Chapter Six
Tatsu was upstairs on the second floor taking a bath. Since there was a lack of privacy upstairs, Oliver gave her the floor to herself, while he worked himself out. He worked up a sweat by pushing himself through a parkour inspired workout ending with some work on the salmon ladder. As he got to the top of the ladder, he dropped silently and gracefully to the floor landing like a big predatory cat.
Again, someone rang the front doorbell. Oliver walked over to the door and opened. A concerned Diggle was there.
"A freaked out Felicity called me and told me that Nyssa was looking for you," he said.
"She found me, Dig. Come in," said Oliver.
Diggle entered the building. Oliver walked over to a towel and water bottle on the floor and picked them up. He wiped the sweat off his face then drank some water.
"What did she want, Oliver?" asked Diggle.
"She came with a message from her father. He offered me a chance to join the League of Assassins as his protégé. If I take the offer my death mark is cancelled and my family, friends, and city are safe. I have ten days to consider it," he told Diggle, who snarled at the offer.
"What happens if you say no?" asked Diggle.
"Then Ra's will want to face me in mortal combat again," said Oliver with a grim smile. "I have ten days to get my affairs in order and think about his offer."
"Damn it, Oliver, there has to be another way of dealing with this," said Diggle.
"I didn't expect the offer, but this is what I expected on the whole. I knew I was going to have to face Ra's again, Dig. It's why I'm training with Tatsu," he said.
"Ten days," Diggle said to himself.
"When is the wedding, Dig?" asked Oliver.
Diggle looked at him as if his friend had grown another head.
"Oliver, the wedding can wait," he said.
"No, it can't. I want to be your best man. I want to see you and Lyla get married. Your my friend, my family, and I want to see you get married to the woman you love. When is the wedding?" Oliver asked.
Diggle took a deep breath and released slowly.
"Felicity is leaving for Center City for two days. We were thinking about making it for this coming Friday. Four days. How is that with you?" said Diggle.
"Do I get to take you out for a bachelor party?" smiled Oliver.
"If you want," answered Diggle.
Oliver offered him is right hand and they shook.
"Don't worry, Dig, I don't intend on losing this time," he said.
"You better not," replied Diggle. "I've lost one brother already. I don't need to lose another."
Arrow
Star Labs was impressive once, though now it was a company in need of an infusion of cash and a rehabilitated reputation. Dr. Harrison Wells in his automated wheelchair came out of his office to greet Ray Palmer and Felicity, who had been chatting with Caitlyn and Cisco. He offered Ray his right and they shook hands.
"Dr. Wells, it's a privilege to meet you," said Ray.
"Please, call me Harrison. I'm told you have interest in one of micro-processors," he said.
"Yes, I do," smiled Ray.
"Why don't we go into my office and talk?" said Wells.
"After you," Ray replied.
The two men headed into Wells office leaving Felicity to talk with her friends.
"Where is Barry?" she asked.
"He wanted to let you know that dinner is on him. He'll meet you at the Sushi Sack at 7," said Cisco with a big grin.
"He's working on a case for Joe and didn't want to come by here with Ray Palmer around," added Caitlyn.
"How is Barry?" she asked.
"He has a girlfriend, a very hottie, too," said Cisco.
Caitlyn looked at him with annoyance then said, "Her name is Linda and I don't think she is right for Barry."
"So, I heard that Oliver came back from the dead," smiled Cisco. "You have to tell me about that."
"Oliver has gone off on his own since he came back," Felicity said softly.
"I find that hard to believe. I mean the looks he used to give you. The man was in love with you," said Caitlyn.
"Um… I am dating Ray right now," said Felicity.
Both Cisco and Caitlyn looked shock.
"Um, well, she seems like a nice guy," said Cisco.
"At least, he isn't a vigilante, crime fighter," added Caitlyn.
Felicity blushed then laughed before she said, "Yeah, because if he was that would mean I have a type, right?"
"I don't see Ray Palmer dressed in leather with a bow and arrow growling: you have failed my city," chuckled Cisco.
Felicity's blush deepened as she thought about Oliver in his Arrow gear. She was missing him as a friend, let alone as the object of her affection. Both Caitlyn and Cisco laughed.
"So, have you added any new villains to this unofficial prison?" asked Felicity.
"Oh, yeah," smiled Cisco. "I have to show you."
Arrow
It had been a long training with Tatsu, when Diggle called Oliver telling him that they might have a lead on Ankov's location, he was glad to get out on his bike. Oliver tried to empty his mind and concentrate on the mission at hand, but between Ra's Al Ghul and Felicity, his mind was a little preoccupied.
The location where Ankov was staying was a former hotel in the Glades. The Marchmain in the 1890 was considered a luxury hotel. By the 1960s it became a welfare hotel and by the year 2000 it was empty and up for sale. No one bought it.
Oliver parked his bike in an alleyway then notched up a grappling arrow and released it. He then made his way to the roof where Roy and Diggle were waiting for him. Diggle tossed him a Bluetooth ear wig. Oliver put it in his right ear.
"Who is minding the store?" he asked.
"Laurel. She's not happy about it," said Diggle.
"I can hear you, John," came Laurel's voice over the comm.
"Any working cameras in the hotel?" asked Oliver.
"Um… I have no idea," said Laurel. "I'm not Felicity, guys."
"Call her up. If she's has a tablet on her she can help us," suggested Oliver.
"Good idea," Roy said to him.
"I better start down to street level," said Diggle.
"You and I can grapple line across if Felicity comes on line to direct us," said Oliver.
Diggle took off. Roy moved beside Oliver and readied and arrow.
"This better be important. I'm at dinner with Barry," came Felicity's voice over the comm.
Oliver looked at Roy and nodded. He allowed his protégé to take the lead.
"We are at the Marchmain Hotel where Ankov is hiding out. Laurel doesn't know how to even check if they have security camera hook up that we can hack into," Roy explained.
"Who's on the mission?" asked Felicity.
"Dig, Arrow, and me," answered Roy.
"I have my tablet, so give me a second," she said.
"Take all the time you need," Oliver said. "We want to make sure we get Ankov."
Oliver could hear her deep a deep breath. For a moment sitting in the ladies room stall, Felicity wished she was back in the foundry so she could take care of her guys properly. She worked her magic on the tablet and sighed. She needed a stronger computer.
"Hold on. I need a more powerful computer," she said.
"How can you manage that?" asked Diggle.
"Barry."
Oliver and Roy looked at each. Roy smirked, while Oliver appeared slightly annoyed. Before Ray Palmer there was Barry Allen. I guess I should have finished one college if I wanted to have a relationship with Felicity.
"I'm back," she said over the comm.
"Where are you?" asked Diggle.
"Star Labs," she answered.
"Hi, guys," came Barry's voice.
"They've set up security cameras on the fifth, sixth, and seventh floor, as well as roof and lobby," she told them.
"How many men did you count?" asked Oliver.
"At least fifteen," she said.
"Dig, you take the lobby. Work your way up," said Oliver. "Felicity, what floor is Ankov on?"
"The most guarded floor is 7," she said.
"Roy and I are grappling across the street and going through the 7th floor windows. Dig, are you ready?" asked Oliver.
"Ready to enter the Marchmain," he said.
He and Roy notched up and fired arrow with grappling lines across the street. Using their composite bows, they propelled across the street and though side by side windows. Oliver came up shooting arrows. He took out the first three guards. Roy took out a fourth guard.
"Oliver, Roy, I just found enough C-4 to bring down this building," said Diggle.
"Get out, Dig. This is another setup by Ankov," cried Oliver
Roy and Oliver turned and fired grappling arrows to street level in order to propel down. Before they could get out of the building more guards showed up and fired submachine guns at them. Both of them were hot by the fire, but ignored the pain and propelled out of the Marchmain. They were half way down when the building exploded and they both plummeted to the ground.
"Oliver!" Felicity cried.
There was no answer. All she could hear the collapsing of the former hotel. Diggle had gotten out without a problem. He was across the street talking shelter behind a car when he saw Oliver and Roy fall. Roy landed on the roof of a car and bounced off, while Oliver hit the cement.
"Laurel, prep the medical bay," Diggle said into the comm.
"Who is hurt?" asked Laurel.
"Both Roy and Oliver," he answered. "I'm going to check them now."
"Dig, Dig, how are they?" asked Felicity.
"Give me time," said Diggle.
He got to Roy first. He had a bullet in the thigh and another bullet creased his left upper arm. Roy was awake.
"Anything broken?" he asked Roy.
"Car broke my fall, just bruises," he answered.
He looked over at Oliver. He was standing on unsteady legs. There was the sound of police sirens.
"Let's get out of here, Dig," Oliver said.
"You coming with us?" Dig asked as he helped Roy up.
"No, I'm going back to my place."
"Oliver, are you hurt?" Diggle asked.
Oliver laughed and then took off running to where he hid his bike. Diggle noticed he left a blood trail.
"Dig, how is Oliver?" asked Felicity.
"He's going back to hi place, Felicity. I'll check on him later," he said.
Arrow
"You love him?" smiled Barry.
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Felicity asked him.
"Oliver – you love him," he said.
"Barry, I'm dating Ray," she said.
"Ray Palmer, rich guy, who wants to be like the Arrow," smiled Barry. "Sounds like you are trying to replace someone, Felicity, with someone similar."
Felicity glared at him. She was well aware that she was replacing Oliver with a maybe safer version of Oliver. The exo-suit would not only increase his speed and strength, but make it very difficult to hurt him. Oliver wore leather. She sighed then glared at Barry again.
"You know, Barry, I know you are fast, but I can use a computer to make all your money disappear," she growled.
He grinned then said, "You can be a mean woman, Felicity Smoak."
Arrow
Tatsu was wrapping Oliver's ribs. She had already removed a bullet out of upper right arm and then she patched a through and through on his left side. Once she was done with the ribs, she offered him a cup of tea made from the herbs. He sipped it.
"You should rest," she said.
"That is the second time Ankov has set us up," said Oliver. "We have to take him down."
"Bratva captains are clever," she said then smiled as she stared at his tattoo.
"I'm persona non grata to the Bratva now," he said.
"But you were a captain once," she said. "Think like them and then you can beat them."
Oliver smiled then said, "I think I can think like a Bratva captain."