Streets of the Glades, Night
As Slade's limo had just picked Thea off of the streets, they sat in silence as Thea was still crying but trying to fight back her tears. "Your mascara is running," Slade noted handing her a tissue.
"Thank you," Thea replied wiping her face.
"Are you all right?" He asked feigning courtesy.
"I don't know. It's my boyfriend. Ex-boyfriend now. He just completely out of nowhere decides to end things." She answered, still processing the recent event.
"Heartbreak is something I know all too well. It's not an easy thing to recover from. Sometimes you never do." He said surprisingly genuine.
The limo came to a stop in an alleyway, taking a look out of the window, Thea saw that this was clearly not her home. "Um, we're not at- this isn't my home." She said to Slade confused.
"You're not going home, Thea." He said coldly looking straight forward. "Get out." He ordered but Thea did not move, not understanding. "Get out!" He roared at Thea like a lion, terrifying her so much she jumped out of the car. Running down the alleyway, so frightened that she did not see the man she had run into.
"Hello, Thea." A masked Sebastian Blood said to her. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
Arrowcave Bunker
In the bunker, Oliver was instructing Roy with archery lessons while Diggle was on monitor duty while Felicity was absent. "Ready?" Oliver asked Roy and the younger archer then fired an arrow at the center of the stand but it was still off of the bullseye.
"I swear I've been practicing, but I guess I'm not exactly a natural," Roy said to him.
"Neither was I," Oliver reassured him. "Ok. We have some work to do."
"Sorry, I'm just having a hard time keeping my head in the game today," Roy admitted.
"Thea?" Oliver guessed.
"I just can't stop thinking what's the worst that can happen if I just told her the truth?" Roy brought up.
"Well, I told a guy the truth and he got struck by lightning," Oliver said referencing Barry Allen's incident.
"To be fair, probably won't happen again, statistically." Roy quipped.
"Telling Thea the truth won't make her safer. Just the opposite." Oliver said seriously. "What we're doing, Roy, it's dangerous. And anyone that is even in our orbit can get hurt. Try again. This time... Aim." He instructed and Roy drew back his bow and Oliver noticed Felicity walking towards him a large pile of stacked notes. "What are those?" He asked her.
"About a month's worth of phone messages from Queen Consolidated." Felicity answering waving them in his face.
"Toss them." He asked nonchalantly.
"That's what I did with last month's phone messages." She reminded him.
"With Slade out there, I don't have time for the company." He stated.
"Well, you have to make time, Oliver. At least three hours." She shot back at him.
"The annual board meeting." He groaned as he remembered that he forgot it.
"There's absolutely zero way that the CEO can avoid being there. And I know it's been a while, so in case you've forgotten, that's you." She asked in her cheeky manner. "Do you remember where you put your business suit? Or do you keep it in a cool glass case, too?" She asked looking at his Green Arrow suit.
Queen Consolidated, Daytime
Walking out of his office to the boardroom, Oliver saw that with the exception of Isabel, it was completely empty. "I know that I haven't been here in a while, but you don't look like the entire Board of Directors." Oliver joked.
"The meeting doesn't start for another half hour," Isabel replied.
"Really?" He asked after taking a quick look at his watch.
"I routinely bump all appointments 30 minutes in anticipation of you being late." She clarified easing his confusion. "It's a good policy. But, thank you for coming out of hibernation for this. Whether you recognize it or not, it's your name on the building, and no matter how many meetings you miss, you're still the public face of this company."
"Isabel, I realize I have been distracted. Thank you for picking up the slack." He said honestly.
"Ours is an unconventional partnership, but it's a partnership." She noted. "And it's working."
"Indeed it is." He agreed.
"Oliver," Felicity spoke causing him to turn around. "Your mother's here."
"Family squabble?" Isabel asked snidely as she saw the annoyed look on Oliver's face. Ignoring her comment, Oliver stepped into her office and saw his mother.
"And how is Ms. Rochev these days? Still angry that Dorothy dropped a house on her sister?" Moira asked sarcastically.
"Ahem," Oliver said clearing his throat. "What are you doing here?"
"Have you heard from Thea?" She asked.
"No." He answered after a brief pause.
"You haven't returned any of my phone calls, so I'm left to resort to checking in person as to whether you're attending the debate tonight." She explained to him.
"I told you that I would publicly support your campaign. Anything else?" He asked making it clear he wanted to be finished with this conversation.
"It would be embarrassing for us both if you couldn't at least appear to be my son tonight." She commented as she started to leave.
"I have gotten pretty good at pretending to be someone I'm not." He said which caught her attention. "I learned it from you." Staring at her son briefly, Moira eventually resumed her exit.
Star City Debate Site, Night
Walking in the backstage area, Oliver noticed Thea's absence. "Oh, excuse me, have you seen Thea Queen?" He asked one of the girls but she just shook her head. "Ok." Oliver said with a sigh. Moving around, Oliver then took his phone out to call her. "Speedy, it's Ollie, and I'm at the debate, where I thought you would be. Listen, I know that you're upset about Roy, but mom needs both of us here. So please, just call me back." He said agitatedly to her voicemail.
"You do not look happy." Sebastian Blood said causing Oliver to turn around. "Is everything all right?"
"Yes. My sister's just a little late." Oliver said with a fake smile.
"I'm afraid that's my fault." Blood said causing Oliver to give him a skeptical look. "SCPD insisted that I arrive with a motorcade. We tied up traffic all over the city. I'm sure Thea's probably just fallen victim to gridlock." He explained with a chuckle.
"Well, I should probably try her again. Good luck tonight, Sebastian." Oliver said shaking his hand.
"Thank you, Oliver," Sebastian replied and walked off but then noticed Laurel. "I thought backstage was supposed to be restricted access."
"The benefits of having a district attorney's badge, I guess," Laurel said showing him her ID.
"You stop by to wish Moira good luck?" He asked her.
"I did. But I'm really glad I ran into you." She said with a sigh. "I owe you an apology. I accused you of really terrible things."
"You were going through a very difficult time and you were doing your job, I'm glad that your back to work." He said warmly.
"Good luck tonight." She said with a smile.
"I'm not the one who's going to need it." He replied taking his exit, getting out on the stage where he Moira greeted each other with a handshake as the crowd cheered for them. The debate pressed on, it started to become more heated.
"Sebastian Blood is not the man you think he is. He's not going to revive the city with social services. He's going to bankrupt it with unfunded mandates." Moira argued to the crowd.
"Mrs. Queen's problem with my proposals is that they will be paid for by the one percent. It's time that the wealthiest people stop avoiding their responsibility." Blood pointed out.
"But it will limit their abilities to hire people." Moira counterpointed.
"All right, that's time, and I will remind the candidates to please refrain from interrupting." The moderator reminded the two candidates trying to get them to cool down. "Now we have the next in our series of video questions submitted by Star City voters. This one comes from ... Thea Queen." He said confused then started going through his cards. "Ok, there must be some mistake."
Suddenly, the video screen behind the mayoral candidates flickered on for a second and then showed the picture clearly; of Thea terrified and weeping. Oliver got up out of his chair in the audience, as Laurel who was next to him and the rest of the crowd gasped in shock. "Help! Help! Somebody help me, please!" Thea cried out as Moira watched in horror. "He-Sla-" She tried to say but Slade, dressed in his mask and armor, covered her mouth and he kneeled down, as a question in big letters appeared on the screen: HOW MUCH IS THEA QUEEN'S LIFE WORTH TO YOU?
Queen Consolidated
"We're going to find her, Roy," Dig said to the young man as they were riding the elevator. "We're going to get her back. She's a tough girl."
"Is she going to be alive when we find her?" Roy asked roughly.
"You can't think like that," Dig told him.
"I can't stop thinking like that," Roy replied with an angry glare.
As the elevator opened, flashes from camera lights bombarded the two as they exited the elevator to the walk through the crowd of reporters. "Mr. Diggle! Mr. Diggle." The reporters said trying to get a comment from the Queen bodyguard.
" I think I might have found something," Felicity said searching on her computers from her desk. "I'm working on it." On one of her computer screens, Sebastian was addressing a press conference. "I am suspending my campaign and devoting its resources to the safe return of Thea Queen." He said.
Roy and Diggle then walked into Oliver's office where he and Laurel were. At the same time, Lieutenant Frank Pike and Quentin were questioning Moira about the captor's motives for abducting Thea. "Well, the video referenced a demand, but no ransom. Which means this might not be about money." Pike stated.
"We're going to get her back, Moira. I promise you. Thea's coming home." Quentin reassured her with a pat on her shoulder.
"Now, can you think of anyone who might want to get to you through Thea? Pike asked her.
"No one except for the families of the 503 people that died last year," Moira said distressed after briefly considering and dismissing Malcolm.
"This isn't about the quake," Oliver told the cops as he was pacing in frustration.
"Well, how can you be so sure?" Quentin asked.
"You just need to find the man in the mask!" Oliver yelled at them.
"Look, we're working on it. We're running down every lead." Pike said trying to calm him down.
"What are those leads?" Oliver asked hotly.
"Oh, God!" Moira said crying out. "Oh, God, how could I have let this happen?" As his mother continued to sob, Oliver heard Isabel tapping on the glass signaling him to come into the conference room.
"If I hear about one more invasive press inquiry being sent to Mr. Queen or to any member of the Queen family, I will hold you personally responsible," Isabel said as she hung up the phone."
"You're very scary. Thank you." Oliver remarked.
"My job is to take things off your plate, now more than ever. To that end, you remember how at today's meeting, the board nominated new officers?" She reminded him. "Voting has to take place within 24 hours. It cannot be suspended. It's an SEC thing."
"I can't think about this right now." He said frustrated.
"I know, and I'm sorry, but you have to. You're the CEO and you have responsibilities-"
"Which you handle for me all the time." He reminded her by cutting her off.
"A board vote is several orders of magnitude different from covering a missed meeting. You could appoint someone CEO pro tempore." She suggested and her face frowned even further when leaned down to sign a yellow legal paper. "That's not a good idea."
"I'm appointing you." He said and showed her a signed note, that transferred Oliver's authority as CEO to Isabel.
"What?" She said in shock.
"Congratulations. You are the temporary CEO." He said giving her the torn signed paper.
"I can't."
"Please." He asked and reluctantly she took the note. "Thank you."
"Have Thea thank me, when she's back safe at home." She told him.
"Mr. Queen?" Felicity said causing Oliver to turn to her.
"I need to talk to you, it's about Mr. Wilson." Oliver nodded and immediately followed her.
Arrowcave Bunker
Felicity began to babble as she led Oliver, Roy, John, and Laurel to her computer station. "Since the last place Thea was seen was Verdant I used credit card receipts, compiled a list of customers last night, pinged all their cell phones and hacked into their photos. The NSA is right; it's a lot easier when you don't need a warrant. I eyeballed every photo."
"There must have been thousands," Dig noted.
It's Thea." Felicity assured. "I found this. Partial plate three blocks from the club. The car's registered to a Slade Wilson, and it has GPS."
"Where is it right now?" Oliver asked.
"Parked outside a defunct bar on Roosevelt," Felicity said.
"Ok, this doesn't seem easy to you? Slade using a car registered in his name?" Dig pointed out.
"The whole thing smells rotten." Oliver agreed. "Either Thea's there or he is. Either way, we have to go." He said and picked up his bow.
"Yeah, I figured you'd say that, which is why I had Sin get us something that might give us an edge on Slade," Laurel said walking to a table with Oliver and Roy following her. On the table was a large metal briefcase and Laurel opened it revealing medical syringes. "Animal tranquilizer, 10 milligrams of this stuff is enough to sedate an elephant ... or kill one. At the very least it will slow Slade down." She explained.
"That'll give us an advantage," Oliver said and then looked at Roy. "But you are going to give us another."
"Are you sure you want me to go?" Roy asked reluctantly.
"Are you angry?" Oliver asked and Roy nodded. "Use that rage."
"Well, you're just always telling me to hold back," Roy recalled.
"Not tonight," Oliver told him.
Abandon Bar
Oliver entered the bar from the side, with Laurel and Roy entering from others. The three then spotted Slade sitting down in a chair as Oliver went to confront him. "Where is she, Slade?" Oliver demanded from him.
Slade got to his feet, staying silent. "The man asked you a question," Roy said before punching Slade. Despite possessing the same strength that Slade does, Roy's punch seemed to do nothing to him. Spatting, Slade just continued to stare Oliver down.
"Where is she?" Oliver repeated.
"What are you gonna do kid? Kill me?" Slade asked as he walked towards Oliver. "Then who would tell you ... where your precious Thea is?"
"Call Lance, tell him to come here," Oliver said after a brief pause.
"What, why?" Roy said confused
"To arrest Slade Wilson," Oliver said and then notched his bow back to fire an injection arrow which hit Slade in the shoulder, feeling the effects of the animal tranquilizer, he fell back on his chair into unconsciousness.
SCPD Interrogation Room
Handcuffed to the table, Slade sat down quietly as Lieutenant Pike questioned him on Thea's whereabouts. Laurel and Quentin watched him from the outside. "Any idea what this son of a bitch wants with Thea Queen?" Quentin asked Laurel.
"No." Laurel lied. "We just need to make sure that Slade gives up where he's holding her."
"Have you still not told Oliver yet?" He asked causing her to look at him suddenly. "That you're working with the Green Arrow?"
"Oliver doesn't know anything about that ... yet." She answered and noticed her Dad sighing. "Hey, are you okay?"
"Yeah. It's just that look in Moira's eyes. Terrified she's lost her daughter. I couldn't go through that again, Laurel." He told her with painful recollection. "Not after Sara."
Just as Laurel looked down guilty, as she still hadn't told her dad the truth about Sara; there was a knock on the door. Quentin turned around and saw a cop walk into the room. "Officer Lance? The Queen family's here." She said.
Minutes later both Pike and Lance came into the squad room to talk to Oliver and Moira. "Mr. Lance, did he tell you where Thea is?" Oliver asked immediately.
"Mrs. Queen, thank you for coming," Pike said ignoring Oliver.
"This doesn't make any sense. Slade Wilson is a friend." Moira said not believing he could do this.
"And he's been in Costa Rica for the past 72 hours," Pike informed her which irritated Oliver. "He can provide flight manifests, phone records, even some videos, so he couldn't have taken your daughter."
"If he didn't, then why did you arrest him?" Moira questioned.
"We didn't. He was apprehended by vigilantes." Pike said then gave Quentin a mean glare, "Who then contacted Officer Lance."
"Lieutenant, I can explain—" Quentin tried to explain.
"No, I think I got a pretty clear picture. God, you're a special kind of stupid." Pike said cutting him off causing Oliver to feel guilty for getting Lance in trouble because of him; wanting to talk to Slade, Oliver gave them the slip. "The whole reason you're wearing that uniform instead of a detective's shield is 'cause you were working with vigilantes." Pike carried on to tear Quentin a new one.
"A young girl is missing, and you just—" Quentin tried to explain but was again interrupted.
"And now you arrest someone on their say-so? You'll be lucky if the next uniform that puts you in isn't prison gray." Pike warned him as he just left Quentin behind, very frustrated.
Walking into the interrogation room, Oliver quietly shut the door leaving the two old friends alone. "They're calling you Deathstroke," Oliver said.
"It's a bit flamboyant," Slade said but then chuckled. "I like it."
"How did you get off the island?" Oliver asked.
"That is your first question?" Slade said slightly agitated.
"Well, you've made it pretty clear that you're not going to tell me where my sister is, so, yeah. That's my first question." Oliver said trying to control himself.
"I swam," Slade replied after a brief moment. "But it wasn't without its obstacles. The current dragged me under. The rocks on the reef cut up my flesh to the bone. But the Mirakuru ... it regenerated everything. Except this." He said pointing to his missing eye.
Exhaling, Oliver stared down at him. "You know, it's just the two of us in here, so why don't we try being honest? Why are you doing this?" He asked.
"You know why," Slade replied.
"It was five years ago." Oliver reminded him still surprised.
"It was yesterday." Slade shot back at him. "Oh, I tried to let go of the island… but it's still got a hold on me. And if that hood that you wear every night is any indication, it's still got a hold of you, kid."
"She never did anything to you. I did. Shado is dead because of a choice that I made. So punish me. Blame me." He pleaded to him. "But Thea. You want me to beg? Is that what this all about? Because I'm begging. You win. Just, please ... please tell me where she is." He begged.
Considering everything for the moment, Slade eventually spoke up. "Hmm, that must have been hard for you to say. Thea… well, Thea's—" Before Slade could finish that remark, to door opened and Pike walked in.
"Mr. Queen. Who the hell let you in here?" Pike said surprised but Oliver didn't answer, moving to Slade, he unlocked his cuffs. "Mr. Wilson, you are free to go, with the department's deepest apologies." He said.
No need, Lieutenant. An innocent girl's life hangs in the balance. You need to follow every lead possible." Slade said getting up as he rubbed his wrists.
"Well, still, you should know that officer Lance is facing some very serious charges," Pike assured him.
"Well, don't pursue them on my behalf. I'm not one to hold a grudge." Slade said as he looked at Oliver with a smirk, as left the room leaving Oliver behind.
Streets of Star City
Exiting out of the police precinct, Slade was bombarded by shouting reporters. "Mr. Wilson, Mr. Wilson, have the police cleared you of all charges? What did you tell them about Thea Queen's disappearance?" They started asking in the crowd.
"I was in Costa Rica, but returned to Star City as soon as I heard the terrible news." Slade addressed the reporters, as Oliver led his mother outside the building. Oliver looked across the street and looked at Dig, who was in another car and gave him a nod. "I'm offering every resource at my disposal, plus a five million reward for any information that leads to Thea Queen's captors." He said, and then climbed into his town car which then pulled out on the road.
"This is Dig, I've got the follow." He said following Slade in his own car.
"The GPS in his car is active," Felicity said from inside the bunker tracking Slade's car on her computer. "Roy, he's coming up on your position."
"I've got eyes on him," Roy said seeing the car from in the street corner.
"He's turning up on Warner," Felicity informed.
"I see him, heading north," Dig said with Slade's car still ahead of him going through an intersection, but before Diggle could follow him, a black SUV pulled up in front of him stopping him. "Damn it, I lost him!" He said pounding the steering wheel.
"It's all right. I still have eyes on him." Felicity reassured. "Laurel cut right into Downey."
Laurel drove out on a motorcycle to follow Slade. "Got 'em," Laurel said. Once, the car stopped at the red light. Laurel caught a glimpse inside of the window and saw that it wasn't Slade. "Crap, it's not him. I repeat it's not Slade."
"What?!" Felicity said surprised and looked at her screen, which then brought up dozens of dots, all marked "Slade" on the screen at once. "Oh my god, he cloned the signal. Roy. You've got to move!" Felicity shouted at him.
Roy went after the car running, the Mirakuru making him fast enough to catch up to a car. "Roy, you got to pick him up on Fuller," Felicity said to him on comms. Running in the middle of traffic, but got hit by a car, not feeling anything, fortunately. "Roy, do you still have eyes on him?" She asked and Roy looked around trying desperately trying to find Slade's car. "Roy? Roy?" She spoke up but Roy ignored her as he had lost Slade.
Unknown location
Stuck in a room with two men armed with machine guns, Thea turned around when the door behind her opened up and Slade walked in. "Leave us." He told his men which they followed. Pulling up a chair, Slade took a seat to chat with his terrified captive. "Sorry I was gone for so long." He apologized.
"Screw you," Thea said nervously.
"I saw Oliver and your mother. They're all quite worried about you." Slade told her.
"If you hurt them, I swear I—"
"Please." Slade cut her off with an amused tone. "Go on. Finish that sentence. I'm curious to know what kind of threat a 19-year-old girl can make."
"What do you want with me?" She asked.
"Well, that, Thea is a very long story," He replied getting comfortable in his chair.
"Looks like I've got time," She acknowledged.
"Not at all." He countered and brief moment, Thea felt like her life was over. "You're free to go."
"What?" She blinked, stunned.
"I had to make a point, and I made it. The door is unlocked, so you can leave any time you'd like." He told her simply.
Getting up, Thea walked past Slade to the door but stopped once something occurred to her. "But those guys who work for you will shoot me the second I walk out." She asked her kidnapper.
"No, they won't. Their instructions were to keep you here until I returned. And I have." He reassured her. "So ... you're free to go."
Opening the door, Slade eventually got up to face the girl
"But," He said, rising to face the girl. "If you do, you may never know about your brother's secret."
Pausing, Thea turned around to him. "What?" She asked.
"Your brother has a secret, Thea. Would you like to know what it is?" He offered enticingly.
Arrowcave Bunker
"So, now what?" Felicity asked John, Laurel, and Roy.
"We wait for Oliver," Dig responded. "Try to figure out what our next move will be."
"Wait for him to tell us, you mean," Roy said aggravatedly. "We can't do anything without King Queen's permission."
"You're out of line Roy," Diggle told him.
"Let's calm down, Slade outplayed us. It happens." Laurel said trying to mediate the situation.
"No, it only happened because the police let Slade go- after we turned him in because Oliver told us to." Roy pointed out.
"What were we supposed to do?" Diggle asked.
"You're Special Forces. She's a lawyer who questions people for a living. You would think between the three of us, we could have gotten answers out of Slade ourselves instead of turning him in to the police." He said then walked around for a bit before turning back around. "Here's what's really sick; is we didn't even question him because he said it was the right thing to do. Just like he said that I needed to break up with Thea. One week after telling me that it wasn't safe for me to leave her alone."
"Wait!" Felicity cut in. "You think it's Oliver's fault that Slade took Thea?"
"I think it was his fault that I wasn't there to stop Slade," He admitted.
"And I think you're just blaming Oliver because you lost Slade." Laurel pointed out.
"Of course you'd take his side, even after he screwed you over by screwing your sister." He snapped at her, causing her to feel insulted.
Queen Mansion
As Oliver was talking to the police he saw his mom in the lounge, looking at an old picture of Thea.
"Can you guys give us a minute, please?" Oliver asked the cops quietly and they moved out of the room as he made his way to her.
"Do you remember how she loved to color?" Moira said her voice almost hollow. "Your father would buy her boxes of crayons by the truckload. She could never get enough. She'd draw on the walls. And I could never get angry because it was just so adorable." She said tearing up.
"You should try to get some sleep." He said awkwardly after a second and just as he was about to leave the room.
"Is my baby still alive?" She murmured.
"What?" He asked turning around.
"Is my baby still alive?" She repeated loud enough for him to hear her.
"Yes." He said finally, after second of hesitation.
"I woke up every day for five years the mother who lost her son. I ... I can't, I can't endure it again." She said then looked at her boy. "And now you hate me, and you have every justification."
"Now is not the time." He said.
"Yes, it is." She countered. "It is exactly the time. I've told you that these lies were to keep our family safe; to keep us all together, but that was the biggest lie of all. And I told it to you, to Thea, to myself. Because I was too weak to face any kind of truth." She admitted.
"What's happening now isn't your fault," He replied knowing full well it was his as she put Thea's picture back on the table.
"From the moment your children are born, you worry what the world might do to them. But you never stop to think about what you might do to them. That we could be our own worst enemy." She realized and despite everything that happened the last couple of weeks, Oliver couldn't help but feel touched by his mother's newfound humility causing him to walk to her side and take her hand.
Arrowcave Bunker
Roy was about to exit the bunker until Laurel got in his way. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Sitting around here isn't helping Thea." Roy snapped at her.
"Neither is you running off half-cocked," Dig told him as he got up to him, his hand discreetly on his gun.
"I know you think that this is the Mirakuru but it's not. I'm right and you know I am, so why don't you get out of my way." Roy threatened.
"Calm down, it's what Thea would want," Felicity said trying to be reasonable.
"She's right, now let's just-" Dig started to say but just as he put an arm on the young man's shoulder, Roy than grabbed him and slammed him on one of the tables, startling Felicity. Just then gunshot was fired which went through one of the pipes, Roy then saw that it was Laurel pointing a gun at him.
"First one was a warning shot. Now let him go!" Laurel demanded.
"You'd kill me because I dare question you're all mighty King? Roy asked snidely.
"No Roy I wouldn't kill you, but you're out of control and you need to let ... him ... go." She explained in a threatening tone.
"Let him go!" Oliver said as he walked in and saw Roy hurting Diggle; Roy complied and walked up to Oliver. "What the hell is going on down here?"
"I'm done, that's what's going on. Thea is out here, scared and hurt because of one person and that is not Slade Wilson!" Roy snapped at him.
"Roy-" Oliver muttered.
"I believed in you. There's nothing left for me here." Roy said as he stormed passed him. Immediately, afterward, Oliver's phone went off; it was his mother.
"Oh my god, Oliver," Felicity said.
"What now?" He asked her.
Queen Consolidated
"Publicity has drafted a rather compelling statement, and I will be doing the talk show rounds to control the spin," Isabel stated to the members of the board when suddenly Oliver barged into the room clearly furious with a security guard following him.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Rochev, but he was very … insistent." The guard apologized.
"Can you give us the room, please?" She asked the board members who left the conference room, once they were gone, Oliver spoke.
"Isabel, what have you done?" He angrily demanded.
"Me? Very little." She said as he moving around the table towards her.
"You're the one who made this possible when you made me CEO. I know it was only temporary, but it gave me the authority I needed to call an emergency board meeting. As of 30 minutes ago, your company belongs to me." She informed him happily, "The directors unanimously made my appointment permanent. I'd say they lost faith in your leadership, but that would imply there was any. Maybe you should have focused a little less on your ... evening activities." She said heavily with a nasty smirk.
Taking a small step back, Oliver quickly realized the ugly truth. "Slade ... you're working for him." He said getting closer to her again.
"With." She clarified. "He knew planting me in your family's business would draw you back to Star City. Truth be told, I was skeptical, but—" Oliver then cut her off when he grabbed her by the throat and pressed her hard against the wall.
"Why are you doing this?!" He yelled.
"I think it's sad you don't know. The sins of the father are the sins of the son." She whispered to him causing him to startle. Isabel then leaped up and wrapped her legs around his arm, twisting them, sending them both to the floor. Free from his grip the two slowly got to their feet, and Oliver looked at her; realizing that Slade must have trained her as he trained him. Isabel attacked him with a series of kicks that Oliver blocked, then grabbing her leg he spun her around forced her face down onto the boardroom table
"You are going to tell me where my sister is, or I am going to kill you." He whispered to her holding her tightly by the neck. "Where is she?!" He screamed.
"He's holding her at a storage depot just outside the city limits. Tosca Cartage." She said immediately
"How do I know you're not lying?!" He demanded.
"It's cute how you think this isn't all playing out exactly how he wants it to." She answered after a quick laugh, letting her go, Oliver moved to the exit. "And he wants you to come alone." She added which caused him to stop and turn around. "If he even smells your partners, he will gut sweet little Thea like a trout." She warned him and as much he wanted to kill her right now, he needed to rescue Thea. "It was a pleasure doing business with you, Oliver," She said taunting him one last time as he left the room.
Arrowcave Bunker
Back in the cave, Oliver was getting ready to storm Slade's location alone. "Oliver, at least let us surround the perimeter," Dig begged
"No, Isabel was very clear." Oliver stated, "I come alone or Thea dies."
"Ollie, this is another one of Slade's games, and unless—"
"No! What I can't do, Laurel is nothing!" He shouted cutting her off, "What would you do if it were your father or your mother? I will not get dragged into the same debate over and over again!" Grabbing his bow, Oliver looked to them once more. "I'm finishing this, tonight!"
Later on, Oliver sped towards the storage facility.
Tosca Cartage
Dressed as the Green Arrow, Oliver pulled to Tosca and got off his bike. Three of Slade's masked thugs went to face him, Oliver immediately struck both of them down. The third he punched and flipped him to the ground, while the other two attacked him but he dodged them and he began striking them with his bow and finally brought them down. A fourth charged him, but kicked him hard and then flipped him on the ground before proceeding to twist his arm violently.
"Haaaa!" The flunky scream.
More came after Oliver and opened fire on him, but Oliver quickly fired an arrow into his chest bringing him down. He flipped another merc who charged at him and knocked him out cold and catching another one in his line of sight fired an arrow at him. There were still more on the way but Oliver didn't care, he needed an outlet for all the anger he had built up today. Putting arrows into the last two henchmen, Oliver came to the door where Thea had to be and kicked it wide open but as he ran inside Oliver saw that there was only an empty chair.
"She isn't here," Oliver said to himself.
Unknown Location
Slade preparing for the final moments of his plan, putting his armor on first. The loading his weapons, and placing his katana in his sheath; and finally donning his helmet.
Later on, on a deserted road with no one in sight. A bus full of prisoners caught a glimpse of an intimidating figure that stepped out in front of them. "Holy! Stop! Stop! Stop!" One of the guards said and the driver followed orders. Taking his shotgun, the guard got off the bus and cocked the weapon. "Halloween was six months ago, ass hat. Now get off the road or get put down." The guard ordered. "You hear me?"
Reaching for his handle, Slade in one single motion, withdrew his katana and threw it, with the blade impaling the guard's heart. Quickly, Slade drew his pistol and immediately shot through the window; killing the second guard and the driver. The prisoners noticing what was happening, the notice Slade gesturing his hand for them to come out. The prisoners then got out of the bus and eventually formed a line. "I have a proposal for you men." Slade propositioned.
Tosca Cartage
Back at the facility, Oliver heard Felicity on comms. "Go!" He said pissed off.
"Oliver, are you okay?" She asked.
"Yeah, but we have a problem." He said. "Thea's not here."
"I know" She replied.
"You know?" He said confused.
"Thea's fine. She's fine. She walked into the precinct five minutes ago. Safe and sound." She told him, as back the Police Station, Thea was covered with a blanket and escorted by the cops to debrief her own kidnapping.
What?" He asked looking around the facility, confused out of his mind.
"Oliver, did you hear me?" She asked.
SCPD Precinct
Rushing into the station, Oliver saw Dig and Laurel already there waiting for him. "Thea?" He asked immediately.
"She's fine, no injuries. He didn't touch her." Dig answered.
"He wasn't there. He had a lot of men, hired guns. He wasn't there." Oliver explained.
"Because he was busy elsewhere," Laurel told him.
"Iron Heights reopened a wing damaged in the quake. There was a prisoner transfer. Slade hijacked it. Soldiers for his army." Dig theorized.
"Abducting Thea was all a diversion," Laurel told him.
"Oliver!" Moira said as Oliver saw her coming his way, together they went to the interrogation room where Thea was waiting
"Oh, thank God," Oliver said and he and Moira wrapped themselves around her tightly.
"Oh, my baby! Ohh! My baby." Moira said to her in relief as she kissed her on her forehead. But Thea wasn't really returning they're which Oliver quickly picked up on.
"What?" Oliver asked her noticing how tense she was.
"He told me. Mr. Wilson told me your secret." Thea finally spoke up as she glared at Oliver as he backed off, stunned that Slade told her that he was the Green Arrow. "How you've been lying to me for years. How could you not tell me Malcolm Merlyn was my father?!" She cried. Moira grew devasted that after all these years, she had finally failed to protect Thea from the truth. "I believed in you." She said with a broken voice, as she brushed passed them towards the door.
"We were trying to keep you safe," Oliver said almost immediately.
Stopping in her tracks, Thea looked at Ollie with shame and disgust. "Do you have any idea who you sound like? You sound like her." Thea told him as she finally left, causing Moira to break down crying and Oliver holding his head in shame.
As Thea left the SCPD, out into the cold. Roy watched her as she walked off and proceeded to drive off in his car.
Queen Consolidated
Back at QC, Slade was sitting comfortably in what was once Oliver's desk and watch the news with Sebastian and Isabel. "Riding what pundits are calling a sympathy bump, Moira Queen pulled far ahead of Sebastian Blood in the latest polls conducted in the last 24 hours by channel—"
"The whole thing just blew up in my face!" Blood complained to Slade. "How the hell do I get elected now?!"
"I think you need a different tone," Slade warned.
"You said I'd be mayor!" Blood said hotly, as Slade got to his feet to get in Blood's face. "And you just delivered this election for Moira Queen, and for what? What is this obsession you have with the Queen family?" He wondered.
"You haven't told him?" Isabel said with a chuckle, knowing that Blood was in dark about Oliver being the Green Arrow.
"Shh." Slade hissed playfully.
"You promised me." Blood stated.
"I promised you this city," Slade yelled pointing his finger in Blood's face. "I promised you an army with which to take it. What is our status?" He asked Isabel.
"Queen Consolidated's Applied Sciences division is now fully dedicated to replicating a serum based on your blood sample," Isabel informed him.
"You see. Everything is proceeding as planned." He told then grabbed his coat to walk away.
"Where are you going now?" Blood asked.
"To service my obsession," Slade told him. "Oliver Queen needs one more distraction." As left, he walked passed the ghost of Shado; whose ghost continued to haunt and motivate him to destroy Oliver.
SCPD Precinct
"Hell of a night," Quentin told Laurel.
"Quentin Lance, master of the understatement," Laurel said sarcastically which Quentin smiled.
"A word, officer?" Pike said
Hold on, sweetheart. Yeah? Quentin said to his superior officer.
"I've spoken to DA Spencer about your ... situation. She doesn't want to press charges if you cooperate. Tell us where the vigilante is." Pike asked him.
"Well, I'd love to, but I don't know," Quentin said honestly with a quick scoff.
"Well, that's unfortunate," Pike said sadly.
"Yeah, it looks like," Quentin replied.
"Quentin Larry Lance, you're under arrest for conspiracy and aiding in multiple felonies," Pike said.
"What? Are you out of your mind?!" Quentin said surprised as Pike turned him around to cuff him. "What are you doing? Wilson-Wilson did it! I collared the right guy. What are you-"
"You have the right to remain silent." Pike started saying his Miranda Rights.
"What are you doing?" Laurel asked noticing they were taking her dad away.
"You have the right to an attorney." Pike continued.
"Dad!" Laurel yelled as Pike walked her father away from her sight.
Arrowcave Bunker
Oliver walked into the bunker and noticed Dig and Felicity were present, he was physically and mentally exhausted from tonight's events. "What are you two doing here?" He said clearly tired.
"We thought this is where you would go. You're predictable. That, and you've been sleeping on the cot at night." Felicity told him.
"Where else would we be?" Dig said trying to comfort him.
"Roy was right," Oliver admitted as he took a seat at a table. "At every turn, I had made the wrong decision. With him, with ... the company, and ... and with Thea." He choked worried if he had destroyed his relationship with his sister. "I was so focused on what Slade might do to me, that it never ... even occurred to me what I could do to myself. I am my own worst enemy." He realized as he looked at his suit in its glass casing.
"That's Slade talking, Oliver. Don't let him in your head." Dig advised him.
"I can't keep him out of my head, Diggle!" Oliver said frustratingly. "I can't ... I can't stop him from doing anything."
"Yes, you can," Felicity told him adamantly.
"What makes you so sure?" Oliver asked weakly.
"Because you're not alone, man." Dig reminded him.
"Now what, boss?" Felicity asked.
Taking a deep breath, Oliver answered. "Now we fight back."
Iron Heights Prison, Morning
Quentin was laying down in his cell bunker when a prison guard came to visit him, causing him to get up. "Officer Lance, you've got a visitor." The guard said.
As the guard escorted him to the visitor's room, Quentin was looking forward to seeing Laurel as knowing her she already figured out a few ways to try to get him out of prison. As he looked through the glass window, he saw that it wasn't his daughter but Slade Wilson. Stunned for a moment, Quentin eventually sat down and grabbed the phone. "Well, you've got a lot of stones coming here considering everything you pulled last night, the guards will arrest you," Quentin said angrily.
"Do you really believe that I would walk into a prison and without a guarantee that could just walk out whenever I want to," Slade explained with a smirk.
"Go to hell," Quentin said plainly.
"In due time, Officer Lance." Slade acknowledged.
"Well, what do you want, to gloat?" Quentin guessed.
"To tell you the truth ... something that I feel has been denied to you for too long." Slade commented. "You and I have much in common, Officer Lance."
"Sorry I still got both my eyes," Quentin said sarcastically. "And, I never kidnapped an innocent girl."
"But you have suffered, as I have suffered. And we have both suffered at the hands of the same man." Slade slowly and despite his efforts, it piqued Quentin's curiosity. "We let him into our lives, we chose to trust him, and he betrayed us. And he cost us those we love."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Quentin asked.
"Oliver Queen ... is the Green Arrow," Slade revealed and Quentin fell silent. "Ask Oliver ... or better yet ask Laurel, what really happened to her sister. Ask her what really happened to Sara on Lian Yu."
"What? What are you talking about? What do you mean what really happened to Sara?" Quentin asked him confused out of his mind but then Slade hung up his phone and began to take his leave. "Hey! Where you going!?" He yelled and slamming his fist against the glass window, causing the nearby guard to start pulling Quentin away. "Hey, you sonovabitch what happened to my daughter! You tell me what happened to my daughter!" He screamed to Slade in earshot, as he walked away with a smug satisfaction on his face.
Author's Notes: For the record, I have no idea how effective Tibetian Pit Viper Venom is as a sedative but if there is a sedative that can put an elephant to sleep, then it should work on Slade. As for Oliver making the same mistake with Isabel, I kept it because it was all part of Slade's plan as he pressed Oliver the right way to do this. Besides, Oliver is not a good businessman partly because he has no interest in being one and he is not above making mistakes. How will Quentin handle Oliver's identity now, especially now that he knows more about Sara's apparent death?