Arrow ~ Brothers In Arms ~ Part One

***

The black police surveillance van drove down the street, no other cars in sight in the black of Star City's darkness. Dinah watched the road to make sure when they were coming up on their mark, then turned to the officers in casual clothing she had with her in the back. "The Orchid Bay Night Market runs three blocks east-west along Arguelo," she told them. "About midway down, there's an alley. Now, that's where Anatoli Knyazev has been making his drop. He is not a physical threat, but the two men who will be with him are."

"I've been to this market," Curtis's new boyfriend, Nick, spoke up. "A lot of civilians there." "Hopefully not in the alley," Dinah told him. "We're gonna pin them in, take them out, clean and fast. Any questions?"

One of the officers looked around the single-digit number of officers in the van. "This group's a little light to take on three Bratvas."

"Well, Diaz has God knows how much of the force under his control, including Captain Hill," Dinah told him. "The only cops I'm sure I can trust are here in this van."

"Still be nice to have some backup," another officer muttered.

Dinah resisted the urge to snort. "We're covered, trust me." She checked her watch, then nodded. "All right, two minutes out. Let's get ready."

***

Nick was browsing through the vegetable stands when he saw an arm encased in a fur-lined coat snag an apple from a nearby basket. He waited a few seconds, then straightened up and turned to make sure who he thought passed him was actually who he was. When he saw it really was Anatoli Knyazev, he reached up to his comms. "Tango's heading into the alley."

"Move in," Dinah ordered.

Nick nodded, walking after Knyazev, two of the other officers on his six.

***

The three police officers weren't going unwatched from above. One helmeted figure watched the three walk through the market; the other was watching the alley behind. Both held handguns, ready to fire. "Looks clean so far," Dig reported.

"And we know that can change at any moment," Slade muttered. "Overwatch?"

"Score one for Deathstroke," Felicity said through their comms. "Tricky, tricky, Anatoli. Thermal reads four bogies, east alley."

The two vigilantes exchanged looks. "I'll flank left," Dig finally said.

"I'll take right," Slade nodded in agreement.

Both stood at the same time, pausing only when Felicity's voice came in their ears again. "It's kind of scary how you both seem to think on the same wavelength now, you know?"

Slade snorted loudly. "Maybe Oliver should stop thinking we need to keep pairing up, then we wouldn't be so good at it."

"Soldier knows another soldier," Dig smirked, Slade chuckling in agreement as they moved off in different directions.

" . . . fair point," Felicity conceded.

***

Anatoli beamed as he walked into the alley, holding up the apple he had snagged. "You should try apples," he advised. "It's good season."

His buyer nodded, and as Anatoli handed him the briefcase, he heard tires squeal behind him. Then the man guarding the street was flung to the side as a black van painted like a florist's crashed into him. Dinah was the first out of the van, gun drawn. "SCPD!" she shouted.

Anatoli started, hearing his men draw guns around him, but a male voice from behind ordered "Easy!" and he winced as a young man with another gun walked right up to him, gun in his face.

***

The men in the east alley ran towards the right exit, only to be blocked by the intimidating figure of Deathstroke as he dropped down from the roof above, sword in one hand, handgun in the other. Spartan dropped down from the other end, blocking the other exit. Both vigilantes made quick work of Anatoli's backup with a mix of punches and slices, all four eventually crumpled unconscious on the ground.

***

"You are under arrest for possession and attempt to distribute," Dinah announced.

"Ms. Drake," Anatoli began, voice condescending.

"Cuff him!" Dinah ordered.

One officer obliged with a smirk, yanking Anatoli's hands behind his back harder than usual. Anatoli hissed, then smirked. "I see your face. That maybe not so good for you."

"Load them up," Dinah ordered.

Her officers marched Anatoli and his men towards the van, and as Nick joined Dinah with the briefcase, Dinah thought she saw a brief flash of black from the roofs above, but when she looked again, there were no vigilantes in sight.

***

"Toss the Three Stooges into lockup for processing," Dinah ordered as they walked into headquarters. "I want Knyazev in interrogation."

She had the immense pleasure of seeing Hill do a double take when they walked into the bullpen. "What's going on here?" she demanded, walking out of her office to meet them.

"Oh, we just got Diaz's right-hand man," Dinah grinned. "Incredible, huh?"

"Why wasn't I informed?" Hill scowled.

"Oh, that was my fault, Captain," Oliver volunteered with a smile as he and Quentin walked in to join Dinah. "I authorized the operation. I figured you wouldn't mind, given the stakes."

"And we also took the liberty of calling in D.A. Armand to expedite the charges," Quentin added. "There's no sense in waiting, right?"

Faced with the smirk on Dinah's face and the innocent looks and head tilts of Oliver and Quentin, Hill plastered a fake pleased look on her face. "Guess not," she said. "Good work, Lieutenant."

Dinah kept the smile on her face until she turned around, when Oliver said, "Thank you for letting John and Slade backstop you tonight."

Dinah did a double take as they walked through headquarters. "John and Slade?" she repeated. "When were they working together?"

"Since our last stop in National City," Oliver answered, waving off the explanation.

"Fine," Dinah narrowed her eyes. "But what, did you think we couldn't have stopped Anatoli otherwise?"

"Would you have been surprised by the four men Anatoli had ready in the other alley to ambush you?" Oliver countered.

Dinah gritted her teeth. "I wouldn't have been, but since Curtis is busy watching Zoe while Rene's in the hospital nursing wounds Slade gave him, it was necessity that made me ask."

"Yeah?" Oliver raised an eyebrow. "The way I've heard it – from on my team who saw that fight – Slade gave Rene chance to stand down. You guys were going to make a move on our team and you didn't think three of the best who can turn into a literal could be the ones you would have to face?"