Chapter 4 – Felicity

AN – This will probably be the only update this week as I unplug for the holidays: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Definitely sending a lot of love and appreciation to all of you and wishing you a wonderful holiday season! You guys brighten my days by reading (and reviewing) – thank you!

DISCLAIMER: No change, I own nothing!

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"Speed isn't the only thing. He would need-."

"I know and I can get him more. Come on, I've got to call a guy about a suit."

As the group turned back, no one noticed the still figures who watched them before then blending back into the white of the mountain as they had their way back to their cave.

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Thea watched as the other three moved effortlessly together once they arrived at the small cabin to work on Felicity's plan to rescue Oliver. The bags were tossed carelessly but Felicity's computers and the men's weapons were treated with the utmost respect. They spoke little but Thea saw them exchange looks and even touches - a brief flash of anger burned deep inside her as she felt left out but after the quick spark she blessedly felt nothing once again. She turned away and focused once more on her memories of Ollie.

Glancing uncertainly at Thea's back, Roy grimaced before he left the room. His job was to check their security even though it was ARGUS safe house. Diggle was checking in with Lyla and Felicity was going to call Barry. Team Arrow had a mission and that meant that they all had jobs to do and they would do them.

Felicity wasted no time even greeting Barry when he answered his phone.

"Get your team together - we need your help. There's no grave so there's the possibility Oliver is alive. We don't have much time though so we need your speed. It's very risky Barry so we'll need more than speed. I need you to pick up some technology from Ray Palmer. I'm calling him now and we'll send the location info and details to Caitlyn."

Hanging up without waiting for a response, Felicity immediately dialed another number as she turned to her computer.

Ray Palmer smiled as he answered his private line once the caller ID flashed Felicity's name. She had suddenly disappeared again and even pinging her phone hadn't revealed her location. Felicity was a woman of mystery that he felt compelled to solve.

"Well, if it isn't—" Palmer got no further as Felicity interrupted him.

"I need your ATOM technology, the specs, everything you have." Felicity continued to work on her computer as she gave her demand.

"What? We don't even have a prototype so there's nothing I can give you." He had been surprised that Felicity hadn't been surprised by his revelations about ATOM but then he assumed that her sudden disappearance was a delayed reaction.

"You can and you will Ray. If you want to save the city like you say, then you'll help me save…my friend." Frowning slightly, Felicity continued to work on her computer as she connected to the ARGUS network installed in the safe house.

"Your friend? Felicity, I'm sorry but that's not what it's meant to do—" Again confused but realizing that her disappearance had nothing to do with him, Ray tried to deny her request.

"My friend stopped the masked men who killed your Anna." Felicity stopped typing for just a moment to give that information. "Now he needs your help."

"Your friend is the Green Arrow?" Shock almost rendered him speechless. If Felicity knew the Green Arrow then…Felicity's next words and the arrival of strong wind and a red blur jerked Palmer from his thoughts.

"Yes, now I'm sending someone over—"

"Hey Felicity. I'm here." Barry's computer modulated voice was heard over the line as he interrupted Felicity. He ignored the man staring at him in shock.

"Hi…um, Flash, good. Get the info from Ray and get it to your team then get the suit to me. Thank you Ray."

At the dial tone, Ray switched his stunned gaze to the phone. He considered himself a smart man but he hadn't understood anything that had happened since he picked up the phone to take Felicity's call.

"I've learned it's best to go along with Team Arrow – Felicity can be very scary." It still amazed Barry that Felicity hadn't seemed concerned at all about Oliver shooting him the in back. However, he would gladly take several arrows in the back if it meant Oliver would be back with them. "Now the specs please."

Pausing only a moment, Palmer turned and downloaded the project that had consumed him since Anna's death. He had thought then that there was more to the world than he had realized but Felicity, the Green Arrow, and the man before him made him realize that there was still more for him to learn.

Ray stood as he watched as the masked man left his office. He then paused for a moment to appreciate just how much Felicity had kept hidden from him and how much more he needed to know. Plopping down into his office chair, he pulled up the research he had on both Starling City's hero and the Central City blur.

A red blur arrived at Team Arrow's base camp and they turned to see Barry Allen standing before them. It had taken several days for his team to construct the suit and it had been torture waiting for them to work. Team Arrow wasn't known for its patience or for sitting on the sidelines. The powerful storm that had forced them to remain in the cabin hadn't helped - the atmosphere inside and out had been dark and cold.

"You have the suit?" Felicity asked as Roy reached for the bag that Barry was carrying.

Moving the bag away from Roy, Barry spoke urgently in contrast to Felicity's calm voice. "We had to change the specs and there was no time to test it Felicity. I can't guarantee that it will work."

Despite desperately wanting Oliver back, Felicity was only willing to risk herself, not their friends. "Barry, if you don't think it's safe, I would understand—"

"I'm not backing out Felicity. Oliver is my friend too and my teacher. I just wanted you to know that we couldn't calculate the likelihood of success." Barry spoke quickly to interrupt her. He was determined to try but he didn't want to disappoint any of them.

"Okay Barry, thank you." Felicity turned back to her computer which showed satellite images of the mountain. "We think this is where it would have happened. If he was pushed off, I've calculated the most obvious locations for the fall."

Thea barely heard Felicity's words as she continued stared in surprise at yet another person willing to risk his life for her brother - a person with skills that exceeded even those of her father and brother. No one had explained anything to her but Thea realized that she also hadn't asked any questions. She felt like she was caught between two worlds: the reality that she had thought she knew and the truths that her brother had just started to share with her.

Barry switched to the new ATOM inspired suit which gave him even more power, tech, and protection. He just had to hope that it would be enough to rescue Oliver. With a nod to Team Arrow, he turned but Felicity's words stopped him.

"Be careful Barry…but please bring him back." Felicity's voice was soft and all noted the tears that welled in her eyes even though none fell.

Team Arrow watched in silence as Barry sped up the mountain. Thea turned away from the computer tracking program to focus on the people – they stood close together and the bond was again obvious. It was also obvious that she wasn't part of Oliver's new family. Battling a fresh burst of emotion, she clenched her hands into fists and returned her gaze to the computer just as they heard Barry speak.

"The storm has concealed any evidence but give me a few to check it out." Barry found the irony in using his crime tech skills in the middle of nowhere while wearing yet another suit that was the first of its kind. However, those thoughts didn't distract him from his task.

Using the modified helmet, he found the subtle traces of blood that remained on the ground but the tracks ended in a pool close to where Felicity had indicated on the map. He made the circuit three times to be sure that he hadn't missed anything but he couldn't find another blood trail or a body. Barry was both hopeful and frustrated when he updated the Team once more.

"I've found traces but it doesn't lead anywhere. There's no one here."

"There's got to be something! What kind of traces? Can you bring back a sample for us to test?" Felicity refused to give up.

"It's blood Felicity." Barry spoke apologetically and paused before he continued. "I'll check the area again and scan for other markers of human activity. I'm not giving up. We'll find him, Felicity."

Just as he moved to resume his search, Barry noticed two figures separate from the white snow to approach him. Their hooded white coats and masks had been the perfect camouflage and he had missed them completely. He prepared for battle until he realized they were both old women.

"Uh, I think I found the guardians." Barry spoke softly before he removed the helmet so he would appear less threatening. "I'm looking for a friend, Oliver."

"Fee..lee..cee…tee." One old woman spoke a garbled version of Felicity's name and Barry immediately stepped forward eagerly.

"Yes, Felicity is Oliver's friend. She sent me to find him. Do you know where he is?" Barry spoke quickly in his excitement but when the women spoke to one another in an unrecognizable language he realized speed probably wasn't his only problem. However, the women gestured to him and turned away so he followed as he spoke softly to the Team.

"I'm going to follow them."