I apologize that it has been so long since my last update. I started working on this chapter last week, and then Crisis happened. I didn't see Crisis as, to be perfectly honest, I had little interest in it. But the utter disrespect given to Oliver Queen and Arrow fans is, to put it lightly, disappointing. It's been hard since then to muster enthusiasm needed to write Arrow fanfiction has, as a result, been a challenge, but I'm trying to get back into the swing of things now.

So, without further ado, here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy this.

Paladin: No kidding, Diggle had lost pretty much all the qualities we once liked about him by the end of season five. Yeah, she does and usually that's what I base her around but her appearance in season seven showed a much different side to her, which is what I'm portraying her. Yep, he is.

Ellie Bishop: Yep. No kidding on Quentin. But the Arrowverse often makes the bad characters have the spotlight while treating the good characters like crap.

Criis46: Glad to hear it.

Argus prison

Night

Ben Turner looked up as the door to his cell was opened. He raised an eyebrow, surprised to see Oliver and Lawton standing on the other side.

"Looks like we're getting early parole," Lawton joked.

"Why?" Turner demanded, not moving from his bed.

"I need your help. In exchange, well, Lyla is director now. I can convince her to let you go," Oliver explained and Turner scoffed.

"And why should I believe you?" Turner demanded.

"Because you wanna see your son again," Oliver said simply and Turner stiffened. "I can make that happen, I can give you a life with your son. If you help me. This is a onetime offer, so go ahead and make a decision."

"Just like that?" Turner asked wearily.

"Yeah, just like that. So what's it gonna be?" Oliver asked.

Starling City

Later

At an airfield, Helena watched as Talia drew her sword, giving it a few whirls.

"Nice sword," Helena said as the other woman put it back in her sheath.

"It was my mother's. Father passed it down to me when I was old enough," Talia said as Slade and Ray arrived.

"Why is she here?" Ray exclaimed as he saw Helena. "I thought we were meeting The Arrow here."

"We are. He's not here yet," Slade said, feeling a migraine forming at being forced to put up with Ray. "He will be here shortly."

"So, this is who Oliver sent you to recruit?" Talia asked as she eyed Ray distastefully. "I am not impressed."

Ray, insulted, was about to fire back until the first part of her sentence caught up with him.

"Oliver? As in Oliver Queen? Oliver's The Arrow?" Ray asked in shock.

"Talia, we need to have a talk about the meaning of the phrase 'secret identity'," Oliver said as he walked over, Lawton and Turner trailing behind him.

"It's true," Ray breathed as he stared at Oliver in shock and Oliver nodded.

"Not how I wanted to tell you, but yeah, it's me," Oliver said, shooting an annoyed look at Talia.

"He would have found out either way," Talia pointed out and Oliver sighed in defeat.

"So I guess the cat's out of the bag, huh?" Roy asked as he walked onto the area, eying all of them. "Never thought I'd be working with Deathstroke, Huntress, Deadshot, and Bronze Tiger."

"How's Thea?" Oliver asked, ignoring Ray's stunned look as he stared from Roy to Oliver.

"Hauled up at the safe house with Laurel, Captain Lance, Lyla and baby Sara, although none of them are particularly happy about it," Roy said with a grimace.

"At least they're safe, that's all that matters," Oliver said before looking at Ray. "Thank you for coming Ray."

"Sounds like you could use all the help you can get," Ray said overcoming his shock.

"Is that why you released the animals from their cages?" Talia asked as she looked at Lawton and Turner with distain.

"Aw come on, we're not that bad," Lawton said with a smirk, shamelessly eying her up and down.

Before Lawton could as much as blink, Talia had her sword at his throat.

"Look at me like that again and I will separate your head from your neck," Talia hissed, a feral look in her eyes that, although he would never admit it, made Lawton fear her from the bottom of his heart.

"Talia," Oliver called out and, although she didn't move, Oliver knew she was listening. "We need him."

"Be thankful that Oliver deems you useful," Talia sneered before lowering her sword from Lawton's neck and turning to Oliver. "Shall we head out?"

"Not yet, we're still waiting for one more person," Oliver said.

He had barely finished speaking when a gust of wind hit them all as the Flash appeared.

"You know, when I said we should talk over coffee with Deathstroke and Huntress, I was joking," Barry said as he looked around at all of them.

"You know the Flash?" Ray asked looking like he was about to geek out.

"Indeed he does. Welcome Mr. Allen," Talia said and Barry started.

"Dude, you told her?" Barry complained as he looked at Oliver.

"No, I didn't," Oliver quickly assured him.

"I've kept an eye on you Oliver. Did you not think I would look into your associates?" Talia asked, an amused smirk breaking out across her face.

"Wait, Allen as in Barry Allen?" Ray asked, remembering the name from Felicity mentioning her friend in Central City.

"Thank you for outing my identity to four supervillains. No offense," Barry said as he looked at Slade, Helena, Lawton and Turner.

"Was never a supervillain, technically," Helena said as Slade shrugged.

"I'm reformed…technically," Slade said amused as Barry sighed.

"We're all here now. Let's go," Oliver ordered as he began walking towards the plan.

Argus safe house

Same time

Thea was sitting at a table with a chess board, absently playing with a rook as Quentin walked over.

"So, do you play?" Quentin asked conversationally and she shrugged.

"Mom and Walter taught me how. You?" Thea asked as she looked up at him.

"Used to. Been years since I so much as looked at a knight. Feel like playing?" Quentin asked.

She shrugged, gesturing to the other side of the board. He sat down on the other side of the table as they began to assemble the pieces.

"What's happening now, it's not your fault," Quentin said as they began to play.

"How can you say that? Everything that happened, it's happened because I trusted a psychopath," Thea said in guilt, refusing to look at him.

"Merlyn was a master manipulator. Just look at what he did to your mother," Quentin pointed out and Thea flinched. "He came to you when you were at your most vulnerable. What you're feeling is perfectly natural, I can't tell you how many people I've seen how many people I've seen in my line of work going through exactly what you're going through now. They were all manipulated by a charismatic and manipulative person into doing things they never wanted. Sound familiar?"

"But I knew who he was. I knew exactly what he was and I still went with him," Thea said softly.

"And that's something you're gonna have to live with," Quentin acknowledged. "But what's going on now is because of people like Merlyn, not you. You're gonna need to find a way to live with this guilt Thea or it's gonna destroy you."

Plane, en route to Nanda Parbat

Later

As Talia piloted the plane, Oliver held a meeting with the others.

"There's a secret entrance at the base of Ra's castle. Talia sent her students ahead to secure it. We strike there and head inside," Oliver explained to them.

"Just like that?" Ray asked a little worriedly.

"Yes, just like that," Slade drawled. "Do you have an objection?"

"I think what Ray is trying to say is that this is the most dangerous army in the world we're going up against," Barry spoke up. "Whatever play you wanna make, I'll back it Oliver. But are you sure about this?"

"This is war Barry. This only ends with my death or Ra's'. We strike fast and we strike hard. If you're not prepared to come at your enemy with the intent to kill, you will die. So speak up now if you can't," Oliver said as he paused.

Everyone looked at Barry and Ray, knowing those two would have the most trouble. Ray looked a little uncomfortable, but Barry appeared to have been expecting this. Barry nodded and Oliver returned the nod, looking satisfied before turning to Ray.

"Ray?" Oliver questioned.

"I can't say I'll kill anyone…but I'll do whatever it takes to help you stop Ra's," Ray said and after a moment, Oliver nodded.

"Well that's gonna have to be enough for now, we reach Nanda Parbat in an hour," Oliver said.

Nanda Parbat

Same time

"My Liege," Sarab knelt before Ra's as he stared out at the window, the sky covered by night. "We received word from our men based in Starling City. Oliver Queen, Slade Wilson, and Roy Harper left on a plane with an assortment of allies. We believe they are headed here."

"Excellent. It appears I chose well with him," Ra's said pleased at Oliver's initiative.

"One of the people he was seen with was your daughter…Talia," Sarab said and paused, waiting for Ra's reaction.

Ra's stilled for a moment, a look of shock crossing his face before he covered it with a mask of neutrality.

"Then she has chosen where she stands. And, if I have chosen wrong, then she will pay for her betrayal," Ra's announced coldly.

Plane

Not long after

Oliver was staring out the window, alone, when Barry walked up next him.

"I'm sorry about Dig," Barry said and Oliver nodded.

"Thanks. What's on your mind Barry?" Oliver asked, knowing Barry wasn't here to make small talk.

"Deathstroke, Huntress, Bronze Tiger, Deadshot," Barry said and Oliver nodded, understanding. "Are you sure we can trust them?"

"Lawton, no. We'll need to keep an eye on him. And I do not want to reply on Ben Turner, but you know what we're up against Barry. Ra's al Ghul is unlike any enemy I've ever faced. John is dead; there are no good options here. I need you to have my back on this," Oliver told him.

"I do…it's them I'm not sure about," Barry said and Oliver smiled slightly.

"Then you're learning. That's good Barry. It's healthy to have a little douse of caution, just don't let it cloud your judgement," Oliver told him and Barry nodded.

"Okay. Well, before we get there, I have something for you," Barry said as he pulled out a briefcase. "A gift from Cisco."

Raising an eyebrow, Oliver took the case and set it on a nearby table. Opening it up, he saw a green suit inside.

"A new suit," Oliver noted and Barry nodded.

"Cisco's been working on it for a few weeks. When I told him and Caitlin here I was going, he told me to give this to you," Barry said as Oliver stared down at it.

"Well, now's a good time to take it for a test drive," Oliver said as he looked over at Barry. "Let's end this, once and for all."

The suit Barry gives Oliver is going to be Oliver's season five suit as, to be honest, I much prefer that to the season four suit.

Next chapter will have the confrontation between the tea, Talia's student, and the League and then I'll likely finish up with an epilogue.