Internecine

[Emprexx Plush]

((Garrett Wilde Continued From Pre-Game))

The Aviary wasn't as safe as he'd hoped, by appearances. There were a series of cracks around the front door stemming from round puncture in the glass. Inside, there was a body in a pool of mostly dried blood. It was a girl, but he couldn't tell who at a glance.

He urged the group forward to keep from dwelling on her. "We'll figure out what happened here later. We need to get into position first, if that's alright."

They settled into the office. A quick scan showed that they could see anyone entering the premises from here. "This is a good place to work," he noted. "We'll see if the others come in, and it'll be hard to sneak up on us."

Garrett slipped behind the desk with his paper and set down the pamphlet. He needed to parse the information better.

Particular persons of interest: Theodore Fletcher. Katarina Konipaski.

The next name brought hesitation. It was the only one that had come up while he was quietly explaining the plan to Bella on the way over.

"What if it was a mistake? What if he's just trying to survive, like you?"

"Then we'll try to talk. But I can't afford to let killers walk away, Bella. I'm just as guilty if they kill again when I don't stop them."

He glanced over at her. It was clear the plan didn't sit well with her, but she'd stayed. Maybe she could see the truth of it. Maybe she believed in him. Maybe she just didn't have anywhere else to go.

I'm doing this for you, Bella. For all of us, but for you most of all. I hope you can understand that, whatever happens next.

He added the name and didn't look back at it.

Hansel Williams. Makatala So'oialo. Amaranta Montalvo. Joachim Lovelace.

Every living competitor who had killed at least twice. That was the thresh-hold. He didn't have all the victims down in his notes, he'd run out of space too quickly to keep track of them. But he had a tally for every killer now, and he'd be able to keep track of them now. Victims, manner of death, timing, patterns...it's what he needed. With enough time, they'd manage.

You're forgetting someone.

Another name drifted through his consciousness. She was in his notes as well, but she was unique for the most part. She wasn't a habitual killer herself, merely associated with one. And she did have one kill to her name so far, according to the most recent announcements.

He made note of her next Joachim: (Jaquilyn Locke?)

[BROseidon†]

((Matt Vartoogian continued from Pre-Game))

The site of the dead girl made Matt feel uneasy. Sure, he'd already come across a body, and had even had the audacity to steal from the boy's bag, but that didn't make this any less jarring.

"Uh, yeah, sounds good," Matt responded to Garrett's statement. While the office gave them a nice view of everything, it also meant that they had nowhere to run should they be approached. And if that approacher was hostile...

Garrett looked hard at work with his notes, and Matt didn't really have anything to say with Bella. Figuring it better to make some use of himself, he had an idea.

"That girl downstairs, she had a bag, right? If you guys aren't opposed to looting, I'm going to see if she had anything we could use."

[Emprexx Plush]

Garrett glanced up at Matt from the desk as he mentioned inspecting the dead girl below.

"Sure. Whoever killed her may have taken her things, but if they didn't it'd be disrespectful to leave them. We can put them to use sorting this mess out."

The chair squeaked as he stood up and stretched. "We should all go together, though." Focus was helping him drown out the paranoia. The tactical part of his mind was back in control. "Gather the supplies and see if we can figure out who she is and what killed her. It'll be useful for the notes tomorrow during the announcement."

His eyes went to rest on Bella. "This isn't going to be pleasant work," he began softly, "so if you'd like, you can stay up here and be our eyes in the sky. Or you can come with us and help keep watch from below while we piece it together. Which would you prefer?"

[Sansa]

((Mirabella Strong continued from Pre-Game))

Nobody was safe from this game.

Bella had steadily become accustomed to such a notion over the past few days, but it was only during their trek towards the aviary that she realised just how true it was. Time and time again she'd had her expectations dashed, had people she thought she knew turn out to be completely different. Throughout all of that, however, she'd clung to the hope that one person, just one person would remain the same. And as with every naïve and optimistic thought Bella had entertained, it'd swiftly been crushed.

Garrett wanted to hunt killers.

Bella couldn't deny the practicality of the idea, and the emotional part of her, the part that wanted vengeance for her friends' deaths, was completely and utterly for it, but at the same time it sickened her to her stomach. She wanted to believe that the killers weren't good people, that the fears she'd had about them hurting her or her hurting them were legitimate, but she couldn't, and that scared her more than anything. Garrett was smart and logical, and if she couldn't think the way he thought, then what was wrong with her?

She wasn't about to go back to her old ways of declaring how everybody was innocent, but at the same time going in the complete opposite direction seemed just as foolhardy. Then again, Bella knew she wasn't exactly in the best of minds at the moment, and if this was what her Garrett wanted, then she'd have to go along with it, no matter how much the thought unnerved her. It was only with Garrett that she felt safe; there'd be no one other than him who'd want her as an ally, not when she was so fragile. So she had to do whatever she could to stick by his side, even if it meant forcing herself into this mindset and sacrificing her morals a little bit. It was a small price to pay, in her eyes.

She knew that it was easy and naïve to think that she could adjust to Garrett's plan, and that it'd likely prove much more difficult when the situation arose, but it was all she could do at the moment. There weren't any other choices for her. Besides, she hadn't any interaction with any killers other than Megan, and Megan was a special exception. For all she knew, every other killer on the island might be a heartless psychopath.

Yes, it was best to think in black and white at the moment. Bella had tried to come up with justifications for people, to think in grey, but that had only led to more suffering and pain.

There was another exception to that rule, someone that she tried so desperately to label as irredeemable and evil, but she couldn't, no matter how much she knew she needed to. Maybe it was just more naïveté or some other part of her mind speaking - she couldn't tell - but whatever it was, it was dangerous. She just had to hope that she never had to face Hansel Williams again, that she could simply deny that aspect of her life.

She thought she was getting better at appraising her situation, defying the idealism and trustworthiness that she'd held onto in everyday life, but apparently that wasn't the case. As they reached the courtyard, and Garrett pulled her away from Bianca's body lying across the gravelled path and up the stairs, Bella promised herself that she'd do better, that next time she wouldn't be so naïve. She'd broken every promise she'd made to herself in this place, but she knew she couldn't do the same with this one. Fracturing this internal vow would only lead to one end, the one that she never wanted to face.

And then Garrett spoke, giving her the option of staying behind whilst he and Matt looted Bianca's body, or keeping watch. Bella hated that. She hated being given an option, because no matter what she chose everything would go wrong.

"I want to stay with you," she said, voice breaking through disuse and her attempts to keep it even. "All I want is to stay with you, Garrett, and if that means waiting while you... go through Bianca's things, then I don't mind. Honestly."

[BROseidon†]

((GMing approved yada yada))

Bella seemed... annoying.

Matt wasn't a fan of people who were too dependent on others, who needed too much protection and care. They didn't add value to the group; Garrett added something by being there. Kyran and Cammy and hopefully Deanna all provided something by being there. Bella... kind of did nothing. She wasn't earning her protection. That bothered Matt tremendously.

Still, if she wanted to go downstairs with Garrett, who was he to object. If a killer came, they'd be the ones to have to deal with it, not him. Matt needed to position himself towards safety and others towards danger as much as possible; it'd help keep him alive, and it'd help keep his name off the announcements.

"Uh, if you wanna go down Bella, I'll stay up here and keep watch. If anyone approaches, I'll yell down to you guys." Still, that would warn them, but neither of them were armed. If a killer came, they needed something to defend themselves. After all, if the two of them got plowed through, he'd be down two allies and next in line to die himself.

"Garrett, take my knife. Don't be afraid to use it, either." Matt felt a strong reluctance towards handing over his knife, but he knew it was the right thing to do. The mental security the knife provided would mean nothing with a bullet through his head, after all.

Garrett took the knife, and the pair headed downstairs. Things were going smoothly again. Matt didn't trust it to last for long; they were playing with fire, and they would have to feel the heat eventually.

[umop-ap!sdn†]

((Jaquilyn Locke continued from I'm Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf!))

Her stomach grumbled crankily as she walked. Keeping her arms folded in front of her Jaquilyn approached the towering statue. A stone warrior stood proudly, despite being headless and covered in bird shit. Ice ran up her back, she shook it off. According to their faceless master of ceremonies, several of her classmates had lost their heads. She fingered the evil black ring around her neck as the imaginary head on the statue stared back.

Suicide was honorable in some cultures. The Japanese warriors would cut their own stomachs to show their fearlessness and humility. Often keeping a close friend by to finish the job with a swift beheading, it was actually a structured, acceptable, almost encouraged practice. She turned away from the statue and let out a small laugh. How could you not fear death? Nobody alive knew what came next, if anything. Embracing death was like taking a handful of medication a stranger handed you. You don't know what'll happen, but your instincts scream for you to avoid it at all costs. Hell, Jaquilyn didn't even like lottery tickets, or grab bags at the Limited Too.

But still, there'd been suicides, too. And most of the deaths were kids shooting or cutting each other to pieces. Jaq shuddered, they had been so careful in the beginning. They'd gotten themselves armed, they'd found shelter, they'd stayed hidden. Everything it took to stay away from the killers. And then everything it took to keep the terrorists from blowing them up. And now here she was, foodless, unarmed, unprotected, and just completely powerless.

She would probably be less disappointing by everything going to shit if she would just accept that things weren't going to get better. Not unless, by some miracle, rescue found them five days in. She backed away from the statue, it was time to find a new direction. Maybe there were some kids on the island who knew what they were doing, and had made some kind of progress towards escape. Even if she'd been marked as a killer, she couldn't just wait around until she died.

She found the Plexiglas door, with the spider web cracks stemming out from what looked like a bullet hole. A figure could be seen inside, walking around.

Here we go.

Her knuckles rapped on the door.

[Emprexx Plush]

Don't be afraid to use it.

Garrett nodded as he took the blade and felt his way down the stairs with Bella. He hoped they didn't see the slight shake in his hands as he grasped the knife. The pause in his step before moving on. The barely audible change in his breath. The restlessness in his eyes.

The air around him felt thick. The sensation had been growing ever since he first outlined the plan to Matt. With every step completed, it grew a little heavier. Now, it was almost choking. The easiest explanation was that he was afraid of what they were doing. That Matt was right to pre-correct him and reinforce the necessity of their task. That his hesitation drew from a well-spring of terror hidden within his heart that simply wouldn't dry up.

There was fear in the immaterial cloud clinging to him, but as easy and comfortable as it was dismiss it at that, he knew it was more complex. The fear was diluted by a strong sense of anticipation, perhaps even excitement, that seemed to pull him through the fog, urging him onward even as it smothered him.

The others didn't seem to feel it, or if they did they were trying to hide it, just as he was. So he pressed on in silence, keeping a careful eye on dome around him. The body wasn't far from the exit of the stairs. No matter how the time dragged in his mind, it couldn't have been more than a minute since they left Matt before they were standing over it.

Bella stood quietly as he frowned over the body. He paced back and forth, occasionally glancing back at her and starting to speak, then shaking his head and continuing on. Finally, he let out an exasperated sigh and returned to her side.

"Bianca. That was her name. That's also about all I can tell from this. I-"

His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp tap on the glass across the room. He spun around and moved back in front of the body, peering at the door.

...Jaquilyn Locke?

The knife stayed in his grasp. With his free hand he waved, beckoning for her to come inside.

It was time for some answers.

[Sansa]

Bella scarcely took notice of her surroundings as she limply followed Garrett down the stairwell, only looking up from the floor when she heard a sharp knocking on the door. She took a fraction of a step backwards as she noticed who it was, realised what was going to happen.

Jaquilyn Locke. Pretty. Cheerleader. Murderer.

For a moment, Bella wondered what would've driven Jac to kill, but she hurriedly pushed it from her mind. It didn't matter why, all that mattered was what she'd done, and what she'd done was murder Grace and abet Joachim. Of course, Bella didn't truly believe that, but it was either think that Jaquilyn was nothing more than an inhuman monster or face that fact that she was just like them, just trying to survive as best she could in a world where everything was falling apart.

She almost instinctively waved to her as Garrett motioned her inside, lingering pleasantries from back at Aurora persisting even now. But she was able to resist the urge, was able to keep her arms crossing firmly across her chest with her nails digging painfully into the skin and her lips clamped firmly between her teeth. She didn't know what would come next, didn't want to acknowledge it. Maybe everything would turn out okay, maybe Jaquilyn could explain herself and they could delay killing for just a little bit longer, be it ten minutes or an hour or a day - she didn't care. She just wished it didn't have to be like this.

But it did. It had to. Jaquilyn was a monster who'd murdered Grace and had helped kill Carmina and Adonis. She was a murderer. She deserved it. She had to die.

Bella kept repeating the mantra in her head, over and over and over, hoping and praying and as hard as she could that she'd eventually actually believe it.

[BROseidon†]

Matt watched Garrett and Bella go down the stairs before returning to the office to keep watch.

He looked around, to see if anyone was approaching. He didn't see anyone. Somehow he'd missed Jaquilyn's approach. Maybe she'd gotten too close before he'd returned to lookout to see her. Maybe he'd been looking out the wrong window when she approached.

Or maybe Matt had recognized Jaquilyn approaching the building with no weapons, no bag. Nothing she could hurt the others with.

He didn't want to see what would likely transpire.

[umop-ap!sdn†]

An inviting gesture beckoned.

Jaquilyn pressed open the door and stepped inside. Her arms raised at her sides, she moved slowly. Garret, Bella, and Matt were all people she recognized, which meant they probably knew her too. And that meant that they probably knew what she'd been up to the past few days. Hopefully they'd hear her out.

"Do you guys have any food?"

[Emprexx Plush]

No weapons. At least none that he could see immediately. No supplies either. Maybe she'd bit off more than she could chew and had to ditch her supplies.

Unarmed. Unsupplied. Unprepared. He couldn't attack her like that. Especially since he wasn't sure she fit his profile yet. He had to know more.

"Matt," he yelled up to the office, "we've got company. If you wouldn't mind, bring down one of the bars from my bag. She's hungry."

Bella seemed stiff beside him. She didn't speak. She just stared at Jaquilyn as she advanced. The tension was shared equally between the three of them. He did his best to appear in control of the situation.

"You've been busy, Jaquilyn." he stated dryly. "At least from what I've heard. Care to explain what you've been up to?"

((OOC Note: I believe Sansasaver is still away. Bro, umop, feel free to go ahead and skip him to keep the death moving while he's gone, he gave full permission for skipping and GMing in his Away message.))

[BROseidon†]

Fuck, Garrett wanted him downstairs.

He didn't want to go down. That would mean facing Jaquilyn. She had killed. She was playing this ga – no, don't use those words. She was killing. He had killed. And that meant that they had to kill her. Matt still didn't want to do that. He didn't want to fell her flesh succumb to the edge of the knife, to see her red blood pouring out of her neck. He didn't want to watch the life leave slowly from her eyes as she bled out in front of him.

But it had to happen. It would put him one step closer to being home.

"Uh, yeah. On it," Matt called back. He grabbed one of Garrett's bars and brought it downstairs with him.

He got to where Jaquilyn and Garrett were standing. He tossed the bar to Jaquilyn, which she caught with ease.

"Eat up." Matt said. He paused, not sure of what to say next.

[Sansa]

Bella continued to keep her mouth shut, her caution mixing with mild interest in the conversation at hand. As much as she didn't want to acknowledge the inevitable outcome of their situation, listening in was the only option available to her right now - unless she wanted to think too much and get too introspective again, or actively participate in the talk, something that Bella would only let happen if she was certain it wouldn't end in disaster.

Which it almost certainly would.

So, she kept her mouth shut, lingering in silence beside the plexiglass wall as the trio talked, Matt descending the stairs at Garrett's request and tossing a ration bar to Jaquilyn. It was surprisingly easy to keep quiet, as uncomfortable as she felt in Jaquilyn's presence. She was glad of that; in both her ability to remain quiet, and the chill that pricked at the back of her neck as Jaquilyn spoke. That confirmed it, didn't it? The fact that Jaquilyn's mere being there could make her feel so uncomfortable had to make concrete what she'd been trying to convince herself of for the past few minutes. She had to die. It was the right thing to do.

Bella relaxed her shoulders, and breathed a little easier. They were in the right. She truly knew that, now.

[umop-ap!sdn†]

"Thanks." She tore open to the wrapper quickly, biting into the bar and chewing it's rough form. Her mouth begged for water to wash it down, but she continued eating. "I've... had a rough few days." Being a killer didn't make her a hero. If you asked her yesterday, she might have felt some kind of pride for her actions. Today, she was just an idiot who'd fallen for a trick.

She stared at the floor near Matt's feet. Her eyes moved across the room, afraid of what they might have to say about her and the announcements. There was a body a few yards behind them. Jaq leaned to the side to get a better look. If this girl hadn't been in the announcements, it would mean another day.

Those shorts. That shirt. Those curls.

"Bi-"

She reached out a hand uselessly. Her mouth was full of energy bar as she groaned and sobbed. There weren't many people at school who Jaquilyn considered good friends. Bianca was nice, Bianca was popular.

Jaq pointed at her dead friend and looked hard at the group around her.

"Who did this?"

[Emprexx Plush]

"We don't know. She died a few hours before we got here, we think. Maybe something to do with the damage at the entrance."

He didn't flinch at the accusatory nature of her question. There was too much to latch on to. Too many signs. She was dodging around her own guilt, trying to drive them away from questioning her. That wasn't going to happen.

"Maybe it was someone else who had a few rough days. That's what you really meant, right? That you've been off doing things like this?"

He kept is tone low and calm. Gray eyes stared into her without emotion. The more she spoke, the more the ethereal fog seemed to press around him, filling his lungs, clogging his ears, blurring out all the cages and windows and people around him until it seemed he could only focus on her.

"I'm going to phrase this a little more plainly, Jaquilyn. Why did you help Joachim kill those people? Why did you murder Grace?"

The face of the body behind him, and Jaquilyn's reaction to her, drove the next point out of him.

"Why did you leave three bodies to be discovered just like this?"