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schrijverr · 4 months ago

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Tomorrow Will Be Different 22

Chapter 22 out of 26

Instead of managing to meet up later, Oliver has to keep running with Akio. The only way to keep them safe is to go public with Oliver being alive, leaving him back home in charge of Akio, while Tatsu and Maseo are still in the wind

In this chapter, Oliver, Diggle, Tatsu and Maseo have to deal with A.R.G.U.S. and America bureaucracy, before they can go to the Queen Mansion.

On AO3.

Ships: tatsu x maseo

Warnings: none

~~~

Chapter 22: Testimonies and Debriefs

In Washington DC two cars are waiting for them. Since Diggle and Oliver are off the record, they’re not allowed to accompany Tatsu and Maseo to the government building where they have to testify against Shrieve.

The only reason Oliver lets them out of sight, is because Lyla will be with them and she promises they can call Akio in the car. If they’re letting their arrival out of containment, they can’t make a disappearance permanent without raising red flags.

Still, the hours they have to wait are torture. The first two hours are filled with Diggle and Oliver giving a mission reports of went down in Japan, but after that it’s just waiting.

After an hour or so of just him and Diggle in a waiting room, an A.R.G.U.S. agent comes to bring them the stuff they left behind on the plane. Diggle goes to call Carly and Andy Jr., while Oliver cringes as he looks down at all the missed messages from his mom, sister and Akio.

Maybe he should’ve said goodbye, but in the moment, it seemed like too much to handle. Now reaching out seems like a lot to handle too.

In Osaka he was confronted once more with how different he is now. During the debrief he mentioned the explosion and they confirmed that 15 bodies were recovered. He didn’t feel a thing about that then, and he doesn’t now. That probably makes him a bad person.

It’s not like he completely minds being a bad person; being a bad person has kept him alive for the past three years, has ensured Tatsu and Maseo are now here to reunite with Akio. A lot of bad people accomplish good things. Like Amanda Waller.

However, being around bad people can make you a bad person, again see what Amanda did with him. He doesn’t want to make those around him a bad person too.

He won’t be around Akio for long enough to influence him, but what about mom, Speedy, Tommy, Raisa, hell, even Laurel or Diggle, maybe Felicity. He’ll be around them for long enough. He can’t hide these parts for forever.

Those years are a permanent part of him. They’re lodged deep inside his soul and still haunt him every day.

Oliver can’t just stop scanning every crowd for potential threats, mapping the best exit routes and cataloging all potential weapons. Can’t stop seeing violence as a posssible answer to solve his problems.

If he has to repress that for the rest of time, he’ll probably explode.

However, running away from home also isn’t the answer. Looking through the frantic messages from his family tells him that much. He doesn’t want to hurt them like that, even if it is to protect them from himself. That will be backup plan Z, not sooner.

Perhaps if Diggle stays, he can convince him to spar with him. Take a beating and give one to get it out of his system.

In that moment, the revelation from the shower returns to him. That he’d like to do something good anonymously. His father’s notebook is still in his pocket and he has everything else from the island too, which was among the gear Lyla got him. He can use the bow and the hood to work down the list and right his father’s wrongs, detox the city from its poison.

The idea is very appealing and he mentally starts working out the details, the process keeping his mind busy enough that all the messages aren’t so overwhelming anymore.

He calls Akio first. The kid picks up in seconds, excitedly saying: “Oliver! You got them! Otōsan and Okāsan called, they are going to be here soon.”

“They are, buddy. You’re going to see them real soon,” he says, smiling at the excitement in Akio’s voice.

“Thank you. I knew you would get them. You always keep your promises.”

Oliver knows that isn’t true, that he promised Slade he’d help him get off the Lian Yu, Yao Fei that he’d keep his daughter safe, Sara that she’d make it home. However, when Akio says it, he can almost believe it. “Yeah, I try.”

“Are you going to be here soon?” Akio asks.

“I don’t know. Your mom and dad are answering some questions, but it might take a while. The second they’re done, we’re coming home, though.”

“And that will be soon?”

Oliver isn’t sure what to answer to that. He has no clue how long Tatsu and Maseo will be held until it’s all cleared up. With American bureaucracy, it can take hours, days, or months, even years. The only confidence he has that it will be today is that they’re in the waiting room, but for all he knows they’re waiting to get put in a hotel or something.

“Oliver?” Akio prompts, a small frown audible at the lack of response.

He is saved by an unlikely hero; his mom. He can hear her in the background of the call asking: “Is it your parents again, Akio? Did they say where Oliver is?”

“No, it is Oliver,” Akio answers.

Moira gasps and her heels click quickly over the hardwood floors. “Can I speak to him for a moment?”

“Yes, you can,” Akio says, his voice further from the receiver.

“Oliver?” his mom sounds a lot like when he called her after those three years and guilt churns in his gut at that.

“Hi, mom,” he greets softly. “I’m so sorry for disappearing like that.”

“Oh thank God. You have no idea how worried I was. Never do that again.”

“I won’t, I won’t,” Oliver promises, vowing to himself to keep it. He never wants to make the life of his loved ones more difficult.

In the background, he can hear Akio ask: “Can you ask him when he will be home?”

“Of course,” Moira directs to him, before repeating to Oliver: “When will you be back? Akio’s parents said they’re in Washington DC. Are you there too?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m here. I can’t say much yet, but Tatsu and Maseo need to give their side of the story, you know, what happened between me leaving and- and nearly everyone dying,” he doesn’t have to fake how his voice turns a little strangled at the end, remembering how none of the prisoners of Ivo’s ship, bar Anatoli maybe, made it out of there. He was responsible for that and he feels that weight every day.

“Oh my poor boy, that- that must be so hard,” Moira says sympathetically.

“Only Tatsu and Maseo lived,” Oliver gasps, tears welling up as the cover story and memories run together in his mind.

His mom doesn’t know what to say to that and Oliver can’t blame her. The things he’s seen are beyond the norm. Some days he barely knows how to live with it, how to conceptualize it all, so how would anyone who didn’t live it know what to say?

“I’m sorry,” he says, because apologizing for his outburst is easier than letting it be real. He clears his throat. “Uhm, I don’t know how long we’re going to be, but they haven’t put us up in a hotel, so it should be today.”

“We’ll be waiting up for you,” Moira promises and the words settle something warm inside him. It has been so long since he had some place to return home to, people who’d miss him. The concept is still weird, but in a good way.

“Thank you,” Oliver smiles. “Can you give the phone to Akio so I can say goodbye?”

“Yes, yes, of course,” his mom’s voice still sounds strange at his concern for Akio. Oliver thinks she’s never going to get used to who is now. Maybe with time. He hopes so.

Akio gets the phone and says: “Moira says we are waiting up, does that mean you will be home tonight?”

“I’ll try to be. Might get late, but I’ll wake you when we get there,” Oliver says.

“Good, I missed you.”

It does a lot of things to Oliver’s heart that Akio means him too, not just his parents. That Oliver is important enough to him to be missed. Fuck, it’s going to hurt to let him go, no matter how good a hands he’ll leave him in and how much more Tatsu and Maseo deserve to fulfill the role he has these past few weeks.

But he can’t verbalize any of that, doesn’t want to put that on Akio’s shoulder. So he smiles, because you can always hear a smile, and ignores his wet eyes as he whispers: “I missed you too, buddy.”

He contemplates calling Thea too, but she’ll probably hear from his mom and Akio and he doesn’t have the energy to have another one of those calls. So he snaps a picture of himself, carefully making sure the backdrop reveals nothing and there’s no left over grime on his face. He captures it: alive, then presses send.

Diggle is still off having his own conversation. He’s probably more used to talking to family than Oliver is and the conversation is easier to maintain.

Unsure of what else to do, he dials the same number he did yesterday. Within seconds, he is greeted with: “Hello? This is Felicity Smoak, Queen Consolidated I.T. department.”

“I made your deadline. Back in the States, even called my mom,” Oliver informs her.

Felicity obviously isn’t expecting him to call, because she takes a few moments to process before replying. “Oh, Mr. Queen. Of course. Hi, yes. It’s good to hear from you. Not because I expected to hear from you, I’m not your girlfriend or something. Not that it’d a hardship to be your girlfriend, I’m just not your girlfriend. I didn’t mean to imply anything with that. I know I’m not your type- I mean, I don’t expect you to want to sleep with me. I mean, you do have a reputation, but I didn’t mean anything like that with it. Anyway, my mouth is running off, so I am going to stop now.”

She takes a deep breath, then starts over: “I meant to say: I’m glad you called, because I have been worried after what you had me do yesterday and I know you mom was too, so it’s good to hear that you’re safe.”

Oliver can’t help but huff out a short breath of laughter, which isn’t helped by Felicity’s soft muttered: “G-d, can’t go a day without humiliating myself.”

He decides to let her have most of her dignity and doesn’t respond to ninety percent of what she has said. “Truly, Oliver is fine. And I appreciate your concern. I’m all good.”

“That is good to hear.” Felicity sounds relieved that he doesn’t mention anything else from her ramble. She gathers herself and asks: “Was that all or can I help you with something else, Oliver.”

She’s testing out how his name sounds on her lips and he smiles involuntarily. Felicity truly is just a bright person, he’s drawn to her. However, it’s dangerous to let himself form attachments to anyone, especially people without his darkness. So he just says: “That was all, Felicity,” before saying his goodbyes and hanging up.

Diggle returns shortly after and the two resume their waiting. It’s not until three hours later, so six total, that Tatsu and Maseo enter accompanied by Amanda.

Oliver rises immediately when she enters, not out of any respect, but his instinct screaming not to be caught unawares by a predator. “Amanda, good to see you free,” he grins cockily, trying to cover that reaction to her.

Amanda gives him a mild smile, before greeting in turn: “Mr. Queen, good to have you back for another mission.”

“Mission is over, got debriefed and everything,” Oliver replies sharply, not giving her a second to think he’s actually back.

“Yes, I assume you will want to return home accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Yamashiro.”

Suspicion creeps up Oliver’s spine as he returns: “Yes, will that be a problem, Director Waller?”

“No,” Amanda says, smiling sharply since she knows she got on his nerves, that she still has that effect on him. “Mr. Yamashiro has officially earned his release from A.R.G.U.S. service with his testimony. They’re free to return to the public. We’ll release a statement about their survival tomorrow morning.”

“That is good to hear,” Oliver smiles. “Would it be too much to ask for transport home. You did kind of summon us away from it on short notice.”

While Amanda is still smiling politely, it is clear that she isn’t amused. She never is and Oliver doubts that’ll ever change. “Agent Micheals will have to return to Starling to finish her charade there. You can drive with her.”

“Thank you, I would say till next time, but let’s not and say we did,” Oliver says, before walking out of there, the others at his heels.

Once they’re over the threshold, Maseo leans in and says: “You can at least try to be polite to her, so we stay out of trouble.”

“You know me, Maseo. I’m never out of trouble,” Oliver grins, feeling too light and happy to care about all that right now.

“Let him have his fun, Waller is no longer our problem now,” Tatsu says, surprising Oliver, since she has never backed him up a day in her life. “Tell us more about how Akio is doing.”

“Well, you’ll loathe to hear that I’ve turned him into a spoiled American,” Oliver jokes. “I taught him to forget how to do his laundry and got him hooked on cheeseburgers.”

Now Tatsu is glaring at him. Oliver is almost entirely sure she doesn’t mean it, but not entirely. She never fully liked him and she might believe him. So to be sure, he quickly adds: “I’m joking. Well, about the laundry part. I did feed him cheeseburgers, but also veggies, I swear.”

At that Tatsu allows a bit of a smile to appear on her face and Oliver is now sure she was playing with him. He glares back, but knows it doesn’t have the same impact as hers. His glare can be intimidating, she just knows him too well to feel it.

The three of them are crammed in the backseat (not literally, the A.R.G.U.S. car is quite spacious), while Diggle takes up the front seat next to Lyla.

Tatsu and Maseo talk a little about how their weeks of hiding have been and how they ended up on that Yakuza ship. However, it’s mostly Oliver, who tells them all about what he and Akio have been up to, making sure to not leave anything out. These are his parents, they need to know what their child has been through, so they can support him.

Diggle pipes up sometimes, adding his own anecdotes or insights, but remains quiet mostly. Oliver is grateful for him, the man has a higher regard for his time as Akio’s guardian than Oliver has of himself.

When they arrive at the mansion, Oliver leans over to Diggle and asks: “Is this delivery also your resignation?”

“I’ll be here tomorrow morning, sir,” Diggle smiles and Oliver can’t help but smile back.

“Good, see you then,” Oliver says, glad Diggle is still on his side. Then he says his goodbyes to Diggle and Lyla, making sure to give the latter his thanks for her help.

He gets out of the car and sees Tatsu and Maseo stare at the mansion. It’s his childhood home, so he sometimes forgets it can be a lot to some. Cautiously, he asks: “Are you good?”

“That is a big house,” Maseo says.

“I get now why you did not know how to do your laundry,” Tatsu comments.

Oliver laughs, but before he can reply, the door is swung open. The other must have been looking out the window to wait for the car. Lit from the back stands Akio, face bright with a big smile as he exclaims: “Otōsan! Okāsan!”

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rewriting-thearrowverse · 4 days ago

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𝓢𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓸𝓷 1 𝓔𝓹𝓲𝓼𝓸𝓭𝓮 8: 𝓥𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓽𝓽𝓪 (𝓟𝓪𝓻𝓽 1)

Considering my very long hiatus, I’m very grateful that this one took barely three days to write.

I finished writing it on November 25th, 2024 at 1:54pm

Helena and Oliver were in bed, cuddled up together, having slept together the night before.

Eventually Helena opened her eyes, and quietly crawled out of bed, unknown to her that Oliver felt it as she got up.

She left on her motorcycle, in her gear. Minus the helmet it having been taken before hand. She parked a little further out, and quietly made her way over to where the Chinese Triad were currently waiting out, but past a fence.

"我们清楚" (We're clear) a member of the triad said

Helena stealthily walked closer as she pulled a gun from her pocket.

He started the car and waited for China and Zhishan to get inside.

As Helena lined up her shot and tried to fire the gun, the Hood jumped down and messed up the shot, knocking her down.

China looked behind at the commotion, "上车"(Get in the car)

She directed towards the hood, "杀了他" (Kill him)

Other members of the triad began shooting at the hood, and he was firing back slower and more precise shots.

One landed into the roof of the car, and he started moving Helena away.

They got in the car and began shooting while driving, all while The Hood kept rushing off with Helena.

As they rushed through, The Hood moved them to a corner alleyway, as the Triad missed running them over.

He was close to her, but she shoved him off, "Take your hands off of me!"

"What the hell did you think you were doing?!" He asked her as he removed his hood.

"That man was the leader of the Triad!" She was upset

"My father blames him for the deaths of his men."

"Those are All men you killed." Oliver said

"Which is exactly the point. I take out Zhishan, then the Triad retaliates." She explained

"My father'a organization has been weakened to the point that he would never survive an onslaught by the triad."

"And what? You'll have your revenge?" He asked

"I'll have justice. After what he did to Michael. And what he did to me."

"It's not justice," he said

Her voice turned sour, "And what you do is?"

"Would you let me show you?" He asked her

➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳

Oliver was sitting across from Helena at a table at Big Belly Burger. Carly brought them their food, "Can I get you anything else?"

"No, thank you, Carly." Oliver said

"Where's my brother-in-law? It's late and this is the Glades." She said

"Shouldn't he be protecting you?"

"She is tougher than she looks." He said as he looked over to Helena, who smiled

Carly looked between the two of them and moved on.

"I haven't been on a second date in a while, it feels good so far." He said as he looked at her

"Look, we slept together. And it was really nice.." she said

"And, I did need it. But I'm not looking for anything."

"Right. Because you have everything figured out." He said

"You know, I don't really think you're one to judge." She said defensively.

"I saw you kill people, remember?"

He was taken in offense, "I only kill people when it is absolutely necessary."

"It's not my opening move."

"And by the way, if you keep up at this, you could put others at risk, like my mother. Or yourself." He said sternly

"Look, I'm really sorry about your mother. It was an accident." She replied

"How many more accidents have to happen before you revenge spree against our father is over?" He asked

She narrowed her eyes, "Hopefully none."

"But this is so much more than getting back at him. I am stripping away everything that has meaning to him."

"The same way he did to me when he had Michael killed."

"But what if I showed you another way? One where he can still serve justice, but you don't risk innocent people's lives?" He said genuinely

She looked down, "Thank you for the coffee."

"And the sex."

She looked cold as she began to stand up, "But I'm not interested."

➴◈◉◈➶◈◉◈➴◈◉◈➶◈◉◈➴◈◉◈➶◈◉◈➴◈◉◈➶

In the arrow lair thing, Oliver was doing handstand pushups.

Diggle walked in, “I don’t know where the next Olympics are, but if I were you, I might want to think about signing myself up.”

“So, are you planning on talking about last night.”

Oliver continued what he was doing, but didn’t respond.

“Okay.” Dig said, his voice slightly up.

“Last time we spoke, you were gonna stop Helena Bertinelli’s one woman war on organized crime. How exactly did that work out for you?”

He pulled out a newspaper, “Nick Salvati, you might recognize him as the right hand of Frank Bertinelli, was found with his neck snapped. Next to some of his thugs.”

“Was that her or you?”

Oliver finally flipped back into an upright position, “He jumped us and we were together at the time.” He replied, answering vaguely.

“We didn’t have a choice,” he continued as he started walking off

“We?!” Diggle asked in irritation as he followed him.

“She knows about me, Diggle.”

He made his way over to ‘The Salmon Ladder’

“It was my secret or her life.”

“I think you’re forgetting that it’s not just your secret anymore.” Dig said annoyed

“She’s a killer, she’s been dropping bodies all over the city.”

“She’s not what you think he is.” Oliver said as he turned to face him.

“3 years ago, she was gonna turn her father into the FBI, she put everything she had on a laptop.”

“Her father thought it belonged to her fiancé and had him murdered.”

Oliver turned back to it and was hanging off the bar,

Diggle spoke up, “Listen man, that’s a heavy thing. But it doesn’t change the fact that she’s dangerous.”

“If Bertinelli takes a hit against the triad or is thought to.. The Triad will rain down hell fire and innocents will die.”

Oliver pulled himself up on the bar,

“She’s lost Diggle. And whether she knows it or not, I can save her and stop her from doing anything reckless.” Oliver said

“That’s just it, you can’t save her.” Diggle replied

“Sometimes people don’t want to change, no matter how much we want them to.”

He pulled himself back down, “I can help her.”

He pulled himself back up as Diggle walked around to the front, so Oliver would be facing him.

“Maybe you think you’re better at persuading people than you are or maybe she thinks she’s fine on this path of righteous fury.” He said in a pointed tone

“Either way… this won’t end well.”

Oliver pulled it up a few more levels as he spoke, “Either way..”

He jumped down, “I’ve got to try.”

As he walked off, Diggle looked at him unconvinced.

𖤓ꕥ𖤓ꕥ𖤓ꕥ𖤓ꕥ𖤓ꕥ𖤓ꕥ𖤓ꕥ𖤓ꕥ𖤓ꕥ𖤓ꕤ𖤓ꕤ𖤓

Moira was following Walter as he walked down the stairs.

“Where are you off to, so early?” She asked

He looked at her, “I’ve been away from the office for a few weeks,I have some paperwork to catch up on.”

He made his way to the table close to the staircase, where his bag for work was open and he began putting work inside.

He could feel her looking at him from behind, “What is it?” He asked

“We haven’t spoken since you left,” she said

“At least, not really.”

“I know,” he replied as he flipped through a stapled set of papers

“I imagine you finding out I had the yacht salvaged and that Robert was murdered was a lot for you to take in.” She said

He turned around to face her, “Yes. Yes, it was.”

“I just don’t want you to feel like you can’t trust me anymore.” She said

“I wasn’t lying to hurt you.. but to protect you.”

“I haven’t changed, and I hope you can see I’m still the same woman you fell in love with and Married.”

“I know you are.” He said before kissing her gently on the lips,

“But going forward, I want us to be honest with one another.”

“Of course.” She said

As he was about to kiss her again, Thea called from the stairs, “Walter,”

“Can you drive me to school?” She asked as she walked downstairs

“I like to mix things up every once in a while and actually be on time.”

“That would be my parental privilege.” He said as he grabbed his bag

“Or.. you could get me a convertible, so we could avoid this.” She said

“And miss all those wonderful conversations we have in the car? No chance.” He said, following her out.

Helena was walking down the stairs and that’s when she saw her father talking to the now widow of Nick.

“I’m sorry Frank,” she said

“The last thing you need is me crying on your shoulder all night.”

“I just can’t believe he’s gone..”

He hugged her, “Dina, you and Nick are like family to me, and in a family.. we take care of our own. Okay?”

“Okay.” She said

Helena spoke up, “I’m sorry for your loss.”

Dina looked to her, there were tears in her eyes,

“Nick was like a brother to me.”

He tried to console Dina, “We’ll take care of you.”

As she turned to leave and he opened the door for her, from behind and out of view, Helena looked pleased.

He held the bridge of his nose in between his fingers as she left,

“I’m gonna find out who did this.”

Now there was venom in his voice, “And on my life, I’m gonna make him pay.”

She smiled back to him, *sweetly*

But then the doorbell rang. Frank sighed, “I swear that girl is always forgetting something.”

But as he turned back to open the door, it was Oliver. “Frank.”

“Sorry to drop by unannounced.” He said as he took to shaking his hand

Frank moved out of the way, letting him in, “No, not at all.”

As he turned to shut the door behind Oliver, he looked at Helena. Who wasn’t exactly thrilled he was there.

“Look, I know we have been working on that construction deal, but I’m sorry, I’m gonna have to take a rain check.. there’s been a death in the family.” He said as he made his way back over to Oliver.

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Thank you,” Frank said briefly looking down.

“But I’m not actually here to discuss business.” Oliver said

Helena looked at him then down and Frank took notice.

“Oh, okay- Well..” he looked between them

“This is one merger I won’t stand in the way of.”

Frank looked to Helena, “Excuse me sweetie.”

He began to walk off, “A father knows when he’s not needed.”

Helena walked the rest of the way down the stairs and was face to face with Oliver, “Was I not clear when I said I wasn’t interested in talking?”

There was a sense of emotional vulnerability in his next response, “You don’t have to talk.”

He opened the door, and across her expression was curiosity, so she grabbed the jacket and followed after him.

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The sun shone through the trees as they walked through a cemetery. It was solemn as they stopped at the Gravestone of Sara Lance. It read “Loving daughter and sister.”, “1988-2007”

“Who was she?” Helena asked

“Someone I knew a long time ago.” He replied as he looked down slightly.

“I- I was dating her sister.”

“And it was getting pretty serious.”

She watched him as he spoke, every emotion was genuine.

“And back then… I did not do serious very well..”

“I was good at screwing things up though.”

“I started sleeping with Sara.”

She looked at him and felt a sort of bond as he shared what must be one of the most tragic and personal moments from his life.

“I brought her on the yacht with me.. and she died right in front of my eyes.”

“And despite all of the hurt, I just didn’t care.”

“Before the island, I wasn’t a good person.. I was.” Helena slowly extended her hand to his, holding it for comfort.

He stared through the grave, the emotions clearly still affecting him. “Selfish, thoughtless and awful… I ended up just hurting the people I cared about.”

“Cause Helena,” he made eye contact with her.

“You’re on an island too.”

“Oliver.. I want to let you in..” she admitted but looked away

“But Michael was the last man I opened up to.”

She looked back up at him, “I can’t let myself be hurt again.”

He stepped closer and looked into her eyes, “I will never hurt you,”

“I promise.”

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Oliver had taken her to the lair where he was attempting to teach her how to draw a bow.

"Ah- Relax, relax, relax." He said slightly adjusting her posture.

"Now pull back gently."

"You need all three fingers to come off the bow string at the same time."

He removed his hands from her, "Breathe."

"And release."

As she fired the arrow it missed by a considerable margin. She looked annoyed but he had a small smile.

He took the bow and moved it over, she was frustrated. "This is a waste of time."

"I'm trying to teach you something." He said

"What? The least effective way to shoot someone?" She asked

"No, control." He replied

"To use a bow and arrow requires patience."

He grabbed an arrow, "And discipline."

He fired it quickly and it instantly went through the center or the target.

She walked over to the workbench and picked up a metal cup, he gave a go ahead glance.

She threw it up high, and in an instant he shot an arrow, pinning it to a cement awning.

She threw up a metal object with a small gauge on the end and he shot it close by it.

She held up a tennis ball in her hand and he shot it directly out and against a pillar, the air hissing out of it as it was shot flat.

He looked proud of himself as he walked over, “I can do this all day.”

“It’s kind of fun.”

He set his bow down on the workbench. “I love a man with stamina,” she replied

He took a seat on it, next to her, “Our crusades have something in common.”

He pulled the small book out of his pocket and she readjusted herself.

“My crusade started with my father too.”

He opened the book, “He left me a list of names of people that need to be reminded that they aren’t untouchable.”

A look of recognition crossed her face, “Anthony Venza is in here.”

“He deals illegal prescription pills for my father.”

Suddenly Dig was entering.

“Diggle this is Helena.”

“Helena this is Diggle, he’s my…. Associate.”

He let out a silent, annoyed laugh.

“Well, any associate of Oliver’s is-“ He cuts her off, “Absolutely nothing to you. Ma’am.”

She could feel the hostility and stood up, “and I’ll leave you two to *associate*.”

She grabbed her jacket and walked out.

“So, now she knows my name. That’s *lovely*” Diggle said sarcastically as she was out of view.

“You can trust her.” Oliver said

“Except I can’t.” He replied

“Are you sleeping with her Oliver?”

“I don’t think that’s really your business, Dig.” Oliver replied as he looked at him

He walked back straight, “You made it my business when you signed me on and decided to keep trying to work with this girl no matter what I said.”

“You said I was here to keep your head on straight. What good is that, if you don’t take any of my advice.”

“Look, you’re lonely. I know. And that’s why part of you feels like you *need* to be able to fix her.”

“But you’re like a dope fiend that can deal with his addiction if he can make another addict go straight.”

“But what you do is dangerous, man.” He walked back to him and looked at him straight.

“And confusing yourself between whose hood and bad is a sure way to get yourself killed.

Oliver paused for a second as he looked down and then he looked back up at Diggle, unchanging.

“You done?”

He walked past, “Yeah. I’m done. With this.”

“With everything else.. I don’t know, you tell me.” He said before walking off.

Laurel was working at CNRI when Tommy walked in with a smile on his face.

“I hope you don’t have plans tomorrow because I got us a rez, at that new restaurant, table salt.” Tommy said as he leaned beside Laurel who was getting herself a cup of coffee at the maker,

She looked at him concerned, “isn’t that place ridiculously expensive?”

She began to move off, “All the places worth going are.”

He touched the top of her forehead as she walked and sipped it, “You have the cutest forehead wrinkle when you’re worried.”

She shwooshed his hand away, “Tommy, this is serious.”

“I thought you were gonna live more frugally.”

He followed after her, “Yeah, everyone’s more grown up than me. Even Oliver has a job.”

She looked impressed.

“He’s working on that new nightclub.”

She got her idea face.

“You have thinky face. Why do you have thinky face?”

She stopped and looked at him, “Have you considered asking him about getting a job?”

“Not even once.”

“It’s not my favorite quality about you, but you are very familiar with the club scene and how to have fun.”

“All fair points.” He said

He looked at her and sat on the edge of a nearby desk, “I’ll take care of it. I’ll talk to Ollie, and see what he thinks.”

She smiled and looked at him, “he’s gonna think it’s a great idea.”

✧𖣠♫✧𖣠♫✧𖣠♫✧𖣠♫✧𖣠♫✧𖣠♫✧𖣠♫✧𖣠♫✧𖣠♫✧𖣠

At the top office of Queen Consolidated, Walter was working through some papers when Felicity came in.

“How was Australia? I’ve always wanted to go but kangaroos wig me out. They look evil, And I just know they’re everywhere. There.”

Walter patiently looked as she rambled,

“You had something important you wanted to bring to my attention, Miss Smoak.”

“Yes. It’s Tempest.” She said

“The untitled LLC, your wife diverted funds to.”

“I appreciate your focus on this matter, but it has been resolved. Just a simple misunderstanding between my wife and I.” He said as he returned to his work

“No. Not exactly.” She said

“There was something about the money transfer that felt weird (skeezy) to me.”

“Another source traced that money transfer, whether it be a person or machine.”

“Whoever they are, they’re good. NSA good. But as you know, I’m good too.”

He was listening,

She pulled a piece of paper, “So even though there was barely a trace in our system, I did come across this image.”

It was the same picture as Oliver’s book.

He took a moment to look at it,

“Do you recognize this?” She asked

“No, but I do recognize one of my employees prying into the private information of my wife.” He said sternly. He said as he took the image off her hands.

“If it happens again, you will be suspended.” He said as he walked up to her and faced her

She nervously swallowed,

“Is that clear?” He asked

“Crystal.” She replied before walking off.

𖤓ꕥ𖤓ꕥ𖤓ꕥ𖤓ꕥ𖤓ꕥ𖤓ꕥ𖤓ꕥ𖤓ꕥ𖤓ꕥ𖤓ꕤ𖤓ꕤ𖤓

Helena walked back into the lair later that night, "Where's your friend?"

"It's just the two of us tonight." He said

"Oh, really what did you have in mind?" She asked as she walked over to him.

"We're going to take a direct approach." He said

"Anthony Venza?"

"Yes. But we do it my way." Oliver said

"Your father will lose a piece of his organization. But innocent people won't get caught in the crossfire."

He gestured his head towards a table with a box on it.

"What is it?" She asked

"Well.. as we already talked about, guns are a weapon of emotion and unpredictability."

"And clearly you're not an expert at archery yet, so this will have to do for now." He said as she opened the wooden box to reveal a crossbow.

She looked at it, impressed. "I like it."

He whispered to her, "You can't go out like that?"

"Have a spare hood?" She asked

He walked her over to a case, she looked down and smiled at it.

"Does it come in purple?"

He moved something around, she left out an excited gasp, "I love purple."

➴◈◉◈➶◈◉◈➴◈◉◈➶◈◉◈➴◈◉◈➶◈◉◈➴◈◉◈➶

Inside of a secret facility, Venza is flaunting the drugs to his lackeys.

"This isn't crack. Anyone can sell crack." He said

"All you need's a street corner and a hoodie."

"This is pharmaceutical grade Oxycodone." He pulled the small bag in front of one of the faces of his thugs.

"It is caviar. It is champagne."

"And you sell this with fancy houses, at parties with rich kids have got money to burn."

Suddenly the electrical frizzed out.

"Check it out!" Venza ordered.

One of his men nodded their head and started rot look around..

The man who walked up was heard grunting just before falling.

His gun clattered to the ground, they all had heard it. Anthony picked it up, "Whoever you are, do you really think you're gonna get out of here in one piece?"

"I was thinking the same thing." The voice of the hood bellowed from above.

"Anthony Venza."

Helena came into view, "You have failed this city."

The hood shot an arrow, and then the Huntress jumped down, engaging in hand to hand combat with a set of lackeys.

She punched under his upper arm, and whipped around punching the second guy in the side.

The hood took out precise strikes against the men he was facing.

He kicked one, then hit him with the end of his bow, sending him flying over.

As Venza ran to the door, an arrow was shot through the knob.

He slowly turned around to face the Huntress, "Please.. just don't hurt me."

"Aw.. Not even a little?" She asked

The outside was a crime scene, the lights of cop cars flashing. But they were out of view.

"Millions of dollars in illegal drugs confiscated. A massive blow to your father's criminal income. And nobody had to die." He said as he looked at her

"Justice."

"How does it feel?"

"I think this feels good." She said

"And not just the justice part." She said as she leaned into kissing him on the lips.

➴◉◉➴◉◉➴◉◉➴◉◉➴◉◉➴◉◉➴◉◉➴◉◉➴◉◉➴◉◉➴

In his bar area in his home, Frank was watching the news as they announced the arrest of Anthony Venza, along with sightings of the vigilante and a *new female partner*

As the report finished, Helena was walking in slowly. Her heels clicked against the floor.

Frank, in a fit of rage threw his glass against the wall in front of him, shattering it.

"Bad year?" She asked

Her attitude was fake, pretending to bring comfort.

"The scotch. I mean."

He kissed the top of her hand, "Yeah.. sorry. It was another business setback."

He noticed her outfit, she was all done up, "You look beautiful."

She let out a light chuckle.

"Oliver Queen?" He asked

She smiled.

"It's so nice to see you happy again, it's been too long."

Suddenly his phone rang, and he went to check it. She took a step back.

He answered, "Yeah."

He shifted his phone to the other side, masking it from Helena, "Yeah, I heard about Venza."

When he wasn't looking, she allowed herself a small smile,

"Yeah I know where that leaves us!" He yelled into the phone, and then she began walking out.

He hung up the phone and looked back at her.

In their room, Moira and Walter were together. Moira was finishing fixing up her hair for an event she was due.

"I apologize for rushing out, I have this impromptu Board of Directors meeting with the Starling City Modern Art museum." She said

Walter was in a book, where he had hidden the picture Felicity had given him. He shut the book.

He held it to his chest, and she walked to him while continuing to speak, "I'm not exactly an expert on art, but I do know how to pay for it."

"No worries." He said kissing her on the cheek.

"Whip them into shape."

"Yes sir." She said as she walked off.

She continued as she exited the room, "I'll see you when I get back."

When she was out of view Walter moved through the room. He started opening drawers and looking through them, searching for some kind of clue.

He looked in small jewelry boxes, under statues and next to the lamp.

He picked up a picture of him and Moira, and looked at it deep in thought.

Suddenly he looked ahead, and saw something that looked vaguely like a reflection of the image on the paper inside of the nearby grandfather clock.

He walked towards it slowly and opened up the door.

He kneeled down as he saw a box with the symbol and took it out.

He opened up the box and found a very small book inside. He opened the book, but every page was blank, which couldn't be right.. right? But on the side was the same image, but smaller.