Star City
May 23, 9:15
I distinctly remember a point in my life where I wished there were more hours in the day and my need for sleep was much less than whatever number of hours I needed to not feel like crap.
That stage in my life was mostly my college days, where I gained access to so many games, movies, tv shows, parties and outings that on most days I was being pulled in a million different directions. There was so much to enjoy and too little time to indulge.
What made these memories even more vivid was the multiple times I got engrossed in novels or shows, indulging in them into the wee hours of the night before a day I had a morning class, my eyes too red and vision blurry from too much screen time.
All this was to say, my life currently was looking quite like those times. Yesterday, instead of finishing up and leaving the cave by 12 midnight, I left four hours later than that.
After the sudden arrival of my rewards and writing my report, drafting the proposal and sending both to Batman, there was about twenty minutes left on the clock, so I thought, what the hell, let me take a look at propulsion and antigravity advancements I'd previously glanced over on the Cyberpunk datapad.
Why not check out my latest Star Wars reward while I was at it? I mean the speeder had to contribute something substantial to my personal jet plan. The universe of The Force and Lightsabers was deceptively advanced after all.
The original plan had been to throw M and E and Tech-Adapting a few nuggets for them to nibble on while I made my way home and into bed. By morning of the next day, I'd be well rested and there'd be fresh and improved ideas waiting for me.
Things… didn't go as planned.
Instead of nibbling, my tinker and thinker ability took huge chomps out of the data and the insights from the speeder and spat out ideas that kept me rooted to my seat.
I mean, would you leave if you found out you could design a compact and hyper efficient, fusion-powered propulsion drive that produced over 200,000 pounds of thrust?
Too enraptured by what could be, I dismissed my earlier plan and fully settled into design mode, my determination to complete the blueprint ironclad.
And because I actually wasn't starting from scratch, just improving on and combining models that had more or less been perfected and stealing ideas and concepts from a space age universe, I managed to finish in a short 4 hours.
Though a significant amount of the rapid progress could be attributed to M and E.
Something I'd noticed with it was that it worked best when I iterated on an old creation or something that already existed, pushing their efficiency to higher and higher heights, reaching levels that astounded even me.
Even with this ultrapowerful plasma drive, I could tell there were more improvements to be made if I was willing to spend more time on it.
Man, I couldn't wait to start. Hopefully Batman would accept my proposal quickly. Knowing him, I had nothing to worry about on that front.
Ding!
I snapped back to reality as the floaty sensation beneath my body ceased. Blinking and shaking my head, I squeezed the motorcycle helmet to ensure my grip on it was firm and walked out of the elevator.
A quick visual sweep revealed my destination and I beelined for it, nodding at the nurse, doctor and patients I passed by in the hallway. Deftly avoiding bumping into anything or anyone, I stopped before room 405 and knocked.
The room's inhabitants looked over and saw me through the glass pane, so I didn't stand on ceremony and twisted the knob, pushing the door and letting myself in.
"Good morning," I greeted and shut the door with a click, before rounding and stopping on the man, or more accurately, teen of the hour.
"Elliot," Oliver Queen, blonde and looking sharp in that suit and every bit like his comic book self, stepped forward with a hand extended, the other going onto my shoulder. "I'm sor—"
I shook my head and took his hand, returning the handshake. "No need. I perfectly understand."
"...Thank you," he nodded and let go, releasing a tired sigh.
"Hey Will," I greeted the room's other standing occupant.
"Hey," he said.
Focusing on the guy in hospital robes getting angrier by the second, I looked him in the eyes and went with a simple greeting. "Hello Roy."
"And who the hell are you?"
I'd gotten tired of telling people my origins, but he didn't know that, so I opened my mouth to give him something. Will, however, beat me to it. "He's the one who found you. Without him we wouldn't even know about what Lex did."
Roy looked from his clone to me, his fuming expression easing a bit. "So I have you to thank for getting my life back. Not that it's much of a life," he said, waving his bandaged stump as he looked away.
"Why are you here though? I get saving me, but coming to see me in the hospital?" he asked, shaking his head wildly all of a sudden and fixing on me a super confused stare. "First of all, who are you? And how did you know?"
Oliver grabbed my shoulder and stepped forward. "He's part of the team Will told you about. As for how he knew—"
"It's long and complicated," I cut in. "They can fill you in later, or if you want, you can call or come see me later. For now, I'm here about another thing."
"Yeah, and what's that?" the angry teen bit back.
"I'm assuming they told you about Lex, right?"
No answer.
"Tell me, were you thinking of sneaking out when no one was looking to go and get some payback?"
"What?!" "Roy?"
The one suddenly finding himself on the stand just narrowed his eyes at me and tried to cross his arms, only to fail and realise again that he couldn't. Reminded of what he'd lost, his brows furrowed even further and his gaze grew more piercing.
"What of it?" He growled and held out his stump. "Look what he did to me! Look what he took from me!"
"You actually come pretty close," I said all of a sudden, silencing the room. "First, you lure the bastard out of his office with a rocket launcher, then engage his men and personal security, Mercy Graves, down in parking. It ends with you wrapping his arm in detonation cord and your finger on the trigger.
Poetic justice if you ask me. Except, you don't get your revenge. Lex keeps his arm because he gives you a gift," I made air quotes, "He called it insurance. It was an arm to replace the one he took from you, and you take it. Why you accepted it still confuses me considering his track record, but it ends with you walking away and the man free of his deserved punishment.
Now, why am I saying all this? First," I paused and removed a phone from my jacket pocket, tossing it to him. He caught it and I continued, "this is me offering you a better alternative. Look through the lists at your own time and contact me when you're ready.
Two, I came here to stop you from doing what I just said. This isn't about how vengeance isn't the way or some other bullshit like that. Lex definitely deserves that and more, and the bald bastard will get what's coming to him. Just not today.
You need to focus on yourself. You just woke up to find that you lost not just an arm but two years of your life. Also, you're fifteen. I can't just let you go and commit murder when I know what I know.
Take some time and process things. You have people that care about you. Focus on that, not the person who did this to you. He's not worth your time or attention. At least, not at this moment."
My watch vibrated as a notification came through. I checked it and saw a message from Felicity. I elected not to open it yet and looked up, sweeping my gaze across the room.
"Guys, I have to go. Roy, I know everything I said sounds like a lecture and probably the last thing you wanna hear. Still, I had to say it. I hope you think things through. You're not alone. Don't let Lex take anymore from you," I said.
Quickly shaking Oliver's hand again and patting Will on the shoulder, I made for the door. "I'll see you guys when I see you. I'll be expecting your call, Roy."
I opened the door and walked out, and Oliver followed me, hands still in his pockets. When the door shut, he took a hand out and went for another handshake, and I gave him a confused stare but took it anyway.
"You've done so much. I can't thank you enough. If you need anything, please, don't hesitate to ask."
The normal, 'it's nothing' jumped to my lips, but I caught myself and smiled. This could prove useful, especially with regards to my business plans. "I'll hold you to that," I said and retracted my hand.
.
.
.
.
Star City
May 23, 9:30
Slowly bringing my bike to a stop in the Big Belly Burger's parking space, I powered it down and pulled my helmet off, scanning the building ahead and quickly spotting the blonde in glasses I hadn't seen since our first meeting in huh, would you guess it, another parking lot.
With an eagerness I didn't expect but welcomed, I dismounted, deployed the kickstand and shook the bike to ensure things were a hundred percent before I made my way inside.
The glass doors slid shut behind me, maintaining the silence of my entry and the short walk to the table Felicity sat behind. Her head was low and her face was buried in her laptop, a chewed on smoothie straw dancing between her red lips.
Was that lip gloss? Speaking of that, what was she wearing? Today was Sunday, and I know she didn't go to church. The reason for these choices of hers would require more… probing, if you will. I didn't want to make any assumptions.
"How did you know?" I said in a slightly loud voice, hoping that would catch her attention. It did, earning a jolt from the deeply engrossed woman.
"What?!" she yelped in that almost deep voice of hers, both palms pressing flat against the table before one hand went up to adjust her glasses, her corrected vision allowing her to level a proper glare at me.
"Hello Felicity," I said with a simple smile.
"Elliot," she said through gritted teeth. "It is NOT nice to see you."
I slid into the seat opposite hers. "Really? Cause I'm feeling the opposite," I said and put the bike helmet beside me before interlocking my fingers together on the table. "You look nice."
She closed her eyes, shook her head, and adjusted her glasses, again. "Thank you. But flattery will get you… nowhere."
I simply leaned back and smiled. "From where I'm sitting, it's getting me somewhere."
She didn't blush, but from how she focused on her laptop and the visible struggle she had keeping any emotion off her face, I knew I had her. There was no need to overdo it though.
"You didn't answer my question."
"What?"
"How did you know I was hungry? You chose a Big Belly Burger of all places."
"Women," she said and grabbed an empty smoothie cup, banging it on the table, "can be hungry too."
Her attention went back to the laptop and I removed a small tablet from one of my jacket pockets. I set it on the table and found her eyes again.
As much as I enjoyed this (passable), flirty banter, that wasn't the true purpose of this meeting. I also hadn't eaten all morning. Sliding the mini tablet toward her, I told her to take a look at it and raised my hand to call a waitress.
Her wits gathered about her, Felicity slid aside her laptop and took the tablet. The waiter came over and I gave her my order.
"What's on it? Also, this doesn't look like any model I've ever seen. In fact, I'm pretty sure there's nothing like this on the market."
"That's 'cause I made it myself. Every circuit board and screw in that thing was made by yours truly," I smiled. "And as for what's on there? It's about the business I mentioned. Go on, take a look. It's a lot, so I'll eat while you go through it."
"Fine," she acquiesced. "There better not be porn on here."
"Why would there be porn on there?" I reared back in faux shock.
"I don't know. I just thought of a disgusting habit a guy could have."
I was about to defend myself but quickly realised something. Sighing, I asked, "Is this about how I scared you earlier?"
"Yep," she said and looked up from the screen. "It's asking for a password."
"CuteNerdyBlonde. Camel case. No spaces."
She looked utterly unimpressed. Her voice and tone maintained their sweetness and cordiality, but her subsequent words were anything but.
"This… cute," she actually paused there before continuing, "nerdy blonde as you keep calling her, has a foot she'd like to shove up your—"
Her words got cut off by the arrival of the waitress, and it took everything for me not to burst into laughter at the "what the hell is wrong with you look" she gave Felicity and the latter's absolute embarrassment.
Her payload delivered and ears defiled for the rest of the day, the young woman left, leaving behind not just a generous amount of food but a cringing woman who wished the earth would open up and swallow her.
"Go on, take a look," I waved a french fry at her and dipped it in some sauce. She ignored me entirely and scrolled through the items I'd prepared.
"I'm sorry," I said all of a sudden. "I can see that it's getting old. I'll stop calling you names."
Her finger paused for a bit on the screen before resuming.
While she went through the numerous products and items I'd prepared, I dug into the food with gusto. You could never go wrong with a burger, plenty of meat, and a cold drink.
Two large ones disappeared into my stomach, and I picked up the last one, biting into it like I had eaten nothing at all today. As I munched on it, Felicity looked up sharply, her eyes wide and disbelieving as she leaned in and whispered.
"Is this stuff… real?"
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1-10 advanced chapters on: https://patreon.com/MasterReigen