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.


"You." Natasha glared.

"Taskmaster." Clint growled.

"Good to know you remember." Taskmaster said.

Clint immediately fired an arrow but Taskmaster grabbed it and threw it back as they dodged.

Natasha and Bobbi pulled out their batons, while Clint pressed on the button on his bow, changing it into a staff. Taskmaster pulled out his escrima sticks and blocked their attacks. Taskmaster pushed back and retaliated as they moved back and forth before Taskmaster kicked Bobbi in the face, staggering her back. Natasha punched him hard in the face but Taskmaster blocked the following attack and ducked, when Clint swung his staff.

Taskmaster jumped and spun around, forcing them all to retreat.

"You work for Merlyn? Trying to distract us? How much did he pay you to take me out?" Natasha demanded.

"Oh, he didn't have to pay me anything. You, I'll gladly do pro bono." Taskmaster said.

They continued fighting before guards entered, drawing guns.

"Freeze!"

"Don't move!"

Taskmaster pulled out a smoke bomb and dropped it as it exploded and they all retreated.

"We gotta find Oliver." Natasha said.


Oliver gasped as Malcolm's henchman dumped a bucket of ice water on him and Oliver looked around, realizing he had been stripped of his gear and comms and had only his jeans on, his arms hanging on chains.

"I hope I didn't hurt you." Malcolm said as he circled around Oliver like a shark around his prey. "At least now I can properly thank you for saving my life. If I only knew how you were spending your nights… My hope is that I can explain everything to you. To help you understand."

"You murdered my father!" Oliver snarled. "You sentenced me to that island, to five years of hell!"

"I am truly sorry for what happened to you." Malcolm said calmly. "You know I have lost people."

"Yeah, your wife." Oliver said. "Do you really think that you're honoring Tommy's mother by destroying the Glades?"

"As much as you believe you're honoring your father with this hood." Malcolm replied, in his hand the green hood. "Not a day goes by I don't miss your father."

"You'll see him soon." Oliver vowed, glaring hatefully at Malcolm.

Malcolm neared Oliver. "Neither you or the Black Widow can beat me." Oliver glared. Malcolm already knew about her. "Yes, you two are younger. Faster. But you always seem to come up short against me. Do you want to know why? Because neither of you knows in your hearts what you're fighting for. What you're willing to sacrifice. And I do." He stepped back. "No one can stop what's about to come. Not even the vigilantes." He dropped the hood on the floor and walked away as the door closed.


Clint, Bobbi, Natasha and Diggle followed the GPS as they burst into the warehouse, shooting down the guards.


Oliver used his legs to climb up the chains and as he reached the pipe on which he was hanging, he let go as the sudden weight caused for the chains to break and then, a guard entered down the stairs, while Oliver threw the chains at him, causing for the guard to fall down the stairs as Oliver then grabbed him and snapped his neck, then searched his body for keys before he saw another guard with a gun as Diggle shot him down as Oliver saw him, Natasha and Bobbi.

"I take back every joke I ever made about you sticking a tracer in your boot." Diggle said.


"I've been trying to figure out a way of shutting down the earthquake device." Bobbi said, showing Oliver the blueprints on the tablet as Diggle drove them.

"We need to find it quickly." Oliver groaned.

"There's one problem. He hired a mercenary on us. We've crossed paths with him before. His name is Taskmaster and he's very dangerous. Merlyn must have been the one behind Yelena, Kovar and Lukin too." Natasha said.

"You're saying Malcolm helped Kovar?" Oliver said.

"It all leads back to him." Natasha nodded.

"We need to shut him down and find the device." Oliver groaned.

"I'll call backup." Bobbi said.


Oliver went upstairs and saw Tommy setting up the bar.

"Hey, Ollie." Tommy greeted.

"Tommy, could you please take a night off for tonight? In fact, I'm closing the club for tonight. Call everyone else, email them and give them a memo." Oliver said and Tommy blinked.

"Again? This is third time in past month. What's going on, Ollie?" Tommy asked.

"Tommy…" Oliver took a breath. "I can't explain right now but I promise I will. Just tell me, do you trust me?"

"Ollie, I—"

"Do you trust me, Tommy?" Oliver gave him an imploring look.

Tommy stared before nodding. "OK—"

Oliver nodded as he walked off.


Later, Queen Manor

"No more lies, Mom." Oliver said as Moira was putting some clothes into a box in her bedroom. "The Undertaking. We need to stop it."

"Everything I have ever said or done has been to protect you and your sister." Moira replied.

"What about all those people in the Glades?" Oliver asked.

"I'm not their mother." Moira said passively as she looked at him.

"I spoke to Malcolm." Oliver tried a different tactic.

"You what?!" Moira gasped. "He could have killed you; he killed your father."

"No, he didn't." Oliver shook his head. "After the Gambit went down, Dad and I both made it to a life raft and then we drifted, for days. In the end, there wasn't enough food and water for both of us… so he shot himself in the head.

"I don't want to hear this." Moira turned away, dread filling her.

"He sacrificed himself, so that I could live." Oliver continued. "Do you really think that I could go on living, knowing that you sacrificed thousands more in my name?" Moira sobbed as Oliver gently held her arms. "Mom, please, you have to help me stop Malcolm. We need to know where the device is." He insisted as Moira's phone rang.

"Malcolm." She said, leveling her voice as she picked up her phone. "How can I help you? I see. Yes, thank you for calling."

She hung up as Oliver stared. "What is it?"

"Malcolm's accelerated his timetable; the Undertaking is…" She swallowed. "Is happening tonight." Oliver moved past her towards the door. "Where are you going?"

Oliver turned around to face her. "Somebody in this family needs to put an end to this; whatever the cost." With that he left the manor.


CNRI

"Laurel, did you see this?" Joanna called out as she and Laurel turned to the TV to see Moira's announcement.

"My name is Moira Dearden Queen. I am the acting CEO of Queen Consolidated. And God forgive me, I have failed this city.

For the past five years, under the threat for my life and the lives of my family, I have been complicit in an undertaking with one horrible purpose.

To destroy the Glades and everyone in it.

But I realize now that my family's safety will mean nothing if I let this dreadful act occur but you need to know that the architect of this nightmare is Malcolm Merlyn. Yes, and I have proof that he has killed dozens in pursuit of this madness. Adam Hunt, Frank Chen, and my husband Robert. Please. If you reside in the Glades, you need to get out now. Your lives and the lives of your children depend on it. Please."

Laurel quickly packed up her things.


The Foundry

"I think I know where can we find that machine." Bobbi said as she showed Oliver the glyph on the notebook. "If you were about to tear down an otherwise geologically stable area, where are you going to plant the device that can do just that?"

"Underground." Oliver nodded in realization.

Bobbi nodded back as she showed them the geographical map on the screen. "This is U.S. geological survey of tectonic plates under Starling City. That red line there; a known fault right below the Glades. About a mile, the fault runs underneath the old Tenth Street subway line."

"That device is somewhere in the subway." Diggle concluded.

"I know where it is." Oliver realized.

"If Merlyn planned this for a long time, he might have prepared a contingency though." Clint said.

"Yeah, I wouldn't bet on only one device, if I was going to use it. I'd have a contingency in place." Natasha nodded.

"I'll see if I can find if there are other devices and locate their signals." Bobbi said.

"I'll take out one, Nat can take out the other." Clint said.

"The devices are on timer and they can also be turned on remotely with a mobile transmitter." Bobbi explained as she examined the blueprints.

"Something Merlyn could have on him." Diggle realized. "Listen, if we can just get our hands on this device, maybe Lance doesn't have to disable it."

"It's too big of an 'if', Diggle." Oliver disagreed.

"We're not letting you do it on your own, Queen." Clint said. "You're going to need all the help you can get."


Merlyn Global Group

Oliver and Diggle entered Malcolm's office to see dead S.W.A.T. on the ground before Diggle found a crack in the wall. "Looks like a false wall." Diggle said as he opened the hidden door to the room, where they found Malcolm, dressed in his Dark Archer outfit.

"Welcome, gentlemen. I've been waiting for you." Malcolm said. "I wanted to see you watch your city die."

"Where's the transmitter?" Oliver demanded.

"Somewhere I can easily get to it." Malcolm said with a smirk on his face.

"I doubt it." Diggle said as Malcolm glanced at him. "You'll be too dead."

Oliver fired an arrow but Malcolm ran to the other side of the room, dodging Oliver's arrow and Diggle's gunfire as he hid behind a pillar. Oliver and Diggle rushed at him but Malcolm fired an arrow as Oliver dodged.

Diggle engaged Malcolm but Malcolm disarmed him of his gun and kicked him away before he threw the gun at Oliver, who dodged to avoid it. Oliver and Diggle both engaged Malcolm but Malcolm managed to hold his own against their combined efforts, blocking their attacks with his bow.

Malcolm knocked Diggle back and slammed Oliver to the work table. Diggle dodged as Malcolm swung his bow and punched him. Malcolm ducked to avoid as Oliver attacked with his bow and knocked Diggle back with his bow and kicked Oliver, sending him falling on the table.

Malcolm whacked Diggle in the face with his bow as Diggle staggered back. As Malcolm attempted to hit Oliver with his bow, Oliver used his own to block Malcolm's strike. Oliver punched Malcolm in the face and Malcolm ran and as he was behind a rack of swords, Malcolm threw two knives, one of them hitting Diggle in the hip under the shoulder, the other one in the leg. Diggle groaned in pain and fell down and Oliver ran to him in worry as Malcolm ran upstairs to the rooftop.

"Stairs, Oliver, go. Go!" Diggle said, pointing to the door and Oliver went up on the rooftop, going after Malcolm. At the door, Oliver dodged another incoming arrow before facing Malcolm, who was wearing his mask and hood.

"So tell me, are you ready to die?" Malcolm said.


The Glades

"I got eyes on the device." Lance Hunter said, nearing the device in the underground.

"Is there a timer?" Bobbi asked.

"Six minutes." Hunter said.

"I think you can disarm it in three, if you're not going to be an idiot." Bobbi said and Hunter groaned.

"Seriously, Bobbi, you're bringing this up now?" Hunter snapped.


Merlyn Global Group

Oliver and Malcolm rushed at each other, firing arrows and as they neared each other, Oliver ducked to dodge as Malcolm swung his bow in an attempt to strike Oliver. Oliver raised his bow and blocked as Malcolm attacked with his bow again. Oliver got up as he and Malcolm were using their bows as bo staffs, exchanging strikes until Oliver dodged Malcolm's attack and grabbed him and threw him away. Malcolm did a cartwheel as Oliver fired another arrow that Malcolm caught it, only for it to explode as Malcolm yelped and fell down on the ground.


The Glades

"We've got eyes on the other device." Clint said as he saw it.

Suddenly, Natasha sensed a knife as she pushed Clint away as Taskmaster jumped down.

"Back away from it. Now." Taskmaster said.

"You know we can't do that." Natasha sneered.

Clint fired an arrow but Taskmaster caught it and pulled out a bow, shooting back. Clint and Natasha dodged as the arrow grazed her arm and she hissed. Natasha pulled out a pair of batons, engaging him, with Clint pressing a button on his bow, turning it into a staff as they charged at Taskmaster.

Taskmaster picked up his own pair of sticks, blocking their attacks. Taskmaster dodged as Clint swung his staff before striking him in the face as Clint staggered back.

Taskmaster ducked, when Natasha aimed at his head before she attempted to use her Widow Bite. Taskmaster grabbed her hands but she slammed her fists onto his chest. Taskmaster stumbled back, surprised by the shocks but it had no effect on him.

"Insulated. That ain't working on me." Taskmaster gloated.

Natasha jumped, trying to kick him in the head but Taskmaster ducked as he kicked her in the leg and Natasha fell down. Natasha quickly recovered, while Taskmaster blocked Clint's staff with his bracers and they exchanged blows. Clint hit him in the chest and face as Taskmaster groaned before elbowing Clint in the hip and pushing him back.

Natasha attacked Taskmaster with her batons as they appeared to be evenly matched.


Merlyn Global Group

Malcolm got up and pulled out his sword as Oliver rushed at him. Malcolm blocked Oliver's attack and Oliver dodged, when Malcolm tried to slice him. Oliver attempted to hit Malcolm with his bow but Malcolm ducked to avoid Oliver's strike. Before Malcolm could attack, Oliver ducked and knocked the sword off his hand but Malcolm kicked him in the back, as Oliver rolled down on the ground.

Oliver kicked Malcolm in his face as Malcolm fell down. As Malcolm tried to get up, Oliver jumped at him and flipped him on the ground. As Oliver staggered on his feet, Malcolm jumped at him, flipping him over and grabbing him in chokehold. Oliver punched Malcolm, trying to free himself as Diggle crawled up on the rooftop in the meantime.

Oliver managed to rip Malcolm's mask off his face as he was losing strength from Malcolm's tightened grip.

"Don't struggle." Malcolm warned as they both fell on their knees. "It's over. There was never any doubt in the outcome. Don't worry. Your mother and sister will be joining you in death."

'Survive.' Robert's words echoed in Oliver's mind as he saw one of Malcolm's arrows in front of him.

Oliver reached out for the arrow and drove it through his shoulder, piercing Malcolm's chest, who gasped as he let Oliver go as they both fell down. Oliver grunted as he got up on his feet, groaning. "Thank you for teaching me what I'm fighting for." He turned around to face Malcolm. "But my father taught me how." Oliver punched Malcolm in his face as he fell down.


The Glades

Natasha jumped back, when Taskmaster attacked and blocked with her batons. She headbutted Taskmaster in the face, making him stagger back. Taskmaster spun around before blocking Natasha's attacks again. He hit her in the abdomen and leg, forcing her on her knees and Natasha rolled away before he could finish her off.

Clint fired an arrow and Taskmaster caught it and threw it back, as it exploded upon nearing Clint, knocking him down.

"I ain't falling for that one." Taskmaster gloated.

Natasha jumped at Taskmaster from behind, wrapping her legs around him and trying to knock him down but Taskmaster used his arms to regain his footing as Natasha flipped back, dodging his kick. Natasha rushed at Taskmaster as they exchanged blows but Taskmaster kicked her in the leg, forcing her on her knees before he elbowed her in the face as she staggered back. Taskmaster hit her in the face, knocking her down before sending her flying back as he kicked her in the face again.

"You can't beat me. I know every move you're going to make." Taskmaster said.

"Well, guess I'm gonna have to fight dirty." Natasha sneered.

If she couldn't beat him in formal hand-to-hand combat, well, it was time to improvise. Natasha threw some marbles at Taskmaster, that exploded in smoke, blinding him. Natasha rushed at Taskmaster, tackling him to the pillar, making him struggle for breath. She dodged Taskmaster's punch before kicking him in the crotch as Taskmaster groaned before she pulled out a knife and jammed it into Taskmaster's throat and he gagged before she pulled away and Taskmaster fell down. Natasha and Clint then turned to the device again.


Merlyn Global Group

"Oliver, do you copy? Both devices have been disabled. It's over." Bobbi announced.

"It's over." Oliver said. "Both your devices are off. You've lost."

Malcolm glared hatefully at Oliver. "Do you realize what you've done?! This city is condemned because of you! This filth needed to be erased from the map!"

"There's only one filth in this city that's in front of me." Oliver growled before Malcolm drew his last breath as he collapsed on the ground.


Hope you liked the changes to the finale. And for the purposes of this story, Malcolm is dead, because assuming I will write the sequel, I don't see how would he be causing trouble later.

The next chapter is going to be concluding epilogue of the story.

So, what do you guys think?

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