Neutral Through Chaos

Chapter 27: A Useless Testimony

As I was about to shut the door behind me, I sighed deeply and looked back at the laboratory as if I was sad to part with it. Finally I shut the door, pushing down the worry I felt for Viktor. I had other things to think about at this moment, as harsh as that may have sounded.

Kai began to guide me through hallways yet again, and they all blurred into one as I followed him along. Anxiety stirred in my gut, but this time concerning a different matter.

I couldn't be an informant, I couldn't tell the councillors about Jinx. It must have been worse for Vi, making this tough decision. She was Jinx's sister, she had practically raised the girl herself. She had had to come to terms with the fact that Powder had grown into something none of us could have anticipated, and now had to pass her judgement. So I would let her. It wasn't my place to decide on whether or not to turn Jinx in.

That just made me feel guilty now however, not any more confident. I was placing my burdens on Vi's shoulders, expecting her to do the dirty work. Pacing as I turned the corner, Kai and I were met by Caitlyn and Vi, accompanied by two masked enforcers. A faint smile grew on Caitlyn's face at my arrival, and Vi's frustrated expression softened as she met my gaze. She stepped forward, placing a firm hand on my shoulder.

"Hey, don't look so worried y/n," she whispered calmly, "We'll do the talking."

That was the reassurance that I needed. I turned to Kai, nodding at him approvingly.

"Thanks for the help, sorry if I was difficult," I smiled.

He returned an awkward grin, turning to leave before he glanced back at me.

"No problem y/n, and don't worry you weren't," he assured me, beginning to retreat down the hallway.

I faced my friends again, Caitlyn looking for some form of affirmation from Vi and I. We both nodded, and with a final push she opened the door. The room the three of us strode into was gigantic, windows towering above us revealing Piltover and its clear blue skies. And in the middle of the room sat the important guests around a rounded table. The councillors. They were in deep discussion, not yet noticing us.

"Perhaps Marcus was operating independently," suggested a blonde Councillor, "What could anyone in the Undercity offer him that he didn't have up here?"

"It's not what they offered him," declared Caitlyn daringly, "It's what he had to lose."

We were met with the turned heads of the Councillors, confusion and shock filling the room. Caitlyn's mother stood up and informed them that her daughter had unique insight. Caitlyn thanked her as Vi and myself positioned ourselves beside her, eyes travelling about the extravagant room.

"Councillors, this is Vi, she was born in the Undercity," Caitlyn announced, "And this is y/n, who was also born there. Even though we have failed them both in countless ways, they risked everything to show me what life is really like down there."

The back of my neck prickled as I felt judgemental eyes in our direction, taking us both in. I felt as if I was watching this scene unfold from a distance as Caitlyn explained how people of the Undercity are starving, sick and ravaged by shimmer. Living in constant terror of the co-ordinated crimelords, It was a harsh reality, one that I had tried to ignore by keeping my head down and working. But you couldn't ignore it, no matter how hard you tried. The horrors of the Undercity followed each person with the misfortune of living there, our lives torn apart further by the very drug Silco had cultivated. You could argue that Shimmer kept us in line, but it really only caused carnage. It was a method of control, a way for Silco to exert his power over us.

Yet I still somehow felt caught up in the middle of all of this. I was supposed to be neutral, wasn't I? I wasn't supposed to side with anyone, but here I was testifying against the man.