Chapter 14 FLASHPOINT: Team Arrow Part 2
AN – I hope you've enjoyed this AU view of Team Arrow (I had a lot of fun writing it)! After this chapter, we'll return to the real Team Arrow for the final 2 parts next week!
*Please see Chapter 2 for SPOILER ALERT and DISCLAIMER!*
/
After she disconnected, Felicity again met Oliver's eyes. "Now go out and be heroes."
The group departed to follow Felicity's directions. She had traced Lillian Worth's transmission and pinpointed her location. The plan was for Oliver to appear as the distraction while the others surrounded the warehouse. They hoped to keep the blood shed to a minimum but their primary goal was to protect the city from Lillian and her daughter.
Oliver again found using his training in the real world to be very different. He was grateful for Richard's somewhat brutal training style though as he fired two arrows and scaled the outside wall. It had been Roy who had suggested the dramatic entrance of crashing through the large windows. Pausing to take a deep breath, Oliver heard Felicity in his ear.
"She's starting the next broadcast. Take her down Team Arrow!"
/
Lillian Worth smiled proudly for the camera. "The Arrow and Black Canary will no longer wreak havoc in our city—"
"Your sources seem unreliable." Oliver winced slightly at the computer modulated voice but continued. "You are the one wreaking havoc but we're going to stop you."
At his words, Arsenal tapped a button on his waist. The T-spheres immediately fired and created the illusion that Worth was surrounded. The soldiers rushed to respond as Lillian screamed her fury. One soldier in a black and orange appeared next to Lillian and drew her swords.
Team Arrow exploded into action. Adrenaline replaced fear, determination replaced doubt. They had no choice but to fight, no choice but to win. With Oliver surrounded, Thea and Roy utilized arrows to eliminate the closest threats. Barry sped up to surround one group of masked men who floundered inside the ring of fire and wind. Diggle made his way to Oliver and exchanged his gun for hand-to-hand combat in the close quarters.
Oliver sprinted several steps forward before sliding under one attacker's sword. When the man turned to follow, Diggle stopped him from behind. With his own back exposed, Diggle didn't even hear the slice of the arrow from Thea's bow which took down the soldier. Using his bow like a staff, Oliver then disarmed one masked man and turned him to receive an arrow from Roy. They continued to work together not just to take down the villains but to protect one another.
Bullets, arrows, hands, and feet. Different choices for each but those were only tools. It was the humans wielding them that were the true weapons. Thrust into a new and dangerous arena, they became something different, they became heroes. Individually, they wouldn't have stood a chance but together they were strong. Together, they were Team Arrow.
Felicity would have found the chaos a beautiful dance if it hadn't been so deadly. Shaking her head at the myriad of thoughts exciting and scaring her, she ignored the vicious sounds of the battle and her own fears. She focused entirely on doing her part to protect and eliminate by directing one of the spheres to target Lillian and her daughter. Firing, she was shocked to see the Ravager turn and block the attack with her sword. She then removed something from her suit and threw it. Felicity's screen for that T-sphere went black. When she turned to another one she saw Ravager move to destroy it too. Unwilling to lose all eyes on the action, Felicity sent them all to attack at once. She needed to do her part to make the plan work.
Chaos reigned and time shifted and splintered as the battle raged – moments felt like hours, minutes like seconds. The stench of gun powder, blood, and sweat coated skin and filled nostrils. The crunch of metal on bone was interrupted by groans of pain and grunts of determination. Hearts raced and breaths came fast and hard.
"Overwatch – pull back."
Seizing his opening as the masked woman by Lillian turned toward the retreating spheres, Oliver gave a shout to Diggle and started his sprint across the room. With a strike, slide, and flip, Oliver reached the two women. He blocked the downward arc of the Ravager's sword when she turned to him and slammed the needle into her thigh. Leaping to his feet, he injected Lillian Worth with the second tranquilizing counteragent.
"Now Overwatch!" Diggle defended Oliver's back while he gave the command.
At Diggle's words, all pulled masks over their faces. Red fumes flowed from the T-spheres as the counteragent and tranquilizer filled the room. After only a few moments, the villains staggered before falling. As the room quieted, Team Arrow moved together next to Oliver – bows and guns still at the ready.
"I can't believe that worked." Thea shrugged when the others turned to look at her. "I'm thrilled but I am surprised, I mean, come on."
"I've confirmed with Oracle and ARGUS. You should have support soon to transport them." Felicity updated while she continued to work on communicating with all parties.
"Where are they transporting them?" Diggle realized they had focused on the take-down, not the aftermath. Knowing Lyla as he did, he guessed the transportation wasn't to the SCPD.
Felicity paused but then realized the time for lies had passed. They had risked their lives and deserved the truth. "There's a facility on an island, Lian Yu. It's in the North China Sea and very secure."
Roy didn't try to stop Felicity's words. He simply watched the others exchange looks of surprise. Initiation into the JLA was rarely smooth or easy so he understood their position. When Thea met his eyes, he gave her a smile and nod of reassurance. She and her brother had held up well for their first mission. A part of him hoped it wasn't the last one he shared with them but a part of him also worried about Thea's safety if she joined the JLA.
The Team stayed ready for several more minutes until Lyla appeared with ARGUS men and transport vehicles. She was authoritative and distant until Team Arrow prepared to leave.
"Johnny?"
Diggle paused after he waved Oliver and the others on. Turning he found, Lyla staring at him intently. "You could have warned me about the trial by fire."
"I didn't know this was going to happen. We weren't ready…obviously. It looks like you did what you do best though and fought the good fight." Lyla had always been proud of him even if he also frustrated her. She knew a part of her would never stop loving him.
"Yeah, the good fight." Diggle realized it did feel like that. There was still a lot of gray in his world but it had felt right to fight next to the Green Arrow and Overwatch. Team Arrow just might be the fit he had been looking for and his consultant position would provide a good cover for the work.
"Are you staying?" Lyla knew it was a loaded question but she didn't clarify it.
Diggle's eyes strayed to Oliver and Team Arrow who were waiting near the door. Going with his gut instinct, he gave Lyla his answer. "I think I am." He then turned to meet her eyes as he continued. "Maybe we could get together and talk sometime. Get caught up?"
Surprised, Lyla could only nod her agreement. She turned away quickly and forced her thoughts back to work.
Moving to rejoin the others, he kept his thoughts to himself. There was no guarantee Oliver would continue along this path. Felicity already belonged to the JLA and probably wasn't looking for a new start as he was. Still though, he thought there might be a future for him in Starling City after all.
Back at headquarters, Felicity's eyes flew over them noting the limps, bruises, and the happy smiles. She was familiar with the rush of a mission and felt her own heart pounding. It had felt different this time with these people. Things were certainly changing and maybe it was time for it, maybe she could—
"Earth to Felicity or do you only answer to Overwatch?" Oliver teased. She had been looking at him but her expression was a thousand miles away. He found he wanted to know her thoughts. As she was a genius, who could be a better partner to discuss his future with than Felicity? For the first time since he had lost everything, Oliver felt like he a future. He felt like he had found something important again.
Blushing, Felicity smiled as she replied. "I'm here. You were amazing, a hero, really." Suddenly realizing she was close enough to touch him, she also realized everyone was staring. More words tumbled from her mouth as she again focused on Oliver.
"You were all amazing. The JLA couldn't have done it any better. You look great, I mean you looked great out there…fighting. Not great like pretty but, well, you are gorgeous, I meant you fought well. You all fought well, really, and—"
Unable to resist, Oliver was smiling as he pulled her in for a quick, hard kiss before stepping back. Felicity surprised him by moving with him and pressing a much softer, sweeter kiss to his mouth in return. Roy spoke before either could continue.
"That's one way to stop a ramble and Lesson #1 – Felicity does like to ramble. It seems to have gotten worse lately too. There are other Lessons but we'll discuss those later." Roy resisted the urge to look at Oliver even though he felt the man was responsible for the change in Felicity. He was just glad to see his friend happy.
"I kinda feel great, Felicity. Thank you!" Thea wanted to roll her eyes but felt for the blushing blonde her brother still hadn't taken his eyes off of since they had returned. It was easier to ignore the couple and concentrate instead on a different kind of action. The battle still replayed in her mind and she felt like she was soaring. She smiled at Roy and moved closer to him.
Diggle was more familiar with the rush than Oliver and Thea. Having seen the chemistry between Oliver and Felicity, he didn't believe that thrill was responsible for their kiss. Regardless, it was more logical to focus on practical matters even though his thoughts jumped to Lyla. "It's the adrenaline rush. You're riding high now but you'll crash later. You'll also feel the injuries more so we need to treat them now."
Barry was amused by the interactions which again felt so natural to him but also so very different. He gave a soft sigh and spoke up. "I hate to break up the party but I need to run…literally."
All eyes turned to him in surprise but it was Oliver who spoke. "Thank you for your help. I wish we could return the favor."
Felicity added more to the sentiment. "You found us, Barry. We're here if you need us."
"I think you may have helped me." Barry wasn't sure if his new plan would work but he hoped when he saw Team Arrow again, it would be different than this time.
Farewells were exchanged and then Barry moved toward the door. Giving the group of heroes a final look, he closed the door behind him. It wasn't a bad life and they were all together but he still wanted to set things right.
