So many things have changed. So many things haven't felt the same. And she was right. Things had changed.
Some for the better. Some for the worse. Much worse. The Lair. The secret headquarters to the once Team Arrow.
A team that has long since been abandoned. Long since been a unit. Sure two of its founding members could still be seen here and there.
Could be seen in hiding by a few selected people that knew of his location. As for one though? One could usually be found here.
Be here inside of this base surrounded by her element. Surrounded by the latest state of the art technology that money could buy.
Be found sitting behind the screen of her computer. Behind her network watching over the city. Overwatch.
That had been the code name given to her long ago. A code name that would often be heard through the air.
Be often used by her companions. By her new team mates. A group hand picked by her to watch over the city like a few others had done long ago.
To assume and continue the mission that had been abandoned by another long ago. The mission to watch over the city.
Their city. Her city. A mission that had once been his and his alone. A man that had started all of this. A man of legend.
Oliver Queen. The Vigilante,The Arrow,The Green Arrow oh she could go on and on. A man that had been away from the city for five long years before coming back as someone else.
As something else. A hero she always thought. An almost dark hero but a hero nonetheless. A hero that had done so much good for the city in a short period of time.
But a hero no longer. At least that is what she thought anyways. He couldn't be. Not after everything he had done.
A series of events that had started all thanks to her. A woman from another world. An carbon copy of a woman that had been lost on this world.
Laurel Lance. The Black Canary. That is what she used to be called anyways. Now another had taken her place.
Her doppleganger that was known as something else on her world. Black Siren. A deadly metahuman that had called Central City their home.
A woman that was almost the exact opposite of the woman that she knew. Only he didn't see it that way.
He didn't see a difference. She could feel it. She could see the happiness in his eyes whenever he looked the metahumans way.
She could feel the tension radiating off his body whenever a single bad word was said about her. This tension that could be cut with a knife until finally it erupted.
Until finally he couldn't take it anymore causing a series of events to take place. Cause for him to leave it all behind.
Cause for him to rescue this metahuman when she was been transported to a secure facility. To resign almost abruptly from his post in the Mayor's office leaving many stunned.
A man that has not been seen from in months. Although she has heard rumors of sudden appearances. Rumors of appearances by this man and a dirty blonde haired woman by his side with one dominating headlines.
Adrian Chase. Their latest of enemies found dead just outside of Central City's police department. Remains displaying a clear gunshot wound directly in the middle of his forehead with another object resting on his chest.
A mask. The mask of a dark archer. The mask of Prometheus. Team Arrow's greatest foe to date although many would question the notion.
A murder that she knew who was responsible but yet didn't have any proof. Didn't have anything to pin them towards this man.
Even if she wanted to. Even if she wanted to know. A thought that she has put in the back of her mind to focus solely on what she considered to be her day job.
Watching over Star City. Her home along with her new team. A team filled with fresh faces. Unproven faces that still have yet to make a name for themselves.
A true work in progress but they would learn. She would learn to adapt to her new team. Learn to adapt to these new changes.
Changes that have brought fresh air to Star City. No more archers running rapid. No more serial killers running free.
Instead a new foe has risen up. A small time criminal that has made a name for themselves. A man that she works through countless live feeds now as her team is found all around The Lair.
Some doing training exercises in an attempt to better their craft. Others just talking amongst each other silently with one clear leader among them.
The third Black Canary. Dinah Drake. A woman that truly was showing why the name Black Canary should once again be feared once again just like the mantle's previous users.
A woman with a gift for combat. A woman gifted with metahuman abilities much like her Black Siren counter part.
A woman that has been a great help to not just her but also to the city. Police detective by day vigilante by night.
A woman that has called herself the true Canary. Oh how she would come to regret saying those words.
These words that as though were being whispered in the air causes an instant reaction. A reaction that shocks everyone in the room.
Lights going out engulfing the room in total darkness. Every computer's mainframe shutting down. Shutting down only to reboot once the generator kicks on.
Reboot until suddenly sparks start flying out. Start flying out causing everyone nearby to take a couple of steps backward to avoid.
Avoid until it happens. Explosions. Explosions one after another causing thousands of shards of broken glass to go flying once the screens explode.
Shards of glass that land on top of all those that are thrown back from the blasts. Men and women that are sent flying off The Command Center into their fellow teammates and crashing down hard onto the cold floor.
Some smashing hard up against the cold unforgiving steel of the railings of the command center getting hit full blast with shards of broken glass instantly causing gashes to open up across their bodies.
This chain of explosions that slowly come to an end lighting up the room in an inferno. Causing the base to be engulfed with smoke.
Smoke with nothing but the sounds of shards of glass landing. With nothing but the sound of heavy coughs. With nothing but the sounds of groans and gritting of teeth.
All until another sound is heard. The sound of a pair of heels clanging. Clanging coming from the stairs leading up into The Command Center.
A sound that draws the attention of Felicity that coughs loudly from her spot against the cold railings clutching her back in pain while she looks through her severely broken glasses towards the sound.
Towards the stairs before her eyes go wide when she sees a figure making their way up the steps. A figure that she never thought she would ever see again.
Black Siren. Only this wasn't exactly Black Siren that she was seeing. No what she was seeing was like a ghost.
The Black Canary. This doppelganger dressed up as The Black Canary. A doppleganger wearing the domino mask.
Wearing the leather suit. Wielding a police baton effortlessly in her fingers. Such a sight that would have made her think this was truly The Laurel Lance of this world if not for one thing.
The smirk. That smirk across the dirty haired blonde's face. A smirk that she knew out of nowhere crushing any hope this was really her.
A smirk that she swears gets wider as she watches her eyes take in the chaos all around her. This chaos that just makes her smirk turn sinister before her eyes come back to rest on her.
" Hello Felicity. It's been way too long hasn't it?"
Seeing nothing but the shell shocked younger woman frozen to her spot feeling her smirk widening slowly Laurel glances around the base taking in everything that she sees.
" I like what you've done to the place. A little extreme but i suppose it works. It does give off a warm feeling now doesn't it?"
Receiving nothing but silence in response letting out a sigh shaking her head in amusement slowly Laurel ascends further into The Command Center and looks around finding many pairs of eyes looking up towards her.
" Oh? I see you've been busy. I must commend you. Although it was rather pointless. We merely were just taking a couple of months off to get requinted. But i suppose what's done is done."
Ignoring most of the stares to focus solely on one that sticks out from the crowd feeling her smirk dropping slightly into a scowl slowly Laurel tilts her head slightly.
" And what do we have here? A little baby birdie so far away from her nest?"
Instantly getting a reaction coming from the woman in question in the form of a glare taking in her features shaking her head slowly Laurel turns her attention back over towards Felicity.
" Might i ask who this is and why is she wearing that? If i recall neither, I or my sister in law slash play thing agreed to allow another to take up the mantel?"
Sending the older woman a questionable look just as she is about to respond suddenly the sound of heels clanging against the ground causes her to look away.
Causes Felicity to look away before her eyes once again go when she sees another ascending up The Command Center's steps.
Witnesses the form of Sara Lance make her way up the steps dressed in full gear. Dressed in her White Canary outfit with her staff firmly in her right hand.
A woman that comes to a stop by another to send the slightly older woman a look of annoyance.
" Sister in law? Play thing? We really need to come up with a new name for this. I mean we did marry the same man after all."
Unable to keep her eyes from going as wide as saucers suddenly Felicity watches in total silence the two older woman looking towards her with matching grins across their faces.
" What? Did you really think he would marry you? Why marry you when he could have us instead?"
Nodding her head in agreement taking her eyes away from Felicity for a split second Laurel glances over towards Sara with her grin only widening.
" I will admit,I was reluctant to share him at first but i've come to slowly warm up to the idea. I mean it's not like we really are related."
" And i will admit it was a little weird at first. I mean she does look exactly like my older sister may her soul rest in peace…."
" Rest in peace? Oh please she is probably fucking the Oliver from my world like they are rabbits. I think she is doing just fine."
Feeling her lips curling upward keeping her eyes locked on Felicity nodding her head reaching out gently Sara places her hand down on Laurel's lower back with her hand very slowly trailing downward.
" But after thinking about it she really isn't my older sister. More of an attractive woman that looks like her. Besides…."
Instantly as her hand reaches its intended target without any hesitation gently Sara squeezes Laurel's ass cheek causing the older blonde to look over towards her with amusement.
" I like to hear her scream."
Shaking her head in amusement turning her head to look back forward seeing nothing but shocked riddled across Felicity's face letting out a cough instantly Laurel watches her snap her head to look her way.
" We're getting off track here. The point is we're back and we're here to take back what is rightfully ours.
I did come here with the intention of leaving you broken and battered body in a puddle of your blood but after seeing all of this our plans have changed."
In a sudden motion Laurel snaps her head to look down to the ground and points the end of her police baton towards Dinah finding her eyes locked on her own.
" You little birdie step forward. Let's see if you have earned the honor of wearing that mask."
Masking her emotions to the best of her ability making her way through the crowd huddled around The Command Center retrieving her staff from a nearby table making her way into The Command Center.
Makes her way up the steps with her staff firmly in her right hand before she comes to a stop to glance at her predecessors.
To glance between the first and second Black Canaries finding them looking straight at her. Looking straight at her before one of them breaks free.
Before she watches the first Black Canary in the form of Sara Lance take a couple of steps forward to stand in the middle of The Command Center as Laurel backs up a few feet and smirks while her arms come up to cross over her chest.
" Alright little birdie. Let's see whatcha got."
Twirling her staff around only to snap it underneath her arm getting into her fighting stance without looking away from the young woman in front of her slowly Sara starts to circle around Dinah.
Circle around finding the young woman doing the same exact thing before effortlessly she blocks an incoming high strike from the young woman.
A strike that leaves an opening causing Sara to rear back and kick Dinah hard in the chest sending the young woman backwards and down to one knee with her staff the only thing holding her upright.
Such a reaction that makes Laurel shake her head in disgust as she eyeballs Dinah with an intense glare.
" Again!"
Snapping her head to the side to pay Laurel a quick glance finding the older woman glaring at her just as she returns the favor instantly Dinah is forced to raise up her staff to avoid an incoming staff strike that had been directed at her head.
A strike that makes her throw her body weight forward pushing the end of the staff away as she rolls across The Command Center and snaps up to her feet in a fighting stance.
Into a fighting stance before she quickly has to side step out of the way from the end of a staff striking her in the chest.
A near miss that she can't think about for long when she feels her leg being kicked out from underneath her causing her to spiral down to the ground back first quickly.
Kicked out landing hard on her back before she feels a heel driving hard into her throat causing her hands to come up to grasp Sara's ankle finding the slightly older woman looking down towards her in disappointment.
Disappointment that is soon followed by another reaction as Laurel comes into view to look down towards her with anger.
" And you dare wear that mask? You are an insult to us and all those that may soon wear the mask!"
Closing her eyes for a brief moment taking a deep breathe very slowly Laurel kneels down until she is almost eye level with Dinah with her facial features softening.
" But we can change that. All we ask is simple. We ask that you give us everything. You give us a hundred percent effort and in time we will make a true canary out of you yet."
Feeling the end of the heel disappearing reaching up to gently grasp her throat as she takes a deep breath slowly Dinah watches Laurel extend a hand out.
" What do you say? Ascend up and fly with the rest of your canary brothers and sisters."
Looking deep into the older woman's eyes finding only nothing but honesty and no signs of deceit within them releasing a breath reaching out gently Dinah takes Laurel's outstretched hand before she feels herself being pulled upright.
Pulled up right before a pair of hands are felt on her side helping hold her upright as she feels Laurel shaking her head and give her a nod.
Releasing her hold on the younger woman's hand turning away slowly Laurel glances around at the crowd surrounding The Command Center finding them looking up towards the scene in nothing but shock.
" And that goes for the rest of you. You claim to want change. Want this city to change for the better and yet you stand behind her."
Paying a quick glance over towards Felicity finding her shell shocked eyes looking up towards her extending her hand out Laurel points her index finger out towards her.
" This woman. This so called eyes and ears of the city does not represent change. No my fellow warriors this woman represents the old guard.
Represents the very things you look to change. Many of you if not all of you may not know this about her.
She does cover her tracks well but not well enough. This woman. Your so called leader is nothing more than a common criminal.
If you want me to go further a murder. A once known highly intelligent hacker found on the FBI's most wanted list.
A woman that had betrayed all those that put their trust in her just to get out of a little jail time. A woman that stayed under the radar until she became involved with what has come to be known as Team Arrow.
Some of you may regard her as a hero but you are sadly mistaken. Would a hero cause the lives of thousands of innocent men,women,and children to die?
Would a hero not sacrifice themselves then cause others pain? If you believe this then this woman. This Overwatch is no hero and yet you follow her. You obey her commands and hed to her call like a whipped dog."
Seeing many of the crowd taking in her words and looking over towards Felicity with a small ounce of hatred and disgust in their eyes retracting her hand slowly Laurel waives her hand over towards Sara finding her helping to keep Dinah upright.
" What we are offering is a choice. A simple choice. It's up to you. Join us. Help us bring true change to this city."
Seeing once again many contemplating her words turning her sights back towards Felicity with her facial features hardening Laurel motions for her to stand.
" Get up."
Hearing the cold tone in her voice glancing around seeing she has no allies anywhere to aid her obeying the command slowly Felicity rises up to her feet using the metal railings as a crutch.
Seeing the younger woman rising up to her feet taking a few steps forward until she is within a few feet of her reaching out Laurel plucks Felicity's glasses off from her nose causing a look of fear to come across her face before slowly she closes the glasses and tucks them away in a pocket on the front of the blonde tech girl's shirt.
" I said i had an old score to settle once we returned back to the city. I still remember that little sucker punch you threw at me when my back was turned."
Reaching out to pat the blonde tech girl's shoulder roughly with a sweet smile coming across her face slowly Laurel puts pressure on her shoulder causing a look of pain to come across her face.
" I've been waiting for months for this moment and unlike you, I want you to see me coming."
Releasing her hold taking a few steps back without giving her a chance to respond in a sudden move Laurel smashes her police baton viciously across Felicity's face causing the blonde tech girl to go soaring over The Command Center's railings and come tumbling to the cold ground below.
A sight that makes her smile as she looks down to find Felicity out cold with her body turned in ways it shouldn't before she looks away to address the crowd in front of her.
" Make your choice. The clock is ticking. We know who you are. We know where you live and what you do. We expect you to make the wise choice. If you chose to not side with us and instead stay here well…."
Paying one more glance down towards Felicity finding her in the same state turning to look back towards the crowd slowly Laurel nods her head downwards.
" Then you will become our enemies."
Turning away from the railings to look back over towards Sara with a quick nod slowly Laurel follows after her as she watches her lead Dinah slowly down The Command Center's steps and towards where they once came.