Anything But Ordinary
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Murder rates had been rising over the past few months in Metropolis, all indications pointing toward a serial killer, or perhaps some kind of cult, but things just didn’t add up. The murders had been gruesome, almost as though the victims were killed by some vicious, wild, bloodthirsty animal, bodies torn and broken beyond belief. This had piqued Chloe’s curiosity. Most serial killers she’d heard about usually killed their victims in some methodical, similar way, but these murders were almost haphazard, the killer (or killers) never focusing on one way of killing or one particular kind of victim. There seemed to be no common thread among those who’d lost their lives, and even authorities were baffled.
This however, sent alarm bells ringing for Chloe, who’d been investigating the weird, strange and otherworldly since she could remember. Maybe this was no human serial killer. What if there was one remaining phantom that had escaped with Clark? One they hadn’t found? One that was so deadly, that even Clark couldn’t stop it? One that was so inconspicuous, that neither she nor Clark could find it? What if there were another alien being, just like Kara who had been buried here on earth, only to awaken recently?
She’d tried to talk to Oliver about it, thinking he could help. Maybe he’d seen something while patrolling, or perhaps with his satellite resources they could glean some information through images. But Oliver had apparently hung up the green leather and traded it in for a black cloak woven of despair and indifference, not caring about anyone or anything. Chloe worried over him. Part of her understood. The choices in a hero’s life were never easy ones, the burdens never light. But she couldn’t hide her disappointment and anger at a man she considered more hero than Clark at times. Was it easier to be a hero when you were a mere mortal, and you risked it all when you had no superpowers? Chloe didn’t think so. And maybe she could forgive Oliver his human frailties. But she couldn’t forgive his choice to turn his back on the world, when he’d already done so much good in it. And she couldn’t stand by and watch him waste away, deny who he was, and sink into oblivion, but neither could she bring herself to go to the penthouse again.
Chloe bit her lip as she stared at the ISIS computer screen, eyes not really focused on the most recent serial killer article in front of her. She’d never seen Oliver that way before. Ever. Some part of her wanted to simply comfort him, while another part of her never wanted to speak to him again, and thus far she’d stayed away from him, hadn’t seen or talked to him in two weeks. She should forget about him, she had other things to deal with, but she couldn’t forget, couldn’t stop thinking of him.
“Hey, pretty lady.”
Chloe lifted her gaze, startled to see the handsome, smiling face of Davis Bloom, dressed in his EMT uniform.
“I bring you nectar of the gods,” he grinned, handing her a tall, warm Starbucks cup. “You’re always burning the candle at both ends.”
Chloe blushed, taking the cup from him. “Thank you, and how do you know?”
He shrugged, lifting a broad shoulder. “Lucky guess. You just seem like the driven, determined type.”
“Well, for someone that I’ve only met a few times, you certainly have me pegged.”
“In my line of work, I’ve learned to read people fairly well. It could mean life or death.”
“Impressive.”
“That was the plan.” He said, his eyes darkening as they probed hers. He leaned toward her casually against the desk.
“To impress me?”
“That, and to convince you to stop working on whatever it is you’re working on, and come have dinner with me.”
“Uh…. Mr. Bloom… Davis. I’m really sorry, but I can’t. Somehow I don’t think my fiancé would appreciate that.”
His gaze upon her didn’t waver; the covetous, primal look in his eyes spoke volumes, and Chloe felt as though he could see into her soul. “That’s too bad,” he whispered. “A real shame.”
The sound of the door closing diverted their attention from one another. “Chloe.”
She was almost relieved. “Clark,” she smiled up at him as he entered.
Immediately Bloom’s demeanor changed. He stood to his full height, his gaze upon Clark momentarily murderous. He hid it quickly. There was something about Clark Kent, some knowledge he possessed about him, something familiar that evoked hatred and rage. He was supposed to hate Clark Kent, but why he did not know. Visions of death flashed in his mind. Dying over and over and over again, only to be reborn each time stronger and more hate-filled, and somehow Kent or someone like him was responsible for the agony of his many deaths, causing him to hate all life, causing him to despise Clark Kent.
Davis Bloom blinked, the visions fleeing. He turned to Chloe. “Well, I should be going. Enjoy the rest of your evening, Chloe, and don’t stay up too late,” he admonished, turning with a backward glance and a nod toward Clark as he left.
Clark stared after the retreating Davis Bloom. There was something odd about him, something Clark didn’t trust. It was as though Bloom was hiding some dark, horrible secret. When he looked at Clark, his eyes seemed to register something, as though he knew who Clark was, where he was from, knew that he wasn’t human. Clark couldn’t explain it, but it was there.
“Chloe, what was Davis Bloom just doing here?”
“Oh. Uh. I don’t know. Okay, well. He brought me some coffee, and then…. asked me to dinner. But don’t worry Clark, I shot him down. Told him Jimmy wouldn’t like it.”
“Good. I don’t trust that guy.”
“Really? Why?”
“Just something about him, something… dangerous.”
Chloe laughed it off, shutting down her computer, making ready to close up ISIS. “Come on, Clark, the guy’s an EMT, he saves people’s lives on a daily basis, how dangerous can he be?”
Clark knew he couldn’t give her any answer that made logical sense. “Just, I don’t know. Stay away from him.”
Chloe turned after slinging her purse over her shoulder, to stare at him in disbelief. “Clark. You can’t tell me who to be friends with. Now, unless you needed me for something, I have to meet Jimmy. We’re picking out wedding invitations, and with our budget we’ll be lucky if we can afford even the cheapest ones. I may have to resort to some creative haggling.”
She had to mention wedding invitations. Clark’s gut twisted, and he wanted to say something. Don’t marry him, Chloe. But he was silent. In truth, Clark’s feelings for her had become muddled lately. He wasn’t certain what he felt for her. He loved her, of course, she was his best friend, but he couldn’t seem to form the words to tell her she was making the biggest mistake of her life, marrying Jimmy Olsen. It’s not that Jimmy was a bad guy; he just wasn’t the right guy for Chloe.
“It’s nothing, really,” he said, offering her a smile. “Go on, I know you’re busy.”
“Are you sure?”
Clark wanted to talk to her about Oliver, thinking he’d listen to her, and that she could possibly talk some sense into him, but thought better of it. “Yeah, it’s fine.”
* * * * *
She was crazy. She had to be. Another series of murders had her out here alone in the dark of night, illegally entering a crime scene in search of clues. Maybe because this time it was too close to home. Not two blocks away from the Talon, the bodies of a young couple were found mutilated beyond recognition. The police had kept the condition of the bodies hushed, but Chloe’s inside connections didn’t fail her, and it was revealed that even several of the officers would attest that it was the work of some wild animal. But there were no Siberian tigers on the loose in Smallville, and no animal Chloe could think of would cause such damage. The woman had been pregnant, the fetus torn from her stomach, ripped from her body, and shredded. No. This was not the work of a serial killer or a wild animal. This was the work of some demonic force, something not of this earth, Chloe was certain of it. She’d thought she’d seen just about everything her wall of weird could contain, but she’d never seen anything like this.
Chloe found herself behind the darkened building, and entering the opened back yard, she stepped carefully under the yellow police tape, flashlight in her hand. She glanced around. Not a human soul in sight, only the sounds of crickets, and night creatures’ soft rustlings and churrings could be heard.
Why had the creature chosen Smallville? Up until now, the murders had been concentrated in Metropolis. Why so close to the Talon? Was it merely random? The beam from her flashlight swept the ground in front of her, the grass stained a dark red, pieces of what she thought were dried flesh still clinging to the flattened blades. Chloe shivered, covering her mouth as her gag reflex kicked in, and she swallowed against the bile that threatened to rise in her throat.
She’d had to sneak out of the house after Jimmy had fallen asleep. Thoughts of Jimmy brought back their earlier conversation. She loved him. She did. He was her rock, her sense of normalcy in a world where aliens, and healing powers, and creatures from other worlds killed humans for sport. And then suddenly, she understood. Maybe that’s what Oliver wanted. Normalcy. Maybe that’s why he’d wanted to try again with Lois. Lois represented a normal life, just as Jimmy did. But the truth was that both she and Oliver had to change the very essence of who they were in order to have that normalcy. Was it right? Maybe that’s the sacrifice they’d have to make to live a regular, ordinary life. Maybe it was worth it. But maybe when you went against your true nature, it created nothing but discord and havoc in your soul, and those were the demons Oliver battled. She and Oliver had something in common. Their lives were anything but ordinary.
And there had been a lot of discord lately. She’d begun to grow weary of Jimmy’s constant need for reassurance. His insecurities, while understandable at times, seemed to need constant attention. She’d agreed to marry him, spend the rest of her life with him but apparently that was not enough to erase his doubts about her, or their relationship. She thought back to Oliver’s biting words. They had stung her, because they were true. Jimmy needed too much mothering and coddling.
Chloe heard the swift movement, and rustlings of something in the bushes. She spun, turning her flashlight beam in the direction of the sound, and saw nothing but the movement of vegetation. Something or someone was there. Her pulse pounded in her ears. “Who’s there?” She called. Her answer was a low, eerie rumbling sound, not unlike a growl. Then it screeched loudly, piercing her ears painfully, causing her to drop her flashlight, to cover them. It seemed to come closer to her, then stop. Chloe could sense that whatever it was, simply watched her. What are you waiting for? If you’re going to kill me, just do it. Chloe, without benefit of light could only make out the large shape. She thought she saw huge teeth and claws, but it moved so quickly, circling her that she couldn’t be certain. Chloe pivoted, searching blindly in the darkness. She could hear it’s breathing, panting, growling low. But still it made no attempt to attack her.
The unmistakable whir and thwack of an arrow preceded the sound of another otherworldly scream, and she heard the creature flee in the direction of the offender who’d delivered it, growling and snarling. What happened next, Chloe couldn’t say, it was all a blur, and a rush, but one moment her feet were firmly planted on the ground in sheer terror, and the next she was being grabbed up and swung and lifted into the air. A cry of surprise escaped her, and instinctively she wrapped her arms around him. She closed her eyes, heart pounding wildly as she clung desperately to the hard, leather clad body that held her as they soared higher.
When they’d landed on a nearby rooftop, Chloe gazed up into his hooded face, trying to catch her breath, her eyes wide. “What was that thing? And what are you doing here?”
“I have no idea. And I was going to ask you that question.”
Chloe suddenly realized that her body was pressed almost entirely against the length of his, his arm was still wrapped around her. She shoved at his chest. His arm fell away, and she gained some distance. “None of your business, and I asked first.” She turned away from him, looking at him askance, then away.
“I just saved your ass. I think I deserve an answer, or at very least a thank you.”
Chloe crossed her arms over her chest, unwilling to give him that much. She glanced at him begrudgingly out of the corner of her eye, lifting her chin stubbornly. “Thank you.” She squared her shoulders and faced him. “I thought you hung up the green leather,” she accused.
“I did.”
“What? No drunken hookup tonight?”
“Jimmy let you out of the house tonight?”
Her eyes thinned, as she stared daggers at him.
Oliver couldn’t say why, but verbal sparring with her stirred his blood, lit a fire in him that he hadn’t felt in a long time. He flashed her a sensuous, wicked smile. “I’ll bet he doesn’t even know where you are. You snuck out of the house while he was sleeping in your bed. Shame on you Chloe, I thought you were better than that.”
Chloe stepped up close, peering up into his hooded face, her gaze contemptuous. “Don’t talk to me about who’s better, Mr. Arrow. At least I know who’s in my bed.” She turned away from him then, intending to make an exit, but felt the strong grip of his fingers on her arm pulling her back toward him.
“Why should you care? Are you jealous?”
Chloe glanced down at the gloved hand that encircled her upper arm. She lifted defiant eyes to his face, wishing he’d take the blasted night vision glasses off so that she could see his eyes. “Are you?” she challenged.
Oliver was quiet for a long moment, and finally let his hand slide down her arm as it fell away. “Maybe,” he said softly. “Maybe I’m envious, because you’ve found a balance in your life that I can’t seem to find.”
“Oliver…” She wanted to tell him that he was fine just the way he was, that he had done so much good in the world, that he was a hero, and that he’d find someone who would accept him, and love him, and help him carry his heroic burdens. He didn’t have to change who he was, because there was nothing wrong with who he was. Instead she said, “I haven’t found the balance either,” she sighed, confessing quietly. “But it doesn’t stop me from doing what I think is the right thing to do, even if it’s dangerous or crazy.” She shrugged helplessly. “And that’s why I sneak out of the house.”
“You shouldn’t be with someone if you have to hide yourself from them.”
“And neither should you.”
“It’s easier when you know who you are,” he gestured toward her, indicating that she seemed to know exactly what she was about. “And I just don’t know who I am anymore, Chloe.”
“Well, I wish you would find out.”
He shook his head. “It makes no difference.”
“Is that really what you think?” She placed a soft, warm hand on his arm. “Why are you here? I mean, here right now, what were you doing here, really?”
He hesitated. “I’ve been keeping an eye on you,” he admitted. “Since the day after you came to the penthouse. You said… you said you needed me.”
“I see. And saving my ass the way you did just now makes no difference?”
“Of course… yes, of course it does. But I’m not like you, Chloe. I’m not like Clark or any of the other guys. I’m just a man. Some guy with a lot of money and fancy gadgets, who fooled himself into thinking he could do something, be something bigger than he was. And what did it get me? I lost someone I cared about, I was poisoned...” his voice trailed off and he shook his head. “It’s not worth it.”
“Is that what you think being a hero is? Having some kind of power? Never experiencing heartache? Never questioning why? If you think it’s about asking what’s in it for you, what you’ll get out of it, then you’re right. You’re not the hero I thought you were.”
That she thought he was a hero at all was a wonder to him. He wished he deserved the compliment. “There’s something else,” he paused. He might as well tell her all of it. “It’s Tess Mercer. Let’s just say we have a history. I think she knows who the Green Arrow is. I’m sure she’s the one responsible for poisoning me. I’m pretty sure she had something to do with the time I spent stranded on that island. So for now I lay low, hang up the green chaps, and I try to live my life simply being Oliver Queen, billionaire playboy.”
“But Oliver Queen is not happy simply being Oliver Queen, and the Green Arrow would never take this lying down. If Tess is behind any of this, he’d fight it.”
“If I truly thought any of this was worth it, I would. But I have my doubts. I’ll deal with Tess in my own way, and in my own time.”
“You know there’s a killer on the loose. You saw that thing… that creature. How can you walk away, how can you quit now?”
“It’s not my fight. Not anymore.”
He saw her crestfallen expression, her beautiful green eyes saddened, as though she’d just lost something very precious and dear, and something made him reach up to touch her cheek with gentle, gloved fingertips. His hand moved to cup her cheek, his thumb caressing beneath her eye.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you, Sidekick,” he whispered, and then, leaned forward, pressing soft, warm lips against her forehead. “Please forgive me. For everything.”
End Chapter 2
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