Part 15
Competition 2
The morning after they had stopped the Dollmaker, Veronica and Oliver were enjoying a quiet, and as normal as possible, morning with Tommy and Laurel, having breakfast all together while, in the background, the TV showed a TV debate.
"Thea is crazy about this show, she forced us to watch the one about the vigilantes last week. Who's it about this week?" Veronica asked.
"Two very interesting young men, at least I think so, and i'm sure you'll agree with me. Tommy Merlyn and Oliver Queen." Laurel replied with an amused smile.
"There must be a problem then because I heard the word 'eligible' a few seconds ago and I don't think they are eligible." Veronica shook her head, amused as well.
"Let them talk honey, we don't care about what they'll say." Oliver told Veronica.
"Well, I'd like to know who they think is the best." Tommy joked.
"It would be a miracle if they concluded with an actual decision instead of a tie between the two of you." Laurel replied.
"Well, let's see what they have to say about us then." Oliver nodded, liking that the air was free of tensions between them and that they were all good friends.
The same people they had seen on Tv last week were there.
"I don't know why we're even trying to debate on which one is the most eligible bachelor. They're both taken." One of them declared.
"I always liked this one." Veronica commented with a smile while Laurel nodded.
"They might be dating but they're not married nor are they engaged, therefor I say they're still eligible." Another one replied, shaking their head.
"Oh come on, just take a look at their present relationship and you'll know they're serious about it." A blond woman argued.
"Yes, and let's not forget that they both cheated on their past girlfriend. I don't see why it would change now. There is still hope for the single ladies of Starling city. They haven't put a ring on it yet."
At that last mention, Tommy and Oliver exchanged a quick, knowing look. Veronica didn't seem to care, she was adding sugar to her coffee and they didn't see Laurel looking down.
"Just take a look at their lives since they started their present relationships. Oliver Queen is much calmer since he's with Veronica Mars. He hasn't been arrested or seen in a fight since he started being with her. The same goes for Tommy Merlyn and Laurel Lance." A brunette argued as seriously as someone debating about politics.
"Maybe they just got better at hiding it." A man shook his head.
"I don't think so." The blond woman argued.
"Why don't we talk about something else? I think this debate is going to put me right back to sleep." Laurel suggested, turning the volume down.
"I agree. They're ridiculous." Veronica nodded.
"Let's find something else to talk about while we eat breakfast then." Oliver declared, always happy to comply with whatever Veronica wanted.
"We both know I would have won anyway." Tommy joked.
"Keep dreaming Merlyn." Oliver smiled right back at him.
"Have you heard that Helena Bertinelli is back in town?" Laurel asked Oliver.
"What?" Oliver asked.
"Since when?" Veronica asked at the same time.
"I colleague of mine heard a rumor yesterday afternoon, with everything that's happened yesterday I forgot to tell you." Laurel replied, looking at Veronica.
"Tell me? Why would you want to tell me in particular? Oliver's the one she dated, he's the one you should warn." Veronica asked her.
"Well, she was dating Oliver before and she doesn't look the very sane kind of girl. She seems like the kind of girl who'd try to get to you because you're with her man." Laurel replied, shrugging her shoulders.
"I'm not her man, nor have I ever been. All we shared was a short lived fling." Oliver argued.
"Even if she decides to come after me, I'm sure I'll be fine. I never go anywhere without my taser." Veronica smiled.
"I'll have John watch over you until she's caught or leaves town though." Oliver declared, more for Laurel's benefit since he, Veronica and even Tommy knew that his girlfriend could take care of herself.
"Good, I'd hate for her to hurt you. We can't always count on Karma and Arrow to be there to save us." Laurel replied with a smile.
"They came last night." Tommy argued.
"Arrow came with some other woman dad said calls herself the Black Canary. Karma wasn't there."
"I'm sure it's not her fault, she probably had other things to do. We couldn't be the only people in trouble in town." Veronica told Laurel.
"I know that, I'm not mad at her. It just helped me realize that we can't expect them to always be there to protect us, sometimes, they'll have bigger fishes to fry." Laurel said before she opened a box of pastries she had bought for their breakfast.
"Why is there green frosting on it? It's can't be St Patrick's day already." Tommy asked her.
"Because they're named after Arrow and Karma's couple. The heart shaped ones are called Karrow and the circles ones are named Arrma. They're trying to decide on a definitive couple's name." Laurel explained.
In the box, there was two sorts of pastries. The first one was heart shaped with green frosting on it and, on the frosting and in black, a whip circling an arrow. The round one had green frosting too, the same green as the first one, with a whip catching the arrow, still in black.
"Karrow and Arrma?" Oliver asked her, confused.
"It's what they're debating calling them. As a couple, you know, every famous couple has a name now so they need theirs." Laurel added.
"What will they think of next." Veronica shook her head.
"Next to my office there's a soup and salad bar, you know, for those tired of burgers and hot dogs. They have a soup with green vegetables like leek and zucchini that's called the Arrow soup and they have a salad with lettuce, avocado and other green veggies named after Karma." Laurel informed them.
"Seriously? How do they even know that Arrow likes soup and Karma likes salad?" Veronica exclaimed.
"I guess they figured as long as they didn't come to attack them and yell at them to change the names, they were good to go. Plus, it helps them boost their sells. I think they named the salad after Karma because she's a woman who looks fit." Laurel explained.
"Makes sense. About that, Thea told me that she was thinking of naming cocktails after them at Verdant." Tommy told Oliver.
"Might as well if everyone else does it." He shrugged his shoulders.
"I'll start getting worried if they start naming sandwiches after them. Bread with green coloring? Brrr." Oliver smiled.
"At the bakery where I bought these pastries, they have a brand new drink called after the Black Canary. It's black coffee with just a touch of cream and no sugar. They have a green tea called Arrow and a kiwi smoothie called Karma." Laurel added.
"I wonder who sells better." Veronica declared as she took a bite of the heart shaped pastries.
"It makes sense. The vigilantes do help the Glades a lot. They saved them all by stopping Merlyn and they keep on protecting them every night. The people of the Glades wants them to know that they are grateful." Laurel explained.
"How do you know all of this?" Oliver asked her.
"I work there, remember? People talk to us." She replied.
.
Lyla Micheals was standing in front of a computer, staring at a picture of a criminal named Deadshot. She knew that Amanda Waller would love to have him join their little squad but this wasn't why she had looked so hard for him. She wanted to do this for John Diggle, her ex-husband, the man she still loved deep down and had just started seeing again.
"Is that him then?" Duncan Kane asked her.
She knew why he was helping her. He knew that John worked with Veronica now and he knew that if John went after Deadshot, Veronica would help and be in danger as well. He was trying to protect the woman he'd always love, and knew he wouldn't be with ever again, just like she was helping the man she loved. She had often worked with Duncan since he joined Argus and she liked him.
"Yes. He's in Russia." She nodded.
"If you want to go, I'll cover for you until you're too far to be stopped, you know that." he offered.
"Thank you Kane. I'll check in, as usual." She smiled before she left the base.
It wasn't the first time they worked together, they had often gone on mission together and worked well as a team. They knew each other's way of doing pretty well and she knew that if there was a way for them to go together while Lilly stayed safe and someone covered for them he'd go along. Unfortunately he couldn't, so he just did his best to cover her absence for as long as possible.
.
Helena Bertinelli wasn't happy. The reason she was back in Starling city didn't cheer her up. Her plan was to get to her father before he was transferred again but ever since coming back to town she had learned that Oliver had a new girlfriend, one that joined him at night when he was Arrow. She wasn't in love with Oliver, but it angered her to see that another woman was by his side when he was shooting arrows, that another woman had taken her place. She had quickly grown to hate Karma almost as much as she hated her father and she wanted to get rid of her, to be the only female anyone could be scared of.
She quickly learned everything she could about Veronica Mars and figured that the best thing to do would be to corner her at night while Oliver and John were busy somewhere else. Helena was certain that she could take her.
.
"Any news on Helena?" Oliver asked Veronica when she came in his office with lunch for him and John.
"No, nothing yet but I'm sure we'll find her. All we have to do is keep a distant eye on her father." Veronica replied.
"Sara said she'd keep an eye out as well." John added.
"You two worry too much. Why do you think she'll go after me? She hasn't done anything that even suggests she cares that you're with someone else." Veronica asked Oliver.
"Not yet, but with her you never know and I'd hate it if you got injured because I made the mistake of trusting her in the past." Oliver replied.
"Fine, I'll be on my guards but let the records show that I'm not worried." Veronica said with humor.
"I am." John and Oliver replied at the same time, making her smile.
"Well, to bring another, lighter subject up, Mac will arrive in town in two days. I'll go with her to check her apartment up and help her settle." Veronica informed them.
"Of course. I know that Thea wanted to be there and help her settle too. I'd help but I have an important meeting that I can't miss that day. Especially if you're not going to attend."
"I know, the board will be fine with you missing a meeting as long as I'm attending but if I'm not going to be there, you need to be." Veronica nodded.
.
"I really don't like this plan." Arrow declared as John checked Karma's moves on the screen of their computers.
"You can't be with her every minute of everyday, according to what I've heard, she was doing fine on her own before she joined you." Black Canary argued.
"I know that but Helena is on the loose, I don't like her being on her own in these conditions." Oliver shook his head.
"But she had a point, you're needed elsewhere. Now come on, get to your mission of the night, I'll join Veronica as soon as I've brought my dirtbag of the night to justice." Sara told Oliver on her way out of the lair.
"I would have joined her but she's right, until Mac comes, someone needs to stay here and coordinate. I'll warn you and Sara as soon as I hear something about the Huntress." John told his boss and friend.
"I know she is but it doesn't mean I have to like it. I'll try to make this fast so I can join her once I'm done." Arrow declared before he left the lair on his bike.
Indeed, they had had so much to do that night that they had to split up. Sara was going after a rapist on the run, because he had hurt a woman and it was her specialty. Oliver was going after a drug dealer and his colleagues while Veronica went after a gang that had robbed a bank. John was linked to them all through their earpieces and was able to coordinate, send them to the next place they'd be needed.
.
"I hate full moons in Starling city. The criminal activity is always much worst on those nights." Karma commented through her ear piece, knowing they could all hear her, while she was fighting the three men she was after.
"I haven't been in town long enough to confirm that but I can't say I disagree." Black Canary replied while she delivered kicks.
"Are you sure you're okay honey?" Arrow asked Karma.
"You worry too much." Karma replied while fighting could be heard on all ends of the discussion.
"You know it." He smiled.
Fast enough, Karma had her three men tied up and was waiting for Lance's men to pick them up. She walked to her motorcycle and climbed on it, ready to ride it to the next location John would send her to. She rode for only a couple of minutes when another, purple, bike arrived and pushed her to the side, causing an accident. Karma knew that John, Arrow and Black Canary would be able to hear everything so she assured them that she was fine before looking up and realizing who had caused her accident.
"I don't know why he chose you. You're not worthy." Huntress snarled.
"Helena Bertinelli, or do you prefer the nickname the cops gave you? Huntress? I guess you waited until I was alone to attack me. Didn't want to risk facing him? Too scared?" Karma asked her.
"You know nothing!" Huntress spat before she tried to shoot an arrow at Karma, who managed to move aside just in time.
"You're going to have to do better than that if you want to stop me." Karma smirked, taking her whip out.
Veronica realized that Helena was full of anger and that it might just be what would be her downfall.
"I'm only getting started."
"Funny, I knew you'd say that." Veronica said before she jumped in the fight, hearing though her earpiece that Arrow and Black Canary were on their way, along with John who was leaving the lair to try and get to her as soon as possible.
"You know, you can take your mask off. I know that behind Karma, there's little blond Veronica Mars." Huntress informed her opponent.
"Right, I'll take it off right after you take yours off." She replied.
"I don't know what he sees in you."
"Is this really all about Oliver? Because you're jealous that you weren't the one for him? That he found someone else who makes him happy?" Veronica asked her as they kept of fighting.
Helena had managed to send Karma's whip away right after she lost her own weapon and they were now fighting hand to hand.
"He shouldn't have pushed me away." Helena frowned.
"You weren't who he needed in his life, you can't force someone to be with you."
"Maybe, but he didn't have to move on so fast. Tell me the truth, was he already with you when he was sleeping with me?" Helena asked Veronica, choosing her her words very carefully.
"He's not that man anymore, he wouldn't do that to anyone, not now." Veronica exclaimed, offended for Oliver.
"Right, because you know him so well." Huntress chuckled humorlessly.
"We're true partners Helena. Not only dating and fighting crime. We work together, live together, understand each other. Sometimes we don't even have to speak to know what the other is thinking. You can't compare the fling the two of you had with what I have with him now." Karma replied angrily, not seeing that, too far to hear what was being said but close enough to see it, a teenage boy was snapping pictures of them fighting.
Pictures he'd manage to sell for a good price a few hours later, enough to buy himself a new car and buy his sister a computer.
"But is the sex as good as it was when he was with me?" Huntress asked, and Karma understood that she was trying to get her angry, to make her lose control, which only motivated her to keep her calm.
Ignoring Huntress, Karma managed to roll over and grab her whip, which she used to knock Huntress down. As soon as Helena was on her back, Veronica took her taser out and used it to keep the crazy woman on the floor. She was about to bent down to tie her up when Arrow's arms wrapped around her from behind.
"I'll do it." Black Canary declared.
"Are you okay Honey?" Oliver asked her while John, who arrived at the same time the others did, helped Sara tie Huntress up.
"A few bruises here and there but nothing major." She smiled reassuringly.
"You're bleeding." He said with a frown, pointing to her forearm.
"It's not too deep, I won't even need to go to the hospital. You'll be able to sew me back up. For once it'll be you playing nurse with me." She told him with an amused smile, making him smile as well.
"You did good against her." he complimented her.
"I had a good teacher." She replied.
"I texted Lance, he was still picking up Veronica's bank robbers. He's on his way." John announced and, since they didn't have time to leave, they all turned on their voice changers.
Black Canary looked more nervous that she was used to but she held on. John simply put on a black hood, thinking that he really needed a better disguise when he went out.
"It took all four of you to stop her?" Lance asked them as soon as he got out of his car.
"I was alone, they only made it near the end." Karma informed him.
"Just in time to see you kick her ass." Black Canary smirked.
"Well, thank you for your work tonight. I hate full moons around here, it's like all the crazies turn on their villain genes or something." Lance replied, finishing by shaking his head.
"Glad to know we agree on something." Arrow chuckled.
"Well, you lot have a good night. Thanks again for the help, especially with her. She killed 5 men trying to locate her father before coming here tonight. I guess we're lucky she wanted you more than she wanted her father." Lance told them as two of his men helped Huntress stand up and brought her to the car to bring her in.
About half an hour later, they were all back in the lair where Oliver was sewing Veronica's forearm back up. It only took a few stitches though.
"I feel that keeping my promise to Nyssa is going to be harder than I thought." Sara told Veronica with an amused smile.
"Very funny Sara. As you can see, I did pretty fine on my own, without your protection." Veronica replied.
"You're the heir to the demon, winning is in your blood." Sara replied before she wished them all goodnight and left.
"Aren't any of you worried that Helena is in cops' custody with the knowledge of the true identity of Arrow and Karma?" John asked them.
"I don't think she'll speak, no matter how angry she is, she has some sense of loyalty. I doubt she'll speak." Oliver shook his head.
"I agree. I don't think she'll speak, not unless we do something to really anger her." Veronica agreed.
"Fine, but we might need to work on a plan in case she reveals your identities." John insisted.
"Sara and you could wear Karma and Arrow's outfits and be seen in town one night while Oliver and I are on a very public date together. Make sure a lot of people see us all together, this way if she ever speaks, there will be proof that we're not them." Veronica suggested.
"It's a good idea but it would be suspicious if John isn't with us on that night, she knows him, knows he works with me." Oliver argued.
"What about Tommy?" Sara asked.
"What?" Oliver asked.
"Good idea. He's the right height, he could put on the suit. He'd just have to train a little and be able to play Arrow for a few minutes." Veronica nodded, understanding what Sara meant.
"You're right. I'll speak with him about it tomorrow." Oliver nodded.
.
That night, once Oliver and Veronica found themselves in their room at the Queen mansion, they enjoyed being in each other's arms and relaxed. Right as they came home, they had seen pictures of Veronica's fight against Helena online and of course everyone was commenting on how hot it was that they had fought.
"I hated not being with you tonight, I was afraid you'd get hurt." He told her.
"I know but I was fine. You just like it better when you can fight for me." She replied with a smile.
"True. Are you mad at me for it?" he asked her.
"No, I love you even more for it, because I know that you know when to stay away and when to help me, even when you want to help me." She admitted.
"I just want you to be happy."
"I am, very happy. I feel like the life we have now, together, is complete. "
"But?" he asked her, sensing something coming.
"But I... I miss having Backup, my old dog. I think I'd like having one again but I don't know how it would work with all the time we spend at the office."
"Well, we could take it with us to the office, I'm sure with us as its masters it would be well behaved and I heard that pets help people focus and work better. I was already considering allowing cats in the offices, under some conditions of course." He told her, knowing that if she wanted a dog, he wouldn't be able to convince her otherwise.
He'd do it just to see her smile and, truth be told, he always wanted one as well and having a puppy with Veronica felt like the first step before having a kid.
"What about here? Would your mother accept a dog in this house or would we have to get our own place?"
"I'm sure she would. We never had one because dad didn't like dogs, or pets in general. Mom would agree. And Thea would definitely love it too." he replied.
"Are you agreeing to us getting a dog?" She asked him, insisting on 'us'.
"I am. Once Mac is all settled in and things calm down a bit, we should definitely start looking." He nodded.
"I love you so much!" She exclaimed happily before she kissed him.
.
When Mac parked her car in front of the address Veronica had given her, she was very excited. It was a new beginning for her, a new life. She knew that she'd be able to join Team Arrow at night, work with them from the computers of the lair. Veronica had even found a nickname for her already. She was going to be Overwatch. She wouldn't go on the field, simply because it's not the kind of things she likes, but she'd be able to help them do good in town and she was very excited about it.
She also couldn't wait to start her new job in the IT department of Queen Consolidated. She'd have her own office and not only she'd have a better pay than she had at Kane Software but she'd be working on interesting projects.
As soon as she parked her car, she noticed that Veronica was waiting for her in front of the entrance. Her moving truck had arrived the day before and all she'd have to do now was to open her boxes and put everything away, with the help of Veronica and Thea Queen, who had insisted on meeting her and helping.
"I'm so ready for this." Mac told herself before she left her car and went to hug Veronica.
.
While Veronica was helping her friend Mac opening boxes, Nyssa was finally pushing the doors that separated her from her father, ready to tell him the news.
"Father, I have news." She announced.
"Does it have anything to do with Sara Lance not being back with you?" he asked her.
"Yes, it does. I asked her to stay in Starling city for the time being." She replied.
"You asked her? Why is that?" At first he thought that she'd say she had relieved Sara of her duties to the League and he was surprised by her answer.
"Do you remember ever meeting this woman?" Nyssa asked her father, showing him an old picture of Leanne.
"Why do you ask?"
Nyssa answered her father of course, she told him what happened when she found Sara and saw Veronica. She showed him a recent picture of Veronica Mars, along with the results of the tests Veronica had done and that Sara had sent her by email. When he didn't interrupt her, she told him everything she knew about her new sister and what Leanne had told her was her reason for never speaking up.
"You believed before you saw the results, didn't you? This is why you asked your beloved to stay back." He asked her.
"I did. She's my little sister. Your daughter." Nyssa nodded.
"I want to meet her."
"Should I plan a trip to Starling city?"
"No, that would have been necessary if there was any doubts but there aren't. Go and bring her back here to me. I want to meet her, get to know her and give her her place in our league."
"She might not want to stay here. She has a life she loves in Starling City."
"We won't keep her here against her will, but she's Heir to the Demon as well and needs to know where she comes from. She needs to be introduced to the League and know that she's a part of our family. I'll start making arrangement to get things ready for her."
"Can her boyfriend Oliver Queen come with her? They're pretty serious." Nyssa asked her father with a nod.
"Yes, he can. I want to meet him as well. Take the League's plane to make this trip faster than the last one." Raz Al Ghul agreed.
"Yes father. I'll try to be as quick as possible." Nyssa nodded with a smile before she left the room and, soon, Nanda Parbat as well.
So, what do you think of this chapter?
Several small things happened. Some will grow in future chapters (Duncan, Nanda Parbat...)
What do you think should be Karma and Arrow's couple name?
Thank you for reading this story, don't hesitate to share it.
Lorelei Candice Black
