"Escort this lot along to Bart Curlish's room," Riggins said in passing. The guards sighed and turned around, going back the way they came to Project Marzanna's room. Aea didn't make a sound as they were lead a different way than they had originally been going - there was no point, it wasn't going to change what was going to happen next. Instead they decided to focus on the fact that they were going to see someone, potentially meet someone for the first time.
Bart Curlish. None of them could recall hearing the name before. Silently they were led into the room of 'MARZANNA'. Scanning the room, alarm bells were set off in their heads when the Project wasn't there.
"Back to back, facing all four walls," Courtney ordered, thinking quickly. They had no idea who the hell this Project was, and they were going to be guarded until they revealed themselves.
But soon an entire hour had passed, and there was no sign of Bart Curlish. She wasn't under the bed, she wasn't on the ceiling. There was nowhere else she could hide unless she was invisible or something.
"Do you think they know that Bart Curlish isn't in here?" Alice asked, now sitting on the floor. Courtney was still examining, eyes sharp. Wynter was lying on his back, staring at the ceiling, not focused on the world. Azar was staring out of the window, watching out for any sign of movement, which there wasn't.
"No," Wynter began, "Or at least, they didn't when they first put us in here. Otherwise Riggins wouldn't have directed us here."
"Should we tell them?" Alice queried.
"How? They aren't exactly going to open the door if we knock and ask to come out." Azar said sarcastically, breath covering the window and making it steam up. She wiped it away with her sleeve and continued to peer out of it. Wynter watched her closely.
"Write on the window," he told her.
"Wh-what? Why?" Azar asked skeptically.
"Look, I know you're older than me and therefore you should have the respect but trust me, window writing will be the only way we can express any opinion."
Azar hesitantly began to write on the window, but the window wasn't steamed up enough. Courtney sighed and came over, beginning to breathe on the window and writing backwards.
"What is she writing?" Alice whispered to Wynter.
"I have no idea. Something about Bart, I think."
"Azar?"
"She's writing about the fact that Bart isn't in here and wondering whether they know," Azar informed them. Courtney rolled her eyes, shaking her head at Azar.
"That is most certainly not what I wrote!" She protested.
"Fine, it's less polite but I got the gist of it. You didn't really think I was going to read out," Azar took a glance at Courtney's message distastefully, "that, with minors in the room."
"C'mon, Alice has seen much worse."
"I know and that's what I'm worried about. You don't need to influence her with your foul language anymore than she already has been influenced!"
Courtney and Azar continued to bicker back and forth until the guards noticed that Aea had written a message on the door and then they were all off, leaving the door unprotected but also unfortunately locked.
Not that it was long before Bart Curlish appeared through the door, hands on hips. "Oh. Hi. I'm Bart Curlish, I think you might have the wrong room."
"Oh no," Courtney shook her head, "We're just here for a visit."
And that was why Bart suddenly launched onto Courtney and locked her hands around the other girl's throat.
