Both Helena and Roy leave to get changed while Malcolm sulks in the corner occasionally sending glares towards him and Nyssa who have taken place by the computer trying to recognise a private flight back to his old home.
"The Huntress. Merlyn. Is there anyone else from your past enemies you want to join up." Nyssa asks both jokingly and wearily. God knows who else he decides to recruit. "Who else are you bringing in."
"I haven't decided if I'm going to use him yet," Oliver says refusing to look toward Nyssa already knowing what her reaction will be.
"Him." Nyssa doesn't like the way he said him. Warning bells start ringing in her ears. "Oliver who are you talking about."
"We're heading to Lian Yu. I might be able to convince him to help us.". The realisation sets in as Nyssa's eyes widen in disbelief. He couldn't possibly be thinking. Oliver pushes on pointily ignoring her reaction. He is. He's actually considering this. "I trade him information on his son in exchange for him helping me to save mine."
"Have you lost your mind." She whisper shouts at him not wanting to draw anyone's attention to what they are discussing. "You can't honestly believe he will help you. That he won't kill you the moment you set him free."
Shaking his head Oliver tears his attention away from the PC to focus on Nyssa. He can understand where she's coming from. She's only ever met the mad psychopath hellbent on revenge version of Slade. Not the man he was on the Island before... Before he screwed up. Before Shado died. The man he once called his brother. "According to Lyla, the Mirakru has fully worn off. He's regretful and ashamed of what he's done. If Slade is cured. Then he could be a huge asset to us."
He tries to reason with her. Make her understand that if Slade's with them then he would be a massive help. "And if he's not then he will kill us faster than Chase and my sister could." She's not wrong. But he has to at least try.
"I haven't decided yet. I'm going to see him first and judge him. If I'm not a hundred percent sure, then he stays in that cage. I'll shoot him with a knockout dart. I'm already doing that with the other prisoners." Oliver really hopes that Slade will join them. Even after everything that has happened between them, he still misses his friend. His mentor. The man who turned him into a warrior. Nyssa realises an eyebrow at his statement about the dart. "Chase and Taila both would know about my prison there. If he's looking for people to hate me then that's where I would start. If he hasn't already freed them, it's safer to make sure they can't get involved in the fight."
The Argus Supermax prison holds some of the most dangerous people in the world. A lot of which he put in there. People who Waller didn't want in her little suicide squad. People she didn't trust even a bomb implant could control.
The last thing they need is for all of them to join Chase. It's already hard enough going up against him and his army. This would make it impossible.
"Do you trust me." Oliver asks staring into Nyssa's eyes looking for any sign of doubt.
"More than anyone." She answers not wavering in her conviction.
"Then trust me to deal with Slade." He pleads with her. Nyssa seems to debate with herself for a few moments before coming to a conclusion. The simple nod she sends him speaks far more volumes than it would seem.
Boarding the plane Oliver was able to scrape up he starts overlooking the control and getting everything ready for take off while Roy Helena and Malcolm loaded the eight seater plane with all the gear there are going to need. Nyssa climbs into the co-pilot seat next to him.
She offers him a fond smile. "Do you remember the last time the two of us tried to fly a plane."
A chuckle manages to escape Oliver at the memory. "I wouldn't call that flying a plane. More like landing with style."
"Style hurts." The way she says something with such nonchalant has always amused him. Like the crashing plane of their cargo plane with only two engines while her father threatens to unleash a biological weapon on the city. It was a rough land. Very painful. But the two of them had work to do and forced themselves to make it to Palmer Tech to enlist the aid of his team.
Roy hopes in behind them "Everything loaded."
"Then it's time to go," Oliver says as Helena and Malcolm climb inside as well sealing the door shut. "This is your last chance to bail out. Once we set off there is no going back." He has to ask. Has to give everyone a chance to leave. This could as well be a one way trip.
"Not a chance," Roy replies first eyes narrowing at the choice.
"I'm going to regret this but I'm with you," Helena states buckling up her seatbelt.
"Let's go," Malcolm says his patience slowly running out in his haste to save his daughter.
Nyssa is the last one to answer as they turn to face each other. "Always." A reminder of a promise they made to each other a long time ago.
It's not long into the journey when Malcolm asks the question that no doubt is on everyone's mind. "Why would Chase bring everyone here."
Sighing Oliver explains the reason why everyone is on this plane. Why everyone he cares about is in danger. "Because it's where everything started for me. He believes that I'm a killer and I kill people for fun. This is where I first started to kill people."
"He can't honestly believe you enjoy killing people," Roy says quickly coming to his defence.
"He does. And to a point he's right." Oliver admits. Much to the confoundment of the group.
Surprisingly it's Helena who first comes to his defence. "That is the biggest load of bullshit I have heard from you." Everyone but Oliver turns to face her. He is flying a plane after all. "If you enjoyed killing like this Chase seems to think you do, you wouldn't have stopped me going after my dad. In fact, you would have helped me. You didn't want people to die in a gang war. Didn't want innocent people to suffer. And didn't even want to kill my father who was a mob boss. You wanted him to pay for his crimes. You're not some deranged killer Oliver." Her very forceful tone weakens at her next words as she looks at the floor in shame. "That was me. And you showed me a better way."
Roy follows her lead reminding Oliver about who he really is. "During that first year, you saved more lives than you took Oliver. You only killed when you had to. You-"
"I killed Chase's Father." Oliver interrupts. "I didn't have to kill him. I wanted to. I wanted him to suffer. To pay what he was doing."
Nyssa puts her hand on his leg helping him to calm the storm of anger building inside of him. "And do you remember why you killed him."
Oliver glances out the side of his eyes meeting Nyssa's. She was looking at him telling him it was ok. That he could talk about it if he wanted to. If not, she could. Or they both could say silent. She was giving him a choice on what happens next.
Nyssa already knows what he did. She was supportive of his actions telling him he did what he had to. That a man like that didn't deserve to breathe while hundreds died. Malcolm was probably aware as well given he worked with the man. And if even if he didn't Oliver doesn't really care for his opinion. Not after everything he does.
Helena, he suspects will be neutral on the whole thing. She is turning over a new leaf, but her methods aren't as limited as his are. She probably wouldn't care. More likely be impressed. He isn't really sure where he stands with her, to be honest. This mission will help him to understand what their relationship is from now on. Whether they are friends. Allies. Or enemies.
It's Roy he's most worried about. The young man has become something of a little brother to him. Roy has given up his entire life in order to protect him. Roy did that because he believed in him. Believed in what he stood for and was trying to do. The last thing he wants to do is destroy Roy's trust in him. To make him regret his choice to protect Oliver. But he does deserve to know the truth. It's the least he could do.
Swallowing the lump in his throat he begins explaining his reason. "Justin Clayborne was the CEO of Claybourne Pharmaceuticals. His name was in my father's book. I targeted him after there was an outbreak of tuberculosis in Lamb Valley. Claybourne jacked up the prices leading to many people being unable to get the help they needed. However, I then found out that he was working with a black market group called the Desmond Group. They masterminded the outbreak just so they could earn a profit. They didn't care how many people died as a result."
Flashbacks of the scenes of men women and children dying and being unable to afford the cure rip through his mind. Distant memories of Akio coughing up his own blood fly through his head. The outbreak in China coming back to haunt him. It was his fault. He could have stopped it. Could have saved everyone. He failed. And so many innocent people paid the price for his mistake. Akio Maseo and Tatsu were destroyed because of him.
Nyssa tightening her grip on his leg anchors him. Bringing him back to the present. He shoots her a grateful look before continuing. "When I found out what he had done I showed him and his guard no mercy. I killed them all and when I got to Claybourne I shot an arrow into him forcing him into a pool. I stood over him and watched him as he drowned. It wasn't fast."
The air around the plane was silent as everyone took in what he had said. Oliver debates with himself wondering if he should bring up what happened in Hong Kong. How what Claybourne had done reminded him of his failure there. Of letting Akio die. How he refused to let that happen again.
Roy was the first one to break the silence. "Sounds like you gave him a more merciful death then he deserved." Relief poured through Oliver's body at hearing Roy's words. Yes, there was anger hate and disgust in Roy's words. But none of them were pointed towards him. His rage was aimed at Claybourne.
"Still Chase wasn't wrong. I did like it." Oliver admits his grip on the steering control tightens until his knuckles turn white. "I have killed a lot of people and over time the guilt and remorse associated with it has faded. It's easy. Almost second nature."
Again, it's Helena who comes to his aid first. "I enjoyed watching my father suffering and hurting his organisation. It wasn't the killing I liked but the hurting him." It's an offering. A way for him to dig himself out of the hole he has fallen down.
Is that what he felt. Is that the man he was. Is everything he's feeling now just a result of being Chase's prisoner. Having to undergo his torture like some kind of brain washing.
But that can't be right. He survived league training. No way Chase could have altered his mindset like that.
But Talia had league training as well. Maybe that's what finally broke him.
"You did what you had to survive. If you felt guilt after everyone you killed it would destroy you." Nyssa says trying to get through it through his thick head that he isn't the monster Chase is trying to paint him as. "Yes, I admit you have crossed some lines." She remembers the time he confessed to her that he once skinned a man alive in Russia just for practice. "But you have never felt some sick kind of pleasure at killing. Relief that you're alive. Maybe. Validation is removing scum from the planet so they can't hurt anyone anymore. Probably. But you've never murdered an innocent person. Never killed a mother in front of her child. Chase wants to bring you to his level. Don't let him get into your head."
He's killed so many people now. So many he could have let live. It's hard not to see himself as a monster. Taila even admitted that there was a monster inside him and tried to help him to control it. The things he's done. The lines he's crossed. If people knew. If they really knew they wouldn't look at him the same.
He can still hear the mortification in Tatsu's voice as she walked in on what he did to Shrieve. Remember how she described what he did as monstrous. The way she looked at him as if he was a feral creature looking for its next kill. The not feeling any guilt or remorse for his actions. Feeling nothing negative after spending days torturing a man.
When he skinned Kovar for practice. The numbness he felt when slowly and carefully cutting into the man. Letting his inner demon out in full. The way Anatoli looked at him after. And you know it's bad when the head of the Bratva looks at you like you're something straight out of a nightmare. The main villain in a dark crime thriller.
He's done a lot of awful things. And now his sins are catching up to him.
Yes, Nyssa has a point on that maybe he didn't enjoy the killing for killing but for stopping their reign of tyranny. But that still doesn't excuse him for the moments when he crossed the line. Those were his actions. His decisions. Not split second ones. Thought out and planned ones. He knew what he was going to do, and he did.
He might not be the monster that Chase is. But he is still a monster.
Maybe that will be useful. As only a monster can stop a monster.
Malcolm shifts uncomfortably at the topic of conversation. "How does Chase even know about this place." He asks trying to change the subject.
"Talia." Sighing again Oliver really is starting to regret bringing him along. Why can't he stop asking questions that force him to rip open his past. To dig up everything he has tried so hard to bury. "She knows almost everything about my time away."
He thought when mentioning Talia her name would have come out with more anger or hints of betrayal. But there wasn't any malice in his voice. A part of him can understand why she is working with Chase. He did kill her father and then put Malcom as the Demon head. She had trained him. Saved him. Made him into the man he is today. And he used their time together in order to kill her father.
Nyssa hardly speaks of her sister. He knew she had one. Knew that she fled Nanda Parbat. Someone who still held a lot of respect and authority in the league. Ra's had even spoken of his firstborn who had left to forge her own path. Who had created her own version of the league. Who he respected. Ra's had wanted them to meet. And before Nyssa was captured Ra's had spoken about a potential match between the two of them.
Ra's and Taila both held the other in high esteem. It might not be the normal father daughter relationship but there was a lot of respect towards the other.
He can't even begin to imagine what it must have been like for her to hear that her father had been killed. That one of her own students had killed him and then abandoned the league into the hands of a man with no morals. How Oliver had corrupted the league with his actions. Destroyed the league to the point where even Nyssa knew there was no coming back for it. He had destroyed her home and murdered her father. Of course, she would be feeling hurt and betrayed.
The league wasn't perfect. But it wasn't as evil as he had once fought. Even back then he understood why the league existed. Sara had told him a lot about it during their time together. Dig and Felicity saw it as one horrific enterprise. But was Argus any better. The only difference was that the league followed Ra's while Argus followed the American government.
Being a part of the league led to a greater understanding of what it stood for. To replace evil with death. Isn't that what countries do. To protect those under their protection. What police do. The league was worldwide. They avoided going after innocents. What happened in Star City was because Ra's desperately needed an heir. Needed someone he to continue the path. To keep the world in balance.
The destruction of his city was the only reason he fought back against the league. The tradition of selecting the next demon was too old. Back then wiping out a small village was vastly different to wiping out a whole city. Still awful but on different scales.
If he could go back in time, he would change how he handled the league. If he had spoken to Nyssa. Explained to her what had really happened. Helped her to take down Malcolm. None of this would be happening.
Ra's had even told him that Thea wouldn't have paid the price for Malcom's actions. She was as much a victim as Sara was.
Why did he just trust Malcolm at his word. He knew what his godfather was capable of. He never should have tried to protect him. And he never, never should have given him the ring. Nyssa should have been the next Ra's.
He wasn't thinking about anything but himself at that moment. He wanted to prove to everyone that he was a man of his word. That he had honour. That he was right to do what he had done.
He wasn't. He was wrong. He allowed Malcom to manipulate him into doing his bidding. Every bad thing in his life has happened because of Malcolm. He was the reason the Gambit sunk. Why his father killed himself. Why he was on the Island. Why he ended in Hong Kong. How he ended up in Russia. Why Slade had brought death to his city. Why his mother was dead. Why Sara had been killed. Why the league attacked Star City. Why Chase is hunting him now.
Everything started with Malcolm and his need to kill thousands in his anger over losing his wife. Yes, Ra's trained him but there was a code. Malcolm chose to break that code.
"How," Roy asks confused as to how Taila could have known about this place. It's meaning. His words snap Oliver out of his thoughts.
Oliver pushes those thoughts to the back of his mind. He needs to focus on the problem at hand. He can deal with everything else when this is all over. "She researched me," Oliver informs everyone. He hesitates slightly before admitting why Taila really knows so much about him. Far more than can be found out from researching him. "And I told her."
Everyone's but Nyssa's head snap towards him in stunned. Nyssa already knows this. He told her as soon as he found out Taila was her older sister. He really should have asked more about her older sister. But at the time they were looking for her younger brother. And then it just never came up.
"What, you told her... When." Roy looks between Nyssa and him as if that will reveal the answer.
"During my last year away, I was in Russia for a time. Talia found me one night after I had been captured. Saved my life and nursed me back to health. She trained me. Give me my dad's notebook. My hood. My bow. Taught me to embrace the monster inside of me and started me on my crusade." Even though he and Taila now stand on opposite sides he still can't help but feel grateful for everything she has done for him. He was so lost in the dark. So afraid of what he had been turned into that he didn't believe he could go home. Was terrified that he would destroy his family if he did.
And to some extent he was right. His mother was dead because of him. Because he made the wrong choice. He brought danger to his family and didn't warn them about the incoming threat. Didn't want to expose them to this side of his life. Didn't want to lose them because of his past actions.
But instead of protecting him, he left them vulnerable. Unaware of the danger slowly creeping up on them. He desperately tried to hold his family together with lies rather then tell them the truth. Maybe things would have been different if he told them.
His mother sacrificed her life in order to protect him and Thea. Thea was driven into the arms of Malcolm Merlyn. He turned her into a soldier. But it was Oliver that drove her away. Who forced her to leave as she couldn't trust him anymore.
But it wasn't all his fault. His mother was a part of Tempest. Was working with Merlyn to destroy the glades. Yes, it was under duress, but she still helped him. And Thea went off with Merlyn. She knew what he had done. Knew that because of him her dad was dead. Tommy was dead. Walter was kidnapped. And his mom was forced to take part in a horrific event. That he had killed hundreds of people.
They all had made mistakes. Mistakes which cost people their lives. Maybe that's all his family can do.
But that's not the point. Taila was the one who started him on his journey home. Because of her guidance, he was able to spend some time with his mother before she died. Reunited him with his sister.
She was his friend. Someone he trusted. Taila baited the darkness inside of him and forced him to confront who he really was. Helped him to control his rage. To channel it into something more productive.
He regrets many things in his life. His dad, Yao Fa, Shado, Slade, Akio, Taiana, Tommy, his mother, Laurel and all of his poor judgement calls which lead to their demise. But what he doesn't regret is meeting her. Following her leadership. Her teachings. Telling her about his past.
He wishes they weren't enemies. That she would forgive him for his crimes against her family. That she never had trained Chase and told him every weakness he had ever confided in her. But he doesn't regret their partnership in Russia.
"I was taught by a lot of people while I was away. But Taila was my mentor." One of his closest friends. "The one who made me. Me."
"That's what she was to you," Merlyn asks somewhat accusingly. "A mentor."
Oliver only just stops himself from turning around to glare at Malcolm's accusation. "Yes. What are you getting at." His irritation at the hidden question leaked into his tone.
Roy and Helena share an uneasy look hearing the tone of Oliver's voice. Nyssa glares at Malcom encouraging him to shut up. Of course, Merlyn ignores all these signs. "Was she just a mentor to you... Or was she something more..." The meaning of his words was obvious.
Next to him, he can feel Nyssa tense at the idea. That's always a lovely thought. That your older sister who is now trying to kill your friends and family used to sleep with your husband. The urge to punch Merlyn grows.
Oliver stays silent on the matter as he tries to get his anger under control. Opening his mouth or having any type of reaction might set him off. And he has to focus on flying this plane. His friends and family won't be saved if in a fit of trying to tear out Malcom's throat the plane nose dives into the ocean.
"You mean did he sleep with her." Nyssa's words come out hard and cold. Oliver doesn't dare look towards her right now.
Again, Merlyn doesn't read the room. "Did you." Oh, he's going to punch him. As soon as this plane lands. "I mean that would explain why she wants to hurt you as much." Does he ever shut up. Roy must have shot him a dark look because Malcolm quickly defends himself. "What I'm just saying you have a record of sleeping with most women you come into contact with." Forget punching him. He is going to kill Malcolm. "Two of them are on this plane right now." He's dead. "And we're on our way to rescue two more. Your son's mother being one of them. And facing someone who is another world version of another one. Is it so hard to believe that maybe Taila would be one too. If you think about it, it's two, two and two then. Two fighters. Two non-combatants and two adversaries."
Slowly Oliver turns his head to face Nyssa. The same furious look is burning in her eyes as his. But even she looks startled at the sheer wrathful look boiling inside of him. "Nyssa." He growls out low and dangerous. He tries to keep her anger out of his voice. Not wanting her fury to be directed towards her. "Can you take the controls for a moment." Her anger fades away slightly as she nods taking control of her co-pilot side as he switches control over to her. "Thank you."
After making sure Nyssa is in perfect control Oliver twists in his seat jumping over his chair slamming into Malcolm. Both Roy and Helena who have stayed silent during Malcom's monologing can do nothing but watch the events unfold. Like watching a car crash they can't look away.
Oliver grabs Malcolm slamming him to the floor of the plane. A small rattle shakes the plane but nothing major which will affect their flight. For the second time in just a few hours, Oliver has Merlyn by the throat. "We are not friends Merlyn. We are barely allies. The only reason why I haven't killed you or allowed Nyssa to kill you is because of Thea. You have no right to ask questions about my personal life or personal relationships. You especially have no right to make remarks about my private life. Not after you killed my father and your own son. Not to mention drugging MY BABY SISTER AND MAKING HER KILL SARA. AFTER YOU FORCED ME TO FIGHT THE LEAGUE WHICH IS WHY TAILA IS WORKING WITH CHASE. AND YOU CERTAINLY CAN'T TALK ABOUT MY SON WHEN YOU WERE THE ONE WHO KIDNAPPED HIM AND TRADED HIM TO DAMIAN DHARK. I AM WORKING WITH YOU TO SAVE THEA. AFTER THAT OUR ALLIANCE IS AT AND END. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR."
"Crystal." Struggles to get out under the pressure of Oliver's grip.
"Oliver," Nyssa calls out when Oliver still hasn't let go of Malcom. Reluctantly Olive lets him go and moves back to his seat. Nyssa doesn't handle the control back over allowing him time to try and calm down. To haul the monster back on.
"No..." He says her voice cold and dead. The voice he used when he was Al Sah-Him. His answers to Merlyn's question is directed towards the other three members of his team. Now that the idea is out there, he has to answer it. Just so they knew that his sex life was not the cause of all this. "I didn't sleep with her..."
"I'm sensing a but here," Roy states somewhat warily. Not wanting to set Oliver off again when he's trying to calm down. Not that he believes that Oliver would attack him. But because he knows how hard it is for Oliver to control his anger when it's unleashed at full force like that. When he has nothing to take his frustration out on to help plunge it out of his system.
"But the option was there. Taila made it clear that she was... drawn to my darkness." That was always obvious from the moment he woke up with her standing over him till the day she told him to talk to the Bratva about leaving never to be seen again. "That when I killed with her. When I let the killer inside of me out. It excited her. The first time we worked together she told me she would draw the guard's attention while I killed the leader of a child sex trafficking ring. Only she killed the first guard then hid in the shadows and watched me kill all the guards and then beat my target to death with a pistol in his car. When I got out, she was standing there smiling at me. She had me kill many people during our time together. Her reaction was always the same."
Silence fills the cabin at his admission until Helena breaks it. "Wow. I've missed so much." Helena mutters under her breath. The outrage in him settles down as he retakes control. Helena's words brought a tiny bit of amusement to him.
The rest of the journey is practically silent. With Roy Helena and Nyssa breaking the silence to ask each other questions at certain points. Oliver filled them in a bit more about some of the dangers they could face on the island. Mainly the traps and landmines.
It won't be long until they are thrown into the fire now.