Heir Apparent
Chapter 37 – Dead To Rights
"His helicopter is approaching the pad," Dig announced as he shifted in his overwatch position. Checking his watch, he looked back down at the pad. "He's early."
"Probably wanted to throw off the SCPD who are undoubtedly on their way right now," Oliver replied over coms.
"Yeah, they are probably going ballistic right now because they aren't here right now," Dig commented. "Head's up. The chopper is landing."
"Moving," Oliver replied and Diggle shifted his gaze to see Oliver moving towards the pad. "I'll leave the mike open."
"Roger that," Diggle acknowledged before refocusing on the platform. "Chopper's down. Barrera is out and appears to be making a call."
"We'll need that phone," Oliver said as Diggle heard him running. "It might give us a clue as to who he is here to kill."
"I'll leave that to you," Diggle replied. He watched as Oliver climbed up onto the helipad without being seen and before drawing an arrow and shooting Barrera's phone from his hand. They exchanged words for a moment before Barrera drew a pair of knives. Oliver looked to disable him to allow further questioning but Barrera refused to cooperate.
Sirens to Diggle's left drew his attention and he turned to see SCPD patrol cars approaching. Refocusing on the helipad, he saw Oliver and Barrera still trading blows.
"You're running out of time," Diggle advised. "SCPD will be on you in less than a minute." Oliver didn't respond verbally but his hearing of Diggle's words was confirmed mere moments later when Barrera fell back with a flechette embedded in his heart.
"I didn't get a name, Dig," Oliver said to his bodyguard.
"One less assassin is going to have to count then, otherwise the cops are going to have your name," Diggle replied. "Get out of there. I'll cover you."
"Copy," Oliver acknowledged. Diggle watched him pick up Barrera's discarded phone before making his exit even as the patrol cars pulled up. Diggle adjusted his arm and fired off a single, suppressed shot. His aim was impeccable as the bullet ricocheted loudly off the deck of the helipad, causing all the police to instinctively duck for cover while the bullet careened wildly into the water beyond to disappear.
By the time the police regained their feet, bother Oliver and Diggle were gone.
#Arrow#
"You must centre yourself," Nyssa cautioned Felicity as she helped her up from the mat that she had just sent her down to. "In combat, you must keep your weight evenly distributed."
"I thought it would be better to avoid getting into fights," Felicity commented as she rubbed the shoulder she had landed on.
"You keep coming into The Glades every night to come here, you're eventually going to get into a fight," Sin said from where she was throwing shuriken at practice targets. "One way or another."
"That's comforting," Felicity deadpanned uncomfortably.
"Comforting would be me knowing that you are carrying at least 3 knives on you at all times," Nyssa responded evenly.
"Well, I have this little thing about needles, knives and other pointy things," Felicity offered.
"Probably ironic given what you are now doing," Thea added from the Wing Chun dummy.
"Yeah, now that I think of it, it really is," Felicity agreed before turning her gaze back to Nyssa with startling speed and fixing her with a look. "Wait, why three knives."
"Redundancy," Nyssa, Sin and Thea all said simultaneously.
"Soo, you all have 3 knives on you right now?" Felicity queried.
"I do," Sin confirmed first.
"Only 2 for me," Thea said, earning a glance from Nyssa which caused her to add. "I'm in training gear. When I leave here, I'll have three."
"I would hope so," Nyssa said to Thea before turning to Felicity. "I always have at least 3 blades on my body Felicity. Quite often, I have several more than that."
"Where do you hide them all," Felicity asked, looking Nyssa up and down.
"I asked her that once, Lis," Thea said. "Trust me when I say that you will ask her to stop out of embarrassment before she shows you them all."
"Really?" Felicity asked Nyssa.
"Would you like me to begin?" Nyssa asked, reaching for the bottom of her shirt.
"No!" Felicity blurted out, bringing grins to Thea and Sin. "No, that's, ah, fine. I believe you."
"Believe what?" Oliver asked as he descended the stairs into the Foundry; Diggle right behind him.
"That Nyssa has more than three blades on her body," Sin answered. "Nyssa was about to begin showing her but Felicity recanted."
"It's true," Oliver announced, setting his bow down and walking over to his wife. "I even missed one once," he said as he lent down to kiss his wife.
"You did?" Felicity asked, turning her head away to offer a semblance of privacy. "Where was that knife hidden?"
"Would you like me to show you?" Nyssa offered with a smile and glint in her eye.
"Ah, no. I'm good thanks," Felicity said, backing down again. "So how did it go tonight?"
"Badly for him," Oliver answered curtly, his tone a little harder.
"Him being?" Felicity prodded. She hadn't been present when Oliver and Diggle had left.
"An assassin for hire who had an affinity for knives," Oliver replied. "His name was Guillermo Barrera."
"Was?" Felicity asked, a little sadly. She had really been hoping to curtail his killing.
"It was not my first option Felicity," Oliver reasoned, picking up on the IT expert's tone. "My plan was to immobilise him, maybe cripple him, and then find out who he had been hired to kill. Then I would have left him for the police."
"Unfortunately, the SCPD arrived before that could happen and Oliver had to make a call. Assassin healthy and free in a few hours or dead and buried," Diggle continued. "The latter was the better option."
"I guess," Felicity accepted, still saddened. "At least he can't kill anyone else now."
"He may not but the person who hired him will certainly hire someone else to do his job instead," Oliver said, walking up to Felicity and producing a phone. "Which is why I need for you to hack his phone and find out who hired him and who his target was."
"Because they are probably still in danger," Felicity finished, accepting the phone. "Right."
"And we should get going," Oliver said, turning Nyssa. "We are due at Laurel's in 30."
"I will shower first," Nyssa stated before walking off. "It will be quicker than if you joined me."
"Probably right," Oliver muttered as he paused in mid-step.
#Arrow#
"Do you think Felicity will be able access the phone?" Nyssa asked as she and Oliver silently walked down the hallway towards Laurel's apartment.
"She'll get in," Oliver confirmed. "I only hope that it will be in time. An assassin of Barrera's calibre is not normally hired to take out an underworld figure."
"So it is a public figure then," Nyssa deduced as the two stopped at Laurel's door. "Shall we?"
"We shall," Oliver replied with a smile as he knocked on the door. Voices could be heard on the other side of the door and a moment late it was opened to reveal Tommy standing there with a smile on his face.
"Welcome," Tommy said happily. "Please come in."
"Happy Birthday Tommy," Nyssa said as she entered before her husband, her eyes automatically scanning the room and picking up the differences from when she was last here.
"Happy Birthday buddy," Oliver said as he hugged his friend.
"Thank you," Tommy replied as he accepted the gift bag that Oliver handed him. "This feels like a Chateauneuf de Pape."
"It is going to taste like one as well," Oliver responded with a grin. As he closed the door behind him, Tommy guided Nyssa further into the apartment.
"You are a true friend," Tommy said cheerfully. "Thank you." Oliver followed them into the dining room where Laurel was lighting candles at the table.
"Ollie, Nyssa," Laurel greeted the two joyfully as she stood up. "Hi, how are you both?"
"We are well," Nyssa replied. "Thank you Laurel."
"That is great to hear," Laurel said. "Please, make yourselves at home."
"I'm going to go crack this open," Tommy said, showing Laurel the bottle of wine before disappearing into the kitchen. Oliver made his way to the couch while Nyssa decided to peruse the room a little closer. She noticed a picture sitting on a side table and picked it up to examine it.
"Who is this with your father?" Nyssa asked, not recognising the young brunette that was sitting next to a younger Quentin Lance. "She doesn't look like you."
"That is actually my sister, Sara," Laurel responded sadly. Nyssa immediately but casually returned the photo to where it had been before turning to Laurel. Out of view of the two women, Oliver shifted slightly on the couch.
"I'm sorry Laurel," Nyssa apologised earnestly.
"No, it's ok," Laurel assured Nyssa as she looked own at the photo. "I do not know why my father even bought her that canary. That thing chirped night and day," Laurel remembered with a light laugh. "Drove us all nuts."
"I remember," Oliver noted casually, trying to break the tension. He wasn't so lucky.
"Wait," Laurel said, realising something. "You know about Sara?"
"I do," Nyssa confirmed, seeking to put the lawyer at ease. "Oliver told me everything about himself. He spent quite a long time lamenting all of his faults and past mistakes to me. He felt it was only right that I know what he was truly like before I met him. That way I could judge him fairly."
"How, sincere, of you Ollie," Laurel said, looking over at Oliver.
"It was the only way to show Nyssa that I had become a different person," Oliver pointed out.
"So I can see," Laurel stated evenly. Before anymore could be said, Tommy returned with a tray of glasses.
"A toast," He called out as he passed around the glasses. "To the first birthday that I have enjoyed in a long time." He looked at Oliver. "I got my best friend back." He turned to Laurel. "And I have finally figured out why poets have been in business for the last few thousand years." This elicited chuckles from everyone present.
"Happy Birthday, baby," Laurel said, giving him a kiss.
"Thank you," Tommy replied with a smile
"Cheers," Oliver called out happily. They all replied the same and clinked glasses. As they were sipping their wine, there was a knock on the door.
"I believe that is the food," Laurel announced, passing her glass to Tommy and heading for the door.
"Oh, thank god," Oliver sighed in relief once Laurel had left the room. "She didn't cook."
"Amen," Tommy heartily agreed.
"From your comments, I gather that Laurel's culinary skills are, somewhat underdeveloped," Nyssa remarked politely.
"More like, almost non-existent," Tommy uttered. "Not that I would ever tell her that."
"Your secret is safe with me," Nyssa said to Tommy's relief. "For the moment," Nyssa added with a smile. Further comments were forestalled by the appearance of Malcolm Merlyn leading Laurel into the dining room.
"Nyssa, Oliver," Malcolm greeted the two assassins with a slight smirk.
"Mr Merlyn," Oliver replied politely for the two of them. Malcolm looked at them a moment before turning to his son.
"I've been trying to get in touch with you," Malcolm said.
"What are you doing here, Dad?" Tommy asked without preamble. "I don't remember inviting you."
"Happy Birthday, Tommy," Malcolm replied, producing a small box out of nowhere. Tommy said nothing as he considered what to do.
"Just give us a second," Tommy said to Laurel as he set their glasses down on the table.
"Of course," Laurel obliged. Tommy motioned for his father to follow him out into the hall. Malcolm, looking at each of them in turn, tossed the present to Oliver and obediently followed.
"I see that things are still tense between them," Oliver observed.
"As far as I know, the last time the two of them spoke, Malcolm tried to have Tommy sign a document allowing him to close Tommy's Mother's clinic in The Glades," Laurel revealed. "So, tense might not be the best choice of word."
#Flashback – 3 Years Ago#
"How is he?" A voice asked as Oliver slowly awoke. The voice sounded familiar but through the haze of awakening, Oliver couldn't identify it.
"Healing," Came the reply from a voice that Oliver did recognise. It was Hakim's. "His wounds look better with each day that passes and his strength returns as they do. Soon, he will be fit to resume training."
"If that is permitted," The first voice said. Oliver was more aware now and recognised it as Nyssa's voice. What was she doing here?
"He is currently resting," Hakim pointed out. "Perhaps you should return to your chambers and do the same. You have yet to fully recover."
"I have stayed within them long enough," Nyssa declared, her voice hardening. "My strength will return the more I am away from my chambers."
"As you say," Hakim acceded. Oliver could tell from he tone of Nyssa's voice that this was one argument that hakim would not win.
"Now leave us," Nyssa commanded. "I will watch him for a time."
"Is that wise?" Hakim asked and Oliver fought to suppress the urge to wince, even as he imagined the look that Nyssa was probably shooting Hakim in that moment. And he was soon proved right. "As you wish, my lady." Oliver heard the door to his chambers open and close as Hakim exited followed shortly thereafter by the bolt being thrown as Nyssa locked it.
"You can open your eyes now," Nyssa called out, only slightly surprising Oliver. "We are alone."
"How did you know?" Oliver whispered as he opened his eyes to see Nyssa staring at him from the bottom of the bed. She looked much better than the last time he had seen her. She was able to stand on her own and the colour had returned to her skin.
"Your breathing changed when you recognised my voice," Nyssa answered. Oliver shuffled up the bed slightly so that he was more upright as he tried to consider the reasons why Nyssa was here, now. "You are wondering why I have come to see you." It was a statement, not a question."
"I am," Oliver said simply, seeing no reason to deny it.
"I wanted to thank you for saving my life," Nyssa said.
"Someone had to," Oliver declared. He winced as he wound pulled as he lent forward. "After your father, after Ra's al Ghul ordered that no one was to rescue you, I knew that he was commanding your death. I couldn't let that happen."
"You are a member of the League of Assassins. Death is what we deal," Nyssa said. "Why did you disobey my father and attempt to save my life?"
"I think I succeeded in saving your life," Oliver pointed out, looking at Nyssa meaningfully.
"At the cost of your own," Nyssa retorted, shifting her weight slightly but not moving from her position. "I would know why you would sacrifice your life for mine. You have a family waiting for you."
"As do you," Oliver countered.
"My father has made his position quite clear on how much he values my life. And my sister; my instincts tell me that she would end my life if it did not upset my father," Nyssa explained. "The same could not be said of your family."
"I will probably never see my family again," Oliver said. "And if I did, I'd like to be able to tell them that I have saved at least one of the people that I have known and cared about."
"I would be careful about being so open around my father, Oliver," Nyssa advised coolly. "He, is not known for his considerations of emotion," Nyssa revealed before turning on the spot and exiting the room. Oliver watched the door shut behind her, wondering if that had been the last time that he had ever seen her.
#Present#
"Where is my mother right now?" Oliver asked as he and Diggle took the lift to his office.
"At Merlyn Global Group," Diggle answered. "She is having a meeting with Malcolm Merlyn."
"Scheduled or impromptu?" Oliver enquired as they exited the elevator.
"Scheduled. Looks like it had been in place for at least a month. Maybe more," Diggle said. "Why? You think she is up to something?"
"We know she is up to something. We have a tape recording to prove it," Oliver stated unhappily. "But we do not know who she was meeting with. He seemed to be the one in charge and that is the man that I want to talk to."
"You think it is Malcolm Merlyn?" Diggle asked as they walked into Oliver's office. "The guard that I talked my way past never mentioned any names."
"I never thought my mother could be a party to something like murdering my own father. And Malcolm was his best friend," Oliver said. "But until we have proof, we can't rule anyone out. However unlikely they may be."
"We'll just have to work harder then," Diggle agreed.
"Speaking of working hard," Oliver said, looking around. "Where is everyone?"
"Probably in Felicity's office/workshop," Diggle pointed out. "Working on the phone."
"Right," Oliver noted, a little chagrined for not thinking of that, before walking back out of his office. Less than a minute later they walked into Felicity's space and found her working on Barrera's phone with Nyssa, Maseo and Sin all sitting nearby. "How's it going?"
"Not well," Nyssa replied as Felicity paused in her efforts and looked up.
"We have one very paranoid assassin here," Felicity said. "Or had. Anyway, the phone has cobalt-level encryption. It will not be easy to break. But then, codebreaker is my middle name," Felicity joked before pausing. "Actually is Megan…"
"Felicity," Oliver interrupted. "Have you been able to get anything off the phone?"
"Just the last number he dialled. It's a restaurant called Jade Dragon," Felicity said. "I guess even assassins enjoy the city's best chow mein."
"I've always preferred sweet and sour pork," Maseo revealed.
"Oh," Felicity uttered, suddenly remembering who was present. "I…"
"It is alright Felicity," Nyssa soothed. "We understand what you meant."
"Jade Dragon is a front for the Triad," Dig said, steering the conversation back to the matter at hand. "You think they called the hit?"
"Or they are just organising it for a third party," Oliver said. "Call the restaurant; make a reservation for two for tonight. I think Tommy needs a night out," Oliver proposed before looking to Felicity. "You need to decrypt that phone," he said before exiting the room. As Diggle pulled out his phone, Sin walked up to him.
"Ah, since nothing is going to be happening for a bit, do you mind if I have the afternoon off?" Sin asked. "I have something I want to take care of."
"I don't see that being a problem," Diggle responded after a surreptitious glance at Nyssa. She merely nodded slightly. "Sure, take the afternoon off and we'll see you tonight."
"Thanks," Sin said in gratitude before calmly but purposefully leaving.
"What do you think that is about?" Diggle asked Nyssa as she stepped up beside him.
"I do not know," Nyssa said as she looked after Sin. "But I trust that she will tell us when she is ready."
#Arrow#
"I see they gave you the afternoon off," Thea said as Sin met her as she came off the lift. "What did they say?"
"I didn't tell them," Sin said, not pausing and forcing Thea to fall into step beside her as she walked out of the foyer. "They'll find out soon enough."
"So you're still going through with it?" Thea asked once they were outside.
"I am," Sin confirmed. "I keep telling myself that I'm not a murderer but I need something to remind myself that what I'm doing is a good thing."
"And this is how you do it?" Thea asked.
"I don't know," Sin replied. "But at the moment it seems like a good idea."
"I hope you know what you're doing," Thea said.
"So do I," Sin commented as they walked off down the street.
#Arrow#
"So the Triad were the ones that hired Barrera. And we know that whatever they have planned is happening tomorrow," Thea summarised. "But we still don't know who they are planning to kill, where or when it is happening or if they are the ones that actually want this person dead in the first place." At Oliver's and Diggle's looks at her, Thea shrugged. "What? Someone could have hired the Triad to kill someone and the Triad calls in a professional. I've seen it on TV."
"Be that as it may," Oliver said, still surprised at his sister's thought process. "We need to figure out who the target is. Felicity, any luck?"
"I'm getting there but it's slow-going," Felicity said from her computers. "I'll get in, but it's going to take time."
"Keep at it," Oliver said, pulling out his phone. "We need more help on this."
"Who are you going to call?" Thea asked. "I thought we were on our own."
"We are," Oliver confirmed for his sister. "That's why I'm calling Detective Lance."
"Seriously?" Thea exclaimed. "Isn't he trying to arrest you or something."
"He is," Oliver agreed. "But when he isn't, he has actually been rather helpful."
"Why do I find that hard to believe?" Thea commented as Oliver dialled. She was close enough to hear both sides of the conversation.
"Lance," Detective Lance answered.
"The Triad have hired a contract killer," Oliver said without preamble.
"Yeah? You mean the one that you put in the Morgue?" Lance asked rhetorically. "Congratulations, you're the talk of the station again. And what is this I hear about your friend talking a shot at my officers?"
"They were getting uncomfortably close, so we encouraged them to keep their distance," Oliver explained. "But you already knew that they were not the target."
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I like bullets coming near my men," Lance chastised Oliver. "Now what do you want?"
"If they hired one assassin, they're going to hire another, Detective," Oliver pointed out reasonably.
"Who's the target?" Lance asked with a sigh.
"I'm trying to find that out as we speak but I am hitting dead ends," Oliver explained. "I need you to put your people on it."
"My people don't work for you," Lance snapped back. "And come to think of it, neither do I."
"This is not about you and me, Detective," Oliver said. "This is about saving someone's life."
"Call me when you get a name," lance said before hanging up.
"Well, he sounded as happy as ever to be speaking with you," Thea proclaimed. "And he doesn't even know it is you Ollie. I wonder which version of you he hates more."
"You done?" Oliver asked, crossing his arms.
"Not even," Thea replied with a grin. "Why, you got something for me to do?"
"I do," Oliver confirmed. "Get Sin. Choose whatever weapons you want and meet me on the mats. I want to see how your training is going."
"You're going to spar against me and Sin?" Thea asked hesitantly. "Is this our test?"
"No, just a sparring session," Oliver responded. "Unless, of course, you win," Oliver challenged.
"I'll find Sin," Thea said before walking off.
"I know you are going to test them to see if they are ready," Diggle said as he moved closer to Oliver. "But do you really think they are ready now?"
"I know they are not ready," Oliver stated matter-of-factly as he watched Thea talk with Sin before the two of them moved towards the practice weapons rack. "But they have trained with Nyssa, Namir and you. You each have your own ways of fighting. But I am a different fighter again."
"So you are setting them up to fail?" Diggle said.
"Yes, because only by failing do we learn," Oliver stated. "When I am finished with them today, they are each going to appreciate just exactly what they are going to have to do to pass my test. And they next time I spar with someone, they are going to be watching my like hawks, analysing every move I make. I wouldn't even put it past them to challenge me once or twice to get a better understanding of how I fight."
"You're actually looking forward to this, aren't you?" Diggle asked with a small smile.
"Maybe just a little bit," Oliver said before moving away to select his own weapon.
#Arrow#
"Rules a simple," Oliver said as he stood opposite Thea and Sin holding a simple tonfa in his left hand. "Win."
"That's it?" Thea asked somewhat incredulously.
"That is the only rule that matters," Oliver stated. "Are you both ready?"
"I am," Sin confirmed as she dropped into a ready stance, her katana in hand.
"I guess," Thea added, mimicking Sin's stance with her own katana.
"Then begin," Oliver said, not changing from his relaxed, standing posture. This immediately threw the two girls off guard as they were expecting some sort of stance. With a glance and a nod at each other, they advanced together.
Sin attacked first, moving from right to left in between Oliver and is sister and dropping down into a low swing with her sword. Thea, seeing Sin's attack, bolstered it by moving in the opposite direction behind her and making a high attack over Sin's head.
Oliver watched as the two of them fell into step with one another and admired their unspoken coordination which was impressive given the relatively short amount of time they had been training. But still, this was no time to be gawking.
Oliver brought his left arm up, tonfa running along his forearm and blocked his sister's attack even as his boot came down on top of Sin's sword and pinned it to the ground, crushing her fingers painfully but not breaking them. As Sin groaned in pain, Thea was distracted by her friend's pain and never saw Oliver's right fist come around and tap her on the throat. Nor did Sin see Oliver's tonfa coming before he tapped it against her temple
"Crushed larynx," Oliver declared to Thea before stepping back. "Also Sin probably has broken fingers and is effectively handicapped. And unconscious."
"Ow," Was all Sin muttered as she flexed her fingers to get the circulation back into them.
"Was that really necessary?" Thea asked. "I mean, a killing blow?"
"Your enemy will more than likely be trying to kill you," Oliver proclaimed. "You need to expect any kind of attack. I will test you as if I am an enemy trying to kill you."
"Good to know," Sin commented.
"Again?" Oliver asked with a smile, stepping back and flourishing his tonfa.
#Arrow#
"How are they doing?" Nyssa asked as she stepped up beside Maseo.
"They are beginning to last more than a minute," Maseo replied.
"That long?" Nyssa commented with a smile. "Have they managed to connect with him yet?"
"Not once, though Sin did get close once," Maseo said. They watched as Oliver once again defeated the pair though they could tell that he had had to consider how to do it without allowing them to strike him. "They are adapting fast."
"They are indeed," Nyssa agreed, her voice carrying her pride in her students.
"I have news," Maseo said, his tone telling him that it was League business.
"Yes?" Nyssa asked, not taking her eyes off the sparring in front of her.
"Rasha, Basima and the two assassins that were with them are all dead," Maseo announced, causing Nyssa to stare at him. "They had followed their target to Hong Kong. Another assassin on a separate assignment arrived at the safe house and found all four of them pinned to the wall with arrows. Their target could now be anywhere."
"And we still have no idea who this man is?" Nyssa asked, concealing her regret at the deaths of her fellow assassins.
"None," Maseo stated.
"What is my father doing about this?" Nyssa enquired, turning back to the sparing where Oliver was holding each of he girl's swords to the other's throat.
"Nothing that I know of yet," Maseo replied. "But I will inform you of any developments."
"Thank you Maseo," Nyssa said in gratitude before stepping forward onto the mats. "I think they have had enough Beloved," Nyssa said as she approached the trio.
"They do look a little tenderised don't they," Oliver noted as he stepped back. "But they did well."
"Seriously!" Thea exclaimed. "We just got our asses handed to us, repeatedly."
"You did," Oliver confirmed. "But that can pretty much all be traced back to before the sparring even began. You made two errors."
"What were they?" Sin asked as she came over.
"Your first error was in choice of weapon," Oliver revealed.
"You said to choose whatever weapon we wanted," Thea said. "We did."
"No, I said weapons. Plural," Oliver countered. "Neither Nyssa, Diggle or myself ever leave here with just one weapon. We do not know what kind of situations might come up so we bring enough to cover almost every single one," Oliver explained. "You both limited yourselves to a single katana each. Not necessarily a bad choice but it immediately gave me the advantage as I could counter you both in the same way."
"And the second?" Sin asked, realising that Oliver was right.
"You didn't have the mindset to hurt me," Oliver said. "Everything single attack you made against me carried a little bit of hesitation in it. More than enough time for me to counter it.
"And what if we had hurt you?" Thea questioned.
"Thea, I want you to try and hurt me. You need to want to hurt me," Oliver declared. "If you want to be out there with us, you need to be willing to hurt people. You don't need to necessarily kill them but you need to want to cause them pain."
"I know it is hard to understand right now. More so for you Thea than for Sin," Nyssa said. "But we will work on it."
"Yes we will. You have the skills but now you need the mindset. Once you have that, you will be ready." Oliver said as he suddenly noticed something. "When did you get that?" He asked as he brought his tonfa up to point at Sin's chest.
"I was about to ask the same thing, Beloved," Nyssa added.
"This afternoon," Sin said as she pulled down her tank top to reveal the full image of a Taijitu symbol, or more commonly, the Yin and the Yang. "I wanted to get something to remind me of what we talked about. Of what was most important. This seemed appropriate."
"I would agree," Oliver said.
#Flashback – 3 Years Ago#
"Tell me, Al Sah-him," Ra's said, instantly bringing Oliver to full wakefulness instead of the dozing he had been doing. There, at the foot of the bed, stood Ra's al Ghul in almost the exact same position that his daughter had stood the day before. "What am I to do with you?"
"Whatever you wish to do," Oliver replied, schooling his features and voice into neutrality. "I serve at your will."
"Do you?" Ra's questioned evenly. "And yet you disable a fellow assassin, sneak out of Nanda Parbat in the dead of night, travel halfway across a continent and assault a building alone all to rescue a person who I commanded should not be rescued. That does not seem like someone who serves at my will, now does it."
"She was still able to be saved my lord," Oliver stated carefully. "I felt that the sacrifice of my life was worth the price to attempt it. Had I failed, your daughter would still have died. That I have succeeded, she now lives on while only I will die."
"And yet if you had followed my command, only she would have died and you would live," Ra's countered easily.
"I am to die then my lord?" Oliver asked.
"I did not say that, Al Sah-him," Ra's replied. "Truthfully, I do not know what I am to do with you. You disobeyed my command, and for that you should die. And yet you returned my daughter to me and caused a great deal of frustration to an enemy of mine. For that you should be rewarded greatly. So how am I to balance the scales?"
"I exist at your will," Oliver replied, knowing and feeling the truth behind those words. "Whatever is to be my fate, I will go to it knowing that I rescued your daughter."
"How interesting," Ra's finally said after staring at Oliver for what seemed like an eternity. "For now, rest and recover. When your wounds are fully healed, I will decide your fate."
"As you see fit, my lord," Oliver replied with a bow of his head. Ra's looked at him again for a moment before turning and gliding silently from the room.
#Present#
"Have you heard from my son yet, Mr Diggle?" Moira asked Diggle as he stood near her at the Humanitarian Benefit being hosted by Merlyn Global. "He and Nyssa should have been here by now."
"I'm sure they are fine, Mrs Queen," Diggle replied as he automatically scanned the crowd. "I can go outside and call them again if you wish."
"We will give them a few more minutes," Moira said. "I'm still not sure why he had you travel ahead of them."
"He felt, and I agreed with him, that practical experience in securing an area would be good for Sin," John explained as he indicated Sin standing off to the side. She was scanning the crowd just as he was. "Maseo is with them," he said reassuringly.
"Yes, well," Moira said. "If they are not here soon..."
"You look beautiful," a familiar voice said, stopping Moira cold. Diggle noticed Malcolm Merlyn appear out of the crowd and moved off to give the two some privacy.
#Arrow#
"Shouldn't you two be heading to the Humanitarian Benefit by now?" Felicity asked even as she continued to try and hack into the phone. Nyssa sat behind her sharpening her sword while Oliver was in front of her going up and down the salmon ladder. Honestly, if someone's life wasn't hanging in the balance right now, Felicity would not be able to concentrate.
"We aren't going," Nyssa replied as she checked the edge of her sword. "But the car got a flat tire and we had trouble changing it. We won't make it in time."
"Flat tire huh?" Felicity asked.
"It is already in the car," was Nyssa's only response. Felicity was about to say something when her computer beeped. Turning back to it, she instantly got excited.
"YES! I'm in," she screeched even as she ran through the contents of the now open phone. "I don't suppose you speak Spanish?"
"Arabic, Japanese and English," Nyssa replied as she stepped up behind Felicity. "Though Oliver does speak it."
"This is quicker," Felicity said as she ran everything through a translation program. "Oh my god."
"Who's the target?" Oliver asked as he came around to see the screens.
"Malcolm Merlyn," Nyssa stated.
"The awards ceremony!" Oliver realised. "Tommy and my mother are there!"
"Felicity, call John," Nyssa said even as she followed after her husband to get ready.
"On it!" Felicity called after them.
#Arrow#
Sin was bored. Correction, Sin was very bored. The speaker was introducing Malcolm Merlyn to the crowd before he accepted his Humanitarian Award. If they only knew who he really was. Could an assassin also be a humanitarian? Sin didn't know. She went back to scanning the crowd as Diggle taught her when her eyes locked onto a person who should not be present. She should, in fact, be dead.
Striding through the crowd and dressed in a white dress was Chien Na Wei; though her hair was brown. But that was a face that Sin would never forget. Turning on her heels before the Triad assassin spotted her, she went in search of Diggle, quickly finding him standing near a wall.
"Dig, we have a problem," Sin said hurriedly but quietly.
"What is it?" Diggle asked, his senses coming up to max.
"China White is here," Sin revealed.
"Sin, China White is dead," Diggle countered. Sin turned around and scanned through the crowd again, quickly relocating her target.
"Then who is the brunette in the white dress?" She asked Diggle. Diggle looked at the woman in question and even he had to fight not to see the Triad woman standing there in the room, calm as a still pool.
"That can't be her," Diggle said as his eyes scanned the room again; looking for anything strange. "Shit."
"What?" Sin wondered.
"The waiters. They're Chinese," Diggle said as he counted. "All of them." Sin was about to say something when John's phone rang. "Yeah Felicity."
"John, the target is Malcolm Merlyn," Felicity said hurriedly. "Oliver and Nyssa are on their way."
"Right," Diggle acknowledged. His next words were cut off by the fire alarm going off. "Felicity, tell them to hurry. And tell Oliver to look for a sniper. We're switching to coms."
#Arrow#
"John, where is Malcolm?" Nyssa asked as she ran along a rooftop next to Merlyn Global.
"Last I saw he was headed upstairs with his son," Diggle replied, sounding out of breath. "My guess, he has a panic room in his penthouse."
"The SCPD are arriving now. Beloved..." Nyssa paused as she spotted Malcolm and his son heading into an ambush. "I'm entering the building," she said even as she drew and fired a grappling arrow before launching herself off the rooftop. As the window approached, Nyssa braced herself.
Glass shattered around her as she broke through the window. She felt more than saw the bullets passing her and she wasted no time in putting an arrow into one of the two attackers before taking cover behind a column. Across from hall from her, Malcolm and Tommy were doing the same.
"Go!" She called to them, her voice disguised. "I'll hold them back." Malcolm looked at her a moment before nodding at her and gabbing his son.
"Come on!" He said as he urged his son to move. Nyssa watched them go before nocking another arrow.
#Arrow#
"I can' find the sniper," Oliver said as he overlooked Merlyn Global. He knew his wife was down there fighting and as much as he wanted to be beside her, he had his on priorities. "John, anything from your end?"
"Your mother is safely outside and I have Sin with her," Diggle informed him. "SCPD are entering the building as we speak. They aren't sending men into the adjacent buildings though."
"They don't know about the shooter," Oliver replied. "Dammit."
#Arrow#
Nyssa had just finished immobilising the last of the three Triad men that had attacked her when she felt another presence nearby. Looking up, she saw Chien Na Wei standing at the end of the hall; brunette wig in one hand, kerambit knife in the other.
"I see that I will have to choose a more efficient method," Nyssa commented to the Triad Assassin. "Why do you wish Malcolm Merlyn dead?"
"I'll settle for you," Chien Na Wei replied as she began to advance on Nyssa. Considering her options, Nyssa decided on the same. Nyssa blocked China's first attacked with her bow before lashing back with a kick to the knee. China avoided it and retaliated with a punch to Nyssa's midsection.
Taking the blow on her armour, Nyssa accepted the pain for the opportunity to land a solid shot to the assassin's face, sending her to the floor. As she reached down to draw her knife, her legs were swept out from under her; gravity forcing her to join her opponent on the carpet.
The two continued to trade blows, ending up lying next to each other as the punched and blocked. Surprising her opponent, Nyssa demonstrated her flexibility by kicking Chien Na Wei in the head, stunning her. Seeing an opportunity, Nyssa rolled over herself and came to her feet, bow in hand and an arrow pointed at the Triad assassin's heart.
"FREEZE!" Someone called out behind her.
#Arrow#
"Nyssa, what is happening?" Oliver asked. He had heard nothing from her for too long. He was about to call again when an explosion blew a hole into the penthouse. As he looked to see what had caused it, three shots rang out in rapid succession. Oliver paused for a moment but no more came.
"Oliver!" John called out.
"I saw," Oliver replied, already moving. "I have to check the Penthouse," he said as he fired a grappling arrow and threw himself across the gap.
"No, no, no, Dad! DAD!" Oliver heard Tommy crying out as he landed. He saw him laying over his father's body. Oliver could see that Merlyn was wearing some sort of body armour and at least one bullet had impacted it. He also saw blood coming from a wound in his arm. Stepping forward, Oliver deliberately crushed some glass to alert his friend to his presence. His response, was surprising, as he grasped a gun from his father's waistband and pointed it directly at him. "No! Stay back!"
"I'm not here to hurt you or your father," Oliver said through his voice changer.
"I said stay back," Tommy repeated when stepped forward. He knelt down and picked up a bullet that looked to have impacted Malcolm's armour and then fallen to the ground. Curious, he sniffed it, then drew back with a start.
"Curare," he whispered to himself.
"Don't come any closer," Tommy repeated when Oliver stood back up.
"Your father's been poisoned," Oliver started to explain quickly. He needed to act quickly if he was to save Malcolm's life. "An assassin named Floyd Lawton laces his bullets with curare. I've dealt with this before. We need to dilute the poison in his bloodstream."
"I said stay the hell back!" Tommy screamed, his gun never wavering.
"In three minutes he's paralysed. In four minutes, he suffocates. If you don't let me help you now, he's dead before anybody gets here!" Oliver declared, exasperated at his friend.
"Help? How?" Tommy asked.
"Fresh blood buys him time to get to the hospital," Oliver explained.
"A blood transfusion?" Tommy said incredulously. "That's insane! Even from a guy like you."
"It's the only way," Oliver replied. "He needs your blood. You're out of time. You need to make a decision right now!"
"Why should I trust you?!" Tommy screamed, his arm shaking and the gun with it. Oliver knew he had to make a decision.
"Because," Oliver began as he reached for his hood. "You...
THUMP! Tommy fell to the ground revealing Nyssa behind him.
"You weren't about to do something foolish, were you Beloved?" Nyssa chided her husband.
"I was out of options," Oliver replied as he came forward. "We don't have much time."
"I heard," Nyssa said as she looked at a nearby cabinet where a first aid kit sat. "John is not going to take this well, is he?"
"No, he's not," Oliver stated.
#Arrow#
"Moira," Malcolm said in greeting as she entered his hospital room.
"Malcolm," Moira replied as she noticed Tommy was there as well. "If this is a bad time, I can come back."
"No, it's fine," Malcolm declared as he turned to his son. "Tommy, could I speak with Moira for a moment?" Tommy said nothing, merely nodding before walking out and shutting the door behind him.
"Thank god you're alright," Moira said as she approached the bed.
"Moira, we have a traitor in our midst," Malcolm seethed, his demeanour freezing. "I want you to find out who. They have just made their last mistake."
"I'll take care of it," Moira promised. Further conversation was forestalled by a knock at the door as one of Malcolm's guards entered.
"Apologies for interrupting Mr Merlyn," the guard apologised. "But there is a Mr Wilson here to see you."
"Ah, excellent timing," Malcolm said, his demeanour swapping again to a happier one. "Please ask him to wait a moment while I finish speaking with Moira."
#Arrow#
"Oh, I am so looking forward to some ice cream," Felicity said to herself as she locked her front door behind her. Ditching her bag onto the couch, she headed towards the kitchen. A sight in the corner of her eye brought her up short and she turned to see a masked blonde woman standing in the corner of her room. "Excuse me, but what are you..."
"Kidnapping you," a woman's voice interrupted her from behind quickly followed by a sharp pain to the back of her neck and then darkness. As she crumpled to the floor, Felicity never hear the woman speak again. "Mockingbird, this is Huntress. We have the package."
Author's Notes
I'm an hour and a bit late. My bad.
Not a long comment today. Those other chapters I mention in my update and apology (which this is replacing) will be going up tomorrow. They won't be interrupting my work on Heir Apparent. I'm just looking for some feedback is all.
Thanks to everyone that review the last chapter. Was great to read all the reviews when I got access to the internet again.
Anyways, enjoy.
Stegro88