It had been a week since the league entered Starling City.. Since that time we had not seen a peep from any Assassins. So it had been pretty slow on the Blue Lightning front. I kept my eye out for clues of Mirakuru or this Deathstroke.. But so far nothing. That was until I was working in the club one evening and noticed the red throwing dart in the alley wall.. Roy Harper had some information for the Arrow and Blue Lightning.. I texted Felicity "Tell Oliver to ditch another meeting.. Roy has some information for us." I then awaited for Oliver to arrive in the foundry.
Once he arrived we suited up and tracked down Roy.. Who was keeping eyes on some people we had tagged earlier in the week. Oliver and I walked behind the red hooded informant and Oliver turned on his voice changer and said "You should be more careful.. You are completely exposed." Roy said in a shaky breath "I knew you were there. What, you wanted me to tell you when the funny money guys were ready to make a sale? Here we go." I then said "Not we. You go home. The Arrow and I can handle this." We then retreated back into the shadows before Roy could complain.
I made the first shot with a burning arrow, burning the fake money. Oliver then made his appearance known by taking on a few guys on the ground floor. I made my entrance on the oposite side, helping Oliver dispatch those guys with a few well placed arrows. Finally there was just the main guy. Both of us notched arrows and aimed at the guy. That was when Dig said over coms "You have two right above you" We both twisted and fired at a target, hitting both. Dig then said "Two coming at your six." Oliver threw a sleeping dart and I pointed my gauntlet and shot one out at the goon. "I'm all clear." Dig said. Both of us turned to the last guy as sirens came into earshot. We waited until we heard cops coming. Oliver nodded at me and I dropped a smoke bomb.. Allowing us to escape.
When we got back Felicity was watching more coverage on Harrison Well's Particle Accelerator and the downfalls outweighing the good. Felicity looked at me "So does the downfalls outweigh the good mister 'I'm from the future'" I chuckle "It will change the world.. Trust me." That was when Dig finally arrived. Oliver asked "Where did you go? Everything okay?" He pulled out a brief case and said "Yeah.. Just need a few personal days." I asked "What's going on Dig?" He replied "Have to help a friend." Oliver then asked "Who?" Dig turned to face us "Lyla Michaels" Felicity then said "Isn't that his spy girlfriend that works for ARGUS?" I nodded affirmative. Diggle then said "She went to Russia, looking for Deadshot. For me. Now she's missing." Oliver nodded "Felicity, I think its time we visited our Queen Consolidated subsidiary in moscow." John asked "Oliver, what are you doing?" Oliver then replied simply "just.. Need to help a friend" I then said "Russia is a dangerous place for someone as prominate as Oliver Queen.. I think you will need some extra protection.. I'm sure if you asked Thea nicely she would let you borrow me to be your bodyguard again for a few days." Oliver nodded "Of course." Diggle then said "I can't ask you guys to do this." Oliver smiled "You didn't." I nodded "A few months ago we promised to help you take down Deadshot.. Last I checked we still needed to honor that promise." He smiled.. And that was that.. We were going to Russia.
We got to the airport and were about to board the private jet when another car rolled up "Are we forgetting something?" Diggle asked. Out stepped Isabel Rochev. "Where do you think you're going?" She asked us "Tahiti." Felicity responded. I rolled my eyes. Isabel quipped "Thats funny, the flight manifest says you're going to moscow." Felicity then said "Well, we're going to stop by there.. After.. You know.. Tahiti." Rochev said seriously "What kind of partner decides to interact with our overseas holdings behind the other one's back?" Oliver said smoothly "It was an oversight." Rochev then said "Oh.. Well lucky for our partnership.. I'm a fast packer." She made for the plane. Diggle then said "Oliver, her tagging along does not help matters any." I nodded "Makes it a tad harder to rescue people when you have to hide you are a badass the whole time." Oliver pursed his lips and responded "I will take care of her, John. We're going to bring Lyla back. Whereever she is." I nodded "And hopefully take out Deadshot in the process." We then boarded the plane and headed for Moscow.
Once in Moscow Felicity was tasked with keeping an eye on Rochev Whilst Dig, Oliver and I tried to get a tip on where Lyla may end up being. To do this we went to a bar.. I figured it was to see if we could get info from the local Barkeep.. But as it turned out when we entered it was because Oliver knew someone there. The man called out "Oliver Queen! My favorite American!" He greeted Oliver and added a Russian phrase 'Dabro Pazhalavat' which loosely translated to 'hello." Oliver replied "it has been too long. John Dille, David Shuter, , this is Anatoly Knyazev." Diggle replied "Thank you for meeting us." Anatoly said "If Oliver vouches for you two, then you're my second favorite American's" I smirked "I'm actually Canadian." The man chuckled "Well then, not too many of those around here." He then invited us to sit down and ordered some vodka.
He lifted up his glass and said "First a toast! Prochnost!" To which Oliver replied "Strength" We drank. He then said "Now, Business. This is the woman you are looking for yes?" He pulled out some photos of Lyla.. Badly bruised like she had be beaten. Anatoly then continued "Picture is from two days ago, from Gulag prison." John then said incrediously "Lyla was arrested?" Anatoly replied "Not quite.. From what I hear she was trying to break in." John asked "Why?" Anatoly shrugged "I do not know, but clearly she had issues breaking back out. Gulag is worse in rush.. Its called, its called Koshmar." To which I said "The Nightmare." Anatoly smiled "The Canadian knows Russian! I'm impressed." I shrugged "If you had been to as many places as I have.. You pick up their languages." Of course It was actually due to the translator I was given in the Waverider when I traveled back in time.. But even then I picked up a few things. Anatoly said "Anyways. Its full of violent psychopaths and killers... and that's just the guards." Oliver then said "Anatoly we need a way into the Gulag to extract her." He then said "You get in, you get shot before you get out. Or end up like your friend... mmm.. It is impossible" Diggle then said "The only thing that's impossible is us leaving this country without this woman." I nodded "I've done many things previously deemed impossible in my past.. This.. This will be easier than those." Anatoly chuckled "I like these guys.. We have no word for 'optimist' in russian. The only way in to Koshmar is as prisoner. Now I have guard there, owes me favor. It could work. I'll give you one shot in twenty" Oliver then said "Set it up.. I'll go." I shook my head "Oliver, if word gets out that Oliver Queen was arrested in Russia.. And then broke out.. It will lead to too many questions back home. I'll go. You know I can force my way out if needed." Diggle then interjected "enough. It has to be me. Oliver you need to be on the outside making the moves.. And David will need to be our secret weapon when things go south.
Later on we received the drugs from Anatoly, and Diggle was preparing to get arrested. Felicity went over the escape plan. "You need to meet us at the rendezvous point with Lyla, or.." Diggle then replied "or I am a permanent Russian." Felicity aid "Just.. Thinking out loud here.. Are we sure this is the best plan we could come up with? I know Lyla's your friend, but.." John then said "Felicity, Lyla isn't my friend, she was my wife." Felicity and Oliver looked shocked.. I was not as they were married when I met them. Felicity aid "Explain that sentence." To which Diggle replied "Lyla and I met in the army back in Afghanistan. We didn't stay married long once we got stateside.. Couldn't figure out a way to stay married without a war to fight, so she joined ARGUS and I circled back for my third tour. I can't leave here without her Felicity. Just can't." I then said softly "Worst comes to worst.. I'll use the full extent of my powers.. I just hope SHIELD will be unable to track it." Diggle nodded "I appreciate it man.. But I can't let you endanger yourself and the timeline for me." I smirked and said "I wouldn't do it if I wasn't 100% sure you make it out of here without me doing that." He chuckled slightly. He then picked up his bag and left. Minutes later Oliver got a call. He hung up after a few words and said to us "We're on the clock"
We waited at the meeting point Anatoly set up for us to get a police truck. When they arrived Anatoly gave them the money. Before they handed over the keys the leader of our 'buisness partners' barked a quick command in rusian and his goons pointed their assault rifles at us. I tensed, preparing to use my powers to re-direct their guns in time to pull out my pistol. However Oliver walked up and murmured a long phrase into the man's ear. He then handed over the keys and left. Once Oliver returned Felicity asked "What did you say?" He looked over at her and lied "Please." we then got in the vehicle and left.
I spent the rest of our time 'on the clock' playing my part of boydguard.. Following Oliver around and kept my distance. I watched as he drank with Rochev.. Then invited her back to his room. I stood outside it when Felicity came to the door "I wouldn't go inside if I were you.." I said, she was about to ask why when Oliver opened the door "Good, its time." She said. Oliver pursed his lips as Isabel made her exit saying "She can take the night off can't she?" Felicity was flaberghasted "Told you." I said. She finally said "What happened in Russia, stays in Russia. She turned and left. I looked at Oliver "You are not going to hear the end of that when we get back to the states." He nodded solemnly "Agreed."
We waited in the police truck as Anatoly bartered our enterance to the Gulag. Felicity chose now to say "What were you thinking, over 64 woman over the age of consent in Russia and you sleep with her." I then said "I was wrong.. She isn't even going to wait until the States." Oliver sighed and said "I guess we are not doing that 'what happens in Russia stays in Russia?" She then replied "We're still in Russia." I chuckled "She got you there Ollie." That as when Anatoly got back in the drivers seat and said "There is nothing money can not buy in this country." Oliver then said "Diggle should be heading out with Lyla in two minutes." Anatolu then said nonchalantly "Well breaking out of prison is harder than it looks. You of all people should know that." We then drove to the rendezvous point
Once the explosion went off Felicity went to work on her tablet. She then said "I got it, their phones are down the guards can't call for help" I nodded "Good, if these gets ugly its less people I have to take out." Anatoly then said "Your friend and that woman are not here by now, they will not be here at all." Oliver and I looked at eachother. I then said to Anatoly "Protect Felicity." We then got out and rushed into the Gulag.
Once inside we ran into a group of guards and joined them. This lead us to a room where Diggle, Lyla.. And Deadshot were in. They were beaten.. Until Oliver and I broke our cover and attacked the guards. We didn't use weapons but instead fist to fist. The guards surprisingly put up a hell of a fight, which made sense considering I was used to fighting untrained street thugs.. Not trained Prison guards. Diggle and Lyla were firing shots off at guards and finally Diggle yelled "David, Oliver, get down." We complied and he fired a few shots, taking out the men we were fighting. We got up and Oliver yelled "Follow me! Move!" We then ran for our get away car. We piled inside and Anatoly drove away,
After a few minutes he said "We are clear." John then said "Stop the truck." Anatoly pulled over. Diggle then turned to Deadshot "Get out!" Deadshot got out of the truck and Diggle followed him. They took some steps away from the truck and then Diggle aimed his pistol at Deadshot. Lawton remained unmoving. Diggle then lowered his gun. They exchanged some words and Lawton walked away. That was that. We had saved Lyla which meant we could leave Russia and return to Starling City.. Return to our mission.
We exited the the plane a day later, Rochev did not have any questions about Lyla which was odd. Once Rochev left Diggle approached both of us. "Thank you, you both had my back." Oliver smiled "Now you know what it feels like." I smiled back "We're a team John.. More than that.. We're friends. It's the least we could do for you after all we've been through together." We all shook hands. Now it was time to return to the real mission.. To save this city.
