Chapter 9: Central City

Present Day – September 7, 2016

"How are you feeling?" Caitlin's kind voice asked through the phone. "Have you been holding up okay since your appointment?"

"I'm okay," Thea deflected quickly. "And I appreciate you checking in, but – I'm actually calling in for a favor. How would you, and Barry, and Cisco feel about me coming back to Central City for a visit?"

There was the briefest of pauses on the line. "We're in, Thea – whatever you need, we've got your back."

Past – June 5, 2016 – 3 months ago

"You want to know somethin'? This is my first time out of Star City in three years," Quentin Lance noted, glancing over at Thea sitting in the passenger seat. "I forgot how boring being in a car for eight hours is."

Thea shook her head. "That's because we're doing it wrong! Come on, you're bored of the silence, and we've only been driving for an hour – let me put on a book, or a podcast! Or a driving playlist – anything!"

"I like silence!" Quentin defended. "It helps me think."

"Ugggh," Thea groaned leaning her head back against the headrest dramatically. "Look, I will give you thirty more minutes of my attention before I pull out headphones and make my own fun."

Quentin snorted at her theatrics. He never thought he would miss the days of having two emotional teenage girls in his house, but after years on his own, Thea pleasantly took him back to the years of living with Laurel and Sara. In hindsight, there was something delightfully honest about the way teenage girls interacted with the world. Weird the things you missed once it was gone.

"So, Oliver was elected mayor," Quentin commented conversationally. "What are you going to do without a campaign to manage? Are you going with Oliver to City Hall?"

"No," Thea said glancing out the window. "Ollie offered me a job, but I turned it down. I love him and I'm ready to see him do great things for this city, but … I guess I'm just ready to find a place for myself in the world apart from Oliver."

"You know," Quentin said, thinking about his girls. "I would have loved to see Laurel and Sara get along and work together like you and your brother. Those two, they always loved each other, but they drove each other crazy." Thea laughed a little, knowing that Sara and Laurel were wildly different people. "That said, building your life around one person, any one person, is dangerous. When relationships change or you lose them, you can find yourself left with nothing."

Thea nodded, appreciating Lance's insight.

"So, what's next for you?" he asked interestedly.

Quentin wouldn't have thought it when she had approached him two months ago to help identify and charge her traffickers, but he had become really fond of Thea. It felt like having another kid to look out for. No doubt there was already a connection there – he saw enough of Thea in his station when she was dating that kid, Roy Harper. She'd also been roommates with his kid for the last two years. And before all that, he had watched her grow up over the years Laurel had been friends with, and then dated, Oliver Queen.

"I'll figure it out," Thea shrugged, not seeming too distressed that she didn't already have a plan. "It's kind of nice to have a little break from everything. And I've got a business idea bumping around in my head."

"Fair enough," Quentin said agreeably. "Enjoy your break – they come further and further apart when you're back in the workforce."

They both fell silent, watching fields of grass and scrub brush zipping past the car windows.

"So …" Quentin started. "We're really going to Central City. Where that teacher of yours is." Thea quickly turned to look out the window. "And we're going to pick up whatever evidence your stepdad had the Central City PD lock up." Thea said nothing. "I respect your desire to bring these bastards to justice, Thea," Quentin said gently, "But are you sure you want to do this? Whatever is locked up … it's not going to be easy to see. For anybody."

Thea stayed quiet for so long that Quentin wasn't sure that Thea had heard him – or at least was going to pretend she didn't.

Finally, Thea said, "I am. Look, trying to identify anything from the journals and my memory is not getting us anywhere. The photos … they will give us something we can actually jump off of."

"Thea," Quentin said kindly. "I don't want you to feel like you have to do anything here. You don't have a responsibility to hurt yourself just to try to find justice against these asshats." He sighed softly, "I know I'm not your parents, but I can't imagine that they would want you to put yourself through this. They'd want you to enjoy your life."

Thea said softly, "It's a good thing they're not here then."

Quentin's heart hurt, thinking about Robert and Moira Queen. They would be crushed to watch their daughter going through this. But what could he do – except respect her wishes and support her quest for justice.

Minutes went by in silence. Finally, Quentin said, "Do you have one of those books to put on?" Thea turned to look at him, incredulous excitement in her eyes. Quentin grinned at her response. "Nothing, sappy, though – I don't need to be crying while I'm driving."

"This is it," Thea Queen said, excited and nervous as she pulled the car into a vast, empty parking lot outside of the battered STAR Labs building.

"When did we get off the expressway?" Quentin asked, stretching as he woke up in the passenger seat. "Wait … what happened to Sparky?"

"The dog?" Thea asked. "In the book?" She looked over at Quentin in confusion. "He died, Quentin – it was a dog book. They always die."

Quentin unhooked his seatbelt grousing, "Well, that's just stupid."

Thea chuckled. "I won't argue with that." She stood up stiffly. "We're in Central City - do you think we can convince the Flash to take us back? I'm not sure that I want to drive the eight hours home." Lance snorted at the joke.

Lance and Thea walked up to a set of double-high metal doors. Thea noticed the small intercom system and poked at the button with a picture of a bell on it.

"Hello?" a voice called through the speaker.

"Cisco?" Thea asked. "Hey, this is Thea Queen. I'm here with Captain Quentin Lance. We spoke earlier this week about us coming into town? I gave Barry our ETA a couple of hours ago."

"Thea!" Cisco said, sounding … surprised? Like he was scrambling to hide something? "Of course! I'll send Caitlin up to bring you in!"

Thea had met Caitlin a couple of times: once when their teams had coordinated to protect an ancient being from an ancient assassin, and again when Caitlin had helped keep her medically stable while her brother and team had pursued the cure for her bloodlust. Cisco, she knew from his trip to Star City when he and Barry came to help Ollie when the Breacher who turned out to be Earth 42's Laurel Lance. She knew Barry a little better. But regardless of how well she felt she knew Team Flash, she knew that Felicity was tight with the entire team and considered them trusted friends. With as much chaos and heartbreak as Star City experienced, it was good to know they had friends out in the world.

One of the two doors opened in front of Thea and Quentin revealing Caitlin Snow. She greeted them with a soft, sincere smile. "It's good to see you again, Thea," Caitlin said. "And it's lovely to meet you, Captain Lance. I had the opportunity to meet your daughter Laurel. You must be proud of her."

"I am," Lance said, surprised by the graciousness of their host. Thea smiled to herself, knowing that Lance was used to Star City aloofness – he was wholly unprepared for Central City gregariousness.

Lance and Thea followed Caitlin down an elevator into the labyrinth that was the STAR Labs building. They stepped out into a wide, open room – screens covered the walls and a row of computers were neatly lined up on a long desk alongside assorted pieces of other technology. Cisco Ramon sat spinning at one of the terminal's chairs while Barry Allen leaned up against a desk. As soon as they saw their guests, they quickly stood to greet them with an air of excitement and interest.

Lance noted, "You've got a big building here – where are the rest of your people?"

"The rest of our-?" Barry looked confused. "Oh! No, this is us!" he said, embarrassedly. "There's a few others who are in and out – Harry and Jesse … and Iris and Wally. But, that's it!"

"It's a big ass building for three people," Lance said drily.

"Oh, well, there were more," Caitlin said delicately. "After the particle accelerator explosion, Cisco and I were the ones who stayed."

"Sorry about him," Thea said quickly, putting a hand on Quentin's shoulder to ask him to stop talking. "Barry, like I mentioned on the phone, we actually came to town to see if we could pick up some evidence locked up with Central City PD. I understand you work at CCPD as a forensic scientist?"

"I do," Barry said with an earnest nod. "My foster dad is a detective on the force. He's probably the best one to connect with to access any files. He has a higher clearance than I do. Um, Captain Lance, I understand you've worked with him before – Detective Joe West?"

Quentin seemed relieved that someone he knew and could understand was his "in" with the department. "Yes, I have. Mr. Allen, do you think you can connect us?"

"Absolutely," Barry said, all eagerness to help. "Um, yeah, we can go now! I don't have a car, though, I usually take the bus?"

"It's fine, kid," Quentin said, looking like he was fighting back an eye roll. "We can take my car. Okay, let's hit the road. Thea?"

"Um, actually," Thea started. "Is it okay if I stay here with Cisco and Caitlin?"

Quentin clenched his brows together, looking at Thea. "You sure? We came all this way."

"Yeah," she said lightly, but nerves still apparent in her voice. "I'll have plenty of time to look over everything if they approve the evidence transfer." Quentin seemed to consider this for a moment. "Look, I already let Walter know we were coming into town, so he is already on stand-by to authorize it."

Quentin shook his head and let out a breath, "Well, okay. I guess Barry and I will be back once we're finished."

After Barry and Quentin departed and as soon the elevator doors closed, Caitlin and Cisco both turned to Thea. "So wait," Cisco started. "Does Lance know about Green Arrow?"

"Yes, he knows about our whole team," Thea confirmed.

"Does he know about the Flash?" Caitlin asked.

"Team Arrow doesn't make it a habit of spilling other people's secrets," Thea said. "So, no, he does not."

"Then why bring him here?" Cisco asked, taking a bite out of a Red Vine.

"We really did need to come to town to pick up this evidence," Thea explained. "But, honestly, we stopped here first because I wanted to talk with you guys."

"Oo, Green Arrow business," Cisco crowed excitedly. "What can we do?"

"Um, actually Ollie doesn't know I'm here," Thea admitted. "And also, I'm kind of … retired from Team Arrow."

"Is everything okay?" Caitlin asked, concern in her voice.

Thea gave a little shrug and raised up her left hand for them to inspect. "I had a little accident with my bow hand."

"Oof," Cisco said, cringing in sympathy. "That looks rough."

"What happened?" Caitlin asked, inspecting it with the eye of the physician she was.

"Doesn't matter," Thea assured. "It was a sign – time to hang up the hood."

"If you're not here on Arrow business, then what do you need from us?" Cisco asked.

Thea looked towards Cisco. "When we were helping with Kendra Saunders, you 'vibed' some information. And you did it again when we were trying to get Ollie back from Earth 42." Cisco nodded slowly. "I had some questions about how that works."

Cisco looked at her warily. "Mmkay. Do you have, like, something specific in mind? Because I'll tell you, I'm still figuring out a lot about it – it's kind of a mystery. Like, I need some kind of sensei to teach me it's ways, but I don't really know anyone else who can."

"Um, actually, I do have something in mind," Thea said a little nervously. "The case that Quentin and I are working on, we have a journal. The thing is we're having trouble getting specific identities on some of the guys we're after, but there are writings about them in this journal." Thea pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "You were able to vibe things about people by touching something of theirs. Do you think … you could see someone if you vibed a writing about them?"

Cisco spun in his chair a bit thinking. "I've never tried it, but honestly, when I vibe, it tends to be connected with the object belonging to the person I'm vibing. I think I would be more likely to see the author than I would be to see anyone who was written about in a journal."

Thea thought for a moment. "Would it just make you vibe the author in the present? Or would you get a glimpse of the time being written about?"

"We're talking really hypothetically here," Cisco admitted. "I've never done 'journal work', per se, but – either? Both? I honestly don't know." He reached his hand out. "Do you want me to try?"

Thea pulled it back out of Cisco's reach. "I think it's okay," she said quickly. "We already know enough about the author. I just wanted to check."

"Want me to find another journal to check it out?" Cisco asked.

Caitlin asked curiously, "Where do you propose to get another journal to test?"

"Well, I don't know!" Cisco griped. "I bet some member of this group keeps a journal. Maybe Iris?"

Caitlin laughed. "There is no way Iris would let you try vibe her journal, even if she had one."

"Harry probably keeps notes or something."

Caitlin rolled her eyes. She glanced at her watch. "I could use a coffee. Thea, want to join us for a Jitters run?"

Quentin stood next to Joe West, waiting in the evidence locker as the tech entered their request into the system. Quentin said conversationally, "Your kid seems … chatty."

Joe looked at Quentin and snorted. "Was that supposed to be a complement?"

Quentin laughed. "I don't know. We don't have kids like that in Star City. We're all kind of burnt out and practical. Your kid seems … hopeful."

"He is," Joe said. "But don't let that hopefulness fool you. The kid has been through the wringer. Watched his mom get murdered when he was a kid and saw his dad wrongfully go to jail for it. Life hasn't been much kinder since."

Quentin gave a low whistle. "Well, damn. Look, his peppy thing is a lot for me to be around, but I respect it. I appreciate that spark, that drive."

"You see it in your own kids?" Joe asked.

Quentin looked forward, thinking about his girls. Life had certainly beaten them both down. They both kept getting back up and fighting for the good, though. "Maybe so," he said. "They keep finding something to fight for, even in that damned city." Joe nodded in understanding.

The tech told them he was going to step into the locker and would bring them the evidence they were checking out before vanishing through a door behind the rows of shelves lined with plastic tubs.

"You're working with Oliver Queen's sister on this case?" Joe asked curiously. The request process had been rife with verifications to transfer the evidence from the CCPD into Quentin Lance's hands with the SCPD. They had to work with Captain Singh and get final verbal and written approval from Walter Steele, CEO from Starling National Bank, who only agreed after a brief call with Thea Queen.

Quentin made a face and said, "Yeah, I am." Quentin transferred his weight nervously to his other foot.

Joe looked serious and said, "You know the evidence you're taking with you … it's illicit pictures. Kiddie porn?"

Lance's face scrunched up like he had bit into a lemon. He said softly, "I'm aware."

Joe asked gently, "Are they … of …?" Lance just shot Joe a look that told Joe all he needed to know. Joe's heart felt heavy. "Look. You're doing your job and I respect it. But make sure she knows that if those photos are entered into evidence, it's all out on the table. There's no taking something like that back."

Quentin sighed and said, "It's not just a job, West. I watched this kid grow up, from just a little thing. She's my daughter's roommate. Her parents are gone, both killed, and I'm trying to look out for her like she's my own kid. Today I feel like maybe I'm doing a shitty job of it."

Joe looked sympathetic, trying to imagine what he would do if the evidence behind those doors was of his own daughter, Iris. It was nearly inconceivable. "I'm sure you're doing right by her," Joe said.

"Kid's got a mind of her own. And all she wants right now is to identify as many creeps as possible so we can take 'em down and protect a few other kids." Quentin sighed. "But damn if I don't wish she'd give it up before she gets hurt."

"Death Touch. Or Darth Darhk. Or, or …"

"I'd never thought about nicknaming any of Star City's criminals," Thea said faintly to Cisco as she, Caitlin, and Cisco walked down the sidewalk towards CC Jitters.

"- The Magician!" Cisco said emphatically.

"Already have one of those," Thea said drily.

"Don't mind him," Caitlin said softly. "Naming meta-humans is one of Cisco's greatest joys in life."

All three slowed their pace down as they reached a small crowd gathered around the sidewalk. As they approached, they were able to see why. On the sidewalk, two swords were crossed to create four squares, and a man leapt from box to box, touching his toes to the ground with rhythmic taps. The man wore ornate face paint of a skull, looking as though he belonged at a Dia de los Muertos celebration. His clothing was all black with a black hood pulled up around his head and pulled closed up to where his face paint began.

Thea found herself mesmerized by the motion. The rap of his toes seemed to soothe something deep in Thea's mind, telling her this dance was all for her. As she watched it seemed like the vision of one dancer split into two, then four, and she felt that she was watching multiple copies of the skull-figure, all swirling around her vision. Color swirled and the view of the sidewalk and crowd vanished, leaving only the clicking of toes springing lightly, back and forth, side-to-side.

Feeling like a gentle nudge, a voice entered her mind. It said in a gentle tone, "Poor, sick girl. I will do a happy dance for you, and then I will take away your pain." Thea blinked in surprise at the words, feeling exposed but also devoid of fear.

Suddenly the multiple dancing figures paused in their dance and appeared before her, still dancing, with a sword. The figure approached, closer, filling her vision, merging into a single form. The sword glinted, and Thea suddenly felt a spark of caution alight inside her and, moving on pure instinct, Thea tucked into a roll. She felt the rush of focused air above her and, as she completed her tumble, she reached out and grasped a sword, the only remaining of the two, from the sidewalk. Thea launched out of her spin in a ready stance, facing her attacker.

Skull-paint's back was to her, but for only a moment. With a light leap and twist in mid-air, he landed, facing her. Thea and the skull took each other in for a moment, then Thea charged in with a swing directed towards the figure's head.

The skull man deflected her blow and the next which Thea quickly followed with from the other direction. He pressed back against her with two quick parries and a thrust which Thea easily blocked. As Thea blocked the final thrust, she twisted her blade to catch up his sword in hers and wrenched his arm. He tightened his hand around the hilt of his blade and used the formed fist to punch at Thea's arm. Thea gracefully spun away, using her momentum to land a solid kick, destabilizing the skull-man.

Righting himself, skull-man spun the sword around once, and with determination, charged at Thea a second time, and, with two hands on the hilt, swung at Thea's neck. Thea ducked under the intended blow and rolled under her attacker as he leapt overtop to avoid being tripped. As Thea rolled, she thrust out her sword towards the figure's legs and slashed. She could feel her blade make contact as the skull-man stumbled on to the ground.

From where he found himself on the ground, the skull figure turned to glance back at his legs where Thea had struck, and while Thea leapt back up from the ground, so too did the skull. As Thea prepared for another attack, the skull glanced back at her and then ran, limping from the slash mark Thea's blade had left.

Thea held her stance, watching her attacker vanish. Cisco ran up to Thea's side, looking dazed. "Holy snikeys, girl! What was that?"

Once sure the man was gone, Thea let the sword fall to her side and looked around her, noticing the remaining crowd acted as Cisco did: as if they were awakening from sleep.

Caitlin said, "It wasn't a hallucination. Look!" She pointed at the ground in front of Thea – a clear track of blood remained on the ground, left from Thea's strike.