𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐓𝐀, 𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘦

ғᴏᴜʀ

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

OF COURSE DELTA HAD FOLLOWED HIM BECAUSE NO MATTER IF VIOLET NEEDED HER OR NOT, SHE NEEDED VI. Vander had gathered Benzo from his home and the pair slinked through the streets heading directly for Benzo's shop. Delta's boots thumped against metal tiled rooftops and she was thankful her jacket was so sturdy otherwise her arms would be ripped to shreds from the amount of times she had to crawl through barbed fencing. Her hair stuck to her face, plastered with sweat and grime and her lips were dry and cracked from the wind. She had to know what was going on, she needed to know that Violet was ok. That was her only mission.

When the pair approached Benzo's the window at the door was already busted through, the pavement beneath it stained with blood. Delta crouched on a rooftop across the road and she spotted Ekko hiding on the roof of Benzo's shop. They made eye contact and Delta lifted a finger to her lips, a silent motion to keep hush hush. The white haired boy nodded before their attention was turned to the commotion in the shop.

"Vander?" That was Vi's voice. What the hell was Violet doing there? "We don't have much time." Vander and Benzo entered the shop and Delta had to squint to see what was going on. "How did you find me?" Vander placed his hands on Vi's shoulders. "I'm proud of you. Always have been." Violet's hands clasped onto Vander's and she shook her head slowly. "I'm sorry, I...This is the only way to protect the others." "Vander!" Benzo shouted from across the room, eyeing the window. Delta's ears perked up at the sound of dogs barking in the distance and her heart thrummed with fear.

Vander looked back before leaning in close to Vi. "You've got a good heart. Don't ever lose it. No matter how the world tries to break you." He paused, drinking in the sight of Vi like it would be his last time. "Protect the family." Vi's eyes flickered in confusion. "What are you--" Vander shoved her backwards, towards the door of the cellar. Violet yelled in protest before he threw her down and locked the door, her protests dampening and the sound of her pounding fists on the door being muffled. Vander sighed deeply before resting his forehead on the door sadly, defeat written on his face.

The tears on Delta's face stung but the pain did no justice for what she knew was coming.

Enforcers appeared, standing in the doorway and blocking Delta's view of Vander and Benzo. Their blue uniforms lined in gold were a stark contrast to the dreary color palette that the Undercity always seemed to be painted in, the lower halves of their face covered by oxygen masks. The leader, a woman, spoke up. "I'm guessing that's for me." She nodded to the man behind her and he made his way inside the shop.

Before he could get too far Vander stepped in front of him, his large frame blocking the guard from proceeding. "Are you gonna let us make the arrest or not?" Vander only looked at him before reaching into his pockets. "You'll oblige a doomed man one last smoke." He pulled out a match and lit it with his finger, the flame casting a grave light onto his face. He lit his pipe before inhaling, waving the match and watching the flame die out. "Won't you?"

The woman shoved the man away before walking close to Vander, leaning up near his ear. "I'm not putting you away, Vander." He only sighed. "The council needs its pound of flesh." "Without you down here, it all falls apart." Vander took another inhale before breathing out the smoke, placing the pipe down. "Benzo will handle things. I may not have my devilish charm, but he runs a tight ship." The woman eyed him. "You won't be coming back for a long time." Vander walked towards the male enforcer and held his hands out, ready to be handcuffed. "I know."

"Why?" The woman questioned. Vander set his eyes in a determined look. "It's the only way."

They walked out the doors and Delta crouched, ready to vault and attempt to save him when a flash of pink sped by them. The Enforcers glared before raising their guns making a half circle around Vander and Benzo. "Hey! Who's there!" They were met with silence until another flash of pink stained the cement red with blood. Delta had to hold in her gasp. The body was that of an Enforcer and the head...the head was missing.

Screams rang out as the pink blur continued to paint the streets red, bodies falling faster than Delta could blink. Red. Everything was so red.

Benzo, Vander, and the male Enforcer were backed into a corner as they eyed the dead bodies littering the streets. "What the devil..." "No..." Their eyes were trained on the foggy street ahead and out from the green came someone that had both Vander and Benzo in shock.

"Silco? You animal. Go crawl back into whatever hole you came out of!" Benzo spit out, hand waving a pipe threateningly. He clambered towards the figure as Vander's face was painted in terror. "Benzo, no! Stay back." The figure, now known as Silco, spoke up. "You never did know when to walk away." "Wait!" Vander cried out but it was too late as the pink blur was back and this time rushed at Benzo, taking the man to the ground.

"No!"

So much red. So much blood. The air tasted of it and Delta gagged, her breathing shortening as the icy feeling of panic coursed through her. So much death. Not again, not again, not again.

Her vision blurred and the ringing in her ears intensified. The monster was on Vander. Please, Gods not again. Not again, not again, not again. He fell and the red grew and so did the fear, the terror. His face was bloodied and his body lay limp and when Silco smiled all Delta could feel was the tips of her fingers letting go and her lips parting. And then the ringing stopped. The ringing stopped and was replaced by the gut-wrenching screams that were leaving her own mouth. They were guttural. It was as if all the agony and panic she had ever felt was released through one sound and boy could Silco feel it.

And Silco liked it.

His lips upturned in a smirk and he turned to face Delta. "You my girl, you are like me." The monster approached her and Delta tried. Delta tried with every fang and every nail to stop it but she was one girl and this...thing would always be stronger. It grabbed her and her screaming turned to crying and Silco smiled at that. And then he noted the cut on her face-- the one oozing black with terrible veins that stained her porcelain skin.

And then he laughed because she really was like him, infection and all.

His fingers pinched her cheeks and his smile filled her vision, the tears making it blurry. "You are just like me so for now you live."

The monster dropped her and she lied on the ground in a pool of red. Delta felt it seep into her eyes and her mouth and her nose and soon she was suffocating on the substance. She was going to die. The last thing she saw was Vander being pulled away and the deranged smile that Silco held. And his words. His words, the same ones that stuck to her from before.

"There are worse things than death."

And Delta knew she would find that out soon.

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heyo kinda short chapter but i'm uploading another later today!! i'm doing a Q&A in the comments so feel free to leave any questions you might have!!