DAY TWO.
The sun beat down over the island, the source of light and warmth on the planet Earth. A sign of comfort and hope. But not today. Today was different.
A drop of sweat rolled down the side of Oliver Queen’s forehead and down his cheek. His eyes were fixed intently on Roy Harper, who lay against a tree unmoving other than a slight rise and fall of his chest.
I can’t believe this. Why would King do this? What kind of a psycho is he?Ollie’s thoughts were interrupted by the growling of his stomach.
I hope there’s something to eat on this damn island…Oliver got up slowly and glanced at his best friend.
“I’ll be back in a bit, Roy. Just…wait here.”
***
Lieutenant Werner Vertigo sat at his desk in the crowded Star City police station. He shuffled through the files on his desk; everything he had on the Queens. He flipped paper after paper over, reading carefully, making sure he didn’t miss a thing. Vertigo was known for being very thorough. It was what had gotten him as far as he had.
Vertigo had gone to the Star City Gazette in search of any and all newspaper articles on the Queen family, ranging from charities held by Robert Queen to the drunken escapades of the young Oliver Queen. The newspaper articles were all spread out across his desk along with other files and birth certificates. He had information on the whole Queen family going all the way back to the early 1800s. They had always prided themselves as being part of high class society.
Vertigo could only draw one conclusion in his one-track mind: Oliver Queen had blown up his own family’s tower and used his vacation to flee the scene of the crime.
“Patrolman!” Vertigo called to the officer walking by.
The patrolman turned. His pale eyes didn’t narrow or widen in fear the way other men did when they saw him; he just stood tall and waited for his orders, scratching his bushy moustache.
“Fyers is it?” Werner Vertigo asked.
“Yes sir.” Officer Eddie Fyers answered smoothly, not an ounce of fear in his voice.
“Round up a few other officers. I may need your help where I’m heading.”
Eddie Fyers twitched at being ordered around like a dog, but reluctantly nodded.
“Right away sir.”
Vertigo lifted up a file on the person he was going to pay a visit to. Henri “Bruno” Bergeron, owner of the 5 Jacks and the last person to see Oliver Queen before he left.
***
Oliver walked past the rows and rows of trees that seemed to stretch out forever around him. His throat dry and his eyes bloodshot, he snuck through the woods of the island, searching for any source of food.
It was then that Oliver heard the quiet sound of running water up ahead. He began to limp as fast as he could up a small hill, to find a stream going down the land.
Thank god!Oliver dropped to his knees, unsure if it was instinct or just weakness from the walk. He cupped his hands together and scooped up the water, splashing it across his face. The refreshing liquid drenched his skin, making him feel far better than he had before. He started to drink, heedless of the cleanliness of the water.
After about ten minutes of just getting himself wet in the stream, Oliver got up with his stomach still growling. His renewed strength started to wane as he thought of his hopeless chances of finding food. Before continuing on his search, Oliver decided it would be best to bring Roy to the stream and try to help him.
I’m on my way Roy.Oliver’s train of thought was broken yet again by the realization of what was in the stream: fish. He struck downward into the water with his hand, but to no avail. He threw his arm along the stream, but the fish kept narrowly escaping his grasp. On his third try, he was able to catch a fish in his hands, but it was far too slippery and glided right out of his clutches again.
In frustration, Ollie kicked the water and then began his walk back to Roy, defeated.
***
Bruno began putting up the chairs and stools of the bar and then walked to the door, flipping the sign on it from OPEN to CLOSED. He took a cloth from a cabinet and started wiping down the counter, Whistling a song by Metallica while he cleaned.
“Evening.”
Bruno’s head snapped up to face the doorway, where Werner Vertigo was silhouetted, his hands in his beige trench coat pockets. Vertigo’s posture was straight and tall, arrogant as ever.
“Hey buddy, have a reading problem? We’re closed.” Bruno said, irritated by having a visitor after hours.
“Oh I’m not here for a drink.” Vertigo replied, shifting his head around, taking in the look of the night club.
A thin smile stretched across Bruno’s face. “Sorry, but the dealers are closed for the night too.”
Vertigo laughed, coldly, no humor in his speech at all. “Dealers,” he stepped up to Bruno and pulled out his badge from his pocket. “Please, do tell.”
Bruno flinched at the sight of the badge, but hid it as well as he could with a roll of the eyes. He tossed the cloth back into the cabinet. “Look, what do you want?”
“I just want some information on Oliver Queen.” Vertigo’s voice was calm and controlled but, something menacing seemed to be hovering in the background of the words.
“What about him?” Bruno asked.
“Well it appears Mr. Queen has gone missing.”
***
DAY FIVE
Oliver sat against a tree stump, eating berries he had found on a nearby bush. He was happy to find out that they were not poisonous when he ate one.
“Morning.” Oliver turned to find Roy Harper standing dizzily on his feet, leaning against a branch for support.
Ollie leapt to his feet and embraced his friend. Roy let out a gasp of pain, but it fell on deaf ears as his happy friend hugged him hard. “You’re up! I thought you were a goner, Roy!”
“…guess not.” Roy’s whole body ached, and he looked around at the tropical scenery
Oliver caught his gaze and nodded. “I know what you’re thinking. We’re goners right? Stuck on an island with limited water and food?” Oliver said.
“Something like that, yeah.” Roy admitted.
“Well I have a plan.” Oliver announced.
“You? Since when did you ever have plans? I thought you told me you just went ‘wherever the wind took you’ right?” Roy laughed weakly.
“Trust me. I know how to get out of this jam…well, at least I’ve figured out how to last a bit longer here.”
Roy looked at him unenthusiastically, and Ollie just gave his signature grin.
“Trust me.”
***
Victory was sweet.
Arthur King stood at his office window, looking down at the ant-like people below him and smoothing his new silk tie over his new black suit. He was having a very good day, just as the last five days had been. There were no Queens to worry about. Star City was within his grasp.
click. The door opened. Genevieve Teague stepped into the room, red hair shimmering from the sunlight coming through the windows.
Arthur recognized the familiar sound of her high heels tapping against the floor and didn’t even turn around. He just continued to stare out at his kingdom.“What is it?” He asked her.
“You have a visitor…” Genevieve began hesitantly.
King’s jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed. “And…who is it?”
“Me.” A stern confident voice thundered from the entrance.
Genevieve slipped back out the door as Arthur turned around, surprised to see this particular guest. He stood straight and with proud posture, a look of both hatred and interest in the eyes, and a bald head…
“Lex Luthor! The ‘Superman of Metropolis’! Or so the press have been calling you.” Arthur offered a glass of wine to Lex, who ignored the offer and took a seat in the chair in front of King’s desk.
“You’ve been quite busy, haven’t you?” Lex’s eyes met King’s and the two stared into what seemed to be each others’ minds, trying to find an opening to pick apart.
Arthur studied him, trying to determine how much he knew, and decided to play it safe.“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” he answered innocently.
A wicked smile stretched across Lex’s face. “An explosion out of nowhere kills Robert and his heir mysteriously disappears…quite a coincidence, don’t you think?” Lex grinned, well aware that held all of the cards.
Arthur winced at the comment for a quick second, but hid his reaction well. “Unfortunate would be a better word to use.”
There was an edgy silence between the two business tycoons.
“So what brings the mighty Lex Luthor to Star City?” King asked smugly.
“A business proposal I have for you.”
King’s eyebrow shot up in surprise and intrigue. Luthor, on the other hand, remained calm and collected, keeping up his advantage.
“You do? And what does this proposal involve, exactly?”
Lex Luthor’s stare cut into King’s eyes like a cutlass. His answer plain and simple. “Business.”
A twisted smile crept onto Arthur King’s face. The similarities he had with Luthor were astonishing to him. Two men of great wealth and power, face to face in a battle of wits. “Have you ever read the stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table?” King asked, pleasantly.
“I’ve heard the legends. I grew up reading The Once and Future King, Beowulf, Shakespeare. All part of growing up a Luthor.” Lex answered honestly.
“Well, I personally love the story. Always have. Filled with heroes, battles, and chivalry. Showing the corruption of man when it comes to power. Merlin was my favorite character since I was a boy. Never a fighter, but the wisest in the lands. That is the key to victory. Wisdom.” King explained.
“Mind over muscle, I’ve always said.” Lex replied thoughtfully.
“Exactly. Mind over muscle. So you should know that I, following the great Merlin himself, make sure to make wise decisions, that I don’t walk into anything blindly. Especially business.”
“Of course.”
***
DAY SEVENTEEN
It had been twelve days since Ollie explained his plan to Roy. Since then, the duo had been working hard at gathering the materials they needed; sticks, thin threads of weeds, and sharp rocks.
The two sat on a fallen down tree trunk, putting the finishing touches on their projects. A group of sticks with sharpened rocks tied to the end of them were piled on the ground. Arrows. Oliver tightened the thread of weed to each end of the stick he held in his arms to make a bow.
“You sure this’ll work? I’m getting a little sick of eating worms and berries.” Roy complained, a red beard now formed around his mouth.
“We don’t really have many other options, Roy. We can’t catch those fish with our hands. And we can’t reach those coconuts up in the trees. This seems to be our best shot.”
Roy just shrugged, trying to make sure his bow was all set. He pulled on the thread for a moment, checking that it was all set and nodded to himself approvingly.“Okay, I’m ready.”
“Great. Let’s go test these bad boys out.” Ollie chuckled.
A target was carved into a nearby tree, and Oliver stood about twenty feet back from it to start off. He raised his bow and nocked his arrow. The target in his sights, he pulled the arrow back.
Focus…focus…Sweat trickled down Ollie’s cheek as he tried to concentrate on the target. The whole island seemed to become silent, except for the breaking of waves out in the distance.
Oliver let the arrow loose and it shot through the air toward the still tree trunk. It hit… just about two feet below where the target was carved. Ollie sighed, disappointed by the outcome of his challenge. Roy tried to hold in a laugh but Oliver caught his smile.
“Let’s see you do better.”
***
The chilly breeze slapped Arthur King in the face while he walked towards his helicopter on the roof of his tower. Four body guards trailed behind him as he moved closer towards the transport. They opened the door for Arthur, who was about to climb in when Genevieve Teague rushed up to him.
“What is it, Genevieve? You know this is a very important meeting that I can’t afford to miss!”
“A detective is here for you. Lieutenant Vertigo, I believe.”
Arthur rolled his eyes. “More questions on the Queens, no doubt.” Arthur scowled.
“Mr. King, We have to go.” The pilot announced.
King looked from the pilot to Genevieve thoughtfully, deciding. “Tell him to schedule an appointment for a better time.” Arthur ordered.
“But sir, he’s very persis—”
The door slammed rudely in her face, and the helicopter took off. Genevieve stood alone, watching it depart.
***
DAY TWENTY-TWO
Lightning flashed through the sky as the rain poured down on the island. Oliver and Roy sprinted by, bows clutched tightly in their hands and handmade quivers carrying their arrows.
“We have to find cover, now!” Oliver called over the cracking thunder.
Lightning sliced through the clouds, hitting a tree, and sparking a great burning fire. Oliver and Roy stopped their frantic run to see the burning tree begin to crumble, plummeting towards them.
“Look out!” Oliver tackled into Roy, sending them both just out of the danger.
“Thanks.” Roy said.
“It’s too dangerous to be out here in weather like this.” Oliver looked around at the storm that had caught the island in its grip.
“Then where are we supposed to go? It’s not like they have storm cellars out here.”
“Shut up for a minute. I have to think.” Oliver scratched his now fully grown beard, in deep, trance-like thought. He looked around again and grinned merrily. “I just found our shelter!” Without giving Roy a moment to breathe, he pulled his friend by the arm into the stump of the fallen tree where the roots were still in the ground.
They crawled through the dirt-filled roots of the tree, where the rain couldn’t quite get through. They lay there quietly, listening to the rain bounce off of the tree above them.
“Do I deliver or what?” Ollie chuckled.
“Ah, shut up.” Roy replied.
There was only the tapping of raindrops for a few minutes before Roy spoke quietly. “Ollie?”
“What?”
“Do you think our parents are ok? I’m worried,” Roy frowned, his red bangs falling into his eyes.
Oliver said nothing, just looking at the bow in his hands.
When there was no reply, Roy looked over at his best friend. “Are you ok?” Roy asked.
“Fine.”
“Are you sure?”
Oliver looked into Roy’s eyes with pain and loss etched in his bearded face. “I’m fine.”
***
“Schedule an appointment, my ass.” Werner Vertigo smoked a cigarette while sitting on the hood of his car, parked by the river.
“CALLING ALL UNITS...BZZZ…REPEAT CALLING ALL UNITS.”
Vertigo swung open his car door and pulled out his radio, listening closely.
“BRICKS AND DRAGONS IN A RUMBLE OUTSIDE OF BILL’S SEAFOOD…BZZZ…ON THIRD AND MAIN.”
Vertigo glanced up at the street sign across the street from his car. He was close. He clicked the button on top of his radio and spoke into it.
“This is Vertigo. I’m close to the crime scene. On my way.”
That’s the fourth one this week.***
DAY THIRTY-SEVEN
Oliver Queen and Roy Harper sprinted through the jungle, bows at their sides and quivers on their backs. Their faces were muddy, their beards fully grown, and their eyes bloodshot. The duo stopped behind a large tree, seeing a boar standing about twenty yards away. Oliver silently signaled for Roy to stay still. Roy nodded approvingly, watching his friend stealthily make his way into the bushes.
Oliver put an arrow on his bow and took careful aim. Roy got his arrow ready too, just in case Ollie missed. Oliver squinted, focused and locked onto his target. He lined up the arrow on his bow with the head of the boar. Roy bit his lip, hoping for the best.
Oliver took a deep breath and let it loose. The arrow sang through the air beautifully and hit its target right between the eyes, the boar collapsing onto its side. Oliver rushed to the boar and kneeled beside it, making sure it was dead. Roy slowly approached, putting the arrow back into his quiver.
“And once again, I don’t even get a chance to one down.” Roy snorted disappointed.
Oliver smiled up at him. “Tell you what. The next time we bump into one of these babies, I’ll let you take the shot.” Oliver chuckled.
“That’s what you said last time…” Roy mumbled.
“Help me lift this thing up.” Oliver demanded.
The pair of archers left the scene with the boar, happy to have a filling meal.
***
The press gathered outside of Arthur King’s office building. Cameras and microphones were everywhere, waiting for the urgent conference to begin. Arthur King stepped up onto the makeshift stage in front of the entrance to the tower. He stood tall and confident, his dark hair slicked back and gleaming in the sunlight. Genevieve Teague stood behind him patiently.
“Thank you for coming, my friends. As you all know, this has been a tough month for Star City. The death of the Queens, a family who dedicated their lives to helping out the economy of this great city any way they could, has hit us all hard. I called this meeting to tell you that I will continue their great legacy as best as I can. Starting today, King Corp has bought out all of the remaining Queen Industries departments. I assure you that we will do the best we can to further what Robert Queen had already started. Thank you.” Arthur stepped away from the microphones and off of the stage with Genevieve at his side.
“Well done, sir.” She said, glaring at the eager reporters who were sticking out their cameras and microphones at them.
“I know. Things are going perfectly.” King gave his signature smile to the cameras, knowing that it would appear on tomorrow’s front page.
***
DAY FORTY-FIVE
Oliver and Roy sat by a fire they had made, sharpening their arrows with stones and talking as they usually did about the days that had led up to the plane accident.
“So King just had to switch the driver of the plane, and then boom, we crashed,” Oliver explained the same theory that he repeated each and every day.
“Yeah, but why would he do it? That’s the part that I still don’t know about. I mean, he’s a millionaire. What reason would he have to try and murder someone?” Roy wondered.
“Well, he may have been a millionaire, but he’d make even more money with me and my father out of the picture. He just systematically tried to wipe my family’s business out. He’s pretty much the biggest scumbag I’ve ever m—” Oliver was interrupted by the sound of a loud bell ringing from the shore.
Oliver and Roy exchanged looks of excitement and surprise. Without a word, they bolted towards the shore to find a fishing boat just a little ways off of the coast of the island.
“HEY!” Ollie hollered above the cracking of the waves.
Roy waved his arms around, trying to draw their attention.
“OVER HERE!” Oliver shouted again.
They continued to try to draw the boat closer, when they noticed that a small jolly boat was coming towards the shallow water.
“Yes! We’re finally getting out of here!” Roy cheered, falling to his knees, relieved out of his mind.
Oliver stood still, trying to take in the fact that it was over. His sunburned face seemed even redder with glee. And with a primal shout he cried:
“We’re going home!”
TO BE CONTINUED IN ULTIMATE GREEN ARROW#3
Next time: Oliver and Roy return to Star City, more determined to protect the innocent from King’s tyranny than ever. But to do it, they’ll have to change into something more than themselves. Something…special.
