Five Night's At Freddy's: After Hours

//5//

That took some time to unravel. Strange. Jeremy both was relieved by his honesty...and also puzzled. Of all the things that could happen, meeting somebody like Mike Schmidt was fortunate for this investigation to succeed. Yet, how is that possible?

Jeremy's mind stirred at the mere coincidence. An employee like this simply being at the expo...the stars were aligned a little too straight for this to be a simple stroke of luck. None of it felt like a random chance. Not something fate would naturally just head toward.

"If...if, he was doing all of this for that Frankenstein shit in the other tapes, I wanna' find out how to throw him in a cell for the rest of his life," Mike grunted, his sadness turning into anger.

Jeremy could only watch in some sick sense of awe at the man's tale. How much did he suffer like him? Holding onto this for who knows how many years. It was like watching the future itself speak to him; a man who was left broken and only allowing to express it in a mirror.

Fritz and Susie? More victims, Jeremy thought to himself.

There was a definite pattern here. A clear sense of insensitive and vile behavior from the man behind the creatures that populate this venues. His services basically allowing him to do as he pleases. Swept under the rug.

Slinking out of the aisle, the blonde found himself cradling the older man. This was unusual. He never really had a sense to this, for what in reality was a stranger telling stories. He never once tried to understand pain. Perhaps seeing Cassidy becoming jaded from this opportunity made him act on emotion.

Jeremy could feel the hug reciprocated. It was clearly stronger than anything he could have accomplished with his lanky frame, yet he endured the crushing sensation of a grown bear.

Now kinship was one thing. But there was the issue of Cassidy and George simply throwing themselves at the problem just across the street from their hotel.

"...Mike...I think I understand. Afton...one of his machines killed my friend. He killed my friend..." Jeremy choked up a bit. There was a growing fire that was building up, this event just kindling to that feeling.

For years he never truly expressed anger. Only a deep depression. A fear of those connected to that one terrible day. Yet despite the fantastical nature of this scenario, there was one glimpse of truth. There was a killer. A liar. A manipulator. And he was enjoying the high life, getting exactly what he desires. Whatever those twisted desires even were.

Did hearing Mike's story stir something? Was he beginning to believe too quickly the word of another man? Perhaps, but Jeremy couldn't think in that way. Not right now.

"I...damn...Jeremy right? Jesus, you are in the same boat, huh? You and those other two?" Mike says.

"Cassidy and George. Cassidy was another friend. And George was the dad, of Elizabeth...that was her name," Jeremy says.

"Heh...that's, *sniff* that's a nice name," He released his grip on the poor teen.

"I know," Jeremy chuckled a bit. The thought didn't really make him cry as much. Not as much as it used to.

Those tears were spent enough already.

***

It didn't take long for both to consider the options and discuss their next move. Obviously there was the issue of actually convicting Afton. All of it wasn't exactly watertight, especially with the pretext of supernatural manipulation. These tapes would lead to questions of authenticity, there was the NDA issue, the fact that the facility was officially abandoned.