Teamwork

Chapter 21 - Twenty Five

Oliver was angry, no, not angry, he was furious. He knew that Slade had taken Thea and was holding her, but when he brought her into the room where Slade was torturing him that was the last straw. He determined then and there that despite the pain he was feeling he would defeat Slade through whatever means necessary.

Lance looked to Oliver as Thea was brought in and tied to a chair in front of the younger man. He noticed the instant Oliver's determination returned and he shuddered to think what would happen if Oliver was released right this moment. I have no doubt Slade would be in some serious trouble. He thought as he knew Oliver had a fierce protective streak when it came to his sister and Slade had captured her, twice now.

Thea was shaking with fear. She had been really scared when Slade had started to whip Oliver because she didn't see how anyone would be able to survive being treated like that. Her fear had grown when Slade came and removed her from the room with Roy and took her into the room with Detective Lance and Oliver before leaving them again. Her heart dropped when she saw her brother in person. She knew that it would be bad just based of the video feed she had seen in the other room. She was not prepared, however for how he looked in person though. He had a bruise on his jaw, a bruise on his side, she saw blood dripping down his back and around his side from the whip, and then she noticed the puddle on the floor. It was all she could do to keep from retching right there.

"Thea, are you okay?" Oliver asked his sister. He was worried for her, especially as she looked like she was about to lose the contents of her stomach.

"Me?" Thea asked incredulously. She could not believe that Oliver was asking how she was doing when obviously he was the most injured. "Why are you asking about me? I should be asking how you are!"

"I'm fine Thea." Oliver replied as calmly as he could. He didn't want Thea to worry any more than she already was, he was trying to calm her down.

"How can you be fine Ollie?" Thea asked, her voice getting louder as she still could not believe that he wasn't there cringing in pain right now. "You obviously are not fine."

"Speedy..." Oliver started to reply, but was interrupted when the door opened again and Slade returned.

Lance listened to the exchange between the siblings and chuckled quietly to himself when he heard Oliver use the word 'fine' and Thea's response. She obviously hasn't learned Oliver's definition of fine. He thought just before Slade came back in. Lance could not help but be worried about what was going to happen next. He watched Slade as the man walked silently to the wall behind Oliver. He reached out and pressed on the wall and suddenly the wall started to rise, revealing a wall of mirrors behind Oliver, before moving to each side and raising panels at the back of those walls as well. There were now mirrors covering the back wall directly behind Oliver as well as the side walls, beginning where Oliver was hanging and going to the back wall. The room was now half mirrors. Oh this isn't going to be good. He thought as he got a good look at Oliver's back through the mirrors for the first time as well as heard Thea's strangled cry as she saw the same thing.

Oliver heard the cry from Thea and saw the look of horror on the Detective's face and wondered what Slade had done behind his back. Whatever it was, it was not good. He watched Slade walk back around in front of him and back to where the whip was hanging by the door before turning around again. He again tried to prepare himself for whatever Slade had planned next. I can not let myself cry out. I can't let Thea hear that. Oliver thought, more determined than ever to keep silent. He refused to expose his sister to that as he knew how it would haunt her for the rest of her life.

"How are you feeling brother?" Slade asked, practically spitting out the last word, contempt clear in his voice.

Oliver turned and glared at Slade, staring him in the eyes, almost daring him to do his worst.