Arrow and Shadow

Honor Thy Father

The day Oliver Queen and I went missing was the day we died. Five years in hell forged us into weapons, which we use to honor a vow we made to his father, who sacrificed his life for ours. In his final moments, he told us the truth that his family's wealth had been built on the suffering of others. That he failed our city, and that it was up to us to save it and right his wrongs. But to do that without endangering the people closest to us, we have to be something else. We have to be something else.

"Who's that?"

"Where'd he come from?"

"What's going on here?" the men around us questioned as they fired their guns at us. They kept firing their guns at us and we dodged them easily, either knocking the men out or killing them.

"Get the chopper back now." Our target ordered. Oliver finally pulled an arrow and shot the hand of one of the men guarding the man and knocked another one before firing it behind him. I pulled out one of my throwing knives and killed the last two guards as Oliver made his way to who we were after. "Whoa, whoa! Easy, wait, wait!" Oliver threw Marcus to another, lower, part of the roof with a covered fan and we jumped down to him. Oliver kicked in the fan covering, revealing the fan blades and I pushed Marcus' face close to the blades. "No, please!" he begged.

"Marcus Redman, you failed this city." Oliver told him.

"Please, don't! Please! Don't!" Marcus begged.

"Cell phone, inside pocket, call your partner. Tell him to give those pensioners back their money. Do it now." I ordered him.

"Okay." He agreed. We jumped down from the small platform with the fan and walked away from him, knowing he would do as we said.

"Over the past 15 years, Mr. Redman has withdrawn more than $30 million from the plan's account. Mr. Redman claims refunding the halcyon pension plan has always been his intent. But sources say Redman was coerced by the vigilante." I heard over the TV the next day at the Queen Mansion as Oliver and I walked into the living room. I'd stayed over last night, much to my father's dismay.

"This guy gets more air-time than the Kardashians, right?" Oliver asked his family.

"Five years on an island and you still know who they are." Thea said giving us a confused look.

"We've been catching up." I told her smiling.

"It's nice to see how much our culture has improved while I was away." Oliver said.

"But the city used to be different. People used to feel safe." Mrs. Queen said to us.

"Aw, what's the matter, mom? Afraid we're gonna be next?" Thea asked her mother.

"Do you have any questions about today, Oliver? Ashlee? It's a simple proof-of-life declaration. Just read out a brief, prepared statement to the judge, and then your death-in-absentia judgment will be voided." Walter reminded us.

"It's fine, Walter, I've been in a courtroom before." Oliver reminded him.

"Four times by my estimate. You know, there was the dui, the assault on that paparazzi douchebag, stealing that taxi, which was just awesome, by the way, and who could forget peeing on the cop?" Tommy listed as he joined us.

"I wish everyone would." Mrs. Queen said as Walter helped her with her coat.

"I'd hang, but we're headed to court." Oliver told him patting his shoulder.

"I know, that's why I'm here. My best friend ad twin sister are getting legally resurrected, I wouldn't miss this for the world." Tommy told us as he patted Oliver's shoulder.