Author's note: here we go I'm back up and running and I THINK I've recovered or recreated in all of my files. Also after re-watching season 1 I realize I've taken more liberties with the timeline of events than I originally thought, but I'm claiming creative license I hope no one minds. That being said we're about to break a bit more from canon since Walter spends a vast majority of time in season 1 missing. I'll be providing the included details about where he was and what was going on. Thank you again to everyone who has favorited or followed the story I really appreciate the support so without further ado…
Standard disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this work of fiction no infringement intended.
Chapter 10: Paved with good intentions.
To say Walter Steele was shocked when Felicity Smoak walked into his office and informed him that she needed the lights off for this would be a tad misleading, yes he was surprised but experience had taught him that there was a method to Ms. Smoak seeming madness. It was only the rapidity at which she switched to babbling apologizes for inadvertent innuendo that kept Walter from assuring her that they were unnecessary.
Allowing Felicity her demonstration he placed the glasses she had retrieved from QC's Applied Sciences Division on his face and once again examined the curiously blank leather volume, only to realize with the aide of the infrared glasses that the volume was far from blank. There, in what was undoubtedly invisible ink was a list of names, but not just any names, these were the crème de la crème of Starling society, but what could it mean? Walter paused for a moment as he considered the possibilities only to halt as he came upon a particular name, Adam Hunt. The name that had started his other endeavor, or if one wished to be specific had clued him in on Oliver's. Was it possible that Oliver also had a copy of the list? Is that how he determined who he would go after as the Vigilante? Walter was forced to admit that it seemed likely, the validity of this thought was confirmed when nor a moment later Felicity voiced the same opinion.
At her remark he was brought back to the present and the young woman's presence in the room. This was dangerous, she had accepted that and elected to help him anyways. Even so Walter felt as certain responsibility to limit her involvement to such an extent as he could. That being the case the sooner he got her out of the office and away from that book the better. Placing the volume beneath the false bottom of his desk drawer and away from the reach of inquiring minds, with the exception of Ms. Smoak's of course, he rose thanking her once again for her help. Reiterating the need for the utmost secrecy about the matter as he escorted her to the elevator.
After her departure Walter returned his office taking a brief moment to reflect as he took in the rather breathtaking view from his office. It was one of the dangers he supposed in being in a place like Queen Consolidated, one grew accustomed to the grandeur. How often, he wondered did he really take a moment to appreciate his surroundings? Not nearly often enough, he decided. The view from his office was the least of things he had been taking for granted. His family, he decided was another area in which he had not spent enough contemplation, he needed to talk to his wife. Yes he was angry, and rightfully so, but running off to Australia wasn't the answer. With that thought in his mind he gathered his things with every intention of having a long overdue conversation with his wife. Stepping into the elevator he began his descent from the executive floor to the parking deck. He had a brief moment of alarm as the elevator's other occupant abruptly grabbed him, the prick at his neck, followed by a brief moment of reflection before everything went dark.
Walter awoke with a start, disoriented as he took in his surroundings. The concrete walls the metal door, the surface that he was laying on, none of it was familiar. Suppressing his alarm he forced himself to recall his memories leading up to his arrival in his current predicament. His usually quick senses were dulled, his movements lethargic as he pushed himself into a sitting position. The last thing he remembered was the elevator, yes that was right. He'd been on his way home to confront Moira, about something...something important...the book. As if a switch had been thrown it all came rushing back to him. The accounting discrepancy, the warehouse, the Queen's gambit, the not so blank book that was at the heart of the matter. The same book Oliver was using as his other persona, perhaps Oliver had arranged for this. Walter dismissed that idea nearly as quickly as it had occurred to him, this wasn't the Vigilante's MO, and furthermore he sincerely doubted Oliver would resort to such tactics. The room in which Walter currently found himself was clearly outfitted for an extended stay, with water and a bare minimum of food present he assumed the low conversation he was able to hear was the voice of his captor, or captors as the case may be.
Loathe as he was to admit it Walter Steele had been kidnapped by nameless assailants and taken to an unknown location. The silver lining to this entire fiasco was that he knew something that undoubtedly his captors did not, and that was that Starling's own vigilante would most assuredly be looking into the disappearance of Walter Steele. Aside from that, due in no small part to Walter's design, the Vigilante would not be working alone. Turning his thoughts to the team he had a part in assembling he felt a moments dismay, they weren't a team. Not yet, not fully, Oliver undoubtedly went to Felicity when he needed her skills, and there was a level of at least friendship between them. But would Felicity go to Oliver with what she knew about Walter's disappearance? The persona Oliver projected in order to deflect attention from his nightly activities hardly inspired confidence, had she seen enough to suspect that there was so much more to Oliver Queen and more importantly that he could be trusted.
He had no doubt that Oliver would be looking for him, though the young man was far from overt in any display of his feelings toward his stepfather, he'd at least liked and respected him in his younger years, at the very least Oliver would be looking for him for Moira and Thea's sake.
Reconciling himself to the fact that he had done all that he could. He had protected his family to the best of his ability and he had given his stepson access to the best team imaginable, he's stood by his wife in spite of her duplicity, but he'd wanted to do more. He'd wanted to at least attempt to salvage his marriage, and he'd had every intention of going home to do his best to accomplish that when he'd been taken. Given his current predicament he supposed it was true what they said, the road to hell really was paved with good intentions.