V.I.R.A.L

An ominous fog had already settled in during the late-night streams. It wasn't rare for the weather to suddenly turn like this. Nonetheless, the atmosphere was tense tonight, and this just happened to be the same night Team Rhapsody chose to do their joint-stream with Violet…

The doors to the casino flew off their hinges as two men in black suits were tossed into the streets. The hustling public watching in awe as Gale casually walked out with cuts and bruises all over him. He held another man by his collar dragging him out before throwing him into the wall. As the men draw their guns, Gale snapped forward with immense speed smacking down each foe with a single blow. The men in black collapsed to the floor. "How about next time you leave some to the rest of us yeah?" Iris grumbled sitting on the stairs to the casino sulking. As one of the men tried getting back up, her cube smashed him into the ground. "You get so trigger happy these days, don't you? Something is up, yeah?"

Gale flicked his hands around hopping on the spot, looking agitated. "I just have a lot on my mind. Don't tell the others this but I got a call from my parents last night."

"So?"

"So, I haven't spoken to them in years. Since I walked out on my home and chose to live with my grandma."

"Well sounds like to me you've got some catching up to do."

"It's hard to explain. I know I can't keep ignoring them forever but if I returned now after everything that's happened. I…"

"You felt like you disappointed them. I hear you; I sometimes worry about that with my old man. Alice always is the one to snap me out of that mind you."

"It's not that. It's more the opposite. Suppose I answer the call and go home. It will just remind me how much they disappoint me."

Iris hums to herself nodding. "Family is tough I'll give you that. It's easier said than done just to make it work, you know. Sorry to change the subject but this Fog is strange tonight, isn't it?"

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Gale looked down the used to be busy street not being able to see past the café a few shops down. The Fog was thick, with no sign of stopping. "I don't know why, but I feel like something is going to happen tonight. After the P4R4D0X situation the other day things have been odd."

"P4R4D0X? Ooh, I love myself a good creepypasta. I try my best not to watch any videos on her but then once I do; man can I not ever stop."

"Her?"

"Yeah? The creepypasta says P4R4D0X is a girl."

"Hmm, strange," Gale muttered, letting the Fog run through his hands. "We should probably see if the others have sorted the situation out?"

Iris jumped up, agreeing. "Who would have expected a gang war in the middle of a casino. Crime has been booming lately. Think that has to do with Vanguard's arrest."

"Criminals are getting cockier with him behind bars. It was to be expected. Let's hope they get the memo when we take down these guys."

A roulette table was tipped over as chips fell everywhere. Scarlett held it up as constant gunfire was among them. Zinnia hid behind it as Scarlett worked out how many she was working with. As the gunfire stopped for a brief moment, she slammed the table into the gang member before Alton froze the last two. "And with that said and done, I think that's all of them."

"Good work team, anyone hurt?"

"Just my pride…" Percy mumbled holding his head. "I can't believe they threw a chair at me."

"Stop being such a cry baby." Alton chuckled. "We should check for any injured. How's the stream drones doing?"

Zinnia called the drone over as she held it tightly. "Nothing major here. The stream is still crystal clear. Should I start reading off donations?"

"Be my guest. Scarlett, let's check the back." Scarlett gave a small salute before skipping over the knocked-out thugs. She swung the curtains open, entering. Alton soon followed only to stop seeing something in the corner of his eye suddenly. He spun quickly seeing a static TV. Feeling uneasy he scouted the room to find Nothing but Zinnia and Percy reading off donations. "You two, be careful. Something doesn't feel right."

Scarlett was kneeling once Alton entered the back room. Her hand was diving through a large portion of the cash. "I guess there should be around two million here. It seems the rival gang wasn't happy that these lot owed the casino."

Alton walked over to the cash in almost a daze. "Two million…" He gulped, holding a small amount in his hand. "The difference this Money could make for me. Say, no one would notice if say a small amount was taken no?"

"Money that tight for you still?"

"I'm getting by. It is slowly getting better but, of course, it's never enough."

"I am not one to judge someone else's condition. While I cannot condone stealing, I believe you taking this Money is for a much better cause than whatever drugs and guns they were going to buy."

Alton looked at the Money sighing before throwing it into the pile. "No, Zinnia would disagree with this. We should inform the police on the matter."

"You know if Money is such an issue, my Family could help. If you married into the Family, all those problems would just fade away."

"You sure love teasing me for a reaction, don't you?"

"As long as you keep handing me one on a silver plate, I'll keep doing such a thing." Checking his phone, he received a notification from an unknown number. Curious he opened it showing a photo of himself standing in the same room he was in. He felt a shiver run down his spine as he began looking around the room, slightly paranoid. "Something wrong?"

Receiving another text, this one was a simple message. Do you see me? "Someone is watching us?" Alton passed his phone making Scarlett alarmed. Alton kept on the lookout as he turned on his earpiece. "Zinnia, someone is here. I need everyone here now. Zinnia?"

A sharp scream erupted from his piece forcing Alton to throw it away, looking worried. "You don't think its…"

"Possibly. But let's not jump to conclusions. We're streaming to nearly ten thousand people. Could be a stream sniper thinking they are the shit."

"That's not possible. We have no drones on us in here."

"First the train, then the karaoke bar. Now here. It can't be a coincidence anymore. Someone is after me."

"Why?"

Alton looked at the pile of cash he was debating about taking. "Because it believes I'm not worthy."

As Alton spoke those words, he saw someone move at the back of the room. Heading out the back-door Alton didn't give a second thought as he raced after the figure. Kicking the door down, he found himself in the back alley of the casino as the Fog poured in blocking all sight. Keeping his guard up at all times, he began to walk through the Fog slowly with each footstep ready for the figure to appear. As he kept walking, he stopped to a halt seeing glowing lights in the Fog. Soon more appeared. In front. Behind. His phone went off again—another text. I see you.

A figure appeared as Alton panicked rushing them. The figure fell to the ground as Alton held them down. Through the Fog, Alton realised it wasn't P4R4D0X. "What the fuck are you doing?!" Emil barked pushing Alton off him. "You run off and make Zinnia worried, so I go looking for you. That doesn't give you the excuse to attack me!"

"Sorry, this fog is just too much."

"You guys, alright?" Zinnia yelled from the end of the alley. "Did you find anything?"

Alton helped Emil up, shaking his head, unable to see Zinnia. "No! Say how come you knew we were here? I can't even see you in this Fog!"

"Fog? What Fog? I can see you all crystal clear." This made both of the streamers feel uneasy. It wasn't clear why but the Fog consuming the area was blind to Zinnia. The other members of Team Rhapsody soon met with them as Scarlett as well as Percy also seemed unaffected by the Fog. "With this over should, we grab a bite to eat?"

"Sounds like a plan to me." Percy nodded.

"You guys don't see this?"

"See what? Scarlett asked. "Did you find the culprit behind those weird texts?"

"What weird texts?"

"Alton received a text showing a photo of us two in the back room with a message saying can you see me?"

Zinnia gasped looking paranoid. "You, you don't think it's P4R4D0X, do you?"

"You just had to bring it up, didn't you? While it's true, I saw something out here. I lost sight of it."

"Hmm, strange. Oh, I know why don't we look back at the drone? I had one scouting the rooftops. Maybe it caught the culprit?"

"What's this? I'm impressed you managed to think of that Zin."

"I'm not completely clueless, you know! I've done my research."

As Zinnia began calling over the drones, Iris began calling out in the distance. "Hey, hey! You guys out there?! I can't see shit with this Fog."

"What fog?" Percy asked.

"You can see it all too?!" Alton barked.

Iris and Gale came into view looking lost. "I've never seen anything like it. Where did it even come from?"

"For some reason Zinnia, Scarlett and Percy can't see it?"

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"For real? That's creepy. Could this be the work of an enemy streamer?" Gale questions stroking his chin. "If they think a little bit of Fog will stop us! Ha, I welcome the challenge!"

"Shut up; the footage is playing back." Zinnia snapped as she watched Alton run into the alley. There was no one there. As the footage kept playing, she paused it, seeing something. She zoomed out, looking weary. "What is that?" Scarlett glimpsed over also looking startled. There was a black figure standing behind Alton. It was so close it was practically breathing down his neck. "I don't like this."

They kept playing the footage which ran up to the present time and them watching now. Behind them, all the figure stood. Scarlett spun around to see Nothing. The three drones hovered behind them all as Alton received another notification. This time it was a video chat. Everyone looked paranoid as he answered it. The video came from the drone's perspective as Alton looked at their streaming drone. "None. Of. You. Are. Worthy." The drones shut down for a brief moment. They all turned back on, locked onto the streamers. A set of turrets emerged from the back of the drones. The only ones who could see this were the ones oblivious to the Fog. Everyone else was unknowingly staring at their deaths.

Zinnia freaked out, knowing this as she tried stopping the drones. "Look out!"

It was already too late. Her efforts were futile as the drones began firing ripping apart anyone in their line of sight.