Corto Maltese

My name is Oliver Queen. After five years in hell, I have come home with only one goal-- to save my city. Now others have joined my crusade.

To them, I am Oliver Queen.

But to the rest of Starling City, I am someone else. I am something else.

Previously, on "Arrow"...

Man: Hello, Sara.

What are you doing here?

Oliver: Whoever did this, I'm going to find them.

Apparently there's another bidder for the company.

Who?

Ray Palmer.

Yes, I am your boss now.

No! [Sobbing]

Thea: Roy, I don't trust you, or anyone.

Don't try to find me.

I am never coming back.

Now I've got to go get Thea.

It's long past time she came home.

Well done.

Thanks, Dad.

[Engine starts]

So, where are we going?

Wherever you want.

It's up to me?

Why not?

I'm a well-traveled man.

I've been every place in the world there is.

But you want to get out of here.

Because if the police know you're alive, they come after you.

The Arrow, too.

You're very perceptive, Thea.

Knowing when people are hiding something behind their smiles.

Your mother had that talent.

Yes.

If someone knew where I was, it would be unfortunate-- for both of us.

So why did you reach out to me?

You reached first.

Still.

I don't want to feel this pain again.

I don't want to hurt or get hurt... never again.

And you seem like someone who can teach me how not to.

[Horns honking]

[Tires squealing, horns honking]

[Grunts]

I didn't do it!

A woman was killed on a rooftop last week.

Black leather, blonde hair, wore a mask!

I didn't kill her.

You were there!

I don't know anything about it!

Your fingerprints are on this.

From a fifth I drank up there, but I--

What did you see?

Nothing!

I was up on the roof with some buddies.

This lady, she showed up and she-- she told us to go!

Looked like she could handle herself, you know?

Whoever it is you're looking for, I wouldn't want to be him.

Another dead end.

It took me a week to get a hit off that print.

I had to reconstruct the partial using a predictive indexing algorithm.

Appropriate, since it was his index finger...

Not particularly relevant now.

Don't worry, Oliver, we'll find him.

He's out there somewhere.

No, he's not.

Trail's gone cold.

I hate to do this, but I have to head off to work.

Tech Village is open this early?

Not exactly.

Have you figured out where in Italy Thea's staying?

Yeah, about that-- she's not in Italy.

Hmm?

Or Europe.

Or, well, she's--

Where is she?

I had to ping her cell phone to find out where in Italy she was texting from.

Turns out, came back Corto Maltese.

Corto's an island off of South America.

What's up with your family and islands?

Wait, Oliver.

Thea's letter said not to come find her.

That letter was addressed to you, not to me.

I'm watching Laurel go through losing Sara.

It's time for my sister to come home.

What are you doing?

Thea's gone because of me.

Because the lies that I told her.

So I owe this to both of you to make things right.

No. What are you... doing?

You can't travel with that.

I've actually never been on a plane before.

[Babbling]

I know. You're not doing anything and I could literally watch you forever.

Oh, yeah?

What about once she discovers boys?

Well, that's what my Glock is for, right, baby?

Right. It's my Glock.

I'm going to enjoy some quality time with her for the next few days.

I'm even looking forward to changing a few diapers.

And I'm looking forward to believing that when I see it.

Why the time off?

You quit the team again?

No, Oliver's going to Corto Maltese for a couple of days.

Could you go with him?

Like I don't already spend enough time with Oliver as it is?

Team Arrow may have Starling City purring like a kitten, but the rest of the world is still a very dangerous place.

Including Corto Maltese.

Lyla, I already don't like where this is headed.

We have a field operative down there who's gone dark.

All right, so send an agent.

Send a task force.

He's not in any kind of trouble.

He hasn't touched his panic button.

He's probably just drunk in some belleza's villa.

Mark Shaw's been known to miss a few days from time to time.

[Exhales]

Will you just do me a favor...

And see if he's ok?

Tell him to check in.

Two more days and I'm going to have to call in the cavalry.

And I don't want to get him into trouble with Waller.

Mark's an old friend.

She better not do anything interesting while I'm gone.

Next time, keep your hands up.

[Velcro tearing]

Ted Grant?

Well, I guess that badge means you're not here for a self defense class.

No, I've already had my fair share.

I'm here about one of your students, Tom Bronson.

A witness places him at the scene of a break-in last night.

Well, that's not possible.

See, because Tom and I were sparring last night.

Mr. Grant, do you know that lying to the district attorney is against the law?

If by that, you mean am I willing to lie in order to keep a good kid who just happened to make a stupid mistake out of this system?

I think you know my answer.

Are you admitting to perjury, Mr. Grant?

Now that's a big word.

I'm just a dumb fighter.

Right?

Look, Tom was here with me last night.

We worked on his uppercut combinations.

Like I said, in this city, there's a lot of good people who get dealt bad hands.

They lose someone, they lose themselves, which is why they come in here to work off that rage.

I've gotten good at picking out the types.

Types just like you.

If I'm angry, it's because I'm dealing with someone who's willing to lie to a D.A. to protect a punk kid.

I don't think that's the case.

Either way, if you do have something you want to work off...

So what's the play with Thea?

Do you mind if I talk to her alone first?

It's been a while.

Felicity able to pin her down?

She gave me an address.

Thea!

Señor.

Cómo puedo ayudarlo?

Estoy buscando a mi hermana.

You must be Mia's brother.

I see the resemblance.

Is "Mia" around?

She works. At the cafe.

Where's the cafe?

I'll show you.

Thank you.

[Exhales]

I didn't come all the way to South America to have you poison me, did I?

[Laughs]

It's a meditative tea.

It will activate your mind and body.

I think I'm going to need a little bit more than tea to learn how to use one of those.

The Sohei Buddhist warriors believed that first you fight with the mind... then your sword.

I remember when I was training to be a warrior.

I began just like you-- devastated by my wife's death.

I was... angry, and hurt.

The pain was unbearable.

Like this.

You're out of your mind!

Put your hand in here!

Every warrior must learn the simple truth-- that pain is inevitable, and suffering is optional.

[Gasping]

Please, don't--

Don't do what I think you're going to do!

You asked me to teach you.

No.

Arrow Season 3 Episode 03 Corto Maltese Original Air Date on October 22, 2014

Aquí tienes.

Thea.

Good to see you.

You, too.

How--how did you--

Well, it's not exactly the Amalfi Coast.

[Sighs]

Voy a cerrar, Ernesto.

Didn't you flunk Spanish?

More like skipped it altogether.

Well, you look good.

I like your haircut.

Thank you. Yeah, wanted it short, you know.

Gets hot down here.

I'm... I'm sorry I lied to you about it, Ollie.

I just needed some space.

It's ok. You've had five months of it.

This isn't just a visit.

Got one for you, too.

After mom, I understood why you left Starling.

But Thea, I miss you.

And I would really like it if you came home.

I miss you, too.

And I love you... so much.

But I'm never coming back to Starling City.

[Thea gasping]

Ahh!

I can't. Sorry.

There is strength in you, Thea.

I see it, even if you can't see it yourself.

I'm sorry, this-- this just isn't me.

I'm not like you. I can't do this!

It's all right.

It's not your fault.

It's mine.

Q.C. stock up 10 bucks at the open.

That is love, ha!

Ah, Miss Smoak, good morning...

I think. I've been here all night.

My predecessor left things a little, um, what's the polite way to say this? Little wonky.

Sorry if I'm rambling.

I'm a little over-caffeinated.

I just had three espressos.

Speaking of coffee--

Let me stop you right there!

I told myself that I would stand firm on a few points.

No late night emails, no personal errands, and definitely no coffee.

There'll be no espressos brought to you by me.

I stand very firm on that last point.

And I admire your conviction.

This is Jerry Conway, your executive assistant.

And I wanted to know if you'd like him to get you a coffee.

Or are you just anti-latte in general?

Um... Executive assistant?

I think that's a yes on the latte.

Thank you, Jerry.

Thank you, Jerry.

Should we get to work? Excellent.

Applied Sciences.

Q.C.'s bleeding edge research division, till some wacko blew it up last year.

I'm sure they had their reasons.

The point is, it's the cornerstone for my plan to rebuild Queen Consolidated and thus the city.

I've had my people working day and night salvaging what they can, including this-- a file server containing Applied Science's design work.

It's not working, unfortunately, on account of being caught in a massive explosion.

You want me to access the data.

A brilliant mind at work already.

Speaking of, I got to get back to work.

Then why are you leaving your office?

Oh, I'm not.

I'm leaving yours.

This is Lyla's busy work, man you didn't have to tag along.

Well, I don't know how to vacation like a normal person, Diggle.

What's the plan?

This spot's his usual dead drop.

Lyla sent me over this file photo.

Just gonna make sure he's all right.

Got him.

I got you.

He's a friendly, Oliver.

Shaw.

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!

Listen! I'm with Lyla Michaels.

Have you seen any capuchins today?

If that's a challenge code, I got to tell you, I'm not with A.R.G.U.S.

I'm just Lyla's baby daddy.

Now, you didn't check in, Shaw.

She was worried, so she sent me to find you.

If you're lyin', you'll be picking your intestines up off this sidewalk.

That's fair enough.

Lyla gave me a security transcoder in my right jacket pocket.

Pretty jumpy, Shaw.

Better jumpy than dead.

Copy that.

What's going on?

Not here.

Sorry, I had--

I had eyes on me all week, a whole follow team.

Wait, Shaw. What makes you so important?

I have hard intel.

Someone from Corto Maltese hacked into the server and acquired the A.R.G.U.S. actual.

They want to sell it.

Did I mention I don't work for A.R.G.U.S.?

The actual is an encrypted data omnibus.

It's a complete record of agent covers, personal details, affiliated soft targets--

Whoa, whoa, whoa, soft targets...

As in family members?

Yeah, as in women and children.

You get why this is so important?

Hi, my name is Laurel, I'm an alcoholic.

All: Hi, Laurel.

A week ago, I...

Something happened.

Something that I can't share with anyone for several complicated reasons.

I thought that I was going to want to drink...

But I didn't.

Not even tempted, really.

[Inhales and exhales]

But what I am is...

Is I'm angry.

And I don't know what to do with it or--or where to put it. I just...

Thank you for letting me share.

Are there any other burning desires?

Erica. Alcoholic.

All: Hi, Erica.

My boyfriend and me got into another fight last night.

Some of you know, he still drinks, a lot.

And I said something.

I know I should have just kept my mouth shut.

I know I should just leave him, but... I can't.

Maybe there's a meeting I should be going to for that.

Laurel: Once a month, Erica gives a share like that and it's getting worse.

Quentin: Yeah.

Do you know the boyfriend has eight assault charges against him?

And not just in Starling.

He's got warrants out on him as far off as Coast City.

And it takes everything in me not to go after a dirtbag like that, but the day the cops start bringing their badges into AA meetings, that's the day that the drunks stop coming.

I'm in position.

The sale of the actual is going down here.

Only two of us. You sure you don't want to call for back up?

Hey.

That's the only insurance policy you're going to need.

They're here.

You're not worried about them seeing our ride?

How'd you know the buy was happening tonight?

I've been a station agent in Corto Maltese for three years now.

I got this third-world garbage dump wired.

What's wrong?

There's no buy, is there, Shaw?

[Groaning]

Sorry for lyin' to you, John. Well, partially lyin'.

There is a buy going down, just not till tomorrow.

I needed to get this first.

Thanks for helping me decode the actual.

Oliver: Diggle!

[Thea sighs]

Should have got the heavy duty ones.

I like your hair.

What, are you and my brother like travel buddies now?

No, we're just worried about you.

[Grunting]

Oliver said you weren't going to come back, so...

I figured I'd come here and try to convince you to.

Well, you can't.

Look, I get it, you're hurt.

I lied to you, I lied right to your face.

But I--I need you to know that when I said I wanted to leave Starling with you, that wasn't a lie.

I didn't just leave because of you, Roy.

My mother lied to me, my brother.

I had to get away from Starling City and all the secrets.

And I found myself here.

Isn't it lonely here?

That's kind of what I like about it.

There's no one here who knows me or thinks of me as Thea Queen or Thea Merlyn.

No one who lies to me, or... tries to protect me with secrets.

All I ever wanted was for you to be happy, Thea.

I'm sorry I got in the way of that.

I'm sorry that I hurt you.

If being here instead of home makes you happy, then-- then you should stay.

Roy?

Are you ok?

You look a little tired.

I just haven't been sleeping much lately.

You take care.

What do you mean?

It's not your fault, it's mine.

I thought I could do this differently, but I can't.

I need to train you as I was trained.

Treat you as my student, not my daughter.

[Gasping]

What are you doing?!

The only way to forge steel is to temper it with fire.

[Gasping and groaning]

Stay away from me, you sick son of a bitch!

Now we can begin.

Lyla: Why didn't you call me sooner?

I could have helped.

I didn't want you to worry, Lyla.

Besides, I thought we could handle it.

Well, we've hacked his email traffic.

He's got a buyer en route to Corto Maltese.

Who?

The tech boys are still working on that.

But Waller's dispatched a wet team to your position.

They're not going to get here in time.

They might.

Keep your powder dry.

Copy that.

We're not going to keep our powder dry.

Hell no.

Hey.

Any luck raising our digital Lazarus from the dead?

The hard drive is toast.

And the power supply.

And... the actuator.

Ah, I'm sensing a pattern.

[Cell phone vibrates]

Sorry, one second.

Hello?

Hey, Felicity, this is John.

Where are you?

You wouldn't believe me if I told you.

Are you near a computer?

Kind of.

I'm looking for somebody in Corto Maltese.

I'm actually a little bit in the middle of a...

I need to know where he is.

I've emailed you everything I have on him.

...meeting right now.

I am so sorry.

It's a friend.

Um, well, a few friends...

Actually. You know what, it's a long story.

Heh. Why am I under the impression that you have a lot of stories, all of which are long?

You want me to come back later?

What? Sorry.

[Beep]

Hello?

Felicity, I need a favor.

Are we favor friends now?

Are we friends?

What?

Never mind, sorry.

[Telephone rings]

Oh, dear god. One second.

One more second. Hello?

We got cut off.

According to the file you sent me, this guy is somewhat of a hacker.

Let me guess--long story?

Yeah, the guy I'm looking for broke into A.R.G.U.S's system.

And he left a trail.

It's faint--hacking-wise-- but with a little bit of luck, I will find him, or his laptop. I will email you when I have something.

I'm having a bit of a day.

I need you to help me find someone by googling his phone or something.

Pinging his GPS.

Can I call you back?

Is this what a typical day looks like for you?

Believe it or not, this is better than most.

When Felicity has Shaw's location, I want you to text me and I'll be there.

Thea?

Yeah.

Oliver, I don't think she's going to change her mind on this.

She doesn't want to hear from anyone, and I don't blame her.

I mean, we both lied to her. A lot.

I know, it's why it's time to tell her the truth.

Oliver, when you say "the truth"...

What happened the five years I was away, everything we've done since I've been back, all of it.

Well, you might want to think about that for a second.

Lies are what drove Thea away from Starling City in the first place.

The truth is the only thing that's going to bring her back.

Except you won't be telling her the truth, will you?

You'll be telling her that her brother has been lying to her to her face, with almost pathological sincerity for the past two years.

She won't believe another word you say.

And you will lose her, Oliver, forever.

Well, look around.

I've already lost her.

I don't have any other choice.

I hear you like to hit women.

How about one who likes to hit back?

[Grunting]

You're right.

It's better when they hit back.

[Starts engine]

[Tires squealing]

[Sighs]

Baby, baby, are you ok?

I'm so sorry.

I'm too relieved to be mad at you, I really am.

But, sweetheart...

This is crazy.

What the hell were you thinking going after that girl's boyfriend?

There's just something I needed to work out.

I know that the world isn't fair.

I know that it's a terrible place where... where people deserve to get punished.

And they don't. I just...

[Sighs]

For one night, I needed the world to be different.

Ok, Laurel, Laurel...

What's going on with you, huh?

You're not being yourself lately.

And now you're running around, you're tuning this guy up.

What are you doin'?!

Baby, you can talk to me about anything. You know that, right?

You know that.

I know.

Talk to me, then.

[Sighs]

Laurel, you're not the Arrow.

Or your sister.

You promise me you'll never do anything like this again, ever!

I promise.

It was a mistake; I wasn't thinking.

If you want to stay in Corto Maltese, it's fine, but there's not much here in the way of sightseeing.

I need to talk to you.

Look, between you and your new best friend Roy, I'm pretty sure you guys have said everything.

I haven't.

Not yet, anyway.

[Sighs]

Roy showed me the note you left him.

And you were right about everything.

I have lied, I have kept secrets.

The truth is that if I tell you...

All the things that you don't know about me, that I might lose you forever.

I spent five years in the worst kind of hell, and there were things that happened, there were things that I did...

That if-- if you knew, you would see me differently.

No, I'll always see you as my big brother.

I mean, no matter what happened to you on that island, or who you became, it's the secrets you kept about my own life.

I mean, you lied to me about who my father was.

Malcolm may have been your blood.

Robert was your father.

I lied to you about him, too.

Dad wasn't the man we thought he was.

He was better.

And I've kept something from you because I just...

Never wanted you to know.

Dad made it off "The Gambit" with me.

You told me he drowned.

We made it to a life boat together.

There wasn't enough food and water for both of us...

So he killed himself.

And that is one secret that I'm telling you now because I need you to realize... mom and dad, they sacrificed themselves so that we could live.

But if we're not together, then... we're not even really alive.

You're my family.

And even if you don't need me...

I need you.

Please just consider what I'm saying.

John: He's here.

So's his buyer.

I was expecting Armitage.

This country's soil is not worthy of Mr. Armitage.

Do you have the item?

Where's the money?

And the transcoder?

We better go.

Where'd you get this?

Our hotel room.

Who are they?

Could be A.R.G.U.S.

That's not A.R.G.U.S.

Suelten sus armas!

Let's go.

Go!

A.R.G.U.S., they know we're here.

Which is why I got a bunch of renta-soldiers to secure the perimeter.

It's amazing how cheap you can buy an army for in this country.

Diggle!

Behind you!

I never said I didn't know how to use a gun.

[All grunting]

[Both grunting]

Lyla was your friend!

And you endangered her and her daughter for what, for a lousy payday!

Not a payday.

It's my ticket out.

Of what?

A.R.G.U.S.!

You don't know the things Waller's made me do.

You don't know the things of a person she turns you into.

That still gives you no right to put a bulls-eye on my family's back!

I had no choice.

But you do, John.

Tell Waller I died.

Tell her you put a bullet in me.

If only.

Thea: I've been thinking.

I want to go home.

To my brother.

And all his lies and secrets?

Maybe you haven't come as far as I thought.

Let me prove it to you.

[Both grunting]

Impressive.

[Both grunting]

I had a good teacher.

[Laughs]

Looks like you're going home.

[Both breathing heavily]

You let me win, didn't you?

I'll be seeing you soon.

Safe flight.

Thank you.

Yeah.

You ok?

She's not coming.

I'm sorry, Oliver.

You did everything you could, man.

Oliver...

I'm glad you changed your mind.

Still not sure about flying commercial, though.

Oh!

I'm-- I'm so sorry.

Thea, are you ok?

Yeah. I'm fine.

Laurel?

I didn't know the Arrow took vacations.

Hey! What happened?

I'm fine. Please.

What happened?

I tried to do good.

It didn't work out.

Oh, Laurel.

I know that it probably sounds insane.

It probably is, but...

Sara.

She gave me this.

And when I wear it, it makes me want to help people like she did.

Like she's alive again.

I get it.

Sara had training.

She had years--

Oliver, I know.

Which is why I need to start, and I need your help.

[Sighs]

No.

Oliver!

No!

No.

I...

I want you to consider what would happen to your father if something happened to you.

Oliver, ever since it happened, I have had this fire inside of me that I can't get rid of with booze or pills.

I need another way!

And the other night, even though it went wrong it was the first time since Sara died where I haven't felt that fire.

I'm sorry, but I can't.

And even if I could, Sara would never forgive me.

Yeah.

Hey.

Love you.

I love you both.

The two of you were all I could think about.

I'm just trying to put her down.

That's ok, I just want to look at her for a while.

Ok.

I have to head into the office.

So late?

I do whatever Amanda Waller asks, remember?

You ok?

Yeah.

Just hurry back.

What's with this guy?

Outstanding warrants for assault and battery in Coast City.

Got an anonymous tip that he was in Starling.

Anonymous tip, huh?

That's a bad break, buddy.

All right.

When can I start?

Do you know how many of QC's techs said this data was unrecoverable?

Only all of them.

Seems like this would be a good time to ask for a few days off, then.

[Scoffs] You just started.

I know. But... my friend was struck by lightning and is in a coma, so...

Well, was.

I don't know. Um, it's--

A long story.

See ya.

Thanks.

You did good over there.

I had a good teacher.

A judgmental, occasionally temperamental one, but...

Those are the best kind.

[Chuckles]

Did Thea seem... different to you?

Her hair's a lot shorter.

But that's not what you mean.

What do you mean?

I don't know.

She say anything?

She may be... seeing somebody in Corto Maltese, or...

If Thea was with anybody else, I've got a feeling I'd be the last one to know.

[Footsteps]

Where is she?

Where is Sara?