Hello, guys. It's me again. This chapter took a lot more time than I expected to write and translate because all this situation with COVID-19 and the fact that I got a job, but me and my beta finally finished it. Hope you guys enjoy.
A young man in his 23 years old pulled a chain, which one end was attached to several concrete blocks. He was blond, with spiky hair, icy blue eyes and three streaks on either side of his cheek, resembling whiskers.
His defined body from heavy training was covered in scars and somewhat exotic tattoos.
My name is Naruto Queen!
To my family, I am the brother and son who just returned home after being lost at sea 5 years ago. They don't know I came back with a mission, to bring justice to our city, and they never can. The men and women I've targeted are dangerous, corrupt, a virulent cancer.
Naruto stopped his training, and used a towel to wipe the sweat. Sitting in the chair at the computer, he opened a news report about James Holder, his next target.
Cancers like James Holder, whose corporation put defective smoke detectors in low-income housing in The Glades. There have been many fires and too many funerals.
Standing up, the blond went to an old chest under another table. It was green, with several Chinese inscriptions painted on it. Opening it, he observed its contents. Two bows were inside, diferent just in aesthetics and, underneath both, there was a katana. It was long and beautiful. The black sheath with an adorned golden dragon, matching the equally golden handle.
Naruto looked at his katana for a moment, but dismissed the possibility of using it. There was no reason to. Then he took only his oldest-looking bow, which he always wore.
Rotating it in his hands, he tested the flexibility of the limbs. They remained impeccable.
But cancers can be fought and conquered. All it takes is a surgeon... and the right instrument.
Starling City - James Holder Residence
"Other than the bill I got handed this morning by my legal team, I'm feeling pretty good." Holder laughed on the phone, happy to live another day in impunity for his disgusting actions. He wore a robe because he had just wanted to relax in his pool, which he was standing next to. In his hand he held a bottle of beer. "And, now that this lawsuit's been settled, we can focus our attention on Unidac Industries."
Saying goodbye to the person he was talking to, Holder hung up his cell phone and tossed it on a lounger. Enjoying his peace, he lifted the bottle towards his lips, in order to enjoy the drink.
Unfortunately for him, satisfaction would not come anytime soon. An arrow hit the bottle, causing it to break. Searching for the source of the projectile, he looked around, facing two blood-red eyes that shone in the darkness inside the hood.
"I have armed security inside. All I have to do is call out." Holder claimed, swallowing hard. He heard the stories about the vigilant. A man in a green hood, with a voice and demonic eyes that attacked the richest people. For many, the man was just a rumora kind of bad joke to scare the richs from Starling. But now, face to face with him, Holder had no doubt that the rumors were true.
And if his existence was real, perhaps the reason for fearing him was also.
"Go ahead. They can't hear you." The vigilant said, throwing in the ground the weapons that belonged to Holder's security, causing the man to start to understand what preceded the vigilant's fame.
"What you want?" James asked fearfully. The hooded man's red eyes and demonic voice was giving him goosebumps.
The Vigilant charged violently towards the rich man, grabbing him by the neck.
"How many people died in those fires? How Many? " The Hood asked angrily, his voice now more like the snarl of a ferocious animal. The grip on his neck was strong just like steel, and it was making Holder quickly lose his breath.
A few meters away, in another building, a man was lying down. He had a kind of futuristic monocle in his eye, with a red lens. His sniper rifle was supported on the building's parapet and Holder was in sight.
"The judge said you owe the victims nothing, but I disagree. James Holder, you failed this..." But before the hooded man could finish his sentence, a bullet went through under the guard's arm and hit Holder in the chest. The surprise caused the Hood to drop the man and use his senses to detect the sniper, letting the rich man fall into the pool.
Quickly, an arrow was tensioned in the bow, and the man in the hood turned his body 180 degrees, shooting it.
Seeing that there was no one behind him, he hid behind a short wall, to protect himself. However, a familiar burning sensation in his shoulder made him realize that he had been shooted.
Glades – Hideout
Finishing the last stitch on his arm, Naruto sighed. Pain was no longer an unknown sensation to him, and now it was just another common annoyance.
Opening his father's notebook, he reluctantly crossed out James Holder's name from the list. It was not one of his arrows that had caused the Holder's end, but stopping to think about the it, it was not uncommon.
It's no surprise a man as corrupt as James Holder has more than one enemy.
Getting up from the chair, Naruto immediatlly felt sick. His vision started to blur and his body quickly lost strength. Leaning on the table to keep from falling, an obvious deduction came to the man's mind.
The bullet. Poison.
Naruto quickly took a bottle with water and slid across the floor towards the old chest. Opening it, he took out a small bag, with some strange herbs. Sticking a handful of them in his mouth and drink the water. Ignoring the taste of soot in his mouth, Naruto forcibly swallowed, and then passed out.
Flashback ON
Naruto opened his eyes.
His vision was still blurred, due to having woken up so soon from his fainting. Trying to move, he realized that his shoulder was hurting a lot, which made him wonder the reason.
Looking to the side, he noticed a pointed thing that had crossed his shoulder, which was obviously the reason for the pain. It was an arrow.
A noise in front of him caught his eye, and a man in a green hood appeared. He was old, looking about the same age as Naruto's father.
"Who are you? Why did you shoot me?" Naruto asked confused, and then he remembered something more important. "What have you done to my brother?"
The man approached and lowered the hood, showing his long black hair, covered with dirt and oil. He was certainly in that island for a while. Raising his finger, he pointed to the side and Naruto followed with his vision. There, lying by the campfire, Oliver was unconscious. His hands were tied and his mouth was gagged.
Seeing his brother's situation, the blond tried to get up. An attitude that proved to be a mistake, because his shoulder burned intensely.
"Fool." The man said in Chinese, but Naruto cound't understand him. The hooded man then took a small pot and some herbs and offered it to Naruto. The blond at first denied it, but the man insisted. "Drink."
Seeing that he had no alternatives, Naruto took the herb to his mouth. The strange texture made him choke, so he drank water right away. The hooded man, seeing that the boy was distracted by the taste, quickly pulled the trapped arrow out, causing Naruto to scream in pain.
Flashback OFF
The alarm went off, causing Naruto to rise abruptly with the alarm ringing, which announced 7:10. Last night, he had been careless, and had been poisoned for it. It was a very amateurish mistake. One he wouldn't do again.
Picking up his jacket on the table, he headed home. His family would probably be concerned.
Queen Mansion
Naruto entered the mansion, massaging where the bullet had caught. It was not a serious wound, so it would not interfere with his nighttime activities.
"Good mornig, sir." Diggle greeted, having courtesy returned by the blond.
Naruto soon realized that something was wrong. In the living room, Moira and Walter were talking to two cops, while Thea was sitting casually on the couch.
"What happened? Thea okay? " Naruto asked, worried with his sister.
"The cops brought her home. Her and some of her friends broke into a store, tried on some dresses last night. Lit up the breathalyzer like a Christmas tree." Dig awsered his client, who sighed in disappointment. Since he was back, he tried being compassionate with Thea and had done everything to spend time with her, so that they just could be close as before the shipwreck. This was good because she hadn't been using any illegal drugs for a while, but drinking, party and irresponsibility habits continued.
Perhaps it was time for him to try a different approach.
"Thank you, officers. My wife and I appreciate it. I'll see you out." Walter thanked to the both cops, guiding them to the door, leaving only Moira, Thea, Naruto and Diggle in the room.
"Last time it was public intoxication. This time breaking and entering. My, how we are moving up in the criminal world." Moira said, mad.
"You know, when you pay off the store owner, you should check out the merchandise. They got some pretty killer outfits." Thea anwsered sarcastically, making Naruto's irritation grow. He loved Thea, but he would not let her act like a spoiled child and disrespect their mother like that.
"Go get ready for school." Moira ordered, without any authority in her tone.
"Uh, you know, I was thinking of taking a sick day." Thea replied with a smug smile, causing Naruto to finally intervene. Did his sister want a challenge? She would gain one.
"No, you won't." He said promptly. His arms crossed in front of his chest, and a serious look on his face. Moira and Thea looked at him confused, so he continued. "Do you think you can get drunk, break into a store and just do whatever you want without any consequences? No way. I will personally get you to the school today, Young girl. So, go get ready."
The Queen's matriarch silently watched her surviving son and rebellious daughter. She was surprised by Naruto's serious and authoritarian attitude, making her wonder what Thea's reaction would be.
The youngest Queen looked at her older brother, intrigued. He had warned about her habits before, but this time was different. His hard posture, the steady look. Never in her life had she seen her brother like this, and a strange feeling tingled through her body. Something encouraging her to not disobey.
She looked at her mother for some support, or at least some reaction that would appease her brother and keep her free from consequences. She received just a curious look from the woman.
"I don't have all day, you know?" Naruto said, his serious face hadn't changed a little.
"Right..." She replied slowly, quite stunned.
In an almost robotic way, Thea went up the stairs to get ready, looking a lot confused.
"Oh, dear... I've never seen you speak to anyone in such a... authoritative way." Moira observed, starved in surprise and the blond sighed. Before the shipwreck, he had practically all Thea's wishes, and the girl had taken advantage of it several times. This was a habit that he would not feed anymore. She was no longer a child.
"I warn her, but she won't listen. So, I thought it was time for a change in attitude." He said, a little upset. He didn't like acting bossy with his little sister, but she urgently needed to learn responsability. And Naruto would teach her. "Thea doesn't need space, mom. She needs attention. You and Dad gave Oliver a lot of space, and he made a lot of wrong choices because of this."
"You're right. I will start to act more like a mother. I'll ground her." She smiled, and then left the room. Naruto, who hadn't sleep well due to some island's flashbacks, decided to go upstairs to rest, but Raissa's hasty arrival interrupted his plans.
"Excuse me sir." She declared, a little flustered.
"Are you all right, Raissa? You look angry." He declared, with one eyebrow raised.
"There is a woman at the door, sir. She is looking for you." She said disgusted, arms crossed over her chest. "She claims to be journalist, but in all my life, I've never seen a journalist so... nosy."
Naruto scratched his head in confusion, them his brain made the associations. A nosy journalist wanting to see him. It could only be...
"Sorry entering like this, but I have a deadline." A familiar voice said, which Naruto recognized immediately.
"I kindly asked you to wait at the door, miss." Raissa said angrily to the woman who had just entered the scene.
"Honey, listen to me. I have a complicated schedule. And if I cared about social decorum, I would never have gotten where I am now." She had brown hair with blond tips, tied in a ponytail. A pad in her hand and a pencil behind her ear confirmed the girl's profession. Her features were thin and delicate and her body was defined and voluptuous, showing that she had a healthy routine.
But more importantly, she was a well-known figure of the blond, who smiled.
"Lois?" He exclaimed in surprise, making her smile back. She hugged him tightly, after all, they hadn't seen each other for years. And of course, he was "dead" for five years.
"Starling. I'm so happy you're alive." She greeted him, making Naruto roll his eyes amused by the nickname.
Lois Lane was an old friend from college. The two were introduced by a group of friends, and hated each other at first sight. She was obstinate and talked too much while the blond was calm and very shy. While she went to fraternity parties and skipped classes constantly, he studied and devoted himself to taking over his parents' company.
However, Lois' bad habits reached their limit when she was about to fail in the final exams. With no alternatives then, she went to Naruto hoping that the "nerdy boy", as she called him, could help her. There were a lot of intense days studing with him, and slowly they got to know each other better.
When the exams days came, Lois Lane was ready and got an almost perfect score. From then and beyond, she and Naruto Queen had become friends.
The blond smiled, remembering their friendship story, but then he felt a hand slide under his shirt and caress his abdomen.
"Oh God. You didn't have that last time." The reporter exclaimed, blinking in surprise. "Five years on an island apparently did you good."
"Well, I don't know where you've been for the past five years, but I can tell you that you've been working out too. You look amazing." He replied with a laugh, also admiring her great figure, making her to give him a smirk. "So, tell me... What brings the most popular journalist of Metropolis to Starling City?"
"My friend returning home after being dead for five years isn't a reason good enough?" She asked with fake innocent eyes, causing him to raise his eyebrows and smile mockingly. "Okay, you got me. My editor wanted an exclusive story and I said I knew you."
"Oh really? Is that all I am to you? A story?" Naruto asked with feigned sadness. "And to think that after so many moments we shared together, this is how you see our friendship."
"Idiot." She exclaimed, punching him in the arm, making him laugh. "I am happy that you are back. This story is just the way I found to see you."
"Raissa. It's all right! She is an old friend." The blond exclaimed to the maid, who stood there looking at Lois with some displeasure. "Could you please bring us some Isabella's Islay?"
"Immediately, sir." Raissa replied, giving the journalist a last glance as she left the room.
"Wait a minute." Lois exclaimed when she recognized the drink's name. "Isn't that the most expensive whiskey in the world? By the way, since when do you drink without someone insisting it?"
"It is a special occasion." He commented as he sat on the sofa and instructed Lois to do the same. "After all, I am alive. And you are hotter than the last time I saw you."
"Wait, did you just flirt? When exatcly did you learn how to flirt with a woman?" She asked chocked. In college, Naruto Queen hardly could talk with a woman without blush, but here was he now, flirting casually with her. "Expensive whiskey, silver-tongue, a six pack. What more did you learn in that island?"
"Has the interview started or is it just a casual curiosity?" The blond questioned, watching Raissa enter the room again with a tray, two glasses, ice and the whiskey he had ordered. Thanking the maid, the blond put ice in the glasses and poured the drink for Lois. "To old friends."
The two toasted and drank.
"Fantastic." Lois commented, still feeling the warmth that Whiskey provided. "As for your question, it's a little bit of both. I'm curious as a reporter but also as a friend."
"It was five years, just thinking about surviving and coming back home. Dangerous animals, cold nights. It was the complete experience." Naruto said, a lost look on his face. He watched the Whiskey bottle with regret. It was all decorated with diamonds, except for a few rubies that formed a name: Robert.
"How did you survive?" She asked with interest. The notepad in her hand and the pen ready to write, showed why she was the greatest journalist in Metropolis. "We both know that you weren't the instinctive type in college. I cound't imagine you climbing a tree to get some coconuts, hunt an animal to eat I can't even fanthom."
"I did what I had to do. I looked for coconuts, I hunted some small animals. Luckily, I found a water source, and I settled close to it." He replied, now staring at his empty glass. The melting ice gave him a strange feeling of melancholy. "With my father and Oliver dead, I felt that if I just gave up it would be disrespectful to their memory. So, I had overcome some weaknesses and do what was necessary."
"I'm sorry for your father and your brother." Lois said with regret. She didn't like Oliver very much as he was mean and arrogant. Totally different from Naruto. But nobody deserves to die like that. "And how has your homecoming been?"
"It's… strange. In one way, I feel more like I never was gone. In another, it's like I never came back from the island." The blond commented, who now stared at her. The icy blue eyes showed an experience and maturity that she had never seen in him before.
"I understand." It was a blatant lie, because she didn't understand. The truth is that when she offered to interview the blond, she thought she was ready to see the changes he had undergone. But seeing Naruto, her nerdy and good-natured friend, with a distant look and a certain regret in her voice, she finally realized that Lian Yu had affected him more than she expected.
Lightly massaging her temple and taking a deep breath, she decided to change the topic for now. "Right. Let's change the subject. Tell me about the free clinic, the shelter and the community center. It's being reported everywhere."
The serious expression on his face changed to a smile almost immediately.
Hood Hideout
After letting Lois know about his plans for the Glades and offering her a room in the mansion so she could rest from the trip, Naruto returned to his hiddeout to analyze his blood.
Dripping a substance into the dirty gauze, the red stain gradually became bluish, confirming that the bullets were indeed poisoned.
The bullets were laced with curare, a rare and deadly poison, the killer's unique M.O.
He's killed all over the world... Chicago, Markovia, Corto Maltese. Interpol even has a codename for him... Deadshot.
I was prepared to give James Holder a chance to right his wrongs, but this Deadshot has no morality, no honor, no code. He doesn't kill for justice, which makes him as dangerous as anyone on my list. In fact, it puts him right at the top.
"So, what do you think?" Naruto asked. Behind him, Tommy, Lois and Diggle accompanied him. "Great spot for a nightclub or what?"
"Sweet. Though I got to tell you, man, if you're thinking about calling it Queens, I don't think you're gonna get the clientele that you were hoping for." Tommy teased, making the blond laugh.
"Private office?" Lois asked pointing to the room on the second floor, making Naruto nod.
"For the private one-on-one meetings, I would imagine." Tommy teased, making Lois to snort sarcastically.
"And since when Naruto Queen is someone who can have 'private one-on-one meetings'?" Lois sneered, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Hey." The blond shouted, pretending indignation. If she just knew the thruth about those past years... "Okay, I was never a womanizer, but I had my moments."
"Three times during college, if I remember." Lois commented thoughtfully. "Once with that redhead named Barbara, at that party that I forced you to come with me. Another with my friend Kara, and I had to lock you two in a room. And of course, how to forget about your blonde friend named Sara, who literally had to jump at you when she came to visit you."
"Wow! Now, wait a second." Tommy exclaimed with wide eyes. "Sara? Sara Lance? Did you two sleep together? Since when and why I am just knowing about it just by now?"
"Because I'm not the kind of guy who make an announcement about it. It was a moment for her and me." The blond declared, a little frustrated. Lois and Tommy didn't know, but he and Sara had a lot more history. "We slept together just before I got back and went on the yacht."
"You and Sara..." repeated Merlin, still in disbelief. Never in his life had he imagined that this would happen between the two. He took a step away from the others to think about this new information, so he connected the pieces.
Of course. Sara always loved Naruto, and once again only him cound't see that. Naruto was just so dense when it came to girls.
"So that's why she went on the yacht with Oliver. Probably the night of the two meant a lot more to Sara than to Naruto, so she wanted to make him jealous. Oh, god! Does Laurel know that?" Tommy wondered, mentally
"You know Lois..." Naruto whispered to the girl, now that his friend was away and Diggle seemed distracted looking around. "There was another girl that I got laid in college, several times by the way. But this one you left out of your count."
"Of course. No one would ever believe it if I said it." She replied, giving him a naughty wink and a kiss on the cheek, making him laugh. Then she joined Tommy to look around.
"So? What do you think?" The blond asked the bodyguard, who was still looking around. "You can talk freely. Please?"
"I was wondering ..." The Bodyguard sentenced. "Why the nightclub? You don't seem to be the party type and you already have several social projects planned for the Glades."
"Great question!" Naruto replied, smiling. "With all the places under my jurisdiction here, it's easier to renovate the neighborhood and help people. Besides, I thought opening a nighitclub was what Oliver would do if he were alive."
"How beautiful! That's my friend. Starling's newest philanthropist." Tommy joked, returning with Lois next to his blond friend. "How about tomorrow night the two of us, we go and scope out the competition. There's a new club opening downtown. It's called Poison. Max Fuller owns it."
"Max Fuller?" Naruto commented, recognizing the name immediately. "Bad idea. Oliver slept with his fiancee at the rehearsal dinner."
"You're right, Oliver slept. Not you. And besides, who stays mad at a castaway?" Tommy argued, while laughed. His cell phone then received a message. "Ah, dammit, I got to roll. Lois, it was good to met you. See ya, Dig."
"A new club? Well, you just hit the jackspot then, Starling. I have time and a new dress that I haven't tried yet." Lois said, smiling with ulterior motives.
Glades - CNRI
Laurel was watching her computer screen closely. She was biting her pen, a clear sign of anxiety. On the screen, there was a news item: Naruto Queen will manage social projects on Glades.
After five years in a desert island in the northern China Sea, Naruto Queen finally returns to Starling City. His return was unespected and made many people speculate what he was going to do now he had return. Would he lead his family's business or just leave it in hands of his new stepfather?
Our doubts, fortunately, were all solved when Mr. Queen surprised everyone during the announcement of the newest "Robert Queen Memorial Applied Science Center" when he revealed his intentions to open a homeless shelter, a recreation center and a medical clinic in Glades, totally free.
"To all Residents of the Glades, who think you have been forgotten by the rich people of this city, I say you're wrong, because I am here and I will do my best to help you." Mr. Queen declared, after revealing he didn't fell prepared to take over the family's business yet.
When we questioned the current CEO of Queen Consolidated, Walter Stelle, about his opinion on the newest projects of his stepson, we received nothing but approval from him.
Walter Stelle- "Queen Consolidated will do everything to assist Naruto in this project, and we are very excited about it. We want everything working on soon as possible, in an effectively and satisfying way. We are also looking into the possibility of making some investments in CNRI, to help low-income people gain access to the justice system."
It is not yet known if Mr. Queen will directly manage his social projects or whether he will put someone in charge. But our sources suggest that he claimed an old friend of him to run the clinic.
Undoubtedly, Naruto Queen's plans are great for the people of the Glades, but the true question that everyone wants to know: Is Naruto Queen really someone wanting to help, or just another rich man aiming to profit from the suffering of the less favored people of this city?
"Do you have the depos on the Jergens case?" Jo asked, causing Laurel to quickly close the site she was reading, trying to act normal.
"Yeah, they're around here somewhere." Laurel replied, and Jo stare her. "What?"
"What's going on between you and him?" Jo asked, crossing her arms over her chest and making Laurel finally look at her.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Laurel replied, walking around the office in search of the documents. But Jo followed, waiting for an answer.
"Cut that out. You've been weird since you made up with Naruto." Jo declared, making Laurel sigh and look up in frustration. "You tell me you guys were always best friends, then you had a fight before the shipwreck. I don't think this is the full story. Spit it out."
"Okay, damn... As you well know, Naruto has always been my best friend. We always got along and nothing separated us, right?" Laurel asked, and Jo nod in agreement. "However, he and I had a fight before he went on that yacht. Oliver and he had argued earlier, and Naruto punched him. When I asked Oliver why they were fighting, he told me it was because… Naruto was in love with me."
"Well, that is interesting to say the least." The brunette lawyer commented, with a hand on her chin and a thoughtful look. "How did you feel when you found out?"
"I couldn't think straight. I loved Oliver and was angry at Naruto for punching my boyfriend." The eldest daughter of Lance family replied.
"But what about now? Oliver is dead, and even if he weren't, I doubt you'd still love him. How do you feel when you think of Naruto's feelings for you?" Jo asked.
"Confused. He was my best friend and my boyfriend's brother. I never thought of Naruto like that, as I was totally in love with Oliver. So, I don't know how to react to all this." Laurel sighed, fidgeting with her hair nervously. She then remembered the night her apartment was broken into, and the way Naruto dealt with the situation quickly. He was very quick with his decisions, and he didn't look scared. It was like looking at someone totally different for a moment.
Taking a deep breath, Laurel continued.
"In addition, we are talking about facts that occurred five years ago. Now that he's back, there are times when..."
"Where you feel like you don't know him." The brown-skinned girl reasoned, causing Laurel to confirm. "Look, there's five years of history and there is a huge gap there. So, this is what we are going to do. We are going out tonight and we are going to have some shots and we are going to dance with men that we don't know and we are going to stay out way too late. After that you can try to solve your problems with the cute blond."
"Okay, you won. Hey, wait. Since when you call him 'cute blond'?" Asked her, causing Jo to roll her eyes.
Hood Hideout
After a short visit to the area next to the Holder's building and some Parkour to climb the walls, Naruto had managed to recover a bullet that had been stuck in the wall, allowing the him to start his research.
The caliber and trail of the money then revealed to him that the gunslinger was connected to the Russian mafia, and their base was his next stop. The old workshop was a perfect cover for anyone who didn't know what they were looking for.
Closing the door behind him, he removed the cap he had just worn so that he would not be recognized outside.
"Ya ishchu Alexi Leonov (I'm looking for Alexi Leonov)." Naruto declared to the both men repairing a car, announcing his arrival.
"Zdes' nikogo net s takim imenem. (There is no one here by that name)." The bald man replied, giving to Naruto a suspicious look.
"Ne v vashem garazhe. V podvale pod. (Not in your garage. In the basement underneath.)" The blond countered, causing the other man to rush at him with a gun.
Naruto quickly grabbed the man's hand and twisted it by taking the weapon and dismounting it easily.
"Ya Bratva. (I am Bratva)." The heir Queen said, showing the captain's tattoo on his chest, causing the two Bratva to look at him in astonishment. "Ya khochu uvidet 'Alexi Leonov (I want to see Alexi Leonov)."
The bald man walked slowly forward and stared at the blond, the suspicious look still on his face. However, he nodded and said:
"Pleased to meet you."
In the Basement Underneath
"I apologize. We meant no disrespect to a captain. Particularly not an American one." Alexi said as they entrered in the basement. "So... How can I be of assistance?"
"I'm in the market for a hired gun. Someone the organization's used before." Naruto replied seriously. His arms crossed over his chest. "His calling card is a 7.62mm bullet laced with curare."
"I know no man who uses such tools." The bald member of Bratva said.
"But you can find out who does." Naruto stated, staring at him steadily.
"First, we will drink to each other's health, then I will look into the identity of this man you seek." Alexi evidenced, handing Naruto a glass of vodka. Both saluted and drank. "I will also confirm that you are really Bratva captain. Should this not be the case, I will send my mechanic here to find you and kill you and your family."
"Do whatever you have to." Naruto replied, placing the glass on the table and facing the man more intensely than before. "But don't threaten my family again. If you want to know the reason, ask Anatoli what happened to the last man who did this, he will be very happy to tell you. And give him my greetings."
Alexi would reply, but the look the blond gave him made him give up on the idea. Then he just nodded, showing that he understood.
Poison - Starling City
"Oh, my, this is going to be the party." Tommy laughed when they entered the club. He and Naruto were dressed in expensive party suits, without a tie. But the real show was Lois, no doubt, who wore a short blue dress with a generous neckline. A perfect combination of elegance and boldness.
"If Max never sees me here... I agree." Naruto replied, already prepared for the confrontation that would surely come.
"Ah, if you want to run a business, you've got to take a few risks." The current heir of Merlyn Global Corporation commented.
"Don't worry, Starling. I protect you from the big bad guy." Lois mocked, causing the blond to roll his eyes. Although she was not just talking for talking, she knew how to fight very well. Consequences of having a military father, maybe.
"Mr. Queen." Called Diggle when the nightclub guard stopped him, claiming his name was not on the list.
"Sorry, Diggle. Private party." The blond laughed, approaching the bodyguard who just stared at him. "Relax. We won't be here for a long, believe me."
Leaving Dig at the door shaking his head in disapproval, Naruto joined Lois and Tommy and the three of them headed towards loud music and people dancing. The blond whistled impressed by the large number of beautiful women dancing, but two in particular were familiar to him: Jo, who danced on the dance floor and seemed to be having a great time, and Laurel, who was sitting at the bar.
"Oh, wow! Doesn't you going out and having fun violate some kind of law, you know, like the ones that are carved on a stone tablet?" Tommy asked the Lance family's lawyer.
"That's cute, Tommy. I can see you are up to your old hunting patterns." She sneered, and then her gaze went to Naruto. "But you in a party is something new. Who's your friend?"
"Lois Lane meet Laurel Lance." The blond introduced them. "Lois is an old friend from college."
"Nice to meet you." Laurel greeted politely, stopping to get a better look at the woman who accompanied her friend. She was beautiful, had a beautiful body and appeared to be quite elegant.
"Same here." Replied Lois, also analyzing the lawyer. Sitting beside her, she promptly struck up a conversation. "So, the famous Laurel Lance. Naruto told me a lot about you."
"Really? Good things, I hope." Laurel commented, glancing at his friend who was talking to Joe on the dance floor.
"Good would be an understatement." Lois replied as she took a small mirror out of her bag and touched up her lipstick. Naruto looked at her disapprovingly because of the direction the subject was taking, causing the reporter to just wink at him playfully. "In fact, ..."
"Big bro!" Thea suddenly apeared, and then crashed into the blond, hugging him. Under normal circumstances, he would be happy that his sister just showed up and prevented Lois from telling Laurel, some of the things they had talked years ago.
But these were not normal circumstances. The youngest of the Queen family was barely able to stand, and the flushed cheeks just evidenced the reason.
"Oh! I am so wasted right now. There is... there is two of you." She said, confirming Naruto's suspicions about her being drunk.
"I thought you were grounded." Naruto commented with an irritated look on his face. Her sister's rebelliousness was already over the line.
"I am. And thank you... thank you for that, by the way." Thea replied wryly, still hugging him. "Hey, did someone tell you that you look hot with those muscles?"
"I said." Lois commented nonchalantly, causing Laurel and Tommy to look at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Thea... That's enough." Naruto replied seriously, ignoring her question. It was just alcohol effect. "You suffered with my death, I know. But I'm here now. Trying to fix things with you. But you keep hanging out with the wrong people."
"You too, Big bro. You just don't know that." She replied laughing, looking at Laurel and Tommy, who were cold sweating. "What do you know about your two friends there?"
"Oh, this is going to be good. I love dramas." Lois said, turning to the bartender. "A Martini, please."
"Thea, maybe you should..." Tommy started to speak, afraid his friend would find out.
"Tommy... I think he has a right to know. Especially, when it envolve his best friend and the girl he loved." Thea replied, smiling smugly. Then she turned to his brother. "Well, I guess they never told you that they've been screwing while you were gone."
The silence settled between them, leaving only the sound of music in the air. Laurel stared at the floor, not wanting to know what Naruto's reaction would be. Thea continued to smile smugly. Lois sipped her Martini, watching closely, not wanting to miss anything that would be said.
Journalist instincts.
And finally, Tommy, who tried to justify himself:
"Look, man, I ..."
"Tommy... It's okay." Naruto said. His expression hadn't changed a single millimeter, he remained stoic, without deviating his sight from Thea. "That's enough for today. Let's have a little talk."
"Hands of me, Naru." Thea asked when he grabbed her by the arm. It didn't hurt, but his grip was firm, preventing her from letting go.
"Well, look at this." A familiar voice said, which made Naruto curse mentally.
"Max Fuller." He greeted, grudgingly. "How've you been?"
"Happy that you and your fucking brother drowned." The man answered with a scorn, his two big security guards standing behind.
"Just as I imagined." Thought Naruto, irritated.
"Hey Max..." Naruto was interrupted by a punch on face, courtesy of the club owner. It was weak, and it hurt nothing compared to the first punch he had received on the island."You hit like a kid."
"Get him up." Max ordered to his security guards as he took off his jacket.
"Hey, let him go. Let him go." Tommy shouted entering the secluded corner they were in. He advanced on the security guards and forced then to release Naruto.
"Told ya he was going to be pissed." The blond heir said, while doing a reconnaissance of the place. Through the crack in the curtain that separated the room from the club itself, he noticed that Thea, Laurel and Lois were outside, both older women holding the drunk girl wanting to enter, all they looking at him with concern.
"Damn it. If I take these guys down, I'll have to explain later how I did it." Thought Naruto.
"You want to get to him? You've got to go through me." Exclaimed Tommy causing the security guards to approach with a cynical smile. "Wow, they are probably going to get through me."
One of them grab Tommy's shoulder trying to get him out of the way, but he hit back. Seeing that his friend would be punched, Naruto pulled him by the collar and dodged the blow that was coming his way. Then he kneed the guard in the stomach, but another one come behind and grabbed Naruto, while the remaining man knocked Tommy down.
Fuller watched with a satisfied smile near the curtain, but his smile disappeared as soon as he felt three punches in his rib, a kick on back of his knee and the sensation of losing the ground. All blows being courtesy of Lois.
"Ordening five security guards to beat two men while just stand there with a smile on your face. You rich guys can't do anything by yourselfs, can you?" She asked, crossing her arms over her large breasts.
"So, is this over, Max? Or are you going to have your boys beat on us next?" Laurel asked, staring him.
"You all consider yourselves banned for life. Get the hell out of my place." Max exclaimed furiously, as he and his security guards got out.
"Your club sucks, anyway." Tommy replied, staggering.
"Well... And that fix my problems." Thought Naruto getting up and cracking his neck. Thea ran to him and hugged him.
"Are you okay?" She asked, her look full of concern. "I'm so sorry."
"It's okay, Thea. I'm okay!" The blond replied, kissing her forehead, and then turned to Lois. "Thanks for the help, and I'm sorry for that. Max hates Oliver."
"It's all right. I love to drop rich little guys off their pedestal." Lois replied, adjusting her dress.
"Thea, go outside and wait for me with Diggle. And no deviations. We're still going to have a talk about your behaviours." The current heir to the Queen family ordered.
"Right." Thea replied despondently. The shock of seeing her brother being beaten had drained some of the alcohol in her blood, making her a little more aware. Taking a good look at her brother, whose eyes were still steady, she sighed and left the room.
"Well, it was a lot of excitement for one night. I told you this was a bad idea, Tommy." Naruto sighed wearily. "If you don't mind, we will retire now."
"Wait, Naru. About what Thea said ..." Laurel called fearfully, but she was cut off by the Queen heir.
"Laurel, you or Tommy don't have to explain anything to me. It is none of my business." He said seriously, heading towards the exit with Lois behind. "See you later."
"Hey, wait." Tommy called, following them. "I'm going with you."
And they finally left, leaving Laurel in her own confused thoughts.
Flashback ON:
The first thing Naruto noticed when he woke up again, it was his shoulder had cured significantly. The wound was obviously still there, and it was still a little sore, but it was no longer bleeding and the blond could move his shoulder a little more.
Looking around, he studied the place nervously. It was evidently a cave, rocks from floor to ceiling, but due to the amount of animal skins and ceramic objects, Naruto determined that the hooded man had lived there for some time.
And speaking of him, he was sleeping calmly in a corner of the cave, while Oliver remained gagged and with his hands tied, next the fire. He seemed to have woken up at some point, due to the change of his body position, but he went back to sleep.
Naruto stood up slowly, trying to make as little noise as possible. He did not want to wake the man in the green hood because he did not know what his intentions were. He followed to his brother and untied him silently. Oliver opened his eyes abruptly, agitated. The younger blond signaled his brother to be silent, and he happily understood. He got up slowly, avoiding as much as possible any noise being made, and they both headed for the exit of the cave.
As soon as they left, sunlight bothered their eyes, and they start run. Without knowing where they were going, nor where they were, all they wanted was get away from the cave fast as possible.
However, their escape was interrupted when Naruto heard a noise, and realized that Oliver was trapped in a hammock. A trap.
"Damn it." Said the eldest son of the Queen family, and Naruto realized that he had not heard his brother's voice for a long time.
"I'll get you out of there." He said, but his promise cannot be kept, because when he approached the ground under him, it cracked, making him fall into a hole.
Flashback OFF:
"Why don't you guys take a seat?" Diggle asked to the four Young adult, while greeting the Big Belly Burger waitress. "I will grab a couple of burgers, some ice for those faces and a coffee for Ms. Queen."
"The girl's pretty cute!" Tommy commented as he took a closer look at the waitress, whom Diggle revealed to be his sister-in-law. "Who I will never speak to or... look at. Ever. Gonna grab a booth."
"I'm going to the bathroom." Thea said. She wasn't entirely sober, but she was a way better.
"I will go with you." Lois stated and the two went together, leaving only Diggle and Naruto standing.
"She's not wearing a ring." Naruto observed regarding the waitress. "Brother out of the picture?"
"Yeah, you could say that." The bodyguard answered, who went to talk to the girl, while Naruto sat across from Tommy.
"Look, man. About Laurel..." His friend began. "I was going to tell you. I was just trying to figure out the right way."
"Tommy. You don't owe me explanations. Neither does Laurel." Naruto replied calmly. "I was dead. And besides, Laurel was never my girlfriend. She was my brother's girlfriend, and he would probably tell you the same thing if he were alive."
"Dude, it was wrong. Even if you didn't date, she's the girl you've always loved." Tommy said with regret in his eyes. "I shouldn't have done it. It violates the Bro code."
"It's okay, seriously." The blond replied. "Wait, what is Bro code?"
"I forgot that you were already on the island when that episode from HIMYM came out." Tommy laughed. "But now, seriously. You are being really chill about this. I..."
He was interrupted by the sound of Naruto's cell phone. The blond took it out of his pocket and saw that it was the number of the Bratva.
"Hello?" Naruto said casually, and then put down his cell phone and blocked the audio input. "It's a Russian model calling me. Can we...Can I have a moment, please?"
" I can see now why you were able to be so chill. Enjoy!" Merlyn replied laughing and getting up from the table. As soon as he was far enough away, Naruto spoke on the phone again.
"So, I checked out?" He asked seriously.
"You did. His name is Floyd Lawton. I have address where he stayed last time he was in Starling City. But that is all." Alexi said through the mobile device.
"Let's hope he's a creature of habit. Go." Naruto replied.
"1700 Broadway, Papp Motel, room 52." The Russian replied. "You'll leave us out of this, yes? Assuming Mr. Lawton doesn't kill you first."
The blond didn't even bother to answer, he just hung up the phone. It looks like the vigilante of starling city would be hunting again.
Hotel Paper
The door was blown off the wall by a kick, courtesy of the Hood.
The moment Lawton saw it being broken, he rose from his chair and jumped back from the hotel bed, narrowly dodging the arrow. Triggering the gun device on his arm, he aimed at the spot where the green-hooded man was, but was unsuccessful in hitting him, as he had hidden behind the outer wall of the room. As soon as the gunslinger's ammunition ran out, the vigilante showed himself again, shooting another arrow that hit the lamp beside the mercenary, shattering it into pieces.
With the intention of protecting himself from the next arrow that would surely meet him, Lawton raised the bed, resulting in the projectile stuck to the mattress, just inches from his head. Luckily, his weapon had reloaded and made it possible for him to shoot the man and have him protect himself again, giving time to the Gunman escape through the window.
Hearing the sound of glass shattering, the Hood immediately ran into the room towards the broken window. He looked through the streets of the building through it, but saw no one. The sound of the police siren caught his attention, so he decided to get out of there. But not before picking up the Deadshot's laptop, which had been shot and left behind.
Queen Mansion
When Naruto got home, it was almost 3 am.
The broken laptop under his arm was carefully stowed away in his green chest. The blond would take him to the IT department the next day. As he prepared to sleep, a cold breeze entered the room, indicating that the window was open. And he hadn't opened it.
"You know, I was wondering how long it would take for you to show up." Naruto sighed, his voice being directed to the person sitting in his armchair, in the darkest corner of the room. "Hello, Chien. Did you miss me?"
His answer, however, was the Karambit knife pressed against his throat, making him smile.
"So, you survived after all these years..." The white-haired girl snarled. "Give me a reason to not cut your throat right now."
"Go ahead. There's nothing to stop you now, right?" The blond mocked, making her tighten the knife. A trickle of blood could be seen running down his neck, but the smile never left his face. "How nostalgic. Just like when we met. Knifes on necks, threats, dangerous decisions. Good times. Do you remember it?"
"You are not going to win me over with your soft talk, Queen." She murmured angrily. "I paid my debt with you years ago."
"Ah, that's true. A very bad moment of my adventures in Hong Kong." Naruto said frowning, remembering of Akio. "But yes, your debt with me has been paid. No bonds tie you to me, so what are you waiting for? Go ahead, slice my throath with your knife."
Chien hesitated. Her mind was giving the commands, but her arm just wasn't moving, making her angry. The plan was very simple. Enter the mansion, kill Naruto Queen, and finally end their story. But if it was so simple, why couldn't she do it?
"Ah, that's so cute." Naruto exclaimed with a bright smile. "You can't kill me! Had I finally managed to conquer a place within your cold heart, Chien?"
Her answer was to take the knife away from him, grab it by the collar and pin it to the wall.
"You'll stay out of my way." She threatened him. "You will stay out of Triad's way. And if you don't, I going to reveal to everyone who you really are, especially to your family. I bet they would love to know about what happened to Oliver."
Her vague mension about Oliver had an instant effect on Naruto, who immediately reacted by reversing positions. He held her hands behind her back and pressed her face to the wall, making her groan in pain.
"Wrong choice of words, Chien." The blond whispered in her ear, his low, angry voice more like a snarl. "Here is my counter proposal. If you or the triad go after someone I love again, or get in my way, your entire gang will be wiped out. And as for you, well... Well, let's say you won't like it. Do we have a deal?"
She murmured in agreement, and Naruto turned her around again, this time holding her hands above her head, leaving their faces inches away.
"Good girl!" The blond smiled before breaking the gap between their mouths.
Chien moaned unconsciously when she felt his tongue entering her mouth. Her legs felt like jelly, unable to support her body weight. Naruto's hands came down over her body, stroking.
Finally, he released her and she let out a disappointed moan.
"You see? I can be nice sometimes." Naruto said with a wicked smile. His face then changed to a serious expression again. "Go back to the Triad, Chien. And don't make me regret letting you go."
Chien took a second to recover from the kiss, and then headed to the window. Taking a last look back, she realized that Naruto was still watching her intently, and finally left the room.
"I hope you do the right thing and don't get in my way again, Chien. I would hate kill another friend who was with me on that island." The blond thought, watching the window.
Queen Corporation
"Felicity Smoak?" Naruto called clearing his throat, trying to get the attention of the cute girl who worked in the company's IT department. She was blonde, her hair in a ponytail. She wore nerdy glasses and at that moment, bit a red pen and seem to be in another planet. "Hi, I'm Naruto Queen."
"Of course. I know who you are, you're Mr. Queen." She said embarrassed and a little shocked by seeing her "boss" for the first time.
"No, Mr. Queen was my father." The blond replied.
"Right, but he's dead. I mean, he drowned." She said a little breathlessly making Naruto raise an eyebrow. "But you didn't, which means you could come down to the I.T. department and listen to me babble. Which will end. In 3... 2... 1."
"You are cute." Naruto said amused, making her blush. "I'm having some trouble with my computer and they told me that you were the person to come and see. I was using it in my car when my driver went through a car wash without closing the windows."
"Really?" She asked. The expression on her face clearly showed that she was not buying the lie. "Cause this look like bullet holes."
"The car wash is in a bad neighborhood" He replied, making her bow her head and raise her eyebrows and mumble. "If you can get anything out of it, I will be forever grateful."
"Okay. I can take a look." The cute blonde from IT exclaimed, who quickly opened the notebook and removed the hard drive. After a few minutes of programming some things and browsing some files, she found what Naruto was looking for. "It looks like blueprints."
"Do you know what of?" Naruto asked curious, and Felicty revealed they were from the Exchange building. "Never heard of it."
"It's where the Unidac Industry's auction is scheduled to take place. I thought you said that was your laptop." She said and Naruto nod. "Look, I don't want to get in the middle of some Shakespearian family drama thing."
"What?" The Queen heir asked, confused.
"Mr. Steele marrying your mom. Claudios, Gertrúde...Hamlet." She compared
"I studed a lot in college, but Sheakspeare wasn't my thing." Naruto revealed, still waiting for the answer he really wanted.
"Mr. Steele is tryng to buy Unidac Industries." Felicity highlighted. "And you've got a company laptop associated with one of the guys he's competing against."
"And who would that be?" Naruto asked. Whoever owned the laptop had hired the Gunman.
"Warren Patel." The girl replied, leaving him pensive as he watched the blueprints of the building.
The exchange building is surrounded by 3 towers with eye lines into the building. Lawton could get a kill shot off from virtually anywhere. But I can't cover the area. I can't protect all of Deadshot's targets. I can't do this alone.
Starling City Police Department
Quentin was leaving the police station when he was attacked.
His hands were being held behind his back, while the vigilante pressed his head firmly on the hood of the car.
"Ah, you son of a bitch!" Quentin cursed, and the Hood told him to shut up. "You've got a pair on you, pulling this right outside the police station!"
"Floyd Lawton's the one targeting the buyers interested in Unidac Industries. Interpol calls him "Deadshot" because he never misses. You can look this up after I go." The vigilante said, his red eyes being the only thing distinguishable in the darkness of the hood.
"Yeah, and stop chasing you, I suppose?" The detective exclaimed with some difficulty to breath.
"Warren Patel hired Lawton. I can't be sure who they're targeting, it might be all the buyers, and I can't protect them in a space that big. I need your help." The Hood revealed, immobilizing the detective even more when he tried to break free. "Lawton laces his bullets with curare. Tell your men to wear kevlar."
Quentin started to mumble something again, but his head was pressed harder into the vehicle, and an arrow tore through his coat, dangerously close to his shoulder. No longer feeling any presence behind him, he stood up and looked back. The Hood was gone.
Shares Auction
While Moira, Walter and Thea were talking in the main hall, Naruto was upstairs, standing by the stairs. He was watching the place closely while the police went on the security round.
"Warren Patel. I'm going to need you to come with me, sir." Pike asked, leaving the man uneasy while the police escorted him.
Lance, on the other hand, walked around the room confirming that his men were all in position, ready to act.
Starling City Court
"Oh, what a shock. It is Friday night. What are you doing here?" Tommy asked, startling Laurel as she hurriedly walked out of the courtroom.
"Well, I am an attorney and this is a courthouse, so I think the better question is, what are you doing here?" She argued, approaching the heir of Merlyn Global.
"I wanted to talk to you about last night." He said, trying to control his nervousness. The feeling had been filing at him since last night, when he noticed some small signs in the lawyer when she was introduced to Lois. She seemed to be jealous. "I spoke to Naruto. He was surprisingly cool."
Laurel took a deep breath, a failed attempt to control the confusion that was going through her head. Yes, she had noticed that the blond didn't seem at all upset by Thea's revelation last night. And knowing him as she did, there was only one explanation.
"That's because he knew." She revealed, failing to prevent a small amount of dissatisfaction from being released along with the sentence. Luckily, Tommy didn't seem to notice. "I have known Naru for years. He didn't even blink. Trust me, he knew."
"Then why didn't he say anything?" Tommy asked confused, and that was a doubt that Laurel shared.
"I don't know." And she really didn't know, which pissed her off a lot.
This was one of those times when she was unable to recognize her best friend. One of those moments that only appeared after he returned. If before he was an open book to her, now he was a suspense book that whenever she tried to read, she would not understand. "And I don't have the courage to ask him. Not after all. Maybe you will have better luck with his friend, that Lois."
If the woman's tone had gone unnoticed by Tommy before, it certainly wasn't now. He had heard the way she had said the journalist's name, and he cannot help feeling uncorfortable and insecure about it.
"Wow. You really don't like her." He confirmed.
"It's not that I don't like her or anything. I just don't know anything about her. And that's the problem." The lawyer revealed, not realizing that this was probably a very inappropriate topic to discuss with Tommy. "She and Naruto seemed very close, so why have I never seen or heard about her before? He never said anything to me about a "friend" from college."
"Are you jealous?" Merlyn asked, giving a fake laugh to try to keep the mask of a relaxed and safe man. He expected to be working on, because he was fearing by her answer.
"W-what? Of course not! Naruto and I are just friends." She exclaimed nervously, making Tommy suspicious.
"Right. And what about us? He clearly doesn't mind about us together." He asked, playing his last card. He would not give up without fighting.
His answer was just a silence, and Laurel looking at him with a confused and frightened look, then he continued:
"You said you didn't think that I was a one girl type of guy." Tommy argued, remembering the exactly words she had used once. "I'm going to prove you wrong. By being better. By being someone you want to be with."
Then he left, a determined look on his face. Laurel, on the other hand, remained standing there. Just not knowing what to do.
"Fuck." She sighed, confused.
Shares Auction of Unidac Companies
"Well, don't you scrub up nice?" Detective Lance commented to Naruto, who had just come down to the main hall.
"I'm here to support my family." The blond exclaimed, discreetly observing his surroundings.
"Yeah, me, too, God help me." The detective said, making Naruto nod his head in thanks.
Leaving the man behind, the multibillion-dollar heir went over to where his bodyguard was.
"Dig. Got your eyes open?" He asked
"That's what I'm here for, sir. That and answering patronizing questions." The bodyguard answered, causing Naruto to half smile.
"This guy's out of time. If he's going to do something, it's going to happen before the auction." Naruto declared, causing Diggle to look at him suspiciously. "I heard the story on the radio."
"So pleased you were able to attend. Hmm." Walter exclaimed, pleased with the presence of his stepson.
"Walter, the police said that some of the Unidac bidders were murdered. I just think that we should be a little bit more careful. My mother already lost a husband." Naruto said bluntly.
"Well, if Moira shared your concern, she wouldn't have come. And she definitely wouldn't have brought your sister." Walter declared, his hand indicating the two women of Queen family standing not far from the two.
"Shit..." The blond swore under his breath as he walked towards them, leaving Walter behind in confusion. A small red dot reflected in his champagne glass, close to his chest.
"Naruto, what a wonderful surprise!" Moira said when she realized that it was her son who had touched her arm. The blond gave a quick nod to Diggle, who came immediately.
"I need you to get them out of here right now." Naruto ordered seriously, leaving the bodyguard and the two women confused.
Then a gunshot, and then shrapnel hitting the floor, was heard.
"Get down." Naruto shouted, pulling his sister close to him while Diggle tried to protect Moira. Turning to his sister, he asked, "Are you ok? Are you hurt?"
She nodded. The people in the hall started to scream and duck when a second gunshot was heard, and a man fell dead near them.
"Mom, are you okay?" The blond asked again, amid the anarchy that the place had become.
"No, I'm fine! Where is Walter?" She asked, making Naruto watch the room. He quickly located his stepfather, who was being escorted out of place by Lance.
"Walter is fine." Replied the blond, pushing Thea to Diggle and walking away. "Get them out of here, now."
"What about you, sir?" Asked the bodyguard, but Naruto was already gone, leaving Moira and Thea worried. The man then ran with the two of them, away from the confusion. "Don't worry, ma'am. I will find him."
Naruto ran up the stairs to the building's emergency exit, stopping at a trash can to take out the bag with his equipment. He and Deadshot had some pending matters to settle.
Properly equipped, he shot an arrow with a steel cable attached to it in the building where the Gunman was. Going down it, he smashed the window open and rolled on the floor, alerting the mercenary.
Lawton dropped the rifle, and raised his arm. His arm-gun started firing the projectiles, but the vigilante hid behind a pillar. And then, silence. The gunman had stopped shooting, and the only thing that could be heard was a few footsteps that echoed through the building.
The mercenary felt a blow to his back and fell to the ground, in order not to be hit again and to be able to attack, but the vigilante was once more agile. Climbing onto a construction platform, the Hood again deflected the man's shots and jumped on top of him, grabbing his neck and throwing him to the ground.
Deadshot got up quickly and tried to exchange a few hand-to-hand blows with the guard, but to no avail, as he was hit several times and thrown away. When he managed to get up again, the man in the hood was gone.
"Drop your guns." The vigilante's deep and chilling voice was present, seeming to echo from all directions of the place.
"I admire your work. Guess you won't be extending me any professional courtesy." Lawton said, trying to ignore the cold that ran down his spine when he heard that demonic voice.
"Do you really think we're in the same business? Get real, Lawton. You are someone driven by money. It has no ethics, principles or morals. You are no different than the men I kill." The Hood said, preparing an arrow in his bow.
"It is a pity that you think that way." The gunslinger replied, with a cynical smile. Then he raised his arm and shot the pillar in front of him, where he thought the Hood was. Which proved to be a mistake, for the hiss of an arrow being shot was heard, and the man fell to the ground, with the projectile stuck in his eye.
The hooded man reappeared, watching the fallen man. Lowering the green hood, Naruto Queen's face was shown, his red eyes slowly turning blue. However, his attention was suddenly diverted by a groan at his back.
Naruto raised his bow again with a tensioned arrow, but lowered it as soon as he saw that it was Diggle. And he had been shot.
"Damn it." The blond mentally swore again that day. He had been doing this very often lately.
Taking the bodyguard who was rapidly losing consciousness, the billionaire vigilante supported him and headed for the exit.
Hood Hideout - Glades
Naruto hurried down the stairs with Diggle still leaning on him. The man gasped for air, showing that the wound was deep. Laying him down on the table, Naruto hurried to his green chest, where he kept the herbs he had brought from the island. He kneaded and diluted it in water, forcing Dig to drink the mixture.
Flashback ON:
"Fools." The man in Chinese said, to both Oliver and Naruto. "This place is too dangerous for a man to be alone. They will kill you."
He cut the ropes that held Oliver in the hammock, causing the eldest son of the Queen family to fall to the floor. Then he headed for Naruto, offering help to get him out of the hole in which he had been trapped.
Oliver ran to his brother as soon as he was finally free of the hammock, and they both watched the serious look the hooded man gave him as he headed back to the cave.
"What do we do?" He asked to Naruto, who was unable to answer.
There was something very strange going on on that island.
Flashback OFF:
Diggle opened his eyes with difficulty, due to the light on his face. Intense chills passed through his body, and he was all sweaty.
Getting up slowly, he realized he was in an unknown place, and more importantly, a man dressed in green was watching him. It was the vigilante. However, instead of the hood and the red eyes he had heard so much about, there was a familiar face.
"Hey." Naruto greeted, rising from the table he was sitting on.
So, here we are. End of the chapter.
This Lois Lane is Smallville version, one of my favorite tv shows. She calling Naruto "Starling" it's a reference to the show, where she calls Clark "Smallville". XD
Sorry for the grammatical errors that we missed.
See ya!