Searching for Answers. With have_no_mercy.

[dl_greenarrow]

After a brief, confusing conversation with Tess, Oliver finds himself heading to Smallville and the Luthor mansion before he really processes what he's doing. He sends Chloe a short text to let her know he'll be out of the city for a few hours, then focuses the rest of his attention on driving

Comments

[have_no_mercy]

Tess knows Oliver well enough to know he won't wait long. Not when it had to do with his father and part of her wishes it wasn't happening this way. Had she realized he wasn't aware, she wouldn't have said what she did.

But it makes her point even more glaring, she thinks.

There's no surprise in her reaction when she hears his voice. "Sit," she says by way of greeting, motioning to the couch opposite her. "And grab a drink on your way if you want. You might need it."

[dl_greenarrow]

He arches an eyebrow at that, his stomach tightening a little. "And here you said it wasn't bad or anything to worry about," he responds, watching her for a moment, then moving over to the bar area. Instead of alcohol, however, he grabs two bottles of water and moves to her side, handing her one of them before he sits down on the sofa.

[have_no_mercy]

She takes the bottle with a nod in thanks. "That doesn't mean everything's going to be a picnic to hear."

Tess studies him as he sits. "I'm not going to have all the answers, Oliver, but I'll do my best."

[dl_greenarrow]

He studies her for a moment and nods a little. "All right." There's a hint of uncertainty in his eyes.

[dl_greenarrow]

He simply stares at her for a long moment, trying to take it all in. "What else do you know, Mercy?" He shakes his head a little, swallowing hard. "Did my mom know about all this too? Is this why Lionel had them killed? Because he wanted to get rid of his competition to council for Clark?"

[have_no_mercy]

"I don't know if your mother knew or not. Genevieve Teague was involved, but Lillian Luthor wasn't. I do know, however, that all those summer vacations you spent together as families were really for Veritas meetings."

She glances over her shoulder at the large stained glass window that sits above where Lex used to have his desk. "That was their symbol," she murmurs, "the V with the stars."

[dl_greenarrow]

He looks over, as well, and stares at it for a long moment, a blank expression on his face. "You found all this out through Lex's files?" he asks uncertainly.

[have_no_mercy]

"No." Her voice is quiet and very calm. "I have Lionel's journal."

[have_no_mercy]

It's large and leather bound, very much an old-fashioned type of journal.

"You and Lex are the only ones left," she tells him, moving back to stand beside him and holding the book out.

[dl_greenarrow]

He takes it from her without hesitation, his stomach twisting a little at her words. Then he looks up to meet her eyes. He remembers reading about Jason Teague's death a few years before, but considering he'd lost touch with the Teague family when his parents died, he didn't know much about it. "Did Lionel kill Jason and his mother, too?" he asks.

[have_no_mercy]

Tess doesn't leave his side when he takes it, merely clasps her hands behind her back. "I don't know for certain, although I suspect it was either him or Lex. They respectively killed Virgil and Patricia Swann as well."

[dl_greenarrow]

"Beware of men with obsessions," he murmurs, staring at the journal for a long moment.