Against all odds: An Olicity fanfic

3. The art of convincing

If you're watching this, then that means I'm no longer Oliver Queen. Well not the Oliver Queen you knew me as. Ra's is going to be training me soon and trying to erase any trace of my old identity. I'm safe; I'm me. Please don't worry. Oliver paused when he heard someone approaching him. He spoke with the other person briefly before they finally left. Sorry about that. I guess I don't have as much time as I thought. Anyway...I need you all to trust me. Whatever happens, whatever I may do while I'm with the league, know that it's not real. I would never hurt any of you. I will try to reach out again through Malcolm until next time I guess...

The video cut off.

"What the hell was that?" Thea asked her father.

"A message. Oliver isn't really becoming a member of the league. He's merely pretending. He wants to take down Ra's once and for all and he couldn't do that as Oliver Queen. He will let Ra's think he's undergoing the process to become the new demon, but he isn't." Malcolm explained.

"So why did he kidnap Felicity?" Diggle yelled.

"That was unfortunately part of the test. He can't behave like himself. A monster, someone who didn't care, would kidnap her. It wasn't serious...he just needed it to look real." Malcolm answered.

"Bullshit," Felicity shook her head.

"You didn't see him. I did. That man wasn't Oliver." She argued.

"It's only an act. He should be in contact soon, but we need to be prepared to move when he does." Malcolm said.

"Why?" Laurel questioned.

"Ra's is planning something. Oliver hasn't discovered it just yet, but when he does he will make his move against him. He needs our help though...for one last show if you will."

"As if I'd help that psycho," Felicity began to walk away.

"This is bigger than you; than all of you and your hurt feelings. You need to suck it up because this city just might hang in the balance here." Malcolm yelled from behind.

"What do you mean?" Felicity turned back around to face him.

"I mean that Ra's isn't just retiring quietly. He's going out with a bang. What better way to put the nail in Oliver Queen's coffin than to destroy the city he fought so hard to save?" Malcolm answered.

No one spoke. They were all too busy trying to process Malcolm's words.

"You don't trust me, fine. You hate Oliver? I understand. But you call yourselves heroes, so act like it." Those were Malcolm's final words as he left.

"Do you think he's right?" Laurel asked everyone.

"I don't care. Count me out whatever it is." Felicity was the first to speak up.

She turned on her heels and left the building.

She immediately regretted what she had said. Of course she'd help save the town. This was the place she called home now; the place she'd been fighting to protect with the team.

Her hatred for Oliver was clouding her mind though. Her ego wouldn't allow her to go back inside and apologize.

"Oh well," she sighed as she got into her car and headed back to work.

...

"We cannot trust Malcolm Merlyn. No offense Thea." John argued.

"I know, John, but Oliver--" Laurel was cut off.

"Oliver isn't Oliver anymore." Thea said bitterly.

"You are both right; I'm not arguing against that. But think about it. Would Oliver really just leave to become the new demon? That isn't the Oliver we know. He'd never leave this city or us." Laurel pleaded with them to understand.

"Even if both of them are telling the truth, Ra's will see through this eventually and finish the job." John said. He didn't have to mention Oliver and Ra's first fight on the mountain that left Oliver hanging on by a thread.

"No he won't." Laurel shook her head. "I believe them. Call me crazy but I do. I'll be ready when Malcolm comes back." Laurel grabbed her purse and left the others alone with their thoughts.

"I want to believe in him." Thea confessed. He was her brother after all. He was in this mess because he saved her life after all.

"John, I have to try. This is all my fault anyways...I have to have faith in him."

"It's his fault, but I understand." John told her.

"If you can't do it for your friend then please do it for the city. Think of Lyla and Sara." Thea tried one final time to get through to him.

He told her he'd think it over, but wasn't committing to anything.