The Arrow and The Arachnid

Trust But Verify

"Tahitian green or midnight black, what do you think?" Thea asked as Jayden smiled while they all were in the living room. "I think you've been dropping hints all week, Speedy." The young Lance sibling said very slowly hoping that it was the answer. "And mom still isn't buying you a car for your birthday." Olive teased.

    "I could not have said it better myself." Moira laughed, walking into the room and setting down a couple of bags. "Oliver got a car when he turned 18." Thea argued. "Yeah, but I could back it out the driveway without hitting a tree." Oliver retorted as the young Queen sibling looked to Jayden only for him to snap out of his thoughts and take her side.

    "That's true, but I do remember you taking the paint off the side of your dad's Maserati." Jayden smirked as Tommy walked in to give a hug to the birthday girl. "While this has been fun, we have a party planner waiting. I'll be waiting in the car Thea." Moira said, giving the lot a hug before leaving for the vehicle.

    "So you don't know anything about my mom being me a convertible." Thea looked at Jayden with puppy dog eyes only for the young man to chuckle and kiss her on her forehead. "I promise I don't Speedy, but I do have a surprise for you later though." Jayden said as she rolled her eyes and kissed him on the cheek before chasing after her mom.

    "How's she holding up?" Tommy asked. "Oh, she's okay. Thea thinks she's actually a little bit too okay." Oliver answered. "What do you mean?" "Just... behaving erratically. Shut-in one minute, running the company the next."

    "Well, her husband is missing and presumed who knows what. If anyone had an excuse to be erratic, it's your mom." Tommy said. "That's what I told Thea." Jayden said before sitting on the couch and turning on the tv.

    "The department has got the same comment about this heist as it did the other two, No comment!" Detective Lance snapped at a couple of reporters before storming off. "The SCPD may not be willing to go on the record, but traffic cameras got the entire heist in this exclusive." The video feed then switched to shortly after 1 am, three masked robbers approached the armored vehicle. The operation went on as the reporter continued as Jayden left out to the hideout to try and make some new progress for the day.

Base of Operations

    "With all the guys working up top, you might want to think about a side entrance for your, uh, Arrowcave." Diggle said entering the hideout. "Beat ya to that idea, South alleyway, and Ollie wanted you to take a look at something John." Jayden said, hanging above his work area typing up something on a laptop.

    "Did he finally get into online dating, and need me to help with his profile?" Diggle asked sarcastically, earning a snicker from the young man. "Not exactly, Diggle, but there is someone I would like to meet." Oliver said, looking at the monitor. "Yeah, I read about it. This is the third truck to be hit this month." Diggle said as Jayden pulled up the video to the monitor.

    "I saw it on the news this morning. I couldn't figure out why it seemed so familiar. Then I remembered this. Kandahar, 09' when the marines took out a Taliban transport vehicle." Oliver noted. "Well, there's a reason why it looks so similar. These guys are running the same swarming technique. Where'd you find this?" Diggle asked. "We were researching someone. Bodyguard who works for a private security firm. Blackhawk Squad Protection Group. His name is Ted Gaynor." Jayden said. "Guys, I know Ted. He was my commanding officer on my first tour in Afghanistan." Diggle sighed. "Dig I'm sorry, but Gaynor is on the list." Oliver sighed walking away from Diggle.

    "Gaynor's a few hundred thousand dollars short of making your list." "Well, I never said it was just one-percenters, did I?" "Oliver, this guy saved my life. Hell, he received a commendation for it. I don't care what the book says, he's not a stick-up man." Diggle snapped walking up to Oliver as Jayden dropped from his position.