So people are either going to a) love me by the end of this, b) hate me by the end of this, or c) both.

Also, a few shoutouts for this chapter . . . AllyBPBR, I remember this is something we both commented on when I started this fic at some point that we wanted to see happen. Hopefully I did it justice, though it is not quite as extensive as what happened in "Where are we now?" Still, I had a fun time writing it, and I hope it meets your satisfaction. :)

Tje1415, I totally blame you for the direction the first part of this chapter took. Thanks to you, I can never get that image out of my head.

And AllyIsRandom . . . yes, I did manage to find a place to use that line. ;P

We'll get some new familiar faces popping up very soon. Hint: there will be four of them. ;) Also, below is what happens when I procrastinate. Team Arrow in "One Call Away," Kariver and "the Devil's Triad" for this book, and Kara and the Team Arrow ladies.

Check in at the end of the chapter for a small sneak peek to a future DC series I may do. ;)

And now, enjoy the longest chapter of the fic so far!

***

If anyone at the D.E.O. suspected Slade and Malcolm were up to something the same night, they never said anything.

If anyone were to confront them about leaving to find Cadmus agents on purpose just to get a "head start," they would deny it with a straight face.

But if anyone found any agents that actually were dead . . . well, Nyssa also used arrows and swords. As long as Malcolm recovered the black arrows that marked them as his, they could put the blame on her.

Speaking of dead agents, too . . . "How many does that make tonight?" Malcolm asked as he pulled his arrow from the latest victim: an agent that looked like he had been on the tail of a specific alien. While it hadn't been Kara, they had stopped him all the same. It was rather pathetic, he mused as he made a show of wiping his arrowhead off on the agent's clothing. The Cadmus agents they met had all seemed to rely on using aliens' weaknesses instead of actually showing some skills in fighting. Then again, he had just sniped this one down from the rooftop above, so granted, no one had seen him coming.

"The fifth," Slade answered as he walked up. "There's more of them out than I thought there would be."

"Well, considering the stunt we pulled," Malcolm smirked, "they're probably trying to make what hits they can."

"Hmm," Slade considered, tilting his head. "They're not doing a very good job."

Malcolm snorted, standing up. "No, we're just better."

"And what's wrong with that?"

Malcolm shook his head, still wondering how he was getting along with Slade Wilson, of all people, when he heard the sound of sirens nearby. He held up a hand, stopping Slade from commenting. "Listen."

Slade tilted his head, hearing what he did. "Should we go?"

"Might as well," Malcolm sighed, running for the nearby fire escape and scaling it quickly. "It'll be easier to find than more Cadmus agents!"

Slade conceded the point and followed after him. "And no need for Kara or Oliver to be on the scene."

"Exactly."

It didn't take them long to find out where the police cars were going. When they saw, Malcolm couldn't help but groan and roll his eyes. "How many jewelry heists even happen in this city?"

"Maybe they're hoping Kara shows up," Slade narrowed his eye.

"Well, they'd be wrong," Malcolm deadpanned, pressing a finger to the comms device in his ear. "No need to alert the others, J'onn. Slade and I've got the heist covered."

"Thank you," the Martian responded.

Malcolm brought his bow up and fired a zipline arrow to the next street over. He nodded to Slade, who took off down the line first. Once he was past the police cruisers, Malcolm swung after him.

And it turned out, they found their fair share of more Cadmus agents after all.

It was clear they really had been expecting Supergirl to show up. As soon as Slade saw the glint of Kryptonite from the blades some of the dozen or so agents wore, he let out a vicious snarl and started swinging. When Malcolm noticed as well, he narrowed his eyes and shot to kill.

Over half of the agents were down before Slade noticed they weren't fighting alone. "Four o'clock!" he warned Malcolm before grabbing the knife aiming for his shoulder and punching the agent who just attacked him in the jaw.

Malcolm shot one agent heading for him, watching him flail and collapse before turning in the direction Slade had warned. He considered the fully-armored figure in some kind of metal suit bashing a shield of all things into the head of another agent. "Think we just found Guardian," he remarked to Slade before drawing his sword and impaling it in the throat of the agent that was about to embed a knife in his skull.

Slade stabbed the agent he was facing in the heart, risking a moment to turn and consider Olsen's movements. "He's not terrible," he conceded. "Should we know it's him?"

Malcolm paused, turning to look at Slade. "You'd want to see what he could do anyway, with or without me."

"Yes, I would," Slade nodded.

Malcolm shook his head, smiling under his veil. "Then we don't know him. Just make sure these bastards are all out before you 'kill' him."

Oh, he knew for absolute certainty that the man was grinning under his helmet. This was going to be entertaining. "What do you take me for, an idiot?"

Malcolm smirked and shot the agent that was approaching Slade from behind. The former ASIS agent looked behind him in surprise, and Malcolm snickered. "If you keep that up, then yes."

Slade growled, then whipped around to start attacking the four Cadmus agents remaining. Malcolm shook his head, trying not to laugh as he took down yet another with an ebony arrow. Typical Slade.

Olsen was the one to take down the last Cadmus agent; it was a knockout blow, one that Malcolm considered letting slide before overprotectiveness got the better of him, and he put two arrows in the agent's back. Olsen's head whipped up, but before he could say anything, Slade brought his sword up and aimed right at his head. Olsen scrambled to raise his shield to block the strike, and Malcolm drew his sword, aiming for his legs. Olsen went down with a thud, and both Slade and Malcolm approached. "And who the hell are you supposed to be?" Malcolm growled, glad his voice modulator was on.

The startled movement of Olsen moving back made it all the worthwhile. Malcolm heard him take a breath to answer, but then Slade was on him again. Malcolm shook his head, still ridiculously amused, before moving towards the rear of the store, towards the alley that was in back.

There was no need for the police to see the two new vigilantes kick Guardian's ass, after all.

And Slade was certainly doing that, he thought in amusement as Slade kicked Olsen out, his shield the perfect uneven weight for him to use to follow through. Olsen stumbled, hastily trying to block Slade's sword strikes, but the former ASIS agent was far too quick for him to keep up with. Malcolm calmly walked around them, picking shots at Olsen where he was weakest. He noted that Olsen did turn to block the projectiles aimed at places that would certainly put him out of the fight, but that, in turn, left him completely open to kill shots Slade could have taken. He never did, of course – that didn't stop him from dealing blows that could certainly cripple him.

After seeing Olsen was considerably slower than he had been about five minutes ago, Malcolm lowered his bow. "Call it," he said.

Slade grumbled slightly over the comms, then grabbed Olsen's shield and used his momentum to flip him over his shoulder. Olsen flailed about as he fell to the ground, then Slade planted one foot on the wrist his shield was attached to. He pressed his knee into his chest, swinging his blade down to his neck.

He stopped it millimeters away.

Olsen froze in shock, and Malcolm finally approached, standing just behind Slade. "Do you have any idea how lucky you are?" he asked.

"What?" Olsen croaked.

"Oh, he speaks," Slade said sarcastically.

"You are extremely lucky we knew who you were," Malcolm reiterated, switching off his voice modulator. "And you are beyond lucky we didn't beat you up more than we did."

"Consider it a lesson, Guardian," Slade rumbled, removing his blade and standing up. "Supergirl informed us of how you began this night job of yours with only a man in a van to help you."

"Now, we're not from this Earth, so we can't exactly baby you and tell you what you can and can't do," Malcolm folded his arms. "But we can say that it's a bit stupid to venture out like this with so little help."

"What are you going to do, tell her?" Olsen winced as he got to his feet.

"You always can," Malcolm retorted. "The D.E.O. knows who you are, Supergirl knows who you are. Why don't you just work together?"

"They're too concerned with my safety," Olsen griped. "As if Supergirl isn't in danger every time she goes up against Cadmus."

"And she has the D.E.O. backing her up, and now us," Slade pointed out. "Who do you have if someone incapacitates the bird in your ear?" Olsen was silent at that. "The only thing that can go wrong with teaming up is arguing about stupid things like this. And it may be stupid, but that means someone's looking out for you. Or would you rather have something go wrong and then Supergirl, Danvers, Sawyer, and the Martian going 'I told you so?'"

"You'd enjoy seeing that, wouldn't you?" Malcolm turned to him.

"I didn't say that, did I?" Slade tilted his head.

He snorted. "You didn't have to."

Slade scoffed and turned back to Olsen. "The point is, you get more rewards of having a team watching your back than risks. Not to mention, you'll at least have someone to help you train and get better, and you'll have less of a chance of getting pummeled like you just did."

Olsen seemed to wither at that. "I'll think about it," he finally said.

"Good," Malcolm nodded. "That's all we – " He paused, seeing Slade tense. "What?"

Slade just turned tail and headed back to the edge of the alley. "What is it?" Olsen asked, he and Malcolm following after the Aussie.

"Quiet," Slade ordered, crouching by the edge of the alley.

Malcolm immediately went to the other side of the alley, attempting to hear what Slade had. "Enemies?" Olsen asked, but at least it was quieter.

"No," Slade said sarcastically. "I'm trying to listen to the marshmallows talking." Malcolm guffawed, trying hard not to laugh out loud. Who knew the Aussie had it in him to say something like that? "There's someone else in the jewelry store now."

Malcolm looked out past Slade, narrowing his eyes. "Another Cadmus van."

Slade groaned. "One night. They can't stop for one bloody night, can they?"

"They've been out constantly since Supergirl was captured," Olsen informed them.

"Have they?" Malcolm narrowed his eyes before drawing an arrow.

"What are you doing?" Olsen turned to him.

"Telling him we're not looking to play nice," Malcolm answered, stepping out, drawing his bow back, and firing.

The Cadmus vehicle went up in smoke, making the half dozen or so Cadmus agents that had emerged shout in alarm. Malcolm was already firing again, taking down two Cadmus agents before Slade darted out from his hiding place, pouncing on another agent and tackling him to the floor.

Olsen snapped out of whatever stupor he'd been in and charged out as well, smashing into another agent. Malcolm was free to draw again, downing his third victim as Slade's blade claimed its first in this fight. Malcolm let him take the last one standing; he'd already claimed more than the Aussie.

Not that he was keeping score. Of course not.

Together, they made their way over to where Olsen was standing over the last agent, who seemed winded. "And this one?" Malcolm asked, tilting his head.

"Like the others," Slade said as if it was obvious.

"No," Olsen shook his head. The more experienced vigilantes scowled at him, but Olsen looked up at them. "He can tell us what their plans are. He doesn't exactly have an escape route, does he?"

Slade mulled that thought over in his head, then chuckled darkly, crouching down and looking at the agent, who looked much more terrified than he had before. "You're starting to think like a vigilante, Guardian."

"J'onn?" Malcolm activated his comm. "We've got a little gift for you. I think you're going to like it."

***

Kara trudged out of her bedroom the next morning, tear tracks still staining her face from the night before. Oliver and Alex looked up from whatever they'd been discussing, and Alex sighed, holding out her arms. Kara immediately went into them, burying her face in her sister's shoulder. "Hey, it's OK," Alex rubbed her back, squeezing her tight. "You're not going anywhere. We're not gonna let you go anywhere."

"I know," Kara mumbled, pulling back and wiping at her face. "It's just . . . I'm scared." She shook her head. "I haven't been scared like this since the Daxamites."

"You're going up against an anti-alien organization that has tons of weapons that can actually kill you," Oliver told her. "You've got every right to be scared." Kara ducked her head, chewing her lip. "It takes an extremely strong person to admit they're scared," Oliver told her, putting his hands on her shoulders, making her look up. "And you, Kara Danvers, are the strongest person I know."

"Literally?" Kara's lips quirked up in a smile.

"Well, that, too," Oliver admitted, smirking slightly. "But you keep marching on. You keep fighting. Not many people can say that's what they've done when faced with their greatest fear. You've got the D.E.O., you've got your family . . . and you've got us. Cisco's just a breach away, and he said he and Wally would be here if you needed them. You have so many people watching your back, Kara. Don't stop fighting."

He finally managed to coax a full smile from her. "Stay with me when we go after them?" she requested quietly.

"There's no place I would rather be," Oliver smiled, pulling her in for a hug. "I promised you when we sent our numbers over – I won't let you down."

Kara smiled widely at that, hugging Oliver back, Alex smiling at the exchange and reaching for her belongings. She had received a message from J'onn to head back to the D.E.O. as soon as Kara woke up, and she intended on going. She opened the door to leave –

And nearly ran smack into Samantha and William Clayton, Samantha's hand raised to knock. "Oh!" Alex blinked in surprise, and behind her, Oliver and Kara sprang apart, both looking towards the door. "Hi!"

"Samantha? William?" Oliver asked, heading over. "What're you doing here?"

"We hoped to catch you before breakfast," Samantha answered, shifting her grip on the two large boxes of doughnuts she carried. "Since there's not much we can do but be support, we might as well get started."

"We asked Winn for your favorites," William smiled at Kara, holding up the cardboard coffee carrier he held.

"Really?" Kara asked, eyes wide.

"It is spiced pumpkin, extra foam, and a little cinnamon on top, right?" Samantha raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, my God, that's my go-to," Kara's jaw dropped, touched.

"Here you go," William beamed, handing her a large cup.

"You didn't have to do this!"

"We did," Samantha smiled. "Believe me, Kara, this is nothing compared to saving our lives. Besides, something happened last night. I don't know what, but J'onn advised us to leave the D.E.O."

"He did?" Oliver's eyebrows went up.

"That must be why he wants me over there," Alex frowned, looking at her phone. "He didn't say what, but it's got to be important."

"Hmm," Oliver frowned, pulling out his own phone.

"Well," Kara took the top box of doughnuts and winked at William. "Let's see if you got them right, shall we?"

William bounded over to the table with her as Alex left, Samantha walking over to Oliver. "Oliver, there's something else you need to know," she whispered.

"What?" Oliver looked at her.

"Malcolm and Slade left not long after you sent them your message," she revealed.

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Probably out hunting Cadmus."

"But at some point, they got in contact with J'onn," Samantha continued quietly. "And the next thing I knew, J'onn was ordering a squad of D.E.O. soldiers in full combat gear out and was advising me to take William and go."

Oliver narrowed his eyes. "They found something."

"I don't know what, but Winn looked concerned," Samantha nodded.

Oliver looked over at Kara, seeing her laughing with William as they dove into the doughnuts. "I don't want to leave her."

"I know," Samantha put her hand on his arm. "But whatever's going on over there, it might be something you need to be there for."

Oliver closed his eyes. "Can you stay with her?"

"Absolutely," Samantha nodded.

"Thank you," he said in relief, reaching for his jacket and bag.

"You need to leave?" Kara asked, looking up with those adorable puppy dog eyes of hers.

"Something's happening at the D.E.O. that I might need to be there for," Oliver answered.

"Oh," Kara's eyes cleared, and she nodded before asking hopefully, "can you meet me for lunch?"

Oliver paused, raising an eyebrow. "Kara Danvers, are you asking me on a date?"

"No!" Kara blushed furiously, and Samantha and William exchanged amused looks. "Rao, no, it's just – if you don't want to – "

"Kara," Oliver grinned at her. "I'm teasing. I'll meet you at CatCo, OK?"

"OK," Kara smiled shyly.

"You, behave," he pointed at William as he headed for the door.

William's protests and Kara's laughter followed him as he left, only to nearly run into Alex, who had obviously been listening in. The knowing look she gave him made him pause, and he groaned. "If you tell my sister, I'm going to kill you."

"Tell her what?" Alex asked innocently as they left.

***

Oliver knew something was wrong immediately when Alex stiffened, seeing the extra security at the D.E.O. "What does this mean?" he asked as they jogged towards the entrance.

"Either they caught someone, or the D.E.O. was attacked," she answered.

"Doesn't look like they took a hit," Oliver looked around.

"Alex!" J'onn instantly turned from where he, Winn, Team Arrow, and surprisingly James were gathered in the briefing area. "There you are!"

"Oliver," Dig sighed, relaxing only slightly. "Thank God."

"What is it?" Alex asked. "We got here as soon as we could."

"What happened?" Oliver asked, looking at Malcolm and Slade specifically.

"Jewelry heist last night was pulled by Cadmus," Malcolm answered. "We took what Kryptonite we found."

"Did any survive?"

"You offend me, kid," Slade scoffed. "No, they didn't."

"Except for one of the reinforcements that followed," James added.

"You caught one of them?" Alex's eyes widened.

"Relatively unharmed, too," Malcolm nodded.

"Relatively?" Oliver raised an eyebrow.

"Guardian's catch," the Dark Archer tilted his head in James's direction.

"Good job," Alex told James.

"Got my ass handed to me before then, though," James gave Slade and Malcolm dirty looks.

"Seriously?" Oliver looked at them in exasperation.

"Never ran into him before," Slade said nonchalantly. Malcolm just sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"It was an eye opener, though," James sighed, and Alex raised an eyebrow. "I'm ready to start working with the D.E.O. now."

Alex smirked. "Finally."

"Hey," Maggie greeted as she walked up, looking angry.

"Did he talk?" Rene asked eagerly.

"No," Maggie ground out, leaning against the central console, closing her eyes. "The more I asked, the more he just kept laughing."

"Insane," J'onn shook his head, scowling.

"How long have you been at it?" Alex asked.

"At least ten minutes," Maggie sighed.

"Fourteen," Felicity checked her watch. "And nineteen seconds."

Maggie groaned and thumped her head on the console, Dinah patting her shoulder sympathetically. "I've had some crazy interrogations, but that one took the cake."

"So he's not talking?" Oliver raised an eyebrow.

"No," Maggie sighed. "And he's not going to."

Oliver's eyes flicked down to the console, where Winn's tablet was displaying a cell with a man in a Cadmus uniform. His expression turned deadly calm as he walked over to his bag. "Well," he said as he reached in and pulled out an arrow, twisting it this way and that before pulling out a switchblade as well. "He hasn't met me yet."

"Whoa," Winn backed up at once, James's eyes widening. "What are those for?"

"He's going to torture him," Dig swallowed.

"Are you sure about this?" Nyssa asked carefully.

"What if Kara had been there?" Oliver asked simply.

Dig clenched his jaw at that before turning back to the tablet. Winn looked around nervously before seeming to realize that everyone on Team Arrow, while looking slightly uncomfortable, were not saying anything more. Except for Slade, who tilted a head. "Need a hand, kid?"

Oliver just simply gave a pointed look at the handgun still holstered to his side. Slade nodded back, and Oliver stood. "Where?"

"This way," Malcolm answered, walking off. Oliver and Slade followed, and after a moment, Laurel slipped after them, snagging a water bottle as she went. Alex looked at J'onn hesitantly before he sighed and nodded. Alex nodded back and ran to catch up to Laurel.

Winn swallowed, turning back to Team Arrow. "Is that guy even going to be alive when they finish?"

Yet again, no one on Team Arrow said anything.

***

"Come to try again?" the Cadmus agent sneered when Malcolm entered.

Oliver just stormed over, grabbed the man by the scruff of his neck, and smashed him into the ground. He completely ignored his shout, instead leaning down and growling in what Team Arrow constantly called his 'Hood voice' as Slade, Laurel, and Alex entered. "Except this time, you're going to want to talk."

The man just laughed, the sound grating all five people's nerves. "No, I won't."

Oliver narrowed his eyes. "Siren? You want to give him one chance?"

Laurel smirked and downed a gulp of her water before holding it out. Slade took it and immediately turned, covering his ears. Oliver did the same, Malcolm and Alex following suit, before Laurel unleashed her sonic scream.

The Cadmus agent yelled in agony, curling up, squirming. Laurel screamed for a good ten seconds before cutting off, narrowing her eyes. "I could do this all day," she told the Cadmus agent.

He just glared up at her, panting, before spitting on the ground. "Screw you."

Oliver scowled, then stabbed his blade into the man's shoulder. The agent yelled, his face turning white as he collapsed. "Hold him down!" Oliver ordered.

Malcolm and Alex instantly did so, keeping the man sprawled. "Oh, you've done it now," Malcolm shook his head.

"You see, Detective Sawyer played the good cop," Oliver examined his arrow next. "That would normally make me the bad cop. Except, ever since you've tried to hurt a very good friend of mine, you've made me bad everything." With that, he stabbed the arrow in the agent's leg and twisted.

The inhuman howl of pain that came from the agent made Alex turn away, wincing. "Told you," Malcolm, too, winced. Even when he was the Hood, Oliver hadn't been this scary.

"Name!" Oliver growled.

"Richards," the agent gasped for breath, all of it ragged. "Mark Richards."

"I would say nice to meet you, but I ran out of patience with you a long time ago," Oliver narrowed his eyes to slits. "So here's what's going to happen. Either you talk, or you are going to feel much, much worse than you did just a few seconds ago."

The agent shook, but managed to spit out again. "Screw . . . you!"

Oliver bristled and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were dark, and filled with an anger that made Alex flinch. "You asked for it."

***

Winn had to turn the audio off. He was green in the face, looking ready to throw up at any moment. Felicity and James didn't look much better. "He's really capable of doing that?" James swallowed.

"Oliver doesn't have a pretty past," Dig said unnecessarily. "But I've never actually seen – or heard him – torture someone before."

"Not until now," Quentin looked at the footage before shaking his head. "Funny thing is, I don't think he would have ever done this to Chase."

"Chase wanted Oliver to do this to him," Thea nodded at the footage. "Which is exactly why he was so adamant about not attempting it."

"OK, can you turn that off?" Curtis grimaced when Oliver made another twisting motion and the agent – Richards, right? – made a gruesome face.

Winn was all too happy to oblige. "We don't tell Kara this."

"Good idea," Felicity winced, pushing up her glasses.

"Hopefully he gets something out of him besides a name," Dinah sighed, folding her arms.

"A location would be nice," J'onn pulled up a map of National City. "There's not many places around National City that Cadmus could be stationed."

"Well, Oliver's going to get something, that's for sure," Dig snorted, the trill of a cell phone making him blink and look at Felicity in surprise. "Is that yours?"

"Er, yeah," Felicity frowned, pulling it out. She took one look at the Caller ID before blanching. "Oh, no."

"What?" Nyssa immediately tensed.

Felicity just hurried to put her phone on speaker and put it in the middle of the console. "Cisco?"

"What time is it there?" Cisco asked in a rush.

"Excuse me?" James blinked.

"10:27," J'onn answered, checking.

"Oh, my God, please tell me someone's with Kara at CatCo."

"What did you see?" Felicity demanded, her face turning even whiter as Dig, Thea, Nyssa, Dinah, Rene, and Curtis scrambled to find their gear. "Cisco, what did you see?"

"Can you get to CatCo before half past?"

"That's a stretch, even for me," J'onn swallowed hard. "What did you see?"

"They're gonna attack her at CatCo. I can't see who, no matter how many times I try. All I can see is the date and time on Kara's phone, and even then, it was hard to see because of how much . . . "

"Oh, my God," Felicity whimpered.

"There's no way any of us can get there," Quentin shook his head.

"Frack," Cisco hissed.

The last thing they heard before the call ended was the metahuman yelling "WALLY!"

***

Yes, I am indeed that cruel. What, do none of you know me? }:)

As for the sneak peek to a future series I may do, which would take place somewhere around 2x15 . . .

Anyone opposed? :)

New team players get introduced next chapter (feel free to guess which four), and we find out if Kara survives or not! But let's be honest . . . does anyone think she won't? XD

I'll let you guys suffer through the cliffhanger! See you later!