V.I.R.A.L

Chapter 149: The Nightmare Before Christmas Part 5

Scarlett was troubled to say the least. Not only had she awoken in an unknown bedroom but she was wearing clothes that didn't belong to her. She felt anxious, not sure if she was dreaming or not. Sitting up in a large bed, she looked around the room not sure what to do. That was until the door to the bedroom opened. Three men were talking to each other as they stopped seeing Scarlett looking at them weary and dazed. "Oh, I didn't expect you to wake so soon. How are we feeling today?" Scarlett retracted at the hand gesture with a scorn look ready to strike. The man raised his hands up, trying to usher her into a comfortable environment. "It's alright, we're not here to hurt you. We found you half-dead in a secret Syndicate bunker. Do you remember who you are?"

"Where is my mother?"

"Your mother? You mean Kira Syndicate, yes? We aren't sure."

Scarlett squeezed her eyes tightly, feeling alone. She took a long breath nodding. "Where am I?"

"Somewhere safe. My name is Jack Dawn, this is my uncle Daemon and my cousin Eli. And you are Scarlett Syndicate correct?" Nodding she didn't give much of an answer. "What did Syndicate do to you?"

"Trained me. Trained me for my purpose."

"And what is that?"

"To overthrow V.I.R.A.L."

"Jack, a word, please." Daemon whispers turning his back to Scarlett. "I don't know what's going through your head but this, this is going too far. We cannot trust the daughter of Syndicate. When the rest of the family hears wind of this, there will be consequences. Your leadership will be taken into consideration."

"I'd like to see those bastards try and take it. She's just a girl Daemon."

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"A girl born Syndicate."

"We should never have taken her. She's a threat to herself and us. We should do the right thing and hand her over to V.I.R.A.L. They would want to know about this plot."

Scarlett overheard this panicking. She began crawling back, as Jack noticed. "Scarlett. Don't."

Scarlett defended herself in fear knocking Jack back into the wall as it began to crumble and break. She let go as Jack fell to his knees, coughing. Daemon's eye began twitching as he snapped. "You little shit! You'll pay for that!"

Jack held his hand out panting. "Wait a moment uncle. Just wait a moment." He stood up, holding his neck. "It's alright. Like I said, no one is here to hurt you. Say how old are you, Scarlett?"

"Nine…"

"Nine years old and you can do that at your age? Wow, no wonder Syndicate tried keeping you all hush-hush. If they have psychics like this at their age, we should all be very concerned."

"But the question is, what should we do with her?" Eli asked.

"I've already made my answer clear Jack." Daemon hissed.

Jack remained silent for a short while as he had an idea. "Will you two leave me alone with our guest? Do not worry, I will be just fine." The two left Jack alone as he smiled. "Do you mind if I sit here?" Scarlett didn't give a response as Jack sat at the end of the bed looking out the window. "When I was your age, I would always get up just before the crack of dawn, no matter what. It was a tradition for me to watch the sunrise on a new day. I would find it so inspiring that it would push me through the hardship I had that day. What the Syndicate did to you is unforgivable. They are monsters who treat their own like tools. I will make sure they pay for their crimes Scarlett."

Scarlett glanced at Jack, confused as she whispered. "Why?"

"Well, why not? Do we need a reason to save people from evil?"

Startled Scarlett lowered her guard slightly, speaking up. "Who. Who are you?"

Jack stood up, giving her a warm smile. "If you want your new family. You, of course, are not obliged to take my request. But if you do, I promise you will never have to go through the pain and hardships you have done before. You will be safe, and well looked after. That is what any growing child I believe needs. You don't have to make up your mind now, this is all very new so please take your time. Take all the time you need."

"Yes please!" Scarlett squealed getting embarrassed, looking away. "I mean. I would like that very much. But there is one thing…"

Jack kneeled to her level nodding. "Of course, anything."

"I want you to save my mother. She was the only one there for me. I can't go on without her… Please mister Dawn save my mother."

"Worry not Scarlett. I will do all in my power to save her… But might I ask if I am correct you have a sister too no?"

Scarlett gripped the bedsheets in anger. "Not anymore. She is not my sister anymore…"

****

Scarlett and Riley walked around in circles taunting each other. The others watched in concern, and although they wanted to help Zinnia in particular, this was between them. Alton tried to break free from his chains as Scarlett held her hand out, pushing him back. "No… Don't get involved… This is between my sister and me."

"After all this time you're finally acknowledging me, now are you? What's changed. When you were stolen from me, you claimed to have no sister. As they came and saved our mother, I was left behind. Forgotten! How could you do that to me?!"

Scarlett blocked the psychic blast managing to stay standing. Breathing in Scarlett stopped coming to grips with her past. "You fell in with their goals too quickly. We were meant to run away, never look back and free ourselves from their grips. Yet you became their pet. Let yourself be their tool for domination."

"What else was I suppose to do?! No one was coming to save us. No one still is! I was to become stronger, more powerful so one day we could overthrow the family. Yet you abandoned me. You were always the more powerful sister. The family held you up with high hopes while I was always the leftovers. When you went, they relied on me!"

Scarlett dodged another psychic blast all while blocking an explosion. Falling to one knee, Scarlett stood herself up, wiping her bloody lip. "I never gave up hope. I dreamed one day someone would save us. That we could come to this ball as sisters and not fear what happens tomorrow. I still do, yet you turned your back on our promise."

"This is the harsh reality, dear sweet sister. No one will save you from yourself. Only you can do that. I've become more powerful than any Syndicate member. I can easily overthrow our father and destroy the Dawn family. I've fulfilled my purpose in life. Can you say the same? From being the pet of one family to another what difference does it make?! I'm the only one who's truly free."

Scarlett snapped at these remarks throwing serval pieces of rubble at Riley. Deflecting each one she retaliated by a single explosion. Scarlett was hit falling back to the floor as she was picked up and swung around. Letting her anger swell Scarlett broke free sending a shockwave which knocked everyone back. Flowing forward, she roared past Riley throwing her into the stalls. A pause met by violent explosions as Riley flew in the air with serval knives floating around her. Snapping each one at Scarlett she reflected and blocked most with a couple grazing and stabbing her. Scarlett's eyes began glowing bright red as she flung her arm down smashing Riley to the ground pressing her tighter into the snow. Walking up to her former sister with a look of spite and no mercy, she stared her sister down scoffing. "Free? Do you really see that? Syndicate has abandoned you. Left you for dead again. It's over Riley you have nothing and will end with nothing."

Riley lay on the ground, curled up, holding her head in shame. "No… they wouldn't. They couldn't. They need me!"

Scarlett kicked Riley back, yelling. "It's over! Give it up before you make this any worse for yourself."

Riley began tearing at her hair sobbing. "Any worse… Any worse. It cannot get any worse!" Scarlett felt a sharp pain pierce her head as she stumbled back almost collapsing from the pain. Riley stood up as her eyes began glowing the same as Scarlett's. Her hands and arms began burning from the ripples of explosions coming from her arms. She stared up with despair. "I know the truth of all things! I know the truth they hide from you! You are all puppets on strings being controlled by both parties. You've forgotten your true calling Scarlett. They stole those from you to make you obedient."

Scarlett tried standing, but she was far too weak to even move a muscle wincing in pain. "What are you talking about?"

"You live on a throne of lies. All of you do, you honestly think you're free Scarlett?! Allow me to jog your memory." Riley held her arm out as her explosion began charging up into a large beam.

The attack was ignited blowing the area apart. Alton tackled Scarlett as the two hit the ground just avoiding the attack. "Are you alright?"

Scarlett looked traumatised shaking. "Lies? What does she mean by that? Stolen memories… Why is that eating away at me?!"

"Scarlett!" Alton barked snapping her to her senses. "We don't have time to dwell on that. Leave that for another day. We have to stop her before she destroys the city."