Chapter 15 Help

Oliver

His eyes shot open but his vision was blurry. He had been tazed many times before but this was something different. He should have recovered by now but he still was feeling the after effects. It was like he was tazed and poisoned at the same time. Along with his vision being blurry his fingers and toes were numb and he could barely move to get up. He mustered all the strength he had and pushed himself up off the ground but he only got as far as sitting up before his strength gave out. He leaned up against the couch and tried to center himself.

What the hell had just happened? What was Felicity thinking? Those and so many more questions ran through Oliver's mind as he tried to piece together this dangerous situation they were in. She was going after Malcolm with someone but he didn't know who and he needed to figure out her plan and stop her. She was going to get herself killed or succeed in killing Malcolm which would destroy her in the end.

He needed to find out what her plan was and when she planned to act. There had to be some clue or something she left behind that would give him some sort of hint to where she was going. Unfortunately he knew Felicity which meant that he wouldn't find anything on her computer or any other electronic devices that she left behind. She would have them coded and protected by so many layers of cyber technology that it would take him years to figure out if ever. This was going to be harder than he thought and it was already going to be difficult.

His strength slowly started to come back to him and he was able to stand up and look around. Her computer was on but he didn't even bother there wouldn't be anything there for him to find. He decided that it would be a waste of time to look around because Felicity was the smartest person he knew and if she didn't want him to find something he wouldn't find it. So he got dressed and grabbed his phone to call Diggle. The more he thought about it the more he realized their best chance of finding and stopping Felicity would be to find Malcolm first. He would be easier to find and hopefully they would find him before Felicity. But unfortunately she had a head start and she was highly motivated to track him down so he had to get moving.

While he headed out the door he dialed Diggle's number. Diggle answered on the first ring, "Oliver!", he said sounding out of breath and rushed. "Diggle we have a serious problem."

"You're telling me man. Lyla is gone and I'm freaking out. What the hell is going on Oliver?"

3 hours earlier

Felicity

She had tried to sleep but she couldn't close her eyes for more than a second before the nightmares took over. Oliver was still sleeping soundly in the bed getting some much needed rest so she slowly got up without disturbing him and went into the living room.

She needed something to take her mind off of everything that happened so she went to her computer knowing she would find enough distractions on the internet. Her computer came on and an image of Malcolm flashed on the screen. Her whole body tensed up and she closed her eyes tight and when she opened them again it was gone.

It was just stress that was all it was, she was just imagining it. Refocusing herself she pulled up some coding that she was trying to break to infiltrate a new gang they were after. It wasn't hard but it was something to do and she had been saving it because they had bigger problems to deal with. This would keep her mind distracted while she actually got some work done.

Her fingers felt at home on the keyboard and it started to relax her again. Then all of sudden the code started to form into sentences and they said, KILL MALCOLM, KILL MALCOLM, KILL MALCOLM. The words repeated over and over and over again and this time Felicity could not look away. She felt entranced by the words. They started to play in her mind and then the feeling of anger rushed through her. Malcolm deserved to die. She needed to find him and end this once and for all. It was like something had snapped in her mind and everything was focused on one thing now. KILLING MALCOLM. Unfortunately she knew Oliver wouldn't help so she needed to find someone who would.

It only took her a few seconds before she realized who she needed to call. She grabbed her phone and dialed the number.

"Hello?"

"Lyla I need your help."

"Is this about Malcolm?"

"Yes." There was no turning back now everything was out on the table. She just hoped Lyla felt the same way about Malcolm that she did.

"What's the plan?"

"Working on it can you be here in an hour."

"I'll be there. What about Oliver?"

"That is going to be the hardest part." She knew he would try to stop her, he wouldn't want her to do this but it was something she had to do. They would have to use something to stop him so they could start work on their plan. "Do you have anything non lethal from ARGUS?"

"I know just the thing. Call me when your ready."

"This ends tonight Lyla."

Present

Oliver

That's who was here helping Felicity. It was Lyla. They must have come up with something to take out Malcolm. Something was definitely going on. Neither of them were acting like themselves. Lyla would never agree to do this and Felicity would never want to kill somebody. Since they were both effected by the same drug that was the only rational explanation. The drug was still in their system and it was having an adverse effect on them and since Malcolm was the one who did it to them it must have their attention directed on him.

"Diggle get to the Foundry. I think Lyla and Felicity are working together to find and kill Malcolm."

"Oliver what the hell are you talking about man?" He knew it was hard to believe because Lyla and Felicity would never normally do this but he had to convince him.

"There is no time to explain. I'm headed to the Foundry meet me there. We need to find Malcolm before they do if we stand at chance at stopping them. I need your help man. I need to save Felicity and you need to save Lyla before they do something they regret for the rest of their lives."

There was a pause on the phone before Diggle finally said, "alright i'll be there in 10 minutes."

Oliver hung up the phone and jumped on his bike to head to the Foundry.

Felicity

As Lyla drove Felicity thought about whether she was making the right decision. A part of her said this was crazy and how could she do that to Oliver. But the other part of her that seemed to be more in control convinced her that they had to kill Malcolm. He had caused so much pain and death in their lives and the only way to stop him would be to end his life. Every time she felt like they should turn around she pictured him trying to kill Oliver and destroying the city which silenced the argument in her head. Every time she pictured his face she saw red and the anger took over and any rational argument she had seemed to disappear.

"So where to Felicity?"

Unlike Felicity Lyla seemed as calm as could be and ready to do whatever Felicity said.

"I tracked Malcolm back to the place they were holding us so we can start there."

"So when we get there do you want me to handle it?"

This was the big question. Had she brought Lyla just to handle Oliver or did she need her to kill Malcolm too. Something in her told her she had to be the one to do it, she could actually see herself doing it.

"No. He has hurt the people I love too much and he almost made me kill Oliver. I have to be the one no matter what it costs me."