Disclaimer: Arrow is owned by The CW, Berlanti Productions, and Warner Bros. Television. The characters of the Green Arrow and the Justice League is owned by DC Comics. I own nothing; I'm just playing in their universe.
WARNING: This chapter contains mentions of brief nudity, torture, and character death. Nothing graphic, but it's there. You have been warned.
Chapter 27: The Secret Origin of Mia Dearden (Part I)
As Mia slowly regains consciousness, the first thing she noticed was that she was in one of the rather uncomfortable hospital beds they kept in the med bay. The second thing she noticed was that she was strapped down to the bed.
"Kinky." She rasped out, alerting her husband that she was awake again. "We haven't tried bondage since before Sin died…"
"You in control?" Roy asked.
Mia scoffed lightly. "I'm always in control."
"Really? Then what do you call that little display before?" he asked.
"Satisfying." Mia replied. Roy shook his head but began undoing the restraints. "How bad?"
"Well, you didn't hit anything vital-"
"You know I don't give two shits about Dinah." Mia snapped as she sat up. She gently rubbed the back of her head. "Damn, I feel like I've been hit by a Mack Kryptonian…"
"They got to watch you two have a grudge match where you tried to kill each other." Roy said, his arms crossed. "How bad do you think it is?"
"If I was trying to kill her, she'd be dead." Mia said crossly.
Roy scoffed. "Yeah, be sure to tell Thea that. It's not as if she's having a mental breakdown or some-oh wait, she is." He glared at his wife. "You've got Laurel and Quentin freaking out, you've got Diggle and Felicity freaking out, you've got Moira and Tommy freaking out, and you've got Thea trying to slit her own throat." Mia inhaled sharply at that. "As for Slade- well, he's also freaking out, but that's more due to Rose shooting him with that industrial stun gun Ray designed. Guess he didn't know he had a daughter yet." He watched as Mia painfully got up from the bed. "And where do you think you're going?"
"I need to go talk to her. I need to explain things-"
"Yeah, well the League needs some things explained as well." He told her. "They wanted to talk to you as soon as you were up."
Mia blew out her breath in aggravation. "Well, you can tell them this for me- they can go fuck themselves."
"I already tell that to Tim all the time." Roy said with a slight smile. "I'll think of something more inventive." He kissed her on her forehead. "Go, before she decides to take a walk out an airlock."
Thea's Room
Thea sat mutely on her bed, her eyes staring at nothing as her mother held her and whispered comforting things in her ear. Across the room the broken vase sat shattered on the floor in front of the dresser, the mirror scuffed where it had impacted. Moira looked up at the door as it opened to see Felicity standing there.
"Miss Smoak, now may not be the best time-"
"Actually, I think it is." The other woman replied. She walked into he room, then hesitantly moved to the bed and sat down on the edge so that Thea could see her. She smiled at the younger girl. "Hi there."
"You shouldn't be around me." Thea said tonelessly.
"Why not?" Felicity asked.
"Because I'm a killer."
Felicity looked around. "Aside from that vase, have you killed anything recently?"
Thea laughed mirthlessly. "Yeah. You."
"I feel fine." Felicity said with a smile. She sighed as Thea clammed up again. "Look, Thea… I'm not going to say I know what you're going through. Because, really- who would?" she asked in general. "I mean, we're dealing with… with time travel, and alternate selves, alternate REALITIES, possible futures, and enough wibbly-wobbly timey wimey stuff to shake a TARDIS at. And despite TWO degrees from MIT and my MASSIVE street cred in the nerdy arts, even I can't make heads or tails out of any of this. But I do know people." She sighed. "When I was your age, I was a rebel. Still a nerd, mind you," she added, drawing out a tiny smile from Thea, "but a rebel. I was a hacker without a cause. I designed bugs to penetrate some of the most secure systems in the world, and I did it without a care. It took… well, it took a tragedy to finish molding me into the woman I am now. And you, you're still in that rebellion phase- but this can be your tragedy. This can be the event that molds you into the person you want to become."
"What, a murderer?" Thea asked.
Felicity shook her head. "No, not that. Your problem is that you look at Mia and see the you that you MUST become. But it isn't like that at all. Mia is the person you COULD become if you CHOSE to become her. But you don't have to choose that. You're not fated to become Mia- there's no fate but what you make."
"She's right." Thea stiffened and her eyes flared in rage when she saw Mia standing in the doorway. Mia ignored the look. "The whole point of this exercise is so that you DON'T become me." She sighed, stepping into the room but leaving the door open. "I really screwed this up. The first thing I said to you all was that secrets and lies destroyed us; but by keeping secrets of my own, I almost did the same damn thing." She sighed heavily. "I owe you an explanation. All of you," she added, looking at Moira and Felicity, then back at Thea. "But you most of all."
"So what do you want to explain." Thea said in disgust. "Why you murdered Felicity?"
"Not just that." Mia said. She walked over to the desk and logged in to the computer, then quickly pulled up several files. "I want to explain how I became me." She said.
"There are several things I won't say right now. Not to hide them, but because you'll see them play out during Oliver's second year. But I will summarize a few things.
"Slade killed mom." Thea and Felicity gasped, and Moira paled. "Right in front of us. That was when I found out that Oliver knew Slade from his time on the island. This was after he had kidnapped me and told me that Malcolm was my father, and that you and Oliver," she looked at Moira, "had been keeping that from me; he was able to kidnap me because I voluntarily got into his car, because this was after he had been in our house and I had given him a tour of our art collection. Oliver never said a word." She shook her head. "He had lost the company, and then the fortune. I was taking a train out of Starling when the city came under siege from Slade and his men, and one nearly killed me. That was when Malcolm showed up." She smiled grimly. "The night you were killed, Mom, we had all decided no more secrets. I think you were about to tell us that Malcolm was alive when we were grabbed. But you didn't get the chance." She laughed hollowly. "He wanted me to come with him, to keep me safe; I, in turn, wanted nothing to do with him, so I shot him with a dead cop's gun. But, he was wearing Kevlar. Nonetheless, it impressed him."
"Mom had lied to me, Oliver had lied. Everyone I cared about had lied to me, and I was sick of it. And the one person I was sure hadn't lied to me, that loved me enough to always tell me the truth- I found out that he lied, too. Malcolm promised me he would never lie to me."
"So you left with him." Thea said. Mia nodded.
"I told him I didn't want to be weak anymore. I told him I wanted to be strong."
"He trained you." Thea said, remembering earlier comments she had made.
Mia nodded. "At first." She said. "I spent six months with him, learning how to fight, how to survive. I grew strong." She said proudly. "We lived on a property he owned in Corto Maltese. When I wasn't training, I was working as a waitress in a little coffee shop. It was a simple life. And for the first time in a long time, I was happy."
The smile left her face. "But I was also angry. I was angry with Oliver, I was angry with Roy. One of the first things Malcolm shared with me was that Oliver was the vigilante- that made me furious at myself, because I had never realized it. And Malcolm was angry at Oliver- he blamed the Undertaking's ultimate failure- along with Tommy's death- on Oliver."
"That's insane!" Felicity protested.
"Have you met the man?" Mia shot back. "He wasn't the most stable back then; believe me. But he blamed Oliver for Tommy's death, and I blamed him for Mom's. So we hatched a plan. Oliver eventually came to bring me back home, and I returned with him. Soon he found out that Malcolm was alive and warned me, but I played dumb. Saying that I inherited Malcolm's estate when he 'died', I used his money to buy back the club- it had been taken away from me when he lost the company- and a nice penthouse apartment that I offered to share with him, so that we could stay close. Be a family."Mia ran her fingers through her hair. "I wanted him to live there so Malcolm and I could keep an eye on him; and I bought the club because I knew that was where his hideout had to be. Things were good for a few months, though the League of Assassins was making Malcolm's life hard. He broke their code, you see," she explained to the three women, "when he destroyed the Glades, he broke their code. And when it was revealed to them by you," she nodded at Moira, "that he was still alive; they wanted him dead. We were going to disappear- but first, we wanted to humiliate and destroy Oliver."
Thea's Loft, 25 years ago
It had been six months since Oliver had moved in with her. Six months of watching and waiting for the right moment, the right opportunity. And while they had hoped to wait a little longer, the Leagues hunters had began to close in on Malcolm, and so the time was now.
Oliver stood at the massive windows, looking out over the city. The last few months had been intense to say the least. The attack on Sara that had nearly killed her- would have killed her, if her girlfriend hadn't had access to a Lazarus Pit- had rattled his team. Then came the Brother Eye group, the return of Tockman, Ray Palmer buying his company, Waller's increasing presence in his life once more. And Merlyn. Malcolm Merlyn, back from the dead to torment him some more. A ghost from the past that threatened his sister, his family… Even though the public loved the Arrow, even though he was now thought of as a hero, the stress was piling up. So he took a few moments to himself, here in the safety and comfort of his sister's apartment (paid for with Malcolm's blood money, but still…) and just let himself unwind.
"You've been kind of stressed lately, Ollie." Thea remarked casually from behind the bar. She fixed herself a drink as she watched her brother.
"It's been an eventful few months." Oliver said without turning around. "What with the company and everything… I keep wondering what Mom would have done." He admitted with a sigh.
Thea took a sip of her drink, but her right hand slipped behind her, depressing a spot on the wall. A panel behind the bar flipped over, revealing a sword, a customized compound bow, and a quiver full of arrows. She gently set her drink down, now wanting to draw his attention as she reached down and gently lifted the bow off of the cradle, then withdrew and arrow from the quiver. She turned so that her back was to him, her body blocking his view if he should turn around early and quietly nocked the arrow. "Does it every bother you, Oliver?" she asked.
"What?"
"That you're the reason Mom's dead." Thea snarled. She spun around, bringing her bow up just as Oliver turned; a confused look on his face. His confusion turned to shock, and then pain as the arrow pierced the left side of his chest, right above his heart. He cried out in pain as the impact drove him backwards, and he flipped over a chair landing painfully on the ground. Thea set the bow on the bar, then reached back and withdrew the sword. She stalked confidently around the bar to her brother, who was pulling himself to his feet.
"Speedy!" he gasped in pain "Wha-" he cried out once more as Thea swung the sword, slicing into his lower abdomen. It wasn't a deep cut, nor was it meant to be, but the shock and pain sent him stumbling backwards.
"Slade may have put a sword through her heart, Oliver, but YOU killed our mother!" she screamed, sending a right cross into his face. The weight of the hilt of the sword magnified the impact and sent him careening to the ground.
"Thea! Stop-"
"Stop what? This?" the sword flashed over his shin, drawing another fine line of blood. "How about this!" a roundhouse kick to his head. "Or THIS!" she drove her foot into his left knee, shattering it. Oliver cried out in pan as he collapsed to one knee. "All you've done since you came back was lie. To me!" She punched him once. "To MOM!" twice. "EVERYONE!" She delivered a spinning kick to his chest, right where the arrow was sticking out. It drove it through the rest of the way so that it was only sticking out of his back now. Oliver screamed in pain as he fell back, sliding across the floor towards the front door. In desperation, he turned over to crawl away, to escape- only to see a smirking Malcolm Merlyn standing in the doorway. "He's the only person who's never lied to me." Thea said, nodding towards Malcolm.
"Hello Oliver. My, that looks painful." Smirking, Malcolm reached down and grasped the end of the arrow, then yanked it free, eliciting another scream of pain. "Have you ever thought that if you hadn't come back, your mother would still be alive? Tommy would still be alive!" Snarling, he kicked him several times in the ribs. "The rebuilding would have begun by now. The city would have been saved! But NO!" he kicked him again, sending him towards Thea. "You just had to put on that ridiculous hood and start playing hero!"
Thea hauled him to his feet, then spun them so that his back was to the massive window. Bloodied, battered, and half dead from pain, he nevertheless stared into Thea's hate filled eyes, silently pleading with her to stop, to see reason.
She was seeing none of it.
"You destroyed me, Ollie." Thea said quietly. "Your secrets and your lies DESTROYED me." She let him go and stepped back. "It's only fair that I do the same to you."
"Speed-" that was all Oliver got out before she delivered a powerful spinning kick to his jaw, cracking it and sending him flying back through the window and out into the air beyond. Oliver fell- though only one story, then landed on a glass table on a patio a floor down.
Thea stepped to the edge of the window and looked down, watching as her brother managed to pull himself up and brake into the apartment below.
Watchtower
"Ollie managed to call Diggle" Mia continued. "He came and brought him back to the Foundry. Oliver was delirious by that point, though; no one knew that I had done that to him. So when Oliver let my name slip, Roy thought at once that I was in danger and came running back to the apartment.
Thea's Apartment, 25 Years Ago
"THEA!" Roy shouted as he ran through the open door of the loft. "Thea!" he looked around, taking in the damage to the room- the broken glass, the blood on the floor, the one lone arrow that was pointing towards the door…
Cautiously Roy moved towards the arrow, his vision fixated on it. It was so fixated that he didn't register that someone was behind him until it was too late.
"Hello, Roy."
Roy spun- then gasped in pain as Thea stuck the sword into his gut. She placed a firm hand on his shoulder, then yanked him forward at the same instant she pushed the sword in deeper, causing it to erupt from his back. Overcome by shock and pain, all Roy could do was stare at Thea with betrayal in his eyes as she stepped closer.
"You broke my heart, Roy." She said softly. "I LOVED you. What we had… it was unique. Special. But you threw it all away." She hissed, flexing her hand and moving the sword ever so slightly, causing him to gasp in pain. "I was ready to run away with you; to leave with you forever! But you were too obsessed with the Vigilante. My BROTHER!" she twisted the sword, causing him to cry out in pain. "I stood by you! I walked into Merlyn Global with you on the off chance that we could find the Hood! But when you found out it was my own brother, you couldn't even tell me!" She was crying now, staring at the man she had loved. "You chose him. You chose this life over me." Thea shook her head. "You chose poorly." She yanked the sword out, sending Roy to the floor. In the distance she heard sirens screaming. "I'm not going to kill you, Roy. Those sirens you hear? That's the ambulance I called for you. They'll be here in two minutes; you'll be at Starling General in twenty." She squatted down next to him. "But come Friday, you'll be transferred to the Iron Heights infirmary. Oh, I 'm not dropping the dime on the cop you killed!" she laughed. "No, you'll be incarcerated for acting as a vigilante. Along with Oliver." Thea stood. "I hate you, Roy Harper. And I'll NEVER forgive you." With that, Thea turned and walked out of the room.
Watchtower
"So I took out Oliver and Roy, but I wasn't satisfied yet. And I wouldn't be until I burned his entire operation to the ground."
Verdant, 25 years ago
"Dig!"
Diggle ran up to a panicked Felicity. "What's wrong?"
"I just intercepted a police report. Roy was taken to Starling General with what looks to be a massive stab wound to the lower abdomen."
"Any sign of Thea?" he asked.
Felicity shook her head, but the answer came from the med table. "It WAS Thea." Diggle and Felicity turned to look at Oliver who was, to their astonishment, trying to sit up. "She did this. Along with Malcolm Merlyn."
"Thea and Malcolm are working together?" Dig said in astonishment.
"What, is it some kind of sick father-daughter bonding thing?" Felicity asked. "It's a fair question." She said meekly at their looks.
Oliver pulled himself to his feet. "Woah, Oliver. You got to take it easy!" Dig warned.
"No, I don't." he snarled in reply. "Malcolm's been poisoning her mind for who knows how long. I have to find her, I have to save her!"
"Uh, I don't know about saving," Felicity said, drawing the men's attention, "But I just found her." She pulled up the security feed from outside the club. It was closed now, empty of everyone but vigilantes- just how Thea wanted it. She looked up at the camera and smirked, then held up both hands. Then , one by one, he stared putting fingers down into her palm. "What is she doing?" Felicity asked worriedly.
Oliver got it in an instant. "She's counting down." He grabbed Felicity's arm and yanked her up. "MOVE!"
The three ran as fast as Oliver's injured leg could carry him towards the back entrance. They had almost made it when Thea put down her last finger. If they had stayed at the monitor, they would have seen her reach into her coat and withdraw a detonator.
Outside, Thea smirked as she lifted the device. "Ka-POW." She said as she depressed the trigger. She flinched involuntarily as the building began to explode form the charges she had laid there months before. As the fire grew, she looked wistfully as the first business she had ever owned went up in smoke.
"Did they make it out?" she asked Malcolm as he came to stand next to her.
"They did. Barely."
"Good. I don't want them to miss what's next."
Malcolm noted her melancholy expression. "You can always rebuild the club, Thea." He told her. "Make it bigger and grander-"
Thea smiled sadly. "That's not an option. And that's not why I'm sad." She sighed. "I want to clear your name, Dad. But I hate that to do it, I have to destroy moms."
"The dead don't have feelings to hurt." Malcolm pointed out.
"She suffered enough in life." Thea said. "I don't want her to suffer in death."
Malcolm thought for a moment. Then he smiled. "Well, we could always blame it on the vigilante."
Thea looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"
"Think about it." He said, still smiling. "It's perfect. A vigilante shows up in the city, targeting the wealthy. He wants to be popular, he wants to be accepted by the masses. But he needs more. So he concocts the Undertaking, then forces your Mother to accept some responsibility, and forces her to blame me as the person behind it."
Thea smiled. "So he creates the reason for his own continued existence, and tarnishes the name of two good people in the process." She nodes approvingly. "I like it."
Watchtower
"You know, the funny thing is that I was willing to put Oliver, Roy, even Diggle behind bars to get my revenge." Mia said to her audience. She smiled wryly at Felicity. "But for some reason, I wanted to give you an out."
Felicity's apartment, 25 years ago
Felicity sighed wearily as she staggered into her apartment. While they had managed to escape the explosion of the club, the shockwave had sent them all sprawling and had aggravated Oliver's injuries to the point where he had to go to the hospital. Thankfully and ambulance had quickly arrived and taken them all to Starling General, where she had spent several hours under observation before discharging herself against medical advice.
She was tired, she was cranky, she was hungry, and she was upset at the loss of all of her equipment as the club had gone up-
And then she was scared as she saw Thea Queen sitting on her couch.
Fear quickly turned to anger though, and she glared at the younger woman. "What are you doing in my house?!" she demanded.
Thea smirked at the woman. "Wow, I'm impressed." She said mockingly. "I take out the Vigilante, his sidekick, AND blow up his base in one night, and the first thing you do is mouth off to me." She smirked. "I thought YOU were the smart one?"
"Yeah, and I thought YOU were the sane one in the Queen family. Guess I forgot you have half a mass-murderer in you, too."
Thea's eyes narrowed. "You best watch your tone, Miss Smoak. I'm here to give you a golden parachute; keep trying my patience, though, and I'll give you my sword instead."
"Then go ahead and give it to me already, because I'm too tired to deal with this stuff right now." Felicity sighed, dropping her purse on the floor and walking over to her refrigerator. She pulled the door open and pulled out a bottle of Lafite Rothschild. Forgoing the glass she opened the bottle and drank directly from it.
Thea raised an eyebrow. "1982. Good year. You really should allow it to breath, and then pour it in a glass."
"You just tried to blow me up, Thea. I really don't give a damn." Thea shook her head, and then tossed a small envelope onto her counter. Felicity looked at it, but didn't move to pick it up. "What's that?"
"The 'Golden Parachute' I mentioned." Thea said. "That right there is a cashier's check for ten million dollars, along with a plane ticket with an open destination."
"Why?"
"Because on Friday I'm burning my brother's world to ashes, just like he did with me." Thea said coldly. "I did a little research on you, you know." She continued. "You were an up and comer in Queen Consolidated's IT Department before you met my brother. You were on track to be running the department within three years." Felicity's eyes widened at that. "That's right. You would be running the IT department right now. Instead, my brother got his hooks into you, then 'promoted' you to be his personal assistant. And now there'll be those nasty rumors of sleeping around with your boss that will follow you around for the rest of your life. No one will ever take you seriously again. That degree from MIT? Worthless." She smiled as the truth hit home for Felicity. "No matter how good you are, how talented you are, how dedicated and driven you are, the corporate would will only ever see you as a whore, despite whatever you might do for Palmer. Because let's face it- everyone will assume the work you do was his, anyways." She gestured down at the envelope. "But with that, you can start over. Change your name, change your history, be someone completely new. You're a victim, Felicity!" she emphasized. "Oliver used you, like he uses everyone. You don't deserve to go down with him. You don't deserve to suffer for his sins."
Felicity put down the bottle and tentatively reached out for the envelope. Hesitantly she picked it up; felt its weight. "You know, Oliver's made a lot of bad decisions." She began. "A lot of choices I didn't always agree with. I was the one that told him, you know." She said, looking at Thea. "That Malcolm Merlyn was your father." Thea gasped in shock. "I followed a money trail on an account that your mom had used to pay off her OBGYN. Anyways, I thought that he should tell you, but he didn't want to burden you with that. Malcolm was dead, what did it matter?" she chuckled. "He wanted to protect you. He wanted to protect you all. But Slade had him on his back foot until the very end, and he couldn't. I found him, the day of your mother's funeral, sitting alone in a darkened room, tear tracks still on his face. I'd never seen him so defeated before." She sighed. "Oliver has failed in protecting you, Thea. He has failed in protecting this city at times. Even when he's tried his hardest, he hasn't been able to save everyone. But you know what he hasn't done?" she asked.
"What?" Thea replied, curious.
Felicity's eyes turned cold. "He hasn't killed 504 people by dropping a city on them." Thea's eyes flared in shock and anger, and Felicity threw the envelope back down on the counter. "I don't want a golden parachute from a psychopath. You can take that money and shove it up his ass."
Thea took the envelope and slid it into her jacket pocket. She shook her head. "I really thought you were the smart one, Miss Smoak." She said. "You said Slade kept him on his back foot until the end? Well, that's nothing compared to now. While you all have been playing checkers in your basement, my father's been playing chess- and he's ten moves ahead of you." She sneered at the hacker. "Come Friday, the whole city will know who the vigilante is- and who was working for him. And they'll know that HE was to blame for the Undertaking, not my father. By the time we're done, the city will be paying him a settlement for making false claims against him." She laughed. "Maybe we'll move back in to Queen Manor. Enjoy the wine, Miss Smoak," Thea said as she headed for the door. "I'm pretty sure they don't' have that vintage in Iron Heights."
Watchtower
"So you didn't kill me there." Felicity noted.
Mia chuckled. "I didn't kill you for about eight more years, actually. And not because of this."
"So you outed Oliver?" Moira asked. Mia laughed again, and then shook her head.
"No, I didn't." she said. "Because I forgot the most important rule of the world of the vigilante."
"What's that?" Thea asked.
"Never underestimate Felicity Smoak."
Starling City, 25 Years ago.
Thea had called for a press conference outside the burned out wreck that had been Verdant. A podium stood at the top of the steps, and behind her was a video screen set to play special footage that her and Malcolm had prepared. She walked up to the podium and cleared her throat to signal to all the newsies that she was about to speak. She waited a few moments for them to fall silent, and then began.
"Thank you all for coming." Thea smiled tiredly. "My name is Thea Queen, and over the past week things have been happening that the press has been diligent on reporting on. The attack at my loft; the destruction of my club. These events coincided with me learning information that had shocked me to my core, and that I have had difficulty coming forward with; but I realize that I have no choice. The information concerns the vigilante that Starling City has come to know as The Arrow, and the events that devastated our town two years ago in this very section of the city- events dubbed by the press as 'The Undertaking'. First, let me-" she stopped talking suddenly and winced as the speakers blared out a screech of feedback. After a second the sound stopped, but before Thea could begin speaking again, the video screen flared to life.
"My name is Moira Dearden Queen. I am the acting CEO of Queen Consolidated. And God forgive me, I have failed the city." Moira said. Thea blanched as her mother's news conference from the manor played again on live tv. "For the past five years, under the threat for my life and the lives of my family I have been complicit in an undertaking with one horrible purpose- to destroy the Glades and everyone in it. I realize now that my family's safety will mean nothing if I let this dreadful act occur." Moira continued. "But you need to know that the architect of this nightmare is Malcolm Merlyn."
The screen went blank, and Thea heard the press start murmuring behind her. Her mind began racing, thinking of ways to turn this to her advantage, and even as she realized that she would have to assassinate her mother's character once and for all, the screen flared back to life. Thea's pale face went stark white as security footage from right near this very spot several nights ago began to play.
"I want to clear your name, Dad. But I hate that to do it, I have to destroy mom's."
"The dead don't have feelings to hurt." Malcolm pointed out.
"She suffered enough in life." Thea said. "I don't want her to suffer in death."
Malcolm thought for a moment. Then he smiled. "Well, we could always blame it on the vigilante."
Thea looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"
"Think about it." He said, still smiling. "It's perfect. A vigilante shows up in the city, targeting the wealthy. He wants to be popular, he wants to be accepted by the masses. But he needs more. So he concocts the Undertaking, then forces your Mother to accept some responsibility, and forces her to blame me as the person behind it."
Thea smiled. "So he creates the reason for his own continued existence, and tarnishes the name of two good people in the process." She nodes approvingly. "I like it."
The press erupted behind Thea and she stood stock still for several minutes. A strange vibration caught her attention, and it took her a moment o realize that it was her phone. She pulled it out and stared in disbelief at the screen.
::Checkmate::
Watchtower
"I had to shoot two cops to get out of there that day." Mia said sadly. "Just flesh wounds, but still…" she sighed. "Anyway, that was the day that Malcolm and I went on the run. We didn't have a choice- I was outed both as a conspirator with and daughter of Malcolm Merlyn; our plan to clear his name and out the vigilante had gone up in, if you pardon the pun, Smoak." She grinned at Felicity. "I was never angry with you for that, believe it or not. I was angry at myself for underestimating you, but never you."
"Then why did you kill her?" Thea demanded.
Mia smile fell away. "That has to do with how we survived." She said. "You see, the League was hunting both of us now. So to save our lives, Malcolm did the only thing he could do."
"What was that?" Felicity asked.
"He threw himself on the mercy or Ra's al Ghul." she said. "What little he had, anyway."
Outside Nanda Parbat, 23 years ago
It was with great trepidation that Malcolm and Thea approached the gates to the fabled city of Nanda Parbat. "Remember what I told you," Malcolm was telling her. "Keep your attitude in check. Speak only when spoken to. Show deference to those you meet- they are more knowledgeable and powerful than you. Do you understand?"
"Yes, dad." Thea said nervously. The time for sarcasm was past. This was their lives they were talking about.
Malcolm and Thea stopped at the massive wooden gate. Moments later it opened fractionally to allow a man to pass through. He was older than Malcolm, though lean and muscular. His snow white hair and lined face didn't belay the power that radiated off of him.
"Welcome back, Al Sa-Her." He said, smirking at his former student.
Malcolm bowed in respect; Thea did as well. "We have come as promised, Al Z'yb." He replied.
"Indeed you have." He smiled at Thea and held out his hand. "David Cain."
Surprised, Thea hesitantly took his hand and gave it a firm shake. "Thea Merlyn."
"Yes, I suppose you would drop the Queen name, considering your little- adventure- in Starling a while back." He looked back to Malcolm. "Of course, you don't mind if I search you both for weapons, do you?" It was a challenge more than a request.
"By all means." Malcolm replied. Both he and Thea held their arms out and stood still, allowing David to search them for any hidden weapons. He was quick but incredibly thorough and soon stood back. "Pity." He said as the two lowered their arms. "I had actually hoped you would try something. Well, shall we?" he gestured, allowing the two others to precede him through the gate, which shut behind them.
They walked in silence, and Thea took the opportunity to look around at a place that Malcolm had always described fondly. She could see why he was enamored- the ancient city sprawled out before them, its architecture a curious mix of Arabic and Mandarin.
"The city was built over six hundred years ago." Cain told her as they walked. "As a matter of fact, you're about to meet the man who built it."
"Ra's al Ghul?" she asked. She looked at Cain in bewilderment as he nodded. "He's really that old?"
"Ra's al Ghul learned the secret of immortality itself long before you or I was even a whisper on the wind."
"I honestly thought it was a title that was passed down." She admitted.
Cain smiled. "Let me give you a piece of advice, Miss Merlyn. I know something of teenage daughters and how… rambunctious, shall we say, they can be. Ra's is wise. He is patient. But he is also angry. Do not tempt fate by being rude or confrontational, for if you do, he will destroy you."
"Dad already told me that." Thea informed their guide (guard?).
"Good. Then he hasn't completely lost his mind." He glanced at Malcolm. "Just mostly."
They entered a massive chamber he walls on one side were lined with ancient tapestries; the other side held windows of beautiful stained glass depicting scenes from the Crusades. The hall was filled with people, all dressed in League attire sans masks, and at the end of the hall, on a simple wooden chair placed on a raised dais, sat the leader of the League of Assassins. Next to him stood a young woman, maybe five years older than Thea, who stared coldly at the pair as they approached. Ra's stared as well, though his eyes held more amusement than anything else.
Malcolm and Thea stopped about ten feet from Ra's, and Malcolm knelt, his head bowed in submission. Thea followed him a moment later.
"Welcome back, Al Sa-Her." Ra's said, rising from his chair. "It has been too long."
"It has indeed, Master."
"You were never one to mince words, Malcolm." Ra's said after moment. "So please, speak. Tell me why you broke our code. Tell me why 504 innocents died because of your madness." He leveled his steely gaze on Malcolm. "Tell why I should spare your life."
"You were right about me, Ra's." Malcolm said after a moment. "I was angry, and arrogant, and those traits proved to be my undoing. I used the skill you taught me to kill innocent people in an attempt to save my city- and I failed. And the cost was too high…"
"But you mourn not for those innocents, merely for one." Ra's pointed out. "Your son."
"Yes. My son is dead, and I was responsible." Malcolm looked up at his mentor. "But I have a daughter. And I have a chance to be the father to her that I never was able to be to my son."
"And so, because you found a bastard child, that gives you leave from my wrath?" Ra's asked. Thea stiffened at the insult, but held her tongue.
Malcolm shook his head. "No. But I still have the skills you taught me. Skills that I will freely, gladly return to your service once more."
"And your daughter?"
"Will serve you as well." Malcolm assured him.
"Will she now?" Ra's turned to Thea. "And what have you to say on this matter?"
Thea took a steadying breath. "With all due respect, sir, I joined with my father so that I could become strong. I've seen his strength; strength you taught him. I would gladly join you to learn that strength."
"Gladly join." Ra's repeated with a smile. He stood there for several minutes in silence, considering the pair of them. Finally he spoke. "While part of me would gladly flay the skin from your bones for your betrayal, I can't help but admit that your skills would be of use to the League. Very well, Al Sa-Her." He gestured to the two, and they both rose. "Welcome back to the League. And welcome Thea Merlyn."
"Thank you." They both said.
"You will both swear your loyalty to the League and your fealty to me shortly. However," Ra's continued, "there is still the matter of your punishment." He smiled grimly at Malcolm. "Do not think I will let you off completely for your betrayal." Ra's snapped his fingers, and two men brought in a tall standing cross. On the arms were leather straps that flapped around aimlessly as they set the cross down in front of the dais. "504 lashes, I think. One for every death that I did not approve. That sounds reasonable, does it not?" he asked Malcolm, whom nodded somberly. He began to take off his shirt, but Ra's held up a hand to stop him. "Oh, you misunderstand, Malcolm. You will not be getting the lash." His smile turned cruel as he pointed a finger at Thea. "She will."
"Say what?!" Thea exclaimed, but before she could even move the two men stalked over and grabbed her by her arms. "HEY!"
"Ra's, NO!" Malcolm moved to surge forward, to protect his daughter, but two swords appeared under his chin in an instant- one from Talia, and one from Shiva. "Ra's, I beg of you, don't do this! She's an innocent victim-"
"Like the people you killed weren't?" Ra's replied, barely sparing a glance as the men ripped off Thea's shirt and bra, and then forced her chest first onto the cross. She thrashed around helplessly, even as the men secured her wrists with the straps.
"Then let me do it." Malcolm begged. "If you want to punish me, then let me be the one to wield the whip!"
"So you can go easy on her?" Ra's guessed. He shook his head. "Talia." Malcolm paled as Ra's youngest daughter's face broke out into a sadistic grin. "Let us do ten lashes a day. We don't want her too damaged when she begins her training."
Talia sheathed her sword, allowing David Cain to take her place in guarding Malcolm. She stepped up behind Thea, who still thrashed on the cross, desperately trying to get off of the ancient device. "You best save your strength, child." Talia told her as she accepted the whip from one of the men. "You'll begin your training when we've finished. Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you've taken a few lashes."
"Ra's, please!" Malcolm begged.
Ra's sneered at the man. "You brought this upon yourself. Or rather, upon her." He turned to Talia. "You may begin."
Talia's smile widened, and she snapped the whip. Thea cried out in pain as the leather kissed her skin…
Watchtower
Tears were streaming down Moira's face as she watched her only daughter being tortured on the screen. Felicity was crying as well, and Thea looked as if she would vomit again. Mia stood staring at the screen with her back to them, and slowly she began to undo the buttons on her shirt. "When I was with Malcolm, I swore he would never break me." She told them. "That whatever sick, twisted training he came up with, I would still be me when it was all over with. And when we went to the League, and I knew that to save my life and his we'd both have to join, I swore that they wouldn't break me, either." With her shirt half-way unbuttoned, she let it slip from her shoulders to reveal her back- which was a near solid mass of scar tissue.
"Oh my god." Thea moaned.
Mia scoffed lightly to herself. "Ra's broke me in a week." She admitted disgustedly. "Less than that, really. Nothing could have prepared me for what I was going to endure." She pulled her shirt back on. "Of course, Malcolm wasn't the only one Ra's punished by using me. Nyssa and Sara had been out on assignment when we arrived- and were kept away for several weeks. Nyssa, by the way, was Nyssa al Ghul, Ra's eldest daughter and Sara's partner. When they finally returned, Sara was put in charge of training me.
Nanda Parbat, 23 years ago
As Sara and Nyssa walked into the great hall, they were greeted by the sound of leather hitting flesh. "Well, someone pissed off your father." Sara said, squirming slightly as they walked. She had felt that whip before.
"I wonder what has happened?" Nyssa wondered. The pair stopped as Ra's himself walked up to them. Nyssa bowed her head in respect; Sara gave a deeper bow. "Father." Nyssa said in greeting.
"How went your mission?" he asked.
"Tedious, but successful." She replied. She nodded towards the figure on the cross. "Has something happened?"
"Yes. An old friend has returned. Alas, his manner of conduct in his absence deemed punishment a necessity." He snapped his fingers and the man who was watching the whipping turned to face them, causing Sara to gasp in shock. "You remember Al Sa-Her, Nyssa?"
"YOU!" Sara snarled. She moved to rush the man who had nearly killed her sister with his madness.
"'E'af!" Ra's commanded, causing Sara to freeze instantly. "You will not harm him, Ta-er al-Sahfer." Ra's said coldly. "Malcolm has returned to us, and is being duly punished for his infractions. To lay a hand on him without my express permission is to court death. Understood?"
Sara swallowed her anger and schooled her features. "Yes, Master."
"Good. Now then, I have a new assignment for you, Ta-er al-Sahfer. It is time for you to take a student of your own. I believe you're even familiar with her." Ra's indicated the cross, where the figure was pulling herself down. She picked up a discarded shirt on the floor and put it on, and when she turned Sara gasped again.
"Thea?"
Thea blinked away the tears that still formed in her eyes from the whipping, as her eyes cleared she stared back in shock as well. "Sara?"
Ra's said something to her in Arabic, and she bowed in submission and walked towards the healing house to have her back bandaged. He then turned back to Sara. "You will train her, Ta-er al-Sahfer. Her progress will reflect on you. If she is not ready for a mission in six months, I shall be very disappointed."
"Yes, sir." Sara replied, still stunned. She turned and walked off, towards the house of healing and her new student.
"Oh, and Sara?" he called, pointedly using her name and causing her to turn around. "I allow you to maintain contact with your family. But if they, or anyone else from Starling should learn of Miss Merlyn's presence here, I will be most displeased. And your family will be the first to feel my displeasure." He warned. Sara gulped and nodded, the threat clear. To keep her family safe, she had to keep Oliver's sister a secret from him.
Watchtower
"Sara trained me, as did Nyssa. We actually became a good 3-woman team, and were often sent on missions together. Sometimes I'd go with my dad, but part of Ra's punishment for him was to keep us separated." Mia explained on. It was hard for those first five months, but as the sixth month dawned, something happened that earned me Ra's' respect."
"What's that?" Thea asked.
Mia grinned. "Well, remember when I told Slade if he acted up, I'd cut off his head again?
Nanda Parbat, 23 years ago
Chaos was reigning in the walled city as Thea staggered out of the house of healing. All around her fellow assassins were running about and taking up arms, defending the city from the invading army that has attacked under the cover of night in dozens of gunships. Even now she could still hear them raining down fire from above, covering the enemy troops as they slaughtered anyone who stood before them. She looked around, taking a moment to get her panic under control. She searched in vain for Nyssa, for Sara, for her father- but they were nowhere to be seen. 'Probably already fighting the enemy.' She thought as she took off in a sprint down the hall to the small secondary armory. She ran in, quickly donned a quiver full of arrows, a sword, and grabbed the nearest bow, then ran back out to take up the fight.
Thea made her way up to the battlements, using her bow as a make-shift staff at times to knock the enemy off the high wall. She reached the top and drew her first arrow, sending it flying at the nearest gunship. The arrow pieced the windshield, and then the pilot's throat behind it, and sent the helicopter careening into yet another gunship. The two exploded spectacularly, and the flaming debris crashed to the ground- thankfully on top of enemy troops. She turned and started firing her arrows outside the wall, and with the help of the tower defenders and their hand-cranks arrow firing gatling guns, was able to bring down three more gunships. With the air support gone, Thea turned back around and started shooting at the ground troops; each of her arrows struck their mark, a testament to both her recent training and her inborn talent.
As she searched for her next target, something caught her eye. She turned towards the great hall, and saw shadows moving on the stained glass. With a start she realized that someone had breached the inner sanctum and challenged Ra's directly, and without further thought she sprinted across the wall towards the hall. As soon as she was close she jumped, and her momentum carried her over the short distance between the battlements and the window. As she crashed through, she withdrew her last arrow and fired, causing Ra's assailant to back off a moment before he would have plunged his sword onto the aged leader's heart. Thea land with a grunt, rolling forward and drawing her sword as she came to her feet. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was.
"YOU!" Thea snarled.
Slade Wilson, AKA Deathstroke, chuckled behind his blue and gold mask. Ra's laid behind him on the ground, panting and bleeding from his side; Thea spared him only a glance before her full attention was back on the monster before her.
"Well, I must say this is a pleasant surprise." Slade said, still chuckling. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Miss Queen!"
"It's Miss Merlyn" Thea said, dropping the bow and taking a two-handed grip on her sword. "You will not touch him again."
Thea held her ground as Slade rushed at her. They began to exchange blows at a rapid pace, all of the lessons her father had taught her about swordplay coming into play right then. She noted her opponent- he was fast, he was powerful, but his agility was reduced by his heavy body armor. Also, even though he was incredibly strong- each blow felt like it was rattling her bones- he no longer had Mirakuru running through his veins.
She landed a shot that cut the mask off; allowing her to see his face once again- a face that still haunted her dreams. Dreams of him kidnapping her, mentally torturing her, running a sword through her mother's heart-
She was distracted by those memories- and he took advantage. One powerful swing knocked her sword clear from her hand. He then quickly reversed, plunging the blade towards her gut. She started to dodge, but didn't quite make it, and his sword pierced her side a bit off to the right from center. Weeks of being whipped helped her to keep in the scream of pain, but as she saw his smirking triumphantly, she saw red. She reached out and grasped the blade, pulling it farther into her side- and pulling herself closer to him. She followed that up with a vicious headbut that broke his nose, then added a kick to his balls for the hell of it. Slade roared with pain- much to her pleasure- and fell back, yanking his sword free. Thea fell back to the ground, but quickly turned that into a backwards roll, coming up right in front of Ra's, with Ra's sword now in her hand. She ran towards Slade, dived and rolled over his wild, angry swing, then leapt up, then off of the wall behind him. She arc Ra's sword down, slicing through his spine, then as she landed swung once more, severing both of Slade's Achilles' tendons. Slade collapsed to the ground on his knees, agony written all over his face. Thea, in a great deal of pain herself, nonetheless pulled he self up and faced her enemy.
"That was for Ra's," she whispered to him, then with a scream filled with rage swung the sword once more, separating Slade's head from his shoulders. "And that was for my Mother, you son of a bitch."
At that moment the doors of the hall burst open and more assassins ran in, led by Nyssa, Sara, and Malcolm. All of them stopped as they took in the sight before them, though Malcolm hissed in fear when he realized his daughter was holding Ra's sword- a crime punishable by death. Thea, half delirious with pain, paid them no mind as she turned and staggered her way back to Ra's, who had pulled himself up to his knees. She collapsed to her knees in front of him, and held out his sword to him with her head bowed submissively.
Ra's stared at her impassively for a moment, then reached out and braced himself against her shoulder, pushing himself up to his feet. He then took his sword, stared at it for a moment, then spoke to her. "You have given this blade great honor this day, taalib." He told her, and then placed the sword back into its scabbard on his belt. He then held out a hand, which she accepted with surprise. He helped her to her feet and smiled warmly at the girl. He gaze turned impassive as he looked to his eldest daughter. "Report." He said simply.
"Father, the enemy has been routed." She said. "Our casualties are great, and our injured are numerous- but that is nothing time and rest won't help heal. The enemy force has faced a complete defeat; the few prisoners we have taken await their fate by your command."
"Kill them." Ra's said simply.
Nyssa paused for a moment. "Should we not interrogate them first-"
"There is no need. The architect of this plan lay cooling at your feet. Long has Deathstroke coveted the League; long as he wanted to make it his own." Ra's explained. "He failed." He added.
Nyssa nodded. "There are several warriors who would be deserving of your praise, including, I'm told, this one." She nodded at Thea. "According to reports, she managed to down five aircraft with four arrows." Thea stayed silent, though she blushed faintly at the praise.
Ra's graced her again with a warm smile. "Five aircraft, and you saved my life. My, you've had a busy day."
"And I haven't even had my first cup of coffee yet." She replied flippantly, then grimaced. "My apologies."
"Old habits die hard." Ra's nodded. "I believe I can blame this on blood loss. Come," he took her by the arm, "You have done me a great honor today, and as such, I will bestow an honor upon you. I will allow you to restore yourself in the Lazarus Pit. With our numbers depleted, we need all of the warriors we can get right now."
"Thank you, Master." Thea said, masking her pain as he led her towards the entrance to the Pit. The rest of the warriors departed, save for Nyssa, Sara and Malcolm, who formed a guard along with the just arrive Ubu around the pair.
"I believe it is time for me to take a more…personal approach to your training, taalib. But we can discuss that once we are healed."
Watchtower
"After that, Ra's trained me personally for nearly two months. He called me one of his best students." She smiled fondly at the memory. "After seven months of training, I was allowed to take a new name. I chose Malika Sihème- Queen Arrow." She shrugged. "It was a bit literal, but it fit. I was a member in good standing for seven years. And believe it or not, as bad as things could be there, for a time I found peace."
"But it wasn't to last. Talia was ambitious; and psychotic. She wanted to control her father's empire. There was only two problems- her father had no desire to step down, and even if he did, Nyssa was the heir to the demon." She laughed to herself. "That was how she always introduced herself- Nyssa al Ghul, daughter of Ra's al Ghul, Heir to the Demon. I used to kid her about it mercilessly." She sighed sadly. "Talia didn't want to wait. She began poisoning Ra's through his Lazarus pit- every time he took a dip to rejuvenate himself, the poisons went to work and a madness began to form."
"Around the same time, the Justice League had started to target the League of Assassins. Batman had stopped an assassination I was trying to carry out and unmasked me. When he reported that to Oliver, Ollie vowed to take the League down and free me, no matter the cost.
Nanda Parbat, 16 years ago
"The Justice League." Ra's slammed his hand down on the table he sat at. "THE JUSTICE LEAGUE?! AGAIN!"
"They seem to anticipate our targets now, father." Nyssa said, burying her worry under a cool façade. Her father's behavior had become more and more troubling as of late, and she was worried now at what he would do.
"HOW?!" Ra's demanded. "Do we have a betrayer in our midst?"
"Has a bird been singing, perhaps?" Talia interjected, earning a death's glare from Nyssa.
"Sara has had no contact with her family for over a year, as per your orders." She said, addressing her father. "The Bat has trained here as well. He knows how we think. And he has the means and resources to counter us."
"He's not the spoiled billionaire we should be worried about." Talia interrupted again. "Oliver Queen has been leading this crusade. Searching for his lost sister."
"Then perhaps you should release the girl." Nyssa suggested tiredly. "Send her home to her brother. Perhaps then he'll call off his crusade-"
"NO!" Ra's exclaimed. "We have lost too many members to the Justice League's interference. We cannot afford to lose anymore, for any reason."
"Then perhaps we need to send Mr. Queen a message?" Talia suggested. "He hurts us, so let us hurt him." She smiled cruelly. "Let us take away what he loves the most."
Nyssa's quarters
"He's going to WHAT?!" Sara exclaimed.
"I know." Nyssa said tiredly.
"Nyssa, Felicity is our friend." Sara said. "Not only on a personal level, but a professional level as well. She's given us- the League- valuable intel at times! She's aided us in times of need! To kill her-"
"Would be a violation of our code." Nyssa sighed. "I know this, Sara. My father's will has turned to madness. There is but one thing I can do." She looked her lover in the eyes. "I will talk to my father again, without Talia there. Her presence is like a poison in his ear."
"I'd like to pour some poison in her ears." Sara grumbled.
Nyssa smiled sadly. "As would I, Habibti." She sighed. "As I said, I will talk to my father. You are to remain hidden until I return. If he still fails to see reason, than you must make your way back to Starling City and warn her."
"We'll go together-"
"We may not be able to." Nyssa said sadly. "Promise me you will do this, Habibti. If we forsake our honor, than we are nothing but barbarians." She added. Sara looked at her in puzzlement, but nodded in agreement.
"I give you my word."
A short time later, Sara was tailing Nyssa in the shadows as the other women headed to her father. Sara knew that Nyssa wouldn't approve, but if Ra's didn't cancel the contract on Felicity, than she would need all the time she could get to make her way back to her former home. She stopped fifty feet back, hiding herself in a darkened alcove. Her black leather jacket was fully zipped up to hide her cleavage, and her blond wig was stuffed under the jacket, her dirty blonde hair covered with a black stocking cap to more easily blend with the shadows. She watched Nyssa approach her father, and saw the two of them begin to converse. In a worryingly short time the conversation became heated, and Ra's started flailing his arms around, gesturing wildly. 'Like mad.' Sara thought, and a wave of sadness passed over her. 'He has gone mad.'
Nyssa wasn't speaking now; she had her head bowed submissively while her father ranted and raved at her. Sara as too far away to hear exactly what was being said, but words like 'weak' and 'disappointing' floated towards her on the air.
And then Talia was there suddenly, thrusting her sword into her sister's back and through her heart. It took all of her training for Sara not to cry out in devastation as she watched the life leave the woman she loved, as she watched her body collapse bonelessly to the ground. She understood then, why Nyssa had been so adamant. 'She knew she was going to her death.' Steeling her emotions, Sara moved stealthily away, hoping to accomplish once more what she had accomplished once- escaping Nanda Parbat.
Watchtower
"Sara managed to make it out." Mia revealed. "But try as she might, she never could reach anyone in Starling. Nanda Parbat is heavily isolated, you see. Lines of communication just don't exist between there and the outside world. To contact her family, Sara usually had to travel to Hong Kong first." Mia sighed. "She figured the fastest way to get in touch would be to travel back immediately. It took her several days to make it to an international airport. By the time her plane landed, though," she looked sadly at Felicity, "It was too late."
Queen Consolidated, 16 years ago
As always, Oliver Queen felt a surge of pride as he stepped off of the executive elevator and into the lobby of Queen Consolidated. His family's company, his company, once more. Sure, he shared an office with Ray Palmer, and sure, they were more partners than Oliver owning the company outright. But the partnership had been fruitful- within a few short years, his fortune had been replaced, and once again he had become the Co-C.E.O. of a Fortune 500 company. Even better was that his wife had become the head of Applied Sciences, and the work she had done there had put any rumors to bed about how qualified she truly was. The best part was that half of the things that Applied Sciences' turned out would not be made available to the public for another decade; instead being placed on the Watchtower for use in defending the world.
'A world my child can grow up safely in.' he thought happily as he crossed the lobby. Normally at this time he and Felicity would be leaving together to get lunch, but the third trimester was proving to be exceptionally difficult on the genius mother to be, so she was at home resting. A buzzing sound caused him to reach into his pocket and withdrew his cell phone, and he smiled at the picture of Felicity on the screen. 'Supposed to be resting.' He thought as he answered. "Hi honey. Miss me already?"
"Ha, ha." Felicity said grumpily. She was not resting- in fact she was practically parked right in front of Q.C. "I was just calling to let you know that I was going to be a little late. I mean, I'm right here- practically at the front door, but I have to find a place to park. Traffic out here sucks!" she complained.
Oliver's smile turned into a worried frown. "Late? Late for what?"
"I got your text about the issues with the Archangel network." She said. "You asked me to come look it over, if I was feeling up to it."
Oliver stopped dead in his tracks. "Felicity," he began slowly, "I didn't send you any text."
"Yes, you did." She replied. "I authenticated it. It came from your phone."
Oliver pulled the phone away from his ear and looked at it in confusion. Suddenly another buzz got his attention- his other work phone. "Honey," he said, lifting the first phone back to his ear, "hold on a sec, I got another call." Before she could reply he lifted the second phone to his ear. "What's happening?" he asked without preamble. Only a handful of people had this number, so he knew it was Arrow-related business.
"Ollie, its Sara!" Sara exclaimed. She was in the airport, walking through the terminal after having purchased a burner phone. "Listen, I don't know how much time I have. Ra's has gone mad; he's ordered a hit on Felicity. You have to take her somewhere far, FAR away and keep her safe!"
Oliver walked quickly out the doors and stepped onto the plaza. He looked around, squinting in the bright sunlight. It only took him a few seconds, but then he spotted Felicity's Mini-Cooper, lovingly maintained and still running strong. She was indeed right out front, stuck in a massive traffic jam that seemed to be being caused by malfunctioning traffic lights-
"Ollie, are you there?" Sara's voice said. "Did you hear me? Get her out, now!"
Oliver was looking around, searching the building across the street, searching for what he knew now was there.
"Hey, I see you!" Felicity said happily. Then she noticed his tension. "Oliver? What's wrong?"
There.
He stood frozen, looking at the Parker building's roof. A lone figure, definitely feminine, stood on the ledge, an arrow nocked in her bow and aiming at the Mini. "Get out of the car." Oliver said softly.
"What?"
"Get out of the car! GET OUT OF THE CAR!" Oliver screamed, running towards Felicity.
On the roof of the Parker building, Thea took aim at the car. She drew back the string, lined up her shot-
But she couldn't fire.
Felicity was a friend. She was a friend of the League. She was innocent in all of this; why had she been ordered to kill her?"
"Take the shot." Malcolm ordered. When Thea still hesitated, he persisted. "The order has come from Ra's himself. To refuse to act is a death sentence!"
"She doesn't deserve to die." Thea argued weakly.
"Deserves to or not, it has been decided. Take the shot!"
She saw her brother running towards the car. Maybe if she hesitated long enough that would give him time to pull her from-
"Darab naar!" Malcolm commanded. The command resonated in her brain; her muscles reacted instinctively. The bow came up, the string was drawn back, she breathed-
And let go.
Felicity looked at Oliver in concern as he ran towards her. On instinct, she ducked down to look out her passenger seat, up at the building Oliver had been staring at. It wasn't easy to do- her pregnant belly making it difficult to move in the small car. But as she looked out, she saw the figure on the roof, saw the arrow being fired-
"Oh."
Oliver ran as fast as he could, but he wasn't fast enough. The arrow penetrated the rear of the car, penetrating the gas tank an instant before the explosive head attached exploded. The fuel ignited, and in an instant the Mini was nothing more than twisted metal, expanding flame, and burning flesh. The explosion sent Oliver flying backwards, and he landed hard on the pavement. Still he struggled to his feet, letting out an anguished cry as he watched his family burn.
Watchtower
All four of them were crying now, and it took a moment for Mia to get control of herself before she could continue. "So that's it. That's what happened. Six months later, the League of Assassins would attack S.T.A.R. Labs in force to get a hold of some tech they and Q.C. had been working on jointly. During the attack Ra's was killed, Talia was killed, Malcolm… and Oliver, were both killed." She took another breath. "I let myself be captured, and the League of Assassins was destroyed. Shortly after that, I was put onto the Titans, as per Oliver's last wish for me. And that's when I changed my name." she looked at Felicity, and fresh tears came to her eyes. "There is only one thing in my life that I regret more than killing you. But your death- it has weighed on my conscious every day. It is one of many things I DON'T want to happen." She turned her attention back to Thea. "That's what this is all about, remember? Changing the future? You don't want to be me, I get it. But what you don't seem to get is that I don't want you to be me! I don't want you to make the same mistakes I made. The same disastrous choices I made. I want you to be so much better than me, Thea." She told the girl earnestly. "I NEED you to be better."
It was several more minutes before Mia could extricate herself from the room. As she stepped outside and let the door close, she leaned heavily against the wall. That had been far more emotionally draining than she had been expecting. And sadly, it wouldn't be the last.
Oh dear, Roy's voice sounded over her com link. The natives are getting restless.
"I've got more important people to talk to than them." Mia shot back. "Tell them that joke you know." She shut off her com link and walked down the hall to Laurel's room. She hit the chime, and a moment later the door opened to reveal Quentin.
"If you're here to pick another fight, think again." He said sternly.
Mia smiled wanly at the man. "I come in peace." She said, holding up her hands. Giving her a disgruntled look, Quentin stepped aside and let the woman in. She entered and immediately noticed Tommy's absence. "Tommy with my dad?" she asked.
"I needed some time alone." Laurel said from her seat on the edge of her bed. "A message that no one else is getting."
"No, what you need is an explanation."
"As to why I too am as psychotic bitch?"
Mia took a breath. "Look, Laurel… what you saw was the result of years of frustration and resentments spilling out. Dinah…" she sighed, then took a seat on the bed next to the distraught lawyer. "Dinah hasn't had an easy life. You saw what happened with Tommy," she pointed out, then pressed on. "After that, and you'll see this, she pretty much hit rock bottom. I don't want to say too much; you'll se that over the next few days." Mia promised. "She had just managed to get her life back on track when Sara was almost killed right in front of her- she could just never get ahead of it, you know? Then Ollie died…." Mia shuddered, repressing THAT memory for the time being.
"You were there." Laurel realized. Mia looked up at her sharply, then sighed.
"Yes, I was. Dinah and I fought; I won. I took her out of the fight, and she feels if she hadn't been she could have saved him. Maybe she could have; I don't know. But at the end of the day she's spent the past fifteen years hating me; I've spent those years putting up with it." She chuckled. "I guess it had to come to a head sometime." Laurel nodded. "Listen, I need you to know that I DON'T think that you are a stuck-up bitch. To be honest, I always looked up to you when I was younger. And it hurt that when after the 'Gambit' went down, you never came around and talked to me anymore." She smiled. "Of course, as I grew older I understood why."
"I'm sorry." Laurel said automatically.
Mia shook her head. "Don't be. Just do me a favor, and don't think that any resentment I have with Dinah started with Thea and you. You're a hell of a role model, Laurel. She'll need that in her life. She'll need you."
Medbay
Mia walked in to the med bay to see Tommy sitting by the tall, transparent cylinder filled with bluish liquid, in which Malcolm Merlyn floated.
"They call it Bacta." Mia told Tommy. He looked back at her, startled by her sudden appearance. She indicated the cylinder. "The liquid he's floating in. It promotes cellular regeneration at an astounding level- he'll be fully healed by tomorrow."
"Wow." Tommy said dully, turning his attention back to his father.
"Yeah. S.T.A.R. Labs came up with it years ago, a couple of years before I pulled my head out of my ass." She chuckles. "When they saw what it could do, Cisco named it. Felicity and Barry seconded, and so Bacta was born." She shook her head. "Nerds."
Tommy laughed humorlessly. "I have no idea how I'm supposed to feel right now." He admitted. "On one hand, I just saw my father commit mass murder- including of me." He added. "On the other hand…"
"He's our father." Mia finished softly. Tommy bowed his head tiredly.
"I just don't know how to feel."
Mia sat down next to her brother. "Tommy, Malcolm wasn't born evil. Evil isn't his natural state. He was a good man who had a horrible thing happen to him, and he couldn't process the guilt. He couldn't handle it." She looked at her father, floating in the tank. "He then made one bad decision after another in an effort to assuage his guilt, and in the end it turned him into this… monster he's become."
"And you want to save him." Tommy stated bluntly.
"I do." She admitted. "I NEED to save him, Tommy. I lost so many people. I've lost my FAMILY. But I was able to come back from the darkness. And I believe I can pull him back, too." She took his hand and gave it a squeeze, and the two sat in silence for a time, watching over their father.
It was a more tired, and yet more determined Mia that stepped off the lift on the top floor. There was only one room up here- the main meeting hall of the Justice League, where the main members sat and strategized. She saw Roy standing outside the door and gave him a wan smile.
"They kick you out of the band?" she asked.
Roy chuckled. "They asked me to wait outside. Said I was too close to the situation."
"Well, probably a good thing." She said. "You probably won't like what I'm going to say."
"Mia-"
"Roy, you know what the best part about changing the future is? I don't have to give a fuck about what they think of me anymore."
She moved to walk past him, but he stopped her with a hand on her arm. "I'm bringing the munchkin up here tomorrow." He told her. "I think we'll all need a day or two to unwind." He kissed her on the forehead. "Now go in there and tell them off."
"Yes, dear." She replied cheekily. She walked into the room, and saw that they had forgone the round table in the center of the room for the long straight table in the- so everyone would be facing her; judging her. As she walked up to the table, she took note of everyone who was sitting in on this meeting- Cassandra Sandsmark, the new Wonder Woman; Connor Kent, the new Superman; Tim Drake, the current Batman; Wally West, the current Flash; Kyle Rainer, one of several current Green Lanterns, J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter; and-
"Well hello, Sara." Mia said to her friend as she came to a stop in front of the table. "Fancy seeing you here."
Sara Lance, the former Canary, smiled at Mia. "Yeah, go figure." She gave a subtle role of her eyes.
"Glad you could join us." Tim said sourly. Amazingly, Tim Drake had become even more dour than his mentor.
"Yeah, sorry I'm late. I was washing my hair." She replied sarcastically. "So what the hell do you want, Red Rooster?"
Tim seemed taken aback by the flippancy in Mia's tone, so Connor picked up the questioning. "We're wanting an explanation as to why your experiment seems to be running out of control."
"Mainly because a psychotic bitch tried to kill one of the participants." Mia looked to Sara. "What do you think?"
"That about sums it up."
"There you go. Anything else?" she asked abruptly. "If you don't mind, I have more important things to be doing other than talking to you. Painting my nails, for example.
"Who the hell do you think you are?!" Tim exploded.
"Thea Queen." Mia said, shocking everyone else into silence. Then she continued. "Tried to kill herself a short time ago. Tried to slice her own throat open. Because your bedroom buddy," she spat, verbalizing what everyone knew and yet no one admitted, "couldn't either A.) stay away or B.) keep her fucking mouth shut." Mia sneered at the assembled heroes. "You all make me sick." They all reacted to that statement, but she ignored them and pressed on, freeing years of pent up aggression at their passive aggressive treatment of her. "Hey Tim, how's Duala Dent?" Tim's eyes flared at that. "Kyle, have you sent Major Force his season's greetings yet?" the Lantern's ring visibly reacted with power, though he managed to keep most of it contained. "Or Connor, have you gotten any more late night calls from Daddy? Feel like beating the crap out of your girlfriend again?" she scoffed, not flinching away as one of the strongest people on the planet glared at her with sheer hatred. "You fucking hypocrites .You sit there like gods judging us mere mortals and finding us wanting. You have been judging me, punishing me for the things I've done, the lives I've taken. But what you seem to fail to realize is that I have to live with that every day of my life. I have to live with the fact that I killed my brother's wife and their unborn child. I KILLED MY BROTHER!"
She glared at them all, even the few friends she had at the table. "All of your hands are dripping with blood. But me? I'm DROWNING in it! But now here I am, changing the past to make a better future- a future where hopefully none of this ever happens. So you go ahead and sit there. You go ahead and judge me. Me? For me now its mind over matter. I don't mind," she leveled her gaze at Tim, "Because you don't matter." She turned and stormed out of the room, but before she left she tossed one more comment over her shoulder. "One more thing, Tim. This station? It wasn't built by Wayne money. It was built by QUEEN money. That makes me the landlord." She looked over her shoulder and smiled cruelly. "And I'm evicting you. Get your ass off of my station, and take that bitch down in the med bay with you. Because I'm done dealing with her shit." She looked to Sara, who was as stunned as the rest. "How did you think this was going to go, Sara?" she asked, then turned and walked out.
As the door closed, Sara sat back with a grim smile on her face. "About like that." She answered.
"I'll throw her in the brig-" Tim started to say, but Sara cut him off.
"No, you'll go get my sister and head down to Gotham."
"You're taking her side?" Connor shook his head. "I should have known."
"And I should have known that some people at this table would think it would be a great idea to eliminate some serious threats from their pasts before they got too bad. Threats like Merlyn and Deathstroke, for example." Sara replied. She looked down the table. "Kyle, I think it's about time you headed to Oa for a check in, don't you? And Connor, I'm sure Metropolis needs you. Anybody else who feels the need to try and sabotage this endeavor, feel free to leave with them." Sara rose. "This experiment will continue. These people will be kept safe. And all of your vendetta's will stop at the transport pad."
"What about Rose?" Cassie asked.
Sara sighed. "I'll deal with Rose." She promised. "This meeting is over. Everyone not on board, get the fuck out." With that, Sara rounded the table and walked out of the room.
It was dark in Starling City as Malcolm Merlyn walked down the street. He wasn't' sure how he had gotten there- he wasn't even entirely sure where in Starling he was- but he still felt compelled to walk on. Suddenly, in the middle of the road up ahead, he spied something- a figure lying in the street. His pace quickened towards the fallen form. As he got closer though, he stopped cold.
"Malcolm, I'm in trouble. I told-I told him to take everything. My money…my ring."
Malcolm staggered back a few steps as he realized he was looking at his wife. She lay there, bleeding and alone, talking on the phone to his voicemail, because he had been too selfish, too arrogant…
"They shot me. I screamed for help, but no one would come. Malcolm, I don't want to die alone." She pleaded.
"But I did."
Malcolm spun around to see Rebecca standing there. He stared in shock, wonder, love-
And fear.
"I did die alone, lying here in the street." She said, circling him. "Shot by some street thug."
"I avenged you, though." Malcolm said desperately. "I found the boy who did that to you, I made him pay-"
She shook her head. "No, you didn't" she said, stunning him. "You killed the wrong boy, Malcolm. You tarnished your soul for nothing. And then you decided that the best way to honor my memory, honor the memory of a woman who gave everything to help the people in the Glades, would be to kill them all."
"They didn't help you!" Malcolm exclaimed. "They let you bleed out into the street, safely locked behind their doors, and did nothing!"
"And because they feared for their own lives, that makes them bad people?" she asked.
"If they would have helped you, you'd still be alive!"
"If you would have answered your phone, I might still be alive." Rebecca countered. Malcolm seemed to deflate at her words. "And that's what it all comes down to, isn't it? Your guilt." She shook her head. "You will never assuage your guilt by committing mass murder, Malcolm."
"You tried to make the Glades a better place." Malcolm argued. "That's what I intend to do!"
"And sacrificing our son as well? Was that part of your plan?" she asked. "Our son, my legacy- OUR legacy?"
"No, of course not." Malcolm said. "I never wanted Tommy to get hurt…"
"And yet he still might." Rebecca sighed. "You blame others for my death, love, because you hate admitting that you were partially at fault, too. To admit that means to admit that you had failed me." He placed a hand gently on his cheek. "But I was at fault, too. I should have called 911, instead of calling you again and again. If I had acted smarter, I might still be alive today."
For the first time since the police had told him about his wife's murder, Malcolm was openly crying. "It was my fault! I should have answered, I should have been there for you! I should have picked you up! Anything!"
"There was nothing you could do, love." She told him. "There was nothing to be done. I was meant to die there that night. My death spurred you on to become this thing that you are now." She took his face in both hands now. "You need to let me go, Malcolm. Let go of the memory of my death, and the hate and pain it carries with it. Let it go, and just remember the good times we had. All of the good memories we made. Let go of the Dark Archer, Malcolm. Become the father our son deserved. Become the man I loved once more." She pulled his head down and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead, then pulled him close as he broke down in her arms.
In the med bay of the Watchtower, in the Bacta tank, Malcolm Merlyn floated, unconscious. Even through the murky liquid, you couldn't mistake the tears as they flowed.
"It's done."
Gypsy turned to look at Mia. "Are you going to want another one of these sessions, or…"
"Let's see how things play out." Mia replied. "I'm kind of hoping that one's all we'll need." She looked shrewdly at the illusionist. "You don't approve."
"It's just…" Gypsy looked at the tank, then back to Mia. "Isn't it kind of… manipulative?"
Mia laughed shortly. "If secrets and lies are the Queen stock and trade, then mind games and manipulations are Merlyn's. We do this to one another for fun." She smiled tightly at the other woman. "I know you don't like using your powers like this, and I can respect that. But until Malcolm can let go of his pain, he'll never be able to change. Just talking to Rebecca one last time…" she sighed. "That will make a world of difference."
"I'll take your word for it." Gypsy said. "I'm going to catch some shut eye. You should, too."
"I'll turn in in a bit." Mia assured her. She watched Gypsy leave, then turned back to the tank. "Please lord, don't let my fuck this up." She whispered before turning and walking out of the room.
TBC
A/N: Wow. This is, I believe, the longest chapter I have ever written of wholly original material. It just kept getting longer and longer.
Originally (and some reviewers know this already) I had intended for Felicity to die at Slade's hands during 'Unthinkable'. That was the major event that was going to be different. But I think this works out much better, don't you?
Note that this chapter was entitled 'The Secret Origin of Mia Deaden (Part 1)'. That implies that there will be more than one part, and there will- but those chapters will be coming later, towards the end of Season 2. Also, I am writing this chapter around the time that 'The Secret Origin of Felicity Smoak' aired. And might I say that, seeing Goth Felicity- Colton Haynes is a very lucky man. Or was. Are they still together?
Okay, to settle this- Malcolm was the one who shot Sara. But this time Nyssa was there and took her to a Lazarus pit.
Timey-Whimey is, of course, from Doctor Who (LOVED Tennant). No Fate is a shout out to Terminator 2.
I would like to thank JA Ingram and her story 'Still Waters and Quiet Men; A Starling Mystery' for the idea of using Gypsy to feed Malcolm the illusion. I was trying to find a character to do that, and then I read her story and it clicked for me. And since you will have time, go on over and read her story- it is FANTASTIC.
If only she would update it soon...
As to why you'll have time, I will be going back on a posting every TWO weeks schedule for the time being. I've been slammed at work and have had ZERO time to write, and as such I am currently stalled on 'The Promise'. Once I finish Season 2, I will go back to posting once a week.
Finally, I'd like to thank garbolaughs39 for pointing out that I made an error in my dates. This story SHOULD take place in 2034, not 2039.
Fun fact- I was going to have Sara talking on a payphone at the airport when I suddenly realized that there probably aren't anymore payphones at airports. And if you're wondering what a payphone is, kids, ask your parents.
Translations-
Darab naar-Fire!
Al Sa-Her- The Magician
Al Z'Yb- The Wolf
Habibti- The Beloved.
Tallib- student.
Malika Sihème- Queen Arrow
