Post by adrini on Aug 23, 2013 21:56:24 GMT -5
"Focus, Miss Cissie." Brave Bow corrected her elbow. She nodded and corrected her stance. "Now fire again when ready."
The Olympian fired the shot and cheered as it hit just off center.
"I want to try again!" He looked at her instructor.
Brave Bow smiled as he saw the girl's father laugh, sitting on the bench at the back.
"I won't stop you." He smiled and handed her another arrow. "When you're ready, keep the stance solid."
Cissie got the arrow a few inches closer, and was reloading it when she heard the bell on the door ring.
"Brave Bow!" She heard a new voice say. Turning around she saw a blond kid hugging the man. " I brought my bow today." It was a girl who looked to be ten or eleven.
"So I see. Thea, ready to work on your back arm?" He smiled.
Cissie looked to the door to see Thea Queen. She had long dark hair, pulled back in a braid, with piercing blue eyes. She was smaller then Cissie expected.
"I've been working on it. We brought a crew today." She said.
Cissie knew who the black man was, John Diggle was in the background of most of the shots of the Queen family she saw. She didn't know the red head though.
"John, Rose. Feel free to take a seat. There's water in the cooler."
>--)->
"Mr. Jones." He heard the man say to him, offering a hand. "John Diggle. It's an honor to have your daughter here. Lends respectability to the place. I saw her in the Olympics. She did the city proud."
"Thank you. She's thrilled to be here." He beamed at the compliment and shook the offered hand. "She's told me the Queen's are among the best archers in the city. She hopes to learn."
His years of training as a journalist had his nerves tingling. He was sitting next to the keeper of the Queen's. The man didn't seem special, he almost seemed like an uncle taking the kids to class. However he was the friend and confidant of one of the most secretive families in the city.
"She will. Brave Bow's school of archery is based on active combat and movement. It goes beyond traditional training." The teen named Rose had gotten them drinks. She sat down and kept glancing at the door.
"Expecting someone, miss?" She was looking at the door and the young girl in turn. Diggle smiled.
"Keeping an eye out for reporters. We got jumped last week. They scared Mia rather badly." Bowstring saw him shoot her a look to calm down.
"I'm sorry. Some of us have forgotten how to act. I'm sure they didn't mean to scare the child." He smiled as Diggle connected the dots and laughed.
"I'm sure they didn't." He smiled. "Well played. Just so you know I'm not allowed to give interviews without permission."
"A common line, you guys don't share much." Permission never happened. The family seemed nice enough, but seemed to hide a great deal.
"My former employers wanted their children to have as normal a childhood as possible. My current ones want the same for the children they haven't had yet." The man said, he wasn't upset by the complaint. He just saw it differently. "It's nothing personal."
"Plus they're not that interesting anyway." The red headed teen said. "The mystery will sell more. It's all family game nights, order in Italian, chore charts- nothing you haven't seen before."
"Its true, I'm afraid." The black man said with a chuckle. "You likely are better off with the mystery."
He smiled at the two, the first family seemed to be just people. He still thought the city would like to know that.
It was five till two when Brave Bow gave the girls leave to shower and change. Bonnie would be both pleased and enraged. Cissie was certainly learning from her new teacher, but she wasn't the head of the class. That honor went to young Thea Queen. His daughter didn't seem to mind, she was enjoying the company of the other girls. The youngest girl was called Mia, and was far more quiet and guarded then Thea. She had just been adopted by the family. They were extremely protective of her.
The guardians were making sure their charges had remembered everything when the bell rang again. He and Cissie were working out what to tell her mother when they heard several happy cries behind them. Both of them felt their eyes go wide.
Brave Bow, beaming, was holding open the door for an exhausted looking Dinah Queen, the young bride everyone was curious about. She was on crutches with one leg in a foam cast. He had no idea she had even been hurt.
She swung in and was quickly surrounded the rest of the clan, and they didn't lack for affection. The girls seemed extra thrilled to see her, Mia seemed to be crying a little. It was her husband, Mr. Queen himself, who closed the door behind her. He nodded at Diggle, who waved him over to them.
"Ollie, this is Bernie Jones of the Star City Herald. Bowstring, Oliver Queen. Bowstring's daughter has joined the class."
Mr. Queen smiled and shook his hand. "You have excellent taste. Best archery instructor in town." He had an easy smile, entirely disarming.
"And this is Cissie King-Jones." Diggle added. He saw his daughter beam.
"An pleasure indeed." Mr. Queen said and shook her hand. "You made us very proud in London. It's an honor to have you here."
Cissie nodded, but seemed too excited to speak. Bowstring nodded to the young woman in crutches.
"My condolences, Mr. Queen. Nothing serious, I hope." The young man looked concerned at the sight.
"Ollie, I insist. We're part of the same school now." He smiled. "We caught it early enough. An issue with an artery. Hopefully it's done now. I do need to get her home so she can rest. I'll see you again soon, I'm sure."
"Indeed, good luck." He nodded to the young man, watching as the Queens organized and walked out the door. Mrs. Queen nodding at them before looking to make sure her husband was close by. Mr. Queen made sure the door didn't get in the way as she left.
He looked at his daughter and raised an eyebrow. "Good lesson?"
She looked at him, smiled widely, and nodded.
>--)->
"You're distracted boyo." Ted got in a strong right hook. Oliver managed to stand and recover.
"Wife could have died, Mia is being hunted, taking on a city, keeping a city going." Ollie dodged a punch. "You know, Tuesday."
"Poor thing, want a cookie?" Ted asked dryly, he low kicked and Oliver jumped.
"All I want is a target I can aim at." He flipped behind the trainer. "Once I have one I can go from there."
Ted shook his head, and called a pause in the fight.
"You have too much heart in it, too many distractions. It gives your enemy a target. Focus or you may loose both Di and Mia, to say nothing of the cities. When you fight see nothing but the fight." He took form. "Again."
Oliver focused, trapping the rage the last several months had given him. Having a trainer that didn't stay dead was rather freeing. He lunged in.
"That's better." Ted wore a feral grin. "Tell me to stay away. Give no quarter."
He began to pull from his many schools of training. Ted pulled fewer of his punches, far fewer. It didn't take long for it to become clear there was more at play here. Ted was opening enjoying beating him up.
"Okay Ted, what is this really about?" He dodged a punch and pulled himself around a kick. "Some boundary I overstepped? An accidental insult?"
"Just making sure you're worthy, boyo. You're not yet, but you will be." Ted got him with a strong undercut, once again Oliver fell to the ground. He'd gone a whole half hour this time. He was getting better.
"Worthy for what?" He could feel a large bruises form. He'd have to live with these, he wasn't waking Di. She was still recovering.
"For that wife of yours." Ted climbed out of the ring. "You sure as hell aren't yet."
[center]>--)->[/center][/color]
Slade Wilson drove into an impressive estate in the southern hills of Star City. There was a thing with Star City types wanting people dead. The area had a reputation for being so nice to.
He drove up to a large iron gate, and waited for the intercom.
"Mr. Wilson. You are expected." A formal voice said. The gates opened.
He drove to an impressive manor. On parking a suit clad servant took his keys and directed him inside.
"The party is this way, sir." Said a pale skinned maid. He raised an eyebrow and followed.
He walked into a room where drinks were sitting on the table. There were five men in discussion.
"Mr. Wilson, we've been expecting you. Do help yourself." The gentleman was somewhat older, but fit. He guessed this was Mr. King, the focus of the job would be better this time.
Slade took a glass and took an empty chair. The other men in the room nodded.
"Mr. Wilson is new to our operation, so I'll fill him in first. I need this Green Arrow and his ilk to get out of the way of, shall we say, certain deals I have going on. These gentleman are here to draw them out through going after a project they took on. I want you to 'convince' them to take a break, for a few months at least. I'd rather not loose my investments."
Slade could guess the investments. The drug trade in the area had started to explode. "What is this project?"
The man nodded to the leader. "Mr. Gaynor."
He suddenly knew the man. These were the men from the camp Rose had worked at for so long. They fit the blurry pictures she had sent him.If they were going to try to get the poor child back he was going to try to stop them.
"The Queens are a local family in the area, rivals of ours took my step-daughter from us and gave her to them. The girl belongs with me, it's what her mother would have wanted. My rivals are the same as Mr. King's, they will try to stop us." Slade had to admit the bastard had a nice story going.
"I know the Queens, they are a very well protected family. It won't be easy to get to her." Slade sat back, pretending to be fully interested. "I can't expect to just waltz in."
"Not at all. She attends events regularly. The outreach on thursday, archery classes on monday and wednesday. Church services on sunday. None of these places will be hard to infiltrate." Gaynor smiled smoothly. "In and done."
Slade felt his stomach twist, he knew the meaning behind that phrase.
"They hold the girl, and the team agrees to back off on the agreement she be returned. She isn't, but the team does not get home either, so it's no loss. I can assure you the money is quite good. Are you in?" Mr. King, or Merlyn as the notice he had sent had called him waited for a response.
"The Queen's are a larger target then I'm comfortable going after. I'll have to decline. Also I have a daughter. I don't hunt little girls. I'm sorry." He stood up. "If you have any less objectionable jobs in the future do keep me in mind. You have my number."
"I may be doing that. Thank you for your time, Mr. Wilson." The man was taking it well at least. He spoke to the maid. "See that Mr. Wilson's car is brought around."
"Yes Mr. King." She said and turned to notify the doorman.
Slade waited until he could get a burner phone, the next day, before making the call.
"Rose speaking." He heard his daughter say, and breathed easier.
"Hey Rosie. It's Dad. We need to talk. I need to have a meeting with your friends."
>--)->
"I don't think you can go out in public like that." Roy laughed. Oliver had come down to breakfast. He was covered in bruises. "The press would love it though."
"I'm sure they would. I'm working from home anyway. Keeping an eye on Di, since its Digs day off. " The industry giant began to eat his breakfast cereal. "I'll clean up later."
Jade walked over to the table with her toast. "How is she?"
"Out cold. Those medications are serious. I'm on text duty to bring up food once she wakes up." He waved his phone. "But the swelling has going down, and the infection has mostly cleared."
"The wound that keeps on giving." Roy said, shaking his head.
"What happened?" Jade asked. "I know Cavanaugh got a cut in, it sounds like it was bad."
"From the hip to just above the ankle." Oliver said, looking into his bowl for a moment before pushing it away. "And deep. Roy can fill you in."
Roy sighed as his best friend left the room. "I should have told you not to mention the attack in front of him. He feels responsible for it."
She looked around the corner at Oliver going back up stairs. He was clearly making sure his wife was okay. "How? He tried to kill the man who did it."
"He was in the car as get away during the attack. When I say we almost lost her what I mean is she really shouldn't be here, medically speaking." Roy put the cereal in the sink. "He spent the better part of five hours convinced she was leaving us. It scared him." Roy filled their coffees. "He strongly believes that if he were with her instead of in the car it wouldn't have happened. Therefor it was his fault."
"But he took out Cavanaugh-" Roy cut her off.
"Wouldn't have brought her back, nor does it change what she's gone through. The good news is that he found his other half. However, she just had major arterial surgery. She could have died on the table even then. He lives with feeling responsible for that." Roy sat down again. "It wasn't even him that caught the blow out, it was you."
>--)->
Upstairs Oliver was walking into the dark room where his wife was resting. Dinah's eyes were just beginning to flutter open.
"I walk into my room and there's this girl in my bed. I must be doing something right." He said softly, stealing a kiss.
"Flirt." She said and smiled. "You ate fast."
"Missed my wife. Do you want to eat here or downstairs?" He moved the blankets to check out the surgical site. It was looking good.
"Downstairs." She said, holding up her arms for him to help her move. He quickly got her ready.
In the kitchen Dinah found much of the family already present. Oliver went to make her food after making sure she was seated.
"Who's winning?" She asked Thea, who was playing a fighting game with Mia.
"Me. Winner plays Rose though." Thea said quickly before yelling at the game.
Dinah waved to Roy and Jade as they went off to work and started on the waffle her husband put in front of her. Oliver had just sat down with his own when a shaken looking Rose walked in to the room.
Oliver stood up and walked over to the teen.
"Rose?" He stopped when he saw her looking at Mia with fear in her eyes.
"My Dad called. Gaynor knows where Mia is. And his crew is in Star City." Rose said softly. "Is it too late to hide her? To hide Dinah's leg?"
He and Rose looked at Di, who had closed her eyes. Beyond Mia her leg injury would be a dead give away.
>--)->
Bernie watched his daughter train with Brave Bow and waited for the Queens to join him. Cissie had made a batch of cookies to have him hand out. She was already excited about her new classmates.
It was later then normal when he saw a car drive up, and only two people got out.
"Bowstring. Good to see you." Oliver Queen gave a weak smile in thanks for Bernie getting the door for him. He nodded at his sister to go ahead and start the lesson. Bernie noticed Brave Bow looked concerned.
"I hope Mrs. Queen is doing well." He said, not knowing what was bothering them. Polite conversation seemed like the best plan.
"Dinah. We don't stand on ceremony much." The man said. "She's healing well, thank you for asking. Getting rest."
The conversation ended. The man brooded. Bernie tried again.
"Just the two of you today? No Diggle or Mia?" Mr. Queen gave a start at the girls name.
"No. She might be staying home for a time." He said.
The men sat in silence before he spoke again.
"You're a father. I can't get my head around this. Off the record?" Oliver swallowed.
Bernie smiled sadly. The company head was worried about Mia, he had a bad feeling.
"Sure. What can I do?"
"My wife and I adopted Mia. She's a relative of hers. There was no one else to take her in and we both just fell for her. Sweetest kid I've ever known. Her Dad died years ago and her Mom was killed. We figured we'd be the hero and try to make things right somehow. Game nights, get her into a good school, make sure she was cared for. All that."
Bernie nodded. The girl had seemed very happy when he had seen her. "What's going wrong?"
Oliver rubbed his eyes. "Before we were contacted she was under the custody of this other guy. He-" The young man looked for the words. "Treated her badly."
Bernie swallowed. He wasn't fully surprised. She had that feeling to her. "I'm sorry."
"We found out this morning he's in town, he's trying to get her back. She's terrified. I'd give my right arm to keep her safe, but she has classes here. School in the fall. We promised her a life." He sighed. "I was prepared for the family therapy, the night terrors. But not this. I just don't know what to do."
"If someone was gunning after Cissie-" Bernie shook his head. No wonder they were freaking out. "Does he know where she lives now?"
"The adoption is part of public record. The house is called Queen Manor." He rested his arms on his knees. "Do I hire a private tutor? Keep her at home? I can hire more security."
Bernie closed his eyes for a moment. A story like this would make them people of the year.
"No, she needs to have a life. Make sure there is security, make sure as hell the police are informed, but life goes on. If you freeze everything every time this jerk shows up you're letting him win. You're doing well so far. She's loved, cared for, looked after. You're seeing to her future, getting her an education, and trying to keep her safe. All a dad can do." He was impressed by the young man.
Oliver shook his head. "I'm not her father."
"Sure you are, just not her first one. Fathers worry and brood. Go to all kinds of lengths to make sure their kids are taken care of. Constantly jump at shadows of what might happen. I bet Dinah tucks her in at night and makes sure to double check her homework to."
Oliver laughed softly. "She's better at it then I am. I want to get to game time."
Bernie smiled. They were figuring it out. "I saw how happy Mia was when she saw your wife on her feet again. Its going to be a challenge. You took on a kid right out of the gate, but you're making it work. Do what you have to to get this Bozo to go away and keep living."
Oliver smiled and looked at him. "Cissie is a very lucky girl. You're a wise man."
Bernie smiled and offed the cookies. "The key is to love them to pieces, Mr. Queen. It's not that complicated."
"Ollie." He was corrected again, helping himself to the baked goods. "That we can do."
>--)->
Slade Wilson leaned on a pillar and waited for his ride. He didn't mind the caution, he understood the family's paranoia. He was looking toward to seeing the people his daughter was staying with.
A black hybrid drove up and he climbed in. He wasn't alone.
"Mr. Wilson." The man next to him nodded. He was a blonde man in his late twenties. Next to him was a blonde woman about the same age.
"Slade. Are you from the Queens?" The two smiled.
"We are the Queens." The woman said kindly. "We figured if you were helping us keep Mia safe the least we could do pick you up in person."
Slade was surprised. These were the people he had been hired to kill before. Rose must have left that part out when she arranged the meeting. "How is Rose? Is she behaving?"
"She's been a pleasure. A wonderful help. We're meeting up with her and the others in a minute. I hope you're hungry." Mr. Queen smiled, nodding to the driver to leave.
"I can eat." He knew he was meeting the head of the city, he just never expected him to be like this. They were the opposites of Mr. King and Deleon. "Rose told me what Mia went through, how has she been?"
"Better over time. It will take a while for her to recover fully." The two shared a look, it wasn't happy. Mrs. Queen nodded in agreement. "We're doing what we can, but Gaynor showing up again isn't helping."
"I'll do what I can Mr. Queen. The little girl has been through enough." Slade was honestly glad he hadn't been able to get to them. They were good people, if only for taking the child in.
"Ollie." The man sad with a soft laugh. "Mr. Queen was my father."
"And call me Dinah. We aren't big on ceremony." The woman's eyes were warm, kind. "Rose will be so glad to see you. You really walk on water to her. She's a wonderful girl. You should be very proud."
Slade smiled, he was inclined to agree. The car stopped and he found himself at the back entrance of a local Italian place. Mr. Queen was opening the door on the other side of the car. He appeared shortly carrying his wife who was wearing a foam cast. Their driver opened the door for them.
"Not the best condition for fighting off Gaynor, Mr. Queen." He said, walking behind them.
"We know. But you play with the hand you have." Mr. Queen said, it worried him to. Slade could see he was well aware of what could happen to his new bride. Mrs. Queen kissed her husband's cheek to reassure him, and he smiled. "We'll have to find a way."
They walked inside, Slade looking for the daughter he was suddenly missing. He was led into a large meeting room with a buffet in the back.
"Dad!" He heard his daughter before he saw her, but she rushed into his arms. "They found you."
"My Rosebud. How have you been?" He looked her. She looked healthy and well taken care of. The things she was wearing were new. She had mentioned her female friends had take her shopping.
"Good. Keeping an eye on things mostly. Trying to keep Mia cheered up." He followed her gaze to a small blond child who was eagerly helping Mr. Queen settle his wife in a chair. "It's been rough."
He saw the girl take the seat next to the woman and talk to her excitedly. Mrs. Queen beamed in return. Mia really was taken care of here. "She's fourteen?" She looked closer to ten.
"Six years of malnourishment will do that." Rose said sadly. Slade shook his head. "Thank you for helping, Dad. It really means a lot. Ollie says he'll pay you for whatever you're willing to do. He just wants his family safe."
"I know something about that. Just expenses for this one, I have a girl I like to keep safe myself." He brushed his daughters cheek.
"You're not going soft, are you?" She teased.
"When you're a parent you'll understand." He walked over to the food. "We should get started."
The driver, a dark skinned man nodded at the sentiment. "I agree." He said. "Last call food and drink!" He told the room. "Meeting time!"
Slade looked around as a number of people hurried to get their things and sit down. He looked to the man, obviously more then a driver.
"The people who dropped the girl off here. Are you still in contact with them?" He took his seat and asked the man. Rose dug into her food.
"I suppose we can be. Why?" The man raised an eyebrow.
"Merlyn is going to send people after them soon. Serious people. They do good work, I can't take on four people alone. I wouldn't mind the back up."It might not have been the truth but he was going for something here. "They operate within the city, right?"
The man nodded. "Generally. We'll do what we can, I'll let you know. Thank you."
Slade could tell there was something he was missing, but considering the circumstances it was reasonable they were holding cards close to the chest. He assumed Rose would full him in later. He stood up once everyone was seated. Mr. Queen spoke first, introducing the room.
"Lastly, Slade is Rose's father. He finally has a break for us." The young man finished.
Slade nodded, smiling sadly at Mia who was curled up in Mrs. Queen's lap. He didn't mind business deals gone wrong, and he could live with drug rings. Going after kids was too far.
"I want to set a trap." He said. "But It'll require planning, and back up. The crew know your movements- afternoons at outreach, the archery lessons and service on sunday. You have too many openings. We need to limit those openings, force them to try something on a day of our choosing. Jump them then."
He looked around the room, there wasn't any disagreement.
"What about the police?" A red haired man asked. He name had been Roy. "What do we tell them?"
"Depends on how many of them you want to get killed. Mr. King has enough lawyers to keep them spinning for years and Gaynor's crew won't blink before killing anyone who comes after them. I would leave them out of it." He saw a look between the Queens, they agreed.
"Do you really think you can take the whole crew?" Mrs. Queen wasn't convinced. "We were told they were rather well trained."
"Extremely well trained. I will need back up. The people who got Mia here safely would be nice." He could have a chat with them while they were on mission. It was a win-win.
"The Arrow people. We can see if they're free. Who would you want?" Thea Queen, Rose's new friend, sat next to her brother.
"Green Arrow seems to be the best of the archers, the guy in red is really good to. I like the stealth skills of the kid. The guns on the arsenal one would be nice. Mainly though I want Canary. She has the most experience, and that scream could knock them out in one hit. You know who they are?" He would need to get in touch with them quickly.
"We know how to contact them." Said a thin blond woman, introduced only as Adrien, her voice was familer. "This is Star City, everyone is an archer. No one has any idea who they are."
"Cause they could be anyone. That makes sense." Slade had to see the logic, it was smart of them to hide in this city. "Get back to me when you can. Till then I would try to stay in for now. Obviously owning the city you have to work, but try to confine things to work and home till this blows over. Once I can get in touch with - you called them arrow people?"
"On watchtower they're called Team Arrow." Rose smiled. "I came up with it." Slade nodded, Team Arrow it would be then.
"Once I get word from Team Arrow we'll put something together. Till then stay close." He sat down.
"There is the issue of your payment. I wouldn't ask you to do this for free." Mr. Queen looked relieved at the plan, and the information.
Slade thought for a moment. "We'll call it a solid fifty thousand. I'm getting help and it's for a good cause."
"If that's all you want. Half up front, just to cover set up? We'll be happy to cover living expenses as well while you're in town." The man asked, already pulling out a pad to write down the wire code.
Slade smiled. He liked this man, no excuses, just getting stuff done. "Sure. Just let me know when my contacts come in. Rose knows how to contact me."
>--)->
Slade excused himself to go on a walk with his daughter after the meeting.They found a quiet corner of the restaurant.
"Okay, you win. I like them." He smiled. "I can see why you like it here."
Rose smiled up at him. "They are sappy as hell, though. It takes getting used to."
He smiled slightly. "Beautiful wife, loving sister, lots of money, nice place to live - it makes sense they enjoy it. What happened to Mrs. Queen?"
"Dinah. Mrs. Queen is what people who want things from them call her." Rose corrected. Suddenly the name thing made sense, it was a way to tell who was who. "Issue with her artery from an old wound. Scary when it happened but she's on the mend now."
"I'm glad to hear it. She's a kind woman." A waiter brought over drinks and hurried off. Neither of them needed food, they were stuffed.
"Very kind." Rose agreed with a sad grin. "She lost her mother a couple years ago, it's been nice to have someone to talk to about that."
He nodded, she hadn't had that before. He still wasn't very good at talking about Mary Ann.
"Do they really know these 'Team Arrow' people?" He asked, the plan wasn't worth much if they didn't.
"Sure, why?" Rose saw a text on her phone and giggled. Mia and Thea had created a scene from the plan using salt and toothpicks. Figures of the four man team, made of napkins, were wearing tin foil handcuffs. Paper figures of the family were dancing behind them, one even wearing a colored paper leg brace.
Slade chuckled at the scene. "Very sappy." He laughed. "Mr. King wanted me to take them out."
"As in?" Rose left the question open.
"Out of this mortal coil. I turned him down. He'll keep hiring people who won't though. He wants them to lay off the drug busts for a while, I want to talk to them. As costumes freaks go they seem like good guys. I don't want to see them hurt. They just need to stick to rescuing kids for a while." Rose nodded.
"They're doing alot of good for this city. It might be best if they gather evidence against Mr. King and stop the trade that way." She said, thinking.
"That's my girl." The man said proudly. "Just the argument I needed." He smiled at her. "The Queen's, they have their share of secrets, don't they?"
Rose nodded her head eagerly. "Oh ya. Nothing bad, but they've been burned before."
"I got the feeling." Deleon had been one burn.
"Keep proving yourself not to be a jerk and they'll let you in, Dad. They've just learned to be careful."