The Fourth Investigation

[airlockedmods]

[Come early morning, the station is still and quiet. Nothing seems amiss in the area around your living quarters. It's a little while yet until C.E.C.E. makes her typical morning announcement, but of course you're still free to move about the station at your leisure.

Maybe you had better look around?]

Comments

[airlockedmods]

[The door opens.

Even when it's only cracked, you can see that the floor space is taken up by two easels holding two large canvases. Only one is really visible without going in all the way - it's you, Bolton.]

[dejabrew]

[Well that’s upsetting and a little weird but I think the most important thing here is:]

...Max? Please tell me you’re on the shitter or something.

[airlockedmods]

[No response.]

just this icon all the way down

[dejabrew]

[Fuck.]

FUCK!!

Max?! MAX!

[He checks the men’s showers and then the cafeteria.]

[airlockedmods]

[Try it in another year or so.

The showers and cafeteria have nothing of interest.]

[dejabrew]

[Okay then he backtracks and checks the art room and the other first floor rooms.]

[airlockedmods]

[It's possible that the art room is a surprise room, but there's no sign of Max anywhere here.]

[dejabrew]

[We’re leaving behind the secret room to help us later.

He’s going to keep hollering for Max, until his voice cracks when he realizes that he’s not on the first floor.

Then he goes to the second floor to check it out.]

[airlockedmods]

[It's not the second floor.]

[dejabrew]

[Fuckin- how about four?

He’s not running anymore but a bitch can power walk.]

[airlockedmods]

[There is a terrible smell coming from the general direction of the infirmary.]

[dejabrew]

Jesus Christ, no-

[He stops short, leans against the wall. They were just in there last night playing DnD.

His throat is tight, and the noise that escapes him is like a wounded animal. But he goes to the door to see anyway.]

cw: gore

[airlockedmods]

[The stench in here is nearly overwhelming.

A good part of the infirmary looks as if it's been sprayed with a fine red mist. Nearer the door, at the edges of the splash zone, it's starting to fade to brown. Farther in, the blood glistens in thick semi-coagulated droplets, and slick-looking chunks of what must have been organs or muscle cling to the walls and floor. A few even made it up onto the ceiling; it may be best not to walk underneath them.

At the center of the mess, over where you all played Dungeons and Dragons last night, a still form is lying on one of the beds. Its shape is strange and lopsided now, and not only because of the gaping hole where there was once an abdomen; the left arm and leg are gone too. The face is turned to the side, as if to avoid seeing what happened, but blood and viscera are still spattered across the lenses of his glasses. Bits of gore are stuck in his hair.

Max Olguin is dead.]

cw: emeto mention

[dejabrew]

[A scream builds up in Bolton’s throat, but more than anything he feels a giddy, overwhelming sense of numbness. His knees give out and he slumps against the wall, not sure if he’s going to scream or throw up.

He scrubs his hands down his face, breath coming in harsh pants, until the sound that comes out of him isn’t either of the things he expects.

Just hysterical, joyless laughter.]

[le_mat]

[He had heard Bolton hollering for Max earlier- hard not to when he was right next door and it was cracked so Karamatsu could come and go as needed while they were getting ready for the day. If he hadn't been getting dressed he would have been here sooner.

He stares at the scene for a long moment. Max. Max...

But Bolton is losing it, and Akira moves- because as long as there's someone else he can still move. Even if that person laying there on that bed (the same bed he had been in 12 hours before?! Him or Kaiba, he can't think clear enough to know for sure) is someone he was so close to.

He doesn't kneel, just kinda... tries to tug the older man away frantically. Panic giving his limbs more strength then they've had in days]

[dejabrew]

[Bolton barely registers the hands pulling at him. His face feels hot and tingly, the tip of his nose is numb and hands don’t obey him.

His breath sticks in his throat like napalm, and no matter how hard he gasps, in between sounds that are more like muffled screams now than laughter, his vision is starting to go black.

He can’t take his eyes off Max’s face.]

[le_mat]

[Bolton isn't a small man, Akira is still hurt. But he plants his feet anyways and yanks, intending to pull his dead weight on pure force of will alone if he has to.]

Bolton, please!

[playthedamncard]

[Kaiba might not be staying in the infirmary any longer, but it still has useful supplies for an injury like his and Akira's. But the smell...and the laughter...make his whole body feel cold. (Well. Colder.)

He sprints.

He nearly trips over Bolton and Akira both, and his foot lands in the dried blood close to the door trying to avoid them--he'd reel back if he could, but the scene is...

It's...

He opens his mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. Seconds pass, but they feel like hours. He backs up one step, two. Doesn't turn away, but he gropes blindly until he feels fabric and holds on tight, pulling. Get out. Get them out, and keep anyone else out.]

[dejabrew]

[His own name hits him like cold water, and he grabs onto Akira’s wrist, his voice hoarse and shaking.]

Max- it’s, it’s Max! We j- I- [He breaks off into a high, desperate sound.]

He was supposed to be safe with us!! I h- Oh, God— JAMIE!

[He stumbles and almost eats shit if not for the two teen boys pulling on him, and isn’t that fucking ironic, he and Max had carried the boys up here on Monday and now they were pulling him and Max was-]
I have to- we- Jamie can’t see this.

[le_mat]

Go to him- he probably heard you yellin' and is on his way here. We... shit... We can handle it here.

[playthedamncard]

We've got it. [Do they? Do they?] Go. Nobody else should have to see.

[dejabrew]

[He’s still panicking, but breaking line of sight has done wonders.]

No, you’re both- you’re just kids, he wouldn’t want you to- to deal with this.

[le_mat]

Someone's gotta. You want Jamie to? Thomas?

It's... it's fine.

[dejabrew]

I’ll- I can do it, I just- need a minute.

[le_mat]

...

[He won't stop him, but he's not leaving either.]