Now was the time. The time for his revenge. The time for him to do something that he should have done a long time ago. Should have done the moment he had seen the young man so many years ago on Lian Yu. If he had only listened to his instincts then. If only he had pulled the trigger maybe just maybe she would still be with him. Just maybe Shadow would be alive living and breathing by his side right now. But he couldn't think like that. Not with him being this close. Being so close to achieving something years in the making. He just needed the right moment to strike. A moment when he would leave this complex. The moment he would leave this familaur apartment complex. Then and only then would he allow himself the pleasure of pulling back on the trigger. Then and only then would he watch with delight this young man fall before he would do something that he has wanted to do to him for so long. Would make him watch as the one that he cares about the most dies before his very eyes. And make no mistake about he knew just who his enemy cares about the most. In fact the whole entire city knows. Knows of their history. Knows of their past relationships. Knows of their current relationship. If the reports he had received from his insider then these two were closer than ever. In fact they were being considered to be the golden couple of the city. A symbol for the city. A symbol of change. Change that this city desperately needed. But that would come to a stop.
With one bullet loaded in his chamber this change would die. With one swipe of his sword this gust of hope making its way through the city would wither and die. It was nothing personal. It was just business. His business and this young man was his business. This young man along with his lady. A lady that he can still remember hearing about from the young man's lips so long ago. A woman that his stories didn't do any justice to. He had described her as beautiful. Described her as being fierce towards the ones that dared due harm to the ones that she cares about the most. But he never thought someone could be this fierce. Never thought he would ever see a woman quite like her. And yet despite this she would just be another name in his long list of names that had fallen to him. Right next to her boyfriend's own.
A young man that suddenly is seen exiting out of the apartment complex with this young lady. A couple that he watches through his scope smiling happily towards another as they walk hand in hand towards a parked car while his index finger rests next to the trigger. A trigger that he grazes as he watches them enter into the parked vehicle. As he trains the barrel towards the driver with his index finger itching to rear back and send a bullet through the windshield. But he wouldn't. It would be way too easy. So easy in fact that it makes him retract his finger and watch as the vehicle backs out of the parking spot before it disappears up the road and off into the distance. He would have his moment. That he would make sure of. He just needed to wait a little longer. Just needed to play the game a little longer.
Making sure to keep up the charade the moment she sees out of the corner of her eye through the passenger's window her apartment complex disappearing in the distance the smile across Laurel's face vanishes as she turns to look Oliver's way finding his eyes glued to the rear view mirror while his knuckles turn white from how hard he is gripping the steering wheel. So white that she reaches over laying her left hand down on top of his right hand and gently squeezes his hand.
" He was there wasn't he? The one you told me about before."
Nodding his head silently taking his hand off the steering wheel turning his hand within her own interlocking their fingers together gently Oliver squeezes Laurel's hand as he takes his eyes away from the rearview mirror to glance her way.
" We'll get through this. We have a good idea what he is up too. He wants to take control of your family's company. He wants to destroy your family's legacy and i won't stand for that. I'll handle the bitch. You handle Slade Wilson."
" You can't be serious?"
Silently slipping his quiver over his shoulder nodding his head the moment he turns his head back forward Oliver comes to a pause when he finds himself staring into a pair of furious eyes. The eyes of his little sister Thea that just stares at him in total disbelief. Eyes that remain trained on him for a couple of intense seconds before they glance away towards another. Glance over towards Laurel as she too gets geared up. Only her gear is slightly different. Only hear gear didn't consist of a bow. Not yet anyways. She wasn't quite ready for that yet. No resting by her side a crossbow could be seen. A crossbow while a quiver filled with silver bolts could be seen. A weapon of choice that could be seen being used by another. But that wouldn't stop her from using it. No the only difference between them is that she wouldn't kill like her counterpart. Mame and beat leaving them to the police but never kill.
" And you!? How did he convince you to go along with this!? Don't you realize this is complete suicide!?"
Tugging the glove on firmly to her left hand turning towards the shouting young woman that just stares at her with pleading eyes making her way around the table reaching out gently Laurel takes Thea in her arms wrapping her arms around the younger woman only to feel her arms wrap around her in return and start to shake within her embrace. Shaking that makes her reach up to thread her fingers through the young woman's hair.
" Shhh. It's gonna be okay. I promise. By tomorrow this nightmare will be behind us."
She could only hope her words were true. She didn't know what this night would bring. What the future might hold for them. But one thing was for sure. This needed to stop before something truly horrible could happen. This scheme needed to be stopped to prevent another Undertaking from taking place. What this mad man's main scheme is none would ever know. What she did know was after tonight things would change. For the better or the worst. She could only hope it would be the former.
Dodging an incoming bolt that had been intended for her head rolling across the ground snapping her body around in a sudden move rearing back Ravager unsheathes her sword and quickly brings it up to deflect another bolt sending the bolt to the side and smashing into a nearby wall. A sudden move that causes a pause in the action allowing her to rise up to her feet as she stares across the room towards her opponent finding Laurel still aiming the end of her crossbow her way with a bolt already loaded and reared back just waiting to be unleashed.
" I see that Mr Queen has trained you well. But tell me this Ms Lance. Do you honestly believe you have a chance at defeating me? I've been training for the past five years. You on the other hand? How long has it been for you? A couple of months at most? Lay your bow down and I'll consider giving you mercy before handing you over to Slade."
Letting out a snort with her index finger coming to lay on the trigger a smirk comes across Laurel's face underneath her hood.
" You're right. I don't have as much experience in martial arts as you do but you are wrong in one regard. I've been fighting my whole life Ms Rochev and I will continue to fight until my last dying breath. So how about we finish talking and finish this once and for all."
Suppress a chuckle smirking over towards the younger woman tucking a loose piece of her hair behind her ear slowly Isabel returns her hand back down towards her sword's handle.
" As you wish."
Keeping her eyes focused on the older woman standing across from her with her aim not wavering for a single second as intense moments of silence fills the air suddenly as the sound of gunfire echoes through the air breaking the silence the moment she sees Ravenger's eyes glance upward instantly Laurel pulls back on the trigger sending the bolt soaring through the air out of her crossbow. A bolt that is merely deflected away when the older woman brings the sword up in front of her before she charges forward. Charges forward with the end of her sword causing Laurel to quickly side step out of the way to avoid the end of the blade. A blade that like lighting comes back up causing her to jump back to avoid being slashed. These sudden strikes that she is forced to continue to back pedal to avoid as she is forced to use her crossbow to block a few slashes that come way too close for comfort all the while her left hand reaches into her cloak.
Reaches in to grasp a small object within before in a sudden move she rolls underneath a sword slash that had been intended for her head and retracts her hand revealing a small metal ball that is quickly unleashes onto the ground causing a shockwave to erupt through the room. Cause an ear piercing scream to come from the object causing Ravager to scream out in pain as she drops down to one knee covering her ears while her sword comes crashing down to the ground with a silent clang. An opening that is presented before Laurel capitalizes on. Causes for her to do something on instinct. Cause for her body to react on its own loading a bolt quickly into her crossbow before realization kicks in once she sees the bolt go flying and land clean into Ravenger's throat. A bolt that pierces through cleanly causing the older woman's eyes to go wide underneath her mask and her hands to leave her ears in favor of holding her throat.
But it would all be for knot. The injury was too severe to be contained. To severe for her gloved hands to control as pours down to the ground below. As her vision darkens before her lifeless body drops face first to the cold ground as a puddle of blood forms beneath her. A sight that Laurel can only stare at in horror as the crossbow slips from her fingers and comes crashing to the ground with a loud clang as the sound of the device still letting out shockwaves echoes through the room. As her hands come up to cover her mouth as she stares down at the lifeless body in horror until the room is silenced when the device deactivates. A silence that only lasts a couple of seconds before gunfire being heard in the distance snaps her out of her thoughts and makes her head turn up to look towards the ceiling.
" Oliver!?"
Quickly snatching the crossbow off from the ground rushing towards the end of the floor coming to a stop at an open doorway paying one last glance over her shoulder towards her fallen enemy taking a deep breathe with a look of determination instantly Laurel takes off running disappearing around the corner never looking back.