Chapter 76: Arrow ~ Doppelgänger ~ Part One
***
The breaking news of Cayden's death was still on the TV screen in Oliver's office as he worked on his laptop, checking in with city officials regarding the money they had recovered. He was still finding it difficult to believe that all seventy million was back in Star City, not a single penny missing. he thought to himself.
The door to his office opened, and he looked up, closing his laptop as Thea entered. "Ollie?" she asked.
"Yeah?" he asked, turning the news off.
"Jean here has some good news for you," Thea told him, walking in with his lawyer.
Oliver raised an eyebrow. Having so many good things happen this many times in a row was unusual. "I'm only used to good news if it's accompanied by bad news," he admitted, standing up to greet Jean.
"Well, this news is unequivocal, Oliver," Jean smirked. "I can get this case against you
Oliver did a double take, staring at her in shock. "Uh," he stammered out, stunned. "Have – have a seat," he gestured, seeing Thea grin behind Jean. "Tell me more."
"I pored over the discovery documents produced by the district attorney," Jean explained as the three of them sat down. "Apparently, the FBI leveraged Rene Ramirez to testify against you based on surveillance that was leaked by a known criminal."
"Cayden James," Thea clarified.
"Fruit of the poisonous tree," Jean nodded along with Oliver. "It's a legal metaphor positing that if the source of the evidence is tainted, the evidence itself is tainted. Mr. James' actions were not only illegal, but his death makes it impossible to corroborate the evidence against Mr. Ramirez."
"So if there's no case against Rene, there's no case against me?" Oliver asked.
Jean nodded in confirmation. "We're going before Judge McGarvey on my motion to dismiss this afternoon."
Oliver swallowed hard. "Jean, are you sure? You – you can just make this go away?"
"Ollie, she's positive," Thea nodded, beaming happily. "I know you're not used to getting good news, but this is what it sounds like."
Oliver looked at Jean, trying to figure out what to say in response to Jean when Quentin walked in from the door connecting his office to Oliver's. "Mr. Mayor!" he said sharply. "We got an emergency at SCPD."
Oliver thought with a sigh. "Like I said, it was accompanied by some bad news," he grumbled, then looked at Jean. "Jean, this is wonderful. I will see you at the courthouse this afternoon."
"OK," Jean smiled, heading for the door.
Oliver stood up from his desk, moving to Quentin, who looked like he was torn between being angry or worried. "What's up?" he asked.
"Laurel just walked into police headquarters," Quentin answered.
"What did she do that for?" Thea's eyes widened as Oliver did a double take.
"I doubt it was on her terms," Oliver pinched the bridge of his nose. Laurel had been perfectly content hiding in the shadows. Why would she do this? "Do you know anything else?"
"Yeah," Quentin scowled. "She told them she's Laurel Lance – Laurel Lance."
That made even sense.
***
"OK, not that I'm not a fan of hers, because she has seriously gained my respect in less than a year," Thea said as they walked into SCPD headquarters, "but why is she claiming to be Laurel Lance?"
"Especially Oliver couldn't help but agree. "Our Laurel was the Black Canary. She's at risk for people finding out she's – " He hushed his voice as they passed a few officers. "Black Siren."
"She'll be living a lie," Quentin scowled. "One big lie, and considering she's the lookalike of my daughter, I don't know whether to be pissed at her or concerned for her."
Thea was the first around the corner, and she froze in her tracks. "I'd say the latter, Quentin."
When both men turned the corner, they also froze when they saw the state Laurel was in. "I woke up in a cell," Laurel was stammering, eyes flickering between reporters and cameramen that surrounded her, a few police officers behind her. "And I managed to break down the door, and I just – I ran."
"Oh, my God," Quentin stared in horror at the bruises painted on Laurel's skin, especially visible on her face, along with dried blood from a cut, some of which was stained on her cheeks along with running mascara. The clothes on her left side were dyed scarlet from blood as well.
"What to her?" Thea breathed in shock.
"They held you for two years?" one of the reporters asked.
"I don't remember," Laurel shook her head, sniffing. "They kept me drugged."
***
"Kara! You need to see this!"
"What?" Kara asked, walking out of her room, noting Evelyn's panicked voice. "What's going – " She took one look at the TV and stopped in her tracks, face draining of all color. "Oh, Rao."
"The Black Canary was reported killed in a prison riot," a reporter offscreen prompted.
Laurel swallowed hard, eyes darting around. "Damien Darhk – he stabbed me," she was saying, her voice wobbling, "and the next thing I knew, I was – I was in – I was in that cell."
"She wasn't like that yesterday!" Evelyn looked up at Kara in terror. "What happened to her?" Kara swallowed hard, fumbling on the counter for her phone. "I don't know, but I'm going to find out," she promised. "As soon as I find something out, I'll let you know, OK?"
"OK," Evelyn gulped, turning back to the news.
Kara finally dialed the number she was looking for, quickly slipping into her shoes and heading for the door. "OK, don't panic, but you need to check the news, she said, running towards the elevator.
***
"Why would Damien Darhk do this to you?" the first reporter asked.
"Why would he fake your death?" the second reporter pressed.
Laurel gulped, her eyes finally landing on Oliver. He cautiously gave her a nod, slowly stepping forward. He trusted her to be careful with her words, even though she looked like she would rather be anywhere but where she was. She took a deep breath, steeling herself. "I don't know why he would want to fake my death," she answered. "Maybe . . . maybe to torture the Green Arrow?"
The second reporter pounced on the opportunity. "So you know who the Green Arrow is?"
Laurel's eyes flashed to his, and Oliver quickly cut his way through the reporters, doing his best to look stunned; it wasn't that hard, looking over how injured she appeared. "Laurel!"
Weekly Power Status
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