Hot in Russia


"Get ready Lilly, we're going to Starling City." Duncan told his daughter in a hurry.

Lilly nodded, surprised. She knew that Starling city was where her godmother, Veronica, lived. Her father had allowed her to follow all of her exploits as Karma but they never went there. The few times she saw Veronica was through a computer screen or in Argus property, where it was safe from the bad men that had tried to get her away from her father when she was a baby, right after her mother died.

"Why are we going there daddy?" She asked him.

"Lyla is in trouble, we need to ask John and Veronica for help. You're coming with me because you'll be coming with us." He replied.

He could have left her several days in a row with Argus personnel to watch over her but he wanted to give her a small sense of normalcy. She'd go with them and he knew that she'd be safe.

"I hope she's okay." Lilly nodded.

She liked Lyla. The older and experienced woman had taught her father everything she knew and was like family to them now. She was like an older sister to Duncan and an aunt to her.

"Does Veronica know we're coming?" She asked.

"No, it'll be a surprise." he smiled, knowing his daughter liked to surprise Veronica.

"Since we're going out, can I have a burger?" She asked her father, tired of Argus food.

"Of course, honey." he nodded.

.

Veronica and Oliver had been back for a week. Sara had stayed behind but promised to come back with Nyssa soon to visit them and to come as fast as possible if they ever needed the Black Canary's help. The couple had gotten right back to work and to crime fighting. Everything had gone well at Queen Consolidated during their absence and the board was confident that Oliver knew what he was doing and would lead them to the top once more. They were well on their way already.

Mac was presently on a date and so Veronica, Oliver and John ate their dinner at Big Belly Burger together. Things were pretty calm that night and even though they felt like it was the calm before the storm, they decided to enjoy the quiet while they could.

"I wish there had been a Big belly burger in Nanda Parbat." Veronica stated as she took a large bite of her burger.

"They do state that they're everywhere." John smiled.

"Maybe if you ask Raz he'll have one build just for you, you do seem to have him wrapped around your little finger." Oliver told her with an amused smile.

"It's the head tilt, I'm telling you, there's a real power behind it." She smiled before a passing little girl caught her attention.

"What's wrong?" Oliver asked her.

"That girl... I... It can't be... She just looks a lot like Lilly." Veronica shook her head.

They all watched as the little girl, with their back on them, went to the counter, ordered, paid and waited to be served. Veronica shook her head and forced herself to look back to her boyfriend. They talked about their day for a few more minutes before a small hand on Veronica's arm made they turn.

"Hi Aunt Veronica. Daddy needs your help."

"Lilly! So it was you!" Veronica exclaimed before she hugged the little girl and officially introduced her to John and Oliver, who had only seen her through the computer screen so far.

Both men started looking around for any sign of danger.

"What's going on, Lilly? Where's your father? Why are you here?" Veronica asked her.

"Dad is hiding, waiting outside. Lyla is in trouble and he needs your help to get her back." Lilly replied, her Big belly Burger order in her hand.

"Lyla? My Lyla?" John asked the little girl who nodded with a sad look on her face.

"Let's go." Veronica decided, abandoning what was left of her meal.

Oliver and John did like her. Veronica took Lilly's hand and let the little girl guide them to Duncan, who was waiting for them on the side, in the shadows.

They invited Duncan to come with them to their lair where, after spending a few minutes reconnecting with Veronica, he told them why he needed their help.

"Lyla went on an unauthorized and self appointed mission in Russia, looking to catch a criminal you know as Deadshot. She asked me to stay behind and cover for her for as long as I could, which I did... She stopped communicating a few days ago, which is unlike her and I found out that she's been caught. She's imprisoned in a Gulag called Cauchemard. That's all the information I could find on my own though and Amanda Waller refuses to waste anyone on her rescue because Lyla went behind her back, though she claims it's because she doesn't have any available men. I need your help to get her back. I don't think I can get her on my own." he explained while Lilly silently ate her meal.

"It's because of me, isn't it?" John asked Duncan.

"She did it for you, yes." Duncan replied.

"We'll leave tomorrow then." Oliver decided.

"How are we going to explain another trip away to the board one week after being back?" Veronica asked Oliver.

"We'll say we're visiting our offices in Russia. We'll be gone a lot less longer anyway. I can get the Bratva to help us, it'll be rather quick. A couple of days, top." Oliver replied.

"Right, your friend." She nodded.

"We'll take the company jet tomorrow. Is Lilly coming with us?" Oliver asked Duncan.

"If it's not a bother, I'd like that, yes." He nodded.

"Not at all. She and I will tour the local Queen Consolidated building while you men break into a Gulag and save Lyla." Veronica smiled.

"You're not even going to try and argue that you can help and that we let you come along?" Duncan asked her, surprised.

"I think the three of you will have in handled, though I'll join if you need help. I understand that the Bratva is not up to date on their women rights, it's a pretty man only group. I wouldn't want to upset them by showing them that I happen to be smarter than them all. It wouldn't work well with ensuring Oliver's place in their group, which is often quite useful." She smiled.

"How reasonable of you." Oliver smiled.

"What can I say, I've grown." Veronica shrugged.

It was decided that Duncan and Lilly would spend the night at Queen's manor with Oliver and Veronica while John went back to his place. Lilly was excited to meet part of Veronica's family and her godmother promised her to take her to Nanda Parbat to meet her new family as soon as she could.

Of course Moira and Thea understood that they had to keep quiet the fact that Duncan and Lilly Kane were in their house, they were still happy to meet them and to have them in their home.

"I just can't wait to hear more about Veronica when she was younger." Thea exclaimed as they all ate cake.

"She never really changed, she remains someone you can always count on when you're in need, even when you've hurt her or disappointed her in the past." Duncan replied.

"And she's right here." Veronica added, a little annoyed.

"Well, we're happy to finally meet you two and know that you're always welcome here. Veronica's family is our family." Moira assured Duncan.

"Thank you." Duncan nodded while Lilly told veronica everything she learned at School with Argus.

Apparently, Lilly learned more than the average subjects for kids her age, she also learned about spying, technologies and anything that could be useful if she decided to become an Argus agent.

"They're teaching the kids of Argus personnel, not to be more practical, but to form the next generation of Argus agent, aren't they?" Veronica asked Duncan later.

"Yes, they are. I was considering pulling Lilly out and putting her in a more normal school, maybe by putting you as her official guardian and by changing her name, but she loves it. She wants to become like you and she thinks that this is the best way. As long as she likes it, I'll let her go. I'll consider her other options when she stops liking it." Duncan replied.

"I see... And did you speak with your mother?"

"And my father, yes. They also spoke with Lilly a bit. Maybe we'll join them this summer for a vacation somewhere, I don't know." He told her.

"They're your parents. Now that you have the opportunity to have them in your life and be safe with Lilly, you shouldn't cut them out completely." She advised him.

"I'll think about it." He smiled.

When Veronica and Oliver went to bed, Duncan went in the kitchen to get a glass of milk. Lilly was already asleep in one of the many guest rooms and he was about to head to bed himself when Thea appeared.

"I want to speak with you about something serious." The youngest Queen woman stated very seriously.

"Okay... What's going on?" He asked her, worried about her seriousness.

"I see the way you look at Veronica. I'm not stupid, I can tell that you still love her and that, deep down, you can see her, Lilly and you as a family, like you were before she helped you leave town after Lilly was born. I understand it but don't. She's happy with my brother, they're good together. She told me that she feels more complete and free with him than she ever had with anyone before in her life. You can't win her back and trying would only hurt her and her relationship with Lilly." Thea stated.

"You don't have anything to worry about Thea. You're right, I still Love Veronica and I probably always will but I can see the way she looks at your brother. She loves him more than she's ever loved anyone, me and Logan included. I can see it. My daughter is my priority now and for that, I've decided many years ago to put my feelings for Veronica aside and to prioritize her relationship with my daughter." Duncan replied.

"So you'll stay away? You won't try to win her back or to break them up?"

"No, I won't, Thea. Veronica is my friend, my daughter's godmother. She's family but I've resigned myself to never be more than that ever again to her. I had my chance to get her back in the past and I let it go. I'll always love her but I'll never tell her so. She'll never know. It would hurt her to think of the fact that I'm hurt." Duncan told her.

"Good. Then it's good to know you and you truly are always welcome here. Have a good night." Thea replied with a smile before she turned around and left him alone.

.

The next morning, everything was ready and they left quickly. Oliver had already contacted his Bratva friend and he was waiting for them at the airport. Their first stop was the hotel, where they settled their bags in their rooms. Then, Veronica took Lilly with her in town and to see the Queen Consolidated building, explaining Oliver's absence by saying that he had gotten sick on the plane, while Oliver, Duncan and John went to plan Lyla's escape with the Bratva.

Veronica and Lilly had lots of fun and they even went shopping together and, when they were done, they went back to the hotel and waited to hear news from Oliver, John and Duncan while enjoying some quiet time together. Around midnight, the men came back, with Lyla safe and sound. Oliver informed Veronica that John allowed Deadshot to leave unharmed because he helped them get to Lyla and to save her.

After that, Veronica and Oliver decided to enjoy being in Russia for a bit and they went for a late night meal together, in town. Oliver's friend had organized it for them in one of the best restaurants in town, happy to show the man who saved his life that he was his friend and that he was always welcome in his town.

"The town's pretty. I hope we can come back soon." She told him.

"So do I." Oliver replied before he kissed her.

"Are you sure you don't mind that we left you out of this one?" He asked her once they were back in their hotel room.

"Not at all, don't worry. I enjoyed spending time with Lilly, plus, I knew that you'd all be safe. I knew it would all work out fine without me. I almost offered to stay in Starling City with Lilly but..." Veronica stopped talking, looking for the right way to say it.

"But?" Oliver asked her, worried.

"I didn't like the thought of spending a couple days away from you. I know it sounds stupid but... I can't imagine not sleeping in your arms anymore." She replied with a slight blush.

"I understand, I feel the same way, Veronica. Now come on, let's get some sleep before our flight back home tomorrow." Oliver told her, hugging her to his side and keeping her there as they walked back to the hotel.

.

"Thanks again for your help Veronica." Duncan told her before he, Lilly and Lyla left.

"I didn't do anything this time." She smiled.

"You were there, you took care of Lilly. She told me that she had lots of fun with you." Duncan shook his head.

"I would have helped save Lyla even if you hadn't asked me. She's important to John, it makes her important to us." Veronica smiled.

"Bye Aunt Veronica, see you soon!" Lilly exclaimed, waving goodbye while Veronica replied.

"You're going to miss her, aren't you?" Oliver asked her as he hugged her from behind.

"I am, but I'll see her again soon. The next time I go spend some time in Nanda Parbat, I'll take her with me. I'm sure she'll love the place." Veronica smiled.

"She's like a mini version of you." Oliver stated.

"Not physically. Physically she's the perfect mixture of her mother and her aunt Lilly." Veronica replied with a nostalgic smile on her face.

"Come on, let's go home. John is going to make sure Lyla gets back safely." he told her, guiding her to the car waiting for them.

They both knew that when John told them he'd make sure Lyla got back safely, he meant that they were going to try and get back together. They shared the same look in their eyes and it was obvious that they still loved each other deeply.

.

After they came back from Russia, life settled back to what was normal for them. For a few weeks, everything went fine. Veronica, Mac and Oliver spent their days at Queen Consolidated and part of their nights fighting crime. John did his thing, Thea took care of the club, Moira worked on her campaign with Walter... Everything went smoothly.

"Shouldn't John be here?" Mac asked as they made their way to their lair under the offices.

"Well, I do find it strange that he hasn't come back after lunch or answered his phone all afternoon." Oliver nodded.

"The GPS on his phone says that he's here. Maybe he's working on something down there." Veronica added before they discovered him, obviously sick, laying on the floor of their lair.

"John!" Mac and Veronica exclaimed as the three of them rushed to get him.

They carried him to the table and got some of his blood quickly before Veronica analysed it, thankful that they had gotten all the necessary equipment for these kind of things.

"It's impossible... I can't believe this." She shook her head.

"What is it?" Mac asked her.

"What's wrong with him?" Oliver asked at the same time.

"He... The analysis... It shows traces of Vertigo..." Veronica replied, checking the results and letting Mac look.

"It's impossible, John would never take Vertigo." Oliver shook his head.

"I know that... Maybe someone slipped him some today?" Veronica suggested.

"Why would they even do that?" Mac asked.

"Maybe Lyla would have an idea as to how he got it?" Oliver suggested.

"No, she's away on mission." Veronica replied.

"I heard him tell that other cute security agent that he was going to get a flue shot from one of the trucks during his lunch break." Mac told them while Veronica typed on the computer.

"I told him not to get it there. I don't trust these free trucks." Veronica shook her head as she looked at her computer screen and did some research.

"He's not the only one who's sick. I have reports from the hospital of more people coming in with flue symptoms and a blood that shows some Vertigo." Veronica informed them as she kept on scrawling through the results.

"We need to find out what these people have in common." Oliver said, knowing Mac and Veronica were already looking for it.

"They live in different part of the city, work in different places... I don't see what they could possibly have in common." Mac stated.

"What about the flue truck? Maybe it's in the vaccination shots." Oliver suggested and he could see a light bulb being turned on in the girls heads as Mac started looking for it.

"It could be it. They all either live or work near the truck's stops." Mac said as the placed everything on the map.

"The Count Vertigo is supposed to be in Jail, how is Vertigo being made and leaked in the vaccination shots?" Veronica asked.

"Maybe he escaped at the same time as the Doll-maker did." Oliver suggested while Mac checked it out.

"Yep. They tried to keep it hidden but he escaped months ago." Mac nodded.

"They seem better at keeping secrets than they are at keeping their worst prisoners inside." Veronica complained.

.

The next couple of days were very tiring for Team Arrow. Thea had agreed to come and help take care of John while they tried to stop Count Vertigo again. He had made a public announcement to reveal that he was indeed behind all of the sick people and that the only way for them to feel better was to take some Vertigo. The cops had no way to look for him, they were too busy arresting dealers, some with the real new version of Vertigo and others with some other drug or fake pills trying to make some more cash thanks to Vertigo.

This Vertigo was new and much worst than the other one and watching John Diggle go through withdrawal, Thea was glad that she had stopped taking drugs when she met Veronica, she would have hated to end up in this state.

Wanting to help, Mac had tried her luck with investigating by looking at one of the vaccination trucks closer while Karma and Arrow were interrogating Vertigo dealers in hope of finding the escaped Count.

"This one was a bust as well Overwatch. Can you lead us to another one?" Veronica asked her friend through their communication devices, unfortunately, her friend didn't answer.

"Overwatch?" Arrow asked.

"It's working on our end. She's just not answering." Karma replied with furred brows.

"Mac? Answer us Mac." Karma demanded.

"Unfortunately your little lady friend is a little busy at the moment." A masculine voice told them using Mac's device.

"What do you want?" Arrow asked in a hard voice.

They didn't bother asking who it was, they both recognized his voice and the way he spoke, they were speaking the Count Vertigo. Already, Veronica was using a laptop hidden on her bike to track Mac by using the signal of her cellphone.

"Well, your little friend , Mac is it? Her ID says Cindy... Anyway she looked at one of my trucks a little too closely. She knows too much and I bet that so do you."

"I asked you want you want Count." Oliver repeated angrily.

He didn't like to knows that a member of his team was in danger, especially not his girlfriend's best friend. Smiling confidently, veronica showed him that mac was at Queen Consolidated and he nodded, jumping on his bike while she jumped on hers. They both started their bikes at the same time and headed as fast as they could toward their day offices.

"I want you of course. You and your little lady friend out of my way, Oliver Queen."

"What?" Oliver asked, surprised.

"It all make sense in a way." The Count said before he revealed how he had figured out that Oliver was Arrow.

Veronica let Oliver speak, she knew that he was trying to win some time. As soon as they arrived, she ran up to Oliver's office where Vertigo had hinted he was waiting. She didn't wait for Oliver, she just ran, knowing that she'd be faster than him this time. Indeed, Oliver had to drive slower than she did so Vertigo didn't hear that he was driving, it had allowed her to get a head start and she was more motivated than ever to stop him before he could hurt Mac.

Sneaking in through the air vent, Veronica knew she wouldn't be able to come inside the room without him hearing her so instead she prepared herself and burst through the office. As soon as she was on the floor, Count Vertigo turned around with Mac in front of him, showing that he had a needle at her throat. Veronica took out her whip immediately and used it on Mac first. She grabbed Mac's feet and knocked her on the floor, surprising the Count who jumped in surprise.

"I heard about your little toy, Karma. I could use with someone like you on my side." He declared.

"Like I'm ever going to consider working with you. You deserve your place in jail. I hope you didn't have any important appointment in the coming days because you're going to have to miss them." She replied angrily while Mac was knocked out on the floor.

"I don't think so." Vertigo replied right at the same time as Karma used her whip to knock the syringe out of his hand.

The small syringe broke on the floor and Karma started to fight him in hand to hand combat before he crawled to Mac and tried injecting her with another syringe while she was knocked out of the way. Oliver arrived at this moment and while he made his way to them, Karma used her whip to hold the count back and ended up chocking him as the weapon wrapped around his throat.

"How is she doing?" Karma asked Arrow.

"She'll be fine, she's just knocked out. How about him? Is he...?" He asked her back.

"No, he's still alive." She replied.

Quickly, they tied Count Vertigo up and injected him with a strong sedative and called the cops. By the time they were done Mac had awoken and they left her with a tied up Vertigo to wait for the cops while they rushed to his new factory, the one Mac had discovered, to stop his production of Vertigo and to destroy it all.

.

It took a few days for everything to get back to normal in Starling City and for everyone affected to be better but eventually, it was all better and Oliver decided to use this opportunity to do the official paperwork making Veronica the one in charge when he couldn't be. He even had his floor remodeled so she could have an office right next to his, with a large double communicating door so they could feel like they were still sharing an office, just like they had been when she spent the day with him at the office before. Now Veronica even had an assistant and she had been able to personalize her office.

Oliver liked having Veronica so close to him all the time. He could also picture their future dog in this office, with a basket between their offices, going from one to the other all day long. He knew that veronica loved it as well. He was surprised that neither of them were tired of the other after spending almost the entire day every day together but he figured it just meant what he already knew: they were made for each other.

Since he had made Veronica's position in his family company official, Oliver also divided their respective task. Veronica supervised mainly Security and the employees, making sure nobody was corrupted and that nobody was stealing the company's ideas and projects. Of course she had other responsibilities and had the power to do anything Oliver did but these were her main responsibilities and she loved it. She could spend her days spying on the employees and making sure they stayed clean. She also had the power to fire the people she discovered weren't honest.

She had already cleaned up most departments of the company, replacing the bad employees with ones that could be trusted.

"So, how do you like your new office?" He asked her.

"I like that you're only a door away and that our computers are linked through a camera so we can be together even when we're in meetings or busy doing other things." She smiled.

"I'm glad you agreed to work here with me." He told her.

"So am I. Spying on a bunch of employees and looking for mysteries waiting to be solved is fun. And making big decisions with you is fun too." She replied before she added:

"Who knew I'd end up enjoying a desk job? My father, Keith, loves this new aspect of my life." She replied.

"I know, he called me to thank me for convincing you to take a desk job." he told her with a smile.

"Miss Mars? The man from the IT department that you asked to see is here." Veronica's assistant declared as she entered the office.

"Let him in." Veronica nodded, putting her mean face on.

"I'll let you work, honey. I think I have a phone call to return." he smiled.


I'm not completely happy with this chapter... I might rewrite it later.

Review please?

Lorelei Candice Black