"No..." Ivan denied the obvious at first. He was very quick to do this, so quick that Ben found it almost amusing.
"... Yes." Rosaline looked a little confused by Ivan's reaction, and Ben couldn't really blame her for sounding confused as it sounds her mother kept Ivan and Josh a secret from Rosaline. Ben was starting to piece together just how broken of a woman Madison must truly be. Ben saw something move on the floor out of the corner of his eye but he didn't bring attention to it. Ben knew exactly what it was.
So, Ben tried to focus on the obvious elephant in the room. Sherri. 'Oh... if looks could kill.' Ben thought with a painful grimace. The poor woman looked down right pissed at this. Ben could see her just trying to process what was currently said. Ben then turned to Esmeralda to see her current reaction and she just looked almost hurt by this- and judging by that expression alone and the fact that she was supposed to be Woodrow (Aka: Currently dead) Ben could only speculate that Esmeralda was not James's son. Ben didn't know why but he looked over at Winston.
Winston just looked tired and Ben didn't blame him. Yeah, Ben was missing his arm and he had every right to be tired right now, but he wasn't tortured like Winston was. Ben wanted nothing more than to help this poor sod. Winston must have felt Ben's gaze because he looked at Ben only seconds later. He just looked so fed up and Ben felt an overwhelming urge to help Winston out of this situation and bring him to safety.
"No! You can't be!" Ivan suddenly snapped at Rosaline like it was her fault. This caused Ben to look at them both.
"Well, I am!"
"Ivan, you knew you had half-siblings, James even said so in the journal." Ben intervened and Ivan looked ready to retort but everyone quieted down when the doors suddenly opened and in came Madison. Rosaline paled almost instantly.
"Rosaline-" Madison huffed angerly. "What are you doing in here?" She demanded.
"You absolute puta!" Sherri screamed at Madison in her own rage. "Cuando salga de aquí-" (When I get out of here) She started to threaten in her fit of rage it seemed like she was actually starting to bounce up and down in her chair.
"Aw, Rosaline did you spoil the surprise alright-"
"Mama!" Rosaline cut her off in a panic. Once she did she paused for a moment and looked back and forth between Ivan and Esmeralda deciding which one was more important until she settled on Esmeralda. "It's Martin!" She pointed almost excitedly at Esmeralda. "You told me that Martin was dead!"
Madison's smug look fell only seconds later as she looked passed Rosaline and over towards Esmeralda and for the first time she really looked at Martin. Ben was one hundred percent sure he heard a soft 'Holy shit' leave Madison's mouth and her composure started to crumble. "No... Martin... Martin was with Woodrow..."
"No, Mom... I wasn't-" Madison walked over to Esmeralda promptly pushing Rosaline to the side and grabbed her by her face to get another good look at her. Madison grabbed Esmeralda so harshly that her nails dug into the sides of Esmeralda's face and she even squished Esmeralda's cheeks so Esmeralda couldn't really speak back. Madison tilted Esmeralda's head back and narrowed her eyes.
"Well... I'll be damn. I guess it really is you. Forgive me for not recognizing earlier-" Madison let go of Esmeralda's face and Esmeralda almost seemed to growl at this. "-You didn't exactly look like my son."
What happened next happened so fast that it almost didn't register to Ben.
Atticus had gotten free- Ben knew exactly how as he looked at Lola and Henry sitting on the chair. This was Ben's own request to the rats only moments ago. Because out of everyone here Ben knew that Atticus would be the one to get them out of this mess- hopefully. Atticus made a bee-line for Madison and grabbed her by the throat with no effort whatsoever; he managed to slam her into the nearest wall taking the breath out of her. "Where are they?" Atticus snarled. Rosaline let out a loud and scared gasp as she took a step back and brought her hands to her mouth. Now, Ben couldn't see Madison as Atticus's own body was blocking his view, but Ben could hear here. Scared gags and gasps left Madison's mouth followed by a strange clacking sound- Ben would later find out that was Madison kicking her heels against the wall.
Lola and Henry scurried over towards Zenith to free him next. While that did that Ben was starting to feel his blood run cold at the realization that Atticus wasn't letting go of Madison's throat any time soon. 'He's going to strangle her!'
"Where are they!?" Atticus roared at her. More frantic gasps where leaving Madison's throat as the clacking got more intense. Ben actually saw one of Madison's shoe's drop from her foot.
"Mate! She can't answer you if you're choking her!" Ben screamed at Atticus hoping it'll get through to him.
"Stop it!" Rosaline came out of her shocked state and grabbed Atticus's by his arm to try and pull him off of her mother. "Stop it!" She absolutely wailed. There was nothing Ben could do but to start yelling at Atticus to let Madison go- at least let go of her throat. It just became a bunch of panicked screaming at that point.
Because now not only was Ben yelling at Atticus to just let Madison go, but now Ivan was adding into the mix with his own yells at Atticus to stop, and Rosaline was still trying to pry him off of Madison. Ben was almost sure that Atticus was going to kill Madison- but... it was odd because at the exact same time Ben and Zenith both spoke.
"Orrick!"
Zenith was standing now, Lola and Henrick moving on to freeing Ivan.
That did the trick. Atticus released her almost instantly and Madison fell to her side. Gags and gasps left her mouth followed by hoarse coughs. Madison put her hand to her throat- most likely still in shock, and backed away from Atticus. Rosaline ran to her mother and hugged her. "Just tell me where they are!" Atticus shouted at the top of his lungs to Madison. Madison was no longer confident and cool-headed- Ben was sure nobody would be at that point. She let out several shaky breaths and whispered "Third floor..."
In the time to follow this Ben would realize that Atticus never had any intent on killing Madison right then and there it wasn't even really about getting information from her. At that point and time, it was about sending a message to Madison... That she wasn't James Marrs. Because James would have had the brains to have back up with him in case that something like this were to happen to him. And Atticus told her that with just one sentence. "They say James only works with the best of the best... I don't see it with you." Atticus put his hands in his pockets and then turned and started to walk away not just from Madison, but from the rest of the group as well.
"Ouch," Ivan commented and then frowned when Atticus just kept on walking and Zenith followed behind him but stopped and watched as Atticus walked out of the room. "I take it he isn't exactly staying to help us out here?" Ivan questioned.
"No, and at this point, I can't stop him-"
"-Go," Ben spoke up suddenly. "He'll be killed by a full-blood you know this, I know this. Go, we got it from here." Zenith shot Ben a look and Ben only smiled back. "Go, he needs Zenith now more than ever," Ben ordered and Zenith just nodded back before taking off after Atticus.
"Are you sure about this?" Ivan was freed only seconds after his question and stood up rubbing his wrists. "We could need them."
"They need to find their kids first." Ben put it as plainly as possible and left no room for argument. Now that Ivan was free he walked over to Madison. Ben was able to see her now and not only did she look scared but it was kind of odd to watch Rosaline suddenly hug her mother tightly almost as if to shield her from Ivan. 'Abused victims love their parents/abusers too.' Ben thought as he watched this behavior. Lola and Henry were getting faster as they knew which way to turn the locks to release people so by the time Ivan had gotten up Sherri was already free and rubbing her wrist. 'This is going to be bad...' Ben thought for a moment as he watched Sherri gaze fall on Madison.
Ben full out expected a fight to break out right then and there but got a surprise when Mrs. Newlands calmly walked up to Madison (pushing Ivan out of her way to do so) and offered the woman her hand.
"I don't want your pity." Madison huffed and slapped Sherri's hand away from her.
Esmeralda was freed and she went straight to her mother- but didn't attempt to comfort her the way Rosaline was. Rosaline was clinging on to her mother like she was a life-line. Esmeralda just sort of stood there looking almost a little uneasy all of a sudden and she just backed down with her arms crossed and head turned away.
"Huh... saved by rats..." Winston suddenly spoke as he rubbed his wrists. Finally, Lola made her way to Ben and got him free faster than anyone else. Now, everyone was surrounding Madison and Rosaline. Rosaline hugged her mother tighter.
"You all got what you want! You're free! Now go!" Rosaline shouted at the whole group.
"Not until we find Issiah, I ain't leaving!" Ivan hissed to Rosaline and this caused Rosaline to perked up almost instantly.
"Wait... you're Ivan?" She asked in a small voice almost afraid now. She then pointed to Ben "Ben... right?"
Ben and Ivan looked at each other than at Rosaline. Ivan then tensed up, his jaw clenched and he tightened his fist in rage. Ivan wasn't playing anymore when he spoke "Okay... where is Issiah?"
"Ground floor," Madison spoke slowly and Ivan blinked.
"Atticus throws you around a little and you just cave like that?" Sherri crossed her arms with a chuckle. "That's... almost not like you Madison. You never give up."
Madison gave a soft almost evil chuckle in return to Sherri's remark. She then pushed Rosaline off of her and stood up. "You think I've given up? You don't know me... My intention? Show the world that Mythical creatures do exist. Do you think you can save your precious dragon? Have at it... but you have to get past security, and the scientist -the ones that are left anyway- then do that all while not being caught by the countless reporters." Madison smiled as she suddenly got face to face with Ivan. "Your friend is right. I'm not James Marrs... I'm smarter." She whispered. "You're never getting your dragon back, Ivan." Madison just smiled and started to walk passed Ivan. "But tell you what, if you somehow do get Issiah without getting shot or killed? I'll leave you all alone. Come along Rosaline." Madison ordered as she walked with her hips swaying.
Rosaline stood up ready to follow her mother but suddenly Esmeralda grabbed Rosaline's arm pulling her back. "No... Don't go with her." Esmeralda practically begged in a whisper. "Please..."
"Rosaline, I'm not going to ask again-" Madison turned around with her hands on her hips. Once again Ben and Ivan shared a look and almost everyone took a step away from the siblings now. What happened now was up to Rosaline.
"Mama, what about Martin?"
"What about him?" Madison huffed and Ivan seemed to tense at this. Ben just put his hand on Ivan's shoulder. Esmeralda frowned a little. "I'm. not. going to. ask. again." Madison snapped her fingers.
"Rosaline, please..." Esmeralda whispered again as Rosaline tried to go to her mother. "She's not nice to you." Rosaline hesitated about this greatly.
"You know what? It's your funeral, Rosaline. I'll be in my room when you get your head on straight." Madison waved her hand in a dismissive matter and just like that she was gone.
Issiah was growing tired now. He's struggled for days upon days against these metal arms and he just couldn't fight it anymore he was just too tired. He tried to sleep- but the pain from losing so many scales and feeling all of these different emotions from these random people were making it so he just couldn't sleep. Issiah wanted nothing more than to light everyone in front of him on fire. The human's kept flashing their odd lights at him and talk about him as these were square things were shoved in his face. Issiah hated these people and wished them nothing more than death upon these humans. All he wanted was to see Ivan again but it seemed that was never going to happen. Not now.
"Look at that... look at that!" Someone had yelled and pointed at him in excitement. Issiah lowered his head now unable to bring himself to so much as look at these humans. Everything felt so pointless. He was never going to get out of here and these people are going to kill him. That's how he was going to go out all because he missed Ivan.
Issiah then felt something under his remaining scales. An itchy sensation it was enough for him to perk his head up all of a sudden. His ears flickered and his eyes widened this sensation was familiar and he just almost couldn't believe it. Then there was bright sunlight coming from behind him. He couldn't see what was behind him but he knew. He knew just who was behind him and the screaming of the people just made Issiah's scales itch even more. Sure enough, Firedrake was rolled right next to him. Issiah had a muzzle on over his mouth unable to speak directly to Firedrake, so it made him a little angry to see Firedrake without a muzzle. Firedrake looked at Issiah and showed sympathy. 'What happened to you won't pity me? Liar.' Issiah thought bitterly.
"Whoa... look at those scales..." More flashes and Issiah just wished that everything would end here and now.
Atticus pushed passed the multiple people trying to stop him. One scientist made an attempt to grab and stop him, a male, but Atticus was quick to give him a punch to the stomach. 'They aren't stopping me. Nobody is stopping me' Atticus snarled as he made his way up to the third floor. He wasn't going to lose another child. Not now, not ever again! "Atticus!" Zenith called behind him and for whatever reason- it was just a weird sensation that Atticus couldn't explain- he sped up keeping Zenith in the dust. Atticus made it to the third floor and there wasn't a soul in sight. "Good., Atticus growled in rage before snatching the nearby fire extinguisher.
Atticus's shoes made soft tapping noises against the metal grate of the floor. He walked over to the first door and peeked in through the window. He saw Lucy and then he saw red. Without even a second thought Atticus raised the fire extinguisher and smashed the glass like it was nothing. "You think they'd afford the shatter proof glass." Atticus shook his head and reached his hand through the window to unlock the door. He honestly didn't look around the room for too long. Not with his daughter being tied up right in front of him, but he was quick to note covered window behind his daughter.
"Dad!" Lucy cried out and perked up at Atticus.
It took Atticus a moment to find the lock on the other side and once he did he unlocked it and opened the door. Atticus almost tripped over himself trying to rush to Lucy he thankfully caught himself with his arms out and kept running up to her. Atticus didn't bother freeing her, he just hugged her. "It's okay! I'm here." Atticus breathed out softly and brought his hand up to her hair.
"Dad... I thought we were done for..." Lucy whimpered before resting her head on his neck. "Get me down, please. My arms really hurt." Atticus squeezed his eyes shut for a few moments before nodding suddenly.
"Of course... where's the key?" Atticus reached up and tugged on the bounds around her hands.
"I dunno…" a small scared whisper was his response. Atticus felt a presence behind him and spun around thinking it was Zenith but tensed when he was met with nothing. He stood up more fully and stayed tensed up. He wasn't a fool he knew someone was in here with him and Lucy.
"You're are all so cute-"
Atticus gasped and turned back around towards Lucy only to see nobody except for Lucy. It wasn't Lucy who spoke, not this voice belonged to a woman and sounded eerily similar. Atticus was starting to feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up on end his stomach twist uncomfortably however; He couldn't hear another heartbeat so he knew just damn well what was happening. "So, invisibility is your shtick? I haven't seen that in-" Atticus gave a nervous sounding chuckle "-ages." he finished.
"Only in the shadows can I be invisible." The voice, quite surprisingly, responded to Atticus and the more he heard that almost soothing voice the more he was sure he heard it somewhere before.
"You're not exactly a good hunter if you speak to your prey." Atticus kept on looking around in the shadows of the room. There were a lot of them seeing how the only part that didn't have a shadow was the light streaming in from the open door way.
"Who said I'm hunting?"
"You're not?"
Atticus focused all of his energy on all of his senses to try and get a location as to where this woman was. He then felt it was almost like a cool breeze on his neck and he didn't hesitate. He whirled around and snatched- and caught someone. Whoever this person didn't even fight back against him as Atticus just simply stepped into the light to see just who this 'Sabrina' was. Atticus had grabbed her by the front of her shirt, that was the first thing he saw anyways. He moved his gazed up to her head and immediately let go of her. She had a devilish grin on her face "I'm just wanted to see you again."
Atticus just couldn't believe it. He blinked multiple times to try and see if he was truly seeing this. 'This can not be happening.' He thought and finally just backed up with his hands up in front of him. He need conformation that his was who he though it was. As this was a woman he only saw once in whole eight hundred years of being on this earth. "Mom?"
"Well ,who else would it be? Your father?" The woman laughed at Atticus at that notion.
"You're still alive?" Atticus was just stunned. Obvious his mother was way older than him and she was still alive. He thought for sure that she had been dust almost six hundred years ago. He almost wanted to reach out and touch her, but he knew better than to do that. One wrong move and she'll make him dust.
"Well obviously."
"What are you doing here?"
"Working. I see no way in beating around the bush here- I did this. I'm the one who told Madison to take your children."
"Why?!"
"I wanted to see you." She vanished into the shadows for a moment. If Atticus's heart were still beating he was sure it would be going haywire right about now. His mother reappeared by Lucy's side and pinched her cheeks together. Lucy tried to shake Sabrina off but it did nothing. "She looks just like Vivian-"
"-You don't get to say that name!" Atticus snarled so loudly that his voice echoed around the silent room. "What do you want!? I know you have other children, full-blooded ones! but you chose me specifically." Sabrina's smile dropped at Atticus and she let go of Lucy. The teen hissed at Sabrina but couldn't do anything more.
"Fine. Straight to the point, like your father." She intertwined her fingers and started to walk around Atticus now- raising his anxiety up with each step. That didn't stop him from making sure he was watching her every step of the way. "I brought you here because... you... you're an idiot." She laughed softly. "Such an idiot."
"You couldn't have come to Ireland to say that?"
"I'm dying."
"Oh, what a shame." There was no emotion in Atticus's voice when he said that. He honestly couldn't care less about his mother. "Cancer?"
She chuckled at this. "I was shot with a silver bullet some time ago and am unable to get it out. It's poisoning my blood." Atticus crossed his arms and raised his eyebrow at her wondering where she was going with this. "You know who my best friend is- or was?"
"No, and I don't care."
"I think you will care. Doesn't the name Celeste mean anything to you?"
Atticus's smile faded and he tensed once again. The hair on the back of his neck stood up in alarm as goosebumps rain all over his body. "I won't let you touch them." Atticus spoke slowly as he uncrossed his arms and got into a fighting stance with his fists raised. "If you think you can take any of their bodies-" Atticus couldn't stop her attack in time. Sabrina lunged at him knocking his hands out of the way with no effort she punched him in the face, knocking him back before grabbing him by his throat while his guard was down.
"Fuck..." Atticus gasped as Sabrina managed to raise him off of the ground. "I hate fighting full-bloods." Atticus tried to kick at her but Sabrina knew to keep her distance.
Sabrina tilted her head and chuckled a little. "Your siblings are too young for me, but you... you're a perfect specimen of health."
Only one word stood out in her whole sentence. "S-Siblings?" Atticus gasped out.
"Oh dear, I figured you had known by now... all four of you? You're half-siblings. I mean didn't you even so much as wonder as to why little Lucy looked like your Vivian? Or why they just seemed to flock to you for protection? why do I chose to have half-blooded children? I'm sure you're asking-" Sabrina suddenly released Atticus, it wasn't by her choice either. She quickly had to dodge an attack coming her way from an angry Zenith. "-You again! Yes... the traitor." She snarled at Zenith and stood up straight. "I had a figure you'd be here..."
Zenith leaned down and helped Atticus to his feet. "Siblings or not they're still my children!" Atticus hissed at Sabrina "And I don't give a damn if you're our mother. You can't have them! Or me for that matter! I didn't live this long to have my mother try and take my body." Atticus spat out.
"Cute-" Sabrina smirked and just like that she vanished into the shadows. Zenith and Atticus both started to look around for her. Atticus made sure to keep an eye on Lucy just in case Sabrina might try something to her- but suddenly Zenith was yanked into the shadows. Zenith wasn't going down without a fight though. He kicked and punched all around him he mostly punched the air... Only he was being kicking and punched a lot by this invisible force.
'Why are you doing this the hard way? You know what you have to do...' The loud voice in Atticus's head told him to do as Atticus looked at the window. Hearing a 'thunk' made Atticus turn back to Zenith. He was pressed against the wall now by an invisible force. Still, Atticus couldn't do it, not yet. He rushed to Zenith- Zenith fell to the ground before Atticus got there and next thing Atticus knew he got a punch to the gut and went flying about at least ten feet. He slid on the ground into the artificial light from the hallway. Atticus laid there for a few seconds just feeling well... "Man, I'm tired." He spoke aloud before getting to his feet. "You call yourself brave?! Only a coward fights invisible!" Atticus tried to provoke her into the light. 'Smash the window. Kill her.'
'But... she's still my mom.'
'she's trying to kill you!'
Atticus's sleeve was grabbed while he was currently having the mental battle and he tossed like a doll into the wall. This time it was him who was pinned to the wall. "Not so great when it you being choked against the wall. Is it?" Sabrina teased him while still invisible. Atticus felt her apply pressure to his throat and he grimaced. Goddamn for a tiny woman she was strong. For just a moment Atticus looked passed her and saw Zenith making his way towards the window. It seemed that great minds really do think alike. 'Distract! Distract before she sees him!' "Wa-Before you kill me..." Atticus croaked out finally listening to his inner voice. "Why half-bloods! All vampires want are full-bloods!"
Sabrina let out a chuckle but kept herself invisible "Because you're half human. Using my children as my vessels over the years is so much easier when you only have half a soul, plus they're way easier to take down. Celeste was a great teacher."
"Why me... why now?"
"Because my remaining children are too young-"
"-And the last of your children!" Atticus snarled violently and as if on que Zenith pulled the curtains back flooding the room with sunlight. This not only revealed Celeste to Atticus allowing him to kick her off of him, but this caused Celeste to start screaming like an absolute mad woman. Atticus reached over and grabbed her- stopping her from running out into the hallway.
"I've only see it happen once..." Atticus's own voice reflected back from all those years ago when Twigleg was human sized, and just has he remembered it... first, her flesh started to literally melt in his hands- to the point that he knew he no longer needed to hold on to her. He only backed away as low painful groans were now leaving her mouth- her own flesh dripping from her body leaving bloody puddles on the ground as her muscles an inners were now starting to become exposed to the sunlight. "At least I can stand the sunlight." Atticus couldn't help but brag to her. Sabrina stayed on her feet for a few more seconds before letting another painful scream and just like that poof she was nothing more than dust leaving behind her clothes and something else that made a small clatter on the ground. Flicking the dust away from it Atticus grabbed the key off of the ground.
Atticus then made a bee-line for Lucy and quickly unlocked her bonds. Finally, the two got a proper hug together. 'She has questions.' Atticus knew right away. Questions he knew he needed to answer but he couldn't. Not now anyway. Instead, he put his finger on her lips before she could open her mouth. "I know... I know, Lucy. You have questions- hell, I have questions! But now is not the time to ask them. We have to focus on the others right now. Okay?" Lucy nodded weakly at Atticus. Atticus then moved his hands to her hair in an attempt to comfort her as he ran her fingers through her locks.
"I'm so hungry..."
"I know, and I know the humans look appetizing right now, just hold strong for a little while longer. Can you do that?"
Lucy nodded again.
"Good girl, now. Let's get the others and figure out what we're going to do from there."