Oliver picked me up at my house that night once I was finished getting ready and we headed straight to the benefit. I smiled at what it all turned out to be - I've said it before, but Tommy knew how to throw a party that was for Damn sure. The room was filled with people, lights, and music and the whole place was decorated with giant banners of fire fighters.
"Tommy did great. This place looks amazing." I mumbled.
"Yeah, it does." Oliver rested a hand on my lower back as he led me through the crowd.
"There he is," I was the one to spot Chief Raynes and I quickly wrapped my arms around Oliver's one arm as I tugged him along. "Chief Raynes, hey."
He turned, startled, but smiled when he saw Oliver and I, "Oliver. Harley," he shook our hands in greeting. "This place is spectacular. The Starling City's Firemen Relief Association, can't thank you enough."
"You guys are the real heroes," Oliver told him modestly. "Like, at the Nodell Tower Fire, which I've been reading up on." Chief Raynes looked at him curiously, but I kept my gaze on the Fire Marsall - watching his reactions closely. "Garfield Lynns was the first man in your unit to die. Now, I read that they recovered his coat in the wreckage, but never found his body?"
I watched Chief Raynes face go from curious to blank in a matter of seconds - carefully concealing something away. "You always interrogate your club members, Mr. Queen."
"No, he doesn't," I answered for him, tilting my head slightly. "Do you feel interrogated, Chief Raynes? There's more to this story, isn't there?"
"I've been doing this a long time," he said, keeping his voice even. "And I've never seen a fire like that. It was like some monster out of a science fiction movie. I radioed for my men to get the Hell out of there. But, Lynn's, he wouldn't go - he begged me to send the unit back in. But, I wouldn't do it. Couldn't. God, help me, I left him to burn." And with that he threw the rest of his drink back. "But, I can't bring him back."
"You don't have to," Oliver's words were quick and sure, he'd made up his mind already - but, I'd never second guessed Oliver's intuition yet, and I wasn't going to start doing it now. "He's already back."
Chief Raynes eyes narrowed in carefully controlled anger - obviously it was a sensitive subject. "What the Hell are you talking about?"
"Garfield Lynn's killed Danny," I told him, backing Oliver up. "And the other men on you're unit and he's going to go after every last one of you for leaving him there."
"There's no way he could've survived that fire," Chief Raynes said, his words sure but I could see the waver in his eyes - like he was one push away from believing it himself.
"You'd be surprised what the power of revenge can do," Oliver said.
And just like that, the waver was gone, "you're insane. Gar, did not make it out of the building."
"Just like you won't make it out of this one." A voice said and I whipped around to see a cloaked man in a turnout suit. I felt Oliver's arm wrap around the front of my waist and I was nudged backwards just as the man who I could only assume was Garfield, threw something over head.
I jumped at the sudden explosion, my eyes widening as I looked behind us to see the fire erupt through the room and screams fill my ears. I gripped Oliver's sleeve tightly in my fingers, turning back in time to see Garfield take off his helmet. My jaw dropped slightly at the burn scars that took over half his face.
"Gar, what are you doing?"
He didn't grace the Chief with an answer, simply unhooked the nozzle from his suit and pointed it in Oliver and I's direction, "run."
"Let's go." Oliver grabbed my hand and tugged me along as we went racing towards the back to the door that led down to the basement.
I caught on to his plan quickly, and as soon as we reached the bottom of the stairs I broke off from him to head over to my desk where my duffel was. I changed quickly into a black tank top and some army green jeans before pulling on the same leather jacket and black boots that I always wore since the day Oliver gave them to me at Russo's. Lastly, I slipped on my mask, flipped up the hood and grabbed on of my Kitana's from their stand.
I ran after Oliver, taking the stairs two at a time and reaching the main floor just in time to see Garfield lift up a lit Zippo and throw it at a drenched Chief Raynes. With a flourish of his wrist Oliver sent an Arrow off, and I couldn't help but smile as it took the Zippo out and soared across the room.
He was back.
Oliver set up another Arrow against the string, taking up the left side of Garfield while I came up on his right, holding my sword out in front of me. "Go," he told Chief Raynes, and the man ran out of there fast. "It's over now."
His ones eye flickered between the two of us, "I'm not afraid to die."
"No, you're not..." I agreed with him, slowly lowering my sword. "You're afraid to live. Let me get you out of here," I tucked my sword into the hilt strapped onto my back and held out my hand. "Let me get you some help, Lynn's."
"Thanks," he shook his head. "But, I'm already burned."
"Lynn's," I tried to run after him as he walked right into the fire, but Oliver held me back. All I could do was watch him burn alive knowing that even if Oliver didn't hold me back, there was nothing I could do to stop him. You can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved.
After the Fire Department came and put out the fire Oliver and I headed back into the building to make sure that the bunker was okay. Luckily, the fire hadn't spread down there. I went home after that, for the rest of the night - changing out of my 'Vigilante Costume' and into some pajama's as I camped out on the living room couch to watch the news.
"Eye witness reports say that dozens of lives would've been lost if not for the timely intervention of the Vigilante and his unknown accomplice," I smirked at the somewhat recognition. "But, these were not the action of a Vigilante, what's been described are the actions of a hero."
A knocking at my front door caught my attention and I quickly turned off the TV. A second knock rang through by the time I reached the door and pulled it open - I was shocked to see Detective Lance at my door, "Quentin... what're you doing here."
"Johanna asked Laurel to give this to that Hood guy," he handed me a case and I slowly took. I felt my jaw drop slightly when I slipped it open to reveal a Firemen's badge - I could only assume it was Danny's. "I figured, you'd be able to reach him better plus I don't really want my daughter anywhere near that guy ever again."
I scoffed, setting it down gently on the little N-table beside my doors, "You've made that pretty clear, Detective."
"Really, cause I'm not sure I have." I cocked an eyebrow at his tone, leaning in against the large, Cherry wood door. "From what I hear she came to you to get the Vigilantes help for Danny's case."
"She did," I didn't even attempt to lie, "and would you look at that, his killer was brought to justice." I feigned shock and noticed him roll his eyes at my antics.
"He was killed." He corrected and I crossed my arms.
"He killed himself, the report said."
"That may be, but that's not why I'm here." His subject change made me frown, what else would he be here for? "Laurel told me she gave you the phone."
I rolled my eyes at that but went digging into my purse from where I hung it up by the door when I first came home. I guess Oliver gave it to him for a reason, in the first place. "Here," I gave it to him and resumed my crossed arm stance. "I have no use for it anyway."
He gave me a knowing look, "I'm sure you've got your own way of calling him."
I bounced my eyebrows sarcastically, "Yeah, I shoot up my Hood distress signal and he comes zipping in through my balcony." Now it was his turn to roll his eyes, but he didn't say a word as he turned and started to walk back down the gravel path to his car.
Just as I was about to shut the door he called out to me. I frowned curiously as he came jogging back up to my door, "Here..." he held out the phone to me.
I slowly slipped it from his hands, eyeing him weirdly, "What're you doing?"
"I sure as Hell don't like the guys methods, but you have a habit of putting yourself between him and my daughter so..." he trailed off and I shifted awkwardly at that - of course, he didn't know Oliver was the Hood so he didn't realize the double meaning behind his own words. "Maybe if you keep this Laurel will be less likely to get her hands on it."
I didn't say anything and with a soft parting Detective Lance left. I slowly closed my door, looking down at the phone. I definitely didn't need this, but I couldn't very well come out and tell him that. Maybe, I could just give it back to Oliver.
Or, maybe I'll jut give it to Laurel, since that's exactly what Quentin was trying to avoid.