CHAPTER TWELVE
' IS THAT TRUE? '
Eddie paced, eyebrows pulled into a furrow, and her jaw clenched. Her eyes remained on the ground, not looking at Viktor and Harlan as they tried again. She had to keep moving so she didn't fall asleep. With a screaming body, Eddie began to shiver as the cold set in. The sky darkened as a rumble of thunder shot through the sky.
She looked up to the duo hovering in the hair. Viktor let out a scream, and her eyes widened. Her hand shot out, and power launched into it. A blast of wind curved around her body, followed by a circle of fire exploding out. Eddie gasped, everything hitting her at one, and she collapsed in a heap.
"Viktor!"
Eddie placed her hand on her head, the world spinning, and she felt bile rise in her throat. Viktor and Eddie's vehicle alarms set off, and the noise blared throughout the courtyard. Energy burst outwards, and she could only watch it explode over her head from where she limply lay.
"Viktor!" Allison rushed forward as he and Harlan erupted into screams.
It all suddenly stopped, and the two dropped to the floor. Sweat dripped down Eddie's face as she breathed laboriously.
The sky swirled above her, the blue and white of the clouds blending into spirals. Their muffled voices filtered through her ears, but Eddie focused all her energy on staying awake.
"Oh, my God, Eddie!" Viktor dropped to his knees beside her.
"What the Hell happened?" Allison asked, eyes wide and confused.
"She's sick," he replied, gently touching her face.
"What do you mean sick?"
"Cancer," Eddie choked out quietly, gasping for a breath.
"What?"
The redhead's hand clumsily found Viktor's knee, and she pulled herself to sit up. Her chest heaved, and a cough escaped her. "Had it for a while now." Viktor's hand moved to help her sit up, and Allison sat there, staring at her in shock.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Well, don't take it personally, I only told Viktor. Five worked it out when he did all the time travelling before the world ended the first time."
Viktor furrowed his eyebrows. "How did he work it out?"
Eddie let out a small laugh, but it turned into a cough. "I died, apparently."
Allison shook her head. "How are you so blasé about this?"
She shrugged. "I'm going to blame my autism, or maybe it's a trauma response. Who knows? Okay, help me up."
"Are you- are you sure?"
"No, actually, I rather like sitting on this uncomfortable, cold floor, but thanks for checking up."
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"Eddie!"
She screamed, reeling up and grabbing Viktor's shoulders. She recognised him quickly, letting out a long groan before massaging her head. "Viktor," she replied breathlessly.
"Harlan's gone!"
"He probably went home. Didn't you tell him to go?"
"Allison is gone too."
"And maybe she took him home. Viktor-"
"-You don't understand," he snapped, pulling away from her. "Allison wouldn't have taken him without telling me. The Sparrows must have them."
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As much as she hated it, Eddie stole a walking stick on Viktor's rage-induced travel to the Sparrow's. Her body was screaming, and she didn't have it in her to tell her brother she needed a break. He threw open the doors, Eddie only managing to climb the stairs before Viktor stormed into the living room.
"Where is he?"
Eddie followed a few moments later, leaning heavily on the walking stick and breathing laboriously. None of the others noticed, though, distracted by Viktor's entrance.
"What did you do to Harlan?" he continued, glaring at the remaining Sparrows.
Allison raised her eyebrow. "They didn't do anything," she replied. "I did. I killed Harlan."
"What?" Viktor and Eddie's voices layered on top of each other, and she moved further into the room, standing beside Viktor.
"I... I don't... I don't understand," he continued. "Why?"
"Because he didn't deserve to live," she replied simply.
Eddie shifted, worry building in her chest at her sister's words. What did she mean by that?
Viktor scoffed. "What? Because they said so? You don't have to listen to them. They don't get to tell us what to do. You could've talked to me. We could've figured out something else."
"So, what, you could lie to us again and take his side?" Allison shot back.
"That's not what happened," Eddie denied as she straightened, any sense of weakness escaping her. A glare formed on her face, and she took another step forward.
Allison sneered at her. "Oh, no, that's exactly what happened. I know Harlan killed all of our mothers."
Eddie froze, her face relaxing before slowly turning to face her brother. "Viktor?" she prompted. "Is that true?"
He ignored her. "Who told you that?"
"Harlan. After you lied about it to my face."
"Viktor," Eddie spoke again, voice sharp and louder. "Answer me. Is she telling the truth?"
"Yeah," he caved, shoulders falling to slouch as he sighed. "But he didn't mean to hurt anyone. He-"
Eddie looked away, bringing her hand to her forehead and rubbing it. God, she knew, she knew what that was like. Hurting people when you didn't mean to when you couldn't do anything about it.
But it was her mother.
Sure, she'd never met the woman, but that woman shared her blood and flesh and everything Eddie was. She was the thing that connected her to a long line of generations of women who came before.
But she knew.
"How do you know?"
"Because I knew him," Viktor replied. "And he was sweet and kind until I made him like us. Okay? So, I screwed him up. And if you need someone to blame, I'm right here-"
"-What makes you think I don't?"
The room went silent, and everyone looked at Allison. The Hargreeves realised that a line had been crossed and one that had never been crossed before. This was no longer a normal argument. This was hatred.
Eddie shared a glance with Five.
"This wasn't about saving the world," Viktor thought aloud, eyes brewing with tears. "This was about hurting me. Payback for-"
Allison lifted her chin. "Say her name."
Luther shifted, getting to his feet and lifting his arms. "You know what? Maybe we should all just take a minute-"
"-Did killing Harlan bring Claire back?" Viktor shot back, ignoring Luther, his gaze set solely on Allison.
"-Did protecting him bring Sissy back? It was just as personal for you-"
"-I didn't kill anyone!"
"But you risked everyone! Do you know what that felt like? Watching you fight harder to protect the man who helped destroy my daughter than you ever did to bring her back?"
"I don't know how to bring Claire back." Viktor's voice shifted. "Okay? No one does. But I was there for you. I tried. I was-"
"-To what? Help me grieve? God, this whole family is so quick to tell me to suck up my pain and so worried about fixing yours!" Allison's rage built and built, and Eddie didn't know how long she could keep it pent up. "Somebody had to pay because you never seem to. Destroy the world, kill Pogo, almost kill me, and for what? So we can all run around and clean up your mess? I'm sick of it."
"Take it easy, Allison," Luther tried again.
"Okay, I-"
"-Shut your mouth!" she roared.
Eddie flinched, covering her face instinctively before her eyes flickered to Viktor. He tried to breathe, but Allison had sealed his mouth shut.
"Allison-"
"-Every time I build a new life for myself, you end the world and take it from me!"
"How are you doing this without saying, 'I heard a rumour'?"
"Just a little residual gift from Harlan."
"Allison!" Eddie shouted. "Stop this, now!"
Viktor fell to his knees, inhaling a desperate piece of air before letting out a string of coughs.
"We should have left you in the basement."
Something inside Eddie snapped, and the room suddenly went cold. Ice cold. Through the haze of her anger, she could see the flicker of fear pass through Allison's eyes.
Just as she was about to launch herself at her sister, Five spatial jumped and pushed Eddie back. She gasped, her head pounding, and her knees gave way. Five caught her before she could collapse but struggled with her weight.
Diego rushed over, shifting to lean her against him and helping her to the sofa. "Hey?" he lowered to his knee before her. "You okay?"
Eddie gave him a look before her eyes flickered to the rest of her family. The time was coming for her to tell them, but now, it was time for them to discuss the Kugelblitz. She was silent for a moment before her gaze flickered to the Sparrows. "Later."