Endless Cycles

[Chapter 16]

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The next day, when Brandon and Ray were heading to breakfast, he heard a scream. He jumped and looked at the source and saw it was coming from the hospital. He and Ray both ran to the scream and saw Tiffany looking down at Jason's body. A small pool of green substance sat beside him, and blood was leaking out of his mouth. His eyes were staring up at the ceiling, and he gripped an empty bottle. It looked as though he killed himself, but Brandon had doubts about that.

Tiffany had gone to get everyone else, and eventually everyone arrived. Adam looked at his body for a few moments before turning to the group.

"We need volunteers for this investigation. Any takers?" Brandon automatically raised his hand, as did Ray, Gavin and Trott. Adam was hesitant about Trott volunteering but he allowed it anyways. Everyone else left and the five began their investigation.

Brandon took the bottle from Jason's hands and looked at the label. It was Advil. Jason must've overdosed, because none were left. Brandon looked for any other wounds that may have been caused by anyone but found nothing. As he checked his body, he found a bit of tan power on his fingers. He looked at it curiously and thought for a moment. As soon as he was going to speak, Gavin came over to him.

"Hey Brandon? May I speak to you outside for a second?" He asked. Brandon stood up and nodded, following Gavin out the door. As soon as the two had left, Gavin stopped him.

He looked around, somewhat scared, as if someone were watching them.

"Brandon... I have to tell you something." He said. His voice glitched slightly towards the end of his sentence.

"What's wrong?" Brandon asked.

"The Adam that's inside that room...? That isn't him." Brandon's eyes widened.

"What do you mean that's not Adam?"

"I mean I know Adam's personality. That is not him."

"Who is it then?"

"It's--" Gavin disappeared into particles before he could say a word. Brandon cursed and went to the computer room to see if Gavin was there. He found that Gavin had vanished into thin air. Brandon sighed and went back to the others.

As soon as he came back to the hospital, he was greeted by Adam.

"Brandon. Where were you? And where's Gavin?"

"Sorry, he wanted help because he was glitching a lot." Brandon said. "He decided to power down for a while." Adam rolled his eyes.

"Well while you were gone, we already found everything we needed. Please go get the others and tell them to gather in the lobby." Brandon nodded and obeyed.

What did Gavin mean when he said Adam wasn't himself? And why did Gavin disappear after he said that? Dozens of questions ran through Brandon's head as he went to get the others.

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Once everyone had arrived, the trial had begun.

"While investigating the death of Jason, we found many clues as to who the murderer was." Adam spoke.

"I used the computer lab to scan the fingerprints I found on the bottle, and found they belonged to someone who wasn't Jason." Adam went to the computer room? But when? He went there to find Gavin...

Adam turned to Brandon and narrowed his eyes. "They belonged to Brandon." He accused. Brandon's eyes widened.

"What?!" He exclaimed. Brandon hadn't killed anyone!

"Killing Zek wasn't enough was it?" Adam scowled.

"I didn't kill anyone! I swear on my life I didn't!" Brandon almost shouted.

"Soon enough you won't have a life to swear on..." Adam growled and pulled out a gun. Brandon's eyes widened and he prepared himself for impact. As Adam raised the gun, Brandon shut his eyes. A loud bang rang through the lobby, but Brandon felt no pain. He opened his eyes, and saw Ray, standing in front of him. The bullet hit Ray's chest, and he fell over. Brandon let out a scream.

"RAY!" He lifted his friend's head onto his hands. Ray's face winced in pain, and tears flooded down his cheeks.

"B-Brandon..." He gasped.

"Fine. I'll just have to be responsible for two deaths then." Adam snarled and raised the gun again, but was stopped by Ross and Smiffy, who pulled the gun out of his hands, and threw him onto the ground.

Brandon's hands were covered in blood in attempts to stop his friend's chest from bleeding. Tears fell from his face and onto Ray's glasses.

"Ray come on buddy... Come on you have to make it." Ray smiled weakly and held Brandon's face with a bloody hand.

"Thank you..." He mumbled before his hand dropped to his side, and his eyes grew dull. Brandon sobbed and hugged his friend's body. First Gavin, and now Ray. Both of his closest friends were dead. Adam snarled and tried to rip himself free from Ross and Smiffy's grip.

"LET ME FINISH HIM!" He shouted. Brandon quickly got up and stared at him.

"You're not Adam..." He said quietly. Adam stopped and stared at him, fear in his eyes.

"What? Of course I am."

"No... You're not. Where is he?" Brandon asked.

"I have no clue what you're talking about." He laughed nervously. Brandon knew at that moment. Of course. Where was the only place to hide somebody without anyone finding them? The torture room. Only Brandon and Seto knew, before he had died. Brandon quickly ran to the closet where it lay hidden, a few others following him. Adam was screaming for him to stop from behind.

He ignored him and opened the secret entrance to the room. He, Tiffany, Ian, and Jordan entered the torture room and in the jail cell was Adam's body. He looked as though he had been starving. The smell choked Brandon's throat, and they quickly left.

"Oh my god." Jordan wheezed as they left. "That is disgusting." Both Tiffany and Ian nodded.

Brandon quickly went back to where Ross and Smiffy were holding Adam and kneeled in front of him.

"If Adam's dead... Then who are you?" Brandon asked. Adam (Or not Adam) smirked.

"You really want to know huh?" Brandon nodded. Adam grinned and snapped his fingers. Suddenly, a new face was revealed instead of Adam's...