Shadow Justice

55: Rest Before Explanations

"Detective Quentin," Arrow said in greeting.

The detective studied the vigilante carefully. "I heard you got the guy," he said.

Arrow nodded hesitantly. "In a manner speaking."

"He's dead, isn't he?"

"Obliterated is more like," Arrow said, glancing over his shoulder back the way he came.

"You know," the detective said, "there is such a thing as 'due process.'"

Arrow nodded. "I know," he said. "But in this case, he was put on trial and sentenced, just not by a court you're familiar with."

"But a court you are familiar with," Quentin countered. He watched the vigilante closely, noticing the way he shifted self-consciously.

"I'm becoming familiar with them, yes," Arrow confirmed.

Quentin nodded. "Will this court," he paused significantly at the word, "be causing trouble?"

"No," Arrow said firmly. "Not unless someone else acts first."

"You  talk about them as if they're like the Justice League, over there,"  Quentin said. He noticed Arrow's subtle glance over his shoulder and  nodded. "They are, aren't they? Okay, I'll bite. What are they like and  do they have a name? Why haven't I heard of them before?"

"You have," Arrow countered. "You just don't realize it."

"I'll ask again, are they going to cause problems?"

The vigilante shook his head definitively. "No. Like I said, they only act when threatened or if someone steps out of line."

"Who?"

"One of their own," Arrow said. "They don't bother with anyone outside their own unless they have to."

Detective  Quentin nodded thoughtfully, filing the information away for later  contemplation. "So, other than that, I assume things're done here?"  Arrow nodded and Quentin bit his lip. "You know, it's going to be  difficult explaining to the press what the hell happened in there. You do realize the spectacle you made."

Arrow  groaned. "I'll let them handle it," he said, staring specifically at  Batman and Superman. "They're good with the press, I hear."

Quentin snorted. "Was that an attempt at humor?"

Arrow shrugged. "Too much?"

Snorting, Quentin shook his head. "Go on, get out of here. I'll give you a five minute head start before I call everyone back."

"Thanks,"  Arrow said before disappearing into the park foliage. He waited until  he was a safe distance away before contacting Diggle again. "Where are  you?" he asked.

"In the car," came the reply. "I got you a change of clothes, just like we planned. Where to?"

Arrow  grinned and headed for a small service parking lot where Diggle sat in  the rumbling car. "Home," he said. "I'm getting Walter if he can come.  He's already in on this. Might as well explain everything."

"What about Felicity?"

Arrow  opened the car door and slid into the cab, glad the windows were tinted  as he to work stripping and putting on every day clothes. "She deserves  to know but I don't want the media to see us together and get the wrong  idea."

"Wrong idea?" Diggle asked sarcastically, "You mean you two aren't dating?"  Oliver gave a tired glare at his best friend in the rear view mirror.  Diggle just smiled. "Just ask. If she can't come, she can't come. End of  story. If she can, good. Besides, if the media sees you and Felicity  together, so what? Remember, you said you were bringing Walter too if  you could. And I'm guessing Kaiba and the goth twins'll be there as  well."