"Green"

Part 6 of 6

by Steave

10 years later.

So much can change over ten years. Star City was no longer divided, and the streets were filled with life, lights, cars, and . . . green. Money had ruled in his absence, and as a victim of this, he knew it all too well. It was how he had come to this very moment in life, and it was a color that he represented. He declared, that he would be the new definition of green.

Ollie gripped his duffel bag and strode into the hotel. It was a Holiday Inn, not run by the nicest of people, nor did it have the best of service, but it would do for a night. He walked to the front counter and pressed the service bell. A small man, at least small compared to him, greeted him with a hearty hello.

"I need a room for the night."

"Of course, and what is your name?"

Ollie paused, unsure of his next answer. The one thing that he had not thought in those 10 short years with Father Dezmaund. It was all that remained of his mother, and he wasn't about to let her go. Oliver took out his wallet and dumped two hundred dollar bills on the counter.

"How about we forget the name, and you give me my room? Eh buddy?"

"Umm, I don't think I can do that."

Ollie could only smile and put down another hundred.

"Oh, on contraire, I believe you can my friend."

"Room 22 Mr. Robinson."

"Thank you."

Oliver took his card-key and walked up the stairs to the second floor. As he went down the hall to his room, he couldn't help but think of his father, his mother, and all that was left behind ten years ago. It was the tenth anniversary of that fateful night, and Ollie thought it was fitting that after tonight, everything would be set right again.

He slid the key through the slot and walked into his room, leaving the "DO NOT DISTURB" sign on the handle.

--

He had waited ten long years for this, and it didn't seem like it would never get here.

After the "incident," it had been a short-road to success, but a longer road to happiness. Thomas wasn't sure if he had fully forgiven himself for what happened ten years ago, on this very same night. And how very conveniant it was that on this fateful night, he would be throwing a party, as he had just opened Queen Industries that very same morning.

He marked tonight as the night he would finally move on. He would forget all that had happened ten years ago, it would just be like any other mistake from our pasts. We forget, and move on.

He was now the Mayor's assistant, and he was very happy with his position. He was the second wealthiest man in Star City, second only to Mayor Jefferson Blain. Together they had created a fully-restored and beautiful Star City. It was a golden age for all of the people, but especially for Blain and his assistant.

The Movement had ended three years ago, when the last of the homeless had been wiped out. Pete and Eddie handled the grunt work while Blain and Thomas handled everything else. Nothing remained of West Star, absolutely nothing. East flourished and eventually overran West, until the two merged, becoming a beautiful thriving metropolis.

And, speaking of Metropolis, Star City was even being considered as the "new and improved Metropolis." Apparently, the only thing the Star was missing was a superhuman darting around in a little red cape. Aside from that, Star City was almost . . . perfect.

Thomas loved every second of this, knowing that he was responsible for this. This new and improved Star City, and the Mayor was the reason behind all of this. If it wasn't for him he would be out of money. If it wasn't for him he wouldn't have a job. If it wasn't for him his family would . . .

Still be alive.

His thoughts drifted to his son, Oliver. He remembered Kami giving birth to him in the "Alley of Life." The long nights in West, the rat-sandwiches, the barrel-fires. Scar McGraw, Ollie's unbelieveable aim. All of it, and when thinking upon this, he could remember what true happiness was. Ollie . . .

Was dead.

He had to remember this. That was his life, and now he has a new one. Kami would have done the same thing if she had known about The Movement. She would've stabbed their family in the back if he hadn't done it first. But then he remembered, she had already done that. Those nights she never came back because she was too busy screwing every other homeless in West just for supplies.

He grew sick in his stomach and let the thoughts exit his mind. It was over, all of it. He was throwing a party tonight, and it would be the greatest in the history of Star City.

The doorbell rang, and he opened the white painted oaken door. The first guests arrived and placed presents on a nearby table.

--

Ten years, it had been a long time.

He stood in the very center of Greenland Park. This was where it all started, and where it all ended. His former life, and his new life. The images returned, but he did not fight them. He welcomed them, remembering for the last time, what had happened.

Ollie could hear his mother calling his name, the frenzied look of the homeless, their groping hands, his rampage and flurry with his bow. Being pulled to the river, while his mother was being pulled apart. He let the tears streak from his opaque-covered eyes down the mask which veiled the upper half of his head, and it fell to the grass below.

"I love you . . ."

He channeled the love, sadness, and anger he felt into something else. This something else he had grown to become, knowing that it was his fate, his destiny. It was time.

Ollie walked out of the park in his new garb, in his new self. His name, for the time being, wasn't Oliver Queen. But instead, Green Arrow. And his justice, was about to be had.

--

"Aahh, Thomas, it is great to see you my friend."

Blain gave Tom not only a firm handshake, but a hug as well. This was the first time this had happened, Blain even seemed surprised by his own actions.

Thomas had never seen so many people at one place in his entire life. Blain took no time in heading for the alcohol, and began conversing with the rest of Star's high-rollers. And for once, Tom felt out of place.

Blain stood on a chair and began to praise Thomas.

"Ladies and gentlemen. Star City's most elite of persons. Tonight, we celebrate Thomas Queen for starting Queen Industries."

There was a small break for applause and Blain continued.

"If you remember, Thomas was the man who started The Movement. In turn, he was the reason for three-fourths of you here today being as wealthy as you all are. Do not thank your Mayor Jefferson Blain, no, thank Thomas Queen, for he is surely an angel sent from Heaven. It is him who has gotten you here, not I."

For this, there was a great applause. When the commotion settled down, Blain spoke again.

"Let us all raise our glasses in honor of Thomas Queen, the man of the future. Perhaps, even, the future of Star City. And, dare I say it? The future MAYOR of Star City!"

The crowd burst into praise, screams, and clapping. Thomas blushed from all of the attention, and he felt much better. They drank and cheered at the same time. He couldn't be any happier, and life was perfect.

Was.

An explosion rocked the Queen mansion to the very foundations, and a hole was blasted in the nearby wall. There was screaming of various things:

"WHAT HAPPENED!"

"TERRORISTS!"

"WE'RE BEING KILLED!"

However, one voice rose above all of the others.

"IF YOU WISH TO LIVE, GET OUT OF HERE NOW!"

No one knew who said this, but no one in particular cared, and they all battled ot the front door and the hole. Blain was the first to get out, and finally all had left, leaving Thomas. He too began to ran, until something rammed into his shoulder and he flew backwards. In his shoulder, was sticking a green arrow. He looked up, only to see a figure, dressed in green, step ominously through the gigantic hole.

His appearance reminded him of Robin Hood, and he could only look in awe. Who was this man who now stood before him?

"Who are you?"

--

Ollie gazed upon this pathetic man who now lay in front of him. Blood pouring out of his shoulder, much like it had out of his own mouth ten years ago.

"I am your hell."

Ollie picked him up off of the ground, forcing him to stare into the opaque lenses that covered his eyes. He released a viscious right hand into his father's stomach, and then rammed his own head into Tom's. Ollie's hat flew off, but that didn't matter anymore. Nothing did.

He pinned him against a nearby wall and watched as he quivered and twitched. His father let out a cackle, then a gurgle, and finally blood rushed fluidly out of his mouth. Ollie wasn't sure whether to be disgusted, or satisfied.

"Who . . . a-are . . . you?"

"I told you already."

"W-whatever it was I did . . . I'm sorry for it."

Ollie punched him in the stomach again, and screamed into his face.

"TELL MY MOTHER THAT!"

Ollie let out a scream of rage and threw right after left into his father's face, leaving him a bloody mess. Ollie backed off, trying to cool himself off. He had waited ten years for this.

Thomas scrambled to his feet, leaning against the wall.

"Please . . . if you just let me know . . ."

"You should already. Ten years ago."

Thomas' mind began going crazy. He knew about ten years ago . . . but how? No one else knew . . .

"W-w-who are you?"

Ollie finally unveiled himself, and the shock in his father's face almost surprised himself.

"No . . . no . . . oh my god no."

"What father? AM I SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD!"

Ollie rushed at his father with all of his speed and threw himself into him. He could hear a couple of Thomas' ribs crack and pop as he released himself. Grabbing his hair, he yanked him upwards, making him stare into his own eyes.

"I've waited ten years to kill you."

The saddest look that Thomas' face could muster grew onto his face. The tears were merging with his blood, and Ollie knew they were real.

"I've waited ten years for you to do it."

Ollie was taken aback by this, and hunted for his next words.

"W-what?"

A woman ran into the room, and she was holding a small pistol. One of those kinds that all families have "just in case." She was beautiful and reminded Ollie of his mother. This woman raised the gun so that it was level to Ollie's head.

"Oh my god! Thomas!"

Thomas raised his hand and waved her off.

"It's alright . . . Kami."

Ollie felt like he had just been hit hard in the stomach.

"W-what did you just say?"

"Her name is Kami . . . she's my new wife."

Ollie couldn't contain himself any longer. He let loose another right into Thomas and pulled him close to him, so he could have cover from Kami's gun. She lifted it as he had predicted, but didn't pull the trigger.

"Honey, put the gun down."

They were both crying, and Ollie was again reminded of his mother. When she put down the gun, he threw him at her. Thomas didn't make the distance, falling just short of her. She rushed to him, cradling him in her arms.

Ollie was so confused, he didn't know what left to do. Kami looked at him with such sad eyes, he couldn't think of what to do.

"Who are you?"

Ollie walked towards the couple and reached down, lifting the gun.

"Your . . . hell."

He pulled the trigger, and Kami was now in a pool of blood on the floor. Thomas screamed and he was the one cradling now.

"WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT?"

"SHUT UP!"

Ollie pulled the trigger again and the bullet ripped through Thomas' right arm.

"WHY DID YOU FATHER? WHY DID YOU DO IT? WAS THE MONEY GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU? AM I NOT THAT IMPORTANT? WHY?"

Thomas stood up, showing the strength that Ollie remembered, and was crying.

"Your mother was a slut Oliver. She slept with other men. She betrayed you before I did."

"No father, she betrayed you . . . not me."

Thomas was aghast.

"She did it to help us, she made a sacrifice for our family. You made a sacrifice for yourself."

"No, NO!"

"This was never about our family, never about mother, not about me, it was about the money. It was about you getting out of the life that the rest of us were in."

"Ollie . . ."

"Don't start that, 'I'm sorry' crap with me father. You took everything away from me, I'm just doing the same."

"And what is this . . . revenge?"

"No . . . it's justice."

Thomas was crying harder.

"I love you son . . . I always have."

"And trying to get me killed, killing mother is your way of showing this?"

"I screwed up son . . . forgive me."

"Why don't you tell God to do that, as soon as you meet him."

Ollie raised the gun to his father's head, and his father was so helpless and distraught that he wasn't sure if he could bring himself to do what he was about to.

"Son . . . I'm sorry."

"Father, I have one word for you . . . bang."

The bullet left the barrel and penetrated Thomas' skull. He fell to the floor, and Ollie dropped the gun. It was finished. He left the mansion.

--

Roy ran out to the front door, and began to cry. His mother was lying on the floor, dead. His father, next to her. As Roy could barely contain himself, there was a bandana, drenched in blood, gripped in his dead father's hands. The color, a former green, was now red. He tore it from his father's hands and cried into his father's blood-stained chest. Holding onto the bandana. Everthing around him and to him was now . . .

Red.

THE END