My Arrow Reboot

Chapter 16

Roy awoke, bound to a chair. He opened his eyes, and found in himself alone in very small, very dark room. "Hello" he called out. His head ached and throbbed. He heard footsteps and door creak open.

"Who are you?" Roy asked as a man approached him. The man wore a mask that resembled a skull. Hadn't Oliver said something about a skull mask?

"According to the GPS in Roy's pocket, he is inside the building I sent him to" Felicity explained. "His comm is inactive".

"Which could mean two things: he's doing something he shouldn't be doing, of he already has and got himself into trouble" Oliver said. "Where did you send him?"

"This is going to sound weird, but I sent him to an office building. It has been re-purposed many, many times, most recently, it was occupied as a campaign office for Sebastian Blood" Felicity said.

"Why would you send him there?" Oliver asked. "I asked you to find locations wi-"

Felicity cut Oliver off. "Yes, I know what you asked me, but I found something. That office has been repurposed--yet again. Cecil Adams and a few others have been squatting there".

"A few others like who?" Diggle asked.

"I don't know because they've all been masked, I can't run facial recognition" Felicity said.

"So instead of following my lead, you sent the newest member of our team with no back up to a dangerous location where he could get killed, without even telling the truth?" Oliver raved. "Felicity, what were you thinking?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know who would be going where and I really didn't think Roy wouldn't follow your orders" Felicity said.

"Well, you clearly set a fantastic example for him" Oliver huffed. "Now tell me where I am going?"

The skull-masked man loomed over Roy. A syringe in hand, the sharp needle glistening in the dark. Roy struggled to speak. "P-please don't".

The man jabbed the needle into a major vein in Roy's neck, causing Roy to scream.

"The particle accelerator is online" Ronnie announced, proudly. The hard-workers at Star Labs applauded. "Congratulations, Dr. Wells"

"I thank each and every one of you for believing and assisting me in taking what was years ago a thought, a dream and making it the future of Starling City. Caitlin, Ronnie, Cisco, all of you have become my family" Dr. Wells said.

"Same to you, Dr. Wells" Cisco said.

"What is that?" Ronnie asked, hearing music from another wing of the building.

"I started Ms. Lance on the harmonica" Dr. Wells answered. "She practices everyday. It is one of the most important training exercises to strengthen her lungs"

"Right" Ronnie said. "I keep forgetting she is here. I still can't believe what she is capable of".

"I can't believe how far she has come" Cisco said. "and how fast".

"Ms. Lance is a remarkably quick study" Dr. Wells said.

"She always has been" Ronnie said.

"You can go talk to her, you know" Caitlin suggested.

"I think its better to leave the past... past" Ronnie said.

"Hello" Oliver yelled as he entered the building. "Who's in here?" There was no response as Oliver stormed through the hall.

"Oliver, please listen, I know your mad at me, but put that anger somewhere else right now. You're on a rescue mission. This is dangerous" Felicity said through the comms.

Oliver knew that Felicity was right, but he ignored her.

A man, donning Slade's mask, came bounding down the hallway from the opposite direction. This man was much larger than Cecil Adams. Oliver nocked an arrow in his bow, aiming directly for the eye. "Where is Roy Harper?" he growled.

Before Oliver could shoot him, the mask figure lunged and attacked Oliver. He slammed into the wall. His bow discharged the arrow, it randomly struck the ceiling.

As Oliver got up, the large man seized Oliver's arm and swung Oliver around his body and to the ground, causing Oliver head to slam on the on the hard floor. Oliver tried immediately to get up, but feeling weak, he backed down.

Caitlin went to visit Laurel in her living area, giving her a quiet applause. Laurel put down her harmonica. "Oh hey" Laurel said, responding with a small chuckle.

"Hey" Caitlin replied.

"Do I sound good?"

"Yeah, you do" Caitlin praised.

"How long has the accelerator been online?" Laurel asked.

"20 minutes" Caitlin said.

"You must be so proud of Dr. Wells" Laurel said.

"Absolutely" Caitlin agreed. "I'm proud of us all. Laurel, Dr. Wells and I talked and we think in the morning, you can check out".

"Like go home, go back to work...?" Laurel asked.

"Yes, but we still recommend training both at Star Labs, and outside of Star Labs. But I caution you, please, don't use your cry out of Star Labs. Just because you have enough control to turn it off and turn it on, doesn't mean you know just how much damage it can do" Caitlin said. "Are- are you okay with that?" Caitlin asked.

"I- mean yes, I'm okay with that. I'm just a little surprised" Laurel said.

"Completely understandable" Caitlin said.

"Ahhgh" Laurel grimaced and grabbed her head. "Something- something isn't right"

"What do you mean?" Caitlin asked, rushing to help Laurel sit on her bed.

Oliver's attacker moved toward him and squatted down to make sure Oliver was unconscious. As he reached out, Oliver grabbed his hand and flipped him over. He got up and took a few steps back. As the guy got up, Oliver shot him with a bola arrow, wrapping cables around his entire body.

Oliver knew he couldn't beat this adversary, so restraining him was the next best option. He was tempted to pull the mask off this man, and see who he was, but Roy was more important.

Oliver scrambled over to where Roy was, and noticed he had stopped breathing. Blood continued to dribble down from his eyes. Oliver frantically tried to revive Roy through CPR.

Roy coughed. Oliver breathed in relief. But the relief was short-lived. The blood on Roy's face began to rise into the air, drop by drop. "What the hell?" Oliver whispered to himself. A moment later, a strong wave of energy overtook the building, sending Oliver back several feet.