Zandia Orphanage, Starling City: Thirty-Two Years Ago
A young Diaz lies in bed. A boy, Jesse, comes over and says that Diaz's father isn't coming back, and promises to burn Diaz's arm if he doesn't make the beds. Diaz glares at him, and Jesse invites Diaz to take a swing at him. Diaz doesn't, and Jesse burns Diaz's photo of his father and walks off.
Now
In Bludhaven, Diaz and Laurel break into a bar. Laurel picks the lock on the door and complains that they've kept them waiting, and Diaz tells her that patience is the most important virtue a person can have. He explains that if someone wants something important, they have to think long-term. Laurel joins him at the car, and Diaz says that he's been working on something for five years. A two-hour wait is small price to pay for an introduction to the Quadrant. Diaz says that the Quadrant is a criminal organization that controls the U.S., and he brought Laurel as backup.
A limo pulls up and Eric Cartier Jr. gets out. He says that his father couldn't make it, and Diaz tells him that they should get started because they have a lot to discuss.
Curtis arrives at the apartment and says that it's been a while since they've done any Helix stuff. Felicity points out that they've been busy with the fighting between their teams, and says that she wants Helix to work. Curtis sits down and checks her work,
Diaz tells Eric Jr. that Star City is open for business now that he controls the police and the government. Eric Jr. asks how much he's going to charge, and Diaz says that it's free. All he wants is a seat at the table, and Eric Jr. tells him that the Quadrant is a family and not that welcoming.to outsiders. Diaz points out that he just offered them a whole city, and suggests that he talk to Eric Sr. Eric Jr. insists that his father sent him, and says that they want to determine if Diaz is worthy by having him find Robert Baylor, one of their men that the FBI captured. Diaz readily agrees and asks to use the bathroom. Once he's alone, Diaz glares at his reflection in the mirror and then punches the glass.
Later, Diaz's contact gives him Baylor's location. Diaz takes photos to prove that Baylor is alive, and Laurel complains that the Quadrant are treating Diaz like a rookie. The crime lord says that Eric Jr. is a stepping stone, and takes photos of Baylor and his guards when they come out for a smoke break. Laurel taunts Diaz over his seemingly obedience to the Quadrant, and Diaz tells her that when he joins the Quadrant he'll have an empire.
Felicity and Curtis stabilize the implant, and Felicity says that Oliver fired him. She explains that Oliver is going solo, and Curtis realizes that she's not fine with it.
Diaz shows Eric Jr. the photos of Baylor, and Laurel points out that Baylor looked more like a guest than a prisoner. She pours herself a drink of malt whiskey and when Eric Jr. calls her "honey", she threatens to break his legs. Diaz tells Eric Jr. that he held up his end of the deal, and Eric Jr. says that his father will want to question Baylor. Diaz says that Eric Jr should have asked him to bring Baylor to him from the beginning, and warns that Eric Jr. is wasting his time. He says that he'll deliver Baylor and then talk to Eric Sr. Eric Jr. notices burn scars on Diaz's arm and asks what happened, and Diaz says that he got angry at someone.
Laurel breaks into the FBI safehouse and takes out the agents. Diaz goes in the rear, gun drawn, and kills any agents that he finds. He gets to Baylor's room, orders him out, and calls for the car. They go outside and Baylor says that he knew the Quadrant would send for him. Diaz tells him that he's lucky that he doesn't work for him. Eric Jr. arrives and his driver shoots down Baylor and Diaz. Once they leave, Diaz checks his bulletproof vest. Laurel comes out and Diaz admits that being shot wasn't part of his plan.
Eric Jr. calls his father and says that it's done. Eric Sr. says that they'll send men to Star City and make it theirs.
Diaz and Laurel drive back to the Quadrant's bar and Laurel points out that the guys trying to kill him are the same ones that he's trying to impress. He says that unlike her, he doesn't give up when he gets knocked down. Diaz says that everything he wanted, he had to take. They go inside and Diaz fires shots into the ceiling, and orders everybody out. Eric Jr. comes out and says that shooting Diaz wasn't personal. Diaz asks him if he ever had to fight for a meal, and says that he had to fight for every scrap of food as a kid. He tells Eric Jr. that there were things that he killed for survival as men come in with guns. Diaz says that he knows where they all are behind him, and Laurel turns and blasts them.
Felicity is working to improve the implant, and Curtis figures that she's working to avoid talking about Oliver. She says that Team Arrow was taking her away from her real work, and Curtis points out that she doesn't know if Oliver is okay. Felicity admits that she needs to know if Oliver is okay, just as a news alert comes in about Green Arrow fighting criminals at a warehouse in the Glades.
After Laurel takes out the Quadrant men, Diaz pours her a drink. He figures that Eric Sr. bought Eric Jr. the bar to distract him from the real business, and says that he's an orphan. He pulls up his sleeve and looks at the burn scars, and says that one boy Jesse thought he was better than Diaz. Jesse treated Diaz like a worm for years, and Diaz tells Eric Jr that he's nobody's servant. Eric Jr warns that his father will never give Diaz a seat at the table, and Diaz tortures him until he says that the ambush was his father's idea. They never brought Diaz's proposal to the Quadrant because he's a nobody. Diaz beats Eric Jr. and then tells him that if he wants to stay alive, he should say when the Quadrant is meeting. Eric Jr. says that they're meeting that night and warns that they won't let Diaz in, and Diaz tells him that he doesn't plan on knocking.
As Diaz and Laurel drive to the Quadrant meeting, Diaz says that he's manning up. Laurel warns that they don't know what firepower the Quadrant has, and warns that Diaz is overestimating his powers of persuasion. Diaz tells her to trust him, but she wants to know why it's so important that he join the Quadrant. He says that it's about respect, and admits that Jesse still haunts him. Laurel reminds Diaz that he's a king and tells him to forget about Jesse, but Diaz says that he can't. He named his fear of Jesse "the Dragon", and for a long time it was all that he had. When he joins the Quadrant, he'll have the type of power where he'll never be nothing again. Laurel says that the person who brought her there lost control of his hatred, and Diaz insists that he controls the Dragon.
Diaz and Laurel pull up to the club where the Quadrant is meeting. Laurel warns that the quadrant will see them coming, but Diaz shoves Eric Jr. into the building. He has a bomb attached to his chest, and it goes off, killing everyone nearby Diaz and Laurel go in, and the survivors prepare to shoot them Laurel blasts them and Diaz moves in, killing the ones who remain. He then goes into the meeting room and Eric Sr. tells him that Diaz killed his son. He says that he's going to send Diaz to a hospital he owns and they'll keep him alive as other men carve pieces out of him. Diaz says that Eric Sr. could try, but if he does then it will cost him millions.
Eric Sr. tells his men to take Diaz, but another member Xxx tells them to wait. She tells Diaz to explain, and he holsters his gun and says that it wasn't supposed to be that way. Diaz says that Eric Jr. was supposed to arrange a meeting without bloodshed, but Eric Sr. went other way. He tells the Quadrant members that he is using controlled chaos in Star City. He controls everything and it can all be theirs. In exchange they have to give him a seat at the table. Xxx points out that there isn't an empty chair, and Eric Sr. says that he would sit beside the man who killed his son. Diaz tells them that Eric Jr. kept pushing, and Eric Sr. dismisses Diaz as a street thug and a loser. After a moment, Diaz, shoots him dead and says that they have an empty seat. Xxx points out that they're disciplined and precise, but they want to hear more of Diaz's proposal. Diaz sits down at the table, chuckles, and says that it's time to get started.
Later, Diaz looks at his ring of membership Laurel points out that he still seems on edge, and Diaz tells her that it's not over yet. He goes to a house in the bar part of Star City, braces himself, and knocks at the door. The man inside--an adult Jesse—answers the door.
Felicity goes to the apartment and brings up a tablet to scan the area. The news is reporting that an explosion consumed a city block and there's no sign of Arrow. Oliver comes in and Felicity hugs him in relief. He assures her that he's fine, and Felicity says that in the bunker she can make a difference but she's helpless outside of it. Oliver tells her that she's not helpless and neither is he, and he promised that he would always come back. Felicity points out that he can't make that promise, and Oliver promises her that he will always come back. Sobbing, she kisses him.
Laurel is on a rooftop waiting when Diaz brings Jesse there. He explains that Jesse is the last thing he needed to take care of. Jesse begs for his life and wonders how Diaz knows him. Angry, Diaz says that he's known him his whole life. He introduces Jesse to Laurel, and Jesse finally remembers who Diaz is. Diaz says that he thought he made a bigger impression and forces Jesse to his knees, and then pours lighter fluid on Jesse and says that he's getting payback. He then shows Jesse the photo of his father and says that he reached into the burning wastebasket and took the photo out. Diaz lights a cigarette lighter and says that he promised himself that when the time was right, he'd get his payback when he wasn't a loser. He sets Jesse on fire, tosses the photo into the flames, and walks away.
Written by Gadfly on Apr 20, 2018