Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.
"Where's Hank?" Nicole asked, with a forced calm tone.
"In Russia, but something happened. He missed three of our scheduled call-ins." Jack explained.
"And you're not doing anything about it?" Nicole demanded.
"I'm trying but the bureaucracy between the U.S. and Russia takes time." Jack said as he held her shoulders. "I swear I'm doing my best to find him."
"Why was he in Russia anyway?" Sara asked.
"It's classified, Sara." Jack said with the look.
"Don't give me that crap!" Nicole snapped. "Why was he in Russia?"
Jack took a breath. "Randall Lockley." Nicole, Sara and Chloe tensed. "Your brother has been running down a lead."
"Oh, God…" Nicole wiped her face. "No, no…"
Jack held her shoulders. "Nicole, calm down—"
"Why on Earth would you let him look for him?!" Nicole snapped again. "You know how he gets, when he thinks I'm in trouble! For months he hasn't been reaching out and—"
"Calm down." Jack tried to console her. "I promise you, I will bring your brother home."
"You're not doing it alone." Sara stepped up. "Henry's my friend too."
Three years ago, South Africa
"Are you feeling any better?" Richard asked as Sara met him outside.
"I... I don't know." Sara admitted. "I keep seeing his face—"
"You were just defending yourself, Sara." Richard assured her. "That doesn't make you a killer. Besides, it was an accident."
"But we both know that it's not the last life I will take. And it might not always be self-defense." Sara turned to him, guilt on his face. "I'm just worried that this place is gonna turn me into something… terrible. I've tortured people before—"
"We all have darkness inside us, Sara." Richard held her shoulders, consoling her. "But remember that there's light in you too. Opposing forces, like yin and yang. Who we become, that's our own choice. And you know what I see in you? You're not a bad person. You're a good person, who has been forced to do terrible things."
Sara nodded, remembering her time on Amazo.
"I know that look in your eyes. You're afraid that you'll become someone you don't even recognize anymore. Might I offer you an advice?" Sara looked at him. "Find an anchor. Someone… something that reminds you the best, who you were before. Who can bring out most of the goodness in you. I have Nicky and Riley." He turned to the boy, who was playing soccer with other mercs. "Who do you think can bring that light within you?"
Sara took a breath. "Ollie. He was the one person, who would not give up on me."
"Then, whatever happens, think about Oliver." Richard advised. "As long as you remember that people believe in you… you're never too far gone."
Present, the Lair
"So, Henry has been chasing the guy, who kidnapped his sister and nephew almost four years ago and has gone dark in Russia?" Diggle summed up.
"Pretty much, yeah." Sara nodded.
"CIA can't do much about it without causing a diplomatic incident." Chloe explained.
"Then I think it's time we visited the Queen Consolidated subsidiary in Moscow." Oliver said before picking his cellphone. "Zehra, could you arrange for me a flight to Russia, please?"
Later, Starling International Airport
Oliver, Sara and Diggle were entering the plane before a limo pulled over as Isabel Rochev went out. "Where do you think you're going?" She asked.
"Moscow." Oliver explained. "I was thinking of inspecting our overseas holdings…"
"…behind your partner's back?" Isabel raised her brows.
"It was an oversight." Oliver said politely.
"Well, lucky for our partnership, I'm a fast packer." Isabel said smugly as she entered the plane.
Sara stared at Oliver incredulously. "Ollie, that's a really bad idea—"
"I'll handle her." Oliver promised.
In the plane, Isabel was reading a magazine as Oliver and Sara were sitting across each other. "There's someone in Russia, who can help us." He told Sara. "You know him." Sara raised her brows. "Remember Anatoly?"
Sara widened her eyes. "Anatoly, as in—"
Oliver nodded. "The last year I was gone, something happened to a friend of mine. She died and before that… her village was taken over by a Russian crime lord named Konstantin Kovar, who enslaved her parents. I made a promise to her that I would free them and kill Kovar. And… when I traveled to Russia, I met Anatoly. He was one of Bratva's leaders and they were Kovar's competitors. I earned my way up as a Captain…" He showed Sara his tattoo. "With Anatoly's help. But a lot of things went sideways. During that time, I met Talia and she trained me." Oliver admitted. "I wonder, why she never told me you were alive."
"She probably didn't get the chance." Sara admitted. "I had heard that she was chasing someone very dangerous—"
"And you think he got to her first?" Oliver asked.
"I wouldn't be surprised." Sara shrugged. "I've met some dangerous people too, Ollie. Far more ruthless than Anthony, or Slade."
Oliver nodded. "Anyway, when I was initiated into Bratva, their Pakhan, Gregor, betrayed them and struck a deal with Kovar and tried a coup against Anatoly and overthrow Russian government. Anatoly and I stopped them in the end and I earned the position of the Bratva captain." He showed Sara the tattoo as he unbuttoned his shirt. "Then, a few months later, I returned to Lian Yu because it was easier for everyone to believe that during those five years, I was a castaway. Anatoly had bribed some fishermen to come to the island two days before my rescue to make it look like a coincidence that they found me and… you know the rest."
Sara nodded. "I should have expected from you that you would become a criminal, Ollie."
Oliver smiled. "I may have worked with them, but I never really became one of them."
Sara again nodded. "I see, where you're going with that. I've done some… questionable things too... working with some dangerous people… but I never was one of them." She changed the subject. "You never seen Talia since then?"
"No." Oliver admitted. "But I had heard that she was trouble."
Later, Moscow
Sara was waiting at the car with Diggle and Jack as Oliver approached them.
"So, how did it go with Isabel?" Diggle asked.
"She just accused me of hanging around with my girlfriend and going back to my old shenanigans and something between the lines." Oliver said, annoyed as they all nodded before entering the car.
Later
"You think he'll be happy to see me?" Sara asked nervously.
"We'll see." Oliver said as they entered a club, where a bearded man with a strong accent approached them.
"Oliver Queen?" The man got up from his seat and hugged him. "My favorite American!" He kissed him on his cheeks and greeted him in Russian.
"It has been too long." Oliver said before turning to Sara. "Anatoly, I don't know if you remember—"
Anatoly noticed Sara and looked at her like if he had just seen a ghost. "Sara Lance? Is that you?" He laughed as he hugged her tightly and kissed her on her cheeks too. "I thought you were dead!"
"It's good to see you too, Anatoly." Sara hugged him as she kissed him on his cheek too.
"Where have you been?" Anatoly asked as Sara shrugged.
"Met some tough people, thought I should get tougher." She said cryptically. "Haven't met Ollie until last year in Starling. I thought he was dead too."
"And this is John Diggle." Oliver introduced Diggle and Anatoly.
"Thank you for meeting us." Diggle shook his hand with him.
"If Oliver vouches for you, then you and Sara are my second and third favorite Americans." Anatoly laughed before they followed him into his office, where he poured shots of vodka. "First, a toast."
"None for me, thanks." Diggle declined politely before Oliver pushed the glass towards him with a pointed look as Diggle took the vodka as they all raised their glasses and Anatoly said something in Russian.
"Prochnost." Anatoly said before he pulled out a picture from a small leather box. "This is the man you are looking for, yes?" He asked as Oliver and Sara looked at the photo.
"Yeah." Oliver nodded.
"Henry was arrested?" Sara asked, confused.
"Not quite, from what I hear, he was trying to break in." Anatoly corrected.
"Why?" Sara asked.
"I do not know." Anatoly admitted, raising his hands. "But clearly, he had issues breaking back out. Gulag, worst in Russia. It's called Koshmar."
"The nightmare." Oliver translated as Sara tensed.
"It's full of violent psychopaths and killers, and that's just the guards." Anatoly explained as Sara tensed more.
"Jesus, what is it with Henry and jails full of psychos?"
"Henry was in jail before?" Oliver asked.
"Three months in Arkham, he almost killed a guy." Sara nodded. "Anatoly, can you find us a way into gulag to get him out?" She asked him.
"You get in; you get shot before you get out." Anatoly then looked at the photo. "Or end up like your friend. Mmm, it's impossible."
"Anatoly, he's my best friend's brother, he saved my life, I can't just leave him behind!" Sara snapped. "I'm not leaving Russia without him!"
"Sara, calm down." Oliver held her hand before turning to Anatoly. "Please."
"Very well." Anatoly said before smiling. "I must say, you've grown… what is the word you Americans use? Tougher. The only way in is as a prisoner, I have a guard there, owes me a favor. Give you one shot in twenty."
"Set it up, I'll go." Oliver volunteered.
"No, it's gonna be me." Diggle stepped up. "You and Sara are more experienced than I am and I think you have a better shot at breaking us out than I would. Besides, if something happened to you, what about Sara or Thea?" He pointed out as Oliver and Sara gave in.
"We'll be on the outside, we'll cover you." Oliver said.
Three years ago, South Africa
Sara followed Richard outside the camp in the middle of the night, to the shore of a river as Richard drew a circle on the ground. "Take a bath and then, enter the circle."
"Excuse me?" Sara asked, blushing.
"Trust me." Richard promised. "I won't be looking." He turned around as Sara stripped herself off her clothes reluctantly, then going to the river and taking a bath before she found on the shore some Buddhist attire as she put it on and then entering the circle, where Richard was burning some plants in a bowl as Sara knelt before him.
"What is it?"
"Breathe." Richard said as Sara inhaled the vapors from the bowl.
Then, suddenly, she wasn't in the jungle anymore but… it was hard to describe. It was dark but… also the void seemed familiar to her. "Remember the time without guilt… without pain… without agony… let go of your restraints… take a deep breath, Sara."
Suddenly, Sara found herself in Laurel's apartment as she and her were watching TV. "Laurel?" She asked, confused as Laurel was giggling. Then, she saw next to her on the other side Oliver. "What's going on?"
"Remember, when we enjoyed watching movies as kids?" Oliver asked.
"Yeah. You wanted to play a hero but Daddy said that this job was dangerous. That you have no idea, what it can turn you into." Laurel said.
Sara nodded, then realizing something was off. "This isn't real. I'm just hallucinating." She said in denial.
"But these were better times." Phantom Oliver said. "Without pain and blood—"
"How can you… I'm a killer!" Sara snapped. "I—"
"You're not a bad person, Sara." Phantom Oliver implored as Phantom Laurel held Sara's hand.
"You were just forced into a bad situation. There's a difference."
"I keep seeing his face…" Sara sobbed.
"I know…" Phantom Laurel assured her. "But you need to stay strong, OK?"
"I'm… I'm afraid that this place is gonna turn me into—"
"You need to hold on to the people, who can see the light in you. Remember that we'll never give up on you, otherwise you're truly lost." Phantom Oliver said. "Shado would not give up on me…"
"And we won't give up on you." Phantom Laurel said. "Whatever happens, we're your anchor. We can help you get through this if you struggle."
"As long as you know that we believe in you, you're never too far gone." Phantom Oliver finished as the hallucination vanished.
Suddenly, Sara found herself back in the jungle with Richard. "Where… what…"
"This mediation technique can help you if you're having… issues with what you have done." Richard explained. "There are two types of killers, Sara. Those, who crave in blood, and those, who do it to save lives. And I think I know, which one you are. You may not like it but you'll have to get your hands dirty. But I'll protect you from that darkness as best as I can." Sara nodded, still trying to process what just happened. "I know it's a lot to sink in but…"
"I think it puts things into perspective." Sara wiped her eyes. "Thanks. It… helped a lot."
Present, Hotel Metropol, Russia
"I noticed that you and Henry seemed to be close." Oliver inquired as the police was arresting Diggle. "Were you two…"
"No." Sara said, blushing. "I mean, there was a spark but… no. But he helped me a lot."
"What do you mean?" Oliver asked.
Sara took a breath. "When I was with Richard and the Longbow Hunters in Africa, that was the first time I killed." Oliver's blood ran cold. "And… it kept haunting me in my sleep. I almost couldn't bear it… but Henry and Richard and Barbara helped me out from that darkness… but it took a while before they got through." She admitted as Oliver saw the guilt in her eyes.
"What happened?"
"I tortured someone, Ollie." Sara admitted. "I… did things to him, that I never thought I would have but he…" She clenched her fists, seething as her face was going red and her blood was boiling. "He almost…"
It hit Oliver as he held her arm and clenched his other fist. "Hey, hey. It's OK. Breathe. Did he…"
"No." Sara shook her head. "In the end, no but… I… I thought it turned me into a monster, so I ran. I ran away from Henry, from Jack, from everybody…"
"And where did you go?" Oliver asked as Sara sighed.
"It's… it's a story for another time, Ollie. I really don't want to talk about it. I've done things back then, that I'd rather not remember."
Oliver nodded in understanding before his phone rang and he answered the call. "They have him." Anatoly said.
Koshmar prison
Diggle was in the cafeteria, sitting and eating his meal as he saw a couple of Russians glaring at him. "Those me, they are Vory. They are in charge; it's best to stay away." The Russian across Diggle advised.
Diggle asked the Russian prisoner across him. "Listen, I'm looking for a guard named Sergei Pavelski."
The Russian spotted the man. "Far corner, over there." The guard and Diggle made eye contact, recognizing each other before three Vory approached him.
"American, you are suka now."
Diggle sighed. "Are we seriously gonna do this?"
In response, the Vory hit Diggle with a metal tray, knocking him down on the floor as Diggle got up on his feet, fighting with the three Vory and gaining the upper hand as the prisoners cheered. As Diggle was about to break the leg of one of the inmates before the guards dragged him away and broke up the fight. "Fighting strictly prohibited."
Hotel Metropol
"You missed the tour." Isabel said as Oliver and Sara entered the bar.
"I'm sorry, I saw a Russian vehicle that I simply had to have." Oliver smiled as Isabel scoffed.
"Is that why you brought your girlfriend to Russia?" Isabel demanded. "Car shopping?"
"What do you care?" Sara snapped. "What I do with Ollie is none of your business, so how about you get off your high horse and stop with that condescending look, you self-righteous—"
"Sara, enough." Oliver said calmly, holding her hand gently.
"You and Ollie may be partners in work but that doesn't make you entitled to know every single aspect of his and mine personal life." Sara hissed coldly as she stormed off and Oliver followed her.
Koshmar prison
Diggle was chained up to an overhead pipe as the guards dragged him into a freezer. "This cold room, six hours for you."
"Six hours? You can't keep me in here that long." Diggle protested.
"Now seven hours." The guard said before they left him.
"Diggle?" The other cuffed man across Diggle said. "You're John Diggle, right?"
Diggle raised his brows, not recognizing the man but noticing the branded J on his cheek. "Who are you?"
"Jason." The man said. "I know, who you are. You're Fyff's friend, right?" Diggle nodded. "He came here to break me out. But this happened."
"Who exactly are you?" Diggle demanded.
"Let's just say that I have a history with him." Jason said. A few minutes later, Anatoly's inside man Sergei entered and uncuffed Diggle and Jason.
"Where's Henry?" Diggle asked.
"Follow me."
Hotel Metropol
"I hope he's OK." Sara said.
"You care for him, do you?" Oliver asked.
"He's like a brother to me, Ollie. I would be dead ten times over if it wasn't for him." Sara explained before looking at the watch and heading out with Oliver.
Koshmar prison
Sergei, Jason and Diggle were walking down the corridor but around the corner, they encountered two guards as Diggle knocked the first one out but Jason snapped the other one's neck as Diggle and Sergei glared. "You did not have to kill him!"
"They're beasts, Mr. Diggle." Jason shrugged before taking the guard's gun as they approached a gate as they undid a chain and opened the door. Going around the corner, Diggle and Jason saw Henry passed out on the floor, chained up to the wall as Diggle slapped him on his cheek, tensing from seeing his bruised face.
"Henry. Henry, wake up."
Henry groaned as he came to. "Dig…"
"Yeah, it's me. Come on, let's go, we're taking you home." Diggle and Sergei got him on his feet.
"Wait, wait, I can't leave without—"
"I'm here, Hank." Jason assured him as he showed up behind Diggle and Sergei. "I hope you have an extraction plan, Mr. Diggle."
"Depends. What times is it?" Diggle asked before a moment later an explosion sounded throughout the prison as the ceiling crumbled a little and the alarm blared. "Let's go, go, go, move, move, move!"
The four of them ran through the halls before nearing the courtyard, only to encounter guards, who aimed guns at them, yelling in Russian. Diggle and Jason raised their hands in surrender before two of the guards took the patrol out swiftly, revealing themselves to be Oliver, Jack, Sara and Barbara as Diggle, Jason and Henry followed them, entering the truck, where was Chloe and they drove away as the guards were shooting at them.
Barbara and Sara hugged Henry and Jason tightly. "Never scare us like that again."
"I never thought I'd see you again." Henry smiled in exhaustion before laughing. "On scale of 1 to 10, how much is Nicky pissed at me?"
"11." Jack said as Henry paled.
"Crap. I guess I'm in for another yelling from her."
Barbara, Sara and Jack laughed before Jason turned to them. "There's something you should know. Lockley's dead." Sara, Jack and Barbara tensed. "The guards ended him, not me." Then, he turned to Diggle. "And, Mr. Diggle, your brother wasn't an accidental kill. I interrogated Deadshot months ago and he told me that someone hired him to kill your brother."
"What?" Diggle gasped. "Why? Who would want Andy dead?"
"All I have is an alias. The client, who hired him, called himself 'Hive'." Diggle said as Chloe and Henry and Barbara exchanged concerned looks.
Later, Starling City
Sara, Chloe and Barbara were talking outside the car. "Shouldn't we tell him that Richard's alive?"
"No." Sara disagreed. "I mean, it wouldn't do any good. You know what happened back then."
Chloe and Barbara nodded in agreement as Henry went out from the interrogation room. "Let's go home. I can't wait for my sister to yell at me again."
"And I should accompany Jason back to Gotham." Barbara said before kissing him on his cheek and hugging him. "I'm glad you're OK."
"See you, Babs."
"Goodbye, Hank."
Fyff's House
Sara opened the door as Nicole raised her head and rushed to Henry, hugging him tightly.
"Nicky, before you chew me out…" He stopped himself as she sobbed into his shoulder.
"Never scare me like that again. Please. I don't want you to leave me ever again."
Henry returned the hug as he nodded. "It's OK, Nicky. I'm home."
Sara and Chloe smiled, glad that their best friend could finally be relieved.
Three years ago, South Africa
"Intruder!" One of the mercs yelled as Sara and Richard were nearing the commotion.
"What's going on?" Richard asked.
"This sleazeball was trying to sneak into our camp. Well, Miss Lance…" Turner smiled as he handed Sara a knife. "You have the honor to execute our uninvited guest."
Sara grabbed the knife and then, widened her eyes in shock as she saw on Henry, on his knees, with a black eye, as the mercs held him.
So, what do you guys think?
Please review and let me know if you have been enjoying this and want for me to continue.