(Underground garage, LuthorCorp. headquarters)
As the luxury sedan slowly pulled out of the garage, Alfred swore under his breath.
It would have been too easy.
When Lionel managed to escape from the horde of Metropolis reporters, he took a freight elevator to the waiting limousine at the rear of the Congress Centre. Alfred had kept a close eye on the senior Luthor's movements.
Lex was going to host Oliver and Bruce at the estate, likely for a post-victory drink. There would be time to do what I need to do, Alfred thought. What I have to do, to protect Master Bruce.
Alfred opened the glove compartment of the Wayne company car. He cradled the Walther P99 pistol in his hand. He could easily conceal it in an overcoat pocket. He hesitated only for a moment. He knew what he was going to do.
He was going to kill Lionel Luthor. The endless threats, schemes and plots had to end. Master Bruce deserved peace, and he would never find it if Lionel lurked around every corner to peck away at the Wayne legacy. Thomas Wayne had worked a lifetime to establish one of the most influential corporations on the continent – and Luthor still threatened to usurp it. He may have lost this round, but Lionel would soon return. No love was lost between Bruce's father and Lionel, who now channelled his hatred towards the surviving son.
Bruce is impulsive, Alfred feared. He's not mature enough to cope with Lionel's vindictive plots. Lionel could call despots, military strongmen and mercenaries as his friends – carefully cultivated allies during the Cold War. Lionel could engineer an industrial accident on one of Master Bruce's inspection tours and …
In the cold privacy of the company car, Alfred shrugged away his concerns. He placed the shiny bullets into the pistol's chamber, and placed the gun in his overcoat.
Several hours passed, as Alfred waited in the shadows of the underground garage. The former spy had short-circuited the fuse box in this section of LuthorCorp. The security cameras would be disabled. The garage lights flickered on and off. The building maintenance scurried around upstairs to fix the problem. It would take precisely 10 minutes for the emergency generator to re-activate the cameras and restore full power.
Alfred was afraid that some security guards – or a personal driver – might accompany Lionel to his car. He would have no choice but to abort the scheme. But if Lionel were alone, he would meet his maker this night.
The elevator bell rang. Lionel had arrived – and he was alone.
Lionel scowled at the flickering ceiling lights. "Someone should really look into fixing those," Lionel grumbled. He clicked his door opener. There was a double-chirp sound, as his headlights blinked twice in the darkened garage. He was facing the rear of the car.
I'll see you in hell, Lionel Luthor, Alfred grimaced. He pulled out the pistol, and boldly stepped out from behind the concrete pillar. At this range, he could fire three shots at close range. He would make it look like a mugging, or a hit from one of Lionel's underworld foes. Lionel fumbled with his keys. He was distracted. Three shots – and it would be done.
It was too easy, Alfred thought. He hesitated and remained in the shadows. Lionel still fumbled with his car keys, with his back to Alfred. The man looked comical, even pathetic. He was one of the richest, most powerful men in America – and Alfred took pity on him.
Alfred recalled a trip to a hospital, long ago. The Waynes were pronounced dead on arrival. Young Bruce waited in the hospital waiting room with a nurse, who tried to console the little boy.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Pennyworth," the nurse told him later. "Mr. and Mrs. Wayne didn't survive. They lost too much blood." He could do nothing, except try to comfort Bruce. To this day, their killer was never found.
Alfred willed himself to raise the pistol again, towards Lionel's head. Lionel checked the tire pressure on the rear tires. I could take Lionel's miserable life today, he mused.
But I would know that I had killed him. I won't risk bringing shame upon the Wayne household. I would become everything Master Bruce despised: a cold-blooded ruthless killer who could escape justice.
Lionel sensed that something was amiss. He turned around, but all that he saw was an empty, darkened garage with shadows and flickering ceiling lights. He got into his car, turned on the headlights and slowly pulled out of the garage.
Alfred watched him go. You've been spared Lionel Luthor, he grumbled. I spared you. If you ever put Master Bruce's life in jeopardy, we shall have this final rendezvous.
Alfred shuddered. Such a meeting between them could end with Lionel's brain matter splattered all over the garage wall. It would be too easy to kill him.
(Heli-pad, roof of Metropolis Congress Centre)
Lex scrambled up the stairwell. "Ollie! She could be anywhere. You'll never find her!"
Oliver Queen was already two flights above him. "She's got to be on the roof. Dinah would be protecting the congress members! I have to find her!"
Lex paused on a landing to catch his breath. Sometimes, Oliver could be headstrong to the point of frustration. I shouldn't be surprised, he thought. All reason went out the window whenever Dinah Lance was involved.
Oliver finally reached the final flight of stairs. He heard the 'whirr' of a helicopter, and yanked open the roof exit door.
He froze. A dozen federal agents began to sprint towards him.
"It's alright," a familiar voice announced. "I know him." The agents, still wary, continued to encircle the bewildered man who burst through the roof exit.
Oliver didn't know what to do. "Oliver?" the voice inquired. It was Special Agent Dinah Lance. She was in a crisp, charcoal business suit and pants. Her blond hair was now in a ponytail, but he knew those blue-grey eyes.
"Dinah!" Oliver exclaimed, as he embraced her. "Baby, I missed you. You were the only thing that kept me going all this time." The US Army helicopter began to rumble. The wind from its blades whipped up Dinah's hair in a frenzy. "Special Agent Lance!" another voice hollered. "We must leave. Now."
When Oliver hugged her, Dinah felt paralyzed. It seemed like the past year never happened. Oliver didn't disappear in the South Pacific. She didn't need to reconcile the fact the Queen might have died. She didn't have to move on with her life.
It was a fantasy. All those things happened. She had moved on, even though a part of her wanted this moment to last forever. She could never love him the way he wanted her to.
Not anymore.
"Oh Ollie," Dinah lamented, as she stroked his slightly stubbly face. "I – I can't. I won't. I'm sorry."
"What are you saying?" Ollie demanded loudly, over the growing 'whirr' of the helicopter blades. "Dinah, what are you trying to tell me?!"
Dinah thought she might lose her resolve. She couldn't go through it again. She had lost Ollie one year ago. She had found a sense of peace now. Ollie's sudden appearance threatened to scuttle that forever. What they had was no more.
"I can't love you," Dinah yelled over the helicopter blades. She took a deep breath. "It's over, Ollie. I've moved on."
Oliver gasped. For a moment, he feared that Dinah had finally fallen for Bruce Wayne. "You've left me … for Bruce?" he wondered.
"No," Dinah replied. Her superior continued to call her over to the helicopter. She had run out of time. "It's not a question of choosing you over Bruce, or anyone! You were gone, and now you're back. Too much time has passed. I need time alone. To heal. It's over between us. I can't go through this now." She pulled herself free from Oliver's embrace, and sprinted to the helicopter.
Oliver tried to pursue her, but federal agents blocked him. Lex arrived on the roof to witness the departure of the army helicopter.
Minutes later, Dinah glanced behind her. Ollie and Lex remained on the heli-pad. This wasn't how she had wanted it to end. But it had to end. It wasn't fair for Ollie to expect that they could pick up where they left off. But, she did love him.
"Agent Lance?" her supervisor hollered over the helicopter blades. "Are you alright?"
Dinah fought off the tear in her eye. She wiped it abruptly with her coat sleeve. "I'm fine. It's the wind, sir. That's all."
"Did you find her?" Lex asked, as the wind ruffled his overcoat. "Did you find Dinah Lance?"
"I lost her, Lex," Ollie gasped. "She's left me. It's over. I survived one year on tropical fish, mangoes and god knows what else. I fought to reclaim my family honour, my empire. Nothing matters now. Dinah's left me, Lex. I've lost her."
Then he wept bitterly. He had not allowed himself to grieve for all the suffering he had endured. He had buried it. But Dinah's rejection was more than he could bear. A part of him understood that he could never make Dinah love him unconditionally again. It was still hard to take, after all that had happened.
Lex hugged his good friend. "It's too soon, Ollie. If it's meant to be, it'll happen. One day. You just need a little patience."
Ollie sniffed bitterly, atop that isolated roof. He hadn't lost her to Bruce, but he had lost her. The choice wasn't his. He had to let her go. Maybe Dinah and I aren't meant to be, he realized.