Earth 1, Star City

Ralph Dibney groaned from the pain in his jaw and reluctantly opened his eyes. He thought he wasn't going to like what he saw when he did - he was right. Mick Rory, Joanne Hervey, Nora Darhk and Ray Palmer were watching him. He wasn't in Hunter's apartment - he didn't know where he was. What he did know was that he had handcuffed to a chair and he was in Big Trouble. The presence of Palmer should have reassured him. It didn't.

''You can't do this to me'' he said, all too aware that he was blustering.

''You'd be surprised what we can do'' Hervey replied, sounding almost cheerful.

''What were you doing in Rip's apartment?'' Ray Palmer asked him.

''He's disappeared. I was looking for clues as to where he is. The guy who asked me to investigate him - and you four - seems to be in trouble - the Feds were at his place. And my office was turned over.'' He was babbling a bit and he knew it. The intense looks his four captors were giving him was beginning to get to him.

''This must all be down to you-know-who'' Nora Darhk commented.

To have them talking in code didn't make him feel any better.

''What are you going to do to me?'' he demanded.

''That's a good question.'' Palmer conceded, but didn't answer it straight away. He looked at the others. ''We should talk about this privately.''

Evidently the other three agreed with him. They went into the next room, Palmer firmly closing the door behind him. Whatever they decided, he wouldn't be able to hear a thing.

X

''That was A.R.G.U.S.'' Ray commented. ''Turning over Dibney's office, I mean.'' They'd searched the prisoner and found his I.D. and sundry other objects, including a sample of fingerprints. ''They've got Heywood in custody and they're trying to cover all the bases.''

''This Heywood is a friend of Rip's, isn't he?'' Joanne asked.

''I think so'' Ray glanced toward the closed door. ''Hopefully Rip will be back soon. If they are friends, maybe he can persuade him to stop looking into us.''

The question, he thought, was what to do with Dibney. Having knocked out a possible burglar would be - generally - OK with the police. Bringing him here, searching and questioning him less so, keeping him prisoner, definitely not. But if they let him go -.

''Turn him over to A.R.G.U.S. as well'' was Mick's opinion. ''We're supposed to be Chronos hunting not baby-sitting private eyes.''

He was still inwardly seething at the idea of another version of himself doing Savage's bidding.

Ray was reluctant to hand anyone over to an organisation that locked people up without the due process of law. But they couldn't just let the man go to keep investigating them and spreading his story. It's what I do would do, he thought, if I'd been treated like this.

''We can't let him go yet'' he said. He thought for a moment. ''I have an idea.''

X

Rory and Palmer freed him from the chair and marched him down to a basement at the back of the house. The two women had evidently carried a single mattress and a couple of pillows from one of the bedrooms and were laying them out on the floor.

''You can't keep me here!'' he argued, although he had an uncomfortable suspicion that they could. There were no windows, no way anyone outside might see him.

''It's not so bad'' Palmer said. ''It's warm, there's a sink in the corner. A toilet through there'' he pointed. ''And we'll bring you food and drink. Hopefully, we won't need to keep you here for long.''

''Good of you'' he growled. ''When I get out of here -''.

They left him. He did a thorough check of the basement, although he was pretty certain as to what he'd find in the way of potential weapons - nothing. He was in the toilet, finishing the check, when the outer door opened. He glanced into the main room and saw it was the girl - Nora. However reluctant he might be to take on a young woman - he might have a chance.

''I've a good idea what you're thinking'' she said calmly. ''So you should know I'm telekinetic.''

''You're what?'' he stared at her.

''This'' she pointed to the bed, which suddenly rose to a height of four feet, circled the room and returned to its original position.'' ''Move over, Harry Potter.'' she said, drily. '''I've brought you a book to pass the time.''

When she had gone, he slumped down on the bed. To add insult or injury, it was a book by Rip Hunter!