A breakthrough

*knock knock*

‘Oh! Um, Hazel. This is a surprise…’

‘Yeah. Charon came to me the other day to ask me about doing a job on a man called Austin.’

‘Oh, did he… He floated the idea around, but we were mixed on the idea.’

‘Well, I’m up for it. I’ve come up with a plan. Are you free to talk about it?’

‘Yeah, okay. Come in.’

‘How do we plan to travel?’

‘Have either of you ever been to Devil’s Port?’

‘NO.’

‘No, me neither. A shame, really. It sounds like the kind of place I could have a tremendous amount of fun in.’

‘WE MAY NEED TO TRAVEL USING A MOTORISED VEHICLE.’

‘Getting a car should be simple enough. ...I think I’ll drive, however.’

‘You can borrow my car. But I agree.’

‘I AM PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF DRIVING.’

‘Yes, but humans have their pesky rules, don’t they? Not following them will draw even more attention to us, than being red, giant, spiky and horny will by itself.’

‘TRUE. VERY WELL, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO CONTROL THE MUSIC.’

‘Agreed, but on one caveat - no Taylor Swift.’

‘FINE. BUT I WILL BRING BRITNEY.’

‘...Alright, deal.’

‘Well, it sounds like you two will enjoy your little road trip. As for the plan, I’ve been informed that Abraxas has other supernatural forces on his side, hence why I’m not going. Considering how badly I lost to just a regular vampire, I fear I would be more of a hindrance.’

‘Do you know what kind of supernaturals he has? And, very importantly, should I bring you one of Abraxas’ fingers?’

‘All I know is that a woman called Nephilim is some kind of witch, and there is also an alien quadruplet hivemind who also have some magical abilities. And honestly? Go for it.’

‘Okay. Understood.’

‘Can you handle it, if you are outnumbered?’

‘We’ll certainly make it as difficult for his lot as possible, won’t we? Even if we have to burn Abraxas and everything he beholds to the ground.’

‘UNQUESTIONABLY.’

‘Good. Thank you. I have no doubt you can make life miserable for him.’

‘Have no fears, we definitely will. Should we keep him alive, to toy with him again at a future date? Or would you prefer him to be put down?’

‘Keep him alive for now. He won’t find us here, so it’s not as though we’ll be at risk. It would be a waste to end him so soon.’

‘Oh good. That sounds ideal.’

‘Meanwhile, as you two go to Devil’s Port, Hazel has suggested going after one of Tate’s allies. She’s going to make a mess of him, take photos and then go to Tate’s office in City Hall to show him. And after that little bombshell has been dropped… She’s going to bring him directly to me.’

‘Even better! So you get to have some fun while we’re enjoying ourselves, as well! Do leave him a scar on my behalf, won’t you?’

‘Of course I will! It’s about time they faced some punishment.’

‘Wait… You’re going to then take Tate to be tortured?’

‘Hazel… you said you were going to be better than this.’

‘I’m not going to join in. I just don’t really care what happens to him at this point.’

‘I can’t in good faith sign off on that. I just can’t. Even though it’s Tate, I can’t knowingly condemn him to face the same fate I did!’

‘I’m sorry. Do you think I’m horrible for it?’

‘I… I can’t, I’m sorry, I- I need air!’

‘…Do you have to go ahead with that part? I was with you up until then…’

‘If I don’t… You know it’s only a matter of time until someone else on my side does, right?’

‘I know. And I know I can’t stop that. But… don’t make me agree to this. Not against Edward’s wishes. I think we’ve already triggered him…’

‘Sorry, Ellis. I didn’t mean to.’

‘I know you already apologised to him for it once, but if you really want to convince him you’ve changed, you need to back out of this. Let someone else do it.’

‘Alright. I will.’

‘Edward, I’m sorry. You’re right. I won’t take him.’

‘Wait, really?’

‘I’ll help Ellis do the job on Austin. We’ll take the photos and I’ll take him to City Hall to show them to Tate. But then I’ll bring Ellis back here, and then I’ll go home.’

‘…Thank you.’

‘You know I can’t guarantee anything after that, right?’

‘Oh yes… I’m aware. I’m… just relieved that it won’t be you.’

‘I should’ve realised. I really do want to be a better person… and seeing how it makes you feel…’

‘You’ll have to forgive me for being surprised that you care how I feel.’

‘I’m not my dad. Yeah, I was brought up to think the way he does, but I reject that now. I’m an adult, and I’ve made my mind up for myself. I want to prove that. How can I get you to believe that…?’

‘…You know that time I attacked him? I’m still amazed that I managed it. Because even with all of my anger and the bloodlust of freshly-turned vampire, I still froze when I saw him. He terrified me, and still does. Just your very existence is a reminder of him to me, and that’s very hard for me to cope with.’

‘Yeah… and when I realised just how much he traumatised you, once I’d stopped thinking of you as the enemy, the villain… I felt horrible. Same with all of you. In my head, I’d built you all up to be awful people complicit in Tate making us suffer. I was wrong.’

‘Hazel… Much as I’m not responsible for Tate’s actions, I am truly sorry about the pain he’s caused your family. Despite what he became, Miles never deserved what Tate did to him. At the same time, you’re right. You’re not him, and I need to recognise that.’

‘Thanks for saying that.’

‘Do what you need to do when it comes to Austin… Ellis wasn’t going to let that one drop, regardless, and I don’t blame him. It’s a parental thing.’

‘Will do. And anyway, after all this, I’ll be gone, come September. I’m going to uni in Bridgeport. If you see me, it’ll probably only be with Wednesday.’

‘Really…? That’s my old university. Well, I’m sure you’ll do well there. It’s a good place. I wish you luck.’