EMBLEM

VI: Preparation

"Hold on." Blake stepped in, "This doesn't make sense, I was asleep right next door. How on earth could a switch have done that much damage without me, or anybody else for that matter, waking up? Shouldn't the victim have made a whole lot of noise? There was clearly a struggle, if you look at the blood markings. And the cameras, we can't forget about that. If it was this guy, and his switch somehow has the ability to cut the cameras, that could be extremely detrimental to the entire-"

"Look kiddo, I really don't think it's a big deal." Benson sighed, "I mean, that guy wasn't even put into a unit. He was stuck in the lab for ages with the other mice. They only decided to transfer him cuz he got too old."

"Mice?"
Xander echoed.

"Xander, shush..."
Eden whispered.

"So I'm sure nobody is going to make a big deal about it. He was supposed to have died at least three years ago with the rest of his group, but somehow survived. Pure luck, I say. Therefore, let's just brush this under the rug, kay? He ain't on any lists, so no one's gonna question it. You kids forget about it, I forget about it. Understood?"

Though nobody really wanted to, they all nodded their heads.
That was, except for Blake.

"S-Sir, you can't be serious! This wasn't any test, this was pure murder! There was no gain here, that boy didn't need to die, I'm certain that if we look into it just a little more, we can-"

"Under the rug, Blake."
Benson repeated, bending down and speaking quietly into his face.

Blake was clearly intimidated, because he immediately fell silent and turned away, with only a meek, "...yes, sir..."

"...now, I'm going to refill the pantry. When I'm done, Blake, you'll be coming with me, understood?"

"With you? You mean...back to the lab?"

Benson nodded and Blake's face immediately lit up with shocked delight.

"...th...thank you, sir!"

"Don't thank me yet, kiddo..." He mumbled, almost guiltily, "Now, say goodbye while I handle the food."

Nobody really wanted to speak that morning, but each teen gave him a half-hearted farewell.
That was, until he got to Xander.

"It was nice meeting you, Blake."
He smiled.

Blake didn't face him, only walked straight past with a blank face.

It all pointed to him. That was all Blake could think about. The fact that this new boy had abilities they didn't yet understand, likely able to mess with the cameras and somehow Benson wasn't worried about this?
Once they reached the labs, he would for sure bring it up to the superiors, they just had to understand.
Blake had thought Xander was quite nice, but knowing that he was almost definitely the one who mangled an innocent life, while he was supposed to be protecting them...
He was nothing less than ashamed.

Bliss hadn't come out of her room since having seen the body, which Xander couldn't blame her for. Eden for once was the only person who felt the need to leave, relaxing in her room to try and forget the situation.

Blake didn't want to talk to any of them, so ended up helping Benson until the two of them left without anything more than wishing the teens luck for Monday.

Wilbur sat beside Xander while Emi and Kalmin took up the other sofa. There was a hushed silence between them that didn't feel uncomfortable, instead, it was as if they were all thinking the same thing.

None of them wanted to believe that Xander was to blame. Even if it was out of his control, having the ability to do so much damage to a human being without the slightest sound was terrifying.