Chapter Nine
Oliver stared at the Bering Princess from his perch on a crane tower. He notched up a grappling arrow and fired it across the expanse. Once it was secured he used his bow to propel himself down the line to the deck. He landed with an almost silent thud then he looked around for guards. Out of the corner of his eye he spied one, so he notched an arrow quickly and fired. It hit its bullseye. The guard went down with a sedative arrow in the shoulder. There would be no killing tonight unless he had to kill someone and that someone was Ivan Ankov.
Oliver started to move around the ship barely making a sound and staying in the shadows. With an animal's predatory speed and grace, he took out guard after guard until he was discovered then he dodged automatic weapon fire and returned fire with his arrow and throwing flechettes. He had taken out about two dozen men before he felt the burn of a bullet in his upper back. Since his new gear was made with a Kevlar weave due to the handy work of Cisco at Star Labs, the bullet must be a cop killer bullet, Teflon coated bullet. The pain was bearable, so he continued fighting. Too much was at stake not to continue the fight. Ankov was a dangerous man and he was after Oliver Queen and his family and friends.
Arrow
Ray drove Felicity, Roy, and Laurel to the foundry in his limo. As Roy and Laurel, who insisted on coming along, suited up, Felicity booted up and her computers and worked to get every CCTV and security camera up and under her control around the Bering Princess. Ray stood proudly and quietly behind her and watched her work.
She put the Bluetooth in her ear and checked to see if it worked.
"Arsenal, Black Canary, are you set?" she asked.
"We are on our way," said Roy.
She could hear the motorcycle reviving. Roy was on his bike with Laurel becoming the passenger. They would be at the dock in ten minutes. She started to check the cameras and caught Oliver in a fight with five men. He moved and struck like a panther. In a matter of a few minutes he had the five men incapacitated.
"Impressive," said Ray.
He watched as Oliver quickly notched and arrow and fired. He put it through a man's hand making him drop his pistol. He then put another arrow in the man's shoulder pinning him to a wall.
"I didn't realize how blood thirsty he was," said Ray.
"He's alive not dead. There was a time when that wouldn't be the case," said Felicity.
"And you agree with killing?" asked Ray.
"I'm one of those who convinced him to try another way," she said.
Ray placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed and said, "That's my girl."
Felicity stomach twisted at those words. You'll always be my girl. Oliver said those words to her and he meant them. And now here she was in need of talking to him and he didn't even have a comm in his ear because he was no longer part of the team.
"Felicity, we are here. Direct us to Oliver," Roy's voice came over the comm.
"Follow my directions and be careful," said Felicity.
"We will," replied Laurel.
"They work as a team all the time?" asked Ray.
"No," answered Felicity. "The Arrow works alone a great deal of the time."
"He's something. Although, I think he's still a little too violent," said Ray.
Arrow
Oliver worked his way down to the next level. His back was burning and he knew he was losing too much blood, but Ankov was within reach. From the topside, he heard and exploding arrow go off. Roy must have followed him. He kept going, slowly and carefully progressing, knowing that Ankov and his best men were somewhere ahead of him.
Arrow
Roy and Laurel cleaned up what Oliver left behind him. Before heading down and following Oliver's trail, Roy contacted Felicity.
"Felicity, do you have any cameras below deck?" he asked.
"None. I'm blind. I can't find Arrow and I don't know where Ankov is, except that both of them are below deck," she said sounding upset.
"We are going to follow him," said Roy.
"Good luck," she said then listened.
"You ready?" Roy asked Laurel.
"Why not? The Arrow took out most of the bad guys for us," she said.
They headed down below the deck. It didn't take them long to hear the noise of gunfire. Roy notched an explosive arrow and took off at full speed.
Arrow
Oliver ran into five of Ankov's best men. Another cop killer bullet hit him in the upper left arm. He notched up an arrow and fired hitting the shooter in the shoulder. The man screamed in pain and then fell to the floor as the tip was coated with a sedative. Another hail of gunfire forced Oliver into a stateroom.
He was about to notch up another arrow when he saw Roy dive into the same stateroom as him after he fired an arrow. He hit the floor and stayed there then seconds later there was an explosion. Roy looked up at his mentor.
"Arsenal, why are you here?" Oliver asked.
"Because you need backup," answered Roy.
"Let's finish them off," said Oliver.
"Wait. Let me contact the Canary," said Roy then he pressed a button in his red leather jacket and spoke. "Canary, stay put and pick up the stray if they come your way."
"I hear you, Arsenal," she replied.
Oliver scowled. He hated that Laurel had taken the place of Sara. She was better off being a DA and putting criminals away as part of the system. But it appeared that no one listened to him any longer.
"You ready?" he growled in his Arrow voice.
"I missed this," smiled Roy.
Oliver looked at his protégé and chuckled. They notched up arrows and exited the stateroom.
Arrow
"Felicity," came the voice of Laurel, "let my father know that he has a pickup of a lot of Bratva including Ankov."
Laurel was standing on the deck using zip ties to handcuff Ankov's men, even those that were badly injured. Roy had let her know that Oliver and he had taken down Ankov. See turned to see Roy and Oliver come up on deck.
"Will he need ambulances and police transport?" Felicity asked.
"He'll need both," Laurel replied.
Roy was walking towards her when Laurel noticed Oliver trip over nothing. It shocked her. He was too aware of his surroundings, too graceful, to trip over nothing. Again, he stumbled over air then he fell to his knees. There was something wrong with him.
"Arrow," she screamed. "Arsenal, check the Arrow!"
Roy turned and ran to Oliver. He knew about the arm wound, but when he touched Oliver on the back, Oliver moaned in pain. Roy checked out his back and saw a bullet hole. Checking under his jacket, Roy saw that there was a great deal of blood loss.
"Teflon coated bullets," growled Oliver.
"Damn it," snapped Roy. "Canary, Arrow has a bullet in the back, a cop killer bullet."
"What's going on?" demanded Felicity.
"Prep the med bay. Ol… Arrow is badly wounded," said Felicity.
"We'll take care of you," Roy said calmly to Oliver.
"Take me to my place," Oliver demanded. "Tatsu can take care of me."
"But Oliver," Roy said, "we can take care of you."
"No, Roy, take me back to my place. Tatsu has medical skills," said Oliver. "Plus, I have some of my blood stored there."
"Okay, I'll do what you say," Roy said then he clicked his speaker button in his jacket and spoke to Felicity. "Arrow wants to go to his new cave. I'm taking him there. I'll let you know how he is."
"He doesn't want to come here?" asked Felicity.
"There someone at his place with medical skills that he trusts," Roy replied then threw Oliver right arm over his neck and helped him to stand up. "We are taking your bike, but you are riding bitch."
Oliver chuckled.
"Please, don't pass out," said Roy.
"I won't."
They started to walk when Roy stopped and looked at Laurel.
"Take my bike. I'll be in touch," he said.
"Call soon," she responded with worry in her voice.
Arrow
Felicity sat back in her chair and started chewing on a pen cap. Ray looked at her with concern.
"One of your team is injured. Is there anything I can do?" he asked.
"Nothing," she said. "Why don't you go home, Ray? I'm not leaving here anytime soon. Canary will be back and I need to debrief her and then we'll have to wait for Arsenal and news on the Arrow. It might be another eight or ten hours."
"I'll stay," he said. "I want to be here for you."
"No, go home. Get rest. You have some final tests for the suit tomorrow. You need to be well rested. I'll be fine," said Felicity.
He looked at her and saw that her mind was on the events that happened and on the physical condition of the Arrow. Whoever he was he held a special place in her heart, which sort of annoyed Ray.
"Okay, I'll go, but I want you to text me if you need anything and don't feel obligated to come in the morning. Get some rest," he said then he leaned down and gave the top of her head a kiss.
He walked over to the stairs and headed up them. Felicity sat there in her chew gnawing on her pen cap and thinking about Oliver.
Arrow
Oliver woke up to find Tatsu and Malcolm hovering over him. He felt a stab of pain in his back and started to sit up, but Tatsu placed a hand on his chest and lowered him back to the bed. He wanted to get out of bed, but knew that she wasn't going to let him get out of bed.
"You must rest, Oliver," said Tatsu. "I'm brewing you some tea for you."
"More of your teas," he rasped.
"They are good for you. They will help you regain your strength," Tatsu said.
"Is Ankov in custody?" he asked.
"Yes, Oliver, he is. I believe he is being extradited to Russia for trial. It's all over the news. It seems he is wanted for political assassinations as well as extortion in his homeland," said Malcolm.
"Why are you here?" Oliver asked Malcolm.
"To help Tatsu get the bullet out of your back," he answered. "I learned more than just how to kill in Nanda Parbat. It took all of our skill to get the bullet out without damaging you."
"I guess I owe thanks," said Oliver to Malcolm.
"No need," replied Malcolm, who then looked around the second floor loft. There were a few Japanese scrims hiding Tatsu's bed, a couple of stool by the nook near the kitchen, a large TV, and nothing more. "The best way to describe this place is austere."
"I'll buy furniture after I face Ra's Al Ghul again and defeat him," said Oliver.
"You've set yourself back in your training to defeat Ra's with this wound," sighed Malcolm.
"I'll only need a day, two days, top to rest and recuperate," said Oliver.
"Nyssa will be back soon," said Malcolm. "We may be able to delay the combat between you and Ra's Al Ghul for at least another month."
"How?" asked Oliver.
"I'll offer myself up as your second. They will have both of us there and no longer have to chase me. All I'll ask for this convenience is time for you to heal properly," explained Malcolm.
"DO you think Ra's will go along with this?" asked Oliver.
"Ra's deludes himself with thought of justice and fairness. He'll accept the offer," said Malcolm.
"Relax and go to sleep," said Tatsu. "You have hard work ahead of you."
"Yeah, sleep. That's sounds pretty good," he said then closed his eyes.
Arrow
Roy pulled down his hood and took off his mask then he placed his bow on the stand near the glass case for his suit. Laurel, who was already changed out of Black Canary suit, stood with her arms crossed waiting to hear what Roy had to say, while Felicity sat in her chair waiting. With his leather jacket half off, Roy turned and looked at them.
"It was close," he said. "The Teflon coated bullet would have gone right through him and caused fatal damaged if it wasn't for the new suit that Cisco designed."
"How is he?" asked Laurel.
"Alive and he's going to be fine. Of course, there is the problem of Nyssa Al Ghul. She's due back soon to get his answer about whether he fits another duel with her father or joins the league," stated Roy.
"Ollie would never join the league of assassinations," said Laurel.
"Unless it was to save someone he loved," Roy corrected her.
"He'll fight Ra's," mumbled Felicity.
"Yeah, he'll fight him," said Roy. "Before I left I told Tatsu that I'd be back in my civies to see how he's doing. After I shower I'm going back to his loft to check up on him."
"Can I come?" asked Laurel.
"Aren't you needed at the DA's office?" asked Roy.
Laurel sighed, "Yeah. I have to be in the office today. Call me, Roy, and tell me how he is."
"I will," said Roy, who then looked at Felicity. Her brow was furrowed. She couldn't hide the look of concern. "I'll let you know, too."
"Maybe, I'll come with you to see him," Felicity said.
"You know you'll be welcome there," said Roy.
"I know," she said softly. "I know."