me or whatever other reason you might dream up to not tell me something. Okay?" She brushed a quick kiss on his lips. "Promise?"
"I love you, Chloe Sullivan, and I promise." Oliver nodded, kissing her hungrily. "What I know, you know." He kissed her again and looked around. "You done down here for the night? I was thinking we could go upstairs…"
"I like how you think." Chloe smiled, biting her lip. "Upstairs sounds great."
They went upstairs and Chloe listened to Oliver in the shower while she waited for him in their room. When he emerged from the bathroom, Chloe tipped her head, ready to ask the question that had been hanging in her mind since he'd left for patrol earlier. He was wearing grey flannel pajama pants and carrying a black t-shirt, and Chloe waited until the t-shirt was over his head to ask him.
"I thought you were Oliver Queen, regular guy for a few days. Why did you go out tonight?" Oliver was grinning as his head appeared through the neck of the t-shirt he was putting on, and he nodded.
"Ah-ha. I was wondering how long it would take for you to ask. I went out tonight to try and track down our mysterious friend from the other day." Oliver told her, sitting down on the bed beside Chloe. He pulled her into his arms and sighed. "I should get you to find him, because I couldn't find the first clue of who he is. I put out some feelers, though, so hopefully something will turn up, but it's like he doesn't exist."
Chloe shuddered. "That's weird." She looked up at Oliver. "And I admit to being an expert on weirdness."
"Very weird." Oliver agreed amiably, kissing Chloe's nose. "I can't keep secrets from you, but I'll make sure I keep you as safe as I can." He looked at her and smiled. "It's not enough that I have you in an ivory tower now, either."
"Funny, I never thought of myself as the princess type." Chloe smiled, and Oliver hugged her close.
"That's good. Princesses are a lot of work." Oliver said, and Chloe wondered how many real princesses he might have known. Before she could ask about princesses, Oliver kissed her again, and Chloe melted against him, pushing her hands under his t-shirt and reveling in the scent of his freshy showered skin. "You smell so good." Oliver whispered, his words warm against her collar bone. "Like honeysuckle…" He'd gotten her out of her pajamas, and smiled as she tugged on his t-shirt.
"I was going to tell you to wait to put that on, but…" Chloe grinned, and Oliver nodded, his eyes twinkling.
"I get it. It's all about undressing me. Cute, Sullivan." He pulled his shirt off and threw it on the floor. "Good thing I like getting you out of your clothes too, or I'd be all self conscious." Oliver rolled his eyes, the idea his being embarrassed ridiculous even to him.
"You figured me out." Chloe laughed, and Oliver nodded, pulling her close again, dropping his mouth to her neck. "Oh, I love how you smell when you are fresh from the shower…" She whispered, feeling him smile against her skin. "All warm, clean and fresh…"
Oliver looked up, smiling. "You always smell like summer at Howard Hill, all sunshine and honeysuckle." He traced her jaw with a gentle finger and kissed her again. "Home."