Post by adrini on Sept 18, 2014 22:48:36 GMT -5
"Careful, take it slow." Diggle supported both the girls as the teens walked into the house. The girls were weak, and still a little shellshocked, but obviously glad to the home.
"We should use the elevator." Cissie followed, carrying the bags from the hospital. "Then we can play games and relax, let everyone get better."
"Where is Di?" Mia looked around the hall, concerned by the absence. She had been looking forward to seeing the woman again.
"Will be back soon, had an appointment." Diggle smiled at her look of disappointment, it would be rectified soon enough. "I'll take the bags up."
"Just sleeping in my own bed sounds wonderful. Can we game after a nap?" Thea gripped Diggle's arm tightly, faltering for a moment.
"After, the door Cissie?" Cissie, eyes somewhat wide at the show of weakness, hurried to the door and pressed the button. Diggle led the teens inside.
Once on the top floor Diggle took Thea to her room as Cissie helped Mia. She seemed to melt into the worn blankets on contact. It only took a moment to set her things back to right, and Mia grinned a little at the familiar scene.
"When is Di getting back?" Mia asked again, looking repeatedly at the 'family' frame. "Soon?"
"Soonest." The teen got settled in the bed. "Are you thirsty?"
"I am." She grinned weakly. "What do we have?"
"We got a ton of cider for halloween, because you were supposed to out sooner. A costume to. Maybe next year." Cissie got up suddenly and gabbed a bag from the closet. "I almost forgot the best part."
"Candy!" Mia laughed a little. "It's almost a good as the real thing."
"After you rest we can take over downstairs and gorge." Mia settled into her pillow and tried to will herself to feel safe again. She just needed her cousin.
<-(--<
"We're back Little Bird." Thea heard her brother's voice over her. She couldn't help the tears that leaked as she began reaching to feel his pull her close.
"Ollie!" She clung tightly, his beard against her neck, as she felt his tears as well. After over a month it was really over, she was really home. He pulled back slightly, looking at his life long partner in crime.
"I was so scared, Little Bird. That I came so close to loosing you." He brushed the hair from her face. Failing to speak more she began crying harder and began to let it go. The fear, the terror, the pain as shrapnel and accelerant pierced and burned her skin. Mia's cries of agony echoing her own. She had wanted her brother, but blacked out before anyone had arrived.
Ollie was holding his sister in a vice like grip, unwilling to let go. She felt herself being lifted as she settled her head on his shoulder and sighed. They took a moment, once again just the siblings. She didn't know how long they remained like that but what had to be some hours later she woke suddenly to the door creaking open to see her sister-in-law quickly peaking in the room and smiling at the site of the two of them.
Thea smiled a little in thanks as Di nodded and quietly closed the door, leaving the two to the time she knew they needed.
<-(--<
"And there." Jade lifted the pin and quickly removed the central wire. "You were a stubborn one."
She lifted the now disarmed bomb into the padded bag, along with the others, and walked back to the house. Kate was sitting in the rec room feeding Gage her lunch. Motherhood had both softened and hardened the red head. She was openly adoring of her daughter, but harder then ever against anything perceived a threat. Of which a bomb, disarmed or not, was a good example.
"You will not come near my little girl with those things. Put them in the armory." Jade knew better then to argue, and put the bag in the basement. Coming back Kate was closing her shirt with one hand and burping Gage with the other. "Much better, that the last of it?"
"Ballroom and Outreach clear." Jade said as she sat down. Tommy spotted her and ran over with the plush Robin Hood his Uncle Oliver had given him. "So long as they don't check for the mechanisms they'll be pressing the red button to nothing. Still leaves the police information and the tower."
"Renee is working on it with Anderson." She grinned as Tommy arrived and climbed into his mother's lap, happily settling in before going to look at the infant. He excitedly began to tell his young cousin about his morning 'helping' his Papa at the office. "But as the officers are in charge of the areas we can't pull it out, or transfer them without reason. If nothing else the feds know the general situation."
"But the delay would put the company at risk and hurt the brand." Roy joined them and sat next to his wife. "And that's assuming he has nothing else up his sleeve. I'm not ready to swear to that. Tower cleaned out. I added something extra."
"Can't wait to see it." Roy grinned as Oliver arrived, Thea glued to his side.. "At least that's one thing done."
"Te-a!" Tommy hurried over, Thea smiled openly as picked the kid up. Tommy looked at her closely, looking worried. "Boo boo better?"
"Mostly. Where is DI?" Tommy beamed and settled into her side. "Mia's missing to."
"Working on something with Bowstring." Kate was massaging Gage, trying to get her to sleep. Gage wasn't having it and was turning to look at Tommy and Thea. She wanted her friend back. "He was kinda cryptic, only wanted them."
"Not sure how I feel about that." Thea said, Oliver's facade darkened. "I mean it's Bowstring, but still."
<-(--<
"What does this have to do with Anderson?" Di asked as a very nervous Bowstring led her to an examination room at the station. Mia pushed the cart, the teen had been invited as well.
"He said he found something." Bowstring was walking next to Cissie. "But you and Mia needed to ID it. He had never seen one in person."
"I don't like that, it sounds bad." Mia looked at the woman in the wheel chair, Di nodded in agreement.
Entering the room Bonnie was waiting for them, allowed to wear her old cloths while in the custody of the Chief. Anderson was sitting at the side table setting a number of displays up, it looked like evidence. The woman smiled at he ex-husband and daughter and Di had to smile as Bowstring hurried to make sure she was okay.
"Are you sure it's safe here?" Mia asked the Chief, that Di was a target was well known. "Renee said that-"
"It's fine, I ordered the crooks of this wing out." Renee joined them. "Everything okay at home?"
"It's wonderful. Gage is starting to really interact with people, we actually had a conversation this morning." DI smiled at her old friend. "Changing a diaper is a very interesting topic."
"Cissie was like that to." Bowstring said, as Bonnie nodded. The teen next to them roller her eyes, blushing a little. "We're here. Ready?"
"Yes." Anderson said, more serious then normal. "I should premise this by saying I was told this in confidence and I don't want this leaving this room. Agreed?"
"It took some digging, but we found a link between a number of cases that have been floating around for some time." Renee took over as the room nodded. " Three, in fact. One in Haven, one in Alabama and one here in Star City. Each of you here, as it were."
"I'm confused. I left Haven almost four years ago." Di said. "And Mia has been out over a year. What connection can there be?"
"These." Anderson handed over an evidence bag. "I have a bad feeling both of you know what this is."
"Hey, Mia." Cissie hurried to her friend. At the sight of the vial Mia had reviled and was panicking in the corner, she was almost hyperventilating. Doctor's order's be damned Di jumped out of the chair and pulled the teen close. "What's wrong with her?"
"It's called the slave drug. It's from Haven. " Mia was gripping Di's shirt, barely fighting the urge to run. Mrs. Queen wasn't happy at Mia's condition, Cissie was glaring at the officers. "That what you wanted?"
"Roulette." Renee said, something clicking. Anderson was lost but Di nodded slowly. Renee paled slightly, and closed her eyes. "I am so sorry."
"Where did you find it?" DI asked quietly, still trying to comfort the teen.
"Several vials were found at the King estate. Traces were found in Bonnie's blood. We needed someone who knew what it did." Anderson said just before Di lashed out.
"She's right here!" Di yelled, pointing to Renee. "She knew exactly what it did! It erases your will, your mind! You want they they tell you to want! Do what they tell you to do! All you can do is watch, a spectator in your own form."
"How much of it was the drug?" Bowstring said quietly. Renee was holding her friend as she broke, long held grief released. He had seen her upset after Mia and Thea's attack, but he had never seen her like this. Anderson was trying to be stoic but failing, slowly realizing a part of the story for the first time.
"We had been off for awhile, I was thinking about leaving." Bonnie looked down. "But there wasn't anyone else and I didn't want to hurt anyone. When I detoxed at the prison it all came back. I'm so sorry, but I know that doesn't change anything."
"Why just give up?" Bowstring had started couples therapy, even set aside evenings.
"You met the goddamn Queens and wouldn't stop talking about how perfect they where." She was still angry. "You didn't need me anymore. I still had a room at home, and Aurther was willing to let me start over."
"As the drug was administered unwillingly she is not held to blame for crimes committed under its influence. Beyond that is up to you." Anderson said quietly, only half listening to them as he watched his near niece limply lean on Renee. Mia was much the same. "I'd recommend counseling to all parties involved. I've seen drugs before, but this is one terrible."
"Sir, permission to get them home?" Renee was supporting both young Mia and an emotionally exhausted Di, who he knew wanted her husband.
"Granted. Go." He said, helping Mrs. Queen back into her chair, where Mia joined her, Renee gently pushed the chair out of the room.
>--)->
"Half a million. Everything I have." Slade was taken aback. He had no idea what was going on. "Dad, I've seen you work for that much, will you do it?"
The father-daughter team was laying on the roof of a old 1920's warehouse as bustling voices floated from below. Slade never claimed to be the best father, but at moments like these even parent magazines would struggle with. Rose was visibly upset and glaring at the people below, looking at him for his response.
"Rosebud, look at this operation. A hundred men in the front rooms for processing, twenty in the production, who knows how much for sales and contact. How exactly do you suggest I take them out?" Slade looked over the room. "Even if I came up with a plan you're asking to kill them, I thought your MO was to detain and try now."
"These aren't pick pockets, Dad. This crap is evil, we kill it now or this place goes the way of Haven." She looked at him, wheels turning. "Quarter million, it will wipe me out, but is that enough?"
"Is this about Mrs. Queen?" He looked at her sternly, she didn't say anything but she glanced away and that was enough. "She's fine now, she's better off then most of the world even."
"No, she isn't." His daughter said quietly, he could guess what had happened.
"Finally cracked then." He sighed, suddenly understanding Rose's insistence that harder action be taken. "I'm sorry to hear that. No promises Rosebud. You're asking for a big job here. But I'll look into it."
"How is a quarter million not enough?" Rose hissed, furiously. "You've done way worse then this."
"With fewer angles." She wasn't going to drop this, and he knew it. "It's logistics, Rosie. Let me do my job."
<-(--<
"Rough day, Boyo." Ted had come to the house when he heard about the scene at the station. Currently he was in the sitting room he favored, which was the same one Ollie was pacing in as he waited to hear news from the others. "Knew it was coming, but couldn't say when."
"Sure, you knew it was coming." Oliver, having just spent the last two hours having to watch Jade and Kate calm his wife down as even his face set her off. Everyone from haven had 'seen it coming'. It didn't seem to have helped. The most heart breaking was hearing his wife call for the mother that could never come. "Every old friend she has 'knew it was coming'. Ever occur to you to fill me in?"
Ted looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't. Instead he looked guilty, it was a new look for him. Watching, Oliver's patience wasn't helped by the sight.
"She had no business being in Haven." The man said. "Neither of them did. The place breaks people." He sighed. "Never had a chance."
"So why where they there?" In the past haven news was considered off limits, part of some dark saga you had to live to know about. Oliver was done with with that approach, for better or worse he had married into the haven family and he needed to be filled in.
"Me." Ted said quietly, now even more guilty. "We were starting another school, with all of us retired and raising kids of our own. Di was the best one on one trainer I knew, and Little Bird was the most promising student I had seen in years. If there was going to be a team that could take on haven it had to have them. It's my fault.We needed to protect them, instead they protected us."
"Explain." Oliver leaned on the wall, a havenite was talking. The head one at that.
"There's not alot of escape in haven, it's rough all over. Di, Dinah's Mom, was a spitfire. Wouldn't have it." Oliver could tell Ted still missed his friend. "She and Little Bird made a haven for us, there was something magical about that house. Seemed to block the rest out."
"So what went wrong?" He sat down and paid attention.
"We lost her, and it all fell apart. Got too close." Ted rubbed his face. " Kate and Jade coped, with help."
"Renee and Tom." Oliver filled in. Ted nodded.
"I checked in on Dinah for awhile, but she seemed to be busy. Dealing with the estate, organizing the service, trying to move on.She didn't seem to want much. Then one day she just stop showing up, by the time we checked on her there was no sign." Ted's hands were gripped. "Only saw her once after that. Then she was gone."
"How was she?" The look wasn't good.
"Gone. Walked, talked, but gone." Oliver wasn't surprised. "Would only say she got a job overseas. Wanted me to say good-bye to the girls. All I know, I swear. Figure that's where you pick up."
"It is." Oliver looked at the stairs. "She still had scars, but was getting better. I figured so long as I brought her here,and made sure she was taken care of she'd have the time to recover fully. She had earned the easy life."
"So what went wrong?" Ted asked, agreeing.
"Nothing at first. It was idyllic, perfect. Took two weeks to call it, start the wedding. Made meals, played video games, watched tv, everything we had dreamed of. The only hiccup was that Di wouldn't talk about 'haven, but I have my own dark chapter. We agreed we'd share when we were ready."
"Time to process." Ted said, approving. "Then what?"
"Little problems kept popping up. I dealt with them at first but Di found out and demanded to help. It wasn't much. We found out about a group sent to target the family, we're rich, it happens. Should have been a two hour operation, instead I almost lost her. Everything changed, snowballed." Ted wasn't angry, just not surprised. "I've tried to shield her from as much as possible, but she keeps being targeted. The time to heal just isn't happening."
"She's the canary, a legend. At the top of her game she's almost unstoppable. There are people who don't want that." Ted explained.
"Ollie." Thea knocked on the door, she looked at the two. "She's asking for you. Roy says you can take the week, stay close. It's a good idea."
"Go for it, Boyo." Ted stood up. "We got this."