Teamwork

Chapter 19 - Choices

Oliver gritted his teeth as he felt the first lash on his bare back. He had known when Slade had told him the story about his father and the whipping that he had delivered that he was going to be in big trouble. The fineness of the whip, combined with the fact that he was hanging, drawing his skin tight on his back, and the strength of the Mirakuru in Slade meant that this was going to be brutal. He had prepared himself as well as he could mentally for what was about to happen. I can't let him hear me scream. I know Felicity is probably watching and it will just hurt her more if I do. I have to hold it together for her! He thought to himself as he remembered the video feed of Lance being whipped in this same room. He knew the video feeds were still going as he could see the telling red lights on the cameras. Besides, there was no way that Slade would miss out on the chance to hurt those close to him.

Lance watched in horror as Slade methodically delivered lash after lash of the whip. He looked closely at Oliver's face and could not see even the faintest sign from Oliver that he was being tortured. He knew from when Merlyn had held them that Oliver had a very high tolerance for pain, but Lance was surprised at the young man's determination. He had felt weaker by the minute as he had been unable to hold in his screams of pain as Slade had whipped him with the thicker whip. I can't even imagine the amount of pain that that finer whip must be inflicting! He thought as Slade completed the tenth lash of the whip.

After ten lashes of the whip Slade stopped for a moment and admired his handiwork. He wanted everyone to know just how much this was hurting Oliver even if the kid didn't make a sound. After a moment he walked around in front of Oliver before addressing the two men hanging in the room.

"Do you know what this whip is called in Australia?" Slade asked as he held the whip, dripping with Oliver's blood, in full view of the men. "It's the King of Whips. It's called that because it's the fastest of whips. Most men could only handle about fifty lashes from it. There were precious few, the strongest of them all, who could withstand one hundred lashes. However, none of the men who administered them had the Mirakuru flowing through their veins." He paused for a moment as he walked back around behind Oliver yet again.

Oliver was thankful for the small break that Slade had allowed. His back was burning from the whip cutting into his back and he knew that Slade had drawn quite a bit of blood already. He was concentrating on his breathing so as not to allow the screams that were threatening to come out. Oliver kept his eyes turned from the Detective's. He didn't want to see the look of pity, or pain, in the man's eyes as he knew that that would wreak havoc on his control. As Slade moved back around behind him he worked to prepare himself for the bite of the whip – again.

Lance could not believe what he was seeing. Oliver was still as silent as could be and he was in awe of the young man's self-control. He remembered yet again the feeling of the whip on his own body, and the remaining pain throughout because of it, and knew that he would not have been able to stay conscious for this long if the roles were reversed. He looked Oliver over as Slade talked and Lance could see the smallest hint of pain in the young man's eyes. He then noticed the blood dripping from the end of the whip in Slade's hands. This caused him to look again to Oliver and he noticed the drops of blood on the floor beneath him. I hope he is strong enough to make it through this! He thought as Slade moved back around behind Oliver.

"I suspect that Oliver here will only be able to withstand a few more lashes. I believe he will pass out soon." Slade said as he walked back behind Oliver and started back in on the whipping. He then administered fifteen more lashes, harsher than the first, in quick succession.

Slade stopped completely after twenty five lashes. He knew Oliver had to be in a large amount of pain and he had a couple more things he wanted to do before the kid passed out. He hung his whip by the door before exiting without another word to either of the men.