Title: A Two Front War (2/?
Spoilers: Through season 9 up to Checkmate
Summary: There are those that threaten Chloe and those she loves. Sequel to 'Baby Proofing'
Author Note: I have no Betas so all mistakes are entirely my own. All comments and reviews are appreciated, including the "you suck" variety.
Chapter Two
Chloe sat in the bistro waiting for Lois to arrive. Since telling her cousin about her pregnancy, Chloe had been told she was to attend lunch two times a week with her cousin without fail. So far Lois had only cancelled once which still amazed the both of them. The days she didn't see Lois a league member (normally Bart) would appear at Watchtower just to hang out, bringing food with them. Even Clark had turned up once.
She knew it was a conspiracy between Lois and Oliver to make sure she took a break from work and ate properly, but she kept quiet. It was nice to have the attention.
Shortly after she heard the chime over the door a shadow fell over her table. "On time Lois? Shouldn't you be writing an article on those flying pigs?" Her amused smile faded as she saw who was really standing next to her.
"Tess?"
"It's good that I can still surprise you." She took the seat opposite Chloe "Nice to know that I haven't lost my touch."
"I take it there is a reason you're interrupting my lunch. Shouldn't you be hiding under a rock somewhere?"
"Oh I've been keeping busy. Not as busy as you perhaps…" Tess said indicating Chloe's rounded stomach.
"What do you want?"
"Your co-operation."
"My co-operation? With what?"
"You are going to give me the location of Watchtower's central database as well as the names and aliases of all those who have been associated with it."
"Am I? Last I heard you didn't work for Checkmate anymore. Or are you asking as Zod's little beck-and-call girl? You whore yourself out to so many sides it makes me dizzy. I can hardly keep up."
"A whore?" Tess sneered as let out a bitter laugh "I credit myself with some intelligence Chloe, I'm not as ignorant as you would like to think."
"Well that's a matter of perspective."
"Well let me widen it for you." Tess threw a folder onto the table. Chloe opened it to find copies of her ultrasounds, and pictures of her leaving Oliver's apartment on different occasions. "One beautiful, blonde family."
"I think it's fairly obvious I am pregnant Tess, its not something I can hide. But are you seriously trying to imply the baby is Oliver's? Are you that hard up for cash you're threatening to take this to the tabloids?"
"I've seen you two together, I've seen the looks he gives you. You seem to forget that I know Oliver almost as well as you. I know what it looks like when he is in love." Tess leaned closer to Chloe "Give me the information and I will make sure Checkmate remains unaware that you are carrying Green Arrow's love child."
Chloe felt like she had been shot through the chest; this is exactly what she had feared. She put on an amused face. "First Oliver Queen, now the Green Arrow? Biology was never a major of mine but I'm pretty sure only one man at a time can be a father. Who are you going to slap a paternity suit on next - Clark? Lex? Maybe even Zod himself."
"Your sarcasm is wasted on me. We both know that Oliver is the Green Arrow." Tess said in a firm whisper.
Chloe looked carefully at Tess. She looked tired and on edge. Worst of all she looked unpredictable. "So you're willing to put Oliver on the line. And there I thought that in some deep, dark part of your soul part of you still cared for him. You realise you're exposing Clark with this too?"
"This is about survival. If I deliver the central database to Waller they will give me back my life. Who knows, maybe they would stop looking into yours too."
"You think your little chess club is keeping tabs on me?"
Tess placed another folder down. There were photographs of two men. They were sometimes in the shots together or separate. Chloe recognised the locations they were caught at. The dates on the photographs corresponded to her proximity to those places at the time "You have been under surveillance for weeks. It won't be long until they discover Oliver's secret, if they haven't already."
Chloe felt herself pale. The triumphant look on Tess's face told her that she wasn't lying about this.
"You were valuable when you were merely an associate of the Green Arrow. Imagine how important they would consider you and your child with what I know?" Tess smiled as she stood from her seat "I'll give you time to consider your options. My advice? Don't take too long."
Chloe suddenly didn't feel like lunch anymore.
Chloe had powered up Watchtower and scanned the pictures of the men following her into the computer. They were quickly identified as Gordon Carswell and Jack Diens. Both men had a military background.
Within another five minutes it was confirmed that the they were both on the Government's payroll but there was no evidence of which department they worked in. It all pointed to Checkmate.
She didn't know what to do. The option to run wasn't there anymore. Should she tell Oliver? Yes. He needed to know. But what could they do? Tess was asking her to chose between her two families, and Chloe needed both of them safe.
She picked up her mobile and started sending out messages. She knew Oliver was in a meeting at Luthorcorp, she just hoped that he would get back to her soon. They needed to plan and time was running out.