Disclaimer: I do not own anything in Arrowverse or Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC Comics, Marvel Comics or any characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises or anything else you may recognize.

A drug dealer was running down an alley as the Hood chased him from above on the rooftops as he tried to climb on a fire escape, only for his sleeve to be pinned by an arrow as he was hanging on the ledge. "Come on, man, I'm just trying to get an honest living!" He moaned.

"There's nothing honest about what you do!" The Hood snarled. "Who supplies the Vertigo? Tell me now and you live!"

"Please, they'll kill me!" The dealer begged.

"Whoever you fear, fear me more!" The Hood notched an arrow, ready to fire.

"OK, OK! They call him 'The Count'! That's all I know! I swear to God!" The man covered his eyes, ready to die but when he opened his eyes, the Hood vanished as he was still hanging from the railing but then something else occurred to him. "Hey, get me down from here!"

Later, the Foundry

"Found what you were looking for?" Diggle asked.

"I took down three Vertigo pushers tonight, Diggle. Last one finally knew a name. The Count." Oliver informed as he put the bow on the table.

"The Count? That's worse than 'the Hood'." Diggle deadpanned as Oliver approached the computer. "You're not going back out?"

"I'm not done for tonight." Oliver looked at Diggle and Natasha. "Whoever this Count is, he has a lot of blood on his hands and it is long past time he started paying."

"Oliver, haven't you forgotten something?" Natasha reminded, giving Oliver a look as he remembered.

"Thea." Oliver said, remembering why was he after the Count in the first place.

"Her hearing's in a few hours." Diggle reminded. "You think she cares more about some drug lord getting his 'just desserts', or you being by her side, when she needs you the most?" Oliver nodded.

Later, Starling City

Oliver tried to shield Thea on the way to the courtroom as the paparazzi were shooting pictures of her.

"Docket ending 1-10-5-6. People vs. Thea Dearden Queen. Possession of a controlled substance, driving under influence of a controlled substance." Judge Brackett was given the trial sheet from the bailiff who read it out loudly.

"Counselors, I understand you have reached a plea agreement."

"We have, your honor." Thea's attorney spoke up. "Given that my client is a juvenile, the people have generously agreed to probation."

"Juvenile?" Brackett asked, surprised as he looked at the sheet again. "It says she's eighteen."

"Yes, she is eighteen now, Your Honor but at the time of arrest she was still two days shy of her eighteenth birthday. Miss Queen has no priors." The attorney said in Thea's defense.

"Just because Ms. Queen's family sweeps her priors under the rug does not mean they don't exist." The judge countered. "You get your client off and you help your boss avoid dealing with a drug that's sweeping across our city like a plague. Everyone wins except us: the people of Starling City."

"Your Honor, with all due respect…"

"Miss Queen, like it or not, you are now the poster child for this menace. Maybe if people see that the Queen family cannot get away with using Vertigo, they'll think twice about using it themselves. The plea arrangement is denied." The judge banged the gavel. "This case will proceed to trial." Thea turned around to Oliver and Moira, worried about what happens next, just as much concerned as they were, if not more.

Later, Queen Manor

"How did it go?" Natasha asked, once their attorney left.

"It's not looking good. And what's worse, Thea actually doesn't want any defense, she wants to go to prison." Oliver said.

"What? Why?" Natasha asked.

"I'm not sure what's going on but she's angry at Mom for some reason." Oliver said.

"Maybe I should've called Matt." Natasha said.

"No. I think we need to try things a little differently." Oliver said.

Later, SCPD

"Hi. I'm looking for Detective Hall. I was told he works in the Vice." Oliver told the officer as a young Indian woman turned around.

"Oliver?" The woman called out as Oliver turned to her and recognized her.

"McKenna Hall." Oliver said.

"Hi." McKenna smiled.

"Here I was expecting a middle-aged guy in a bad suit… and I got McKenna Hall." Oliver said, approaching her.

"I live to surprise." McKenna chuckled as they hugged each other.

"Well, I remember. What was that club that you got us kicked out of? The Club DeVille?" Oliver asked.

"In my defense, there was no sign that specifically said you had to keep your clothes on." McKenna said.

"So, a cop? I guess you're not hitting the party circuit anymore." Oliver said, following her, while she put some files into the cabinet.

"I still go to raves. I just go undercover now." McKenna explained. "And I have to dress slightly more appropriately to hide my badge and gun."

"Right." Oliver nodded.

"So, what do you need with a vice cop, Oliver?" McKenna asked.

"Vertigo." Oliver said and McKenna looked sad, realizing what was it about.

"Right. I saw your sister on TV. I'm sorry." McKenna said as he flowed her.

"The judge is trying to make an example of her. So, I was thinking, if you could find the person selling the drugs, it might take some heat off Thea." Oliver said.

"Easier said than done." McKenna pointed out.

"Did some digging and came up with a name. The Count?" Oliver said.

McKenna stopped and turned around to face him. "Oliver, we've known about the Count for months."

"Oh." Oliver said, a bit surprised.

McKenna picked a file from the desk, handing it to him. "I wish this was thicker but really don't have much on him. Love to say we're going to catch him before your sister's trial but it's highly unlikely." She then looked at her watch. "Oh, I am late for my shift."

"Well, if you hear anything about thus guy, just… let me know?" Oliver asked as she smiled.

"I always loved how much you cared about your sister but leave the policing to the police, OK?"

"OK." Oliver nodded as he was about to leave before Quentin called out.

"Oliver." Quentin spoke up as Oliver turned around to face him.

"Detective." Oliver said politely, ready for Quentin's hostility though.

"Look, I just… since you've been back… I've been pretty harsh on you. And, recently, Laurel gave me the talk and I've been thinking about my actions towards you since you came back and… I…" He hesitated as Oliver raised his hands.

"Mr. Lance, you don't have to…"

"Oh, I do." Quentin assured him. "When you and Sara went off on your Dad's boat, you were just a kid, both of you were. And… she made her own choice and… you didn't cause the storm. What I'm trying to say is… I'm sorry for everything I've done to you and your family since you've been back in town."

Oliver nodded before he shook his hands with Quentin.

Elsewhere in Starling City

Oliver and Diggle were walking into Alexi's car shop as Oliver held two duffle bags.

"I've seen a fair amount of Cyrillic back in Afghanistan left over by Soviets. This is Russian?" Diggle asked.

"This is the not so hidden headquarters for the Starling City chapter of the Bratva." Oliver explained before turning to his bodyguard. "Diggle… whatever I say, whatever goes down, just go with it." He said as he approached Alexi, greeting him in Russian.

"Good to see you. Long time." Alexi said. "Particularly for Bratva captain."

"I was trying to figure out where to put my interests." Oliver explained. "I decided on pharmaceuticals." He put the duffel bags at Alexi's feet. "I don't mean aspirin."

"A wise choice." Alexi noted. "Mefedrone would be a good investment for you. It's the newest thing."

"Actually, I was thinking Vertigo." Oliver corrected. "Newer thing."

"Tough market, Vertigo. Only one seller." Alexi warned.

"I know. I was hoping you could do me a favor and arrange a meeting."

"He's a difficult man and he doesn't like new friends."

Diggle handed Oliver a file who handed it to Alexi. "This is everything that the police has on him. Tell him it's a gift."

Alexi examined the file before looking at Oliver. "I will see what I can do. Provided you do a favor for me."

"Anything." Oliver replied in Russian as Alexi turned to his henchman who nodded and left for a moment.

"It is unusual for an American to hold such a position of esteem in our organization… Mr. Queen." Oliver nodded, acknowledging that Alexi knew who he was. "Anatoli Knyazev. He speaks very highly of you."

"He should. I saved his life." Oliver pointed out as Alexi's henchman dragged in a man who apparently has been through a beating. "What did he do?"

"Something I told him not to." Alexi said simply before looking briefly at the man. "Now the favor; kill this man for me and I will believe that your interest in our organization is genuine. And then I will arrange a meeting with the Count."

Oliver considered for a moment before grabbing the man in tight chokehold.

"Oliver…" Diggle warned.

"Hey, shut up!" Oliver snapped at him as he held the man in chokehold as he struggled, groaning before Oliver apparently strangled him to death as he dropped him on the floor. The henchman checked the pulse as he acknowledged that he was dead.

Alexi said something to Oliver in Russian as he nodded. "What are friends for?"

"I can't believe you just killed that guy." Diggle said, exasperated as Oliver carried the man he had choked to death on his shoulder.

"You really have a low opinion of me." Oliver scoffed. Diggle opened the trunk as Oliver put the man in and as he checked that no one was looking, he touched the man's neck as he suddenly came to, very much alive.

"Whoa, that's a neat trick, you're gonna teach me that one day?" Diggle asked, impressed.

Oliver knocked the man out as he looked at Diggle. "No."

"What are you doing?" Diggle asked as Oliver closed the trunk.

"You need to arrange a new identity for this guy; get him out of the city."

"Right, so your Ruskie pal draws out the Count; the vigilante takes him down." Diggle concluded as he and Oliver were entering the car.

"No, Diggle, because then the Bratva would know that I used them and that relationship is too valuable." Oliver explained. "I do the meet with the Count as myself, let him leave, then we follow him to his hideout."

"Just that easy, huh?" Diggle asked sarcastically.

"Well, I will still need my trustworthy bodyguard." Oliver quipped.

"Fantastic. Looking forward to my new exciting career as a drug dealer." Diggle deadpanned.

Later at night, Diggle and Oliver were doing a meeting with the Count but the unexpected arrival of SCPD caused for the drug dealers to bolt and as Oliver attempted to chase the Count down, the drug lord stuck two syringes of Vertigo in his chest as Oliver groaned, collapsing on the floor.

"No witnesses." The Count hissed and Diggle ran to Oliver, getting him out from the garage.

The Count was about to enter his car but then an explosion went off from the floor, blinding him before Natasha, in black hood, approached the Count, knocking him out. As she heard footsteps, she ran off, while SCPD apprehended him.

Later, the Lair

Natasha and Diggle put Oliver on the table as Oliver was groaning in pain. Diggle opened the crate Oliver had from Lian Yu and mixed the herbs in the bowl, while trying to force-feed them to Oliver. Oliver grabbed Diggle by his throat, while groaning as Diggle and Natasha were trying to restrain him.

"Oliver. Hold on. It's gonna be OK." Natasha assured him, while Diggle forced the mixture into Oliver's mouth as Oliver screamed in agony before passing out.

When Oliver came to, he noticed that he had been cuffed to the table.

"Morning. How you feeling?" Diggle asked.

"I feel like I'm having the worst hangover of my life." Oliver said.

"Which should say something." Natasha said.

"You think you can uncuff me? I'm not gonna kill either of you. I promise." Oliver said as he got up, groaning in pain.

"One would've thought you had been injected with Red Death. It's a special KGB drug. You don't want to get injected with it, trust me." Natasha said as Oliver was barely able to stand.

"The Count." Oliver remembered.

"I knocked him out and made sure SCPD would take him in. They didn't even know I was there." Natasha said.

"I should check in on Thea." Oliver said as he went out.

Starling City

Natasha went out on the walk before her senses turned on and she whirled around but then she was hit in the neck with a dart as she groaned and her vision blurred as she staggered.

"Natalia Romanova, please, stay down. You don't want to know where I got that rose or that ribbon." The man said as Natasha realized that his voice was familiar. She attempted to punch the man but she was becoming slower because of the drug affecting her as the man slammed her to the ground and hit her in the chest, breaking her ribs as she spat out blood and found herself unable to move because of the drug. The man pulled out a knife and cut into her abdomen before pulling out of her abdomen some microchip. "I know you can hear me, Natalia. Forgive me for not giving you enough to ease the pain." Natasha panted out, getting paler from the blood loss. "But we both know that pain shall pass with time and I remember that you were stronger. Maybe you still are. Come find me… when you can."

The man dropped a red rose as Natasha's world faded into black.

"Ma'am?"

"Careful, when you lift her."

"Ma'am, if you can hear me…"

"God, her pulse…"

"I see it…"

"She's lost too much blood, we need more!"

"What the hell did they give her?"

"I still have one more section to examine the damage."

"Whoever did this, was careful and precise, they knew what they were doing."

Merlyn Global Group

"Is it done?" Malcolm asked over the phone.

"Thank you for letting me know where she is."

"Hope you'll get your revenge." Malcolm smirked as he hung up. That was one problem taken care of. Now, just to find out who the Hood was…

This is inspired by some older Black Widow and Avengers comic books. This should be interesting.

Fun fact, the drug dealer Oliver was chasing at the beginning of 1x12, was played by Patrick Sabongui, who also plays Captain David Singh in The Flash. Small world, isn't it? Also, if you did not know, and I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't watch Season 4 of Supergirl due to how political the first half was, Garwin Sanford, the actor playing Adrian Chase's (Prometheus's) father in Season 5 of Arrow, also appeared in Season 4 of Supergirl as Paul Nal, father of one of the superheroines and Kara's close friends, Nia Nal, also known as Dreamer. CW really likes to "recycle" actors in different guest appearances, since Supernatural has done this before too, that the same actors appeared in guest roles, playing different characters than before.

If you're surprised by Quentin apologizing to Oliver, as I've mentioned earlier, it's always bugged me how Quentin got scot-free for that stunt in 1x05 and he's been in two months of court-mandated therapy, which I think should be enough of a wake-up call for him.

So, what do you guys think?

Please review and let me know if you have been enjoying this and want for me to continue.