TWENTY-FOUR

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CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
' I HAVE ENOUGH ENERGY
TO LIGHT UP A CONTINENT . '

The Hargreeves siblings, bar Five, gathered in the theatre foyer, their hearts beating rapidly. Eddie stared at the floor as they all stood in a circle, in silence, shifting awkwardly.

Luther looked over everyone. "So everyone knows the plan?"

Eddie nodded and stepped back, moving past them and towards the door. She stopped before the door, blowing a breath before pushing it open with her foot. As she descended the stairs, her eyes wandered over the full theatre, and she decided to sit on the stairs, watching Vanya play.

Her sister's eyes flickered to land on Eddie, and a smile formed on her face. Eddie's foot tapped to the rhythm, in awe of Vanya's mastery. However, Luther and Diego destroyed the tranquillity when they began to cross the stage, and she leapt to her feet.

Vanya noticed them and launched them like ragdolls across the stage with a swipe of her bow. She eyed Eddie as her irises flickered between her sister and her brothers' bodies.

Chaos erupted within the theatre as people screamed and cried, but the orchestra were routed to their seats by Vanya as she continued the bitter-sweet melody.

"Vanya!" Eddie called. "Please! Just listen to me!"

Vanya swiped her bow again and directed the energy towards Eddie. It propelled her to the back of the room, and she hit the wall harshly, landing face down. Eddie rolled with the force and coughed, gasping for breath. Bullets rained down on her, and she lifted her hands, blocking them as she scrambled away. Eddie leapt over the seats and ducked under them, hands shaking, and she squeaked as Five spatial jumped next to her.

"Where's Klaus?"

"He's supposed to be the lookout!" Luther replied.

"Well, clearly everyone is straying from the plan!" Eddie snapped, glaring at him. "You said I could talk to her?"

"I thought you bailed on us?"

"I had an errand to run," Five answered.

"I'm taking it that you know these guys?" Eddie nodded her head at the soldiers clad in black.

"Yeah, we're screwed."

"Good to know," Eddie replied casually. She let out a breath as the cogs in her head worked. "Right. Plan B. Right. I'll try and distract Vanya, and the trigger-happy fuckers are your responsibility. Yeah?"

"That's not gonna end well," Diego commented.

"Yeah, well, you got a better idea?" Eddie replied calmly. "You actually stick to the plan this time, or I'll kill you all again in the afterlife like we live in Valhalla, got it?"

None of them moved for a moment as they stared at each other before Eddie nodded, her eyes flashing a vibrant green. She leapt onto a seat and stood on the arms of it.

"Vanya, the power isn't on your side! It wants to corrupt you; it's hungry! Sure, you're fed up with being shut out, locked up, or ignored, but you have to think about the consequences! There are innocent people who have never done anything to you. You can't make them suffer because of Dad, of us!"

Vanya did not stop, and Eddie sighed.

"I'm asking you as a sister... as a friend... as someone who knows what it's like. I know I've never been deserving of anything, and I'm not in the position to ask, but please. Vanya, stop!"

A burst of energy exploded from Vanya's violin, striking Eddie between her eyes. The light left her eyes as she fell to the ground.

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