The Archer's Canary

Nineteen

Barry placed me down and I immediately got my bo-staff ready. "Canary?" Oliver came over my comms.

"Copy" I said.

"On my 6" Oliver commanded and I rushed off to get behind him as we made our way into another room. "Remember, Harkness knows-"

Oliver was cut off by Barry running around and tying up all the guys with Harkness. "That works to" I sighed. "God, there's a wonder how I get action" 

"Probably cause you're in a relationship" Laurel came over the comms.

"For Christ sake, not that type of action" I sighed, Oliver shot me a glare and I bit my tongue.

"You're late" Barry smirked. Oliver raised his bow up and aimed for Barry but shot past him and hit a guy who was attempting to sneak up on him. "I knew he was there"

"It's the Canary" One of the guys tied up said.

"I thought you died," Another said.

"You disappear for a year and suddenly you're dead" I shook my head.

"Canary" Oliver commanded.

"He's not dead, right?" Barry asked, looking at the guy Oliver shot.

"Tranq arrow," Oliver said. Dig and Roy ran in, ready to fight. "Same thing I used on you in Central City"

"Cisco has the van ready," Dig said, looking around. "I see you met Harkness' hired muscle" 

"Harkness isn't here," I said, "That's 10 guys, all the signatures we saw on thermal"

"Hey, where's Digger Harkness?!" Oliver exclaimed, pulling out his hood voice.

"Never met 'em" One of the more awake ones replied, "But he paid us 10 Gs to give you this"

The guy held up a phone, I looked back at Dig and Roy as Oliver took it from the guy. "Ten'll get you twenty that belongs to Harkness" Dig stated.

"What does that mean?" Roy asked.

"That Harkness played us" I sighed. "This life never gets easier"

~

"No response," I said, pulling out my comms, "Something might be wrong"

"We have to get back to the lair" Dig said.

"Than let's go," Oliver said, still clearly angry about being played.

Barry picked me up and started running. I felt a growing worry, something was not right, and three of my friends are in trouble, I just know it. 

Barry put me down just outside the door to the lair and I booked it in, running down the steps and seeing Caitlin, Felicity, and Laurel looking over an unconscious Lyla. "Lyla!" I exclaimed, running down and racing to her side.

A few minutes later, Dig and the others ran in. "Lyla? Lyla!" Dig exclaimed, running down and taking my spot next to her. "She's not moving"

"I've got her stabilized, but I can't operate on her here," Caitlin said.

I turned to Barry and he could tell what I was about to ask, "Starling General's on Eighth and Wilcott" Oliver said.

Barry picked up Lyla and ran, leaving us all to worry. "God help us"

~

Oliver and Dig went to see Lyla, but I had to stay back and try to catch my breath. "This feels wrong," Felicity said, leaning on the table.

We decided to come up to the club to get a few drinks, the music was pumping and the people around us were dancing or just really drunk. "She'll be fine, she's a fighter," I said.

"Four doubles, straight up" Thea walked over, putting our drinks down. "Any word?"

"Not yet," I said. "I'll tell you when we do"

"Thanks for giving me the night off," Roy said.

"Of course" Thea smiled, "If you need anything else, just holler"

She walked off and in the corner of my eye I see Cisco checking her out, I couldn't help but hake my head and take a drink. "Yo, who was that hottie?" He asked.

"Oliver's sister," 

"My ex-girlfriend,"

"My other bestie," We said in unison

"So stay away?" He asked.

"Unless you want four arrows in you, yes," I said.

"She's in surgery. Mr. Diggle is with her" Caitlin said, walking over and taking a seat between me and Cisco.

"She going to be okay?" Felicity asked.

"I hope so," Caitlin said.

"If she isn't, I might go eashiqa on this place" I looked down at the dance floor and saw a group of college kids dancing like their life depended on it. To think that was me 7 years ago.

"How do you guys do it? How do you live like this?" Cisco asked. "Where anyone you care about could be struck down?"

"We haven't been taking this seriously" Caitlin sighed, "It's all been a game. We give the bed guys code names"

"I think the fact we go up against meta-humans made it all kind of clean" Cisco nodded, taking a sip of his drink, "Like, the fact that they've got these powers makes what they're doing less..."

"Real" Caitlin said.

"You eventually learn to live with it, live with the stitches and scars and gunshots... It becomes normal eventually" I said, throwing my drink back.

"How long will it take to get used to?" Caitlin asked.

"Depends," I said.

"It depends on who you are"