Post by adrini on May 25, 2013 12:52:48 GMT -5
Slade slowly pulled the wide cleave knife from the now still corpse of his former employer. The inept man was trying to come up with yet another excuse for feeding the team bad information, and Slade had simply run out of patience for more potential ruination of his reputation. Thankfully his team had found a better employer. He pulled out the clean cotton rag and set to cleaning his favorite blade, blood had a terrible habit of rusting the old girl.
Looking around the room he saw sets of files and papers and hurried somewhat to finish cleaning. It took mere moments to get the blade shining again. He looked up at the polite knock on the door.
Thomas, the youngest guard, carefully stuck his head in the door. “Need any help Mr. D?”
Slade smiled and with a gentlemanly nod motioned for the others to enter the room. “Quite. The body will be easy enough, a two man team can bury the poor bloke in the yard and the summer’s heat will take care of the rest. Nice and deep of course. And there is the matter all of this information. Our contact wants all papers and electronic files to be sent to them, which we will do of course. Once the information is sent and the body buried, you boys split the cash as promised.” He patted the metal case to his right. “I’ll finish up here and we’ll finally be done with this mess. Are we all agreed?”
The seven men nodded happily and got to work on the various tasks. Thomas approached him however.
“Yes, Thomas.” He said. He maintained a cordial tone while he stacked papers into some semblance of order.
“I know you are torching the place so I had a question.”
Slade nodded in encouragement.
“I slipped the opal ring off the old boss, see my girl likes opals...and I’ve been needing a ring...that is if you don’t mind.”
“Take it with my blessing, and good luck to you both. If there is another item you think she would enjoy please take it as a gift.” Slade smiled as Thomas beamed and pocketed the ring.
With help he got the papers into several boxes and loaded them into his truck for drop off at the drop off point. It was then the simple matter of loading the electronic information into an external hard drive which was shipped with the papers. The crew, seven skilled and hard working young men, each got their share and Slade was almost sorry to see them go. Thomas, of course, got an extra share as a gift. It was only correct.
Thomas had taken a lovely piece, a Mary Cassatt, which only garnered a little more respect for the boy in Slade’s eyes. Slade was being paid for the work, of course, but had been given permission to take any items we liked himself. Looking over the work he had to admit he was impressed by the caliber and the eye for art the man had. A short tour though the house presented even more promising items.
He was looking at a very fine Monet when he decided.
‘It would be such a waste.”
He drove off, the house in flames, and a truck full of truly fine art. He opened his phone and dialed his contact while smiling at the job, however oddly, being done.
“Deathstroke, I’ve been looking forward to your call. Can I assume the job has been finished?” The female voice said.
He set the phone to speaker so that he could have both hands to drive. “Taking the data to you now. Thank you for the art as well, he had several excellent pieces.”
“Did you find the modern art in the basement?” She asked.
He blinked. “I did not, I don’t count it as a true loss, however. Will this mean our business is concluded?”
The voice laughed. “It would seem so, payment will be sent once we have the boxes, which I’m sure will be shortly. It’s been a pleasure working with you. Thank you for all your help.”
Slade turned on to the street toward the park where the boxes would be left. “I’ve enjoyed it. It has been a real pleasure working with a professional, Ms. Rivers.”
>--)->
It was after one central time when the Arrow III landed. Diggle roused the two young people crashed on the sofa and knocked on the second bedroom door to wake up the lovebirds. It was a few moments before the crew rubbed the sleep out of their eyes and walked off the plane, bags in tow.
Dinah walked next to Thea, keeping the very tired young woman standing, while Oliver helped Diggle load bags into the car. “Where is the safe house?” He asked as they put the last bundle in. He watched to make sure that the two women got in the car safely.
“A small house that's in the Creek reservation nearby. It's only a couple clicks from the compound. We'll crash there until people can get enough rest. My contact will meet us when we arrive.”
Roy slammed the trunk closed. “Then lets go, I want to go home already.” He looked through the glass of the rear window where Thea was curled into Dinah's shoulder trying to sleep again.
Oliver gave Roy shot gun, getting in next to his sister in the back. Roy climbed in and heard his phone go off. He turned off speaker so as not to wake the back seat.
“Adrien. Your timing is perfect. We just arrived.” He spoke quietly.
'Glad to know you made it safely. Get some rest before you start the mission tomorrow.'
Roy smiled, Adrien always worried about them. “That's the plan. The named ones are already working on it.” Dinah, Thea and Oliver were curled up together in the back seat and quickly fading if not out cold. He quickly snapped a shot and sent it to her.
Adrien's smile could be heard over the line as she got the picture. “Let them. I'm here if you need me to pull any strings.”
Roy shook his head. “I'll keep it in mind but we should be fine. The only question is how long it will take to sabotage the place.”
“You have just under three weeks before you are required back. I'll handle things here.” Adrien said over the line. “Just get back in time for the wedding.”
“We have the main stars, we won't miss it.” Roy smiled.
He put his phone away and leaned back in his seat closing his eyes.
“Don't you crash on me.” Diggle said as he turned onto a small dirt road, despite the bumps the sleepers remained undisturbed.
“No worries. Just trying to wrap my head around all of this.”
“The mission?” The car turned onto a stretch of back wood road.
“All of it. A couple months ago the most exciting thing that happened was going for Chinese instead of pizza or coming up with yet another excuse to skip a formal event.” Roy looked at the back seat. "Now we have a wedding to plan, kids after, all that. Hell, I could be an uncle soon."
Diggle chuckled “Change happens like that. I have a feeling we're not done yet either. We're together though, so long as we can keep that we'll make it.”
Roy smiled and opened the pic he had just taken. He remembered the dark days believing he was alone. Showing up at yet another place for yet more punishments and lectures. Instead there had been a seven foot long banner welcoming him and a full fledged game night with a full italian buffet. He knew he had been nothing less then saved.
The reservation was small and dark, not being active at nearly two in the morning. Finding the contact was a matter of finding the one building that still had it's light on.
Diggle left the car to knock on the door. Roy smiled at the reception he got. A tanned man of just over fifty opened the door and the two men shared a tight hug. This wasn't a contact, it was a friend. They talked for a moment before Diggle led him back to the car.
Roy rolled down his window when he saw them approach. “Brave Bow.” He said, offering his hand.
The man had old eyes, but seemed very kind. “Mr. Queen?” He asked.
Roy laughed. “His assistant actually, Roy Harper.” He took the offered hand. “The Queens are in the back seat.” He moved so that the man could see for himself.
The man's kind eyes softly beamed at the sight. “John has found a family after all, bless you. If you will wake them the house is right behind my own.” He stood up and talked to Diggle. “Just park next to the house, there is no love lost between us and the base. You will be safe here. We owe you for taking them out.”
The man pulled keys out of his jeans and ran behind his house to the one they would be staying in. Diggle climbed back in. “'Contact', huh?”
Diggle smiled. “He was one of my instructors when I was in the military. One of the few people that didn't leave me behind after I got kicked out. He taught archery, that's how he got his nick name. Could teach Ollie a thing or two.”
Roy raised an eyebrow, saying that meant something, but leaned over and woke the sleepers as they neared the house, a simple ranch that looked very welcoming.
“We're here. Real beds inside.”
>--)->
Adrien put the phone down as Roy hung up. She had saved the picture he had sent to her archives. She was about to check on some of her other matters when the phone went off again.
“Shado, you have an update I assume?”
The voice on the other side spoke softly. “We have all but a few fine details left but otherwise we’re ready. Davis is on his way to you now. Do you have any other instructions?”
Adrien smiled. “So long as the ‘Green Arrow’ is blamed for the rescue not at all. Thank you so much for everything. Please send my regards to your father as well. Once this is over you are welcome to join us in a non-battle vicinity. I'd love to introduce you."
"Not a good idea, Mr. Queen and I parted on bad terms. I'd have to receive an invitation from him." Shado said. "It's not likely to change, Mom."
"I can hope, go. I have it from here." Adrien smiled sadly.
Adrien ended the call and slowly set up the station for the visitor. This one might get somewhat sticky. She put papers on the table in organized piles and cued several video files. She didn’t know what this one would take. Shortly she heard hurried foot steps at the end of the hall and prepared two cups of coffee.
Albert Davis, a tall man with a nervous personalty, rushed through the door - a small caliber pistol in his hand.
“Mr. Davis, I'm sure we can dispense with the hysterics. I recalled that you like cream, no sugar with your coffee. Was I correct?” Adrien set the mug on the other side of the table.
Davis looked at the room. Adrien Rivers was the Queen's executive assistant and a stickler for order in the office and board room. She had once reprimanded the head of Arrow tech for wearing his tie too loose. He was lost as to why she was here.
“Y-y-yes.” He said and put the gun on the table. “I mean no. I need to go-”
“I know why you are here Albert. It came as quite a shock to us when we heard of what had happened to your family. I was hoping we could discuss it.”
Davis turned slowly to look at her, face flushed. “We lost everything.” He hissed. “Mr. Queen wrote us out of that deal after-”
“With all due respect to your loss, he did not.” Adrien interrupted. “Though someone did a very good job of making it look as though he did, I'll grant you that. I don't blame you at all for blaming us.”
Davis walked up to the table. “Someone?”
“Your fellow conspirator. I located your lost family funds yesterday, he had them rather well hidden. I have also frozen the foreclosure on your house and goods and made other contacts on your behalf. Queen Industries will do everything in it's power to see that you are well taken care of. I do need one favor in return before I hand them over to you, think of it as helping each other.”
Davis slowly sat down, he didn't trust his legs to stand. “I don't understand.”
“The coffee, Albert. It will steady you. Due to Mr. Deleon, my own family is at risk, I'm afraid. I obtained his files earlier tonight but there is no mention of Camp Franklin in them, which I know is an oversight. We both know that such a place can be very dangerous, so I want information on it as a thank you for restoring you to what is rightfully yours.”
Davis nodded. “And If I give it to you?”
“The funds will clear as soon as regular banking hours open, that's-”She checked her watch. “-six hours. With a small gift from Mr. Queen to help you carry over as you set affairs to right again, of course. He is nothing if not generous. Also we will, of course, never speak of this again.”
The man melted into his chair and began to talk. “There are over thirty armed men at Camp Franklin in the outer rings alone. If the camp is fully attended there can be over a hundred. They are all ex-military and trained in multiple armaments....