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Side Story #2: Criminal Data Analysis

Felicity is on her lunch break, reading through recent news articles when she sees it. The headline is simple but elegant in its design: "Moira Queen Injured After Assailant Opens Gunfire on QC Steps." She skims rather than reads the article, and she notes that a man was killed, though the article focuses on the fact that Moira was injured. Without a second thought, she dials Oliver's number, hoping she isn't interrupting anything. The phone picks up, and she can hear a high-society female voice say, "Don't torment your brother," in a chiding tone in the background.

After some other muffled background noises, Oliver finally answers, "Hello?" There's a new tone to his voice, as if he's surprised to find her calling him. Maybe he thought she'd take that offer to ignore him to heart, but she doesn't think she could possibly ignore Oliver since the last time they met. They nearly died together; of course she's going to call him and, if he ever calls her, she's also going to take his calls every time.

"Hey, I heard about your mom," she starts, jumping right into the conversation. "Is she all right?" She pauses when she realizes she's never called him before, and she should probably make sure he knows who he's talking to. "This is Felicity by the way, if the awkward start to this entire call didn't give that away." She laughs at herself because she really can't do anything else. After all, it's just another conversation she's botched before it even had a chance to start.

He does one of those breathy almost-laughs before saying, "I did manage to get the caller ID working—I'm not that inept." His tone is defensive, as though he expects her to refute that, when she doesn't see any reason to do so; Oliver has proved his capabilities several times. There's a smile in his voice as he continues, "And my mother is fine, thank you. She's a little shaken up—and has a few cuts and bruises—but she's otherwise all right. In fact, I think they're about to release her from the hospital."

Felicity breathes a sigh of relief she doesn't even know she was holding—for a woman she doesn't even know. "That's good," she says, relief making her voice a little breathy. "I'm actually on my lunch break and I was catching up on the news. I'm sorry to interrupt you at the hospital, but I thought if you needed anything—"

He cuts her off. "You're not an interruption, Felicity." This earns him a response from someone in the background that sounds suspiciously like Thea, and her suspicions are confirmed when he says, voice muffled by a hand over the receiver, "Thea, don't start." This earns him another set of chatter, this time from both female voices, and Felicity has a feeling this isn't the first time the two have ganged up on him. Finally, he says to Felicity, "And I'm glad you called—it's nice to have something else to focus on for a while." She thinks she can practically hear the disapproving glare focused on the two women in the room with him.

Felicity comes up with a plan and then prepares herself for what she's about to do. She feels like a horrible human being for using her friend for information, but then she reminds herself why she's even considering. "I read the police haven't made an arrest yet," she states as casually as she's able, but her voice is a fluttery and her tone a little too high. "How could they miss some guy who opens fire on the steps of a public building like that?"

Oliver sighs. "Well, the newspapers didn't get the full story," he responds in a tone that makes Felicity think it's accompanied by an eye roll. "The guy was on a motorcycle or a moped of some sort. He just pulled out a gun and started shooting as he passed by—he didn't even stop."

"You were there," Felicity breathes, and this time it's not a question. She can tell that he saw the whole thing unfold, and it makes her ribcage constrict to think that anything would happen to him. Oliver has been through so much—she doesn't think it would be fair for anything to happen to him here in Starling City, of all places.