Last person standing

~4~

Addison was so preoccupied with the vault that he had completely forgotten about Iris. Even though Addison (well, Ms. J technically) won the court case she never wavered in trying to bring Addison down. Like she was doing now. On live TV.

"HE FORCED BRIDGER TO WRITE THE WILL!" Iris shouted from the middle of a crowd. To think that she actually wanted to stop Bridger. Sometimes Addison actually missed having her in the house. But he would never admit that to Ms. J or Celia.

One day when Addison had just finished an important work call someone barged into his office. He looked up, seeing it wasn't any of his assistants, and shot up from his bent position. The intruder saw the look of alarm on his face. His alarm didn't waver when he recognized it was Melissa, his biological mom.

"What do you want?" He demanded.

"It's about Iris." Melissa said calmly, staring Addison dead on.

"What about Iris?" Addison asked.

"This." Melissa reached into her coat pocket and before Addison could yell out to his guards she pulled out a gun. "This is for Iris." Melissa said. "Even though you're the oldest, she deserves these companies." Melissa smiled as her finger inched towards the trigger. "Goodbye Addison." She fired.

Time seemed to slow. The bullet seems to inch through the air. Addison's hand was moving slowly forward and Melissa's smirk was curving. Security was running up the stairs, like sloths. Time seemed to stop before the bullet hit Addison. And his life flashed before his eyes. All of it.

The blue honda stopped outside of a massive mansion with a large green lawn, a pond, and a massive, over ten feet, brick wall.

His eyes were staring at Addison as he choked, clutching his neck. Then his eyes went glassy and his bloodied hands fell away from his neck. Addison's mouth fell open.

"So, three teenagers managed to foil five highly trained security guards." Bridger said. "How funny." His eyes traveled from the blood covered Addison, to Cilia, holding a gun, and finally to Iris. "Do I know you?" He asked Iris.

The red liquid had soaked through the sheets and onto the mattress. Addison's pajama shirt was stained with a dark color. His eyes stared blankly, reflecting the ceiling and the two people standing over him. Iris could hear footsteps coming up the stairs. Ms. J must have heard her scream.

Tears came in floods down Iris' eyes. Cilia and Ms. J carried the body of Addison out of the room. Whoever had done this, this monster, had stabbed Addison. Right in the heart.

The bullet pierced Addison's heart and the impact sent him collapsing backwards. He hit the chair and took it down with him. His head hit the glass and began to bleed heavily. The last thing Addison saw was Melissa holding the gun that had killed him.

Ambulances were parked outside Ionic, sirens left blaring. News was reporting all of it.

"This has gone too far." The mayor seethed into the news. "I thought that Iris was just playing. It has to be her or her goons. Rots are one thing but murder is another!"

In Addison's office doctors were checking Addison's heart beat as he was lying on a cot. He had lost a lot of blood and was going to lose more until his wounds sealed up. His eyes were blank and his skin was pale and cold. He was immediately rushed to the hospital. It didn't look like he was going to make it. He wasn't going to make it. His eyes were still faintly playing the last thing he had seen. Over and over again. Melissa. This is for Iris. Even though you're the oldest, she deserves these companies. A single tear slid out of Addison's eye and rolled down his face. And that tear saved his life. Within weeks he could walk. Doctors and civilians alive were amazed at such a good recovery. They had already been looking for a new CEO for Ionic and Bridger Industries. Iris wasn't on the list. Hey, speaking of Iris...

Addison was walking a couple weeks after he was let out of the hospital. He had a slight limp and the doctors recommended for him to use a cain until he was fully recovered. Suddenly Addison was shoved up against a wall.

"You took EVERYTHING from me." An enraged Iris spat, clutching Addison's collar fiercely. It looked like she had been crying because her eyes were red. Iris' hands began chocking Addison. "At a lose for words huh?" She said. "I'm gonna kill you." Suddenly Iris dropped Addison to the ground. Addison gasped for air and shot up. "You wouldn't kill me." Iris said with a big smirk of triumph growing on her face. Addison punched her in the face, making her stumble back.

"I would actually." He said. Iris looked up shocked, her nose bleeding, but attacked Addison. In a flash she was up against the wall with a black eye.

"What did you just do to me?!" She yelled. "You freak!" Addison didn't let the sting of hurt last for long.

"Me? A freak?" He demanded. "I could have left your for dead. But look where you are now. Alive."

"I'll never be grateful for you." Iris said.

"Fine." Addison said, tears brimming in his eyes. "I'm sorry Iris." Iris' eyes widened, knowing what was about to happen. Than she was gone. Addison fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. A rush of emotions had suddenly filled him up. After a while, Addison stood up, grabebd his cane and teleported home.

"Are you okay?" Celia asked when he arrived. "What happened?"

"I'm fine." Addison said, but his voice shook. Celia, sensing something was wrong, came over and hugged him.

"It's okay." She said. "You can tell me." Addison was silent and just let Celia hug him, tears in his eyes.

"I'm fine." He repeated. That's a lie. I'm not fine. I was never 'fine'.

"You're not fine." Celia said. "I know that and you know that."

Addison broke down.

"Addison?" Celia asked. "What happened?"

"I killed Iris." Addison cried. "I killed her." Celia met his eyes.

"You did what?"

"I didn't have a choice." Addison said. "She made me kill her. It's my fault. I let her under my skin."

"It's not your fault." Celia said. "You made a mistake. It was just a mistake." 

" 'Just a mistake' got Iris killed!" Addison said. "I'm a killer! This is what you made me! A killer!"

"Addison..." Celia began.

"SHUT UP!" Addison yelled. "THIS IS WHAT YOU WANTED! YOU WANTED ME TO BECOME THIS! NOW IRIS IS DEAD!" Now it was Celia's turn to start crying. Rage burned away Addison's tears. "Are you happy? I'm what you made me. Congradulations." He stormed out of the mansion.

"ADDISON!" Celia yelled. "You forgot-" The door slammed. "Your cane." Celia finished.