I don't own Arrow, all rights go to their respective owners.
Chapter Thirty Six
Queen Mansion
"They can't do this." Moria snaps angrily as she storms into the living room, the five of them having returned from court.
"That man cannot send my daughter to prison!" She says furiously as Thea, Sara, Oliver and Slade enter behind her, Thea with a down expression upon her face after the hearing, having not spoken since the judgment was passed.
"What are our options?" Oliver looks to the lawyer, who had followed in behind them.
"There has to be something that can be done here." Sara adds in concern.
"And interlocutory appeal. But trial judges have discretion to reject plea agreements." The lawyer says solemnly as Thea looks anywhere but at anyone in the room.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Slade growls.
"It means that. I think you all might want to prepare yourselves for the possibility that this isn't going to go our way." Thea looks at him with a horrified expression on her face, which Sara notices and slides her arm around Thea's shoulders to comfort the girl.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Queen. I'll get to work on the appeal." He nods as he turns to exit as Moria sighs and looks away from them all for a moment.
"Well so much for the best criminal defence attorney in the city!" She mutters resentfully as Oliver rests a hand on her arm to calm her down for Thea's sake, who is already distressed about the whole thing in the first place.
"Thea. We will handle this, I promise…"
"Like you promised Walter you'd always stay faithful to him?" Thea snarls at her as she get to her feet.
"I feel better already!"
"That's enough!" Moria snaps angrily in response as Thea glares at her.
"Don't worry. Sounds like you won't have to be putting up with me much longer anyway!" She growls before storming off, Oliver, Sara and Slade watching as she goes.
"Does she not realise how serious this is?" Moria mutters as Oliver turns to face her.
"She took drugs! She drove, she could have killed someone, or herself!" She protests.
"And who drove her to that?" Slade snarls under his breath as Moria glares at him.
"What did you say?" She hisses as Sara and Oliver look upon them worriedly.
"Maybe if you hadn't neglected her, lied to her she wouldn't be in this position." Slade states plainly, glad to finally be speaking his mind about this whole affair.
"How dare you…"
"Ok, ok! Guys this isn't helping Thea, ok." Oliver holds up his hands, standing in between them as he looks to his mother, despite the fact that he does believe that Slade's words definitely have truth to them!
"All this judge is looking for is someone to make an example of! Why does it have to be her?" Moira whispers sadly.
"Maybe it doesn't." Sara murmurs.
"Listen, we have to go do something. Are you going to be ok?" Oliver looks to his obviously very stressed out mother.
"I'm not the one facing prison." She murmurs as she turns away from them once more…
They had been there for hours, a day even. Nightfall had arrived again and some point during the day Sara had regained consciousness only to find out from Oliver that Yao Fei, the man they were trying to save before everything went to hell is actually a member of Fyers crew.
Oliver had spent many of the hours gripping Sara's fingers through the bars of their cages, she being extremely shaken up after some of the torture Fyers had put her through to which Oliver had not stopped apologising for, despite her reassurances that it had not been Oliver's fault that she had been captured by Fyers's men as he just kept apologising and apologising for them being separated.
Despite the beatings she had received from Fyers upon being separated from Oliver, the blows and bruises, none of that had mattered to her.
It bothered her, it bothered her to no end, but what bothered her more was the worry she had felt for Oliver.
Afraid that if Fyers had realised that Oliver was impersonating one of his men that they would kill him without another thought and losing Oliver would be unbearable.
Speaking of Oliver, due to dehydration he had passed out a couple of hours ago leaving Sara awake alone, her cut, tired and bruised fingers still clutching his as she anxiously waits for him to wake up.
The sound of footsteps draws her attention the the bars where on the outside stands Yao Fei, glancing at the both of them with an emotionless expression on his face.
"You're working for them now? Why are you doing this to us?" She whispers as he still continues to say nothing, just glances at her and Oliver's unconscious form.
"I thought we were allies or something. I mean, why'd you bother keeping Ollie and I safe if you were just going to hand us over to them?" Sara hisses before looking down before back at Ollie.
"Just get us out of here, please." She whispers pleadingly for the both of them.
"I can't." He says plainly placing a cup of water in Oliver's cage before turning to walk away. As Sara scrambles to her knees.
"Hey! Hey! Don't leave us here please, don't leave us here! We came back for you! You hear? We came back for you!"
Starling City Police Department
"Are you sure your dad will help us with this?" Oliver raises an eyebrow as he and Sara walk into the precinct, on the hunt for more information on The Count and Vertigo, just the two of them, Slade having decided to hunt around for information elsewhere to cover more ground in hopes that one of them finds something that will help with Thea's case.
"I don't know, Ollie. He may take sympathy on us because of Thea being your sister and share the information with us." Sara shrugs her shoulders as Oliver squeezes her hand.
"I hope so." Oliver murmurs as this is his sister's future on the line here.
"Oliver?" A familiar voice from the past calls his name.
"Oliver Queen and Sara Lance." The voice calls again as they turn to face the woman.
"McKenna Hall." Oliver smiles at the woman as she moves to embrace them both.
"Hi, it is so good to see you both here!" She says as she smiles at them.
McKenna Hall, the once old flame of Oliver's and someone who Sara had befriended when she has started hanging out with the once It crowd.
"Surprised to see you! What are you doing here?" Sara questions with a grin.
"I live to surprise." She chuckles as Oliver snorts.
"Yeah, what was that club you got us kicked out of? The Club DeVille?" He smirks.
"Ok! In my defence, there was no sign that said you had to keep your clothes on!" She rolls her eyes at them as she enters her office.
"So after after all your wild days you decided to become a cop?" Sara smiles.
"Hey I still go to raves, I just go undercover now and I have to dress slightly more appropriately to hide my badge and gun!" She laughs.
"So what are you two doing here? Anything I can help you with?" She asks kindly as Sara looks to Oliver with a glance which suggests this is a better idea than asking her father, whom she's sure would ask far too many questions, thinking about it now.
"Vertigo." Oliver states calmly as McKenna nods sympathetically.
"Right. I heard about your sister on TV, I'm sorry."
"The judge is trying to make an example of her, so we were thinking if you and my dad could find the person selling the drugs, it might take some of the heat off of Thea." Sara explains as McKenna looks at her sadly.
"Easier said then done." She sighs as they walk through into the main part of the precinct.
"We did some digging and we came up with a name. Um, The Count?" Oliver reveals as she stops and turns to face them both.
"Guys we've known about The Count for months. I wish that this was thicker, but we don't really have much on him." She hands them a file before adding.
"Love to say that we're going to catch him before Thea's trial but it's highly unlikely." She admits as Quentin spies Sara from across the room and walks over to them.
"Sweetheart, what are you doing here?" He questions.
"Asking about Vertigo, I mentioned that we don't have much on the ringleader and that it is unlikely an arrest is going to be made before Thea Queen's trial." McKenna fills him in.
"Ohh, I was meaning to ask about that. How's it going?" Quentin looks to Oliver.
"Not good. The judge is trying to make an example out of her." He murmurs.
"Is there anything else you know about all this daddy?" Sara looks to him as he folds his arms with a wry smile.
"As much as I would like to say that we have more than this, there isn't and anyway, I don't want you messing around with this stuff sweetie, leave the policing to the police, ok? I know you're both worried about Thea but we'll do everything we can on this end to see if we can get the bastard selling this crap, ok?" Quentin looks to Sara sternly, whom nods and embraces her father, whilst Oliver places the file McKenna gave him behind his back.
"Thank you." She nods before to McKenna as well, who smiles at them both.
"Great to see you again." She says to McKenna before talking Oliver's hand and leaving the precinct, leaving McKenna and Quentin a little bit concerned but they pass it off as just Oliver and Sara's worry for Thea.
That's what they hope it is anyway!
Nearby A Bar In Starling City
Having found out the bare minimum about The Count whilst searching through The Glades for answers about the man that Slade cannot wait to get his hands on and make suffer! He is about to return to The Foundry, in an even worse mood than before when someone calls his name. Leonard.
"You look mad let me guess. Queen or Merlyn piss you off?" Leonard questions with a smirk.
"Neither." Slade mutters, not even in the mood to stop for a drink with Leonard today.
"Is it Queen's sister? I heard about it on the TV." He asks.
"The case is going to trial and it doesn't look good." Slade murmurs.
"I bet Queen's panicking like hell. If it were my sister, I probably would have convinced her to flee the country." Leonard replies with a smirk.
"Well I don't think that's an option." Slade grumbles.
"Yeah. What you need to something to take the focus off her. This Vertigo stuff is all over Starling City. I swear I even saw some in Central the past month. Nasty stuff, apparently if you take too much of it, it starts to screw with the mind." Leonard comments.
"Like have the ringleader taken down?" Slade queries.
"Something like that, but I doubt that's gonna happen, not before that girls trial anyway. Unless those vigilantes get this guy. The Count, they've spooked him." Slade turns to face Leonard after his words.
"How do you know so much about this?" He questions gruffly.
"Let's just say I have friends everywhere, some one I know heard from one of the Vertigo dealers that one of the other dealers had been apprehended by the three vigilantes who decided to put the fear of god into this man. Apparently, it's spooked The Count because this dealer hasn't been seen since the vigilante attack was mentioned as the vigilantes left him alive. So, you may be in luck after all of they're on the case." Leonard smirks before adding calmly.
"Looks like they do have their uses those vigilantes after all. I don't agree with them but they may just take this guy down, which is what I think you guys need." Leonard comments as Slade nods, it is what they need to do to help Thea and if Leonard is right and the three vigilantes have spooked this count bastard then they need to hit him again and this time, they'll take him down.
Somewhere In Starling City…
In a junk filled room the street dealer that had been apprehended by the three vigilantes sits on a chair as he waits for his boss to show up, whom upon opening the door, holds a gun to the dealers head before looking at the sleeves on the mans jacket, noticing the arrow and dagger marks upon them.
"You need a tailor." The Count comments.
"You know about those crazy vigilantes man, they just cornered me!" He protests as The Count looks at him in surprise at that.
"The three vigilantes?" He bends down so he's at eye level with the dealer.
"I didn't say anything." The dealer says quickly.
"Oh, I know. You can't divulge secrets, you don't know. But, an example must be made!" The Count states, before rising to his feet and walking confidently around the mans chair before stabbing a syringe deep into the dealers skin.
"Vertigo in its purest form." He says in an almost daydream manner as he rips the syringe from the mans neck, before bending down to snarl in the dealers ear.
"You know when injected directly into the bloodstream, it affects the thalamus region of your brain, which is where all of the information from your pain receptors is collected!" The Count taunts him.
"You must be in unimaginable pain… But actually, you're not! You just think you are!" He smirks playfully as he takes to circling the man now poisoned with Vertigo.
"I've see in last for days until finally, the heart gives out!" He snarls as the man continues to writhe in unexplainable agony.
"One bullet left!" The Count places a gun in the mans hand.
"Now, you can use that bullet to shoot me and take your revenge! Or, you could shoot yourself." The Count taunts him again.
"It's your choice." He says with his hands raised almost in surrender as the dealer struggles with the gun in his hands, keeping it aimed upon The Count until the last moment when he blows his own brains out, the body slumping to the floor.
"The three vigilantes…" The Count starts as he bends down to grab something.
"Coming for me? Interesting." He states before calmly walking away...
Laurel Lance's Apartment
Moving from her bedroom where she leaves Tommy still dozing wrapped in nearly all the duvet! Laurel moves to the living room where she collects her tablet and sits at her desk with it on the table, looking as the news article sadly about Thea's case going to trial.
"I'm learning you're not much of a morning snuggler." Tommy yawns as he appears behind her as she turns to smile at him.
"Ohh I am Tommy, I just realised that my boyfriend doesn't like to wake up at any hour that's ends in AM! So you missed your morning hug." She sniggers as he laughs.
"Yes, that is true." He nods as he rests his hands gently on her shoulders.
"But, just so you know. I want a hug now." Laurel smiles as Tommy happily complies, wrapping his arms around her tightly as she shakes her head and moves from the small chair she is sitting on.
"This chair won't do at all!" She laughs as she sits on the sofa, pulling Tommy with her so in the end she is lounging on Tommy, who holds her close in his arms whilst she continues to work on her tablet.
"This is nice." Tommy murmurs as he kisses the top of her head.
"It would be perfect if I wasn't working." She murmurs sadly as he kisses her head again.
"You know, I've just realised if you're busy being a lawyer all day and I'm managing a nightclub with Oliver and Slade all night, when exactly do we get to see each other?" He questions just as there's a knock on the door.
"I got it!" Tommy moves from under her to get up to go to the door, surprised to see Oliver and Sara there and fortunately for him, no Slade!
"Hey. Laurel, Sara's here!" Tommy calls to Laurel who smiles as puts her computer down to move toward the door to embrace her sister.
"Nice to see you to Laurel." Sara smiles as she hugs her sister.
"I feel like I haven't seen you in days!" Laurel says eventually when she lets her sister go.
"And I'm sorry about that." Sara chuckles as Tommy turns to Oliver.
"What about Thea? Is she doing ok?" He asks the question both her and Laurel have wanted answering.
"Yeah she's doing ok." Oliver says with a tight smile.
"Thank you for coming to court yesterday." He adds with a glance in Laurel's direction.
"Yeah of course but I don't think the judge is willing to move off his position. Taking a hard like against criminals is a platform for his reelection." Laurel says softly.
"I need you to talk to dad. I tried yesterday but he got all over protective like he usually does when I started asking him about Vertigo, but with this I need you to help me with because I know every time you've gone to dad for something like this you can normally wear him down better than I can with your awesome lawyer skills." Sara starts softly.
"It's just because he's inside the system and maybe he cashes in a chip with Judge Brackett gets him off throwing the book at Thea…"
"Oliver, Sara, I don't think…"
"Laurel, we are working on something on our end. Some help Slade might be able to call in but if it doesn't work out, this is our best chance to help my sister." Oliver says gently.
"Also, I remember something he once did for me when I got into a small legal issue, but I don't think it's gonna sound right coming from me." Sara gives Laurel a slight smile as both sisters know what Sara is referring to!
"I'll see what I can do, but no promises." Laurel nods as Oliver smiles at her gratefully, Sara giving her sister yet another hug.
"Thank you." He says before taking Sara's hand and departing, leaving Tommy and Laurel to glance at each other sadly, as they wish that there is something that can be done for Thea to save her from prison, they really do.
Starling City: Later
"I'm so sorry Laurel. I don't think I'd be able to." Is Quentin's response when Laurel tells him Oliver's proposition.
"Dad, Thea's only eighteen years old, she's Ollie's sister…"
"I know and you know I'd love to help her out but Laurel and if she wasn't eighteen, yes I would try and get something sorted for her but she is an adult now, she knew what she was doing when she did the crime, she must have and she needs to learn the consequences that come from her actions."
"Dad!" Laurel cries in shock.
"Laurel, I know that she's Oliver's sister and I know that she's a young girl but she has to take responsibility for what she's done and sometimes it's got to be the hard way. You don't know Laurel, they could decide to be lenient and let her spend a few months in rehab. I'd try to get people to push for that result, but as a policeman, I don't think that she should just be let go without any repercussions." Quentin admits.
"What about the Lance family? A young girl acting out, engaging in reckless behaviour? Does that sound familiar?" Laurel questions as Quentin sighs.
"Is this why your sister sent you instead of her coming to ask me?" He raises an eyebrow to her with a frown.
"I think she, Oliver are chasing down another lead…"
"What? What lead!" Quentin shouts suddenly in worry for his youngest daughters safety.
"Calm down dad, apparently Slade has some contacts on his side snd they're checking them out." Laurel says softly.
"Well as long as he's looking after her then that's fine." Quentin murmurs, feeling a little more reassured then he was a few seconds ago now he knows that whatever it is the three of them are doing, Slade's in charge of it!
"Dad, Thea is exactly like Sara used to be! I know she was arrested for shoplifting and I know you made it go away." Laurel reminds him, using the card Sara had suggested she use.
"Well Laurel, maybe if I'd have let her go to jail we wouldn't have lost her for five years!" Quentin admits sadly.
"I know. I know, but those five years? They were hell for Thea to, she lost her brother and her father and I think that she's acting out because of all that pain she went through with losing them then and I think she honesty just needs help. So if you want to push for rehab, do that just as long as she doesn't end up in jail." Laurel begs as he father looks at her.
"You and Sara aren't going to stop pestering me about this are you?" Quentin sighs.
"I still believe that Thea shouldn't just be given a free pass for all this but I'll see what I can do and make some calls." He smiles before adding.
"However I expect family dinner this weekend! Me you and Sara! Just the three of us!" Quentin bargains as Laurel smiles.
"Of course." She nods as they father and daughter walk away arm in arm.
Somewhere In Starling City
"Seen a fair amount of Cyrillic back in Afghanistan left over by the soviets. Is this Russian owned?" Diggle questions as he follows Oliver and Slade inside a factory.
Oliver and Slade reluctantly letting Diggle come with them, originally wanting them to stay in The Foundry where Sara had decided to stay researching more information on The Count, but Diggle has said if they left him there he'd just follow them and Oliver and Slade decided it would be safer to just let Diggle come with them.
"Yeah this is the not so hidden headquarters for the Starling City chapter of the Bravta." Oliver explains as Diggle frowns.
"Look, Diggle whatever we say, whatever goes down, just go with it." Oliver says quietly as Alexi Leonov enters the room, Oliver speaking in Russian, which translates to 'Good to see you again'.
"Good to see you both too. Long time." He notes as he approaches Oliver and Slade.
"Particularly for two Bratva captains." He raises an eyebrow at them.
"We were trying to figure out where to put our interests. We decided on pharmaceuticals." Oliver drops a bag in front of Leonov's feet.
"We don't mean aspirin." He comments.
"A wise choice. Mephedrone would be a good investment for you. It's the newest thing." He smirks as Slade folds his arms.
"How about Vertigo." Slade mutters.
"Tough market, Vertigo. Only one seller..."
"We know. I was hoping that you could do us a favour and arrange a meeting." Slade replies.
"The Count, he's a difficult man and he does not like new friends." Leonov replies as Oliver passes him a file.
"This is everything the police have on him." Oliver notes.
"Tell him to consider it as a gift." Slade add as Leonov flicks through the file before looking up at Oliver and Slade.
"I will see what I can do. Provided you two do a favour for me." Leonov bargains as Slade replies in perfect Russian, which translates to 'anything'.
Leonov nods to his mechanic behind him before turning back to Slade and Oliver.
"It is unusual for an American and an Australian to hold such positions of esteem in our organisation, Mr. Queen, Mr. Wilson." He mutters as Diggle glances nervously as the three of them.
"Anatoli Knyazev speaks very highly of the two of you." He comments.
"He should. We saved his life." Slade mutters as the mechanic returns holding a struggling man, pushing him to the floor.
"What did he do?" Oliver asks.
"Something I told him not to. Another favour. Kill this man for me and I will believe your interests in our organisation is genuine, either of you can do it! Only then I will arrange a meeting with The Count." He comments as Oliver and Slade nod as Oliver and Slade walk over to the man as Diggle looks upon them both in shock.
"Oliver, Slade." He murmurs warningly as Oliver, places a hand on Slade arm.
"I'll take this one." Oliver nods as he starts to strangle the man to death.
"Oliver!" Diggle starts to protest as the man falls to the floor dead.
Leonov smiles at Oliver and Slade before speaking in Russian to them.
"What are friends for?" Oliver mutters in response…
As more time passed, Oliver eventually regained consciousness and sits as close to Sara's cage as possible, the two of them silently murmuring to one another, Oliver reassuring her the best he can that everything's going to be alright, even though he knows his words might be pointless with the situation presently.
However, Yao Fei returns a second time to the cage, this time he opens the door and drags Oliver out of it.
"No, no. Leave him, please leave him!" Sara cries as Yao Fei violently drags Oliver away as she crawls to the other end of the cage to watch hopelessly as Oliver is taken away from her!
"So I'm out of the cage now am I? What's going on!" Oliver yells as Yao Fei pushes him up a hill, where at the very top is a circle of men, in the middle of the circle is a fight between two men, one that Oliver recognises to be his and Sara's torturer.
The fight continues for several minutes before the torturer wins the fight with a flourish of his sword whilst the men in the circle cheer and Fyers walks into the centre of the circle.
"Well I admit that bout was particularly one sided, would anybody else like to give it a try?" He looks around the circle, Yao Fei pushing Oliver into the middle unexpectedly as Oliver hears Sara's cries of horror as he does so.
"The point of these little gladiatorial distractions is to strengthen unit cohesion. To that end, I think our newest recruit ought to be afforded the opportunity to try his hand." Fyers smirks as Yao Fei places down his gun and walks into the circle…
Starling City
"I can't believe you just killed that guy." Diggle shakes his head as he, Slade and Oliver leave the Bratva HQ with the dead guys body.
"You really have a low opinion of me." Oliver scoffs.
"No, Oliver. I don't. This is the sort of thing I'd expect from him, not you!" Diggle glances at Slade as Diggle opens the trunk of the car, Oliver dropping the body into it.
"Yes well Diggle, if Slade had done it he actually would have killed him." Oliver smirks as the man suddenly sits up in the car, alive.
"Woah! You gonna teach me that one day?" Diggle gasps in shock as Slade punches the guy in the face.
"No." Oliver smiles as Slade shuts the trunk.
"What are you two planning?" Diggle glances at them suspiciously.
"You need to arrange a new identity for this guy, get him out of the city." Oliver explains as the three of them move to get in the car.
"Right, so our Ruski pals draws out The Count and the three vigilantes take him down?" Diggle questions.
"No, because then the Bratva would know that we used them and that relationship is too valuable. We met with The Count as ourselves, let him leave then we follow him to his hideout and take him down." Slade explains.
"That easy hu?" Diggle mutters.
"Ohh and your coming to!" Oliver smiles as he climbs into the car, Diggle rolling his eyes at the two friends, muttering to himself.
"Fantastic! Looking forward to my new and exciting career as a drug dealer!"
Queen Mansion
"My father was able to get Judge Brackett to back off his hard line stance." Laurel explains calmly to Thea as the four of them sit across from her.
"How'd you manage that? Him being a cop I thought he'd want me to be punished!" Thea questions sharply.
"I reminded him of something." She flashes a smile to Sara who bows her head smiling back.
"Look, nobody asked you to get involved." Thea glances at Laurel with distaste.
"Thea!" Slade mutters, a warning tone to his voice.
"Me and Sara did." Oliver sighs.
"The judge has agreed to as sentence of five hundred hours of community service and two years of probation. Provisional on the appointment of someone to act in loco parentis." Laurel explains softly.
"In loco what?" Thea raises her eyebrow at Laurel.
"It means that the court will appoint an individual to assume responsibility for you. Me." Laurel reveals as Thea rolls her eyes at them.
"Thanks but no thanks…"
"Thea!" Oliver and Slade snap simultaneously.
"You don't actually have a choice." Slade mutters.
"Oh, actually I do see I'm eighteen now and I can make my own decisions and no offense but I decide not to be Sara's sisters office monkey!" Thea replies as she is met with glares from Oliver, Slade and Sara as Laurel clasps her hands together.
"Well, if you change your mind then." Laurel states before heading for the door, Sara, Slade and Oliver following her.
"Thank you." Sara pats her sisters arm in thanks before the three of them turn to confront Thea with angry expressions.
"Thea you are in real trouble." Sara shakes her head at her as Slade cuts in.
"And rightly so! Doing drugs and driving? That is beyond stupid, Thea and what Laurel has gotten for you is a good deal!" Slade growls.
"I already have a mother." Thea shrugs her shoulders.
"So you're going to go to jail and it will ruin the rest of your life. Is that what you want Thea? I thought you were smarter than that!" Slade snaps angrily.
"No, guys I want to ruin mom's life! She's a liar and a cheat. I mean you told me so yourself! She cheated on dad with Malcolm and she's doing it again now. I hate her!" Thea snarls.
"So you're just gonna go to jail to spite her? Revenge is never the answer! It always ends badly Thea!" Slade snarls before adding.
"And unless you've forgotten what your brother told you last night, your mother cheated on your father because he was unfaithful to her!"
"He's right Thea. I told you that's what mom told me, dad really wasn't the person we thought he was." Oliver folds his arms sadly.
"Really? Really because I don't see it that way. I see it as mom cheated on dad and because she was being unfaithful to him, he started sleeping around! How can any of you believe a word she says!" Thea cries as Oliver grabs her hands.
"Because on the Queen's Gambit right before he died he admitted to Sara and I that he had failed us. You, me and mom and that he just wished. He wished he had more time to right his wrongs." Oliver admits as Sara nods sadly as Thea looks between the three of them before racing off out of the living room, tears streaming down her cheeks as she goes.
She had believed Oliver when he had said mom had cheated on her father but she never believed that her father was the one cheating on her mother first. She had seen it the other way around all up until now that is and now, she just wants to be alone.
"How dare you!" Moira snarls at Oliver as she enters the room, having heard the whole conversation.
"How dare he? He did nothing! He did what you were too cowardly to do yourself, tell your daughter the truth! She is old enough to know the truth about her family!" Slade snaps back angrily at Moria.
"You manipulated him into telling her didn't you? Because that's what you've done to my son for the last five years, manipulate him like you're the puppet master!" Moria growls back at Slade.
"That's enough! I told her the day she crashed her car mom! I didn't want to have to lie for you so I told her. She would have found out eventually and if I hadn't have told her god knows what would have happened then! I told her of my own accord, Slade never manipulated me into anything, he never has! He is my friend and brother and I am beyond fed up of you treating him like he's some kinda monster!" Oliver yells, Moira looking at him in surprise at his outburst, about to say something with equal venom when Diggle enters the room quietly, Moria glaring at the four of them before striding off, Diggle waiting until she is completely out of ear shot before turning to them.
"The Russians called. The meet is set, it's tonight guys."
Authors Note: Thank you all for reading, technology is finally starting to improve for me so here is the new chapter! Hopefully it wasn't bad, I'm not that convinced with this one, please tell me what you think and thanks again to all of you who have ever so kindly reviewed, followed and favourited. See you all next update!
PS: Writing this chapter, I noticed a previous mistake in my last one. Sara had actually been arrested it turns out in the past, I just completely forgot about it when I wrote the last chapter, sorry for the confusion!