>>5715858By the time you’ve gone over Cammy’s testimony a third time, the whole room is speechless.
“So what that means,” Hank concludes, “Is that somewhere outside there’s something going around and attacking people…”
“And <span class="mu-i">inside</span>.” Adds Pepper with a hint of annoyance in her voice. “Don’t forget what happened to <span class="mu-i">me!</span>”
“Not to be a jerk or anything,” Retorts the guard, clearly about to be a jerk, “But you uh… you aren’t really the most popular girl around, Pepper…”
Doesn’t matter, you snarl, that’s no reason to lock her in a damn sauna!
“It <span class="mu-i">does</span> make me curious, though…” Mutters the journalist as she rubs her chin in contemplation, “Why would they lock <span class="mu-i">me</span> in a sauna, but <span class="mu-i">stab</span> you?”
“Maybe I just looked like a bigger threat?” Shrugs Cammy as her shed jacket reveals she’s been smuggling some <span class="mu-s">GUNS</span> under her sleeves! DAYUM! “Or they were in a rush or something…”
Hold on a sec, you interrupt–what exactly <span class="mu-i">were</span> you doing in the sauna anyways? The redhead bites her lip for a moment. “I was testing something…”
You frown. Testing <span class="mu-i">what</span>? Shooting the guards a sideways glance, Pepper retrieves the <span class="mu-s">LEATHER NOTEBOOK</span> from her skirt pocket and flips to a few pages in. Before you can ask what she’s doing, your answer comes in the form of a series of <span class="mu-s">STRANGE SYMBOLS TRACED IN PENCIL!</span>
“Cool tattoo designs…” Groans Cammy as she dabs her wound with some antiseptic from the medkit, “Ngh… do they actually <span class="mu-i">mean</span> anything, or-”
“I was pretty sure there were some <span class="mu-s">SECRET MESSAGES</span> hidden in the notebook,” Explains the journalist as she points at the brownish splotches around her pencil markings, “But that desk lamp wasn’t doing the trick…”
So you decided to lock yourself in the sauna instead, huh? The girl responds with a defiant pout!
“I didn’t <span class="mu-i">lock</span> myself inside! Someone crept in and stuck that chair under the door handle!”
You believe her, you reply in a placative voice, but how did they get the drop on you?
“When I saw the symbols appearing I immediately started tracing them!” Explains Pepper with renewed confidence in her tone! “I was so worried they’d fade again that I barely noticed that the door was stuck!”
“Still doesn’t explain what the hell they mean…” Repeats Cammy with a bit more impatience, prompting a nod from you and Hank!
“Search me…” Shrugs the journalist as she hands the notebook over to you, “But it must be important if it was hidden away, right?”
Maybe, you frown, but what was it doing in the nurse’s stuff?
“And where the hell did she run off to, anyways?” Cammy groans as she finishes sterilizing the wound! “Coulda’ used some help here…”
>CONTD. 