Eyes on Fire
By Bindy417
Summary: AU. Felicity Smoak never wanted to be a member of the cyber-terrorist group Brother Eye. For five years she's been searching for a way out with no success. When Felicity hears rumors of The Arrow, the dark and dangerous Starling City vigilante, she knows she's finally found her salvation. Determined, Felicity seeks out The Arrow. What she discovers is a world beyond anything she could've imagined and a hero who may just need saving of his own.
Disclaimer: I do not own Arrow or any of its characters. They belong to The CW and DC Comics.
A/N: Hey guys, so I'm super excited to be posting my first Olicity fic. Whether you've read any of my prior One Tree Hill fics or are a new reader, I hope you'll enjoy this story. I'll be posting a new chapter every Thursday. Feel free to follow me on twitter (Bindy_417) for updates or just to say hi. I'll also be tweeting a dialogue tease of the upcoming chapter every Tuesday. Happy reading!
Chapter 1
The phone on the desk beeped for the fifth time in the last hour. Felicity Smoak sighed softly as she continued to type. It was clearly impossible for her to get any time to herself. She was almost done coding anyway. With a final click of the mouse, she exited the program and pushed away from the desk.
"Did it work? Is it finished?" asked the short, middle-aged man who'd been pacing nearby.
"Someone did try to access the system, but I beefed up the firewall and added some stronger security measures. You should be all set."
"It's these damn hackers these days. They're everywhere," he huffed.
"Yes, they are," Felicity replied as her phone vibrated once more. If only Mr. Grant knew the irony of his words.
"You're a miracle worker, Miss Smoak. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"You're welcome, Mr. Grant."
Jerry Grant owned a graphic design company. It was small but had some pretty high-profile clients. Every other week he would call Felicity claiming that someone was trying to break into his system to steal information. He was a little too paranoid, but today he'd been right. Someone had tried to hack him. Lucky for Mr. Grant, Felicity knew exactly how to deal with the situation.
Felicity shook his hand and visited his assistant on her way out to receive her payment.
Janine had just handed over the check when her phone rang. "Grant Designs, how may I help you?" she answered.
Felicity gave her a small wave, sure she'd see her again soon, and was about to leave when Janine halted her. "Um, Miss Smoak, I have someone on the phone for you."
"For me?" she questioned, perplexed. Felicity took the phone from Janine. "Hello?"
"I've been calling and texting you. Why haven't you answered me?" demanded the harsh and annoyed male voice.
Aware that Janine was watching her, Felicity made sure to keep a smile on her face. It was difficult considering how furious she was. It was so like Cooper to ping the GPS on her phone and track her down when she didn't answer right away. "I must not have gotten it. My battery is about to die."
"Don't give me that. I told you we were having a meeting today to go over our plans. You completely blew it off."
"And I told you I was working this morning. Remember?"
"That is not your work. I don't even know why you bother being an IT consultant. It's a stupid waste of time. You have ten minutes before I send someone to come get you. And trust me, you don't want that," Cooper warned.
"I'm on my way over now," she said, but he'd already hung up. Felicity handed the phone back to Janine.
"Boyfriend trouble?" She gave Felicity a sympathetic smile.
The blonde couldn't help but sigh, pushing her slipping black-framed glasses back up her nose . If only it were that simple. "Something like that."
Felicity let herself into the apartment and walked down the hall into the living room. It was a large, open space with an industrial-type style. The gray concrete walls were bare while the dark gray linoleum floor was littered with takeout cartons near the couch and kitchen areas. A foosball table was tucked into a corner on the right. The only clue that the owner possessed any real money lay with the high-tech computer equipment scattered across the long kitchen countertop and the big screen TV and gaming station in the sitting area. It was a typical bachelor pad to the untrained eye-cold, empty, and dark. Felicity truly loathed it.
"Look who finally decided to grace us with her presence," Myron announced as he fiddled with the controller in his hand. He and Cooper appeared to be in an epic Zork battle. At one point, Felicity probably would've eagerly challenged the winner to the next game. Now she could barely stand the sight of them.
She placed her purse on the kitchen counter, where Chase and Drake were sitting in front of the computers. They wore headphones and had that dazed, bloodshot look in their eyes. They must've been plugged in for at least a few hours now.
Cooper shouted in victory as Myron sulked next to him. "Nice try, but I told you I'm unstoppable." The arrogance was plain on his face. When she'd first met Cooper her junior year of college at MIT, Felicity thought he was one of the cutest guys she'd ever seen. Cooper definitely had that cool geek vibe going with his medium height and lanky build. He also had one of those faces that claimed innocence but belied an intellectual wit that proved otherwise.
Felicity had fallen head over heels in love with him. They used to talk for hours about their love of computers and gaming. Cooper frequently declared that he wanted to make a real difference in the world. For a girl like Felicity, who was raised by a single mother near a strip mall in Vegas and felt doomed to repeat the same mistakes, it was like a breath of fresh air. A few months after they'd started dating, Cooper told her about a hacktivist group he and his roommate Myron had joined. They would break into government systems to expose corruption or digitally deface criminals. It was civil disobedience via the worldwide web. Most importantly, it was a chance to be a hero.
Felicity followed in Cooper's footsteps and joined the group. Everyone had their own special skills, but Felicity proved to have the magic touch. When a system was particularly difficult, it was Felicity who they trusted to take it down. It was during her senior year of college that Felicity developed the super virus. She'd been experimenting and never actually planned on using it. It could crack almost any infected system and wreak havoc, allowing any decent hacker to gain access and change whatever was wanted. Felicity had shown it to Cooper, who couldn't have been more impressed.
It wasn't long after that Cooper started becoming more bold in his hacking activities. Instead of focusing on criminals and corruption, he started targeting big corporations. He told Felicity that the money these corporations made was a slap in the common man's face. That they hadn't truly earned it and deserved to be put in their place. One company had almost gone bankrupt and had to lay off workers just to stay afloat. When Felicity learned that Cooper was stealing money from them and using her virus to do it, she was horrified.
The hacktivist group had the same reaction to Cooper's less-than-honorable intentions, and he was asked to leave. He decided to start his own group, Brother Eye, after graduation and convinced Myron, Chase, and Drake to join him. Felicity, no longer recognizing the man she'd fallen in love with, refused to follow. Cooper, however, had other plans. As good as he and the guys were, Felicity was better. He knew he needed her if his new group was going to succeed. Because of this, Cooper refused to take no for an answer and threatened to tell the authorities that she was the one using the super virus to steal.
Felicity didn't want to believe that he could get away with it, but she knew otherwise. That virus was her creation. Because she'd never planned on using it, she hadn't been as careful in covering her tracks. If the authorities specifically knew where to look, they most definitely could trace its origin back to her. Cooper had her trapped. There was no other choice but to join his greedy, illegal crusade. Five years later and Felicity was still paying for the one innocent mistake she'd made.
"Felicity, are you going to join us or what?" Cooper snapped, pulling her out of her troubled thoughts. Chase and Drake were already sitting on the couch. "We haven't got all day."
Felicity took a seat on the recliner. It was the only single seat available, which she preferred.
"All right, down to business. Chase, where are we with the Kord Industries money?"
"As of five minutes ago, we are $6 million richer. It's already been transferred to the offshore bank account. I'm sure Ted Kord has gotten our little message already as a thank you."
After every heist, while the system was still vulnerable, one of the guys would take the opportunity to upload the signature Brother Eye message. It was a graphic of a fiery eye with a slit pupil. Cooper's transposed voice would then gloat about their victory. Essentially, it was their calling card. Felicity told Cooper that it would be better to just quietly take the money. Cooper, much to her annoyance, had a flair for the dramatic.
"Great. Myron, you know the drill. Divvy it up. The drinks will be on Chase tonight."
"I should be offended that my reward is paying for you losers, but I'm a millionaire once again. So what the hell."
"Now that we've got Kord Industries taken care of, we need to discuss our next target. I don't know about you guys but I've had enough of Central City already. It's time for a change of scenery."
"Wait, we're moving again?" Felicity interjected. Of all the places they'd lived over the years, Central City had been the best so far. The streets were clean, and the sun always shined. Felicity had even found a coffee house that she liked to frequent when she had a moment to herself.
"When you stay in one place, people start to take notice. We can't afford to put down roots, babe," Cooper reminded her. Looking to the guys he asked, "You've been doing research. What have you got for me?"
The guys suggested a few major banks, an oil company, and another industrial manufacturer. This was the opportunity she'd been waiting for. They started seriously discussing some tech company when Felicity interrupted. "What about Queen Consolidated? Its headquarters is located in Starling City. It's only a train ride away."
"No way," Myron was quick to object.
"Why not?" Felicity challenged. "The Queens are billionaires. They're not going to miss a few million."
"You're forgetting one thing. Starling City is protected by that crazy green vigilante. Have you seen the news reports of that guy? He doesn't back down," Myron argued. "And I for one don't want to end up with an arrow in my ass."
"That doesn't have anything to do with us. He targets the wealthy, too. Other than that, he takes on the occasional common criminal and drug lord. Cyber crime is not his thing," Felicity reasoned.
"I'm too handsome to have a scar," Chase added.
Drake raised his hand. "I'm with them."
"Wow, I never thought I'd actually see the day you guys would be afraid of some guy in green tights."
"It's leather," Drake corrected.
"Whatever," Felicity replied. She was fully aware that the vigilante didn't actually wear tights and didn't want to know why Drake had retained that particular detail either. No one had been able to get a clear shot of the vigilante yet, formally known as The Arrow, but according to reports he wore a form-fitting green leather suit with a hood and eye mask to cover his face. His weapon of choice was an old-school bow and arrow. Felicity thought it actually sounded kind of cool-not that she would tell the guys that. Pretending to know less than she did was crucial for this to work. "My point is that we could totally pull this off."
"QC did develop that earthquake machine that was used to destroy the Glades a few months back. Thousands of people were killed but because Oliver Queen claimed to know nothing about it, he got off scot free," said Cooper.
"He certainly needs to be taught a lesson," Felicity reinforced. Regardless of what the others thought, it was really Cooper who she'd have to convince.
He shook his head. "It's still risky, though."
Fortunately for her, Felicity knew exactly the right button to push. She walked over to her purse and pulled out the Fast Company magazine she'd bought with Oliver Queen on the cover. The featured article inside was about how the prodigal son had returned to restore the family legacy that had been left in ruins. Felicity held it up for the others to see. "Coop, think about it. We would not only be stealing from one of the wealthiest men in the world, who already has blood on his hands, but it would be right in The Arrow's own city. Think of the notoriety Brother Eye would receive based on that alone." She could see the wheels in Cooper's mind turning.
"Even if we did decide to do this, there's no way we're moving to Starling. The last thing we need to worry about is a vigilante prying into our business."
"Fine. We stay a few days to scout it out and leave when the job is done." Felicity looked him square in the eye. No way was she backing down. It was too important.
"Cooper, you can't be seriously considering this," Myron cut in.
Cooper was glancing between her and the magazine. Finally, he proclaimed, "Pack your bags, boys, we leave for Starling City tomorrow."
Despite their grumbling, the guys knew the decision was made. While they went off to gather their stuff, Cooper pulled Felicity off to the side. "I'm assuming that you did all of the necessary research on QC, so that we can pull this off without a hitch."
"I wouldn't have suggested it otherwise."
"I only ask because you've seemed a lot more distracted lately. You're always off on another consulting job, helping these bullshit companies make their bottom line. It makes me wonder if you're still dedicated to our cause." His tone was casual, but Felicity knew all too well the underlying menace it masked. She had to tread very carefully.
"Not all companies are evil, Cooper. I help small businesses run by people who are just trying to support their families. I haven't shirked my Brother Eye responsibilities once."
"Except for our meeting today."
Felicity would hardly call sitting around with a bunch of guys in sweats a meeting, but she held her tongue. "That was a miscommunication."
Cooper ran a hand through his hair. He'd been wearing it gelled back these last few months in an attempt to look more sophisticated. Felicity thought it made him look like a drowned rat. "Still, I'm concerned."
"You once said we all have our parts to play. My consultant work is my cover. It makes me look like a contributing member of society. You can understand that, can't you?"
He watched her intently for a moment longer, tapping her chin with his hand. "I get it. And after we pull off this job in Starling, you'll have proven to me that you're still valuable after all these years." He leaned in close and whispered, "So don't screw this up."
Felicity nodded before watching him walk away. When he was finally out of sight, she released the breath she'd been holding. She'd tried her hardest not to show Cooper and the others how badly she wanted out of Brother Eye. It had taken a long time for this opportunity to come along. Her eyes traveled once more to the handsome billionaire on the magazine cover, looking pensive yet confident. Cooper wasn't usually right about much, but on this matter he was spot on. Felicity wouldn't screw this opportunity up. Her life depended on it.
The dirt bag could run, but he couldn't hide. Just minutes ago Oliver had caught him and his gang cornering a young girl in the alleyway. The other guys stayed to fight, foolishly thinking that they would be able to take down The Arrow. Their leader, knowing better, ran. He wouldn't get far, though.
Oliver knew how to read these criminals. The guy was headed for an overpass that would lead him deeper into the Glades, the rundown and now ravaged part of Starling City. Scaling the rooftops of the nearby buildings not only gave Oliver a better vantage point, but a quicker way to head the perpetrator off. As expected, the creep came barreling around the corner. Oliver shot an arrow with a cable into the building across from him. Within seconds he swung down, catching the man by surprise and kicking him into the brick wall.
The man grunted in pain before panic took over. Oliver leveled his loaded bow at him. This was his favorite part-when the criminals knew there was no escape and were about to face justice. "Jack Brant," Oliver growled in the deep, menacing voice of The Arrow. "You have failed this city."
"Please, let me go. I have money."
"I don't want your money."
"We didn't do anything wrong. We were just having some fun."
"I don't think your potential victim thought so. Or the other women you've put in the hospital." Oliver had been tracking Brant for some time now. He was a serial rapist with no remorse for the women he hurt. He would enjoy putting this man behind bars.
"Oliver," said a voice in his ear. "I've called the cops. They'll be there in a few minutes. You've got to get out of there."
"Please," the man begged. He was as spineless as they came. It was probably why he only targeted women.
Oliver drew back his arm and released the arrow. The guy yelped as the cables from the arrow released, wrapped around him, and pinned him to the wall. Police sirens could be heard in the distance.
Brant opened his eyes and stared at his bindings. "That's it?" He sounded relieved.
Smirking, Oliver quickly drew another arrow and shot. This one pierced Brant's shoulder, and he screamed. "Now we're finished."
"You just couldn't resist," added the voice.
"Nope," Oliver replied before making his escape. The police were getting closer, and he needed to be long gone before they arrived. They still didn't like that the vigilante was interfering in their business.
Oliver returned to the spot where he'd hidden his motorcycle. It only took a few minutes to get back to the Foundry. It was his secret base of operations located underneath Verdant, the nightclub he co-owned with his best friend Tommy Merlyn. It was also in the Glades. The club had suffered some damage during the earthquake a few months ago but nothing severe. The reconstruction was almost done. Just in time for the grand reopening in a couple of days.
There was a private back entrance that was perfect for sneaking in and out of the Foundry without being seen. Oliver entered the club and headed straight for the secured door. It opened after he typed in the code.
"The police just picked up Brant and his guys. They're on their way to Iron Heights as we speak," John Diggle informed him. He'd originally been Oliver's bodyguard, but it had been tough for Oliver to slip away from him when he needed to hit the streets as The Arrow.
Diggle, sometimes too clever for his own good, managed to follow him one night last year. Not only did he figure out that Oliver was The Arrow, but Diggle had gotten hit in a shootout by a stray bullet laced with poison. Oliver, taking a chance, took Diggle back to the Foundry. He was able to stop the effects of the poison and told Diggle the truth about his mission. At first, Diggle didn't know what to think. He was a former service member in the army, specifically with Special Forces. He was used to a more structured approach, making him hesitant to join Oliver in his crusade. Eventually he saw the good Oliver was trying to do and agreed to be his partner. They'd been working together to save Starling ever since.
"Good. We can take them off the list."
Diggle checked his watch. "You better hurry if you're going to meet Tommy at Poison." It was Verdant's main competition on the club scene. Since it wasn't in the Glades, it managed to stay open these past few months. Max Fuller, the owner and Oliver's long-time rival, was probably enjoying stealing all of their clientele in Verdant's absence. It was exactly why Tommy wanted them to go to Poison tonight. Billionaire playboys Oliver Queen and Tommy Merlyn having a night on the town would make the papers. The more publicity they generated, the more hype they could build for Verdant's reopening. Plus, it would piss Fuller off. That was a benefit in and of itself.
"I'm not going," Oliver informed Diggle. "I just came back here to get some more arrows."
"Oliver, you've done enough patrolling tonight. We got Brant. You should go out with Tommy. Have some fun."
"Fun is not exactly my priority right now. Nor do I deserve it," he muttered more quietly as he restocked his arrows.
Diggle, as usual, wouldn't play the blame game. He crossed his arms, making his tall, dark frame appear even stronger. The man was a giant. "The earthquake wasn't your fault, Oliver. Your family's company may have made the machine, but you had no part in it."
"Well, I sure as hell didn't stop it," he snapped. "Now look what's become of the city. The Glades was destroyed. All those criminals escaped when Iron Heights was breached. They're on the streets, and the SCPD can't keep up. And my mother, she's-" He couldn't continue. Couldn't even think about that right now. It was too painful. "I owe it to this city to make things right."
"You won't be good to anyone, Oliver, if you run yourself into the ground," Diggle reasoned. "Take the rest of the night off. We'll start fresh tomorrow night."
"One more patrol."
"And the board meeting tomorrow," Diggle reminded him. "Will you be ready for that?"
Oliver silently cursed. He'd forgotten all about it. That explained all of the messages from his executive assistant that he purposefully ignored earlier. Oliver had never intended to take over the family business. After the earthquake, he had no choice but to step up. His family's company would've fallen to pieces otherwise, and more jobs would've been lost. The city had experienced enough tragedy. Tommy was in the same situation. He had to take over at Merlyn Global once his father's involvement in the plot to destroy the Glades was uncovered. As usual, they were at the mercy of their parents' terrible decisions.
Sensing that Oliver's resolve was weakening, Diggle repeated, "Go home, Oliver."
With a huff, Oliver put the arrows back and placed his bow in the glass case that held his gear. It wasn't enough to roam the streets as The Arrow. Starling City needed money to repair the damage and rebuild the Glades. Oliver was going to pitch the Queen Consolidated board members tomorrow about his plans to set up a fund for the reconstruction. It was the least the company could do. The Arrow may protect the city at night, but it was Oliver Queen who could make a difference in the light of day. The two sides of himself had a lot to atone for, though it would never be enough.
Oliver stood in front of the long row of windows in his penthouse loft apartment. Staring out at the city before him, it wasn't hard to understand why it was named Starling. The bright lights of the city shown like stars in the darkening sky. Each individual light represented a life being lived.
Oliver had been among them once. He'd lived an ignorant life of privilege. The Queens were one of the wealthiest families in the world. When anything and everything was at your disposal, it was hard not to get caught up in the seduction of it all. That's exactly what had happened to Oliver growing up. His parents, never able to say no, were willing to give him anything that he wanted. The more they gave, the more Oliver took. It sort of became his motto in life. If there was something he wanted, Oliver Queen would take it regardless of the rules.
The trouble started when he was a teenager. He and Tommy would sneak out of their respective mansions and meet up at whatever club was cool that week. Bribing the bouncers and bartenders was a breeze. The women followed close behind, easily able to sniff out that they were young and from money.
The older they got, the harder they partied. It wasn't long before Oliver started getting in trouble with the law. One drunken night he'd assaulted a member of the paparazzi who wouldn't leave him and his date alone. Another time he stole a taxi cab and crashed it into a fire hydrant. Oddly enough, the stunt that bothered his parents the most was when he was caught peeing in the large fountain in front of Queen Consolidated. "Pissing on the family legacy" was how his dad termed it.
Oliver was relieved when it was time for college. His grades in high school weren't good, but it made no difference. All the universities cared about was having an association with the Queen name and the large alumni donations his family would most likely give in the future. Oliver hadn't earned his place in college, which was probably why he never took it seriously. He made new friends, who were also a bad influence, joined a fraternity and almost never went to class. Eventually he dropped out and was on to the next school. The pattern continued before Oliver realized he'd had enough. College would never be for him. Looking back now, Oliver wished that his parents had been stricter with him.
They had done better with his younger sister Thea, though she was naturally a kind and caring person. There wasn't much to worry about with her. But if anybody did try to hurt her or put her in harm's way, then they had Oliver to deal with. Oliver couldn't be depended on for much, but he was always there when Thea needed him. His baby sister was the only thing in his life that he did truly care about.
That was until he'd started dating Laurel Lance. It wasn't long after he'd returned to Starling after dropping out of his third school. Laurel was taking pre-law classes at Starling City University. Her father was a detective with the SCPD; the need to carry out justice ran in the family. Tommy, who also went to SCU, had dragged Oliver to a party at her sorority house. He'd been talking to another girl when Laurel caught his eye. They'd known each other since grade school but lost touch when they'd started college. Laurel was hands down the most beautiful girl in the room with her long, curly brown hair and striking eyes. After making up some excuse to get away from the stage-five clinger chatting his ear off, he'd approached Laurel. The attraction that had always been there was suddenly too much to ignore. They'd hit it off immediately and ended up hooking up that night.
Usually, Oliver was a hit it and quit it kind of guy. That's why he was so surprised to find that he actually wanted to see Laurel again after their night together. Their romantic relationship progressed from there, and soon they were officially dating. It was Oliver's first real relationship, and for a while things had been great between them. Unfortunately, his bad boy nature couldn't be suppressed for long. Oliver started to feel suffocated when Laurel started asking about their future and suggesting that they get an apartment together. Oliver loved her, but he was nowhere near ready for that level of commitment.
That's when he began lying to her about where and with who he spent his time. The other women were more than willing to keep their hookups a secret, just as long as they got to spend time with Oliver Queen. Oliver hated himself for it, but it didn't stop him from making one bad choice after the next. His worst mistake was pursuing Laurel's sister Sara. She was a couple of years younger and had just started college. Oliver always sort of knew she'd had a crush on him.
When his father decided to take the family's yacht, The Queen's Gambit, for a business trip to China, Oliver convinced his father to let him come aboard. He managed to sneak Sara on with him, knowing it was the only time they could be together without any chance of getting caught. That night ended up being the worst of Oliver's life. There was a storm at sea, and the Queen's Gambit sank. Sara and a majority of the crew went down with the ship. It was just Oliver, his father and another crew member who managed to survive. They drifted for a couple of days on a life raft with little food and water.
On the third day, Robert Queen decided that it was only Oliver's life that mattered. He shot the other crew member and himself after telling Oliver to survive. Oliver was so delirious that he barely knew what was happening before it was too late. The raft continued to drift until it reached a deserted island-or so Oliver thought. Lian Yu was both a blessing and a curse. The five years of hell he faced after landing on that beach taught him more than just simple survival. It forged Oliver into a weapon. After everything he'd gone through to finally return to Starling City, Oliver was determined to use all that pain and suffering to do some real good in the world. He owed that to his father. But he couldn't do it as Oliver Queen. He had to become someone else. Something else. That's when he decided to be The Arrow.
Looking out over his city to the black hole that was now the Glades, Oliver felt the guilt creeping back in. He had failed the city despite his best efforts. All this time he'd thought it was his father's sins he'd been atoning for when his mother had been keeping secrets of her own. That secret had cost thousands of people their lives, including her own. The mere memory of her tragic death and the look on Thea's face after learning she'd lost another parent set his blood boiling. It made Oliver want to blow off this entire club reopening and hit the streets. He wouldn't rest until he found that bastard Malcolm Merlyn. Everything that had gone wrong in Oliver's life. Everyone that he had lost. It was all because of that man, and soon enough Oliver would make him pay.
There was movement behind him. Oliver, always on his guard, was just about to grab the antique knife display on the side table next to him when the lights flipped on.
"What are you doing standing in the dark?" asked Tommy. Diggle was behind him.
"Watching the city. The view's better when the lights are off."
Tommy joined him by the window. His eyes seemed to hone in on the Glades, as well. Oliver noticed a twinge of remorse on his face. It was hard to believe that Tommy was Malcolm's son. Tommy had always been a good, loyal friend. Sure, he'd gotten into as much trouble as Oliver growing up but deep down Tommy would do anything for the people he loved. They'd always been alike in that way.
"It's pretty fucked up, isn't it?" Tommy muttered. "I always knew my father was an ass but this..."
"You didn't know, Tommy," Oliver reassured him. He could practically feel Diggle's eyes boring holes in the back of his head. It's what his partner had been telling him repeatedly these last few months, and the irony was not lost on Oliver. "And that is what tonight's reopening is all about, right? Righting our family's wrongs." All of the money Verdant made tonight, which was sure to be a lot if the media hype was any indication, would be donated to the Starling City Earthquake Relief Fund.
"Yeah," his friend agreed. He stared out the window a moment longer before looking away. Seconds later that easy smile of his was back on his face. "So, how do I look? Suave? Debonair? Ruggedly handsome?"
Oliver chuckled, taking in his friend's dark blue Armani suit. "You look halfway decent."
"Hey, don't hate me 'cause you ain't me."
"Okay, I was away on an island for five years and even I know nobody says that anymore." Knowing the real reason why Tommy was so concerned with his appearance, he asked, "So Laurel's coming tonight?
Not long after he'd returned from the island, Oliver learned that Tommy and Laurel had gotten close. They were more than friends with benefits but not quite a couple. Oliver's resurrection from the dead had made things even more awkward. Tommy was thrilled to have his friend back, while Laurel could barely stand the sight of the man who'd not only betrayed her but caused her sister's death. Oliver completely understood her anger and why she turned to Tommy. Oliver did everything he could since returning to prove that he wasn't the selfish man he once was.
For a long time, Oliver thought that he was still in love with Laurel. Despite her anger, he'd thought he'd seen a few glimpses of the old feelings she once had for him. Laurel had been one of the reasons why Oliver hadn't gone crazy on that island. The picture of her he'd always kept in his wallet was one of his only ties to home. Even though Laurel did ultimately forgive him, they both realized there was no undoing the past. They were both better people, but they were also very different. Laurel deserved someone worthy of her love and that was Tommy. Oliver, with the path he was on as The Arrow, realized it was best to be alone.
"She texted me and said that she would."
"But you still refuse to ask her on a date," Oliver pointed out.
"Yes."
"And yet you still give a damn about your appearance."
"Yes."
"Tommy," Oliver said, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Just ask her out already."
"My father is a mass murderer, Oliver. The media have been on us like sharks. I'm not going to let her reputation be dragged down with mine."
"Shouldn't that be her decision?"
Tommy, clearly not wanting to answer the question, nodded toward Diggle. "Let's go. This is one event we can't be fashionably late for."
"Your car is ready, Mr. Queen," Diggle informed him, playing his part as Oliver's bodyguard and driver.
Tommy pulled a flask out of his front pocket and took a swig before offering it to Oliver. "Let the feeding frenzy begin."
One last look in the mirror and Felicity was ready. She'd spent the last three hours getting dolled up for the big Verdant reopening. Felicity and the guys had arrived in Starling City the day before. Most of her time was spent in her hotel room finding out every last detail she could about Oliver Queen and tightening up her plan. Phase two began tonight.
She ran her hands over the bright pink cocktail dress. It had only one sleeveless strap with a jeweled silver clasp. Except for the thick strap going across her back to hold up the dress, the majority of her back was exposed. Forgoing her glasses tonight, Felicty did a smokey eye for a more sultry look and added her favorite pink lipstick to really make her lips pop. Instead of her signature straight ponytail, she let her naturally curly blond hair fall to her shoulders. All she needed was her silver heels and matching purse, and she'd be on her way.
Cooper and the guys were in the hotel bar getting drunk, so it was the perfect time for her to slip out. She made sure to turn off her phone's GPS. No way would Cooper be able to track her tonight. As she made her way through the hotel lobby to the front entrance, Felicity noticed a few appreciative stares from the men passing by. At least she had confirmation that she'd chosen the right outfit.
One of the doormen got her a taxi. It took about twenty minutes to get to Verdant from their hotel, since Cooper had chosen a hotel located in a more upscale part of Starling City. Felicity could hear the club before she could see it. The rhythmic thumping of techno music echoed down the street. When Felicity saw the line of cars to the front entrance, she decided that she was close enough. She could easily walk the rest of the way.
There were two roped-off lines out front. The one to the right was long and stretched down the block. The one on the left was shorter, clearly for VIPs. Felicity got in that line behind some leggy model type. "Felicity Smoak," she said when the bouncer asked for her name. There was no doubt in her mind that he'd find it, as she'd hacked into the VIP guest list earlier to add it.
Sure enough, the bouncer nodded for her to go on in.
The first floor of the club was packed. Felicity wasn't sure how people were dancing, since she could barely walk more than a few inches at a time. This was much more intense than she thought it was going to be, but she probably should have expected it. Oliver Queen billionaire playboy was guaranteed to draw a rambunctious crowd. But it wasn't just Oliver Queen that Felicity was seeking tonight. It was The Arrow-if all of her months of in-depth research and investigation were correct. He did a thorough job of concealing his dual identity to most people, she'd give him that. Felicity, however, wasn't most people.
Finally, Felicity made it to the staircase that led to the VIP area. It was slightly less crowded but not by much. It came as no surprise that the section with the most people was where Oliver Queen was situated. He was standing and chatting with a few other men in suits. The women on their arms and nearby wore some of the tightest, shortest dresses Felicity had ever seen. The vixen-esque redhead standing by Mr. Queen's side must not have eaten in weeks. How their lady parts stayed in place had Felicity seriously questioning the laws of gravity.
Felicity found a spot by the balcony railing that gave her a better view of Oliver Queen. He definitely had the tall, dark and handsome thing going on. The pictures she'd seen of him in the tabloids hardly did him justice. She scrutinized him further, searching for any hints that he was indeed Starling City's infamous vigilante. Aside from his obviously strong, muscular build, he looked like your average billionaire-assuming billionaires could be considered average, really.
The longer Felicity stared at him, the foggier her usually quick and clever brain was becoming. Approaching Mr. Queen was going to be much more difficult than she anticipated. How could she have possibly thought that she could waltz right up to someone like him and start a conversation? There were far more important people here claiming his attention. And she couldn't very well come out and say that she knew he was The Arrow. She couldn't show her full hand. Not yet. But that didn't change the fact that he needed to notice her, however briefly.
This definitely called for some liquid courage. Felicity made her way over to the bar and ordered a red wine. It wasn't the most popular brand of alcohol at a club like this, but it was Felicity's favorite. She'd take a few sips, get a grip and figure out a new plan of attack.
"Thank you," Felicity said to the bartender. As she turned around to make sure she didn't lose track of Mr. Queen, she collided with a hard body. It wouldn't have been a big deal under normal circumstances if her wine hadn't tipped forward. Felicity gasped as she saw the big, wet red stain on the gray suit jacket. "Oh my God, I am so sorry! I'm such a-" her words disappeared when she looked up and found herself face to face with none other than Oliver Queen.
Well, mission accomplished. He's noticed you now.
"Oh, Mr. Queen, I didn't see you. I apologize. I can totally fix this. My mom's a cocktail waitress in Vegas. She deals with drunken idiots all the time, so she knows how to get rid of wine stains. Not that I'm an idiot or drunk. I'm not drunk at all actually. I didn't even get to take a sip before spilling it all over you. It's just that I turned around quickly and there you were and I didn't see-" Felicity quickly shut her mouth once she realized that she was babbling. It was a nasty habit Felicity already had that only got worse when she was in high-stress situations. Spilling her wine all over Oliver Queen's expensive designer suit could unquestionably qualify as a high-stress situation.
Felicity cautiously met his gaze and was both shocked and relieved to see that Mr. Queen wasn't scowling. In fact, it looked as if he was trying not to smile. "My point is that some club soda and soap will take that right out."
Mr. Queen stared at her for a moment longer before taking off his suit jacket. He handed it off to the redhead, who was clearly not as amused as he was by the situation. "Carrie, you heard, um...what's your name?"
The blonde cleared her throat. "Felicity Smoak."
"You heard Ms. Smoak. Can you please try and get the stain out?"
"Of course, Oliver," she replied with a smile, then glared at Felicity before taking off.
"Your girlfriend?" Felicity questioned.
"My assistant."
"Oh. Well, I'm really sorry again, Mr. Queen."
"Please, call me Oliver. Mr. Queen was more my father."
"I know, but he's dead. I mean, he drowned. But you didn't, which means you can be here to listen to me babble. Which will end in three, two, one..." Felicity officially wanted nothing more than to crawl behind the bar and die in that moment. "I'm just going to..." She motioned to the stairs and was about to leave when Oliver halted her.
"How about I buy you another drink? It's the least I could do after so rudely spilling it all over myself." He could no longer hide his grin.
"Okay," she said before her brain had time to process her response. He was even more mesmerizing up close. Those baby blue eyes coupled with his strong jaw and a hint of facial hair had her feeling weak in the knees. This was yet another reaction she wasn't expecting.
"Another wine for the young lady and a scotch, neat, for me," he ordered while rolling up the sleeves of his dress shirt.
"Thank you. You didn't have to do that, especially when it was my fault." She handled the wine glass with caution.
He shrugged as if it was no big deal. "Accidents happen. So, Ms. Smoak, do you live in Starling?"
"Oh, Felicity is fine. And, no. I live in Central City. I'm only in town for a few days." She took a sip of her wine.
"On business?"
"Yes, sort of. I work in IT. Nothing special. The details would probably bore you." She glanced around the room. "The club looks great. The reopening seems to be a success."
"I think we'll be making a sizeable contribution to the relief fund."
"I read about that. It's a generous gesture."
"It's the least we can do." His voice took on a more serious tone. "In fact, I wish we could do more."
Felicity gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm sure you will." It was obvious that he deeply cared about the city. "Plus, there's The Arrow," she added nonchalantly.
Oliver placed his drink back down. Felicity noted the sudden tension in his shoulders. "What about him?"
"I just mean that he's done an awful lot to protect Starling. This city is lucky to have someone like him watching out for it. I know I would sleep easier at night."
The tension in his body eased as he studied her for a moment. Any doubts that she'd been wrong about him being The Arrow dissipated. There was a keen intelligence behind those killer blue eyes of his. She could tell that he was absorbing what she was saying. "So you're a fan?" he teased.
"Well, I wouldn't necessarily use that word. 'Fan' sort of implies that I, like, make t-shirts with green hooded figures on them and carry an imitation bow in my purse." Her words made Oliver laugh, which for some reason brought a smile to her own face.
He arched his brow. "So you don't make t-shirts and travel with a bow?"
"Definitely not," Felicity replied. "Sharp objects make me nervous. Actually, all pointy things. Needles especially. So, yeah, I guess you can add arrows to that list. And kangaroos but they're not sharp or pointy, just super creepy." She took a much-needed breath to gain control of her mouth once more. "Anyway, I'd say I'm more of an admirer of The Arrow."
"I'll keep that in mind." Oliver's voice was low once more, and he was standing much closer than she'd originally thought.
They stared at each other in silence. For a moment, the entire club disappeared. No one existed but them as they each tried to figure out the other. Felicity wondered if he could sense that she knew more than she was letting on. Or maybe he was simply flattered by the compliment. Either way, she'd gotten her message across.
Oliver was the first to speak, and she leaned in closer to hear him. "Felicity, while you're in town, would you like to-"
"Here you are, Oliver. Good as new," Carrie interrupted, dangling his suit jacket between them.
Felicity blinked, as if coming out of a trance. Was it her imagination, or did she actually just have a moment with Oliver Queen? As quickly as the thought entered her mind, she dismissed it. He was probably like this with all of his women. Felicity read the tabloids. It would be ridiculous to think that she was the exception to the rule. It was that line of thinking that got her in trouble with Cooper in the first place.
"Thank you, Carrie," Oliver replied, his voice tight. "Would you please find Tommy for me? I need to speak with him."
The redhead nodded, threw Felicity one last dirty look and set off into the crowd. Felicity figured that was her cue to leave. "Thank you again for the drink despite me spilling my first one on you."
Oliver put his jacket back on. "Well, your tip did work."
Felicity ran her hand over the now clean spot. "Yes, it did."
Oliver gently placed his hand over hers. Almost instantly she felt her skin tingle where they were touching. "It was nice to meet you, Felicity Smoak." His piercing blue eyes bore into hers.
"It was nice meeting you, too, Oliver Queen." Pulling away was much harder than it should've been, but somehow Felicity managed it. This time, she welcomed the cover of the crowd.
Oliver barely noticed when Diggle approached him. He'd been too preoccupied looking after the beautiful blonde as she made her way out of the VIP area. He was tempted to walk over to the railing and see if she left the club completely but resisted the urge. It was best that he let her go. Oliver still wasn't entirely sure what had come over him a few minutes ago.
"Who was that?" Diggle questioned.
"Felicity Smoak."
"Is she a friend of yours?"
"No. We just met."
Oliver had walked over to the bar as an excuse to get away from all of the shop talk and ass kissing with Starling's elite. He hadn't even noticed Felicity until she turned around, and her drink spilled all over him. The annoyance barely had a chance to register before she'd gone off on that ridiculously cute tangent about drunks in Vegas and stain removal methods. Her guilt and embarrassment were apparent, but there was also an innocence about her. It wasn't something Oliver saw often, which somehow made him want to comfort her instead. The babbling aside, it was the most interesting conversation he'd had all night.
Felicity continued to surprise him with her comments about The Arrow. When she'd first brought it up, Oliver had expected to hear the usual complaints about vigilantes running amok and interfering with police business. Felicity thought the exact opposite. She admired his efforts to keep the city safe. It affected him more than it probably should've, not that she had any way of knowing that.
"Could've fooled me."
Diggle's sly tone wasn't lost on Oliver. He looked over at his friend. "What?"
"Who knew a mysteriously beautiful woman spilling her drink all over you could have you smiling like that?"
"I wasn't smiling."
"No, you're right. Grinning like an idiot is much more appropriate," Diggle replied, enjoying Oliver's sudden discomfort. "Say what you want, but that's the most I've seen you smile since, well, ever."
Oliver didn't want to get too deep into this conversation. "It's not a big deal."
"You should've asked her out."
He almost had. If Carrie and her inappropriately jealous tendencies hadn't interrupted, Oliver would've asked Felicity to dinner. Carrie probably did him a favor in the end. His love life was at the very bottom of his priorities list right now. Oliver couldn't afford to get attached to anyone and vice versa. Still, the moment he touched Felicity something sparked inside of him.
"I can look her up. See where she works," Diggle pressed. "Maybe she can spill coffee on you the next time."
"Who are you? Cupid?" Oliver retorted, exasperated.
Diggle shrugged innocently but took the hint to let it go. "Just trying to help."
"You can help me by tracking down Merlyn." He dropped his voice even lower as Tommy approached. "That's what we need to focus on."
"Oliver, Carrie said you were looking for me."
"Oh, I only said that to give her something to do."
Tommy laughed. "She cock blocking again? I saw you with the blonde. She was hot. You get her number?"
Oliver ignored the smirk Diggle was sending him and countered, "Have you asked Laurel out yet?"
"I think I need another drink." That was a definite no.
Oliver called the bartender over. This was going to be a long night. "Make that two."
It was almost two in the morning when Felicity returned to the hotel. The butterflies doing cartwheels in her stomach from talking to Oliver turned carnivorous as soon as she saw Cooper standing outside her hotel room. What the heck did he want now?
"Hey, Cooper," she greeted, keeping her voice calm and pleasant. "What are you still doing up?"
"I could ask you the same question," he retorted, slurring the last word. His glazed eyes looked her up and down.
"You're drunk." This was the last thing Felicity felt like dealing with.
"Nice outfit. Who did you get all dressed up for?"
"That's none of your business."
"Do you have a secret boyfriend? Is that why you wanted to come to Starling City so bad?"
"No. We're here to do a job."
Cooper pushed off of the wall to stand in front of her. He was so close she could smell the alcohol on his breath. "So that's why you snuck out. You went to Queen's club. How was it? Were you able to catch a glimpse of the charming prince?"
"I'm tired, Coop. I'm going to bed."
He pulled her towards him. "I could join you. I'm not a pretty-boy billionaire, but I was always able to show you a good time."
"Stop it, Cooper. I mean it," Felicity objected, pushing him roughly away. "I'm going to my room. Alone. I suggest you do the same." She walked around him to her door.
"Come on, babe, I-"
Felicity didn't give him a chance to finish. She couldn't stand to hear another word. "Sleep it off, Coop," she muttered and slammed the door in his face. She rested her back against it and closed her eyes. Felicity's entire body was shaking. She just had to hold on a little bit longer, and then everything would be okay.