Italy sat on one of the washing machine. He occasionally put a cloth in his mouth to stop the bleeding. I also decided to sit down on one of the upside down laundry baskets because my left ankle is killing me. Austria is the only one standing in front of the door preventing a potential escape for our suspect.
"So if I understand it right. You told me that the Red Sickle wants to kill us all on the ship." I explained to him.
Italy nodded and took the cloth out of his mouth, "Yes. The plan was to get the ones that are a threat to them or just need to be gone on the ship. The ship loses the connection to the land and swims of the route. The rescue team will immediately after the lost connection try to find us on the planned route before making their search radius bigger. Until they find us the guests will be already dead."
Austria shook his head and commented," I can't believe this shit. We two never had anything to do with this gang. How could we know that you didn't just made it all up?"
Italy gave him an angry glare and explained,"They told us when we'll do this mission, then we can choose who to put on the ship. As a bonus in our payment."
He then pointed his finger to my uncle, "That's why you are here."
Austria's eyes widen in surprise. He looked baffled to me, not knowing if this stranger was joking or not. He faced Italy again and yelled, "I don't even know you!"
Italy scoffed and glared back, "It wouldn't surprise me that you didn't know me, but you know my father. His name is Kingdom of Italy."
My uncle seems more confused. The silence made Italy more irritated and shouted, "Don't you dare telling me you forgot it. The stupid fight in the bar which made my father accidentally kill a man. Do you remember that!?"
Austria opened his mouth in shock. I realized what he was talking about. During that time I wasn't there, but later I got informed how Austria started a fight and got later badly hurt on his leg. There were more wounded people, but I didn't knew that someone actually died there.
Italy aggressively jumped of his seat and stepped closer to Austria while shouting, "He still sits in prison while you can freely walk around! We lost everything! Our house, our money, family and friends. I was only ten when it all happened! You're the reason why I lost everything!"
He stood face to face to my uncle. Austria was visibly scared. After a moment of silence when he didn't said anything, Italy stepped back and scoffed," That's the reason why you're here." He then sits back on his previously spot and wipe again the blood from his mouth.
"If you wanted me to die, then why is my niece here." Austria asked still in shock.
Italy gave me a small glance. He shrugged his shoulder and mumbled, "They told me it would be better if she also dies with you. She's working with the police. It will be too much of a risk letting her alive. I personally have nothing against her."
"And how do they know that working with the police? I never had any contact with the gang. They shouldn't have any infos about me." I asked him.
"No?" Italy looked surprised at me, "Well that's strange because one of their past clients knows you. He actually looked very similar to you. Only shorter hair and smaller height."
"You mean East? No way he would never be with criminals." I critized.
Italy shrugged again uninterested, "I don't know his name. He only came sometimes to buy drugs from them, but he didn't appear again for a year."
"So he got this junk from you." Austria growled holding firmly on his cane.
"I have nothing to do with it. I was only the delivery guy." Italy rose his hands defensively, "And it was his own decision to take it. It's the cheapest stuff they had to offer, but he sometimes couldn't pay it. I don't know how it came, but they decided for exchange of the lost sum of money, he'll gave them information about you and which case you were working."
I sat there shocked. Did my own brother really sold me for some drugs? I knew his addiction was bad, but not so horrible that he willingly gave information about my life to a gang. "How much do they know?" I asked worried.
Unfortunately I saw him shrugging his shoulders, "I don't know. I only get so much information I needed. It's too risky to ask more questions. They hate noisy people."
I swear as soon we all get on the land alive, I'm gonna call him and have a serious talk with him. Gosh I thought he was stupid enough to even consider taking drugs, but that is a new level of stupidity.
As I sat there speechless Austria decided to continue the questioning, "You mentioned more people. Who else is on the ship working with you?"
" Why should I answer YOU?" Italy spat. He doesn't hide his hatred towards him.
With a heavy shigh I asked Italy,"Who is part of the gang?"
He was silent for a moment, thinking if he should answer my question. It took him only a second before answering, "Only four. Me, Panama, China and the observer."
"Wait. China was with you? Why did you killed him then?" I asked him.
To my surprise he furiously shook his head and shouted, "What? No! We didn't killed him!"
"Who then-"
Italy didn't let me finishing my question, "I don't know. He was part of the gang and brought the materials we needed for this mission. Heck as Panama and I heard about his death, we panicked because we believed someone noticed our plan and tried to stop us. After Panama called our boss telling what happened, she answered that we should keep you busy, leading you away from our work and we should continue our mission. So the captain ordered me to create a fake evidence while he kept an eye on everyone."
I looked at his bandaged hand. So he was the one who did it.
"You little shit." My uncle hissed, "You're the one who framed me! Because of you I was locked inside my room."
Italy only glared at him aggressively and snarled, "Oh wow! How terrible it is to be trapped inside a small room not being able to go out."
Austria went silent.
There is a lot of information, but also a lot of questions. "Who is the observer?" I asked him.
He looked at me and answered, "I don't know. This person's job is to watch over us, if we do our job correctly and if not, then they'll inform it to our boss and kill us all for not following the orders. They are willing to sacrifice everyone for a successful mission."
"So that's why you killed Slovakia. To prevent the rescue team from finding us faster?" I asked him and he immediately started to protest, "I wasn't the one who pulled the trigger! I only switched the lights off."
"So Panama was the one who killed her?" Austria growled visible angry. Italy only nodded.
I sat there trying to comprehend what he explained to us. The situation is completely different, than I expected. My thoughts were that we only have one murderer on the ship. Not a whole execution group, but how do they plan to kill us all. The ship is big, easy to hide when someone comes running with a gun around and they don't want to leave any evidence telling that it was them.
"How would they trie to kill us? As soon the rescue team arrives and see the dead bodies, the would trace it back to the Red Sickle." I asked Italy.
Not letting me wait he started to explain as if it was a normal question, "With Argon. It's an odorless invisible gas. The plan is it goes through the pipes inside the vent to the guests rooms. Panama make sure every door is closed and I open the ventil, letting the gas through. It's normally a harmless gas for metal production, but it's heavier than oxygen and in closed rooms it is deadly. The victim will die because of asphyxiation. We'll wait an hour to be sure that everyone is dead, then cleaning the evidence and the observer will call for a boat. We'll escape, the rescue team find the body, but can't tell how they died."
That would explain the noises in the vents. He was building the murder mechanism.
"But how about the two dead bodies?" Austria asked.
Italy didn't looked at him. He put the blood stained cloth in his hand to the side while answering, "Panama wrote already a report inside his office about one of the guests went into an anger fit and out of jealousy killed China. To prevent the captain calling the authorities, the murderer cut the connection and killed Slovakia. That's all what is on the report making it looks like he got interrupted while writing it, giving the illusion that the insane guest attacked again before he could finish it."
" Wha- You tried to frame me to be a serial killer!" Austria shouted angry. He was about to raise his cane, but I stopped him by standing up in between the two men.
With a serious tone I asked Italy," Why are you even telling it to us. You know we'll gonna tried to stop you now."
He didn't looked up to me. With a tint of regret he mumbled, "I just wanted justice for what the bastard did to my family. I never wanted to kill innocent people." Italy looked up to me,"I can't stop because of the observer, but if you find a way to stop it without them noticing it, then no one has to die."
I stood there silent. Every guest including us will die if the rescue team don't find us in time. Panama might has a device to call outside. How else he managed to call their boss. I need to find it and also who the observer is. So I could prevent them from telling off to the Red Sickle.
"When will the murdering start?" I asked Italy.
"On the fifth night. That's when I managed to put all the pipes in to every guests room." He answered.
In two days we all will die, if I don't stop it in time. I nodded and said, "We'll try to stop it, but you have to be willing to help us."
Without hesitation he said, "Of course, but please no one should know that you know me or our talk."
"Dont worry no one will know, but one last question I have for you." I said and he listened.
"Did you stole my notebook?" I have to conclude that I couldn't misplaced it outside my room and it would make sense if he stole it.
He shook his head, "No. I can't wander around the ship and the vents that are connected to the rooms are to small for me to go through."
So he didn't stole it.
"What will you do now?" I asked him.
He stood up taking his broken tooth, that was laying beside him, in his pocket and answered, "I'll continue my work. I have to or else Panama get suspicious about the slow progress."
Italy walked past me and gave Austria a last angry glare before leaving the laundry room. As he was gone my uncle gave me a questioning look and asked, "What should we do now?"
"For now we can't do much while everyone is asleep-" I stopped myself. Everyone is now in their rooms sleeping. That means also the captain. "We'll try to find how we can call outside." I said as I walked out of the room. He followed me confused and asked, "Where are we going?"
"To the captain's office." I answered. He is in his room sleeping. So we could search inside his office. On every step I could feel how my ankle is stabbing in pain, but now it's definitely not the time to take care of it. Tonight may be the only opportunity to search in his room.
I could feel Austria starring at me and I tried to walk as normal as possible, but it's obvious that I limp slightly as we walked up the stairs. "Did you hurt your foot?" He asked worried.
I lied, "No." By his silence I could guess that he didn't buy it.
Slowly we arrived the first floor, but to my frustration the door to Panama's office is locked. I can't open the door and the captain is the only one with the keys. Austria stood there next to me and with crossed arms he spoke, "There is no chance to enter the room. How about you go to the infirmary."
"My foot is alright." I said visible frustrated, but he countered, "No it's not. It's enough that I need a walking stick to walk around. Go to Portugal and let him see if you didn't broke something." I dislike the idea to waste my time in the infirmary, but then I reminded myself that Poland is also there. Maybe he can help me with the lock.
Without complain I started to walk down to the infirmary which surprised my uncle because he thought I would continue to fight against it. At the infirmary I knock on the door, but there were no one responding. "Portugal it's me Germany." I announced and heard how the door get unlocked. Portugal standing behind the door looked surprised and confused at me.
"Did something happened?" He asked in a low voice. Before I could answer Austria intervened, "Yes. She hurt her left ankle."
The doctor opened the door wider, letting us in the infirmary. Poland who just got awake from our talk whined while rubbing his face.
I sat on the second bed and started to take my shoe off. Immediately I cringed at the sight of the red purple discoloration on my ankle. I could see how Portugal flashed an anxious look before squatting down to get a better look. He tried to move my ankle. I could barely move it without whining in pain.
"How did you hurt your ankle?" He asked.
"I was in my bathroom and slipped." I lied to him. Usually I would never lie to a doctor, but no one should know that I was with Italy, especially not when I don't know who the so called observer is.
Without a word Portugal stood up and walked to the cabinets searching for the stuff he needed. Meanwhile I looked at Poland who tried to sleep again.
"Hey Poland. You said you can unlock doors, right?" I asked him. He turned on his side staring me suspicious and asked, "Why do you ask?"
"Can you explain me how to unlock a lock?"
He is more awake now and with an unbelievable look he answered, "Nope. Why should I explain a cop, how to unlock a door?"
Portugal came back with bandages and explained to me, "I can't tell if you didn't broke anything or if you torn your ankle ligament. I'm not specialized in that. For now I can only bandage it and you should use your foot at less as possible. When we finally arrive to the land you'll go to a house doctor."
Yeah if we even arrive there. "Thanks Portugal." I said and looked back at Poland. "Can you at least unlock a door for me?" I asked him.
"Absolutely not." Was his answer. That's when Austria approached him and whispered something to him. I couldn't hear what he said, but Poland's stubborn expression changed into a surprised one and answered, "Alright I will do."
Portugal who noticed what Poland said intervened, "I don't know what's going on, but he isn't allowed to move from his bed."
I sat there silently. We can't tell him why we need Poland, but I don't have any excuse for him.
"I need to use the toilet." Poland said blankly.
The doctor was silent and with a minute of consideration he finally said, "Alright, but you should be careful. The wound is still fresh and could open at any movement.
"No problem." Poland only said and tried to move from his place with Austria helping him. I also decided to stand up and tried to not be obvious that my ankle hurts. Still I could feel the doctors judgmental stares, but to my delight he didn't say a word.
We three left the infirmary. Austria being a support for Poland gave me his cane. I can't believe that I have to use it now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Can someone guess who the observer is?
Also there might be more writing mistakes as usual because I was speed running to finish it. A lot of work is waiting for me next week ;~;