On Borrowed Time

4. An Arrow in the Night

PART ONE: RUN

CHAPTER FOUR: AN ARROW IN THE NIGHT

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TEAM ARROW, STARLING CITY, USA

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The way Oliver figured it, if Felicity was out hunting things, why couldn't he? It had been three days now since she had left and he had upped his vigilante game considerably, exhausting himself to the point of collapse each night. According to the scanners he and Diggle had running in the basement of Verdant, this was a considerable help to the officer's of Starling. Though the feelings of acceptance ranged considerably when it came to the Arrow. 

"Another one down," Diggle, commented as they watched the officers close in on their latest capture. The vandal, tied and gagged in the very alley he had been defacing, was trying to shout through the fabric shoved in his mouth. They sunk back further into the shadows as the officer swung his flashlight around. 

"Looks like the Arrow's been here again," the man commented to his partner. 

"I don't know whether to thank him, or to shake him. The guy's starting to make us look bad," the partner that stood out of view quipped back. The comment made a small smirk tug at the corners of Oliver's lips as they continued to listen.

"Hey, I'm all for it if he wants to take the risk for us, but you've got to wonder who it is. Surely a guy that does this all night comes home with more than a few bumps and bruises, doesn't anyone notice?" Oliver listened intently now, for a hint of knowing that any of them might have. The other officer laughed and Oliver relaxed slightly.

"Yeah, and don't we see all sorts bumped and bruised! Get him in the car and let's get him booked. If we're lucky it might take us through to break time."

Oliver and Diggle backed out of the adjacent alley and made their quick escape up the fire exit before they could be seen. Diggle was hardly a step behind him as they climbed across the rooftops before finally descending down a construction ladder some four buildings over. The motorcycle was a welcome site to Oliver as he climbed back on and booted it to life. Diggle ran across the street to the van and climbed in and they were moving before he finally spoke.

His voice filled Oliver's ear as they whipped down the roads at an impossible speed, Diggle falling behind at an alarming rate. "Maybe that cop was right Oliver, don't you think we're starting to go over the top? Now it's common vandals, then what? A kid stealing a candy bar?" Oliver said nothing as he drove on, though he recognized the words as something Felicity might have advised him of. Felicity. It had only been a couple of days but he missed her, she had called earlier in the night and he had clutched his phone tighter with every syllable she spoke into it. 

Never in a million years did Oliver think that he could miss someone like he did now. There had been Laurel and Sara and numerous others over the years, he would admit - but no one like Felicity. Diggle spoke into his ear but he didn't hear it, he pushed the motorcycle forward harder as he imagined Felicity's voice in his ear instead, guiding him home again. "That's enough for tonight," he finally managed before tearing the earpiece out and allowing himself to embrace the night. 

He felt as though he flew through the streets of Starling as he allowed his distracted mind to guide him. But he regretted it as soon as he realized where he was headed. The candy red Mustang looked dark and lackluster in the black of the night, and the yellowed glow of the streetlight made it look more orange than red, but he remembered how happy Felicity had been when she had first got it and it made him smile. Then it made his chest ache in longing, he knew then it would be another restless night as he finally turned back for Verdant.