Arrow (Book One)

Chapter Fourteen

I walked down to the basement of the club to see John and Oliver in there. No surprise there, where else would they be. This is basically their life. They looked at me. "What are you doing here? I thought you would be with your sister." John said and I sighed.

"I needed a break. I don't remember my transition being this exhausting." I said, walking over to sit on a table.

"But it was also different for you." Oliver pointed out.

"She can barely make any decisions for herself and when she tries, she goes into a panic."

"You said she spent years under someone else's control. That doesn't go away easily."

"Good, you're here." I heard Felicity's voice before I could say a word as she walked down the stairs. "Of course, you're here. Where else would you be? You clearly love it down here." She walked over to her desk, sitting down to turn the new on her computer. "You got to see this."

I pushed myself up from the table walking towards the computer. It was a reporter standing in front of the Mental Health hospital. 'I'm here at the scene where police say a disturbed patient escaped only hours ago. Authorities issued an immediate lockdown at the Starling County Institute for Mental Health following the breakout. Police are warning people to avoid contact with the drug dealer known as the Count.' I recognized that name, looking over at Oliver. He turned away, walking over and throwing everything off the table in a fit of rage.

Finding the count wasn't going to be an easy venture now. Then I pointed out there is one thing that will get to him. Money. So, after some discussion, John went to get the drugs. He came back after half an hour. "The person of color has successfully purchased your drugs." John said, setting the vertigo on the table.

"For the record, I offered." I stated. I did and Oliver said I wasn't allowed to keep the drugs. Once I said, 'what's the point of buying them, then' I was disqualified.

"How will we know when the tracker is active?" Oliver asked.

"It already is. I'm getting a good signal off the monofilament strips we placed in the bills.

"Drug money's like a pigeon-- it always finds its way home." Felicity said. "We can follow the money all the way back to the Count."

"Keep tracking it." Oliver said before walking out of the basement.

There was just a moment of silence while Felicity stood up from her chair walking over to the little baggie of vertigo. "Well, what are you going to do with all the Vertigo you bought?" Felicity asked.

"Plan on having a party, Felicity?" John said, chuckling slightly.

Felicity smiled. "My only experience with drugs was an encounter with a pot brownie my freshman year-- by mistake. Which could have been fun, except I'm allergic to nuts."

I chuckled and my phone started ringing. I saw a familiar name. "I'll be right back." I answered the phone and quickly headed outside. "Hey, thanks for calling me back."

"For my favorite person, anything." Poppy said and I let out a deep breath.

"I need some advice."

"About your sister."

"How did you know?"

"I still have contracts and you recusing your sister is all people can talk about. You know Ivan is fuming. If I didn't have a brain, I might go over to see him squirm."

I chuckled.

"How hard is it?"

"Harder than I thought. I feel like I can't help her, but I know you've done this before."

"You can't expect her to get better in the same city you found her in. She'll be looking over her shoulder when she's supposed to be healing."

"So, what do I do?"

"You take her somewhere else. Somewhere she can learn who she is." I let out a deep breath, thanking her before ending the call. She was right. I can look after her all I want, but if I want her to get an actual life, she needs to find out who she is.

I went back to the basement trying to focus on something-- anything to keep my mind busy. With that, I was listening to the police radio. 'All units, all units, code 99. 417 in progress, Starling Aquarium. All available units--' I turned it off, looking up at Felicity and Oliver.

"I hacked the aquarium security system to get a better look." Felicity stated and I stood up, getting a look at it. A guy pacing, clearly high on something, with a gun in his hand.

Oliver walked over to the table putting some herbs in his stone grinder. I walked over, standing next to him. "There's a lunatic high on Vertigo who's taking hostages, and you're making-- making tea." I said.

"They're medicinal herbs from the island and I feel like you know that." Oliver stated and I smirked. "They counter balance the effects of certain drugs and poisons. They should counteract the effects of Vertigo."

"And you aren't going to--" Felicity asked, stopping herself and Oliver looked at her.

"What?" Oliver asked.

"Oh come on, don't play dumb." I said, getting a glare from Oliver before he sighed.

"My sister got high on this garbage. Could have killed someone. She didn't deserve an arrow in the heart. This guy didn't fail the city. The city failed him. And so did I." Oliver explained.

"What's happening now isn't your fault. You have to know that." I said even though Oliver didn't look at me. "You didn't make him take drugs."

"No, but I did fail to put the Count in a grave so deep that he couldn't come back and hurt anyone again."

"You caught him. They locked him up."

"And now the city is on fire!" Oliver snapped and I cocked my head debating if I was going to let that go. Oliver sighed, picking up on my signals. "So clearly, it wasn't the right decision. Get in touch with Diggle. With the security feed out, I'm going need a second set of eyes at the aquarium."

My phone went off and I pulled it out of my pocket to see a text. 'Come back, now!' -Kat

"I have to go." I said before quickly walking out of the basement and to my car.

I didn't follow the speed limit the entire way. I don't know where the cops were, but they clearly weren't doing their job. I made it back to my apartment to see the door crack open. I pulled out my gun slowly entering the room. The first thing I noticed was the two dead bodies lying on the ground. I moved to go down the hall when Kat moved into view with her gun pointed. "Okay, move it down." I said and we both lowered our guns. I took her gun and Kat slightly rolled her eyes. "What happened?"

"They tried to break into the apartment." Kat quickly shook her head. "I can't stay here."

"Where are you going to go?" I asked, like I didn't know this was a possibility.

"I don't know! But it's clearly not safe here!"

I sighed, "I thought keeping you with me was going to be what's best for you, but I can't watch you and you can't have your own life if I have to."

A short silence took over the room, leaving me in my own thoughts, "This isn't your fault." Kat said, pulling my attention back.

"I left and he made sure you couldn't."

"You also got me out. Kira-- Noelle, you were put in there as a baby. The fact you got out at all showed he didn't have the power we thought he did."

"I know somewhere you can go until you feel safe. We'll be there in a flash."

Kat slightly smiled before looking over at the bodies lying on the living room ground. "What about them?"

I sighed, slightly shrugging my shoulders. "I got a person." I said, pulling out my phone. I will make the call and then Kat will pack. After this mess is cleaned up, I will take her to Central City. Close, but far enough away to be herself.