Arrow: Fracture Part 3

The Drawn Curtain

Thunder roared from above, bellowing out it's destructive desire to all those below. Lightning had yet to pass through the darkened clouds that hung lifelessly over the cities, awaiting a single command to unleash untold destruction. A simple push of a button ceased their purpose, ending the swirling cascade of light illuminating the night skies. Oliver looked down at the remote and immediately heard the thunder begin to lighten outside, it was over. He refused to even look back at his defeated foe, there was no satisfaction to be had from a last glance of triumph. Oliver moved to the nearby set of doors and removed the sturdy bar keeping them locked. The corridor ushered in a wave of cool air that flowed past the lone hero. Multiple ARGUS troops stood ready with their weapons drawn, they quickly moved past Oliver and rushed to secure the room, it's prisoner, and the device. Dozens of agents all in tactical gear moved past the Green Arrow, splitting around him as he moved their opposite. He quickly spotted Diggle standing beside a medic, and Riley sitting against a wall next to them. Oliver slowly approached without speaking. Diggle nodded to his victorious friend, thankful to see him alive. His eyes however were that of a soldier's, somewhere between acceptance and regret. No doubt in response to Riley's current position, leading Oliver to understand that the wounds were mortal. The medic finished his work and moved on, drawing Riley's attention to the returning hero. Oliver knelt down to meet his eyes, relieving Riley of the strain of looking up.

"Jobs done?" He asked, already knowing the answer but still needing the verbal confirmation from a trusted source. Oliver nodded. Riley slightly glanced to the side, peering into the room and spotting the ARGUS troops securing Ra's. He was alive and he was beaten, the two things that the Demon's Head had been hoping to avoid in tandem. Riley smirked knowing that Oliver Queen had finally returned from Lian Yu, not the Green Arrow or the beast, but all of the elements that made Oliver.

"Welcome home Oliver." Riley softly said, his eyes growing heavy. Oliver glanced away for a moment, fully coming to terms with the statement and the truth. He had finally returned, not as a selfish billionaire or as a souless killer or even as a hooded vigilante but as all of them. They were all apart of him no matter how evil or how pure they were, together they made him Oliver Queen. Riley forced his eyes open, feeling a cold sensation start up his body as the darkness slowly set in from the corners of his eyes. Death was a common part of life, especially for spies. He didn't regret it and he didn't have to accept it, there was no need for either. Memories and thoughts began passing through his mind, most random but some were warm and wanted.

"You remember your old family barbecue at the end of summer?" Riley asked, his voice weakening. Oliver was slightly taken off by the random question, but he quickly remembered.

"Yeah."

"One summer, Thea begged your dad to let me come...even though it was only for family. He couldn't say no to her, so he let me join." Riley spoke, his eyes closing and replaying the memory. Oliver waited quietly, the story taking him back to a simpler time for a moment.

"You were so mad, because your friends couldn't come but I could." Riley said, his eyes opening sharply. "That's my best memory." The lonely words raised Oliver to face his dying ally. Riley sit motionless with his eyes closed and head hanging to the side, a single beam of light keeping him from being swallowed by the darkened hallway. Diggle kept his silence for his fallen comrade. Oliver thought over Riley's last words, regretting that his life had only given him a family in his own for one brief moment all those years ago. He stood and let the ARGUS operative rest, his work was done.
More and more ARGUS troops had joined in securing and prepping the device for transfer. Officers oversaw the process and double checked everything, knowing that they couldn't leave anything to chance. Oliver and Diggle stood to the side, neither refusing to leave until Ra's was taken into custody. Their wounds had been treated and they had been given word that Thea and Roy were safe and on their way. The entire facility was under ARGUS control and was secure enough for a visitor. The familiar and unwanted clicking of heels caught Oliver and Diggle's attention. Amanda Waller stopped in front of the two men, first visually inspecting the device then ARGUS's newest prisoner. She finally turned her gaze to the two men beside her, sizing up their injuries and disheveled appearances.