AN: Ok. So when I meant that I would update this chapter soon, 3 weeks later was NOT what I had in mind. I'm still crazy busy at work and I am now taking a business trip next week out of country, so the last 2 weeks have been a panic of trying to get my passport renewed. Ended up being super easy and the good folks at the passport agency were amazing.

Anyway, I'm hoping that my trip away will do 2 things. One, even though I still have to work, it will not be the insane amount of hours that I've been putting in right now (70+ hours a week) and I'll have almost two days with nothing to do but sit on the beach! I really love my job sometimes! :) Two, with said free time, hopefully I will be able to make my muse come back. Crossing my fingers on that one!

Chapter Nine: Maintaining a Cover

By eight a.m. Monday morning, Felicity was already mainlining coffee like it was water. She had been up until three trying to set up different phishing codes in the computer system that she was building for the Queens. Her exhaustion was her own fault. Ash had been correct in assuming that she had her work cut out for her, but she still hadn't been able to find anything that connected the Queens to Bratva. It didn't help that she was also striking out when it came to Robert Queen's untimely death. The only person who stood to gain was Walter Steele, which he had. He had become CEO and married Moira Queen, but he was squeaky clean. Her gut also said that he was not involved in the plane crash.

With only four hours of sleep, she was blearily sitting at her computer, trying to strengthen the security for the QC servers when her computer pinged at her. And not a good ping. Someone was trying to hack in. Stupid. Never try to hack into a system when the IT department is around, she thought as she began to battle the unknown hacker while setting up a trace to see if she could find them. Her fingers flew over the computer, simultaneously running a trace while also blocking access to the sensitive documents. Multiple times, she sent the hacker down the rabbit hole, only to have him find his way out.

He's good, whoever he is, she thought as she redoubled her efforts. But, I'm better. All traces of sleepiness were gone now as she tried to predict what information that the hacker was seeking. She knew if she could narrow it down, she could possibly redirect them to one of the pockets of code she set up that mirrored the information, but was completely false.

"Felicity?"

She spared a glance to look up and found Oliver standing in front of her desk. "No time right now. Someone is trying to hack QC and I'm barely blocking them right now," she muttered before refocusing her attention on the code streaming across her screen, smiling when she saw the hacker going back to the accounting side of business. Quickly she pulled up another coding box and the keys clacked loudly as she typed in the next set of code, sending the hacker to a fake financial site while simultaneously attaching a tracking virus. A few moments later, the hacker disappeared and she settled back with a sigh of relief. I need to update the security again. Frak. I'm going to have to go with government level encryption with multiple firewalls and misdirection sites.

Oliver cleared his throat as she settled back. "Everything good here?"

Felicity shook her head. "Yeah. Looks like they were searching for financial statements, so I sent them to a fake site that I set up a couple of months ago, but that was close. If the hacker had tried this when I wasn't here, well let's just say that it could have been bad." She snorted. "They never learn their lesson. No one can out-hack me."

"You're a hacker?"

Felicity felt her eyes grow wide. "Oh, frak! Please forget that I just said that. I'm not a hacker, I'm a computer security specialist. No illegal hacking going on here. Nope. None. Nada. I'm just good at my job and well I really take it personally when someone tries to circumvent my system. Like really personally. It's like you are violating me and not in a good way!" She felt her face heat up. "And by you, I don't mean that you personally were trying to violate me. Shutting up now in three…two…one."

Oliver felt his lips twitch and it took all of his willpower not to laugh. "Felicity. Calm down, breathe. Someone was trying to hack into the QC servers and you stopped them, correct." She nodded. "Then good job. Anyway we can find out who it was?"

"I put a tracking virus in the code, so there might be a chance. All else fails, I'll at least be able to narrow it down to a country or state if they are local."

"Good. I'm sure it just some sort of industrial espionage or something. Our competitors probably just want to know what we are up to. But, that is not why I came by." She raised an eyebrow. "Walter reminded me that when hiring staff, it is prudent to run a background check. I'm looking into hiring some new security personnel and I wanted to see if you knew the best place to get a background check was."

"Really? That's what you're going with? Cause if you wanted to know that, you'd ask our HR department who runs all the security background checks for each person in this company."

"I did ask them already, but the service that they use only works for companies, not private clients and the ones that I found online seem a little….sketchy."

"Of course they're sketchy! They just want to take your money, but I'm sure there are some reputable services out there that do the checks for private citizens or would make an exception for a billionaire," Felicity tossed back, her mind whirling with why he was asking her of all people about background checks.

"But who runs the background checks on them?" he tossed right back with a smirk. "Plus, I'm a big fan of instant gratification and I don't want to wait weeks for results."

Later, she would blame the lack of sleep on the absolutely inappropriate images that popped into her at when Oliver uttered the word gratification, but that was later. Now, she felt her face flame up as her mind took an extended trip to the gutter and for once, her mouth didn't babble away as she was prone to do. Instead, she swallowed hard, yanking her libido back from the brink with a firm not today resounding in her head and asked, "What are you really asking for, Oliver?"

"I'm asking if you know anyone that might want to run quasi-illegal background checks on my employees so that I can prevent any scandals from tearing apart my family after my miraculous return home."

Of for the love of Dr. Who, how should I play this? She pretended to think for a moment. "I might know more than one person that would fit that bill. But, skating that fine line means that there is a higher risk involved."

Oliver smirked. "I would be willing to compensate the person I hire for their trouble."

"What if they want to remain anonymous?" she shot back, thinking that this could be the way she was able to get more insight into the Queen family.

"No one anonymous. I want to know who is working for me," Oliver said instantly.

"I'll reach out to some of my colleagues and see who is in the market for a job," she replied. And I'll contact my superiors to see how they want me to play this. Maybe, if they don't want me to do it, then Ash can stick around for a bit. He is more than good enough for this type of job.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now, if you will excuse me, I think it's time that I updated the security again. I swear we have had more hacking attempts in the time since you've been back then any other time since I joined the IT department. I shudder at what state the company would be in if I hadn't already updated the security a gazillion times."

Oliver actually laughed at that. "You are remarkable."

"Thank you for remarking on it," she shot back with a small smile before focusing on the screen in front of her.

#

As Oliver made his way out of the building in search of coffee, he thought back to what Felicity had said. People were now trying to hack QC. He knew she was right in thinking it was because of his return; it had generated a lot of press. The investors were nervous about whatever was going to happen, which is why he was pushing off taking over the CEO role. He was nothing but honest with himself and he was nowhere near ready for that type of position. He hadn't even managed to complete a full year of college!

He was contemplating on taking courses online to help him get a business degree so that investors would be more likely to accept him as leader when he received a text message from Lance requesting a meeting. He sent back an affirmative and began to head over to a local coffee house not too far from QC. He arrived just moments before Lance, so he secured the only table left, which happened to be the one tucked into a corner.

"You threaten someone for this table?" Lance's sardonic voice greeted him.

"Nope. Worst table in the house. No one wants it. What can I do for you, Detective?"

"I have that information that you asked for," Lance said before lowering his voice. "The Chinese really have the drug and gun market covered and the Italians have recently made a big stand in smuggling and underground casinos."

"I see," Oliver said as the wheels began to turn in his head. News that the Italian presence had grown in his absence was not a good one. "Then perhaps I should pursue my father's business interests."

Lance nodded. "That would seem to be the best course of action." He cleared his throat. "I heard from Sara today. She has…graduated and is coming back to Starling."

"Really," Oliver said with a slow drawl. "Would you have any objections to her working for me?" He saw Lance's confusion. "Not in the traditional sense that is prevalent, but actually working for me."

"You would give her the opportunity?"

Oliver nodded. "Let's just say my education was broad and I have a fine appreciation for the value that women bring to the workforce."

Lance sighed in relief. "I believe that would be perfect, then. As much as I didn't want her to follow in my footsteps, Sara is hard-headed and dedicated. She's make a fine addition to your company. How is Mr. Diggle working out?"

"I'm still waiting on his background check to come through and then I believe that he will be good." Oliver glanced down at his watch. "If you will excuse me, I have a meeting in ten minutes that Walter wants me to be present for."

"Have a good day, Mr. Queen," Lance said as they gathered their cups to dispose of.

Oliver nodded. Okay. Two possible members right now, three if I can somehow convince Felicity to join us. After our talk this morning, I do believe that she would fit right in. I must speak with Anatoly and see if he has any recommendations for personnel in the area, but I'm hesitant to do that. What if one of them was the person that killed my father?

#

When Felicity got home that evening, she immediately called Agent Vendler.

"Vendler."

"It's Felicity. I don't know how important this is, but Oliver Queen asked me to see if I knew anyone who could run quasi-illegal background checks for any new staff that he is hiring personally. How do you want me to play this?"

Agent Vendler hummed. "Did he seem like he wanted you to take the position?"

Felicity sighed. "Possibly, yes. But, he had also just discovered me fighting off a hacker on the QC servers. That is becoming a real problem. I have seen a three-hundred percent increase in hacking attempts since his miraculous return. And the thing that is worrying me the most, is that I believe that the majority of the attempts are from the same hacker. Whomever he is, he's good. I haven't been able to track him at all."

"Do it. If you build a relationship with the man, then it is more likely for you to discover the family secrets."

"All right. I can backstop myself a little more. Former black hat hacker that is trying to go straight. I think that might appeal to him."

"Just keep me informed of your progress. And if he has you get into any illegal activities, do it. You can always build the case for later. Someone high up is really pushing us to get this resolved."

"You got it, boss," Felicity responded as she hung up, Agent Vendler's words ringing in her head. Now why is someone high up in the CIA so anxious for us to resolve this issue?