[✓] 𝑆𝑇𝐴𝑅𝐿𝐼𝐺𝐻𝑇 | 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐒

𝐬𝐢𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧. 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑑𝑤𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑠𝑜𝑦𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑠𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑡𝑦

Word count: 4097

1982

Elizabeth and Five headed towards the Lonely Lodger Inn, staying close to the row of parked cars as they looked around.

Seeing movement ahead of them, they swiftly moved closer to the cars and crouched down to hide. A man got out of his car, dressed in traditional Czech clothing of red and black.

Once the coast was clear, the two of them resumed their path and made their way inside the stone-walled inn, which was full of people who wore the same traditional clothing. As to why was answered as they glanced over at a sign on the door that announced that the Polka Festival was taking place.

Five nudged Elizabeth's arm and nodded towards a curly-haired woman who wore a green vest and was working at a table that was draped in a white cloth.

Quickly, the two of them stepped over to her, and Five caught her attention as he spoke, "Excuse me."

The woman gave a small jump of surprise as she turned towards them, her eyes a little wide. "Uff da! You snuck up on me there!" Her face broke out into a smile as she informed them, "If you're looking for the cookies, we don't put 'em out till three."

"I can hardly wait," Five humoured her as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, glancing over his shoulder. "Uh, do you happen to know where the Midwest Soybean Society is meeting?"

"Sure do," she answered as she pointed towards a room down the hall. "Muskellunge Banquet Room. You looking for your mom? She in for the convention?"

Five gave a small nod of confirmation before grabbing Elizabeth's hand and leading her to the hall. He paused just before they reached the doors and turned to her, letting out a small sigh.

"Are you sure you want—"

"Five, it'll be fine," Elizabeth reassured him with a small smile. "This isn't my first time murdering a bunch of people."

"It's different," he insisted as he put his hands on her shoulders and stepped towards her. "This is the Board of Directors."

She shrugged. "You say it like it's something important, but that means nothing to me."

Five let out another sigh as he rubbed his eyes. "They're—"

"It's fine." She kissed him gently before giving him an encouraging nod. "Everything'll be okay. Now, let's stop wasting time."

Five stared at her for a moment more before he gave a reluctant nod. His eyes drifted beyond her, though she couldn't see what had caught his attention until she turned around—a fire axe that was hung on the wall. 

He brushed past her and towards the axe. He lifted it out of its holder and weighed it in his hands for a moment before raising his eyebrows at Elizabeth.

"Ready?" he questioned.

She nodded. "Ready."

Forming a dagger out of her energy, Elizabeth followed Five towards a conference room.

Twelve people dressed in suits sat at the long table, and the man at the head seemed to have a fish tank plopped where his head should be, with a goldfish swimming around.

The goldfish instructed, "Let's move onto Article seventeen, please."

Before they could move on to Article seventeen, however, the goldfish took notice of the new arrivals. He swiftly got to his feet and shouted, "You! Security!"

The woman nearest to them rolled her chair towards the stand with the phone on it, but before she could pull the receiver off the hook, Five swung his axe and cut her forearm in half, causing a gush of blood to spurt.