"If you don't mind me saying, sir, you look like I did on the day I found out I'd been selected for military duty. Surely the school day wasn't that dreadful."
Bruce rubbed his forehead. "School is idiotic, but no."
Alfred looked at Bruce expectantly.
"Alfred," Bruce began, "I'd tell you, but it's better if you don't know. It's probably dangerous."
Alfred stiffened. "You forget, sir, that my job these past eighteen years has not been merely to serve you, but to protect you as well."
"You're not my legal guardian anymore. I'm an adult."
"A single birthday doesn't make me obsolete, Master Bruce. Whatever danger you may be dealing with is for the both of us to face, so long as I live on this planet."
Bruce was a bit surprised and slightly amused. "Have you been pretending to be soft on me this entire time?"
"Well, seeing as you're an adult now, I wager you can handle me being straight with you."
Bruce explained the situation: the financial nonsense with Excelsior and the weirdness going on with Morgan.
Alfred thought quietly for a moment. "If Morgan did kill his parents..."
"Actually, I think he only killed his father. His mom I'm not sure about. Maybe that was the trigger that pushed him over the..."
Bruce sighed.
"Over the edge?"
"Yeah."
"Accidental puns happen to the best of us, Master Bruce."
"Is there any way you can further investigate what's being done at the Edges' tower?"
"Not unless I want to break in, and I'm not sure I want to risk that. I had to be careful enough in the elevator not to look too interested..."
Sudden realization hit Bruce. "Lucy."
"Is she in danger?"
Bruce's head sunk into his hands. "She could be. She saw everything I did and didn't try to hide it."
"The Lanes have been through more than enough. We need to ensure their safety."
"We can hire personal security for them; maybe tip off the authorities that someone might be after Lucy."
"I'll handle that. What do you plan to do about Morgan?"
"It looks like we'll have to play the long game. I'll stay in Metropolis; keep close eyes on him and wait until he slips up and does something obvious."
"In the meantime, you also should keep up your unaware persona. Go to school—if you're still required there—spend time with friends..."
"I don't have any friends here anymore, Alfred. Clark and Diana live in Smallville, Zatanna's busy touring, and Bart's not even in this century anymore."
"You must have some old acquaintances from Excelsior."
"I only really hung out with Oliver. I guess I could see what he's up to."
Alfred's face told Bruce he'd stepped on a subject land mine, like bringing up a recently-dead relative.
"What?"
"Sir... I thought you knew. The Queen family was lost at sea several months ago. The wreckage of the ship was discovered. Not all the bodies were recovered, but... Oliver is most certainly dead."
Rapid bursts of gunfire echoed over burning fields. Soldiers screamed commands in Chinese at the top of their lungs. Workers ran from the fire, but were gunned down before they could escape. A cough was heard from the crops; a soldier sprinted for the sound. A woman got up and ran from her hiding place in the unburned corner of field; the soldier raised his gun and fired. The woman tripped and fell to the ground before the first bullet could hit; she crawled forward, hoping she could hide again. The soldier kicked her once before rolling her over and shoving his gun in her face.
"YOU RUN, YOU ONLY DIE SLOWER," he said in rough Mandarin. He pulled the trigger, shots exploded from the gun, but none of them hit their target. The soldier's corpse hit the ground, a large arrow protruding from his skull.
200 yards away, a man lowered his bow. Rain-soaked, covered in torn clothes, scarred, and bloody, he stood tall against the light of the moon, silently daring the soldiers to ignore the civilians and come for him instead. The soldiers obliged.
Oliver Queen raised his bow.
