The thing about shady, unethical, back alley doctors is that they tended to have loose interpretations of the Hippocratic Oath.
And their equipment was dirty.
Which probably linked back into the first problem with them really.
The doctor was shaking slightly, holding a scalpel in front of him like he might be able to do anything to the assembled Rogues that surrounded him.
"He's a bit jumpy isn't he? You sure about this guy, boss man?" Digger appeared suddenly behind the doctor, causing him to drop the scalpel and turn with a rather undignified screech. They needed to impress upon the man the seriousness of their presence. But then again, they needed his hands steady.
Hence the reason Roy was here.
"Doctor MacNamara, there's no need to be afraid." Snart lingered near the Doctor's collection of surgery implements. Roy couldn't tell if some were rusted or if it was dried blood flaking off of them.
Snart was going to have to get a large quantity of hepatitis shots after this.
"You…you…I won't…I'm not…I can…"
"You'd think a doctor would be better with words." Digger had taken out one of his boomerangs and was casually sharpening it. Digger's blade was impeccable, light from the overhead fluorescents catching it's shining edges. Roy didn't like to think on the fact that Digger had better hygiene habits than this doctor.
Snart smirked.
"Now, now. I'm sure the doctor is quite eloquent under normal circumstances. Dr. MacNamara, I understand you used to work for LutherCorp."
"I…I don't know anything."
Snart stalked around the doctor like a shark circling his prey.
"Odd, we didn't ask you if you knew anything. I was just making polite conversation. And yet here you are, mounting a defense. Is there something you're trying to hide Doctor?"
"No. I…What…what do you want?"
"Simple. I have a little…annoyance embedded in my spine. You are going to remove it for me."
"I…I can't. I lost my license…"
"Believe me, you were no one's first choice. But we can't exactly walk into an emergency room…well, anywhere in the world without being arrested. So we are here in this…fine establishment, because we need someone with your particular set of skills. Someone who won't have to report this surgery to any pesky medical boards or law enforcement officers. And we understand you might have some familiarity with the technology involved."
Snart pulls out the file containing all the information on the chip. The doctor takes the documents with shaking hands. He hesitantly looked through them. Snart hovered over the man's shoulder, pointing at something on the paper.
"Apparently there is a small defense mechanism. If that piece is damaged during removal, my powers will be triggered and kill everyone in the room. So, let's hope you haven't gotten too rusty."
"I…I've never seen this tech before I don't…"
Lisa emerged from the shadows in the corner of the room and put her gun to the doctor's head.
"So you're saying you're useless."
"No! No…I…I can deactivate it. And remove it. But it's a complicated surgery. It can take…"
"Take as long as you need. We aren't going anywhere."
The doctor keeps one eye on Lisa's gun, then gives a slow nod. He wanders over to his tools, reading the paper Snart handed him. Lisa followed the man, stealing his phone out of his pocket when he wasn't looking. Not that it would have done any good. Axel had already set up a cell signal blocker on the entire floor. But it didn't hurt to be cautious.
Digger kept his voice low, making sure the doctor couldn't hear him.
"Don't know if it was a good idea to leave Scudder and Dillon alone."
"Mick and the others will be watching them. We couldn't all be here." Snart was glaring at where Lisa was standing. Clearly unhappy that he hadn't been able to convince his sister to stay away.
She had been adamant on being here. It had been one of the loudest arguments Roy could remember the two having. He had even noticed it while painting. Eventually Snart had caved, primarily due to the fact that Lisa would have come regardless of what he decided.
Digger nods to the doctor.
"Should let me go first."
"No. I need you at your best, in case anything goes wrong." In case Snart's powers are triggered. In case the doctor can't shut him down. In case Digger has to.
Snart's giving Digger a look. Digger looks away slightly for moment. Then nods.
"Won't let you down boss."
Digger rubs the back of his neck where his own implanted bomb was located. Axel had assured them that Digger's implant was completely fried. No way anyone could use it to kill him, or to track them. Not even Hartley.
Still, Snart wasn't going to leave anything to chance. Once his implant was removed, they were going to make the doctor remove Digger's as well. It wouldn't be as difficult as Snart's surgery, and Roy and Lisa would be watching everything.
The rest of the Rogues were waiting in the Mirror Verse.
Axel was monitoring everything. Looking for any sign that anyone had found them. The boy's constant chatter had died since entering the doctor's office through the nearby window. An attempt to keep communications to a minimum to avoid any sort of detection. They couldn't take any chances while Snart was unconscious. Couldn't risk someone would bust in at the wrong moment and set off his chip.
Mick, Shawna, and Mark were on standby as well. Ready to join and fight, in case the doctor had a silent alarm, Luthor was able to track their powers or communications, or if as was so frequently the case, they just got unlucky.
Kid Flash was in the area too. Well, close enough that he could run there at super speed within a few minutes to get to them. But that was a last ditch resort. One that both of the Snarts were adamantly against.
Aside from the obvious Mardon issue, they didn't want anyone knowing they were working with the Wests if they could help it. Wanted to keep that card up their sleeves in case all of the Rogues got taken. The Kid still had a relatively good reputation in the eyes of the public. They would need that if they were going to get anyone to believe their story.
"What's the verdict sis?"
"The doctor is making some very concerned noises. I wonder if he will be able to perform under all the pressure."
"I…I can do this but…it's complicated and…"
"And?"
"There's so many things that can go wrong. And I've never seen this chip before, if the specs are off by even a little bit, it will go off and kill all of us."
"Sounds like you've got quite the job ahead of you. But don't worry Roy here is here to assist you."
"He doesn't look like a nurse."
Digger snorted.
"Don't." Roy managed to say as Digger was opening his mouth to make a no doubt inappropriate comment.
The mercenary put up his hands.
"I wasn't going to say nothing."
"Mhmm."
"Of course Doctor, I understand the pressure may be a bit much for you. So Roy's just going to make sure you stay calm."
"I…" The doctor opened and closed his mouth a few times, then finally decided on just turning around and rereading the data again.
"Well then, guess I'd better get ready. This good, Doc?" Snart points at the only gurney in the room then lays down without waiting for a response.
"This is a major surgery, you should…"
"I didn't eat or drink anything for the past 12 hours, we are good to go."
"No I mean, I mean that's good, but there should be at least another two or three sets of hands here to aid me and…"
"Seems like you have that many people in the room right now." The doctor glances at Lisa and Digger. Digger smirks.
"Don't worry Doc, I'm very precise." Digger continues to sharpen the edge of his blade, it appears to glint off of the doctor's eyes.
The doctor's hands start shaking again.
Lisa rolls her eyes.
"You tell us what you need and we will do it. We've all got experience sewing up bullet wounds and…"
"This isn't some, bullet wound or broken bone! This is a complicated surgery, one wrong move and your brother will never walk again, you don't understand how…"
"Roy."
Roy catches the Doctor's eyes. They flash a light blue.
The man instantly stops ranting.
"What was that Doc?"
"I've got everything I need here." The doctor grabs anesthesia and places it over Snart's face. "Count back from 100. I will go wash up."
Digger follows the doctor as he goes to wash his hands.
Lisa walks over to her brother, she glances at Roy out of the corner of her eye. Roy turns and pretends to be fascinated by the Doctor's degrees on the wall.
"You're supposed to be counting."
"Don't think it matters."
"Don't you dare die again jerk."
"Wouldn't dreammm….offff…."
Roy turned back, Snart was unconscious.
"How long can you hold the Doctor?"
Roy's powers hadn't given him any problems recently. He had been testing them whenever they had the chance. Holding them longer and longer. He wanted to believe he was back to full strength.
Still. He hadn't used them for hours like might be necessary here. He couldn't be entirely sure they wouldn't just…fail in the middle of it.
"I'll hold him for as long as it takes."
His eyes would start bleeding before he let go of the doctor.
The doctor and Digger re-entered the room. The man was wearing scrubs and gloves.
"Let's begin shall we."
Roy didn't have as much of an aversion to blood as he used to. He'd seen a good deal of death over the past few years. Yet he felt a sudden nausea when the doctor started cutting around Snart's spine.
The collar had finally been removed. And Roy could see the places where small cuts and rashes had formed. Places that showed just how long Snart had gone without removing it.
If they had more time, they would have stolen a portable anti-meta device. Something that would have protected them if Snart's powers went off during surgery.
But they hadn't had the time to plan such a heist. And the Wests hadn't been able to get one for them. It would have looked too suspicious. Apparently Luthor and the cops were hesitant to let any meta get their hands on one, even Baby Flash.
Didn't want to run the risk that anyone could develop a way to counter the devices.
"Any Luthor Tech will have tracking devices in them, we might not be able to counter quickly enough. No, it's not worth the risk. We will just have to hope the good Doctor is as capable as he used to be. Radio silence unless it's an emergency."
Roy sincerely hoped Cold's final order to the fully assembled Rogues wouldn't be his last.
Roy leaned against a nearby table as Lisa and Digger handed the doctor all of the instruments he asked for.
"There it is."
Roy craned his neck slightly, he could see the small device embedded in Snart's spine.
The doctor made a few more cuts, using tools so small, Roy wasn't sure how the man could even tell what he was doing.
Roy saw the hands of the clock in the corner moving. Slowly and yet somehow too fast. It had already been close to three hours since Snart had gone under.
"How you holding up Roy?"
Roy turned at Lisa's question. The doctor was still under his power, but Roy was starting to feel…something in his eyes.
"Fine."
Digger snorted.
"All this time and you're still a shit liar Roy."
Lisa turned back to the doctor.
"How much longer?"
"I've almost finished removing all of the wires from…oh dear. I may have just triggered something."
That might be the calmest anyone has ever been about potentially killing everyone in the room.
"Fix it."
"It will be fine. I will just take my time and…"
A small light on the device was suddenly blinking quicker and quicker.
Lisa grabs the doctor's hands and pulls them away from her brother.
"Roy release him."
"Are you…"
"The man needs more motivation."
Roy releases the doctor from his powers. Suddenly the man is looking panicked.
"The failsafe, we have to…"
"Remove the chip now."
"You don't understand, there's no time! We have to…"
"We aren't going anywhere, and neither are you. So if you want to live to see tomorrow, I suggest you get to work. Quickly."
The doctor looked around the room. None of the Rogues so much as flinched.
"Ok. Ok, ok. Ok. There…there should be a…"
The doctor put his scalpel back in Snart's neck. Roy hopes he is imagining the sudden drop in temperature in the room.
The lights are flashing quickly now. And Roy can see icicles forming on Snart's hands.
"Got it, got it, got it!"
The doctor pulls the chip out and holds it up in his tweezers. The ice on Snart starts to dissipate.
Roy lets out a breath. He wasn't sure the doctor was going to be able to inactivate it before they all died.
"What...uhh, what do you want me to do with it?"
Lisa opens up a little box, and the doctor places the chip inside. Digger smacks the man on the back, causing the doctor to almost fall over.
"Good work Doc. Just sew him up and you'll have one more little thing to do."
"Wait, what? I…"
Lisa's gun is under the man's chin again.
"You're doing so well Doc, don't disappoint a girl now."
Digger smirks at the man.
"The lady does hate to be disappointed."
The doctor finishes sewing up Snart and then moves the gurney off to the side. Roy can see the way the man is glancing towards the door. Trying to decide if he can just make a run for it.
Digger puts an arm around the doctor, a smile on his face.
"Come on doc, you're doing so good. Don't be stupid now. Should just be right there." Digger had pulled the doctor over towards a chair and plopped himself down into it. His hand still firmly only the doctor's bicep. Digger was pointing at where his own chip was located.
"You should be unconscious."
"Nah." Digger pulls a flask out of his jacket. "Brought my own anesthesia." He takes a deep swig. "What you waiting for man?"
Roy keeps an eye on the doctor while he removes Digger's chip. He sees Lisa out of the corner of his eye. She's rubbing her hand softly over her brother's head.
Digger's surgery takes much less time. Though still longer than Roy would like. He's starting to get antsy about staying in this place for so long. There's something niggling at the back of his mind. Something he can't quite figure out. It's only been getting worse as the time went on.
The doctor hands the chip to Digger. The mercenary drops it on the ground and smashes it under his foot.
"Well, I think that's enough fun for one day, don't you love?"
Lisa glances over at the two of them. Snart is starting to stir, Roy can see the man attempting to open his eyes.
Lisa nods at Roy.
"Digger, come help me move Len. Roy, let's get out of here."
Roy breathes a sigh of relief. He just wants to get back to the others. Take the chip and finish all this bullshit with Luthor.
Roy touches the nearby window. Nothing happens.
"Lisa."
Lisa turns away from Digger and Snart. Snart is attempting to stand on his own. Thought it's clear he is relying completely on Digger.
She takes one look at Roy's hand, at the immobile reflective surface. She touches her ear piece.
"Axel. Axel? Mick? Can anyone read me? Shit. Alright, Digger get Lenny up. Roy."
Roy nods and pulls the gun out of his jacket. The doctor is looking at them all, the fear and panic back in his eyes.
"I didn't do anything I swear. I…"
Lisa pistol whips the guy with her gold gun. He crumples to the ground.
"Not now Doc. I'll take lead, Roy bring up the rear. Digger…"
"Safe as houses love." Digger has his arm around Snart, keeping the semi-conscious man standing. One of his razor sharp boomerangs in the other.
Lisa gives him an odd look, but nods.
They move slowly. Waiting for the inevitable confrontation. Waiting for the cops or Luthor's robots to attack at any moment.
Roy's powers are almost maxed out, so he doesn't know when the anti-meta device must have gone up. How long had they been out of contact with Axel and the Mirror Verse? The others would surely have moved to a different location and would be storming in. Just like they did in Opal when they got caught off guard.
They make it to the front door. Lisa hesitates for a moment, looking through a small crack in the door.
"It looks clear, but get ready."
She opens the door.
There's no one out there. No sirens, no helicopters, no cops. It's just a quiet street in the middle of the night.
Figures step out of the shadows across the street. Lisa raises her gun, ready to fire at any enemy that attempts to come for them.
Scudder and Dillon step into the street light.
"What the hell are they doing?" Lisa almost hisses. She's about to head towards them when Digger reaches forward and grabs her arm. She looks back at him, glaring at him for taking his focus off of her brother.
"It's a…" Digger doesn't get the chance to finish his sentence before more figures emerge from the shadows.
Mick, Shawna, and Mark walk into the light.
For a moment, Roy thinks that the others will grab the two newcomers, drag them away and make damn sure no one saw them. That they are there as back up, to fight against some threat that Roy just hasn't spotted yet.
Instead, Mick walks past Scudder and Dillon, and stands directly in the middle of the street. There's a defiance to his stance that Roy has only ever seen aimed at cops. Mardon appears to be playing with lightening in his hands. They are ready to fight. But Roy can't see any other threats.
There's no one out here but the Rogues.
It's almost three am, everything around them is deserted. There are no sounds of cars, no people looking out their windows. And yet, Roy can't help but feel as if they are all under a spotlight. As if the world is watching what is happening here.
"Mick…what the hell are you doing?" Snart is still groggy, he was barely coherent a few minutes ago. Yet he manages to push himself out of Digger's grip and walk towards Mick.
They stand in the middle of the street, two groups of Rogues standing behind each of them. Mick glances at Snart, there's anger on his face.
Fury.
"Hand over the chip."
"What the hell are you talking about Mick?"
"Scudder made a deal with Luthor. Give him the chip, he stops the witch hunts. Says we all died in some big police shoot out."
"You can't honestly think that Luthor will hold up his end of that deal."
"Can't be any worse than what you got us into."
"Mick, listen to me. You know I…"
"I'm sick of listening to you Snart. Tired of following your orders, of being the one who gets tossed aside when things go sideways."
Mick lifts up his hands, his gauntlets were now pointing directly at Snart. Fire was swirling around his arms.
Roy glances over at Digger and Lisa. Lisa is looking completely shocked. Digger…Digger looks like he just figured something out.
Roy looks at Shawna and Mark. He can't believe they are going along with…with whatever this is.
Mark steps up beside Mick.
"You heard him Snart."
"You're not really trying to take control of the Rogues again are you Mardon? Because that didn't work out so well for you last time." Snart appeared to be fully awake now. His hands clenched into fists at his sides.
Roy can see frost forming on Snart's skin.
"Ain't about that. It's about the shit you've got us into. The bullshit we put up with, and you just tell us to sit back and take orders like good little dogs. We're not your sidekicks Snart. We shouldn't have to listen to your every order. Should be able to do what we want, when we want."
Roy knew Mardon had been extra tense lately, but Roy had assumed it had to do with being so close to the Wests. Not being able to get the revenge he so desperately craved. This…this seemed like he was blaming Snart. Like somehow the man was responsible for everything that had ever happened to them.
Shawna wasn't looking at Roy when she stepped next to the others. Roy kept waiting for her to just disappear and reappear next to him and the other Rogues on Snart's side.
Why the hell were there even sides?
"Shawna."
"I'm not going back Snart, not going to end up trapped in some room again because you want to play games. You think we were just going to keep following you? This is all your fault! We have a way out, Scudder and Dillon have made sure of that. Roy…please, join us. We don't have to do this anymore."
Roy couldn't explain the feeling in his chest. The way his heart was pounding. The way Shawna was looking at him. So afraid. And yet so…certain.
"You can't honestly think they will protect you the way the Rogues…"
"Protect me? Look at what has happened to us Roy. We're thieves! Not…not terrorists! We never should have been anywhere near Luthor or any of this bullshit. But Snart can't accept that there are people smarter than him. He's the reason we are in this. Lisa, hell even you Digger. You can…"
"You're insane if you think I'm going to side against my brother."
"Don't gotta be like this Lisa."
"Mick. I love you, but I will beat you half to death if that's what it takes to knock some sense into you."
The skies above them start to darken. The sound of thunder drowning out all other noise. Mardon is glaring at Roy.
The sudden viciousness of it all, the ridiculous decision to split now, when they were so close to having the leverage they needed against Luthor. Why now?
"You should have let me kill them. I told you not to get in my way again…" Roy takes an involuntary step back.
Scudder steps forward. A pleased smile on his face.
"What's it going to be Snart? Turn yourself into Luthor. Give him that little chip you pulled out of your neck and the rest of your family can go free. That's the deal. We all get to live, hell even your sister if she can learn to keep her mouth shut. But you Snart…and anyone who goes against us…well…."
Snart is glaring at Scudder.
"I should have put a bullet in you when I had the chance."
"Yes, you should have. But that opportunity has passed. What's it going to be Snart? How many Rogues are going to die today? You really want to go to war against your own family?"
Roy remembers the way Snart and Mick used to practice with their weapons. The way they would hit the targets with heat and then cold, or cold then heat. Timing it so their weapons never directly crossed streams. Didn't cause more damage than was necessary. Both of them instinctually avoiding the other.
Snart glances back towards the Rogues on his side. Lisa's gun was out and pointed at Scudder. Digger's right arm cocked backwards, ready to attack at any moment. Roy points his gun at Mardon. Well, at Mardon's leg.
He wouldn't kill another Rogue. But he sure as shit didn't intend to get electrocuted just because Mark was feeling like a dick.
Snart turns back to Mick.
"Well, if you're out…"
Mick fires a burst of flame directly at Snart.
Snart manages to put his hands up, a wall of ice forming in front of them. Closing them off from the others.
"Lisa…"
Snart doesn't get a chance to give orders, no time to even begin to explain how they are going to fight back.
A bolt of lightning strikes the ice wall, shattering it. Shards of ice pelt them, Roy feels one slice his cheek. Roy stumbles backwards from the force of it. He barely has enough time to look up before another attack is coming.
Harkness grabs the back of Roy's jacket and pulls him out of the way of a burst of flames. They duck into a nearby alley, the Snarts just ahead of them. They take cover behind a dumpster.
"We're a little outgunned here boss." Roy and Snart have powers, but Lisa, Digger, and Axel don't….that's assuming Axel is still on their side. He hasn't heard the kid in his ear since they went into the Doctor's office. Axel could be with the others now.
Not to mention that Roy's powers were overtaxed from keeping the doctor calm. He might be able to use them for more than a few minutes.
If he was lucky.
Roy feels a hand in his jacket and looks to see Digger grabbing the mirror out of his pocket. He throws it back towards the rest of the Rogues. Roy sees Lisa do the same.
Lisa looks over and yells to Digger over the increasing wind.
"Scatter them!"
Digger throws an explosive boomerang into the middle of the Rogues. It embeds into a lamp post. The others all recognize the distinctive beeping and scatter. If this had been any other fight, Digger would have thrown it into one of the people. He wouldn't have missed his target.
Shawna disappeared, but he can't see if she reappeared.
The wind is picking up. Heavy rain starts to fall.
There was nowhere they could escape to, Scudder could grab them from any reflective surface. Hell, Mardon keeps the rain up and Scudder can use the puddles on the ground.
Digger throws a few more boomerangs, knocking out the remaining lights on the street. At least the rain clouds are blocking out the moon so the others can't get a clear visual on them.
Mick sets three cars on fire. The entire street lights up.
So much for that plan.
Roy can see the ice forming around Snarts hands. No doubt the man realizing the more he uses, the more surfaces he is giving Scudder.
"Roy!"
Roy turns at Lisa's shout, but barely has time to turn before he feels the familiar sensation of being teleported.
He's on top of a building. Shawna is gripping his jacket.
He can't help but notice he is dangerously close to the edge.
"Shawna…"
"Roy. Listen to me…"
"Why are you doing this?"
"Look, just stay up here ok? I'll go take out the Snarts and Digger. Then you can come with us. I'll tell them you were just pretending to…"
"Shawna listen to yourself. You sound crazy."
"I sound crazy? Listen to yourself Roy. Defending every plan Snart has? Going wherever he tells us to go, even if it means we end up in deeper shit. My eyes are open for the first time in years Roy. It was just like with Clay. We were blinded by all the flash and money of it all. We didn't see what a piece of shit…"
A lightning bolt crashes into the street below. Roy can just make out Mardon flying up into the air. Using the height to keep an eye on anyone below. The wind is swirling around him. The man was going to summon a tornado in the middle of the street.
"Shawna look at this. Mardon is going to kill everyone down there. Not just the Rogues. Luthor will…"
"You don't understand. You're still blinded. This is what Snart has done to us. Made us into. This isn't who we are Roy."
Roy was focused on the scene below him. Focused on watching Digger try to tackle Mick, only for Scudder to toss him through a car window and come crashing out of a nearby storefront. On Lisa shooting at Dillon and Dillon throwing her razor wire tops at Lisa. At Lisa diving out of the way just seconds before one wrapped around her legs.
On Snart shooting ice into the air in an attempt to knock Mardon out of the sky.
"I can't go back Roy. I won't."
The wind rushing by his face, the feeling of there suddenly being nothing beneath his feet. It takes his mind a few seconds longer than it should have to come to a sudden conclusion.
Shawna pushed him off a building.
He can't tell if she's still standing there. He's moving too quickly, falling to his death.
Anger. Rage.
It was all he had seen in her eyes the moment before he was suddenly airborne.
He…He hadn't done that. He hadn't used his powers on her. He would never have done that. The fact that she might try to hurt him never even crossed his mind.
Luthor…Luthor must have done something to them somehow. A drug or weapon of some kind. That…that was the only explanation.
Even plummeting to his death, he hopes Shawna is alright.
He feels the oddest sensation of arms wrapping around his chest, and the next second he is crashing through a window.
His body aches, pieces of broken glass stuck in his jacket and in his skin.
Kid Flash is lying beside him. Breathing heavily. He looks over at Roy with concern.
"You all right?"
There's blood coming out of the kid's nose, and he can smell the familiar scent of something burning. Something like leather and skin. Mick must have gotten a lucky shot on the kid when he was running to save Roy.
"Are you?"
Roy gets to his feet, but the kid is struggling. There's something wrong with his ankle. Roy offers him a hand, which the kid takes without much deliberation.
"I feel like I missed something really important, man."
"The Rogues are…something's happened to them. Half the team turned on us."
There's no way that Shawna would do that to him. He didn't…he couldn't believe it. She was being controlled somehow.
"What like mind control or something? Great! So much for getting the chip without any problems. Iris is going to kill me."
"You're the one came running in alone."
"Yea. About that…"
The kid touches his ear. Someone is talking to him.
"Please tell me you brought back up."
"Something like that. Look we don't have a lot of time. All the police scanners are lighting up. There's going to be people here in like two minutes. Luthor's people might be here in less. We need to get everyone out of here before anyone gets hurt. Then figure out how to fix whatever BS is happening to your guys."
Roy helps Kid Flash down two flights of stairs. Two more flights and Roy would have been a pancake on the ground. Roy tries to focus on helping the kid walk. He can't help Shawna if he's panicking about almost dying. The kid can't move too well on his ankle, but it's getting better as they go. Superhuman healing must be nice.
Couple more years of getting knocked around like this and Roy is going to end up spending his golden years in traction.
Wally's arm is over Roy's shoulder, and Roy doesn't have a weapon on him. He doesn't know when he lost the gun. He knows he never pointed it at Shawna. Never even crossed his mind to do that. He must have dropped it when he…fell off the building.
An explosion of pink dust near him almost causes him to pull Kid Flash back inside the building.
Axel is looking at them, another glitter bomb in his hand.
"Are you guys pod people? You have to tell me."
"Why would we have to tell you?"
"Look man, those are just the rules alright? I was like listening on the radio and all of sudden everything just goes completely sideways I mean. WTF man? Seriously, what is happening? Because if aliens are turning people into total dick wads then I feel like…"
"It isn't aliens. It's just inevitability."
There's a familiarity to that tone, the hints of disdain and superiority. Roy didn't realize he had missed it so much.
"Hartley. Where are the other Rogues, what's happening?" Kid Flash took a step towards Hartley, away from Roy.
Hartley is glaring at Roy. His arms up, ready to attack if either Roy or Axel make a move.
"You mean the assholes that are currently trying to kill one another?"
A loud explosion follows Hartley's words, the sound of crackling lightning.
"Let's get out of here Kid Flash." Hartley brushes Roy aside, barely glancing at him. Putting himself in the position that Roy was occupying only moments ago.
"We can't just leave them."
"They've turned on each other. Just like I always knew they would. People like that always do, too greedy or…"
"What is your problem bro? Something has got everyone's minds all twisted up and you're being a real a-hole about it."
"You can't possibly be that naïve Axel. The Rogues are using you, the same way they used me. Mick just tried to kill you."
Roy can see the burns on Axel's leather jacket now. Smattering of blood staining the clothes beneath.
"Ok, so maybe Mick's had a bad day alright but like there's no way the Rogues…" Hartley almost pushes Kid Flash in his effort to get into Axel's face.
"When are you going to wake up? It's all a lie Axel! They don't care about you. They never cared about you. They will kill you and never think twice about it. You fell for it the same way you fell for all that bullshit that Jesse fed you. They aren't your family, just like Jesse wasn't your family. You don't have a family!"
Hartley was basically screaming by the time he finished his tirade. Axel and Roy, even Kid Flash, stood in stunned silence for a moment.
Axel put up a hand.
"Whoa dude. You got some real issues you need to work through. I know like a dozen shrinks. They didn't help me but like, maybe think about it bro."
Axel turns towards Roy.
"I heard some of what was going on over the comms. Like WTF man? I mean, I know Mick's a hothead and all but seriously? And yea Mardon is always like two seconds away from murder so I totally see that. But Shawna's like…well maybe not levelheaded but she's not going around trying to murder people all day.
"Shawna…tried to kill me."
Axel legitimately does a double take. If the boy had been drinking water, Roy was certain he would have done a spit take as well. The kid makes a show of closing his open mouth with his hand.
"You see this man, this is me literally picking my jaw up off the floor. Like, no more proof needed. It's def mind control or aliens. Maybe clones again, I mean I know we already did clones but like we could be in sequel territory right now you know? Shawna? She'd like never try to kill you man, you two are basically going steady at this point. I was going to make you a letterman jacket to give to her. It was going to be rainbow colored. Maybe a promise ring too."
"Are we dating in the 1950s?"
"Ha! Finally, so you are dating!"
"I feel like we have more important things to worry about."
"No man, like you don't even know. I figured I would be dead of old age before anything like legit happened. Tell me everything, I want to make a tribute video from clips and random photos I have taken of you guys. Most of them are from when you are awake so it's not creepy or anything. It's going to be legit, what do you think your song is, cause I was thinking…"
"She just tried to drop me off a building."
"Which you can now bring up anytime you guys have an argument. 'Roy sweetie, it's your turn to take out the garbage.' 'Well Shawna that reminds me of that time you dropped me off a building.' Boom! Instant argument winner. You're set for life bro."
"We have to save them first."
"Right! Alright Step 1 find whatever mind control…"
"You can't actually believe they are being mind controlled. There has always been underlying tension between Snart and Mick. And Mardon has wanted to kill anyone with the last name West since his brother died. Every single person on that team has tried to kill each other at one point or another. You weren't there in the beginning Axel. You don't know the resentments these people carry for one another."
"Well, what about Shawna, Mr. Smarty Pants? Like look me in the eyes and tell me you think Shawna would try to kill Roy."
Hartley almost looks confused for a moment, the face he usually gets when presented with a problem he doesn't immediately know the answer to. Then his face hardens.
"Roy isn't who you think he is."
Damn it. They don't have time for this.
"Hartley, I know you won't believe me, but…"
Roy sees the drone come into the alley. He doesn't even think it through. He just dives forward and pushes Hartley as hard as he can.
The drone shoots a laser directly into Roy's shoulder. The shock of pain pushes him back against the wall. He is dimly aware of Axel throwing one of his sticky bombs at the drone. The whole thing covered in some kind of chewing gum like substance, causing it to fall to the ground.
More drones, means more cameras. Luthor's people were here. They were out of time.
Damn it. They couldn't get caught now.
Not all of them anyway.
Kid Flash is by Roy's side, checking his shoulder.
"Laser cauterized the wound. Pretty bad burn though…"
"Can you run?"
"What? Nah man, maybe a quick dash or something but…"
"Axel, we can't all get caught. The back up plans..."
"Dude. No way. Those rescue plans are the worst. I mean I know Snart was like this is the best plan ever because I'm a total genius and whatever, but like half the team has gone cray man."
"Axel..."
"I hate this."
"I know. Get out of here."
"Whoa wait what? I thought…"
"Might be that we didn't tell you everything either."
Axel pulls on Wally's arm.
"We gotta go. You and Hart can't be seen here with us."
"We can't just leave…"
Hartley is staring at him. Roy doesn't have time to think on what the look might mean. He uses the pain in his shoulder to push himself to his feet. He stumbles out of the alley. He can see Scudder standing over Lisa. Roy bends over and picks up a broken bottle.
Scudder's back is turned to him.
Roy moves as quickly as possible.
He swings the jagged edges at Scudder's back. The man turns just moments before Roy can plunge the glass into the man's heart. He cuts the man's sleeve.
Scudder looks pissed.
"You little…."
Roy realizes his mistake a moment too late.
A glass bottle.
He feels himself get pulled into the Mirror Verse. This time, he does pass out.
Axel had developed the best drink ever when he was younger. Back when he was naïve and didn't understand how adding alcohol made everything instantly better.
He had called it Mountain Doom. Which he totally invented and didn't steal from the internet. He did it first. Everyone else just copied him. But it was literally one of the best ideas he had ever come up with.
You buy every color of Mountain Dew. Pour them all together. Then bask in the amazing sugar filled rush of amazing.
No one else had appreciated his genius. But wasn't that true of all geniuses ahead of their times? Nikola Tesla probably had to…
"Axel!"
Hartley was being real bossy about all this. Guy wasn't even a Rogue any more. He didn't get to tell Axel what to do.
I mean sure, ok, he was currently keeping them from getting spotted by Luthor's drones by using his soundwaves to mess with their tracking systems or whatever. But Axel totally could have done that.
If he hadn't accidentally left his tablet in the Mirror Verse.
But that wasn't his fault! He got distracted by all the sudden mayhem! Like he was totally normally up on all this stuff. Wasn't everyday your whole team just decided to up and murder each other. Plus he had barely made it out of there once he realized what they were all doing.
He'd been minding his own business. Watching all the security systems and whatnots. Maybe playing a little Minecraft on the side, but like he can multitask. So it was hardly his fault he didn't notice the little sneaky group of sneaks.
Til they were all like standing around him. Mick was giving him his mean glare. Or you know, just his normal resting face. Not the man's fault he had a severe case of Resting Murder Face.
"Axel."
"So far so good. I mean, Snart's still under so…"
"Need to talk."
"Dude, I keep telling you, it is one hundred percent not me stealing the little yogurts you like out of the fridge. Now if they were Gogurts I would be all up ons those because they come in sweet colors but like yours are like strawberry and peach and lame. I need my extreme…"
"Know you're loyal to Snart."
"Um duh. We're Rogues."
"Being a Rogue and being loyal to Snart don't gotta be the same thing."
"What are you…?"
Ok, so maybe he should have notice they were all like creepily standing around him. But again, not his fault. They were all major lurkers all the time anyway. Scudder comes over and puts a hand on Mick's shoulder.
It was like a million alarm bells went off in Axel's head. Like weeewooo weeewooo nuclear reactor meltdown alarms.
Nobody touches Mick.
"Mick is trying to say that some changes are coming. And we just want to be sure you are aware of all of your options."
"Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. Righty O guvnor." Ouch. Ok so hopefully no one noticed that little slip. Normally his accents are flawless.
"You'll stay in here, while…we take care of some things. Give you some time to think all this through.
"Sure. Sure sure sure sure. Got it. No problem." Mardon then like grabbed Axel's earpiece out. Which, first of all, gross. Who knows where that dudes hands have been.
Pod people was still Axel's best guess. I mean…
"Axel!"
Hartley's whisper yelling was kind of impressive.
The three of them duck behind a wall. A couple of drones flew by. Didn't look like they were spotted. They just had to stay hidden a little longer and then Baby Flash could run them out of here. Silence was like, not normally his thing, but he was trying to at least keep a little bit of a low profile.
Hartley was the one making all the noise.
"Why the hell did he do that?"
"Who knows? I mean, Mick's been acting real weird lately. Like more weird than normal, and I still think my clone theory…"
"Not Mick. Roy."
"What? Roy's not with the other guys. He's on our side."
"I meant pushing me out of the way. Why did he do that?"
"What, seriously? Like super serious face right now?"
Hartley was glaring at him. Dang. He was being serious.
"Cause you guys are bros!"
Duh.
I mean, seriously.
"Roy turned on me, just as quickly as the rest of you."
"What? When?"
"Axel, you can't seriously…"
Baby Flash had been walking a little better now. His ankle all not gross and sideways anymore.
"Can we talk about this later guys, we…"
A drone appears in front of them. Axel reaches for one of his sticky bombs.
A boomerang knocks it out of the air. Digger couldn't have been more than a couple feet from them. None of them had even seen the dude doing his super spy ninja shit.
Which he refused to teach Axel how to do. Which was super rude. Ok so maybe one time Digger had tried to show him how to like hide in the shadows and stuff, but it had been so boring and like maybe he had started playing a game on his phone. But that didn't count.
Digger looks like shit.
"You look like shit Boomer."
"The Snarts? Roy?"
"Lost sight of the Snarts when all the fighting started. I mean, I'm sure they got away clean you know. Roy…he uh got grabbed by the pod people."
"You're bleeding."
Hartley's voice was monotone but for a second Axel thought he saw him take a step towards Digger.
Digger sort of does this weird laugh cough combo that makes Axel's chest hurt.
"Happens when a shard of glass gets jammed into your chest."
Axel can see the blood running through Digger's fingers, the way he's like holding it all in. He walks over and puts an arm under Digger's shoulders.
"Don't like…spill your guts or anything on me."
"Guts aren't in the chest kid."
"Well, like you know…your lungs or whatever is in that general gross area."
He helps Digger lean against the wall. That's like…a lot of blood.
Oh! Axel reaches into his pocket and pulls out a Hello Kitty band aid. He puts it on Digger's chest. The pink with the little white face kitty cat really stands out against the black of Digger's shirt. And the red staining it.
Digger raises an eyebrow at it but then sort of smirks.
"Thanks kid."
"No problem. I've got like two more."
"Give me the other two when we get safe. We can't go to any safe house that Scudder or Dillon knew about. Or…any that the other Rogues knew about. Which is all of them. There's a decommissioned ARGUS black site only a few towns over." He looks at Baby Flash. "You good?"
"My ankle's almost completely healed. I can get us out of here."
Digger's face was clammy and gross. He didn't care what the mercenary said. He needed at least one more of the band aids right now. Axel puts another one over Digger's wound. The first one was barely holding on from all the blood.
Axel can feel the frown on his face. He whips back around with a smile.
"Sweet. Thanks Baby Flash."
"Axel, we are literally the same age."
"Whatever you say Baby Flash."
He rolls his eyes. But Axel can tell he's not really pissed. Why would he be? He knows he's the baby of the group. I mean it's not like…
The sound of sirens and drones and just general terribleness starts getting a lot louder. He's sure the Snarts made it out. I mean, they wouldn't get caught. Not with Cold having his powers back. They're fine.
They're fine.
"We need to go now."
"Alright. This is going to be a little rough. Everyone hold on tight to…"
Axel pulls out his handcuffs and puts them on his wrist and Digger's. They were the sweet pink fuzzy kind. Of course he added some cool embellishments to them like tiny little skulls and etched some cool runes into the metal chain bits.
"Why do you…you know what, I don't want to know. Just hold on."
Axel had been buzzed around by the Flashes before. But it was still super cool every time. I mean it gives you a major head rush for one thing. And the wind is all like woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooosh.
Which is pretty sweet. And it makes his hair look so like windblown and totally effortless. He wonders if he could talk Baby Flash into like running him around every morning.
ARGUS black sites are such a bummer.
I mean, you're expecting like high tech underground bunkers and like eye scanners and guns coming out of the walls if you don't pass one of their 18 checks.
But then they're just like old farmhouses out in the middle of nowhere or old warehouses.
Or abandoned Kmarts. Ok, so maybe this place has potential. But like all the mannequins and stuff are gone so there's not even that much of a creep factor. If a zombie apocalypse broke out right now, they would totally be able to contain it. There's no isles to trip over. Just a big ass…
"Med kit's in the back under…"
Baby Flash is back with it before Digger even finishes. He can figure why Digger picked this place. ARGUS like covered all the windows in some kind of black paint and even floor is so dirty there's no way Scudder could get a reflection.
They're in some kind of back office room, that was probably some boring manager's office until ARGUS took over.
He bet the manager's name was Steve. This place felt like it belonged to a Steve once. Axel can practically see the motivational posters and pictures of his kids that Steve had all over the place. None of his wife. Widower. It was too painful for Steve.
Digger sits down on the chair and KF starts to help him with the bandages.
Hartley moves over to the only other chair and pulls out a tablet.
"Does Snart or Lisa know about this place?"
"No. Couldn't risk it if they've been taken."
"Man, I'm sure they're like totally fine. No way either of them gets grabbed by the pod people or Luthor's goons."
Axel slides up and leans over Hartley's shoulder. He's hacked into the security cameras and is looking to see where everyone went.
Again, Axel could have totally done that.
"You should…"
"I know what I'm doing Axel."
"I'm just saying Luthor's uses a different coding structure than…"
"I know how to hack Luthor's systems without being detected."
"I know you do man, I'm just saying that if you improve on the code by…"
Hartley stops typing and turns his full attention towards Axel. Man, that dude has got some really pretty eyes.
"It was you."
"What?"
"That attack on my systems last week. The one I thought was Luthor. It was you."
"Whaaat? Psh. Yo, KF I think Hartley has like a concussion or something because he is talking in tongues."
"You talk in tongues when you're possessed."
"Then he's totally possessed. We have a real Ghostbusters situation here. You're Chris Hemsworth in this situation, btw. You're welcome."
"You couldn't get through his 12th layer could you? So sent it to me making it look like an attack, so I would crack it for you."
Ok, so maybe, maybe Axel has used Hartley to bounce some ideas off of without him knowing it. But they had been on a serious time crunch and maybe in this one particular area of cybersecurity Hartley was minorly better in a time situation.
But that was like nothing so…
"You two can bicker over who's the prettiest later. We need to get to Roy."
Axel was actually a little insulted by that.
"Digger come on. You know I'm the prettiest. Look at me. Look at this jaw line."
"The rest of the Rogues…"
"R squared."
"What?"
"The rogue Rogues. R2. We can't just call them the other Rogues that so lame. They're…"
"The point is, Scudder pulled Roy into the Mirror Verse. So we can't track him."
"They'll leave and go to a safe house. Can track them when they get out."
"How do you intend to do that?"
"Slipped a tracker in Roy's pocket during the fight. He's always getting lost."
"That's a good move bro…wait. Did you put one on me?" Axel starts searching through his pockets.
"Interior left of your jacket."
"Whaaat. Dude come on. Ok, so I know you won't teach me any more ninja stuff, but like this is some good slight of hand. You're almost a passable thief now!"
"Thanks kid."
Wally was rubbing his eyes. Dude looked legit tired.
"Can we talk about who's the best thief later? We need to figure out where the Snarts are and if they still have the chip. And we need to rescue Roy…"
"Roy isn't our problem."
"Hartley…"
"What Wally? You don't understand, this is how they get you. They pull you into their madness, make you think you are a part of it and then…"
"Just put the tracker info in your computer so we can…"
"You are not in charge here Harkness."
Digger and Hartley were glaring at each other. Axel assumed the bad blood between them was on Hartley's side. Couldn't figure out why Digger was mad at Piper.
"Aaaaannnnyyyy wayyy. I'll just put that info in if..."
"You can find your own tablet, and your own programs. The chip is the only thing we are concerned with. It's the key to taking down Luthor, which is all I agreed to help with."
"Yea but..."
"Give him the bloody tablet Hartley."
"Why? You all kicked me out of the Rogues. Made yourselves very clear..."
"What, cause Lisa was mourning the death of her brother? That's when you finally decide to take what she says seriously? Girl's always had a temper, you knew that. You're the one that was just looking for an excuse to leave, can't help but think you never wanted to be a Rogue in the first place."
"That is bullshit and you..."
"Guys! I get it, there's weird family stuff happening, but seriously we should probably get to Roy before the pod people start turning him into a Stepford Wife or something."
Hartley opened his mouth but Digger beat him to it.
"You're such a bloody child Hart. Don't even realize how stupid you're being."
"What the hell do you...?"
"You're going to let your friend get tortured or killed just because your feelings are hurt?"
"Roy isn't my friend."
"Bastard might be the only real friend you've ever had."
"What the hell does that mean?"
Digger starts to stand up. KF was standing nearby, had to put a steadying hand on Digger's arm when he sort of wobbled a bit.
Weebles wobble but they don't fall down.
Ok, maybe he needs to focus a little better right now.
"You'll figure it out kid, being a genius and all. But if you don't and something happens to Roy, I won't miss next time. We clear? Axel, let's go. Get you to a computer."
"Umm, yea. Like totes, cause you can for sure make it that far. You definitely won't just fall over into like a big lump after two steps."
Digger was glaring at him now. What? He was telling the truth.
"Hartley can I have a word?"
"Wally."
"Now."
"Baby Flash laying down the law." Geez, alright with everyone glaring at him. "I'll just…"
He walks over and helps Digger sit back down. He pulls out his last Hello Kitty band aid, bends down, and puts it over the white bandages around Digger's chest. Boom. He helped.
Digger's eyes are closed. He's breathing slowly. Focused.
Baby Flash and Hartley are having a whisper argument in the corner. He's trying but he can't really hear…
"It's Dillon."
"What?" Axel gives himself a bit of a head rush standing up, looking around for one of her tops to come flying at him. Which ok, maybe he should have put some shut down codes in those bad boys but how was he supposed to know she would use them against them? I mean, she did all the work herself anyway. She was actually really good with making them. Not as good as him of course but…
"She's the one doing this."
"What? How? I mean sure she like makes people sick and stuff but how could she…"
"Don't know. Just know it's her."
"Ok. Cool, cool cool cool. Add that to the pile of shit that makes absolutely no sense about today."
Hartley and KF walk over a few seconds later. Wally's giving Hartley look, finally Piper rolls his eyes.
"Heroes are supposed to help everyone. Or so I have been told recently. So, we will find Roy with your tracker and locate the Snarts. Any help after that…will be decided then."
Digger starts to stand up and almost immediately falls over. Axel's lightning fast reflexes save the day. And maybe KF grabbing him too. But like, Axel totally helped.
"You're in no condition to go anywhere man. Can you contact the Snarts?"
"Know a hotel Lisa might check messages at. Can send one there."
"Ok good. Axel, Hart, and I will follow the tracker and get Roy away from…R2. The three of us..."
"The perfect threesome!"
Axel pumped a fist in the air. The Dream Team was about to roll out!
They all turned and stared at him for a second.
"What? For a rescue! Come on. Those old dudes don't stand a chance." He'd say no offence to Digger, but the dude knows he's old. He's got like grey hairs in his beard and everything.
KF was still staring at him funny, but just shook his head.
"Anyway…you'll be alright here?" Digger nods. "Ok, Hart, anything on the tracker yet?"
"There's a faint signal. We will have to move around a bit to get a better lock on him."
"Alright. Luthor's goons are still looking for us. So we'll do this incognito. Change into civilian clothes and stay off the radar. Axel, you will focus on keeping cameras off of us."
"Yes Captain, my Captain."
"Ok, I'll go get us some changes of clothes and grab my car, I'll get your laptop from the apartment Hart. Be back in a sec."
KF is gone before Axel can ask why a speedster needs a car.
They're all just standing there.
It's hella awkward.
"Hart…" Digger's serious voice always weirds Axel out. It's just so unnatural. Like seeing a Twinkie growing in a garden. It's just…not supposed to be a thing, you know?
"I'm not saying I believe everything you've said, but I suppose it's possible something has happened to the Rogues. And I'm willing to entertain the idea that Roy may be worth saving. Mainly because I have questions for him. And he can't answer them if he's dead."
Axel threw an arm around Hartley's shoulder.
"Aww big softie."
"Knew you was still a Rogue mate."
"I'm not…"
"Once a Rogue, always a Rogue kid."
Hartley suddenly found his tablet very interesting.
"I'm amazed you idiots have managed to live this long. I'm only helping to make sure Luthor is brought to justice. That's it." He shrugged off Axel's arm and wandered over to a slightly different corner of Steve's office. Probably the one where he kept that fake plant. Where the employees would like hang gas station air fresheners as a joke.
Hilarious.
"Axel. Listen to Baby Flash."
"He's not the boss of me."
"Axel…"
"Ugh fiiiiine."
"Watch Hart's back."
"No duh."
That's what the Rogues do.
When they aren't being like brainwashed and shit of course. But like…95…92….87% of the time they had each other's backs.
Which was a really good statistic when you really thought about it.
But like maybe not too hard. Cause he def didn't just make it up. Nope. Definitely a real thing. He'd pull out the Excel spreadsheet and show it to Digger later. Bet he'd be impressed. Ok maybe not. Maybe Hart would be, he seemed like the kind of guy who would be impressed by...
"Axel? What are you doing, let's go!"
Shit. Right. Rescue Mission deployed!
Bombs Away, bitches.