Burned, torn and frayed

Chapter 11 - Oliver

"So what's the situation right now?" ask Oliver as his bodyguard stops the car in an empty alley, the only other vehicle being an old muscle car.

"From what I'm hearing on the radio, they are just about done with the evacuation," he answered as fidgeted with his earpiece.

"Just like last time. The killer will probably act soon." nodded as he grabbed his bow "I'm off"

"Good luck"

He had just entered the flaming building when Oliver heard on his own earpiece a fireman announcing the end of the evacuation. Oliver raced toward the upper levels, as the lower ones had already been cleared out according to what Diggle had heard on the radio as they were heading here.

He had just walked up to the observation platform when he heard a surprised shout. As his head snapped toward its direction, Oliver had just the time to see a man drop the axe he had hit his comrade with. Comrade who was now hanging in the air. He raced on a support beam and dropped. 

"Who are you?" asked the poor firefighter as Oliver transferred from one side of a beam from the other.

Unfortunately, as he finally landed on the walkway, the fireman he was trying to save fell to his death, his attacker having presumably let him fall. He also had just enough time to duck under the swing the killer had destined for his head. 

He took the first opportunity and punch his opponent's mask with his left fist, quickly following with a strike of his bow. The Firefighter tired to reply with his own punch but Oliver swiftly deflected it, pushing him back with a left kick.

Once that foot that landed, he used it to propel his right one. Unfortunately, once it had landed, the Firefighter his ax to grab it and pulled on hit. Destabilized, Oliver didn't have enough time to prevent the handle of his opponent's weapon from sticking his chest, pushing all the air out of his lungs.

Next thing he knew, his left foot was swiped from under him, making him land flat on his quiver. With what little air he had tried to gain once again brutally knocked out of his lungs, he was yet again defenseless against his opponent when he kicked him in the ribs.

The pain from his fight with the Dark Archer awoke at once, leaving him on the metal surface and unable to stop the killer as he stepped back from him. However, he was able to see something on the ungloved hand that the murderer used to take a grenade from his turnout coat's pocket. A tattoo, one of a firefly, barely recognizable one the very severely burnt wrist.

The man threw the explosive of the ground, the explosion creating a wall of flames between him and the hooded vigilante. 

Oliver could only watch before lowering his head, his uselessness in saving the fireman's life sinking in.

Sam was still listening to the radio chat on which the chief was repeatedly trying to reach one of his men when Dean repeatedly slapped his shoulder to gain his attention. 

"What?" he turned toward his brother, who only pointed to the front of the car.

Snapping his head that way, Sam saw a hood figured carrying a bow walking while holding his ribs. He got into an alley only for car lights to spring alight and reverse away, further in the narrow passage.

"Do you think it's him? One of the firemen isn't responding to the calls of the chief."

"Only one way to find out" Dean shook his head as he turned the key, Baby's purring a second later