Chapter Four
The next morning Clark woke up confused. When realized that there was someone in the bed with him, he was surprised. Focusing his sight in the face of his companion realized that it was Chloe. Then he asked himself what it meant, and what they had done the night before. Slowly remembered the facts, how after hours of rest together, he asked Chloe if she wanted go to her apartment, she had negated to be alone. So they decided spend the night together.
"Clark?" called Chloe sleepily.
"I am here, I didn't go anywhere."
"Thanks for being such a good friend" she said gently grabbing his shoulders.
"There's no need for you to be grateful, Chloe. All was my fault."
"But you risked your life to save me, even without your abilities."
"And you do the same."
"Okay, best that we forget about it. I must go to work."
"Chloe, take a few days to recover. The Daily Planet knows that you are ill, you won't lose your job."
"Okay, if you insist."
"What do you want; we could go to your apartment or stay here?"
"Are you asking me to move in with you?"
"Lex's people should be searching for you. I don't want you at risk. I want to protect you."
"And where will we sleep?" asked Chloe with an insinuating smile.
"I can prepare you a room."
"Oh…yes, but I believe that you prefer that we sleep together."
"Chloe!"
"Why not? What do you want, wake up and find my room empty?"
"But Chloe, I don't know if I will be able to sleep with you. My feelings for you are changing and… well you understand me, right?"
"Hey, calm down! What arises between us is not a problem, as always we go slowly. In your place I'm not worried about it, Clark. Taking in account that in three weeks I only had a small dinner… is it so much to ask for some breakfast?" asked Chloe with a smile.
"Of course not!" answered Clark and hurried to prepare her breakfast and a dark coffee as she liked.
Clark and Chloe sat down, side by side, at the kitchen's table. He served her the breakfast that Chloe was eating hungrily. Even thought the night before Clark carried her something to eat to the bed, Chloe was acting as it never happened. She was so much hungrier than the usual, her body needed the energy.
Chloe gave him an inquisitive look "Did you really try to recover your powers?"
"Not yet and I don't want leave you alone; Furthermore I don't know how to do it. The Fortress is destroyed and even I don't know how I got here. I never realized but when I was in the Arctic something was guiding me. But now it's not in this way anymore."
"But what about the caves? You can try talk to Jor-El here."
"For now protecting you is my priority."
"And you can do it better with your powers. What you think if after breakfast we go to the caves?"
"You don't give up, right?"
"Clark, I need your protection. The world need yours powers, you could do so many good things with them. Of course I don't give up."
"Okay, we will go there."
*****
Clark and Chloe walked into the caves cautiously. Clark had wrapped in his hand the hexagonal disk. They walked into the rear room and Clark slowly and insecure drop the hexagonal key in the slot. But nothing had happen as if what was here was vanished completely.
"Test it again," encouraging him said Chloe. But nothing happened. But then they hear someone entering the cave. They worried and Clark kept the hexagonal key hidden.
"Kal-El! Good to see you are trying to continue you mission," said the Martian Manhunter looking directly at him with his red eyes.
"I lost my powers and don't know how to recover them."
The Martian Manhunter looked at Chloe and after at Clark. Clark realized that he was asking about who Chloe was, and if she could be trusted. "She is trustful, you can tell."
"Your father programmed the Fortress to strip your powers and autodestruct if you become a danger for the humanity. He sent this information in a way that only scientists could decipher. He thought that Earth's scientists are like Kryptonians, he gave them the power to stop you. Without thinking about this information could end up in bad hands. You powers are stored in the crystal that builds the Fortress. You need to rebuild the Fortress to recover them."
"But how? I haven't the crystal."
"The crystal was stored in the basement of the Fortress. All the knowledge and the power to build it again were in this crystal. You must search for the crystal and rebuild the Fortress to recover them. But I can't help you. It's your voyage."
The Martian Manhunter gave him a last look "You are going forward to your destiny, Kal-El, you father would be proud." And he went away flying.
Chloe was surprised, her mouth mid open. To watch the alien fly in this way amazed her and she was asking herself if one day Clark will fly like him. She had watched Kara fly, but never impressed her as much as watch him.
Clark turned to Chloe "I don't know how start to find the crystal," he said sadly.
"Clark according our Martian friend it's in the Arctic."
"But, Chloe, without my powers I freeze here."
"But you can go with warm clothes and equipment. Talk about it to Oliver, I am sure that he will help you."
"But I don't want leave you. You are in danger."
"So we have two options; I come with you or Oliver hides me in Star City. But I never will be an obstacle for your duties. I can't forgive myself for it."
Clark walked to her and took her in his arms "How I didn't realize it before that you are my ideal couple?" he said in a low voice and looking into her eyes.
Chloe make a wide smile, "silly that you are," she said in a sarcastic voice. And without saying anything more Clark kissed her smile. Chloe wrapped around him, delicately caressing his neck and Clark wrapped her more in his arms. In a few minutes they were kissing passionately.
*****
Chloe woke up to the feeling of the gentle embrace of Clark's arms. They sleep only as friends as they wanted to think. But also their affection was visible in every time they stay side by side, or in the bed. Event thought they wanted go slow to progress in the physical aspect of their relationship, their love each other was so much not to be shown when they are together.
Clark woke up slowly and found Chloe looking at him.
"Hey, today we will go to Metropolis to talk with Oliver, you promised," required Chloe. The last day after visiting the caves there was so late to go to Metropolis and also Clark wanted Chloe rest one day more before a long trip.
"Okay," he nodded sleepy.
Quickly they got up and did a morning routine as they were doing it for years. They got use to it so quickly that life together and they are so happy about it.
After breakfast they took the truck and Clark drove them to Metropolis.
*****
Clark and Chloe were in the truck parked somewhere in Metropolis, when Clark called Lois's cell phone.
"Lois, here there is someone that wants to talk with you."
"Smallville… is it Chloe? She is okay?"
"Yes, Lois it's me."
"Chloe, Chloe, what happened to you?"
I explain to you soon, Lois. For now I only want you know that I am okay."
"But what happen to you? Will you not come to the newspaper? Will I not see you?
"Right now, I need to leave, Lois. But don't worry. We will meet soon."
"Where are you Chloe?"
"Lois it's not a good idea say it to you. I believe that Lex is still searching for me and maybe your phone it's not safe."
"Okay, but I want to see you soon."
"You will see me soon. And I miss you too, Lois. Bye, Lois."
"Take care, Chloe."
Chloe hanged up the phone and gave it to Clark. Chloe felt bad about not going to the Daily Planet to meet Lois. But Clark insisted first be sure that she was not in danger. Clark had his plans about it.
They waited to call Lois from Metropolis to not give clues that Chloe was living at the farm or in Smallville. If Lex was searching for her, he could be tracking the phone calls of her family and friends.
Clark drove the few streets that remain to arrive at Oliver's Clock Tower apartment. They got out from the truck, and headed to take the elevator to Oliver's apartment.
*****
Tess walked into the former Lex's studio in the Luthor Mansion of Smallville. Over the table there was a metallic briefcase. Tess leaned to it cautiously and opened the briefcase with both of her hands. One of her men was next to her.
"Mr. Luthor want you store it the vault, Ms Mercer."
Inside the briefcase there was a triangular shaped white crystal. Tess took it with her hand slowly and left it in the briefcase again.
"What is it?" Tess asked the man.
"Mr. Luthor didn't give me this information."
Tess closed the briefcase cautiously, walked to the vault, opened it and left the briefcase inside.
Tess closed the vault with a small smile on her face. She knew that what it was this crystal; it was important. That it had power, and that maybe she could control it. Lex was obsessed about something that she didn't know what it was, but she was sure that she would be able to discover it.
From the incident at the Black Creek lab three weeks before, Tess was interested to know Lex's enemies' intentions as Lex's himself ones when he decided to remain hidden himself and to give her the control of the company. She knew that if Lex was making something like this because he was preparing something important. And she wanted be involved with it, or better control it.
*****
Clark and Chloe walked out from the elevator entering Oliver's apartment. Oliver was in his Green Arrow storing place hidden room, taking care of his devices.
"Chloe, I am glad to see you recovered," said Oliver surprised.
"Thank you, Oliver," she answered.
"What can I do for you two?" asked Oliver leaving his arc over the stand.
"Oliver, we are searching for something we lost," explained Clark "We need to prepare an expedition to the Arctic to find it. It's the only way I can recover my powers."
"I need you to let me access to your satellites to search for the place," asked Chloe.
"Of course," assured Oliver, "You can start right now, use my computer."
Chloe was working in Oliver's computer for some hours and meanwhile Clark was sitting in the couch with Oliver, who explained him his projects for the team next operations. Also Clark was interested in the information that Oliver's team recovered at Black Creak when they rescued Chloe and to know if Lex was here. Lex worried him so much, because now he knew all about him, his abilities and Clark was sure his weakness too. Also it was clear that Lex wanted Chloe for his experiments too.
"Lex wasn't here, Clark. I am not able to find him, he really know how to hide," explained Oliver. "I have all his installations, legal and secret, in continuous surveillance, but I am not able to locate, him, like if he vanished into the air."
Then Chloe got up and walked to them, "It's no need that we prepare any expedition, boys. Someone recovered the artifact before us. There were Lex's men," she assured.
Both Clark and Oliver got confused and Chloe sat down in the couch between them showing them the satellite photographs that she just printed, showing Lex's people recovering the crystal.
"If Lex recovered the device, he usually stores this kind of things in his vault at The Mansion, he doesn't trust it in any other place," explained Clark. "Do you believe that you should steal it?"
"Do you mean if Green Arrow will be able to enter in a high safekeeping mansion and steal something from a vault that he doesn't know the combination?" asked Oliver, with and insinuating smile that show how much he was enjoying the challenge.
"Yes," answered Clark.
"Of course," answered Oliver with a sarcastic smile.
"You need to know something more," said Chloe and added "The new CEO of Luthorcorp, Tess Mercer, moved to the Mansion."
"Mercy? It's turning interesting," answered Oliver with a smile.
"Do you know her?" asked Chloe interested.
"Yes, I know her," answered Oliver mysteriously. Both Clark and Chloe didn't know what to think about his answer.
Clark then asked "You can watch Chloe for a moment; I must go to do something in the centre."
"Hey, Clark I am a little grown up and don't need someone to watch me!" protested Chloe.
"Sorry, Chloe, you know what I mean," Clark apologized. Chloe only smiled briefly at his answer.
"Don't worry, I will take care of her, to make sure nothing bad happens to her," answered Oliver.
*****
Oliver in his Green Arrow outfit walked into the Luthor Mansion cautiously. There were high hours in the morning. He was advancing avoiding the few guards that were on duty at these hours, the surveillance cameras, and using some devices he had prepared to intercept the alarms.
"Watchtower, arrow is in position. Can you confirm to me that there is no one in the next corridor?"
"Positive arrow," Chloe said through the communicator.
Chloe was sitting at Oliver's apartment in Metropolis in front of Oliver's computer watching the Mansion through Queen Industry's satellites. Clark was sitting next to her. Even though he wanted help Oliver, he convinced them that he could do the work better alone and also all them knew that Chloe need someone protecting her.
"I am advancing to the studio."
"I am tracing your back," answered Chloe. "Wait a minute, Arrow, someone is walking into the studio." warned Chloe.
Oliver was near to walk into the studio and stopped just next the door. He could watch Tess wearing a nightgown walking into to the studio and taking a book. Obviously she couldn't sleep and went to take something to read. But then she was moving towards the corridor where Oliver was hidden.
"The subject moves to you," warned Chloe.
"Yes, I know, there is a small change in the plans, Watchtower," said Oliver through the communicator and Chloe's mouth remained open for a moment because that was a surprise.
Chloe turned to Clark, and with a mid surprised mid sarcastic expression, she said, "He broke the communication! Can you believe it?"
Oliver reacted quickly, their plain to open Luthor's mansion vault was difficult to do, even thought the high technology device he was carrying for the mission. He had only fifty percent possibility of success. His new plan has more possibilities of success he thought. His new and improvised plan would attack the major weakness of their enemy, their power hunger.
Tess walked into her bedroom in the darkness, for her surprise the light turned on without touching the switch, but to her surprise was bigger when she watched an undressed Oliver inside her bed.
"I think we can continue where we left off some time ago," said Oliver sarcastically.
"What are you doing here?" asked Tess.
"I have a business proposition for you, Mercy," said Oliver smiling.
"It's no better place to do business," Tess answered with a small smile and joining him in the bed.
"Do you know I own a good portion of stocks of Luthorcorp, right?"
"Yes, I know Queen Industries is near an associate of us."
"What you don't know is that I am able to buy other pack and take control of the company from Lex's hands," explained slowly Oliver.
"It's only a bluff," Tess protested.
"No, It's not," said Oliver leaning to Tess and caressing gently her arm.
"And?" she asked.
"I can give you the control, if you give me something that I need."
"I have the control; I am the acting CEO of Luthorcorp."
"But you don't control the company. It's Lex. He put you as acting CEO because he needs remain hidden, but when he will return, you will be fired by Lex without a blinking."
"And can't you do the same?"
"Yes, but I have no motivation. The key word is 'acting' I can make your change be definitive. Lex would want to recover the control of his company, but Luthorcorp is not mine… no in the sense of Lex feel it as his."
"And what do you want from me?" she asked smiling seductively.
"It will seem you ridiculous, a triangular shaped crystal."
"Do you know what it's?" asked Tess surprised.
"No, I don't but I want it at any price," answered Oliver.
"I believe that this thing has more power than Luthorcorp."
"Maybe, but what your preferred dream about power or touch it," said Oliver leaning to kiss her and caressing her gently in a way that was pulling out her light night dress.
-tbc-