It was true. She couldn't believe it. Her words were actually coming true. She was all that remains. Quentin Lance is dead killed by her hand no doubt despite what anyone else might believe. Rene and Curtis both missing with signs of a struggle at each of their apartments. More so with the former with tendons giving detailed descriptions about how they had heard gunfire coming from his apartment before he had burst through the wall with nothing but the sound of a woman screaming coming from further inside of his apartment. Felicity and Diggle out of contact with neither answering their cells. Like that would do any good anyways. With Samandra Watson breathing down their necks she wasn't surprised to have her call go directly to voicemail. Now all that remains is her. Just her and the resources she would have at her disposal the moment she enters inside of The Lair. She just hopes she learned a few things here and there from Felicity when it comes to The Lair's computer mainframe. It could very well end up deciding if her teammates live or die.
She just needed to get access to the base first. A situation itself that has made her proceed in caution since the moment she arrived inside of the building. The way no matter how many times she presses the concealed button to call the elevator it doesn't come. How despite her metahuman strength to pull open the doors she finds herself struggling to get the doors to budge as though her powers were leaving her. Doors that after a good amount of effort she gets open only to be met with nothing but darkness coming from down below. A chilling darkness that she can't help but stare at in surprise before without showing any fear Dinah leaps down and lands on the top of the elevator. An elevator that shakes from the sudden impact but doesn't respond in any way just like the base's defenses. Such defenses that should have become active the moment she ripped open the elevator doors. Very disturbing indeed but she would push on and as such she repeatedly kicks downward until and opening opens up and slips down inside landing in a kneeling position. With her eyes trained forward and her right hand resting against her handgun strapped to her right thigh. A handgun that remains where it is but her eyes? Those are another story. Eyes that don't show the surprise she is feeling as they dart around taking everything in. Taking in the wires dangling from the inside of the elevator. Taking in the broken lights of the elevator with these dark marks on the inside walls as though some kind of explosion had occurred from the inside.
But no matter. If she was being honest with herself, she had expected this. Had expected to walk into some kind of crime scene situation in this place. It would only make sense for everything that has happened. This place. This base was commonly known as being the place where Felicity could be found during most of the day and night. With her sudden disappearance she had to expect to find some kind of carnage left in her wake. But as she cautiously gets out of the elevator and looks around surprisingly the display cases remain untouched. The team's personal equipment remains untouched. A fact alone that surprises her greatly as she slowly goes up the steps of the command center. Wouldn't the kidnappers take these things? Wouldn't they do everything possible to retrieve every last bit of information stored in the base's computer mainframe? Perhaps they already did from the way she sees computer screens smashed all around the command center. From the way it looks as though these computer systems will never be usable again. A scene that makes her curse under her breath before kicking at one of the fallen screens with her boot.
" There's no point in doing that."
A voice that immediately makes Dinah snap around finding a smirking Laurel leaning against the far end wall with her arms crossed over her chest. A woman she scowls at just waiting for the right moment to wipe that smirk off her face. A woman whose smirk only widens further at her look before without daring to look away Dinah watches Laurel push herself off from the wall and start to pace around on the lower level while she looks all around the base with this look of boredom.
" I must confess when I first thought of this plan to rid myself of your precious teammates never in my wildest dreams did I ever think it would be so….easy. Incredibly boring actually but i suppose it can't be helped. You were nothing but foot soldiers after all."
Coming to a stop near the display cases eyeing the Black Canary uniform with interest after a couple of seconds Laurel turns around to face Dinah with her smirk returning in full. A smirk that turns into a grin when she sees her rival slowly descending down from the command center with her eyes trained on her with this cold look of fury. With such intensity in her eyes. A look that just shows she will be a good challenge on this day.
" It's just us now little birdie. The question I have for you though is this. Are you ready to die?"
A question that just makes her glare coldly at Laurel before in a split decision moment to catch her off surprise stepping forward Dinah screams at the top of her lungs intending to send a canary cry at the unexpected dirty blonde. A cry however that does not come as only the sound of her screams echoing off the walls is heard. However what does come is this slight pain in her throat making her hands come up to clutch her throat while her eyes go wide at his lack of meta powers. This surprised and shocked look that just makes Laurel smirk in her direction with this knowing look.
" Uh,uh,uh.I don't think so."
A taunt that earns Laurel a suspicious look through Dinah's fury filled eyes. A look that just makes her smirk widen even further.
" I can only imagine what is going through your head right now. What have you done to me!? That is rather simple. After my last visit here as you are aware the blonde bimbo decided to put in certain counter measures to ensure none of us bad guys could get in your little hiddie hole. What she didn't tell you was she put in a countermeasure just special for us metahumans. Upon activation any meta human's abilities would become useless. The moment you entered inside of this building you activated the counter measure. Truly a work of art but a work of art that will be your downfall."
Removing her hands from her throat without looking away from Laurel kneeling down earning an interesting look Dinah removes her handgun from her thigh. A handgun she only stares down at for a second before looking back up towards the woman standing across from her that looks at her with this look almost daring her to use the firearm on her. A silent challenge that instead makes her release the loaded clip to the ground with a clang before she tosses the handgun away causing the slightest looks of approval to enter Laurel's eyes for a fraction of a second.
" I don't need my powers to defeat you."
" We shall see little birdie."
No more words needed to be spoken. No more taunts needed to be heard. The time for talking was over and they both knew it and as so without either daring to look away from the other slowly Laurel and Dinah start to circle around each other with neither daring to make the first move. That is until as though they were both thinking the same thing each of them sends a high right heel kick the other one's way causing their feet to collide with a thud. This sudden contact that makes Dinah leap back with an alarmed look coming across her face while Laurel just simply smirks at her retreat. Oh yes this would be a good challenge indeed and she wouldn't want it any other way. No powers. No weapons. No one around to interfere. Only just the two of them inside of the very base where so many stories could be told. So many tales from the costumes on display in the display cases on the wall. From the arrows in the quivers. From the bows that have fired so many lethal shots that have ended lives. What better place was there than this to put this conflict to rest once and for all. This time however she doesn't have to wait for very long for Dinah to suddenly make the first move as Laurel is forced to raise up an forearm to block an incoming right high kick before she has to quickly leap back to avoid a spinning kick intended to hit her in the stomach. A new style she sees. Before this wannabe canary didn't possess this kind of fighting style. More of a street fighter style but it seems she wasn't the only one that has changed these past couple of months.
" What's wrong? Don't tell me you're finished already?"
Oh she is going to enjoy this. The nerve of this woman to say such a thing to her. This inferior metahuman who would be lucky enough for someone to find her before her corpse rots away in this deep underground fortress. Smirking over at the confident and now grinning brunette cracking her neck a wide smirk comes across Laurel's face as she gets into a fighting stance.
" I'm just getting started by the way. Which do you prefer? Red or white?"
" Excuse me?"
" Red or white? I just wanted to know which color rose I should throw down when they lower down your casket."
Hearing nothing but a low growl as a scowl comes across the brunette's face without any hesitation the moment she sees a closed fist coming her way snapping her right forearm up Laurel deflects the punch away with ease. A forearm she continues to keep raised as her other arm comes up blocking incoming punch after punch while leaving her lower body exposed. Something Dinah sees as clear as day and delivers a low right heel kick to the back of Laurel's leg making her buckle slightly but not break her defenses. Not lower her forearms down as she backs up from the onslaught being delivered to her until in a sudden motion Laurel goes on the offensive and catches Dinah by total surprise with a low spinning heel kick knocking the brunette off her feet to the ground below and quickly maneuvers herself around to straddle the lap of her fallen foe. A foe that barely gets her forearms up in time to block a right fist that had been intended for her face. A closed fist that is followed by another then another as Laurel rains down haymakers that are continuously blocked by Dinah's raised forearms before a swift kick to the middle of her back sends the dirty blonde rolling over. A moment Dinah capitalizes on by quickly flipping back up to her feet but not near fast enough. Not when the moment she lands on her feet her head immediately snaps back when a solid knee strike lands right under her chin making her see stars. A high knee that is quickly followed by a clean right kick by Laurel into Dinah's chest sending the brunette soaring back and straight into a display case behind her shattering the glass of the display case upon impact causing small broken shards of glass to fall down upon her falling form as she lands down face first on the ground.
This solid impact that leaves Dinah winded as she feels multiple cuts opening up all across her back from the broken glass. As she feels a gash opening up in the back of her head. But she would stay down. She would not allow this woman the satisfaction of victory. This disgusting and defile woman she can already picture smirking down at her with this knowing look across her face. A woman who is responsible for everything that has gone on. Is responsible for the disappearance of her fellow team mates. Is responsible for Quentin Lance's death. Was responsible for helping Adrian Chase capture every single one of them and bring them into the darkest depths of Lian Yu. Had been partially responsible for Oliver Queen's death. A man she knew would not give up if in her situation. If presented with even more odds stacked against him. A man that looks down upon her now just waiting on this outcome. Just waiting to see which one of them falls and she will make sure it isn't her.
" My,my what do we have here? A little birdie that fell out of her cage. Oh how tragic."
Scowling down at the cold ground reaching around silently to feel for anything that she might be able to use to even the odds as she hears the sound of footsteps getting closer and closer to her feeling a solid piece of broken glass grazing her fingers in a sudden motion Dinah snatches the broken glass up from the ground and snaps upward and slashes the broken glass blindly causing a scream of pain to be heard escaping Laurel's lips as the glass cuts her deeply in her lower left thigh. A cut that draws blood as she feels blood trickling down the leg of her jeans to her boot making her step back with a limp before she quickly has to avoid another incoming slash by Dinah that barely misses her by mere centimeters. These ill advised slashes that keeps her backpedaling away from a rage driven Dinah before with an ounce of inspiration Laurel goes down into a roll ducking straight underneath a slash intended for her throat towards the broken display case. A roll that catches her opponent off guard. Especially with what happens next as she grabs a handful of broken glass and chucks them directly into the brunette's face making Dinah scream out in pain as she abandons the broken shard of glass in her hand in favor of covering her bleeding face with both hands. A shard of glass that doesn't hit the floor as Laurel snatches it out of mid air and without any hesitation delivers a slash of her own. A slash that hits its mark as blood splatters from the now open cut across Dinah's throat making the brunette's eyes widen in horror as her hands abandon her face to grasp the wound. A wound that bleeds through the cracks of her fingers sending blood splattering down to the ground as she drops down to her knees gasping for breath. Breaths that get harder and harder as her mouth fills with blood. As blood trickles out from her lips covering her shirt with blood. A sight Laurel can't help but smirk down towards as she limps her way over and without a hint of remorse pushes Dinah down to the ground with the heel of her boot before meeting her terror filled eyes.
" Poor little canary. Bye bye birdie."
Words that barely register into Dinah's mind before her body goes limp. Before her hands drop down to her sides unmoving. A woman whose lifeless eyes stare upward at a smirking Laurel who just simply tosses the broken shard of glass away before without any hesitation starts to limp towards the exit.
The constant sound of his heart monitor beeping. That damn breathing machine pumping loudly near his eardrums. His only companions. No one else has visited. No one except for the very same nurse and doctor. At least that was something. He now knew he was in some kind of hospital. Judging from what he had been told by Laurel, he could only guess he was currently residing in the recently renamed Starling City General Hospital, Star General. What he also did know was this. Judging from the way he had been looked at. Judging from the way each had poked at his fingers and toes the injuries he had sustained on Lian Yu were quite severe. Especially by the constant changing of these medical wrappings around his body by the returning doctor and nurse every few hours. Medical wrappings that have just about covered almost the entity of his body. Wrappings the moment they had being gently removed made him go on alert from what he was seeing. These traces of dried blood on the wrappings. These traces of badly burnt and dead skin sticking to them.
But the most telling was the looks he had received. These repulsed looks as though they were staring at something truly disturbing. The way their smiles were badly forced when they were caught staring at him with a sense of pity in their eyes. These eyes that were so telling. Especially the way they would looked down at the medical charts with noticeable frowns. These charts he so desperately wanted to question them on but couldn't find his voice. In fact every single time he even dared move a single muscle it felt like his whole entire body was on fire from the way pain would shoot up every single one of his joints and muscles. He would just have to remain patient and hope that his unasked questions would be answered on their own. At least he hoped she would answer them anyways and as if on que the sound of his hospital room door opening draws his attention finding a familiar face making her way inside. A face that just smiles at him making his lips curve upward into a smile as if on instinct. A smile though that soon disappears as he notices the limp she is trying to hide. As he notices the blood stain on the left thigh of her jeans. A look that is noticed immediately by Laurel as she comes to sit down in the seat next to his hospital bed meeting his concerned eyes with a bit of reassurance within her own.
" Don't worry. It's just a scratch."
Judging by the way he just looks at her in question rolling her eyes reaching out gently Laurel lays her hand down on top of Oliver's bandaged own.
" I'm fine really. Besides, I've come bearing good news."
Now this certainly catches his attention. Any news was better than none. The exact thing he hasn't been receiving from the only other two people that have come into this room. His own saving grace for any sort of information now lies with the woman gently grasping his hand. A woman that as though understands what his eyes are saying sighs before with a concerned look turns away to look up towards the ceiling away from his eyes.
" But before we get to that, I'm sure you have several questions you want to ask me. Unfortunately for you the condition you are in won't allow you to verbally ask them so you'll just have to bear with me until they are finally answered."
Glancing back towards his face receiving nothing but him blinking his eyes as though silently communicating to her that he understands nodding her head Laurel turns her eyes away from his own to waive with her free hand around the room.
" As you probably could have guessed we're in Star General right now in the secure section of the hospital. You're checked in as a jon doe and before you ask I'll get to that part shortly. You have to understand it was a necessary measure in order to keep you safe."
Letting out a sigh as the memories of that day come rushing back to her a hardened look comes across Laurel's face.
" You're friends. You're so-called teammates abandoned us. Not a single one of them came back to search for you. Not one god damn one of them. I don't know how long it had been. It could have just been a couple of hours maybe even a couple of days but this helicopter suddenly appeared. I signaled them down with the intention of commandeering the aircraft for us but that was when I met him. This Cayden James guy. I don't know all the facts and frankly I could care less about it but he had it really out for you but I managed to convince him the error of his ways. For his assistance of not only getting us off the island but also ensuring your safety there were certain obligations that needed to be repaid in return."
Now this would be the hard part. This she knew already. Questions she never wished to answer but knew she would in time. She could only hope that one day he would forgive her for what she says next. Judging from the way he looks at her with this suspicious look she knew it would be a long road ahead for them.
" What he asked for was rather simple actually. It actually fit in well with my own personal goals but there was no need to let him know that. First things first though. Connor is still alive. He is a resourceful kid and is now back in Central City along with Samantha. That i personally made sure of before turning my attention to what needed to be done here. It wasn't easy figuring them out. It took me a little while to figure out their daily habits. Oh sure figuring out the soldier's habits was quite easy. The same could be said about the blonde bimbo. It seemed as though all they did was eat,sleep,and catch bad guys at night. The rest on the other hand had been a hassle but in the end, I figured them all out before putting everything into motion."
Turning her eyes back towards Oliver seeing a hardened look within them letting out a sigh gently Laurel squeezes his hand.
" As I stated it needed to be done not only to ensure your safety but your son's as well. Face it you are in no condition right now to face anyone. Hell even if you could miraculously get out of this bed under your own power right now, I could beat you with my eyes closed and both my arms tied behind my back. Those former teammates of yours were nothing but sitting ducks and eventually someone was going to take them out. If not some guy with a gun then The FBI. What you don't know is when you were asleep a new law had been passed. Vigilantism is now considered a federal offense and if caught is a one way ticket to a maximum security prison. It was only a matter of time before they fell. I was only doing them a favor."
Seeing nothing but this silent fury entering his eyes looking at him with a no nonsense look feeling his hand starting to move from underneath her own as though trying to pull away, having none of it Laurel gently increases her grip slightly to keep his hand pinned down to the bed.
" It's alright. I forgive you for what you are feeling right now and in time, I know you will see the logic to my ways. Besides…."
Without looking away from his eyes getting up from her seat leaning over until she is hovering over him softly Laurel whispers into Oliver's ear.
" I know that deep down inside you can never hate me for the things I've done. You love me and we both know this so why fight it? Why fight against something you want no desire more than anything else in this world?"
Leaning back seeing his hardened look starting to break ever so slightly smirking down at his fancade he is putting up Laurel retakes her seat and turns to look towards the closed hospital door.
" Once you're cleared to travel we're leaving this city for good. I figured France would be a nice place to start fresh. We always talked about going there. Why not up the ante and live there instead? I thought you might like that though between us, you're still gonna have to do the cooking. I can't really promise, I wouldn't burn down our new residence if i ever tried."
Not even needing to know how a slight grin comes across his face until disappears rapidly to hold up his facade abandoning his hand rising up from her seat slowly Laurel makes her way around the hospital bed with Oliver following her every move before with ease she makes her way onto the bed and lays down in the empty space to his right with her head resting on the very same pillow being used to hold his head up straight.
" No more masks. No more fighting. We can just be Oliver and Laurel like the way it should have been all along."
Now this statement gets a desired reaction from him that she was looking for. He might haven't noticed but she did. The way every ounce of anger leaves his eyes for just a split moment into this look of happiness. Into this look of bliss as though picturing that kind of scenario. A scenario that will soon become a reality. She would make sure of it not allowing anyone to stand in her way. Not The FBI. Not Cayden James. Nobody.
