Chapter 181: Get to the Top Part 1 (1/2)
The karaoke bar Team Rhapsody had called home was closed to the public out of respect. Flowers were also scattered outside. It was common knowledge at this point the city's local karaoke bar was the streamers' favourite meetup spot. So much, in fact, the owners had given them their own exclusive room open to them whenever. This was going to be used perhaps one last time—Team Rhapsody's final meeting.
After meeting with fans Gale and Scarlett stepped into the main lobby, the empty feeling not going away any sooner. Each of them seeing the memories of they shared with Alton playing before their very eyes. ”I knew this was going to be tough… But I didn't think it would hurt this much.”
Scarlett patting Gale on the back. ”We're in this together. One last time. Emil and Alice should be waiting for us.”
”What about Zinnia?”
”I gave her a call as expected she didn't pick up. I sent a voice message in hopes maybe she'll listen.”
Gale nodded, feeling guilty. ”After this, we'll go and visit her. It's long overdue.”
Scarlett opened the door to their private booth only for both streamers to look somewhat shocked, seeing Zinnia sitting alongside Emil and Alice. ”Zinnia…”
”I got your message. Here I am.”
Closing the door behind them, the room fell silent for a while as Scarlett broke the silence. ”How. How have you been.”
”Fine.”
”That's good to hear… You weren't at Alton's funeral yesterday.”
Zinnia sitting cross-legged on the sofa shook her head with a dry tone. ”I had more important things to worry about.”
”More important than saying goodbye to our best friend?!” Gale snapped.
”You can all say goodbye to Alton but I cannot. Not until he gets the justice he deserves. They are still out there, Villain's Wrath.”
”This is what she's been going on about for a while now,” Emil whispers.
”Listen, Zinnia…”
”No, you listen!” She snaps, standing up. ”I watched him die. Right in front of me, and I can't get that out of my head. His cries for help, pleading to be saved is burned into my mind. I can't think straight without seeing that play out over and over. Alton was murdered, and V.I.R.A.L is just letting it slide by like it's no problem. They haven't been revoked or banned. Nothing! I can't let that happen.”
”So, what are you going to do about that then? Take them down? Stream it to the world? Is that what Zinnia Trost is going to do? Because if Alton couldn't beat these guys neither can you.”
”I'm going to kill them.”
”That doesn't sound like you at all Zinnia,” Alice exclaims. ”You need help, we can help you. Let Team Rhapsody help you like they helped me.”
Zinnia threw her phone to the ground in a fit of rage. ”What I need is for those monsters who murdered my best friend to pay for what they did. Now that's what I assumed you called me here for. Together we can get Alton the justice he deserves.”
”We're disbanding Team Rhapsody.”
”What?”
Scarlett rubbed her face taking charge of the situation. ”Zinnia. We aren't heroes. We're not superpowered soldiers we're just kids. Teenagers who streamed for fun, making the world a safer place was just a bonus. We all come back day after day to escape our problems and hang out. But now people are dying. And more will just continue to die if we run away seeking justice. This is just too dangerous now. We've been falling apart ever since Percy. This was just the final nail in the coffin. We all voted. Three of us voted to disband. I chose to stay. Whatever you pick doesn't matter. The choice has been made.”
”You can't be serious. You're joking, right?! This is a joke. Gale? Emil? Alice? Why, after all, Alton did for you? For us.”
”The Alice doesn't want this… But without Alton can we really call it Team Rhapsody. I don't want to bury any more friends over something as silly as streaming.”
Gale slouched over covering his face. ”Alton wouldn't want us hurting. He'd be the first one to disband the group if he knew we were endangered. This was inevitable. Team Rhapsody hasn't been the same for a while.”
”As much as I hate to admit it. They're right Zinnia. It was fun while it lasted. Boy did we have some great moments? It's not all for nothing, think of the people we saved. The lives we changed, the friends we made along the way. Just because Team Rhapsody is over doesn't mean we can't keep meeting. We're all friends, after all.”
”The best of friends,” Emil stated.