And here is the next story in the series. Doubt it will be updated as frequently as the previous story, but hope you guys enjoy it anyway.
Avengers Compound
Night
In the kitchen, Natasha finished a cup of tea before walking over to the counter, handing it to Oliver.
"Here, just the way you like it," Natasha said and he nodded, taking a sip.
"Thanks. Surprised you still remember," Oliver noted and she smiled slightly.
"I don't forget the important things. It's good to see you, Oliver," Natasha said.
"You too. Just wish the circumstances were different," Oliver said, a hint of grimness entering his voice.
Steve, who had silently been watching from the longue with the others, spoke up then.
"And what are those circumstances, Queen? You said you needed our help," Steve pointed out and Oliver set his cup down, turning to face Steve.
"I do. Not just me, but all of Starling City may need your help," Oliver said grimly.
"And that sounds…bad, but am I the only one still confused about how we know the Starling City Vigilante? Who is Oliver Queen," Rhodey interjected.
"Rhodey's got a point. You were stranded on an island for five years, how do you know Steve and Nat?" Sam questioned.
"Sam," Natasha started but Oliver held up a hand.
"It's all right, they have a right to know, especially since I came to ask for your help," Oliver said as he turned to Sam. "I wasn't always on the island. Towards the end of my second year on the island, I was…rescued by SHIELD."
"So how'd you end up back on the island?" Rhodey asked.
"That's complicated. And I didn't come to share my life story," Oliver said before looking back at Natasha. "Like I said, I need your help."
"With what?" Steve asked and Oliver sighed.
"Slade Wilson is alive," Oliver said and Natasha looked at him in disbelief.
"That's impossible. You killed him," Natasha said in disbelief.
"Nothing is impossible where Slade is concerned," Oliver said darkly.
"Who's Slade Wilson?" Wanda, who had been quiet up to now, asked as the other Avengers all looked confused.
"And why do you two seem so terrified of him?" Sam asked, looking to Steve for answers but he looked as confused as the rest of them.
"If you want their help, you'll have to tell them," Natasha said, regaining her bearings.
"I know," Oliver said quietly.
He didn't like it, he mused as he turned to face the other Avengers. Not one bit. But if it helped stop Slade, he'd bit the bullet.
"My first year on Lian Yu, I met Slade Wilson. He was ASIS, Australian Intelligence that had been shot down over the island by a mercenary named Edward Fyers. Working with Slade, I was able to stop Fyers before he could kill a plane full of people," Oliver explained.
"So why'd you try to kill him then?" Rhodey asked, sure there was more to the story.
"Six months later, a man called Ivo came to this island, searching for something called the Mirakuru," Oliver explained.
"From what Oliver told us, it was an attempt by the Japanese to recreate the Super Soldier Formula during World War Two," Natasha said, glancing at Steve, who had stiffened at this.
"Did they?" Steve demanded with a look at Oliver.
"To a point. Those injected – at least those who survived the process – were given enhanced strength and durability, heightened senses and the ability to heal. But there were…side effects," Oliver said with a grimace.
"From what Oliver told us, the Mirakuru makes the injected prone to violent mood swings of anger and a chemical imbalance in the brain that eventually drives them insane," Natasha explained.
"When Ivo first arrived on Lian Yu, he shot a missile at us. Slade was hurt, badly," Oliver explained and they understood where this was going.
"You injected Mr. Wilson with the Mirakuru," Vision noted and Oliver nodded.
"There was a woman on the island with me and Slade, Shado. Slade loved Shado…Ivo killed her," Oliver said with a heavy breath. "Ivo, he made it sound like I chose to let Shado die. And Slade really wasn't willing to listen to me explain what actually happened."
"And now Slade wants payback," Sam realized and Oliver nodded.
"Five years ago, Slade told me he would make me suffer, make those I love suffer, so I stabbed an arrow into his brain. It did nothing," Oliver said, to their shock. "Now he's back, and he's trying to build an army of men just like him. My team and I can't stop him, not by ourselves. I need your help to stop him before it is too late."
For a long moment, it was silent, the Avengers looking around at each other. Then, finally, Steve nodded.
"And you'll have it. We'll need a few days to get things in order, but we'll be out to Starling City before week's end," Steve promised and Olivier let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.
"Thank you, Captain. You have no idea what this means to me," Oliver said gratefully.
"If we're going to be working together, you should call me Steve," Steve said, holding out a hand to Oliver, who nodded.
"Then you should call me Oliver," Oliver said, taking Steve's hand in a handshake, sealing their alliance.
"I think I might have something on Slade," Natasha said and they all turned to her.
Not long after, they were in the conference room, Natasha pulling up a holographic screen of a figure in black and orange armor.
"After SHIELD fell, some of the surviving agents went over to organizations like Interpol and the CIA rather than regroup. An old SHIELD colleague reached out to me from the CIA. They've been tracking a mercenary; he's made a bloody path through Europe. Last known location was Starling City," Natasha said and Oliver stared at the armored figure, knowing it was Slade. "They've been calling him Deathstroke."
A short chapter to set up the Avengers getting caught up to speed as well as establish the threat of Slade, but hope you all enjoyed it.