Lois Lane was dead, killed by a man who had then been killed by a man who had once been his friend. Roy had a hard time wrapping his head around all of it. Superman had killed someone, that was not the hard part, he'd long thought that Superman was capable of doing what was necessary. No, it was the fact that Clark Kent had also killed a man, that he had a hard time wrapping his head around. Oliver had always said that Lois was the one person who could remind Clark that no matter how bad things were, there was still good in the world. Jonathan was Clark and Lois combined. His friend was tough, and caring, he'd made friends with Roy, when Roy had been nothing more than an orphan boy, with an anger complex. Roy would never betray his friend, would never think badly of him, but that didn't mean he would think the same of Clark Kent.

Superman had disappeared to the Fortress, meaning Clark Kent had also disappeared to the Fortress, meaning Jonathan was staying with his grandparents. Roy understood that the man needed to grieve but surely he could've done that with his son. His son who Roy suspected was going through more than just grief. It was frustrating, because Jonathan would not ask for help. He'd reply to texts, but otherwise he didn't do anything else. He hadn't even been to see Caitlin at Mercury Labs, and Roy knew how much that had stung Caitlin. Yes, Roy was deeply worried for his friend. The flight back from the UK had been quiet, no one had spoken whatsoever and then Jonathan had gone to his grandparents' house, a strange look in his eyes. Not so strange truth be told, for it was a look Roy had seen in himself before.

"Roy, if you keep brooding, I'm going to start calling you Batman." Jaime joked. The scarab joined him in laughing.

Roy swatted his friend. "I can't help it. I'm concerned. Jonathan hasn't messaged us in four days. Do you think he's okay? I spoke with Ma Kent yesterday and she said Jonathan had done all his chores, and that he was in the barn. So, why isn't he answering his phone?"

"Maybe he just needs some time? After all his mother, did just die, he has just been made a member of the British Nobility, and his mother did just die. That is going to be a lot for anyone to take on. But for someone like Jonathan? That's got to be more than anything." Jaime said reasonably.

"I know, which is why I'm so worried. He hasn't reached out, can't you see how much pain he's in? Every time I think about the flight back and the way he looked when we met up for Dick's birthday, I see the pain in his eyes, the rage that was bubbling under the surface. His dad's gone to the Fortress and isn't coming out. That's got to suck." Roy said.

"I agree with you there. I mean, maybe Superman's just gone to the Fortress for a time to get his shit together? Then maybe he'll come down and be the father Jonathan needs?" Jaime suggested.

"I hope so." Roy replied. "Also, did you see the way he responded to Caitlin at the party?"

"I couldn't exactly miss it, he practically bumped into me and knocked my drink." Jaime said.

"What was that about? I mean I know Caitlin has her cold thing going on, but surely Jonathan's used to it by now? Hell, he was the one who helped her when it first came." Roy said.

Jaime was silent for a long time, and Roy started to wonder why, then his friend spoke. "Do you think something happened when we were at that bar? Between him and Louise?"

"What sort of thing?" Roy asked, already not liking where this was going.

Jaime took a breath. "The sorts of things we were taught about at school, during those consent classes. Apart from the fact that it happened to him and not to Louise."

Roy was about to protest, then said. "Where would she get kryptonite from? That's the only thing that would prevent Jonathan from protecting himself. And how would she know that kryptonite would do it, and why would she want to do it?"

"I don't know. But I spoke to Rhodos the next day, he said Louise had left her house, and gone to stay with her parents. Which I found odd, considering she has like a lot of work to do." Jaime said. At Roy's raised eyebrow, he said. "I spoke to her classmate, Selina, she said they've been slammed with a lot of work by their professors and that Louise was insistent on finishing it."

"So, she what, raped our best friend, and then fucked off to her parents' house? That doesn't explain why, or how she would know what to use to prevent Jonathan from defending himself." Roy said.

"I know." Jaime replied.

"We need to talk to Jonathan about this." Roy said, going to reach his phone, before a blue leg stopped him. He glared at Jaime.

His friend shrugged. "I think we should wait for Jonathan to come and talk to us about it, when he's ready. You know what he's like, he will feel deeply ashamed and guilty, and if his little run the night before we left the palace was anything to go by he's trying to figure this out himself."

"I think we should talk to him, at least to remind him that he can talk to us. Otherwise, who knows what he might do. He's upset and angry and grieving. That will do things to a man." Roy insisted.

"I agree. But we do it at a time when things aren't so chaotic, after the funeral." Jaime said.

"Alright." Roy agreed. They got up and Roy saw his friend out, then straightened his shoulders and walked along the corridor, opened the door, closed it, then keyed in the code, to the Arrow Cave. He walked down the steps. "Thanks for waiting Ollie." He said.

"Not to worry." Oliver replied. "How is he?"

Roy took his seat, next to Thea, he smiled at her and felt something akin to pride when he saw her cheeks turn red. "He's alright, still no contact from him properly though. But Ma Kent says he's doing okay. Any word from the big guy?"

Oliver shook his head. "He will come down when he's ready."

"So, the two most powerful beings in the world are hiding from their problems and drowning in their grief, who cares? There's a world beyond them." Connor said.

Roy bit back the retort he had been about to say, due to Thea's hand on his arm. Oliver looked at his prodigy, Connor Hawke was brilliant with a bow, a sword, and any weapon he put his mind to, he was also skilled with magic, but he was an ass, and Roy could not see what Mia saw in him. "It matters because they are our friends Connor, and it is important to know that they are well, and that they know that they can speak with us should they have any worries. Superman might be as powerful as a God, but he is still a man, and a husband who has lost his wife. Jonathan is powerful also, and he is but a boy who has lost his mother. It is important that we know they are okay, or that they want to reach out." Connor fell silent at that, and Oliver continued. "Now, there has been news from Black Canary, it appears our illustrious friend Malcolm Merlyn has returned." Thea tensed at that, Roy took her hand under the table and squeezed sympathetically, he knew Thea despised her biological father. "Artemis you have information for us?"

Mia spoke then. "Yes, I managed to capture two of his henchmen and they told me that Merlyn is here to meet with three important people, part of Serial Four. Or so they said."

"You do not believe them?" Roy queried, he might not like Mia for what she did to his friend, but he knew she was very good at sussing out when people were lying to her.

"No, I don't. I don't think Merlyn would be so foolish as to allow two of his henchmen to be captured, and allow them to speak at all about his reasons for being here. I think they said what they said to make us think that was the reason for his being here. I think he's here in Star for a completely different reason." Mia answered.

"Me." Thea said. "He wants me to join him." Thea looked at her brother. "He said it the last time we faced him Ollie. He wants me to join him and he won't stop until I say yes. You know what he did to Tommy, to mom."

"I know Speedy." Oliver replied. "I won't let him get to you."

"Now we know he's here, we can plan." Roy said. He linked his and Thea's fingers. "Merlyn is predictable, he always does the same things, the same plans. He will send an invitation out, he will then not show up, he will then send goons out to hit something, diverting us away from where we should be, and then when that happens, he will send someone else in to get Thea. He will try to expose you, Oliver, like he did the last time. And I know things died down, but I really don't want to have to go away again."

"I know, Roy. Which is why I've decided to take a far more active approach this time. In the past, I've always been reacting to things that Merlyn has done, I've never acted according to my gut, for fear of what happened to Tommy, happening to someone else I care about. That changes now." Oliver said, a glint in his eye.

"How?" Connor asked.

The door opened, and Dinah walked in. "With this." She held up a memory stick.

"A memory stick?" Mia asked. "How is that going to get Merlyn out into the open?"

"It contains the files for the mission that Ra's Al Ghul once gave to Damian Darhk and Malcolm Merlyn, a mission so dangerous that Merlyn and Darhk swore a pact. They buried the information and set up shop elsewhere. And now with Merlyn cleared by the government, this disk, could very well lock him away for good." Dinah said.

"How?" Connor asked.

"Have you ever heard of the Reckoning?" Oliver asked.

"An event, a natural disaster or rather an event made to look like a natural disaster that would rip through the very structures holding a city, be it ancient or modern, apart. Killing millions of people and destroying every centre of ancient knowledge within that city." Roy said.

"Exactly. That was what Ra's Al Ghul wanted Damian and Merlyn to do. And they refused to do it. However, their signatures are on a document within the memory disk. And with the right word to the right people, Congress will have them both impeached. Merlyn does not want that; he's never wanted that. So, we put it out that the disk has materialised, and he will come." Oliver said.

"What if he thinks it's a trap?" Connor asked.

"Merlyn won't think it's a trap, he will be too sure of himself and too worried about that disk getting leaked. He wants a normal life; he wants a life and a family." Thea said, and though her voice with tinged with worry, Roy could also hear certainty there. "He will come looking for it."

"And when he does, we will find out why he's really here." Oliver said.

"And we can finally end this game of his, once and for all." Dinah added.

Roy looked at Thea and squeezed her hand, once Merlyn was dealt with perhaps they could move on.