Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville or any of these characters
AN: Update!Enjoy!
Chapter 22:Ruins of the Knight Part II
7:47 P.M Friday night
"Mom, you don't have to do this.I know he's wronged us, but there's another away." Chloe pleaded with her mother who still had a revolver pointed at the head of their greatest enemy. She had searched all day for Moira, and Chloe found her after hours of searching here in the Lion's den with a gun pointed at the man who had tried to use her for world domination.
"You don't understand my dear, but how could you when I never told you. It's not just the younger Luthor that has used a Sullivan to try and rule the older one has as well." Moira finally revealed her association with Lionel Luthor to her daughter.
"What are you talking about?" Oliver could hear the curiosity in Chloe's voice from his hiding place on the loft above the large room where Lex kept most of his books. He and Chloe had spent most of the afternoon searching for the older Sullivan and been surprised when they finally found her. He had tried to persuade Chloe not to run in to the scene alone, but she was as headstrong as always and sure that her mother wouldn't harm her. After every where they had been today including a biker bar. Oliver was hesitant but gave into her like he always did, kind of. He was still there watching and ready to run in to save her if the needed.
2:23 P.M Friday afternoon
"Not that I don't like a good time Chlo, but its still early afternoon and you can't drink." Oliver stayed close to Chloe following her into the decaying establishment putting his hands in the pockets of his black leather Jacket.
"We're not here for a drink Mr. Green. This is the last place the tracking device pinged." Chloe hadn't dropped the helmet not wanting to set it on the tricked Ducati it was a very expensive looking object and could easily double as a weapon not that she needed one with Oliver by her side. "My mother could be in there."
"Pinged is that a scientific term? Mr. Green, okay so were undercover now? That works for me, I guess it just goes along with the bike and the leather. Why would your mother come to a place like this? "He smirked liking the codename and then looked her up and down taking in her outfit for the fifth time in the last twenty minutes. Leather was god's gift to him and Chloe was a vision in her tight jeans, biker boots and green cropped biker jacket.
"No, its not. But anyway I don't know why she would come here. That's what we're here to find out. Now try to blend in, order a drink or something." She leaned on the bar and set the helmet on the hard service. Doing as he was told Oliver ordered a beer, then went to studying the room noting how many people were actually there and who looked dangerous and who didn't.
Sadly for him they all looked like suspicious characters, hopefully blending in wouldn't be all that hard. Oliver looked back to Chloe who was talking to the bartender he was going to stay close to her he knew what these types of people could do to a sweet young woman. He had come across these types before while on his patrols. He didn't want to think what they would do to a pregnant young mother to be, thank goodness Chloe wasn't showing enough for anyone to presume she was expecting.
"Anything for you pixie?" The older gentlemen tending the bar asked Chloe who had made herself comfortable on a bar stool beside Oliver.
"The name's Jone's and the only thing I need from you is a few answers." She pulled out a picture of her mother and laid it on the bar pushing it in his direction and put a finger on it. "Have you seen this woman? Her name's Moira Sullivan."
"Jones? When will you cops get the message, were not that gullible? I already told the other Jones that I have nothing to say about that woman. " The other Jones that met that John had been in here, but why?
"Look I'm not a cop and I have no fears of using brute force if I have too to get what I want. Now you know something I can see it written all over your face. She's been in this bar today. Where is she?" Chloe demanded to know raising off the bar stool a little and invading the bartenders person space.
"Brute force aye. That's big talk little girl. You may have brought a body guard, but as you can see there is no shortage of muscle here to defend me." He shot back not budging and saw his buddies starting to come to defend him.
"Don't worry Ms. Jones I can take these ladies." Oliver put down his beer taking off his leather jacket setting it on the bar next to the helmet Chloe had set there as the muscle the bartender was referring to was getting ready for a fight. "Just say when."
"I don't think that will be necessary, will it Mr.?" Chloe pulled out a gun and pointed it at the bartender, where was she hiding that? Oliver could only guess he was too busy wondering how this went from blending in to being on the edge of starting a bar fight.
"Finley, the name's Chuck Finley." He shrank back putting his hands up in surrender.
"Okay now we're getting somewhere, First Chuck. Call off your dogs and then you and I are going to have a talk about cooperation and honesty." She lowered the weapon a little still pointing it in Chuck's direction.
"Boys back off. As much as I would love to answer your questions and have you lower that beautiful pistol. I'm not the one you should be questioning." The badass persona he had put up when Chloe first started asking questions was long gone.
"Then point me in the direction of who I should be interrogating." However Chloe's tough exterior was still there and Oliver had to stifle a smirk this wasn't an act or a persona Chloe was putting up. It was a side of her that he had barely seen since their last confrontation with the bald viper. He chalked up its appearance to the fact that her mother's well being was at stake. No one got in the way of a Sullivan and there family.
"Little John," Chuck shouted and a large framed man walked out from the back room. "This woman wants to know where Mo is?"
Little John, that was an understatement this guy was not little he was tall and wide a name like the boulder would make more sense. Chloe put the gun back in its hidden location on her person and let go of Chuck.
"Why do you want to know about Mo? What business do you have with her?" The burly figure inquired motioning them to take a seat at a table near the pool tables, the bar went back to being quiet and as normal as a biker bar could be. No one wanted to fight now, but for some reason Oliver got the sudden suspicion they entered the twilight zone.
2:58 P.M Friday afternoon
Oliver leaned against the wall of the bar watching Chloe bank one shot after another on the old pool table. The woman he loved was quite a talker and a deal maker. She had had a brief conversation with Little John that went nowhere at first. The only thing Chloe got out of him was the reason that everyone in the bar referred to Moira Sullivan as Mo. And then she had made it, the deal that was either going to lead to one of the weirdest nights of Oliver's life or help them find her mother. Turned out Little John, was a man that liked to gamble and make deals he knew he could win.
"Eight ball side pocket." Chloe said and sunk her last shot. "Okay Little John, we had a deal I win you tell me everything I want to know about Moira Sullivan. Now are you going to talk or do I have to humiliate you at your own game some more?"
"No need to be rude Ms. Jones. The first thing you need to know about Mo is apparently Shes a liar." The giant framed man seemed a bit crest fallen and took a seat back at the table.
"Why do you say that?" Chloe took a seat opposite her newest informant.
"Its along story, but the short version starts with my secret?" His voice went to a whisper and he motioned for Chloe to come closer like he was about to reveal the secret. "I might as well tell you, you did win our bet. I have an ability."
"An ability?" She asked acting like she didn't know what he was talking about and wanting to know what his power was.
"Don't play ignorant if you're looking for the likes of Mo then you know about the meteor infected."He replied looking irritated. "Anyway my power is more of a curse then a gift."
"Not all of them are." Oliver chimed in feeling a little ignored and watching the burly man like a hawk. "What's your ability big guy?"
It didn't take Little John more than a few minutes to explain how he was a proverbial good luck charm to anyone he came in contact with. He had the ability to help those he chose to win at practically any game of chance. The biker could help anyone win at what they wanted too, anyone, but himself. He then filled them in on how Moira used her own power to make him subconsciously turn his ability inward so he could use it on himself instead of just other people. He also told them the real reason that she had ever stepped foot into the dangerous establishment, apparently she was looking for a kid named Lowell. The moment Chloe heard the name Lowell she knew who he was talking about.
Chloe didn't know his last name but Lowell was the name of the first meteor infected individual that Lex made her mother control after she 'woke up' from her catatonia. Lowell had super strength that was his gift, but why would her mother need him. The intrepid reporter didn't get the answer to her question from Little John, but from another John.
3:39 P.M Friday afternoon
"When did you become such a pool shark?" Oliver asked curiously, helping Chloe onto the tricked out Ducati and handing her the helmet.
"Blame Lois, and my analytical mind. Pool is just one big geometry equation to solve and I'm the brains of this relationship remember." Chloe answered taking the opportunity to kiss him as he stood digesting what she had just said. Her hunger for him seemed like it died down, but the way he looked in that leather jacket brought it back. "Wow..I almost forgot how good you are at that."
"What if your mother's promise to the Leprechaun had come true and he won your little wager. Would you really have made me go on a date with him?" He pulled away raising a questioning eyebrow, still not believing that when Little John had first said that if they lost the bet he wanted a date. Chloe of course said fine but nothing else and then the burly man said 'not with you pixie, with Mr. Green over there.'
"Of course I would a deal is a deal, Ollie. Besides I never go in without a battle plan as you know Mr. Queen I'm a sure thing. Now come on we still have to go see a Martian about a feisty brunette." Chloe put on the helmet scooting back allowing Oliver to take his place on the motorcycle and wrapping her arms around his toned midsection as he started the bike.
4:14 P.M Friday afternoon
A normally 45 minute trip across the city was turned much shorter thanks to Oliver's knowledge of shortcuts and the modifications he had made to his bike. He was still uncomfortable with taking Chloe out on the death machine, but of course that was another thing she got her way about. He really should learn to say no.
"This doesn't look like a safe neighborhood are you sure this is where John said to meet him?" Oliver took the key out of the ignition taking off his helmet and looking around at the run down alley.
"He's working uncover on a drug bust and don't worry I don't think anyone's going to bother us in broad daylight..." Chloe stopped herself from finishing her sentence looking over his shoulder focused on what, Oliver could only guess.
"One fifteen feet to your left." The blond billionaire whispered so only she could hear him, now staring over Chloe's shoulder.
"Two, one on the left and right five feet." The petite blond quietly replied and watched as Oliver took control of the situation elbowing the two thugs behind him simultaneously in the jaws and then rushing towards her jumping over the bike she was still straddling and kicking the one behind her hard in the gut.
Oliver felt the adrenaline rush and smiled at his handy work then glanced to Chloe who was smiling proudly as well. Her smile changed to a frown in a matter of seconds as she pulled out a small crossbow seemly out of nowhere pointing in his direction and pulling the trigger. The tranquilizing arrow missed him and embedded itself into a man behind him. Apparently he had been a little to distracted to notice another thug sneaking up behind him.
"How many weapon's do you have on you woman and where are you hiding them?" Where was she hiding them? The skin tight clothing Chloe had on didn't leave much room to hide anything. But first she had a gun and now her tazor-crossbow.
"Well one needs to be prepared Ollie and besides the gun, that's it. Its not like I have an arsenal in my jacket and the Crossbow was in the saddle bag." Chloe pointed to the leather satchel she had connected to his bike. How he had not noticed it before he didn't know, he really was losing his focus when she was around.
"I think we should have that 'anything you can do I can do better' talk again professor…" Oliver was going to say more but he was cut off by the older Martian entering the alley.
"I agree, but now is not the time. I thought I told you to stay low out here? I'm trying to make these guys trust me." John Jones said checking to make sure that the unconscious men were still alive. Not that Oliver and Chloe would ever kill anyone, but these people were already underfed and not in good health one punch in the spot could fatally injure them.
"Sorry Manhunter, we we're just defending ourselves. I promise it won't happen again, scouts honor." Chloe put up a hand like she was making a pledge and John just nodded his head letting them know that they were off the hook."But this is not why we're here, like I said on the phone my mother is missing. Have you seen her today?"
"Yeah I saw her around three at station she brought me some Oreos and then she asked to use my car for something." John's brawl furrowed in confusion. "You didn't know. I thought it was weird she was out of the penthouse without an escort. Not that she's not capable of taking care of herself she's a stron.."
"John your rambling, three o'clock we must have just missed her. You let her take you car? And you didn't ask her what she needed it for?" Chloe's curiosity was sturdily rising what was her mother doing that she needed a car with a siren.
"Yeah, I trust her she's a good woman and…" This was getting them nowhere so Oliver decided to interrupt the gushing.
"Okay, not that I want to interrupt your praising of momma bear, but we have to get this show on the road. Did she say anything about where she was going?" Oliver cut in not wanting to hear anymore about how John thought Moira Sullivan was an amazing woman a fact he and Chloe were already well aware of.
"No, but we did have a lengthy conversation about a myth that involved a snake and an avenging sword. Other than that she didn't say anything else." The wheels in Chloe's mind started to turn and suddenly she got it. Her mother had once told her the tale about the sword and the snake. The snake part was the what go her attention, her mother left a clue and it was in that story. She was going after Lex Luthor, they had to get out to the mansion as soon as possible.
Almost every meteor infected person she had ever come in contact with had been a ticking time bomb and given into the bad side of things. Chloe thought that she and her mother would be the exception, but clarity was entering her mind her mother wanted revenge for what Lex had done to her.
7:35 P.M Friday Night
"How often have you broken into the lion's den?" Oliver whispered as he and Chloe looked down at the scene in front of them from the loft that over looked the large room where Lex chose to put his office.
"Enough to know Lex's security isn't worth much, but there should have been at least one security guard roaming the corridors." Chloe glanced down to where her mother was pointing a gun at the bald viper and went to get up ready to reveal her made to follow suit but a hand to his chest halted his movements.
"Chloe?" It was another faint whisper.
"I think its best if you hang up here. Lex doesn't know we're together if he sees you he might put two and two together. Now I think I can talk my mother down and please don't interfere." Chloe knew he would respect her wishes or at least try.
7:38 P.M Friday Night
"Veritas, Aliens, and secret societies? Your more insane then the doctors said." Lex Luthor shot back another insult, a gun still pointed to his head. He hoped that the insults would distract the older woman enough so she wouldn't notice his attempt to weasel his way out of the ropes that bound his hands to the expensive dining chair.
"Again with the lashing out Mr. Luthor a sure sign of insecurity. No matter, its not important that you believe me I just thought you would like to know what you're dying for." Moira pulled back the trigger just hair, intent on finishing off the viper when a hand pulled at her arm changing the direction the revolver was pointing.
"Mother, NOOO!" Chloe shouted stopping her mother from taking the life of Lex Luthor.
"Chloe." Moira's tone was a mixture of anger and confusion. "Why did you stop me?"
"Because if you take a life even his, theirs no turning back." The younger Sullivan told her mother her own hand now on the gun trying to lower the weapon.
"Your right dear. But this devil still deserves what's coming to him and we may never get this chance again. Get out of my way Chloe." Moira watched as Chloe did what she was told and it took her a minute to realize that she had just used her ability on her daughter, still having the bracelet she had clung to while she was captured on her wrist. Moira had vowed never to use her powers on Chloe again a vow she had broken in the last few seconds.
"Mom, you don't have to do this.I know he's wronged us, but there's another away." Chloe pleaded with her mother who still had a revolver pointed at the head of their greatest enemy.
"You don't understand my dear, but how could you when I never told you. It's not just the younger Luthor that has used a Sullivan to try and rule the world it's the older one as well." Moira finally revealed her association with Lionel Luthor to her daughter.
"What are you talking about?" For the first time in a long time Chloe didn't have all the answers, something that she didn't like.
"I'm talking about a man and his selfish urges, a demon that wanted something that could never be his." The older Sullivan bit out the words like they tasted bitter on her tongue.
"Who, mother?" It should have been more obvious to her, but Chloe needed confirmation.
"The sins of the father shadow the fate of the son my dear. I'm talking about Lionel Luthor." Moira turned away from Lex looking to her daughter as she explained who she was referring too.
"Oh my god mother, he hurt you? What happened? Whatever it is I'm sure it isn't worth killing over." Chloe hoped she could convince her mother just by talking, the decision to kill Lex was one the older Sullivan appeared to have thought through to the last detail. How long was she planning this?
"What price should be paid for stealing a mother away from her only child, making you think I don't love you." Stealing her mother away, what was she talking about. What chapters in the brief history of her families association with the Luthor's had Chloe missed out on?
"More illusion's of grandeur my father would never have that kind of interest in you or your family." Lex cut in lashing out with another insult.
"Lowell shut him up." The younger man heeded Moira's command without compliant not looking like he was being forced. "His interest wasn't in me or my family. It was in what I knew, several dirty little secrets he showed me. "
"What secrets?" Chloe's voice brought Moira's attention back to the younger Sullivan.
"Veritas! A secret society made up of four of the richest families on earth. The inquisitive Teagues, the noble Swans, the honorable Queens, and the always treacherous, venomous Luthors. Your father had the whole world at his finger tips but it wasn't enough. He wanted more. " Admiration sounded in her tone when she mentioned the first three families, but went back to anger at the mention of the name Luthor.
"Veritas, you know about Veritas? How are you involved with them?" Chloe couldn't believe what she was hearing her mother's absence from her childhood wasn't because of some mental illness it was caused by the actions of a man who once tried to kill her.
"Veritas was met to save lives, but instead thanks the greed of a Luthor it took life. The four families came together in hopes of welcoming the traveler when he came to this planet." This was starting to sound like a bad science fiction novel.
"The traveler?" Another question asked that needed answered.
"Another worldly entity meant to be a savior of mankind and usher in a new age, a golden age of heroism. The members of veritas vowed to be his guardians and guides in this world." Other worldly entity? Clark, did everything her mother was talking about lead back to Chloe's best friend?
"Sounds biblical. What did they need you for?" Now Chloe was more curious than ever, what kind of life did her mother lead before she was born?
"That's another story for another day sweetheart. It doesn't matter right now. What does is that it ends today in this moment." Moira held the gun back to Lex's head shoving it hard against his skull the anger evident on her aging features.
"I still can't let you do this." Ending Lex's life might solve their problems, but Chloe knew if her mother pulled that trigger there was no coming back. This would be the end to everything she had worked so hard for. What she almost gave her life to protect would become soulless.
"It has to be done Chloe, he needs to be stopped." The conviction that echoed in her words was scary.
"I understand mother more than you know. You talk about fate and destiny, what about your own destiny? Right now is the moment that decides who walks out of this dead or alive." Chloe had equal conviction in her tone and tried desperately to fight her mother's power over her own actions and moved towards the older woman. But it was useless she was stuck where she was not able to move an inch forced to watch the scene before her.
"If he lives he will cause so much pain. He won't stop until he gets what he wants. He's worse than his father." Moira pulled back the trigger enough to cause Chloe to gasp,but not enough for the weapon to fire.
"I get it I really do. I've had his life in my hands before just like you do now, but in the end I made the choice not to take a life. I would hope I got that trait from you, please don't prove me wrong." Chloe felt her mother's power over her fall and she felt a sigh of relief as her mother dropped her hand lowing the revolver.
"Fine. We will do it your way." Moira groaned out in frustration and turned to leave not wanting to see the pained expression on Chloe's face any longer. "But don't think your off the hook Lex. You will pay for your sins sooner or later, Lowell release him."
"You think you can just walk in here threaten my life and get away with it? I'm going to hunt you down I won't stop until…" Lex never knew when to shut up did he.
AN: Cliffhanger sorry...R&R! Thanks for reading.