Number Four

Innocent Until Proven Guilty

"Four, you have to come!" Four looked up from where she was laying on her bed, legs kicking in the air, as One pushed through the door. "Eleven's been hurt."

Four leapt bolt upright. "What happened?" She exclaimed as she followed him out the door.

"Eleven's been attacked."

"Attacked?! By who?"

They rounded a corner, and Doctor Brenner turned to face them. "That, Four, is what we need to find out."

***

"... Last night, your sister Eleven suffered a concussion during her alone time in the Rainbow Room. Now, she claims not to have a memory of what happened. But injuries of this nature don't simply happen. Someone did this. Someone in this room. Now, who's going to tell me what happened?"

In the resounding silence that responded, Doctor Brenner looked up and down the line of assorted children. "... No one? No one has anything to say? Nothing at all? Perhaps it was an accident. Perhaps you didn't do it, but you know who did.
...Nobody wants to say anything? No? Okay."

He stepped away, and returned with Four. "Now, I know it wasn't Four, she was with me when it happened. But if no one wants to speak up about who did this, then perhaps Four can tell us."

They had done this before, they all knew what was coming. Slowly, Four followed Doctor Brenner up and down the line– different faces, different heights, different children, looking them all in the eye. Each one of them fighting to school their face, to not think suspicious thoughts, to not feel guilty.

The sense of power was intoxicating. Just for a moment, she considered the thought that she could name anyone, anyone of these people in front of her, and they would have to believe her.

She slowed even more as she reached Two. There. The flicker of fear, that he was trying so hard to quash– not realising of course, that his attempts to hide it only made it more obvious to her what his guilt was.

She held his gaze for a long moment, looking intently into his eyes. His expression seemed to be pleading with her, begging her not to tell.

She pointed her finger towards him, and her words came like the fall of an executioner's axe. "It's him. He knows something."

Doctor Brenner nodded once. "Collar him."

A/N: Since it went so well last time, just for fun, I have another question for you. Who do you think would win in a fight: Vecna or Doctor Strange? (Genuinely don't know who I'm rooting for on this one, so it will be interesting to see arguments for either side!)