"How did it go?" He asked as soon as she entered.
"You sure you want to know?" She threw her jacket on the couch. "It won't make you too happy."
"Felicity." He hissed. "What. Happened?"
"I killed him, Mathis, that's what happened." Felicity stormed her way down the stairs to the basement.
Barton Mathis was on her heels. "What do you mean you killed him?! Do you have any idea what you've done?!"
"You should be expecting visitors soon." She shot him a look as she took a seat at her computer. "The Triads don't take too well to someone killing one of their own, even a scum like Sam."
Angry, Barton withdrew his hand and went to slap her face, but she was quick.
Felicity grabbed his hand, shooting out of her chair and twisting his arm behind his back.
"Ah!" He howled in pain, trying to fight back. "Let go of me!"
She released him, shoving him forward and watching him stumble over his own feet. "Would you like to try that again?"
"Don't forget who made you." He spat. "Don't forget who trained you to-."
"How could I?" She rolled her eyes. "You never let me."
"Maybe you've forgotten your place." Barton made his way around her chair and slid his hands up to her throat. "Would you like to be reminded?"
Felicity grunted, but stayed still and locked eyes with him. "No. I'm sorry."
His grip tightened. "For?"
"For." Grunt. "Forgetting." Grunt. "My place."
"Good." Throwing her head to the side, he walked back to the door. "The last thing you need is more scars because you're having a hard time recalling your manners."
"Have you seen this?" Diggle directed the question at Oliver the next night at the foundry.
"What is it?" He grunted in response, pulling himself up the salmon ladder.
"Someone from the Triads was killed last night." John looked up at him. "Says here cops didn't find anything except a playing card on the table."
"So?" Grunt.
"So." He drew out. "Aren't you curious as to how someone managed to kill a member of the Triads in a restaurant full of people? And then leave no forensic evidence other than a poker card?"
"Well." Oliver jumped down from the top of the salmon ladder and picked up a towel, making his way over to the computers. "The poker card's got me stumped, I'll give you that."
"Anyways, a waitress said she saw him with a girl. She didn't get a good look at her, but said she had brunette hair."
"That really narrows it down." Oliver rolled his eyes. "Footage."
"Already on it." Diggle pulled up the security footage from the diner. "I figured it was too good to be a coincidence."
Oliver nodded, watching the screen and catching the glint from the pocket knife before it disappeared into the victim's stomach. "Face hidden from the cameras, took the knife with her, satin gloves don't leave fingerprints, and slid the card on the table like she was paying the tab."
Diggle would have been dumb struck by how quickly he'd assessed the scene, but it happed so often that he was used to it. "Reporters said the card was the Queen of Hearts with the words 'your move' written on it."
"Okay, so a calling card." Oliver nodded. "But for who?"
"Oliver." Diggle hesitated. "It was written in green paint."
"Great." Oliver sighed.
"What is?" Sara asked, putting her bag down with Roy trailing after her.
"Oh you guys heard about last night." He chimed in. "Guess you've got a new enemy."
"The calling card." She nodded. "Are we checking it out?"
"I will." Oliver pulled her close to his side. "If it's meant for me, I'll handle it."
"You know you don't have to do it alone."
"You don't have to do it alone." Felicity's words echoed through him and he took a step away, releasing Sara. "It's fine. I'll be quick."
The corners of her mouth turned down for the briefest moment before masking her features as she had done for five years. "We'll be here on the comms then."
He nodded, grabbing his gear and disappearing to get ready.
"He just wants to keep you out of harm's way." Diggle reassured her. "He doesn't want to take a risk. Not after Feli-."
"Yeah, got it." Sara sighed heavily, crossing the room and grabbing her bo staff to start training.
Roy and Diggle exchanged looks; they knew why Oliver was so uptight when it came to Sara going out as the Black Canary with him, but Sara felt like she was being left in the dark. She could handle herself and while she was sure Felicity could have too, she wasn't Felicity. She didn't need saving. Oliver may have been a hero in Felicity's eyes, but to Sara, he was her partner and comrade. His protection was appreciated, but she didn't need it.
"Well, your little stunt is all over the news." Barton threw the newspaper on Felicity's desk.
"Yes, I've seen." She nodded at her computers, which held the news reports on the screen. "You wanted his attention, we go it."
"Discreetly." He reminded her. "I wanted his attention discreetly."
"What was I supposed to do? Slip it under his doormat?" She snapped. "Oh wait, I couldn't do that either because we don't know who he is."
"Isn't that what all these fancy computers are for? That is why I gave them to you, is it not?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, Mathis, would you like search the internet for two hours a day, train for five, and patrol for another six?"
"Find him." He growled, trudging upstairs. "And start training!"
Felicity looked down at the newspaper in her lap. "Don't do it, Oliver." She whispered. "Don't fall for it."
Quiver strapped on his back, Oliver scanned the crowd of faces from his place on the rooftop. Whoever wanted to get to him, had the perfect opportunity. Either they didn't know how to take it, or they weren't going to.
He didn't miss the scowl on Sara's face as he left the foundry. He wanted to explain that while he knew she was more than capable of taking care of herself, there were chances he just wasn't willing to take. Comparing her to Felicity wasn't his intention, but just because she was able to fight on his level didn't mean she wasn't as fragile as his IT girl was.
From afar, her hands had clenched into fists and she chewed on her bottom lip. Was he serious? Okay, yes, he felt the need to protect the city, but damn it she thought he'd be smarter than to take the bait.
"Leave, Oliver." She silently pleaded. "Forget the card and just walk away."
Felicity watched his head fall back as he blew out a breath.
"Now, Felicity!" Barton hissed through her earpiece.
With a sharp intake of breath (and the hope that he'd heard it as a warning) she broke into a run and went to strike him.
Oliver spun, catching her arm and throwing her over his shoulder with little to no effort. Hearing her grunt, he kept his eyes locked on hers as she rolled into a crouching position. Blue eyes…piercing blue eyes, had him falter for a second.
That second was all she needed to fake left, jump right, and kick him in the stomach. What she didn't expect was for him to grab onto her ankle and twist it, leaving her flat on her back.
He moved to pounce on her but had the air knocked out of him when she planted both feet on his abdomen and pushed.
She watched him stumble back and winced as she noticed he had a hard time breathing.
Oliver didn't let the lack of air stop him from tackling her and restraining her arms with his left hand, using his right to try and pry her mask from her face.
"Do something!" Barton screeched.
Felicity snapped out of having Oliver so close and was able to maneuver herself to knee him in the ribs. When his grip loosened and a groan fell from his lips, she pulled her hands free and braced them against his chest.
He saw what looked like sympathy flash in her eyes before pushing him back, straddling him, and raising her fist to punch his face. Not ready to let her get away that easily, he grabbed her wrist and lifted her body, throwing her to the side.
She gasped and groaned, leaning on her elbow and holding on to her ribcage. "Shit." She stood slowly, reaching behind her and withdrawing her katana sword.
Oliver drew his arrow and let it slip through his fingers, smirking in victory when he thought it had hit her. His smile faded when he heard the sharp ping of his arrow hitting the blade of her sword.
Felicity moved quickly, sprinting at him and bringing her sword all the way through.
"Oliver!" Sara screamed through his comm.
Oliver didn't realize he had been holding his breath until he was met with the tip of the blade of the katana sword. Glancing back at the owner, he noticed she held the handle so tight that her hand was shaking.
Knuckles white, chest heaving, and body tired, Felicity lowered her weapon. It wasn't everyday someone could get the drop on Oliver Queen, billionaire playboy and hooded vigilante, but she did…and it made her uneasy.
"What are you doing?!" Barton seethed through her earpiece. "Now is our chance."
"Now isn't a good time." She responded, leaving him angry and Oliver confused.
"You wanted my attention, right?" He asked, drawing his bow one more time. "You wanted me to make my move and I am. Ball's in your court."
She shook her head, stepping back and sheathing her katana. She had almost forgotten his vocal mask and the sound of it nearly made her jump.
"Who are you?" Oliver asked again. "What do you want from me?"
Felicity inhaled sharply before turning and running away, leaping from that building to the next.
"You've got to be kidding me." He mumbled as he lowered his bow and put his arrow back in his quiver.
"Get back here." Sara demanded. "Now."
"What the hell were you thinking?!" Mathis shouted at Felicity when she returned.
She peeled the mask off her face and took off her jacket. "I was thinking I'd train some more. Care to join?"
"Don't mock me." He warned, following her the basement. "We had him and you let him walk away."
"I did it for good reas-. Is that a salmon ladder?"
"What?" He looked in the direction she had pointed, up. "Oh, yes. I thought it'd be gift for bringing me the Hood, but unfortunately you didn't."
Felicity turned to look at him. "I left him alive because there was no other choice."
"No other choice?" He gasped. "No other choice?!"
"You really think someone like him wouldn't have help?" She glared at him, stepping forward and inching him back. "You honestly believe we would have gotten away with killing the Hood that easily?"
"I didn't want you to kill him." Mathis put his hand on her shoulder and pushed her back. "I wanted you to bring him here."
"Then why the sword?"
"So he'd know that you're no joke, Felicity. This Black Canary he runs around with is not the only girl who can kill in a matter of seconds. You can also. You're stronger, faster, and smarter than the old you and I'd, for once, like to see you use it on someone other than me."
"Are you afraid of me, Mathis?" Felicity smirked at him.
"I don't fear bullies." He moved for the stairs. "Your abilities are supposed to trump his, Felicity, so what the hell happened?"
"This is your fault for giving me false information! You underestimated him and overestimated me."
"And you've earned yourself an hour on the salmon ladder. I have this lovely knack for taking a gift and turning it into a nightmare."
"Don't I know it." She grumbled after hearing the door slam shut.
"Who is this girl?" Roy asked in awe, looking at Oliver's bruises. "She took you down."
"Shut up." Diggle warned him, slapping his shoulder and pointing to the mat. "Go train with Sara. I hate to admit this, but he's right. She almost killed you and you almost looked like you would have let her."
"I was not." Oliver denied. "She was quick though, Diggle. Quicker than I've seen anyone in a long time. And the way she handled that sword…I haven't seen precision fighting like that since my days on the island."
"So, wait. You're telling me that she's another girl from the island?" Diggle asked with a quirked brow. "If it is, why don't you recognize her?"
"Give me a break." He shot him a glare. "I didn't exactly recognize Sara at first. And she can't be another girl from the island, the only one left is Sara."
"Well, if you're gonna go another round with this chick, it's best you at least know her name. Out of common courtesy, of course." Diggle fought a smile.
"Was that a joke?" Oliver asked. "Why is that a joke?"
"Oh come on. You mean to tell me, all that grunting, groaning, and panting all had to do with the fight?"
"Yes."
"You are in so much denial." Diggle shook his head.
"And you're starting to sound like Thea." Oliver patted his shoulder and stood from his chair to watch Roy and Sara go at it in hand-to-hand combat.
"They call her the Queen of Hearts." Diggle said. "Because of her calling card, reporters are calling her the Queen of Hearts. Of course, you might want to find out her real name because her fake one is pretty long to call the next time you-."
Oliver pushed him over as Sara started towards them, a smile on her face after throwing Roy to the ground.