TW: Glad to hear it.

Halliwell Mansion

Night

Paige orbed into the attic, a feeling of frustration clear on her face as her sisters looked over at her.

"No luck then?" Piper asked, already knowing the answer.

"About as much luck as I've had the last few weeks. I can't find any trace of Clark or the others," Paige grumbled.

"We're sure this doesn't have anything to do with Darkseid?" Phoebe asked uneasily.

"I asked Sam, who asked the Elders. They don't think so. Whatever's happening, I'd bet my powers that it has something to do with the VRA," Paige said uneasily, having no idea how right she was.

Daily Planet, Virtual World

Same time

Clark was on the computer, looking at any known facilities they might have been held at but nothing looked familiar.

"I don't recognize them. What about you?" Clark asked, looking to the side where Kara was watching the screen as well.

"No, I don't think so," Kara shook her head, sharing Clark's disappointment.

"What if Dinah's right? What if Chloe really is behind this?" Clark asked uneasily.

"Do you really believe that Kal-El?" Kara inquired.

"I don't know what to believe anymore," Clark said honestly as Dinah reentered the room.

"Clark, we need to talk. I just got word that Oliver escaped from Met Gen," Dinah said and the cousins turned to her in bewilderment.

"What?" Clark asked in disbelief.

"Take a look," Dinah said, moving Clark out of the way and bringing up security footage from the hospital and they watched as Chloe led Oliver down a hallway.

"Chloe," Clark said in shock.

"What more prof do we need that she's behind this? She hasn't contacted us, but she made the time to spring her lover," Dinah pointed out.

"No. Chloe must have a good reason," Clark refused to believe it.

"Come on Clark! We saw her experimenting on us," Dinah reasoned.

"Then why is she helping Oliver? It doesn't make sense Dinah," Kara reasoned and Dinah sighed.

"Look, I know you want to believe the best of Chloe, but check this out," Dinah said, bringing up another feed.

Clark watched, stunned as Chloe jumped out from behind a corner, shooting two men.

"That can't be right," Clark muttered.

"She's gunning down operatives Clark! I don't know whose side Chloe's on anymore, but it's not ours ," Dinah snapped.

Clark turned away, trying to process all this as Dinah and Kara continued talking about this when his phone went off, signaling a message. Clark pulled it out, reading it.

'Meet me on the room, Chloe'.

Clark stared at the message for a moment before he walked out of the room, heading to the roof as quickly as he could. Rushing through the back door, Clark stared at Chloe and Oliver standing a few feet away.

"Chloe? Is that really you?" Clark asked.

Chloe rushed over to him, throwing her arms around him. Clark allowed himself to simply revel in the feeling of his best friend in his arms before they released each other.

"Clark, I really missed you, but I only have a few minutes to unplug this little 'Truman show' and get us back in the land of the living," Chloe said as Clark looked at her in bewilderment.

"Now wait a second. I saw you take out two guards and then I got these flashes-"

"Clark, everything you see here is a creation of a government computer," Oliver told him as he moved to block the door.

"Right now, you're lying in a lab while a bunch of scientists try to figure out how your brain activates your abilities," Chloe explained.

"But I don't have abilities here," Clark protested.

"Exactly. They blocked certain neuropaths in the virtual you to see if they can take away your abilities. If the procedure works in this world, they'll do it in the real world too," Chloe explained.

"Why don't they just kill us?" Clark asked, not understanding.

"Clark, they want to figure out how to turn your powers on and off. The same thing with Oliver's skills," Chloe explained.

"Those of us who play nice get to keep our abilities. Those who don't get them taken away," Oliver said as Clark understood.

"They want us to work for them. But in the flashes I saw, what were you doing?" Clark asked.

"I was trying to disconnect you, Oliver and the Canary but your bodies began toshut down, so I had to hook you back up again. Look Clark, I can get you out of this world of weird but only if you truly believe its fake," Chloe told him.

Before Clark could respond, they heard bangs on the other side of the door and turned, seeing it was budging in spite of Oliver blocking it.

"They're here. Quick, follow me," Chloe said as they began to head towards the ledge.

"Wait, where are you going?" Clark asked.

"We have to jump," Chloe said to Clark's shock.

"No!"

"It's the only way we get through here to the real world. You ready Ollie?" Chloe asked her lover.

"Yeah. Clark, come on," Oliver said as he gestured to the Kryptonian.

"Clark, do you trust me?" Chloe asked, seeing that Clark was hesitating.

"I want to, but where have you been all this time? Who are you working with?" Clark demanded.

"I can answer these questions later. Either way, you either trust me or you don't," Chloe said before they heard a helicopter blade beating followed by a search chopper shining a spotlight on them.

"I want to, but I need to know," Clark said.

"Clark, we gotta go," Oliver said moving to drag his friend towards the ledge only for Chloe to stop him.

"Oliver, don't! He'll die if he doesn't believe the world is fake. Look, Clark, take my hand. Do you trust me?" Chloe asked as she held out her hand.

Clark moved to take it but hesitated, his hand hovering over Chloe's for a long moment before lowering his hand to his side.

"I'm sorry, I can't," Clark said and Chloe's face fell.

The door banged again. Clark turned to look at it and when he glanced back, Chloe and Oliver were running towards the ledge.

"NO!" Clark shouted but could only watch as they jumped over it.

Clark rushed towards the ledge and watched as they fell before they seemed to vanish in a flash of light.

Oliver came to, finding himself in some kind of lab, in some pod that looked like it came out of a Sci-Fi movie. As he pulled himself out, he saw Chloe standing in front of him.

"Am I dead?" Oliver inquired.

"This might help you decide," Chloe said coyly before pulling him into a kiss.

Oliver returned the kiss when-

"Keep your shirt on Queen," Oliver pulled away from Chloe, stunned to see Rick Flag and Deadshot walk into the lab. "We still got work to do."

Oliver moved towards them and both of them pulled out a pistol, taking aim at Oliver.

"Stand down," Chloe ordered.

"It's okay Chloe, I got these ladies," Oliver said confidently.

No one made a move and, after a glance at Chloe, Flag and Deadshot pocketed their guns. Oliver looked at Chloe stunned, the realization dawning on him.

"You're working with them?" he asked lowly.

"I can explain later. I did what I had to do," Chloe said.

Not long after, Chloe sat at the computer with Oliver and Flag flanking her.

"Right now, The VRA boys don't know we're here. But when they find out, we better be ready," Flag said. "Deadshot's covering road access on the east perimeter. You take the north. I've got cameras all over the west but we're still vulnerable from the south by air."

"What exactly are we up against here?" Oliver asked.

"VRA ops. Every one of them is a highly trained, lethal killer," Flag explained as Chloe brought up footage of a team of men in tactical gear. "Satellites picked them up about four clicks away."

"Looks like they're getting ready to move out," Oliver noted.

"Which means we need to get these vegetables mobilized ASAP," Flag explained.

Halliwell Manor

Same time

"Paige is losing it," Piper muttered to Phoebe as they watched their sister pacing back and forth, uttering to herself.

"Like you were any better when the Elders took Leo away," Phoebe pointed out and Piper grimaced at the reminder.

"Okay, point. But at least I had something to go. I just wish I could figure out something to help Paige," Piper said guilty.

Phoebe opened her mouth to speak when she gasped, getting a promotion.

Clark was surrounded by multiple copies of a blond woman when he took off into the air. Clark flew around the Daily Planet building before flying into the street, vanishing in a flash of light.

"Phoebe? You saw something?" Piper asked concerned as Paige stopped, looking over at their sister as Phoebe came out of the vision.

"I think I saw Clark. I'm just not sure what I saw," Paige said in bewilderment.

Lab

Not long after

They'd managed to get Dinah, AC and Bart out, but still they needed to get Clark and Kara.

"We're facing a small army out there Chloe. We need Clark," Oliver told her as Dinah and the others headed out.

"I know Oliver, but I can't make him believe in me," Chloe said in frustration.

"No, but I think I know someone who might," Oliver said, getting an idea. "Paige! Hey, Paige! We could really use your help right now!"

Halliwell Manor

Same time

"He was just…he was flying over Metropolis. Then he just flew towards the ground and vanished," Phoebe explained, feeling guilty as her sister looked at her unhappily.

"Three weeks of him missing and this is what the Elders give me?" Paige said unhappily.

"I'm sorry Paige," Phoebe said guiltily.

Paige opened her mouth when she paused, feeling a familiar tingle.

"Paige? You alright?" Leo asked from where he stood watching.

"I…I think Oliver is calling me," Paige said in disbelief.

"Right around the time I get my vision," Phoebe said as they realized what was happening.

"Well don't just stand there, your guy clearly needs you," Piper told her.

Paige nodded before Orbing away.

Lab

Second later

Chloe watched as Paige Orbed in. She had seen enough once putting on the helmet to know about Paige, but seeing it was another matter.

"Whoa," Chloe muttered.

"Oliver. Where are we and what's going on?" Paige asked as she got a look at their surroundings.

"First, Chloe, Paige. Paige, Chloe," Oliver quickly made the introductions as Paige stared at Chloe, not having noticed her before.

"You're Chloe," Paige said, Clark having told her about Chloe.

"Yeah. And you must be Paige, nice to meet you," Chloe said with a smile.

"Long story short, Clark's trapped in a virtual reality by Trotter and her goons. We know the way out but he won't believe us. He might believe you though," Oliver pointed out and Paige took a moment to process that.

"Okay, ignoring the fact that my life is now a Sci-Fi show, tell me what to do," Paige said earnestly.

Virtual world

Not long after

Clark was walking the streets when suddenly; Paige appeared in front of him seemingly out of nowhere.

"Paige?" Clark called out, pausing as he saw his girlfriend, wondering if he was hallucinating.

"Clark, look, I don't have a lot of time. You need to listen to Chloe," Paige told him.

"Chloe. This is another trick," Clark said angrily, turning around and beginning to walk away.

"The first time we met, you saved me from some would be rapist in a club," Paige called out and Clark stopped. "It's me Clark. You need to listen to me."

"Paige…I'm seeing things that aren't there, I don't know what to believe in anymore," Clark confessed as he turned around to face her.

"Because this whole world is fake. I get it Clark, but I've been through something like this before. It messes with your head, but you know the way out," Paige reasoned.

"The way out according to Chloe. Chloe, who's been gone for months. Chloe who I remember experimenting on me. How am I supposed to trust her?" Clark asked in frustration.

"Why don't you? You've known her longer than almost anyone else, and from the way you tell it she's always had your back. What's really going on here Clark?" Paige demanded.

"Maybe that's blinded me to the truth. Chloe and I are on different paths, I don't know where that's headed," Clark told her and Paige understood.

"And that's what this is really about. Chloe left without telling you," Paige realized.

"If Chloe really believed in me, she would have told me she was leaving and why," Clark said and Paige stared at him for a long moment.

"I'm saying this as your Whitelighter, not your girlfriend. Get over yourself," Paige said, taking Clark aback. "I know it must hurt that Chloe didn't tell you she was leaving, I can't imagine. But you must have asked Chloe to trust you a bunch of times before she knew your secret. Maybe it's time to return the favor? You always trust your heart and it never leads you wrong? So what is your heart telling you now?"

Lab

Same time

"You're good at this," Chloe told Paige as she typed away, making sure Clark heard every word Paige was saying.

"It's kind of in my blood. Whitelighter and all. But you saw all that with the helmet, didn't you?" Paige realized.

"Not a whole lot, just enough to know you'd play a big role in Clark's life. But not exactly my first deal with magic," Chloe shrugged.

Further conversation was interrupted when Paige heard a noise behind her. Paige turned her head, alarmed to see that Trotter was storming towards them.

"Chloe, we need to go," Paige said alarmed and Chloe looked up, spotting Trotter.

"I don't think so, you're both coming with me," Trotter sneered as she pulled a gun on them, more of her men walking into the room.

"You're not shoot us. Not in here anyway," Chloe said confidently as she got to her feet. "You won't risk damaging the equipment and trapping your two greatest assets or freeing them."

Trotter scowled, realizing Chloe knew her bluff before she could even make it.

"We need to go," Chloe agreed with Paige as she turned to the Witch. "We've done all we can. It's up to Clark now."

Paige took one last look at Clark in his pod before grabbing Chloe's hand and Orbing out.

Virtual world

Not long after

Clark was making his way through the Daily Planet when he noticed Paige seemed like she had vanished. But he paid this no mind, reasoning that Chloe had gotten what she needed from Paige. As he entered the building, Chloe rounded the corner.

"Chloe, I was just on my way to find you. I'm ready to jump," Clark told her.

"Jump? Clark, what are you talking about?" Chloe asked seeming confused as Clark looked at her oddly.

"The portal to the real world," Clark said in confusion.

"Okay, you clearly are going through some kind of post-traumatic stress. Clark, are you going to actually jump to your death?" Chloe inquired seeming worried.

Clark stared at her for a moment before the realization washed over him. The VRA was behind this. They must have hijacked Chloe's avatar. Which meant she and Paige might be in trouble.

"You're not Chloe," Clark said before slugging her, hard.

As she crashed through the door behind her, Kara ran in, staring at the scene in shock.

"Kal-El, did you just-"

"I'll explain on the way, we need to get to the roof, now!" Clark snapped, grabbing Kara by the arm and leading her up the stairs to the room.

Real world

Same time

From a rooftop, Paige and Chloe watched as Oliver, Dinah, Deadshot, Flag and the others dealt with Trotter and her men.

"They're good," Paige said, impressed by just how well they all worked together.

"Been working with these guys for years, and it still surprises me sometimes just how good they are. You never really get used to it," Chloe said with a smile before Bart appeared next to them in a blur.

"Now that these guys are down, what about my amigo?" Bart asked.

Virtual world

Same time

Clark and Kara walked onto the roof, finding Chloe's avatar waiting for them.

"Fine Kent. Take the lead. But from everything we've learned, I know you never will," the avatar said as it began making its way towards the cousins. "Out of all the superheroes we've captured, you've always been the most reluctant to accept your abnormalities, haven't you? So badly wanting to believe what you see and hear and feel. So afraid to let go of this world that tethers you to any sort of normalcy. Reality."

Ignoring her, Clark moved towards the edge of the roof.

"If you take that leap and you don't one hundred percent want to defy the rules of this world and it will kill you," the avatar said and Clark paused.

"Kal-El, they're just trying to get in your head, don't listen to them," Kara pleaded with him.

Before Clark could respond, the back door opened and another Chloe walked onto the room before several more appeared behind Clark. Soon, the cousins found themselves surrounded.

"Here's how much you know about me. Kara, get ready," Clark told her.

Clark closed his eyes, readied himself. Then, he jumped up into the air, taking to the sky as he flew above the building.

Kara quickly followed him, the cousins flying over the Daily Planet before Clark flew down into the street, vanishing in a flash of light with Kara quickly following suit.

Lab, real world

Second after

Trotter's man at the computer heard a crash before whirling around, seeing Clark and Kara's pods had been forced open, almost torn in half and the cousins were nowhere to be seen.

Kent Farm, next day

Morning

Chloe was looking at a picture of herself, Clark and Pete when Clark walked over.

"It wasn't the same without you here," Clark noted.

"I can't believe it's been five years already. You know, not to go all Steve Perry power ballad on you, but lately I feel like I've been the one living in a virtual world, cut off from everyone I really care about," Chloe noted.

"It's actually a good thing you weren't here when Trotter took us down," Clark said and Chloe raised an eyebrow. "You saved us."

"Well, let's just say I learned from the best," Chloe said and Clark smiled slightly. "Besides, half the credit should go to the Fate Helmet. It warned me something bad was going to happen to our group."

"The Suicide Squad," Clark noted and she nodded. "Chloe-"

"Clark, every Frankenstein has a human heart. I did some research into Rick Flag, found out he was going to go after the General. I gave him a choice: I could report him to the government or he could report to me," Chloe explained.

"And to think you're the same Chloe that's in that picture," Clark said impressed.

"Yeah," Chloe said as she looked at the picture wistfully.

"Can I ask you something?" Clark asked.

"Oh this never ends well," Chloe joked as Clark sat down next to her.

"How'd you do it? Trust me back then, before you found out," Clark asked.

"I had my suspicions," Chloe shrugged.

"That's what I mean. You knew I was lying to you and still, you looked me in the eye every day and you trusted me," Clark noted.

"I guess that's the real test of believing in someone: knowing their lies are there to protect you. It's not really trust if you ask someone to explain themselves," Chloe noted and Clark could see her point.

"But that's hard," Clark said and she laughed.

"It's really hard," Chloe agreed and a beat passed. "I'm sorry things didn't work out between you and Lois."

"Me to. We tried but…it was never gonna work with me holding back such a huge part of my life," Clark noted regretfully. "I'm trying not to make the same mistakes with Paige."

"You're gonna have to tell me how that happened. But, from what I saw in the helmet and what I saw last night with Paige, she's quite a woman," Chloe noted and Clark smiled.

"She is," Clark agreed.

"Do you love her?" Chloe asked, taking Clark aback. "It's okay if you do. You deserve to be happy Clark. Even if it's not with Lois."

Before Clark could even think about the answer to that question, the front door opened and Paige walked in.

"Oh. Am I interrupting?" Paige asked, realizing she'd walked in on something.

"No. We were actually just talking about you," Chloe said with a smile as she got to her feet. "Sorry if our introduction was kind of rushed."

"Don't worry about it. Kind of learned to go with the flow around her. Although it's nice to meet the woman everyone seems to think so highly of," Paige said with a smile before remembering something. "Tess just texted. Looks like Trotter and her men have been given a taste of her own virtual medicine."

"Since Trotter is officially off the military's grid, we're not gonna have to worry about her spreading her hero hating vitriol or exposing your secret anytime soon," Chloe said with a look at Clark.

"Good. And without people like Slade and Trotter corrupting the system, Darryl and his family can come out of hiding," Clark noted with a glance at Paige, who nodded.

"I already thought of that. I called Piper, who's letting him know right now," Paige said in relief before frowning. "Fight's not over though. We still have to deal with the VRA."

"And we'll deal with that when it comes. But now at least, innocent people won't be drawn into the crossfire," Clark said firmly.

"Clark, as good as it is to see you, I have a plan to meet Ollie at Watchtower. I'll talk to you later Clark. And Paige, it was nice to meet you," Chloe said before she made her way out the door.

"I see why you and Oliver think so highly of her. She's awesome," Chloe said before seeing Clark look at her with an odd look. "What?"

"Nothing, I'll tell you later," Clark said with a smile, remembering what Carter had said. "So, how about dinner? I haven't eaten anything for about three weeks, so I'm starved."

Underworld

Same time

Zankou paced back and forth, muttering to himself. He was trying to figure out his next move but was at a stalemate. As long as Clark was hanging around the Charmed Ones, any of his plans would fail. He didn't know what to do.

"Zankou."

At the sound of the voice, Zankou looked around in confusion before, in a mist, a being of pure darkness with glowing red eyes appeared in front of him.

"Zankou," it said in greeting.

"Darkseid. My old friend, it is good to see you," Zankou said in a bit of disbelief before smiling.

"And I you. We have a common enemy: the one who calls himself Clark Kent. I require your assistance in defeating him as well as the Charmed Ones," Darkseid told him.

And that's my version of Collateral. Hope you all enjoyed it.

A Darkseid/Zankou alliance is something I've been planning from the beginning, so now we'll see how that looks.

Until next time.