32: Choice Three

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Sven and Burt remained silent.

Charles grew more agitated every second.

"What is this?! The silent treatment?!" he finally shouted. "Ugh, you two are acting like kids! No matter. Guess I have no choice but to shoot you both."

He raised his pistol at Burt and stopped.

His hand shook. 

Eventually, he just lowered his gun.

"I... I can't do it..." he whispered.

Henry blinked sympathetically and placed his hand on the pilot's shoulder.

Charles flinched away his tears.

"I-I..."

Burt stood in front of Sven defensively.

"I can't shoot you," Charles muttered. "You're my brother. Biologically or not, you're my brother and I'm yours. I care about you. And I see that you care for Sven, so..." 

He silently holstered his gun.

"I'll... Leave the Toppat clan alone... C'mon, Hen."

"What? Y-You have to shoot them-" Henry began to protest, but Charles cut him off.

"Hen, I can't. Whether I like it or not Burt's my brother. I can't shoot him," he said quietly. "And... Even though he betrayed me... I know why he did."

Charles looked over at Burt.

"You had nothing to live for in the government, right..?"

Burt nodded in response.

Charles sighed.

"I'm... I'm so sorry, Burt... I-I... If you had told me..." He looked down. "I'm so sorry I wasn't a good enough brother to make your life better..." He sniffed.

"Hey, Charles."

"Wha..?"

"You were a good brother, and you still are. Like you said... We're brothers till the end." Burt saluted him.

Charles smiled, though he was beginning to cry, and saluted his brother back.

He turned to Henry.

"Don't worry, the blame's on me," he assured him.

"You'll tell Galeforce what happened, and then I take you stargazing. 'Kay?"

"Okay."

Charles hugged Henry before boarding the helicopter's piloting seat.

Henry climbed into the back of it and slid the door shut.

Charles looked out the helicopter window into Burt's deep orange eyes, winked, and started the chopper.

In a matter of moments, it was in the air and gone.

Seemingly, Charles took control of the mission's whereabouts, because as soon as he left, everybody else did as well.

Perhaps he had Galeforce on the other end of his headphones.

So... That's what true brothers are.

It doesn't matter if they're biologically related or not...

It matters if they're loyal to each other, until they can't be anymore.

It matters...

If they love each other.

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