Chapter 11- Second-hand Information and Rescue
"Lyla, you should have let us in on the plan," Diggle exploded to his wife.
"Helix wasn't supposed to know about the black site. No one was," Lyla said, still not showing any remorse for her actions.
"That's because it's illegal," Diggle ground out irritably.
"I'm not discussing this, Johnnie. Get your head in the game. You're two minutes out," Lyla said. Diggle felt very put out. He would discuss this with Lyla later when he had cooled down and he had made sure that Anna was still alive. His wife not telling anything could cost Anna her life.
Anna ducked as bullets from automated stations went past her ears. She let loose on her taser as they made their way through the shipping containers. "Where has the tablet been all my life?" Felicity enthused, holding the tablet Alena brought in her hands.
"I made it special for you. So much better than a friendship bracelet," Alena said as Felicity hacked into the weapons towers and the guns powered down and lasers criss-crossed a shipping container in front of them.
"Whoa. How are we gonna find Cayden James?" Felicity asked as the ducked behind another container.
"I know he's inside one of these containers, but I don't know exactly which one. Can you check to see if there is a site map?" Alena asked.
"Uh, guys, what about that one? Whatever A.R.G.U.S. is keeping in there, they wanna keep it secure," Anna said, pointing to the container as they peeked around the one they were hiding behind.
"Or whoever. Like your father," Alena said as they went to the container.
"Yeah. Felicity, try to shut down the lasers," Anna said.
"I'm on it, Ann," Felicity said, using the tablet as Alena pulled out the two keys she got from A.R.G.U.S.
"Two air-gapped, unhackable keys. It's beautiful tech, really," Alena said in awe.
"Free Dad now. Admire A.R.G.U.S. tech later," Anna said as she went to the container and she and Felicity unlocked it.
"One," Felicity said.
"Two," Alena said after her.
"Three," Felicity said and they turned the keys. They opened the container, revealing a lone figure, with a hood and a strait-jacket. Anna felt her breath catch.
"Dad? Dad, it's me, Anna," Anna said softly as she knelt in front of him.
"Anna? Anna?" Her father's voice asked groggily.
"Hey. Hey. It's okay, Daddy, this is a rescue," Anna said, wrapping her arms around her father's neck and hugging him tightly.
"Anna, we gotta move. Team Arrow will be here any minute," Felicity said.
"I doubt that very much. They have no clue we're here," Alena said as gunshots fired.
"Uh, Alena, are you sure?" Anna asked, placing her hand firmly on Cayden's shoulder.
"Do not say "I told you so." Meet us out back in five," Alena said, wagging her finger at Felicity.
"Where are we going?" Felicity asked as Anna and Alena fumbled with the clasps over Cayden's chest.
"We're gonna go say hi to yours and Anna's friends," Alena said as she and Felicity went out.
"Okay. I guess I'm the one who has to release you, Dad. You help me help him up once I get these released," Anna said to one of Alena's henchmen. She fumbled with the clasp.
"Anna?" Cayden asked.
"It's okay, Dad. I'll have you out in a minute. I promise," Anna said.
"My Anna," Cayden said sluggishly as they grabbed his arms and helped him up.
"All right, Dad. Just a few steps. The van's outside," Anna said as they made their way to the van. Bullets ricocheted as soon as they got him inside. Anna looked up to see Oliver pointing a gun at them.
"Next one goes in his head," Oliver said, pointing the gun at Cayden.
Anna kissed her father's cheek through the hood and moved to block him from view. "Then it'll have to go through me. Alena, go! Get my father out of here!" Anna barked.
"Get out of the way!" Oliver shouted.
"You know we can't do that. I was really hoping you wouldn't!" Felicity said, raising the laser field to keep him from running after the van as it drove off.
"Oliver, don't move. That is a 30-kilowatt spectral beam laser. It'll cut you to the bone. Curtis will let you out. Me and Felicity are sorry. I am. I'm really hoping that you're gonna understand after we get Chase," Anna said, tears coming to her eyes. Oliver raised the mask shielding his face.
"Don't count on it, Anna," Oliver said as she and Felicity turned and followed the van back to Helix.
Cayden blinked his eyes as the hood was removed. "Anna? Anna?" Cayden asked, looking around.
"Cayden, she's not here. She stayed at the containers to make sure you got away. She said she couldn't come with us as it will raise too many questions. She gave me this to give to you, hoping you'll understand once you read it," Alena said, handing Cayden a letter.
"Read it to me, Alena. I can't see without my glasses," Cayden said.
"Okay. Dad, if you are reading this, I am sorry for how this had to happen. I have chosen to stay behind as my leaving will raise way too many questions. I hope that when things die down you can come back. I will be waiting for you. In the meantime, me and my friend, Felicity Smoak need to ask you for a favor. Alena told us you had designed a biometric tracker. Please, Dad, we need it to hunt down Adrian Chase. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. Me and Felicity will come by Helix to pick it up. I understand if you don't want to give it to us. I love you, Anna. Well, what are we gonna do? Are we gonna help Felicity and Anna?" Alena asked.
"Yes. Take me to Helix. I know where I put the tracker," Cayden said, swallowing his grief that his daughter wouldn't come with him. But at least now he knew where she was.
Anna looked around Helix, or what used to be Helix. It had been completely emptied out, with nothing that could ever say her father's hacker group had ever been there. "Hello, Dad? Are you here?" Anna asked, hoping that, maybe, Cayden hadn't left yet.
A big screen flipped on to reveal Alena. "Hey, Felicity, Anna," Alena said with a smile.
"Hi. Where are you and Dad? Are you okay?" Anna asked.
"We're safe. Thank you for all your help. And your dad understands why you couldn't come, Anna. But here's the thing. Your connection to the Green Arrow and his team, it's a liability," Alena said with a wince.
"Yeah. Well, once we get Chase, he'll see all the good Helix can do," Felicity said.
"I'm sorry, but we just can't risk it. Especially not with Cayden back in the fold and A.R.G.U.S. looking for him. I loved getting to work with you both. And, Anna, your dad says that when things die down we can come get you and the two of you can be together," Alena said.
"Okay. Alena, tell Dad that I love him," Anna said, feeling tears sting her eyes.
"I think he already knows that, but I will. Meeting your heroes, it turns out it's not so bad after all. But we left something for you. Look down. Up a little bit. Little bit to the right," Alena said and Anna picked up an envelope.
"This?" Anna asked.
"What is it?" Felicity asked.
"Some on-the-fly coding from Mr. James," Alena said as Anna pulled out what looked like a thumb drive.
"Is this the tracker?" Anna asked.
"Yeah. Told you he was the best there ever was. Take care, Felicity, Anna," Alena said.
"Yeah, you too," Felicity said and the screen went dark.
Cayden came into the room as Alena ended the call. "Is my daughter all right?" Cayden asked.
"Yeah. She told me to tell you that she loves you," Alena said. Cayden smiled briefly.
"I know that already as I just reread her note," Cayden said. Cayden had managed to replace his glasses and had read his daughter's clear print quite a few times.
"So, what next?" Shech asked.
"We regroup, Mr. Shech. I want to build up Helix again and then go get my girl," Cayden said with a note of finality. It would take a few months, but Cayden knew what he was doing.