V.I.R.A.L

Chapter 207: The Calm Before the Storm

"Lights out Harriet." A guard exclaimed bashing her baton against the cell bars. Pokiero glanced up frowning. "Don't make me ask you again."

"Yeah, yeah I heard you… Jeez." She grumbled, throwing her magazine away lying on the rock-hard bed. "I can't bloody wait until I'm out of here next year…" Letting out a yawn Pokiero rolled over closing her eyes. She noticed something in the corner of her eye taunting her. Sitting up squinting towards the thing she saw only for the guard to be ripped from his post vanishing into the dark of the prison. Jolting to the bars, she stared on seeing the other guards all succumbing to the same fate. The sound of heels pressing against the metal floor echoed closing in on her forced Pokiero back weary. The source of the sound appeared as Melissa stood by her cell dressed in a long fur coat and heels. Her animal type eyes glowed green in the dark as the woman turned to Pokiero tearing the cell door away entirely. "Who. Who are you?"

"Harriet Russel correct? Better known as Pokiero. My name is Melissa Elion, and I'm with the Syndicate family."

"Syndicate… No way, so you're real after all. Are you here to save me?"

"No," Melissa smirked, staring viciously at Pokiero. "The new world isn't suited for pathetic streamers like yourself so…" Melissa's eyes began to glow as her face began to change. Pokiero fell backwards shaking, holding her hands up. "You must be disposed of."

****

The remains of Team Rhapsody had returned to the Montague manor. Christopher, the head of the family, was waiting for them. He saw how deflated they all looked, especially Alton. He walked over, hugging the boy patting his head. "I'm glad to see your safe Alton. How are you holding up?"

"I'll be fine," Alton replied, walking into the manor limping. "Has Syndicate attacked you yet?"

"No. We've been fine at the moment."

"That's good… Thank you, Christopher, for taking in Alice and Emil… They are all I have left, I suppose."

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He shook his head at Alton's remarks. "I refuse to accept your thanks. It's not much and the least I can do. For the record, I'm sorry about Scarlett."

"Thank you."

With help from Jinx and Florence Alton was taken to his new bedroom for the time being. Christopher turned to Alice and the others. "I'm glad you were able to get your friend back safe and sound. With these dark times, we need to stick together. All of us."

Blossom bowed, keeping her manors in check. "Thank you, kind sir, for everything. We hope to repay this act of kindness soon enough."

"My family has heard of this Syndicate family enough to understand the problems they will bring to our small sanctuary. They only seek to destroy everything we once built no matter what."

"But why? What do they hope to achieve with destroying V.I.R.A.L?" Goro questioned in spite.

"Back during the old world, the Syndicate family ruled over Victoria with an iron fist. The heroes and villains of those times were under the control of the family doing their every bidding. They see that as the golden age of this country. When the Garden declared war on our home, the Syndicate family was quickly destroyed in the first wave. Ever since then they've been slowly building their ranks back up. It's taken them 400 years to get where they are. You see the family alone isn't much of a threat. Still, they very quickly absorb and marry into other families to build up their ranks. Only the strong can survive their new golden age. I believe that's what Scarlett is all about. The perfect child born from the Syndicate family and the powerful Dawn family. She is their ace in the hole, and they intend on using her to trample and destroy the CEOs and all streamers who oppose them. I guess Alton was a part of their aggressive expansion. They probably thought they could get Scarlett to seduce him into the family and carry on the Syndicate name through them. Of course, that failed, but that will not stop them from seeking out their plan." Christopher explained.

Alice held her chin, thinking. "These aren't just the run of the mill crooks then? What about the Syndicate family we fought last Christmas? They felt very different from the ones today."

"They were a mere copycat," Goro muttered. "We weren't there for that fight, but the incident made me uneasy. I did my own research and turns out the family had a dispute around that time. Scarlett's sister was unhappy with her given path and rebelled. She took a handful of believers and looked to recruit Alton to her ranks to overthrow her father. And well you know how that turned out."

"Alton is always a part of their plan. Why is that? First Riley now Scarlett."

"Those two are attracted to power. It's how they were brought up, brainwashed you could say. They were born for the sole purpose of reining in the new age of Syndicate. They know no difference apart from power, that's how they believe the world works and as most of you know by now. Alton is unlike anything we've ever seen. If Alton were to join the Syndicate family, it could spell disaster for us all."

"He almost did I think." Alice brought up. "Iris told me a couple of days ago, but it seems the family were almost grooming Alton into their ranks. They've treated him like their son for a while probably to brainwash him like Scarlett into their ranks. They were talks of adoption or marriage from Jack himself. It's crystal clear that was their intention."

"It's most likely why Scarlett and the family attacked Rodger. It wasn't to help us but Alton himself. They've been pulling strings and helping him ever since to get him here." Emil muttered. "Those damn bastards… I still can't quite believe Scarlett is with them. It doesn't make any sense."

Goro nodded, looking troubled. "True, I was never much of a fan of Scarlett. She came off as rather fake to me but the care she had for you all, the way she put her life on the line for us. That was real. If she was pretending this whole time, why would she put herself in so much danger for that cause?"

"Goro's right. She almost died back fighting Acceptance. She gave it her all to stop Ranger. She was ready to sacrifice herself for Zinnia, if it wasn't for Alton, we might not be having this conversation."

"She's just an outstanding actor then? She tricked all of us because of it." Alice suggested.

Blossom shook her head. "I disagree, actually. She could have easily tricked you without going out of her way to fight. She just needed to get close to Alton not any of you. The brainwashing might play a part in this. Forced and abused as a child to fight and harness her abilities. Maybe she truly felt home with Team Rhapsody, but her duties kept holding her back. I believe with an extra push she would have stayed by your side just like her Riley abandoned her post."

"You think we can still save her?" Emil questions.

"That I do. If you showed her that you were still there for her. Proved to Scarlett Team Rhapsody is her home she might just break free of her chains. Isn't that what Team Rhapsody is all about?"

"I see where you're coming from… We face the problem that we are hardly any kind of resemblance to our actual group now. Percy and Gale are gone… Zinnia left, and now Alton is broken by this. I'm not much help in this and to make matters more difficult, Alice and Scarlett were never that close." Emil debated.

"Alton wants to kill Scarlett doesn't he…" Alice whispered, getting everyone to turn to her in shock. "We can all sense, that right?"

Christopher turned to Alice and Emil nodding. "Can I speak to the members of Team Rhapsody in private please?" Goro and Blossom didn't put up much resistance leaving the three alone. Christopher folded his arms, keeping his voice low. "You're going to be attacking the Syndicate family head-on I suppose. I won't stop you, but I must warn you not to trust Alton with this one."

"Don't trust Alton?! How could you say that, Dad? Alton is our friend!"

"And I don't doubt that for one moment. But he isn't the boy you once knew anymore. Alton has always been a troubled boy; I could tell the first time we met. He's been through hell and back, and I've learned all about his past now. Just now seeing him, his eyes reminded me so much of Monty's the day he ran away. Alton is at the tipping point at any moment he must just snap and do something he will soon regret. In the past, he has had someone to keep him in check. To reel him in when he's going over the bend. First, it was Sam, then Zinnia and lastly Scarlett. But now they are all gone, and Alton feels more alone than ever. If he succeeds in killing Scarlett the Alton you know will seek to exist. Loss and betrayal can do lots to a man; it can send them mad. Look at what happened to Monty and put that in the context of Alton. He may still be your ally yes; he will most likely fight to protect you both, but at the end of the day if it means destroying his enemy both of you might just be taken down in the crossfire."

"Alton is stronger than that. I know he is. He's been through so much but has bounced back at ever feat." Emil stated. "Vanguard, Paradox, Monty, his father and now this. Alton's willpower is unmatched."

"Well, I hope that is true for your sake."

Alice gave it a little thought nodding. "I'll keep him in check. It's the least I can do. If Alton is hurting more than anything, we'll take that burden off his shoulders. Both of us that's what Team Rhapsody is all about."

Christopher smiled, patting Alice on the head. "You've made some remarkable friends Emil. Let's just hope we aren't too late. You both should get some rest before the battle."

Both nodded, leaving Christopher as Alice held her hands nervously. "Do you think he can do it? Kill Scarlett?"

"No. When it comes down to it, I don't think he can. Alton is many things but killing his friends, I don't believe that. He risked his life each and every day with Zinnia, so this will be no different."

"Yeah, you're right. We're going to win this Emil like we always do. Together and we'll save Scarlett once and for all." Christopher sighed, walking away as the rain began to drizzle all around. Wiping his face, he moved his hand flinching as a giant explosion rippled off, blowing out the wall and half of the manor. Reacting quickly to this, Alice and Emil rushed to the sight standing in shock. "No way… Scarlett!"

Scarlett held a beaten down Christopher standing in front of a pit of fire with a look of pure hate. "Where is he?! Where is that monster! Alton Brantley! Come out, come out wherever you are! Come out so I can kill you!"

"Father! Let him go!"

Scarlett stared at Emil scoffing as she threw him to the floor. "So be it. I have no cobble with you two I'm only here for him. But I won't hesitate to start massacring people to get that done." Scarlett held her hand out, blowing Christopher away. Emil fell to his knees, horrified as he screamed out in pain. "Why do you shed tears? This man was nothing more than the scum who used V.I.R.A.L and the garden to force his children into serving his cause. Anyone else who failed was thrown aside. You should be grateful."

"Who else does that sound like?" Alton muttered trampling through the rain staring blankly at Scarlett. "Are you sure you aren't talking about yourself Scarlett?"

"Alton! I'll make you pay for what you did to Eli! I'll kill you, bastard!" she screeched with a face full of tears.

Alton dragged a frozen blade out turning his head, mocking her with a dry, lifeless tone. "Why do you shed tears? That man was nothing more than the scum who used you. He forced you into serving his cause and left your sister to die because she wasn't good enough. You should be grateful."

Scarlett ground her teeth full of rage as serval swords began floating around her. "I'm going to kill you. You hear me kill you!"