Oh, wow. I really enjoyed reading the reviews. They've been amazing, and really picked me up boring uni work. So, a HUGE thank you for that.
Please feel free to message/review with any problems or issues you have, I will never take them as criticism, I appreciate any help or comments. I accept anonymous reviews as well, so if you don't want to leave your name I can address an issue in this little top bit of the next chapter for you.
Also, I know you want to know the deal with Chloe's past and the association to Lionel, but Chloe's considering not telling you until she has to tell Oliver... and that may be a while away.
I hope you enjoy the chapter.
Oh! This is the first appearance of GA, hold onto your leather fan club panties ladies, there's attitude fired his way.
Xx
Chapter Three; Prey.
'Every predator is somebody else's prey' –Lionel Luthor. (Season 3, Episode Exile)
Lex gave her free pick over his collection of cars; the keys welcome to whatever tickled her fancy. Her fingers ran smooth over the glossy paintwork of an original classic car and she instantly dismissed it. The inner magpie might say to go to the shiny, but Lex had other toys that were so much more fun, and just as shimmering. Personalised license plates passed her by; Lex I to Lex IV and Lex X1, Lx Lthr, Lex 1. He even dared an 'Alex 1', thought it was probably a gift from his father. Chloe stopped suddenly, her eyes finding the one she felt the pull toward.
Sure, she could have gone in a limo, maybe an unmarked car or even called a taxi. But out of the 20+ cars Lex had personalised this one just called. Top down, sleek silver Porsche begging for someone to hit the gas and hit it hard. Lex knew how to drive it, but she doubted he'd treat it like she would. She wouldn't worry about the centimetre brush of the curb along the wheel rims and she'd push it as hard as such a machine deserved. If cars had personalities, this one would scream sexy, handsome and not afraid to show it. It had cheek, it had a rude streak if you pressed to wrong buttons but it would take care of you if you promised the same. Chloe fished the keys from Lex's little vault and settled herself quickly into the leather, her fingers resisting the urges to stroke the surfaces. Luxury.
She threw the car into first gear and hit the gas speeding out of the door yet to fully open. At the rip of the engine the two security threw themselves into the heavy arms dealer style car and hit the road, trying to follow the sprite they were assigned to. Lex had given them one order and one order only; to never let her out of their sights. If anything happened to her… well, the threat wasn't finished, but the implication was clear that they wouldn't be as happily alive as they were currently. With the fear of god shoved in them they cursed at the slow opening doors as she got further from their sights.
A bad night to be the ones Chloe intended to lose.
Chloe brushed the hair from her eyes as she walked happily down the streets of metropolis. She'd lost her protection detail from the first moment, she honestly had no idea where they were. Probably circling the block in a panic, she thought giddily and added a single skip to her walk. She spent a long term learning to lose the eye in the city she was assigned, she considered it a talent. These guards were exceptionally useless though. No challenge at all. Now if she had Darren following her… then that might pose a challenge worthy of her skills. Oddly, Lionel had always had good security, and like Lex he'd used her skills to determine whether his security was up to scratch or not. The only difference was that Lex found it comical… Lionel did not.
Smiling privately to herself she slipped down the alley behind the bakery looking for a detour from the main roads and a shortcut to Miss Locks; 'The beauty store for all your hair needs'. They had this amazing shampoo that smelled like you'd stuck your head into a rainforest filled with blooms of all seasons. It stayed with you as well, locked in your hair all day. Beautiful. But it was damn expensive. Then again, it was Lex's treat.
Laughing, she took the shortcut. Instead of luxury, she found trouble.
"Give us ya purse Lady. No-one gunna get hurt." Thug one demanded, a gun pointed toward her. She could have groaned, she was not up for this tonight.
Maybe she could just scoop past and owe them one.
Yeah… she doubted it too.
"Jewellery too." Thug two stepped out from behind her, a knife in hand. Quickly she evaluated it: serrated blade, for maximum damage. Good choice of weapon. She could deal with these two easily. But of course, things were always better in three's and this trio became complete as thug three stepped from the left, a skinny thing waving the knife with a virginal shake. His first mugging? They were probably aspiring thieves seeking to run the town. She could admire the formation, but they were inexperienced and their prey was lying in wait to become a predator.
Chloe herself had probably done more illegal activities than all three of them combined, but clearly her face wasn't given the immunity amongst the many uprising assholes of Metropolis's alleys.
She'd been away too long.
"Nice and slow. Get on the floor Lady." She rolled her eyes. She despised being called 'Lady' almost as much as Lex hated being called 'Alex'. He hated it because Alex was a small child that was beat on continuously through his education. She hated it because Lady was a cartoon dog from a Disney film that didn't have any major problems in life and was 100% unrealistic. Plus, she wasn't likely to roll over and ask for a belly rub anytime soon.
With a bored sigh barely contained, she lifted her hands to the air, the bag at the end of her fingers. All she needed was the gun holder to come forward and she could have it out of his hands before he could say 'woof'. As long as their long distance weaponry was gone the tables would severely turn.
"Set it on floor." Thug two spat, motioning with a jerk of his knife. The motion was much like a junkie on the down side of a trip. This might not end so well if she was dealing with jonesing junkies. She needed that gun gone, and she needed it gone now.
"How do I know you won't shoot me?" The innocent act blinded them for a second. Her eyes turned shy and scared, focusing on the gun holder who wasn't stupid enough to leave the safety on.
"Alright pet. We'll take this slow. What sparkles you got on?" Jewellery, she presumed he meant. Sometimes criminals just needed a better education to convey meaning.
"But the watch was a present." she told them, playing naïve so well she should be holding an Oscar.
"Listen Barbie," She resisted the urge to grind her teeth at the name. "Take off the watch and whatever else you got. Then put them on the floor."
"Won't hurt you if you're good sunshine." Sunshine? Why not just get it over with and stab her now, it would be less painful than these nicknames.
"It'll get muddy." she protested like the innocent, feeble female she played.
"You're not getting this are ya? Look, we got the knives, we call the shots." Though not a single one had tried to get any closer and gut her yet. Maybe it was just for show and they had no intention of using them… "Take off the fucking watch and your earrings. Put 'em on the floor with your bag. Understand now bitch?" Then again, with the way he was waving the knife around she might end up missing limbs whether he intended to or not.
"-That's no way to speak to a lady."
The deep gruff voice had all four heads turn to the rooftops left of them. Chloe didn't waste time being surprised, she seized the opportunity and ran the gunman, taking the gun and using it as a club, striking him over the hooded head. The saviour dressed in green leather pinned Thug Three to the wall with a solidly shot arrow and zip lined to introduce him to his fist. Leather fetish turned back to give the second welcome to the other knife wielder but Chloe was ahead of him, her fist slammed with full force into his jaw. They both watched as he stumbled backwards and hit the wall to slump into a human heap on the ground. He wasn't even trying to get back up. She turned back to fight the leather clad man only instead found him tying up numbers one and three with zip ties. Difficult to break free of without assistance or freely breakable wrists; she approved. He knew what he was doing.
Roaming eyes assessed him as she realising she was stood before her target. This was the Green Arrow. This was the one causing all the mess for Lex. Would she be unmasking him tonight? It seemed far too easy if she was.
Naturally, she made other observations to analyse later. One; gadgets. Lots. Stolen? Provided by a rich benefactor in on his gig? Before she could explore all possibilities she was stirred by a noise behind her, only to find junkie Thug Two wasn't quite as disabled as she thought, the knife was back in his hand under a death grip and he barrelled toward her. Narrowly, she missed a punctured lung and the blade grazed her arm. It was just a scrape, not shallow enough to go unnoticed or ignored for long, but with all the adrenaline playing rollercoasters in her arteries she barely felt it throbbing. Her revenge drive sparked her to lay knuckles to soft tissue, but before it could properly kickstart the smell of leather brushed her nose and her assailant was held against the wall by his throat, the cheap scruffy trainers dangled a little off the ground. Her eyes followed from his throat along the muscular arm to the green and black armour of her target.
"Are you alright?" The question threw her for a second, not use to the deep voice that spoke. Her hand felt to her upper arm across the cut, stopping the flow of warm liquid blood.
"Fine." she replied feeling a little too numb to inject the venom she desired.
Observation two; voice distorter. It had to be, no man's voice was naturally that deep. She made the mental note to research seller and brand makes. Look up records of purchase to ones that could match. There was nothing over his lips though, no mask, no recorder. If she stepped forward again, she could make out the stubble across the strong jawline. No, this was close enough, she berated herself.
"You're cut." he noted, sparkling a violent anger in her blood which she opened the floodgates to in order to ease the numbness and what she presumed was shock.
"I'm fine." she repeated, letting the hate seep through this time. The thug's head bashed against the wall with a sharp motion and Jolly Green let him drop unconscious to the ground. This time he was definitely out of the game.
"You handled yourself well back there. There's no shame in taking a hit." Her jaw physically dropped till she remembered herself and she snapped it back up a second later. Shame? He thought she was ashamed? "It happens to the best of use." he spoke again, in a comforting tone while reaching for her wound. She snapped back from forming her multiple insults and dodged his grasp, stepping away quick.
"I suppose you'd tie yourself to the group of the best." she sneered.
"I did save your life." he countered, tilting his head slightly.
"Bullshit!" she hissed and turned on her heels. A bad move with that much tension in your body though. The heel cracked clean, slicing the air and she tumbled over.
Her meeting with the concrete was suddenly stopped. Some majorly attractive biceps had wrapped around her and were holding her inches from the floor, then jolted her back upright, pressed close to his warmth.
"I'm not counting, but that was twice. You have a habit of getting in trouble." Yes, it was true, but she made a living from it.
"I'm not the only one." she muttered under her breath and pushed her way from his muscle cage and out of his cradled arms. The heel was completely snapped off; there would be no walking on it. Fuck!
"Can I offer you a ride?"
She laughed.
"Please." she sneered. "You're not better than these thugs. The only difference is that they aren't as open about their fetishes like you are, and they don't bother charming their victims before mauling them. You're a higher class of criminal."
"I'm a criminal?" he chuckled. "I happen to remember saving your life a few minutes ago." he replied. "Twice."
"My life was in no danger." she retorted and turned again, only to curse when she recalled the broken heel. Fuck!
"Really? The blood down your arm says differently." He reached out again and she dodged. The action set her back on the broken heel and she almost landed flat on her ass. Again. This time his hand had wrapped around hers and he pulled her to his chest to counterbalance the fall. "That's three times." he spoke cheerfully.
She peered up to the shadowed face seeing nothing of use, her hands could feel the muscles under the leather and her heart did the weirdest thing inside her chest. She could feel the deathly sting of butterfly nausea swimming in her stomach. She must be ill, she concluded.
"Try for another and I'll sue you for harassment." she warned, stepped back slowly from his arms.
"Harassment? That's rich. I just saved your life." he protested.
"And now look. You won't go away. Clearly you're an escaped mental patient with a need for company so much so that you pretend to be a saviour for a few minutes of chat and thanks." His arms crossed across his chest, amused. His mouth opened to reply, but she cut him off, a finger poking to his chest. "Listen here Leather Man. Next time you see me about to die. Leave me be!" She stepped away, fully aware of the heel and leaned against the wall for support while she fished for her phone in her bag. Arrow tilted his head, his eyes following her motion.
"Are you some sort of escaped suicidal patient on the run? I can get you some help."
"Oh my god! Just piss off already would you!" she hissed, her hand rummaging through the many pockets she used to adore prior to that moment. Her brain had shut down the fact she was meant to be researching him and catching him, now she was more focuses on nursing her wounded pride, and in addition; the wounded arm as well.
"Do you need a ride home?" he continued to ask.
"No. I need you to go away. Scatter! Shoo!" She motioned with her free hand, giving in on the phone idea. The security would be here soon and call her the car back.
"Shoo? I'm demoted to a dog now?" he proceeded to question her. A smile still on his lips.
"Please, you never exceeded that."
"Lost something?" he asked, eyeing the bag. Why would he not go away?
"Only the last few moments of my sanity…" she breathed in despair.
"What's your name?"
"What's yours?" she countered. He chuckled.
"At least give me something to call you."
"Fine. You can call me Mary, because you caught me feeling all holy and I'm not going to kill you."
"Mary was also a virgin." Her chin lifted, daring him to continue. "I can change that for you if you want." Her violent retort and hand slaps were cut off by a car screeching next to the alley. Darren stepped out, gun drawn. "Until next time Mary. Stay out of trouble." he spoke. "You should get that arm looked at." Then he was running out the other end of the alley. She couldn't even let out a breath before Darren was before her. He stood protective in front of her, searching the alley with gun in hand before turning back to her.
"Are you alright Miss?" She just nodded and rested a hand on his shoulder for support. Why hadn't Arrow tried to take her bag himself? Maybe he only took jewellery. Her hand fluttered to her neck then hands. Everything was still in place. Maybe he missed his window of opportunity. "You're bleeding. What happened?" The gun was by his side, still on alert. His other hand looped under her keeping her upright.
"I need bandages and some new shoes." she stated, focusing on the present. Darren just nodded, wrapping both arms under her and taking her back to the car before speeding back to Lex.
She wasn't allowed in hospitals for a while since the records would require names. The FBI check records quite regularly. Besides, it wasn't too severe. A little tape would sort it out. A scarf around her arm would cover the bandage and no-one would be any wiser about the altercation.
Lex, however, threw a little more of a fuss.
"How could you let this happen? Do you understand what protection actually entitles? It means things like this," He shot his arm out behind him to Chloe as she sat on the kitchen counter, as Darren cleaned out her wound. "-Don't happen. I told you not to let her out of your sights. I told you keep her safe. You failed me."
"Mr Luthor, you have my deepest apologies. I di-"
"I don't care for either of your apologies." Chloe winced in the background as Darren wiped it over with antiseptic cream. "Apologies don't re-stitch wounds. You're lucky I'm only suspending you from-"
"Lex!" Chloe barked out his name and the anger froze as he turned back to her. "I told you it wasn't their fault. They did nothing wrong. You know how well I can shake your eyes in the city. I wanted peace and quiet and went to find it. Besides it was Arrow's fault this happened." Lex's eyes bulged. He stepped toward her, his macho pose not lost in the motion.
"He did this to you?"
"Not directly, but it was his fault." Lex sighed heavily. "Honestly Lex, give them another chance."
"There's no excuse Miss." One started.
"We shouldn't have let you out of our sights." The other agreed.
"I'll deal with you two later." Lex hissed dismissing them.
"Don't fire them Lex." she pleaded softly as the door slotted shut.
"Don't test me Chloe." Chloe sat back, letting Darren smooth his fingers over the tape above and below the cut, holding the bandage in place. "You're lucky those two idiots had the brain power between them to call Darren when they lost you." Darren smiled shyly. She was wondering what he was doing there. Darren stepped back and nodded to Lex silently. "Teach your boys better." he hissed to Darren.
"Of course Sir. They will be dealt with."
"If I hear anything bad about them again, their names will be slandered across the entire country. They won't even be able to get a job as a gas attendant."
"Sir." Darren bowed his head to Lex and nodded curtly to Chloe. She smiled back at him with thanks. He excused himself and Lex helped her down off the counter, taking her back to her room.
"Are you well enough to be ready for half 3 tomorrow?" he asked as they entered. Always Lex, with his mind on business. She nodded.
"I didn't get everything I needed, but Darren says he'll pick it up." Lex nodded and left her room. She sighed and winced, hearing his anger in the calm loud words of domination as he summoned back the guards. A calm angry Lex was always worse, it meant he was already struggling with his anger and had to force himself to be calm in order to talk to you otherwise he would just kill you.
Chloe dressed silently, feeling guiltier with every verbal lashing. She settled into bed with the laptop on her knee.
Darren came in after Lex had finished his yelling.
He asked how she was, dropped off her requirements for tomorrow and left back to his pregnant wife. They were hopelessly in love, he updated her photo in his wallet every week as she grew bigger. It was only her fourth month but he was over the moon behind that work face. He'd painted the nursery, bought all manner of supplies and was quite possibly more into it than even she was. The kid would be showered with so much love. Chloe smiled, somehow finding comfort in the fact that some women were lucky enough to be adored that much.
3am came far too quickly. She considered rolling over, ignoring the alarm and faking death. She considered it so strongly she even started her roll, but as soon as she put weight on her bandaged arm she was wide awake, the entire idea of sleep seeming absurd. She dressed through yawns, tied her hair in a bun, her loose locks tied with grips and the wig securely fastened. She added the dash of make-up to compliment the new shade of hair, a little colour on her lips to entice a kiss-able seduction and topped herself off with a light jacket covering the bandage.
She met Lex in his living area, a tray of electronic bugs for her and a single inadequate cup of coffee. She felt herself melt at the first taste. No sooner than she'd drain the cup she found herself tumbled into the back of a car, fixing the bugs in her pocket while her mind tried to catch up. She wondered if Lex ever found time to sleep, he always seemed busy whenever she was resting and always seemed out on business when she was up and about. She yawned, too tired to think through Lex's complex life and flopped back on the seat.
Everything was arranged; the driver would drop her around the back of Queen Industries and she'd meet him after in a parking lot opposite as to not raise suspicion. Simple enough. Her eyes longingly wished for bed, watching the small trickle of people traffic on the streets. She'd never seen Metropolis so empty. The sun wasn't even up yet. Teenagers hadn't even started to go to bed. What the hell was security even doing here at 4am? It was ridiculous. She stepped from the street car with 10 minutes to waste. She bee lined for the nearest coffee stand and sat on a cold bench on the other side of the street, trying to think of other things that weren't going back to sleep.
Something bugged her though.
Jonas was still on her mind. She put it down to the fact she'd missed her chance with him. It didn't mean it didn't bug her that she was still thinking about him. Damn smooth talker.
She perked right up when she saw her target. A man heavily leaning to the pro wrestler body type, a full head of luscious black hair and a solid square jaw. Chloe stood, pacing herself so she would 'fall' beside him near the entrance to the million dollar corporation.
As she got closer, he met her eyes, clearly checking her out, this of course was her excuse for 'tripping' over her own feet. Like a pure gentleman he swooped down to her immediately.
"Are you alright ma'am?" Chloe breathed out and nodded slightly, playing with him.
"I think so… sorry, I was so… I was…ummm…distracted." Her eyes met back with his with that practised spark. "I wasn't watching where I was walking. I feel so stupid." The blush was just another ability she had perfected. He immediately offered her a hand up, smiling when she had no objection to taking it with both of hers. "I'm so embarrassed." she continued to blush.
"Don't be. It happens to all of us. We're only human."
"Thanks. I- oh owww. Oh that hurts." She would have been back on the floor, clutching her ankle, had he not swooped to stabilise her.
"I think you've sprained it."
"No. I can't. My boss is going to kill me."
"Com'on. We'll get some ice on it and you can call your boss. You won't be walking on that anytime soon."
"Oh, no I don't want to put you ou- oh god." Chloe honestly squeaked as his arms slid under her, lifting her from her feet and carrying her bridal style through the doors to Queen Industries. Wow, can someone say muscles; she could feel them under her body, hugging her close to his chest.
"It's a good thing you fell here and nowhere else." he told her, passing through the security barriers with a swipe of his card.
"You work here?" she played coy and it won her big points.
"Yeah… I'm ummm… sort of head of security." he bragged shyly.
"The head of security. Wow. Colour me impressed." He chuckled a little embarrassedly, and opened the door to the security main frame, settling her into a chair beside the monitors.
"I'll go get you an icepack. They're just next door. You'll be alright here?"
"I suppose. Hurry back." she whispered, tickling his cheeks with another blush. As the door closed she whisked her fingers over the controls, watching with a spare eye as he walked to the next door, doing a little success dance as he did. She laughed and looped the security feed to an empty corridor. It wasn't hard with such a simple system. Big companies don't bother with extreme security on this part, mainly because there's no chance anyone could get through to here without being stopped and checked, that and there's always some burly guard sitting in the seat to stop them.
She was delicately prodding her ankle when he came back. "Is it supposed to hurt?" she asked innocently. "I've never had a sprained ankle before." He knelt before her, angling the ice-pack over the skin she had rubbed to make red.
"Can't say there much fun. I know when-" Her knee snapped up, knocking him upside his jaw. She whispered an apology and pulled the sedative from her jacket, stabbing in his neck and making sure this one stayed down.
With the feed looped she stole his security pass, hoping they didn't want finger prints and scurried down the corridors. She made it to the elevator unhindered, then over to the main office of the building that belonged to Oliver Queen. Thank you Lex for directions. She slid the pass into the system and watched the doors unlock for her. Grinning she made her way to the phone adding a bug to the receiver. Another under his desk. Another tiny camera behind some dusty books peering with the best angle to his computer screen. With such little time she had no option of cracking his password and planting a virus or bug, so Lex would have to be happy with this.
The office plant in the corner got another little bug craftily hidden between the healthiest of leaves. Another on the couch. Finally the entire office was covered. She left the desk of the Billionaire and scurried back out without a single problem. The security guard was still dozing as she so desperately craved. She reset the video feed to set everything back to normal. His pass went back in his pocket and she slipped from the back exit away from the camera's eyes.
Her heart was beating wildly in her chest as she skipped back across the street sliding back into the car and being driven back to Lex. Mission Impossible took a mere 25 minutes of her morning and now she wanted to go back to sleep.
Not a possibility. Lex wanted the security feed up and all the devices configured. After that he wanted a run-down of what had happened, then she was sat before his computer with a coffee to her left and a Billionaire to her right while she put everything she could think of over multitudes of different files for protection. Finally he got a phone call and left her alone to finish.
Just as she was fixing some extra fancy bits to his encrypted files Lex came back with a happier mood, almost bouncing in his shoes… if he wasn't too manly to do that.
"We'll finish later." he announced. "You deserve a break for all the good work you've done."
"I do?" That was surprising… Lex wasn't accustomed to giving rewards. His hand came from behind his back, a small silver rectangle box in his hand. "You found an explosive at the front door and want to mail it to Oliver Queen?" she asked comically. He grinned at her imagination and took her hands from the computer keyboard, leading her from his living area and along the corridors. "You're not happy with my work and are leading me to the slaughter?" she continued to guess. He actually laughed at that one. "Lex… I'm going to need some explanation." She dutifully followed him down corridors she used to loathe and stopped before a door. He spun her back to the wall, the present placed in her hands.
"I understand you learnt a lot of things from my father, yes?" Her eyes narrowed at the mention of her tormentor. Lex's hand reached up to smooth the worry lines across her forehead.
"Where are you going with this?" He smiled, it reaching his eyes and almost vibrating the baby blue that shone in them.
"I recalled a knack for painting." Chloe's expression forced a change, there was a knack, but not for the reason of enjoyment.
"Lex…"
"Open the present." Sceptically, and still wary of bomb wires, she lifted the lid. She almost dropped the box in glee.
"You found my iPod!" The majority of her belongings were still in a cramped room in Spain, the only one she missed was the silver iPod tucked between bra's.
"Unfortunately no. It seems you little hut had been seized by the police. But I know how much you love your music, and I figured I'd give you some room of your own."
"Lex I already have an entire empty wing. I don't need anoth-" He pushed open the double doors to an empty spacious room, a painting easel sat in the open balcony overlooking the gardens. "Wow." she breathed.
"You'll be staying here for a good while Chloe. I want you to be comfortable. You may use this room however you desire. My library is open to you and if you require anything else I will be happy to provide."
"Lex, I-" But there was no thanks for this. And she knew deep down his reasoning. A busy woman is far less annoying than one trapped inside a mansion she hated for months on end. That wasn't just her scepticism, that was Luthor tactical fact. Lionel had done the same with his wife while she was still alive.
In truth though, she only painted because it meant time away from Lionel. But the iPod would keep her entertained. Lex accepted her kiss in thanks and left her soon after, proving her point. Her face fell as he closed the doors behind her. She sank down to the floor feeling trapped yet again. Her identities were gone, she was no-one again. She couldn't go out for fear of being caught, she was locked here. She had nothing she wanted from life, and could get nothing. Her purpose was stolen, her future misted and she spend her time keeping out of Lex's way trying to entertain herself with activities she couldn't care less about. Really, had anything changed since Lionel had locked her away?
Her bare feet padded across the shiny floor, her fingers running the bristles of the many brushes. But she wasn't in the mood to paint, didn't care to dance, didn't want anything but her freedom. Maybe if she unmasked Mr 'I Heart Leather', she'd be free from Lex and could settle down on some remote island that cared nothing for her past. Maybe she could finally find a man who could hold her interest. Right now, the only man holding her attention was Green Arrow. He'd be unmasked and captured soon, she'd see to that herself.
-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX -
So, even without knowing it Chloe has her attentions of Oliver. It's a match made in heaven :D
More GA/Chloe next chapter.
Xx