Part 5: Hall

[Music: Extreme Extrication]



I want to go through door [5] too.

The words were scarcely out of his mouth when June spoke up.



If you're going through that door, then I'm going with you!

He turned around to look at her.

No, you can't. I can't take you with me.
Wh-Why...?
We're...well, you know what's in there, don't you? Are you sure you want to see that?
...

June opened her mouth, as if to say something...

...But instead closed it again, and looked at the floor.

Junpei felt an ache in his chest at her clear distress, but the choice was not his to make. There was nothing else he could do.

It's true. The majority decided that he go through here. A very significant majority, at that.

Junpei turned away from June, doing his best to silence his turbulent emotions.

Please. Let me go into door [5].

Seven scratched his head and looked at the young man.



Junpei's bracelet number is (5), right? If we are going to add Junpei, then we must subtract (5) from the rest of us.

Snake turned to Ace...

Ace... Please, take good care of Clover.
Oh...all right. That's...that's fine.

1 + 4 = 5

Don't go away!
You need to listen to me, Clover. Go to door [4] with the others.
No!



Snake's expression softened, and he put his arms around Clover. He held her close, and whispered into her ear.

You'll be fine... Just relax...

It looked as though he whispered 2 or 3 more words, but whatever they were, Junpei didn't hear them. He couldn't help but wonder what the other man had said.

Snake pulled back from his sister, his eyes kind and inquiring.

Okay... I understand...

Her voice was barely audible from where Junpei stood.

[Music: Silence]

Before long, new teams were assembled.



Those going to door [4]: Lotus, Santa, June, Ace, and Clover.

8 + 3 + 6 + 1 + 4 = 22 → 2 + 2 = 4



Seven, Snake, and Junpei scanned their numbered bracelets in quick succession. The screen of the RED showed 3 asterisks.

All right then, let's go.

Junpei glanced around one last time, his hand resting on the lever of the RED.

Okay... Please be careful...

Concern was written plainly across her face. Junpei looked her in the eye and gave what he hoped was a reassuring nod.

He pulled the lever.



With the sharp "clack" of a lock releasing, the door swung open.

Ahead of them, in the small hallway, were the pitiful remains of the 9th Man. For a moment, Junpei froze. Try as he might, his eyes would not leave the corpse, and his feet would not leave the floor.

Seven, too, seemed paralyzed.



Do you intend to kill me? I assume you haven't forgotten the door only remains open for 9 seconds, have you?

He hadn't even bothered to turn around--his head was, at most, slightly cocked toward one shoulder.

Junpei and Seven looked at one another, nodded, and threw themselves through the door.

[Music: Unary Game]



They had scarcely processed this information when--



With a metallic slam, the numbered door behind them swung shut. Unless they could find the device that would deactivate the detonators on their wrists...

They would not be leaving the hallway.



The fear and urgency in Seven's face reflected what all 3 of them felt.

Junpei spun around, searching desperately for the DEAD. He found it easily enough. It was on the wall, next to the closed door labeled [5].

Found it! Right here!



The other 2 scrambled to follow suit.



As soon as they finished, Snake threw the lever down.



[Music: Silence]

...
...
...



As he spoke, Junpei wiped the sweat from his forehead with a trembling hand.

Goddamn thing's gonna give me a heart attack...

A muscle stood out in Seven's neck, and the corners of his mouth were twitching.

Jumpy, are you all right?!
Are you guys okay?!

They could hear anxious voices, muffled but distinct, from the other side of the door.

Yeah, we're fine!
The detonators have been deactivated!

They heard relieved sighs, and even through the door the 3 men could feel the tension disperse.

All right, we're moving on! Be careful, okay?
Okay!
Sure thing!

They heard footsteps moving away, and before long they were alone again.

Junpei looked around.



A thick, iron wall blocked their way. Try as they might to force it, the wall refused to move.

To the left, however, was a wooden door that looked positively inviting by comparison.



In the middle of it was a plaque that read [1st Class].

A 1st class cabin, huh...
Well, it seems like it.
Let's have a look then, shall we?



Without hesitation, Snake opened the door and stepped inside. Seven followed closely behind him. Junpei moved to follow them as well, but...

He stopped, just short of the threshold, and looked back, not knowing why.

[Music: Trepidation]



He'd tried hard to avoid looking at the grisly scene, but it just wouldn't... leave... his mind.

What had once been a man's internal organs now looked like so much vomit... As though something had chewed up and spit out the better part of his torso. It was hideous, but worse still, it was cruel.

It was hard to believe the thing on the floor had once been human... The black pool of thick blood... The lumps of glistening flesh spread across floor... The awkward, twisted tangle of shredded intestines... The head, wrenched to some grotesque, unnatural position...



"Lastly, let us discuss [how to remove the bracelets]. There are only 2 ways to do so."
"One: You escape from this ship."
"Two: Your heart rate reaches zero."
"In other words, once the bracelet is taken outside the confines of the ship, or detects that its wearer's heartbeat has fallen to zero, it will shut down automatically."



[Music: Silence]



He looked around. Seven and Snake were nowhere to be seen.

There were 2 doors on the right side of the room. He opened the one on his right, and went through. On the other side of the door was a short hallway.

He jogged down the hallway, opened the door at the other end, and peeked through. There they were, to his right, busy examining something.

He stepped through the door and walked toward them.



Check this out... We found this thing here on the door.
The red light's on... Does that mean it's locked?
So I would assume.
Is there any other way out?
We looked around a little. Other than this door, we didn't find anything.
So you're telling me that unless we can open this door...
Yes. We won't be going anywhere.

Junpei stepped away from the door, and looked around the room.

The room they were in looked like a bedroom. He figured the room he'd originally entered was the living room, or whatever passed for one on a ship.