Chapter 14: You're next, Luthor

Oliver hunched low over the handlebars of the Ducati, the air whistling past as he roared through the deserted streets of Metropolis. It was three in the morning, and in the last fifteen minutes he'd barely seen more than a handful of people. Most of those were either drunk or high, and the few who were in control of their senses would have seen little more than a streak of green as he shot past them at more than sixty miles an hour. He'd past a squad car a dozen or so blocks back, but by the time they had registered his presence he was already long gone. Had they recognised him? Unlikely, given the speed he was travelling. But the cameras mounted on every street corner would have picked him up. Sooner rather than later someone was going to recognise his trademark leathers, and then it would only be a matter of time before the story was splashed over the front page of the Planet:

The Green Arrow is back!

The thought of the storm of publicity a few grainy images of a leather clad biker would generate brought a smile to his face. His helmet and tinted visor meant that no one could see his face, so inevitably there would be speculation as to the identity of the mystery man who had decided to don the costume of the fallen vigilante. No one would guess the truth, of course – that it was Oliver himself who had returned. Everyone believed he was dead, shot whilst trying to escape custody. Only Lex would know that it was really him, and it was Lex who would have to handle the attention of the city's press. They'd be keen to get his views on the return of the Green Arrow, and somehow Oliver didn't think Lex would relish the attention of a pack of journalists right now, not when he was locked in a battle for his very survival. It all served to ratchet up the pressure, which is just what Oliver wanted. Now Slade was out of the way, he was determined not to give Lex a moment's peace; he was in the driving seat, and he intended to push his advantage home.

Two days had passed since he and Roy had anchored the pod to the sea bed. He felt no regret at condemning Slade to the same fate as he and Lex had planned for AC. There wasn't a prison on the planet that could hold him, if he'd even made it to jail; Lex's army of lawyers would almost certainly have got any charges dismissed before it got to court. Entombing him at the bottom of the ocean was the only way of neutralising Slade for good, short of putting a bullet through his head. Months of solitude lay ahead, months when he could reflect on all the lives he had ruined. It was justice for Slade's victims, not least Dean Caruso; at last Oliver felt that his friend could rest in peace.

Since they'd returned to Metropolis Oliver had barely paused to catch his breath. Emil had done a great job patching him up. The wounds that Slade had inflicted on him may have painful, but they were not deep, and it hadn't been long before Oliver had insisted on going out on patrol, much against Emil's advice. He wanted Oliver to rest, but he wouldn't listen; he knew that the clock was ticking, and every minute that Chloe spent as Lex's prisoner was a minute too long. He didn't want to think about what she must be going through, and keeping busy meant he didn't have to confront the painful truth that she had already spent five months in captivity. What had she had to endure? What had Lex done to her? Not knowing was eating away at him, and at the back of his mind was the fear that even if he managed to save her, nothing would ever be quite the same again…..

Dismissing these half-suppressed anxieties, Oliver turned into the street that led to his secret base. He needed to stay positive. Already he'd achieved a great deal; AC had been saved, and Lex's most dangerous ally had been neutralised. The momentum was clearly with him, and it wouldn't be long before Chloe and Clark were free. What happened then could wait for another day; what mattered now was freeing his friends.

Entering the base, Oliver brought the bike to a halt. As he dismounted he was met by Roy, a huge smile on his face.

"Oliver, it's AC – you are not going to believe it!" he said, barely able to contain his excitement.

"What is it – what's happened?"

"Come to the treatment room – you'll see!" answered Roy, already leading the way. Oliver followed. The treatment room was located at the far end of one of the corridors that led off from the nerve center of the base. Equipped with the latest advances in medical technology, it was where they had brought AC on their return from the island. Emil had taken charge of his care, reassuring Oliver that everything that could be done would be done to aid his friend's recovery. Things had been progressing well, as far as Oliver was aware; Roy's excitement suggested that things might have taken a significant turn for the better.

Reaching their destination, Roy opened the door, standing aside to let Oliver pass. He expected to see AC as he'd left him, lying on a bed and attached to a range of monitors and drips. The bed, however, was empty, the monitors lying idle next to it.

Confused, Oliver looked at Emil, who was standing next to the bed.

"Where is he? Emil, what's happened?"

"I got better is what happened!"

Oliver whirled round. There, standing behind the door, stood AC, a grin as wide as the Grand Canyon on his face. Oliver was speechless. It wasn't just that his friend was on his feet; it was the fact that he appeared to be completely healed. The flesh that had hung so grotesquely from his body was gone, replaced by skin that glowed with vitality and strength. The burn marks and cuts that had disfigured his frame had also disappeared. It was as if all the tortures and abuse of the last five months hadn't happened; the AC of old was back, rejuvenated and stronger than ever.

"What the….?"

"Dude, I'm a medical miracle!" exclaimed AC, holding out his arms. The two men embraced, hugging each other like long lost brothers. Both had been to hell and back, but the bond that held them together had never been stronger.

"How is this possible?" asked Oliver eventually, his hands still gripping AC's shoulders.

"AC's regenerative powers are stronger than I thought," explained Emil. "It's incredible, I know, but he's fully recovered."

"And ready to take down Lex," said AC, his face darkening. "Emil told me about Clark and Chloe – when are we going in?"

"We?" repeated Oliver. "AC, after what you've been through…."

"No way I'm sitting this one out, Oliver," interrupted AC. "You heard Emil – I'm fully recovered. I'm in – end of story."

Oliver stared at his friend. It was clear that his mind was made up, and no amount of persuasion was going to change it:

Aquaman was back on the grid.

"Okay, AC – if that's how you want it," said Oliver. "It's good to have you back, man."

"Good to be back, dude," replied AC. "And Oliver?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it, man – you'd do the same for me."

No more words were needed – they both understood what AC was trying to say. They hugged once more, holding each other a little tighter than before.

"Emil, how's Bart?" asked Oliver eventually, turning his attention back to the business in hand.

"He's come round," replied Emil. "But it's not good, Oliver – Lex's drugs are more powerful than I thought."

After the joy of AC's recovery, the news about Bart caused Oliver's face to darken. "I want to see him," he said.

"That might not be such a good idea."

"Emil – I need to see him."

Emil nodded. He turned and led the other three back out into the corridor. Opposite stood another door, secured with an electronic lock. Emil punched in an access code, before leading Oliver and others inside.

Bart lay on a bed, his wrists and ankles secured by thick leather straps attached to the frame. As Oliver entered he turned his face to the wall; he was clearly in no mood to talk.

"I've run some tests, but so far I've been unable to identify the toxin that Luthor used," said Emil. "I really need to move him to my lab at Tuckville – there I should be able to isolate the active ingredients, and then start work on an antidote."

"Whatever you need, Emil," said Oliver, staring at the back of the teenager's head. "We just want the old Bart back."

He moved round the bed so that he could see Bart's face. He scowled at Oliver, his eyes flashing with hate and anger.

"I know you won't believe this, Bart, but we're going to take care of you," said Oliver. "Emil's the best in the business – if anyone can figure out what Lex did to you, he can."

"Fuck you, Oliver," said Bart, almost spitting the words from his mouth. "Do you hear me? FUCK YOU!"

The ferocity of Bart's words made Oliver wince; however many times he confronted this new Bart, the experience always left him shaken.

"I'll get things organised," said Emil. "I'll move him today – hopefully I should have some results for you in 48 hours."

Oliver nodded. He turned and began to make his way towards the door, but Bart hadn't finished.

"You think you're gonna win?" he sneered. "Lex is gonna kill you, Oliver – he's gonna kill all of you. Chloe too – you're all gonna die!"

Oliver didn't turn round, but silently left the room.

"Man, he is seriously fucked up," said AC as they made their way back down the corridor. "Do you think Emil can save him?"

"I hope so – I really do," replied Oliver, grim-faced.

The mood lifted a little as they entered the command center of the base. Roy and AC joined Oliver in front of one of the many computers that lined one wall. A few taps of the keyboard and a map flashed up on the screen in front of them.

"Clark and Chloe are being held here," said Oliver. "Lex calls it Facility 51. Top secret, and security is tight."

"Just like old times," said AC. "So when do we go?"

"Tonight. It's going to be a long journey, so I suggest we all get some rest – I'll brief you on the mission at 18 00 hours."

Roy and AC nodded. Roy turned to go, but Oliver stopped him.

"I've not really had chance to say thanks for saving my ass back on the island," he said, pulling a box from beneath the desk and handing it to Roy. "Maybe this will make up for it."

Roy stared at the box for a moment, before looking up at Oliver.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Open it – you'll see."

Roy pulled open the lid and gasped. Inside, folded carefully, was a leather tunic. Modelled on the Green Arrow's, only the color was different – this one was a deep shade of red.

"I hope you like it – the pants are underneath," said Oliver, trying to sound casual but secretly getting a kick from how thrilled the teenager obviously was.

"It's awesome!" said Roy. "But you shouldn't have – I'm not…."

"Yes you are," interrupted Oliver, placing a hand on Roy's shoulder. "AC and I wouldn't be standing here now if it wasn't for you. You're one of us, Roy – you're part of the team."

"And if you're part of the team, you've gotta have a costume!" continued AC, checking out the contents of the box. "Nice leathers, kid. Just leave the spandex to me, yeah? It takes something special to pull off my look."

The three men smiled. A new team had been forged, and at that moment they felt ready for anything.

"So get some rest, yeah?" said Oliver. "We suit up in fourteen hours, and remember – Chloe and Clark are counting on us!"

He watched as the two men turned and made their way towards their rooms, AC ruffling Roy's hair and wisecracking about his costume. It was clear that the two of them had gelled, not that he'd ever really doubted it; from his first meeting with Roy back at Nemesis he'd known that the teenager was a natural fit for his team. He couldn't help but see the similarity between Roy and the Bart of old, a Bart that he prayed he'd see again soon…..

He turned back towards the screen, studying the schematic of Lex's newest facility. He'd not been exaggerating when he'd said security was tight. Lex had invested heavily in some state of the art surveillance systems, and Oliver was certain that the number of guards on duty would have been significantly increased. This was going to be tough, but in his heart he knew they could do it. He wasn't working alone anymore; together, he believed the three of them would be more than a match for anything Lex could throw at them.

He glanced at his watch:

3:37 a.m.

He smiled. In a few hours Lex would be getting up, and then he'd discover that he'd had an uninvited visitor during the night, a visitor who'd left him a message.

It would mark the beginning of a very bad day for Lex Luthor, a day he'd never forget.

Lex strode down the corridor that led to his study. Outside, the morning sun made the perfectly manicured grounds of the Luthor mansion appear even more beautiful than usual. Not that Lex had time to enjoy the view; his eyes were fixed firmly on his Blackberry, and the messages that had arrived overnight. One in particular gave him cause for satisfaction; his team at Facility 51 had almost completed their work, and were eager for him to visit so that they could share their findings. It was a piece of news that Lex had waited weeks to hear, and seemed to provide the best possible start to the day.

There was, however, no message from Slade. In fact, there hadn't been any communication from him for three days, not since he'd signalled that he'd captured Oliver. Lex was irritated, rather than worried – irritated that Slade had not seen fit to keep him informed of how he was dealing with his prisoner. He knew better than to interfere, of course; Slade was a man who always did things his way, and he was sure that either he or Bart would get in touch soon. Not for a second did he think something was wrong – not, that is, until he opened the door to his study.

He knew immediately that there had been an intruder. Everything was as he had left it the night before, but instinctively Lex sensed that things were not right. His first priority was the safe, mounted behind a picture to his right. He moved to it swiftly, and was relieved to find that it had not been forced; whoever had broken in, they had not gained access to some of his most sensitive papers. Turning, he saw the real target of his uninvited guest. The mirror which normally hid the case in which he displayed the Green Arrow's tunic was open. The tunic itself was gone, replaced by what looked like a photograph of a man's face…..

Lex's stomach turned over. Fearing the worse, he made his way over to the case. As he got closer he could see that it was a picture of Slade. The light was strange, but he appeared to be in some sort of enclosed space. What was most striking, however, was his expression; he was screaming, like some still from a black and white horror movie.

A note was pinned to the picture. Lex pulled it off, his hand shaking as he read the message:

YOU'RE NEXT, LUTHOR

Lex swayed slightly, his head spinning. He could hardly believe it – not only had Slade failed, but Oliver had managed to breach his security and reach right into the mansion, the one place where he believed he would be safe. The confidence of moments earlier disappeared in an instant, replaced once more by the knot of fear which started to gnaw away at his gut.

For more than a minute he stood motionless in front of the display case, apparently lost in thought. A lesser man might have panicked, but not Lex. He knew he was in danger, perhaps more danger than he'd ever been in before. Oliver was hellbent on revenge, and for once he seemed to have the upper hand. However, Lex knew that now was not the time to lose his nerve. Slade's failure was a setback, certainly – a major setback. But it wasn't the end. He still had some cards to play, cards which might yet swing the pendulum decisively in his favour.

"Enjoy your victory, Oliver," he thought to himself. "But this isn't over – not by a long way."

Will Ollie and the guys save Chloe and Clark in time? What cards does Lex still have to play? All will be revealed in the next chapter!

Hope you liked this one. I really enjoyed bringing back AC, and making Roy part of the team. Rest assured, big adventures lie ahead for our heroes - Lex has some nasty surprises in store, and it's looking more and more likely that not everyone is going to survive this story...

Thanks for reading, and of course a special, massive thankyou to all my amazing reviewers - you guys are the best! Please do leave some feedback if you can, because even a few words can really inspire me to write some more.