The Starling Saviour

Chapter 23

'Miss Coleman,' Hilton said quietly as he joined me outside the interrogation room. 'Who were you really with?'

As I looked for Helena for support, I found that the rest of the spectators were gone. I was on my own.

'They're telling the truth,' I said with a convincing poker face.

'But I know they're not,' Hilton stated. 'And I don't believe you, either.'

'You don't think I'm capable of fighting the gang, do you?' I said, raising one eyebrow. 'You don't think I'm strong enough. But I am. And the other three are capable as well.'

'You know lying to the police is a felony, even if you work at the police department?' Hilton changed the topic so he didn't have to admit what he thought of us.

'But I'm not committing a crime,' I said, facing the one-way mirror, not daring to look at Hilton. 'You've seen what I can do. You've seen me fight the gang before. Why wouldn't I be able to do the same again?'

'This is a warning, Coleman,' Hilton threatened, looking at the criminals with me. 'If I find any evidence to suggest you were working with the Vigilante, then I won't hesitate to arrest you and your friends.'

Vigilante? How did he know Ted was involved? Was he just guessing, or had Bellini or Delano dropped hints to him?

I had to warn Ted before it was too late.

---

'Ted!' I shouted as I ran through Wildcat Gym. 'Ted!'

The building was quiet, and Ted was nowhere to be seen.

Letting myself into the back room, I swiped the ID card Ted had given me in case of emergency, but I was not prepared for what I was about to see. Helena and Ted were hiding behind the stashes of storage boxes, as if they had all the time in the world. Helena had some sort of flower tucked behind her right ear and Ted had lipstick all over his face. The two were inseparable, adjoined at the lips and arms entangled.

'You have got to be kidding me,' I muttered quietly, but evidently not quiet enough.

'Ar... Aria,' Helena said surprisedly, wiping the side of her mouth quickly. 'I... I didn't know you would be back to early.'

'So this is where you disappeared to?' I said, annoyed at the fact she had left me to face Hilton to have a impromptu smooching session. 'I just got grilled by Hilton, who thinks we're all 'committing felonies' by pretending we didn't have help from Ted. I thought you wanted to see what Bellini and Delano were going to say, anyway, instead of making out with... Ted!'

'I'm still here, y'know,' Ted commented sarcastically, trying to mask his embarrassment.

'I'm sorry, Aria, but some things are more important than wasting my life away waiting for some criminals to get us arrested!' Helena reacted badly to my outburst. 'What is wrong with me being with Ted? You were the one who tried talking me into being with him before we fought the gang! And just because some detective accused us of breaking the law doesn't mean anything. Lance was more than happy with what we had done!'

Before Helena could get any more worked up, Ted pulled her back and calmed her down.

'This is just a... Misunderstanding,' Ted said awkwardly. 'Stop having a go at her, Aria.'

'I'm sorry,' I said unconvincingly. 'But speculation and accusations are actually happening out there! Questions are being asked. Hilton won't be the only one. People are seeing through us. We need to cover up the fact that you were ever there.'

'Isaac's already on the camera footage,' Ted said automatically. 'He's hacked into every system in this city.'

'Good,' I nodded in approval. 'What about all the gang members that saw you help us?'