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From 2.01 "City of Heroes", in the conference room, Oliver stood in front of the board.

Oliver: (voice over) "My name is Oliver Queen."

From 2.01 "City of Heroes", in the cemetery, Jill was sitting at Tommy's grave in guilt.

Jill: (voice over) "I'm Jill Wright."

From 1.06 "Legacies", in flashback to the cave on Lian Yu, Oliver was aiding Jill after they saved her from the soldiers.

Oliver lifted the back of her shirt to reveal carved tally marks in her back that were bleeding and scarred. They were all over her back, the tally marks small to include all of the number of the days. There were a few in her shoulders, as the skin of her back couldn't hold it all.

Jill: (voice over) "After five years on a hellish island..."

From 1.23 "Sacrifice", in flashback to the soldier camp, Jill jumped down from the missile launcher, taking cover.

The missile hit the ground at the soldier camp, setting it ablaze.

Jill sat back tiredly on the ground, watching the flames.

From 1.06 "Legacies", in the hideout, Oliver and Jill were training at the hideout with two metal short staffs. Oliver and shirtless. Jill was in workout clothes, including a sports bra. Oliver swung both of his up over their heads, trying to come down on her. Jill raised both of hers in an X shape to block both of his.

Jill: (voice over) "We have come to Starling City with only one goal."

From 1.08 "Vendetta", in the hideout, Jill was getting suited up.

Oliver was watching from nearby, getting suited up.

John and Justin walked closer.

Jill: (voice over) "To save the city."

From 1.21 "The Undertaking", in the casino, Oliver/Arrow fired an arrow into a man's shoulder, making him fall.

Oliver: (voice over) "But to do so..."

From 1.16 "Dead to Rights", on the helipad, Oliver/Arrow and Guillermo Barrera were fighting. Oliver stabbed him with an arrow, killing him.

Oliver: (voice over) "I can't be the killer I once was."

From 1.19 "Unfinished Business", in the lab at the asylum, Oliver/Arrow stabbed the orderly in the chest with an arrow, killing him.

From 1.23 "Sacrifice", in Merlyn Global Group, Tommy and Oliver/Arrow helped Jill/Sapphire inside to get them to the ground outside.

The building was falling apart around them.

Tommy saw rubble falling toward them, pushing them out of the way.

The debris fell onto Tommy, making him fall, pinning him down.

Jill started to pull the debris away.

A pipe had been stabbed into Tommy's chest.

Oliver and Jill were horrified.

Oliver: (voice over) "To honor my friend's memory, I must be someone else."

From 2.01 "City of Heroes", in the cemetery, Oliver and Jill stood at Tommy's grave.

From 2.01 "City of Heroes", in the foundry, Oliver and Jill walked in to join John, Justin and Felicity.

Jill: (voice over) "I must be..."

Jill looked at the knife in her hand. She morphed into Sapphire.

Jill: (voice over) "Something else."

Oliver looked at the arrow in his hand. He morphed into Arrow.

➣ ➣

From 2.08 "The Scientist", in the applied sciences division, Oliver, Jill, Justin, John, Jessica, Felicity, Barry and Aurora were talking.

Skylar: (voice over) "Previously on Sapphire Arrow."

Felicity turned to the others. "Guys, this is Aurora Swan. She's a doctor and scientist that works at STAR Labs in Central City."

"That's Barry Allen," Aurora told them. "He's from the Central City Police Department."

Barry took out his ID to show them. "I'm with the Crime Scene Investigation Unit." 

From 2.08 "The Scientist", in the alley outside Verdant, Oliver/Arrow and Roy were talking.

"I have friends that can help," Roy told him. "You can't stop us."

"I can slow you down," Oliver told him, shooting an arrow into Roy's leg, making him fall, walking away.

Roy held his leg in pain.

From 2.08 "The Scientist", in flashback to the submarine, Oliver, Jill, Sara, Slade and Shado were talking.

Jill showed the Mirakuru to Slade, kneeling in front of him. "Now this, it could save you... or it could kill you."

"Do it," Slade told her.

Jill injected the serum into Slade's leg.

Slade started to shake and gasp for breath. He started to yell and groan in pain. He was bleeding from the eyes, screaming in agony. He finally stopped screaming. He looked at them for a moment, breathing heavily before he fell into silent stillness.

From 2.08 "The Scientist", in the foundry, Oliver, Jill, Justin, John and Felicity were talking.

"It was a serum designed to create human weapons," Jill told them.

"You think someone found the recipe," Justin realized.

"The centrifuge and a large supply of blood," Jill told them.

From 2.08 "The Scientist", in the unknown building, Sebastian, Brother Black and Brother Gold were talking.

Jill: (voice over from 2.08 The Scientist) "I think someone wants to make more of it."

From 2.08 "The Scientist", in the bunker, Oliver/Arrow and Jill/Sapphire were fighting with Gold and Black, being taken down.

Gold stabbed Oliver and Jill with needles, walking away, leaving.

Black followed him.

Justin, Felicity and John ran inside.

"Oliver?" John called worriedly.

"Jill!" Felicity called frantically.

They finally found them, running toward them.

"Are they alive?" John asked. "No, we can't save them."

"You're right," Justin told him. "We can't."

From 2.08 "The Scientist", in the hotel's hallway, Aurora walked down the hallway. She slowed to a stop as if she sensed someone watching her. A dart was shot into her neck. She started to fall unconscious.

From 2.08 "The Scientist", in the train station, Barry took his suitcase toward a bench to sit down, taking a seat.

A dart was thrown into his neck.

Barry groaned in pain as the sedative kicked in, making him fall unconscious.

From 2.08 "The Scientist", in the foundry, Barry woke up in the basement of Verdant, sitting up, groaning in pain.

The bag was removed from Aurora's head.

They saw Oliver and Jill unconscious on two separate tables without the hood or mask on.

Justin, John and Felicity were standing next to them.

Felicity looked at Aurora and Barry. "Please save our friends."

Aurora and Barry were in shock.

➣➣  

Same Night - Same Scene

Day One 

Night - Verdant - Foundry 

Oliver and Jill were still unconscious on the tables, flatlining after the attacks.

John, Justin and Felicity were getting Barry and Aurora to help.

"Hold them," Aurora told them, walking closer with a mix.

"They're not going to make it," Barry told them.

"They will," Aurora told them. "We just have to find out what's in their systems."

"I--I--I usually only work on dead people," Barry told them.

"Stop freaking out and do what I do to Jill to Oliver," Aurora told him. "All right, I can think of four possible diagnosis for what's causing their bodies to react this way." She shone a light into Jill's eyes. "Make that three possible diagnosis." She walked around the tables to check on Oliver. "Two. Start chest compressions." Barry gave chest compressions to Oliver while John gave the compressions to Jill. Aurora drew a liquid into two syringes, handing one to Justin. "Get this to his arm."

"Got it," Justin told her, injecting Oliver.

Aurora injected Jill. "They're suffering from intravenous coagulation."

"What?" John asked.

"Their blood is unnaturally clotting," Aurora answered. "It's like maple syrup."

"You can save them, right?" Felicity asked.

Aurora looked around the room, finding a box of rat poison, picking it up, walking closer. "Lucky you guys have a rat problem."

"Are you kidding?" John asked. "That'll kill them."

Aurora poured the rat poison into two containers. "They die if I don't."

"Aurora..." Barry trailed off uncertainly.

Aurora walked closer, looking from Barry, Justin and John to Felicity.

Felicity nodded. "Do it."

Aurora drew the poison into a liquid. "Just the right amount of this will thin their blood enough to get it circulating again."

Aurora handed one needle to Justin.

Justin and Aurora injected both Jill and Oliver while Barry and John continued to give them chest compressions. Felicity watched them silently in worry, overwhelmed and freaking out.

Jill was barely conscious. She heard Amy's voice in a hallucination. "Let go, Jill."

Jill slowly, weakly turned her head toward the side to look at the hallucination of Amy, what she had looked like after the water had taken her away after the shipwreck.

"She's crashing," John told them.

Jill could barely listen to them, looking at the hallucination of her sister.

"Don't fight anymore," Amy told her. "You wanted me to stay with you. I'm here now. You can stay here with me."

Amy reached her hand toward Jill.

Jill weakly reached her gloved hand toward the hallucination of her sister.

➣ Sapphire Arrow ➣

Verdant - Foundry

Jill and Oliver were on the tables.

Jill was still trying to wake up all the way.

Oliver started to stir.

Aurora and Barry were checking on them.

Oliver bolted straight up, gripping Barry by his throat.

Barry started to choke and gasp.

Justin, John and Felicity walked closer.

"Oliver, let him go," John told him. "Oliver!"

Oliver let Barry go.

Jill sat up in confusion. "What the... what the hell is going on?"

"Both of you were injected with a strong-acting blood coagulant," Aurora told them.

Barry coughed. "You would have stroked out..." He cleared his throat. "But fortunately, you had a very effective blood thinner handy. Warfarin. Better known as rat poison."

"These guys saved both of your lives," John told them.

"This is the point in a lifesaving emergency, where you thank the people that did the lifesaving," Felicity told them.

Oliver looked at Justin, John and Felicity. "You told them who we are."

"Yeah, we did," Felicity answered.

"That's not your secret to tell, Felicity," Oliver told her. "I decide who finds out my identity, just as Jill should decide who finds out hers."

"Well, we didn't have time to get your votes, what with both of you unconscious and dying," Felicity told them.

Jill slowly stood. "What happens if they leave here and go right to the police?"

"I wouldn't do that," Aurora told them.

"Yeah, I wouldn't do that, either," Barry told them.

"I trust them," Justin told them.

"I don't," Oliver told them.

"What are you going to do, put an arrow in him and a knife in her?" Felicity asked.

Oliver looked at Aurora and Barry. "I am considering it."

Jill rolled her eyes, looking at Aurora and Barry. "Don't worry, he's not serious."

Felicity looked at Oliver. "How is this any different from when your mother shot you and you came to me for help?"

"Your mother shot you?" Aurora asked.

Oliver held up a finger to tell them to wait.

Felicity looked at Jill. "Or when you brought Dig and Justin down here when John was poisoned with Curare."

"The difference is that we did our homework on all three of you," Jill answered. "We don't just tell people easily."

"I--we're not going to tell anyone," Aurora told them.

Barry looked at Oliver. "And you don't have to thank either of us, but you should thank Felicity instead of being kind of a jerk." Oliver turned to face Barry, unamused. "Mr. Queen."

Oliver's phone was beeping. He picked it up, looking at the text from Moira.

Can you please come home?

Oliver sighed, lowering his phone. "I have to go home."

"The men that we fought in the bunker, they have what they need to mass produce the serum from the island," Jill told them. "And we have to stop them."

Oliver and Jill were clearly in no position to fight or fire arrows or throw knives.

Oliver started to walk away to get dressed.

"They touched your skin when they grabbed you," Barry told them. "I was able to absorb the residual oils from their skin, which, when added to a gel-based polymer, might be able to recreate their fingerprints."

Jill nodded, hesitating. "Thank you." She looked at Aurora. "Both of you."

Barry and Aurora nodded.

They looked at Oliver.

Oliver nodded, walking away.

➣

Day Two

Morning - Queen Mansion - Living Room 

Moira was setting up a large Christmas tree.

Oliver walked in. "Mom?"

"Oliver, thank you for coming home, sweetheart," Moira told him, walking closer.

"Is everything all right?" Oliver asked.

"Well, I don't know," Moira told him. "Your sisters have been locked in Thea's room, and they won't talk to me."

"Don't worry, I'll talk to them," Oliver told her.

"Okay," Moira told him.

Oliver noticed the tree. "It's Christmas."

Moira sighed, nodding. "Yes. But given the last gala that we threw, I think we're going to skip this year's Christmas party."

Oliver chuckled barely, nodding, turning around, walking away.

➣

Hallway 

Oliver no longer had his jacket on, walking down the hallway toward Thea's room, knocking on the door. "Thea, it's Ollie. Open the door."

"Not--not now, Ollie," Thea told him.

"Skylar, open the door," Oliver told her.

"Is Mom with you?" Skylar asked.

"No," Oliver answered. Skylar opened the door. "What's going on?"

"We didn't want Mom to see," Thea told him.

"See what?" Oliver asked.

Skylar pulled Oliver inside, closing the door.

➣

Thea's Room 

Thea, Skylar and Oliver looked toward where Sin and Roy were on the bed.

Roy was laying down, after having been shot by Oliver/Arrow in the leg in 2.08 The Scientist.

"What happened to him?" Oliver asked.

"The Arrow decided to use him as target practice," Thea answered. "You're right. The guy's a psycho."

Oliver sighed, looking at Roy. "Why didn't you go to the hospital?"

"In this city, an arrow's the same as a bullet if you want the cops involved," Roy told them.

Thea sat next to Roy.

"And Mom actually likes Roy, but something tells me she'd revoke his tree trimming invitation if she found out he was messing around with the vigilantes," Skylar told them.

Oliver walked closer. "Uh-huh." He looked at Sin. "Hi." Sin nodded to him. Oliver picked up a cloth. "Roy, this is gonna hurt."

"My anger's dulling the pain," Roy told them.

Sin held up a bottle of vodka. "This will dull it better."

Roy took a drink of vodka.

Oliver took the bottle, pouring a bit of the alcohol over Roy's wound.

Roy groaned and gasped in pain.

Oliver wrapped the cloth around the arrow, looking at Roy as if he was hesitating, taking the arrow out smoothly, making him groan in pain. "Going to put pressure on it right there." He turned away, making a call. "Justin..." Skylar looked at him. "I need you to come to the Queen Mansion. Roy's been shot... with an arrow. It's a long story. Look, just bring the first aid kit to Thea's room. Thank you." Oliver hung up, turning to face the others. "Roy, Justin has medical training from his time in the Army. He's going to patch you up."

"Thank you," Roy told him.

"It's the least I can do," Oliver told him. "Look, I don't know what the four of you are up to, but maybe the Arrow was just trying to keep you safe."

"By shooting Roy?" Thea asked skeptically.

"I..." Oliver trailed off, sighing. "I'm just saying. Maybe you should let this go."

Oliver walked out, leaving.

"So, are we going to let this go?" Sin asked.

Skylar shook her head. "No. But now we're going to do things my way."

➣

Verdant 

Jill was standing behind the bar, putting a few things up. She groaned in pain, holding her side, turning toward a mirror, lifting up her shirt to see a bad bruise over her rips where Black had punched her in the truck in 2.08 The Scientist. She sighed painfully, lowering her shirt, turning toward the basement to go back to the others. She stopped when she saw a female figure walk up the stairs of the club. 

Jill started to follow, walking upstairs. "Hello?" She reached the balcony, turning around to see the hallucination of her sister. "Amy?" Amy smiled a small smile. Jill walked closer. "You can't be here."

"I had to see you," Amy told her. "Had to warn you."

"Warn me?" Jill repeated.

"You can't fight what's coming," Amy told her. "Put down your swords. Take of your mask."

"I do what I do to honor our family," Jill told her. "To honor you. To stop things that happened to us from happening to others."

"If you want to honor that, stop fighting... and live," Amy told her. "Or everyone you love will die."

Jill heard Oliver's voice. "Jill?" Jill turned around to see Oliver standing behind her. "Who were you talking to?"

Jill turned to see the hallucination of Amy had disappeared. She looked at Oliver, trying to explain, but couldn't find the words to say.

➣

Flashback

Night - Lian Yu - Submarine 

Jill, Oliver, Shado, and Sara were with Slade.

Slade had bled out through his eyes.

Shado started to cry, standing, turning away.

Oliver pulled Jill away from Slade, pulling her into his arms.

Jill pulled away after a moment, embracing Shado comfortingly.

Ivo and his men stormed in, aiming their guns.

Ivo turned to Sara, pushing her against the wall, aiming his gun at her head, pushing Sara toward Oliver, Jill and Shado. "Get over there!" Sara was crying. Ivo knelt next to Slade, holding his hand over his mouth to try and feel his breath. He rubbed his hands over his lips, finding the empty syringe on the floor, picking it up. The captain walked out from the supply room, carrying the box of Mirakuru. Ivo stood, looking through the box. "Mirakuru. Take them."

➣

Woods 

The men dragged Oliver, Jill, Sara and Shado through the island woods.

"Anthony..." Sara trailed off. "You got what you wanted. You can let them go." She turned to face Ivo. "If you ever cared about me."

"But I do care about you, Sara," Ivo told her. "Which is why I won't choose to kill you." He pointed at Oliver. "But he might."

Jill looked at Oliver in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" Oliver asked.

The men pushed Sara, Jill and Shado to their knees on the ground in front of Oliver.

Ivo aimed his gun at Sara. "Time to choose, Oliver." He aimed his gun at Jill. "Who lives." He aimed his gun at Shado. "And who dies. But pick quickly, because in 30 seconds, I will shoot them all."

Sara, Jill, Shado and Oliver were in shock and horrified.

➣

Now

Day - Unknown Building 

Marcus Black was working on the centrifuge.

Cyrus Gold was standing nearby.

Sebastian walked closer.

"The incubation process has begun," Marcus told him. "Serum will be ready for distribution in 48 hours."

Sebastian sighed. "Two days. And we will be able to create a hundred more like you. And the people who run this city will see what real power looks like."

➣➣

Verdant - Foundry 

John, Justin, Felicity, Barry and Aurora were still in the foundry.

Barry was looking at Sapphire Arrow's suits, looking as if his Christmas wish had come true, smiling. "I knew the vigilantes had partners."

"Oliver likes to be called the Arrow, and Jill likes to be called Sapphire now," John told them.

"You guys have messed with some really nasty people," Barry told them. "The Doll Maker, Count Vertigo, Dodger, the Huntress."

"We weren't keeping score," Justin told them.

"I was," Barry told them.

Jill walked in. "Aurora." Aurora turned to face her. Oliver walked in from behind Jill. "The rat poison that you gave us... are there any side effects?"

"Um, yeah," Aurora answered. "I think hallucinations, maybe. And excessive sweating. Are you sweating excessively?"

Felicity looked at them in concern. "You're hallucinating? What are you seeing?"

"Amy," Jill answered.

"And a girl named Shado that was with us on the island," Oliver added.

Felicity nodded. "Shado. Jill. Sara. How many women were you marooned with, Oliver? Are you sure this wasn't fantasy island?"

"You did train in a jungle or forest environment, surrounded by the ocean," Barry told them. "Hence the green and blue."

"Hey, let me draw some blood, see what's going on," Aurora told them. Oliver and Jill walked toward Aurora. Aurora picked up a needle, flicking it. "Hey, can I ask you something?" She looked at Jill. "Why Sapphire?"

"Because that's what my family called me, what my sister Amy still calls me," Jill answered.

"I read that your sister died when your boat went down," Aurora told her in confusion, drawing blood from Jill's arm.

Jill sighed, shaking her head. "It's a... long story."

Aurora put down the syringe with Jill's blood, picking up another. She looked at Oliver. "Why no mask?" Oliver offered his arm to her. Aurora drew his blood. "Not to tell you how to do your vigilante thing, but the grease paint thing? It's a poor identity concealer."

"So find me a mask that conforms perfectly to my face and doesn't affect my ability to aim while I'm on the run," Oliver told her, doubtful that she would.

"You should look into a compressible micro fabric," Barry told him. "It could be great."

"Found Cyrus Gold and Marcus Black," Felicity told them.

"Who are they?" Oliver asked.

"The human weapons that left you nearly dead the other night," John answered. "Barry did manage to pull their prints off your skin."

Oliver and Jill looked at Barry and Aurora.

"I've had facial recognition software scanning closed circuit cameras all over town," Felicity told them. "Cyrus is at the corner of Delgado and 25th right now, heading to the warehouse where Marcus is waiting."

"Could be where they're holed up," Justin told them.

"We got this," Jill told them, turning to leave.

"Jill, why don't you two let me and John handle this one?" Justin asked. "It's just recon."

Jill sighed. "Fine. But Cyrus Gold and Marcus Black will both be there, and God knows who else. You both will need backup."

John and Justin nodded in agreement.

Justin, John, Oliver and Jill walked out, leaving.

Aurora looked at Barry and Felicity. "Don't worry. I'll figure out what's wrong with Oliver and Jill."

"You'd be the first," Felicity told her.

Barry chuckled.

Aurora smiled a small smile, turning to the lab setup.

➣

District Attorney's Office 

Laurel was looking at some flowers sent to her, opening the card to see the note.

Need an alderman to go xmas shopping with? 

Thea and Skylar walked closer. 

"Secret admirer?" Thea asked.

"No, actually, they're from my father," Laurel told them. "What brings you by?"

"We need your help," Skylar answered. "A friend of a friend was murdered, but the police aren't going to investigate. They said that he OD'd, end of story."

Thea handed the blood drive pamphlet to Laurel. "Check this out. He earned extra money donating blood. We found it in Max's apartment. They wouldn't have accepted his blood if he was using, right?"

"Right," Laurel answered.

"Max went missing the same day as the blood drive," Skylar told her. "If he did donate blood there, maybe they at least know something that happened to him."

"I'll ask around," Laurel told them.

"Thank you, Laurel," Skylar told her.

Thea and Skylar walked away.

Laurel walked toward the flowers, looking from the note from Sebastian to the pamphlet with his picture on it.

➣

Night - Hotel - Outside

Oliver and Jill were in the car.

Justin and John were walking down the street, speaking through comms. 

"If you get bored, I keep a box of crossword puzzles in the glove box," John told them.

"That's not funny," Oliver told him.

Justin chuckled.

➣

Inside - Hotel Room 

Justin and John walked inside, scouting the location with flashlights and guns ready.

"Okay, what do you see?" Jill asked.

"It's clean," Justin told them. "Really clean." He found a book. "'Solomon Grundy, born on a Monday...'"

"'Christened on Tuesday'," Jill finished. "I know the poem. It symbolizes the seven stages of life." A figure donning black approached John from behind. "From birth to death."

"What stage are these guys in?" John asked, turning around, aiming his gun at the figure in black.

The figure caught his arm, squeezing it tightly, making John groan in pain and shoot the gun, twisting his arm behind his back. Justin punched him in the face repeatedly, making him let go of John and making his mask fall off, revealing it was Cyrus Gold. Cyrus punched Justin in the chest, making him fall across the room, walking closer. Marcus Black walked in. John helped Justin stand, knowing that they couldn't take on one of them, let alone both of them, jumping out of the window, taking the fire escape down to the ground.

➣

Outside - John's Car 

Jill was driving.

Oliver was in the passenger seat

Jill up to John and Justin.

Justin and John got in the car in the backseat.

 "Go, go, go, go, go!" Justin told them.

Jill drove away, leaving. 

Justin held a hand to his chest in pain.

John held his arm in pain. "He picked e up like I was nothing."

Justin spoke through comms. "Felicity, call for backup."

➣

Jill / Sapphire:

Building Rooftop 

Jill/Sapphire was standing on a building rooftop.

Jessica, in police uniform, walked toward her. 

Jill turned on the voice disguiser, turning to face Jessica. "Detective."

"I wish I could still be called that," Jessica told her.

"You'll always be a detective to us," Jill told her, handing a file to Jessica. "Cyrus Gold and Marcus Black. Gold robbed the applied sciences division of Queen Consolidated last week. Black robbed the blood bank. Detective... they're extremely dangerous."

"The CSI kid from Central City, he said that Gold was like some kind of monster," Jessica told her.

"He is," Jill told her. "They both are."

"Well, what is it, steroids?" Jessica asked.

"Worse," Jill answered. "It's..." She looked behind Jessica toward where a hallucination of Shado appeared. Shado looked angry and betrayed. "It's..."

Jill was overridden with guilt from seeing the hallucination of Shado.

"Well, assuming I believe you, why come to me?" Jessica asked.

"Me and the Arrow, we've been compromised," Jill answered.

"What does that mean?" Jessica asked.

"It means we'd be a liability," Jill answered. "You have to take my word on this, detective." Jessica sighed. "Gather as many men as you can, and do not hesitate to kill Gold and Black. Because if given the opportunity, they'll do the same to you."

Jill drew a crossbow claw, turning around to shoot it into the next building over, swinging from the rooftop to the building, sliding down to the ground, landing in a crouch. She stood, breathing heavily, overwhelmed from seeing the hallucination of Shado so much that she was forced to remember how she had died.

➣

Flashback

Night - Lian Yu - Woods 

Ivo's men still had Sara, Jill and Shado on their knees on the ground, keeping Oliver back.

Ivo stood behind Sara, Jill and Shado, aiming his gun.

"You don't have to do this," Oliver told him. "You got what you came for. Just take it and go!"

Ivo aimed his gun at Shado. "Ten seconds."

Shado looked at the ground, completely expressionless.

Oliver looked at Ivo furiously. "You freaking psychopath!"

"History will make that judgement," Ivo told them, aiming the gun at Sara. Sara was crying. Jill was trying not to break under the pressure. Ivo aimed the gun at Jill. "Five seconds." Oliver looked between Sara, Jill and Shado in guilt and denial. "Time's up."

Ivo aimed his gun at Jill.

Oliver ran toward Ivo, kneeling in front of him. "No, no!"

"I guess you made your choice," Ivo told him, shooting Shado in the head.

Jill screamed in denial. "No!"

Shado fell to the ground, dead.

Oliver let himself fall.

Jill looked at Shado in guilty, regretful denial, starting to cry.

➣➣

Now

Day Three 

Morning - Queen Mansion - Foyer 

There was a knock on the door.

Oliver walked toward the door to answer it, revealing Laurel outside, surprised. "Hi."

"Hi," Laurel told him.

"What are you doing here?" Oliver asked.

"I came by to see Thea and Skylar," Laurel answered.

"Oh, come on in," Oliver told her. Laurel walked in. "They're upstairs in Skylar's room."

Oliver closed the door, turning to face her. They walked toward the stairs.

"I noticed on the drive up that your house wasn't festooned with Christmas decorations," Laurel told him.

"Well, we didn't feel very much like festooning this year," Oliver told her.

They stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

Laurel turned to face him. "I know what you mean. I remember last Christmas, Tommy and I came here for your party, and Jessica and Danny came with us. It was one of the best holidays me and my sister both had in a really long time. And now, Danny's gone. Tommy's gone. Anyway, I should probably go talk to Skylar and Thea."

➣

Skylar's Room 

Thea, Roy, Skylar and Sin were sitting around a few lounge seats in the room.

Laurel was standing next to them with a file. "I checked into the blood drive, and it's all legitimate. In fact, what Sebastian's done has helped save a lot of lives."

"So, if the blood drive is on the up and up, then how are we supposed to find Max's killer?" Sin asked.

"There's one other thing," Laurel told them. "All of the blood donors at the drive were subjected to a psych evaluation by the Langford Institute."

Laurel handed the file to Thea.

Thea opened the file, holding it between her, Skylar, Roy and Sin so they could all look.

"Is that, like, legal?" Roy asked.

"It's not entirely out of the norm," Laurel told them. "And while someone at the institute might know if Max was on drugs, there's no way of finding out without a warrant. Which we're certainly not going to get. I'm sorry I couldn't be more help."

➣

Verdant - Foundry 

Aurora sat at the table, testing the blood samples from Jill and Oliver.

Barry was sitting at another table, fiddling with some sort of fabric.

Felicity walked closer. "What are you doing?"

"Uh, just messing around with something," Barry answered.

Felicity walked toward Aurora. "Have you figured out what's causing Jill and Oliver's hallucinations?"

"Sample's still being scanned," Aurora told her. "Shouldn't be too much longer."

Felicity nodded. "Good."

Barry looked from Aurora to Felicity. "How long have you two been friends?"

"Years," Aurora answered. "We actually met in MIT."

"You both went to MIT?" Barry asked.

"Well, I did," Felicity answered. "Aurora went to Harvard."

Barry looked at Aurora in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah," Aurora answered. "I graduated from high school a few years early, so I got to go to college early and finish early, too. I went to MIT on a field trip for Harvard, which is how I met Felicity."

"That's awesome," Barry told them.

Felicity nodded. "Yeah."

Aurora's phone beeped. She checked the text, turning on the computers to watch the news. "You might want to see this."

Woman: (on news)"Protests continue into the final countdown for tonight's ignition of STAR Lab's controversial particle accelerator. STAR Lab's founder Harrison Wells promises a new era of scientific advancement is at hand."

Barry looked at Aurora. "Don't you have to be there for when they turn it on? I mean, you work there, and you've helped build it."

"I'll be back in time to help them turn it on," Aurora told him. "And so will you. We're gonna make it back in time. And maybe I'll even introduce you to Dr. Wells himself."

Barry looked as if that was all he ever wanted, chuckling in surprise. "Really?"

"Well, the vigilantes were your heroes for Starling City," Aurora told him. "Your hero for Central City is Harrison Wells. I'm sure I can help you out."

Barry smiled.

Felicity looked between them, smiling. "Aw. Look at you two. Looks like you're gonna be 'buddies' after all."

They chuckled, smiling.

➣

Starling City Police Department

Jessica and Lance were walking.

"Look, I know it sounds crazy," Jessica told them.

"Human weapons?" Lance asked.

"Look, their names are Cyrus Gold and Marcus Black," Jessica told him. "Gold is the one that broke into Queen Consolidated; Black is the one that robbed the blood bank. And they killed all those people."

"Wait, hold on a second," Lance told her. "Where are you getting all this intel?" Jessica didn't answer, sighing. Lance realized, sighing. "Oh, Jessica, what's the matter with you? Talking to the vigilantes is what got you demoted in the first place."

"Look, we take a small squad," Jessica told him. "McCarthy and Evans from SWAT, Jones, your partner Hilton. We can bring these guys down. Dad, please."

"Fine," Lance told her. "I'll talk to Pike and set it up."

Daily walked closer. "Hey, I don't mean to overstep, but could you guys use an extra man?"

Jessica looked at Lance as if asking, why not?

Lance looked exasperated, sighing, walking away.

Jessica watched her father go, sighing. "Grab a vest, Officer Daily."

➣

Warehouse 

Sebastian was sitting at the centrifuge to check on its progress. He answered his phone.

Daily's voice was on the other line. "The police are onto Gold and Black. They're looking for them." He was in the hallway of the precinct to talk alone. "I made sure I'm in the loop."

"We are too close to let the police interfere," Sebastian told him. He hung up, turning to Marcus and Cyrus. "Brother Black. Brother Gold. The police are eager to meet you two. Introduce yourselves."

➣

Verdant - Foundry 

Felicity, Aurora and Barry were sitting at the computers.

"So, any plans for Christmas?" Barry asked.

"Lighting my menorah," Felicity answered.

Oliver walked in. "Hey."

"Hey," Aurora told him. "How are you feeling?"

Oliver looked at the jacket in his hand. "Fine. Just... It's a little bit crowded at my house, and I wanted to come down here to get a little privacy."

Felicity stood. "Yeah. Come on, guys. We can watch the countdown at Big Belly Burger."

Aurora stood. "The blood analysis is almost done."

"Thank you," Oliver told them.

Barry, Aurora and Felicity walked out, leaving.

Oliver bounced a tennis ball on the floor, walking toward his shelf to pick up his bow and an arrow, bouncing the tennis ball on the floor, tossing it into the air, shooting the arrow.

A hallucination of Slade caught the arrow before it shot into his eye. 

Oliver lowered his bow in shock. 

"What's the matter, kid?" Slade asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

➣

Warehouse - Outside 

Jessica led the team of police toward the warehouse, all with flashlights and guns ready.

"Are you sure they're in there?" Lance asked.

"Yes," Jessica answered. "Sector car spotted them entering. He hasn't left."

"Safeties off," Lance told them.

A SWAT man broke open the lock.

➣

Inside 

Jessica led the police inside, looking around cautiously with her flashlight and gun raised. 

A razor blade was thrown into a man's back, killing him, making him fall.

Jessica and Lance turned around to shoot at Marcus and Cyrus.

Cyrus pushed Man 2 to the ground. 

Marcus kicked a desk into Man 3. 

The police continued to fire.

Cyrus threw Man 4 across the warehouse, making him hit the wall hard and fall to the floor, either dead or unconscious.

"Surround them!" Lance told them.

Hilton checked on Man 4. He looked at Lance and Jessica, shaking his head, telling them silently that he was dead. 

Hilton, Lance, Jessica and Daily were the only four officers still standing, looking around, aiming their guns.

Boxes fell over onto Lance, pinning him down.

Jessica fired into Marcus repeated. Marcus powered through the gunshots to the chest to get to Jessica, gripping her throat, slamming her into the wall again and again, punching her in the ribcage, breaking her bones, making her groan in pain.

Lance was still pinned down, horrified and worried. "Jessie!" 

Jessica punched Marcus in the face repeatedly in an attempt to get him to let go, but the Mirakuru in his system practically made him invincible.

To maintain his cover as a police officer, Daily shot Marcus in the back repeatedly to make him let go of Jessica.

Jessica fell to the floor on her side, spitting up blood, looking up weakly in pain.

Hilton looked around for Cyrus. Cyrus grabbed his gun, twisting it back onto himself, breaking the bones in his wrists with the amount of force that he was using, making Hilton sink to his knees, shooting him in the head, killing him, making him fall dead. 

➣

Verdant - Foundry 

Oliver was still hallucinating Slade.

"This is a nice place," Slade told him. He walked closer, still holding the arrow. "It's a bit more comfortable than the fuselage on the island."

"You're not real," Oliver told him.

Slade looked at the Sapphire Arrow suits. "Neither are you. Or your Jill. The two of you told everyone when you started this crusade that it was about making up for your father's sins, and to prevent what happened to her family happen to anyone else's. Those are lies." He broke the arrow his in hand, turning to Oliver. "Your charades are to atone for your sins."

"You're dead," Oliver told him.

"You are not a hero," Slade told him. "Or a friend. Or a brother. You are nothing." Oliver turned away. "Do not turn your back on me, not again."

Oliver was trying to pretend that he wasn't affected by the hallucination. "You're gone."

"Wherever I am, it's time you joined me," Slade told him. Slade ran closer, pushing Oliver into a shelf. Oliver turned to face him, trying to hit him with his bow. Slade ducked, blocking a punch, pushing Oliver past him toward a table. "They say a coward dies a thousand deaths. But even that wouldn't be enough for you."

"I tried to save you," Oliver told him. "And her. Me and Jill both did."

"But neither of you could," Slade told him. "Just like you two couldn't save this city."

Oliver tried to hit Slade with his bow. Slade ducked, trying to punch him. Oliver raised an arm to block the move. They exchanged a few kicks and blows that were too fast to tell apart. Slade kicked him in the chest, punching him twice in the face. Oliver spun his bow to hit Slade. Slade caught it, twisting the bow out of his hand, punching him in the face so hard he made Oliver fall over the table and roll over the floor, making everything on the table fall to the floor with him. He flipped the table to the floor so it would be out of the way, walking toward Oliver, bringing him to his feet.

Oliver seemed to be weak in the hallucination. "Slade..."

"The island didn't make you strong, kid," Slade told him. "It revealed you to be weak."

Slade threw Oliver through the glass case with his suit, making it shatter, making Oliver and everything in the glass case fall to the floor.

Oliver looked up, looking around to see that the hallucination had ended. 

➣➣

Bridge

(Song:) Jingle Bells - Sugar & the Hi Lows 

A man dressed like Santa was standing on the bridge, shaking a bell.

Sebastian and Laurel walked past him.

"Thank you for being my shopping guide," Sebastian told her. "Are you okay?"

Laurel was distracted, sighing. "Uh, yeah, it's just, um... Can I ask you a question? It's about the blood drive you sponsored."

"Of course," Sebastian told her. "It's a wonderful cause. Especially with the underfunded hospitals we're dealing with. What about it?"

(Song Ends)

Laurel was about to ask her question, but her phone started to vibrated. She took it out, answering. "Hello?" She looked worried. "What? No, I get it, Dad. Okay, I'll be right over."

Laurel hung up.

"What happened?" Sebastian asked.

"My sister, Jessica," Laurel told him. "Um... She's in the ICU. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, but I have to go. I'm sorry."

Laurel looked worried and anxious, walking away. 

Sebastian turned to watch her go.

➣

Verdant - Foundry 

Oliver was cleaning up the foundry.

Justin, John and Felicity were nearby.

Barry and Aurora were sitting at the table.

Jill walked in. "What happened in here? Did someone break in?"

Oliver sighed. "No."

"Your blood analysis is done," Aurora told them. "Good news."

Jill walked closer. "So, you know what's in our systems?"

"Yeah," Aurora answered. "And I think I know how I can help you."

"And when she says she thinks, she knows," Barry told them.

Justin got a call. He answered. "Yeah?" He looked worried and surprised, standing. "What?" The others looked at him in confusion. "Thanks, Detective." Justin hung up. "Guys, it's Jessica. She's in the hospital."

John and Felicity were stunned, looking at Oliver and Jill.

Oliver and Jill looked worried and guilty.

➣

Starling City General Hospital - Jessica's Room 

Jessica was waking up in her hospital room.

Laurel and Lance were standing next to her, looking at her in relief.

"Jess," Laurel told her.

Lance took Jessica's hand. "Oh, honey."

Jessica sighed. "Well, I can wiggle my toes. It must be a good sign." She noticed that they both look ready to cry because she had nearly been killed. "I'm all right, Daddy. I'm fine, Laurel." She looked at Lance. "How's Hilton? I didn't see what happened. Is he okay?"

Lance slowly shook his head. "No, honey."

"What do you mean?" Jessica asked.

Lance didn't answer, looking down sadly.

Laurel had tears in her eyes. "He's gone, Jessie."

Jessica sighed heavily. "Dad, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. I... I led you all in there."

"No, you do not get to take the blame for this, Jess," Laurel told her. "You were only doing your job. This is on Cyrus Gold and Marcus Black."

"I gotta Jeannie," Lance told them. "I gotta call Hilton's wife. I'll be back."

Jessica and Laurel nodded.

Lance stood, walking out to call Hilton's wife.

Laurel brushed Jessica's hair back. "Hey. I'm gonna get some coffee. Do you need some?" Jessica nodded. "All right, I got it. I'll get you anything. I'll be right back."

Laurel kissed Jessica on the head, walking out, leaving.

➣

Hallway 

Laurel was getting coffee for her and Jessica.

Oliver and Justin walked toward her.

"What are you guys doing here?" Laurel asked.

"Wanted to make sure Jessica was okay," Justin answered.

"She is," Laurel told them. "She'll be glad to know that you stopped by to check on her."

"I wanted to make sure you and your father were okay, too," Oliver told her.

Laurel looked ready to cry. Oliver embraced her, looking at Justin, nodding.

Justin nodded, walking toward Jessica's hospital room, making sure that no one would go inside for the time being.

➣

Jessica's Hospital Room 

Jill/Sapphire snuck in through the window.

Jessica was lying weakly in his bed.

Jill disguised her voice. "How are you, detective?"

Jessica sighed. "I'm alive. Unlike most everyone else in my unit."

"I'm sorry about your father's partner," Jill told her.

"I took those officers in there," Jessica told her.

"Because of me," Jill told her.

"I hate to disappoint you, but not every death in this city is on you," Jessica told her. She placed a golden key on his bedside table. "I got this off Black." Jill walked closer. "Hopefully you can do something with it." Jill picked up the key. "I didn't believe it at first, but these guys, I mean, it's like they're not human."

"They're human," Jill told her.

"Well, then you can kill them," Jessica told her. "I know that unlike your partner, that you never were a killer like him. But I need you to kill these guys. For Hilton. For my dad. And me. And if these guys compromised you like you said, I'm pretty sure that they nearly killed you, too, which means that you were too injured to take them on yourselves. So just don't it for me, my dad and Hilton. Do it for you and your partner. Because next time, they might be able to kill both of you."

➣

Verdant - Foundry 

Oliver was in the basement of Verdant, sharpening his arrows, wearing his suit without the hood on.

Jill walked in, still in her suit, but not wearing her mask. She looked at Oliver. "I think those are sharp enough."

"Apparently I'm not," Oliver told her. "Jill, I know that Aurora said she could work up the antidote for whatever's wrong with us, but..."

"What?" Jill asked. "Who did you see?"

"I saw... Slade Wilson," Oliver answered. "I told John about him. That he was our friend on the island, and that like Shado, he's dead because of me."

"Shado's death is on me," Jill told him. "You tried to save Sara and us both and make Ivo kill you. But he took it as you trying to save Sara and me. So he killed Shado. It is on me. And Jessica just told me... that not every death in this city is my fault. Fine. There are plenty that are."

Aurora walked closer with the antidotes. "Here... you go." Jill and Oliver offered their arms to her. Aurora injected both syringes into their arms. "May take a little to sink in. But faster than the rat poison did. You'll be fine soon."

"Guys, we got something here," Felicity told them. She looked at Jill. "I scanned the key Jessica gave you, and traced its serial code back to the manufacturer."

Justin, John, Oliver, Jill and Aurora walked toward Barry and Felicity at the desk.

"This particular key fits a locked gate somewhere on Crescent Circle in the Glades," Barry told them.

Oliver grabbed his bow.

Justin stood, walking closer. "Where are you going? You guys can't go out there in your condition."

"Aurora just gave us the antidotes," Jill told them.

"And she said that it would take a while to kick in," John told them. "In the meantime, your strength and skills are not as good as they usually are."

"We have to stop this," Oliver told them.

"Guys, Gold and Black left you half dead, which is 50 percent better than how they left Detective Hilton," Justin told them.

"Justin, we don't have a choice," Oliver told him.

"Oliver..." John trailed off.

"John, we'll come back," Jill told him.

"Jill, promise me," Felicity told her. She looked at Oliver. "Both of you."

"I promise, Felicity," Jill told her.

Jill walked past Felicity toward her swords and knives, pulling the sheath on over her back, putting the sheath of knives on either holster on either leg.

Barry was watching.

Jill looked at the mask in her hands for a moment, putting it on.

➣

Langford Institute - File Room 

Skylar had gotten into the institute without getting caught.

Roy followed her inside, confused. "How the hell do you know how to break into places without actually breaking anything?"

"Military boyfriend and teacher, remember?" Skylar asked. "You said that you were gonna try and come here on your own, and I wasn't going to let that happen why you're still healing from an arrow to the leg. Come on. I'll help you."

Skylar helped Roy walk toward the records.

"Stanton," Roy told her. "Max's last name is Stanton."

"Thank you, Sherlock," Skylar told him sarcastically, pulling out Max's file, looking through it. She pulled up Max's photo on the front to read the Japanese word for miracle stamped on the back in black. "Mirakuru."

Roy looked out in the hallway. "Someone's coming."

Skylar closed the file drawer, helping Roy out of the room.

➣

Hallway 

Skylar and Roy were in hiding, seeing a man starting to pour gasoline over the floor, looking at each other in confusion.

A man caught them, grabbing Skylar's shoulder from behind her. Skylar grabbed his hand, using it to twist his arm to take his hand off her, turning to face him, pushing him against the wall. She helped Roy ran down the hallway.

Marcus stepped out of the open door in front of them, flipping Skylar to the floor

Cyrus restrained Roy from behind, applying pressure to the wound in his leg to keep him from struggling.

Skylar looked up from the floor, not knowing that even if she fought against them, she would never win the fight between two Mirakuru soldiers.

➣➣

Warehouse 

Sebastian/Brother Blood had Skylar and Roy tied to a chair in a warehouse on the Crescent Circle in the Glades, where Cyrus and Marcus were waiting nearby.

Skylar and Roy didn't have their jackets on anymore. Roy was wearing a T-shirt, while Skylar was wearing a tank top. They struggled against their restraints.

The man from the Institute held two Mirakuru syringes, walking toward Sebastian, handing them to him. "It's ready."

Sebastian walked toward Skylar and Roy.

"Is this where you killed Max Stanton, huh?" Roy asked. "What are you doing? If you stick that in either of us, I'll kill you."

Sebastian gripped Skylar by her throat, turning her head aside. "No, Brother Harper." He injected Skylar with Mirakuru. "Sister Queen." Skylar started to groan in pain. "You'll kill for me." 

 Sebastian injected Roy with Mirakuru. 

Roy started to groan in pain.

The ceiling was blown, pieces of it falling to the ground.

Jill/Sapphire jumped down through the hole in the ceiling, landing in a crouch, looking up. 

The doctor pulled out a syringe of Mirakuru. Jill stood, throwing a knife into the syringe, making it shatter and the contents fall to the ground. 

Oliver/Arrow jumped down through the hole in the ceiling, landing in a crouch, standing, seeing that Skylar and Roy were tied to chairs, horrified and angry, aiming his bow and arrow at Sebastian, disguising his voice. "Get away from them."

"Brother Gold and Brother Black told me they killed you," Sebastian told them.

"Guess they're not as strong as you'd hoped," Oliver told him.

"Where'd you get the Mirakuru?" Jill asked. "Who gave you the formula?"

"It was a gift," Sebastian told them. "A gift I would use to save this city from itself."

Skylar and Roy were groaning and yelling in pain as the Mirakuru worked its way through their systems.

Oliver was angry and horrified.

Marcus and Cyrus ran toward Jill and Oliver.

Jill threw a knife into Marcus's chest, missing his heart.

Oliver shot arrow after arrow into Cyrus's chest, finally able to take him out and make him fall.

Marcus ran toward Jill. Jill jumped up, pushing away from the wall, turning to kick Marcus in the face. 

Skylar was bleeding from her eyes, groaning and screaming in agony.

Marcus grabbed Jill before she could hit the ground, throwing her into the wall, making her fall. Pieces of the concrete wall had been broken from the impact, cascading down with her.

Roy was bleeding from his eyes, groaning and screaming in agony.

Oliver shot an arrow toward Sebastian.

Sebastian jumped out through a hole in the wall.

Marcus kicked Jill in the side, making her slide across the floor and into the other wall. Oliver tried to shoot Marcus with an arrow. Marcus caught it, throwing it into Oliver's shoulder, making him groan in pain, picking him up, slamming him against the wall, breaking it on impact, making him fall.

Oliver heard a hallucination of Tommy's voice. "Get up, Oliver."

Oliver sat up. "Tommy?"

Tommy knelt in front of him, shaking his head. "You're not going to die down here. You're not gonna let Jill, Skylar and Roy die down here."

"Tommy, I'm sorry," Oliver told him. "I let you die."

Tommy shook his head. "You didn't let me die, Ollie. You fought to save me. Because that's what you do. What you have always done. You fight to survive. I know I called you a murderer, but you are not. You are a hero." He looked toward where Jill was lying weakly on the ground. "You both are. You beat the island. You beat my father. So fight, Oliver. Get up. And fight back." He looked toward where Skylar and Roy were nearly unconscious, tied to their chairs. "Save your friend. Save your sister."

Marcus continued to beat Jill, kicking her in the side. Jill drew her sword, spinning to face him on the floor, stabbing her sword through his stomach. Oliver stood from behind Marcus, grabbing his shoulder, turning him to face him, kicking the hilt of the sword to drive the sword further into his stomach. Marcus tried to punch him. Oliver ducked, hitting him in the face with his bow. Jill stood, slashing her knives into his face from either side. Marcus tried to punch her. Jill ducked, stabbing him repeatedly in the shoulders and chest with her knives, spinning to kick him in the face. Marcus punched her in the face, kicking her into the wall. Oliver punched Marcus twice, spinning to kick him in the legs.

Jill tore open the centrifuge next to her on the wall, using her knives to cut the wires and break apart everything.

Sparks flew from the centrifuge and the electrical outlets, enough to cause an explosion nearby Cyrus and Marcus, making debris crumble down around them and bury them alive.

Jill looked at the bodies for a moment, clearly not liking the fact on that she had to kill.

Oliver looked at her in concern, knowing that her boundaries and what it took for her to break them.

Jill ran toward Skylar and Roy, cutting them free from their chairs. She knelt next to their unconscious bodies, starting to give Roy chest compressions. "Come on. You're strong, kid. Come on. Come on!"

Oliver ran closer, sitting next to Skylar, giving her chest compressions. "Come on, Sky. Hey, I am not leaving you here to die. I am not losing you. Do you understand me? Come on, Skylar. Fight. Come on, fight!"

Skylar and Roy started to gasp for breath weakly, coughing.

Jill and Oliver hung their heads in relief.

➣➣  

Queen Mansion - Skylar's Room 

Skylar was lying in her bed, sleeping.

Thea and Moira walked in.

"Skylar?" Moira asked. "Skylar?"

They walked toward her.

Skylar stirred awake, looking around in confusion. 

"Where have you been?" Thea asked. "I've been looking all over for you."

Skylar was trying to remember, obviously not remembering what happened at the warehouse because of the drug. "I was with Roy. We were running down another lead. He said that he was going to go alone, and I didn't want him to get hurt. The lead didn't pan out."

"You've never been gone for so long without checking in," Moira told her. "I got so scared. I thought something happened to you."

"Hey, hey, don't worry," Skylar told them. "I'm okay."

Thea and Moira both sat on the bed next to Skylar. Skylar sat up to embrace them both.

➣

Sebastian's Office 

A man was sitting at the desk, watching the news on the computer.

Sebastian: (on news)"I want to serve the people of Starling. Not the men and women who think they own it. Together, we can help rebuild our city into a place where there are no elites and no oppressed. Where we are all brothers and sisters."

Sebastian walked in. 

The man turned the news off. "So your campaign begins."

"This city needs a leader," Sebastian told him. "And putting the copycat vigilantes, the Blue Hoods, up to assassinating the mayor was just the first step."

"And Skylar Queen?" the man asked.

"I injected her with the Mirakuru, just like you asked me to," Sebastian answered. "Her and her friend Roy Harper, her sister's boyfriend, because he was with her when we found her breaking into the institution. Although, I don't know why you would want to turn an nineteen year old girl into a super soldier."

The man's face was shown for the first time, revealing that he was Slade Wilson, wearing an eye patch over his right eye. "To do to her what was done to me, a form of revenge."

Sebastian was still confused with the vagary, but continued with the update. "The vigilantes, they destroyed the centrifuge and the serum along with it."

"I will arrange for you to receive another sample of my blood, and then you can begin to mass produce the serum again," Slade  told him. "When I ask you not to confront the vigilantes, you will listen. Remember, your mask can be worn by another."

"You know who they are, behind his hood and her mask, don't you?" Sebastian asked.

 "I know exactly who they are," Slade answered. "They're my friends."

"That's why you don't want them dead?" Sebastian asked.

"Death would be a release from this life, and their sentences are yet to be carried out," Slade told him.

Sebastian was confused.

➣

Starling City General Hospital - Jessica's Hospital Room 

Jessica was sleeping, still beaten in her bed.

Lance and Laurel sat nearby to give her company even while she slept.

Lance was looking at Hilton's badge.

Slade: (voice over) "I am going to tear everything they care about away from them."

➣

Roy's House - Bedroom

Roy woke up in his bed, looking at his leg to see that it had healed from the arrow wound, confused.

Slade: (voice over) "Destroy those who choose to follow them."

➣

Queen Mansion - Living Room 

Skylar was standing in front of a mirror, looking confused and unsettled, like she knew that something happened to her, not knowing exactly what it was, but knowing that it was bad. She walked toward Thea and Moira, sitting down on the couch next to them so that they could drink eggnog together.

Slade: (voice over) "Corrupt those they love."

➣

Sebastian's Office 

Slade was sitting at the desk, speaking to Sebastian. "Once they have lost everyone and everything they value, I will drive arrows through their eyes."

➣

Flashback

Night - Lian Yu - Submarine 

Slade was still in the submarine. He gasped himself to consciousness, feeling along his face to feel that his wounds and burns had healed. "Shado. Shado!"

➣

Woods 

Slade ran through the woods of the island, toward where Ivo and his men still had Oliver, Jill and Sara captive. He threw Man 1 into a tree. He grabbed the gun from Man 2, shooting him in the head, kicking his body to the ground. He was able to tear the barrel off the gun. Ivo ran away, leaving. The captain tried to harm Slade. Slade punched his hand through his chest, ripping out his heart, killing him, letting him fall, dropping his heart.

Sara, Oliver and Jill looked at Slade in shock, even a little fear.

Slade looked at Shado's body, walking around her to look at her face, realizing that she had been shot through the head. "No." He knelt next to Shado's body, holding her in his arms. The blood on the side of her face started to stain his skin. "Why?"

Jill was crying. "I..."

"Ivo just shot her," Sara told him. "He didn't say why."

Oliver and Jill looked at Sara.

"Whoever did this to her is going to suffer," Slade told them.

Oliver and Jill looked at Slade.

➣

Now

Night - Verdant - Foundry 

Oliver and Jill walked down the stairs into the basement of Verdant, still wearing their suits, but no longer wearing the hood or the mask.

Felicity walked closer to hug both of them.

John walked closer. "Still have a ghost problem?"

"No," Jill answered. "Aurora's antidote worked."

Justin walked closer.

"But we... we have other problems," Oliver told them.

They walked further into the lair.

"Wouldn't be us if we didn't," John told them.

"Skylar and Roy were injected with the serum," Oliver told them.

Justin was in shock. "Oh, my God. Are they okay?"

Oliver put his bow on the shelf. "They're alive." Jill took the sheath off her back, placing it on the shelf. "But we are going to have to keep an eye on them."

Oliver became angry and desperate, pushing a table over.

"Oliver," Justin told him.

Oliver turned to face them, shaking his head. "You don't know what Mirakuru does. It messes with the subject's head. Makes them violent and angry and warps their mind... I don't want that to happen to Skylar."

Jill stood in front of Oliver to calm him down. "Hey. I'm worried about her, too. But we'll figure it out. We always figure it out."

"Cyrus Gold and Marcus Black?" John asked.

"Died on Saturday, buried on Sunday," Jill answered. "But they were working with someone. We saw him. He wore a mask with the image of a... of a skull. He's trying to mass produce the serum to build an army."

"For what?" John asked.

"You're a soldier," Oliver told him. "What's the primary purpose of an army?"

"War," Justin answered.

Oliver nodded.

Jill looked around, noticing who was missing. "Where's Barry and Aurora?"

"They went back to Central City," Felicity answered.

Oliver nodded. "Oh."

"Wanted to get home in time to see them turn on the particle accelerator," Felicity explained. "Well, Barry wanted to see it. Aurora had to be there or she would be fired from STAR Labs." Her phone rang. She picked it up. "I should take this." She answered. "Hi."

Aurora's voice was on the other line. "Hey."

"Did you make it?" Felicity asked.

Aurora was in STAR Labs, walking through the crowds outside that were busy taking pictures of everything and everyone, including her. "Yeah. I made it back to Central City in time, and I am walking up to STAR Labs as we speak."

"What about Barry?" Felicity asked.

"He says that he has things to catch up at the CCPD, so he won't be able to see the particle accelerator turn on in person, but he will be able to see it in his lab at the precinct," Aurora explained. "So, if you want to watch it from the Sapphire Arrow cave, I can give you the channel."

"Please do," Felicity told her. "If we can't see it in person, I certainly want to watch your handiwork on the news."

Aurora chuckled. "All right. Channel 5. Oh, hey, and Barry left something for Oliver. It should be on your desk. He asked me for a few inputs, and I hope that Oliver likes it."

"Bye, Aurora," Felicity told her.

"Bye, Felicity," Aurora told her.

They hung up.

Felicity looked at the box on the table.

Aurora put her phone away.

The reporters and press still surrounding the outside of STAR Labs continued to take pictures of Aurora, yelling for a response. "Aurora, please. Miss Swan, do you have any input on what is to turn on tonight?"

Aurora turned to give a statement. "You'll just have to see for yourselves."

Aurora smiled, walking inside.

Felicity turned on the news. They saw Aurora walking inside.

➣

Central City, Missouri

Central City Police Department - Barry's Lab 

Barry walked in. He noticed that the skylight was leaking with rain, walking toward the table, taking off his jacket, turning on the TV.

Woman: (on TV) "I'm Linda Park, and we're live outside STAR Labs despite the weather, which will only get worse. The torrential downpour has in no way affected the particle accelerator which is up and running smoothly, according to STAR Labs CEO Harrison Wells."

Barry walked toward his crime board, rolling up his map, revealing articles about his mother's death and father's arrest underneath it, putting up another article clip. He looked at the articles sadly.

Linda: (on TV) "Wait. We are now being told to evacuate the facility. The storm may of caused a malfunction to the primary cooling system. Officials are now trying to shut down the particle accelerator, but so far have been unable to regain control of the--"

The power shut down.

Barry frowned in confusion. He walked toward the chains that controlled the skylight, pulling on them to close it completely.

Liquid was starting to float all around him.

Barry heard thunder from the sky above, looking up through the skylight.

Lightning struck down through the skylight, striking Barry, throwing him into a shelf of chemicals, making him fall. Red energy seemed to be passing underneath his skin.

➣

Starling City, Washington

Verdant - Foundry 

Oliver, Jill, Justin, John and Felicity stood together.

Felicity handed the box to Oliver. "This is for you."

Oliver opened the box, pulling out a mask that Barry and Aurora had helped make.

"Even the Arrow deserves a Christmas present," John told them.

Jill smiled a small smile, stepping closer. "Here."

Jill put the mask on around Oliver's head.

"How do I look?" Oliver asked.

Jill smiled. "Like a hero."

Oliver pulled up his hood.

➣

Central City, Missouri

STAR Labs - Pipeline 

Two men ran down to the pipeline to get to the particle accelerator.

Man 1 opened the door. "Stay here. We've only got a few minutes before this thing blows. And if I'm not back in time, you need to initiate lockdown."

Man 2 shook his head. "No way. Ronnie, I am not closing this door. I won't be able to open it again."

"Cisco, if you don't seal off the blast, everyone in this building will die, including Aurora," Ronnie told him. Cisco was in shock, overwhelmed. "Okay? Now promise me."

Cisco hesitated, nodding. "Yeah."

"Set your watch," Ronnie told him. "Two minutes."

Cisco set his watch. "You're coming back."

Ronnie ran into the particle accelerator.

Cisco watched him go.

The two minutes counted down.

Ronnie still wasn't back.

Cisco hesitated, hating himself, having to lock down the particle accelerator. He put his hands to his head, turning away, overwhelmed.

Aurora ran inside. "Where's Ronnie? Cisco, where is he?"

"He's still inside," Cisco answered.

"What?" Aurora asked. "Open the door."

"I can't," Cisco told her. "We're in lockdown mode."

"Cisco, we have to get him out of there, or he'll die," Aurora told him.

They heard Ronnie through the radio in Cisco's hands. "Cisco, can you hear me?"

Aurora took the radio frantically. "Ronnie, it's me."

Ronnie was inside the particle accelerator, running up to the closed doors.

The place was shaking. Sparks were falling.

The pipeline started to shake, releasing the cooling system wires.

The cooling wires were releasing a fog of coolant into the room.

Ronnie spoke into his radio brokenly. "Aurora." He was trying not to cry. "Is Cisco there?"

"Yeah, Ronnie, I'm here," Cisco answered. "I'm listening."

"I adjusted the magnets to redirect the beam," Ronnie told them. "To try and vent the systems so the blast goes up and not out."

"I'll need to reset the particle parameters to compensate," Cisco told them, running off.

Aurora noticed the coolant fog being released into the room, speaking into the radio. "Cisco's doing it. The cooling system's destroyed. Freon is being released into the pipeline. I have to reset the pipes so it doesn't freeze the whole building. But there has to be another way out of there. You have to find it."

Aurora ran up to the pipes, resetting two of them, though the pipes were busted and the fog was being released anyway. It was starting to freeze her fingers.

Ronnie took a deep breath. "Ror... the chain reaction, I can't reverse it. The doors need to stay shut to protect you." Aurora was crying, trying to power through whatever she was feeling to try and salvage the cooling system so that it wouldn't freeze out the entire building and everything else in the system. "Are you still there?"

Aurora couldn't work anymore with how frozen her hands were. She was crying in denial and despair. "I'm here."

A blast of fire soared past the particle accelerator.

"Aurora, whatever happens..." Ronnie trailed off.

"Ronnie?" Aurora asked. The explosion took Ronnie with it, shaking the entire building and making the rest of the cooling system pipes fall through. "Ronnie!"

The cooling system's coolant filled the room.

Aurora wasn't trying to leave the shaking, falling apart pipeline because she knew that Ronnie was gone, crying in despair, falling to her knees, letting herself freeze.

➣➣

2.10 "Blast Radius" Trailer  

From 2.10 "Blast Radius", in the foundry, Oliver, Jill, John and Justin were talking.

Oliver put his bow up. "He's still out there."

From 2.10 "Blast Radius", on the road, A car was driving away, trying to run.

Jill/Sapphire was driving after him on her motorcycle.

Oliver/Arrow was in the road ahead of the car, shooting an arrow into his tire to stop the car.

Jill pulled the man out of the car.

Oliver aimed his bow and arrow at him. "The man in the skull mask, who is he?"

"Who is he?" Jill asked forcefully.

"I don't know," the man told them.

From 2.10 "Blast Radius", in an institution, a nurse opened the door to a patient's room for Laurel.

Laurel: (voice over from 2.10 Blast Radius) "I've been doing some investigating."

From 2.10 "Blast Radius", in the precinct, Laurel and Jessica were talking.

"Something about him just seems off," Laurel told her.

From 2.10 "Blast Radius", in Sebastian's Office, Oliver/Arrow and Sebastian were talking.

"You and me, we can save this city," Sebastian told him.

THE HUNT

From 2.10 "Blast Radius", in the foundry, Oliver, Jill, Justin and John were talking.

Justin stood, walking closer. "You said Skylar and Roy were injected."

From 2.10 "Blast Radius", in the storage closet of Verdant, Thea and Roy were making out.

IS

John: (voice over from 2.10 Blast Radius) "I've just never seen either of you..."

From 2.10 "Blast Radius", in town square, an electrical tower fell down toward Moira, Thea and Skylar.

Skylar used her body as a shield. The tower fell on her, but it didn't seem to have an effect.

ON

John: (voice over from 2.10 Blast Radius) "Spooked like this before."

From 2.10 "Blast Radius", in the foundry, Oliver, Jill, Justin and John were talking.

"That should tell you something," Jill told them.

John and Justin nodded.

➣ Sapphire Arrow ➣