Chapter 14

Marcus's Hidden Strategy

Marcus Queen had always been several steps ahead of his enemies, and when he plundered the League of Shadows' vast resources, he did so with the utmost care. Rather than keeping the ill-gotten gains on Earth, he had stored everything on a cloaked Goa'uld mothership, hidden in orbit above the planet. This ancient alien vessel, under the control of Marcus's AI system, Victory, was beyond the reach of anyone on Earth. Not even the most advanced governments or organizations could detect it.

The ship was also home to two key figures: Marcus's father, Robert Queen, and Shado, both in stasis. Marcus had extracted them from the Queen's Gambit shipwreck years ago, using advanced technology from the Goa'uld to preserve them. He was planning for their eventual return to play critical roles in the future, though Oliver still believed both were lost.

As expected, Malcolm Merlyn was making his moves. He had already begun spreading rumors, contacting federal authorities, and feeding them information to suggest that Marcus was involved with the League of Shadows. His claims were carefully planted to paint Marcus as a shadowy manipulator who had seized control of the League's resources for his own dark purposes.

But Marcus was ready for this. Victory had ensured that anything even remotely questionable was stored off-world, and the mothership's cloaking technology ensured it would remain invisible. He had left no trace of his activities on Earth, knowing full well that if Malcolm couldn't defeat him directly, he would try to use the government as a weapon.

Talia al Ghul Reaches Out to Oliver

At the Arrowcave, Oliver Queen was reviewing his recent activities as the Hood when his phone buzzed with an encrypted message. The sender? Talia al Ghul. Oliver's brow furrowed as he read the message, his instincts immediately on alert. Talia rarely reached out directly, and when she did, it usually meant something serious.

The message read:

"Oliver Queen, I ask you to intervene. Your brother, Marcus, has devastated the League of Shadows. He has taken our resources, destroyed our influence, and left us with little more than remnants. I implore you—ask him to stay his hand. The League cannot recover from what he's done. What you do not know is that Marcus has crippled us for your sake. Everything he has taken, everything he has done, was to ensure the League could no longer threaten you. Your brother's actions, though extreme, were meant to protect you. If this continues, we will have no choice but to seek retribution."

Oliver's heart sank as he read the message. He had suspected Marcus was involved in something deeper, but the scale of what Talia was describing took him by surprise. Marcus had taken down the League of Shadows? For him? Oliver felt a surge of conflicting emotions—gratitude that Marcus had acted to protect him, but also concern over the path his brother was walking. Marcus had gone to extreme lengths, and if Talia was asking for mercy, then the situation was far more dangerous than Oliver had realized.

He stared at the screen, debating what to do next. The League had been a threat for years, and if Marcus had truly crippled them, then Starling City might finally be safe from their influence. But Talia's words suggested that the League wasn't completely finished—and if Marcus didn't stop, they would retaliate.

Oliver needed answers, and there was only one person who could give them to him.

Confronting Marcus

Later that evening, Oliver arrived at Queen Consolidated, making his way down to Marcus's hidden lab. The air was tense as Oliver entered the sleek, high-tech space, his eyes scanning the room for his brother. Marcus was seated at his console, reviewing data from Victory on the latest developments.

"Oliver," Marcus said without looking up. "I expected you sooner."

Oliver crossed his arms, his face grim. "I got a message from Talia al Ghul. She says you've destroyed the League of Shadows. Is that true?"

Marcus turned to face him, his expression calm and unbothered. "It's true. I crippled their operations, took their resources, and made sure they can't come after you or Starling City ever again. The League is finished."

Oliver took a deep breath, struggling to process the enormity of what Marcus had done. "Marcus, do you realize what you've done? Talia is asking for me to get you to stop. She's saying that if you don't, the League will retaliate."

Marcus leaned back in his chair, his gaze sharp. "Retaliate with what? I've taken everything they have. Their strongholds, their money, their influence—it's all gone. I stored it all off-world, on the Goa'uld mothership. The League of Shadows is no longer a threat, Oliver."

Oliver blinked, momentarily thrown off by the mention of the alien mothership. "Wait—off-world? What are you talking about?"

Marcus smirked. "I've been using technology far beyond what Earth has. The Goa'uld mothership I control is where I've stored everything I plundered from the League. Not a single resource is left on Earth. It's all up there, under Victory's control. And in case Malcolm Merlyn tries to use the feds to come after me, they won't find anything. He's already made his move, but it won't work."

Oliver shook his head, disbelief and concern mixing in his expression. "Marcus, this is insane. You've completely dismantled one of the most powerful organizations in the world. What's your endgame?"

"My endgame?" Marcus stood up, stepping closer to Oliver, his eyes cold but resolute. "My endgame is making sure no one—neither the League nor Malcolm Merlyn—ever threatens you or this city again. The League was a shadow hanging over us, and now, it's gone. I did what needed to be done."

Oliver clenched his fists, his voice filled with frustration. "But at what cost? You're walking a dangerous path, Marcus. You're acting like a god—deciding who lives and who dies, what organizations rise and fall. You need to stop before this spirals out of control."

Marcus's expression softened slightly, but there was still steel in his voice. "I did this for you, Oliver. Everything I've done was to protect you and this city. The League is gone, but if they try to rebuild, I'll be ready."

Oliver sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Talia asked for mercy, Marcus. She's practically begging me to get you to stop."

Marcus considered this for a moment, then shrugged. "Talia's smart. She knows when she's beaten. I'll stay my hand—for now. But if they try anything, if they even think about coming after you again, I won't hesitate."

Oliver stared at his brother, torn between gratitude and concern. "This can't be how we fight, Marcus. There has to be a better way."

Marcus gave a small, humorless smile. "Maybe. But right now, this is the way that works."

The Aftermath

As Oliver left Queen Consolidated, he couldn't shake the feeling that things were spiraling out of control. Marcus had done the unthinkable—he had taken down the League of Shadows, stolen their resources, and stored everything on an alien ship. But the cost of these actions weighed heavily on Oliver's mind.

Talia had asked for mercy, and while Marcus had agreed to stop for now, Oliver knew this wasn't the end. The League would regroup, and Malcolm Merlyn was still lurking in the shadows, plotting his next move.

But for now, Starling City was safe. And for that, Oliver was grateful—if only temporarily.

As for Marcus, he had made his decision. He had drawn a line in the sand, and anyone who crossed it would face the full force of the Ghost Tiger.

In the shadows of the city, the war was far from over. But for now, Marcus had ensured that the Queen family remained on top.