To Life Being Full (Book Three of The Unmatched Records)

Arrow ~ The Devil's Greatest Trick ~ Part One

And here's where the real fun starts to begin. Cayden has a trick, but so does Brainy, and Kariver and company get to race against the clock.

Enjoy!

***

A helmeted head poked around the corner of a hallway, then Dig emerged, followed by Oliver, their weapons drawn. "We're clear," Dig reported.

"Clear here," Kara added from where she was hovering above the building. "Way too clear."

"All right, keep moving," Oliver nodded at Dig.

His friend opened the double doors they were approaching, and Oliver led the way in. Dig took one last look down the hallway, then followed Oliver in, both looking around the very empty IT room. "I guess Cayden James and his friends knew we were coming," he muttered.

"Oh, yes," Cayden's voice answered, and the two vigilantes turned to see several screens turn on, broadcasting Cayden to them. "Once I learned of Mr. Sobel's treachery, I had to assume this location was compromised." The monitors shut off, but his voice continued to speak, and Oliver looked over his shoulder to see another set of monitors show Cayden. "Speaking of which, I didn't appreciate your alliance with him. Made me think we no longer have an understanding."

"You need to know something," Oliver began to say.

"Many things, I'm sure," Cayden drawled, and as the monitors shut off again, Oliver and Dig rotated as Cayden's image appeared on a large monitor behind them. "But I doubt very much that you're the man to teach them to me."

"We almost have proof that I didn't kill your son," Oliver said.

Cayden chuckled bitterly, shaking his head. "A desperate gambit."

"Cayden, give me more time!"

The monitor shut off, and once again, Cayden's voice came from behind, from one last monitor. "Time, I'm afraid, is a commodity you and your city have run out of," he declared coldly. "Mr. Sobel's betrayal convinced me that there's little good in delaying matters further. Accordingly, I will be detonating the thermobaric bomb over Star City at midnight. My son will find justice in the ashes of your beloved city."

Oliver swallowed hard as all the monitors switched off, Dig looking at him worriedly.

***

"Cayden is going to detonate the bomb in four hours," Oliver ground out as he, Dig, and Kara hurried back into the bunker. "Where are we with the video?"

"Well, we're running our photographic analysis algorithm to reveal the original footage," Felicity answered.

"How long will that take?" Dig asked.

"Unknown," Querl answered. "This algorithm works quite impressively on a still image, but this video is 24 fps."

"Right," Oliver blew out his breath. "Cayden just told us that we are running out of time." He paused, seeing Querl fidget uneasily. "What is it?" he asked.

"Uh," Querl cleared his throat. "If I may be blunt?"

"By all means," Oliver gestured.

"Yes," Querl turned to face him, steepling his fingers. "Correct me if I am wrong, because I do not believe I am, but we are putting all of our chips on a bet, so to speak, that Cayden James will spare Star City if he thinks you are not responsible for his son's death."

"That's because it's the only play we have, Brainy," Dig nodded.

Querl frowned, then sighed. "Very well," he nodded. "I am simply informing you that you could be trying to reason with a man who is beyond reason."