Technical Assistance

Chapter 28: Item Tracking Service

Felicity very nearly jumps a foot in the air when the knock sounds at her door, somehow managing to avoid burning herself with her curling iron in the process. Even though she knows to expect Oliver, she didn’t think he’d be this early. A quick glance from the bathroom to her clock in the bedroom informs her that he’s right on time, and she wonders vaguely where the past two hours have gone.

Saphira leaves her feet, with her nose in the air, barking and wagging her tail. It’s all Felicity needs to know it’s Oliver at her door. “It’s open!” she calls from the bathroom, leaning out so that her voice will carry better. “I’m just trying to finish up, so I’ll be out in a minute. Feel free to have a seat.”

“You know,” he answers, presumably from the couch, “it’s not exactly a good idea to keep your door unlocked in this neighborhood. It doesn’t exactly seem safe.” Quieter, she hears him speaking to Saphira, and Felicity can picture the little dog happily curled in his lap, getting fur all over his suit.

“I knew you were coming, and I didn’t want you to wait for me,” she answers. “Knowing my bad timing, I’d probably be only half-dressed or something.” Then she flushes as she realizes the implications of that. “And we’re five seconds in, and my mouth is already starting.” She finishes the last curl, checks her makeup again, then moves to the full-length mirror in her room.

She’s not sure that gold is an appropriate color for a cocktail dress—especially with the sequins—but that’s what she gets by asking Thea for help. Felicity had nothing suitable in her closet, so she had called Thea for an emergency shopping trip. Somehow they’d ended up agreeing on the sleeveless number she’s wearing now, a tiny slit up one side. She decides to take a risk and wear her hair in long curls, but keeps them out of her face with gold clips studded with emeralds that she couldn’t resist. And it’s definitely time for contacts—especially since she’s kind of working for the Arrow tonight, too.

Sighing, she grabs her bag, knowing she can’t stall much longer. Part of her wants to check the tracker she doesn’t even have yet, just to see if the Dodger has stolen the item. But that's ridiculous because the event hasn’t started yet, and she’s far too nervous to be doing this. Still, Felicity reminds herself that this is exactly what she signed on for, and she should take a deep breath and handle it.

She expects Oliver to be on the couch, waiting as impatiently as all men do, but instead she finds him browsing through the bookshelves across the living room of her apartment, studying the spines carefully. For someone who said that the Queen family didn’t appreciate books, he seems to, judging by the way he runs his fingers across the spine of one book in particular. Her eyes widen in surprise at first, but then she smiles. “The Odyssey is one of my favorites,” she says quietly from behind him. “But then I’ve always been partial to the classics.”

He hesitates for a long moment before saying without looking at her, “It was one of the few things I actually read in college—when I wasn’t busy being kicked out of them.” Another moment of hesitation crosses his features. “It’s about a man trying to make his way back home—something I can relate to. ‘Of all creatures that breathe and move upon the earth, nothing is bred that is weaker than man.’” Finally he adds what’s on his mind: “That line saved two of us on that island one day.”

He gauges her expression carefully, as if curious to see what she’ll say next. They both know he’s not ready to expand upon that statement, since he was obviously alone when they found him. “That’s a good line,” she says finally, nodding slightly, “but my favorite has always been: ‘Even his griefs are a joy long after to one that remembers all that he wrought and endured.’”