Chapter 62 - Friends Fight
Vicky glanced around the plaza. She was taken by surprise, when her sight turned black, and her head-up display opened. She couldn't close her head-up display, thus logging out.
Vicky woke up in the pod. She clutched her shoulder. She felt liquid on her hand, she looked at her shoulder, and saw blood gushing out.
"How is this even possible?" Vicky asked, wincing in pain. She walked to her medicine cabinet, opened a bottle and poured it on her wound. The pain was excruciating.
Vicky bandaged her wound, and walked to Mia's room. She knocked on the door. Mia opened the door, glaring at Vicky.
"What do you want?" Mia asked. She had the door open partially, and crossed her arms.
"To know if you're okay?" Vicky asked, glancing away from Mia, and back at her.
"I'm okay. Now go away!" Mia replied. Vicky stood watching, as Mia shut the door on her.
Vicky sighed and walked back to her room. She spent some time alone, in her room, staring out of the window expecting the team to return.
The team finally arrived, Vicky walked downstairs to check on them.
"Everything go according to plan?" Vicky asked, walking towards the team.
The team entered the house, and started to take off their armour and weapons.
"Yeah!" Connor replied, smiling at Vicky.
"How were things in the game?" the captain asked.
"A little bumpy, nothing we couldn't handle," Vicky replied.
"What happened to the game? Why'd it suddenly black out, and make everyone log out?" Mia asked, walking into the room.
Vicky turned to Mia, glanced at her, and then looked away from her.
"That was part of the plan. Now Raina Corps has no control over the game," Sarah replied.
"And you do?" Vicky asked. She watched as Mia stood beside her.
"It's temporary. Until Caiden gives up Raina Corps back to Wyatt," Connor replied. He walked towards Vicky and Mia, and continued "Everything will be under control in no time."
"How would it be under control? Caiden and Alex are still alive. They could find us and kill us," Mia replied.
"Caiden and Alex are being arrested by the authorities as we speak. They'll be locked up for a long time, before they see the sun again," the captain replied, turning to the girls.
"And what happens after they come back out? They find us and start attacking us again? Or they get an idea to kill everyone on the planet? Then it would be a perfect plan, right? Because they have the whole time in prison to make it," Mia said. She stared at Connor and the captain, and then at Vicky.
"So it always comes down to me doesn't it?" Vicky asked, just as the captain opened his mouth to say something.
Connor took a step back wondering what was happening. Vicky turned towards Mia and raised her eyebrow.
"It does always come down to you. You got us in this mess," Mia replied, turning to Vicky. Vicky smirked and exhaled loudly.
"You chose to stay in the fight. I always gave you a choice," Vicky said.
"And I kept saying yes, because you're my best friend. I thought I could trust you. That you'll keep us safe," Mia replied.
"Isn't that what I have done? Wouldn't you or Ray be dead by now if we hadn't been there?" Vicky said.
"Vicky! You did nothing! Your dad did. You're technically useless in the real world. You have no idea what to say, or when to say the right things. You can barely protect yourself. You're just a useless person," Mia said, staring deep into Vicky's eyes.
Vicky took a step back, and looked at Mia. She nodded her head and walked away. The team stood staring at the two of them.
Vicky walked to the docks, and stared at the water.
"You're just a useless person," Mia's voice rang in Vicky's head. She then heard another familiar voice in her head.
"...You got her addicted to the game, and now look at her," Rachel's voice said in Vicky's head. Those were the words Rachel told her when Mia was stuck in the game.
Vicky sat on the edge of the dock, her feet a few inches above the water.
"What was that about?" Connor asked, walking towards Vicky.
"Nothing!" Vicky replied, dangling her feet above the water.
"I thought we had no secrets," Connor said sitting beside Vicky.
"We didn't, until you kept the biggest secret from me," Vicky replied. She stared intensely into the water in front of her. Connor sighed.
"I made my fair share of mistakes. Just don't make the same mistakes I did," Connor said.
"And what were those mistakes?" Vicky asked.
"Trusting the wrong people. Killing people… Not trusting the correct people," Connor said looking at Vicky. Vicky looked at Connor, with soft eyes.
Vicky smiled at her father, and kept her head on his shoulder.
"Growing up sucks," Vicky said.
"Why would you say that?" Connor asked.
"Almost all the adults around me are broken. They just hide it very well. Aren't you broken too?" Vicky asked.
"We are not broken. We just have regrets…. Are you broken?" Connor asked, keeping his hand on Vicky's head.
"I don't know anymore. All I know is that I'm a monster to everyone I know. I always end up hurting them, even when I don't want to," Vicky replied.
"Everyone hurts the people they are close to. None of us are perfect. Look at how much I've hurt you. It's just about how worth it was hurting someone," Connor said.
"Was it worth hurting me?" Vicky asked. She took her head from Connor's shoulder, and stared at him.
"It was worth it, because you're still alive," Connor replied.
Vicky looked at Connor and hugged him. He hugged her back. They sat at the dock, staring at the fish moving beneath the surface of the water. They didn't feel time passing, even though it was soon time for bed.