After tying the man and make a anonymous call to the Russian police, Felicity found herself sitting under a blanket in the back seat of their car. Diggle had turned on the car heater causing a pleasant warmth in her face.

'Felicity, is everything OK? ' Diggle asked.

Not wanting him to be against something, she nodded affirmatively. When Felicity looked into the rearview mirror she saw that Oliver was seriously looking at her. She couldn't understand what he was thinking. But the look in his eyes made her face burn of heat.

Diggle stayed quiet during the rest of the way and left her and Oliver at the door of the hotel saying that he would be with them but first he needed to go park the car. Oliver took Felicity's arm when she fumbled while trying to hold the blanket against the chest while leaving the car. 'Do you want my coat?' His touch was like a flame and she unconsciously moved away from him, not repairing the look hurt that he launched. 'Oh, no! I don't want to touch that coat anymore…Not that it doesn't smell right, or isn't hot or soft ... it's a beautiful soft coat, it's just ...' she tried to explain.

'I understand, Felicity. I'm sorry if it makes you feel that way'.

At that time the hotel was empty which facilitated the discrete input in the elevator. 'Felicity, can we talk about what happened? '.

'Not now'. She got off the elevator and waited for him to open the door of the suite since her hands were shaking.

'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…' he didn't finish the sentence.

'I know you didn't want to but now I don't want to talk about it, okay? Now what we both need is a hot bath and a few hours of sleep. Tomorrow we need to worry about Isabel and Slade'. She said before entering in the room and closing the door gently.

~o~

'We are doing this because it's really necessary', Felicity stated when she sat in the office with her computer.

When Diggle arrived at the suite, Oliver had disappeared to his room as well as Felicity. Diggle didn't know what had happened but knew something had happened. The next day, Felicity got up early and found Diggle in the living room. From what she had seen, he hadn't slept much. Oliver still had not appeared so far and silently she thanked for that.

'Mmmm' was Diggle's response.

Felicity squinted. 'That's not the point'.

Felicity released him a smile. 'Spare me the comments, buddy. I decided to follow this path because I have good reason to believe that Isabel has more hidden things than we think. I'm just watching her every move from here because I don't want to risk her staying one step ahead of our investigation'.

Diggle leaned back and nodded soberly. 'Very well, if you calm down your admirable conscience, why don't you wait a little while I get some coffee?'.

'I really hate when you make fun of me'.

'Even with reason?'

'Especially in this case'. Felicity noted Diggle leaving and close the suite's door.

'We're dealing with a group without any kind of consciousness, which seems to have strong financial resources and excellent technical capabilities'. Felicity spoke loudly, thinking that she was alone. 'Am I the only one who's willing to resort to anything in this case? Money, resources and criminal capabilities?'

'Following this line of reasoning, I made some progress'. Oliver was next to her, without her noticing, he had left the room and heard the whole conversation she had with her own.

'Damm Oliver! Has anyone ever told you that you shouldn't scare people?' Felicity placed a hand to her chest 'You found something?' She was on full alert. 'Why the hell didn't you tell me?'.

'You needed a few hours of sleep' reminded him he. 'I needed you to one hundred percent'.

'This is a priority' she started saying but then shook her head to stop. No point in complaining. 'What have you got?'.

'You could say nothing'.

'But you just told me you found something'.

'I said I made progress and these progress are nothing. She's nothing. Isabel Rochev does not exist'.

'Of course she exist. You've touched her… intimately, I might add. You know she exists'. Frustration and anger twinkled around her. 'The name appears on computer, storage companies, science, manufacturers'.

'Only exists in computer records' he told her 'You can say that Isabel Rochev is a virtual person. But actually she's nobody. Even her parents aren't real. It's a front, Felicity'.

'How did you found this?' she asked.

'Last night when we arrived, I called Sara and I asked her to talk to her contacts'. Sara! Felicity remembered the girl that since recent times she considered a friend.

'I didn't tell Sara about us'. Oliver added, before she could say anything. 'Now we can talk about what happened last night?'. He continued. 'I don't want to lose you... the team can't lose you, you're needed!'.

'No one's going to lose me! I'm not going anywhere'. Felicity replied. She wasn't going to leave the team, at least not now when she was needed. When they defeat Slade, then yes, she would leave. Waking up knowing that Oliver was with Sara was one thing, but to see them together was another. 'Can we forget everything that happened?'.

'Felicity', he said in that voice that she loved. 'First we hit some things. I want to apologize for my behavior. You were tired, scared and cold and I took advantage of you'.

'What?' she didn't believe what she was hearing. 'This is the biggest nonsense I have ever heard. At worst I took advantage of you and your body and your warmth ... and I'm going to shut up already in 3, 2, 1'. Felicity's face was burning with shame.

Diggle chose that moment to open the door and enter with Ivan Kornikov, the scientist who he had helped escape from the Slade's men the night before. Felicity mentally thanked Diggle and took note to compensate him with a Big Belly burger once the gets home.

'Hi, my name is Oliver Queen'. Oliver introduced himself to the man, extending the hand as a greeting. 'This is my partner Felicity Smoak'. Oliver pointed vaguely to her. 'And this is John Diggle but probably you already know it. I wonder if he spoke to you about our interest in your research?' Oliver asked while staring at the two men in front of him.

Ivan Kornikov was a man who had a regular face with a reddish brown hair sprinkled with fine silver wires. He had a rust-colored stain on his shirt rumpled and a small cut on his chin. He smelled like cigar and Soap. The strange combination made Felicity remember her own father, the smell of cigar that he kept in his office. This before he left home without any reason.

Despite the pain in the memory that he gave her, Ivan had one aspect harmless, she thought, as she drank the coffee that Diggle had promised.

'Hello' she introduced herself. 'You spoke to me by email. I got worried when you stop answer me'.

Sitting on the couch, Ivan looked at the three people who were in front of him. 'Then you are part of some rescue squad? What kind of people are you? Making a trip to Russia to save a mere University scientist?'.

'As I explained in the emails, we need to know more about your research', Felicity tried to explain but was interrupted by Oliver.

'Your search is based on a kind of serum. Where did you get the Mirakuru serum?'. He asked him.

'I don't know that name. Last year a student of my University brought me a sample of a serum. He disappeared before I could tell him what I had discovered about the sample'.

'And you found what?' Diggle intervened.

'The modification of DNA that the serum causes is internally, i.e. the reversal process can cause more damage than the actual serum. In my study, I was able to demonstrate this, but last month when I got back from my lunch, I found on my University desk a paper with a formula. When I analyzed this formula, I conclude that is possible to change the serum in order to create a reversal without much damage'.

'And where is this modified serum?'.

'I need to create it'. The suspicious looks of three people made Ivan continued. 'I don't think I explained myself well ... reversal serum is unique to each individual. I need a blood sample to be able to create the serum'.

'Oliver, how the hell are we going to get a blood sample from Slade?'. Diggle asked.

~o~

'I don't like this plan', Felicity exclaimed while sticking her hands in the hair. They were on the plane back to Starling City. Ivan Kornikov was sleeping a few seats behind, sleeping, while Felicity, Oliver and Diggle talked.

'Why? This was your idea!' Oliver told them.

'I was just kidding! It was a stupid idea! I do not know! Like the time I decided to dye my hair pink and bought the ink to paint at home, it fell almost half of my hair. Not that I'm comparing my hair to your life ... you understand!'. She was angry for him to consider that idea.

'Ivan will take a little blood before injecting me with the serum. It's the only way to get Slade's blood. When we have his blood, Ivan can create reverse serum and injects us'. Oliver was resolute in the plan.

'We're a team, Oliver! Why don't you hear us when we say that this is not a good plan?' Felicity almost screamed.

'Because that's the only way. Can't you see that once he have opportunity, Slade is going to kill us all? I am not going to be able to protect you. Can't you see that?'. He exploded. His face was inches from hers and she could feel his breath. For seconds they both stayed in that position without moving a muscle, looking into each other's eyes. Felicity felt the heat radiate from his body.

Diggle cleared his throat. 'And what about Roy? Maybe with a good plan, you, me, Sara and Roy could take a blood sample from Slade'. Diggle also didn't agree with the plan, but he knew that while they didn't have a better plan, Oliver would follow what he thought it was the best.

'Diggle, you saw what happened the last time Slade fought with us! Anger and thirst for revenge made him almost unstoppable. I don't want to but I think this is the only solution'.

'But what if you turn like him?' Felicity asked. 'You saw how Roy was when he was injected with the serum. We may not be able to control you, and then?'.

'I'm going to control myself, you don't need to worry. It will be for a short time. It won't be a problem. Just repressing and controlling it', he tried to ensure.

'Yes, because just seconds ago your blast clearly showed that you can control yourself!' she remembered another time when both didn't manage to control themselves and her face burned with shame.

'Hey', Diggle said 'Calm down, you two'.

'You're so stubborn!' Felicity turned her back and sat in a seat far away from Oliver. 'I really don't like this plan'. She said between her teeth.