Previously:

"Oliver will be here soon with a lawyer."

The man in black laughed. "He just gave you up sweetheart"

Felicity was moved to a higher security facility for a more intensive interrogation.


"Ms Smoak we can go for another four hours if you like? Who is the Vigilante?"

"I don't know…please can I call Oliver?"

"Why would you call Mr Queen? He is the reason you are here."

Felicity shook her head. "The tape has been tampered with...when you let me go I will prove that. I am not some dangerous criminal hacker... geez…not dangerous at all. I can ramble on dangerously …I never know what comes out but I do know it's almost always going to be embarrassing" her nerves started getting the better of her so she took a deep breath. "…besides Digg… he would never do that to me."

A man in a black suit, there must have been a two for one sale as this was not the same man who first questioned her, received a message in his ear piece.

"I'll be right back" he said and left the room, locking it behind him.

Felicity closed her eyes and buried her face in her arms. She just wanted to get her hands on a computer and prove them wrong. She was positive that conversation had never taken place, she had been set up.

It's easy enough to manipulate video footage, easy enough for someone like her, it did look very real so whoever it was they were good. Felicity's mind worked on overtime, sifting through possible scenarios.

Maybe Isabel was aware of the whole operation and threatened to expose them and they needed someone to take the fall…nope they wouldn't give her up to that cold witch, no way, it made zero sense.

She noticed that Sara was ok with computers; nowhere near as good as she was but she could run a simple search. They probably wouldn't need her on any other field missions now that Sara was part of the team. She could wear a dress and other than fuel the tabloids with their Lance Vs Lance sister campaign it wouldn't raise any Arrow suspicion. Having Sara by his side might serve to continue Oliver's playboy persona. Or PR could spin it that he and Sara were always in love and this was Oliver finally getting the happy ending he deserved. He did once leave his demanding girlfriend and sail away into the sunset with carefree Sara. Felicity's mind was spinning.

She wondered about all the times Oliver and Digg had to save her, it would probably be a huge relief to them both not to have to consider the 'Felicity factor' when going out into the field. As the female version of Oliver Sara offered the team peace of mind, Felicity constantly worried them.

Felicity rubbed her eyes and shook her head; this is what they wanted. They wanted her to doubt herself and her team. She tried to push all those corrosive thoughts away; she was being ridiculous. She was valuable, surely she proved it often enough? Although… maybe her team still didn't fully understand her capabilities, which may lead them to think she was replaceable. No, even if she was replaceable…even if they didn't need her anymore Oliver and Digg would never do that to her. "Think logically, the truth is Oliver and Digg would die for you" she mumbled to herself. She stared at the wall, her arms crossed in front of her and repeated to herself - The video is the lie and vowed they would catch whoever produced it.

When the man opened the door Felicity tried to look behind him. She noticed that they seemed to be in some sort of warehouse, which didn't fit the surroundings of the room she was in. She needed to know more.

"So which of deadly acronyms am I in the presence of? FBI, CIA, A.R.G.U.S?" She followed his eyes waiting for a response. He said nothing and his face gave nothing away. Felicity narrowed her brows. Something was not right. "I noticed that I am not shackled to a table which I am grateful for by the way." She pressed on and even tried a smile.

He was having none of it and instead he pulled out his weapon and gestured to her to stand up and turn around, she obeyed slowly rising to her feet and turning around.

He pressed the gun to the base of her head and pushed her forward until she was flat against the wall. A small whimper escaped her mouth and her hands shot up spreading out against the white wall. Tears filled her eyes and she wanted to close them but couldn't.

The pressure against her skull released as he pulled his gun away. He was still standing close to her so she didn't dare move. Those mere moments of terror froze her limbs. When she heard something was being wheeled in behind her she was sure they were going to torture her. She didn't know if she could survive this, unable to run she forced her eyes shut and tried to hide away in her mind.

"Ms Smoak, the powers that 'be' have decided that you need a little convincing."

'Convincing' oh God that's code for 'torture' she thought, she started to feel a cold chill as fear materialized into more tears that streamed unapologetically down her face.

"SMOAK. Turn around and get to work" he shouted.

"Wha..?"

She turned to find a metal desk on wheels; it had a laptop and a larger screen, keyboard and a flash drive. She realised she had stopped breathing moments ago, as she walked towards the desk she wiped away her tears and removed the elastic band that was loosely holding back her hair. She ran her fingers through her hair and tightly tied it back up.

She felt a little more composed and after looking back at the man she got to work. This was her way out of here. This would prove the video was a fake and that would clear her and she would be free. Her shaky fingers flew across the keyboard desperate to end this nightmare.

Felicity felt …nothing. She didn't have time to process her findings. It all happened quickly, one minute the lights went off. She was lifted off the chair and slammed against the wall, the impact shooting pain through her shoulder.

"Don't move" the suit yelled. She couldn't see much through the darkness and fear but she could hear gun fire and what sounded like the familiar swooshing of arrows.

The next thing she knew someone grabbed her by the arm and dragged her out of the room, the lights flickered back on and she could see they were running out of what seemed to be an old sewing factory. She didn't understand what was happening. It wasn't the suit, it wasn't Oliver or Digg it was a woman wearing head to toe black. When her dark hair flicked back and she got a clear view of her, Felicity halted in her tracks and tried to get away. The last time she saw The Huntress she had muzzled Felicity and tied up for hours. Could this day get any worse?

"Felicity, like it or not I am your only way out of here. Oliver is not coming for you."

Felicity looked at her and looked back for half a second trying to decide which was the great of two evils but before she could think Helena yelled at her "Move it or I will shoot you myself"

Felicity legs moved, but she couldn't feel them, she was afraid she might fall but kept going. They exited the warehouse and the cold night's air smacked her across the face. The sound of blood pumping in her ears let her know she was alive and not yet hit by the flying bullets aimed at her. She just wanted to run and not ever stop. At one point Helena pushed her behind a car and then dragged her back up again after firing a few arrows at the men who relentlessly chased them. Was this to be her life now?

They found their way to a car Helena had parked on the back street of the local bar. Helena looked around before getting in the car and taking her mask off. She pulled her hair up in a bun and slipped a pair of glasses on that she kept in the glove box.

She gave Felicity a baseball cap and told her to take off her glasses.

"I can't see without them." she said in between gulps of air.

Helena asked her again for the glasses. Felicity took them off and she put them in glove box.

They drove for a few minutes; Helena was made sure they weren't being followed.

"Are you hurt?" Helena asked her, glancing over as she drove.

"Um no, I don't think so."

"Good." She replied coldly.

"What do you want?"

"I need your hacking talents. I was going to ask politely when you were taken."

"Well I politely decline; please drop me off at home."

Helena laughed "You are going to help me Felicity."

"Or let me guess you are going to kill me or threaten to expose Oliver? Not sure I care right now."

Helena smiled. "I saw the video; it was only a matter of time before you met the real Oliver. He uses people and then lets them go when he is done."

Felicity just looked out the window. Her heart was broken. The video was real. Oliver and Digg had given her up. Reality was that The Arrow wasn't there to save her because the Arrow had thrown her to the wolves.

Felicity knew enough of Isabel's cruel nature to know she wouldn't keep that information to herself; she probably broadcasted it knowing Felicity would be hunted and would have to leave town. It was out there now, Felicity was a hacker and she was connected to The Arrow. Those that didn't want to exploit her skills for evil were going to want to use her as bait.

"I just can't understand it? What did I do?" Felicity whispered, she didn't expect a response from Helena but she got one.

"You have one hell of a brain on you Felicity but the heart is traitorous. You fell for him and that distracted you from seeing the truth. I was surprised you were still by his side after he handed you to me last time."

"He did not hand me over to you, he rescued me."

"Really? Jesus for someone so smart…Think about it. I didn't know you existed until Oliver said your name; he practically introduced us after you said you were itching to hack the FBI database. Why would he say your name if he intended to protect you? Do you really believe someone like The Arrow is that careless? It took me a quick google search and voilà I found you."

Felicity recalled the conversation they had at the foundry when she had walked in on Oliver, Digg and Helena. Oliver had yelled out her name, he told her to go away that it didn't concern her. She hadn't thought anything malicious of it; but why did he say her name in front of The Huntress AKA as his psycho ex-girlfriend?

"I don't doubt he cared for you at some point, but in Oliver's eyes we all have a used by date. Unless you are his family of course…in which case you can partake in the murder of hundreds of people and he will still stand by you."

Moira's words whispered in Felicity's ears as it dawned on her that perhaps he needed to push her away because he couldn't look at her anymore. 'He will hate you too' Moira had said. He promised he wouldn't leave her, he said she was more than just an employee that she was his partner but he had lied to her. Helena pulled her out of her thoughts.

"If he cared about you, he would never put you in this much danger. Everyone will be after you for information on the Vigilante but also for your highly valuable skills. You can either be the victim that gets kidnapped and tortured or you can profit from this rather brutal advertisement. I'd be more than happy to serve his ass on a silver platter for you once you do one little job for me." And with that Helena gave Felicity a flash drive.

"What's this?"

"This is what they had you working on. Consider it a sign of good faith. One job and you are free to go with the flash drive."

Felicity frowned and took the USB stick. Anger started to seep in as she held the drive in her hand. She was only ever a good friend to him; she had given him everything to help with his cause.

Team Arrow was sham, they were never a team. He never saw her as his partner, he never saw her at all. Felicity didn't sleep a wink that night. She watched the tape over and over and over. She memorised every word, every movement, smile and frown, every little exchange. Something bothered her but she couldn't put her finger on it. Then she realised that it was just too painful to believe, the truth hurt.

Tomorrow she would earn her freedom from Helena. Then it was time to stop playing the fool and deal with her so called Team.

Note: Just a quick thank you for all the comments, I really appreciate it. I will try and get the next one up soon, just remember it's always darkest before the dawn;)