Six Years Ago

Jill pulled herself up onto the beach of Lian Yu, breathing heavily, lying on the wet sand for a moment, exhausted and devastated to be alone. After several moments, she was able to push herself up, and start stumbling forward, along the beach, into the woods. She was starving and thirsty and weak, and barely able to walk straight without falling to her knees. She stumbled, tripping, falling to the ground. She groaned in pain and annoyance bringing herself up to her knees. She started to cry out of realization that she had nothing left, screaming in angry, devastated agony, physical and emotional. She once again became silent, crying. She thought that she was going to die slowly, painfully and agonizingly, lowering her head to the ground, clutching at the grass and the dirt for something to hold onto with the realization that she was completely and utterly alone.

Men in black army suits arrived, two of them pulling Jill from the ground, holding a hand over her mouth to muffle her screaming. 

The third man lifted a trap in the ground.

The other two men put Jill inside.

Jill looked around the trap, seeing that it was a dark, small hole.

The men above closed the trap above her ensuring that she couldn't get out.

"Wait," Jill told them. "Wait. You can't leave me here. Don't do this to me, please!" She grabbed at the wooden gate above her that prevented her from getting out. One of the men used the butt of his gun to hit Jill in the head through the bars, making her let go and fall the short distance to the ground underneath her. Jill continued to plead. "Please! I didn't do anything!"

⚔  

Now

The police thought that they knew who Oliver was. They thought he was "The Hood". The man terrorizing the city's criminals. 

They also thought they had him trapped. That he had no way out.

They were only half right. 

⚔  

The police was questioning Oliver at the police station, interrogating him, because they had circumstantial evidence against him, like seeing him pull on a ski mask in Iron Heights from security camera footage.

Laurel had seen Oliver in a security guard uniform and a ski mask.

Police were questioning me from the Queen mansion because they didn't have any evidence against me.

Lance's partner Hilton was here. "I'll be asking you a few questions, standard stuff for the report. Have you been arrested before?"

"No, I haven't," I answered. "This is a mistake. I don't know who you think I am, but Oliver is not who you think he is. The guy in the hood is a dangerous menace who doesn't care about who he hurts, and the girl in blue is a lunatic with knives and swords."

"I don't know who you are, Miss Wright," Hilton told me.

"Let me tell you what I know, Detective," I told him. "I know that your partner, Detective Lance, hates the Queen family. I get it. And he probably hates me because I'm living in their household, and because I'm the girl that came back with him from the island instead of his daughter Sara. I'm the mystery girl that no one knows hardly anything about. And thinking that Oliver and I are the vigilantes just make it easier on himself and easier on everyone else. See, I also know that if you had any real evidence against him, Oliver would be locked away in a cell by now and not sitting in an interrogation room, and if you had any evidence against me, I would be there with him."

"There's security camera footage of Oliver Queen at the Unidac Auction with a green hood and of you at the club where you and Oliver had your homecoming party of you knocking out your security guard," Hilton told me.

"And as I said again, Oliver ran into the stairwell once he heard the shooting," I told him. "He saw a duffel that he thought maybe belonged to the shooter. He grabbed it, looked inside and saw... a hood."

"And, what, he took it home with him?" Hilton asked. "'Cause we can't find it. And what about you?"

"As I said, I wasn't as used to being around people as I am now, and I freaked out," I told him. 

 "And Adam Hunt's office building was across the street from your little homecoming bash, where he was currently being harassed by the woman in blue a little after that little expression of anger," Hilton told me.

"Those were coincidences," I told him.

Hilton tilted his head barely. "Really? Because normally when they pile up like that, it becomes evidence."

Walter walked in. "Are you really interrogating Miss Wright without a lawyer present, Detective Hilton?"

"Not interrogating," Hilton told him. "Questioning."

"Well, perhaps you'd like to postpone your... 'questioning' until Jillian has a lawyer here, Detective," Walter told him. Hilton looked at me. I shrugged barely, pressing my lips together, titling my head slightly. Hilton stood, walking out with the rest of the police. Walter looked at me. "Detective Lance appears to be on some personal vendetta that his partner Hilton would like to further. The important thing is you're not alone in this, Jill."

"I know," I told him. "Thank you." Walter nodded. "Where's Moira?"

"She's gone down to the station to be with Oliver," Walter answered. '

I nodded understandingly.

⚔

I was at Oliver's court hearing.

The guard read from the paper. "People vs. Oliver Queen. Murder, aggravated assault, assault with attempt, menacing and trespassing."

Oliver took his seat.

The judge was Judge Moss. "Where's your attorney, Mr. Queen?" 

"I'm representing myself, judge," Oliver told her.

"I'm not sure that's the wisest course, Mr. Queen," Moss told him.

Oliver stood. "I think it is. I'm innocent."

"Then we'll consider that your plea," Moss told him.

Oliver nodded. "Thank you."

Oliver sat down.

Moss took a deep breath. "Now, as to bail?"

A lawyer stood. "Your honor, Mr. Queen's family owns a pair of private jets, and, well, on the subject of their wealth, I would point out that there is virtually no bail amount that can guarantee his presence at trial."

Laurel walked in. "So, then I guess it's a good thing that the people's case is so circumstantial." She walked toward Oliver's table. "Dinah Laurel Lance, your honor. I'd like to file my appearance on behalf of the defendant." Oliver slid over to the other seat at the table. Laurel placed down her briefcase on the table. "Mr. Queen's wealth should not deprive him of the right to be released on bail while under the presumption of innocence."

"He is a flight risk," the lawyer told them.

"Then minimize the risk," Laurel told them. "The defendant is willing to submit to home confinement and electronic monitoring through the wearing of a UKG45 administrated ankle device."

"Sold," Moss told them.

"Your honor..." the lawyer trailed off.

"Bail is set at $15 million," Moss told them. "$5 million bond. Defendant to see probation for the fitting of a GPS device."

Laurel sat down.

Oliver smirked. "I knew you couldn't resist saving my ass."

"You're going to make me regret this, aren't you?" Laurel asked.

Oliver shook his head. "No. It's going to be like old times."

"Fortunately for you with the legal case, there's no way that you're the guy in the hood," Laurel told him. 

Oliver nodded. "I agree."

"Because he's actually trying to make a difference," Laurel told him. "We both know that's not really your style."

Ouch.

⚔

Moira, Walter, Oliver, Tommy, Lance, a police officer and I were in the living room of the Queen mansion.

The officer was fastening the ankle device onto Oliver's leg.

"Mom, it's not that bad," Oliver told her.

"Okay, this device has a direct line into the precinct," the officer told him. "Stay on the property, you're golden. Any questions?"

"Yes," Oliver answered. "I'm having a sizable get together here tomorrow evening, and there is a better than likely chance it spills into the outdoor pool."

"Pool, that's fine," the officer told him. "Step on the grass, they're sending a SWAT team to forcibly subdue you."

"And I'll be with him," Lance told him.

"Thank you, Detective and officer," Walter told them. 

Lance looked at me. "Now, the evidence we have you is thin."

"Thin?" I repeated, crossing my arms across my chest. "I would have gone with... nonexistent."

"But just because you're not in as much hot water as he is, there'll be eyes all over you, too," Lance told me.

"I'm getting used to it," I told him.

Walter led Lance and the officer out, leaving.

Moira looked at Oliver. "A 'sizable get together'?"

"I'm confined to this house for the foreseeable future," Oliver told us. "I might as well make the most of it. And this party is gonna be themed. I'm thinking prison, uh, Burning Man meets 'Shawshank Redemption'. The invite says, 'Come before Oliver Queen gets off'."

"Maybe a party's not in the best of taste," Tommy told him, sitting next to Oliver. "You know, considering the circumstances."

"Tommy, the circumstances are why we've having the party in the first place," Oliver told him. "I want people to know that I'm not worried about any of this." He looked at me. "And I want you to know that you shouldn't be worried about any of this. And that means party."

⚔

Oliver and I were talking in his bedroom.

There was a knock on the door.

"Yeah?" Oliver called. John walked in. "Thank you for coming. Shut the door."

John walked in, closing the door, walking closer. "I guess it was just a matter of time before the police caught up with you."

"Except they didn't," I told him.

"Jill, they got Oliver on video," John told me.

"I knew the security camera was there, just like I knew the police would review the footage and arrest me," Oliver told him. "All part of the plan."

"So you wanted to get arrested and wanted for Jill to become a person of interest?" John asked.

"Well, we came to Starling City, and a few days later, the vigilantes appear," I told him. "Sooner or later, somebody was going to make the connection."

"So what part of serving yourselves up to the cops will help you avoid going to prison for the rest of your lives?" John asked.

"There's more to it," I told him.

"Well, there better be, for your sake, because the family is freaking out downstairs," John told us. "Oliver, your mother and your sister just got you back, and now you're going to put them through a trial, maybe even worse? Don't you care?"

"Of course I care," Oliver answered. "The mission comes first."

Oliver turned his laptop to face John, displaying information of a man.

"Who is he?" John asked.

"Leo Mueller," Oliver answered. "German arms dealer. Suspected in the theft of a hundred M249 squad automatic weapons."

"Okay," John told us.

"Last night, he arrived in Starling City to sell the guns," I told him.

"Don't you imagine there's enough trouble you're in this week than to go after this guy?" John asked.

"I imagine what would happen if a street gang got their hands on military-grade hardware," I answered. "I imagine our city's streets turned into a war zone. How would you like to help me shadow Mueller? Help me track his movements? I want to know where the buy is happening, and I'm going with or without you."

"And how are you supposed to track him?" John asked.

"Well, you know us billionaire vigilantes," Oliver told him. "We do love our toys."

⚔

I led John into the hideout, turning on the lights.

John looked around. "Wow." I smirked, walking over to a briefcase, opening it up, revealing devices inside. John picked one up, pressing a button, making it light up. "Oh, well, that's sweet."

I looked at the devices, lost in thought.

⚔

Six Years Ago

The men in black that had put Jill in the trap were taking her to a less remote part of the island that had even more men with military vehicles and weaponry. 

More men in black were leading Oliver, ragged and filthy with long hair, toward a tent of his own. 

Oliver and Jill saw each other across the way, looking at each other in confusion, knowing that they were the only ones there against their will.

Oliver was pushed into a tent across the way.

Jill was pushed into another tent. The men led her inside, walking out, leaving.

A man was sitting at a desk. "Please, sit. You're making me feel rude." Jill painfully sat across from him. "I do apologize for my men's treatment of you." The man opened a can, pouring soda into a glass. "They're--they're trained to view any stranger as hostile. I'm Edward Fyers, by the way." He placed the can on the table. "And you are?"

Jill couldn't look away from the soda in the glass. "I'm Jillian Wright. Jill. I was shipwrecked here. I don't... know for how long. My family... I have money. You'd be well compensated for my rescue."

"Well, I look forward to that," Edward told her. "But for the moment, let's just talk." 

"About what?" Jill asked.

"Well, for instance, this gentlemen," Edward answered, showing her a photo of a man in military uniform. "Do you know him?"

"No," Jill answered.

"No?" Edward repeated. 

"No," Jill answered. "Who's he?"

Edward put the picture down. "It doesn't matter. I've been polite. I'll offer you one more chance to answer with the truth before my manners leave me."

"Hey, I don't know this guy," Jill told him. "I--I thought I was on this island all by myself."

Edward put the picture down. "Do you know what this island is named? We're on Lian Yu. Mandarin for 'Purgatory', but I can make it can like hell. Think on that when you're begging for death." He picked up the glass, standing, walking out of the tent. "She's yours now."

A man in a split colored mask walked into the tent, toward Jill.

⚔

Now

I was still looking at the device.

"Jill?" John asked. "Jill, you all right?" 

I looked at John. "Yeah. Just... lost in thought for a minute."

⚔

The party was going strong inside and outside the Queen house that night. 

And like Oliver had said, it was jail themed.

Girls were dancing in cages.

Lights were everywhere.

Oliver stepped onto a platform, signaling the DJ.

The DJ turned off the music.

"Hi, everybody!" Oliver told them. Everyone cheered. "I'm very touched that you came to celebrate with me and my good friend Jillian Wright before we are sent up the river. Can I get Jill up here, please?" Everyone cheered. I stepped up onto the platform, waving half-heartedly. "Closest neighbors are six miles away, so don't worry about the noise. Actually, on second thought, let's wake those losers up!"

I raised my glass, cheering.

Everyone raised their glasses, cheering.

Everyone drank.

Oliver and I hopped off the platform.

The music started again.

I walked toward John.

"If you think this is what prison's like, you are in for a rude awakening," John told me.

I showed him my cellphone. "Mueller's car has been parked in the warehouse district of the Glades for 45 minutes."

"Yeah, that's a good place for an arms deal," John told me. "Okay, so with this thing going down tonight, what do we do, drop a dime with the cops?"

"No, the man in the hood and the girl in the blue," I answered. "They're going to stop them."

"Jill, Oliver can't leave the house," John told me.

"It doesn't have to be Oliver in the hood," I told him. 

John chuckled. "That's why you two threw this ridiculous party? So you have a hundred witnesses placing you here at the house for your alibi while you're across town being a vigilante with me by your side dressed like one?"

"We thought it would be good enough just for you to be seen in the hood," I told him. "We didn't count on Mueller showing up, and we didn't count on the Glades to be flooded with machine guns. Look, I promise, it was never our intention to put you in harm's way."

"Jill, I didn't think joining your crusade was ever going to be risk-free," John told me. "I just don't like being played. Now, you two might have gotten used to lying to everyone else in your lives, but I'm the one guy neither of you lie to."

"You're right," I told him. "I'm sorry. But you don't have to do anything except be seen in the hood. I can take care of the rest. Because I'm not going to let Oliver go to jail."

"All right," John told me. "What are we waiting for? We got to stop an arms deal."

I nodded, walking through the crowd toward the house.

⚔

Five Years Ago

Jill was sitting in the tent on the island, weak and tortured and bleeding, tied up.

Edward and the man in the mask were standing over her.

"Amazing," Edward told her. "You either resolve I didn't credit you for." He looked at the man in the mask. "Or perhaps she truly doesn't know anything." He started to walk past the man toward the exit. "We should put her out of her misery."

A guard was pushed through the exit, into Edward, making them fall to the ground.

A man in a green hood and bow and arrow walked in, named Yao Fei, aiming at the ropes binding Jill, cutting her free. He shot at the man in the mask.

The man in the mask caught the arrow, breaking it in his hand. He drew a sword, trying to slash into Yao. Yao used his bow to block the moves, spinning around, using the bow to hit him in the chest, spinning again to hit him in the back of the legs, making him fall to his knees, flipping him over the ground. They both stood. The man in the mask slashed toward Yao. Yao backed away enough to make him miss, using his bow to deflect three blows. The man tried to punch him. Yao outmaneuvered him. The man tried to punch him again. Yao caught his arm. The man tried to slash into him. Yao used his bow to block the move. The man elbowed him in the face, trying to backhand punch him in the face. Yao raised his arm to block the move. The men grappled with the bow. Yao used the bow to flip him to the ground. 

Oliver walked in, ragged and with long hair.

Yao pointed at Jill on the ground. "Get her!" 

Oliver ran past them toward Jill.

The man tried to slash into Oliver. Yao used the bow to block the move, wrapping his legs around his arm, flipping him to the ground. They both stood. 

Oliver picked Jill up in his arms in a cradle, as she was too tortured and too weak, lost too much blood to walk on her own.

Yao kicked the man in the mask in the face, hitting him in the chest with the bow, making him fall to the ground.

Oliver ran out of the tent with Jill.

Yao followed just as quickly.

⚔

Now

The gun exchange was going down in the warehouse in the Glades.

Mueller showed the men the gun in his hands. "It's a M249 machine gun. Gas-powered, air-cooled, fires up to 800 rounds per minute." He tossed the gun to a gangster. John shut off the power. "We need to move, now!"

Mueller took the machine gun back.

"What are you doing?" the gangster asked.

"Get out of here!" Mueller told them.

The men started to disperse.

John was suited up as Oliver in the hood, kicking a man's legs out from under him.

I punched a man in the face, making him fall. A man aimed a gun at me. I drew a sword, using it to push the gun up to the ceiling, making it fire up the ceiling instead of me, twisting the gun out of his hand, to the ground, kicking it aside, spinning around the man, hitting the hilt of the sword over his head to make him fall unconscious.

The gangsters were able to get away.

Mueller aimed a gun at me, making me stop.

John kicked his legs out from under him, making him fall to the ground. The man behind John stood. John turned to fight him.

Mueller stood, trying to shoot me. I used my sword to push the barrel of the gun up to the ceiling to make the shots fire up, spinning around, slashing him in the back of the legs, making him fall to his knees, flipping him over the ground.

Mueller groaned in pain.

I turned to face another man, slashing toward him. The man backed away enough to make me miss, raising his gun to block another move. I used the sword to twist the gun out of his hands, making it fall to the floor, kicking it aside. The man tried to punch me. I outmaneuvered him. The man tried to punch me again. I caught his arm, elbowing him in the face, spinning around to backhand punch him in the face hard enough to make him fall unconscious.

John kicked another man in the chest, hitting him in the face with the bow, making him fall unconscious.

I looked around all the unconscious men, breathing heavily, starting to relax.

⚔

I got back to the party before anyone noticed I had been gone, pretending to stumble drunkenly through the crowd outside, holding a glass of alcohol, bumping into people along the way to make it more convincing. "Oh, I'm sorry." I laughed. "I should really watch where I'm going."

Tommy and Oliver walked closer.

"So, is that where you managed to get off to?" Tommy asked. "Getting drunk?"

"Well, I think I passed out in the house for a minute or two, probably more, but here I am," I told them, taking a drink. "Jill, one. Bad influences, zero."

Oliver knew the double meaning behind it.

"Oh, I'm sure the bad influences have won tonight," Tommy told me.

I shrugged, tilting my head. 

Oliver took the cup from me. "All right, you're cut off." He looked at Tommy. "I should get her inside before she starts causing all kinds of trouble. Yeah, apparently, Jill used to be the life of the party before the party went dead."

Tommy nodded. "Got it."

Oliver and I walked toward the house, inside.

"Vigilantes, one," I told him. "Gangbangers, zero."

"Good job," Oliver told me.

"Yeah, now I'm tired, so I'm gonna hit it," I told him.

"All right," Oliver told me.

I walked down the hallway toward the guest bedroom.

⚔

And I had been planning on going to go to sleep until I heard gunshots.

Oliver had been attacked in his own room.

Lance had shot the attacker to save him.

The family, Tommy, Lance and I were in the living room after.

Thea looked at me. "Starting to sober up, huh?"

I looked at Thea, nodding. "Yeah. Yep." 

Thea smiled a small smile.

Oliver looked at Lance. "How did you know I was in trouble?"

"Because when the guy was fighting you, he broke the ankle monitor," Lance answered.

Moira looked at Oliver. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Oliver answered.

"Oliver..." Moira trailed off.

"Mom, I promise," Oliver told her.

Moira pointed at Lance. "This is on you. By accusing my son publicly, you've made him a target. It's only a matter of time before Jillian is also a target."

"Do you have any idea who attacked Oliver?" Walter asked.

"We haven't identified him," Lance told us. "Though, it must be someone with a grudge against the hood, obviously."

Lance knelt next to Oliver, pulling the ankle device off of Oliver.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I got a call from my lieutenant," Lance told us. "An arms dealer was attacked across town tonight." He stood. "By both of the vigilantes. Multiple witnesses put them there. In light of that, all charges against Oliver are being dropped, and any uprising investigation against Jillian aren't going through."

"I'm truly sorry for what's happened to your family, Quentin," Moira told him. "But would you kindly get the hell out of my house?"

Lance turned to leave.

"Mr. Lance?" Oliver asked. Lance stopped. "Thank you."

Lance nodded, walking out, leaving.

Oliver and I looked at each other.

⚔

Five Years Ago

Oliver carried Jill into a cave on the island, laying her down.

Jill groaned in pain. "Who are you?" 

"I'm Oliver Queen," Oliver answered. "That's Yao Fei."

Jill sighed heavily, closing her eyes in pain.

Yao walked closer, holding a tiny pouch toward Oliver. "Take it." Oliver took it. "I lead them off. You stay. You save her."

"What?" Jill asked weakly.

Yao walked toward the exit. "Breathe. You breathe, you survive here longer."

"I'm coming with you," Oliver told him. Yao walked out. Oliver walked toward the exit. "Yao!"

Yao made a boulder fall in front of the entrance of the cave to keep them inside and to keep them from being found.

⚔

Now

The next morning, Oliver, John and I were in the hideout, talking about the close call with Laurel that Oliver had had, and that he had covered up.

"So, you lied to her," John told him. "Or maybe you just gave her a version of the truth." 

I carried my box toward the table, opening it to reveal my suit, my mask, and the quiver that held my swords and knives.

"I told her what she needed to hear, Diggle," Oliver told him. "She was too close."

"Sad thing is, I think you actually believe that," John told him. "I think things didn't go down exactly how you two planned. You didn't count on so many people having questions, doubting you. You didn't think about what happens when you lie. Especially when you lie to the ones you love the most."

"I guess that makes me luckier than he is," I told him.

"There's no version of having no family, no friends, no one to love that is easier, Jill," John told me. "Actually, it makes him luckier than you. Because even if the two of you are damaged, he has more people to care about, more people to love him."

"More people to lie to," I told him. "More people to lose."

"If that's how you want to see it, fine," John told me. "But when you two were stuck on that island, plotting your grand plan to save the city, I don't think you stopped to consider the effect it would have on the people in your life. Or how it might hurt you. Or how it might hurt them."

"You're wrong," Oliver told him. "I think about it all the time. And just to be clear, not being able to tell my family the truth... it doesn't hurt anyone worse than it hurts me."

I grabbed my suit and the quiver that held my knives and swords. 

"Where are you going?" John asked. 

I turned around, walking away. "Mueller still has to sell those guns, and I have to stop him."

"Jill..." Oliver trailed off.

"I don't need anyone to die today, Oliver," I told him. "I just need to end this."

⚔

Mueller was in a warehouse with several more men with a lot more firepower, ready this time for when I came, but not ready enough. "28 crates, four guns in each crate, $250,000 cash. Take it or leave it. That's the deal."

I jumped down from the ceiling beam I was perched on, landing on a large wooden crate, back flipping off of it to the floor. Man 1 aimed a gun at me. I used a sword to hit it out of his hands, punching him in the face, spinning around to backhand punch him in the face, hitting his head against the crate, making him fall unconscious.

The gunfire started.

I took cover behind the wooden crate, looking to the side, waiting for them to stop, peaking around the corner, throwing a knife into Man 2's hand to pin it to the wooden crate behind him. I threw a knife into Man 3's leg, making him fall to the ground. I ran toward Man 4, kicking him in the chest, using it to step up to the cart behind him. The gunfire started again. I flipped over the cart to avoid being hit, jumping from the cart to a wooden crate nearby, jumping to the ground on the other side to use it as cover. Man 5 and Man 6 walked over to check behind it. I crawled up to the top of the crate, flipping off, throwing two knives into the hands of the two men that had walked over, making them drop their guns, kicking Man 5 in the stomach, making him fall to the floor, spinning around to kick Man 6 in the face, making him fall into the wooden crate before making him fall to the floor. Mueller aimed a handgun at me. 

I threw a knife at his hand, making him drop the gun. "Leo Muller, it looks like you're the last man standing." We heard sirens in the distance. "Not for long."

I threw a knife into the power supply, making all of the lights shut off, and unabling the door from opening, keeping Mueller inside long enough for me to get away and the police to take him away.