Chapter 17
The sky was darkening fast. Flashing lights. Sirens. A flurry of uniformed S.W.A.T. officers stealthily surrounded the Star City Gazette building, all stillness, and wound-up tense and poised to take action.
Hostage negotiations had already begun and several hostages had been released, unharmed. Chloe was not among them. The Green Arrow and Batman, each of them perched on rooftops on opposite sides of the Gazette building, monitored the situation from above. Bruce worried. If Oliver didn’t contain his rage, the entire plan would go awry.
They had come to blows over how to best secure the building, and rescue everyone inside. If this had happened in Gotham, Bruce would have the support and cooperation of the local police and of Commissioner Gordon. But here, the Green Arrow had no such support. He was at best a vigilante, and to many in Star City, he was simply a common criminal. Were it not for Chloe’s editorials, lauding the Green Arrow as a hero, Bruce was sure that public opinion would call for an all out FBI manhunt for the Emerald Archer.
Oliver was this close to kicking Bruce’s ass all over the Green Arrow room. He replayed their argument as he stood watching, never taking is eyes from the building where Chloe was being held hostage. For now, he’d play it Bruce’s way. He’d wait for Bruce’s signal.
Oliver had shoved Bruce away, slamming him into a wall, ready to strike when Bruce quickly deflected the blow. “You’re not going to get her back this way,” Bruce had ground out, shoving back. He expected this, after telling Oliver to let the police handle things to start with. “You think I don’t know how you feel?”
Oliver landed a punch to his friend’s jaw in answer, and Bruce countered with one of his own, causing Oliver to lose balance and flip onto and over a chair. Sitting up from the floor, Oliver wiped a drop of blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, glaring up at his friend.
“You’re careless right now.” Bruce breathed heavily. “I caught you wide open.”
“I’m not leaving her in the hands of Star City’s finest.” Oliver stood up, righting the overturned chair, slamming it down. “And how the hell would you know how I feel?” Oliver panted as he adjusted his suit jacket.
Bruce leaned against the wall. The brief fight, over. “The Star City police are working on finding and diffusing every explosive. That building is rigged to blow sky high. Hostage negotiators are already on the case. Let them handle it. Once they’re nearly done, we’ll go in.” Bruce paused for a moment, silent. He wanted to tell Oliver that it wasn’t worth it. That it was best not to have any emotional ties. That this kind of life didn’t allow for loved ones. But he couldn’t, knowing he’d give anything to have her back again. But it was done, and there was nothing he could do to change it. He cast his eyes downward, his voice growing softer. “Her name was Rachel. I loved her. I still do.” Bruce pushed off from the wall, turning away then, heading for the changing rooms. He looked back once more. “Suit up, Green Arrow. Chloe needs you.”
That had been three hours ago, and any patience Oliver had remaining, was hanging by a precarious thread. Hostages were being released at a snails pace. None of them were Chloe. Oliver felt himself growing more anxious as time passed. He closed his eyes, and breathed deeply. Bruce was right. He couldn’t be reckless. Not now. Not when Chloe’s life depended on keeping his wits about him. Once again, he wondered about Rachel, and how Bruce had lost her.
“They want to talk to Oliver Queen,” Bruce’s gravelly Batman voice interrupted his thoughts. “Or they won’t release any more hostages.”
Oliver tapped his comlink. “What? Why?”
“You’re her lover," Bruce responded, as though it should be obvious. "They want ransom money in exchange for her life.”
“Fuck.” This wasn’t good. There was no way he’d be able to enter the building as Green Arrow if Oliver Queen’s presence was required to deal with Black Mask and his demands.
“And there’s something else.”
“What?” Oliver was growing more impatient by the minute.
“Someone impersonating the Green Arrow is in there.”
“Fuck.”
“You said that already.”
“How much do you think we’ll get for you, Ms. Sullivan?” Chloe could see his eyes move beneath the mask, scanning the few remaining hostages all seated on the floor, their hands bound behind their backs. “And for your friends?”
Chloe eyes flashed. “Let them go.”
Black Mask chuckled sardonically. “Mr. Queen will surely meet our demands for your safe return.” He paced in front of her, black dress shoes crunching on broken glass and ceiling debris. “Now, if they could only find him. It seems our Mr. Queen is out of town? Pity.” Black Mask stopped abruptly in front of her. “For the last time,” his gravelly voice grew menacingly. “Where is he?”
Chloe’s face remained impassive. She couldn’t look at him. “For the last time. I don’t know,” she gritted between clenched teeth.
Just then a cell phone rang. Black Mask fished his phone out of his pocket and promptly answered, hitting the speakerphone button.
“We have Mr. Queen on the line, he’s on his jet right now heading back to Star City,” the officer’s voice sounded. “He says he’ll agree to whatever your demands are, but you must release Ms. Sullivan and any other hostages first.”
“Now we’re getting somewhere. But I wish to speak to him directly. Put him through. My demands are the same. Queen Industries relinquishes control of any Luthorcorp holdings, one billion dollars to be transferred to Luthorcorp accounts, and any mergers with Wayne Enterprises are null and void as of today.”
Chloe fidgeted, and her eyes strayed once more to the figure dressed in Green Arrow’s costume. His face remained stony. He refused to look at her. A woman next to her nudged her, causing Chloe to turn in her direction, as Oliver’s voice came on the line. Chloe closed her eyes in relief at the sound of it. He was the perfectly distraught boyfriend, agreeing to whatever demands Black Mask made. But something in his voice told her he wasn’t entirely acting, causing a shard of pain to tighten in her chest. He was truly afraid. She wondered where he really was right now, and turned her head, straining to see out through the darkened window. He had to be out there somewhere.
“That’s who you’ve been defending?” the woman whispered, nudging Chloe again, indicating the man dressed in green leather standing nearby with her eyes, disdain dripping from her voice. “I hope you’re happy… your green leathered hero is nothing but a common criminal… a terrorist!” she hissed.
“He’s not… that’s not him. You don’t understand.” Chloe pleaded softly to no avail. The woman had already turned her face away in disgust.
“Silence!” A masked armed figure dressed in black shoved his machine gun in their faces suddenly, causing them both to jump. The woman beside Chloe began to weep uncontrollably.
Black Mask turned back to them, closing up his phone. “Release them. All except Ms. Sullivan. Mr. Queen has agreed to our demands.” He turned his attention to the man in green leather. “Take her to the floor editor’s office. Lock the door and keep an eye on her. Once the funds transfer is made, we’ll see if Ms. Sullivan is returned to her lover in some… recognizable form. Perhaps we’ll give her a new look. A makeover of sorts.”
“No!” Chloe’s words trailed off as she was pulled up from the floor by her armpits and dragged by the Green Arrow impostor. The last place she wanted to be was alone with Philip. “No!” He dragged her through a corridor, her struggles fruitless. When they reached the office, he shoved her roughly inside the darkened office, slamming and locking the door from the inside. He turned to her.
With her hands tied behind her back there was little she could do. She kicked out at him, but he grabbed her leg, flipping her onto the desk. “Agh!” Her harsh landing caused her to cry out in pain. She felt his body cover hers, oppressive, suffocating her. Gloved hands forced her knees apart, his weight pressing down as he ground his hips against her core, and then his mouth crashed down over hers, stifling any further sound. Chloe bucked underneath him, struggling desperately to free her bound hands. She tried to bite his lip, but he evaded her, raising his head, only to swoop down once more kissing her almost violently.
“I’ve waited a long time for that,” he breathed, nudging his hips forward, pressing himself hard between her legs.
“You bastard,” she spat. He smiled at that. And before she could scream, his mouth closed over hers once more, bruising her lips with his, muffling her cries.
Philip rose up from her abruptly. “I’m not going to hurt you, Chloe.” Nor would he let Black Mask disfigure her in any way, before returning her to Oliver Queen.
“Oh no? What’s your plan then?” she scoffed, catching her breath.
He walked away from her, slowly removing the hood and dark glasses. “I’m going to get you out of here.”
She was silent for a long moment, attempting to collect herself, and sit upright on the desk. “Why?” She didn’t trust him. Chloe slid from the desk, taking a few tentative steps away from him.
Philip turned, regarding her openly. “You really don’t know.”
“Enlighten me,” she challenged.
“I’m damned either way, Chloe. It’s too late for me.” Philip shook his head and moved closer to her. Chloe backed away from him, stumbling into the wall behind her. He couldn’t help himself. Pinning her against the wall with his body, he lifted a gloved hand to cup her cheek. Watching as she cringed and shied away from his touch as though he were vermin. He didn’t care. “I know you hate me. But it doesn’t matter. Maybe getting you out of here, and back to your billionaire hero is the only thing I have left.”
Chloe couldn’t breathe. Her eyes wide. Her mind casting about frantically for a way out. “Oliver is crazy enough to pay the ransom…” her voice trailed off. “You’ll get what you want.”
“He’s not crazy. And I’ll never have what I want.”
“What do you want?”
“Everything he has,” he intoned, his eyes sweeping down to her lips.
She looked up at him, swallowing tightly as his fingertips traced her jaw line. “You’re right. You’ll never have what you want.”
He smirked. “I could easily take what I want.”
“I won’t make it easy.”
“And that’s why I won’t. I won’t take by force, what he has by love.” Philip dropped his hand from her face, stepping away. “I’m not a complete monster. Not yet.”
“That’s why you’ll help me?”
He didn’t speak for several moments, turning away from her. “Lex wants me to kill you.” He looked back over his shoulder. She was small. He could have her easily. Take his pleasure in her once before it all came to a damnable end. “But I can’t. This is my last chance. You’re my last chance, Chloe.” He shrugged. “I’m a dead man either way.” Philip turned away from her once more, pulling out a cell phone. He dialed a number and waited as Chloe looked on suspiciously. “I’ve got her alone. South exit. Be there in five.”
Bruce opened his cell phone, receiving the message from his inside contact, as Oliver closed his cell phone from his location on the nearby rooftop, pocketed it, then turned on his voice distorter. He tapped his earpiece. “Think they bought it?”
“Only one way to find out.”
The silence stretched agonizingly slow as they waited. Oliver finally caught movement as several hostages made their way past the building entrance to where police met them, escorting them to safety. Oliver counted twelve. Still no sign of Chloe. “Son of a bitch… he’s keeping her inside.”
“They’re ready to move,” Bruce responded as he noticed movement from the S.W.A.T. team around the perimeter.
“No. They can’t. Chloe’s still inside. She’s the only one left in there!”
“Wait.” Bruce cautioned.
“They’ll get her killed!”
“We can use them to our advantage,” he countered. “They can keep Black Mask and his False Facers occupied while we get Chloe out. She’s the last bargaining chip they have. They’re not going to kill her. Not yet.”
“How comforting, Bats.”
“Shut up. Let’s move. Head for the South exit. Chloe’s there.”
“How do you know?”
“Just get there. I’ll catch up with you.”
“Where will you be?”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ve got my own score to settle. Get Chloe and get out as fast as you can.”
As the S.W.A.T team began to move, the Green Arrow leapt onto the roof of the Star City Gazette Building. Fastening the line quickly, he rappelled down the side near the south exit.
Philip replaced his dark glasses and hood, grasped Chloe’s upper arm, dragging her out of the office. He was met instantly by two well-armed masked soldiers. Of course, Black Mask wouldn’t trust him alone with her. Chloe could only stare on helplessly as Philip, taking aim with the crossbow, took down first one man, then the other. “Come on,” he grunted, pulling her along with him. The sounds of gunfire rang out behind them. Philip stopped, pulling her up short, his head whipping behind them, gauging their distance away. Suddenly he turned her around, untying her hands. “Make a run for it. The exit is just ahead, left at the next corner,” he whispered.
Chloe hesitated, gazing up at him quizzically as she rubbed the soreness from her wrists. What was he up to now?
“Go!” He shoved her away.
She ran. And ran. Voices, shouting. Orders being given, the report of machine-gun fire. Looking behind her, she turned the corner, the exit sign looming ahead. It sounded as though a war was being waged behind her. An explosion rocked a distant corner of the building. She ran flinging the exit door open, only to find three unconscious False Facers dressed in black, their masks still over their heads. She nearly tripped over their bodies.
A strong arm grabbed her around the waist from behind, causing a sound of shock and dismay to escape her lips. Caught again. “Chloe.”
She twisted under his arm. “You lied to me! You said you’d let me go!” Tears of anger and frustration threatened to spill down her cheeks. She never should have trusted Philip! Chloe began to beat against his green-leather covered chest, and tried to push away from him.
“Chloe. It’s me.”
She wriggled and beat against him some more, but he wouldn’t let her go. “You son of a bitch!”
“Chloe. Listen to me.”
Wait… what? …… “Ollie?”
He removed his hood and glasses with one hand, and watched as her tears turned from anger to joy. And then he kissed her, in the way only Oliver Queen could.
He reattached the line, and pressed her close. So tight against him, Chloe thought she’d suffocate. “Hold on,” he whispered, "I've got you." And she clung to him, smushing her face against the leather of his vest in sweet relief, unable to stop her tears as they were lifted up toward the rooftop of the Gazette Building.
End Chapter 17
A/N. OMG. It's been forever since I've updated this story. My profuse and profound apologies to anyone still interested in this thing. LOL I'm so sorry. If you're still reading, thanks so much. And if I've lost anyone along the way, I only have myself to blame. Let's hope this doesn't suck too badly. This puppy is almost done. Probably one more chapter. Thanks to anyone still out there who's hanging in with me on this. *hugs*
