Chapter Five:
Slade had gone through all the information in his head. The Demon had basically tried to steal his psychotic Mirakiru plan. To isolate Oliver before striking. And to be honest it was a good plan. But it wouldn't work if his support team stayed loyal. And he still had Felicity, Roy, Diggle, Sara and Laurel. Thea and Malcolm needed some convincing. Slade mentally added sparring with the man so he could lay in a few 'innocent' punches to his to do list. Or just punching him outright, it would depend on the mood he's in on the day. But Oliver had lost Walter when Moira had died, which he knew was his fault, and he had lost Lance and most importantly he had lost the support of his city.
Well first thing to do was to get Walter in on the secret. The team needed the high-end support that would come with being a business man, and someone who had more knowledge of how the city was currently working.
"I'm going out kid. I promise to be careful." Oliver still looked at his worriedly but didn't say anything as Slade left the Foundry.
Slade quickly made it to Walter's house. Luckily the man hadn't moved since he had last been in Starling. He quietly entered through the balcony window and crept towards Walter who was asleep in his bed. He shoved a hand over Walter's mouth to muffle any noise and also served the purpose of waking Walter up. Walter started struggling once he saw it was Slade that was holding his down and muffling his screams.
"I need to talk. Just talk. You are the kid's family and you deserve to know the truth. He needs his family, he needs your support. Now more than ever. Will you at least listen? I'm not armed, I'm just here to talk."
Slade didn't move his hand until Walter nodded. And so Slade moved back and sat at the end of the bed and began talking. He briefly mentioned his own past, and then recounted how Oliver's boat had gone down. How he had seen it that night, from a cave in one of the mountains. The explosion. And that he had had enough training to recognize the use of explosives when he saw it. He told Walter his suspicions, something he had never told Oliver, because he knew what that knowledge would of done to him. He told him how he saw the life raft floating out at sea. How no rescue boats or planes came. How the first few days were for Oliver and then their time together on the island. He struggled through telling him about the Mirakiru and how in his revenge plan he had kept tabs on Oliver during the rest of his five years away. Another thing he hadn't told Oliver. He knew he had to tell him eventually, but he didn't want to chance losing him again. He told Walter about Oliver becoming the vigilante and all the good the kid had done. And finally what had happened with the League. And how badly Oliver needed support and help right now.
Walter sat through the whole talk silently. Absorbing everything Slade said. And he had already come to a decision before Slade had even gotten to Oliver's second year away. He was going to help him. He hadn't been very involved with Oliver when he had returned. He thought giving him space would have been a good idea. But he now saw that space was the last thing Oliver needed.
"I'll be there tomorrow."
Slade nodded satisfied. He held out his hand, and Walter shook it. Slade rose and walked out the balcony door. He turned his head at the last second before jumping off the balcony.
"Welcome to the team."