Disclaimer: I do not own Daredevil, Arrow or anything else you may recognize
Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed or reviewed this fic so far.
Note- 2x6 happened during the last chapter so we're on 2x7 instead.
Chaos Sorcerer: Thank you for the review. Glad you liked. Glad the reaction was reasonable. Yeah, it is harder. He might. I thought Ben Affleck would be a funny reference. Glad you were amused. The Daredevil and Elektra movies were garbage but the Director's Cut of Daredevil is still enjoyable, nothing compared to the masterpiece that is the Daredevil TV Series though. Stick didn't tell Matt about the League, which is why we got an entire conversation between them over it. 2x6 happened while Matt was away. I might include some comic book feats when I get the chance. Hopefully, there will be one. Glad you liked the vibes. Mattasha is a pretty good name. Or DevilWidow. Enjoy the chapter.
Chapter 7- State v. Queen
Courthouse
"Are you two okay?" Diggle asked Oliver in a voice that was raspy as the two walked up the stairs with Thea while reporters followed them from all sides like vultures.
"I should be asking you that question." Oliver replied, noting how much the man was sweating.
"I'll be fine." Diggle protested.
"You look like you have the flu." Oliver said as he and Thea followed the man up the stairs as reporters continued to swarm around them.
"If that's true, I shouldn't have wasted my time getting vaccinated." Dig replied.
"Diggle, whatever it is, just go home." Oliver told his friend.
"Oliver, listen, I can take care of things." Dig argued.
"No, we'll be fine, all right? Go rest." He told Dig before giving a mock threat, "And don't make me call a cop. There are a few of them around here."
Later
Moira Queen was led into the courtroom and escorted over to the defendants table. She looked at the front row that contained Oliver, Thea and Roy, who was wearing a suit of all things, and allowed the officer to remove the cuffs.
Donner smirked at the display as Moira sat down and turned to face her family, smiling reassuringly before the trial began.
Sometime later, the trial began and Moira's confession from 6 months ago was played.
"-have been complicit in an undertaking with one horrible purpose- to destroy the Glades and everyone in it." Donner stood next to the flat screen TV and paused the playback before turning to the jury, "And it worked. The Glades were destroyed. Homes and lives were lost. All because of her actions. True, she had second thoughts; Remorse which compelled her to deliver this statement."
He then turned to face Moira and said dramatically, "But on behalf of the 252 lives that were extinguished that day, I say, Moira Queen, your remorse comes too late. Plus, if Mr. Stark had not arrived at the last minute, the loss of life would be far worse."
Later, Jean Loring played another part of the confession, "For the last five years, under the threat for my life and the lives of my family—"
"Why wouldn't those threats silence her?" Jean asked dramatically as she paused the playback, "Why wouldn't Moira Queen be terrified? Malcolm Merlyn killed her first husband, abducted her second. Why wouldn't she be in fear for her life? For the lives of her children? What would you do? If it were your children in the crosshairs of a mad man's rage?"
Later, Queen Consolidated
Felicity was watching the news broadcast as she worked to cover for Oliver, "S.T.A.R. Lab's particle accelerator will be turned on right on schedule."
The broadcast continued, "In other news, we have just received word that both sides have now completed their opening statements in the Moira Queen trial."
"Loring is good." Matt commented, "And does this Donner gets tired of hearing himself speak? I feel bad for Laurel."
Felicity looked up to see Diggle staggering into the office, "Don't take this the wrong way, but you look disgusting."
"Yeah, well, I don't feel great, Felicity." Dig said, walking to her desk and picking up some documents before looking at her, "Is there a right way to take that?"
Matt's nose caught scent of something unpleasant, "John! You smell of Vertigo!"
"What?" John asked in confusion.
"Okay, I know you have been extra grumpy ever since you came back from New York but saying John smells of Vertigo is taking it too far." Felicity told him as she rose from her seat before turning to John, "You should go home."
"I am going." Dig said, loosening his tie, "I just need to make arrangements for a replacement bodyguard."
"Did you get the flu shot?" She asked as she walked past an into Oliver's office, "Personally, I never do. I know that I should. I just, I have this thing about needles."
She set the papers down on his desk, "All pointy things, really. Which is ironic, considering who we work with."
She came back into the lobby.
"Yeah, it's not the flu, Felicity, it's more like…" he trailed off as he collapsed but Mat managed to catch him and gently lower him onto the floor on his back.
Turning to Felicity, he said, "Told you."
In an empty warehouse, a well-dressed man entered the building and looked around, "Hello? Are you here?"
"Here, there- everywhere." The Count said, coming into view. He held up a silver briefcase, "So. How goes our little science project?"
"Working like you said it would." The man replied, eyeing the briefcase.
"How wonderful." The Count said.
"Ah, so listen." The man greedily said after a moment, "Doing the thing was $50,000. Keeping quiet about it, I'm thinking it should be 50 more."
The Count smiled at him, "Hmm. Oh, I want word to spread."
He set the case down on the ground and then started circling the greedy man, "It's kind of the whole objective, actually. You see my point?"
Standing behind him, he withdrew his trademark double syringe and stuck it into the mans' arm, injecting him with a lethal dose of Vertigo, "You should know, I find post hoc negotiation distasteful."
As he finished remarked, the man gasped in pain, then dropped to the ground, dead.
"Ahh. Such a shame you won't get to see what your works have wrought, doctor." The Count said, kneeling besides the corpse, "But soon, everyone else will. And they'll beg for it to end."
Verdant
Diggle was on the medical table, writhing in pain as Matt held him down when Oliver walked in.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Diggle gasped from the bed.
"I heard you passed out." Oliver replied.
"I told Felicity not to call you." Dig argued.
"Yeah, but before that, you said 'gaw' and 'thud,' so I didn't take it very seriously." Felicity said as she leaned over him, "And Matt said you smelt of Vertigo."
"She was right to call me." Oliver said. "Diggle, you need medical attention. And did you just say "Vertigo?""
"Yes." Matt said, "My sense of smell is sharper than others. And he smells of Vertigo."
"I never used Vertigo before in my life." Dig said defensively.
"You were exposed to it somehow." Felicity told the bodyguard.
"Vertigo's in play again?" Oliver said with dread.
"When the Count recovered from his OD on Vertigo, he was sent to Iron Heights." Felicity explained, "That got hit in the quake."
Felicity moved over to her computer and started typing.
"He got out the same way the Doll Maker did?" Oliver guessed.
She sighed as she pulled up the sealed and confidential report from Iron Heights, "And just like with the Doll Maker, prison officials worked overtime to keep the lid on the escape."
"Of course. He is not dangerous or anything." Matt scoffed sarcastically.
Oliver growled and walked over to the weapons case and withdrew an arrow.
Felicity started, "I know what you're thinking-"
"No, you don't." Oliver cut her off, "I made a choice not to put an arrow in this guy. And it was obviously not the right choice."
He handed her the arrow- it was an injection arrow filled with a green liquid, "I worked this up to counteract the effects of Vertigo. Give it to Diggle."
He looked at his watch and sighed in frustration, "I… I need to get back to court. While I'm gone, just work up whatever you can and figure out how Diggle got Vertigo in his system without his knowledge."
He then turned to Matt, "Try to get a lead on this guy when the time is right."
"With pleasure." Matt said calmly and Oliver could sense he was holding anger inside him. But he was getting late so he went off without a word.
Courthouse
Oliver was back in the visitors' gallery, watching as his sister gave her testimony to Adam Donner.
"When was the first time you heard about this so-called Undertaking?" Donner asked Thea.
She leaned in close to the microphone and replied nervously, "When everyone else did, when my mother gave the press conference."
"Doesn't seem like you took it too well." Donner noted.
"I was surprised." Thea replied, "Who wouldn't be?"
She looked at him, expecting his next question right away. Instead Donner looked- flustered.
Donner cleared his throat and asked his next question in a voice that was hesitant at first but eventually built up strength, "Uh, your mother was, um, immediately taken into custody, but I assume you went down to the precinct to see her?"
"Um, actually I didn't see her until she was moved." Thea admitted.
"To the prison." Donner clarified, "Do you remember when you visited her?"
"Uh, not the exact date." She replied nervously.
"It's ok, I have the visitor log here." Donner picked the log up from his table and looked at the marked page before saying loudly, "October ninth. Five months later."
Donner set the book back down on the table, but suddenly his strength wavered. He leaned heavily against the table.
"Why so long?" he asked in a halting voice.
"Um, I—I…" Thea looked at the D.A., concerned despite what he was doing, "Are you ok?"
Murmurs started from the visitors.
"An answer, please." Donner said loudly, forcing himself back up and turning to face Thea, "Why did it take you five months to visit your mother?"
"Your Honor, if I—" Jean started to object.
The judge held up his hand to stop her, "No. I want to hear this."
"I needed time." Thea finally said, "I was angry."
"So angry, perhaps, that it took you five months to forgive her?" Donner supposed.
"It was complicated." Thea argued.
"No. It's very simple." Donner countered, "You blamed your mother for what she had done."
He looked to the jury. "So why shouldn't the jury?"
Donner moved back to his table, "Your Honor, we have no further questions for the…witness."
Suddenly, Donner leaned heavily against the table as the world around him started going in and out of focus. The lawyer that was working with him on the case- Coleman Reese, looked up at him in concern. Then he dropped to the floor and started convulsing.
"Adam!" Reese shouted, jumping up from his chair as worried murmurs started growing louder in the audience. Oliver jumped up to check on him, concerned as well as it looked exactly like what Matt and Felicity had told him happened to Diggle earlier.
Later
Donner was being wheeled out of the courtroom on a gurney. He was confused and fiddling with his I.V. line as the paramedic tried to keep him still as they made their way to the ambulance.
Oliver watched him go, and then moved over to his sister, "Hey, are you okay?"
"Don't worry about me. I can take it." She said with false confidence.
In the ambulance, the D.A. was loaded and the doors were closed. Up in the driver's seat, The Count looked back at the confused attorney, before driving off with a grin.
Back in the courthouse, Moira followed Jean into a side chamber to confer.
"Was that as bad as it seemed?" Moira asked.
"Thea's testimony?" Jean asked to clarify. She nodded, "It was a set-back. We were counting on her to-"
"Humanize me."
Jean looked back at Moira, "Frankly, yes. And now we're going to have to go another way."
"No." Moira said at once, "No, I told you, I won't testify."
"I know you did." Jean said, "But now you have to."
"She's right, Mom." They looked up to see Oliver standing in the door, "Jean, can you give us a minute?"
"Yeah." She agreed, walking out of the room.
"I know what you're going to say." Moira said, "But if I testify, it will destroy our family."
"And if your lawyer's right, you don't have a choice." Oliver countered, "Mom, secrets are what put you in this situation. Secrets and lies."
He sighed, "And now it is time to give the truth its day."
Verdant
Dig was seated on the exam table, still shaking from Vertigo withdrawal as the news played on Felicity's computer.
"Now, I don't want us to lose sight of the other major event in court today," The anchor was saying. "Was there any indication of Adam Donner being ill?"
"No, there was very little warning before Mr. Donner collapsed to the ground." The correspondent replied. "I've spoken to several people that were in the courtroom with me…"
"How are you feeling?" Oliver asked as he walked in.
"Fine." Diggle lied.
"And I'm the Pope." Matt said sarcastically.
"You have a lousy poker face, Diggle." Oliver said with a grin and then looked over to Felicity, "Did he take the antidote?"
"Didn't work." She said, "The Count must have futzed with his recipe."
"Heard what happened with Donner at the court, and with Thea." Dig said, "How is she?"
"Going to be fine." Oliver lied.
"I guess I am going to be the Pope now." Matt said with more sarcasm in his tone.
"Your poker face isn't much better than mine, Oliver." Dig said with a chuckle.
Turning to Matt, Oliver said, "You're being unusually rude and sarcastic today."
Suddenly the news feed faded to static, irritating Matt's ears, and a new signal started to air. On the screen was The Count.
"Hello, Starling City." He said.
"Felicity!" Oliver said, getting the blonde's attention back on the screen. She started hacking at once.
"Miss me?" The Count continued, "Many of you have noticed that you're not feeling quite like yourselves…"
"He's taken over all the local station feeds." Felicity told Oliver.
"Track his signal." He ordered.
"Like our good assistant district attorney here." The Count continued, "You might recognize him from his work in the ongoing Moira Queen trial."
The camera shifted from The Count onto Adam Donner, who was bound to a chair.
"Hi, Adam." He said happily.
"What do you want?" Donner demanded.
"I want what you want." The Count said, "For you to feel better."
"Go to hell!" he snarled through the pain of the withdrawal.
"I do think you want the pain to end, and I can do that- with Vertigo." He revealed, "It's what all of your bodies crave. Fortunately, the power of relief is right here."
He pulled out his double syringe, "And all you have to do is go to your friendly neighborhood Vertigo dealer and request the cure. Simply supply and demand at work."
He knelt beside Donner, putting himself in the same shot as the lawyer, "Now, tell me you want this and it's yours. All the pain will just…disappear."
Donner looked longingly at the syringe as the Count said tantalizingly, "Say it. Say…you want it."
"This Count is even worse than the last time we met him." Matt snarled.
"I-I-want-I want it." Donner said after only a moment. The Count injected him, and immediately Donner's body went lax, the pain receding.
"You see- a simple solution." The Count continued, showing the relaxed Donner before putting the camera directly on himself, "I'm Count Vertigo, and I approve this high."
That moment, the door to wherever the Count was ended up being forcibly kicked open and he backed in fear at the sight before him.
"Wha-What the hell?"
Matt heard the click of a gun and the Count was hit by many bullets before finally falling down, dead. The camera fell from the dead Count's hand to reveal a vest with a symbol of a skull on it.
That moment, the signal was cut out.
"Frank." Oliver said with a sigh of relief.
Later
The news anchor was saying, "A most dramatic turn. City officials are urging calm, hoping to avoid widespread panic. DA Donner was found placed outside the SCPD precinct a few minutes ago. Deputy Mayor Levitz has…"
"If he had dosed the whole city, why were only some people showing symptoms?" Diggle asked.
"Maybe exposure was selective." Oliver guessed, "The Count contaminated something that only certain people, like you and Donner, consumed."
"Doesn't really matter much now." Matt said, "He is dead. And Donner is saved."
"Yeah, he is." Oliver said, "Now I can focus on more important things."
"I know." Matt said, knowing he was referring to his mother's trial.
Next day, Courthouse
Oliver, Thea, Moira and Jean were in the chambers.
"But you said you didn't want to testify." Thea said after her mother told them she was taking the stand before sighing, "But you have to. Because of me."
She dropped into her chair, dejected.
Moira shook her head, "No."
"You have to do damage control." Thea continued.
"None of this is your fault." She said to Thea sternly, "We're here because of what I did."
She sighed, "Now, you both know the truth, but you don't know all of it. But I think Donner and Reese do."
"What does Reese have?" Oliver demanded, tired of the secrets.
"You shouldn't have to find this out in court." Moira said after a moment.
"Find out what?" Thea asked.
Moira paused again, summoning the courage to speak, "Years ago- it was many yes ago, your father was engaging in his- his extramarital activities. And I had a moment of weakness. I cheated on him."
She paused before revealing, "With Malcolm Merlyn."
Oliver looked slightly disgusted. Thea shook her head in denial, "No. No, I- I asked you about this. Last year. You said that there was nothing between you two!"
"There wasn't." Moira said at once, "Sweetheart, it wasn't an affair. It was very brief, and a long time ago."
Later, Courtroom
Coleman Reese had just revealed the same thing to the jury.
"And despite it, you remained friends with Mr. Merlyn." He said as she cross-examined Moira, "In fact, he frequently attended parties at your home."
"He was my husband's best friend until Malcolm killed him." Moira pointed out.
"And this is why you claimed to feel as though you were in fear for your life and the lives of your children?" Reese asked.
"Well, I think it's a fairly compelling reason." Moira said defensively.
"Last year, your second husband, Walter Steel, was abducted by Mr. Merlyn, is that correct?" Reese asked.
"Yes. So you see—"
"Why didn't Merlyn kill Walter, the same as your first husband?" Reese asked at once.
Moira sighed, "I convinced Malcolm not to."
"And Malcolm listened to you." Reese pointed out for the jury in a voice full of incredulity, "Your friend spared Walter's life, and yet, you'd have this jury believing that you and your children were in danger?"
"We were." Moira said, again on the defensive, "I was afraid—"
"Afraid of getting caught." Reese said, cutting her off.
"Despite whatever youthful mistakes I might have made, Malcolm Merlyn was a dangerous man." Moira tried.
"To other people." Reese stated, "But the only person who truly posed a danger to Moira Queen and her family was Moira Queen."
Later
Oliver and Thea were standing at the rail at the top floor, leaning against it and waiting for news.
"Thea?" the two looked over to see Jean walking towards them.
"Can we call it a night?" Thea asked.
"The jury just signaled that they could have a verdict." Jean told them, "The judge will not send them home. He wants to get this over with."
"Line forms behind me." Thea said sarcastically.
"A verdict that quickly is bad, isn't it?" Oliver said in dread.
Jean sighed, "I think the two of you should prepare for the worst."
Later
The judge restarted the proceedings, "I have received a note that the jury has arrived at a verdict."
He turned to the bailiff, "Please publish the verdict."
"In the superior court of Star county state versus Moira Queen verdict." She began, "On one count of conspiracy in the first degree, the defendant is found not guilty."
Oliver's face showed surprise as the bailiff continued, "On the 252 counts of murder in the first degree, the defendant is found- Not guilty."
Moira sagged in relief and she hugged Jean. Oliver looked on in shock, mouthing 'I don't believe it' to himself as the courtroom exploded into pandemonium. Even Thea sat in shock. Finally, Moira let go of Jean and moved over to her children.
"Mom." Oliver said, rising to give his mother a hug. Soon Thea was pulled in as well.
"I love you both so much." She told them tearfully. Oliver looked up, still in shock, and saw Reese leaving the courtroom.
Later, Verdant
Felicity had the news on as she stood with Matt and Diggle, "A stunning result, as Moira Queen is acquitted of all charges. In a day that's provided a week's worth of shocks and legal twists, many had pronounced this case a done deal…"
"Congratulations." Matt told Oliver as he walked in.
"She should have lost." Oliver said bluntly, taking a seat on a stool, "She should have been convicted."
"You're right." Matt said, "I can't believe what I just heard on the news."
"Did you want her to be?" Dig asked Oliver.
"I expected her to be." Oliver admitted, "Verdict doesn't make sense."
"Not in the slightest bit. Not even to a novice." Matt said bluntly.
"Still, your mom must be thrilled." Felicity said, "Beyond."
"It's more like shock, I think." Oliver replied, "They're processing her now."
He turned to Diggle, "I just wanted to check in on you."
He then turned to Matt, "And you."
"Me? What about me?" Matt asked.
"You have been unusually rude and sarcastic ever since you came back from New York." Oliver told him, "Now I won't ask you what happened, because it's probably not my business. But whatever it is, you have to deal with it in some way instead of keeping it bottled inside you."
As Matt considered Oliver's words, Felicity informed him, "We managed to get our hands on some Vertigo. So, with the Vertigo tainted vaccine, Queen Consolidated's Applied Sciences Division was able to formulate a non-addictive treatment."
"Good." Oliver said, and then glanced at his watch, "I need to meet my family at home. So you guys go home, get rest."
He then walked out as Matt sighed.
Later, Blood's office
Blood was watching the news with a scowl on his face when Officer Daley walked in.
"I arranged for The Count to take out the Arrow, and all I accomplish is making the Punisher appear on TV." He spat.
"Sir, there's been a development." The cop said. Blood went to an ornate wooden cabinet behind his desk and opened it to reveal the leather skull mask.
Minutes later he walked into his lab. A line of men sat bound to chairs, all with bloody tears, all dead- all except the last.
"Brother Cyrus How do you feel?" Blood asked the man.
"Stronger." Cyrus replied.
"Good. Then you're ready." Brother Blood said.
Courthouse
Moira was being released. She moved through the crowd of reporters with Jean at her side, heading towards a waiting limo.
"Mrs. Queen, how does it feel to get away with murder?" a reporter called out.
"Once you go out back, there's a car waiting for you." Jean told her client softly as they pushed through the reporters.
"Did you kill your first husband?" another reporter shouted.
"Just keep going." Jean told her, then spun back to the reporters, "Obviously Mrs. Queen is overjoyed that the jury has ruled that she was acting under terrible duress."
"Can you give us anything else?"
"This way, Mrs. Queen." The driver said, opening the door to the limo. Moira climbed in and sighed in relief as the door closed, dimming the sound of the reporters outside.
She sat in the back, looking out at the city for the first time in months as it streamed past the windows.
"The freeway will be quicker." She told the driver when he turned onto a side street.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Queen. I was instructed not to take you home." The driver informed her, "Not yet."
Moira looked on in increasing alarm as the driver pulled into an abandoned parking lot on the outskirts of downtown.
He climbed out, then opened the door for Moira.
"Where are we?" She asked nervously, "I-I don't know this place."
The driver stepped back and looked over her shoulder.
"I've got her, sir." He said. Almost at once he was struck in the heart by a black arrow.
Moira cried out as the driver fell back against the car and slid to the ground, dead. Spinning around, she saw her worst nightmare come back to life.
Malcolm Merlyn strode confidently towards her, his compound bow in his hand.
"Hello, Moira." Malcolm said as if greeting an old friend, stopping a respectful distance from the frightened woman.
"They said you were dead!" She exclaimed.
"There are parts of the world where death is an illusion." Malcolm told her, "I've been to one. I learned to be very convincing. But I returned because you needed my help."
"Help?" She asked, baffled.
"With your trial." He explained to her growing horror, "You didn't think that jury acquitted you without a little persuasion?"
"Dear God." She breathed, "What do you want, Malcolm?"
"I still have resources in Starling. Associates. Including one in the D.A.'s office." He revealed, "I followed Mr. Donner's investigation of you with interest."
He moved closer and seethed, "The ease with which you lied about us for years, it made me wonder whether you lied to me."
Moira backed up against the car, terrified, "No. No"
"It was a matter of a simple surreptitious genetics test to confirm my suspicion." Malcolm continued.
"Don't." Moira protested weakly.
"Imagine my joy at learning that Thea is my daughter." Malcolm stated, confirming her fears- he knew.
Matt stood on a rooftop, dressed in his Daredevil suit. Hearing the sound of two thugs trying to beat up innocent bystanders, he leapt down.
As the two thugs continued beating a father and his daughter to rob them, Matt grabbed one of their hands and twisted it violently, making him scream in pain.
The other tried to attack him but Matt kicked him hard on the kneecap, shattering it and making the thug scream in pain as he fell down.
"GO!" He yelled to the father and daughter who immediately ran off.
He then punched the thug on the face, breaking his nose. As he staggered back, Matt lifted him up and slammed him to the ground. He then slammed his foot hard on the man's chest, breaking his ribs as he screamed in pain before kicking him on the face, knocking him out.
He then walked up to the other thug and slammed his foot on his other kneecap, shattering it too, even though this was unnecessary as he had already taken him down.
Snarling in anger, Matt swung away with his club.
Unknown location
"So, I have heard that you are here to kill the three men who beat you and also some clawed guy who was rumored to be here. Am I right?"
"Yes." A huge man in the shadows snarled.
"Well, well, well, we seem to have some overlapping interests." The man, who was wearing a shattered skull mask said as he walked closer to the huge man, "One of those three men, he ruined my face. And I hate him for it. I want to ruin his face. Shoot up his balls too. And then rip his innards out. So you can help me find them all and I will help you find the man with claws. The Devil, the Arrow and the clawed man are all yours. But FRANK! HE IS MINE!"
"All right." The huge man said with a smile, revealing his unusually sharp teeth, "Little Jimmy needs to be taught a lesson."
Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Coleman Reese was an accountant of Wayne Enterprises in 'The Dark Knight'. He was the one who was almost going to reveal Batman's identity until Joker threatened to kill him. I just thought this would be a fun reference to that movie.
And considering the Count was basically trying to be like Heath Ledger's Joker with the video message and holding the city hostage and all that, I think the reference works.
Matt is getting violent due to his anger.
I think it's obvious who the two men in the end were. They will bring our dear Punisher and Wolverine back into the game.
Also, I'm now gonna do what Bl4ckHunter did in 'The Devil and The Black Sky: Reckoning.' So Season 1 of Punisher has happened in this and in Season 2, only the stuff with Amy, the Schultzes and the Pilgrim has happened. So now you know what to expect.
To be honest, if the shows were not getting cancelled, then I think we would only get the Pilgrim plot in Season 2 and the Billy Russo stuff in Season 3 of Punisher. But because of all the cancellations, I think they wrapped it up into one season.
I also saw the trailer for the Batwoman show. WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!
