Chapter Twenty-One: A Change of Plan

Clark sat watching Chloe, his silent vigil disturbed only by the steady beep of the monitors that surrounded her bed. She seemed so peaceful now, lying still and quiet; such a contrast to the terrible scenes of just a few hours earlier. They'd sedated her as soon as she'd arrived at the ER. She'd been hysterical when she'd come round in the ambulance, unable to come to terms with what she'd seen, with the fact that Oliver really was gone. This was her wedding day, after all – it should have been the happiest day of her life. In a few hours she and Oliver were meant to be heading off on their honeymoon, a fairy-tale end to a fairy-tale day. Instead there was this – Oliver dead, Chloe's life in ruins. How would she ever be able to get over this? How would any of them?

"How is she?"

Clark turned. Roy stood at his side, his eyes fixed firmly on Chloe.

"The doctors have given her a strong sedative – she should be out for hours."

"That's good – after what she's been through, she needs to rest."

Silence followed, each man lost in his thoughts.

"Any word on the shooter?" asked Roy finally; images of Oliver's lifeless body kept flashing into his head, and talking helped to keep them at bay.

"Nothing," replied Clark. "The police are saying it's a professional hit, but beyond that they don't know anything."

"I tried to contact AC and Victor, but I can't get through – their ComLinks aren't responding."

Clark turned. "Really? And you tried the emergency frequency?"

"Yeah – I tried them all. Why – do you think something's wrong?"

Clark frowned. "It's probably nothing. But this happens and then we can't get through to the guys – I don't know, but I don't like coincidences."

Roy's eyes widened as the meaning of Clark's words sunk in. "You think something's happened to them? That maybe whoever killed Ollie has gone after Victor and AC?"

"I don't know, Roy – I just don't know."

"Who did this, Clark?" said Roy, his emotions suddenly welling up inside him. "Because whoever it was, I swear, I'm going to…"

"Hey, take it easy, yeah?" interrupted Clark, reaching out and taking hold of Roy's arm. "We'll get them, I promise. And then we'll put them behind bars – just like Oliver would have wanted."

Roy was crying now, tears rolling down his cheeks. "I loved him, Clark," he said, his voice cracking. "He saved me, you know that? He was like my brother - someone who was always there for me."

"I know, Roy – I know," said Clark, standing. The two of them hugged, trying to offer each other some small measure of comfort amidst all the darkness. It was Roy who was crying, but inside Clark was hurting too. He and Oliver had known each other for a long time. They'd fought alongside one another against Lex. Sometimes they'd locked horns, two men who shared a common belief in justice but who didn't always see eye to eye on how to achieve it. But after all they'd been through together their relationship had grown into something special, something Clark had treasured. Apart from Pete Ross, Oliver was the closest male friend he'd ever had. And he'd made Chloe happy – happier than he'd ever seen her in his life before. They would have made the perfect couple, if only fate hadn't taken a hand and snatched that happiness so cruelly away from them…..

"We're going to get them, Roy," he repeated, his features hardening. "Whoever did this, we're going to get them."

Across town at least one man was celebrating.

Carlos Minetti took another sip of champagne. He'd had it smuggled into his cell specially, along with the TV he'd been glued to for the last two hours; all that money he'd spent bribing the guards was finally paying off. The networks were full of news of Oliver Queen's assassination. Normal programming had been suspended, replaced by wall to wall coverage of the carnage that had taken place just a few miles from where he was sitting. Minetti was spoilt for choice, not knowing which channel would provide him with the best pictures, the most blood curdling accounts of what had happened. Grinning from ear to ear, he hopped from station to station, determined to wring every last ounce of enjoyment from the horror that at that moment had the entire nation transfixed…..

"Over now to our man on the spot, Rob Coyle. Rob, what can you tell us?"

"Sarah, truly shocking scenes here at St Michael's in Star City. It was meant to be the wedding of the year, but instead it has turned into a bloodbath. Five are confirmed dead, among them Oliver Queen, CEO of Queen Industries and, of course, the man we have come to know as the Green Arrow."

"Do we know any more about what happened?"

"Not much. According to eyewitnesses the ceremony had just finished and the couple were posing for photographs for the press. Oliver Queen was shot in the chest – we're not sure whether he died instantly, or soon afterwards. A number of his bodyguards were also killed, along with a reporter. The police are remaining pretty tight lipped, but all the signs are this was a professional hit."

"Have the police made any arrests?"

"No, Sarah, they haven't. Roadblocks have been put up, but it seems the shooter has evaded capture, for the time being at least."

"Terrible scenes, Rob – just terrible. Oliver Queen has made a lot of enemies over the last year – it seems that one of them has taken revenge in the most shocking way imaginable. And what about Chloe Sullivan, the woman he was marrying – any word on her?"

"She's been taken to Star City General. There's been no official statement, but I understand that she wasn't injured in the attack."

"Thanks, Rob. So, just to confirm for those of you who've joined us in the last few minutes, Star City has been rocked today by the murder of Oliver Queen, brutally gunned down on his wedding day by an unknown assassin. The city, the whole country, is in a state of shock, mourning the loss of a man whose heroism as the Green Arrow has inspired us all, and who…."

"Ahh, spare me that shit!" shouted Minetti, pressing mute on his remote. He poured himself another glass of champagne as he watched the silent images of Bates' corpse being loaded into an ambulance. "Here's to you, Queen!" he exclaimed, raising his glass to the screen. "See you in hell, motherfucker!"

"Is he secure?"

"Yes, Granny – we've chained him up in Cell 4, just as you instructed."

"And a guard has been posted?"

"Two – you have my word, Queen isn't going anywhere."

Granny nodded, seemingly satisfied with the assurances she'd been given about the security of their prisoner. It had been a day of unpleasant surprises; she didn't want Oliver's escape to be added to the list.

"Good – you may leave us."

Harriet turned and left the room. Granny waited until the door had closed before rounding on Desaad, who had been standing pensively watching the live images being broadcast from St Michael's.

"Well, what now?" she demanded, glaring at him expectantly; his was the plan that lay in tatters, and now it appeared she believed he was obliged to come up with an alternative.

"I don't know about you, but I'm going to have a drink."

Opening a cupboard, he pulled out a bottle of scotch and poured himself a double. Outwardly he seemed unfazed by the events of the previous few hours, unlike his co-conspirator, who was clearly rattled. In all their planning not once had they considered that something like this might happen, and Desaad could see a certain irony in their predicament; so wrapped up in their own scheme to destroy the Justice League, it had never occurred to them that another of Oliver's enemies might also be planning to take him down. And take him down they had, in quite spectacular fashion – at least that's what the world was thinking as it watched those gruesome pictures from outside the church. Only a very few knew the truth; that the Oliver that had died had been an imposter, and that the real Green Arrow was at that very moment strung up in a cell just a corridor away. All hell had broken loose after the shooting. Police were everywhere, and it quickly became clear that their lair in the crypt of the church was no longer safe. Mercifully, they'd been able to make their escape with the help of Father West ; his clerical collar had worked wonders in allowing them to negotiate a police checkpoint, which was just as well given they'd got the real Oliver trussed up and gagged in the back of their SUV. And so they'd ended up here, at one of their other hideouts in the city – all that remained now was to work out what to do next.

"I warned you that we were relying too much on Bates," said Granny, rejecting Desaad's offer of a glass. "He could have told us where the Kryptonite was days ago, but instead you allowed him to play his own little game – after that business with Curry you should have known he couldn't be trusted."

"I don't think Mr Bates was expecting to end up dead, Granny," replied Desaad dryly. "Had he lived I'm sure he would have delivered the kryptonite, just as he promised."

"But the fact remains he is dead, and we don't have the kryptonite – without that this plan of yours is as dead as he is."

"You're forgetting that Stone has been eliminated and Curry and Queen are both prisoners – the Justice League is finished, just as I promised it would be."

"None of that matters without Superman, you know that! And he'll be on his guard now, especially when he discovers that Curry and Stone are missing – how long do you think it will be before he figures out something's going on?"

"Then we'd better finish what we started quickly, hadn't we?"

There was silence for a few moments, Desaad patiently sipping his scotch. Goodness continued to glare at him, waiting for him to reveal his hand.

"Well?" she said finally.

"You are forgetting we still have Queen," he said calmly. "He will tell us where the kryptonite is."

"Torture him, you mean?" said Granny. "I'll make him talk, if you just….."

"They'll be no need for torture," interrupted Desaad. "Oliver will tell us what we want to know voluntarily."

"Really?" scoffed Goodness. "Next you'll be telling me your precious Oliver will help us lure Superman into a trap as well!"

"Actually, that's precisely what he's going to do," replied Desaad, smiling. "It will be his final betrayal, and his greatest – a fitting epitaph for our broken hero, don't you think?"

Desaad has a new plan - that's got to be bad news for Ollie and Clark, right? All will be revealed in the next few chapters...

Hope you liked this one. Thanks so much to all those of you who reviewed the last chapter - I can't say it enough, but I really do value your support and encouragement. Do let me know what you think about this one - it would be great to get your feedback.