Disclaimed. I don't own Arrow or anything DC related. Not claiming to own, nor making any money from this.
Canary Cry. Canary FlyChapter 10.
Her mother always had a knack for appearing just when she needed her most. Giving her some much needed advice and pointing her in the right direction. She also had a habit of disappearing also when she needed her most. But Laurel wasn't going to focus on that. Dinah Drake's mere presence had managed to talk Laurel back from literally tearing the city apart in her search for Sara.
Kicking over rocks, in hopes one might be covering her long-lost sister was not the best search system. Neither was allowing the League of Assassin's the freedom move about unchecked in Starling. So, Laurel had Oracle running searches for any suspicious activity. As little as an ancient sect of assassins would show up on modern day sensors, Oracle had experience in dealing with them.
Sara herself however. It was obvious that she had been protecting her family. The night she had jumped down to fight the gang that had come after Oliver and Laurel. Also, when she'd come to check on Laurel in the hotel. Laurel was completely certain that something had happened to her father the other night. Quentin Lances disappearance and then sudden reappearance was suspect enough on its own. But Quentin's behavior the last time Laurel had seen him, really raised some flags. He was hiding something from her, while trying to protect her.
So that day Laurel decided she would go about her day, hopeful of the fact that maybe…maybe Sara was there with her. That maybe she would come forward to talk to her. She does however try and keep Ted's Gym out of anyone sights. She still hadn't found a place of her own, and truthfully, she was comfortable in the redesigned office to house.
She stopped by Verdant just before opening. She hadn't seen Thea in a while, after the whirl of Moira's trial.
The place as expected was completely empty, save for the young brunette leaning against the bar as she watched a wall mounted television.
"Central City is just a day away from making history when the controversial S.T.A.R. Lab's particle accelerator is finally turned on." The blond anchor spoke directly into the camera, behind her the massive structure of S.T.A.R labs.
"They've been playing the same article all day," Thea said, clicking the television off and turning to smile at Laurel before it turned into a grimace. "Big news and all that, but some of us have other things to worry about."
"Oh no," Laurel replied with a sympathetic wince, "What happened."
"Roy was arrested again," Thea explained, she added quickly when Laurel moved to offer help. "They let him go. Said he was in the wrong place, wrong time. Total B.S."
She sighed heavily, "His working with the vigilante. I know he is, the Hood guy. I love that he wants to help, but I just…."
"Worry," Laurel finished simply, as she slid into a nearby bar stool.
"Yeah," Thea replied with a forceful nod. "It's kind of dangerous. Plus, all those masked people running around. Not just the hooded archer guy, but apparently there's a couple of women too. I mean who knows what kind of people they are? They could be crazy, probably have to be crazy to do what they do."
"…Right," Laurel replied a heartbeat later. Half wanting to be offended on behalf of herself and all the other masks she knew. But on the other hand, she couldn't fault Thea on her assumption. What they did, did come across as crazy to some.
"Thea I was…." The familiar male voice caught both their attention and together they watched Oliver walk into the club. He paused at the sight of Laurel, before his surprise gave way to genuine happiness.
"Laurel," He greeted softly. "Hey."
"Hi Ollie," Laurel replied, sending her own warm smile back at him. "I was hoping I'd see you here."
"You were? Here?" There was something cautious in his voice, but she didn't focus on it.
"Yeah, I wanted to apologize about the other day?" Laurel explained remembering how she had brushed off his invite to go search for her father. As fruitless as that had been. "I was wondering if you wanted to go for a drink or grab something to eat?"
"That sounds great," Oliver replied, before shooting a look at Thea. "I actually have to go into Queen Consolidated today. It's Mom's first day back at the office. I was wondering if you wanted to come Thea."
"I'm completely fine with missing that," Thea said with a laugh, before giving Laurel a shrug. "The business really isn't for me."
Oliver nodded as if he had been expecting nothing else. He seemed to think about something for a moment before turning back to Laurel. "Do you want to come with me? I won't take too long hopefully, we can grab something after. Plus, I'm sure Mom would be happy to see you."
#SC#
It was strange walking into Queen Consolidated at Oliver's side. Meeting the blank face Moira Queen in the CEO office. It seemed like a flashback.
"Laurel," Moira greeted with a hug, and a quick kiss to the cheek. "So nice to see you."
There was warmth in her tone despite her blank face. But considering what the woman had been through, Laurel could understand her reserve.
Oliver placed a hand on her arm, as he moved to walk past. "I'll try not to be too long," He said and turned to lead his Mother into the boardroom. Voices greeted them, before the door shut and Laurel turned to find herself a seat.
Seconds later the doors opened again and out walked Oliver and a woman Laurel had never seen before. She shot Laurel a dismissive yet venomous look, that had Laurel arching a bemused eyebrow back at her.
"What sort of message does it send to the investment committee, to the city, if we hand Queen Consolidated right back to your mother?" The woman seemed to jump right into her reprimand, regardless of Laurels presence.
"She was acquitted." Oliver replied, casting a look at Laurel. A silent apology in his eyes, but he didn't seem all that surprised by the woman's opposition.
"By a jury." Came the strangers blank face replied. "Not by the city. Oliver you have been doing good work here. The company is making money. With you as CEO, think carefully before you bring your mother back in. Some people aren't as forgiving as you."
With a flick of long dark hair, the woman turned and walked back into the boardroom.
Oliver heaved a sigh and turned a sadly amused look at Laurel. "Sorry about that."
"It's fine." Laurel replied, reaching forward to run a hand down his arm. Feeling the warm, hard muscle under his suit jacket. "Are you alright?"
"I was kind of expecting that," Oliver admitted, "It's just going to take some time."
"So, I was wondering…." Whatever Oliver had been wondering was cut off by the arrival of John Diggle.
"Oliver," Said the man Oliver had introduced as his driver but was clearly much more than that. Laurel could read the obvious military training in his stance. "Sorry to interrupt."
"It's fine." Oliver replied before casting a confused look to the empty seat where his secretary would have been sitting. "Where's Felicity?"
"Oh. She's in the… labs." Dig cast a quick glance to Laurel before turning back to Oliver. "Apparently, she's come across some evidence of a hacker, looking in to Queen files." Laurel, who had been trying to seem noninvasive in an obvious serious moment, froze. Before telling herself to stop being silly, Queen Consolidated was a massive company. They must have fielded hackers all the time. Even if it was Oracle there was no way anyone could track her.
Right?
"Not sure what exactly they were looking for," Dig continued, unknowing of Laurels minor start. "But some of it has to do with the docks."
The Docks? Laurel inwardly sighed. Yes, that sounded like Oracles search. She had said she was some tracking ways into the city.
She wondered briefly at who this Felicity might be. She was clearly someone that Oliver had a lot of confidence in. Laurel had no worries about Oracles hacking abilities, not to mention the unreleased WayneTech she had at her disposal.
Still it wouldn't hurt to mention it to Babs. Who knew, she might actually be excited by the possible challenge.
"I'll talk to her later about it," Oliver said finally, "Did you need something else?"
"Yes," Dig replied, "I just got a message. There's been a break-in, at Applied Sciences."
Oliver turned to face Laurel with an apology already started, but Laurel was already ahead.
"Rain check?" She asked.
#SC#
Laurel had been right. Barbara had been absolutely tickled about the idea of a rival. But also, kind of alarmed that someone had managed to find out she'd been in their system.
"She's good," Barbara said as Laurel settled into the computer chair at her base cross home. Not that that she was doing anything with it, Oracle with remote access pulled files and images across the screens from half a country away. "I'll have to look into the Felicity."
"Probably a good idea," Laurel replied, resting her jaw on a hand. "Now…. what can you find about a robbery at Queens Applied Sciences."
"Nothing much," Oracle answered, as files and specs appeared across Laurel's monitors. "The facility is a closed network. I can't remote access the cameras. But I can get the police reports. It seems the thief or thieves stole an industrial centrifuge."
"I'm not going to even pretend I know what that is." Laurel replied in deadpan.
"It spins really fast, separating substances into different densities." Barbara explained simply with a laugh. "This one would have been big and be able to hold a lot of material."
Just then Oracle made an odd choking sound. "Yeah, it's really big and …."
"What?" Laurel asked, dropping her hand and sitting up straighter. Oracles tone was kind of strange.
"I found some footage, from a traffic camera near the Applied Science building and well…." She trailed off, as the video appeared on Laurels screen. "Just watch."
Laurel was sure her jaw dropped as she watched one man. One normal sized, normal looking man. Carry out a massive awkward shape, most likely an extremely heavy piece of equipment.
"What the hell," Laurel breathed. "Babs, I mean what the hell has happened to this city?"
"You were gone for six years Dinah," Barbara replied with the ease of someone that had seen a lot. "A lot can happen in six years."
#SC#
Gotham
Batman threw a smoke bomb, and the three of them scattered in different directions. She heard a twinge of repelling cord and could only guess that Batman had taken to the rafters. She hadn't tracked Huntress, but at the moment she was focused more on what was going on around herself.
These guys weren't special forces, but they were clearly heavily armed. As Black Canary used a chemical vat as cover to pull one man out of formation. Thankful that the smoke had yet to disperse. There was a cry and one of the men was winched to the ceiling by his ankles, as Black Canary knocked out the man in her grasp.
There was movement nearby as a black leather duster flickered, and another man went down with a muffled cry. She made her way over, and found Huntress straddling a man. Still punching despite his unresponsive state. Black Canary shoved her off the man, watching as the brunette rolled away before turning to glare at her.
Having enough with the whole situation. She turned sharply towards the regathering attackers. Inhaled sharply and then screamed.
The cry went out with devastating force. The strength of it sending gunmen flying. The left-over haze from the smoke bomb cleared, revealing the scattered bodies of their attackers and the ruins of the old equipment. She turned back, to find Huntress staring at her in shock. But in her hand a small compact crossbow was pointed at the unconscious man at their feet.
"Enough," Batman stated dropping down besides them. The brunette tightened her grip on the weapon, lest Batman try to knock this one away too. "Helena enough."
The use of her name made her blink. "Why," she spat after a moment. "After what these men have done, after what they've tried to do?!"
"So, you're going to kill them first?" Black Canary asked, "And that makes you better than them how?"
"I'm not trying to be better than them," Huntress growled out with surprising anger and no small amount of obvious pain. "They have to pay. For what they did, for what he did."
"Your Father killed your fiancé," Batman spoke, not even blinking as Huntress turned to him spitting mad.
"SHUT UP!" She screamed, "You don't get to talk about it. You don't understand."
"You want Justice, you want to stop it from happening to someone else," Batman intoned, "But most of all you want vengeance."
There was something in his voice and his words, that caught Huntresses attention. Even as the crossbow remained shaking as it aimed at the unconscious man.
"Finally, its less about them and more about your own pain," His masked eyes seemed to narrow. "But now you have to ask yourself, what they…what would your fiancé think about what your doing in their name?"
Huntress flinched as if struck.
"If you keep doing what your doing," Batman continued unheeding, "One day you'll find that you'll have become what your fighting. You will become your father."
Huntress dropped her crossbow and turned to run from the factory. Batman strode after her, casting Black Canary a quick side look, before continuing on.
"Ummm." She uttered, looking around.
"Police are on the way," Oracle informed her over the comms, "I suggest you get out of there. And don't worry about Huntress…. Batman will sort her out, or deal with her."
#SC#
Felicity really liked Barry Allen.
She often found it hard to just click with people. Her awkward persona was often off putting to some. Not to mention that her habit of putting her foot in her mouth made her want to abandon all efforts and hide until the mortification faded.
She'd been doing better lately. Not the whole foot in the mouth part, but her reaction to it. Diggle and Oliver seemed more than happy to ignore some of the more innuendo filled statements she often blurted. She was more than happy to follow their example.
But Barry was something else. He had his own awkward way about him. Not to mention he was backed up by an obviously high intellect, that Felicity could appreciate and connect too.
Even when he was on his hands and knees, picking through track marks with a pair of tweezers.
"What exactly are you looking for?" She asked watching him work.
"Your thief's shoes touched the ground," Barry explained, settling easily into lecture mode. "Which means he tracked in dozens of clues as to where he's been the past few days. Got ya!"
He held up the tweezers in triumph and moved back to their computer set up.
"Shouldn't take long." Barry said setting the equipment to do its job. He glanced from the screen to her, and back again. Then did it again a few more times. "So, you've seen him, right? The Vigilante? I read that he saved you. What was he like?"
"…. Green." Felicity really didn't want to talk about Oliver, or Oliver's other job. The more they talked about the more chance she had of letting something slip. She couldn't lie to save herself, literally.
"Green." The simple replied did nothing to throw Barry off, instead it seemed to give him something else about Oliver to go on about. "That's interesting, right? I mean, why green? Black would be better for stealth, and urban camouflage. Me, personally, I think that he trained in some sort of like forest or jungle environment, and the green is a nod to that."
"I don't really give much thought to the vigilante," She tried again to stop his questions. Thinking maybe a redirection would work better this time. "There is more than one vigilante here in Starling."
"I know Black Canary, right?" Thankfully Barry seemed just as excited talking about the female vigilante as he did Oliver. "I've heard she wear some kind of advanced reinforced suit and uses some kind of sonic attack. There are reports of sightings of her in Gotham. Now there's a City with some interesting rumors."
"Why are you so interested in the Vigilantes?" Felicity asked, just as Barry was winding up to go on about Gotham's so-called rumors. She almost regretted it when Barry's face fell.
"When I was 11, my mom was murdered." Barry answered, turning his attention to his equipment's screen.
"I'm so sorry." Felicity gasped. Wishing she could take back the question, she'd gladly hear all about Gotham if it would get rid of that kicked puppy look on Barry's face.
"They never caught the guy who did it." Barry kept explaining. "Maybe one of these vigilantes would have."
They looked at each other for a moment. Barry's face asking her to understand, and she did. She understood perfectly. Just then the computer beeped, and Barry turned to read the results.
"The soil...there's a crystalline structure in it. That's weird." He turned to Felicity with a look of confusion. "It's sugar."
#SC#
It was strange to Laurel being in a formal dress. She hadn't had a chance to wear one in a while, and the last time. Well Barbara owed her for that one.
The Queens mansion however was like an old friend. Familiar and unchanged, yet at the same time strange to be around. The last time she'd been here, was back when Oliver had been dead.
"Hey," Ollie's voice came behind her, and she turned with a smile. Taking him in, in his suit.
"Hey," She replied, reaching out to smooth the collar of his shirt. Only to jerk her hand away, when she realized what she had been doing. It seemed the house was bringing old habits back to her. Oliver didn't seem to mind, and she covered it up with a small gesture and a simple. "You look nice."
"So do you," He returned with a deep smile.
"Well," She replied unable to stop the playful smile. "Any excuse to dress up."
"Thanks for coming," Oliver said, moving to take her arm as he led her along. "Sorry about earlier."
"It's not your fault," Laurel said, giving Oliver's arm a small hug. "You didn't have anything to do with the robbery. I'm sure the police are looking into it."
"Yeah," Oliver replied, and Laurel wondered if she had imagined the tensing of the muscles under her hands. "There were some…. developments."
He paused for a second, spotting someone across the room. He looked down at Laurel.
"Excuse me for a second?" He asked.
"Sure," Laurel replied with a nod. "It's your party. Go mingle or whatever. I'll go find Thea."
#SC#
Oliver was no stranger to throwing parties. There was a time when it was what he was best known for. But the welcome home party for his mother was a far cry from the bass thumping, alcohol flowing chaos of his youth. The classical music drifted from the ballroom, as formally dressed people drifted sparsely around the foyer. He found Felicity standing out of place in the corner.
"Can I have a word?" He asked as he approached.
"…Yeah." He tried not to wince, at her delayed reply. He didn't regret calling Barry out on his lie, he did regret the way he handled it.
"I'm sorry if I overreacted a little bit earlier." Oliver said. He could understand the younger man's desire for answers. Even if it meant ditching his own job in Central City and coming to Starling. Even if he was looking for information in vigilantes. Namely himself.
"Oh, you think?" He wondered briefly if Felicity had two tones, embarrassing or sassy. She seemed unusually gifted in both. "Look, right now you need to apologize to your mother. Not me."
"For what?" He added confusing to her list and frowned down at her.
"Your being wrong." Maybe cryptic too.
He walked towards to ballroom, freezing at the sight of the near empty room.
#SC#
Laurel watched as Oliver cross the room to a pretty blond in a pink dress.
She wondered if this house was going to keep bringing flashbacks to her all night, when the woman turned, and Laurel froze.
She knew that woman.
She'd seen her in Count Vertigo's van, hunting down the drugs. She'd guessed she was working for the Hood. It had been the most likely scenario. She'd even tag her with a tracker, that had failed to find her. But here she was, standing in front of her, talking to Oliver.
Laurel turned striding up to Thea as she waited for her mother.
"Hey," She said, grabbing the younger woman's arms as she moved her into position and gestured. "Who is that blonde talking to Oliver."
"I dunno Felicity or something," Thea replied with a shrug, "She's his secretary or something." She looked to Laurel in concern. "I'm sure its nothing. I mean they just work together.
"Thea trust me that's the last thing on my mind." Laurel said truthfully, stepping back as Moira appeared at Thea's side. Watching the two off them walk off to the ballroom, she turned back to Oliver and Felicity.
Felicity the name of the hacker going after Oracle, she works for Oliver, she probably works for the Hood. Laurel summed it up her feelings in one sentence.
"This is getting too complicated."
#SC#
It seemed Oliver's faith in the people was a bit premature. The City still needed time to come to terms with what had happened, and that Moira Queen was back living amongst them.
Moira herself was surprisingly fine with the whole thing, stating that the only opinions, the only people that matter to her was her children.
Oliver using Felicity and Barry's tracking, went up against the super strong thief and almost died from the fight. The chemical storage warehouse, was not the best place to be thrown around by someone so strong. The mystery dose of drugs that had gotten into his system had almost killed him. If not for Diggle and Felicity bringing in an unknown.
Barry Allen had saved his life, while finding out he was the Hood.
The drug induced dreams and the memories of fighting a strong opponent, brought back the demons of the island. Of Slade, of losing a friend, a brother and gaining an enemy.
He could have done without the reminder.
#SC#
Laurel got home to find Sin slumped on her front step.
"What's up," She asked dropping down beside her. "Haven't seen you for a few days."
"I wasn't sure if you wanted to see me," Sin replied softly, resting her chin against her drawn up knees. "What after Sara, and then Roy finding out I knew you."
"Hey, it's fine," Laurel said wrapping an arm around the younger girls' shoulders. "I'm kinda glad you know Sara. It means she wasn't alone, she had a friend. She had you."
"She missed you," Sin revealed turning to look at Laurel, "She talked about you all the time. D, I'm so sorry."
"Seriously," She gave Sin's shoulders a gentle shake. "It's fine. Can you tell me what you know?"
"She said she was on the run," Sin explained, "That she had left someone or something she wasn't meant to leave."
Laurel forced herself to unclench her teeth, as her jaw started to ache under the pressure.
"She came to Starling because she was worried about her family." Sin continued. "That you thought she was dead, and it was better for you to believe that."
"Oh Sara," Laurel whispered to herself, wondering how her sister could ever believe that thinking she was dead was better for her family.
Sin shifted slightly, looking away as she seemed to fight with herself.
"What?" Laurel asked cautiously. Frowning in concern.
"My friend Max. He went missing," Sin explained to her knees, unable to look at Laurel. "I didn't want to bother you. So, I went to Roy for help."
"Roy?" Laurel echoed in surprise.
"Well, I know the guys been helping out the Hood," Sin explained with a shrug, "I figured next best thing right."
Laurel heaved a sigh.
"Anyway, Roy and his girlfriend Thea," Sin continued, ignoring Laurel's surprised repeat of Thea's name as well. "We went to his house to look for clues. The police found Max dead on the side of the road. They say he O.D'd, but Laurel Max never took drugs. NEVER!"
"Okay," Laurel replied, giving Sin's shoulder a comforting rub. "So, what do you know?"
"He was lying there in the trash," Sin said sniffing slightly, "There was blood pouring from his eyes." She seemed to shake herself free of the memory. "Roy found a blood drive brochure at Max's place. The day he vanished."
"Okay," Laurel repeated, before giving what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "I can look into it. I'm sorry about your friend."
"Thanks," Sin whispered. Before her uncomfortable face returned "Uhh…. Roy went to the Hood with this. The guy shot him in the leg with an arrow."
Laurels head dropped back against her door with a groan. She had no idea what to make of that guy. Whenever she feels like she's gotten a read on him, he seems to change things up again.
"Is he alright?" Laurel asked finally.
"Yeah," Sin replied before giving a humourless laugh. "Just majorly pissed off."
They sat together for a moment before Sin turned back to her and asked.
"So, Sara said your name is Laurel?" She gave her head a curious tilt. "Do I call you Laurel or Dinah?"
"You can call me Dinah if you want," Laurel replied, with an amused smirk. "I've gotten used to it."
"Remind me to punch Ted." Laurel muttered to herself. "Right after I punch the Hood."
A/N Sorry for the wait. Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long, I dunno when it will be. But promise to at least try okay.
Some dialogue taken or inspired from episode s02e08 The Scientist, which I do not own.