Bloodlust: An Arrow Fanfiction-Ch.2: Oliver's Dark Knight

CH.2-Oliver’s Dark Knight

4 Days Later…

            Looking out of the windows of the main boardroom of Queen Consolidated, Oliver gazed down across the bustling evening streets of Starling City.  It had been days since he had last talked to Laurel.  The disaster of a dinner at the best French restaurant in town had done nothing to repair the fragile trust that lay between them since his return home from the island.  If anything it had made that trust thinner than ice on an early spring day.  To top it off he had failed to take down Deadshot again.  Though Diggle wouldn’t admit to it he was furious.  Oliver couldn’t miss the look of maddening agony and anger in his eyes when he had failed to take the shot to kill Lawton.  He just couldn’t do it though.  It would have meant taking the life of an innocent woman that Lawton was using as a human shield.  But what did it really matter?  Lawton had shot her anyway in order to make his escape.  She was dead now because Oliver had hesitated to act and Deadshot had gotten away again.

            Resting his forehead against the cool glass Oliver thought to himself, I’ve failed.  ‘Sarah is dead, Laurel hates me, I’m losing Digg’s trust and a woman is dead because of me.’

            Running his eyes down the street he rested his gaze upon a construction crew replacing the glass window of Starling City Central Bank.  It had been the scene of a gang bank heist just the day before.  He had almost lost someone dear to him there too…

FLASHBACK TO THE PREVIOUS DAY

            “Felicity?  Hey Felicity are you here?”  Oliver called out as he strolled into the I.T. department of Queen Consolidated.

            Looking around the blue colored room Oliver saw no sign of Felicity Smoak as he strolled past her corner cubicle towards the back of the room where the supervisor’s office would be.  Approaching the glass door he was a woman with dark brown hair that looked to be in her mid thirties sitting at her desk lazily going through some emails on her computer.  Knocking on the glass door twice Oliver walked into the office as the supervisor of the I.T. department jumped out of her seat.

            “Mr. Queen!  I didn’t hear you come in,” said the nervous sounding woman who hurriedly smoothed down her grey skirt and blue dress shirt.  “What can I do for you?”

            “I’m looking for a certain Felicity Smoak.  You haven’t seen her around here somewhere have you?”  Oliver asked with a slight smile.

            Looking disappointed the I.T. supervisor curtly replied, “She left for lunch about twenty minutes ago.  She should be back soon.  Would you like me to take a message for you?”

            “No.  That’s ok.  I’ll come back later,” Oliver replied with a reassuring smile.  “Thank you Mrs.…”

            “Adams!  Rachel Adams.”

            “Thank you Mrs. Adams,” Oliver said as he turned to leave.

            As the door closed behind him he heard her call out, “It’s just Miss Adams!”

            Making his way out of the building and onto the street Oliver thought to himself, ‘Where could she be?  I need her to help me track down Deadshot’s whereabouts.  I need to fix this mess that I’ve made with Dig…’

            The blare of police sirens racing past him down the block interrupted his thoughts.  Looking towards the sound Oliver saw five police vehicles and a SWAT truck screeching to a stop in front of Starling City Central Bank.  Ten officers quickly got out of their vehicles and began to form a perimeter around the bank while pushing pedestrians away from the entrance.  With trained precision   the members of the SWAT team quickly took holding positions by the door and entrance to the alleyway.  Off in the distance Oliver heard more sirens racing by to block off the back entrance and alley exit.  Spotting Detective Quentin Lance making the rounds with the officers onsite Oliver ran up to him to see what was going on.

            “Detective Lance!” Oliver called out, “What’s happening here?”

            Spinning around Detective Lance spotted Oliver jogging up toward him.  Motioning to the officer on his left, who placed a firm hand on Oliver’s chest and began to push him back, Detective Lance yelled out, “Get back Queen!  There’s a robbery in progress.”

            Letting the officer push him past the perimeter Oliver was about to ask for details when he felt his phone vibrate in his jacket pocket.  Turning his back to the retreating officer he fished his phone out from the depths of his leather coat and answered.

            “Hello?”

            “Oliver!  Thank God I’ve found you! I didn’t know whom to call! Actually I already called the police but knowing them they’d get here too late,” yelled the hysterical voice of Felicity Smoak through the earpiece.

            “Slow down Felicity,” Oliver said over her panicked babbling.  “What’s going on?  Where are you?”

            “I…I’m inside the Starling City Central Bank,” she said between breaths as she struggled to regain her composure.  “There are some men here in black masks… They’ve got guns and…”

            “How many of them are there?” Oliver interrupted.

            “Five…I think…” Felicity said quietly.

            “Where exactly in the bank are you now?” he asked as he looked around for a way into the building.

            “In…I’m in one of the vaults,” she said. “I came in here to get something from my safety deposit box when I heard gunfire out in the lobby.  I…I think they shot one of the guards.  I don’t know for sure… there was so much shouting.”

            “Are you in there alone Felicity?”

            “No.  There’s a guy in a suit in here with me.  I think he works here or something,” Felicity replied with a hint of panic creeping back into her voice.

            “Ok.  Stay put and keep quiet.  The cops have the entrance and the alleyways blocked off.  I’m going to find a way to get in there somehow,” he told her.

            “Ok.  Hurry up though Oliver.  I…I could really use something stiff right now…and by stiff I mean an arrow or two!” Felicity whispered along with what sounded like some incoherent self-chastising.

            Feeling the tug of a small smile at the corners of his lips through the unusual sense of panic that had begun to grip him Oliver said, “Keep your phone close by.  I’ll call you back in a minute.”

            Hanging up the phone and ducking under the police line Oliver ran up to Detective Lance.  Grabbing him by the shoulder Oliver asked, “Detective, what’s going on?  Why aren’t you inside already?”

            Throwing his hand up in reflex Quentin Lance stepped back and yelled, “Jesus Queen!  You scared the living hell out of me!  What are you doing here?  Didn’t I tell you to get back?  If you’re worried about your trust fund getting stolen I can assure you…”

            “I have a friend in there Detective,” Oliver interrupted seriously.  “She said there are only five men in there, so why isn’t your team beating down the door to get to them?”

            “Huh?  What friend?” Detective Lance asked.  “And how do you know how many guys are in there?”

            “She just called me,” Oliver replied completely ignoring the first question.

            “Uh huh.  Well we will get them.  I can guarantee you that.  You call your friend back and tell her to stay down and keep calm.  Let us handle the rest,” he said to Oliver as he turned his back to him.  “And get behind the line before I have you arrested for obstruction of justice.”

            Clenching his jaw in frustration Oliver scoped out the area around the bank.  The door and alleyway were blocked off and he could see SWAT snipers taking positions on both adjacent rooftops.  There was no way Oliver Queen would be able to just stroll his way into that bank.  He had also left his hood and bow back at the club in the Glades.  There was no way to get across the city and back in time.  Felicity needed him now!

            Crossing the police line Oliver picked up his phone and dialed Felicity’s number.  After the third ring she finally picked up.

            “Oliver?” he heard her whisper.

            “Felicity, are you still in the vault?  Are you safe?” Oliver asked.

            “Yes for now,” she replied.

            “Listen to me closely Felicity.  The police have the building surrounded.  There are snipers on the roof and SWAT coming up the alley.  There’s no way for me to get in there as I am,” Oliver explained.  “I’m going to give Diggle a call and get him to bring my…equipment.  It’s the only way I can even risk breaking in to get to you.”

            “Ok,” Felicity said as she took another calming breath.  “It figures that it would have to be something major like me getting stuck in a bank that’s getting robbed to get you and Diggle to talk to one another.  You two are way too stubborn.”

            “Just stay safe Felicity,” Oliver said with amusement at her astute observation.

            “I will…” she began to say but quickly faded into silence.

            “Felicity?” Oliver asked feeling an invisible hand grip his throat from fear.

“Someone’s here,” Felicity whispered from across the phone line.  “I…I heard some footsteps…”

            Her next words were cut off by the sound of her terrified scream and some shouting male voices.  Oliver heard her phone clatter to the ground.

            “Felicity!  Felicity are you ok? What’s happening?!” Oliver yelled into the phone.

            The sound of two gunshots through the earpiece of his phone made Oliver’s heart stop for a second.  Listening closely as if his very life depended on the sounds coming from across the phone, Oliver made out the sound of approaching footsteps growing louder in his ear.  There was a short crunching sound and the line went dead.

            Squeezing the phone in his hand Oliver fought hard to quell the terror growing inside his chest and threatening to overwhelm him.

            ‘I can’t lose her too…’ Oliver thought.

            Dialing quickly Oliver impatiently waited for Diggle to pick up the phone.  After a few rings he heard the click of the line connecting.

            “What is it Oliver?” Digg’s deep voice asked.

            “Felicity’s in trouble,” he said quickly.  “I think she’s been shot.”

            “WHAT?” Digg yelled through the phone all business like in a flash.  “What do you need me to do?”

            “I need you to go to the club and get my…equipment,” Oliver replied quickly looking around to see if anyone was listening in.  “Bring it to the Starling City Central Bank down the street from Queen Consolidated as fast as you can.  Call me when you’re close by.”

            “On my way,” Diggle replied as he hung up the phone.

            As Oliver slipped his phone back into his pocket the sound of two shots from the snipers on the rooftop adjacent to the bank rang out.  A few seconds later he heard someone shout ‘CLEAR’ as the window of the bank blew out in a cloud of white smoke.

            Turning towards the scene Oliver watched the team of SWAT members scurry through the hole where the bank window had been moments before.  A brief exchange of shouting and gunfire followed and then there was silence.  Running towards the police line he slid to a stop as the front doors of the bank burst open and a stream of people rushed out for their lives.  There in the crowd with her blonde ponytail, pink dress shirt and soot stained glassed was Felicity Smoak looking shook up but alive and healthy as she supported a man in a grey business suit and thick black hair.  Spotting Oliver behind the line of police vehicles Felicity handed over the businessman to a waiting EMT and ran over to meet him.  Catching her in a fierce hug Oliver held her close to him for a minute.

            “I thought you were dead,” Oliver said into her floral scented hair as she hugged him back with more enthusiasm.

            Pushing her back to arms length he looked her over urgently for any sign of injury.

            “Are you hurt?” Oliver asked with concern.  “Are you bleeding? I heard gunshots…”

            “No.  I’m fine,” Felicity replied shaking her head and wiping a tear from her eye.  “They missed me.  The guy behind me wasn’t so lucky though.  He got hit in the shoulder.”

            “How did you get out?” he asked as he triple checked her for injuries.

            “The man that was in there with me…he took out the two guys that came into the vault,” she said.  “Even with a bullet in his shoulder…Oliver… he moves like you do. You know…when you fight.  He’s tough.”

            “Excuse me miss,” a passing EMT said to Felicity.  “We need to get you checked out and take your statement of what happened inside.  If you’ll follow me please.”

            Looking at Felicity, Oliver gently pushed her towards the waiting EMT to get her feet moving.

            “Go ahead,” he told her.  “I’ll be along in a minute.”

            Watching Felicity being led to a waiting ambulance for a moment, Oliver turned away and headed in the direction he had seen the businessman that had been carried out by Felicity earlier.  Reaching the bank doors he spotted him sitting in the back of a nearby ambulance as his shoulder was being bandaged and put into a sling.  The gauze was stained crimson with heavy bleeding creating a bright spot that contrasted greatly against the grey of his suit.  His thick, dark hair was swept back across his head with a hint of oil or gel that parted his hair with a neat line off to the side.  His dark brow eyes flashed a look of recognition at Oliver as he approached the ambulance.

            Extending his hand in gratitude, Oliver gently shook the man’s hand as he said, “Thank you…thank you for protecting the blonde that was in the vault with you.  If there is anything I can do to repay you don’t hesitate to ask.”

            “It was my pleasure Mr. Queen,” the man said with amusement.  “How about you find me a new shoulder?  This one doesn’t seem to be working right and I can’t seem to figure out why.”

            Chuckling, Oliver replied, “I’ll look into it immediately Mr.…?”

            As the man opened his mouth to reply Oliver felt his phone buzzing in his pocket.  Giving the man an apologetic look Oliver stepped away from the ambulance and picked up his phone.

            “Hello?” he said.

            “I’m here,” Diggle’s voice replied.

FLASH FORWARD TO THE PRESENT

            Taking a deep breath, Oliver removed his forehead from the cool glass window in the Queen Consolidated boardroom.

            ‘There are still some good people out there,’ he thought to himself. ‘There are people out there willing to do what I’ve been failing to.’

           

            Turning to leave Oliver came face to face with Walter Steele as he opened the boardroom doors.

            “Oliver!” Walter said with his thick British accent.  “It’s good to see you son.  What brings you by this late?”

            “Hey Walter,” he replied.  “I was just waiting for a friend that works down in the I.T. department.  I just came in here to think about something.  Why are you here so late?  Don’t you have a dinner date with mom?”

            “Yes I do, but business deals can’t always wait until the morning sometimes,” Walter replied gesturing behind his shoulder.  “I have a late business meeting with a potential investor from Gotham City.”

            Looking over Walter’s shoulder Oliver just the man standing there waiting patiently.  His dark hair was gently oiled back along his head and parted neatly down the side.  He wore a black business suit with a white dress shirt and black tie.  Underneath the fold of his jacket Oliver could make out his right arm resting comfortably in a sling.  His dark brown eyes held an amused light of recognition as he looked at Oliver.  He had a graceful power about his frame that Oliver hadn’t noticed before when he had met him sitting in the back of an ambulance after the foiled bank robbery the previous day.

            “Oliver Queen,” Walter said as he gestured toward the waiting man. “Meet Bruce Wayne.”