Hey guys, ready to finally meet Dig? I'm sure you're probably thinking: "Yes, we've waited long enough. Bring it!" Lol! Thank you for taking the time to review last chapter. There are some major story developments coming up, starting with this chapter. Please read and let me know what you think! :)

Chapter 20: The Bodyguard

"You've got to be kidding me…"

Felicity watched Dig carefully as he processed her announcement that Oliver was her husband. A myriad of emotions flitted across his face—shock, anger, sadness, suspicion—so rapidly it was difficult to determine which would reign supreme. She held her breath during the tense, pregnant silence. She kept a restraining hand on Oliver while her eyes bore into Dig, wordlessly pleading with him to stand down.

He finally lowered his gun, though his suspicion remained. "Felicity, what the hell happened to you? I've been worried sick."

"I told you I was fine," she replied. "Besides, how did you even find me? I warned you it was dangerous."

"You sent me a cryptic message basically admitting you were taken against your will"—he glared pointedly at Oliver—"which confirmed my worst nightmare after seeing the destruction in your apartment. After your abduction, I had Lyla put a surveillance on the place just in case you ever made your way back—which you did earlier today. We rushed to get here and were in the process of tracking you when the explosion at QC happened. We got orders to check that out first to assess the terrorist threat. We didn't expect to have company. So imagine my surprise when we not only had a hostile encounter with the League, but we also located you in the process of tracking them."

"This is your second time fighting tonight?" She whipped around to look at Oliver, who was still stoically silent. "Is that how you got those bruises?"

"I almost had Merlyn, and he got in my way," Oliver gritted out.

Dig scoffed. "It sure as hell didn't look like you were trying to stop him. He was dressed just like you, and it was one of your own that helped him escape. Now Malcolm Merlyn is in the wind."

Felicity's head spun trying get the details straight. Apparently, Oliver and Dig already had a deadly encounter tonight while investigating QC. And was it true someone let Merlyn escape? Only one person came to mind capable of such a thing, but that was something they'd address later. Right now, she had to get the two most important men in her life to dial it back and calm down.

"Felicity, what does he mean you sent him a message?" her husband questioned. Despite his stern tone, hurt reflected in his eyes. "And why didn't you tell me that your bodyguard was actually an A.R.G.U.S. agent?"

"A better question is how could you possibly think you were safe in the League? And what would possess you to tie yourself to Ra's al Ghul's most lethal assassin and right-hand stooge?"

"I'm second in command of the League of Assassins. I have an entire army at my disposal, which means Felicity is a hell of a lot safer with me than she ever was with you. If you'd done your job in protecting her in the first place, then Darhk never would've been able to abduct her."

"I've been protecting her for over half her life and, apparently, he abducted her to bring her to you!" he accused.

"Okay, stop it, the both of you!" Felicity shouted. This was definitely the time to break out her loud voice.

As if the situation couldn't get any worse, the front door burst open and their guards came barreling in with their weapons at the ready. They must've heard the fighting and shouting.

"Damn it," Felicity cursed. "Get them to stand down."

"I doubt you came alone," Oliver said to Dig. "Who else is with you?"

"I'm not telling you anything, man, except the longer you keep me here, the worse it'll be for you when my team comes to find me."

"Check the perimeter and the roof. He came in from the balcony, so he probably worked his way down with the cable—"

"Cancel that order," she demanded in a low but firm voice only Oliver could hear. "Dig and his team aren't a threat. He's here for me, not for you. The last thing either of you needs is an unnecessary brawl. Dig's already hurt and bleeding. He's not going to do anything, especially if it would involve hurting me."

"Shamsi, we don't know who else is with him."

"Dig, if Al Sah-him tells his men to stand down, will you do the same?" Felicity asked. "You'll have his word that you'll be safe."

Her former bodyguard scowled. "His word means nothing to me."

"Fine, then I promise that you'll be safe. You can still trust me, can't you?"

She had him there. With a huff, Dig begrudgingly nodded and pressed what must be the small comm in his ear.

"Oliver," she quietly urged, "you trust me, don't you?"

Her husband cursed under his breath but obliged and gave the order. The guards put down their weapons and left—although she wasn't naïve enough to think they wouldn't be nearby watching and waiting at the ready.

With the mini crisis temporarily averted, Felicity approached Dig and threw her arms around him. He let out an "oomph," causing her to quickly apologize for aggravating his injury and pull away. Dig didn't let her get far and wrapped his good arm around her waist to keep her close.

"I'm so glad you're okay. You nearly gave me a heart attack, kiddo," he whispered.

"I missed you so much, Dig." The familiar scent of his aftershave mixed with his own unique musk filled her with nostalgia. She inhaled deeply, taking him in while clutching him tightly. He'd been such a huge part of her life over the years—he was practically family—that Felicity felt like a piece of herself had also been returned. "I put up a fight, though, like you taught me."

"I know you did." He patted her back. "Now I'm going to need those capable hands to patch me up, if it's not too much trouble. I'd rather not bleed out on the floor before we have a chance to catch up."

"Oh, right! Sorry." Felicity turned back to Oliver and noticed him scrutinizing them, his expression unreadable. "Can you get the first aid kit upstairs?"

"Some decent clothes wouldn't hurt either," Dig interjected.

Felicity blushed something fierce at the reminder that she was wearing nothing more than Oliver's t-shirt. "And my bathrobe, if you please," she added.

Her husband approached before she could take another step. "There's glass all over the floor, and you're barefoot. You're going to get cut," he cautioned, "if you haven't already. Are you hurt?" He glanced down at her legs to check for any injuries.

Leave it to her husband to get into a major brawl, and then mostly worry about her well-being afterward. She offered him a reassuring smile. "I'm okay. Nothing cut me, but I should probably add slippers to the list of necessities."

Oliver gently lifted her against his chest, just enough so her feet weren't touching the floor, and walked her a few feet to where it was clear. "Why don't you come up with me and get them?"

"I can't leave Dig."

"We need to talk about this, and I'm not entirely sure I should leave you down here with him."

"We can talk later. Right now he's hurt and needs to be treated. It's not like he's going to abduct me with his bad shoulder in the five minutes you'll be gone."

"It'll take me a lot less time than that," he said a little louder than necessary—a veiled warning.

"I'll be fine." She cupped his face. "Can you please get me what I need?"

With a sigh, he acquiesced. Felicity thanked him and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. Despite his tough exterior, the tense bunch of his shoulders and motion of his hands rubbing together at his sides told her he was much more upset by this new development than he was letting on. Unfortunately, she could only handle one strong, stubborn man at a time right now. And since Dig was hurt, she had to care for him first.

Felicity righted a chair and gestured for Dig to take a seat. "How do you feel?

"It hurts like hell, but I've had worse. How do you feel?"

"I'm happy to have you back."

"How long have you been in the city?"

"Several days." Before he could protest about her not reaching out to him, she explained, "My father told me he'd kill you if he ever saw you again, and he's got operations here, too, now. I wasn't going to risk contacting you and putting you in danger."

"I'm A.R.G.U.S. I'm used to danger." He added, "I can handle myself."

"Clearly." She gestured to the wound, and Dig let out a grumble.

"He caught me off guard."

"That doesn't sound like you."

"Yeah, well, I might've been a little too focused on finding you. I didn't expect you to be married to evil Robin Hood," Dig groused.

"Al Sah-him," she corrected, "and he's not evil."

Her former bodyguard scoffed, nowhere near convinced. "His long list of victims, if they were still alive, would say otherwise."

Felicity bit her lip, realizing she had her work cut out for her. True to his word, Oliver swiftly returned. He'd also put on a shirt and handed her the bathrobe and slippers before turning the table right side up. He placed the first aid kit in front of her.

"Do you need help?" The offer was polite but subdued, since he didn't seem too eager to have contact with Dig.

"I've got it," she assured him. "Thank you." Felicity fiddled with her hands, nervous about how he'd take her next request. "Perhaps you could give us a few minutes to catch up."

The tension between the two men was already so high, and Felicity had a pretty good idea of how Dig was going to react when she told him the gory details of what her father had done. She didn't want Dig taking his anger out on Oliver, or Oliver getting defensive toward him in return. She didn't want to feed a situation that might put them even more at odds.

"Shasmi," came his firm protest.

"Oliver," she stressed right back.

"Do you have to ask his permission for everything?" Dig spoke up.

Felicity inwardly cringed. That so did not help the current situation, if Oliver's incensed glare was any indication. She touched his arm, attempting to draw back his focus, and silently mouthed, "Please."

"I'll be right outside," he declared and eyed the other guy in warning.

Dig glared formidably back. When the door behind Oliver closed, Felicity let out a tiny sigh of relief. The tension in the room eased with his departure, and Dig seemed to relax the tiniest bit. Her oldest friend and protector looked like he had a hundred questions to ask but didn't know where to begin. What eventually came out took her by surprise.

"What's with the 'my sun' thing?"

Felicity frowned, wondering how he'd understood the translation, before remembering that Dig had served in the Middle East back when he was in the army. He was familiar with the language and certain dialects.

"My League name is Abad-eshams, meaning The Sunflower. When Oliver and I got close, he started calling me shamsi and it stuck," she explained, feeling herself blush. She reached for the first aid kit and started taking out the supplies she'd need to tend to him. After asking him to remove his jacket and shirt, she added, "Oliver is the only one who calls me that."

"Don't you mean Al Sah-him? Or is Oliver what he goes by here?"

"I'm confused."

"That makes two of us."

She shook her head and grabbed the disinfectant wipes. "I didn't realize you knew so much about Al Sah-him or the League."

"Felicity, it was my job to protect you from your father's greatest enemy. I had to learn all I could about the League. Plus I'm A.R.G.U.S. We're aware of many threats." He winced when she thoroughly cleaned the wound. "A lot of good that did you, in the end."

"Dig, you did everything you could for me over the years. It was only a matter of time. My father…he's got a lot of powerful and dangerous cronies in his pocket. You know that better than anyone else."

"I should've known he'd handed you over to Ra's. There were rumors, but I couldn't verify the intel. It was like you disappeared off of the map completely." He grunted. "That should've been enough right there. The League is known for operating in the shadows. But you emailed me, and then I figured it couldn't be them if you had access to technology."

"Nanda Parbat is almost completely cut off from the outside world, but the League has adapted in recent years. Not even my father knew there was tech there, otherwise he probably wouldn't have so willingly handed me over."

"Besides being an evil bastard, why'd he do it? Why give you to a monster like Ra's? Usually, when he finds you again, he keeps you under lock and key."

"You're going to need stitches," Felicity told him, examining the now clean wound.

"Apply pressure to staunch the bleeding and cover it. Lyla can take care of me later."

"There's temporary surgical glue in here. That should keep it closed for a bit." He nodded for her to go ahead. "How is Lyla?"

Lyla was another A.R.G.U.S. agent and Dig's wife. They'd met and gotten married while serving in Afghanistan. After returning to the States, they'd joined the highly-classified government agency and that's when Dig had gotten his assignment to spy on Darhk and protect her.

"She's good but been just as worried about you."

"After you quit H.I.V.E. and helped me escape this time, Darhk found out about your undercover mission and that I was giving you information," Felicity finally answered. "He also needed to make an alliance with Ra's, so it was like killing two birds with one stone. To seal the deal with the truce, he promised me in marriage to Al Sah-him."

Dig cursed under his breath. "You mean he sold you like a slave." He looked to the door where Al Sah-him had left. "I'm assuming he had no objections if you are, in fact, married now." The disgust hung heavy in his voice.

"You assume wrong," she corrected. "Al Sah-him didn't want to get married at first either, but Ra's made him."

"What do you mean 'at first'?"

"He didn't know what I'd be like, and I had no idea about him. But after he saw me…" she trailed off, unsure how to phrase her explanation. Dig still wore a look of disapproval, and Felicity suddenly felt like a nervous teenager bringing home a boy for the first time to meet her parents. "There was a spark and attraction there."

"I'm not surprised about that. Any man would be lucky to have you, Felicity," he declared, "but you clearly weren't given a choice. How did you feel about him?"

She smiled, touched by Dig's sentiment, and pressed on, "There was an attraction, but I was mostly angry and scared to be marrying a stranger who's also Heir to the Demon. It took me longer to see that's not who he actually is at heart."

Dig seemed like he was trying to listen, but his skepticism remained. "What about that first night? He didn't…he didn't force you into doing anything, did he?" His words were tense and clipped at the end. It was clearly taking a great effort to keep his protective instincts in check because if he thought Al Sah-him had forced himself on her in any way, Dig would go after him again regardless of his current injury.

"No," she quickly assured him. "He was really attentive and respectful. He actually slept on the couch—which was way too small to be comfortable—for the first few months and gave me the bed."

"But now he's in the bed with you—" he abruptly stopped himself. "Never mind. That's none of my business."

Her face had to be as red as a cherry. Having the sex talk with Dig, who was like her big brother, was extremely awkward and not something she'd been prepared for. "I consider him my husband now in all the ways that count," was all she could manage to say, deciding to leave it at that.

Felicity then told Dig as much as she could about what had transpired in the time that she was away. He stayed mostly silent and listened—with the exception of her near abduction. He'd been livid when he learned the details, and Felicity did her best to reassure him that she was okay and Al Sah-him had protected her then and continued to do so now. Dig's stoic expression and crossed arms, though, made it clear he was nowhere near to accepting the situation. She'd expected as much and, nevertheless, pressed on.

When she'd finished, silence followed. Felicity gave Dig a couple of minutes to process—in the meantime biting her lip and praying to God that he'd understand where she was coming from. Although she'd explained that she wasn't psychologically reprogrammed as was tradition in the League, she wondered if Dig truly believed that.

"So you're going to stay with him?" he finally spoke up.

"I know it sounds insane because of how we got together, but I love him with all of my heart. If you got to know him, I promise you'd see that he's a good man. Stubborn to a fault sometimes just like someone else I know"—she nudged him—"but a good man."

Dig scrubbed his hand over his face. "For the record, I still don't like any of this. The League is no better than all those years you were trapped under your father's thumb. But you know I will always have your back, and I'll stay here with you as long as you need me."

"I'd love that but, Darhk's hunting you and I can't ask—"

"I've dealt with your father for years, and I'm not afraid of him. I might not be on his payroll anymore, but I never stayed on that long because of any mission or the money. My priority will always be to protect you." Dig placed his hand atop hers. "You're family, Felicity, and I will never abandon you."

Her eyes watered. "Thank you. You will always be my family, too. The only difference is that it's gotten bigger these last several months." She squeezed his hand. "Oliver is probably hovering by the door. If I let him back in, you think the two of you can start over?"

Dig shifted and winced while moving his arm. "As long as he doesn't shoot me again."

Felicity patted his hand and went to retrieve her husband. Sure enough, he stood directly outside the door with his arms folded. He was at attention instantly.

"You okay?" he questioned.

"Yeah." She smiled and caressed his face, letting her hand glide down to his chest. His rigid posture relaxed ever so slightly. "I told Dig what happened. You can come back in now."

Taking his hand, Felicity tugged him into the loft. The two large, intimidating men stood across from each other once again. They sized each other up, but the aggression and hostility from their initial encounter had mostly abated.

"Let's try this again," Felicity said. "Oliver, this is John Diggle, my oldest friend and bodyguard. John, this is Al Sah-him—or Oliver as I call him—my husband."

The two just barely nodded at each other until Felicity not-so-subtly prompted them to shake hands. It was a brisk shake, and she'd bet money they used their firmest grips. Baby steps, she thought to herself.

"So, how long will you be in town?" Oliver questioned.

"As long as Felicity wants me," Dig answered, holding his stare. "My team also has new orders to investigate the QC explosion. In fact, Felicity, we could probably use your help in tracking Merlyn now that he's back in play. We're currently pulling surveillance from the building and surrounding areas. We're going back there tomorrow, so maybe you can—"

"There's no need for her to get involved in this. She shouldn't be anywhere near that place."

"She'd be with me, although she's perfectly capable of handling herself. Besides, it's her decision. Not yours."

"Merlyn is dangerous. His attack on QC was a message to me."

With narrowed eyes, Dig replied, "What's your connection to QC?"

"By 'me' I meant the League," Oliver clarified.

"There's been bad blood for years. What would make him snap now?" He continued, "Unless you're actually behind the disappearance of his son."

Both Dig and Oliver turned to her expectantly. Dig trusted that she'd give him the confirmation he sought while Oliver believed she'd keep quiet about confidential League business. Felicity once again felt herself being pulled in two different directions.

"Look, it's late—or early," she stated upon seeing the first rays of light brightening the darkened sky. "Dig, why don't you go and get your wound stitched up? I'll be ready in a couple of hours, and we can regroup then."

Felicity desperately wanted to help Dig and Lyla in their mission—which would also probably help Oliver—but she had to talk to her husband first. When his protective instincts kicked in—and they were on red alert at the moment—he had to be eased into things. Oliver was still in the dark about Dig, and he was obviously uneasy about it.

"Okay. But don't go disappearing on me again." The warning was more for Oliver than her.

"I promise I'm not going anywhere." Felicity gave Dig her new cell phone number and ensured that he'd be able to leave the building without any problem from the guards, since he couldn't very well exit the way he came. She couldn't believe that he'd actually rappelled down the building—her palms sweated just thinking about what he must've had to do to get on the roof and then dangle so many stories high—but Dig had always been fearless when it came to that stuff. Yet another trait Oliver shared.

With one last hug, he left and Felicity turned to face her husband. As difficult as her talk with Dig was, she knew that this next one was going to be even harder.

Oliver didn't speak for quite some time. Felicity thought for sure he would've been bombarding her with questions the moment they were alone. Instead, he stood wordlessly across from her with a stone-faced expression. The only thing scarier than yelling Oliver was silent Oliver.

"Before you say anything, can we please make some coffee?" she pleaded with her husband. Her mind was in a tizzy and a good shot of caffeine would help clear it. Also, the lack of movement and dialogue had her on edge.

Oliver, still silent, walked into the kitchen and turned on the coffee machine. He didn't have to ask what K-Cup she wanted, because he already knew she preferred French vanilla first thing in the morning. When it has properly warmed up, he brewed her a cup.

"Thanks," Felicity said, relishing the heat from the mug in her hands. She inhaled the heavenly scent, letting it calm her nerves, before taking the cream and sugar Oliver offered her.

He brewed himself a cup afterward, choosing a darker blend. He drank it straight up. Felicity always envied people who could handle regular coffee, but she preferred sweet rather than bitter tastes. Oliver walked around the island and leaned against it. His subtle refusal not to join her at the table did not go unnoticed.

She'd brought the coffee cup halfway to her mouth when Oliver finally asked, "How long ago did you send that message to John?"

"A few weeks." Felicity took a long sip, waiting for his reaction.

"When you were tracking down Buchinsky and the Bratva?" he pressed, reminding her of the first time she'd aided the League in a mission gone wrong.

"No. It was afterward."

"Al Hassoub never mentioned that you'd used his computer again."

"That's because he didn't know."

"So you snuck into the war room without telling me." Oliver put his cup down and crossed his arms. "Do you know what could've happened if Ra's or any of the advisors had caught you?"

"You would've had to spank me in punishment," Felicity attempted to joke. At her husband's un-amused look, she quickly sobered. "I'm sure it sounds really reckless to you, but I promise that I was careful. I wasn't alone." She blanched as soon as the explanation left her mouth.

Sure enough, it didn't take long for Oliver to figure out the truth. "Was it just Nyssa or did Sara help, too?"

There was no talking her way out of this one. "Both."

He huffed in frustration. "So you've all been keeping this from me. Felicity, why couldn't you just tell me that you wanted to contact John? And how could you not tell me that he's an A.R.G.U.S. agent?" Oliver hesitated before adding in a more melancholy tone, "I thought things were going well and you were happy."

His disappointment tore at her heart. Felicity fidgeted in her seat, unsure how to proceed. Telling him the real reason why she'd been in the war room would cause even more problems. Not only was Oliver already overwhelmed by Dig's presence, but she'd vowed to Sara to keep the mission to find dirt on Armitage a secret until they had something solid to show Oliver. Although she was getting close to a smoking gun, she still didn't have anything concrete to convince him this was something to pursue. He was already pushing back on her helping catch Merlyn, and she couldn't blow this other mission before it started. It was too important to Sara.

In relation to Dig, she decided, there was no lie to tell. "Oliver, it wasn't about that. Dig was the only family I had before you. I had to let him know that I was safe."

"I get that. But why keep it a secret?" he pressed.

"You're constantly telling me it's too dangerous to contact anyone from my old life. I guess I figured you wouldn't let me or you'd be upset," she replied. Also the truth. "And I didn't mention that he was A.R.G.U.S. because it wasn't my secret to tell. My father already has it out for him, because he thinks Dig turned me against him. I couldn't risk him being on Ra's radar, too."

"So you were hacking for A.R.G.U.S?"

"Not in an official capacity. I was more of an informant."

"How long?"

"I found out about Dig in college." She bit her lip nervously before continuing, "During my hacktivist days, I'd hacked into A.R.G.U.S.'s database just to see if I could. I wanted to see who was on their radar and if there were any criminals our group could target. What I found was a laundry list of crimes my father had committed and Dig's agent profile. That's when I learned he was undercover and assigned to me to investigate."

"And you still trusted him after that?" He sounded skeptical.

"I'll admit I was angry and felt betrayed. All those years he'd been my bodyguard, and I was nothing more than an assignment. He essentially had this whole other life I didn't know about. I confronted Dig, and he didn't deny it. He told me his undercover mission was supposed to end years prior, and someone else was supposed to take over. A.R.G.U.S. wanted him to get me on their side much sooner, and he'd refused to recruit me. He told his superiors that I deserved to be a kid and have a semi-normal life for as long as possible. Dig fought to stay on because he couldn't abandon me. It took some time, but he ultimately earned my trust back. When I aligned myself with A.R.G.U.S., it was my decision," Felicity explained.

Oliver's rigid posture contrasted his dejected tone. "I wish you'd told me, shamsi."

She crossed the distance between them and placed her hands on his chest. They were silent for a few seconds as their gazes locked. "Do I even know a fraction of what you've endured over the years?" Her reply wasn't accusatorial, just a statement of fact. Although Oliver had opened up to her about Shado, there were many parts of him that remained a mystery.

He shook his head, acknowledging her point. "There's no talking you out of teaming up with John again, is there?" Oliver touched their foreheads and sighed.

"Oliver, I saw the damage Merlyn did for myself and I want to help find him. You have your orders from Ra's, and Dig has his from A.R.G.U.S. There's no need for you to be working against each other when you have the same goal. I can be like an ambassador of sorts between you. "

"It's not the exact same goal. You really think A.R.G.U.S. is just going to let us take Merlyn back to Nanda Parbat without any objections? They'll want to capture him for themselves and charge him. People will be curious, demanding answers and justice for QC."

"Let me talk to Dig and see if I can work something out."

"Shamsi," he started to object.

"You're in my city now, Oliver, dealing with my people. I need you to trust me on this."

"I do trust you. I just…" He tensed up yet again. "I really don't want you involved."

"Why?" Felicity searched his face. His objection couldn't just be about her safety. Oliver looked genuinely perturbed by her decision, as if something else was nagging him.

"Nothing. Forget it." And just like that, he'd completely closed himself off to her.

Felicity felt a tinge of frustration herself. One minute Oliver was questioning her secrets, and the next he was obviously concealing his own. Maybe he just needed time to wrap his head around this new development.

Releasing him, Felicity said, "I should get dressed. There's lots to do today. As soon as he's patched up, Dig will want to meet."

Oliver stood as still as a statue. As soon as she left the room, she knew he'd go straight to Nyssa and Sara to talk strategy—and question them for letting her contact Dig. Felicity would have to text Sara to warn her.

Felicity had taken the first step on the stairs when she paused, remembering something that Dig said. "What did Dig mean earlier about someone from the League helping Merlyn escape?"

"Tommy had Malcolm cornered—I suspect Malcolm wanted it that way—and he didn't engage. I saw them talking before he let him go. That's why I had to pursue him, and that's when John intervened." He added, "No one else knows what happened. If they did, it'd get back to Ra's and Tommy would be in serious trouble."

She turned then and walked back to Oliver. With her arms around him, she stood on her tiptoes to kiss his lips. "Thank you for keeping your promise and watching out for him. You're a good man."

He murmured, "Not good enough."

Before Felicity could question his response, Oliver pulled away and walked out the door.

Sitting in the back of a smelly van filled with government-issued tech and military-grade weapons surrounded by federal agents would've been enough to make any civilian nervous. But not Felicity. In a strange way, it felt like a bit of normalcy had been returned to her chaotic life—especially with Dig and Lyla by her side.

Hours earlier, she'd met Dig at the café across the street from the loft. He'd brought Lyla with him that time, and they'd had another mini reunion before Al Sah-him had joined them. Felicity didn't know if he'd show considering the way he'd left after their talk. His words still felt like a punch to the gut, and she desperately wanted to pull her husband aside and work it out. But that would have to wait until later. They only had a short window of time to collect all the information they'd need to stay on Merlyn's trail.

Al Sah-him gave nothing away as Felicity proposed a possible team-up between the League and A.R.G.U.S. It wasn't ideal for either side, but it was better than working against each other and having another hostile incident like the night before. Dig wanted Felicity to accompany him and Lyla to QC where she could have direct access to the company's internal security systems. The CEO, Walter Steele, agreed to cooperate with the authorities in order to find the culprit.

Although Dig and Lyla already had a forensic cyber investigator of their own, the guy still wasn't as skilled as Felicity. Also, according to Lyla, the man was quite socially awkward and preferred to stay at headquarters as much as possible.

Dig, somewhat begrudgingly, offered to let Al Sah-him tag along. Her husband shocked her further by declining. In truth, it had Felicity somewhat worried. It wasn't like Al Sah-him to not want to be by her side if she was going into the field. Nyssa would join them instead. Felicity would've expected Sara, but apparently Nyssa was in deep with this mission and wanted to oversee any leads herself. Her presence in the van had the other agents somewhat on edge.

When they arrived at QC, Felicity couldn't help staring up at the tall, shiny skyscraper in awe. It had once been her dream to work for one of the world's leading tech companies. To live as a normal civilian reporting to work every day where she could accomplish extraordinary things. The sentiment didn't last long, though, when she took in the gaping hole toward the top.

The SCPD and other federal agents had the perimeter completely blocked off. The media and curious bystanders hovered nearby, eager to catch a glimpse of any new developments. Felicity and Nyssa followed Dig and Lyla to the check-in point, where they had to show their badges and ID. Dig had gotten the pair temporary clearance and identification under aliases.

They proceeded to the next checkpoint inside. Once again, Felicity marveled at the large foyer with gigantic windows. Various photos of QC employees and innovations hung along the walls. Just before the corridor leading to the elevators stood a life-size statue and dedication of what appeared to be the Queen family. Felicity barely spared it a glance before they were ushered toward the elevators themselves.

Since the executive floors were wiped out, they only went about halfway up. That's where the CEO and other top-ranking employees had relocated their offices for the time being. They were directed to a conference room where Mr. Steele waited. He stood to greet them and shook their hands one by one. He had a British accent and a firm handshake. Despite his ultra-professional exterior, Felicity thought he had kind eyes. In her peripheral vision, she noticed Nyssa wipe her hand on her pant leg—it was still so odd to see Nyssa out of League gear and wearing normal clothes—seemingly unimpressed.

"Not exactly friendly, is she?" Dig whispered to Felicity while Lyla addressed Mr. Steele. "Not that I'm surprised considering who her father is."

Nyssa kept her eyes forward and her expression stone-faced, though she listened intently to the conversation between Lyla and the CEO.

"Nyssa is nothing like Ra's. She's guarded, but she's also a good friend," the blonde replied.

Dig didn't look too convinced, but there was no time to dwell. After Mr. Steele answered all of Lyla's questions about his knowledge of the events leading up to the explosion yesterday, he asked for a rundown of how the investigation would proceed. Once Dig informed him of what they needed, the four of them were allowed to enter a private computer lab in the IT department. SCPD technicians were already there and combing the system. They glanced at the newcomers warily, obviously uncomfortable with a federal presence encroaching on their investigation. A QC employee briefed them on the system they'd be working with. Felicity did most of the talking this time before they were allowed to get to work.

Nyssa made believe to click around on her computer, but she was clearly a fish out of water. Dig stood nearby in case there was any trouble while Lyla went to question other employees and touch base with her agents who'd been reviewing the scene since last night. So far the only clear description floating around was of a darkly hooded figure wearing foreign garb. The media was already speculating that it was a terrorist attack, since the company had faced threats from various radical sects and organized crime groups in the past. QC's advances in applied sciences and technology were coveted as much as they were feared.

Felicity cracked her fingers before getting to work. It felt amazing to be at a keyboard again and delving into code.

"How long will this take?" Nyssa questioned.

"Probably a few hours," she replied.

The brunette sighed, and Felicity sensed her need to get up and actually do something. Nyssa wasn't the type to sit idly by.

"If you want to go with Lyla, you can," Felicity told her. "I'll be fine with Dig."

"Al Sah-him told me not to leave your side, and he's already displeased with me allowing you into the war room," she murmured. "If he finds out I've broken my promise and lied, then there will be more discord."

"Well, Warith al Ghul is not present. And as his wife, that means I am the highest ranking League member here at the moment. So I'm officially relieving you of your duties and ordering you to help Lyla." She turned to her and smiled mischievously. "You wouldn't disobey a direct order, now would you?"

The corner of Nyssa's mouth twitched. "As you wish, Seti."

"Nicely played," Dig said after Nyssa had gone.

"Al Sah-him said it doesn't hurt to throw my clout around every now and then."

"Even with him?" Her former bodyguard and friend still wasn't sold on her new role.

"Especially with him," she answered before getting down to work.

Felicity got lost in the system and code as she dug around to figure out how exactly Merlyn had gotten into QC. The security cameras had been turned off, and she tried to back-trace the command. Merlyn was smart and sneaky, but Felicity highly doubted he'd be capable of overriding this system on his own. Maybe if she could track down whoever he'd gotten to hack into the security system, then that would reveal the trail directly to him.

At one point, Dig intercepted two SCPD officers who were snooping around her station. They wanted to know if she'd found anything interesting and to confer on it. But Dig, in pure bodyguard fashion, made it clear A.R.G.U.S. wasn't at liberty to share any of its initial findings; Felicity wasn't to be interrupted or questioned. He later brought her coffee and Big Belly Burger. She took a mini lunch break to clear her head and refuel, and then went right back to her work. Felicity was unable to completely solve the mystery, but she was able to upload the information to an A.R.G.U.S. server that she could access later. There were a few suspicious bugs in the system, and she'd prefer to finish her work on a much more secure network in case the hacker was still in the system acting as "Big Brother."

Dig looked up from his crossword puzzle—he always had one with him when he had to kill long stretches of time on a job—when Felicity declared that she was finished. They met up with Lyla and Nyssa to head out. In the lobby, Dig and Lyla were stopped by the SCPD captain. He pulled them aside to talk—based on his stern expression, she'd guess he was marking his territory with the federal agents— while Nyssa stood by the windows talking on the phone. Her softened expression told Felicity it was most likely Sara on the other end. The blonde, in the meantime, took the opportunity to look at the statue of the Queen family. The husband, Robert, had his arms wrapped around his wife, Moira. In front of them stood their young son while Moira cradled a baby in her arms.

Felicity read the dedication at the bottom and felt the hair on her arms prickle and stand on end. The young son's name was Oliver. She'd heard that a while back but hadn't remembered until now; it had never seemed all that important. It probably still wasn't that big a revelation, because there were many people named Oliver in the world.

"It's a shame how much tragedy this company has endured." Felicity nearly jumped at the sound of Mr. Steele's deep voice. She hadn't heard him approach. "I was very close with the Queen family and have done all I can to preserve their legacy. If I've learned anything from their accident years ago and the attack last night, it's that you never know what life will throw at you day to day."

Felicity cleared her throat. "What happened to them? I'm relatively new to Starling," she clarified. "I never really heard the full story."

"Robert and his family frequently went sailing on their yacht. The last time there was a severe storm, and the Queen's Gambit got caught in it. The boat went down in the middle of the ocean. Despite the missing life raft never recovered from the wreckage, no survivors were ever found. Even their young son Oliver perished."

A breath caught in her throat as her mind whirled with the glaringly familiar details. A yacht. The family sailing. A storm. Their son Oliver. No survivors.

"There were two children," Felicity spoke up and pointed to the baby in Moira's arms.

Mr. Steele's expression saddened. "Yes, that's true. Although the statue is an exaggeration. Moira was actually still pregnant when the Gambit sank. But when the board elected to put up the statue, I suggested Thea—that's what they were planning on naming the baby girl—be represented, as well."

Air whooshed out of Felicity's lungs entirely, the truth hitting her like a Mack truck.

"I'm late for a meeting downtown, but thank you for your work today, Ms. Kuttler. I hope we can find the culprit who targeted this company soon and put all this to rest."

The blonde absently nodded, unable to take her eyes off of the small bronze boy and the name on the plaque seemingly long forgotten: Oliver Queen.