Dedicated to Great Oma, although you deserve something much better written, if not your own gold-laden statue in the middle of Amsterdam. Love you with all my heart, and wish you the goodbyes I never gave. Please find your peace.
Spiral
Chapter VII: Two Steps Back
By EclipseKlutz
PG-13, T
Uh-huh
Disclaimer: Incredibles belongs to a group of brilliant people… in otherwise, not me. I'm not a group…
"…Falling away, taking the fall
Can't even find no peace at all
Will we ever change? No taking it back
One step forward, two steps back…"
Saliva: Two Steps Back
"Syndrome," was the responding greeting, laced with abhorrence and resentment, as Mr. Incredible leaned out of the shadows just enough to look his opponent in the eyes. The fire dancing around in Bob Parr's eyes was enough to terrify any who looked at him—the man had some things pent up, and he was quite ready to take it out on the red-haired techno-geek beside him.
A boyish scowl that furrowed his eyebrows trespassed onto Syndrome's face as he looked over at Mirage in disbelief, "You set me up!"
"What did you do to my daughter?" Mr. Incredible roared in reply, once again talking for the blonde. "Mirage didn't turn you in, she said something was wrong with my daughter! You think I'll stay put and leave her with you?"
"Dad," Violet murmured, looking over at her father with slight dismay, "it's okay, Dad… he never… he never hurt me."
"Then what are those bruises from?" He hissed back, motioning at the few bruises visible across her pale skin. "Do you expect me to think you fell—why are you covering for him—what did he do to you!"
"Nothing. Dad… I-it wasn't him…"
"I don't give a damn, Vi—if you can't tell the truth, I'll make him!"
"Dad-NO!"
But her defense was a bit too late, and Mr. Incredible lunged forwards, grabbing his enemy by the throat and pinning him against the window before proceeding to choke the life from him. Syndrome swatted at his hands with all the resistance he could muster, until finally the car door fell out behind him and he toppled to the ground, dragging the Good Samaritan, Bob Parr, with him.
The air shifted immediately out of Syndrome lungs as the impact of the collision took effect, and he lay there gasping as Mr. Incredible did the same nearby. Suddenly, with unexpected force, he was hauled to his feet, and Syndrome looked up half expecting to see Mr. Incredible miraculously standing there and once again prepared to throttle him. Instead, he found himself staring at a very worried Violet.
"You okay?" She mumbled hastily, grabbing his wrist and checking his pulse before he could even think to protest.
Not far off, Mr. Incredible rolled onto his side, gaping at the scene before him. "You… You're saving him? Fr-from me?"
"Dad," she protested hastily, "He didn't hurt me—it wasn't him. He saved me."
Mr. Incredible stared at her in disbelief and bewilderment, "Vi, do you know what this man did?"
"Kind of…." She mumbled uncertainly, yet quickly took a slightly more stubborn tone to her voice before continuing. "But you always say it doesn't matter what someone does—they always deserve a second chance. Why can't you take your own advice for a change, dad? People do change… and he did."
She tightened her hold on Syndrome's wrist, as though to tell him to keep his mouth shut and not say anything that might ruin her argument. Inwardly he sighed, wondering how she could possibly think that anyone as self-beneficial as him would bother to interfere in a case like this.
"He's using you," Bob Parr answered, however his tone sounded suddenly defeated. "Vi, he couldn't have changed—he killed dozens of Supers, dozens of people like us, and he didn't care. He nearly killed you and your brother and threatened to corrupt Jack-Jack… He's using you—he's turning you against me. He didn't change!"
With this said, he leapt forwards, tackling Syndrome out of Violet's grip and to the ground, where he resumed his earlier task of strangling him, only this time with the addition of the occasional borage of punches. Eyes wide in horror, Violet stepped in, attempting with all her strength to pry him off of the other man.
When Mr. Incredible turned to argue with her decision, Syndrome took the opportunity and pulled his knees to his chest and kicking upward, sending Mr. Incredible toppling off to the side. Quickly, he climbed to his feet, grabbing a stunned Violet around the waist and pulling her towards him as he pulled out the knife he'd strapped to his forearm beneath his clothes in case an event like this should arrive. Taking a step back just as Mr. Incredible pulled himself to his feet and pressed the knife against Violet's throat—yet not hard.
"Back off," he warned as he took another step away from his opponent, careful to make sure he guided Violet along with him.
"I told you," was Mr. Incredibles reply, his eyes on his daughters before finally shifting over to Syndrome's. "Let her go."
"No. Let's make this simple: You back off, go home. I'll return her to you safely, completely unharmed, once I'm sure I'm safe. Kapish?"
Mr. Incredible's eyes narrowed, yet he pulled open the car door and slipped inside—this one act saying thousands of things without the need to voice them.
Syndrome continued to back up, not releasing his hold on Violet until the car was completely out of sight. She staggered to the side, gingerly touching her throat as she observed him through slightly widened eyes: "That's got to be the stupidest thing you've ever done."
A/N: Sorry that this chapter truly wasn't worth the wait, but my muse died and then I was shipped off to camp for six weeks. Feeble excuse, huh? I apologize, and will rewrite this ASAP so it's more worth your time…Also, I'm sorry--I've got no time for review responses... so extra long ones next time?
Please, please, please review, even if you didn't like it.