Chapter 39: Lets Go Viral! (1/2)

Zinnia stared blankly at the footage from the drone. She didn't know how to feel. Anger, guilt, joy? She was unsure of how to react to the given situation. The drone had played back the footage of Alton's confrontation with Vanguard serval times now, each she would hope would change the outcome. Maybe he would somehow win. But she knew very much, so that was never going to be the case. Emil threw a chair across the karaoke booth ranting. ”Fuck! It's already too late. Damn it!”

Zinnia licked her lips as her leg began shaking. She needed to think of a plan and fast. With little options, she just spoke the first thing that came to mind. ”Then we go and save him.”

Emil scoffed, tapping his head raving in a mocking tone. ”Hello! Hello? Is anyone in there? You are suggesting we go up against the fucking Vanguard! Do you even hear yourself? Sorry to burst your bubble, but that is suicide.”

”I know that! But, but we have to try. Alton is our friend.”

”Maybe so, but that doesn't rule over the fact he abandoned you. You may see him as a friend but in my books running away and leaving you to take the fall. Now I don't know about you, but I don't fancy dying for someone like that.”

Zinnia stood up, gritting her teeth trying to come up with any excuse to get Emil on board. ”But don't you get it. Alton already figured out it was Vanguard way before us. He didn't abandon us. He took the fight to the enemy.”

”Sure, didn't sound like that on the video. He bluntly claimed he would happily turn a blind eye to the death and corruption for the money. You want to be a superhero, yeah? That isn't the sort of guy who you should be best mates with.”

”I don't care! Alton sent this drone to us. He wanted us to see it with our own eyes. Isn't this enough? We could expose him. Show this clip to the world. Force the masses on him.”

”We don't have an account anymore. Or did you forget that?”

”We'll get Iris to broadcast it. Spread the word. He'll have no choice but to give up.”

”Why?” Percy whispered curled up. ”Why are you making Vanguard out to be the bad guy? Vanguard wouldn't do that. He's a good person!”

”Are you fucking retarded or something? The video showed it all. A confession, a motive and Alton's defeat. You have quite the nerve to go claiming such shit.”

”It's fake! It's got to be. I don't believe it. I can't… Vanguard. He's. He's a good person! I know it!” Percy screamed, falling to his knees. He hung his head down low sobbing loudly. ”He's my hero. I've been watching him my whole life. He's. He's all I have. I'd do anything to be like him. He isn't like that.”

Zinnia kneeled comforting Percy as she turned to Emil. ”We have to help Alton Emil. I don't care if he ran away. I don't care what he said to me. He's my friend. He's my first ever friend, he could have left me back when we were arrested. I was nothing more than a burden to him. But he took that burden and got me out. He didn't have to. He helped me create Team Rhapsody, and even if it was a failure. Even if after this, we collapse into nothing. If we don't make that money and we get thrown back into prison again, I don't care. I wouldn't change anything. These past five months have been the greatest months of my life.”

Emil looked away, remaining silent as she stood up. ”If it wasn't for Alton you would still be a lapdog for the Montagues. Slaving away at the chance of being accepted into the family. He saved you from a future you could never reach.” Zinnia turned to Percy smiling. ”He helped you to Percy. Took you in after Vanguard threw you aside. Even when I objected, he insisted on you staying. He also saved our lives badly, injuring himself in the long run. No matter how we look at it. He wouldn't have done that all if he didn't see us as friends. Taking on Vanguard alone. He wasn't doing it for the money. He was doing it to protect us. And probably money too.”

Emil roared in anger, ruffing up his hair panting. ”This is a noob move. It really is. We don't stand a chance. Not one… fuck it. I'm in.”

”Emil… thank you.”

”Don't go thanking me just yet, we still have no idea where Alton has been taken.”

Zinnia kneeled tinkering with the drone. ”Well if this is Alton's drone for his streams with Vanguard, I'm pretty sure we can send it back to the streamer. Alton sent it to us to find him.”

”Wow… umm not even I knew that… how did you?”