Chapter 1

Year One Begins

And The Hate

Is Embraced

Disclaimer: I own nothing but what you see here. And now begins Year One, the sequel to What If? Making The Call! I originally decided to wait til after I finished Suicide Protection and A Very Philly Occasion but I decided to go ahead and get a start on this. This also features a very small cross over with the 1986 film Cobra that Sylvester Stallone starred in. Now, let's roll on!


Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011 3:45 PM in Coast City at Ferris Air

Life for Oliver Queen was a lot better for the former castaway of Lian Yu in some ways. No longer was he trapped on Lian Yu or forced to the bidding of Amanda Waller in Hong Kong as he was now home with his friends and family. He'd made quite a few new friends since coming home and even a few enemies. Some mental like nightmares and PTSD and a few of the not so mental kind like China White and airplanes to a certain extent for example. Thea's 16th birthday in January was something of a subdued affair due in part to Andy Diggle's death and had led to a screaming match between her and a few former friends after they acted like the man's death was no big deal since he was just a glorified bodyguard in their eyes. Both Oliver and John had nearly gone off on the girls themselves until Carly stepped in and gave them a very stern talking too that all lives matter no matter what before they got escorted out by Walter.

Oliver, John, Ted, Maseo, and occasionally Tatsu hit the streets quite a bit through out January, February, and March to find out any information they could about Andy's killer. Putting the hurt on many a thug and drug dealer in their quest to find out information. Which sadly didn't lead to anything aside from a few enemies made in the gangs those thugs and drug dealers were part of after their people wound up in the hospital or jail. And it wasn't until Tatsu had the bright idea of looking up any information about Andy's killer that they finally got anywhere. That had led to John wanting to do a little traveling to find the one known as Deadshot until Oliver managed to talk him out of it by saying that Carly and AJ needed him more and the Veteran, while reluctant, saw the truth in the younger man's words and backed off on his desire to go find his brother's killer.

And if it wasn't for Veller and Anna, Thea likely would be struggling harder then what she was currently with Andy's death and likely falling into some bad habits that she'd been already headed in for awhile until some intervention happened in the form of her big brother. Moira thankfully was around for her daughter this time after some stern words from not only Veller and Anna, but Oliver and Walter as well. Lupus was also growing pretty nicely and still being quite the lovable puppy as well. Though two troubling items had developed around February and that was the addition of Hate Crimes that was springing up in the Glades and occasionally in the city proper. The second item being the disappearance of one Hal Jordan during a test flight that some believed was actually him being dead and no one being able to find the body.

Which was the reason Oliver was headed to see Carol at Ferris Air in Coast City as she'd called him earlier that day crying and barely being understood. Thankfully his unshaven bum like look didn't make it too hard for him to get in to her office where she was. What he didn't know is that she'd had him placed on the very small list of people who was welcome to come in whenever they wanted, along with his picture next to his name. When he came inside, he didn't see her at her desk, but instead asleep on the couch she had nearby in case of late nights at the office. Rushing over to her and getting on a knee, he gently shook her awake. "Carol? Its Oliver."

Carol stirred from her slumber. "O-Oliver!?" She cried out and instantly wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

Something he was a little uncomfortable with as he was still trying to work on not feeling a certain way when it came to women anymore after China White's attack on him some months ago. The fact he didn't react as strongly spoke volumes to the progress he was making in that area. Carol erupted into a fresh set of tears against his shoulder and giving Oliver a fairly bad feeling related to what was going on with Hal. "What's wrong? Did the police find out something about Hal?"

Her crying seemed to increase with the wail she did that had him slightly wincing a bit. Oliver started to rub her back a bit awkwardly in an attempt to soothe her. "The police… They told me they ended the search since there wasn't a body they could find!" Not only that but she was having government officials breathing down her neck about a potential shut down for the test flight location in Central City over Hal's disappearance.

Which while not a huge loss would still hurt her company and it was the last thing she needed on top of her best friend's mysterious disappearance. The news was not something that sat well with Oliver and the archer promised himself that he would do what he could where the police couldn't or wouldn't. And if there was foul play involved, then there would be absolute Hell to pay. "Hal… Hal was a good man and a good friend." Emotion could be heard in his voice and it felt like there was a very unpleasant weight on his chest that had nothing to do with Carol.

The grief stricken woman looked up at him, and in a move that surprised Oliver, kissed him. An action he found himself responding too before ultimately shutting it down. Pulling back and turning his head away from her, he missed the hurt look she gave him afterwards. "What? Why'd you stop?"

Sighing to himself, he turned back to look her right in the eyes. "Because kissing you at a time like this isn't appropriate." And while he was getting somewhere with the whole comfortable bit when it came to women, this wasn't exactly a thing he felt he was ready for. Course that just might be fear talking for all he knew.

Carol hated to admit that he had a point but she just wanted to feel something other then the deep sorrow she had coursing through her. Moving away from him and walking towards her window, she crossed her arms as if to hold herself in a comforting way as Oliver watched on from the couch. Sighing to himself, he got up and walked over to her and in a moment he wouldn't at all regret, wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him. Something that honestly surprised the grief stricken woman. "Hey… If I could do something to change all this I would. But trust me when I say that I will be here for you whenever you need me. Times like these are always hard but eventually it gets a little easier but never completely so. We go on and we try to make those we lost proud of us as we do so."

He knew it wasn't the most comforting thing in the world but he was at least trying. The lovely Carol Ferris appreciated what he was trying to do greatly and despite how she was feeling in that moment, she felt as though she may have just fallen a little more for the man holding her. Carol had the notion however that his issues after that attack on him likely played into why he stopped the kiss as well but as she once told him last year, she was more than willing to wait and be there with him on his way to a full on recovery. "Thank you Oliver, for everything." She softly told him as he held her while they stared at the outside world through her window.

Several Hours Later In The Glades of Starling City In An Old Abandoned Warehouse

This particular warehouse had been abandoned around eight years ago and had pretty much been used for nearly every purpose one could think of since then. And tonight was certainly no different, though the occupants inside of it were of a decidedly different kind of people who had some ill intentions in mind for quite a few people in the Glades. Along with occasionally in the city proper as well. A loud clanging noise could be heard as rows of men could be seen in the lower section of the old warehouse. The clanging itself was the two axes each man had in their hands raised above their heads. On the upper level above them stood a bald man with a very intimidating presence who was looking down at his people with a cruel smile on his face. One could say he looked similar to that of the WWE's Kane. This man is known as Brian Stalk, son of the infamous Night Slasher and Nancy Stalk of the New World Order.

An Order that nearly came to its end at the hands of a cop known as Marion 'Cobra' Cobrietti. Who'd been a member of one of LA's Zombie Squads for years until finally retiring in the late 90's. There had been those who survived the massacre of the organization thanks to being spread out and keeping their heads down after the Night Slasher and his branch had fallen. Brian had been brought up to believe in a certain way by his parents and their associates and when he had been shipped off to Germany that way had only increased til he truly had no love for other races or the weak beyond the White Man and those who were strong. Germany had made him into a truly harsh and intimidating man. He even proudly wielded a Damascus knife much like his father did.

Raising his hands for silence, the men quickly lowered their axes so that he could speak. "Brothers! I bring news to you all upon this night. News I know many of you have been looking forward to hearing. The bastard defender of the weak known as Marion Cobrietti is now nothing but a rotting corpse for the worms!" He brought out his Damascus blade to show the very weapon that was used to kill the man and his family.

"This blade is coated with not only his blood, but the blood of his family! Revenge truly is a great taste upon the taste buds."

The crowd roared in approval, glad that the man who had tried to take away an Order that knew of the true righteous path. Brian basked in their sheer delight of the news and spoke again when they finally quieted down. "With his death, we can put him behind us and rid this world of the weak! For far too long, they and those of color have walked amongst us for too long and it is time something be done! And with us of the New World Order, that something will be achieved by us!"

Cheers broke out again as they were all more than ready to do the cleansing as well. "Recently, we've begun to start our great work in this city's rotting foot where the weak cower like filthy animals while those who are strong do what they must in order no matter what it might be. We will show the people of the Glades what it means to fear, what it means to hate… And turn it against those who live better then they do. We will show them how to embrace… THE HATE!" The crowd roared out in approval of his words and started to clang their axes together again as Brian looked on proudly.

I will make my parents proud as I do what they were unable to achieve thanks to that now rotting corpse. And when the time is right… The one I HATE most will DIE!

The new Slasher would lead his army that night into the Glades and over 40 homes and several businesses would be destroyed by morning in their attack against those who were not white and strong. News outlets in the city would call it the worst attack to ever be conducted in the entire city's history and the police were actively doing what they could to uncover the ones responsible. This attack would also get Oliver and his bunch involved as well. Though what none of them would know is that this year would be a very challenging one for a great deal of people as one man and his organization brought forth a campaign of Hate.


Author's Notes: And here we are folks! Hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of the sequel to What If? Making The Call. Who is it exactly that Brian hates you wonder? Well my friends, you will have to read on to find out in the chapters to come! R and R!