Family Matters

Ulrich made his way through the hallways, seeing Amber in front of him. She noticed him, and walked over to him.

"So, we're alone now." She started.

"Seems so, why?" Ulrich asked.

"Look, I just wanted to get rid of Lloyd. The smilers are dropping like flies, so we should probably discuss who to vote for."

"You want to vote Lloyd out?"

"I'm considering it. Whenever Aurora's around him, her behavior gets really sketchy."

"I see." Ulrich nodded. "While we're on the topic of him, what's his power?"

"If I'm remembering it right, he's able to paralyze you with a single touch."

"Okay." Ulrich muttered. "Because I'm trying to vote out whoever tried to kill me."

Amber perked up at this. "Someone tried to kill you?! God damn…when did this happen, exactly?"

"First challenge, after the lights went out. Someone put their hands on mine, and then used…something to strangle me."

"Could it have been two people?"

"Whatever was around my mouth didn't feel like skin, so I don't think so."

"Was it an astral type, maybe? That sword guy seemed ready to kill someone, so it could have been him."

"Wasn't he restrained by the big guy, though?"

"Shit, yeah."

"Talkin about the voting, are we?"

Ulrich and Amber looked up at where the voice came from, and it was Silvia on top of a stack of containers.

"Hey shadow lady, mind letting me down?"

Amber let her down as instructed with her tendrils, and she began talking.

"Now, can't help but hear that you're considering voting off Lloyd. And I hate that guy, so I'm in!"

"You are?" Amber asked.

"Sure thing, lass." Silvia replied. "Little shit's hiding something, so if the three of us vote for him, I'll get Seeta and Kapil in on it, and five votes should be enough to do it."

"Okay, but why are you so willing to help us?" Amber asked.

"Listen lady, I help you with that, and you help me figure out who killed Timothy."

"Oh yeah, you were friends." Amber sighed.

"More than that, way more." Silvia replied. "Actually, you seem to know about Lloyd's posse, so you mind telling me about what they can do?"

"Well, Lloyd can paralyze people, Gemma can make smoke bombs, and Aurora can…actually, I don't know what Aurora can do."

"Aren't you dating?" Ulrich asked.

Silvia's eyes narrowed at that. "Are you sure ya don't now what she does, now?"

"No idea!" Amber replied quickly. "She told me it was really embarrassing, and she never mentioned it again."

"What, like pulling a weapon out her ass? I knew a guy who did that." Silvia asked.

"Possibly." Amber replied.

"So…could she have tried to kill me?" Ulrich muttered.

"I mean…she probably wouldn't even try, so don't even think about it." Amber replied, chuckling.

"Whatever you say, lass." Silvia mumbled while rolling her eyes.

"So, we're voting Lloyd off first?" Amber asked.

"Sure." Ulrich replied wearily.

"Yep." Silvia smiled.

"So…wanna move on?" Amber asked, looking at Ulrich, who gave an unenthusiastic thumbs up.

"Mind if I come with?" Silvia asked.

"Sure." Ulrich shrugged, and Amber gave an unenthusiastic thumbs up.

"Thank you muchly. And it'll only until I find Seeta or Kapil, anyway."

A single stab through the head.

Seemed to be all you needed to kill one of these things. The smiler lurched forward a few more steps, before finally realizing it should be dead, and promptly doing what dead things to best, lie in the ground.

"Nice one, sir." Kapil heard from behind him, alongside the sound of clapping echoing through the hallway. He turned around, weapon out, and it was Lloyd.

"One shot was all it took, it seems. Very nice work. You adapt well, sir."

"Adapt?" Kapil asked.

"You know, with putting your weight into weapon strikes, considering the whole…thing…that happened." He mumbled, pointing at Kapil's distinct lack of an arm.

"Anything you want?"

"Hey, my powers suck for this, so I just need someone to protect me. Hell, I'll throw a few coins for the trouble."

Kapil narrowed his eyes at Lloyd. "Seeta told me about yesterday, you know."

"Bad move, I'll admit. But hey, I've been top three in all the polls so far, so if you ever need to buy something nice, you two can just let me know."

Kapil looked at him. Slouched, hands in his pockets, and a relaxed face. If he was hiding something, he was good at it.

"Fine. But the second I see something, you're dead."

"Sure thing, friendo!" Lloyd replied, making his way through the hallways, bouncing along next to him.

"So, seems like there are…five smilers left." Lloyd said, glancing at the screen overlooking them. "Looks like we're voting somebody off this time! Any ideas?"

"Nobody in particular." Kapil responded calmly. "I'm guessing you have an idea?"

"Actually, yeah. Someone I need to get rid of. You know Gemma?"

"Which one is she?"

"Black girl. Pink sweater. Hangs with me all the time."

"And why do you need to kill her?"

"Well, she's in here because she killed a man, who just so happened to be a business partner of mine."

"And why would she do that?" Kapil asked, looking into Lloyd's blue eyes. "Any reason, exactly?"

"Hell if I know, man. Heard rumours from the police she had a cocktail's worth of drugs in her, so it was probably just that."

"Well, if it was things beyond her control, then why do you care?"

"Doesn't change the fact he's dead, man. Trust me, she needs to go."

"You know what, I'll vote for her." Kapil nodded, keeping his eyes fixated on the hallways.

"You will?" The change of mind occurred quick. Too quick. "What made you consider?"

"Can't think of anyone else to vote for." Kapil shrugged.

Lloyd knew his tone. The tone of a liar. Some guy makes a half-assed promise and then never fulfils it. He wasn't gonna vote for Gemma. And he knew what he did to Seeta. And if three people knew who to vote off, it probably wouldn't be that hard to rally a few other people.

"So, Kapil. Where's your sister?" Lloyd asked, casually looking in all directions. When he turned to face him, he was greeted by the tip of a lance in front of his face.

"Why do you want to know?" Kapil asked, a look of pure murderous intent strung across his face.

"Hey, hey! I'm just asking why you aren't with her, dumbass. Relax." Lloyd replied, throwing his hands in the air.

"Well, I'm looking for her right now. Why, did you see her?"

"Nah. I'll check-up top, give me a second."

Lloyd made his way up one of the stairways of containers and looked out into the distance. He saw a few people making their way around the place. Eric and Yun-Yeong were relaxing by a container. There were a few other specks in the distance, but nothing he could make out. Couldn't hear much from anyone either, only hearing the dragging of feet a while away.

Perfect.

Lloyd made his way down another batch of containers, until he saw the smiler. Pretty tall one, about as tall as the weird cult guy. He politely tapped it on the shoulder. It violently turned around, which Lloyd was just about able to dodge. He walked backwards slightly until he was back in front of the containers. He quickly made his way across the container to Kapil. Luckily, he stayed where he said he would.

"Hey, I found Seeta in the distance."

"You did?" He asked, narrowing his eyes. "Where?"

"Three rows down. Actually, it was two. Or was it three? Give me a sec, I'll go back."

"You can't remember?"

"Well, something was attacking her. So, sorry about not getting the details exactly…"

Kapil's eyes widened, and without a second's notice he scrambled up the stairway,having to be boosted by Lloyd for support, looking over the rows of metal before him. He couldn't see Seeta anywhere.

"So...that actually worked."

Kapil turned around, hearing a whisper from Lloyd.

"You really love your family, huh?" He heard Lloyd's voice ring out, and the other noise he heard left his mind. "Hey man, I get it. Family's important. We're pretty much the opposite upbringing wise, and yet we have the same values. Weird how that works. And it...really sucks that you have to die."

Before Kapil could react, Lloyd's hand was across the back of his neck, and his body seized up. He tried summoning his weapon. He couldn't.

"Hey man, think of it like this. The challenge is gonna end in a few seconds, and Seeta is definitely gonna survive."

Lloyd's grip loosened as he pushed Kapil off the ledge, with him falling on his stomach. Kapil tried his best to move as he felt the weight of the smiler on top of him, and then heard the beeping.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Lloyd heard the explosion from the other side of the containers, and saw the door of the container in front of him open, with Aurora stepping out.

"Challenge over?" She mumbled to herself, before seeing Lloyd, and the happiness on his face.

"Wow, is Gemma gone?" She scoffed.

"Nah, Kapil. But hey, if anyone asks, you didn't see me around here."

"My lips are sealed, man." She chuckled.