Sentry of the Arcane: Engulfed

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Fitz

 "We can't use the test tube, Fitz."

"Excuse me?"

All I can do is blink, my mouth unable to form any words. Surely, I misheard her. The very thing that triggered the biggest argument between us, and here Sophie is suddenly going against exactly what she said hours before. "What do you mean 'we can't use it'?"

"I-" Sophie pauses, taking a deep breath before transmitting to me instead. I think I know why that test tube is so important, I think I know where it's from. Without waiting for a response, Sophie releases my hand to rummage to every file we could gather regarding the case, both our own information and any relevant public articles. Her eyes dart wildly, almost as if she's reading everything for the first time under a new lens.

Sophie, hold on a sec, I manage to transmit, my own thoughts racing so much as I reach out to grab her arm. She immediately switches to her left hand, flipping through the pages while muttering incoherently. Sophie, wait- Whether she's ignoring me or is too deep in her own thoughts I'll never know, but too little is being explained after she goes and drops something like that.

"Okay, okay Sophie stop," I finally reach over and grab her other arm, fully stopping her in her tracks. As she whips her head around to properly face me, I continue, Clearly you're catching onto something but I'm going to need you to catch me up too. Why else is this test tube so important?

The female Percipient hesitates, exhaling slowly before facing forward again. I'm going to need you to trust me for a minute.

You already know I do.

Okay but I'm going to really need you to trust me then. Sophie nudges me slightly to face ahead like her, probably to avoid any unnecessary attention on our conversation. I'm going to send you some memories now, but they're the ones that Jacob transmitted to me when we were at that warehouse a couple of years ago.

I can feel the blood draining from my face as I resist looking at her, instead opting to grab her hand again. Are you sure you want to go through that again? Is this- is he- really worth that?

You'll understand why, I promise, Sophie squeezes my hand for reassurance before closing her eyes, and I follow suit. My breathing hitches slightly when I feel her fingers on my temple, but I remind myself that Sophie has a reason for acting like this. A faint warmth blossoms where her fingers touch my head, signaling that she's properly entered my mind.

I only relish in the shared peace of my mind before Jacob's memories zip through in blurs of colours, almost nauseatingly so as Sophie's wrapped up finding exactly what she's searching for. Finally, the memories slow down enough for me to make out the alley behind the museum Michelle was killed in. Once David's in the picture and trying to run away, Sophie lets the memory continue properly in silence.

I can't help but wince as Jacob's foot makes contact with David's face, sending him back crashing into the wall. His blood glistens slightly in the moonlight as David slides down the wall only to be kicked against it by his own brother. Jacob seems to pause for a second, and judging by the way David attempts to look up, I assume they're exchanging words we aren't privy to.

After a few seconds of silence, Jacob's viewpoint zooms in on David as Jacob seemingly crouches down closer to his brother, all while David continues to plead with his brother. I force myself to not look away from the flashback as the Grahams brother finally succumbs to his injuries, his chest exhaling one last breath of air.

And that's when I see it.

The shimmer of something in David's fist as his grip loosens. Clearly, Jacob notices it too since he bends down and forcefully opens the deceased's hand-