Criminal Hideout in Starling City, Night, 1 month later
As a gang of criminals gathers together to play billiards, one of them speaks up after breaking the pool triangle. "The Green Arrow and his crew may have won. But we still got how many armor-piercing rounds tonight?" He asked as they all chuckled which he did too.
Suddenly, an arrow pierced his heart from behind and he fell down and died on the pool table. Just as the other three became alert, they saw the Green Arrow fire another killing shot which caused him reflexively shot his assault rifle even though he was already dying. Immediately, the Green Arrow fired another killing shot at his target on the right. The last criminal, fell back on the floor, afraid for his life that he was going to be next as he saw the vigilante jump down onto the pool table.
Little did he know that underneath that hood, was not Oliver Queen - but Ra's al Ghul. "You tell everyone who'll listen, what you've seen. Go." Ra's ordered as the criminal fled the scene as Ra's plan began.
Church in Starling City, Noon
At the second wedding of John Diggle and Lyla Michaels, the best man, Oliver Queen, finally appeared dressed in a tuxedo. "We're late," Dig noted also dressed in a tux.
"It's 12:45. The invitation said 1:00. I'm early. And I'm never early." Oliver remarked.
"Yeah, well, the ceremony is at 1:00. Photos were at noon," Dig revealed.
"Photos," Oliver said again.
"Mm-hmm," Dig said tapping his shoulder as they took a little walk down the aisle. "Last time Lyla and I got married, we said our vows on an ATV in the Registand Desert. This time, she hired, a photographer, so, yes, Oliver, photos."
"That whole "Best Man" thing, it's more like a "not so good" -"
"No, that's all right, we'll photoshop you in, brother," Dig assured and looked over his shoulder. Noticing that Oliver turned and saw Felicity dressed in a lovely red dress with Ray as her date.
"Thanks for coming," Dig said hugging Felicity.
"Oh," She muttered kissing his cheek.
"See you brought your plus-one," Dig noted.
"Nice to meet you. Ray Palmer." Ray greeted the groom as he and Dig shook hands.
"John Diggle." He said and then whispered in Ray's ear. "You hurt her, they'll never find your body." He threatened which caused Ray to nervously chuckle. "Nice to meet you." Immediately, Dig heard his cell phone vibrate and went to go answer it. "Pardon."
"Funny, five months, since we last saw each other, now it's twice in as many weeks," Ray commented.
"Good to see you, Ray," Oliver said as he shook his hand.
"Good to see you, too. Heh." Ray replied.
"Ooh, that was Lyla," Dig said with a disgruntled groan as he rejoined them. "A friend of hers, Rick, was supposed to be our officiant, but he just got deployed to the South Sudan."
"What you don't have a minister?" Oliver asked worriedly.
"No."
"Okay, um, what about one of those online ministry certificates?" Felicity asked to brainstorm. "All I need is good WIFI and three minutes. Not that I'd officiate your wedding. Although I would be honored if you asked me to."
"Or, ah ... you could just ask me." Ray offered. "I'm a minister." He revealed surprising the three of them. "It's a long story." He told Felicity and the three of them nodded at this development.
As the ceremony went underway, Diggle and Lyla stood up with Oliver by Dig's side as best man and Lyla's maid of honor holding baby Sara for her. "Normally this is the part where the officiant offers words of insight about the couple, their history. Which is a little difficult for me because I just met John and Lyla about eight minutes ago." Ray revealed causing the audience to laugh a little, as Oliver looked at Laurel, Thea, Roy, and Felicity in the crowd. "And I understand that you have written your own vows, which is great because that gives me less to do." He said getting another laugh from the audience.
As Oliver gave Diggle the rings, he then gave Lyla her's and she then put them on her once and future husband. "You really want to do this?" Lyla asked him.
"Hell yes. Do you?" Dig answered and asked as he put her ring on.
"Even more than the first time." She revealed.
"Good. Because I'm not letting you get away from me this time." He told her.
"I'm holding you to that." She replied.
"Good."
"I love you, Lyla."
"I love you, too."
"All right. John Diggle, Lyla Michaels, I now pronounce you husband and wife." Ray said as the couple then kissed and everyone began to clap and cheer as the wedding music started playing and Lyla took baby Sara into her arms and into her and Diggle's wedding photos.
With the first dance out of the way, other couples, including Roy and Thea then joined the dance floor. As Oliver watched Diggle and Lyla, he caught a glimpse of Laurel talking to Sara who was working as a bartender for their wedding; thanks to a recommendation by Thea. "So now does having a bartender for a sister mean I get free drinks?" Laurel asked jokingly.
"Sure, as long as having a lawyer for a sister means I get off on any misdemeanors?" Sara sassed and gave Laurel her martini.
"Not a chance. Be grateful, I let you borrow one of my dresses" Laurel replied and then sipped her martini. "Which somehow looks better on you." She commented on Sara's red halter top dress with a leather collar on it.
"Yeah, buying clothes on a regular basis is something I'm gonna have to get used to again." Sara acknowledged cleaning a glass cup.
As Felicity finished mingling, she ended up joining Oliver. "Hey,"
"Hey. Nice Bouquet." Oliver noted it in Felicity's hand.
"Ahh, yes. I kind of caught it." Felicity said staring at it.
"Well, done." He smiled.
"Thank you," She replied as she joined Oliver in watching Dig and Lyla dancing. "Oh, I hope it's ok I brought Ray as my date."
"Ray saved the day," He commented.
"For the record, I am not the one who used that phrase." She mentioned as it was catching fire at this wedding.
"He's a good guy, and he clearly cares about you, a lot." He reminded her. "Are you happy?"
"Yes. Very." She replied truthfully.
"Good. That's all I've ever wanted. You deserve a good guy and a normal life." He told her.
Back at the bar, Laurel and Sara's conversation was interrupted by a handsome stranger who Sara was also serving - he was Caucasian, with a 5 o'clock shadow, and clearly military judging by his haircut. "Excuse me, Miss?" He said getting Sara's attention.
"Another Manhattan, sir?" Sara asked.
"No, I just wanted to thank you. That was the best Manhattan I've ever tasted." He complimented her and give Sara a 20-dollar tip and a piece of paper.
"Thanks ... and I take it this is your phone number?" She replied guessing as she looked, causing Laurel's eyes to widen.
"For when you get off today." He told her politely.
"I'm flattered," Sara said with an amused chuckle. "But after this, I've gotta pretty full night ahead of me. Sorry."
"Well, keep it, in case you manage to get an opening sometime soon." He said with some disappointment but understanding as he then left leaving the Lance sisters alone once again with Laurel looking at her sister with amazement.
"Okay, who are you and what have done with my sister?" Laurel asked.
"What?"
"Don't "what" me. That guy was seriously hot, complimented you on your drinks, and left you a killer tip. You've hooked up with guys for less." Laurel mentioned.
"Well, maybe I've outgrown casual sex," Sara replied and Laurel gave a skeptical look of disbelief. "For now, at least." She added.
"Care to tell me why?" She asked Sara paused and saw Oliver looking in her and Laurel's direction.
"Speaking of hot guys, I think yours is looking for you," Sara told, Laurel saw Oliver, smiling she decided to join him.
"Beautiful ceremony," Laurel told him walking his way.
"Beautiful dress." Oliver complimented her attractive orange number.
"Thank you. Care to dance?" Laurel asked and the two wrapped their arms around each other once they got on the dance floor.
"You know, I actually can't remember the last we danced," Oliver told her with a chuckle.
"Neither can I, although I do remember that neither of us is very good at it." She remembered.
"Well, I'm okay with that." He smiled and then found himself looking at Diggle and Lyla again. "I'm really happy for them."
"Me too," She mentioned staring at them briefly before looking back at Oliver. "You know ... normally, I wouldn't bring this up considering your history with commitment issues. But we are at a wedding so?" She brought
"So what?" He asked with an amused smile knowing where she was going with this.
"Do you ever think about it? Marriage, I mean." She inquired.
"Sometimes." He answered remembering how he was going to propose to her all those months ago. "Do you?"
"Sometimes. But I'm not in hurry." She replied, getting a slight reaction from him. "I've learned the hard way not to push you when it comes to us and now is not the best time. If we ever do marry it should probably be when the city's a lot safer. Besides, I'm pretty happy with where we are right now. I kinda wanna enjoy it for a good while." She expressed.
"Me too," He replied as he leaned in and kissed her tenderly as they continued dancing.
Immediately, Felicity got a message alert from the news media on her phone. The message showed "Green Arrow returns to killing" as the headline with Mayor Castle and Ray Palmer to hold press conference as the follow-up. Immediately, the alert hit Oliver, Laurel, Diggle, and Roy's phones too as they stared at it and Oliver worriedly.
Arrowcave, Night
"There were eight victims total, all shot with arrows. However, one escaped and has given us a statement." Quentin announced on the live news with Ray, Laurel, and Mayor Castle with him as well. Oliver, Felicity, Roy, Sara, and the newlywed couple Diggle and Lyla watching it.
"Which remains uncorroborated, so the District Attorney's office is going to continue to investigate before filing the charges," Laurel added as she spoke into the mic.
"So which one is it; is the Green Arrow being implicated here or not?" A reporter asked.
"We're not sure of anything yet," Laurel responded.
"We have a statement from Mr. Palmer." Mayor Castle told the reporters who started asking questions as Ray took the podium.
"While it's hard to ignore all the good the Green Arrow had done for the city, it is equally hard to ignore the evidence of his apparent guilt. In any case, the Green Arrow needs to be apprehended, and at least brought to trial, not justice." Ray announced as Oliver couldn't help but react.
"I didn't know he was going to do that," Felicity replied.
"And I am devoting all of my substantial resources towards making certain the Green Arrow is apprehended." Ray finished as the reporters then started asking him questions on the computer screen. To which Oliver turned off immediately.
"Does Lance know that this wasn't you?" Roy asked a worried Oliver.
"If he doesn't know now, Laurel's probably already told him." Oliver reasoned.
"So, bring in the culprit. Figure out who this is and why." Lyla spoke up.
"Well, we know who's doing this. The League of Assassins." Felicity mentioned.
"Yeah, but the question is why?" Diggle pointed out.
"Sara," Oliver said getting her attention. "You were with the League. You know Ra's. What's his play here?"
Thinking for a moment, Sara then answered. "When Ra's wants to be known, he demonstrates overwhelming force to his enemies. This - setting the Green Arrow up for murder, feels like a smokescreen."
"A smokescreen for what?" Roy inquired.
"Wish I knew," Sara replied.
Taking a deep breath, Oliver turned to Roy. "Hit the streets. Whoever's doing this is targeting criminals. We need to know who they're going to hit next." He ordered as Roy left. "We need all the information that the police have from the crime scene. Whoever is under that Hood has to leave a trail, something to follow." He told Felicity.
"I'm on it," Felicity said hitting the keyboard.
"How can we help?" Dig asked.
"Go to Starling City Airport," Oliver told him.
"Ok, to do what?" Lyla wondered.
"It's called a honeymoon." Oliver smiled.
"Fiji can wait." Dig scoffed at the notion.
"No. Fiji can't wait. All right? This is still your day, and I'm not going to let Ra's al Ghul ruin that." Oliver told him.
"Oliver ..."
"You have helped me face Ra's once already." Oliver stopped Dig. "This time, choose your family. Go, live. We got this." He assured him. Reluctantly accepting his decision, Dig gently bumped Oliver's chest as he and Lyla left the Arrowcave.
Outside Verdant
"If it doesn't feel right for you to go, we won't." Lyla offered her husband as they walked down the streets together to their limo
"No, Oliver was right. It's our turn. Besides, the rest of the team has his back." Dig reminded her and himself to be honest. Entering their limo, they were surprised by the appearance of Deadshot aka Floyd Lawton in the seat across from theirs.
"Mazel Tov, newlyweds." Lawton congratulated them as they raise their champagne bottle.
"Lawton," Dig stated the obvious.
"What are you doing here?" Lyla asked.
"Hey, when duty calls, we answer, right? Suicide Squad rides again." Lawton eagerly professed as the newlyweds grew stern.
A.R.G.U.S. HQ
In A.R.G.U.S.'s tactical room, Diggle and Lyla waited until Director Amanda Waller walked into the room. "Sorry to interfere with your wedding night." Waller offered her condolences.
"Yeah, I doubt that," Dig replied scoffing at the notion.
"Five hours ago, there was a terrorist attack in the Republic of Kasnia." Waller said bringing up the footage and files on the Smart Table, of a conflict of people panicking. "Hospital was supposed to serve and unite Kasnia's dissident ethnic faction."
"Wait, is that ..." Dig said recognizing the face of one of the people in the crowd.
"Senator Joseph Cray," Waller confirmed Dig's suspicions. "This hospital was something of a pet project for him. Of course, he insisted on being at the ceremony. Agent Michaels, you'll lead Task Force X on the extraction; I'll have a plane ready for you in 30 minutes." She told her as she checked on her other subordinates.
"I'm sorry, Johnny." Lyla apologized and quickly kissed his cheek. "You go on to Fiji, and I will meet you there in 48 hours, tops." She promised.
"No, you won't, because I'm not letting you out of my sight." Dig objected. "You remember what I told you about not letting you go? I meant that." He told her and then turned his attention to Waller. "Waller. Count me in. You have the two of us, Deadshot, who else is still left on the team?"
"Who else indeed? I hear Kasnia's beautiful this time of year." Carrie Cutter aka Cupid, also known as the Green Arrow's homicidal stalker told him as she step out of the shadows, as the Diggle's grew stern once again.
Arrowcave
As a shirtless Oliver practice his sword fighting skills for his next confrontation with Ra's al Ghul, Felicity was reviewing traffic camera footage on her computer monitor. Coming to a stop, Oliver lowered his katana to check Felicity's progress. "Anything?"
"I'm accessing traffic cameras, ATM cameras, phone cameras; I'm hacked into 911 and squad car chatter," Felicity told him.
"And?"
"No sign of Evil Arrow." She said disappointed just as Roy walked in.
"Los Halcones are unloading a huge shipment of narcotics. The entire gang is going to show up for protection. This is exactly the kind of the that Fake Arrow would go after." Roy informed Oliver.
"We really need a better name for him," Felicity remarked.
"When is this happening?" Oliver asked.
"Right now. I'll suit up." Roy said and offered.
"Roy ... this is the League," Oliver told him. "I've got it." He said as Roy nodded and Oliver then grabbed his compound bow.
Republic of Kasnia, Dawn
Parachuting into the forest of Kasnia, once the Suicide Squad landed on the ground; they all then quickly armed themselves for the worst. "So did you hire a florist?" Carrie asked Lyla as she knelt down.
"Yes, we did." Lyla disgruntedly answered.
"Didn't that cost a fortune?" Carrie asked. As the four began walking in the forest, Lawton was scouting ahead as Cutter spoke up. "At my wedding, I'll have the bridesmaids make the flower arrangements and I'll spend the extra money on the dress." She proclaimed.
"Anything?" Dig asked taking the radio from him.
"No, clear," Lawton told him.
"You seeing anybody, Cutter?" Dig asked deciding to make small talk.
"Of course I am. The Green Arrow. And our special day is going to be the most glorious day. And afterwards, we'll make strong beautiful babies." A delusional Carrie answered with a chuckle.
"And does he know this?" Lawton asked the crazy lazy as Carrie shot him a look. "Listen, I got news for you, stalker - you don't get to do what we do and have a family." He told her.
"Yeah, well, I have a wife right here and a child to say otherwise." Dig countered. "Let's hold up here."
"Yeah, well, let's hope you make it home to her. But love, children, family - it's all just a distraction for people like us." Lawton advised.
"They make us better," Lyla told him as she started going through Johnny's bag to get a computer tablet. "And give us something worth fighting for."
"Love is a bullet in the brain, and if you believe any different, you're as crazy as she is," Lawton stated.
"Hey!" Carrie said offended.
"Latest satellite flyover reveals warm bodies here," Lyla said circling the satellite footage of the building where the hostages were being held.
"Yeah, that's pretty solid. Fortified. How are we going to get everyone out?" Dig asked.
"Our orders are to retrieve Cray. No one else." Lyla revealed.
"What about the hostages?" Dig asked.
"They're not U.S. citizens." She reminded him.
"Are those your words or Waller's, Lyla?" He asked.
"Let's not fight, Johnny. It's our honeymoon." She replied.
"See what I mean, John?" Lawton said smugly.
"I'm not you, Lawton," Dig told him as they walked ahead.
"Yeah. I wasn't always me, either." Lawton muttered, thinking about he ended him pushing his family away.
Warehouse in Starling City, Night
As the Los Halcones were gathered they began tearing up the stuffed animals that had the drugs hidden inside of them, one of them was telling the others to hurry up in Spanish. Immediately, three arrows were fired, each one killing a gangbanger. The Los Halcones then opened fire with their machine guns at the Green Arrow, or at least at someone dressed like the Green Arrow on the second floor. Firing two more arrows while narrowly avoiding the inaccurate gunfire, the archer dropped down and grabbed some loose cables to slow down his descent as he landed. After firing an arrow at his last target, he then felt someone behind and delivered a backward spinning hook kick to his face that cause him to stagger and was then finished with a left cross.
Seeing the copycat, Oliver fired his arrow into the pretender's left side. Hardly reacting, the imposter removed the arrow from his chest as he and Oliver engaged in a fight. Switching his bow to his right hand, Oliver exchanged strikes and managed to get around his opponent he disarmed him with the arrow in hand and proceed to use it against him but the assassin managed to block and escape him as he struck Oliver in the abs with his compound bow. However, Oliver removed the imposter's hood and saw a middle-aged white man in his thirties with a light beard. Stopping in his tracks, Oliver then heard a taunting laugh from the shadows and saw in front of him two more assassins; dressed just like him.
Elbowing Oliver to escape, the assassin used a side-kick to push Oliver back. Lowering his hood, he joined his collaborators in attacking Oliver. Avoiding their strikes, Oliver dropped low as he spun around and rolled towards his first pretender striking him in the stomach before pushing him to the ground. Quickly getting up he parried and grabbed the second pretender and struck him twice in the face with his reinforced bow fist. As fell, Oliver dealt with one but saw the first pretender rise up. Immediately, he brought the fight to a swift end as he used his bow to smack the faces of both his opponent's faces as they hit the ground.
"You can't kill them all, Oliver," Maseo told from afar as Oliver turned to face him, with his opponents getting back on their feet. "Where one falls, two more arise."
"Maseo ... you can't believe in this!" Oliver said furiously. "Murdering all of these people just to prove a point!"
"No. These deaths serve a larger purpose but they also served as punishment for your defiance against my master." Maseo explained. "My advice to you is take anyone you care for and abandon this city. Abandon your crusade."
"You know me better than that," Oliver told him.
"Don't let your recalcitrants cost you those whose lives you treasure," Maseo warned him and then dropped a smoke bomb, which he and the fake Green Arrows used to disappear from Oliver's sight.
Flying through Starling City, Ray in his A.T.O.M. suit eventually came across the building where the Green Arrow was supposedly located at. Using his suit's X-Ray vision, he was able to locate the Emerald Archer. Using the suit's Facial Reconstruction Algothrim, the Suit magnified and scanned the vigilante's facial geometry giving a 99.85 percent match to Oliver Queen.
Palmer Tech, Morning
Monitoring the results from his suit's scan and looking up any information he had on Oliver Queen, Ray was a little too preoccupied when Felicity walked into his office. "Ok, I have no idea the sheer number of crazies that were in this city until you set up that 1-800 line for Green Arrow tips," Felicity remarked as she removed her jacket and put down her purse. "What's going on? Ray?" She asked.
"Oliver Queen is the Green Arrow," Ray revealed.
"What?" She said with confusion while slowly panicking inside.
Looking down with a disappointed smirk, Ray spoke up. "I have a 140 IQ and three Ph.D.s, it's pretty hard to insult my intelligence, but I think you just did." He said as Felicity looked at his desktop with all the info he had on Oliver. "It all makes sense now. I mean, your, uh, sudden disappearances, your apprehension with helping me on the mission; you've been working with the Green Arrow this whole time."
"How did you find out?" She asked.
"High Spectrum Portable Radiograph, colloquially known as the X-Ray machine. Plus, your Facial Recognition software. Nice code by the way." Ray explained as he showed her his A.T.O.M. helmet
"Hey, you got the suit working." She noticed.
"Hmm. Last night, I saw your friend Oliver standing over eight of his victims." He told her.
"Because he was investigating. He's trying to catch an impersonator, the one who's really doing this." She revealed. "Please, you have to trust me. Oliver's not a killer." She pleaded softly.
"This isn't the first time he's been judge, jury, and executioner." He reminded her.
"He hasn't killed anyone in nearly two years." She spoke up.
"That really is not your best argument." He pointed out.
"You have no idea what he's been through! What he's lost, how he's grown, but I do. I know him better than almost ... anyone." She assured him. "Oliver didn't do this. Trust me."
"Trust you? Now I'm supposed to trust you?" He questioned. "From the moment we met, I've held nothing back from you. I did trust you. And I thought you were someone who could be a true partner; that you were someone that I could rely on. In the mission, and in my life." He said walking away.
"I wanted that, too, Ray, I still do. Ray!" She said getting him to turn around. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to honor the promise I made to this city and help them bring the Green Arrow to Justice." He said leaving and very worried and a little heartbroken Felicity.
Republic of Kasnia
Reaching their extraction point, Dig looked over from the cover of the building and saw two masked soldiers on guard duty with Lyla and Cutter by his side. Immediately, a sniper shot took out both of the guards, the shots fired by Lawton. "North entrance, clear," Lawton told them on comms.
"Nice work, Deadshot. We're en route. Move to the X." Lyla said on comms as she, Johnny, and Cutter headed to the north entrance.
"Copy that," Lawton responded.
Arrowcave
"Find anything on those arrows?" Roy asked Oliver as he was examing some of the ones that he took from the victims and Oliver sighed.
"This one is ours. This one is theirs." He pointed to the arrow in his right and then his left.
"I don't see the difference," Roy said as they looked the same.
"Yeah, precisely. They're identical." Oliver said putting them on the table
"He knows. God, he knows." Felicity frustratedly said as she paced past Oliver and Roy and then turned to face them. "Last year, Ray's fiancee was killed by Mirakuru men. And now he wants to protect the city, so he built a suit out of military-grade technology and he wants to put you in jail. So he used my software to track you down, and he scanned you with his X-Rays and now he knows that you're the Green Arrow and he's going to tell the cops." She said in a tearful panic.
"Palmer knows I'm the Green Arrow?" Oliver asked Felicity asked nervously nodded. "And he had his own mission to protect the city?" He added and Felicity just froze. "When were you going to tell me this?!" He yelled.
"I've been getting a lot of that today. Look, it's not important. Here's what is - He's going to tell the police who you are!" She reminded him of the more pressing issue.
"Wait, Ray built a super suit? That's kind of awesome." Roy said impressed as Oliver then shot him a look. "And reckless." He quickly added.
"Look, he's probably on his way to the precinct right now. What are we going to do?" Felicity asked Oliver who honestly didn't know.
SCPD Interview Room
"The Radiography technology is infallible. These are screenshots of the output with timestamps." Ray explained to Captain Quentin Lance, showing the evidence in front of him.
"That's a very bold claim, Mr. Palmer. Especially since we've already been down that road two years ago when Queen was exonerated. Hell, I was the arresting officer." Quentin explained with an air of indifference to Ray's claims.
"'Cause he's smart. See, I believe he allowed himself to be accused so as to be ruled out as a suspect in the future." He explained and it became clear to Quentin he was smart as he looked to figure that out and looked through his file.
"And your proof is ... X-Ray Vision?" Quentin remarked with some sass. "Digital images can be fabricated, and I can't go to a judge with any of that."
"What about my statement?"
"You mean your uncorroborated testimony?" Quentin reminded him. "I've been a cop for over 30 years, trust me, Palmer, this isn't gonna fly by."
Scoffing, Ray figured out what was going on. "You're protecting him. Of course. Because Oliver's dating your daughter, who's in the DA's office. Tell me, Captain Lance, how does one go from arresting the Green Arrow to protecting him and letting him date your daughter?" He asked curiously.
Getting out of his chair, Quentin replied. "You know having a lawyer for a daughter, gives you some pretty useful legal advice. Like if you go to the media with these unsubstantiated allegations, Queen would have a slam-dunk defamation suit that would leave you bankrupt. Hell, he might even get his company back." He added.
"Yeah, you're right. The court system isn't going to able to help me here." He exhaled and then got up. "Guess I'll have to seek out justice on my own." He said taking his leave.
Republic of Kasnia
Surrounded by masked soldiers, the hostages of Kasnia sat on the floor with one of them being anxious and nervous around Senator Cray. "Don't worry. I'm a United States Senator. Everything's going to be alright." He promised her.
"Get down, get down, down, down, down, now!" Dig shouted as he and the Suicide Squad busted in guns blazing.
With two Glocks in his hand and Lawton covering him with his wrist-mounted gun, they took down the gunmen. Carried fire off an arrow into another soldier. Taking cover behind a pillar, Diggle caught another gunman on his right and quickly disarmed him then knocked him out.
As the hostages started to calm down, Lyla approached the senator. "We're here for you, Senator, but we need to move fast," Lyla told him as she went to cover their exit point.
"All right, everybody, just ... stay where you are, keep calm," Cray assured his fellow captives.
"We'll explain everything once we're in the air," Lyla told him.
"What - no! No! This ... it's all wrong. They weren't supposed to send somebody. That was the whole point." Cray discouragedly exclaimed as the Suicide Squad began to realize that there was a lot more to this situation than they thought. "You shouldn't have come here," Cray said as he pulled a gun aiming it at Cutter. Notching an arrow and moving forward, the Senator was faster as he fired two shots but Lawton tackled her to the ground saving her life. Turning his fire on Lyla, who took cover, the hostage got up in a panic and started running.
"We've got a gun. We've got a gun, go, go, go, go!" Dig shouted aloud to the hostages as they scattered.
"My hero," Carrie said to Lawton as he help her up, now infatuated with him.
"Fall back, fall back, fall back, fall back!" Dig shouted as he provided covering fire as he and the Squad left the hostage room. Reaching a secure spot in the building's emergency room the four entered. "What the hell was that lunatic thinking? Secure these doors." Dig ordered and Lyla did just that after Carrie carried an injured Lawton in. "Take off that shirt!" He said looking for medical supplies.
"The bullet was a through and through I ain't going to die," Lawton said removing his shirt as he laid down on the patient's bed.
"Pays to be sure. That's not a request, soldier." Dig told him.
Putting alcohol on the gauze, Dig saw the bullet wound on Lawton's shoulder but he also saw something - the names of Lawton's victims tattooed on his body including Dig's brother - Andrew Diggle right in front of him. "You still going to patch me up?" Lawton inquired, regaining himself, Dig just that.
"Baby, does it hurt bad?" Carrie asked and began stroking Lawton's neck. "You were so brave."
"Ok, I take it back - I think I do wanna die," Lawton remarked uncomfortably.
"Mockingbird. This is Harbinger on emergency frequency Delta Charlie." Lyla said watching for soldiers as she tried to get into contact with Waller. "Task Force X is broadcasting in the blind, over. Damn it! It's not going through. I think our signal's being jammed." She told them
"Harbinger, this is Senator Cray." He said hijacking their frequency. "Well, I imagine you must be feeling, uh, a little bit confused right about now." He said walking around casually with the captors and captives.
"This is a hostage situation. A terrorist attack!" Lyla shouted.
"Well, actually, they're not terrorists, they're mercenaries." Cray corrected her as the mercs collected their dead. "They work for me."
"Why would you do that?"
"Because I love my country, and my country loves a hero," Cray answered.
"So this is all theater?" A pissed-off Dig asked taking the radio from Lyla. "So you could, what, run for president?"
"There it is. The big picture." He admitted. "Can you imagine what my poll numbers will be once I heroically diffuse this tragic situation? Everybody here was supposed to go home alive. That was the whole point. But now, unfortunately, you have turned my hostages into witnesses, and I can't have that."
"I'm going to kill you slow, you son of a bitch." Dig threatened him.
"You're outgunned and outnumbered. But if it's any consolation, I am going to nominate the four of you for the Medal of Honor once I'm president. You'll be remembered as heroes." Cray promised hanging up. As Dig, Lyla, Lawton, and Carrie contemplated their situation.
Arrowcave
Down the foundry, Laurel and Sara Lance had begun a sparring session with their signature weapons; Laurel her tonfa-staff and Sara her batons; both in their bo-staff form. As Sara thrust her bo-staff, Laurel deflected it with her tonfa-staff by swinging downwards to her left. After that move Sara got in close, moving her hands upwards on her weapon, Sara then used a side-to-side strike; her sister blocked the first but missed the second that hit her rib cage. Using the middle section of her tonfa-staff, Laurel then pushed Sara away from her.
"How long until you have to back to work?" Sara asked twirling her staff and then holding it behind her head.
"Half an hour I think," Laurel answered twirling her weapon. "Thanks for this, the last 24 hours or so have been hectic, to say the least."
"Anytime." Returning to their sparring, Laurel thrust her weapon several times, with Sara blocking each bo jab. Striking with the opposite end of her weapon, which was aimed at Sara's face, the younger sibling blocked it, and the follow-up struck at her feet but forget about the handle on Laurel's weapon which she used to knock her off balance causing her to take a knee. Laurel then pulled back and thrust her tonfa-staff once more, Sara parried it, but as Laurel pulled back her staff's handle then deprived Sara of her own staff as it slide across the ground. "I forgot about the handle. Useful trick." Sara commented.
"It comes in handy," Laurel remarked with a smile.
As Sara ducked and rolled across the floor, grabbing her weapon. Laurel then used uppercut swings on her sister, who avoided her attacks. Using a high side-kick aimed at Laurel's face, causing Laurel to pull back to avoid. Swinging her weapon at her sister's face, Laurel ducked down but Sara used a move that changed the motion causing her staff to swing at Laurel's feet. Laurel blocked it, but Sara then kicked the weapon causing Laurel's guard to drop, and before she knew she was looking at the opposite end of Sara's staff right in her face.
"Well, so much for thinking I might be better than you with a bo-staff," Laurel remarked as she and Sara relaxed as they lowered their weapons.
"We could try hand-to-hand again if you want," Sara suggested.
"No thanks, losing 5 out of 7 times was enough thank you very much." Laurel denied.
"It was 6 out of 8 actually," Sara corrected her causing a glare from Laurel. "But who's counting." As the sisters chuckled, they put down their respective weapons before speaking up again. "For what's it worth Laurel, you are good and that's coming from someone who trained with the deadliest killers on the planet." She complimented.
"Well, I'll be sure to let Ted Grant know that." Laurel chuckled.
"Ted Grant?"
"The guy who taught me most of what I know. You might remember him from back in the day." Laurel went on.
"Oh, yeah, yeah I remember. The boxer, right?." Sara recalled. "He was hot." She added.
"He still is," Laurel mentioned.
"Were you and he ever -" Sara asked curiously with an amused look.
"We were for a night - a pretty long night," Laurel replied with a chuckle, which Sara joined her in. "What about you?"
"What about me?"
"It's been 8 years, Sara. And you were never the celibate type." Laurel remarked as there were still a lot of things she didn't know about Sara.
"There was ... someone." Sara reluctantly revealed. "We were in the League together. We were in love actually."
"What was his name?"
"Her name - was Nyssa," Sara revealed slowly getting some surprise from Laurel as she walked away from her.
"You were - with a woman?" A surprised Laurel asked for clarification.
"I loved her, Laurel - are you upset?" Sara asked as she turned around.
"No, of course not! Did you - expect me to be?" Laurel asked worriedly.
"No, but - Laurel a lot about me is different. And over the years, it's gotten kinda hard to tell which is for better or worse." Sara admitted.
"Well, this isn't one of them. And honestly - I'm relieved," Laurel told her getting an expression of confusion from Sara. "Thinking about everything you've gone through or might've gone through. The pain, the loneliness. I'm just happy to hear you had someone that cared for you. That protected you." She said with full understanding, Sara couldn't help but feel touched. "Sara, I have no problem with you being gay."
"I'm not -" Sara replied with a slightly tearful chuckle. "I'm not - I still like men. I just like women now too." She said setting the record straight.
"So, if you weren't still getting over this Nyssa. Would you have -"
"Followed that guy from the wedding, and "thanked" him for serving his country. Of course, I know how hot he was." Sara finished for her sister and the two then started laughing together.
Palmer Tech
"Okay," Ray said to himself as his office desk and then saw Oliver walk in. "Huh. Green Arrow."
"Super Suit," Oliver remarked.
"I prefer "The Atom". You know I have to admit, I was a little surprised to find you on my calendar this morning. Find the place all right?" Ray asked with humor.
"Captain Lance called me," Oliver told him.
"Yeah, I figured he would. He tried to shut me up, but it's not going to work." Ray` told him.
"I didn't kill those people," Oliver told him crossing his arms.
"Yeah, that's what Felicity said. An impersonator, right?" He said and then chuckled. "I hate when that happens." And then stepped out from his desk. "Five years on a deserted island. That kind of thing changes you, doesn't it? Must have been difficult, if not impossible to hold on to your sanity all those years. And now here you are, pretending you have everything in control." He said as he couldn't help but get inside Oliver's head.
"Felicity told you the truth. And you should trust her judgment." Oliver told him.
"How can I do that? Her perception of you is clearly clouded by her emotional attachment. She's not seeing you for what you really are." Ray replied.
"You have no idea what this city is up against," Oliver said walking away.
"Actually, I think I do. And I'm going to stop him." Ray told him as Oliver left.
Republic of Kasnia
Armed and checking the area, Diggle and Lyla eventually reached an empty resting point. "Clear!" Dig said as he went to check the window, as Lyla put down her gear. "Reinforcements just arrived." He told his wife, as he just saw them.
"I see them," Lyla said checking the satellite imagery on her tablet. "Wait. Oh, god."
"What, what, what, what?!" Dig asked checking the tablet.
"Thermal strikes. Here, here, here, and here." She said pointing to the red circles on the screen as she let Johnny have the tablet. "They've rigged the hospital with explosive charges."
"Killing all our hostages. With Cray as the Lone Survivor." He realized that Crane was now going to get the sympathy vote for his presidential campaign. Putting down the tablet, Dig pressed his hand against his head in frustration.
"Why did we come here?" She asked almost weepingly.
"We accepted the mission, Lyla. We did what soldiers do." He reminded her.
"Except we're not just soldiers, Johnny. We're parents. I know parents who won't even fly together because they don't want to risk orphaning their child. What were we thinking?" She said thinking sadly about Sara. "Oh, God. Our baby girl."
"Lawton was right." He admitted.
"Can you please say that again?" Lawton said smugly as he entered the room. "Sorry, I, uh, I didn't quite hear you the first time." He said with Carrie right behind him. Dig then showed him the tablet.
"The Greddians have rigged the hospital to blow. We're not gonna make it." Lyla told them.
"Yeah. Yes, we are. We're going to get these hostages out. And you and John are going to make it home to your daughter again." Lawton told them. "You got it?" He asked and Dig nodded as he gratefully bumped Lawton's chest.
"Oh, the things I want to do to you right now," Carrie seductively commented to him, grossing the marksman out.
Arrowcave
Without her glasses, an upset Felicity mopped by herself until she saw Oliver walk in. "How'd it go with Ray?" Felicity asked.
"Not well. Yeah, your new boyfriend is stubborn. Once he's made his mind up, that's the end of it." Oliver told her.
"Sound like anybody we know?" She asked referring to Oliver himself.
"Not only is he untrained, he's unstable." He added.
"Unstable?"
"Yeah, yes, he's unstable, Felicity, because he's flying around in a weapon looking for a man that has already killed 8 people!" He reminded her. "He's going to be next."
"Why do always do that?" She muttered her question.
"Do what?"
"Act like you are the only one, who can save this city. The first thing that comes to your head when finding out there's someone else who wants to protect people as you do is to dismiss them, or think they're a threat, or put an arrow in them to stop them." She brought up his past experiences, such as the Savior, Laurel, and Roy. "You act like they're enemies or hindrances instead of thinking they could be allies.
"Well, maybe Ray could've been an ally if you told me about him sooner." He countered.
"Well, maybe I would have if you weren't so territorial when other people come to the playground." She likened his behavior to that of a child.
"Fine, maybe I do have a problem letting other people help me. But what about you?" He asked as she stared at him with her puffy red eyes. "Not telling me about Ray and his mission. Or, not telling Ray that you were working with the Green Arrow."
"I don't know!" She snapped, upset with him but mostly herself. "Probably because ever since I started working for you I've been keeping secrets. And you've still got a ton you haven't shared with me, probably. Guess, it just rubbed off on me. But it's my fault for letting it." She added before he could reply he just stared at her as if they were coming to terms with the situation.
"What's that?" He asked as the right light showed up on her desktop.
"911 call, suspected gang activity at Meltzer Power Plant." She said checking it.
"This could be Maseo's next target." He said after a quick sigh. "Call Roy, tell him to suit up and meet me at the Power Plant." He told her as he grabbed his compound bow.
Meltzer Power Plant
Alongside Roy, Oliver canvas the power plant finding nothing until he met up with Roy again. "There's no one here." His protege told him. Immediately, the two heard and then saw Ray arriving in his A.T.O.M. suit.
"That must be disappointing," Ray remarked as he hovered above them. "I'm sorry there's no one around here for you to kill but, uh, I kind of faked that 911 call."
"Palmer ..." Oliver said with irritation.
"I'd say you have the right to remain silent, but I'm not a cop." With his suit's targeting system activating, Ray fired compressed hard-light beams at Oliver and his sidekick, though they both split up to avoid the energy blast.
Annoyed, Oliver drew and fired an arrow that hit Palmer's suit but it simply deflected it which caused Ray to chuckle. "Oh," Oliver uttered, as both he and Roy knew that this was gonna be harder than they thought.
Slowly descending to the ground, Roy started to run at Ray but he aimed and fired an electrical stream that electrocuted Roy and sent him flying back into the metal fence. Turning his attention to Oliver, the archer fired an explosive arrow at the ground but Ray managed to avoid it by flying back into the air. Charging through the air, Ray flew passed Oliver, tagging him, with the kinetic force causing him to hit and roll on the ground. After a hard landing, Ray aimed at Oliver again. "It's over. That's it. Nice and Easy." Ray stated and as he was getting up, Oliver noticed what looked like a power supply box blinking on his left hip.
Getting to his feet, Oliver grabbed and threw a flechette from his thigh holster into the box causing the super suit to malfunction and then shut down. Delivering a push kick on Ray's chest that pushed him back causing him to take a knee anyway as he then removed his helmet; with no power, he was defenseless. Drawing and notching an arrow, he held Ray right now. "The man you think I am. He'd kill you here and now. I told you to back off and you didn't listen!" Oliver angrily reminded him.
"So kill me, go head. Show Felicity the kind of man you really are." Ray goaded him.
"I have nothing to prove to her," Oliver said as he un-notched his arrow and put it back in his quiver. "But you do." He said offering Ray a hand up, which he took. "Trust her," Oliver told him as he went to an unconscious Roy, put his arm over his neck as carried him away while Ray looked on realizing that he had been wrong about a lot of things tonight.
Republic of Kasnia
As one of the soldiers finished placing the explosive charges, Senator Cray turned his attention to the hostages. "I am, uh, I am truly sorry. Everything was supposed to work out differently." He apologized but then suddenly one of the doors blew open. "By the door!" He told his soldiers, who fired over the yelling of hostages but there was no one there.
With the mercs falling for their distraction, the Suicide came in the west entry point, opening fire on the mercs, and quickly took cover. "Stop! Or I flip this switch and I blow us all right to hell right now!" Cray threatened as show them the detonator on the ground.
"You're bluffing! You die right along with him." Lyla shouted.
"I want to be President for my legacy. Dying a hero is as good a consolation prize as any." Cray rationalized. After a moment of consideration, Diggle, Lyla, and Carrie all lowered their weapons. "The Suicide Squad," Cray stated as he got up remembering the stories about them and his mercenaries' guns aimed at them. "Well, you are true to your name if you think that the three of you can just shoot your way in here ... wait. There were four of you." He realized.
Immediately, a sniper shot came from the window taking down one of the mercs; it was Lawton from the rooftop with a clear view of where the hostages were. As Diggle, Lyla, and Carrie resumed fire. Lawton gave out orders from his position. "John, 7 o'clock," Lawton said and Diggle shot said target. Catching the senator, Lawton fired the detonator right out of his hand. As the senator started to make his escape.
Cutter engaged with one of the mercs, swinging her bow from the left, the merc blocked it and threw an attack. But Cutter blocked it and struck him several times in the chest before extending out his right arm and flipping her whole body over it in order to break it and then put him in a headlock. "You've been a very, very bad boy." Carrie remarked and she then broke his neck. Lyla then shot the last of the mercs.
"Go, go, go, everybody, go, go, go!" Dig shouted as the hostages were now secure doing just that. "Go, go, go, go! Go, move it, move it, move it, move it!" He continued shouting as he got behind all the hostages to watch their six. "Move, move!"
"Come on, let's go!" Lyla ordered the people from the hallway. "Quickly!"
"Floyd, what about you, baby, how are you getting out?" Carrie asked on comms.
"I'm not," Lawton replied with Dig overhearing him.
"Lawton, what are you talking about? That wasn't part of the plan! You said you could find your way down." Dig reminded him.
"Yeah, I lied," Lawton admitted as he readied his sniper rifle. "Someone needs to cover your escape. Me up here is what gets you out down there alive."
"Why?" Dig asked as he and Cutter stopped in their tracks.
"You and your new wife, you just get back to your baby girl, all right, John?" Lawton asked.
Exiting the building the hostages headed down the steps. "Go, go, go, go, go, go, go!" Dig continued to yell as .he then shot one of the mercs out in the front. Lawton then proceeded to cover John, killing the mercs from the rooftop. "Move, move!" Carrie and Lyla provided cover fire as well. "Go, come on. Go, go, go, go!" He ordered as they got into the vans. "Come on, Floyd," He muttered.
As the bomb had been triggered with only 8 seconds left, Lawton seeing that all the enemies were dead and everyone else was out of the building pulled out a photo of his wife and daughter and gave himself a brief chuckle. The bomb then detonated destroying the hospital and causing it to go ablaze.
"No! No!" Carrie pleaded tearfully as Diggle held her back as they watched the building burn.
Palmer Tech, Dawn
As Ray was tinkering with his suit, Felicity walked in on him. "How are you?" She asked.
Putting his tool down, Ray spoke. "My ego's bruised, and my arm, and my back, and my rotator cuff." He rambled.
"I'm so sorry about ... all of this." She admitted.
"Ahh. Well, actually, I ... think I'm the one who owes you an apology." He countered. "You told me Oliver was innocent, and I didn't trust you. I want you to know that I do."
"About what you said earlier ... about wanting a true partner." She brought taking his hand. "Is that offer still good?"
"Yeah. Once I make an offer -" He said lowly as they then kissed
Diggle and Lyla's Apartment
"The Greddian Separtarists were led by Floyd Lawton, a former sniper for the United States Army. Lawton was discharged five years ago, and since then had been linked to numerous terrorist organizations." The TV newswoman said Diggle was holding Sara trying to get her to sleep, and then heard Lyla come in; giving her a kiss as she did. "Lawton died as a result of an explosion intended for a group of hostages, including Senator Joseph Cray. But Cray managed -" She continued but Lyla turned the TV off.
"He paid the hostages for their silence," Lyla revealed.
"Yeah, well, the dollar goes a long way in Kasnia, right?" Dig asked.
Putting her coat down, Lyla vented. "I tried to set the record straight. Waller blocked me." She revealed but Diggle remained silent as he was unsurprised. "Johnny. There's something else."
"Yes, there is." He said as put Sara back in her crib and gave his wife a good weary look. "I'm leaving Team Arrow."
"What?"
"Lawton was right. I can't keep living like this. It only works until it doesn't, and ..." He said and then sighed. "Then what? I can't do that to Sara."
"And what about this city? The work you and Oliver do, it's good work." She reminded him. "Not like what I've been doing for far too long. Which is why ... I resigned."
"Lyla! No, you love your job, and your damn good at it." He reminded her as he was dismayed.
"No, if what happened with Cray can be allowed to stand, I don't want to be good at it. What I want is to set a good example for our daughter. I want her to be proud of me." She admitted.
"Lyla ... I'm proud of you." He said kissing her repeatedly before hugging her. "I'm proud of you, Lyla. Nothing's ever going to change that." He reassured her.
Arrowcave, Night
Smelling the flowers she had, Felicity then saw Oliver. "Hey." She greeted him.
"Hi. Where are you off to?" Oliver asked.
"Ray has a meeting with the mayor." She revealed as she grabbed her purse. "Seems he's had a change of heart about the Green Arrow."
"Ohh," He said with a smile.
"Thanks."
"For what?"
"For proving me right." She said as she kissed his cheek as she left.
"Hey," Dig greeted Oliver as he walked in.
"Hi," Oliver responded lowly.
"What'd I miss?"
"Ohh, not much." Oliver downplayed heavily. "I'm glad you're back."
"So am I. Turns out Lyla and I are not very good at vacations." Dig revealed and what through Oliver's box.
"Republic of Kasnia, huh?"
"Mm-hmm," Dig confirmed and grabbed two glasses and a bottle of Oliver's Russian Vodka.
"And Floyd Lawton?" Oliver asked.
"Yeah." He said putting them down and started pouring the drinks. "You were right, Oliver. Doing what we do, having loved ones at home ... it's complicated."
"Well, the things that matter always are," Oliver replied as he grabbed his glass.
"To Floyd Lawton." Dig toasted.
"Prochnost," Oliver spoke as they down their glasses and put them down.
"Any luck finding your imposter?" Dig asked.
"Still out there," He revealed.
"Oliver, we have to stop this guy before he puts arrows in any more criminals," Dig told him.
"Or ... before he starts putting them in innocent people," Oliver stated.
Mayor's Office
"Madame Mayor, I have it on very good authority that he's being set up," Ray told Mayor Castle with Felicity, Laurel, and Quentin all in the office.
"Hold on a second, Ray. Now you're telling me you think the Green Arrow is innocent?" Castle asked confusingly.
"Of these murders, yes. I believe he's being framed." Ray reaffirmed.
"We need to address the media right away," Laurel told the Mayor.
"Tell 'em what, some rich genius just changed his mind?" Quentin added.
"Dad!" Laurel said in frustration.
"Look, all I'm saying is that unless we actually have this copycat. They're not gonna believe any of this." Quentin reminded her.
"Enough, both of you! I am tired of listening -" But before Castle could finish an arrow just flew through the window and into her heart startling everyone there. Outside of the Mayor's office, Maseo Yamashiro now dressed as the Green Arrow had Felicity Smoak in his sights and then aimed and fired at her.
Author's Notes: To anyone who might've thought I was gonna make Laurel a better fighter than Sara, sorry to disappoint you. Though Laurel's a far better fighter in this series (with powers to boot) as she should've been, Sara is still the stronger combatant of the two. This is the most objective course for the story and for me as a storyteller. I've always liked how they handled Sara's coming out as a bisexual woman with quick acceptance and it was just shown that she liked both sexes, considering I've changed things a lot, I felt a scene like this might've been needed.