Six guards were assigned to each prisoner forming a circle around them. They all followed Ra who was leading the group with two guards three steps behind him. at the end of the group was Oliver queen, the Green Arrow, strapped down to a gurney as he tossed his head back and forth every couple of seconds then remain still for close to a minute. Thea cast a worried expression at her brother through the gaps of the two guards walking behind her. Fear and hate intermingled at the pit of her stomach. Hate for what they done to her big brother. fear because of what they done to her big brother, someone she saw as strong maybe the strongest person that would ever live by standing equal to gods...to leading a team of gods calling themselves the Justice league.
She then turned her attention to the front where ahead of her was Malcolm and ahead of him was Onyx. Malcolm had a calm expression of a gambler who was positive he had a winning hand but gauging his opponent if they take the bet. Onyx was the opposite something she was shocked to see on the older lady's face. It was the look of a tiger without any fight in it now trapped in a cage.
If Onyx knew she was going to end up like this why did she agree to come with Thea and Malcolm. But before she could consider this anymore a rough hand grabbed her by her shoulders forcing her to stop. She was about to say something but realized that they had arrived at their destination as a giant sliding grey door loomed before their group. Ras tossed his cape over his shoulder as he moved to the side of the door and begin tapping on the keypad. Once his hands had stopped the moving the grey doors began to slide open revealing a cache of vehicles ranging from ground to flight to sailing and undersea travel.
Thea stared in awe. The group was pushed forward and it took some physical coaxing to finally get Thea to start moving.
"Is that the first plane?" Thea gasped as she pointed at an old but somehow well kept
Ra's had stopped, forcing the rest of the group to a sudden stop as he turned looking at the plane Thea had pointed out and smiled, "Yes that is the Kitty hawk"
Thea scrunched up her face "Kitty hawk"
"Yes I had procured it from the wright brothers after witnessing its first four flights."
"But that was like a hundred years ago" Thea said. Before anyone could respond a pair of footsteps could be heard coming from the hallway that they came from.
"Father" said a young woman about in her early thirties with long black hair walk in with a younger girl close to twenty with dark brunette hair tied into a ponytail follow close behind her.
"Nyssa what is it?" Ra's said stepping toward his daughter forcing her to stop in front of him. Nyssa's eyes don't focus on her father but the man that stands behind him Malcolm who makes no attempt to hide from her hateful glare.
"you have Sarah's killer here. Yet you let him breathe still" She glowers.
Ra's eyes go cold as he stares down at his daughter.
"T-this is the law of the league of assassins to kill..."
But Ra's interrupted her, "I am the law, I am Ra's Al Ghul the Demon Head!" Nyssa looked away her eyes filled with hurt and outrage. Ra's turned his eyes to the girl next to her.
"Talia, what do you have to say?"
"Nothing father, I believe in your judgement." Talia said looking her father in the eye. Ras gave a small smile and patted her shoulder, "Then go both of you." Nyssa huffed and walked out. Talia turned to leave and then stopped catching the eyes of a downtrodden Onyx. Onyx lifted her eyes to meet Talia's but the girl had already whirled around and walked off.
without anything more everyone headed to a private jet and got inside. Ra's went to the cockpit while his guards stood by watching Thea, Malcolm, and Onyx. A groan from Oliver was the only thing that interrupted the silence of the jet. Thea move to his side. Oliver queen was visibly shaking with large amount of sweat leaving his body. when Thea took a step next to him she could feel the heat wafting off him.
"What did they do to him?" Thea asked turning to face one of the guards.
"What the hell did you do to my brother?!" she demands taking another step forward but Malcolm got in her way.
"Don't Thea after everything you've done to get here, don't throw all of that away not when you're so close" Malcolm said placing both hands on her shoulders forcing her back.
"Malcolm!" said Ra's as he stepped out from the cockpit.
"we need the coordinates" Malcolm turned to Thea who simply nodded her head. Malcolm pushed his way past the guards to Ra's side and they both go through the entrance of the cockpit.
Thea looked at the motionless guards to her brother who was still shaking like a chihuahua in the cold. Finally her eyes rested on Onyx who sat with her hands clasped together.
'Hey" Thea said as she moved closer to her companion.
"who was that Talia girl?"
Onyx looked up at Thea her eyes dead but at the mention of Talia a small spark ignited, "She is the youngest daughter of Ra's Al Ghul".
"Okay the way Talia acted when she saw you were you guys friends once or something?"
Onyx looked at Thea and sighed, "i don't wish to talk about this Thea."
"well then you can tell me what Ra's did to my brother?"
"Ra's Al Ghul has been alive for six hundred years and has mastered over a hundred forms of torture to an art. So much so he has developed new techniques of torture" Onyx past a sober look over to Oliver as he growled in pain and thrashed more.
"Even i'm not sure what hell he put him through but to have survived a month of his torture" onyx turned to Thea and gave her the first smile Thea had seen ever grace the ex-assassin's face, "he'll be okay if allowed time to heal and recuperate." Thea turned to her brother who had finally quieted and was finally breathing normally.
Malcolm emerged from the cockpit a few minutes later saying they arrive at their destination in half an hour.
Malcolm walked over to Onyx and sat down next to her, "how are you doing?"
"I'm fine" Onyx replied shortly.
Malcolm glanced at the guards in front of them and coughed. The guards didn't move. Malcolm glared at them again and made a more conscience cough and pushed his chin out for a second indicating for the guards to give them space. But they refused to acknowledge Malcolm.
Finally sighing Malcolm turned toward Onyx again, "I didn't expect Talia would be there." Onyx still didn't reply but this only perked up Thea's interest as she had earlier deduced that something had happened between the two.
"what happened between Talia and Onyx. Was Talia an assasin but she seemed about Roy's age. Do the league of Assasins allow teenagers into their rank? Seriously guys whats ever happening I want to know I don't like secrets being kept from me, you know that Malcolm."
Malcolm gave Thea a knowing look but turned to Onyx, "its not my story to tell."
Onyx sighed and got up suddenly making the guards taking a step forward their hands on their weapons. Onyx turned away from them facing malcolm and Thea who were sitting on the couch an empty space between them.
"God dammit you want to know so bad I was the demon fang" Onyx growled looking from Thea then to Malcolm.
"The Demon Fang?" Thea said.
"The demon's head most elite assasins are given this title, Demon Fangs are the generals of Ra's army." Malcolm explained to Thea's blanked look.
"An honor wasted on you" muttered one of the guards. Onyx turn toward the group but couldn't discern which one made the comment as all of them were in the same black garb and stared at her with contempt.
Onyx sat down with her face in her hand as she kept speaking, "I was in charge of protecting Talia al Ghul, but one night a rebellious faction of the league of shadows lead by Damien Darhk had kidnapped her. Malcolm, a few select assasins and I went to go rescue her."
Onyx didn't speak for a while but finally one of the guards must of have enough as he spoke up removing himself from his spot among the other guards, "Enough of your wounded pride, Onyx, the demon chose you for your skills and when it came to giving a striking blow you caved like a kid caught from stealing a cookie." Malcolm jumped up but the rest of the guards quickly swarmed around the one who spoke out and dragged him to the back as he grumbled and strained against his fellows.
"He's right" Onyx replied, " I was supposed to guard Talia and failed allowing her to be captured and tortured by Damien Darhk who had found a lazarus pit."
"He killed her and then revived her then killed her again over and over" Onyx said tears streaking down her eyes, "the poor child was only twelve and to go through a crucible and its only thank to the gods that she was able to regain her sanity." Thea shuddered and tried to remember what she was like when she was twelve. She knew about death but she didn't really understand it back then or that death would ever concern her. But Talia grew up with assasins whose whole life surrounded death but her father had been alive for hundreds of years. Maybe Talia considered death as something she never had to consider.
"I had a chance to kill Damien Darhk but I just couldn't" Onyx said now staring at both of her hands in confusion.
"I guess I had enough with all the killing because no matter what you believe is right innocent blood is still shed."
"That's why you keep fighting" Says Ra's as he steps out of the cockpit. He seemed to resonate power at this point making him bigger than life; then again he had live 8 lifetimes.
"Talia was disgusted that you had quit over the pain that she endured." Ra's said as he made his way to Onyx until he was standing right in front of her, "Talia held onto that hatred of you for the past six years, Onyx."
"I rather she hate me for sixty years then ever experience anything traumatizing like that again" Onyx replied meeting Ra's gaze. Ra's backhanded her knocking her off the couch.
"Hey!" Thea yelled jumping up but Onyx put her hand up to stop her.
"Life is pain, Onyx!" Ra's roared at her, "You of all people should know that, suffering is what forges us into the weapon we need to become so others don't have to, Talia knew that and spent the past six years sharpening herself into my third in command."
Onyx didn't say anything and finally Ra's calmed himself down, "we're landing" he said. He stride back into the cockpit.
"Onyx?" Thea asked kneeling next to the assasin but onyx waved her away. Thea leaned back in her seat and strapped herself in. She wondered what was waiting for them.
"Gotham?" Ra's said as the group moved through the dark alleys of the city.
"Yes" replied Malcolm as he lead them through the twisting alleys making sure not to go to far ahead of the group.
"And to think I was going to raze this place" Ra's mused (1).
"Yes it would have been a horrible..." Malcolm said trying to think of another word for mistake, "casualty" Malcolm finally decided.
"Then you must know why I was about to destroy it...right Malcolm Merlyn". Ra's replied as the guards quickly grabbed Malcolm slamming into the brick wall and pointing a sword near his throat. The other guards quickly grabbed and restrained Thea and Onyx.
"What the hell!?" Thea yelled. She yanked her wrist down hard forcing the guard holding her forward into her donkey kick. Onyx was able to twist out of her hold and slam her fist into the guards neck. he dropped to the ground gasping for air.
"You know this is the current Head quarter's of Damien Darhk's HIVE"
"Actually since you're recent attempt to destroy the city, Damien moved his base" malcolm swore, "and no matter how strong Damien is he couldn't take you out".
"You think flattery will save your hide it was my whim that allowed me to follow you on your ridiculous gift that would spare you and your child's life."
Thea made a move toward Ra's but Malcolm made a small shake of his head making the blade pierce his skin.
"If the child wants a chance to fight me then let her" Ra's said turning to face Thea, "i'll kill her like i did her brother." Thea roared and charged at Ra's with a jump kick. Ra's caught her foot and begin to twist it adding pressure. Thea screamed. Malcolm yelled at him to stop. Onyx jumped over Thea aiming a kick at Ra's. Ra's sidestepped the kick still grasping Thea's leg adding more pressure. Thea could no longer hold the balance on her left leg and crumpled to the floor.
"Please Ra's stop" said Onyx, "this isn't a trap what Malcolm has to offer..."
Ra's stared at Onyx for a beat before finally letting Thea's leg go. Thea grabbed her leg and tried to get up. The pain was gone amazingly because it felt like Ra's was breaking it but since he let it go it feels like nothing happened.
"fine you won my curiosity for another minute" Ra's said motioning for the other guards to back off.
Malcolm rubbed his neck gingerly and nodded his head down their current path, "Shall we continue." Onyx fell behind the group to check on Thea.
"I don't know what happened." Thea replied still looking down at her leg as they walked.
"He was breaking bone but..."
"he was applying a pressure point that made it feel like you're leg was breaking that's all Thea"
"He really is a scary man" Thea shuddered.
The group made their way until they made it to an old brick building with a green neon sign flashing 'Ace Chemicals'.
"In my travel I discovered an old tunnel underneath this building" said Malcolm as he opened a door from out of the street in front of the building, "I had my people dig it up and found it." The group looked down to see a long stretch of stairs with a faint red light shining at the end. A stairwell to hell.
The group made it all the way down where they are greeted by two men in black suits and wearing shades.
"Mr. Merlyn" the lead suit said.
"Did you bring the package?" asked Merlyn as he moved past the suits to the wooden double doors behind them.
"Yes sir" they replied.
"then you're done" Malcolm said motioning for them to leave. Malcolm threw open the double doors.
"I died" Malcolm said "the only reason I 'm here is because I found a Lazarus pit right here in Gotham." Through the door was a small stone circular border where green liquid bubbled.
"You found a Lazarus pit" Ra's said with a smile as he stepped in moving near it.
"I did"
"How do I know its real?" demanded Ra's.
Malcolm pointed to something on the ceiling where two caskets were being held aloft by a chain.
"we can have a demonstration" Malcolm said as he move toward a wheel on the side wall and begin to turn it allowing the coffins to be dropped into the pit.
"Who's in the coffins?" Thea called out to her father but Malcolm ignored her his focus on the coffins as they descended into the pit. Ra's watch with apt curiosity. Onyx seemed worried. Did she know who was inside those coffins?
Finally the coffins fell inside the pit. And they waited.
"How long does this take?" Thea asked turning to Ra's who began to smile as the pit's waters began to bubble rapidly. The coffins lids were shoved off and two figures emerged from the waters. Thea moved closer to only realize they were both wrapped in bandages to keep them concealed but one obviously had long blonde hair.
The blonde figure screamed, everyone covered their ears at the high pitch scream. She lunged right at Thea. Thea dodged the first attack and side kick the figure. The figure twirled around the leg and punched Thea across the jaw. Onyx and a few guards quickly grabbed the blonde figure forcing her to the ground where she continued to scream and struggle. The other figure collapsed to the floor like a puppet who had its strings cut.
"As you can see Ra's the pit works."
Ra's didn't respond only moving closer to the pit himself and dipped his hands into the pit. He sighed as the green water washed over his hands.
"Bring in the Green Arrow" Ra's said and two guards quickly departed from the room.
The guards returned quickly with the still body of Oliver. Thea made a move toward him but stopped as the guards brought the body to Ra's. Ra's picked up Oliver from his men's arm and held him over the pit.
"A gift my adversary" Ra's said before dropping the young man into the waters.
"Hey!" yelled Thea running over to the pit. Thea proceeded to begin reaching into the waters to pull him out but Ra's stopped her.
"Another in the pool would disturb the healing properties." Ra's explained and Thea stopped. ten seconds...twenty...thirty...forty...a minute passed with nothing happening.
"shouldn't he be coming out by now" Thea worried. Ra's said nothing. The guards behind them began grabbing the two recently resurrected and carry them to their plane. leaving only a handful of guards, Onyx, and Malcolm in the room.
Another minute passed and even Ra's began to question the authenticity of the pit.
"Is this a trick, Merlyn" demand Ra's when Oliver slowly floats to the top of the Lazarus pit. Oliver opens his eyes and gaps loudly flailing in the green water before finally getting up.
"Ollie!" Thea said reaching over and grabbing her brother.
"as you can see Ra's the pits work" Malcolm says as he kneels before Ra's, "and as we agreed in the cockpit you'll let Thea and Oliver go and take me as the rightful prisoner for the murder of Sarah"
"W-wait, what?" Thea said shocked, "No you can't he'll kill you."
"isn't that what you wanted Thea for me to pay for my crimes." Malcolm asks looking at his daughter with the eyes of a man just too tired to keep living.
Thea helped pull her brother from the Lazarus pit supporting him, "yes but in the court of law locked away where you belong not the easy way out"
"Enough" Ra's said beckoning for malcolm to follow him to the door, "that's what we agreed upon child if you don't like it I can have you all spend the rest of your life's in my dungeons." With that done Malcolm, Onyx, and the rest of the guards followed Ra's out the room and back to their home.
"T-thea" coughed out Oliver, "W-what happened?"
"A lot happened Oliver, I'll fill you in on the way home" Thea said as the two made their way to the door.
It took forever to procure a plane to star city. But it felt good to be home. The first thing Oliver wanted to do was go to the arrow cave so he can see how Roy has been doing since becoming the new Green arrow while Thea returned to her apartment.
Thea dropped her bag near the front of the door and moved to the fireplace and lit up the fire then she noticed a shadow behind her. She whirled around pulling out one of the fire pokers that were set up to the side of the fireplace.
What she found was no enemy or threat but her couch with a box on it. Thea looked through her apartment to find no one around. Finally after calming her paranoia and building up her courage she moved to the box and opened it.
It was a picture frame. A picture of her and Malcolm for Christmas. The Christmas before the undertaking a time before the lazarus pits, the vigilantes and the secrets and lies that now make up her life now. It was her and Malcolm standing together in front of the Queen's Christmas tree smiling like a bunch of goofballs. Thea gave a soft smile as a tear was shed and she went and placed the picture above the fireplace.
"Goodbye dad."
Edmaster2: Sorry again for the super long update. But this was the final chapter of Speedy Quest and I hope you guys enjoyed the story. Just let me know in the reviews what you liked best, what you thought could have been better, and if the story met your expectations.
Also let me know if you guys are interested in another Thea story.
If you did enjoy this story check out the other stories "A League of Their Own" s/11663272/1/A-League-of-their-Own
or the sister story of Speedy's Quest, "Battle for the Hood" s/11647936/1/Battle-for-the-Hood
