The Starling Saviour

Chapter 68

'Lawyers for John Nickel spoke to the press today,' the news reporter announced on Starling City's Breaking News channel as Felicity, Diggle and I watched the report unfold on the computer screen. 'They say they're pleased the DA declined to indict their client on charges stemming from the recent fire in one of Nickel's buildings.'

'John Nickel is one of the wealthiest real estate developers in Starling City,' Oliver told us whilst hanging off the ceiling during one of his training exercises. 'He is also one of the dirtiest. That building that burnt down last night, the wiring was not up to code.'

'Maybe he didn't know that,' Felicity pointed out as she and I watched Oliver carry on holding himself up just under the roof by a metal rung.

'I guess he also didn't know about the seven people who've frozen to death in his other buildings over the past three years,' Oliver contested.

'Yeah, he's a real man of the people,' Diggle remarked, Oliver jumping back down to the ground almost effortlessly.

'How do you do that?' I wondered in awe, my eyes glancing over his bare chest a little too much, before realising I had spoken aloud.

'Maybe five years on an island helps,' Felicity murmured at me, while Oliver continued to respond to Diggle.

'Not for long,' Oliver declared to Diggle, not listening to what Felicity of I were babbling on about. 'The DA ignores this, and the police can't do anything because all these slums are in the Glades.'

'Yes, the SCPD don't care as much as you would think about that part of the city,' I nodded, remembering how the department had dealt with The Glades when I had worked there. 'They think The Glades is beyond help.'

'So tonight, Felicity, we cross Mr Nickel's name off the list,' Oliver turned to Felicity, addressing her after what she had said earlier. 'You okay with that?'

'One hundred percent,' Felicity confirmed as we watched a clip of Nickel getting into a car after his trial with a horrible look on his face, as if he was giving everyone the message that he couldn't be stopped.

'Aria?' Oliver asked for me over at where he was gathering up his arrows.

'What is it?' I replied with another question, slightly confused.

'I think it's time you helped me take down someone from the List,' Oliver informed me with a small smile. 'You need to be more of a part of this team, and I haven't let you do that just yet. So Aria, suit up, because we're paying a visit to Mr Nickel.'

--

Quietly sliding the glass doors leading from the balcony to inside the building, Oliver and I lightly slipped into Nickel's abode, our weapons leading the way as we crept down the staircase to where Nickel was most likely to be. Oliver went to draw one of this bows as we were at the edge of the lounge, but no man was in sight, rather an empty room with fallen objects, the whole place feeling like it had been suddenly abandoned. Lit lamps were on their side on the floor with other ornaments scattered around, an out-of-place kitchen knife also in the mess. Oliver picked up the instrument, starting to figure out what had happened, but my expertise of forensic science meant I was able to deduce the events earlier than Oliver could.

'He's been taken,' I stated the obvious first. 'Someone else decided to pay him a visit tonight too, but they were faster than us. Nickel must have made a lot of enemies after being released from his trial, enemies who would've wished he had been found guilty.'

'But who exactly did this?' Oliver asked rhetorically, annoyed that we hadn't got there earlier. 'We need to get back to Felicity and Diggle so we can find where he's been taken.'