Chapter Thirty Six: Resurrection

Oliver's hands tightened around Lex's neck, his thumbs pressing down on the other man's windpipe and choking off the supply of air to his lungs. Lex's complexion began to change color, his eyes widening with fear as he realised that the man he had so mercilessly tormented now seemed intent on murdering him in cold blood. Oliver saw that fear – and it made him feel good. The adrenalin that now surged through his veins, giving him a strength that seemed impossible after all he had endured, was adrenalin fuelled by hate. Something inside him had snapped, and all the pain, all the anger, had broken loose; his need to punish the man he now held by the throat was overwhelming. Why should he hand Lex over to the authorities? Lex would find a way to evade justice – he always did. He'd hire some hotshot lawyers who'd tie the legal process up in knots for months, if not years, and then what? Then he'd get off on some technicality. Oliver could see it in his mind's eye, Lex's smiling face emerging from some courthouse, professing his faith in the American legal process.

Not this time, Lex – not this time. This time you WILL face justice for what you've done, I'll see to that.

Lex was a cold-blooded killer. He had taken the life of a man Oliver had loved as a brother, and he had enjoyed it. Again the memory of AC's face appeared in his mind, the image of the young wise-cracking hero almost instantaneously morphing into that terrible picture of his lifeless corpse, with those cold, dead eyes. Lex had done that, and he had laughed as he had plunged that deadly syringe into AC's neck - he must be made to pay, of that there was no question. His guilt was undeniable, so why should not he, Oliver Queen, simply carry out the only sentence that came close to giving his friend justice, and take his life? He would be doing the world a service, and ridding it of a man who ruined the lives of all he touched. This was justice – raw, undiluted, empowering. Oliver felt liberated, as at last it appeared he would be able to assuage the guilt he felt at being able to do nothing to save his friend. Lex would die – and then AC would be able to rest in peace.

It was at that moment another image pushed itself to the forefront of his mind, an image of the woman who had given his life a new meaning and who had sustained him through the long days of captivity.

Chloe.

What would Chloe make of what he was doing? Would she want him to kill Lex in cold blood? In his heart he knew the answer to that question, and for the first time since his hands had closed around Lex's neck an element of doubt formed in his mind. She wouldn't want him to do this. She would want him to bring Lex to justice, but through the courts – not like this. He could hear her voice in his head, telling him that he was better than this, that to kill Lex with his bare hands would not bring AC back, would not help him to come to terms with the death of his friend. It would only give rise to new demons, and demons that would continue to haunt him to his dying day. He would have become a murderer, a killer no better than Lex himself. He would have become the very thing that he had devoted his life to fighting against – was that what he wanted? Is that what AC would have wanted? This was a mistake, a terrible mistake...

At last Oliver's grip loosened, and Lex was able to take a gulp of life-saving air. But Oliver did not remove his hands from Lex's throat, and the man who just a moment earlier had been seconds from death had no knowledge of the doubts that were taking hold of his adversary's mind. To Lex, Oliver still appeared intent on killing him. He had inexplicably been granted a reprieve, and, desperate to save himself, he was not going to let it slip from his grasp.

"Kill me and you'll never know the truth about Curry," he gasped, every word painful as his bruised throat struggled to recover from Oliver's attack.

For a moment the full meaning of Lex's words did not strike home. What did he mean – "the truth"? The truth was all too clear – he had murdered AC in cold blood. What more was there to say? Unless....

"What do you mean, the truth?"

"He's alive – Curry's alive!"

Alive!

It seemed incredible, unbelievable, but there was no denying what Lex had just said - AC was alive! Oliver struggled to comprehend the remarkable revelation that in an instant seemed to turn everything he knew, everything he thought he knew, upside down. But it was impossible, wasn't it? He'd seen AC die, they all had. How could he be alive? The memory of AC's dead eyes once again forced itself to the forefront of Oliver's mind – there had been no life there, only an awful, unforgettable emptiness. This was a trick, surely? A desperate last throw of the dice from a man who would say anything to stay alive. And yet.... What if it were true? Could such a miracle really be possible?

"You're lying," said Oliver, his hands tightening once more around Lex's throat; whatever hopes he was harbouring at that moment, he wanted to keep them hidden from the man whose words held out the prospect of an apparently impossible resurrection.

"Why would I lie?" said Lex, the speed and pitch of his voice betraying his growing panic as once again he felt the press of Oliver's hands against his windpipe. "Do you really think I would kill someone with Curry's abilities? Thomas's drug simply simulated death – what you saw was a lie, what I wanted you to see. He's alive, Oliver, I promise – I can take you to him."

Oliver stared at Lex for a moment, searching his eyes for any sign that what he had just said was anything but the truth. He could find none – just the look of a man stripped of his power and dignity, cornered and desperate to live.

"If you're lying..."

"I'm not lying, I give you my word."

At that a hint of a smile flickered across Oliver's lips. Since when had Lex's words been worth anything? Without saying another word, he swung Lex around, before slamming him once more into the wall. Lex winced as he felt his arms being pulled behind his back, and metal cuffs – no doubt stolen from some LuthorCorp employee - being fastened roughly around his wrists. Lex didn't see Oliver stoop down to recover the gun, but he was made all too aware of it when again Oliver swung him round to face him.

"Show me," ordered Oliver, brandishing the weapon just inches form Lex's face. "Any tricks, and I'll put a bullet in your head, understand?"

Lex nodded slightly to indicate his compliance. He said nothing, but cautiously began to move towards the door, all too conscious of Oliver's presence at his back. He was the prisoner now – and it hurt more than words could express.

The two men walked moved through the apparently deserted LuthorCorp building in silence, each lost in his own thoughts. It was late, so the empty corridors came as no surprise to Lex; it was obvious that the other members of Oliver's team had in some way neutralised his security detail. To an observer Lex would have appeared calm, his features impassive and betraying no emotion as he led the way towards where AC was being held. Inside, however, it was a different story. The rage that Lex felt at having allowed Oliver to get the upper hand threatened to overwhelm him. How had he escaped? He cursed Akunin and Carter – their overconfidence had led to this, he was sure of it. If they were dead he felt no pity – they deserved their fate for their stupidity in letting their guards down. Lex's anger was powerful, but so was his survival instinct. He was determined to escape from Oliver's clutches and turn the tables once more on his enemy. As he walked down corridor after corridor his mind was in overdrive, assessing any and every opportunity to regain the upper hand. The man who walked behind him understood this; after all his years of rivalry with the Luthors, Oliver knew his adversary almost as well as he knew himself. He was on his guard, alert to even the slightest sign of danger, but at the same time he could not help but think of the miracle that might await him once they finally reached their destination. AC – alive! However many times he said it to himself, he still could not quite believe it – it seemed too unreal. Would he really find his friend alive? Would the team he had created once more be reunited, their air of invulnerability restored?

It was time to find out.

Lex had come to a halt in front of a door. There was nothing to indicate what lay beyond was of any importance; the electronic keypad that controlled access was standard throughout much of the LuthorCorp building. Oliver, his heart beating a little faster in his chest, noted their location from the sign that indicated entry to a nearby stairwell – Level Four.

"The code is 2698320," said Lex, his voice flat and without emotion.

Casting a glance at Lex to see if there was any sign that he was walking into a trap, Oliver proceeded to punch the code into the keypad. No sooner had he pressed the final number when a green light flashed on the display screen, and there was the sound of a lock mechanism springing into life.

They were in.

"You first," ordered Oliver, gesturing with the gun for Lex to open the door. Lex did as he was told, carefully opening the heavy door and stepping inside. Oliver, his gun at the ready, cautiously followed.

The sight that greeted Oliver was at once both miraculous and profoundly distressing. There, just a few feet in front of him in the centre of the room, was AC. Oliver had expected his old friend to be restrained in some way, perhaps shackled to a gurney, but instead he floated silently in what appeared to be some giant test tube, filled with a green liquid . Wires protruded from the device, and banks of computers appeared to be monitoring all activity within the chamber. AC showed no signs of movement; his eyes were closed, and a tube ran from his mouth off towards the back his watery prison. For Oliver, it was all too clear what Lex had intended to take place in that room. The tube, the equipment, it all meant just one thing – AC was a lab rat, a specimen. Oliver shuddered to think of what terrors his friend might have had to endure in the weeks and months to come as Lex's pet scientists had got to work on him, bent on discovering all they could about his abilities and how they could exploit them.

"What have you done to him," whispered Oliver, unable to take his eyes from AC's unmoving form.

"Don't worry, he's alive," replied Lex, something of his former self-confidence returning to his voice.

Oliver's instinct was to run over to the apparatus, smash the tube into a thousand pieces and free his friend. Concern about the effects of any rash action on AC's health, and above all an awareness of the potential danger Lex still posed, prevented him; whatever emotions he might feel, he knew that he had to remain focused and alert. He turned towards Lex, and instantly saw what he was looking for standing behind him. A large fixed cabinet presented Oliver with the opportunity to make his prisoner secure, and it took only a few seconds to uncuff Lex before chaining him to its the doors. Confident that Lex was going nowhere, he turned his attention back to AC, moving across to the banks of computers that appeared to be monitoring the young hero's life signs. The displays were baffling, and instantly Oliver knew he was going to need help if he was to get his friend to safety.

"I need to get through to Thomas's laboratory," demanded Oliver, not bothering to turn around.

"764 will give you a direct line," replied Lex.

Focused on making contact with Victor and the others, Oliver immediately punched the number into the communication system; fatally, he failed to register the subtle change in tone of the voice of the man he believed he had made secure.

"Cyborg, do you read me? Come in Cyborg."

There was a slight pause, before Victor's voice sounded across the room.

"Hearing you loud and clear, Green Arrow. Hostiles are neutralised, as you requested. I repeat – hostiles have been neutralised."

"I need you here, guys – now. It's Aquaman – he's alive." Oliver tried to keep his voice calm, but he could not hide the excitement that saying those words gave him.

"Say again, Arrow?"

"AC – he's alive!"

There was a slight pause, and a great yell of delight could be heard somewhere down the line. Oliver smiled – Bart had heard the news.

"I'm on Level Four – come quick."

"On our way, Arrow – Cyborg out."

The line to Thomas's lab was cut, and for a split second Oliver allowed himself to relax. His ordeal – their ordeal – was coming to an end, and in a way that none of them would have thought possible even just a couple of hours before. They were going to have a happy ending after all – the Justice League triumphant once more.

A sound.

Behind him – a sound. But it couldn't be. He'd.....

Oliver did not have time to turn around before he was struck on the head from behind. The blow was powerful, and he was helpless to protect himself from the inevitable; immediately he slumped to the floor, unconscious.

Standing over him, his heart thumping in his chest and sweat dripping down the sides of his face, was not the man Oliver might have expected to attack him.

It was not Lex who now leaned down to pick up the gun that had fallen from Oliver's hand.

It was Jimmy Olsen.

I promised you some twists, didn't I? How many of you saw that one coming? I couldn't kill off AC permanently - I love the guy too much (and besides, I may want to put him through some more angst in another story....). What's Jimmy going to do? All I'll say is that this story has only three or four more chapters to go, and some of you may be surprised by the ending...

Thanks for reading. Please do leave some feedback if you can - it means so much, and it is always a bit disappointing when very few people let you know what they think. To all my reviewers, I say a HUGE thankyou - I would not still be writing without you.