Rooftop of the Glades, Nighttime
Oliver was charged at by the mysterious woman in black, she took a swing with her nightstick which hit him across his face. She then delivered a front kick which Oliver managed to block, afterward they kept trading blows blocking each other's strikes. Still reeling from her sonic attack, Oliver wasn't 100 percent but even so this woman could fight, holding her own against him even when weaken wasn't easy. As the woman delivered a spinning side kick that hit him in the stomach causing him to stumble back, she moved, and Oliver flipped her over on her back then dropped and low kicked her in the face. Getting on her knees, the woman then swung her nightstick but even though Oliver thought he managed to dodge it, it still hit him.
Getting a better look now, Oliver saw the nightstick had extended becoming something like a bo-staff. Back on her feet and twirling her weapon, the blonde attacked him with the weapon while Oliver deflected it with his bow. Using the staff like a spear, she started going low and while he managed to avoid the strikes; he forgot about the side handle on the weapon which she used to trip him on the ground then immediately jabbed him hard with her weapon in his solar plexus. Pressing the handle of the weapon against his neck, the blonde kneeled over, reaching for his hood intending to take it off.
"Let's see what you really look like now," Laurel said, but suddenly the vigilante took an arrow from his quiver and stabbed her on the left side of her right thigh just above her knee. This caused Laurel to stumble in pain, as the Vigilante back fisted her to get her off him. He then made his escape, by firing an arrow with a grappling line on it and leaped from the rooftop. Laurel just looked at him leaving with frustration, that he escaped again, first by the police and now by her.
Arrowcave Bunker
Dig and Felicity came down to see Oliver, icing his wounds; he had called them a little under half an hour ago. Seeing Oliver hurt, Felicity rushed over to give him a quick hug. "Oh, thank God." She said as he returned the embrace.
"What happened to you man? You said you got attacked." Dig asked.
"I was," Oliver answered.
"By who?" Felicity asked.
"A masked blonde woman in black," Oliver answered.
"Another copycat vigilante?" Dig asked.
"No, she was different. Trained, and she used a sonic thing." Oliver explained.
"Wait, sonic thing? Could you be a bit more specific?" Felicity asked as Oliver got him to walk away.
"She turned it on, and the glass shattered." He clarified.
"Ok, well, why did she attack you? And how did she know where to find you?" Dig questioned.
"I'm not sure how she found me but as for why she attacked me she said she wants to save this city ... from me," Oliver said, the last part a little reluctantly.
"Why would she think this city needs to be saved from you?" Dig asked.
"Good Question. I don't like the idea of another player in town." Oliver said turning to Felicity.
"I'll see what I can find," Felicity said knowing exactly what Oliver was thinking.
Streets of Star City, Morning
Quentin Lance was enjoying a delicious hot dog on his daily patrol, that is until he received a police response.
"All units, please respond 1078 at 2nd and Fletcher
"Lance, patrol Delta Charlie 52, Over," Quentin responded.
"Negative, DC-52. Disregard 10-78 and resume patrol."
"According to whose orders?" He asked.
"Lieutenant Pike."
"Excuse me." Quentin regretfully threw away his delicious hot dog and got in his police car.
Several minutes later, Quentin arrived at the responded location. Seeing all the crime scene detail working the detail and passing throw the others and the crime scene tape. There he saw Bill, an old friend of his and addressed him.
"Bill, what is going on here, huh? This is my beat." Quentin asked. "Why did Pike wave me off of this?"
"Quentin, it's under control," Bill said trying to reassure him.
"Excuse me, what is under control?" Quentin asked but then got a view of the crime scene, the victim was a woman dressed in a white dress and hung up in the air on the iron bars. The image filled Quentin was dread, bringing back painful memories for him. "That's Barton Mathis." He said slowly.
"That seems to be what the M. O. indicates," Bill said confirming his suspicions.
"He's doing consecutive life sentences in Iron Heights," Quentin remembered.
"Not anymore. The quake split open a section of Iron Heights, Mathis was among the escapees and the brass want to avoid a panic, so they're keeping it quiet." Bill explained.
"Are they keeping it quiet from me, too?" Quentin angrily asked.
"Come on, man," Bill said defensively. "Pike knows what happened to you last time, the man got in your head."
"Yeah, and I caught him, and no one knows Mathis better." Quentin reminded him.
"And I've got all your notes and your files. Pike's ordered, if you go anywhere near this, he's going to have you arrested for obstruction." Bill explain and Quentin just walked away pissed off.
Arrowcave Bunker, Night
Felicity was on the computers going everything she could figure out about this masked woman, while Dig and Oliver were wrestling with each other on the mats; Oliver was having the advantage. To be fair she could have gotten this done faster but watching two shirtless muscular men sparring against each other was distracting for her.
"I found a number of police reports from the last few months that may involve our mystery girl. They describe a masked woman in black attacking attackers, so far she's mostly stuck to the Glades which is probably why she flew under our radar for so long." Felicity explained. "Last known incident, she sent five would-be rapists into the ER."
"Are you sure it's her?" Oliver asked holding Dig in a pretty successful lock.
"Broken limbs, blunt force trauma from a police nightstick, ruptured eardrums… your sonic thing." She mentioned.
"That's her," Oliver said flipping Dig on his ass.
"She's targeting criminals." She mentioned.
"First the Hoods, now her. Looks like you started a movement." Dig said as Oliver helped him up from the ground.
"I don't want to start a movement, so we catch her. I'm not letting the city get overrun with vigilantes." Oliver said agitatedly.
Felicity's phone then rang it was Detective or rather Officer Lance. "Hi, Detective." She said.
SCPD Rooftop of Star City
Oliver arrived in his gear, on police station rooftop and just saw Detective Lance came from the door; he looks agitated and stressed. "So, Miss Smoak gives you a way to call me now." He addressed him.
"She vouches for you and you told me that you're trying to help the city without dropping bodies," Quentin asked the Green Arrow as he walked up to him. "That true?"
"What do you think?" Oliver asked with a question of his own.
"Let's just say I'm willing to be convinced," Quentin said then walked to the edge of the roof. "This city is hurting and the police? I always thought we didn't need to go outside of the law to find justice. But in light of recent events, I'm not so sure anymore." He walked up to him and gave him the file he was carrying. "Barton Mathis, the media calls him the Doll Maker. Cause he suffocates his victims with a flexible polymer that he pours down their throats and then he dresses them up like dolls. I put him away. Because of the quake, he's out and he's killing again." He explained.
"These are from six years ago," Oliver said looking through them.
"That's my personal file," Quentin replied.
"Maybe it's not just the file that's personal." Oliver guessed.
"Mathis killed eight girls before I got him last time. I don't want any more on my conscience." Quentin explained in a fit.
"So why don't you let the police do their job?" Oliver asked.
"I could say the same thing to you. They're spread so thin, they can't even risk letting the public know that Mathis is out. You said you're trying another way? Maybe I am, too." Quentin explained and knew him to help him out.
Arrowcave Bunker
"Lance's file give you anything?" Oliver asked as walked in.
"Last time the Doll Maker was active in Star City, he ramped up to one kill every three days," Dig answered.
"That gives us two to catch him." Oliver quickly realized. "Can we connect the victims?"
"Young. Pretty. According to Lance's file, he couldn't figure out how he chose them." Dig explained.
"As if porcelain dolls weren't creepy enough all on their own," Felicity remarked.
"Barton Mathis doesn't have any family or known acquaintances. Lone wolves are harder to catch." Dig mentioned.
This gave Oliver an idea. "But they do have the right to an attorney." He said. "Call Lance, tell him to set up a meeting for tonight."
"Where?" Felicity asked.
"At the office of whoever represented Barton Mathis," Oliver explained.
"So, I'm assuming this takes priority over finding out the identity of the woman who nearly kicked your ass." She said jokingly.
"I got that covered." He said as he left the bunker and then went to the alley behind the ally to meet his new street informant.
"Hey. I was wondering when I was going to see you again." Roy said to the Green Arrow.
"There's a new vigilante in town, a woman. She seems to stick to the Glades mostly." Oliver informed him.
"I know," Roy said and he could tell that the Vigilante was a little surprised. "I've seen her."
"Well find her, but don't engage," Oliver ordered. "Leave that to me." He said as he left.
District Attorney's Office
Quentin arrived at the DA's office to check on Laurel talking to her boss, she looked tired. Once Laurel spotted him, Donner gave them a moment alone. "Hey Dad, everything okay?" She asked.
"No, I came here to check up on you and check up on some court records," Quentin told her. "Barton Mathis is out. I'm looking for his attorney."
"Why? You're no longer a detective." Laurel asked.
"Yeah, well, I'm just doing a little digging off the books." He explained in not a complete lie.
"Dad, this case ... it took you to such a dark place last time." She recalled.
"Yeah, well, I think we both know that it wasn't Mathis who did that." He reminded her. "Look, nobody knows this guy better than me, which means nobody's got a better chance of stopping him, ok? And that means every girl that he kills is like another one on my conscience."
"No. No, dad, it's not." She said trying to persuade him. "Whatever guilt you're feeling, you're just using it to justify a vendetta."
"Well, maybe I'm not the only one." He said looking at the board of the Vigilante before walking away.
Night
Later, both Quentin and the Green Arrow later went to interview Mathis' lawyer; Quentin was less than thrilled about the vigilante's willingness to use torture, but it did give them a possible location. During his prison stint, Mathis was sketching the Bisque Museum which reminded him of Germany where porcelain dolls were invented; that was part of the psychopath's obsession. After question the woman at the front desk, who gave a description that matched the serial killer. Entering the room, Quentin surprisingly breathed a sigh of relief that Mathis wasn't there. As both he and the Green Arrow began searching the room, he easily found a small doll next to the hotel room phone; the phone began to ring.
Answering the phone call, Quentin picked up the phone and heard that monster's voice. "Detective, it's been too long," Mathis said over the phone.
"Felicity, I need a trace," Oliver told her to do over comms.
"On it." She replied.
"You sick son of a bitch," Quentin said angrily.
"Sick? I've never felt better. Fresh air agrees with me." Mathis corrected him.
"Yeah, well, don't get too used to it. I caught you before, it's just a matter of time before I do it again." Quentin told him.
"Fair enough." Mathis acknowledged. "In the meantime, however, I have someone who'd like to say hello to you. Say hello, dear." Quentin then heard the voice a young woman screaming, her cry filling him dread.
"She's a little inarticulate."
"She's done nothing to you. Please, don't hurt her, just let her go." Quentin pleaded.
"And allow her to wither away in a mediocre and forgettable life." Mathis sadistically replied.
"No. No, no, no, no, no." The woman begged.
"She deserves so much better. She deserves to see her beauty preserved. Pristine. Forever. Don't worry. I will turn her into something special. Pay attention, Detective. What comes next is really quite exquisite. The sound of an esophagus slowly hardening, like a symphony." Mathis sadistically explained.
"Felicity!" Oliver said over comms.
"We're trying, but he's blocked the skip trace." She explained
"Barton, don't do it." Quentin pleaded in vain with the monster. "I'm begging you, ok? Is that what you want? I am begging you. Please, just stop!"
"It's for the world to enjoy. After all, everyone loves a pretty doll." Mathis said as the phone call was immediately disconnected.
Arrowcave Bunker
"The police found her body an hour ago," Dig said.
"Does the new victim give us any forensics we can use? Oliver asked.
"CSI did a complete forensics work-up, but they sent everything out to a private lab," Dig answered.
"Can you get in?" Oliver asked turning to Felicity
"No, they took their system offline. It seems like someone hacked into a lot of police-related systems last year." Felicity answered referring to her herself.
"Then we do it like we did the Merlyn job," Oliver stated.
Forensic Lab
"So glad you invited me to tag along," Quentin said sarcastically.
"Tranq dart, he'll be out for 36 minutes," Oliver said referring to the knocked-out security guard.
"Yeah, I remember," Quentin recalled as the vigilante used it on him.
"You're up, Felicity," Oliver told her as he inserted a device into the system's mainframe.
"So, this is what a typical night's like for you, huh? Just a little breaking and entering." Quentin sassed.
"All right, I got toxicology first. What are all these? Chemical ingredients of all the make-up found on the victims; skin cream, nail polish, lipstick." Felicity listed as they showed up on the computer monitors.
"Wait, wait, wait, stop," Quentin interjected. "Scroll back. Scroll back. This one. Ethyl paraben. Sodium laureth sulphate. I've seen this before." He explained.
"It's skin cream. Forensics found traces of it on her fingers, probably something she used before he grabbed her." She told them.
"Skin cream." Quentin tried to remember. "Mermaid something. One of the victims from his last run, she had this in her purse, and I had the lab analyze it, and it's the same formula."
"Felicity," Oliver said.
"Already on it." She responded and almost immediately she brought up the skin cream company logo for them to see.
"How the hell could she do that?" Quentin asked and Oliver just smiled impressed once more.
"Ethyl paraben and sodium laureth sulphate is Mermaiden's proprietary formula," Felicity told them
"Two victims with the same taste in skin cream, that can't be a coincidence," Oliver said.
"I could never figure out how he chose his victims," Quentin told him.
"I think you just did," Oliver responded.
Streets of the Glades
Roy was in the streets asking around about the masked blonde, eventually, he found a guy that lead him to Cindy Simone or Sin as she was better known.
"Excuse Me." Roy addressed the girl with short and spiky black hair.
"Step off, Abercrombie." Sin said defensively.
"Cindy?" Roy said and it was clear she preferred her nickname. "Sin?"
"What do you want? Can't you see I'm busy?" She made him notice.
"I'm looking for a friend of yours. Blonde. Black leather, head to toe." Roy said and Sin quickly reacted. "So, I guess that's a yes."
"Why do you ask?" She questioned.
"Got a friend that's looking for her. You might have heard about him; he likes the color green and arrows." He said knowing that she would understand the implication.
"You know my friend, doesn't like your friend all that much." She said flatly.
"Well, sometimes I can't say I blame her." He said acknowledging the Green Arrow's demeanor. "Still he wants to talk to her. How do you know her?"
"Look sometimes she needs me to patch her up or any info about the major crap going on in these streets. But the Black Canary always comes to met me and we've never met in the same place twice." She explained, which wasn't a complete lie.
"Black Canary?" He said.
"It's what the people of the Glades call her or at least the ones that know about her. Personally, she just prefers the Canary." She told him.
"Huh, my guy prefers the Arrow instead of Green Arrow." He chuckled.
"Blame the media." She joked.
Arrowcave Bunker
"So, this is it. Skin cream, that's our lead?" Dig said skeptically.
"It's something. What do we know about the product?" Oliver asked.
"It's made from crushed mother of pearl and it's super high-end. Only carried in a handful of boutiques and it's marketed for women with extremely delicate complexions." Felicity explained.
"He picks his victims for their skin and the cream is how he finds them." Oliver proclaimed.
"Only four stores in the city carry it and three have surveillance systems. I've ran facial recognition through all of them looking for Mathis but come up empty." Felicity told them. "He must be staking out the stores from the outside."
"Fine. So, we'll do the same." Dig stated.
"That could take days we don't have. He's probably out there right now looking for another girl." Oliver told them.
"So that's what we give him. I'll go to the stores that carry Mermaiden, and buy it in each one to cover our bases." Felicity said volunteering.
"It's too dangerous," Dig said trying to caution her.
"More dangerous than going undercover in a mob casino or jumping out of a plane? It's my life. It's my choice." Felicity said as both men realized there was no changing her mind.
Streets of Star City
Felicity was heading to the last store that sold the Mermaiden skin cream, she was even carrying it outside her person; hopefully, so that Mathis would see it. "This is the last store. You're going to reimburse me for these, right?" She asked Oliver on comms as this cream was expensive for her. "I saved my receipts."
"Go to the rendezvous point, stay in public," Oliver responded hiding in the shadows.
"Just for the record, I'm not a huge fan of dangling helpless girls in front of psychopaths like meat," Quentin said making his dislike for this plan crystal clear on comms.
"She volunteered," Oliver responded.
"Well, she must really believe in you."
"So did your daughter."
"She suffered a loss. Grief's got a way of shifting a person's beliefs." The veteran cop acknowledged. "But then you know all about that. You've lost people, too, right?
"Why would you say that?" Oliver asked a little startled.
"Why else would you be doing this?" Quentin replied. "My youngest, she died."
"I'm sorry," Oliver said thinking of Sara and blaming himself for what happened to her.
"Less than a month after it happened, I… I ended up catching the Doll Maker case. Threw myself into it. I think on some level, with each girl I was trying to save Sara … and just like with Sara, I couldn't. He killed eight girls Sara's age before I caught him." Quentin painfully recalled.
"Someone's coming," Felicity spoke, warning them both and Oliver caught glimpse of the one was following her.
"I got him." He told her.
"Ok, I'm going to admit to being seriously wigged out right now." She said nervously. As all three men waited to back her up, eventually the person that was following just went to another building. "False alarm, but next time I offer to be bait for your serial killer, please turn me down." She exasperated. She then began walking away but then accidentally ran into Mathis, who sadistically smiled at her and dragged away from the scene.
"Delta Charlie 52 to Central Code 99, possible 207 in progress, immediate back-up required!" Quentin said on comms. Little did he know, Laurel now dressed in her leather jacket, blonde wig, and mask; listening in on radio she bought to inform her police responses; picking up Mathis location, Laurel descending the roof and running to the location as fast as she could.
Oliver caught Felicity being held by Mathis, immediately firing that hit him causing the serial killer to release her. Quentin rushed past her to go after her Mathis, while Oliver checked on Felicity.
"You're all right, you're all right," Oliver said, as Dig arrived checking on Felicity. "Don't move. She hit her head."
"Go, go, go," Dig told him and Oliver split.
As Quentin chased that monster, Mathis came behind a corner and hit him with a wooden plank causing Quentin to drop his gun as he fell. "Hello Detective Lance, I thought there'd be more ceremony to this moment." Mathis greeted him as he picked up the officer's gun. "I'm a little disappointed, to be honest."
Aiming the gun at him, Mathis stopped when Laurel dropped down from behind him and threw him to the ground, disarming him of the gun. "Get out of here!" She told her father. Oliver then arrived and saw Mathis on the ground with the masked blonde approaching him, she then took notice of him. Oliver draw out an arrow and fired at Mathis to immobilize him, but the woman got in the way and deflected the arrow in mid-flight with her tonfa. Seeing his chance, Mathis escaped, and the woman went and Oliver went after but then they heard the sound of police sirens.
"Officer Lance, SCPD. It's Mathis. I almost had him." Quentin said as he got up and saw that it was his friend Bill.
"Search the area. Whole building." Bill said as the cops behind then passed Quentin to do what they were told. "Sorry."
"For what?" Quentin asked puzzled.
"Pike's orders. He wants you collared for obstruction." Bill said as he got behind Quentin and began to cuff him.
"What, he …" Quentin said, his hand behind his back and on his knees.
"Quentin Larry Lance, you have the right to remain silent. If you give up that right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law." Bill said as he was charging Lance with obstruction.
Oliver searched the area and couldn't find Mathis but did find the blonde vigilante, he looked at her in angry. "I had him, Mathis got away, because of you!" He yelled.
"So did I, except I wasn't going to kill him! Laurel viciously replied.
"I wasn't!" Oliver replied.
"Forgive me if I don't buy it, considering the number of bodies you dropped last year." She reminded him.
Oliver paused for a moment before speaking again. "Is this why you got in my way? Why you've come after me?"
"After the Undertaking, after you disappeared. I started doing what you did, the only difference is that all the people I've gone after are still breathing." She told him.
"I'm trying to do things differently. The Hoods. China White. They're still breathing." He reminded her.
"Doesn't matter, you're a killer and sooner or later you'll kill again. And when you do, I'll be there to stop you. But right now, Mathis is my primary concern." She said then activated her sonic device, this caused Oliver pain so much he closed his ears. Slowly, the sound began to gain distance and eventually he didn't hear it anymore and as he opened his eyes, he didn't see her any more either.
Courthouse, Morning
Oliver was at the courthouse being there for Thea and his mother, Moira, for being charged for her involvement in the undertaking. Oliver was on his phone talking to Felicity.
"Lance is in custody; he's being charged with obstruction." She told him.
"Mathis isn't. He'll be looking for another target." He replied.
"I hacked Mermaiden and sent out an email blast from their servers telling stores the product was defective. That will slow them down." She explained.
"Smart."
"What about Lance?"
"One legal problem at a time." He said as he hung up and began to listen to his mother's hearing.
Star City Police Department
Laurel walked into the SCPD interrogation room where her father was being handcuffed, she then threw him a set of keys so he could get them off. "I had to call in a lot of favors to get those, the only problem is that I've been at the D.A.'s office for less than a month, and no one owes me any favors." She lectured.
"So how did you get the charges dropped?" Quentin said as he got the cuffs off.
"Your friend Pike and I have been working together on the anti-vigilante taskforce." She reminded him. "Do you remember?"
"Hmm. Last year you were working with the Green Arrow, what a difference a few months can make." He remarked as they walked out of the room.
"The Green Arrow?" She asked.
Yeah. It was coined by someone in the media and now it's catching fire, does sound more appropriate than the Hood." He answered.
"And now you're working with him?" She asked once more.
"Guess I'm not the only one in the Lance family that's done a 180." He reminded her. "This city needs help. I just became less particular about where it comes from. What's your excuse? Still Tommy?"
"What would you tell me if I said it is?" She answered after a brief pause.
"That a guy with a bow and arrow can't save a guy whose had a building fall on top of him. What's going on with you is not about the Green Arrow." He stated.
"Then what is it, Dad?" She said visibly irritated. "Hmm? I mean, why don't you tell me? You seem to have all the answers. That crack that you made about me feeling guilty about something."
"Tommy's death." He answered.
"Why would I feel guilty about that?" She asked.
"I don't know. I wish I did. Cause it's eating you up." He worryingly.
"Your psychoanalysis would probably have a bit more credibility if it wasn't being offered under police custody." She snarked.
"Laurel, I'm worried about you." He said.
"I'd stay away from Pike if I were you, and the Doll Maker case." She told him as she left. Later, Laurel went down a parking garage to her car, where she saw a homeless man. Asking if she was okay, he then jumped her and shoved a taser into her neck, causing her to pass out from the electrical voltage.
Arrowcave Bunker
Later, Oliver saw on channel 52 that Laurel and her father kidnapped by the Dollmaker; once he did, he rushed to the bunker. "How did he get them?" He asked Felicity and Dig.
"I don't know about Laurel, but Detective Lance was abducted from the precinct parking lot," Felicity said as she showed Oliver the security footage. "Mathis shot a guard on the way out, which sounded the alarm. I pulled up the department's security camera footage, and a van from Metamorpho Chemical caught my eye."
"Metamorpho was condemned after the quake, perfect place to make some dolls," Dig remarked.
"Not tonight," Oliver said going to his suit.
"Cops can trace this Oliver, same as we did." Dig reminded him.
"They won't make it in time!" Oliver shouted.
Metamorpho Chemical Plant
Laurel began to wake up in the Metamorpho Chemical Plant, she was tied down on a table and saw that her father was also tied on the other side. Laurel was also gagged as she had a pump inserted into her mouth and saw Mathis sadistically smile that them both. "Isn't this nice? All of us here together." He said with demented glee. "It's like Thanksgiving."
"Laurel just stay calm. Stay calm." Quentin told Laurel trying to get free. "Barton, I'm sorry. I know you hate me. I know you hate me, ok, and I understand that. But you hate me. So please let my daughter go."
"Now why would I do that? Look at her." Mathis said as he began stroking Laurel's face. "She's so lovely. Maybe a little too much melanin in the skin, but it's the imperfections that make art sublime."
"I am the one who put you away, she had nothing to do with it!" Quentin shouted as he begged.
"She had everything to do with it!" Mathis angrily replied. "She's your world, she's your very soul. You know, I could kill you, I could maim you, I could slice you up into a thousand pieces, but if your soul remains intact, what have I done?" He said approaching Quentin. "Huh? Nothing."
"I will kill you, you son of a bitch! I will kill you! You son of a bitch!" Quentin screamed but Mathis just ignored him as he then poured the substance into the tube, slowly making it's way to Laurel's throat.
"Laurel, sweetheart close your eyes." He said crying as he was helpless to save her. "I'm here. I'm here, honey."
"If you struggle, it will take longer," Mathis told her, as she was fighting to get through.
Suddenly, the Green Arrow appeared breaking through the skylight. Once he landed, he shot an arrow at the tube preventing the substance from getting into Laurel. Mathis then fled the room, as Oliver then throw flechette to free Quentin. "Do whatever you need to do, just get him." He ordered.
Running after the Dollmaker, Oliver then took out an arrow and shot it a Mathis' ankle causing him to collapse. Struggling to get up, Mathis managed to get on his knees as Oliver drew another arrow and pointed it at him. Unknown to Oliver, Laurel who was carried by Quentin showed behind them and looked upon them
"The Hood. Oh, sorry I here you go by the Green Arrow these days." Mathis said delightfully. "From one killer to another, I must say your work impresses me."
"I'm nothing like you," Oliver said. "You kill for sure for the sheer pleasure of it."
"Well, whatever reason you kill for get on with it!" Mathis replied as both Laurel and Quentin watch in anticipation.
"I am killer, something I've denied about himself for too long but right now this city needs me to be more than that," Oliver said then retracted his arrow, afterward he immediately punched Mathis in the face knocking him out cold. "Besides, something tells me your more afraid of wasting away in a cell than death."
Laurel and Quentin just stood there looking upon Mathis as the Green Arrow left the scene just as the police started to arrive; Laurel was particularly surprised by the vigilante's mercy.
Laurel Lance's apartment
Quentin laid Laurel down on her bed as he left her there, he went to the living room and saw the vigilante standing in the shadows.
"How is she?" Oliver asked.
"She'll be all right. In time." Quentin acknowledged. "I might not always agree with your methods, but I can't argue with your results. You saved my daughter, again."
"She needed help and she wasn't the only one," Oliver replied.
"Thanks," Quentin said as the vigilante left.
"Dad," Laurel said sneaking up on Quentin.
"Sweetheart, you should be sleeping." He exclaimed.
"Dad, after tonight… I don't think I'll be sleeping anytime soon." She said as than sat on the couch with Quentin soon joining her. "He saved us, he saved me… even after I hunted him and he did it without killing."
"I know, if I was in his shoes, I would have… most cops would have." He admitted.
"Dad you were right." She said.
"Yeah, I guess I was about him doing things differently." He said.
"No Dad not the Green Arrow. Tommy." She said looking at him, starting to cry.
"What?" He puzzled.
"Oliver, he … he told me to stay out of the Glades, and he … he told me to get out of CNRI, and I didn't. Tommy was only there because I was too stubborn! Too stubborn to get out when I had the chance. You were right. I was blaming the Arrow because… oh, my God. It's all my fault, Dad. It's all my fault that Tommy died." She cried into Quentin's shoulder finally admitting the guilt she feels over Tommy's death.
"It's all right, honey," Quentin said hugging her tightly as she wept.
Arrowcave Bunker, Night
"I just talked to Roy," Oliver said to Dig and Felicity. "This woman, she goes by the Black Canary."
"Wow, she just showed up and already she has better codename than you," Felicity remarked.
"Harper tell you anything useful?" Dig asked.
"A girl from the streets she meets with from time to time, but he doesn't think she'll lead us to her," Oliver explained. "But I do know why she has a problem with me."
"Why?" Dig asked.
"She has a problem with me killing, according to her she hasn't killed anyone… yet." Oliver answered.
"Too bad she doesn't know you're trying not to do that anymore," Felicity commented. "Any ideas on how to convince her."
"None, that come to mind," Oliver said.
Author's Notes: As for Laurel's skill set in this series I wanted to be realistic, so she's not on the same level as Sara was during Season 2. Examples are that she'll use the sonic device more especially when outnumbered but in terms of the level of skill, she is about as good as her Season 4 self, the Huntress, and Season 5 Dinah Drake. I wanted her skills to progress throughout this series. For her holding her own against Oliver in this, Oliver was disoriented and had huge ringing in his ears; there had been times when Arrow has really downplayed the effects of sonic weapons and sonic powers.