Chapter Eleven

Malcolm and Oliver faced each other, while Tatsu and Thea watched. For several seconds Oliver sized up his opponent then he attacked. Parry, riposte, parry, riposte, their blades moved so swiftly they were barely a blur. They continued this onslaught until Malcolm deceived Oliver with a false move and brought his blade up to his neck. The sharp edge of the sword touched Oliver's neck. He could feel the sharpness of the sword and the coldness of the steel.

"You are getting better, but you still need to be more cautious when you attack. Judge your opponent and find the flaw in their skills. If there is no flaw then deceive," said Malcolm.

"I believe it is time for Oliver to rest for an hour or so. I will make us green tea and some Soba noodles," said Tatsu.

"Thea, why don't you help Tatsu upstairs?" said Malcolm.

"I still can't believe you are the Arrow," said Thea to Oliver.

He looked at his sister and shrugged. Oliver knew that Thea was having trouble with him finally telling her the complete truth. Now there was only one thing hidden from her and that was she was the one to kill Sara. Oliver couldn't burden his sister with that truth.

"Go help Tatsu," said Malcolm.

Thea growled then joined Tatsu at the elevator. Malcolm looked at Oliver.

"Ra's Al Ghul's flaw is that he believes he cannot be defeated with a sword. He has been at it too long and killed too many men. That can cause an arrogance that can lead to a underestimating an opponent because it has been so long since he has faced a worthy one. Offer Ra's a false flaw, a fake opening and he may leave you with a real opening to strike, as he attacks your false one," explained Malcolm.

"The Magician, sleight of hand," said Oliver.

"I always was good with simple sleight of hand magic tricks. I used it to entertain Tommy and you, Oliver," said Malcolm.

"I remember you pulled coins from Tommy's and my ear when we were young," said Oliver.

Malcolm lowered his eyes at the mention of Tommy. He had many regrets but being the cause of Tommy's death was his greatest.

"Yes, those were better times and I was a better man back then," said Malcolm.

Oliver wanted to say something more to Malcolm, but he stopped himself. In the end, Malcolm was his enemy. Yes, they were working together now, but he was the cause of his father's death, of Tommy's death, and of Sara's death. He was the cause of all those deaths in the Glades. There was too much blood on his hands for Oliver to easily forget or forgive.

"After lunch we'll practice some more. You are getting better, but there is room for improvement," said Malcolm.

Malcolm walked away from the mat. He placed his sword down on a chair and picked up a towel to wipe the sweat from his brow. Both Oliver and Malcolm heard the freight bay door open. They reacted with speed grabbing their weapons and taking a defensive posture. Nyssa and Maseo entered the building.

"Oh, if it isn't the lovely Nyssa, Heir to the Demon," said Malcolm. "It's been a long time, Nyssa."

"I should kill you where you stand since you killed my beloved, but I am here as a messenger and must do as my father bids," said Nyssa, who then looked at Oliver. "I come for your answer."

"Combat," said Oliver.

"You have already lost to the Demon and yet you intend on facing my father, again. You cheated death, but it appears you want to embrace it permanently. You are either a brave man or a fool," said Nyssa.

"No third choice?" asked Oliver.

Malcolm looked at him in surprise. He wasn't used to Oliver making a joke. Oliver titled his head to the side and shrugged his shoulder.

"I have an offer to make your father. If he can set the combat for a month from now, I will be Oliver's second. This will allow him to easily kill me if he defeats Oliver. I won't be able to escape you on top of that mountain," said Malcolm.

"One month? Why?" she asked.

"He suffered a serious wound recently protecting this city," said Malcolm. "He needs more time to recover and gain his full strength back. In one month, Oliver and I will come to the scared spot on the mountain for the combat."

"I won't be climbing the mountain this time, though. I've already proven myself," said Oliver.

Maseo looked at Oliver and shook his head then said, "You will never change, Oliver."

"Probably not, Maseo," said Oliver. "Then again, I don't think you really have changed, either."

"I am no longer Maseo," said Maseo.

"Enough," barked Nyssa. "I accept your offer for my father. One month from today, I expect both of you on the mountain."

"We shall be there," said Malcolm.

"I wouldn't miss it," added Oliver.

Arrow

With Ankov put away, Oliver turned his attention to the drug trade in the Glades. A new designer drug was making the club scene and bars. It was part date rape drug and part hallucinogenic called Nirvana. All Oliver knew was that it was a drug he wanted off the streets of his city. He made a call to Captain Lance to get information from him.

"Do you know my neighborhood?" Lance asked him.

"I do," Oliver answered.

"A couple of blocks from my apartment there is a Chinese dive. It has great food but not much ambience. Be there tonight at nine. I'll have a file for you," said Lance. "Oh, leave the bow and hood at home."

"Are you sure about this, Captain?" asked Oliver.

"I'm positive," said Lance, who hung up on him. "I'd like to talk to you about some things."

"I understand, Captain," replied Oliver.

Oliver shook his head as he put his smart phone in his pant pocket. He'd spent a good six hours working on his skills and his tactics with Tatsu and Malcolm. Thea had left an hour ago to get to her club. It looked like instead of going out as the Arrow, he was having a late dinner with Oliver Queen.

Arrow

Diggle, Laurel, and Roy were sparring with each other when Felicity arrived. It had been a long day at Palmer Technologies. Ray wanted her stay to help him make power level adjustments but she told him that Team Arrow needed her.

"Felicity," Diggle said to her.

"John, it's good to have you back," she said. "How's Lyla?"

Diggle smiled, "She's doing fine. Sara was thrilled to have her mother home after a few days away."

Laurel and Roy stopped their grappling and Roy looked over at Felicity.

"What is the plan for tonight?" he asked.

"I'm not too sure," she answered.

The three of them gathered around her and the computers.

"I heard that there's a shipment of military caliber weapons coming into Starling City," stated Diggle. "A.R.G.U.S. is worried about them."

"We can look into that," smiled Felicity.

"I also heard from Oliver and he warned me that Nyssa was in town and she may have left some of men were in order to keep eye on Malcolm and him," said Diggle.

Felicity stopped typing and looked up at Diggle with concern.

"Is Oliver okay?" she asked.

"In a month he faces Ra's Al Ghul again," said Diggle.

"I guess almost dying wasn't good enough for him," she said. "He won't be happy until he's dead."

"Stubborn fool," added Laurel. "I wish Sara was here. Maybe she could kick his butt and stop him from being a fool."

Diggle smiled at this. Oliver faced Ra's Al Ghul and should be dead, but he wasn't. He'd never underestimate his friend again.

"Does he need backup?" asked Roy.

"He made a deal that it would be him and Malcolm Merlyn showing up for the combat this time. If he loses this time then Merlyn is there for them to kill," said Diggle.

"Merlyn," snapped Felicity. "I can't believe he is working with that man. It wrong that he had anything to do with him."

"He's doing what he has to in order to survive, protect the city, and defeat Ra's Al Ghul. I don't trust Merlyn, but he was trained by Ra's Al Ghul and that could give Oliver the advantage to win this time," said Diggle.

"Let's hope so," said Roy. "I'd rather he compromise with Merlyn and beat Ra's AL Ghul than end up dead for real."

Felicity didn't open her mouth this time. She refused to believe it was that simple. Or, maybe, she just refused to forgive Oliver for being Oliver. He wasn't going to change. If he did then he'd have a chance at something more in life, but he was too busy punishing himself, too busy carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Didn't he realize that there were some who were willing to share that burden with him.

Arrow

Oliver found the Chinese restaurant easy enough. It was the kind of Chinese restaurant that decorated with red lanterns and images of dragons in gold and red. He entered to see Lance was sitting at the counter sipping some green tea. Oliver sat down beside him. The man behind the counter looked at him.

"I'll have some green tea," he said to the man in Mandarin.

Lance raised an eyebrow and looked at him then said, "Was there a school on that island?"

"I wasn't always on the island. A spent a year in Hong Kong and a year in Russia," Oliver said. "The five years was hell, but I learned a great deal."

"Like how to use a bow," said Lance.

"Yes, Captain, like how to use a bow," he said.

The man brought Oliver some green tea.

"Let's get a table," said Lance.

The two men grabbed their teas and headed to an empty table. A waitress walked over to them with menus. Oliver held his hand up and spoke to her in Mandarin. She wrote down his order, smiled, and left.

"Okay, what was that all about?" asked Lance.

"I ordered for us. We are having Mandarin duck, fried rice, and pork chow fun noodles," said Oliver.

"Okay, if you say so," said Lance.

"It's on me, Captain," said Oliver.

Lance pulled a folder that was folded into two out of his suit jacket and handed it to him. Oliver looked through it. The folded contained everything the police knew about Nirvana and who was distributing it. Oliver closed the folder and pushed it to the middle of the table.

"Thank you, Captain," he said.

"Quentin. Call me Quentin, Oliver," Lance said.

"Quentin, thank you. I'll make good use of that," he said.

"I know you will," said Lance.

"There were other things you wanted to talk about," said Oliver.

"Sara," Quentin Lance said with his voice full of emotion, "and Laurel."

"You know I don't approve of Laurel taking her sister's place," said Oliver.

"I know," Lance mumbled. "Once she sets her mind to something, though, she can't be stopped. She's determined."

"Stubborn," smiled Oliver. "I did date her once upon a time."

"She said you were stubborn," said Lance.

"I can be," admitted Oliver.

"Is she being trained?" asked Lance.

"She is being trained by some good people."

"Not you?" he asked.

"Not me," answered Oliver.

"Why?" he asked.

"I'm preparing to meet someone in combat, someone who is better than me," Oliver told him.

Lance looked at Oliver in shock. He didn't want to meet the man who was better than Oliver in combat.

"It is a combat to the death. It's Ra's Al Ghul, the leader of the League of Assassins," said Oliver.

"Is this about Sara?" asked Lance.

"No, not really," he said. "It is about protecting this city from their revenge and protecting family. You see the league will start killing the citizens of the Starling City unless the killer of Sara is found. They live by brutal rules. I called Ra's Al Ghul to one on one combat. If I win, they leave Starling City alone and allow me to deal with Sara's killer. If I lose then I die and they will consider Sara revenged."

"That makes no sense," Lance said.

"It's there way, Quentin. It has been there way for hundreds of years," said Oliver.

"How can I help you?" he asked Oliver.

"Look out for my people if I lose," he said.

Quentin nodded his head. He looked sadly at Oliver.

"I miss Sara," he said. "What happened on the island with you and her?"

Oliver looked at the man and felt a wave of sadness wash over him. He still needed to mourn his daughter. It was the least he could do.

"I thought she was dead. My first year on the island I didn't see any sign of her then Dr. Ivo showed up and he had Sara," he started the story.

He knew what he could tell him and what he couldn't tell him. Oliver also knew that Sara would want this.