Chapter 30:
Mentally, Emmy had been more stable as she ever had been. Sore, but stable. The collar on her neck would be an interesting talking point, but Oliver assured her she could make it transparent or make it look like a necklace.
Right now, Emmy took a couple of steps down towards the basement. She kept looking over her shoulder with each step of the way. Despite Oliver having given her this second chance to make a better life, she still had a few worries to deal with.
Emmy pressed her hand on the secret panel and slipped inside. She hoped no one followed her.
"Gideon, how is our guest?"
"Stable, more so than ever before. Her place in the timeline is settling. Although, there is still an eight point seven chance of wraiths detecting her through the timeline. Which would amplify depending on how the upcoming battle with Zoom would go."
"Yes," Emmy said. "That is a problem."
Emmy brushed a strand of blonde hair away from her face. Her blue eyes shined as she walked over to the cell where here guest had been hanging out.
"Nora?"
"I'm still here. How much longer?"
"Just a few more days, a week or two at most," Emmy said. "Zoom is coming."
"I can help."
Emmy smiled, knowing what Nora was going through. She was trapped in a cage, unable to be free and Emmy felt for the little runner one hundred percent of the way. Until Emmy reclaimed her speed, she felt many of the same feelings. And hell right now, she felt a lot of the same feelings as well.
"I know you can help," Emmy said. "But, there's too much of a risk. You're stabilized, but we still don't completely wrong. There's a chance the wraiths are after neither of us. And until Zoom is defeated, we won't know for sure."
"Please tell me I'm not going to be in here for too much longer. Totally going crazy in here."
Emmy just gave a shadow of a smile. In these circumstances, she might have been driven completely mad as well. She put her hand on the edge of the wall on the other side.
"I know you hate to hear this as much as I hate to say this, but you're going to have patience. It's going to work out, I promise you."
Emmy was amazed Nora trusted her, and to be honest, it would have been justice if Brianna had killed her. Emmy still had to solve a solution to absolve Barry's father, which would work. Thankfully, with the resources of the League of Assassins due to her relationship with Oliver, that might be a lot easier.
"Stay strong, Little Runner. Just a little more."
The hairs prickled on the back of Emmy's neck. The approaching Zoom loomed closer in the rear view mirror and she could hardly wait.
"Well since you're buying."
Brianna took a towering stack of pancakes, and Iris did the same. They had a bit of time to unpack everything. Oliver leaned back on the chair and drank his coffee slowly. They practically devoured the pancakes in a way which Oliver thought they could choke, well they would if they were not speedsters.
"So, Thawne….do you think she'll keep her word?" Brianna asked.
"Yes, when things are settled down, we'll find a way to clear your father's name," Oliver said. "But, there's something else looming near, as she warned us."
Brianna took another bite. She reached over to snatch some from Iris's plate, which Iris did not approve of.
"Hey, hands off these, are mine," Iris said with a playful swat on Brianna's hand.
"Ladies," Oliver said when he cleared his throat.
Brianna just smiled and ordered a second helping of pancakes. Given Oliver was paying, he could afford the bill. Not that Brianna was using him as an endless ATM to fund her eating habits, oh not at the slightest. But he did help her out.
"I admit, I'm still a bit...I got the feeling there are some things she's not telling us," Brianna said. "And about Nora, why can't we see her?"
"Bringing her out in the open will endanger her from the time wraiths until the time line is stabilized," Oliver said. "You know this."
"And Thawne, she's looking over her shoulder every day," Iris chimed in with another small bite of her food. "That must suck."
"One way to put it," Brianna said. "Thawne, both of them, they did mess with the time stream. I'm guessing my mother was not supposed to die."
"Well, you're technically not supposed to be here on this Earth," Iris said. "But, here you are, and I'm really glad that you're here."
"We all are," Oliver said.
A whole lot to unpack and Brianna just avoided it by unpacking the pancakes into her mouth. Then again, even before the speed powers thing, Brianna always buried her troubles in food. She realized that the pancakes were in there.
"Just because you can eat them fast, doesn't mean you still can't savor the taste," Iris said. "You got to relax, and I'm pretty sure you can still choke."
"Yes, Mom, I got it," Brianna said with a cheeky grin.
Oliver just smiled at the two. He drifted to Swann's research and Emmy actually being the one to have it. He would have to inform Lexi about this, when she returned from her latest mission. She mentioned it was something about a CIA agent that went rogue.
Brianna delved into her third helping of pancakes while Iris finally went to her second. Iris licked the maple syrup from her fingers while she grinned knowingly at Oliver.
Karen set up a command station to talk with her teammates back on Earth-Two.
"So, how are things over on your end, Shayera?"
"We're making progress," Shayera commented. "At least as much as we've ever been. Several of the metas have been captured on Black Siren's intel."
Black Siren stood in the back of Karen's loft and pounded on the bag.
"She could become a part of the JSA if she keeps it up," another voice joked in the background.
Black Siren just smiled, oh she would not be so certain about that. Just because she hated Zoom and everything he did, it did not mean she was not going to exchange recipes with the good guys, at least not yet. She rocked the bag with a few more punches.
"Well, she's been a good help, Courtney," Karen replied with a smile. "Good to hear you. How's school?"
"Really, that's the important thing right now, with all of the metas?" Courtney asked. "Anyway, one of my classmates has been missing for a week. And she's an important one. Jesse Wells."
"You mean the daughter of Harrison Wells, the man who runs Star Labs?" Karen asked.
"One and the same."
Black Siren tensed up at that name. Oh, did Zoom, no Zoom could not have, could he? Black Siren slammed her hand into the bag a couple more times and tried not to betray the fact she had a sudden concern about this bit of news that the JSA just delivered.
"Helena's on the trail," Courtney said. "Oh, I'm sorry, Batwoman, because she would not approve of us using real names. Really needs to get laid."
Black Siren just smiled at Courtney's blunt assessment on the Bat. Oh, she knew a guy, but for now, the stars would not line up. Maybe in the distant future, maybe not.
"Jesse's abduction could be connected to Zoom."
"Because it is. Wells is the one who caused Zoom to have his powers."
This casual information drop from Black Siren made Power Girl's jaw set and she nodded. Oh, they had one problem.
"Keep in touch," Power Girl said. "I'm staying here because there's a chance Zoom could have agents sent here."
A good thing Batwoman was not here, because Helena would be on her again about trusting Black Siren. For someone whose mother was a reformed thief, she tested to be oddly pragmatic about people changing.
"We've just got a distress signal!" Shayera called. "We got to go, talk to you later."
Several of the younger girls were in the process of training. Nora Darhk wanted to learn a bit more on how to defend herself beyond her magic and Cassandra led her through an exercise. Artemis, Rose, and Thea trained alongside of Nyssa and Shiva. Talia and Emiko trained with each other, with their attacks bouncing off of each other.
"You've had some good teachers," Talia said. "But, there's a couple of obvious blind spots in your defense."
Emiko found herself flat on the back from Talia's overhead throw. Oh, the wind had been knocked completely out of her. She struggled to rise up from the ground.
"You're learn how to turn that one round," Oliver said. "Maybe."
"Oh, I intend to be the best," Emiko said. "How was Central City?"
"Eventful,' Oliver replied. "Sara, Diana, and Laurel took down some of your former associates, who thought they could flee this city."
Emiko stoically nodded. No room for disloyalty, and Emiko found herself behind what her brother was doing. This city had been in a wrecked state, partially due to the mistakes of their late father. Yet, they were finally returning back to normal and not a moment too soon.
"Those who remain will be the best and the most loyal," Emiko said.
"And the parts of the League which fractured will be rejoined with them one more time," Talia said. "Other than a few small gangs, you have control of most of Star City."
Oliver nodded. Obviously, it would be a pipe dream to control every petty criminal with ambition, although Oliver was keeping tabs on anyone who would threaten the League's plans.
"My late father, he would have written off this city as a lost cause, but through time and patience, you have given many people a second opportunity," Talia said.
"And that's why my brother is worthy of leading the League through the future," Emiko said. "We have further business to discuss, what Talia and I have been working on."
"We've taken a trip through the Glades, and we have more troubled young men and women who have raw potential, but could use structure," Talia said. "With your consent, we would like to further observe them and see if they would be worthy to be recruited into the League."
"You have my permission to go forward with that plan," Oliver said.
Emiko smiled. If those troubled youths had structure, they might not fall into bad habits. And would not let trash like the Count rise up to take advantage of their frustration by offering their blissful release.
At one time, the demonic figure had been known as Hunter Zolomon. Over time though, he turned into something much greater, something much more feared. Zoom made everyone quiver in their boots at the mere mention of his name.
He created a false speedster to give them hope. Despair was so much sweeter after hope had been torn away.
"Finally."
Zoom located the means of which Black Siren had escaped and his fingers vibrated against the breach. The JSA would not reach him in time, not with what he was going to do.
The traitor would suffer. She only fueled Zoom's rage and gave him more motivation. All will bow before him, as he rule this speedforce like a god.
Zoom popped through the portal on the other end with a huge crackle. He made it to an Earth which was different to his own. Zoom took in the atmosphere around him.
"I know you're here, traitor."
The energy crackled around Zoom as he tilted his head from one side to the other. Zoom settled back into position.
"Speedster...speedsters! Yes, there are more of you here. But, that will not matter for I will be the strongest. You will be weak, pathetic, and only Zoom will stand above all."
The Shameless Smut Commences In the Next Chapter