Ellie Bishop: Yep, Frank doesn't pull any punches. Yep, they really didn't use Frank's tactical skills enough. Oh just wait.
Agent N: Glad you enjoyed. Yep, he did. I personally saw it as more similar to Mack becoming director at the end of season five, but I can see how you'd draw that parallel. In response to your review on 'Barry Allen's goodbye', I'm taking a bit of a hiatus from writing Barry/Caitlin because doing it so often has made me grow a little bored with it. Once I get the creative juices flowing for it again, I'll get back to it.
Trigon: Glad to hear it. You have a point on Jiaying, but I disagree that Whitehall is responsible for the end of the world. By that logic, the person who created guns has a hand in every murder committed by someone using a gun.
Guest: Glad you enjoyed it. Well, it had to happen for something I plan later on for Lyla and Diggle. Glad to hear it.
Mountain side
Day
After several weeks of searching, Oliver had finally gotten a lead on his old teacher. Which was why he was climbing up a snowy mountain, finding a monastery in front of him once he had reached the top.
"You sure this is the place?" Oliver inquired.
"I don't see any other monasteries on this mountain," Curtis, who had taken over as the team's resident hacker since Felicity's departure, said over the comms.
"I'm heading in, I'll see you back at Star City," Oliver said before he walked inside.
Curtis may have tried to say something, Oliver wasn't sure as static came over the comms before it was silent. He opened the doors and walked in to see various warriors dressed in black sparing. Oliver closed the door and threw down his bag, pulling back his hood. They stopped as they saw him, getting to their feet and facing him as he approached.
"Where is she?" Oliver demanded.
"Who are you?" one of them, a young woman asked.
"A former student," Oliver answered.
"Former. Then you are not welcome here!" she said as she lunged for him.
Oliver grabbed her arm and threw her onto the ground as the others rushed him. Oliver dodged a kick from another before flipping him over and engaging another. After exchanging a few blows, Oliver grabbed him and tossed him aside before doing the same to the last one. The four jumped to their feet and they and Oliver readied themselves to engage when-
"Hold!"
Everyone stopped as they looked up. From the railing of the staircase, Talia was watching them. She had not aged a day, Oliver noted.
"Leave us," Talia ordered and her students left them alone as she began walking down the stair case. "I would apologize for my student's enthusiasm, but you should not have come to this place."
"Well Talia, it was hard to find," Oliver said dryly.
"Our business concluded five years ago," Talia said as she walked down the last step and began circling him, like a shark and her prey.
"No. One of your former student's is trying to kill me," Oliver told her and she smiled thinly.
"He doesn't mean to kill you; he means to destroy you utterly," Talia told him and Oliver stared at her, barely comprehending what she was saying.
"You knew? If you knew then why did you train him? Why didn't you warn me?!" Oliver demanded, his voice rising.
"Two years ago, he sought me out. He'd already learned much about you, he's a man of remarkable capacity," Talia explained.
"Talia, enough! If you knew what he wanted, then why did you train him?!" Oliver demanded angrily.
"You killed his father! And I helped him in his pursuit of vengeance because by then you'd killed mine!" Talia snarled, to Oliver's shock and confusion. "I never told you my full name, did I?"
"No you didn't," Oliver agreed lowly.
"It's Talia al Ghul," Talia said and Oliver exhaled as it all came together.
"Ra's al Ghul was your father," Oliver said lowly and she nodded.
"Yes. My father and I came to be at odds, so I had to forge my own path. But he was still my father when you drove a sword through his chest," Talia sneered.
"He didn't leave me any choice," Oliver tried to explain as she smiled thinly.
"I imagine he didn't. But that still changes nothing Oliver," Talia said and Oliver sighed.
"So that's why you're not gonna help me. That's why you won't tell me who this Prometheus is," Oliver said grimly and Talia smiled unpleasantly.
"Of course I will Oliver," Talia said to his surprise as she took a few steps closer to him. "Because I want you to suffer. He calls himself Adrian Chase."
Oliver stared at her, shocked, barely processing this. But deep down, he knew. From the moment he'd met Adrian, something about him had seemed off. But he'd ignored it, ignored all the little things that should have set off warning bells in his head.
Adrian was Prometheus. And a part of him had known all along.
Star City, City Hall
Mid Afternoon
Oliver got off the elevator, flanked by his security detail and nearly running over Thea in his haste.
"Ollie, where've you been, I've been trying to reach you all day?" Thea asked.
"I need you to call Quentin and Pike, tell them to meet me in my office right now. And I need to know where Chase is right now," Oliver said in a voice that put Thea on edge, it was a voice she had only heard him use in the lair, when something horrible had happened.
"He's in the conference room," Thea said and Oliver stopped dead.
Oliver walked into the conference room, seeing Adrian talking to the city council.
"Mr. Mayor, I didn't think you'd be joining us this morning," Adrian said as he spotted Oliver. "I guess you know what I've been up to."
"Yeah," Oliver said stiffly, trying not to lose it in front of the council.
"Addressing our sentencing policy for drug offenses. Care to join?" Adrian asked casually.
"I'd like to see you in my office please," Oliver said stiffly.
"Actually, can't it wait? The council and I are on a clock. Besides, you look a little ragged. Tired…or is it that you've actually been a sleep this whole time?" Adrian asked casually with a pointed look at Oliver.
Oliver seethed, but knew he couldn't react without exposing himself. So he simply turned around and walked out of the room. Adrian smirked before he turned back to the council, continuing the meeting as if nothing had happened.
That night, Adrian was walking to his car in the parking garage when an arrow flew out, shattering the driver's side window. Adrian smirked as he heard Oliver notch a second arrow.
"Let's try it this way now," Adrian said as he turned around to face Oliver in his Green Arrow suit. "I gotta say, I'm not too sure how that mask is gonna play here. First a member of the ACU, then the DA? Not a bright move."
"Well, let's see how the feel when they find out the DA is The Throwing Star killer," Oliver snarled.
"Wait, that's your big plan, arresting me? Well, that's a bit of a letdown, I must say," Adrian said in mock disappointment.
"Well I'm not gonna kill you, if only because I know that's what you want me to," Oliver said as he put the arrow back in his quiver and lowered his bow.
"Well you've done everything I've wanted so far. Did you really think I'd let all this end in a parking garage?" Adrian asked with a smirk that made Oliver's blood run cold.
"What did you do?" Oliver demanded.
"I gave your girlfriend-ex girlfriend? It's been a little hard to keep track buddy-an exclusive," Adrian said.
"What did you do to her!?" Oliver snarled.
"She's fine, so long as I'm around to make sure she gets food and water. Dehydration and starvation, terrible way to go. Bottom line, I die, she dies. I don't make it back to her in time, she dies. You could try torturing me for her location; we both know what you're capable of in that department, but I think we both know what I'm capable of. So Ollie, who do you think will last longer, Susan or me?" Adrian asked calmly.
As Oliver shook with rage, Adrian smirked.
"Oooh, I'm ten steps ahead of you and you haven't even figured out what game we're playing yet," Adrian laughed before getting in his car and driving off, leaving Oliver standing there.
Arrow lair
Later
"That son of a bitch," Quentin said after Oliver had told the entire team, including Thea, the truth about Adrian.
"Yeah, I say that pretty much covers it," Rene muttered.
"I knew there was something off about him, but this is insane. The DA is a serial killer," Laurel said in disbelief.
"He's way worse than that," Curtis told her.
"Infiltrating the government like that, at the highest level right next to Oliver…we underestimated this guy," Diggle said and Oliver shook his head.
"I underestimated him," Oliver corrected him.
"No, we did," Thea said as she walked up to her brother. "I felt like he was hiding something, but I ignored it, told myself I was being paranoid. That's on me."
"It's on both of us," Oliver said as he looked around at his team. "We cannot make a move on Chase until we know Susan is safe, until we have her here. In the meantime, we keep those we love safe. John-"
"Flag has Lyla and JJ in an Argus safe house," Diggle assured him and Oliver nodded.
"Good. You and Curtis head to Opal City. His mother has probably already left but-"
"We need to check out every lead," Diggle finished and Oliver nodded.
"Chase's house has a subsidy area basement. I'm gonna check it out," Oliver said as he grabbed his bow.
"You're not going alone," Laurel told him as she moved to suit up.
"I can handle it," Oliver said stubbornly.
"Never said you couldn't," Laurel tossed over her shoulder.
Earth-2, unspecified location
Day
Laurel didn't know how long she had been here; time had ceased to have any meaning. Every day, she was experimented on in the most horrible ways imaginable. At this point, Laurel was simply waiting for them to kill her. Death could hardly be worse than this, could it?
Laurel was still strapped to the table where the doctor, Felicity Smoak, Laurel had learned was her name, did experiments on her when she heard something outside the door. It sounded like gun shots and screams before the door burst open. Laurel looked up and started.
Standing in the door way was a man dressed in a grew suit that looked like a demon out of hell. He was tell man, heavily built, and the suit's hands were shaped like claws. The eye holes were pure white, and that was perhaps the most terrifying, that she could not see his eyes. Blue lightning seemed to spark off him as he entered the room.
"Who-who are you," Laurel said breathlessly, hating how weak she sounded just then.
"You may call me Zoom. And I am here to free you, my sister," he said in a monstrous hiss.
Opal City
Now
"Looks like Norma Bates got the hell out of Dodge," Curtis quipped as he and Diggle moved through the house.
"Oliver was right, Chase knew we were coming," Diggle noted.
"Never said he wasn't smart, but so am I," Curtis said as he pulled out a T-Sphere, which began flying around the room.
"What is it doing?" Diggle asked as it flew upstairs.
"It's detecting the resident frequencies upstairs," Curtis said and stopped Diggle as he tried to head upstairs. "Wait! Every horror film ever has said do not go upstairs in the creepy serial killer's mother's house!"
Diggle gave him an incredulous look before they heard a scream coming from upstairs. Diggle rushed up, Curtis behind him. They followed the T-Sphere to a room and Diggle kicked the door in. They stared in shock and horror at a projection of Prometheus tormenting Susan.
"Excellent. Now, give us another scream," Prometheus said, putting a knife to the terrified Susan's throat.
City Hall
Same time
"I can't believe this. I knew something was off about him, but this?" Thea said to Quentin as they walked down the hall. "I should've seen this coming, after Malcolm, I should have seen this!"
"Don't beat yourself up. If anyone should have seen this coming, it's me," Quentin said and she looked over at him. "I'm supposed to be this great detective, but I couldn't see the truth about him, just like Oliver and Darhk, until it was too late. I must have really sucked at my old job."
"Well, that's certainly a plausible theory," the two jumped, looking to see Adrian standing in front of them, smirking. "This is nice, everything being out in the open now. All the cards on the table as it were."
"You've got some nerve showing up here," Quentin sneered.
"Why wouldn't I? I take my job very seriously," Adrian said appearing confused and Thea smiled thinly. "Speaking of, I thought my office had requested your verification of the latest Comstat records from the SCPD. What have you been doing?"
"You think you're so clever. But my brother's gonna kick your ass all the way to Hell," Thea told him and Adrian chuckled.
"You have such faith in him for a woman who ran off with her father and brother's killer," Adrian said and the words 'if looks could kill' came to mind as Thea glared at him.
"This isn't over you son of a bitch," Quentin sneered.
"I agree. In fact, I think we're just getting started," Adrian said lowly and they tensed. "Have those Comstat reports on my desk by tomorrow morning."
As Adrian walked off, Quentin pulled out his cell phone and dialed Laurel.
"Thea and I have eyes on Chase at City Hall. You two have a green light to move on his house," Quentin said.
Star City
Same time
Oliver and Laurel entered Chase's home, looking around but found nothing upon first entry.
"You look upstairs, I'll sweep the basement. We'll meet in the middle," The archer ordered in a whisper.
Laurel nodded in agreement before they split up. Finding nothing of substance in the basement, Oliver walked back upstairs, but the lights were back on. Oliver notched an arrow, wondering if Adrian had returned home. But it was just Doris, Adrian's wife. Oliver lowered his bow as she turned around and saw him, gasping in fear as she backed away slowly.
"Please don't hurt me," she said fearfully.
"Mrs. Chase, I'm not gonna hurt you," Oliver said, trying to calm her.
"Get out of my house," Doris demanded fearfully.
"Mrs. Chase, your husband isn't who you think he is. He's The Throwing Star Killer," Oliver said and she stared at him incredulously.
"You're insane," she finally said.
"Doris, you must know on some level your husband is keeping something from you. He is holding an innocent woman hostage and I need your help to find her," Oliver pleaded desperately.
"The police in and the mayor say that you're the killer, you," Doris said before the door burst open.
"On the floor! On the floor now!" An officer said as a squad of officers burst in, aiming at Oliver. "You alright Mrs. Chase?"
"I-I'm fine," Doris stammered.
"We got a call from your husband. Don't worry, we got this handled," the officer said and Oliver growled, realizing Adrian had anticipated this move as well. "Get her out of here."
"So, do we punch our way out of this one?" Laurel asked over the Comms as an office took Doris out of the room.
"I am not getting into a shootout with the SCPD," Oliver said warningly.
"Understood," Laurel said.
"Smart move douchebag," the officer said as Oliver lowered his bow.
"I wasn't talking to you," Oliver told him as he reached for his quiver.
"Drop your weapons!" the officer said not taking is gun off him.
The archer grabbed a small ball and threw it onto the floor. It exploded in an explosion of sparks, blinding the SCPD. When they regained their vision, Oliver was gone.
Arrow lair
Later
"The whole thing is about thirty seconds long," Diggle said as he and Curtis showed Oliver and Laurel the video on Susan and Prometheus.
"I've been over every frame, and there's nothing to indicate a location," Curtis said.
"At least its proof of life," Diggle tried to see a bright side.
"Yeah, she was alive when this was made, sorry," Curtis realized what he was saying and looked at Oliver apologetically.
"Its fine," Oliver said in a gruff voice that made it clear it was anything but. "He'll keep her alive to keep me in check. I don't know what I was thinking, getting involved with her."
"You were thinking you were lonely. Everyone needs somebody man," Diggle said wisely.
"Yeah, and it gave Susan an opportunity to investigate me and Chase a weakness to exploit," Oliver said gruffly as Diggle's phone rang.
"Lyla now's not a good time," Diggle said before pausing as he listened to what Lyla was saying. "Really? That's fantastic! Thank you, I love you. Okay, I'll tell them."
"What's going on?" Curtis asked as Diggle hung up.
"Before Lyla left Argus, she reached out to an old contact, someone called Oracle, for help with Prometheus and the data we got off Chase's mother. They got something and Lyla is about to send it to us," Diggle said.
The computer beeped as it received whatever was on it. Curtis opened it up and found a birth certificate.
"Who's Simon Morrison?" Curtis asked.
"Chase," Diggle said.
"Wait, Chase changed his identity?" Curtis asked.
"If Adrian Chase is an alias-" Oliver started.
"Then the proof that his background is fake will be enough for the ACU to arrest him," Laurel said with a smirk.
"Okay, this is good. Save this on the drive. In the meantime, I need to get to City Hall, make a statement on the Green Arrow breaking into Chase's house," Oliver said wearily before walking off.
City Hall
Later
"Obviously, this is a horrifying development," Adrian said, the perfect picture of a caring husband as he gave a statement to the press. "We believe the Green Arrow was speaking out against this office for speaking out against his recent crimes.
"Mr. Chase, how did you know to call the Anti-Crime Unit and send them to your house?" a reporter suddenly interrupted.
"I received notification that the Green Arrow was spotted near my house. As a precaution, I sent some officers to my house," Adrian said, making it sound like the absolute truth. "Now, here is Oliver Queen with a few words. Mr. Mayor."
Adrian stepped back, allowing Oliver to take the podium. It took everything in Oliver not to turn around and break Adrian's neck.
"This office is in complete agreement with DA Chase," Oliver lied through his teeth. "The situation has become untenable. And I am determined to bring it to a just and successful end. I will not let anyone, anyone, terrorize this city. And so I am demanding that the Green Arrow turn himself in. He has twenty-four hours before I am ordering the SCPD to shoot on sight. That's all, thank you."
Oliver then walked off, ignoring the reporters asking ore questions and Adrian's smirk, trying very hard not to turn around and attack him.
Star City Police Department
Later
"Thank you for seeing me so late," Oliver said as he walked into Pike's office.
"I think we both know our jobs don't recognize early and late," Pike said as Oliver put down a flash drive on his desk. "What's that?"
"Proof Adrian Chase is a false identity. His real name is Simon Morrison. During the scope of this investigation, you will also discover that he is the Throwing Star killer," Oliver announced.
"That's one hell of an accusation," Pike said as he picked up the drive.
"That's why I'm giving you that," Oliver said lowly.
"This information comes from where?" Pike inquired.
"An investigation that I've been conducting off the books," Oliver said vaguely.
"With what personal?" Pike inquired.
"Work the lead Captain," Oliver said through gritted teeth. "Consider that an order if it helps. You didn't get that from me."
Pike nodded and Oliver turned and walked out.
"I serve at the pleasure of the mayor," Pike said dryly as Oliver closed the door behind him.
Arrow lair
Later
"Where is everyone?" Oliver asked as he walked in, seeing only Laurel.
"Thea and Quentin are at City Hall still, Curtis and Rene hit the streets. Diggle went to check in on Lyla, as well as give Argus our gift from Chase, see if they can get a location," Laurel said and Oliver nodded. "This might sound like a stupid question, but are you okay?"
"No," Oliver said blankly, collapsing into the desk, using it for support.
"Do you love her? Susan?" Laurel asked almost hesitantly.
"No," Oliver said with absolute certainty as he looked over at her. "But I care about her, a part of me always will. Maybe that's the problem."
"You think Chase can turn your strengths into weaknesses," Laurel noted and Oliver nodded slowly. "Maybe you're right, but you can't not care about people. Speaking as someone who tried that, it just left me more broken that I was before I shut out my emotions. We need human connections to remind us we're human. We lose that…we're already dead inside."
Earth-2, unspecified location, four years ago
Day
Zoom had freed all of the Metahumans as they were called from that place, killed everyone in the building. Laurel stood over the lifeless body of Felicity Smoak, a feeling of rage coming over her. It should have been her that killed Felicity, that got revenge for everything Felicity had done to her.
"My Metahuman brothers and sisters," Zoom's voice echoed through the building as Laurel looked up, seeing Zoom addressing them. "This world had deemed us less than human because of our powers. Because we are different, they cast us out. Let us show them who is lesser. Let us show them that this is our world!"
As the Metas around her cheered, Laurel felt something in her harden. Perhaps it was killing the man who killed her father, or Moira's betrayal, or even all the inhumane torture Felicity and Hydra had put her through. Whatever it was, she felt a darkness wash over her. Laurel Lance was dead. And now, whoever she was would make those who had wronged her pay.
Talia's reasoning to siding with Chase was just ridiculous. I mean, I know Talia has been shown in nearly every adaptation to have an obsessive loyalty to Ra's, but he was about to wipe out an entire city full of people to prove a point. And what's worse is Oliver is portrayed as being in the wrong for killing him, not just in season five but in season seven as well. The writers hate Oliver so much it is just astonishing.
I didn't hate Chase as Prometheus and Josh was amazing in the role, but Chase becomes much less impressive when you realize that the plot is written to accommodate him. Oliver figured out that something was off about Harrison Wells after meeting him one time and Quentin, despite the fact that he was a full blown alcoholic, figured out that Oliver was The Hood by episode four. The two of them and Thea had daily interactions with Chase, yet somehow, none of them put together that he was Prometheus, even after the leak, when only a select few people could have been responsible. And then, no one questions how Chase knew to call the ACU to his house just when Oliver happened to be there. And that's the case for the whole season; Team Arrow stupidly falls into every trap Chase sets because, if any of them had been written with a shred of intelligence, Chase would have been defeated long before the season finale
