A collective hiss of disbelief rippled through the room.
Wait… what?
This girl wanted to help them fight Vandal Savage? Out of pure heroic goodwill?
The three tech guys—the ones who'd practically bled future tech for her yesterday—looked deeply moved. Ray Palmer's handsome face went from cloudy to clear skies in an instant.
He grabbed Thea's hand enthusiastically. "A friend in need is a friend indeed! I completely misjudged you!"
Jax and Professor Stein hurried over as well, offering their thanks. Jax scratched his neck awkwardly, while Stein, old enough to be her grandfather, simply gave her a dignified, paternal hug—one that made Thea's soul quietly scream for help.
God help me, she thought. This damned A.I. tricked me into this.
If she backed out now, these three would instantly turn on her—not that she feared them, but she really didn't want to give back all the tech they'd just "gifted" her. What was she supposed to do, fight her way out? That'd be a bit much, even for her standards.
So she glared daggers at Gideon in her mind while keeping her expression noble and resolute.
Out loud, she declared righteously, "It's every hero's duty to fight evil! Vandal Savage must be destroyed—no matter the cost!"
Even Rip Hunter thought her speech was a bit… theatrical. But hey, enthusiasm was enthusiasm. Thea was powerful, reliable, and already had a proven record—she'd fought seven of them single-handedly and won. If she wanted to tag along, who was he to say no?
Besides, the Waverider had plenty of empty rooms. One more passenger didn't hurt.
He was just about to give a welcome speech when Captain Cold, lounging nearby with his usual smirk, muttered, "What can she even do? Toss a few fancy arrows? We were just holding back last time."
That hit a nerve. The loss to Thea still stung. He, a man who once stared down the Flash without flinching, had been taken down by a girl with a bow—and in front of witnesses, no less. The memory burned like frostbite.
And if Cold was bitter, Heat Wave was fuming.
At least his partner had managed to get a few swings in. He himself hadn't even seen what hit him before being cocooned like a moth in Thea's webbing. Then he'd woken up half-dead and humiliated.
Thea ignored both of them completely, pretending not to notice their hostility. You want to pick a fight? Go ahead. I'll use that as my excuse to leave this ship.
Unfortunately, Gideon wasn't about to let her slip away so easily. The overly sentient A.I. spoke up, voice calm and oh-so-innocent:
"According to Time Council Regulation 2-55, Waverider crew members may access special personnel records if at least three members approve the request."
"I approve," Cold said instantly.
"Me too," Heat Wave added right after.
The room went still. Everyone waited to see who would be the third.
"Uh… well, I am a little curious," Ray admitted after a pause, flashing Thea an apologetic smile. "I approve too."
Of course you do, Thea thought darkly. Classic billionaire move—get what you want, keep your hands clean. I'd do the same.
Gideon's holographic face appeared, serene to the group but smug to Thea's eyes.
"Searching…"
A moment later, the A.I. spoke.
"Thea Queen — historically recorded as the last Archmage in human history. Her final public appearance was at her brother Oliver Queen's funeral in the year 2071. She had not aged. After that, she vanished entirely from the timeline."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Even Thea herself froze. The last Archmage?
Her brain struggled to catch up. That… actually sounds amazing. Damn, future me has flair.
Sara Lance, who'd once fought alongside a much less impressive Thea in Star City, stared at her, dumbfounded. This isn't the same girl I remember, right? Or did I know a counterfeit version?
Captain Cold, unimpressed, folded his arms. " 'Archmage,' huh? Big title. What exactly did she do?"
"Apologies," Gideon replied smoothly. "Those records are classified under major historical events."
Cold frowned. "Classified, huh? Sounds like she's important. Fine. Then how did she even enter public history? You can tell us that, right?"
"Only with consent from the involved individual," Gideon answered evenly.
All eyes turned toward Thea. Some were curious, some admiring, others just nosy.
Thea herself was curious too. How the hell did I end up famous? I've been pretty discreet… haven't I?
"Fine," she sighed. "I consent."
Two long, awkward minutes passed. Rip Hunter was about to ask if Gideon had crashed again when the hologram finally spoke:
"Additional consent required—from another participant."
"Another… what now?" Everyone blinked in confusion.
They exchanged suspicious glances like kids in class waiting to see who the teacher would call on.
"Gideon," Rip said at last, rubbing his temple, "whose consent do you need?"
"Mr. Leonard Snart," Gideon answered calmly.
Captain Cold's jaw dropped. His smug detachment vanished. "What? That's impossible. I've never even met her. Not now, not in the future. You said time travel erases old tracks—so how could I ever meet her?"
His reasoning was solid. The others frowned, turning the puzzle over. Even Thea furrowed her brow.
She was sure she'd never crossed paths with him—he lived in Central City, she in Star City. Their worlds didn't mix.
"Mr. Snart," Gideon replied, "you will rob the Central City Historical Museum in 2010. Thea Queen, then serving as the event's guest curator, will be forced to stop you. Historical records confirm this encounter."
Snart shot to his feet. "That's ridiculous! I never robbed any museum in 2010!"
"No," Gideon said simply. "You did. History cannot be wrong."
Snart turned to Heat Wave. "Mick, do you remember anything like that?"
Mick shrugged, uncertain. "Uh… maybe? Feels fuzzy."
For once, Captain Cold looked genuinely rattled. His memory was sharp—too sharp for this kind of blank spot.
If Gideon was right… then somewhere, somewhen, his path and Thea Queen's really had crossed.