Mr. Terrific runs through an alley after a thief, Sergio Espinoza. Overwatch coordinates the rest of the team, and Green Arrow tells the others to wait until the thief reaches the cordon. Wild Dog wonder why Ragman isn't there, and Overwatch says that he hasn't responded to his texts.
The thief comes out and Wild Dog shoots at him despite Arrow's orders to let Artemis take the shot. The man runs and Mr. Terrific tackles him. The two men fight and the thief gets the upper hand. Arrow shoots the thief in the leg and then slides down, knocking the man down. Wild Dog insists that the target was getting away, and points out that he was dishonorably discharged. Arrow tells them to deliver the case to the ACU and then go home, and says that they're taking a few days off from training before he leaves.
The next day, Oliver returns to the old campaign office above the bunker. Rory is there and says that he's leaving the team, and explains that Felicity told him that she redirected the missile to Havenrock. He understands that it wasn't her fault his home was destroyed, but she still reminds him of everything that he lost. Rory says that he'll have to find another way to honor his father and thanks Oliver for everything.
At the bunker, Oliver tells Felicity that the team is making progress except for Rory, who is quitting. Lyla comes in and Oliver explains that they're going to break Diggle out of military prison. Oliver has been points out that they don’t have Diggle's cooperation, and Felicity starts to object. Lyla talks to Oliver privately and asks is Felicity is going to a problem, and wonders if she should bring some of her agents in. Oliver points outs that no one can discover that Lyla is connected to the operation, and Lyla says that she's read a briefing on an antimolecular compound and was hoping that Felicity could help them get it. He says that he'll get it on his own.
Five Years Ago
After Oliver completes the second Bratva test, he takes him to a man who can get Oliver closer to Kovar. However, he is in jail. Anatoly pours alcohol on him and Oliver walks up to a nearby car and breaks the headlights. The police promptly arrest him.
Now
Oliver arrives late for a meeting with Thea, Quentin, and Adrian. He says that he's taking time off to get his "gout" seen to, and asks about the arrest of Sergio. Adrian explains that he now works for Church and complains that they're relying on vigilantes to clean up the streets. The DA says that he'll get Sergio to flip on Church and will walk the evidence through personally, and Oliver tells him to work with Quentin. Once Adrian leaves, Oliver tells Quentin that he trusts him. Quentin insists that he hasn't had a drink in a week and asks where Oliver is going, and Oliver refuses to discuss it.
At the bunker, Felicity finds Curtis reviewing the stolen material. It's a 6800 processor that is commonly available, and Curtis figures that it's important to learn what Church's endgame was. He notices that Felicity is distracted, and Felicity tells him Rory is sick of working with her. An alarm comes in of another robbery at Palmer Tech, and Curtis suggests that they deal with it themselves instead of helping Dennis.
At Palmer Tech, a guard goes to investigate the alarm and finds nothing. Once he leaves, the thief--Oliver--drops down from the ceiling. As he finds the compound, Felicity calls and tells him that they're received an alert.
The next day, Felicity confronts Oliver and points out that his phone has a GPS and she knows that he was there. She points out that Diggle doesn't approve of the plan, but Oliver refuses to let Diggle abandon his family. Felicity wonders if it's about Diggle leaving the team, and Oliver says that he's going to stop Diggle from making a decision he'll regret, and she should do the same with Rory.
Adrian and Quentin deliver the evidence to the SCPD, and Adrian points out that Quentin has a history with Quentin. Church and his men are watching them, well aware that Adrian and Quentin are moving the evidence.
Oliver drives out of town and finds Curtis, Rene, and Evelyn waiting for him. Evelyn asks what happens to them when he gets caught, and Curtis says that they're not going to let him go.
At the evidence locker, Quentin and Adrian accompany the sergeant into the cage. Outside, Quentin uses a device to activate the bomb in the case. It explodes, knocking Quentin and Adrian unconscious, and Church's men come in and shoot down the police. Church tells them to get the weapons and then blow the place up, and one of his thugs tosses two hand grenades behind him as the two men take cover.
Oliver tells his teammates to get out of the way, and they attack him. He easily takes them down and rides off.
Back at the bunker, Felicity tends to the team's bruises. Felicity thought that if Oliver saw them all together, he'd reconsider. Thea and Quentin arrive and Quentin tells them what happened. They figure that Church wanted the case taken to the evidence locker so he could use the bomb to get at the weapons. Felicity can't reach Oliver, and she tells them to get out on the streets. Curtis points out that they need Rory as well.
Lyla, posing as a soldier, drives a van up to the prison. She has the guard refresh his wifi and she finds the change in orders... thanks to her hidden hacking device. She drops off several laundry carts, and a masked Oliver knocks out the two MPs on guard. Lyla tells him that he has 25 minutes until extraction, and he heads for the mainframe so that she can put the systems in a loop.
Five Years Ago
The police take Oliver to general holding and the man he's looking for, Pyotr Friedkin, is there. Pyotr says that his boss will get him out, and Oliver says that he knows that he launders money for Kovar. The money launderer realizes that Oliver is with the Bratva, and Oliver hits him in the throat and says that he's going to tell him everything he wants to know.
Now
Oliver makes his way through the prison, avoiding the MPs. He puts the transponder in place so that Lyla can access the cameras and direct him to Diggle's cell.
Felicity drops in on Rory at his workshop where he makes sculptures out of junk. She says that his father was a Gulf War veteran but he wore the magical rags... like his grandfather, Rory. Felicity tells Rory that her legacy will be destroying Havenrock, and understands what Rory is going through. She figures that they both want to figure out a way to move forward. Before Rory can respond, Felicity gets a text from Curtis. She says that they really need Rory on the team, but he says that he can't.
Lyla directs Oliver to Diggle's cell, but he discovers that the cell is empty. She discovers that Diggle has been moved to gen pop and warns that neither Oliver nor Diggle will get out if Oliver goes there. Lyla advises Oliver to abort the mission, but he grabs a sheet from the bunk.
Five Years Ago
Oliver asks Pyotr for Kovar's location. When Pyotr refuses to talk, Oliver threatens his wife and daughter. He tells Pyotr to choose, and Pyotr says that they talk with him remotely via the Dark web. Pyotr gives Oliver the IP address, and wonders how Oliver became a Bratva devil. Oliver admits that he doesn't know and then breaks Pyotr's neck. The officers come in and Oliver claims that Pyotr was drunk and fell.
Now
Felicity returns to the bunker and tells the team that they need to know his endgame before they move on him. She designs an algorithm to project Church's probable location and determines that he's going to 18 Mill Road: the ACU HQ. They realize that Church is going to take them out.
Oliver darts another MP unconscious and ties him up in the sheet. The other MP calls in the alarm, while Oliver enters the security room.
Adrian and Quentin meet with Sergio at an interrogation room in the ACU. He says that he's not rolling on Church. He figures that Adrian isn't going to beat him, but Adrian turns off the cameras and says that the justice in the city comes from vigilantes. Sergio jus laughs and says that they can't stop Church's plan. The lights go out as Church and his men move in, taking out the cameras. The team is monitoring the situation at the bunker, but Evelyn warns that they're short-handed without Oliver. Felicity refuses to let them go out, but Rory comes in and says that they get to decide for themselves. The team all agrees to head out and Felicity gives in.
The MPs take the prisoners to their cells, including Diggle. Oliver is hiding in the roof and drops down. Diggle tells him to go, but Oliver refuses to abandon the man he considers a brother. He insists that he needs Diggle does and Star City as well, and Diggle should do his penance as Spartan. Oliver then takes out the compound and sprays it on the floor, making a hole to the level below.
Ragman arrives at the ACU and meets up with the officers. When Church and his men come in shooting, Ragman puts a bomb on the wall and tells Adrian that he'll protect them despite the closed quarters. Felicity triggers the bomb and Ragman's costume absorbs the blast. Mr. Terrific and the others come in.
Oliver and Diggle get to a ladder up as the MPs arrive and open fire. They get up just in time and Oliver uses the compound to destroy the ladder before them.
Overwatch directs the team and the ACU officers to the exit. Church and his men cut them out, and Ragman provides cover, deflecting the bullets. One man manages to shoot Mr. terrific, and his teammates go back for him. Church steps out and says that they've earned some suffering, and Wild Dog tells Artemis to get Mr. Terrific to safely. He charges forward and the two men fight. Despite his best efforts, Wild Dog goes down. Church tells his men to spare Wild Dog because he may have his uses.
Ragman and Artemis get Mr. Terrific out, and Felicity says that help is coming. Quentin pulls up in a van and tells them to get in, and Felicity says that they have to leave Wild Dog.
Oliver gives Diggle a harness as the MPs surround them. A plane flies overhead and snags the line on the harness, lifting both men to safety.
The next day, Oliver takes Diggle to Damien's old HIVE penthouse. Diggle kisses Lyla and wonders how Felicity took the news of Oliver's plan. Oliver gets a text and says that he has to go, and Diggle tells him to never change and shakes his hand.
Five Years Ago
Once he's released, Oliver tells Anatoly that he accomplished the mission, and says that Pyotr didn't deserve to die. Anatoly points out that if Pyotr had lived then he would have warned Kovar. He asks Oliver why he killed Pyotr, and Oliver says that he did it because Anatoly told him to. Satisfied, Anatoly says that now the Bratva trusts Oliver and his third test is over. He drinks from his flask and offers it to Oliver, saying that Oliver is family, and Oliver takes a drink.
Now
Adrian tells Thea what happened , and Thea says that Oliver should be back shortly. Quentin is there and asks if there's any word on Wild Dog. Adrian figures that Church has him, and admits that he used to think vigilantes only did terrible things. Once the DA leaves, Thea wonders if Quentin is okay. He says that he is and figures she's asking because of his alcoholism. She says that she's there for him, and Quentin thanks her for her concern.
At the bunker, Felicity is scanning the city via keyhole satellites and can't find him. She blames herself for telling the team to leave, and Rory points out that it was another impossible decision. He tells her that she was right earlier and they can't let guilt swallow them up. Evelyn brings the wounded Curtis in just as Oliver arrives. He tells Felicity that Diggle is fine, and then says that they're not going to write Rene off... wherever he is.
Church ties Rene up from the rafters and jolts him awake with a taser. He admires Rene's spirit but promises that he'll break his soul. Church then has his men start torturing Rene.
Written by Gadfly on Oct 27, 2016