I don't own Arrow, all rights go to their respective owners.
Chapter Thirty Seven
Starling City: Night
"You know why they call him The Count?" Alexi Leonov questions from behind Oliver and Slade, causing them both to turn around.
"Why is that?" Slade mutters, voice laced with sarcasm.
"When he was developing this drug, he experimented on the homeless, prostitutes, runaways. The police would find their bodies, puncture marks on their neck, like a vampire." He explains eerily, Oliver, Slade, Diggle and Leonov being at the location where they are to meet The Count, Sara staying hidden nearby as The Woman In Black ready to join Oliver and Slade when their plan to follow The Count goes into effect.
"You two should not be in such a hurry to meet this man." He says warningly
"I can assure you, Oliver and I have faced much worse!" Slade grumbles as the black van stops in front of them, The Count and his goons stepping from it.
"Thank you for this!" The Count exclaims, holding up the file.
"But I'm not overly concerned about the SCPD. Now I understand you gentlemen wish to participate in the feel good business." The Count smirks.
"Yes." Oliver replies curtly.
"And why's that Mr. Queen? You and your friend don't seem the Vertigo type?"
"My friend and I are opening up a nightclub and we'd like our customers to have a little something extra." Oliver smirks back.
"Well as it happens, I'm looking to expand my brand." The Count replies as Diggle drops a few bags by their feet as The Count moves over to a silver case.
"Good wine's value is measured by its vintage, the number of years it took to ferment. Vertigo, is measured in lives." The Count reveals as he opens the case to reveal the mass of Vertigo pills, removing a bag.
"Fifty eight people died to perfect this high. Believe me when I say that they did not die for nothing!" He says quietly as he places the packet back in the briefcase before handing it to Oliver just as the sudden interruption of sirens begin to blare, the group looking toward the approaching police cars in shock.
"Let's get out of here!" Diggle yells as Oliver, Diggle and Slade race behind a van whilst The Count and his men scatter.
However, what everyone notices is that the bags of money Diggle had put down by The Counts are snatched up by a person unknown.
A man in a blue parka, the hood of the coat and a pair of goggles covering his face as he grabs the money bags, which is when the gunfire begins from The Counts men, who fire upon the money thief and the SCPD, one of the bullets hitting the money thief in the side, who then, slowed down hobbles over to a fence, leaping over it and disappearing the other side, only to be tossed back over by The Woman In Black, who fights the wounded thief until they all come under more gunfire from both The Counts men and the SCPD, The Woman In Black darting for cover by Diggle, Oliver and Slade.
"Sorry I'm late." She mutters to them as they watch the thief crawl away, past the gunfire.
"Want me to go after him?" The Woman In Black yells, more gunfire giving her the answer!
"SCPD! Put your weapons down!" Quentin yells as he continues to fire upon The Count and his goons as they race away for the exit.
"Ok what do we do?" The Woman In Black snarls as Slade spots a pathway through the gunfire and within less then a few seconds is racing toward The Count.
"Slade!" Oliver, Diggle and The Woman In Black yells in horror as he chases after The Count through the hail of gunfire, stopping briefly to take out The Count's bodyguard as he races down a flight of stairs after the man he wants to put an end too. Wishing though that he had his sword, he thinks as he continues to chase The Count, who abruptly turns around, stabbing Slade in the chest with two needles filled with Vertigo.
"No witnesses!" He taunts him as Slade growls in pain, his vision going blurry as he sinks slowly to the ground, pulling the needles from his chest...
"Slade! Slade are you ok?" Oliver cries worriedly when he, Diggle and The Woman In Black find him slumped against the wall.
"Keep it, keep it." He murmurs through the pain and disorientation as he places the syringes in what he thinks is Diggle's hand.
"It's ok, it's ok." Oliver says quickly as he moves to support his friend as Slade slowly begins to slip into unconsciousness…
The Foundry
Upon reaching The Foundry within minutes, Oliver, Sara and Diggle help a almost unconscious, yet disorientated Slade, writhing in pain from the Vertigo he received, down the stairs to the basement where they know that the herbs from the island will hopefully be able to heal him from the Vertigo.
Suddenly, Slade's eyes snap open and he growls in pain as Oliver and Sara force him down onto the table, trying to keep him restrained as he fights against them both, groaning in agony, Oliver trying to keep the image out of his head the last time he saw Slade in so much pain like this and hopes it doesn't go the same way as Vertigo, unlike that horrific toxin Slade was once poisoned with doesn't have regenerative abilities!
"Diggle, the create!" Oliver yells whilst trying to restrain Slade.
"It's ok, it's going to be ok Slade!" Sara whispers as he looks at her.
"You! What are you doing here?" Slade suddenly hisses as he breaks free from Oliver and Sara's restraining grip and goes after Sara.
"Slade! It's Sara! I'm not here, It's Sara!" Sara cries desperately as he advances on her.
"Never call me by that name again you bitch! You killed my son! And you labeled me as a monster with that name. You are the true monster." Slade suddenly yells as he grabs Sara, who attempts to deflect his attack, finding herself unable to as he punches her in the jaw and throws her halfway across The Foundry where she smashes into the computer whilst Oliver tries to stop him.
"Ohh my god." He murmurs at the whole ordeal just as Diggle moves away from the crate to help Oliver restrain Slade, whom Oliver believes now is hallucinating.
"Slade! Slade it's just us, Oliver, Sara and Diggle. It's ok, we're going to fix this! You're gonna be ok, Diggle what are you playing at? The crate!" Oliver growls, noticing that Diggle is now advancing on Slade instead of getting the herbs, trying to protect both Sara and Oliver from Slade's Vertigo induced state, but when Diggle approaches Slade, Slade doesn't see Diggle, he sees someone who he thought dead.
Who he had killed himself.
"I drove a knife through your eye you bastard! You betrayed me!" Slade snarls at Diggle as he punches Diggle with so much force that it knocks him to the floor as Oliver tries to get from behind him, Sara, trying to crawl over toward them to help.
"Slade! Slade. They're not here! They're not here it's me, Oliver! Your friend, your brother." Oliver yells to his friend desperately as Slade struggles against Oliver as Oliver, with assistance from Diggle push Slade back toward the table.
"Diggle!" Oliver commands as Diggle moves reluctantly back over to the crate, grabbing the herbs as Oliver continues to fight with Slade, who fights surprisingly well for a man on Vertigo as he suddenly stops as another hallucination hits him.
"You're not here, you're dead. We killed you, You're not here!" Slade growls Oliver fighting to keep him restrained, not for very long though as Slade punches him, wrapping his fingers around Oliver's neck, strangling him, all but crushing Oliver's throat under his iron like grip as Oliver writhes and tries to fight back as Slade continues to strangle the life out of him.
"Slade! Slade stop!" Oliver somehow manages to choke out as his friend ignores him.
"This isn't you! I made you like this. I made you a monster! And then he killed you! He had no choice!" Slade snarls, tightening his grip on Oliver's throat as Diggle finally reaches Oliver and Slade.
"Let him go Slade! It's Oliver!" Diggle cries as he forces Slade to drink the water and the herbs until Slade's grip on Oliver's throat falters and his eyes begin to close as the herbs do their work, dropping an almost unconscious Oliver to the floor as he too succumbs to the darkness...
Within a moment Yao Fei has already punched Oliver to the forest floor, not even giving Oliver a chance to regain his footing before kicking him hard in the face, Oliver who tries to fight back finds himself taken down again, he hears Sara's cries as he is kicked around, unable to do anything. He fights to get back up, to win but Yao Fei has other plans and with a cheer from the crowd, sends Oliver into the oblivion of darkness...
The Foundry
"Slade!" Oliver croaks upon opening his eyes, finding his voice hoarse from where Slade had strangled him believing him to be someone else, her, Oliver believes.
Slade hallucinated three people under the Vertigo all of whom Oliver once knew as well.
"Easy man." Diggle mutters as he helps Oliver to his feet, wincing when he sees the deep finger marks on Oliver's throat from where Slade has almost strangled the life out of him.
"Sara! Sara!" Oliver croaks upon seeing her sitting upon one of the chairs, blood covering her mouth and clutching at her side which she had landed upon.
She limps over to him as he pulls her into his arms, holding her tightly as they both glance over at Slade's motionless form, both of his wrists handcuffed to the table by Diggle, who nurses a bleeding nose.
"I got the herbs to him, I think he's gonna be ok." Diggle murmurs as Oliver and Sara say nothing but limp over to Slade.
"Are you two ok? How badly did he hurt you?" He questions.
"We're ok." Sara replies as she and Oliver both take one of Slade's hands each, glancing over at each other.
"You guys going to ever tell me about those people he was hallucinating?" Diggle questions as he packs the herbs back up in their crate.
"I gathered one was the previous partner he was telling me about when that thing happened with Gaynor. The other two…" He trails off to complete silence from Oliver and Sara as they continue to observe their friend.
"Did that remind you a bit of…" Sara starts as Oliver nods.
"Yes. Yes it did." Oliver mutters.
"He was hallucinating her wasn't he?" She states.
"Yep." Oliver all but groans as Sara tilts her head.
"When you were with her on the boat and Slade and I were with the others, that toxin caused him to hallucinate then, wasn't this bad though." She murmurs.
"You never mentioned this before." Oliver looks up at her in surprise.
"I thought he must have told you." Sara looks at him in confusion.
"Nope, is all new to me." Oliver replies.
"We were trying to get onto the boat, trying to negotiate something and Slade was getting stressed, which we all know wasn't good when he was on that stuff! He left and I followed him and he was out there in the forest, he was talking to someone. It was a hallucination obviously but he said you were there, Ollie. He was convinced you had gotten off the boat…" Sara trails off, wiping a tear for her eye as Oliver just looks at her in shock at the revelation.
"He told me the hallucinations were just of her…" Oliver trails off.
"They weren't. One was of you and that one of you I think, saved him from loosing his mind to that stuff. It helped us all, we were both so worried about you but that hallucination of you apparently said that you were ok and that the only worry was that you were going to end up annoying her to death! And even though it wasn't real, it kept me and Slade going until finally got to you." She admits, using her other hand to hold Oliver's.
"He loved her so much, she told him to join her and I honestly thought he was going to. I still don't know why he didn't it would have been so easy for him…"
"Because of you and Sara." Diggle calls from the corner of the room having heard every word said.
"From what I've gathered about Slade Wilson, he might be insufferable but he's fiercely loyal especially to you and Sara. I don't know what happened on the island. I don't know who this women you keep referring to is and you guys can tell me whenever your ready but he loved her didn't he?" He questions as Oliver and Sara nod.
"We don't really talk about it." Sara murmurs as Diggle nods.
"And I accept that but whatever went down, something must have happened for him to choose his friendship with the two of you over her. I don't need to know but for whatever reason, it was probably fuelled by the fact that he does care about the two of you. He might not be good at emotions from what I've seen from him but there's no denying how much he cares for you two." Diggle murmurs as Oliver and Sara smile sadly down at their friend.
Their friend, who's been through so much pain, heartbreak, some which they shared between the three of them, yet despite all they went through they came out of hell with each other.
They wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
The Foundry: Next Morning
His eyes snapping open and the headache from the depths of hell hitting him instantly, Slade regains consciousness, when he tries to sit up finding his hands chained down to the table and two hands holding his.
"Hey, hey you're ok. You're ok." Oliver says softly as Slade looks at him and Sara as the events hit him like a ton of bricks.
The Count had hit him with Vertigo, it had plagued his mind with memories, memories of people he never expected to see again, yet it was like he saw them in person.
Like they were standing in front of him…
He looks to Oliver and Sara again, his eyes falling on Sara's bruised lip and the almost deep red finger marks on Oliver's throat from where Slade had strangled him under the Vertigo's control he had hurt them.
He hurt Oliver and Sara.
Instantly he rips his hands out of their grasps.
"Slade it's ok." Oliver says gently as he rests a hand on Slade's arm who shrugs him off.
"I could've killed you." Slade murmurs almost inaudibly.
"I almost killed both of you." He murmurs again, his eyes closing again in horror.
"You didn't. You didn't though, it's ok. It was just the Vertigo, Slade." Sara reassures him.
"I saw her." Slade mutters as he tries to sit up, only to groan at the pain in his head as Oliver gently pushes him back down.
"I know." Oliver murmurs back as Slade shrugs his hand off his shoulder again.
"I'm so sorry, kid." He whispers, his voice soft, filled with sadness.
A tone of voice Oliver has only heard once from Slade before, when he had lost his son and Oliver had almost been killed in the aftermath.
"Morning." Diggle calls abruptly from the stairs, causing the three of them to look at him.
Rolling his eye Slade attempts to sit up again only to notice the handcuffs.
He isn't angry that they're there, instead they make him shudder at the thought that it got to the point where they had no other choice but to restrain him and judging by the injuries he hand inflicted upon the three of them he throughly understands why.
"Diggle you got the key? He's not going to kill anyone." Sara calls as Diggle raises an eyebrow at her and Slade before chucking her the keys, instantly using them to free Slade from the cuffs, whom stands instantly, gripping the table momentarily for support, Oliver and Sara reaching out to help him but he shrugs them off and limps as far away from them as he can get in his predicament.
"You're walking? That's pretty impressive for someone who's just come down from probably the worst high I've ever seen and he only hit you with half a dose." Diggle comments.
"He's stubborn." Oliver mutters as Slade practically hobbles around to get a clean shirt.
"The Count. Do you think there is any chance our friends in the SCPD took him down?" Oliver questions, both he and Sara still glancing at Slade worriedly as he closes his eyes and rubs his probably aching head from the crap he just went through.
"None at all I'm afraid but we did manage to get this." Diggle holds up the syringe they retrieved from Slade.
"Think we should analyse it." He adds as the three of them nod and begin to head for the stairs, Slade following them slower than usual.
"Slade, I know I risk my life saying this but don't you think you should give it a few hours? Leave Sara and Oliver to do this one? A near drug overdose isn't something you just walk away from." Diggle is mutters as Slade just glares at him.
"Neither is Thea and it's not the first drug overdose I've overcome in a short space of time." Slade murmurs in response.
"Yes but Oliver and Sara can sort this." Diggle replies.
"I'm fine." Slade growls.
"No, Slade he's right. You need to take it slow." Oliver adds, stepping toward Slade again.
"You are about as far from fine as can be!" Diggle folds his arms.
"I said I'm fine! You're getting as bad as them two." Slade grumbles as he all but stumbles toward the stairs.
"Oliver, he is going to end up killing himself at this rate." Diggle warns him as Oliver sighs.
"He's very, very stubborn." Sara says with a roll of her eyes.
"It's not just his physical state I'm worried about either. You two saw how he was when he was under that stuff! Those hallucinations! Is he even stable enough to be in the field right now with you guys? I saw how he reacted around you two when he came round." Diggle mutters quietly as Oliver nods.
"He thinks he hurt us."
"Well, he did!" Diggle protests as Oliver rolls his eyes and buries his face in his hands.
"I know what happened Diggle!" Oliver snaps, his memories of the island returning to both he and Sara, who slides her hand into Oliver's at almost the same set of memories.
Diggle glances at them for a moment before saying.
"I ain't gonna say anymore on the matter guys but if I were you two, I'd keep a close eye on him. I don't think he's out of the woods yet…"
Queen Mansion
The four of them journey to Queen Mansion in silence, Slade sitting in the car as far away from Oliver and Sara as he can get, his pained head pressed to the cool glass window throughout the journey as Oliver and Sara observe him worriedly, more memories then ever before hitting them as they see their friend in this position.
Yet they have to remind themselves, they're not on the island anymore.
This is something completely new entirely!
"What's wrong?" Oliver questions with a worried expression as he and Sara enter the living room to find Quentin, McKenna and Moira sitting upon couches looking up at them with stern expressions on their faces.
"Is everything ok with Thea?" Oliver adds as Quentin rises from the couch to pull Sara into his arms.
"Daddy what's going on?" She queries as he pulls back to glance at her.
"This isn't about your sister Oliver, this is about the three of you! What the hell were you guys thinking? Last night we got a call from a CI busted up a drug sale big time dealer and a freakin Russian mob and the drug deal went south but what is most puzzling about this whole goddam thing is that there are eyewitnesses placing Oliver and Slade at the scene and if those two were there I bet you weren't far behind!" Quentin cries to Sara as he glances at Oliver with a horrified expression or worry and fear.
"I saw you Oliver and I haven't met Mr. Wilson but apparently he wears an eyepatch and the guy with you definitely was wearing one." McKenna sighs.
"Sara please tell me what the hell this is about?" Quentin begs as Moria turns to Oliver.
"Is this true?" She hisses.
"We couldn't get anything from Slade's contacts so I decided to look into The Count because he's the guy who sold drugs to Thea and I figured that if I could find out what he looked like, then I could give your sketch artists something to go on. So I paid a low life with a Russian accent an obscene amount of money to arrange a meeting and Slade wouldn't let me go alone which is why he was there but Detective Lance, Slade and I didn't tell Sara about this until after the event because we didn't want her getting put in harms way. I'm apologise." Oliver bows his head to Quentin, whom has to admit is a little bit more reassured now he knows that Sara wasn't a part of this and that Slade and Oliver had lied to her to protect her.
"Did you get eyes on him?" McKenna is the first to say something.
"No." Oliver replies quietly.
"All right! Are you pressing charges against my son?" Moira buts in.
"Of course not! But I told you two to leave this alone and I expect this time for you to listen to me! Tell that to Slade when you see him as well! I know you guys wanted to help Thea but we are doing all that we can. I do not want to be in a situation like this again, do you hear me?" Quentin practically yells as he hugs Sara again and moves to shake Oliver's hand.
Both Oliver and Sara noticing then that Slade isn't in the room with them at Quentin's words and immediately start to panic, epically when they see Diggle's anxious face by the door.
"Did you get eyes on the thief that stole your money?" McKenna questions.
"Oliver!" Moria snaps.
"I had to make it look convincing mom! And no, unfortunately not but didn't he get hit though? I swear to god I thought he'd been shot." Oliver says upon remembering the thief in the blue parka who had taken the opportunity to swipe the bag of money.
"He did but he got away. If we find him hopefully we can return the money but we might have a problem if it's who we believe it to be." Quentin murmurs.
"Who do you think it is daddy?" Sara questions as Quentin raises an eyebrow at her.
"After what's just happened do you really think I'm giving any of you information like that again? God knows what you'd do next!" Quentin rolls his eyes at them before departing with McKenna leaving them alone with a very angry Moria Queen.
"What were you thinking!" Moria yells once Quentin and McKenna are gone.
"We were just trying to help…"
"By what? Running around with the Russian mob and murderous drug dealers? Are you out of your minds? Or was this him again? Slade! Did he decide that this was a good idea and since you seem to think he walks on water decided to follow his idea?" Moria snarls.
"Mom…" Oliver starts quietly, both he and Sara itching to escape the room out of worry for Slade.
"Because I cannot for the life of me think how you could be so stupid unless he orchestrated this like the barbarian he is!" She spits venomously.
"Mom! This was my idea. I planned it I wanted to help Thea, because he's my best friend I convinced him to join me, not the other way around because despite how much you don't want to see it he cares for Thea as well!" Oliver sighs.
"But the money Oliver! How much was stolen? You could have been killed!" Moria says quickly and furiously.
"Mom, look I think the real reason that you're upset is because we told Thea the truth about dad." Oliver folds his arms.
"She never needed to know that! And it appears that you would rather listen to your friends then I as I doubt without Slade and even you Sara!" Moria turns on her as well.
"You wouldn't have told Thea! Because she didn't need to know!"
"Yes I did." Thea's voice abruptly causes the three of them to look to the other door where Thea is standing with her arms folded.
"I'm old enough to know the truth mom and I'm so glad Sara and Slade convinced Ollie to tell the truth because you never would have!" Thea sighs sadly as Oliver glances over at Moria expectantly who sighs and turns to Thea.
"It wasn't about your age. It was about preserving your memory of your father, he loved you. No matter his faults he loved you." Moira sighs as Thea's eyes well with tears.
"I said that I wished you had died instead of him but you still didn't say anything. Why?" Thea whispers as Moria places her hands gently on her daughters shoulders.
"One day, I hope you're lucky enough to have a daughter and you'll know why." She replies before pulling Thea into her arms.
"I'm so sorry for what I said." Thea sobs as Moria holds her.
"I know, I know." Moria replies soothingly as she holds her daughter.
"I'm still moving in with Ollie, Sara and Slade." Thea sniffs as Moria argues.
Oliver and Sara smile for a moment at the scene, laughing momentarily as Moria and Thea start silently squabbling about where Thea wants to live! Before heading quickly toward the door, anxious to find their friend, who currently they are worried out of their minds for!
Out In The Hallway
Diggle stands, looking worriedly at the stairs where Slade is gripping onto the bannister for almost dear life, Oliver and Sara believe as they approach him.
"Are you ok?" Sara rests her hand on his arm causing him to flinch and close his eyes as he avoids her touch, Diggle giving them both a warning glance.
"You need to lie down. It's ok, we've got this." Oliver says carefully as Slade, even in his weak state manages to roll an eye at them!
"I'm fine, kid. I leave this to you two and god knows what would happen." He grumbles.
"Slade. You know we know that you're not going to hurt us again. That was just the…"
"I almost killed the both of you." He hisses before running a hand through his hair.
"Now what?" He practically snaps.
"We go and analyze the Vertigo. It's in liquid form, which means it contains water so maybe we can trace it back to when in the city it was made." Oliver explains as they make for the door.
"Where that bastards cooking up this…" Slade trails off as he suddenly stops and stumbles, Oliver and Sara at his side in an instant as he collapses…
They were at the very top of a waterfall, Fyers men having dragged Oliver's unconscious form up there assisted by Yao Fei, whilst Fyers had a tight hold of a struggling Sara who he also drags to the waterfall so she can witness what is about to happen to Oliver.
"No! No please don't hurt him!" Sara cries as Fyers grips her hair painfully.
"We're not going to hurt him dear girl, no we're going to kill him and you've got a front row seat." He hisses in her ear as she fights pointlessly to free herself as Yao Fei suddenly begins to speak in Chinese to Fyers, who nods him over.
"Don't do this!" Sara screeches pleadingly as Yao Fei makes his way over to Oliver's unconscious form.
"You psychopath! He helped you, we came back to save you! Don't kill him please don't kill him." She whimpers as Yao Fei ignores her and promptly pushes Oliver off the cliff…
"OLLIE!" Sara continues to yell as tears run down her cheeks, her sobs turning into shrill screams as Fyers and his men drag her back through the forest…
Queen Consolidated
The elevator opens, allowing Oliver, Sara, Slade and Diggle to enter the top floor of Queen Consolidated, Slade still stumbling due to the effects of Vertigo having passed out twice now due to it, threatening to kill anyone who dared to sideline him or tell him one more time to take it easy!
"We need to get him to a hospital." Diggle mutters to Sara and Oliver.
"If you think that would happen without one of us losing our lives or limbs then you'd be mistaken." Sara murmurs yet with worry in her voice.
"Most certainly." Slade grumbles as he practically grips at the wall for support, all but pushing Oliver and Sara away again when they try to help him.
"Guys, god knows what was in that drug. It could be causing permanent damage!"
"Felicity!" Slade calls her name, cutting Diggle off as she turns to face them.
"They said you'd be up here." Sara smiles as Felicity smiles at them before glancing worriedly at Slade.
"Woah! You look like something the cat dragged in. Not that there are cats in the building. Well, well once a cat did get in, but a guard tazerd it. Smelled like fur and static in here for like a week… God you really do look like crap. I mean you don't look like crap in general, you look great but I meant right now you look terrible and I really need to shut up." Felicity babbles as Slade tries to smirk at her, but finds he can't as the brightness from the window behind her makes everything even more disoriented…
"Would you mind stepping away from the window for a moment Slade and I have awful hangovers." Oliver says, putting a rough voice on to try and convince Felicity he and Slade are hungover and his best friend is not suffering from Vertigo!
Slade mutters something then, nearly inaudible but Oliver and Sara hear it.
Her name…
Luckily, Felicity doesn't hear it and Oliver and Sara move closer to Slade just in case, wondering worriedly if he's hallucinating again.
"Sounds like the both of you need Bloody Mary's and a pretzel, not the IT department but it is normally dark in my office and I have a chair. I mean I have two chairs, incase one of you wants to come sit down there with me." Felicity babbles again before burying her head in her hands in despair at herself.
"And why would either of you want to do that." She mutters to herself as Oliver, Sara and even Slade manages to smile at her.
"Actually Oliver's friend is starting an energy drink company. He says it's fantastic for curing hangovers and none of us want to risk it unless we know what's in it." Sara explains as she hands over the vial of Vertigo in the syringe.
"Could you please do a spectroanalysis of the sample and find out exactly where in the city it's made?" Oliver requests as Felicity glances at the syringe skeptically.
"If it's an energy drink, why is it in a syringe?" She queries.
"We ran out of sports bottles." Sara covers quickly with a smile as Felicity raises an eyebrow at them before glancing worriedly at Slade again.
"Hope you guys feel better soon." She nods to both Slade and Oliver as the three of them head away from her, Oliver gently leading Slade until he pulls away.
"Do I look like an invalid, kid?" Slade growls as they head toward the elevator.
"Did you see her again?" Sara asks to silence, confirming their suspicions as he grips onto the side of the elevator.
"Your BS stories are getting worse by the way." Diggle comments.
"Well aware!"
The Foundry
"Looks like Felicity came through. The solvent used in the Vertigo sample was run off water originated within a ten block radius of where East Glades meets by the bay." Diggle explains as Sara leaves Oliver and Slade squabbling between one another to go to the computer where he pulls up a map.
"Nothing there except for an old juvenile detention center abandoned about three years ago, cutbacks." Diggle says softly as Sara nods and turns to grab her gear, Oliver and Slade copying her move.
"He's not going out there with you guys right?" Diggle folds his arms as Slade grabs his vigilante uniform.
"That's what we've been arguing about. I personally don't think he should." Oliver starts.
"No one asked for your opinion, kid. I've been through worse. You heard that basted, he's taking the drug citywide and we need to stop it from becoming an epidemic and to do that it's gonna take all three of us." Slade grumbles.
"And we're not going to be able to do that if we're looking after you!" Sara snaps back.
"I don't need looking after." Slade snarls.
"Slade, Oliver could probably beat you in a fight right now!" She protests.
"Ohh I doubt that greatly!" He growls as he grabs his sword only to turn to face Oliver who shoves him lightly to see if he'd stumble back which due to the Vertigo after effects he does.
"Touch me like that again and I'm gonna kill you slow, kid." He hisses.
"Yeah? I'm kinda hoping you're able to!" Oliver folds his arms before sihing and taking a swing at Slade, who deflects him a lot slower than normal.
"You're staying here." Oliver reaffirms only for Slade to twist his arm around and push him into the desk harshly.
"You were saying, kid?" Slade mutters, letting Oliver go in an instant before storming toward the stairs…
Starling City: Later
The three vigilantes make their way up various flights of stairs. The Man In The Hood and The Woman In Black watching The Man In The Mask anxiously as they go as he grips to the stair rail as they climb each step.
A guard of The Count approaches them, The Man In The Mask taking him out easily with a single flourish of his sword as The Woman In Black and The Man In The Hood take out the other three.
With them all gone, they turn back toward the stairs, The Man In The Mask stumbling after the brief attack the other two vigilantes moving to his side in an instant.
"I'm fine, I'm fine!" He snarls as they continue to make their way up the stairs, taking out more of The Counts men, The Man In The Mask, throwing one of them off the side of the staircase whilst the other two are swiftly dealt with by The Man In The Hood and The Woman In Black who eye their partner with worry again as he stumbles up the steps…
Meanwhile…
"My CI swears this is the place." McKenna Hall says to Quentin as the SCPD arrives on the scene of the old Juvenile Detention Center where The Count supposedly resides.
"Bring your men up on the flank, ok this way!" Quentin commands as the SCPD race toward the building…
Meanwhile…
"They're here!" One of The Counts men hell as they approach him as he sighs.
"Them who?" He replies boredly.
"The vigilantes!" One guard yells as one of their men are thrown to the floor by the three approaching vigilantes. Workers of The Count eagerly making their escape to avoid death by the vigilantes.
Another guard firing upon them as they leap down, taking cover as The Man In The Mask takes out one firing a gun at them with one of his daggers, that he surprisingly manages to aim well and kill his intended target.
The Man In The Hood firing an arrow at another guard who crashes into a glass panel, the three of them then approaching The Count.
"You three should have stuck to your depraved ellites! I am merely providing people with what they want. I am providing public service!" The Count yells.
"So are we." The Man In The Mask snarls as he throws a knife in The Counts direction, knocking a device out of his hand as the three move to attack him, The Man In The Mask ahead of them all as he battles The Count in hand to hand combat for a few mere moments, not even allowing The Man In The Hood and and The Woman In Black a chance to help before stabbing an injection of Vertigo into The Count.
"Enjoy the fruits of your labour." He snarls as he pushes down the plunger.
"FREEZE!" Quentin calls as he and the SCPD enter the room, aiming their guns at the three vigilantes and The Count.
"Put down the needle! Or I will shoot the three of you!" He threatens as they all make their way into the room, advancing on the three of them.
"He deserves this!" The Man In The Hood growls.
"He deserves a lot worse." The Man In The Mask hisses.
"He's a killer, who's hurt so many people and he needs to be stopped. One way or the other." The Woman In Black snarls.
""Not according to the law! The people who think you're heroes, people like my daughter. If they could see the three of you now, you're no heroes. You three are what I always said you were. Killers!" Quentin hisses as with a slice of his sword The Man In The Mask slices off the hands of The Count, throwing him toward the SCPD as the three vigilantes make their escape, leaving The Count behind…
The Foundry
"How was it?" Diggle calls as soon as Oliver, Sara and Slade slam the door and walk down the steps, shedding their vigilante uniforms as they go.
"He won't be making any more Vertigo in a while." Oliver mutters as he puts his bow away.
"Considering he has no hands I agree with you there!" Sara snorts as she pulls off her wig.
"Do I want to know?" Diggle asks with a smile.
"Slade's pretty good with that sword." Sara smiles at Slade who pulls off his mask.
"Yep and that's the last time we doubt him! Even after suffering a near overdose he still manages to take out The Count." Oliver laughs lightly in amazement.
"I'm just that good." Slade grins.
"You are never going to let us forget this are you?" Sara smirks.
"Nope." Slade replies as Diggle rolls his eyes at them.
"I was right, you are insane." Diggle glances at Slade who merely shrugs and moves toward the stairs.
"So what next? Gonna track down that thief who stole the money?" Diggle asks.
"Those two can. I'm gonna lie down." Slade mutters as Diggle looks at Oliver and Sara in disbelief as he folds his arms.
"Jobs done now." Slade calls in explanation.
"You are kidding me right?" Diggle glances at Sara and Oliver who laugh.
"He's insane." Oliver smirks.
"Heard that, kid! I'll remember that next sparring session!" Slade threatens as Sara sniggers.
"So the thief?" Diggle queries as Oliver shrugs his shoulders.
"Who knows Diggle! The Queen's have a lot of money, I'm sure it won't be missed. If he strikes again we take him down, but for now Sara and I better go make sure Slade actually gets home!" Oliver says with another smirk as the sound of someone tripping on the stairs proves their theory!
Oliver, Sara And Slade's Apartment
"Ok, we're nearly there." Oliver says with a smile as he and Sara help Slade up the stairs, Slade practically giving up resisting their help being absolutely exhausted and all!
"I'm not helpless. If I could take down The Count I can master these stairs." He still mutters stubbornly as Sara and Oliver laugh at him.
"Yeah keep believing that." Sara smiles as Oliver adds.
"Don't worry, you can kick my ass up and down The Foundry all day when you're back on your feet." Oliver says with a smile.
"I'm gonna hold you to that one kid." Slade murmurs and as soon as they get to the apartment he doesn't even bother trying to climb the stairs to his room just promptly passes out on the couch, Oliver and Sara trying not to laugh.
"Would he kill us if we took a picture?" Oliver sniggers.
"Slow and painfully." Slade murmurs.
"Ohh come on admit it! Sometimes you need us to look after you. It's not always the other way around." Sara says gently as Slade just grumbles something inaudible in response.
"Think he's gonna be ok?" Sara looks to Oliver.
"Hey, he's threatening death to us again, he's gonna be fine." Oliver smirks.
"You do realise he's gonna remind us that he took down The Count almost single handedly whilst getting over Vertigo pretty much forever." Sara smiles as Oliver laughs.
"Sounds about right." Oliver smiles as Sara gently drapes a blanket over Slade's sleeping form, before she and Oliver leave him be with smiles, Oliver especially.
"Come on, let's make the most of the peace and quiet!"
CNRI: Next Day
Having left Slade at the apartment to recover, Oliver and Sara go to Queen Mansion to pick up Thea for the beginning of her community service at CNRI with Laurel.
"Slade ok?" Thea asks concerned when they reach CNRI, having not really spoken much during the journey, her thoughts still occupied with having to do this community service for her crimes.
"Yeah he's just getting over one hellva hangover." Oliver lies causing Sara to nudge him, knowing that Slade would probably have Oliver's head on a spike if he had heard!
"Am I still moving into yours soon?" Thea practically pleads.
"Mom ok with this?" Oliver says with a raised eyebrow.
"No but after everything she really doesn't have the right to comment." Thea says with a slight smile as Oliver and Sara nod with wide smiles as Laurel approaches them.
"Juvenile delinquent reporting for duty." Thea smirks causing Laurel, Oliver and Sara to laugh as Laurel embraces her sister.
"Since you lost your driver's license, we'll pick you up at five." Oliver starts.
"Six. We have a lot of work for her to do." Laurel reaffirms.
"Well let's say seven just to be safe." Oliver smiles.
"Is it too late to choose jail?" Thea winces at the thought of staying till seven.
"Yes." The three of them say simultaneously as Laurel turns to Thea.
"I need you to go through these files and pull out all the documents dated March 2007. Do you think you could do that?" Laurel hands Thea the files.
"I think I can." Thea replies before leaving the three of them, heading toward the desk Laurel had already laid out for her, turning around to face them just as she gets there.
"Look, I know I messed up. I really appreciate this Laurel." Thea smiles warmly.
"We are going to make an upstanding citizen out of you yet, Speedy." Laurel smiles back before leaving Thea to her work.
"Thank you." Oliver says to Laurel.
"It was no bother. I'm just glad she's here and not in jail right now." Laurel sighs.
"This will be good for her, having a role model. Somebody better than me, Sara and Slade." Oliver adds with a smile.
"Oh you three are not so bad and Slade definitely isn't! Besides, it'll be nice to have her around. Sara, sure I can't convince you to come work here as well?" Laurel turns to her sister as Sara laughs.
"Like that would work! I've got a job anyway a nightclub is much more my scene." Sara replies as Laurel smiles sadly just as Oliver's phone rings.
"Hello?" Oliver says upon answering the phone, Sara stepping closer to him so she can listen in as well.
"I got The Count! Busted up his lab, got him on everything from drug trafficking to homicide. He'll be gone for a long while." McKenna informs Oliver.
"That's great news, thanks for letting us know." Oliver smiles.
"I'm just glad you're sister isn't in jail. Take care Oliver." She replies before hanging up, Oliver smiling at Sara at the thought of The Counts predicament, taking her hand as they leave CNRI
Starling City General
"He's still critical." The doctor informs Quentin as they look at the strapped down writhing body of The Count, missing two hands courtesy of The Man In The Mask.
"I've never seen anyone OD on this much Vertigo and live. There's just no way of knowing what kind of damage has been done to his brain and nervous system, or if it's irreparable." She explains as The Count is dragged away…
With a start, Oliver comes around whilst under the icy surface of the waves that he must have been pushed into by Fyers or one of his men after Yao Fei beat the crap it of him! They think he's dead, he believes but he survived. He survived the fall, he realizes upon looking up to see the cliff he must have been pushed from.
Sara…
Sara's still with Fyers. She's still there, he's got her! Is Oliver's instant thoughts as he paddles toward dry land.
He needs to get her back, he needs to rescue her.
She thinks he's dead…
The thought almost kills him, Sara believing him to be dead, that she's alone and probably getting tortured by Fyers and his men.
No doubt about it, he needs to rescue her and maybe them thinking he's dead could work to his advantage, he can provide the element of surprise, sneak into the base camp and save Sara from them.
Feeling something in his pocket, Oliver is surprised when he pulls out a map.
Someone must have put it there before they 'killed' him.
Yao Fei. It could only have been Yao Fei! Oliver wonders to himself as he opens the map, the map of the whole island.
He can save Sara, he can find her now.
He murmurs something in Chinese, the only word he knows in Chinese!
Survive.
Oliver, Sara and Slade's Apartment
"Slade?" Oliver calls out as he and Sara enter the apartment.
"What." Comes Slade's grumble as Sara and Oliver smirk to themselves, heading into the living room where Slade is sitting on the sofa looking miserable.
"Apparently Felicity has something to tell us, I told her she could come here and tell us instead of us going to her this time." Oliver explains as Slade nods briefly as Sara sits beside him, folding her arms.
"Now what's up with you?" She asks kindly.
"Nothing. Why'd you ask?" He replies.
"Because you look even more miserable then normal and yesterday you went through hell and back due to that Vertigo crap!" Oliver rolls his eyes as he joins his friend.
Slade is silent for a moment but soon realises that Sara and Oliver are not just going to go away so he decides to tell them what's on his mind.
"I saw them. I saw her and it was like she was standing right in front of me, that she was alive, reminding me of what I've done, what I did to her over and over again. I know, I know it wasn't her but it was so real." Slade trails off before looking up at Oliver and Sara.
"And then I hurt you. I hurt both you."
"Hey Slade sometimes I've thought you were going to kill me in our training sessions, it's ok. What you did whilst under that crap doesn't mean a thing." Oliver tries to reassure him.
"Yes it does! I almost killed the both of you and him! Just like I nearly killed you both almost five years ago." He murmurs.
"That wasn't your fault either Slade and anyway we're still here. We're still alive and we're not going anywhere." Sara reassures him.
"I've lost so many people that I have loved. I can't. I can't lose either of you to." He admits, looking up at both Sara and Oliver.
"Don't think you'd ever lose us that easily. Remember what you told me on the island? No one kills Sara and I but you? Because we certainly do and as long as we've got you around and because of everything you've done for us, taught us I think we're very hard people to get rid off. I'm gonna be around to annoy you for a very long time." Oliver practically laughs.
"You know it scared us too when you got hit by that goddam Vertigo. Reminded us of a memory we wanted to forget, you know when you first got that awful stuff and we thought that it had killed you?" Sara reminds him.
"We can't lose you either Slade." Oliver finishes with a warm smile as both Sara and Oliver embrace their friend, who smiles slightly.
"You pair better not be going soft on me. You know I won't stand for that!" Slade threatens as Oliver and Sara laugh and just hug him tighter just before the door bell rings.
"That'll be Felicity." Oliver leaps off the couch, to open the door.
"Hey Felicity, come in." Oliver smiles at her as she nervously enters the apartment.
"Hey." Sara calls from the couch as Felicity smiles at her before sitting down across from her, Slade and Oliver, who had soon moved back to the couch.
"Got over that hangover Slade?" She asks kindly.
"Yes, it is almost non existent, Felicity." He replies with a half smirk, Felicity trying not to blush as she looks up at them again, silence passing for a moment.
"Ok. The thing is I've been debating whether or not to share this with you guys for weeks. Can I trust you guys? I'm not an idiot. You guys have dropped some fairly ridiculous lies on me and yet I still feel like I can trust the three of you. Why is that?" She questions with a nervous laugh.
"Yes. You can trust us." Slade replies as she looks down again.
"Then I have something to show the three of you." She says before delving into her bag, removing a small notebook Oliver, Sara and Slade are sure they recognise.
She holds it out to them, Oliver taking it from her and flicking through the pages with Slade and Sara, realising that it is the notebook.
A complete exact replica of Robert Queen's notebook of names.
"Have you guys ever seen this before?" She questions as Oliver shakes his head.
"No. Where'd you get it?" Slade questions.
"From Walter, your stepfather." She eyes Oliver as the three of them look up at her in an instant a million and one thoughts going through their heads at the revelation.
"Where did he get it?" Oliver mutters.
"He said he found it at Queen Mansion. That it belongs to Moira Queen." She reveals.
"Walter thought she was hiding something. Something more and he wanted me to look into it but then he vanished." She explains as she looks down and closes her eyes.
"I think. I think this list might have cost Walter his life."
Authors Note: Thank you all so much for reading and to those of you who have so kindly reviewed, followed and favourited it means the world that people like this story. Next update should be very soon as I've literally just started work on it because it's one of my all time favourite Arrow episodes 'Betrayal' and I can't wait to write my version of it so it should be updated soon, please tell me what you think of this and thanks again for reading!