Disclaimer: I do not own Daredevil, Arrow or anything else you may recognize
Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed, reviewed or viewed this fic so far.
Chaos Sorcerer: Thank you for the review. So you definitely didn't see that coming. The thing is, both of them know Matt is Daredevil. So they are indirectly telling him that he can trust them with his secret and in return, they will trust him with theirs. Nick being her older brother sounds interesting but a conversation between them alone would be one hell of a sight to behold. If its comics you're talking about, Green Arrow vs. Hawkeye can go either way but if its MCU version vs. Arrowverse version, I think Clint is barely better at archery. He shot down the Chitauri aircraft without looking and it was a fast target. Flash was faster but he was jobbing when he fought Arrow so Clint gets it in this category. In hand-to-hand, Oliver is far better. He was trained by Slade, Shado, Talia, Malcolm and Ra's al Ghul himself. Plus, he has beaten Malcolm Merlyn, Lawton, Helena, China White, Nyssa, a depowered Slade Wilson, Harkness, a depowered Damien Darhk, Sobel, Adrian Chase and Ricardo Diaz. He also held back John, Sara and Thea alone in Invasion and he also held back Savage in the previous crossover. Him beating Ra's is a controversial topic as people say Ra's held back to let him win so that he could be his heir but Oliver still held his own against him. The best Clint has got here is going up against Natasha and T'Challa and losing to both after a short fight. I think Daredevil vs. Nightwing looked great but the result was stupid. It should have been a tie IMHO. But I'm glad you liked the cameo. I think the banter sounds hilarious. Let's see what I do about it. I'll do that story sometime later.
Chapter 18- Darkness on the edge of town
Two young scientists in white coats were walking in Unidac Industries. One male and one female. They were walking to the main laboratory. The guy was hoping to get lucky.
"So I was wondering", he started, "There's a late night happy hour at Stella's. You know, the place across the street."
"You mean the place that's always playing loud salsa music at all times while I'm trying to work late?" she asked crossly.
"That-that would be the one, yeah", he said lamely, "Anyways, I was thinking that, um, maybe, you know, if you wanted to, perhaps, we could grab a drink?"
She punched in the code for the lab and the two walked in through the decontamination into the main lab.
"How about two?" she asked as she walked past him- and gasped in shock on seeing her coworkers lying dead.
"Oh, my God!"
A large archer in a dark suit stood over a kneeling Dr. Markov, aiming an arrow at his heart.
"Please! I did everything Mr. Merlyn required of me!" Dr. Markov begged.
"He knows, Dr. Markov", the Dark Archer said, "And he thanks you for your service."
He then fired the arrow, killing Dr. Markov.
The female scientist screamed and attracted his attention. He watched as they ran to the door and then calmly plugged a small device into the USB port on the mainframe. It activated, sending an EMP through the computers, destroying all the data on the Markov project and also tripping the alarm, causing the lab to go into lockdown.
The two scientists were banging on the door, begging to be let out. He calmly strode towards them.
Two guards arrived with their guns drawn.
"Freeze!"
The Dark Archer fired at one, killing him. He avoided gunfire from the other and fired but he ducked behind the mainframe just in time. It hit the computer behind him.
The Dark Archer shot an arrow into the mainframe and then calmly strode towards the scientists who were yelling, "Let us out! Let us out!"
The guard rose to fire again and yelled, "Get down on the floor!" The mainframe then exploded, killing him.
The scientists kneeled to the ground in front of him, cowering, as he towered over them. He drew an arrow and aimed it at the female, who screamed in terror.
A while later, a black Porsche sped out of Unidac's parking lot. Malcolm ripped off his mask and hood, satisfied by his night's work.
"So your mother is involved with Malcolm Merlyn in this?" Natasha asked Oliver in the lair as Matt, Clint, John and Felicity stood in the distance.
"Yeah", Oliver replied angrily, "They are planning to use that device to destroy the Glades."
"Twisted shit this is", Clint said, "But where would they plant this?"
"We need to know", Matt said.
"Your mother hasn't been doing anything out of the ordinary for a while", John said.
"What're you all going to do?" Felicity asked them.
"We can arrest them", Clint said.
"No!" Oliver vetoed the idea, "They might have already planted the device and they might not say a word about where it is so it's a bad idea. The other archer, Bane and that assassin are involved too so they can activate it. I have to get the answer out of her."
"You know", Clint said, "If your mother is involved in such deep shit, she won't say it."
"We'll have a friendly mother-son chat", Oliver said sarcastically and walked out.
Matt later walked up to the club and realized Laurel was there.
"Matt!" she said as she walked up to him.
"Laurel!" Matt said with a smile and the two shared a kiss.
"How's lawyering?" she asked.
"It's good", he said, "What about you?"
"It's good", she replied before saying, "You know, I think it's unfair to you, running back and forth between here and New York."
"So?" Matt asked, though Laurel's question and her heartrate told him he already knew.
"Well", said Laurel a little awkwardly, "How about we live together?"
"Oh!" he said.
"Am I scaring you?" she asked, "Is it too fast?"
"No!" Matt said, calming down, "It isn't. But I need time."
"Okay", said Laurel as she watched his retreating form.
At Queen Manor, Moira lead Walter through the house, "Everything's the same as you left it."
"How are you feeling, Walter?" Oliver asked kindly as he walked up to them with Thea.
"I'm on the mend, thank you, Oliver", Walter said to him.
"I'm so glad you're home", Thea said as she wrapped him in her arms.
"That makes two of us", Walter quipped.
"All of us", Moira said, "I've prepared brunch. All of your favorites."
"Yum, English food", Thea said as her mouth watered.
"Actually, I'm more tired from the drive than I expected", Walter sighed, "I think I'm going to lie down."
"Yes, of course", Moira said as she tried to kiss him on the lips but he turned his face and she got his cheek instead.
He gave her a strained smile and walked into the bedroom.
Thea looked at him in concern but a buzzing noise got her attention.
She looked at Roy's text- "Meet me tonight."
She walked to Oliver and said about Walter, "He doesn't seem like himself."
"He's gone through a lot", Oliver told her, "It's just going to take a little bit of time."
"I'm really sick of us all having to go through a lot, you know?" Thea sighed before walking off.
In the sitting room, Moira watched the news broadcast as the anchor reported the massacre at Unidac Industries.
"Mom, we need to talk", Oliver said firmly as he arrived.
"Oh, uh, later Oliver", she said as she hurried out of the room.
Oliver looked at her in frustration but the news broadcast caught his eye.
"-coworkers, parents and families of all the victims to see how they are coping with the loss."
Later, at night time, Moira was staring out of the window when Oliver walked up behind her and said, "Hey mom!"
Moira turned around and sighed on seeing Oliver, "Walter's upstairs resting. I think he's doing well, don't you?"
"Who took him?" Oliver asked bluntly instead of being subtle like before.
"We don't know yet", she replied, "But I'm going to make sure all of Queen Consolidated's resources are behind it."
Oliver gave a tight smile and said softly, "That's the answer you gave to the reporter yesterday. Tell me the truth."
"I don't know what you mean", Moira scoffed.
"I think you do", Oliver said, "A couple of months ago, when I showed you dad's notebook, you seemed to know something. Something about our family being in danger."
"Are you suggesting I knew something about my husband's kidnapping?" she demanded, her voice a mixture of outrage and fear.
"I'm just suggesting that maybe you were scared", he said, "That maybe you didn't mean for any of this to happen. But it was harder than you thought. And now you're barely keeping your head above the water. Please, mom. Let me help you before you drown."
"You need to stop asking these things", Moira said fearfully, "Do you understand? I need you to stop"
"I can't", he said to her, "I need to know."
Suddenly, the lights flickered and then went out.
"Is that a power outage?" she asked as she looked around.
"I don't know", said Oliver as he looked around when he was suddenly hit by a dart on the neck and collapsed.
"Oliver!" Moira exclaimed as she knelt close to him, "Oliver!"
She too was hit by one and as her eyes darkened, she saw a figure with horns walking up to her.
Later, she awoke but was now tied to a chair in an abandoned warehouse. Across her was Oliver, tied in the same way.
"Mom!" he said as he 'woke up.'
"Oliver", she slurred.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
She leaned forward and asked, "Oliver? How….. how are… we got to get out of here."
"Moira Queen, you have failed this city", said Daredevil as he stepped out of the shadows.
She looked at him and gasped in terror.
"Please!" she begged, "Do not hurt my son!"
"I know about the Undertaking and your involvement", Daredevil said and she gasped, "Tell me where the device is and I won't harm your son."
Daredevil turned to Oliver who nodded subtly.
He punched Oliver and she cried out, "No! I don't know where he planted it!"
Daredevil heard her heartbeat and realized she was telling the truth.
But Oliver wanted to know something else.
"Tell me why is he doing it", he asked her, "And why did you throw in with him?"
"I can't tell you! He'll kill me! He'll kill my family!"
Daredevil punched Oliver and the chair toppled with him on it.
"Because his wife was murdered in the Glades!" she yelled frantically, "And I helped him make the device to level the Glades because he threatened my family!"
"How did your family get involved in this?" Daredevil asked.
"My husband", she said as Oliver listened, "He got involved without knowing. He just wanted to do some good. He was lost. He….. his decisions left me vulnerable to Malcolm."
Daredevil walked away from her and cut Oliver's binds with a knife before doing the same for Moira and disappearing into the shadows.
Moira hurried over to her son, "Oliver!"
"No!" Oliver gasped, pushing her away.
She looked at him sadly and tried to defend herself, "Oh sweet- I know what you must be thinking but I never intended any of this to happen. You know I would never willingly be a part of anything like this."
"I don't know anything anymore", Oliver said wearily as he limped out of the warehouse and away from his mother, hurt emotionally by her betrayal.
Later, Oliver walked over to the lair where Matt, Natasha, Clint, John and Felicity were waiting for him.
"Dig up everything we have on Unidac Industries", he said.
"Well, we know Queen Consolidated acquired them 7 months ago" Felicity said, "That's when we met."
"I need information I don't know", he said to her.
"Unidac is a small research and development technology company that specializes in seismic infringement", Natasha told him before Felicity could start typing for info, "I stay updated on everything."
"And Merlyn's planning on levelling the Glades with a man-made earthquake", commented Clint, "Really is Merlin I guess."
"What else do you know?" John asked.
"More info on the stock auction", Natasha said, "And what media's calling-"
"The Unidac massacre", Matt finished.
"This timing can't be a coincidence" John said.
"I do know there's a whole website claiming the police suspect a copycat archer", Natasha said as she pulled it up on her tablet.
"What?!" Oliver asked as some things made sense to him.
"So this archer works for Malcolm", Matt said, "Along with Bane and the assassin."
"He's tying up loose ends", Oliver said, "Erasing all evidence that this device exists so no one can trace it back to him."
"So he has 3 dragons for himself", Clint muttered, referring to a certain TV show.
"So you're going to have a pointed conversation with Merlyn?" John asked Oliver.
"Even if I take out Merlyn, the other archer is still out there with Bane and the assassin", Oliver pointed out, "They can set off the device. We need to find it. Then Merlyn can get his."
"I'll hack Merlyn Global mainframe", Felicity said.
"Good luck with that", Clint said sarcastically.
"You need to have direct access to his mainframe", Natasha said.
"Then we have to waltz", said Oliver and the two agents agreed.
Moira walked back to Queen Manor and heard Walter talking to someone.
"It is truly kind of you to come all the way out here", Walter was saying.
"Walter? Who are you speaking to-"
She stopped as Malcolm Merlyn rose from the couch with a smirk.
"Moira, how are you?" he asked pleasantly.
"Well", she said as she hid her emotions again, "Thank you."
"Actually, you look a little bit out of sorts", Walter noted.
"Oh, no, no, I'm fine", she said as she fixed her hair slightly and smiled at the two men.
"Malcolm came by to check up on his nemesis", Walter said and Moira was startled until he finished with a chuckle, "On the racquetball court."
"I didn't get a chance to talk to Walter at the hospital", Malcolm said with a smile, "Like everyone, I'm glad he's back where he belongs, with his family."
He then gave Moira a meaningful look and she said, "Yes."
"I'll let you get some rest", Malcolm told Walter.
"Thanks again", Walter said.
"Uh, I'll walk you out", Moira said as she lead Malcolm out into the hall, "Your assassin wasn't too subtle in eliminating the people at Unidac."
"Well, now the police are focused on the copycat archer instead of the Undertaking", Malcolm told her, "As for the collateral damage, I can limit our exposure."
"I see. And does paying Walter a visit now fall under the same category?" Moira asked harshly, "You held him for nearly 6 months. Surely you had him questioned."
"He was", Malcolm said calmly.
"And I assume if Walter knew something you'd rather he didn't, agreement be damned, I would be a widow again", she said bitterly, "Am I wrong?"
"Rarely", Malcolm said calmly, his face betraying no emotion as he walked away, leaving behind a horrified Moira.
Next morning, Clint walked into Merlyn Global with Natasha. He wore a well-tailored suit while he wore a long, formal, blue dress and both of them had glasses. They looked like people from the business class of society.
They walked over to the security guard and Clint said, "Hi. Carmine Polito."
"I am Natalia Alianova", Natasha said, "We have an 11:30 with Tommy Merlyn."
The security guard took their IDs to run checks and then handed it back to them. Being S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, they could make very credible fake IDs.
"Mr. Polito. Miss Alianova", said the guard, "You both can go up."
Clint and Natasha then made their way to the elevator and silently walked inside as the car came.
"Hold that!" a voice called out. Natasha tried to push the 'close' button but a young executive walked inside, carrying a bunch of folders.
Leering at Natasha, he said, "Where're you headed, sweety?"
"19th floor", Natasha said calmly.
"Too bad, I'm going to 13", he said. Annoyed, Natasha hit his folders out into the lobby, spilling the papers on the ground.
"Damn it!" he swore as he stepped out of the elevator to gather the papers while Natasha pushed the 'close' button and the doors closed, the car moving up.
"The guy really must think of himself as the next Tony Stark if he is trying to ogle you", Clint joked as Natasha smirked in reminder before joking, "In that case, he has to google me."
Then, the elevator stopped on the 19th floor and they walked out, but then Natasha pressed a button on a device she had, which sent the camera into a loop, something the security guard in the monitor room didn't notice.
The two then walked back into the elevator. The mainframe was hard to access, but not the control board. Natasha pulled out her tablet and managed to hack the control board, typing a few commands as the elevator went up to the 25th floor.
"That's as close as this can get us", Natasha told him and Clint said, "Better closer than far."
Clint opened the access hatch to the room of the car and the two climbed out as they reached down into the car. Clint then opened his briefcase and took out a crossbow pistol with a grappling unit attached.
As Natasha held on to him, Clint fired the grapple and it embedded itself into the far wall.
The two agents swung across the shaft, landing on the opposite ledge. The two deftly moved to the doors and carefully pried them open. Seeing the hallway was clear, the two walked inside.
"Didn't we have a meeting with Tommy Merlyn?" Clint asked in a mock innocent tone.
"Maybe", Natasha said with the same mock innocence as she hacked into the lobby computer which wasn't connected to the mainframe and erased their fake names completely, "But our names aren't on the schedule."
"Too bad", Clint said sarcastically and the two made their way to the server floor. They approached the door to the computer hub, which was disguised as a sliding wall. Natasha slid her pilfered security card into the card reader and entered a code she had hacked. The wall slid to the right and Natasha walked into the room while Clint stood guard outside.
Natasha sat down at the terminal and plugged her tablet in. She started working.
After some minutes, Natasha managed to download the files onto her tablet and walked out. There, she saw a guard on the floor, Clint standing over him.
"Clint?" she scolded lightly.
"He didn't see me", Clint told her, "We ain't busted, Nat."
She nodded at him and the two walked back into the elevator as it went down. The two came out and Natasha ended the loop. The two then walked out of Merlyn Global, satisfied at having completed the mission.
In Queen Manor, Moira was walking upstairs when she saw Walter walking downstairs, some papers in his hands.
"Oh good", she said pleasantly, I was just coming up to see if you'd like some tea or-"
He handed her the set of papers.
"What is this?" she asked as she noticed he was wearing his coat.
She opened the papers and paled, "Walter, please", she said in a shaky voice, "Divorce is an extreme reaction."
"Well, considering the circumstances, I find it somewhat reserved", Walter said dryly as he walked down the stairs, "Or do you think that I believe that my abduction on the night you told me I was getting too close to your conspiracy was just a coincidence."
"You… you were in danger", Moira said emotionally, "This arrangement, it saved your life."
"Well, that's ironic", Walter scoffed, "Because it feels like you've destroyed it."
"Walter-"
"You know, I read about people in forced captivity", Walter said as he walked down, "Some of them said it was a simple thought that got them through the isolation and fear", he chuckled, "Returning to their loved ones. So I don't know really Moira why I'm still alive, because I didn't have that."
Moira held up her hands now and started crying, "Walter, please-"
"What do you think you can say to convince me that everything I knew, my whole life hasn't just evaporated?" Walter asked harshly as he walked to the door just as Thea walked in.
"Where're you going?" Thea asked Walters shakily, noticing his coat and his expression and also her mom's.
"Come here", he whispered and pulled her into a hug, then pulled back and looked at her with a reassuring smile. Moira may be a lying conspirator, but Thea was still his little girl and he loved her like his own. Walter felt a little guilty that she would have to suffer the loss of another father because of her mother. But his anger at Moira outweighed his guilt for leaving Thea and he walked out past her, not looking at Moira again.
Thea looked baffled as Moira looked the other way and wept silently.
Later, in the lair, Felicity went through the data while Oliver said to the 2 agents, "Great work, guys."
"Thanks", Clint said before saying with a mischievous smirk, "So I heard you gave Robin Hood a run for his money?"
"The corrupt destroy this city", Oliver said.
"Oh no", said Clint, "Not that. Your green suit is better than his and your aim is also probably better."
"Oh!" said Oliver with a little arrogance in his archery skills, "I guess I am probably the best."
"No you are not!" Clint said, sounding offended, "You gave Robin Hood a run for his money. I gave Legolas a run for his money."
"You don't have any proof of that", Oliver said with a smirk, "And your bow is S.H.I.E.L.D. made. How do I know it does not do the work?"
"The technology used to make it doesn't matter if your arm can't do shit", Clint said, "And I can fire perfectly with a standard bow too."
"Let's see about that", Oliver smirked.
"All right. That's enough kids", Natasha said as she rolled her eyes at the antics of the two archers, "I also managed to plant a Trojan onto Merlyn's system."
"That's smart", Dig commented, "If Merlyn thinks he's been compromised, it'd help if we know first."
"Can you locate the seismic device?" Oliver asked Felicity.
"I am working on it", she said, "But there is at least a teraflop of data to go through."
Dig noticed Matt was silent and asked, "You all right?"
"Yeah", Matt said as Dig gave him a look.
"Laurel wants me to move in", he said, "But I don't know if I can totally abandon New York. It is my home."
"I know", said John, "But in the end, you must decide something that is good for the both of you if you love her."
Matt nodded as he contemplated John's words.
Later, Matt knocked on the door and it was opened by Laurel.
"Hi", he said to her, "Can we talk?"
She stepped aside and let him in, "Thank you."
Laurel closed the door and looked at him, her arms crossed over her chest.
"What do you want to talk about?" she asked.
"Well", he chuckled, "I thought this was going to be easier to say but-"
"Please just say what you have to", she said to him.
"Ever since we've restarted our relationship, I've been doing this dance", Matt said, "I come here and we come together. But then New York pulls me back. Maybe it won't now."
"What are you trying to say?" she asked hopefully.
"That you're more important to me than anyone", Matt finally said before saying the magic words, "I love you. And I would do anything to make this go somewhere. I just hope I didn't wait too long to say it."
She crashed into him and they kissed wildly as he threw off his coat and she unbuttoned his shirt, then hopped onto him, her legs wrapping around his waist. In her excitement, she didn't notice his scars.
"You didn't", she said breathlessly between kisses before saying the magic words herself, "I love you too."
The two ended up in the bedroom where he took off her shirt too. As they caressed each other's bare abdomens, Laurel felt the scars and looked down at them, gasping in shock.
"How did you get these?" she asked him.
"Just an accident where I scraped my abdomen and chest too much", Matt lied and the two resumed kissing as the moment had still not been lost.
Later, Matt lay on the bed as Laurel slept next to him. He had a slight smile as he liked being with her again. Both were naked, having passionately made love.
His phone buzzed. Matt kissed Laurel on the forehead and gently moved her off of his shoulder, then sat up and grabbed his phone, "What is it?"
"Felicity found the Markov device", Oliver told him, "Merlyn's keeping it at a warehouse his company owns in the Glades."
"So coordinated attack?" Matt asked.
"Yeah", Oliver said, "I'll take Merlyn. You take the device."
"I'm going", Matt said as he hung up. He turned to Laurel once again, hearing her peaceful breathing and steady heartbeat one last time, before walking out.
Daredevil approached the warehouse. He slid the door and walked inside. He tried to hear he humming but couldn't. He walked around and realized the crate was there but the sound wasn't emanating from it. He wondered if it had been coated with something that blocked his senses.
With that in his mind, he opened the lid of the crate.
At Merlyn Global, Malcolm stood behind his desk, talking to someone on the phone.
"Very well. I'll be in touch. Can I help you?" he asked as he turned around to face The Hood before saying to the man on the other side of the phone, "No, I wasn't talking to you."
He then hung up and looked at his enemy.
"Malcolm Merlyn", The Hood growled, "You have failed this city."
"And how have I done that?" he asked calmly.
"The Undertaking", The Hood said, "It ends now."
"Oliver, the device", said Matt to him via comms, "It's gone."
The Hood notched an arrow and aimed it at the businessman, "Where's the device?"
"Safe", Malcolm said smugly as he held up his hands while making his way around the desk, "I don't know how you got that Trojan onto my system, whoever did that was really good. And the person would have succeeded if I was not so paranoid that I checked my system every day. It prompted me to take precautions."
"There is nothing you can do to stop what is about to happen", Malcolm said, "And you shouldn't. This city needs what is about to happen in order to survive. The people who are destroying it from the inside need to be erased from the map."
"Fine", The Hood growled, "Let's start with you."
He fired the arrow-
And Malcolm caught it just before it could hit his heart.
"Ironic, isn't it?" Malcolm asked as Oliver stood there in stunned shock, "Last Christmas, I would have killed you if not for Daredevil. Few months ago, you saved my life", he twirled the arrow in his hand, "And now you're here, trying to kill me", he stared coldly at The Hood, "You should make up your mind."
"Done."
The Hood was about to draw another arrow but Malcolm threw the arrow he had caught back on him, forcing him to dodge as the arrow shattered a glass case behind him.
As he recovered, Malcolm leapt at him and gave him a frontal flying kick, knocking him back on a table. He recovered and attacked with a spin motion but Malcolm blocked with his elbow. The two tried to punch each other for a while but neither succeeded in hitting the other as they both deflected each other's blows.
The Hood spun again, smacking Malcolm on the face with the bow, stunning him before kicking him on the thigh, sending him down to one knee momentarily.
Malcolm ducked to avoid another smack of the bow which instead decapitated a terracotta statue. Malcolm kicked high but The Hood ducked and it dented the steel wall instead.
Malcolm blocked another strike from The Hood with his elbow before smacking him on the face twice, grabbing him and then slamming him on to the table. He then kneed him twice in the chest. Malcolm then spun behind him and grabbed him by the waist, then turning them around German suplexed him onto the table which collapsed.
The two rolled off as The Hood pushed him away. With an enraged roar, Malcolm tried to punch. The Hood held his bow to block but Malcolm's strong punch broke it into two.
The Hood grabbed him by the waist and slammed him into the steel wall behind. Malcolm managed to throw off Oliver and kicked him hard on the chest thrice. As The Hood tried to get up, Malcolm gave him a hard punch on the lower jaw and he was out.
Malcolm knelt near his unconscious enemy and ripped off the hood- to see Oliver's bloodied face.
He gasped in surprise and breathlessness, whispering, "Oh no."
Now the Season 1 finale. One small change here was that Clint and Natasha sneaked into Merlyn Global.
Next chapter will have more changes because while Oliver, Dig and Felicity also have Matt, Natasha and Clint on their side, Malcolm has Bane and Blue Talon.
Blue Talon might have appeared only in one comic but he was a badass as he held his own against a held back Black Panther while Bane is… well, Bane.
I personally think Legolas is the best fictional archer.
Hope you liked this.
Please review. I always appreciate your feedback.