Chapter 4
Pacific Ocean
"NOOO!" Oliver started to lean forward reaching his hand out as he watched the Gambit explode.
"OLIVER STOP!" Felicity grabbed Oliver, holding him back. Felicity would not have been able to see the Queen's Gambit if it had not been on fire. Felicity tried her best to see what was happening, but with the wind, rain and dark clouds made it hard. She kept holding on to Oliver.
Oliver gave in and leaned back in the boat holding tight on to Felicity. As the wind kept getting stronger, Felicity felt the small boat being rocked back and forth as it raised up and down from the waves.
"He's gone, Felicity. My dad is gone."
"Oliver, we have to get these lifejackets on. Now!" A wave hit the boat knocking Felicity to the side. As the boat rose in the air, it had suddenly dropped hard hitting the surface of the ocean. Felicity grabbed hold of the rope that was secured on the sided of the boat. When she looked up, she did not see Oliver. "OLIVER!" She quickly leaned over and saw Oliver was holding on to the end of the rope in the water.
Felicity reached down and started to pull Oliver toward her. "HOLD ON!" she yelled. Again Felicity felt herself being thrown to the side. She was holding onto the boat with one hand and holding on to the rope with Oliver at the other end. Felicity felt her arms starting to pull and pain started to run up her shoulder and neck. She let out a scream and gave one hard pull on the rope to bring Oliver closer to the boat. Felicity saw a hand grabbing hold of the side of the boat. She reached over and grabbed Oliver's hand and pulled him back in. Felicity's arms and back muscles were screaming in pain and she wouldn't be surprised if she pulled a couple of muscles. The strain was making her neck hurt just as much.
Oliver grabbed and unattached the lifejacket and quickly put it on. As soon as Oliver fastened his lifejacket, a wave had raised up beneath them, lifting the boat in the air. Felicity and Oliver held tight onto the boat as it started to tilt on it side. No matter how hard they tried to hold on, the impact of the wave hitting them forced them to let go. Oliver felt the wave hitting him, forcing him under the water. Oliver felt himself slowly rising to the top. Under the water, the ocean was more calmed and not as loud.
He felt the current of the water moving him back and forth as he kept rising to the top. He started to wonder, should he just drown here and let that be the end of it. Oliver reached up to his lifejacket and placed his hand on the strap ready to unfasten it. Under the water, Oliver heard a faint voice calling his name, it was Felicity. He could hear Felicity's voice traveling under the water. She had to be close by. Oliver gave a hard kick and started to wave his hands up and down to bring him to the surface faster. As he emerged from the water, Oliver took in a deep breath. Oliver looked and saw the beacon light flashing on Felicity lifejacket. "FELICITY!" Oliver yelled. It was no use, she could not hear him. Oliver reached up and turned his beacon light on, hoping she will see it.
Felicity looked to the side and saw a flashing light. It was Oliver. She quickly started to swim to Oliver. Within moments, the two were holding each other tightly in their arms.
"HOLD ON TIGHT!" Oliver yelled. The rain kept coming harder and harder. They felt themselves being lift up and down from the waves. However Felicity knew it was okay, they were together and she was not planning on letting him go.
DAY 1 - After the Queen's Gambit
Tommy
Tommy was not sure what was going on or who had taken him. All he knew, that his body was hurting all over from the beating he had received yesterday when they were grabbing him. Tommy felt the blindfold tied around his eyes tightly and he was tied to a chair. He could hear people moving back and forth and could barely hear them talking. "Do you know who I am?" Tommy heard laughter. It sounded like there was at least 5 of them, he thought. "What do you want?" Tommy yelled.
"HAHA! Oh, we know who you are. Mr. Tommy Merlyn." Tommy noticed the man had a Russian accent. "And as for what we want, well, let's see. Oh yes, money, power, girls, you know. The dreams that America is made of."
"If it's money, my father will pay you." Tommy said.
"Yes, he would, and then again, maybe he would not. However, if this is a typical kidnapping, money would be good. But..." Tommy felt the man hand grabbing his jaw and started to squeeze tightly. Tommy tried to free himself from the man's grip. "...it is not money that we are after." Tommy felt the man pushed backed on his jaw as he let go. "Your father needs to do something for us. And, since you brought it up, I think we can use some extra spending money. Until we are ready, you will just have to be our guest."
DAY 2
LOCATION UNKNOWN
Tommy lost track of time. He was not for sure how much longer he could last. So far no one had said anything to him. "Excuse me," Tommy called out. Tommy felt a fist come across his face. "Hey, I just want... UGHNNMM!" Tommy was stopped short from a fist punching him in the side of his gut. Tommy started to cough trying to catch his breath. He heard the man moved and Tommy quickly turned his head to the side tightening mouth waited for his face get punched again. This time, he heard the man said something in Russian. Then the other men started to laugh. Tommy felt his hair on the back of his head been pulled up. Tommy could not take it anymore. The tears started to come from his eyes, "Please, please I do whatever you want, just stop and let me go."
Tommy could feel the man breath next to his ear. Tommy felt like he was going pee in his pants. He heard the sound what sound like a butterfly knife. The steel blade rubbed against Tommy's throat. Tommy could not hold it anymore. He felt himself having trouble breathing as he cried. The man pulled the blade away from Tommy and walked away. "I just want to go home, please," Tommy said in a low voice. Fearing if they heard him, they would start hitting on him again.
MERLYN GLOBAL
Malcolm hanged the phone up. It was the call he was waiting for. Queen's Gambit was lost at sea. He reached over and turned the TV on to listen to the news.
"This is Lisa Law with WCWA 69 with a special report. Tragic has struck twice for Starling City. Flight 287 has been reported that the plane had crashed in the Pacific Ocean. As Coast Guards approached its known last coordinates there were no signs of survivors. Also in the news, Billionaire Robert Queen, with his son Oliver Queen and Mr. Queen assistant Felicity Smoak with the crew of the Gambit is fear lost in seas. Their last message received from the Gambit was they were sinking, that their ship was struck by lighting and had caused an explosion trapping the Queen's and the crew on the ship. Please stay tuned as we cover these two tragic stories in just a few moments"
Malcolm reached his hand out pointing the remote to turned the TV off. "Well now, I did not see that coming. I wonder what made the plane crash?" Malcolm thought. Malcolm sat there for a moment. As Malcolm sat there staring at his desk, he made his eyes watery. As he started to feel the tears running down his cheek, he reached over and dials his son, Tommy number. "T-Tommy, It's your father. I need you to please call me right away. It's about Oliver and his father. Please call me." Malcolm hanged the phone up and wiped his eyes dried. "Okay, let's see who I should fire today to celebrate."
DAY 3
Tommy sat there listening, but the only sounds he could hear was the dripping of the water, wind blowing, and what sounded like loose tile covering on the roof from the wind. "Hey!" Tommy turned his head to the side waiting to be hit. "I need to go to the bathroom, please. I've been holding it for two days now."
Tommy heard the footsteps getting closer to him, "So rich boy, shit on yourself." It was a different voice this time. Then he heard the man voice that he knew yelled something in Russian. "Rich boy, it is your lucky day," Tommy felt his feet and hands been untied from the chair. "If you tried to run or remove your blindfold, I will cut out an eye and shove it down your throat. Is that understood?" Tommy shook his head letting him known he understood. "Let's go!" Tommy felt a hand pushing him on his back making his fall to the ground. "What's the matter? Do not have your servants here to wipe your ass? Move It." Tommy felt a foot kicking him in his ribs.
Tommy held his hand up hoping the man would stop kicking him, "Please, just give me a moment. I cannot see where I am going and you had me tied in that chair for so long I do not know. My legs need to be..."
Tommy was cut short, "I will help you then," said the man. Tommy felt himself been lifted up and lead across the room. "Go in this room, once you are in there, you can remove your blindfold, but before you step out..."
"I know, I know, I must have the blindfold back on me. ," Tommy said.
"Rich boy not too stupid." The man shoved Tommy in the room and slammed the door shut behind him. "You got 5 minutes!" Tommy heard him shouted.
DAY 4
Tommy could feel his mouth getting dry. "C-can I, I have some water, please?" Tommy was having trouble speaking.
"I guess we need to at least give you water, so we have proof you're alive." Tommy heard a water faucet turned on with the sound of water going in a container. As Tommy sat there, he felt the splash of water hitting him in the face while being poured on top of his head. "Here's your water, now shut up before I let the boys do whatever they want to you." Tommy suddenly felt a fist come across his face. The impact would have knocked Tommy down if the chair had not been bolted to the ground. Blood started to build up in his mouth. Tommy turned his head and spit the blood out.
For the first time in his life, Tommy was scared and wished his father was here. Why are they waiting? He kept thinking to himself.
"Arseny, watch him. We are heading out to get supplies." Tommy heard one of them walking up toward him. Then he felt a foot between his legs pressing down. "Is there anything you like Sir, Mr. Merlyn Sir? Tommy felt a pain going down his leg and his mid-section. Tommy gritted his teeth together to keep from yelling out in pain. "Maybe some of that fancy sushi or a big steak?" Again the man pressed down some more.
Tommy could not hold it in any longer, he yelled out in pain. He felt the man removed his foot and could sense that he was still in front of him. "You can go to hell as far as I am concerned." Tommy yelled.
The man started to laugh, "Well Mr. Merlyn. It looks like you do have a backbone after all and not daddy's little spoiled richer kid. Arseny, give him some water to drink. He earned it." In a few minutes, Tommy was sipping on some water from a cup. He heard the door open and closed.
DAY 5
"So, Tommy, tell me about your father." The man said.
Tommy started to laugh, "Ha, tell me what to call you and I will?"
Tommy heard the men starting to laugh and Tommy could not help but laugh with them. "Well, it seems being our guest is touching you up or you just do not give a damn anymore. Very well Tommy, my name is Kirill. Now Mr. Tommy Merlyn, tell me about your father?" Kirill said.
Tommy started to laugh some more, "My father, my father. Well, he is a power hungry son of a bitch who thinks he is God."
The room busted out in laughter. Tommy felt his blindfold been removed. Tommy kept his eyes closed and looked down. "I removed your blindfold and you look away?"
"I figured if I do not see your face, then my chances of getting out of this alive increases even if just a little bit." said Tommy.
Kirill walked back and forth in front of Tommy, "Hmm, pretty smart thinking, but we are not going to kill you, Tommy. So please look up." Tommy looked up and saw a gun pointed at him and then heard a click as Kirill said 'bang' loudly.
"OH Shi..." Tommy closed his eyes tightly waiting for the bullet enters his skull. The only thing he heard was everyone was laughing. Tommy opened his eyes and looked up at Kirill.
"I'm sorry; I could not resist doing that. It was too funny." Kirill said while he was laughing. "Oh, hell no. The look on your face." Again Kirill busted out laughing. "Did you pee in your pants?" Again the men started to laugh. "I told you, we have no intention of killing you, we will hurt you if we must."
MERLYN GLOBAL
Malcolm pace back and forth kept looking at his phone waiting. Where was Tommy? Why has he not called him back? Malcolm grabbed his coat and walked out of his office.
Moments later Malcolm was knocking on Tommy door. Again Malcolm knocked. Still. There was no answer. Malcolm looked both ways to see if anyone was watching. When he saw there was no one around, he grabbed the door handle then pushed in with his shoulder. The door came open breaking the frame where the lock was at. Malcolm what through Tommy apartment and looked around. There was no sign of him. Where was my son? Malcolm thought.
"Mr. Merlyn?"
Malcolm turned around and saw Laurel standing in the doorway. Laurel had been crying. He could see her eyes were red and she had not even bother putting on make-up. "Laurel, I am so sorry about Oliver, I know you two have not been together but I also know you and my son are also good friends."
"Thank you, Mr. Merlyn. I came by to see how Tommy is doing and also let him know about Sarah."
"Sarah, she is your sister," said Malcolm.
Malcolm started to see Laurels eyes started to get watery, "Yes sir. I came to let Tommy know, my sister had died."
"Oh Laurel, I am so sorry. What happen?"
"The plane in the news that had crashed," Laurel found herself having trouble speaking.
"Oh no, your sister was on..." Malcolm started to say.
Laurel shook her head and fell to her knees. Malcolm went to Laurel and kneels down beside her and wrapped his arms around her.
DAY 6
MERLYN GLOBAL
Malcolm stood in the security room watching the security tapes from the last day he saw his son. "This is what I wanted to show you Mr. Merlyn." The guard pointed at the screen showing the garage. Malcolm watched the screen then saw it went out. Then within 5 minutes the screen was back on. "This is the video I had told you about going out."
"Yes, this would have been about the time Tommy would have gotten off the elevator." Malcolm said.
"There is more," The guard pointed at the monitor, "You see the van off to the side here?"
"Yes."
"When the monitor came back on, the van was not there." said the guard.
Malcolm patted him on the back, "Very good. Send me a copy of this to my office now." said Malcolm.
Malcolm walked down to the garage and looked around. He glanced up at the camera. There was nothing. As he walked around he saw Tommy car still parked over to the side. He slowly walked to his car and looked around. He looked in Tommy car and saw there was a flash drive with a piece of paper taped to it. Malcolm reached down and found Tommy car door was unlocked. He reached in and grabbed the flash drive and the paper. Malcolm open the paper up, Play me, was all written on the paper.
Malcolm walked into his office and locked the door behind. He reached over and pushed a button, "Cancel today and hold all calls." Malcolm turned the intercom off before his secretary could respond back.
Malcolm plugged the drive into his computer and open the file up. There was only one file on the drive. It was a video. Malcolm moved the mouse over and click on the file.
Malcolm leaned forward with his hand together waiting for the video to play.
As the video started to play, Malcolm saw the man who was responsible. The man was not wearing a mask, nothing to hide what he looked like.
The figure lighted a cigarette and took a puff and blew the smoke out of his nose. Then he started to speak. "Good day Mr. Merlyn. If you are watching this video. That can only mean one thing, we have your son. You will soon get another video explaining what you will need to do to get your son back alive. As long you do what we say, involved no one but yourself, Tommy will be returned to you alive." Malcolm leaned back in his chair staring at the figure on the screen.
Russians, Malcolm thought. He stood up and grabbed his trench coat and walked out his door.
Later that day, Malcolm pulled up to a garage and saw three men standing around a car. Malcolm got out of his car and walked up to them, "Alexi Leonov?" Malcolm called out.
Alexi turned around and saw Malcolm standing there. "Can I help you?"
Malcolm saw the other two men started to walk positioning themselves on each side of him. "Yes, I was wondering how much you charge for a tune-up and oil change?"
"I think you need to go someplace else, we are, kind of booked up and it will not be till next month. I think you should be going now. We do have a lot of work." Alexi said.
Malcolm looked back and forth at the two men that stood on each side of him. "Thank you, I will do that." Malcolm turned and went back to his car.
Later that night, Alexi walked out of his office in the back and did not see any of his men around, "Klaus, Goga?" Alexi turned his head quickly looking around. Where are they? As he walked toward the front he saw his two men on the ground had been knocked out. Alexi quickly turned and started to head back to his office. Before he could take three steps, Alexi felt something hit the back of his leg. Alexi fell crying out in pain. He looked and saw there was an arrow sticking out of his lower part of his leg. "What the f..." Alexi looked up and saw a dark hooded figure. "W-who are you? What do you want?"
The Dark figure reached down and lifted Alexi up and threw him on top of a table. "The Merlyn boy, Tommy. Where is he?" Alexi tried to speak, but fear had taken over. The Dark figure slid him off the table and threw him on the ground. Before Alexi could blink, the dark figure had drawn an arrow from his back and was already on the bow pulled back. "Last time!"
"I DON'T HAVE HIM!" Alexi yelled.
"I know, if you had him, you all would be dead now." The dark figure pulled a monitor screen out and held it up to Alexi. "Do you know who this is and where I can find him?"
Alexi stood there looking at the screen. Then he felt the hooded figure pushing down on his leg where the arrow had been shot through. Alexi yelled in pain. "His name is Kirill, his name is Kirill. He hangs out on an abandoned warehouse in the Glades on 5th and Langford." Alexi felt the pressure on his leg been lifted up. He reached down and held his leg laying on his side in pain. He looked up and saw the hooded figure was gone.
ABANDON WAREHOUSE.
Kirill walked over to Tommy, "Sorry, but we need to place this blindfold back on you. We are going to make a video for your father letting him know what he needs to be done." Kirill tied the blindfold around Tommy's eyes, "and you should be home in about to 3 days from now."
It was almost over, Tommy thought. Only, if his father do what they ask him to do. Tommy did not want to ask him what if his father refuses to do what they ask, what would happen to him. Tommy did not want to know the answer. Tommy started to hear screams and yelling. Tommy knew that sound, sound of someone being killed. Were they there to rescue him or another mafia or gang attacking? Tommy started to breathe heavy and fast. Within minutes, there was no sound. "Hello?" Tommy called out.
"You're safe." Tommy heard someone said. Next thing Tommy knew, he felt something hitting the side of the armrest, cutting the ropes freeing him. Tommy quickly removed his blindfold and stood up and looked around for his rescuer. Only thing Tommy saw were the bodies of his kidnappers lying on the ground with blood running out from underneath them. He checked all of the bodies but did not see Kirill anywhere.
Tommy ran outside of the warehouse and there, Kirill hanging on the outside of the door in the air being held up by arrows. Tommy saw the blood was pouring out of Kirill. Kirill was coughing and spitting up blood. Kirill was still alive. Tommy walked up to him. "Ar..., Argus..." Kirill let out a loud grunt then his head fell forward. Kirill just hung there, with his eyes wide open, but no life.
"Argus? Who or what is Argus?" Tommy asked. Within minutes, Tommy could hear the sirens of police cars getting closer.
Within moments, Tommy saw an unmarked car with a few police cars pulling up. Lucas Hilton hopped out of his car with his gun in his hand ready. "Officer Lopez and Evans," the two officers saw Detective Hilton pointing to Tommy. The two officers quickly ran to Tommy with their guns out. "Tommy Merlyn?" Hilton yelled out. Within a minute, the two officers had Tommy back behind the line of police cars.
"Tommy!" Tommy turned and heard someone yelling his name. He knew his voice, it was his father. Malcolm ran up to Tommy and hugged him. "Tommy, are you okay, are you hurt?"
"Dad, I am okay." Tommy looked at Detective Hilton, "Sir there is something you need to know. There all dead." Hilton turned and looked at the warehouse.
Hilton got on his radio, "This is Detective Hilton, what is going on in there?"
"Sir, this is Officer Cutter. I think you might want to come and see this."
Moments later, Detective Hilton was walking out of the warehouse and headed toward Tommy. By that time, the CSU and the paramedics were on the scene.
"Mr. Merlyn..." Hilton started to say.
"Please, Tommy, my father is Mr. Merlyn."
"No problem, Tommy, what happen in there? And what did they say?" the Detective asked.
Tommy looked at his dad then at the detective.