Chapter 207: The Calm Before the Storm (2/2)
”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!”
Alton turned to Alice and Emil, giving them strict authority. ”I don't want any of you to intervene Scarlett is mine.”
”Alton wait…”
”That is an order, Hawthorne.” He turned back holding his sword up. ”Has my words sunk in yet? Do you remember the promise I made to you once I broke out?”
Scarlett remained silent as she simply stared Alton down both at a stalemate. ”We could have been such great allies. But you had to throw that away.”
Turning his sword towards Scarlett, he got into a fighting position whispering the words to himself. ”You threw that away the moment we met.”