This Is Your Captain Crashing

In The Dark

Noah, Owen and Eva ran out of the Aftermath's stage and into the resort proper, all three of them looking absolutely frantic. Everyone was a mess, but they could care less about that. Right now, all that mattered was Izzy. Staff from all over were fully focused on cleaning up the mess left behind from Psycho Hose Beast's raging tornado.

"Okay, we'll split up and find her", Noah said firmly as Team E-Scope walked into the resort's foyer. "Who knows what she could be getting herself into right now."

"I don't know if splitting up is a good idea, little buddy", Owen said in worry as he looked around for any sign of his ex. "We don't have any way to really call each other if we do find her. Plus... We all might need to talk to her."

"He's right, Noah", Eva said as she absently looked down a nearby hallway. "That was... That was intense, even for her. So I agree with Tubby, we all need to find her."

"I know... I just don't know where to start..." The bookworm walked off and sat down in an empty armchair with a heavy sigh. "This is something that's entirely outside of my area of expertise. I'm a snarky kid that uses his quick wit to get out of a situation. Talking about feelings and depressing thoughts is just something... I'm not used to."

"You're not the only one..." The Fitness Buff sat in the chair next to him. "All of this has been... It's like our lives were just a front. Like this, or something like this was just going to happen at some point. We should've known something was off when Izzy didn't want to take part in this season after McLean saved us from the canyon."

Owen was uncharacteristically silent, before speaking. "Do you guys... Do you guys think this has something to do with Izzy's friends? The ones she and Merida kept talking about?"

"Probably..." Noah sighed. "I really wish Merida is here. She'd be able to just tell us what is going on."

"Yeah..." Owen looked down sadly for a bit, before looking confused. "Do you guys remember seeing Izzy before she ran off? She looked like there were weird things sticking out of her..."

"Wait, yeah, she did." Eva suddenly looked more concerned and stern. "What the heck was that?"

"Whatever it is, Iz will be able to explain." The bookworm stood up and began to make his way down a hall. "C'mon, we need to find her."

The other two nodded and followed their friend, but there was this uneasy feeling welling inside of the trio as they walked down the corridor. The resort was eerily quiet, almost like the whole building was trapped in a moment of time. All eyes were on the destroyed stage, which made Team E-Scope silently wonder what would happen after. The big thing being Izzy's punishment.

Noah had overheard from two interns how this whole ordeal seemingly cancelled a second chance challenge to let a lucky contestant get a second chance at the show. Because of all of this... Will the staff, Blaineley or even the producers try and corner her to exact some sort of punishment?

The idea made a very bad feeling well inside the bookworm's mind, so he picked up the pace to try and find their missing friend before it got to that point. It seemed to click for the other two, and they ran after him in a desperate bid to find Izzy.

When they reached a bend in a hallway, they began their search properly. They scoured high and low, in any room that wasn't in use, behind furniture and in closets and even in the vents. No sign of the redhead anywhere.

But when they were about to make a move to the next floor, Eva went to open the last room they didn't check. She turned the knob, pushed on the door...

And found it blocked.

The two boys looked over in surprise, then shared a look with Eva. Together, they tried to open the door, but could only nudge it open the slightest bit. With the door open the tiniest bit, Noah glanced inside, trying to see what was happening.