Chapter 9

"Took you two long enough."

That voice rang through Oliver's head, that had to be her. That was it, all his defensives walls came down, and trusting of his instincts followed.

"We didn't come here to fight you Thea".

"Who's Thea"?She scoffed shifting her stance. Weapon drawn, still in her hands.

"You are, you're Thea Dearden Queen, and no mask is going to make me think otherwise. I know you better than anyone else."

Roy takes a baby step and Oliver's hand reaches out to halt him. He looks up at Oliver, eyes trusting, go a step further. Oliver on the other hand, has been quiet the entire time just staring at at what appears to be his sister.

"Well then seem's like we all know who each all are except for you." She now aims the arrow solely at Oliver.

"Maybe we should find out hmm?"

"Thea don't". Roy orders her.

"As if you could stop me Harper". She threattingly walks closer.

"Speedy". Another voice says. As soon as he says her name, Thea goes stiff.

"Malcolm".

"Hello Oliver, Roy."

Oliver stares at Thea. His secret to her out now. Nevertheless he never stops aiming for Malcolm.

"Oh don't worry she can't hear a thing we say. That's how I programmed her."

"You-"

"No need for bad language this isn't even the real Thea. Well physically of course it is,but her mind's gone on a little vacation.

Roy drew his arrow back continuing his aim on him. "What did you do to her?" He looks at her, them back to him.

"She's completely safe". He smiles. "However, how you choose to go about this night will decide if she remains that way.

"Not good enough". His fingers slide back and forth against one another, grazing the bowstring.

"You tell me how to undo this NOW or next one goes into you". Roy meant business.

"Your mentor would let break your no kill rule for me, I'm flattered. However it won't get you any closer to my daughter."

Malcom takes a step closer. "What do you want?" Oliver asked, lowering his bow.

"You tell me, you came here. If it's for Thea she's not here, Now if you could just- Arrrghhh".

Oliver lets the arrow fly, dealing a non lethal blow to his shoulder. He came here for the mission but no way would he be leaving without his sister.

Malcom still hunched over, forcefully pulls the arrow out. Throwing it to the floor.

"I tried to let you guys live, but you wanted to test my patience, Thea you know what to do."

Almost animated Thea comes back to life, this time hitting them both quickly with tranquilizers.

"Nighty night boys".

…..

Oliver wakes up. His vision a bit unfocused.

"Oliver". Roy whispers

"Yeah".

"You okay"

"Im fine, how about you?"

"Good."

A generator comes on, and Oliver quickly remembers his surroundings. Thea, Malcom, Roy. Last year when Malcom held him hostage, This was the same exact same place.

He was sitting upward in a chair,His hands were behind his back securely. He struggles to break free, only to be disappointed.

"Oliver save you strength it's pointless, I've already tried."

"So this is it for you, The hooded vigilante and his sidekick." Malcom comes into view, his shoulder bandaged. His hands in his pocket.

"Our hero of star city. Dreams of saving a dying city but yet you can't even save your own sister, you should've just ran when I gave you the chance".

"If you're going to kill us please do it, I can't stand to hear you speak anymore." Roy says.

"Mr. Harper the grownups are speaking,why don't you keep quiet before I find more technical way I torture you." He pulls out a syringe. Roy looks away.

"Why the bombs at the Lexcorp warehouse, what are you planning to do. Why steal them". Oliver says. If He was going to die he wanted answers. It would also take the attention off Roy".

"Why not? I could sell them, destroy them for the greater good for mankind".

"I don't see you doing either."

"Guess you'll never know, seeing as how you failed to stop me."

Behind his back Oliver slow starts to cut the rope using his minature dagger on his arm guard. They took his main weapon but with this Oliver had more than enough to accommodate his escape.

Roy sees Oliver's wrist start to bleed, he registers what's going on and speaks to keep Malcom talking, keep him busy from noticing their escape.

"So why keep Thea around for this, isn't this something you could do on your own, instead of dragging an innocent girl into this."

"If it's one thing I learned it's that no one's innocent. She wanted to learn how to never be hurt again. She came willingly, she knew the risk. All I did was bend her and mold her into a better person."

"You took away her free will, you brainwashed her you're sick." Oliver spits at him.

"Me SICK! No Oliver it's everyone else that's sick. Society is the one with the problem! Humanity is a disease."

"So you'd do that to my sister, your daughter just to prove a point." He continues to cut the rope, the cut on his wrist getting a bit deeper with every twist and turn.

"Not for a point for POWER, for control. The leaders of this free world have no clue how to run it. Thea was a necessary sacrifice, as was year was the undertaking, I was thinking too small. I suppose I should be thanking you Oliver. Without failure there can be no success. There are organizations, certain influential positions of powers out there that lurk in the shadows. Something you could never understand, because you like to dress up and play hero, instead of doing what so desperately needs to be done. You take out whoever gets in your way, once I do I will shape and reform this world just as I did my daughter as only I know I can.

He finally breaks free of the chair, charging for Malcom. He instantly pins him down.

"It's over Malcom call off Thea and give up the bombs.

He coughs, having being choked by Oliver.

"Actually I can't do either."

"Give it up"

"The bombs, well you can't stop it after they've been started. See thea, well she's the one who set it for me." He looks at his watch. "She should be starting it on a timed detonation about now.

"So what's to stop me from killing you, if the bombs just going to go off?"

"I said you can't stop it but me on the other hand can and will as long as you let me walk out of here alive and to my airstrip. It can be controlled by a remote transmitter.

Oliver looks at him, trying to decide what to do.

"Its set on forty five minutes, thirty seconds. Make up your mind hero."

Oliver backs up this time the reward not being worth the risk.

Merlyn stands up brushing the dirt off his clothing. "Hero's always have to be so valiant, really it was a no brainer for you. One more thing though, if you try to follow me, I'll have Thea turn you into a pincushion, either she hurts you or you hurt her. So do I make myself clear?" He runs out leaving Oliver with no way to follow him.