Madhouse

[Chapter 20]

"Maggie.. no." He croaked, tears flooding down Jaxon's face. He sobbed aloud, holding her limp body close to his chest, as he gently rocked her in his arms. His best friend...

Dead.

Natsuki placed a hand on his shoulder, sighing. Jaxon sniffled, neatly placing her on the ground where she had originally lay. 

"It's all my fault!-" Jaxon wailed.

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The green-haired host, Shio, watched from a security room, shaking her head with pity.

"Shio?" The man questioned, walking in on her. "Where are they?"

"Shio?"

"I'm telling them everything." She whispered, crossing her arms.

"You can't! That's suicide." He wailed, eyes widening. "You know what she'll do to you.." He added.

"I don't care. I won't stand here, w-watching every one of them die right in front of my eyes, Leo." Shio murmured, stubbornly sticking her nose in the air.

"You don't want to end up like her.." Leo breathed, referring to the other host who attempted to share the secrets with Thatcher and Jaxon. "She tried helping them, now look at her. In the end she did it for nothing.." He remarked.

"You say that like you care about her." Shio frowned. Leo paused, looking away.

"Anyways, I'm going-" A gun shot blew through the room.

Shio fell to the floor, gasping for breath, her eyes froze wide open.

"Shio! M-monster, you killed her!" Leo growled, facing a dressed person.. fully armed in black- a mask blocking their face.

"You can't outrun karma~" The killer purred, hooking the gun along a belt that laced across her waist.

"We did everything you told us to do." Leo informed her.

"You broke a rule, tsk." She clicked her tongue.

"That's it, I'm done with you-" She shot out, as a body collapsed to the ground. 

Leo moaned in agony, his eyes glazing, staring up at nothing.

"Ugh, what a waste of bullets." She groaned.

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Nolan released his arms around Jaxon, softly smiling. Nolan returned to Natsuki and Thatcher's sides, sighing.

"How's he doing?"

"Better." Nolan nodded.

"I just wish this was all a bad dream.." Natsuki added, shaking her head.

"We'll get out of here." Thatcher promised, exchanging a reassuring smile with them both.

"I'm just gonna keep giving him company." Nolan nodded, dismissing himself from the group.

Laney approached her brother, sniffling. "Is Jaxon going to be alright, big brother?"

"Of course he will. He's strong." Nolan nodded, as Jaxon overheard them, loosely smiling.

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Sienna slumped out the room, while Thatcher followed her- allowing curiosity to get the best of him.

"Hey.." He murmured.

"Ah, hi." She compelled a small smile.

"How're you holding up?"

"I don't know anymore at this point." Sienna confessed, placing a hand on her chest, her eyes fluttering shut.

He paused, sighing. "I'm sorry I haven't been by your side through all of this.." He murmured, ducking his head with faint guilt.

She acknowledged his apology with a smile, though turned away with a frown.

"You need to stop blaming yourself for Lucia's death." He muttered, placing a hand on her cheek, drawing her to his side.

She blushed, though pushed the feeling away. He had Natsuki.. right?

"But she's still dead." Sienna replied. "And so is her step-sister." She added.

"Step-sister?" Thatcher questioned, letting his hand slip off her face. 

"Yes, Lucia had a step-sister." She repeated.

Thatcher grew lost in thought, thinking back to the green-haired host confronting him and Natsuki. "We need to find the host.." He muttered.

"Why?"

"She knows something." He stated flatly.

"Who?" Sienna questioned, curiosity sparked in her soft brown eyes.

"Come on, let's go." Thatcher ignored her question with a wave of his hand, as he exited out the room, assuming Sienna was close behind...

But the host have died..

Will Thatcher and the group still find the truth?

Will they solve the 'murder mystery'?