Chapter Text
Disclaimer: CW/DC own these characters. I'm only borrowing them for a while. I own the original ideas found in this.
“I haven’t finished telling you everything, and I’m trying to make a long story shorter.” At Felicity’s guffaw, Oliver grimaced. “For now, I'm simply going to say Slade got the idea Shado was dead because of me. Since he was in love with her, and his mind was messed up because of the mirakuru, he swore revenge on me and all I love.” Meeting Laurel’s eyes, he continued. “I worry most about you, Laurel, because if he finds out we’re back in a romantic relationship he might try to kill you.” Looking at the others, he said, “But since all of you are my friends, I’m worried he'll also try something against any or all of you as well. Our last conversation, he swore vengeance against my entire family.”
“But that’s ridiculous, Ollie. Why would he if Ivo was actually the person who shot her? He blames you because Ivo supposedly asked you to make a choice, but it really wasn’t?” Tommy asked.
“That’s how crazy Slade is now,” Sara said. At Oliver’s angry glance, her voice rose. “Have you forgotten, Ollie, how insane Slade was? I’ve never seen someone's eyes burn so brightly with insanity.”
“What we need to concentrate on at this time,” Oliver bit off each word succinctly, “is to get him before he can do any harm to us or our loved ones.”
Sara gave him a death glare. “What I really want to do is to put him in the ground.” Laurel jumped at the coldness and hatred in her baby sister’s voice. Before the Gambit, Sara was her happy-go-lucky, free-spirited sister. The one who took after Mom. Now, Laurel wasn’t sure if she recognized the woman in front of her.
“I told you on the Amazo you needed to kill him, Ollie. If you'd only done that, we'd all be safe now."
“I wasn’t a killer then, Sara. I could only think of my friend and how to help him.”
Sara huffed an angry burst of air. “And because of him I did become a killer.”
An expression of regret quickly crossed Oliver’s face. “I’m sorry, Sara. Some other time we’ll exchange stories as to what happened in the past three years. However, yes, I take full responsibility for Slade. It is, after all, my fault Shado --”
“Don’t you start again, Ollie. Stop believing the crap Slade sold you on the boat. It wasn’t your fault Shado died. If it's anyone's fault, it’s mine because of the jealousy Ivo felt when he looked at you.”
Oliver shook his head vigorously, like he was either trying to knock some sense into himself or dust out of his brain. Laurel wasn’t sure which. He squared his shoulders and said, “You’re right, Sara. So may I assume you want to kill Slade instead of turning him over to the police?”
“Police? What would we tell them if we handed Slade over to them?” Sara blew out an agitated sigh. “You can’t arrest a person for threatening you. They’d only tell us to get a restraining order, and of course that wouldn’t help. Not to mention the superhuman strength he probably still has. How would we explain that?”
“How much danger are we actually in?" Felicity interrupted, in an obvious attempt to change the subject and alleviate the tension.
“Do you think he knows we’re working with you, Oliver? What kind of guy is he anyway?” Dig asked.
“He’s a former ASIS agent. He taught me much of my fighting skills. Because of the mirakuru, he’s stronger than a normal human being. But because of his espionage skills, I’m sure he’d have spent God knows how much time collecting all the info he could about each one of us.” Turning to Dig, he asked, “Do you have any thoughts right now on how to proceed?”
“I think the first bit of business is to investigate his hiding place Sara told us about. And identify any other places he’s using, as well as all his resources. Like you said, Oliver, he for sure has loads of intel on us. We must level the playing field. And quickly.”
“Your idea makes a lot of sense, Dig. I think the sooner the better. Why not you, me, and Oliver go check out his place right now?” Sara suggested.
“I agree,” Oliver said. “If we're lucky, we'll catch him off guard, nab him, and this entire nightmare will be over."
“Not me? Don’t you think you need everyone with you?” Laurel asked.
Sara looked at her sister, biting her lower lip. “No offense, Laurel, but despite seeing how well you can fight nowadays, I’d rather...rather keep you away from Slade as much as possible. He really isn’t someone you want to mess with, Laurel.”
A small spurt of anger rose in Laurel. Here her sister was, overstepping her boundaries and deciding what’s best for her. The younger sister trying to dictate the actions of the older sister. However, a soothing hand began to rub small circles on the lower part of her back. Laurel looked up at Oliver who had quietly come to her side without her noticing it.
“It’s all right, Laurel. I’d prefer you to stay here. Help Felicity scan for possible leads.” He smiled at Felicity in a teasing way as he added, “And keep an eye out for Slade, in case he comes here.” Looking at Felicity, who clearly was about to protest as well, “I would like to make sure our place is secure and protected. Just in case.”
Both Laurel and Felicity nodded. Tommy couldn’t help but add, “Of course I’ll be here as well, to protect them.”
Everyone rolled their eyes at his obvious attempt at humor, and the three teammates grabbed their gear and headed out.
~~OQ~~LL~~OQ~~
The three got into the plain black van Oliver and his crew used for Arrow business, Diggle getting into the driver’s seat. Oliver directed Sara to the passenger seat. “Since you know where we’re going, it’s easier for you to direct our way while sitting up front.” Oliver climbed into the back seat without another word and belted himself in.
As they approached several run-down warehouses in the Glades, Sara instructed Diggle to park in a semi-hidden parking spot along the curb, telling the men they should continue on foot in an attempt to catch Slade by surprise.
“You don’t think we’ll be able to do that?” Diggle asked.
Oliver shook his head, his lips pressed tightly together. “For all we know, he's got cameras around the building or has hacked into the city's surveillance cameras. Or both.”
Sara led the way to a non-descript doorway in between two brick buildings. Upon entering, Oliver could see it was an abandoned warehouse, like so many in the Glades were. The area was empty except for crates scattered around the room on various shelves, and what appeared to be someone’s belongings in a corner. Sara went over to investigate the items while the men searched the rest of the room, keeping eyes and ears open for Slade's return.
Finding nothing of use, they proceeded to the second floor. It appeared much like the first, with boxes and crates scattered throughout. Not many places in which a large man could hide, Oliver thought. They entered a back room and prepared to search when Oliver heard footsteps. He threw an arm back around Sara, who had been walking behind him and Dig. Giving a soft ‘oof’ in surprise, Sara allowed Oliver to position her behind him as he faced Slade, who was suddenly charging at them from an entryway in front of them.
Dig began to shoot the tranquilizer bullets at this large mountain of a man coming towards him, which had no effect. Slade continued rushing towards them. Dig had never seen anything like it before. Before Dig knew it, Slade was beside him, grabbing the gun out of Dig’s hand and proceeded to use Dig’s body as a punching bag. Dig attempted to block the punches but couldn’t block all of them.
Sara escaped Oliver’s grasp and ran to help Dig, grabbing two rods lying on the floor. Before she could get in even one hit, Slade had stopped punching a collapsed Dig and grabbed her by the neck and held her several feet above the ground. As she struggled to get loose, Sara’s legs ineffectively tried to find leverage on the ground.
"Surprised to see you, Sara. Guess you didn’t drown a second time. Now I can kill you like I'd wanted to do on the Amazo." He flung her away from him, resulting in her landing in a pile of boxes. Facedown, Sara didn't move nor make a sound.
Oliver hit Slade with five of his tranquilizer arrows with lightning speed, but they didn't slow Slade down in the slightest. As Slade returned his attention to Diggle and began to walk towards him, Oliver dropped his bow and got in between his weakened friend and Slade. “It’s me you want, Slade, so fight me, you coward.”
“I wasn’t the one who involved them in this,” Slade said through gritted teeth.
“What's your purpose in this, Slade?”
“You’ve forgotten what I promised you, that night on the Amazo? After you let Shado die?”
“I did not ‘let’ Shado die, Slade! Like I told you then, Ivo pointed the gun at Sara first. I jumped in front of her, pleading with Ivo to shoot me instead. I wanted him to kill me, Slade. He chose to shoot Shado instead.”
“Yeah, kid, like I told you back then, I don't believe you. It doesn’t matter. It simply doesn’t matter. Shado is dead, and the fault is yours and the blond whore’s.”
Oliver had hoped Slade’s strength had, for some reason, decreased over the years. Unfortunately, it hadn't happened. Despite the increased skill and speed he’d developed, Oliver found it impossible to remain standing in the fight with Slade. Oliver tried to defend himself against the onslaught, but Slade was simply too powerful. Almost without his knowing it, Oliver found himself lying prostrate on the ground.
And then he was hanging suspended in front of Slade, like the pose in which he’d found himself on the island. Oliver tried to claw Slade’s hands from his throat, but his attempts were useless. Slade began to shake Oliver like he was a rag doll, his feet swinging above the ground.
“I should simply kill you now, Kid. Instead, I'm first gonna give you the chance to watch more of your friends die, then I’d make you suffer a slow, agonizing death.”
Oliver attempted to give a threat of his own, but he was rapidly losing the ability to complete a coherent thought. Suddenly his face met the ground as he found himself lying on the floor once more.
“Just remember, Kid, I could’ve done you all much more harm today. Consider this a warning. And don’t forget -- I’m gonna get to know that pretty brunette you've been seeing around town. Don't think I didn't recognize her from the picture you had on the island.”
Oliver sensed rather than saw Slade walk away. He tried to find the energy to get up to see how Sara and Diggle were, but he felt as though a herd of elephants had stomped on him. In spite of his efforts, he slipped into the darkness beckoning him as Dig called to him from a distance.
The next thing he heard was Laurel's voice begging him to wake up.