Now
It has been 2 years since that fateful night.
A lot has changed since then.
Maybe not that much. But it sure as hell feels like it..sometimes.
They've moved on. They've all moved on.
It's okay. Fair even. So, I'm not mad.
But I don't think I'm at that stage or that I ever will be.
School's been a bust. So is my social life. Not that it matters now anyways.
The family fortune dwindles by the day and with Queen Consolidated in ruins, the situation wasn't getting any better.
I manage my club - Verdant - to earn some profit.
But a non-existent love life and a greater goal in mind gave me plenty of free time to pursue other things.
Rightly so, I've developed a brand new...hobby.
And a tendency to find myself running or hiding on rooftops.
The guy practically ran to be out of my reach. That's what happens when you decide to become Sam Fisher and basically sniper your way through the whole thing.
And as I realized today, arrows aren't really that..stealth-y. Certainly not from this distance.
The guy in question was an everyday goon to his notorious boss, a Vincent Miller. He runs the drugs operations he took over from the Vertigo guy last year.
Is also suspected for human trafficking and selling young girls to the highest bidder at private auctions he conducts in broad daylight with police protection, no less.
Asshole.
Took me 2 whole months and a plethora of back alley fights, just to find him.
Something tells me though that it would be all worth it in the end.
For now, I was standing on the adjacent building's rooftop where I took cover behind a relatively old-looking generator.
The tri-rotor that I sent 10 feet above Vincent's building half an hour ago showed me 8 heat signatures, including Vincent's.
Three in the corner office. Two on the balcony. Two in the back. And that one asshole probably running to the main office, who should have alerted almost everyone en route by now.
It was play time. Enough stealth.
The rotor was run by the software in my watch..hmm. I don't remember the tech-y name for it.
She never told me, after all. Whoever she was.
Anyway, I moved it below to their levels to make enough noise to get the two on the balcony, who were looking for me, distracted.
The moment they did was the moment they died..as I used the scope in the front, to land two arrows straight down into their foreheads as I shot another one mid-air to the second building, sliding across the long rope and leaping onto the said balcony.
With the alarm sounds now audible, I opened my bag, which was hung around my waist, and took out the mask to protect me.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
As I entered, the guys began their usual shooting and I took cover but not before shooting out the lights when the opportunity came.
Idiot guys with even more idiotic shooting patterns.
It was pitch black and they had flashlights, sure.
But it was my territory now.
They think they got me surrounded because of their numbers, their guns and their mean little scary faces, but they hadn't seen me yet...or my arrows.
As they say, strength isn't in the numbers, but in how they stand together. And to me, they were just a bunch of headless chickens running around, afraid of a pointy little arrow sticking right up their ass.
Well, in their defense, they should be.
"I see you there," I said to the guy who turned his back around to look for me in the other room.
But the minute he turned, I launched out, hit his gun away and punched him through to the door in front.
Another guy came running in but I deflected him and shot an arrow right through his leg, crippling him.
Good.
A blunt strike to his head from my bow and he's knocked out, too.
Beneath those shrieks and name calling, I saw what the Arrow once did.
They deserve it.
They all deserve it.
I took cover behind the little gap of the two walls' meeting point, adjacent to the smashed door and shot three arrows back-to-back inside without peeping in, still hiding.
And a fourth one, jumping through to the other side, to get a view inside.
Pressed another button on the watch and boom, the sleeping gas would do it's work now.
Herein, comes the mask.
Only one heat signature left now. Guess who it was.
I walked through the hall only to break through another door to reach into his office.
And there he was, hiding behind the cabin.
Like I thought he would be.
"Come out!" I demanded in my manly-modulated voice.
He didn't.
"I said..come out!"
There went another arrow near his computer, almost lacing his hand.
He finally raised his hands up in the air, "Alright. Alright. Geez. I'm coming out. Teenagers these days.."
"Vincent Miller. YOU HAVE FAILED THIS CITY!" I proudly declared.
Easily the best part of the job.
"How did I fail my city, young girl?
If it wasn't me, then, somebody else would have done it. Huh?
I provide employment, income and a purpose to all those people who work for me. That's more than you or the SCPD ever did. So, listen to me you punk, you-" he stopped mid-sentence.
I had heard enough, after all. Maybe he'll speak less now that there's an arrow hanging from his bloody throat.
"Now, shut up!" I shouted to his soulless body and checked his pockets for ID.
"Not Vincent Miller, then," I sighed.
Great.
Maybe I should have let him complete. Hmm..
I still went on to do my work, though.
And by 'work', I mean taking out the wire from the bag and connecting my watch to his laptop.
"Establishing link," the screen displayed.
Waiting was the hardest part.
Because then, I was not moving ahead. And if I was not moving ahead, then I was moving backwards...and if I was moving backwards, then all I could hear was, "Deathstroke..Call me Deathstroke.."
The words, more than just an echo to me. Even today. Calling to me whenever I was not focused.
But by now, I had learned how to direct my anger into something productive. And that productivity was calling me as the alarm finally beeped. Success!
I took out the wires and packed up my things before taking out the spray for one final act of mischief.
After all, my calling card wasn't gonna be placed by itself.
It was a green colored spray which I used to write "Your Welcome...XO" on the wall.
I should really get a black one. But I guess the green one in a weird way pays homage to the original vigilante.
Nevertheless, a cute little message for the officers and a certain detective when they come here after they receive an anonymous 911 call from this very office in a few moments from now.
Hmm..
Anyway,
I removed the mask and got to doing some more swinging and before long, I reached the back alley where I changed into my civilian clothes, and got onto the bike I had parked there earlier to make my way to the Big Belly Burger joint.
A lot has changed in my life since..well, since Deathstroke happened. But some things remain the same. Always.
Big Belly Burger was my one constant. Though, food wasn't really the only reason for me being there.
"Hey," the woman on the counter said to me as the queue ahead finally cleared.
"Hi," I replied, giving back an awkward smile along with the words.
She smiled too but her eyes were suggesting as if I was forgetting something.
"So...would you like to take a smoothie and a burger with that smile, Miss.."
"Oh, right. I'm sorry. Yes, please. And it's Thea. Silly me."
"Alright-y. Miss Thea. I'll call your name and then you can have your fries," she replied.
"Alright," I said before turning back to ask the obvious, "hey, but I didn't order fries..?"
"On the house..miss," she bent forward to say the words and smiled again.
Cute. But I didn't say a word, simply shared her smile and waited for my name to be called for.
Boy, that was intense. I was literally sweating. I honestly didn't while taking out a group of notorious criminals with guns and whatnot. But asking for a girl's name scares me.
I'm so weird.
I met her a good 9 months ago when I came here for dinner (I know!) with well...you know.
Been visiting ever since then to take a glance or whatnot. Don't meet her everytime but hey, as they say, beggars can't be choosers.
Anyway, she's half-British and a brunette. Her accent is half the reason, I'm here. Okay, that's a bit exaggerated. But still.
And well, she's certainly...uh..beautiful. And she's even made me question certain things about me which I never knew existed.
Obviously.
I travel an extra 2 miles to come here sometimes. For this is my hour of escape..from all of my problems. From all my demons.
A burger and a smoothie. The American way.
But it can't be anything more for me.
It's not even because of Roy.
I loved him for the longest time I can remember. But it's been 20 plus months since we were done.
And considering how we ended, it would be easy for me to go out there and look for more fishes in the pond, so to speak.
Yet, I can't pursue this. Because the mission's still the sole focus. The sole objective.
My reason to live. Besides, who knows if she's got a girlfriend..or worse, a boyfriend.
Sigh.
"Thea?" I finally heard my name being called.
"Hmm?" I replied as I placed my helmet on the shelf.
"Yes, mother?"
"It's almost 12, honey. Where were you?"
I quietly smiled and took out a bag of chips for her. "In case you had a craving at 2 in the morning."
She was obviously worried about me. She had no idea what I was doing. In life or during my late nights.
She was right to worry.
"Fyi, I was just hanging out..mom. At the club. Something urgent came up. Don't you worry," I tried comforting her.
"Thea, it's just you and me now. We can't be dishonest with each other, especially now. Ever since Oliver..ever since he died, I have not been able to avoid getting anxious. I'm sorry if it feels I'm overbearing."
"No, no. Mom. Everything is fine. Just don't worry. Alright? Tell you what. I'll try to be on time, next time. Alright?"
She almost gave away a tear at that with an earnest smile as I opened my arms to give her a hug. Comfort. That one sole moment of my day.
But, she wasn't the only one to miss Oliver. I did too, in ways more than she could suspect.
"What's in the other bag?" she asked as I left for my room.
"Fries," I chuckled.
"I liked a fry or two in my time," she commented.
"uh...mom. They're not very good for your health."
"A few won't matter, come on.."
"Uh..I feel a bit sleepy, mom," I said with a fake yawn.
"I can't hear you. Good night. Love you," I continued and just..shut the door.
Sorry, mother. But not those fries.
They were on the house.
After I made my way to my room, I just paced around the space for a couple of minutes and then, locked the door behind me after making sure mom wasn't around.
I proceeded to remove the painting on the left wall thereafter, and placed my prints on the scanner along with the password.
This opened up a sizable portion of the wall to the outside which had to be pushed further outwards and then slid to the side to make way for the entrance. I closed it behind me and began my slow walk down the stairs.
I was so fucking tired. My sour body didn't like the exertion I put on it, day in and day out. Pretty sure, it was slowing down my reflexes too.
Anyway, that's an issue for another day.
At the end of the stairs, there was a little button to the left of the wall. Pressing it lit up the place. It wasn't that bright even then.
For lights didn't really help in what I was doing down there.
I made my way to the table to place the bag and just rested myself on the chair.
Getting rid of my ribbon to let the hair loose after a long day was certainly more pleasure some than expected.
With the jacket thrown to the side chair, I sighed heavily as I opened my jean's button.
"Oh...now that's comforting.."
My body began melting in the chair, before the slightly opened drawer caught my attention.
The small brown cover diary was firmly placed inside and picking it up, I skipped to the page I needed.
I looked for the pen which was sitting in front of the photo frame. It was Oliver's. The pen and the frame. As I saw his innocent face smiling, the memories of that satanic night came rushing back.
I used to fear these moments of loneliness. But now? It only fuels me more towards my path. To get rid of this city's criminals and one day, find the monster who killed my brother, and then stare into his eyes..correction, eye as I see his soul leaving his body.
I held the diary and circled the name "Vincent Miller" on the List. I'll cut it soon enough.
Just another in a long list of names, waiting for me to strike them next.
"All of this is for you, my brother," I said with a tear in my eye and a smile at the photo of us..happy.
The only thought on my mind?
"I won't fail you, Ollie. I won't fail you..."
Notes:
-The focus of this chapter was to just give a peek into what Thea's life is now.
-I gave her a female love interest. Just thought it would be a nice change. Hope that's not an issue for most!