Chapter 7: The Super-Soldier and the Sword
The air in Starling City had shifted. It wasn't just the usual urban grime; there was a new, palpable tension, a shadow that stretched longer and colder than Oliver's typical mood. Slade Wilson was back, and he wasn't just a ghost from the island anymore. He was a Mirakuru-fueled super-soldier, a walking, talking tank of vengeance. Arrow S02E15: "The Promise" and S02E19: "The Man Under the Hood" were converging, and Adam knew this was where things got truly dangerous.
"So, the ex-best friend who decided to become a super-villain is now officially a super-villain," Adam muttered, watching a blurry surveillance feed of Slade tearing through a warehouse. "And he's got, what, super strength, super healing, and a super bad attitude? Great. Just what Oliver needed, another reason to feel perpetually guilty."
Oliver, standing beside him, was uncharacteristically silent, his jaw clenched. Diggle looked grim. Felicity, however, was a bundle of nervous energy, her fingers flying across her keyboard.
"He's too strong, Oliver," Felicity said, her voice strained. "His vitals are off the charts. We need a new strategy."
"A new strategy, you say?" Adam mused, a mischievous glint in his eye, despite the very real fear churning in his gut. Slade Wilson was no joke. This wasn't a mustache-drawing situation. This was a "don't die, Adam" situation. "Well, lucky for you, I've been working on another... prototype. A long-range, precision cutting tool. For those moments when you need to, you know, poke someone from a safe distance."
He pulled out the Sword of the Far-Striker. It looked like a sleek, black katana, utterly out of place in the high-tech confines of the Arrowcave. Oliver stared at it, then at Adam, his usual suspicion warring with a flicker of desperate hope.
"A sword?" Oliver asked, his voice flat. "Adam, we're fighting a man who can rip steel apart with his bare hands. What's a sword going to do?"
"Ah, but this isn't just any sword, my dear brooding friend," Adam said, a theatrical flourish in his voice. "This is a Far-Striker sword. It's all in the name. It strikes... from afar. Very far. Think of it as a really, really long arm. Or a very precise, invisible force field that also cuts. It's complicated. Involves a lot of theoretical physics and probably some ancient alien tech. Don't worry about the details, just trust the process."
[SWORD OF THE FAR-STRIKER USED. COST: 25 NON-PLP (MID-RANGE SLASH).]
Later, during a tense confrontation with Slade in a derelict factory, Oliver found himself outmatched. Slade, a terrifying blur of muscle and rage, had Oliver pinned, his large hand closing around the Green Arrow's throat. Diggle was too far, Felicity was too busy trying to hack a security system, and Adam… Adam was hiding behind a very sturdy pillar, clutching the Sword of the Far-Striker.
"Okay, Adam, this is it. Do or die. Mostly Oliver's die. But then I'd be next. So, let's go with 'do'."
He took a deep breath, aimed the sword (or, rather, pointed it vaguely in Slade's direction), and mentally activated it. A shimmering, almost invisible wave of energy shot forth from the blade, slicing through the air with a faint whoosh. It wasn't a physical blade, but a concentrated force. The energy struck Slade's arm, not cutting him deeply, but enough to create a sharp, stinging pain and force him to release Oliver, who stumbled back, gasping for air.
Slade roared, spinning around, his Mirakuru-enhanced eyes scanning the area, searching for the source of the attack. He saw nothing but empty space.
"What was that?!" Oliver coughed, clutching his throat.
"Just a little... diversionary tactic," Adam yelled back, still safely behind the pillar. "My 'laser sword prototype' is still in its experimental phase! Very precise, very subtle! Don't worry, I'll get the kinks out!"
Slade, momentarily disoriented, used the opportunity to escape, disappearing into the shadows. Oliver, shaken but alive, stared at the spot where the invisible force had struck Slade. He had no idea what had just happened, but he knew one thing: Adam, in his bizarre, unexplainable way, had just saved his life.
Oliver (POV): He had no idea what that was. A laser? Some kind of sonic blast? Adam was a chaotic, annoying presence, but there was no denying that whatever he had done, it had worked. It had saved him. He still didn't trust him, not entirely, but a grudging respect was beginning to form. This was a new variable, a wild card he hadn't accounted for.
Back in the Arrowcave, the tension was still high, but Oliver was alive, and that was all that mattered.
"So," Oliver said, his voice rough, turning to Adam, "that 'laser sword prototype' of yours. What exactly was that?"
"Oh, you know, just a little something I whipped up in my spare time," Adam said, shrugging nonchalantly, though his hands were still trembling slightly. Slade Wilson was terrifying, even from a distance. "It's a quantum-entangled, vibrational energy projector. Still working on the aesthetics, obviously. And the 'not making a giant visible slash in the air' part. But hey, it got the job done, right? Saved your pretty face from a very unpleasant squishing."
Oliver stared at him, a flicker of something akin to awe, mixed with his usual annoyance, in his eyes. "You saved my life."
"Well, someone had to. You were looking a little... squishable," Adam said, trying to lighten the mood, though he felt a genuine sense of relief. "Besides, what would Felicity do without her favorite brooding vigilante? She'd have to find a new source of exasperation. And frankly, I'm not sure she has the energy for another one."
Felicity, who had been listening, walked over and gently punched Adam's arm. "You were amazing, Adam. And terrifying. But mostly amazing."
Adam grinned, a genuine, relieved smile. "Just doing my part, Smoak. Just doing my part. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I need a very large, very strong cup of coffee. And maybe a therapy session for surviving a super-soldier. This hero business is exhausting."
[MISSION COMPLETE: THE MAN UNDER THE HOOD. REWARD: 500 NON-PLP.]
"Five hundred LP? Nice! That's like, a down payment on a small country, or at least a really good cup of coffee in this economy. And a PLP! Finally, I'm getting somewhere. Now, if only I could get Oliver to admit I'm cool. Baby steps."
System Status After Chapter: Non-PLP: 1308. PLP: 2.