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.

Oliver pulled out his phone as he headed towards the car park. His meeting had overrun by twenty minutes but had still managed to get out before he had planned. He had made reservations at Chloe's favourite restaurant and wanted to treat her to a special lunch. He felt that he was somehow responsible for Tess' actions and wanted to make it up to her. Lunch was just the start of it and he had been looking forward to it all morning. No league, no Clark, no interruptions. Just the two of them.

He turned on his phone and was notified by the beeping that he had a voicemail. As he got into the car he pressed play and smiled at the sound of Chloe's voice. He knew he'd been busted. There wasn't much that escaped her attention.

"Oliver, it's me. Just to let you know I've been to see Emil - and don't think I don't know you had something to do with this little intervention. Did you know he is threatening to take away my daily coffee if I don't start to relax? One coffee a day Oliver, that's all I'm allowed, and he wants me to cut back further? You had better hope he's joking for your sake. While I was th-"

He heard the struggle on the other end of the line before the message cut off. He immediately tried calling her back but it went straight to voicemail. He jammed the phone into the hands free set and started the ignition. As the car peeled out of the car park he failed to get Chloe on the phone again before giving up and dialling another. It was answered on the fourth ring.

"Oliver?"

"Clark! Is Chloe with you?"

"No, why?" Clark could hear the panic in Oliver's voice.

"Something's happened, she left me a message and halfway through it sounded like she was attacked. I can't reach her! Meet me at Watchtower, I'll be there in five minutes."

He was sure Checkmate was behind this. They had the woman he loved and his unborn child. Oliver Queen had never been more scared in his life.

Chloe felt nauseous as she began to come round. Her head was pounding and her mouth felt as if it had been filled with cotton. She was sat on a hard metal chair and could feel her hands bound behind her. Her wrists were sore and the pins and needles were starting. At least this time she wasn't gagged.

Slowly she opened her eyes and saw a pair of feet planted in front of her. She followed the legs all the way up to the face of her kidnapper. It was ether-guy, and he held a gun in his right hand.

"Where am I?"

The man stayed silent, just staring at her. She wasn't at the Castle, that much she knew. It looked like she was in an empty warehouse, probably not far from where they took her. There was a table with a laptop set up next to ether-guy.

Just how many empty warehouses are there in Metropolis? She thought to herself.

"You're Checkmate right?" Again he didn't respond. She couldn't help the eye roll. It seemed that they were even beyond monosyllabic responses.

"You know, this monologue is going to get boring really fast unless you join in the conversation here." She saw his fingers twitch around the handle of the gun. Maybe she shouldn't be poking the bear with a stick, but she was scared and she was getting angry.

Chloe didn't know what to do. They had come for her before the League's plan was put fully in motion. She didn't know if they would be able to pull it off now, at least not before it was too late for her. These guys had no problem threatening her life before, there would be no problem for them to execute her if they didn't get what they wanted now.

The laptop screen flickered to life and Chloe was greeted by the image of Agent Waller. "Greetings Watchtower. I'm so glad you could join us."

"Well that makes one of us."

"I believe we have some unfinished business to discuss."

Chloe's nausea resurrected. "Let me go. We have nothing to talk about."

"Oh but I think we do. You know what I want - give me the location of your team's database."

"I have no idea where it is."

"Don't play games with me. I know pregnancy can sometimes effect memory, but I'm sure that even you would find it extremely difficult to forget something as important as this."

"I didn't say I had forgotten. The database was relocated when I retired. I have cut all ties to the heroes I knew."

"Retired?" The disbelief was clear in Waller's voice. "You really expect me to believe that you have given up all of your work?"

"Yes. I have other responsibilities now." Chloe answered. She knew that Waller would not buy the lie. But the more time she could waste, the sooner Oliver could find her.

'God I need to see him again' She thought to herself.

Chloe had never realised just how much she needed him. Sure, they loved each other and were looking forward to having this baby, but she was still trying to keep him at arm's length. She swore to herself if she got out of this things were going to change. There was going to be no more holding back, because she needed him - all of him, the least she could do was give herself in return.

Waller had taken a few minutes to consider what this young woman had told her. "I'm afraid I just do not believe you. You wouldn't give up the life you led over a baby, you think too much like those you work with. We may just have to be a little more persuasive. It's a shame really, I've heard stress in a pregnancy can have negative effects on the foetus."

Ether guy took a step towards her. "Please, I am telling you the truth! Please don't hurt my baby!"

When Clark sped into watchtower, Oliver had already powered up the systems, and was frantically typing on Chloe's console. He looked close to panic. His suit jacket had been thrown on a chair, and his tie was askew.

"Oliver! Have you heard from Chloe?"

"No. Her phone's dead, and I've called in the team, but I think I may have a lead." Oliver didn't look up from the keyboard as he spoke. "Tess approached Chloe yesterday and told her that Checkmate were having her followed. She gave her pictures of the guys keeping her under surveillance and Chloe traced them. They work for Checkmate."

"You think they have Chloe?"

"More than likely…and we're about to find out." The monitors displayed a map of Metropolis, and after a couple of seconds a red dot appeared on the screen Oliver seemed to relax slightly.

"There. Two months ago I gave Chloe a necklace. I had a tracker embedded into the metal when I had it made. I've just activated it."

Clark studied the display. "She's not at the Castle."

"Checkmate obviously thought we would try there first, they've hidden her hoping to buy themselves time. We have an advantage, they wouldn't have found the chip before because it was inactive. They should be caught by surprise."

"Then let's go."

"Wait!" Oliver called as Clark turned to leave "This isn't just going to go away once we bring back Chloe. Before they took her she had a plan and its already been set in motion. She would want us to follow it through but we need the team here together before we can go in. If we don't do this as a team Chloe could pay the price."

Despite the air of confidence surrounding her, Tess was scared. Here she was walking through the Castle, the heart of Checkmate, to Waller's office under armed guard. She had contacted the White Queen and put forward her proposition.

Tess would deliver the location of Watchtower's database in exchange for her life. Hopefully all she would have to worry about in the future would be the Kandorians, and maybe how to deal with Oliver, instead of the sword hanging over her head. Oliver had given her the information, but he would want retribution.

One of the armed guards opened the door while the other escorted her inside. Waller was sat at her desk looking straight at her. Tess met her gaze trying not to show the fear she felt. The sound of the door closing behind her made her back stiffen. There was no turning back now.

"Well, well, well. Agent Mercer. Maybe I have underestimated you all along. I take it you have the information I need?"

Tess walked towards the desk, stopping just short of it. "I want your assurance that if I give you this, I have my life back."

"A promise is a promise." Waller smirked, gesturing with her hands that she was being honest.

Tess removed a pen from Waller's desk and wrote down an address on the sheet of paper in front of her. Waller slid it towards herself and looked at it with a smile. She picked up her phone and hit a number on her speed dial.

"Halt the interrogation, have them stand by for further orders. And bring me Agent Campbell." She looked back up at Tess with a smile on her face. "For your sake Agent Mercer, this information had better give me results."