Technical Assistance

Chapter 38: Signal Interception

Felicity takes a moment to wonder when things became so easy in the lair, when the tension left for her. Even though Oliver is out in the field risking his neck yet again, she feels comfortable and more at peace than she has in years. Somehow the lair has turned from some cold, ominous basement into a second home for her. In fact, if she’s being honest, she spends more time here than at home.

The sound of a the heavy door slamming behind her makes her jump and swivel her chair, sighing loudly in equal parts relief and annoyance when she finds Tommy standing there. “Never thought I’d see the day where I wanted someone to have Oliver’s stealth skills,” she remarks dryly to him, “but it has arrived. What is it with you two and this thing you have for scaring me?” Then she tilts her head to the side because in her time, Tommy has only been down in the lair twice. “And, don’t take this the wrong way, but what are you doing here?”

“Is there a right way to take that?” Tommy remarks dryly, but Felicity watches as he grabs an old shop chair—the kind with the fold-out ladder underneath that’s probably a remnant from the factory—and pulls it up next to her. Then he sighs deeply, leaning over to prop his elbows on an empty section of Felicity’s desk. “And honestly? I haven’t really been sure if I wanted to come down here, Smoaky.” He frowns now with some expression that looks odd on his face, one that Felicity doesn’t recognize. “Oliver is my best friend and I know he’s doing this for a reason, but…” He falters, and Felicity is finally able to put a name to that expression: doubt. “But it’s hard to forget all the things they keep saying about the Hood—just reprogram myself after all of this.”

“The Arrow,” Felicity corrects automatically, and Tommy looks at her as though it’s a trivial correction. She just answers the expression with one of her own. “The Hood doesn’t exist, Tommy—at least, not anymore.” She hesitates. “Oliver was the Hood when I met him—or maybe I didn’t get to see that side of him at all. But the point is that he hasn’t been that person for a very long time now. He isn’t what they think.”

Tommy doesn’t quite look convinced, so she presses on. “I know it’s easy go get wrapped up in the mistakes, but we’re actually doing some good in this city.” She motions to the security cameras on her monitor. “Right now, do you know who Oliver is on his way to stop? John Nickel. One of his buildings burned down last night and killed people because the wiring wasn’t up to code. He’s using cheap materials to save money, and seven people have frozen to death in more buildings just this year.” She shrugs. “But the slums are in the Glades, and the cops can’t keep up with the crime rate as it is, without adding more investigations to the mix. So this is who Oliver is trying to stop.” She studies him a moment. “Sometimes the methods were wrong, but at least we’re doing something to stop the bleeding. That’s more than can be said for anyone else in this city.”

Tommy leans over to look at something on her computer screen, still somewhat reserved about the situation, but he clears his throat and waves a hand over the monitors. “So, what is it that you do on this team?” he asks slowly. “You… stare at a computer screen and patch me up when Oliver’s psycho ex tries to break my wrist?”

Felicity allows herself a small smile, even though she’s trying to watch the screens for Oliver. “I’m technical support,” she replies finally, though it does quite seem to be enough. “I keep an eye on the traffic cameras, build bugs, cyber-stalk bad guys, and hack into secure law enforcement databases. That kind of thing.” She shrugs, then waves a hand. “And then I occasionally do some field work, like helping Oliver with the on-site computers at the SCPD, doing field triage on your dad, and tracking jewel thieves.” Unconsciously, her hand goes to her throat during that last one, and she ignores the impulse to make a face.