Second Quest

All characters in this story are the sole ownership of DC Comics and I am in no way using any of them to make any sort of money.

Chapter 4

Mirrors & Mirages

Another twenty four hours had went by and this time Roy and Dinah made sure that one of them was in the room at all time. Ollie had rarely spoken since the incident and in fact would not look at Dinah at all. He had become uncharacteristically quiet and sullen, his face portraying the inner conflict that was going on in his mind. Even the nurses would give him concerned looks; his early disgruntled disposition was forgotten.

"Ollie," Roy finally said in exasperation after Dinah had left the room, "What the hell is wrong with you? You know it wasn't her, why are you treating her so bad, it's not like you at all."

"I know," the emerald archer mumbled. "It's not her. The whole thing just started me thinking about how crappy I ended up being with her. I really blew it and I'm not sure how to apologize."

"Honestly old man, I think she's gotten past it, but there's only one way to find out. Soon as she gets back I'll make myself scarce and you can talk to her about it. Don't even start…" he said as GA went to speak up. "You know I'm right, just bite the bullet and get it over with…no pun intended of course," and he laughed in spite of himself.

Oliver game him a sour look, but before he could speak the door opened again and Dinah walked back in with a bouquet of flowers. Her face, however, was etched in concern and she gave Roy a quick look of concern before she placed the arrangement in front of Ollie.

"I hate flowers," he grumbled.

"Well I think I'm going to go for a walk," Roy said clearing his throat.

Dinah caught him before he made it to the door, "I think you better stay and see this."

Roy looked back puzzled and noticed that Ollie was staring at the cards with a look of confusion and shock. He was holding the card in his hand and after turning it over a couple of times he laid it down and looked up at them.

"Son of a bitch," he whispered.

Roy walked over and picked up the card, reading it out loud. "Son, sorry I haven't contacted you sooner. There are things going on that you just don't understand. Once you have recovered I will be in contact with you. These last twenty years without you have been painful to say the least. Take care and heal. Dad."

He turned to Ollie who was staring out the window. "You can't believe this is for real!"

"I don't know what to believe anymore. My memories tell me that my Dad never died and that he raised me into my twenties. If it wasn't for that huge fight that we had I would have never left. I could be running the company with him right now. Except he got into a lot of trouble and…and…I didn't believe that he was innocent. I'm still not sure that he was, but the charges were dropped do to lack of evidence. I left the country to get my head on straight, being a kid and all, and that's when ended up on that island for so long. Even when I came back I never actually went to talk to him."

Dinah and Roy exchanged looks, "Oliver," Dinah began, "You do own the company. You were orphaned as a child. You don't remember either of your parents. We can even prove it to you, call the company and ask for the CEO. His name is Buddy Worthers and you and he have been close friends for years now. He's the only one over there that you really trust to run things for you."

Oliver stared at her for a long moment and then reached for the phone, grimacing at the pain. He dialed the number and waited until it was picked up. He announced himself and asked to speak to Mr. Worthers. There was a pause as he listened to the reply and his face slowly drained of color. He thanked the woman quickly and hung up the phone.

"Worthers died two years ago from a heart attack, and he was never the CEO. In fact the CEO has always been and still is, Artemis Queen…my father."

"Sir," the African American gentleman said as he walked into the huge penthouse office on top of the Queen building. "It looks as though he has received the flowers. He called here asking to speak to Mr. Worthers."

The gentleman who was adjusting his tie in the mirror turned, "Hmm, why would he be interested in the late Mr. Worthers? " The man was an older but almost exact twin to Oliver. He too had a van-dyke but it was grey and his eyes shown that same little twinkle that Ollie's got when he was about to do something that could get him into trouble.

"No idea sir," the man who called himself Adrian Johanson said.

"Well get the car around, please. I think it's time to make a quick visit to my grandson."

"Yes sir," Johanson said, and left the room and walked down the steps and into the four car garage. As soon as he got into the car he removed a cell phone from his pocket and dialed a number. It rang several times and finally a voice answered.

"What news?"

"We are going to visit his 'grandson', sir. He seems very anxious to become a part of his as well as his son's life. I would say everything is moving along quite well. Further instructions, sir?"

The voice on the other end sighed, "He cannot talk to Connor Hawke. Send out the same guy we used for his father, but this time tell him to make sure the job is finished."

"Yes sir," and he hung up.

Roy made sure that Oliver was sleeping soundly before he spoke to Dinah, "What the hell is going on here. Now it takes a lot for me to really get freaked out, but I'm almost at the end of my rope. In fact I'm starting to wonder if we're not the one's who've got it all wrong. Ollie is convinced that his dad is alive and always has been. He gets flowers from him and now we find out that Artemis has been running the business this entire time."

Dinah shook her head, "It's just not feasible. Nothing else has changed, as far as I can tell. I spent some time after I left calling Bruce and Clark and even Hal and everything is checking out normal with them, so it's not like someone is changing the course of history."

"Maybe they're just changing Ollie's history; however, if that is the case, wouldn't there be a chance that you and I wouldn't exist, or at least not in Ollie's life. And what about Mia? And who the hell is doing all of this in the first place?"

"I don't know Roy, but I've called someone who might be able to help us answer some questions," she replied as the door swung open and Zatanna walked in.

Arsenal's eye raised, "Good call, wouldn't have thought of that."

"I wouldn't have either," the voice of Ollie said from the bed. "Hello Zee, you're looking as gorgeous and under dressed as always."

She laughed and gave him a concerned smile, "Glad to see that something's haven't changed. Dinah wants me to see if my magic can pull anything else from your memories. Something that maybe you haven't remembered."

"I remembered everything. I don't need anyone digging through my mind."

"You've got it wrong, Ollie. I'm not going to be 'digging', just trying to bring up your memories and see if there was something you left out. I won't be going into your mind, my spell doesn't work that way. No, I'll just be bringing out that one memory for you to remember. All your other thoughts will be safely locked away."

"Don't think it will help, but let's go for it."

Zatanna took a deep breath and sat next to Ollie on the bed, "Just relax and close your eyes, good. Now I am going to cast the spell and your mind will take you right back to the minutes before you got shot. Be very observant, Ollie, this might be your only chance."

Green Arrow nodded and closed his eyes, "Go for it, darling."

Zatanna moved her fingers into an intricate pattern and murmured quietly, "rebemeR."

Instantly Ollie was standing in the middle of the street trying not to loose his lunch. He was being attacked by Vertigo and he wasn't fairing very well. In fact he was just about to collapse, he could feel it, when he heard that sound…that sound that was always music to his ears.

Black Canary had unleashed her scream and Vertigo fell from his spot where he had been hovering. On his way down he grabbed a small flag pole and through it in her direction. She was not able to deflect it and it hit her in the stomach. The scream stopped and she fell back gasping. Vertigo had grabbed the small pole and while he hit her with his power he also raised the sharp end of the pole and was about to bring it down on her.

Green Arrow reacted quickly and fired an arrow that knocked the pole out of his hand. With blinding speed she had another one that he was stretching out to his Vertigo when he felt the first shot hit him in the back. It was a burning sensation and by the time he realized what had happened, it had happened two more times. As he fell to the ground, he remembered that he had seen a figure from a side mirror of a car parked along the street. The figure was just turning around from the roof of a far building and was leaving. He heard Canary scream his name and also saw Vertigo looking around, confused, it appeared. Then the blackness over took him.

Oliver Queen's eyes flew open and his face became pale, "Oh crap! I saw him. I saw who shot me."

The three others gathered around him and Dinah took his hand, "Who was it Ollie?"

"Deadshot."

Connor Hawke was fighting off two stoolies at one time. He liked the days when the stool pigeons ran in fear, not fought back first. He kicked the first one in the gut and the guy went flying back, landing in a pile of trash. The Second one made a swing for him that he ducked and then grabbed the man's arm and flipped him over. Before the man could move he had his bow out and an arrow cocked and aimed at the man's throat.

"Now I'll ask you one more time, do you know who if there is a contract out on Green Arrow and if so, who did it?"

"Ok, I'll tell you," the man shouted, his body shaking.

As Connor waited for the answer he was unaware of the little red dot that had appeared on his left temple.

From the building across the street, Deadshot whistled quietly, "Got you," and fired the gun that was built into his wrist.

To be continued….