═════════ ➤ ══════════
[Queen Mansion — Living Room]
The mansion living room buzzed with tension.
Detective Quentin Lance stood near the fireplace while another detective flipped through notes nearby.
Oliver sat calmly on the couch.
Tommy sat beside him looking significantly more shaken.
Moira and Walter stood nearby.
Thea and Nova lingered farther back near the staircase listening carefully.
Nova's enhanced hearing picking up every shift in Quentin's heartbeat.
Suspicion.
Anger.
Protectiveness.
Especially whenever he looked at Oliver.
Detective Lance crossed his arms.
"So that's your story," he said dryly. "A guy in a green hood flew in and single-handedly took out three armed kidnappers."
His eyes narrowed.
"I mean, who is he? Why would he do that?"
Oliver's expression remained carefully neutral.
"I don't know," he answered smoothly. "Find him and you can ask."
Quentin hummed.
Not believing that for a second.
Then his attention shifted toward Tommy.
He held up a rough sketch.
"What about you? You see the hood guy?"
Tommy blinked.
Still pale.
"I saw... movement," he admitted shakily. "Everything was blurry. I was kind of out of it."
"Yeah," Quentin muttered. "Funny, isn't it? One day back and already somebody's gunning for you. Aren't you popular?"
Moira immediately stepped in.
Protective.
"Were you able to identify the men?"
The second detective sighed.
"Scrubbed identities. Untraceable weapons. These were pros."
Quentin nodded.
"Probably figured you'd pay a king's ransom to get your boy back."
Then with pointed emphasis:
"Or a Queen's ransom, as it were."
Quentin looked directly toward Moira.
"After all," he continued coldly, "a parent would do anything to keep their child safe."
Moira's expression hardened immediately.
"I don't find your tone appropriate, Detective."
Walter stepped forward smoothly before Quentin could respond.
"If Oliver can think of anything else, he'll be in touch. Thank you, gentlemen, for coming."
Quentin let out a low chuckle.
Then looked directly at Oliver.
"Your luck never seems to run out, does it?"
The detectives finally turned and left.
The second the front doors closed—
The room fell silent.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Oliver's Bedroom]
Oliver sat at the desk inside his bedroom.
Warm afternoon sunlight filtered through the mansion windows while the dim glow from the computer screen illuminated Oliver's face.
Articles filled the monitor.
Headline after headline about Adam Hunt.
Fraud allegations.
Families ruined.
Money stolen.
Oliver clicked through them silently.
Cold.
Focused.
Then his attention shifted briefly.
Toward an old framed photograph sitting beside the computer.
Him and Laurel.
Smiling.
Happy.
Before everything fell apart.
Oliver stared at it quietly for a long moment.
Something painful flickering behind his eyes.
Then his gaze shifted again.
Toward a carefully cut newspaper article about Adam Hunt resting beside the keyboard.
Intentional.
Preserved.
Slowly, Oliver opened the small handheld book he'd taken from the wooden case.
Inside were names.
Dozens of them.
Written carefully across the pages.
Oliver's expression hardened slightly as his fingers traced slowly down the list.
Until they stopped on one specific name.
Adam Hunt.
A soft knock sounded against the bedroom door.
Oliver looked up from the book resting in his hands.
"Come in."
The door opened.
Raisa entered carrying a lunch tray.
The scent of warm food filled the room instantly.
She paused after stepping inside.
Studying him carefully.
Like she was trying to reconcile the boy she helped raise with the man standing in front of her now.
Her eyes drifted toward the book.
Then narrowed slightly.
"You are different," Raisa observed quietly.
Oliver raised an eyebrow.
Raisa pointed toward the book.
"Not like you to read a book."
A faint smile tugged at Oliver's mouth.
Small.
Tired.
"I missed you, Raisa."
That softened her immediately.
"No kitchen on the island?"
Oliver huffed quietly.
"No."
Then after a beat:
"No friends either."
He stood and walked toward her.
Carefully taking the tray from her hands.
"Hey," he said softly. "Thank you."
Oliver set the tray down nearby before glancing back at her.
"Do I really seem different?"
Raisa studied him quietly for a long moment.
Then gently shook her head.
"No," she answered softly. "You're still a good boy."
Oliver let out a quiet humorless laugh.
"Oh, I think we both know I wasn't."
Raisa stepped closer.
Firm.
Certain.
"But good heart."
The words visibly hit him.
Oliver looked away briefly.
Then nodded once.
"I hope so," he admitted quietly.
His voice lowered afterward.
Almost vulnerable.
"I want to be the person you always told me I could be."
Raisa smiled sadly.
Like she already knew how hard that would be.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Outside the Mansion]
Oliver stepped outside the mansion a short while later dressed in a dark jacket.
The front gates remained crowded with distant reporters.
Cameras.
News vans.
People desperate for a glimpse of the returned billionaire.
Moira intercepted him before he could reach the waiting car.
"Oliver," she called out.
Oliver stopped.
Moira approached with a tall broad-shouldered man beside her.
Calm.
Watchful.
Dangerous in a very different way than Oliver.
"I want to introduce you to someone," Moira said carefully. "John Diggle."
The man nodded once.
Professional.
"He'll be accompanying you from now on."
Oliver immediately frowned.
"I don't need a babysitter."
Walter sighed beside them.
"Darling, Oliver's a grown man. And if he doesn't feel he needs armed protection—"
"Yeah, I understand," Moira interrupted gently. "But this is something I need."
Oliver looked at her.
Really looked at her.
At the fear she was trying desperately to hide after the kidnapping.
Finally—
He relented.
Silently heading toward the waiting car.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Inside the Car]
The drive through Starling City remained quiet at first.
Diggle sat in the front passenger seat watching everything carefully.
Always alert.
Oliver studied him from the backseat.
Then finally broke the silence.
"So... what do I call you?"
The man glanced back briefly.
"Diggle's good," he answered calmly. "Dig if you want."
Oliver leaned back slightly.
"You're ex-military?"
"Yes, sir. 105th Airborne out of Kandahar. Retired."
Diggle's voice remained even.
Controlled.
"Been in the private sector a little more than four years now."
Oliver nodded once slowly.
Diggle continued speaking afterward.
More serious now.
"I don't want there to be any confusion, Mr. Queen. My ability to keep you from harm will outweigh your comfort."
His eyes met Oliver's in the rearview mirror.
"Do we have an agreement?"
Oliver didn't answer.
Diggle frowned slightly.
"Sir?"
A car door suddenly slammed shut.
Diggle's eyes widened.
He immediately looked back.
The backseat was empty.
Oliver was gone.
"Sir?!"
Diggle slammed on the brakes hard.
Car horns immediately blared around them.
He jumped out of the vehicle quickly looking around the crowded street.
But Oliver Queen had already vanished.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Starling City Prep — Family Group Chat]
During lunch period, Thea's cellphone suddenly buzzed loudly across the cafeteria table.
Nova looked up from stealing fries off Thea's tray.
Thea grabbed the phone quickly.
Then immediately paled.
"Oh my God."
Nova straightened instantly.
"What?"
Thea turned the screen toward her.
Moira: Oliver and Tommy were kidnapped earlier today. They're safe now. Police are here.
Thea immediately started typing.
Beside her, Nova reached into the pocket of her uniform jacket and pulled out her phone so she could take a look too.
Thea: WHAT??? Are you okay?? Should we come home?
Nova could hear Thea's heartbeat speeding up rapidly.
Protective.
Panicked.
Moira: Everything is okay sweetheart. The police are looking into it. Stay at school and focus on your classes.
Nova frowned slightly.
Then unlocked her own phone quickly.
Typing herself:
Nova: Where did it happen?
Thea looked over at her curiously.
A few seconds later:
Moira: Near the industrial district. I'll send the general area.
A map pin followed.
Nova studied it carefully.
Thea narrowed her eyes immediately.
Suspicious.
Once the texting slowed, Thea leaned closer.
"Why did you ask where it happened?"
Nova glanced around the cafeteria briefly.
Then leaned closer herself.
When she spoke, her voice dropped so low only supernatural hearing could pick it up.
"After school I can go take a look," Nova whispered. "Use the wolf senses. See if the police missed anything."
Nova also immediately reached over and stole another fry off Thea's tray.
Thea smacked her hand without even looking.
"Nova. You literally have your own fries."
Nova pouted dramatically.
"But yours are better."
Thea smiled automatically.
Then immediately narrowed her eyes.
Realizing Nova was absolutely trying to distract her.
Thea's expression turned serious again instantly.
Thea immediately frowned response came almost immediately.
Concern flashing across her face.
"Nova—"
"You'll pick up Allie with the driver," Nova continued softly. "I'll just check the area quick."
Thea stared at her girlfriend for a long moment.
Equal parts annoyed and worried.
Because of course Nova's first instinct was to run toward danger.
Finally Thea sighed heavily.
"Be careful," she warned quietly. "Or I swear to God I'll tie you to our bed myself."
Nova immediately smirked.
Completely unbothered by the threat.
Then leaned over and kissed Thea softly on the lips.
Thea melted instantly despite herself.
Nova pulled away slowly before standing from the table, grabbing her lunch tray as she did.
Already heading toward the trash can and then her next class.
Then glanced back over her shoulder with a smug grin.
"I don't lose either way."
Thea stared after her.
Hopelessly in love.
Then sighed softly to herself before smiling.
Because honestly?
That reckless idiot was definitely going to be the death of her someday.
And Thea loved her anyway.
With that thought, Thea grabbed her own lunch tray and carried it over to the trash beside Nova's before finally turning and heading toward class herself.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Abandoned Queen Factory]
Oliver moved silently through the slums of Starling City.
The hood of his jacket shadowed his face while the city moved around him completely unaware of who walked among them.
Eventually, the massive abandoned Queen factory came into view.
Rust covered the fencing.
Broken windows lined the upper levels.
The entire place looked dead.
Forgotten.
Oliver stared at it quietly for a moment.
Then stepped forward.
He threw his bags over the fence first.
Then scaled the metal fencing with practiced ease.
Landing silently on the other side.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Inside the abandoned factory}
Oliver began building something new.
Something hidden.
Something dangerous.
A montage of movement and purpose followed.
Oliver swung a pickaxe repeatedly into the concrete floor.
Dust exploded upward with every strike.
Sweat soaked through his grey shirt while he worked.
Eventually the concrete cracked open.
Revealing the lower level beneath.
Oliver lowered bags and electronic equipment down carefully before climbing down himself.
Once underground, he used a sledgehammer to tear apart old metal walls.
The sound echoed violently through the abandoned factory.
He worked for hours.
Transforming the hidden basement into something functional.
Into a lair.
Computers slowly came online.
Screens flickered to life.
Networks across Starling City appeared one by one.
Medical supplies were unpacked carefully.
Weapons arranged methodically.
Including the bow.
And arrows.
Lots of arrows.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
Oliver stood near a machine sharpening arrowheads one by one.
Precise.
Focused.
Deadly.
Then later—
He worked the salmon ladder.
Muscles straining.
Breathing controlled.
Every movement efficient.
Disciplined.
Lian Yu carved into muscle memory.
Afterward, Oliver placed the wooden case carefully onto a nearby metal table.
He opened it slowly.
Then reached inside.
And removed the bow.
His bow.
The weapon looked perfectly maintained despite the years.
Almost sacred.
Oliver slid the quiver onto his back.
Then pressed a button mounted on the wall.
Immediately multiple tennis balls launched violently through the air from hidden machines.
Oliver moved instantly.
Arrow after arrow fired.
Each shot impossibly accurate.
The tennis balls burst apart midair one after another.
Fast.
Controlled.
Lethal.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
A television nearby quietly played the evening news.
Television Anchorman; "The suit alleges that Hunt committed multiple acts of fraud and theft against the city's underprivileged. Laurel Lance, an attorney for the city—"
Oliver paused while lowering one of the arrows.
His expression darkening.
Oliver (V.O.); "Adam Hunt... his crimes go deeper than fraud and theft."
The screen shifted to footage of Adam Hunt smiling outside a courthouse.
Rich.
Untouchable.
Corrupt.
Oliver (V.O.); "But he's been able to bully, bribe, or kill anyone who's gotten into his way."
Oliver slowly reached into the wooden case once more.
Then pulled out a dark green hood.
The fabric from another life.
Another identity.
His eyes hardened completely.
Cold.
Certain.
Oliver (V.O.); "He hasn't met me yet."
Oliver pulled the hood on.
Then disappeared into the darkness.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Parking Lot]
Adam Hunt stormed through a parking garage surrounded by armed bodyguards.
Angry.
Entitled.
Dangerous in the way rich men often were.
"You remind Grell I put him on the bench," Hunt snapped at one of his men. "I can take him off."
The assistant nodded nervously.
"Yes, Mr. Hunt."
Hunt glared at him.
"I will turn him into a cautionary tale."
Then after a beat:
"And this attorney Laurel Lance... you said she wasn't going to be a problem anymore."
The man visibly swallowed.
Hunt stepped closer.
Cold fury radiating off him.
"I told you to fix that situation."
The assistant froze.
"Why are you still here?"
The man immediately hurried away.
Hunt and his remaining bodyguards continued toward the waiting limousine.
Then suddenly, an arrow shot through the overhead lights.
Glass exploded.
Darkness swallowed the garage.
One bodyguard barely had time to react before—
THUNK.
An arrow slammed directly into his chest.
He dropped instantly.
The second bodyguard shoved Hunt toward the car.
"Get in the car!"
Gunfire exploded wildly through the darkness.
Then a calm voice echoed through the garage.
"Hey."
A pause.
"You missed."
Two arrows immediately fired from the darkness.
The second bodyguard dropped screaming.
Hunt stumbled backward in terror.
Then suddenly—
An arrow shattered through the limousine window beside his head.
Hunt screamed.
Before a gloved hand yanked him violently out of the car.
"What?!" Hunt gasped desperately. "What do you want?!"
The hooded figure stepped forward slowly.
Bow raised.
Voice cold.
Distorted by the hood.
"You're going to transfer forty million dollars into Starling City Bank account 1141 by ten P.M. tomorrow night."
Hunt stared at him.
Then tried to gather what little courage he had left.
"Or what?"
The hooded man tilted his head slightly.
Dangerous.
"Or I'm gonna take it," he said calmly. "And you won't like how."
Hunt glared hatefully.
Trying to regain control.
"If I ever see you again, you're dead!"
The hooded figure turned.
Beginning to walk away.
Then abruptly stopped.
Without even looking back—
He fired one final arrow backward.
The arrow blasted straight through the limousine's rear window.
Glass exploded everywhere.
Adam Hunt flinched violently.
Terrified.
And somewhere in the shadows of Starling City—
The Hood had officially arrived.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Industrial District — Later That Afternoon]
Nova moved silently across the rooftops overlooking the industrial district.
The cold evening wind pushed through her dark hair while police lights still flashed faintly below.
Most of the cops had already cleared out.
But not all of them.
Crime scene tape still blocked off parts of the area where Oliver and Tommy had been taken earlier.
Nova crouched low atop a nearby structure.
Watching carefully.
Waiting.
Then once the nearest officers turned their attention elsewhere—
She moved.
Fast.
Effortless.
Nova vaulted over a chain-link fence before landing silently behind a row of abandoned shipping containers.
Her enhanced senses immediately flared to life.
The industrial air reeked of oil.
Gunpowder.
Blood.
Cleaning chemicals.
And underneath all of that—
Biochemical residue.
Nova frowned.
Tranquilizers.
She moved deeper into the alleyways carefully.
Avoiding the remaining officers while tracking the lingering scents.
Most of the original smell had already been ruined.
Cops.
CSI.
Paramedics.
Too many people contaminating the scene.
Nova quietly crouched beside the spots where the first two kidnappers had died.
Blood still stained the pavement.
But the scent trails were almost useless now.
Too mixed.
Too destroyed.
Nova's eyes slowly lifted upward.
Toward several bullet holes embedded into metal structures overhead.
Her gaze sharpened.
Then she moved.
Parkouring upward across pipes, railings, and rusted platforms.
Following the trajectory.
Following instinct.
And then—
She caught it.
A scent.
Faint.
But familiar.
Nova froze completely.
Because she recognized it.
Oliver.
Not old mansion scent.
Not family dinner scent.
Fresh.
Recent.
Nova's eyes narrowed instantly.
Then she followed it.
Moving quickly across the upper structures.
The same route Oliver must've taken.
Vaulting railings.
Scaling walls.
Crossing narrow beams high above the alleyways.
Until eventually she reached the location where the third body had been found.
Nova landed silently beside the area.
Her heartbeat slowly quickening.
Because now she knew.
Or at least suspected.
Oliver Queen had absolutely been there.
Not just kidnapped.
Not just rescued.
There was no way a normal person moved through the city like this.
Not unless five years on that island had changed him far more than anyone realized.
Nova slowly straightened.
Mind racing.
"Well," she muttered quietly to herself. "This just got way more complicated."
But she didn't call Thea.
Didn't text her.
Because this wasn't something she wanted to say over the phone.
Not until she had a chance to talk to Oliver first.
Nova glanced once more toward the city skyline.
Thinking.
Calculating.
Then finally she turned and disappeared back across the rooftops.
Eventually she dropped down into a more populated section of the city.
Public.
Normal.
Safe.
Only then did she pull out her cellphone.
Nova: Done. Meet spot?
The response came almost immediately.
Thea: Already outside.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
Fifteen minutes later, a sleek Queen family town car pulled up beside the curb.
Nova opened the back door and slipped inside.
Immediately warm air wrapped around her.
Thea sat beside Allison's car seat in the back.
Listening intently while their daughter happily rambled about daycare.
Apparently finger painting was very serious business.
The second Allie saw Nova enter the car—
Her entire face lit up.
"Mommy!"
Nova smiled instantly.
She closed the door behind herself before buckling her seatbelt.
Then leaned over first to kiss Allison gently on the forehead.
Followed by a soft kiss against Thea's lips.
Thea visibly relaxed the second Nova was back beside her.
Safe.
Close.
Nova kept her heartbeat perfectly steady.
Controlled.
Calm.
No indication she'd found anything strange.
Thea searched her face carefully anyway.
"Find anything?"
Nova shook her head easily.
"Nothing useful," she answered smoothly.
And because Thea trusted her completely—
She believed her instantly.
Thea exhaled softly in relief before kissing Nova again.
Quick.
Affectionate.
Happy her reckless girlfriend had come back safe and sound.
Meanwhile Allison pointed dramatically between them.
"Kissing again."
Nova snorted.
Thea rolled her eyes.
And the town car slowly pulled away into the Starling City traffic.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Hunt Multinational]
Adam Hunt stormed across his office furiously while detectives listened nearby.
His expensive suit was wrinkled.
His hair disheveled.
The man looked more angry than afraid now.
Which honestly probably meant he hadn't fully processed how close he came to dying.
"He was wearing a hood," Hunt snapped. "A green hood. And he had a bow and arrow."
Detective Hilton and Detective Lance exchanged a look.
A silent:
Seriously?
Hunt immediately noticed.
"What?" he demanded. "You don't believe me?"
He stomped back toward his desk before grabbing something off it aggressively.
Then held it up.
A green arrow.
Detective Hilton took it carefully.
Hunt pointed toward it furiously.
"That maniac put two of my men in the hospital!"
Detective Lance looked between the arrow and Hunt.
Then deadpanned:
"Well, thanks for your statement. We'll put out an APB on..."
He looked down at the arrow again.
Then back up.
"Robin Hood?"
Hunt glared.
"Hey, pal."
He stalked closer toward Quentin.
"I'm not some grocer who got taken for his register. I go to the front of the line."
His voice dropped colder afterward.
"Now he said he'd be back here by ten P.M. Make sure you're here first."
Hunt motioned toward another man standing nearby.
Tall.
Bald.
Cold-eyed.
Dangerous.
"You can coordinate with Mr. Drakon," Hunt added. "My new head of security."
Quentin nodded once.
"All right. Well, thanks for your time."
The detectives turned and headed out of the office.
The second they stepped into the hallway, Detective Hilton looked toward Quentin.
"Looks like Queen was telling the truth."
Quentin exhaled slowly.
Still irritated.
Still suspicious.
"Yeah," he muttered. "Well, there's a first time for everything."
Then after a beat:
"This hooded guy comes looking for trouble, he'll find it."
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Outside the Queen Mansion]
Night had fully settled over Starling City by the time Oliver stepped out of the mansion.
The front gates still swarmed with reporters.
Cameras flashed constantly.
News vans lined the street.
Oliver barely reacted anymore.
He moved toward the waiting town car calmly.
Then opened the back door.
And paused.
Diggle already sat inside waiting.
Arms crossed.
Expression unimpressed.
Oliver blinked once.
Diggle gestured toward the seat beside him.
"Put on your seat belt, sir," he said dryly. "Wouldn't want you to miss your party."
Oliver stared at him for a second.
Then slowly climbed into the car.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Half disbelief.
Half amusement.
Because apparently escaping a trained bodyguard was only going to make Diggle more stubborn.
Honestly?
Oliver almost respected it.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Oliver's Welcome Home Party]
Music thundered throughout the massive club space.
Lights flashed across packed crowds while expensive alcohol flowed endlessly.
Starling City's elite filled nearly every corner of the building.
Models.
Socialites.
Rich kids.
People who had spent the last five years turning Oliver Queen into some tragic legend.
Now he was suddenly alive again.
And apparently that called for a party.
Oliver stepped out onto the upper balcony overlooking the club.
The noise immediately hit him.
Loud.
Chaotic.
Overwhelming.
As he descended the staircase slowly, Oliver discreetly pulled out his cellphone.
9:07 P.M.
Fifty-three minutes left.
Adam Hunt still hadn't transferred the money.
Tommy immediately spotted him.
And instantly transformed into the world's most aggressive hype man.
He motioned wildly toward the DJ booth.
The music abruptly cut off.
"Everybody, hey! Man of the hour!"
The crowd erupted instantly into cheers.
Tommy grinned proudly.
"And ladies," he added dramatically, "please give this man a proper homecoming!"
Music exploded back through the club.
♫ We are the champions... ♫
♫ We are the champions... ♫
♫ Of the world! ♫
Oliver reached center stage while people screamed around him.
Flashing cameras blinded him from every direction.
Honestly?
Five years ago he would've loved this.
Now it just felt exhausting.
Still—
He smiled.
Played the part.
"Thank you very much, everybody!"
The crowd cheered louder.
Tommy immediately shoved a tequila shot into Oliver's hand.
"Ollie! Ollie! Ollie! Ollie!"
Oliver looked at the shot glass for half a second.
Then toward the screaming crowd.
"I missed tequila!"
The club exploded again.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Hunt Multinational — 9:25 P.M.]
Adam Hunt's security team loaded fresh magazines into automatic weapons.
Tension filled the office floor.
Several guards checked exits while others monitored cameras.
Techno music suddenly rattled faintly through the windows from outside.
Hunt frowned.
"What the hell's going on out there?"
Drakon calmly checked outside.
Then answered flatly:
"It's across the street. Party for the guy that got rescued off that island."
A pause.
"Oliver Queen."
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Oliver's Welcome Home Party]
Oliver stood near the bar with Tommy while Diggle lingered several feet away.
Watching everything.
Always alert.
Tommy nodded toward several women nearby.
"Hey. Does he wipe for you too?"
Diggle didn't even blink.
Tommy continued anyway.
"Now by my rough estimate, you have not had sex in one thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine days."
Oliver nearly choked on his drink.
"As your wingman," Tommy continued proudly, "I highly recommend Carmen Golden."
Oliver glanced toward the crowd.
"Which one is she?"
Tommy pointed subtly.
"The one who looks like the chick from Twilight."
Oliver frowned.
"What's Twilight?"
Tommy stared at him.
Then patted his shoulder sympathetically.
"You're so better off not knowing."
Oliver's attention suddenly shifted across the room.
His expression hardening instantly.
Because nearby—
Thea and Nova stood with several classmates.
And one very sketchy-looking guy.
Oliver watched him discreetly hand something over.
Drugs.
Tommy noticed his expression immediately.
"Uh oh."
Oliver was already moving.
"Back in a minute."
Diggle immediately followed.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
Thea barely had time to react before Oliver grabbed her arm gently and pulled her aside.
"Ollie, hey!" Thea laughed. "This party is sick."
"Who let you in here?"
Thea blinked.
"Uh... pretty sure somebody said: right this way Miss Queen and Miss Hale."
Nova immediately raised both hands.
"I would like it officially noted that I want no part in the sibling argument," she announced.
But despite saying that—
Thea immediately reached over and grabbed Nova's hand.
Pulling her closer automatically.
Grounding herself.
Oliver noticed.
"Well, you shouldn't be here," Oliver said firmly.
Thea crossed her arms.
"Uh, I'm not twelve anymore."
Oliver sighed.
"No. You're seventeen."
Thea laughed bitterly.
"Ollie, I love you, but you don't get to come back here and judge me. Especially for being just like you."
That hit.
Oliver visibly softened slightly.
"I know it couldn't have been easy for you while I was away."
Thea stared at him.
Then actually laughed.
But there wasn't humor in it.
"Away?"
Her eyes watered instantly.
"No. You died."
The words hit harder than Oliver expected.
"My brother and my father died," Thea continued shakily. "I went to your funerals."
Oliver looked wrecked hearing that.
"I know—"
"No, you don't," Thea cut him off immediately.
Her voice cracked.
Honest.
Raw.
"Mom had Walter. And I had nobody."
Thea tightened her grip on Nova's hand.
Nova immediately squeezed back supportively.
Then Thea quietly pulled Nova in front of her, resting her forehead lightly against Nova's shoulder while wrapping both arms around Nova's waist like she was grounding herself through the contact.
"Until Nova came to live with us and we started dating. Then we had Allison."
Nova looked at her softly.
Completely supportive.
Thea shook her head.
"You guys all act like it's cool, let's just forget the last five years. Well I can't."
Her hand pressed lightly against her chest.
"For me? It's kind of permanently in here."
Oliver stood silent.
Because he could hear the pain in every word.
Thea swallowed hard.
"So sorry if I turned out some major disappointment," she muttered. "But this—"
She motioned toward herself.
Toward Nova.
Toward the life she'd built.
"—me? This is the best I could do with what I had to work with."
Silence hung between them.
Heavy.
Emotional.
Then finally Thea looked toward Nova softly.
"Let's bounce."
Nova glanced toward Oliver uncertainly.
Giving him a small awkward smile before allowing Thea to pull her away.
The second they rejoined their friends, one of the girls leaned over immediately.
"You have the fun dip?"
Thea blinked.
"Yeah. It's right—"
She paused.
Then frowned.
"No. I... I must've dropped it."
Nova leaned closer immediately.
"If you want more, the guy's still here," she said casually.
Then whispered low enough only Thea could hear:
"Oliver took it while you were arguing."
Thea looked shocked for a second before glancing back toward where Oliver had disappeared into the crowd.
Then she just shrugged slightly.
Definitely something to deal with later.
Their friends immediately wandered off to go find the dealer again, leaving Thea and Nova alone together near the dance floor.
Then without another word, Thea grabbed Nova's hands and pulled her toward the dance floor.
Music pulsed around them.
Lights flashing.
Bodies moving.
Thea smirked while wrapping her arms around Nova's neck.
"Am I getting lucky tonight?"
Nova immediately smirked back.
"I don't know. Are you?"
Thea laughed loudly.
Nova joined her.
And for a few minutes—
They just danced together.
Young.
In love.
Alive.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
Oliver quietly tossed the drugs into a nearby trash can.
Then turned to leave.
Only to nearly collide with someone.
"Oh—"
Oliver froze.
"You're here."
Laurel stood in front of him.
Beautiful.
Guarded.
Dangerous in an entirely different way.
"Tommy made the point that we have too many years between us to leave things the way we left them," Laurel admitted quietly.
Then after a pause:
"Is there someplace quieter we could go?"
Oliver nodded slowly.
"Yeah."
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Observatory Floor]
The music sounded distant up here.
Muted.
Almost peaceful.
Laurel stood near the massive windows overlooking Starling City.
For a long moment neither of them spoke.
Then finally:
"I'm sorry," Laurel said quietly.
Oliver looked toward her.
"About saying you should've been the one who died."
Pain flickered across Oliver's face instantly.
"That was wrong."
Oliver swallowed hard.
"If I could trade places with her, I would."
Laurel looked down briefly.
Then forced herself to ask the question she'd clearly carried for years.
"About Sara..."
Her voice shook.
"There's something I've been afraid to ask."
Oliver's expression softened carefully.
"Okay."
Laurel looked at him directly.
"When she died... did she suffer?"
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Flashback]
"Sara!"
Ocean water ripped her away screaming into the storm.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Present Day]
Oliver looked at Laurel.
And lied.
"No."
Laurel closed her eyes briefly.
Relief and grief colliding together.
"I think about her every day," she admitted softly.
"Me too," Oliver answered immediately.
Laurel gave a small sad laugh.
"Guess we still have one thing in common then."
A silence settled between them.
Then Laurel looked at him carefully.
Softer now.
"I can't believe I'm gonna say this," she admitted. "But if you need someone to talk to about what happened to you... I'm here."
Oliver's cellphone suddenly vibrated.
He pulled it out.
10:00 P.M.
Account balance: $0.
Adam Hunt hadn't paid.
Laurel noticed his expression immediately.
"Something wrong?"
Oliver slowly lowered the phone.
And something inside him hardened.
Because this was why he couldn't stay here.
Couldn't let Laurel back in.
"I asked somebody to do something," he said quietly. "They didn't do it."
Then after a beat:
"Laurel... you always saw the best in me."
Laurel's expression softened.
"Right now that's what you're doing," Oliver continued. "Looking at me and wondering if that island changed me somehow. If it made me a better person."
Oliver shook his head slowly.
"It didn't."
Laurel's face slowly fell.
"Stay away from me," Oliver whispered. "Otherwise... I'm just gonna hurt you again."
His eyes darkened.
"But this time it'll be worse."
Then suddenly he stepped back.
Putting the mask back on.
The careless billionaire smile.
"Gotta roll," he said lightly. "I got five years of debauchery to catch up on."
Laurel stared at him.
Hurt.
Furious.
Disappointed.
Then finally she stepped toward him angrily.
"You know what, Oliver? You're wrong."
Her voice sharpened.
"That island did change you."
A bitter laugh escaped her.
"At least now you're honest."
Then she walked away.
Leaving Oliver standing there alone.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Service Hallway]
Oliver moved quickly through the quieter back hallways of the club.
Already mentally shifting toward Adam Hunt.
Toward the Hood.
Toward the mission.
"Something I can help you with, sir?"
Oliver turned.
Diggle stood behind him.
Arms crossed.
Suspicious.
Oliver forced a casual expression.
"Just wanted a second to myself."
Diggle looked entirely unconvinced.
"I would believe you, Mr. Queen," he said dryly, "if you weren't so full of crap."
He motioned toward a nearby door.
"Party's this way."
Oliver glanced at the door.
"It's locked."
Diggle frowned slightly before stepping forward to check it.
And the second he did—
Oliver moved.
Fast.
He slipped behind Diggle instantly before locking him into a brutal sleeper hold.
Diggle immediately struggled.
Strong.
Trained.
But Oliver held firm.
Until eventually Diggle went limp unconscious in his arms.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Hunt Multinational]
Drakon moved through the office floor issuing orders sharply.
"You two cover the elevator. Hang back and stay ready."
The armed guards immediately obeyed.
Weapons raised.
Nerves high.
Drakon continued down the hallway before climbing the staircase toward Adam Hunt's office.
"Stay in the corners and stay alert."
He entered the office.
Locked the doors.
Then walked toward the security keypad.
Several quick button presses later—
The security system armed.
Drakon turned toward Hunt calmly.
"It's past ten," he said flatly. "He's never getting in here."
The second the words left his mouth—
THUNK.
An arrow slammed into the concrete wall directly beside the office windows.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
Outside the building, Starling City PD waited near the front entrance.
Squad cars lined the street.
Detective Lance and Detective Hilton stood nearby watching the building carefully.
"All's clear," Hilton reported.
Quentin nodded once.
"Yeah."
══════════ ➤ ══════════
Back upstairs—
The power suddenly died.
The entire office floor plunged into darkness.
The guards instantly raised their weapons.
Tense.
Alert.
Then—
Ding.
The elevator doors opened.
Every gun snapped toward it.
The Hood stepped out.
And chaos exploded.
Gunfire erupted through the darkness while Oliver moved through the guards with terrifying speed.
Dodging shots.
Using the bow when needed.
Fighting hand-to-hand when they got too close.
One guard crashed through the glass office doors.
Another accidentally opened fire on his own man in the confusion.
An arrow immediately dropped that shooter.
Oliver drove another guard backward with a brutal series of strikes before sending him sprawling across the floor.
Then another arrow fired.
Landing behind Hunt's desk.
Hunt slowly stood.
Smug despite the fear in his eyes.
"You missed."
The Hood tilted his head slightly.
"Really?"
Before Hunt could react, Drakon charged from the side.
The two men immediately crashed into brutal close combat.
While Hunt fled the office, desperately pulling out his cellphone.
"He's here! Detective!"
══════════ ➤ ══════════
Downstairs Quentin immediately reacted.
"All units converge! All units converge!"
SWAT teams stormed into the building.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
Back upstairs, the fight between Drakon and the Hood intensified.
Glass shattered.
Furniture overturned.
The Hood crashed through a glass table before twisting free from one of Drakon's holds.
The assassin pulled a knife.
The fight turned even deadlier.
Fast strikes.
Blocks.
Counterattacks.
The Hood eventually disarmed him before diving behind Hunt's desk as bullets ripped through the office.
Then with perfect timing—
Oliver launched one of the compact arrowheads directly into Drakon.
The assassin collapsed hard.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
Meanwhile, Quentin and the SWAT teams raced up the stairs.
"Go right! Go right! On me!"
══════════ ➤ ══════════
Back inside the office, the Hood lay still for several seconds.
Then slowly rolled over with a groan.
Green paint streaked across the skin around Oliver's eyes beneath the hood.
His breathing was heavier now.
Painful.
A bullet had hit the armored vest beneath the suit.
The police burst into the lobby outside the office.
"Lay down your weapons or we will open fire!"
The Hood ignored them.
Instead, he fired an arrow upward.
The lights exploded.
Darkness swallowed the office again.
Then Oliver ran.
Quentin and Hilton fired after him while the Hood launched himself through the office windows.
Glass exploded outward.
Quentin rushed toward the shattered opening.
Just in time to see the Hood ziplining across the street toward a nearby parking structure.
Hilton stared in disbelief.
"Tell me you saw that."
Quentin blinked once.
Still stunned.
"Okay," he muttered. "Let's go. Move!"
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Oliver's Welcome Home Party]
Back at the party, Nova and Thea danced near the crowded center floor.
Nova laughed while grinding teasingly against her girlfriend.
Thea nearly choked on her drink.
"You're trying to kill me."
Nova smirked.
"Maybe a little."
Eventually the two girls made their way toward the bar still laughing.
Thea shook her head while taking a drink.
"Still weird not being able to get drunk or high anymore."
Nova shrugged.
"Might not affect us the same, but we can still drink."
Then suddenly—
The music cut off.
Everyone turned.
Police flooded into the building.
"Starling City Police!"
Quentin Lance stepped forward.
"Party's over, kids."
The crowd booed loudly.
Quentin barely cared.
His eyes landed on Tommy.
"Mr. Merlyn. Imagine my shock finding you here. Did you roofie anyone special tonight?"
Before Tommy could respond—
Oliver suddenly appeared.
Back in his expensive suit.
Calm.
Collected.
Like he hadn't just fought through an entire building.
"Detective," Oliver greeted smoothly. "It's a private party."
"Yeah?"
Quentin stepped closer.
"Well there was an incident at Adam Hunt's building tonight. You know anything about that?"
Oliver blinked innocently.
"Who's Adam Hunt?"
Quentin scoffed.
"He's a millionaire bottom-feeder. I'm surprised you two aren't friends."
Oliver shrugged.
"I've been out of town for... awhile."
"Yeah," Quentin muttered. "Well he just got attacked by the hood guy. Same one who rescued your ass the other day."
Oliver widened his eyes slightly.
"The hood guy? You didn't find him?"
Then suddenly Oliver turned toward the crowd.
"Hey everybody! Two million dollars to whoever finds the nutbar in the green hood!"
The crowd exploded cheering.
Quentin immediately stepped directly into Oliver's space.
Near the bar, Thea growled low in the back of her throat.
Nova immediately grabbed her arm gently.
Grounding her.
Calming her before she launched herself at a police detective.
"Did you even try to save her?" Quentin demanded quietly.
Oliver's expression flickered.
Just slightly.
"Partner," Hilton warned softly. "Let's go."
But Quentin couldn't stop.
"Did you even try to save my daughter?"
Hilton grabbed his arm.
"Sara wouldn't want this."
Quentin looked furious.
Broken.
But eventually he backed off.
Oliver watched him go silently.
Then abruptly jumped onto a nearby platform.
"It's way too quiet in here!" he shouted. "This is a party!"
The crowd cheered again.
Music exploded back through the speakers.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
Later, Tommy caught up to Oliver near the edge of the party.
"Some coincidence," Tommy muttered. "You asking to throw your party here and Hunt getting robbed right next door by the same guy who rescued us."
Oliver's expression darkened slightly.
"If I were you, Tommy, I'd just be glad you're alive."
Tommy stared at him quietly.
Then finally asked:
"What happened to you on that island?"
Oliver looked away.
A thousand terrible memories crossing behind his eyes.
"A lot."
Then he walked away.
Leaving Tommy standing there unsettled.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[The Next Morning — Hunt Multinational]
Workers repaired the shattered office windows while Adam Hunt screamed into his cellphone.
"What the hell are you talking about?! Forty million dollars doesn't just vanish!"
He paced furiously.
"Untraceable?! It is forty million dollars! Find it!"
Hunt finally collapsed into his chair exhausted.
"How did he do it...?"
Then behind him—
Embedded into the wall—
A small green arrow blinked softly.
Hidden.
Active.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
Elsewhere in the city, Oliver sat inside the factory lair watching several computer monitors.
Onscreen:
Funds transferred from Hunt Multinational.
Forty million dollars.
One by one the stolen money returned to the people Hunt had ruined.
Families.
Homes.
Savings.
Lives.
Oliver watched silently.
Then finally looked back toward the list.
Slowly—
He crossed Adam Hunt's name off completely.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Flashback — Lifeboat, Five Years Ago]
The ocean stretched endlessly around the tiny life raft.
Cold.
Dark.
Merciless.
Rainwater soaked through everything while weak waves rocked the raft back and forth.
Robert Queen sat beside Oliver quietly.
Exhaustion carved deep into his face.
Guilt too.
"There's not enough for all of us," Robert said quietly.
Oliver sat slumped beside his father.
Barely conscious.
"Save your strength," Oliver muttered weakly while leaning heavily against him.
Robert looked down at his son.
At the boy who still had a chance.
"You can survive this," Robert whispered. "Make it home. Make it better. Right my wrongs."
His voice cracked slightly.
"But you gotta live through this first. You hear me, Ollie? You hear me, son?"
Oliver's eyes barely stayed open.
"Just rest, dad."
Robert stared at him for a long moment.
Then quietly:
"No."
He leaned down.
Kissed Oliver gently on the forehead.
Then carefully eased his exhausted son off his shoulder.
Oliver frowned weakly.
Confused.
Robert looked at him one final time.
And something inside him hardened.
Resolved.
Slowly, Robert reached underneath his life jacket.
Then deeper into his jacket.
And pulled out a gun.
Oliver's eyes widened instantly.
"Dad?"
Before Oliver could react—
Robert turned.
And shot Gus.
The gunshot exploded across the open ocean.
Gus jerked violently before falling backward out of the raft into the sea.
"No!"
Oliver startled awake fully now.
Horror flooding his face.
"Dad?!"
Robert looked directly at his son.
Pain.
Love.
Finality.
"Survive."
Then Robert slowly raised the gun toward his own head.
Oliver lunged forward desperately.
"No!"
The gun fired.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Abandoned Queen Factory — The Lair]
Oliver sat silently in front of the glowing computer monitors inside the hidden basement beneath the abandoned Queen factory.
The hood rested nearby.
The bow within arm's reach.
The entire underground space hummed quietly with electronics and stolen power.
But Oliver barely noticed any of it.
Because for a few long seconds—
All he could hear was the gunshot.
Over.
And over.
And over again.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[CNRI Office]
Laurel leaned back slightly in her chair while holding her cellphone against her ear.
"If hypothetically fifty thousand dollars magically appeared in your bank account," she said carefully, "it might be best for you not to speak about it... to anyone... ever."
A pause.
Laurel snorted softly.
"God bless you too."
She hung up moments later.
Johanna walked over to Laurel's desk and rested against it.
"I just got a very grateful phone call from one of our clients against Adam Hunt."
Laurel smiled faintly.
"Me too."
Both women laughed quietly.
Johanna shook her head in disbelief.
"Well," she admitted, "looks like Starling City has a guardian angel."
Then casually:
"By the way, your cute friend's here."
Laurel frowned slightly.
"Cute fr—"
She looked up.
And saw Tommy Merlyn standing in the office doorway smiling at her.
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Outside Alley Behind CNRI Office]
Tommy leaned casually against the side of his car while Laurel stepped out into the alley beside him.
"You left the party pretty quick last night," Tommy teased lightly. "Even after I made sure the bar was stocked with Pinot Noir."
Laurel rolled her eyes.
"It wasn't really my scene."
Tommy studied her carefully.
"I thought maybe you and Oliver went mano-a-mano again," he admitted. "I saw you two head out."
Laurel crossed her arms.
"There's nothing between Oliver and I," she said firmly. "Not anymore."
Tommy hummed softly.
"Here I thought the only thing between you and Oliver was us."
Laurel snorted.
"I wouldn't exactly characterize us as an 'us,' Tommy."
Tommy stepped a little closer.
"Then what would you call it?"
Laurel raised an eyebrow.
"A lapse."
Tommy laughed.
"That's quite a few lapses."
He started counting dramatically.
"Your place. My place. My place again."
Laurel groaned.
"Oh, come on, Merlyn. We both know you're not a one-girl type of guy."
Tommy's expression softened slightly.
"Depends on the girl."
That caught Laurel off guard for half a second.
But before she could respond, she glanced back toward the office.
"I have to get back to work."
Tommy sighed dramatically.
"Dinah Laurel Lance. Always trying to save the world."
Laurel smiled faintly.
"Hey. If I don't try and save it, who will?"
Then she turned and headed back inside.
Tommy watched her go for a second before finally heading toward his car.
High above the alley—
A hooded figure watched silently from the fire escape.
Oliver.
Hidden in shadows.
Watching Laurel disappear back into the building.
Oliver (V.O.); "She says the island changed me."
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Flashback — Lifeboat, Five Years Ago]
Oliver weakly crawled across the raft.
Still shaking.
Still covered in blood and rainwater.
The sound of the gunshot still echoed inside his skull.
Oliver (V.O.); "She has no idea how much."
His body finally collapsed near the opposite edge of the raft.
Barely conscious.
Barely alive.
The endless ocean stretched around him.
Then suddenly—
Land.
An island rested in the distance through the fog.
Dark.
Unknown.
Waiting.
Oliver (V.O.); "There are many more names on the list. Those who rule my city through intimidation and fear."
Oliver weakly lifted his head.
Staring toward the island.
Toward Lian Yu.
Toward hell.
Oliver (V.O.); "Every last one of them will wish I had died on that island."
══════════ ➤ ══════════
[Present Day — Night, Queen Mansion Backyard]
Thunder rumbled softly overhead.
Rain threatened in the distance.
The backyard remained dark except for the faint glow spilling from the mansion windows.
Moira Queen stood near the bottom of the stone steps.
Perfectly composed.
Perfectly controlled.
An unknown man stood nearby partially hidden by shadows.
"Should we arrange another abduction?" the man asked quietly.
Moira's expression never changed.
"The police failed to identify the men I hired to kidnap Oliver," she said calmly. "And they never will."
The man nodded once.
"Should we arrange another abduction?"
Moira's eyes lifted slightly toward the mansion.
Toward where her son slept upstairs.
"No," she answered softly.
Cold.
Certain.
"There are other ways of finding out what my son knows."
══════════ ➤ ══════════
The unknown man gave a small nod toward Moira before quietly turning and disappearing back up the stone steps into the darkness beyond the mansion grounds.
Moira remained standing there alone for a moment.
Thunder rumbled softly overhead.
Her expression stayed perfectly composed.
Cold.
Controlled.
Like the woman who ordered kidnappings and manipulated billion-dollar companies.
But underneath all of that—
Fear still lingered.
Because Oliver had come home different.
And that terrified her more than she wanted to admit.
After another second, Moira finally turned and headed back inside the mansion.
Warm light immediately replaced the cold night air.
The front doors shut softly behind her.
Then—
Tiny rapid footsteps echoed through the hallway.
"NANA!"
Moira barely had time to look up before Allison came sprinting toward her in tiny socks.
A crumpled drawing clutched tightly in her little hands.
The toddler nearly crashed directly into Moira's legs.
Moira's entire expression softened instantly.
Completely.
Like a switch flipping.
She leaned down gracefully just as Allie held the paper upward proudly.
"Picture!"
Moira smiled warmly before taking it carefully.
The drawing consisted mostly of chaotic crayon scribbles.
Several stick figures.
And what appeared to maybe be a dog.
Or possibly a potato.
Honestly?
Impossible to tell.
But Moira reacted like Allison had personally painted the Sistine Chapel.
"Oh my goodness," Moira said softly. "This is beautiful."
Allie beamed proudly.
Moira gently scooped her granddaughter up into her arms effortlessly.
Allie immediately curled comfortably against her.
Completely spoiled by every adult in the mansion.
As she should be.
Moira brushed some curls back from Allison's face lovingly.
"And where are your mommies, hm?"
Allie pointed vaguely toward the city outside.
"Uncle Ollie's party."
Then immediately—
A dramatic pout formed on her face.
Tiny arms crossing.
"I wanted go too."
Moira bit back a smile already knowing exactly where this was headed.
"But Mama and Mommy said only for big kids."
Allie huffed adorably afterward.
Offended by this injustice.
Moira actually laughed softly.
A real laugh.
Warm and genuine.
Because despite everything happening—
Thea and Nova were probably out dancing somewhere while pretending they weren't still ridiculously obsessed with each other.
And based on experience?
Neither of them would be home anytime soon.
Moira kissed the top of Allison's head gently.
"Well," she murmured fondly, "I suppose Nana gets to spoil you tonight instead."
Allie gasped dramatically.
Immediately excited again.
"Cookies?"
Moira smiled knowingly while carrying her farther into the mansion.
"Oh, definitely cookies."
And for a brief moment—
With Allison giggling happily in her arms and Oliver finally back under the same roof—
The Queen Mansion almost felt like a real home again, but with everybody keeping secrets it's a house of cards.
══════════ ➤ ══════════