AN: sorry again took a while. I hope you guys enjoy this one. Thank you Tealrose for your scenes and helping out your a star.
I do now own Arrow or Mutant X
Chapter 16 - Thea
Monday morning finally came around and Oliver found himself sat in the chill out room drinking a cup of coffee waiting for Diggle. Jesse walked into the room with a tablet in his hands. He looked exhausted, Oliver jumped up and poured him a coffee. "Thanks." Jesse said taking a large mouthful. When he pulled his cup away he saw the state of Oliver. "No sleep?" "No, I've got to head into the office this morning. Diggle is on his way over." Oliver replied. "I think he's just arrived, I'll let him in. Oliver I should have a location on Felicity in a few hours." Jesse said as he dug something from his pocket, "If you wear this me or any of us can get in touch instantly. It will beep until you can get somewhere where you can talk and you just say your name to active the channel. If you need one of us just say our names and we will answer." "Thanks." Oliver said taking the presented ring and sliding it on his right hand third finger.
After it had rested on his finger for a few seconds Oliver felt a sharp prick. He immediately went to remove the ring but Jesse stopped him, "Don't it's just coding your DNA, if you lose the ring or someone takes it it'll be useless to who ever has it." Oliver dropped his hand and looked at the silver ring. A ripple travelled across the surface leaving behind irregular patterned squares. "Diggle is in the garage so I'll leave you to it." Jesse said as he strolled out of the room.
Oliver headed to the garage and met Diggle pulling a garment bag from the boot. "I swung by Verdant and collected your gear on the way over. Roy crashed at his place and said he'll stay there until you call or needs to open Verdant." "Thanks Diggle. I'll just go get changed and I'll be ready, you want some coffee?" Oliver asked as he started to head out of the garage holding the garment bag. "Nah man any more I might get palpitations. I will be in the car waiting." Diggle replied to Oliver's back.
Thea woke barely moving, her strange dreamy state with all that had transpired still vivid and completely weirding her out. Staying entirely still, she listened to the barely controlled heated words above her by a voice she wished she could forget, and the soothing sound of a voice she did not recognize. A liar and a….wait, what? How did she know this? Slowly she slitted her eyes, watching as Malcolm pointing his finger in the face of the other man, demanding and arrogant as usual, she mused darkly.
How was she going to get out of here? Carefully she focused on Malcolm, that strange feeling come over her again, but this time it did not hurt. "You need to do blood work and any additional types of tests, find out what is wrong with her! I will not have my daughter suffer any health problems!" Truth, Thea thought. Yet she was pretty sure that she did not want him to know what she now knew of this strange ability she seemed to have.
What am I, in a comic book? Ollie would love this, she mused with an inward chuckle. "Sir, I am not sure what to do, I have never seen anything like this before," the older man quietly told Malcolm, who barred his teeth at him. Thea almost jerked and started up when she felt the lie; the older man had lied to her father - but she managed to keep her body motionless. What was going on? She really needed to get out of here! Carefully she made her body lax again as if she was still out of it in case the doctor checked, which he did; the doctor also checked her pulse, he noted the fast pulse that still had not slowed during the time of monitoring. "Her body has not settled yet. We should let her rest for now; I have already taken blood from her arm to test like you asked. Would you like me to send them to your usual place?" At Malcolm's nod, the two men moved out to the balcony to converse and look out at the city, as the doctor told Malcolm of the things he had heard about the recent drug overdose epidemic and the vigilantes involvement.
Quietly Thea got up, noting the doctor's bag. Next to it was a small vial with her blood in it. Too easy, she grinned, picking that up and sticking it in her jacket pocket for the time being, then quickly walked to the front door. Next to the door she saw her bag on the floor, and sighed in relief as she quickly grabbed it and then opened the door as quietly as she could she.
No one was outside thankfully, and she wondered about that at first, then realized if Malcolm wanted to throw attention on himself that would have done it. She skipped past the elevator and took the stairs as quickly as she could, glad that she had kept up with her exercising. She had hated stair steppers, but they sure had come in handy now. She walked out on the bottom floor door near the lobby and out the front entrance, slipping herself into a crowd of people to disappear.
As quickly as she could she checked her purse for her phone, and found it smashed. Thea was furious; there had been many pictures on there she had not yet uploaded onto her computer. Hopefully she could ask Felicity for help to get them off, as many were of her and Roy. She passed a woman who had just put a phone in her bag, and she purposely bumped into her, doing sleight of hand and taking the phone surreptitiously. She was glad now of learning this from some of her more questionable friends. Checking it she grinned; many people these days still did not put a passcode on their phones! She would use it then delete the number as her friends had also shown her how to do.
Automatically she dialed Roy. "Roy? Have I got a story for you!" Thea heard the frantic tone in Roy's usually quiet voice and knew he was upset. She interrupted his attempt at questioning her, stating, "Look, I will answer everything later, but I really am not safe if Malcolm finds me gone…" Roy must have dropped the phone because their was a clatter and deathly silence before he spoke again, "Malcolm? Malcolm Merlyn? The guy who levelled the Glades?" There was the rage in his voice now and his breathing was laboured as though he was vigorously exercising. "Roy what's wrong?" Thea asked panic rising in her voice and she started to pick up walking pace wanting to see Roy quicker. "N. Nothing where are you?" "I'm in the city 3 blocks from Queen Consolidated." Thea answered. "Get there now I'm coming over." And the phone line went dead.
Thea put the phone in her handbag in case she needed it again and to also keep it safe so she could return it as soon as she could. Then she started to weave in and out of people in a half attempted jog to get to QC faster. She made sure to continually look back over her shoulder to ensure she wasn't being followed.
Oliver walked out of the conference room from his mid morning meeting with Isabel Rochev and the finance department. He was fuming after Isabel's snarky comment about Felicity's lack of attendance. Charging past Felicity's desk didn't help his worsening mood. He silently hoped Jesse would call to say they had a location.
Lost in his moody thoughts Oliver didn't notice how full his office was, it was only when the loud chattering stopped into deathly silence did he actually look. What he saw nearly made him crumple to the floor. His stunned silence dragged on for several moments until Thea leapt from the sofa and threw herself at Oliver.
Oliver wrapped his arms tightly around her and allowed the relief to wash over him closing his eyes. Then reality struck him and he whipped his eyes open and intensely scanned the room for Felicity. Roy was still sat on the sofa and Diggle was stood at the end towards the doorway. At making eye contact with Diggle he watched as John registered his question and answered with a shake of his head and saddened eyes.
Gently grabbing Thea's shoulders Oliver pushed her back away from him so he could see her face. She looked the same Thea he's always known. "Where have you been?" His voice came out threateningly low and pained and he saw Thea wince. "Malcolm Merlyn grabbed me after I had lunch with Felicity. He said I'm his daughter Ollie how crazy is that?" She knew it was true her now extremely perceptive gut instinct assured it but she still wanted to deny it if at all possible. She felt Oliver stiffen at her words though and his grip tighten on her arms almost painfully. She heard Roy's response, "What!"
Oliver looked over Thea's face trying to judge what he should say how can he tell her he knew it would break her heart and trust in him. Roy joined them both. Thea didn't like the wait she knew it meant that Ollie knows already. "You know don't you?" Instantly he replied, "No." The searing cold that shot through her was intense, she violently shook for a moment before she pushed the feeling down and stared daggers at her brother who now had huge shocked eyes. "Thea what's wrong?" Oliver's worried voice croaked out as he stared at her. He had answered her question impulsively and watched as her beautiful hazel eyes developed blue streaks, then he felt her shiver.
"You lied to me, you knew." Thea half screamed half sobbed at Oliver ignoring his question to her. She didn't know what was wrong with herself why she could tell so adamantly that people now were lying or telling the truth. She pulled her arms up between Oliver's and threw them wide removing his grip on her and pacing backwards. Her eyes were back to normal and Roy stepped in front of her and took her hands in his. "Thea I...how could I tell you, you're my sister I didn't want to hurt you. I thought it was best to keep it hidden. I love you Thea you're my sister." Oliver pleaded.
Thea heard Oliver and the despair in his voice almost broke her heart, but he lied to me she thought. She could feel the heat radiating gently through her body telling her he was being truthful now. Then she heard Roy and focused on him, "Thea your eyes." She looked stupid at him not understanding his comment. Then Oliver appeared over Roy's shoulder to look at her and his face displayed shock again. John joined them a second later and his eyes grew wide as he focused on her. "What?!" She squeaked panicked. The heat dissipated inside her and as it did the 3 men before her seemed to retreat slightly.
"What happened with Merlyn, Thea?" Oliver demanded. She thought about his question, she didn't want to reply at his demanding tone but she was fed up of lies in her life. She wished she had moral support, she had been asking Roy about Felicity but he nor Mr Diggle would answer. "Where is Felicity?" She asked trying to change the subject and instantly wished she hadn't at the glum faces that stared back at her. "What's happened to her?" Panic rose inside, I hope she's not hurt.
"Miss Smoak is on a personal day Miss Queen." Mr Diggle answered and Thea felt the searing coldness again and shivered once more until she could get control. "Why are you all lying to me?" She asked. Everyone witnessed the change in her eyes this time, they watched as ice blue tendrils slowly laced across her hazel irises. "I haven't lied to you." Roy started explaining, "Felicity has been kidnapped. Oof." Oliver elbowed him.
The ice blue lines changed into red. Thea felt the cold recede and she felt uncomfortably warm. "Finally! Wait kidnapped do you know who and why?" "No. " Oliver snapped, "What happened to you while Merlyn had you?" Oliver demanded again getting frustrated, he knew roughly what Thea was showing but he needed to know specifics before he explained anything to her.
Thea heard Oliver's question and the threatening tone he was getting mad but he had also lied again. She managed to suppress the shiver. "Why should I tell you anything Ollie you keep lying to me." She ranted at him. "I thought you were gone too Thea please I don't want you involved." Thea felt the cold fade into warmth, he was being truthful at last. The 3 men focused on Thea's eyes as the tendrils continually changed colour either to blue or red every time Thea was answered.
"Fine." She said sighing. "He drugged me after I left Felicity and I woke up in the Starling Ritz. He has some grand scheme to take me away and train me. I'm not interested. I'm staying here with you Ollie and mum. I remember feeling really weird while arguing with Malcolm and I passed out. I can tell when someone is telling the truth or lying to me but I don't know how." By now her eyes had returned to their deep hazel colouring and she felt more relaxed as her body temperature returned to normal.
Oliver breathed a sigh of relief, his sister was okay but he needed to make a call. "Thank you." He said sincerely, "I need to make a quick call and then we can take you home." Thea nodded a little bemused but the gentle heat radiating through her calmed her as she knew he was telling the truth. Oliver watched as her irises were laced with red tendrils, "I'll just be a minute." And he walked out of the office and over to the conference room.
"Adam." Oliver said into the empty room. He was used to talking into empty space with the comms but it felt strange this time. "Yeah Oliver." Adam's voice sounded in the room nearly making Oliver jump in surprise. "We have another situation, Thea wasn't taken by Slade she's now at my office but she's different. Her eyes keep changing colour and she knows when we're lying or telling the truth." There was silence for a few moments before Adam responded, "I need to see her this is highly unusual. Where can I meet you?" "I'll take her to Roy's place, it's in the Glades a few blocks away from you. Give me an hour." Oliver replied. "See you shortly Oliver."
Oliver made his way back into the office, Diggle was standing in his normal body guard position just inside the door. Thea and Roy were both sat on the sofa, Thea was cuddled into Roy until he entered when both sat bolt upright watching him approach. Crouching in front of Thea he started talking, "Do you want the truth no matter what it means?" Thea nodded her head looking bemused at him. "Then we need to go I will tell you everything I know when we get to Roy's." He watched as the red tendrils laced across her irises. Why do we need to go to Roy's, Thea thought but decided not to ask questions she could see her brother looked agitated and he was finally going to talk to her.
Oliver turned to Diggle, "Mr Diggle can you drive Miss Queen and Mr Harper, I'll follow on the bike." Diggle nodded and moved to hold the door open for Thea and Roy.
30 minutes later Thea sat nervously waiting for Oliver to give her some answers. Roy sat at her side providing support and wondering exactly what Oliver was going to divulge. Oliver walked into the house, he had asked Diggle to stay in the car as a lookout. He stood in front of Thea and steeled himself Lian Yu seemed like a walk in the park compared to this.
"Mom said when you were a baby you were really ill and you had to have treatment to fix your illness. Did you know that?" Oliver asked. Thea felt the warmth creep around her body at his words telling her it was true but she didn't remember being told about it. "No, what was wrong with me?" She demanded feeling panic rise. "She said you had severe epilepsy and this treatment completely cured the seizures you were having." Oliver answered.
"Why would anything so long ago mean something now?" She tentatively asked as her mind jumped to a stupid answer, 'think comic books, Thea'. "The treatment altered you to stop the condition but it made other alterations too." Her mouth fell open in shock while her brain screamed at her, you're a comic book hero like the vigilante. "What a stupid superhero power lie detecting." Was all she could say when her speech returned. Roy started laughing, "You have spent too much time with Felicity." The room fell into deathly silence at the mention of Felicity. Oliver's heart fell at the reminder he was still missing his most important person.
"Thea there is a doctor I want you to meet who can tell you more about the treatment and what's going on now." Oliver carried on burying his inner turmoil for the moment. Thea felt the usual warmth with ice patches dotted around her person at Oliver's latest comment. "That's not the whole truth Ollie. I won't see anyone unless you tell me the truth." Oliver made eye contact with Thea and he saw her eyes had both red and blue tendrils laced across her hazel irises. He heaved a sigh, "He's a genetics professor and the person who treated you as a baby." He watched as the blue changed to red in Thea's eyes then he looked away. This sparked a list of questions in Thea's mind but before she could voice anything Oliver was moving away from her and Roy towards the front door then he was gone.
"Roy I know this is all true but I really don't believe any of it." She said facing Roy. "I didn't think it was possible except in comic books but I met someone who could do amazing things with technology that wasn't humanly possible. I'm sure this doctor guy will help us all understand better." Roy comforted Thea hugging her close to his chest. Thea felt the warmth spread at Roy's words and felt a little easier. The temperature changes were getting easier to experience the more she had but she started to feel the onset of a headache.
Outside Oliver watched 2 people dismount a black bike parked behind his Bentley. Diggle emerged from the car and moved to stand on the sidewalk and Oliver moved to join him. Adam removed his helmet first placing it on the bike followed by Emma. They exchanged pleasantries then Oliver explained to Adam the story. "If the topic arises about how I know you say through Moira, Thea doesn't know about any of our other lives." Oliver finished. "Understood. Lead the way." Adam replied and followed Oliver inside Diggle went back to his surveillance.
Inside again Oliver led Adam and Emma into the main room and made introductions. "Thea this is Dr Kane, Dr Kane my sister Thea Queen." He made them in his CEO formal sounding voice keeping in character. "Hello Miss Queen, please call me Adam. This is Emma DeLauro my colleague." Thea felt the warm again pass through her body telling her that he was telling the truth. She took Adam's offered hand, "Hi, please call me Thea and this is Roy my boyfriend." She emphasised the boyfriend aiming it at Oliver for ignoring him. Adam shook Roy's hand.
"Can I sit?" Adam asked Thea pointing to the empty spot on the sofa. Thea nodded and Adam sat down with his back towards the armrest so he could face Thea. "Oliver said you have been experiencing some differences in yourself, I can see your eyes. How do you feel?" He asked in a gentle soothing voice. Thea looked to Oliver then Roy almost asking permission, she was rewarded with a smile and nod from Oliver and a reassuring squeeze from Roy.
"I can feel people telling me lies or truths. My body goes cold when I hear a lie and I know its a lie and I get warm when its the truth. Apparently something happens to my eyes. Why is this happening? Ollie said you treated me when I was a baby." Thea answered Adam and started voicing her questions hoping this Adam was more forthcoming with answers than her brother. "Polyempath, interesting I haven't encountered anyone with abilities like this. You were born with a serious type of epilepsy where the seizures were continuous. The medications had no effect and you were referred to a medical research facility called Genomex for assessment. I performed the gene therapy treatment which altered the sequence of coding in your DNA causing the epilepsy and stopped it. However we discovered that the gene therapy had after effects which resulted in further DNA changes in people and they developed extra abilities. Emma is an empath she can sense your emotions and alter them. Your abilities appear to be lie detection." Adam explained he waited a few moments for Thea to process what he said.
"Human polygraph great why can't I get a cool comic book power like super speed." She half joked trying to ease the tension in the room this was a lot to take in but she knew it was the truth and unlike her parentage she didn't want to hide from it. "What happens with my eyes I haven't seen them, is it bad?" "No your irises appear to reflect how you feel, I just told you the truth and your irises have developed a red pattern. Do you feel warm?" Adam replied. "Yes." She answered. "Can I tell you a lie and see what happens?" Adam asked. Thea nodded and waited. "The sky is green." Adam watched as the red in Thea's irises changed to blue, he also observed goose bumps on her skin. "Are you cold?" He asked concerned. "No I'm fine but when I'm lied to I feel cold even though I'm okay. I am getting used to the feeling now." She replied.
"Can you ask me a question and I'll give a lie answer and then the truth. Something you will know the answer to please." Adam asked he was intrigued with discovering a new mutation and one so late to develop. "What is my name?" She asked. "Betty." Adam said as he observed Thea's eyes go from hazel to having the blue pattern appear. "Thea." He said and intently watched the blue change to red. "Could you ask me a question you don't know the answer too please." "How old are you?" She asked unable to think of anything better to ask. Adam watched as Thea's eyes returned to their usual all hazel colouring before answering, "54." Her irises became laced with red. "48." Then they changed to blue.
Thea felt her body grow warm at the first answer then cold at the second. As she concentrated she felt the headache grow into the pounding vibration that she experienced when Merlyn had her. Ignoring it she answered Adam, "Your age is 54." He nodded impressed. "Have you encountered half truths?" He asked. "Yes I feel warm all over and have cold patches and vice versa." She answered. "Would you mind if we tried to recreate one?" "Go ahead." She replied, she focused on Adam pushing the increasing pounding aside. "I think the vigilante is dangerous." Adam watched Thea's eyes as both red and blue laced into the irises. Thea felt her body get warm with cold patches. "You're telling me the truth but you think its a lie." She said matter of factly. "That is remarkable. "Oliver is an out of control playboy." Adam said with a humorous tone. Thea's eyes remained the same but she felt the cold replace the heat and small patches of warmth dotted about. She wavered a bit in her sitting position as the pounding intensified. "You're lying but think there is a small bit of..." She didn't finish the sentence as she fell forward towards the floor.
Oliver watched as Thea faltered then started talking again. He kept his entire focus of her feeling something was wrong. Before she finished speaking her eyes closed as her body fell forward towards the floor. He leapt across the room and caught her shoulders. Adam had his arms out and in front of her front and Roy had a hand on either of her arms. Gently all 3 of them moved together to lay Thea on the sofa.
Adam now in his doctor mode checked her vitals. "What's wrong with her?" Both Roy and Oliver asked in unison. "She is stable. I don't know I would need to get her to the orphanage and take a bioscan. Can I do that?" Adam turned to face Oliver. With a worried expression set on his features and not removing his eyes from his sisters face Oliver nodded. "Emma you take the bike. Roy take Thea to the car." Adam fired out orders and followed Emma and Roy out of the house with Oliver in tow. "I'll take the bike Oliver, you ride with Thea." Roy said as they approached the car.
Diggle spotted the procession leaving the house and exited the car. Then he spotted Thea in Roy's arms and jogged to open the back door. Emma headed to her bike and readied herself to leave. Roy stooped into the Bentley and placed Thea down on the seat then headed to Oliver's bike. Adam entered the car followed by Oliver, Diggle shut the door and jogged to the drivers side and buckled himself in and they headed to the orphanage.
Emma and Roy arrived at the orphanage before the car. Roy waited in the garage to carry Thea while Emma headed off to prepare the lab.
The car screeched into the garage and Roy had the back door open before John had the car parked. Stooping inside he lifted Thea gently into his arms and exited the car. As Adam climb out he spoke to Roy, "Take her straight to the lab room put her on the bioscanner." Roy took of at a jog down the hallway remembering where he went the last time he was there. Adam followed Roy and Oliver and John brought up the rear.
Reaching the lab Roy sprinted across the room and gently lay Thea on the chair under the scanner and stood back. Emma already prepared initiated the scanner on a full biometrics analysis. The bright orange beam started at both Thea's head and feet and swept up and down her body to meet in the middle and continue to the opposite ends. This repeated several times but Roy didn't count them he was too focused on watching Thea's face and trying to breath through his growing rage.
As the scan finished Adam entered the lab. Emma handed over the tablet she was holding and stood back just as Oliver and John entered. "Do you know what is wrong with her?" Oliver asked panic lacing his words. Adam looked up and flicked his hand over the tablet screen and the empty wall illuminated with test results. "She isn't in any danger. Her vitals are okay but her brain function is irregular. There is an unusually high amount of activity in the prefrontal cortex. I think her brain is still developing to the mutation. I will keep her under constant observation until she wakes and monitor her brain." Adam answered.
Just as Oliver was about to reply fast paced footsteps were heard. As the occupants of the lab turned to the doorway Jesse slid to a halt in the doorway leaning against the frame breathing heavy however he managed to still speak, "We got a location."
AN: I hope this chapter was okay and any Mutant X fans Thea has a new mutation me and Tealrose dreamed up. Please let me know what you think.