Arrow to the Heart {4}

Chapter 20

 They all walk over to the main computers as Lydia sits down, Lyla says, "Russia, Markovia, Corto Maltese, US, every NATO ally-- Rubicon has control over all their nuclear systems." Diggle says, "You mean HIVE does." Lydia says, "I know it's a little late for this, but whoever created an algorithm that could override any country's nuclear weapons really screwed up." Lyla says, "That would be Amanda Waller." Oliver says, "How much time do we have?" Lyla says, "We? Oliver, I'm the director of ARGUS, and this goes over my head. This is executive level, and this is department of defense." Oliver says, "Right, right, right, right, but how much time?" Lyla says, "There's a start-up sequence before Darhk can actually launch a nuke." Lydia says, "We have just under 21 hours." Oliver looks at Lydia and says, "You're going to have to find a way to interrupt that sequence." Lyla says, "Rubicon is a failsafe against nuclear Armageddon. ARGUS designed it to be 100% unhackable." Oliver's has complete confidence for Lydia, and he says, "No. She can do it. She's the best." Lydia says, "Well, and I can't believe I'm saying this but that would be Noah as far as Rubicon is concerned. It uses Fourier protocols. Noah practiacally wrote the book on them. The world is facing nuclear Armageddon. My pride and my general hatred for my father can take a backseat for the next 20-plus hours." Diggle says "Lydia, this isn't about pride. Your father's a criminal. He can't be trusted." Lydia says, "I'm not saying we should trust him. I'm saying we need to." Oliver says, "Okay. He got out in Darhk's jailbreak. How do we find him?" Lydia says, "I'm already running a search." Oliver says, "Can you try to get in touch with Thea, too? Please. We need her back here. John, can I talk to you for a second?" Oliver and Diggle walk away, and Lydia gets to work. Later, while Oliver and Diggle are getting Noah. Green Arrow says, "There's no one here." Overwatch says, "I found a deep-trunk of fiber optic hookup with polymorphic encryption. Noah is there, trust me." Spartan says, "I think she's right. Look. Whoever rigged that up didn't want to be surprised." Overwatch says, "I'm tracing the Bluetooth signal. Head southwest." Green Arrow says, "Well, he's not here." Overwatch says, "He has to be." Green Arrow says, "He was." Spartan says, "Looks like he bolted and in a hurry." Overwatch says, "Bolted from whom?" Lydia watches as the security footages comes up on her screen and she watches Noah being on the computer and then hearing an alarm. Green Arrow says, "This was 20 minutes ago." Noah's packing his stuff and he leaves just as Darhk's people arrive. Spartan says, "Looks like Kuttler wasn't the only one that left Iron Heights." Overwatch says, "Those are Ghosts with him. What does HIVE want with Noah?" Brick says, "Okay. Find that scrawny son of a bitch, and when you do, kill him." Later, Oliver and Diggle walk into the bunker and Diggle says, "You're right. Kuttler's the only one that can stop Rubicon." Oliver says, "That's why Darhk wanted him dead. You all, right?" Lydia says, "Yeah, fine." Oliver says, "Well, at least we know he got away." Lydia says, "But not much of a head start. I hacked Kuttler's server to see if there was anything in there that could point us to where he would run to, and he cleared the cache, so I can't recover any files, but there is a root directory called Ravenspur." Diggle says, "What's Ravenspur?" Lydia says, "Don't know. But it does sound familiar. I just don't know why." Oliver sighs and says, "We're running out of time." Lydia says, "The whole world is, so yeah. Meantime, my key line algorithm kicked back a possible twenty on a magical clubhouse for Darhk." Oliver and Diggle walk away. Later, Lydia's at Palmer Technologies and she walks into her office to see Mr. Dennis. Lydia says, "Oh, Mr. Dennis." Mr. Dennis says, "Ms. Lance. You haven't returned my calls." Lydia walks over to her desk, and she says, "Yes, I am sorry. I've been busy." Mr. Dennis says, "So have I. Running your company. Do I need to remind you of your responsibilities to Palmer Tech?" Lydia says, "No, you don't, but you're just gonna have to believe me when I tell you that what is on my plate right now is much more important." Lydia looks behind Mr. Dennis to see her mom and she says, "Hey!" Her mom says, "Hi. Um, uh, should I come back?" Lydia says, "No, no. Please stay." Mr. Dennis says, "Ms. Lance, the board--" Lydia cuts Mr. Dennis off and says, "Can wait." As Mr. Dennis walks away, he stops and looks back at Lydia and says, "Whatever's so important, I hope it's worth it." Mr. Dennis walks away and Lydia softly mumbles, "You have no idea." Her mom walks over with a smile and says, "Hi." Lydia walks over to her mom and says, "Thank you for meeting me." Her smiles and says, "Of course, you're my baby girl." Her mom hugs Lydia and Lydia hugs back needing a hug. Her mom pulls away and says, "Are you kidding? I'm always here for you as long as there's no bees around." Lydia chuckles and says, "No bees. I promise." Her mom says, "What-- are you okay?" Lydia says, "Does the word Ravenspur mean anything to you?" Her mom says, "If this is something to do with your father, honey--" Lydia cuts her mom off and says, "So it does. I remember the two of you talking about it." Her mom says, "Not just talk. It's a-- it's a cabin in Cypress Cove we used to like go to. We'd, you know-- we'd nurse a bottle of wine, make love to Lionel Richie. I was his penny lover. You know, your father could go all night long." Lydia wrinkles her nose in disgust and she says, "Okay. That's enough. I don't--" Her mom cuts her off and says, "You know what? Actually, I think you were conceived in Ravenspur." Lydia says, "Mom, I love you, but please stop." Her mom says, "No. Seriously, honey. I want to be serious for a minute. If this is anything remotely to do with your father--" Lydia cuts her mom off and says, "Don't worry. I have it handled." Her mom says, "I wouldn't be a Jewish mother if I didn't worry." Lydia gives her mom a hug and her mom wraps her arms around Lydia, and her mom says, "Baby, what's that for?" Lydia says, "I just love you so much." Later, Lydia leaves Palmer Rech and she calls Oliver. Oliver says, "Yeah." Lydia says, "Noah's at a cabin in Cypress Cove." Oliver says, "We're on our way." Oliver hangs up. Later, Lydia arrives at Ravenspur, and she hits the breaks when she sees Noah run across the road and she sticks her head out the window and says, "Don't just stand there. Get in!" Noah gets in and Lydia drives away. Lydia speaks through her comms and says, "I got him." Later, Lydia walks into her loft with Noah and she says, "Let's make this simple. This isn't a reconciliation; this isn't a reunion. This is you helping me save the world." Noah says, "And what makes you think I can?" Lydia says, "Damien Darhk thinks you can. That's why he sent last year's greatest hits to take you down. You're a smart man. I'm assuming you know what Rubicon is." Noah says, "And I'm assuming it's under Mr. Darhk's control." Lydia says, "We have 12 hours to stop it." Noah sits down at the table where Lydia set up computers and Lydia says, "That's it?" Noah says, "You seem surprised." Lydia says, "I was expecting a quid pro quo." Noah says, "Lydia, I may be a terrible father..." Lydia scoffs and says, "May?" Noah says, "But I'm not a monster. Terrible or not, I am your father. As long as you live in it, I have an interest in seeing that this world doesn't end. That said, I do need something." Lydia says, "Color me shocked." Noah says, "I can't hack Rubicon with this setup, not in the time we have. I'm going to need the quantum subluminal processor you developed at Palmer Tech." Lydia says, "How did you even know that we-- God help me if you are using the end of days to steal from my company again." Noah says, "I'm an excellent multitasker, but you can trust me this time."