"The Arrow?" Cooper mocked, "That green freak that's roaming Starling city? Sure I have to worry about him. He's just yearning to impale me with one of his toys."
Cooper was so preoccupied with acting untouchable he didn't noticed when Felicity's gaze turned icy. She once respected her former classmate, before he showed her his true face, and even then she felt bad after learning about his death, but all that went away when he decided to mock the Arrow.
"I bet the Count thought the same." she said casually.
"Whose he?" Cooper asked as he unlocked one handcuff that held her tied to a chair, and pulled at it tightly, forcing her to move her right hand close to her left one, that was still bound, before locking it around her wrist, making the two cuffs around her wrist scrape at one another. Moments later he unlocked the cuff that kept her left hand bound, and left the spare handcuff hanging off the chair.
He didn't even have to tell her to stand up, Felicity did it on her own and with every drop of smug overconfidence she could muster. Cooper blinked in shock at the small smile that was decorating her face. He sent his men to kidnap her, she was his prisoner... and she was smiling.
"The Count... oh, he's a drug manufacturer who thought it was a god idea to threaten me. He's dead now." Felicity's voice was also confusing for her captor. She was rather flippant about the whole thing. He had no idea it was all an act, her way of shaking him up a bit, "He fell out of the 18th floor window, of course after getting three arrows in the torso. Right about..." Felicity moved her hands, that were bound in front of her body, and touched Cooper's chest, "Here."
The movement, as well as the words, made him step away from her. And Felicity barely managed to contain her laughter. Her plan worked. He was reconsidering his plan, alright.
But the greed was obviously stronger then Cooper's sense of survival, so moments later he grabbed the chain that connected the cuffs and pulled at it, leading Felicity out of her small prison. Still, her words refused to leave his mind.
The bank of computers that waited in the middle of the large space was all set for the plan. Currently all the monitors had the same image on, a fiery eye that made Felicity snort.
"What?" Cooper asked instantly, before pushing her in the office chair more forcefully then necessarily.
Felicity questioned her plan of taunting him, making him lose his cool. It was potentially dangerous, but it could also help her. If he's pissed off there is a bigger chance he'll make a mistake she could take advantage of.
"Nothing. Just realizing the years haven't changed you much. Eye of Sauron, with just a few tweaks. You can't make your own mark, any more than you could make your own supervirus."
Instantly Cooper slammed his hands on the armrests of the chair, and leaned forward until his face was only inches away from Felicity's. She could feel his breath, see the fire in his eyes, and almost feel his anger.
"I don't need mine when I have yours." he snared, "I offered you the digital world, and you refused me. And for who? A trust fund brat. All you had to do is give me access, but you refused. So I took it myself. Your precious virus."
"I destroyed the only copy." Felicity instantly responded, not amused that he would even suggest such a thing, "Bashed the drive into pieces before tossing them in the annual bonfire. There is no way-"
"For a genius you are pretty stupid. You didn't even check the drive. Cause if you did you would have found my message." he grinned at her, before pulling away and stepping towards the desk that housed the monitors and the keyboard, "I got into your dorm and replaced your USB drive with an identical one. those brain cells, and you never noticed. And now you will pay, just like I did."
"What the hell are you talking about? And while I'm asking; where is my mother? I know they took her too, and if something happens to her I will personally-"
"You will what? You can't do shit." Cooper said with a wide grin, "She is so gullible. Winning a plane ticket in a random game... please. I made sure she is right here in Starling! Me! Your precious mother is prisoner, and she will remain one until you do as I say! Disobey me and she will pay for it! Do you understand? Good. Now pay attention what I'm saying. Your virus was good, but not as good as I expected, so I got busted. It took a deal with the NSA to prevent me from going to prison for 20 years. Instead I was forced to be their little servant, follow orders like a trained mutt, and hated every seconds of it. Those five years gave me a lot of time to think, and you know what I concluded... you knew the virus wasn't as good as you claimed. Not with someone else using it. It had to be you, because you built in a safety switch. I wasted five years of my life, and now you will make sure I get compensation for it."
"Even if I cooperate and do... whatever it is you want me to do cause you are too stupid to do it yourself... you will never leave this city. I guarantee it." Felicity made sure to inform him.
But he wasn't impressed by her warning, "And who will stop me once I have the money? The incompetent police or the green freak that you obviously think is some sort of hero? Besides, haven't you heard? Rich people don't actually go to prison."
Felicity merely snorted. She was wasting her time and she knew it. Cooper has been stubborn from the day she met him in MIT, from the moment he started pursuing her in hopes she'll give in and help him. It was a dumb idea from the start, and she told him that numerous times, but he refused to listen. That was his biggest flaw, he just refused to believe someone was a bigger expert at coding than he was. And at the same time he practically demanded she helps him, trying to persuade her it was for a greater good.
Knowing what she knows now Felicity was glad she didn't use her usual tricks when creating the virus, or it would lead the FBI straight to her, and she was pretty certain they wouldn't believe her that she had no idea Cooper used it, or that he even had it.
What she didn't understand though is why he didn't tried to place the blame on her when he got busted. Why he didn't point a finger in her direction, said it was her creation and her idea, and ruined her future before it ever began. It didn't make any sense, but then again nothing made sense about Cooper Seldon.
Footsteps attracted Cooper's attention and he turned to see one of his guys walk in. The man didn't say anything, just nodded his head towards the exit. After throwing a glance towards Felicity to make sure she is bound to the chair he went to check what was going on. And the news weren't good.
"Nate isn't responding. The police must have found the first location." he whispered the information to ensure the blonde woman in the other room doesn't hear him.
Cooper merely shrugged, "They knew that was the possibility, and they agreed to the plan anyway. You all did. But this place is safer and there is absolutely no way the cops can track us here. There are no functioning cameras in the old subway."
The man touched the long scratch on his face, "And I was so looking forward to making the bitch pay for this."
"Her daughter is inside. Once she did her job feel free to show her exactly what you think of her dear old mom's move." Cooper said nodding in Felicity's direction, and the guy grinned widely. The younger blonde was just as feisty as her mother. She'll do.
"The rifles are assembled and loaded. We are ready to go at any time."
With a nod Copper turned to walk back inside the main hall where his computers were waiting, "Time to start the plan, then."
Felicity watched carefully as he started to type something, observing the screens for any clue of what he was planing and which institution he was hacking. She knew it was something with serious protection, or he wouldn't need the virus and her assistance.
It took good ten minutes before Cooper managed to get into First National Bank's system and make the changes that blocked the most used ATM in the city, making it appear as it was empty. It would cause quite an uproar from all those who couldn't gain access to their accounts, but that was the perfect distraction. The police would be so involved in calming them down all other issues will be ignored.
People were so predictable. And Cooper would reap the benefits of it.
He clicked Enter and the order was executed, the first part of his plan working flawlessly. He smirked and turned towards Felicity.
She wasn't impressed, "I can hack ARGUS's satellite faster than that."
Instantly she flinched a bit at the slip. That particular government agency wasn't as known as the usual alphabet, and general population had no idea they even existed. Cooper didn't either, which is why he mocked her, thinking she was exaggerating her abilities.
"The system is protected, so don't even try to contact the police. I will know, and I will make sure your dear old mommy pays for your attempt to undermine me. Now..." Cooper removed the handcuff from her left wrist, leaving it free, but the right one was bound to the metal bar on the desk next to the keyboard. One that looks suspiciously like the one that was on the desk in the interrogation room detective Lance used that one time when he questioned her about hacking Merlyn Global, "Now you will do exactly what I tell you to do."
"You are repeating yourself. It's annoying."
In a fit of rage Cooper grabbed Felicity's chin and forced her to focus on him, "Watch your mouth." he gritted through clenched teeth before pulling the gun out of the holster at his side and pointing it at her forehead, "Or I'll show you exactly what I am capable of."
When Felicity remained silent, choosing not to push her luck with an obviously unhinged guy, Cooper only grinned thinking he won. He had no idea his prisoner was already planing her next move, because while he was out of the room and discussing something with one of his goons her smart watch beeped. It was a beacon of hope, a clue on how to get out of this situation.
Ray Palmer was brilliant, he made sure his invention had everything a good quality computer had too. And that included wi-fi. These computers in front of her might be protected, but nothing was truly safe from Felicity Megan Smoak.
"What the hell you want me to do?" she asked finally, not bothering to hide her anger.
"Central bank is sending freshly printed bills to fill the empty ATM. You will make sure the truck goes where I want it to go. Now..." he pushed her towards the desk, and since the concrete floor was smooth the force of the push caused her to hit her thigh into the hard metal leg of the desk. Instant pain went through her entire leg, and Felicity knew for certain that would leave quite a mark. Cooper ignored her hiss of pain, instead leaned forward and whispered into her ear, "Make me filthy rich."
He watched like a hawk while she typed, a smirk never leaving his face. She really was good, he had to admit that much, but he was obviously better. Because he knew how to exploit every advantage he had until he got exactly what he wanted.
His overconfidence was his ultimate downfall. Because he eventually left Felicity without supervision, leaving the room to inform his guys the trucks were on their way and will arrive at their destination in approximately two hours. That gave the genius blonde just enough time to access the Internet via her watch and send a short message.
Once the email sent she removed all trace of her activity and leaned back in the chair with a satisfied smile on her face. Oliver would understand what she meant, and she will come for her. She was certain of it.
When Cooper mocked the Starling City Police Department, and called them incompetent, he couldn't be more wrong. Because while they struggled with the shear amount of criminals that operated within the city limits once they had what they needed their response time was impressive.
Detective Lance was shouting out orders when the precinct doors opened and Oliver walked in, closely followed by Diggle. That fact he arrived didn't surprised anyone, they all learned the truth when the tabloid published the photos. Only now no one saw him anymore as the screw-up kid that caused trouble and then hid behind his family name and money. Now he was a man whose soulmate is in danger. Again.
"Queen." Lance greeted him shortly before turning towards Curtis who arrived from the IT department, "Holt, I'll presume they have a way of tracking the truck's route. Can you somehow make them see what we want them to see?"
The younger man shook his head, "I was about to mention it actually... I don't think I can. They infected the bank's system with something super big, and super complicated. I have never seen anything like that in my life. It's a truly thing of beauty, but unfortunately it is so complex it would take me hours, maybe even days, to gain control over it to an extent needed to fool them."
"Wait a minute?" Oliver interrupted before Curtis managed to say anything else, "You are still sending the truck, even though you know it's a trap and they are waiting for it?"
"We are the ones setting up a trap, Queen." the detective answered, before turning to focus back on the IT expert.
"I'm coming with you." Oliver said, his tone of voice making it clear he won't be changing his mind, and Lance might as well accept is decision. Diggle turned towards his friend and frowned in his direction. Right away the billionaire felt the need to defend himself, "I won't be in the way and will obey orders."
Quentin Lance just coughed at that, but remained silent. Truth be told he wouldn't have a problem with Oliver coming along, his presence at the scene would most certainly calm Felicity down. Not that he expected the blonde to be hysterical or something like that. She was obviously a whole lot more tougher then your everyday girl, she hangs out with vigilantes.
But that girl has already been through enough, and he will never, for as long as he lives, forget the day she admitted to him she was actually killed before brought to life in some mysterious way.
But there way no way he would ever utter those words to Oliver Queen. He will rather leave the kid thinking he still dislikes him for a whole array of reasons.
Finally, after a prolonged silence, during which Diggle wondered if he should point out to his friend exactly how much he sucks at following someone elses orders, the older man nodded in acceptance. And instead of saying what he initially planed Dig nodded in the general direction of the exit, "I'll return to the hotel then and keep an eye on Mrs. Smoak. I know there is a policeman outside, but better safe than sorry. Let me know when Felicity is safe."
"Will do." Oliver answered shortly, before focusing on Lance's conversation with the guy that went on and on about some technical computer things that he didn't understand. And judging by the slightly glazed look in the detective's eyes it was easy to conclude he had no idea what the guy was talking about either.
The younger man was smart, Oliver had to admit that. He only heard one person throwing out words like firewall and algorithm in that speed. If this guy, he was certain the detective called him Holt, knew all these things than why was he working in the police and not in any of the big companies in the city. They would kill to have someone as knowledgeable as him.
Oliver made a mental note to ask Felicity to learn more about him. Maybe get him a job at QC that was more suited for him. But first he needed to get her back.
The plan was simple. If there was no way to get the truck to the precinct so that the policemen could get inside there, not without tipping the bad guys they were on to them, then the police would have to get to the truck. And the best place for that was in the middle of the city. Down side of it was they would have quite an audience, but there was no way around it.
And as expected the moment the money truck stopped on red light the back doors opened and the guard who drive back there jumped out. At the same time police officers exited several unmarked cars that were parked on either side of the street. Lance was closest to the armored vehicle, so he got in first, closely followed by Oliver. The billionaire sat on the side bench and remained quiet as others got in. Detective Hilton, who entered the last, shut the back door after himself. He nodded to Lance and his partner knocked on the metal plate that separated the driver from the cargo.
It was the usual signal, one that the former policeman who now worked as the driver for the bank knew well. They offered to put someone from SCPD to replace him, but he declined. He may no longer be in the police, but his sense of justice remained. The windshield was bullet proof, so unless the guys that were waiting for them had a rocket launcher, or something with a similar caliber, he was perfectly safe behind the wheel.
A quick glance to the side-view mirror told him the SWAT team truck joined the traffic a few cars away from him. That made him wonder exactly whom these bad guys managed to piss off. Whomever it was they were going to pay a steep price.
"Are you shitting me?" detective Hilton asked after the truck back doors opened and the police man stormed out, their weapons pulled.
When the vehicle stopped he could feel the adrenaline pump through his body. They all were, despite knowing these guys weren't professionals. At least the two they had in custody weren't. Sure, they weren't talking, but hardcore criminals they weren't either. More like wannabe infamous guns for hire. But he was in the police long enough to know how these things worked. Leave the idiots to guard someone with less importance, and keep the capable guys at hand.
It turned out in these case there were no capable ones. Just a bunch of wusses who dropped down their weapons the moment the truck doors opened and they exited with their guns pulled.
The only one who caused trouble was the younger man who waived around a gun, but he too lowered it and raised his hands over his head when half a dozen barrels got pointed in his direction.
"Wish all my assignments were like this one." the commander of the SWAT team joked as he stepped next to Hilton.
"There might be more guys inside." Lance pointed out before looking back inside the cargo hold and pointing a finger at the sole man inside, "You stay in here until I tell you Queen."
The younger man only nodded, without protesting. Right away Lance eyes him suspiciously. That was way too easy, but he ain't complaining.
"Hey, Lance!" one of his men called his name and the detective turned around to see him holding the last guy who surrendered by his forearm, "Thought you might want to have the honor with the boss."
Quentin Lance couldn't put in words how much he enjoyed slapping handcuffs on the little bastard's wrists. He thought he was slick, that the police was never going to catch him. He was wrong.
The guy tried to break loose from Lance's grasp, although what he would accomplish by doing that the detective didn't know. It's not like he could just run away from the scene, there were quite a few people that would stop him. Starting with a billionaire that was slowly approaching them.
Lance had to hand it to Oliver. He actually listened to him this time and staying in the back of the money truck like he was told to. He never actually expected that to happen.
But then again he had a feeling Queen was smart enough not to risk betting caught in a crossfire in case the bad guys decide to make things more difficult for them. Not cause he would get hurt, but cause it would seriously piss off Felicity if he was injured for a dumbass stunt, instead of waiting for the armed SWAT team and the police to clear the area and make it safe.
"Hold still." Lance told the kid, cause frankly he didn't look over nineteen, and pulled him by his forearm when he tried to break free again.
Instantly the guy turned towards him and started to protest, "You have the wrong guy! The real mastermind is inside! She came up with the whole plan! I tried to stop her, had to restrain her when she threatened to-"
The guy's hysterical protests were cut off when Oliver grabbed him by the front of his shirt. He knew there was no way the police would let him inside the warehouse right now, they were still checking if there were any more armed guys waiting in ambush, but it seemed they were only a small group of five. And since he couldn't charge inside and get to Felicity, he would make this idiot stop telling lies.
"Whoa, hey!" Lance tried to make Oliver let go of the guy, but the enraged man refused to let go. Not until he made himself clear.
"Felicity has access to my bank account, my entire trust fund. That is more money that would be in hundred these trucks you were hoping to rob. But keep telling those lies, and see where that takes you... if you dare."
"Queen, let go!" Lance ordered, and this time Oliver listened to him.
The guy instantly grinned, "So you're her soulmate. I thought you were... more. But then again the frigid bitch doesn't deserve anything else but the guy like you."
"Keep talking, idiot..." Lance grumbled, "And I won't stop him when he punches you."
"That's police brutality." Cooper pointed out smuggle.
"I'm not the police." Oliver pointed out.
"And my guys would say you already had the black eye, and possible bruised ribs, and maybe a broken arm, when you got arrested. It would be your word against that of several police officers and a city's favorite reformed playboy who was so worried after his soulmate got kidnapped." Lance was getting bored with this guy.
Detective Hilton walked past them, looked at Cooper, and snorted, "If the news breaks out that this guy had Miss Smoak kidnapped the public will want his head. I swear people are more interested in Olicity relationship then their own."
"Olicity?" Lance asked his partner with a frown.
Hilton shrugged, "My wife reads a lot of trash tabloids. It stand for Oliver and-"
"Felicity!" her name escaped his lips the moment he saw her figure exiting the warehouse, an uniformed policeman behind her. She was walking on her own, and didn't look injured, but he needed to check. He needed to know for sure that she wasn't harmed.
Felicity yelped when Oliver's hands wrapped around her, and then she giggled. How could she not when he momentarily reminded her of the puppy that got excited it's owner returned home. Not that Oliver had anything in common with dogs, apart of his protectiveness and loyalty, and she didn't own him. But still... she was safe, and he showed it quite enthusiastically.
Someone laughed, but the pair ignored the policemen around them. Oliver because she was back in his arms where she belonged, and Felicity because she never felt more comfortable in her life than she in the safety of his hug.
"I'm sorry." she mumbled.
Instantly Oliver pulled back, and Felicity leaned in back to his warmth, but the look on his face stopped her. He wasn't angry, or upset. She knew all of his expressions, could read him like an open book, but right now she had no idea what she was seeing.
"Why are you apologizing?"
"Because I made you worry." she said in a matter-of-fact voice.
Oliver shook his head, not believing what he was hearing. What in the world made her think she needed to apologize, did she think she was a burden? Because she wasn't. She was everything to him, but never a burden. Knowing her, being allowed to call her his friend, having the honor of being her soulmate...
She made his life worth living, giving him a goal that seemed so unobtainable sometimes, but he would never keep trying.
And it starts now.
"I will always worry about you, Felicity. I felt the horror of life without you in it, and I never wish to feel that emptiness again. But you don't have to apologize to me for it, for anything. You are my soulmate... the woman that was meant for me, and that I... have feelings for. Do you understand?"
Felicity nodded silently, her words failing her like it rarely did before. Somewhere behind them they heard Lance call Oliver's name and remind him to ask her.
With a frown Felicity questioned, "Ask me what?"
Oliver looked sheepish, and scratched the back of his neck nervously, before approaching the subject, "I went to see your mom in the hospital. She was unharmed, and... she is quite opinionated. And also somewhat violent."
"Oh, God... what did she do?"
"She slapped me, but let's face it; I deserved it after all the pain I caused you with my-"
"She slapped you!" Felicity shouted, attracting even more attention for them. A SWAT member walked past them and snickered, a sound so odd for the man that was the same size as Diggle, and dressed in full gear, with a mean looking riffle in his hand.
Oliver glared at his back, before focusing on the blonde in front of him. He wanted... no, he needed to get her home where she would be safe. But her home wasn't safe at the moment, and he wasn't even sure if the police still had it closed off as a crime scene. And he had a feeling she would never agree to staying at the mansion. That left a hotel as the only option for the time being, and he wasn't all too happy with that. The security at Starling hotels were mediocre, even the best one wasn't good enough, not when it came to the safety of his soulmate.
But Oliver knew that was the only option Felicity would be comfortable with at the time being.
Felicity remained silent, waited for Oliver to find the words he needed to say, and instead observed the commotion around them. Several officers were carrying computer components from the warehouse, and loaded them in the back of the police van. That was really neat hardware, too bad it was supposed to serve for evil, and not good.
"Felicity, I... I was thinking, and then your mom suggested, or basically ordered... but I'm not doing it cause of her... I wanted to do this for a while, but I was a coward. I didn't think I had the right to ask, I still don't, but... I'm trying."
"Oliver." she said his name, did for him the exact same thing he did for her on a pretty much daily basis. Only for her talking in fragmented sentences was a must, she never seen Oliver do the same thing.
"Would you have dinner with me?" he finally asked, and then added for clarification, "Like a date. A date-date, not just two friends eating at the same time? I know I'm supposed to wait until you are ready, and all, but I... I just... I want to take you out to dinner, not just the Gala next week, but somewhere we can sit down and eat, and enjoy the company."
When Felicity's fingers wrapped around his own Oliver looked down in shock. That touch, the single small touch, meant the world to him. He didn't care how she saw it, to him it was a sign that there is hope, and that they are moving in the right direction.
"I would love to." Felicity finally said with a small grin, and Oliver sighed in relief, his shoulders slumping forward. All that nervousness, and in the end all he had to do was ask.