More action here...as the gala progress and Felicity makes some new friends and realizes what's really going on.
Felicity took a final look at herself in the mirror, pleased with what she saw. The dress, of course, fit perfectly and she made a mental note to ask Oliver just how he happened to know her exact size. The heels gave her a bit of extra height and perfectly complimented the dress, although should she have to run in them, it could be a problem. But hopefully it wouldn't come to that. She'd left her hair down, and added a pair of small emerald earrings her parents had given her for her 16th birthday. She'd left her neck bare, realizing none of the necklaces she owned would look right with the outfit. Still, she was pleased with how she cleaned up.
She wondered what Oliver would think of her appearance. And, with a small shiver, just exactly how he planned to get her out of the dress. She wasn't too proud to admit that in the past few hours she'd had quite a few fantasies of just how he might accomplish that task. Not to mention what he'd originally had planned for the evening. And to complicate her thoughts even more, what the deal was with Laurel?
She shook her head out of the heated and confused thoughts the memory created, along with the confusion that always seemed to involve her less than friendly thoughts about Oliver. Instead, she focused on what was ahead for them tonight. She'd already transferred most of what information she might need to her phone, which fit nicely in the small clutch purse she carried, knowing her tablet would have to be left at home. The earpiece she would get from Digg once she passed through security, as he assured her that as security himself, he could smuggle in both of their earpieces without being noticed. She only hoped that between those two devices, she would be able to handle what the night might bring.
Noting she had five minutes before Digg picked her up, she reached for her tablet and pulled up as much information as she could on Alexander the Great. As Oliver had noted earlier, she had always been interested in Alexander, or at least his battle strategies, for her own reasons, but if she were honest, most of what she'd rambled about she'd learned from her quick search to get background on Lex Luthor.
Whom, she had to admit, was a bit of a mystery himself. It appeared he'd been trying, much like Oliver, to restore LuthorCorp's reputation after his father had destroyed it several years ago, and if the stories were to be believed, almost destroyed his son in the process. She shivered, thinking that Lionel Luthor might just have rivaled Malcolm Merlyn. She was suddenly very glad both men were dead. But Lex was working hard and somewhat succeeding, as he'd managed to keep the company afloat and was slowly building its reputation back up. Although none of his business had apparent connections to Starling City. So again, it didn't seem like he would be a target tonight.
She'd also brushed up on what she could about Morgan Edge. Apparently, he'd been operating out of Metropolis for years, but had decided to expand his 'business' interests to Starling City. He'd been buying up property where he could, including the one he'd screwed Carver out of and although on paper it all seemed legitimate, she was pretty sure he was up to something. Especially since all the property he'd recently acquired was in the Glades. Not to mention some of her less reputable sources had quite a bit to say about the underhanded and at times deadly measures Edge was reported to employ.
While she knew the purpose of tonight was to get Deadshot, and potentially save Edge, she had to admit, she wouldn't mind if Oliver put an arrow in him as well. The more she learned about him, the less she liked him. It didn't help either that he was somehow connected to Luthorcorp as well, although from what she'd found, it was during the Lionel Luthor period. Still, it probably meant he had a connection to Lex, which just made this whole situation more muddled.
Regardless, she was going to keep an eye on both men. Something still felt a little off and she'd learned, after working with Oliver and Digg, to trust that instinct.
Noting it was now 7:30, she took a deep breath, grabbed the clutch and headed down to meet Digg. She said a quick prayer that tonight wouldn't end in disaster.
Oliver watched as Digg pulled the car up outside the museum. He was hidden in one of the storage rooms on the second floor, with a clear view of the approaching guests from the room's small window. It wasn't optimal, but it was the best place for him at the moment. Once Digg and Felicity were inside, he could stick to the shadows of the balcony and see onto the main floor of the museum, but he didn't want to risk attracting any attention until he had to. He was anxious for his partners to get though security and get their earpieces in. Plus, he wanted to go over the plan one more time. There were too many things that could go wrong and he wanted to be as prepared as possible. Especially since Felicity was now in the mix. He clenched his fists, knowing she was right, they needed her, but not liking the fact that she would be in Deadshot's sight as well.
But, he couldn't think about that right now. He had to focus on the mission. The plan was that Oliver would take him down, but let Digg make the final decision on what happened after that. This was his score to settle in the end. However, if the situation got out of hand, he'd do what he had to. Especially if Felicity was in danger. He was pretty sure Digg wouldn't argue.
Turning his attention back to the window, he watched his bodyguard come around and open the door, holding out a hand for Felicity. His breath caught as she emerged, stumbling slightly on the curb as Digg quickly steadied her. Once she'd straightened up, he got his first full look at her…and found himself struggling to breathe.
He'd known the dress would be perfect for her when he'd first come across it in a magazine earlier that week. Not that he read fashion magazines, but he'd been bored waiting on yet another meeting with a rival company, and the only magazines in the waiting area were fashion oriented. So, he'd flipped through a few, thankful no one was around to notice him. When he'd seen the dress on a blonde model, he'd immediately pictured it on Felicity. And after his conversation with Laurel, and revelations of the past few weeks, he'd ordered it as soon as he'd decided what they were going to do on their weekly adventure. Thankfully, the Queen connections had made for an easy overnight delivery.
And seeing her in it now, the way it clung to her figure, accenting the pale skin bared by the low neck and back, bringing out the darker blonde streaks in her hair, which fell in waves over her shoulders, the heels, peeking out from under the long skirt, giving her an added few inches in height, he felt a stab of desire go through him. She was breathtaking and his mind immediately started picturing what she would look like as he got her out of it. The slumberous look of desire he knew would be in her eyes. The soft moans she'd give as he'd run his hands down her spine, pulling her close as he took her lips with his…
He yanked himself out of those fantasies before he could get any more hot and bothered. He couldn't focus on that right now, much as he wanted to. He had to figure out how to keep her safe, take down Deadshot, and do it all without getting anyone killed. Sighing, he took a deep breath then slipped over to the door, opening it a crack and waiting until he could finally connect with his team.
Felicity looked around in awe as she entered the museum. True to form, Digg had walked her in then disappeared, promising to meet her once he'd gone through his security checkpoint. Apparently most people had bodyguards with them and there was a special entrance they went through, most likely because they were armed. Which meant she had a few minutes to scope out the room, knowing it almost as well as Digg and Oliver after staring at the floor plans for what felt like hours.
Then there was the exhibit itself. Her eyes widened as she started to wander, knowing Digg would find her, also knowing Oliver was watching from somewhere on the balcony overlooking the main floor. She wondered what he thought of the dress, or more specifically, her wearing the dress. She could almost picture the flash of desire she wanted, no, she was pretty sure she knew, would appear in his eyes. Her gaze turned dreamy as she imagined his lips against her skin as his hands divested her of the dress, fingers trailing heated paths up and down her spine and over her abdomen. He'd groan as she returned the favor, scraping her nails lightly over his chest as she pushed off his shirt…
"Excuse me!"
She jumped as she saw an annoyed looking waiter skirt around her, and realized she'd been lost in a daydream. Not good if she wanted to stay sharp tonight. Forcing the more heated thoughts of Oliver from her mind, she tried to focus on the exhibit, which really was magnificent. She was immediately drawn to the jeweled breastplate, the centerpiece of the exhibit and the room. It was quite crowded already, but she was able to go right up to the glass. The sheer magnificence of the piece was almost overwhelming, and she wondered just how much security the museum had to have in place to keep this protected from thieves.
She closed her eyes a moment, hoping she hadn't jinxed this whole mission by thinking about another element that could be factored in – regular Starling City thieves anxious for a major score. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes, focusing again on the piece in front of her. She jumped slightly when she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to find Digg standing there.
"Ms. Smoak, I believe now would be a good time to deliver Mr. Queen's donation." His voice was even, but his eyes were wary and she could see him physically trying to resist looking towards where Deadshot should supposedly be at some point that evening. She wanted to say something reassuring, but the knot in her stomach prevented her. She managed to slip the earpiece Digg had just palmed her into her clutch, excusing herself to the bathroom before they continued with the plan. After finding it empty, she slipped in the earpiece, resettling her hair around her shoulders.
"You there?" She felt relief flood over her as she heard Oliver's voice in her ear.
"Ready and waiting. You okay?"
She swallowed hard, looking at herself in the mirror and making sure she didn't look as nervous as she felt.
"As ready as I'm going to be."
"You'll be fine, Felicity. Trust me." Digg's steady voice was the final piece she needed to reassure her that both men were with her and ready to get to work. Taking a deep breath, she left the bathroom and found Digg waiting just outside.
"Let's do this." Her voice was calm even though she knew her eyes must have looked a bit nervous. Digg gave her a reassuring nod before gesturing for her to follow him. She felt the nerves build as they approached a well-dressed couple, holding court in a corner of the room. This was so not her scene she realized, noting how at ease everyone around her seemed with the amount of opulence surrounding them. She was just an IT girl from an average income home. Did she really think she could fit in among Starling City's elite?
"Relax, you look beautiful and you're going to do just fine."
Oliver's voice, slightly deeper than normal in her ear made her body tingle but also calmed some of her nerves. She could do this. She had to do this. And Oliver thought she looked beautiful. The knowledge gave her cheeks a bit more color as she reached Agatha Durring, the head of the museum's board of directors.
"Mrs. Durring?" She saw the older woman turn to face her, a pleasant smile on her face. "I'm Felicity Smoak."
"Of course, Oliver said to expect you." Agatha's voice was smooth and polished, exactly like she would expect a moneyed member of society to be. She figured it was a skill that came after years of hosting these affairs. Digg's slight nudge alerted her she should say something.
"Yes, he's sorry he couldn't attend himself, but he wanted me to make sure I delivered this." She reached into her clutch and pulled out the check Digg had given her when he'd picked her up, handing it over to the older woman and trying not to show her relief. She'd never had that much money on her in her entire life and she was more than happy to get rid of it.
Agatha Durring's eyes widened slightly as she looked at the check, her surprise quickly masked. "Well, this is most generous. You can assure him it will be put to good use." She quickly folded the check and slipped it into her purse before focusing again on Felicity. "So, Oliver tells me you're a fan of the theme of our newest exhibit."
Felicity nodded. "I've always been fascinated by Alexander's battle techniques. The ways he was able to defeat armies with different strategies and approaches, not to mention his weapons, are pretty amazing. They also come in rather nicely when trying to plot out your own strategy in a D&D game." She stopped, hearing Oliver's choked laughter in her ear and realizing she'd just totally gone on a geek ramble in front of one of the richest and most powerful women in Starling City. Thankfully, the older woman only looked amused.
"I think you'll find quite a bit to help you foster those strategies here," she said with a smile as Felicity's eyes widened. "My son was a fan of computer strategy games in his younger years, so I know a bit about gaming and strategy role playing."
Felicity was pretty sure her mouth was gaping. This was definitely not something she'd expected to hear from one of Starling City's elite.
"Focus."
Oliver's voice in her ear, although sounding slightly amused, brought her back to the mission. "Thank you again for allowing me such last minute access, I can't thank you enough." She knew it was the Queen donation that got her in, but she could bluff with the best of them when it was called for.
"It was my pleasure, and I believe I see the man behind the exhibit coming over, so please let me introduce you to him."
Felicity turned as she saw Lex Luthor approaching, a beautiful blonde on his arm. She'd seen pictures of him but in person, he was almost insanely better looking, his baldness giving him an even more mysterious yet strangely attractive look. Then again, she'd always had a thing for Yul Brenner so perhaps that had something to do with it. She tried to gather her wits and put on a smile as the couple approached.
"Lex," Agatha's voice was amused as she motioned for Felicity to come forward. "Let me introduce you to Felicity Smoak. Felicity is the head of Queen Industries IT department and is attending on behalf of Oliver Queen. Apparently, she too has a fascination with Alexander the Great."
Felicity smiled as she saw the assessing look the bald billionaire was giving her even as he held out a hand. Shaking it, she wasn't surprised to note he had as firm a grip as Oliver.
"Ms. Smoak, a pleasure to meet another Alexander fan, and such an attractive one." His voice was smooth and Felicity couldn't help but blush as he gave her a long look. She tried to ignore the hiss of breath she heard from Oliver in her ear. Obviously, he was not happy with the comment.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Luthor. You have an amazing collection." She was glad her voice sounded normal. She was doing okay so far.
"Thank you." His eyes assed her even as he continued. "So, you work for Oliver Queen. I've heard he's a changed man since his return." The curiosity mixed with a hint of bite in Lex's voice put her on edge. But then again, she remembered what Oliver had told her about their history. He probably had reason. Still, she didn't like hearing Oliver put down.
"I didn't know him before, so I can't offer any insight there," she replied carefully, "but I love my job now, even if half of it entails fixing Oliver. Fixing things for Oliver. Not Oliver himself, because he's just fine. A bit brooding, but apparently that's a thing after spending years on an island, or for billionaire playboys, come to think of it. Not that I'm saying you're brooding Mr. Luthor, or a playboy, despite your reputation, because I don't know you well enough to judge, and I'll just stop there now," she finished as she heard Oliver in her ear.
"Focus, Felicity." His voice was tense but she had little time to dwell on it as the sound of amused laughter from the blonde standing next to Lex registered.
"I like her, Lex. She obviously knows your type, and she says what she means and I find that refreshing." With a smile, the blonde held out a hand to a now surprised looking Felicity. "I'm Chloe Sullivan, nice to meet you Felicity Smoak."
Felicity took Chloe's hand, wondering just who this woman was, much less what she was doing with Lex. The tabloids always had him with a different woman every month, usually brunette, but never this woman.
"Nice to meet you too, Chloe. Sorry, I guess you can tell I tend to ramble." She tried to ignore Digg's snort in her ear and focus on the people in front of her.
"Chloe rambles with the best of them, Ms. Smoak, so you're in good company. She also handles most of the technology at Luthorcorp when she's not dabbling in other things, or trying to handle me." She was surprised to see the tender look Lex gave his blonde companion, the expression quickly masked as he turned back to face her. Well, that was interesting.
"I'm going to excuse myself a moment to take care of some business," Lex said as his gaze was caught by someone across the room. "I have a suspicion you two will find quite a bit to talk about," he finished, giving Chloe an amused look before moving off. Felicity noted the way Chloe's eyes followed him, worry evident for a moment before it was masked as she turned back and offered a smile. Something was up. The frisson of fear returned for a moment as she wondered if something else was going to get thrown into the situation tonight that could complicate things.
"So, Felicity, tell me what exactly you do for Oliver Queen. Because if he's anything like Lex, I'm pretty sure it entails a lot of PR efforts as well." Felicity focused back on Chloe, a grin emerging as she saw the conspiratorial look on the blonde's face. Aware that Oliver could hear every word, she chose her reply carefully.
"Oliver isn't the easiest person to work for," she began, ignoring the huff of breath in her ear, "but I admit, he really has a knack for screwing up computers." Chloe's laughter eased her worry a bit and for the next few moments, she allowed herself to chat with the blonde, not surprised, as Lex had noted, to find they had quite a lot in common. Chloe Sullivan could make a good friend, and potential ally, she thought, filing that away for future notice. Not to mention she was extremely curious about the relationship she and Lex seemed to have. It was definitely more than employee and boss, perhaps even more than friends.
They were in the process of trying to one up each other with the different computer issues both Lex and Oliver had, when she noted, from the corner of her eye, the arrival of the one person who hadn't put in an appearance so far tonight…Morgan Edge.
She felt Chloe tense next to her and heard the blonde mutter "what the hell is he doing here?" under her breath. Her glance quickly shot to Digg, who had been hovering nearby and she noted he'd seen the other man. She looked back to Chloe, her mind pondering the muttered words. Obviously Chloe knew Morgan Edge. And from her expression, it was clear that it was not a friendly relationship.
"Chloe, are you okay?" She was concerned by how pale the other woman had gone. The feeling that something was off hit her again and she tried to focus on what her senses were telling her.
"I'm sorry, I just saw someone I never expected to see here," the blonde said, an edge to her voice. "Would you excuse me? I need to talk to Lex." Felicity nodded, watching the blonde move hurriedly towards where Lex had his back to them, talking with another well-dressed man. Pulling out her cell phone, she lifted it to her ear as she spoke, knowing Oliver and Digg would hear her and everyone else would hopefully assume she was talking into her phone and not to herself.
"Something's up. Chloe knows Edge and she's not happy he's here."
"I got that." Oliver's voice was tense. "I know Edge had dealings in Metropolis, and with Lionel Luthor so it makes sense he'd know Lex, but something's off."
"I know. It's like there's something we're not seeing," she replied, brain trying to put the pieces together.
"Stay sharp, don't lose focus. Deadshot should be making his move any moment." Digg's voice, deadly serious yet somehow reassuring, had her shoulders relaxing a bit. She almost jumped out of her skin as she felt someone touch her lightly on her bare shoulder. Whirling around, she found a bemused looking man, wearing a suit, tie, and a pair of black glasses that looked quite a bit like her own.
"I'm sorry to scare you, but you dropped this." The man held out the small handkerchief that Felicity had tucked into her clutch before she left. It was sort of her good luck charm as her grandmother had given it to her years ago. She hadn't realized she'd dropped it, most likely when she'd pulled out her phone.
"I'll talk to you soon," she said into her phone, making a show of moving it from her ear and hitting the disconnect button before she took the handkerchief. "Thank you. I would have been very upset to lose this as my grandmother made it." She saw the man smile, only then noticing the brunette that was standing next to him.
"That's Smallville, always the knight in shining armor to someone," the brunette said with a laugh before holding out her hand. "I'm Lois Lane, this is my partner Clark Kent, we work for the Daily Planet."
Felicity held out her hand instinctively. "Felicity Smoak. I work for Queen Consolidated," she offered feeling both of them staring at her. Great. Two reporters were suddenly introducing themselves, this could not be good. She wondered why Lois' name rang a bell however.
"Breathe, Felicity. You've got this."
She took a deep breath at Oliver's words, mustering a smile. She almost lost it when she saw the intense look Clark was giving her. Almost as if he'd heard Oliver in her ear. It was an unsettling feeling that she tried to shake off.
"So, what brings you to Starling City? I can't imagine the museum exhibit merits more than a mention in your paper." She watched as the two exchanged a loaded glance. Once more, she realized that something didn't feel quite right about this whole situation.
"Lex is a friend, and Chloe's my cousin," Lois offered, her voice neutral. "We wanted to show some support and a chance to get out of Metropolis is always welcome." Felicity braced herself as she saw the other woman's eyes turn contemplative. "Besides, rumor has it there's an arrow shooting vigilante stalking the city, and well, that would be a story Metropolis readers would eat up."
Felicity felt warning alarms go off in her head. Lois Lane was onto something about the Hood. She was almost positive of it. Oliver's low curse in her ear alerted her to the fact he'd realized that as well. And then she suddenly realized why Lois Lane's name sounded familiar.
She was the reporter who had an in with Metropolis' own resident mysterious figure, known as the Blur. She hadn't paid the stories much attention, other than to keep them in a folder she'd started when reports of strange figures in various cities around the country had been reported. You never knew when that information could come in handy, especially in Oliver's line of night work.
Regardless, Lois Lane was a potential complication, if for nothing more than bringing unwanted attention to the hood and/or Oliver. She gathered her wits together, knowing she'd need them all to get through this.
"I don't know much about it, except that this figure apparently is trying to clean up the Glades, which I can tell you, needs all the help it can get right now." She was pleased to note her voice was clear and she wasn't fidgeting.
"I've heard mixed things, but if you happen to have any inside information, I'd love to talk to you about him." Lois' eager voice was stopped as Clark laid a hand on her arm. "Lois, let her be. I told you, tonight is about Lex and Chloe, not finding this vigilante."
Felicity's radar went on alert again. Trying to keep calm, especially as she noted Lex and Chloe approaching them again, she took a deep breath. "I wouldn't be much help. I'm an IT girl and computers are pretty much what I know best. I don't get out that much," she offered with a wry smile. "I'm only out tonight because I have a strange fascination with Alexander the Great."
"Nothing wrong with that, I happen to share it." She started as she heard Lex's voice behind her and turned to smile as he and Chloe approached. "Felicity, I see you've met Lois and Clark."
Felicity nodded as she saw Chloe give the other couple a hard look. "And from my cousin's look, I'd say she's been trying to pick your brain about this vigilante we've heard so much about." Chloe did not look happy.
Felicity felt a headache coming on. Things were definitely getting out of hand. And worse, she hadn't seen Edge for a while, although she trusted Oliver and Digg were watching him. Lex and Chloe looked relaxed but there was an air of tension hovering around them. Obviously, she'd told Lex about Edge.
"She was, and I told her, I don't know much. I don't get out a lot from behind my computers," she said again, hoping someone would change the subject.
"Well that is truly a shame as such a beautiful woman should be out every night. Oliver Queen must be a slave driver to keep such beauty away from an eager public."
She turned around at the unfamiliar voice, struggling to contain her surprise as she found herself staring at Morgan Edge. The man himself was wearing an expression that set her teeth on edge. But she called on every ounce of acting ability she had, what little that was, to try and look flattered.
"I'd thank you, but I don't usually accept compliments from men I don't know," she managed, glad to hear the lightness in her voice, in complete contrast to the tension she felt in her body.
"Then you should get used to it. And so we aren't strangers, let me introduce myself, although I'm sure you've heard of me. I'm Morgan Edge." He held out his hand and mustering her courage, she reached out and shook it. She pulled back as quickly as she could, masking her disgust as she saw his eyes skim over her body. Oliver's sharply indrawn breath let her know he'd seen what was going on from his perch, and wasn't happy. But, not much she could do about it now, she had to play this out.
"Mr. Edge, your reputation precedes you," she offered, her voice neutral, knowing she had to tread carefully around the man. There was a look in his eyes that made her very uneasy.
"Now my dear, I really hope you don't believe everything you hear." His smile remained but there was a hint of something sinister underneath it. "I certainly don't believe everything I hear about someone until I've actually met them." His smile tightened as he turned to Lex. "Lex, I do hope you're not filling Ms. Smoak's head with unsavory stories about me."
Lex's smile was easy but she could tell he was straining to be civil. She knew that look well, thanks to Oliver. "I hardly think I need to say anything to her about you Edge, after all, I hear you're making quite a name for yourself here in Starling City. But then again, you do always seem to find a new sewer to swim in."
Felicity drew in a breath at the intensity in the words, as well as the way Edge tensed. Yes, there was bad blood between these two and she had a feeling she didn't want to know what had caused it.
"Now Lex, if you aren't careful, someone might think you're slighting Starling City with all this talk of 'sewers.' After all, it's not every city that tries to comeback from a man-made earthquake." His voice was hard now, and Felicity tried not to look intimidated as he turned his gaze back to her.
"I'm sure it can't be easy for you, Ms. Smoak, working for a family that half the city believes responsible for the tragedy. It must be very challenging to bring the company back together with such mixed opinions on its CEO."
Felicity felt another warning bell go off in her head. Edge had to have a reason for bringing up Oliver's business. She was also annoyed at yet another slight to Queen Consolidated.
"Actually Mr. Edge, I have the utmost respect for how Mr. Queen is trying to make up for something he had no part in but has shouldered the responsibility for those that did." She gave him a tight smile even though she really wanted to hit him as he continued to give her a condescending look.
"Loyal to a fault, he's lucky to have you Ms. Smoak. Loyalty is a quality I prize in people."
"Only when you're getting something out of it, isn't that right, Mr. Edge?"
Felicity's eyes widened as she heard Chloe's voice join the conversation, noting that both Lex and Edge tensed up at her response. Obviously, there was backstory here. She wondered if it were important to how tonight was going to play out. At this point in time, she was pretty sure anything could happen.
"Touche, Ms. Sullivan, and might I say I am surprised to see you here tonight."
Felicity had to hide her grin as Chloe rolled her eyes, her arm linked with Lex. "About as surprised as I am. I didn't think you could show your face here, or anywhere, after some of the stunts you've pulled."
"Well, Metropolis holds a grudge," Edge said smoothly although his eyes were hard. "Starling City is providing plenty of new ventures and seems a bit more open to some of my business plans." He focused back on Felicity again. "Of course, there is the little problem of Starling City's own arrow wielding vigilante that's making some of my investors nervous. It seems you can't go to any town lately that doesn't have some type of masked person running around purportedly doing good."
Felicity tensed even as she heard Oliver curse again in her ear. The mention of the Hood wasn't accidental, she was sure of it. She also noted out of the corner of her eye, that Clark had gone rigid. She made a mental note to think about that later. Right now, she had to figure out how to respond without giving away anything that might incriminate Oliver or harm the Hood.
"Actually, if you look at what the Hood has done, he's actually helped keep the Glades and this city, safer than they would normally be in the aftermath of the earthquake." She gave Edge a hard look this time. "Crime and drug lords are coming out of the woodwork to get a piece of action in the Glades it seems and someone has to do something about it."
"Easy, Felicity." Oliver's voice was sharp and she stopped herself from continuing. He was right, she could already have said too much, judging by the looks she was getting from the people standing around her.
"So quick to defend this vigilante. One would almost suspect you knew more about him than most." Edge's voice was smooth but deadly. It took everything she had to keep her expression calm.
"I know he does good things for the city and that's really all I need to know," she managed, trying to ignore the curious looks Lois was shooting her. Wasn't it just fate that this all had to go down with Lois Lane there to witness it?
"You should be careful whom you put your trust in, Ms. Smoak. I've found more often than not, people will disappoint you when you least expect it."
She gave him a small smile. "And I've found that hidden strengths will emerge in people when you least expect it but often need it. Good always wins out in the end, Mr. Edge. It always will."
She knew it was probably a bit much, but she couldn't help herself. He was really getting under her skin and she found herself almost wishing Lawton would take his shot and end all of this. Because she was seriously wondering if she should bother to do anything to stop him from killing Edge.
"An idealistic if amusing world view, that I feel sorry to tell you will fade with time," he replied, an edge to his voice. "But, I suppose the world needs its optimists, as naïve as they are. And you my dear, I suspect, can't be all that naïve if you work for Oliver Queen in any capacity."
Felicity tensed, wondering if that was a dig not only at Oliver, but at his alter-ego. Edge couldn't know about the Hood, could he?
"You seem tense, Ms. Smoak, did I hit a nerve?" The condescending tone in his voice set Felicity's temper rising, and it took everything she could to stop herself from saying something she knew would only get her into more trouble.
"I'm used to dealing with men like you, Mr. Edge," she said, pleased her voice was cool, even as she told the lie. "You don't scare me."
"Perhaps I should," he said, his voice quiet, a look in his eyes that made an unpleasant shiver run down her spine. Still, she held her ground.
"Is that a threat?" She asked quietly, hearing Oliver draw in a harsh breath and seeing both Lex and Clark tense and move a step closer to her, obviously ready to come to her defense. It was rather sweet, if she thought about it. Which she couldn't as she was engaged in a battle of wits with Edge. She wondered if this one would be to the death. And she was thinking in terms of the Princess Bride in her head. Not good. She had to focus.
"I don't threaten," Edge said with a smug grin. "Especially anyone who has a connection to an arrow wielding maniac."
There it was, laid out on the table. Edge knew she worked with the Hood, which quite possibly meant he knew that Oliver was the Hood. Taking a deep breath, she willed herself to give nothing away in her expression.
"I wouldn't call him a maniac, but I think you're mistaken about my connection to him. He's saved me once or twice, but he'd do the same for anyone in need." She prayed that for this once, she'd make a believable liar.
"Oh, I think you underestimate your importance to him. In fact, I think it would be quite interesting to see just how fast he came to your rescue if you were in trouble."
Edge's words went off like a lightblub in her mind. And as ridiculous as it seemed, she knew why things had seemed off from the moment her intelligence had almost miraculously turned up the fact that Deadshot would be here tonight.
Neither Edge, nor Lex were Deadshot's target.
Oliver was. Or at least, the Hood was. And for whatever reason, she was the bait.
Her gaze flew to Digg, who had a stunned expression on his face. Obviously he'd figured it out too.
"Felicity, get out of there, NOW!" Oliver's yell in her ear alerted her to the fact that he'd become aware of the fact as well.
Her gaze, almost against her will, moved to focus on the upper corner of the balcony where she expected Deadshot to be. Until she realized that to do so, she had to turn her head. It wasn't in direct line of sight to where she was. It was directly behind her. Whipping her head around, she caught the glint of something metallic out of the corner of her eye…exactly opposite to where she'd just been looking…directly in front of and above her.
In the next instant, the world exploded around her.
Notes: So...the gang's all here. For anyone curious about the Smallville crew, for them, this is an AU set somewhere after season 4 in which Lex went down a different path that didn't involve Lana or anything that happened thereafter. Lois, Chloe and Lex know about Clark, as in my world Clark and Lex are still friends, even though it can be strained at times as Lex tries to find the right path (Lex is not the big bad in my AU). But Chloe keeps him on it. And now that I've totally clued you into my AU world of Chlex... it really doesn't matter for the rest of the story unless you want it to! But wanted to clarify for the SV fans that might be reading and going 'WTF?' Sorry for the digression...but the action chapter is next! Then we get back to the Olicity...thanks for hanging with me!