Ah yes, I remember, you were about to kill me because Chloe got drugged and stolen and Ollie got thrown into a wall… or something.
This chapter may be a little soppy for the emotional of you. I personally didn't find it that bad, but I wrote it… and I have a heart of stone…
But if you are a tender person I think you should hug a teddy-bear or a tissue box while you read some italics… just in case you need some comfort.
I know italics in M's usually mean 'let's dim the lights and get our smut on' but I thought I should change that expectation and make italics less of a lemon and more of a boiling pit of lava and tears. (Sorry, but I've never been one to go with the mundane 'flow'.)
Chapter Twenty One; Darkest Fears
Chloe came back tied to a chair in what she could only imagine was a cheap motel room. The dull lighting and tacky furnishings said as such. She wiggled her fingers checking she still had free will. She did.
Constantly on guard she surveyed the room. Nobody was here. Moving her wrists she created space in the rope bindings, enough to cause her skin to redden and pull sore but also force her hands through. After that she tackled her feet bindings freeing her self completely. She couldn't exactly say she was comfortable how she was, not with her jeans rubbing against her, she had Ollie to blame for that, but it was much better than being tied down.
She tried the door first. Like any good captures they remembered to lock it. She hunted through draws for a key, or anything to break the lock. Before she could even open the top draw she was thrown back against a wall and listening to her bones protest at the might.
"Naughty Miss Sullivan. I preferred you when you were asleep." The voice was deep and broken. Her heart thundered in its cage. That voice she had no trouble placing. She looked up from the floor, to the larger driver man who she had seen before and another form made solely from black, a shadow man.
"Eddie Greenburg." she muttered, feeling the words claw at her raw throat. Clearly that coffee had done more than just removed her self control. It also scorched the sensitive skin of her throat and stirred a croak in her dry words.
The man she saw before her was a meteor freak too; encased in shadows wherever he stepped.
"Oh, you can drop the formalities. My name is Charles Feston." That was the great grandfather. "You will call me 'Master' if you want to survive this. Not that I'm making promises."
"Charles Feston is dead; you used his death certificate to fake your own death." The shadows nodded at the larger man and before she could blink a fist had slammed into her face. Pain flared bright and strong spreading like a fire across her face. Her eyes watered from the suddenness and the ache that refused to leave.
"You will speak when spoken to Miss." Charles corrected. "But I will answer your questions. I am Charles Feston, my grandson was Frank Greenburg. Dear Frank didn't want his beloved Grandfather to die and used his experiments on meteors to save my life. When I died he didn't realised it had worked. His descendant Eddie re-covered the research following Frank's footsteps and finished me off. Next thing I know I've come back, like this." He held his arms out. "But very much so alive. I took my revenge on my meddling great-grandson with my own hands. And I borrowed his shape for a while."
"Then why kill us? We didn't do this to you." Another nod and another blow to Chloe's face, her lip splitting on her teeth and blood trickling down her chin in a cold slimy trail.
"I won't be so kind if I have to remind you again Miss Sullivan." The shadow took seat on the motel bed. "You may not have done this to me. But as soon as these heroes's fall, the city will fall. When the city falls, there will be those who rise up to take its control. I will be leading foremost of them and shall claim Metropolis." It made no sense. But she didn't dare ask another question.
At her silence she was praised. "Good girl Miss Sullivan. You learn fast. Perhaps it won't take you long to learn that when I am not pleased it will effect you greatly. Now, let's start with the real questions. Who are the superhero's you work for?" She clamped down on her jaw.
Clearly whatever potion they dosed her with had worn off long ago and she had no reason to answer any of his questions. "Last chance Miss Sullivan. Who do you work for?" Her eyes shot insults at him, but her lips stayed shut. "Blast. Leave us please." The shadow man turned to his accomplice and the larger man almost ran to the door. It did nothing for Chloe's nerves. To see a man like that run from someone, you knew you should follow.
"Blast will return shortly. He's cooking you up a nice bomb I suppose since you so rudely evaded his first attempts." Large guy was explosive guy then, she narrowed down. "But now, you will answer me my question for I am running low on patience." At her silence the shadow huffed and raised his arms toward her. Like watching the colour run from a water painting the shadows left him, instead stood a human coloured male matching the driving license of Eddie Greenburg. But the shadows weren't gone, instead they shot from his fingertips tying her to the wall and playing on all her worse fears. Bringing up haunting images from the back of her mind and throwing them at her. She saw horrors rolling on a loop, claiming all those she held dear.
She came back in a cold sweat of terror. Her breathing wavered, her throat burning with fresh tears and the old scrape of boiling coffee she consumed. The shadows were back around the man like a cloak as he crouched curiously before her.
"Are we ready to try again Miss Sullivan?" Shaking with fear she stayed frozen, not saying anything. "No? But we were doing so well. And you have so many fears to play with." he jested, his tone tauntingly haunting. "I'll give you a second then we'll try again." He waited, leaning against the dresser, the darkness seeping into it, like waves of ooze, before it fully turned black he spoke again and it receded. "Now. I think I've been more than generous with your insolence. Answer my questions Miss Sullivan or watch all your friends die before you." He pushed off, taking a step forward. "Who are the vigilantes?" She didn't answer. He shot shadows at her again. Pinning her through her fears. She could not run, could not fight, could not hide.
She could only suffer and hope she stayed silent.
Not calling out for Oliver as she watched a knife drive into his heart.
To not shout as she watched the blood flow from his many cuts.
To not scream as they carved into his dead body, destroying the memory.
Light came back to her eyes as the shadows withdrew, back to their owner. "You are very tight lipped Miss Sullivan." he commented. His deep voice booming against the walls, shattering all hope. "Who are the vigilantes?" he asked again. At her continued silence the shadows attacked her again. His voice rode over the inner screams. "How many are there?" She knew then and there he couldn't see into his own cloud he created. She knew because she witnessed the death of each and every one over and over again. She had seen their names etched on the tomb stones surrounded by the thick morning mist as she grieved.
He may be able to know what he creates, but he saw no details. She locked her jaw, holding back in the screams. "What are there weaknesses?" Clark knelt, crippled before green kryptonite his head taken clean off his shoulders. She squeaked but no words thankfully. The deaths stopped in the darkness, but it did not lift.
Instead the firing questions took a new turn, and his voice dropped to curious. "What are your fears Miss Sullivan? What do you see in the back of your mind when your heart beat pounds? What makes death favourable?" Chloe saw something she had been dreading all along.
'Patient's name is Chloe Sullivan.' Chloe looked down at herself, her hands bound in a straight jacket as she was walked along the halls. A doctor at each shoulder.
'Ah, it must be hereditary. Her mother was a patient here. We tried all things to cure her. Nothing worked. She was stuck, forever like that. Didn't even know what she was doing half the time.' He was tall and unseen for anything more than the white lab coat and stethoscope hanging neatly from around his neck.
'Moira Sullivan?' The nurse was much the same, just her bland scrubs seen.
'Yes, you remember her. Poor case. Nothing could be done.' Did they care nothing for their conversations?
'Yes Doctor. Tragic. And for her daughter to suffer the same fate. It's cruel'
'She's already slipping into catatonia; she probably doesn't even know what's happening to her. Put her with her mother. They should be together in their final hours.' Chloe felt herself be guided away. She opened her mouth but no words came out. She tried to move but nothing happened. She blinked and she was being placed in a secure cot opposite her mother. She turned her head, calling out to her mother.
'Shush little one. You're safe now. No-one will hurt you.' Chloe felt bindings go over her arms and legs tying her down. She was met by her mother's eyes, washed over with pain and suffering. 'Sleep well' the nurse spoke to both the women. As soon as she left her mother's voice filled Chloe's ears. Mouths never moved, but Chloe could hear her as clear as the perfectly crystal thoughts in her own head.
'Kill me Chloe. Please. I can't take the pain. End my suffering. Have I not suffered enough?' Tears burned at her eyes. Her voice filled with anguish. Chloe locked eyes with her mother. She was worn out, dying and without any joy in the entire world.
'Mom. I can't. I can't reach you.' Burning tears leaked, dripping like acid over her sweating skin.
'Then it's too late.' Her mother summarised, turning back to stare at the ceiling; unable to meet her daughter's eyes for the cruel truth. 'No-one's coming to save you Chloe. No-one's going to visit, not even to see you. No-one cares about you now. You're all alone, forever trapped inside this hell. Doctor's won't save you. Nobody helps the helpless. Admit your fate my child.' She breathed deep 'You are my blood after all.'
Blackness swallowed her again but as she was taken prey, a different scene played before her.
'I don't care what happened. I don't want you anymore. Go away. The very sight of you makes me sick' Chloe found herself in Oliver's apartment, watching as he packed a suitcase.
'Where are you going?' she asked and took a step forward only to find extra weight in her step. She looked down, unable to see her feet past a baby bump in her way. She had to be pretty far along.
'Anywhere I can where I don't have to look at your face.'
'Ollie? What's wrong?' She reached out with her hand, but was struck still by two shiny silver bands around her ring finger. Were they married? She scanned the room, a photo on the dresser had a snapshot of her in a wedding dress with Oliver kissing her. But there was a crack in the glass, like a fist had been thrown at it.
'Oh. Stop mooning over that fucking photo. Marrying you was the biggest mistake of my life, and I've made a good few to know exactly what that statement means.'
'But… the baby'
'Oh fuck. All I've heard from you the last few weeks are 'the baby this' and 'the baby that' 'what if the baby?' I swear if I ever see you with a baby again I'll kill you myself.' He fastened the suitcase and turned back to her. It was Oliver alright. From head to toe, all that was amiss was the teasing accent and cheeky grin. 'I told you to get that thing aborted as soon as you found out.'
'Ollie…I love you. Please don't'
'Yeah well Chloe. I don't love you. Never have. Never will. I may have thought I did, but like I said. I made a huge mistake. And now I'm paying for it with every second you continue to stand here.' He lifted the suitcase.
'Ollie. We can talk about this.'
'No Chloe. We can't. We've talked about this over and over. Then again some more with lawyers. You can have the apartment and whatever's in it. But this is it. You're out of my life. Out of the league. Lois and Clark don't want you around. Bart and Dinah couldn't care less, and I've got more woman than I can care for, all pawing for my attentions.'
'Ollie, please. Wait.' He stopped at the top of the stairs and turned back.
'Look Chloe. Seriously, you're not of any use to anyone. The quicker you accept that the easier it is.'
'But Brainiac. I can-'
'Chloe. Wake up. Brainiac went out of you months ago. Nothing's left. Nothing you can do is any different to Victor. But Victor comes with muscles, and can do more than just run from bad guys.'
'But-'
'Chloe, it's over.' he stated with finality. He took a deep breath and calmed slightly. 'I'm sorry I messed around with you. Sorry you thought I loved you. Hell I'm even sorry I got you pregnant. But I'm done with you and that's that. Move on and get a life that doesn't mean feeding on other's people's energy. Stand on your own two feet for once.' He patted her arm twice in goodbye and set off down the steps.
She could barely see through her tears but ran after him as the lift doors closed and took him from sight. Her entire heart went to that man. He promised to look after it and here she was, broken and alone again. Her foot caught and she tripped on the stair, tumbling to the wooden floors. Her bones ached, her muscles sore and a wet trickle ran warm down her thigh. The trickle turned into a flood, red liquid pouring from between her legs. The baby? She reached across pulling the table over and dragging the phone from the mess. Unable to focus on the waving numbers she hit speed dial one: Oliver's number. Two words came back to deliver the final blow. 'Call Rejected'. Breaking down in tears she let the blackness wash over her, her last dying breath being a sob.
Chloe gasped, raking in oxygen through her tears as the room finally returned. That wasn't Oliver she told herself over and over. Not Ollie. Ollie wouldn't do that. Her head lifted in her anger, her eyes blurred with tears, her cheeks lined with a hot track for them. They followed dutifully.
"Alright." The deep voice returned to her ears. "Maybe that was a little too much for such a frail female. I'll come back later shall I? Then maybe a few sparks of electricity will have loosened your tongue." The shadows left the door, instead being replaced by the guards; both twins. They locked the door with an electrical force field after their boss left, stopping any intruders or escapee's. Chloe listened to the outside, a car revving up and pulling away.
"Hey, you listening Blondie?" The blonde twin waved his hand in front of her face.
She blinked returning to the room.
"Good good. We got a special treat for you." The black haired twin stepped forward.
"Since you tried to shock us to death on your clever computer systems we've been dying to get our hands on you."
"Yeah. Show you our thanks. Repay you in kind. You had us shut down for a week you know." The dyed twin crouched before her, tilting his head.
"Clever stuff you got going on inside that brain of yours. And to think we thought you were human."
"How wrong we were. Don't quite know what you are though." His fingers reached out but stopped short of her skin.
"Meteor infected people don't have your power."
"Nor do natural human's." he agreed with his brother.
"What are you Blondie?" Internally she crossed her fingers, hoping desperately Brainiac could deal with this strain she was about to perform. It was her only way out.
"You'll never get anything from me." she rasped, her throat scratching. They grinned at each other and the blonde twin crouched on the other side of her. She looked at both of them, one directly to her left and the other to her right. If she was right, they would send a shock through her and to the other one. It would hurt like a bitch, but if she could touch them both as they did it she could jump back the shocks and power them down. Hopefully for good.
"We'll see about that." With a conspiring wink they raised their hands and no more than a second later she was screaming in pain, her system jolted alive with electricity. Brainiac seemed to kick wide awake, ready to play and her arms shot out to both twins sending them back the energy and soon the pain she had felt was running through them. Their bodies dropped to the floor vibrating under her hands, riding the shocks with agonised screams. She snapped her hands back, the shaking suddenly stopped on them leaving them unmoving on the muddied carpet.
Feeling a tingle on her face Chloe touched a hand to her lip, there was no blood, but she got a shock of static electricity. Brainiac had healed her, but at what cost? She kneeled forward, checking the pulse of both of her captures, hoping the barrier had dropped and the leaders had taken the car she heard pull out. Their pulse was dead, but it didn't mean a lot. If Charles had been resurrected, could he do the same to the twins? Or was it tailored to his DNA? Would they come back alive with an electric shock to jolt their systems? Could she find her way back home safely? So many things were buzzing around in her head making common sense disperse at a sprint.
She stood on shaky legs and was met by her mirror reflection. Her eyes were shining blocks of white all over, a silver sparking in the outer rim. She touched back to her face, studying closer. Suddenly the overhead lights blew out, glass shattering onto the carpet. More screams came from outside. Had she blown other fuses in the rest of the motel rooms? She rushed to the door, the electricity lock dissipating at her simple touch. Wasting no time she ran down the steps of the motel and into the car park. At least this time she had shoes on, she thought. She scanned around her as she run. The other lights were out across the entire neighbourhood but nobody was following her. She needed a ride. Ollie! Damn, she didn't have her phone. She could feel the pull of Brainiac's high ready to crash, it wouldn't be long now. Spotting a pay phone she dug into her pockets finding spare change and dialled for Oliver's cell. Hoping to god he had it with him.
"What?" he answered, she could almost hear the pacing. The worried man didn't enjoy calls from unknown numbers.
"Oliver." she breathed "Jetter's motel. I don't know where." She read the name from the parking sign used for customers.
"Chloe! I'm on my way. Are you okay?"
"Just… Hurry, please." If she crashed here and was found by anyone who wasn't Ollie she had no idea where she might wake up.
"Chloe. Keep talking to me. What happened?" She could hear the lift clunk to a stop and his feet fast on the pavement as he threw himself into the car.
"Ollie. I can't I need… Hurry please." She hung up and staggered toward the shading of the trees.
Brainiac had been on a severe high from the energy of the twins, and the higher they go, the harder they fall. Right now she was plummeting at a great speed. The gravel blurred in with the grass. The cars became mere blobs of shapeless colour. Her heart was beating in her ears, her world was spinning and not slowing down. She felt her hands connect with the bark of a tree trunk and she hugged close, lowering herself to the ground, taking deep slow breaths. Sure, the twins' electricity had got Brainiac going at full speed and healing her. But all that excess hadn't had anywhere to go in her body, instead it had blacked out all the lights in the area after stopping the hearts of two of her jailers. And right now, it was trying to find an escape where there wasn't one. Her hands met the grass and after that she saw nothing but black. Heard nothing but silence. Felt nothing but death.
That's right. Another cliff for you to dangle from. How cruel am I recently? I feel like an evil master mind. Maybe I should get a PHD so I can be a doctor of evil. Oh yes…I like that idea.
Now now readers. Let's think before we come after me with sharp instruments.
Dead writer = No more story
Hunting down and torturing writer = No more story
Harming the darling angel writer in any way = No more story.
'Kay?
Good, lovely. See you next chapter (If I'm still alive).
As a random side note; have you seen the reviews? Look how pretty they are. And they're getting closer to 100. I've never had 100 reviews before. It's so exciting. *Jumps up and down clapping wildly*