Quoted By:
You woke up in Chuck’s Cabin–if he wanted you out of the picture he wouldn’t have bothered waiting for you to get some beauty sleep… and the reaction to his daughter’s name, well… it seemed more genuine than most things you’ve heard this evening.
You found that in a lab, you reply as you stare the old man square in his grayish eyes, the one below the mines.
With the utterance of the word ‘<span class="mu-i">LAB</span>’, both you and the Groundskeeper flinch a bit–him in clear recognition of what you’re talking about, you in recognition of who you left there.
And you paid more than its weight in <span class="mu-i">blood</span>, you add, making sure to put an emphasis on the last word. Maybe more than you remember…
Chuck looks you up and down for a tense moment before rising from his feet and slowly heading for his <span class="mu-s">RIFLE.</span> It’s too deliberate of a move to suggest he was going to shoot you, but nonetheless you keep your <span class="mu-s">WRIST WHIP</span> coiled and ready to snatch it out of his hands!
“Took three of these to take you down,” he grunts as he pulls some kind of <span class="mu-s">DART</span> out from the rifle’s chamber and shows it to you! “Found ya’ scamperin’ through the woods like a mad dog–blood on ya’ from head to toe.”
You glance down at your clothes to confirm his story–though still damp from the rain, your <span class="mu-s">TRENDY TRACKSUIT</span> <span class="mu-i">DOES</span> have the stains to support his story…
So that hole in my neck, you continue warily, that was him?
“Better me than Smythe.” He shrugs as he places his rifle back on its hook. “Or one of those things…”
And let me guess, you continue with confidence returning to your voice, he knows all about that, doesn’t he?
“Everything.” The groundskeeper nods as he takes a seat again. “‘S why I wanted to get ahold of Libby.”
You blink. Explain.
“I knew my boss’ experiment was gonna happen.” Begins Chuck as he shifts in his seat, “Heard all about his kid’s little bash, too. Hauser thought it’d be a good cover: competitors see a bunch of people comin’ to the island, they don’t bat an’ eye.”
And he was <span class="mu-i">alright</span> with that? With having his daughter and everyone else becoming <span class="mu-i">monster chow!?</span>
It takes you a moment to realize you’re standing up. Chuck remains unphased. “The outbreak was <span class="mu-i">not</span> part of the plan,” he replies in his deep, clear voice, “And <span class="mu-i">no</span>, I’m not alright with any of this.”
Then… then <span class="mu-i">why</span>, you stammer angrily, <span class="mu-i">WHY</span> is this happening!?
“Because the company’s got me by the balls,” he sighs as he spares a glance towards the picture on the end table, “and Hauser made a deal with the devil. <span class="mu-i">THAT’S</span> why.”
<span class="mu-s">THE SCIENTIST</span>, you mutter under your breath.
Chuck responds with a slow nod.
>CONTD.
