Author Notes: Jason it is the Clark Kent from Smallville I was just having fun with Brandon Routh's past as the man of Steel. He was taken from the Smallville verse at the end of season 9. If you haven't read it yet my original story Altered Existence should be somewhere in the crossover section for Arrow and Smallville it explains how Clark ended up in the Arrowverse and why the Legends are playing MST.
The scene changed to Queen Consolidated the next night. The benefit for the Glades was under way on the executive level, and Laurel was walking through the room, a glass of champagne in hand, looking for Oliver.
"You look like a woman who's looking for someone." Laurel turned to see Sebastian Blood standing behind her, a drink in his hand as well.
"Friend of mine." Laurel said. "He's throwing this benefit."
"Ah. Oliver Queen. Didn't realize you were friends." He remarked.
"Very old friends." Laurel told him. "So you can imagine how I feel about you putting him in the crosshairs of public opinion, alderman." She added coolly.
"For what it's worth, I've apologized to Oliver for my rhetorical excesses." Blood said apologetically. "In fact, it is that détente which brings us all here tonight."
"So where is Oliver?" She asked.
"Doing the police's job." Sara offered.
"Making a difference." Jax added.
Snart simply rolled his eyes.
Blood smiled ruefully. "That's exactly the question I'm asking myself."
The scene changed to Oliver and Diggle in the elevator, on their way up to the party.
Oliver looked at his watch and frowned. "We're late." He noted.
"The good news is, at least you get to make a dramatic entrance." Dig opined.
"Oh, I'm just lucky Oliver Queen has a reputation for not showing up on time." Oliver said, looking up at the floor counter and willing it to go faster.
Stein looked at the screen concerned. "That can't be healthy."
Jax looked at him. "You're half of a walking atomic bomb."
"But I never refer to myself in the third person." Stein countered.
"You know, I've been meaning to tell you it really weirds me out to no end the way you refer to yourself in the third person like that." Dig told his friend.
Jax's face dropped while Stein smiled feeling his point proven.
The elevator dinged, and at the same moment Oliver's phone started vibrating. He pulled it out of his jacket. "It's Felicity." He told Diggle as he stepped off the elevator. He answered the call. "Tell me."
"I've got good news and bad news." Felicity said from the Foundry. "I hacked into FEMA's server, yet another federal offense, thank you very much, and was able to find out when the next shipment of pharmaceuticals is taking place."
"When?" Oliver asked.
"That's the bad news. Five minutes ago." She said. At Q.C., Oliver looked over at the fundraiser he was throwing, knowing even before she asked that he would be a no-show there. Still, she asked the question. "I know this is the definition of sucky timing, but which suit are you planning on wearing tonight?"
Ray frowned looking at the screen. Like no one here knows what choice Oliver is going to make.
Clark leaned back at the desk looking at the story he wrote. He hits send and Oliver's life is over. He heard a distinct noise and closed that window to bring up the hack to the FEMA database seeing where tonight's shipment is coming from. So if the attack is there he'll be all the way over there with his ears wide open.
Carter looked at it with a smile. "So that's how he's going to do it."
"Do what?" Kendra asked.
"Catch his bomber." Carter answered. "Or at least take the fight to him."
In the party, Blood stared out the window, his ire growing every second the party's host didn't appear. Finally he had enough. " Doesn't seem Mr. Queen is going to honor us with his presence this evening." He told Laurel.
"So where are you going?" She asked him as he started to move off.
"To address his guests." He said. "It's time they realize what kind of a man their host is."
"You're just going to crucify him in the media again?" She asked incredulously.
"Crucifixion has such a bad reputation." Blood replied. "The Romans used it to punish people who acted against the public good."
"Is it wrong I want to go back in time to shut him up myself?" Carter asked.
"I'll help!" Sara hissed.
"Alderman-" Laurel tried, but Blood had already stepped up to the mic at the podium.
"Ladies and gentlemen." He said, drawing the guest's attention and a polite applause. "Thank you. Thank you." He said. "But you should hold your applause for Oliver Queen. This evening's charity was his brain child." He moved away from the podium, moving to stand closer to the people. " As such, you could be forgiven for wondering why Mr. Queen isn't with us tonight. And the answer, I'm afraid, is painfully apparent." In the foundry, Oliver was rapidly suiting up. "He doesn't care." Blood continued as Laurel looked on, helpless. "I told Mr. Queen that this city's problems cannot be solved with his money; that he needed to stand up and be counted as someone who cares. So where is he now?"
At the other side of the town the Triad's bomber smiled at the easiest he's had just hit the button and the guardian of Starling City stays away from them. He smiled hitting the button starting the countdown. Only to have his arm wrenched behind him and his face smacked into the bomb's timer rapidly down.
"So, what are the odds of getting out alive at ground zero?" Clark asked. "Shut it down!"
The bomber thrived in desperation and turned the bomb off.
The Legends just laughed at how quickly the bomber was taken out of the game. But disturbed with how quick Clark got there when he turned the bomb on. How did he know so fast?
At the SCPD, an officer ran up to Lieutenant Pike. " Lieutenant! We got a Hood sighting, heading down Bemire Avenue."
"Let's go!" Pike yelled out, and the Anti-Vigilante Task Force raced to their cars.
"I don't know where Oliver Queen is." Blood continued. "All I know is that he isn't here."
The FEMA truck raced through the Glades, with the motorcyclists in pursuit.
"This city is dying."
Nearly a dozen police cruisers raced to take down the vigilante.
"And it needs someone to stand up and breathe new hope into it."
The Arrow raced towards the FEMA trucks on his own bike.
"And tonight, it is painfully obvious that that person is not Oliver Queen."
Ray kept to himself just trying to remember Anna isn't dead anymore she's back at home waiting for him so he doesn't take the jump ship and do something stupid. Having learned this lesson from Savage.
China White wiped her knife clean on the jacket of the dead driver. " Rúguǒ yǒurén dédào nǐ de fāngshì, xiūjiǎn xiàlái." She told her men. They nodded, and the two riders moved to the truck. One was climbing in the driver's side when the Arrow rounded the corner on his bike. As he sped past he fired a flash bang arrow into the cab that sent the gang member tumbling out as it exploded. As the Arrow brought his bike to a stop and climbed off to face China White and Bronze Tiger, the Asian assassin turned to the other rider. "Go!" she ordered, and the man ran to the truck. She and Tiger then turned their attention to the Arrow, who was stalking towards them. "I told you." She reminded him. "On time to die."
"Moving in on the vigilante's location."
The cruisers skidded to a stop in an intersection in the Glades. The cops got out and started looking around, and Pike looked around in confusion.
"This doesn't make any sense." One of his men said, coming up to him. He showed him the pad he was carrying, which showed a surveillance feed of the Vigilante- supposedly right where they were standing. "This is supposed to be live surveillance."
Pike looked down at the video, and then scowled. He pointed to a building on the screen. "What the hell is this building doing here?" he pointed up to the wreckage in front of them. "It was destroyed in the quake."
"Who in the hell could be feeding us year-old surveillance?" the other cop wondered.
In the Foundry, Felicity smiled as she continued her work.
Kendra smiled in disbelief that was a good one.
At the truck, Bronze Tiger and China White assaulted the Arrow as one, forcing the vigilante to fend them off. The last gang member had started climbing into the cab of the truck, when suddenly a man in a ski mask came out of nowhere and grabbed him. He hit him several times, and then threw him into a dumpster, slamming the lid on the punks' head for good measure.
"Healthcare has enough problems without you punks." Dig growled. Then he ran to the truck and climbed in.
Oliver managed to land a hard strike onto China White, sending her crashing into a K-rail. Tiger moved in, grabbing him from behind. Suddenly the lights of the truck flared onto them both.
"You're not the only one allowed to bring a friend!" Oliver growled, throwing him off and diving to the side as the truck raced past. China White scrambled to her feet and ran to the truck, jumping on the back as it past.
In the cab, Dig pulled up his mask and checked his mirrors. "I'm clear." He said into his com.
Oliver got up and looked around, searching for Bronze Tiger. "That makes one of us." He said. He moved cautiously around the area, looking for his opponent. All around him, wooden crates were stacked, and were covered with tarps that flapped freely in the breeze, creating a labyrinth. As Oliver moved deeper into the maze, Bronze Tiger came out behind him, slashing into his back with his claws before disappearing behind cover once more. Oliver gasped in pain and tried to draw an arrow- but he had no target. Cautiously, he continued his search.
In the truck, Dig was continuing to head of the hospital when China White suddenly popped up next to him outside his door.
"China!" he yelled out in surprise, ducking a swing from her and the two began exchanging blows even as Dig continued to drive.
In the maze, Tiger once again lept out, slashing into Oliver's chest and again drawing an anguished gasp before disappearing once more.
In the truck, Dig was fending off China White, but as a result of the distraction he crashed into some debris at the side of the road. The impact drove his forehead into the steering wheel; it also threw China White off of the truck. Dig groaned and rubbed his head as he tried to recover his senses.
In the maze, Oliver paused in his search. Then he spun and fired and arrow, which Bronze Tiger blocked.
"Go ahead, waste your arrows." He growled, advancing as Oliver drew and fired several more. One hit Tiger in his shoulder, but he still kept coming. He barreled into the Arrow, slamming him back against a dumpster and digging into the wound he had created.
"That hurt, but it won't stop me." Tiger said with a smirk. The smirk turned into a grimace and the gloating turned into an anguished scream as Oliver hit the activation button for the taser arrow he had shot into Tiger's shoulder. The man collapsed bonelessly to the ground.
Ray smiled for a moment before remembering the same arrow was likely used on him to short circuit the Atom suit.
"Good fight." Mick decided taking a drink. "Should have gone for the head though."
"That will." Oliver said to the mans' quivering, unconscious body. He hit his com switch. "Dig? Diggle!" When he didn't answer, Oliver left Bronze Tiger on the ground and took off for his bike.
At the truck, Diggle got out with his gun drawn, looking for China White. She charged him, knocking his gun away and swiping at him with her knife. She pressed her attack, putting Diggle on the defensive, and finally hitting a lucky blow and sending the bigger man to his knees. He pulled out a switchblade as she rose to drive her knife down-
But then the Arrow was there, firing a bola arrow which entrapped her hands and secured her to a utilities pole.
Oliver got off his bike and moved to Diggle to check that he was okay.
"You've changed." China White said. "You would have killed me by now if you hadn't."
"The police can take the shipment the rest of the way." He told Diggle. He turned to go back to his bike, but her voice stopped him.
"They still won't see you as anything more than the enemy." She taunted. He turned back to face her. "You'll never be anything but a criminal to them. Which means you'll never be a hero."
Oliver considered her for a long moment. "As long as this city is safe, it doesn't matter." He told her, then walked off.
Sara smiled seeing the man Oliver was when she first left Starling City starting to emerge.
Oliver drove back for Verdant on his motorcycle. The Arrow made a good choice for the city even if Oliver Queen didn't. Oliver looked ahead and saw a man in red and blue seemingly appear right in front of him.
The Legends eyes rose some in surprise some in terror of Clark's sudden appearance. At this moment not an eye left the screen.
Oliver swirled a bit but came to a stop right in front of the man. "What are you doing?"
"We need to talk." Clark finished hoping to avoid a fight. "How do you know Anatloy Knyazev?"
"Never heard of the man." Oliver replied.
Clark looked at him undisturbed. "You're a bad liar."
Oliver started the engine and Clark just grabbed the front of the motorcycle. Oliver revved it up but it quickly became apparent to him that the bike wasn't going anywhere.
Sara shook her head if he's not going to tell the truth. "Run Ollie, run."
Clark looked at him sadly. "And again how do you know Anatoly?"
Oliver frowned. "Sorry." He threw a fletchette.
Clark quickly caught the fletchette before it got anywhere near his shoulder. "So you are a Captain in the Bratva." Clark just flipped the motorcycle causing Ollie to let go and roll aside before the bike fell on him.
Snart watched the screen amused. The good guys always do find reasons to fight each other for some reason. From cops arguing about jurisdiction, mind control or just two heroes who don't like how each other work.
Oliver quickly notched an arrow and fired only for Clark to slap it away. Oliver quickly loaded to an arrow similar to the one used to catch Black Tiger and fired only for Clark to grab that by the shaft and toss it aside. Oliver quickly loaded two very different arrows and fired them simultaneously as Clark caught each arrow trapping the arrowheads in the palms of his hands and closing his fists.
Oliver's eyes widened in surprise. "No don't!"
Clark just waited for the inevitable when instead of an explosion smoke just rose out of his hands.
Sara shook her head in disbelief. "I think I'm sleeping with that knife tonight."
Mick turned to her mouth full of food. "It's my knife!"
Oliver backed up a blast like that and he's not even scratched. Oliver quickly loaded a new arrow and fired.
Clark looked at it in slow motion and smiled seeing the arrow he wanted get close to him and time seemingly froze. Clark walked to the back of the arrow and turned it around 180 with his finger pointing it back at Oliver. Clark went to the back of the arrow and just very lightly tapped it sending it back to Oliver.
Stein looked at the screen. "Well at least he doesn't seem interested in killing anyone."
Carter turned to Stein. "He just palmed two explosives and took down Green Arrow in seconds. That's the best you got?"
Jax watched the screen impassive. He does not want to fight this guy but odds are if they have to firestorm is the big gun likely being able to craft the same material as the knife Mick took out of Clark's gut.
Mick looked at the screen. He has a feeling his criminal career might be cut short from this guy. But should be an interesting fight. Especially since he has a weapon he knows can kill him.
Rip watched the screen in silence watching the man in red and blue work. If they have to take him off the map they still can... he hopes
Ray smiled seeing someone like him seems to be for the good guys just Ollie's usual bad first impression like what happened when they met.
Snart shook his head. Barry could be caught in explosives the new Wonder boy here not so much. His main weakness might be freezing his legs.
Kendra shook her head and asked what everyone was thinking but too nervous to ask. "How would we beat someone like this?"
None of the Legends had an answer.
Oliver barely had time to register his own arrow coming right back at him as the arrow hit him in the gut unleashing a series of cables tying the Arrow down at the waist and knocking him down to the street. What just happened?
Clark took a couple steps only to be blinded by headlights. He turned around and saw a van practically on his gut if he stays the person he sees in the van is going to go flying out the window and die from hitting a brick wall that is his head. So he makes the only choice he can as the van lightly taps him and he jumps back giving the van the appearance that it hit him and knocked him into the air.
Sara took a breath of relief seeing Diggle come back for Oliver. She hates to imagine what would have happened with her and Ras if Oliver was kidnapped. Because she would show zero hesitation in getting him out. As she suspects everyone is about to find out.
Diggle quickly ran out and grabbed Oliver. Clark looked from his spot but heard an all too familiar sound in Starling City of a girl's scream! Well, it's not like he doesn't know where Oliver Queen lives so he takes off in the other direction.
Ray looked at it. "Where's he going?"
Clark ran in a blur and came to a stop. He looked around saw the girl screaming running into the nearest building. He looked down at three unconscious men. Two of them are bleeding from the ears. He looked up at figure of the Black Canary running and jumping from rooftop to rooftop. He contemplated the situation between her and Oliver then simply shouted. "Hypocrite!"
Sara shook her head. Great now she's on his radar.
Ray looked at the screen more carefully. "That's weird."
"What's weird haircut?" Mick asked.
"This Clark guy shouted hypocrite. He wouldn't have done that unless he thinks Laurel is crucifying Oliver by day and pounding on crooks by night. It's like he knows Laurel is the Black Canary." Ray explained.
Snart shook his head. "Not that hard Raymond. Clark is from our time. He more then likely saw Oliver throw Laurel under the bus on the news or youtube."
The Legends thought about it for a moment but Snart's theory added up.
Later, Oliver and Diggle sat in his office watching the news report of the arrest. "After a prolonged pursuit, police have arrested Chien Na Wei, a high-ranking member of the local Chinese Triad, which was responsible for the recent hijackings of pharmaceuticals bound for Glades Memorial. Representatives praise the efforts of the SCPD in saving the hospital from shutting down, though some sources say the Vigilante may have been involved.' Oliver smiled slightly at that. 'In other news, protests continue…"
Oliver leaned back. "So, nothing about our other friend?"
Diggle shook his head. "Nothing on the news about him. Assuming I didn't kill him when I hit him."
Oliver shook his head not even looking at Diggle it's evolved in five years. "You didn't. He flat palmed two explosive arrows without flinching, and held down a motorcycle with one hand. I don't even know how we got away that bump couldn't have slowed him down for longer then a couple seconds."
Diggle eyed up Oliver. "This guy got in your head didn't he?"
Carter watched the screen uneasy. This guy could get into anyone's head very easily with what he can do.
"He didn't look the least bit surprised by me. He knows how I'm a Captain in the Bratva. It's safe to assume he knows who I am under the hood John." Oliver finished.
Diggle shrugged. "I can take him again." He joked but changed the subject. "You know, I was just about to make my move on China White too." Diggle said as he leaned against the wall. "I didn't need one of your trick arrows getting in the way."
They both chuckled. "Couldn't risk it. Where would I be without my black driver?" Oliver joked. Dig smiled at him as he moved to get his coat. "Diggle!" he called out. "I'm sorry about you and Carly." He said earnestly.
Sara watched the screen with a smile she missed this John. All he seemed to do was talk about Oliver and Felicity's great relationship when she came back.
"Yeah, well, couples break up." Diggle replied. "Not everything that happens in Starling City is your responsibility."
"I'm learning that." Oliver said. "What I meant was, I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you, because I should have been. I got wrapped up in my own suffering, and I forgot that some other people might be suffering, too."
They both nodded at each other, then were silent. Finally Dig spoke. "You know, we're getting dangerously close to hug territory, so I'm going to fall back and." Oliver chuckled. "You need a ride?" Dig asked.
"It turns that being CEO, I actually have some work to do." Oliver replied. "I'll find my own way."
"You always do." Dig said as he turned and walked out knowing he does too finding this guy before he finds Oliver again.
Oliver sat back and turned his attention back to the news. 'Oliver Queen's failure to show up to his own benefit shouldn't surprise anyone.' Sebastian Blood was saying. 'He's no different than the rest of the Starling City elite who have failed to show up when it comes to ending the suffering of those left devastated in the Glades. Oliver Queen is not a friend to the people of this city.' Oliver turned the news off with a frown, then looked down in surprise as a mug of coffee was set on his desk. He looked up to see Felicity. She smiled at him, then turned and walked out as well.
FIVE YEARS AGO
The scene flashed back to the island. Slade, Oliver and Shado were moving quickly through the forest, following Slade's lead. Suddenly he paused, looked down at the map- and the photo that was attached to it, then looked back up. "To those men, this location could have been on any one of 150 different islands." He said, then turned back to his friends with a smile. "But for somebody who knows this island like he knows his own name…"
"So those men were looking for this place." Shado said, looking around. "Why?"
"That would be the question." Slade said.
Sara frowned knowing the damaged version of her is coming.
"Slade." The pair turned to Oliver, who had moved a short distance off. "Over here." He pointed. Slade looked, and saw that there was a cave there, whose entrance was concealed behind thick vines. Slade put the map away and took out his K-Bar, then cautiously entered the cave. Inside he found a small area that had been converted into a rudimentary living area. On the ground, though, he saw skeletons dressed in Japanese uniforms with misshapen skulls.
Oliver knelt beside one of the bodies.
"Their skulls are misshapen." Shado noted.
"What happened to these people?" Oliver wondered aloud.
Jax looked at Sara struggling. "Are you OK?"
Sara closed her eyes. "Just keep watching Jax, you'll know soon enough.
Slade bent over and picked up a samurai sword. "Whatever did happen to them was over 60 years ago." He said, looking at the rusted sword. "These soldiers belong to the Japanese Imperial Army."
"They've been here since World War II." Shado said.
"We're missing something here." Slade said as Oliver examined another of the bodies. Around the neck he found a stone arrowhead with markings carved into it. He pulled it off and looked at it curiously.
"You don't just come here for corpses." Slade finished, looking around for more clues.
Carter turned to Sara seeing how unsettled she is he knows this is about her. "What's with the skulls?"
"You'll learn in time." Sara assured him.
PRESENT
Back in the present, Roy was taking out some trash behind Verdant when he suddenly sensed he wasn't alone. He knelt down, depositing the glass bottles as he subtly reached into his pocket. In one fluid movement, he withdrew the arrow, rose, and spun around, flinging the projectile-
Right at The Arrow, who caught it inches from his face.
Roy stared, stunned, before he finally found his voice. "I've been looking for you."
"You need to stop." The Arrow said forcefully.
"You saved my life!" Roy said. "Made me realize it wasn't much of a life." He admitted. "But I could do what others couldn't, or too afraid to do. I could help you save the city."
"You're untrained." The Arrow said.
"I can fight." Roy protested.
"You can take a beating." The vigilante shot back. "There's a difference."
The Legends laughed hearing the line. Everyone here has been knocked out at some point so they all know Roy and Oliver have a point.
"Then teach me! Let me help you." Roy begged.
The Arrow walked slowly towards him. "OK." He said after a moment of silence. "You can help me. But not by taking on the Triad or the cops."
"Then how?"
"To do what I do, I need intel. You can be my eyes and ears in the Glades." He offered. "That's how you can save the city."
"How do I contact you?" Roy asked.
The Arrow tossed back the flechette. He doesn't want Roy anywhere near what he suspects the man in red and blue is. "Leave that in the alley wall. Then I'll know to contact you."
Roy bent down to retrieve the weapon. "Are you sure it's all right that I keep this?" he asked, looking up- but the Arrow was gone. He grinned in disbelief.
Sara shook her head. "And that was the start of a beautiful friendship... after some broken bones and loosed arrows."
Thea was sitting at the bar, going over paperwork when the hozen was suddenly put down on the file. She looked at it, then up at Roy.
"If I want to be with you, do I keep that or give it back?" he asked her. "You were a little unclear."
She looked at him hopefully. "You mean it?"
"No more fighting." He promised. "If it's a choice between life with you or life without you, life with you will win every single time." She smiled at him. "I'm done trying to be a hero." Thea rose and gently kissed him on the lips before embracing her boyfriend. Roy returned the hug gratefully, even as he felt the weight of the flechette in his back pocket.
Mick took a breath of relief. "Thank god no more teenage drama."
During the night Clark went back to the office he opened his computer and looked at the Queen story he knows he should push this button and publish the story. It's all but proven at this point... but he doesn't.
Clark brings up photos of Oliver since his return from the island of Lian Yu and keeps looking through them coming to a stop seeing one of Oliver, his sister, and the man that ran him down with a van tonight. He looks at the article and gets his name.
Clark types in John Diggle and looks at his background seeing the man served in the army and was rewarded for it.
Clark just leaned back in thought. Unexpected but not completely.
Kendra looked at it confused. "Now what is he up to?"
"I suspect Mr. Diggle will find out the hard way." Snart finished.
Later that night, Laurel was working late again at the D.A.'s office when, once again, the lights went out.
"I told you to stay away from me." She said, spinning around to see The Arrow standing in the darkened office.
Oliver activated the voice changer. "I thought you might have changed your mind after I stopped the men terrorizing our city."
"This isn't your city." Laurel said sharply."It's your killing fields."
"The copycats are still alive." The Arrow noted.
"Tommy Merlyn isn't." She shot back.
Oliver paused for a moment. "I lost a friend that day, too." He told her. "And I would gladly have given my life for his."
"Well, don't worry, your life is over." Laurel said, grinning coldly. She held up a small device for him to see- a signaling device. "Your life as a free man."
She pressed the button, and instantly the Task Force warmed into the office. They surrounded the vigilante, cutting off all avenues of escape. He drew and arrow and nocked it, turning slowly to face each of the cops- but there were always more at his back. He was well and truly trapped.
"I told you to stay away." Laurel said smugly. "Somehow I knew you wouldn't listen."
Sara looked at the screen. "What the hell, that's where it cuts off!"
"Seems like it." Rip answered. "Now we can do nothing but wait for the next set to load."
Mick smiled getting to his feet. "Then it's time for a snack run."
Rip's eyes dropped in exasperation. "We have food here Mr. Rory."
Sara got up joining Mick. Just to get away from the recordings for a bit. "Yeah, but the ship can't ever clone Big Belly Burger right."
Snart got to his feet. "We should pick some up for research purposes so Gideon can get it right the best one is in Central City."
Carter shot to his feet to Rip's confusion. "What? They outlawed junk food in 2055 so I haven't had Big Belly Burger in over a hundred years being from 2166."
Kendra got to her feet in a smile. "Well if that's not enough reason to get something to eat."
Jax got to his feet. "I just don't want to sit around waiting for the next clip."
Stein and Ray got their feet and joined them on principal.
Rip just watched the group go. "Children, I work with children."
Author Notes
Thanks for the reviews
That epilogue was brought to you by Big Belly Burger. Big Belly Burger because the Arrow season finale wasn't sickening to your stomach enough.