Laurel never really had older siblings before. She had always been the older sister herself. First to Sara, something that could be a little nerve wracking at times considering how much her parents tended to baby her little sister at times. They had always indulged her more than they should have, and that had made Laurel worry for her. Sara might have thought her oblivious, but Laurel had heard enough through their social circle's grapevine to know that her sister had been skiving off her classes prior to Laurel getting on the Gambit. Whatever her sister believed, the real world was never going to give her the infinite number of passes their parents did.
Then there was Thea. As much as Speedy had adored Oliver and Tommy, she had always needed a role model of a decidedly more feminine pursuit to look up to. Moira had always tried her best to be that person, but as much as mother and daughter loved each other, there always something between them that just didn't click right. So it was Laurel that Thea had ended up turning to instead. Laurel had been the one to take Thea out shopping for her middle school prom dress dress, to occasionally driver her to and from archery practice and horseback riding, and to explain her periods to her when her first one had come while her mother had been out on a business trip.
Even Oliver and Tommy had occasionally come to her for advice, usually involving their fathers. Oliver had loved his father but the two had been growing distant over Robert's growing desire to start grooming his son for the CEO position at Queen Consolidated. And Tommy's father — well, the less said about him, the better. She hadn't minded that either, because she cared about them both, like she cared for Sara and Thea.
But Laurel herself had never really had anyone to look out for her in the same way. She was always expected to be the stable one, the rock everyone leaned on, the confidant that listened to all their problems, and ultimately, the one who never needed help herself. And for the most part, she did her best to live up to that ideal. But it could be so difficult at times — there were always moments where she wished someone would be there for her like she always had to be for everyone else.
The only person who had ever really managed that was Oliver. Whenever he wasn't stuck on his own problems, he had always been willing to listen to hers and give his own advice. He was the person who reminded her that sometimes, all work wasn't a good thing, that she needed to loosen up and live a little at times. He could be sweet like that, and it always made Laurel's heart ache to remember all those little moments they shared together.
So yes, Laurel never really had any older siblings before. But sometimes, she wondered if the relationships she shared with Shado and Slade were like having older siblings anyway. Shado might've been around the same age as her, but she was so much wordlier, always a font of sage advice. And Slade — he was older than her, cynical and gruff but with a caring heart. He watched out for her just as much, if not more than Shado did. Both of them were the ones to teach her how to survive on this island, had been the ones to let her lean on them whenever she struggled. They didn't coddle her, they weren't afraid to let her fall and fail, but they always helped pull her back to her feet so she could try again.
She would've never made it on Lian Yu without of either of them.
So just as well, someone tried to take one of them away anyway.
The pirates bombed the forest. To draw them out, no doubt, so they could steal whatever the hell they wanted off the bodies of those dead Japanese soldiers. And Laurel, stupid, stupid Laurel, had gone out to bring Shado back inside the plane so they could be protected by the metal casing. She would've died if Slade hadn't gone outside and shielded her from one of the blasts. Now half his face was burnt off, he was dying despite Shado's best efforts, and it was all Laurel's fault.
It was only the fact that she was needed on guard duty that she didn't outright dissolve into remorse and tears. That wouldn't have been helpful at all, when there were enemies on the island ready and willing to kill them to get what they wanted. So she grabbed one of the leftover machine guns that survived the bombing on Fyers's camp, loaded it up with bullets, and stood by the entrance, practically daring someone to come after them.
When the pirates appeared, Laurel gave a few warning shots on the ground, to make it clear that she knew how to use the damn thing and that she wasn't afraid to use it on them. The pirates glared at her, each brandishing weapons of all sorts, and then suddenly the crowd parted ways to reveal an older, caucasian man that looked very un-pirate like. He was dressed casually, in a loose button shirt, a coat, and some slacks. A non-threatening appearance, but something about him just seemed slimy. Laurel saw shades of Fyers immediately, and didn't like it at all.
The man stepped forward. Laurel tensed and aimed the machine gun, causing him to hold up his hands in a defensive gesture. "Peace, I come in peace," he said. "I just want to talk."
"And why should I believe you?" Laurel demanded, still ready to attack at a moment's notice.
"They haven't attacked yet, have they? You and I both know that there are too many men here — you would've mowed down several of them, I'm sure, but eventually one of them would've gotten you in the end."
Laurel narrowed her eyes. As much as she hated it, he was right. She had a big gun, yes, but not that big, and she was only one person in the end. There was only so much she could've done before she was overwhelmed, especially with the limited amount of ammo she had. So slowly, she lowered the machine gun, careful to keep it just high enough to be used in a moment's notice, but also low enough to look like she was standing down.
Upon seeing her actions, the man smiled. "My name is Doctor Anthony Ivo," he said, introducing himself.
Ivo. She had heard of that name before. "Of Ivo Industries? One of those big technology firms in Central City?"
Ivo's smile widened. "You're well-informed. Indeed, that is my family's company. I was the CEO for a time, but I stepped down a few years ago for personal reasons."
"Reasons that led you here, to a mostly abandoned island in the middle of the North China Sea," Laurel asked slowly, skeptically. Alarm bells were ringing in her head.
"Yes. You see, my wife is dying of a terminal illness, and I'm searching for a cure. During my research, I learned of a miracle drug that was being developed by the Japanese during World War II, called the Mirakuru. It's said to have regenerative healing properties, powerful enough to just about cure or heal any sort of ailment."
Laurel had been suspicious during the start of the explanation, only to freeze at the last sentence. It's said to have regenerative healing properties, powerful enough to just about cure or heal any sort of ailment. Regeneration? It sounded like something out of a science fiction novel. But if it was true… "How about a half-burned face? Could it heal that?" she asked, trying to keep the desperation out of her voice and just barely succeeding.
"Potentially," Ivo said neutrally, though his eyes alighted with interest. He was no doubt thinking about seizing the opening Laurel had offered him. "Why do you ask?"
"One of my friends was struck during your bombing of the forest. He's badly injured, and my other friend says he doesn't have much time," the young woman explained. "We'll help you find the Mirakuru, but only if you let us use one of the samples on him to heal him."
The doctor hummed, narrowing his eyes. "A tempting offer. The problem is, we don't exactly know where the Mirakuru is. Supposedly, the coordinates to the Japanese sub where it was being developed are etched into this." He pilfered through one of his jacket pockets and took out a photo of an arrowhead. Laurel stiffened when she saw it; it was the Hozen, the one Shado had taken from those Japanese soldiers to use as a memento for her father.
"You recognize it," Ivo noted upon seeing the expression on Laurel's face. "Tell me something — what is stopping me from killing you and all your friends right now and taking it for myself?"
Shit. She needed to think fast. There really wasn't anything stopping him at all — he had them outnumbered and outgunned. Even if Laurel held them off long enough for her friends to escape, Slade was in no condition to move on his own, and Shado would never abandon him or Laurel. Think, Laurel, think!
"How many men have you lost since you arrived on the island?" she suddenly blurted out, mind in overdrive. For a moment she wondered what she was thinking, but then her mind began to clear. It was a longshot, but… "Not to us, I mean. But to other dangers. Here, on Lian Yu."
Ivo pursed his lips, eyes narrowed. He remained silent.
"Surely you triggered one or two of the landmines," Laurel continued, swallowing.
"What exactly are you proposing?"
"My friend and I — we'll guide you through the island and to the sub. We've been living on this island for almost a year, we know the terrain like the back of our hands. In return, you let us use one of the Mirakuru samples on our other friend so we can save his life." Laurel chanced a small smile. "Our goals align. There's no reason for us to be enemies, right?"
"…right," Ivo agreed, smiling back insincerely. "You have a deal."
Laurel didn't outwardly celebrate, but she did release a small, internal breath of relief. Disaster averted, at least for now. She lowered the machine gun so it was at her side, grateful that the danger had passed, but didn't let it go completely. She wasn't that stupid, after all.
But then Ivo approached her so they were standing face-to-face, close enough to speak so no one could overhear. "I'll let you and your friends guide us to the sub. But let me make this clear — if that sub doesn't have any Mirakuru on it, we are going to have a big, big problem."
The threat was clear. Laurel shivered.
Starling City
Oliver didn't like visiting the Glades. No matter how prosperous the rest of the city seemed to get, this particular neighborhood always seemed to remain as impoverished and crime-ridden as ever, if not worse. All this, despite the efforts of several charities and philanthropists throughout the city (including Oliver's godmother Rebecca Merlyn, God rest her soul) to improve the conditions there. It was almost like someone was deliberately keeping everything here as terrible as possible.
It made him wonder why his father wanted him to come out here. As far as he was aware, Robert had very little to do with the Glades ever since he made the decision to shut down the steel factory located here and relocate it to China. QC still made regular donations to the charities that worked in the neighborhood, but that was as far as they went. Neither of his parents, nor his godfather, Tommy's dad Malcolm, liked to speak of the neighborhood much ever since Aunt Rebecca died there.
And yet, here he was. Just who was Kazumi Adachi that his father insisted he come out here to visit? Some kind of secret relative or something? Maybe a blackmailer? Or perhaps just an old friend that was going to reveal he had some kind of mystic heritage or something. That one was probably a bit out of the left field, but hey — stranger things had happened.
Finally, he pulled up to the Adachi residence: one of the better-looking apartment complexes near the edge of the neighborhood. It was still rather rundown, but it was livable, which is probably all that mattered to the residents that lived there. Oliver got out of his car, careful to lock it so nobody could think to steal it while he was gone, and then walked to the front of the building, where the call apparatus was. He picked the button that had the number of the Adachis' apartment, and waited to be let inside.
After a moment, the front door clicked open. He pushed through, walking through the hall and up the stairs to the second floor. Finally, he arrived at Apartment 2G, and rung the doorbell. There were the sound of footsteps, and then a middle-aged but still fairly attractive Japanese woman with long hair opened the door. Her eyes widened upon seeing Oliver, before, to his shock, narrowing into a venemous glare. "What are you doing here?" she demanded rudely.
A little unbalanced by the unexpected cold reception, Oliver gulped. "Kazumi Adachi? My name is Oliver Queen."
"I know who you are," Kazumi told him flatly. "So again — why are you here?"
Okay, what was this woman's problem? "Well, you see, my father Robert Queen was recently declared legally dead after his ship capsized about eight months ago. My mother and I just finished the will reading with our attorney yesterday, and it turns out my father left a letter for me, asking me to come here to speak to you and your daughter Emiko. He said there was something I needed to learn from you both."
Kazumi scowled, and then barked something in Japanese to the inside of the apartment. There were more footsteps and then a young woman, who seemed to be about a few years younger than Oliver, trotted up to them. Emiko Adachi, no doubt. She had a strong resemblance to her mother, but there was something about her that seemed familiar. When she was closer and got a good look at Oliver, her eyes widened.
"Hello Emiko," Oliver greeted the younger woman, with a charming smile and an outreached hand. "My name is Oliver. It's nice to meet you."
To his surprise, Emiko wasn't taken by his smile like most people were. Instead, she adopted a neutral look as she nodded. She didn't take Oliver's hand. After a few awkward moments, it became obvious she wasn't going to, so he pulled his hand back. "So," he started, clearing his throat. "Do either of you know why my dad asked me to come here?"
The older Adachi smirked. "Emiko here is my daughter."
Oliver nodded, waiting for her to continue.
"She is also Robert's daughter."
And just like that, the world just stopped.
"What?" The son of Robert Queen nearly shouted in disbelief. "That—No. No way. My father would never—"
He was cut off by Kazumi reaching over to the side and taking a photo frame from the side table beside the front door. She all but slammed it into Oliver's chest, forcing him to take it before it fell to the ground. "Is that enough proof for you?" she asked, bitterly sarcastic.
Oliver slowly lifted the frame to see the photo inside. It was a picture of Kazumi and a much younger Emiko at a park. And there, standing right next to them, holding Emiko much like he would Thea at times, was his father Robert. Robert's son stared at the photo for a long moment, trying not to faint.
Instead, he turned to the side of the door frame, and banged his head against it with a groan.
Oliver left the Adachi residence in a daze, his head swirling with so much new information and his heart filled with even more conflicting emotions. He didn't even bother driving back home, like he originally planned. Instead, he continued mindlessly cruising around the city until it was time to meet Tommy and Sara for dinner at The Palm. He honestly didn't even remember getting to the restaurant and being seated with his friends a private booth, but then Tommy was snapping his fingers in his face and that's when Oliver finally came to.
"You alright, buddy?" Tommy asked him, concerned.
"Yeah, Ollie, you've been kind of out of it tonight," Sara added.
The third of their trio sighed. "You know how we had the reading for my dad's will yesterday, right?"
"Uh huh."
"Well, he left me some things he wanted me to do. Finishing his unfinished business, you could say. One of those things involved me meeting this woman named Kazumi Adachi in the Glades, along with her daughter Emiko." Oliver cringed. "It turns out Kazumi was one of my father's old mistresses. And Emiko is my half-sister."
One could've heard a pin drop at their table. "Holy shit," Sara said, eyes wide.
"You're kidding me, right?" Oliver's other friend demanded. Tommy held Robert up on a pedestal, much like Oliver did.
"I wish," Oliver claimed, putting a hand to his forehead. "They had photos of him spending time with them. As a family."
Sara shook her head in disbelief. "A second family. Unbelievable. And you're only finding out about this now?"
"Sorta. I knew my father wasn't always faithful to my mother, but now I'm wondering if I had rose-colored glasses for their marriage. I mean, cheating on my mother with the occasional mistress is one thing, but a second family? Behind all our backs?"
"It makes you wonder — if he's so ashamed of them, why didn't he keep them a secret even after he was dead?" Tommy wondered. "Why did he send you to them?"
"So I could help them," Oliver revealed. "The reason they live in the Glades is because my father abandoned them several years ago and stopped supporting them financially. And that's because my mother found out about them and threatened to divorce him and take Thea and I away if he didn't."
His female best friend frowned. "I gotta be honest Ollie, that was cold of your mom."
The Queen scion nodded glumly. "I know. I understand why she was angry, but it was still no reason to let them live in poverty. It seemed my dad agreed, because in the second letter he left me, one that he instructed me to read after meeting the Adachis, he asked me to give them a trust of twenty million dollars so they can finally get out of the Glades and restart their lives somewhere else."
Tommy and Sara exchanged looks. "Are you going to do it?" His other best friend asked him seriously.
"I am," Oliver confirmed. "Kazumi might be at fault for willingly having an affair with a married man, and my dad might be at fault for cheating on my mom, but Emiko is innocent of all that. She's my sister. She deserves to have a small portion of what dad left for us, even if it's only just to take care of herself and live comfortably." He swallowed, his eyes a little distant. "She shouldn't have to suffer for her parents' mistakes."
"She shouldn't," Sara agreed. "You're doing the right thing, Ollie."
"Yeah," Tommy followed. He smirked. "Look at you, all mature."
For the first time since learning the truth about the Adachis, Oliver smiled. "Yeah, I guess. And just when are you finally going to grow up, Tommy?"
"Never," his friend declared.
The three of them laughed at that, and already Oliver could feel his heart begin to lighten. Even so, his thoughts couldn't help but go back to what he had just learned, and what it meant, especially regarding his parents' marriage. He remembered what he had learned yesterday, that his mother had started dating again. Oliver had rebuked her for that decision, calling it too soon. Now, it just made him wonder.
Maybe the reason why his mother had been able to let go of his father so easily is because she had never loved Robert as much as Oliver had loved Laurel. Oliver had never treated Laurel as well as he should have, but at least he had the excuse of being not in his right mind most of the time, as poor as it was. But his father — he had willingly cheated on his mother time and again, carrying several long-term affairs. One of them long enough to have a child with, to play family with. It was almost inconceivable to think of, and yet Oliver had met the proof only mere hours ago.
How was he supposed to reconcile with any of that? To make peace with that, knowing his father was dead and couldn't give his side of the story? He nearly shuddered as he remembered Samantha, remembered how close he was to making the same error Robert did. Had that child been born, would he have made the same mistake as his father and kept it a secret, letting his relationship with Laurel continue and keeping her blissfully unaware, hoping she'd never find out? Or would he have told her immediately, and risked ruining his relationship with her for good? It seemed Oliver knew what he would be talking about with his therapist next week, and he could only hope Dr. Anne Green could help him move past it.
For now, he'd just have to hope his father wasn't hiding any other secrets.
Uh, Oliver, about that…
Anyway, Laurel meets Ivo and thanks to her experiences with Fyers, can immediately tell what a scumbag he is. Unfortunately, much like Fyers, he still has the upper hand over her and it's taking all her quick thinking just to keep up. And of course, she learns about the Mirakuru and is thinking — yes, a way to save Slade! Needless to say, she's going to regret this later on.
As for Oliver, he meets Kazumi and Emiko. I got to say, I loved writing bitchy, sassy Kazumi. She's legit bitter about making the stupid mistake of falling for a married man who didn't care about her and their daughter more than he did his privileged lifestyle. And it's understandable why, even if it's wrong of her to take it out on Oliver.
Meanwhile, Oliver has to deal with the pedestal his father was on breaking, along with the reality that his parents' marriage was far more broken than he originally thought. And he's having a hard time dealing with it. Learning from this experience will be very important to his character development, and help him grow as a person. And, well, it's going to have an effect on Laurel's future as BC, in an inadvertent way.
Next Chapter: Laurel and friends search for the Mirakuru.