Dorothy fell asleep as Luav carried her down the yellow brick road, and she was jostled awake later in the day. The sun was high in the sky, and a green vehicle that was obviously for both air and ground transportation sat in the middle of the road, two officials who wore official emerald colored uniforms waited for them.

Dorothy climbed off of Luav, who was panting heavily.

One of the officials swept a small bow. "We shall be escorting you to the city the rest of the way. We will arrive there later this evening, Miss Gale," he said. He pulled open the door for her with a sweeping motion.

She nodded and climbed into the vehicle. Things were working much better than she had expected-- she had a fairly decent nap, and now the enemies were taking her into their own territory, completely unaware of her plans. At least, she hoped they were.

She pulled the seatbelt across her chest and snapped the buckle in as the men climbed into the front of the vehicle.

They began to drive, leaving Luav to continue the rest of the way back to the Emerald City by  himself.

Dorothy closed her eyes and remained silent as they went the rest of the way to the Emerald City.

                    ***

When they arrived to the palace, the official in the passenger seat opened the door for her. Dorothy climbed out of the vehicle and looked up at the palace.

A servant waited in front of the entrance, and lead her inside and brought her back to the same sitting room where she had last spoke with the Wizard.

Dorothy sat down and folded her hands together, fidgeting slightly. She wondered where she could find Bo, and she thought about a few different plans for breaking him out of captivity, as well as a few plans for assassinating the Wizard.

The sooner she got this done, the sooner Bo would be free.

The Wizard entered the room. He wore a pair of emerald slacks and a pale, mint green dress shirt with the sleeves neatly rolled up to his elbows, and his red hairs were combed back.

"Welcome back," he told Dorothy with a smirk. "Returned to assassinate me? Well, that won't do at all. That won't do at all, my dear."

Dorothy gave a flick of her eyebrows and widened her eyes. "Why would I do that? Why would I assassinate you?"

Oz glared at her and clicked his tongue. "Well, you certainly didn't come here to be friends with me, Dorothy Gale, especially since your terrorist friend had been arrested, but I am hoping to change that."

"What are your terms?" Dorothy asked, trying to read his expression as he narrowed his green eyes slightly.

"Oh, terms. I don't have any. I don't need any," Oz replied with a low, forced sounding chuckle that made Dorothy feel like a thousand eyes were suddenly on her.

She sat up straighter and rolled her shoulders back in an attempt to feign confidence. "Oh, really?"

"Well, you see, Dorothy," the Wizard said with a smile, "I have something to hold over your pretty little head and you have nothing to hold over mine."

She tightened her hands into fists. "I do. I've got the Munchkins Incognito Coup of the--"
"They have nothing. They are nothing," Oz cut in.

"Glinda's on our side," Dorothy said quickly, "And I suppose she knows so much more about you than I do."

"Discrediting people is easy, when you have the press on your side," the Wizard said suavely, folding his hands together and popping his knuckles slowly. His piercing gaze didn't leave Dorothy's face. "Especially when the very person that needs to be discredited is a very silly Witch."

Oz stood up and stepped towards her. "So, you have nothing, nothing to hold over my head to get me to bend to your will, Dorothy Gale. Even with you trying to play assassin, you have nothing over me." He pinched her chin between his ice cold fingers and brought his face just inches away from hers. "Since I will not bend to your will. You will bend to mine."

Dorothy yanked herself away from Oz, her nose scrunched up in disgust.

"I have given my orders that if anyone assassinates me, your friend is to be put to death immediately," Oz said in a low hiss.
Dorothy stared up at him, a lump building up in her throat.

"Any attempt to provide him a way of escape will also result in his immediate execution," Oz added, "So no games."

"What do I have to do to keep him alive?" Dorothy asked, her voice cracking.

A smile spread across the Wizard's face, his grin like a loading laser weapon.

"I thought you would never ask."