Disclaimer: CW/DC own these characters. I'm only borrowing them for a while. I own the original ideas found in this.
AN: Thanks for returning! Have you read and reviewed the previous chapter yet? I did just post it recently and don't want you to miss it. I was able to finish this one up rather quickly. I hope you enjoy it.
Previously:
"I would think we need to provide protection to Kara as well as to prepare for a possible attack on our world itself," Dr. Wells said.
"Yes, that's important, of course. Oliver, why don't you start with what had all happened to you and Kara, and what their reasons for attacking us and kidnapping you were?"
Oliver looked around him at the expectant faces and began.
"Maybe someone should update me on what you've discovered. With all of you on the case," Oliver shot smiles at Cisco and Dr. Wells but placed a hand on Felicity's shoulder, "I'm sure you've discovered some information."
"I'll start off with a guess you and Kara were brought to what's known as Earth-X, held by doppelgangers of you and Kara," Dr. Wells began, taking the lead.
"And you."
Dr. Wells startled. "Me?"
"Or do you mean it was Thawne wearing Dr Wells' face?" Barry asked, exchanging looks with Dr. Wells.
"Yep, good deduction, Barry." Oliver straightened up in his chair. "Yes, Kara and I were surprised to find not only doppelgangers of ourselves, but Thawne still alive and threatening us." Waiting a moment for the information to sink in, he continued. "We also found out right away what they're looking for. Domination of this world for one, which Thawne has promised them would be rather easy, and a new heart for Kara-X. She needs a new heart due to an increased amount of radiation in her body due to flying too close to the sun."
"Like Icarus," Felicity interrupted. Realizing she'd said that out loud, her hand quickly covered her mouth, her eyes widening. A heavy sigh revealed her surprise at interrupting. Seeing a questioning look cross Oliver's face, Felicity gave him a smile and asked, "I suppose you didn't study Greek stories as well as any Shakespeare in any of the four colleges you attended?"
Oliver shook his head. "I'd be offended if it weren't true." A smile was exchanged at the inside joke. "You can tell me who that is later," he said with a slight smile. He and Felicity sat looking at each other for a long minute lost in their reminiscing before Dr. Wells cleared his throat.
"I hate to interrupt, but I don't suppose you were able to gather any useful intel in developing a plan to keep them succeeding in their goals?" he asked in his habitual, all-business tone.
Oliver thought for a moment. "No. Unfortunately I was a little distracted by trying to save Kara." He continued, "But why should we attempt this on our own? We need to contact the world powers and our own government for some assistance." Smirking at Barry, he said, "For once."
Oliver looked and was encouraged by the nods given to him in answer. "So, we all agree we go warn the President of the threat and allow her to notify the rest of the world?" Oliver asked the group.
"That sounds like a good plan, Ollie. Who should go?" Sara asked.
"I think Oliver, Barry and I should go," Kara said from the doorway where she was leaning against the doorframe.
Murmurs of surprise and alarm rose, with Alex' voice dominating over the din. "I don't think you should go," Alex said, tolerating the angry look her sister shot her, as she rushed to assist Kara to a chair. "Kara, you've been exposed to kryptonite. You're not at full strength yet. Why are you even out of bed?"
"I heard you all out here discussing things, and I thought you needed my input. I am one of the two who've been there, after all."
Oliver attempted to soothe ill feelings. "Kara, we know. I was going to check with you, since we hadn't had a chance to compare notes since we were separated this morning. But I thought you needed to rest."
Kara shot him a look as though she wasn't sure if she totally believed his sincerity.
"I also think Alex is right, Kara. You should stay and rest," Oliver said, in a softer tone than he usually only employed with Felicity. "We especially need you at your full power to beat these guys."
"And, I suppose, be protected by the others in case the Earth-Xers make another visit?" Kara asked with a touch of sarcasm in her voice.
"Actually Kara –" Alex began.
Sara said, "I think it would be the best idea, strategy-wise Kara. After all, besides conquering this Earth, the other thing they want is—you."
"Okay. I guess it makes sense," Kara said reluctantly.
"Cisco and Sara should go with us as well, in case we run into trouble. And Cisco can save us an airplane trip by breaching us directly to D.C.," Oliver said with a smile.
"Well, I think we better get going then," Sara said, standing up. "But first I'm going to call the Waverider to get them here. We need all the help we can get."
~~OQ~~KD~~OQ~~KD~~
Two hours later, President Susan Brayden was busy at her desk within the U.S. Capitol reviewing some new policies brought to her by Congress when a knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. After she called for them to enter, Emily, her chief of staff entered, followed by Oliver, Sara, Barry and Cisco.
"Madame President, I trust you remember these people from their assistance during last year's attacks of the Dominators? They say they have something just as drastically important to world security as that threat to discuss with you today." Emily waited for the President to respond, brushing a few strands of her strawberry-blonde hair back behind her ear. "It's why I brought them right in."
"I certainly do remember them." Rising from her desk, the President walked around it towards the group, holding her hand out to Oliver, who grasped it firmly. "We have much to thank you for the assistance you all provided in that matter with the Dominators."
As she shook hands with the others, the President asked, "So what can we do for you? What is this threat you speak of?" Nodding at Emily, she said, "Emily, you may leave us. However, I'll need my tea and lemon."
The heroes didn't grasp the slight raise in Emily's eyebrows. "Of course, Madame President." She turned around smartly and left the room, closing the door behind her.
Returning to her desk, President Brayden indicated the chairs in front of her. Oliver waited until the rest of the group had seated before he took a seat and began.
"As crazy as this sounds, Madame President, we've discovered a threat from another earth. One which, if they succeed, would bring to life the threat of Nazi Germany once again."
A look of consternation crossed the President's face. "How would such a thing happen? And what do you mean by 'another Earth'?"
Cisco interrupted. "I shall attempt not to bore you with a long scientific explanation, Madame President, but surely you're familiar with science fiction stories of other Earths existing, ones created when a critical choice is made, but another Earth is formed, having the other choice being enacted out."
"I'm not known for either my scientific knowledge or my science-fiction trivia, but if I understand you right, on this other Earth Hitler won the World War?"
"Exactly!" Cisco jumped in his chair. "And now –"
"And now the Führer from that Earth is wishing to conquer this Earth as his own," Oliver said.
"Why would he want that?" the President asked.
"You see, Ma'am, these villains have found out about the existence of our Earth and have gotten greedy," Sara said.
Suddenly, on either side of the President's desk, doors opened and Oliver-X and Kara-X each led five soldiers out, who then surrounded the heroes, rifles drawn and aimed at them.
Oliver stood up, quickly assessing the situation. Sara stood up at the other end, waiting for a signal to attack. "Madame President, these are the very criminals we speak of. How did they get in here?"
"The jig is up, Mein Führer," Oliver-X said in derision as he stood in Oliver's personal space. "Luckily we arrived here in time to warn the President of the scam you were going to attempt."
"Madame President, they're the ones who are the villains. We are the real Team Flarrow members." Barry said.
"They told me you'd try convincing me of that, but they brought proof of your treachery." Nodding, she indicated the soldier standing by the door to her left to open the door once again. Four more soldiers appeared and walked to each one of the heroes.
"Each of you, please allow these soldiers to place the power-dampening cuffs on you. Otherwise, they have orders to shoot," the President said.
Sara met Oliver's eyes with an unspoken question in them. Oliver shook his head. "Stand down, guys. We have no other choice at this time." His lips formed a thin line as his eyes met the Führer's and held his composure as Oliver-X had the gall to smirk at him, behind the President's back. Oliver-X then took a deep bow and pointed in a grand gesture towards the door whom the group had entered the room. "After you," he said, with another smirk. Looking towards the President, Oliver-X said, "Thank you again, Madame President. We will take care of these criminals for you."
Oliver straightened his back and marched out the door with the other prisoners following him. As Cisco attempted to whisper something to him as he passed by, Oliver shushed him. "Later," he muttered.
They were led outside as a nondescript black van pulled up in the drive outside the rear door of the Capitol. One of the soldiers jumped ahead of Oliver and opened the side door. He got in and as Oliver followed him the soldier caught him by surprise and injected a syringe in his upper arm. Sara, following Oliver, attempted to pull away when she saw Oliver being injected, but the soldier beside her injected her quickly then yanked her into the van. The soldiers beside Barry and Cisco threw them into the van, after giving them injections as well. The van then drove away with the four heroes unconscious within it.
~~OQ~~KD~~OQ~~KD~~
Oliver first sensed an overall uncomfortable feeling he couldn't immediately identify. He attempted to struggle through the haze covering his consciousness but it was too thick at first. Before he could react, he heard, "Queen! Oliver Queen! Wake up!" Right before he was slapped several times hard across the face.
Oliver shook his head in a vain attempt to clear his head as he reluctantly opened his eyes. Having a raging headache interferes with clear vision and thinking. Not to mention a tongue feeling thick and a terrible taste in his mouth. He opened his eyes to see what he momentarily mistook as Quentin Lance standing in front of him. Before he could wonder why Lance was wearing a Nazi uniform, Oliver recalled the previous events. His vision cleared as the man walked closer to him.
"So, you're acquainted with my doppelganger on your earth, then?" Lance-X asked in a thick German accent. The man slowly walked away from Oliver then quickly turned to face him once again. Oliver realized he was restrained to a wooden chair, with chains and handcuffs, which he nevertheless struggled vainly against. A quick scan of the room revealed three solders standing at attention along the wall facing him, a heavy steel door barring an escape from the room, and no windows to give any indication as to their location. Oliver couldn't tell if they were in a different building than the previous Earth-X building.
"My Quentin Lance would never take part in such a despicable act such as this," Oliver said, not able to avoid another slap to the left side of his face. "What do you want?" he asked, not bothering to hide his disgust.
A sickeningly sweet smile crossed the man's face. "I am interrogating you while der Führer is on your Earth looking for your Supergirl."
Oliver could almost feel all the color leave his face as he realized the full meaning of Lance-X's statement. He couldn't help but wonder if the rest of the team had enough time to strengthen their defenses after Oliver and the others had left.
"Yes, that is correct, Queen. We will not allow any weak beings interfere with saving Overgirl's life. We will get a replacement heart for her, for she is of utmost importance to the Third Reich." He added, "And of course to der Führer."
Oliver involuntarily shivered as the mention of the dreaded phrases. This was an unending nightmare, one which he naively thought they had avoided with their escape from the Nazi Headquarters the first time. Because he'd allowed himself a moment to be distracted, Oliver failed to observe Lance turning away from him. The creaking of the wheels of a cart brought him back to the present. The very precarious present, as he observed the instruments of torture lying on the cart.
"May I ask what you're looking for?" Oliver asked, feigning a sense of nonchalance.
Lance shook his head as he looked at Oliver in mild confusion. "What do you think? Your plans, if any, on how you thought you'd defeat us, where your Supergirl is hidden, and any other knowledge which would help us defeat your Earth."
Cold blue steel met a laconic brown-eyed stare. "Hate to break it to you but I've been tortured by worse people than you and they didn't break me. You wouldn't either."
A raucous laugh met Oliver's boast. "We shall see, wouldn't we?" Lance-X maneuvered the cart closer to Oliver. "Now, let me think. Should I start with pulling out your molars or your fingernails?" Without breaking the look, Lance-X reached across the cart and turned on the electric generator. "Or maybe, given your bragging attitude, perhaps we'll skip such pedestrian attempts and go directly to something...should we say, shocking?"
AN: Oh, oh. Not so good for Oliver. Even if this villain has such a 'punny' attitude. Please return when I get the next chapter posted and we'll see what's happening back at STAR labs. I hope you were entertained by this chapter as well and will let me know what you particularly liked. Always, always appreciated, even though this website has been particularly quiet lately. Have a great weekend!
