Exactly two weeks have passed since Oliver agreed to join Argus and return home. One week was spent transferring more Bratva men to Starling city and setting them up there. The second week was spent at Argus, finalizing details of his "revival".
As Waller promised, he was given a position at Agrus. He would now train new recruits, when he was not away on a mission. He would be paid for the job, and if anyone ever asked what he was doing at Agrus, his answer wouldn't be "I kill people ''. And as an Argus agent, the police wouldn't dare touch him.
Most days he found himself enjoying his job. He helped new agents learn how to fight and how to survive. Some of them reminded him of his old self, lost. For most he became a mentor, like Slade wilson had been for him.
Only Amanda herself and a few of her closer agents would be aware of his real position at Argus. The rest of the agents would think that he's there to train agents for field work.
Also this job wouldn't raise too many eyebrows amidst normal people, and it wouldn't scare away his family.
Now he stood in the training gym at Argus beside Amanda watching the others train. He now had a position of authority, and most of the agents he trained addressed him as Agent Queen. And for the first time in years, he found himself wearing a suit on a daily basis.
He was allowed to carry a gun around, and a cell phone. He was now living in a small room in the living area of Argus. He almost had a normal life.
He had the freedom to walk around anywhere he wanted, except outside. Sometimes he ate lunch with other agents, sometimes he spent time alone practicing his bow skills.
And soon, he would be out of these walls. He would return home to his sister and his mother. He would see Tommy and Laurel. And then he would see his brothers.
He decided to open up a club in Starling city. It would be something that was expected of him as Oliver Queen the playboy who spends his days partying. But beneath the parties, Bratva would be organizing their business.
Today he would appear as Oliver Queen, and be revealed as alive.
He wanted to simply walk into the Queen mansion and see his family, but Waller didn't allow him to do that. No, the crazy woman that she was, was going to drag him to the Police station. That way the cops would know that he is untouchable from the start.
Waller had a slight smirk on her face as she stood beside him.
"Are you ready to return to life Oliver?"
He clenched his jaw to avoid rolling his eyes.
"I still don't think going to the police station is a good idea."
Amanda turned to him and raised her eyebrow.
"Let me guess, you don't want to see Detective Lance? You are afraid he'll kill you right there for what you did with Sara Lance."
Oliver turned so that he was facing her as well.
"Exactly. Though I'm starting to think that being shot by Detective Lance is a better option than doing your dirty work."
Waller smirked and turned away. She began walking away, but stopped when she realized that Oliver didn't follow her.
She slightly turned her head over her shoulder and looked him straight into the eyes.
"We made a deal, Oliver. You know exactly what happens if you break your part of the deal."
Oliver walked up closer to her.
"You're gonna threaten my sister again? Or maybe my mother?"
Waller turned her head away.
"No. You have only one sister. But you have quite a lot of "brothers". I wonder how many would have to die before your brotherhood falls apart."
Oliver clenched his jaw.
"They can take care of themselves."
Waller let out a heavy breath as she walked up even closer to Oliver.
"Maybe yes… Maybe no… But be careful Oliver. Despite what you might think, you are a very important asset to Argus. And I will go as far as I need to, to ensure your cooperation."
Oliver smirked.
"Then you won't touch my family."
But she kept smiling.
"Then you will obey."
Oliver shook his head and stepped away. It was pointless arguing with her.
They both knew that she couldn't keep him working at Argus forever, it was only a matter of time before he would be free. But until then, he would stick to his part of the deal.
Waller looked at the clock hanging nearby and then turned back to him. It was 3 o'clock.
"Well, it seems that it's time for Oliver Queen to return home."
As she walked away, he took a deep breath, and readied himself for what was about to happen. The plan was quite simple. Walk into the police station. Then wait for his family to show up. Meanwhile Waller would explain to the police captain how it is that he is alive.
The drive didn't take long. Soon enough Oliver was standing beside Waller by the entrance to the police station. He wanted to wear a hoodie and hide his face for a while longer, but Amanda forced him to wear a suit to "look the part of an Argus agent".
Two other agents followed them, as he pushed the door open and walked in.
A few people looked in their direction, but no one recognized him yet.
He stood there awkwardly, waiting for Amanda to do something.
After a few seconds, the captain of the SCPD walked out of his office, and headed straight towards them. Oliver looked down avoiding eye contact, blending in with the two other agents.
"I suppose you are Director of Argus Amanda Waller?"
Waller nodded, and shook hands with Captain Pike.
"So what brings Argus here?"
Waller smiled slightly.
"Perhaps you didn't recognize him, but the man standing beside me is Oliver Queen."
At that moment, Oliver brought his eyes up and looked straight at Captain Pike.
At first Pike was confused but then he recognized him.
"Queen? What?! You're supposed to be dead!"
Oliver smiled slightly, as the entire police station froze and looked in their direction.
"Well it seems that I'm not. I've got Argus to thank for that."
Captain Pike looked back at Waller and then back at him, but before he could say anything Quentin Lance was walking in his direction, fury in his eyes.
Pike had to stop Lance from punching Oliver.
"You son of a bitch! You killed my daughter!"
Waller was the first to speak.
"It is best if we speak in private."
Pike nodded.
"Yes. And we should call the Queen family to inform them of what happened."
Oliver nodded, looking away from Lance, pretending to ignore him.
"Thank you captain Pike."
Pike nodded in return as two officers restrained Lance who kept screaming at Oliver.
They were escorted to Pike's office, and Lance soon joined them, seeming to have calmed down. They were all sat down, and asked to explain what happened.
The story Waller offered them was short, and simple. No Hong Kong, no Russia, no Lian Yu.
According to Argus, Oliver was picked up in the North China sea, alongside Sara Lance. Unfortunately the woman was injured, and died shortly after the rescue. Oliver, who felt bad about his father's and Sara's death, was recruited into Argus. As he climbed the ranks at Argus, he is now allowed to return home to his old life even if he continues working at Argus.
Less than half an hour later, the door opened, and his sister and his mother were immediately by his side hugging him and crying.
His mother let go of him for a short moment.
"Oh My beautiful boy!"
He smiled softly and glanced quickly at Thea.
"I missed you both."
His sister also let go of him, and began wiping her tears away.
His mother looked over at Pike.
"I assume he is free to go home?"
Captain Pike smiled kindly.
"Yes. He may go."
Oliver turned around as his sister took his hand and began dragging him away, but he was stopped by Waller's voice.
"I expect to see you in my office tomorrow at 9."
He huffed and turned back to look at her.
"You won't even give me 24 hours with my family?"
She stood up.
"Don't forget who made it possible for you to return home, Oliver."
Oliver nodded, ignoring his family's confused looks.
"Don't forget that it was my choice to work with Argus, Amanda."
He didn't miss Pike's weird expression when he heard the two of them refer to each other by their first names. He supposed there weren't many people who would be fearless enough to call Waller by her first name in public.
Waller smirked.
"Don't forget where you would be if not for Argus."
Oliver smiled sarcastically in return.
"I would be rotting in Hell. But you would be there right beside me."
Waller didn't move, she scanned the room with her eyes, before looking back up at Oliver.
"Enjoy your time with your family."
Oliver smirked before turning away. As he was walking away with his family trailing behind, still confused by the whole situation, he turned his head slightly to Amanda.
"I will be at your office tomorrow at 9 in the evening."
He didn't stay long enough to wait for her reaction, but he suspected that part of her expected him to do something like this. He put his thoughts of Amanda away to the back of his mind. Now he would focus on his family and a way to explain to them that he was now an Argus agent.
As he walked towards the car he smiled. Even if Starling city didn't feel like home anymore, it was the people that mattered. And at the moment, the people that mattered most were by his side.