LAST NIGHT

Slade watched as the Hood fought Brickwell and his men. He was madder than ever watching the display. He was slow, weak, making obvious and stupid mistakes. He taught him better than this. He's seen him fight better than this. Great! Now he was getting jumped by all of them at once. The kid was going to die at the hands of these assholes.

Slade jumped down making his way to the group quickly and cut down the first guy he could he began to swiftly move his sword cutting down men back and forth. He pulled out his gun and fired at the thugs nailing three of them.

"Who the hell is that?" Brickwell yelled as he watched as the newcomer cut his man down. "Let's get out of here. We are not losing any more men."

Slade plunged his blade into the chest of the last guy and then yanked it out sending him to the ground. Slade kneeled down beside the Hood who had bruises all over. Slade pulled back the hood and pulled down the mask.

"Who the hell are you?" Slade gritted his teeth. Looking down at Tommy.

Slade lifted up the man and carried him to the nearby roof setting him down.

"You aren't worth killing…not yet at least." Slade took off into the night leaving Tommy on the roof.

Moments later a woman in black leather is on the roof and came across the beaten vigilante.

"What the hell Tommy?"

PRESENT

"You've been alive this whole time?" Tommy using a table to keep his balance. He was still in much pain but he had to ignore it for now. "Why haven't you said anything?"

"It's not that simple?" Sara said having her hair in ponytail. She was wearing a black jacket and torn jeans. She took a seat at the table where Tommy was standing.

"What's so complicated? Your family has the right to know?"

"It will only put them in danger. Besides, it's you we need to talk about."

"What about me?" Tommy asked.

"How you got your butt kicked last night?" the young girl with black hair said.

"Okay, who the hell are you?"

"Sin," the girl answered.

"Could you leave us alone for minute please," Sara asked Sin.

Sin shrugged walking out the room.

"What the hell are you doing Tommy?" Sara asked. "You are no fighter."

"I'm a fighter. Maybe not good one but I sure as hell am one," he said taking a seat.

"It takes more than two years to do what Oliver was doing."

"So you know about Oliver?" Tommy already figured she may have.

"There are a lot of things I know Tommy. Like for one what you are doing is suicide."

"Oliver died trying to help this city. I'm going to finish what he started."

"There is no saving this city Tommy! The best thing you can hope to do is go run your company and keep a low profile. Don't get mixed up in all this vigilante bullshit. It didn't work for Oliver and nobody else who tried to fill his shoes after he died."

There was a pause as they saw this was getting heated but Tommy wasn't going to back down from this. Sara thinks she is talking to the old Tommy but he is not that man anymore who was lost trying to discover his place in the world. He has never been clearer as to who he was meant to be and what he was supposed to do.

"Brick said there was another vigilante he killed…who was it?"

Sara stayed silent feeling like Tommy was the Brickwall right now.

Tommy walked over to his things looking at his phone. "I have to get to Merlyn Global. We have a lot to talk about. I'm not going to give this up. You may be content with how things are but I sure as hell not."

Tommy walked out the room with his things leaving Sara.

Tommy was in the bathroom at Merlyn Global cleaning up his face as best he can. He didn't tell Sara about that man who saved him because he can barley remember it anyway. He was this close to getting killed last night and all this would have been for nothing. He was going to need to play this smarter moving forward. He was going to have to think of something for his injuries. He stepped out of the bathroom passing his assistant.

"You have someone in your office Mister Merlyn," she said.

"I didn't know I had a meeting," Tommy said walking up to her.

"I found it in the computer when I got here this morning. I figured you put it in."

"In the computer?" Tommy then rolled his eyes. "What's her name?"

"Her? I didn't say it was a she…ummm…Naomi Singh."

Tommy barged into his office where he saw an old face. She was a young woman around his age with earrings down her ears with short black hair. She had a very casual yet punk look with the clothes she was wearing.

"Tommy," she greeted standing up from the chair and hugging him.

"Naomi," he greeted back as they parted. "What are you doing here?"

"You said you could have a job for someone like me once you came back to the company. Thought I would take you up on your offer."

"I didn't think you would actually take me up on it," Tommy responded sitting down at his desk.

"You know I'm good with computers and considering I can get past your system and set up this meeting you could use someone who knows what they're doing."

Tommy had to admit she had a point. Considering he still didn't have allies here he could use someone like her.

"Fine. I'll make arrangements but you and I have never met before today," Tommy advised her.

"Whatever you say…boss," she said walking to the door. She stopped turning to look at Tommy. "Thanks again…for that time."

"You've thanked me enough," Tommy said with a humble smile.

She left the room and as soon as the door closed Tommy leaned back in his chair looking at the ceiling. He needed to stick with his original plan and tear down the corruption in this city. Starting with the top he will work his way down to Brickwell. He picked up his phone and began making calls. Sara wanted him to keep a low profile and Tommy Merlyn will. But if there was going to be change then the people needed someone to look to that wasn't in a hood.

Quentin exited the elevator he was on walking through the halls of Palmer Technologies the former home of Queen Consolidated. He nodded to his fellow employees as he walked into the office of his boss. Ray Palmer was a man in his prime with black hair and a body fit for a soldier. He even kept workout equipment in his office when he had late nights to work which was often.

"Mister Palmer," Quentin greeted.

"I told you to drop the formalities," Ray said getting up from his desk.

The met in the middle of the room shaking hands. Ray gestured Quentin to sit down on the couch in his office and Ray followed.

"I have an important meeting soon."

"As usual I won't get in your way," Quentin replied.

"Actually I was hoping for a little help with this one."

"Who is it?"

"Tommy Merlyn," Ray said. "I know your families were close."

"Are kids mostly," he said.

"I see. Well he got in contact with me earlier and said he had a few propositions for me."

"He's not a bad kid. Just does stupid things."

"I'll keep that in mind."

The door to the office opened and a woman with brown hair entered. She was wearing an all blue dress and moved grace across the room. She was Ray's wife Anna Palmer.

"Hey sweetie," she greeted Ray with a kiss. "Quentin, always god to see you. I'm still waiting to meet that daughter of yours."

"Such busy lives we live. When we have the chance I'm sure she would love to meet you both."

Tommy was heading up the elevator of the Palmer building. He knew he couldn't be the public symbol the city needed due to his past and being the Hood at night he needed someone to be the sun while he would be the moon. He exited the door walking down the hall where he saw Quentin standing with his hands together.

"Mister Lance," Tommy greeted.

"It's been some time since I last saw you," he said shaking Tommy's hand.

"Needed a little space after everything."

"Understandable," Quentin replied. "Laurel knows your back by the way. You better go see her before she hunts you down.

"I will," Tommy said with a light chuckle as they entered the office.

At the cemetery Slade was doing pushups at a crazy speed. He was breathing hard as sweat fell down his shirtless body. He gritted his teeth as he went faster and faster. He jumped up and began to shadow box moving swiftly around the room.

"You almost seem like your old self," Oliver said leaning against the wall.

"Considering what I saw last night it wouldn't matter what shape I'm in," he said looking at Oliver. "You are weaker than the last time I saw you."

LAST NIGHT

"Who the hell are you?" Slade said looking down at Tommy. Only he didn't see Tommy lying there but Oliver. He left him on a nearby roof and took off in the night. "That is not the kid I remember. He's a shadow of when I knew him."

"Pretty harsh don't you think," Oliver said appearing by Slade.

"You've been slacking on your training," Slade pointed at him. "You aren't worth killing yet but I'll wait till you are the kid I remember. I'll be keeping my eye on you."

NOW

"I'll kill you Oliver," Slade vowed. "But when I do…you will be worth it."

"How's your family Slade?" Oliver suddenly asked causing Slade to grab a gun and open fire at him.

Oliver was gone. Only thing left was the holes in the walls caused by his gun. He tossed the gun aside and went back to working out. He knows what his purpose is and he's going to fulfill it.

In a very fancy office room Brickwell sat in a chair looking out over the city. He was rubbing his fist together in deep compilation. He has a new Hood running around, that Canary tramp in the Glades, and who ever that orange and black mask bastard with a sword was. He was going to need to put a stop to all of them. If they keep fighting his empire other will begin to rise up. Just like that Ted Grant fellow. He thought hanging him by the neck from a roof for all to see would be enough but it seems he needs to send a clearer message.

"You seem to be thinking a lot," a female voice said.

Brick turned around to see Thea Queen walking in wearing a yellow short dress. She sat in Brickwell's lap rubbing her hands across his face before kissing him.

"How's my Queen doing?"

"She wants some Vertigo," Thea said.

"I can arrange that."