Chapter 13 – Armageddon
AN – I have no words to express how much I appreciate all of your support! This was a monumental task for me both in the scope of the plot lines/ development and in the shortened time frame (yes, all self-imposed but still there)! I couldn't have, wouldn't have done this without all your reviews, PMs, faves and follows! THANK YOU! Mic, thank you for your assistance as everything I write is better with your input!
DISCLAIMER – Just as when we started, I have no claim on CW's Arrow but I continue to love to play!
"I have the name of the middleman carrying out Slade orders…" Felicity pointed to the screen and read the name aloud as they turned to the screen, "Sebastian Blood."
Sebastian Blood connected many of the puzzle pieces and allowed the Team to see the bigger picture and even start planning their own offensive. They were all energized and hopeful with the possibilities now so despite the lack of sleep, despite Felicity's injuries, despite everything, they pulled even closer together and continued to work even harder.
Felicity tweaked her searches and now had sufficient details to put away both Isabel Rochev and Sebastian Blood. She created files with the evidence and planned to release them to both the authorities and the QC Executive Board. As they had already destroyed the Mirakuru samples and the QC network crash eliminated all files relating to the serum that was another issue off the table. Unfortunately there was one issue they still had to conquer – Slade Wilson himself. He was definitely the deadliest threat.
"Felicity, aren't you tracking Roy—" Diggle started to ask as he continued to prepare weapons for the attack they all hoped they would be able to execute soon.
"Yep, but the signal keeps disappearing – he's off the grid right now. I don't know what the problem is or how reliable the data is." Felicity grumbled as she was annoyed that this one piece remained. Only Slade stood between them and all their future possibilities.
"Bring up the data." Oliver made that request as he put away the arrows he was sharpening to stand behind her. He put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed to show his support.
Diggle also moved to join them as Felicity brought up the map and he made the connection immediately. "It's a perimeter – Roy is trying to show us the perimeter."
Felicity turned to him but before she could voice her confusion Oliver spoke.
"Slade is blocking the signal to hide their location but it can only block within a small radius. Connect the dots Felicity." Oliver grinned at her and Felicity quickly complied once she realized he was speaking literally and wanted her to connect each last transmission location.
"It's still a 10 block area in a well-populated area, a lot of abandoned buildings too. It's too big of a search area." Diggle had hoped for a smaller search area as they needed to move fast. He tried not to think about how much time they had left before Slade attacked again.
"We'll have to search anyway and as quickly as we can. We have to hope we will be fast enough." Oliver too was concerned as he knew Slade had figured out they were responsible for QC and he would want to attack before they could.
The men exchanged a look as they recognized the plan as the suicide mission it was. There were too many variables, too many challenges in attacking an adversary in his own home. That type of offensive move required time to plan much less execute but time was not something that they had right now. Both men nodded as they accepted this was their only choice.
"Nope, you don't need to search because you have me!" Felicity announced triumphantly and brought up a picture of the Starling City Theater. "It was shut down years ago but last year it was purchased by one Sebastian Blood."
Both Diggle and Oliver stared in surprise for a moment before all three exchanged smiles. This truly was the last puzzle piece and with it in place they had a fighting chance. Now the Team could set-up all the dominoes to fall in a precise and fast pace which would culminate with a final showdown with Slade. As the feeling of euphoria wore off though they realized that this meant they fought and they fought now.
"Tonight?" Diggle spoke first.
"Tonight." Oliver confirmed with a nod to the man before he locked eyes with Felicity. "Felicity, pull up—"
"Floor plans, building data, yep, I know the drill. You guys get back to the weaponry and I'll handle the intel!" Felicity smiled as she replied then she turned and started back to work.
Oliver and Diggle moved back to the weapons even as Oliver texted a message to Sara asking her to come to the lair. Felicity had pulled the intel quickly and the men analyzed and planned as she continued to set the dominoes up to fall in the precise order they wanted. When they attacked Slade they would also release the intel to take out Sebastian Blood and Isabel Rochev.
Felicity had secretly put another domino in place herself. She hadn't told the guys but she had stored all of the bank account information she had linked to Slade and his minions. All of the accounts would be wiped out with the funds eventually finding their way to deserving charities. Felicity knew they had to win but if they didn't then she considered this her own personal revenge against Slade for hurting her family.
As darkness came Sara arrived at the lair to join the Team for the final preparations. She walked into an argument between Oliver and Felicity. The two were standing toe to toe with Diggle a few feet away watching.
"I can help more if I stay here!" Felicity spoke in her loud voice.
"No, they know this location – it isn't secure Felicity. You need to go to the Mansion and stay with Thea." Oliver knew his argument was an emotional one but he couldn't stand the thought of Felicity in danger again.
"Time out – I have a compromise!" Sara raised her own voice but no one moved. Diggle smiled but neither Felicity nor Oliver reacted.
"By all means, Sara." Diggle encouraged.
"I have a new van outside – we can rig it for Felicity's computers so she can provide assistance but from an unknown location." Sara was pleased when Diggle immediately nodded his support even though Oliver and Felicity continued to stare at one another.
"Oliver, Felicity – it makes sense. We have everyone onboard and as protected as possible. Felicity, if things go wrong, you drive away immediately." Diggle voiced his support as the silence lengthened.
Felicity turned to glare at Diggle now. "You want me to abandon you? Would you do that?"
"Yes." Oliver ground out the one word – his priorities were different now and he had to know she would have a future even if he wasn't there with her.
Felicity met his eyes and the torment she saw there weakened her resolve. She knew they needed to be focused to defeat Slade and she knew Oliver needed her to be safe to focus.
"Okay – I'm in the van so I can help and I promise I will leave if things go wrong." Felicity kept the promise vague as her definition of 'wrong' would be very different than Oliver's or even Diggle's.
"Okay." Oliver was still riding the emotions that always seemed so much stronger when directed toward Felicity. He had always known that but only now could he accept it. He didn't notice when Diggle raised a brow and Felicity met his look with one of her own.
"Okay then." Sara was glad that particular battle was over. They would need every advantage they had to defeat Slade and both Oliver and Felicity were advantages for the Team.
The four sat down and reviewed their plans before they made their final preparations. Diggle and Sara worked on the explosives as they had all agreed to estimate high for the number of Mirakuru enhanced soldiers Slade would command. They knew they needed to control the blasts though so the work was precise and tedious. Oliver had continued to gather his bow and arrows as well as their personal weapons choices for hand-to-hand combat. Felicity put the finishing touches on the computer program she had named Armageddon as she fully intended it to eliminate the evil even if their attack failed. All the pieces in place and under the cover of darkness the Team suited up and moved out to face Slade.
Felicity was safely tucked away in the van several blocks from the theater and each of the others moved forward to lay the explosives at the exits. They knew they were outnumbered so they needed to be able to eliminate their adversaries en masse and be able to do so remotely as well. Sara had walked Felicity through detonating the devices if it came to that.
The three regrouped so they could move in together at the same time some of the explosives were detonated. Diggle and Sara stopped when Oliver did and they saw him close his eyes before he spoke.
"Felicity?"
"I'm here." Felicity had both hoped and feared he would speak to her before they entered the theater. She knew she shouldn't voice her feelings now, had decided that wouldn't be logical as Oliver needed to focus on the mission and she wouldn't be the reason he couldn't. "I love you Oliver."
Oliver opened his eyes in surprise and smiled as the words seemed to touch his very heart. He already had a reason to fight but hearing Felicity's declaration gave him additional strength. Oliver knew he shouldn't voice his own feelings now, if this went badly he didn't want to become a ghost haunting her, holding her back from her own life. "I love you Felicity."
After those three little words were said, returned, and then ignored, Oliver gave the signal to move. The explosions brought the chaos they needed and Oliver, Diggle, and Sara entered the building together and moved quickly toward the interior where they thought Slade would be. They were able to move past the first soldiers they met as they were surprised and not wearing the protective masks. Oliver aimed for their eyes and fired off arrows at a rapid pace as they made their way through the building.
As they pushed through the doors to the stage area they met more soldiers than they had estimated. Sara and Diggle both switched to smaller grade explosives as Oliver continued to rain arrows down on Slade's men. They had yet to see Slade or Roy when the fighting became hand-to-hand combat. It was fierce and brutal as each Team Arrow member sustained injuries but suddenly the soldiers pulled back. As the Team moved toward one another they realized they were not just outnumbered but also surrounded. They exchanged looks but before they could take a final stand they heard Slade's voice.
"Not bad, kid, but when are you going to realize I'm always two steps ahead of you?"
The Team looked up and saw Slade in the side balcony and as he waved his hand, Roy pushed through the door pulling Thea and Sin inside. The women were bound and gagged but both were surprisingly calm. Roy moved in front of Slade who pushed them down on their knees as he waved a gun toward them nonchalantly.
"So will the Arrow rescue his own family or an innocent citizen of the city he is trying to save?" Slade laughed after asking that question.
"Slade!" Oliver yelled in anger. He paused as he truly had no way to reach him that he hadn't tried except one. "I begged for Thea's life once and I am doing so again. Just kill me – let them all go and let this end now." Oliver pushed back his hood and moved to kneel in a position of submission.
Slade was silent as if he was considering Oliver's offer but then he laughed. With another flick of his wrist Roy moved back out through the door and then returned – this time with Felicity beside him. Oliver rose to his feet and moved forward but the army of soldiers surrounding them closed in tighter preventing his progress.
"You don't deserve any leniency, kid. The people in your life, except Harper here, just seem to keep forgiving you for what you do but I have to wonder if they can forgive themselves as easily. Have you told her what it feels like to become a murderer? Have you told her what you feel when you watch the life slowly leave your victim's eyes? Have you told her that when you let the darkness in it never leaves?" Slade no longer looked at Oliver but instead was staring at Felicity.
"Slade!" Oliver growled his name but his eyes were locked on Felicity's face. He could see both her fear and her determination and it was the determination that scared him. He couldn't even consider what sacrifice she would be willing to make for the others, for him.
"No, Oliver! This is your precious Felicity's choice. So who lives and who dies Ms. Smoak? Thea – sister to the Arrow, privileged youth, daughter of Moira and Malcolm who wrought such destruction for Starling City. Sin – innocent bystander, resident of the Glades, friend to your own ex-partner Roy. Either you choose or they both die." Slade kept the gun on the two kneeling women but he continued to stare at Felicity.
"I won't choose – kill me instead." Felicity stood proudly and spoke calmly even though her voice wavered.
"Noooo!" It was Oliver who yelled that denial. "Slade!"
Slade remained focused and even brought the gun toward Felicity. He continued to stand silently with his head cocked to the side as if he was listening then he spoke.
"That wasn't an option Ms. Smoak." Slade moved the gun back and forth between Thea and Sin. "Say your good bye to…young Miss Thea." Before Slade could line up the shot an arrow sliced through the air and pinned his hand to the wall behind him.
It was a black arrow. All then turned toward the other side of the theater - on the balcony stood the Dark Archer.
Slade had starting laughing as he moved to pull his hand off the arrow but he paused though when he saw Roy had picked up the gun and was pointing it at him. Before Roy could fire or Slade could move though a green arrow was embedded in his heart. A second green arrow pierced his eye. Then all hell broke loose as Slade's soldiers moved to fight even without a leader. Black arrows mixed with green as Oliver, Diggle, and Sara tried to fight their way through the circle of soldiers.
No one was surprised when Roy jumped from the balcony to join the fray to help Team Arrow. With both Roy and the Dark Archer on their side Team Arrow was victorious – it was a surprisingly quick but ferocious battle. Before the last body had fallen both Oliver and Roy climbed up to the balcony. Both Sara and Diggle turned to the Dark Archer but the balcony was now empty.
Roy dropped to his knees in front of Thea and apologized to her as he freed her from the gag and bindings. As soon as her arms were free she threw them around Roy and kissed him – quick and hard. They grinned in relief and turned to free Sin when she kicked out and grumbled behind her gag. Thea fell upon her too, giddy they were all okay and all had survived. She couldn't think about the fact that she owed that to her father– she just wanted to focus on those people around her.
Oliver had immediately pulled Felicity into a tight hug that hurt her cracked ribs but that she returned whole heartedly. He eased away to put his hands on either side of her face and kiss her. Despite the tension of the situation the kiss was tender and sweet. As they slowly parted Felicity smiled and whispered.
"That was our third kiss."
AN2 – I stole the idea of Dark Archer rescuing Thea from a fellow fanfic writer, P.J. Brown, but he did give me permission to use it! :) Thank you P.J.!
AN3 – I do have an Epilogue planned to wrap up the loose ends and bring a little more resolution! It should be up tomorrow which again meets my self-imposed deadlines! :)
