The Starling Vigilante [Watty's 2015 Award Winner]

Chapter 57

Searching for a way out of the boat once again on my daily patrol, I came across Hendrick's cell. I hadn't spoken to him since the first day we were locked down in the cells and I tried to free him. Now I had gained Ivo's trust, I couldn't just speak to Hendrick as a friend, but I needed to tell him what I was doing on the boat, in case I had to torture him one day.

That day, I decided, would be that day, to tell him the truth.

'I'll take the prisoner in cell 157,' I said into my radio to the other crew members. 'He looks like he needs to be a bit more... broken.'

Finding the corresponding key and unlocking the cell door, I was met with a delighted cry from Hendrick.

'Aria!' Hendrick exclaimed. 'Are you here to-'

'Prisoners don't talk,' I interrupted Hendrick, a line that Sara had told me to say to prisoners that wasted your time.

It wasn't exactly that Hendrick was wasting my time, I just didn't want him to reveal anything about my plans.

'But, Aria-' Hendrick started, before I knocked him out.

---

As I chucked a bucket of freezing cold water at his face to wake him up, Hendrick spluttered. I had tied him to a chair like I had with Peter, the only way to keep him still so I could explain what was happening.

'There's no point in struggling,' I said in a growl as Hendrick tried to break free.

I then turned off my walkie talkie and all the cameras in the room.

'What- what are you doing?' Hendrick asked in a gravelly and defeatist tone, obviously past the point of despair after being on the boat for five months.

'I was pretending,' I whispered, coming closer to him. 'It was all an act so I could talk to you.'

'How can I trust you?' He growled. 'I hear about you and that other bitch taking people from the cells and torturing them. And testing them.'

'I didn't agree to this,' I said sadly. 'None of us did. Not even 'that bitch' who was my friend and the only other survivor from the Gambit. While you're trapped down there, I'm trapped up here and made to do horrible things.'

'Then why are you here to talk to me?' Hendrick challenged. 'Surely you'll be in trouble if we get caught?'

'I don't care if I get caught,' I answered. 'I just wanted to let you know that I'm trying to find a way out of here. For me, you and Peter. So please, just trust me on this one.'

'Peter's alive?' Hendrick asked hopefully.

I nodded my head.

'And the only way he can stay alive is if you trust me,' I added.

'Okay,' he said in a sigh. 'Well you're the only chance we've got.'

I'm going to have to turn the cameras back on,' I said sadly. 'And I'm going to have to torture you. I'm so sorry, but if I don't do this it's going to look suspicious.'

'Okay, do what you have to do,' Hendrick nodded.

---

Taking Hendrick back to his cell, I gave him a sympathetic smile before locking his cell shut. I felt so guilty for putting Hendrick in a position like this, but I had to if I wanted him to trust me.

Leaving his cell, I walked along to the next few cells. The empty cell I passed too often was now vacant, it's prisoner asleep. As I neared the cell, some of the crew were there closing the cell door.

'We just found him on the island,' one of the men said as I approached, thinking that I was checking up on him.

The crew seemed to hold me in high authority after it was announced that Ivo thought I was special, they obviously thinking I was working with Ivo. I was, but I didn't want all that power Ivo wielded over the crew members. I hated the responsibility.

'Why did you take him here?' I wondered.

'He ordered us to,' another man said, referring to Ivo.

Nodding, they left the cell and I took a look at the prisoner. And when I saw his face, my heart stopped. I fell back, staggered and my mouth wouldn't close out of utter shock. It couldn't be.

He was Oliver Queen.