The Starling Saviour

Chapter 12

I wasn't expecting there to be a pleasant mood in the SCPD when I got back. But it was much grimmer than I expected.

'11 officers died today,' Lance spoke gravely, his head down to cover up the fact that he was crying. '50 more are in a critical condition.'

The large room no longer looked crowded as it did a few hours ago, the department sparsely scattered across the space, all heads more or less bowed in mourning. It felt horrible, the atmosphere of the place, as if some sort of shadow had cast us all in the dark. I wanted to cry myself.

'More of us wouldn't be here now if the SWAT team hadn't have intervened,' Lance carried on, half angry, half thankful. 'And thanks to the valiant effort of all of you standing here, we managed to make it in time and turn that gang away.'

Lance suddenly looked my way and gestured towards me, consequently making everyone else look my way.

'It was only her first day back, but Aria made me come back here and call for help,' Lance continued. 'Without her help, there would be many more casualties today.'

An explosion of applause erupted, people patting my back and nodding their heads at me in thanks.

It felt good to be noticed for my help, but I still hated all the attention. First it was me returning to the city. Now it was being a 'brave soldier'. I didn't need thanks for my actions; I wanted to help unnoticed, behind the scenes, so only I could know what I did and be the only one to know that I was their saviour.

But no one gets everything they want.

---

'Where can I see the officers from this mornings attack?' I inquired.

As the nurse showed me the way, it felt as if the glaring white hospital walls were staring at me, telling me, 'You should have saved them all'. I knew I would find this particular visit hard, but I had to do this. I had to check if they were all okay.

I couldn't have dreamt what I was getting myself in for. As I stepped into that ward, I found myself in the middle of many wounded and dying men and women, all busy trying to get through to recovery. I didn't know if it was the blood or the shouts of pain that was worse, but I certainly felt a great deal of upset.

'I could have stopped this', my conscience toyed at my mind, stubbornly trying to make me believe it was my fault. I really did believe it too.

All of a sudden, applause rippled throughout the room. At me. How could they thank me? I hadn't helped them one bit. But they seemed to think otherwise.

'I saw you out there,' a familiar voice spoke.

It was Hilton, covered in blood and talking with a cracked voice.

'I didn't do anything,' I shook my head sadly. 'Why are you all cheering for me? Without you, we would have surely lost against them.'

'No, without you we would have,' Hilton corrected me with a weak smile. 'You ran into the middle of the battlefield, into the eye of the storm. You risked your life for us all. And I'm grateful for that. Everyone is.'

'But I didn't-' I tried to protest.

'Listen to yourself, Aria,' Hilton interrupted. 'Stop doubting yourself.'

'But I'm telling the truth!' I cried. 'I got you in this state. All of you in here. I could have saved you all. But I didn't.'