Arrow The Cat and the Canary

Chapter One

Star City was always at its most beautiful at night, Laurel Lance had always thought. There was something about the gentle, cool breeze, the clear skies illuminated by the bright lights from the magnificent sky scrapers and the warm glowing moonlight shining down on top of the city. When she was younger, she had spent countless nights in her childhood bedroom, looking out the window, up into the sky and wondering what was out there. What lay beyond the stars? Of course, now, years later, she understood she had no idea at all what could have been laying out there. Meta-humans who could run faster than the speed of sound, aliens from different worlds, multiple dimensions all existing at once and time travel. She had also learnt a lot about life, about death and the fallout that that can have. She lost her sister twice. Once, four years ago when her boyfriends' boat, the Queens Gambit sunk in the middle of the ocean with her sister on board. And again, years later, after her sister had survived and returned to her, when an evil assassin killed her sister in cold blood right in front of her. Both times her sister came back to her.

Her sister was the one that inspired her to be where she was now. To be on that rooftop in her mask, alongside her team. She looked over to them. Oliver, his green hood pulled up, a stern and determined look on his face as he held his bow in his hand, ready to move when the time struck. Thea, so strong and confident looking in her red costume, unable to hide her smile, excited for the thrill of it all. Dig, his calculating eyes barely visible through the visor on his mask as he surveyed the surrounding area. And Laurel, feeling scared, bold and brave. She adjusted her black domino mask, made sure her blonde wig was on tight and rested her hand on the handle of her baton. Standing there in Sara's jacket, she felt like she could take on the world. It gave her strength, a reason to fight. Her sister had been the Canary; a symbol for hope for those not strong enough to defend themselves. For innocent women and children who hadn't been able to fight back. Laurel knew what that was like. To be helpless in a terrifying world. That's why she took up the mantle of the Black Canary; to fight for those who couldn't fight for themselves. To be a light in the dark. To be the justice that criminals wouldn't work for. At that moment, she could hear the words Oliver Queen would mock her with years ago: "Dinah Laurel Lance, always trying to save the world." Thinking back on it now, she knew there was truth behind it. From working in the Distract Attorney's office, to fighting criminals on the streets at night, all Laurel ever wanted to do was save the world. And that's what she was going to do; starting with stopping the group of H.I.V.E. agents breaking into the warehouse below them.

In a swift move, Oliver, the Green Arrow now, took her hand and ran toward the ledge of the rooftop and dove off, Laurel copying immediately. In the air, Oliver twisted around and shot a grappling hook arrow into the side of the wall and grabbed Laurel by the waist, the two of them quickly abseiling down the side of the building, Speedy and Spartan following suit. They broke off into their pre-planned formation.

Black Canary and Speedy rushed over to the left side of the building around the two large delivery trucks and to the back entrance of the building. Green Arrow clambered his way over one of the trucks and hopped onto the roof and sped across it to its glass ceiling. Spartan raced to the side entrance on the right half of the building, loaded his gun and waited to hear the 'go' order over the comms. Speedy drew an arrow and loaded it into her bow. Black Canary unholstered her tonfa and readied herself. Above them, Green Arrow reached into his quiver and felt around for the specialised notch on a specific arrow, drew it and loaded his bow, aiming the explosive at the glass ceiling. He activated the comms.

"Ready?" He said in a low growl. In unison, the rest of Team Arrow respond; "Ready!"

"Okay, on my count. One... Two... Three!" He fires the arrow which shatters the glass and buries itself into the floor of the warehouse setting off a small explosion that knocked two of the twelve H.I.V.E. agents off their feet. 'Ghosts' was the name the public had given them because of the inability to find out anything about their identity after they had all been wiped from every database possible. They were a menace; impossible to extract information from because of the cyanide capsule they all had implanted which they used if captured. They were all dressed identically in their charcoal grey military combat gear and tan bullet proof vests, each with a balaclava and pair of goggles on, hiding their faces. The each carried their own military-grade assault rifle and the skills to use it.

Green Arrow grappled down from the roof, landing hard on his feet. He swung his bow around hard, striking a Ghost running towards him, causing him to collapse to the floor, and turning back around fast enough to kick another one in the stomach, knocking him down too. Black Canary and Speedy raced in from the rear entrance, just in time to dig Green Arrow of a bit. Speedy sprinted towards a Ghost, who loaded his gun and prepared to open fire on her before she dropped to the floor, sliding through his legs and throwing a hard punch into his privates, making him crumple like a leaf. She rose to her feet in a swift move and swung her right foot through the air and into the jaw of another Ghost, sending him tumbling down. Black Canary used her tonfa to knock he rifle out of one of their hands while another wrapped his arms around her from behind and lifted her off the ground. She struggled furiously and used her new height to send the heel of her boot into one Ghosts nose while thrusting her head back into the nose of the Ghost holding her. He dropped her to the ground, where she swung her tonfa at him, knocking him out. Before she had the chance to turn around, she heard an assault rifle being loaded. Without thinking she spun on her heel and screamed. But it wasn't the sound of her voice that came out, instead an ear-piercing sonic cry emanating from the high-tech device she wore around her neck. It had been given to her by Cisco Ramon, who had built it from on of Sara's old sonic devices and dubbed it 'The Canary Cry'. The power of her cry forced the Ghost to his knees and she threw her fist into his nose, knocking him out like a light. She shook her hand out. That was going to hurt in the morning. Spartan squatted behind an enormous wooden crate, peeking out from behind it to fire at several Ghosts who tried to make their way towards Green Arrow while he was preoccupied in a fist fight with another H.I.V.E. agent. A quiet scraping sound from behind him made him turn just in time to see a Ghost kick at where Johns head would have been two seconds before. He skilfully dodged, getting up to his feet and throwing a hard punch at his assailant. The Ghost stumbled back but regained his footing, unsheathing a large knife in a fluid movement. He swung wildly at Spartan, who managed to dodge each swipe, waiting for the perfect opportunity to go back onto the offence. The Ghost swung the knife again, leaving himself open just enough for Diggle to throw a quick punch into the Ghosts through, stunning him, before cold-cocking him with the butt of his pistol. The Ghost dropped with a heavy yet satisfying thud, as Spartan raced back into the fight to help his team.

Green Arrow pulled back the drawstring on his bow and released it, sending an arrow through one of the Ghosts legs, crippling him on the floor. Nothing too major; he'd recover. Eventually. Black Canary used her tonfa to knock one of the Ghost guns aside before throwing her knee into his groin, dropping him to his knees before clocking him on the head with her tonfa for good measure. Speedy kicked one of them in the stomach sending him stumbling back into Spartan who finished him off with a swift elbow to the temple. The four of them stood in front of the last Ghost, who stood motionless. Green Arrow took a step forward, loading an arrow into his bow and aiming it for the Ghosts chest. In his deep, gravelly voice, he demanded;

"What were you here for?". His question was met with silence and stillness.

"ANSWER ME!" He roared, pulling the drawstring back even more, his teeth gritted. This time his question was answered with a small *crunch* as the Ghost bit down on his cyanide implant and fell to the floor. Dead.

"Damnit" Green Arrow muttered as he lowered his bow and returned his arrow back into his quiver.

"That's the fourth one this week to off himself instead of answering." Thea said in tired frustration. They heard a small bleep in their ears as Felicity started to speak to them through their comms.

"Well? How did it go? Did you find out what they were looking for?" Her voice was full of wonder and optimism. Oliver let out a sigh before responding.

"No. Another bunch of non-cooperatives" They could all hear the tones of disappointment in his voice. They had spent every night for the last month tracking H.I.V.E.s movements and trying to figure out what they were planning. And every time they thought they were getting close to their master plan, the Ghosts managed to slip through their fingers. Felicity chimed in.

"What now guys?" They all exchanged quick glances; Laurel, Thea and John all looking towards Oliver, waiting for him to call the shots. Laurel recognised the look on his face. He felt defeated, like he'd let the rest of them down. Oliver had a way of taking all the problems of the world onto himself and blaming himself if anything went wrong. It was admirable but also his main downfall. Laurel had often thought his and worried about what it might do to him if there ever came a time where he couldn't be the white knight in the story, the hero to swoop in and fix everything and save the day. What kind of toll would that take on him.? She didn't want to know.