Part 2 Stand up when you hear your name

He heard Donna before he saw her – her weeping was heard all thru the hallways of sixth floor on Star City General. He passed the corner and saw her sitting on the metal chair outside Felicity's room. She raised her head as she heard him approached. Her face was redden and wet from the tears and as she read unasked question in his eyes she shook her head. No change…

Since Felicity was brought to the hospital over 36 hours ago, there was twelve hour surgery, sterile ICU room, two red alarms and compassionate look in the eyes of doctors while they said only waiting remained.

Destroyed spleen, collapsed lung. Six bullets shattered bones, tearing muscles and tendons while they penetrated her body in the ambush shooting, when she left her in the back seat to move the car. Six bullets that were meant for him. Doctors did all they could do, he believed them, but he couldn't sit here like Donna, just waiting for something to happen.

So after first hour of Felicity's surgery he stormed out, called Diggle and tracked down two groups of ghosts. Both put up a fight, none of ghosts said anything useful. And then there was this weird woman… Appearing out of nowhere and insisting on talking to him and Diggle about taking out Darhk.

When he told her to be at Verdant on 11 p.m. he thought it was to make her go away, so he and Diggle could go where they needed to be – Diggle at home, he in the hospital. The truth was he wasn't sure why he did it. Maybe because it seemed that it was just himself, Felicity, Diggle, Laurel, Thea and Lance against the organization that was so influential that even League of Assassins did not want to fight it, lead by a men with so much power that even John Constantine, men capable of tearing soul lost behind the vail and place them back in their owners' body, even master sorcerer was afraid to even talk about Darhk. Maybe because he was a drowning man clutching at a straw. Or maybe because he heard in the voice of the mysterious woman years of suffering and anger but also white rage and force…

One hour earlier…

- Oliver? Oliver, what the hell is going on?- Diggle's voice was ringing in his ears as he speed his bike.

When they walked into the lair, Oliver angrily tossed his bike helmet aside and sat in Felicity's chair, hiding his head in his chair. He made a sound that only wounded, caged animals can make.

- Oliver, talk to me. What is going on? Why did You tell her to meet us this evening? – Diggle was standing next to him, trying to figure out whether he should try to make him go home to get some sleep or get some answers out of him and then make him sleep. Oliver raised his head and looked at his best friend.

- John, I just… I need to find him, we need to find him. – John could see desperation in his eyes. – But even if we find him, how can we defeat him? He was in a building that was annihilated by the explosion, yet few hours later he is seen on the streets. He almost killed Malcolm. Everyone who could fight off Ra's al Ghul like that would get me worried, even if You put aside magical powers, gas chambers and Fel…- Oliver growled. Diggle put his hand at his shoulder.

- Whatever You need man, I am here.

For a few moments it was silent as Oliver tried to calm down, only if just a little.

- I have to go to the hospital – he raised from the chair. He was halfway to the adjust room where he had some spare "non-vigilante" clothes when he heard ping of the elevator, door opening and Diggle saying – Don't go into Verdant before I'll get there, ok?

- Yea – Oliver said out loud. –Thank You – he thought.

Glades were unusually quiet. Somewhere in the distance there was a fire – the saw smoke rising heavily into the night sky. Dark alley at the back of Verdant was almost pitch-black. At the corner leading to it there was a lonely figure. Dark clothes, dark backpack, red shimmering of the cigarette.

- Do you see anyone Diggle?- asked Oliver over the comms.

- No. Seems she did come alone. Are we going down?

- I'm coming down. I'll take her inside. Go to the other exit and watch us. Up close – decided Oliver. He hopped down from the low building – another part of the old foundry they never used and started waliking towards the dark figure.

- You came. I was starting to think You only said that for me to get lost – woman said, putting the cigarette down with the heel of her shoe. She pulled from the wall and stepped closer. In the dimmed light of the old street lamp he could see that her trousers were fitted as were her hoodie. Her hands were raised up front, showing him she wasn't holding anything.

Oliver switched on the voice modulator. He took an arrow out of the quiver, and targeted her. There were no more than five meters between them.

- Go to Your right into the alley. At the end there are metal doors. They aren't closed. Go inside and switch on the light. – Diggle made sure that back-up generators were running again and the lock on the doors police placed there after destroying the old lair was open.

Woman turned and looked at him for a second from under her hood. He'd swear he saw her smirking. She walked forward, did not stumble. He only heard squeak of the door and click of the light switch. He walked after her, cautiously. He went in, the doors closed behind him.

- What do you want? – arrow was still pointed at her

- I already told you, we need to talk – she did not sound scared, rather impatient.

- I don't have time for any games. – He really didn't. And still no fear in her. – What. Do. You. Want?

She sighted.

- Ok, I see we are going straight to business. I'm going to take off my jacket now, please try not to shoot me in the process.- She slowly took off the back pack, then tugged down zip of her hoodie, slowly lowered the hood, her face down and slid the hoodie off her hads. Only then did she let him see her face. He took a step closer.

She had long, brown hair – not unlike Thea, before she decided to be more like her father. Her face was porcelain white, her features sharp and cold but not as cold as her eyes. Like she has never smiled in her life. And there were her eyes – one piercing blue and the other dark green.

- You could take your hood off too, you know – she said after few seconds. –I know who you are underneath, Oliver. Just as I know that Mr. Diggle is at the bottom of the stairs behind me, on my left.

Next few seconds were a blur. Oliver fired the arrow at her, then another. There were sounds of two shots from the direction of the stairs. Then light flickered.

- There was no good way to say it, ay? – woman was still standing in her spot, two arrows and two bullets in the air around her.

Oliver took out another arrow, but Diggle whispered on the comms. – Maybe we should listen.

- Who the fuck are you and what do You want?

- My name is Freya and I know Darhk better than anyone alive. And I want him dead more than any of You. – Arrows and bullets fell to the floor. – Think about it. The only other person you saw do this was Darhk, do You honestly think he'd have someone like me work for him? He's the definition of paranoid. – Freya sat on the floor and exhaled.

Oliver slowly lowered his bow, but Diggle was still standing with his finger on the trigger.

- Why should I believe You?

- Because You know the things he can do are not a part of the standard League training.

And there bow went again to its position. Oliver was tired, angry, confused.

- I know a lot about You, deal with it. But I know even more about Darhk, about his tricks.

- How?

- He killed my mother and slaughtered my whole family to learn those. He stole our altar and he's been hunting me for the better part of the last three decades.

For a moment there was silence.

- Okay, let's start over. Shoot me if You want, but we need to cooperate. – She bowed her head first to him, then to Diggle's direction – Mr. Queen, , it's an honor to meet You. I am Freya Adalbjorg, although my father gave me another name - Dayanne Darhk.