The Starling Saviour

Chapter 35

'Someone's here to see you, Aria,' the SCPD receptionist Janette announced, popping her head round the laboratory door.

Looking up from my microscope, I found a familiar face by the door. Malcolm Merlyn.

'Merlyn?' I asked, shocked at this revelation as I approached him warily. 'You do know this is a public place, right? Where, you know, you have to be civil.'

'As a matter of fact, I do,' he said sarcastically, glancing at the other scientists in the vast room. 'I remember, all those years ago, how I helped you fund this lab. If it wasn't for me, you'd still be using out-of-date equipment and not succeeding in any of your cases.'

'I think that's an overstatement,' I remarked. 'And anyway, what are you here for? You obviously need something.'

'I'm not here for a favour,' Merlyn said cuttingly. 'I actually came by to congratulate you on not being a murderer. Well, not this year, anyway.'

Merlyn really liked to throw little digs at anyone who he talked to.

'Oh, so you care about me now?' I gasped in fake shock.

'I've always cared for you, Aria,' Merlyn corrected me. 'Why do you think I trained you, let you share my home, and allowed my son to be with you?'

'To manipulate me?' I supposed firmly. 'To use me in your schemes. To make me trust you.'

'Be careful, you don't want to attract any untoward attention,' Merlyn spouted, referring to my colleagues.

'Why are you here?' I demanded again, lowering my voice.

'I've already told you,' Merlyn insisted. 'I wanted to see how you were as of late. We haven't exactly seen... Eye to eye... in the past. And I wanted to change that.'

What did he mean?

'It seems you've become friends with my son again,' Merlyn expanded on his point, reading into my confusion. 'And I don't want to be a father only interested in his own affairs. I want us to be on good terms, Aria. What do you say to a new start?'

'No,' I dismissed him hastily.

I knew this must have been hard for Merlyn, but only if it was genuine. I had been done with his lies and deceit ever since I had broken away from his deal of protecting Tommy, and I wasn't wanting to get back into another agreement. I was stronger now, and I wasn't scared of any consequences my decisions could cause.

'I'm not trying to make you my partner again, Aria,' Merlyn explained. 'I only ask for us to be friends. Acquaintances, even.'

'I have to get back to work,' I changed the topic. 'Goodbye, Malcolm.'

'Just remember that the reason you're not in Iron Heights is because of me,' Merlyn interjected quickly. 'You should be thanking me.'

Was Merlyn the anonymous source that had given the CCPD footage of Adkisson entering the apartment?

'Wait a second,' I turned back to Merlyn. 'Did you-'

'Yes,' Merlyn nodded, reading my mind.

'Why would you help me like that?' I asked him in surprise.