Chapter 12: The Rival's Return and the Weather Wizard
Central City was fun, but Starling City, with its perpetually grim atmosphere and its resident brooding vigilante, was home. For now, anyway. Adam and Felicity returned to the Arrowcave, just in time for the usual post-crisis cleanup and the inevitable emergence of a new villain. This time, it was the Weather Wizard, Mark Mardon, a metahuman who could control the weather. The Flash S01E02: "Fastest Man Alive" and Arrow S03E02: "Sara" were running concurrently, a delightful double feature of superhero shenanigans.
"So, a guy who can control the weather? Great. Just when I thought this city couldn't get any more dramatic," Adam muttered, watching a news report about a sudden hailstorm. "Is he going to start singing 'Let It Go' next? Because if so, I'm out. I have my limits."
Oliver, of course, was already in full "grim detective" mode, poring over meteorological data. Diggle was trying to make sense of it all. Felicity was, as always, the queen of the keyboard.
"We need to track him," Oliver stated, his voice flat. "But his movements are erratic. He's literally a force of nature."
"A force of nature with a very predictable pattern, if you know where to look," Adam said, pulling out his phone. "Hold on, I'm going to call my new best friend. He's got a knack for this kind of thing."
He video-called Cisco, who answered immediately, a wide grin on his face. "Adam! My man! What's up, my Arrow-verse brother?"
"Cisco, my speedy compadre, I need your brain. We've got a weather-controlling metahuman here in Starling, and Oliver's brooding is reaching critical mass," Adam explained, holding the phone up so Oliver and Diggle could see. "Any thoughts on how to track a guy who can summon a hurricane with a flick of his wrist?"
Oliver and Diggle stared at the phone, utterly baffled by the sight of Cisco's enthusiastic face.
Oliver (POV): He watched Adam casually video-chatting with Barry Allen's lab partner, a man he barely knew, about a metahuman. It was infuriating. Adam seemed to have friends everywhere, and they were all equally as strange as he was. And his constant jokes about Oliver's "brooding" were starting to wear thin. He was useful, yes, but he was also a constant source of irritation.
"Weather manipulation, huh? Hmm, that's tricky," Cisco mused, tapping his chin. "You'd need to track atmospheric pressure anomalies, sudden temperature drops, localized electrical surges... it's all about the micro-climates he's creating."
"Exactly what I was thinking!" Adam exclaimed, winking at Oliver, who just looked more confused. "So, if you were, say, a brilliant scientist with access to a supercomputer, how would you pinpoint the source of those anomalies?"
Cisco, delighted by the challenge, launched into a detailed explanation of atmospheric tracking algorithms. Adam, meanwhile, subtly used the System.
[ASK A QUESTION. COST: 20 NON-PLP. CONFIRM?]
"Twenty LP for a weather report? This better be accurate. I don't want to accidentally send Oliver into a tornado with a bad haircut." "Confirm!"
The System provided a series of coordinates and a specific time. Adam, still on the video call, casually repeated the information, making it sound like he was just extrapolating from Cisco's brilliant insights.
"So, if you cross-reference those atmospheric pressure drops with the recent power surges, you'll find a consistent pattern leading to... a derelict power station on the outskirts of the city. Around, oh, midnight tonight," Adam said, nodding sagely. "Just a lucky guess, of course. Or maybe I just have a really good internal barometer."
Cisco's eyes widened. "Whoa! That's... that's exactly what I was about to say! You're good, Adam! Really good!"
Oliver and Diggle exchanged a look. They had no idea how Adam knew this, but the information was precise, and it made sense.
"Alright, we'll check it out," Oliver grunted, still suspicious.
"Good! And don't forget to pack an umbrella, Oliver. You never know when a rogue cloud might decide to rain on your parade," Adam quipped, then ended the video call with a cheerful wave to a still-beaming Cisco.
Later that night, the team moved on the derelict power station. The Weather Wizard was there, attempting to amplify his powers. The confrontation was intense, a whirlwind of wind, rain, and lightning. Adam, from a safe distance, continued to provide "lucky insights," guiding Oliver and Diggle through the chaotic environment.
Ultimately, the Weather Wizard was subdued, and the city was saved from a very soggy fate.
[MISSION COMPLETE: SARA. REWARD: 150 NON-PLP.]
"One hundred and fifty LP for being a remote weather forecaster? This is the easiest money I've ever made. And Oliver still has no idea how I do it. Priceless."
Back in the Arrowcave, Oliver was still looking at Adam with a mixture of annoyance and grudging respect. "You and Barry's friend. You two seem to have quite the... connection."
"Oh, Cisco's great! We speak the same language: sarcasm, pop culture, and the occasional scientific breakthrough," Adam said, grinning. "It's a beautiful thing, Oliver. You should try having friends who don't constantly remind you of your tragic past. It's surprisingly liberating."
Oliver just sighed, running a hand over his face. Adam just chuckled. The rivalry was strong, but so was the burgeoning, bizarre friendship.
System Status After Chapter: Non-PLP: 175. PLP: 4.
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