[unfortunately even though coene doesn't even have telephones, it's true that the institute has insanely advanced technology. this includes email, which is such an evil invention. luke can look for some correspondence, but there's simply a schedule-sent statement from the chief of staff. it reads:
All researchers are to leave the Institute or remain within their labs beginning 30 minutes after sundown. Restrictions will be lifted come morning. Refusal to adhere to orders will result in termination at best, beheading at worst.
haha whoa how'd you miss this one
meanwhile, piers will look thoughtful.
"Aside from the fact that the Royal Guard called upon us at all... No, they didn't share anything. Thank you, Sheba. I'll be sure to get you the slice you seek. See you in the morning, be safe."
as sheba approaches cerneveaul, she'll notice it's... quiet. so very, very quiet. the lights of the institute are eerie in the evening, shifting to a vivid, neon red rather than the gentle blue cast that it normally emits. there's a few researchers milling about - distinctly heading away from the institute. well then.
though as promised, once she approaches the actual gates - that also means there's no one to check her for identification.]
—You really could have gotten us killed! [LUKE. He won't whack him, though. Now he's just intent on packing up because frankly he has no desire to stay here and see what the hell would warrant a message like this. NOT TODAY, NOPE, NUH-UH.]
Hurry up and get your things together! We can ask about it later.
[will she see piers in the morning? probably not because this is a cyoa!
the neon red lights are pretty ominous, but she's given piers her word that she'll handle this task for him, so she's not about to let the fact that they're freaky-looking scare her off. it's also weird that the researchers all seem to be leaving, and as she approaches the gates and they walk away from them, she'll listen carefully to see if she can catch any snatches of conversation.
but she doesn't linger by the gates for too long. she needs to get to the meeting point - where the castle and the institute align with each other - and so she carefully slips past the gates and makes her way there, figuring that if she just walks confidently and acts like she belongs here, no one will think to question it if she does happen to cross paths with them.
it's fine, right? piers wouldn't have asked her to do this if he thought she would be in some sort of trouble...]
[(speedruns the passage of time) fifteen minutes, boys. can you even exit the institute in that time? you could always just stay in the lab? what are you willing to risk?
the snippets that sheba hears are both telling and not at all.
"I was just in the middle of an experiment—" / "Then why didn't you stay in the lab?" / "Until morning? What do I look like?" / "Well get used to it, this happens sometimes."
what happens?
sheba will run into a member of the royal guard—all clad in their shining armor, far more well-funded than the corps and their fucking super french clown outfits. sorry. look at these. anyway, the royal guard will look her up and down judgmentally.
Luke definitely spends that much time hunting for answers, not so willing to leave these vague and highly concerning orders unexamined--but presumably he finds nothing else, so eventually he'll glance at the time and give up with a sigh. DID DAHUT ABANDON HIM or is he still here...]
Alright, let's get going. [It'll probably be fine, right? It's not like he's been feeling the warning signs of a coughing fit creeping up on him. Surely they can make it in time.]
[Dahut did not abandon his ass unfortunately for both of us, though he does look like he's ready to pop Luke's head off of his body by the time he finishes up and was probably yelling at him and hitting him with his clipboard for a good chunk of the time he was looking for things.
As Luke finally decides it's time to leave, Dahut immediately grabs his hand and pulls him into the hall.]
You'd better keep up or I'll throw you to the guillotine first!
[TIME TO RUN HE'S BOOKIN IT LET'S GO TUBERCULOSIS JOE.]
[yeah! seriously! what happens!! but she can't stop them and ask, because that would just draw attention to the fact that she's going toward the area they're moving away from.
also why are they dressed like that. nooooo.
anyway, sheba meets his gaze coolly (although, inwardly, she is steaming - but she does not want to cause trouble for the people she thinks of as family within the corps by throwing a tantrum at the first rude remark she gets, so she will refrain from throwing a childish fit for now) and crosses her arms.]
I may be short, but I'm capable. You had a request for the Corps - let's focus on that, shall we? There's work to be done.
instead of the bright blue screens and trails of cool-colored neon that run through every inch of the institute on a normal day, once dahut and luke exit they will catch that neon red glow in its place. like fluorescent blood running through the circuitry of the country's brain. it's silent. there isn't a single soul in the halls.
roll for coughs, you little shits.
but the royal guard member just huffs at her attitude. he doesn't seem convinced, but why would you want to convince this jackass of anything anyway! he'll just cock his head and give one simple order: "Follow me."
which will bring them further into the castle—but not toward the gilded, ivory, glistening halls. no, they make a turn and the beautiful scenery gives way to the smell of blood and misery. they're going to the prison cells.]
[I rolled a 17 but I give you full permission to strike him down anyway
Luke will lead the way, though--more alert now than he was before, his natural protectiveness kicking in. He frowns as he looks around, still searching for clues--anything to indicate what the fuck is going on.]
[AND I ROLLED A 20 OKAY you can also just ignore this sweeps it away
Dahut, on the other hand, is not looking around and trying to figure out what the hell is going on. He's saving that for another occasion, when they can think without the looming concern of being guillotined hanging over his head. FOR NOW he's just focused on booking it, hardly paying attention to the ominous red neon surrounding them.]
You'll like it even less if we don't get to the exit—!
[Actually, he recalls a short-cut that he'd taken once when he was running late to some meeting or another, so he'll abruptly start tugging Luke that way. Hopefully they fall through a trap door straight into hell.]
[once the jackass has turned to lead the way, sheba rolls her eyes and sticks her tongue out at him. this is her compromise for not picking a fight with him.
but her expression turns more serious as she follows along and they make their way toward the prison. blood and misery? not great, but she steels herself against the stench and keeps her eyes peeled, taking in their surroundings as they head further in. any clues about what they might be in for along the way?]
[help just running straight for the coughs. fine then! i can't ignore dahut's entire fucking twenty, but i can mess around with luke's lil throat tickle that pixi has already been leading up to. his chest seizes suddenly, a pain that sets every inch of his body on fire. the convulsion is unfathomably painful, making it difficult for him to even take in the next breath.
dahut's shortcut will bring them into a different direction—but there's still no one there. not a single soul. five minutes.
as for sheba, the rattling of chains and a discordant group of voices await her up ahead. there's the gruff scolding of guards as they argue amongst one another. "why do we have to be here," one says but another just mumbles, "can it. i almost feel bad for these guys."
in front of her, she'll see a row of prisoners, linked together by cuffs at their hands. a young girl that she doesn't know, not in this life, is among their number. but perhaps something in the recesses of her mind recognize her—but not like this. not with a face covered in grime and scars littering her skin. in the line up, another man also waits, similarly in a horrific state. they're just two people out of a line-up of about seven prisoners.
the rude royal guard who brought her in turns to sheba: "We've got a different call to answer. Some stupid patrol we have to do. You're to bring these death row convicts to the Institute." ]
Or get wreckt Luke, actually. Dahut takes them down a shortcut, but it's not fast enough to beat the encroaching attack--and Luke doesn't have the breath to warn Dahut, it hits him too suddenly.]
--Ngh!
[The pain sends him to his knees, and he clutches at his chest. It doesn't matter how many times pain has wracked his body like this--it's agony every time. His vision very nearly whites out, and his ears ring; there's no way he'll make it before time is up, but he can barely think about that when every nerve is alight.
...But Luke is the sort of person who doesn't prioritize himself. So weakly, blindly, he tries to reach out--to shove Dahut forward, urging him to make it out himself.]
[UNFORTUNATELY DAHUT IS ALSO NOT THE TYPE OF PERSON WHO WOULD JUST LEAVE A DYING LUKE BEHIND. He stumbles when he's pushed, but it doesn't stop him from doubling back to grab Luke's arm, casting a frantic glance down the hall.]
Come on, just—
[Try to stand? Try to run? He's seen how badly these attacks affect people too many times to think anything but the worst here. He's smaller than Luke and not very strong at all, but acting on instinct, he still tries to wiggle under his arm so he can try to lift him up and drag him along down the hall, keeping an eye out for doors as they go. They won't make it to the exit like this, but maybe there's a room they can hide in like FUGITIVES.]
[they're really so shorthanded that needing to go on a patrol means they have to allow a fifteen year old girl to transport a bunch of death row convicts, huh... wow, sheba is not impressed with the guards' organization.
she looks at the prisoners and something feels... well, unsettled within her, but before she can put her finger on exactly what that is the moment passes and that feeling is gone. instead, she just finds herself frowning a little at the state of them.
they might be death row prisoners, but that doesn't mean they should be mistreated before their deaths... what did they even do?]
...where in the Institute am I meant to bring them?
[oofa doofa. rough run of it for luke and dahut here. there's a few office doors that luke and dahut can make it to. all three of them are mostly unlabeled, unclear who they belong to, but they have door signs next to them that indicate their focus. 331: RESPIRATORY, 332: CARDIOVASCULAR, and 333: NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. do any of those sound good to you, sweet dahut?
what did they do? that's a question sheba might have to ask aloud if she wants an answer. but the bulk of the guards already begin to leave, heading off to that patrol now that they've handed off the goods (literal human lives). the jerk that brought sheba here will jerk his head toward the one guard remaining: "Steve will show you."
thanks steve.
but steve will start walking, bringing along the head of the line with him. the prisoners scowl, angry, but there is a sense of... they also don't know where they're going.
[wow lucky the door was left slightly ajar by the researcher who was probably leaving in a rush so they get to just open it and push right on through!
there's brains here. oh, there's just so many brains. they float in their freaky little tanks, also illuminated in those strange, fluorescent glows. there probably should be a lock in this room if only for the fact that it's fairly disquieting just to be in here.
it's only the organ, each of them also clearly labeled. they have a set of initials, a date of death, age at death, and a series of chemicals, presumably the ones that are being used to enact the experiment.
meanwhile with steve and sheba, our little s team, they are walking out of the dungeon. they proceed onward, the very, very short walk to the institute. they don't even need to go outside again for it! the prisoners will shift, looking toward sheba and then steve at the question. they would also like to know.
but steve will just say, gruffly:
"Institute. And these are the worst of the worst. They're probably more demons than they are people, kid. This guy? Got too addicted to drink and ended up slicing into anyone on the street to steal their change, until he got addicted to that high instead. And her?" He jabs a thumb in the direction of Jenna. "Maniac. Yeah, I get that her parents got murdered a while back, but she made a whole list of possible to go after and mowed 'em down one by one. Most of those people were totally innocent. We'd be lucky to be rid of them." ]
[Luke is in no state to be useful so forces Aki to-- no just kidding. As Dahut helps drag him through the doors with his little twig arms, Luke manages to claw some breath back into his lungs. He coughs, and there's probably blood on his hand from it, which is such a biohazard? Damn and here he was giving Dahut shit earlier.
But his vision starts to clear, enough for him to help push the door closed. Maybe they'll be safe in here from the... whatever. The purge, probably.
He lifts his head, then, looking at the freaky brain tanks, eyes roving over the labels as he tries to focus and regain his bearings.
Quietly:]
...Sorry.
[He's the reason they're stuck in here, now--he should've told Dahut to go ahead without him, earlier.]
Anyway, Dahut's more focused on Luke for the time being, so he doesn't give the room itself more than a cursory glance. Brains... This is fine. He'll shift so Luke can sit properly without being in some weird half-dragged pose, reaching out to help wipe some of the blood from his stupid TB mouth.
Despite the fact that he'd spend so much of the last 15 minutes yelling at Luke to gET MOVING, he immediately feels a little guilty to hear the apology and shakes his head.]
Don't apologize. I get it.
[No one controls when the TB goblin comes and hits them with a bat. At least they're safely(???) tucked away in this room now! Dahut will move to see if the door has a lock because he doesn't want to get purged.]
[sneaks in a phonetag because the person who called this meeting hasn't fckin shown up yet. anyway, she frowns a little at being called a kid, but doesn't complain about it to steve because at least he's answering her.]
What...?
[she looks to the two he's pointed out. how are they reacting to these crimes of theirs being described? they didn't really look like violent maniacs to her...]
[dahut will be able to find a lock on the door! so they can be left to privacy with all their brains and odd little specimens. however he might want to pause, because he'll be able to hear some footsteps and the clank of chains from outside....?
the clank of chains punctuate every step forward as they walk into the halls of the institute, wandering into what some might call a neat little shortcut. the two criminals who had their crimes read look disgruntled, displeased—but not in denial. these are the actions they've taken. this is what it means to live in this hellhole of an island.
jenna makes direct eye contact with sheba. and then she turns to steve as if waiting for an answer.
to which steve simply says, "A demon made a deal for them."
though he'll also pause by a set of doors (331, 332...) eyes narrowing. "There was supposed to be a scientist to meet us... which specialty was it..."]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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All researchers are to leave the Institute or remain within their labs beginning 30 minutes after sundown. Restrictions will be lifted come morning. Refusal to adhere to orders will result in termination at best, beheading at worst.
haha whoa how'd you miss this one
meanwhile, piers will look thoughtful.
"Aside from the fact that the Royal Guard called upon us at all... No, they didn't share anything. Thank you, Sheba. I'll be sure to get you the slice you seek. See you in the morning, be safe."
as sheba approaches cerneveaul, she'll notice it's... quiet. so very, very quiet. the lights of the institute are eerie in the evening, shifting to a vivid, neon red rather than the gentle blue cast that it normally emits. there's a few researchers milling about - distinctly heading away from the institute. well then.
though as promised, once she approaches the actual gates - that also means there's no one to check her for identification.]
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[UNFAIR ADVANTAGE.
But, ah--hmm. hMM. HMM!!!! Enough stupid banter--]
What the hell is this? I didn't hear anything about a lockdown.
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BUT YEAH GOOD QUESTION, WHAT THE HELL IS THIS.]
—You really could have gotten us killed! [LUKE. He won't whack him, though. Now he's just intent on packing up because frankly he has no desire to stay here and see what the hell would warrant a message like this. NOT TODAY, NOPE, NUH-UH.]
Hurry up and get your things together! We can ask about it later.
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the neon red lights are pretty ominous, but she's given piers her word that she'll handle this task for him, so she's not about to let the fact that they're freaky-looking scare her off. it's also weird that the researchers all seem to be leaving, and as she approaches the gates and they walk away from them, she'll listen carefully to see if she can catch any snatches of conversation.
but she doesn't linger by the gates for too long. she needs to get to the meeting point - where the castle and the institute align with each other - and so she carefully slips past the gates and makes her way there, figuring that if she just walks confidently and acts like she belongs here, no one will think to question it if she does happen to cross paths with them.
it's fine, right? piers wouldn't have asked her to do this if he thought she would be in some sort of trouble...]
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the snippets that sheba hears are both telling and not at all.
"I was just in the middle of an experiment—" / "Then why didn't you stay in the lab?" / "Until morning? What do I look like?" / "Well get used to it, this happens sometimes."
what happens?
sheba will run into a member of the royal guard—all clad in their shining armor, far more well-funded than the corps and their fucking super french clown outfits. sorry. look at these. anyway, the royal guard will look her up and down judgmentally.
"So the Corps hires kids these days? Yikes."
damn and he asked you for help]
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Luke definitely spends that much time hunting for answers, not so willing to leave these vague and highly concerning orders unexamined--but presumably he finds nothing else, so eventually he'll glance at the time and give up with a sigh. DID DAHUT ABANDON HIM or is he still here...]
Alright, let's get going. [It'll probably be fine, right? It's not like he's been feeling the warning signs of a coughing fit creeping up on him. Surely they can make it in time.]
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As Luke finally decides it's time to leave, Dahut immediately grabs his hand and pulls him into the hall.]
You'd better keep up or I'll throw you to the guillotine first!
[TIME TO RUN HE'S BOOKIN IT LET'S GO TUBERCULOSIS JOE.]
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also why are they dressed like that. nooooo.
anyway, sheba meets his gaze coolly (although, inwardly, she is steaming - but she does not want to cause trouble for the people she thinks of as family within the corps by throwing a tantrum at the first rude remark she gets, so she will refrain from throwing a childish fit for now) and crosses her arms.]
I may be short, but I'm capable. You had a request for the Corps - let's focus on that, shall we? There's work to be done.
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instead of the bright blue screens and trails of cool-colored neon that run through every inch of the institute on a normal day, once dahut and luke exit they will catch that neon red glow in its place. like fluorescent blood running through the circuitry of the country's brain. it's silent. there isn't a single soul in the halls.
roll for coughs, you little shits.
but the royal guard member just huffs at her attitude. he doesn't seem convinced, but why would you want to convince this jackass of anything anyway! he'll just cock his head and give one simple order: "Follow me."
which will bring them further into the castle—but not toward the gilded, ivory, glistening halls. no, they make a turn and the beautiful scenery gives way to the smell of blood and misery. they're going to the prison cells.]
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Luke will lead the way, though--more alert now than he was before, his natural protectiveness kicking in. He frowns as he looks around, still searching for clues--anything to indicate what the fuck is going on.]
I don't like this.
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Dahut, on the other hand, is not looking around and trying to figure out what the hell is going on. He's saving that for another occasion, when they can think without the looming concern of being guillotined hanging over his head. FOR NOW he's just focused on booking it, hardly paying attention to the ominous red neon surrounding them.]
You'll like it even less if we don't get to the exit—!
[Actually, he recalls a short-cut that he'd taken once when he was running late to some meeting or another, so he'll abruptly start tugging Luke that way. Hopefully they fall through a trap door straight into hell.]
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but her expression turns more serious as she follows along and they make their way toward the prison. blood and misery? not great, but she steels herself against the stench and keeps her eyes peeled, taking in their surroundings as they head further in. any clues about what they might be in for along the way?]
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dahut's shortcut will bring them into a different direction—but there's still no one there. not a single soul. five minutes.
as for sheba, the rattling of chains and a discordant group of voices await her up ahead. there's the gruff scolding of guards as they argue amongst one another. "why do we have to be here," one says but another just mumbles, "can it. i almost feel bad for these guys."
in front of her, she'll see a row of prisoners, linked together by cuffs at their hands. a young girl that she doesn't know, not in this life, is among their number. but perhaps something in the recesses of her mind recognize her—but not like this. not with a face covered in grime and scars littering her skin. in the line up, another man also waits, similarly in a horrific state. they're just two people out of a line-up of about seven prisoners.
the rude royal guard who brought her in turns to sheba: "We've got a different call to answer. Some stupid patrol we have to do. You're to bring these death row convicts to the Institute." ]
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Or get wreckt Luke, actually. Dahut takes them down a shortcut, but it's not fast enough to beat the encroaching attack--and Luke doesn't have the breath to warn Dahut, it hits him too suddenly.]
--Ngh!
[The pain sends him to his knees, and he clutches at his chest. It doesn't matter how many times pain has wracked his body like this--it's agony every time. His vision very nearly whites out, and his ears ring; there's no way he'll make it before time is up, but he can barely think about that when every nerve is alight.
...But Luke is the sort of person who doesn't prioritize himself. So weakly, blindly, he tries to reach out--to shove Dahut forward, urging him to make it out himself.]
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Come on, just—
[Try to stand? Try to run? He's seen how badly these attacks affect people too many times to think anything but the worst here. He's smaller than Luke and not very strong at all, but acting on instinct, he still tries to wiggle under his arm so he can try to lift him up and drag him along down the hall, keeping an eye out for doors as they go. They won't make it to the exit like this, but maybe there's a room they can hide in like FUGITIVES.]
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she looks at the prisoners and something feels... well, unsettled within her, but before she can put her finger on exactly what that is the moment passes and that feeling is gone. instead, she just finds herself frowning a little at the state of them.
they might be death row prisoners, but that doesn't mean they should be mistreated before their deaths... what did they even do?]
...where in the Institute am I meant to bring them?
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what did they do? that's a question sheba might have to ask aloud if she wants an answer. but the bulk of the guards already begin to leave, heading off to that patrol now that they've handed off the goods (literal human lives). the jerk that brought sheba here will jerk his head toward the one guard remaining: "Steve will show you."
thanks steve.
but steve will start walking, bringing along the head of the line with him. the prisoners scowl, angry, but there is a sense of... they also don't know where they're going.
huh.]
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but since is being quiet and not explaining - ]
Steve. Where are we going, and... why are we brining these people there?
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there's brains here. oh, there's just so many brains. they float in their freaky little tanks, also illuminated in those strange, fluorescent glows. there probably should be a lock in this room if only for the fact that it's fairly disquieting just to be in here.
it's only the organ, each of them also clearly labeled. they have a set of initials, a date of death, age at death, and a series of chemicals, presumably the ones that are being used to enact the experiment.
meanwhile with steve and sheba, our little s team, they are walking out of the dungeon. they proceed onward, the very, very short walk to the institute. they don't even need to go outside again for it! the prisoners will shift, looking toward sheba and then steve at the question. they would also like to know.
but steve will just say, gruffly:
"Institute. And these are the worst of the worst. They're probably more demons than they are people, kid. This guy? Got too addicted to drink and ended up slicing into anyone on the street to steal their change, until he got addicted to that high instead. And her?" He jabs a thumb in the direction of Jenna. "Maniac. Yeah, I get that her parents got murdered a while back, but she made a whole list of possible to go after and mowed 'em down one by one. Most of those people were totally innocent. We'd be lucky to be rid of them." ]
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But his vision starts to clear, enough for him to help push the door closed. Maybe they'll be safe in here from the... whatever. The purge, probably.
He lifts his head, then, looking at the freaky brain tanks, eyes roving over the labels as he tries to focus and regain his bearings.
Quietly:]
...Sorry.
[He's the reason they're stuck in here, now--he should've told Dahut to go ahead without him, earlier.]
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Anyway, Dahut's more focused on Luke for the time being, so he doesn't give the room itself more than a cursory glance. Brains... This is fine. He'll shift so Luke can sit properly without being in some weird half-dragged pose, reaching out to help wipe some of the blood from his stupid TB mouth.
Despite the fact that he'd spend so much of the last 15 minutes yelling at Luke to gET MOVING, he immediately feels a little guilty to hear the apology and shakes his head.]
Don't apologize. I get it.
[No one controls when the TB goblin comes and hits them with a bat. At least they're safely(???) tucked away in this room now! Dahut will move to see if the door has a lock because he doesn't want to get purged.]
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What...?
[she looks to the two he's pointed out. how are they reacting to these crimes of theirs being described? they didn't really look like violent maniacs to her...]
But what does the Institute want with them?
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the clank of chains punctuate every step forward as they walk into the halls of the institute, wandering into what some might call a neat little shortcut. the two criminals who had their crimes read look disgruntled, displeased—but not in denial. these are the actions they've taken. this is what it means to live in this hellhole of an island.
jenna makes direct eye contact with sheba. and then she turns to steve as if waiting for an answer.
to which steve simply says, "A demon made a deal for them."
though he'll also pause by a set of doors (331, 332...) eyes narrowing. "There was supposed to be a scientist to meet us... which specialty was it..."]
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