Déjà Vu
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Lex shook the doctor’s hand as he entered the office. “Dr. Benson, have a seat. I’d like to hear about your recent findings. You sounded quite urgent over the phone.”
Dr. Benson pushed up his glasses with a forefinger, then took a seat in front of Lex’s desk. “Yes, Mr. Luthor. Thank you,” he said as he straightened his gray suit jacket, and set his briefcase on his lap. “As you know, I’ve been going over patient files and test data results of some of the meteor infected that you’ve examined over last two years.” Dr. Benson, opened the briefcase, pulling out a file. “I’m quite surprised actually, that your researchers missed a few promising subjects.”
“What do you mean?” Lex sat forward with interest, resting his elbows on his desk.
“Well, for instance, this young lady.” The doctor handed him a file. “In it, your researchers claim no evidence of an ability is evident, yet her data indicates high levels of meteor concentration in her heart, as well other data that suggests an amazing ability.”
Lex opened the file, reading the name contained therein. “Chloe Sullivan?” Now Lex was intrigued. He stood up from his desk rounding it to stand in front of the doctor. “What are you suggesting, doctor? What could her ability possibly be?”
“I believe all the data indicates that Ms. Sullivan there has a healing ability,” he gestured toward the folder Lex held. “How advanced or potent her ability is, remains to be seen, but I’d wager the girl is a healer.”
Lex’s mind worked. “A healer.” He leaned against the desk, lifting his eyes from the folder in his hands, addressing the doctor. “And how would we discover this for certain?”
“Simple. Have her heal someone.”
“And if we turn out to be wrong?”
The doctor shrugged, emitting a short humorless laugh. “Well, then I suppose the injured party will have to heal the old fashioned way. On their own.”
Lex gazed down once more at the name on the folder, a small smile curving his lips. He turned to the doctor once more. “Thank you doctor. May I keep this?” He indicated the file, lifting it slightly.
“Of course, I have my own copy,” the doctor said as he rose from his chair.
Lex extended his arm, shaking the doctor’s hand. “Good. Keep me informed of any others you find.”
“Will do, Mr. Luthor. Let me know if you find Ms. Sullivan, she’d be a fascinating subject.”
Lex smiled mysteriously. “Oh, I’m sure she will be doctor. Very sure indeed.”
* * * * *
Chloe pressed her cheek against his chest, feeling safe and loved in the cocoon of his arms. She sighed contentedly, slipping her arm around his middle. They weren’t really watching the movie anyway. Stealing moments together was something she should be used to by now, but any alone time they had was usually spent snuggled up on his couch together like now, or in bed, and those occasions when they could sneak away for dinner, or take walks together trying to avoid the notice of paparazzi. Twice he’d surprised her, whisking her away for weekends in Paris, and Rome on the pretense of work related League business, that turned out to be wonderful and amazing, and everything but work. He’d spoiled her. It made her feel a bit uncomfortable; she was still a Kansas girl after all, but she let him indulge himself a bit.
Chloe couldn’t help but smile. Oliver was usually a fairly stoic man, but underneath the tough, sometimes arrogant, overconfident, cocky façade of green leather, and League leader, and well-educated, shrewd multi-billionaire CEO, deep, deep down he was an incurable romantic at heart. He wasn’t a man who gave his heart away easily, or expressed his emotions often, but when he did, he gave everything, and she was simply happy to be here in his arms, sitting on his couch, not having to worry about anyone catching them together. He was leaving for Star City tomorrow, and she was glad to have this time alone with him.
His voice rumbled softly in his chest against her ear. “Do you really want to risk exposing yourself, and have Lex possibly discover your ability?” Oliver ran his fingers through her hair. It had been a week. Chloe and Victor had done searches and investigations, but no information could be found about the missing infected victims, and within the week’s time, two more meteor-infected on the list had disappeared without a trace. Oliver didn’t like the idea that she wanted to go in on some undercover scheme pretending to see Dr. Benson on the pretense of seeking treatment for her meteor infection.
“No. But what better way to find out what Lex is up to?”
“You know if he finds out, he’ll only use you.”
“Not if he can’t get to me.”
“And you don’t think he won’t try? Come on, Chloe, you know him as well as I do.”
She turned her head, resting her chin on his chest, looking up at him. “He already knows I’m meteor infected. What’s to stop him from gathering me up along with others now?”
Oliver cupped her cheek, his thumb gently stroking beneath her eye. “The difference is, he doesn’t know you have a healing ability. For all he knows, you have no ability at all.”
“True. But his desperation is showing. He’s getting sloppy, and he’s going through that list. Last time I checked, my name was on it.” His chest tightened with worry, and Chloe watched his face as his expression changed. She sat up, placing her hand at his nape, threading her fingers into his hair, touching her forehead against his cheek. “Nothing’s going to happen to me, Ollie.”
“Then please wait and let us find more information first, Chloe,” he whispered. “I want to get Lex just as badly as you do, and I’m sometimes the one who reacts without thinking, but this time we can’t simply react. There’s too much at stake if you try to go in there pretending to seek treatment for your meteor infection.”
She kissed his cheek softly. “I just feel as though I need to do something, Ollie.”
“I know you do. So do I. But I can’t risk anything happening to you, Chloe. And knowing he’s after the meteor infected is just not doing anything to ease my concerns for your safety. I don’t want to just go in there without knowing more about what Lex is up to.” He took her face in his hands, his gaze intense, his dark eyes pleading. “Please promise me that you won’t do anything on your own.”
“I promise,” she said. And she meant it.
Oliver stared into her eyes, having learned how to read her emotions. She wasn’t lying to him, he was sure of it. She’d never lied to him before. Satisfied that she wouldn’t go off and do something without his protection, he closed his eyes in relief, and pulled her head down against his chest once more. “Okay.” He breathed deeply, exhaling slowly. “When I come back from Star City, we’ll figure this out, and we’ll do something about it. That’s my promise.”
“It’s a deal.”
They were silent for a while, simply holding each other.
“What’s this movie about anyway?” He asked.
“I have no idea.”
“I’m leaving tomorrow,” he murmured into her hair. “I can think of a better way to spend the rest of the night,” he intoned suggestively, his hand sliding down over her bottom.
“Oh really? What’s that?”
He took her hand, removing it from his back, sliding it over his hard stomach and guiding it toward the zipper of his blue jeans. He then lifted her chin, his lips seeking hers, pressing soft, slow, persuasive kisses over her mouth as she stroked, rubbing him gently over the denim pants, feeling him grow and harden against her palm, his hips moving upward, pressing himself against her hand. It never failed to amaze her, just how her touch and her nearness could affect him so. She wasn’t certain why it fascinated her, but it did. Maybe because she never in a million years ever expected to be falling in love with Oliver Queen or that he would fall in love with her. But here they were, and now he was picking her up, hoisting her over his shoulder like a sack, her butt in the air. And she was laughing and calling him a cave man as he made his way to the bedroom.
“What?” he protested innocently. “Even my cave man wants his woman before he as to leave her.”
She couldn’t stop laughing. “Ollie put me down!” she squealed.
He did. Tossed her onto the bed. And though his cave man made a brief appearance, Oliver made love to her slowly and sweetly, leaving his woman feeling breathless, and loved, and happy.
* * * * *
Chloe entered the ISIS building, turning on lights as she went. She stepped into the office area, removing her jacket hanging it on the coat rack. Setting her purse and her take out coffee cup down on the desk, she booted up the computer systems.
She was using the foundation’s resources to try to glean information about the missing victims. If Lex were looking for something in particular, she’d hoped she could discover some common thread among those missing.
“Excuse me, Miss? I need help, please, can you help me?”
Chloe turned around at the sound of the voice, and entered the main room. “Oh my God, are you all right?”
The dark-haired young man in front of her was bleeding profusely from a wound to his arm, just under the edge of his white t-shirt. One hand covered the injury in an attempt to staunch the bleeding. “I was on my way here, because I’d heard about this place. I was caught in the last meteor shower.” The young man paused, wincing in pain. “Two guys, I dunno where they came from, took my wallet, my cell phone... one of them had a knife.” He gazed at her, pleading. “Can you all a cab for me, so I can get to the hospital, I think it’s deep, cut some tendons I think, please Miss.”
Chloe bit her lip. Her face etched with uncertainty and concern. “Come in here,” she gestured toward the rear section, behind the waiting room. “Have a seat, let me take a look at it.”
The teenager removed his hand, and blood flowed from the long, deep gash in his arm. “If you could just call someone, I’d be grateful.”
The knife had cut through muscle, and Chloe winced at the sight of it. “Listen to me. I can help you, but you must tell no one, understood?”
He gazed up at her wide-eyed, in obvious pain. He nodded. “Anything, Miss.”
“Okay,” she said quietly. Then placed her hands over the wound. Brilliant light emanated from her hands and the young man looked on in wonder. Warm sensations entered him, flooding him, radiating through the injured part of his body where she touched him, and within seconds his pain was gone, but now her face was twisted slightly in pain, and just as soon as it had begun, it was ended.
“Holy shit! That is amazing! Is that what happened to you from the meteors?”
Chloe didn’t answer his question. “Go and wash the blood from your arm, and if you need to call anyone, you can use my phone.” She leaned against the desk for support, slightly weakened as the young man headed for the nearby restroom.
When he’d returned, he was rubbing his arm over the non-existent wound. “Thank you so much, Miss. I-I don’t know how I can ever thank you enough.”
Chloe offered him a small smile. “Please tell no one, and that will be enough.”
“I won’t, I promise,” he smiled back, leaving the ISIS building then, walking to the corner and around to the alley.
He stepped up to a black limousine. The window came down, and he showed the occupant his arm.
“Good work, kid,” Lex said as he handed the young man a wad of bills.
“No problem dude, easiest thousand bucks I’ve ever made.”
Lex smiled indulgently. “Best thousand bucks I’ve ever spent. Remember our deal. You tell anyone you ever saw me and I’ll do more than slash your arm.”
End Chapter 2
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