Safe Haven

Part Two: Old Memories

Oliver drops the hood when he steps into the new home of Verdant, Roy on his heels. He has to admit, the wharf is a better location—right on the water and the perfect place for all of the politicians, off-duty guards, and businessmen to gather after work. The place smells like smoke and carries the reek of strong alcohol, but it looks everything like Oliver would expect from Tommy Merlyn. Techno music blares while people dance in the middle of the room, but booths line either side, the bar in the back with a very large selection of alcohol on display behind it.

Not much of that matters, though, because Thea is working the bar.

He's about to go up to her, but he sees two guards putting up a poster on the wall—one featuring an old mug shot and offering a handsome reward—a year's supply of Eco—for any information leading to an arrest. They don't put a name to him, only calling him an "escaped, dangerous convict."

He pulls the hood back up before walking up to the board. He can't help but smile under the hood at the lack of response to the Arrow suit; no one even looks at him twice, as though they're used to masked figures stalking around Starling City at all hours.

Curious, he walks up to the wanted poster to examine it in more detail. The picture they have of him has to be more than six years old, with his hair dyed a light blond and his jaw smooth. He doubts anyone will recognize him the way he looks now—hair dark and cropped close, the beginnings of a beard lining his jaw. His features are harder now, his cheekbones and jawline sharper. His eyes sit deeper into his skull and his face is gaunt from lack of nutrition. His build is different, too; he's more muscular now than he was then.

Surprising what five years wrongfully imprisoned can do to a man.

Roy looks at Oliver with the silent question about leaving, and Oliver instead turns toward the bar. He takes a seat at it and Roy takes a place beside him. Thea starts working her way down to their end of the bar almost immediately, eyes lighting up when they land on Roy. Whatever has happened to her in the last five years has aged her, too, and she wears a wild set of curls pulled into a bun at the back of her head, some of them falling down in places.

"Hey, Roy," she says in a light, almost flirty tone, then her eyes land on Oliver in his green gear, watching him for a moment. Her tone is more hesitant as she asks, "Who's your friend?"

"Lance sent me on a mission, and I brought back the man of the hour," Roy answers with the biggest smile Oliver has seen on his face. "We're hoping to clear up this war before to many more of our own can get gutted on the streets." He cuts a glance at Oliver. "And I thought you might want to say hello."

Oliver tilts his head up just far enough for her to see his face. "Hey, Speedy," he offers after a long moment, and Thea's eyes go wide as she blinks rapidly, looking for all the world like she's seen a ghost. He might be a shell of the person he once was, but he's certainly still alive.

"Ollie," she breathes, reaching out to touch him but thinking better of it because of the audience full of customers. He takes her hand for a quick moment, squeezing it before letting go. "Lance told me you were dead," she offers quietly, before tacking on, "but I never believed him." Then her eyes narrow. "Does Slade think—?"

Oliver cuts her off before she can finish the question. "He knows I'm alive," he answers slowly, "and he's after me." He waves it off. "But I'm going to get to him first. Thea, I need to talk to Tommy." Roy's eyes narrow when Oliver mentions the name—not Thomas Merlyn the respectable businessman, but Tommy Merlyn.

"He's upstairs," she says after a long moment. "I think he's in with a couple of the KG bigwigs." She sighs. "Be careful, okay? We'll talk later."