Poison
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
“Mr. Luthor, there’s been a break-in, sir, at the Cadmus Labs facility.”
Lex sat up abruptly in his chair, switching the phone to the other ear. “What happened?”
“The vigilante, Green Arrow was apparently involved, but nothing was damaged except for the main lab.”
“I’ll be there soon. Notify Dr. McClellan. Tell him I want him back at the lab. Now.”
“Yes, sir.”
As soon as Lex arrived at Cadmus, he surveyed the damage. Dr. McClellan was already there, and approached him nervously.
“Mr. Luthor, almost all of our samples have been destroyed. Most of them here were strewn about the floor. I have no idea how much serum was spoiled or if anyone was accidentally exposed. The formulation was not yet to the exact concentration we needed it to be, and any exposure to the skin could be deadly.”
“Deadly you say.” Lex paused turning to gaze at the broken vials scattered on the floor. “Then I’m not worried doctor,” He said, a secretive smile curling his lips. If the Green Arrow was exposed, he’d find out soon enough. He turned to McClellan. “Let’s just get this cleaned up, and get the project back on schedule. I trust you’ll have everything ready as we’ve agreed.”
“But...”
Lex turned, and walked out of the lab, leaving the doctor to stare after him.
* * * * *
“Tower, something’s wrong!”
“What happened? Report!”
“I don’t know.” Clark’s confusion was evident. “Arrow’s just passed out and my powers are diminished.”
“Just get back here!”
“We’re on our way.”
Chloe waited nervously for their return. As soon as the elevator doors opened, she saw Victor carrying an unconscious Oliver, and hastened to his side. “Don’t touch him, Chloe. There’s some substance on his skin. We need to get him cleaned up first, then you can do your thing.” Victor took Oliver’s limp form back to the room.
She turned to Clark, her expression fearful. “What happened?”
“He was pushed into a glass cabinet. Vials fell on him, whatever was in them landed on him, some on me as well. I think that’s why my powers are weakened. Strange as it is, I’m otherwise fine. I don’t get it.”
“What should we do if I can’t heal him? This is drug induced, I don’t know if my powers will work.”
“Maybe we should take him to a hospital.” Clark offered, then stepped toward the sink to wash any residue of the serum from his hands
“And tell them what?” A.C. asked “That Oliver Queen’s been doused in some unknown drug? And possibly have his identity exposed as the Green Arrow? He wouldn’t want that.”
“Let Chloelicious see what she can do first.” Bart said.
Just then, Victor returned. “Okay, go on in, Chloe, I think most of whatever was on him is off. Most of it landed on his arms, some on his face, but that’s about it.”
Chloe didn’t need to be told twice. She went to Oliver’s room where Victor had placed him on the bed, leaving him in his leathers. Immediately she moved her hands over him touching his face and then his arms. Her brows furrowed in confusion. Nothing happened. No glowing light, no sensation of pain infusing through her, nothing. What was wrong? How could her powers fail her now? A look of determination etched her features, and she tried again. Nothing.
They all turned to her as she stepped into the living room. There were tears in her eyes. “Nothing happened. I tried, several times, but nothing. He’s still unconscious. I don’t know what to do.” She wiped her eyes, then began speaking rapidly, her voice rising in panic. “We need to find out more about this drug, now,” she said as she headed purposely for Oliver’s computer. “Find out what it does, what they’ve been working on, we need doctors names, and anyone associated with this project. We need to find out if there’s some antidote.”
Victor turned to the others. “Maybe we should try to sneak back into the lab, get a sample of the stuff and have someone on Ollie’s team of researchers analyze it.”
“That could take weeks,” Chloe answered from behind the computer, her fingers flying over the keys.
“Still wouldn’t hurt to have it.”
“True. Okay, go. Be careful. I’ll stay here with Oliver, I don’t think he’s going anywhere.” She paused to look up at Clark. “Clark, I don’t know what we can do until we find out what this stuff is or what it does. Are you sure you’re fine other than diminished powers?”
“So far.”
“How diminished?”
“I’m not sure, about half, maybe?”
She nodded. “We’ll figure this out Clark. I promise.”
“I know we will, Chloe. I’m not worried.”
Chloe looked at him again. Oddly, Clark was taking this better than she thought he would. He actually seemed fairly calm about the whole thing.
After everyone had gone, she’d stayed up late poring through the files Victor had decoded. Chloe had indexed the names of the scientists and doctors associated with Project Kratos. She rolled her eyes. Lex and his Greek gods. Kratos was the god of strength. It figured.
She’d discovered that the lead scientist on the team was a man named Dr. McClellan. Evidently it was true, the drug they were working on was designed to increase strength, and aggression in humans, and was being developed and tested on military personnel. That might explain its effect on Clark. He was not human, and especially with low dosages of kryptonite infused in the serum, it probably would have the opposite affect on him. It would decrease his strength, and that would also explain why he’d seemed so calm earlier and practically blasé about being at half capacity.
She’d also discovered some patient information on the files. The drug had side effects, causing possible heart failure, stroke, or permanent heart damage. It made sense. Any prolonged increase in aggression and strength would cause stress to the body, and apparently doctors were working on a way to have the drug time-released in smaller doses though a transdermal patch placed on the skin.
Now Chloe was even more concerned for Oliver. Aside from major concerns for his health, nothing was said in the file notes about a patient being rendered unconscious from receiving the drug. And she wondered if perhaps Clark’s suggestion of bringing Oliver to the hospital was not so off base after all. She didn’t care if Oliver were exposed as the Green Arrow. She wanted him alive. Chloe worked well into the night and early morning hours, her vision becoming blurry and her eyes tiring. She closed her eyes for a moment to give them a break from the computer screen, then crossed her arms over the desk, resting her head. Just for a moment. Then back to work.
When Oliver awoke the penthouse was quiet, and he wondered how he’d gotten there. He was still dressed in his Green Arrow leathers, and he struggled to remember what had happened. He sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. He felt restless and agitated as though the walls were closing in on him. He needed to get out, or he’d suffocate. He found his glasses, and stepped into the living room area, where he’d found Chloe asleep at his desk. He stopped to gaze at her a moment, wondering why she was there. But he couldn’t stay. Wouldn’t wake her. Not now. He felt too much like a caged animal. He’d come back for her. But not now.
Once outside he’d felt better, riding his motorcycle gave him a sense of freedom. But even outdoors the air began to choke him, and no matter how fast he went, he still felt chained. He’d decided to ride to Suicide Slums. Find a way to burn off the restlessness that suffocated him. He didn’t have to wait long to find some action.
Three men were harassing a woman, tossing her purse between them in some game. They all appeared drunk, including the woman. She was in all likelihood a prostitute. It didn’t matter to Arrow. He wanted action, and he’d found it.
They’d laughed and insulted him when he rode up to them, even the woman. It didn’t matter to Arrow. It didn’t matter when he’d grabbed the first man by the neck, and tossed him into a brick wall, knocking the man unconscious. It didn’t matter when he began beating the second man to within an inch of his life, so badly that the woman was on her knees, crying and pleading for him to stop. It didn’t matter when the third man took off at a dead run, or when Arrow caught up to him and began beating him too. He was invincible. He felt no pain when his fists connected. It was exhilarating. But it was not enough. He needed more. And he knew where to find it next.
* * * * *
“I wondered when you’d come. I’ve been expecting you.” Lex Luthor turned his chair, slipping a stealthy hand under the desk where he kept his pistol.
“Don’t even try it, Luthor,” a distorted voice sounded in the Luthorcorp office.
Suddenly the Green Arrow had leapt upon the desk, and Lex was being lifted by the shirt collar, one-handed, right out of his seat. Arrow tossed him across the room, and Lex’s body skidded and thudded across the floor and into a wall.
“You were infected,” Lex panted, a knowing grin appearing on his face as he rose up from the floor. “With the drug…”
It didn’t matter to Arrow. He strode toward Lex purposefully, picked him up again, and slammed his head into the wall, turned him around and began pounding his fists into his face and body, until Lex became a rag doll within Arrow’s grasp. Until security guards could be heard coming toward the office. It was only then that Arrow made his escape.
He was invincible. He felt no pain when his fists connected. It was exhilarating. But it was not enough. He needed more.
End Chapter 3
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