"Trials and Tribulations"
purplejasmine92
Summary: Alternate version of episode 2x18 when Slade kidnaps Thea. This time it wasn't a diversion, and Slade's full intent is to use Thea to get to Oliver. Roy and Laurel aren't in this fic, just original team arrow.
Disclaimer: I do not own Arrow or any of its characters.
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Chapter 1
Thea slowly started to regain consciousness.
Her shoulders were throbbing.
Her head was still foggy. She was coherent enough to realize she'd been drugged.
It took all of her energy just to get her eyelids open. Slowly her eyes began to focus and she took in the dingy cell she was now in.
She tilted her head upwards and noticed her hands tied to a beam above her head.
"Finally awake I see."
Startled, Thea's head snapped over to where the gruff voice came from. She immediately recognized it.
"Mr. Wilson?"
Slade stood in front of her with his hands in his pockets. His nonchalant demeanor making her uneasy.
"What's going on?"
"I am deeply sorry you got dragged into this Thea," he said as he took a step closer. "But I hope you will understand, everything that is about to happen has nothing to do with you."
"What are you talking about? Let me go!" Thea struggled to get her hands free but it was no use.
Slade was standing right in front of her now. He gently cupped her cheek in his hand and she immediately flinched away.
"Don't touch me," she growled.
Slade let out an amused breath. "You are definitely your brother's sister."
Thea looked at him confused. "What do you know about my brother?"
"That it's his turn to suffer."
Slade abruptly punched Thea right in the side of her face, effectively knocking her out.
Her head sagged down to her chest, a nice bruise already starting to form where his rough hand connected.
"There are many ways for one man to feel pain." Slade said as he walked out of the cell.
It was time to catch his prey…
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Oliver was really starting to get worried.
He knew Thea was upset but it wasn't like her to just not show up without a word for such an important public event.
His nerves getting the best of him, it was hard to sit still as he continued to watch the debate between his mother and Sebastian Blood.
"Now let's move on to some of our video questions," The moderator announced. "This first one is from… Thea Queen?"
Oliver was instantly alert. Both Moira and Sebastian stood there confused.
"There must be some mistake..." The moderator continued.
Everyone stared at the big screen in anticipation. The screen started to blur until suddenly there was a live feed being shown.
The entire room gasped at the sight.
Oliver shot out of his seat in an instant. Moira stood there in utter terror.
On the screen was Thea.
Hanging limply with nothing but her bound hands keeping her standing up, clearly out cold. The big bruise on her face now ever so prominent.
That in addition to the fact that she had now been stripped to nothing but her underwear for the world to see made Oliver's blood boil.
Suddenly a masked man holding a bucket of water came in to view. Although no one else knew the disguise, Oliver knew exactly who it was.
The entire crowd in the auditorium watched in disgust as the masked man threw the entire contents of the bucket directly onto Thea.
Her eyes shot open and she began panting through the dripping ice cold water. She looked around frantically trying to catch her bearings after being woken up so abruptly.
She started shivering noticeably as the cold finally registered with her body.
She noticed the masked man beside her, who was now out of view of the screen. Thea couldn't see what he was doing but she looked down and suddenly realized how little she was now wearing.
She tugged on her restraints again, "Please, let me go."
It broke Oliver's heart to hear her beg.
Suddenly Slade turned around and was back in view of the audience watching.
In his hand was a taser like contraption with a very visible electric current sparking at the tip of it.
Moira was going to be sick. She dropped to her knees with her head shaking back and forth, not believing this was happening.
Sebastian knelt beside her, trying to hold her up.
Thea also noticed the device. Putting two and two together realization dawned on her.
Her panic level sky rocketed. She started furiously banging against her restraints in a last effort to get away.
"No, please!"
As Slade took a step closer a message appeared on the screen:
HOW MUCH IS THEA QUEEN'S LIFE WORTH?
"No!" Thea yelled again as Slade moved to connect the electricity to her soaking wet body.
Right before it touched though, the screen went black.
It wasn't until the entire auditorium was filled with the piercing, agonizing, scream of Thea though that the feed completely cut out.
The room was immersed in a deafening silence...
Then suddenly everyone was a whirl of action.
Detective Lance immediately started making calls and barked orders for his team to find out who that masked man was.
Moira literally went in to a state of shock herself and could barely move. The blood completely drained from her face.
Although she didn't register moving, Sebastian and their security team gently got her off the ground to a seat backstage.
Oliver was nowhere to be seen.
Pure rage filling him he was out of that auditorium in an instant. He had one focus:
Save Thea.
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Oliver smashed everything in sight the moment he entered the lair.
His rage consuming him he let out a yell of frustration.
He couldn't decide which emotion was stronger his fury, or his guilt.
Felicity and Dig came running in, not even mad at his outburst. They were feeling the same anger he was.
"We're gonna get that son of a bitch Oliver," Dig clapped a hand on his back.
Felicity ran straight for her computers.
"Felicity," Oliver nearly growled, "find him."
"Already on it," she said as her fingers whirled across the keys.
Suddenly the sound of Oliver's phone ringing filled the tense air.
He angrily pulled it out of his pocket.
As soon as he saw the name on it though his whole demeanor changed, he quickly put it on speaker.
"Thea?!" he asked desperately into the phone.
Everyone snapped their attention over to him.
"She's here," Slade answered.
"Where the hell are you Slade?" Oliver was ready to burst.
"Relax Oliver, I'll tell you exactly where I am."
Felicity continued tracking Thea's phone just in case.
"I'm at the old southgate warehouse in the Glades," Slade told him.
One of the computers beeped.
"That's where her signal's coming from," Felicity confirmed.
"Feel free to join us when you're ready," Slade chuckled.
Oliver's face twisted in disgust.
"Let me talk to her," Oliver demanded.
He chuckled, "Now why would I do that?"
"Slade," Oliver growled.
"Fine," Slade moved the phone away but they could still hear him on the other line as he put the phone up to Thea's ear.
"Here you go sweetheart."
There was a pause of silence for a moment and everyone in the lair looked at each other in anticipation.
"Thea?" Oliver asked gently.
There was another brief pause until -
"Ollie?"
Everyone let out a breath of relief. It was short lived however as they took in how scared and in pain the voice sounded.
"It's me Speedy, I'm right here" Oliver tried to consol her.
"Ollie..." she was panting.
Everyone's eyes were starting to tear up at the vulnerable sound.
"Listen Thea I need you to hang on for me okay? I promise I'm going to get you out of there, just hang on." He told her desperately.
"No," her voice was strained but the urgency was there, "It's a trap. Don't - Ah!"
"Thea?!"
Everyone jumped as they heard the sudden slap on the other end of the phone.
Felicity's eyes snapped up and met Oliver's, worry plastered on their faces.
"Thea are you alright?" he called out again.
"She's been better." Slade answered.
"Don't you dare touch her Slade. She's not the one you want."
"You're right. But until I get what I want your precious Thea will just have to do in the meantime." Slade drawled out. "So I'd hurry."
Oliver was fuming.
"Oh and Oliver, come alone." Slade warned. "If anyone else comes within even a mile I will snap her neck like a twig."
With that the phone disconnected. The threat hung heavy in the air.
Oliver stared at the phone a moment longer, his mind still processing the situation.
"Oliver..." Felicity said softly, her eyes taking in his reaction.
Snapped out of his trance Oliver was instantly in motion.
He grabbed his suit and arrows so fast he was almost out the door before anyone could blink.
"Don't follow me," he said over his shoulder.
"Oliver wait," Dig called after him, "let's think about this for a second."
"Thea doesn't have a second!" Oliver whirled around.
"What are you going to do when you get there huh?" Dig countered. "He's obviously ready for you and without backup who's going to help Thea if you can't?"
Oliver knew Dig was right but he didn't have time for this. His sister was in the hands of a madman and it was entirely his fault.
"I don't know okay? I don't know." Oliver was at his breaking point. "All I know is I need to help my sister and I will NOT risk her life for the sake of mine."
"Go."
Both heads turned towards Felicity.
"Go. Save Thea, and do whatever it takes to take him down," she said resolutely.
Oliver took in her demeanor for only a moment before giving a swift nod.
Without leaving room for argument he turned and left.
I'm coming for you Slade…
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To Be Continued.
Pretty sure Thea's going to find out he's the arrow next chapter ;p As always thanks for reading and for any reviews - J