Earth 1, Star City
''We're not going to exchange one Arrow team member for another'' Oliver had stated flatly.
Sara had wanted to argue. She had looked again at the text message on her phone.
I HAVE LAUREL. I WANT EVELYN. TOMORROW.
The firemen had arrived and searched the building, finding only Martin and Jax. No Laurel, no Mick/Chronos, not even a Chronos suit apparently.
He had to have help, Sara thought, worry surging through her.
Leonard had agreed - which was the last thing she wanted.
''They're both unconscious'' was all he could tell her. ''He thought this through.''
She glared at him. She wanted her sister back.
X
Vixen had arrived, on a direct flight. Now she was standing in the Arrow bunker, holding Laurel's Black Canary mask up to her nose, using her powers to find the location of the missing woman.
''I've found her'' she finally announced.
Felicity swivelled round to face her computer, zeroing in on the location almost as soon as Vixen told her where it was.
A disused factory complex. Somehow that seemed inevitable.
''Five heat signatures'' she said, pointing to the one that appeared to be on its own. ''I'm betting that's Laurel.''
''It is'' Vixen confirmed.
''Alright'' Oliver addressed the assembled group. ''There's room to fight in there. We're all going in - except you'' he nodded to Evelyn. ''And we go tonight. ''
The combination of the two groups made a pretty formidable team he thought.
''I'm coming too'' Dinah Drake announced. ''I'll take charge of any police investigation into what happens there.''
Oliver nodded.
X
Using a remote camera attached to the outside of the building, Nikki watched the Arrow/Legends team quietly arrive in the vicinity. Tonight was the night when she was going to be matched against Felicity Smoak. She smiled. She was going to enjoy this challenge.
Felicity disabled the security system on a small service door at the side of the building and the team slipped quietly inside.
Nikki sent a signal - they're in.
Oliver led the way through the deserted building, Felicity giving directions through an ear mic. He had an arrow ready for when they came in sight of the guards. Sara, keeping pace with him, had her gun drawn.
Nikki sat back in her chair and waited for them to get their first surprise.
Oliver swore when he saw what Nikki had arranged to be there to 'meet' in the room where he'd supposed the guards were. Four department store mannikins, each paired with an infra-red heat source.
Sara - single-minded - continued ahead, giving them barely a look. She wrenched open the door to the room where Vixen had said Laurel was. Score one for the totem-bearer. Her sister was in the room, slumped in a chair and appearing to be no more than half-conscious.
She crouched down by her sister.
''Laurel?''
Laurel looked at her, bleary eyed, murmuring ''Sara?''
John Diggle had followed her into the room and was unfastening the handcuffs that secured Laurel to the chair. That done, he picked the half-conscious woman up.
''Let's get her out of here.''
Sara couldn't have agreed more.
They hurried into the room where Oliver was talking to Felicity, who was rechecking the whole of the building to try and figure out what was going on - what the trap involved.
Nikki leant forward and put the next phase of her plan into operation.
''Uh, guys'' Felicity spoke to all of them. ''We're in trouble - the buildings been sealed. I'll get it open'' You hope, Nikki thought ''but you're going to have company. About twenty moving heat signatures.''
Where from, Oliver thought, irritated. Felicity didn't usually make this kind of mistake.
John Diggle swung on his heel and carried Laurel back to the chair she'd been in. Sara dashed after him.
''Lock the door'' he told her, unnecessarily. ''Guard her.''
Sara nodded. With her own life.