Isaac wiped the tears from his cheek and looked at me.
"What about you, Llyne? Going to tell your part?"
I froze.
My mouth opened, but no sound came out. My throat locked, dry and tight. My lips trembled, my vision blurred, and my limbs refused to move. Then—
Thump-thump. Thump. Thump.
My heart began to race.
Too fast. Too hard. Too loud.
Memories exploded in my mind, unstoppable.
Ma, lying in bed.
Unmoving.
The light already gone from her eyes.
"Hic… Hic…"
A soft sound slipped out, then another. My shoulders shook, and tears spilled freely. I was crumbling from the inside.
"Lil?" Rona's voice was startled. Her shoulder was soaked with my tears and snot. She pulled back, confused, worried.
"Lil!"
"What's wrong?" Isaac's voice cut in sharply. He rushed forward and sat in front of me, eyes scanning my face. "Hey… It's going to be okay. Everything is fine now and— I'm sorry for asking."
He pulled me into a hug and gently patted my head.
"Mmm… Ma…"
The touch reminded me of hers.
Ma used to do that.
When I cried, when I fell, when I failed.
Her hands would ruffle my hair, warm and proud.
More memories surfaced, unstoppable now.
My first day at school. My birthdays with Ma. The time I pranked her and got grounded. Laughing competitions, shared dreams. Her voice.
Gone.
"I miss Ma… Huhuhuhu…"
I clung to Rona now, bawling like a child.
Rona embraced me tightly. "Don't worry, Rona is here."
And I broke. Completely.
I cried for hours in their arms. In front of all the other kids. My sobs echoed through the dungeon, unstoppable, like a dam burst open too late.
When the storm passed, my eyes were swollen, puffy, and sore. Everything stung.
"Oui… That was super embarrassing." I scratched my head and avoided eye contact.
"It sure was, pufferfish. Heh." Isaac snorted.
"Rona thought Lil became a baby." Rona giggled.
"I cried in front of so many people… and I'm already a teenager."
"Congrats."
"I know. It's embarrassing, but… I made an achievement."
"Did crying make you lose even more screws?"
"As long as Lil is alright, Rona is happy."
"Aww~ Rona." I hugged her tight. She hugged back with no hesitation.
Then I looked at both of them. My voice steadied.
"Anyways… it's my time to tell my part, right?"
Isaac looked uncertain. "You sure? You don't need to push yourself."
"Yeah. I'm sure." I nodded with a small smile. "This is like taking a step forward, right? And besides… it's you guys. I know I'll be fine."
"Rona thinks so too."
Isaac gave a small nod. "Take your time."
I breathed in.
Once. Twice.
Thump. Thump. Thump… thump… thump…
My heartbeat calmed.
So did my breathing.
I'm ready.
I met their gaze, then told them everything.
From the moment my Ma died, to the figures that killed her, to the moment I was taken. I told them about Lyndall, too. I almost left him out, but… no more secrets. Even if they didn't believe me, they deserved to know.
When I finished, silence blanketed the room like ash.
Even Rona, usually full of life, had gone still. Her big eyes blinked at me, stunned.
I turned to Isaac.
He looked like a statue. Mouth slightly open. Not breathing.
I sighed and slapped both cheeks lightly.
They jolted.
I pouted. "I'm already done, but you guys don't say anything. One frozen like a statue, the other…" I glanced at Rona. "…I don't even know what to say. Why aren't you guys saying a word, huh?"
"I-I was just… erm… processing things in my brain," Isaac stammered.
"At least show some signs you're thinking. How would people know?"
"Rona was shocked," Rona replied immediately.
Then Isaac straightened up, eyes sharp. His voice was fast, serious.
"So based on the stories—leaving Llyne and Rona's for later—there were black suit guys with legit government secret service IDs kidnapping kids in broad daylight without anyone suspecting. They didn't kill anyone. And considering how fast they worked, they've probably done this for a while. They might even have access to the government database. They tracked Susie over there, who migrated every season. Did I leave out anything?"
Rona raised her hand. "They drive a black long car with weird perfume."
"Thanks, Rona." Isaac patted her head. "Now, let's talk about Rona's story. There are a lot of things missing. Let's fill in the blanks."
I nodded. "Her parents locked her in the house. Barely came home. When they did, they brought strangers."
Isaac continued, voice colder now. "They only let her out that one day. That's not normal. They loved drinking, but didn't seem violent. Still, those strangers they brought—could they be connected to all this?"
"Let's focus on one thing." I looked at Rona. "She never left the house for…"
"Rona is 15 years old."
"Thanks, Rona. Fifteen years. Then suddenly they ask her to buy alcohol and groceries? It doesn't add up."
"How long does it take to buy those?"
"Rona took an hour."
"It doesn't take an hour to paint…"
"Rona thinks it takes more."
"With that kind of work?"
"…Probably seconds."
I leaned close to Isaac. "They interrogated or tortured them?"
"Rona thinks they're the same!"
"RONA!" we both shouted.
Isaac massaged his temples. "There's also the chance they arrived after Rona left."
"Oh!" Rona clapped. "Rona saw a long black car park beside the house right after I left!"
Isaac glared. "You didn't mention that point."
"Rona just remembered." She hid behind me. "Oh, and they were shocked when they saw me. They whispered something about my parents having a daughter."
"…They didn't know?"
I exhaled. "She was hidden for 15 years. It's possible she's not even in the system."
"Right," Isaac muttered. "No birth record. No sightings. No school. No doctors. She might not even exist officially."
Isaac flopped onto the ground. "I'm getting a headache."
"Rona's parents are definitely a mystery."
"One thing's clear," I said. "They're connected. And those strangers they brought? They might be part of it."
"Rona doesn't understand a single word. Are you guys talking in English?"
Isaac deadpanned. "Yes, Rona."
Isaac turned towards me. "Why do you think so?"
"Don't know."
"Why am I listening to you?"
"'Cause there's no one else, loner."
"…"
He laid back down with a groan. "Let's leave Rona's story for now. Your story next."
I nodded. "My story had a group of weird-looking brutes, a round doctor, a pretty swordsman with grey hair, a voluptuous sadist, and a hot gunman."
"Carry on, weirdo."
"They killed my Ma. Tried to kill me. But changed their mind last second. They operated silently. At night. Left no trace."
"Hush hush," Rona echoed.
Isaac tilted his head. "They're probably your parents' enemies, then."
"Maybe. Ma said they had enemies."
"Did she know who those people were?"
"I don't know. She said she'd tell me someday… and died hours later."
"…Sorry."
"It's fine…" I looked at both of them. "You think they're working for the same person? The ones who kidnapped us?"
"Scorpion?" Isaac guessed. "One team scouts, the other attacks?"
"Wouldn't it be weird?" I frowned. "How can the Scorpion have access to the government's database?"
"Easy." Isaac's eyes lit up. "Just plant a virus. Disguise it as harmless data, slip it through the firewall. Once it's inside, it pulls data in real time."
I stared. "Why do I feel like you've done this before?"
"…'Cause I did?"
"…And you think you won't get caught."
"Yup," he answered with way too much confidence.
I rolled my eyes. "Anyways, I still don't think they're working together."
"Why?"
"Woman's intuition."
"You should really stop using that as an excuse."
I stuck my tongue out. "Whatever. It's all speculation anyway. One big headache."
"Right. We should rest. The third game's probably worse than the second."
"Not probably. Definitely." I flopped to the ground. "But we do seem like detectives, no?"
"Detective?" Rona's head popped up. She'd apparently fallen asleep somewhere in the chaos.
"Yup." I nodded. "I think we're pros."
"Who's grading us? You?" Isaac scoffed. "You're el stupido."
"Hey! What do you mean by that?! I should be the one calling you that!" I jumped up.
"What? Me?" Isaac sat up, matching my energy. "You wanna go, fishhead?!"
"Bring it on, mopface!"
We lunged.
He swung a pillow—where the hell did he get a pillow?—and I ducked, tackled him. He twisted, grabbed my arm, I elbowed his side.
"Stop squirming!"
"You stop punching!"
"I'm defending my pride!!"
"You have none!!"
"TAKE THAT BACK!!"
"NEV—UGH—GET OFF ME!"
We rolled, limbs flailing.
Rona clapped. "Go Lil! Go Isaac! Fight like detectives!"
"Detectives don't fight like this!!"
"Detectives should!"