Shadow

Wednesday Dinner

The Glades

"I get the feeling that you're trying to exploit me." Thea told Scott, crossing her arms.

"That's because I am." He confirmed. "But I can make it up to you by driving us to the restaurant."

"I have a car." She replied, pointing at said car not far from them.

"And I have a motorcycle that I take every chance I get to ride." Scott responded a moment before said motorcycle came into view, being driven by Scott's leading Visible Shadow Shadow94, born Theo Raeken.

Though Thea didn't know it, the motorcycle was the same one her father "crashed" a few months ago.

Scott left Thea and walked over to where Theo parked the motorcycle and they exchanged a few words before they exchanged places and Theo departed.

"Are you joining me or will you follow me in your car?" Scott asked, addressing Thea.

"I can't leave my car here." She replied, although she really wanted to join him, to ride a motorcycle as Thea and not Speedy.

"Security guards are still around. They will leave after the cleanup crew is done and I just asked Theo to have them look after your car." Scott informed Thea. Theo manages the security company.

She thought over her decision and recalled the discussion with her vigilante team. In the end, Thea decided to join Scott.

"Here, wear this." He said to her before she got onto the motorcycle, taking off his jacket. "It'll keep you warm. And wear the helmet."

"You need them more that I do. You're the one driving." Thea responded.

"I'm used to riding the bike without them and I'd rather have you protected if something outside my control happens." Scott replied. "Plus if we're pulled over you won't get into trouble."

It felt weird to have someone Thea didn't really know prioritize her safety above his own after the last few months of vigilantism. Refreshing and freeing in some way.

It was because of that that she accepted the offered jacket and helmet and put them on before she got onto the bike.

"Have you ridden a bike before?" Scott inquired.

"Yes."

"Alright, then you know what to do." He replied, before they pulled out.

John Diggle's House

"I don't think using Verdant as our base of operations again would work out well for us." John said during dinner at his house. "For one, it has already been discovered and two, it wouldn't do Thea any good. She needs a life outside Speedy and Verdant may just offer her that."

"Yeah, I have to agree with John on this one, Ray." Laurel supported John.

"Ray's idea is actually pretty good." Lyla spoke in favor of Ray. "The fact that Verdant has already been discovered to be the Arrow's base of operations makes it a good cover, you would be working in plain sight with no one none the wiser.

It wouldn't be out of the ordinary for Laurel and Ray to go in and out of the club, their kind of work does require they release some stress every so often, and you (John) would be working there as Verdant's Head of Security.

Verdant is a better base of operations compared to Palmer Technologies. You have no valid reason for being at Palmer Technologies, a place filled with security cameras profiling your every visit, at odd hours."

"Exactly. Someone is bound to grow suspicious..." Ray concurred, and trailed off when he received an alert on his smart watch and checked it before informing everyone. "The Ghosts have struck again."

"Just as the Glades are finally getting cleaned up, a new and organized group is filling the void." Laurel commented.

"What do you mean the Glades are getting cleaned up?" Lyla inquired.

"Uh, there's been an increase in cases, arrests and convictions of criminals and law offenders in the Glades these past few months. From low-level criminals to high-level ones, but they are being kept under the table." Laurel revealed, surprising everyone.

"Why?" John asked. "Revealing this to the public would..."

"Do more harm than good." Lyla interrupted her hopeful husband, linking hands with him. "As much as it gives you hope it would send other law offenders underground."

"True. Although there are leaks, due to corrupt government officials, the majority are still in the dark. Making a public announcement would scare off them all off and make things difficult." Laurel responded, before her phone rang and she looked to see that her father was calling her. "It's my father."

"Answer it. He might have information on the Ghosts' latest attack." John said, and then focused on his food, as did everyone else.

"Hey, dad." Laurel greeted after answering the call.

"Can you come to my apartment? I need your help with something." Quentin said, in lieu of returning the greeting.

"Are you alright? Is something wrong?" Laurel inquired, gaining everyone's attention.

"I'm alright. I just need your input on something I just got my hands on."

"Oh, OK." Laurel replied, relieved. "Have you heard about the latest Ghost attack?"

"Uh, yes. But I don't have full details right now, apart from the fact that they attacked two places at once, uncharacteristically taking their time this time around and as a result some of the responding officers lost their lives, and so did some of the 'Ghosts'." Quentin responded.

They said their goodbyes and Laurel related what she learned to everyone.

Starling City

Thea discovered a very interesting fact about Scott McCall during their motorcycle ride, he was ripped with oh so chiseled muscles, including well defined abdomen which she had the pleasure of feeling throughout the ride, which was in and of itself exciting, to Big Belly Burger then to Verdant.

They decided to go to Verdant, while waiting for their orders, so that they could discuss business with Scott's priority at the moment, food, being taken care of and he could also check out the venue for the band's setup to make up for the short notice.

Right now, however, Thea enjoyed the ride to her nightclub on the fastest motorcycle ride she's ever been a passenger of and the feel of the driver's well defined abdomen, wondering why he kept his chiseled body covered during his last performance and if she could get him to at least perform wearing a muscle shirt.