Arrow ~ Docket No. 11-19-41-73 ~ Part Two

***

"Well," Oliver cleared his throat as he and Jean met in the courthouse. "That went . . .better than I expected."

"Indeed," Jean nodded, tapping her chin as she leaned against one of the chairs. "From what you told me of Diaz, I expected him to turn up and put pressure on Rene."

"I thought that was what happened," Oliver admitted. He hadn't been able to see anyone privately when he and Jean took a recess, but he had noticed Winn had looked absolutely gleeful when he left. The D.E.O. agent had to have seen something he hadn't. "So where do we go from here?"

"It's our turn," Jean answered, checking her notes. "There are three witnesses I have who can argue definitively for you: Felicity Smoak, Kara Danvers, and yourself."

Oliver took a deep breath. "Do we have a chance at winning this?"

"If we were dealing with a completely fair judge and a completely fair jury?" Jean tilted her head. "I think absolutely, we would. But knowing what we do with the corrupt influence we have in the system . . . we need to be prepared for anything."

"We will be," Oliver nodded. "I know it."

Jean nodded back.

***

Oliver winced as the handcuffs were taken off him back in the courtroom, and he turned to look at Kara as she moved to the outer edge of her benches. "You don't have to testify," he murmured. "Jean doesn't have to call you."

"Yes, she does," Kara nodded. "And Ito testify."

"I don't want you in a position where you perjure yourself because of me," Oliver hissed.

"I perjure myself every day when I say I'm not an alien," Kara retorted, making Oliver wince. "Besides, the best witness to say where you've been at night is me."

Oliver conceded with a nod. "Look, I know our teams have a plan," he said quietly. "I can't see J'onn anywhere in this courtroom, that's got to say something. You don't have to take any chances for me."

"I will take if it keeps you from being taken away from me and William," Kara's eyes flared.

Oliver swallowed hard, wanting nothing more than to kiss her, when the clerk up from called, "Court is back in session!"

Oliver turned back around to sit with Jean, and Kara dropped gracefully onto her bench. Felicity leaned forward and whispered, "Did he try and tell you 'no?'"

"Yes, he did," Kara nodded.

"And did you basically tell him go to hell?"

"Yes, I did."

Felicity patted her shoulder. "Good job."

"You don't have to testify, either," Kara pointed out.

Felicity snorted. "Let's just add this to the long list of felonies I've already committed for him."

Kara bit back a laugh as she leaned back forward, ready for the defense to start.

***

"I graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with Master's Degrees in Cyber Security and Computer Sciences," Felicity said as she cleaned her glasses on the witness's stand. "From 2015-2016, I served as the CEO of Palmer Tech, Inc."

"Thank you," Jean nodded, standing from her table. "The defense moves to have Ms. Smoak accepted as an expert witness."

"I don't see the point of this, Ms. Loring," McGarvey frowned.

"I want the witness to testify to the validity of this photograph," Jean answered, dropping her file in front of the judge.

"Fine," he frowned. "But make it quick."

Jean nodded, taking her file back and walking to Felicity. "Ms. Smoak, this appears to be a photograph of your ex-fiancé, Oliver Queen, dressed as the Green Arrow," she held it up.

"Yes," Felicity nodded. "The keywords beingThis photo has been doctored." She pointed to the picture as she spoke. "A pixel level analysis will show almost undetectable light shifts and resolution inconsistencies that would not be present in a natural photo."

"Objection, Your Honor," Alexa stood. "What is the point of showing us an allegedly doctored photograph at all?"

"The better question would be who, and why, would they doctor a photo to make Oliver Queen look like the Green Arrow if hethe Green Arrow? I mean, which he's He was my boyfriend, then fiancé, when the Green Arrow first became active. I would know if it were him."

Oliver smiled thankfully at Felicity as Jean walked back to her table. "No further questions."

Alexa walked around her table, tilting her head thoughtfully. "Your father is Noah Kuttler, the alleged Calculator."

"Objection," Jean raised.

"Overruled," McGarvey countered.

"He's reformed," Felicity said.

"But before he was, did you know that he was a notorious computer hacker and cyber criminal?" Alexa asked.

"No," Felicity admitted. "I had no idea."

Alexa snorted. "Doesn't say much about your ability to see criminality in people close to you, does it?"

"I w – !" Felicity began.

"And under the heading 'apples falling from trees,'" Alexa cut across her, "have you yourself ever engaged in cyber crime?"

"No, I haven't," Felicity said firmly. "Good luck proving otherwise, Ms. Van Owen."

James had to elbow Winn to stop his friend from snickering loud enough to draw Alexa's attention.

***

"I first met Oliver Queen on November 29, 2016 through our good friend, Barry Allen," Kara explained as she took the witness's stand. "We didn't have much contact after that until May 24, 2017. After that, we kept in close contact for about three months, when we started dating in August. After Samantha Clayton was killed in a car accident and William moved in with Oliver, I stayed over almost every night. We have been engaged as of November 28, 2017."