The Trouble with Love Chapter 6
Connor tried not to fall asleep as their tour of Metropolis Museum took them to Egypt. He was bored, and there was nothing in this place that interested him. He looked at his other classmates and found them all bored, just like he was.
“This is boring.” Connor muttered and Jason Rogers, his best friend at school nodded his head.
“Hey... I found more about that George Dean.”
“What did you find?”
“Complete boy scout dude!” Jason whispered as he tried to remember what he found out. “You know how he’s doing that Juris whatever thing part time? He plans to do pro-bono work when he gets his degree! He’s established some after school program so kids don’t roam around in the street. They learn to do cooking or something... I don’t know. All I know is this guy? A complete boy scout!”
Connor frowned. “No one could be that perfect.”
“I’m only seven, Connor. There’s only so much snooping I can do without getting expelled, or worse, grounded.”
Connor rolled his eyes. “I still don’t like him.”
“You don’t have to like him, I mean, what do you expect your Aunt Chloe to do, ask for your permission?”
Connor frowned. “Of course not. I just... I just don’t like him.”
“Well, my sister found me researching him, and I made an excuse it’s for that big brother program he’s involved in. She made fun of me first, and then she said...” Jason looked around to make sure no one was listening. “He was the one that won the Bachelor of the Year from Cleo last year.”
Two boys scrunched their faces in disgust as they continued to walk through the museum, unaware of the danger they were about to face.
In his office at Metropolis, Oliver listened to his board debate about the latest take-over when his secretary walked in and looked around the room. “I’m really sorry, Mr. Queen, but there’s been an emergency. Mr. Todd and Mr Michaels would need to know as well.”
The three men stood and looked at each other, dread already settling in the pit of their stomachs. There was only one other thing they all had in common, their sons were all in the same year, at the same school. The three of them walked out, and they were faced with a grim faced man who confirmed their worst fear.
There was a hostage crisis at Metropolis Museum, and all their children were being held for ransom.
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Connor sat quietly his back against the wall. The next time he had a boring day; he would welcome it with open arms and not ask for anything to happen. He looked at the masked men holding guns and took a deep breath. Beside him, Jason looked pale and Connor started to get worried.
“You okay?”
“I said, NO TALKING!” One of the men screamed and Connor and Jason pressed their backs against the wall, trying to distance themselves further.
One of the masked men looked at all their school id’s and grinned. “This is going be a huge pay-out. Look at all these trust fund babies!”
The trio snickered, and the man Connor assumed to be the leader walked around, looking at everyone before stopping in front of him.
“Connor Queen?”
Connor didn’t reply, but he knew he didn’t have too. “Your daddy is going to make me a rich man.”
He grabbed Connor by his collar and forced him to stand up, Connor struggled, and Jason leapt up and tried to help his friend.
“Hey! Let him go!” Jason cried out as he grabbed the man’s arms and tried to make him let go of Connor. While Connor was trying to tug himself free, he saw a tattoo on the man’s arm partially hidden by his sleeves.
He could only watch as the man pushed Jason to the ground. He didn’t know what he did next. It was like his body just moved. One minute he was being dragged up, the next, the man was on the ground and he could see the look of surprise on his eyes through the mask.
Those eyes were the last thing he saw before he got knocked out.
Outside, worried parents gathered around, and Oliver paced in the command centre established by the Metropolis Police Department. It’s been four hours since they found out what happened, and there were still no demands from the men who took the children as hostages.
He looked around and was momentarily surprised when he saw Chloe Sullivan approach him. This wasn’t a good sign. The few times Chloe went to see him, it usually meant there was a big disaster on the way.
“I checked the security feeds; they’ve managed to cut a few off, but not everything. We could only get visuals though; we can’t hear what’s going on. There’s something else you need to know.”
Chloe moved closer to whisper in his ears, and for one brief moment, Oliver breathed in the scent of her perfume, and remembered a time when he could wrap her in his embrace. He shook that thought out of his head, he made his decision, and he was going to live by it.
“It’s not looking good. The three hostage takers? They came from that camp in Tijuana.” Chloe said softly, eyes looking at their surroundings to make sure no one were around to hear them talk.
“Are you sure?” Oliver asked and Chloe nodded her head.
“Victor sent me all the pictures of the people leaving and entering the camp.” she replied and handed him a small device. “I’m joining Cyborg and Impulse in the van a few blocks from here. We’ll be sending you updates through codes. “
Oliver just nodded. “The police would want to speak to me once we know what they want.”
Chloe moved away from him and they looked at each other before Chloe nodded and walked away.
Inside the van, Cyborg and Impulse looked at the screen and both paled when they saw Connor got hit. They knew all Bart had to do was go in and get Connor out, but they can’t do it without putting the other children in danger.
“Awww man, Arrow is going to kill him...”
“He’s going to need to get in line.” Victor muttered as they watched Connor get dragged and dumped in the middle of the room.
“Everything going well?” Chloe asked as she stepped in the van and stopped as she saw the screen. “Is that...?”
“It’s Connor. They knocked him out just after you left. How’s Oliver?”
“He’s trying to stay calm.” Chloe replied as she looked at the screen helplessly. There was nothing they can do at the moment but watch. “Do we have any updates?”
“Superman is in Alaska handling that oil spill; AC is on his way to help him out. There’s a few green K that stopping him from getting the job done.” Victor replied as he pointed at the faces on the other screen.
“Lucky we got their shots before they put on the masks. At least we know who they are, we can track them down later to see if this is just a coincidence...”
“There’s no such thing as coincidence if Lex is involved.”
Inside the museum, Connor felt the pain at the back of his head as he blinked.
“Are you sure it’s going to work?” one of the men whispered, and Connor squinted his eyes and as he tried to see clearer, his head began to hurt more.
“Of course it will! that’s Connor Queen! He’s worth more than all of these kids combined!”
“Yeah, it better. I am not going back to that place again.”
“Neither will I. We stick to the plan, got it? When everything is finished, we make a run for it.”
The other man nodded, and Connor closed his eyes again and pretended to be asleep.
“The kid awake yet?”
“No boss, not yet. Do you want us to wake him up?”
“No, it’s not necessary. As long as his daddy does what we say, everyone can go home happy.”
“I don’t get it boss, this kid is a billionaire! Why are we only asking for two million?”
“It’s not about the money, idiot. The important thing is to get Queen in here as soon as possible. Any bigger amount and we lose the time frame.”
“I don’t see what the big deal is with Queen. He’s just some rich pretty boy.”
“Yeah, well I only follow orders. Get everyone in position. They should be delivering the demand to the parents now.”
In the Command Center, the parents looked in anticipation as the negotiator approached them.
“They want two million dollars...”
“Done.” Oliver replied and the negotiator blinked in surprise. “I can get the money in less than an hour.”
“Mr Queen, it’s not just that. They want you to personally deliver the ransom money.”
Oliver nodded. “I’ll do it.”
The other parents looked at each other in relief, money was not an issue, for them, but to ask for that small amount meant it would be easy to arrange the funds, and get their children out.
Carlos Banks just ran his hands through his hair. “We’ll get you suited with a bullet proof vest. The instruction given was that you need to go inside the Greece exhibit, drop the bags next to Alexander the Great.”
“Consider it done,” Oliver replied, and he felt the communicator in his hands beeped telling him that Cyborg heard everything, and they were setting up a visual at this very moment.
“Mr Queen?”
Oliver turned to see a man dressed in a suit. “Yes?”
“My son is one of the hostages. He’s only through a scholarship... we... we can’t possibly pay you back.” The man choked on his words. “Please, Mr. Queen...”
Oliver placed a hand on the man’s shoulder. “You’re Morgan Jones, right? We met last year; your son is on the basketball team with Connor?”
Morgan Jones looked surprised, and just nodded his head.
“Don’t worry about anything; I just want all our sons to come out safe.”
“Thank you, Mr Queen. Thank you.” Morgan said as Oliver was taken away by the police to be briefed on what they had to do.
The whole hour seemed to take forever, and Oliver had to be content listening in codes what was going on inside the building. He looked around, waiting for his banker to show up, only to see a grim faced Chloe walk towards him.
“Your banker is going to arrive in five minutes. I don’t think I need to tell you the significance of the Greece exhibit.”
“You think Lex is involved?”
Chloe nodded her head. “Those men came from his camp. Watch your back, Oliver. There’s no way it’s going to be as simple as a drop-off.”
“How’s Connor?” Oliver asked and he saw the hesitation in Chloe’s face. “Chloe, what happened to my son?”
“He was knocked out a few minutes ago.”
Oliver swore as he closed his eyes and fisted his hands. The rage began to build, and his mind began to calculate how he can take out the three men without injuring the children when Chloe touched his arm.
“Oliver. Don’t think about doing anything else. We’re all upset about what happened in there. But if you walk in and deviate from the plan, the risk is too high. There are too many children in there. You’re walking in there as Oliver Queen and not the Green Arrow.”
Oliver stared at Chloe who met his gaze. It’s been so long since she looked at him, since she touched him, that his mind drew a blank for a few seconds before Chloe released a breath and took her hand away from his arm. “Impulse will be on standby to make sure Connor is fine. Superman is having green k problems in Alaska. AC is helping him out.”
The two became silent before Chloe looked away from him and took a deep breath.
“I have to go. We’ll be watching everything Oliver. Connor’s going to be fine.”
“Mr Queen? We have your bullet proof vest, if you could come with us please?” Carlos said as he approached the billionaire.
Oliver nodded and followed him, only to stop as Chloe called his name.
“Be careful.” Chloe said as she turned around, not waiting for a reply.
+*+*
Oliver stood outside the museum, two bulky black bags in each hand. He turned around and waited for a signal from the police. The moment he got it, he walked inside and made his way towards the Greek exhibit.
He could hear his heart beat drum against his ears as he walked towards the drop off point. The silence was deafening, and as he walked in, he felt his heart beat faster as he saw his son standing behind the masked men.
“DAD!”
“Stay where you are, Connor.”
One of the men snickered. “Smart. Put the money next to the statue, Queen.”
Oliver did as he was told, but he never took his eyes off the men as he placed the bags on the floor.
“Okay kids, go for it.”
The children looked at each other confused unsure what to do.
“SCRAM!”
Almost all the children made a run for it except Connor and Jason who stood frozen. In less than a minute, the place was almost empty.
“Connor, go outside with Jason. Wait for me.”
“Dad...”
“Just go, Connor.”
Jason gulped as he gently tugged his friend to the exit.
“You’re a wise man Queen.” One of the men said when the children were out of sight. “There’s a phone behind the statue. Take it and wait for it to ring. When it does, answer the call.”
Oliver picked up the phone and looked at the masked men who were waiting for the call as well.
Just around the corner, Connor and Jason hid and watched everything. Connor refused to leave without his dad, and Jason didn’t want to go without Connor.
The phone rang, and Oliver took the call.
“The President sends his regards, Mr. Queen.”
Oliver didn’t have a chance to move when he felt something pierce him from behind.
“DAD!” Connor screamed as he rushed to Oliver’s side. “DAD!”
Oliver couldn’t speak as he heard his son cry besides him.
Connor looked at his dad helpless, and the blood on his hands scared him. “DAD!”
The last thing Oliver felt was his son shaking him as his world turned black.
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Okay... that’s it for now. I wasn’t going to post this today, but this is pretty much the start of Chloe and Oliver scenes, so I thought, why not. Hope you all enjoy this!