Teamwork

Chapter 13 - Lance

Lance looked up from his place on the floor as the door to his cell opened. He watched with bated breath as Slade slowly walked towards him. He knew that the bad was just about to get worse as he noticed the look of anticipation on Slade's face.

"Quentin Lance." Slade said with a smile as he walked towards the man in the back of the cell. "I hope you find your accommodations acceptable."

"Acceptable huh." Lance said with a huff. He didn't feel like dancing around the reason Slade was really here, even though he knew it was not going to be good.

"You have forged quite an allegiance with Oliver Queen and the Arrow." Slade commented with a sneer. "If only you realized just what kind of man he is." He motioned to the men standing just behind him and they came in to remove Lance from his cell and take him to the next location that he would be needed. As Slade turned to walk out of the room he looked up to the camera above him and smiled knowing that by now Oliver and the Team would be watching. After a moment he turned and followed everyone out the door.

Lance struggled the whole time that they were transferring him to another room. When he saw the chains hanging from the roof he became worried. He knew that Slade was capable of a multitude of things and he was worried about just what he was about to have to endure at the hands of this mad man.

The two men that carried Lance into the room cuffed him with heavy metal manacles, before pulling taut the chain that they were attached to. This meant that Lance was now suspended from the chains in the center of the room. His feet were able to touch the ground but it was still uncomfortable, especially as his ribs were still sore from the recent beating he had received at the hands of Malcolm Merlyn. As he looked around the room he noticed several cameras mounted on the walls. I wonder if those are just security cameras? He thought to himself just as Slade entered the room.

"Are you comfortable Mr. Lance?" Slade asked with a sneer. He already knew the answer, he just wanted to get on the man's nerves.

"Oh yeah, real comfortable." Lance snapped back sarcastically. 

"How does it feel?" Slade started as he slowly walked around Lance. "How does it feel to know that everything you have worked for, your family, your career, even your city, have all been destroyed by Oliver Queen?!"

"It wasn't Oliver that took those things from me." Lance stated angrily. "It was Malcolm Merlyn and you who took them from me."

"Mr. Lance, if only you knew the real story." Slade said as he moved to stand just a couple of feet in front of Lance. "Oliver is the one that was dating the lovely Laurel before he left on the Gambit, isn't that correct?"

Lance refused to give this man the satisfaction of an answer so he simply bit his lip to keep from saying anything.

"In fact, I'm sure it was as he wore out a picture of her during his time on Lian Yu. But it wasn't Laurel that was on the Gambit with him now was it?" Slade continued as he looked Lance in the eyes, trying to intimidate the man. "In fact, it was your younger daughter that was with him on that boat. Oliver had invited her to go with him instead of Laurel whom he was dating at the time. How did your daughter handle that? Knowing that her playboy boyfriend was on his yacht with her younger sister instead of her. Oliver Queen destroyed your family when he left on the Queen's Gambit. You all believed he killed your younger daughter! He broke your oldest daughter's heart, drove your wife away, and he drove you to drink. How can you not blame him for the destruction of your family?!"

Lance worked very hard to keep a straight face as Slade was talking. He knew the man was partially right about the whole situation. Sara leaving on the Gambit had broken Laurel's heart, as well as made her lost to them for six years. It was true that due to the Gambit going down he had drowned his sorrows in alcohol which in turn drove a wedge between he and his wife. However, Lance also realized that it was not entirely Oliver's fault that all this happened and he now refused to blame him for situations that the young man had had no control over, or that he had already forgiven him for.

"Even when he did return Oliver was the source of many problems for you." Slade continued taunting Lance as he started to slowly pace in front of Lance. "He was the Vigilante that terrorized your city and you were unable to track him down and arrest him. He caused your daughter to stray from what she knew was right and act outside the law as she assisted him with his missions. Even you began to help him and it was because of your involvement with him that you were demoted from Detective was it not? Now look at you. You have even been arrested for helping him and it has utterly destroyed your career."

Lance knew that Slade was just trying to get under his skin, make him turn his back on Oliver. He was determined, however, that he would not let Slade succeed in that mission. Lance knew that he and Oliver had not always had the best working relationship; however recent events have helped him to see just what kind of man Oliver Queen really was, and that had only increased Lance's opinion of the younger man and made him even more determined to not give Slade anything.

"Not only has Oliver destroyed your family and your career but also your city." Slade stated as he slowly made his way behind Lance as another man came in the room and handed something to Slade. Lance couldn't make out what it was just yet but had a feeling that he would soon. "When Oliver first started his work as the Vigilante he was dropping bodies every night. He went on a killing spree that no one in the city could avoid. Then, after the Undertaking, he disappeared again. He was unable to deal with the destruction that was just as much his fault as anyone's. Then the Hoods tried to take over in his absence and wreaked even more havoc on your city. If Oliver hadn't returned in the first place then they would not have ever gotten the idea. It is Oliver Queen's fault that your city is on the brink of disaster!" Slade roared.

Lance thought about what Slade was saying. Yes, it was true that when Oliver first returned from the Island that he had dropped a lot of bodies. Not that that was necessarily a bad thing seeing as they were all criminals that the SCPD had been unable to bring to justice. Lance thought to himself. He had come to terms with the Vigilante a long time ago and he knew that Oliver had changed in this last year. He had become less vicious in his mission and had made a very definite difference in the city. I'm sure a lot of that has to do with a certain blonde though. It seems that Felicity has really helped Oliver come back from the Island and focus on doing good in the city, the right way.

Lance was so lost in his thoughts that the feeling of whip on his back startled him and caused him to cry out loudly in pain. He felt ten lashes from the whip before Slade walked back around in front of him. As the man came in to view Lance was able to get a good look at the whip that he was using. It was thick and long and it had several knots along it which made it feel like several fists making contact with his body at a time. He didn't think it had cut open his back yet, however he was definitely feeling the places the knots had made contact and was sure that there were several bruises that were already forming from it. 

Lance couldn't help but think about Oliver while Slade whipped him. He was sure that had it been Oliver in this situation that the younger man would not have even made a sound. Yet here he was screaming out in pain with every lash of the whip. He knew that Oliver had been through a lot, the younger man had even said as much, and Lance hated to think of what exactly he had endured to give him the ability to keep quiet while his back was being laid open with an actual fine whip, not just being beaten up by one.

"How are you feeling now Mr. Lance?" Slade asked as he came back to stand close to Lance.

Lance just glared at the man. Even though his body was screaming in protest due to the beating he refused to say a word, even if he did think it would end if he spoke, which he didn't. He knew Slade was not done with him yet and tried to mentally prepare himself for more.

"Oliver Queen is responsible for the destruction of your family, your career, your city, and now your health." Slade said as he walked around Lance before stopping behind the man yet again. The screams of pain from the man told him that Lance was in quite a lot of pain and he hoped that Lance would believe what he was saying.

Lance could feel the abuse to his ribs as Slade continued to whip him. He knew that Slade was trying to get him to hate Oliver and, if he had not seen what the young man was capable of at the hands of Merlyn, he may have believed what Slade told him. However, he had seen the strength and determination in Oliver and tried to find some of that strength for himself. He felt his body breaking and his voice going hoarse as he screamed with each lash of the whip.

Finally, mercifully, Lance passed out from the pain.