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Green Arrow: Eternal: S1E10: Vertigo

by Mechanist Gamma

Mechanist Gamma Green Arrow and Black Canary take on the Vertigo drug syndicate where they were supposed to have a date, but Count Vertigo's arrival on the scene makes things take a turn for the worse...
Black Canary let out a heavy sigh. She had been waiting for half an hour now. Green Arrow was late, and she wasn’t a fan of that.
On the plus side, though, she was able to keep an eye out for trouble while also looking for the Emerald Archer. Because of this, she had already stopped a mugger, a carjacker and a shoplifter.
But she couldn’t help but think; Where is he?

“We’ve gotta get there quick.” Green Arrow said over the comm. “Is the bike ready?”
“The prototype? Yeah, but it’s not tested.” Lion replied.
“Send it down to the parking lot using the R&D elevator.” the archer ordered, running down the steps two at a time.
“Gotcha, boss.” Lion said before signing off. When Oliver arrived at the basement floor, the cargo door was opening with the bike inside. The archer hopped up onto the bike, revving it up and driving down. He hit the ground driving, and blasted out of the doorway onto the streets. He knew he was going in style now and he was going to be noticed more than he already was, but he didn’t care. He just needed to get to the pier as fast as possible.

Merlin, the legendary assassin, smiled. He had just taken his personal vehicle to the pier, and he stepped out of the car. Donning his quiver, he walked towards the main gate. The guard with the tuque noticed him, and he ordered the gate to be opened. The archer stepped inside, four guards falling in behind him in formation.

Black Canary stopped. What was that sound?
I’d better investigate. She thought. Looking over towards where the sound came from, she saw a bunch of cargo containers blocking the view of whatever had made the noise. She decided to start climbing. Using a box filled with shirts, she climbed on top of one of the containers. The vigilante then made a running jump towards the next one, grabbing its top edge with her hands and pulling herself up. Now I rinse and repeat.

Green Arrow drove down the street, making a beeline for the pier. “What’s my fastest way in?” he asked.
“There’s construction happening at the square connecting Waterside Street and Fourth Street. You might be able to use it to jump the fence with the bike.” Lion replied. “It’s useful to be able to move fast where there’s presumably going to be a bunch of armed goons.”
“Right, so I’m on Eleventh Street right now…” Oliver said with a groan. “How do I get there without going on Waterside? I don’t want them seeing me.”
“Take Elizabeth Street up seven blocks.” Lion responded. “It’s on your left in two.”
“Right, so I’ve gotta turn… NOW!” the archer said to himself, making a hard left. “Should be there in about a minute.”
“We did a good job designing that bike. It’s fast.”

Merlin walked ahead, and one of the guards walked up to him.
“What do you want to see, sir?” the guard asked.
“Mind showing me the shipment?”
“Of course, sir.” The guard led Merlin towards the crates that had just been lifted in, and Merlin opened one. He saw the many vials of the glowing green liquid.
“Now this stuff… is certainly interesting.”

Black Canary reached the highest crate, finally over the wall and into the next section. She looked around, getting the best view she could of the situation. She saw many things not right.
Armed guards? That’s certainly unusual for a place like this… The most they should be carrying are tasers, not AKs. she observed. Black Canary decided to drop down to the platform nearby her. Hitting the metal, the guard behind her turned around just in time for the siren to punch him unconscious. She grabbed the guard and pulled him into one of the empty, unlocked containers.

As the Emerald Archer drove onto Fourth Street, he made a hard right.
“I see it.” the Arrow replied, looking at the construction. “I might be able to get enough lift from the ramp they’re using to wheel bricks up to the second floor they’re building - if I go at max speed.”
“Then punch it!” Lion ordered. The archer nodded, hitting the gas hard. The bike drove up onto the ramp and launched into the air, going over the construction, over the street and over the fence.
Green Arrow groaned as he landed - hard - on a steel container. The bike squeaked a bit, and the vigilante rode it down onto solid ground. “Alright, I’m in. You got a bird’s-eye view?”
“I’ve got a map, but no satellite images.” Lion replied. “In terms of enemies, you’re on your own.”
“Good to know.” the archer said before drawing his bow. He took a quick look around. “Four guys, all armed. Looks like they’ve got AKs.”
“Sounds typical. Can you sneak around them?”
“Should be able to.” Green Arrow replied, spotting an open crate he could use as cover.
“Then it’s best not to alert your presence unless you need to. Stay hidden.”
“Roger.” The bowman dashed inside the container, creeping along with his arrow notched.

“Talk.”
The man woke up to see a blonde standing in front of him, glaring at him menacingly.
“W-what d’you want?!” he asked, trying to scramble back. He felt his back against the steel container, and tried fumbling for his gun.
“You looking for this?” Black Canary held up an AK before dejectedly tossing it behind her. “What do I want? I want information. What’s happening here? Why are all these armed people here?”
“L-look, I dunno nuthin’ ‘bout any ulterior motives the Count might have! I’m just here t’ protect the shipment!” the scared man blurted out.
“Alright, who’s the Count and what’s the shipment?”
“I-I don’t have to tell ya nuthin’!”
Black Canary merely clenched her fist.
“...alright, I’ll tell ya! The shipment - we’re shippin’ a drug out. The guys call it Vertigo.” the man replied. “Shares its name with the Count for some reason. And I dunno who Count Vertigo actually is - he wears a mask like those superhero nuts.”
“Hm. Thanks for the information.” Canary said. “Good night.”
“Whaddya mean g’ni-” The man was unable to finish before the heroine punched his lights out. Black Canary cracked her knuckles as she stepped out. Taking a look out, she spotted a clearing with a bunch of crates.
“Bingo.”

The Emerald Archer had made it to a large clearing. Looking around, he didn’t see much happening.
“You’ve got incoming, Arrow!” Lion suddenly said over the comms.
“How d’you know?” the archer asked, looking around quickly. He didn’t see anyone near him.
“Because a helicopter’s coming straight to your location!”
Green Arrow looked up just in time to see a chopper fly above his head. The guards in the clearing quickly cleared the helipad that had been painted on only recently, and the helicopter began its descent quickly. It landed, and Merlin stepped out in front. A random guard opened the door of the chopper.
Out stepped a man with blonde hair wearing a black mask that left his lower face uncovered, his dark green cape flowing behind him. His light green-and-black suit had a symbol emblazoned on the front.
The same symbol Oliver had seen on the video chat.
“Count Vertigo’s here.”

Merlin gave a nod, seeing Count Vertigo step out. “I assume you are the one who has employed me, Count Vertigo?”
“I am indeed Count Vertigo, and I did indeed hire you.” Vertigo replied, stepping out to meet him. “It is good to know that the famed Merlin will be watching over my shoulder this day.”
“You’re paying. Speaking of which, the money you’re paying up front?” Merlin asked.
Count Vertigo snapped his fingers, and a man in a tuxedo handed Vertigo a suitcase. Vertigo tossed the suitcase to Merlin, who opened it up. He smiled, closing the case again. “Then we’re in business, Count.”
That was when Merlin dropped the case, pulled out an arrow from his quiver, turned towards Green Arrow and launched the shaft.

Green Arrow hadn’t been expecting the attack - he hadn’t even known Merlin knew he was there. Which was exactly why he was forced to duck and roll. As the goons turned towards him, the archer fired off an arrow of his own as Merlin’s just barely missed his head - a net arrow that captured the goons and tackled them to the ground. Only Merlin and Count Vertigo avoided the net.
“Merlin, huh? Fancy bow you got there.” Green Arrow said with a smirk. “But I’m afraid that job you just got hired for is something I can’t allow. Drugs, thugs and weapons - you’ve got all three of the big no-nos with you.”
“So? Do you think you’ll be able to rout me and take down the Count’s operation?” Merlin asked. “Because you’ll have to do them in that order.”
“Guess it depends on who’s the better bowman.” the Arrow replied. “But for the record… yes!” As the vigilante got to his feet, he and Merlin fired off an arrow simultaneously.

Black Canary looked in shock as arrows started flying from the helipad. The songstress saw two guards running towards the battle, guns in hand, when the Canary jumped down from the catwalk she was on and nailed the two in the back of the neck. They fell unconscious instantly. Black Canary dashed forwards, spotting the archer’s duel. “Arrow!” she exclaimed, running towards him. Suddenly, a loud wail filled her eardrums and she stumbled. It seemed like the world was spinning around her. Finally focusing enough to discern where the distortion was coming from, she looked directly at the man in front of the helicopter who was slowly walking towards her.
“Apologies, my lady, but I’m afraid that you cannot be allowed to interfere.” Count Vertigo stated. “I have too much riding on this already for two superheroes to get in the way.”
“Urgh… wh-what are you…?” the songstress asked, barely able to stand on her feet.
“It’s my special power.” the Count replied. He then walked up, holding out one hand to keep the distortion going, and punched her to the side. The heroine stumbled to her feet, holding her head.
“Count Vertigo… now I get it.” she reasoned. “Lemme guess… this whole operation is yours?”
“Trust me, if I had an alternative to this I’d take it.” Count Vertigo confirmed.
“You’ve got one - I take you to jail!” Canary replied, letting loose her Sonic Scream at him.

The Emerald Archer was on his twenty-third arrow already, while Merlin had used far more already. And Oliver thought he was a quick draw! The bowman rolled behind a crate, which Merlin didn’t hesitate putting an arrow into. Green Arrow saw why a second later - the Vertigo contained within was eating away at the wood! The Arrow quickly dashed out from behind his rapidly-vanishing cover, firing off another arrow towards Merlin - this time, a flashbang which lit up the area. That was when Green Arrow heard the scream. Turning towards where it was coming from, he saw Black Canary screaming as loud as she could towards Count Vertigo, who was dispelling the soundwaves with what looked like green psionic waves. The Count grabbed a syringe from the crate he was next to and ran straight at Canary. He then stabbed her straight in the shoulder with it.
Canary’s scream stopped. Then it started again - but this wasn’t a war cry, like it usually was.
As Count Vertigo pulled the needle out, the Vertigo drug contained within infected Black Canary… and she let out a blood-curdling scream of pain before falling down.
“CANARY!” Green Arrow shouted, running towards her. However, he was so focused on helping out the songstress that he forgot about Merlin, allowing the now-seeing-again archer to whack him on the back of the head with his bow. The Emerald Archer fell unconscious instantly.
“Are you going to finish them off?”
“It’s not worth it. Green Arrow will be taken in by the cops if we leave a crate of Vertigo here, and the amount of Vertigo you injected into the girl should kill her in a few hours. It’s best for us to take what we can and leave now.”
“True enough. Men! We’re packing up and leaving!”

“...rrow…! He… Olli… Green Arrow, can you read me?”
Green Arrow woke up with a start. The back of his head throbbed with pain, and he heard shouting in his ear.
“Gah, I’m here, Lion.” the archer replied.
“Oh, thank god! I’ve been trying to contact you for about half an hour now.” Lion sighed with relief. “What’s the situation? Is Black Canary okay? Are YOU okay?!”
“I’m fine, just got hit on the back of the head.” the Arrow said. “Merlin and Count Vertigo got away. And Black Canary… she’s in trouble.”
The archer walked over to Black Canary and picked her up. She was unconscious, but still occasionally convulsing. “You know that Vertigo stuff?”
“The drug? Yeah, I did some research on it. Apparently it’s a drug that inflicts pain by flaring up your nerves and then shocking them. High doses can be lethal.”
“Count Vertigo injected a whole syringe of the stuff into Canary.”
“Ooooooooooooh crap.” Lion said. “She needs help - medical help. NOW.”
“...wait a minute… where I am right now, I’m right outside Fifth Street, right?” Green Arrow asked.
“Yeah, that should be right.” Lion replied. “Why?”
“Looks like I’m paying an unexpected visit to the family doctor.” the bowman said, holding Black Canary tight and running towards the exit. “Pieter, you’d better be able to take an emergency patient at this time…”
...because if you can’t, a woman is going to die!

Suspenseful ending~
Like I said, GA:E is really picking up in terms of plot now. So I figured may as well give a suspenseful ending! Hey, it'll work out for the best, trust me.
Quite a bit happened this time around! We got to see what Merlin is capable of, as well as meeting Count Vertigo for the first time! Now obviously this isn't the last we're getting to see of them. But you can already see the danger these villains pose to Team Arrow, especially with just the three of them!
At the moment, their future's looking dark as Mid-Nite...
Make sure to follow the rest of the DC: Eternal universe to get the whole story!
@Mockingchu's Batman: Eternal: https://pokecharms.com/series/batman-eternal.4946/
Make sure to join the Notification Squad to keep in touch with everything GA:E related! Or, y'know, the other things I write sometimes...
  1. Mechanist Gamma
    Mechanist Gamma
    Apr 15, 2018