Oliver presents his findings of who is behind the events in the city to Diggle.
"Got your message," said Diggle, as he walked down the stairs to the lair. It was late, the time being 21:00.
"Glad you could make it," replied Oliver without turning to face Diggle. "You owe me a beer."
"What for?" asked Diggle, as he walked towards Oliver while scanning the area in front of him. He noted Oliver's fixation with a board in front of him, having not taken his eyes off it.
"Because I was right," replied Oliver, as he turned the board to face Diggle.
The board was riddled with several printed news headlines and images, connected by strings and leading to a single image in the middle – A blacked stock silhouette of a man, with a question mark placed on his chest. Diggle scanned the board, reading the headlines and analysing the images.
"Azrael…" started Oliver, as he pointed to the black silhouette in the middle of the board, "It's the name Walker gave me. It's an alias, for sure. He's an extremist, and that's as much as I could find on him. Once I couldn't find more on him, I started looking at other things. At any potential associates, and what he's been involved in." Oliver began pointing at the headlines on the board. "The meltdown of the Koeberg Nuclear Station in South Africa. The car crash that killed a UN Under-Secretary General," said Oliver, as he pointed to their headlines on the board, "Accidents? No. They were planned, just like everything that's happened over the past month in Star City. Pollard, the weapon shipments, the gangs, Diaz, they've all been the work of a single entity," explained Oliver, "A shadow terrorist organisation, named Cobalt."
Diggle didn't speak up.
"They're not that well-known. Some intelligence agencies don't even think they exist," continued Oliver, "They've also been responsible for inciting ethnic conflict in West Africa, orchestrating bombings in Europe, the list goes on. Azrael, he's their leader, and I don't know who he is or why he's targeting Star City, but I swear to God, Diggle, I am going to find out and I am going to stop him." Oliver turned his full attention towards Diggle, noting how he hadn't taken his eyes off the board. He seemed frozen, but not surprised. Not shocked…
"Oliver, you need to walk away from this, man," said Diggle, somberly.
"Dig, how can I? Look at this, John! How can you tell me that I'm not needed when there's an organisation like this trying to tear down our city?" replied Oliver.
"Oliver, how can you look at this and think that you have any chance of stopping them?"
"I've taken down the H.I.V.E., I've taken down the League of Assassins, Diggle, I can end this."
"No, Oliver! You do not understand what you are getting yourself into!" Something about the intensity in Diggle's voice froze Oliver completely. His pleading tone, mixed with an attitude of which a commanding officer would use when speaking to his juniors. Oliver stared Diggle down, locking his eyes on him. Diggle turned his gaze away from Oliver, unable to look him in the eye. He knew something…
"You know about Cobalt, don't you?" asked Oliver sternly. "You know that they're in Star City?"
"Not that they're here, no."
"Don't bullshit me, Dig!"
"Oliver, I didn't know! I swear on my life, man! And to be honest, even if I did know, that information doesn't concern you."
"What the hell do you mean it doesn't concern me? This is my city!"
"As a civilian, yes, but not as the Green Arrow or the Mayor."
"I don't have time for this, Diggle! You asked me for proof, and I've given it to you. Now the ball is in your court. What does ARGUS have on Azrael and Cobalt?" Diggle sighed before answering Oliver's question.
"I can't recall anything off the top of my head. I'll have to do a bit of research to find out." Oliver could sense Diggle was being honest, but his thought of a response was cut short when one of his phones started buzzing. It was Mack Morgan.
"We've got a problem, hoss."
"What is it?"
"The guy you brought in. Walker. They let him go."
"What? Why?"
"They said he was clean. I only found out now. It was Smith's orders."
"Where is Smith right now?"
"Still at the precinct, but I think he'll be heading home soon."
Oliver hung up the phone and resisted the urge to slam it back on the table. He placed it down gently before moving to collect his suit jacket.
"What happened?" asked Diggle.
"They let Walker go. I think I need to pay our anti-vigilante Captain a visit."
Matthew Smith didn't know what hit him as he was shoved and then slammed onto the bonnet of his car while reaching for the door handle. Suddenly, he felt his arm being contorted to the point where his shoulder was on the verge of dislocation.
"What the fuck?" he managed to say through the pain.
"Shut up! I'm going to ask the questions!" growled Oliver, as he torqued Smith's arm even more. "Are you working for Cobalt? For Azrael?"
"What?"
"Are you working for Azrael?!" repeated Oliver, with more venom in his voice.
"What the hell are you talking about? Who's Azrael?" Throughout his life, Oliver had had to deal with plenty of liars and deceivers, and he'd become quite adept at telling when people were lying. As much as he would've liked for his suspicions about Smith to be true, they weren't. He was being truthful.
"Why did you let Rhys Walker go?" said Oliver, changing the topic.
"He was clean, and in case you've forgotten, the police don't work with vigilantes anymore," replied Smith as he tried to push himself free, but Oliver's grip was too strong.
"There was a rifle in his hotel room!"
"Yeah, one he had a license for and couldn't load the rounds used in the mass shooting or the attempt on Lance! Even with that, I wanted to detain him for longer but I couldn't."
"Why? You gave the orders to let him go!"
"I was forced to by the Chief! He insisted we let him off the hook and apologise profusely!"
Oliver took a moment to ponder on Smith's words. With Quentin's transport being compromised, and the release of Walker, Oliver had assumed it was Smith working with Azrael. The possibility of the Chief being the corrupt one hadn't crossed his mind. He could've been the only other person to have known the full details of both operations. His thought process was interrupted when Smith spoke up again.
"It's no surprise that the city is going to shit now. Every time someone like you shows up, a 'mask', it's never a good sign." Smith's arm was twisted more before the pressure was relieved. By the time he turned around, he only caught a glimpse of the Green Arrow grappling up on to a rooftop before he disappeared.
Oliver's frustration and anger hadn't dwindled by the time he returned to the lair. "Smith's not working with Azrael," he said, approaching Diggle.
"How do you know for sure?" retorted Diggle.
"I could tell, he was telling the truth. It was actually the Chief who gave the orders to let Walker go."
"You think the Chief is the one in bed with Azrael?"
"Maybe. He's the only other man besides Smith who could have known about Quentin's transport route."
"It's possible. Why did they let Walker go though?"
"Apparently the rifle in his hotel room didn't match the specs of the ones used in the mass shooting or the attempt on Lance. It's bullshit, I saw the rifle myself and it was a Dragunov."
"So what are you suggesting here?"
"The cops that picked him up must have done a swap. That could mean the Chief is clean, but I have to be sure."