A/N: Bit of a transitory chapter, but its got some stuff I really enjoyed working on, so I hope everyone enjoys it.
Chapter Nineteen
Oliver Queen studied everything that Team Spartan had on H.I.V.E., which included everything A.R.G.U.S. and the League of Assassins knew about the organization and its hold on Star City. H.I.V.E. had moved its agents into positions of power despite the best efforts of those involved, though in Oliver's opinion they hadn't gone far enough. When it came to certain kinds of threats, the rules went out the window. It seemed there were still things they refused to do, things Oliver would have done and was going to do without hesitation. Corruption should not be allowed to fester and infect the body further.
But he knew that he couldn't do this alone, and that Team Spartan wouldn't be willing to do what was necessary. Which was how he found himself back here; it was ironic that there was only one man he felt he could count on to have his back, a man who had sworn to destroy everyone and everything he loved. Yet the man's own crusade was based on a lie, and Oliver hoped that there still existed some spark of the honorable man that he had once called brother, a spark that he could fan into a flame.
Oliver took a deep breath and pushed open the door. He walked the few paces necessary to come into visual range of the man seated in the cell, who turned to stare at him with a single brown eye, his hair streaked silver. Oliver studied the man as he stood and stretched languidly, like an ageing lion who waited for his prey to come to him and then struck without hesitation or any chance of mercy. "Well, well, look what washed back up on my lovely shores," Slade Wilson said with a tired smirk as he strolled forward, stopping short of the bars. "Welcome home, kid."
Oliver tilted his head, studying the man in front of him. There was something different about him, something about the way he held himself. This was not the high-functioning psychopath who had launched a siege on Starling City or the desperate, seemingly broken man who had decided that leaving Oliver and Thea to rot was the best course of action. This man reminded Oliver of the Slade who had trained him, who had called him brother. "I suppose in a way this is my home," Oliver said. "At least after a fashion. Pardon me for saying, but you seem…"
"Sane?" Slade barked a laugh. "The Mirakuru was already wearing off the last time you were here, but when you spend five years hating a man, allowing that hate to twist your thoughts along with a substance as vile as the Mirakuru, it takes a toll. I suppose I did what I did the last time because I knew you would escape. Mind, I was hoping that you wouldn't escape until I was well away from Lian Yu." Oliver nodded slowly. That sounded more like the Slade that he had known and called brother. "That doesn't answer my question, kid. What brings you back to our little paradise getaway?"
"I need your help," Oliver said quietly. "I learned things about my first two years on Lian Yu after our confrontation on the Amazo, things I wanted to tell you but thought you wouldn't hear."
"You were probably right," Slade replied. "So, what is it you need my help with?"
"H.I.V.E.," Oliver replied. "They've sunk their claws into Star City; they control the government, the emergency services, even the social services. My former team and their new recruits have tried to fight H.I.V.E., but they're unwilling to do all that is necessary. More importantly, for you, they were the ones behind both Fyers and Ivo." That got Slade's attention, his eye narrowing in anger as he remembered both men and what their time on Lian Yu had wrought. "I never should have gone along with Sara's lie about Ivo; I let my need to get Sara home alive to her family blind me to the friendship, no, the brotherhood you had shown me. The Mirakuru may have twisted your mind, but I still betrayed you when I knew how you felt about that. I'm not asking you for your forgiveness. I don't deserve it. What I am asking is that we set aside our differences and work towards a common goal. Afterwards, if you want to return to your former lifestyle, sans your desire to wipe out everyone and everything that I love, I'll have no quarrel with that."
"And what does your sister and A.R.G.U.S. have to say about this?"
"My sister is dead," Oliver said quietly. "Damien Darhk, the leader of H.I.V.E., did something that caused her to take a turn for the worse. There's more to the story, but that's something you'll hear only if you're going to help me." Oliver quirked an eyebrow.
"And A.R.G.U.S.?"
"I've spoken with Lyla," Oliver replied. "She's Director now. She's given me authorization to release you." Oliver tilted his head. "She doesn't know that I'm not returning you here afterward." Slade smirked at the kid's deception. "Now, I hate to hurry you, but I have another person to speak to that was moved to Lian Yu after her near escape from Slabside. What's your answer, Slade?"
*DC*
Oliver and Slade entered another cell block, Oliver unsure how the occupant would take his arrival. Their last meeting hadn't been that aggressive; in fact, he would say they had reached an understanding with one another. "Hello, Helena," Oliver said quietly. The woman who had been laying on the cot pulled herself into a sitting position and turned to face her visitors.
"Oliver," Helena replied, giving him a sultry look, and Oliver ignored both the look and Slade's chuckle and muttered comment about Oliver's thing for strong women. "What brings you to my little corner of the world?"
"Early parole if you're interested," Oliver replied. Helena quirked an eyebrow. "An organization called H.I.V.E. has taken control of Star City. They killed my sister. I'm taking them down, but I can't do it alone. My former team won't do what's necessary. So, I'm asking for help from people who will."
"If it means getting out of this little bird cage that bitch Waller put me in, I'll take it," Helena said. Oliver smiled, but neither Slade nor Helena had ever seen Oliver smile like this. It wasn't a nice smile; it wasn't a playboy smile; it was a predatory smile.
"Good." Oliver unlocked Helena's cell, and she walked out. "Helena Bertinelli, meet Slade Wilson. Slade, Helena."
"I see your penchant for strong women has never lapsed," Slade replied, giving Helena a once-over.
She returned the favor before sniffing disdainfully and saying, "You're too old for me."
*DC*
Oliver, Slade, and Helena stood in the elevator that led down to the Bunker, which Diggle and his team operated out of, the latter two now dressed in civvies. Their gear was stored at an old A.R.G.U.S. operations center that Lyla had very reluctantly given them to work out of. All three had emitted disdainful snorts when they found that there was no biometric security on the elevator or even a camera to show who was coming down. "And this is the team that's part of this so-called Justice League?" Slade asked in disbelief. Oliver shrugged; the truth was that he had left security up to others after that first year. Clearly that was something that his allies from Earth-1 still struggled with.
Oliver side-eyed Slade. "Just let me do the talking." He did the same to Helena. "Both of you."
"No promises if one of them makes a smart remark," Helena replied. Oliver sighed, knowing he couldn't really control either of these people. They were helping him, but each was more interested in the freedom that he promised them than saving Star City (though Slade at least had a vested interest in seeing H.I.V.E. fall).
The doors to the elevator slid open, and Oliver exited to find Dig and his team standing on a circular platform, waiting for whoever was coming to visit. They hadn't even armed themselves. Apparently honoring Oliver had only gone so far. Or perhaps Dig was just a spiteful bastard who thought his way was better; sadly, Oliver couldn't discount that possibility. As recognition set in regarding Oliver's companions, Oliver took in the expressions of Dig's team while also going over what he knew about them.
Ray Palmer was looking torn between terror and hatred as he stared at Slade Wilson calmly entering the Bunker.
Laurel Lance was unconsciously slipping into a defensive stance at the sight of Helena Bertinelli.
Diggle's jaw had tightened as he took in who had entered; he didn't look particularly pleased to see any of them.
Felicity Smoak had eeped at the sight of Helena, gulped at the sight of Slade, and took cover behind her precious computers.
As far as the so-called recruits for Team Spartan were concerned:
Rene Ramirez, aka Wild Dog, was looking twitchy, like he wanted to vault over the railings and head for the nearest weapon.
Evelyn Sharp, aka Artemis, was looking wary but didn't seem to be ready to act just yet.
Oliver kept his expression impassive as he said, "Obviously, my friends here have no need of introduction," Oliver replied.
"Oliver, are you out of your mind?" Diggle asked. "You know who they are and what they've done! How can you trust them?"
"I trust them to do what is necessary to remove the threat of H.I.V.E. from this city, something I don't expect from any of you," Oliver replied. "That being said, any of you who wish to join my team are welcome to do so. Just remember you'll not only be working with these two, but we won't be simply exposing corruption and the like. Corruption cannot be countenanced, especially when it's at the hands of an organization like H.I.V.E." Oliver scowled darkly. "They've dogged my footsteps for far too long. It's time to end them, once and for all."
"What are you saying, Ollie?" Laurel asked.
"Easy, Laurel," Helena said with a smirk. "He means we're going to kill every last one of those bastards so that there's nothing left to come back."
"Something I'm sure the League will be all too happy to help in doing," Oliver added, and Diggle grimaced, knowing it was true.
"Then why bring them into it?" Ray asked, eyes still locked on Slade.
"Because I need someone to watch my back and be willing to kill anyone who tries to take me down while I'm questioning my targets," Oliver replied calmly.
"I thought you promised Thea you were going to work with us to take down H.I.V.E.," Laurel said quietly. "You know we can't work with them, much less do what you're suggesting."
"I promised Thea I would help bring down H.I.V.E. and Darhk," Oliver replied. "I never said I would do it on your team. I don't serve anyone. Neither does Slade or Helena. We're in this as partners." Oliver tilted his head. "I didn't come here to try and join forces. I came to deliver a warning. Anyone who interferes with our work will be treated as an enemy. Stick to the common criminals; leave H.I.V.E. to me."
"We've been in this fight for two years, Oliver!" Diggle shouted, an ugly look coming to his features.
"And done a pretty poor job of it, from what we've read," Slade drawled amusedly. "Civilians going missing every other week. H.I.V.E. plants at all levels of government, emergency services, and social services. The Ghosts, as you call them, putting down any attempt at resistance from the populace. Not a very good showing for two years' worth of work, Mr. Diggle. But don't worry. The professionals are here now. We'll handle this problem for you."
"So, let me get this straight," Evelyn Sharp said. "The three of you are going to take the fight to H.I.V.E. and not just try to expose them? You're going to actually be killing these people so that they can never hurt anyone ever again?"
"That's right, little girl," Helena smirked. "Got a problem with that?"
"No," Evelyn replied, "so long as Mr. Queen's offer to join his team is genuine."
"Evie?" Rene blurted in disbelief.
Evelyn shot the twitchy Hispanic a dark look. "My family are some of those H.I.V.E. took and killed while this team of supposed heroes did nothing. The only one of you who even tried to understand what that did to me was Thea. Now H.I.V.E.'s taken her from me, too. If someone's gonna do what needs to be done, you damn well better believe I'm gonna work with them."
"Get your things," Oliver said with a nod. "Helena, go with her." Helena shrugged and split off from Slade and Oliver, joining Evelyn and going to the bank of uniforms on display like some kind of ostentatious trophy case. And Oliver thought Barry's ridiculous suit vault was bad; this was much worse.
Team Spartan were speechless as Helena and Evelyn packed up the latter's Artemis uniform before rejoining Oliver and Slade, who had kept the team occupied by meeting their gazes. Rene, in particular, seemed to get the impression that they had judged him and found him wanting, something that pissed the hot-headed vigilante off, but he knew now wasn't the time. He knew Dig; the man wasn't about to let these assholes just take over the fight against H.I.V.E. He'd have his shot at showing them who was the boss.
"Remember my warning," was the last thing Oliver said before he, Slade, Helena, and Evelyn entered the elevator and returned to the city above.
A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.
Now, on the one hand, Oliver is fully capable of taking down H.I.V.E. on his own, IMO. We've seen him do shit like that before. But I kind of wanted him to shove it in Team Spartan's face that they're inept or incompetent, and he can only do that with a team around him that isn't.
I have plans for Evelyn which don't include her turning on Oliver in case anyone's wondering.
There will be one more recruit to Oliver's team. Or perhaps two. Kudos if you can guess the identities of these potential recruits.
*smirking* So… who should teach Kicked Puppy, as I like to call him, a lesson? Slade or Oliver?
