Poison
Chapter 10
Chapter 10
The soft light of early morning filtered into the bedroom as Oliver watched her sleep, his heart full. Dark eyes drifted over her sweet face, as quiet fingers brushed the hair from her cheek and traced her jaw line, his thumb passing over the fullness of her bottom lip. It was her livelihood to expose truths. Although she may at times deny her own truths, Chloe often didn’t allow her friends to hide from theirs, and he was no exception. Last night was an awakening experience that left him reeling. Her selflessness humbled him once again, and he knew now without a doubt, that he would do anything for her. She was it. This was it. This was how it was it was supposed to be.
This was what he thought he’d never find or have, and yet here she was, asleep next to him; a spunky little blonde reporter who’d figured him out on her own, shocking and impressing him at the same time. He couldn’t help but begrudgingly admire her for it, and they’d worked together since that moment. Even after Clark had introduced him to Dinah, in what Oliver considered an attempt at switching out ‘sidekicks’, he and Chloe still maintained a close working relationship that over time, grew into so much more.
He’d been with other women, perhaps even loved one or two of them along the way. Lois was one. But they weren’t meant to be; they’d wanted different things. Maybe if he had been honest with Lois about his proclivity toward green leather and a crime fighting alter ego, things would have been different. But he wasn’t honest with her, and he couldn’t blame her for being angry with him when he’d returned to Metropolis, nor could he blame her for not wanting to maintain the relationship. It had hurt both of them. He cared about Lois, and afterward, had pretty much given up on the idea of sharing his life with anyone.
Lois wasn’t too pleased when she’d discovered that he and Chloe were together. He couldn’t blame her for that either. But it had been over a year since their break up, and he’d hoped that Lois would understand. To her credit, she handled it maturely for the most part. Her main concern was for Chloe. Lois didn’t want him to hurt her as well, and she’d made certain to read him the riot act. It was hard at first, especially for Chloe, who loved her cousin and almost didn’t want to involve herself with him for fear of hurting her. But, whatever was happening between them couldn’t be denied, and the night of the Excelsior fundraiser, seeing her there, stunning in her emerald gown, trying to argue with him as she stood barefoot, under a tree, a bit tipsy, a bit jealous; he knew in that moment that he was going kiss her, and even then, some part of him knew that once he did, there’d be no going back. She’d become important to him, somehow finding her way into his heart without his knowledge. And now he knew without doubt or hesitation. This was it. She was everything.
Chloe stirred under his soft touchings, rolled to her side, her back to him, and Oliver moved closer, spooning behind her, draping his arm around her middle, nuzzling her hair. She awoke moments later, and he felt her hand, small, soft and warm, caress his arm as she scooted backward, closer, snuggling, wiggling slightly, and wedging her backside up against him.
She was half awake, becoming more aware now of the mild soreness and sticky wetness between her legs, and the dull ache inside, low in her belly. She was achy and in need of a shower, but all were sweet reminders that Oliver had been there hours ago. It had been a while for her; she hadn’t been with anyone since her break up with Jimmy over a year ago and her body had grown unaccustomed to intimacy. Chloe didn’t care. She had wanted Oliver inside her hard and deep. The initial discomfort of this first-time morning after with him would soon be gone, and meant nothing if she could wake up like this in his arms, held close against his body, his warm lips breathing soft, roving kisses over her shoulder, her neck, behind her ear.
“Mmmmm,” she murmured contentedly.
“Go back to sleep, Sidekick,” he said softly against her shoulder, his voice still thick from sleep. “It’s early, we can stay here a while.”
The phone rang.
A short, deep laugh escaped him, and he sighed. “Or, maybe not.” He moved slowly, reluctant to leave his comfortable position, and the warmth of Chloe’s body, then pressing a final kiss to her cheek, he sat up, grabbing the phone from the bedside table. Chloe turned to him laying her head on his shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around her back, hand curving around her waist, pulling her against his side.. “Hello? No, it’s fine, we’re awake… I mean…uh, I’m awake…” Chloe couldn’t help but notice him grin a little. “Shut up, Bart….” Chloe stifled a giggle, Oliver looked down at her, widening his eyes, then made a face and shrugged lightly. “No, you’re not interrupting anything….” He sighed good-naturedly, listening. “Because if you were, I wouldn’t be answering the phone, that’s why. What’s up?”
Oliver listened intently, his brows knit as Bart spoke. He then told him to round up the team, and meet in an hour, then hung up the phone.
“What is it?” Chloe asked.
“A lead on Dr. McClellan. And something else. Victor believes the doctor’s family has been under watch. He’s seen suspicious surveillance activity near the home where the girls are, and it’s not the police.”
Chloe sat up. “Do you think Lex is threatening the doctor’s family?”
“I don’t know, but we’re going to find out.” He grasped her hands then, pulling her up with him from the bed, the smile she loved so much appearing on his face. “Come with me, let’s go shower.”
* * * * *
“I can’t believe he’s probably been right under our noses the entire time!” Victor expelled an exasperated breath, as though chastising himself for not having discovered the information sooner. “It should have been the obvious and first place we looked.”
“But that makes no sense,” A.C. chimed in. “Why would he have him at Cadmus this whole time, knowing we’d recently targeted that lab?”
Oliver ran a hand through his hair. “Targeted, but not destroyed, besides, Lex wants this project completed, and the drug ready for use. Maybe he knew we wouldn’t look there, because it’s the obvious place.”
“I just hope he’s not threatened the doctor with harming his little girls,” Chloe said concernedly.
“Wait. I know something,” Clark interrupted, as though he’d suddenly remembered. “The night we found Oliver, I overheard Lex saying something about the doctor’s wife being in a coma, and how Lex was funding some research of his.”
Chloe stepped over to Oliver’s desk, settling herself behind the computer. “I’ll start checking for any information about the doctor’s wife, and how she may be involved in this. Sounds like Lex is holding something over Dr. McClellan’s head.” Her fingers danced over the keyboard, and her eyes took on a determined glint.
“That’s what I’m thinking,” Clark answered.
After a few moments, Chloe struck pay dirt. “Look.” She pointed to the screen, as they all crowded around her chair. “It seems that Mrs. McClellan was once a patient at Belle Rive years ago.”
“What like wacko or something?”
“I don’t think so, Bart,” Chloe answered, continuing to type away. “I think she was caught in the first meteor shower. Yes, look... her name is listed here in among others found in 33.1 facilities. She must be meteor infected.” Thoughts of her own mother, also meteor infected, and now catatonic flitted through Chloe’s mind, but she tucked them away as she continued her search. “Oh no.” She pointed again. “It seems that Dr. McClellan had been working on a cure for his wife’s meteor infection… but nothing else is written here. Nothing here indicates what, if any ability she may have had. I wonder how she ended up in a coma.”
“Maybe the research he’s doing, is to find a way to get her out of it.” Oliver said as he and Chloe looked at each other. “That might be what Lex is funding.”
Chloe gazed back at the computer screen and released a breath, blowing her bangs out of her eyes. “Poor Dr. McClellan.” She turned to Oliver once more. “If you guys are going to find the doctor and blow Cadmus, let me go to the home, and get the girls and their aunt to a safe place in the event Lex gets wind of anything, at least they’ll be okay.”
Oliver hesitated. “Chloe, there are men watching the house. If they see all of you leaving, you’ll be followed, and all of you will be in danger.”
She started to protest, but he placed a hand on her shoulder.
“One thing at a time, Chloe,” Oliver said. “We can all go as a team to get them to a secure location. That way if we run into any trouble, we can take care of it. Then we’ll find the doctor and get rid of Cadmus Labs.”
“Fine, but I’ll stay with them.” She said. “I know exactly where we can take them, and I can run comm. from there.”
“Where?”
“Your warehouse.”
End Chapter 10
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