Not Alone

Once a Simp, Always a Simp

Brown's arms and shoulders ached. There would rest for his trembling body. His only future now was escape or death trying. 

But he had three new allies. 

He knelt down and retied his shoe while three dead men came back to life.

With the hateful purple light gone, the prison was lit by four white torches, one steady and three wobbling as their owners staggered, bewildered and clutching each other.

A Large Cameraman, forced to stoop in the low room, shabby, his tie missing, his 'ears' a little dented. Two normal Cameramen who looked like twins, wearing matching navy suits.

(Only four of us left...) the Large signed sadly. (Where's Gundy?)

(Who?) asked one of the twins.

(Gundy!) signed the Large, shining his torch around the room. (Burgundy, the Speakerwoman!)

Gundy. So that was her name.

(The girl who kept begging us to kill her?)

The Large wagged a finger.

(Don't judge her by the way she behaved at the end. This place broke her.)

Brown stood up, stamping to get their attention.

(They took Gundy) he signed. (And left me facing the door. I blindfolded myself and broke the screen. If we find out a way to get out...)

All the attention was on him.

(You saved us.)

The Large Cameraman tilted his head, lens focused on Brown as if trying to remember something.

(I think I know you...)

(We've met?) Brown tried to place him.

(No, I think I've seen you... on a broadcast. Yes, it was the one where they finally got Glitch Toilet. You're the guy in the striped tie who tried to hug TV Woman, aren't you? You're...)

Brown cringed. 

(Simp Cameraman!)

There was no escape.

The blue twins shoved each other giddily.

(It's him! The TV Woman Simp! SIMP CAMERAMAN! Simp Cameraman saved us!)

They convulsed in silent laughter.

Brown slumped. All his hoping to finally see another Cameraman again and the first thing he heard was...

(BROWN) he signed. (My name is Agent BROWN.)

(You saved us, Simp) the Large bowed his head. (Your name is whatever you whatever you want.)

He clasped Brown's hand and let go to keep talking.

(Just call me Joe, everyone else does. These two are Rain and Navy. We've been here for some time. What news of the war?)

Brown didn't want to spend time giving them a history lesson. Gundy was being dragged away, getting further from rescue every moment they talked.

(I'm sorry, but can that wait until we're somewhere safer?)

Joe nodded.

The twins, Brown noticed, were looking at him as if he was their leader, not Brown, who had rescued them.

He tried not to be annoyed. 

Only one thing mattered now. Gundy.

(You're right) Joe signed. (We need to get out of this room before someone finds out the screen is broken. And we need a plan for after that. The first part won't be hard. These Toilets are so careless, so dependent on their stolen technology, they didn't even check us for weapons before they threw us in this hole.)