The Past
At Palmer Technologies, Ray activates the first miniaturization test of his suit... and it explodes. Ray is blasted clear.
Now
Alex reviews Oliver's election plans with Oliver and Thea. Thea has a party planned and Alex says that the last item to discuss is the budget. Oliver admits that she's been busy at Palmer Tech for the last few days. Once he leaves, Alex suggests that the two of them go to the party site, Gerard's, to see if it's appropriate. Thea wonders if he's inviting her on a date, and says that it would complicate things when her life is already complicated. Alex tells her to forget it, but Thea says that it was nice.
At Curtis' lab, Felicity plays back Ray's message again and again. Curtis comes in and a frustrated Felicity complains that Ray sent the message through a complicated Internet route. Her underling tells her to take a break, just Oliver comes in. Felicity introduces him to Curtis, and Curtis stares at Oliver for a moment but then dismisses him as Green Arrow. Once Curtis leaves, Oliver reminds Felicity about the finance meeting. She plays Ray's message and insists that he's alive, and says that she has to find him.
Five Years Ago
Oliver takes Conklin and Reiter to the island ruins and admits that he didn't know it was there. Reiter congratulates Oliver, who stops him and warns that Constantine said there was some kind of magical barrier. The mercenary holds a glowing orb up to the wall and runes glow blue. Reiter explains that it's a message from the ancients that leads to a special gift, and realizes that it's talking about a heart of water. He asks Oliver if there's a cove on the island surrounded by mountains. Oliver confirms that there is and Reiter tells him to take a dozen laborers there and work them until they find Reiter's "gift." Conklin talks to Reiter privately and warns that Oliver is a mole. Reiter tells Conklin to accompany Oliver to the cove and walks away.
Now
At Laurel's apartment, Sara calls her mother and assures her that she's okay. Once she's done, Sara tells Laurel and Quentin that she can't remember parts of her childhood.
Oliver takes Felicity back to their apartment and insists that she have a shower and a nap. She doesn't want to hear it, and Oliver asks if there's anything he can do help. Felicity relents and asks for his support and a backrub, and he gets her heading to the shower. An alert goes off when the back trace program finishes compiling, and Felicity gets onto her computer. It activates on its own and a live video of Ray comes up. He says that he doesn't know where he is and his captors want his suit. Ray says that he has it but he can't use it to escape. He admits that it worked a little too well... and looks around the glass case that he's being held in, in a miniaturized 6" high state.
Oliver and Felicity go to the lair and Felicity plays back the recorded message. They show it to Laurel, and Felicity explains that Ray modified the suit with his nanites. Whoever took him interrupted his message, and they want the suit. In the video, Ray says that there is a machine at Palmer Tech that can resize him. Felicity heads out and Oliver insists on coming with her. She points out that there's nothing he can do to help and abruptly walks out.
Five Years Later
Oliver and Conklin take the laborers to the cove and Conklin wars that it isn't over between them. When Oliver says that two of them have to start diving, one man, Vlad, says that they need rest. Oliver gives them fifteen minutes to eat, and tells Conklin to keep on them while he eats in peace. Conklin goes over to Vlad and asks if he'd like his life to get a little better.
Now
Felicity tells Curtis what has happened and finds the schematics for the reversal machine. Curtis assures her that he can build it, but one component is missing. It's a quantum manifold, and the only place they can get it is from Kord Industries... Palmer Tech's biggest competitor. Felicity's mother Donna comes in and explains that Oliver suggests that a visit from her was exactly what Felicity needs. Curtis introduces himself and Donna wants to go shopping. Felicity offers to get her a car back to her apartment to rest, but Donna refuses. As Felicity takes Donna out, she tells Curtis to start building the machine and she'll get the manifold.
Later, Green Arrow prepares to break in to Kord Industries. He's on the radio to Felicity, who is less than thrilled to discover he's been texting with his mother. John, Black Canary, Sara, and Speedy interrupt to say that they've been listening in as well. Sara assures her sister that she'll be okay. Felicity hacks the security panel but says that Green Arrow will have to go in and bypass the pressure-sensitive panels. He has 90 seconds to get in and get the manifold before the alarm goes off. Green Arrow swings in and punches in the code, and opens the door for the others. The security cameras come back online early and Green Arrow shoots them out, but Felicity warns that the company has also upgraded its response time.
Sara and Speedy find the manifold as the alarm goes off. Guards run in and open fire, and the two women take them out. Sara beats her men and keeps beating him until Black Canary stops her. Once they're clear, Ray contacts Felicity and she assures him that they have the manifold. Damien comes in and looks into Ray's case, and the transmission goes dead.
Everyone returns to the lair and Diggle explains that Sara went berserk. Felicity confirms that Damien is holding Ray prisoner because they can have Quentin get Ray's location. Felicity wants to do something and Oliver suggests that he make dinner for Donna. When he does, Felicity realizes that he already made dinner plans with her mother. Oliver promises that there's nothing they can do until Curtis and Quentin do their jobs, and tells her to be at dinner at 7.
Five Years Ago
Oliver goes back to the female laborer and hands her some food. She admits that she didn't think he would come back, and Oliver asks her if she's noticed Reiter doing anything magical. The woman says that Reiter claimed he cured the souls of some of the prisoners, and Oliver figures that the drugs are a front for what Reiter is really there for. He says that he'll be back when he can but has to avoid raising Conklin's suspicions.
Now
Damien admits that his engineers have had no luck restoring Ray to his normal size. In return for his cooperation, Damien will spare Felicity's life. He plays back Ray's message to Felicity, and figures that it's destiny that they intercepted the transmission.
At the apartment, Oliver arrives late and discovers that Donna messed up the meal. Felicity asks how things went with Quentin, claiming that he's his doctor, and Oliver admits that he is just trying to figure out what he did wrong. Donna quickly excuses herself and Oliver tells Felicity that he doesn't understand why she's shutting him out. Felicity blames herself for what happened to Ray, and she wasn't there to receive his messages because she as traveling with Oliver. She says that she lost herself in Oliver and it's not who she is, and Oliver realizes that it's about them. He offers her some space to figure it out and leaves.
Oliver goes to the lair and tries to bring up the city cameras. Diggle wonders why he's there and produces a bottle of whiskey. They share a drink and Oliver describes Felicity's problems. He wonders why Felicity chose him rather than Ray, and Diggle says that looks good on paper doesn't work in real life. Diggle assures his friend that Felicity will get Ray back and says that sometimes a little bit of space is all that's necessary. Quentin texts Diggle to say that he's meeting with Damien in 20 minutes, and Oliver thanks him for his advice.
Five Years Earlier
Vlad tackles Oliver as he comes back to the cove. The Ukranian tries to drown him in the water.
Now
Damien meets with Quentin on the street and says that soon everyone in this city will realize that he's found a way to make Star City useful. Quentin says that Sara is back but she's a little off, and offers Damien help in return for his helping Quentin with Sara. Damien says that he'll consider it, but warns that it's the last time that Quentin summons him. Once Damien leaves in his limo, Diggle follows him.
Felicity is in her room when Donna comes in with hot milk. She says that when Felicity was 10 and wanted to go to space camp, she couldn't afford it. She didn't explain it because she was embarrassed, and says that Oliver isn't like her ex-husband. Donna assures Felicity that Oliver loves her, and Felicity worries that it's too easy to lose herself in him. Her mother says that's what happens when two people fall in love with each other, and Oliver feels the same. Donna assures her daughter that they'll find themselves in each other, and tells Felicity not to ruin something that she'll never find again. Oliver texts Felicity and she heads out.
At the lair, Diggle tells the team that Damien went to the Latin Building, the most secure building on the West Coast. Oliver says that Curtis will have to assemble the resizing device in the field. If they resize Ray then they'll have one more team member. Sara offers to help and says that she needs to know she can control her bloodlust. Oliver nods and Laurel tells her sister to suit up.
Later, Green Arrow sneaks onto the roof of the Latin Building. One guard knocks him out and takes him inside. When the hero wakes up, he finds himself chained up. Damien comes over with his arrows and admires the craftsmanship, and dismisses the guard. The guard goes to the elevator and removes his mask... revealing that it's Diggle. Black Canary, Speedy, and Sara are in position. Felicity is across the street on a rooftop with Curtis, and Diggle disengages the security systems. On Diggle's mark, Felicity and Curtis swing down and break into the office where as masked Diggle is waiting.
The three female heroes break in and take on the guards. Sara shoots one man down and Speedy takes out another, and they move in.
Damien prepares to remove Green Arrow's mask, and Green Arrow kicks him back. He frees himself, grabs his arrows, and shoots at Damien. Damien easily deflects it with his magic and then animates the chains to wrap around the hero's throat.
Black Canary, Speedy, and Sara take on the guards in hand-to-hand. Meanwhile, Diggle leads Felicity and Curtis to the room where Ray is being held. He has donned his suit, and warns that the quantum field won't penetrate the case's polymer material.
Damien says that he will breathe new life into his world. Green Arrow tosses a flash-bang at him and escapes when the dark sorcerer is distracted.
Ray says that the mini-cams in the room are drawing power, and has siphoned off enough electricity to power his suit. Curtis assembles the resizing device and fires it, and ray grows to full size. They warn the women, and Sara tackles one man and starts to break his neck. Black Canary runs over but Sara kills the man before she can stop him. Her sister says that it's time to go.
Green Arrow joins Felicity and the others and says that they have to move. Felicity reports that the medical report shows that there were no side-effects to the micro sizing. Oliver explains about Damien and HIVE, and Ray warns that Damien knows Felicity is tied to them. When Felicity offers to take Ray back to his company, Ray says that it's still her company until he officially comes back from the dead.
Five Years Later
Oliver breaks free of Vlad's grip and breaks his neck. He wades to shore and Conklin demands an explanation.
Now
Sara tells Laurel and Thea she couldn't stop herself, and she felt better after she killed the man. She figures that she needs to handle it a different way than Thea is, and tells Laurel that she has to start over on her own. Thea and Laurel insist that she doesn't have to leave, but Sara says that it's been a long time since she's had a normal life. She's going to visit a few places to figure things out, and Laurel tells her to do what makes her happy.
At the apartment, Oliver is reading in bed when Felicity comes in. Felicity says that they should clear the air and thanks him for being understanding while she was freaking out. He admits that having a relationship is new to him, and Felicity says that they'll be fine. When he wonders why, Felicity repeats Donna's words about finding themselves in each other. The two of them kiss.
At a restaurant, Donna finds herself sitting next to Quentin. She figures that he's lonely and explains that her daughter kicked her out so that she could make up with her boyfriend. Quentin talks about how one of his daughters is leaving town shortly after returning, and they introduce themselves.
At Oliver's campaign office, Alex comes in and Thea says that she's stressed out. She suggests that they have a drink later at Gerard's, and Alex quickly agrees.
A HIVE technician informs Damien that they recovered some residue from Ray's dwarf star allow and created a power source. Damien opens his box to reveal a printed set of schematics, and tells the technician to test the power source out on it.
Written by Gadfly on Nov 12, 2015