Book 2: Chapter 51 - There’s a Good Boy

You can do better than Violet, Alex.
I swear to god you can do better.

She isn’t even that hot, and she’s hardly
going to inherit her parents’ money.

Honestly, she’s basically a whiny cat constantly demanding treats.
It’s pathetic, and she’s not worth your time.
—Chase Cook, Overheard and Recorded in Violet Asher’s Journal

Violet had a massive headache. She should have expected that Bouvier would have her followed. She had expected it, even. But it hadn't happened at first, when she went through the red district for everything. And she'd grown complacent. Once she’d hit orange, Bouvier’s options changed. She hadn't even thought about it. Stupid.

In any case, the unwelcome visitor had thrown a wrench in her plans, and it had made her paranoid. Not to mention that she was going to be covered in bruises in a few hours, right after leaving the infirmary. She'd have a hard time explaining those if anyone noticed. Especially since these most recent murders were going to draw attention. Eyes would be on the Academy specifically, thanks to Bouvier. She didn't want any unexplained injuries after some detective examined the scene of a fight. She was grateful only that her bones hadn't fractured. 

For once.

She'd cleaned up the evidence that she'd been there as best she could. At least... this time. If they found a hair, she could explain it with her previous visit. But suspicious injuries would poison her credibility.

She'd simply need an excuse for the wounds. With the proper distraction, she could manage that. Which was what brought her to the familiar blue tower. She'd been very careful to confirm with Kiera where they should meet at the end of the day. And she'd been careful to do it while Chase was watching. She'd been delayed, thanks to that bitch with the invisibility talent. 

At least the fight had provided useful information. Like the way she could perceive flaws in a target she was looking at... even if she couldn't see the target itself. It made her enemy easy to track. That was a trick she'd remember. 

It had also forced her to rush back, however. Kiera had been told to wait, of course. The fox needed to be in public and memorable to witnesses. Not only during the murder, but well after. So Violet still had plenty of time while her friend established an alibi. But she'd really been hoping for more. She'd have to be extremely precise to time this correctly. Which was why she hadn't checked her empathy ring before arriving. She wanted to savor every moment of the upcoming confrontation.

This was also the reason she was struggling to get her heartbeat under control when she reached the top of the tower. Her endurance made this a rare occurrence. Especially as the attribute grew. But with enough anticipation and worry... there was little to stop the dance her heart did in her chest.

Still, she made it. She'd given Chase a head start. The boy had been gone when Violet returned to the lobby. As she’d hoped, he’d given up on following her in the hotel. And he’d chosen to wait for her in the bell tower. Where he knew she’d be taking a clandestine meeting.

The predictable boy hadn't disappointed her. 

She sat down and rested her back against the wall, exactly as she'd done when she met Kiera. The blue crystal glittered around her in a strangely inviting way. Like a wave passing over her head with each shift of the light. It calmed her heart and chiseled her resolve. There was a brief flash of guilt as she let her mind wander. That was a dangerous thing to do these days. She wondered about the girl she'd just killed. Who she was, and whether she actually deserved it.

But she smothered the emotion like fire on a wick. The pleasure of the act was far easier to hold in her heart than any shame, and she was growing practiced at handling it efficiently. After a moment, the memory existed only as a happy one. And it would remain that way in all but her dreams. She was in the tower now. Drowned in blue and the edge of a promise she'd made to herself. 

She took a deep breath, looked around the messy tower, and sighed. Finally, she let a smile crawl across her face. A little more fun would clear her head.

“Hey, Chase,” she called. “Can you come out? I’d like to talk.”

Her words settled in the tower in a flat way, like a pin dropped on carpet. There was no response, and Violet scowled.

She turned her head and faced one of the pillars which held the massive bell above. “I know you’re there. You aren’t built for stealth, and my perception is considerably higher than yours now. You’ve been stalking me all night. And while that is creepy, I’m not pissed or anything. I just want to talk,” she said.

Still, the tower was silent. Violet sighed and rested her head back against the wall. “Please, just speak to me, Chase. I know you’re grieving. Just like I am. I know you miss Alex. Just like I do. And I know I was a bit harsh before. I said some things... some things I shouldn’t have. I was angry. At you. At myself. Hell, I was angry at Alex for dying. For leaving me alone. And I was lashing out. Surely you understand. We’re both going through the same thing, Chase. We’re snapping at each other for the same reason! I just want to work through this together. Lean on each other, even. It’s what Alex would have wanted,” Violet tried.

There was a long, heavy silence, and Violet thought she was going to be forced to drag the man out from his concealment. She glanced in the direction of the tablet he’d hidden. She wouldn’t have spotted it if she hadn’t known to look. He was obviously recording her. But she wasn’t waiting for Kiera so she could confess to murder. That had been the implication of the location, of course. So she understood what he was hoping for. But if that was what he wanted, he was going to need to confront her himself.

She almost pointed out that she wasn’t going to say anything private with him there, but he finally stepped out before she could. His face was streaked with tears, and his eyes were red. Even so, he looked more livid than sad.

“No. No, that’s not what Alex would want,” he said. He circled the gap in the center of the tower as he spoke, approaching Violet from one side. This surprised her a bit. She’d expected him to keep his distance, considering what he was obviously trying to do. But then again...

Perhaps she’d underestimated him. If he were willing to die so her crime would be recorded, it would make sense. At least, once he realized the safer plan was shot.

“He loved both of us, Chase. He always wished we would get along better. You knew him. Please. For his sake,” Violet said.

Chase reached Violet and towered over her, his fists clenched and his knuckles white.

“Funny. That’s exactly what my dad said. He thinks you and I should lean on each other in these trying fucking times. That I should get into your pants and ride your coattails since you’re so goddamn impressive,” Chase replied.

Violet rolled her eyes. “I was not suggesting you ride me or my coattails, actually. Although, honestly, I’m happy to consider the latter when we get to know each other better. Discussion of the former will have to wait until I’m not grieving anymore, if you don’t mind. In either case, you just have to give me a chance,” she insisted.

“Is that how you poisoned Alex’s mind? Is that how you led him to his death? By seducing him?” Chase asked.

Violet scoffed. “If I wanted to manipulate Alex, I wouldn’t use sex to do it. That’s probably the least effective method of controlling someone,” she dismissed. Her Quiet Ivy inched across the floor as she spoke. Chase didn’t seem to notice. “Once you imply it’s a possibility, people tend to assume it’s already a given. At that point, they’ll throw a fit if they don’t get it. Like you took something away from them. People won’t go to great lengths to earn something they believe they are already owed. You know that, don’t you, Chase? Considering your efforts in school and work. Good old son of a city councilor."

Chase grimaced. He looked like he was choking on a dozen retorts. Violet had a rich family, too. She was throwing stones from a glass house. She was speaking about manipulation like she was well-practiced with it. She wondered which approach he would take.

He sighed, and slumped. Then, he turned and slid his back against the wall until he was sitting next to Violet. He held his head in his hand as he replied. 

“Not Alex,” he whispered.

Violet had to give him the point. “Yeah. Not Alex,” she agreed. “He was too gentle for that. Too gentle for almost anything, really. He never demanded much at all, did he?”

“Never. And he would have gone through hell for you,” Chase pressed.

“You’re right. He loved me, and he would have. And he would have felt like shit if he’d only done it for sex. So, no. I didn’t seduce him. You know that,” Violet responded.

Chase scowled. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have said that,” he conceded.

“Thank you. I appreciate the apology. Now, can we please just... work through this?” Violet asked. 

Chase looked at her like she was insane. “I meant I shouldn’t have said that about Alex. Maybe it’s unfair to you. I don’t give a shit. You fucking killed him. Why did you have to kill him? I don't understand!” he spat.

Violet paused. She wore a face of unfettered horror as his words settled on her shoulders. Her ivy reached her target a moment before she started speaking. “Chase... Chase, you don’t actually believe that. I know you don’t believe that. How... how could you? How could you even fucking think that about me? I loved him. I loved him! What is wrong with you? Do you know how much it hurts to hear you say that about me? How agonizing it would be if you spread that around? I couldn’t live with it. Just with anyone believing I would hurt him. That... fuck. Jesus fuck, Chase. Hearing you say it might be enough to ruin me. Even knowing you don’t believe it... Oh my God. How could you say that?” Violet responded. Her inflection was broken and scandalized, but she mixed just enough grief in that her voice trembled more with each word.

Then, she lifted the tablet with her ivy and tossed it over the railing. 

Chase blinked as they both heard it crack against the crystal floor below. Finally, she stood, lifted her arms in a long stretch, and pulled her ribbon out of her hair.

“Alright, well. I’m glad we have that on record. Anyway, the truth is, I was getting bored with him. Like, can you even imagine? He wanted to marry me, Chase. That would be like marrying a dead eel. Do eels have spines? Probably, actually. Maybe more like a slice of soggy bread, then. You get the idea,” she explained, her voice now confident.

Chase looked at her in confusion before it slowly shifted to understanding and terror. He tried to scramble away like a dog, but Violet caught him with a few strings of ivy. She tossed him over the rail like shrimp from a pan, then caught him again, this time by the ankle.

“Well. He also caught me murdering Stephanie. He would have told everyone. Idiot was honest to a fault. Like, sure, he’d lie for me all the time. But at his own expense exclusively. He’d never have kept murder a secret,” Violet said.

“Violet! Violet, wait!” Chase shouted. His fear was palpable, and Violet tasted it. She licked it from her lips as she smiled at him.

“I killed Daniel, too, you know. The little perv. Before that was Derek. I don’t know if you knew him too well. He’s the guy your dad sold me to as bait, remember? And let me see... There have been a few since we got here to Chromatic. Two tonight alone, actually. But I feel like I am forgetting something important...” Violet trailed off and pressed one finger to her mouth in thought. 

“I... I get it! It was a revenge thing, right? Alex never stood up for you. He let you go into the mist. And Stephanie and Derek... they deserved it, too! I understand!” Chase sobbed.

Violet shook him in the air a bit and laughed as his uniform came untucked. Then, she walked up to the railing, pulling him toward her at the same time. He hung upside down in front of her, and their faces nearly met.

“Oh, yeah! Caitlyn! You heard how she hung herself the day we left, right? Yeah. That was me. You didn’t tell me she tried to defend me, though. Not until I had her strung up, anyway. Let’s say that’s both our faults, yeah?” Violet suggested.

Chase stared at her with wide eyes. She jostled him in the air a bit, like he was a stubborn game cartridge. 

“You in there, buddy? I said I killed your best friend and his mom. I’ll kill your dad, too, someday. Now that you mention him. I’m just… Jeez, I’m just so busy these days.”

He was crying again, but he set his jaw, and a look of determination rested on his face.

“Did you toy with them first, too? Do you fucking enjoy this?” he hissed.

Violet shrugged. “I guess I do. And yeah. If you really want to know. I mess with most people a bit first. Did you know Alex still trusted me a little, even as he was dying? Seriously, exactly how spineless was he? I had hedron eat him alive, and he still thought I’d save him. Right up until the end. It was pathetic,” she mocked. Then, she paused. “What do you mean, ‘too,’ though?”

“I mean, if you’re going to kill me, please. Just fucking kill me. Just... just do it. I won’t play your game. I can see you want me to, and I won’t. Kill me if you have to. If that's who you are. But I won’t give you any more satisfaction than I already have!” Chase shouted.

“Oh. Buddy,” Violet replied in a pitying voice. She stuck out her bottom lip as she did. “Is that what you’re so scared of? You think I’m going to kill you, knowing that you aren’t recording me anymore?”

Chase struggled in the air, but he didn’t respond. He simply glared at her. She reached one hand up and patted him on the cheek.

“I’m not going to kill you, don’t worry. I’m not even going to hurt you. I just wanted to mess with you a bit. You’re perfectly safe with me,” she continued. As she spoke, she lifted him over the rail. She carefully rotated him like some kind of toy, then placed him gently on his feet in front of her. “See? Perfectly safe.”

He stood in stunned silence as bulging eyes frantically scanned her face.

“I... I won’t tell anyone, I swear,” he whimpered.

Violet grinned. “There goes the bravado!” she giggled. “I wish Alex could see you, abandoning your pride so easily! Your loyalty! And for nothing! I wasn’t going to threaten you, sport.”

“W-What?” he asked. 

“Please. Tell the world everything I told you. Speak your truth, Chase! Far and wide! Tell everyone you meet! Set up a soapbox and preach it to the world! Those apocalypse sermons turned out to be true, didn’t they? Maybe people will listen this time!” Violet commanded with an exuberant glee.

“I... I don’t understand...” Chase whimpered.

Violet cocked her head curiously. “Really? I guess you haven’t calculated those statistics yet. Well, maybe you should give that a try first,” she teased.

“Statistics? Violet... please... is this all some sort of sick fucking joke? Did you not actually kill him? What game are we playing?” Chase begged.

“Oh, I killed him. A bunch of other people, too. It’s my calling, apparently. Off an annoying boyfriend? Gain a degree. Hang his mom in a warehouse? Free clarity. And honestly, it makes sense. I have to admit, I do enjoy it. You would, too, if you’d grown up around, well... you. You’re a pretty shit person, you know. Mocking me for my category my entire life. Sneering and constantly looking down on me. It’s no surprise I got a calling that involves putting creeps like you in their place,” Violet answered.

Chase took a step back. “But... Alex... Caitlyn...” he murmured.

“They were innocent... in a way. Sure. But not really. That’s not what matters here, though. The statistic I meant is about accusations of crimes. Come on. You were trying to record a confession, weren’t you? Surely you checked into this? How often does a red make an accusation against a higher degree and get anything to show for it? Especially when that person is an Asher? How often do they pay the social consequences instead?” Violet asked.

“You’re a murderer, Violet. A cold-blooded killer! This isn’t an accusation of favoritism in school!” Chase countered.

“Exactly! Haven’t you heard? I’m famous! I’m beloved! The worst emotion anyone else in this school harbors for me is jealousy. I am a fucking rising star, and everyone knows it. You, on the other hand? You scream at grieving girls in cafeterias. You try to assault them in public. You spread nasty rumors about me to anyone who will listen. The more severe your accusation, the more petty it will seem. And that’s the point, isn’t it?” Violet said.

“No. No, there are real bodies, Violet. People are dead, and someone is going to look into that!” Chase insisted.

Violet clapped her hands down on his shoulders. “Exactly! And I’ll be honest, I haven’t always been so clean about it. After tonight, someone is going to be looking for a killer at the school. I need to get off that list of suspects before anyone looks too closely. It probably won’t be a big deal if they do. No one wants to arrest the quickly rising hero. But you know what would really help? If you were the first person to say anything about me. You hate me so much, and so publicly. For seemingly no reason. And everyone else? Well, they love me for a very good reason. You get it, don’t you?” Violet asked.

She could see in his eyes that he did. From him? An accusation would sound ridiculous. Like a grudge gone too far. Opportunistic and callous, in fact. People had died, and he was using it to punish a girl who was already grieving. To ruin her reputation. It would seem petty. Even better, anyone who repeated it would seem gullible. Violet would have hundreds of people she’d never met defending her innocence. 

“Then I won’t tell anyone,” he said. “I won’t be used by you!”

Violet clapped her hands together in joy. “Excellent! That might be even more fun! I know you don’t understand how, but it will. Please, do whatever you like! I very genuinely win either way,” she replied excitedly.

She meant it, too. The control she’d have over him would be immense. The guilt he would feel every day he kept her secret. The shame. She could visit him. Taunt him. And if he broke? If he decided to tell everyone later? Well. She’d have him working effectively for her again. And the longer it took, the more quickly he’d be dismissed. Why hadn’t he come forward sooner, after all? 

“I’ll prove it first, then,” he tried. 

Violet’s grin was predatory. “Perfect. See? I told you. You’re playing my game, after all. What a good boy,” she mocked, patting him on the head as she did. “But there is one last thing I need to drive this plan home.”

Chase took another step back. “Stop. Just... what is wrong with you? Just stop!” he shouted.

“I have a few injuries that I don’t want to explain. And at my degree? Well, I’ll survive a fall from this height. So I figure. What if I saved your life? Wouldn’t that really sell the illusion? You’d look especially pathetic if you still went after me then, wouldn’t you?” she asked.

“W—What?” Chase asked.

She pulled him toward her with Quiet Ivy and wrapped him in a firm hug. “Hang on tight!” she ordered. Then, she pushed herself back against the railing. Where she knew it was loose. And she allowed both of them to fall.