V.I.R.A.L - Chapter 265

The streets were packed to the brim with police and streamers heading Team Rhapsody declaration of war. The civilians were evacuated, and the final battle was close at hand. Everyone waited for their first move as Iris began her descent down the stairs towards the main shopping centre in the middle of the capital.

Walking down the stairs, she looked disjointed, whispering. “Why does this feel so uncomfortable?”

“Stop your complaining. This is the plan.” A voice snapped.

Scratching her neck, she grumbled, still not pleased by the current events. “Remind me why I’m playing the role of bait again?”

“Just trust me on this. We are to be the distraction to light the movement into action. You are the turning point to all of this.”

Looking slightly embarrassed, Iris began toying with her hair, whispering. “Well, if you put it that way…” At the bottom of the staircase, Iris could already spot the horde of police and streamers waiting for her. Taking a deep breath, she put on her best heroic look. “Here goes nothing.”

Swinging the doors open, all guns were pointed at her as she raised her hands. “There she is! Charmeine, we’ve got one. One of the Hawthorne twins.”

“Which one?” She yelled back through the radio.

“Iris, mam.”

“Is she with anyone?” She replied as the police went to arrest her.

“No, mam, she’s actually alone.”

“Shit, it’s a trap! Fire on her now!”

As one of the officers arrested her, a hand gripped onto his arm throwing him to the floor. Monty appeared behind Iris, returning to his natural form, standing behind her. “Are you ready? The world is watching.”

“It’s Monty! Sir, what do we do?!”

The officer gritted his teeth, yelling out his orders. “His family is no longer in charge of us! Shoot them all!”

“Ah, ah, ah. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves now, shall we?” Jinx whispered in the officer’s ear, holding a gun to his ear. “You even move a muscle, and I put two rounds into your head.” Two officers turned to her attempting to fire, only to flinch, finding no bullets firing. “What bad luck, safety on dipshit. Now Mr officer, we’re going to be a good boy and tell your men to stand down. Do it now.”

“Stand now. I said stand down!” He barked, looking nervous. “This won’t change anything; you cannot defeat V.I.R.A.L. You are just a bunch of traitors who betrayed Victoria!”

“It sure looks like that, doesn’t it? But once we take this country back from Vitae, you’ll be the traitors in the history books.” Jinx taunted. Before any more could be said, she was smacked in the back of the head by a blunt object. Falling to her knees, stunned, she has knocked down again, turning. “Shit… That’s not good.”

“Butch, sir. Happy to have you with us.”

Butch held his bat over his shoulders, nodding. “The true Montagues are happy to be of assistance. Emil is true to the cause and won’t allow vermin like these to destroy everything this country built.”

Jinx was dragged into the middle thrown to the side as Monty went to her aid, holding her bleeding head. “Butch… Damn it.”

“Sorry, bro, you picked the wrong side.”

“For the first time in my life, I know I’ve picked the right side. We may have had our differences, but Team Rhapsody is the heroes here.” Monty argued. “You’re being controlled by Mortem; fight it, brother! Stop here and fight with us!”

Butch held his ear forward, mocking him. “What’s that? Sorry, it sounds like a sore loser to me. Face it, Monty, you’re just jealous I’m better than you. Nothing to be ashamed of; it was only a matter of time.”

“The Butch I knew would never turn on his family! He wouldn’t do this; he’d help me no matter what. That’s just who Butch Montague really is!”

Butch walked back to the officer, nodding. “Give the order, kill these traitors.”

“Yes, Butch, sir.” The officer raised his hand. “On my orders, men, ready, aim, fire!”

Dozens of rounds of bullets were fired with a sure intent they would kill. However, as Iris looked away, she noticed nothing. Looking back, she soon saw all the bullets stopped in mid-air. “What the hell?”

Butch stepped back, startled, looking up as each rooftop surrounding them had dozens of figures watching them. “It’s them… Syndicate…”

Scarlett crashed down to the ground glowing a neon green. Looking up, she twirled her hand around as all the bullets were turned on the officers. “Scarlett… No, don’t!”

Sending the bullets back, each grazed past, missing the officers but doing enough to shake them all up. “You are completely surrounded; surrender to the Syndicate family or die!”

“What do we do, Montague, sir?”

Butch gritted his teeth, appalled. “You have outlived your purpose Butch, on his final orders. Surrender.”

“Put your guns down! We surrender!”

Scarlett strolled over, snatching the radio off the officer walking back towards Iris. “Are you there, monster?”

“Scarlett Syndicate? Now, this is a surprise. I take it you dealt with my officers? You’re the real monster here; they all had families.”

“Worry not; your men will live to see another day. For sparing their pitiful meaningless lives, I want you to relay a message to Mortem. Tell her death is coming for her.” Crushing the radio, she threw it away. Iris stood up, still wary about Scarlett. “Look alive, Hawthorne, you lot are all completely useless. I should have just let you die. Losing to a bunch of weak losers like them is pathetic.”

“Why did you help us?”

Scarlett turned to them, holding a small explosion to her fingertips. “Do not confuse my actions with your own! We simply have a common enemy. Given the circumstances, I believe taking them down together is our best course of action. But the end goal is still revenge against Alton Brantley, but until Mortem is plucked from her throne and this country is free again, he can wait.”

“I knew you really cared,” Iris whispered, smiling.

Scarlett looked away, hiding her red cheeks mumbling. “I’m going to go on ahead. You make sure no one else escapes. I’ll leave her in your hands, Montagues.”

Iris watched Scarlett walk off towards the HQ as she nodded, grasping her hands together. “Scarlett, thank you…”

****

Alton sat waiting in the wings for the final battle. His head was hung low as he felt every bit of responsibility for his actions which were to come next. He knew what he had to do but was still putting it off as best as he could.

“Oh, there you are. Are you ready to go?” Sam questioned, walking in on him. Alton looked up, wiping his eyes smiling faintly. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing, nothing. Don’t worry.”

“Now, Alton, as your leader, it’s my reasonability to look after all my members.”

“You’re not my leader anymore.” Alton brought up, chuckling. “I left Hero’s Might; you’re the only one left.”

“Even so, that doesn’t change anything to me. If we are to fight for the sake of Victoria together again, I need to know what’s wrong.”

Alton held his head, shaking his head. “I feel him, Sam; I feel the Ten’s Judgement eating away at me. Ever since Mortem, he’s been taking back what’s rightfully his.”

“You’re strong, Alton. You can fight him; it’s your body.”

Alton shakes his head nervously, laughing again. “Well, that’s just the thing, it isn’t. I wasn’t born in this world, remember? Neither earth nor the Garden. I’m from Fairy-Tale; I was sent here as one of the Ten’s Judgement to purge the Garden; that was who I was. I had just forgotten and lived a fake life as Alton Brantley… He has every right to come back.”

“Alton… Don’t say that; you have just as the might of a right to live. Who cares what this so-called Fairy-Tale has to say? You are Alton Brantley, hero and leader of Team Rhapsody and my best friend. Nothing will change that.”

“I’m not sure what frightens me more. What Ten plans on doing or the fact I’m willing to go forth with it. His hate for the Garden is endless, an artifice man-made ocean of hatred; why? Why does he hate them so much? I’m just afraid when this is all said and done, I won’t even remember who Alton Brantley was, everything he lost. Everything he had all just gone in a moment… Sam, I don’t want to go. I want to carry on being me!”

Alton burst into tears as Sam comforted him. At that moment, Alton had finally broken down over everything and just let it all out. Alice watched from the sidelines, feeling the tug at her own heart as she took a deep breath, whispering. “Just how much more do you plan on taking from him?”

“The Garden isn’t the only thing you ought to worry about me; there are much worse threats out there if you cross them,” Eve whispered.

“I won’t let them take him. I refuse to.”

Eve shook her head, disjointed. “You don’t have much of choice. No matter how hard you fight, your origins will always catch up. Soon enough, if even won’t be able to fight the urge. The urge to destroy and exterminate. The Garden has to die one way or another. Be it as yourself or as somebody unrecognisable. This is the curse of the Ten’s Judgement. Destined to live out their days, brainwashed into hate and genocide. So, tell me, Alice. Who is the real monster in all of this?”