Chapter 3: Confrontation
PACIFIC OCEAN - THE AMAZO: 8 DEC 2012
Six months had passed while they were on the Amazo. Once a month, the Amazo would go into port and resupply. The ship seldom stayed for more than two days. One day for regular supplies and one day for human cargo.
Professor Ivo didn't care how the crew got new subjects on board the Amazo. The crew varied how they acquired their victims in each port city they docked. In the larger cities, the crew was more subtle about how they coaxed people on board. Many were ship workers looking for work. Most of the people brought were homeless or near homeless by the time the crew found them. They stayed hopeful on deck. They lost their hope when locked in cages.
Laurel was forced to document every new subject in detail. She was horrified to see that roughly half the men brought on board died of infection. Most failed to extract the bullet or sew themselves up properly.
When it looked like a subject was going to sicken and die of infection, the crew would move them to an isolation room in a remote part of the cargo ship. Once they died, their bodies were thrown overboard. If an island was nearby, the sick were off-loaded to die out of sight. It took Laurel a month to figure out why the crew used the isolation rooms.
The isolation rooms were in a more remote part of the cargo ship. The crew avoided that part of the ship. They only came down daily to feed and water any prisoners, to see if they were still alive. The crew didn't like to see the human suffering they inflicted. By hiding it, they could pretend it didn't exist. The pirates were superstitious and avoided the dead and dying prisoners as much as possible.
Laurel didn't have that little bit of sanity. She was required to document every part of the suffering that these prisoners went through. Especially, the ones who were likely to die. Ivo wanted to document why they were dying.
As horrible as it was for the men, it was far worse for the women. At each port, the crew would bring as many different women on board as possible. Most of these were prostitutes. They were easy to convince to come on board and were seldom missed in the larger cities. Once they were on board, they were locked in cages and brutally, repeatedly raped by the crew once the ship left port.
Most of the women lasted about a week before they finally gave up and died. Laurel wasn't sure if it was the repeated trauma from the rapes or despair that finally killed them. It was a small blessing that Ivo didn't track the women's suffering like he tracked the men's suffering. It was hard enough for Laurel to hear about their suffering from Thomas. She didn't know how she would be able to cope with being forced to document it all. To know that it was a fate that she had narrowly escaped herself.
Laurel despaired. We will never get free of Ivo and his mad pirate crew. She knew that she had to stay strong. Thomas needed her to stay strong. Thomas had not become a subject like the other prisoners.
Unfortunately, Anatoly and Peter had both been experimented on. Ivo used a radiation source on them both. Peter had started to sicken a few months ago. But he failed to develop any tumors as Ivo wanted. He was slowly getting weaker and weaker from radiation sickness.
Anatoly developed a small tumor. With the identification of the tumor, Ivo stopped exposing Anatoly to the radiation source. That was when he started to experiment with his treatments. All of Ivo's treatments made Anatoly vomit violently and become ill, but the last one also reduced the size of the tumor. Ivo was changing that formula now. He wanted to make it better.
As much as Laurel hated the subject matter and the human suffering she had to document, she did like learning about computers and robotics from Ivo. The man had moved her beyond initial computer usage skills, to programming and hacking skills. Most of those were used when the Amazo was in port and able to connect to the wireless on the docks.
However, Ivo was best at robotics; both nanorobotics and microrobotics. He refused to teach Laurel anything about nanorobotics, but Laurel's skills in robotics and microrobotics had flourished. She used her considerable intellect to learn everything she could about anything that had nothing to do with the human suffering she was forced to document. It helped her to keep her mind away from the suffering she witnessed.
By the third month, Laurel could operate or repair any of the mechanical medical devices on the Amazo. After six months, Ivo was much more trusting of Laurel. More than he should have been, but if Laurel displayed her loyalty to Ivo, she knew Thomas was safe. Her recurring nightmare was Ivo deciding to use Thomas to test her loyalty.
While Laurel had many things to occupy her time, Thomas had none. He lived for the few minutes every day when Laurel would visit. The rest of his time was spent in physical conditioning and mental stimulation. He exercised as much as his limited space allowed. He learned Russian from Anatoly and French from Peter. He had become fluent in both. He performed complex mental scenarios. He honed his observational skills by examining the various pirates and elaborating on what Anatoly and Peter had told him of the layout of the ship. Most of his scenarios included escaping detection or stealing some item that caused his fellow prisoners' pain, like the radiation source.
Thomas knew that someday; he and Laurel would escape Ivo. He had hope. He needed to be ready to take action that day when it happened. Ivo was too insane to escape notice for too long.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
CHINA, LIAN YU - FUSELAGE: 8 DEC 2012
Oliver had been training with Slade every day since Yao Fei sent him here. Their training routine varied daily. Slade continued to collect intelligence on Fyers' operation. He knew that Fyers needed a cooperative Yao Fei for his plans, but he had yet to determine exactly what those plans were. Nor had he been able to determine why Yao Fei would refuse to leave the mercenaries' camp.
Oliver knew that he was practically useless when it came to combat. He was getting better. Training daily against Slade was making Oliver stronger. He was getting faster and better at the training that Slade had assigned to him, but he knew that he was far from effective.
However, they had to spend time gathering and hunting for food. This was where Oliver practiced his new archery skills. They were improving. Hunger was a good trainer. Anytime that Slade left to gather intelligence, Oliver would practice archery, hunt, and forage.
Today was the day that Oliver and Slade were going to make a move. Slade figured that he had gathered all the intelligence there was to gather outside of interrogating Fyers. His latest interrogation led him to believe that Fyers was going to act soon. They needed to get Yao Fei away from him before he could act.
The last few days, Slade and Oliver had set up fallback points around Fyers' Main Camp. Slade was a firm believer in the old military saying, No plan survives contact with the enemy. They were hoping that by planning for things to go wrong, they would be covered if they did go bad in that direction.
The plan was for Slade to create a distraction while Oliver went in and extracted Yao Fei. Like all plans, it failed to survive the first encounter with the enemy. In this case, Yao Fei. He told Oliver that he couldn't leave and then knocked him out.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
CHINA, LIAN YU - THE AMAZO: 8 DEC 2012
"Professor," the Captain of the Amazo called out to Ivo in his lab. "The crew have spotted an island off the port bow."
"Good. Make for land," Ivo directed as he turned back to Laurel where she was taking notes from the last patient and updating the records.
"I would recommend against that, Professor," the captain replied. "The island is cursed."
Ivo scoffed. "I don't believe in curses. What makes this island different?" Ivo demanded.
"The island is a prison. The whole island," the captain replied. "No man escapes it. The maps warn ships away from making landfall."
"Really?" Ivo said interested. Then he smirked. "That sounds like more subjects for me to work with. Strong subjects. We can use the island to dump the ill. No need to wait for them to die."
"Very well, Professor," the captain replied with some hesitation.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
CHINA, LIAN YU - FYERS' MAIN CAMP: 8 DEC 2012
Oliver woke up with a headache. His wrists were bound. He moaned as he slowly climbed up to his knees. I don't like this plan anymore.
"Ah, good. You're awake Mr. Queen. Our show is about to begin," Fyers said with a smug grin.
I really hate that guy. Oliver looked around to see a bunch of equipment. It appeared to be tracking equipment. Yao Fei was near a video setup and backdrop. He was wearing his Chinese General's uniform. His hair and beard had been trimmed. Next to Oliver, knelt a bound Chinese girl. Oliver shook his head to clear it. Time for a new plan.
"You can begin, Yao Fei," Fyers ordered.
Yao Fei nodded. He squatted down next to the Chinese girl. They spoke softly in Mandarin for a moment before he gave her a gentle kiss on the head. Then he walked over to the video setup. He prepared himself and then nodded to the man behind the camera.
Oliver had seen the knife that Yao Fei had passed to the girl next to him. She hid the knife and began to cut her bonds free.
"This message is to the Chinese Government. Your illegal actions have cost lives. I will no longer tolerate your outrageous behavior. I am destroying this civilian aircraft as a statement. It represents all the citizens of China that you have imprisoned and tortured to death," Yao Fei said with quiet dignity.
"Excellent," Fyers said with a huge grin. "That will be all." Then he raised his pistol and shot Yao Fei in the head. Yao Fei dropped to the ground bonelessly.
"Bàba!" The girl shouted in Chinese and sobbed in grief at the death of Yao Fei.
Fyers ignored her and turned to the man behind the computer tracking screens. "Which one is closest?" he asked.
"That one, Sir," the man replied.
"Set the Scylla to fire when it is in range," Fyers ordered.
Oliver was stunned. That is what Fyers is here to do? To shoot down a commercial airliner and blame Yao Fei? What was the fucking point of this madness? "Why?" Oliver choked out angrily. He would have to grieve later.
Fyers glanced over at Oliver. "For the money, Mr. Queen," Fyers replied. "I am getting paid quite handsomely for this contract."
Oliver was in shock. Slade had told him how mercenaries generally worked. He had made a point that Fyers was one of the worst. Lazy and cowardly. Only choosing poor contracts.
The girl next to him had cut her hands free and passed Oliver the knife. He cut his own hands free.
"The plane should be in range now, Sir," the man at the tracker replied.
"Let it get closer," Fyers replied.
A large explosion rocked the compound. Fyers looked over to the two prisoners. He raised his gun, but Oliver shoved the girl out the side of the tent as the gun sounded off behind him.
"That's our signal. Come on," Oliver cried as he pulled her away from the tent.
The girl stood her ground. "We have to stop it," she shouted at him. She pointed over to the missile launcher.
"How?" Oliver asked then a thought formed. "The launcher. We can program the missile from there." Then he led the way to the missile launcher.
The girl nodded and quickly moved to his side as they both dodged wild shots from the mercenaries. Most of them seemed to be concentrating their gunfire on Slade. In his one glance, Oliver saw that Slade had abandoned his sniper rifle for his two swords. He was killing each mercenary he encountered. He was wearing a shit-eating grin. He let the ones who fled, run.
They both climbed the missile launcher. Oliver noticed the Russian keyboard. He suddenly realized that he had no idea how to reprogram a missile, let alone a Russian one. Adrenaline is talking again, he thought to himself.
"Move," the girl demanded. She didn't try to reprogram it. She just tore out the control panel and related circuits, completely. Now the missile has no guidance. Oliver smiled at her.
They both widened their eyes as one of the missiles suddenly launched. They scrambled away from the launcher and sprinted into the surrounding forest. What would a missile with no guidance choose to target? They had just cleared the trees when a large explosion threw them both to the ground. They were both panting from the run and the adrenaline. The Mercenary Camp was suddenly silent.
Oliver looked back at the Camp. It was destroyed. All the tents were shredded and flung apart from the explosion. They couldn't see anyone move.
"I think we won," Oliver commented to the girl.
"You may be right," the girl replied with a sad smile. "I'm Mei."
"Oliver," Oliver replied. "Wait. Are you the Mei that hired Slade?" he asked in surprise.
A sad look came over Mei's face. "I did," she replied. "That was before that man kidnapped me to use against my father." Grief tore at her.
"I'm sorry. We tried. Come on," Oliver said. "Let's go find Slade."
They picked their way back into the camp. They found several bodies strewn about. Both from the explosion, from bullets, and Slade's swords.
"Slade?" Oliver called out.
"I'm here, Kid," Slade called out as he walked back into camp. He had one of his blades tossed over his shoulder. The other was in his hand as he walked. Both were coated in blood.
"Thank you for coming," Mei told him.
Slade shrugged. "I was bored. This looked like fun," he replied casually.
Oliver just shook his head at the older man and started to sort through some of the supplies in the camp. He had just found Yao Fei's bow and a few arrows when Mei shrieked. Oliver jumped up with an arrow nocked to go to her assistance. Then he noticed Fyers was holding Mei in front of him with a gun pressed to her head.
"Two years," Fyers shouted at them. "Two years of planning this operation. Wasted. I will not go away empty-handed. I can get you home, Mr. Queen," he shouted.
Slade looked over at Oliver. "You got this, Kid?" he asked quietly.
Oliver had his bow pointed at Fyers. All Slade had on him were his blades. Mei stood completely still as Fyers ranted behind her.
Oliver stilled and shut out Fyers' lies. The man would say anything to save his own life. None of it was true. Oliver's resolve solidified.
In the corner of his mind, Oliver could hear Yao Fei, Remember, breathe. He centered and found his balance and he breathed. Then he let the shaft fly. It took Fyers in the neck. One of the few exposed parts behind Mei.
The mercenary choked and jerked his gun away from Mei. She immediately spun around and attacked the critically injured man. He died in surprise before Slade was even able to make it to Mei's side.
"Good job, Kid," Slade remarked to Oliver.
"Thanks," Oliver replied absently. Oliver just continued to stare at the body of Fyers. He didn't even notice the trembling start.
"Come on, Kid," Slade said while pulling Oliver away from Fyers' body. He pulled him to the other side of a tent wall that was barely standing. Slade figured that what the kid needed most was to NOT see the body of the man he had just killed. "Start going through these supplies, Kid. I got to talk to Mei about my contract. I failed. She doesn't owe me squat." Slade slapped his back as he pushed him over to the crates.
Oliver let his mind go numb as he sorted useful from useless in the supply crates. He didn't want to think about the second human life he had just taken. The life that he had taken intentionally. His throat grew tight as he tried to choke down the vomit. He finally stumbled a few feet away and emptied his gut. He didn't have enough in his stomach. He could already taste the bile. It matched the pain in his heart.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
CHINA, LIAN YU - THE AMAZO: 8 DEC 2012
Professor Ivo was excited. Laurel could only dread what sort of sick experiments Ivo would think up in this state. The Amazo was pulling into a docking position. It had just released anchor when a large explosion marked where the crew would likely be able to find survivors.
"Excellent. Captain, send out a collection crew immediately," Ivo said with a grin. "The subjects have been kind enough to tell us where they are hiding. Let's not disappoint them."
"Of course, Professor," the captain replied. He seemed relieved that they would find subjects so quickly on the cursed island.
The crew was gone for two hours. The captain was leading this expedition. The crew that remained on the ship took the time to ferry the sick to a place on the land that was around the corner and not visible from the Amazo.
"Professor," the radio cracked with the captain's voice. He almost sounded excited.
"Go ahead, Captain," Ivo replied into the radio.
"My crew and I have found four prisoners. We have secured them," the captain reported. "My crew has also seen two more prisoners on the island, including a woman," he said.
"Excellent," Ivo replied. "Bring the secured ones back to the ship. You can search for the remaining two tomorrow."
"Yes, Professor," the captain replied.
Two more hours passed and Ivo could not wait to see the new prisoners. He was standing above the deck next to Laurel when the boat was finally loaded back on the deck. All four prisoners are wearing black fatigue outfits. One of them looked worse for wear. He turned to Laurel to direct her activities when she suddenly gasped in shock and recognition.
Ivo had heard all about her ill-fated yacht trip. He was more than familiar with the story. He figured that she had recognized one of the crew from the yacht, but when he examined the prisoners closer, he was surprised. He recognized the man himself. One of the new prisoners is the young Oliver Queen. Long hair. Scraggly beard. While he is wearing the same uniform as the others, it is more worn than the others. Not with them by choice then.
Ivo raked his brain to figure out more about Laurel's motivation. On his way back inside, he remembered Laurel's relationship with Oliver. They were dating. His new assistant would be very motivated to keep her boyfriend healthy.
Ivo diverted in another direction. He found a crew member. "Move Thomas to one of the isolation cells. Don't tell, Laurel. I will do that," Ivo told him.
"Yes, Professor," the crew mate said and ran off to move the prisoner.
Thomas was pulled from his cell. This was the first time that he had been allowed out of his cell. Aside from the one time he was interviewed by Ivo, he had never been out of his cell. Ever. The crew moved him down one of the darker hallways. This is where they take the very sick people. Why would they bring me here? I'm not sick.
Thomas was pushed into a new cell. It was larger than his old cell. But the walls were solid. There were no bars. He was even lucky enough to have a small porthole. It didn't open. It was too close to the surface of the water. But he had light.
Thomas sighed. But no company. He set about arranging his new room to maximize his space. He placed his pallet in one corner and his waste bucket in the opposite corner. He kept his water next to the head of his bed and then started to work on his physical exercises. He had to burn his nervous energy. He was worried about Laurel. What does it mean that they moved me? They still haven't started experimenting on me. She must still be doing what they want. Why now? He looked out the porthole at the bleak island nearby. It must have something to do with the island.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
CHINA, LIAN YU - THE AMAZO: 6 JUN 2012
Oliver didn't even notice the pirates until they had him at gunpoint. They trussed him up tightly and tossed him the other mercenaries they had captured. Oliver was only slightly heartened that the mercenaries were being treated the same as he was. Great. A new enemy to both of us. This island hates me. Where are Slade and Mei?
The pirates marched them back through the forest. Oliver noted that the pirates seemed to be going far slower than usual. The pirates didn't even notice the trails as they passed them. That does help them avoid the landmines, but still… The short walk to the coast took two hours. Less of a hike and more of a leisurely stroll. He wasn't complaining.
The pirates loaded them on a boat and drove the boat out to a large cargo ship in the bay. A ship? Why would they come here? It's hell. No one wants to be here. Once at the ship, the whole boat was hauled to the surface of the cargo ship.
The pirates were busy pushing the four new people down the long corridors to the cargo hold. Once in the hold, they pushed a prisoner into an empty cell, closed the door, locked it, then shot the newly confined prisoner. They moved to the next cell for a repeat.
Oliver was last. He was not looking forward to his turn. He was pushed into an empty cell between two occupied cells. He was shot and left.
"Damn it," Oliver swore.
"You do not seem surprised they lock you in cage," the man said to him.
"This is not the first cage I have been locked inside," Oliver replied. "It seems to be par for the course for this island."
"We are at island?" the man asked. "Perhaps someone will notice Ivo and kill him for us."
"Who is Ivo?" Oliver asked.
"Evil man. You meet him soon," he said wearily.
Then Oliver noticed the medical supplies that had been tucked into the cell. "Why in the hell would they shoot me just to give me medical supplies?" he complained.
The man next to him sighed. "I tell you like I told the last man in that cell. It is test. To see if you strong," Anatoly was Oliver's neighbor. Oliver had been placed in Thomas' old cell. "You remove bullet. Avoid sickness."
"Did the last guy do it?" Oliver asked as he got the medical supplies.
"Yes," Anatoly replied with a sad sigh. "He was not sick when they took him."
"Great," Oliver replied. He prepped and then pulled out the bullet. He made quick stitches and dosed the area in alcohol. He used the last of the alcohol on a few other deep scrapes. They were healing, but this would help.
"I am called Anatoly. He is called Peter," Anatoly said as an introduction.
"Oliver," Oliver replied. "Now what?" he asked.
"Now you wait," Anatoly replied. "They will come soon. Rest," he ordered his new roommate.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
CHINA, LIAN YU - THE AMAZO: 8 DEC 2012
The pirates came for Oliver in less than an hour. They took the used medical supplies and pushed him through the ship to a different room. This room looked more medical than anything.
"I already took care of the bullet," Oliver snarked at the pirates.
"Silence," the pirate snarled at him as they strapped him into the chair. Oliver tested his new bonds. They were tight and secure. Shit.
Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Oliver turned to face it only to freeze. It's another ghost. Like Dad. It can't be Laurel. He didn't try to talk to his vision of Laurel. He was afraid of what he would say to her. He blinked a few times to clear away the tears, but he couldn't take his eyes away from her. God! I miss her so much.
Laurel froze in place by the computer. It's Oliver. It really is Oliver. He's alive. Oh, God! I'm dirty. He won't want me now that Ivo has used me like a cheap whore. She let her eyes drink in the sight of him.
Ivo broke the tension with his entrance. "I have to say, Oliver… I can call you Oliver, can't I?... I have to say that I am amazed that you have survived this long," Ivo said as a way of introduction. "You will have to forgive me. I have heard the story of how your ship was sunk at sea," Ivo said smugly. "I plucked a few strays from an ocean death, but I must ask, did anyone else survive the wreck?" Ivo asked.
Oliver glanced over to Laurel and then looked down. "No," he replied with sadness. "I'm alone."
"That is too bad," Ivo said with no sincerity. "I am Professor Anthony Ivo. This…" Ivo made a broad gesture to the whole ship, "...is my path to finding a way to cure all diseases, especially cancer."
"Cancer…" Oliver said cautiously. "You are going to find the cure to cancer…" he repeated slowly. His work against Fyers didn't teach him how to deal with people who have lost touch with reality. Greedy mercenaries, yes. Insane people, no.
"Yes," Ivo said with a maniac grin. "I am so glad you can see how important my work is," he said fanatically. "Now, to do this work, I need test subjects."
"Subjects," Oliver repeated. That is a nice euphemism for human guinea pigs. He had seen the cages in the hold. It was obvious that this Ivo was experimenting on people. Illegally experimenting.
"Yes," Ivo repeated. "I am certain that anyone who can survive on this island of yours will have the proper strength needed for my experiments. My men have already acquired you and three others. What about the ones they saw on the island?" Ivo asked.
"Others? Like survivors?" Oliver clarified. This nut job wanted to experiment on people who had lived in hell? He wanted to make their life worse. Oh hell no. "I don't know about any others. I was alone the whole time."
Ivo looked at him skeptically. "I doubt that. For one, you are wearing the same uniform as the other three we captured. For another, my men saw two more people escape them," Ivo said condescendingly.
"I don't know about them. I was alone," Oliver continued. Hell, it worked for Fyers. Just keep saying you were alone until he gives up.
Ivo huffed. Then his eyes narrowed and he moved over to a small safe. He opened it and removed a vial of liquid. "This is sodium thiopental. It is also known as Truth Serum. You will tell me where those other subjects are hiding," Ivo declared while drawing up an injection of the drug. He strode over to Oliver and pushed up the sleeve on his arm, exposing his veins.
"You're not even going to use an alcohol wipe? How unsanitary," Oliver snarked as Ivo stabbed the needle in his vein and injected the drug.
Oliver felt the drug burn in his veins. Then he started to feel distant and muffled. He understood that this was bad. The bad man wanted him to talk. So, let's talk. Oliver felt a warm smile cover his face as he looked over at his vision of Laurel. He was losing the ability to form complex thoughts, but he held on to how much he missed Laurel.
"Now, tell me where the other two subjects are hiding," Ivo demanded.
"Hiding… Do you remember, Laurel…" Oliver said as he started to talk to his vision. "We used to play hide and seek in the manor…" Oliver started to ramble. "It used to drive Raisa nuts… She would have to draw us out with her cookies… I could never resist her cookies…"
Laurel had spent so much time avoiding thinking about home. The memories that Oliver was conjuring brought her a sense of peace and comfort. She started to tear up.
"The subjects…" Ivo insisted.
Oliver continued. "I hated being alone on that damn island… Made me think of everything I had lost… On every subject… Everything I missed… I even missed my damn homework… Paper… Can't write on leaves… But I could remember… We had so much fun… you, me, and Tommy… Then Sara and Thea too… We would always use the excuse of studying at my house… remember… Poor Sara, stuck with us older kids… Then came Thea… little Speedy… Chasing us all around with her pigtails flying behind her…" Oliver gave out a laugh. "Remember when she demanded that Sara make her beautiful like mommy… All of us trying to convince her that she already was beautiful… I miss her so much…"
Ivo finally gave up trying to influence Oliver. Every suggestion seemed to divert the young man to a new memory. He doesn't want to remember the island. Even to give up the others. I don't want to have to resort to torture… yet. He looked over at Laurel and could see her crying at the memories that Oliver had induced. No, not yet. I will make him take me to his fellow inmates. Yes, that would work. Laurel is loyal as long as I have Thomas. I will make sure she stays loyal to me.
"Take him back to his cell," Ivo spat at the men outside the door.
The men came in and took the loopy Oliver back to his cell.
I will have to ensure that Laurel knows her place. Ivo would have to make sure that she understood how fragile her place here was. Olive was her past life. Ivo would not tolerate competition.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~