A.R.G.U.S. Files: Santa Prisca
The White Storm
Everyone was silent as they sliced through the underbrush like a knife through warm bread.
Oliver trailed behind John Diggle, both fully armed and attired. Oliver watched as Diggle held up his hand for a moment then moved ahead to scout out.
It was strange for him at first, not being the one in control, but Diggle had proven to be an excellent leader and the criminals that he was leading seemed to follow his orders without question. Diggle returned a moment later and gave the all clear for them to continue moving.
Altogether there were fourteen in their team, nine of them with the mission of infiltrating Snowflame's home, causing distraction and taking the drug lord out. The other five had been instructed to take, destroy and hold Snowflame's docks. They couldn't risk him whisking away on some speed boat like a movie villain. 'Diggle, Thea, Roy, Deadshot, Huntress, Boomerang, Bronze Tiger and Rick Flagg,' Oliver counted off the names of those in his immediate mission in his head.
Lowe would be leading the remaining A.R.G.U.S. men in their frontal assault once they received the proper signal, which of course, was explosions. Flagg had made sure to pack plenty of grenades, C-4 and the like into a bag that he was now carrying. Once the five A.R.G.U.S men with them saw the explosions they were to attack the docks.
Once everyone had been given their orders and broken up to move out Diggle brought his team together and broken down another plan he had.
"Alright, here's what I'm thinking. Lawton's on sniper and we've got to make one hell of a distraction. Speedy and Arsenal, you're fast and light…" he pointed at them. "…you'll be planting and detonating the explosives." He turned to Flagg. "You, Harkness, Bertinelli and Turner are one part of the distraction. Get in, bunker down somewhere good and when we give the signal, give 'em hell." The Suicide Squad all grinned and nodded approvingly. They'd all taken enough ammunitions from the A.R.G.U.S supplies for a serious firefight.
Diggle pointed at Thea and Roy, "Speedy, Arsenal you two wait until you hear the gunshots then do your jobs. Soon as you feel you've placed enough, light the place up."
Thea smiled, "Firefight and explosion?" she nodded. "That'll really get 'em going."
"And hopefully divide Snowflame's numbers," Oliver observed.
"Exactly," Diggle continued. "He'll start to panic but it won't be until Lowe and A.R.G.U.S start hitting him that things will begin to fall to ruin."
"And what will you and Green Arrow be doing?" Flagg asked.
"We're going after Snowflame," Diggle said.
A perfect plan on paper but still depended on their estimates of Snowflame's forces being correct. Still, it was a solid plan as long as it worked properly and everyone had gone for it without question.
Oliver ducked some shrubbery and stopped behind Diggle who was crouched down and peering. They'd reached the point where Deadshot was to leave the group. Diggle hadn't felt comfortable sending the sniper to the position without escorting him there and securing the area. He didn't want to risk them not having a sniper because the area was crawling with patrols.
Everyone stopped and Deadshot started to move forward. Diggle touched his earpiece and whispered, "Spartan to all. Team 1 has reached break point 1."
"Hostiles encountered and neutralized on several fronts. All teams are go." They all recognized Lowe's voice over the com by now.
'Things are proceeding excellent,' Oliver thought, pleased. They so rarely did that he savored the small moment, knowing it could be gone in an instant.
Diggle patted Lawton on the shoulder one time, a move that surprised everyone on Team Arrow, and then the sniper vanished. "We've got to do a bit of doubling back and we'll get to the tunnel exit." Once they reached the tunnel exit the A.R.G.U.S soldiers were to continue to the water where they would swim and come up on the dock from the vulnerable side.
They made quick time back the way they'd come and dipped around a small hill that was all that remained between them and where Barusa had marked the entrance.
Diggle stopped and immediately stumbled back with finger over his mouth. Oliver was forced backward into Thea and in turn the whole line got the message to stop.
Diggle peered around the corner for a split second then leaned back into cover and held up the number five with his hands indicating five men were guarding the entrance.
Oliver nodded and then looked up into the trees. He motioned for everyone to wait there, then shot an arrow and was pulled upwards, hardly making more sound then a squirrel would moving through the treetops.
Once he landed safely Oliver nimbly moved through the branches on the tips of his toes before he was directly above the men and could see everything. They were armed similar to Bolton's soldiers and were standing around leisurely without watching much. There were two vehicles off about thirty or so feet away as well. Oliver assumed they were told nobody knew of this location but were placed here to await Snowflame if he needed to escape and be his escort to safety.
He aimed two arrows and released as he jumped from the tree. Two men fell just as he landed and drove his fist into the head of a third man knocking him unconscious to the ground.
Another arrow was out and fired before the surprised fourth could react and he fell just as the fifth got his gun pointed. The man shook with fear and fumbled with the safety but even without that Oliver would had still taken him down.
Covering the distance between them in the blink of an eye, Oliver jammed the soldiers assault rifle up into his chin knocking him out as well. He glanced around for a moment. "All clear," he called.
Diggle came around the corner and clicked his wristwatch. "Two minutes," he told Oliver.
"Getting old, Arrow?" Roy teased.
Oliver said nothing as he kicked the cover off the entrance to Snowflame's tunnel, "Who's first?"
They moved through the tunnel quietly and with surprising ease. Snowflame had forced a tunnel to be dug, large enough for two people to walk comfortably side by side. Oliver could only imagine the manpower and time this had required to be dug like this. Probably a small price, if any, for someone like Snowflame.
It was dimly lit but if Barusa was right would let them out directly in Snowflame's meeting office. It was attached to his sleeping quarters but Barusa had assured them that no matter what time they entered they wouldn't catch Snowflame in the bedroom. He never slept there if he ever slept at all. He was apparently notorious for sniffing large amounts of cocaine and being awake for days on end. Often times when he did fall asleep it was in his 'party room' among his drugs.
Oliver and Diggle assumed the party room was the best place to find him and had marked it on the map as well.
They neared the end of the tunnel and were greeted by a sturdy wooden surface. Diggle reached up and ran his fingers along it for a moment then gave it a push.
It creaked a little as it went forward slowly, giving them passage into the enemy's lair. Diggle stepped out quietly, followed by Oliver and the others. All of them had weapons ready and were glancing around everywhere to spot any danger. They were now in the belly of the beast.
Diggle pointed at Oliver and then moved towards the door they'd been told led to the bedroom. They had to check it before moving out.
Oliver placed his ear to the door and listened for a minute. Hearing nothing he gave the okay and Diggle slowly turned the doorknob then pushed as Oliver stepped in with arrow ready.
Nothing.
'Excellent.' Oliver thought and lowered his weapon and continued to look around the room. It was massive and fit for a king. The bed was custom made and much larger then a California King sized mattress, which was the biggest he'd ever seen personally. Everything was lavishly decorated and trimmed in gold or white in some way or another. Pictures of Snowflame hung on the walls and Oliver felt a bit of bile rise in his throat.
Diggle took a knee and touched his earpiece, "Team 1 has reached break point 2. Status?"
"Team 3 is in position at dock."
"Team 2 in position. No further hostiles encountered."
"Copy that. Move on mark." Diggle broke communications and stretched some. There was no turning back now.
Flagg came up to Thea and started to hand her the bag full of explosives but then he stopped and opened it before reaching inside. He took out some C-4 and a trigger then handed her the bag. Without a word he walked into Snowflame's bedroom and chucked the C-4 right on the bed with a smile. "Can't wait to blow that shit up."
Everyone muffled their laughter and Diggle pointed to Thea and Roy. "You two hang here until we give the okay. We'll clear the immediate hallway in both directions for you." They nodded.
"Arrow, Bertinelli, with me. We sweep both ways and clear then Bertinelli is back with Flagg." Diggle moved for the door.
Bertinelli walked up behind Oliver and whispered, "I love how they work so hard to keep your identity a secret," in a seductive way.
Oliver glanced at her. They had history together as Oliver had trained her and taught her in an attempt to reform her ways. If not for her choice to be a murdering psycho they could have maybe been happy together. "Nice to see you too, Helena." Oliver shot back and followed Diggle into the hallway.
It was empty so they broke off and moved in either directions. Diggle came to the corner, peeked around and came back signaling two men.
Bertinelli came up with her small crossbows at the ready and the men were instantly felled. They continued to the corner of the next hall and saw no guards.
"Right secure," Flagg's voice reported.
"Left secure," Diggle responded.
They moved back and met at the door to Snowflame's bedroom. Bertinelli winked at Oliver and then went back with Flagg. Thea glared at both of them and Oliver just raised his shoulders to her questioning look.
"Alright. This is where we split. Watch your backs, keep your heads low and conserve your ammo. We want to drag this out as long as it takes to get Snowflame. Good luck." Diggle took the hand of everyone in the Suicide Squad and then Thea and Roy. Silent goodbyes were said and they all split into different directions to accomplish their separate missions.
"So where we holding up, Flagg?" Harkness asked after they'd moved away from the others.
"Doesn't really matter. First place we see with good visual and cover," Flagg replied nonchalantly.
Two guards walked up from around the upcoming corner and froze.
Turner opened fire killing them both before charging forward closely followed by the others.
"Or we kill the first people we see…" Flagg charged after his team.
Snowflame inhaled deeply and raised his head from one of the numerous piles of cocaine that were sitting on a glass table in front of him. The lights in the room rotated colors every minute or two and the room was decorated with a few couches, plants and paintings along the wall. Music played in the background adding to Snowflame's relaxing environment.
Usually the room would have women and his most trusted men in it as well. All of them doing lines and having sex while Snowflame watched at his pleasure.
"…have some time before they get here…" he mumbled to himself and swayed a little in the seat. "…just need to clear my head and put together a plan…" he dropped his head into another pile and inhaled again before snapping straight up. "THE PATROLS! DOUBLE THE PATROLS!" he roared with flaming red eyes.
The men in the room glanced at each other nervously. "Right away, sir." One of them left the room and stood outside the door for a few minutes. This was the fifth time Snowflame had shouted that order and he'd been pretending to do it for a while now.
"…my God will deliver me from these nonbelievers!" Snowflame croaked. "I will bring my God's glorious flaming wrath down upon them for their transgressions!"
He inhaled more cocaine.
"…plenty of time to prepare…"
The first sounds of gunshots went off and he snapped to attention, seemingly sobered up. "What was that?!"
His guard opened the door and the gunshots could be heard louder. "Shots being fired in the mansion, sir."
"Inside the mansion?!" Snowflame stood and pushed his chair back with such strength it shattered as it hit the wall. How had this happened? How had they got past his defenses? It didn't matter. They were here and he had to end them.
"Send men to reinforce and sound the alarm," Snowflame commanded. He opened the cabinet to the right of him and opened the door pulling out a large shotgun and a sword. Then he walked to the glass table and buried his face in the cocaine inhaling and exhaling several times before standing up again.
His eyes bulged from his head and his face was contorted into a sickening and frightful smile. "You all with me. We're going to prepare a welcome for our guests."
Thea and Roy had ducked up into one of the air conditioning vents that ran throughout Snowflame's massive mansion. They were big enough for them to army crawl through with some ease and kept them from being seen.
They couldn't have been away from the rest of the team for more then three minutes before they heard the sounds of gunshots begin to go off.
"Flagg and those psychos don't mess around, huh?" Roy said with a chuckle.
"Let's hope they're able to cause enough noise and hold their ground long enough," Thea told him and continued to crawl.
The five A.R.G.U.S men floated directly under the dock with their bodies and most of their heads submerged underwater. Snowflame had four men posted at his dock watching his numerous boats and they were mostly laying around. Every so often one of the men would walk the docks and glance around for anything but they were lax in their guarding.
One of the soldiers had stealthy swum amongst the boats planting C-4 at the bottom of each to blow large holes in them. They'd quickly sink the ships and take out the guards as well.
They remained in absolute silence until Spartan called for status and they reported.
It didn't take much time after that for them to hear the shooting begin.
Like a well-oiled machine they vanished under the water; while the four men all looked towards where the source of the gunshots were coming from, the A.R.G.U.S men rose from the water with silenced weapons ready and picked them off cleanly. They never saw or heard a thing.
The leader removed the breathing mask and the others followed suit as they trudged through the remaining water to dry land.
They quickly removed all swim gear and fanned out to scout the area. Guards could be seen all over rushing towards the sound of gunfire but completely ignoring the docks.
The leader reached up, touching his earpiece and saying, "Team 3. Docks secure. Be advised heavy hostiles inbound to shooting."
"You hear that, Flagg? We've got incoming!" Harkness shouted over the loud gunshots that were going off.
Following Turner's charge had led them into a few more small patrols before they'd come upon a dining area that seated men on break. Luckily they'd caught the men by surprise and were able to shoot most of them down initially but before they could flee reinforcements began to arrive and they were forced to bunker down in the room.
Together they'd flipped the massive dining table over to take cover behind it as the enemy were shooting in from both doorways.
"That's what we want right?" Bertinelli asked.
"Yeah, that was the plan." Flagg took the pin from a grenade and lobbed it out the door. It bounced off the wall and rolled into the hallway. "Stupid ass plan if ya' ask me."
"GRENADE!" someone in the hallway managed to get out.
The explosion rocked the room they were in sending dust everywhere and debris sailing over their heads or clattering against the table. Harkness and Turner waited for a second and then rushed into the smoke.
The sounds of stabbing and gurgled moans of pain could be heard. Flagg and Bertinelli ran after them and they began speeding down the hallway before the men behind them realized they'd escaped.
"Kill 'em as ya' see 'em boys!" Flagg shouted with a little too much joy in his voice.
Thea and Roy crouched low along the outside wall and hugged it as close as they could, sneaking around so that the men rushing inside the mansion wouldn't see them. They took down anyone they had to but their mission was to plant explosives and that was better done stealthily.
Only a few remained so they'd decided to put them on the vehicles out front if they could find any openings. So far they'd done fine but the remaining ones were too far away from their cover to reach without being seen.
Thea reached into the bag and handed Roy several triggers. "I'll toss the grenade at those trucks then we'll blow all the triggers and get somewhere inside."
"Alright."
"I don't think so!"
Guards came around the corner with weapons drawn aimed right at their heads.
Thea moved like an assassin quickly spinning on her heel in crouched position and swept around with her other leg tripping the nearest man. Her training with her father had taught her many things; hesitation meant death being one of them. In moments like this, his teachings would surface and helped guide her to victory when she needed it the most. It was a secret she wouldn't willingly tell anyone.
Their companion being tripped caused the others to look down and in that instant Roy acted. He pushed the barrel of the nearest gun aside then rose and pushed his elbow into the guard's throat before finishing with a decisive punch with his other hand.
The remaining guard jumped back and attempted to shoot but Thea rolled away dodging the bullet by an instant. Roy pulled an arrow and threw it right at the man's neck sending him down.
He glanced at Thea and opened his mouth to ask if she was alright when they saw the guards on the yard had seen them. Roy looked at the grenade, picked it up and hurled it forward.
"C'mon!" He helped Thea up then grabbed the bag of explosives just as the grenade blew up the nearest truck and sent rubble everywhere.
While they ran Roy reached into the bag and began setting off the numerous C-4 triggers. "We need to find-"
Thea heard nothing else as explosions continuously erupted with deafening volume around them. Ahead she could see men stumbling and running from the inside of the now detonating mansion. In moments, when the explosions stopped, the two of them would be surrounded.
Thea grabbed Roy by the shoulder and pointed up. She let off a grapple arrow that carried her to the roof, Roy following close behind.
Diggle and Oliver covered ground swiftly through the halls. Anyone they met was swiftly taken down by gunfire or arrows, sometimes both. Once they'd heard the sounds of gunshots they knew being stealthy was out the door and getting to Snowflame's party room was top priority.
"What's your plan to take Snowflame down?" Oliver asked as they jogged.
"Put a bullet in his head. See if that works," Diggle answered smoothly.
"Very direct."
"Dude's a psychotic, murdering drug lord that thinks coke is his God and somehow it's giving him meta-powers." Diggle hugged the corner before glancing around it and tucking back. There was a split second of hesitation and then he came around and fired twice before continuing forward.
"If we can take him alive I'm all for it," Diggle continued. "But if he's anything like Bolton he won't go out without a fight. You need to be ready to do what needs to be done, Arrow."
Oliver didn't reply just kept his eyes open and ready.
The mansion was massive but even so the sounds of gunshots were audible even where they were. A few of the guards they had seen were running by in such a rush they hadn't noticed the two of them.
"Flagg and the others must be given 'em hell," Diggle said with a hint of pride in his voice.
"Wait until Speedy and Arsenal set up." Oliver grinned. "Brilliant plan by the way."
"Only because the pieces fell into place. C'mon. I hear something up ahead." Diggle jogged a little faster and they were at a balcony that overlooked a portion of the lower floor.
They could see two men standing outside a door with one entering. Two more were straight across the hall standing at either side of a larger door. To the left of the two was a large open glass doorway that led outside of the mansion.
"I think this is it." Diggle whispered.
"Let's see," Oliver advised and the crouched low and waited.
A moment later the door opened Snowflame walked out clutching a shotgun with a sword on his back. Three men came out after him and one closed the door behind them.
"Seven men…" Oliver didn't falter. He sprang onto the railing and shot off two arrows at the guards furthest away locking them both in tight nets.
Diggle followed suit and opened fire down at Snowflame who turned, staring for a second and then raised his weapon, returning fire. Diggle could see madness in his eyes and he paused firing for half a second then ducked to take cover as Snowflame's men shot back.
At that moment the foundation of the mansion began to shake as the sound of explosions began to go off all around them. Some of the men stumbled so Oliver and Diggle returned fire.
"Get in here! Now! Green Arrow is here!" Snowflame stepped backwards and unloaded more shotgun shells upwards while shouting.
The glass door opened and several more men entered and began shooting. Snowflame disappeared out the door and it closed behind him.
"Shit!' Diggle exclaimed, forced to take cover from the hail of bullets flying toward him and Oliver. "Be advised, Snowflame spotted outside east end of mansion."
"Patience men…patience…" Lowe whispered over the channel for the A.R.G.U.S soldiers. "Team Arrow and the Suicide Squad will open this up for us." He crouched in the shadows in sight of the position he'd attack.
Getting over the fence would take a moment but he'd instructed the men to climb one at a time, the others not climbing were to provide cover fire to secure as many lives as possible. They also had explicit instructions to kill Snowflame no matter what. It was their priority as instructed by Waller, even if that meant leaving Green Arrow and the vigilantes without backup.
Lowe was uncomfortable with the orders to possibly abandon an ally but would carry them out. This was his job, his life. This was what he did. Exotic locations and black ops missions were his bread and butter. This was the first time he'd be going up against a possible meta-human but he was confident enough bullets could kill anything.
The silence and the waiting was what had the men most antsy. Even more so then being split into thin groups of three or four and spread out to encircle the entire mansion. If things went as Spartan had planned, when their signal went off they would move in and find Snowflame's forces heavily confused and easy pickings for small, precise strike team groups like what they were sectioned into at the moment.
Lowe had to agree that this was a solid strategy with their superior weapons and training; if they were able to get the drop on men it would be over quickly.
A singular explosion shot flame a few feet into the sky.
'Is that it?' Lowe had been expecting more.
Several explosions began to tear through the mansion in succession and Lowe felt a cheer growing in his chest but suppressed it. He waited for two minutes to give them more time between the explosions and their entry then touched the earpiece, "All teams you are go. I repeat you are go."
Without words he and the men dashed forward from the forest with their weapons at the ready, heading straight for the fence that wrapped around Snowflame's property. Lowe reached the gate first and began climbing without breaking stride. The three men with him kneeled down and aimed their rifles, scanning the area as Lowe climbed in. As soon as he touched the ground, Lowe crouched and aimed his weapon as the second man began climbing over the fence.
Explosions continued on for another few seconds before stopping and fires could be seen burning while shouting was heard. Everyone was preoccupied with the numerous threats from inside and ignoring the gates just as they had hoped.
Without General Bolton, Snowflame was useless as a leader and his men were falling to disarray already. Lowe's men made it over and they ran forward, closing the gap between the fence and the mansion. He could see his other soldiers in the distance to either side moving almost as one with them.
Then shots went off and forced them all to lie flat on the ground or take cover behind whatever was near them. "Return fire!" Lowe ordered and began shooting, somewhat blindly at first, towards the mansion.
The shooting spread as Snowflame's men seemed to realize the attackers were coming from all sides. Hopefully, they'd think they were heavily outgunned and fall back without realizing so few men were attacking each point.
Lowe laid flat and glared through the scope of his rifle, trying to aim at the men in front of him. As he prepared to fire, the target's head exploded and then the other four men there dropped as well.
"Clearing a path for you fine gentlemen," Deadshot's sarcastic voice said over the comm.
Lowe couldn't help but smile and shouted, "Advance!" as loud as he could while standing up and opening fire at the retreating men.
The A.R.G.U.S men were tough and the ones with Lowe were the toughest. He and his team had been through numerous missions together and trusted each other like brothers. They poured into Snowflame's compound like a swarm of locusts, quickly mowing down the guards on the outskirts with the help of Deadshot's sniping.
"Be advised, Snowflame spotted outside east end of mansion," Spartan reported over the comm.
Many of the men began retreating into the mansion, returning fire to cover their escape. Lowe looked around to scout and caught a glimpse of a man with no sleeves and all white hair. Several men were around him with rifles trained in every direction to protect his escape.
"Lowe to all teams, I've got eyes on Snowflame. Moving to intercept." Lowe motioned for his team of three to follow and they rushed from cover towards Snowflame.
One of his men noticed their charge and opened fire pushing them back into cover. "They're coming from everywhere!" Lowe heard one of them shout.
"KILL THEM! KILL THEM ALL!" an erratic and yet commanding voice that could only have belonged to Snowflame screamed.
"Can't let him get away," Lowe told his men and they all rose and opened fire, engaging Snowflame's men in a brutal shootout outside of the mansion.
Flagg and Bertinelli ran into a room to find themselves in a multi-floored library. They were standing in a small circle that lead to many sections of books.
They were also surrounded from all sides by the enemy who were slowly advancing on them. "Drop your weapons!" they demanded.
Flagg glanced up. "I don't think so."
The man opened his mouth to speak again and a boomerang split his throat wide open. He reached up, clutched weakly at his neck as blood began to pour freely from the wound and he collapsed face first.
As that happened Turner jumped from the second story of the library and came down driving his claw into another man's neck, ripping it free as he landed on the ground sending three streaks of blood sailing upwards.
Another boomerang killed the third man and Turner finished off the last one with a swift turn and slice across the neck, all before they could even think to react.
"Good job," Flagg told them. "Check your weapons. How we looking?"
"Starting to get low but good for the time being," was the general reply from the three with him. The shooting had grown intense and it wasn't safe for them to just run freely through the hallways anymore as more and more men were heading to where the gunshots were coming from. They'd taken to hiding in rooms until discovered and shooting their way out or setting traps and moving on.
"How long has it been?" Turner asked nobody in particular.
"Not sure but I know I haven't heard any explosions yet and I don't think we can keep this up much longer," Flagg said honestly.
"What other choice do we have?" Bertinelli pointed at her head then made a explosion gesture with her hand. "Dead either way. I'd rather die on my own terms."
"That's a unique perspective," Flagg commented. "Now let's move."
They all went to the door that led out of the library and Flagg peaked out then closed it quickly behind him. "Lots of guards…lots of fucking guards…" he whispered.
"Did they see you?!" Harkness demanded.
"Yeah…"
They all backed away from the door and hid just as it was kicked in and Snowflame's forces began to fill the room. There were so many of them, too many of them. No way they could take all of them down in this confined area. But if they found them they'd be dead anyway.
Flagg aimed for a second and put a bullet right in the forehead of the guy that looked in charge. The man dropped and then bullets began to fly everywhere.
The room shook violently once, twice and on the third time the floor beneath the men in the doorway exploded upwards in flames and rubble. Flagg was tossed backwards and slammed into a bookshelf knocking several heavy tomes down on his head.
The floor continued to shake with the dull rumble that indicated the explosions had finally been set off and the reinforcements would soon be here. They would also distract some of Snowflame's men so they all wouldn't be coming right for them anymore.
The entire library had been torn apart by the initial explosion and killed all of Snowflame's men that were about to gun down the Suicide Squad. Harkness rubbed his shoulders as he wondered just how many times they'd been saved on this mission by random explosions. At quick glance he could see all the members of his team were slowly getting to their feet. They'd been lucky, if they'd stood a few feet from where they had been the explosions would have killed them instead of the enemy.
The world spun around and lights danced behind Flagg's eyes as he tried to steady himself. He felt rough arms hoist him to his feet.
"Let's go, Flagg!" It was Ben Turner. "This whole place is going up! We've got to move!"
Oliver and Diggle were doing the best that they could but at the moment were simply outgunned. They hadn't been able to advance or retreat from the area because the gunfire was so heavily concentrated on them.
"I don't see a way out of this Oliver." Diggle grimaced as shots tore the wall apart.
"And Snowflame's probably getting away," Oliver cursed. "We don't have time for this." If Snowflame got away he'd go underground and it would be impossible to find him. By the time they did he would have rebuilt everything and become a threat again.
Diggle shot wildly from cover for no reason other then keeping up appearances. Didn't want them getting comfortable and trying to rush the upper level they were on.
As Diggle finished that thought the glass ceiling above them burst inward sending massive shards raining down on top of the bulk of Snowflame's men. Two ropes fell down and from the roof, Thea and Roy swung down. Arrows darted through the air while they came down and Diggle whispered, "Thank God," before he and Oliver leapt from the railing and attacked.
Team Arrow rushed the briefly hesitant men tearing into them with their usual precision and skill. The mostly untrained islanders stood no chance against the four of them and the fight was over as swiftly as it began.
"Thanks for the assist," Oliver said, some seriousness in his tone.
"Saw you from the roof.." Roy pointed up. "figured you guys wouldn't mind a little backup."
Diggle started to say something but the doors to the left and right of the room opened and soldiers started shooting. Diggle and Oliver dove towards the door Snowflame had ran through while Thea and Roy went the opposite way.
"Go!" Thea screamed. "We've got this! Get Snowflame!"
Oliver started to protest but Diggle grabbed his shoulder and pointed outside the glass door. Oliver looked and could see the bodies of several A.R.G.U.S soldiers. He turned and looked and his sister and Roy one last time then followed Diggle out of the door.
The outside was a bloodbath.
Bodies of Snowflame's men and A.R.G.U.S soldiers were thrown about with many of the later having missing limbs, heads or large lacerations. 'Snowflame's good with the sword.' Oliver noted carefully. He'd fought many swordsmen in his time and he'd be ready.
"Look!" Oliver turned and saw Diggle jogging over to one of the bodies that was moving.
It was Lowe.
Oliver was there in a flash and saw that Lowe had sustained several cuts to the body. "What happened?"
Lowe coughed, "Got your message...saw Snowflame and attacked...the guy is a monster...his eyes...his fucking eyes..." Lowe coughed more.
"Easy. Easy." Oliver looked around. "Which way did he go?" Lowe weakly pointed around to the back of the building.
"I need men on east side now. Lowe is injured and needs evac," Diggle instructed.
"Stay with him, Spartan. I'm not letting him get away. Once he's secured back me up," Oliver said and Diggle agreed. He wouldn't leave Lowe to possibly be killed by Snowflame's men.
Oliver rushed off at a jog in the direction Lowe had indicated. Snowflame's mansion was a smoldering wreck. Giant flaming holes dotted the exterior and fires could be seen on the inside. The excess of some was blown to and fro by the winds and clouded the view here and there.. It was only a matter of time before the entire place caught fire and burned to the ground.
Oliver came around the back of the house and saw the docks in the distance. The boats were gone but he saw the bodies of the A.R.G.U.S men that had been tasked with holding the area on the ground. Snowflame snapped the neck of the last man then tossed his body in the water like someone might do dirty clothes.
"NO!" Oliver swiftly sent four arrows at him.
Snowflame turned and knocked the first one aside then dodged the others. When the final arrow hit the dock it exploded behind Snowflame sending drug lord and pieces of the dock into the air. Oliver began to run towards the shattered docks but Snowflame recovered quickly from the explosion, looked directly at Oliver then began charging towards his home gripping a sword in his hand.
Oliver cursed under his breath then began to give chase.
The bullets flew like raindrops and tore apart everything they touched. Thea and Roy crawled along the ground to a safe place in-between the forces opposing them. It was two of them versus two dozen heavily armed men.
"You take the left, I take the right?" Roy asked with a bit of a smile on his face.
"I think you're enjoying this too much, Harper," Thea teased.
"It isn't too often we get to blow up a mansion," Roy retorted and fired an arrow blindly off into the distance. There was a pause and then the sound of an explosion and men yelling. "So excuse me if I'm having a little fun."
"I'll take right and you take left." Thea laughed and they went to work. Both seemingly rose as one and shot out smoke arrows that blinded and choked the enemy.
Thea rushed into the smoke like a starving predator after weak prey. She was on the first man in seconds and he was down before he realized the enemy was near. The smoke parted slightly as she darted through it picking Snowflame's remaining forces off with lethal precision. She couldn't see any better than them but their choking and loud yelling gave away their positions. If she listened she could hear noises of coughing, yelling, contact and groans across in the smoke cloud where Roy was doing the same thing she was.
The smoke slowly began to dissipate and she saw the last two men waving their hands in attempt to fan away the smoke. They noticed her and opened fire but Thea nimbly dove right and faded away into a large enough cloud of smoke. The men began to look around and two arrows flew knocking them both down. Thea grinned as she surveyed the area while catching her breath. They were all down.
"SPEEDY! LOOK OUT!"
She pivot on her heels just in time to catch a glimpse of a soldier she'd thought she'd knocked with with his rifle trained on her. She had no time to move before the barrel exploded in a bright flash and she heard the familiar sound of gunfire.
It all seemed to happen in slow motion for her. She saw the small burst of flame push from the barrel and the bullet slowly travel at her. She saw it and realized that this might be the end. She had nowhere to go and no chance to dodge it.
Then Roy's arm slowly appeared from her peripheral vision and as she blinked it flung itself into the path of the bullet.
There was a burst of crimson and then a slow and loud scream of agonizing pain before time snapped back to normal. Thea rolled left, dodging the bullet, then fired an arrow right into the eye of the man who had just shot Roy.
He was curled up on the ground and his screams were straight from nightmares. Thea's heart dropped as she ran the few steps then slid down next to him and reached for his head.
"Roy! Roy!" he was shaking badly and gripping what was left of his right arm. "Oh my god!"
The bullet had nearly blown his entire right arm off from the elbow down. What remained hung but small bits of cartilage and sinew Roy screamed one last time then passed out in shock.
"Arrow! Spartan! Red Arrow is down! He's hurt bad...His arm...oh my god...there's so much blood..." Thea cradled his head and rocked back and forth, so shocked she couldn't think of anything else to do. The blood was rushing out and pooling around the both of them.
Diggle crouched down and watched Oliver run off around the building then looked at Lowe, "I'm going to pick you up. Move you into some cover."
Lowe nodded and then muffled his screams as Diggle tried his best to lift him as easily as possible. He moved him towards the glass doors that led to Snowflame's party room, having nowhere else to go, but then the sounds of gunfire and combat reminded him that Thea and Roy were in that room fighting off bad guys.
"Damn..." Diggle placed Lowe carefully down on the steps and then began to survey the area. Seeing nothing he crouched down next to Lowe and waited for either backup to arrive or the all clear signal from his teammates inside.
The action sounded intense and after a while the gunshots fell mostly silent and the sounds of fighting could be heard. He knew Thea and Roy were taking the men apart like checkers inside and he felt a swell of pride.
The gunshots finally died down completely and then he heard one more go off. Followed by Thea's voice panicking, "Arrow! Spartan! Red Arrow is down! He's hurt bad...His arm...oh my god...there's so much blood..."
Diggle hoisted Lowe up and kicked in the door. The room was littered with bodies of dead and unconscious men alike and then he saw Thea gripping Roy in the middle of the room.
"No..." he saw Roy's bloody stump and his arm hanging limp. "God no..." Lowe was placed down somewhat roughly nearby and Diggle went to Roy immediately. "We have to stop the bleeding." Diggle knelt down and began taking off his jacket.
"How?" Thea was a visible wreck.
Diggle hesitated, "We'll have to remove what's left of the arm and the cauterize the wound or else he's going to bleed out." Thea just kept rocking back and forth. "Shit!" Diggle looked around. The room was nothing but bodies.
"Holy shit..."
Diggle glanced up and saw the Suicide Squad looking over the railing above him and the wheels began to turn. "All of you down here now!" He shouted. "Harkness, I need boomerangs, Flagg and Turner make a fire and Bertinelli watch our backs." his team jumped from the balcony and went to work and Diggle looked at Thea. "Speedy! Speedy!" he tapped her lightly on the face and she became coherent again. "I need you to get it together okay? We have to move quickly or Red and Green Arrow might both die."
Thea glanced at him swiftly with a look of not understanding, "Green Arrow went after Snowflame. He's going to need backup." Diggle told her and a look of recognition came over her face. "Green Arrow be advised: Red Arrow is being taken care of. Proceed with mission."
The fire was burning as portions of the home were already aflame and Harkness had dropped a few boomerangs down onto the ground. It was then that another squad of A.R.G.U.S soldiers began coming into the room as well. Boomerangs and knives were placed in the fire and began to be heated.
Quickly assessing the situation, Diggle looked back at Thea. "He went down to the docks. Take the squad and back him up."
Flagg shook his head, "Your friend needs you right now." He said to Diggle and Thea. "We'll back up Green Arrow and you guys handle this." Diggle looked at Flagg with utter respect and admiration then nodded approvingly.
"Watch your backs out there," Diggle instructed.
"Don't worry about us, Spartan. We're the best of the best." Turner and the others ran towards the glass doors and then were gone outside towards the docks.
Diggle reached for the knife in the fire and placed a light grip on what remained of Roy's arm, looked at Thea and then sliced away at the tissue connecting it at the elbow.
Oliver ran as fast as he could but he could see the distance between himself and Snowflame growing as the mad drug lord ran towards his burning home. Oliver watched as Snowflame dove through the side of the wall like it was made of cardboard and vanish into the house.
He sprang through the hole Snowflame had made and quickly glanced around then ran after his target. He could hear the heavy footsteps and labored breathing up ahead of him and he recognized where they were going. Snowflame was running to his bedroom.
'There's probably more coke there.' Oliver realized to his sudden horror. He notched and fired twice but the arrows missed Snowflame as he turned a corner and began taking the stairs two and three at a time.
"Arrow! Spartan! Red Arrow is down! He's hurt bad...His arm...oh my god...there's so much blood..."
Oliver stopped in his tracks when he heard the sheer terror in his sister's voice. He looked to where Snowflame was and then back to where he had come. Roy was his apprentice and he had to make sure he was alright.
"Green Arrow be advised: Red Arrow is being taken care of. Proceed with mission."
It was like Diggle knew Oliver was about to abandon the objective and turn back for his friends. It almost made him smile but the situation was too serious and he began to give chase after Snowflame again.
It took him another minute to make it to Snowflame's room to find the door smashed in. 'Shit...' he thought while notching an arrow and stepping into the room. As soon as he entered he felt a hand grab his wrist and he was yanked off his feet, spun through the air and flung across the room.
Oliver felt himself connect with something solid that knocked the wind out of him before he slammed into the floor groaning audibly.
"You thought to come into my room and stop me from seeking my God's blessing?!"
Oliver could only see colors for a moment but he knew that Snowflame had just gotten his fix, "You're...insane. Cocaine is a drug...it's rotting your mind..."
"Silence! I won't allow you to speak ill of my God!"
Oliver leaned up and fired an arrow that lodged itself right in Snowflame's shoulder but the man didn't falter. He grabbed Oliver by the shoulder and flung him into the wall by the door. Oliver smashed through the wall and roll roughly out into the hallway.
'He's stronger then before...' Oliver's head spun and his body screamed.
"Do you see now, Green Arrow? DO you see my God's power?" Snowflame's voice boomed over the crackling sounds of wood burning and falling debris.
"I...I see a drug addict..." Oliver spat and stood to his feet. "A drug addict that's about to be taken down."
"I admire your resolve." Snowflame stood in the doorway, clearly feeling full of himself. "My God would welcome one such as yourself. Join me. Be absolved of your sins."
Oliver shot an explosive arrow right beside Snowflame blowing a chunk of the wall down onto him. "No thanks."
Seconds later Snowflame launched the rubble from himself with a mighty shout. Oliver dodged the flying rubble and readied to fight. Snowflame only smiled, "Oh ye' of little faith." he teased.
"I have faith." Oliver retorted.
"Oh? Faith in what?" Snowflame cocked his head curiously.
"Faith in my team." Oliver said just as Rick Flagg and the Suicide Squad came around the corner behind Snowflame and opened fire.
Snowflame dove through the wall back into his room. "We have to stop him! He's going to sniff more coke!" Flagg yelled the obvious as they all charged into the room.
But it was too late.
As soon as they entered a chunk of wall slammed into Turner knocking him off into the shadowy part of the room. "Open fire!" Flagg shouted and everyone with guns began to blindly shoot into the darkness where the projectile had flown from.
"You fools..." Snowflame's voice seemed to come from everywhere. "...forgive them, my God, for they know not what they do!"
Snowflame flew from the darkness like a blur and snatched Harkness by the neck then drove his fist deep into the man's stomach before tossing him aside. Flagg, Bertinelli, and Oliver opened fire but to their surprise the bullets and arrows bounced off Snowflame's body.
"Now do you fools see?!" Snowflame shouted while walking towards them. "Cocaine is my God and I am the human instrument of its will!"
Oliver nudged Flagg and motioned towards the balcony. They had to escape and the hallway was going up in flames. Snowflame was too powerful. They needed to wait for his high to die down before they could finish him. 'Assuming that his strength left with his high,' Oliver thought.
They rushed for the balcony together and made it through the door but Snowflame came crashing through the wall beside them. "There is no escape for you. My God will give me the power to kill everyone responsible for this atrocity!"
Oliver shot three arrows down at Snowflame's feet and they all released a smokey gray gas that billowed up around Snowflame who began to cough.
"What's that?" Bertinelli asked.
"Sedatives." Oliver replied.
"You think this can stop me?!" Snowflame dashed forward so fast he broke the cloud apart. Before anyone could react he had Bertinelli by the neck and flung her from the balcony.
"Helena! No!" Oliver immediately began attacking with arrows. This time they stuck into Snowflame's skin but he still didn't seem to notice. "He gets weaker as his high wears down!" Oliver shouted over the comm to everyone.
"Good to know." Flagg drew the last weapon he had, his handgun, and began opening fire. Snowflame held up his arm letting the bullets go into his forearm but not even uttering a yelp.
"Take him down!" Oliver sprang forward with Flagg on his heel realizing they needed to wear him down.
Snowflame backhanded Oliver and tried to kick Flagg but he dodged it and was able to punch Snowflame twice before the drug lord grabbed his arm and tossed him head over heels into Oliver. The two rose again and were forced on the defensive from Snowflame's swift attack. Oliver ducked, rolling left while Flagg instinctively did the same to the right.
Snowflame froze for a second and glanced both ways giving Oliver enough time to draw and fire an arrow that lodged into Snowflame's thigh.
"Your trinkets won't help you!" Snowflame began attacking Oliver with ferocity but Oliver was easily able to dodge the first few blows.
Flagg opened fire on Snowflame's back but he ignored it and went at Oliver harder. He feigned a kick and then caught Oliver in the head with a punch the knocked him two feet to the left and onto the ground. Flagg then jumped into Snowflame's back and drove his knife into Snowflame's clavicle to the hilt.
Snowflame cried out in pain and fell to one knee but he reached back and grabbed hold of Flagg's shoulder then threw him through the remaining wall back into the flaming mansion. He breathed heavily while he reached up and yanked the knife free then threw it over the balcony.
Oliver began to stir and Snowflame stood to his feet, Bleeding from several gunshot and arrow wounds. "When will you understand? I have transcended being something you and your troop can defeat."
Snowflame walked slowly over towards Oliver's still barely conscious form.
"Once I've broken your neck I'll seek my God's guidance to finish off the rest of your friends." Snowflame stood over Oliver and placed his boot on Oliver's neck. He closed his eyes and raised both his hands, "I offer the offender to you my God!" Oliver could feel the pressure growing on his neck and there was nothing he could do.
"Let him go!"
Snowflame turned to see the woman he'd tossed off the balcony pointing her handheld crossbows at him. He chuckled and then began to laugh but didn't move his foot from Oliver's neck. "His arrows could not stop me. Bullets could not stop me. What makes you think you're little toothpicks will fare any better?"
Bertinelli shot her bolts and they dug into his shoulders. "Don't know but what's it hurt to try right?"
Snowflame's arms hung limp for a moment and his breathing was even heavier. He roared and pumped himself back up yanking the bolts free. "NOTHING CAN STOP ME! I AM INVINCI-"
A loud gunshot rang out and the pressure on Oliver's throat began to lift.
Oliver opened his eyes and saw Snowflame's body tilted to the left then collapsed. His entire head missing.
"You're welcome." Lawton's sarcastic tone usually pissed Oliver off but at this moment it was one of the greatest sounds he'd ever heard.
"Thank you, Deadshot." Oliver choked and stood up, looking down at Snowflame's headless corpse.
"And thank you too, Huntress." She came over and helped Oliver up. She was visibly sore from the fall from the balcony but she had survived.
"Who would have thought we'd be saving Green Arrow's butt, right Deadshot?" Bertinelli teased.
"It'll be one hell of a story for sure." Lawton replied cheerfully.
They heard noises from inside the mansion and turned to see Flagg stumble out of the wreckage. "Did we get him?" he gripped his ribs, blood trickling from his head.
Bertinelli went and helped him walk away from the mansion. "Yeah, we got 'em." She motioned with her chin to the corpse of Snowflame and Flagg spat on it as they walked passed.
Oliver inhaled deeply and then smiled a little, "This is Green Arrow to all, Snowflame is down. We won."
The air of relief and cheerful conversation between the survivors had been an eerie contrast to the smell of blood and cries of wounded coming from the back of the plane. They had lost less then a third of the A.R.G.U.S men with majority being wounded at various levels of severity. Snowflame's men had fallen into panic and disarray when the full extent of the attack began to set in. Without a leader like General Bolton to keep things together it had mostly been like taking candy from a baby to close this chapter in the book.
After Oliver had announced the victory celebration had gone up on both ends from the A.R.G.U.S soldiers to Waller, Felicity and Lyla back home. The impossible had been accomplished and Snowflame's few remaining men began to surrender.
Men were left behind to give aid and Waller had sent more men, supplies and medicines with the ships that were to bring them home. Apparently, she'd convinced a few charity organizations to donate to the rebuilding of the island. It shocked everyone that she even think to do such a thing, except Oliver. He immediately smelled the stink of Waller's usual game play at work.
Diggle had set men to finding Barusa's family and before leaving confirmed that they had been found and returned safely to Barusa.
Snowflame's mansion burned to the ground while they gathered their wounded together in the yard, his body was left where it had fallen and likely was consumed by the fire along with the ridiculous amounts of cocaine were no doubt littered around the entire place. They'd never know how he got his powers or why but it was better that way. Cocaine had clearly destroyed his mind as trade for the abilities he was given. Nobody should have access to that power. Oliver was glad Waller wouldn't get access to his body for experimentation.
The A.R.G.U.S and men of Suicide Squad were celebrating while Team Arrow was sullen and silent on the flight, brooding over what was going to happen to Roy. Diggle had been forced to remove the remnants of his right arm and cauterize the wound to stop the bleeding. Roy had been shaking a little but the medical team from A.R.G.U.S efficiently stabilized him and got him onto the plane to do what they could for him.
Thea cried silently the entire flight. Things would never be the same again.
Their plane landed safely at A.R.G.U.S and they all began to slowly leave the ship and step into the hangar where everyone was waiting. Oliver watched Diggle rush to Lyla and Sarah and it made him smile to know he'd contributed to that. Flagg and his team were greeted warmly along with the returning A.R.G.U.S men and from what Oliver had picked up through conversation, most of the injured would live. He felt genuinely good about how this had turned out all in all. Sure, Roy and Lowe were injured but they had all returned alive and that was what really mattered.
Thea started to go down the stairs and Oliver stopped her. "This wasn't your fault, Thea."
"You weren't there," she shot back. "You didn't see what I saw." Before Oliver could say anything else she pulled away and walked swiftly off, brushing passed Felicity with barely an audible word and over to where doctors were pushing Roy off.
"She's taking this hard," Felicity observed when Oliver was close enough.
"We all are." Oliver replied. "But she blames herself."
"He was protecting her."
"We know that. Thea knows that too." Oliver told her. "And that's exactly why she blames herself. If she hadn't needed protecting Roy would still be whole. It'll take time but she'll move on eventually. We all do."
"Well, I for one am just glad everyone's alive." Felicity hugged Oliver tightly.
"I was feeling the same way." Oliver squeezed her back. "There were times out there I wasn't sure we could do it."
"Don't worry, you're the Green Arrow. You always find a way." Felicity patted him playfully on the shoulder.
"Lawton and Bertinelli saved my life," Oliver said while glancing over at the two he'd mentioned. Both were standing with the other Task Force X members talking amongst themselves. Lawton and Oliver locked eyes for a moment and Oliver gave him a nod of his head. Lawton gave a salute before continuing on with the A.R.G.U.S men. "If not for those two I'd be dead." Oliver looked at Felicity, "Maybe there is some good in everyone."
"Never ceases to amaze me." Felicity said whimsically.
"What?"
"The way things work out." She smiled.
Oliver opened his mouth to reply but caught a glance of Waller over Felicity's shoulder. She was talking to Rick Flagg and directing some A.R.G.U.S men. "I'll be right back." He walked over to her and when she noticed she sent the others away and began to clap slowly.
"Well done, Green Arrow." Oliver wanted to punch the teeth out of her evil smile but restrained himself. "You and your team did an excellent job."
"I know what you did, Waller. I know you used me." Oliver's voice was low and dangerous. Not the deep growl he used on the streets of Star City but backed by true, full fury. "I don't know what you've got planned for Santa Prisca but I'm watching you."
Waller took notice if Oliver's aggression and folder her arms. "Anything else?"
"It won't happen again," Oliver said forcefully. "I won't work for you again." He turned on his heel and stormed off.
Waller watched Oliver meet up with the Diggles and Felicity and began walking towards the infirmary where their teammate had been taken. She smiled devilishly, "So you've said before, Oliver..." she turned and began walking into the opposite direction. "...so you've said before."