Fifth Trial

[bathymetric]

[ There's a long while of examination before the Mayor speaks up. There's plenty of evidence to pick up yet again this week, after all. ]

Annnd that's going to do it. Wrap it up and head to the bathyspheres, kids, you've got some business to attend to.

[ The bathyspheres take you all down, down, into the now-familiar dome below the city. The similarly familiar red glow persists until the lights properly turn on - the projection of Fontaine's silhouette is gone, of course, replaced by that same flickering "please stand by" message. But your mayor's voice is still the one that speaks over the increasingly empty circle of podiums. ]

If you somehow need a reminder of why you're here, three of you are dead. Get away with it, killer or killers, and the execution room gets to really work overtime today. But I guess if you wanna live, you should find who murdered three people. Could be important for you guys.

[ Welcome to your fifth trial. ]

Comments

[inaclearing]

Uhhhh - here.

[Brett did remember to go and grab the coffee and snacks - apple-cinnamon baked oatmeal cups, courtesy of the restaurant - that he got ready earlier, before everything. But he just sort of shoves them at whoever's nearest him. His hands are still shaky and he doesn't want to spill.

His normal calm demeanor is cracking; he's not crying, but he looks shaken and incredibly on-edge. Still, he forces it down as well as he can.]

Jonathan - he was in the nightclub. I just saw him there last night, I walked back to the dorms with him...why'd he go back there alone -

[The singing, it seems, is also slipping through the cracks.]

Uh, there was a glass that smelled like cyanide. And another one that was clean. Oh, I didn't - I didn't write any of it down -

[He takes out his own notebook, laying it on his podium alongside Jonathan's taser and Jonathan's journal.]

These were there too. And a page ripped out of the journal. It's wet, it isn't all legible, but it says...

"Dear -

Thank you for always being there for us and providing - . I know you have been through a lot and do not deserve to be here but I hope you are able to find peace and eventually - . I will always remember you fondly.

Jonathan Harker"

[And he turns to furiously writing all of that down in his own journal. He has not taken any of the coffee or oatmeal himself.]

[honeyedtea]

What exactly is cyanide...?

[asymptotes]

It's a poison. Usually applied to drinks.

[ Makes direct eye contact with Mielle.

Takes a sip of a smoothie he brought into the trial. ]

Tastes like almonds.

[honeyedtea]

[ Mielle averts her gaze. ]

[sastruga]

[just. holds her hand.

listen yes this is very The Consequences Of Mielle's Own Actions, but like? she's gay what do you want.]

[inaclearing]

....I've gotten a bunch of little bottles of it out of the vending machine. There’s definitely some around.

[fuckingguy]

I have gotten one as well. Just says it right there on the label.

[allatonce]

Technically it tastes like bitter almonds, which some people think cure cancer and other bullshit, not just regular almonds, and not to everyone.

[It's said kind of absently, and only because this conversation is happening right next to her.]

[inaclearing]

Well, I know it was cyanide, it smelled just like the ones I have.

[asymptotes]

Hm. Wouldn't know, I've never used it.

[specialyellthing]

[Glaring at him.]

Leave her be.

[asymptotes]

I think I've earned a little grumpiness, at least. You know, after the attempt on my life?

[ He sighs. ]

I don't actually plan to do anything else to her. Don't worry.

[sastruga]

I wonder who he was addressing... I guess there's no way of knowing.

[specialyellthing]

We could guess, based on context, right?

Who is us and what could have been bein provided?

[sastruga]

The most obvious would be that it's the group as a whole. But it could also be about his suite, perhaps... Those are just guesses, though.

[inaclearing]

No, no. There’s a general group one, too.

[honeyedtea]

It sounds like... a goodbye letter, doesn't it?

[specialyellthing]

Sure does.

You think he knew what was happening?

[sastruga]

...It does.

Like he didn't think he'd get another chance to say it.

[fuckingguy]

Was there anything else in the journal to indicate who it was for, perhaps?

[inaclearing]

Well...it probably wasn't Zinda, Nandor, Forrest, or...me. There's other letters here for us.

[......]

"I will always remember you fondly." It sounds like he meant it to be read post-mortem. He - he's had letters like that prepared for weeks, we talked about it once. But that does make me wonder why he had it out then and there.

[specialyellthing]

…

I hate this. [Its the first time she’s admitted it. Said it out loud. She’s held it together for so long.

[inaclearing]

Me too.

[His voice cracks a little. He keeps his head down, eyes presumably focused on the notes spread out in front of him.]

[fuckingguy]

[ he's just gonna lay one Big, Room-Temperature Hand (tm) on her shoulder in silence... ]

[fuckingguy]

So... is it safe to say that this one was for the person who murdered him?