A surge of crimson Speed Force lightning crackled in the air, wrapping around Jack Kadere and Thea Queen. The current not only protected their bodies but also kept their clothes from being shredded by the velocity. Thea clung tightly to Jack's neck, her wide eyes straining to take in what was happening.
She tried not to blink, swearing she could keep up, but the world blurred and shifted like a slideshow—one frame after another, each instant carrying them somewhere new. And then, just as suddenly, it stopped.
Thea found herself standing in the middle of a stylish boutique, racks of designer clothing surrounding her.
Her mouth fell open.
"Not planning on getting down anytime soon?" Jack teased, still holding her with ease.
"Ah—" Thea gasped, suddenly realizing her position. She scrambled back to her feet, cheeks pink as she brushed off her blazer.
Jack chuckled as she darted from rack to rack, her hands brushing fabrics until she froze before a sleek, black strapless dress. She lifted it with a sparkle in her eye. "This one! What do you think?"
Jack tilted his head, giving it only a glance. "The dress is nice, sure. But it doesn't really suit you."
Thea narrowed her eyes. "And why not?"
"Because you can't fill it out," Jack said casually, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Thea gasped, scandalized. "Did you just say I have small breasts?"
Instead of backing down, Jack just grinned.
Her pride wounded, Thea tugged off her blazer and stood there defiantly. "What? You're not even going to turn around?"
"If you've got the guts to take it off, I've got the guts to look," Jack said smoothly, leaning against the counter.
Thea scoffed. "You think I won't?"
She wasn't one to back away from a challenge. With a boldness that surprised even herself, she slipped into the dress right there. But after only a glance at the mirror, her confidence fizzled.
"Ugh, nope. Not for me." She stripped the dress off as quickly as she had put it on and wriggled back into her clothes, clearly annoyed. "So what now, genius?"
Jack tapped his chin. "Well, by now the cops should have noticed you're missing. That means it's time for step two—sending your family a kidnapping photo."
Her eyes widened. "Wait, what? You're seriously doing the whole ransom thing?"
Jack's grin widened. "Come on. Every classic kidnapping has proof of life, right? Follow me."
They left the boutique and soon arrived at a desolate, industrial-looking warehouse on the edge of the city. Broken windows gaped like hollow eyes, and the flickering light from a rusted streetlamp set the stage perfectly.
Jack had Thea's hands and feet bound and even gagged her with a strip of black cloth. He adjusted his phone camera and frowned.
"Your eyes. They're supposed to scream fear, not… anticipation."
Thea wriggled in the ropes, shooting him an incredulous glare. "I'm not an actress, Kadere! This is as good as you're going to get."
"Fine, then let's make it easier." Jack grabbed another strip of cloth and tied it gently over her eyes. He stepped back, snapped a shot, and checked the result. "Perfect. Now that's convincing."
Click!
Satisfied, he quickly untied her restraints.
Thea yanked the blindfold down, leaning over eagerly. "Let me see!" She gasped at the photo. "Oh no… what's my family going to do when they see this?"
"They'll panic, worry, and rage," Jack said with a chuckle, slipping the phone back into his pocket. "Regretting this little adventure already?"
Thea hesitated. "…Maybe a little. I don't want to really hurt them." Her voice softened. "Especially my mom."
Jack sat down beside her, his voice casual yet edged with curiosity. "Funny thing about your family. Did you know Robert Queen isn't actually your biological father?"
Thea stiffened. "That's a dumb lie."
"Not a lie," Jack said calmly. "And if we're being honest, your real father's story is a lot darker. As for your brother Oliver? He's been running around in a hood, shooting arrows at criminals. Calls himself Green Arrow."
Her jaw dropped. "You're messing with me…"
Jack grinned knowingly. "Am I?" With a flash of Speed Force energy, he vanished before she could retort.
Thea blinked at the empty space, her chest rising and falling as the silence settled around her.
—
In the CEO's office of Queen Consolidated, Moira Queen slammed the phone down with trembling hands. Detective Quentin Lance had just told her something outrageous—Thea had vanished from a police holding cell.
It didn't make sense. Thea was under lock and key. How could her daughter just disappear?
"Detective Lance, are you really asking me to believe my daughter vanished into thin air from a police station?" she had snapped moments earlier. "I know you dislike Oliver and you've never trusted the Queen family, but you are still an officer of the law. You are bound by integrity. I am coming to the station right now, and I expect you to have found my daughter by the time I arrive!"
Now, as she turned to summon John Diggle to prepare the car, something caught her eye.
A photo.
It hadn't been on her desk a second ago, yet there it was—clear as day.
"Thea!" Moira gasped, seizing the picture.
Her daughter was bound hand and foot, blindfolded, her lips gagged as she lay on what looked like the cold floor of an abandoned building.
Moira's breath caught. This wasn't a prank. This wasn't a mistake. Her daughter had truly been kidnapped.
But how had the photo appeared here, right in front of her?
"Moira Queen," a voice said smoothly.
She spun, her heart skipping. A man was seated casually on the guest sofa, as if he had been there all along.
"Who are you? How did you get in?" Moira demanded, struggling to steady her voice. Her eyes darted to the photo in her hands. "Where is Thea?"
The man—Jack Kadere—smiled faintly, his tone calm but sharp as a blade. "Of course I won't tell you where she is. But if you don't answer my questions truthfully, I promise you'll see her."
Moira's stomach knotted. "See her…" She swallowed, realizing exactly what he meant. Not alive.
"No, please," she said quickly, her mask of composure cracking. "Don't hurt Thea. I'll give you whatever you want."
Jack leaned forward, his eyes glinting. "She's beautiful," he said lightly.
Moira's heart nearly stopped. "She's just a girl. She's young—please, don't touch her."
Jack tilted his head. "She's beautiful, yes. But she's not really yours and Robert's, is she? Thea's father… is someone else."
Moira froze. Her fingers clenched around the photograph until the paper threatened to tear. "What… what are you talking about? Of course Robert is—"
"Think very carefully before you answer." Jack's tone sharpened, his voice suddenly like steel. "This isn't about what the world thinks. This is about her life. If your next words aren't the truth—the truth you and I both know—then you know exactly what will happen."
Moira's pulse thundered in her ears. The secret she had guarded for so many years—the truth no one else was supposed to know—was suddenly cornering her. Not even Oliver knew. The fallout, if it came out, could destroy everything.
But then she saw Thea's face in the photograph again. Bound. Helpless. Terrified.
Her lips quivered. "Thea… Thea isn't Robert's biological daughter."
The admission seemed to drain the strength from her body. Moira sank back against her desk, pale and trembling. She had never spoken the words aloud.
Before Jack could respond, the office door burst open with a loud bang!