Iron To Arrows

Chapter 13: Recovery 101

Months past since I'd seen or spoken with Oliver. Six or seven to be exact and I didn't count on that changing anytime soon. I returned to my old regime and was especially grateful to be back hope with everybody. I'd missed Tony, Pepper, Rhodes, Happy, and everyone; it was nice to be back home. Despite how angry I'd become with Rhodes and happy, we were able to rekindle things. After explaining all the rivalry with Oliver all bets and opinions were put aside and the past was left where it should be. Fury also established new missions for me. I was able to sneak of Dubai and complete another one in Amsterdam. Needless to say, things were running smoothly although an unexpected call from Chloe Sullivan, would change all of it.
"Hello." I answered from the terrace of my bedroom one morning in the summer. The whole gang had transferred over to Tony's Malibu mansion, as Tony randomly decided one day to sell his place in New York City.
"Niki?" A soft and solemn voice inquired from the other end.
"Chloe?" I quickly recognized her voice, "Chloe whats wrong?"
"Niki, I need your help. Your the only person I know to turn too. The only one that I think can fix this."
Her tone was shifting out of sadness and into that of anxiety.
"Chloe, what happened." I tried sounding calm but my voice was more stern.
"Just please don't say no, alright." She eventually expressed with a slight exhale.
"Chloe" I answered firmly, "What-."
"Olivers gone missing......" There was a long pause in my mind as the words rang through my head.
"Niki he went downhill. It's bad and I don't know how to get him out of it. He's been gone for months! Everyone's been searching, Clark, Barry, Arthur and they haven't been able to bring him back."
Every heard started to pick up heist. She was just rambling on now. She didn't want me to decline because of my opinion of Oliver. I knew she wasn't doing this out of any bias or manipulation, she was completely desperate. Hearing her voice made me regret not going to visit her or Clark while I was in Star City. My mind was consumed with so much irritation and self-pity that never thought to go visit them.
"Please Niki." Her desperate voice whispered through the other end of the line, "I need your help."
"Chloe, It'll be alright, I'm on my way." How could I turn down her request. She was one of my closest friends and despite my hostility towards Oliver, my heart didn't want to seem him like this. From the way Chloe described, it sounded bad and I was even feeling concerned.
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I tracked Oliver down for miles and over a course of two weeks time. I was tired, frustrated, wondering what caused him to act so selfish and juvenile. I found myself striding in the heart of drug lords and dealers on outskirts of Mexico city. It was where worst came to hide and the best came to play and steal. Such a barren society, a desolate wasteland with low moral and even littler laws. The guys didn't have a care in the world and it wasn't changing anytime soon.
I trudged onward across the arid terrain; my larger blade in hand and a holster attached to my right thigh. The glock I carried was firmly strapped to my hip, while the smaller blades and stars were hidden underneath my ribbed tank. Not to mention the two hidden within my dusty combat boots. I slowly strode into next town and made my way past one of the small, broken-down, clubs.
"Hola Senorita." a devilish voice called out from the shadows as I walked past the front door of the decrepit tavern. I could sense a pair of dark eyes piercing into me as their gaze eyed me up and down.
"Where are you headed off too tonight?" Another voice voice inquired as I turned about and face two large and tan buffoons.
"No place that concerns you." I shot them each a short scowl.
The man to my right smiled lustfully, "Is that so."
Suddenly the man on to my left began circling me and stopped once he reached my backside. I could hear him stepping closer and continued approaching until he was hovering directly over me.
"Perhaps we can help?" The man to my right offered, "If you can give us in return." The one behind me chuckled deeply, his left hand reached out towards my hip and up across my side and torso. I tensed my jaw as he grazed the bottom of my shirt with his thumb and slipped his fingers underneath my shirt. His hand brushed up my side quickly and I slowly felt him remove one of my throwing stars.
"Naughty girl." He sneered.
"You don't know the half of it." and swiped one of my small blades into my right hand and stabbed him immediately in his ribs. He groaned in pain as I quickly grasped ahold of my glock. Before the man in front of me could pull his own trigger, I sniped him one in the leg and another in his side. He hit the ground instantly but not before attempting to reach for his own weapon once more. I tossed a star into the center of his wrist and smirked slyly as the gun fell from his hand.
Crouching down in front of him I smiled,
"Remember this the next time you ask a naughty girl to play nice." I clenched my jaw at the end of my sentence as I pressed the star in deeper before tearing in out. He cried out in intense agony. I turned back to the man that circled behind me. He had his hands cupped around the blade in his side. With a prissy smile I yanked the steel dagger from his ribs and wiped it across my leg to clean it. I was in no mood to be trifled with. I was going to find that Oliver Queen and when I did I was going to kill him.
My striding and stabbing continued up town, until I came across one particular saloon. It was old, nearly abandoned, and held the familiar awes and sounds of flattered women.
"Bastard." I mumbled to myself as I approached the open doorway and low and behold he was here.
A shaggy and hardly shaven Oliver was, nearly, draped over the bar top. Two girls were tucked underneath his arms, gripping ahold of his back and chest. The one on the left ran her hands up his chest and slowly began undoing the top buttons of his shirt.
Oh how I'd longed to insert a bullet into his side but apparently I wouldn't have too before I knew a man came charging forward towards Ollie.
"What are you doing with my wife?!" He sneered as his guards jerked the girls aside. Of course, just like the careless moron that Oliver is, he countered with some smartass reply.
"Which ones your wife? The short one or the ugly one?"
Ollie, drunkenly, refereed to the two men beside him and that was all it took, Oliver got a swift punch in the jaw. It was undeniably tempting to let him consume a few more blows but I suppose even he didn't deserve that. Revoking my hesitation, I charged open into the front door and fired three shots in the air. That got their attention and Olivers face just expressed annoyance.

"Who are you?" The man beating Oliver questioned. Both his goons raised their guns towards me. I smirked and whipped out throwing stars into each of their wrists. The girls gasped as the mens guns dropped to the floor. Both men cursed as they clutched their wrists and removed the blades.
"Does that answer your question?" I responded with a slight cock of my head. The man glared at the ground before calling his men out of the bar.
"You know. I never understood why you always carry around that glock. You never shoot it." Oliver recited casually before taking a long sip from his glass. My eyes formed a hollow glare as I shot a bullet through the center of his glass. Shards flew out immediately , as did the rest of his bourbon. Oliver clicked his tongue lightly before pouring himself another drink
" A more to the right next." He added with his next long swish of whiskey.
"Like your in any condition to judge my aim."
"was enjoying that." He jested dryly as he brushed the shards of the counter top and onto the wood floor.
"Like I give damn and I'm pretty sure you've had enough."
He faked and smiled and grasped ahold of a full bottle of tequila. He took a swig and I immediately jerked it from his hand. Chloe was right he'd gone down hill quick. Enough was enough. He was coming home. Today.
"Look at you." I nearly spat out. "Wallowing from one desolate town to another. It's pitiful and pathetic. Your just wasting away! Hoping your sorrows and memories will be revoked and that the answers you wish to have uncovered, will be found at the bottom of one of these stupid bottles!" I gazed in disgust at the filthy establishment and it's potent drinks as I scolded him. His behavior was inexcusable.

"Niki I really believe you didn't come down here all locked and loaded just to give me a lecture."
"You don't need lecturing Oliver. You need to get your act together."
"And what are you my counselor?"
"Right now, kind of." I snapped.
"I'm one of the few people left on this planet that still gives a damn. That doesn't want to seeing you waste away into nothing."
"Sure." His tone was full of disbelief.
My impatience was immediately triggered.
"Screw You Ollie!" I shouted in frustration before lowering my tone.
"You don't have to live like this Oliver. Just come home."
I looked him dead straight in his hazelnut brown eyes. Despite my anger and bitterness towards Ollie, this was too much. He had gone down too far. This wasn't him. I knew that better than most. Screw what the past held, just straighten up and fly right for once. Thoughts of frustration continued to circle around in my mind.
His gazed held firm with mine and for a second, I thought I may have had a break through.
"Be careful Niki. You might actually find yourself telling the truth for once."
That poisonous arrow struck me deep.

"I'm not the one that's running away from my past!" I snapped immediately as sounds of footsteps strode in behind me.
Olivers mouth formed a small smirk, "Its funny. For a second, you had me thinking this was more than a job."
The footsteps behind me were from Clark. I could've completed do this exhibition on my own but in case there was extreme resistance, Clark agreed to tag along as back up. Not that I couldn't just tag and taze him myself the added member was more for Olivers protection than mine.
"Looks like you win again Agent Beyer. Mission Accomplished." Oliver spoke up with sarcastic praise while standing up from the bar. "So how much did Fury cut you in for on this one huh."
"Oliver." Clark interjected quickly but he cut Clark off immediately,
"Oh no I get it, Special agent secrecy. Assassination bonus. How's the bounty hunter market doing now days?"
"Oliver. Your not thinking right-."
"Oh no. On the contrary Clark, I'm thinking very clearly. First time in my life I've seen things for what they truly are."
His blubbering was getting on my nerves both in annoyance and with disappointment. I hated seeing him like this.
"I'm sure whatever it was that they gave you; it was well worth it."
That was it. I had enough.
With one quick swipe of a round house kick Oliver fell face first onto the floor. Knocked. Out. Cold.
"This is Agent Beyer." I reported  to Chloe from my com. "Target Apprehend."