AN: I am so sorry to everyone reading that I have made you all wait so long. There are many excuses but I won't bore you with them all I will just try harder to be quicker with the next chapter. I have tried to be computer and digitally knowledgeable however I'm almost a technophobe so sorry if its a load of rubbish please imagine its accurate :)
I do not own Arrow/Mutant X I just wanted to try something different
Chapter 15 - The search goes on
Diggle arrived at Verdant mid Sunday morning to find Oliver sprawled over the cot bed and Roy on the sofa. The training mats were littered with wooden splinters, the remnants of training dummies and kali sticks. It must have been a rough night on them both, Diggle had laid awake the majority of the night worrying over both girls.
He placed down the coffees and bag of donuts he'd brought for breakfast then moved over to Roy. "Roy." He gently said as he placed a hand on his shoulder. Roy woke with a start, "Thea!" Was the first word to his lips. As the sleep seeped away from his mind and he got his bearings he realised he was in the cave and John was stood over him. "Sorry man just me. I've got coffee and donuts." Roy sat up and shook himself off, he could feel the rage building up inside as he remembered the events of yesterday. He took a shaky breath to try and keep control he had done enough damage last night.
"Oliver!?" Roy suddenly leapt to his feet almost knocking Diggle over as he rushed from the couch to the cot bed. He found Oliver exactly where he had put him last night, well this morning, and lightly snoring. "Roy what happened?" Diggle asked suspiciously. "When I closed up the club I found Oliver training he hadn't stopped all night. I lost control and we both duked it out." Roy explained and John shifted his position to folded arms across his chest and a disapproving look on his face at Roy. "He asked for it, I kept my cool all night believe me. I tried to tell him to go easy and get some rest and he said I had no idea. He might have a really sore head and body." "You get your coffee I'll deal with him." Dig ordered and set towards Oliver while Roy moved away sheepishly.
Diggle pinned down Oliver's wrists to the bed then started to call his name. Oliver awoke in attack mode, he remembered fighting Slade then he'd been trying to protect himself from Roy. His wrists were being pinned down so he tried flexing his arms and back to make some leverage.
Diggle saw Oliver's eyes open but they were distant, then he felt his body tense and start to fight his grip. "Oliver it's John, you're at Verdant. Everything is okay no one is attacking you. Calm down Oliver." Diggle started to feel Oliver's body respond to his talking so he continued.
Oliver heard talking, he kept up his flexing until his brain caught up and recognised the sound of the voice. Diggle. Oliver started to relax back and his eyes came into focus. The images of Slade and Roy slowly fading away to be replaced with the real time sight of John leaning over him.
"You with us?" John asked. "I'm good." Oliver replied. John released Oliver's wrists and stood back giving him space. Oliver pushed himself up into a sitting position, a few winces escaping as his muscles stretched. He mentally checked the rest of his body for injuries and found that he was just heavily bruised.
"I brought coffee and donuts, figured you'd still be here." Dig commented. Oliver looked up at him and saw bags resting under his eyes. "Thanks, I'll go get cleaned up." Oliver stood up carefully to avoid over exerting his extremely tired muscles and headed for the bathroom.
A few minutes after Oliver left Felicity's phone started ringing again, John moved and connected the call on speaker after reading the name. "Oliver?" Jesse's voice came through on the phone. "No its Diggle and Roy. Oliver is busy at the moment." John replied. "Okay do you want me to wait or will you pass the message on?" Jesse asked. "We will catch him up when he gets back go on." Diggle answered.
"I have bad and good news. Bad news is the main lead I had was a dead end. The good news is I have enough idea what I'm looking for to keep searching however it's going to take time. I think we are looking for a log cabin newly built. I've got a satellite search on going at the moment for Starling City and surrounding areas for the latest images then cross referencing to the most recent images before Slade arrived. Is there any information you may have that could help?" Jesse explained.
Roy jumped in and answered, "We tracked Slade leaving with Felicity in the boot of a black car no plates. We lost it between Starling and Central City on the main highway." "That will help narrow the search. I'll start in that location." Jesse replied. "Can you access the facial recognition software?" Roy enquired. "Yeah instant access. What are you thinking?" Jesse asked. "Thea is missing but we don't know where from. I know she was with Felicity for lunch and she never showed to open up her club." Roy explained. "I'll get right on it if anything turns up I'll be in contact. We will find them both." Jesse cut the line.
The air was quiet in the cave Roy was battling his internal war over his temper and Diggle was processing strategies to attack Slade when they had a location. Both were broken out of their thinking when Oliver emerged. John got right down to business, "Jesse rang." In those two words Diggle saw Oliver's face and eyes light up with hope he really didn't want to continue. "He said he has a lead to find them but it's going to take time he's using satellite images. Roy informed him about the CCTV you guys found and he's using that. He also said he will try to find Thea before she was taken and track her for any leads." As he spoke John watched the hope fade and the anger and desperation return, "We will find them both Oliver." John tried to reassure Oliver again, he stepped forward and placed his hand firmly on his friends shoulder.
Oliver saw Roy sitting at Felicity's computer desk and he remembered the fight. "Roy." He saw him hesitate before making eye contact. "I shouldn't have said what I did last night." Roy gave a small almost unnoticeable nod, "I think I got my own back, sorry as well." The tension felt like it had suddenly disappeared with the apologies over and everyone relaxed a little falling back into the usual team dynamics, as much as was possible with the key member missing.
Felicity heard movement at the door and she prepared for who was about to enter. The door swung open and in strutted Slade looking rather proud of himself. Felicity steeled her shoulders an angry Slade felt less intimidating than a smug one. "I brought you some news that has made me rather happy, maybe my plans will still work out as it looks like you are more valuable than I first calculated." Slade gloated then dropped a glossy page into Felicity's lap before turning and leaving.
Felicity was left feeling confused at first until she lifted the glossy paper and turned it over to reveal an image that sent her blood cold and made her heart ache. It was the inside of the foundry, the Arrow Cave as she had nick named, the thought that Slade had been and was still spying on their team froze her to the core. The worse part of the picture were the two team members fighting in the image. Felicity had never seen Oliver look so broken before but the terrifying bit was Roy towering over him completely filled with rage and looked like he was about to kill Oliver.
She silently sobbed no longer able to hide how much it broke her heart seeing Oliver like that.
After more sparing and hard training in the afternoon Oliver felt completely drained however he still continued even though his accuracy was starting to falter and Diggle noticed. "Oliver why don't you go home, you need to be on form when we get a location to even stand a chance of helping Felicity." Oliver visibly flinched he knew it deep down but he felt like he didn't deserve to rest after failing already. "I have paperwork at QC that needs finishing I'll go there and..." Oliver didn't get to finish the sentence. "No Oliver. That can wait and you know it. Stop beating yourself up and deal with it what's done is done. If you don't rest and you have to face Slade again now we're all in trouble. If you can't face her apartment go lay down on the cot, Roy will be heading upstairs soon to take care of the club and I need to go see Lyla."
Oliver nodded his compliance and Diggle relaxed he hated seeing the dark rage inside his friend. After returning the bow and quiver to it's glass case Oliver just dropped onto the cot lacking his usual graceful movements. He may have been battling an internal war of emotions but it seemed his mind and body craved sleep more and within minutes a steady light snore rang through the cave.
An hour passed and Roy quietly crept out of the cave into the alley to keep up pretences and opened up the club to the staff. He had spent the quiet reenacting the focusing techniques Emma and Shalimar had taught him, it helped take the edge from his building temper.
Sara popped down to check on things and Diggle filled her in. She said she would patrol after her shift and keep an ear to the ground. She was ready to take the monster out for good this time.
Diggle left around 7pm to have his last night with Lyla. He hated leaving Oliver alone but he knew it was a fine line to keep between their lives and nightly activities.
10pm Oliver's phone started ringing with the standard tone. Groaning he rose from the cot and jogged to the computer desk. UNKNOWN caller ID greeted him. He answered anyway bracing himself. "Hello kid." One accent that instantly made Oliver's blood run icily cold. The silence stretched for hours it seemed to Oliver. "Lost for words are we? Well they say a picture speaks a thousand of them, shall we test that theory." The Australian accent was thickly laced with calculated mallace. A beep came from Oliver's phone indicating a text message. "Enjoy Oliver, my promise will be delivered soon." The call ended.
It took a few moments before Oliver could move and when he did he wished he hadn't. The text message contained only a picture but Slade had been right it did tell a thousand words. Felicity was in the centre of the picture. She was propped up against a log wall with her head bent forward as though she was sleeping he desperately wanted to see her face but also feared what he might see after her time with Slade.
The image was not great quality he needed to get it on the computer to see better but it looked like something was in her lap. He zoomed in on the area and although it was pixilated Oliver though it looked a lot like the Cave. This brought reality back to him with a nasty whiplash. He grabbed his black leather jacket and ran up the stairs into Verdant. He found Sara first and told her downstairs was compromised along with any communication devices and where he was going. She was to tell Diggle in person the situation. Next he sought Roy out and relaid the same message to him.
Oliver raced out of Verdant and his home to seek sanctuary.
5 minutes later Oliver was inside the old orphanage with all of Mutant X to welcome him only this welcoming committee was more concerned than joyous. Before any of them could utter a word he answered their looks, "We have been compromised, I, the team need your help." "Come inside. Jesse ensure our security measures are in place and check for any tails." Adam ordered as he motioned for Oliver to enter into the orphanage building from the garage. Jesse pulled out a mini flip case tablet from his pocket and began tapping away furiously with a stylus.
Oliver walked alongside Adam with the rest of Mutant X behind and Jesse bringing up the rear. They filed into the chill out room and crowded around Oliver. Before more questions could be asked Oliver had his phone out with the image displayed on the screen. Everyone schooled their reactions well and Adam took charge. He flicked his finger across the phone screen and the image disappeared and appeared floating in the room in the space between everyone.
"She appears to have a broken lower leg and..." Adam half mumbled as he zoomed the image into Felicity's injury, "The blood flow has stopped but it'll need a lot of repair. I doubt she can move much." Adam manipulated the image again to reveal a bloodied drag mark. "I stand corrected she can move but its limited. That will make escape more difficult." Adam began devising.
Jesse started his investigation into the image hoping to get another clue to help narrow the search. He was glad to see the wooden logs it ensured his own leads had been right. He scoured the details of the image, the defeated posture of Felicity the image she held in her hands, the helmet on the floor, the concrete floor pad. There was a blemish, and another one, and another. Across the floor there was a pattern, Jesse zoomed in further and cleared up the image. It was a paw print. Next Jesse uploaded the image into a zoological database and began a identifying search of all catalogued species to see if there was a match.
"If that works I can hopefully narrow the search down and generate a location faster. We are getting closer Oliver." Jesse said trying to ease the pain they all saw in his eyes. "Did you find any leads with Thea?" Oliver asked. "No it's still running." Jesse answered quickly, "I need to see if I can trace the image's digital path. It might be another clue." "I'll help Jess." Brennan volunteered. "Yeah I will too." Shalimar followed suit. "Good. I'll be in the lab. Emma?" Adam asked an unspoken question if she would take care of Oliver. She nodded and the room cleared quickly.
"I know you blame yourself but Felicity doesn't. She's stronger for knowing and loving you." Emma tried to console Oliver she could feel his darkness growing in him and the internal battle he was fighting. "If she didn't know me she would be safe now watching some scifi rerun. This is the worst madman I've ever met and he won't hesitate to kill her." Oliver flopped onto the sofa and buried his head in his hands. Emma flinched before squaring her shoulders and joining him on the sofa. The blast of sorrow and guilt energy that surged from him crept past Emma's walls.
"You're what is keeping her going, she is still fighting because if you. Don't stop fighting because you think you failed her, in her eyes you never fail you're a hero." Emma continued however this didn't get the reaction she expected. "I'm no HERO I'm just a killer." "No your not you put yourself in danger to protect those you love and care for. You defend the city from people wanting to destroy it. Every night you fight real killers and every day you battle the darkness within to not kill and let it consume you. Many men I've encountered gave up before ever facing trials you have just being back in the city. A hero is someone who fights for the right causes and everyone has marks to bear trust me."
Oliver still didn't fully believe her but he let the argument drop deciding to continue the internal turmoil. Emma noticed the change and instantly went for a different tactic. "Come and join me with some focusing techniques it will help with the demons." She smiled genuinely and stood holding out a hand for him. He deliberated for a few seconds before deciding that a distraction would be welcome especially something less likely to aggravate his sore muscles.
Felicity woke to searing pain in her leg again. She managed to stifle the scream into a whimper until the pressure released and the searing died down to a manageable level. Looking up she found Slade looming down at her dressed in combat tactical gear with the hilt of a blade poking above his left shoulder. He had multiple guns and straps dotted around his person. "Evening my dear Ms Smoak I come bearing another gift for you." He sneered as he let another gloss sheet of paper drop into Felicity's lap. She didn't want to look fearing what she would see. "What don't you want to see your beloved Oliver, Ms Smoak, I'm sure he would be heart broken to find out that you don't care for him any longer."
Anger bubbled up inside Felicity at the geering. She turned the paper over and saw Oliver on his bike, visor up looking over his shoulder. She was confused why Slade would bother with a picture like this she could see hurt in his eyes but that had already been a blow delivered what was his game. "What is Oliver Queen hiding now I wonder." Slade goaded. That comment struck alarm bells as her mind pieced together where Oliver was parked the garage door in the background looked exactly like the one at the orphanage. Fear and anger flared up in Felicity, Oliver was getting help and now Slade had caught wind of something. "I wonder where the Arrow's new playmates hide away." That did it. Panic washed over Felicity not only was the Arrow Cave compromised but Mutant X were going to be too and because of her. "What no argument, no plea to save your precious Arrow and his team of followers. Such a shame Ms Smoak I was rather looking forward to passing a message on." Slade finished and left the room with a wicked smile and spring in his step.
Knowing Oliver was vulnerable at the moment and on his own no backup and Mutant X would be helping find her she needed to try to get out and warn them of Slade's impending visit. She tossed the picture with the other image and desperately tried to raise herself into a standing position. She tried using the logs, rolling over onto her front, using her good leg but she was met with blinding pain, dizziness and lightheadedness as well as generally being weak.
Amongst the panic, fear, anger and desperation started to creep in she had no way of protecting her hero and lover. The one thing in the world she needed was going to be lost forever and she had no way to stop it. Screaming and lashing out at the logs in frustration Felicity squeezed her eyes tight trying to keep the tears in but to no avail they welled up and fell uncontrolled. When Felicity opened her eyes however her whole world had changed. She was inside her digital world when she touched technology only she hadn't been touching anything.
With no time to think about the how's and why's Felicity set to locating Oliver. She found the pathways to the wireless circuitry and used its connection feed to move into the connected computer terminal. Next she located the pathway to the wireless receiver and followed it into the data stream. The internet data stream was a vast white area with no visible boundaries just infinite. Little boxes were moving around like luggage on conveyors in the baggage terminal at an airport. Felicity grabbed one box passing in front of her and it projected its contents as a screen above the box. It was the facebook page of Stephen Amell, Felicity giggled as she noticed the profile picture of said person and he looked like Oliver's twin, I guess everyone has their double afterall she thought.
Releasing the box Felicity tried to decide which way to travel, she wasn't exactly data being called she was independent of the system trying to find a hidden system. "Sanctuary." She called. Suddenly she was flying at the speed the boxes had been, weaving in and out of boxes and crossing above and below them. When she stopped she found herself at the foot of a digitally imposed mountain which she realised was the first part of the security system. Having already been inside she hoped the clever software might recognise her and make things a little easier.
She set about climbing the mountain. Along the way she encountered landslides, snow and hail storms, tornado winds, sinkholes. She ploughed through it all unafraid. At the top however she found the same fluctuating code she had encountered protecting Adam's email account, stopping her from progressing. She watched the code for several minutes and concluded no patterns were present it was a completely random generation. Getting frustrated again Felicity put her hands on the wall, "I need Sanctuary and Mutant X. " she mumbled. Watching in amazement the coding around her hands started to slow its number generation until it reached zero. Then the connecting numbers copied and so on until a silhouette shape of a person was made and the number zero's vanished leaving an opening.
Felicity stepped through and as she turned to look back she watched a waterfall of numbers tumble down and fill the space she just stepped through. The space she now found herself in was a very complex version of her usual digital room only the size of the Queen Consolidated building lying on its side. She walked down the room looking for the Double Helix. Suddenly a camera feed appeared in front of Felicity's face and she saw Oliver and Emma moving together in the hall. The circuits next to where she stood belonged to the projectors inside the hall. Felicity activated and transmitted herself into the room.
Oliver stood and nodded his agreement to follow however he didn't take her offered hand. Emma didn't mind she just headed towards the hall with Oliver in tow. They didn't bother with the hologram of Sanctuary, Oliver shed his leather jacket and joined Emma in the middle of the room and both began as before.
The movements at first just made Oliver more restless as he was so used to physical exertion to quell his turmoil. He bit down on the urge to give in and pushed through. About 15 minutes in however Oliver found his tight sore muscles loosen and relax and his movements become more fluid and deeper. He didn't have to focus on control anymore and allowed his mind to completely clear and just listen to his long deep breaths.
A further 10 minutes passed and Oliver pulled his upwards stretched arms down towards his core with his head following to find himself face to face with Felicity. A heartbeat passed and Oliver sprung forward to envelope her in his embrace, only he found himself losing balance and face planting the floor. Rolling over onto his back he saw Felicity towering over him looking concerned. She was there but he'd missed her when he tried to hug her. "Felicity." He squeaked out confusion laced heavy with his voice.
Emma had heard something heavy collapse to the floor and she spun to see Oliver face first on the floor. She moved towards him when movement caught her eye. As she looked in the direction of where Oliver had been she saw Felicity turning to face her direction. Felicity smiled before looking down at Oliver who was now rolling over. Emma heard Oliver and her heart broke at the sound of his high broken voice.
"It's me but it's not me me. I don't know how but I managed to get into a device and I followed the wireless feed into a computer terminal, then I entered the internet data stream and I'm babbling again I'll stop in 3..2..1. I got here to warn you Slade knows you're here in the orphanage and he's coming he knows we have friends here." Felicity hurriedly spoke worried that she might be too late to warn them.
Oliver was speechless, Emma was quick to process the information. "Jesse." She paused as if waiting for a reply, "We may have a problem heading our way monitor the security and CCTV for Slade Wilson." Then Emma turned her focus on to Felicity, "Do you know where Slade has you?" Felicity shook her head but had a devilish smile creep across her face, "No but I didn't scramble my pathway here Jesse could follow it, it should lead him to the computer Slade has been using." Emma nodded and started talking to Jesse.
Felicity crouched down to Oliver's side, "I'm sorry Slade got me. I've been trying to escape but my leg is in a bad way. I've got to go I can hear noises. Oliver come and get me." Before Oliver could respond Felicity's image disappeared. Oliver remained as he was in a shocked trance until Emma rested a hand on his shoulder. "Jesse is on her trail now it won't be long. Brennan and Shalimar are monitoring for anyone approaching. Here." Emma handed Oliver a phone, "Let your team know what's happened and get some rest as soon as Jesse has a location were all going after Felicity and Thea."
AN: I hope you all enjoyed please let me know what you think.