11: Wanted Dead Or Alive

They pretended to be a normal grieving couple for the rest of the night as they were being watched. Both Bella and Oliver had some alcohol, but only to take the edge off their recent loss while they watched some TV on the big screen from the comfort of the couch.

At some point, they went back to the house and everyone was fast asleep. Quietly, they packed what they needed in their backpacks and Bella wrote a note before going to their backup armory in the cellar where nobody could get into but them to get their weapons.

Despite the dark reasons, they couldn’t help but feel all giddy for slipping out from underneath everyone’s noses like two horny teenagers desperate to have sex.

“I have my dad’s tent. We could go up to the mountain and set up a base there. Should be far enough away from the city,” Bella murmured quietly in the dark as she strapped her bag to her motorcycle.

He fastened his bag on his motorcycle and strapped his bow on his back. He didn’t particularly like mountains, but it was the best way, nobody would look for them there and the rough terrain made it difficult for Felicity to use satellite imagery to find them. He pushed the machine off its standard and started to push it off the driveway. It was safer to start the engines away from the house incase they’d wake anyone up. “At least we have a tent,” he quipped with a cheeky grin on his face.

“I could leave it behind and you can find us a cave to shack up in,” she teased back, starting to push her bike behind him. “After all, you man, me woman.”

“Already checked. The caves in these mountains are useless,” he retorted playfully. “But the trees there are great to make rope swings and swing like Tarzan.”

“Yeah – no. Last I remember of that storyline, Jane got knocked up and as much as I love you, I am not ready for any children any time soon. We have enough complications in our lives that it would be unfair to the kid,” she sniffed.

“Yeah. Too crazy and besides, I’d be a terrible dad,” he stopped pushing his motor and looked behind him. They were far enough from the house to start their engines.

Bella was thoughtful as she thought about it. “I actually think you’d have been a great father, despite your social history. Actually, because of your history. You know exactly what your kid could and would pull and how they’d go about it to surprise you,” she smiled. “Ready?”

He thought about it. “Nah, I’d just tranq the hell out of my kids to make sure they stay out of trouble,” he said with a shrug and fastened his helmet. “Plant a GPS tracker on them from birth.”

“That’s what the extra security is for. Lock them in their rooms where our DNA and prints can unlock the doors,” Bella suggested, pulling her helmet on and throwing her leg over her seat. “Of course that’s like not happening.”

“No. It’s not happening,” he said as he got on his cycle and started the engine. “Alright, let’s do this.”

~o.O.o~

Laurel walked through the downstairs of the mansion, tired and drained emotionally as she searched for her cousin and friend. Making her way, into the kitchen, she poured herself a cup of coffee while Steve was at the stove cooking breakfast. “Has anyone seen Bella or Oliver?”

“Nope,” Steve replied as he nodded to the fridge. “There’s a note from Bella on there, though. They’re off to Forks to decompress.”

“What? Why? Bella hated Forks. That doesn’t make sense,” she replied as she yanked the paper off the door and read it. “They left town to get away from Edward to the only place she knew where he wasn’t. So they’re just going to leave us to deal with this on our own? That doesn’t sound like Bella.”

“Or maybe they thought we’re more than capable to deal with this on our own,” Steve said as he put the bacon on a plate and continued with eggs.

She scoffed as she glared at him. “Oliver doesn’t think like that. He barely lets Roy and Diggle do what they do now, and that’s only because Bella pushed him to give them more responsibility.”

“Well then, maybe you should pick up your sister’s mantle and join the fight,” Steve said lightly and smiled at her. “You’re improving on a fast rate and damn, you in leather? Hell yes.”

Laurel was ready to laugh off the idea, but looked back at him. “I couldn’t do that! Yeah, sure, you’ve been helping me, but I couldn’t do what Sara did!”

“Sara has had years of training with her pals, do you think she was perfect when she first started?” Steve said as he poured Laurel a cup of coffee and handed it to her. “Laurel, you’re a natural. You’re in excellent shape, all you need to learn is how to work with certain weapons and to duck. Why let the Canary die with your sister? Take your revenge, with us, as a team.”

Diggle shuffled into the room, seeking the aroma of the morning coffee as he heard the tail end of the couple’s conversation. Rubbing his brow, he eyed the two cautiously. “Do I even want to know?”

“Laurel’s on the team,” Steve said as he handed Diggle his coffee.

“You do know when you tell Oliver this, he will kick your ass when they come down,” he warned.

“Oliver and Bella went to Forks, and I don’t care if he’ll kick my ass, my boss will protect me,” Steve said with a smirk. “Laurel will be a great addition, and with boss lady and boss man gone, we need the bodies.”

Diggle frowned as he took a sip of his coffee. “There is no way Oliver would willingly leave town with so much going on.”

“Laurel said so too, but Bella can be very persuasive.”

“I know she can, but I don’t think even she would run like that,” he murmured, concerned as he read the note that Laurel passed to him.

Steve sighed as he turned off the hobs. “Look, I know that those two are probably up to something. I’m not an idiot, but in their absence, I don’t think we should stop doing what we need to do, and that’s come up with a foolproof plan to deal with those Cullens.”

“I agree but without Bella, we’re sitting ducks for their abilities. Which is why I don’t believe what they wrote here. They are just trying to keep us off their tracks. Likely because whatever they are planning, they know we won’t agree with,” Dig said as he tossed the note on the counter.

He shrugged as he started to make his sandwich. “We could start with paying a visit to those labs of your speedy little friend. Edward was a patient there.”

“We avoid them for a good reason. The Flash would have to get the intel and bring it back. Where’s Felicity?”

“You don’t need to yell,” Felicity groaned as she shuffled into the kitchen. “Coffee? I smell coffee, give me coffee. Please!”

“You’re starting to sound like Bella,” Steve frowned.

Felicity groaned. “I drank way more than you all did, shut up and hand me the coffee,” she held out her hand for her mug as she fumbled with her phone in the other. “Something about me calling the Flash?”

“Do you know anything about Bella and Oliver taking off during the night?” Diggle asked as he leaned on the counter beside her. “And yeah. We need Barry to get whatever information they have on the Cullens, particularly Edward and his ability.”

“They left?” Felicity blinked as she gratefully took the mug of coffee and inhaled the smell. Instantly perking up she looked at John. “I’ll call Barry and I’ll see if I can find our two love birds.”

Grabbing his phone, he nodded and decided to attempt to call Oliver anyway. When the signal connected, there was ringing heard in the room that was rather muffled. Laurel started pulling open the drawers before she came across the one that cleared the sound and revealed both of their friends’ phones. “Well, unless you have GPS trackers sewed into their clothes…”

Felicity pulled up the security system from the laptop in the kitchen and noticed the bikes were gone. “Well, Bella just got her bike, but you know I got our boy tagged…” she said as she furiously typed away before letting out a groan. “Well, they’ve definitely left town.”

“Where are they?” Laurel asked as she looked over Felicity’s shoulder and suppressed a gulp. “Oh.”

“The tracker shows them heading west before it disconnected about fifteen miles from here.”

“And this is why we don’t tell Oliver where we tagged his shit,” Diggle took a sip of his coffee. “We should sow in a tracker in his clothes.”

Steve joined Laurel as he eyed the map, his eyes narrowing. “If they really are doing something, then they could have pulled it and doubled back. It’s what I would have done. Does either of them own any property in town other than the penthouse and club that they would stay in?” Planting GPS trackers on an adult man? How far did the babying go, exactly?

“Yeah, but we know all about his hiding spots,” Diggle rubbed his face. “Look, if Oliver wants to disappear, go off-grid, we won’t be able to find him, no matter what we do. All we can do is continue with what we’ve been planning and continue to plan,” he said decidedly. “Call Barry, ask him about the info.”

“Yes Boss,” Felicity muttered as she rolled her eyes, dialing her boyfriend. “Why do we have to be friends with the most stubborn pair in the world?”

“Because without us, they would have been dead by now,” Diggle shrugged. “They need some looking after.”

Laurel looked at him. “Not Bella. She can’t be killed normally. She’s proven that enough.”

“Eh,” Steve said and shook his head. “She’s safe from projectiles, yes, but she’s not as invincible as you may think. I mean, you should see her get the flu, she believes she’s dying.”

Felicity wasn’t thrilled with the comparison and joke. “Um, but she did almost die before. After Edward dumped her. She got sick from the storm she got stuck out in,” she shared, recalling the details she learned early on when she first joined the team.

“Exactly.”

“Felicity, I was sleeping,” Barry’s tired voice could be heard from the other end of the line.

“Sorry Barry, but hold on,” she said and looked back at Steve. “To Bella, she may truly think she is. If outside forces can’t kill her, what would an infection do? Especially when she’d gone years knowing that was the one thing that gave her reason to be afraid of a thunderstorm?”

“Exactly,” Steve said as he took a bite out of his sandwich and munched on it. “She’s not invincible,” he said with mouth full of bread.

Blinking, she turned back to the phone. “Barry. Can you get whatever tests and results that Cisco and Wells performed on Edward Cullen? We need it like yesterday, and also if they have any theory on a way to block his ability.”

“Did you forget they’re team Edward and any inquiry will set off alarms?”

“Is Caitlin team Edward?”

“Razzle dazzled her. Seriously, they’re all in love with the Cullens. It’s that I have my speed and stuff but I think they’d rather have one of them instead of 10 of me,” Barry replied with a sigh. “I can, however, open the firewall for you through an auxiliary computer. You’re smart enough to bypass Cisco’s attempts of closing it, right?”

“Okay. So we would need to get Bella there to do some of her touchy feely cure to fix them, but we don’t have a clue where she and Oliver are,” Felicity sighed, frustrated. “Yeah I can hack the lab, but I was hoping to avoid the alarms it might raise.”

“I’ll open the firewall, he’ll think it’s a fluke, all you need to do is slip in undetected and you’re great at that.”

“Ew,” Laurel shuddered. “Keep the innuendos to a minimum this early, will you?”

“Tell your boyfriend to chew with his mouth closed and take smaller bites,” she snapped back. “I’d like my coffee to stay in my stomach.”

“What?” Steve reacted with a piece of lettuce sticking out of his mouth. “It’s called eating.”

Diggle, merely let out a sigh and rested his head in his hand. “So, we’ll do what we have to. Any chance you might be able to come back to town and run a few laps of recon?”

“Are you guys seriously that lost without Ollie?”

“No, but they are up to no good on their own and we’d like to find them before they get into more trouble. They already ditched their phones and pulled the tracker from the bike so we are left with searching over 50 square miles of forest and the city.”

“You don’t trust them? You’re a team, you’re supposed to trust them, especially Oliver.”

“I trust them, but right now they aren’t in the right state of mind to make decisions like this. That’s why we are a team. To do these things together and watch each other’s back.”

Barry sighed deeply. “You’re all not in the right mindset right now. You need to take a few days and regroup. Deal with this.”

“Barry, please. We need them,” Felicity begged him.

“Alright, alright,” he said with a yawn. “I’ll have breakfast on the go, I’m going to S.T.A.R. labs to get you access and then come running all the way over there to find your two love birds and bring them back to you. And then deal with my own shit.”

“Why does he make it sound as if that would take weeks?” Laurel raised an eyebrow. It was bizarre enough that CSI Barry was the Flash, but to have him complain like this?

“You’re not helping, Laurel,” Felicity told her before smiling at her phone. “Thanks, Barry, I owe you one.”

“See you soon.”

Stumbling could be heard from the stairs and Quentin appeared with red puffy eyes. “Morning,” he muttered as he walked to the coffee pot, ignoring the people in the kitchen for a moment before realising they were all up. “What the hell?”

Steve passed over a plate with bacon. “Bacon makes everything better, I always thought.”

“Dad’s not allowed to have bacon because of his heart attack,” Laurel glared at Steve. “Pull it away, now.”

The former Seal made a face. “What’s the point of living then? Eat what you want. Just make sure you burn it off later.”

“Exactly!” Quentin agreed, taking a piece of bacon. “Except the burning off thing. I’m too old for that shit.”

“Nah. I can work out a routine for you if you want to give it a shot,” he brushed off the age subject. Turning to the others, he smiled. “I’m going to look around to see what’s missing. Have fun.”

“So uhm… Dad, you probably want to take me to the station to give a statement, right? About what happened?” Laurel said as she eyed Felicity and Diggle. There was no way they could work work with her dad around.

“Oh, he could come to my place, sweetheart,” he said as he caressed Laurel’s back. “We’ll head there in a minute…”

“I don’t think it’s wise for you to leave this house, Captain Lance,” Dig said as he straightened himself up. “This is the most secure place there is, and there’s a safety concern, after all.”

Lance sighed deeply. He wanted to go home, deal with his loss in peace, but he could understand where Diggle was coming from. “Very well, maybe I could assist you guys for a change? I need to get my mind off of Sara’s-”

Felicity looked up from her computer and pushed her glasses back up her nose. “That’d be great actually. You can start by suggesting places that Oliver and Bella might run off to and hide around here that would still be close enough to the city without being found.”

Lance stood up straight as he looked around. “The hell are you talking about?”

“Here we go again…” Steve muttered as he breezed through the kitchen to the basement.

~o.O.o~

Leaning against a log that they’d set up a campfire nearby, Bella picked at her meal as she held a can of spaghettios. “How pissed off do you think everyone is right now? It’s been two days and we’re usually always in contact with someone. I’m surprised we haven’t heard helicopters searching overhead.”

“Well,” Oliver said as he poked the fire somewhat to get some more oxygen in. “That’s the fun part of having somewhat of a status, they can’t just send helicopters looking for us without it leaking to the press and tipping off the Cullens. I think they’ll chain us down when we return.”

“So we just don’t when we’re done. Take that vacation for real,” she suggested, looking up at him. “We can really go to Forks. Aside from the whole thing with the Cullens, it was okay.”

“What’s in Forks, though?”

She shrugged. “Friends I never really had my goodbyes with. Though, you might be right. It’d be a bad idea for you to go there…”

He cocked his head, intrigued. “Why’s that?”

“I really don’t see you hanging out on the reservation. Not with your temper,” she answered, shoving a mouthful of pasta in her mouth.

“My temper?” Oliver blinked as he got to his feet and grabbed his own can of pasta. “My temper is just fine, thanks.”

“Mmhmm, okay,” she agreed to placate him. “When are we going to head back to town to begin our hunt? I think you’ve kept me sequestered and distracted enough up here for the last two days, dear.”

The events from the last two days fresh in his memory. Their ‘workouts’ had been great! He took a moment to savour the memories. “I think by now that they’ll know what we’re up to, so we have to be careful, but let’s just pay them a visit and see what-”

“Hi guys,” Barry’s voice sounded from behind him.

Oliver turned around and glared at him. “Barry,” he said evenly. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, you know,” he said casually as he leaned against the tree. “I was asked by my girlfriend to find her friends, but I don’t see anyone here, I think they’re long gone and truly gone to Washington. No way I’m going to run all the way up there.”

Bella raised an eyebrow as she rose from where she sat. “Sonic,” she greeted humorously. “You’re really going to lie to Robin?”

“Look, Felicity can be scary, but I’m more afraid of what Oliver will do to me when I snitch. You two probably have a good reason to be doing this and likely are going to do things I don’t like, but hey, they don’t even know I’m here.” He pointed at his street clothes. “Not wearing the suit.”

Oliver smirked at that. “Good choice, Barry.”

“Do they even know you’re in the area yet?” Bella questioned. “No offense Sonic, but you aren’t the greatest liar on the best of days and at least one of them would suspect that you’ve seen us. Have they said anything to you about what’s going on in town?”

“Yes and yes. When Felicity calls, I come straight away… well… a day after. I know you’ve got some Cullen trouble and I gave her a backdoor access into the STAR labs computers to read Edward’s files.”

Her face darkened at the mention of his name. “And?”

“And, what?”

Straightening her back, Bella leveled her gaze on the man. Her fingers flexed at her side and fisted. Her eyes glanced over at Oliver as she drew in a breath to control her rapidly growing temper.

Oliver put his hand over Bella’s fist and took a deep breath. “What can you tell us, Barry?”

“I don’t know, ask Felicity! I’ve seen the CCTV footage and combined with what I’ve seen in the lab, I think you two should be really careful. If he decides to control you, the city is likely doomed.”

“Don’t worry, we’re going to put him down. For good.”

“What happened at the lab?” Bella asked, curiosity peeking out.

“Wells had Edward demonstrate his ability on a few metahumans, Rathaway nearly got away in the process if it weren’t for those ear pieces we gave him.”

“Rathaway?” Bella was confused now, but it was washed away quickly. “We need to come up with a stronger plan on putting that family down.”

“Hartley Rathaway is one of our inmates, basically Cisco 1.0 and putting that family down is your problem, not mine. I’m going to head to Felicity and tell her I couldn’t find you in the city, should give you some more time to do what you want to do.”

“Thanks Barry.”

“But, just so you know, I think I spotted wonderboy and his dad at the swankiest hotel in town and the building opposite their room is tall and the view to their room is unobstructed.”

She ran a hand through her hair as she stepped back. “They have a house. Why would they need a hotel room? It doesn’t make sense.”

“Likely because they know this city has other protection than just the police,” Barry shrugged. “Vigilantes are scary and unpredictable, so they’re hiding.”

“They also know about my ability of course,” she murmured. “If we only knew what they were planning, or at least a little of it.”

Barry shrugged. “Can’t help you with that, I’m not a mind reader.”

“We’ll just take them all out and then nothing will happen,” Oliver added and gently rubbed Bella’s back. “This will be over before you know it.”

“Easier said than done. I think we may need to get someone on the inside,” she muttered distractedly, a new line of thoughts coming to her. “Do we know the last time Jasper had any contact with the family? If he has any ability of his own?”

“You should ask your uncle that, maybe he can go visit him in jail,” Oliver replied as he went back to his can of pasta. “Because Jasper is in jail and I think that Felicity knows that we might go and visit him.”

She scowled at him. “Brain genius. We left our phones at the house. And my uncle is being kept there as well due to Edward killing Sara. I can’t go to him and ask. However, someone else here can point them in that direction then fill us in later,” she smiled back at Barry.

“Dude, no. What if they ask me why I’m pointing them in the right direction? I’m a terrible liar, you’ve said it yourself! No, just tell me what jail he’s in and what he looks like and I’ll get him out for you to interrogate and then put him back in.”

Bella smirked, crossing her arms. “Oh, I’m sure you can speed talk your way out of any questions that they may throw out at you.”

“You’re really going to make me do this?”

“We can’t make you do anything. I’m simply – asking. Would you, Sonic?” she asked, her voice light and sweet with innocence that wasn’t like her.

Oliver looked at Barry from behind his can of pasta, hiding a small smile.

“Aw man!” Barry exclaimed and sighed. “Fine. I’ll be back when I have information.”

“Sounds great,” Bella smiled cheerfully. “You know where not to find us! Just make sure that they don’t slap a tracker on you. I wouldn’t put it past your girlfriend.”

Barry huffed before he ran speeded off again.

“So…” Oliver said as he scraped the barrel of his can with his fork. “Want to check out the hotel from a cozy rooftop?”

“Oliver Queen – you really know how to show a girl a good time, don’t you?” she grinned over at him. “You know just how to get me all excited. Our suits are at the club still, you know.”

“We don’t need our suits, we’ve got our toys and training.”

“And if we get caught?” she murmured as she moved closer to him, lips curling at the corner. “Aren’t you the one that always boasts about staying hidden?”

“Fine,” he said as he pulled her closer. “We’ll go to the club first and hope nobody’s there.”

Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, Bella shrugged. “They aren’t going to be doing much knowing them. They will do everything they can to keep Gordon and Harley inside for now. Though I’m not sure how long that the guys would stay in one place before itching to do something. If we are going to be able to do this, sooner would be better than later.”

He took a deep breath and put his forehead against hers. “Alright,” he said softly. “Let’s try to make sure at least one of them doesn’t survive the night.”

After sneaking into the club and getting their gear, they suited up and headed to that cozy rooftop across from the hotel where Edward and Carlisle were staying. For shits and giggles Oliver had brought a candle with him, but didn’t light it because it would definitely give them away. While they had been in the club, he had also taken some of the arrows that Steve had made, ones that could penetrate everything including solid stone. He didn’t need the window now to make sure he hit his target.

Bella took her position and pulled out her scope to locate the unit that Barry mentioned. There was a small nagging thought in the back of her mind that wondered where he got the information as he had said he’d come straight to searching for them after Felicity’s call. Something or someone had to have known more than they were letting on and were holding out on her and Oliver. A frown came upon her lips as she spotted familiar copper toned hair. “Penny head eyed,” she muttered, giving the window coordinates to Oliver. “Still waiting on Daddy Dickhead.”

“Might have to take daddy out first,” Oliver mumbled as he lined up his arrow and strung his bow. “Seeing that Eddie won’t do anything without his father’s say so. But that’s all up to you, of course.”

She scoffed at the ridiculous idea. “Of course I want the bastard dead. Both of them. This isn’t about morals anymore. They are too dangerous to society just by breathing air.”

He loosened his bow and got another arrow out, lining that one up with the other. “Happy?” He retorted, a cheeky smile dancing on his lips.

She glared at him, waiting for him to shoot. “I’ll be happy when they aren’t breathing. What are you waiting for? An engraved invitation? I’m sorry, but I’m all out.”

“I’m waiting for daddy Cullen to show his face so I can shoot them both at the same time. And this is why I didn’t have you take your sniper gun, you’re too impatient.”

Bella looked back through the scope and lifted her head again with a scowl. “You’re an asshole. I’ve been waiting for this for years. So yeah, I think I’m entitled to be a little impatient.”

He lowered his bow again and handed it to her. “You’re right. They should be your kills.”

“Fucker. You know I’m still not that good with the bow at this distance, especially multiple targets. You are the one that wouldn’t let me take Betsy!”

Oliver lined his shot back up. “Too loud, even with that stupid silencer.”

“Oh my fucking god you two! Why you two aren’t married already, I don’t fucking understand!”

Oliver rolled away and aimed his arrows into the general direction of where the voice came from. It was strange not to see anything. The invisible man?

Bella pulled her sidearm from her hip and turned to raise it at the voice, seeing no one. “Emmett…?” she questioned.

“Oh, fuck, yeah,” Emmett quickly said as he made himself visible, his hands up in the air. “I kinda forget sometimes that I’m good at blending in. Don’t shoot, I’m friendly.”

“Yeah, that’s what your parents and siblings claimed time and again. Forgive me if the only opinion I care about is Rosalie,” she snapped. “Where is she?”

“I have no idea, I’ve been trying to figure that out myself. But there’s three of them, and only one of me,” Emmett replied, still his hands raised as the weapons were still pointed at him. “Look, I’m on your side. I’ve been spying on them for you, or trying my best to, and been protecting you and your team. That warehouse incident, for example? Edward was there, and seeing as he was the more dangerous of the two, I made sure he couldn’t get to you, Oliver. Sorry you had to deal with Esme. Hope the hangover wasn’t that bad.”

Bella glanced at Oliver but maintained a defensive position. “We still have no idea what Carlisle made and if there is more out there.”

“Of course there’s more out there,” Emmett huffed. “Carlisle isn’t stupid, well… he is. He kindly left his computer unattended and I have the formula for the compound and the antidote. And the location of where he keeps that shit. Want me to send it to your friend Steve so he can blow it all up with his grenades?”

Her jaw tensed as her grip on her gun tightened. She was going to have a long, physical chat with her friend when this was over. “How long?”

“Uhh… Thanksgiving, I guess. Saved him from Edward by hitting Edward over the head with a lead pipe,” he replied casually, moving to sit on the ground and make himself comfortable. “How that fucker’s still breathing I don’t know.”

Still struck stupid and speechless, Bella continued to stare at him, blinking as she processed the information. From her memories of Emmett, it did seem very much like him. He had been extremely friendly at school and had the tendency to go battle with the bullies who picked on the defenseless. She just wasn’t sure what to do and took a step back as her training held her weapon on him.

“Who else knows?” Oliver demanded, while Bella had relaxed somewhat, he wasn’t wavering.

“I don’t know. Felicity? Is that her name on your comms? He might have told his girlfriend? I don’t know. I didn’t have any issue with you two knowing, neither did Steve, but it was his girlfriend that said it’d be better if you two didn’t know because… well… in your eyes, the only good Cullen is Rosalie and you’ve already put away Jasper and killed Alice… so yeah… but I didn’t like it. Steve neither.”

Oliver inwardly cursed, finding truth in these words because his friends would hold out on him, and even Diggle would have been on the fence about this. And while he understood why his team left this crucial information from them, it didn’t mean that it had been the right thing to do. They had wanted someone on the inside since the start, and as it turned out, they could have used Emmett to begin with. Things would have been a lot easier.

He and his team were all about trust, and they already had a shaky history with retaining that trust, so could he still trust them?

“Jasper is in jail for something else entirely. He knew nothing of all this as far as we were able to determine,” Bella finally spoke. “Oliver, when this is over, I really want that vacation.”

“Yeah,” he said curtly before nodding to Emmett. “You believe him?”

She stared back at the man who she once saw as an older brother. After a long minute, she let out a shaky breath and lowered her arms. “I do. While I don’t like what everyone did, Steve has this way of just knowing if someone is telling him the truth and if he also believes him then there is no reason we shouldn’t until proven otherwise. He’s just never been wrong for as long as I’ve worked with him – except for agreeing to this.”

Oliver let out a grunt before moving back to his perch to keep an eye on the hotel room.

“Carlisle was in the hotel bar not long ago. I left him there when Steve texted me with his suspicions that you two were on a hunt,” Emmett supplied, relieved that the heat was off him. “He should be heading up soon. He tends to be a lightweight.”

“Good to know,” Bella replied, picking her scope. “Hope he enjoyed it because it’ll have been his last.”

“Look, Bella, I wish I could be more of a help, but there’s only one of me, you know. But if these two die, I can focus on Esme and find out where Rose is. And get her out myself, or with Steve. Whatever you want.”

She looked up at Oliver, raising a brow in silent question. It wasn’t a bad idea to be honest and at that moment, only Emmett and Steve appeared to be the only ones that they could trust.

“Sure, gives us more time to come up with our exit,” Oliver said, not taking his eyes off of his target which would hopefully soon double. “You think you and Steve can take care of Esme too without falling victim to her ability?”

“She has to be touching you and I know how to use a gun. You can’t not know how when growing up in the woods. You know how many bears there are out there? Forks is loaded with them and wolves. Some damn good hunting, I’ll tell you.”

When the door of the hotel suite opened, Oliver shifted a little and made sure he could take the shot. “The Green Arrow has started to kill again, there’s no way Lance can cover this up, the Cullens are too high profile.”

“I still say we should have used Betsy. That wouldn’t trace back to us,” Bella sighed. “Let’s get it over with so that we can get out of town.”

Emmett smiled as he got up to start heading off. “You do what you gotta do. Let everyone else deal with the fall out, it’s the least they deserve. Besides, when have you known me to not have something up my sleeve, TinkerBells?”

“Seriously? TinkerBells?” Oliver said as he took a deep breath and was content with where his two victims were. He felt the wind on his hand, and looked at the flag just to adjust a little bit.

“Shaddup and shoot!” Bella snapped. “Otherwise we’ll about to have a dead meta on this rooftop.”

“Yes darling,” he replied as he released his arrows, both going through the window and hitting both Cullens straight in their heads. “That was for Sara, and for Bella,” he muttered. “Jerks.”

Bella stood staring with a smile on her face, savoring the moment of freedom as she drew in a deep breath. She vaguely registered Emmett saying his goodbyes to the couple as he disappeared and she turned to Oliver. “Ready to get out of Starling City?”

“Let’s go,” he said as he got to his feet and took her hand. “We’re done here.”


TO BE CONTINUED IN A NEW STORY CALLED ALL BETS ARE OFF!

Gambling Hearts was always started as part of a trilogy. Raising the Stakes were part two, and All Bets Are Off will be the third part! What will Oliver and Bella do now? What’s the team going to be like? What will the future be?! What’s the future for the Green Arrow after he got caught killing again?

We’re currently working on chapter 3 and we won’t start posting the story until we’ve completed it to avoid you guys having to wait so long the next time one of our muses decide to bail!

 

One Comment:

  1. exciting chapter to read, congrats on completing this story

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