NIGHT 64: M-A BLOCK HALLWAY

[envy_the_sinners]

_{[From here]}

Scar made his way through the halls, knowing for once exactly where he was going. He fiddled with the scalpel between his fingers as he walked at a brisk pace, knowing full well that the tiny knife would hardly do him any good. But it was better than nothing, should he come across anything along his way.


_{[To here]}

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[corvus_veritas]

[From here, and for Badd.]

He didn't go far from his room before he stopped, but not because the middle of the block hallway was a great place to wait for Badd. It was doubt and anxiety that gave him pause, and for good reason.

What if it wasn't safe to be around Badd? If Landel's threat was true... I-it wasn't like he could ignore this rash hiding under his suit jacket forever, as much as he wanted to. What if he became a monster tonight? He'd be putting his best friend in danger and, even if Badd was strong enough to take care of himself, that wasn't something Byrne wanted his friend to deal with. The way the nurses had changed the night before--would he change like that?

...Sigh. Should he just go off on his own tonight, then? He had no idea what he'd be doing (other than avoiding the Medical Wing at all costs), but it might be better off for the people he cared about if he did...

[tasteoftruth]

[From here.]

Too late.

"Byrne!" Badd jogged up to him in the hallway and touched his shoulder, as if trying to confirm that he's really here this time. With the delusions it was hard to be sure what was real at night. "Good. Don't have to waste time hunting you down."

[corvus_veritas]

Eep. Byrne should've figured that standing around in the open for too long was a bad idea. Now it would be pointless (or at least more difficult) to avoid his partner after he'd been spotted by him. Wonderful.

Ah, well... Who knows, maybe it was better this way. What would he've done wandering around this place by himself, anyway? It was safer to stick with someone he trusted. (As long as certain threats didn't come true, anyway.)

"Yeah." The prosecutor smiled awkwardly and tugged on his scarf with his non-rash-covered hand. Yeah, good job showing him you aren't nervous, Faraday. "So uh. Where to tonight? The Medical Wing's way too suspicious to visit after a broadcast like that."

[tasteoftruth]

Byrne had said he was clean. Badd trusted him. "There's a theory I want to test. They come and get us after we pass out every night, even if it's in Doyleton or the road there. I want to find out what happens if we get somewhere they can't get at us before the sun comes up."

As he spoke he dug into his coat and offered Byrne the customary lollipop. He wasn't suspicious, so of course it wasn't for luck. It was for...something. Tradition. "Up for a hike?"

[corvus_veritas]

Get somewhere free from the Institute's influence, huh? That's...that's what Kay had done to escape back before security tightened up around here, or so Byrne believed. The military was gone, but that didn't mean Landel loosened up as far as security went. It would be tough - but not impossible, if Kay had done it.

The obvious question remained, then. "Sure, but where would we go?" Byrne asked, taking the offered lollipop while staring questioningly at the older detective. Surely, Badd had to have some sort of idea if he seemed confident about this theory, right? Byrne could only think of Doyleton and the road to go to, but neither of those places (as far as he understood) were safe.

[tasteoftruth]

Badd flicked the lollipo out of his mouth, gesturing behind Byrne. "Head for the hills," he said, almost smiling. "Or the mountains. If we lose ourselves in there badly enough they won't be able to get us, especially if there's caves we can huddle in. I'm not saying it'll work, but I want to see if it's possible."

And he wanted to do it tonight, before the witch hunts started. Someone would 'turn into a monster' tonight. Whether or not that actually happened, someone was going to die. He'd been a detective far too long to trust other human beings.

[corvus_veritas]

Head for the hills. Yeah, it sounded like a doable plan. Byrne felt a twinge of excitement just thinking about it. Hiding in some cave somewhere, running so far out into the wilderness that even Landel couldn't find them - is that how Kay made it out? Could they do it, too? Would there be anyone (or anything) out there to stop them?

Only one way to find out.

"Right, then. The sooner we're off, the better. Lead the way, Detective." The prosecutor gestured with one hand for Badd to start walking, his awkward smile becoming genuine as thoughts of finally getting out of this damn place filled his head. Perhaps a local hospital would be able to treat this illness, too. Everything might just turn out okay.

[tasteoftruth]

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