The Way We Talk

Deceptive (Little Talks #16)

Prompt:  "You'll come bail me out, right?"

Thea wakes up in some abandoned building, head spinning from the drugs given to her.  She can't see much of anything with the way the wicked lights dance around in her vision, but she does know that her captor is female.  Of that much, she is certain.  After all, she is quite familiar with Helena Bertinelli.

"Be a good little girl," Helena taunts in that mocking tone that Thea has already come to hate, "and I won't have to hurt you.  I have nothing against you—it's the Vigilante I want.  You're just a means to an end."  She says it like it's all perfectly logical, but Thea's pretty sure that drugging and kidnapping someone to taunt a killer isn't really logical.

"My brother told me you were crazy," Thea responds, unhappy with the way her words slur.  "Good to know he was right about something."

Helena laughs.  "It's funny what he chooses to tell you," she says snidely, making implications that Thea knows probably have merit.  "He tells you how horrible I am, but he doesn't tell you a thing about himself."  She tilts her head to the side, smiling that superior smile that Thea would gladly knock off her face if she wasn't so stoned.  "Tell me, how much do you really know about Oliver Queen?"

"More than you," Thea says, finding her own snide voice.

And she knows it to be true; she does know her brother, in the only way that matters.  She knows he has scars from the island—scars that he hates.  She knows that he only became part of the family business because of that thing in the Glades, and that he feels guilty because their mother was a part of it.  She knows that Verdant is really a front for something else—something that he keeps secret from everyone.  She knows that his driver, Mr. Diggle, is like a brother to him.  She knows his best friend is, without question, Felicity Smoak, and that he's probably a little in love with her.

But most importantly, she knows he's her brother, and that she loves him unconditionally.  That's good enough for her.

Something in her expression must tell Helena that she needs to back off, because she doesn't reply.  Instead, she scrolls through the contacts in something that looks suspiciously like Thea's phone.  "Well, let's find out if you're right," she says simply.

Helena puts the phone on speaker and it rings repeatedly, but there's no answer for a very long time.  Finally, it transfers, and someone else picks it up.  "I'm sorry," says the familiar female voice on the other end, "but Mr. Queen isn't in right now."  Felicity sounds distracted, as if she's trying to do something else important at the same time.  "May I take a message, please?"

Helena motions for Thea not to mention anything about the kidnapping and not to alert anyone else to the problem.  Thea manages to compose an idea in her head, so she starts speaking fast, trying to keep things sounding normal.  "Hello, I don't think I've been to the office since you've been hired.  This is Thea Queen.  I'd like to leave a message for my brother."  She hopes Felicity is quick enough on her feet to pick up the code and play along.  She does work with the Vigilante, after all, so Thea hopes she's able to lie pretty impressively.

She doesn't sound so distracted when she speaks again.  "Yes, of course, Miss Queen," is the quick response, and Thea holds back a sigh of relief.  She isn't surprised by how smoothly she transitions into the line, but she does fall into the secretary act quite well.  "I'm ready, if you'd like to begin, please."

"Um, could you let him know I'm with a friend of his—Helena?"  Thea can hear the pen stop moving across the paper in recognition of the name, but, thankfully, Felicity doesn't say anything.  "She's been looking for my brother for ages, and she finally ran into me today."  She stares straight at Helena, unafraid as she continues.  "She's practically holding me hostage until she gets to see Ollie!"  She fakes a laugh, surprised by how real it sounds.  "She's horrible company, honestly.  Anyway, I would drive her down to see him—if only to get rid of her—but my car stalled."  She huffs loudly.  "Maybe you could get Quentin or your other friend"—she hopes Felicity understands her references to Officer Lance and the Arrow—"to come fix it for me?"

She huffs when there's no immediate answer, as if she's pouting like the spoiled rich brat she is.  "You'll come bail me out, right?" she finishes the question, hoping she wasn't talking too fast for Felicity to catch.

When Felicity finally responds, Thea can only recognize the strangled quality of her voice because she knows her so well.  "Yes, of course, Miss Queen.  I'll let the proper mechanics know."  A pause before she adds a phrase weighted slightly, "I'm sure they'll be able to find a solution for you.  And Mr. Queen will be notified.  We'll have you back home in no time."

Before anything else can be said, Helena terminates the call.  "Cute story," she says, not sounding impressed at all.  "At least it's enough to let your brother know that you're with me.  I have no doubt he'll be here soon."  Thea hides a grin because Helena has ordered a whole lot more than Oliver Queen.  She never thought she'd say this, but there are perks to being friends with Felicity Smoak.

After all, she does have the Vigilante wrapped around her little finger.