A/N: Episodes 21-23 will be quite similar to the three-part finale of Arrow season 2, in which all three chapters are linked and mainly take place on the same night.

Synopsis: When a strange, white powder is found in the mail at Queen Consolidated, the building is locked down in quarantine with Jane and Felicity on the inside. Oliver and Roy follow a lead in hopes of chasing down Malcolm Merlyn, and Captain Lance offers a helping hand. Meanwhile at A.R.G.U.S, Lyla and Diggle encounter their first struggle as leaders of the organization.

3x21: Quarantine

Felicity's finger drummed away on her keyboard as she put the finishing touches to her report. So consumed in her task, she barely heard the gentle knock on the doorframe to her office. Her eyes drifted upwards at the sound and Felicity allowed herself a moment to pause at the sight. Oliver stood before her, clad in a dark-grey suit, and an impish grin spread across his strong face as he caught her eyes.

The light of the early day shone in through the panorama windows to her office and bathed the man in a warm, bright glow that matched his widening grin. Felicity couldn't help but be taken by the image. She'd gotten so accustomed to seeing him brood every often than not, that it took her somewhat by surprise to see him this at ease with the world, however fleeting the moment might turn out to be.

Felicity could but return the grin as she breathed, "Hey! I thought you had the day off?"

Oliver shrugged one of his eyebrows in a way Felicity recognized only too well. He was working harder than ever before to earn back his company, for what was left of his family legacy, and it was all he could do now. Felicity was certain it would be enough to turn the tide and change the board's minds. Every board member was more or less impressed by the amount of work Oliver had put in thus far, but yet Oliver didn't seem as certain. He remained on the fence, anxious and prepared for the worst should Simon Cross manage to hold onto the management.

Oliver avoided the subject easily enough as he focused his attention on her, stepping closer into office. His eyes danced across her attire, a red blouse matched with tuxedo pants, as he remarked, "You look lovely today, Felicity... Me and Roy are going to Big Belly Burger for an early lunch. You want to join us? Think QC can spare you for a half hour?"

Felicity grimaced as she waved a hand in the general direction of her computer. "Can't. Jane wanted a meeting on the upcoming update and upgrade of the QC mainframe. I might be here until late tonight, since I'm helping the IT department."

Oliver mutely glanced towards his wrist watch. He didn't argue a word, however, as his eyes once more found hers. Instead, he sighed mildly and offered, "... Want to come over to my place when you're done?"

Felicity smiled coyly as she rose and stepped around her desk, removing the last distance between them. One of her hands came up to play with the undone button to his suit jacket, "I might."

"I could make you dinner," Oliver continued in a soft hum. His eyes roamed across her face, only mildly thankful for the rules the two of them had set up between them. They'd agreed to not get physical at QC (which meant no hugging, no touching and certainly no kissing), in order to separate their personal life from their professional one. As if remembering herself, Felicity's hand fell back to her side.

She met his gaze daringly. "By which you mean takeout from Big Belly Burger or pizza?"

Oliver feigned being appalled by the notion for a second, before his expression slipped into a serious nod. "Yes."

Felicity giggled and rolled her eyes. A soft ping from her personal tablet caught her attention. Without missing a beat, she frowned down at the inanimate object on her desk and couldn't resist the temptation of having a peak. Felicity's face fell into a worried frown as she picked up the tablet and read the information.

Oliver noticed the sudden shift in her demeanor and asked, "What is it?"

"It seems Malcolm Merlyn's on the move again," Felicity explained distantly and turned back to face him. "You know I've been monitoring transfers to and from Merlyn's not-so-secret account? Financial transfers are usually referred to as the 'Achilles' heel' for terrorists, and it appears Merlyn's no different. A large sum of money was just transferred to his account."

Oliver felt his easiness of a few minutes ago fade into nothingness as he stalked closer, his mind solely focused on the mission. "Where did the money come from? Can you trace it?"

"Need you ask?" Felicity smiled as she worked on following the hot trail. It didn't take her long to follow the trace back to its origin. "... It came from Steven Mandragora. He is a business magnate on the rise and owns two hotels, one casino and a barista shop here in Starling. His company used to do business with Merlyn Global before the Undertaking."

Oliver nodded distantly and raked his mind for the name. "I recognize the name. It was on my father's list."

Felicity traced their new target on her tablet and showed Oliver her finds. "Mandragora's cellphone places him in one of his warehouses down by the pier."

"I'm on it," Oliver nodded briskly. "Maybe Mr Mandragora can provide some answers regarding Merlyn."

Just as Oliver turned around to leave, Roy appeared in the open doorway and paused with his hand mid-air, as if about to knock. Clad in his usual red hoodie and a surprised grin at the serious expression on his friend's faces, he still managed a casual, "Hey, Blondie! You joining us for lunch?"

"No can do," Felicity replied in a strained tone that hid nothing. "And you've got other business to handle first. Malcolm Merlyn just received a large sum of money from a shady business magnate."

Without wasting a breath, Oliver briskly ordered, "We're checking into it."

Roy merely shrugged his toned shoulders. "Cool."

"But, wait, Oliver," Felicity called her boyfriend back and he patiently turned. Felicity held his gaze for a second, seeking for something behind his facade, before she lowered her voice, "This has Malcolm Merlyn written all over it. Literally."

Oliver smiled tensely. He knew what she was actually asking and hastily reassured, "We'll just look into it."

"Careful."

Roy snorted from his position on the sidelines. "Okay, Mom."

Felicity's voice sounded almost indignant as her eyes flew over to the younger man, "Why am I the mom? Why can't I be the cool, older sister? Okay, maybe not cool, but still ahead of the curve and-"

Roy sighed and rolled his eyes before he replied, "You're Mom because Oliver is Dad."

"Oh," Felicity swallowed as she glanced at Oliver's bemused expression. In the end, the blonde shrugged. "Still a bit sexist, but I'll allow it. And do be careful, we don't know what Merlyn's planning. I know we're all worried about Thea here, but that's just all the more reason to keep a level head."

Oliver tilted his head sideways, in mute agreement. "I'll just go say a quick hello to Jane and then I'm ready to head out. I'll meet you by the car in five, Roy."

Oliver slipped out of the office without another word. Felicity stepped around her desk and glanced at the younger man as he lingered by the open doorway. "You heard anything from Thea lately?"

"Nope."

Felicity cautiously glanced up at his stiff shoulders and hesitant eyes. He didn't seem entirely comfortable with the topic, but there was something more hidden in his tone. Her voice softened, "You've tried anything since...?"

"Nope," Roy shot down the suggestion quickly.

"You pop the 'p' one more time, I swear..." Felicity began in mock-threat and pointed a lean finger at her friend.

"No... pe," Roy took the bait and a flash of humor passed through his bright eyes, seemingly diminishing his worried shadows for the time being.

Felicity offered him an encouraging smile as she sat down in her seat. "We will soon enough. Hear from Thea, I mean."

"Yeah... I'm just not sure what she'll have to say," Roy breathed and avoided his friend's gaze. This time around, he didn't feel like pulling back into a well of emotion. He jerked a thumb in the direction of the exit as he spoke,"I better go... And, Felicity? For the record; I'm glad you two are together." He saw her cheeks turn a bright shade of pink, but chose not to tease her for it. Instead he grinned widely, "I won a bet because of it."

"A bet?" Felicity frowned and crossed her arms over her red blouse. Something between anger and intrigue colored her eyes. "Against whom?"

"Sara," Roy shrugged. "She thought it would take longer time."

"Well... I'm glad you're making money off of my romantic life," Felicity sarcastically remarked. "Speaking of which, does that mean I should I get a cut of your earnings?"

"No way. Make your own bets," Roy said indignantly.

"On my own romances?!"

Roy chuckled and shook his head as he walked out the door. "See you later, Felicity!"

Lyla ran a hand across her face and leaned back in her seat with a heavy sigh. Up until a few days ago, it had been Amanda's seat, but the other woman's untimely demise had left a vacated seat that desperately needed to be filled. Lyla had been offered the job and had somewhat reluctantly agreed to head up A.R.G.U.S, at least for the time being. The job came with a few perks, but the responsibility felt like a heavy cloak made of chainmail around her slender physique. She was strong, but being boss of an organization like A.R.G.U.S certainly didn't come without a high prize.

"I haven't heard you sigh like that since before we divorced."

Lyla's eyes shot open and found the source of the familiar voice. John leaned against the doorframe to the office, a smug smirk on his full lips. Lyla rolled her eyes, "That's probably true."

"And yet... you want to marry me again," John baited as he closed the door behind him and stepped further into the enclosed space.

"Technically you were the one who asked," Lyla retorted. "And it's different now. We're different... I'm just not sure when we're going to find the time to..."

John shrugged his eyebrows and let out a deep sigh of his own. In the wake of Waller's death, John had taken on more responsibility also at A.R.G.U.S. After the unexpected news that his brother had been a A.R.G.U.S' agent once upon a time, John's love for the secret organization was at an all time low. He knew it was a toxic gathering of people with who held much power, and not always wielding it right. Still, he had accepted the extra load, Lyla knew, because he wanted to be there for her. Lyla couldn't help but love him even more because of it, though it made her feel selfish for wanting him close.

"We haven't set a date, at least," John offered meekly. "I think we can still make time for a small ceremony in May."

"It's already May, Johnny," Lyla grinned and couldn't hold back on the light chuckle that escaped past her lips.

"Maya's eager about it."

Lyla shook her head. "She's eager about anything if you tell it to her in a 'baby-voice'. Believe me, I've tried."

"Oh, I've heard you," Diggle said bluntly with a pointed look. "And Oliver, when he's babysitting. I'm still getting used to hearing his 'baby-voice' come out instead of 'the Arrow-voice'. Messes with your head a little."

"I find it adorable."

"Yeah, whatever," John eyed the pile of files on her desk. "Need a hand with that?"

Jane sipped from her coffee as she tried to follow Felicity's swift explanation. Computer lingo had never been her forte, but at least listening to Felicity babble always reassured Jane she'd made the right decision. The bright woman was a genius destined for the IT world, not to be confined as someone's EA.

Felicity, meanwhile, stood before the desk and summed up her long and winding speech, "So, in short: the software upgrades requires setting up the operating system and it should be a non-disruptive process due to the fact that we're using the virtualizing facility of the IBM Parallell Sysplex. There might be glitches and unforseen interruptions over the coming 24 hours as the upgrades proceed, though. Which is why we started this last night when people were heading home, less interruptions that way. There might be a few sections that will go off-line today, but it will just be temporary. We might want to get a memo out to the employees, just so that no one overreacts if the power on a floor shuts off or the servers go down."

"I'll send one out right after we're done here," Jane nodded once and clapped her hands together. She inhaled and tried to fill her body and mind with oxygen and energy. "Now... what time is it? Is it almost time for lunch yet?"

"It's ten-thirty," Felicity replied.

"Oh, well," Jane grimaced. "You can't have it all."

Felicity opened her mouth to speak when the shrill ringing of Jane's office phone suddenly caught their attention. Jane flashed her friend an apologetic grimace before she answered.

"Jane Deleon?" she breathed in her crisp dialect and reclined in her seat as she listened to the speaker. A shadow crept across her sharp cheekbones as she tensed up in the seat. Her voice was all the sudden almost mechanical and distant, "You found what?"

Felicity frowned at the sudden shift in the air. She wondered what was going on that could change her boss' demeanor so swiftly. Felicity heard the soft rustling of fabric then and spun around to face the open door. She did a double-take at the two men who entered the office clad in protective hazmat suits. Their faces were obscured by large, full face-masks with a supplied air respirator. Felicity knew enough to recognize the suits as the highest protection against dangerous substances and felt even more perplexed at the implication. She glared at the men in concern as she felt tension seep into the back of her mind. This was definitely not a good thing.

"Yes, they're here. Thank you," Jane hung up and swiftly stepped out from behind her desk.

"Ms Deleon?" one of the men spoke, his voice nearly metallic through the thick, protective mask of the suit. "My name is Tomas More and this is my colleague, Dean Fogart, we're with the Starling Technical Assistance Response Team, or S.T.A.R Team, if you will, and we were dispatched to handle-"

"Yes, I was just informed," Jane breathed and turned to hastily explain the ordeal to Felicity, "Apparently there was a letter with a white, unidentified substance found in the QC mail this morning."

"Anthrax?" Felicity questioned, her throat going dry in less than two seconds.

"We don't know yet, ma'am. Protocol suggests we have to lock this place down, however," Mr More exclaimed. "You two are the only ones present on this floor, but we're asking you to stay put while we investigate the matter. We'll be asking everyone in the building to sit tight until we have more news, which might take a few hours depending on how fast we can get the results off of the powder substance. There's no need to panic, though, these things usually turn out to be hoaxes."

"Thank you," Jane nodded her head as the two men exited the office. The two women watched as the men entered the elevator. The doors closed and Felicity and Jane exchanged a worried look, suddenly left alone in the dwindling day.

Oliver scowled. "What do you mean 'quarantine'?!"

Roy stepped out from the back-room of the lair and put some finishing touches to his burgundy suit as he caught the end of Oliver's conversation with Felicity. The younger man frowned and stopped as he heard the unmistakable edge to Oliver's raw tone. It wasn't often Oliver let such pure emotion seep through his facade, so Roy made a point of remaining in the back until this was over.

Oliver's features were tense as he listened, something worried managing to shine through his cracks. His shoulders slumped after several long seconds in silence, "Fine. But keep me updated. Yes, I'll call you after Roy and I get back from the mission. Love you. Bye."

Oliver's face fell into the scowl Felicity used to call the man's 'Angry Face', and Roy could see irritation rise within the man's chest like a changing tide.

Roy cleared his throat and the other man swirled around to face him. "Everything okay?"

Oliver grimaced. "Felicity and Jane are quarantined at QC. Apparently there's been some white powder in the mail. Might be anthrax. We'll have to wait and see what the test results reveal. She told us... to stay away. That it's nothing. That we ought to follow our lead."

Roy easily read between the lines. After months of working as the man's apprentice of sorts, Roy felt he'd earned the privilege to pry. "... You don't sound too happy about that?"

Something gleamed in Oliver's eyes for the fraction of a second before he admitted, "I'm not sure what to feel right now, Roy. About this... or about Thea."

"I thought that might be why you're so eager to go after this guy with ties to Merlyn. Look, Thea did get me out of jail..." Roy's voice trailed off as he stepped closer to the heart of the lair and the man clad in green, "and helped the team save you from your drug-induced mindset."

Oliver reluctantly inclined his head, though something sharp managed to see through Roy's own defenses, "But she hasn't returned my calls since. It's like she's avoiding me. I can't help but fear... that it was a final act of kindness. That it was her way of apologizing for something I haven't seen yet. And knowing Malcolm Merlyn is behind all of it, without me being able to help my baby sister is... frustrating."

"I get it, man. I really do," Roy let his own feelings seep into the conversation, lowering his walls as he continued, "And I'm probably the last person who knows how to fix any of this. I know you called me back from Blüdhaven to help, but I gotta admit I don't know how."

"No, you're helping, Roy," Oliver disagreed in a swift, yet kind, tone. "You are."

"Coming back nearly got me killed and imprisoned," Roy corrected sardonically. "From where I'm standing, there's a slight difference."

Oliver cracked a smile at his friend's raw humor. "You regret coming back to Starling?"

"Nah, man," Roy disagreed fervently. "It's just... Our team is like family to me, you are. The only family I've ever really known... But I returned because of Thea, not because I missed the team. Which I did, but... not enough to return solely because of that, you know? I want to help her, but after that... I'm not sure I'm fit for a team right now."

"I understand," Oliver managed a slight grin that touched the corners of his blue eyes. It was slight, but enough for Roy to believe in. Oliver did get where he was coming from and he felt some tension wash away between them. Oliver inhaled sharply, "Now, are you ready to head out?"

Roy swirled the sai knives in his hands and couldn't contain his eagerness. "Never not."

Felicity anxiously drummed her fingers against her desk in a hopeless attempt to pass the time. They'd already been stuck on this floor for hours. She hated being trapped like this, caught inside a figureative cage from which she could neither escape nor offer help. She was simply trapped until someone else did all the work for her.

She looked up as Jane entered, the sharp click of her stilettos filling the palpable void of silence.

"Anything?" Felicity asked with a hint of pleading to her voice. "... Or nothing?"

Jane grimaced as she walked closer. The blonde hesitated on a precipice before stepping over the edge, "Apparently the preliminary results suggest that it was anthrax or a similar chemical compound in the mail. But the S.T.A.R team has limited the exposure to the mail room. They don't believe the rest of the building was affected or is in danger."

"Well, we weren't exposed to the letter," Felicity logically argued. "Does that mean they can release us from the quarantine soon?"

Jane grimaced. "I told the S.T.A.R Team to prioritize evacuating and possibly decontaminating the employees downstairs who may have come in contact with the chemical. It could mean you and I will be here for awhile longer."

Felicity sighed and nodded. It had been too much to hope for in the end. "That's fine."

"Sorry, love," Jane offered meekly. "You might want to call Oliver and tell him this looks like a real threat."

"No..." Felicity hesitated. "I don't want to worry him. He worries easily, you know. He might do something stupid. We'll wait for the final results... Was there more?"

Jane inclined her head leisurely. Once more she seemed to debate whether or not to share, but ultimately let the truth spill out, "It seems the letter in question was adressed directly to my office. The SCPD believes it's safer for me to remain here, at QC, while they investigate further."

Felicity felt perplexion take sole domination over her mind. "But who would send anthrax to you? Why?"

In response, Jane could but shrug her shoulders. A vacant emotion flashed through her wide, open eyes. "Clearly someone who wants me out of the picture. Could be one of my dad's old enemies. Though it feels a bit farfetched if they just want me dead. It would be a lot less work to use a knife or a gun."

Felicity swallowed at the prospect. "You're thinking Malcolm Merlyn?"

"And Thea," Jane clarified in a raw voice that hid nothing. "Possibly, yes."

"... You two have really fallen out, haven't you?"

"It doesn't matter," Jane shrugged and raised her chin defiantly. Felicity saw past the charade easily enough, and they both knew it. Jane exhaled tensely and tried to shake the tension that lingered in her marrow. "I'll get back to work. How are the software upgrades going?"

Quentin exhaled tiredly as he swirled his pen between his thumb and index finger over and over again. He was bored. Spending most of his time stuck in an office at the police station had its own way of taking its toll on the man's mind. He felt like he was slowly driven insane by the sheer act of not doing anything reasonable. He spent most of his time in this meeting or that, in deep discussion with the mayor of Starling City or simply commanding others to do the job he desired to do. This wasn't being a cop. This was being a puppet. And more often than not, Quentin wasn't sure how he felt about that. He'd been stoked for the promotion once upon a time, before he'd realized what it would truly entail.

Quentin side-eyed the documents that lay scattered across his desk now. He really didn't want to do this part oj the job at the moment.

His phone rang then and he enthusiastically sat up straight. Quentin's fingers wrapped itself around the phone with more eagerness than he'd intended. He knew this number.

"Please tell me you've got something," Quentin gruffly begged as he answered the call.

The Arrow's unmistakable growl replied without missing a beat, "There's a suspicious business magnate by the pier who might be connected to Malcolm Merlyn's return."

Quentin grinned from ear to ear. "I'll be right there."

It was well after lunch by now, Felicity mused to herself as she gazed out the panorama windows of her small office. The sun shone deceptively bright in the skies above, and a few swallows danced together in the wind. Far below, Felicity knew police cars and the hazmat team was parked around an ever growing crowd of intrigued or frightened people. The news of the possible anthrax attack had spread like wildfire in the media, unsurprisingly. No one seemed to have definitive answers, despite it all.

Felicity flew toward her tablet as it beeped and she glanced down at the new information, seeping it up like a sponge. Her expression fell into a frown. "Uh-oh. That's not good..."

Felicity rushed out of her office, her heels running across the marble floor with more force than she'd intended. With the whole floor abandoned except for herself and Jane, the place felt almost haunted in the quiet afternoon. Felicity couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy about the whole ordeal, but pushed past those emotions as she rushed ahead.

She cut the corner sharply and hurried into Jane's office. She paused to slow down her heart and waved her tablet in Jane's direction. The British woman looked dumb-founded as she gazed from the device to the woman. "What is it, Felicity?"

"Bad news," Felicity exclaimed as she crossed the last distance between them. "Something seems to be affecting the QC mainframe."

Jane shrugged, a slight disinterest visible in her orbs. "Is it one of the glitches you mentioned earlier?"

"No... No. This has nothing to do with the software upgrade. This is an outsider job," Felicity explained and felt indignation fill her lungs. "I believe someone's hacking into the QC mainframe using a remote administration tool. They've already taken over the security system."

At once, Jane stood to attention. Fury flashed through her eyes like thunder as she defensively asked, "Can you regain control?"

Felicity shook her head. "Something's interfering with my attempts, I can't access it from my tablet. I might have to get down to the IT department to reboot the system."

Her tablet beeped once more and Felicity's attention was drawn to the new notification and its dangerous allure.

"Now what?" Jane breathed exasperatedly.

"Eh, that's a notification from the CCTV footage. I still control that and it would seem the cameras just caught something suspicious on tape..." Felicity played the video and zoomed in as best as she could. "Odd. One of the hazmat guys just left a weird-looking bag in the IT department and then left the floor."

"Could it be part of the decontamination process?"

"The IT department was ruled safe hours ago, and has already been evacuated," Felicity pointed out in a slow, deliberate tone. "There's no reason for anyone to be there right now."

"Well, what is it? The object?"

Felicity shrugged as she played the video once more and showed it to her boss. "I don't know... Might be a bomb."

Jane did a double-take as her eyes widened. After every sharp twist and turn they'd encountered thus far in the day, Jane was surprised she was still this unprepared for the worst. "What?!"

Without wasting another second, Felicity swirled back around to the exit. "I'll go down have a look. The elevators are cut off, but I might be able to sneak past the hazmat team if I take the stairs. If they're even really a S.T.A.R team."

"Woah, woah, wait!" Jane's frantic voice reached her ears and Felicity turned back. Jane's wide eyes pleaded with the other woman to see sense and reason. "Are you completely bonkers, Felicity? You stay away from bombs, you don't move towards them."

Felicity grimaced as she disagreed, "That kind of depends on the person. This... isn't my first bomb. Besides, I have to go down to stop whatever outside assault is going on with the mainframe anyway. Though, it feels like too big of a coincidence to be happening at the same time as this... possible bomb."

"Felicity..." Jane pleaded. Her voice faltered briefly as panic seemed to reign within. "Stay here."

"I'm sorry, Jane," Felicity shrugged. "I can't let QC blow up on my watch."

"I'm not used to doing this in broad daylight," Roy breathed hoarsely as he crouched beside the Arrow on the rooftop.

The aging warehouse before them was owned by Steven Mandragora, and the two crime fighters had already seen the man within the building. The aging business magnate wore a grey suit, and seemed to casually be strolling back and forth within the building as he talked with someone out of sight.

Roy shifted in his crouched position and shrugged to himself, "It's easier with the cover of darkness. Less exposed."

Oliver glanced sideways at his partner, but refrained from commenting. In one fluid motion, Oliver rose and fired a grappling hook towards the rooftop across the road. Roy scrambled to his feet and mirrored the action. Together, the two vigilantes swung themselves off the rooftop and soared through the air towards the warehouse. The flight was short as they crashed through the windows, sending glass flying every which way.

Two armed guards turned towards the sudden noise. Roy landed a few feet away from them and vaulted over the closest guard before the villain had a chance to react. Roy flipped the man towards the wall and watched as the other man slid to the ground unconscious. Roy turned just in time to see Oliver knock out his own opponent.

Oliver and Roy turned around as they heard a slow clap echo between the walls of the large room. Steven Mandragora stood before them, leisurely clapping his hands together in silent mockery. Each clap echoed in the emptiness of the warehouse, lingering as if to torture the vigilantes' arrival.

Mandragora's hard, coffee-colored eyes wandered from one vigilante to the other as he remarked, "Am I supposed to be impressed? Or terrified, perhaps?"

Oliver's face fell into a frown as he glanced about, taking in the otherwise empty warehouse. The place was almost eerily quiet, and there was something simply not right about it. He stayed on edge as he turned back around to face the business man. "You knew we were coming?" he growled.

"Yes," Mandragora agreed as he pursed his lips. "You're a bit late to join the party, I must say."

Roy stalked forward. "What can you tell us about Malcolm Merlyn?"

The villain huffed in amusement, his low chuckle reverberating in the open room for a few, long seconds. Mandragora shook his head as he turned towards the red-clad vigilante. "No more than you already know, I'm afraid."

Oliver tensed and pulled an arrow from his quiver. "It's a set up!"

Not a second later, a small army of armed men entered the warehouse from a backdoor. Each and every one of them carried a knife or a semi-automatic that they aimed squarely at Oliver and Roy. Mandragora slipped into the shadows of the room to behold the show.

Oliver froze as a familiar figure stepped forward amidst the sea of opponents. Simon Cross wore his Komodo-outfit, but without the black mask to conceal his visage, as he casually stepped towards the center of the room. His bow rested in his left hand and he didn't seem bothered by the arrow Oliver aimed straight at his chest.

"Yet again, Arrow, you prove you do not see beyond the end of your nose," Simon mused. "Too late you realize it's all a trap."

Oliver grimaced as he launched his arrow. It missed Simon's face by a mere inch, and imbedded itself in the wall behind the army where it violently exploded. The sound was deafening and the fires raged around the army. Several of the man howled in pain having been caught in the blast while the rest ducked for cover. Oliver and Roy flew forward like two attacking lions against their prey. Roy wielded his sai knives and took on two shocked assailants while Oliver used his bow as a bat to knock them out of his way.

Mandragora witnessed the sudden fight and heard the grunts and gasps of his soldiers that easily fell to the side having met a worthy foe. The business magnate staggered backwards as he was no fighting man. When he'd agreed to set up this trap, Merlyn had failed to mention a few vital points. Mandragora threw himself towards the closed hangar doors. He pushed and pulled, willing the heavy door to give him an escape. At last it budged and he glanced behind towards the bloody battle behind him. Cross could handle this, or die trying. As Mandragora turned forwards, something solid and swift flew towards his face.

Quentin elbowed the man in the nose and watched as the suit-clad man fell to the ground unconscious, a trail of blood dripping from his nose. The policeman hovered above the fallen with a victorious smirk. Lance felt adrenaline pump through his veins like the fuel of life as he gazed up at the Arrow ahead. The green-clad man held one of his enemies in a vice-like grip but smirked in gratitude to their sudden back-up.

Quentin merely shrugged as he pulled his gun out. "I couldn't let you guys have all the fun."

"Ma'am?"

Lyla turned in her seat to face the man in the open doorway. "Yes?"

"We have a security breach on Level B," the employee explained with an apologetic grimace. The young man swiftly shared his news without missing a beat, "It appears the prisoners are attempting to flee."

Lyla didn't waste a second as she flew from her seat and into the control room, pushing the young man ahead of her. Lyla's team assembled around their new leader as she crossed her arms over her chest and glared around for answers.

"Show me," Lyla commanded.

A dark-haired woman opened the CCTV feed onto her screen and Lyla leaned closer. She could clearly make out Floyd Lawton's figure as he battled the guards outside of the cells. The armed guards stood no match to the superior killing machine.

"How did Lawton get out?" Lyla questioned tensely.

"We don't know, ma'am. Somehow, he managed to get the lock undone from the inside of his cell."

On the security footage, Lyla watched as Lawton found the keys to the other cells and swiftly stepped towards the first yellow door to unlock it.

"Send a team down there," Lyla ordered as she watched Lawton unlock the cell door to release Ben Turner, aka the Bronze tiger, "Stop them."

"What's going on?" Diggle's voice carried above the crowed as he entered the control room and pushed his way towards the boss.

Lyla glanced back at him over her slender shoulder, irritation brewing just beneath the surface. "Lawton and the Suicide Squad are attempting a break out. We have to stop them."

Jane impatiently waited for news of any kind as she paced the length of her office. She wearily ran a hand up and down the sides of her pencil skirt, fidgeting with imaginary threads of her white blouse. She worried about Felicity. Jane hadn't heard anything at all since the two of them had parted ways hours earlier. Jane had no way of knowing what was going on beyond the walls of this floor. All she knew was that this was beyond her comprehension, something was about to go down and she had a feeling she was a pawn in a much larger game.

Still, not knowing wore at her soul like waves against the rocks and she sighed in agitation.

The steady click of shoes against the cold, hard floor reached her ears and Jane swirled around. The sight ahead of her caught her breath in her throat and she tried to swallow past the sudden onslaught of panic.

"...Thea? How did you get past the...?"

Thea Queen entered the big office. The woman wore a knee-length, night-blue dress and her short hair straight beside her face. There was something cold and conniving in the young woman's eyes as she approached. Jane's gaze fell to the dark item in the woman's hands and felt her heartbeat increase. Jane tried not to let it show, but had a feeling her fears were shining through her already failing facade.

Thea, meanwhile, looked quite at ease with the situation as she pointed the gun at Jane's chest. "Hello, Jane. How do you like my little set up for you?"

"What... are you doing?" Jane swallowed and tried to keep her voice from trembling. "I know we don't see eye to eye... but threatening to kill me, Speedy? Seems a bit far-fetched, even for you."

"Does it now, Killer?" Thea mocked the other woman and her voice was distant, almost inhuman. "From where I'm standing, it all makes perfect sense."

"Then maybe you're standing in the wrong direction," Jane retorted forcefully. "I don't understand. This can't be because I'm refusing to sell QC to you...?"

"It has nothing to do with the company!" Thea growled in response. The words died out in the far-reaching shadows of the room and there seemed to linger, anticipating what lay ahead. "It has everything to do with you and my family!"

Jane swallowed. "This is madness..."

Thea shook her head as she chuckled tightly. It seemed she saw no amusement in this step, but the necessity dragged the humorless sound from her chest nonetheless. Her gun-hand trembled, but still remained fixed on its target at the other end of the chamber.

"I'm serious, Thea!" Jane argued louder, her panicked voice rising above the other's laughter. "I've done you nothing to warrant a death wish!"

"I disagree," Thea shrugged her eyebrows. "And I'll tell you why."

"Hit me with your best shot," Jane snorted and then faltered. Her eyes wandered down to the gun. "Poor choice of words, I admit."

Oliver snarled as he barely ducked out of the way from the bullets aimed at him. As he threw himself aside, he whipped out an arrow and fired it at the gun man. The assailant was hit square in the chest and fell to the ground and remained down.

Oliver glanced behind him to the sounds of battle there. Quentin was ducked behind a barrel, using it for cover as he fired his weapon against a few assailants across the hall from him. Roy, meanwhile, wielded his sai knives with surprising expertise as he agilely fought with his opponents. It seemed the young man had picked up a trick or two during his months away from Starling.

In his peripheral view, Oliver suddenly saw several small, black objects fly towards him. He didn't have time to jump out of the way entirely and one flechette arrow pulled back his green hood as another imbedded itself in his upper arm. Oliver grimaced as pain invaded his arm. He fought past the worst of it and felt the pain numb away as he pulled the arrow out of his limb. He discarded it to the side as he rose to face his enemy. Simon Cross grinned from ear to ear as he strolled in a semi-circle in front of Oliver, as if circling his prey.

Simon cooed, "Finally... Hood down. The man appears."

"Surrender, Simon," Oliver snarled. "You're going to prison for your crimes."

Simon tilted his head to the side as he aimed another arrow at Oliver. "We both know that's not going to happen... You'll die by my hand today. I was honored when Merlyn gave me the task. Proved my training was complete."

"He taught you to fight?" Oliver snarled viciously.

"He taught me to kill," Simon retorted in a hiss. "Just as he taught your sister."

"I know Malcolm's plan is all about Thea," Oliver commented. He deliberately kept his bow beside his thigh and his voice even as he continued, "That he wants what's best for her. You? You're just a pawn. He doesn't expect you to make it. Think about it. What's happened to all his other partners this far? Drake Constantin, Seth Hellfern? They're all dead."

Simon's grin was cold. "I'm different from them. Stronger."

"We'll see about that," Oliver breathed and swiftly pulled an arrow from his quiver. He fired the weapon at Komodo and watched as the man easily ducked out of the way.

Simon didn't waste a second as he fired his own arrow. Oliver was prepared, however, and caught the thin arrow in his hand. He spun and, using the same arrow, fired it at his enemy. The arrow hit Simon Cross in the shoulder and he staggered back from the impact. Surprise lit up his pale eyes as his bow fell out of his grasp. Oliver rushed forward and slammed his bow in the other man's face, watching a thin line of red drip down the side of Simon's face as the latter dropped unconscious to the ground.

Oliver rose on weary legs and turned to the dwindling fights behind him. Roy took down the last two opponents as Quentin stepped out from behind his hideout. The elder man's gaze shone with disbelief and something else as he slowly stepped towards the man in green. His mouth dropped open and his gun lowered to his side.

"... Oliver?" Quentin asked in bafflement.

Oliver grimaced as he realized his hood had been pulled back by the flechette. He should have thought of it. The mask alone wasn't enough to hide his identity, after all. He turned off his voice-modifier and held the other man's eyes. He had to do this as himself, and not the persona he'd tried to maintain all this time. He owed the man at least that. "Captain Lance, I-"

Quentin's strong, surprised voice interrupted him immediately, "You son of a bitch!"

Oliver raised a questioning eyebrow as he shuffled from one foot to the other. He saw past Lance's surprise and remarked, "It's not like you haven't suspected it before."

Quentin opened and closed his mouth a few times as he processed the truth. He seemed hellbent on disagreeing, but not a single word passed his lips. Eventually his shoulders slumped and he inclined his head. "... You're right. Difference was; I didn't want to know."

"Now you do."

"... Now I do," Lance muttered. The man's sigh was heavy and slightly sardonic. "Look, for the record... You're a... That's to say-"

It was Oliver's turn to interrupt. He stepped closer as he reassured, "You don't have to say anything, Mr Lance."

"No, I do, Oliver," Quentin disagreed fervently. "You and I may not always have seen eye to eye, but I respect you. Both the hooded version and the man under the hood... You're a hero, and you've kept both my daughters safe... But you could really use a better mask."

Oliver smiled. "I'll look into it." His phone started vibrating in his pocket then and he whipped it out. He gazed down at Felicity's number and pressed the phone to his ear. "I was just about to call you."

"Huh?" Felicity's voice was confused. "Oh, no, no, this is about QC. I think we have a problem. Like... a big problem."

"Hold on. I'll put you on speaker," Oliver exclaimed and did so, involving both Roy and Quentin in the conversation. "Alright, explain."

"Well, eh, long story short: I think QC is under attack. The suspicious anthrax in the mail? Yeah, just flour. I, eh, hacked the laboratory to get the truth, and it was buried pretty deep behind fake test results and the like. I think this quarantine business is simply a set up to empty the building and make it possible to take control of the mainframe and thus take over the helm of QC," Felicity explained, her tongue going a mile a minute. "One of the hazmat guys left a suspicious looking bag in the IT department, and it got me thinking. What if they weren't actually with the S.T.A.R team? What if there's no actual threat to QC? I went down to IT-"

"You moved towards the suspicious looking bag?" Quentin questioned in a deadpan voice.

"...Quentin? Hi!" Felicity breathed. "And yes, I did. It wasn't a bomb, though. But it is a powerful transmitter that allows someone on the outside to take over the mainframe via use of a remote administration tool. Someone piggybacked off of a keyhole hexagon satellite and with the help of this transmitter they're shutting me out... How much of that did you get?"

Roy frowned. "Eh, none. Was that even English?"

"You're saying you lost control of QC and can't regain it?" Oliver asked.

"You're learning," Felicity's voice came across the speakers as noticeably impressed. Oliver grinned. "I'll try to regain control, but I'll have to reset the system bit by bit. I'll see what I can do."

"We'll be right there," Oliver said and hung up the phone. He glanced up at his company. "Let's go."

Oliver and Roy swung onto one of the rooftops closest to the grand, impressive QC skyscraper. The tall building stood alone and silent in the late afternoon. From their position across the road, the building seemed to be completely void of people, abandoned to a more dangerous demise than the one feared. If it hadn't been for the commotion of police cars, ambulances and press down below, one wouldn't have known anything was amiss. Quentin was among the police men below, serving as the Arrow's eyes and ears on the ground for now.

Oliver opened his mouth but was cut off by his phone ringing once more. He glanced down at the blocked number and threw Roy a confused glance before he answered. "Who is this?" he demanded to learn.

"I'm glad to see you finally joined the party," Malcolm Merlyn's calm voice replied.

Oliver grimaced as he swirled around, trying to catch sight of the man even though he knew it was in vain. The area around the QC building was open and too vast to find a speck. Besides, he knew Malcolm wouldn't be foolish enough to actually be in sight right now.

Oliver focused back on the conversation as a thought struck him. He blamed his own foolishness as he voiced it aloud, "The money transfer was a smoke screen. You wanted to lure me away from QC for a couple of hours, keep my mind occupied elsewhere."

Malcolm's grin was evident in his voice, "I knew you were clever, Oliver. But you have a tendency for tunnel vision when it concerns a few, chosen topics."

Oliver read between the lines once more and clutched his hands into tight fists as he furiously growled, "Where is Thea? What have you done to her?"

"Oh, I haven't done anything. I've only made her see the light," Malcolm teased. "What you should be worried about is your pretty, little blonde."

Oliver's face fell at the unspoken threat. He didn't care if his features betrayed his heart in that moment, he didn't care if Malcolm felt victorious as a result. Oliver's voice was low and heartfelt as he managed to breathe, "Felicity?"

Beside him, Roy exhaled exasperatedly. He hated seeing the vast array of emotions flash through his partner's eyes without knowing the source of it, or how to help. It was frustrating to be pushed back to the sidelines when all he wanted was to do something.

"I'll let her explain the situation," Malcolm breathed. "Just know that I'm giving you a second chance, Oliver."

Oliver frowned at the other man's choice of words. "To do what?"

There was a soft click to indicate the end of their phone call. Oliver growled as he glared down at the dead phone. "He hung up."

Roy huffed. "Why are we still standing around here for?"

Oliver's phone rang once more and he took a second to simply collect his mind. Irritation and fury bubbled beneath the surface and threatened to tear him to pieces if he had to endure any more interruptions. He gazed down at the Caller-ID and hurriedly pressed the phone to his ear. "Felicity? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she reassured. "Oliver, Jane's in danger! I just managed to hack into the CCTV footage of Jane's office and Thea's there with her! ... Oliver, Thea's pointing a gun at Jane!"

Oliver turned to Roy and explained the situation at last, "Thea's pointing a gun at Jane." He turned back around to face the QC building then, feeling his heart thud violently inside his chest at being on the other side of those walls right now. Oliver closed his eyes tightly as he asked, "Are you sure you're okay?"

Felicity sat on the the ground in her old, empty office at QC, with the turquoise walls and the peaceful, slow drone of the computers surrounding her. It made her remember her days as a low-key IT girl with a strange sense of fondness. Her legs were crossed and she balanced her tablet in her lap as she remained down and (hopefully) out of sight from the suspicious hazmat guys that roamed the building.

"I've been monitoring the hazmat team," Felicity explained, ignoring his repetitive question. They had more pressing concerns at the moment. "They just abandoned their suits and are making their way towards Jane's floor carrying pretty heavy weapons. You have to stop them. Or stop Thea. Preferably both. I think it's a hostile takeover, and, well... I think we both know who's behind it."

"Merlyn just called and basically said as much. I'm coming for you," Oliver growled in response after a few short seconds.

Felicity frowned. "Why? I'm safe here with the computers, trying to regain control. Half of QC is ours again, by the way - you're welcome. But what can you do for me? Growl at the mainframe until it all restarts under my control? I don't think threatening the software will help. Just stop the intruders, Oliver. They're currently on the 20th floor. 6 floors above me. I'm fine."

"You're not safe there, Felicity," Oliver argued stubbornly.

Felicity rolled her eyes at the phone as her fingers flew across the tablet. She watched as the surveillance footage revealed that Merlyn's men were locked inside a small corridor. Felicity watched as they tried to open the automatically sealed doors as the lights went out. "Oops! Seems like the unpredictable software upgrades caught Merlyn's little army in a corridor. I can't keep them in there for long so maybe you ought to hurry..."

Movement to the right of her caught her attention and her gaze instinctively flew to the door. What she saw made her blood turn to ice in her veins and she felt as if a hand was slowly tightening its grip around her throat, making it harder to breathe. "Oh my God..."

Oliver's voice in her ear echoed the panic in her own. "What? Felicity, what?"

Felicity swallowed as she let her gaze stray beyond the protective confines of her former office, landing on the feet that stood firmly planted ahead. Felicity's gaze traveled up the length of the pants and up the length of the body. With more and more trepidation filling her heart, her eyes finally landed on the familiar face and the lone eye that stared down at her with a victorious smirk that sent shivers up her spine.

Felicity swallowed as she tried to scramble further back, but found that the wall stopped her escape. She was trapped and there was no other way out. She clung to her tablet as she held her breath in panic, unable to blink or look away from the nightmare before her.

Slade took a slow, intimidating step forward as a grin spread across his face. "Hello, Ms Smoak."

Jane swallowed and shook her head as she tried to clear it from the confusion. "So let me get this straight... You blame your step-dad's death on me? I was supposed to die that day at the Opera?"

Thea merely nodded, grateful that her message was finally coming across. She'd spent many hours agonizing over this standoff, and finally some of her trepidation faded into the evening air. "Correct."

"I-I didn't know! Who wanted to kill me?" Jane shrugged as she found the whole idea laughable. Nothing seemed to make sense in her world anymore and this day surely couldn't turn worse than it already was. "Who'd benefit from my death? I have no enemies, Thea. Except you... And your father."

"You've turned Roy and Ollie against me," Thea repeated words she'd spoken to her nemesis earlier.

Jane shook her head in disagreement. "You turned them against yourself!"

"Enough!" Thea cried and the shout echoed in the open office. Tension resided between the former friends, both knowing that things could never be the same after this. The power suddenly went out on their floor and everything bathed in darkness for a minute. For a brief second nothing was, and everything wasn't. Shortly the back-up generator turned on and the emergency lamps lit up the enclosed space. This light was dimmer than the normal lamps and accentuated the drift of day outside towards darker night. The sun was already low on the heavens outside, peaking out from behind a curtain of clouds to witness the events in the office.

Through the shadows, Thea's breathing came short and swift as she spoke with almost palpable pain, "... No matter what, I will be strong."

Jane glanced down as Thea took a firmer grip on the gun and aimed straight.

"Thea! Don't!"

Both women turned as they heard Roy's terrified shout split the silence. The young man sprinted into the office, clad in his vigilante outfit and the red mask held in his right hand. He slowed down as he entered the room and raised one hand in Thea's direction as she seemed about to snap.

"Ro-Roy?" Thea frowned and her eyes fluttered to the man before returning to her chosen victim. She couldn't look at her ex-boyfriend now. His eyes shone with too much care and affection, which she deserved none. She had to get through this ordeal, survive this crucible, and nothing could make her waiver in this moment. Malcolm had told her there would be trials ahead, still, and she had to stick to the straightest course, as was always the plan.

Roy's voice was soft as he stepped closer, "This isn't you, Thea!"

"Stay away, Roy!" Thea's panicked voice rose to a crescendo.

Roy immediately stopped and tensed as he saw Thea's fingers nearly pull back the trigger in pure alarm. He once more tried to keep his voice even and comforting, "You're not this person."

"Yes, I am!" Thea disagreed. Everything else was already lost to her, the only path that promised a future was this one. She had to embrace the truth, no matter how much it would change her in the end. "It's who I have to be! I'm a Merlyn!"

"You're a Queen!" Roy contended in a forceful voice and glanced at Jane briefly before he turned back to the brunette before him. "You are better than this... You are so much more than this. Jane doesn't deserve to die. She's innocent in all this. You should be angry at Malcolm Merlyn. He's the one that broke you to rebuild you into his mold!"

Thea shook her head vehemently. "He made me a survivor, he made me so much stronger than I was!"

"He made you weaker!" Roy whispered, but the passion in his voice meant that he could just as well have shouted the words from the top of a mountain. "Think about it, Thea... Everything that's happened since you returned home has been because of him! The only one who ever benefited from Mr Steele's death or anything else... was him, your dad! I don't know what he's told you, Thea, but you're nothing like him. You are strong and brave and scare the hell out of me, sometimes, sure. Yeah. But so did your mother! Mrs Queen was one of the fiercest women I've ever met. You're very much like her, Thea. And Oliver. That's the family you belong to... not Malcolm Merlyn. Not the man who destroyed half the Glades and probably killed your step-dad... Don't do this, Thea. You are better than him. Don't succumb to his darkness. Please, Speedy..."

Thea's hand trembled and Roy held his breath as they remained in limbo. Eventually, Thea lowered the gun and exhaled shakily. "I'm not a killer..."

Everything was silent and a peaceful blanket seemed to wrap itself over the trio. But suddenly, a shot echoed in the deep, pulling the peace apart limb from limb. Roy and Thea both flinched as their eyes were drawn to Jane before them.

The blonde woman drew a few shaky breaths as she gazed down at her chest. A red stain discolored the white fabric of her blouse just inches above her heart and she gasped for air.

"...Jane," Thea breathed in agony, feeling a wave of guilt wash over her.

Jane's wide, surprised eyes rose to meet Thea's and the pain shone bright. Nothing would set this straight, Thea knew. This time they had lost the battle. Jane's eyes fluttered as she slumped over and landed on the cold floor.

Roy shot across the room and slid over towards the fallen woman. His shaking hands reached out to the friend he'd barely gotten to know. "Jane...? Jane!"

Her dead, emotionless eyes gazed past him into the next life and Roy fell back in shock. Thea closed her eyes at the sight in front of her, willing it all to be undone.

"Luckily, I am a killer..." Malcolm's voice filled the void as he stepped forward from the shadows. A gun rested in his palm and was aimed at Roy and Jane ahead as he walked up next to his daughter.

Thea opened her eyes and her gaze flew from Roy and back up to her father. "She didn't have to die!"

"Never have a change of heart when it's already too late, honey," Malcolm sighed chidingly. "I've told you that. Ms Deleon had to die... so that your destiny could be fulfilled. And, well, there were past sins I couldn't overlook from her father's betrayal."

Thea slowly backed away from her father and the ghastly scene as she watched him in a whole new light. She felt as if the veil that had concealed the truth from her all these months had finally been pulled away and let the garish sun inside. Everything seemed crystal clear and she hated herself for having falling for the ploy in the first place. "... You played with my mind! And I believed in you! But the truth is... that you're the reason Tommy's dead. Tommy died in your Undertaking... and Walter? Did my step-dad die because you ordered Jane's death? It wasn't some random assassin, was it? He was hired by you, all along."

The implications of her words flashed through his eyes for a second before Malcolm raised his own walls sky-high. Whatever pain he felt in seeing his daughter distance herself from him, he masterly hid behind a growing scowl, "Those deaths were not intentional, Thea. But if we're playing this game; I also killed Robert Queen... That was intentional. Your father tried to oppose my plan of the Undertaking, I couldn't have him opposing me."

"The Queen's Gambit went down because of you..." Thea muttered as the truth hit her square across the chest like a punch. "... And all this madness because you lost your wife?"

"Her death was fuel for my soul, Thea!" Malcolm passionately declared. "I lived through a crucible, but I didn't let it break me! As you never broke after yours! We returned to Starling too soon, I think. Allowing that boy to get to you... so now he has to die. Give me time and you'll see I'm right, Thea."

Roy stumbled back onto his feet as he saw Malcolm once more aim the gun at him. Roy swallowed past the bile in his throat and held his head high, ready to die if he had to. His gaze trailed over to find Thea's wide, shocked eyes gazing back at him, a silent apology echoing in the bottomless pools.

Malcolm pulled back on the trigger...

To be continued!