Chapter 3: This isn't going well…
It had been 6 months since Oliver had died, since the Arrow had been officially marked as KIA. Things weren't going well for Team Arrow. At first things were moving along as they usually did, taking out criminals here and there, bad guys were popping up out of the wood works. People were slowly being driven out of the city. At first it was just people wanting to leave the violence that occurred in the city, Man-made earthquakes, super human soldiers, terrorist attacks, and now a biological threat against the city. People were antsy and were not sticking around to find out what next. Those who could afford it quit their jobs and their livelihoods and left town with their families. Others tried to muddle through it wondering how long before the next tragedy would occur. Team Arrow did as they did before, they carried on. Felicity manned the computers running the team from the basement of Palmer Technologies, John Assumed team leader and led the team militarily, Laurel used her grief for the loss of someone she loved to fuel her fight, but it was Thea who fought the hardest, she had lost her brother for a second time. The grief overwhelmed her at times, others, she fought the primal instinct to take a life. But when the two coincided she was helpless to stop it, and the relief that came afterwards always threatened to overwhelm her again with relentless guilt. Things were not shaping up for them.
John Diggle was busy fighting in the glades with a black mask on courtesy of Star Labs. It was different yet the same to him, fighting with Oliver had been different, he was used to following orders of his superiors in the military, doing what he was told without question for the good of the mission, for the bigger picture but he had no idea the pressures of command till he assumed it himself. That thought weighed on him as he fought this new type of enemy. It wasn't the first night and it sure won't be the last, but lately these militarized looking soldiers that appear out of nowhere and move in militarized fashion and then disappear like Ghosts, were new to the city. He hoped it wasn't a new invasion or just a small criminal organization, but from the way the Ghost he was fighting attacked, he knew something new and dangerous had come to his city. The ghost bobbed and weaved, fighting like a seasoned boxer, able to get in jabs and punches where John was vulnerable. But Diggle remembered his lessons at the hands of the Arrow, and changed his acceleration throwing his opponent off his game and Diggle took the advantage, immediately power housing his punches till the Ghost was on defense till eventually the ghost took a cheap shot and ran for it. Immediately Diggle pursued but later regretted it as he dove behind a dumpster as 3 more showed up out of nowhere to cover the others retreat. Luckily he brought back up too…
Canary jumped from a fire escape and immediately fired off a "Cry" as she disabled their ear drums for a bit distracting them and allowing Speedy to swoop in and take the pressure off Diggle, but eventually even that advantage was overcome when a black unmarked van drove up and immediately drifted on to its side while a door opened revealing a .50 caliber machine gun opening fire as they immediately dove for cover. The Ghosts taking the advantage immediately got to their vehicles and drove off, but not before tossing a grenade to cover their escape.
The team had taken yet another crushing defeat and were no closer to ID'ing these Ghosts. Only one thought was reverberating in their heads, "We need the Arrow."
Meanwhile on the other side of the world…
A very ornately dressed man stood with gold ringlets on his finger and a Demonic looking ring on his right middle finger, He stood wearing a green tunic and black pants as well as an ornate looking sword. Around him were enemy combatants waiting for his signal, he signed by releasing 2 fingers from his iron grip and signaling their attack. It was over in barely 3 seconds, 8 men were down, each quickly and decisively cut down as the ornately dressed man walked back and allowed his men to clean up the mess. A woman walked in ignoring the bloodshed and the dead bodies as she stopped before the man. She looked over him staring at how he had changed in the 6 months prior to her arrival back to Nanda Parbat. The man's hair had grown out a bit more, he was sporting a 5 O'clock shadow and his eyes had taken on a steely gaze. He had filled out more so than he was previously. He stood with purpose but moved with grace. Nyssa's eyes wandered over her husband once more as she fought the impulse to leap into his arms and smother in him kisses and expressing her love. Nyssa was taught at an early age to keep her emotions in check and only in the privacy of her own room was she allowed to release that hold, but only for a small moment. But under the new regime of her husband she was quickly adapting to the new way of things, she no longer had to tightly reign in her emotions, she no longer had to be seen as cruel cold hearted bitch. She no longer kept up walls to hide her true self away, no her beloved had opened her heart and mind up in such ways that she still cannot believe.
"Beloved, Oliver Queen's former associates encountered Darkh's men again tonight, they fought valiantly but lost ultimately. Is it wise to stay out of Star City as we attack Darkh from other avenues?" She asked politely not wishing to outright question her husband and leader of the League in front of witnesses. She knew her status, as bride of the demon had equal right to question him as he had states as her equal, but she still adhered to her husband in public and respected him outside of their chambers.
Things had come a long way for the new Ras Al Ghul, he was no longer the same idealistic man he used to be when he first started his crusade to free his city from the tyranny of the criminal elite. He had grown, changed, no; he had evolved into a new being. He was no longer tied down by moral dilemmas and platitudes that he was doing the right thing by not killing. Tommy and his promise to him to stop killing had all but been forgotten. Oliver Queen still had one candle burning in his soul and that was the love he had and cherished for his younger sister. Thea. She was the reason he chose this path, he wanted to make the world safer for her. For his future children. Ras knew, that to see that future through he would need to remove every obstacle that came his way. "It had to be done, Oliver Queen's friends need to be on their own, while taking down Damien Darkh in Star City would be the easiest way, it wouldn't be the right one. We need to attack this at all angles. Personally I would relish the opportunity to wet my blade with Darkh's men's blood, and of course his own. But we must play it smart. Queen's former team have encountered the "Ghosts" several times and have lost. We cannot tip our hand and show Damien that we know what he is doing in Star City. But I understand your concerns. Thea's blood lust is getting the better of her, I believe its time my sister and I spoke. Nyssa, return to Star City and bring Thea to me, if need be disclose who I am or rather who I have become to her in private, but make sure she arrives." Ras walked diligently towards a secret enclave he had built into Nanda Parbat, it was an up to date technological command center. Outfitted with the latest in crypto-communication gear and access to private satellites. Ras knew to fight the war he could no longer rely on the old ways, he had to mix them with new ones. Watching intelligence flow from all corners of the room he slowly watched as his men all over the world completed their assignments and slowly made history change in the background.
Star City, Thea's penthouse
Malcolm Merlyn stood watching out of a window, wondering how it went all wrong. How a carefully crafted plan backfired and how he lost his chance, his rightful place as the Demon's Head. Malcolm already knew that his daughter's older brother had become Ras Al Ghul, he had known for some time now through his contacts in the League. He was shocked and amazed and even a bit proud at the man Oliver had become. He knew it was only a matter of time before Oliver made a play in Star City, and he had to be ready. Oliver was still naïve and foolish to the ways of the League, and still needed more time to train before taking his place. Malcolm would show him the way, one way or another.
A/N: I want to thank all of you who have reviewed this fic and its progression. I had this chapter growing in the back of my mind and I had to write it down before I lost it. I am going to state upfront I will not be following canon Arrow completely. I am going to change events to suit my needs. But most of all, somethings that happened in Canon will not happen here. Thanks, my next update wont be till later. I have been neglecting my gf and she has made her disapproval quite vocally.
