At the station, two cops are discussing working for Dragon when the lights flicker. Arrow takes out one of them, grabs the others, and demands to know where Diaz is. The cop says that Diaz is inside predicted by a hundred cops, and Arrow knocks him out. The hero fights his way through the station, taking on all of the crooked cops. He finally comes to the door where Diaz is, and on the other side Diaz waits with a dozen armed cops.
Ten Hours Earlier
At the bunker, Felicity and Oliver listen to the news report about Oliver firing Armand and Hill. Oliver tells Felicity that they need solid proof that they are working for Diaz. Felicity says that she been monitoring the station's surveillance feed. Each night the cameras go off-line for 45 minutes, and Felicity figures that Diaz is monitoring his minions. Oliver figures that he needs to go in on his own and take Diaz out, but Felicity warns that he can't go there alone because he won't come out. She suggests that Diggle changed his mind, just as Diggle comes in. Diggle says that Felicity called her in to adjust his chip and said that Oliver would be at city hall. Felicity says that they can talk about what happened, and warns that they have bigger issues then their issues. Diggle explains that he's been offered a job by ARGUS, and Oliver points out that the last time Diggle needed something from there, he had to steal it. He isn't interested in listening to Diggle and walks off, and Diggle tells Felicity that she knows better than anyone what Oliver is like.
A councilman, Kullens, tells Oliver and Quentin that he can't fire people who were investigating him. Kullens says that Diaz is a minor criminal and it's ludicrous to think that he turned the DA and the chief of police. He warns that the impeachment proceedings are that afternoon, and Oliver says that he'll have evidence to prove his accusations. Once Kullens leaves, Oliver tells Quentin that Diggle quit and thinks that Oliver is to blame for the team falling apart. Quentin says that Oliver is now the mayor and the family member, and tells Oliver to stay the course. Oliver goes to check on Felicity and to take William to his science fair.
At the apartment, Felicity is helping William prepare for his science project. Raisa takes the equipment out to the car, and Oliver arrives and asks to talk to Felicity for a moment. Felicity tells him that she has proof showing that Diaz threatened Hills' family and paid off Armand. However, she warns that it would connect him to Arrow, and Oliver tells her to focus on her job instead of trying to get him and Diggle to reconcile. As they argue, William says that they're going to be late and Oliver snaps at him. Oliver tries to apologize, but William storms off and Felicity tells Oliver to get out.
At the bunker, Oliver is reviewing the station surveillance and hears a tapping noise. He turns and finds Felicity there, and she says that William won't come out of his room. Oliver says that everything is piling up, and Felicity says that they should take some space. She explains that Oliver crossed a line snapping at William, and the man Oliver acted like is not the man she married.
Oliver is sitting in the bunker and hears the tapping noise. Quentin comes in response to Oliver's call, and Oliver explains that Felicity found proof that Hill and Armand but it will tie him to Arrow. He says that Felicity wants a separation, and says that it feels par for the course. Oliver wonders why Quentin hasn't quit, and asks why everyone keeps leaving him. Quentin tells him that when he changes, he becomes a different person and some people don' take it well. Oliver wonders if he has changed, and Quentin says that the other people are putting their issues on Oliver. He advises Oliver to focus on what is in front of him, and says that he's going to try to convince Samanda to help them with Diaz rather than Oliver. Oliver says that he'll be at the council meeting and Quentin leaves.
The tapping sounds again, and Oliver picks up a gun and goes to investigate. it's Adrian, who says that Oliver never did go back for his body. He shoots Oliver in the shoulder and keeps firing as Oliver takes cover. Oliver grabs a tray and uses it as a shield, and attacks Adrian. They both grab swords and Oliver manages to get Adrian in a chokehold. Adrian tells him to kill him, and this time he'll kill anyone close to Oliver unless Oliver stops him for good. After a moment Oliver breaks Adrian's arm and walks away. The tapping starts again and when Oliver turns back, Adrian is gone and Oliver's wound is gone. Adrian appears and says that Oliver might have to consider that he's not killable. Oliver figures that Adrian is dead and he's hallucinating.
Oliver runs a blood test on himself, and Adrian says that he knew Oliver would kill him. He says that Oliver is going crazy because he's lost everything, and expresses his admiration for Diaz's plan. Adrian says that everything is happening just like he said it would, and the blood test won't change that. Oliver discovers that he's been dosed with Vertigo, and realizes that Kullens dosed him with it when they shook hands earlier. When he goes to talk to Quentin, Adrian says that he might have Oliver committed. Adrian says that deep down, Oliver knows that Diggle is right. He tells Oliver that he's stretched too thin, and points out that Vertigo shows people their worst fear. Oliver's worst fear is himself because he's the one enemy he can't defeat.
Oliver leaves the bunker and gets a call from Quentin. Quentin asks where he is, and Oliver explains that he's been dosed with Vertigo. As Oliver leaves the elevator, he finds himself in his family home. Laurel is there and he stares at the hallucination in surprise. Adrian appears and warns Olive that if he tells her the truth then she'll think that he's crazy. Oliver says that he needs to leave, and Laurel tells him that she ran into Sara and Oliver was going to the Gambit. Things change and Oliver finds himself in Laurel's hospital room. Adrian points out that Laurel is a lawyer, not a vigilante, and asks Oliver why he let Laurel become Black Canary. Oliver admits that it was his mistake, but he knew Laurel would do it with or without him. Wild Dog appears in the hospital bed, and Oliver insists that he gave him an out. Mr. Terrific and Black Canary appear, and ask Oliver why he never came to see Rene. Oliver snaps at them that they didn't want him there, and Oliver says that it's not real and walks out... into the apartment. Raisa is clutching at a fatal wound. She says that Diaz came there looking for Oliver and she tried to stop him, and she died. Diaz steps out and stabs Oliver in the stomach, and says that it feels right. He figures that Oliver is more dangerous as a martyr than as Arrow, but first he's going to break Oliver.
Oliver wakes up on the floor of the bunker, unwounded. he calls Quentin and says that he needs the hearing delayed. when he hangs up, Arrow appears and says that Oliver failed the city. The hallucinatory Arrow says that there was never supposed to be partners and teammates, and Oliver knows what he has to do to get back on the missions.
Oliver arrives late at the meeting, and asks for a minute. Quentin tells him privately that Samanda won't help them, and asks if Oliver wants to reveal the proof. Oliver says that it's their only card, and turns to see Adrian sitting at the meeting. Ignoring the hallucination, Oliver tells the council what is on the flash drive connecting Hill and Armand to Diaz. He says that Arrow gave it to him, and Kullens says that Oliver is Arrow. He points out the convenience of Oliver being Arrow's close friend, and Quentin interrupts to say something important has come out. Quentin talks to Oliver privately and says that he called for a private meeting to buy them time. He says that he'll claim Oliver had a family emergency, and tells Oliver to go back to the bunker to get himself cleaned up. Once Quentin leaves, Adrian says that Oliver doesn't have a great track record for hiring DAs. Oliver tells him that eventually Adrian will disappear when the Vertigo is out of the system, and Adrian says that he's Oliver and the only way for Oliver to prove he's a hero is to take down Diaz. When Oliver points out that it's a suicide mission, Adrian says that's what a hero does and asks if Oliver will be there to meet Diaz.
Felicity and William return to the apartment, and Felicity gets an alert on her computer that Oliver's GPS is on the move. She calls Quentin, who tells her that Oliver was dosed with Vertigo. Felicity confirms that Oliver is going to the station house and it's a suicide mission, and Quentin says that he'll try and stop him.
Quentin finds Oliver outside the station, wearing his old Hood outfit. When Quentin tries to get through to him, Oliver knocks him unconscious and goes inside.
Felicity runs to the station and finds Quentin. She tells him to leave while she saves her husband, and goes inside. The unconscious officers are laying in the hallway, and Felicity determines that Oliver is going into an ambush. She finds Oliver and tells that there's a bunch of armed cops waiting for him. Oliver figures that she's a hallucination, but Felicity insists that she's real and the "Felicity" that left him was a hallucination. She says that she's not going anywhere, and begs Oliver not to go through the door.
Diaz wonders where Oliver is.
Adrian appears to Oliver and tells him not to listen to Felicity. Oliver says that he doesn't know how to tell if Felicity is real, and she tells him to listen to his heart. After a moment, Oliver takes her hand and leads Felicity out.
Diaz tells the cops to go after Oliver. Meanwhile, Oliver fires a zip line and escapes with Felicity as the cops open fire and miss.
Later at the bunker, Felicity gives Oliver a vitamin drink to help him get over the Vertigo. Quentin is there and tells Felicity that what she did was gutsy, and Felicity assures them that the cameras were shut down. Quentin steps aside to take a call, and Olive says that the Vertigo gave him clarity. He admits that he's spread himself thin, and he will keep being the mayor. Oliver figures that he needs to bring the mission back to where it started, with him alone. Quentin comes back and has them turn on the news. the announcer says that Oliver has been impeached. Kullens gives a statement that Oliver firing Hill and Armand sealed his fate. When Quentin offers to call Loring, Oliver tells him not waste his political capital because he's the mayor now.
Oliver and Felicity go back to the apartment, and Oliver says that he isn't firing anyone. He's going to fight alone, and in order to stop Diaz he needs to have a single-minded focus. Felicity warns that it isn't the best possible solution, and Oliver says that they'll talk more about it after he chats with William. Oliver goes into William's room and apologizes for what happened earlier. He explains that someone working for Diaz drugged him, and he thinks that he found a way to stop Diaz. Oliver asks if he'll lose William or Felicity, and William assures him that he won't.
The Earth 2 Laurel goes to the police station and asks Diaz how he is. Diaz says that Oliver is spiraling, and he'd rather not kill Oliver and make him a martyr. He plans to dismantle him piece by piece, and Laurel says that now they spread the world that with Queen out, Star City is open for business.
Written by Gadfly on Apr 13, 2018