The Starling Saviour

Chapter 54

Nodding to each other, I elbowed Vanch in the face and punched him with both of my tied-together hands, my aim surprisingly accurate. Helena had already dealt with Vivian, the gun now in her hand, and I ran to join her in the next room.

'I'm so sorry we had to see each other again in this way,' I quickly apologised as she tried to set me free from my ties, but it was no use, for they were too tough.

'Why won't these break?' She breathed while desperately attempting to untangle me. 'And honestly, it's okay, I know what kind of life you lead. I heard that a certain vigilante is back.'

'I need to work on dodging security cameras if even you've heard about my one recent return,' I shook my head, but received a hug.

'I'm so glad I've seen you again,' Helena smiled. 'It would have been... Better in different circumstances, but I've missed you so much.'

'As have I,' I smiled back, but our joy was cut short by the sound of Vanch running towards us.

'I can't get you free!' Helena panicked, the sound of more footsteps coming our way.

'Go!' I exclaimed at once. 'You need to get out of here.'

'I can't leave you!' She protested, but I sent her a look to tell her to run.

And she did, while I was taken away yet again by Vanch and his henchmen.

---

'How could I be so stupid?' Vanch asked sarcastically as one of his men secured me tighter to the seat I had previously been sitting on, tying some sort of cord around my chest and the back of the chair. 'She was one of your vigilante friends, wasn't she? Back when The Hood was merely an idea.'

'I'm not going to tell you anything,' I spouted angrily, my breathing feeling restricted as I could barely move my lungs under the cord. 'I'm not afraid of death. It would be a sense of relief to finally leave this city and my friends in it to safety; without me, people like you wouldn't need to torture or hurt them any longer. So do it, give it all you've got. I deserve to suffer.'

'Tempting, but no,' Vanch started to laugh. 'I had a feeling you'd react like this. Death would be liberating for you. No, no, I think I have a better idea.'

Vivian handed Vanch a syringe, much like the Vertigo-filled one The Count had injected into Oliver just a few weeks before.

'Recognise it?' He grinned sadistically, holding it up in front of my face like it was his prized possession. 'It's a very similar poison to the one my friend The Count gave Oliver. Only this time, I added my own special ingredient to the mix; sodium pentothal, or truth serum, as it is more commonly known.'

'I thought you didn't want to kill me,' I commented. 'Vertigo in its purest form probably will.'

'Not if I only inject a little,' Vanch contested impishly. 'It will only... Torture you.'

Great. Now Vanch would be able to find out about anybody he wanted through me and torture them too.

'Please, don't,' I tried to plead, but why would Vanch listen to me?

I felt the needle pierce my skin, the drugs surging and coarsing through my veins. Vertigo itself was a calming drug if it was given in tablet form, but it was supposed to be truly awful in its purest. However, I did not feel the effects I was anticipating, as I immediately relaxed, becoming less tense each second it was in my bloodstream.