Days later, Roy was taking the trash out to the back dumpster. As he was instructed, he placed the flechette in the wall to signal Green Arrow. As he turned to head back inside, he saw Green Arrow standing in front of him, much to his surprise.

"Woah." Roy remarked. "You're quick."

"What did you find out?" Arrow asked.

"She's a vigilante like you." Roy reported. "Sticks to the Glades mostly. Has a particular fixation on defending those most damaged by the quake."

Green Arrow took in every word more interested in this mystery woman than ever.

"Apparently people are calling her 'the Black Canary'." Roy continued. "Guess the color coding thing is going around."

"Hmm, guess so." Arrow remarked.

…

That same night, a young woman was walking through the Glades on her way home. As she did so, she was unaware of two larger men following her from behind. She heard the footsteps behind her and started walking faster. She about to run when the two men grabbed hold of her by the arms. She screamed, demanding them to let her go as they tried going for her purse. Before they got a chance to grab it, a baton flew out of nowhere and hit one of the men in the face, knocking him back. This was enough of an opening for the woman to pull herself free and run off.

"Don't you boys have anything better to do than pick on innocent girls?" a new voice taunted.

The two men turned to see a woman in black outfit, jacket, and mask, spinning a second baton in her hand. The Black Canary.

"Maybe you'd like to try that with someone who can fight back." She offered.

One of the men chuckled in response.

"If you insist." The man replied pulling out a knife.

Black Canary smirked at this as the man walked towards her. He took a swing at her with his knife, but she ducked under it and struck him in the chest with her baton. She then struck him across the face, knocking him to the ground as the second man came up, picking a nearby pipe up off the ground. He hit it against her baton, knocking it out of her hand. He continued swinging the pipe at her, causing her to back step away repeatedly. She then kicked the pipe out of his hands before kicking him in the chest repeatedly. He stumbled back a bit near the first man still on the ground. Canary ran towards the second man, jumping on the back of the downed first man and punched the second man in the face as she descended.

As she looked over the fallen mugger, the first one started to get back up ready to stab her. Suddenly, an arrow shot out and hit him in the shoulder, taking him out. Canary looked behind her to see the downed opponent, than back up to see Green Arrow standing on a rooftop looking down on her.

"Missed one." He commented.

"I had it under control!" She shouted.

"I don't doubt that." Arrow replied. "You have impressive skills."

"Just what I need." Canary lamented. "The Hood as my vigilante pep squad."

"These days I prefer Green Arrow." He corrected.

Canary chuckled at that revelation.

"Oh like that's any better." She replied.

Green Arrow shot a grappling arrow and slid down as Black Canary reclaimed her batons and placed them on her belt.

"What are you even doing here?" Canary asked as Green Arrow landed on the ground.

"I thought we should talk." Arrow explained.

"I don't know I think everything that needs to be said was said last time we met." Canary remarked. "We both have our ways of saving the city; mine just doesn't involve a body count."

"The copycat hoods are alive." Arrow reminded. "So are China White and her accomplice."

"And what about the other 503 people that were killed in the quake?" Canary countered.

Arrow was taken aback by that remark.

"I tried to save them." Arrow tried to defend.

"Tried isn't good enough!" Canary threw back furious before collecting herself. "I saw buildings crumble, livelihoods destroyed, friends die. And where were you? Off fighting a pointless duel with Malcom Merlyn!"

Arrow just stood there, feeling utterly defeated by Black Canary's words. Both were so wrapped up in their little debate that they didn't even hear the approaching sirens.

"You know there was a time when I admired you. I used to think you wore that hood because you were a hero." She told him. "… but now I see you wear it to hide the fact that you're a coward."

"Freeze!" a cop called out getting out of the car, earning the heroes attention. "Drop your weapons and put your hands in the air!"

Thinking fast, Green Arrow pulled out an arrow and fired it at the base of the cop car. The arrow released a gas, covering Arrow and Canary's escape.

As they rounded a corner, Canary jumped onto a nearby fire escape and started climbing up.

"I'm not the bad guy!" Arrow called out, causing Canary to turn back.

"Of course you are." Canary threw back before climbing away.

Arrow was just left standing there, contemplating everything he had heard.

…

The next day, former SCPD detective, now beat cop, Quinten Lance, was using some available free time to purchase a hot dog from a local cart. Before he could enjoy it however, a call came out on his radio.

"All units, 1078 at Second and Fletcher. Please respond."

"Lance, patrol Delta Charlie 52, 10-60, officer responding. Over" Lance called back discarding his hot dog and getting into his car.

"Negative DC-52" the radio replied. "Disregard 10-78 and resume patrol."

"According to whose orders?" Lance asked.

"Lieutenant Pike."

…

Within a few minutes, Lance made his way down to where the crime scene was, skirting his way through fellow officers to get inside.

"Bill what is going on here, huh?" Lance asked one of the detectives present. "This is my beat. Why did Pike wave me off this?"

"Quinten, it's under control." Bill tried to reassure as Quinten walked past.

"What is under control?" Quinten demanded.

As he passed by several other officers, he came up to the reason they were all here. A dead woman dressed in a fluffy white dress hung up on metal bars. The sight frightened Quinten to his core. Not the image itself, but the fact that he recognized it. All too well.

"That's Barton Mathis." Quinten barely threw out.

"That seems to be what the M.O. indicates." Bill confirmed.

"He's doing consecutive life sentences in Iron Heights." Quinten tried to rationalized.

"Not anymore." Bill corrected. "The quake split open a section of Iron Heights. Mathis was among the escapees. The brass want to avoid a panic, so they're keeping it quiet."

"Are they keeping it quiet from me too?" Quinten asked.

"Come on man," Bill replied. "Pike knows what happened last time. The man got in your head."

"Yeah, and I caught him." Quinten countered. "And no one knows Mathis better."

"And I've got all your notes and files." Bill informed. "Pikes order. If you go anywhere near this, he's going to have you arrested for obstruction."

Quinten sighted angrily at this before walking off in a huff.

…

That night at the arrow cave, Diggle and Oliver were sparring on some mats.

"So how did it go with the female vigilante last night?" Diggle asked.

"Horribly." Oliver replied. "She's still insistent that the vigilante is a big a threat to the city as its actual criminals. Because I couldn't save everyone in the quake."

"Must have lost someone close to her." Diggle surmised.

"Must have." Oliver replied.

Diggle tried grabbing Oliver, but he caught his arm and threw him to the ground.

"I'm stuck on what to do." Oliver lamented letting up on Diggle. "I can't let the city get overrun with vigilantes."

"Is it there's another vigilante out there that bothers you," Diggle asked getting up himself. "Or is it the fact that she wants to take you down as well."

Oliver paused for a moment.

"Doing this job is hard enough, especially with the police after me." Oliver told him. "But now someone who is convinced that I'm as much to blame for what happened as Merlyn."

"Maybe you just need to show her that you've not the villain she thinks you are." Diggle suggested.

"Sounds like an interesting idea," Oliver admitted. "I just wish I knew how."

At that moment, Felicity's cell phone started ringing. She picked it up and, seeing who was calling, answered it.

"Hi detective." She greeted.

Both Diggle and Oliver looked at each other in surprise and intrigue.

…

Later that night, Quinten stood on a roof top came up onto the roof of the police station. Once he was up there, he saw Green Arrow.

"So," he started. "Ms. Smoak gives you a way to call me now."

"She vouches for you." He replied walking up to him. "And you told me you're trying to help the city without dropping bodies. That true?"

"What do you think?" Arrow asked.

"Let's just say I'm willing to be convinced." Quinten replied, walking to the edge of the roof. "This city is hurting. And the police… I always thought we didn't need to go outside the law to find justice. But in light of recent events, I'm not so sure anymore."

He then walked back up to Arrow and handed him a file he was carrying.

"Barton Mathis." He continued. "The media calls him the Doll Maker. Cause he suffocates his victims with a flexible polymer he pours down their throats and then he dresses them up like dolls. I put him away, but because of the quake, he's out and he's killing again."

Arrow continued to look at the files as Quinten talked, and something caught his eye.

"These are from six years ago." He replied.

"That's my personal file." Quinten answered.

"Maybe it's not just the file that's personal."

Quinten huffed a bit before continuing.

"Mathis killed eight girls before I put him away last time," he told him. "I don't want any more on my conscience."

"So why don't you let the police do their job?" Arrow inquired, closing the file.

Quinten scoffed a bit.

"I could say the same thing to you." He retorted. "They're spread so thin they can't even risk letting the public know Mathis is out. You said you're trying another way? Maybe I am too."

…

The next night, Felicity was going over everything in the file Quinten gave Oliver to try and find a clue on Mathis' next victim.

"Lance's file give you anything?" Oliver asked walking in.

"Las time the Doll Maker was active in Starling City, he ramped up to one kill every three days." Diggle reported.

"That gives us two days to catch him." Oliver deduced. "Can we connect the victims?"

"Young. Pretty." Diggle listed off. "According to Lance's file, he couldn't figure out how he chose them."

"As if porcelain dolls weren't creepy enough all on their own." Felicity commented.

"Barton Mathis doesn't have any family or known acquaintances." Diggle continued. "Lone wolves are harder to catch."

That's when Oliver was struck with an idea.

"But they do have the right to an attorney." He said. "Call Lance. Tell him to set up a meeting for tonight."

"Where?" Felicity asked.

"At the office of whoever represented Barton Mathis." He answered.

"So we're assuming this takes priority over finding the identity of your biggest critic." She assumed.

"Black Canary maybe a wild card," Oliver conceded, grabbing his bow off its shelf. "But she's interested in protecting the city, not hurting it. She can wait."

…

The next morning, Quinten came into see Laurel at the DA's office, much to her surprise.

"Dad? What are you doing here?" Laurel asked.

"Just came by to check on you and… to check up on some court records." He greeted. "Man you look tired."

"Just some late nights working." Laurel dismissed. "What do you need court records for?"

"… Barton Mathis is out." Quinten explained. "I'm looking for his attorney."

"Why?" she asked, curious. "You're no longer a detective."

"Yeah well, I'm doing a little digging off the books."

"Dad this case…" Laurel began to protest. "It took you to such a dark place last time."

"Yeah, well I think we both know it wasn't Mathis who did that." Quinten dismissed. "Look, nobody knows this guy better than me, which means nobody's gotta better chance at stopping him ok? And that means every girl that he kills is like another one on my conscience."

"No it's not." Laurel spoke up. "Whatever guilt you're feeling… you're just using it to justify a vendetta."

Quinten just stood there for a moment, glancing at Laurel's board of sightings of the vigilante.

"Yeah well maybe I'm not the only one." Quinten retorted before walking out.

…

After a visit to Mathis' attorney, and some excessive interrogation methods from Green Arrow, he and Quinten finally got a lead on where Mathis was hiding out. They wasted no time getting down there.

"The lady at the front desk said that a guy matching Mathis' description checked in last week. Room 52." Quinten told him. "Now listen, just so we're clear when we're through that door we're here to arrest Mathis. Not torture him."

"You asked for my help." Arrow reminded.

"Yeah, that wasn't easy," Quinten retorted. "And neither is aiding and abetting, and I am still a police officer."

"Do you want to catch him or not?" Arrow asked turning towards him.

Quinten let out a breath of defeat before drawing his gun.

"Let's go."

With that, the two entered the room, only to find it empty. In front of them was a telephone and a small doll with a newspaper clipping of the Dollmaker's arrest. Suddenly, the phone started ringing. Having a good idea who was on the other end, Quinten answered it.

"Detective." Mathis greeted. "It's been too long."

While they were talking, Arrow called Felicity back at the Arrow Cave.

"Felicity I need a trace." He whispered.

"On it." She replied.

"You sick son of a bitch." Quinten replied.

"Sick?" Mathis repeated curious. "I've never felt better. Fresh air agrees with me."

"Yeah well don't get too used to it." Quinten retorted. "I caught you before. It's just a matter of time before I do it again."

"Fair enough." Mathis conceded. "In the meantime however, I have someone who'd like to say hello to you. Say hello dear."

The next sound sent a chill down Lance's spine. A woman screaming for help.

"She's a little inarticulate." Mathis jeered.

"She's done nothing to you." Lance replied. "Please don't hurt her. Just let her go."

"And allow her to wither away in a mediocre and forgettable life. Why would I do that? She deserves… so much better. She deserves to see her beauty preserved. Forever oh but don't worry, I will turn her into something special. Now pay attention detective, what comes next is quite exquisite. The sound of an esophagus slowly hardening."

On his end of the phone, Quinten could make out the sound of some kind of liquid being poured. He knew all too well what that meant, as did Green Arrow.

"Felicity," he let out.

"Trying but he's blocking the trace." Felicity informed.

"Barton don't do it!" Quinten pleaded. "I'm begging you! Is that what you want?! I am begging you! Just, please stop!"

"Oh but it's not just for you detective." Mathis replied. "It's for all the world to enjoy. After all…everyone loves a pretty doll."

With that, the line disconnected. Quinten lowered the phone in frustration and defeat. The Dollmaker had killed again.

I appreciate your viewership and patience with this story. I will try and update more frequently, but I have quite a few other projects, both writing and personal, that demand my attention. All the same. I hope you've been enjoying this and I hope you stay tuned for more.