Chapter 19

The Fallout: The Destruction of the Undertaking's Evidence

The Undertaking had been Malcolm Merlyn's grand plan for reshaping Starling City by destroying the Glades, but it was more than just a seismic attack. Behind it lay a cabal of powerful figures, including Moira Queen and, unbeknownst to many, Robert Queen. Documents, physical proof, and digital trails linked these conspirators together in a dark alliance that Malcolm had thought was unassailable. However, Marcus Queen, through his advanced AI Victory and his use of humanoid Replicators, had erased every trace of the evidence. The entire operation was now in disarray, leaving the cabal and its members scrambling.

Malcolm Merlyn's Reaction

Malcolm Merlyn had been fighting on multiple fronts—against Marcus Queen's systematic dismantling of his empire, the collapse of his financial power, and now, the loss of critical equipment for the Undertaking. But what truly shook him was the realization that all physical and digital proof tying key members of the cabal—including Moira and Robert Queen—had vanished. It wasn't just a setback; it was a disaster.

Malcolm sat at his desk, surrounded by shattered screens and broken devices, the remnants of his furious outburst. He had just received a report from his team that all of the secret equipment meant for the Undertaking had been stolen or decommissioned, and worse, the documents proving the involvement of Robert Queen, Moira Queen, and other powerful players had disappeared without a trace.

"What the hell do you mean all of it's gone?!" Malcolm shouted into his phone, his voice filled with rage. "Find it! Every last document, every piece of tech! I don't care if you have to tear the Glades apart!"

The agent on the other end of the line stammered, "Sir, w-we've searched everywhere. It's like it just... vanished. The tech, the documents—everything."

Malcolm threw the phone across the room, breathing heavily as he tried to contain his fury. He knew what this meant: Marcus Queen. The man was methodical, ruthless, and far more capable than Malcolm had initially thought. Marcus wasn't just tearing down Malcolm's financial empire—he had erased the very foundation of the Undertaking. The physical and digital proof that had kept the cabal under control, ensuring their cooperation, was now gone.

"I'll kill him," Malcolm muttered to himself, his hands shaking with rage. "I'll kill Marcus with my own hands."

Without that proof, the leverage Malcolm had held over Moira and the others evaporated. His control was slipping, and the Undertaking, his grand plan, was crumbling before his eyes.

But Malcolm wasn't finished. He knew he still had some cards to play—though without the documents, convincing the others to stay on board would be difficult. He needed a new plan, and fast.

Moira Queen's Reaction

Moira Queen had known she was playing a dangerous game for years, walking a tightrope between maintaining her family's wealth and power, and keeping her involvement in the Undertaking a secret. The knowledge that both she and Robert had been part of the cabal was something she had kept hidden from her children, particularly Oliver. But now, as the news of the missing documents reached her, Moira felt a wave of relief and fear.

She sat in her office at Queen Consolidated, staring at her reflection in the window, trying to process what had just happened. The evidence tying her to the Undertaking had vanished—Marcus had taken care of it. That was the only explanation. But what would Marcus do with that information?

Moira sighed, her heart racing. "What have you done, Marcus?"

She knew Marcus had been working behind the scenes, dismantling Malcolm's plans. But erasing the evidence—did that mean Marcus was protecting her, or was he simply neutralizing any threat to his own rise in power? Moira wasn't sure, but either way, the disappearance of the documents meant she was no longer under Malcolm's thumb. Her relief was tempered by the knowledge that Malcolm would be furious, and desperate people were the most dangerous.

Still, for the first time in years, Moira felt a small glimmer of hope. She had always feared the day Oliver would find out about her involvement in the Undertaking, but now, that day might never come.

The Cabal's Reaction

The cabal members, a secret group of influential business leaders and politicians, had relied on Malcolm's strength and his control over the proof of their involvement in the Undertaking. The documents had been a form of insurance—proof of their cooperation, and a weapon Malcolm could wield to keep them in line. But now, as the cabal gathered in a darkened boardroom, panic spread through the group like wildfire.

"How could this happen?" one of the members hissed, his eyes darting around the table. "Those documents were the only thing keeping us safe. If anyone finds out what we've done—"

"Calm down," another member snapped, though her voice trembled slightly. "We don't know who took them or why."

"Don't we?" an older man said, his voice filled with fear. "It's Marcus Queen. He's been dismantling everything Malcolm built. He's taken the documents. We're all exposed!"

Panic spread across the room. Without the documents, they no longer had any guarantee that Malcolm could protect them, nor could they ensure that they wouldn't be scapegoated if the Undertaking was revealed to the public.

"We need to get ahead of this," one of the more pragmatic members suggested, his face pale but resolute. "If Marcus has the documents, we need to find out what his next move is. He could use this against us—or he could be planning to burn the entire thing to the ground."

The cabal was fractured, their once-solid foundation shattered. Their power had always been hidden behind layers of secrecy, but now that those layers were being peeled back, they feared the consequences of their actions. They knew one thing for certain: if they couldn't regain control, they were finished.

Outside Parties

Though Malcolm and the cabal had tried to keep the Undertaking a secret, there were other shadowy figures who knew about the plan—outside players with their own agendas. These included other crime syndicates, international arms dealers, and even certain government agencies that had kept an eye on Malcolm's activities from afar.

When word spread that Malcolm Merlyn had lost control of critical equipment and documents, these outside parties saw an opportunity. With Malcolm weakened, they could move in on his territory. There was also the question of the Undertaking itself. Some of these parties had been invested in the outcome, seeing it as a way to destabilize Starling City and seize control in the aftermath.

One such figure, a high-ranking member of a global criminal organization, sat in his dimly lit office, a glass of whiskey in hand as he read the latest intelligence reports on Malcolm's downfall.

"Malcolm's slipping," he muttered, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. "Seems like Marcus Queen has done more damage than we thought."

He took a sip of the whiskey, his mind racing with possibilities. If Malcolm couldn't control Starling City, someone else would. And if the Undertaking fell apart, there were other ways to take advantage of the chaos.

"Keep an eye on Marcus Queen," he said to his second-in-command. "If he's dismantling Malcolm, we might be able to use that to our advantage. But if he gets too powerful, we'll need to deal with him."

The Fallout: Starling City's Future

As the last pieces of Malcolm Merlyn's empire crumbled, Marcus Queen's methodical strategy had set the stage for a new balance of power in Starling City. The cabal was in disarray, scrambling to protect themselves in the absence of Malcolm's leverage. Outside forces were circling, ready to pounce on any opportunity that arose from the chaos. Moira Queen, relieved but wary, knew her family was no longer under Malcolm's control, but at what cost?

Malcolm himself was a man on the edge—his power slipping, his plans in ruins, and his fury directed squarely at Marcus. The city was poised on a knife's edge, and Marcus's actions had reshaped the game in ways no one had anticipated.

But as Marcus watched from the shadows, one thing was clear: the war for Starling City was far from over.