Arrow to the Heart {2}

Chapter 5

Lydia and Diggle walk into the bunker and Lydia sees Sara and Sara smiles at Lydia and says, "Hey, LJ." Lydia smiles and throws her arms around Sara's neck and says, "God, you have no idea how much I have missed you." Sara has tears in her eyes and squeezes Lydia just as tight and Oliver and Diggle smile at the sisters reuniting. Sara says, "I missed you just as much." Lydia pulls away and Diggle holds his hand out to Sara and says, "I'm John Diggle." Sara shakes his hand and says, "Nice to meet you." Oliver says, "We just had an uninvited guest in the Queen mansion. Trained. Highly skilled. And he was dressed like Merlyn." Diggle says, "The last I checked Merlyn was dead courtesy of an arrow jammed through his heart." Oliver says, "It wasn't him. It was a follower, an underling bent on revenge. Whoever it was... he knows who I am." Oliver hands Lydia a small bag of dirt and he continues to say, "I found it in the house. Copycat Merlyn tracked it in. I want you to analyze it. Hopefully, it'll lead me to him." Lydia says, "Then what?" Oliver says, "If this pretender wants to follow Merlyn so badly, he can follow him right into a grave. Sara? We'll find this guy." Sara says, "I don't want you to." Everyone looks at Sara and Oliver says, "What do you mean?" Sara says, "He wasn't after you, Ollie. He's after me." Oliver says, "Who is he?" Sara says, "He's called Al Ow-al, "The First." And he's a member of the League of Assassins." Diggle says, "Wait, wait. The League of Assassins? I thought they were a myth." Lydia says, "Um, what's the League of Assassins? Is it really a League made up of assassins?" Diggle says, "It's an urban legend, I heard about them in Afghanistan from a tribal leader. He claimed there was an ancient sect of assassins. Deadly warriors that killed and vanished like ghosts. Thought he was smoking what he was selling." Sara says, "I tried to tell you, Ollie, but you wouldn't listen." Oliver says, "That's where you've been the past four years. That's where you learned to fight. You're one of them." Sara says, "After the freighter a member of the League rescued me, took me in and brought me to Nanda Parbat. They remade me into what I am. And I swore them my allegiance." Diggle says, "Why are they kicking down doors trying to find you now?" Sara looks at Diggle and says, "Because I left. And there's only one way that you leave the League." Lydia softly says, "Is that why you didn't want to see me and our family?" Sara says, "A year ago, I was in Guyana. I was sent there for a man named Suarez. He was a local diplomat. And I slit his throat... in his bed. And his kids... They found his body in the morning. I'm a murderer, LJ. You think that our family will be happy to see me?" As Lydia goes to say something, Oliver's phone buzzes and Oliver looks at it and says, "I have to go to Iron Heights. Lydia, I need you to find this Al Ow-al." Oliver then walks away. Later, as Lydia's analyzing the dirt, Lydia looks at Sara and says, "You know, months ago, mom had this theory you were alive. Dad believed it, I did too until I did some research, and it wasn't you. It was some girl who had the same hat as you. I wanted you to be alive so badly, Sara. Mom and Dad would be so happy to see that you're alive. They wouldn't care about what you've done, they just want to see you." Sara nods and says, "What about Laurel?" Lydia sighs and says, "She'd probably be angry that you've been alive, and you didn't come home. But, I still think she'll get over it and be happy you're alive." Sara nods and Lydia continues to say, "Just think about it, please." Sara softly smiles and says, "Okay, LJ." Lydia smiles and says, "I haven't been called LJ since the last time I saw you. I miss when you called me that." Sara smiles and says, "Well, I'm back now. So, how did you get wrapped up in Oliver's crusade?" Lydia says, "Um, he came to me dressed as the vigilante and I helped save his life. I didn't really want to join at first, I just wanted to find someone that was important to me and the Queens and then it felt nice to be part of a team." Sara nods and says, "I'm just glad you're safe. I got a little angry when Oliver told me you were working with him because he's putting you in danger, but he told me why you were doing it and although I'm still unsure, I understand now." Lydia softly smiles. Sara says, "Thank you." Lydia looks at Sara confused and says, "For what?" Sara says, "Not making me feel like what I am." Lydia nods and says, "Of course. You're still my sister." Sara says, "I'm sorry for hurting you." Lydia says, "It's okay. I got over it." Sara says, "So, are you seeing anybody?" Lydia says, "Not currently." Oliver then walks in and Diggle says, "How'd it go with your mother?" Oliver says, "Not well. Have you found somebody for me to hit yet?" Lydia walks over to the computers and says, "Could be. Spectro analysis of the dirt from your house had trace amounts of Aldicarb in them." Oliver says, "What?" Lydia says, "It's a pesticide. Starling City used to have its own Aldicarb plant but per the EPA, it was shut down three years ago." Oliver says, "What's it being used for now?" Lydia says, "Nothing. It's abandoned. But my guess is, it's the home base to one League of Assassins assassin." Sara looks at Oliver and says, "He will kill you." Oliver says, "Like you, I'm not that easy to get rid of." Sara says, "This is my fight." Oliver says, "He made it my fight when he came into my house. And when he threatened somebody, I care about." Oliver then walks away. Later, both Oliver and Sara come back to the bunker and Oliver's stitching up Sara's wound. Oliver says, "Done." Oliver turns around, so Sara can get changed and Lydia hands Sara her shirt. Oliver says, "We need to protect the Lances." Lydia says, "I'll take Laurel." Oliver nods and Sara says, "I'll take our dad." Oliver nods and looks at Lydia and says, "If anything happens, call me." Lydia nods and says, "Always." Lydia walks away.

Later, Lydia walks into the DA's office and walks up to Laurel's desk. Lydia says, "Hey, Laurel." Laurel smiles and says, "Hey, what's up?" Lydia says, "I know you've been working pretty hard, so how about I treat you to a bite to eat?" Laurel smiles and says, "Okay." Laurel puts on her jacket and grabs her purse and the sisters walk out. Lydia and Laurel enjoy their dinner and then Lydia walks Laurel home. They see her door cracked open and Laurel says, "I thought I locked that." Lydia says, "Stay here." Lydia walks towards the door and opens it and looks around until she finds a blade in the wall, and she grabs it. Lydia places it into her pocket just as Laurel says, "Lyds, anything?" Lydia looks at Laurel and says, "All good. I have to go." Laurel nods and says, "Thanks for dinner." Lydia nods and says, "Anytime." Lydia walks out the door with a sigh. Lydia calls Oliver and says, "Ollie, Al Ow-Al was at Laurel's place." Oliver says, "What? Is she okay?" Lydia says, "She's fine. Looks like he left before we got there. Oh, my God. Dad. He's the target. Oliver." Oliver says, "I'm on it. Can you give me a location?" Lydia put a tracer on her dad's phone, and she sends the location to Oliver.