Disclaimer: I do not own anything you may recognize

Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed or reviewed this fic so far.

Thanks a lot to Brainstorm Sorcerer and gussygus28 for their help on this chapter, and Stand with Ward and Queen for a suggestion too.

Also, forgot to say this, but Vince Sobel is dead in my version of events. Sean Sonus actually killed him, the Particle Accelerator explosion did not make him a meta-human. I'm gonna pretend it was a change caused by 'Flashpoint'. Because frankly, Vince being Vigilante was the stupidest decision 'Arrow' has ever made. Yes, I consider it worse than killing off Laurel. That was what finally made me give up on the franchise as a whole.

Doctor Doom shall be played by Cillian Murphy like in my last series. And since Susan Storm is played by Margot Robbie, we can pretend Oppenheimer and Barbie used to date but had a really bad breakup after the Barbenheimer phenomenon was finally finished.

Enjoy.

Guest 1: Thanks for the review. Yeah, its a wonder WestAllen fans are hanging around me all these years later.

TW: Thanks for the review, glad its very interesting.

Passing Through: Thanks for the review. Good guess there. Agreed on those. Freddy is not using Jason, he tried it once, and it didn't take. Its someone else using all horror icons. It has used Michael, Chucky and Jason so far. No kidding on Dinah. Right on Castiel. Agreed on Blade and DOom as well.

Guest 2: Thanks for the review and glad it was great. We'll see what can be done.

Chapter 22- War on all fronts

Earth-1, Nanda Parbat

Nyssa al Ghul was locked up, having just gotten her dinner, and noticed a hollowed-out pepper, finding a key there.

She stood up, and walked towards the door, unlocking it from the inside, as her two guards turned towards her in surprise.

They made to attack but Nyssa decked one, sending him back, and as the other struck, she grabbed his wrist and spun him around, before grabbing him in a chokehold and snapping his neck.

The other made to attack again, only to be stabbed through the chest from behind, a dark-skinned woman pulling the sword out, as other League members stood nearby.

The woman tossed Nyssa's own sword to her, along with its sheath, and Nyssa caught them, before sheathing her sword, as another brought Nyssa's bows and arrows to her, that she put around herself.

"What do we do now?" The woman, Talibah, asked Nyssa.

"We will go to Star City to look for my sister", Nyssa said, having heard of her sighting from Talibah earlier, which was why she had decided to break out right now.

Merlyn needed to be deposed, but her sister in Star City was bad news. She needed to be dealt with first, and in the meantime, she could ask Oliver and her former beloved to assist her once more.

Star City

Oliver looked around as people of the city cleaned the bay.

"Ollie."

He turned around to see Thea, Adrian and a woman he didn't know approach. "Hey. How we doing?"

"It's actually a pretty great turnout", Thea had to say.

"People actually did this over celebrating the holidays", Adrian noted. "And this jolted your approval rating up by 10 points."

"I have an approval rating", Oliver noted.

"Yes." Thea nodded. "Yes, you do."

"Its politics, Oliver", Adrian shrugged, as Oliver looked at the woman next to him.

"I don't believe we've met", he said to her, holding out his hand.

"I am Doris Chase", the woman said while shaking his hand. "Adrian's wife."

"Lovely to meet you", Oliver said.

"Mr. Queen." Oliver and the rest turned to see a news crew wanting a comment.

"Excuse me." Oliver walked to them.

"How do you feel about inspiring so many people to come out here today?" The anchor asked him.

"Oh, I didn't inspire anyone", Oliver told him, the cameras pointed at him. "This is the city that I know, it's the city I remember, and it's the city that we can be again."

"Nice. Thank you for your time." They walked off.

"Thank you."

"He sure knows how to handle the news crew", Sara commented.

"While I've done it before, that actually makes me nervous still", Ray confessed to her.

Diggle quipped to Oliver. "Well, you've got people picking up garbage when they should be picking up presents. I think you missed your calling."

Oliver just chuckled.

Felicity was gathered with some kids. "If we can reduce just 40% of the toxicity that's produced by the bacterial micro-organisms that have just sprung up here—"

"We can swim in just 12 more days if the restitution rates stay consistent", a little girl with blonde hair and glasses replied.

"Yes."

"She's like a mini you", Laurel commented as both chuckled. "So cute."

"That's awesome."

Suddenly, there were gunshots from the air, causing the water to splash as all started running.

"Everybody get down! Get down!"

"Come on, let's go."

"Go!"

As they all hid around, Diggle fired a gun at the drone, while Sara asked. "What are we gonna do?"

"I've an idea", Ray whispered. "Just distract it."

Sara nodded, and threw a knife at the drone, though it was unaffected, while Ray rolled away, behind the other hidden people, as they noticed the little girl was staring at the drone in fascination.

As it tried to fire at her, Oliver rushed towards her, pushing her out of the way and saving her life.

Ray put a hand in his pocket, a small piece of his gauntlet inside, that grew into normal size and came over his hand. Seeing that the cameras weren't focused on him, Ray aimed at the drone and fired, shattering it into pieces immediately.

Then he quickly put his hand down and pressed a button, the gauntlet ejecting and shrinking before anyone could see it on him.

The others started rising up, Oliver asking the girl. "You all right?"

Later, the lair

"A day of hope for a better tomorrow has turned into another day of despair for Star City. A terrorist attack has left dozens in critical condition after people showed up to help Oliver Queen and his campaign staff clean up the Star City Bay. In the meantime, SCPD and national authorities are searching for the individuals responsible, but so far, there are no suspects."

Oliver turned the TV off and asked. "Any news on the victims?"

"Some are being released, some are still in surgery", Felicity told him. "It's a miracle that no one died."

"Despite Darhk's best efforts", Oliver said tiredly.

"Are we sure that this was HIVE?" Thea asked as Oliver gave her a look. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

"Are you ok?" Sara asked Oliver as he walked around.

"There were kids there", Oliver told her lowly, and she nodded.

"Our company is funding for their treatment as we speak", Ray said to Oliver, who nodded gratefully.

Oliver's phone beeped as he noted it was from Adrian. "Its Adrian, saying all news networks in the country want a comment from me."

"What will you say?" Sara asked.

"No comment."

"Ollie, we have to give them something", Thea pointed out.

"What do you want me to say?" Oliver inquired. "I asked people to come and help, they almost died because of it. It's-when we have a plan to get Darhk, then I will talk to the press."

Laurel told the rest. "I know HIVE wants this city to die, but going after a volunteer event, it just seems a little overkill."

"Two weeks ago, Darhk told me to back off my plan to clean up the Bay", Oliver pointed out. "Today he went after civilians. This is important to him for some reason."

"I'll try to get it out of my brother", Diggle said, Oliver nodding.

"Do what you have to, as long as you're comfortable with it", Oliver assured him, Diggle nodding as he walked out.

Adrian was clutching his fists in anger, looking out at the city. The city had hope once more due to Oliver's campaign, only to be replaced by despair.

But he was the one who was supposed to give that despair, showing Oliver how worthless his actions were at day's end.

No one else was supposed to do that.

No one!

"Babe, are you all right?" Doris asked as she walked behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Just….angry at whoever did this", Adrian said, acting calmer now, while kissing her hand. "I hope we get this lot soon."

Later, campaign office

"This has gone far enough!" Adrian said in anger, looking at Oliver. "This terrorist gang is trying to bring the city down, and they won't stop till they do!"

"I know, Adrian."

"First, that body coming over on the message during your speech, now this", Adrian snarled. "Its like this lot wants to sabotage the campaign."

"They are trying to bring us all down", Oliver noted. "What do you suggest we do?"

"Show them we're not afraid, take the fight to them", Adrian said. "This lot, they thrive on fear. But we need to show them we do not fear them."

"I was thinking the same thing", Oliver smirked as he stood up. "Thanks Adrian."

Earth-92, Los Angeles

Angel, Cordelia, Wesley, Fred and Gunn all entered the building where Cordelia had seen the creature enter in her vision.

"Something is here", Angel warned the rest of them. "Be careful."

It was dark, and he was the one who could see best out of all of them. The rest were struggling to see, and while they use some form of light, it could attract this creature to them.

"Based on what you described, I don't think there is any such creature in any of my books", Wesley said to Cordelia.

"Well, I guess that means books aren't perfect", Cordelia quipped, making Wesley groan as they continued to move.

At that moment, a mutilated body dropped right in front of them, making all but Fred and even Cordelia jump a little as the former screamed, when a freaky dog-like thing appeared on the walls, and came right at them.

Angel swung at it but it leapt off the wall, and tried to strike Wesley and Gunn with its tongue, but they dodged, and the tongue hit the wall, actually cracking a bit of it, before Cordelia swung at it but it ducked to avoid once more, and would have hit her had Angel not kicked it away back onto the wall.

He charged it once more but it leapt right at him, only for Fred to fire her crossbow as it was struck and fell down with a screech, then got up, snarling at her as she shivered.

It charged right at her, but Wesley sliced it from behind, causing it to turn to him, only for Gunn to slice it next.

Then Cordelia sliced it, and it looked between all of them, screeching and snarling, about to charge anyone of them, when Angel grabbed it with his bare hands from behind and threw it towards the wall, before holding it in place.

It tried to attack with its tongue, piercing Angel's shoulder, but he resisted the pain, while it tried to strike with its talons too, but Angel ripped its head off, as the rest of the corpse fell down, still spasming, and he threw the head away.

He kicked the headless body, making the spasms stop, as he picked his sword back up. "Everyone okay?"

"That was freaky!" Fred had to say.

"Yeah, like, whose scary pooch is this?" Cordelia asked with a groan.

"Whatever it is, I've seen nothing like it before", Wesley had to say.

"Yeah, but at least its gone", Gunn added.

"Indeed", Angel sighed. "Let's go."

They all walked off. Another day, another monster beaten.

Earth-1, Star City

Oliver, holding a rolled-up parchment, saw Adrian talking to some cops nearby, as he turned to his team. "Thanks for coming. I've been trying to figure out how to deal with them. Sort of think our best bet is telling the truth."

"It's a good way", Laurel assured him.

"It's all we've left", Sara added.

"It's the only play we got, man", Diggle agreed too.

"The HIVE has us outnumbered. If we have any chance of stopping Darhk, we need to ask the city for help", Thea said to him too.

"If we do this, it's going to paint a target on all of our backs", Oliver pointed out to them.

"Well, he already got me once, I won't let him do it again", Ray assured Oliver. "We can take care of ourselves."

"Let's light them up", Felicity added, as Oliver turned to the news crews that had arrived, Sara and Felicity patting his shoulders before moving off to the side, as Adrian ran up next to him.

Oliver cleared his throat.

"Thank you for coming, everyone. Thank you. As today's tragedy has reminded us, we are at war. For 6 months, we have been besieged by a nameless and a faceless organization that seems hell bent on destroying our city. You know them as the Ghosts. And while they may be anonymous, their leader is not. He has a face, he has a name, and I think that it is high time the people of Star City know the truth about who he is."

He unrolled the parchment, revealing it was a picture of Damien Darhk, that he held up for everyone to see.

"His name is Damien Darhk. He controls the Ghosts on behalf of an organization known as HIVE. HIVE wants this city to die. Now, I will be distributing this, the only known photograph or Mr. Darhk, to every news outlet and social media feed in the country. For months, this man has made us afraid to walk the streets. I suggest that we return the favor. We will also be setting up a hotline. Now, individually, Mr. Darhk may be able to defeat us, but united, he doesn't stand a chance."

As Oliver moved to the side, Adrian now walked up to speak as well, looking directly into the cameras. "This sick man has been trying to give this city despair for a while now, and destroy it. But let him know, that he will not last long. He will get his soon, now that all of you know about him. He is not very far from getting destroyed."

HIVE Base

Damien and other HIVE members were watching the entire thing on a screen, and to Damien, it seemed like Adrian was looking him right in the eye.

Angrily, he used his power to destroy the TV set.

"Congratulations, Damien. You're famous." A board member told him sarcastically.

Later, the Lair

"Well, that should get his attention at the very least", Oliver said, the team walking out of the elevator into the lair, as he turned to Laurel. "You good with the hotline?"

"I'm on it."

"All right."

"Happy hunting", Diggle added, as the group saw many Hanukah related material kept in the lair.

"That is a whole lot of Hanukah."

"Yeah, for your campaign holiday party", Felicity added. "Its Christmas, but I do celebrate Hanukah, no disrespect meant of course to anyone else, its still a lot more Christmas anyways."

Oliver pointed out. "But we just waved a red flag in front a bull."

"That doesn't mean the bull is gonna charge right away", Felicity shot back.

"And it doesn't mean we can put our entire lives on hold in the meantime", Ray agreed. "Besides, its holiday Season, and people like to forget their troubles during this time."

"But-help me out here", Oliver turned to Dig and Sara.

"Can't do", Dig said. "Can't throw a grenade and then go to ground."

"John is right", Sara added. "As much as your speech was about outing Darhk, it was also about sending the message that you're not afraid anymore. And canceling your Christmas party is sending the opposite message."

"Ok", Oliver agreed. "Talk to your father, see if he can get some extra security for this party."

The lights went off and on.

"Hello husband. Beloved."

Oliver, Sara and the rest turned to see Nyssa, Talibah and two more followers standing there, surprising them all.

"Nyssa?" Sara cried out in surprise, and also happiness on seeing she was fine.

"Beloved", Nyssa greeted her, even if 'former beloved' fit better, before turning to Oliver. "Husband."

"Hello Nyssa", Oliver greeted her, before Laurel walked up behind them, happy to see her friend.

"Nyssa", she smiled, and Nyssa smiled back, Sara looking between them.

"Did I miss something?" She inquired.

"Too much I'm afraid", Nyssa shrugged.

"How did you get out?" Thea inquired.

"With my loyal followers' help", Nyssa said, gesturing to Talibah and the other two.

"I've a feeling you didn't come here to wish us Merry Christmas", Oliver pointed out.

"No, but I have heard my sister is in town, I am going after her", Nyssa revealed, to their shock.

"You've a sister?" Dig inquired.

"I just came here to tell you, to not come in our way", Nyssa added. "This is our fight."

"As long as no one gets caught in the crossfire", Oliver said stiffly.

"Where's Malcolm?" Thea asked, wondering what he'd have to say about this.

"He has not been seen in Nanda Parbat for a week now, we do not know where he is, or what he is up to", Nyssa confessed, and the group noted this was another problem to deal with.

"It is good to see you healthy and happy again", Nyssa told Sara, who just nodded, sadness on her face.

"I hope you can be like that too, Nyssa", Sara said.

"As for Damien Darhk, be careful in dealing with him, he is not a man to be crossed", Nyssa warned, as the lights turned off and on once more, and they were gone.

"That is always creepy", Felicity had to say.

Universe-208, Coruscant

Blade was not sure how he felt about this world. It was one big, and he really meant BIG, city. So many people, with their flying cars, or whatever the hell they're called. There was no denying his shock, he even took off his shades to get a better look, he didn't care about Vos laughing at his expression. "How many people live here?"

Quinlan shrugged. "It varies, but combining all the species that inhabit the place, upper levels and underworld, though the numbers are sketchy there, the planet holds about a trillion. Give or take."

"Holy shit." Blade leaned back in his chair, there was no way to stop himself from gaping, his mind was a whirl at the information. One fucking trillion?! Earth could barely handle seven billion!

He was really starting to miss his dark alleys and suckheads.

"Don't you people worry about overpopulation? Air pollution?"

Again, the Kiffar Jedi shrugged his shoulders. These issues were dealt with long before even his grandfather was conceived. "Not really, people have access to leave the planet, or they build upwards. As for pollution, Coruscant has dampeners to prevent atmospheric degeneration." Quinlan saw the look of disbelief across Blade's face and felt the need to clarify something of the planet. "Don't get the wrong idea, Coruscant may look pretty, but the heart of the Republic isn't safe from corruption."

"Politicians?"

Nodding, Vos kept his eyes forward, navigating through the city. "Most of the galaxy has a Senator representing their homes. You also have your sloppy law enforcement, but the real danger is what lies below."

"You said the "underworld"?"

"And it basically is." The Jedi found a light blinking on the console, and the master scrunched his brows in confusion. "The city goes down miles beneath the surface, you go down and you don't always come back out. I'm sorry, we're being hailed, give me a minute." Quinlan flicked on the comms and allowed whoever it was calling them to speak.

"Master Vos, I hope you are still in one piece."

An ear-to-ear grin spread across his face. "Aayla, that you?" A laugh that grated on the Daywalker's nerves escaped the man. "How's my Padawan doing?"

A groan came from the other side. "No longer a Padawan, master."

"You're always gonna be my Padawan." Blade could hear the fondness in his voice, the familiarity was clear as day, especially the exasperation with this "Aayla" towards Vos. He understood that very well. "What can I do for you? I'm already on my way to the Temple."

"I know, but Chancellor Palpatine has heard of your progress in finding the man from outside the galaxy, and wishes to speak to him."

A look passed between Blade and Quinlan, one emotionless, the other confused. "I'm not exactly sure what business the Chancellor has in this."

"He does not, but the Council agreed to his request. Myself and master Kota shall be waiting for you at these coordinates. See you soon, master."

"Until then, Aayla." The nav computer beeped with the coordinates towards a platform not far, based on what he remembered, it was midway to the Temple, and the Senate.

"The hell is going on?" Blade growled. Quinlan looked at him and sighed. This was the last thing either of them wanted.

"You're about to meet the leader of the Republic." Quinlan adjusted the course to follow the coordinates.

"And if I have the inclination to disagree to that request?"

A smirk returned to the Jedi Master's face. "Be yourself, man, and this will all be over quickly."

Earth-1, Star City

"You were not kidding about the extra security", Sara said to Diggle. "Where did you find all these guys?"

"A friend of mine is a SEAL", Diggle told her. "He knows someone who knew someone who knew someone."

"Where's Laurel?" He then asked.

"She just caught up with the hotline", Sara explained.

"Is it just me or did you hire the US army as your caterers?" Adrian asked as he walked up to them with Doris.

"Actually, they're marines", Diggle said, then held out his hand to Doris. "I am John Diggle. I work security for Mr. Queen."

"I am Doris, Adrian Chase's wife", Doris said while shaking his hand, before they all moved off to mingle with others.

"Where is Ray?" Felicity asked Oliver.

"He'd some urgent business with our company, but he sends us all his best-wishes", Oliver told her, when there were gunshots and people screaming as soon, Damien came in, his Ghosts behind him.

As the bodyguards aimed at him, Damien just waved his hand and they were sent flying off.

He picked up a drink and finished it. "Malbec. Nice. How did you know that was my favorite red? So full bodied, so full of life. Unlike your security outside. Oh, and in my defense, they fired first. I guess my invitation was lost in the mail." He chuckled as the Ghosts rounded up the people. "I'm only kidding. It's not my kind of scene anyway. Hmm. I'm only here to have a word with the man of the hour."

Oliver walked up to him. "What do you want?"

"Well, something I can't have, apparently. Your loyalty, your allegiance", Damien shrugged. "I told you there would be a price to pay if you refused."

"I made that decision, not these people", Oliver pointed out, gesturing to everyone in the room. "Let them go."

"Oh, I wish I could do that", Damien said mockingly. "I really do. But sometimes the best way to teach someone a lesson isn't to punish them, it's to punish the ones he cares about the most."

Adrian started. "We are going to-"

"Oh yeah, I've a lot of beef with you too", Damien shrugged, then waved his hand as Oliver and Adrian were sent crashing through some glass, causing people to scream.

Sara cursed, knowing she couldn't make a move, as Damien looked to Thea, Diggle, Felicity and Doris. "Take them."

Later

"Oliver. Oliver, they took her", Donna Smoak cried out in panic as Oliver woke up, and Adrian too. "They took my baby girl. Please."

"It's ok. It's all right. It's ok. I'll get her back", Oliver assured her as he hugged the sobbing woman, then he and Adrian saw Sara looking at them with a pale face.

"They took Thea, Diggle and Doris too", she revealed, Oliver's heart sinking, while Adrian looked angry.

"He is going to pay for this", Adrian snarled, then turned to Oliver. "What do we do?"

"I will get them all back", Oliver assured Adrian, putting a hand to his shoulder. "Your faith in me will not be in vain."

"Thank you, Oliver", Adrian nodded, putting a hand on his shoulder too. "I trust you."

They dropped arms as Oliver walked to see Quentin, who looked at him apologetically. "I couldn't make a move because then Darhk would know that I was playing for your side. And I'm not sure that was the right call."

"You made the right call", Oliver assured him as Sara arrived, not having heard what was said before. "We need to track Darhk. You need to dig up everything that you can find, ok?

"Yeah, I'm on it."

Adrian walked up to Oliver and said. "The police are coming too.

"Get the people home if they need it. Get them medical attention if they need it. And pay for it out of the campaign fund", Oliver said. "I will find everyone and get them back to us."

"Of course." Adrian managed to paint the picture of a distressed but temporarily comforted husband. "What about the police?"

"Stall the police."

Earth-199999, New York City, Baxter Building

Ben was lifting a piece of machinery as Reed guided him alongside the building. "A little to the left…no, more to the right. Up a bit."

Ben groaned. "Don't make me clobber you with this thing, Stretch."

"Less talking please, this isn't as easy as it looks", Susan said, hovering in the air on a platform conjured by her in a meditating position, and Ben was in the air too, Sue having conjured a platform for him to stand on, showing how much better with her abilities she was getting.

"Sorry Susie." Ben then asked. "What's this for again?"

"Provided you don't break it, this shall be part of our upgraded security system", Reed said, using some machines to start attaching it inside. "Considering the fact that all of us have powers now, and our research into other dimensions and worlds, there are plenty who would try to take advantage of us. A secure building should be a good deterrent."

"Come on, Reed, we're not the Avengers, their tower doesn't get attacked weekly." Ben countered.

"Ben, the news literally labelled us the "New Avengers", chances are we're already on someone's list, especially for people like HYDRA." Susan pointed out while a bead of sweat trailed down her forehead.

"Yeah, but I blame Johnny for all the extra attention. Speaking of Matchstick, ain't he supposed to be helping?"

Ever the bold and daring daredevil he is, Johnny defied his sister and left his room, sneakily entering lab, despite the fact it had no security restrictions against him. He looked at the large object under the tarp and clapped his hands with excitement, before stopping when he noticed the smoke.

"Here's Johnny." He chuckled as he quickly made his way to the center of the room, and pulled the tarp off.

What he saw was a thing of beauty that had him gasping.

"Awesome." The Human Torch whispered breathlessly.

It was twenty-seven feet long, a sleek, oval shape with four compartments covered by transparent glass, repulsor propulsion and turbines equipped which amazed Johnny. A vertical take-off and landing, super tricked out, flying car of all things. It was beautiful in Johnny's mechanic mind. And Reed thought he could hide this from him, the nerve!

"Don't worry, baby, Johnny's here now." Johnny told the machine as he climbed up to the front compartment, lifting up the windshield before settling into the comfy seats. "Now where's the keys on this baby?" The youngest member of Reed's team wondered before suddenly, the screens lit up and the turbines powered up. Johnny gasped again and looked at the console in awe. "Did Reed make a mind reading jet car?"

"Mr. Storm."

"AHHHHHH!" Johnny screamed as he jumped in his seat.

"I am in need of your assistance."

Earth-1, Star City

Oliver, dressed as Green Arrow, kicked a Ghost down from a height, then leapt in front of another and decked his face before kicking his kneecap, breaking it.

"Tell me where to find Damien Darhk!"

"I have no idea!"

"Tell me where Damien Darhk is!" Sara, dressed as White Canary, roared, pinning down a Ghost's broken arm with her bo-staff.

"I don't know!"

Ray was flying up into the sky with a Ghost in his grip. "Tell me where Damien Darhk is right now."

"Or what?" The Ghost asked in a taunting voice.

"Well, we're high in the sky, and my grip is weakening."

"I don't know anything, I swear! I don't!"

The Throwing Star killer had a Ghost pinned to the wall with his shurikens, and growled. "Tell me where Damien Darhk's base is!"

"I don't where! Really, I don't!"

"Then you are of no use to me." He swung his sword, and the Ghost's head was chopped off.

Later, the Lair

"Oliver, Sara, Ray, we'll find them", Laurel tried to reassure the three as they walked into the lair past her.

"Not even the Ghosts know where they are", Oliver said glumly, putting his bow down.

"Did you learn anything from the hotline?" Sara asked.

"Only how many crazy/bored people there are in the city", Laurel said with a groan, then noticed Oliver's and Sara's faces. "Don't go there."

"Where?" Both asked together.

"Your go-to place", Laurel pointed out. "Where you two blame yourselves for everything wrong with the world."

"It is my fault. I'm the one who outed Darhk", Oliver told her.

"I know", Laurel said, then added. "I seem to remember us all being there when you did."

"I ran for mayor because I can protect myself and I thought that all of you could, too", Oliver said with a sigh.

"And you were right, we can", Laurel told him.

"All of you didn't sign up for this", Sara pointed out to her.

"We can take care of ourselves", Laurel said, then turned to Oliver. "You inspired a lot of people."

"Well, Thea and John and Felicity and Doris, inspiration is not what they need tonight", Oliver told her tiredly.

"We need to do something, quickly", Ray said, and Oliver walked off.

"Going to do just that."

Laurel's phone beeped, and she looked at a hotline message that made her narrow her eyes.

Universe-208, Coruscant

"Okay, just keep in mind, this is THE boss of Republic. Anything too insulting, and it could spell-"

"Shut the fuck up already."

A sigh escaped the Jedi. "Well, if nothing else, this ought to be interesting."

Blade thought otherwise as the spaceship landed, with a view of a party waiting for them. Weeks, maybe more for all he knew, spent on that old dust ball, fighting assholes, aliens, and robots, now he's got to deal with some prissy politician wanting to look at him like he was some kind of circus freakshow. He wanted to get back, to Whistler, to his hunting, to what he does best, it was all he thought of as he followed Vos to the ramp, now beginning to lower. This space adventure had lost its charm long ago.

The ramp was down, Quinlan took the lead with Blade only a step behind as he put on his shades. Upon reaching the bottom, the Vampire Hunter felt his eyes widen.

There were two parties, though to call one a party was being generous. On one side were two people, a man and, based on the curves, a woman. The man was human, greying brown hair tied in a bun, scars on his face, and armor on his upper body that almost reminded Blade of the Mandalorians, but worn in battle like the man himself. Over his shoulder, there was a glimpse of the lightsaber hilt attached. All in all, he looked like a warrior, a leader who fought on the front. The woman next to him was more eye catching though, with blue skin, an athletic body that was mostly bare aside from the halter top-style apparel, exposing her midriff and right arm, the left covered by a sleeve. She was lacking hair, instead, Blade did not know what to call them, tails? And for ears, she didn't have any, unless the two cones out the side of her head were them.

"What did you get me into?" Blade moved his stare to a waiting Vos, who paused when Blade did. The Jedi with dreadlocks rolled his eyes.

"It's not like I arranged this."

"You could have kept flying."

"No way am I getting into deep shik because you're shy."

"Call me shy again, I dare you." Blade threatened while he looked to the second party. Four men, guards he assumed, dressed in some kind of blue dress with rifles in their arms, and a Corinthian style helmet with a plume on top. At their center was another blue alien, tall, with four horns on its head, two on top, two from the tail things similar to the other one. Finally, a slender, white haired, average sized man, human, wearing some kind of dress thing with puffy shoulders.

He was surrounded by aliens, and men wearing dresses.

Could this day get any fucking better?

"Master Vos, it gladdens the heart to see you've returned safely."

Well, turns out it could. The moment the Chancellor guy opened his mouth, Blade felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. It wasn't just because he was a kiss ass politician.

Down to his baser, predatory instincts, Blade felt there was something...off.

And it was coming from the man smiling at him.

"This must be the man of the hour. The one from outside the galaxy."

That's it. Blade was fucking tired of this sci-fi bullshit.

"I have so many questions." Palpatine said eagerly. It was a rare thing to achieve the attention of the Chancellor, besides when it came to a certain fearless hero. Many monarchs and royalty would kill for the honor.

Blade only stared at him; his lips pressed in a thin line. Quinlan nervously glanced at him from the corner of his vision.

"I am Chancellor Palpatine, and whom do I have the honor of speaking to?"

"..."

"This is Blade." Quinlan spoke up when he saw the disapproving looks on the Senate guards and the Vice Chancellor. When he said be himself, Vos didn't mean it literally! "He doesn't talk much, he's more of a hands-on kind of guy."

"Ah! A warrior, I see." Palpatine nodded in understanding, but Blade only narrowed his eyes from behind his shades. Something wasn't right. The blue eyes of the former Naboo Senator glanced down and widened. "Is that what I think it is?"

Following his eyes, Quinlan nodded and clapped the Daywalker's shoulder. "Yep, my man here took on Pre Vizla himself and won the Darksaber. Even fought Count Dooku for a while before he ran with his tail between his legs."

Blade's lip nearly snarled but refrained himself while the Chancellor's face grew excited. "Marvelous! Not many could dare challenge a Jedi without the Force, but a Sith Lord, especially one as revered as Count Dooku. My, your skills must be exemplary."

"Blade was packing a few surprises himself." Quinlan grinned before feeling something drive into his ribs and nearly break them. He swallowed a pained gasp to glare at the nonchalant Blade whose elbow returned to his side.

"I must admit I am very curious to learn more, both of you and your own world. I don't suppose you have time to join me at the Senate for a more intimate discussion?"

"I'm afraid not, Chancellor." A new voice brusquely interrupted Palpatine. Blade turned his head slightly to see the older, grizzled warrior walking over, the blue lady close behind him. "This "Blade" has been part of a disturbance in the Force that's been going on for some time now. We need to convene with the Jedi Council to find a solution and send him back, and possibly gain a better understanding of the situation."

A look crossed over the features of the old politician, but was gone in an instant that none noticed. He nodded his agreement. "You are right, Master Jedi. I have taken too much of your time, and of yours, Blade." He bowed his head to the hunter in apology. "If your stay happens to be prolonged any further, I do hope you have time to indulge an old man's curiosity."

"...we'll see." Was all Blade said as the old man left with the guards in blue dresses, something he was dumbfounded about, while the blue alien with the horns stared at him with a hard look before following his boss. "Thought he would never leave."

"Really? You seemed to be eating it up before you tried to crack my ribcage." Quinlan sarcastically fumed at him as he rubbed his side to ease the pain before addressing the two Jedi in front of him. "Kota, you old war wolf! Good to see you." Quinlan and the older Jedi clasped arms.

"And nice to see you haven't managed to lose your head yet, Vos."

"Maybe one of these days." Quinlan joked before turning to his old Padawan. "Aayla."

"Master Vos, I'm glad to see you well." The Jedi Knight said sincerely.

"Had a little help from Blade here." Quinlan jerked his thumb to the silent Vampire hunter, the two Jedi following him, and much like Quinlan, felt and "saw" the ripples in the Force surrounding him. "If he didn't hold off Dooku long enough for me to recover, we'd be having a very different conversation."

"Blade." Kota crossed his arms, looking the Daywalker up and down. "So, you're the one the Council sensed."

"Didn't seem too eager to find me. I was stuck in that sandbox weeks before that old asshole showed up."

Kota rose a brow, while Secura's eyes widened. The Kiffar merely chuckled. "You get use to him."

"Always attracting trouble, master?" Secura joked with Vos, who shrugged.

"It's a gift."

"I think we've left the Council waiting long enough. They are eager to meet you, Blade."

"And I'm eager to get home." The Daywalker told the grizzled Jedi.

"Shall we?" Secura gestured to the repulsorlift waiting for them.

"Hey, Kota, how's Falon doing these days?"

Kota frowned, with his scars making it look like a savage thing. "He's leading a battalion of Clones on assignment in the Outer Rim." He said quietly, with only Quinlan hearing him, making him join the older Jedi in frowning. Unbeknownst to either of them, Blade heard it all, but like many of things Vos brought up, he understood none of it, only that the two seemed dislike Clones. The way they spoke didn't sit right with him, but he was too distracted to comment. He only followed Quinlan into the repulsor-thing the blue one referred to.

"Blade?" Quinlan looked at him oddly as they took their seats. He sensed a lot of concern and more from within his newfound friend.

"That Chancellor...something was off about him. You didn't sense anything?"

"He's a politician. There's always something off with them." Kota spoke up from his seat as the droid pilot disembarked from the platform and joined the skylanes, the Jedi Temple their destination.

"Especially considering he's held office longer than any past Chancellor, then there was the mess with the Zillo Beast." Secura spoke up. The tragedy of seeing such a unique creature breath it's last because of them, and Palpatine's greed, it remained with the Jedi, especially those there that day they saw its towering figure crumble at the poison of the gas. A somber atmosphere surrounded the three Jedi, they failed their duty that day, and an innocent suffered for it, including those caught in the Zillo's rampage against Palpatine.

Even if Blade did not understand what they were talking about, which he was beginning to notice and realize how annoying it must be, Vos did not have the heart to speak of the incident. Not without the anger spreading through him at the thought of it. "There's a lot of problems with the politics in this war, and unfortunately, Palpatine is the only one we can rely on. At least we know him and his motivations."

'Do you?' The unease Blade felt around the man remained.

It felt darker than even Frost when he awakened La Magra.

Earth-1, Star City, SCPD

Quentin, after giving orders to some other cops, walked to see Sara and Laurel waiting for him. "Hey, what's-what's going on? Something happened?"

"Got a message from the office", Laurel said with folded arms. "A tip came through the hotline."

"Yeah? Something we can move on?" Quentin prepared to walk off.

"About you", Sara revealed, making him freeze in his tracks.

"Come here", he gestured to an empty room as they all walked in and he shut the door.

Throwing her bag on the table, Laurel asked. "Are you working for Damien Darhk?"

"It's not what you two think", Quentin started.

"You don't know what I think."

"Darhk threatened you, ok?" Quentin finally confessed. "I did what I had to do to keep you safe, honey."

"Oh, really? And what's that, Dad?" Laurel asked angrily as she moved closer to him. "How many people died? How many fathers' daughters?"

Seeing their father was in distress, Sara put a hand to Laurel's shoulder. "Let him speak."

"None, I hope", Quentin muttered. "None, I... I just-I just been eyes and ears, all right? First for Darhk, and then for the past month or so... Oliver."

"Oliver knew about this?" Laurel asked in shock.

"I've a feeling he found out", Sara realized.

"Didn't take it too well at first, but then I think he understood", Quentin revealed.

"Understood what?" Laurel asked.

"That there was nothing I wouldn't do to protect my baby girls."

"Look dad, I get it", Sara said, causing both of them to turn to her in surprise.

"Really, baby?" Quentin inquired.

"I've done things before I'm not proud of, made many mistakes, and I ran from this city, to protect all of you from the League", Sara pointed out to him. "So…I get it."

Quentin's cell phone vibrated, and he took it out to see it was a message from Oliver, asking to meet right now.

"Oliver."

The lair

Oliver was in the lair, with Ray, as Sara, Laurel and Quentin walked in.

Laurel asked. "You got something?"

He sighed. "Just a lot of suicidal Ghosts."

"Yeah, and where does that leave us?" Quentin inquired.

"Nowhere", Ray said.

"I have something for you."

They all turned to see Nyssa walk in, this time in normal clothes, as Sara was surprised. "Nyssa?"

"You?" Quentin asked as well in shock.

"Why are you here now?" Oliver asked.

In response, Nyssa took a phone out of her jacket, and tossed it to Oliver. "What is this?"

Adrian was in his rundown apartment base, as the lights went off and turned back on, and he looked up to see Talia there.

"I haven't got anything yet, the Ghosts like to die more than they like to talk", Adrian said to her.

"I know, but I got this", Talia said, tossing him the same phone Nyssa had just given to Oliver.

"What is it?" Adrian inquired.

Same time, the lair

"HIVE used polyphasic-encrypted satellite phones to communicate."

Same time, Adrian's apartment base

"That is one of them."

Same time, the lair

"And where did you get it?" Quentin asked.

"I am the Daughter of the Demon", Nyssa said in reply.

"I can try to track it", Ray offered, taking the phone. "But its gonna take a while. HIVE are pretty good with their tech."

"It can take more time than what we have", Oliver said. "But as it is, our only play is trading me for them."

Sara, Ray, Laurel and even Nyssa looked shocked.

"Ok, listen, I'm not gonna pretend to understand what is going on here", Quentin started. "But the idea of you turning yourself over to Darhk, that's the worst idea I've heard in a while."

"Maybe, but it's our only play. I brought all this on, I have to end it."

"Look", Nyssa said, making Oliver turn to her. "You are in distress, which is why you are thinking like this. But…Damien Darhk is not as honorable as my father was. If you are going to do this, think of something else as well if it fails."

Later

Oliver turned around as Damien walked to him. "I was surprised to get your call. And on one of our secure phones no less. You are more than you seem, Oliver."

"Oh, you really better hope that isn't true", Oliver said with a growl.

Damien laughed. "What's the word for a man who threatens the man who's holding his nearest and dearest captive? I don't know, idiot?"

"You didn't kill my friends", Oliver pointed out. "You took them to make a point. You've made it."

"No", Damien chuckled. "Not yet I haven't."

From a distance, Adrian Chase, dressed as the Throwing Star killer, watched the exchange, unseen to both, and as Damien led Oliver away, he followed discreetly.

Later, Star City, HIVE Base

"I'm here. Let my sister and my friends go", Oliver said to Damien as he was scanned.

"I'm sorry, did you think this was quid pro quo, Mr. Queen?" Damien asked mockingly.

As the scanning stopped, Oliver snarled. "We have a deal. Now let my friends go."

"Patience."

Damien walked forth into a room with a smirk, Oliver following him, and what he saw chilled him to his bones. He had read about this in history books, seen pictures on the Internet, but seeing it in person…it was horrifying.

A gas chamber, just like what the Nazis used?

"Do you know who perfected the gas chamber?" Damien asked Oliver. "The Nazis. For years I wondered why the world would allow those monsters to exist, let alone thrive. And then I realized, the world needed them to. As horrible as it sounds, every now and then, humanity needs a reset, a do-over. That time has come."

"What is this?" Oliver inquired in horror.

"A demonstration of the project that you're gonna help us with once we install you as Mayor. Think of it as your friend's and family's life insurance policy. Oh." Damien turned around and snapped his fingers as a man in grey clothes walked forth.

"Thank you for your service, your mind, and your belief in me. You will forever be part of our HIVE."

The man was then led into the gas chamber, and he walked there voluntarily, letting himself be locked in, while gas started leaking into the chamber.

"The bloom is active."

"Good", Damien turned around as Oliver watched the man choke on the gas. "Oh, and by the way, thank you for doing the legwork on skimming the bay. My people were using the harbor to create a certain type of algae. One that would allow us to do this undetected."

He turned around and saw the man was already dead. "Oh, bummer. Well, at least he lasted longer than the previous one. I guess that's something."

He walked off while giving orders, Oliver continuing to watch in shock.

"All right, let's continue to adjust the ratio of the bloom."

Earth-199999

Twenty minutes into his nap, Tony felt his wristwatch vibrate, causing him to sit up, alert. The next second, the holographic projectors in his compartment activated, orange lights shown at the center before it took the shape of JARVIS' "brain".

"JARVIS, what is it?" Tony asked in alert. The A.I. would never show up like this, not without reason.

"Apologies, sir, but we have a situation. The Tower has been taken over."

"What?!" Panic filled Tony. Avengers Tower was the most secure building in the world, he made sure of it. After Coulson walked in on him and Pepper, and the Battle of New York, and his Malibu home being destroyed, Tony took every precaution, thought of every possible angle, to secure the building housing Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Security tests were conducted sporadically, Barton and Romanoff would sneak or hack in to see where improvements could be made. It was a masterpiece that wasn't one of the Iron Man armors. No one, not even the best hackers or thieves could gain entry, and they tried.

Now how the hell did this happen?!

"I am lost as to how this could have occurred, sir. Before the intruder shut me down completely, I managed to slip into the Internet and found solace within the Baxter Building. I am informing them as we speak."

"Who was it?" Tony needed to know as he used his own phone to try and gain access through master control of the Tower. To his horror, all his attempts were halted.

"Unknown, all I could identify was that it was a single individual that had teleported into the premises moments before I began losing control of all functions of the building."

"I'm sick and tired of people trying to wreck my shit." Tony growled to himself as he tried every possible maneuver to gain control of his Tower back. He was rewarded with a red blinking light for his troubles. "Okay, now I'm mad." Tony snapped before turning to his A.I. while pressing a button in his chair. "Status on the Avengers?"

"Captain Rogers, Mr. Barton and Ms. Romanoff are off the grid, Dr. Banner is in the city but I fear the situation will escalate if a Code: Green is called. Thor is off world, but Dr. Richards' team has been alerted."

"Call Rhodey," the chair reclined, making Tony parallel to the floor before the chair lowered beneath, mechanical arms attaching pieces of the armor before rotating his body to face down, "Tell him to get his ass to New York."

"Already on it, sir."

"Fly the bird back, would you JARVIS? I have some ass to kick." The helmet equipped to Tony's head before the underside of the plane retracted, launching Tony downwards before the thrusters of the Mark XLIII activated, creating a sonic boom in his wake as the Iron Man rocketed to Manhattan.

New York City, Avengers Tower

Within the confines of Tony's lab in Stark's tower, the schematics of years of research blurred around Doctor Victor Von Doom, King of Latveria, his green cloak hiding the armor beneath, save for one metal hand moving the holographic screens. The cold eyes of the king never blinked as he scanned the information, before an alert blinked red on his scanners, causing him to divert his attention to a map of the city, and the country. Two orange lights lit up, with a red blip emerging from one, and four blue beside the other orange one.

"So, the A.I. persists." Doom hummed to himself before his other arm pushed his cloak back, and pressed a key on the hologram, while the mechanical arms beneath the floor came to live. Focus was, however, directed to the four blue blips on the map. He knew who they were. "Richards." The name escaped his lips like a curse.

It was then, the eyes and arc reactors of the armors glowed green.

Earth-1, Star City, the lair

"If you told me I'd ever get used to seeing you dressed up like that, I'd..." Quentin shook his head as Laurel smirked.

"So you two are almost suited up, let us go", Nyssa said, then noticed Sara's new suit. "Excellent choice, beloved."

"Thanks Nyssa", Sara smiled.

"If we're going after Oliver, wouldn't it make sense for you to bring along a few of your little ninja friends?" Quentin inquired.

"Dad, I don't think they'd be needed", Sara said with a gleam in her eye, confusing him.

Nyssa turned to Ray. "Do you have Oliver's location?"

"An abandoned industrial complex outside Pennytown", Ray revealed.

"You'd think Darhk would have checked to see if he was tagged with a tracker", Quentin pointed out.

"Well, I'm sure he did", Ray shrugged. "But Oliver had me tag him with my nanites."

"What about me?" Quentin asked.

"No, you'll blow your cover with Darhk", Laurel pointed out to him.

"It's pretty much already blown."

"Can you give us the room?" Sara asked Ray and Nyssa.

"Happily", Ray said as he walked off.

"I hope it goes more pleasantly than anything with my father", Nyssa said, and walked off. "Just be quick."

Quentin started. "Ok, if this is about you not trusting me anymore after working with Darhk, then—"

"No, it's just the opposite", Laurel said, sharing a look with Sara. "You've done things, things that you'll never forgive yourself for, because you were protecting me, but I'm the one who gets to decide whether I need anyone's protection."

"That's not how parenting works, sweetheart", Quentin said.

"Dad, we're not little girls anymore, we don't need you to protect us", Laurel pointed out, Sara nodding.

"All right", Quentin said with a sigh, hugging them both. "Just be careful out there, all right? 'Cause I don't know what I'd do if anything were to happen to you two. In fact, that's not true. I know exactly what I would do. And it'd be ugly."

Earth-205, Star City

Oliver Queen of this Earth entered the warehouse, the last place near which the creature had been sighted so far. It had killed a few more on its way here too, and he'd have to live with that.

But he wasn't going to let it kill anymore either.

While most other Hunters would not be able to sense the creature sneaking around, he'd spent a long while stranded on an island in the North China Sea, and honed his senses to perfection.

So, when the creature was about to wrap its claws around his throat, he quickly spun around and stabbed it with an arrow, making it screech while he leapt back, managing to get a safe amount of distance between himself and the creature.

Before the creature could try to attack again, Oliver fired an arrow that exploded on its face, making it screech louder, as he fired once more, this time flames spewing on it, causing it to roar while it ran around.

Oliver was going to fire another one, but this time the creature struck back, breaking the tip of the arrow as Oliver fell on the ground and rolled away by a few feet.

As it was about to leap at him, Oliver quickly lit up a flare and hurled it at the creature's face, making it crash to the ground with a louder screech as Oliver stood up, making to fire another explosive arrow, but the creature sliced forth in its trashing, and Oliver's bow was broken, while there was a gash on his arm, making him gasp in pain as he went to his knees.

The creature stood up, about to slice his throat, when the Impala burst in through the open door of the warehouse, and rammed into the creature, crushing it onto a wall, while Sam and Dean walked out.

It tried to wriggle its way out of the space it was now trapped in, and would have escaped, but the two brothers had come prepared.

Holding up flamethrowers, they fired those at the creature, inflaming it on the spot as it roared in utter agony, the two brothers not stopping their assault one bit as it went down, lit up on flames completely.

Oliver stood up, and took out another explosive arrow, before clicking something on it as Sam and Dean stopped firing, and he leapt on the creature, stabbing the arrow onto it, causing it to stagger back, while Oliver landed and rolled away.

The creature tried to attack him again, only for Sam and Dean to fire their flamethrowers once more, staggering it back, before they ran off, and then the arrow exploded, blowing up the creature to bits as well, blood and its body parts scattered here and there.

Oliver's eyes widened on seeing the blood was like acid, and it was melting wherever it had ended up on.

"Good thing none of it came onto us", Dean sighed in relief as he and Sam got back into the Impala, and he drove it out, before they got out of it to talk with Oliver.

"Well, at least its taken care of now", Oliver said to the two. "Thank you for help."

"All good, Oliver, what are friends for?" Dean commented, as they shared a little hug, and he shared one with Sam as well.

"What was this thing?" Sam wondered once more.

"I've no idea", Oliver said with a sigh, as the two brothers moved forth.

"Maybe its from another world", Dean told him. "We've faced people and creatures from other worlds before."

"That's not wrong", Sam agreed. "Most likely was."

And they knew there were still trials, both in this world and other worlds, for them to face.

Earth-199999, New York City

In the lobby of 30 Park Place, Felicia walked with the click of her heels echoing through the large room. Smiling with a proud and slightly arrogant look, she crossed the floor, nodding towards the doorman at his deck. "Evening, Guzmin."

"Ms. Hardy, have a good time?" The pleasant but serious looking man asked with an accent.

With a shake of her shopping bag, the blonde lowered her designer sunglasses to wink at the man. "I always do." A chuckle left her before finally entering the elevator, pressing the button for the seventy-first floor.

To pass the time, Felicia counted each of the floor numbers that lit up, before checking her nails, and then the contents of her bag, before trying to hide her smirk from the security camera. Before she knew it, the doors opened at her stop, allowing Felicia to prance across the hall until the blonde was using her key to enter her apartment. "Mom! I'm back!" The natural beauty waited for a response, and upon hearing none, she let her smirk free at last. Anyone lucky enough to see it would have been dazzled by the sight, which she had used to her advantage more than once.

Kicking off her heels, Felicia picked up the right to pull out a ring hidden underneath, a golden band with a diamond surrounded by sapphires before placing it on her finger to examine it properly. It looked much better on her than the gold digger flaunting it in Bloomingdales. Yet, she could not help but pout. "Does no one appreciate emeralds anymore?" She quickly set aside the thought before dropping her Chanel coat on the floor by the door, carrying her bag to her room, passing the rooms of the luxurious apartment that cost millions to keep.

The young Hardy didn't even glance up as she pulled out a new, white leather bag a belonging to latest line of Boohoo that she did in fact pay for...by using the money from the wallet of a pervert of a shopping assistant from Hugo Boss. She at least returned the wallet before he noticed. That didn't matter though, what mattered to Felicia as she opened the new bag while entering her room was the twelve-carat ruby necklace held by a gold chain.

So lost in her gazing, the young thief failed to notice her bed was occupied.

"Who's Ryan?"

Felicia yelped, dropping the necklace but using her other hand to catch the gem before it hit the wooden floor. There, on her bed, wearing an all-black get up and harness that contrasted against the white walls and sheet, was a blonde woman that looked so familiar, flipping through an old story book.

"Good reflexes." The woman said while looking at the, well, she wasn't reading it, just trying to make it look that way after reading one of the stories. She always hated Goldilocks, what dummy stays in a house with no exit strategy when the owners are to come back? It gave blonde thieves a bad name.

"Who the hell are..." Felicia paused before looking closer at the woman. "I know you...Parker?"

"It's so nice you remember the little people." Parker closed the book and looked up, waving it at the younger blonde with a questioning brow.

Felicia, still confused, could only answer. "It was from this guy I know in school, the first thing I properly stole-how did you get past the doorman?"

A scoff left the older woman. "Who uses doors?" Parker asked like it was obvious. Felicia was left speechless when Parker got up after tossing away the book and had the ruby held up to her eye, making the younger girl look down in shock at finding the necklace gone. "Not bad. Store or person?"

"...Store." Felicia answered hesitantly while Parker gave her a weird look that confused her, she wasn't sure if she was glaring, or trying to read her mind. "What?"

"You lied."

Remembering the day they met months ago; Felicia narrowed her eyes at the older thief. "No, I didn't."

"You didn't tell me you were rich."

"You never asked!"

"Lies of omission are still lies!"

"It never even came up!" Felicia defended herself while Parker's arms crossed. "Why am I even defending myself, you broke in...and seriously, how did you bypass the security?"

"Don't change the subject." The Leverage team's thief pointed her finger at Felicia's face, close enough she had to lean back. "I thought you stole because you needed to, but imagine my surprise when I found you living in an eight-million-dollar apartment."

"How did-"

"Don't insult my resources, they get very sensitive." Parker looked down at Felicia who stared back with equal measure. Well, privileged or not, she clearly had some spine.

"So, my dad made a good living for us, big deal. Am I supposed to be ashamed of that?"

Stomping over to the window, the experienced thief pointed down to the city. "Try telling that to the ants who live down there, and don't try to pull that "daddy's money" on me, I know he was a thief." Felicia's face hardened. "Daddy's little girl, following in his footsteps, huh?"

"...you want to know what he told me the day before he got taken away?" Felicia asked after a moment of silence before walking up to Parker, never breaking away from their stare down. "He told me to "never settle for second best". If I do something, I make sure I'm the best."

"You have a long way to go."

"I know." Felicia snapped. "This all started as a bit of fun. I saw something I liked, so I took it, and you know what? I felt more of a rush in that moment than I could ever get driving my mom's Porsche. So, I stole again, and again, and again, because there was nothing that could beat that moment for me. You said you would teach me, but I can always find my way to the top on my own." Felicia stormed out the room, quickly rounding the corner and taking out her phone. Pressing the screen, nothing happened. She pressed it again, but it stayed dark. That's when she noticed...

"Swapped the phones." Parker announced as she appeared behind Felicia, making the younger thief grunt in annoyance as she faced her. "Word of advice, don't pull the long speeches unless you have something to gain from them."

"That's why I took this." Felicia smirked when she held up Parker's taser. That smirk died when she saw Parker's own, and tried to pull the trigger, only for nothing to happen.

"Another word of advice, or is it words now? Basically, if you're trying to thieve from a thief, make sure when they're thieving, they don't thieve what the thief needs." Confusion spread across both blondes as the elder spoke aloud. "Maybe I should be writing these down."

"Why bother?"

Parker groaned with an eye roll. "Look, keep stealing, go ahead, I won't stop you. But if you want to learn from the best, you do it my way." She said with an absolute seriousness that took Felicia aback.

"Does that mean...you'll teach me?" A hopeful look began to bloom.

With a pat on the shoulder, Parker walked past her. "I'll be in touch." Felicia watched her walk to the window in puzzlement, until the thief saw the woman take a pair of suction tools from behind her and used on the glass, before pulling out a piece of glass cut in a circle. That was followed by, to the Hardy girl's surprise, a rope thrown down from above, which Parker hooked on to her harness before picking up the glass again and fearlessly stepped through the hole while returning the cut circle, as if it was never cut, before the thief was pulled upward. Felicia raced to the balcony, looking up to find Parker waving down at her, before retreating back to the roof.

"This is gonna be fun." Felicia smiled to herself as so many new thoughts began to fill her.

Baxter Building

Reed, Sue, and Ben were almost finished with the upgrades to the building's security, before a sound coming from the roof caused them to look up. Only two of them knew what that meant, and Reed's eyes widened in horror. "Oh no."

A dark shape vertically rose up from the top, before shooting around the building, circling it before it stopped in front of the three new heroes.

"MY CAR!"

"That's what you've been working on?" Susan questioned with astonishment.

"Don't tell me..." Ben didn't get to finish before the "car" hovered closer, and one of the windshields opened up to reveal, "The hell you doin', Hothead?!"

"Reed, I swear, I didn't touch anything!" Three disbelieving and angry looks focused in him, making the youngest and now nervous member of the team sheepish. "Alright, maybe I touched the tarp, then I climbed up, and climbed in, but that was it!"

"Johnny, I swear-"

"Ms. Storm, I hate to interrupt you but in the defense of Mr. Storm, it was I who commandeered Dr. Richards' vehicle." A disembodied voice stopped Susan from yelling, a voice they recognized.

"JARVIS?" Reed asked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"That's what I'm trying to tell you!" It was Johnny's turn to yell. "Avengers Tower's been taken over! We need to get there right..." Johnny stopped when he noticed a shadow engulf his spot on the flying car, slowly, he turned up his head, and found one of Stark's armors with more gold than red peering down at him with glowing green lights for eyes, "...now?"

The armor fired at them all as Ben covered his face. "Hey, that stings! Watch that face!" One blast sent Ben flying off and outside the building.

"Ben!" Susan cried out, flying after him.

One of the blasts singed the vehicle Johnny was sitting in as he let out a girlish scream. "Oh no! You did not just scratch my ride! It's on now, shellhead! Flame on!"

He was covered in flames and flew at the armor.

Ben was still falling. "Nothing like falling 30 stories to start your day."

Then a platform was conjured underneath him, catching him as Susan appeared, hovering on another platform.

"Took you long enough."

"Hey, I could have let you go 'SPLAT'!"

"Fair enough."

She flew back up with him.

Johnny was blasting the armor with his fire blasts. "Take this, and that, and that!" The armor wasn't even scratched as Johnny muttered. "Well, you took 'em. Nice job! Do we know what's happening?"

Reed was in the 'car' now, which had scanned the armor. "This is an Iron Man armor….but its empty!"

"Mr. Stark is already on his way to confront the intruder."

"Whoever this is, if they can hack the Tower and the armor, they might be more than Tony can handle." Reed believed.

"What?" Johnny asked in horror as he flew around, trying to avoid the armor, while Reed flew the car out by himself at last.

The armor blasted Johnny but he dodged it, just as Ben leapt at it, grabbing it from behind as both struggled.

The armor then blasted Ben's face, sending him flying off, but Reed flew the vehicle, letting Ben fall on it and hold onto it, as Johnny and Sue hovered nearby, the armor scanning them all.

Sue asked in a panic. "Any bright ideas?"

Then she heard the high-pitched whine and saw the arc reactor on the chest glow, before Sue hastily threw up a shield as the Unibeam sent her flying. Shaking off her daze, a now angry Susan whipped her arm forward, her shields flattened to discs as they soared to the armor, chopping off the head that fell into Johnny's hand, and he dropped it.

"I didn't know you could do that."

"Neither did I."

Susan relaxed on the platform as the headless armor hovered in the air, and then she realized it wasn't out yet, forming a more powerful force field for protection.

Reed was saying. "It appears-"

"Stretch, we got more company!" Ben said.

More armors had shown up. Mark XXXIII, Mark XVIII, Mark XXXIX, Mark XXXVII, a red and bigger version of Mark XXXVIII and Mark XXIV.

The big one slammed into the 'car', sending it off along with the screaming Ben, and flew after them.

Mark XXXIII chased after Johnny, firing at him as he avoided, only for Mark XVIII to appear in his way, to his horror. The Mark XXXIII fired a Unibeam at him, but he dodged as it struck the Mark XVIII, taking it down.

The Mark XXIV flew at Reed's 'car', as Ben leapt off and grabbed onto it, while Reed flew back to the tower. "Guys, cover me, I'll be right back."

"Yeah, sure, take your time", Johnny groaned.

Reed stopped near the tower, putting the 'car' on autopilot, and used his powers to get inside, and then sneak in through a vent, only for the Mark XXXIX to fly after him.

Susan blocked an attack from the headless armor and called out on comms. "Reed, one of them is after you."

"Did you not hear the 'cover me' part?" Reed groaned as he reached up into his lab, the armor blasting its way up from below.

Reed started pressing some buttons as the armor appeared before him. "Just a few more seconds."

It was about to fire at him, only for Reed to press a button, as a glowing light appeared, and expanded outwards, rendering all the armors useless as they went down.

Ben was falling with the armor he was fighting but Susan conjured a platform underneath him again.

The armors suddenly came back to life, then flew off, as Johnny cheered. "That's how ya deal with empty armors!"

Reed was still in the lab as the rest walked behind him, Susan asking. "What did you do?"

"Electromagnetic pulse", Reed said. "It was tuned specifically to the energy signatures of the armors. It should have shut them down but Tony Stark's armors are very impressive."

"I think we need to go to Avengers Tower", Susan noted.

"Right you are, Sue", Reed agreed.

A while later, the Fantastic Four regrouped in the 'car', and flew off to Avengers Tower, JARVIS telling them. "Sir is in trouble."

Earth-1, Star City, HIVE Base

"These people, they're volunteers?" Oliver asked as Damien led him down the hallway, and Oliver saw many people dressed in the same grey clothes in different cells.

"True believers. Every last one."

"Ollie!"

Oliver whipped his head around to see Thea in a cell of sorts, and was horrified.

"Aw. Well, I'll give you guys some privacy to say your farewells."

The door was opened, Damien walking off, as Oliver walked in and hugged Thea, not letting go.

"Are John, Felicity and Doris all right?"

"I'm not sure, we were separated", Thea confessed, the two letting go and sitting down. "Please don't tell me that you traded your life for ours."

"I had to turn myself in. It was the only way to know where you were being held", Oliver told her.

"But what happens when the calvary shows up and the Green Arrow's not present?" Thea asked him. "Darhk is evil, not stupid."

"I have that handled, Thea", Oliver assured her. "We will all get out of here."

"It sounds risky", Thea commented.

"Yeah, but things are bigger than we thought", Oliver said ominously, confusing her.

"And time is up!"

The door was opened as Ghosts arrived, leading Oliver and Thea away, Damien in the front, and they soon reached the gas chamber.

To Oliver's and Thea's horror, Diggle, Felicity and Doris were all locked in the chamber, Felicity looking most distressed of all, and Oliver could tell why.

"Oh, my God!" Thea cried out.

"What's going on?" Oliver snarled angrily. "The deal is that I bring myself here and you let my friends and sister go."

Damien gave a signal as three Ghosts grabbed Oliver, and two more grabbed Thea, dragging her to the gas chamber. She tried to get free but they were highly trained.

"I'm so sorry about this", Damien said, not sounding sorry at all, while Thea was thrown into the chamber as well, and then it was shut.

"We had a deal!" Oliver screamed.

"I think if you replay our conversation in your mind, our bargain was only at best implied." Damien then gestured to himself almost cheerfully. "Even so, bad guy, remember?"

"You let them go", Oliver grunted.

"I will. Existentially speaking."

Oliver tried to get him to stop. "You do this, you lose any leverage that you have over me."

"Wrong", Damien smirked. "As long as they're alive, you have something to fight for. That is what I am taking away from you, and your political strategist. I'm sure he is going to turn on you once he loses his wife. But don't worry, it's painless." The gas started blowing in. "Well, mostly."

Oliver broke free and rushed to the chamber, slamming on the glass angrily. Nothing happened. He did the same thing again, to the same result.

"Look for seams", Diggle said to Thea as they did just that. "This place may not be 100% sealed."

As the chamber started filling with gas, a loud Canary Cry was heard, causing everyone to cover their ears as the glass shattered immediately.

Everyone looked up to see Black Canary and White Canary standing on either side of Green Arrow, with Nyssa next to White Canary, wearing a suit similar to the League's but still different.

Two Ghosts aimed their guns but Green Arrow fired two arrows in quick succession, getting them both, as Nyssa got another, before Laurel jumped down, slamming one Ghost on the face with her baton before spinning and kicking him down, as Sara leapt down and whacked two on their faces at the same time and tripped a third, with Green Arrow leaping down and sliding on his knees, whacking two Ghosts in the abdomen with his bow, taking them down as well, while Nyssa leapt down and whacked one out with her bow, then took out her sword and spun, slicing another's wrist before kicking him away.

Oliver rushed forwards, pulling Thea out, before offering a hand to the shaky Felicity and Doris, who were pulled out as well, and then he supported Diggle out.

"Come on, let's go."

Then Ray flew in as the Atom, firing at two Ghosts as they were blown back, and he landed, punching two more out, and blasted another one away.

Staring at the Green Arrow as he spun and kicked another Ghost away, before whacking another out, Thea started. "Is that…."

"Yes", Oliver said, as they all ran off.

Some more Ghosts walked forth to engage, when one was hit in the neck from behind and fell down, dead, revealing a shuriken in his neck.

Other Ghosts turned around as the Throwing Star killer spun and chopped off one's head, then rolled and kicked another away, before hurling a shuriken at another's neck, killing him.

Damien and the other board members were leaving, when an arrow was fired near Damien's feet, and he looked up to see Green Arrow in their way.

"And here I was ready to just call it even for the night." He looked to the other board members. "You may go."

They ran off as Damien faced the Green Arrow. "As the kids say, I got this."

Green Arrow fired at Damien but he stopped it with magic and remembering the last few times, hurled the arrow away as it exploded. "You really haven't learned anything, have you?"

"Oh, I might have learned a little", Green Arrow smirked, as he fired another arrow in quick succession.

Damien raised his hand to stop it, but it split into three, shocking Damien, as the other two exploded on his face, sending him falling down.

Green Arrow walked forth, trying to find Damien in the smoke, then sensed something behind him as Damien smirked. "Hi, there."

He waved his hand and Green Arrow was sent flying into the wall before he dropped, his bow falling too.

The rest were walking forth, led by Oliver, before Sara asked. "Where is Green Arrow?"

Oliver noted Doris was here so he couldn't say much, and just said. "I'll go check."

He ran off as Doris asked. "Where are you-"

"He can handle himself", Laurel assured her.

Damien used his magic to lift Green Arrow up into the air, choking him while Damien laughed. "I'm dying to see what's beneath that mask." Green Arrow choked harder. "Seems like you're dying a bit, too."

Oliver suddenly rammed into Damien, sending him off, as Green Arrow fell to the ground, sweet air filling his lungs.

Sara, Nyssa, Thea, Laurel, Diggle, Felicity, Ray and Doris made it to where the cells were, only to see the guards slaughtered, and as they walked forth, all prisoners were slaughtered too, dismembered brutally.

"What is this?" Doris said in horror. Only a monster could have slaughtered people like this.

That was when Quentin arrived, with cops behind him, but seeing the carnage, Quentin muttered. "What the hell?"

"Let's go", Nyssa said grimly, everyone disturbed by the massacre, as they all walked forth together.

Damien threw Oliver down and pounded on his face. "Good news. I'm gonna let you live long enough to watch me kill your little green buddy."

Green Arrow got up and fired two arrows that struck Damien, sending him off of Oliver and falling down.

"Get clear", Green Arrow said, and Oliver ran off, as Green Arrow rushed near Damien, and planted an arrow on the ground next to his head, before smirking and running off.

The arrow beeped as Damien chanted. "Kanjigar septum... Vohostrum."

And then the arrow exploded.

Earth-199999, New York City, Avengers Tower

Tony had arrived at the Tower, using the speaker in his armor to announce, "Attention trespasser! Come out with your hands up, and I will only shoot you once in the face...maybe twice." He added when he found his HUD being unable to access the building's cameras. "Please resist, please resist, please let me you shoot you."

Only then did his sensors alert him to a presence behind him, and he turned to find the intruder standing on air with no visible cause for his levitation.

"So, this is the famous Iron Man, amusing", Doom commented, then gave his introduction. "I am Doom."

"Can't say I'm pleased to meet you. You kind of look like a freaky medieval robot", Tony quipped.

"Wretched fool", Doom insulted Tony. "Although, some measure of acknowledgment to your achievements is warranted."

"Gee, now that just makes the heart swell, now if you would so kindly-" Doom blasted Tony, making him hit the tower and crack it, then crash to a car below before falling on the road.

Tony staggered up as he muttered. "Scanning the armor…now."

JARVIS told him. "Doom's armor composition unknown. Scanning render breakdown shall take time."

"How long?!"

"Too long, sir."

"What? Doom's making my armor look like a toaster with arms", Tony groaned as Doom landed before him.

Tony fired his repulsors to no avail, then he fired his sonic cannons to no avail, and missiles were fired, causing a blast, but when the smoke cleared, Doom walked through it all.

Tony tried to fly away, but Doom caught him by the throat, with Tony feeling the metal start to give way beneath the other metal man's grip.

"Your assault is futile. Surrender, there will be no other offer."

"Kiss. My. Iron-" Is all Tony got out before he was punched away, aimlessly spinning upwards before gravity took him down, until another attack by Doom had him crash through a building into the street. Tony was groaning and in pain, as JARVIS warned. "Armor integrity compromised."

The Armored Avenger admitted. "Yep, that hurt."

"This persistence would be admirable, if it was not so foolish. Let this small show of mercy end this spectacle." Doom raised his hands over the ground as a circle of green and black energy was created, before he raised it over head and faced Tony.

Thrusting his hand through it, Doom unleashed a spectral limb grabbing Iron Man. Tony was knocked out and stuck in his own mind, Doom was standing victorious.

"Your defeat was inevitable, Stark."

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

Doom looked up and found War Machine pointing every weapon he had at the king. "Or you will have to deal with me, and a thousand pounds of explosive artillery."

"They call you War Machine, yes?" Doom taunted. "Do your worst."

Rhodes complied, firing all his weapons at Doom, but they only damaged the street.

Doom dusted off his armor. "Loud, crude and totally ineffective." He blasted Rhodey, sending him flying through the street and falling on a post box.

He managed to stand up. "Okay, you want to play rough?" He flew and fired all the mini-missiles he had, Doom casually watching them until they impacted, creating a large explosion that shook the block.

Rhodey waited for the smoke to pass, and when it did, stood Doom, with his arms crossed. "Not good."

"No, it is not." Green energy formed orbs in Doom's hands before he floated upwards and prepared to fire, before his sensors picked something incoming, and he turned his head to see a flying vehicle, fast approaching before stopping in front of the King of Latveria.

"It's him..." Reed said in disbelief. From the cockpit, he could feel those cold blues piercing his soul.

However, Doom did not linger on Richards, instead, his eyes moved to the only woman in craft, and lowered his hands.

"Victor." Susan whispered in horror.

Green and black energy encircled the metal clad figure, forming an orb that engulfed and shielded his body, before dissipating altogether, leaving no trace of Doom.

"Reed, he's back." Ben told his best friend, who was lost staring at the space that Doom once occupied, speechless.

"Back? Who's back?" Johnny asked, only to get no response. Groaning, he yelled, "Could someone please tell me what the hell is going on?!"

"Guys, Tony's in bad shape!" Rhodey told them through the open line created by JARVIS, his face plate retracting as he looked at the unmoving Iron Man. "He's not responding."

"I have regained control of the Tower, preparing sick bay as we speak." JARVIS informed them while Rhodey gathered Tony in his arms, face plate snapped back in place and flew up to the balcony.

Ben followed the War Machine, while two of the team's members were occupied with only one thing. One man, to be exact.

Victor von Doom.

Earth-1, Star City, SCPD

Doris was brought to the department, as Adrian got up on seeing her, and she rushed to him, both embracing, as he smiled at her and they kissed, before parting. "I thought I'd lost you."

"I'm here", Doris whispered while holding his face. "I'm here."

If one were to stand atop Mont Blanc, they would see a streak of blue lightning racing across the peaks before suddenly disappearing.

The blue lightning descended deeper into a cave before coming to stop in a large open cavern deep within illuminated by several lanterns, revealing Zoom and his passengers, Lex and Zemo, both wearing appropriate gear for a walk in the snow. Malcolm Merlyn stood there waiting with an urn in hand. "I must say, I like your mode of transportation. Certainly saves us time."

"What can I say, he's got all the works done." Lex bragged as he patted Zoom's black metal arm. He rolled his eyes when he heard Zemo clearing his throat on the other side of the speedster. "Of course, I had some help."

"That is very kind of you Lex, thank you." Zemo said with humor as the baron and billionaire joined the League of Assassins' leader in approaching a part of the dark cavern that was lit up by an ominous green light, while the speedster stayed silent and still where he stood.

Lex and Zemo joined Merlyn and looked down at a pool of glowing green water, approximately six feet in diameter. "What is this "Pit" exactly?" Helmut asked as he stared into the waters. The glow was unnerving, not because of the unnaturalness of it, but what it represented.

"The Lazarus Pit has been known by many names: the Fountain of Youth, the Elysian Well, and so the list goes on. Few were said to have found these pools, only a handful exist on the planet, but the founder of the League utilized the one in Nanda Parbat to spread his teachings through the centuries. What it is composed of, I can't tell you," Malcolm admitted as he opened the urn and poured the ashes into the water, "but what I can tell you is the chemical composition can heal any wound, even cure death."

"There is no cure for death." Zemo pointed out.

Malcolm nodded his head. "You're right, Helmut, that's why the Pit comes with a cost. Anyone who is resurrected with the Pit, like a dead blonde who had been buried for a couple months, comes back without a soul."

The trio of humans stepped back until they stood close to Zoom. "What, like a zombie?" Lex asked.

"Zombies would be easier to kill." Malcolm warned before looking way at the glow of the waters. "Savage is immortal, we won't have to worry about any of that, we're just giving him a little push. That being said," Merlyn drew his sword, causing the two others to look at him, "I'd brace myself just in case."

Lex and Zemo shared a look, before drawing their respective pistols to be on the safe side. They stared at the glow, waiting for the ashes to regenerate into flesh and bone, and for the immortal to be born again.

Only, they were waiting for some time now.

"How long is this supposed to take?"

"It's not exactly clearly defined." Malcolm snarked back at Lex. "The man is just ashes at the moment. I can only assume it'll be a while."

Both the founding members of this venture shared a look before sighing.

After a few moments had paced in their wait, Zemo swapped gun hands to reach into his pocket and offer to Lex and Malcolm. "Turkish delight?"

The billionaire and assassin stared at the sweets with questioning looks, before both shrugged. "Thanks."

"Thank you."

With little else to do but wait, the three men unwrapped the sweets and popped them in their mouths, savoring the taste.

All, except Zoom.

Star City, The lair

"Are you sure that Darhk didn't make it out of the explosion?" Laurel asked.

"Have you seen any horror movies? These guys don't stay dead", Felicity said, still shaky from the ordeal, this joke being her attempt to cheer herself up. "Especially if you can't find a body."

"Whoa. Glass half empty much?" Thea asked no one in particular.

"Good news is whatever Darhk had going on there, we lit it up pretty good", Diggle said to the rest.

"Guess that's the good thing that came out of it", Green Arrow said as he walked up to them, before removing the hood and mask, revealing it was Clint Barton behind it. "My first fight with a dark magician." He stretched. "All in all, could have been worse."

"Thank you for your help, Clint", Oliver said gratefully as he held out his hand, and Clint shook it.

"No problem, Oliver."

"Your skill with a bow is greater than even the League's", Nyssa praised Clint, who smirked.

"Oh I know."

"We'll see who is better one day", Oliver said, glaring at Clint seriously, Clint staring back, before both laughed, the rest chuckling a bit too.

"Well, we helped out too", Sara raised a hand.

"Yeah, a little bit, but we did", Laurel shrugged.

"And I put nanites in you", Ray added.

"Yes, you all helped", Oliver said with a smile, and looked at Nyssa too. "Thank you, all of you. We've not beaten Darhk yet, but we've set him back, and we're all fine." His expression turned grim. "But those prisoners…we failed them."

"Yeah", Clint nodded.

"You think they were drugged or something?" Sara inquired.

"Most likely they were", Oliver told her.

"I guess I'll leave after getting out of this suit now", Clint said, before walking off to change. "Can't wait to tell Cap I fought a Nazi that looks like his old war buddy."

"I will be leaving too", Nyssa said, preparing to leave. "I wish you all luck in the war against Damien."

"Nyssa", Oliver called out, making her turn to him. "Thank you."

She smiled and nodded, then left.

"Aren't we supposed to go to that thing?" Thea asked suddenly, checking her watch.

"What thing?" Oliver asked.

"It's a surprise. You're not the only one that can keep a secret, Ollie", Sara smiled at him mysteriously.

Later

"This was Adrian's idea", Thea told Oliver while Adrian led Team Arrow through the crowd, holding Doris' hand. "He wanted to show the people you're not backing down."

"Just flick the switch, and give the speech", Adrian said while turning around to face Oliver.

"We're all waiting when you're done", Sara added with a smile, as Oliver walked onto the stage, the crowd bursting into cheers.

Oliver smiled and waved politely before it died down.

"Thank you, everyone. This week, an event just like this was interrupted by terrorists. But all of us are here tonight to send those people a very simple message. We're not gonna let the darkness win. So all of us are here to light a candle together. United." He turned around and lit the Christmas tree, the crowd going wilder with cheers. "This right there's possible because of all of you, and I am grateful for each one of you. We have faced the darkness, and we will fight it together, and beat it together."

At that moment, two cars drove by, and the side doors opened, the Ghosts opening fire on all of them. Everyone ducked, trying to avoid the barrage of bullets. The cops acting as security returned fire as the Ghosts drove off.

For a moment, it looked like all were safe. Then, Felicity screamed in horror.

Oliver frantically made his way through the crowd, and froze as he saw why Felicity had screamed.

Thea was on the ground, blood pouring from three bullet holes.

The waters of the Lazarus Pit began to bubble and thrash before an arm reached up from within. That arm was followed by the fully regenerated Vandal Savage leaping out of the pool by over a dozen feet, landing on his hands and knees, bare as the day he was born. Panting and growling escaped his shaking form before the immortal looked up.

Only for six bullets to hit his chest and then one more in his head.

Zemo watched the body crumble from over the sight of his Glock, the bloody holes already leaking onto the stony floor. Lex and Malcolm stared at the man with matching deadpan expressions. "Really?"

"He's immortal, not like he can die." Zemo shrugged, and Lex, knowing truly why he shot Savage, accepted it, before taking out his own Beretta and shooting the unmoving Savage in the head, leading to exasperated look from their newest member.

"Now what was that for?"

"I have a bit of a complicated history with immortals, especially with names like his." Lex tilted his head to get a better look at Savage. "Not exactly what I was expecting." He mused to himself.

"In what way?"

"This man looks nothing like Knox." Guess doppelganger was the wrong word. Variant or counterpart might be more suitable, Lex thought.

"Great. While you two are venting and musing, we have to wait even longer. Gold star commitment, boys." Malcolm's sarcasm was clear as they yet again waited for Vandal Savage to come back to life.

A minute or two had passed when the bullets were finally pushed out of Vandal's body and head. A loud groan escaped him as he pushed to his knees, only for his neck to be twisted in a blur, and his body falling once more, the masked Hunter Zolomon standing over the corpse.

"How long are we going to keep killing him?" Malcolm asked with boredom as he chose to lean against a tall rock. He began to feel less threatened by being in the presence of the immortal monster. Granted, they had an untouchable opponent that even Savage couldn't kill, which is why he agreed to join Luthor and Zemo in the first place. He chose to back the winning side.

"Just long enough to get the message across." Lex informed him as he and Zemo moved to sit on a soft enough rock, the latter examining a switchblade he brought with him. "You know, in case he decides to "act out", I suppose you can say."

Malcolm paused before nodding his head. It certainly put them in a position of power. A power that was now to be tested as the sound of snapping brought their attention to Savage pushing himself to stand up after cracking his neck. No doubt getting his head twisted nearly all the way around would leave you with a kink in your neck.

"Morning." Lex greeted genially as Savage took a few steps closer before Zemo's gun was exposed, tapping against his knee. "Vandal Savage, I believe."

The immortal cannibal looked between both men, the figure in black standing like a statue between them, and Malcolm, looking more confident than he expected. "One of many names I have accumulated over thousands of years."

"That's a rather dramatic way of saying "yes"." Zemo quipped, causing Savage's glare to turn to him, but the Baron remained unphased.

"Mind your tongue, lest you will find it removed, along with your heart."

"Now, is this any way to begin a partnership?" Lex asked as he stood between the two of them.

"Ours did."

"Partnership?" Savage drawled the word out. "You expect me to align with men who have repeatedly killed me moments after I have only just regenerated from mere ashes?"

"Oh, trust me, Vandal, you'll like what they're selling." Malcolm spoke up with a confident smirk, one matched by Lex as the billionaire stepped closer to the man who could no doubt kill him in twenty different ways with just his hands.

"How does payback sound to you?"

Vandal tilted his head as he stared at the bald man with a penetrating gaze, that he did not back away from. A human, but a brave one. Or foolish. Yet, he stood with Merlyn, opinions of the man aside, he sought advantage over others, and he sided with these two, and whatever was the black clad speedster he now remembered as Zoom.

Stepping closer until they were eye to eye, Savage looked the Luthor up and down before meeting his eyes again.

"You have my attention."

And one more is done at last. Thanks a lot to Brainstorm Sorcerer and gussygus28 for their help once more, couldn't have done it without them. And thank you to Stand with Ward and Queen for a few suggestions too. And the ending where Thea got shot was taken from his 'Prophecy of the end' with his permission, so thank you to him for that.

Nyssa is out, but her motivations are going after Talia here, rather than taking over the League, which comes later. But she has nothing to bargain with Oliver over it here, since both Sara and Thea are cured of bloodlust.

This is now a three-way war between Oliver, Adrian and Damien.

Hope Clint dressing up as Green Arrow was enjoyed. I was thinking of Smallville Ollie do it first, but I've been unable to have the two Olivers meet so far, and I needed to have a MCU hero meet Arrowverse heroes at some point, so I did the droid arc with Clint, to set up his appearance here.

Also, now Evelyn Sharp is dead as well, since she and her parents were part of Damien's prisoners. It was dark, but I can see Adrian killing all the prisoners. And frankly, I hated Evelyn as well. So now Dinah, Curtis and Evelyn are all dead, while Rene shall still be Oliver's recruit one day.

Meanwhile, the Winchesters and SPN Oliver have taken out the Xenomorph, and Team Angel are done with the Licker too.

Doom has struck at last, and is using Tony's armors for his own benefit. This is a combination of an episode of 'Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes' and an episode of 'Iron Man: Armored Adventures'.

The bigger version of Mark XXXVIII is a prototype version of the Hulkbuster armor

This is gonna be fun.

Meanwhile, Blade has now met Palpatine finally, as well as Rahm Kota (from 'The Force Unleashed' video game) and Aayla Secura.

At the same time, Parker finally reunites with Felicia, and this arc shall now begin soon.

And, Vandal Savage is back too, and he won't be playing, and neither will the rest of them.