Chapter 3: Finding Supergirl
EARTH-38, NATIONAL CITY, L-CORP BUILDING
Lena Luthor stood on the balcony of her office at L-Corp. She watched National City with a pensive expression. She had come to this city to rebrand herself and her company. To break away from the dark connotations of the Luthor name. Thanks to her older brother and step-mother, the Luther name was now synonymous with greed, unscrupulousness, and hate. Rebranding the company had been her hope. She was failing in all the ways that mattered.
Even with Lex in prison, Lillian was still out there causing more damage. Ensuring that the Luthor name was always connected to the hate of aliens and terrorism. Lena was unsurprised to see that Lillian used the mask of patriotism as her driving force. Her mother had always been good at hiding her evil intent and rousing loyalty.
Lena's mind recalled her conversation with Alex Danvers. She knew that Kara's sister didn't like her. She would have relayed Kara's missing status in the first few days if she liked her. But Alex knew that Lena cared for Kara, even if Alex didn't like it. Alex also knew that Lena could help. Lena wouldn't give up until Kara was found. Alex needed that reassurance.
Kara was Lena's only true friend. Lena had co-workers and employees. Until Kara. Kara believed in her while others passed judgement about her based on her name. Kara could have easily hated her… not trusted her… Still, Kara gave her the benefit of the doubt. This gave Lena the courage to attempt to befriend Sam. Lena could never give up on a friend like Kara. A true friend. The DEO's lack of trust didn't surprise her. They might not want her help. She was a Luthor after all. But she was also the only one who knew how her mother thought. Lena was the best chance Kara had of being rescued. I will rescue her.
Why would Alex ask for Oliver Queen? Have they worked together before? Lena couldn't think of anything. They didn't keep in contact. Lena mused some more on Alex's reaction. Her reaction was unexpected. Oliver was her bodyguard. But apparently, Alex does know him... or of him. From his past? Oliver gave Alex hope. She was desperate to include him. Why is that?
Her assistant interrupted her chain of thought. Alex had arrived. She called in Oliver. I need more information. I don't like being in the dark. A moment later, both Alex and Oliver arrived.
Alex heard Kara talk about Oliver. Kara liked to ramble on about Oliver… even apart from her friend Barry. Oliver was also known as the Green Arrow. He was a hero on Barry's Earth. One of the first. He was a mentor to the speedster. According to Kara, Oliver had inspired Barry to become the Flash. Alex was certain that Barry was not the only hero that Oliver had inspired. Kara was quite taken with him when they worked together. Beyond impressed.
According to her sister, Oliver had no powers whatsoever. He didn't use a high-tech suit like Guardian. All of his skills and abilities were that of a normal human. But he was so skilled that most super powered enemies feared to face him… and allies. Including Barry… and Vibe apparently. Right now, Alex really needed those skills. She hoped that Oliver would listen to her.
"Oliver, this is Alex Danvers. Alex, as requested, this is Oliver Queen." Lena introduced them.
"Danvers? Are you Kara's sister?" Oliver asked with curiosity.
"I am," Alex replied with a sigh. She was glad that her sister had talked about her. That would make her request that much easier.
Lena witnessed Alex's nervousness and anxiety. She doesn't know him. But he knows Kara. Interesting.
Oliver expected Kara to track him down eventually… being who she was. He expected Kara to find him weeks ago. But he had not expected her sister at all. All Oliver knew about Alex was that she worked for a government agency called DEO. That the DEO dealt with all alien related issues and problems. Oliver had a bad feeling about this meeting. Why Alex and not Kara? He didn't like things beyond his control. Things that he couldn't contain.
Lena's mind was searching for answers. How do Oliver and Kara know each other? Kara never mentioned Oliver to me. Yet Alex seemed to have heard of him from Kara. Full of questions, Lena motioned them to take a sit at the sofa.
"I'm curious, Oliver. How do you and Kara know each other?" Lena asked Oliver. She preferred being direct. It threw most of her business rivals off balance.
"A friend of mine was a friend of Kara's," Oliver replied simply.
"Oliver, Lena knows Kara is Supergirl. Lena and Kara are close friends," Alex informed him.
Oliver raised an eyebrow at her. Not in surprise, but in reprimand. Alex sank dejectedly into the couch.
"Alex, why are you here?" Oliver asked simply.
"Oliver," Alex started desperately. "I wanted to respect your choice… I did… But I'm desperate. I need your help." She took a deep breath and waited.
Oliver continued to stare at her. Alex started to get nervous. She understood Cisco's anxiety right then. Oliver was intimidating without even moving. She blasted out her request.
"My sister… Kara… She's been missing for a week now. I tried everything I can. The DEO tried. My friends tried. Her cousin even tried. We can't find her," Alex rambled out her desperate plea. "Oliver, Cadmus took Kara. I… I don't even want to think of what they are doing to her. Lillian Luthor controls Cadmus. She hates Kara more than anything. She had tried to kill Kara so many times… I can't even count how many... She has her, Oliver… Please help us. I wouldn't ask if I had any other choice." Alex pled breathlessly. Desperation filled her voice.
Lena couldn't understand why Alex was asking for Oliver's help. Not asking. Not demanding. Begging. How can Oliver's help be so important? Why is Alex is pleading to Oliver like he is Kara's only hope?
"Lillian Luthor?" Oliver asked Lena as he absorbed Alex's story.
"My step-mother," Lena replied while looking at him directly. "I took over L-Corp when my half-brother was arrested. He sees Superman as his greatest rival."
"Cadmus?" Oliver inquired of them both.
He doesn't know? Lena looked confused. "Cadmus was a known terrorist organization. The media has illuminated their terrorist acts. Lillian sees Supergirl as her greatest enemy. More so than Superman." CatCo had led the charge in exposing them. CatCo. Kara. Lena made the connection.
Oliver's eyes darkened as the memories of those he had lost. His failure with Slade cost him his mother. His compassion with Malcolm had cost him Tommy and Sara. His restraint with Darhk cost him Laurel. His violence as the Hood had cost him Thea, Diggle, Felicity… He had refused to kill and break his new vow. Because of it, everyone on that island had died… because he failed to do what needed to be done.
Waller's voice floated into his mind. "There are people in this world who deal in extremes. It is naïve to think anything less than extreme measures will stop them." He could hear the smirk in her voice as she continued. "Sometimes the only way out of darkness is through."
Oliver sighed. Great. Now I'm being haunted by Waller's ghost. He took a deep breath to clear his mind of his dark thoughts. My darkness has cost me so much. But I can do this. I have to do this. I failed before. I wasn't true to myself. My darkness is a part of me. I have to embrace it if I want to succeed against monsters. Monsters like Lillian will never change. Some people just need to be put down like the rabid dogs that they have become. "It takes a monster to kill monsters," Taiana's voice echoed in his thoughts.
Oliver and Kara had barely known each other when they fought the Dominators. But they fought side-by-side. Comrades. Soldiers in arms. Mutual respect. A friend in common. Oliver considered her to be a part of his extended family… and family was important to Oliver.
Oliver had lost all the friends and family in his former life. No more. I'm not going to lose anymore. I refuse. He tried to prevent the darkness from taking him with Chase. William was his shining light then. But he told Cisco to call him if he needed help. They were his family now. His last remaining family. He wouldn't abandon them. He wouldn't abandon Kara either.
"Alex, why do you need Oliver's help specifically? You work at the DEO. What can Oliver do that the DEO can't?" Lena asked as Oliver sorted through his thoughts.
"Lena doesn't know anything about you, does she?" Alex asked Oliver. She looked surprised. Kara couldn't keep her identity as Supergirl from Lena. How did Oliver hide his past?
"Alex," Oliver said in a chiding tone. "I came here to start a new life… a new normal life without all the complications. Lena knows that I have a painful past. She respects my reticence. I keep quiet about my past to protect those close to me. Every one of my enemies exploited my friends and family to get to me. They are all DEAD, Alex. Most of them. Sara was safely out of touch. Barry was relatively safe in Central. Though that didn't help Samantha and William. But the rest…" He closed his eyes and took several calming breaths. "I failed them. I won't fail William," Oliver detailed his reasons. His face took a hostile look.
"I know that. I know all that. I… I told Kara to honor your request," Alex replied in irritation. "Oliver, I meant what I said. I'm asking because I don't have any other option. I NEED your help. I need Lena's help too. The DEO… I'm not here as a representative of the DEO. The DEO won't be involved. Kara told me about you. How you do things differently. That you don't like to involve others. I get it. I don't like to involve others either. But we need Lena. I don't think Lena will have a problem with your methods. Others might. Hell, I might. But that doesn't matter. Only Kara matters," Alex rambled before she finally ended her rant. "I need my sister back."
"Okay. I'll help," Oliver replied into the following silence.
"Alright," Lena said. She looked between the two of them. "We have all agreed to help find and rescue Kara. Can either of you explain what all that was about?" Lena asked in frustration. She watched as Alex finally let out her breath. Oliver's answer was important to her. As if he is Kara's last hope.
Oliver looked over at Lena. He had learned more about Lena in his few weeks as her bodyguard. He knew that she was brilliant. Most likely a genius. With her main focus being science and physics, where Felicity focused on computers. But Felicity got the multiverse thing. He gave himself a visible nod. "I'm not from this Earth," he told Lena while looking her in the eye.
Lena was unable to hide the surprise on her face. But then her mind latched onto the words and extrapolated their meaning. He is from somewhere else… somewhere not on this Earth… "This Earth…" she said with emphasis on the words.
"I don't specialize in physics," Oliver replied with a slight grin. "But my team…" He paused as a pain flashed on his face. "They told me about the Multiverse and the role of our Earth in it. I'm from Earth-1. This is Earth-38. The Flash…" he winced a second time, "…got lost and found your Earth. He became a friend to Kara. When the Dominators invaded my Earth, he asked Kara for help repelling the invasion."
Lena looked between Oliver and Alex. The Multiverse Theory was just that… a theory. A theory about the existence of a parallel universe. Universes, apparently. Lena had learned about the multiverse theory in college. It was widely debated there. She didn't think it was possible. After a moment, Lena gave up analyzing the statement.
"Well, considering aliens and meta-humans exist, I shouldn't be surprised that parallel universes exist as well," Lena finally replied as she decided to accept that information. "How are our worlds different?" she asked in curiosity.
"According to Kara, Oliver's earth is vastly different from ours. There is no Superman or Supergirl. Aliens don't live amongst humans. The alien invasion that Kara helped with was the first-time aliens became public. That was also the first-time Oliver met Kara," Alex tried to explain.
"On a more practical note, there is no National City there. Just like Star City doesn't exist here," Oliver replied. "No Queen family. No Oliver Queen. We do have a Metropolis and Central City. But I'm not aware of any Luthors on my Earth. The East Coast business tycoons are the Waynes, the Swanns, the Rathaways, and the Lords."
"How do you know the main business families?" Alex asked in surprise.
"The Queens owned and operated a multinational corporation," Oliver replied with a smirk. "I was raised knowing them. Our head housekeeper was Russian."
"As was I," Lena replied with a smile. "I have heard of all of the others… though some of the families are not the main business families here. Do you have a DEO?" she asked.
"No. We had ARGUS," Oliver replied. "I hated dealing with them."
Lena pulled her curiosity back. "Regardless, we need to find Kara. What do you bring to the table in skills?" Lena asked. "You said that you don't have powers."
"I don't," Oliver replied.
"Oliver was the first hero on their earth. He mentored the other heroes… including Barry, a meta-human. Kara told me that Oliver's skills set him apart. He did what Kara does for National City. Oliver is as much a mystery to me as he is to you," Alex replied enthusiastically.
"Alright, what skills do you have, Oliver?" Lena asked Oliver.
Oliver gave her and then Alex a considering look. "ARGUS trained me to infiltrate, interrogate, and dismantle large organizations. Including organized crime, terrorist cells, and covert or shadow organizations. The League enhanced my warrior skills while training me to lead a multinational terrorist organization. Also, there is my brief time as CEO and Mayor." Oliver paused as the shock showed on Alex's face. Lena was surprised, but was better able to mask it.
"The League? League of Shadows?" Alex asked. Her knowledge of that particular terrorist organization was extensive. He was taught to lead that? How? Why him?
"No. While I did train with Talia for a few months, her father was the one to name me his heir. Obviously, I'm not like the other heroes. I prefer to be called a vigilante. What I do… it's not heroic," Oliver replied firmly. "For me, there is no moral high ground. It sounds nice on paper. It doesn't work. When I tried the moral high road, people died. My family died. I won't make that mistake again." He turned to Lena. "Lena, Lillian is your step-mother. But she has all the marking of an individual who resorts to extremes. A super villain. The only sure method of making sure she is no longer a threat is to kill her. I won't risk her coming back. Are you okay with that?" he asked.
Lena was shocked speechless. How can Kara be friendly with Oliver? He just admitted that he kills people. Kara never supported killing. She had the power sure. But she felt that people deserved to correct their mistakes. The people Oliver killed must be evil for Kara to support him. Considering he has just named Lillian… Yes. Lillian would never stop. Even in prison with Lex… I wonder… is Lex making plans in prison?
Suddenly, Lena realized why Alex sought out Oliver. Superman or Guardian would never torture someone to get information. My mother knows that. She exploits it. It made Cadmus easier to hide. Lena doesn't really know how she felt about Oliver killing her mother. No, my step-mother. I don't want her dead… but I do want her stopped. Kara is more important. Kara supported me while Lillian reviled me. I will do whatever is necessary to get Kara back.
Lena tapped her chin thoughtfully. The DEO was shackled. Alex stated that they could not operate effectively under the presidential directives. Oliver made a good point. Other heroes would be limited with their moral high ground. Superman and the Guardian wouldn't do what needed to be done. Cadmus would continue to hide.
"I'm not sure how I feel about trying to kill my step-mother," Lena finally said. "But I do know that she will not stop. I won't hold her death over you, Oliver. HER actions have led to this." Lena took a cleansing breath.
"I bring intel on Cadmus and my step-mother. I have extensive expertise in fabrication and physics. I can utilize science to resolve chemical and biological issues. I am well versed in computers." Lena said boldly, outlining her credentials.
Lena and Oliver turned to stare at Alex. She turned uncomfortable with their scrutiny. "I'm an agent of the DEO with all the training required for field work. Mostly combat support, not infiltration. My main focus has been supporting Supergirl in the field."
"A fighter, not a spy," Oliver summarized.
Lena nodded. "I have been tracking Cadmus. My step-mother is shrewd. Fortunately, I learned how she thinks and hides. I have found most of her operations," Lena smiled as she regarded them. She spoke mostly to Oliver. "Her Cadmus bases are all off the grid. To keep them from exposing themselves. They draw power from generators. Even in a city. I have all Cadmus agents and known sympathizers under surveillance. Most are focused on National City. Cadmus agents move in large groups. I have been unable to grab one for the DEO."
Lena gave a pained smile at Alex. "I believe that Cadmus has infiltrated the DEO. The few locations that I have given to the DEO were shuttered as soon as the DEO was notified of them. I don't know who, or how, just that the DEO is not safe from my step-mother," Lena told her.
"There's a mole inside the DEO," Oliver replied with a nod. "We won't have that issue. Barring Alex, no one in the DEO will know about us. We'll start with your latest findings, Lena. Those will give us a place to start," he told her. He looked at them both. "We need a base of operations. To do what I do, I need to be off the grid. I need space to store gear, train, patch myself up, and sleep. I refuse to use my home. Anyone who finds out will be in danger from Cadmus." He looked pointedly at Lena. "That means Sam and Ruby can't help. I'll have them watch William."
"I'll have her cover for me here at L-Corp," Lena replied with a nod. She was already thinking of potential bases.
"Lena, do you know what you are getting yourself into?" Oliver asked. "Alex is used to the danger as DEO. But I have a poor track record of protecting those in the field with me. I can't bodyguard you and do this."
Lena noticed the range of emotions that crossed Oliver's face before his blank mask slammed down. Lena was trained by her parents in deception at an early age. She learned to present masks too. Pain, regret, concern all crossed Oliver's face while he spoke. What happened to him on his Earth? To have that much training, yet feel safer on another Earth?
"I am already in danger," Lena replied. "I can't fight. I won't be going in the field. I will be staying at the base while you are gone. I will as safe as our base. I can fund this and hide the money trail," Lena replied. "Kara is my best friend. I have to help. I… just hope she understands why we did this."
"If not, we'll live with that," Alex added, earning a curious look from Lena. "First, we get her back. Then we can apologize to her."
"You don't need to apologize to her," Oliver said with a sigh. "I told Cisco to contact me if he needed my help. I'm including Kara in that as well. I'll take the heat if she doesn't like my actions." Oliver regarded them both. "Alex, I need to know everything you do about Cadmus and this Cadmus operation specifically," Oliver told her.
"We don't have much on this operation," Alex said with a wince. "Just what we could gather before President Baker shut us down. We have no proof or solid evidence pointing to Cadmus. But… President Olivia Marsdin's ambush was too destructive and clean. I'm sure it was done by Cadmus. President Marsdin and two agents are missing."
"We think it was round one in a coordinated attack," Alex recounted. "When President Baker took office, he shackled the DEO. Stopping our investigation. Then, Kara went missing. Her apartment was clean, but we found Kryptonite residue. Cadmus has a weapon that can produce Kryptonite smoke. Like a dust bomb. President Baker won't allow the DEO to look for Supergirl," Alex asserted angrily.
"To review, President Marsdin was abducted. President Baker cripples your investigation. Supergirl disappears," Oliver summarized. "We will have to make some assumptions. Baker had everything to gain by the loss of President Marsdin. That could be political expediency, but he could also be reporting to Cadmus. We will require definitive proof before I can interrogate the Baker. Do you have details on the two missing agents?" Oliver questioned.
"The two missing agents?" Lena asked. "How will that help us?" she asked. Alex also looked perplexed.
Oliver regarded both Lena and Alex in surprise. "Wow. Our Earths are dramatically different," he replied. "I was making an assumption here about your Earth. On my Earth, the president's itinerary, transport, and route are highly classified. The schedule is public knowledge. This is to safeguard the president. In order to have some success, you require insider knowledge. Those two missing agents are a big, waving, red flag."
"You think Cadmus infiltrated the Secret Service?" Alex asked in shock.
"If Cadmus wanted to avoid suspicion, the agents would have been killed or injured on site," Oliver told them. "But they weren't. That leaves two options. They either fled or are in hiding with Cadmus." He smirked. "From what you have told me about Cadmus, I think fleeing wouldn't work for them. Lillian would find them. Hiding is the most logical choice. Once we find the missing agents, I will ask them," he winced. "I won't be nice."
"If Alex can get me the agent's details and photos, I can track them down," Lena told him. She wanted to start right away. She didn't want to waste any more time. Kara didn't have much time.
"I have the details and photos," Alex replied as she handed over all the digital files on a thumb drive. She had copied everything the DEO had in the hope that Oliver would help. "What do you want me do?" Alex asked.
"Nothing until we have a base," Oliver told Alex. "Then you need to take a leave of absence from the DEO. Assume that Cadmus has you followed. If they targeted Kara's apartment, they know about your relationship."
"I will have a base soon," Lena replied. "I just need to verify some things first."
"Once you have that, let me know," Oliver replied. "I need to talk to William. Lena, stay here until I return. Alex, come back here once you are officially out of the DEO. I'll be back and then all of us can go to the location of the base." He paused. "Lena, will Sam still be in her office?" he asked.
"I don't think so," Lena replied. Then she remembered that Oliver said he would have Sam look after his son. "She went to pick her daughter up from school." Oliver nodded and then left.
Lena moved to her computer at her desk. "There is an abandoned rail station. It's underground. The metro sealed it from the rail network. It was supposed to be a new station. But I found it and equipped it. Updated security and such. It has all the essentials that Oliver listed."
Lena looked up suddenly with a troubled look. "Unfortunately, I think hoarding secret bases is a Luthor trait." Lena looked saddened that she shared that bad habit with her brother and her mother. "Do you think this will work for us?" she asked. She pulled up the basic blueprints for Alex to review.
"What's outside the location?" Alex asked as her eyes took in the details of the base.
"An existing warehouse," Lena replied. "The warehouse is in use. The base is available and the entrance to the base is not visible to the workers there. I had a private elevator installed."
"Good," Alex replied nodding. "There won't be a significant change in foot traffic. Where is it exactly?" she asked.
"It's just about half a mile South of here," Lena replied. "We won't be far from where people expect to see us. We can go from here to there without being seen. There's a second elevator that opens into the warehouse. Hidden, of course. Nobody should be coming from the warehouse," Lena detailed.
Alex just nodded. She look deep in thought. Then she returned to the chairs in Lena's office. "Do Oliver and Sam have something going on?" she asked suddenly. She was curious. Oliver was asked Sam to look after his son. That was a pretty big act of trust.
Lena looked at Alex surprised. Lena had thought so at first. But the three of them did not often spend time together. She hadn't thought about it. While Sam was initially quite smitten with Oliver, Oliver seemed to only want friendship with Sam. Their relationship had become that of friends.
"I don't know. They have become close though," Lena replied honestly. "They share the bond of parenthood. Their kids go to school together."
Alex nodded at that. She had been thinking about how Kara had reacted to Oliver's story. How her sister had recounted her adventures on Earth-1 and Oliver's role. She was certain that her sister was smitten with Oliver as well. She was hoping her sister could forget Mon-El. Could she move on with Oliver? He already knows about her life as Supergirl.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
EARTH-38, NATIONAL CITY, DAVIS MIDDLE SCHOOL
Oliver found Sam at the entrance of the school. It was the same place they had first met over a month ago. Lena genuinely seem to care about Sam. Lena may think that Kara was her only friend, but Sam was quickly becoming a friend as well. Sam waved at him when she saw him.
"Hi! How was work today? Anything interesting happen?" Sam asked smiling at Oliver.
"Well, in a way." Oliver answered with a fake smile. "I have a request."
"Okay. What do you need?" Sam asked curiously.
"Can you watch William today and through the night?" Oliver asked. "He can stay at your place or you can bring Ruby and stay at mine if you want. Something came up. I am going to be out late," Oliver said. He winced a how lame he sounded.
"Gladly, Oliver. William can come home with me. What about you come pick him up in the morning? That way you don't have to come and pick him up in the middle of the night. If necessary, I can take them both to school tomorrow," Sam said with a fond smile.
"Perfect. Thank you, Sam," Oliver replied. They heard the bell as the school was dismissed. Not long after, kids started to stream out of the doors. "I need to talk to William for a minute. Then he's all yours," Oliver said as William and Ruby approached. They were talking excitedly as usual.
Oliver took William aside before saying anything. He made sure that they were some distance from the others.
"William," Oliver started. "I need to go out tonight. I've asked Sam to watch you overnight. Is that alright?" he asked.
"Are you going out as Green Arrow?" William asked sadly. "I thought you weren't going to do that anymore. Not here anyway." William said in confusion.
"I know. I didn't plan on it. But someone asked me to help Supergirl. William, Supergirl is in danger and I need to help her," he said in a pleading voice. "Please don't tell Sam or Ruby. Supergirl has been missing for a week. I'm being asked to find her and save her." Then he paused. "Do you remember when those aliens attacked Central City?" he asked.
"Yeah," William replied. His mom had been terrified. They watched the news and saw the Flash, Green Arrow, and others fighting the aliens. "Supergirl was there!" he realized suddenly.
"She was," Oliver replied with a fond smile. "The Flash asked her to help us fight off the invaders. She helped us. She helped our Earth. It's only fair to return the favor. I'm nothing like Supergirl or even her cousin. But I can do this. I can find her."
"I understand, Dad. I never wanted you to stop being the Green Arrow. I know it's dangerous, but it makes me proud that you are. Just be careful, Dad. I don't want to lose you. Go save Supergirl. She's Ruby's favorite superhero. I don't want her to be sad. She would be if something happened to Supergirl," William said, smiling.
Oliver couldn't help but smile in return. He was so proud of his son. He hugged his son before leaving him with Sam.
Oliver waited for them to leave. His gear was already in the care. He had packed everything before coming to the school to meet Sam. He wanted to minimize his time away from Lena.
When Oliver had packed for this Earth, he had brought his gear. He wanted to have a protective uniform when Cisco called him. He didn't plan on using it here. He only had one quiver of arrows and his short sword. A habit he had picked up while with the League. He wore it across his back, under his quiver. He never drew it in Star City. But it was a comforting presence after his summer off with Felicity. It was a reminder that some enemies needed more than arrows to take down. Granted, even Darhk didn't force him to draw the blade. But he wanted him to die like Laurel had. Arrow to the chest. Twisted to shred his heart.
Oliver got into his car and drove back to Lena's office.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
EARTH-38, NATIONAL CITY, WAREHOUSE OPERATIONS CENTER
Oliver liked the warehouse location. It was perfect. The warehouse showed no indication that there was a facility hidden underneath it. The entrance was in a dead-end alley off the side of the warehouse. The irregular shape of the warehouse building allowed for the entrance to be invisible to the warehouse and to anyone who looked down the alley. The elevator entrance was hidden behind a plain wall.
The security for this place was better than he had for the bunker. There was no key pad. Just a biometric sensor hidden on the plain wall. Only knowing exactly where to place your hand on the wall, would open the lock pad hidden below it.
Lena strode into the facility with the ease of familiarity. Oliver looked around the main part of the base while Alex left to examine the medical bay.
"Just give me a minute and I will add your biometrics to the system," Lena told them as she made herself comfortable at the large computer work station.
Oliver dropped his large duffle bag on one of the empty bunks. There were two in a partitioned area on the main platform. The whole base showed its origins as a train station. One side of the base had a deep pit with train tracks across the bottom. The tracks ended about half way down the pit. The area where a train would enter was mostly sealed with rock. The bottom of that section was sealed with large stone blocks. It was a vulnerability. But Oliver could see the electronic detection equipment located there as well.
The rest of the base consisted of a large concrete platform that had been partitioned. The stone walls towered over the partitions. Huge support towers were evenly spaced around the platform and ran from floor to ceiling. Doors centered on each of the three sides away from the tracks. The two elevators were located one in each corner of the platform away from the rail pit.
Oliver wandered over to where the computer station was set up. Lena was already working at the station. Next to the computer station was a type of medical station. Oliver was more than familiar with the crash cart. He assumed that other medical supplies were stored in the cabinets surrounding a chair and treatment table.
Both the computers and the medical station were positioned off the tracks. But when he looked down at the tracks, he could see the generators and fuel stored there. Lena saw him looking.
"Those are supplementary power," Lena told him. "Most of the main power is drawn from the warehouse. My digital antenna snakes to the roof of the warehouse," she added. "Those…" she pointed at the generators, "…are for when our draw would be noticeable. Like this search." She gave him a wane smile. "I need you to place your hand here," she told him as she pointed to the hand print scanner.
"Do you come down here often?" Oliver asked as he followed her directions to enter his biometrics into the system. He looked over to the beds and the receiving area with couches. He noted that there was no kitchen.
"When I first moved to National City, I set up this place. I had no friends. I was a social pariah," Lena narrated emotionlessly. "But then I met Kara and I spent less time down here hiding."
Oliver smiled. "She does that," he said softly. "Do you have everything you need?" he asked her softly.
"Yes, thank you," Lena replied as Alex walked up to the computer desk.
"You did a great job on this place," Alex told her impressed. "The bathrooms are a nice touch. Do you have any plans for that empty room by the couches?" she asked.
"No," Lena replied. "I have just been leaving it empty for now. Maybe a private bedroom? I don't want to move the medical stuff there. I have the power over here. What are you thinking?" she asked Alex.
"An armory," Alex replied. "I think I can get J'onn to let me borrow some heavy tactical weapons."
"I won't need them," Oliver told her. "I just need a place to make my arrows."
"Arrows?" Alex asked. She distinctly recalled Cisco complaining about being hit with arrows. Or was that Flash. "Do you really use a bow and arrows?" she asked. She just didn't believe that they would be that effective in the modern world.
"Of course," Oliver replied. "Hence the name Green Arrow."
"Green Arrow?" Lena asked. "Is that your hero name?" she asked.
"Well, my third… fourth… No. I went back to Green Arrow," Oliver mused aloud. "Anyway, it is my call sign now. I'm used to it. Basic radio protocol: no real names." He looked over to Lena. "We will need radio communication gear. I would also like to have a camera on my uniform for interrogations."
"I can get those," Lena replied. "I might even be able to update them. Let me work on that. Alex what do you want as a call sign?" she asked as she jotted a note down.
"I don't know," Alex replied. "I don't usually need one. I'm with the DEO."
"Well, you'll be guarding my back," Oliver replied. "How about Sentinel? You already have a Guardian, right?" he asked.
"Yes. Guardian is taken," Alex replied. "I could live with Sentinel."
"Good," Oliver replied. "Now you just need gear and a way to conceal your identity. What do you use with the DEO?" he asked. "Spartan used basic police tactical gear with a face shield. Cisco updated his face shield to give him a digital heads-up display."
"I can get some basic tactical gear," Lena replied as she added a note.
"Make sure to get a helmet too," Oliver told her. Then he looked back at Alex. "Quick fix is to wear a black or skin colored face mask that covers your nose and mouth."
"I'm… Am I ready?" Alex asked. "I mean… I've been in the field. But I had a team. I was never alone."
Oliver stared at her. "You won't be alone. You also will not likely be in the action… I need to you watch me back. Not fight… Regardless, I need to assess your skill level," he told her then gestured her to the mats in the gym.
Alex crossed her arms over her chest. "I am quite skilled a hand-to-hand. Expert or Master. Level 3 for government work," she told him crossly.
"Good for you," Oliver replied with a smirk. "We'll start with hand-to-hand. Then work up to escrima and knives. I assume you are not skilled with swords."
"Swords?" Alex gapped at him. "No! Why would I ever need a damn sword?" she demanded.
Oliver chuckled. "My first three years as a vigilante required that I be more than familiar with swords. The villain in my fourth year was familiar with swords, but preferred magic," Oliver looked pensive. "Hell, even last year Chase preferred swords… or Talia did. One of the two." Then his face closed on a pained look. "Well, let's see what you know and how much you need to unlearn."
Alex gave an undignified huff and stalked off towards the mats.
"I'll search for our missing agents," Lena told them as they left her to her computers.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
EARTH-38, NATIONAL CITY, WAREHOUSE OPERATIONS CENTER
After two hours, Oliver left Alex sprawled in the mats. She was too exhausted to move. Oliver wasn't even winded. She was horrified to realize that he was holding back. He was using this time to teach her how to improve her hand-to-hand skill. She had declined using the knives. Real damn knives. What the hell? She had no experience with the escrima sticks. Apparently, they would start those after her break. Why don't I just shoot them?
"Lena, how's the search going?" Oliver asked as he walked over to her.
"Not as well as I would like," Lena replied as she was skimming through documents on the computer. "Their former identities are dead ends. I'm certain they have new identities now. I've been using a facial recognition to track them down. Unfortunately, I have about a hundred possible matches," Lena replied. Frustration was evident on her voice.
Oliver thought for a moment. Felicity was good at finding and locating people. She loved explaining how she did it. Oliver enjoyed listening to her expound on the sheer joy of solving a mystery. He moved past his wounded thoughts.
"Lena," Oliver started. "If the identities are new, then check your 100 matches for a spotty or suspicious background."
Lena eyes brightened at the suggestion. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that?" she cried. She immediately started typing on her computer. "The agents haven't had enough time to build a whole personal history. Not in a few days. Give me a minute," Lena declared. She immediately got to work.
"Tell me when you narrow them down," Oliver replied. He walked back to Alex. She had finally been able to sit up.
"Why can't I just shoot them?" Alex asked him in a pained voice.
"Many reasons," Oliver replied as he pulled her to standing. "The main one being that guns are limited. You run out of bullets. They are also inaccurate… depending on the user. They over penetrate the target. They can be taken from you and then used against you. They take too long to aim." Then he gave her a considering look. "Handguns are inaccurate beyond 20 meters. Within 20 meters, a trained assailant can approach and subdue you before you can fire. That was one of my very first lessons. Do you want a demonstration?" he asked candidly.
"You can do that?" Alex asked in amazement.
"Yes," Oliver replied. "I have also encountered more than one common thug who could do it too." Then he gave her a smirk. "Of course, you have aliens who are bulletproof and faster than humans too."
"There are not many Kryptonians," Alex replied with a sigh.
"Bullet proof. Bullet resistant," Oliver replied. "Same difference in combat."
"Yeah," Alex finally agreed. There were other aliens that could shrug off bullets.
"You want to help," Oliver replied. "I get it… But I think you should stick to watching my back from a distance."
"I need to do more," Alex replied vehemently. "My sister is suffering. I can look out for myself. I don't need you to look out for me."
"That's not my issue," Oliver replied frankly. "I know you can take care of yourself. But you will distract me. Kara can't afford for me to be distracted right now. I work best alone. You want to come… fine… but stay back and stay hidden. Don't interfere. You'll hear me call… if I need help."
"Come on, Oliver. You don't have enough arrows to attack a large base. There will be too many targets. Please don't bench me," Alex protested.
Before Oliver could reply, Lena called out in excitement.
"I found them. They are both in Gotham city," Lena told them.
"Gotham," Oliver stated. "Not a bad place to hide. Is it corrupt on this Earth? It is on my Earth," he asked.
"It is," Lena replied. "Transportation won't be a problem. We can take my private jet. Nobody will ask any questions."
"I like it when the corruption works in our favor," Oliver replied with humor.
"I don't know about your Earth, but Gotham on this Earth is more than a little weird," Lena told him. "Lots of small street gangs. Weird and crazy people. It's the home of the Batman… another hero."
"Batman exists here too?" Oliver asked. "Nice to know. Ours disappeared a couple years ago."
"You have a Batman?" Alex asked.
"Had. I was busy with the League when he disappeared," Oliver replied. "The news reports say that the Joker killed him… or they killed each other… Regardless, the Joker's body was found and Batman disappeared."
"The Joker is dead?" Lean asked in surprised.
"Yup," Oliver replied.
Lena shook her head to get back on track. "Here, Batman is very territorial. He also claims the moral high ground you were complaining about. That is the main reason the Joker is still alive on this Earth." Lena said with annoyance in her voice. "Regardless, he is hostile to visiting vigilantes. I found the two missing agents at an abandoned penthouse building. Based on the number of cell phones in the building, I would estimate at least 50 people inside. I doubt they would welcome your questions," Lena declared.
"Alright," Oliver started as he started to plot out his attack in Gotham. "Here's the plan. Go to Gotham. Interrogate our suspects. Leave with actionable intel… preferably before someone weird, crazy, or dressed like a bat arrives to complicate things." Oliver declared. He turned to Alex. "Can you fly a plane?" he asked.
"I can," Alex replied.
"Good. I didn't get a pilot's license on this Earth… Lena, stay here. Be our watchtower," Oliver smirked. "Let's make that your code name. Alex, you can fly us there. You can come to the penthouse, but you will wait outside. I'll call if I need you inside. Lena will tell us where the two men are hiding. I'll get the intel and then we leave. The local police can deal with the Cadmus cell afterwards," Oliver explained.
After they all agreed. Oliver and Alex went to collect Oliver's gear. Alex would have to wait until she had gear of her own to act. But Lena provided secured comm devices for them before they left for the plane.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
EARTH-38, GOTHAM CITY, ABANDONED PENTHOUSE BUILDING
Gotham on Earth-38 looked worse than Star City on Earth-1. Oliver could only speculate that the criminal element couldn't move to Star to relieve the pressure on Gotham. He doubted that this Gotham had a criminal cabal intentionally making the city worse. Just so that they can solve the issues they created. No wonder it's so dark here. A vigilante is the only way the people can get proper justice. The local police are likely just as bad as they were in Star. Corrupt beyond measure.
Oliver took a deep breath as his memories overwhelmed him. The memories of his first year. Fighting alone, then with Diggle, and finally with Felicity. Winning Quentin over to his side during his second year. Having Ra's turn the city against him in his third year. He took a moment to ground and center himself. I am not al Sah-him. I am the Green Arrow. I have only one name.
Oliver turned to focus on the rundown apartment building. It would be a stretch to call it a penthouse building. The building was located just outside of the Narrows. The slum district in Gotham. Now that dark had fallen, the streets were deserted. The building was wedged in between two other buildings with an open space behind it. The open area looked to have been a yard area for the tenants. It was overgrown and littered with trash.
Oliver continued his surveillance of the perimeter. He stalked the rooftops and then examined the narrow space between the buildings and the exterior on the ground floor. The first-floor windows were barred. But the windows on the upper floors were not. He planted a triggered explosive on the front door.
Overlooking the roof, Oliver noted several deterrents located on the roof top to inhibit entry. It was expected. Batman frequently made entrances from the rooftop. It made his approach predictable. Glancing over to the other apartment buildings. He noted the deterrents there as well.
Oliver was saddened that those same security measures were in place on the residential buildings. This one building didn't stand out. That demonstrated a level of fear among the common citizen. Oliver stopped himself. Not my city… not my Earth. All I can do is eliminate this Cadmus cell. I hope that makes this town a tiny bit safer for the residents. Less work for Batman.
Oliver moved to a building in front of the target building. Alex was already in place and had watched his preparations. She was impatient, but held her tongue while he examined the exterior of the building. She wanted to know why he felt the need for all of this preparation. It felt like a waste of time to her.
"Here," Oliver told Alex as he handed her a detonator. "I planted explosive on the front door. I'll call if I need the distraction."
"Okay," Alex replied with a nod. A distraction? Is that what he was doing at the front door? Alright. I can see how that would be useful. "I haven't seen anything up here. The neighborhood is quiet."
"No one wants to draw attention to themselves," Oliver pointed out. "It is after dark. Vigilante hunting time."
"You think the Batman is out right now?" Alex asked surprised. She started to examine the dark rooftops around them.
"I know he is," Oliver replied grimly. "The question is; where is he?" he asked rhetorically. "Watchtower, do you have any more intel to add before I enter?" Oliver asked as he pulled his zip line arrow and waited.
"Yes, Green Arrow," Lena's voice came over the connection. "It appears that the people inside have started to disperse throughout the building. I have a total count of 53 phone connections in there. I currently read…" Lena's voice faded as typing could be heard over the line. "Twenty on the first floor. Nine on the second. Six on the third. Eighteen on the fourth. No one appears to be in the basement. They may be keeping prisoners there."
"That's a secondary objective," Oliver said as he overturned her decision. "If we cannot find our two targets, then we check the basement. Were you able to tie into the local police?" he asked.
"I did," Lena replied. "They are currently very active on the docks. They mentioned sightings of Batman there. It sounds like a mafia dispute."
"How are the nine on the second floor dispersed?" He asked.
"Counting clockwise from the street," Lena reported. "Four are between two and three o'clock. One at five o'clock. Three at eight o'clock. The last at ten o'clock."
"I expect that to change once I enter," Oliver replied. "Keep an eye on them and report. Activate the body cam. Sentinel," he turned with a smile. "Don't let anyone enter or exit the building. I recommend leg shots."
Alex nodded and propped herself up in a protected position. It was a sniper nest. She was just using a standard rifle, not a sniper rifle. At roof level, it would be accurate enough.
Oliver ground and centered himself. Then set his zipline into the second-floor window at the three o'clock position. He set an explosive arrow and let it fly. He was zipping down into the room beyond just after the explosion.
Oliver hit the ground and rolled to a standing position. Two of the four were unconscious. He darted the dazed one and then punched the side of the head of the remaining man. Oliver kicked to door open and rushed into the hallway. The remaining occupants of the second floor had barely had time to start reacting to the first explosion before Oliver was on them. He was so focused on the fight that he didn't hear Lena narrating the movements of the others in the building until the fight was over.
"Third floor on the move," Lena reported.
"Are they in the stairs yet?" Oliver ground out as the last man dropped to the ground.
"No," Lena reported.
Oliver took the stairs three at a time. He hit the landing as the door to the third floor had just opened. The man who tried to enter was met with Oliver's fist. Oliver smoothy moved through the four at the door. He beat them unconscious. He darted the remaining two unconscious in their hiding places.
"First floor is collecting in a crowd. Fourth floor is on the stairwell," Lena reported.
Oliver turned to face the stairwell door. He set another explosive arrow and waited. The first three rushed through the doorway. Oliver targeted the ground behind them in the stairwell. The explosion sent two of them to their knees. He hurtled forward to engage the three in close combat. They dropped with barely a token fight. Oliver leapt over the ones moaning in pain. He used the doorway as a choke point.
The fighting was brutal. Oliver didn't hesitate to break bones and render his opponents' unconscious. He kept himself centered in the fighters to prevent the ones on the outside trying to shoot. The fallen bodies were piled up in the doorway. They became a hazard to the remaining men. The last two men had tried to shoot him from the back of the stairwell. Their rounds missed. He threw trash at their faces to distract them. Then he darted them both. They fell to the ground. Oliver took several steadying breaths to calm his adrenaline.
"How many remained upstairs?" Oliver questioned as he stepped over the pile of bodies in the doorway to the stairwell. He darted them as he passed to ensure they were out.
"Four," Lena replied. "They are congregating outside the door to the stairs."
"Copy," Oliver replied. He leaped up the stairs and examined the door closely. It was a fire door. Solid metal. The walls were brick. There was no way to shoot him through the door or wall. But there was only one point of entry. Oliver tucked his bow in its sheath behind his quiver and drew a handful of darts. He pulled his flashbang arrow and set it to go off on impact. He braced himself behind the door.
Oliver pulled the door open far enough to throw the arrow like a spear and slammed the door shut. Several bullets impacted the fire door before the muffled explosion of the flashbang. Oliver quickly opened the door wide and was throwing darts as he moved into the hall beyond. Two of the men shot blindly. A bullet grazed Oliver's leg, but his Kevlar held up. Bruised, but not bleeding.
Once they were all down, Oliver took another calming breath. Then he started to move again. He skipped down to the landing above the fire door entrance on the first floor. He planted an explosive arrow. He had set it to detonate when triggered. Then he leaped back up to the second floor to a fire escape.
"Sentinel," Oliver addressed Alex and he climbed down the fire escape the outside. "Get ready to blow the explosive on the front door on my mark," he relayed as he stalked into place at the back door. "Watchtower, how is the first floor dispersed?" Oliver asked as he targeted the ceiling of the first floor through one of the barred windows.
"One large group by the fire door," Lena relayed. "The rest are scattered throughout the common room by the fire door."
Oliver pulled out his trigger switch on the arrow by the fire door. "Sentinel. On the count. Three. Two. One. Mark," he said as he hit the trigger. Two loud explosions rent the air. Oliver drew and released his explosive arrow into the room. He didn't stop moving until he kicked the back door down. He moved seamlessly through the first floor, beating everyone unconscious. He focused on his attack. Each opponent. Each blow. His goal of putting them all down hard. It came as a surprise when no more targets presented themselves. It took him several seconds of scanning the room and finding no one.
Oliver let out a steadying breath. Then he took a deep cleansing breath. He shook out the remainders of the adrenaline jitters and tension from the fight to clear his mind. Only then did he move to locate the two former Secret Service agents. Both were moaning in pain on the ground. He pulled them across the floor towards the door. Then he darted the remaining men. Even the unconscious ones. He didn't want any distractions from his interrogation.
The two men were moaning on the floor. Oliver pinned each of them to the floor with an arrow through their hands. Screaming in pain.
"Watchtower," Oliver called once his voice modulator was activated. "I need names."
"The names they had in the Secret Service were fake," Lena replied.
"For now, those will work," Oliver replied. "It will let them know why they were singled out." He held his dark look on the two men. The white man blinked and shied away from Oliver's obviously hostile stance. The black man just glared belligerently.
"Okay," Lena replied warily. "Agents Carter Jones and Phil Smith. Carter is the black guy."
The two agents had stopped screaming and were now moaning in pain as they tried to remove the arrows from the floor. They only succeeded in causing more damage to their hands.
"Gentlemen," Oliver said darkly to catch the attention of the two men. He had drawn another arrow. Another straight one. "Agents Jones and Smith. I have some questions."
"We won't tell you anything," Carter spat at him.
"I admire your ability to overestimate your pain threshold. Let's test that, shall we," Oliver replied. Then he shot the man in his shoulder. Carter screamed. But Oliver already had a hold of the arrow embedded in the man's shoulder. "Don't pass out on me now… I still have questions… President Marsdin. Why did you betray her?" he asked as he twisted the arrow.
Carter screamed again. "She was in our way!" the man shouted through the pain. "She refused to listen to the boss. She had to be eliminated."
"Eliminated," Oliver replied. "If she was killed, you would have left her with the motorcade. There was no body. No… I think your boss wanted to make a statement. Wanted to make an example of her. Where is President Marsden? Where did you take her?" he growled and twisted the arrow again.
"Stop, please," Phil shouted. Oliver had been waiting for Smith to break. He had pegged Smith as the weak one while he was waiting for names. It was one thing to endure torture. It was another to watch someone you know experience it. The weak ones were easy to break without touching them. Phil had reached his limit. He broke spectacularly. Oliver smiled with all teeth behind his mask as he twisted the arrow one more time to make Carter scream again.
"I'll tell you," Phil cried. "She took them to National City. She has a place there. Hidden and reinforced. That's where she took Supergirl."
"Your boss… She… Does she have a name?" Oliver growled with another twist to Carter's arrow. They knew the name. They just wanted confirmation.
"Lillian Luthor. Cadmus. Just please stop," Phil screamed.
"Did you get that Watchtower?" Oliver asked.
"I did," Lena replied. "Scanning properties now."
"Who are you?" Phil cried. "Why do you care? We just want to get rid of the alien trash."
"Oh, I see that you are a poor student of history. Those who fail to remember their history are doomed to repeat it. Let me enlighten you," Oliver replied ominously. He darted Carter unconscious. Then he started the quote. "First, they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out. Because I was not a socialist… Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out. Because I was not a trade unionist… Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out. Because I am not a Jew… Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me." Oliver paused.
"Those words come from Pastor Martin Niemöller in the aftermath of World War II. It is a lesson to all those who espouse hate of the other… Cadmus forgot their history. Lillian Luthor is a modern Adolph Hitler. First, she came for the aliens… Someday, she will go down her list and you will be on it," Oliver loomed over the man. "You are the equivalent of a Nazi." He smiled nastily. "I hate Nazis… If you don't want to be a Nazi, then change… or you can die with your Hitler. Your choice. I can't help you."
Oliver stalked to the around the room. "But I will speak out. I will defend those she targets. I will not let her horror exist. That is why I came for you… You have betrayed all it means to be human… You, personally, have betrayed the ideals of this country and its duly elected representative… Your actions have betrayed this planet to the cosmos... For these reasons, I have come for you." Then Oliver darted Phil unconscious.
"Watchtower, are the locals responding yet?" Oliver asked without the voice modulator.
"Yes," Lena replied. "But they are several minutes out."
"Copy," Oliver replied. "I'm going to take a look in the basement. Sentinel, you can come down."
"I'm staying here until you are out of there," Alex replied. She sounded stressed. She had heard everything he had just done. She was more than a little freaked out about how cool and efficient he was. He took out a whole building… by himself… with freaking arrows… Those weren't just everyday thugs. They were trained Cadmus operatives. They were armed with guns.
Oliver was already through the door to the stairwell. He scanned and crept down the lowest level. He threw the door open and waited for an attack. Nothing happened. He glanced inside before deciding it was safe enough. He darted into the basement and clicked the light switch.
The room was empty. No cells. But the walls were lined with stacks of ammo crates and weapons boxes. It was a depot of some kind. Oliver popped the lid of a few of the boxes.
"Watchtower," Oliver called. "The basement is storge. Weapons and ammo. Most of it is standard human arms. But a few are different. They look like energy pistols and rifles. Stolen and modified alien tech. I'm grabbing them for you to look at."
"Understood," Lena replied. "GCPD is two minutes out."
"Leaving now," Oliver replied as he slung an alien rifle and tucked away the alien pistol. Then he sprinted up the stairs and out the front door. He shot a grappling arrow and was pulled away as he noticed the lights in the distance.
"I found it!" Lena exclaimed in his ear as he climbed to the roof . "It's an old Luthor Corp facility. It was shuttered when Lex went to prison. It's one I've been watching. But I didn't notice something this big."
"Sentinel and I are returning to you, Watchtower," Oliver replied as Alex finally joined him. He took out his comm and holstered his bow. Her eyes were blown wide in shock. "Come on," Oliver led her back out and down to their temporary transport. He stowed his weapons, his mask, and his uniform top. Alex's shock seemed to have faded.
"I… I can't do what you just did," Alex declared as they climbed into the car.
"Good," Oliver replied. "I hope you never need to do something like that. You should only resort to torture in a very limited number of circumstances. Unfortunately, this is one."
"Why did you do it?" Alex asked with a pained expression. "Why… Why do you do it? That. I think killing would be kinder."
Oliver winced as they drove to the airport. At least she is not self-righteous like Diggle or Felicity. They had changed him. Made him better, but they always judged him for every action. Measured his current actions against his past ones. "No, it wouldn't be kinder," he replied sadly. Diggle and Felicity never got that. Death was never a mercy for those two. But torture was unacceptable as well. "That… what I just did… that's fixable. Horribly painful, but the damage is temporary. Killing them would remove their chance to do better. They were just taking orders. Minions don't deserve death. They deserve a chance to change."
Alex looked confused. "But…"
"On my Earth, back at the start of things… there was this kid. A real punk. Had a hard life. Abandoned by his father. Mother died of drugs. He was left alone to scavenge on the street. He was frequently arrested for petty crime," Oliver narrated the story as they drove to the airport. "One day, the boy stole a purse. It was too nice for the neighborhood. The girl it belonged to didn't live in the area. She was too rich." Oliver chuckled. "But he underestimated the stubbornness and tenacity of that girl. She tracked him down. Had him arrested. Then asked him why. Why did he take it? Why did he need to steal to survive? Who allowed him to do this?"
Oliver got pensive as he thought about Thea and her strange relationship with Roy. He was glad that Roy was still alive on Earth-1. That his team had set him free from prison. That he was spared Talia and Chase's vendetta. Thinking about Roy didn't hurt.
"Did he say why?" Alex asked. She had gotten caught up in the story.
"He said. 'Because I live in the Glades. No one cares about us down here'," Oliver replied. "The girl had the police release him. She dropped all charges. She decided to be someone who cared about the people in the Glades. She eventually started to date him. He turned his life around. He became…" Oliver trailed off in pained whisper. "He was my protégé. He is why I give people a chance to change. He is proof that you are not defined by your origins or circumstances. That some choices… some options are hard. Not right. Not good. Just the only ones available."
"Wow!" Alex commented as she thought about the journey the boy must have taken. "Who was the girl?" she asked.
Raw visceral pain flashed across his face before his blank mask fell into place. "My sister, Thea," he replied gruffly. He took a deep breath. "I won't lie. I did enjoy shooting him that once. Not to mention the sparring. Nothing like beating the hell out your sister's boyfriend on a regular basis."
Alex gave him a weird look. She could all too clearly remember when she had sparred with him. "Cisco said that you like shooting people with arrows," she commented sullenly.
"I can't believe that Barry never got over that," Oliver gripped. "It was freaking training. You would think he would be more offended about the time I kicked his ass without arrows… at a place of his choosing." Oliver reflected happily on his friend. "At least he learned the lesson about letting me set up countermeasures. He got better at casing a place. I personally think the arrows emphasized that particular point of the training."
"What?" Alex said. "You beat up a meta-human?" she asked. "One with superspeed? How?" she demanded.
"Barry may have been fast… but he was predictable," Oliver replied. "I mostly made him run into my fist repeatedly. He swore me to secrecy. Probably played up the whole training thing to avoid admitting he got beat up."
Alex chuckled and got out of the car. It was time to return to National City.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~