Smallville (TV Series)

Checkmate (2010)

Cassidy Freeman: Tess Mercer

Quotes 

• Tess Mercer : So it's you... parading around in tacky green leather.

  Oliver Queen : It was me.

  Tess Mercer : I can't believe you wear tights.

  Oliver Queen : They're *not* tights.

  Tess Mercer : They look like tights.

• Tess Mercer : You buried an arrow into my chest, Oliver.

  Oliver Queen : Actually it was a Taser.

  Tess Mercer : Well, it bruised.

  Oliver Queen : Well, better bruised than dead.

• Tess Mercer : I didn't think you were gonna show.

  Oliver Queen : Well, you know, I figure it's a public place. There's only so many weapons you can throw at me.

  Tess Mercer : I'm sorry. For everything I've done that's destroyed your trust.

  Oliver Queen : I don't think there's enough stationery for that, Tess.

  Tess Mercer : I told you how to shut down The Castle's power grid. That's worth something, isn't it?

  Oliver Queen : What am I supposed to do here? You want me to do, uh, handstands because you helped solve a problem that you created?

  Tess Mercer : I never would have gone after you if I had known that you were the Green Arrow.

  Oliver Queen : So it's back on me?

  Tess Mercer : This might be the last time that I ever see you. When I joined Checkmate, I took an oath. An oath I wanna break. But there's only one way to leave Checkmate.

  Oliver Queen : [sighs]  What are you gonna do?

  Tess Mercer : [Clears throat]  I'm gonna go AWOL. I'm gonna go underground.

  Oliver Queen : That's good. You know, I got to ask you a question, though. Did it hurt to do something moral for once, Tess? Did it hurt you?

  Tess Mercer : Oliver, I'm taking a chance just being out here with you in the open.

  Oliver Queen : Yeah, okay, I understand that. Okay, we've gotten that far. W-what is it that you want? You're asking me for something. What is it you want? What do you want?

  Tess Mercer : Forgive me, Oliver. Oliver, I need your help. Please.

  Oliver Queen : There are times when I wish I could go back, those Santorini sunsets, your freckles and your big dreams of changing the world. Back when I could trust you. Then you betrayed me, Tess. You, of all people. And if you ever come near me or my friends ever again, I will expose you to the world. Do you understand?

  Tess Mercer : [Breathes shakily, starts crying] 

• Oliver Queen : What the hell do you want? Round two?

  Tess Mercer : Oliver, Clark's in trouble.

  Oliver Queen : Oh. You know, Tess, if you wanted a rematch, all you had to do was ask.

  Tess Mercer : I'm serious. He made me tell him where Checkmate's headquarters are, after he found out they captured something called Watchtower.

• Oliver Queen : [blocking a knife Tess throws at him]  What, are you crazy? Tess, this isn't a cartoon. You're gonna hurt somebody.

  Tess Mercer : That's the basic idea.

  Oliver Queen : All right, then.

  Tess Mercer : Don't you come near me.

  Clark Kent : [whooshing in]  Stop.

  Tess Mercer : Stay out of this, Clark.

  Oliver Queen : Our little lady here is a Checkmate agent. She knows my identity.

  Clark Kent : Not just yours. Tess, I need some answers.

  Tess Mercer : I'm not telling you anything.

  Clark Kent : Maybe the view will change your mind.

  Tess Mercer : [he grabs her and whooshes away to the roof of a tall building, dangling her over the edge]  Let me down from here.

  Clark Kent : [pulling her back]  Tell me about Checkmate. No lies.

• Tess Mercer : A month after I started working at LuthorCorp, I was approached by the White Queen. It's Waller's code name. She wanted information about Lex's alien investigations. At first, I thought she was crazy.

  Clark Kent : But then Lex's files changed your mind.

  Tess Mercer : After I took over LuthorCorp, I saw she knew a lot more than I did. But I swear, I never told her the Kryptonians were here. I never told her about you.

  Clark Kent : [pushing her up against a pillar]  I wouldn't believe your dying breath.

  Tess Mercer : None of this should have happened. Oliver wasn't even the real target.

  Clark Kent : Then who was?

  Tess Mercer : I don't know. Something they called Watchtower.

• Oliver Queen : [being led into Tess' bedroom]  The only way you'd get me back in here is by force.

  Tess Mercer : [throwing a statue at him]  Don't flatter yourself. The best thing I ever did in this bed was kick you out of it.

  Oliver Queen : Oh, look, something out of your mouth I can believe.

• Oliver Queen : You're late.

  Tess Mercer : Mm. If you know what's good for you... don't start.

  Oliver Queen : Whatever kind of day you think you've had, trust me, I've had it in spades.

  Tess Mercer : Ohh. What happened? The jet late leaving Paris? The beluga not the right temperature?

  Oliver Queen : That's very, very funny.

  Tess Mercer : Yeah.

  Oliver Queen : You might wanna save the song and dance routine for the shareholders when you try to explain to them, uh... the sketchy deal with China. It's terrible.

  Tess Mercer : So that's what got you out of bed before the dinner bell.

  Oliver Queen : I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Barely had time to change clothes, actually.

  Tess Mercer : I can tell. Black on black. That's hard to pull off.

  Oliver Queen : Well, it's easier than you think.

  Tess Mercer : [realizing]  Green Arrow.

• Amanda Waller : Clearly, you are rusty. You think I didn't know the second we lost him? Did you properly secure the detainee?

  Tess Mercer : He had a hidden lock pick.

  Amanda Waller : The correct answer is "No, I did not properly secure the detainee"! I'm disappointed, Tess. Green Arrow may not have been the endgame, but he was our opening move.

  Tess Mercer : I can get him back. I'll set a new net myself.

  Amanda Waller : You skipped a few check-ins the last few years. Maybe your loyalties lie with someone else.

  Tess Mercer : I swear, I am fully committed to Checkmate.

  Amanda Waller : You better be. Or you're out. And we both know there is only one way out.