Following the trail left behind by if he had to guess Harkness the trail seems to be leading them in the same direction as the tracker. It seems that they are holed up somewhere about a mile or two in front of them. Harkness had stayed there for a while before he started to head back towards where they were all gathered. Oliver tells Curtis over comms that Harkness is heading in their general direction and to keep a lookout. He wouldn't be alone.
Oliver and Nyssa are at the front of the group. Slade and Helena behind him with Roy and Dusan taking up the rear. Quietly Oliver leans towards Nyssa. "What was all that with Dusan." Whatever made Dusan so worried about Nyssa being on the front lines has to be bad right.
Nyssa glances over her shoulder before indicating that the two of them should move slightly more ahead. Doing that allows for Nyssa and Oliver to have a bit more privacy for this conversation. "Dusan was worried about me being in the fight due to... certain reasons. Reasons that I don't know are true or not yet. Just a suspicion." She says telling him but still not telling him much.
He doesn't understand why she is being so evasive all of a sudden. "Nyssa what's going on." He pleads with her to talk to him. To let him in.
Nyssa doesn't answer him keeping her eyes on the trail. "I've lost the tracks." She announces looking back towards the rest of the group. "I'll scout further ahead and see if I can find them again." She doesn't wait for anyone to say anything in response before departing the group.
Clearing she doesn't want to talk about whatever it is that's bothering her. Dropping back, he approaches Roy and Dusan. As if sensing what they are about to talk about Roy decides it would be best to go and talk to Helena and Slade.
"Ok, what is going on," Oliver asks once Roy is out of hearing range. He does note that Roy, Helena and Slade are all blatantly not looking in their direction offering them a sense of privacy. Dusan doesn't say anything like his sister instead focusing on the ground. Waves of his shoulder length white hair form a barricade around his face better protecting him from Oliver's piercing gaze. "Dusan. What is going on with my wife." He asks gently but firmly. The concern in his voice was clear as day.
"I promised I wouldn't say anything." Dusan looks up to face him. His own worry reflected in his pale eyes. Worry but also a spark of joy. Something he hasn't really seen in his brother's eyes other then the odd occasion.
"Is she ok at least." Oliver can't keep the worry out of his voice. If something is wrong with her he wants to be there for her.
Dusan gulps looking around him. No doubt searching for any signs of Nyssa reappearing. Dusan shuffles closer. "Look neither of us know for sure yet... But recently Nyssa has been experiencing turns of sickness. We both think we know what's causing her to be ill but we don't know for sure. So when we arrive back in Star City we are going to do the test." Dusan then walks away allowing Oliver to absorb what he just told him.
Test... Turns of sickness... When they got off the plane before he knew that Nyssa didn't look well. And then she vanished off into the bushes before returning acting like everything was fine. Was she experiencing a drought of this sickness.
Oliver's line of thinking was cut off with Nyssa's return. "I found where they are holding everyone." She states leading them all to an abandoned temple. Oliver watches her carefully something he knows she feels his gaze but ignores him instead facing dead ahead.
Slade pulls out a pair of binoculars and looks over the structure. "I count ten lookouts." He says passing Oliver the binoculars. "How well do you remember the layout of the temple."
"Lots of long corridors leading to individual rooms with more than one way in or out," Oliver answers passing the binoculars to Roy. "I remember that some of the walls inside had fallen down." He had first explored the ruins with Shado and Slade after they had defeated Fyers. They had wanted to fully explore the Island in case there was anything lying around which could help them get off this Island or at least make their new lives here better.
Inside the temple, most of what they found were old bowls and candles. The candles came in use during the winter when it became freezing in the plane. The small fires helped to warm them. Shado has said the candles really bring the place together and make the plane feel like home.
"What happened to her wasn't your fault kid," Slade states seeing where his mind had gone.
"I know but that doesn't change how I feel about losing her like that," Oliver replies swallowing his guilt. He can still see the acceptance on Shado's face. she knew she was about to die. She knew and she wasn't afraid. She didn't want Oliver to know she was scared. Didn't want him to have that as the last image of her. "She didn't deserve to die like that." She didn't deserve to die at all. Especially not down on her knees and executed without a second thought.
"Losing someone you love is never easy," Helena says lost in her own thoughts. Michael was killed by her father because he thought that Michael was talking to the feds when really it was her. Because of her decision to turn on her father Michael was killed. It's not exactly the same situation but she was trying to do the right thing and someone she loved suffered because of it. "Holding yourself responsible will send you down a dark path. You taught me that." Helena regrets how far she fell but is willing to make up for it now. And that is something respectable.
He is proud of Helena for that. For coming out of her crucible a stronger and better person. He knows how enticing the darkness is. To just give into that desire and wash away all the bad feelings from your life to live on the thrill it gives you. A rush like no other. To come out of the darkness takes a lot. He and Sara struggled with it for years. Nyssa and Dusan still struggle with it at times. So seeing Helena like this makes him feel proud.
Roy might be his protege, his little brother and his favourite student. But Helena was his first student. The first person he really exposed himself to while he was finding out who Oliver Queen really was and who the man in the hood was.
He wonders if he tried harder. If he had done things differently then maybe Helena might not have gone the dark path she did. Maybe he was pushing her towards the light too quickly. Forcing her to be something she wasn't ready for and that caused her to spiral more. Maybe if he did things better then maybe she wouldn't have had to suffer so much, and McKenna wouldn't have been hurt the way she was and forced to leave the job she loved and worked so hard for.
One of the only people he knew and trusted from before the Island suffered because of his bad calls. McKenna ended up getting shot and had to go into physical therapy for months. She had to relearn how to walk and regain control of her lower body because of him and Helena. And he will never forgive himself for that. For messing up that badly. He refuses to let something like that happen again.
"So how do we plan on getting in there," Dusan asks nicking the binoculars off of Roy. "If one of those lookouts spots us, then Chase might have your friends killed just to hurt you." A thought he shares with his brother in law.
Chase won't be happy that Nyssa is here with him. That means Taila might not be as loyal as Chase expected. A variant outside of his control. That will eat away at him. Because that is what Chase is. An egotistical control freak psychopath who can't stand it when things don't go the way he planned. He saw that the moment Chase killed his own wife. She ruined his plan, and he murdered her in a fit of rage.
So, Nyssa and Taila's sibling bond will drive a wedge between him and Taila. Taila has her own resolve on killing him fractured knowing Nyssa is here and hearing Oliver's words. Will it be enough to fully turn her he doesn't know. He hopes so. But even if it isn't he has planted a wedge between Chase and their shared mentor. They won't trust each other the same going forward and expect the other to do something. They will be watching each other too closely to see the tricks still up his sleeve.
"We need to get in there without anyone knowing," Nyssa says looking towards Oliver. "Thankfully there are three trained Assassins who excel in that area." She sends him a small which he returns.
If only that plan would work. Yes, the three of them could sneak in but Slade Helena and Roy couldn't. They aren't trained like they are. Maybe Roy could get away with it after all his training with Nyssa and Dusan but it's still too risky and too big of a group to not be spotted by Talia's students.
He has an idea. A very bad idea. An idea that Nyssa will not like. He glances towards Helena and Slade. Maybe they don't have to sneak in. "Oh," Roy says looking at Oliver. "I know that look."
"What look," Oliver asks innocently.
"The look where you've come up with an awful plan that will mostly likely get us killed." Comes Roy's blunt reply.
Scoffing Oliver looks towards everyone else. "I don't have a look."
"Yes, you do." Slade, Nyssa and Dusan echo. The four of them teaming up on them. Helena is the only one not to and she instantly becomes his favourite member of the group.
He glares at them. "Oh yeah name one time when I had this look."
"When you tried to sneak into Fryer's camp," Slade answers first. Ok that wasn't a great plan but it kind of worked in the end. Minus everything going to hell. But that could have happened to anyone.
"When you told me about the plan to crash the plane... as we were crashing. And then how to stop the plane from crashing." Nyssa replies glaring at him. She really has to let the plane issue go. He had no idea that she would be on that plane as well. Why would Ra's make her come back to the city where she became free from him from... Actually, makes a lot of sense. it was a punishment for her.
Why didn't he think of that. He was so sure that Ra's would have her confined to Nanda Parbat. That he wouldn't be able to trust his daughter on this mission and have her held captive in Nanda Parbat. Where Malcolm was meant to rescue her from her locked room and then they would have regrouped with everyone back in Star City and move on with their lives now safe and free.
Of course, naturally, nothing in his plan went the way he wanted it to. But again, in the end, it all worked out for the best.
"The time you told us you were going to fight Ra's Al Ghoul in order to protect Merlyn and Thea," Roy adds on. Now that wasn't a great plan but at the time he seemed like his only option.
"Or how about that time you decided to parachute onto Coleon's ship in the middle of the night." Dusan answers last. Helena can't say anything because it was him stopping her from making the crazy plans. But he can see the amusement shining in her eyes at each statement.
But back to Dusan's, it's not like he hasn't done that plan before. In fact, he Slade and Sara had done it. And his idea worked out perfectly... Until Slade turned on them and tried to kill them all. But that wasn't anything to do with his plan. More his hesitation in murdering someone.
"And how many of those plans worked." Not the best odds but he's still alive so it's all good. "Nyssa, Dusan you two go and find Talia." Nyssa shoots him an unsure look. "We'll be fine. You two deal with Talia. We'll deal with everyone else.
"You better not die husband," Nyssa warns kissing him softly almost desperately. There is something in her eyes like she wants to tell him something but is reframing herself doing so. If this has anything to do with what he and Dusan were talking about he has an idea as to what that is. But he knows Nyssa won't back down from this fight. And he has to let her go and do this. Instead of calling her on it, he kisses her again whispering words of love and affection in Arabic towards her before watching her leave with Dusan.
Roy stands next to him. "You know if you die then she is going to kill the rest of us."
Oliver laughs at this. "No doubt. But that wouldn't be my problem anymore." Turning to Slade and Helena, he quickly fills them in and begins the first step of his plan. "You two ready."
"Please." Helena scoffs. "This is the easy part." A second later Slade punches him knocking him out while Helena hits Roy with her crossbow. "Sorry, Oliver. Sorry, Roy. Be needs a must." She looks between the two of them before groaning. "Fuck. I forgot I'm going to have to drag one of these guys all the way over there." Slade just chuckles deeply to himself before grabbing a hold of Oliver's leg and dragging him away. Helena mimics his actions tugging Roy along after him. "Fuck you weigh far more then you look. I hate this mission."
Meanwhile, Laurel was leading everyone back to the boat. After spending so much time with Nyssa, Dusan and Roy she has grown to appreciate the silence. Now if only everyone else could have that same appreciation everything would be great.
Behind her Thea and Malcolm are once again arguing about something. She's not really sure since she's been focused on making sure no assassins sneak up on them after Oliver gave them the heads up about Harkness heading their way. But whatever it is she is on Thea's side. Then William is overly excited about finding out his dad is a superhero. Which is fair. Samantha is trying to distract him from everything that's going on which again is fair. Then Felicity and Curtis are talking about Nyssa and Oliver. Only Tatsu seems to understand the need to be quiet so they can't be followed.
She really wishes Nyssa was here with her. Malcolm wouldn't dare mess around with her here. And Felicity and Curtis would not feel brave enough to talk about her and Oliver's relationship with her around.
Oliver and Nyssa. That still surprises her at times. They seem so similar but so different at the same time. She can't get over how long they have been together and how they managed to keep it from everyone. How could she not have seen what was going on between her best friend and her childhood friend. Even when Oliver was with Felicity, he would have dropped everything in order to help Nyssa. And when he and Felicity broke up, he disappeared with Nyssa for nearly two months.
"You know I never agreed with Oliver's choice to send William away. Not that he asked me for my opinion. I mean I was only his fiancé." Felicity says and Laurel physically winces. Now is really not the time for this. After all the time she has spent on missions with Dusan, and Nyssa Laurel has really come to see why Oliver always seems so annoyed with the teams. There is a lot of unnecessary drama brought into the team and missions.
Right now, is a perfect example.
Sneaking a glance over her shoulder Laurel witnesses Samantha's eyes narrowing. "Why would he." Samantha's voice takes a cold hint. "What Oliver and I decided had nothing to do with you. You didn't have a say in what me and Oliver decided for our son." Felicity looks taken aback by Samantha so easily dismissing her words. "You might have been engaged to Oliver at the time. But that doesn't give you the right to be a part of the decision we made for William's safety. It didn't involve you."
Samantha storms forward dragging William with her. Silence descends over the group following the small... disagreement.
Tatsu suddenly pauses in her steps and puts her hand up for everyone to stop. Laurel immediately starts scanning the area for whatever it was that Tatsu picked up. Behind her Thea and Malcolm draw back their arrows. Thea moves closer towards William and Samantha.
Malcolm's head tilts to the left before he turns and fires an arrow into the brush. A scream of pain follows. Laurel reacts as Thea, Malcolm and Tatsu engage the emerging assassins and Harkness. She rushes forward grabbing Samantha and William and pulling them back behind a fallen tree. Felicity and Curtis follow behind.
It's times like this when Laurel really wishes she had learnt how to use a bow. After making sure the four of them are safe from threats Laurel pulls out her batons and moves to engage. A small group of Assassins come charging out of the forest swords drawn. How nice of them to all clump together. Grinding to a halt Laurel faces the group rears back and screams. The canary cry actives and sends the assassins flying backwards into the trees. A few of them who aren't knocked out try to stand but she moves first diving into the middle of them. Her batons being swift and powerful to take out the assassins.
Tatus engages with her own katana blocking deflecting and slicing through assassins while Thea and Malcolm pick off the archers of assassins who get too close to the group. Overall, the battle is over fairly quickly. Only one person remains.
Harkness came with the assassins and stands there shocked at how quickly his group was taken out and the emergence of reinforcement for Oliver's side. Seems like Chase really didn't expect Oliver to bring so many people to rescue his son and team. A major overlook on his part.
Especially if Chase did all his research on the Green Arrow and knew that the archer had connections to other superhero teams. Like team Flash, the Legends or even Supergirl and her team. Actually, having Kara on their side would be good. A flying, laser visioned hero who can't be hurt by blades, arrows, bullets or explosions would be so useful right now.
But the look on Chase's face when Kara came in would have made it all worth it.
Harkness nervously giggles to himself. "You're all not upset about me turning on you are ya." He asks branding his best smile as he holds his arms up in surrender.
"Yes." Comes four annoyed voices causing him to step back a bit. Further and further away from them. But Laurel, Tatsu, Thea and Merlyn don't allow him to go too far. Thea fires a warning arrow, and he halts in his steps.
Harkness looks more and more nervous with each passing second. His gaze jumping from her to Merlyn and then to Tatsu. "You guys weren't part of the plan."
Thea just laughs and smiles menacingly towards him. "That was kind of the point."
"Can I just say-
"No." Laurel cuts him off unleashing her canary cry and smacking him against the nearest tree. "Tie him up. Lyla will be interested in renewing his loyalty to Argus." Merlyn nods and steps forward to do just that. While Thea and Tatus walk over to her.
"They tracked us down too quickly." The Asian woman says surveying their surroundings.
"Far too quickly." Laurel agrees. "They should have assumed we would go for the plane. Something made them change paths directly in our direction."
"Chase has to have some type of tracking equipment hidden somewhere." Thea guesses.
Groaning Laurel shakes her head. "Either way we should get moving. The longer we stay here the higher chance more of them will come. And I would rather be on the ship then trapped here with god knows what else Chase has planted."
Malcolm using his robotic hand drags the limp body of Harkness and they continue onwards to where one of the two boats was left. One was brought here by Tatsu the other by herself and Dusan. Curtis brings up the GPS device which is already loaded with the coordinates of where the cargo vessel is supposed to meet them.
Laurel tries not to think of the last a Lance sister was on a cargo ship near this Island and how led to all of this starting. Sara had told her a little of her time here and there. Of what happened to have after the gambit sank and the hell she was put through. Hearing everything she heard about what her little sister had to endure made her awful of wishing the worst of her when she came back the first time.
Same with Oliver. She wouldn't wish what happened on that ship or this island upon anyone. Never mind the people she loves the most. Sometimes she wonders what would have become of everyone had Oliver and Sara not snuck away together on that boat trip. That one decision set in motion everything that is happening today.
Sometimes she wishes for a normal life. To be able to go back to Star City and not be recognised as a dead hero. That she could just go back to helping people using the law. But as she helps William on the boat, she knows she wouldn't have changed anything. Oliver becoming the arrow has saved hundreds of thousands of people's lives. He started something that has grown into this. And now there are various teams of heroes protecting the earth. He has brought people together and formed a bigger family then she could have imagined. And protected the world from evil that no one else could have.
She thought her work as a lawyer in Star City showed her the worst type of people. But what those people were doing is nothing compared to what she has seen since being exposed to this side of Oliver's life. And now all she wants to do is fight for the same reasons Oliver fights. To protect the innocent. That has given her life more meaning than anything else.
This life has brought her people like Roy, Nyssa, Dussan, Barry, Felicity, Dig and so many more. So, no she wouldn't change anything about how they got here. She wishes those they had lost were still with them like Tommy and Moria. And that those who have suffered didn't have to like Oliver, Nyssa, Sara, and Thea. But this life gives, and it takes.
"Will my dad be ok." William asks his mother sinking into her body as Thea and Malcolm heave Harkness onboard.
Samantha smiles sweetly and comfortingly towards him. "I'm sure he will be. He's a hero. He does things like this all the time. And he has some of the best with him. They will watch his back.
"Will he kill the bad man." William asks making Samantha hesitate and look over to her.
To which Laurel has no idea what to say to that. Chase is a monster and deserves to be put down for everything he has done. But will Oliver kill him. It seems like that is what Chase wants him to do and Oliver is not going to give Chase anything he desires from this fight.
To better keep everyone safe and the plan in function only Oliver, Nyssa, Dusan and she thinks Roy understand everything. That was always going to be the team Oliver took to face Chase, Talia and her army. While Laurel and Tatsu were told the start of the plan and how to get everyone to safety. That was their role.
Oliver made it so those who he knew were loyal were split equally through the two teams. If she had to guess what the next stage of the plan was it would be to find everyone else and then have Roy and Helena escort them to the other ship and off the Island. Once they are free Oliver, Nyssa and Dusan wouldn't have to hold back. That is when the war will truly kick start.
She wonders if Chase realises that out of the three of them, Oliver is not the one to fear on that team. He is the most relaxed and moral one. She almost laughs at the thought. Chase has no idea what family he has just fucked with. And if they get Talia to turn. She almost dreads to think what the three siblings would do to Chase.
"I wouldn't worry too much William," Laurel replies. "Your father will stop the bad man. It's what he does. Maybe you could ask your aunt Thea about the time they took on an alien invasion."
Willaim's eyes widen in awe as his head snaps towards Thea. "You fought Aliens."
"Yep." Thea laughs sitting down next to him. "We ever flew in an alien spaceship." She pauses mulling something over. "We even have an alien friend. She's called Kara but on her earth, she is known as Supergirl." Thea begins telling William everything about all the heroes they have fought with and her own experiences. The whole distracts the kids from what is happening as they drive away from the Island.
Samantha sends her a thank you look which she nods at it. Glancing back to the Island she wishes Oliver, Dusan, Nyssa, Oliver, Helena and Slade luck. She gets the feeling this whole thing is far from over.