Chapter 6

A Coded Message

It was late in the evening when Oliver's phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and saw an odd message—a series of numbers and letters that didn't make sense at first glance. But Oliver, who had spent years on Lian Yu deciphering codes and hidden messages, knew better. He immediately recognized the code as a variation of the Russian Bravia cipher, something only a few people, including his brother Marcus, would use.

Sitting in his apartment, Oliver quickly decrypted the message:

"Come to Queen Consolidated. Punch the key set of floor 7. Ride the center elevator until the door opens. Make sure you're the only one in the elevator."

Oliver frowned, curiosity piqued. Marcus had never summoned him like this before, especially not using a coded message. Whatever this was, it had to be important.

Queen Consolidated – The Secret Lab

Oliver arrived at Queen Consolidated just after midnight. The building was empty, save for a few security guards making their rounds. He made his way to the center elevator, remembering Marcus's instruction to be alone. He punched the button for the seventh floor, but instead of the elevator stopping there, it continued to descend deeper into the building.

The elevator finally came to a halt, and the doors opened into a sleek, state-of-the-art underground facility. The walls were made of reinforced glass, and the entire lab hummed with energy from various machines and devices that were far beyond anything Oliver had seen before.

Marcus stood at the center of the room, dressed in his usual sharp attire, but there was something different about him—an air of command, a deeper intensity than usual. He gestured for Oliver to step forward.

"Welcome, little brother," Marcus said with a slight smirk. "I figured it was time you saw what I've been working on."

Oliver stepped into the lab, his eyes scanning the various machines, prototypes, and projects that Marcus had clearly been developing in secret. "This is impressive, Marcus. I didn't know Queen Consolidated had this kind of tech."

Marcus chuckled. "It doesn't. This is my personal lab, off the books. What you're seeing is a culmination of knowledge and resources that I've been gathering for years. There's more going on in this city than just your nightly crusades as the Hood."

Marcus walked over to a workbench, where a sleek new bow rested on top of a display case. The bow gleamed under the overhead lights, its surface dark and polished, with intricate technological enhancements embedded into the design.

Marcus picked up the bow and handed it to Oliver. "I've been working on something for you. Consider this a gift—a new bow, diamond-coated, laser-sharpened arrows. They'll cut through anything. I designed it specifically for your mission. You're going to need it."

Oliver held the bow, feeling the weight and precision in his hands. The craftsmanship was exceptional. "This is incredible," he said, genuinely impressed.

"And that's not all," Marcus continued. He walked over to a series of monitors showing schematics, blueprints, and surveillance feeds. "If you ever need resources, weapons, tech—anything—I can provide it. I've got access to things that no one else in this city does."

Oliver studied his brother carefully. This was a side of Marcus he hadn't fully seen before. He knew his brother was brilliant, but this lab, the technology, the power Marcus wielded—it was something far greater than he had imagined.

"Why are you showing me all of this now?" Oliver asked, still processing everything.

Marcus smirked. "Because we're going to need each other if we're going to stop Merlyn. You're fighting a war on the streets, but there's another battle being fought in the shadows. And we're going to win it together."

Oliver nodded slowly, absorbing the weight of Marcus's words. "If I need anything, I'll come to you."

Marcus placed a hand on Oliver's shoulder. "Good. Now go. You've got work to do, and so do I. But remember, you're not alone in this."

The Meeting with Felicity Smoak

As Oliver left Marcus's underground lab, his mind buzzed with everything he had just seen. The new bow slung over his shoulder felt like more than just a tool—it was a symbol of the partnership between him and Marcus. Together, they could take down Malcolm Merlyn and anyone else threatening the city.

Lost in thought, Oliver didn't notice the young woman walking toward him until they nearly collided in the hallway.

"Oh! Sorry about that!" she said, stepping back awkwardly. She was holding a stack of files, clearly flustered. Her blonde hair was tied in a messy bun, and she wore glasses that she adjusted nervously. "I didn't mean to… um, I'm just—I work here. I mean, obviously, because, you know, I'm holding files and… yeah, I should stop talking now."

Oliver chuckled softly. "No harm done. I'm Oliver."

"I know!" she blurted out, then immediately covered her mouth, realizing how excited she sounded. "I mean, I'm Felicity. Felicity Smoak. IT department. I fix things. Not people—just computers."

Oliver smiled at her awkward but endearing charm. "Nice to meet you, Felicity. Do you usually work this late?"

Felicity nodded, slightly embarrassed. "Yeah, well, you know, sometimes things break after hours, and someone has to fix them. Tonight's just one of those nights."

Oliver looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. He had a feeling that their paths might cross again. "Keep up the good work, Felicity," he said before walking away.

Felicity stood there for a moment, watching him go. As he disappeared down the hallway, she muttered to herself, "That was Oliver Queen… I just made a fool of myself in front of Oliver Queen."

She adjusted her glasses and hurried off to finish her work, completely unaware that this brief encounter would be the start of something much bigger.