Oliver, Laurel and John were currently walking through a Russian club until Oliver finally spotted who they were looking for.
"Oliver Queen? Laurel Lance? Ha! My favorite Americans! Dabro pozhalovat." Anatoly said with a grin as he noticed his old friends.
"It has been too long." Laurel agreed with a smile, for while she was no fan of the organization Anatoly ran, he was a true friend.
"John Diggle, this is Anatoly Knyazev." Oliver said, making the introductions.
"Thank you for meeting us." John said.
"If Oliver vouches for you, you're my second favorite American." Anatoly said enthusiastically as they moved to the back office.
"First, a toast." Anatoly said as he poured some Russian vodka into 4 shot glasses and handed them out.
"None for me, thanks." John said until Oliver nodded at him to just go with it.
"Prochnost." Anatoly said.
"To strength." Oliver translated to John, since both he and Laurel spoke fluent Russian.
"Now. Business. This is woman you look for, yes? Picture is from two days ago, from gulag- prison." Anatoly said, showing them a photo of Lyla.
"Lyla was arrested?" John asked.
"Not quite. From what I hear, she was trying to break in." Anatoly said.
"Why?" Laurel asked.
"I do not know. But clearly she had issues breaking back out. Gulag, worst in Russia. It's called Koshmar. The nightmare. It's full of violent psychopaths and killers. And that's just the guards." Anatoly said.
"Anatoly, we need a way into the gulag to extract her." Oliver said.
"You get in, you get shot before you get out. Or end up like your friend. Mmm, it's impossible." Anatoly said.
"The only thing that's impossible is us leaving this country without this woman." John said.
"I like this guy. We have no word for "optimist" in Russian. The only way in to Koshmar is as prisoner. Now, I have guard there, owes me favor. It could work. I'll give you one shot in twenty." Anatoly said.
"Set it up. I'll go." Oliver said.
"No. It has to be me." John insisted.
"No." Oliver said.
"Oliver, what if something happens to you in there? What happens to me or Laurel, for that matter? You have to be on the outside making the moves. I'll go inside. I've got this." John insisted.
"Now that is a lot of drugs." Laurel noted when they returned to their hotel room.
"Courtesy of Knyazev. About enough weight to land me in the Koshmar." John said as Laurel handed him a coat.
"You need to be wearing this when they process you. Guards will take it, but that's the point." Laurel said and John nodded.
"This Is Knyazev's man inside the prison. A guard. He'll know where in the gulag Lyla is being held. When all hell breaks loose, you need to meet us at the rendezvous point with Lyla, or." Oliver said.
"Or I am a permanent Russian." John said and Oliver nodded.
"How do you guys know Anatoly anyways, you never said?" John asked.
"We met him 5 years ago when we were all held prisoner on a freighter called the Amazo. We didn't really bond though until we blew it up." Oliver said.
"I'm not even going to ask if you're kidding because I'm fairly sure you aren't." John said.
"Anyways, remember, get in find Lyla and then get the hell out of there. Don't stop to enjoy the culture." Oliver said.
"A Russian Gulag, something tells me that won't be hard." John said.
"John, I am serious. As someone who has been in multiple prisons even before Lian Yu, you do not want to get stuck in one as bad this. There's only one other place that's been described as worse than Koshmar." Oliver said and Laurel nodded.
"Oliver, trust me. No one is taking this more seriously then I am. And look, either I get out with Lyla, or I don't get out at all. That's something that I'm sure that both of you understand, given how much you love each other." John said.
"We do, that's how we survived together for 5 years. And it's why we're going to make sure we bring you and Lyla home safely." Laurel said and John nodded at her gratefully as Oliver checked the time.
"Time to go." Oliver said.
"See you on the other side." John said as Laurel hugged him before John headed out.
Back in Starling City, Thea was doing inventory in Verdant when she heard someone walk in.
"Jean." Thea said, surprised to see her mother's lawyer in her office.
"Thea, can we talk?" Jean asked Thea nodded.
"Step into my office." Thea said.
"Didn't take you for the club-hopping type." Thea said.
"Well, I'm here on business." Jean explained.
"Is everything ok with my mom?" Thea asked, concerned.
"We need to discuss something about this case. Your boyfriend Roy was arrested last night." Jean said and Thea had to resist the urge to roll her eyes at that, since she was well aware of Roy's stupidity, hoping to find her brother again.
"I know, but it was actually a misunderstanding. He got released." Thea said.
"Well, a few reporters got hold of the story and they now know you're dating a known felon. Thea, your mother is on trial for her life. Her whole defense pivots on being seen as a loving mother who did what she had to do to protect her children, what kind of parent she was. We need the people to know that she raised you to make good decisions. So if you care about your mom, you're going to have to end this relationship immediately." Jean said.
"Wait, what?" Thea asked.
"I'm sorry Thea, but your mother's life could be on the line here. We need to do everything we can to make it look like she was a good parent." Jean said.
"Then shouldn't you be having this talk with Oliver instead?" Thea asked.
"Actually, contrary to popular belief, your brother could be used as a prime example of Moira's parenting, since he's in a committed relationship with a member of the DA's office and runs a charity for the people of the Glades." Jean said.
"But what about all his prior crimes?" Thea asked.
"I never said that I wasn't going to speak with him about this, but he's out of town right now and I think we both know that it's not on a business trip, so I doubt that he'd like me to call him during a romantic getaway." Jean said and Thea chuckled.
"Are you sure that there's no other way?" Thea asked.
"I'm sorry Thea, but at least until the trial's over, you need to distance yourself from Mr. Harper." Jean said and Thea nodded.
