The Starling Vigilante [Watty's 2015 Award Winner]

Chapter 43

'We're finally getting somewhere!' Malcolm exclaimed as I fought him in hand-to-hand combat and successfully defended myself against him.

After being occupied with training every minute of my time out of work for two weeks, I hadn't had the chance to tell Tommy my feelings for him. But Malcolm didn't realise this.

But, it had paid off. I had won my first fight against Malcolm, my fist pointed towards his face as he led on the floor, unable to escape me.

'And you won too,' he smiled as I helped him up from the floor.

'I- did I just do... All that?' I asked, utterly amazed at my capabilities.

Malcolm nodded.

'And now, I think we can go onto using weapons in battle,' Malcolm grinned. 'What skills do you already have?'

'Well, I was trained on how to use a gun in back in Central city for self defence,' I remembered, reminiscing to the morning when Malcolm abducted Eddie. 'But I'm absolutely shocking! You remember, when you went all assassin on Eddie and took me here.'

'That was to protect you, Aria,' Malcolm protested. 'And yes, you were awful at shooting.'

'I know I was,' I laughed. 'And I know what you did was because of what Eddie did. How he betrayed me like that.'

Suddenly, my phone vibrated in the worktop and I raced to it. Answering the call, I put it to my ear.

'Hey Aria, it's Lucas,' I heard Lucas Hilton's voice down the phone. 'We've got a new case and we need you to come down to the SCPD now.'

'I'll be there as fast as I can,' I said at once, before ending the call.

'What was that?' Malcolm asked, intrigued.

'I've got to go to work,' I said, before shoving my black sweater and coat over my training gear and slipped on my black Dr Martin boots. 'See you later!'

---

'What's the crime this time?' I asked, breathing in the cold, late November air as I tried to catch my breath from rushing to the SCPD after being in intense training with Malcolm.

I really didn't need this after being to the point of exhaustion from fighting. But unfortunately I couldn't just pick and choose when things happened.

'One of the guys who we locked up in Iron Heights has... disappeared,' Lucas said slowly and seriously.

'Let's find him then!' I exclaimed at once, wanting justice. 'So, who is this guy, anyway?'

'I don't think you'll be happy about that,' Lucas said, once again slow and hesitant.

'Why?' I asked obliviously.

'The man who escaped,' Lucas started. 'Is Simon Lloyd.'

'W-what?' I asked nervously. 'How did he-he escape?'

I was so scared. Scared for my life. If Simon saw me, I was sure that he would try to finish the job and kill me for good.

'We... don't know,' Lucas told me truthfully. 'One minute he was gone, and the next minute he was-'

'Gone in a flash,' I finished as I looked at the surveillance footage playing on the computer screen.

It looked as though he had disappeared from existence, just like that. Just like Yellow Suit who talked to me at the Art Auction at the Queens' house and had disappeared in a flash after the conversation was over.

But no one would believe me if I told them.

'Are you sure you still want to come?' Lucas asked, concerned. 'We can manage without you if you don't want to.'