Socks trusted his plan. Sure, it was dangerous. Maybe a bit rash. But he was sure it was the only way to catch the impostor.
He also needed help to do it, and he needed to fully trust his plan to convince someone else to help him with it. Which he definitely did.
Right?
Socks shook off his doubts. He'd normally go to Meme to help him, and he almost did except he remembered their fight.
I probably shouldn't bother him right now. I shouldn't apologize yet.
No, he had to remind himself. I'm also mad at him. He couldn't just give up on his argument for the sake of making things right with Meme.
So Blaza would have to be the one to help him, the only other crewmate he felt he could wholly trust. I guess I have to apologize to him, then.
The plan would have to work.
Socks had to do it.
There was no other choice. This was it.
Then why was doubt still tugging him? Socks shook it off angrily. This is how you make up for letting Muffin, Dino, Joocie, and TBVG die.
"Blaza?" Socks called. He hoped his yellow-suited friend must still be around cameras.
"Socks?" He called back. Socks breathed a sigh of relief. "I need your help for something."
He saw Blaza's skeptical face and stopped himself. "Fine, I'm sorry for snapping at you."
"And?" Blaza pressed.
"And what?" Socks asked. He ran through the past few days in his mind. What else had he done to aggravate Blaza?
Maybe I haven't been a great friend or a great crew leader.
"And sorry for keeping secrets and being rude and denying that you're totally in love with Meme, because you definitely are."
Socks fought the blush that threatened to creep over his face. "I'm not saying that!"
"Fine. I know you are thinking it," Blaza said in a singsong voice, spinning in the cameras chair. Socks shoved his shoulder as he spun by. Stop thinking he's right. He's not.
Stop! He must have been as red as a tomato now. Stupid feelings.
"So, what do you need from me anyways?" Blaza asked, turning the chair to face Socks.
Socks sighed. This was the part he wasn't looking forward to. "Well, I sort of have a plan. To stop the impostor."
Blaza looked him in the eye. "This doesn't involve you potentially hurting yourself, right?" He asked. Socks avoided his gaze. "No-well, yes. Hear me out, okay?"
Blaza sighed. "Fine. But I can't promise I'll like it."
Socks nodded. It was the best he was going to do. Okay, now tell him.
"I'm going to use myself as bait."
"As what?" If Blaza had been drinking tea, he would have spit it out all over Socks. "You can't be serious!"
Socks sighed. "I knew you were going to react like this." He said. "Seriously, it might be the only thing that would work."
"Explain how that could even possibly work," Blaza replied shortly. He didn't look like he was going to budge.
"I would go out, by myself. The impostor has only killed people who are alone so far. I'll make sure I am in front of a camera, and you would be watching through that camera while it happens."
"No!" Blaza exploded. "Absolutely not! You might die!" He stood up out of the chair. "Forget might. You will die!"
Socks met his eye. "But no one else will, once you catch whoever did it."
Blaza shook his head. "It's not safe. I can't let you do this."
"But I have to." Socks realized he was sounding desperate, but ignored it. "It might be the only way. Please, Blaza, you have to help me. We can save the crew."
"You mean you can make yourself feel better about the deaths that have already happened not because of you."
Socks avoided his gaze. He wasn't wrong. "Its the only way," he repeated.
Blaza sighed. "Can I possibly convince you otherwise?"
"No." Socks replied. "In fact, you should probably agree because if you didn't I'd just go out on my own and be even more likely to die." He added stubbornly.
The yellow-suited crewmate groaned. "I guess I don't have a choice." He looked at Socks again, all traces of teasing gone from his eyes. "But promise me you'll stay safe."
"Promise." Is that a lie? Socks shuddered.
I hope not.
-0-
Socks shivered, but not entirely from the cold. He didn't like not knowing what to expect, and nothing was more unexpected than a killer emerging from the shadows.
The camera light started flashing. Hopefully the impostor doesn't notice that, he thought warily. At least it meant Blaza had held up his end of the plan.
Socks trudged through the snow, being sure to make as much noise as possible.
He was worried for a second that the impostor wouldn't come. Was all that convincing for nothing? He hoped not.
Socks's heart skipped a beat as he heard an extra set of footsteps behind him. Alright, impostor. I'm ready.
But no figure appeared. "Where are you?" Socks called, fighting to keep his voice steady. "Show yourself!"
"You think I am a fool," a voice that sounded like many different people speaking as one said. It was raspy and almost mechanical sounding, and made Socks take a step back, fear pulsing in him.
"I am smarter than you would think." It said. "I have evolved. Even in the human's awful vision I can see the device you call a camera." Socks froze. Of course it noticed! This was going wrong, all wrong. He was paralyzed with fear, but still tried to not show it.
The impostor-or rather, the person being controlled by the impostor-stepped out of the shadows. But his face was concealed by a sort of cloak of black fabric wrapped around him. "You will pay for this, daft human."
The thing pulled out a knife, and Socks caught a glimpse of its hand. But it was gone too fast for him to see the color of its spacesuit. "Prepare to die, human."
Socks's eyes widened. It didn't matter if Blaza ran out of the cameras room as fast as he could. There was no hope of him reaching this location before Socks was killed. Is this really it? How I die?
The impostor stabbed the knife into Socks's side. Grimacing in pain, Socks did his best to kick it away but only succeeded in making it laugh. "You won't get away with this," Socks said in a hoarse voice, wincing at the pain.
"Maybe I already have." The voice said silkily, wrenching the knife out of Socks's side roughly. Socks barely stopped himself from groaning in agony.
"What's going on?" A voice yelled. It was strangely familiar. A crewmate? Socks hoped so. Please let it be a crewmate.
The impostor hissed. "Humans. Always appearing in the wrong places."
"Stop that!" The crewmate (he hoped) seemed to have noticed Socks, though he didn't have enough strength to turn and see who it was. "You're killing him!"
"So I'd hope." It snarled. "Never mind, then. Don't think I won't be back."
"And don't think you are safe," the voice hissed, though Socks could sense it creeping back into the shadows. "You won't escape next time."
Socks shuddered from the pain and collapsed to the ground. The impostor laughed. "Then, maybe I don't have to worry about a next time."
He was faintly aware of it walking away. "Weak humans. Soon this planet will be mine, as it should be."
Socks was unaware of the identity of who had scared the impostor away, though he felt him come to his side. "Socks?" A desperate voice called, though it seemed from far away at the same time." Socks, don't die! I'm getting you help, okay?"
Socks felt himself fading. I'm sorry, I don't know if I can do that.
He remembered earlier. "Promise me you'll stay safe," Blaza had said. And Socks had agreed.
There was one more thing he had failed. I'm sorry, Blaza. I couldn't keep my promise.
-0-
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