Happy holidays, everyone! My gift to you: the first part of Oliver's trial!
The prosecution goes first, Diaz thinks he's really clever (he's not), and J'onn is a good papa bear.
Oliver Queen
There were times Oliver was grateful for his fiancée's super strength, especially in a fight, but her tight grip on his hand and arm as Jean led them through the courthouse made him start to lose all feeling in his left arm. He didn't complain, though, considering he was holding onto her hand as tightly as he could, trying to ignore the clamor of reporters around them shouting questions at them.
The officer finally opened the door at the end of the hall for them, and as soon as they were inside, Kara released Oliver turning to glare out the door. "I hope to never become a reporter as bloodthirsty as they are," she declared.
"As long as I'm never your subject, be as bloodthirsty as you want," Oliver rubbed feeling back into his arm.
"Thank you, officer," Jean said as the officer closed the door behind them. "You can wait outside."
"I'm right where Mr. Diaz wants me," the officer said plainly.
Jean scowled and turned around, hand on her hip. "I need to have a privileged conversation with my client."
"Nobody's stopping you," he shrugged.
Jean looked at Oliver incredulously, who just sighed and shook his head, sitting down. Jean sat down as well, Kara perching on the edge of the table, her hand on Oliver's shoulder. "Since the resignation of District Attorney Armand, the D.A.'s office has brought an outside counsel to prosecute," Jean told him.
"OK, good news, that could be someone not in Diaz's pocket," Kara said, glaring at the officer by the door.
"Have you heard of Alexa Van Owen?" Jean raised an eyebrow.
"Guessing that's the bad news," Oliver looked at Kara as she took her phone out of her pocket, quickly searching.
She gulped. "Um, she took down Intergang and Bruno Mannheim . . . she's prosecuted CEOs and serial killers, and she has CIA-caliber investigators that say they can find anything and everything." She took a deep breath, putting her phone down. "Her conviction rate is 99%."
"She called me last night, and she offered a plea," Jean informed Oliver. "Single count of first-degree manslaughter." When both Oliver and Kara looked at her expectantly, she cleared her throat. "With a fifteen-year minimum sentence."
"We're not taking that," Kara said at once.
"We're not taking any deal," Oliver said at the same time, Kara sighing in relief that they were on the same page.
"Look, Van Owen isn't in Diaz's pocket, but we have every reason to believe that Judge McGarvey is," Jean told Oliver. "I mean, this whole system is against you."
"No deal," Oliver said firmly. "Get me an acquittal."
Dinah Drake
"I'm not doing it, Rene," Dinah shook her head as they jogged down the stairs into their bunker. "I'm not playing make believe with you."
"It's a mock trial, not make believe, and we got to get our stories straight," Rene insisted.
"Well, I'm planning on pleading the fifth," Dinah told him. "Did you have a different amendment in mind?"
"We can't plead the fifth without looking guilty," Rene pointed out.
"We are guilty!" Dinah huffed in exasperation. "We are vigilantes, and we know Oliver is the Green Arrow."
"Which is why we got to lie through our teeth, and we got to be convincing," Rene told her. "We got to have our stories straight." He scowled at Curtis, smacking his shoulder. "Hoss, you want to weigh in on this? You've been real quiet."
"Why?" Curtis shrugged. "It's not like I'm gonna have to testify."
Dinah snorted. "Curtis, please don't tell me you have FOMO because you weren't subpoenaed."
"Yeah, I have major FOMO," Curtis nodded, sitting up straight. "Don't I rate?"
"You know, maybe you are just so much better at maintaining your secret identity than the rest of us," Dinah smiled sarcastically.
"Guys, can we be real for a second here?" Rene scowled. "I mean, Oliver's facing life in prison! Look, we got our ears chewed off from basically everyone the other night, and yeah, maybe Oliver's a jerk sometimes, but he was in the right. We've screwed up the last few months, all right? But all of this started because of me, and Oliver doesn't deserve to go to prison."
Dinah took a deep breath. "The things we do for love," she reminded herself of Mon-El's words, then nodded firmly. "You're right. We can start making things right by doing this."
"Damn right," Curtis agreed, standing up.
Quentin Lance
"From where I'm sitting, it's pretty simple," Quentin told Bethany Snow as he sat in the deputy mayor's office. "They've got the wrong guy. Oliver Queen isn't the Green Arrow any more than I am, and for the record, I'm not the Green Arrow."
"There appears to be a fair amount of evidence to suggest the mayor is guilty," Bethany countered.
"What evidence?" Quentin retorted. "That photo from several months ago, that was doctored. And I don't know who they're gonna find to say 'Oliver's the Green Arrow,' but they'll be lying."
"You sound pretty sure of that," Bethany noted.
"I am," Quentin snorted. "I'm the guy that arrested Oliver six years ago, remember? I watched him pass a polygraph. He's not the Green Arrow."
"Do you know who is?" Bethany asked.
"I got a few guesses," Quentin chuckled.
"Thank you, Deputy Mayor Lance," Bethany nodded, standing up.
"You're welcome," Quentin shook her hand. The door suddenly opened, and Laurel stepped through the doors, only to stop in her tracks when she saw the cameras. "Oh, hey," Quentin greeted her.
"Sorry," Laurel looked around cautiously. "They told me I could come in here."
"Uh, no, that's fine, right?" Quentin looked at Bethany. "We're finished."
"Actually, maybe we could just get some b-roll," Bethany made a twirling motion, and she walked towards Laurel, the cameras turning to face her. "As the Black Canary, you have to know who the Green Arrow is."
Laurel eyed the cameras, then took a deep breath. "I do," she said calmly. "And I'll testify to it if they subpoena me."
Quentin hid an audible sigh of relief. If Laurel was put on the stand, there was no way she would throw Oliver under the bus. "Happy?" he asked Bethany. "Got your sound bite?" When she nodded, Quentin smiled at Laurel. "Good."
Malcolm Merlyn
"Winn and Felicity worked on gathering information on all of the jury members and Judge McGarvey to see how many of them are in Diaz's pocket," J'onn said as he met with Slade, Malcolm, and Evelyn in the Team Arrow bunker.
"And?" Malcolm asked impatiently.
"Take a guess," J'onn told him.
"Great," Evelyn sighed.
"We guessed this going into the trial, though," Slade reminded them as he paced the platform. "This was going to be a fight to begin with. Oliver could clear up the police all he wanted, but if there was still someone in the courthouse who could arrange to get Diaz sympathizers on the jury . . . "
"OK, there may not be much we can do to get rid of the judge and the jury," Malcolm leaned on the railing. "If there's anything I've learned about the Star City justice system, everyone on Oliver's side who's testifying needs to be solid in their testimony. There can't be anything that could sway them to change their statement or something that could blackmail them into throwing Oliver under the bus."
"Lyla isn't anywhere near the trial, and neither is J.J.," J'onn thought out loud. "Curtis isn't subpoenaed."
"Dinah doesn't have any family nearby, either," Slade mused. "Rene . . . "
He trailed off, all four looking at each other at the same time. "Zoe," they said in unison.
"I'll check on her," J'onn headed for the elevator.
"We'll keep you updated!" Malcolm shouted after him as Slade turned towards the television.
Curtis Holt/Kara Danvers
"This looks bigger than the O.J. trial," Curtis looked around the courtroom.
"How would you know?" Dinah frowned. "You were in, like, fourth grade."
"Yeah, but I watch 'American Crime Story,'" Curtis told her.
"Whoa," Rene paused, eyes wide. "I'm surprised the benches are fitting everyone."
Dig and Felicity looked up from where they were talking to Winn and Mon-El, and as the two Team Arrow members came to talk to them, they could see the familiar faces of Barry and Sara speaking with Kara, the blonde in between Alex and Clark, her sister's arm around Ruby. "Guys, hey," Felicity smiled anxiously. "Thank you so much for coming."
"Well, you know, they were subpoenaed," Curtis shrugged, then balked when Dinah and Rene glared at him. "But we also wanted to show our support."
"Yeah, we have Oliver's back," Dinah promised.
"Thank you," Dig said sincerely.
"Really, thank you," Felicity nodded.
Kara suddenly perked up, and she left her family to intercept Raisa, who was escorting William in. "Hey," she greeted softly.
"So many reporters outside," Raisa shuddered.
"Yeah, I know," Kara nodded with a wince. "I'm sorry." She reached out, rubbing William's arm. "You OK?"
"I always thought the worst thing that could happen to Dad is he'd get hurt," William said quietly.
"I know," Kara nodded. "But from what Quentin's told me, he's been through something like this before. I mean, not exactly like this, but something and – " She cut off, turning as the door opened and Oliver was led in. "It's gonna be OK," she finished, holding out her hand.
William moved into her side, and Kara escorted him into the front row behind Jean's desk. Clark and Alex were on her other side, and Raisa was on the end. "All rise!" the clerk at the front ordered, and Barry squeezed Kara's shoulder as he, Sara, Dig, and Felicity filled in the next row, Dinah, Curtis, and Rene with Mon-El, Winn, Ruby, and James. "Docket number 11-19-41-73, The People vs. Oliver Jonas Queen."
McGarvey looked around as he reached his seat. "Status of the parties?" he asked.
"Ready for trial," Jean answered.
"Ready for trial," Alexa nodded from the prosecution table.
"Then let's begin," McGarvey nodded.
Oliver Queen
"Oliver Queen is a hero," Alexa stood in front of the jury, nodding at their surprised looks. "He is. He's saved this city more times than anybody can count." She turned around, curling her lip as she looked at Oliver. "But he's done it all from behind a mask so that he could take the law into his own hands. In fact, he's taken as many lives as he's saved. So, yes, Oliver Queen is a hero, but that doesn't mean he's not also a criminal."
She walked back to her seat, looking challengingly at Jean. Oliver's lawyer simply stood up and walked up to the jury. "Three weeks ago, Oliver Queen almost wasn't mayor of this city," she said. "This year, he has gone from being under indictment to facing impeachment to being on trial. How?" she spread her arms in confusion. "How could everything have gone so wrong so quickly for him? I think intuitively, you know the answer. Corruption. It runs through this city like a cancer, compromising some city officials while discrediting others, like . . . " She pointed at Oliver. "Like the defendant. Even the anti-vigilante law that he's being charged under is the work of the corrupt men and women who are holding our city in their grip. This may sound like a conspiracy theory, but at the conclusion of this trial, I'm going to ask you what is most likely: that our city's government has been compromised, or that we elected a superhero as our mayor?"
She returned to her seat, and McGarvey looked at Alexa. "Ms. Van Owen, is your first witness ready?"
"Yes, Your Honor," she nodded.
Oliver Queen
"Please state your name and occupation for the record," Alexa said.
"Dr. Elisa Schwartz," the woman on the stand answered. "I'm an attending physician at Starling General Hospital."
"Thank you, Dr. Schwartz," Alexa stood up. "And you've had an occasion to treat the defendant?"
"Yes," she nodded.
"For various suspicious injuries, is that correct?"
"I can't say without violating doctor-patient confidentiality," Schwartz told her plainly.
"I understand," Alexa nodded, turning back to her table. "Then let me direct your attention, please, to an incident when Mr. Queen was not a patient." She took a clipboard, skimming through the papers on it. "On the night of April 6, 2016, the Green Arrow brought in the Black Canary, and according to your records, she had been stabbed."
"Objection," Jean stood up, narrowing her eyes. "Is there a question in our future?"
"Yes," Alexa nodded, looking at Schwartz. "That night, you were close enough to the Green Arrow to determine his identity. So my question is, whose face did you see that night?"
"I was focused on saving Ms. Lance's life," Schwartz told her. "I wasn't the least bit concerned with who the Green Arrow was."
"Concern or not, whose face did you see underneath that mask?" Alexa scowled.
Laurel Lance
"Well, it's not bad," Quentin tilted his head side to side as he and Laurel watched in his office. "Oliver might just pull this one off."
"God, I hope so," Laurel sighed, folding her arms. "Diaz really wants him in prison."
"You think he'd want to kill him," Quentin snorted. "I mean, at least try."
"If Diaz killed Oliver, the Green Arrow would become a martyr," Laurel pointed out, pulling out her phone when it buzzed in her pocket. "He's insane, but he's got some smarts."
She froze in horror when she saw the pictures that downloaded on her phone, and Quentin frowned. "What is it?"
Laurel swallowed hard, heading for the door. "I have to go."
"What is it?" Quentin repeated, watching her. "Diaz?"
"Yeah," Laurel turned to look at him, her phone with one image of Malcolm making arrowheads in the bunker and another of Slade in the hallway by Diaz's killed guards tightly held in her hand. "Diaz isn't bluffing anymore."
"Malcolm and Slade?" Quentin asked worriedly.
"Yeah," Laurel opened the door.
"It's not too late to stand up to him," Quentin reminded her.
"I know exactly what he wants me to do," Laurel turned to him, eyes as hard as diamonds. "But Malcolm and Slade reminded me of something. I don't take kindly to others threatening my loved ones just to get to me."
Quentin smirked. "Atta girl."
Laurel nodded, turning and heading out, and Quentin returned his attention to the television as Alexa Van Owen called one John Diggle to the stand.
Zoe Ramirez
Zoe walked into her school's office, a nervous look on her face. "Is everything OK?" she asked one of the front desk workers, who was speaking to someone with his back to her.
"Ms. Ramirez?" a black man who looked slightly familiar turned around "My name is Hank Henshaw. I'm here because of your father."
Zoe gasped, and the worker looked at her. "Ms. Ramirez, Agent Henshaw is here to take you to your father."
"Is he OK?" Zoe immediately asked as Henshaw gestured to the door.
"He will be," Henshaw promised, walking out with her. "I ask that you stay close to me, OK?" Zoe nodded, and she swallowed hard when she was led to a car in the parking lot. As soon as they were inside, Henshaw looked at her. "I have a question for you, and I would like an honest answer." Zoe nodded shakily. "Have you heard of the name Ricardo Diaz?"
Zoe froze, scrambling for the door handle. "Are you working with him?" she demanded.
"No," Henshaw immediately shook his head. "I am working against him, just like your father is. He was subpoenaed to testify at Oliver's trial, and we thought Ricardo Diaz may use you to get him to testify against Oliver."
Zoe's eyes were wide as she looked at Henshaw, finally recognizing who he was. "You're a vigilante, too, aren't you?"
"I am," he nodded. "My name is truly J'onn J'onzz, and I work with Supergirl."
"Supergirl?" Zoe mouthed, eyes about to pop out of her head. When J'onn nodded, Zoe made another connection. "Your name doesn't sound human."
"Because I am not," J'onn couldn't help but smile at the girl's smarts.
"Awesome!" Zoe squealed, then her face froze. "Why did you take me out of school?"
"Because I have an idea, and a way to throw Diaz a curveball," J'onn answered. "If you don't want to do it, that's fine. Right now, your safety is what I'm concerned about."
Zoe narrowed her eyes. "If it helps my dad, I'm up for anything."
John Diggle
"Oliver Queen is not the Green Arrow," Dig said from the stand. "I can't make it any plainer than that."
"How can you be so sure?" Alexa tilted her head.
"From 2012 to 2016, I was his personal bodyguard," Dig answered. "If he was running around with a bow and arrow, I would've known it."
Dinah Drake
"But would you admit knowing it?" Alexa wondered.
"Why wouldn't I?" Dinah asked.
"Because you were aiding and abetting a vigilante?"
"I absolutely was not," Dinah shook her head. "In fact, I had very limited interaction with Oliver Queen before I became captain."
John Diggle
"How can that be?" Alexa frowned. "You're head of his security at City Hall."
"And my job is to keep him safe," Dig nodded, smirking. "And that includes not jumping off of rooftops."
"Well, Mr. Diggle, you can't even keep yourself safe," Alexa peered down at her clipboard. "I mean, in the past four years, you've been abducted by Damien Darhk, your own child was also kidnapped, you were hospitalized for nerve damage caused by severe trauma." She clicked her tongue, shaking her head; she didn't see Kara flinch and duck her head, Alex putting her hand over hers comfortingly. "Mr. Diggle, either you travel in some very dangerous circles, or you have the worst luck ever."
Dinah Drake/Kara Danvers
"Who was Sean Sonus?" Alexa asked.
Dinah set her jaw, and Kara heard a tiny gasp from Felicity as Jean called, "Objection! Relevance?"
"Overruled," McGarvey said.
"Your Honor?" Jean scowled.
"I said, overruled," McGarvey said firmly, looking at Dinah. "Answer the question."
Dinah took a deep breath. "He was a drug dealer I investigated while undercover in the Central City Police Department."
"And he was shot and killed in Hub City last year," Alexa nodded.
"Your Honor, I renew my objection as to relevance," Jean stood up.
"Well, if Captain Drake is a murderer, it would certainly undermine her credibility, now, wouldn't it?" Alexa smirked.
"Objection overruled again," McGarvey glared. "Sit down, Ms. Loring."
Jean slowly did, eyes narrowed. "So, you were not with the Central City Police Department when Mr. Sonus was killed, is that correct?" Alexa asked.
"That's right," Dinah nodded.
"Did you murder him?" Alexa asked bluntly.
"Your Honor!" Jean protested, standing up.
"Answer the question," McGarvey ordered Dinah.
Dinah chewed her lip, looking past Alexa to everyone on Oliver's side. She sent a mental apology, then leaned forward. "I'm exercising my fifth amendment right against self-incrimination," she declared.
The crowd burst into murmurs, and Dinah leaned back in her chair, unable to look anyone in the eye as Rene pinched the bridge of his nose.
Laurel Lance
Laurel sneered at Diaz as one of his guards pushed her into the room. "You beckoned?" she drawled sarcastically.
"I saw something interesting on TV," Diaz told her, turning up the volume on his television.
Laurel raised an eyebrow when she saw herself declaring she would testify who the Green Arrow was if she was subpoenaed, then looked at Diaz. "Your point?"
"I'll get there at the end of his little meeting," Diaz told her, stepping forward. "The prosecution is holding you as a rebuttal witness, so when they call you, you're gonna be the final nail in the coffin." He smirked, a dark look in his eyes. "There's plenty more where those images came from."
Laurel gritted her teeth, eyes narrowed. "If I go in and try and convince a courtroom that I'm Laurel Lance, I'm gonna get made."
"Maybe you're right," Diaz nodded solemnly. "You don't have a poker face. For example . . . the way you put on a brave face when I put a noose around Merlyn and Wilson's necks."
Laurel held back swallowing. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"No?" Diaz tilted his head. "Your heart bleeds in rivers for them. So, just to be clear . . . " He grabbed her by the throat and pushed her up against the window, and Laurel retched, grabbing at his forearm. "When you take the stand to incriminate Oliver Queen so your brother and your lover don't have to run, I want you to give the jury a much better performance than the one you're giving me. You know what I'm talking about now?" Laurel mouthed "yes," and Diaz smiled. "Good," he whispered, and Laurel could have thrown up as he stroked her cheek. "That's a good girl." He released her, and Laurel dropped to the ground, gasping and rubbing her throat. "Got to go to the courthouse."
Laurel took deep breaths, glaring after Diaz as she kept rubbing her throat. Just think of when he gets an arrow in his throat, she thought. Or in his eye. Or a bullet in his brain. Or a sword in his heart.
Those thoughts were what made her stand straight and walk out with her head held high. No matter what Diaz threatened, Malcolm and Slade could handle themselves. They had proven that time and time again, and their reassurances could make Laurel strut like she owned the building and the guards she sauntered past. She wasn't going to break, not for Diaz.
Kara Danvers
"It's not going too good, is it?" William asked nervously as he, Kara, Alex, Barry, Sara, and Raisa walked out of the doors.
"Hey, no, it's going fine," Kara rubbed his arm. "It's fine. That was the prosecution's turn, so when it's our turn, we're going to punch them into the ground." She paused. "That's a legal term."
"Cecille would be proud," Barry smirked.
William nodded, but didn't look convinced, and Alex cleared her throat. "Hey, Will, why don't we go and find something from the vending machines?"
"OK," William nodded, and Alex put her arm around his shoulders, leading him off.
Raisa sighed. "What will happen if Mr. Oliver goes to jail?"
"He's not going to jail, Raisa," Kara said firmly. "He's not the Green Arrow."
Raisa raised an eyebrow. "I think we all know better."
She walked off, and Kara sighed, bowing her head and blowing her breath out in a rush. "Hey," Sara rubbed her back. "Chin up, Kara."
"You'll get through this," Barry told her. "Oliver's not going to jail. I know he won't."
"Yeah?" Kara smiled, though it seemed very forced. "Because even I feel like I'm lying when I tell Will that."
"He's not going to jail until the jury says he is, which won't happen," Barry said. "And someone has to be the optimist if you stop being it."
Kara let out a startled laugh, her smile more real this time. "Thanks, Barry." She took off her glasses, swiping at her eyes. "Thank you for being here," she said sincerely. "Both of you."
"Of course," Barry gave her a hug.
"Nowhere else I'd rather be," Sara joined in, she and the speedster squeezing Kara comfortingly.
Rene Ramirez
"I tanked it," Dinah said angrily as she, Curtis, and Rene stepped out of the courtroom. "I tanked it! I did exactly what you said not to do!"
"The lawyer's good, D," Rene said. "Don't worry, I'll bring it home."
"How?" Curtis frowned. "You got immunity from the prosecution. If watching every episode of Law & Order ever taught me anything, it's that you can't plead the fifth. If you get cornered and you refuse to testify, you could go to jail, Rene."
"Well, then I'll go to jail, Hoss," Rene shrugged. "But I'm not screwing Oliver over again."
Dig stepped out of the courtroom, looking around. "Hey, guys, the clerk is calling court back into session," he said.
Rene nodded, and Barry and Sara led Kara back into the courtroom, Alex and William close behind.
Rene Ramirez
"I worked in the mayor's office close to a year, side by side with Mr. Queen every single day," Rene said on the stand. "If he was running around pretending to be Robin Hood, I would've known."
"And did you know it?" Alexa asked.
Rene was about to answer when he caught sight of something out of the corner of his eye. He froze when he saw Zoe enter the courtroom, and he stared in horror at her terrified face and at the man guiding her in.
"Mr. Ramirez?" Alexa prompted as Diaz sat Zoe down in the back, and as everyone looked back, he saw Oliver stiffen, Kara swallow nervously, Alex reach for a gun that wasn't present, and the rest of the heroes look between them all. "Mr. Ramirez, did you have occasion to determine whether Oliver Queen was the Green Arrow?"
A head tilt from Zoe made Rene look up at Diaz, and it took everything in his power to keep his jaw up when he saw the man's eyes flare red . . . a very familiar red, and Winn did the startled double take for him. Rene took a deep breath, then looked Alexa in the eye. "Yes," he said firmly, making Alexa straighten. "Because as his Chief of Staff, I worked late nights with Mr. Queen while the Green Arrow was active. I can say with one hundred percent certainty that Oliver Queen is not the Green Arrow."
Alexa stiffened and the crowd burst into excited murmurs, McGarvey banging his gavel. "Order!" he barked, and Rene saw him look annoyed. "Order!"
Rene looked back over at Oliver to see the man looked stunned, as did everyone else who hadn't seen what he had. When Rene looked back, he saw Zoe give him a wide smile, and his heart burst as the pride in her eyes.
And when "Diaz" left the courtroom, the smile on his face wasn't smug. Rene nodded thankfully at him, and the Green Martian's eyes flashed red again as he slipped out of the room.
Rene Ramirez/Sara Lance
As soon as the court took a recess, Rene shot out of the room. He found Zoe immediately, who launched into his arms. "Are you OK?" he asked in concern, hearing the others gather behind them.
"I'm fine," Zoe nodded, hugging him tightly. "Mr. J'onzz picked me up from school. He said Ricardo Diaz might try and use me to get to you."
Rene looked up gratefully as J'onn appeared behind Zoe, back in his human form. "Thank you," he choked out. "Thank you so much."
"Of course, Rene," J'onn nodded, reaching out; Rene clasped his hand tightly. "I know what it's like to have children threatened. Diaz would not lay a hand on Zoe, not if we could stop him."
Rene nodded, hugging Zoe again; he didn't notice Clark suddenly stiffen and lower his glasses slightly. Whatever he saw made him tense, and Sara, closest to him, leaned in. "What is it?"
"We have a visitor," Clark said, pushing his glasses back up. "Want to meet him?"
Sara's eyes darkened as he realized who Clark meant. "Absolutely, yes."
Ricardo Diaz
Diaz stormed down the steps of the courthouse, seething. He had been told at the little brat's high school that someone had already collected her. When he had arrived, he had seen from cameras that somehow he was inside with the girl. Worse, Ramirez hadn't given the testimony he should have. He supported Queen!
Abruptly, he felt two fingers on his back, but it was enough force to propel Diaz down the steps, tumbling end over end. He collapsed on the pavement and rolled onto his back to see a blonde in a black and white pinstripe jumpsuit take the gun of his guard, yank it out of his hand, and smack him across the temple, dropping him like a sack of bricks. A lanky brunette in a suit watched from the top of the steps, his hazel eyes narrowed.
Diaz was yanked to his feet and pushed against his vehicle, and Diaz looked down, stunned to see the arm wasn't pressed against him all the way, yet he couldn't move at all. He looked up and found himself meeting harsh blue eyes that were shielded by a familiar pair of glasses. "Ricardo Diaz," the man holding him against the car said slowly and with ice that Diaz was certain matched one of his powers. "What a pleasure to meet you."
Diaz narrowed his eyes. "You don't care about people finding out the truth about you?"
"I care about my cousin," the Kryptonian narrowed his eyes to slits. "I don't give a damn about you."
"And coming from Mr. Truth, Justice, and the American Way, that says something," the blonde woman said, nonchalantly twirling the gun in her hand.
"You're not gonna win this, Diaz," the brunette said, looking around as police officers flooded the area. "We look out for our own."
"Yeah?" Diaz raised an eyebrow. "Took you a long time to show."
He winced when pressure was suddenly applied, and he saw white before the pressure suddenly was released. He dropped to the ground, wincing and rubbing his chest, then looked up as the Kryptonian stepped away from him. "We're here when it matters," he said darkly. "And if we have our way, the only place Oliver is going is home to my cousin and his son, where he belongs."
He did an abrupt about face, and he strode up the steps. The blonde dropped the gun as if it was nothing more than a stone and sauntered after her. The brunette met them at the top, the three of them sharing a nod before they headed back in. "Want us to do anything with them, boss?" one of the officers said.
"No," Diaz spat out, yanking his door open. "If they had an accident, I'd have to testify, and it'd be awkward."
Lance would do her job, and he would be the one winning in the end. Who could deny the Black Canary's testimony?
A/N: Let's just say if there were awards on Earth-1 that covered him, J'onn would win the "Best Actor of the Year" award multiple times after this episode.
Again, happy holidays to everyone! I will see you all some time soon for the rest of the episode.