And here we are with story five in this series. Before we get started, a few things you need to know about the MCU, Arrowverse and Smallville timelines.

Civil War has already happened, minus any involvement from Peter. For the airport fight, let's say that Vision showed up early.

Flash season one is canon up to 1x10 in this fic, which will be our divergence point. Nothing from Arrow season 3 has happened outside the Flash stuff and Quentin becoming a Captain. Since Sara wasn't killed, Diggle has sort of semi-retired after JJ was born and is now more Oliver's driver and an ARGUS liaison than a member of Team Arrow.

We're at the 10x02 point with Smallville, although neither of those episodes happened. Jor-El still turned his back on Clark, but that's it. Lois never went to Africa and Clark told her his secret. And in case anyone needed a reminder, Chloe is played by Chloe Grace Moretz in this version of Smallville.

Now, regarding Civil War, this story isn't going to be team anyone. While Team Cap have the moral and logical high ground (because no one in their right mind would ever sign a document they cannot read and understand in a three day time period, not to mention how problematic The Accords are), I am just so sick of constant war between the two sides. It's been almost eight years since Civil War came out and, to this day, more and more fics come out, bashing both sides beyond all recognition. It's gotten to the point where, outside a few authors, I have abandoned the MCU fandom. Seriously, it's been eight years. Can we not all agree The Accords suck and move on already?

Anyway, enjoy this. Geronimo!

Starling City

Night

Thea looked around the gala with a hint of pride. When Oliver had approached her for help in throwing this Gala for the Queen Consolidated Benefit to help the Glades, Thea had all but jumped at the chance. She finally got why their mother always worked so hard when throwing parties at their home. It was a rush.

Thea paused as she saw her brother talking to one of the members of the QC board. Ray Palmer, she thought his name was. As Thea approached, Oliver spotted her and paused his conversation.

"Hey, Speedy. Ray, this is my sister, Thea," Oliver introduced.

"Ms. Queen, nice to meet you," Ray said as he held out his hand.

"You too, but call me Thea. Someone calls me 'Ms. Queen' and I look around for my mom," Thea said and Ray chuckled.

"Yes, I imagine that would be weird, especially given your mom is the mayor. Well, I'll let you two talk. See you tomorrow, Oliver," Ray said before walking off.

"So what was that about?" Thea inquired.

"Just talking business. Was there something you wanted, Speedy?" Oliver asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Just kind of surprised to see you here. Doesn't you not sneaking out violate some kind of unwritten law of the universe?" Thea teased and Oliver gave her an unamused look.

"With Roy and Sara around, I don't need to run out to handle every problem. They can handle things by themselves sometimes."

At that same moment, police were chasing an armored car down a highway, the back doors open as a man returned fire with police. Passing a nearby supply truck, the driver of the armored car shot out the ties of the supply truck. The supply truck was forced to skid to a stop, creating a blockade between the police and the armored car.

However, The Canary rode up on a motorcycle, in hot pursuit.

"Roy, we're coming up on your location," Sara said over the comms.

Standing on a bridge, Roy took aim with his bow and fired. The arrow sailed through the air and struck the front of the armored car. A small explosion of sparks went off and the driver lost control of the car before crashing into a nearby sign. The driver was knocked out after hitting his head on the steering wheel while the shooter was thrown from the back of the car, landing a few feet away on the ground, knocked out. Sara pulled to a stop in front of the shooter and got out, checking him over and seeing he was injured but alive.

"Nice one Roy," Sara said as Roy glided down a line until he landed on the road.

"I think I recognize these guys," Roy said as he approached, taking a good look at the shooter. "Yeah, he works for Brick."

"Who's Brick?" Sara asked confused.

Arrow Lair

Later

"Daniel Brickwell, street name Brick," Felicity said, pulling up his picture as Oliver, Sara and Rory stood behind her. "Biggest mob boss in the Glades."

"And the most feared. But I thought he was in Iron Heights," Roy said in confusion.

"He was, until about a week ago. And then the case against him imploded. And by that I mean every single witness suffered some sort of fatal accident," Felicity explained.

"So Brick escapes, and then gets all the evidence against him dismissed," Sara noted.

"Not a bad plan. It's almost funny," Oliver said, pulling out The List as the others turned to him.

"Let me guess, Brick is on The List," Roy said dryly and Oliver nodded as he opened the book to the page with Brick's name

"He was never a priority because he was in Iron Height. But now, he's our top priority. Brickwell will be planning something, we just need to find out what," Oliver said in determination before looking over at Felicity. "Try and keep an eye out for any of Brickwell's known contacts. Someone like Brickwell is a creature of habit. He'll reach out to one of them."

Metropolis, The Daily Planet

Next morning

Clark was sipping his coffee, his mind on his next assignment when Lois sat down across from him.

"Something fishy is going on with Tess," Lois announced and Clark paused, looking at her oddly.

"Lois, Tess died from her injuries when Zod shot her with heat vision months ago," Clark said slowly as he lowered his cup.

"That's what we thought, but I decided to do a story on her funeral. Only there never was a funeral. And I talked to the doctors that treated Tess, they were very cagey, claimed not to know anything about her. There's not even a record of her being in the hospital," Lois explained and Clark frowned, putting a hand to his chin in thought.

"So you think someone's covering up Tess's death?"

"Maybe. Or maybe's she's not actually dead," Lois pointed out and Clark looked at her for a long time.

"Lois…I saw Tess. There's no way she could have survived for long. She was at death's door," Clark said gently.

"She was CEO of Luthorcorp, Smallville. Lex and Lionel were into all kinds of advanced stuff. Maybe one of them saved her life and she's still recovering," Lois proposed and Clark considered this for a moment.

"Okay, say you're right. Why would Tess fake her own death? What does she have to gain?" Clark asked.

"People fake their own deaths all the time. She didn't exactly have any close friends or family around. Maybe Tess just wanted a fresh start," Lois suggested.

"Hey Kent!"

At the shout, Clark and Lois looked up from their desk to see one of their co-workers gesturing Clark forward.

"New Chief wants to see you," he told Clark.

"One day in and they're already asking for you? They must like your work, Smallville," Lois asked in part pride and part envy.

"They must," Clark muttered, hoping this wasn't like it was with Tess as he got to his feet.

Clark made his way to the Chief's office, opening the door. A man was going through some papers at the desk when he looked up, smiling at Clark. He was in his late thirties it seemed with light eyes and brown hair.

"Clark Kent? Richard White, It's an honor to meet you," he said as got up from the desk and walked over to Clark, holding out his hand.

"So you're a fan of my work then?' Clark asked warily, even as he shook Richard's hand.

"Not really, barely read any of it. But Perry White is my uncle. I always wanted to meet the man who saved my uncle from himself, put him back on the straight and narrow," Richard explained as they dropped.

"I just did what anyone would have done, Mr. White," Clark said humbly.

"No, you went above and beyond. And please, call me Richard. You may work for me, but I like to be on a first name basis with my employees," Richard said with a smile. "Besides, with how things are going between my uncle and your mother, we may be family one day."

JSA headquarters

Same time

Chloe was walking through the building, stopping as she came across the Helmet of Fate. She stared at it, mesmerized for a moment before hearing a voice call out to her.

"Chloe?"

Startled, Chloe jumped, whirling around to see Carter Hall looking at her in concern.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," Chloe said, looking back at the Helmet briefly. "I wanted to…ask you some questions about that helmet."

"What kind of questions?" Carter asked, a pit of dread forming in his stomach as he recognized a familiar look in her eyes as she gazed at the helmet.

"Did Kent…did he have this…connection, to the Helmet? How did he get it?" Chloe asked.

"He never said where he found it. But you're right; he did have a connection to it. He seemed to know when a great danger was about to descend. He once said the Helmet was drawn to its next wielder when a time of peril was about to descend on the earth," Carter paused, looking at Chloe. "Chloe…has the Helmet been calling to you?"

"I think so. I keep having these dreams where I'm hearing these voices; they keep calling out to me. And I always see the helmet. Fate told me that he and I walked the same path when I first met him. Do you think…" Chloe trailed off.

"That you may be the next wielder of the Helmet of Fate?" Carter finished her thought, his voice no louder than a whisper. "Chloe, you can walk away from this. I saw that helmet destroy Kent's life. Trust me; you don't want to go down this road."

"I may have to. You said it only happens when peril is about to descend on the earth. Besides, I've seen Clark deny his destiny for years and it caused so much pain, to him and everyone around him," Chloe said as she glanced at the Helmet with a bit of fear. "If it's calling to me…I don't think I have much of a choice."

"We always have a choice," Carter said softly.

Still, he made no move to stop her as she removed the helmet from the case. It opened up, it's inside glowing before Chloe put it on, the helmet wrapping around her head as her entire body pulsed with energy.

Starling City

Same time

"Anton should have listened to my orders, laid low. He especially shouldn't have shot a cop," Brick grumbled as two of his men filled him on what had happened.

"Look, Brick, we're worried Anton might squeal, tell the cops everything," one of his men said.

"Don't be. Anton's an idiot, but he's loyal. He'd sooner die than sell me out," Brick said confidently.

"And what about The Arrow and his team? They'll be after us now," the other said fearfully and Brick laughed.

"I'd like to see him try to stop us. The Arrow gets in my way, I'll kill him myself," Brick said confidently.

Barely had the words left Brick's mouth before two arrows flew out, killing Brick's two men. Brick jumped, looking around wildly before a knife struck him in the back of his shoulder. Brick cried out in pain before hunching over as someone jumped on his back, pinning him to the floor with their hand pressing his face into the ground.

Out of the corner of his eye, Brick saw who it was. It was a man dressed head to toe in black, a katana strapped to their back. His face was covered by a mask that was pure black, showing two eye holes but giving away nothing of the man's appearance.

"Who the-"

Brick was cut off when the man slammed his face into the concrete, hard. Brick could taste blood in his mouth.

"Daniel Brickwell, I'm going to give you this one warning: The Arrow is mine. You kill him, you die," the man told him, his voice disguised by a voice changer.

"Who the fuck are you?" Brick sneered despite the pain.

"Prometheus."

This chapter was mostly meant to be set up, next chapter we'll start to get into the other plotlines in this story.

Richard White would be played by Marc Blucas, thank you to Aragorn II Elessar for the suggestion. And before anyone asks, no, there will be no love triangle with Clark, Lois and Richard. I just needed someone to fill the role of Clark and Lois's boss.