Chapter 9

The Convict

From Central

Part 2

Disclaimer: And here we go! By the way… You guys do know there is more to Arrow then just Olicity right? Cause its damned ridiculous by the amount of it there is. Now yeah, there are a few of you who thankfully realize that but more of you need too! Hell, I'd rather read Snowbarry despite the complete lack of anything to support the idea of their romance. Oh, and I own nothing but what you see here. Now let's roll on!

When word reached Detective Joe West that Marrick had been spotted in Starling City after attempting to attack a girl and failing thanks to some guy with a bow, the man had immediately headed for Captain Singh's office to get permission to head out that way. Thankfully the man agreed since Joe and Chyre were the most familiar with him. Joe was glad for it and even requested for Barry to come along since he would be able to spot things he and Chyre wouldn't due to his eye for spotting things others normally wouldn't. Singh had immediately agreed as it would keep the young CSI out of his hair for awhile and after getting Barry from the lab, the three were off and on their way to Starling. Iris hadn't been too happy about it as she felt her dad was putting her best friend in a potential line of fire but wished the three a safe time there none the less. Joe had made a remark to Barry afterwards about how he'd better do what he could to stay safe or Iris would have his head.

Making for Chyre to snort in amusement after it. Barry had merely responded with 'what's the worst that could happen?' Making Chyre point out that saying something like that usually was a dumb thing to do as something bad would no doubt happen afterwards just cause of that phrase. Joe merely rolled his eyes as he knew that would get his surrogate son going on about one thing or another and likely involving the Impossible with it. Which surely enough it did do that during the ride to Starling and involving a top ten list Barry and Iris had come up with for Horror films in why it shouldn't be said. Chyre had been a mix of amused and exasperated by the whole thing while Joe was just happy his boy had something to focus on. As he knew Barry was still hurting from his break up with Linda Park, a girl he'd met in college and had become a rising Sports reporter for Central City Picture News after graduation.

Now she hadn't chosen her job over him or cheated on him or anything like that, it was just merely the fact she was more of a go for it kind of person then what Barry was and she could tell how much he really felt for Iris. And she wasn't about to be a second choice in his life either cause of it. Despite the pain of it, Barry had understood and the two had had minimal contact since then to give one another space. Joe had felt for his boy and hoped that this would get him moving in a direction that involved telling Iris how he felt but so far nothing had happened much to his disappointment. Now he knew the kid was worried Iris wouldn't feel the same but he never would know unless he actually tried. As what was life if you didn't take a few chances?

Upon arriving into Starling, the two headed to a Precinct out in the area known as the Glades and the three couldn't help but wince at the poor conditions of the area and wondered why the Hell more wasn't being done to better the place. They had come out here as this is where a Detective Lance worked, the very same Detective who had taken statements from one Felicity Megan Smoak after her encounter with Marrick. Lance as the three found, was something of a gruff and sarcastic man who seemed more interested in this bow wielding guy then an escaped convict. Something Joe frowned on heavily but said nothing until they left the Precinct and headed for the apartment of Felicity Smoak. Unfortunately for the trio, she was already gone for the time being for her job at Queen Consolidated, making Chyre make a remark about life and how you just got to love it.

Barry had grinned at him while Joe just rolled his eyes. Once arriving at QC, they had been escorted to the Tech department and soon found themselves in front of a glasses wearing young blonde girl. "Oh! Um… Hi!"

"Hello, you're Felicity Smoak correct?"

"Yes, that is me. Unless there's another Felicity Smoak out there that I don't know about. Which would be interesting cause then I could have like a double or something. Well, in name only cause if she had my face that would just be weird and oh my Google I'm rambling!"

The two older males looked at one another with befuddled expressions on their faces while Barry was just grinning widely at the girl. "Sweet mercy of Google why does no one ever stop me!?" Moaned the girl as she focused her attention on her computer.

"Maybe they just find it cute?" Offered Barry with a shrug and then getting slightly defensive when his surrogate dad and his partner looked at him.

"What? I'm just saying." Lord knows he's been on a ramble a time or two!

Felicity couldn't help but blush over the comment from the boyish looking man who was rather cute looking in her view. And for the young Allen, he honestly couldn't help but find her to be rather cute himself. Especially with that blush of her's going on. Chyre, noticing the exchange as the two stared at one another just grinned at the sight of it until Joe cleared his throat as he wanted to get this back on track. "Anyway, Miss Smoak, we're from the Central City PD and we were hoping to talk with you about Marrick."

"Oh… Um, well I pretty much told the Detectives everything already."

"And we understand that little lady, but we appreciate you telling us anyway. Maybe another re-telling will reveal something for us that they wouldn't have been aware of since we were the ones who locked his sorry ass up."

Joe gave his partner a warning look but the other man ignored it. Felicity got a look of understanding on her face and launched into her story of her encounter with Marrick and how it ended. "That sounds pretty awesome." Enthused Barry and getting looks for it in return.

"Uhh… I mean the guy with the bow, not the… You know, not the guy who wanted to uhh, yeah, to kill you." Responded Barry with a wince once he realized how his first comment would have sounded.

"Oh yeah, but way more terrifying then awesome."

She did have to wonder what the current model the man was using for his voice modulater was though. Something she couldn't really help since she loved all sorts of technology. The two Detectives however were rather concerned with how she had described Marrick, as it seemed he had become a bit unhinged since his time in prison. Which was not a good thing at all in their views and they were going to have to do everything they could to bring him down before he and his apparent craziness did something horrible. Felicity, seeing the worried looks on the two's faces offered to help out in some way and Chyre asked how she would be able to do that. Making the girl freeze up. "Umm… Not by hacking. Oh yeah, not totally and in no way by hacking traffic cameras."

Barry couldn't help but grin at her for that and then asked her a question about the current computer set up she had since it had been catching his eye. Preventing the two older men from saying anything about the hacking as they watched the two launch into a conversation about current top of the line computer systems. The conversation had gone completely over their heads and Chyre couldn't help but lean in and mutter something to Joe over it. "Hey, I think yuir boy just found himself someone he can actually relate too."

Joe had to admit that his partner had a good point and who knows, maybe this could lead to something. Though hopefully it wouldn't have the same results like with Linda. The three eventually left, but not before getting Felicity's contact information, though Barry had lingered behind long enough to get her number for entirely separate reasons and promised to call her once he got the opportunity to do so. Making for a happy Felicity as she had found him to be really cute and the fact he could understand and even keep up with her tech speak had made her really excited about the prospect of getting to know the CSI from Central City. They then headed to the crime scene to see if Barry could spot anything that might help them but unfortunately he'd been unable to come up with anything.

Afterwards, the three got themselves two hotel rooms where they would be staying until Marrick was caught. They even went back to the Precinct where Lance worked and got permission to go over what evidence there was thanks to a blood sample and the piece of broken arrow that had been found near by. It didn't necessarily help them any, especially since there was no way to track where the arrow had come from but Lance and Hilton did go with Joe and Chyre to see if anyone else had possibly seen the man while Barry remained at the Precinct's CSI Lab in the hopes that with his help, something could be found that had been so far missed. Even texting Felicity at random times too and getting to know her a little.

Author's Notes: The boys are in town to catch ol' Marrick! Something that no doubt will bring some trouble once the man comes out of hiding and tries something where Barry and Felicity are concerned. R and R!