14 Chapter 13

-[Evan]-

He and Lucas sat in the car parked a block away from Star Labs.

"So what's the plan?" Lucas asked Evan who was fiddling with a watch similar to the one on his wrist.

"Did you read the instructions I gave you for how to use this?" Evan shot back, handing it to him.

The older teen looked away with a whistle, causing Evan to let out a sigh of exasperation and irritation.

"Just leave it to me." Evan said, pulling out a white keycard. "This is a Trojan card I designed when I wanted free coffee for life a while ago."

"Of all the things to use your brain for… How does it even work?" Lucas asked, not even bothering with Evan's reasoning.

"The doors in there use access keycard. When scanned, it uploads a virus that'll give us access to the system. We're going to use it to gain access to their security network. Rather, I am." Evan explained, getting a confused look from Lucas.

"I have the building layout memorized. I'll go in through the front while you find the emergency exit from outside. I'll let you in from there." Evan explained.

"And how am I supposed to find this emergency exit?" Lucas questioned.

"That's where I come in." Felicity's voice came from the communicators in their ears. "I'll guide you through it."

Evan took a deep breath, putting on a face mask as his watch flashed a dull holographic light, his appearance now that of a middle aged man with light brown hair, a short goatee and blue eyes.

"New face?" Lucas asked, not recognizing it.

"I'm building a collection." The younger boy said simply as he exited the vehicle and quickly made his way to Star Labs.

-[Artemis]-

She sat at the foot of her bed, her eyes red from all the crying she had done. Her father's revelation plagued her mind as well as Evan's reaction to her rejection.

*Knock!* *Knock!*

"Artemis?" Her mom's voice came from outside her room. "Artemis, are you okay?"

In the state she was in, the pieces suddenly began to fit in as things began making sense to her.

Pushing up to her feet, she rushed to the door and practically ripped it open. "You knew, didn't you?!" She accused.

Taken aback, Paula looked in shock. "What are you talking about?" She asked.

"I'm talking about Evan! That awkward look you have when he comes up for discussion and the look you give him when you see him! It all makes sense now!" Artemis ranted, venting out her anger but it didn't reduce one bit.

Paula looked conflicted for a moment but that moment of hesitation was all Artemis needed.

"So I was right." The blonde archer said.

"Artemis, I think it's best if you stay away from that boy." Paula said, only fueling her burning anger.

"What?!"

"I just think that-!" Paula was cut off and Artemis began another rant.

"You want to threaten him? Dad already did that!" She screamed but Paula only frowned, now knowing how Artemis found out.

"Your father doesn't know as much as he thinks he does. While what he said is true, there's more to that story." Paula said, surprising Artemis enough for her anger to pause but not subside.

-[Evan]-

Walking through the front door, he gave a simple greeting to the receptionist which was reciprocated.

"Hi, how can I help you?" The woman at the desk asked.

"I'm the new scientist coming in today. I was transferred from Gotham to assist with a few projects." Evan said politely, lying very easily.

"Your id please." The woman requested, to which he provided an id card.

"David Shield." She echoed the name on the card as she ran it through the system.

From the moment he walked in, he had already formed a connection to her computer and inputted his alias into the staff database.

It didn't take more than a few moments for the woman to 'find' what she was looking for.

"Alright have a nice day." She said, returning the card and waving him off.

He walked through the reception and towards the actual parts of the building, reaching the first security checkpoint.

The security guard beside the scanner watched him closely as he pulled out the keycard and placed it against the scanner.

He wouldn't lie and say he wasn't nervous but he'd already gotten this far. There was a tense few seconds of silence before the lights glowed green, allowing him to pass through without problem.

"And we're in. We have access to their security network." Felicity said in his ear.

"Lovely." He muttered under his breath as he walked past the guards and into the elevator.

He could feel the numerous cameras watching him. He could see through the camera lens, briefly deactivating the audie sensors.

"Where's Lucas?" Evan asked, now able to talk freely but still cautious.

"He's waiting outside the emergency exit. That door is part of the network, I can let him in to come and meet you." Felicity said but Evan immediately refuted.

"Not yet. There are cameras facing that exit." He said as the elevator door opened, letting him out.

"I've already got it covered. Cameras are on a loop and the door is open." Felicity said, sounding satisfied with herself.

'This is going easier than I thought it would.' Evan thought. "Lucas, get to the server room. I'll meet you on the way there."

"Roger that." came Lucas' lazy tone.

•••

The numerous points that came after that were tedious but easily passed so he couldn't complain.

As he reached the door, a voice called out behind him. "Hold it!"

He froze in his steps, turning back to see a guard walking towards him. "Is anything the matter?"

"Show some id. I don't remember your face and I've got an eye for faces." The guard said, a frown on his face.

"That's right. I was transferred from Gotham. This is my first day here." Evan said, providing his forged id.

The man's eyes narrowed for a moment. "I'm going to need you to follow me for verification. Just to be sure."

Evan showed no resistance as he was led away. Barely a moment later, the alarms began blaring around them.

The communicator in the guard's ear crackled to life in Evan's senses.

"We've got a situation downstairs. Send backup!" A man said from the other line.

"I'm on my way!" The guard responded as Evan felt the cameras around him and in other places shut down.

The moment the man finished speaking, he turned to face Evan only for him to go still as a hard object smashed into the back of his head.

Evan looked back to see a man dressed as a technician behind him holding the gun that he used to knock the guard out.

"And you're supposed to be the careful one." The man said with a smug grin.

"Put that away, will you?" Evan said, slightly annoyed. "It's not my fault he has a photographic memory."

He knew it was Lucas from the watch he could feel under the photonic disguise he assumed.

"What triggered the alarms?" Evan asked, giving Lucas an accusing look.

"Sorry not sorry. I couldn't take the risk of you blowing your cover. There was a guy walking into the reception at the same time so I revoked his access and made a fake criminal profile that would trigger the alarms." Felicity explained. "You've got a few minutes before the cameras come back up."

"But what do we do with him?" Lucas asked, gesturing to the unconscious man as he put away his gun.

•••

A few minutes later, Evan and Lucas walk out of the janitor's closet, assuming the guise of the unconscious guard and technician respectively.

"Think anyone's going to find him there?" Lucas asked as they made their way through the halls.

"I'd rather not be around when they do. It's not going to be fun." Evan said as they continued the mission.