Arrow: Fracture Part 3

Retaliation

"Well thanks, but as Felicity said we will have to check our schedule before we can make any plans." Oliver explained, his smile hopefully halting any insisting from Victor.

"I completely understand. Just let me know if you get any free time." Victor happily replied as he turned to leave.

"I'll leave you to your work. Felicity it was great seeing you again, hopefully we can all do dinner soon." Victor ended as he exited the room. A collective sigh exited the group as they all circled back to a plan of action to halt HIVE's plans with QT. Oliver reached for his buzzing phone as Felicity began.

"I'm leaning towards your plan." Diggle smirked as she pointed toward him and his earlier suggestion.

"What happened?" Oliver asked as Felicity and Diggle turned to him and read his sudden change in body language. Felicity detected the shutter in his tone and recognized that something dangerous has just happened.

The collection of emergency service vehicles crowded the area as the barren remains of Verdant were secured. The smoke lifted from the rubble as the firefighters moved to ensure the fire was over and that the danger had ended. Thea sat in the rear of an ambulance with Roy beside her, doing his best to keep calm. Oliver and Felicity cut through the crowded area as they made their way to the ambulance, pushing aside the numerous emergency responders on the scene.

"Speedy!" Oliver announced as he darted to his sister and wrapped her in his arms. Thea returned the embrace, happy that her brother would have one less thing to worry about with her being fine.

"You okay?" Oliver asked, gently pulling back to inspect his sibling.

"Yeah, I was outside when it happened so only a few bruises." Thea answered, knowing her false story might have fooled the police but not her brother. Oliver clenched his jaw as he fought the urge to gather his gear and go after HIVE for their attempt on his sister's life. Detective Warren moved toward the group and began.

"Mr. Queen, may I have a moment of your time?" His tone lacking any sympathy considering the recent circumstances. Oliver glanced to the Detective and received a slight push from Thea, ensuring him that she was alright. Oliver stepped away as Felicity rushed in to hug Thea, knowing she may have been physically alright but the loss of Verdant would weigh on her. Thea held onto Felicity as she looked back onto the smoldering ruins of her once safe haven, the last place she felt any sense of calm and true belonging. Oliver glanced back over to make sure his sister was alright as the Detective began.

"Mr. Queen are you familiar with the drug Vertigo?" Oliver turned back to Warren with an almost disgusted expression, knowing exactly where the Detective was leading.

"What does this have to do with my sister almost being killed?" Oliver asked, his patience at an end.

"I'm just trying to cover all angles, and the fact that your sister was questioned in a Vertigo related case last year is just one of those angles. Just like your sister's previous residence also being burned down is an angle I have to cover." Warren explained, detecting Oliver's surge in tension at the subject and deciding to push to see if anything could be shaken loose. Oliver held back his verbal and physical attacks, finding it nearly impossible to do so. Thea's momentary relapse the year before was something he blamed himself for, and the fact that he couldn't explain that Thea's activities as a hero were a direct result of that unfortunate incident. Oliver calmed himself as he regained his composure and replied.

"Unless you have any evidence I suggest you keep these false accusations to yourself before it hinders your career in this city Detective." Oliver politely warned.

"I see you learned a thing or two from your ex girlfriend." Warren fired back, refusing to backdown. Oliver again fought against his urge to lash out against the man, even at the mention of Laurel when he himself played such a pivotal role in her leaving. Oliver instead took notice of the scratch on Warren's head from when his taser arrows had rendered him unable to arrest the Green Arrow a few nights ago.

"Did you injure yourself responding to the scene Detective?" Oliver asked, motioning to the scrap and bandage on the Detective's head. Warren gently inspected his wound to insure it hadn't reopened during the day.

"Uh no. This is from a few nights ago...occupational hazard." Warren defended, clearly still upset from being bested by the Green Arrow yet again.

"You should be careful. There are dangerous people in this city." Oliver almost whispered as he leaned in slightly closer to the Detective and glared into his eyes. Warren shifted slightly at the comment, knowing all to well a threat when he heard one but not expecting it from a pampered billionaire. A hint of respect for underestimating his opponent was shared with Warren's glance, as was a warning of his own. Oliver knew the look, he had seen it many times before and was no stranger to it.

"Detective." Oliver ended as he stepped away, knowing there was nothing else to be said.

"Mr. Queen." Warren replied as he watched Oliver walk off into the crowd of responders. The anger from the recent events slowly began to subside within Oliver, he knew there was no time to allow distractions to steal his attention when things were getting more complicated and dangerous by the minute.

"What'd he want?" Felicity asked, trying to read the tense body language Oliver was carrying in his shoulders.

"Nothing important." Oliver replied, deciding to keep the Detective's absurd accusations to himself for now.

"So what's our next move?" Diggle asked, making sure no one else could hear them.

"We relocate. We'll get the Keep up and running and plan our next move from their." Oliver explained, knowing the team would have to stay on alert in case HIVE made another move.

"And I know just where to start." Thea spoke up, her anger fixating on taking her frustration out on Chase whom she had no doubt was responsible for the explosion. Oliver nodded, doing his best to hide his concern for his sister's current state of mind.