Disclaimer: Based on characters and references created by DC Universe and the CW, which I do not own. Enjoy:

Break

My name is William Queen,

A man from the future who has come to the past with one goal,

To save Star City.

With ARGUS unwillingly under the control of the Ninth Circle,

I set myself on a journey through time,

With my sister Mia,

To recruit a team of those outside of our enemy's influence.

With Rory Reagan, AKA Ragman, now on our side,

We set off for the states to recruit others to the cause.

Currently, we're the only hope for a better future.

Lord, see us through…

Episode 8: Revelations

Oliver opens the door for Felicity as she points out, "This seems quite quaint for a meet-up with Emiko."

As Oliver follows her in, he explains, "This is where she first went when Lyla lifted the curfew. It's also where she…"

Oliver and Felicity see Emiko sitting at a table, everything around her drenched in shadows. It's almost ominous, is just missing a dark hood and a scythe.

Still, Felicity keeps a positive attitude when walking towards her. "Hey! Nice little spot you picked out."

Emiko doesn't react except to stretch her hand to the chairs opposite her. Oliver and Felicity slowly take their seats.

Emiko asks, "Do you want to know why I came here?"

Oliver hazards a guess, "It has something to do with our father? Did he bring you here as a kid?"

Emiko shakes her head. "It's where he and I last met, where he rejected me."

Felicity's eyebrow lifts, a bit curious. "Over what?"

Emiko's eyes turn to Oliver. "I didn't want to be part of the family. I didn't want public recognition. I had ideas, PLANS of how we could have made the company better."

Oliver keeps his eyes on her. "And he rejected them…because of me?"

Emiko's eyebrows furrow. "From all the news clips and articles I found, you were a spoiled brat, a criminal, NOTHING!" The raised tone makes Felicity shift back in her seat while Oliver maintains eye contact. "All I wanted was to give something to the company so that YOUR ANTICS wouldn't hurt our father's legacy. And yet, he chose you!"

Oliver nods in agreement. "If I had known you existed, I would have given you all the resources you needed, let you take the reins. Even I knew I wasn't ready for that type of responsibility."

Emiko scoffs. "Our father didn't. If he did, things would be different. He would still be alive…because I would have told him of the bomb on the Queen's Gambit."

Emiko's confession makes Oliver's mouth drop; his eyes and brows widen. Felicity's hand clings to her mouth.

Oliver exclaims, "You…you knew—"

"Yes, I did. I thought about telling Dad, to save him and you. But the WAY he REJECTED me…that was the last straw. I didn't want to be a Queen then, and I don't NOW."

Felicity's eyes close, probably too in shock to bear this revelation. Oliver's eyes now stray downward, his hands balled into fists. "He was your father!"

"And he left me…and my mom! I thought his death would be enough, but it's not. YOU need to pay, too."

"And pay he shall."

Oliver and Felicity turn their attention to the new voice's origin. From the shadows comes Dante, wearing his usual dark suit and a smirk on his face.

"I have just as much grievance with you, Mr. Queen, as your sister does."

Oliver quickly turns to Emiko. "You can't be—"

Emiko shouts, "Shut up and listen!"

Dante walks a bit further in, the lights casting an ominous shadow onto him. "You deprived me of someone I held dear, Mr. Queen, the woman I loved."

Oliver glares firmly at Dante. "Samantha didn't love you! She wanted out—"

"And I gave it to her!" He slams his hands on the table, shifting them forward as to give Oliver no room. "How do you think Samantha could afford a house in the middle of nowhere and evade us? With her parent's help? When your son was born, she made me swear to protect him and provide her with the necessary funding. I never realized she took off with the baby a few days later."

"You think you can just come here and say you're taking William away from us?"

Dante takes his hands off the table. "No. I'm here to make a new offer, one I know you cannot refuse. Your family's protection…for your services."

Oliver raises an eyebrow skeptically. "My what?"

Dante elaborates, "I may despise you, Mr. Queen, but I see your uses. You have stopped more super-criminals and overlords than most of our men have combined. Your skills are a valuable asset. Given your hero status, you shall be a prime example for the next generation of Ninth Circle members."

"So I'm your indentured servant? Is that it?"

Dante's fingertips press together, his hands like a steeple. "Indentured servants have no choice. I am offering you one. The other is that I take William…and the child in your wife's womb."

Felicity, reflexively, clutches her stomach. Oliver moves to shield her.

Again, Dante smirks. "You think I didn't have access to medical records in ARGUS? Don't you want a normal life for her, not one fraught with constant peril? I can give that to her and William, WITHOUT his knowledge, if you make this simple leap." Suddenly, Dante taps his head. "Oh, and how could I forget? I will also need a copy of your home's security system."

Both Oliver and Felicity give each other confused stares. Felicity asks, "What does my security have to do with anything?"

Dante tilts his head to the side. "Didn't William tell you? In the future, you will combat crime by creating a security system for the Glades, identifying perpetrators, and arresting them on the spot. It would be called—"

Felicity mumbles in shock, "Archer."

Dante clasps his hands, "Good! You do know."

Felicity exclaims, "But mine was made for good reason, and it can't be built beyond—"

"I have experts in coding and security that can expand what your software is capable of. It might not be as good as what you would have done, but it is one that the Ninth Circle would make extensive use of for years to come."

Again, Dante's hands form the steeple. His gaze turns back to Oliver. "This is the point of no return, Mr. Queen. Make your choice and make it no—"

William shuts off the video before Dante can finish. "From there, my father agrees and…you can make assumptions from there."

William turns to Bruce, Talia, and Nyssa, who sit on the foyer couch. Bruce asks, "Where did you get this?"

William turns the phone off and places it in his pocket. "The Legends of Tomorrow. The last thing they did before dropping us off was give us this."

Nyssa leans back in her seat. "He's not going to keep his word."

William argues, "Maybe not, but either scenario is not good. That's why I came to you guys."

Talia asks, "While your younger self is out?"

"He's already seen enough drama, and this conversation doesn't concern him."

Bruce asks, "Dante mentioned Archer. What kind of security system is it supposed to be?"

William explains as best he can, "The kind that has every street corner, apartment, business and home on lockdown, profiling everything you do and say, maintaining isolationism from the world."

Talia concludes, "You need our help to prevent the confrontation."

William shakes his head. "If we interfere too soon, it will create all sorts of unknown events that will be worse than what you saw."

Bruce adds, "But you have a plan that minimizes all those possibilities."

William nods. "Having at least one of you to back me up would shift the balance in our favor."

Bruce and Talia look at each other intensely, taking hold of each other's hands.

Nyssa, however, stands up and asks, "Is Sara a part of this?"

William nods, "When I give the word, she will be."

After a while, Nyssa looks to her sister. "It has been a good few months bonding with you, Bruce, and little William…" She then looks back to older William. "And that's shown me a path far from my father's vision. If you need help, I will give it to you."

Bruce stands up, agreeing, "And so will I."

Talia, unfortunately, claims, "As much as I would like to, I cannot."

William grins. "Because of your child?"

Talia's eyes widened for the first time in ages, as did Bruce's. Though, she is quick to smile. "I forgot the connection you and your younger self have."Talia then gives a soft grin. "I know that whatever happens, you will prevail."

Bruce gives her a warm smile before telling William, "I'll round up Kate and Luke."

"Good. They need to coordinate with the team later tonight."

Bruce raises an eyebrow. "For what?"

William grins. "A simple mission."

From what William told Mia, Blackgate Penitentiary was the oldest and most secure prison in all of Gotham, at least during Batman's old vigilante days. However, since Batman's return, the current warden, Howard Branden, has built security measures to counter him and others within his Bat Family.

But Branden didn't expect Team Arrow.

Dressed as Blackstar, Mia sneaks in along with Rory in his Ragman suit. They enter via a sewer hatch that runs through an old section of the building. As Batwing predicted, nobody is inside the dimly lit, large room. Still, Blackstar takes out an arrow and readies herself. Ragman sends out a cloth ahead of her, which makes her raise an eyebrow.

Ragman says with confidence, "No one's up ahead. We can move up."

Blackstar can't help but be a little scared of Ragman's power. "I…thought your power was just controlling the rags."

Ragman nods. "It was. The suit establishes a connection between it and the user. I could feel when I was stretching it out, control how fast and how hard it hit. After Israel, it's been given sight, more outward reach, and much more."

Blackstar hesitantly nods, still uncertain of how or why. All she knows is that it'll be helpful.

"Batwing to Blackstar, you there?"

Hearing BatWing's voice, Blackstar answers, "I read you. We're making our way into the prison now."

"Good. You're heading towards the East Wing, where they'll keep the prison records. I can deactivate security, but ONLY when you're in position. We'll have one shot to get in and out before Branden's security comes online."

"And you're confident picking us up?"

"It'll be a long trek back the way you came. Security will be chasing you down by then, and they'll check for forgeries. Batwoman will have cleared the roof for a discreet entry. Just be there when she's done. Batwing out."

Blackstar hangs up. As they proceed, Ragman asks her, "Are you confident in the plan? I know you've escaped Slabside before, but you never said anything about a quick in and out."

Blackstar nods, but it betrays the gut-wrenching despair within herself.

She has broken into someplace far larger…but never made it out.

With the ID, the five of them unlock the back entryway. Zoe led the others in, wearing her more formal gray button shirt and skirt. Mia, Ben, and Laurel Lance followed suit with cloaks on. William was in his casual navy blue sports jacket, shirt, and trousers, side by side with Zoe.

Zoe looked at the others and said, "This is as far as I can take you. We'll rendezvous at wherever the coordinates are."

William added, "Blend in and stay alert. They'll most likely be looking for us. If there is any trouble, retreat and return to the fight club. Those of us who make it will continue the mission."

The three of them nodded in agreement before William took Zoe's arm with his and went briskly.

Blending in wasn't hard. Everyone was conversing on the streets, dancing on sidewalks, or drinking to their hearts' content. It reminded Mia of the town cookouts back home, meeting neighbors and friends. Though, she wasn't the talkative type even back then. She only had a few friends, two girls and a boy, in the competitive archery or wrestling classes.

On the sides of buildings are phrases that Mia was familiar with: "Vigilantes haven't done a thing!", "The Glades are OUR utopia!", and "We look out for our own!" The wording may be different, but the overall message was the same.

Coming out of the street, they found themselves within a large, white plaza. Everyone there was dressed elegantly, in bright colors or the usual black and white. Further along was a stage with a symphonic orchestra performing a smooth, subtle symphony. Mia wasn't a musical aficionado, so she couldn't identify the piece, only that it consisted of violins, trombones, pianos, and whatever else she found unremarkable.

Ben, noticing this as he always seemed to, commented, "I'm bored to death too."

Mia couldn't help but grin at his remark.

"Wish they'd play something fast, lively. Like—"

Mia finished, "Like Imagine Dragons. I know. You will not stop talking about them."

"Who WOULDN'T? My brother sure wouldn't."

"Your…foster brother?"

The smile Ben had diminished. "Yeah. I never really talked about him, didn't I?"

"You never told me your father was a vigilante."

Ben shook his head. "My father was a criminal. John Diggle was my Dad. He and Lyla Michaels took me in when hell was loosed onto Star City. I've been looking to repay them since."

"Have you?"

"I thought joining Knightwatch would be a start. But…"

"But it didn't suit you."

Ben seemed to hesitate with his following words. Back then, Mia chalked it up to not wanting to bring back bad memories. But she knew better now.

Before the conversation would go further, Laurel Lance silently called out, "Guards!"

Mia's eyes immediately zoned to where Laurel Lance was pointing. Up ahead was the Glades' Honor Guard, dressed in all white, patrolling for anything disruptive or a potential threat. Mia looked to their right, seeing nothing but elegantly dressed patrons for miles. There is no exit on their left. The only way through was forward.

Mia asked Laurel, "What's the play?"

Laurel looked around frantically. "I'm thinking."

Mia was doing the same. She looked for any opportunity: a distraction, an old acquaintance, anything.

Though, Ben's eyes seemed to have squared in on one. He was already moving in, pushing crowds out of the way. Mia didn't know where he was heading. Then, her heart sank when she saw him walking toward the guards.

Mia started to run, but Laurel stopped her. "Don't! He might be on to something."

Ben gave a quick pat on one of their shoulders. To Mia's surprise, the guards greeted him with the firmest handshakes and hugs. It was as if they were old friends or something. As they talked, one of Ben's hands lowered and signaled Mia, pointing to the path.

Mia whispered to Laurel, "Now's our chance. Go!"

Both went without hesitation, rushing past them without being spotted. Mia looked back, seeing Ben wrap things up and heading forward to meet back up.

Still surprised by what had happened, Mia asked, "How…just how?"

Ben grinned slyly. "I recognized them as former ARGUS agents. We graduated together when I was a mole for Knightwatch."

Laurel grinned with approval. "Major coincidence, huh?"

Ben shrugged. "Helps to have connections."

They continued, but it turned cogs in Mia's head. Why was he in STAR city if not exposed as a mole inside ARGUS? Did ARGUS send him there? Did Knightwatch?

This never left her mind, and she didn't want to believe the inevitable conclusion. But there was no other possibility.

"Blackstar, wait!"

The memory of the Glades pervaded Blackstar's senses. She didn't realize that they finally made it out of the abandoned wing. In front of them are cameras hanging just above the East Wing entrance, made out of a dense material. Her EMP arrows won't work on them.

From the pitch-black shadows they were in, Blackstar gets on her comm. "Fox, we're at the East Wing. Cut the security."

"Got it. Remember, you have five minutes to get in, tamper with records, then get out. It's a generous window, but guards will no doubt be patrolling the place. Be careful."

Ragman looks over the arms of his suit. "I'm sure we'll manage."

"Cutting security in three…two…one…"

On cue, the security cameras cease moving, and the red lights below the cameras dim. Blackstar doesn't hesitate to move towards the door.

Just as she takes the knob, Ragman holds up a hand. "Let me scout it out." One of his rags slithers from his hand and slips under the door. His eyes close, though Blackstar almost anticipates they will slip out of their sockets and roll on the sleeve.

Ragman elaborates, "There's six people, all in pairs. One patrol is on this floor, walking back and forth from the door. There are grates we can use to avoid them and get to the stairs. The second scans the rails infrequently, so grappling is not an option. The third is just in front of the door to RECORDS on the upper floor. No cameras, but all of them have thermals and heavy armor."

Mia thinks on this momentarily, immediately remembering a gadget William gave her that could get the two on the third floor away. "Get us to the doorway, and I can handle it from there."

"Okay. Wait a minute. Wait…okay, go!"

Quietly but quickly, Blackstar and Ragman enter and close the door, jumping into the grates. Crawling through, Blackstar catches just a glimpse of the room they are in. Across from them are cells emanating voices that are sporadic and hard to make out. From what she can discern, the words "pigs," "unfair," and "not so innocent yourselves" come up constantly.

When reaching the stairs, Blackstar and Ragman wait for the patrol just above them to turn around and the second patrol to stop peering down. When both requirements are met, they jump out of the grates and go upstairs. They start to make their way towards the other side, hoping to slip by the guards in front of them as soon as they look over the railing again. However, one of them stops and checks his pockets.

"Wait! I think I took out my keys by accident."

"How do you accidentally take out—"

Blackstar was about to head through the doorway to the right. However, something grabs her by the torso and mouth, yanking her above. Before she knows it, some dark shroud envelopes her.

She tries to wriggle her way out, but Ragman implores her, "Say quiet! The suit is camouflaging us but can't suppress all noise."

Knowing it's Ragman stops Blackstar's frantic movement, but it turns her alertness to anger.

The guard below, meanwhile, finds his key and rebukes his partner, "I was taking out my water bottle! If they had kept water coolers here, I wouldn't have to bring it. I swear, things here just become more and more inconvenient."

Ragman takes his hand off of Blackstar's mouth, who proceeds to demand, "Can you put me down now?"

"Not yet. I can travel like this until the next set of stairs."

Ragman, by whatever means, slinks above the guards. At this point, Blackstar doesn't question it. She does find it uncomfortable, but seeing the guards below makes her realize the rag's usefulness.

When reaching the stairs, Ragman climbs up a rail covered by stained-steel glass and drops Blackstar off. They both hide there, peering around the corner. The last two guards are there, not moving a muscle.

Ragman points out, "If we try to distract them, they may set off an alarm."

Blackstar then takes out the device William gave her before the mission. The small screen says, "P.A. Announcer voice synthesized, ready for use on three guards at once." She aims and marks the two guards, then the voice issues to their comms, "Hey, can you two check on the cells downstairs? Maintenance says there could be some loose cell doors."

The guards take off from the door, not even questioning the order.

However, one of them does express, "If I have to stand by that door for just ONE more minute, I'll happily start a riot."

Ragman compliments, "Nice."

Blackstar gets up, saying, "Let's go!"

They both rush to the room labeled "RECORDS" in black lettering on the window. Thankfully, no one is there. There are a bunch of terminals with the latest Windows computers. Surprisingly, there are no written records in sight. All the shelves are empty. They must have switched to digital entirely.

Blackstar turns on one of the computers, immediately taking her into records.

Blackstar can't help but chuckle at this. "They didn't even password-protect this thing? Now that's just dumb."

She looks through the list of names, starting alphabetically with last names, eventually finding the one they're looking for: TURNER, B.

She clicks through and finds the status description: "Will be released within two months on good behavior and be handed over to ARGUS as per an agreement between them and Warden Branden."

Let's speed that process up.

As William instructed, Blackstar changes months to days, effectively making Turner a free man.

Her mouse strokes over the number two for a moment, wanting to make it 1 or 0. She's not stupid. She knows who this is, whose father this is. She is almost ready to change the course of history to ensure…

She swallows the temptation and shuts the computer down. She holds back tears until she is confident that none will escape.

Blackstar clears her throat and contacts Bat Wing, saying, "We altered the records. Be ready to pick us up."

"Got it. The roof is clear and I just evacuated Batwoman. Waiting on you."

Ragman interjects, "That may be a problem."

He points to the door, muffled voices and footsteps approaching.

Blackstar then iterates, "The roof is a no-go. We're trapped in the Records room."

"Damn it! That was our only shot at getting you out."

Blackstar looks around quickly. The only other exit is the window, but that would lead to nothing but a drop into the cold waters…

Or not.

Blackstar asks Ragman, "That climbing thing you did? Can it be done on any surface?"

Ragman's sleeve unwraps and levitates in front of him. "We're about to find out."

Blackstar opens the window, and Ragman attempts to latch his rag onto the wall. Blackstar now sees the process, the rags becoming tiny but sharp pincers digging into the stone wall. She can surmise that they can easily bend into hooks and loosen themselves at will.

Ragman points to his back. "Climb on."

Blackstar grabs him by the neck, her legs securely fastened to his. His rags then climb the walls quickly but silently, avoiding any windows. They don't seem to leave any visible marks as they progress. Blackstar can't help but grin, remembering Dr. Octopus from the movie she and her mom would watch constantly at a young age.

As they reach the top, Bat Wing flies down to their position, asking Ragman. "What are you supposed to be? Doc Ock?"

Blackstar does her best to hide the ever-widening grin on her face, even when hidden behind her own mask.

Still, Bat Wing grabs both of them by the hands, and they fly off into the distance, their presence unnoticed. No doubt, William will be pleased by this once done with whatever he's up to.

With the information from the Time Bureau, William finds himself at one of Star City's luxury apartments. The name of the building, "Cloud 9," is somewhat corny and does not provide a very accurate description of what he sees. The interior is nearly empty, and the walls are all colored white. He can see three doors: one bathroom, a small bedroom, and a larger one. Nothing out of the ordinary. At least, not yet.

William slips on his glasses and turns them on. They await his verbal instructions.

"Find Robert Queen and Kasumi Adachi."

With a simple flick, the whole room fills with furniture and life. Just across the entry doorway is a sofa, the silhouette of a twenty-year-old Robert Queen lounging with Kasumi Adachi. It all fast-forwards, showing everything they do, from cooking and flirting to when they celebrate the conception of Emiko.

Throughout all of it, William sees a side of his grandfather that was only conceived to be a lie, at least according to historians: a happy man, a faithful man, someone not caught up in some scandal or guilt-ridden over the machinations or murders he had committed. Grandpa Robert seemed to have been at peace when he was with Kasumi.

There is one more observation. Grandpa Robert had no wedding ring on him. There is no faint print on his silhouette or any trace of a ring. This was long before the birth of Oliver and Thea, before he met Grandma Moira.

It continues after Emiko's birth, with Robert coming home to play with her and watch a cartoon when she comes of age. These flashbacks are the most wholesome William has ever seen members of his own family besides Oliver, Felicity, Roy, and Thea, who have had the most tribulations and strife.

However, as William anticipates, a wedding ring can be seen on Robert's finger just as Emiko turns five. Kasumi carries nothing on her finger. This makes William wonder if the Ninth Circle arranged his marriage to Grandma Moira to form some kind of alliance or strengthen some area of their powers. Had Robert been expecting it, hence why he never proposed to Kasumi?

Just then, William sees a ten-year-old Emiko storming away from her father and into her room. William pauses the time footage and rewinds to when Emiko walks in, putting her backpack down. Robert and Kasumi look at her with small, unconvincing smiles. They motion her to come over to the couch. The TV is almost silent, playing a Central City Rockets game.

Robert is the first to speak, telling Emiko, "Now, sweetheart, your mother and I have been talking about…moving the two of you."

"Out of the city?"

Robert shakes his head. "Not far. It'll be downtown, a much smaller place than this."

"But…why?"

Kasumi takes Emiko's hands, explaining, "There's been some…developments. It would be tough to explain right now."

"What about school? We're right next door."

Kasumi presses her lips together. "You can't go there anymore. We've already arranged—"

Emiko breaks away from her mother's grip, taking a step back. "But I have friends there!"

Robert puts up a hand. "We know! We didn't want this, but it has to happen. You'll grow to appreciate this one day. We promise."

Emiko looks back and forth between the two, seemingly having many questions, but doesn't know which one to address first. Her eyes fell on her father, asking, "Are you hiding away with us?"

For once, Robert hesitates. He looks at Kasumi, both of them having eyes of longing yet filled with regret.

Emiko seems to know the answer, her stunned face filling with tears. She starts to beg, "Stay with us, Dad."

Robert tries to look into her puppy-dog eyes but seems to wince every time. He can barely fake his stare, his eyes on her young cheek. "I can't." His voice is that of genuine remorse. "I can't Emiko."

"WHY?" Emiko's yell almost makes both of them jump. "Because that blonde lady will be mad if you don't? Do those…those…THINGS you made with her matter more than me?"

Robert shoots up when Emiko makes that statement. "Do not call your siblings—"

"They are NOT my siblings!" Emiko's stare is now contemptible, her eyes squinting so much that they are hard to make out. "They're people you made with a woman you never liked, whose been keeping you away from us! I didn't want to believe this day was coming, but now it is, and you're LETTING it happen. I HATE YOU!"

That is when Emiko storms out, heading to her room. Robert sits back down, clutching a fist and rubbing his face.

Kasumi stretches out an assuring hand. "She was never going to take it well."

Robert looks up at her, exhaustion riddled on his face. "Not with her saying stuff that was true."

Emiko's sobs can be heard, even through the closed door. Robert closes his eyes tight, his nostrils letting out an uneasy breath.

He takes Kasumi's hand, asking, "Everything's prepped?"

Kasumi nods. "The new apartment and building are clean, and no Ninth Circle presence is within the perimeter. We'll be safe."

Robert looks back to Emiko's room, the sobs still echoing. "But not happy."

He looks back at her, tears swelling up in his eyes. "We knew this would happen. We thought of everything to keep Emiko out of the Ninth Circle's hands."

Kasumi nods. "We did."

Robert's chin is trembling. "So why is this SO DAMN hard on me?"

William notices a slight tremor in Kasumi's clutched hand. "It's…I've been through hard times before. We'll make it through."

Robert, for once, grins. "You know, I have gotten good at seeing when you're lying. But…I want to believe…"

Kasumi's hand clutches his tighter. She whispers, "Me too."

William ends it. He takes off the glasses and rubs his eyes. Even for him, it's all too much. He came here for answers, to better understand Emiko's hatred against her father. He got what he wanted and now wishes he hadn't. It is like reading a tale, knowing it will end in tragedy, but no amount of preparation helps to face it. If his father and Aunt Thea watched this…well, William wouldn't know how they would react.

Well, I got the info. Now, to move on to the next…

William looks at the empty space in front of him. He can still visualize Grandpa Robert and Kasumi sitting there, saying their last goodbyes.

The route William and Zoe took was a more peaceful route, at least more peaceful than what Mia would describe. A small orchestral procession played while business people and government officials, at least a dozen, were engaging in either conversation or a dance.

William commented, "A lot more lowkey than I imagined."

Zoe explained, "This part of the party is for those who don't want to be noticed or came here for business talks. They're not here for the Glades."

Among the crowd, William spotted someone vaguely familiar to him. This man was a bit on the bigger side, but his hair was still sleek, his face gaunt, and his demeanor when talking was vibrant. Around his suit was a sash that read, "Mayor of Star City."

William raised an eyebrow. "Star City's Mayor is allowed in?"

"As a formality. He and I have been talking about uniting Star City and the Glades for a while, what would need to happen for both cities to prosper together. My Dad won't have it, though."

They walked past, but William…William is aware of where they are heading. He knows that somehow, he will become his future self, traveling back in time to save the future. Yet, how many times will that take? How many loops will he have to go through? Does he ever say goodbye to Zoe, the one person in this city who ever tried to be his friend?

It's all in slow-motion, this one moment. There had to be time to share one more moment with her. But to do what? Talk? Dance? They had a mission. That's all that…

"Dinah! There you are."

Just as they were about to turn the corner, the Star City Mayor was catching up to them. Zoe sharply inhaled, frustrated by the delay in saving her father. William would have been too but kept calm.

Zoe flashed a smile as she greeted him, "Donnie! How've you been."

William's jaw almost went agape upon hearing the name. Donnie was one of the kids who would bully him because his father was the Green Arrow, who laughed as eighth graders roughed him up and gave him a black eye. Yet, he was also one of the students William saved when the tunnel entrance collapsed around them during a field trip. They never became true friends, but he left William alone afterward. At most, they just gave a simple, respectful wave hello.

Donnie continued, "Just fine. I was talking to some Star City sympathizers, and I thought you and your new friend would come over and show support."

Zoe tried to argue, "Look, I would want to, but—"

Donnie didn't seem to pay attention, for he was asking William, "And you are—"

"Well, he's a—"

"William Clayton."

The way William addressed himself was almost neutral. He hadn't used his mother's maiden name since coming back to Earth One, but at least several people recognized him by it.

As expected, Donnie's initially skeptical, just a simple raised eyebrow and pulling them downward to get a good look at William before they widened. That was the expected pattern William encountered with those who only knew him briefly during his childhood.

Donnie's reaction, in contrast, was much more shocked than surprised. "Oh God! It is you." He looked William up and down. "But wait, you're…you're the Queen guy? You're running Queen Industries?"

"Yes."

"Ho…holy crap! It's been…I haven't seen you since your Dad…" He kept looking up and down as if trying to decipher whether William was an illusion. "I…we thought you'd never come back."

"I never thought you'd become Mayor of Star City."

Donnie looks down at his sash, almost with disdain. "Not many run for it anymore, and it's purely an aesthetic. It's mostly anarchy out there. Even the police force is out of my control. It's why I'm trying to get the Glades' help."

William nodded. "I've seen some of it firsthand. As much as we want to help, Zoe and I have business elsewhere."

Donnie nodded disgruntedly. "I understand."Immediately after, Donnie placates, "But wait! There's…something I've been meaning to say to you, Will."

William could see Zoe's foot tapping, the twitching of her finger. Though William thought they had time.

He nodded, prompting Donnie to ask, "Remember when we were kids, going on that field trip to the aquarium? When the tunnel started collapsing around us?"

William nodded somberly. "All too well."

"That day…I just froze up. I just…I didn't know if we were going to die or what. But YOU…you saved me. You saved ALL of us. You kept your cool and led everyone off that bus. ME included. I've treated you like shit, and you got me off that bus, despite all of it."

William shook his head. "It was nothing."

"It meant EVERYTHING. I didn't know how to say it back then, but…thank you, Will. I wouldn't be here trying to save what's left of our city if it weren't for you."

William never expressed it, but he was surprised to hear Donnie say that. For years, William never thought Donnie or those who bullied him could have hearts of gold. He equated them to the pharaoh whose heart was hardened, who would not let the Jewish people go free until God brought wrath upon them. He didn't realize it then, but now, he knew God was humbling him and making him realize the opposite.

Though, instead of a "You're welcome," William admitted to Donnie, "I was scared for my life then. What I feared more was everyone else suffering on my watch, just as you do for Star City."

Donnie nodded once more with a smile. "You have no idea."

Finally, Donnie stood aside and let the two of them stroll on.

Turning the corner, William and Zoe saw Mia, Ben, and Laurel Lance across the way. They're looking up at one of the buildings where the coordinates lay. Coming upon it, even William dreaded seeing that the place they'd been searching for was the last place he had hoped to be for a long while: the headquarters of Galaxy One.

Mia was the first to notice them arriving, alerting the others to their presence. She rushed towards them and pointed at the building.

"Will! She's there. Mom's in—"

William raised a hand to stop her. "I know."

"It all makes sense now. Galaxy One hunts vigilantes. She and Dad are in that category."

Zoe then asked what was on William's mind since this recent discovery. "So why are they planning to blow up Star City? They already have the Green Arrow, Spartan, Roy, and my father."

William pointed out, "Our mission is to rescue them. We'll find out the why later. Right now, we need to assess the security—"

"I can give you the rundown."

Ben's statement surprised everyone, even William. "How would you know?"

"Knightwatch sent me to infiltrate the premises. I found and destroyed a list of potential vigilantes and metahumans that Galaxy One would have captured and assimilated into the company."

Everyone took a moment to process Ben's association with Galaxy One, but Mia seemed to have her eyes intensely fixed on him. William swore that heat vision would have come out if she was a Kryptonian.

It was Laurel who proceeded to ask, "Fine. What are we dealing with?"

Ben explained, "Scanners cover the reception area, but I can smuggle weapons in through a side entrance. Restricted areas are locked behind a DNA scanner, and the only ones who can access it are Galaxy One's CEO and his most trusted guards and executives. The DNA sample could be anything, even a strand of hair.

William asked: "Any chance we can get that sample while the CEO's out?"

Ben shook his head. "He rarely leaves his office and never has lunch outside the building. His residence is also under guard."

William asked, "Is he usually there, even on celebrations like this?"

"Yeah. What for?"

William explained, "I could get in, find a sample within his office, and bring it downstairs so we can proceed inside."

Mia pointed out, "It's going to be hard when all eyes are on you."

William nodded in agreement. "He won't have his eyes on my secretary."

"What secretary?"

His eyes remained on Mia. Pretty soon, everyone else's was on her as well. When it finally dawned on her, her lips started pulling inward, followed by an audible "Mm-mmm."

William nodded, saying, "You have to."

"I am not wearing secretary clothes and high heels."

"Galaxy One employees will recognize Ben, Ms. Lance, and Zoe. You and I are unknowns, and I'm sure you want to get our parents out quickly. Do you?"

Mia bit her lip, glancing at the Galaxy One building. Deep down, she knew what was at stake, even if she hated wearing high heels.

She eventually let out a defeated and frustrated sigh, looking at Zoe. "Where's the nearest clothing store?"

As Zoe escorted her to the nearest store, William asked Ben, "I assume you have a contact to get me a meeting with the CEO?"

Ben nodded. "Yeah. Give me a moment."

Ben took out his cell phone and walked just far enough not to be heard.

In William's head, Ben's story didn't add up. He was a mole inside Galaxy One and had never been caught. Somewhere along the way, he stopped and became a scavenger in Star City, where he met Mia. As far as William knew, the security Ben described had not changed. Finally, Ben had a contact within the company, even though he was supposed to be a solo agent. He never mentioned partnering with anyone.

There were gaps in the story, gaps that Ben refused to elaborate on. What they were, only Ben would know. Worst-case scenario, William and Mia would find out themselves.

Reminiscing, William noticed a slight obstruction in his memories. That time, seeing Zoe, all of it slowing down, was not his thinking. It feels like a memory, but one that has rammed its way into his head. It was like the plane, his recollection of events slowly changing.

Younger me…is still on the path to becoming me. He will still go through the same events if I don't stop Blackfire and Dante. But…it also felt like a present thought I didn't conjure. Was that younger me…having doubts?

William shakes his head.

Time's running short. I need to dig up more info.

After a long trek and tracking younger Emiko's whereabouts, he finds himself at a small, abandoned warehouse just a few blocks from the apartment she and Kasumi lived in. Though he has found the answer to how Kasumi died, that's not enough. He needs to know how Dante got his grip on Emiko, what ties her to him, and what he did to her to permanently break ties with her father. It will make for a more persuasive argument.

Emiko, now a fifteen-year-old girl, enters the large room with what looks to be a package and a newspaper in a large, brown bag. She seems to be working as a delivery girl to keep her and Kasumi fed. Across the way is the familiar, ominous figure: Dante. He's reading a passage from Alighieri's book Inferno, sipping on a glass of whisky.

That can't be a coincidence. Dante must have found the Adachis beforehand. How?

Emiko addresses Dante rather bluntly, "Package for you."

He points to the table next to him without looking up from his book. Both don't say a word as Emiko slowly lays the items on the table one at a time.

Why is she so slow to—

William then eyes Emiko's hand, quickly retracting into her pocket. Rewinding a bit, he sees a silver watch plated with golden numeral engravings, undoubtedly expensive and could sell for a lot.

Resuming, Emiko takes the money left on the table as well, about $40. She walks fast, hoping to get out of there before Dante notices. William looks back to Dante, seeing him already brandishing a knife from within the book's pages.

It then hit William. Wait a minute. This whole thing was a set—

Mid-thought, William fails to take into account the thrown knife until it whizzes past his body and towards Emiko. It lands just short of her hand, which is about to open the knob. She is frozen, her breathing shallow.

Dante slowly gets up and walks towards her. "Give the watch back."

Emiko is hesitant but clenches her fist.

Don't—

She takes a wild swing at Dante, which he quickly takes into a wrist lock and throws her onto the ground. He places an arm on her throat, though he doesn't apply pressure to it.

"Give. The watch. BACK."

His deeper, slightly menacing tone is enough to send shivers down young Emiko's spine. "Please! My mother and I need money. We're starving." Her voice is weak.

Dante retorts, "Everyone is starving. All the people suffer. What makes YOU any more special than them?"

Emiko hesitates, taking hasty and heavy breaths. Dante still does not press his arm on her neck, but she acts like he is. These breaths soon slow, but the heaviness makes them out to be snarls, suppressing vehement anger.

"My father…abandoned us, made us move from a luxury apartment to the poorer neighborhood of the Glades! I had NO CHOICE in any of it."

Dante slowly nods. "And now you're trying to make the best out of your 'poor' predicament, living like scum as if you believe that is your only option for survival."

Finally, Dante lets Emiko go, but she is slow in getting up. Dante goes to the door and takes the knife from the wall. "It was the same situation I found myself in…when my parents abandoned me to an orphanage."

Emiko's stunned expression is fixed upon Dante as he twirls the knife.

"That place brought nothing but suffering and agony, every day vying for survival. Until, one day, a man came to me and gave me a choice."

He walks over to Emiko, looming over her. "You can keep scraping by, living for nobody but yourself…" He then kneels, his eyes at level with hers, holding the knife up to her. "…Or you can take up a more worthy cause, to serve others who are suffering, and reflect that suffering onto those…deserving."

Emiko looks down at the knife, hiding a twitchy finger.

Dante elaborates, "I can't give you back what you've lost, little one. What I can give you is a chance to turn your struggles…into strength."

William does not need to guess how the rest of this went down. Emiko accepts, taking the knife, while Dante promises her double whatever her current bosses pay her. However, what strikes William's curiosity is how open Dante is with his past. Is it even his real life? Is it one that he made up to better ensnare Emiko? Dante didn't seem like the orphan type. Then again, William was technically an orphan, a traveling one. It's not the appearance but the scars on one's soul. Still, Dante's past has probably been scrubbed away by the Ninth Circle, so William can't confirm.

Though, William wonders…

With his time camera glasses, he commands the AI, "Find any mentions of Robert Queen."

The scenes fast forward, showing Dante training Emiko in martial arts: first striking, then knife throwing, followed by jiu-jitsu and wrestling. Through all of it, Dante consistently pushes Emiko to her limits, not holding back until he sees results. Admittedly, Bruce was like this when training William. However, Bruce knew when to hold back and stop when he went too far. Part of it had to do with the help of Alfred, who was always looming over the training ground when he could.

Dante somewhat does the same, but only so he doesn't leave a mark that Emiko's mother would spot. It goes on like this for years, not stopping for any mention of Grandpa Robert. That is, until it stops just at…

2012…The year the Queen's Gambit went down.

The recording slows down to normal speed, showing Dante and Emiko just finishing a training session on how to shoot a bow.

Dante grins. "You've improved."

Emiko just shrugs. "It helps that I've got a good teacher."

Dante closes his eyes and gives a humble nod. "Still, this means you are ready for more than local missions."

Emiko's smile is the widest William has ever seen.

Dante raises a finger. "FIRST…there is one more test you must pass."

Emiko enthusiastically asks, "What is it? Another thug who's out of line? Corrupt bureaucrat who won't listen to reason? Easy!"

Dante almost chuckles. "You're enthusiasm is admirable. But no. This is not as easy as you might think. This is a test of strength."

Emiko points to the bow. "I've already gotten used to the bowstring."

Dante shakes his head. "Of a different kind. Even the greatest warriors had to learn that the greatest of follies…" He points to his own heart. "…is his heart, his emotion. A warrior's greatest strength is setting aside emotion and cutting the strings that tie you to them when the time comes."

Dante walks to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Deep down, you know who I am speaking of."

Emiko's smile dwindles slowly. "You…how could you have—"

"I've always known, Emiko. I've known your father to be Robert Queen and your mother to be Kasumi. I already knew of the painful departure he made from your life."

Emiko's lip quivers. "H-how?"

Dante lets go of Emiko's shoulder and starts to walk around her. "Do you remember what I told you about the Ninth Circle? How we allow people to leave the organization? What price they must pay?"

Emiko slowly nods. "That person must give the Ninth Circle a replacement, an…an equivalent or someone with potential, who can be instilled with…with…"

"Go on."

Emiko seems on the verge of crying. Yet, she holds it in. "Who can be instilled with loyalty to the Ninth Circle. Am I…WAS I supposed to be that?"

Dante nods. "You were. However, your parents decided to keep you from us because of negative stigmatizations that pervaded the order. We can indeed be harsh, imperfect, even downright cruel. We have recruited orphans and outcasts. But YOU, Emiko…YOU had a family to go to. If we had explained that we were not interested in isolating you from them, we would have let you see your parents."

Emiko turns to Dante, asking with a raised tone, "But WHY? Why didn't Mom or Dad say anything?"

Dante bows his head. "I wish I could say they did it out of fear. Your mother did, maybe, but your father was always looking for a way to rebel against the Ninth Circle. He sought to do anything that would be a detriment to us. A few strings pulled is one thing. We could recover. But to BREAK our most coveted rules…" Dante walks to Emiko, seemingly somber. "I know you are planning to meet him, to try and pitch a plan that will get you into the company and make him proud. Still, the heads of the Ninth Circle want your father to answer for his crime."

Emiko shakes her head. "Please! I-I can speak to him.

"You can't—"

"Get him to realize!"

"Emiko!" He grasps her arms. "You can't. He had made his declaration of rebellion the day he hid you from us. He has kept you away from his other family for years. He will not let you near a paparazzi mob in fear of being outed as an unfaithful man."

"I don't want to be recognized as a Queen! I just…" Tears finally shed from his face. "I just want my father to recognize me. You don't have to do this."

Dante nods. "I know, and I'm not forcing you to do anything. You are HERE. You are part of our organization. THAT is what matters to me. I can't stop the other heads or our associates from carrying out their plans. HOWEVER, I will not stop you from telling the truth if that is what you wish. I do this because I trust you to do the right thing. I'm giving you the choice your father never let you have."

Emiko stares him straight in the eyes, her face now almost staunch. "Will you tell me? The Circle's plans for my father?"

Dante nods. As he elaborates, William lets out a heavy sigh. He hears how Dante's spies have gotten word about his grandfather's trip to China and have planted a bomb on his boat. Emiko does not respond to any of it, but William can tell from her shimmering eyes that she is conflicted.

Still, William knows why Emiko has such intense loyalty to Dante. The pieces of his plan are nearly complete. He still needs to know what transpired between Emiko and Grandpa Robert.

Luckily, William already knows where to go from here.

So, after all this time, Turner was finally free. Though he didn't have much faith that ARGUS would let him out, a part of him held out hope. Stepping out onto the front yard of Blackgate prison, he takes in the spring air. It's more or less city smell, but it's the distinct kind: civilization awaiting his arrival.

The gates slowly open. A black limousine awaits him, which he never thought would be his chariot. He imagined a small truck or, at the very least, a cheap convertible.

As if on cue, one of the limo doors opens to reveal…

"Daddy!"

…A miracle. Ben Jr., his son, was rushing out to greet him.

Turner joyously smiles as he takes his son into his arms. He looks Jr. up and down, noticing the Gotham Knight's Football T-shirt and Batman hoodie he had.

"Look at you! You've gotten so big. Is your mom with you?"

"Unfortunately, no."

A second person steps out of the car, a man in a fancy suit. Still, Turner recognized the former billionaire playboy, the so-called Prince of Gotham, welcomed back almost instantly and bearing riches from who knows where.

Bruce Wayne continues, "She said she wasn't ready for a reunion."

Bruce Wayne picking up Turner's kid instead of an ARGUS agent can only mean one thing: strings got pulled to get Turner out.

Turner puts Ben Jr. down, telling him, "Get back in the limo. I'll be right with you."

Jr. nods, doing as his father told him. With the two of them alone, Turner approaches cautiously.

Wayne states, "I can understand your skepticism, but I am here on behalf of ARGUS. One of its agents, at least."

Turner tilts his head. "Which one?"

Wayne continues, "You are a free man, though it comes at a cost. We only ask for one favor."

"And that is?"

Bruce starts approaching Turner, who readies himself with a balled fist.

"Take down the Ninth Circle."

That statement, though, throws Turner's guard to the wind. His eyes are stricken.

This billionaire's crazy!

Turner shakes his head. "Nuh-uh. Going against the Ninth Circle is a SUICIDE MISSION."

Wayne nods agreeingly. "It may be, but we stand a chance because of one advantage. Something THEY don't have."

"And that is?"

Wayne merely responds, "Information."

William reaches the café, where Oliver said Emiko had gone when first freed from the Bunker's confines. With his glasses, he finds the table where Emiko meets her father, the one where Emiko will confess to Oliver that she knew the Queen's Gambit was a trap for father and son. He takes a seat at a booth just next to it.

While calibrating the time glasses to isolate the scene of Emiko and Grandpa Robert, a waitress asks, "Can I get you anything?"

William quickly responds, "Just a coffee, black with one sugar."

William waits for his order to arrive before starting the play button, bringing the scene onto his glasses so he doesn't have to face the table the whole time. Beyond the greetings and shaking hands, Emiko presents her project to Grandpa Robert. He looks it all over while she, despite her talk with Dante, rubs her hands and grins. She wanted all of this to go as well as she hoped.

Robert nods. "Well, it's clear you've put much thought into this. You said you developed this during college?"

Emiko ecstatically nods. "Poured a lot of free time into the concept. All I need is a team and funding."

Robert closes the folder but hesitates to say his next words. "This would CERTAINLY be a new and profitable endeavor for Queen Industries."

Emiko's grin starts to fade. She can read the reluctance from his eyes refusing to meet hers.

"But…?"

At last, Robert brings his gaze to hers. "You'll have exposure. People will start asking questions. Not just about the project, but how I know you."

Emiko remains composed. She seemed to have been expecting the question. "I'll let someone else lead. I'll be the advisor at all times and stay in the background. The press won't even know who's idea—"

"It's not JUST the press." Robert brings his arms close to her, almost wanting to take her hands. "The employees will be asking why I'm even considering you in the first place, why you're so important to the project. I can't risk that."

Emiko's composure now becomes somewhat fidgety, letting out an exasperated chuckle. "What employee in their right mind—"

"You'd be surprised what kind of people will do to get blackmail on their superiors."

"I am nobody's superior!"

"Even as an advisor, you'll still be a second in command, a way for someone to get to whoever you make boss. In a worst-case scenario, the boss will do so to get HIS way, not YOURS. There are RISKS involved."

Emiko points to herself almost aggressively. "You think I can't keep my own secrets?"

Robert shakes his head. "It's the most secretive that others tend to exploit. Trust me, I KNOW. They'll think I put you in that position because I owe you some favor or-"

Emiko now frowns. "You DO."

Robert shakes his head, his eyes now filled with guilt. "Don't go there."

"You left me and my mother in the Glades…"

"I know…"

"…never speaking to me or her in YEARS!"

"I know!"

"I created that concept to get us out of that slum!"

"And I am PROUD…of you." Robert clasps his hands together, almost begging for her to listen. "Prouder than you know. I WANT you to succeed." He puts his hand on the file, gently shoving it towards Emiko. "But not through me."

He stands up and, just as he is next to Emiko, leans down and whispers into her ear. "I'm sorry."

Robert leaves, but Emiko stays behind. The rest of the video is just her sitting there, processing everything and maybe even contemplating whether to warn her father of his fate. However, William already knows the answer.

It all makes sense now: Dante wormed his way into her life and made himself the father Emiko was missing. But more than that, he took advantage of Grandpa Robert's fears of being discovered by the Ninth Circle and turned Emiko against him.

But William has the complete picture, all the events.

Only one thing can convince Emiko to return to their side now without her going on a revenge spree. But first, he has to visit somebody tonight, someone ARGUS had been meaning to question for a long time.

Getting into the building's lobby was easy for William and Mia. With no weapons and having calm demeanors, they were able to get through the scanners with ease. Though, William knew that would be the easy part. The hard part was about to begin.

William took note of Mia's stride, even in her new footwear. "I thought you weren't used to high heels."

"I said I don't like wearing them. They're uncomfortable and impractical. How any girl likes these, I'll never understand."

With confident steps, they walked to the receptionist's desk, helmed by a black-haired woman with glasses. She asked, "Can I help you, sir?"

William nodded. "I have an appointment with Mr. Dale. A last-minute appointment, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity."

The receptionist shrugged. "One moment." She pressed a finger onto her earpiece. "Mr. Dale? Someone is here to see you. A Mr…"

William responded, "William Queen."

The receptionist repeated it into her comm. After a moment, she told him and Mia, "You two can take the elevator up."

With a smile and a nod, William told her, "Thank you."

Quietly, William and Mia headed toward the elevator and pressed the topmost button. As they felt the motion of the elevator speedily heading to their intended destination, Mia quickly asked, "Did you not find it weird?"

William raised an eyebrow. "What specifically?"

"How Ben knows about Galaxy One inside and out. How he can smuggle our stuff into this place easily."

William nodded. "Of course I did. If you're worried about a potential backstabbing, don't be. His 'dedication' to you is authentic, at least."

Mia's eyes started to dart away, though William continued, "It's all right. I've known for a while. You two don't exactly hide it."

Mia took a quick sigh. "Fine, he's my boyfriend and doesn't want to betray us. But that's not the point I'm trying to make."

"Your point is that if Ben had been a mole inside Galaxy One up to a point, then how would he have updated his knowledge of all of the defensive countermeasures and layout of the building? Well, that's what I've been wondering too. As far as I know, he spends more time with you. Correct?"

Mia slightly nodded. "It's not for what you think. I told him to find a decent ring to fit my finger first."

William grinned. "As you should."

"But he's…he gives me comfort, a shoulder to lie on after a hard day of fighting, and I for him after scavenging. We talk each other's ears off with stories about our families, our current problems, and what we want for our futures. That felt…genuine."

William surmised, "I'm guessing the family bits were vague since you didn't know about his connection with Knightwatch."

Mia nodded. "Just the odd memory about getting into trouble…or being trained to the bone in a remote neighborhood unknown to almost all of the world."

William stared at Mia with a raised eyebrow. "That doesn't seem like something Felicity would approve of."

"She told me it was for self-defense, in case someone found us. Though, I'm starting to wonder if…"

"She was preparing you for when she or Oliver was gone?"

Mia nodded hesitantly. "If we fail—"

William interjected, "We DO what Felicity and our father would do: carry on the fight."

Mia shook her head. "I'm not like you, William. I'm not a vigilante or a hero. I'm—"

Just then, the elevator crawled to a halt. The doors started to open to a long, white hallway.

William assured her, "We'll talk about this later. Remember the plan."

Mia nodded reluctantly, ensuring her new business dress was proper, and her ponytailed hair wasn't frivolous.

They walked through the hallway toward the brown door, a piece of early 21st-century furniture in a world now pervaded by automatic doors. On the sides were paintings of a few of Galaxy One's founders.

William recognized only one of them, the founder, Lyla Michaels. She originally made Galaxy One as a branch of ARGUS that studied metas and worked alongside the Justice League. However, the company had become meta hunters since it changed hands, and John Diggle couldn't take charge. William felt sorry for her and John. They were the closest thing to extended family besides his grandparents.

As they were near the door, he and Mia could hear muffled voices inside. William understood that he and his sister would be the only ones there.

They would have to break up the argument in any case.

William opened the door, allowing Mia to go inside first. However, she stopped as she took just a few steps inside. She nearly blocked the doorway, frozen solid for seemingly no reason. William was about to place a hand on her shoulder. But then, just beyond the shoulder, he saw it.

Ben. He was there, arguing with Kevin Da—Noah York!

Kevin Dale looked to his side, seeing the two at the doorway. His focus was on William. "Ah! Mr. Queen. Welcome."

Quickly, William patted Mia on the shoulder, snapping her back into reality. William kept his composure, but Mia's walk became a bit frantic, staying behind William as much as possible.

Dale smiled a most insincere smile, grabbing William's hand firmly. "I had been waiting SO long to meet you."

William nodded. "Likewise."

William had not voiced it before, but William thought had met Dale before, a feeling that he had…Noah York, the bully of his boarding school which turned out to be a front for kidnapping and brainwashing children. He's right there. William can…

No! He can't. Not now.

After a somewhat prolonged handshake, Dale introduced Ben. "Turner here told me you were in town. A lucky coincidence he and your secretary happen to know each other."

Mia was utterly frozen, staring directly at Ben, probably processing what was happening. However, William was quick to figure it out. Ben was, in fact, Kevin Dale's trusted assistant, which was how he convinced the CEO to attend a last-minute meeting and provided a window to take a sample of DNA. Ben couldn't do it himself because even Dale would keep an eye on those he trusted most. Ben and William would have to distract Dale while Mia sifted through the office.

William quickly adapted, telling Dale, "But, of course. Her connections are why I made her secretary." He gave Mia a quick pat on the back. "She knows just who to talk to."

The jolt from William's hand makes her chuckle nervously. She didn't say a word, not even looking into Kevin Dale's eyes.

Once again, William interfered, "Forgive her. She doesn't usually come into these meetings."

Dale just laughed. "Don't worry! We don't bite." He turned to Ben. "Get us some drinks, would you?"

William asked Mia, "Assist him. I want a word in private first."

Kevin Dale presented William with a seat on a black, rich leather seat. Dale took the more tan-colored one made with linen.

William then initiated the conversation, discussing how the board had wanted this meeting for quite some time and what they were willing to offer. Mia and Ben, in the meantime, were searching for any strand of DNA they could get their hands on. From what Mia admitted to William, she was holding in the urge to confront Ben about his position as the assistant to Galaxy One's CEO, to call him out on every single lie he's ever told. She instead used that anger to focus on the task at hand. Though, it was all clean. They could only find gloves, a spotless hairbrush, an empty garbage pale, and a computer and keyboard with no fingerprints. Kevin Dale was very thorough, not exposing a single smidge of DNA.

William, for the most part, let Kevin…Noah York, the bully of his boarding school, who turned out to be a plant to test kids before they were abducted…let…let Kevin Dale talk about his proposal for a collaborative effort. With their insights, they could create anti-meta tech the world had never seen…

William resisted the urge to punch the man in his bragging, non-sensical mouth. He had many choice words, none of them pleasant, to…

William kept quiet and attentive to the words. He breathed calmly, three in and three out, both arms resting on the chair.

Eventually, Kevin Dale trailed off and asked Ben and Mia, "Where's the drinks? We're nearly done!"

Ben frantically said, "She keeps debating her boss' preferred drink."

William knew they were out of time. But not out of options. There's only one source of DNA left.

William stated, "Just get us the best champagne."

Kevin Dale nodded approvingly. "Good choice."

William then iterated, "Don't forget the towel!"

Mia admitted that she and Ben debated why they needed a whole towel, not just napkins. Ben first realized the plan, but Mia volunteered to execute it. Nodding in agreement, they poured the champagne into glasses and put them on a tray. Mia carried them out, disguising her demeanor as the nervous secretary, shaking the tray a little in her hand.

Meanwhile, Kevin Dale told William, "You can let your Board know that I'm open to negotiations, but not today. The founding of the Glades party is hosting a Galaxy One event, and there are a few—"

While distracted, Mia pushed a champagne glass that fell onto Kevin Dale's hair. The man was caught unawares, his hair drenched in an almost sparkling gold liquid. From the scrunching of his face, he resisted the urge to shout an obscenity or two.

Acting frantic, Mia said, "I'm sorry! I'm SO, so sorry. HERE, let me."

Mia grabbed Ben's towel and made up excuses. William got up, making it look like he was about to take the towel away as she roughly tousled the hair. It was too late, for she pulled enough hair to make Noah screech.

William got in between them, shouting, "You've done enough! Wait outside."

Pretending to be meek, Mia retreated to the exit, towel and hair in hand.

As she did, William elaborated to the no good, evil, son of a…

A knock is heard on William's open door. He turns away from the wall he is staring at and sees a welcome sight.

"Connor."

Though he casually says his future counterpart's alias, inside, he is ecstatic. The guy who has become something of an older brother has finally come to meet him after a couple of weeks.

Connor tells him, "You know you can't hide your excitement for me coming here."

William nods. "I know. It's…"

"Stoic practice."

William chuckles. "You did that too?"

Connor grins. "Almost started sounding like Bruce at one point."

William almost laughs, but he notices Connor being the only one here. There are no signs of their father, Felicity, or their future sister, Mia.

He asks, "I'm guessing you're not here just to visit?"

Connor begrudgingly shakes his head. "Unfortunately, no." He walks to William's bed and sits beside his feet. "I've been experiencing changes, Will. Memories that I know should be a certain way are shifting around."

William sits up, meeting Connor's gaze. "And it has to do with me. Right?"

Connor nods.

William elaborates, "I—I try not to think about it. I shouldn't be overhearing conversations about events happening or what's going on in Star City or how the future's shaping up—"

Connor places a hand on William's shoulder. "It's not those things that worries me. If it were, I would have come here a long time ago. It's what I didn't do to help you through this."

"You were busy."

Connor continues, "You know one of the basic stoic principles, 'Amor Fati.'"

William nods. "Loving fate. Accepting what has happened to me, whether good or bad."

"Yeah. But that's only one part of it. The other part is something we would learn much later in our lives, when first becoming vigilantes, seeing the bad, the evil, all the things that made me angry and sad. They all became temporary when I realized what Amor Fati truly meant."

"What?"

Connor reaches over to the bedside stand and picks up the rosary Alfred got for William a few months into Bruce's guardianship. He then elaborates, "God has a plan. No matter what I faced, doubts or fears or anything I was going through, it's all culminating in what God has planned for me." With his rosary hand, William points to Connor. "For YOU."

William takes the rosary from Connor's hand. "Yet we're fighting fate. We're changing the future."

Connor shakes his head. "Noah is fighting fate. Dante and Blackfire are fighting fate. They're fighting God. Because fate, Will, is that good triumphs over evil, no matter how long it takes to get there."

After a moment's hesitation, William somberly nods. "I'll do my best to wait and hope then."

Connor grins. "Well, that's the other reason I'm here. You won't have to."

William's eyes are now alight.

Connor elaborates, "We've gained the upper hand, a trump card. But there's a part for you to play, and I trust ONLY you to carry out this plan. Will you help?"

William smiles. The opportunity to finally be of use against the bad guys gives him a surge of optimistic energy. Moreover, these bad guys have taken a lot from him and may proceed to take more. But he wouldn't do this out of revenge, not after what his mother had done to steer him away from such a life.

However, William wants at least one query answered.

Before I agree to this, just…tell me if we ever got back at Noah, to put my conscience at rest.

Heh. Of course, we did. Or, Mia did. We needed a strand of his hair as a DNA sample during an infiltration. Mia went through with my plan to spill champagne on his hair and pull a whole chunk of it from his head.

SERIOUSLY? Was Noah mad?

Furious! I did my part, telling her, "You've done enough! Wait outside." I had to tell him, "Mr. Dale, I am sorry for my secretary's actions. This is ALL on me. The deal we'll make, you'll get DOUBLE the profits—"

Wait. Dale?

It was his fake name at the time. Though, like the Noah you know, he had a short fuse. He was screaming for me to "Get out! Deal's off, you son of a—"

It took our close friend, a mole, to calm him down, promising he would escort us out. He and I were laughing our butts off when we were out of view.

Young William is now doing the same. "Okay! I'm satisfied."

Still, Connor advised, "Don't give in to ego. You should know that Noah is human, just like us."

William nods. "But guided by an evil man."

Connor nods somberly. "If we can get Noah away from Blackfire, things may change."

William then asks, "What do you need me to do?"

Connor then takes out his phone and texts something. He explains, "There's some time camera footage I would like for you to look at. It's important that you memorize every detail."

William nods but still asks, "What is it?"

Connor simply states, "Something we'll relate to." He gets up and tells William. "That's only the first assignment. Tell me when you're done, and we'll go from there."

Connor then leaves, seeing a big grin on his younger self's face. He knows that it will not last long once Young William sees the footage.

Thankfully, Connor did not have to explain what happened after Mia obtained the DNA sample.

William and Ben finally stopped laughing when they reached the elevator. Ben was heaving, supporting himself with his arms on the elevator wall.

"Oh, I will NEVER let Dale live that moment down. What a prick! Got what he deserved."

William regained composure, his hands on his hips. "Well, we got a DNA sample, a whole chunk of it. Will it be enough to get into the restricted areas?"

Ben nodded. "Definitely."

William noticed that Mia was the only one not laughing. At the moment, he thought she was just thinking about their narrow escape. However, her breath was seething.

William asked, "You okay, Mia?"

Mia didn't listen. Instead, she stalled the elevator by pulling the stop switch. William took one step before she started marching towards Ben. As Ben unclasped himself from the wall, Mia quickly placed her forearm on his neck. Her other arm clasped one of his wrists.

William quickly walked to them. "Mia, what are you doing?"

Mia ignored him again, explaining, "You're the assistant for Galaxy One's CEO."

William commanded Mia, "Let him go!"

"All those times you said you were solo scavenging or couldn't see my fights. You were off working for HIM."

Mia's arm pushed deeper on Ben's neck.

William repeated more firmly, "Mia, LET HIM GO."

"You never needed to scavenge or do ANYTHING to survive! So tell me…was it ARGUS who told you to spy on me? Did my MOM hire you?"

Mia was clenching her teeth. Ben could barely breathe. William knew that the worst possibly was bloodshed.

William insisted, "It doesn't matter!" Mia looked at him as if he said something stupid. "Even if his mission was to keep an eye on you, his love for you isn't a front. If you thought it was, you would have sensed it long ago. You're smarter than that."

Mia refuted, "This isn't about his feelings for me! He LIED to me. He kept SECRETS from me." Mia's grip on Ben's neck tightened. "Just like Mom did. She was working with Dad, with vigilantes behind my back, even when the risks were high. SHE's the reason I ran off in the first place. You wouldn't understand."

Mia couldn't be any more wrong. William understood perfectly.

"I ran away too." This caught Mia's attention, her grip on Ben loosening. "I ran away because Dad submitted himself to the law without me knowing. I ran because when Ricardo Diaz found me and Felicity hiding in an apartment in Brookhaven, I was powerless to stop him. I ran away because I thought Felicity sent me to some boarding school I never wanted to be in…because I was useless. I never turned back…until they asked me for help." William stepped towards her, telling her what Malcolm Merlyn said a long time ago: "Parents do stupid things sometimes, but they do it to protect us. Don't project that onto Ben."

Mia's arm was still close to Ben's throat, but she was not choking him out. Gasping for breath, he explained, "Your mom contacted Knightwatch. They wanted someone to ensure you were safe, and I was the nearest agent. I went with it at first…but then told them to cancel the mission."

Mia's gaze turned back to Ben, this time more surprised than angry.

"I…I saw how you fought, how you strived to survive. But I also saw…the real you. You're uncompromising, unyielding, yet…caring…and loving too. I couldn't go through with the mission anymore. Not when…not when I loved you."

William noticed Mia's lip quivering, even when it was subtle. Her arm lowered towards Ben's chest, her other arm letting go of his wrist.

Ben gently clasped the hand that trapped his wrist. "It may have been a mission at first, but everything during and after…it was ALL real."

Mia lowered her head and closed her eyes. She placed a hand on Ben's chest, gently pushing away from him and breaking away from his assuring hand. From her pocket, Mia grabbed the tuft of Dale's hair. She turned to William.

"I'll help you free Mom and Dad…then I'm done. I'll fulfill her wish and then leave Star City."

Ben was visibly upset, his mouth agape and his fingers twitching. His hands raised, ready to do something. However, William quickly gestured for him to stay in place.

William told Mia, "If that's what you wish."

William knew that there was no talking Mia out of her course of action. If there was anything she inherited from their father, it was his stubbornness. He also never believed Mia was choosing to run out of contempt or escape from the vigilante's life. She merely wanted to contemplate what she had heard and seen alone. William knew that's what he would do if given so much information that he needed to process it all.

Still, that was only speculation. William never knew why Mia wanted to walk away after rescuing their parents.

At this point, it doesn't matter. There are more important tasks to attend to, starting with…

Oliver and Felicity walk the lamp-lit streets of Star City, which are almost peaceful and serene except for distant sirens blaring in the distance. Oliver nearly forgot that Star City could have a quiet and calm atmosphere apart from the crimes he had to stop. He may be cautious, but he cherishes the moment with Felicity wrapping herself around his arm.

Even Felicity points out, "I don't remember us ever doing something like this. Like, ever."

Oliver grins. "We've been so caught up in fighting bad guys. It's hard to take a break."

"We should. How about a nature walk for a few minutes each day?"

"I'd love nothing more."

Felicity states, "We should thank Emiko for making us do this. She specified we walk to this place?"

Oliver nods. "Something about enjoying the moment while we—"

Suddenly, Oliver hears his phone ring. He picks it up, seeing "Connor Hawke" on the caller ID. He quickly answers it. "Will?"

"Dad. You're with Felicity right now, heading towards the café, right?"

The specifics that William utters almost scare Oliver. Not even he could know something like this. "Uh, yes, we are. How did you—"

"I don't have time to explain. There are some things you need to know, information that Emiko has withheld from you, that she will make plain as a way of taunting you. Whatever happens, you must stay calm and, most importantly, get Emiko alone."

Oliver shakes his head out of confusion. "What do you mean alone?"

"Dante's with her. He'll offer a proposal that you MUST accept. It's part of the plan."

"Plan for what?"

"It's better to show you. I'm texting you some video files with time camera footage. Watch them before going any further. They'll explain everything."

Before Oliver can ask further questions, William hangs up the phone. Then, Oliver sees new text messages, the video files William mentioned.

As he opens them up, Felicity asks, "What are those?"

"Something William sent. I don't know what…"

As the videos play, he sees his father, Robert Queen, with another woman. Most likely, Kazumi Adachi. Watching further, they see their lives progressing. Some parts are cut to get to the critical events. Still, what they see is disheartening: Emiko coming to resent their father for sending her and Kasumi away; Dante finding her, training her, and manipulating her into having even more disdain for Dad; and their father rejecting Emiko's plea to be part of the company, making her worst fears come true.

What Oliver was not prepared for, what made him almost crush his phone, was Dante's plan for his father. Dante was the one who planted the bomb on the Queen's Gambit, who blew up and nearly killed them all. He was responsible for Oliver's father killing himself, for setting Oliver down this path.

Felicity's mouth is agape almost the whole time, her hands slowly covering her lips. A muffled "Oh my god" can be heard as Dante tells Emiko the plan.

What prevents Oliver from throwing his phone down is the final video, the one labeled "Show to Emiko." The contents of that video are a whole other story. As they watch, they realize why William wanted Emiko to see it. This video, combined with the previous knowledge, will show Emiko that Dante has been using her from the start.

But first…

Bertinelli finally returns to her apartment upstairs, rushing inside and throwing her purse onto one of the chairs. She sits down on her luxury couch, hunched over and wiping away tears from her face. Whether they are of joy or sorrow is irrelevant to him. Midas' instructions were clear, as were the Deacon's.

He opens the case beside him, filled with the parts for his rifle. His eye details every piece and how to assemble them like a digital blueprint. He builds it quickly, not bothering with the scope. He never needed it then. He doesn't now.

He takes aim, his eye zooming in on Bertinelli's head, remaining stationary.

He squeezes the trigger gently, his aim steady and true. One word comes to mind.

BO—

Just as he squeezes the trigger, something pushes him off his target, his rifle firing prematurely. When his head clears, he sees a bullet hole above his intended target. The Bertinelli woman is now alert, looking from the window to the bullet's final destination.

He would have cursed at that moment, but he hears a pair of claws unfolding near his face, the sound of an arrow drawing back on its bowstring. He looks up, seeing Ben Turner's familiar face alongside that new vigilante, Blackstar.

Turner, giving a contemptible smile, utters words he never thought he'd hear in his life, "Hello, Lawton. Long time no see."

Floyd Lawton, formerly known as Deadshot, isn't shocked that Turner would remember him after all this time. It does tick him off that his cover is finally blown after all these years.

Still, Lawton greets back, "Turner."

Blackstar draws back on her bow, "Stay down! This one will hurt."

Lawton scoffs at her attempts at intimidation. "Is ARGUS letting children run around with toys these days?"

Turner continues, "We're taking you in, Lawton. We can't allow you to kill further."

No! I need to do this. It's Zoe and Susie's lives on the line. Think. THINK.

Lawton lays his head down as if admitting defeat. He sees a roof tailpipe, one sturdy enough and could reflect one of his bullets towards the bowstring, at least get the ranged opposition out of play.

He slowly tilts his head up. "Well Turner…I can't let you do that!"

Outstretching his hands, the wrist turrets shoot out from his sleeves and into his palms. At the speed of light, he shoots a bullet, which ricochets off the tailpipe and towards Blackstar's bowstring. The sudden breaking of the string forces her arrow arm back with a jolt.

Lawton half grins. Perfect shot.

He then aims them at Turner, who won't be able to dodge in time. Suddenly, as the first shot goes off, a large leather shield blocks the bullet.

"What the—"

Lawton almost doesn't notice that same leather shield unraveling into rags and charging at him. Dodging at a split second, he barely manages to get up, shooting the rag things zooming towards him. They don't seem to feel the impact nor relent, no matter how many holes he puts in them.

Quickly looking around, he finally finds the source: Ragman, that hero who was part of Green Arrow's vigilante club for a year. Now that he knows the source, He can eliminate the annoyance.

Before he can shoot, Turner pounces, grabbing Lawton from the side and throwing him back to the ground. It turns into a wrestling match, Lawton struggling to fire off a round on Turner, who keeps pushing the wrist turrets away and changing positions to land a punch. It is a game of reaction. All Lawton has to do is find the right time to strike.

And that he does, seeing a point to go for the back leg as Turner moves towards his head. Lawton doesn't hesitate to aim at his target as it slithers upward. However, in the struggle, he forgets about Ragman, whose rags take his wrist and hold it into place.

Aim the other one quickly!

That one is taken too, but not by Ragman. Blackstar drives the sharp arrowhead into his wrist turret, jamming it. With the damage done, she put him in a tight armbar. The strain on both his arms is almost immense. He swears that they're trying to sever his muscles.

It doesn't matter much, for Turner's last punch knocks him out cold. As he fades into unconsciousness, Turner admits, "Just between us…I'm doing this for my family."

His unconscious mind manages one last thought: So am I.

"This is the point of no return, Mr. Queen. Make your choice and make it now."

Inside, Emiko is jovial. She finally let out everything she wanted to rub in her brother's spoiled face: what her father did to her, knowing about his potential death and what her brother truly meant to her. Now, Dante is sealing his fate.

With a sharp, grim breath, Oliver utters, "Fine."

Dante and Emiko smirked, not attempting to hide how satisfying this outcome was.

Dante nods. "You made the right decision. Come Emiko."

As Emiko is about to get up, Oliver raises a hand, "FIRST…I need to talk to Emiko alone."

Emiko freezes for a moment, looking at Oliver with a curious stare. Still, she knows Oliver's family will pay the price if he does anything to her. It may be some last attempt to make her see reason, or maybe he wants to give some lecture about betrayal. Either way, she won't fall for it.

Emiko slowly sits back down and turns her head to Dante, who is already staring at her with a concerned look. She assures him, "I can handle it."

With a slight nod, Dante heads out through the front door. He walks by the window panes and across the street until the shadows of the dimly lit sidewalk obscure him.

Emiko leans back in her seat, smirking once again. She looks between the two, Oliver keeping that neutral stare that might as well be his mask, while Felicity is now timid and ridged. They're hesitant to say what it is they want to say.

Emiko goads them, "Well? Say what you need to, and let's leave."

Oliver takes out his phone from his pocket and goes into his messages.

He explains, "William sent these to us. This one, in particular, was meant for you."

Emiko looks at the thumbnail and sees a very familiar sight. It's…it's her small apartment, which her father moved her and her mother to. Some reflex, probably curiosity, forces her finger to click on the play button. It zooms in on her mother, Kazumi, speaking Japanese with an almost grievous tone.

Emiko's ego quells and old memories start to flood back into her mind. This…this was after my fight with her…we fought about…

The date above confirms this, but the resolution is so crystal clear. She had only seen something like this when William demonstrated how his time camera worked. This isn't fake footage.

Suddenly, the doorbell rings. Kazumi is quick to get up. "EMIKO?"

Kazumi rushes to the door. Emiko quickly realizes what is about to happen.

Instinctively, Emiko silently pleads, "No, no, no. Mom, don't!"

It is no use. Kazumi opens the door. "Sweetheart, I—"

Kazumi is quickly knocked to the ground. A leg stretches out from the doorway and promptly enters the room. Following the leg is the familiar sight of…

Bear?

Kazumi gets up, kicking Bear's gut. Unfortunately, it does nothing. He grabs her by the throat and pulls her towards him.

"Don't damage her too much!"

Dante's voice is the next thing to come through the doorway. He strides in confidently, a grin on his face.

"We need to make this look like an accident."

Emiko is shaking her head. "This can't…this can't…"

Just then, one more enters the room. Deacon Blackfire, wearing his old demon mask before he turned traitor.

No wait! Dante's words may still be valid. Blackfire planned this. He delivered the killing…why am I watching this? Why do I want…

In his deep, monotone pitch, Blackfire greets Emiko's mother with, "It's been too long, Kazumi. Time has not been grateful to you."

Bear is now forcing Kazumi to stay still and face her executioner. "How…how did you find me?"

Dante shrugs his shoulders. "It was simple. Robert thought he hid his payments to Walter well. Fortunately, it was like finding a black sheep among the herd."

Kazumi's surprise quickly turns to anger as her brows furrow. She bows her head to make her stare as menacing as possible. "You may have found me, but Emiko is far from here."

Dante then tells her, "We're not here for her."

Emiko raises her head, her eyes a little widened by the statement.

"We're here to give you the same message we gave Robert before we sank the Queen's Gambit."

Dante walks up to Kazumi, the whisper audible for Emiko to hear. "Your debt has been paid."

Kazumi's eyes shoot open, her mouth almost agape. Bear, for some reason, lets her go.

Dante takes a few steps back from her. "Your daughter has been in our grasp for a long time. We've come here to help free Emiko from the strings that bind her to this life. The first was Robert. The last…"

Dante reaches into the inner lining of his coat pocket, Kazumi not even reacting. Her mind must be running rampant with the thought of Emiko being part of the Ninth Circle. But what Emiko is seeing right now…

Please don't, please don't, please don't!

"…is YOU."

As quick as lightning, Dante pulls out a pistol and shoots Kazumi between the eyes. Emiko nearly screams when she sees this, placing her hands over her gaping mouth. She breathes frantically through the small gap in her palms, resisting the urge to cry.

This can't be! THIS CAN'T BE! Dante told me…He said…

Dante quickly calls out to someone outside, "Cortez!"

Coming inside is John Cortez, the arsonist who burned the whole apartment down. He walks in with a kerosene container and a carton of cigarettes.

Dante commands, "Get everything, including the body. I want ZERO evidence."

Cortez nods, wasting no time pouring the kerosene on Kazumi's body.

As he continues to set up the blaze, Blackfire tells Dante, "You do realize that this will set Emiko on a wild goose chase, don't you?"

Dante nods. "I'm counting on it. I will leave little breadcrumbs here and there, leading her towards the supposed killer. Once she has her revenge, she will confide in us—"

"And give us a weapon against Oliver Queen should he return as the Green Arrow. Impressive."

Dante shakes his head. "Not a weapon. A way to manipulate him, to bring him into our organization."

Blackfire nods agreeingly. "He will be of more use to us alive than dead." Blackfire looks at Dante. "And if she were to find out the truth?"

Dante smiles. "If that unfortunate event happens…"

By then, Cortez has covered the essential parts of the room with kerosene. Dante takes a matchbox from his pocket and lights one of them up. He directs it towards Kazumi's body.

"…she'll meet the same fate as her pa—"

Emiko swats away the phone, accompanied by a violent scream. Felicity takes a giant step back, but Oliver remains where he is.

Emiko detests, "This is fake. You're LYING to me!"

Oliver shakes his head. "You've seen William's time camera technology before. In your heart, you know that what you saw was real."

Emiko's lungs are now heaving, her body moving about and fidgeting. She has trouble processing any of what she has seen.

Oliver then explains to Emiko, "There are other recordings, everything Dante did with you. It wasn't your fault. He knew our father abandoned you and used that to manipulate you. He made you think of him as a father figure. But you know the truth now. Help us bring him and Blackfire down."

Emiko places her hands on her hips. She can almost feel her eyes breaking down the barriers that hold her tears at bay. She wants to punch something, anything, just to let out the frustration and guilt within her heart.

Oliver continues, "William has a plan, and it's all coming together—"

"It doesn't matter!" Emiko throws the chair nearest her, which skids towards one of the booths. "It doesn't matter what kind of plan you have. Dante WILL survive it. BLACKFIRE will shrug it off like it's nothing." She angrily stomps over to Oliver. "There's only ONE solution to beating them. You KNOW that."

Oliver remains outwardly calm and collected. "William has Virgil's coin."

That statement bars any other words from leaving her lips. Her eyes widen in amazement.

Oliver continues, "We can stop Dante with the information on there, but the plan William has requires solid execution, which includes YOU keeping Dante's trust." Oliver picks his phone up from the ground and puts it back on the table. "William allowed us to show this to you because he trusts you, just as I do. Not just to get the job done…but that you will do the right thing. Will you help us?"

Emiko takes a step back. She is less fidgety now, her mind is a bit clearer, and she is contemplating the situation.

How did William…never mind that. He has the ultimate weapon if he has Virgil's coin. Everything about Dante, the Ninth Circle, and their plans are on that. This is why Virgil usually doesn't leave Dante's side unless necessary. We can tarnish Dante's reputation, and…will that be enough? Will that keep Dante and the Ninth Circle down? Is that even William's plan? Whatever it is, I know Dante. If William's plan backfires…

Emiko looks back at Oliver, asking, "What do you need me to do?"

Mayor Pollard sent one more response to another inquiry about whether her opinions of vigilantes changed after the attack on the conference. It is becoming tiresome, especially now that her "contemporaries" demand that she repeal the Anti-Vigilante Act. Why do they want the Green Arrow roaming around now? All she knows is that the reason can't be benevolent.

Now, Pollard can close down her computer and leave. She takes her phone and turns off the light before closing the door. She speed walks to the elevator, seeing no one in sight—just a lovely, clean, white hallway surrounded by empty, dark offices.

She makes her way to the elevator and pushes the button. Surprisingly, it opens immediately. Usually, it would be making its way up.

No matter. Pollard enters the elevator and presses the lobby button. She takes her cell phone from her pocket and is about to dial her driver.

Just then, a hand sticks out as the elevator doors are about to close. Coming inside is a man, his face lowered to the side, shoulders hunched, and arms close to his body.

Pollard pays him no mind. He's probably some new intern working late.

The doors finally close, and the elevator starts moving. Pollard then unlocks her phone. However, looking at the top right corner, there are no bars or reception. She goes into her settings. This isn't a—

Suddenly, the elevator slows down, the lights flickering on and off until they cease functioning. The only lights that come on are the emergency lights. Even with these, she can barely see the doors.

Pollard addresses the intern, "Hey, can you call up the—"

The intern is no more. Instead, it's a man clad in black, red slits for eyes. His posture is tall and open, with his head held high.

The Red Arrow, the new masked vigilante, addresses her, "Mayor Pollard. We need to talk."

Author's Notes: Thanks for reading. Before finishing, I would like to answer some questions I saw in the reviews section.

From BibleBubba: Has Rory accepted Jesus as the Messiah? Yes. Rory's arc in the previous episode was about rekindling his faith. Doing so required accepting that despite some details of Judeo-Christian history being different throughout the multiverse, there is one God behind it all and one Messiah, the Son of Man, who died for our sins and rose again to be at God's right hand. Rory's transition into Catholicism will be slow, and I imagine him still holding on to some Abrahamic traditions.

From hunter41963801: Is William the only one that remembers that Behrad is supposed to be dead? Yes. It's an ability that William always had. If you look back at "Elseworlds: The Chosen," when XS turns back time in "Chapter 17: The Cage," only William and Deegan are aware of the effect happening. Why William has this ability will be answered, but not immediately.

Also from hunter41963801: Are we going to see Ronnie again in the Crisis Crossover and will he meet Caitlin again? Seeing as Ronnie is the new host for the Spectre, he will be in the Crisis Crossover. As for seeing Caitlin again, I haven't thought of that. It is an exciting idea, so thank you for the suggestion.

If you have any more questions, please ask me via review or private message.

In the meantime, don't forget to favorite the story if you like it so far and leave a review with your opinions. Also, don't forget to follow this story and my account so you don't miss when I upload.

Finally, if you are interested, check out my YouTube channel, which you can access via the link on my profile page. I have a new video coming soon, so I hope to see you guys there.

Thank you again for reading, and have a great day.