Chapter 10

Oliver was impressed by what Cisco had done. Though, it looked like green leather, it was a Kevlar and leather weave with re-enforced sections that included a sea-cubed composite material sewn into the jacket that acted as lightweight knife and bullet proof adding even more protection. Next came the replacement for his mask. It appeared to be nothing more than green goggles, but they were his new mask that included night vision, scanning capabilities including temperature and wind - items an archer would like to know, and a Bluetooth earpiece for communications. All that was missing was Shado's hood, but that was now in the evidence warehouse of the Starling city Police Department thanks to Captain Lance. Oliver nodded his head in approval. He liked it.

With the new suit getting Oliver's approval, he and Cisco went over his new arrows. There was a Taser arrow, an arrow that released a foam that quickly hardened into almost steel-like consistency, a new improved grappling arrow with greater strength and tensile line length, a flash grenade arrow, new explosive arrows with greater explosive capability, a sedative arrow, a gas grenade arrow, and newly improved regular arrows that were stronger and able to penetrate denser materials. Cisco had designs for even more arrows, including one to record conversations and tap into IT systems. His arsenal was expanding and he liked it.

"Cisco, outstanding," Oliver said then offered him his right hand to shake.

Cisco blushed then shook Oliver's hand. Felicity couldn't help but laugh. Barry joined her. They both knew that Cisco was intimidated by Oliver.

"He made my suit for me, so I recommend his work highly. I don't even chafe," said Barry.

"Too much information," remarked Felicity.

Barry smiled then said, "Now, first the Hood then the Arrow, Oliver, what next?"

"The Green Arrow," smiled Oliver.

"No more Al Sahim?" asked Barry.

"No more," said Oliver. "Ra's is going to have to find a new heir. I can't be Oliver Queen and Al Sahim."

"Ra's will be coming for you," Barry pointed out.

"I know," Oliver said as he continued to examine arrows.

"So, how can I help?" asked Barry.

"Ohh, me, too," added Cisco. "I've got all sorts of ideas for non-lethal weapons. I mean I finished the Black Canary's canary cry for her. It's a sonic weapon that will immobilize people. I could do some arrows like that, too."

"Okay, Cisco, I got it. You've got lots of ideas," said Oliver.

"I guess I can help, also," said Caitlyn.

"Well, Arsenal will need an upgrade for his suit and some new weapons and arrows, and probably the Black Canary needs an upgrade of her suit, as well as a suit for Artemis," said Felicity.

"Artemis?" asked Cisco.

"My sister," stated Oliver using his Arrow growl.

"Okay, okay, I can handle that. We'll make sure that she is well taken care of. I think a visit to Starling City is in order," said Cisco.

"Road trip," smiled Barry.

Oliver looked over at Felicity, who was beaming with joy. He was back. Al Sahim wasn't going to make a return. Oliver Queen would now be the Green Arrow.

"I think I'll try this suit on," said Oliver. "You know to make sure that it fits."

"Be my guest," replied Cisco.

Arrow

With Felicity in tow Ray gave Cisco and Caitlyn a tour of the new base that he had built in the abandoned subway station. The four of the oohed and aahed the technology. Oliver and Barry, even though he was a lover of tech, too, stood off to the side watching them. Ray and Cisco reminded them of two kids playing with the latest game console, as they bounced around from computer to smart table to computer then over to the area where his Atom suit was stored. They were excited about every bit of the tech and possibilities of even more tech.

"You like this place?" asked Barry looking around at the abandoned subway station.

"No," growled Oliver, "but I had no say in it."

"Don't blame you. Your old place was beneath a nightclub and now you are beneath the streets. That is quite a difference," Barry smiled.

"Ray's money, Ray's choice," said Oliver.

"That bother you?" asked Barry.

"Maybe," admitted Oliver.

"Ray bother you?" asked Barry

"Walter Steele for the past year has been trying to get my and Thea's inheritance, stocks, and belongings out of receivership. Thea told me the other day that he is getting closer," said Oliver. "First thing I do is setup a new base."

Barry chuckled.

"So Ray bothers you," said Barry.

Oliver growled his answer, which amused Barry.

"When he showed up with Felicity as boyfriend and girlfriend, it just didn't seem right. You and Felicity, though, seem right," said Barry.

"I hope so," Oliver said softly.

Barry nodded his head then took a deep breath. It was time to broach a more difficult subject.

"You ready for Ra's Al Ghul?" asked Barry.

"I don't know if anyone is ready to face him," said Oliver.

"How about you spar with me? I won't use my full speed, but I'll make it difficult for you, sharpen your skills," offered Barry.

"The training area is over here," said Oliver then he smiled.

"You are going to owe about fifteen hamburgers after this," smiled Barry.

"No fries?" smiled Oliver.

"Oh, yeah, fries, too," added Barry.

Arrow

Felicity, Ray, Cisco, and Caitlyn were finished playing with the high tech toys. For well over an hour, they played around and even started to do some searches on Chad Graham and Prometheus. As they exited the computer area, they heard grunting and moaning coming from the training area. The four of them walked over and looked through the glass window of the former restaurant at a bare chested Oliver sparring with a bare chested Barry. They were using wooden swords, as a precaution so that Barry did not get himself killed.

"He does this a lot, doesn't he?" asked Caitlyn, as she stared at them.

"No shirt?" asked Felicity.

"Yeah," she answered.

"That's Oliver," replied Felicity.

"He certainly stays in good shape," said Caitlyn.

"Oh, yeah, he believes in training," Felicity smiled.

"And from a medical point of view those scars are remarkable," stated Caitlyn.

Ray and Cisco watched looking far less entertained than the two women.

Oliver blocked Barry, who was working at reduced speed. Occasionally, Barry would speed up, and Oliver would continue to block them. Sometimes he anticipated the area the strike would come and sometimes his reflexes even surprised Barry. Finally, Barry went for a quick kill, but Oliver caught the wooden blade with his bare hand and smacked Barry in the ribs.

"Hey, that hurt," Barry complained.

Oliver smirked.

"If it was a real sword, you wouldn't have grabbed the blade," Barry said.

"Yes, I would have," replied Oliver.

Felicity and the rest came into the training center.

"Really?" asked Barry.

"Yup, he would have grabbed it," said Felicity with a grin.

Caitlyn walked up to Oliver and without permission touched the scar that Ra's gave him. She then went around to his back and touched the exit wound scar.

"Someone ran you through with a sword," she stated in shock.

"I know. I was there. It was Ra's Al Ghul," said Oliver.

"And you survived it. I mean, of course, you survived it. You must have had emergency medical attention right away," she said.

"I was kicked off a mountain and lay in the cold and snow for hours then was brought to a cabin where Tatsu used Japanese holistic medicine, herbs and teas, to bring me back from the brink of death," he told her.

"You should be dead," Caitlyn stated.

"Many times over," replied Oliver.

"But he isn't and I like him this way - alive and ... sweaty," added Felicity.

"Okay, I'm hungry. You owe me a lot of burgers," Barry spoke up.

"Ooh, dinner is on me. There is a Big Burger not far from here," said Ray.

"You two shower. Ray and Cisco can go get some takeout and bring it back here," said Felicity.

"How many burgers exactly do you want?" asked Ray.

"Fifteen should do. I'm feeling seriously depleted," answered Barry. "Oh, and lots of curly fries and a milkshake."

Ray looked at him as if he was insane then asked, "Do you gain weight?"

"Nope. My metabolism is also sped up. I can't get drunk and I need to eat a lot," Barry told him.

"Wow," said Ray. "I bet the can't getting drunk part comes in handy."

Barry grinned, "Yeah."

"Come on, Barry, I'll show you were the showers are," Oliver said.

Arrow

"I'm not going back to Central City until Ra's Al Ghul isn't a problem for you," insisted Barry, as he finished up his twelfth cheeseburger. "You were there for me with the Reverse Flash."

"What?" Felicity interrupted. "Oliver helped defeat the Reverse Flash?"

Ray dropped his burger. He could see the love in Felicity's eyes and the guilt in Oliver's.

"I called for help from Oliver and Firestorm. Ronnie...," Barry didn't finish the sentence. "Oliver ended up putting an arrow in Wells. He killed him before he could kill again."

Felicity looked at Oliver and she understood the guilt in his eyes. Becoming Al Sahim had made him a killer again. He had come so far and he stumbled because of Ra's.

"Ra's agreed to the mission," Oliver stated quietly.

"I'm not going to desert you, Oliver. You didn't desert me," said Barry.

"You'll have to listen to me then," said Oliver.

"Haven't I in the past?" smiled Barry.

"I'm in, too," added Ray.

"I'm not leaving," Cisco said. "I have work to do getting Arsenal, the Black Canary, and Artemis ready for what's to come."

"Looks like I'm here for a while, too," smiled Caitlyn.

"I'll let Joe know that I'm staying in Starling City for however long this takes," said Barry.

"Thank you," Oliver said softly.

Barry, Cisco, and Caitlyn grinned. A sincere thank you from Oliver was an accomplishment.

"Felicity," Oliver turned to her, "I need information on Graham's and his men's movements tonight. They are going to be introduced to the Green Arrow."

"I should call Laurel, Diggle, Thea, and Roy," said Felicity.

"No, tonight I go out alone," said Oliver. "I need to introduce myself."

"I'll back you up," said Barry then he paused as he saw Oliver's glare. "From a distance."

Oliver was about to open his mouth when Felicity spoke for me.

"Thank you, Barry," said Felicity.

"And if you need air support, I'll be ready," added Ray.

"See," Felicity started in on Oliver, "you can introduce yourself and still have backup."

He looked at her and shook his head.

"I'm not going to win this argument, am I?" he asked.

"Nope," she answered.

"Okay, I won't argue," he conceded.

"Smart man," she said.

"Really?" smiled Oliver.

"Of course, you are. You're my man," she said.

Ray looked down at his burger. His appetite was definitely gone.

Arrow

Using the ramp Ray had built that came out in the alleyway behind the apartment building Oliver rode his Ducati to a part of the Glades known as the Combat Zone. According to Felicity's information, Prometheus was meeting with Tommy Jefferson, AKA the President, and his men about expanding Jefferson's influence in the Starling city drug trade. As he sped to the location, a parking garage that Jefferson owned, Felicity hacked into their security system and started to do a head count.

"Green Arrow, so far I count eight men on Jefferson's side and six men on Prometheus. By the way, Graham is dressed in all black and wearing what I believe is a Corinthian Helmet, which covers the face pretty much. It really dramatic, like Greek tragedy dramatic," she told him.

"Thank you, Overwatch," he said.

"I need a better code name," she demanded.

"It's your code name so you come you with it," Oliver suggested.

"I like Watcher, though it does sound a little too voyeuristic," she rambled. "Who watches the Watchmen? I always liked that quote. Maybe I'll go for the Latin for watchmen - custodes. But that sounds like I sound be cleaning up after you instead of watching over you."

"Watcher, focus," growled Oliver.

"How about Guardian Angel," suggested Ray over the comm. "Watcher in the book of Enoch is an angel who watches over people, a guardian. I like Guardian Angel."

"I like that, too," agreed Felicity.

"I swear you two are related," mumbled Oliver.

"What was that, Green Arrow?" snapped Felicity.

"Almost at the garage," Oliver said, who could hear Barry chuckling into his comm. "Run silent from here."

Oliver parked his bike in an alley then made his way to the garage. The first pair, he came upon, were acting as sentries. Nocking two Taser arrows he checked the wind in his goggles. It was ten miles and hour coming out of the east. He fired the arrows. Both hit their marks. The Taser heads discharged a large enough current to knock the men unconscious. Oliver continued.

"Green Arrow, four more of Jefferson's men have showed up. They are heavily armed," Felicity told him.

He didn't respond but kept going. Working his way to the third level he found his prey. The President was using his Mercedes as a stereo. The doors were open and loud music blared out of. Prometheus and his men were standing and waiting for the President to acknowledge them. Finally, the President motioned to turn off the music.

"You're here to tell me how to become wealthier, huh?" the President said to Prometheus.

"I am here to show you how to rule a city," replied Graham.

Even under that helmet Oliver recognized the voice. He nocked a recording arrow and fired so that no one noticed it, as it embedded in the roof. It started recording.

"Guardian Angel, I'm recording their conversation. Make a copy," Oliver said.

"Considered it done," she replied.

Oliver let the President and Prometheus talk business. He nocked a foam arrow this time and waited for an opportunity to use it.

"So, if we follow your lead you'll let me work for you and give me a piece of the pie," said the President. "I own the pie."

"A small pie. I am offering you a piece of a large pie. It will be more money, more power, and more respect," stated Prometheus.

"You really think that you can take down the crime families, Murphy, Carona, Batelli, not to mention the Bratav?" asked the President.

"They will either follow in line or die," said Prometheus. "Because you are the first to join, you will benefit the most. What do you say?"

"Why should I fear you?" asked the President.

Prometheus shook his head. He lifted his right arm and a discharge of plasma left it, burning away the fake skin. The plasma hit one of Jefferson's men put a hole in his torso. The man was still standing but dead. Finally, he fell over.

"That is why you should fear me," Prometheus stated.

"Green Arrow, I think you need backup," said Felicity in his ear.

Oliver didn't answer. He fired the foam arrow at the tire of the Mercedes. The arrow hit the tire, exploded, and then encased the tire in foam that quickly hardened. With that done, Oliver came out of the shadows firing arrows.

"Flash, please," Felicity said in Barry's comm only.

"I got it, Guardian Angel," said Barry.

He took off in a blur from his waiting point several miles away. Oliver fired, dodged bullets, rolled away from danger, and fired more arrows. He was taking men down one by one with Prometheus watching. From behind someone hit him with three round from a Glock. Oliver fell, rolled, and came up ready to fire an arrow. He grimaced in pain, but quickly ignored that pain. Suddenly, a red and yellow blur with electricity mixed in appeared and took out four men, who had moved into position to attack Oliver's back.

"I didn't ask for help," Oliver growled.

"I know," Barry replied. "You Guardian Angel requested my appearance."

A growl came from Oliver, who fired a flash grenade arrow in front of the President and three of his men. Once they were thrown off balance, Oliver fired to foam arrows encasing their feet in the foam. Prometheus started to clap. Oliver turned with a nocked arrow ready to fire at him.

"I thought you were gone from this city," said Prometheus, "and that this city was now protected by bumpkin in a metal suit."

"I am not a bumpkin," Ray protested over the comm.

Oliver forced down a smile. All the men were either Taser, foamed, out cold from a sedative, or rounded up and tied up by Barry. Prometheus stood there challenging Oliver. He was all that was left.

"You don't think you can handle the two of us, do you?" asked Barry.

Prometheus moved quickly. He let an electric discharge out of both arms to the ground. Oliver reacted quickly, grabbing then fired a grappling arrow to the ceiling and removing his legs from the ground. Barry had started forward towards Prometheus. He was an inch from hitting Graham, but an electric current went through his body knocking him out cold. Oliver dropped from the grappling rope.

"This is appropriate," said Graham. "One on one, the most skilled against the most skilled."

Oliver reacted quickly and fired an explosive arrow at Prometheus feet. It exploded sending Graham backwards but not off his feet. He raised his arms to fire but Oliver already let loose two Taser arrows. One was stopped with a blast of plasma but the other one it him in the chest and released its charge.

Prometheus absorbed the energy, though. His cybernetics used it to power up. Oliver fired a flash grenade, blinding and disorienting Graham. He came in behind the grenade using his composite bow as a weapon and hit him about the head and shoulders continuously then followed it up with a leg sweep that took him off his feet.

Cisco had added a new arrow he finished to Oliver's quiver. It was an EM pulse arrow. Oliver took it out, nocked it up and fired it at Graham. The EM pulse discharge made his legs and arms go dead. Next, Oliver fired a foam arrow and encased his torso. Oliver turned and helped Barry up.

"I came so close to getting him," Barry said sheepishly.

"Barry, you are remarkable and you are intelligent. You have to start using that brain along with your speed. Once you do you'll be unstoppable, well, almost unstoppable," said Oliver with a smirk.

Barry looked down at Prometheus then said, "Call the cops?"

Oliver touched his earpiece then said to Felicity, "Call Lance and tell him he has trash to pick up then transfer the recording to him and tell him that the Green Arrow thanks him. Use a voice modulator. He doesn't need to know its you, even though he will."

"Are you sure about Lance?" asked Felicity.

"It's time he get over his bitterness," said Oliver.

Barry looked over at Oliver then said, "I guess we should get training for Ra's Al Ghul and his men."

Oliver nodded.