A/N: My computer glitched out on me and I lost half of this chapter and half of chapter 5. Which really killed my motivation for awhile. I've started rewriting the next chapter so hopefully it won't take me too long to get back into it. It bothers me to no end that this chapter isn't exactly the way I had it written the first time.


Roy didn't know what to think about the…man on the screen.

He was a man technically.

Biologically, at least, he was a human.

All the blood, hair, and tissue samples that they had taken came to the same conclusion.

Duncan Lindy.

A completely ordinary man by all accounts.

Except for the fact that Duncan Lindy had died a few years back in a hiking accident. Fell right off the side of a mountain, spilling his brains everywhere.

There were photos, autopsy reports. Duncan Lindy was dead.

He wasn't one of the men who tried to take him in Prague. Whoever was doing this, there were multiple versions of multiple people. Something to do with genetic variances…

Roy hadn't really listened when Doctor Snow had been explaining it. She and Cisco were still talking via a video feed. The small screen set up on the dining room table.

They had moved their captive to another site. Somewhere just outside Central City. An old farm house where Mick assured them no one would ever think to look for them. They had the man tied up in the barn. A camera was set up, keeping a constant watch on their captive.

The Rogues were currently sitting around the living room of the farm house. Axel was on his laptop. Switching between gathering information and annoying Cisco with random inane questions. Such as which was a better Schwarzenegger clone movie, Twins or the 6th Day? Cisco had looked so offended, Roy thought he might try to reach through the screen and slap Axel.

Lisa had put a stop to it after fifteen minutes. For a second, Roy had sworn Lisa was going to send Axel up to his room without supper. Lisa and Mick were going over the files that Cisco had sent them. All the information they had found. On the clone, on the facilities.

It wasn't much.

Roy kept his eyes on the video feed. Watching the prisoner. Watching the Flash try and talk to the man. The volume was turned down, but Roy could tell the Flash was getting frustrated. His words having no effect on the completely unresponsive prisoner.

So far, the clone hadn't spoken a word. He sat and stared at them with no response. No matter what they said, what they threatened, he offered no reply.

The Flash had wanted the chance to try and convince the man to help them. Appeal to the man's better nature.

Almost thirty minutes later and still the Flash was getting no where.

Mick had offered his particular brand of skills about fifteen minutes ago. The Flash had outright refused. Then he had barred all of them from the barn.

The Flash hadn't trusted any of the Rogues to be left alone with the prisoner.

Which was rude, but Roy didn't comment.

The Flash suddenly sped off the screen and was in the living room before Roy had the chance to turn around.

"Any luck?" Lisa framed it as a question, but said it with a tone that implied she already knew the answer.

"Nothing. The guy won't say a word. How are we on…"

Cisco cut in over the second screen that was set up.

"We have run every sample you got us Blood, hair, dental... Everything says that this dude is straight up dead. And not like, oh he disappeared in a freaky boating accident around the Bermuda Triangle dead. But like 100% I'm looking at his autopsy photos and won't be able to eat for a few days dead."

"We told you he was a clone." Axel had six Twizzlers in his mouth, so his words were a bit garbled.

"Yea, ok. But I mean come on. Clones? We're really at clones now? Like meta humans weren't enough now some company watched Multiplicity a few too many times and decided that would be a good business model?" There was a sound behind Cisco and for a moment, and then Hartley was visible.

Roy had been relieved to see the kid alive and safe. Apparently he had been injured, hadn't been able to make it to Kansas City right away.

The Flash had filled them in. Told them about Hartley hiding out with them until they could figure out what was going on, who had been taken.

Roy had felt the knot in his stomach untwist slightly when he had first seen Hartley over the video feed. The kid had looked just as annoyed and superior as the last time Roy had seen him.

The kid had launched almost immediately into some sort of tirade about what was happening. How he was going to figure it all out. How he was surprised they weren't all dead without him.

Roy had never been so happy to be insulted.

Lisa…had appeared angry when she first saw Hartley. But the look had lasted only a moment. Roy was certain he had just been imagining it. Hartley was safe. One less thing for them to worry about. One less person to be searching for.

"So what's the plan now Flash? Keep offering him chocolates and friendship bracelets?" Lisa was getting tired of sitting around. Of waiting to find out where the rest of their missing members were. Of coming up with nothing.

Roy didn't want to think about what could be happening to the other Rogues right now. Mardon and Shawna would be getting their powers drained. Cold…

Roy glanced back at the video feed. The clone was just sitting there. Completely still. He hadn't spoken, had barely reacted when the Flash had wrapped some bandages around the wounds.

Roy had watched the man's face the entire time. Looking for something. Anything that could give them an edge.

There was no anger, no fear, nothing in the man's eyes.

Roy got an idea.

"I'll talk to him."

They all turned and looked at him.

"Wait, seriously bro? No offense, but you're not like, the most personable of people. I mean, what are you going to do? Paint him a portrait?" Axel looked up from the computer he had been typing on. He had made a game out of trying to find information before Hartley could. Making little lines on his arm with a sharpie whenever he scored a point. Several of the lines had turned into smiley faces at some point.

Mick smacked him on the back of the head.

"Ow, dude. What?"

Mick just grunted in response.

Lisa gave Roy a quick look, raising her eyebrow. She took a look at Roy's face. Then nodded her head.

Roy turned and headed towards the barn. The Flash appeared in front of him. He placed a hand on Roy's chest.

"I said no…"

"No torture. Yes, I know. You have my word. I won't touch the man."

The Flash didn't look at all convinced by that. Especially since Roy's powers didn't rely on touch.

"I'm going to be in there with you."

"Yes, yes."

Roy walked into the barn.

The man was still tied to the chair, his face impassive. Not planning an escape, not trying to find anyway out. Just…waiting for them to do whatever they were going to do.

If they let him go, if they tortured him, if they sent him back to his employers, if they killed him…

It was all the same to him.

The Flash stood off to the side.

The Flash being there would have been a problem for any other Rogue interrogation. The prisoner would know that the Flash would never let the Rogues follow through on their threats of pain.

Roy wasn't going to threaten pain.

At least, not the kind of pain most people feared.

Roy pulled up a chair. Sitting directly across from the prisoner. The prisoner had to know who Roy was, how Roy's powers worked. But the clone didn't flinch, didn't steel himself for whatever was to come. He looked at Roy the same way he had been looking at the wall.

"How old is he, do you think?"

Roy looked at the Flash. The Flash looked slightly confused by Roy's question.

"What?"

"How old do you think he is? He's a clone correct? So he was likely created somewhat recently. Perhaps he is only a few days old. Or a few weeks. Would you even know how old you were? Do you have the memories of the person you were cloned from? Would those make you believe that you were still the same age as Duncan Lindy?"

The man continued to stare impassively at Roy. Roy understood that. He knew he wasn't the most intimidating of the Rogues. People tended to ignore Roy in favor of watching out for Mick or Digger. Someone who looked like the might snap your neck just for fun.

Roy was content to be underestimated.

"Do you remember them as he did? Or is it more like...like watching a home movie from your childhood? The images are there, but the emotions...the emotions aren't retained. You don't remember why you were laughing so hard. Or why you were wearing those clothes. You can't remember the way you thought then."

The man continued to stare.

"You know it's you. You see it. But you can't really say you experienced it. For example. You must be in pain. Those burns that Mick inflicted. Even with the medicine. And most people react to pain inflicted upon them with anger. You should hate us for what we did to you."

Roy paused a moment. Staring directly into the man's eyes.

"Do you hate us? Can you hate us? Do you feel emotions the way he did? Did they give them to you when you were created? Or do you not have his memories? Is there nothing in your mind but the most recent of experiences? Are you nothing more than…a blank canvas?"

Roy activated his powers for a split second. Just long enough for the man's eyes to flash red, then he released him just as suddenly.

The man appeared stunned. His body shook with the sudden change. His breath came in ragged gasps.

And Roy knew.

This man had never felt any emotions.

"What about joy? Or sorrow?"

Roy switched between the two quickly. Making the man in front of him unsure of which emotion was happiness and which was pain.

There were tears in the clone's eyes.

Roy saw the Flash take a step forward out of the corner of his eye, then stop himself. Roy wasn't breaking their deal. He wasn't technically torturing the man. Just letting him feel emotions that had been buried inside.

Emotions he had never been allowed to feel before.

"It's alright." Roy's voice was soothing. The man diverted his eyes, staring solely at the ground. He closed his eyes like a petulant child. Roy stood up and put his hand under the man's chin. The man opened his eyes reluctantly.

"They convinced you you weren't human didn't they. Just a tool to be used and thrown away. But now you know. You know you can feel emotions. You can experience everything they told you you couldn't. Love..."

Roy had never actually tried that one before. He didn't think it was actually love. More like a sudden burst of euphoria and desire. He had no intention of testing that emotion out on any of the Rogues. Or anyone for that matter.

And he had never figured it would come in handy on a mission.

So he let the feeling linger in the man's mind for another moment. Whether it was real love or not, the clone would not be able to tell.

"...fear." The switch this time was slower. Changing to allow the man to know the stark difference. And the connection between the two. How love can influence fear. How fear can stem from losing love.

"...please...please stop."

It was the first time the man had spoken. The first indication that anything they had tried would work. Roy thought about stopping, about asking all his questions now…

But he needed this man to tell them the truth. Need him to feel something that he couldn't bear to lose. He released the man from fear.

"These are just our most basic emotions. There are so many, many more. You didn't remember them, did you? Remembered the thought of them at least. You knew they were things that Duncan Lindy must have experienced…But you didn't remember how they felt. Tell me...if we let you go, if we send you back to your masters, will they take them from you again? Will they allow you to feel any of these things?"

The man shook his head. Roy could see emotions in his eyes now. Could see a fear that Roy didn't have to create.

It was easy to let go of fear. To lose love. To put sorrow behind you. These were all things that most people could move past.

But there was one emotion, one feeling that people couldn't live without.

Hope.

Another emotion Roy had never tried to use on someone before.

Roy hadn't had too much experience with hope himself. In his line of work, hope was something that got you killed. Hoping that your partners wouldn't betray you, that everything would go according to plan. Back when he was on his own, back when he was still trying to make it as an artist, hope had been a very dangerous thing.

It had nearly killed him then.

Had made him believe in things he shouldn't have. People he shouldn't have. So he had pushed it down and forgotten all about it. Becoming complacent in a life he knew he would never escape.

Until the particle accelerator.

Until the Rogues.

Then hope had wormed its way back in. And now it was a part of him again. It was why he hadn't allowed himself to think on the possibility that the others were dead. That they were being ripped apart by some faceless agency. Hope was keeping him focused on what was in front of him. On the job that needed done.

If he didn't have hope, he would have given up.

What would it be like to feel hope for only a moment, then live the rest of your life without it?

"Tell me. Do you remember hope? How it spreads through your chest, how it can sneak into your heart?"

"Please don't...I can't...I'll tell you whatever..."

"Bivolo..." Apparently making a clone beg was the Flash's level of tolerance. Best do this quickly before the hero's conscience undoes all his hard work.

Roy grabbed the man's chin and forced him to look him directly in the eyes.

"You would never be able to get rid of it. No matter how hard you tried. You would tell yourself you could go back to what you were, a mindless drone for this company you work for. But you couldn't, because there, buried deep in your heart, would be that smallest sliver of hope. Hope that you could be more than you were told you were. You will wonder for the rest of your life, if you are capable of feeling it on your own. If this pure, untainted emotion was even a part of you. Or something I created."

"It would twist at you, it would influence every decision you made. Hope is a funny thing like that. It makes you want to be different. It makes you want to be more than what you are. They would see it in you wouldn't they? They would see it and they would take it from you. Is that what you want?"

The clone was crying now.

"No…please. I...Cadmus! The people I work for, the ones that created me...it's called Cadmus. They...I don't know anything about Project Parasite, but I know where all the holding sites are. I can get access to the logs, I can find exactly where they are. Please...please don't...I want..."

Roy dropped the man's chin and took a step back.

The Flash was looking at Roy. Not quite horrified, but not exactly excited that they had managed to get the information they were looking for. The hero finally stepped in between Roy and the prisoner. Attempting to take back control of the situation.

"We aren't going to send you back. If you cooperate…"

"I'll cooperate. Please, I'll tell you everything you need to know. I can tell you the exact locations of every single meta that was taken. Every non-meta too…please…please don't…"

The Flash looked back at Roy. Roy raised an eyebrow.

"Sounds like you should get that man a computer."

The Flash hesitated. Then sped out of the room. He was back before Roy could so much as take a step towards the prisoner.

Roy turned and walked back towards the house. Lisa was walking towards him. He stopped just outside the barn.

"Not bad Roy."

"I do what I can."

Lisa smirked.

"Emotional torture. That's a new one."

"I like to think of it as emotional reawakening."

"Call it whatever you like, you're the artist."

It was hours before the clone was able to give them any real information. His access to the Cadmus system was restricted. Eventually, with the help of Axel and Hartley, Cisco was able to decode the information they had downloaded.

There were hundreds of "holding" facilities. They were spread throughout the world. The list seemed to go on and on.

"So we have a complete list of the facilities, but we haven't been able to decrypt the lists that state who is being held where. And we don't even know if they will be listed by name. It might just be by their power set." Cisco was only half paying attention to them as he kept his eyes focused on the list in front of him.

Even Axel had been uncharacteristically serious as the three of them attempted to decrypt and sort through the information.

The Flash had been getting progressively more jittery as time went on. Roy could swear the boy was vibrating in place.

"Keep at it Cisco. We can start searching the locations we do have if…"

Lisa put a hand around the Flash's arm, stopping his movement towards the door.

"We aren't going to waste our time looking at a bunch of dead ends. Shawna, Mark, and Lenny are our priorities. They're the only ones we care about."

"So you're willing to just let this Cadmus experiment on innocent people until then."

"If it doesn't tip them off, then yes. They can do whatever they want to…"

Roy was certain that the battle of wills between Lisa and the Flash would have continued had a phone not suddenly started ringing. Both of them stopped.

Lisa patted her pocket.

"Not mine." She looks towards Mick. He shakes his head. She looks over at Axel.

"I don't even know what my ringtone sounds like. I mean seriously. Who still calls people?"

It takes Roy a second to remember that he has a cell phone in his pocket. He pulls it out as everyone in the room stares at him.

There is only one person it could be.

"Digger?"

"Thought you'd forgotten all about me mate. Letting the phone ring and ring like that."

Roy couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped him. One more Rogue accounted for. Digger, as per usual, just kept talking.

"You meet up with anyone else yet?"

"Lisa, Mick, Axel, and Hartley all managed to escape. Cold, Shawna and Mark are still missing."

"Don't worry, I got the rain man here with me."

Lisa made a motion with her hands, and Roy set the phone down on the table.

"Digger has Mark."

He put the phone on speaker and Lisa leaned in closer.

"And where is here exactly?"

"Little town just south of the middle of nowhere. Don't worry love, safe as houses."

"Mark?"

"Sleeping off whatever they were doing to him. Old man that was with him says they were getting their powers sucked out."

Lisa explained what they had found out. About the clones and Cadmus. Apparently Digger had been able to find a few of their bases himself. Sounded like the man was in Europe somewhere. But was reluctant to say where exactly.

"Might be best we stick on this side of the pond for now. In case we need to get to someone over here right quick. Ask this agent to get Snart's location first. Meta humans have a bit more use to Cadmus than…"

"We got it Digger."

"Alright love, gotta go make sure Mardon hasn't started a tornado in the room. I'm not paying for any water damages."

"Don't be an idiot Digger."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?"

Lisa hung up.

"Axel, send everything you have to the IP address that Digger gave you. If he is in Europe he should be able to…"

"I'm going to go start looking for people."

The Flash was determined. Already looking like he was just going to disappear.

"Now listen here Flash. We have helped you out. You wouldn't have any of this information if it wasn't for us. You are going to help find the missing Rogues first then you can…"

"It doesn't work like that. I can't just ignore people who are suffering. When…the prisoner gives you the exact locations of the other Rogues, then we can talk. Until then, I'm going to go save as many people as I can."

The Flash was gone without another word.

Roy wondered how many arguments the Flash won by just getting in the last word and speeding away.

"Well….I guess that's our cue to sign off. Let us know when you have exact locations."

Cisco was about to push the button that would disconnect the video feed.

Lisa turned quickly and looked at the young man.

"Let me talk to Hartley."

"I…Ok. Yo, Hart!"

Hartley appeared on the screen.

"I've already run down a list of the potential areas that they could be holding Cold and Shawna. Based on Shawna's powers and the types of meta human holding cells that were installed I have it narrowed down to four locations. Only one of which is in the United States. We need the information that the clone can provide to find Cold, since he is a non-meta he could be housed at any location."

"And you'll do everything you can to find him."

Hartley was speechless for a moment.

"Of course."

"Even if the Flash tells you to work on something else. You'll keep searching for my brother."

"Lisa, what are you trying to say?"

"I think you know what I'm saying. Get to work Hartley."

Lisa cut off the video feed.

"Now then. Roy, why don't you go chat with our prisoner again? Make sure he is properly motivated to find my brother's location."

Roy nodded and left the room.

It took hours for them to finally figure out where Cold was being held. Hours of waiting for computer programs to run. Of waiting for any word that perhaps the Flash had lucked upon the missing Rogues.

Lisa tried to contact the Flash when they finally got the location of her brother. But the Flash wasn't in North America any more.

"Sorry Lisa, but the Flash is already getting pretty close to his limits. Running back and forth. He's going to have to take a break soon."

Lisa had almost smashed her phone when she hung up on Cisco.

So Lisa sent the information to Digger. He was the closest, the only one who could get there. Trusting that the mercenary would do whatever it took to find her brother and bring him home.

Now all they could do was wait.

Wait for word on Cold. Wait until their plan was together so they could go get Shawna.

Wait to find out what had been done to their missing members.

Wait. And hope.


This whole thing was a big bloody mess.

Digger had spent the better part of the last three months trying to figure out what the hell was going on. And not having too much luck with it.

After he had dropped off Owen and his parents, he had wandered around a bit. Decided he wasn't quite ready to head back to Central.

Especially if Cold was just going to kill him when he did.

I mean, they said he was still a Rogue, but that didn't mean nothing when someone gets right pissed about a little thing like betrayal.

So, yea, maybe he had been delaying a bit. Taking the scenic route as it were. He was covering his tracks too. Making sure no one would ever find Owen again. No one would ever be able to use that weakness against him again.

It was an old contact from his ARGUS days who had reached out. Asked Digger if he was looking for some work.

Some easy money.

Which, Digger always was. He had spent the vast majority of what he had on buying off people and getting new identities made. So he was running a little low. Might as well take a job or two. If people thought he wasn't with the Rogues any more, it could work to his advantage.

Turns out, betraying the bastards might have actually saved their asses.

Well, some of their asses anyway.

The job had been easy enough. Break into some building, kill any witnesses. Steal something or other. Didn't really ask too many questions. Wouldn't have even thought twice about it til he was getting paid.

Rogers was handing him his cut when the laptop started beeping. Making a racket. The information they stole was apparently good. Rogers had looked mighty pleased with himself.

"You want to stick around. Run another errand for me? Heard you were working solo again."

"Yea, you know me mate. Never did play too well with others."

Rogers had looked happy at that response.

"Good. My employers might have some questions for you regarding your former associates."

Digger had gone along with it. Decided he should see who these employers were. Find out what they were paying, then decide what to do with the information.

So he met up with Rogers and some bloke in a suit about a week later. Some shitty bar that even Digger thought could use a cleaning.

"Mr. Harkness."

"Who's the suit?"

"My name is not important. What is important is some information I was hoping you could provide."

"Rogers said as much."

"Indeed. Mr. Rogers has been working for our organization for some time. He assures me that...for the proper price, you would be willing to work with us."

"I'll do pretty much anything for the proper price."

The suit hadn't smiled but there was a definite look in his eyes. Like he wanted to smile but wasn't born with the muscles for it.

"The Rogues have a bit of a reputation. We were hoping you could give us some information that might help us...better prepare."

"Haven't been with 'em in a couple months. Might have changed some access codes and safe houses since then. Didn't really leave them on the best of terms, what with stabbing a few of them and all."

"Yes. And yet you managed to escape..."

"Flash was there. Wouldn't let Cold kill me. Was able to get away once they handed me over to the cops."

"I see. There are several meta members of the team and several non-metas. Mr. Mardon, Ms. Baez, and Mr. Bivolo are the meta humans correct?"

Digger was familiar with this type of interrogation technique. Ask a bunch of easily verifiable questions, make the mark think you didn't know too much. Then hit them with a question that seems simple enough, but is a bit of a trick. Has a hidden meaning to it somewhere.

"That's right. Mardon's the strongest, can control the weather. Although Bivolo can be a bit scary when he wants to be. Can do a bit more than people think. Baez is used mostly for her getaways. Though she's been working on making herself stronger, go farther distances, that sort of thing. Can use live video streams to get where she needs to go now. Oh, and Mardon can fly."

Digger wasn't sure if they knew about that last part, but it was always good to give a little bit extra. Wasn't like it wasn't something they could find if they were as good as Digger thought they were.

"Interesting. And the non-metas, they have advanced weaponry, correct?"

"Yea, Cold, Lisa, and Mick all got guns they stole from STAR Labs originally. Although at this point they all know their weapons so well, they could rebuild them from scratch if they had to. Piper makes his own stuff. Don't really know too much about his designs though, kid's pretty secretive about it."

The suit had raised an eyebrow at that.

Damn.

Something about all this wasn't quite right. Rogers had been a bit of a shady bastard at ARGUS but he had never really seemed like the treason type. And this suit, there was something about the way he held himself that Digger didn't like.

"Interesting, now as far as..."

Digger pulled a boomerang and sliced the suit's throat. Rogers barely had time to react before he had a similar wound of his own. Both men fell over dead. Nobody in the bar even so much as looked up.

Which is probably why the suit had chosen this place. Was going to do the same thing to Digger once he got the information he needed.

Probably could have been smarter about that. Waited a bit longer, found out who the suit worked for. But Digger's instincts had told him to kill the guy, so he had. He never ignored that instinct when it flared up in a conversation like that one. Had served him pretty well so far.

He quickly searched them both. Not finding anything on the suit except a needle. Bastard wasn't even going to pay him. Rogers had a few bucks, so Digger took those on principle.

He found a place to hole up for a few days and then started looking at the copy of the hard drive he had made.

If Rogers hadn't wanted Digger to steal that information, he shouldn't have left him alone with it for a few minutes.

It was a bunch of plans of old military buildings. Ones all over the world. Different military specs in different languages. They were all being brought up to code. New security systems, new reinforced doors and walls.

And what looked like anti-meta technology.

Whoever these bastards were. They were gearing up for something big.

Digger quickly did a check of where all the Rogues were. Roy was the closest, if he was still in Prague. One of the military bases was in that country, and it had designs for a room with no window. No lights either. So Digger made a quick trip over.

Spent a couple days tailing Roy. Seeing if anyone was watching him. Turns out his instincts were right. Two assholes tried to grab Roy coming out of a museum. Slippery bastard managed to shoot one of them and get away.

Digger had been a little impressed at Roy's fortitude. Making it as far as he did with a bullet in him.

Digger killed both of the agents and dumped their bodies in the river. By the time he found Roy the bastard had bled everywhere. Took some extra precautions after that.

Digger had checked on the positions of the others as soon as he had dumped Roy off in that hospital.

Hadn't been good news.

Missing. The whole lot of them.

It should have taken years for an Op like this to get underway. Yet somehow these bastards were pulling it off in months.

He told Roy to head back to Central, then continued to follow the patterns he could.

He looked at several of the plans, deciding on which ones would most likely be used for the members of the Rogues. Problem was, this was only a partial list. And he still didn't know who was doing the grabbing.

Which was impressive.

And telling.

Needed a lot of money to pull this off. Which ruled out most government agencies. So it was a private thing. Was able to narrow it down from there too.

Couple companies on the list, though he didn't think a few would be involved he still had to check them all out.

By the time he managed to determine the locations of a few more of the bases, he was beginning to think he needed some back up.

He had made a list of all the potential sites that could be housing Rogues. There was one a couple countries over. Had installed some pretty interesting machinery. The barometric gauges had been a pretty good indicator of who he might find there.

He staked the place out for a few days. Watched the guards go in and out. Once he saw them bring in two new prisoners. Other than that it was the same routine every day.

Up until a tornado had damn near wiped the building off the map. Diggers car had almost flipped over from the force of the winds. Eventually he was able to get his car going and head after the escapees. Followed one bloke's tracks for a little bit. But that bastard was heading straight into the desert. Idiot would be dead before too long heading that way.

So he went back and followed the other set of tracks.

The old man glaring at him was a less than welcome guest.

Had almost left him behind except he had tried to hit Digger when he went to grab Mardon.

Which had endeared the old coot to him a little. Spry for an old man.

He holed the three of them up in a shitty hotel in a shitty side of an even shittier town.

The old man had actually raised his nose up in the air at it.

"You couldn't have found something a little less…moldy."

"Moldy builds character. Strengthens the lungs."

"That is the exact opposite of what it does." Mardon was still out cold, Digger had tossed him on top of the bed. Man should probably get a couple vaccinations after laying there. Old man kept looking at Digger like being in this hotel was worse than the prison they had been in.

"At least it was…sanitary. We should go back. Look for clues."

"You can be a super sleuth on your own time mate. Not going to find nothing."

"Really? So we will find something then?"

Digger raised an eyebrow at the man. Stein, think he said his name was, looked frustrated and went back to trying to make sure Mardon was comfortable.

"Nevermind. I'm not saying I'm not grateful for the rescue. We were lucky you came along before our captors returned."

"They weren't coming back."

"What? What on earth are you talking about, they wouldn't go through all that trouble just to…"

"I imagine you're one of them real smart types yea? Work in a big fancy lab like STAR used to be before they made everything weird?"

"Not sure a man who uses boomerangs as a weapon gets to define anyone else as weird. But…"

"You're used to having a bunch of money and a bunch of fancy equipment. But eventually that money runs out don't it? Gotta go ask for more or whatever you lot do. Point is, if you never ran out of money, you wouldn't care if something broke or you had to toss a perfectly good telescope or something. Cause you could always just get another one."

"You think they were just going to leave us to die?"

"Nah, once Mardon here blew a hole out of the side of the building they just abandoned it. Sent out a signal saying the place was compromised. What's it matter if one rat escapes? They got plenty more rats, and plenty more cages."

"So you don't think they'll come after us?"

"If we make a big enough stink, they will. Try to go to the cops or join up with the heroes maybe. Try to leak the info to the public or ARGUS and they'll come after us with all they got. Gotta keep a lid on it. But if we lay low, go to ground, they should leave us be for now."

"Until they decided they need to scrap the project and tie up any lose ends."

"Now you're getting it. Long as their experiments are working somewhere, they don't care about us. Once they're done, then we got problems. Don't imagine you keep the rats alive after they've gone through the maze a few times. Don't need 'em anymore once all the data's in place."

"That is barbaric. Who is behind this?"

"Working on that. Keep an eye on the Wiz. I gotta make a call."

"I thought you said to lay low."

"Don't worry your britches. Subtlety's my thing."

There was a pay phone couple blocks away. He called the cell phone he had left with Roy. Man picked up after the fourth ring. Good to know the guy kept it on him.

"Digger?"

"You meet up with anyone else yet?"

"Lisa, Mick, Axel, and Hartley all managed to escape. Cold, Shawna and Mark are still missing."

"Don't worry, I got the rain man here with me." The was a small sound, then Digger could hear the sounds of a few people moving about. Put on speaker phone then.

"And where is here exactly?"

Lisa's tone was demanding, and just as sexy as he remembered it to be. Still wasn't sure she wasn't going to just stab him in the eye next time he saw her.

Worth the risk.

"Little town just south of the middle of nowhere. Don't worry love, safe as houses."

"Mark?"

"Sleeping off whatever they were doing to him. Old man that was with him says they were getting their powers sucked out."

"Yes, we've come to the same conclusion. Found one of their bases here."

"You never cease to amaze me love."

He could almost hear her roll her eyes at him. Get that sexy little annoyed face she always gets.

"We have a list of potential site where the other Rogues might be."

"I got a list of my own. We'll have to compare notes…"

"Cadmus."

"What?"

"It's the company behind all this."

"Damn, I had it on my list of potentials. How'd you get it narrowed down?"

Lisa hesitated for a moment.

"Roy was able to get the information out of one their agents. How long will it take you to get back here?"

Roy? How the hell did he weasel it out of someone?

"Might be best we stick on this side of the pond for now. In case we need to get to someone over here right quick. Ask this agent to get Snart's location first. Meta humans have a bit more use to Cadmus than…"

"We got it Digger."

"Alright, gotta go make sure Mardon hasn't started a tornado in the room. I'm not paying for any water damages."

"Don't be an idiot Digger."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?"

Digger hung up the phone and headed back to the hotel. Mardon was still out, and the old man had fallen asleep in the chair by the bed.

Bet that position was going to be murder on the man's back.

Digger opened up the stolen laptop and found out as much as he could about Cadmus, and their research. He sent Axel his list and they sent theirs in return. Couple on there he didn't have. But they needed to narrow it down. At least they didn't have to go through every base if this agent could tell them where Shawna and Cold were.

Couple hours later, Lisa sends him a location. Couple countries over, but shouldn't take more than a day for him to get to. Supposed to be where they're keeping Cold.

Lisa says to get there now. Not waste any more time.

He tells her about Stein. Gets a weird message back saying to bring the old man with them when they head home. Some kind of deal with the Flash. Digger don't ask about it. Lisa didn't sound to happy that the Flash was rushing off to other locations instead of helping her brother first.

Old man don't look too happy when Digger says he's going to leave them.

"I still don't even know what country we are in. And you are just going to abandon us to..."

"Look I'm not going to kill Mardon cause he's...a teammate. But you, you I don't know. And to be quite honest if I killed you before Mardon wakes up I could just tell him you died in the desert. So how about you quit questioning my every move before I come to my senses and realize how easy it would be to leave your body in the street."

The geezer opened and closed his mouth a few times. Then glared at Digger as he started to pack up a little kit he had. Money he would need, passports and the like.

The old guy was quiet for almost ten minutes, which Digger figured had to be some kind of record.

"Listen, you...you shouldn't do this alone. Wait until Mr. Mardon regains some of his strength and..."

"That could take awhile. Gotta get to Cold before he gets himself killed."

"I..." He looked between Digger and Mardon. "We will be here then. Good luck Mr. Harkness."

Digger left without another look. Old guy would watch out for Mardon. He left him a few guns to defend themselves. Should be ok.

He made it to the facility where Cold was supposed to be without any problems. He was beginning to think this Cadmus knew it would only be a matter of time before someone found them. That they did this all at once so they could get as much information as possible before they got discovered.

Digger didn't wait until the six guards who entered an hour ago left. Something was telling him he needed to get in there now.

They were wearing body armor. Might have even been able to put up a bit of a fight against someone else. But Digger was highly skilled and highly motivated. Plus he hadn't been in a proper fight in awhile now. He had been itching for it.

Six dead bodies in the hallway. Plus the two doctor looking types he killed in the side room that kinda looked like a kitchen. He grabbed an apple off the table and took a bite, then threw it in the trash.

All he had to do now was find Cold and this whole mess would be over. They'd head back to Central, round up all these Cadmus bastards and make them pay for causing all this grief.

He knew there would be a room with the prisoners, and a couple experimenting rooms. He went for the prisoner rooms first.

He half expected to see Snart sitting on a cot, giving Digger that look like he couldn't believe it had taken him this long to find him.

There were only two metas in the cells. One of which can barely move. Must have had his powers sucked out recently.

The other was just sitting in the corner of his cell, rocking back and forth. Muttering to himself. Some people just couldn't take prison and torture. Snapped their minds right in two. He debated on killing that one for a second. Probably be doing the poor bastard a favor in the long run. But he left him babbling in the corner and searched the other cells.

They were empty.

That didn't bode well.

He found a room like Stein had described from the other place. Funny looking device hanging out of the wall. Then there was another room with a bunch of wires and doodads hanging over an operating table. Table had metal restraints on it too. Must be where they brought the normal ones.

The ones that got powers shoved in them. Can't imagine that was very pleasant. Must be what all the restraints were for.

Only one reason Cold wouldn't be in the cell or this room.

He found a stairwell that lead down to a basement. Got colder as he walked down. There was a heavy metal door at the bottom. Opening it up, it was clear what this room was.

Failed experiments.

He didn't hesitate to enter the room. Not even when he saw the four body bags laying out.

Two on the ground.

Two up on tables.

Didn't hesitate when he unzipped the first bag on the ground. Just some nameless chick, body cold. Been dead awhile from the looks of her. Not wearing anything either. Big scar down her chest from an autopsy. Digger wouldn't be surprised if her organs were in little jars somewhere.

Next bag was a little different. Sores and bloody marks all over her. Must be the powers of one of the metas. Certain bodies couldn't handle it.

Just died from the shock of it.

He turned towards the two bags laying on the tables.

Third bag was another bloody man. Sores covering his whole face. Couldn't even make out the man's features. Wasn't Snart though. What little hair the man had left was blond.

That left the last bag.

Digger liked to think he'd seen enough death in his life to not be affected by it. Happens to everyone eventually. Not like there's anything special about being dead.

His hand hesitated slightly over the zipper.

Just open the bloody bag.

He unzipped it.

He didn't react externally. He'd seen too many dead bodies for something like that. Didn't really feel anything internally either. Wasn't sure he still had that in him. Could still feel pain like that anymore, not after all he'd done.

He just took a moment to look at the dead man in front of him. Making sure his eyes weren't deceiving him. That maybe this was just another clone like Lisa had mentioned. Another trick this Cadmus lot had cooked up.

Digger put a slow hand forward and touched the cold corpse in front of him.

"Sorry boss."

Not many people that Digger had ever called boss where it wasn't said as an insult.

Leonard Snart had been one of them.

Least he wasn't all covered in sores like the other two. Still looked like himself. That was something.

Just…not breathing. Body was cold. Didn't have the autopsy scars like the first chick. Must have been what those doctor bastards were coming back here to do.

So not dead too long.

Maybe only a few hours.

Digger rezipped the bag and slung it over his shoulder.

He carried the bag to the car and put it on the back seat. Probably should have put him in the trunk…

Nah. That didn't feel right. Leader of the Rogues don't end up in some trunk. He goes out with the proper respects.

He didn't check on the other two metas as he left. Door was open. If they couldn't figure out how to walk out, that was their problem.

Digger didn't figure coming back to Central with Snart's body was going to endear him to the others any more. They might even think he had something to do with it. Might kill him for it.

Smart thing to do, would be to bury Snart's body somewhere then just drop off the map. Never go back, never make contact with any of the others. He wasn't a meta, wasn't even associated with the Rogues any more. Cadmus wouldn't have a reason to come after him.

That would be the smart thing to do.

Digger headed back to the hotel with Snart's body on the back seat.

Couldn't say he'd ever been accused of doing the smart thing.

He called in some old favors, spent about the last of his money, and got him a private plane. Get them all back to Central by tomorrow evening.

Mardon was awake when Digger got back to the hotel. Still looked like shit. Hair all sideways, skin pale as it could be. Barely able to sit up on his own. The old man was hovering nearby.

"Stein said it was you, almost didn't believe it. Where's Cold?"

Digger had never been particularly good at breaking news easy. Didn't see the point in it. News was still going to be shit however he chose to say it. Best to just to get it over with.

"Snart's dead. Whatever powers they put in him, guess his body couldn't take. I got us a plane, leaving tonight. Take us all back to Central."

Mardon looked shocked...but resigned. Imagine he had to know that the odds Cold was still alive were pretty slim. He'd seen first hand what happened to non-metas in those prisons.

Probably a good thing his powers still weren't working. Man had a lot of rage in him on the best of days. Didn't deal with death too well that one.

Stein hadn't said a word, though he looked the saddest of them all. Old man didn't even know Snart.

Digger couldn't stand sitting around doing nothing. Just sitting in silence with all that hanging over them.

"Gonna go call and tell the others. Then we'll get out of here."

Mardon nodded. Digger saw Stein try to put a hand on Mark's shoulder. Mardon shrugged him off. Digger wonder how much of Central was going to be left once Mardon got back to himself.

Not to mention what all the other Rogues were capable of. There was going to be blood in the streets when all was said and done. Digger was sure of that.

He'd be spilling his share of it as well.

People skills were never Digger's strong suit. Even Cold had said that. Still, somebody had to let everyone know what was going on. No point in hiding it now.

Digger picked up the pay phone and dialed the cell he gave Roy.

Lisa picked up.

"Well?"

Digger hesitated a second too long. He knew he did. Knew she would know instantly that something wasn't right.

"Snart was dead by the time I got there. I got a plane. Gonna bring the body back with us. Should be in Central tomorrow night. I'll have 'em fly into the old Ferris base."

Silence went on a minute too long on the other side of the phone.

"Got it."

Then the phone hung up.

Digger rubbed a hand over his face.

Right then. Nothing left to do now but get home. Get it all laid out and see where the chips fell.

Silence reigned on the entire flight back. Snart's body laid in the back of the small private jet. Mardon had unzipped the bag when they first loaded up. Needing to see it was real for himself.

Thought the man might stare at Snart's body the whole ride back. Eventually he just zipped it up, took his seat, and proceeded to stare out the window the whole way home.

Stein, miraculously, didn't say a word. Probably thought the Rogues might kill him if he did. Mood Digger was in, that was a good call.

Didn't know how the Rogues would move forward from this. Lisa had led them before, knew she could handle that. But she was going to have other things on her mind for awhile. Might not be thinking straight on what to do next.

Wasn't like any of them would be. Digger had felt the itch to start killing people the second he had seen Snart's body. He thought it might go away after a few hours. But it hadn't. It was still there. He took out a boomerang and started sharpening it. Wanted it to be ready when Lisa gave the order.

Digger didn't care who they had to kill. Just as long as he got to kill as many as he needed until the itch went away.

Until he stopped feeling this...whatever this feeling was.

He was going to kill every single one of these bastards if that's what it took.

Rules be damned.