Escaped Vigilante

Chapter Sixteen

ARIA'S P.O.V
About an hour and a half after Barry's visit I got a text from Cisco. GET TO S.T.A.R LABS NOW! "Iris I have to go to the lab. Its an emergency," I said grabbing my bag and sweater. "I'm coming too," Iris said grabbing her stuff. We ran out the door and into an alley. "Brace yourself" I warned. I ran us there as fast as I could. "What's wrong?" Iris asked. "you didn't tell me Wells was after you the whole time," Barry said to me. "Can you guys talk later?" Caitlin asked. "Yeah like after we show her the video," Cisco agreed. "Video?" Iris asked. Cisco pressed a few buttons and a video started playing. "I tried to get rid of you three times but you just won't die! So looks like the saying is true. 'If you want something done right you've got to do it yourself'. See you soon A." The girl said. The voice sounded familiar but Aria couldn't place it. And the girl had called her A. Who had called her that before?

Then her brain supplied a name and face. Her pulse quickened, her breath became shaky, and she started to panic silently. "You okay?" Barry asked. He had noticed the tension Aria was feeling. "No. No, no, no. This can't be happening, she can't be back," I said to myself. I slid down to the wall to a curled up position with my hands on my head. "Aria listen to me everything is going to be okay," Barry said to me. "Who is she?" Cisco asked. I started to have a panic attack and I couldn't breathe. "F-Flicker," I managed between gasps of air. Kelly came over and I felt a needle in my arm. Then it all faded to darkness.

BARRY'S P.O.V
Kelly sedated Aria and ad we put her on the hospital bed. "Anybody know what Flicker means?" I asked. "Got something!" Felicity called. We went over to her computer. "I hacked into Aria's account, which was not easy since I taught her cyber security, and there is a file on each of us. It includes pari and post explosion blood tests, molecular scans, energy output levels, cat acans, notes, and more," she explained. "What does that have to do with Flicker," Cisco asked. "There's a file just like the others labeled FLICKER," Felicity said opening it. "Got it her name is Lilith Kiss she is 26 years old and grew up in the glades," She read. "Anything linking her to Aria?" I asked. "Okay, when she was 13 her and Aria attempted a robbery. Aria couldn't go through with it and notified the police, Lilith found out and attacked her. When the cops got there Aria was almost dead and Lilith was still beating her screaming that she was gonna kill and she would rot in hell for betraying her. They arrested Lilith for theft and attempted murder," Felicity recited from the police report. "Anything else?" Kelly asked. "Yep, about a month after the particle accelerator exploded she was let out on parol and went after Aria again. After being stopped by the Arrow and Arsenal, Lilith dropped off the grid. She hasn't been seen since," Felicity summed up. "Why is she called Flicker?" Alice wondered. "According to Aria's file she can manipulate, create, and destroy light," Caitlin read. "So how do we find Lilith?" Oliver asked. "Um, guys? Maybe we should find Aria first," Roy said. He pointed to the, now empty, hospital bed. There was a note were Aria was laying. DON'T FOLLOW ME. I showed the others. "You're following her aren't you?" Iris asked. "Cisco I need a location," I said. "She's at the Arrow Cave," he replied. I took off.

When I got to the foundry, that's the place's real name, Aria was sitting in the corner fiddling with something. When I got closer I saw that it was red and gold friendship bracelet made of rope. "Aria?" I asked. "Go away," she mumbled. "It's okay Aria. Cisco i looking for Lilith as we speak. We'll help you deal with this," I said softly as I sat down next to her. She hugged me buried her face in my chest. "I don't want to deal with this," she sobbed. "Can you tell me what exactly happened that night?" I asked. She looked at me and nodded.

***
ARIA'S P.O.V
I was eating breakfast when I heard a familiar sound in the garden. I opened the window and went back to my seat. My best friend sprawled onto the floor through the window. "Aria what was that?" Roy called. "It's just Lily," I called. "I still don't understand why you don't just use the door. It's always unlocked," I told her. "Well is walking through the door as much fun?" She countered. "Point Lily," I agreed. "Hey I made you something," she told me. She handed me a small box. I opened it and saw a bracelet made out of red and gold rope that was braided together. In the centre was a metal plate with a message engraved in it. L.A EVERYDAY. "Lily it's beautiful," I said. "Hold out your wrist," she instructed. I did as she said. I'm 11 and she's two years older than me so I listened to her most of the time. She put the bracelet on her wrist. "Wanna do something fun?" She asked me. I nodded my head in excitement. "Tonight at eight we're gonna meet at the seven eleven around the corner and we're gonna rob the place," she whispered in my ear. "Isn't that illegal?" I asked. "Only if you get caught," she replied. I was unsure. "Come on A it'll be fun," she insisted. "Okay," I agreed. "Great see you tonight," she said. She dove through the window again and ran home. As soon as she was out of sight I grabbed the phone and called the police. "Hello SCPD what's your emergency?" A voice asked. "Hi my name is Aria. My friend Lily is planning on robbing the seven eleven at the corner of fourth and kings at 8:00 tonight. She thinks I'm gonna help her," I said. "Thank you for the information," they said before hanging up.

At 7:58 p.m i met Lily in the parking lot. "There you are. I was afraid you wouldn't come," she told me. I looked around for the coos discretly. "Well let's do this," she said. We went in and Lily drew a gun from her jacket. "Lily!" I cried in horror. "It's okay just get the money," she instructed. "No. Where are the police?" I said quietly. "You called the cops!?!" she screamed. She snatched the money and pushed me out the door onto the cold cement of the parking lot. She pulled the hammer back on her gun and fired three bullets into my stomach. My vision blurred. She knelt on me and started beating me. "You traitor I'll kill you! How dare you! You'll rot in hell for betraying me," she screamed. Then the cops showed up. They cuffed her and put her in the car. "I thought you were my friend," she said as they closed the door. They rushed me to the hospital. About half way there I lost conciousness.

***
BARRY'S P.O.V
"That's awful," I told Aria. "I've been terrified of her ever since. Then about a month after the explosion she came after me again. This time she had her powers. I wasn't as badly hurt that time cause Roy and Oliver saved me. I pushed her back with an energy blast before Roy got there but she still took me down and nearly killed me. No matter what I do, I can't win, I can't beat Lily," she said. "Is that the bracelet she gave you, can I see it?" I asked. She handed it to me. "I keep it hidden in the wall here. It's kinda my dirty little secret," Aria confessed. "Well now It's our dirty little secret," I told her. I pit it back on the wall, picked her up and ran us back to the lab. She saw and started to leave. I stopped her. "We can help take her down. Will you let us?" I asked. She looked me in the eyes then turned to everyone. "Let's get to work," she said.