The Starling Vigilante [Watty's 2015 Award Winner]

Chapter 47

'Come on, Aria!' Sara beckoned me, her blonde hair blowing into my face as we walked by the side of the city's port.

It was the August of 2007, eight months since Tommy and I had enjoyed our Christmas Eve together, and we were still together. I had asked him if he liked boats and he said he hated them, the fear of drowning consuming his thoughts whenever he boarded a boat.

The last eight months had been normal, and for once I had felt like I had a home and a city where I belonged. I had grown to become a brilliant fighter with the help of Malcolm Merlyn, able to shoot with pretty much any weapon; shotgun, arrow, crossbow, you name it. I also had helped Lucas Hilton arrest many criminals, and my friendship with Oliver and Laurel had grown stronger, as well as becoming with Laurel's sister, Sara.

But the most rewarding part of my life in Starling was how I had protected Tommy. He had stopped being like Oliver and had become more responsible, thinking about the repercussions and consequences. When he had been in danger I had been there to protect him, managing to lock away a few criminals who had tried to steal from or hurt Tommy because of his family's reputation with money.

'You told Laurel and Oliver that I was coming, right?' I asked Sara, worried that they would wonder where I was. 'And Tommy?'

'Don't worry, Aria!' Sara laughed, smiling. 'They know!'

Somehow, part of me felt she wasn't telling the truth.

Suddenly, I felt a gust of wind, and I was transported away from the port in the space of seconds.

It was him. Yellow Suit.

'Get away from me!' I shouted in the alleyway we were. 'Like I told you the last time we met.'

'That was... about nine months ago?' Yellow Suit asked. I nodded angrily. 'Well, while you've been living for nine months, it's only been about... a minute since I last saw you. Since I tried to kill you. And I must warn you, if you get on that boat, I won't have to kill you. You'll be dead.'

'I don't believe you!' I shouted. 'Or your nonsense about... time. I saw you last year, and I'm not going to deny what happened.'

'Get away from her!' A voice suddenly shouted.

It was Red Suit, saving me again from Yellow Suit. Just like last year. It all felt too... similar. The way they looked, what they said, how they acted, like, as Yellow Suit said, they saw me moments ago.

But that was impossible.

And moreover, why did Yellow Suit want me not to board the ship if I was going to die? He wanted me dead, didn't he?

Before I could blink, I felt myself being hurled to the side, landing on the ground roughly.

'Sorry!' Red Suit exclaimed apologetically, fighting Yellow Suit off as he tried to protect me.

In a flash, I found myself in another location, Red Suit by my side.

'Why didn't he want me to go on the ship if he wants me dead?' I asked Red Suit, still scared that Yellow Suit was going to reappear.

'Long story,' Red Suit days quickly. 'But, trust me, if you want to do the right thing, board that ship.'

'Er, okay?' I said, confused. 'But, where are we?'

'You're on the street next to the port,' Red Suit explained. 'If you go straight ahead, you'll find your boat.'

'Thank you!' I suddenly remembered to thank him from saving me from a near death experience.

And before I could ask his name, he had disappeared, yet again.

---

'Where did you go?' Sara asked as we got on the boat together.

'I... thought I'd dropped my... phone, so I went to find it,' I answered, trying to think of a reasonable cover story so that she wouldn't think I'd gone completely mad. Being rescued by a red suited speedster was really not the thing people expected to hear or believe in the slightest.

As we collected our keys and went to our rooms, Oliver joined us.

'Oliver!' I exclaimed, giving him a friendly hug. 'I didn't expect you'd be here!'

'It's my dad's boat, of course I'll be here!' He laughed, giving Sara a hug too.

'Oh, of course,' I realised. 'But, why aren't the rest of your family here?'

'I'm here!' Robert Queen boomed from behind Oliver.

It was obvious Robert was going to be there; after all, he owned the actual boat.

'Mom said that she wanted Thea with her, since she wasn't coming,' Oliver explained. 'She didn't want to be lonely, plus Thea probably wants to spend time with her friends this summer.'

It made perfect sense now. But Sara and Oliver being on the same boat, away from Laurel?

This spelt trouble.

---

A week had already passed on the boat, and I had done virtually nothing. It was so chilled, just relaxing in the sun, Sara and Oliver with me. I just wished Tommy could be there with me. I hadn't been away from him that long since being a couple, and it was starting to worry me that he hadn't answered any of my calls or texts.

But that was Tommy. He never picked up his phone. It was so frustrating. I could have been in an emergency, but dear Tommy would never know.

'Hey, Aria, could you get us a drink?' Oliver asked as the sparkling night sky replaced the sunny blue afternoon hues.

'Yeah,' I answered, returning to the temperate interior of the boat, it's name I had learned to be The Queen's Gambit.

As I brought three glasses of some posh champagne the bar had been serving outside, I found that my friends had gone.

How annoying.

I did not enjoy being deserted, so I searched for them both. I retraced my steps to the bar to see if they had gone to find me, but I was wrong.

My next idea was to search our rooms. We all had adjoining rooms, which had been perfect for meeting up and finding each other easily. But right now, I couldn't find them.

Trying Oliver's room first, I knocked on his door with my left hand, balancing the three glasses in my right, which was a special skill of mine I had picked up when having friends such as Oliver and Sara.

No reply.

I knocked again, louder this time.

No. Reply.

Then I approached Sara's room, the only logical thing to do. Where else could they be? I know they mustn't have wanted me around, but they could have at least told me.

But I never got to knock on her door.