Phoenix ch 8

The Mayor's secretary, Alice Murphy, was sitting primly behind her amazingly tidy aluminum desk. As Oliver pushed the frosted glass door with the City Seal open by its steel handles, she regarded him with icy disdain.

He expected an older woman, set in her Miss Manners ways but this woman was amazing looking. She had her golden hair up in a chignon; light green eyes were pained with a perfect smoky look and blazing red lipstick. Her dress was a large floral print with a proper lime green cardigan that was trimmed in a feminine lace. Oliver's brain almost made him say, "Felicity?" but he didn't, instead he tried to regain his composure.

"Mr. Queen." The way her voice cut through the air did the trick. An ice cold shower was poured over his brain, " You are twenty minutes late."

" Yes. I was assisting a teacher with a field trip." Queen shot back, his walls and defenses in full engage mode. No more day dreams about Felicity, but now John's words echoed in his head: make up your mind, man!

"I see." She looked him up and down, but not in the typical way he was used to. Oliver felt like his soul had been scoured, " I'll let him know you are here." A few magical punches of a telephone keypad and a lightening quick conversation was all it took. "Please, through those doors." She gestured with her eyes, her body never moving more than a scant inch in any direction as if she was frozen in her perfection and control.

He didn't even thank her as he moved away from the Puritanical secretary wondering what other surprises awaited him. The next door was wood and opened easily into a large rectangular office with dark blue carpet speckled with a golden birds eye pattern. Behind the main desk sat the Mayor and two leather couches on either side, where some guests were also sitting. The morning sun streamed in from the palladian window behind the Mayor and past he heavy maroon curtains that were pushed away to each side on their heavy brass rings. Now Oliver knew where all those campaign donations went to as he inspected the room.

"Mr. Queen! I hear you were waylaid by some pint sized citizenry." The Mayor rose from his desk and presented a hand.

Oliver shook it firmly and replied, "Yes. I guess they had a lost sheep to return to the fold."

" Splendid." the Mayor appeared to take no notice of why he was kept waiting but moved right on, "I'd like you to meet someone who is going to help this city reclaim what was… lost." His tone took on a mournful sound referring to the city's damage.

Queen looked at the assembled pair. A woman and a man sat in their grey business suits, looking no different than any other professionals would. A large shrouded object stood next to them, which aroused Oliver's curiosity.

" This is Ms. Elizabeth Luthor and her business partner, Steve Pattenson." The Mayor said congenially in that perpetual politician tone.

Queen's radar perked up: Luthor? "Pleased to meet you." He extended a hand to each, " Luthor? That is a well known family name."

Elizabeth smiled a polite smile like she was used to explaining, "If I had a dollar for each time I heard that, I would not be here!" she chuckled lightly and Oliver cocked his head, "Lex was my great great uncle. Nasthalia was my grandmother. I like the last name."

" I am sure it gets you attention." Oliver countered as he considered the woman. Her black hair was cut in a blunt bob and her brown eyes revealed a great intellect. She smiled slightly, almost coyly.

"Sometimes unwarranted attention." Steve said strongly and moved ever so slightly closer to Elizabeth. His face was chiseled into a warning at Queen. Oliver absorbed his nonverbal communication easily but held his ground, his jaw muscles flexing involuntarily.

The Mayor stepped in, "So, Elizabeth was here to show us her new idea for rebuilding Starling City." He gestured to the cloth-covered object in the middle of the room, "I invited you, Mr. Queen to see what we were considering, being that your father did so much for Starling City and you are now the head of Queen Consolidated. Would you care to take a seat?"

Oliver obliged by sitting in the opposite couch from where Elizabeth and Steve had been just moments before. " Mr. Mayor, Mr. Queen, what we have to show you here today is something amazing." Elizabeth launched into her sales pitch. Steve stepped back to give her room to show off.

"When we heard what had happened to Starling City, we were horrified in Gotham." her tone was appropriately sad, "But then I realized that what my company manufactures is exactly what you need." The Mayor was on the edge of his seat like a boy about to be given a treat from Santa. She looked at the Mayor directly, "How many people would it take to rebuild all the structures that were destroyed in the earthquake, Mr. Mayor?"

The Mayor looked dazed; he didn't have his aides with the prepared numbers, "Uh, I … I have no idea, actually." His cheeks colored slightly in embarrassment. Oliver tried not to roll his eyes.

" Our current projections are at a minimum, 50,000 workers. And a time frame of over ten years." Steve interjected seriously like a well-oiled tag team. The Mayors face lost all expression as if his head would explode.

" Where could you hire and house 50,000 construction workers, their equipment and all the building material to get Starling City back on its feet quickly?" Elizabeth pounded the Mayor but didn't give him time to answer, let alone think, "Malcolm Merlyn did great damage to this city, and his money will help, but it can't cover everything that needs to be done." She paced from side to side like a tiger and Oliver was almost getting bored of this circus. He tried to not yawn.

"Mr. Mayor, I have the answer right here." Elizabeth patted the disguised mass in the room," And it will save Starling City." Pulling the cloth lightly, it slipped from the object like a river of silk.

Oliver sat up a bit straighter at the reveal. A man-sized robot stood in the room, half Terminator half exosuit from Alien, the dark grey panels absorbed light is seemed rather than reflect it. It was an ominous machine and a shiver ran along Oliver's spine.

Elizabeth beamed at the Mayor, genuinely proud of her work. Steve had a more cautious smile, looking at Oliver. Queen said nothing but tore his eyes from the robot to look at the Mayor.

The man was utterly stunned and it looked as if drool could fall from his mouth, it hung open so wide. " Sweet Lord Almighty." He breathed finally at the thing hulking in his office, "What can that thing do?"

"I am glad you asked." Steve stepped up to the plate, "This is our Terrex 1 model. It is fully humanoid, but possesses the strength of 100 men. The arms can be interchanged with construction equipment, such as jack hammers, scoops and even mix concrete."

"Like an overgrown Cuisinart." Oliver interjected coolly. Steve threw him a discretely nasty look. The Mayor took no notice transfixed as he was on the machine.

Steve continued, "It can be programmed for a variety of tasks, can trouble shoot and think on its feet and it can work all day and night with no breaks. One foreman can oversee a small army of these droids and set them to work."

Oliver felt that shiver again with the word army.

"Besides build, what other functions does this thing have?" Oliver queried, throwing an arm casually over the back of the couch.

Steve looked perplexed for a moment but Elizabeth spoke up, "They can do virtually anything."

"Like Iron Man, hmm?" Oliver kept playing the sarcastic billionaire while discretely activating a cufflink camera on his outstretched arm. Now everything he was seeing, Felicity and Dig could see.

"Well not the same, since it's not an exoskeleton." Elizabeth countered honestly.

"Elizabeth, I think Mr. Queen isn't taking us seriously." Steven said with icy overtones. The Mayor was standing up next to the robot and poking at it. No one seemed to notice he was even there.

"No, I'm very serious." Oliver returned, "And I want to know what you two plan to do to our city."

"You mean for?" Elizabeth countered, folding her hands in front of her.

"No." Oliver said tersely, "There is a lot of money here for the taking. How can we be sure your intentions are… in the best interest of the city?"

Steve and Elizabeth exchanged looks and were about to react when the Mayor spoke up loudly, "YES! We'll take your help. All of it. Every last one of these… magnificent machines! Amazing… simply amazing."

Steve and Elizabeth looked at the Mayor, who was happily exploring the robot, then at Oliver.

Oliver frowned at their cat-ate-the-canary looks. " Certainly, Mr. Mayor. As you wish!" Elizabeth said brightly, a stark contrast to her devilish expression.

"That is what we are going to do for your city, Mr. Queen." Steve growled at Oliver then turned to pat the Mayor good-naturedly on the back and talk shop.

Oliver's stomach turned. He wasn't afraid but he knew the Hood was not hanging it up any time soon. He had his work cut out here in front of him.

A/N- so that is a bit of what I think the season 2 could be… but it could be anything. Just thought I'd have some fun with it and fill the void for a while. Thanks for the readership. 8belles.