Dinah and a squad of officers head to a market near an alley where Anatoly is making his drug drops. She warns the officers that the two men with Anatoly are the threat. Dinah warns them that the only cops she knows she can trust are in the van, and says that they have backup.
At the market, Diaz and his two Bratva bodyguards head into the alley. Nick and two of the officers follow them, while Spartan and Green Arrow watch from the rooftop. The two vigilantes split up and Felicity asks Arrow when he's going to tell Diggle he's not giving up the hood. Arrow says that he's waiting for a good time.
As Anatoly makes his drop, Dinah and the other officers pull up in the van. Arrow and Spartan drop down and take down Anatoly's backup, while Dinah and her men take Anatoly away in handcuffs.
At the station, Hill asks what's going on. Dinah says that they got Diaz's right-hand man. When Hill wonders why she wasn't told, Oliver and Quentin come in and Oliver says that he authorized the operation and they're bringing in Armand to expedite the charges. Hill has no choice but to congratulate them and leave. Oliver thanks Dinah for letting them backstop her, and they argue about how Rene was injured until Quentin says that it's in the past. Dinah agrees to give Oliver a few minutes in interrogation with Anatoly.
Once Oliver is alone with Anatoly, he tells the Russian that he knows that Hill is corrupt. Anatoly says that Diaz people in all levels of government. Quentin comes in and says that it's a problem. They go to the squad room and Armand says that Anatoly was arrested without a warrant and he won't bring charges when a judge will dismissed. When Oliver objects, Armand points out that he's under investigation and can't risk a civil suit. Once Armand and Hill leave, Oliver figures that Diaz has Armand as well.
At the bunker, Oliver tells Diggle and Felicity what Anatoly said. Diggle says that he can carry Oliver's load, but Oliver finally tells him that he's not giving up the hood. He doesn't understand why it matters to Diggle what they're wearing, and Diggle walks off in disgust. Oliver tells Felicity that Diggle is an adult and will be fine, but Felicity isn't so sure.
One of the officers, Martin Hurst, goes to his car and finds Diaz there. Diaz tells him that he pissed off the wrong guy, and Anatoly shoots Hurst dead from behind. Anatoly says that it will send a message to the other police that they're on borrowed time, and walks off with Diaz.
The next day, the news runs a story on Hurst's death. The team watch and figure that Diaz was responsible. Felicity starts checking the other officers involved in Anatoly's arrest, and they figure that Diaz flipped Armand using the cash from selling Vertigo. Diggle goes to check with Lyla to see if ARGUS has any information, and Felicity tells Oliver that Diggle is upset. She tells Oliver to say something to ease the pain, but Oliver says that he has to talk sense into Hill and Armand before someone gets killed.
Dinah tells Cutis that she found a safehouse for the remaining officers, and blames herself for Hurst's death. Curtis says that they're going to make sure she doesn't have to blame herself for anyone else's death, and admits that he doesn't want Nick to get killed. Dinah reluctantly agrees to let Curtis come with her.
Lyla gives Diggle the information ARGUS has on Vertigo, and asks what's wrong. Diggle says that he's frustrated that Oliver strung him along so long. Lyla points out that he saves the city ever night as Spartan, but Diggle isn't convinced. He admits that it's bothering him more than he expected, and Lyla tells him to figure out why because he owes it to himself and Oliver.
Oliver calls Hill and Armand in and says that he knows they're working with Diaz. he asks them to talk to him, and Hill says that Diaz sent her an email with surveillance photos of her family. Armand's son has cancer and he needs Diaz's money to afford the treatments. Oliver offers to protect Hill's family and finance the treatments, but Armand points out that the city is bankrupt and Oliver can only protect them as Arrow. Angry, Oliver says that if he was Arrow they wouldn't want to be in the same room as him. He fires both of them and tells them to get out. As Armand goes, he warns Oliver that Diaz has already beaten him and Oliver doesn't know it.
Quentin returns home and finds Laurel watching the news. She wants to help Quentin with his Diaz situation, and warns that Diaz won't stop at one officer. Quentin refuses to tell her where the officers are sequestered, and suggests that she help the city by getting a real job. He goes to get is daughter's old law books, and Laurel texts Diaz to say that she doesn't know where the cops are. She hides the phone as Quentin comes back and goes through the books.
Diggle is sparring in the bunker when Oliver comes in. Felicity says that Lyla gave them the name of Marshall Katz, one of Diaz's suppliers. Oliver talks to Diggle and apologizes about not giving up the hood. He says that he meant it when he asked Diggle to put on the hood, but Oliver felt whole when he put it back on. Oliver admits that he wanted to avoid having a tough conversation, and Diggle thanks him for his honesty. Felicity says that she has a location on Katz and they leave.
Katz is in his penthouse with his model girlfriend. As they kiss, two guards run in and say that Arrow is on his way up. Arrow smashes in through the window while Spartan comes through the door and takes out the guards. Katz refuses to turn on Diaz, and Spartan pistol-him and demands answers. Arrow tells him to stand down, but Spartan figures that Katz will fold. Katz agrees to talk, and the model shoots him and says her loyalty is to Diaz, not Katz. Diggle shoots her with a tranquilizer dart.
When they return to the bunker, Oliver says that Diggle picked a fight and let their target get killed. Diggle yells that Oliver knows everything and wants him to keep his mouth shut, and Felicity tells them both to calm down. Oliver asks Diggle what's going on, reminding him that he accepted his apology. Diggle complains that Oliver didn't back his play because it wasn't Oliver's play. he says that he needs some air and walks out.
Laurel discovers that the patio window is open. She turns and finds Diaz there, and warns him not to put pressure on Quentin. Diaz says that he brought her dinner, and points out that she's reading up on the law. He tells Laurel that they are the law, and figures that she's trying to make Quentin proud. Diaz warns her that it's exhausting trying to be something she's not, and says that the Laurel he's seeing doesn't need changing.
Diggle goes back to Lyla and she says that she found a security breach on her computer the day that Diggle delivered a present to her. Her husband says that the city was at stake, and Lyla tells him that he doesn't have to lie to her to save it. Diggle apologizes and says that Oliver apologized to him. However, he says that he took a piece out of Oliver over nothing. Diggle figures that there's something wrong and he won't like it when he finds out. Lyla suggests that Diggle figures that none of the things plaguing the city would have happened if he was wearing the hood.
Curtis, posing as Dinah's tech guy, goes to the safehouse and meets with Nick. Nick says that there's no difference between the crooked cops and vigilantes.
Diggle talks to Oliver privately and says that his frustration is with Oliver, not the hood. He explains that they're supposed to be helping the city rather than themselves. Diggle tells Oliver that he's stretching himself thin and the citizens are suffering. He explains that the way Oliver leads alienates everyone around him. Oliver points out that Diggle was with him, and Diggle reminds him that he was calling for restraint. He tells Oliver that if Oliver isn't doing it 100% for the city, then he's not the hero he deserves. Diggle points out that Diaz already owns the city, and Oliver says that Diggle was on drugs and hid his problems. His friend says that Oliver leaves a trail of bodies everywhere he goes, and William's mother is dead because of Oliver's bad decisions.
Oliver reminds Diggle that he killed his brother, and Diggle punches him. after a moment, Oliver punches him back and Diggle tackles him. The two men fight until Felicity comes in and tells them to stop. She reminds them that Diaz is taking over the city while they're fighting, and tells them that they're going to pull their heads out of their asses. Once Felicity leaves, Diggle says that she's right and Oliver agrees. They apologize for punching each other, and Diggle admits that everyone has been questioning Oliver's leadership. Felicity comes back and says that she's found Diaz's Vertigo operation, and they head out.
Curtis tells Dinah what Nick said, and figures that Nick will arrest him. She tells him to live in the present and not worry about the future. The proximity alarms on the safehouse doors go off, and one of the officers draws a gun on them and says that they can't defeat Diaz. he shoots Curtis, and Dinah shoots the traitor. Dinah tells Nick to stay with Curtis and heads to the doors.
At the warehouse where Diaz's people are manufacturing Vertigo, Arrow and Spartan confirm that Diaz isn't there. Arrow says that they won't make it out unless they trust each other, and Spartan tells Arrow to call it. After a moment, they attack Diaz's people.
Curtis wakes up and reveals that he's wearing his Mr. Terrific costume underneath and it absorbed the shot. Diaz's men break in and Curtis takes one of them out with a T-Sphere.
Arrow and Spartan run out of explosives to blow up the Vertigo, but realize that they can set it on fire.
Dinah and the remaining officers open fire on Diaz's men, and Curtis and Nick join them.
As Arrow fires an explosive arrow into the tank, Spartan takes out a man preparing to shoot him.
Curtis tells Dinah to make an opening on the side of the building. She runs over and creates a whole using her sonic scream, and orders her people out.
Arrow and Spartan get out, and Spartan sets off the explosive arrow. They watch as the building blows up, and Arrow thanks Spartan for having his back. They return to the bunker and Diggle apologizes about what he said earlier. However, he can't shake that what he said about Oliver's leadership is true. Diggle says that people have lost faith in Oliver's leadership. Oliver has become a better man, but with his focus split a worse leadership. If Diggle is going to be the best version of himself, he can't be with Oliver. Oliver says that he hopes Diggle finds what he's looking for and walks away. Felicity asks Diggle not to do it, and Diggle walks the other way.
At Rene's apartment, Dinah comes over to help Curtis clean up after Zoe. Curtis figures that Nick will break up with him now that he knows he's a vigilante. Nick arrives and tells them that before she quit, Hill just canned everyone who wasn't dirty. Dinah leaves and Curtis says that he understands if Nick wants to step away from what they have. Nick wonders if vigilantism is the only way to take back the city , and he does know how he feels about Curtis.
At ARGUS, Diggle tells Lyla that he knew it had to be done. She says that he had to do it his way, and Diggle tells her that he wants to keep fighting for the city but doesn't know what that looks like on his own. Lyla suggests that he do it with her at ARGUS because she needs an extra pair of hands.
At the apartment, Oliver looks out across the city. Felicity assures him that he'll always have her, and Quentin calls to tell him to turn on the TV. Armand and Hill are giving a press conference saying that Oliver is Arrow and should be impeached for firing them.
Diaz and Laurel are watching the news, and Diaz says that Armand told him the entire thing was Laurel's idea. She tells Diaz that she's not changing who she is, and Diaz gives her the last vial of Vertigo and says that he knows just how to use it as Laurel kisses him.
Written by Gadfly on Apr 6, 2018