V.I.R.A.L

Chapter 159: The Trap Twenty Years in the Making

The Frizzle Tooth courtyard was busy with preparation and training. Serval streamers were taking breaks from their heavy duties laughing and sharing a drink together. None of them was quite ready for what was to come. One member stepped outside from the dojo, wiping his head with a towel. The morning sun glittering blinding him. For a little while anyway, the light suddenly vanished, leaving the court in darkness. Everyone looked up in confusion. This confusion horror as the water tower outside collapsed on them. Each of the streamers jumped out of the way as the tower crashed into the manor. To the surprise of the streamer, there was no water flowing. The water tower was completely empty.

The manor door flew open off the hinges crashing into the wall. The streamers quickly moved to action as Alton walked in, staring each streamer down. "It's Team Rhapsody's leader. Dauntless! What is he doing here?"

Alton held his hand up scoffing. "I don't have time for such weakness. Move or be moved."

One streamer didn't listen, rushing him only to collapse to the ground down in a single hit. The attack came from nowhere shocking each one. The streamers looked up, seeing the water from the tower hovering over their heads like an artillery strike. "Oh my God…"

"I am not one to repeat myself. Nor am I one to remind others weaker than me to know their place. If they fail to listen to the voice of reason, then perhaps my prowess shall speak louder. Torrent strike." The area was bombarded by dozens of attacks blowing everyone away as the courtyard was left in a shamble hardly resembling the relaxed look it once had. Iris stood by in shock at Alton's brutal display. His eyes turned to the main building. "Your father should be inside correct? I'm going to finish this."

"I've never seen anything like this… He intends to end this before my father can even begin. The almighty power of Dauntless."

Hans sat in his office with not a care in the world. He watched the entire display from the comfort of his office with a smug like expression. "Hawthorne sir, what should we do? Alton has wiped out the entire line of streamers. Should we call for help? Flee?"

"No. Stay right here. Defend me."

Each of the elite streamers looked confused but nonetheless agreed. As Alton approached the door, he stopped just outside. Hans stared at the feed as Alton looked back at him. Steam began pouring through the door, leaving the room in a thick layer of fog. The streamers now more paranoid were instantly taken down as jets of water crashed into them, smashing them through the walls and out the property. Hans still didn't move from his seat as Alton strolled in winning his victory. "Hans."

"Good to see you again, Alton. It's been far too long." The man welcomed. "Would you like a drink?"

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"Enough talk. I'm here to stop you."

Hans wiped his bald head of the water looking lost. "Stop me? Stop me from what? I have done nothing."

"How about the bounty on your own daughter's head."

"Oh. That." He sighed, pouring himself a drink. "There has clearly been a misunderstanding Mister Brantley. My daughter is a fine girl. She is to be the number one streamer soon, and that couldn't make a father prouder."

The glass shattered in his hand as Hans retracted his hand in shock. "I'm talking about your other daughter Iris."

Iris walked in as Hans made eye contact with her. "Can't even fight your own fights, so you turn to others to do it for you? You truly are a failure."

Alton picked up the small fat man throwing him across the room. "I don't have time for this shit. Whatever you've got planned, whatever your intentions are with Alice, it ends. Today."

"I should have you all executed for this! Just you wait until V.I.R.A.L hears about this. You'll be court marshalled!"

"Enough games, old man. Where is Alice?"

Hans began to chuckle, pulling himself up. "While I'd admire your strong will, Alton. I must admit I wouldn't have expected you to rush in trying to take me down with the small minor amount of knowledge you have, coming here was a foolish mistake."

Alton stepped back more cautious. "Explain yourself."

"Alright, alright. It's the least I can do for defeating me. If you must know where Alice is. She's behind you."

Iris spun around, staring at Alice in a black dress with a blank stare. "Sister?"

"Or maybe she's over there?" Alton turned, seeing Alice in the corner of the room with the same black dress and blank stare. "Sorry, sorry. She's right here." Three more copies appeared in front of Hans all identical to each other.

Alton kept looking around the room, feeling a sense of dread sweep him. "Impossible."

"If you had just taken the time to put the pieces together, you wouldn't have looked so stupid right now. I'm sure Iris has made it clear what my goal is. To rule V.I.R.A.L., You see Alton I've always wanted to be someone like you. A powerful streamer who turns heads and makes headlines. I was always unlucky in that regards. Born with no powers, no good looks and no bright future. But with my daughters, I can change that. And not you, team Rhapsody or V.I.R.A.L can stop that. Alice. Kill them."

Alton kept walking back with Iris as each of the copies turned to the two streamers walking forward slowly. "Alice, it's me! Your sister! Snap out of it."

"It's useless Iris. These things aren't Alice."

"Remarkable, aren't they?" Hans laughs as each of the copy's eyes gleamed with a yellow glow. "They only listen to my every command. Unstoppable monsters who will do anything to make their father's dream come true. They can't be reasoned with, nor stopped they will not end until my dream is realised. I call them the dark replicas. It's a shame you never took my offer to join us, Alton. Alice would have quite liked that you could have been a God in my new era. A pity you die here. Goodbye Alton Brantley. Goodbye former daughter of mine."

"Iris stay behind me…" Alton muttered thrusting his arm forward, sending the last of the water along. Portals opened up all around eating the attack. The front replica held her hand out as the portal appeared in her hand. Alton readied himself only for hope to be snatched away as dozens of portals opened around him and Iris and bright lights emitting from each one. Alton's temperature began dropping as his eyes widened as the two were consumed by the bright light. The area they stood was blown up leaving none standing…

****

Zinnia and Blossom descended the tree with no troubles. The further they went down the stranger things took for a turn. The whispers had stopped the feeling of dread going. The grassy terrain ended as the steps of metal echoed. Zinnia looked down finding herself walking down a set of stairs. She knew something was horribly wrong. Yet the two kept going with little said. "Zinnia, I must ask. Everyone out there, they see me as the monster I once was… I don't know much about that time, but you were there, right? What am I to you now? Do you see me as the villain they all do?"

Zinnia stopped having flashes to Percy's death, Alton and the others nearing that fate by Blossom's hand but also emptiness and a hollow purpose. "You want to know the truth? I can't help but feel sorry for you…"

"Oh, I see," Blossom whispered, unsure how to react to that. She wasn't given much time to complanate over the matter as the two streamers were face to face with a large metal door. "I don't understand."

"It appears, somehow. Someone already knew about this titan… But how?" She whispered. "Damn it… The door's locked."

"Let me see if I can do anything about that," Blossom stated, placing her hand on the number pad letting her powers activate. Her mind went into the door as she began slicing through the lock. She stumbled back as the door opened. "Still got it… Something wrong?"

"No. No, it's just… It's strange seeing you on our side this time around."

Blossom smiled, holding her hand out. "I wouldn't have any idea…"

Zinnia stepped inside to an old worn-down laboratory with giant test tubes down the entire front on each side. The room was near pitch-black as Zinnia walked in, looking somewhat disturbed. There were bodies in each of the tubes hooked up to the machines all showing readings of life. Zinnia found it challenging, but she could just about recognise the figures though she couldn't match a face. Blossom walked, overseeing a set of papers scattered around. "Finally, after all these years, my promised contract has been fulfilled. The DNA from the legendary hero of old is compatible with two subjects. But this is not the end. This is only the beginning. The ingredients for my era are all in front of me. The two subjects shall be monitored as my daughters. Together they shall be raised by my own hand to become the most powerful streamers again. With the blood of the Gatekeeper running through them, nothing will stand in their ways."

Zinnia was taken back in shock; she stared at each subject in shock. "It can't be… It can't be… The subject… It's Alice."

Morto was thrown down the stairs, defeated as Alice stood over her. She stared on at Zinnia walking in startled. "What? What is this?"

"Alice?!"

Alice looked at the tube distort. "I asked… The Alice asked you a question. What the hell is this?!"

The screen behind them turned on as Hans began chuckling to himself. "So, V.I.R.A.L finally found my little science project. A pity but inevitable."

"Father… What is all of this?"

"This? Why isn't that obvious? All of this is you, Alice. Or what you were originally based on. Eve one of the four legendary heroes. You are nothing more than a clone of the original."

Alice felt her whole world crashing down as she fell over dizzy. "A- A clone? No… My name is Alice Hawthorne… I am not, I am me!"

"Look at you, crumbling at the truth. Did you think you were special? That your life meant something? This was always the dream. You have and will always serve me well daughter of mine."

Alice held her head sobbing. "My life… Is but a lie. Why, why am I here for?!"