Secret Weapon

Chapter 10:

Informant

Author's note: Here we are, back after a rather long break.

XxXxXxX

Aircraft to a remote ARGUS location.

Malcolm managed to get a little sleep, but it was an uneasy slumber. After he woke up, he just sat there staring into the distance, considering his prospects. Despite Oliver and Lyla's assurances, he couldn't be sure about what ARGUS had in store for him. Were they really going to treat the infamous Dark Archer humanely? Or would they throw him into a dungeon, submit him to gruelling interrogations until he was completely broken?

Was it even of any importance? Malcolm sighed. What exactly did he have going for him in this life?

Being stranded on the wasteland that was now Lian Yu as a form of the Universe's twisted punishment for what he had done to Oliver? Staring at the wall in his dingy Star City apartment with no purpose whatsoever, contemplating and reliving each of his multiple failures and losses, forever a hunted man, universally hated by practically everyone in the world, including his own daughter?

Malcolm had severed ties with most of his associates at one point or another after he helped Oliver defeat Damien Dahrk. He was too busy drinking himself into a stupor to keep his plans going. Too busy feeling depressed and hurt by Oliver's rejecton, by the fact his every effort eventually ended in defeat. Well, it was true, wasn't it? The Undertaking, forging a relationship with Thea, becoming Resh, trying to get Oliver to forgive him, trying to build something out of the nothingness that Rebecca's murder had left him with.

Years, decades had gone by, and the same scenario repeated itself, only in different variations. Just as he was about to achieve his goal, or right after he had achieved it, everything came crashing down. So eventually, he became paranoid, and, somewhat subconsciously, distanced himself from many of the people he'd cared about the most.

Such was the case with Emily Carson and her associates, mercenaries for hire. They'd become his employees and friends shortly before the Undertaking, and she'd become his chance at actually having a lovelife again. But he had pushed her away, kept the four of them at arm's length. He kept everything at arm's length. Love, friendship… Perhaps he'd subconsciously been protecting them?

Malcolm was surprised by the chaotic, conflicted thoughts in his mind. He knew many of those he pushed away were still loyal to him. Emily, Sabrina, Kevin, Tigressa. All he had to do was just pick up a burner phone and call. And yet, he did not. Instead, he had packed a bag for Lian Yu. Now, only recently, he'd packed a bag for an ARGUS base, where who-knows-what awaited him.

Malcolm leaned back in his seat and sighed again. Why was he even doing this, why was he still trying? Why didn't he just… give up? Well, he couldn't. It wasn't in his nature. He had to keep on trying, keep on fighting, whatever the odds.

He turned and looked at Oliver, the boy's features so relaxed in his sleep. It reminded Malcolm of the time when Oliver was just a child, before the ravages of life had put him through so much pain. Of the times he had played babysitter when Robert and Moira wanted a night to themselves.

Wonderful days, which, considering all they'd been through, seemed kind of unreal.

He felt a shift in the aircraft's altitude, so he nudged the boy awake gently.

"Um, is there something wrong?" Oliver mumbled.

"No, I think we're about to land," Malcolm said softly, shaking away his reverie.

Oliver straightened himself in his seat.

The plane touched the tarmac soon afterwards. Malcolm grabbed his bag and exited with Oliver. A group of armed agents stood facing the vehicle. Lyla approached them and nodded. The men relaxed their stance. Lyla turned towards Malcolm.

"We'll take you to the main building now," she said.

Malcolm was allowed to leave his bag in private quarters, then he was escorted by two guards to a rather comfortable interrogation room, as far as such places go, anyway.

Lyla rejoined him soon and sat across the table from him, not saying a word.

In a situation such as this, Malcolm's typical strategy would be to wait for the other party to speak, but recent events hadn't exactly been conducive to him adhering to his usual rules, so he broke the silence first. "I'm surprised I'm not in chains, given the fact of me being a mass murderer and and assassin."

Lyla regarded him calmly. "Well, let's say I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. Oliver has vouched for you, so has Agent Gibbs. You yourself have agreed to cooperate."

"And I stand by my word, Agent Diggl-"

"It's alright, you can call me Lyla, Malcolm."

The Dark Archer nodded.

Lyla continued. "My husband and I have thought of Oliver as family for years. And despite your... rocky history with Oliver, on some levels, he does think of you as family. He told me you've expressed the same sentiment. So, are you really willing to do whatever it takes to help your family, Malcolm?"

The Dark Archer met her gaze levelly. "I am. And I think I know where this question leads."

"Do tell." Lyla quirked an eyebrow.

"The conditions Oliver negotiated with you before he agreed to bring me in; that I wouldn't be put too much in in harm's way during the interrogation."

"Yes, and you won't, but it involves a lot of pain all the same." Lyla sighed. "The levels of which Oliver would not agree to for you."

"Well, if I may be frank, Lyla, I realize Cayden James is a major threat, perhaps the worst the world has had to face yet. If accessing my memory gives you a way to defeat him and his potential allies, I am willing to endure the suffering it entails." Malcolm paused and when he continued, his voice was quieter, with an undercurrent of not just steel, but titanium. "I don't want you to hold back in any way when questioning me."

Lyla's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, are you telling me to-"

"Do whatever it takes to get the information you need out of me," Malcolm finished her sentence.

Lyla looked away for a second, confused, then looked at him again. "Listen, um, I know you have your sources and you must have heard of the way ARGUS operated under Amanda Waller's leadership, but I'm not her. I don't condone her abuse of the 'end justifies the means' philosophy."

"I know that, and I did not mean to offend you," Malcolm replied. "But we are facing an impossible situation here. I'm not saying it will come to this, but if it does, if you are faced with a choice between my well-being and ending James' terror, make the right one. And make sure Oliver does not find out. It should be our secret."

Lyla ran her hand through her hair in frustration. "Fine," she sighed. "But. I insist on keeping it as humane as possible and will do my damnest to avoid causing you any permanent damage. You don't get to argue with me on this. Just know that if push comes to shove, I will do what's necessary."

"That's all I ask," Malcolm said.

"Alright. Now, my agents will escort you to your room to let you get settled. Oliver's waiting for you there. I need to readjust my strategy a little in view of our conversation, so I will be there in a few hours to collect you for our first session."

Malcolm nodded and exited her office.

Lyla leaned back in her chair with a tired sigh. Thoughts were racing each other in her head. She struggled to wrap her mind around what the Dark Archer had said. It was the first time she had a one-on-one conversation with the man she'd heard so much about from both John and Oliver, but, as always, she was determined to form her own opinions, based on her own observations.

What she had observed today and earlier on had really shocked her. Malcolm Merlyn, willing to give up his life to save his daughter, who had rejected him as a father, stepping on a mine to make sure she and everyone else got to live. And now, Malcolm Merlyn willing to sacrifice his very sanity to help save the world full of people who, if they knew he was alive, would kill him on the spot. Save the world which had condemned him forever. There was nothing in it for him.

Lyla knew how to read liars and she knew he had not lied to her. In her line of work, she had encountered a lot of monsters. Malcolm Merlyn was called just that by many people, but Lyla found that, despite his former actions, he did not fulfill the criteria for her definition of a monster.

She pressed a button on her phone to summon some of her agents and prepare a different interrogation strategy for the Dark Archer.

XxXxXxX

Malcolm was escorted to his quarters by two guards, who stationed themselves outside the room.

Oliver was already inside, just like Lyla had said.

"How was it?" Oliver asked when they were alone.

"Quite alright, Lyla is a professional and has explained what they need of me." Then Malcolm had to make up a white lie. "Don't worry, she doesn't intend to harm me."

"Still, it will hurt you."

"Well, mostly remembering what I've done wrong, but I am bound to remember it at some point anyway. So, I think it is best I do it when there is competent medical staff around to help me, instead of being caught unawares somewhere by myself."

"Yes, I guess it makes sense." Oliver nodded, but it was obvious from his expression he wasn't fully convinced.

Malcolm asked Oliver to pour him a glass of water as he unpacked his bag, more as a strategy to prevent the boy from asking any more questions than any feeling of thirst.

Soon, Lyla arrived for the Dark Archer. "Stay here, Ollie, okay? Call Felicity, update her on everything. We are just going to get Malcolm started on his sessions."

"Alright."

Lyla led Malcolm to a medical room, escorted by a few guards. He glanced at the equipment there with some trepidation, but managed not to let it show too much.

There were several more guards inside.

Lyla invited him to sit opposite her at a desk, switched on her laptop, then made a gesture to dismiss the guards.

She went up to the coffee machine. "How do you take yours, Malcolm?"

"Black."

She brought the mugs to the table. "I thought we should start with what you already remember. I will make notes, to catch any gaps, which we will address later." She also poured him some water. "So you don't get over-caffeinated."

He smiled as she sat down, then he took a sip of his water. The coffee was still too hot.

"I think it's best we start with how I first met Adrian Chase," Malcolm said and Lyla nodded, pushed the audio recorder closer to him, and began clicking away on her laptop.

Malcolm was surprised at how many of his memories returned. Perhaps it was a combination of the caffeine with being hydrated, after months of just scraping by on the island.

His breath hitched from time to time when he recalled the more monstrous things he did for Chase, the way he knew it had hurt Oliver. Lyla sensed these moments, let him pace himself. It was more like a therapy session than an interrogation. Up to a certain point.

Suddenly, Malcolm was hit by an avalanche of memories that didn't make any sense. They were like different versions of the same situation he thought to be true and all of them referred to the moments he had felt like he'd managed to overcome Chase's drugs and sabotage him. But what he saw now was quite the opposite. He saw himself perfoming each sick and twisted wish Chase and James had communicated to him, standing around like a mute robot when they laughed together at his illusion of free will, endless sessions to implant false memories in his head. He saw himself blindly following their orders, killing people with his bare hands. And all the while thinking he was doing something else.

"Oh, no," he whispered hoarsely.

"What is it?" Lyla asked with concern, seeing his distress.

He looked at her with panic in his gaze. His hands were trembling, so he balled them into fists, struggling to regain at least some of his composure. "Lyla, I don't think much of what i said to you just now is actually true, I..."

"What?"

Breathing became difficult for Malcolm. "False...m-memories, I think...Ah!" He started coughing and his head exploded with pain.

Lyla went up to him and led him to a bed.

"Malcolm, are you saying they implanted false memories in you?"

"I think so, yes," he panted. "Do you have something to counteract it? I- I don't know what they did, and what I'm remembering is so... jumbled. It's not anything the League ever used."

"Well I wanted our first session to be drug-free; I didn't dose you with anything," Lyla said, starting to panic herself. "Um, we have memory enhancing enzyme liquids we can inject you with, but we don't know what the substance you've been dosed with is, so it might be dangerous."

"I don't care, I just want it out of me, I want to know!" Malcolm gasped as he writhed on the bed.

Lyla stood up. "We'll make it right." She squeezed his arm reassuringly, trying to damp down her own panic. She pressed a button to summon some medical staff. "Uh, okay, I think the best thing to do is to perform some tests to see if any residue of what they dosed you with still remains. Drugs of such potency tend to penetrate not just blood but can stay in a number of tissues. Then we can give you a mild memory-enhancing potion, so you can make sense of this chaos."

Malcolm nodded. The nurses came in, took the samples they needed. Then, after they came up with the results, Lyla herself injected Malcolm with the memory-enhancing drug, combined with a mild sedative. She turned her voice recorder back on as Malcolm started to speak. It was a road through hell, but he did remember. Hours and hours went by.

Lyla hit pause on her recorder, noticing it was taking a huge toll on the Dark Archer. She injected him with a very mild calming potion, which also allowed him to function.

"We're done for now, Malcolm," she said. "We will analyse the information you gave me, and do our best to identify the drug Chase and James dosed you with. Now, just rest up and I will inform you of what I've learned as soon as I know."

Malcolm nodded and let the guards escort him to his room.

XxXxXxX

Malcolm entered the room, only to bump into Oliver who was waiting for him right by the door.

"How did it go?" he asked anxiously. "You look like hell, so forget about lying to me and saying it was peachy."

Malcolm was very much not in the mood for reliving this nightmare, so he went for truth combined with some white lies.

"Well, it was never going to be peachy. I remembered some things, but it was difficult. Oliver... Chase and James used some sort of drug on me which altered my memories. The real ones are coming in, probably because I'm no longer exposed to their drugs. Lyla is helping me, so do not go ballistic on her, it is all happening because of Chase. They took some blood samples, so it is going in a good direction."

"You are not well, Malcolm," Oliver said, in a worried tone.

"No I am not, but until we know what kind of drug Chase has pumped me with, we cannot proceed further."

"The interview with Lyla? How did it go?" Oliver asked.

"Surprisingly well, actually," Malcolm told another white lie. "For an ARGUS director, having to deal with the Dark Archer, whom her husband hates, she was very polite."

Oliver laughed. "You have a way with people, Malcolm. She does, also." Oliver led the Dark Archer to the kitchen table. "While you were being grilled by Lyla, I managed to score us a gourmet meal, combined with the best liquor, courtesy of ARGUS."

Malcolm was not much in the mood for gourmet meals after the memories the session had brought back, but the enticing smells of the food and Oliver's warm smile made him reconsider.

"I have other good news," the boy said. "Team Arrow and the New Team Arrow are all patrolling the city, so I'm free to stay here tonight. How about a little pyjama party?" Oliver asked with this puppy-like enthusiasm of his. Malcolm was beyond moved by the fact that given all the boy had been through, he'd retained this innocent, youthful optimism.

"Sure," Malcolm said and sat down to by far one of the best meals he'd ever had in his life. Then his mood turned into trickster mode. He had been through a traumatizing experience and decided he deserved some acting-out time. And who better to accompany him than Oliver Queen? "Oliver," he said in his most serious tone. "We have a problem."

"What is it?"

"It's really serious, I'm not even sure I should tell you." Malcolm went towards his luggage, started digging through his bag.

"Malcolm, what the heck?" Oliver asked, confused.

"Well, um, I'm ashamed to say this, but given the rush I was in when I was packing..." the Dark Archer suspended his voice in pretend-desperation.

"What did you forget to pack?" Oliver asked. "An extra set of arrows, some weapons?"

Oliver took a stressful gulp of his drink.

"No." Malcolm was still digging through his bag.

"Well, tell me what he hell it is, Merlyn!"

"Um, you suggested we should have a pajama party and, I-"he suspended his voice, then took out a perfectly good set of PJs. "I thought I forgot my pajamas!" He wasn't able to prevent himself from laughing any longer. "But I've managed to find them!"

Oliver snorted out his drink through his nostrils. "Oh, you evil bastard!" He attempted to chase Malcolm around the room, but they were both laughing too hard to keep it up. They ended up collapsing on the couch.

"You're just mocking me," Oliver exclaimed, in a slightly drunken, accusatory tone. "And not acting quite like yourself."

"I'm not, Oliver" Malcolm said, sincerely. "It's just… We are facing a difficult time, and well, some humor could be good for us! So get on board! Put on your PJs and let's enjoy the evening!"

Oliver was too drunk to protest. "Okay, you change in the bathroom, me in the spare bedroom."

They met in the salon. The Green Arrow strolled up to the Dark Archer.

"Well, there is just salad left and I'm still hungry," he griped.

"Well, it is on ARGUS' dime and I am helping them take down one of the most wanted criminals on their list," Malcolm said in that famous haughty tone of his. "They shouldn't mind a little nighttime food delivery."

"You can't be serious," Oliver protested as Malcolm ventured into the corridor and addressed one of the guards. "Hi, hello," he said, doing an awesome job of not slurring his words. "Me and my associate here ran out of food and drink. We're here on a very important mission for Director Diggle. Would one of you oblige us?"

"Um, sure! Just tell us what you need? Delivery will be on the way shortly."

Malcolm told him what they needed while Oliver just stood there, trying not to choke with laughter. He realised this was the Malcolm from before Rebecca died, the Malcolm with a wicked sense of humor.

The other, younger soldier ran off, then arrived with the food and drink soon after. Malcolm accepted it with perfect politeness, as if he was wearing a suit instead of pyjamas.

"Merlyn, I heard it before from Felicity and other reputable sources: you're crazy! No, make it stark raving mad!" Oliver shouted when they entered the room.

"I've been called worse." Malcolm shrugged and took an olive from one of the plates, pouring them both a tumbler of Scotch. "Loosen up a little, Oliver. Like I said, I do think we could use it."

"Well, it is a six-star meal. Pyjamas as the required attire. Why the heck not," Oliver said and started on his food.

They ended up talking about the highlights of Oliver's childhood, enjoying the food and the drinks. The Green Arrow was surprised at the level of Malcolm's sense of humor, at the sharpness of the man's memories of Oliver as a boy.

Oliver also remembered with increased clarity, the man Malcolm had been before Rebecca died. Always kind, ready to joke around, smiling, happy.

Malcolm loved pulling pranks, had a knack for making a boring party actually fun for everyone.

Oliver got this bittersweet feeling again, wished that the time they wasted fighting each other had been spent actually being like family again.

He mentioned it to Malcolm, while he poured them another drink.

"Well, to paraphrase one of very wise contemporary philosophers: 'let's focus on the now,'" the Dark Archer said.

"I'll definitely drink to that," Oliver responded as they clinked their glasses.

XxXxXxX

Author's note 2:

Yes, Malcolm and Oliver got drunk together. Humor, as I promised and some angst. Enjoy and review, another chappy in the works!

Love you!

Me enjoying all of it!