Disclaimer: WB/DC own these characters. I'm only borrowing them for a while. I own the original ideas found in this.
AN: Thank you for returning. I had meant for two very special guest stars to show up in the previous chapter, but suddenly ARGUS got involved. So...they had to wait until this chapter. Hope you enjoy them.
Bruce Wayne was down in his Batcave, simply surfing the internet for anything significant. Things had been quiet in Gotham the past few weeks. Of course, instead of enjoying this little respite, Bruce was worrying about whether something major was being planned he had overlooked. In between the articles, he was also running several name searches and face recognition scans, ensuring he knew where all major criminals were at for the moment.
With his razor sharp hearing, he heard Dick enter the elevator and make his way to the underground Cave. He just kept his attention on the many screens in front of him, knowing Dick would be demanding his attention soon enough.
"Bruce, have I got some news for you! Actually I'm surprised you haven't gotten this one way or another," Dick said, as he bounced down the few stairs to the computer work area.
"Dick, I'm busy here keeping an eye on Gotham. Nothing is happening. What news could you possibly have that I don't know about?"
"Ra's is attempting to make someone else his Heir."
Bruce knew he wasn't fooling Dick with pretending not to care by keeping his attention on the computer screens. However, he nonchalantly asked, "Who's the unlucky guy now?"
"Oliver Queen."
That got Bruce's attention. "Oliver? I wonder what he did to catch Ra's' attention." A moment later, he shook his head and said, "Poor guy."
"Is that all you have to say, Bruce?" Dick wasn't fooled by Bruce's reply in his "bored playboy voice".
Returning his attention to the computer screens, Bruce shrugged. "What do you expect me to do, Dick?"
"Don't you think Oliver is a little ill-matched to go up against Ra's? He can't possibly know him like we do."
"You know my philosophy, Dick. No interfering with anything not Gotham."
"That's stupid and you know it, Bruce. If you're waiting for his colleagues to reach out and ask us for help, you know they don't know about us."
"Oliver thinks he's pretty good with keeping secrets. If he only knew," Bruce mumbled.
"Yeah, well, he doesn't know his business competitor from Gotham is actually Batman and knows he goes out at night in green leather. Yet."
"You know my thoughts about partnerships, Dick."
"And you know I think that's just idiotic. And egotistical. What if one of these days Gotham suffers because something is bigger than what you can handle, on your own." At Bruce's glare, Dick glared back. "I mean it, Bruce. You, despite all evidence to the contrary, are not infallible."
"I never said I was."
"Still, aren't you the least bit concerned with what Ra's has planned now? It's been a few years since his last attempt at world domination. It's probably time for him to attempt it again. And for some reason, he has decided not to get us involved this time." Meeting only silence, Dick shook his head. "I know it concerns me, and I don't know Ra's half as well as you do."
Sighing, Bruce leaned back in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. Looking up at Dick, he said, "All right, I'll check into it. You might have some good points."
Dick smiled his cocky smile, but refrained from any further smart remark, not wanting to jeopardize changing Bruce's mind. "Anything I can do to help right now?"
"Why don't you go over to the other batch of computers and start the usual scans for Ra's and Oliver. See what comes up. I'll finish what I got over here."
Dick smiled and moved over to the second batch of computers with a bounce in his step. Bruce shook his head as he watched him, then returned his attention to the computers in front of him.
~~OQ~~OQ~~OQ~~OQ~~
Previously:
"Why are you attempting to hack ARGUS records, Ms. Smoak? You must have a very good reason to attempt something so foolish."
Knowing she should control her "loud" voice, but not caring in concern for Oliver, Felicity said, "Because there's no time to lose. Because both these men are known to want to destroy the world. Because both you and Oliver like to keep secrets and I am just tired of tolerating it anymore!"
Amanda leaned back in her chair and fixed Felicity with a cocked eyebrow and a cold stare.
"I will personally talk to your team tomorrow, Ms. Smoak. Expect me in your lair tomorrow at 10am." The connection was then cut.
The Arrow team arrived at the Lair at 9:30 am to prepare for Waller's visit. Felicity attempted to hide her nervousness from her team, but she knew she was probably failing. She knew it was an oxymoron, but she attempted to calm her nerves with her usual latte, but it wasn't very effective.
As they took their seats at the conference table, Felicity looked around at her team. Lyla, Diggle, Laurel, and Roy were all looking at her. Felicity swallowed and choked out, "Well, does anyone know what questions we need to ask Waller when she's here?"
"Wasn't it your idea to contact her in the first place, Felicity?" Diggle asked with one of his small, "know-it-all" smiles. He of course exuded his usual calm demeanor.
"Um, well, I hoped I would wake up with ideas this morning, but it didn't work," Felicity said, looking down at her cuticles.
Lyla gave her husband a look and said, "Don't worry, Felicity, I got some idea how to direct Amanda into giving you the information you need."
Felicity gave her a bright smile and breathed out in relief. "That's good. Does anyone have anything they want to make sure we ask her?"
"Nothing comes to mind, Felicity, but don't worry. We will get the information we need to find Oliver," Diggle said, wishing to alleviate the blonde's worries.
At 10 am sharp, the alarm announcing an unknown presence outside the back door. Digg got up to look at the screen then spoke through the microphone. "Thank you for coming. We'll let you in," buzzing the security door open.
In the silence which followed, heels clanging on the steel steps were heard as Ms. Amanda Waller, head of the top-secret defense agency ARGUS, made her way down to the lair.
She walked towards the table, approaching them with a slight smile on her face. When she had approached the head of the table, and the only empty chair, Amanda said, "Good morning, all," and took a seat.
Lyla spoke up. "Thank you again for coming in person, Amanda. We cannot tell you how much we appreciate this."
Including everyone in her cool, calculating look, Amanda said evenly, "I am sure that is the case." After a pause, she said, "And I am sure I need not stress the importance of keeping all information only among all of us here in this room."
"As with all of our adventures, Amanda," Diggle said, not hiding his impatience.
"Touché, Mr. Diggle." Amanda patted a non-existent hair into place with a hand and began.
"Against my better judgement, I have decided to bring you all up to date on what we know about Oliver, Darhk and al Ghul."
Diggle shot a warning glance at Felicity and Roy not to make any glib comments. Amazingly, both kept quiet; Felicity having to bite her tongue in order to remain quiet.
"From what we have gathered, Darhk and al Ghul are bitter enemies from way back. al Ghul has been attempting to kill Darhk for many a century, but Darhk has been able to fend him off. However, this time al Ghul believes he has a fool-proof plan."
"How fool-proof is it if you know about it?" Roy asked.
"Touché, Mr. Harper. We have our sources and that's why we have gotten this information. al Ghul isn't aware we have this information, despite his own world-class spy network. It is why Sara Lance was killed after all."
Amanda waited while the group expressed their disbelief at such a statement.
"Darhk wants to release a killer virus upon Starling, in order to obtain almost-supernatural powers via the mystical forces available here in Starling. al Ghul plans to kill Darhk while he is distracted carrying out this idea."
"And Sara was killed because of this idea? Why exactly was she seen as more of a threat than any of the rest of us?" Diggle asked.
"She found out about it and was about to tell Oliver, and probably the rest of you, but al Ghul found out and killed her."
"Quite a waste, especially since she didn't even get a chance to tell Oliver," Diggle said.
"Be glad she didn't, for all of you would have been killed as well, if al Ghul had anything to say about it." Again, Amanda waited until gasps subsided. "We knew his assassins were in Starling trailing all of you."
"And you didn't bother to inform me of this?" Lyla asked her supervisor, not bothering to hide her anger.
Amanda bestowed one of her characteristic "freezing glares" upon her subordinate. "It wasn't necessary. al Ghul called them off when he realized Oliver hadn't been told anything, thus neither were any of you."
"So why did Ra's take Oliver then?" Felicity asked.
"Because Darhk would have, due to his knowledge of the antidote."
"Antidote? There's an antidote? Why didn't you tell me that, Amanda?" Lyla asked.
"Again, Michaels, I do not necessarily tell you everything, even though you're my second-in-command."
"Is it because of my relationship with Dig?"
"No, not always." Continuing on, Amanda said, "There's an antidote which Oliver and I are familiar with from our days in Hong Kong. Thus making him valuable to Darhk. However, for whatever reason, Darhk is not aware I have my own supply of it."
"That's good to know, in case we in Starling need it. So, did you bring some along to inoculate all of us?" Felicity asked.
"No, actually I didn't. I didn't think it was necessary. Yet."
"But when you do deem it necessary it may be too late," Dig said.
"Mr. Diggle, your faith in me is outstanding," Amanda said with a small smile. "I will consider your objections."
Diggle rolled his eyes but remained silent. After a moment, he asked instead, "So, we have two mega-maniacal criminals hell-bent on destroying Starling, much less the world. Both are interested in Oliver. We have a virus we have to be concerned about. So, I assume you have an idea of how we stop these villains?"
"Yes. You team up with Batman and Nightwing."
"Who? Those crazy vigilantes from Gotham? Why should we do that?" Diggle asked.
"Because they have dealt with Ra's al Ghul and his mad schemes before to destroy the world."
"What about Merlyn? He has told us he has valuable information of Nanda Parbat he is willing to share with us," Felicity said.
"That may be correct, but working with Batman and Nightwing would be the best way to beat Ra's. They are, you may not believe it, even more talented than Mr. Queen, and are quite resourceful in their own right."
"Better than Oliver? I don't think so," Felicity muttered. As Roy nudged her, Felicity jumped. She looked at the others staring at her and her face fell. "I said that out loud, didn't I?"
Amanda quirked an eyebrow at her, but Felicity decided to make her point. "I haven't met them, but I have heard they both are quite difficult to work with."
A laugh escaped Amanda. "And are you saying Oliver isn't?"
Diggle hid a smile behind a cough, and Roy had to leave the table for a glass of water.
"Well, I for one sure hope we can change your minds about us, since we came all this way to help you."
To Team Arrow's amazement, two caped figures stepped out of the darkness.
AN: Hope you enjoyed Batman and Nightwing's introduction, and the rest of this chapter. Leave it to Amanda to take over things. With two big villains, reinforcements are needed. Especially with Oliver in the middle of the tug-of-war between the two. Hope you will return when I post the next chapter, and don't forget to leave me a review. Always encourages the Muse!
