December 10th 2013
I knew I shouldn't have pushed things, I hate dealing with people when I'm exhausted, I tend to speak before I think and end up coming across as kind of a jerk, or at least that's how my girlfriend often described it. My friends say I become more zalost than normal, which I never quite got. As I walked into the diner, I knew I'd said too much because Oliver Queen and John Diggle were there, as well as Felicity and Barry. In for a penny in for a pound I thought to myself as I sat down, the waitress bringing over a pot of hot water at my request, I was going to need caffeine for this and put some Earl Grey into the pot to steep, say what you will about starling city but they at least have decent tea here.
"Ok, first things first, I wanted to apologize for behaving rude before, it'd been a very long night, and I wasn't expecting someone to just walk into my temporary base of operations." I sighed, realizing just how much I might have screwed things up playing my hand wrong earlier, and breathed in the aroma from the pot pouring the tea into a coffee cup provided by the diner.
"Now, I know you said you had questions Mr Allen, so let me just say there are some details that are not my secrets to tell, so answer me this question first, how well do you know Mr Queen?"
"I mean he's working with star city police on this series of thefts, why?"
"It'll become clear in a moment, but let me ask you one more thing. Who in all of star city had the opportunity to train in a woodland environment, has the overall body type, and most importantly has the financial backing to support being a vigilante? Think on that for a bit, because what I'm about to tell everyone is going to seem incredibly crazy and implausible, but given your background, I expect you might be the most likely to believe what I'm about to say."
"Felicity, I didn't actually learn about your past through the web, it's a long story, and I know you're keeping stuff secret. Just know you're nothing like your dad no matter how crazy you get with technology, take it from someone who knows shitty dads, you're a good person, not a chess master who plays at being Xanatos.
"Now that that's all out of the way, My first question for you all, have you ever heard of the multiverse theory?"
I spent the next while telling my story, how I grew up having gone through my own crucible, having been taken away from all I knew and put through hell for a year as a child. The discovery of and rescue of my sister only to see her make a series of bad decisions despite my efforts to be a good example. My oath never to become like the man who put me through that hell, to be stronger, smarter, a superior force of good to put an end to generations of evil. Of the challenges I overcame, training in martial arts and studying anything that held my interest to try and learn the secrets of everything and anything. I never stopped, I went further explaining that I was a traveler from another world, another earth and after quickly learning that Marvel Comics existed here explained how their world held the same status as marvel's in mine. Finally, I told the story of my last few days here, leaving out a few things since I was holding onto the mirakuru in case I was able to make it work.
"And that's my story, the Timeline has already changed with me being here, I can't stop helping people because I swore to always do so, but I will say this, Oliver, you were supposed to shoot Roy in the leg because he was going to investigate this whole mess, and you wanted to protect him. That's why I broke into the clinic to get those files, so that he wouldn't get caught up in this. The reason I was at the factory was simply because I wanted to make sure he wasn't strapped to that chair and being used by that uber and his master Brother Blood. One more important thing, Slade Wilson is alive, he goes by deathstroke now, and he's how they got the Mirakuru."
We sat in silence for several minutes, it felt like over an hour had passed since I started. I know it was a lot to take in, to find out that not only did other realities exist but that you were part of a fictional story in at least one of them, your secrets laid bare for an entire world to know. Barry was the first to speak up of course, a bit of shock but understanding as someone who also went through his own crucible at a young age. Oliver got up and left, frustration visible on his features at this hard truth, when he asked me why he should believe me I said one name, Shadow. Shortly after Diggle and Felicity went after him, I was certain he would find me later.
"Barry, since we're alone I have two more important things to tell you. The first is that You need to be in your lab during the particle accelerator test, if you aren't, the world will end, it's crucial. The second and most important is that you should tell Iris how you feel before tomorrow. Because if you wait it's going to be a very long and very hard road for the next few years but in the end you'll make it work, in a way, you could say hope is the source of your power, the hope you give to yourself, and to those around you."
I sat there for a while sipping my tea as the caffeine and warmth brought energy and life into me again, the warmth seeping deep into my joints and muscles, sore from sleeping in that office again. Barry had quickly left after telling him what I hoped would change things for the better, a lot clearly on his mind. After finishing the pot of tea I made it back to my hideout and began gathering my things, Felicity stopped by again, concern evident in her features after learning the truth.
"You're leaving then?" she asked, her hand resting against the door frame.
"Ms Smoke, Felicity, I actually need to get on a train, so I can be at the accelerator test tomorrow. I've got a madman to try and stop from getting superpowers, one who believes that becoming all mind and no heart will give him the secrets of everything. It's important I at least try."
"Will you be coming back?, You kind of dropped a pretty heavy bomb back there, and I'd understand if you decided to travel searching for a way back."
"So you do believe me then? Well actually I need to come back after this next trial is over with, Oliver knows someone who might be able to help, a man knowledgeable in both the arcane and parallel dimensions. Oh, and make sure Barry gets on that train. I'm not sure if I imparted just how important this whole thing is going to be, but it's going to change everything, not even I can stop the big one, but maybe I can re-direct the path of the smaller one."
"One more thing, could you do me a favor and keep my bag for me til I get back? I'm not sure what's going to happen next, but I don't want anything destroyed in the process. Got everything I need in my coat anyway."
With that I walked out of the office, the place in better shape than when I got there a few days ago, as I headed for central city. I wasn't sure how long I was going to be there. But I had to stop the thinker from being created and save all those people he'd end up killing in the process of gaining his ultimate power.
