Chapter Text
Chapter 3
"Mom? Is it really you? ”
"Hello my little girl," Willa comes even closer to hug her tightly.
Raelle is frozen; she doesn’t understand what is happening. This cannot be true, her mother is alive and hugging her.
When they finally separate, Willa continues, "I missed you so much, but I was finally able to get you back."
"But how? What happened to you? ”
Willa sits next to Raelle on the bed and begins to explain, "A lot of things happened, I had to fake my death because if not, General Alder would have sent me to martial-court."
Raelle still does not understand what her mother is talking about, after wiping the tears from her eyes; she looks at her once more incredulous of what is happening, "Mom, where have you been all this time?"
"Honey, some time ago I met people who thought the same as me ... people who were tired of serving the government," Willa breathes deeply, "People who were willing to sacrifice many things to achieve the freedom of witches."
Raelle is surprised to hear her mother, she doesn’t understand what she is saying, "So, you faked your death to join someone else."
Willa nods, "That's right, with them; I found a purpose and a way how to help all the witches who are under the yoke of governments."
And at that moment, Raelle finally understands it, stands up, and looking at her mother says, "Did you join the Spree?"
Willa also stands up, "The Spree are the next step in the fight to achieve the freedom of the witches, so when I can no longer bear the injustices they committed against us, I joined them."
"It can't be, all this time you faked your death to join the Spree" Raelle can't believe what she's hearing, "You have no idea what Dad and I went through, every night I fell asleep crying while thinking of you. "
"Honey, I understand that you're upset --- but I had my reasons to keep myself hidden."
With eyes full of tears but also full of fury, Raelle tells her, “Mom, my life was hell since I lost you. I answered the army's call to try to avenge your death; I wanted to meet the people who had sent you to the mission where you died. ”
"I know, I have been watching you, I am very proud of what you have accomplished."
"Proud?" Raelle is now furious, "You couldn't tell me all this a year ago when I was a teenager without knowing what to do in life when I felt lost and aimless."
"I know this must all be difficult," Willa tries to remain calm, "But believe me, I have not stopped worrying about you, and now that we are together I know that you will help me to free all the witches ... Raelle you don’t have an idea of how powerful you are. ”
Raelle shakes her head as she wipes away her tears, "I can't believe everything you're saying to me, all this time I thought about avenging your death while you were alive and planning to attack innocent people."
"Raelle you have to listen to me, I ..."
"Shut! Just shut up please! I can't believe what I'm hearing. ”
Willa tries to get closer and places her hand on Raelle's shoulder, but Raelle immediately takes it off her, "Don't touch me --- I can't believe you made me believe that you were dead just to join the Spree."
"Honey, you have to understand ..."
But Raelle won't let her finish, "Don't call me that --- The best thing you can do is go away, and be thankful that I have this necklace on, if not, I would have already left this place."
Willa seems to understand that this is not a good time to continue talking to her daughter, so she just nods and says, “I'll be back soon, we need to talk --- By the way, your friend Abigail is fine, we rescued them both. We would never let a witch die. ” Willa turns around and leaves the room.
Raelle still can't believe what just happened, she sits down on the floor and starts crying. Her mother is alive, but all this time she faked her death and she was working for the Spree.
Between sobs, Raelle says in a low voice, “Why mom? Why did you do that to me? ”
~~~***~~~
It's been over three hours since Raelle woke up and no one else has come to see her, nor has she heard any noise. As she sits in the corner of the room, she asks herself so many things.
The first thing is where she is, this place is as if it were far from all civilization. Which makes her wonder where she is right now, have they brought her back to America? Or is she in another country?
Although that doesn't really matter now, what matters is that her mother is alive and part of the Spree. Everything Raelle has believed in the past year is a lie, her mother didn’t die as she was led to believe, she simply deserted the military and joined a terrorist group.
Raelle thinks of all the hours she spent crying thinking that her mother was dead, of all the times she blamed the army for her death, even when she confronted Abigail's mother for letting her mother die on the battlefield.
All that fury, all that anger that she has kept inside for so long ... it doesn’t matter, it was all a lie. Her mother was always alive.
After a few more minutes, she decides to stand up and go to the tray of food her mother left her. She has finally decided to eat a little since she started to feel weak.
Raelle takes the plate and sits on the edge of the bed, as expected the food is delicious. Surely her mother made it especially for her; even so, Raelle is not very hungry.
She takes some food and is about to take it to her mouth, but at that moment the door of the room opens. And in front of her appears the last person she thought she will see at this moment.
"Hello, Raelle."
"Scyl ... how?" The blonde is speechless.
Seeing this, Scylla gets a little closer, "You don't know how glad I am that you're fine, when I heard that you had been ambushed in China I feared the worst."
Raelle still can't get out of her amazement, “What are you doing here? How did you escape? ” In that instant, she finally understands what's going on, "You --- you work with my mother, you both are members of the Spree."
"Please listen to me," Scylla tries to speak as calmly as possible, "You're right, I and your mother are part of the Spree, but that doesn't mean that ----"
"How dare you just show up here just like that?" Raelle is furious once again, "All this time, did you know my mother was alive?"
Shaking her head, Scylla responds, “No, I swear I didn't know. I only found out a few days ago when I return with them. She never said she was your mother. "
"Then you agreed to take me with the Spree without knowing what would happen to me?"
Trying to remain calm, Scylla begins to explain, “I already told you when we saw each other last time, I didn't know what they wanted you for… but I chose you that day at the wedding. I preferred to stay with you even knowing what that could mean to me. ”
"You know Scyl," Raelle stands up, and holding back her anger says, "I'm not interested in anything you have to say, I'm not interested in your explanations --- I don't want to see you again and tell my mother that I will never join you and the Spree.”
"Raelle, please. You have to listen to me. ”
Shouting, Raelle says, “I told you to go! I don't want to talk to you again --- did you understand? ”
"But, you have to understand that I ..."
Turning around, Raelle simply says, "Please go --- just go."
Accepting her defeat, it is now Scylla who turns around and as she leaves the room whispers, "But you have to know that I still love you."
~~~***~~~
Scylla watches as Willa finds herself talking to James, Elena, Arthur, and a new woman named Adina who appears to be in charge of the entire operation.
They all moved to a warehouse outside the city of Boston where they decided to bring Raelle and Abigail.
At first, Willa denied Scylla coming to this place, but seeing that she was unsuccessful in talking to Raelle, she decided to go for Scylla to see if she managed to convince her, but everything was useless. Raelle is furious with the two of them and for good reason; Scylla thinks that maybe if they leave her alone for a couple of days later they can talk to her more calmly.
But that doesn’t depend on her that is a decision for Willa and the high command of the Spree, they are ultimately the ones who decide what to do and what not.
It has been two days since Raelle and Abigail were rescued and brought to this place, but Raelle has not wanted to speak to anyone from the first day.
The meeting between Willa and the others continues, until suddenly something happens, Willa seems to disagree with the decisions that have been made, she argues a bit but even after a few seconds she nods.
Scylla doesn't understand what's going on but is even more surprised when she sees Willa walking towards her.
"Scylla, I need to speak to you."
Scylla immediately stands up and nods, "What's wrong?"
"We have received new orders," Willa begins to explain, "Our leaders have decided to change their strategy."
Scylla listens carefully, but even without understanding what has changed,
Willa continues, "We need to make contact with the army, specifically with General Alder --- We are going to propose a deal to them."
"A deal?"
Nodding, Willa explains, “That's right, according to our latest intelligence reports, the Camarilla has grown much more than we thought, They have even infiltrated high levels of government. So we need to start conversations with Alder. ”
"But why do we need their help?" Scylla asks.
"Because Alder rescued the Tarim, and now they are on her side. We need the Tarim if we are to win the coming war. ”
Scylla tries to fully understand, but asks, “And what makes you think Alder is going to want to talk to us? What deal are we going to offer her? Or how are we going to contact her?”
"That's where we need you," Willa replies, "Your friend Anacostia has been hanging around the safe house, and every five days she walks around the house, I suppose to keep an eye on you."
Scylla is surprised to hear this, ‘Anacostia has been watching her.’
"We want you to talk to her and propose something ."
"Okay, I'll talk to her if that's what you want, but what am I going to propose to her?"
Willa seems to hesitate a bit, takes a deep breath, and says, "As a gesture of goodwill and for Alder to agree to speak to us, we are going to return Abigail and Raelle to the military."
"What?!"
"As you heard, we will deliver them to Alder as a gesture of goodwill."
Scylla is even more confused, "but why? All this time all you wanted was to get Raelle back, and now you tell me you're going to hand her over to the army again. ”
"Believe me, it was not easy for me to accept this either, but these are our orders and I must follow for the good of all of us."
Scylla is angry and bewildered, she does not understand why they have to deliver Raelle, "But if Raelle leaves, we will never see her again."
"Our leaders hope that now that Raelle has strong connections with us, she will sooner or later agree to come on our side, and for that they expect you to help us in that task."
For a moment Scylla is speechless, these kinds of decisions seem so strange. And she doesn't understand how Willa is willing to part with her daughter as well just like that.
Scylla simply nods and holding back her anger says, "If that is our orders, then I agree," Although she is furious inside, she asks, "When do I have to speak to Anacostia?"
"Soon."
~~~***~~~
"You again?"
"Hi dear."
Raelle watches as her mother enters the room once again, "What do you want?"
"Talk to you of course, it's been a long time since we did."
But Raelle doesn't want to listen to her mother, what she wants is to yell at her and say so many things, but she restrains herself and simply says, “Do you know how much Dad and I cried when we thought you were dead? Do you know how difficult it was for both of us to overcome your loss? This year has been the worst year of my life, and I know that it was for Dad too. ” Raelle's eyes fill with tears, "And then you appear like nothing in front of me, telling me that everything will be fine ..." She can't resist it anymore and starts crying, " Tell me, why did you send Scylla to convince myself to join you? Why did you tell her to make me fall in love with her?”
"The idea was not that you really fell in love with her, you were just her mission, but ... I don't blame her for falling in love with you."
For a moment Raelle thinks about smiling at her mother's words, but she doesn't, "I don't care about any of that, I just want to get out of here and see Abigail again and know that this she's fine too."
"Well, your wishes will come true."
"What are you talking about?" Raelle asks confused.
"We are going to speak to General Alder and offer her a deal."
"What kind of deal?"
Willa smiles, "As a gesture of goodwill, you and Abigail will return to Fort Salem with the sole purpose of establishing a dialogue table with Alder and the Tarim."
"What?"
“We all have a common enemy; the Camarilla seeks to destroy all the witches. And if we don't join forces, they will succeed. ”
Raelle is left speechless.
~~~***~~~
"Where are you going?"
Scylla looks up and sees Zimma standing at the door of her room, “Willa gave me a mission. We are going to offer General Alder a deal. ”
"A deal? I don't know why I think the girls we rescued from China are part of the deal. ”
Scylla nods, "That's right ... there is something you don't know, "Raelle, the blonde girl I was commissioned to lure into us --- she ... she is Willa’s daughter."
Zimma comes a little closer as she says, "What? I had no idea." After hesitating a bit, she says, "But there is something more, right? ... I can see it in your eyes."
Scylla looks down, "Is it so obvious?"
"Yes, I think you fell in love with your mark ... who also happened to be the daughter of your boss"
After a few seconds, the two begin to laugh simultaneously at the understanding of how ridicule was this phrase.
"It all started as a simple mission," Scylla's eyes fill with tears, "I just had to keep her interested in me while waiting for orders --- But Raelle was so unique and special that I just ..." Her voice cuts out and cannot continue.
"You know very well what that can mean, out leaders may not see it well."
Scylla tries to remain calm and begins to explain, "Well, apparently it doesn’t bother them, because now they believe that the ties that Raelle has with me and with Willa will make her pass to our side sooner or later."
"And what do you think?"
"That's the problem, I don't know what to think ---" Scylla puts her hands to her face in frustration, "I feel like Raelle hates me and made it clear that she doesn't want to see me again."
"Maybe she's just upset, give her time."
"I hope you are right,"
~~~***~~~
Scylla walks through the park where they have told her they have seen Anacostia, it is amazing how the Spree have eyes and ears everywhere. Although now she also understands why Anacostia let her escape, perhaps it was to learn more about the Spree.
She sits on a bench to wait, according to the intelligence report, Anacostia I usually come to run at this time in the afternoon.
In the distance, Scylla watches as someone very similar to Anacostia jogs over, so she puts on her hood and looks down.
After Anacostia passes in front of her, Scylla stands up and follows her until Anacostia stops to drink water.
Scylla sees this as an opportunity and stands next to her, "Nice afternoon to go running."
Anacostia turns in surprise and looks at her, "Scylla?"
"Thank you for keeping an eye on me, I wanted to thank you for everything you did for me, I'm really grateful."
Still, in astonishment, Anacostia says to her, “But what are you doing here? Did you know it would come? ”
"Let's say that I also have my informants, the Spree are everywhere"
Anacostia immediately changes her face, and looks at her seriously, "Then I suppose you are here for work reasons."
Scylla nod, “That's correct, I have come to propose something to you. Well not specifically to you but to General Alder. ”
"Are you going to propose something to us? Really?"
Scylla smiles, "Well, is the Spree who actually want to propose something to the military."
"This is interesting, the Spree has a proposal." Anacostia crosses her arms, "I am all ears."
"We want to have a meeting with Alder and the Tarim. All three of us have a common enemy that is seeking to annihilate us. We must join forces if we want to survive the coming war. ”
Anacostia can't help but smile sarcastically and says, "And what makes you think General Alder is going to want to meet you?"
"We want to give you something in good faith."
"And what would be the present they want to give us?"
Now it is Scylla who smiles a little, also playing her part in this negotiation, “We rescued Abigail and Raelle. We are ready to deliver them so that we can have a meeting with Alder and the Tarim.”
Anacostia is speechless, can't believe what she just heard.
Seeing that there is no answer, Scylla simply says, "I'll be waiting for you tomorrow at the same hour is this park if you decide to accept the deal." And then she turns around and walks away.
To be continued…