Among Us: Assassin's Lockdown(Book 3)

Distraction

Sophie's Pov

Papa has been grouchy this week, sometimes deep in thought, and stops listening when someone is talking. From what my ears have caught on to, something is happening at Mira HQ. But what could distract him so much? He's not even paying attention now. I threw three toys at him; he gave no response. I crawl over to him, sitting at his feet as his eyes graze his phone screen.

He doesn't react. I tug on his pant leg...Nothing.

Attempt two...He slides me away with his foot.

For the third attempt, I grab my purple rubber ball and toss it at him. As I did so, he reaches for his coffee. The ball startles him as it knocks the phone out of his hand and bounces off into his face. A bit of coffee nearly spills on his white shirt.

"Sophie!", he scowls, setting his mug back on his coaster. "Play!" I lift my butterfly in the air with a proud smile.

  "No, I can't play right now. I'm busy." Papa slumps back onto the couch again. Another loss for me.  "You've been busy all day, Papa." With a huff, I fall on my back and puff my cheeks. Papa yet pays no attention to me. No response comes from him.

  "Papa."

  ...Nothing.

  "Papa."

  ...Nope.

  "Papa!"

  "What, Sophie? What?!"

  I sit staring at him with my arms crossed and pouting. "Play."

  "Later!". He scoffs. His answer never changes after many desperate rounds. Both of us are annoyed by each other. Henry, attempting to keep peace in the house, asks about a simple movie to watch. That means I will be distracted by the movie, and Papa can work in peace. "I don't want to watch a movie. I want to play with Papa!"

  "I know Henry is boring, but I have business to handle!"

  He was offended but didn't speak of it.

I pout at Papa, puffing my cheeks and tugging on his pant leg. Annoyed to his core, he plucks me up by my shirt and sets me on the couch on my side. "There, take a nap or something." I wasn't sleepy and pop back up.

"Henry, get her some juice please." He sighs and pushes me on my back, but I didn't want to sleep.

"Play!"

"No, Sophie."

In about 3 minutes, Henry brings back a pink sippy cup with red fruit juice. He shakes before handing it off. I sip it happily yet bug him to stop working for a while. The juice tastes slightly different, a little sweeter than usual, but still yummy. He watched me drink it for a few seconds and goes back to his phone. "Play!"

"No."

"Yes!"

"Shut up and drink your juice."

__________________________________________
(Sebastian's Pov)

She has been getting on my nerves today, that dumb kid. I need to find out more about this old wreck; I don't have the time for her shenanigans. She kicks at me as she sips her juice, begging me to drop my phone.

I can't wait for that melatonin to kick in. Have to sit it out for a little longer.

"Papa!", she shouts simultaneously. My temples throb.

"Oh for crying out loud..."

I stand up from my seat, and the little thing goes wild, jumping about and shouting with such vast emotion. Am I that special to you? Lapis hops on his paws, just as ecstatic has her.

"Tag! You're it!" She slaps my leg and dashes her tiny self up the stairs with the dog at her side. I sit back down to sip the rest of my coffee and offer her a 2-minute headstart, counting by the clock on the wall.

This process should have her worn out by the time the drug kicks in.

When time is up, I set my cup and phone down. I walk up the stairs and hunt down the squirt.

I hear her footsteps and giggles in another corridor. To kill time, I go a different direction, perhaps being able to cut her off soon. As expected, we intersect. "There's my little bunny~" I tease.

"No!", she screams, dashing right back down the corridor where she came. I jog at a slow pace right behind her. A pace not too fast for her to be difficult to get away. At a turn, I stop so she can flee, and I can take a rest. I don't bother checking the direction she went.

  She has quite the energy for a 4-year-old. And with a dog, she will be up for hours playing. I'm not made for this.

  After 5 minutes, I sit up again, walking through the mansion again to find the child. I don't hear her giggles anymore. "Sophie," I call out. Nothing.

  Attempt 2: More Silence.

  Did she get stuck or hurt herself? No, if she was hurt, she'd come crying. The same goes if she was stuck—I would hear her.

  "Sophie, where did you go, kid?"

  In another hall, her butterfly toy sits in the middle of the floor. Just I bend to pick it up, there she was. She and the dog tuck themselves under an entry table against the wall. The toy must have rolled out of her hands. She is fast asleep, and the dog is watching its surroundings.

  The medicine finally kicks in. I pull them out and carry them to their bedroom. As I tuck Sophie to bed, my phone rings loudly. Exiting the room quickly, I answer the phone. Serena.

  "He's here!"

  "So soon?"

  "Yes, the staff and administrators are welcoming him, now. He's going to get a tour soon."

"Ok...Anyone else there with you?"

"Just Desmond. We're the only professional scientists, after all."

"Keep everything your testing locked away when they come. Anything living creatures you have, keep them completely out of sight. Tell them you're taking a lunch break. Don't take any test tubes and beakers out for them to see. Claim they are very unstable. Let no special information get into his hands. I don't care if he is the new boss. Until he proves to be trustworthy, he's not getting to jack!"

She breathes. "Y-Yes. I'll tell Desmond."

She hangs up.

I attempt to curse under my breath but stop myself since I'm outside Pinky's bedroom. Grayson hasn't called me back yet with any information about this crazy man with such a reputation and what is he up to in this private space exploration organization.

Mira may be sitting peacefully in the deep woods, but we know someone will start a fire...