Almost - A Flash and Arrow crossover

Chapter 5

Then, slowly, the door creaked open.

A shadow emerged from the office, his silhouette barely visible in the poor light. Barry squinted, trying to pick out any of the Meta's features. The moonlight streaming through the windows reflected off the familiar leather jacked and studs on the boots.

Oliver re-positioned his aim so it was targeting the man's chest. "Step away from the office door and into the light."

The man didn't move.

"Let me try again." His voice was louder and more menacing this time. "Step away from the office and into the light, or get shot with an arrow."

Moonlight shimmered off the Meta's clothing as he took a step forward.

"Good choice." Barry said.

Once half into the moonlight, Barry and Oliver surveyed the man up and down. He was dressed in the same clothes as he wore to the bank robbery. A ripped, black top, a thick leather jacket, baggy jeans and bulky biker boots. He had a big build, similar to Oliver's, and his greasy black hair hung just above his shoulders. There was a scar across his lip and the man's nose was wonky, most likely broken some years ago. His dark-brown eyes darted between the two.

"The Arrow and The Flash? Aren't I lucky?" The man's voice was slow and deep. It showed no sign of fear or being intimidated. Instead, it sounded as if he was mocking them.

Oliver felt Barry fidget beside him. He couldn't blame the kid. It wasn't like Barry was used to this amount of intimidation. The voice and the big-build of the man himself was enough to make any man feel threatened. However, Oliver, having more experience in this area, thought it best if he handled this one.

"I don't like your confidence." He said, countering the remarks the Meta had just sneered at them.

The Man merely raised his eyebrows at Oliver, then his gaze settled on Barry's uncertain face.

"Is The Flash a little threatened by me? I swear it wasn't my intention." His lips quirked at the sides and he stepped in Barry's direction. Oliver instinctively let an arrow fly at the man. It grazed his ear. A warning shot. Then he stepped closer to Barry, keeping the kid slightly behind him. This was a new level of foe for Barry. And the speedster looked a little lost.

The Meta just laughed. "Aww, has Mummy-Bear come to give you a hug. It's OK Flash, Arrow here ain't gonna leave your side by the looks of things. But that can be fixed."

Oliver didn't like where this conversation was going. There was no way the robber was going to do anything to either of them on his account. Readjusting his grip on the bow, he pointed it directly at the Man's knee.

"You're gonna come with us, or you get an arrow through the knee-cap and we drag you out ourselves." He said. The Meta took another step towards the two and Barry clenched his fists.

"You've got it the wrong way round Arrow." Once again, the moonlight danced on his jacket as he advanced on them.

"Oh really?" It was Barry who moved forward this time. He puffed out his chest and squared up to the robber. "'Cause from where I'm standing, it looks like you're in no position to make threats with an Arrow pointing at your knee."

"From where you're standing, I'm definitely in a position to make threats."

Oliver realised the mistake too late.

"BARRY MOVE!"

But before the speedster could register what Oliver had said, the Meta shot a hand forward and grabbed Barry's wrist.

"Barry, No!"

Oliver shot an Arrow at the Meta's knee. It sunk into his flesh and the Man screamed in pain, throwing himself backwards and clutching his wound. Within seconds, the archer was clutching Barry's shoulders as he sunk to the ground. Ignoring the shouts and questions emanating from his ear-piece, he shook Barry's shoulders vigorously.

"Hey, Bar?" Barry had his eyes on the floor. He couldn't see his face. He needed to see his face. "Barry! Hey, look at me kid."

Barry groaned and Oliver loosened his grip on his shoulders. "Barry?"

The speedster's head rose tediously slow, compared to his normally quick actions. For a second, he locked eyes with Oliver. A pleading look in his eye. Then it faded and was replaced by confusion and fear. The vigilante felt his heart sink.

"Bar' No!" He tightened his grip once more on his partner's shoulders.

"What?" Barry's voice was small and barely audible. Then something flickered within his eyes and he shoved Oliver away from him, with a force the ex-millionaire never knew he had.

"Dude, what the hell?"

The kid scrambled to his feet, backing away, identical to how the man in the alley had done earlier that night.

"Barry? It's me. It's O- It's the Arrow." Oliver stood from where Barry had shoved him and stared at his partner in front of him.

"What? Who's the Arrow?" The speedster looked down at himself. "And why am I dressed up for Halloween?"

In any other situation, Oliver would have found that mildly amusing. But the statement only increased his worry.

"Barry, listen to me. You need to calm down. We need to go-"

"I'm not going with you!" He screamed and backed away further. In his haste to increase the distance between Oliver and himself, Barry tripped over his own feet - which only Barry could do - and fell to the ground with a thud, his head smacking against the wall behind him.

"Barry!" Oliver darted towards where the kid lay, unconscious and unmoving.

He was just snaking his arms under the limp-form of his friend when he felt his suit being ripped back. Oliver lay spread-eagled on the jewelers cold floor. Then a fist came into contact with his jaw. Dazed from the punch, the Vigilante shook his head. A moment later, however, his mind went blank. Everything around him turned black and white and the world seemed to tilt sideways. Before he knew it, he was back to lying on the ground. Oliver was barely aware of his name and Barry's being shouted through his ear-piece. Then everything became black and white once more. The last thing he remembered was a deep voice saying "Enjoy reminiscing." Then the sound of a door slamming shut. Oliver let his head loll to the side on the floor.

Everything was quiet.