Post by adrini on Sept 21, 2013 20:56:34 GMT -5
"Mrs. Queen. Just you and Mia today?" Bernie smiled at the two of them. Mia grinned wide and held into her cousins hand excitedly.
"Everyone else is busy or out of town. You don't mind." She smiled.
"Of course not. Glad to see you on your feet again." They smiled as the girls ran off to get ready for the lesson. Mia left a box with Mrs. Queen.
"That's her bow, right?" Bernie looked at it.
"It is. It was her fathers, then her mothers. When she came to us she had it with her. Aside from a few pieces of jewelry she didn't have anything else." She opened the box and showed him the highly decorated weapon. "Brave Bow decorated it for Sarah. Mia has kept it the same."
"Precious beyond words." He said sadly. "How did Mia come to you?"
"Team Arrow, actually. My mother and her sister had parted way years ago, lost all touch. They must have put the pieces together. We got a file with all the information and shortly after Mia herself." She smiled as Mia ran over and grabbed the bow, quickly stealing an Eskimo kiss. "And with us she'll stay." The woman's voice steeled somewhat.
"I'm sure." He smiled. He knew the warning growl of the mama bear. You didn't mess with one.
"I feel like I should warn you, we were told to bring her out but the threat is still real. We'd understand if you wanted to keep distance for a time." Dinah smiled. "I know how precious Cissie is to you."
"Thank you. Is there a safe place here?" He started looking around.
"Old war bunker in the basement." She smiled. "We looked into it. It's stocked, just in case."
"Of course. Thank you." He was about to offer her one of his cookies when a black arrow shot through the glass window and gas started filling the room. He felt Mrs. Queen grab his hand and run to the girls.
Brave Bow was pushing Cissie and Mia into a small entryway when they arrived.
"Daddy, what's going on?" Cissie ran to him and he held her close. "What was that?"
He held her close and saw Mia holding onto Mrs. Queen with her bow still in her hand.
"Second day back and we're already being attacked. I'm so sorry Bowstring." She said and reached the wall mounted phone.
Cissie nodded and held her father close. She seemed to have an idea what was going on.
"Dammit! Phone lines are cut. I don't have any bars. You don't have a police beeper, do you Mr. Jones?" Mrs. Queen had removed the box to look at the wires, she didn't look hopeful.
"I don't. Wouldn't there be an alarm?" Cissie had found Mia and the girls were in a corner watching the adults.
"If they got the line chances are they also cut the alarm. We need to get word out." The instructor added.
"Before they find us. How far is the back door from the bunker door?" Mrs. Queen looked at the archer. Mia heard and panicked.
"No, you can't! They'll hurt you like last time. I can't loose you." She clung to her cousin.
"Maybe they will." Dinah turned and looked at the girl, taking a long look into her eyes. "I told you once that they are never hurting you again. I meant that. I need to reach the others, it's the only way we're getting out of here. I'll take whatever injury I need to to keep you safe. I'll be back Little Bit. Stay safe for us." She kissed the girls forehead. "I love you."
Bowstring looked at Mrs. Queen as she opened the door.
"Look after her for me Brave Bow. If we don't come back-" The teacher cut her off.
"Sorry, you signed on for good. You'll have to pick her up at the usual time." He smiled stoically. "Now go."
Bernie pulled Mia close. She curled into his shoulder, fighting tears. It took him a minute to make out when she was saying. Di, Ollie, Jade, Thea, Diggle, Adrien, Roy. Her family. Cissie curled on her other side. Mrs. Queen saw and nodded.
Once in the hallway Dinah activated the ear piece.
Canary here. They took the bait. The dojo has been gassed. The Jones' are in the safe room with BB and LB. I'm scoping for intel now. ETA for back up?
This is support. We're at the parameter. Moving in. Keep in lock down Canary.
Understood. Canary out.
Di flipped her clothing into her costume and ducked into the woman's rest room, stashing the items under the sink.
"The boss gassed the place, where are they?" Said a male voice, she took position to use the mirrors to look into the room.
"Close by. It was the girl, the Queen bitch, and some others. They can't be far." There were four men, the original team. Whatever extras they had brought in had to be outside.
"Place is small enough, spread out and search." That was a voice Di knew.
>--)->
The original four are inside. Merlyn and the back up are outside. I hid the entrance to the bunker. But they're combing the building and have the back door watched. I can't stay hidden long.
Green Arrow saw two of the four, Blake and Knox, in the main room.
Approaching now. Take cover Canary.
From their covered areas Green Arrow, Red Arrow, Speedy and Arsenal shot or threw in concussion grenades, they exploded.
This is GA. Canary. Confirm Canary.
I'm fine, move in while they're shocked. I'll -
"That's not good." Red Arrow said, looking at Speedy. She nodded and took position on the perimeter. He followed the team leader into main position.
Once inside the group saw Blake and Knox on the floor, trying to regain their footing. Roy looked at Rose and they nodded, each choosing a target. Ollie and Digs ran to the back hall.
"They sent an injured bird after us? Too easy." Oliver saw Digs eye's narrow at the voice, Gaynor.
"We have a team. Best leave now." Dinah's voice sounded strained, her husband hurried to turn the corner.
Di was in mid leap, dodging both Gaynor's grab and Cavanaugh's dagger. She landed behind them and smiled slightly at the sight of the two allies.
"Welcome to the party boys, feel free to join us." She fell and slipped to the floor to avoid the blade again. Oliver fired off an arrow into Cavanaugh's dagger arm. The man held the wound for a moment and fell to the ground as Di kicked his feet out from under him. She back flipped over to him.
"Nice of you to show." She said as she landed.
"Always be a little late. You holding up?" This was her first post-leg battle.
"No issues so far. LB was fairly upset but beyond that we're okay." She looked at green clad man. "Ready?"
"More then ready." Cavanaugh was standing again. Di took at flanking position.
>--)->
Thea watched the roof, trying not to think about what happened last time. At least this time Dinah wasn't fighting alone.
"Didn't Canary say there was back up out here?" Jade asked. She was a few feet away watching the back door. "I haven't seen anyone yet."
"To be fair we did assume. You'd think that for that much money he'd get a few recruits-" A large live wire swung at her and she dodged. "Found em."
Jade had flipped back to dodge another one. "They found us. I'll take Mr. Bald Eagle over here. Good luck with the octopus."
Thea saw a man with fourties style gold wings in the air. Then she saw a second man with electric wires.
"Fascinating weapons." She said, the two eyeing each other.
"I fight a girl? This is insulting." The man spit on the concrete.
Thea didn't mind, it helped when one was under estimated.
>--)->
"You look familiar. Did I try to kill you once?" Gaynor said, looking at the masked dark skinned man. "I know we've met before."
"I'll let you know when I kill you. Which will be soon." He glared at the man. It was his chance at last.
Nearby Ollie and Di were sparring with Cavanaugh. He was loosing.
"Two against one, how is that fair?" He sneered at them. "Unless you don't think the birdy can hold her own anymore."
"It's two for one today. Lucky you." Oliver said, ignoring the insult.
The man cursed, it was music Ollie's ears. He readied his bow and shot the man's hands as he tried to attack his better half, the man backed into a wall.
"I'll be back. I'll always be back." The man spat at them. " I'll make you-"
"I wouldn't count on it." Dinah cut him off, punching the wall next to his throat. The man glowered but stopped talking.
The two were doing inventory of the other fights when Ollie moved quickly to block a series of black arrows that were heading to his wife. They fell to the ground but he looked for the archer.
"It is a much richer partnership then I thought then. I wasn't sure." A black clad archer walked down the hallway. He drew his bow. "I'm borrowing your partner Miss Canary, or is it Mrs. Arrow? One can never be sure."
They looked at each other, then at the two men who had taken positions against them. Cavanaugh had pulled the arrows from his skin and was already moving again.
"I don't think we have a choice." Di said, looking at the men.
"We don't. Be careful, I'm not doing the hospital a third time." Ollie said firmly.
"Nor am I. Go, be careful. The man looks dangerous." She stole a quick kiss and turned to her old foe, taking form.
"The correct choice. Lets see how good you really are." The second archer launched into an attack.
>--)->
"Rav, do you really need to play with your food?" Roy sighed as the teen placed the eighth fine cut on her foe, his own foe knocked out and hog tied already. The man had fallen for the same trick.
"But it's fun, and he deserves it." She said, happily making another cut. "Besides, he's mine to play with."
Knox, who had seen Blake quickly taken out, was sweating. He was a grunt at most and far out classed.
-assistance requested on the roof-
-screw that, Red get up here!-
He used his bow to knock the man out and grabbed the nearby rope, when Jade asked for help it was for a reason.
"Tie him and join me up top, we can still loose this." He said. Rose sighed.
"Fair enough." She grabbed the rope, at least she could leave rope burns.
When he got to the top he saw Thea and Jade being circled by a man with electric wires and a man with ornate metal wings, it seemed to be freak day. The two women were back to back with each other. He fired an arrow into a wing.
"I thought we were weird." He yelled at them. "Now I know better."
The two glanced at him but remained focused on their prey.
"We are the glorious warriors of the pure race. You are a dressed up Robin Hood." The eagle man said. "If anyone is strange it is you."
"Wait, 'pure' race?" Rose had followed him out. "Tell me we aren't fighting nazis."
"Yep." Thea said from within the circle. "I should tell you what they've said to Cheshire. Not pleasant."
"Just one or both?" Roy asked, loading his bow. "Cause that's going to be a problem."
"Oh, both." Jade said. "Boys, this is my partner. He has a few words for you."
"A man who falls for a foreign harlot?" The eagle man laughed. "What words would matter?"
"Arrows it is." Roy said. "Fine by me. I've been meaning to try out some new ones. We'll open with a fun one."
"Your puny arrows are nothing next to - what did you do!" The electric man screamed as his pack shorted and died
"Power box. I shorted your power box. Shall you or shall I, my sweet?" He looked to Jade.
"Oh, this one is mine." Her grin was feral. "Unless you'd like to share, of course."
Rose left the two to their fun and hurried over to Thea.
"What are the stats?" She asked her friend.
"Wings are in built, some kind of copper alloy. Connected to a long bar, no center balance to attack. He fires bullets, but only medium sizes or less. Main attack is fly bys." The teen said. "Plus he doesn't like Jade."
"He doesn't have to. Copper is conductable. Do we have a live wire?" She looked around the roof.
"Under the black tarp over there. I get the idea, well need to spark it first." She pulled out an arrow. "I can do that. Distract him for a moment."
Rose pulled her swords from her back and waited for a fly by.
>--)->
"Just us again little bird. You sure you can fight without your sweetie to protect you?" Cavanaugh circled her with an eager smile. It was unnerving.
"I got this. We've had all of you we want." She dodged the blades. "You can leave or you can leave for good. But you will leave us alone."
"I'll stick around. You can go." He whirled his blades, there was no opening. "See if I can finish off what I started last time."
Dinah took form and waited or an opening. She had come too close to dying last time.
In the main room Knox and Blake had been pulled off to the side, which allowed room for the two archers to duel. They eyed each other smartly, looking for tells.
"Nice catch, Robin Hood. I'll see you go together. Least I can do." The black archer armed his bow.
"Someday, not anytime soon." Ollie had armed his own. "You always so careful with allies?"
"About as careful as you. You know your better half worked in the brawls, don't you? Makes me wonder just how 'good' you are." Merlyn smirked.
"She had her reasons. What does this have to do with us?" The man was getting at something.
"Everything. I know who she is, I know who her friend is. I know where she lives, I don't know her game. Mr. Queen is in New York, so who are you?" Merlyn examined him.
Ollie didn't know what to say. He had bought their cover, but being accused of stealing his wife from himself was surreal.
"It won't matter. I just need you out of the way." Merlyn smirked. "Too many plans."
He fired a volley of arrows at him, which were easily knocked out of the way. Ollie didn't want to kill the man, he had no way of knowing why he was doing this, but he wasn't laying his own life down.
It would be best to disable him.
>--)->
In the safe room Mia had calmed down and was stewing in the corner while looking at her bow. The sounds of battle could be heard clearly.
"They seem to be winning, right?" Mr. Jones said. "No cries or anything. I think Dinah got to them in time."
"So it would seem." Brave Bow said, he was looking at the girl.
Bernie looked at her, she was lost in memory, angry tears falling every so often.
"They're keeping you safe. So you won't be hurt again." Bernie said softly. "All that is passed."
The blonde teen stood up and started stalking the room. Her hands gripped the bow so tightly they were white.
"Like Mom did, only it killed her. Like Brave Bow did but it almost cost him his people. Like Di did but she almost died doing it." She pulled an arrow from the quiver on her back and fired it into the wall. "They are my enemies, I need to deal with them. I need to make sure they don't hurt people again in my name."
Bernie was going to complain, but Brave Bow's expression stopped him. The man was smiling, he was proud.
"Every warrior must come out of the shadows, Little Wing. You will also take your place in the field of battle." He stood up, looking at the bow. "You are the child of a warrior, no one I know fought as hard as your mother did. I know you carry her spirit. Go where it takes you."
The girl looked at him, and nodded. He took the arrows from his quiver and put them in hers.
"For Sarah." He said softly.
"For Mom." Mia agreed. She opened the door and quietly snuck out.
>--)->
Slade snuck into the back of building. Four of the team were taking out the neo-nazis on the roof, and doing a good job. His daughter wasn't taking prisoners, and young Thea was forcing the bird shaped man to run into loose wires that shocked his system. He wouldn't last much longer. Wire man was being severely beaten by Roy and his partner, the very curvy Jade. It seemed to be personal.
Mr. Queen was fighting Mr. King, which was somewhat amusing in itself. The two men were in hand to hand combat and had broken out stabbing arrows. He had read the file on the industry giant, he knew he had professional training. Watching him fight he was impressed by how much.
In the hall opening Diggle was fighting Gaynor, and the once proud merc was visibly shaken. Whatever history the family friend had with the man it was deeply personal.
"Canary." He said softly when he turned the corner. She didn't look good.
Cavanaugh was spinning a number of blades, Dinah was holding her own but there were a number of cuts and tears that were seeping a worrying amount of blood. She was still agile, and he was still impressed. The man she was fighting was openly trying to kill her however. Her tactics weren't designed for that kind of focus.
He walked over to the man, so focused he didn't see him approach. Wordlessly he pulled his balance off and the man fell to the ground. He cursed and hurried to stand up.
"Mind if I step in on this one? Blades are more my thing." Mrs. Queen nodded with a resigned smile. She was almost back, but not quite.
"Not at all." She said. "He's all yours. Have fun."
He saw her run off to the main room to help her husband and grinned. Even in battle they were cute.
"My date was with the canary." Cavanaugh said. "You weren't invited."
"I crash parties all the time. Leads to the best times." Slade knocked the mans blades out of the way with his own. "Besides, your parties are terrible. Way too many dead people."
The man glowered at him and jumped in with the blades, Slade easily dodged them. He had come to a conclusion regarding this one a few days ago, he just hadn't told anyone. They spared for a time, the man wasn't bad, until they heard a loud cry from the main room. The canary cry.
"Poor Canary, she only cries when she's in trouble. I hope he-" The voice went silent.
Slade watched the head roll into the dark corner near the men's room and cleaned his blade, stepping out of the way of the convulsing body.
"Regenerate from that, Asshole."
>--)->
"Good evening, dear." Oliver said as he saw his wife hurry into the room. She had a few cuts on her but nothing to what he had been afraid of.
"Would you welcome some help?" She grinned somewhat and took position around the dark archer. "I lost my buddy to someone else."
Merlyn looked at the two, they were moving with practiced steps. Without having to check they knew where and when to shift.
"You don't like fighting alone. It's sweet." He said. "But these numbers are not fair."
"We learned to fight together a while ago. Not changing that for you." Ollie replied. "Door is open."
He looked around and considered his position. Golden Eagle and Backlash were reporting resistance on the roof. Blake and Knox were out and tied up, Cavanaugh hadn't reported back in awhile and he feared the worst. This battle was lost. Gaynor was on his own.
"An option ill have to take. Till next time Green Arrow." He shot the ceiling and it caved in, a rope fell into the room. He climbed on and held on. The sound of a helicopter made him have to scream to be heard. "Don't get too comfy."
Dinah screamed at the man, and the helicopter beyond. Ollie sighed, this wasn't over but with Roy, Jade, Thea and Rose reporting the back up was moving out they had survived the day. He was just worried about Digs.
>--)->
Mia kept to the wall as she walked back into the studio. If she was found by her family she would be placed back in the safe room, if by Gaynor it was unthinkable.
She saw Ollie fighting Merlyn, the two men using mostly their bows. Dinah was fighting Cavanaugh again, the bastard was trying to cut into her leg. Mia took cover behind a plant and was taking aim at the man when she saw Slade shake his head and motion that he was taking care of it. She wasn't picky about who killed the man, she just wanted him dead.
She found Diggle fighting Gaynor in a back classroom and dodged behind a desk.
"Where are you getting these names?" Gaynor was trying to stay focused. "Who are you?"
"Rodregaz, Wilson, Thomson, Reed." Digs said again. Mia knew who they were, the members of his unit Gaynor had killed. Faces he still thought about.
"Stop saying that!" Gaynor's hands were turning white. She wasn't surprised, he was used to being in control. She stood up and walked up to them.
"Sarah." She said simply.
"There you are, time to go home sweetie-" Gaynor gagged as Digs lifted him by his collar.
"Never speak to her again!" He growled before throwing him against the wall.
Mia loaded her bow and took a breath.
"For Sarah, for my mother." She said calmly. "For making sure you never hurt someone like that again."
Diggle took a moment but nodded and took several steps back.
"Rodregaz, Wilson, Thomson, Reed." He said. "And the loved ones they left behind."
Gaynor didn't understand what was happening at first, slowly it dawned on him. He paled.
"And for our Little Bit." Diggle said warmly. "On three."
Wordlessly they counted and fired. Mia quickly firing three arrows; black, red and blue. They slid easily into the mans throat and chest. Diggle fired into the same area.
The body fell back, leaking blood. The two nodded.
"Not hiding anymore?" Diggle asked the girl. Mia was putting her bow on her back.
"Dad never did, Mom couldn't. I can't." She smiled, finally feeling as though she could breath again. "This is my family now to, I protect it as much as anyone."
"Di will miss the cuddles." He said, opening the door as they left. "Where are the others?"
"My Dinah will never escape the cuddles." She smiled. " In the safe room. Still okay."
"Glad to hear it, my Rosie could use more of them." Slade was leaning on the wall and glancing at the headless form that had once been Cavanaugh. "He was going after the leg again. My Rose likes Mrs. Queen, I want her around."
"I'm not going to argue these two, but we need to limit this kind of thing." Digs shook his head when Mia beamed. No one would morn the man. "It is generally preferred to keep the family together. Lets wrap this up, I want to go home. You over for dinner tonight, Slade?" Digs turned to the door.
"Sure. You have beer, right?" He waved as they walked into the room.
Mia ran over to Di who was in normal clothing again.
"Little Bit, what are you doing out? What about the Jones'?" Mia gingerly looked at the cuts and bruises on Dinah's skin.
"Still with Brave Bow. We should let them out." She hugged Di tightly. She looked to the rest of the room. "Digs needs to pick us up but the rest of you can go home."
Ollie laughed, giving the girl a hug himself.
"Fair enough. Use a smoke bomb so no one can see the body. We'll send a recording." He motioned to the rest of the room. "See you at home, love." He stole a kiss from his wife.
They filed out, the Drakes smiling.
"Shall we wrap this up?" Di asked.
>--)->
Bernie sat in a corner with his daughter held close, waiting for word that the battle was over. The noise was done, but no one had come by. He heard the door opening and held her closer.
"Bowstring, Cissie, Brave Bow." Dinah appeared behind the door, a much happier Mia behind her. "We have a window, but we need to go now."
He scrambled to pull his daughter to her feet, seeing Mia help her up as well. They walked into a smoke filled hallway and ran into the back lot. He smiled in relief when he saw the Queen's car pull a sharp right towards them.
"What happened?" He asked Mrs. Queen, she was covered in cuts. "Are you hurt?"
"Not as much as I was going to be. Team Arrow showed up, hid me outside and made sure you weren't found. They told me to get us out of here a minute ago and I'm doing that. Well send people for the cars later." She waved at the familiar driver. "Right now I just want to get home. This is way over my head. We can drop you off after the police get statements."
The car stopped and Mia hurried to open the door and climb in. Cissie quickly followed. Bow String let Mrs. Queen climb in before him
"Adrien got your message. I don't like the look of those cuts." Diggle looked at them from the back seat. "I called the others, they're all on the way back. Any idea what happened?"
"We were attacked. There was a gas bomb, we hid." Bernie filled him in. "Di went to get help."
"Then Mia went to get her." Cissie added, excited to add to the story. Mia motioned for her to stop talking.
"Miss Mia." Diggle raised an eyebrow. "Is this true?"
"I wanted Di." Mia crossed her arms, expecting a lecture.
"We'll finish this later." The driver said, obviously frustrated. "Everyone alright? We can hit the emergency room."
"Just home Digs." Dinah pulled Mia close. "I just want this to be over."