Work Text:
Setting: Opal City
Location: Amanda’s Residence
Amanda was currently reclining on her couch and watching the afternoon news when suddenly a loud BAM, BAM, BAM emanated from her door, startling her.
“O.C.P.D.!! Open up immediately!!” an authoritative voice boomed from the other side and surprised at the unexpected visit but having a suspicion as to what the matter possibly pertained to which left a sensation of deed within her stomach, lifted herself from the couch and moved to the door. Upon opening it the O.C.P.D officers burst in with weapons drawn while facing her. And with them were members of the S.C.P.D. along with the Star City mayor himself, Oliver Queen, who she’d spoken with previously.
“Amanda Westfield! You’re under arrest for aiding and abetting the Throwing Star Killer in Star City! Place your hands behind your back immediately!” the lead O.C.P.D. officer present firmly ordered her. Glowering at them all and towards Oliver especially, who remained unfazed, yet having no choice but to comply she did as instructed after which the officer latched the cuffs on her wrist.
“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney one will be provided for you. Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you?” he enquired after reading her Miranda Rights while placing the cuffs on her wrist to which she nodded and leaving him satisfied. The O.C.P.D. officers then began leading her away with the S.C.P.D officers trailing close behind before Oliver stopped the former group.
“Could I have a word with Miss Westfield please?” he respectfully requested of them to which they nodded and relinquishing their hold on her arms stepped back but remained positioned nearby. He then stepped over so that he stood directly in front of her while she in turn glared at him.
“I see I was wise not to cooperate with you regarding my son’s whereabouts. You never truly wanted to help him but only to lock him in a cage and now you’re having the same thing done to me. And if you think this will encourage me to cooperate then I promise you’re sorely mistaken!” she angrily stated to him while maintaining her glare.
“I wasn’t lying to you that night when I said I wanted to help your son though whether or not you chose to believe that is entirely up to you. But the fact of the matter is that your son’s a killer who needs to be put away, whether it be a secure prison cell or a mental institution, in order save as many lives as possible,” Oliver countered to the furious woman.
“And I told you during our last meeting that he’s in pain and as such is only lashing out which is perfectly natural considering how a monster like the Hood callously murdered his father. Why can’t you just accept that instead of harassing us and bringing trouble to our doorstep?!!” she heatedly replied and then demanded to know while her eyes blazed with fury.
“No Miss Westfield. It was the two of you who brought trouble to your doorstep when your son decided to slaughter innocent people and you in turn chose to cover for him!” Oliver sternly countered towards her. “You say the Hood’s a monster for killing his father? Fine. That is your right and you both have every reason to be furious regarding the death of someone you deeply cared for. But if he’s a monster for what he did, then what is your son who murders multiple innocent people without hesitation, callously slaughters a squad of innocent police officers, menaces my city and puts terror into its citizens hearts, and even murders his own wife?!”
Amanda’s eyes widened upon hearing that last piece of info to which Oliver nods firmly.
“That’s right. Your son, who you say is lashing out, murdered his own wife. Your own daughter in law. And not for any reason but his true colors being opened to her. And despite everything she was still willing to accept, love, and stand beside him but with the only righteous condition that he turn himself in and make things right. And yet he instead murdered her right where she stood. Did she deserve that? Did all of those innocent people, especially a young mother, deserve to die?
“Not only that but I conducted some research into Mr. Clayborne, your son’s father, and he happened to fit the profile of a monster in that he deliberately poisoned a suburb within my city and killed a number of innocent people, families and children included. He did that just to exploit the survivors by having them purchase a drug of his whose prices he’d deliberately increased. A crisis he’d engineered. That money was blood money plain and simple.
“He was even rumored to have boasted about his actions and claimed he was thinning the herd which from what I’d gathered was him admitting to not just exploitation but deliberate genocide. Almost the same as what Malcolm Merlyn did to my city when he leveled half of the Glades.”
Oliver paused for a moment, letting his words sink into the woman before him, and then folded his arms and stepped closer until he towered over her, presenting an intimidating stance, before gazing down on her coldly.
“Justin Clayborne was a monster and a mass murderer, your son is also a monster, a serial killer, and a psychopath, and you defending or making excuses for him as though he’s some misguided and hurt child who needs to be safely tucked away and hidden is unacceptable. And not only that but as it turns out deliberately making an effort to mislead his whereabouts also means that the blood he’s shed is also on your hands and not just his.
“Your son is psychopath Miss Westfield and all efforts and necessary resources will be poured into ascertaining his whereabouts to ensure his apprehension. And hopefully you’ll spend your upcoming time behind bars reflecting upon my words and coming to your senses. But don’t you dare lay blame on myself or anyone else for your son’s despicable actions. Am I clear?!”
The woman squirmed a bit under his gaze while knowing full well that every word he’d just spoken to her was the truth. But having too much pride to admit it she settled with glowering at him once more. Oliver in turn shook his head and gestured to the officers to take her away which they did.
During her time in prison and despite her efforts to ignore them she couldn’t help it as her mind continually reflected upon the stern scolding she’d received from the Star City Mayor. She’d also remembered the shock she’d felt upon hearing of her daughter in law’s murder and by her son’s hands no less. Something which also kept pressing upon her mind regarding the truth of Oliver’s words.
Eventually Oliver’s words finally sunk into her and she came to the realization that covering for her son was indeed the wrong decision and was filled with shame and remorse over allowing her personal anger towards the Hood to cloud her judgment towards her son and finally accepted the latter definitely qualified as a monster despite their blood ties.
And it wasn’t like him being a psychopath was news to her since she was aware Justin had intended to disown their son for that particular reason. And speaking of the deceased older man but she’d known he’d been involved in some deeply shady dealings, possibly more than that, but she didn’t know the extent of it or how ruthless he truly was.
While not entirely decreasing her own anger on how he was killed just so, Amanda was also finally willing to accept that Justin had reaped what he sowed.
After having served her time and following her release from prison she sent messages to all of her son’s victims and victims’ families apologizing for his crimes and for not doing right by them in covering for him. And when she’d heard the news pertaining to his death she mourned his loss like any mother would but accepted his end was of his own making, both literally since he’d committed suicide and metaphorically due to the path he’d chosen.
Afterwards and as she went on with her life Amanda would do her best to treasure the fond and loving memories of her son growing up and before he’d regrettably become the infamous monster known as Prometheus.
The End