Arsenal New Beginnings: Chapter 3: Enter Nightwing.
It's after 10 pm at night, the sky is clear. Not a cloud in the sky and the stars were out. It was the first night in Star City that the humid was nice. People could be seen walking the city. Back at the building, where Deathstroke had kidnapped Laurel, a standoff between the Green Vigilante and Deathstroke was playing out. In another part of the building, Laurel was making her way to the front entrance of the building.
She had wrapped his right arm around her shoulders and helped carry Arsenal. He was in and out of consciousness. Once at the door, she leaned him against the wall of the building. She walked up to the door and pulled the handle of the door, but it wouldn't budge. It was locked and there wasn't a key in sight and she looked back at Arsenal and could tell he needed help soon. Her ability was the key to having them escape the building. She opened her mouth and managed to make the door fall to the ground.
Laurel smiled as the door fell to the ground then ran back and grabbed Arsenal wrapping his left arms around her shoulder and carried him outside the building and signed. Roy had now passed out from the loss of blood. She noticed that he had passed out and stopped. His head was down, meaning that he must have either passed out or died. She checked his pulse it was weak. Out of breath and tired from carrying him and took a break from walking. She lightly tapped his face with her left hand and said, "Stay with me."
They were now standing outside the building. She wondered what their next move should be and started looking around the area for a car. Arsenal opened his eyes a little and turned his head to look at Laurel. "I'm awake. Don't Worry Laurel I'm awake. I'm just resting my eyes." Arsenal says as he passed out again. She signs and her facial expression changed to having a worried look on her face. "Dam it. Now what am I supposed to do?" Laurel says out loud, scared for her life.
She looked back in the direction of the building and thought about Green Arrow. She knew her priority was to Arsenal and needed to find him medical attention. Laurel began screaming for some help. The sounds of her voice was carried and heard by a group of 6 men who were patrolling outside. They looked at each other and began heading in the direction of where the voice had been coming from.
Once of the men in the group would be the one in charge of the group. Billy looked at them and said, "Converge on the voice and kill you ever is there. No witness understood."
Billy had ordered his men in a strict voice and they all nodded and followed Billy in the direction of the voice. Laurel could hear the sounds of cars in the distance and hear airplanes going over their head. She knew that if they didn't find help Arsenal would die or they would be back into enemy hands.
They immediately started closing in on her location. Diggle who was resting against the hood of his car turned his head in the direction of the screams for help. He would be the first to arrive. He looked at Laurel then at Arsenal. The blood dripped to the ground where she was standing. Arsenal fell to the ground as Laurel couldn't hold him up. He had passed out due to the loss of blood. She felt Arsenal crouching sideways as he fell to the ground. She had been looking in the direction and saw Diggle running toward towards her.
She wondered why Diggle was hanging around the building. Especially since the building was heavily guarded by hired men. Who had been hired by someone who remained in the shadows?
The unknown person must have had a valid reason behind her kidnapping and luring the Green Vigilante to the building. Who wanted her out of the way and why?
Deathstroke and the Green Vigilante were inside and were talking. They were getting ready to battle each other to the death. Diggle made it to where she had been standing and looked at Laurel and said, "Are you alright?"
Laurel looked at Diggle then back at Arsenal. She had a worried look on her face. They needed to get to the hospital soon or else Arsenal would die. Laurel bent down and then looked back at Diggle and said, "The Red vigilante needs some help. He saved my life."
"My car is around the corner." Diggle replied as he pointed with his left arm which direction the car was parked.
Diggle looked around and knew that it would be only a matter of time that security would be on them. He looked at the door that was on the ground and wondered how the door was taken off it's hinges.
He looked at Laurel then back at the door and thought it was impossible that Laurel who had been carrying Arsenal was able to make the door fall. She shrugged her shoulders at Diggle but knew exactly who was responsible for the door hitting the ground.
Diggle mumbled to himself and knew that now wasn't the best time or place to discuss the door with the sounds of men heading there way. He turned his attention back to Arsenal and bent down to grab Arsenal's feet and lifted that end, while Laurel picked up his head and they carried him off to Diggle's car. Once at his car, they place Arsenal's body gently on the ground. Laurel who had been the closest to Arsenal bent down and used her left hand to feel a pulse. He then placed his hands into his pocket and was searching for his car keys.
He found them and unlocked the doors of the car. He opened the back door of his car and looked back at Laurel and said, "How is he?"
She removed her hand from his neck and stood up and faced Diggle and said, "His pulse is weak but I feel it."
"We don't have much time then and sounds like we will have company soon." Diggle replied and walked towards Arsenal and picked him up by his arms and carried him to the car.
Laurel went on the opposite side of the car and went inside to help Diggle. He placed him head first and Laurel grabbed his head and helped pull him inside. He then closes the door and Laurel gets inside and lifted his head and rested it on her legs. She pulled his mask off and was surprise to see Roy Harper's face underneath the mask.
She realized who Arsenal was and turned her head to look at Diggle, who had entered the driver's side and turned to look at Laurel. He said, in a surprised tone, "I've seen this guy before. He came to the mansion looking for Oliver."
She looked at him and gave him a concerned look and said, "Arsenal is my neighbor Roy Harper. He needs our help."
"Don't think we can go to a hospital. They'll ask too many questions." Diggle replied.
She looked at him with a confused looked on her face and said, "Then where?"
Diggle thought for a few minutes and then turned to look at Laurel who was seating in the back seat with Roy and said, "I have a friend who works at a clinic. We can go there."
"How far is it from here?" Laurel asked looking out the window.
She was seating there and her thoughts were of the Green Vigilante and the fact that he could be Oliver. She needed to talk to him about this, but wondered would she get the chance to tell him how she feels about him and about her secret. The secret about what they had done to her. Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted when Deathstroke's men surrounded the car. The two of them watched as the men were surrounding the car. They looked mean and were very dangerous. Diggle with his experience with the military could easily stop the group.
He opened the door on the driver's side and put his left foot out first. He stopped and looked into the rearview mirror and said, "Stay..."
Nightwing followed the Green Vigilante to the building that was heard about on the tape. He processed to the building across the strike quietly and wasn't seen by anyone. He remained in the shadows and watched from the building across the street.
He didn't want to get noticed. While sitting on top of the roof the building he saw the Green Vigilante talking with a guy that he recognized. He used his mini-computer utility that was attacked to his arm and took a facial scan of the guy talking with the Green Vigilante.
It took a few minutes for the computer to come up with the name Diggle. He spoke to himself and said, "Hmm, according to the records found his name Diggle. He was a soldier, but is now employed by the Queens on security detail."
He pushed a few more buttons on the device to continue reading what was there. He was really impressed with Diggle's resume.
"That would mean the Green Vigilante is really Oliver Queen. Well isn't this a surprise. I used the skills Batman taught me and I Just figured out who the Green Vigilante really is." Nightwing replied to himself moving closer to the edge without being seen.
He bend down and watched making not to be Seen as the Green Vigilante headed to the roof of the building meeting up with a guy who was also in a hood, but this hood was red. The only issue Nightwing had was to get a clear picture on his face.
He watched as they went their separate ways and entered the building. He saw the red hooded guy going through the skylight and was impressed with him. "The kid has a lot of guts but needs more training."
Half an hour into their rescue he watched as Diggle made his way back to the front of the building to where Laurel that had been kidnapped had been staying they were inside the car when some men were surrounding the car. But before he could finish his sentence a guy in a suit appeared.
"Well that's not far the party has started without me. Better make an appearance."Nightwing jumped off the building landing across the street not far from the car as he land his feet were first to land. He was bent down and looked up at the people surrounding the car and he said, "What do we have here? Don't you boys have something better to do?"
Billy looked at his men and said, "Don't just stand there get him."
"Aww I'm so honored by this attention." Nightwing replied pulling out his grappling hook and pulled Billy towards him and punching him in the face as he was flung towards him. He strikes Billy hard with his hands. The punch was really hard and it knocked Billy unconscious.
The rest of the men that had been standing there look at each other and are shocked at what happened and begin rushing him. Laurel and Diggle watched as the guy fought the group. He had in his hands two Eskrima Sticks.
Using the Eskrima Sticks he was able to take them down with ease. You could see them hit the ground after each blow from the Eskrima Sticks. Diggle and Laurel could tell this guy had experience dealing with this type of situation. He didn't need any help. Diggle noticed that the two remaining guys were sneaking behind the guy in the suit. Diggle was about to warn the guy when the guy in the suit saw the two guys sneaking behind him and power kicked tone guy knocking him flying to the ground. He then turned his attention to the last guy and flipped him to the ground punching him in the face, knocking him out.
The bodies of the 6 men laid there motionless. Diggle got out and tapped the guy on the shoulder. The guy in the suit turned and almost hit Diggle in the face with the Eskrima Sticks. Diggle pulled back and said, "Whoa easy there fella."
The guy in the suit placed the Eskrima Sticks in the pockets made for then on his legs and looked at Diggle and said, "You must be Diggle."
Diggle was in shock by what the guy in the suit had just said. He looked back with a confused look on his face and said, "You seem to know my name, yet we've never met. Who are you?"
"The name's Nightwing and I'm from Gotham City. Night Wing replied.
"It still doesn't explain how you know who I am. What reason do you have to be in Star City?" Diggle asked.
Diggle wondered why Nightwing was here and decided he would ask the question that was on both his and Laurel's mind. She got out of the car and places Roy's head gently on the car seat. She then closed the door of the car and ran towards where Diggle and Nightwing stood to join the conversation.
"The reason I'm in Star city is to find a criminal known as the Joker. He's a wanted criminal in Gotham city. The evidence that was left in Gotham had leaded me and Batman to Star City. While on my patrol in the city I noticed the Green Vigilante and followed him here. I then noticed you were here and stayed in the shadows. I ran your face through the system and found out about you. I figure something out about your friend the Green Vigilante really is?" Night wing replied looking at both Diggle and Laurel who had just joined them.
Diggle scratched his head and plays coy with Nightwing and said, "You know something about him. I have no idea what you're referring too."
"Don't play coy with me Diggle I can keep a secret." Nightwing replied.
She looked at both Diggle and nightwing and said, "Would you like to tell me what secret Diggle is keeping?"
"I'm sorry shouldn't have mentioned it here." Nightwing apologized to Diggle.
"Don't worry about it it's totally fine." Diggle replied looking back at Nightwing.
"I'm sure whatever this secret is I'll learn if it when he's ready. Now where were we... You mentioned the Joker and that he is here in Star City? I've heard that name on the news. You think he's here in Star city?"
"I don't think, Laurel I know. I tracked him down from Gotham city." Nightwing replied.
"According to the news you used to be with Batman until you decided to go solo. Is that true? Laurel asked.
Both Diggle and Nightwing were surprised about how much was known about Nightwing. He heard her question and turned his attention to Laurel and said, "I'm amazed on how you would remember that I work solo considering this is the first time we've met."
"It wasn't hard to figure out that you work solo considering that you only went solo a month ago. The news also recently did a story on you and they mentioned that you were once Batman's partner." Laurel replied looking at Nightwing.
"How do you plan on finding the Joker?" Diggle asked.
"By any means and bring him to justice." Nightwing replied.
She looked at her watch then back at the car and said, "Diggle we better get going if we're going to save Roy."
Diggle nodded and shakes Night Wing's hand and then headed to the driver's seat and gets in. Laurel gets back to the back seat and held Roy's head on her legs. Nightwing came over and knocked on the window. Diggle rolled the window down and said, "Yes!"
"Don't worry about your friend the Green vigilante. I'm going to give him a hand. Go help your friend, and tell your friend we'll see each other soon."
Nightwing disappeared as he appeared. No one saw what direction he took. Diggle started the car and headed to the clinic. It took them a few minutes to get there once there they managed to get Roy out of the car and headed inside the clinic.
They were met by a female doctor and she said, "Diggle what's going on?"
Diggle placed Roy on a gurney and looked at the doctor and said, "Christina he's a friend who was stabbed and is dying."
In a loud voice she shouted to the nurses and said, "Get this man in exam room 2 for surgery stat."
The nurse who was on duty wheeled Roy into the operating room and Christina would be the last person to follow them into the operating room. She would be the one that would be preforming his surgery and will try and save Roy's life.
Laurel and Diggle waited in the waiting room for news. Three hours later, Christina came out of the room and spotted Diggle and walked up to him. She see's that Laurel is still with him.
Laurel would be the first ask about Roy. She looked at Christina and said, "How did the surgery go?"
"It was touch and go but he made it through. You have a strong willed friend." Christina replied looking at Both Laurel and Diggle.
Laurel decided to call her father. She left the room and headed outside to talk to her dad. She dialed her father's cell number on her cell phone. The phone rings three times, her father picked up the line. She could hear his voice on the other end. Laurel could tell from the sound of his voice that he was relieved to hear the sounds of her voice. They talked for a few minutes then she hangs up her cell phone and headed back inside. Meanwhile back at the warehouse Oliver faced each other. Nightwing stood across and watched as the two of them faced each other.
"It's funny Oliver that things had to end like this." Deathstoke replied while holding the trigger in his left hand and blow them to kingdom come.
Oliver was really annoyed at Deathstoke and was getting ready to charge him. He looked back at him and knew that the only course of action was to get that trigger away from him. Oliver was thinking of a way to get the trigger out of his hand. He listened to what Deathstroke had been saying when suddenly a batarang came flying through the window and hit death stoke in the left hand knocking the trigger to the ground. Deathstroke screamed in pain as the batarang had hurt his hand and trigger to fall to the ground. It landed flat so it didn't start the timer.
Oliver saw his opening and took it. He rushed him and used the bamboo stick and hit him in the legs making him lose his balance. He then hit him with the bamboo stick in his face flipping him to the table that was there and breaking it. Oliver walked up to him and punched him in the face a few times. The only response out of Deathstroke was laughter. He faced Oliver and said, "Is that all you got Oliver. Pity... But I guess you won't want to hear what I have to say before we die."
"I'm not like you Slade and I never will. What secret are you talking about?" Oliver replied moving away from Deathstroke and bent down to pick his bow up from the ground and noticed Deathstroke crawling to the trigger and pressing the button. He turned his body to face Oliver and said, "The secret is that your Girlfriend Sarah is alive."
"You're lying." Oliver shouted in anger.
Deathstroke smiled and chuckled then said, "In time you'll learn the truth and in doing so you're be given a choice. I Hope you make the right choice Oliver."
He pressed the trigger on the bomb and the timer began to count down to zero. DeathStroke closed his eyes and waited for death to take him. Oliver saw that the timer had been started and turned around to face the big window facing him. Oliver ran towards the window and jumped through the glass shattered as he hit the ground landing on his feet. He then made a run for it as the building he had been in exploded in front of his eyes.
There was no way that Deathstroke survived the explosion. Nightwing used his Grappling hook and disappeared in the shadows and continued his search for the Joker. Oliver heard police sirens heading there way. He spotted a bike and noticed the keys were still in the ignition and started the engine and took off.
The next morning, Roy awake but was in lot of pain from the surgery and noticed Laurel had spent the night. The nurse had just finished giving Roy a needle. Roy closed his eyes to was too help him get some rest. The door to his room opened and Laurel stood there and the nurse turned to look. The nurse gave Laurel a smile and said, "I'm all done here, don't be long. He needs his rest."
Laurel nodded and went to sit in a chair next to his bed. She pulled the chair next to him and looked at him. He heard the noise of the chair being moved and opened his eyes to see Laurel sitting on the chair next to him. She looked back, giving him a smile and said, "Roy you're awake. Am I glad you're feeling better?"
"So am I Laurel. But I can't afford this." Roy replied with a worried look on his face.
"Don't worry about it. Oliver paid for the operation. It was his way of paying you back for saving my life." Laurel replied.
Roy pressed the button on his bed to have his head and pillow go up, so he could see Laurel better and said, "I promise to pay him every cent back."
The door opened and Oliver walked in and said, "There's no rush, just get healed first then we will talk.
Laurel looked at Oliver and said, "Oliver care to join me to get some coffee. I think we need to talk."
Oliver nodded and held the door as Laurel walked through and he followed her to the coffee shop. Roy pushed a button on the bed, making his bed move. Making his bed go back down, making Roy's body straight. The medication was starting to kick in. Earlier the nurse had put something to help him sleep for a few hours.
She had given him a needle right before Laurel had come into his room. He closed his eyes and was slowly falling as sleep. There went many patients in this clinic. There were only 10 patients in this clinic in total. It was more of a private hospital. Roy stood there lying in his bed deep in thought. His arms were under his head. He decided he would push the button to raise the head part of the bed up so he could watch tv. He wanted to hear the news.
The head part of the bed was up and set into position so he could watch tv. The tv was turned on and he looked directly at it. He watched and listened to what the reporter had been saying.
An unknown woman sneaks into his room. She was a skill assassin and walked quietly to the bed and leaned in and kissed Roy passionately. She then slapped him in the face. Roy hadn't noticed her coming in, but felt the slap. He was looking in the direction of the person who had slapped and saw Jade Nguyen better known as Cheshire is standing in front of him. In her right hand she held a knife.
Roy looked at Jade and in a shocked tone said, "Jade. What are you doing here? How did you find me?"
"It wasn't easy, but I did. Why did you run?" Jade asked.
Roy looked at Jade and in a frustrated tone said, "I needed to stay away."
Jade got on top of Roy's bed and pointed the knife at his face and in an angry tone said, "You needed to stay away why? Don't give me that bullshit that you were doing it for us. When are you going to take responsibility for your actions?"
He signed and tears fell from his cheek ask he looked at her and said, "You're right. I'm sorry I shouldn't have left. I'd like to make it up to you both if it's not too late."
She could see by his apology that he was sincere and pulled the knife away from his face. She kissed him and said, "I love you Roy.
"I love you too" Roy replied as he kissed her back. Their lips locked for more than 2 seconds.
She then got off the bed and turned was about to leave then looked at him and said, "I won't kill you. I was hired to but I won't. I love you too much and I'd like you to meet our daughter Lian. I'll be in touch with the when and where."
She walked out making sure no nurse was around and disappeared as she came. Not before placing a photo of her and Lian. She left the photo by his right arm.
The nurse came into his room 20 minutes later to see how he was doing. The nurse handed him some water and he drank some. He then thanked the nurse and just sat there thinking about Jade and Lian. Roy picked up the photo that was placed there and picked it up to look at it.
There was a knock at his door, a man Roy didn't recognize was standing at the doorway. Roy placed the photo to the table beside him and turned to look at him and wondered who he was. "Yes. May I help you?" Roy asked.
"Hello Mr. Harper. My name's Dick Grayson and I was sent here by Bruce Wayne." Dick replied closing the door.
Roy scratched his head, looking back at Dick and said, "Bruce Wayne sent you. I find that hard to believe?"
"Well then let's just say, I recognize skill when I see it. Should I call you Arsenal or Roy?" Dick whispered in a low tone so that no one could here.
Roy sat in his bed and was surprised by Dick's response in revealing who he was. He grabbed him by the arm and in an agitated tone said, "How do you know who I am. Answer me."
"I'm sorry I can't answer your question. There are too many people around." Dick replied.
"Then I'm assuming you have a secret identity." Roy asked.
"That's correct Mr. Harper." Dick says as he heard the door open.
He turned to see Diggle standing there. Diggle looked at the guy standing near his bed side and said, "You're Dick Grayson. I've seen you with Bruce Wayne on TV."
"Yes that's correct and you are?" Dick asked putting his hand out to Diggle.
Diggle and Dick shake hands and Diggle says "The name's Diggle. What brings you to Star City?"
"I'm here on Business." Dick replied looking at his watch. "But I'm late for a business meeting. I'll talk to you later Roy."
Dick walked towards the door and headed out. He walked towards the front entrance and headed out. He got into his car and drove off. Diggle looked at Roy and wondered what Dick Grayson was doing here. "What was Dick Grayson doing here and what did he want?" Diggle asked.
"I'm not entirely sure what he wanted Diggle? But I'm sure in time we'll know. Roy replied looking back at Diggle.
Diggle was deep in thought were moving as he was thinking about Dick Grayson being in Roy's room. He wanted to ask Roy about their conversation but knew if it was important he'd tell them.
He saw a photo on the table next to Roy's bed and says "Is that your daughter?"
Roy turned his head looking in the direction of the photo and said, "Yes that's my daughter Lian."
"When was the last time you saw Lian?" Diggle asked.
"The last time I saw Lian was the day she was born and I told Jade I had to leave." Roy replied.
Roy wasn't proud at what happened between him and Jade but knew that now was a good time as any to fix their relationship. He loved them both very much.