Chapter Ten
Oliver wanted out of the hospital bed that he had in the computer/medical/Arrow gear floor. Tatsu had brewed his some penicillin tea, as well as some broth to help gain some strength. With the bed in a seated position, he was able to sip away at his medicine and nourishment, while using a tablet for entertainment and distraction. His wound hurt, but he didn't complain. Long ago he had come to terms with pain as something that would be a constant in his life.
Tatsu was down in the kitchen preparing more teas and a soup for him. He wished he could transfer from the medical bay to his bed on the second floor, but Tatsu wanted him to spend another day in the hospital bed near the monitor checking his vitals.
He saw that he had an e-mail from Walter and went about responding to it. Walter was trying to get more of his family's former wealth released to him. He was treating Oliver like a son, which touched Oliver. Besides the information about money, Walter asked about Thea. He was worried about her. Oliver knew that he had to convince Thea to see Walter. He knew how much she liked him. Plus, he was a better influence on her than Malcolm.
His smart phone rang. He reached over to the table beside his bed and checked it. The call was from Captain Lance for the Arrow. He answered it.
"Yes, Captain," he said.
"The Bratva present was appreciated. The commissioner is starting to listen to me about you," said Lance.
"The police aren't my enemy," said Oliver.
"I know. Rumor is that you were hurt. Are you okay?" asked Lance.
"I'm mending. The Bratva was using cop killer bullets. We need to find who they got them from and make sure no more are on the streets of Starling City," said Oliver.
"I agree. I'll again in a few days to check up on," said Lance then he hung up.
Oliver smiled. If someone had told him two years ago that he would become friendly with Quentin Lance he would have thought the person high on Vertigo. Yet, here he was becoming friendly with Lance.
He was about to put the smart phone down again, when it rang. This time it was from Diggle.
"Hey, Dig, shouldn't you be enjoying the last two days of your mini-honeymoon?" Oliver asked him.
"I called in and heard about you getting shot with a Teflon coated bullet and wanted to make sure you are alright," said Dig.
"I'm fine," said Oliver.
"Not the fine routine. Give me the truth, Oliver," he said.
"Bullet in the back. If it wasn't for the new arrow gear Cisco worked up for me, I'd be dead. His Kevlar, leather, and whatever weave slowed the bullet down enough to make it a bad wound but nothing fatal," Oliver told him.
"How long will you be bed ridden?" he asked.
"Another twenty-four hours, give or take," said Oliver.
"Listen Tatsu," said Diggle. "I'll see you in a few days."
"I'll be here," said Oliver then hung up.
Finally, he put the smart phone down and picked up the tablet. He was bored. Maybe, he could find a movie to watch. It had been a long time since he just enjoyed himself and watched a movie.
Arrow
Felicity followed Roy, who rode the bike that Oliver bought him. Roy pulled over in front of a large building. She parked her Mini-Cooper in front it. The neighborhood was less than ideal. This was part of the Glades which had been hit the worst and had some of its highest crime. Getting out she looked at Roy with curiosity.
"This is his new place," Roy said.
"Big," she said then walked up beside him.
"He runs everything out here from his training to medical and computer," said Roy "Not a bad setup."
"Oh," she mumbled.
Roy pressed the doorbell beside the intercom. A few seconds later Tatsu's voice came over the intercom.
"Who is it?" she asked.
"It's me, Roy, and Felicity. We came to check up on Oliver," he replied.
She buzzed them into the building. Roy opened the door then let Felicity enter first. She looked at the large first floor and how it was setup for training, except for the Maserati and Ducati parked near the loading bay doors. Roy pointed at the freight elevator.
"The living area is on the second floor," he said. "Follow me."
Roy got in the freight elevator with Felicity and started it up. They stopped on the second floor, where Tatsu was waiting for them when Roy slid back the door. For the first time Felicity was struck by how beautiful Tatsu was. She didn't want to be irritated by this fact, but she was.
"Oliver is on the third floor. I was just heading up there," she said with a smile.
She got on the elevator and they headed up to the third floor. When the freight elevator stopped, Roy slid back the door to expose a security door. Tatsu put in the code and the door opened. They entered the third floor.
Immediately, Felicity's eye scanned the computer area. He had installed the latest and most powerful computers he could buy. It was even a more extensive setup then the Arrow Cave, which annoyed. Next, she looked over and saw his Arrow area with his uniform, quiver, bows, arrows, and the equipment to make more arrows, trick them out, and sharpen them. Finally, she looked over at the medical area, which had monitoring equipment, a hospital bed, medical equipment, and medicines. Oliver was in the hospital bed in the seated position.
Felicity thought he looked pale, which was probably from loss of blood. She and Roy followed Tatsu over to him. He offered them a slight smile as they approached.
"Hey, boss, you're looking better than the last time I saw you," said Roy.
"Have you finished your tea and broth?" asked Tatsu.
Oliver looked over at the empty cup and bowl. She gifted him with a smile, which Felicity noticed. A spark of jealousy ignited, which she dismissed quickly. She was not going down that road with Oliver.
"Nice place you've got here," Felicity blurted out. "I see you have put to together a system better than the Arrow Cave. Now all you need is someone to work it for you, not that you don't know how to work a computer, it's just that you're better with arrows than computers. And I'm going to stop talking in 3,2,1."
Oliver smiled at her then said, "I'm learning how to work it. I'll never be able to hack like you, but I'll try my best."
"Maybe you can get someone to work them for you," offered Roy.
Both Oliver and Felicity glared at him. Roy shrugged his shoulders and put up his hands in defeat.
"It was just an idea," he said.
Tatsu looked from Oliver to Felicity and suppressed a smile, as Felicity and Oliver kept trying to look at the other without getting caught. Before anyone could break the silence, Felicity's smart phone rang. She pulled it out of her purse and frowned.
"I have to take this," she said.
She stepped away answered, "Yes, Ray."
Both Felicity and Roy saw Oliver's face become a mask of indifference. Oliver's full attention was on Felicity, even if it seemed he wasn't paying any attention to her.
"Yes, Ray. I know," she said.
Roy coughed to get Oliver's attention. Oliver looked over at him.
"When can you get back to training?" asked Roy.
"He'll return to training in two days," Tatsu spoke for him.
"Tatsu, I'm fine," protested Oliver.
"You will listen to me," said Tatsu.
"Hey, can you stay around because he doesn't listen to many people?" asked Roy.
Felicity hung up her smart phone and joined.
"My husband Maseo has said that Oliver is the most stubborn man he ever met," said Tatsu. "Even if you don't wish his help, he will give it to you."
"Yeah, I know how stubborn he can be," said Roy with a smirk. "He's been training me."
"He can be thick headed," added Felicity, "pigheaded, inflexible, obdurate, intractable, mulish, willful, obstinate…"
"I've got your point, Fe-li-ci-ty," snapped Oliver.
Roy and Tatsu couldn't help but laugh at the way Felicity and Oliver were with each other. There was a sizzle in the room when they were together.
"I should get you some more of the herbal tea to drink. It will help to speed the heling process," said Tatsu then she looked at Felicity and Roy. "You'll have to excuse me."
Tatsu left them with Oliver and headed to the elevator. With her gone, Felicity felt more comfortable.
"She takes good care of you," Felicity remarked.
"She is a good friend," Oliver said softly.
"Have you ever notice that most of your friends are beautiful women?" Felicity pointed out sounding more annoyed than she wanted to sound.
"I have male friends," said Oliver defensively.
"Yeah, Slade Wilson," teased Roy.
Oliver glared at him. Roy tried not to laugh, but Oliver's glare made him laugh. He had grown used it. Plus, Oliver was stuck in bed.
"Dig is a friend," said Oliver then he looked at Roy, "and you."
Roy blushed then mumbled, "Thanks."
"See not every one of my male friends in a psycho killer," said Oliver.
"Only some," Felicity said under her breath.
He looked over at her. For a moment he wanted to defend himself, but then he got lost for a moment in her simple beauty. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail, her lips were a rich, dark red, and her glasses sat on a pert nose. Even though he wasn't with her, even though he probably never would be, he loved her. He couldn't help himself.
"I have to go," Felicity spoke up breaking eye contact with Oliver. "Ray needs me."
"Thank you for checking up on me, but you can see that…," said Oliver.
"I'm fine," Roy finished for him.
Felicity laughed at this. Oliver didn't find it so amusing. She started to leave.
"See you tonight?" asked Roy.
"Maybe," she answered. "I might be stuck at work."
"With Ray," added Oliver.
"With Ray," she repeated then left.
Roy looked around and noticed a chair.
"Do you mind if I sit ad stay awhile?" Roy asked him.
"You know I'd like that," said Oliver.
Arrow
Ray was in his suit with five blowup clowns setup as target practice. Instead of technicians Felicity was manning the monitors for him. He wanted to test his hard light weapon.
"Felicity, I'm going to test it on a low setting," Ray said to her through the comm in his helmet.
"Monitors are set. Begin," she replied.
Ray aimed his right gauntlet at the first clown and fired. The clown took off and bounced off the wall. Felicity could hear an almost boy-like laugh come from Ray.
"I hate clowns," he said.
She smiled at this then asked him, "Are you ready for the next setting?"
"Did you think that one was too strong?" he asked.
"It would have knocked someone out," she stated.
"Okay, let's go up ten percent," he said.
Felicity checked the monitor as he adjusted the weapon then fired. This clown hit the wall so hard that it sprung a leak and slowly started to lose air.
"You know this would make for great therapy for people who hate clowns," he said.
"I think we are looking at broken bones with that setting," said Felicity.
Ray considered what she said for a moment.
"I might have to make more adjustments on this. I'd like there to be more non-lethal settings than lethal," he said. "Likes try at fifty percent power just to check it out."
"I'm ready when you are," said Felicity.
Ray adjusted his weapon to fifty percent power then lifted his gauntlet and fired. The clown exploded into smithereens. Pieces of plastic clown were strewn all over the testing lab.
"I don't hate clowns that much," Ray said with some concern.
"We definitely have to adjust the power settings," Felicity remarked.
Ray turned and looked up at the booth where Felicity was. He smiled then said, "We are most definitely getting there."