Sapphire (Book One, Arrow)

chapter 18 ⚔ Salvation

Felicity, John, Oliver and I were in the hideout during the early morning.

I was mostly healed from the crossbow arrow to the stomach by Helena, but still taking it a little easy, training by holding myself up above the floor, in the ceiling bars, in a sports bar and leggings and tennis shoes, hair pulled back into a ponytail.

Felicity was sitting at the computers, watching the news on the screens.

John and Oliver stood behind her, watching.

A man was reporting. "Lawyers for John Nickles spoke to the press today. They say they're pleased the D.A declined to indict their client on charges stemming from the recent fire in one of Nickel's buildings."

Oliver looked up at me. "John Nickel is one of the wealthiest real estate developers in Starling City. He's also one of the dirtiest. That building that burnt down last night? Wiring was not up to code."

"Maybe he didn't know that," Felicity told us. 

"I guess he also didn't know about the seven people who have frozen to death in his other buildings over the past three years," Oliver told us sarcastically. 

I started to hang by one arm.

"Yeah, he's a real man of the people," John told us sarcastically.

I jumped down to the floor. "Not for long. The D.A. ignores this, and the police can't do anything because all these slums are in the Glades." I picked up Oliver's father's journal. "So tonight, Felicity, we cross Mr. Nickel's name off the list." I showed her the list. "You okay with that?"

We listened to the news. "The scene outside of the courtroom where Nickel was released this afternoon was not surprisingly tense."

"100 percent," Felicity answered. She looked at me. "One condition. You do not go back into the field yet until..." She pointed at the stitches that had closed my wound on my stomach. "Until this is nothing but a fading line. You don't wanna get your stitches unstitched, hemorrhage and die." She looked from Oliver to John. "You okay with that?"

"No," I answered the same time Oliver answered, "Yes."

"100 percent," John answered.

Felicity looked at me smugly, smiling.

I looked at Oliver, tilting my head.

Oliver smirked, shrugging. "Something that we all can agree on."

Oliver backed away.

"Uh, not all," I told him.

"Patient's vote doesn't count," Oliver told me, turning around, walking away to go get suited up.

I scoffed softly. "'Patient'?"

John smirked, shaking his head in amusement.

⚔

Oliver had come back, still suited up, but with his hood down, telling us that Nickel's apartment had been trashed and he hadn't been there.

"So, he was just gone?" Felicity asked.

"No," Oliver answered. "Not gone. Taken."

"Looks like Nickel was on somebody else's list, too," John told us.

"After the fire last night, it's not entirely surprising," I told them. "Felicity, I need you to get everything you can on Nickel. Focus on his tenants, and anyone who might have filed a formal complaint against him, or... people that lost something in the fire."