Chapter Sixteen
"Felicity, you work for The Arrow, so why didn't you tell me that Oliver Queen was him," seethed Ray.
"Because I'm good at keeping secrets," she replied.
"He caught me off guard," Ray continued. "I have no idea what his problem is, except jealousy."
Felicity rolled her eyes and then said, "Oliver isn't jealous."
"Then what is it?" he asked. "He doesn't like competition."
"He believes in training and experience," she said.
"I believe in technology and intelligence."
Ray sat in chair in his office. His mind was racing on how to handle the situation so that he had control of it. He hit the intercom button on his phone.
"Get me the police commissioner and the mayor," he told his assistant.
"Yes, sir," came the response.
"What are you doing?" asked Felicity.
"I am going to tell the commissioner and mayor that I am the Atom and officially offer them my services. I am going to become the official and approved vigilante of Starling City," he explained. "I'll then call out The Arrow to expose his identity and to join me as a functioning part of the city government and police."
"Ray, The Arrow has done more good for this city than can be measured. He succeeds because he isn't part of the police," said Felicity.
"He left me no choice," said Ray. "I won't be bettered by him. He can't defeat me in my suit, so he has to expose me."
"Are you going to expose him?" she asked.
"No. I let him do that himself. All I'm going to do is olay to my streghts," said Ray.
"I have to go," Felicity said.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"I need to talk to Oliver," she said.
"Felicity," Ray barked, "I'd rather you not do that."
She turned and looked at him.
"Ray, you are out of control. Think about that. Maybe Oliver has offered you some good advice," she said then took a deep breath. "And don't tell me what to do. I don't belong to you."
She stormed out of his office. Ray stared at her as she went. He didn't have time to think about what she said because he had to talk to the mayor and police commissioner.
Arrow
Oliver was steamed, as he paced his exercise area. If he had an alternative, he wouldn't be The Arrow. He'd be a man with a wife and a child and friends who didn't feel the need to endanger themselves. But he was The Arrow, and he became The Arrow because his father was one of those responsible for turning Starling City into a city of the haves and have nots.
He grew up with a sterling silver spoon in his mouth while others struggled and suffered. In the Glades crime and violence grew while he acted the careless playboy. He owed the city and the people of this city.
There was a knock on the front door. Oliver stalked over and opened the door. An upset Felicity entered hi home.
"He going public and offering his services to the city and mayor," she told Oliver. "He'll probably offer them financial support to go along with his services. Knowing our mayor and commissioner they'll jump at it."
Oliver sighed then he said, "He's putting a target on his back. The criminals of this city will want to take him out at any cost in order to show that they won't be intimidated."
"Oliver, how can you help me?" asked Felicity.
Oliver stomach churned at that question. Felicity must live him. He took a deep breath then released it.
"Don't worry, Felicity, I'll keep Ray safe for you," Oliver said.
Felicity looked at him as if he was crazy for a moment then she realized that Oliver assumed she wanted Ray safe because she loved him. A big smile broke out on her face.
"Oliver, I want Ray safe because he is a good man who is acting stubborn and misdirected. I don't want him safe for me," she said.
"But he is your… boyfriend," said Oliver, saying the word boyfriend as if it was a fatal disease.
"I'm not sure that is still true," said Felicity. "Things are changing. They were confusing for a while and complicated, but that's all changing."
"I don't understand," said Oliver.
"You said that you loved me. Do you still love me?" she asked.
"Of course, I do," he answered.
Felicity smiled then she moved closer to Oliver and looked him the eyes. She asked him a simple question, "Are you willing to have a relationship with me or is this more of your sacrifice and angst?"
Oliver chuckled then said, "I want a relationship with you."
"What changed your mind?" she asked.
"Death," he answered. "It has a way of clarifying things."
"Oh," she said then he smart phone rang. She dug it out of her coat and answered it. "Yes, Ray."
Oliver just stared at her and waited. After a few minutes Felicity hung up.
"I have to go," she said.
"You're going now?" he asked.
"Oliver, Ray is having a press conference in two hours with the mayor and commissioner," she told him. "He wants me there."
"Go," he said. "But we finish this conversation the moment we get a chance."
Felicity walked up to Oliver, got on her tippy toes, and gently kissed him on the lips. She then left leaving a slightly confused and slightly happy Oliver.
Arrow
Oliver along with Diggle, Roy, Tatsu, Thea, and Laurel watched the news conference at Verdant. As the staff cleaned up and prepared for this evening's opening, they stood at the bar watching. The part which amused Roy the most was Ray called out The Arrow to do the same thing he was doing. Olive's jaw tightened so hard that he thought he heard bone breaking.
"He's going to have psycho and wanna be kingpin taking aim at him now," said Diggle.
"He's going to get someone killed," said Laurel then her smart phone rang.
She answered it. It didn't take long for her to end her conversation.
"That was the DA. He wants me in the office to go over a contract with the Atom, aka Ray Palmer," she said. "The mayor wants everything to be as legal and above board as possible. It appears tonight he wants to patrol with the press along. He has a mobile C&C with Felicity in control. Reporters and someone from the DA's office are to be imbedded in her truck. It looks like it going to be."
"Good," rasped Oliver. "Stay close to Felicity and protect her."
"What about me?" asked Roy with his broken arm.
"Keep my sister company. I go solo tonight. This will be between the Atom and me," said Arrow.
"He's not the enemy, Oliver," said Diggle.
"But he is ut of control and needs to be taught a lesson. I can do that," said Oliver.
He then turned on his heel and left. Thea giggled.
"He loves her," she said. "Ray Palmer better kiss his ass goodbye."
Arrow
The back of a sixteen wheeler truck had been turned into a command and control for Atom, as well as a repair area and a place for Ray to change and store his suit. With six reporters, three technicians, Laurel, and Felicity in the back, Ray came out of his exo-suit maintenance area in his Atom suit. He greeted the reporters with a smile.
"Our mobile C&C is going to park in the Glades and I am going to do a patrol of the area. The police are in communication with my C&C and Assistant DA Laurel Lance is onboard," he said.
"Are you nervous?" asked a reporter.
"No. I trust the suit," he smiled.
"Do you expect to see The Arrow tonight?" asked another reporter.
"I hope so," he answered.
"There is a rumor of military grade weapons having been sold to some criminal elements in the Glades. Are you prepared for that?" asked a third reporter.
"My suit makes me prepared for everything," he answered. "I should check with Miss Smoak and make sure everything is ready."
He walked over to Felicity and leaned in to talk to her. She stopped him and motioned to his helmet.
"Ray, you have a comm system in your helmet. You can whisper to me and I'll hear it in my earpiece," she said.
"I forgot," he grinned. "What do we know of these weapons?"
"Four RPGs, as well as ten AK-12 assault rifles, and three M4A1 carbine with grenade launcher," she told him.
"That's a lot of fire power," he remarked.
"Team Arrow was trying to track them down and take them out of circulation," Felicity.
"Uh huh, well they didn't," he said. "Time for me to take off."
The back of the truck lowered and Ray walked off the truck. A crowd of people had gathered and they started to cheer him on. He waved at them then took to flight.
Arrow
Across the rooftops of the Glades Oliver ran, jumped, and flipped, getting a parkour exercise in as he tracked Ray. He stopped across the street from Ray's C&C. There were too many civilians around, too many innocent targets. Ray was floating in the air looking like an easy target himself. Suddenly, an RPG was fired and the grenade head for Ray. His weapons system kicked in and he fired a counter measure that knocked the grenade out of the air. It fell to the ground and blowup beside some civilians. Oliver scowled. Collateral damage.
Two more grenades were launched, Ray defended him himself sending one grenade into a building causing serious damage and sending the other into his own Command and Control. The truck flipped over onto his side. Oliver growled. He notched a grappling arrow and fired it towards the street then propelled down using his bow. He landed gracefully then he notched another arrow and fired it a man with an RPG. He hit him in the shoulder and the arrow released a sedative causing him to fall unconscious to the ground.
Oliver fired off four more arrows taking out several men with assault rifles and carbines with grenades launchers, while Ray took massive fire from weapons. He appeared to be firing off countermeasures and weapons randomly trying to protect himself. It appeared that the gangs were ready for him.
As Oliver headed towards the C&C truck, he fell into hand to hand combat with three men with assault rifles. They attempted to fire on him, but he dodged and came up swinging. He rendered them unconscious and continued to the truck. Ray tried firing in the men with weapons, but part of their plan was to use the civilians to hide behind. Again he took out more civilians with a blast of hard light then assailants.
Oliver reached the truck just as back of the truck opened and those inside came crawling out. They were bloodied and battered from being flipped. Oliver was desperate to see Felicity.
"Arrow, thank God you're here," said a reporter.
Oliver nodded then he saw Laurel carrying an unconscious Felicity out. Her face was covered in blood, while Laurel had a bloody lip and nose. She placed her down on the ground.
"How is she?" rasped Oliver in his Arrow voice.
"She took a hard hit to the head," said Laurel, who then saw Ray misfire and almost collapse a building. She pointed at Ray. "He needs to be stopped. I'll take care of Felicity."
Oliver nodded. He then noticed up a bolo arrow and as Ray flew overhead he fired the arrow at his ankles. The bolo brought his ankles together and changed his trajectory sending him head first into a brick building. Ray then plummeted to the ground. Next, Oliver concentrated on the rest of the gang members with the military weapons.
He notched up an explosive arrow and fired a grouping of three gang members sending them unconscious to the ground. The police started to show up in tactical gear. Oliver looked over his shoulder to see Captain Lance leading the charge then he looked over and saw Ray starting to get up. Ignoring bullets and bad guys, he ran towards Ray.
"Why did you do that?" Ray asked Oliver.
"Because you were hurting civilians," growled Oliver then he leaned in and whispered. "You hurt Felicity."
"I… I didn't mean to," said Ray.
"And I didn't mean to hit you," Oliver said then he through a right hook hitting Ray in the jaw and sending him unconscious to the ground.
Oliver turned to see that the police were gaining control. He then saw Laurel going with Felicity, who was on a gurney, to an ambulance. Most of the military weapons were taken out of circulation, so it was time to leave. Oliver Queen needed to get to a hospital to check on his girl.