V.I.R.A.L

Emil's eyes snapped open as he continued to cough, holding his stomach in pain. The manor was on fire, and the bunker doors still wedged shut. His sight was still hazy as Butch helped him up. "You still with me, bro?"

"Yeah, what happened?"

"Florence betrayed us. What the hell came over her like that?!" He barked pissed off. "She took our father and Gale."

"Shit, this couldn't get any worse. Has Zinnia came out?"

"Those doors haven't budged. Although I can't really confirm or deny that. For all, we know all of this could still be an illusion."

Emil shook his head grumbling. "No, she isn't that powerful. There're always little signs something's an illusion. Glitch spots."

"So, we keep an eye out for those?"

Emil began coughing again waving his hand which Butch grabbed, keeping him balanced. "Not that simple. She knows that's her weakness. She'll make those glitch spots appear everywhere to throw us off. Any idea why she betrayed you guys?"

"Zero, there were no signs. But it might have something to do with Monty."

"Right, why don't we go and ask her then yeah?" Emil snarled walking to the ablaze mansion. Before they could enter, Jinx stepped in front of them, blocking their path. "Jinx, move out of the way."

"You're not with her, are you?"

Jinx laughed, wiping her eye. "That loser? No, I had nothing to do with this."

"Then stand aside."

"I will, I will. But before I do, let's think about this? Maybe we should just let the age of Montagues end yeah?"

Butch stared at her with a pissed look. "So, you are on her side."

"I'm on no side here. I am merely a bystander watching the world burn with popcorn in hand. What happens tonight doesn't matter to me. Whether the old fart dies or not is all trivial. But ask this, does the Montagues deserve to carry on. I be it the old man isn't exactly the nicest guy on the block. He's manipulative and cunning, and he shot you in the leg Butch, which might I point out you've healed from quickly."

"Helga works wonders."

"That she does. Our father deserves whatever Florence gives to him. Hell, if the tables were any different, I would be in there reading him his fucking rights. But revenge really isn't my forte. It's a clique and dull, I prefer my knives sharp and ready for the kill, so do as you wish. Just remember who that man really is, what he will keep doing." Jinx chewed down, stepping aside. "She's all yours. Give Florence my regards."

"You sure we can't convince you to help?" Emil questioned.

Jinx smirked walking away. "For you no, I'll make this known now Emil, I don't like any of you. I despise you in fact, knowing I share the same family name with you all makes me sick beyond belief. Florence is almost doing me a favour."

Butch gave a confused look turning to her. "Then why the hell did you stick around? The hell did you complete the trials for?"

Jinx stopped in her tracks looking up to the night sky, shaking her head. "Another time perhaps. Emil, I'll tell you everything on the battlefield. I'm entering the V.I.R.A.L league. Make sure your team does as well."

"It's a promise," Emil said before turning and running into the fiery building alongside Butch. "Don't trust anything you see. Our goal is to rescue our father, this place can burn for all I care."

"I must concur Florence getting the jump before me is surprising. Should have seen this coming. She played us all for fools."

"You wanted the Montagues to fall too? You ain't gonna betray me, too are you?"

"Like hell, I will! The only person who is going to destroy the Montagues is Monty!"

"Monty wants the Montagues gone too? How interesting…"

Butch kicked the door open yelling as Florence held them both back with the static interference. "Quiet, please. The baby is sleeping." She had Christopher down on his knees as a knife was held to his throat. "Any sudden movements and your father is dead."

Emil walked in, holding his hands up. "Easy now, no one has to get hurt."

Florence held the knife closer snarling. "It's too late for that! People are already hurt, lives ruined, and futures crushed all because of this man. You understand, don't you Emil!"

"That I do, but this isn't the way. Killing him won't change anything. It won't stop the pain."

"Yeah, you're right. But it will stop others going through that pain." She snapped, throwing to the floor dozens of profiles. "Hundreds of people send applications through a month. Each willing to sign their lives away for a future of pain and torment just to get famous. If they knew what the trials were like. What it does to the ones you love. I'm saving them all!"

"This isn't the way. They won't see it like that. The world will just see Florence Truman, murderer. They'll see you as someone who stole their dreams."

"If that's how it has to be, so be it. I was never a very popular streamer. Streaming wasn't my thing, neither was it my brother's we both went down very different paths, but when I was approached by this rat, I saw it as a possibility. A way to show the world I was worth something." She exclaimed. "I know you feel the same Emil, the outcast of the Montagues. Always seen as an imposter among us. The bastard child of this man. Wouldn't it be better to let it all burn?"

Emil looked around the blaze sighing. "Well I can't disagree with you there, for years I've resented my father. I wanted to hit it big. Be the best streamer I could be to show him I could make it on my own. I made that the whole life goal that I began missing the moment I was in. Joining Team Rhapsody was the best thing to ever happen to me. I just needed a family to call my own. Killing him isn't the way. Yes, tear this family apart, but we do it our way. Expose him and let the masses do the work."

Florence chuckled, moving the knife away. "You know Emil you've changed so much, Team Rhapsody did you good. But I'm not Team Rhapsody. You have a choice, you see. I'm going to kill this man, but I won't stop you. If you choose to stand against me, I'll surrender. But poor Zinnia might be changed forever. She's going through the final trial. If she passes, she might change forever too, worse than Monty and Jinx, I fear. You could save her. Break into that trial and help her. But it's not that simple."

"There's more?"

"There's always more, dear Emil. For you see, my brother broke out of prison a few weeks back. I got in contact with him. We caught up on missed time. He has a strange fascination with your friends. Alton in particular. As we speak, he's already struck an attack on him. He plans on taking Scarlett and Alton out in one swoop. You could try and save them too? Doing so will damn Zinnia and kill your father. So, tell me, Emil, you wanna play the hero. Let's play the hero. Who do you want to save? Who lives and who dies? I hope you choose wisely." Emil turned to Butch as she tutted. "Don't expect him to help, he's under my spell right now. Jinx will be little help either. She's made it clear she's staying well out of this. The clock's ticking Emil."

Emil lowered his head, gripping his fists tightly. "If I know anything Scarlett and Alton are one tough son of bitches. Your stupid brother will have his work cut out. Zinnia, she's strong. The strongest and craziest girl I've ever met. Nothing will break her. Those trials have met their match. She's a real hero."

"So, your choice has been made then?"

Emil smirked looking at her. "Nonetheless, every hero needs a sidekick." He turned running through the flames, turning his back on them all. Crashing through the building, he rolled out into the open. Cranking the bunker open he stared down feeling his heart racing—adrenaline flowing. Emil kicked the ground as a baseball bat rippled out with the initials TR. "Hold on Zinnia, I'm coming."

Florence dropped the knife dazed by Emil's choice. She was indeed more than anything he would stop her. It was the Montague thing to do. She fell to her knees, laughing as her grip on everyone faded. Gale collapsed as the illusion disappeared. The building returned to normal never once on fire. Butch and Gale stood over Florence who was laughing wiping tears from her eyes. "Emil, Emil, Emil. You've made me so proud."

Butch turned to Gale tutting. "The hell do we do with this one?"

"Do what you want? It doesn't matter anymore. I thought I could do it. It was all for him. Revenge for him stealing the Monty I knew. The Monty I fell in love with. Those trials killed him."

"They also did many things to you."

Florence lowered her head snorting. "That they did. I wonder, I wonder what awaits Zinnia. What will happen to her? Doesn't the anticipation just eat away at you? It's like murder."

Gale kicked her in the face knocking her out. He spat at the ground turning around, gripping his fist tightly. "Emil, please hurry. Save her…"