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

Arrow ~ Fundamentals ~ Part Two

Oliver enjoys some quality time with an old enemy and takes a joy ride on drugs. It's not exactly a fun ride, though, and the impeachment hearing involves a surprise.

Enjoy part two!

***

"No," Oliver shook his head in disbelief, lowering the gun and staring at the phantom in front of him. "You . . . Cayden James had you killed!"

"Funny thing," Adrian scoffed. "You never did go check for yourself. Guess you were somewhat preoccupied, right? Still . . . seems a little careless." He raised the silver handgun he held and fired, and Oliver yelped as the bullet went through his shoulder, throwing him back. "Come on, man!" Adrian snarled as Oliver grabbed at his shoulder, wincing in pain as he tried to find the gun he had dropped, repeatedly firing all the while. "You've seen people come back from what seemed like certain death! As I recall, you once were stabbed and fell off of a mountain . . . yet here you are!"

Oliver finally managed to grab a silver tray to deflect the bullets fired at him, then swung it into Adrian's face, knocking him back. His gun fell to the ground, and Adrian snarled, grabbing Oliver and tossing him over one of the tables. As he scrambled to get up, Adrian drew his sword and came around the table, swinging it menacingly. Oliver made a grab for his bow as Adrian's first swing hit the rails, and bow and sword clacked against each other before one of Adrian's swings was enough to break it. Their fight moved up to the tech platform, Oliver finally managing to kick one of Adrian's legs out from under him and wrap his arm around his neck, holding him in a chokehold.

The same chokehold from Lian Yu. "Do it!" Adrian growled, trying to wrench free.

"I didn't last time," Oliver gritted his teeth.

"And then I almost killed everyone you loved," Adrian sneered. "I'm not playing games this time. This time, I'm coming for you and Kara and William, and even those bitches Evelyn and Black Siren. Anyone and everyone who's ever been close to you. And there's only one way that you can stop me."

Oliver gritted his teeth, having enough of people threatening his loved ones, and he grabbed Adrian around the middle, wrenching hard and hearing the crunch of bones crack. He dropped Adrian's corpse on the floor, coughing as he struggled to stand up and make his way down off the platform. He leaned against one of the tables, taking a few deep breaths.

There were two quiet metal taps, and he braced himself, preparing to see Adrian get to his feet, but when he turned around, he wasn't there.

"Oh, now wasn't that better?" Slowly, Oliver turned around to see Adrian on his opposite side, a satisfied look on his face. "You know, you might just have to start considering the possibility that I'm just not killable, Oliver."

Oliver stared at his suddenly alive former enemy, then shook his head. "No, Adrian," he turned around. "You're dead, still on Lian Yu or in A.R.G.U.S. custody." He took a deep breath, looking down at his suddenly healed shoulder and completely blood-free shirt. "I'm hallucinating."

***

Oliver winced as he took a syringe and stuck it in his arm, slowly drawing a blood stick. At least he wasn't completely focused on the pain.

Then again, a chattering hallucination of Adrian Chase probably wasn't the best option of what to listen to. "I knew you'd kill me," he said conversationally. "Or try to. I always was the one person who saw you for the murderer you are." Oliver just sighed, sticking the blood stick into the machine next to him. "What are you doing?" Adrian raised an eyebrow, then looked over his shoulder at where Oliver was looking: one of the computer monitors running a scan. "Oh. Oh, you're running a blood test! You think you've been dosed with something." He clicked his tongue as Oliver slid his sleeves back down, walking around to see the results. "You know, there is another explanation, a more likely one in my considered opinion. You're finally going crazy. It's completely understandable, Ollie. You're losing everything. Even the people I couldn't manage to take from you."