"Welcome 2021.." were the initial words of this document. But the pandemic caused havoc this side as well did my university experience. So, it took me this long to come out with this. But, here we go! Finally. Some of my best though!

Enjoy the chapter, the fight, the confrontation, you've all waited for oh, so long..

Chapter-13...


VERSUS DEATHSTROKE


You imagine something..or someone for so long. You aspire for it. You ache for it. You yearn for even just a second of it. But you never know how it's gonna be, if it ever actually happens.

And yet, here I was. And so was he. In the flesh.

"Have we met before?" he said lowly, in his thick Aussie accent, lowering his right hand to everyone around us, ordering to stop the commotion.

As the sounds of the screams and bullets ricocheting all over stopped, an almost eiree silence took over, with only the sound of icy wind emerging from the few half-open windows to my right and the light smell of torn bodies reaching my nostrils.

"Yes, we have," I said, moving a bit closer.

"In what capacity?" his question, straight after.

Using my left hand, I tapped on my earpiece.

"Commander, you there?" I said low enough so they couldn't listen in, whilst never leaving my eye contact with him.

"Yes, Archer. What are you doing? Shoot him." Nyssa had her priorities set.

"Have you got her in your sights?" I asked, so that this lady Deathstroke sidekick doesn't shoot me from behind.

"Yes. Only five more guards left. Thanks for following the plan by the way," Nyssa said.

Ignoring her, I turned to him again.

"You wanna know in what capacity?" I said, raising my pitch.

"Listen kid. You wanna shoot? Shoot. Don't waste my time."

I let go of a smirk. "You took away everything from me. EVERYTHING! YOU WILL MAKE TIME!"

"Did I kill one of your loved ones?" he asked so softly and without hesitation, as if it was a routine everyday question for him.

Looking upstairs to Nyssa, as I gasped for some air and support, I could feel warmth of my tears rolling down my cheeks.

After thinking for a second, I used my left hand to lower my hood.

"You..." he immediately realized who I was.

"Yes, me. Oliver Queen"s little sister. Now you know. How you took everything away from me.."

"And he took everything away from me!" he said, indifference making way for anger upon my reveal.

"Is that how you sleep at night?"

"Yes. Your brother deserved much worse. He got his due."

"SHUT UP! My brother...was a good man," I say, still tearing up.

Calmness took over his face upon hearing the words.

"Yes, he was. I do remember our time fondly. He was my brother."

"You don't get to say that! You DON'T DESERVE TO GET TO SAY THAT!"

"He was my brother. But Shado died because of him. So, now he had to die. Besides, a promise is a promise."

"Well, I made some promises of my own, Mr. Wilson. How about that?"

"How about this for a promise? You leave right here, right now and all is forgiven. I'll not reveal your identity to anyone and both you and your mother will be safe."

"What?"

"I've moved on from Queen. Much greater things to accomplish."

"Yeah. Like buying young underaged girls? Right? You should be ashamed. You were Australian intelligence!"

"Don't speak about something you have no knowledge of. Now, run along girl. Go back to your life. Don't waste it away. I don't want to. Not anymore. But if you don't stop right now, you'll meet your brother very soon!"

"Not before you!" I hit back.

"We're done here," he said, turning back.

As he turned, a loud shot could be heard miles away.

I had lodged a bullet right into his back. But even as blood begins flowing from the wound, there was no reaction. No bout of pain that I could sense or urgency to get it healed.

"Final warning, Miss Queen," he said, his back still facing me. "Don't raise the beast. The monster. I can't tame it easily once it's out."

"Bring. It. On!" I said, shooting once more.

An annoyed grunt turned into a roar, as he turned around, running and hit away my gun and kicked me to the floor.

As I crawled a bit away, he removed his overcoat. I saw the orange armor once again.

"Ollie!" the echoes returned.

"You brought this upon you, remember this..." he said, as he began his walk to me, staring down at my wincing and hurt.

"Commander," I whispered under my breath, calling for Nyssa.

I continued, "bring it on, asshole! Let's make you get much more familiar with your name."

As I took out my other pistol from my other boot, I rolled out of the way of his foot stomp.

The gunfiring suddenly began again in the backdrop and as I stood up, dodging punches and flying kicks, I felt Nyssa fighting the good fight against his accomplise.

"You should have stayed home!" he shouted punching in air, while I dodged.

Focussing keenly on where they landed, I kept going backwards.

Being this defensive is always a weak point but he just wouldn't stop to give me an opening.

The Mirakuru induced super strength meant that just one punch and he would have got me defeated.

Pushing me to the wall, he caught hold of my belt and took it out in one go, ridding me of my remaining 2 guns as well.

"Use the herbs..." I heard in my ear. But before I could, in that very second I took my sword from behind instinctively with my wrong hand to place in front of me to defend a wild swing at me by Slade.

His training and strength showed in the weight of his push as my weak hand would never be able to hold this position.

I dropped the gun in my right hand and reached for my pocket and took out the herbs.

I soaked in the aroma in one big breath, and my eyes rolled up a bit in pleasure and my neck tilting backwards; my body froze in my spot.

It was nothing less than a high. This state of heightened focus and lightness in my weight wasn't unlike what I felt in my junkie days.

But after five seconds which felt like eternity, my eyes lit up as if burning and I didn't feel the push anymore. My back hit the wall behind but it wasn't tough to hold back Slade. In fact, it wasn't tough at all.

I took my step forward, pushing him back as I roared back.

"Impressive," he said. "Holding back mirakuru? Too bad you couldn't save your brother.."

I clashed my sword with him in a fit of anger but he wouldn't budge.

How long could I survive like this?

He threw me off my position and I felt my back meeting with Nyssa's.

"Need help, Archer? You aren't looking too good," she said.

"Get rid of all the guards?" I somehow said, out of breath, taking in loud and long breaths.

"15-0. Remember this, Archer. Fifteen to ZERO!"

"Can we count later?"

"What's there to count? You have ZERO!"

"Okay.." I said, breathing hard. "Switch?"

"Switch," she agreed, as we turned along our backs.

"Ready for round 2?" Lady Deathstroke said to me.

"And here, I thought you would never ask."

We clashed hit for hit. She looked inexperienced. Way more than me. Only her mirakuru strength made her stand her ground against Nyssa.

I had gained a position of strength and had set her up for a final stab when I heard Nyssa's shriek.

"WAIT," I shouted from the distance and turned around.

Everything stopped for a second. In that split second, we both looked at each other, as a blade hung from her stomach.

My wet terrified cheeks contrasted with her prideful look of dying fighting.

Before I could utter anything as I stepped a bit forward, I felt a great impact at the back of my skull with wooden pieces cluttering all around me.

Falling to the floor, my eyes shut down. Trying desperately to open again, not only to defend myself but to see what happened after that moment had passed.

"Ny-Nyssaa?" I hobbled the word somehow, as I looked up, trying to blink fast to get a good look in..

Nyssa was lying on the floor too, her hood down. Blood flowed from the wound and a bit from her face to the floor.

Slade used his sword to push her chin up, to look at him, but she didn't care if her skin was cut or if she was stabbed. Ra's al Ghul'a daughter wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.

"This is your doing, Miss Queen," he said, giving me a shot of look. "I didn't want to do it. Hell, I don't even want to do it right now.."

Removing his mask, he asked her, "Any last wishes?" his voice firm and calm.

"Please, Slade..." I said, crawling a bit closer.

"I gave you a chance!" he said, anger in his eyes. "I GAVE YOU A FUCKING CHANCE!"

"Then give me another. Please. Not her. Not after Oliver. Please..." Her eyes still looking into mine with a tinge of smile on her bloody lips.

"Kid, you gotta learn to live with the consequences of your actions," he said, kicking her and keeping her to her spot. In one sudden jerk, he raised his sword and slashed downwards.

"LEAGUE OF ASSASSINS!" I shouted at the peak of my voice, as I shut down my eyes in fear. "Please..." I cried some more.

"What did you say?" I heard Slade's voice.

The wetness had accumulated near my eyes, making my look opaque.

Constant blinking made me have a look. A blur. Nyssa was still breathing. The sword mere inches away from her neck.

"Wh-?" I stuttered. "What?" I followed up, gaining strength knowing she was okay. For now.

"You shouted League of Assassins..."

Nyssa looked to me, shaking her head and mouthing a "no".

"I'm sorry, Nyssa. I have to. I can't lose any one else now," I said, now sitting at an angle with the help of all my hands and knees.

"She's Ra's al Ghul's daughter. League of Assassins' Commander-in-chief," I followed, fully aware of the unsaid promises I was breaking.

Slade's eyes got bigger, as he looked at me and then her.

"If you don't let her go unscathed, I promise you that Ra's won't be happy about it," I said, trying to leverage this.

"Dangerous territory, you are," he said to Nyssa. "I've heard about Ra's al Ghul. He's the only one who can probably stop me."

Nyssa gave him a smirk of brashness. "You've got that right."

Slade bent down, his eye scorched with fire. "Then, why hasn't he, princess? Oh right. League of Assassins is patriarchal, isn't it?" he smirked too.

He somehow knew which buttons to push to get Nyssa riled up but she was in no position to retaliate.

"Let Ra's come," he said, giving me his attention. "If he could, he would've already come. Besides, they don't call me the terminator for nothing."

He wasn't wrong...

"Alright. Alright. You're not afraid of him, I get it," I said, taking some time to think before saying something again. "Alright. But if you let her go right now. I promise you...I give you my word that the League won't come after you, no matter what you do. Ever."

"You don't have the authority to make that deal."

"I do."

"No, she doesn't," Nyssa raised her voice, giving a stern look to me.

"Nyssa, please. Please, please. Just stay quiet..."

"If there is no League intervention, who'll stop him?"

"We will. Partners in crime remember?" I said, with a smile and turning back to face him. "It's a deal, Slade."

"I won't kill her. But she's going with me.

"You want her? Then go to your beloved League of Assassins. Bring me the promise of zero intervention and his beloved scroll. Ra's would know what I'm talking about."

I stood up before he grabbed her by her hair.

"Stop!" I shouted. "Leave her!"

"I'll be in touch," he said, forcing her walk towards outside by her hands, a cloth put in hee mouth. "Just make sure your mom doesn't pick up your mansion's phone and I'll let you know our meeting spot."

"It's not fair Slade. Let. Her. Go!"

"Nah. You hold your end of the bargain. I'll do mine. That's another promise rich girl," he smiled and continued.

"And please, call me Deathstroke," he said, shutting down the lights on his way out along with his men and the lady sidekick.

In the darkness, I sat in my blood and other's, trying to see Nyssa on her way out.

"My father won't listen, Thia! My father wouldn't listen," I heard some shrieks as she probably got rid of the cloth in her mouth.

I tore a piece of cloth, trying to hold my head wound tight, thinking what to do, before I heard a vibration in my phone.

"Anatoly?"

Why was he calling just as I landed in Russia?

"Hello?" I said, in a rough voice.

"The Archer. Bratva has something you want. You better come and take it," I heard Anatoly's heavy Russian accent.

"Didn't I tell you to stay away?" I said, coughing.

"You are still a member of Bratva. Don't forget that. After all, your brother never did. Besides, it's in your own interest to come. Talk to her," he said.

I heard a grumbling sound, before recognising a familiar voice. "Who's this?" the voice said.

"Z?" my mind said, panicking at the thought.

Anatoly's voice came through again. "One hour. Our old base. Bring your cheque book. See you Archer."

Nyssa held hostage by Deathstroke in exchange for a favor from Ra's.

Zara held hostage by Bratva in exchange for money from my broke company.

I closed my eyes in despair. What am I gonna do?


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