Marcus's Next Move
Marcus Queen sat in his secret lab at Queen Consolidated, the icy chill of his recent battle against Ra's al Ghul still coursing through him. The League of Shadows lay shattered, their once-mighty headquarters now a frozen tomb deep in the Himalayas. But Marcus knew the war wasn't over—Ra's had children, and they would come for vengeance. However, Marcus had no intention of letting the League rebuild and profit from what he had done.
Turning to his AI system, Victory, Marcus gave his next set of orders. His voice was calm, but there was a lethal precision in his tone. "Victory, plunder the League's remaining resources in the frozen headquarters. They won't benefit from what I've done. Sort everything by strategic value—tech, funds, intelligence. I don't want a single coin or piece of information slipping through our fingers."
Victory: "Understood, sir. Initiating deep data infiltration and physical resource extraction. Estimated time to completion: 6 hours."
Marcus leaned back in his chair, his mind already turning to the next phase of his plan. He had dealt a crippling blow to the League, but there were still others who could be of use—particularly the Lance sisters, Laurel and Sara. The League had once had designs on Sara, and Marcus knew the destinies they were meant to follow. But instead of the League using them for their purposes, Marcus would ensure that both sisters became something more—symbols of hope and justice. It was time for the Black and White Canary to take flight.
"Victory, gather the materials that match the specifications for the creation of two suits—one for Sara, one for Laurel. Black and white. Their destiny is no longer tied to the League, but they need to understand what could have been. Prepare a memory vial with their past and future intertwined, and let them know the League will be hunting them now."
Victory: "Affirmative. Resources will be allocated and sorted to meet the specified requirements for the Canary suits. The memory vial will be ready in conjunction with the League hunt data. Preparing visualizations of the destinies they were meant to follow under the League's influence."
Marcus stared at the monitor in front of him, the image of the two Canaries—one black, one white—floating in his mind. "The League will regret ever thinking they could control the Lances. From now on, they will be the hunters, not the hunted."
Malcolm Merlyn Learns of the League's Destruction
At Merlyn Global, Malcolm Merlyn sat in his private office, sipping a glass of whiskey as he pored over blueprints for his ongoing plans to destroy the Glades. His mind was focused on the Undertaking, but a persistent knock on his door pulled him from his thoughts.
"Enter," Malcolm called, irritation seeping into his voice.
One of his trusted operatives, a tall, thin man with a nervous expression, entered and handed him a tablet. "You need to see this, sir. It's about the League of Shadows."
Malcolm took the tablet and glanced at the screen. As he read, his expression darkened. His eyes scanned the report detailing the destruction of the League's main headquarters—completely wiped out, their resources and personnel annihilated. Ra's al Ghul was dead. The elite assassins of the League, frozen in place, slaughtered by a force Malcolm hadn't expected: Marcus Queen.
"Marcus," Malcolm muttered, his grip tightening on the tablet.
The Ghost Tiger had done what few thought possible—he had taken down Ra's al Ghul and destroyed the League's stronghold. But what caught Malcolm's attention more than the sheer destruction was the systematic plundering of the League's resources that had followed. Everything—intelligence, funds, weapons—was being siphoned off, and Malcolm had no doubt that Marcus was behind it.
Merlyn slammed the tablet onto his desk, his jaw clenched in fury. "That arrogant fool. He's more dangerous than I thought." Malcolm had always known Marcus was a threat, but the scope of his brother's power was far greater than he had anticipated.
Malcolm stood and began pacing his office. If Marcus could take down the League, then his plans for the Glades were at risk. Marcus had already proven his willingness to kill, and now he had access to the League's vast resources. Malcolm's empire, carefully built over the years, could be undone by a single move from Marcus.
He downed his whiskey and stared out the window, his mind calculating the next move. He couldn't allow Marcus to interfere any further, but direct confrontation wasn't the answer. No, Malcolm would have to be smarter, more cunning. The Undertaking had to continue, but now it was clear that Marcus would be a major obstacle.
"Marcus Queen thinks he can play god," Malcolm muttered darkly. "But he'll soon find out that even gods can bleed."
The Lances' Destiny
The following day, a mysterious package arrived at Laurel Lance's apartment. She wasn't expecting anything, but the black, sleek box caught her attention immediately. Inside were two sets of suits—one black and one white. They were form-fitting, made from high-tech materials that were unlike anything she had seen before. Alongside the suits was a small vial, labeled with both her and Sara's names.
Laurel picked up the vial and studied it, confused. She was about to call Sara when her phone buzzed with an unknown number. When she answered, a cold, familiar voice came through the line.
"That vial contains the memories of your possible futures with the League of Shadows," Marcus Queen's voice said. "What you were meant to become, if they had their way. But those destinies are no longer in their hands. They'll come for you, but now, you have the tools to fight back. The Black Canary and the White Canary—symbols of what you are capable of. The choice is yours."
Before she could respond, the line went dead.
Laurel's hands trembled as she stared at the vial. A mix of fear and excitement coursed through her. Whatever this was, it was bigger than she had ever imagined. She dialed Sara's number, her mind spinning with the weight of the decision before her.
Marcus Watches from the Shadows
Back at Queen Consolidated, Marcus watched the live feed from his lab, monitoring the reactions of both Laurel and Sara as they received their new suits and the memory vial. He had altered the course of their destinies, just as he had altered Oliver's. The Lances were no longer pawns in the League's game—they were about to become forces of their own.
As he sat back in his chair, Victory's voice chimed in.
Victory: "The plundering of the League's resources is complete. All assets have been successfully acquired. Ra's al Ghul's children will likely seek retribution soon."
Marcus smiled darkly. "Let them come. They'll find nothing but cold and death waiting for them."
He stared at the screen, his mind already moving to the next phase of his plan. The world of shadows was collapsing, and Marcus Queen was going to make sure he was the one left standing when the dust settled.
No one—not the League, not Malcolm Merlyn—would stop him. The Ghost Tiger had roared, and the shadows had begun to tremble.