Technical Assistance

Chapter 11: Online Shopping Assistance

His head snaps up, and his mouth is turned down into a frown.  "How do you know that?" he demands, and suddenly the Vigilante doesn't seem so friendly.  Finally Felicity understands again why he's the terror of Starling; his voice sounds like the wrath of the gods when he wants it to.

She swallows hard, but then decides he's overreacting, so she draws herself up to full height and crosses her arms.  "I'm not an idiot," she declares.  "I trust you, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to do my research.  I know you want to keep your identity a secret from me—that's fine, by the way—but you can't expect me not to try and connect the dots.  Mysteries are meant to be solved, and you're a mystery.  I've read all the police reports.  I've seen all the arrows they've collected, and I know they don't have serial numbers.  They don't have producer information in the shaft.  So you make them."

"What else do you know?" he asks, and this time he's less confrontational about it.

"I know that you have to be an exceptional archer to fire the way you do," she replies, deciding to share her thoughts with him.  "I know that you also have to fight well in close combat, because Oliver Queen's statement said that you killed all three of those men without firing an arrow.  I know that the last man ran, and that you'd have to be fast to catch him.  I know your friend—the Not-Vigilante, or whatever you choose to call him—has a military background."  She shifts her weight onto one hip.  "And I know that your training isn't military—it's something more."  The corner of his mouth purses in, and she knows she's right about all of it.

"You should stop looking into me," he warns her firmly.  "If my enemies ever learned you knew anything about me, they would use you to get to me."  There's a long, pregnant pause before he finally adds, "I promised to protect the citizens of this city—especially the ones I endanger by allowing them to help me."

She rolls her eyes, frowning.  "Why, that is incredibly sweet and overprotective of you," she replies, her words dripping with sarcasm.  "Look, if you don't want to tell me, you don't have to.  Whatever.  But don't try to make it look like you're trying to protect me when you just don't want me to know."

After a long moment, he finally says, "My... associate thinks it would be better if I didn't involve you any more than I have to."

Felicity waves her hands at him.  "And here we have the honest answer!" she comments, now exasperated.  "That's all you had to say:  the Not-Vigilante doesn't like me.  I'm not offended.  Honestly, I'm not sure I liked him either, but I'm trying to hold out on judgment."

"It's not that," comes the reply, and Felicity looks at him with a silent question across her face.  He looks down at Saphira before finishing the thought.  "He doesn't like that I'm putting you in danger."

She rolls her eyes as the coffee pot finishes.  "It is too early in the morning—or late at night, take your pick—to have this conversation."  She pulls down her second-favorite coffee mug, the one with a robot that looks distinctly like a salt shaker.  It declares in bold letters, "CAFFEINATE!" and she fills it to the brim with black coffee.

The Arrow opens his mouth to speak, but she silences him with her index finger before taking a long, healthy pull of the most ingenious liquid ever discovered by man.  "Now," she says after she finishes, turning on her computer screen, "let me see if I can work my magic."  She tilts her head to the side.  "Would you prefer Grammaryë, or should I go get my wand?"  She winces as she realizes what she asked.  "Never mind.  Nerd humor."

She takes the arrow from the counter top, and he frowns.  "Be careful," he warns, and she rolls her eyes.  Sure, she may not be a ninja like him, but even she can handle an arrow without poking her eyes out.  She examines it carefully, but then she sees what she's looking for.