Iron Height's
The gates to the prison open up as a blonde haired man walks toward them. The former convict swaggers out the debarkation area to his waiting blonde haired girlfriend, whom he kisses passionately.
Next Day
Attorney George Wolfman is just about to leave for work when the Cyrus Vanch and his girlfriend casually walk into his house, startling him.
"Hi, George." Cyrus Vanch said casually.
"Vanch" Wolfman breathed in dread.
"Surprised to see me?" Vanch asked. "I imagine you would be, seeing as how you botched my trial, and from what Viv here tells me, protecting my interests."
"There were contingencies that couldn't be anticipated." The lawyer stuttered out.
"Yes, Vivian told me." Vanch continued. "The head of the Triad getting ventilated and replaced with a weak woman, Bertinelli getting collared and the Triad taking over his territory, and, uh, these vigilantes that popped up."
"Exactly." Wolfman said, seizing on the thread of shifting blame and holding on for dear life. "What am I supposed to do in the face of something like that?"
"Absolutely nothing, Georgie." Vanch replied a little too happily, holding out his arms. "Tell you what. All is forgiven. Give us a hug." Wolfman hesitated. "Come on." He urged, pulling the man into a hug.
"You know," he continued, "I could use a place to stay while I'm getting my sea legs back under me, George. And you got a nice place here. What do you say? George? George?" he let George's lifeless body drop to the floor, his switchblade slipping out of his chest. Vanch looked down at the dead lawyer, then at Vivian. "I hope George has been food shopping. I'm famished."
Nathan's Secret Loft(1)
2 days later
Meditating in front of his fireplace, Nathan was pondering something. When he and Kara went partying 2 nights ago, he had noticed something that he had noticed only twice before; her inhuman strength. He remembered from grade school when Kara had saved that mother and child from burning in their car, and when she broke his nose by accident with their first kiss. Kara was strong, too strong to be human. He estimated she might be stronger than him, and he had mirakuru in his system for 5 years straight, for god sakes.
Anyway, they had went out partying for a awhile before he brought her to his secret loft and he offered for her to stay, so he slept on the couch. He made her breakfast for the morning, then they had their official interview, and he saw her off on the plane back to National City that afternoon. That same night, Felicity Smoak had found him and told all about Moira's copy of the list. He didn't really know what to think, because that meant his mom might know something about the List. He decided to table his concerns about that for now and focus on his mission.
Unfortunately, nobody ever made it that easy.
Lair
"So this book contains a list of the names of the guys you've been hunting." Lyla said, holding up Nathan's notebook. Then she held up the second one. "And this book, your mother's, has the same list of names."
"It's completely identical." Nathan confirmed.
"So where'd your mother get her copy, Nathan? For that matter, who gave it to you?" she asked.
"Felicity Smoak." Nathan told her. "She said that Walter found it in their bedroom."
"And now he's missing." Lyla said. Nathan frowned at the implication.
"She's my mother, Lyla." He argued. "She's not the kind of person who would—"
"Have her husband disappeared?" Lyla finished. "Because that's really the question you need to ask yourself, isn't it, Nathan? I understand why you want to believe your mother over your stepfather, but I tend to believe the innocent party is whoever's missing- and presumed dead."
Flashback
After walking the path Yao Fei had set out for him on the map, Nathan came upon the wreckage of a downed cargo plane. He approached the wreck and cautiously entered it, looking around.
Suddenly a man dropped from the top of the wreck, landing behind Nathan. The man grabbed him from behind and placed a sword at his throat. "Twitch, and I will open your throat."
"What?!" a confused Nathan said.
"You have ten seconds to tell me something I believe before I cut out your voice box." He snarled.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Nathan exclaimed. "Yao Fei sent me here, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't so you could kill me."
The man paused. He spun Nathan around and stepped back, but still held the sword out at his nose. "What?" he asked.
"Yao Fei." Nathan repeated. "He gave me directions to your… plane." He finished, alternately looking at the point of the sword and the man's grizzled face beyond it.
Flashback End
SCPD
An upset Quentin Lance was following his Lieutenant, Frank Pike.
"Frank, you got to be kidding me." He was saying. "You can't throw me another assignment now." He argued. In his mind, he was so close to finding the vigilantes, unmasking, arresting them and sending them to jail!
"It's Lieutenant, and I'm pretty sure that's what gives me the authority." He pointed out.
"I'm drawing in on the Vigilante investigation." Lance argued. "I am going to get these bastards."
"Have you considered the possibility nobody really wants you to?" Pike asked. At Lance's shocked and puzzled look, he pressed on. "The Arrow and his partner, The Huntress, saved the Christmas hostages. They took down an arsonist who was targeting firefighter's and that gang of armored car thieves before giving all the money they stole back, and just last week, they destroyed Vertigo drug ring, ending that as a threat to this city and keeping a volatile drug from ever going global. What were once urban legend's are becoming something akin to hero's in the eyes of the people."
"If those two are hero's, I don't know what my life in this city as a cop means anymore." Lance snapped. He was still angry over how The Arrow taunted him about how broken the system was. He made Quentin seem like the bad guy. Bah! What did he know? He's a criminal, damn it!
"Let me suggest you find meaning in following orders." Pike replied harshly.
"Frank, listen! I'm close." He pleaded. "If my lead comes to something more…"
Pike's tone softened. "Come to me with something real first, Quentin, and we'll talk. In the meantime, I'm assigning you another case." Pike walked off and Lance sighed in temporary defeat.
Meanwhile, over in the Vice's office, McKenna Hall could be seen looking over a case. Her mind was temporarily taken off task though, since The Arrow's words rang in her ears. "The law doesn't work when the system is corrupt. You hate me, not because I go outside the law. But because I am the one who protects this city, not you."
McKenna stopped that train of thought, 'What am I thinking? I'm a cop. Of course of the law works.'
She put the Arrow's words out of her mind and got back to work but still, McKenna had to wonder, 'Is he right?'
Queen Manor
Moira was in her office putting her shoes on when Nathan walked in.
"Hey." He said. "Heading out?"
Moira smiled at her son. "Oh, yeah, it's a meeting with the financial planners." She said. Moira noted Nathan's far-off look and frowned. "Are you all right?" she asked.
"There was something that I wanted to talk to you about." He said hesitantly. He paused, then resolutely pulled the small notebook out of his back pocket and held it up for Moira to see. "I want to talk to you about Walter." He began. "Right around Christmas, when he disappeared, he gave me this." He handed her the book, gauging her reaction.
She looked it over, keeping her emotions carefully masked. "This is your father's notebook." She lied, flipping through the book. "He kept a list of all the people in Starling City who owed him favors. I had no idea there was so many of them."
"I've just been researching some of those names online, and they're not exactly model citizens." He said timidly. Moira looked up at him sharply.
"Nathan, I have no idea what your father was involved in or with whom." She stated.
"And you and your sister both now know that he wasn't exactly honest with me."
"Then we need to find out—"
"No." Moira said firmly. "If what you say is true and this list is filled with bad people, and Walter was looking into it, and now he—" she did not even hesitate when she threw the book into the fire. Nathan schooled his face before his frustration at the act could be seen. "The only way to keep this family safe is for everyone in it to stop asking questions, including you, Nathan." She placed her hand on his chest. "Promise me." She pleaded. Nathan looked at her, and then at the fire as the book burned.
"Okay Mom. I promise" He said with soft smile as they hugged.
CNRI
Thea was walking in with Laurel.
"So this is really happening." She groused. "498 hours of community service to go."
"499. This orientation doesn't count." Laurel quipped with a smile.
Thea groaned. "Tell me how this is not cruel and unusual punishment."
Laurel smiled. "Anastasia," she called out, catching another woman's attention. "I'd like you to meet our new intern, Thea Queen."
"Interns get school credit. I'm more like a court-ordered slave." She argued.
"Oh. I can relate." Anastasia replied, shaking the girl's hand.
"Anastasia is on a one year pro-bono sabbatical from her law firm." Laurel explained.
"And apparently from my six figure salary." The woman quipped.
"The experience of helping others is its own reward." Laurel replied as Thea rolled her eyes.
"I have yet to see any evidence of that." Anastasia said with a bit of snarkiness. "And speaking a lack of evidence, Cyrus Vanch was released from Iron Heights 2 days ago." She turned from a shocked Laurel to a confused Thea. "We represent a victim's advocacy group who's trying to keep Vanch locked up." She explained as Laurel strode over to her desk.
"I'm calling Kate Spencer." She said, picking up her phone.
"I already did that." Anastasia said. "She said there's nothing the D.A.'s office can do without further evidence." Laurel slammed down her phone.
"Well, then I'm going to her office." She said, moving to leave.
"And then she also said not to show up at her office." Laurel skidded to a halt.
"Vanch is connected to human trafficking, drug running, racketeering, and at least 52 different homicides." Laurel ranted.
"Ok, so what's the play?" Anastasia asked. "Because unless you have access to some private police force, Vanch will stay free to roam the streets."
Laurel's phone went off and looked at it. "I have to get this." She said, moving off to answer it. "Hello?"
"How does a night with me and a dozen famous chef's sound?" Tommy asked as he walked down a street downtown.
"Like an episode of 'The Bachelor'." Laurel replied.
"I'm auditioning potential chefs for the club tomorrow night." Tommy explained. "I've arranged a tasting, and I could use an extra set of taste buds."
"I'm trying to figure out how to get a vicious criminal back in jail. I can't." Laurel said sadly.
"It's perfect. It sounds like hungry work." Tommy argued.
"Tomorrow night?" Laurel considered. "Maybe, if we could do it early. Look, I got to go." She said. "There's someone I have to call."
"I'll see you later." Tommy said with a smile. "Bye."
An idea formed in Laurel's head, but before she could act on it her phone rang. She pulled
Lair
"You don't find that just the tiniest bit convenient," Lyla was saying, "her just so happening to have burned the book?"
"I'd like to think she did it out of concern for me and Thea's safety." Nathan said, defending his mother.
"Or her own." Chien replied. She had been given access to his lair due to her relationship with him. "Nathan, you said it yourself. Whoever the real author of the list is, is involved in something very dangerous. And if your mother is lying to you…"
"And she didn't know any of the names on the list." He argued weakly.
"She said she didn't." Helena clarified. "You don't have to take her word for it." she sighed in frustration. "Nathan, everyone of us here knows how easy it is to lie to the people in our lives when we want to hide something. If this were anybody else, you'd be hooded up right now on your way to putting an arrow in their chest."
"This isn't anybody else. This is my mother." He exclaimed. "And I know her."
Before the argument could proceed, a phone rang. Lyla looked at it in confusion.
"What's that?" she asked as Nathan picked the phone up from the table.
"That is the phone that I gave to Lance so that he could contact the Arrow." He said,
"Is he asking to you turn yourself in?" Chien quipped.
"He gave it to Laurel." Nathan explained, answering the call. "Hello?"
"I need your help." Laurel said without preamble.
"That's why you have the phone."
"Cyrus Vanch was just released from prison on a technicality." She said. "Living large in his lawyer's house."
Nathan ran a search in his computer. An article about George Wolfman going missing popped up. "Who is now missing. Which means he's already dead."
"There's no evidence of foul play." Laurel said. "But I know he's just Vanch's first victim, and he won't be his last."
Nathan sighed. "What about the police?"
"They can't move on him without evidence of new criminal activity."
"Laurel, obtaining evidence isn't what I do." Nathan stated.
"Vanch is dangerous." She pleaded.
Nathan considered the situation. "Keep the phone on you, I'll call when I have something." He hung up, and then turned to Lyla.
"Laurel needs my help." He said, moving to leave.
"Nathan, are you running to help her or away from the truth about your mother?"
Nathan turned back around. "This isn't just about Laurel." He said, pulling up something on his computer causing the three women to gather around. "Vanch used to be the biggest mob boss in town before Laurel put him away, with direct control over 40% of the territory in Starling. His hands were in everything: Human trafficking, drug trafficking, racketeering, extortion, theft, sexual assault, rape. This guy was so bad that he makes Black Mask from Gotham look tame. He can't be allowed to get his power back. Otherwise everything we have done will be in jeopardy."
SCPD
Lance was at his desk, grudgingly working on his new case when Kelton walked up.
"Hey, Detective?"
"I'm busy, Kelton." Lance said without looking up.
"I'm pretty sure you're going to want to hear this." Lance looked up at the man. "The bug I put in that phone from the Vigilante just lit up. Your daughter's playing Maid Marion to Robin Hood again."
Lance shot to his feet.
"Where you going?" Kelton asked.
"Lieutenant Pike's office." The Detective replied. "If she's meeting with the Arrow, there's going to be a task force there when she does."
Wolfman House
Vanch and Vivian were outside in the parlor while having a romantic dinner and strategizing, while Nate shot two of the guards in the heart on the side of the house he was on, using his super hearing to listen in.
"See, we got to look at all this as an opportunity." Vanch was saying. "The Triad is currently run by a weak woman and the Bertinelli organization is broken. The giant sucking sound you're hearing is the current power vacuum in Starling City, the one that I plan on filling."
"How are you going to convince the Triad still following China White and what remains of Bertinelli's crew that they should sign up with you?" Vivian asked.
Vanch paused a moment, thinking he heard something. He looked out around the grounds, but saw nothing. Unbeknownst to him, a recording arrow had pierced one of the columns.
"Well that's an excellent question." He said finally. "I need to do something. Something spectacular, to get their attention and earn their respect." Nathan was listening in when a gun clicked next to his temple. He pushed the gun up before his head was blown off, causing a gun shot to go off before he snapped the guards neck. Vanch stood and began walking along the deck- and then he spotted it. A single arrow with a recording device attached was stuck in one of the pillars. He yanked it out and turned back to Viv. "You know what I learned in prison? If you want to be respected, you find the biggest guy and you put him down permanent." He held up the arrow. "I think the biggest guy just found us."
Laurel's apartment
Laurel and Tommy were preparing to leave for Tommy's tasting.
"This is going to be fun." Laurel told him with a smile. "I even wore my fat pants."
Tommy chuckled. "I don't want to know what those are, do I?"
"Nope." Suddenly she felt a vibration in her pocket that brought her up short. "Ohh." She pulled out the phone. "This is work." She told him. "It'll just be a second, okay?" she moved deeper into the apartment before answering. "Hello?"
"It's me. I have something. Can you meet?" The Arrow asked.
"Yeah, where?"
"Rooftop, Winick building. 30 minutes." Nate hung up and said, "Well, let's see if the Detective shows up." He said turning on a live feed from the Police station.
SCPD
Lance smiled grimly as he listened to the bugged conversation. "Good work, Kelton." He told the tech geek. Lance then turned to his taskforce. "Okay, everybody. Rubber bullets. This is my daughter here. She cannot come to any harm. But outside of that, you do whatever needs doing to bring that archer down."
The cops nodded and moved off to get ready. Lieutenant Pike came up to Lance. "You sure about this?" he asked.
"Look, she knows I'd do anything to catch this bastard." Lance justified. "And this is the best- it's the only option I've got."
"Look, I want to get this guy just as badly as you do." Pike assured him. "I just don't want to see anything come between you two."
"I warned her." Lance replied. "I said stay away from this lunatic. She didn't. You don't think that turns a knife in my back?"
"I hope she sees it that way." Pike said.
Back with Nathan
Nathan shut off the live feed. Just as he knew he would, Lance predictably took the bait.
Back at Laurel's apartment
She hung up the phone, and then turned to Tommy with a sad face.
Tommy frowned. "Mmm, put those sad puppy dog eyes away."
"Something's come up at work." Laurel started.
"That can't wait until tomorrow?" he asked.
"It'll only be an hour." She replied. "I can meet you at the club." She assured him, putting her arms around his neck.
"One hour." He confirmed.
"An hour and a half. Tops." Laurel hedged, and then gave him a kiss.
Winnick Building
Later
Laurel came out of the stairwell and looked around. Moments later, Nate in his full Arrow gear came into view.
"Hello, Laurel." He said through his voice changer.
"Thank you for helping." She replied.
"I couldn't do much with just me. Vanch's position is too heavily fortified to take by myself. But I did get this." He held out a small flash drive, which she took, hesitantly. "Evidence he's trying to take over the positions vacated by Frank Bertinelli and…" he paused, listening. The police were already here. He could hear their heartbeats and could hear their rushing footsteps. "And the Triad."
Laurel noticed his discomfort at the situation. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"Your old man didn't take my advice." Moments later the stairwell door opened and Lance, Hilton, and the rest of the task force poured out onto the roof, their guns drawn. "Sorry about this, Laurel." Nate whispered as he grabbed Laurel, putting her between himself and the cops.
"SCPD! Get down!" Lance shouted. "Hands where we can see 'em!"
"Dad!" Laurel shouted in surprise, and not a little bit of fear.
"Do it now! You so much as leave a bruise on her, and I swear I will drag you down to hell myself." Lance snarled.
"I thought I told you stay out of my way, Detective. I'm not villain here. I protect this city. Better than the so-called law enforcement ever did. The only thing you people have been doing well lately is getting in my way." Nate taunted.
"Let her go and come quietly, Arrow!" McKenna said.
"Tell me Detective Lance. Did you honestly think I missed the bug your little tech support friend put in the phone I gave you? What's his name again? Kelton?" Some of the cops visibly paled as that meant he had already known they were coming.
"Laurel, again. Sorry about this." Nathan whispered in her ear, and then pushed her right at Lance. He quickly did a backwards flip off the roof of the building, falling the two stories to the small park area below, landing in a crouched position. Lance shoved Laurel into Hilton's arms and ran after the vigilante, pausing briefly at the ledge.
"Quentin, don't!" Hilton shouted, but Lance ignored him and jumped, landing hard onto the grass below. He staggered to his feet and saw Nate running away, making his way into one of the office buildings, and quickly resumed pursuit.
He followed him down a stairwell of a parking garage. He saw the door to the 5th floor of the garage close and he stopped beside it. Cautiously, he opened the door and made his way out into the darkened garage. He proceeded slowly, his gun pointing straight ahead- only for Nate to silently drop down behind him and stab him in the shoulder with one of his arrows. As Lance shouted in pain, Nate took the gun and broke it in half, tossing the two pieces aside.
"Like I said, Detective," Nate said as he punched Lance's light's out, "I'm always ten steps ahead."
SCPD
Later that Night
Lance was sitting on his desk, gingerly rubbing the back of his head with his other arm in a cast while Laurel ripped him a new asshole.
"I don't know what's worse- the fact that you lied to me or nearly got me killed!"
"You were completely safe." He argued, stuck in his delusion, not realizing how lucky he was that The Arrow seemed to have a soft spot for Laurel, otherwise she would be very dead.
"I was on a rooftop with an army of men pointing their guns into my damn face!" she shouted.
"Well, you shouldn't have been on that roof in the first place." He argued.
"No!" she yelled. "You wanted me on that roof. Wasn't that the whole point of your little trap?"
"I'm trying to catch a killer." Quentin snarled.
"You manipulated me." She shot back.
"Manipulated?" he said in disbelief. "You practically ran to this guy. I told you; I said stay away from him and you did not!"
"That was before you gave me the phone!" Laurel exclaimed.
"What?!"
"That's before you realized that you could use me as bait. Don't try to deny it either, I heard what he said about how you had the phone bugged. You used me! Your own daughter!"
"Yeah, but you wouldn't listen to me!" Quentin shouted, his patience at an end.
"You are so blinded by your hate for him that you don't realize the damage that it's doing in your own life." She pressed on. "To your family. So what happens when you catch him?" she continued. "What happens then, Dad? You're going to find another criminal; somebody else to blame for mom leaving? For Sara dying, for your drinking?"
Quentin was trembling with rage. "That's enough, Laurel."
"Yeah, you're damn right, it is." She shot back, turning to leave.
"Laurel!" he said quickly. As she turned back to him, he held out his hand. "The phone." Laurel stared at him in disbelief "Give me the phone." He ordered. Laurel stalked up to him, withdrew the phone from her pocket, and then slammed it down on the desk, hard.
Arrow Lair
Nathan threw his bow down into the crate and slammed the lid.
"Laurel could have been hurt, or worse." He was ranting.
"And I suppose that was Lance's fault." Lyla said calmly as she leaned against a table.
Nathan turned to glare at her. "What's your point, Lyla?"
"Just that you don't really see straight when it comes to the people you love", she added.
"Understatement of the century." Helena snickered.
Nathan stalked up to the man. "This is not the time to bring this up again." He hissed.
Lyla held up her hands in surrender. "Ok, ok." He said. "But there's something I should tell you and its better I tell you now than later." she continued. "I'll be driving your mother around for a few days."
"You're spying on her?!" Nathan growled angrily. That surprised Helena as well.
"Just doing my due diligence, Nathan. See if she meets with anyone we might be interested in."
"She's not a suspect." He stated emphatically. "She's my mother."
"Which is exactly why someone who isn't blinded by familial obligations needs to keep an eye on her." Lyla reasoned. "Nathan, something dark is going on in this city. You know it."
"That doesn't mean she's involved." Nathan replied, trying desperately to defend his mother even though he knew it was a possibility she might be involved.
"Then there's no harm in me driving her around for a few days, is there?" Lyla said, taking her jacket and walking out.
Vanch's hideout
Vanch was standing in the kitchen, eating his breakfast and watching a news report about the failed effort to catch the Arrow.
'A sting operation to catch the notorious Starling City vigilante wreaked havoc last night. Despite the police's failed attempt to apprehend the Vigilante, police have continued to insist that their warnings remain. This archer is to be considered armed and dangerous. Should you find yourself in harm's way, always, always, call 9-1-1.'
Vanch turned off the TV. "Interesting." He said, thinking out loud. "Using deception and intimidation to make a name for himself. This guy stole my move."
Vivian walked in. "I have news." She said. "From my friend in the police department. I think I've figured out a way to get the vigilantes out and into the open."
"Huh. Astonish me." He said.
"Remember that attorney? Laurel Lance?" she asked. Vanch smiled.
Queen Manor
Nathan was in the sitting room going through papers when Tommy walked in.
"Now what's wrong with this picture?" Tommy asked, taking a seat next to his friend. "You look like you're working."
Nathan chuckled. "I'm going over resumés for the Chef's position at the nightclub." He held out one to Tommy. "This guy looks pretty good. He won 'Top Chef' Season Six."
"At this point, it is basically a culinary prerequisite to be on that show." Tommy said.
"Hmm." Nathan frowned, placing the resume down.
"Can I talk to you about something?" Tommy asked seriously.
"Tommy," he said with a smile, looking at his friend. "Every time you want to talk to me about something and that something concerns Laurel, you look like you're about to tell me you have testicular cancer."
"She's been working with the Arrow guy." Tommy stated, flinching at the mention of cancer, not that Nathan noticed.
Nathan pretended to look shocked. "What?" he said. "You're letting her work with that crazy murderer? She could get hurt, Tommy."
"I'm not 'letting' her do anything, okay?" Tommy shot back, defending himself. "I only just found out about it because she accidentally slipped up on one of her many lies."
"She's lying to you?" Nathan leaned forward. "That doesn't sound like Laurel."
"Lying, keeping secrets about who she's spending time with- does that remind you of anybody we know?"
"Oliver, in every relationship that he ever had." Nathan replied lightly.
"Me, too. Except this one." Tommy said. He rose and began pacing. "There's some sort of infatuation thing going on here." He ranted while Nathan got what was going on pretty quickly. He schooled his face quickly as Tommy turned back around. "I… We both know that she has a pretty strong track record of being attracted to guys who are dangerous, who break the rules. Show me a more dangerous rule breaker than the Arrow."
"Look man, Laurel's a great woman. She's not the type to resort to siding with a vigilante unless she thought there was a good reason. I just think you need to have an honest chat with her." Nathan said, trying to help. "Find out the real reason she's keeping secrets."
"I just can't believe that Laurel, of all people, would lie to my face." He sighed as Nathan looked at him. "I guess that's the way that it is with the people that you're closest to."
"Maybe." Nathan agreed. "But talk to her anyway, and fix this." He stared at Tommy. "Before it becomes something that you can't fix."
Tommy nodded and walked out, and Nathan sat back in the chair, remembering…
Flashback
Nathan was showing the sword-wielding man the map Yao Fei had given him.
"Shengcún." He read.
"It's Chinese." Nathan said. "It means sur—"
"Survive."
Nathan swallowed hard. "What do you think he meant, besides not getting killed?"
"There's an airfield about 10 klicks from here. It's key off this island." Slade said. "Yao Fei and I had been observing it for months, familiarizing ourselves with their operations. We were supposed to get off this island together. But then Yao Fei was compromised, and we were separated." Slade reached into a munitions crate and withdrew another sword. He tossed it to Nathan, who caught it clumsily.
"What's this for?" he asked.
"I think Yao Fei sent you because he knows I cannot take the airstrip alone."
"Sounds like Yao Fei."
"He is a softer judge of character than I am." Slade continued. "If you're going to have my back, I need to know you can cover it." Slade lunged with his sword, and Nathan barely managed to block it. Surprised, Slade knocked his sword away and held his to Nathan's throat. "What are you doing?" Slade asked. "Fight back." Nathan snarled and took a wild swing at Slade, who easily deflected it and then sent the younger man sprawling. "Keep your blade up." He advised. "Always stay behind your sword." Nathan lunged, and Slade easily sidestepped him, sending Nathan into a stack of crates. "You have no skill." Slade snarled, disgusted. "No strength. No training. To say you fight like a girl would be a compliment."
"I told you- I'm not a soldier." Nathan growled. "I was shipwrecked here. I killed the guy that was wearing this uniform by accident." He said, gesturing to his clothes.
"Where was Yao Fei?" Slade asked.
"He told me to run. And I did." Nathan admitted. Disgusted, Slade bashed him on the side of the head with the hilt of his sword, knocking him out.
Flashback End
Laurel's Apartment
Tommy walked up to the door and started to knock. "Laurel, it's me." He trailed off as the door opened on its own. Cautiously he walked in. "Can we talk?" he looked around at the devastated apartment. "Laurel? Laurel?" he called out, walking slowly around. He stopped when he saw an arrow stuck in the wall. It had some kind of recording device on it, and its light was blinking red. He yanked it out of the wall, then found the play button and pressed it.
'Make sure this message finds its way to the Vigilante. Do it fast, because at sunrise, I'm going to leave pieces of this girl all over Starling City unless he pays me a little visit. You know, gives us a chance to get to know each other better.'
SCPD
Detective Lance collapsed into his chair at the SCPD, where Tommy had taken the arrow personally.
"What do we do?" Tommy asked, distraught. "Can your CSIs, I don't know, can they track this or trace it or something?"
"How did he know about Laurel?" Lance mumbled to himself, equally distraught.
"What?"
"How does this guy know Laurel is connected to the Arrow?" Lance repeated.
"I have no idea. I only found out about it myself last night." Tommy said. "She-she said you knew."
"Well, just me and…" Lance's head shot up, and he glanced around the squad room, and then suddenly he knew.
There was a leak.
"Mr. Lance," Tommy continued. "This maniac has got Laurel! You got to call in the posse or something, I don't know, SWAT teams."
Lance continued to stare at his 'fellow' officers. "I can't." he said. With a sinking gut, he realized there was only one person he could call. He dug through his desk drawer for a moment before he withdrew a familiar black Smartphone.
"Detective Lance-" Tommy tried.
Lance got up. "I got to go make a call." he said, walking out of the squad room.
The Lair
Lyla was waiting in the dark as Nathan and Helena finally arrived.
"Thanks for coming." Lyla said. "It didn't seem like a good idea to talk about this at your house."
"Yeah, it would have been a little awkward for you to explain to my mother that you're spying on her." Nathan said harshly.
"No, man." Lyla shook her head, holding out the device she had used in the utility closet. "Awkward part's coming up."
Nathan took the device and noticed it was one of his recording devices he usually put on his arrows. "You bugged my mother?"
"Just listen."
Nathan sighed and turned the device on. 'It's taken care of.' Though distorted, he immediately recognized the unmistakable voice of Moira Queen. 'I've taken care of it. Carl Ballard will not be a problem anymore.'
'Given your propensity for squeamishness, I'm assuming that Mr. Ballard remains in good health.' A second voice, one he did NOT recognize, said.
'I made it clear to him persuasively that his plans endangered the undertaking. I didn't have to make the usual threats.'
'Excellent. Now, one more matter to attend to. I need you to have to contents of this address removed and disposed of thoroughly. The warehouse where you're storing the remains of 'The Queen's Gambit'.'
'I already told you, I knew Robert's yacht was sabotaged.'
Shocked, Nathan shut the device off.
"I'm sorry, babe." Helena said apologetically, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"The yacht was sabotaged." Nathan gasped. "Somebody tried to kill my father."
"And your mother was involved somehow", Lyla said.
Nathan spun and glared at the woman. "You do not know that she was involved, Lyla!"
Lyla stared back impassively. "What I do know Nathan, and so do you, is that she kept this a secret. Why would she do that if she didn't have something to hide?" a faint buzzing sound could be heard. Lyla frowned. "Is that…"
"Yeah!" Nathan took out the phone and picked up the call. "You have five seconds to say whatever the hell it is before I have this line permanently disconnected!" He growled.
"It's Laurel. She's been kidnapped." Lance said without preamble. "Listen, whoever this is, he's going to kill my daughter. Please believe me."
Flashback
Nathan awoke, his arms tied behind him, seated on a chair. He moved around, trying to wiggle out of the bonds.
"Sorry." Slade said, taking a pull from his canteen. He wiped his mouth and put the cap on, then moved to stand before Nathan. "It's nothing personal." He continued. "The airfield was a very heavily fortified position. I've been there. And I cannot take it on my own." He withdrew one of the swords from his back and held it at Nathan's throat.
"So-so what?! Huh? You're just going to kill me?" Nathan exclaimed, gasping in pain as the sword drew a thin line of blood.
"Like I said, it's nothing personal." Slade repeated as Nathan continued to struggle against the ropes. "But if you're alive, they will find you. And if they find you, they will torture you until you give up my location, and I cannot allow for that to happen."
"Hey, don't…" Nathan shot to his feet. "No, please don't do this, all right?! I'm not going to say anything to that—" he pleaded. Slade pushed him back into the chair.
"Don't make it more difficult upon yourself. I can do this in a way that you will not feel it at all."
Desperately, Nathan twisted his hand hard, and with an audible crack, dislocated his thumb. Sliding his hands free of the now loose rope, he dragged himself to his feet-
And punched the other man.
Slade barely moved, but was finally impressed by the boy's determination. He chuckled in appreciation. He pulled Nathan upright, then extended his hand.
"Slade Wilson." He said, properly introducing himself.
"Nathaniel Queen." Nathan replied, taking the man's hand and shaking it the best he could with a dislocated thumb.
"Well, Nathaniel Queen, there might be a fighter inside of you after all." Slade said.
Flashback End
Once more Detective Lance was standing on the roof of the Winick building, waiting for The Arrow- though this time he was alone.
"Detective." Lance spun around to see The Arrow standing behind him. "If this is another trick, you will not like the consequences." The Arrow warned.
Lance sighed. "I'm not particularly happy right now." He stated. "I hate you. I hate everything you stand for. But this lunatic has my little girl." He held up the recording arrow. "He left this behind as some kind of ransom note."
Nathan didn't even need to listen to it. "His name is Cyrus Vanch." He told the cop.
"Jeez…" Lance said. "He'll kill her if he doesn't get to you."
"He'll kill her anyway." The Arrow said bluntly. "So why come to me?"
Lance sighed. "It's a pretty tight circle that knows about you and my daughter working together. If Vanch knows, it's because someone at the precinct talked. There isn't anybody else I could trust." He admitted.
"Vanch is holed up in his ex-lawyers mansion. It's a heavily fortified position. I was there. I can't take it by myself." The Arrow said.
"I need your help." Lance pleaded.
"I wasn't asking for your help." The Arrow replied coldly, "I have a partner for a reason. Given your propensity for getting in my way, you'd only be a liability, especially with that shoulder. Stay out of my way Detective."
Vanch's Mansion
He and Vivian were in the dining room with a bound Laurel seated at the head of the table.
"Time's running out." Vanch said casually. "And still no visit from your friend and his girlfriend. I might have overestimated his fondness for you." He said, yanking her head back by the hair and placing his knife at her throat.
"Assault with intent." A tearful Laurel said defiantly. "And kidnapping. You're going to rot in prison for life this time."
Vanch chuckled. "That's assuming your hooded BFF saves you. And his chances of survival are not so great. He's going up against trained men with their fingers on the trigger of guns that fire up to 600 rounds per minute. Now, I'm no Einstein, but that is a lot of bullets."
Outside, Nathan and Helena were bobbing and weaving through the shadows, taking out man after man, most before they even got one shot off.
"And even if they were to take them out, I have four sharpshooters on the roof."
Nathan spotted the sharpshooters, and then shot off a flashbang arrow. The explosion momentarily blinded the two sharpshooters, and that was all he needed to take hit his two in the chest, while Helena shot one in the laryx and the other in the head.
"And even if they were to get by them, what are they going to do against the veritable army of sons of bitches I've got waiting for them?"
More men fell. The untrained schmucks were helpless against the two vigilantes.
"Now, as I said, I'm no Einstein. But I can count to 56." Vanch continued, unaffected by the sounds of battle coming from outside. "And in case you're wondering- I was, so I studied up on my news footage—56 is the exact number of arrows, throwing knives, ninja stars, and crossbow bolts carried collectively by the Arrow and his girlfriend, The Huntress."
The Arrow walked into the house, but froze at the sound of a shotgun pumping. The gunman then had his throat sliced open by Helena, who grabbed his shotgun.
They snuck into the room where Vanch was holding Laurel. Nathan fired his arrow at Vivian, the arrow piercing through the back of her neck, the arrow head and shaft sticking out of her throat. "Vivian!" He shouted in shock as he looked on in horror as his girlfriend died. He froze when he heard a shotgun click behind him. He turned his head slightly to see a smirking Huntress.
"Very good analysis, Mr. Vanch." Nathan said as he walked into the room while clapping his hands with his bow holstered on his back, "You are correct, of course. 56 is the total amount of arrows, throwing knives, ninja stars, and crossbow bolts carried collectively by me and my girlfriend. However, you made three critical errors."
"Number 1," He pulled out his bow, firing an arrow that lodged itself in Vanch's knee, causing him to shout in pain as he dropped to his knees, "You assumed incorrectly that we used one projectile per person, or that we don't pick up after ourselves. After all, there is a reason the Police only ever find one or two projectiles projectiles at a scene. Number 2," He grabbed Vanch's arm and locked it out, delivering a harsh palm strike his elbow, shattering the joint and causing his ulna bone to stick out, causing him to bleed and scream in pain, "You incorrectly assumed that we are completely useless without our weapons. And finally, number 3," Helena handed Nate the shotgun and he put the barrel in Vanch's mouth, "You did not stop to consider the fact that we could just take your henchman's gun's if we ran out of ammo. Arrogance, is the downfall of all great men, Mr. Vanch. Remember that in your next life." Nate pulled the trigger, and Vanch's brain matter erupted from the giant hole in his head.
"Go. Knowing your father, he followed us here." Helena said as she cut Laurel free. Nate and Helena watched to make sure she got out of the house and over to the Police squad that showed up before they made a break for it.
"Laurel, are you ok?" he asked his daughter as he hugged her tightly, afraid to let go.
"Yeah. I'm ok." She assured him.
SCPD
Quentin was finishing up things up as Laurel sat perched on the side of his desk, wrapped in a blanket and holding a cup of strong coffee. Quentin came back into the squad room and walked over to her.
"All right, you're good to go." He told her. "I'll, uh, I'll take you home now."
Laurel stared at him for a moment, then shook her head. "I can take a cab." She said.
"Laurel, you had a trauma. I'll drive you home." Quentin insisted.
"No."
He looked at her, confused. "What?"
Laurel stood. "I'm going to need you to keep your distance for a while."
"Laurel…"
"Dad, I love you. I'll always love you." She assured him. "But what I can't do right now is trust you."
"I was just doing my job." He justified. "I thought you'd understand at least that."
"That part I do understand." She said. "But lying to me, using me?" she sighed. "It's going to take longer." She said, walking out.
Laurel walked out into the motor pool. Down the line of cars The Arrow stepped out.
"Are you all right?" he asked her.
"What would you think if I said I didn't know?" she asked.
"That you were being honest."
She sighed. "My father has the phone now. And I don't think he'll be giving it back any time soon."
"Maybe that's a good thing." The Arrow replied. "I didn't see how I was putting you in needless danger."
"I'm a big girl. I knew the risks." She assured him.
"Now I know them." He said. "And I'm not willing to take them with you anymore."
She looked at him, confused. "What does that mean?"
"It means I don't plan on contacting you again. This is goodbye."
She wanted to say something, anything to make him change his mind, but suddenly she heard Tommy calling for her. She turned around to see him running towards him, and behind her The Arrow slipped away.
"Oh, my God, Laurel." Tommy cried, pulling her into his arms. "Laurel, tell me you are okay, please."
"No, no, I'm fine, I'm fine." She promised him. "I'm so sorry." She said tearfully, but Tommy just held her closer.
"No, no, it doesn't matter, just as long as you're okay." He told her. High above them both, Nathan watched with a smile on his face.
Flashback
Nathan and Slade sat in front of a fire in the fuselage.
"You know, this does not change anything between you and I." Slade said. "It takes two men to take the air field. And if you compromise my getting off this island, I will kill you. You've had your second chance."
"You need me just as much as I need you." Nathan said coldly. "So what's our next step?"
Slade chuckled. "Turning you into something that won't get us both killed." He said. He waved his hand towards the crates lined along the side of the downed plane. "Choose a weapon."
"We're starting now?" Nathan complained. Slade gave him a look, so he stood and walked over to the crate. He opened it and looked inside- and saw a frighteningly familiar mask. Pulling it out, he held up the black and orange mask, glaring at Slade.
"That's mine." He stated.
"You are the fucker who tortured me?!" Nathan snarled.
"No, that was another guy."
"Bullshit!" Nathan exclaimed.
"This mask, it's my operational equivalent to a balaclava." he calmly explained. "My partner and I wore them to keep our identities classified during our missions."
"You're lying. Fyers told me this nutcase is a prisoner on the island."
"And Fyers is such a trustworthy individual?" Slade said calmly. "He lied to you. My partner and I came here to free Yao Fei and get him off this island. We're A.S.I.S.- Australian intelligence." He stepped back. "Now. You are going to find yourself a weapon. Have you considered a sword?" he smiled eerily. "I like swords."
Flashback End
At a bar
Alleyway
Officer Garett Reynolds was walking out of a bar after his shift was over. He was walking out of the alleyway when a sniper round pierced his chest, causing him to fall back with a decent hole in his chest.
Two rooftops away was Nathan with a high-powered sniper rifle. He had taken Vivian's phone to find out who the hell had told her about Laurel. He had hacked it, and found the number of Garrett Reynolds to find out what he looked like. Garrett Reynolds was one of many corrupt cops in the city and had been present during Lance's failed attempt to arrest him. He wouldn't be missed.
The Lair
Later
Nathan sat at his desk in the Lair, listening to the recording over and over. 'I made it clear to him persuasively that his plans endangered the undertaking.' His mother's voice was saying. 'I didn't have to make the usual threats.'
"I've listened to this 15 times." He told his partner as Lyla walked into the lair. "It's definitely her voice, Lyla. I just… I can't believe it's her."
"We all have blind spots when it comes to family." Lyla said.
"Yeah. Laurels' almost got her killed tonight. Vanch never would have known about her connection to me if Lance hadn't had lied to her."
"I guess the lesson here is blind trust can be dangerous." Lyla noted. Nathan turned the device back on. 'I made it clear to him persuasively that his plans endangered the undertaking. I didn't have to make the usual threats.' "What's the Undertaking?" Lyla wondered.
"I don't know." Nathan said. "But with all this talk about threats, it can't be good." He sighed.
"Look Lyla, I'm sorry about before. It's not that I didn't think it a possibility, I was just determined to not believe it. Before the island, my mother and I were close, closer than I was with my father. I was desperate to believe that she wasn't part of whatever the hell the Undertaking is, because I knew if I did, my whole world would shatter. You warned me that if she was lying it would be to cover up her involvement in something dangerous. I need to know what The Undertaking is."
"What are you going to do?" Lyla asked as Nathan rose.
Nathan looked at the man. "I need to have another chat with my mom."
Queen Consolidated
Moira was in Walter's office, meeting with a pair of executives.
"I'll need the Unidac merger finalized by the end of the week." She told the men. "We're on something of a clock here."
Suddenly The Arrow crashed through the window. He landed in a roll, coming up to take out one of the guards. He attacked the second bodyguard as the executives fled, knocking him out with a vicious uppercut. The Arrow spun and fired an arrow at the desk lamp, destroying the bulb and sending the office into darkness. He knocked another arrow and held it pointed at Moira's heart.
"Moira Queen, you have failed this city." He said, his voice disguised, as Moira stood, terrified, behind her desk.