Night 64: Main Hallway, 1-Center

[thecamellia]

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She paused again by the Sun Room, probing the darkness. There were no flashlights around to break up the shadows, and no natural light to guide her eyes. After all her many nights moving around the building without her own flashlight she’d become more than adept at navigating in total darkness, but caution still pricked at the fine hairs on the nape of her neck every time she reached an area that was not heavily populated with foot traffic.

If Landel had half a mind to prevent them from reaching the secret in the Medical Wing, now would be the time for him to act. Tsubaki couldn’t trust that he hadn’t heard I.R.I.S.’ relay, if the intercom’s abrupt cut-off had been any indication.

As she passed the doors leading to the entryway, she once again felt her eyes wandering toward them. Would what had happened there happen again? To someone she knew next time?

Would someone be injured because of the transformed prisoner?

Keep going, the assassin in her said. No time for doubts.

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Comments

[a_sin_for_him]

[from here]

Lust didn't go too far beyond the good man she'd found in the hallway. She wasn't trying to get away from him, simply leave no doubt in his mind that arguing with her or attempting to convince her to stay away or go elsewhere was pointless. It wasn't safe for either of them to be alone, so why not travel together?

She slowed, glancing over her shoulder to see if he was coming as well.

[ham_fisted]

L-Lust?

"B-But..." Gumshoe trailed off hopelessly. He'd known her for less than a minute and he'd already done something wrong. No matter what he did, he always seemed to make a fool out of himself in front of women like her. She didn't know he was a detective, either; he shouldn't have expected her to listen to him.

Not that it would have made any difference.

He sighed and went after her. It didn't take long for him to catch up to her, but when he did, he was a little tongue-tied. He hoped he hadn't offended her, which was pretty obvious by the way he was frowning at her.

"Okay, sure, why not?" he said dully, giving her an apologetic look. "We'll go together."

[a_sin_for_him]

Yes, that was what she'd thought. The kind ones could always be counted on.

"Thank you. I'm not going to be a burden on you, if that's what you're worried about." She offered him a predatory smile. "What do you know about what's happening?"

She herself didn't know anyone suffering from any sort of illness. Or rather, she was ignorant of the fact. Scar had done a good job keeping his condition from her. She understood the implication that this 'disease' was either the cause or side of effect of some chimera attempt on them, but the gaps in her knowledge were notable.

She didn't like that.

[ham_fisted]

Gumshoe could think of plenty of reasons 'why not', but the possibility of her becoming a 'burden' wasn't one of them. Not in the way he thought she meant.

He raised an eyebrow at her. She had to have some idea of what was happening, right? Most of what he knew was from what he'd heard Dr. Landel say about it. The rest was just stuff he'd read on the bulletin board. She wasn't new, was she? He'd never had to explain things to someone who was new to this place, but surely a new person wouldn't be as calm as this lady was being right now. (Then again, he'd met lots of people like that; when they got nervous, they stayed as cool as a cucumber.)

He motioned for her to walk with him and began moving down the hall. He had to get going, with or without her. "Well, I know that people have been getting sick lately. According to Dr. Landel, it's because they're going to turn into monsters soon." His voice was shaking. He gulped to make it stop before he continued, but his fists stayed clenched. "The announcement we just heard proves he isn't lying." It said that people are going to "change", didn't it?

[a_sin_for_him]

"Yes, this 'disease' is what I'm curious about," Lust said, nodding. "I've heard the announcements about it but I haven't seen its symptoms and effects for myself."

Other than to note that generally, there were people under the weather. How and in what ways she hadn't bothered to take note of. Humans grew ill. It was normal. But if this Landel was to be believed - and she wasn't sure he was - then yes, as her companion had said, those ill would begin turning into monsters.

"They made men into monsters, where I come from. Not like this, though. Not at all like this."

[ham_fisted]

"Oh, well..." he trailed off and looked away. He couldn't tell her everything he knew. Maybe he was just being paranoid, but he didn't know anything about her. He didn't know how she'd end up using that information.

You'd think he was the one with the infection, from how worried he was about it.

His frown grew deeper, but he kept his eyes on the end of the hallway. "That's good, though. That probably means you don't know anyone who has it. Anyway, I've heard the symptoms are sort of flu-like. B-But that obviously doesn't give us a lot to work with. People come down with flu here all the time!" He hadn't noticed how his voice had suddenly become louder.

He gave her a confused look. What was that supposed to mean...? Instead of asking her about it, he focused on the hallway in front of them.

[to here]