Diego sat idly on the wall sipping on hot chocolate. The ball was really starting to rowel up with more people than expected. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath feeling the cold air shake him. He had always hated the cold, and this was no expectation, but tonight was special enough he could get over it. Streamer drones zipped around getting the full area coverage as Diego watched the chat flood in. He had decided to turn it onto sub-only mode which he was already reaping the rewards for. One thing was for particular Syndicate or not. This night was already a major success for him. "I'm quite surprised you are even here today."

Diego lifted his head from the chat, smirking surprised. "Why isn't this a Christmas miracle in the making. It's been a very long time Jinx Montague."

Jinx, who was in a Santa outfit with matching shoes, glitter eyeshadow and red lipstick, gave a faint wave. "Likewise, Diego Jolts. We never got to battle during the V.I.R.A.L League. You were far too preoccupied camping."

"I wouldn't go that far now. Speaking of which I heard, you have a faint change of heart-fighting Alton. No one has seen you since then."

Jinx gave a dry laugh sighing. "Yeah well, I've been reflecting for the past few weeks about who I want to be. Jinx Montague or Hollie. I'm still in the talks about the contract. But what I can say is things are going to change a lot for all the Montagues. If only I managed to stay in the competition though, I would have taught my brother a thing or two… Who knows what he's up to? Guess Team Rhapsody changes us all."

"You can say that again. I don't do this sort of stuff often, saving people and so on. It really cramps my style. But it's Christmas want to stay on Santa's nice list, right?"

Jinx snorted, shaking her head. "Always excuses with you, Crimson Dawn. You refused to fight Paradox with the rest of us but yet here you are, bouncer, for a Christmas ball. Alas, here we both are while given six months ago neither one of us would ever dream of doing this."

"Like you said, Team Rhapsody changes us all. Hell, if they can get the Montagues to help out on this then Jesus those lot will be number one very soon."

"While I owe them, it makes you wonder why they need our help? I mean they have Alton, Scarlett and the Hawthorne twins on this. Surely that's enough."

"When it comes to an ancient crime family who was around well before V.I.R.A.L. It's probably better safe than sorry," Diego exclaimed he stopped seeing Zinnia prowling through the crowds panting with a frenzied look. "So much for finishing the hot chocolate. It's time."

"Syndicate almost here?"

Diego stood up, closing his eyes before giving a concerned look. "They're already here…"

****

"The Alice still wonders, what exactly is this candy cane made of?"

Iris stopped licking hers, staring at it blankly. "Umm? Candy… I mean does it matter it tastes good right?"

Alice smiles, faintly nodding. "The Alice cannot disagree with that statement. Why haven't we come to one of these before?"

"I don't know? I guess father keeps you working so hard Christmas isn't something we get to celebrate often. I wish we could do this more often."

"Alice… Does too. We should run away."

"Whoa, where did this come from?!" Iris gasped. "You really mean that?"

"If we ran away, we could spend every day like this. Maybe Team Rhapsody could help us?"

Iris looked conflicted frowning. "While I'm not opposed to the idea of doing this more often leaving father alone is cruel. He works hard for both of us making up for mother's passing."

Alice looked saddened by this nodding. "You are correct… I guess."

"Are you sure you're alright? You are never like this."

"The Alice isn't sure? She feels… I don't know how I feel?"

Iris took her hand, smiling. "Come on. Scarlett is about to perform that will cheer you up."

Zinnia fell onto the stairs backstage panting. Gale wondered back startled. "Zinnia? Are you alright you look like you've seen a ghost?"

"Is everything alright?" Harmony questioned.

Zinnia pulled herself up with help from Gale gasping for air. "Syndicate… Syndicate are coming. Alton… He, we was attacked by a huge group. Alton is holding them off. There are far too many we need to get everyone out!"

"I think it might be too late for that…" Harmony admitted. "We've got more than expected; besides… Scarlett is going up now."

Zinnia's eyes widened. "You need to stop her now!"

The lights pierced onto the stage igniting Scarlett for all to see. Dressed in a Christmas ballerina outfit, she stared on at everyone butterflies growing in her stomach. In the crowd, she spotted a few people she recognised. Alice and Iris, Emil and Florence were just a few familiar faces which gave her the confidence boost she needed. Music from the Nutcracker began playing as Scarlett started her routine. It was one she had been practising nonstop for days now. She, like all Dawns, only accepted perfection, so she was to make it the best she could.

Hundreds of people watched her gallop around the stage with a perfect posture as she began getting into the routine. She started off with allegro, a set of fast movements and jumps keeping up with the tempo of the song. The quick actions came to a halt as she took a pause readying herself for the next part. Letting it run through her head like routine, she lifted her leg behind keeping balance slowly. Performing allongé, a group of long stretches extending her arms and or legs out before pulling them back into another position ready to do the same. The performance was going better than she could have hoped for as the crowd began clapping. With this newfound confidence, Scarlett carried on with the idea of the Syndicate family fading from her mind.

From the crowd serval figures began moving blocking off all the exits and moving in on the high-ranking streamers. None were the wiser all captivated by Scarlett dance, and before it was too late, the residents of Rhinefield were cut off with no way out. It was Emil to be the first one to suspect something was wrong, noticing the larger crowd of people moving between each other. As Emil went to investigate, he felt a firm force grip onto him. His heart slowed to a crawl as he found himself unable to fight back or even warn the others as he was held, hostage. This too would happen to serval other streamers who were all none the wiser given the circumstances. Scarlett again was lost in the moment, letting all her worries fade away. At that moment, she wasn't Scarlett Syndicate, a tortured soul who was destined to destroy V.I.R.A.L. She was nothing like that. Lost in the music Scarlett was clueless to what was happening down below.

Next, it was the twins who began noticing something. The crowd had turned silent. Not quiet. Silent. Iris stood on her tippy toes trying to see something but her low vision made it near impossible. That was until she turned around, seeing a Syndicate member standing in front of her. The demon mask staring deep into her soul. She panicked going to attack only to find her arm stuck in hid motion. Her cubes held inches from the attack. "Now that is quite stupid, is it not? No regards for the people around you? Surender yourself Hawthorne we have you in checkmate."

Alice turned to snap to action holding her bow to the Syndicate member. "Syndicate! Let Alice's sister go!"

Riley stared on through her bloody mask blankly. She tightened her grip as Iris began struggling for air. Her breathing slow and skips in between Alice glanced in horror. "No. I don't think I will. I'm done taking orders, so instead, you will do as I say. Unlike you, I do not care or see value in anyone's lives here. I can and will happily kill each and every person who stands in this ball to get to Scarlett. So, if you wish to only see one person die tonight and it not to be your sister I heavily advise you give up." Alice's hand began trembling as she saw her sister in pain. Little time passed as Alice gave her answer, dropping her hand by her side. Riley let out a small scoff pinning Alice to the ground holding her down. "You chose wisely. I won't forget this. Now onto the main show."

Riley pushed her hands either side as the entire crowd was crushed into the corner. People began screaming and crying, unable to move as hordes of people were all cramped together, leaving the main floor open with dozens of Syndicate members behind Riley. In front was a mixture of hostages: Emil, Alice and Iris, Florence and now Jinx all held by Riley's unmatched power. Scarlett stopped frozen in fear by what she was seeing. Gale and Zinnia rushed onto the stage, confronting the villain. "Riley! Let them go."

"Do not try anything stupid now, dear sweet sister. Or I will kill each and every one of your friends where you stand." She booms, holding them in the air. "I will have order."

Scarlett stepped forward, confronting her sister. As she did, Riley tightened her grip on the hostages choking them. Scarlett held her hands up. "Alright, alright. You don't have to stop them. Riley, sister, please. Stop this chaos."

"You see chaos, I see justice. You claim V.I.R.A.L is here to help us yet all I see is corruption and greed. Tell me with them gone, would things be any worse? I can bring change to this world help it all flourish. That was our mission. It still is mine. Whether these people want it or not, I am their saviour from evil."

"And Syndicate is any better? You manipulated heroes and villains alike to your own self-gain before the fall. You do not seek to save these people. You only want to enslave them."

"See it how you like, but Syndicate improved every nation it touched. Please judge by any merit, and you will see the truth. We brought order and justice, safety for those who seek it. We let heroes be heroes and villains be villains but in an enclosed and safe environment. We held them on by the end of a leash. Compare Syndicate reign to V.I.R.A.L. Compare to what is happening now. Corrupt streamers killing and taking what they want. A cult of undying followers plotted a coup, and now the Garden is once again in our backyard. Is this world a better place without us because all I see is death and chaos?" Riley talks down. "You know it to be true. Surrender yourself to Syndicate, and we will spare some of you. You have no chance of winning. Give yourself to us."

"What do we do?" Gale whispers.

"I'm thinking of something!" Zinnia whines.

Scarlett gets down on her knees. "Alright, sister, we understand."