As Felicity walks from the lobby of Merlyn Global to the elevator with Oliver, she can't help but remind herself that she's solely responsible for their current predicament. If she'd only been able to hack into the server, they wouldn't have to be doing this. And really, she's kind of done with being in the field because of what happened the last time. Granted it was an underground casino and she was begging for trouble by counting cards, but it's hard to forget being held at gunpoint, too.
"Remind me why I agreed to this," Felicity demands in a fluttery voice, feeling the tell-tale shake of her hands that accompanies her nervousness. "Because I'm having a hard time remembering." It earns her a confused look from Oliver, his eyebrows knitting together. "No, I remember that I couldn't hack the Merlyn Global servers, but I don't see why I can't just give Tommy a comm and tell him to go crazy." She waves a hand. "Figuratively. Not literally."
It's enough to pull one corner of Oliver's mouth upward as he guides her forward with a hand at the small of her back. "Because we only have ten minutes before guard patrol will catch you," he answers evenly, "and Tommy doesn't know how to write code." Something about his smile changes, and Felicity is tempted to call it a smirk. "Not to mention that Tommy's typing skills are worse than my texting skills."
Felicity winces so hard that most of the muscles in her face hurt for a moment. Then she shakes her head. "How do you two survive in the modern world?" she blurts. Oliver texts at the same speed that Internet Explorer loads webpages, and he even gets that deep furrow in his brow like he has to really concentrate. Even worse, sometimes she thinks that Internet Explorer is the faster of the two.
Oliver's smile is accompanied by a slight shake of his head. "I can't speak for Tommy," he answers slowly, "but my survival is mostly a combination of reflexes and five years of combat training." His voice is light despite the circumstances, and, for the first time, Felicity realizes that he's in his element: in the field and performing some sort of covert operation. This is where Oliver Queen thrives, not in the spotlight that he spends so much time in because of his birth.
For not the first time, Felicity realizes that, even if he makes it through the List, Oliver will find some way of continuing to don the hood. Though she knew from the moment she put the two together that the Arrow was an integral part of him, every once in a while it strikes her just how devoted he is to what he does. And, though the work is dangerous, she wouldn't dream of pulling him away from it. This is where he thrives, and asking him to stop would be like asking her to stop working with computers.
Finally, the elevator doors open, and Oliver ushers her in with a hand lingering at the small of her back. He must sense her concern because he reminds her quietly, "One part of the mission at a time, Felicity. Right now, we're just going to meet Tommy for lunch."
She adjusts the strap of her purse over her shoulder, fidgeting with it to prevent herself from panicking. Felicity has always been a big-picture thinker, but she's starting to think that's a curse in these kinds of situations. It's also what concerns her about Oliver's plans: he makes an outline of what she considers a plan, not bothering to coordinate every detail from start to finish the way she does. When she'd pointed this out to Diggle last night, the man had simply shrugged and offered with a cryptic smile, "No plan survives the battlefield, Felicity."
"Hold the elevator!" a man's voice calls, jolting her out of her thoughts. Felicity turns to Oliver for a moment, and they share a look before she starts frantically pressing the button marked "Doors Closed." It doesn't work, though; the man manages to reach the doors a second before they close completely.
Apparently, in addition to screwing up their plan, the man also manages to be a complete asshole. The first thing he does is turn to Felicity with an appreciative look that makes her skin crawl. "Where are you headed, sweetie?" he asks, and somehow she manages to hold back an eye-roll.
Her attention flicks to Oliver just in time to watch his jaw clench and his expression darken in a way that usually accompanies the phrase you have failed this city. Then she notices his knuckles on the handle of his briefcase are white. "Nineteenth floor," she blurts a lie with as much disinterest as possible, hoping that they'll be rid of the guy before then.
"Too bad," he comments. "I'm going to thirteen."
Before he can reach to press the button, the binder under his arm goes flying out into the lobby, and she's just in time to watch Oliver draw back his arm. No doubt it was his doing. Still, she seizes the opportunity, pressing the button with more force this time, before the man even realizes that the doors are closed.
It takes her all of five seconds to determine that the satisfied smirk on Oliver's face is worrying. "While I appreciate that chivalry isn't dead," she starts slowly, "I would like to point out that I fight my own battles, Oliver. The only reason I'm not yelling at you right now is because it was integral that we get rid of that particularly slimy human being." He doesn't exactly look contrite when she finishes.
"While I hate to break up your relationship counseling session," Diggle calls into the comm, causing Felicity to jump, "I think you should know that my buddy here in security is enjoying his Big Belly Buster, courtesy of Carly and my own special ingredient. Shame how some guys can't hold their benzodiazepine." Felicity had forgotten they were even wearing comms, with everything else happening. "Cams are clear—you two are officially off the grid."
A new voice jumps into the chatter. "Hey, just got back from my meeting," Tommy inserts. "What have I missed? Besides the couples' therapy and the drugging of innocent security guards, I mean." With mock seriousness, he adds, "I was the one who made sure you were hired, Diggle. When you drug the other guards, it reflects poorly on me, too."
At the same time, a new thought occurs to Felicity. "Um, boys?" she calls to catch everyone's attention. "Have you thought about what's going to happen if someone realizes I'm not at lunch with Tommy? How are we going to explain my absence?"
Surprisingly, Tommy is the one to respond. "Oh, that's an easy one, Smoaky," he answers. "My dad thinks that Oliver and I are arguing. So I've insinuated that this lunch is so we can try to mend fences. I'll just say that you left because I said something rude to you—like the complete asshat that I am—and Oliver stayed behind to yell at me."
"Tommy Merlyn, you think of everything," Felicity can't help but marvel. Oliver's plans are often missing the little details, but apparently Tommy knows how to fill those gaps with his contributions. Now she understands why the two are best friends: they're complementary to one another. "I kind of love you for that." The words surprise even her because she didn't mean to say them, but Oliver doesn't seem to be offended by her sudden, sort-of declaration of affection to his best friend.
"Not that I want to pick out curtains with you or anything," Tommy answers with a hint of that infectious humor, "but you aren't so bad yourself, Smoak." Then he sighs with dramatic flair. "But, alas, our love can never be. You insist on dating my less attractive and less charming best friend, and I'm living with a woman who could sue me for everything I'm worth." There's a thoughtful pause before he adds with mock seriousness, "I guess you could always be my mistress."
Finally Oliver deigns fit to cut in, an almost-smile spreading across his face. "Tommy, do you think you could stop flirting with my girlfriend for a few minutes?" He looks up at the indicator light over the elevator doors. "We're nearing the twenty-fourth floor, and it's going to take some concentration."
As soon as he finishes the statement, the elevator doors stop. "This is as close as I can get you to the mainframe," Diggle informs them. "The rest is up to you."
The statement causes Oliver to spring into action, pulling a pair of gloves out of the pocket of his suit coat. Belatedly, Felicity remembers that they're not supposed to have access to any of this, so they're taking precaution in case the mission is compromised. She pulls another pair of gloves out of her purse, but shaking fingers make the process of pulling them on a struggle. For not the first time, she wishes she was as calm and collected as Oliver or Digg when she goes into the field for missions.
Oliver must notice because his hands are on hers, pulling the gloves over her hands. He doesn't say anything, simply offering her a look with a clear message: Everything is going to be fine. The thought is punctuated with a brief kiss, and then he's climbing up to the emergency hatch of the elevator.
He scrambles through the opening as though he's been climbing elevator shafts all his life, and Felicity thinks it's a little unfair when she can barely take the stairs without tripping. Before Oliver can ask for it, she hands him up the briefcase, following it with her bag. "My tablet is in there," she warns him before passing the bag to him. "Guard it with your life."
Anyone else would roll their eyes, but Oliver only takes the bag and sets it aside—presumably somewhere safe—before crouching down over the hole and offering her a hand. She has to jump to grab it, but his grip is strong enough that she can plant her feet on the side rails for balance while suspended in the air. He pulls her up with two hands, and she stops on the top of the elevator to catch her breath.
The first thing he does is hand her the bag containing her tablet, then Oliver moves to his briefcase, opening it to reveal a small crossbow. Without any real regard for his safety, he stands on the support beam, not even bothering to brace himself. Instead, he holds out a hand as a silent invitation for her to join him.
Felicity scrambles up after him, adjusting the bag over her shoulder and making sure the little pack is properly zipped. At first she's hesitant to use his hand as leverage to pull herself up, but an experimental tug shows that he's firmly rooted in place.
Too late, he offers his next piece of advice in a warning tone: "Don't look down."
With a deathgrip on his hand and a shaky voice, she answers, "This is probably a bad time to tell you this, but I'm terrified of heights." She drops his hand to wave her own, and she can hear the crossbow clicking into place as she stares down at the abyss below her. "In my defense, though, I didn't know that until five seconds ago. Acrophobia is a perfectly common fear—"
He doesn't try to cut her off this time, but her babbling stops the moment he crouches down to slide his hand around her waist, making her own arm naturally fall across his shoulders. She wraps her other arm under his crossbow-bearing hand immediately, in some form of odd embrace. In a very serious voice that lets her know that argument is out of the question, he states, "Felicity. Hold onto me tight."
Against her will, words bubble out of her mouth: "The last time you said that, it was under very different circumstances."
Oliver stops lining up his shot to look at her in a way that makes her stomach drop in something entirely not fear. The last time he gave her that look, she woke up the next morning in his arms with a mess of arrows and vigilante gear scattered across the room. Under different circumstances, she knows he'd be kissing her.
Tommy groans in the earpiece, and it causes Felicity to blurt, "Motorcycle! The last time you said that, it was when you wanted me to ride on that deathtrap motorcycle with you." Clearly too focused to think about that, Oliver only focuses on aiming the crossbow again. When he asks if she's ready, all Felicity can think of to say is, "Do it."
There's something about flying through the air that's supposed to be exhilarating, Felicity knows; in every book she's ever read, they've talked about the exciting freedom of flying through the air. At the moment, though, she's tempted to tell those authors what utter bullshit it is.
Felicity's feet are definitely meant to stay on the ground, she decides as she lands with a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach and legs that feel like they're about to collapse under her at any moment. She clings to Oliver for longer than is entirely necessary, but he lets her, waiting until she releases him to continue.
It takes a moment before Felicity feels steady enough to let him go, and the too-confident bastard actually stops to button his suit coat with one hand before switching to the other support beam in front of the elevator doors. In the process, Oliver guides her hand over to the column so that she can hold onto it. Then he holds out his own hand, and she takes it while switching beams.
Finally, he pushes open the elevator doors, motioning her through. It takes all Felicity has not to sink to the floor or throw up on everything. She tries to gather herself as Oliver scans the area while placing his gloves in his pocket again. "Security patrol just finished—they should be back in ten minutes," he tells her without paying much attention to her. He turns back to her as he continues, "I'll be back in nine after I finish making appearances with—" He cuts himself off, and Oliver's hands land on either side of Felicity's face, his eybrows coming together in concerned confusion. "Are you okay? You're green."
"I'm also about to throw up," she answers honestly. "I'm okay. I'm just not a fan of the whole elevator rope-swinging thing. Please tell me you have a different exit plan." When her answer is stony silence, she tries a little more desperately, "Please tell me you have an exit plan of any kind."
The non-answer that follows is really all the answer that she needs. "I'll see you in nine minutes," he says again before turning and walking away. He's barely out of sight when she hears him say into the comm, "Digg, you keep eyes on her the entire time." It isn't up for negotiation, judging by his tone.
"Always," is his stoic answer.
Felicity could choose to dwell on the fact that Oliver has no plan, but instead, she decides to focus on the technical aspect that she knows how to handle. Because she still feels like she's going to throw up, the latter seems like the best choice, so she pulls out the card that she duplicated from Tommy and the keycode she managed to pull off of the encrypted server.
The door beeps open without any resistance, opening a world of servers and ludicrously cold air conditioning beyond. She ignores it as best she can, settling into the desk chair and hooking her tablet to the network manually. For the next few minutes, she's so wrapped up in her work that she doesn't pay any attention to her comm, but then something catches her attention.
"Oliver, we have a problem," Diggle calls into the comm. Felicity tenses on the spot, waiting to see what follows with hands perched over the keyboard. "The boys in security decided to do their walk-through early. Felicity, you need to be out of there in the next two minutes."
"What? No," she protests. "I'm nowhere near finished with the server download. It's going to take at least two minutes to finish it." She crosses her arms in defiance, even though no one is there to see her.
Oliver's voice finally cuts into the line, sharp and clear in its intent. "I'm headed your way, Felicity," he assures her. "I'll take care of the guards on my way up." It takes her a moment to realize that he plans on knocking some heads together, and she's tempted to ask him if that will jeopardize their plan of covert entrance and exit.
Before she can, a new voice, faded by distance, fills the line. "Hello, Oliver," the man says, and Felicity thinks it sounds vaguely familiar. Whoever it is, though, his voice sends chills down her spine.
Only when Tommy groans and Oliver greets him as Mr. Merlyn does she realize that this is the same guy they broke in to stop. "I was just having lunch with Tommy and I'm on my way out," Oliver continues with the agreed upon lie.
"I'm actually on my way to a meeting," Malcolm Merlyn replies in that slimy voice of his. "I'll walk you out." Felicity winces, wondering if everyone's plans seem to backfire so beautifully, or if it's just Team Arrow that fate likes to screw with.
Moments later, Tommy cuts through the line. "Ollie, don't worry about it," he assures his best friend just as Felicity watches the download complete. "I'll take care of her." His voice is grave, even as he inserts some humor into the situation. "I may not have the martial arts skills you have, but I'm pretty sure I can come up with something."
"I'm done and I'm headed out," Felicity warns everyone as she unplugs her equipment and stuffs it all into her bag. In a panic, she turns on her heel to leave the room, only to stop cold as she practically runs into the security guard in front of her.
Her stomach fills with dread as he says to her, "I'm sorry, but this is a restricted area. I need to see your ID, please." She repeats the question blankly while searching her pockets, and Felicity just hopes she can stall long enough for Tommy to pull her out of this mess.
It feels like lifetimes, but she knows it's more like minutes when the billionaire scion turns the corner. "Oh, thank you so much, Ryan," he proclaims, surprising Felicity when he calls the guard by name. "Felicity is a friend of mine, and I was rude to her. She left before I could apologize." Before the guard can protest, Tommy turns to Felicity with an exaggerated wink. "I'm sorry for what I said to you earlier. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that."
Felicity has no idea what to say for once, her mouth opening and closing without anything coherent managing to come out. But, fortunately for her, Tommy knows exactly what to do. "Let me walk you back to your car, and we'll talk about it." He ushers her out, though she doesn't exactly need him to tell her twice, stopping to pat the guard on the shoulder. "Thanks again, Ryan. I appreciate it."
"Glad to help, Mr. Merlyn," he answers from behind them.
Unable to resist the urge, Felicity hugs him as soon as they're out of sight. "Oh, thank God," she breathes quietly. "I don't think I've ever been so glad to see anyone in my life." She frowns with distaste at her next thought. "I think that makes you my night in shining armor." Then she notes his suit and tie. "Figuratively speaking, of course."
He throws her a cheesy smile. "My armor is in the shop getting cleaned."
***
A sigh of relief leaves Oliver as he listens to Tommy and Felicity dodge the security guard, at the same moment the elevator opens again. Malcolm Merlyn doesn't appear to notice, continuing to talk about their families, and Oliver thinks that it's a lot more difficult to be civil when he knows that the man was partially responsible for his father's death.
It feels like lifetimes before Malcolm extends his hand with an air of finality. "Good to see you again, Oliver," he offers with a smile. "Tell your mother I said hello."
Somehow Oliver fights the urge to punch him, forcing a smile instead. "I will," he assures him, hoping his tone doesn't come off too terse.
He turns to leave when a face in the crowd surprises him. She's facing away from him, scanning the lobby for something, but there's no mistaking the teenager in front of him. "Thea?" he calls in confusion, before he can stop himself. Drawing attention to himself now only jeopardizes their team, but the brotherly instinct makes him do it.
Before she can answer, he scans the lobby further, only for his eyes to lock onto another teenager—one in a denim jacket with a red hood underneath. He may not know Roy Harper as well, but Oliver still recognizes him with ease. Before Thea can answer the first question, he asks a second: "Is that Roy?"
She glances at Roy, and Oliver can already tell she's going to lie before it happens. "Uh..." she starts slowly, but then Oliver lifts an eyebrow at her. Thea sighs once before admitting, "Yeah, it is." She's quiet for a long moment afterward, clearly saying all she wants on the subject.
Oliver isn't going to let it go so easily, however. "And why are you and Roy here?" he uses as a follow-up. She gets that look again, so he adds, "The truth, please. And don't stonewall me."
This time, Thea's sigh is tired and weary. "Roy has it in his head that he's going to help the Vigilante," she blurts. "He's kind of been obsessed since the Vigilante saved his life. He didn't tell me how he found out about it, but he says that the case at Unidac connects to Merlyn Global—" She cuts off, and her eyes flick over his shoulder. "Hey, Felicity," she says abruptly, clinging to the blonde's appearance like a lifeline. "How are you doing?"
"I was having a pretty awesome day," Felicity answers, "until came down from lunch to find your brother looking like this." She points to him, motioning to whatever expression must be on his face. "Why don't you just leave for now? I think it would be better to talk about this later."
He knows what she's doing: Felicity is trying to get everyone out of the building before their covert op is discovered. They've already had one close call, and it's more than enough for one mission. Oliver, however, has other priorities. Instead of trying to continue talking to his sister, he bypasses her for the other teenager standing there.
Roy seems completely unperturbed by the situation. "Nice to see you again, Oliver," he offers, extending his hand. He can hear Felicity groan behind him, and then she mutters something to Thea.
Oliver grips the other man's hand perhaps a little too tightly, and something resembling fear passes through Roy's eyes. "Roy," he starts firmly, hoping to put the fear of God into the kid, "don't mess around with the Hood." Maybe using the name the police use will put some sense into him. "The man is a psychopath. He's dangerous, and anyone who gets near him ends up dead. That will not be my sister."
Suddenly there's a hand on his shoulder, fingers digging in a little harder than necessary. "Oliver," Felicity says, her voice a warning. He turns to face her, waiting to hear whatever she has to say. "Let me handle this," she insists quietly. It takes him a moment to agree, but he realizes that he's probably too emotionally compromised on the subject—and the adrenaline rush from breaking in doesn't help, either.
Reluctantly, he nods once before turning away.
After taking a few steps, he hears Felicity say to Roy in a stern voice, "Remember that protection agreement? You do not involve the Queens in this." He starts to protest, but she silences him. "I know you didn't mean anything by it, but there could have been consequences. We'll talk about this later. For now, take Thea home."
There's a long pause before she adds, "And maybe try not to piss Oliver off anymore than you already have."