Bluffing Malcolm

Silently sensing the faint bond of kinship, Thea left a mental suggestion in Tommy's mind: wake up, leave the secret base immediately, and forget everything about this place.

Worried about potentially harming his mind, she used only a minuscule amount of power. After checking that everything seemed fine, she consciously dismissed the duplicate.

Meanwhile, Thea's main body was pulling Laurel along in a frantic run. Laurel truly had the potential to be a hero; despite wearing considerable heels, she managed, albeit somewhat clumsily, to keep up with Thea's pace.

"Alright, let's rest for a bit." Seeing how exhausted Laurel was, Thea gradually slowed down. Ever since eating the green fruit given to her by the Swamp Thing, her lung capacity was incredible; she could run at this speed and intensity all day without tiring.

Laurel was gasping for breath. Hearing they could rest, she didn't sit down immediately but looked back first. Seeing no pursuers, she finally relaxed.

"Thea... you have amazing stamina." After resting a moment, the observant Laurel immediately noticed the difference. She was practically panting, while Thea beside her seemed completely unaffected.

Thea could only divert the topic to how she exercised regularly, family genetics, and the like. Look how fit Oliver was, how strong – it was all inherited from their parents.

She even gave Laurel a knowing glance. Laurel, now mostly sober and less unrestrained than before, didn't quite grasp the distinction Thea was implying but nodded somewhat shyly, letting the topic drop.

The two women chatted about the recent crime wave in Star City. By this time, the consciousness of Thea's duplicate had returned to her main body, filling her in on the events concerning Tommy.

"Do you know who shot that arrow?" Thea lowered her voice, as if sharing a huge secret.

Laurel looked a bit strange. "How would I know? I didn't see anything clearly."

"I just remember being terrified, then the bearded guy suddenly fell, and then everything went dark before you pulled me out." Laurel crossed her arms, tilting her head up slightly as she pondered the truth.

This is the classic curious civilian trope kicking in, Thea thought. Rescued by a hero, curiosity spikes, determined to find out the masked hero's identity. This kind often leads characters into tricky situations. Well-known examples included Lois Lane and Iris West.

Thea glanced briefly at Laurel's thoughtful pose. The truth is simple, but I'm not telling you. You can guess all you want!

The next day, after spending another day accompanying her mother and calling in, Thea arrived at Merlyn Global Group towards evening.

"Hey, Thea." Tommy, sitting outside the CEO's office, greeted her listlessly as she walked in.

Thea scanned her brother mentally. Hmm, recovering well. The faint trace of mental energy she'd left had completely dissipated – either it had served its purpose or been erased by a higher power. Thea suspected the former.

"Why do you look so drained?" she asked, feigning ignorance.

Tommy looked a bit awkward and mumbled that he hadn't slept well.

Thea, acting completely familiar, leaned against his desk. "What's going on with you and Laurel? I talked a lot with her yesterday, you know." They had talked a lot, mostly about things unsuitable for younger audiences.

Tommy, unaware that his recent escapade was known to Thea, heard Laurel's name and recalled the conversation he'd had with Malcolm when his father found out about his plan to play vigilante.

Malcolm's point had been blunt: If you want to be a hero, fine, go ahead. But be prepared for those close to you to get hurt. If you rush out unprepared, you'll only live to regret it.

As Oliver's best friend, Tommy shared certain traits with him, whether it was falling for the fiercely righteous Laurel or possessing a spirit of self-sacrifice for the greater good. Both men had made the same choice: distance themselves from the ones they loved.

Thinking this, he looked at the striking Thea before him. Unaware of the truth, he silently admired how beautiful his friend's sister had become, perhaps the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. To avoid involving others, it's best I keep my distance.

"I need to handle something. Make yourself comfortable," he said, grabbing some files from his desk and leaving abruptly before Thea could react.

His unusual behavior stumped Thea. Their relationship shouldn't be this cold. Why such a strong reaction when I mentioned Laurel? Or did the suggestion last night go wrong?

Her mind immediately jumped to the possibility of the mental suggestion malfunctioning, not delving into deeper reasons.

Shaking her head, she put the thought aside for now. She had partly come to see Tommy, but her main purpose today was to find Malcolm.

Reaching Malcolm's door, she scanned the area with her senses. Finding nothing unusual, she pushed the door open and walked in.

"A rare guest. Here to see me about something?" Malcolm was calmly preparing tea. Seeing her enter, he poured an extra cup and gestured for her to sit down.

Thea chose her words carefully, pulling out the necklace from around her neck. "This is the item you gave me."

Malcolm assumed she wanted to return it and quickly smiled. "It suits you very well."

Of course, it suits me. Thea had already determined that Malcolm also lacked the basic conditions for bloodline awakening. Giving the necklace back to him would be pointless.

The level of this magical artifact was beyond her expectations. Despite studying it day and night, she had only deciphered the first seven inscriptions. She couldn't deduce more on her own, which was why she had come to Merlyn Global today.

"Do you know the origin of this necklace? Or perhaps how it came into your possession? May I ask?"

Malcolm's pupils contracted slightly. This topic was taking an unexpected turn.

But he quickly dismissed it, inwardly amused that Thea was still young and impatient. He slowly poured the tea. "Is there a problem with it? Don't rush. Drink some tea, tell me slowly."

How to explain? Thea thought for a long time, unsure how to begin. It seemed she would have to reveal some of her hand.

She had considered this before coming. Her actions during the battle in Gotham, especially dragging Solomon Grundy around for hours, had thousands of witnesses. Malcolm likely had eyes and ears among them. She would have to tell him some truths.

Fortunately, while Malcolm was a villain, he was a villain with a certain code, not entirely depraved. He treated his children well. In the original story, he smiled and died willingly for Thea. From a father's perspective, he arguably showed more humanity than heroes like Oliver or Diggle at times.

With a subtle shift of her shoulders, Thea performed an incredible feat right before Malcolm's eyes. A translucent figure emerged from her shadow, solidifying in less than a second, its facial features and body becoming distinct.

Pfft! Malcolm, who had been holding his teacup with the calm composure of a grandmaster, suddenly saw two Theas standing before him. He couldn't help but spray the tea he was sipping.

"What is going on...?" Forgetting all decorum, Malcolm scrambled to his feet, staring in shock at the astounding scene.

"This is the unique encounter I had in Gotham."

"This is why I came to find you."

The two Theas spoke one after the other, their voices, tones, and auras completely identical.

Malcolm couldn't believe his eyes. He stared hard for a long moment, unable to discern any illusion or trick.