My name is Sara Lance. To my family, I am the sister and daughter that returned home after five years at sea. Unbeknownst to them, I came back with a mission to bring justice to my city and they never will. The people I've targeted are dangerous and corrupt. There were the cancers of the city. One such cancer was James Holder. He was known for putting defective smoke detectors in the cheap houses in the Glades. There have been too many fires and too many funerals. Cancer be beaten though with the right treatment and the right doctor. Fortunately, they had me.
I went up to Holder's rooftop. The asshole had a pool and bar on his roof. Part of me wanted to kill him just for being a tool, but I didn't kill like that. I did, however, shoot his glass of champagne out of his hand. He looked at me, but didn't seem afraid.
"I have armed security inside. All I have to do is call out." He told me.
"I visited them first." I stated as I threw the guns to the ground.
"What the fuck do you?" He asked. Now he was afraid.
"I want you to tell me how many people died in those fires." I questioned as I drew my bow. "The court says you don't owe your victims anything. I disagree James Holder…"
Before I could finish my sentence, Holder was shot in the chest suddenly. There was someone nearby. I shot a few arrows but I didn't see anyone before they returned fire. I hid behind the bar before I felt the pain. I had been hit in the arm. It was likely just a flesh wound since it wasn't near any arteries, but I would have to deal with it early before it got infected.
I returned to my base, removed the bullet and started to stitch up the wound. It still stung like a bitch. I shouldn't have been surprised that someone like James Holder had multiple issues. I crossed his name off of the list before I started to feel odd and disoriented. I looked at the bullet and immediately realized that I had been poisoned. Fortunately, I was prepared. I had some herbs that I was pretty sure could kill it. I started to chew them quickly before guzzling a bottle of water. I then passed out on the floor. I started to dream, so I was pretty sure I wasn't dead.
I woke up in a cave with the arrow still sticking out of my chest. I then noticed a Chinese man in a green hood with a bow and arrow. He didn't look particularly interested in me sexually, so at least that was good. It was comforting that even if he was going to kill me, he wasn't planning to rape me first.
"Who are you?" I asked. He didn't say anything. He just got closer. "Why did you shoot me?"
He answered me in Chinese. Not speaking it, I had no idea what he said. He offered me a bowl containing some herbs and water and then pulled the arrow out of me.
I shot awake I didn't know how much later. I then noticed that it was morning and I had slept through the night. I cursed to myself as I grabbed my coat.
When I got home, I found that there were police cars there. I hoped it wasn't my dad checking up on me because he would mad about me not coming home. I then noticed that they seemed to be talking to Mrs. Queen and Thea was there. I really hoped that they weren't looking for me.
'What happened? Are they looking for me?" I whispered to Diggle.
"No, Thea and her friends broke into a store last night and tried on some clothes. Cops brought her here." He explained. I breathed a quiet sigh of relief. "So, how was your evening, Miss Lance?"
"You mean after I went to the bathroom and never came back?" I asked.
"I guess this means I'll have to send someone to the toilet with you." He quipped. "Who knows maybe you'll make a friend."
I then walked over.
"We're going to talk later." Dad told me before he and the other officers left. Having a dad who was a cop sucked sometimes. Now I would have to come up with a story for why I was out all night and it would have to be good. I didn't think he would hook me up to a polygraph but he could still spot a bad lie.
"So, first it was public intoxication and now it's breaking and entering. Looks like you're becoming quite the criminal." Mrs. Queen quipped. Talking to my dad would probably be something like that.
"You know when you bribe the store owner you should get something for yourself." Thea retorted.
"Thea, go get ready for school." Her mother replied.
"You know I think I'm gonna take a sick day." Thea responded.
"Then go get some sleep." She ordered.
"You look like crap." Thea told me as she walked by.
"Mrs. Queen, I don't mean to butt in on your parenting, but I don't think you should let her get away with stuff like that." I declared.
"When Thea gets like this, it's best to give her space." She said.
"You do realize that she's turning into Oliver, don't you?" I asked. "She's emulating him. She wants to be like him because she thinks it will help his name live on. She has to learn that there's a better way to honor his name than this path of self-destruction."
I went back to my lair and began to analyze the bullet that I had removed from my arm. I needed to determine the poison the shooter had used because it likely fit a pattern. I quickly found out that they were laced with curare. Now I knew what to look for. I found a number of deaths that matched that. He had killed people all over the world. His victims were from Gotham, Markovia, Corto Maltese and many other places. Interpol even had a name for him: Deadshot. I wanted to give James Holder a chance to right his wrongs, but this Deadshot was different. He didn't kill for honor or morality, just for profit. It made him more dangerous than anyone on the list.
I had a phone conversation with my dad and I told him the truth, well part of it. I told him that I was in the place that I was going to use as my cover: the Old Queen steel building. I was going to turn it into a nightclub. I brought Tommy and Diggle with me to see it.
"So, is this a good place for a nightclub or what?" I asked.
"It looks good, but I'd advise against calling it Lance's unless you want a certain crowd." Tommy remarked. A gay bar was tempting, but I was looking for something more inclusive.
"I can put a private office up there." I replied.
"Is it going to be for one-on-one meetings?" Tommy asked with a grin.
"There may be two-on-one meetings." I responded. He chuckled.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Tommy questioned. "You're not really experienced in running anything, not even a lemonade stand."
"Laurel beat me to it." I countered.
"Well maybe tomorrow night the two of us can check on the competition." He suggested. "There's a new club called Poison that just opened up. Max Fuller owns it."
"Tommy, you do remember that I dumped Max Fuller, don't you?" I challenged.
"That was in high school." He said.
"It was on prom night." I remarked. That wasn't one of my finest moments.
"Prom night is part of high school." He pointed out. "Besides, who can stay mad at a castaway. Well, I need to go. Good luck."
"So, what do you think?" I asked Diggle after he left.
"I'm here to provide protection, Miss Lance, not a commentary." He replied.
"Come on, John, humor me." I declared.
"Well this is the Glades. Your rich white friends would never come here." He said.
"They'd come because it's me." I retorted. "They'd wait for three hours if I told them to."
"And no one who actually lives in the Glades would have to pay a dime." He reasoned.
"It's good for the community and for me." I responded as I nodded.
"So you're a white knight who wants to save the disenfranchised now." He quipped.
"You don't think much of me, do you?" I countered.
"On the contrary, Miss Lance, I have a high regard for how perceptive you are." He replied with a smile before he walked outside.
Once the club was opened, I would have an alibi in case the police ever stopped by. I sent the story to the local newspaper. I hoped they would have it online by tomorrow.
The following day, I decided to check out the buildings near where Holder was shot. I also found out that another man: Carl Rasmussen was killed. He was also on the list. I wondered if there was another copy.
I scaled the building and pulled out a bullet that was stuck in wall. I took it back to my lair to further analyze it. I found the rounds were 7.62mm. Those were the choice ammunition of the Bratva, the Russian Mob. That was convenient.
I went to an auto shop that I knew was a front for the Bratva. I had a Starling Rockets hat and my hair in a ponytail on because I wanted to try to hide my identity a little. I really wasn't as nervous as you would expect me to be. I had a source that I could go to.
"I'm looking for Alexi Leonov." I said in Russian.
"There's no one here with that name." One of the men replied.
"I don't mean in your garage. I mean in the basement underneath." I told them. The other man reached for his gun but I quickly disarmed him. I then showed them my tattoo. "I am Bratva. I want to see Alexi Leonov."
He then bowed in front of me.
"Pleased to meet you." He said before I reciprocated the bow. He then took me downstairs. "I apologize. We meant no respect to a captain. It's just uncommon for an American woman to have such a rank. So, how can I help you?"
"I'm looking for a gunman." I explained as he poured a drink. "The organization has used him before. His calling card is a 7.62 mm round laced with curare."
"I don't know of any man with such cards." He stated.
"But I know you can find out who does." I pointed out.
"First we will drink to each other's health. Then, I will look into this man's identity." He said as he handed me a glass. I downed it quickly. "I will also look into yours. If you are not who you are say you are, I will send my mechanic to kill you and your family."
They wouldn't want to do that considering my father was a cop. I then turned on the news and found that there was another victim who also happened to be on the list. I couldn't help but wonder if there was another copy somewhere. I didn't think it was a coincidence. Deadshot was still in town and I needed to find him before he killed any more people.
That night, I was dressed for the club. By that, I meant that I was wearing a very short red faux-leather lace-up dress with 3-inch red heels. The music was loud, and the place was dark.
"This is gonna be killer." Tommy declared.
"If Max Fuller sees me, I agree." I replied as I pulled on my dress. "I can't believe you convinced me to dress like this."
"If you want to run a club, you have to look the part and take a few risks." Tommy said as we went past the line. The bouncer then stopped Diggle.
"I don't see your name on the list." He replied.
"Miss Lance?" Diggle asked.
"I don't know this guy." I told the bouncer as I put my hand on his shoulder. Diggle did not look amused.
We walked into the club and it really seemed like I wasn't out of place. I couldn't believe that women dressed even more sluttily than they did five years ago. It didn't take very long before I saw a familiar face and it was someone that I never thought that I would see in a place like this.
"Isn't there some kind of law that says you can't have fun?" Tommy asked.
"That's cute, Tommy." Laurel responded. "Just what have you dragged my sister into."
"How do you know it wasn't her idea to come?" Tommy challenged.
"Because she's obviously uncomfortable in that dress and I'm guessing she didn't choose it." She noted.
"Sara!" Thea interrupted as she ran over. What was she doing here? Did these places actually not care that she was 17? They had to at least know. "I am so wasted there are two of you."
"I thought you were supposed to be grounded." I remarked.
"I am and thanks for that by the way. You look totally gorgeous in that dress." She explained as she put her hand on my chest. I pushed it off, despite that it felt nice.
"You need to go home." I ordered, despite having no authority over her.
"What are you going to do? Tell my mom?" She challenged. I could tell my dad, but he might shut the place down for serving a minor.
"Thea, I know that you're trying to be like Oliver, but this isn't good for you." I stated. "All of this drinking and drugs is going to make you end up dead or in jail. You're hanging with the wrong people."
"I've been hanging with the wrong people?" She challenged. "Did you even know that your new best friend has been screwing your sister?"
"Look, Sara…" Tommy started.
"Tommy, I don't mind." I replied. I then grabbed Thea. "We're going home."
"Let me go." She said as she broke free of my grasp. "You're not my mother and you're not my sister."
She then walked away. I wished that I had let Diggle in with me because he could have taken her home.
"Well, well, if it isn't Sara Lance." A voice interrupted. I looked to see Max Fuller.
"Max, how have you been?" I questioned.
"Well happy Oliver Queen drowned for one." He replied before he took me into his office. "Now let's get you out of that dress."
He reached over and ripped one of my straps. It looked like I would have to fight him. However, before I could do anything, Tommy came in trying to be the white knight.
"Let her go." He demanded. At that point, some of Max's men started to beat on him. "This was a bad idea."
I was about to attack when I heard something from behind me. Everyone turned around to see that Laurel had taken down Max. I didn't know she knew how to fight.
"You have to be pretty dumb." She remarked. "You know I should call my dad. I'm sure he'll be really thrilled that you tried to sexually assault his daughter, not to mention the whole fact that your bartender's serving minors."
"All three of you are banned for life." Max declared. It was too bad I couldn't convince him to ban Thea too. "Get the hell out of my club!"
"Your club sucks anyway." Tommy slurred. He was a bit dazed.
"Where did you learn to fight like that?" I questioned.
"Dad made me take self-defense classes after you disappeared." She explained. That actually made sense.
"Laurel, about Thea…" I started.
"Sara, Tommy and I don't need your approval." She cut me off.
"I was going to say that I was hoping you could try to find her." I remarked. "Maybe she'll listen to you."
She then walked off. I wasn't sure if it was a yes or not.
I woke up in the cave. I noticed that the man was asleep. It hurt to move but I managed to get up and started to walk. I then started to run. I ran away, even though I wasn't sure where I was going. Eventually, I realized that I had walked into a trap before I was caught in a net.
Diggle took Tommy and I to Big Belly Burger. I wore Tommy's jacket to cover up my torn dress.
"Why don't you guys take a seat and I will grab some burgers and some ice." He suggested as he waved to the waitress like he knew her.
"Hey, she's pretty cute." Tommy commented.
"That's my sister-in-law." Diggle replied.
"And I'm never going to talk to her." Tommy added. "I'm gonna grab a booth."
"She's not wearing a wedding ring." I noted. "Did something happen with your brother?"
"You could say that." Diggle said softly before I headed to the table.
"Look, I'm sorry about Laurel." Tommy remarked. "I was going to tell you. I just wanted to figure out the right way to do so."
"Tell someone that you slept with their sister who was also your best friend's girlfriend after they went missing while sleeping with said best friend?" I challenged. "Isn't there a Hallmark card for such an occasion?"
"It was still wrong of me." He replied.
"Tommy, Oliver is dead." I countered. "There's nothing to apologize for."
Suddenly, my phone rang.
"Hello." I answered. I then realized who it was and greeted him in Russian. "It's a Russian model calling. Can I have a minute?"
Tommy couldn't help but laugh. He probably also wondered if I was speaking to a man or woman. He then walked away from the table.
"So, I guess I checked out." I responded. I knew that I would.
"Da. His name is Floyd Lawton." He explained. "I have address of last time he was in Starling City, but that is all."
"Hopefully, he's a creature of habit." I responded before he gave me the address. It was a hotel room.
"You will leave us out of this, yes?" He asked. "Assuming Mr. Lawton doesn't kill you first."
I then hung up. I knew that wouldn't happen. I got dressed and headed over to the room. I kicked the door open and we began to exchange shots, neither of us hitting each other. He then jumped out the window. I would put money on him still being alive, especially since I didn't see a body. I then noticed that there was a laptop. It had been hit, but maybe if I took it to the right place, they could get the data off of it and maybe I would be able to figure out his next target. I took it and ran.
I had a few options of where to take it. I could take it to tech support at the station, but that would raise a lot of questions and some of those would probably go to my dad. I couldn't take the risk, so I took it somewhere else with a good tech department. I walked into Queen Consolidated and they directed me to someone. I walked into the room and saw a blonde woman wearing glasses.
"Felicity Smoak?" I asked. She appeared to be in the middle of lunch. "I'm Sara Lance."
"Of course. I know who you are. You dated Oliver Queen." She replied. "Well not exactly dated. You were on his boat and he drowned and you didn't…which means you can be in the IT department and listening to me babble, which I will stop doing…now."
"So, I was out for a walk and I found this laptop." I declared. "I was hoping you that you could look at some of the files so I can reunite it with its owner."
"It's full of bullet holes." Felicity pointed out.
"It was a bit of a bad neighborhood." I remarked. She tilted her head. "I just want to know who it belongs to."
She hooked it up to her computer and I took a seat next to her. She pulled up something.
"These look like blueprints." She declared. I could tell they were blueprints but the location was unfamiliar.
"What of?" I inquired. It didn't look like a place I had ever been to.
"The exchange building. It's where the UNIDAC auction is taking place." She stated. "This has a list of names of people that are trying to buy UNIDAC Industries. This includes Mr. Steele as well as James Holder and Carl Rasmussen. This laptop comes from the company of one of the other guys that's trying to buy the company."
"Floyd Lawton?" I asked.
"No, Warren Patel." She corrected. "Who's Floyd Lawton?"
"Apparently one of Mr. Patel's employees." I declared.
Well I now I knew why Deadshot was killing the people and who he was working for. The exchange building was surrounded by three towers with eyelines into the building. He could get his shot off from any of them. It was impossible for me to cover the area. There was no way for me to protect all of Deadshot's targets alone. I would need some help. I would need some help and I knew where to get it from.
I went to the police station just as he was leaving. I grabbed him and pinned him to his car.
"How stupid are you doing this outside of a police station?" Hilton asked.
"The man targeting the potential buyers of UNIDAC Industries is Floyd Lawton. Interpol calls him Deadshot because he never misses. Look it up." I explained.
"I suppose you want me to stop chasing you in exchange." He remarked.
"Warren Patel hired Lawton. I don't know who the target is. It may be all of the buyers. I need your help. Lawton uses curare-laced bullets. Tell your men to wear Kevlar." I continued.
I then disappeared, leaving an arrow and the laptop behind. I had an event that I needed to get to. I wore a baby blue layered chiffon keyhole dress with matching loafers. The first person I ran into was someone that I didn't want to see. I didn't want him there.
"Sara, what are you doing here?" He asked.
"I came to support Mr. Steele. What are you doing here?" I questioned.
"That's not important. You need to leave." He ordered.
"I'm not going anywhere unless you tell me what's going on." I countered.
"Alright, there's been some shootings lately and both men were interested in buying this company. We're led to believe that the shooter is going to attack here." He explained as I saw Hilton taking Warren Patel away. "Now you need to leave."
"I need to warn Mr. Steele." I responded. I really was planning on doing that anyway. I ran downstairs. I was glad that I had brought my comfortable shoes for later. I found Diggle first. "Do you have your eyes open?"
"That's one of the reasons that I'm here. Well that and answering patronizing questions." He told me.
"Time is running out. If this guy is gonna do something, it'll have to be before the auction." I stated.
"What?" He asked.
"My dad told me about the shootings." I said.
"Sara." Mr. Steele interrupted. "I wasn't expecting you here."
"Mr. Steele, my dad said that some of the UNIDAC bidders were murdered." I remarked. "I don't think it's really that safe to be here right now. I don't want Mrs. Queen to lose another husband."
"Well if Moira shared your concern, she wouldn't have come." He explained. Fuck, she wasn't supposed to be here. "And she definitely wouldn't have brought Thea."
Double fuck. That's not even a thing. I walked over to them.
"Sara, what are you doing here?" Mrs. Queen asked. I called Diggle over.
"Please get them out of here." I requested. Before anything else could be said, my dad tackled Mr. Steele and a waiter was hit. Then several more shots were fired and everyone started to duck. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Where's Walter?" Mrs. Queen replied.
"Get them out of here." I ordered.
"What about you?" Diggle asked.
"Protect them first." I replied before I headed up. I found a bathroom because I knew I would have to change quickly. Unfortunately, someone followed me.
"Sara, what are you doing? Now's not the time to go to the bathroom." Thea said once I was already in the stall. I didn't have to waste.
"Thea, I can't talk right now." I stated as I struggled to get changed. "You need to get out of here."
"I'm not leaving until you do." She replied. I considered my options. There really wasn't a way that I get out without hurting her. It left me with only one choice and it was definitely not the one that I wanted. I sighed and stepped out in my full costume.
"You're…" She stammered in surprise.
"Look, I need you to not tell anyone and I promise that I'll talk about this more later, but I need you to leave so I can try to get to the shooter before he gets away." I remarked as I started to run.
I shot a zipline across to the tower and kicked through. We once again began to trade shots and once again neither of us hit each other. I knew I would have to hide until I could get the perfect shot off. I hit him from behind and we started to trade blows before I went back to hiding.
"Drop your guns." I warned him.
"I admire your work." He replied. "I guess you won't be extending me any professional courtesy." He stated.
"We're not in the same line of work." I argued. "Your profession is cold-blooded murder."
"You've taken lives." He countered.
"I've done it for the good of others." I pointed out. "You're in it for yourself."
He then started shooting again. I fired a single arrow and the bullets suddenly stopped. I then looked and noticed that I had hit in the eye. However, before I could check to make sure that he was dead, I noticed that Diggle was hunched over in the corner. He had been hit. He would need attention immediately and I couldn't exactly call an ambulance.
I was still in the net before the Chinese man found me. He said something before he cut me down and I followed him back to the cave.
I took Diggle back to my lair. I had actually planned on telling soon anyway. It would have probably been under more ideal circumstances, but beggars couldn't be choosers. I gave him some of the herbs and water. I then waited for him to come to. When he did, I was leaning over him with my hood off.
"Hello John." I said.
Well we got a major change from the original. How will Thea react when they finally get the chance to talk? Also Quentin and Laurel are not going to be happy with her. Please don't forget to review.